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SERM. XXXV, the principal power of the foul, which is the mind, and underflanding faculty; the foul is the most precious and invaluable part of man, and the mind is the fuperior and most noble power of the foul; it is to the foul what the eye is to the body, the directive faculty. The bodily eye is a curious, tender, and most precious part of the body. When we would exprefs the value of a thing, we fay, we prize it as our eyes. The lofs of the eyes is a fore lofs, we lofe a great part of the comfort of this world by it. Yet fuch an affliction (ipeaking comparatively) is but a trifle to this. If our bodily eyes be blinded, we cannot fee the fun; but if our fpiritual eye be blinded, we cannot fee God, we wander in the paths of fin, 1 John ii. 11. We are led blindfold to hell by Satan, as the Syrians were into Samaria, 2 Kings vi. 19, 20. And then our eyes, like theirs, will be opened to see our mifery, when it is too late. "The light of the

body is the eye, (faith Chrift). If therefore thine eye be fin"gle, thy whole body fhall be full of light; but if thine eye "be evil, thy whole body fhall be full of darkness. If therefore "the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that dark"nefs?" Mat. vi. 22, 23. By the eye he means the practical judgment, the understanding faculty, which is the feat for principles, the common treafury of rules of practice, according unto which a man's life is formed, and his way directed. If therefore that power of the foul be darkened, how great must that darknefs be! For now the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch. The blind judgment mif-guides the blind affections, and both fall into hell. O what a fad thing is it, that the devil fhould lead that, that leads thee! That he should fit at the helm, and fteer thy courfe to damnation! The blinding of this noble faculty precipitates the foul into the most dangerous courses; perfecution, by this means, feems to be true zeal for God, John xvi. 2. “ They that perfecute you, thall think "that they do God fervice. Paul once thought verily with him"felf, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name "of Jefus of Nazareth," Acts xxvi. y. i. e. He thought he had pleased God, when he was imprifoning and perfecutiug his peo ple, as many do at this day; it will make a man to fin confcientioutly, which is a very dangerous way of finning, and difficult to be reclaimed.

Secondly, It is a dreadful judgment, if we confider the object about which the understanding is blinded, which is Jefus Chrift, and union with him; regeneration, and the nature and neceffity thereof. For this blindnefs is not univerfal, but refpective and particular. A man may have abundance of light and knowledge

in things natural and moral; but fpiritual things are hidden from his eyes. Yea, a man may know fpiritual things in a Datural way, which encreaseth his blindnefs; but he cannot difcern them fpiritually; this is a fore judgment, and greatly to be bewailed. "Thou haft hid these things, (faid Chrift) from "the wife and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes," Mat. xi. 25. Learned, and knowing men are ignorant of thofe things, which very babes in Chrift understand. They are prudent in the management of earthly affairs; but to fave their own fouls they have no knowledge. They are able, with Berengarius, to dispute de omni fcibili, of every thing investigable by the light of nature; yea, to open the scripture folidJy, and defend the doctrines and truths of Chrift against his adverfaries fuccefsfully; and yet blinded in the great mystery of regeneration, Blindness in part, (faith the apostle) is happened unto Ifrael; and that indeed was the principal part of knowledge, viz. the knowledge of Jefus Chrift, and him crucified, we lee farther than they, The literal knowledge of Jefus Christ fhines clearly in our understanding. We are only blinded about those things which fhould give us faving intereft in him, about the effectual application of Chrift to our own fouls.

Thirdly, The dreadful nature of this fpiritual blindness farther appears from the confideration of the feafon in which it befals men, which is the very time of God's patience, and the only opportunity they have for falvation; after these oppor. tunities are over, their eyes will be opened to fee their misery, but alas, too late. Upon this account Chrift fhed those tears over Jerufalem, Luke xix. 42. "O that thou hadst known, at "leaft in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes." Now the feason of grace is paft and gone; opportunities are the golden fpots of time, and there is much time in a fhort opportunity, as there are many pieces of filver in one piece of gold. Time fignifies nothing when opportunities are gone; to be blinded in the very feafon of falvation, is the judgment of all judgments, the greatest mifery incident to man; to have our eyes opened when the feafons of falvation are paft, is but an aggravation of mifery: there is a twofold opening of men's eyes to fee their danger, viz. 1. Graciously to prevent danger.

2. Judicially to aggravate mifery.

They whofe eyes are not opened graciously in this world, to fee their disease, and remedy in Chrift, fhall have their eyes opened judicially in the world to come, to fee their difcafe with

out any remedy. If God open them now, it is by way of prevention; if they be not opened till then, it will produce defperation.

Fourthly, The horrible nature of this judgment farther ap pears from the exceeding difficulty of curing it, especially in men of excellent natural endowments and accomplishments, John. ix. 40, 41. "And fome of the Pharifees which were with him, heard these words, and faid unto him, Are we blind alfo ? "Jefus faid unto them, If ye were blind, ye, should have no fin: "but now ye fay, We fee: therefore your fin remaineth," q. d. the pride and conceitednefs of your hearts adds obstinacy and incurableness to your blindness; thefe are "the blind people that "have eyes;" Ifa. xliii. 8. In feeing they fee not. The conviction of fuch men is next to an impoffibility.

