I. Trace the analogy between the miracles wrought by our blessed Lord on the bodies of men, and those which he yet works on men's souls —
For the more distinct elucidation of this point, we may observe,
1. There is resemblance between the disorders of
the body, and the disorders of the soul —
[Many were brought to our Lord, who were blind, deaf, leprous, and possessed with devils. And such are men at this time, in a spiritual view. Like the Laodiceans, however they may " think themselves rich and increased with goods, they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind ; and therefore need to take counsel of our Lord, and to anoint their eyes with his eye-salve, that they may seea." "Their eyes must be opened, before they will turn from the power of Satan unto GodV
The natural man too is represented as spiritually deaf; as having ears, and not hearing0; as being unable to hear the voice of the good Shepherd*1; yea, as like the deaf adder that stoppeth her eare.
The leprosy also of sin lies deep in our hearts ; as the pro- phet intimates, when, in allusion to the convicted leper, he says of himself, and of all around him, " Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell in the midst of a people ot unclean lipsf."
Though demoniacal possessions were not properly disorders, yet are they always enumerated with them, when the miracles of our Lord are recited. And, however humiliating the truth may be, it is certain that we are all, while in an unconverted state, possessed by Satan. The unbelieving world are blinded g, governed11, and led captive by him at his will1. And, whatever evil they are excited to commit, it is through the instigation of that wicked fiend k.]
2. There is a resemblance between the cures
wrought by our Lord upon the bodies of men, and
the cures which he will work upon their souls —
[Wherever the blessings of salvation are mentioned in the prophets, they are set forth in some highly figurative expres- sions ; and by none more commonly than by those relating to bodily cures. Isaiah says, " In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind see out of
a Rev. hi. 17, 18. b Acts xxyi. 18. c Matt. xiii. 15.
d John viii. 47. e Ps. Iviii. 4. f Isai. vi. 5.
g 2 Cor. iv. 4. h Eph. ii. 2. * 2 Tim. ii. 26.
k John xiii. 27. Acts v. 3.