Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap. 5. An Expofttion upen the Boom of J O $, erf z4: 295. them,as themfelves lamentably complain, Ifa.59. to. We grope for the wall like blind men, and wegrope, a ifwe had noeyes, we/lumble At noon- lay,eu in thenight. In that as it is here added as a further aggravation of the judg- ment of God upon thefe, who thought themfelves Eagle-eyed, all eye,and all the world blind, That they (hall meet with darknefs . in the lay time. We mayobferve ; firft, It is a fore judgment not tofee when there is light. It is like (tar ving at a full Table, or perifhing with thittl , in the mid(t of a, fountain.it is a great judgment not to havelight to fee by, but it is a greater judgment;not to fee by the light.Ic is agreat judg- ment to a people,when they have not the light of the Gofpel ; When Cbrift who is the light, is not fhiningly preached among them; but if light fhine,if Chrift be preached, and a people fee it not,This is a tar greater judgment. Thepoor Gentiles before the light of the Gofpel came to them, fate in larknefs, and in the fhadow ofdeatb,and in that eftate,they could only(like blindmen) grope after God,as the Apoftleelegantly expreffes ir,A I.iy He bathmade of one blood all nations of men Vic, that they . Amid Peek the Lord,if haply they mightfeel after him and find him. The Gentiles were inexcufable; if theydid not find the Lord by Feel- ing after him in the dark, what then arc they,who finch im°not by feeing in the light ? The Apoffle thews us them as dot' men, , and blinded by Satan,towhom the light of the glories:, Gofpel cloth not Thine when it (hines (a Cor. 4. 3, 4.) To grope in Gofpel- light, to be in darknefs,when truth is at her high-noon, is, as the fhadow of death. Iris the worft of fins to fin againft the light, and it is the worft of judgments, not to fee the light , by which we may avoid fin. The heat of divine wrath breaksout in this, when a- bufed lights punithed with want of fight, or when light is Pent, and eyes taken away,(Ifa.6.gitc.)When the Prophet brought killing light to the Jews,he faith, See ye indeed, bat perceive not, that is,becaufe ye have had light,and would not fee believingly , Now yethail have light, which yc 'hall not fee,perceivingly, or diftin&tly: as the man in the Gofpel faw,brtthe did not perceive, when he lawmen walking as trees: he had not a diftinguithing eye,or a difcerningfence, as theApoftle fpeaks,Hcb.544.13utwhy thall they not perceive, when they fee?The Prophet tellsot, be.. cautethe Lord had faid,Shut their eyes leaf' theyfee. Thework of aProphet is to open eyes,but when men wilfully (hut their eyes, them.

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