27 And when Jesns departed thence, two bhnd men followed him, crying, and saying, TJiou Son of David, have mercy on us.
28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him : and Jesus saith unto them. Believe ye that I am able to do this ? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened ; and Jesus straitly charged them, say- ing. See that no man know it.
31 But they, when they were de- parted, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake : and the multi-
tudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
S6 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few ;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
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There are four lessons in this passage, which deserve close attention. Let iis mark them each in succession.
Let us mark, in the first place, that strong faith in Christ may sonKtimes he found where it might least have been expected. Who would have thought that two hlind men would have called our Lord the " Son of David ?" They could not, of course, have seen the miracles that He did. They could only know Him hy common report. But the eyes of their understanding were enlightened, if their bodily eyes were dark. They saw the truth which Scribes and Pharisees could not see. They saw that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. They believed that He was able to heal them.
An example like this shows us, that we must never despair of any one's salvation, merely because he lives in a position unfavorable to his soul. Grace is stronger than circumstances. The life of religion does not depend merely upon outw^ard advantages. The Holy Ghost can give faith, and keep faith in active exercise without book- learning, without money, and with scanty means of grace. Without the Holy Ghost a man may know all mysteries, and live in the full blaze of the Gospel, and yet be lost. We shall see many strange sights at the last day. Poor cottao:ers will be found to have believed in the Son of David, while rich men, full of university learning, will prove to have lived and died like the Pharisees, in hardened unbelief Many that are last will be first, and the first last. (Matt. xx. 16.)
Let us mark, in the next place, thdt our Lord Jesus Christ has had great experience of disease and sickness. He " went about all the cities and villages" doing good.