so attached to his ministry, they were not deemed by the Master beyond the need or this wise and faithful admonition. JI. THE CONSTRUCTION WHICH THEY PUT UPON HIS WORDS. The word Cl leaven" reminded them of bread, and the thought of bread reminded them of their negligence in. not having made proper provision for their journey. But their misunderstanding was sc~rcely due t? thei~ oversig~t; it was rather the consequence of th~ir own slowness of mrnd to take m their Masters manner of speech. We do not trace impatience but we do trace a certain dissatisfaction and reproachfulness, in the Lord's language: '., Do ye not yet perceive, neither understand?" How often has Christ occasion thus to expostu- late with bis too unspiritual and inappreciative disciples I We often take Christ's words too literally, without that discernment and sympathy which a wise and gracious Master expects from his scholars. III. THE CONSIDERATIONS BY WHICH CHRIST REPROVED THEm MISUNDERSTANDING. 1. They should have known him better than so to misapprehend him. Where were their eyes, their ears, their heart? Had they been susceptible and active, surely a. truer, a loftier judgment would have been formed of the Christ, the Son of God. In this case they would not have supposed that he was troubling himself or them with such a trifle as now excited their concern. 2. 'l'hey should have better remembered the past, especially the occasions upon which the Lord had supplied the wants of multi- tudes in the exercise of bis omnipotence. Such a recollection would have saved them from the misapprehension into which they had fallen. APPLICATION. Christ's words are to be understood in the light of his nature and his works. 'l'o understand what Christ says we must think of him aright, and we must study his teaching in the light of the wonderful deeds which he has performed for the relief and the salvation of mankind. It is want of sympathy and of remembrance which often leads to misunderstanding. He that will do the Divine will shall know of the doctrine. , ers. 22-26.-Sight for the blind. Every form of human privation, suffering, and infirmity which came under the notice of Christ elicited his compassion and his healing mercy, and every such disorder was treated by him as a symptom of the moral malady which afflicts mankind. 'l'he diversity of his miracles of healing may serve to represent his power and willingness to restore our sinful humanity, afflicted. with many and various ills, to spiritual soundness and health. In this miracle we observe- L A SYMBOL OF THE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS OF HUMANITY. The blind man of Beth- saida may not have been born blind; but his sightless state was well known, and excited the commiseration of his neighbours and acquaintances, who led him to the great Healer and Enlightener of men, that he might touch and cure him. He is an emblem of this humanity, darkened in understanding, incapable of discerning truth, blind to moral beauty, to heavenly glory. ·IL A STilBOL OF SALVATION BY D='"E CONTACT. Jesus treated this man in a way appropriate to his condition and infirmity. He appealed to the sense of touch, for there was no sense of sight to which to appeal. He led the blind man by the hand, took him apart, spat on his eyes, laid his hands upon him. .A.11 this was to make the patient feel that the Divine Phy~ician was there, was interested in him, was working for his cure. It was to reveal his own presence and to call forth the sufferer's faith. And there is no salvation for any by merely hearing or reading about Jes\18 Christ. The spiritually blind cannot experience bis illuminating power except by coming tc him in faith. If he enter the heart, reveal his truth and love and power, come into immediate contact with the springs of the spiritual nature and life, then the mind, before insensible to the light of Heaven, begins to appreciate the great realities of being -the nature, the character, the will, of a holy God and Father. lIL A 8nulOL OF THE PBOGBE881VE OHABAOTEB OF SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT, 'fhe most noticeable feature of this miracle is the way in which the cure was wrought- gradually and progressively. Why Jesus did not effect the result at once does not appear. It may have been to teach us how difficult and slow is the process of human illumination, even by the gospel and the Spirit of God. As at first the man saw human figures, which appeared like trees, but moved, so that even his half-recovered vision judged them men i 110 those to whom the light of the gospel first comet' ofteu. ou, VIII, 1-38.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. :MAUK. .,_,,, .,.,,,
discern but dimly those spiritual facts and relations which time and experience and Divine teaching will render mor,, vivid and distinct, It is not to be expected that young Christiane or recent converts shall understand all such truth as is comparatively clear to the mature and instructed. God's ways herein are like his ways in other departments of hie government; order and progression are characteristicR of his reign. IV. A SYMBOL OF THE POWER OF CBIUBT TO EFFECT COMPLETE ILLUMINATION, After the further application of the wonder-working hands of Jesus, it is recorded that the blind man "was restored, and saw all things clearly." So in Go,l's light we shall see light. He bath "shined into our hearts." We shall "see God." The vision shal] brighten here; and it shall be more than bright-it shall be glorious-hereafter.