Use 1. To show us the reason why the word prevaileth so little when it is preached with power and evidence ; their eyes are not opened : Isa. liii. 1, ' Who hath believed our report ; and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? ' No teaching will prevail till we are taught of God. Use 2. What need we have to consult with God, whenever we make use of the word, in reading, hearing, study. In reading, when thou openest the Bible to read, say, ' Lord, open mine eyes.' When thou hearest, beg a sight of the truth, and how to apply it for thy comfort. Hcec audiunt quasi somnianies, Luther saith of the most — in seeing they see not, in hearing they hear not. There was a fountain by Hagar, but she could not see it : Gen. xxi. 19, ' God opened her ej-es, and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad to drink.' So for study; it is dangerous to set upon the study of divine things in the strength of wit and human helps. Men go forth in the strength of their own parts, or lean upon the judgment of writers, and so are left in darkness and confusion. We would sooner come to the decision of a truth if we would go to God, and desire him to rend the veil of prejudices and interests.
Use 3. Is to press us to seek after this blessing, the opening of the eyes. Magnify the creating power of God : 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' Make use of Christ : Col. ii. 3, ' In whom are hid all the trea- sures of wisdom and knowled2:e ; ' beg it earnestly of him. The apostle prayeth, Eph. i. 17, 18, ' Tha't the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of your understanding being en- lightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,' &c. Yea,
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mourn for it in cases of dubious anxiety. John wept when the book of the seven seals was not opened, Eev. v. 4. Mourn over your ignorance ; refer all to practice: John vii. 17, 'If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.' Wait for light in the use of means, with a simple, docile, sincere, humble mind : Ps. xxv, 9, ' The meek will he guide in judg- ment, and the meek will he teach his way.'
Doct. 2. Those whose eyes are opened by God, they see wondrous things in his word, more than ever they thought.
' Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.' Laiu is not taken strictly for the covenant of works, nor for the decalogue as a rule of life ; but more generally for the whole Avord of God, which is full of wonders, or high and heavenly mysteries. In the decalogue or moral law there is wonderful purity, when we get a spiritual sense of it : Ps. cxix. 96, ' I have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy commandments are exceeding broad ;' and Ps. xix. 7, 8, ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple : the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart : the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.' A wonderful equity: Piom. vii. 12, 'The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, just, and good.' A marvellous wisdom : Deut. iv. 6, ' Keep therefore, and do them ; for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say. Surely this great nation is a wise and un- derstanding people.' In the whole word of God, the harmony and correspondence between all the parts, how the mystery grew from a dark revelation to clearer, is admirable. In the gospel, every article of faith is a mystery to be wondered at. The person of Christ : 1 Tim. iii. 16, ' Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' &c. A virgin conceiveth, the Word is made flesh, the redemption and reconciliation of mankind, are the wonderful works of the Lord's grace. It is ' the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery,' 1 Cor. ii. 7. ' We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory : ' and it is called the ' mystery hidden from ages,' Eph. iii. 9. The glory of heaven is admirable : Eph. i. 18, ' The riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints in light.' That a clod of earth should be made an heir of heaven, deserves the highest wonder. All these are mysteries. So the wonderful effects of the word in convincing sin- ners : 1 Cor. xiv. 25, ' Thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falling down on his fjice, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.' Heb. iv. 12 : ' The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' It is a searching and dis- covering word : John iv. 29, ' See a man that hath told me all that ever I did.' In changing sinners : 1 Peter ii. 9, * That ye may show forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' Peter's getting out of prison was nothing to it. In comforting, every grace is a mystery, to depend upon what we see not, to be as a rock in the midst of a storm. 'l)ying, yet we live ; as poor,