Fifthly, The defign and end of this blindnefs under the gofpel is most dreadful * ; fo faith my text, "The god of this

world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, " left the light of the glorious gospel of Chrift, who is the image "of God, fhould fhine unto them." Anfwerable whereunto are thofe words, Ifa. vi. 10. "Make the heart of this people fat, and "make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; left they fee with "their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their "hearts, and convert, and be healed." So that it is plain, this blinding is a praeludium to damnation, as the covering of Haman's face was to his destruction. When the Lord hath no purpose of grace and mercy to a man's foul, then to bring about the damnation of that man by a righteous permiffion; many occafions of blindness befal him, which Satan improves effectually unto his eternal ruin: among which fatal occafions, blind guides and fcandalous profeffors are none of the leaft; they shall be fitted with minifters fuitably to their humours, who thall fpeak smooth things: If a man walk in the spirit and falfhood, (i. e. by an Ey dia voir, the fpirit of falfehood), do lie, faying, I will prophesy to thee of wine and ftrong drink, he ball even be the prophet of this people: and the flips and falls of profeffors fhall do the devil not a little fervice in this his fatal defign; Matth. xviii. 7. "Wo to the world because of offences." This fhall blind them, and harden them to purpose. Thus you fee what a dreadful judgment this is, a ftroke of God upon the foul,

It is a fign of God's difpleafure, when men understand not their faults, left repentance follow. Cypr. Ep. 2. But to be smitten with blindnefs of mind, fo as neither to know nor lament their faults, is higher evidence of the difpleafuce of au angry God. Cypr

which cuts off all the prefent comforts of Chrift and religion from it, takes away the bridle of restraint from fin, and makes way for the final ruin of the foul. A far greater judgment it is than the greatest calamity or affliction which can befal us in this world. If our names fuffer by the greateft reproaches, our bodies by the most painful diseases, our eftates by the greatest loffes; if God ftrike every comfort we have in this world dead by affliction: all this is nothing, compared with this blinding judgment of God upon the foul; for they may come from the tender love of God to us, Heb. xii. 6. but this is the effect of his wrath; they may cleanfe fin, Ifa. xxvii. 9. but this increases it; they often prove occafions of converfion, Job xxxvi. 8, 9. but this is the great obstruction to it. In a word, they only wound the flesh, and that with a curable wound; but this ftabs. the foul, and that with a mortal wound.

Firft ufe, of information.

Infer. 1. If this be the cafe of the unbelieving world, to be fo blinded by the god of this world; How little should we value the cenfures and flanders of this blind world? Certainly they should move no other affection but pity in our fouls: if their eyes were opened, their mouths would be fhut; they would never traduce religion, and the fincere profeffion of it, as they do, if Satan had not blinded their minds: they speak evil of the things they know not; their reproaches, which they let fly fo freely, are but fo many arrows fhot by the blind man's bow, which only stick in our cloaths, and can do us no hurt, except we thrust them onward by our own difcontent, to the wounding of our spirits. "I could almoft be proud upon it, faid Luther, that I have got an ill name among the worst of men." Beware, Chriftians, that you give them no occafion to blafpheme the name of your God, and then never trouble yourfelves, however they use your names. If they tread it in the dirt now, God, (as one speaks), will take it up, wash off all the dirt, and deliver it you again clear and shining. Should fuch men fpeak well of us, we might juftly fufpect ourselves of fome iniquity which adminifters to them the occafions of it.

Infer. 2. How abfurd and dangerous must it be for Chriftians to follow the examples of the blind world? Let the blind follow the blind, but let not thofe whom God hath enlightned do fo. Chriftians, never let thofe lead you, who are led blindfold by

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Superbus fio, quod video nomen possimum mihi crefcere. Luther. Gratias ago Deo meo, quod dignus fum quem mundus oderit. Hieron.

SERM. XXXV. the devils themfelves. The holiness and heavenlinefs of Chri ftians was wont to fet the world a wondering that they would not run with them into the fame excefs of riot, 1 Pet iv. 4. But fure, fince God hath opened your eyes, and fhewed you the dangerous courfes they walk in, it would be the greatest wonder of all, if you fhould be the companions of fuch men, and tread in the fteps of their examples. Chriftian, as humble and lowly thoughts as thou haft of thyfelf, yet I would have thee underftand thyfelf to be too good to be the affociate of fuch men. Difcamus fanctam fuperbiam, et fciamus nos effe illies meliores. If they will walk with you in the way of duty and holiness, let them come and welcome: receive them with both arms, and be glad of their company; but beware you walk not in their paths, left they be a fnare unto you. Did they fee the end of their way, they would never walk in it themselves; why then will you walk with them who do fee it?

Infer. 3. If this be so, Let Chriftians be exact and circumfpect in their walking, left they lay a fumbling-block before the blind. It is a great fin to do fo in a proper sense, Lev. xix. 14. “ Thou "fhalt not put a ftumbling block before the blind." And a far greater to do it in a metaphorical fenfe, Rom. xiv. 13. It is the exprefs will of God, "that no man put a ftumbling-block, “or an occafion to fall in his brother's way." It is an argu ment of little regard to the honour of Chrift, or the fouls of men, fo to do. O profeffors, look to your fteps; the devil de fires to make ufe of you for fuch purposes. The fins of thou fands of others, who make no profeffion of godlinefs, will never fo fit his purpofe for the blinding of thofe mens eyes, as the leaft flip or failing of yours will do. It is the living bird that makes the best stale to draw others into the net: the groffeft wickedness of profane finners paffeth away in filence, but all the neighbourhood shall ring with your miscarriages. "A righte ous man falling down before the wicked, is as a troubled "fountain and a corrupt fpring," Prov. xxv. 26. The fcandalous falls of good men are like a bag of poifon caft by Satan into the fpring from whence the whole town is fupplied with water. You little know what mischief you do, and how many blind finners may fall into hell by your occafion.

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Infer. 4. How dangerous a thing is zeal in a wicked man? It is like a fharp fword in a blind man's hand, or like high mettle. in a blind horfe. How much hath the church of God fuffered upon this account, and doth fuffer at this day: The world hath ever been full of fuch blind and bluftering zeal, which, like a burricane, overturns all that ftands in its way: yea, as we

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