The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 112

or hie Iniquity. When men have come to hate ein thPy itre well on the ro11d towar,l it.a conquest. 2. Ily taking back the penitent to the favour and lr,ve or God. Through Christ sin ie po.rdoned ancl the sinner is restored. As one that loves Gorl, and seeks above all things to enjoy his favour, the man "cannot sin; " he hill! n.cqnire<l a reason nnd motive for purity nnd Integrity which gives him the victory over sin. How can he grieve his heavenly Fa.ther, bis Divine Redeemer, the Holy Spirit of God? 3. By giving him access to a source of Divine power. God is ready to dwell effectually within, and to work mightily upon the soul that seeks his presence and a.sks bis power. We can do "all things in Christ who strengtbeneth us." He makes us to know "the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe," in snapping the bonds that bound us, ancl investing us with " the glorious liberty of the children of God."-0, Ver. 18.-Bpiritual blindne.ss. "The recovering ofe~ht to the blind." We think of- I. Tm: BADNESS OF BLINDNESS, and its degrees. "ft mW!t be very bad to be blind," we say; probably we but faintly realize what it means. 1. It is bad to be physiwlly bli11d-to look on no scenery, to read no book, to behold no countenance, to recognize no love in a human face, to grope our way in the thick darkness. 2. It is worse to be mentally blind-to see, and not to see; to open the eyes on the beauty and wonder and glory of the universe and to recognize nothing beautiful, wonderful, glorioW!, there; to be as lonely in a library as in a cell I 3. It is worse still to be morally blind-bliD.d of soul, so that a man can see nothing degraded in drunkenness, nothing shameful in vice, nothing revolting in obscenity and profanity, nothing repelling in seliishness; so that a man can see nothing noble, in generosity, nothing beautiful in beneficence, nothing regal in righteousness and duty, nothing sacred in human love. 4. It is worst of all to be spirit=lly blind-worst, because that is the root and sonrce of all the others ; blindness of spirit, a darkness in which the soul fails to see the Highest of all beings, the loftiest of all truths, the ~eatest of all facts; a darkness in which the soul fails to recognize the essential truth that in God we " live, and move, and have onr being," and that to him we are responsible for all we are and have; in which it is blind to our sorrowful state of guilt and condemnation in the sight of God. II. THE WORST FEATURE OF SPIRITUAL PRIVATION. That which is the best feature in physical is the worst in spiritual blindness. Under the merciful principle of accom- modation, the blind became not only submissive, but contented and even cheerful in tba darkness in which they dwell. Th~y are able not only to speak of it, but to reel about it that it is "the shadow of God's wing." That is a very happy thing; but that is the very worst feature of spiritual blindness. It is spiritual insensibility that is the most deplorable-the fact that men don't know that they don't see ; that they suppose themselves to know everything when they know nothing; that they are not aware what e. world of truth and blessedness is around them and is accessible to them. Who shall reveal this to them? Ill. CHRIST THE GREAT RESTORER of our spiritual vision. And how does he make us see that to which, but for him, we should have remained blind? 1. By making quite plain ancl certain that which would have remained shadowy and uncertain. Many truths of vital importance men would, in his absence, ha.ve speculated upon and discussed, but they would not have known them. Coming to us from God, the great 'l'eacher has turned these uncertainties into living and sustaining truth. He tells us authoritatively and decisively that God is the one Divine Spirit, the righteous Ruler of all, the Father of souls, condemning them in their sin, pitying them in their estrange- ment, inviting them to return; that God has determined that when we die we shall live a.gain, shall come forth to a resurrection of condemnation or of life. 2. By bringing the truth clos~ home to the eye of the soul. When our Lord lived on earth he did this himself in his own Person ; e.g. iu the cases of the woman of Samaria, the rich young ruler, Nico<lemns, he brought the truth of the kingdom home to the heart and the conscience. Those lips are closed to us now; Christ speaks not now as he spoke then. But his Spirit is with us still, speaking throu11:h his Word and through bis faithful servants, a.nd through his providence. 3. Ily more folly enlightening the minds of thoso who go in faith to seek and to serve him. Unto all seeking and trusting souls he manifests his truth in ever-enla.rging fulness; them be lea<ls "into all thti truth" they  104 THE oosrRL ACCORDING 'ro ST. LUKE. [en. IT. 1----44.