To get a sense of your own blindness. 2. To seek out for a cure, whilst yet it may be had. First, Labour to get a deep sense of the misery of such a condition ; for till you be awakened by conviction, you can never be healed. O that you did but know the true difference betwixt common and saving light ; the want of this keeps you in darkness : you think because you know the same things that the most unsanc- tified men doth, that therefore there is no difference betwixt his know- ledge and yours ; and are therefore ready to say to them, as Job to his friends ; " Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath " heard and understood it : what ye know, the same do I know " also ; I am not inferior unto you,'" Job xiii. 1, $. But O that you would be convinced that your knowledge vastly differs from the knowledge of believers. Though you know the same things that they do, it is a knowledge of another kind and nature. You know spiritual things in another way, merely by the light of reason, as- sisted and improved by the common light of the gospel ; they know the same things by spiritual illumination, and in an experimental way. 1 John ii. 20. " Ye have an unction from the holy One, ■" and ye know all things." Their knowledge is practical, yours is idle. They are working out their salvation, by that light which God hath given them, Psal. cxi. 10. Their knowledge of God and Christ produces the fruits of faith, obedience, and mortifica- tion, and heavenly-mindedness in them : it hath no such fruits in you; whatever light there be in your understandings, it makes no alteration at all upon your hearts. The light brings them to heaven, John xvii. 3. Yours shall be blown out by death, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. and yourselves left in the mists of eternal darkness, except your eyes be opened seasonably by the anointing of the Holy Ghost Conviction is a great part of your cure.
Secondly, Labour to get a remedy for this dangerous disease of your minds : " Awake to righteousness, and sin not, for some have t; not the knowledge of God : I speak this to your shame," 1 Cor. xv. 34. These tilings speak encouragement to you, though it be a sore judgment that lies upon you, and very difficult to be removed : yet remember Jesus Christ is commissioned by God the Father to open the blind eyes, Isa. xiii. 6, 7. and this excellent physician be- speaks you for his patients, Rev. hi. 18. " Anoint thine eyes, « (saith he) with eye-salve that thou mayest see.*" Yea, the most enlightened Christians were once as dark and blind in spiritual things as you are, and Christ hath cured them, Eph. v. 8. " Once '*' were you darkness, now are ye light in the Lord." Attend therefore upon the ordinances of the gospel diligently ; that is God's
SERM. XXXV. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 471
enlightening instrument by which lie couches those cataracts which blind the eyes of men's understandings, Acts xxvi. 28. And if ever you will have your eyes opened, allow yourselves time to pon- der and consider what you hear. The duty of meditation is a verv enlightening duty : above all, cry to the Lord Jesus Christ, as that poor man did, " Lord, that mine eyes may be opened, that " I may receive my sight.11 Say, Lord, this is my disease and dan- ger, that in seeing I see not. Others see natural things in a spiri- tual way, whilst I see spiritual things onlyin a natural way. Their light is operative upon their hearts, mine is but an idle impractical notion of religion, which brings forth no fruit of holiness. Their knowledge sets their hands a work in duties of obedience ; mine only sets my tongue a work in discourses of those things which my heart never felt. Lord, open mine eyes, and make me to see out of this obscurity : All the light that is in me is but darkness. O Lord, enlighten my darkness, enlighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Secondly, Let it be a word of counsel and exhortation to such as once were blind, but do now see.
First, I beseech you, bless God for the least degree of spiritual illumination. " Truly light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for " the eyes to behold the sun,11 Eccles. xi. 7. But O how sweet is spiritual light ! and what a pleasant thing to behold the Sun of righteousness ! Blessed are your eyes, for they see God hath brought you out of darkness into marvellous light. And marvellous in- deed it must needs be, when you consider how many wise and prudent men are under the power of spiritual darkness, whilst such babes as you are enlightened, Mat. xi. 85. It greatly affect- ed the heart of Christ ; O let it affect yours also.
Secondly, Labour to get a clearer sight of spiritual things everv day. For all spiritual light is increasing light, " which shineth " more and more unto the perfect day,11 Prov. iv. 18. O ! if a little spiritual light be so comfortable, what would more be ? The wisdom of God is a manifold wisdom, Eph. iii. 10. The best of us see but little of it. Labour therefore to know spiritual things more extensively, and more experimentally, Phil. ii. 84 9. Be still in- creasing in the knowledge of God.
Thirdly, Walk as men whose eyes are opened. " Once ye were " in darkness, now are ye light in the Lord ; walk as children of " the light, Eph. v. 8. else your light will but aggravate your sin. Remember how it displeased God, that Solomon's heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel who appeared to him twice, 1 Kings xi. 9. Remember how angry God was with the Hea- thens for abusing the dim common light of nature. Rom. i. 21
472 THE METHOD OF GflACE. SI-.KM. XXXV.
How much more evil is it in you to abuse the most precious light that shineth in this world ? and what mischievous effects the abuse of your light will have upon this blind world ? It was a smart re- buke given once by an Atheist to a good man, who being asked by him how he could satisfy his conscience to live as he did ? Nay ra- ther, said the Atheist, I wonder how you can satisfy yourself to live as you do ; for did I believe as you do, that there is such a Christ, and such a glory as you believe there are, I would pray and live at another rate than you do.
And now, reader, if all my discourses of the method of Christ in purchasing the great salvation for us, and the way of the Spirit in applying it, and making it effectual to God's elect ; thou hast two wonders before thine eyes, either of which may astonish thy soul, in the consideration of them, viz.
1. This admirable grace of God in preparing ) this great
2. The desperate wickedness of man in rejecting j Salvation. First, Behold the riches of the goodness and mercy of God in