Chap a . according to S t M A T T x v v. 499 Henry 3. madea law to forbid them to pray with their families. The fun [hall Sooner Rand Rill then the tradeof godlineffe, and that continuall intercourfe that is betwixt God, and the Chti- ftian foul. Verfe3z. anti lefts; ffoodflill] See the admirablepower of fervent prayer. Chrift Rands and (taies (for all the hafte of his journey to Prop/ern, which till he had finifhed,oh bowwas he Pieces ebrillá.w flraitnedLei¿,' z.5©?) to hear the blinde beggers petition. So soet feftínan- the funonce Rood Rill in Gibeon, and themoon in the vally ofA- tern rernoran jalon upon the prayer of worthy lofhaaa, whofet the trophies of rat. his viecorie in the very orbsof heaven. Verte 33. Lord, that our eyes might -be opened] Truely the light is tweet, and a pleafant thing it is for the eyes to behold the fun, EcclefI I.7, And yet how little is this mercy prized, be- caufe common. Our corrupt natures heed nothing that we en- joy, as the eye feeth nothing that lies on it : but things at a di- Rance it difcerns clearly. Bona a tergo firmofsffma. Copy of good things breeds fatiety, and makes them no dainties, till God for our f'oIly many times makes us fee the worthof themby the want of them, and fo commends and indears his favours to us. But what a blindneffe is this, worte then thatofBartimeus, never to fee the face, but thebackonly of benefits ? Verfe 34: And lefito had eompafon on them] He made their cake his own. Aui ericordia founds as much as miter laid to heart. Chrifts bowels founded upon the fight and fuit of there blinde beggers and this was beyond all aimes, fhould he have done no more for them. For when one gives an alms, he gives somewhat without himfeif, but by cocnpaflion we relieve ano- ther by fomewhat within and from our [elves, whiles we draw out cur fond (not our Sheafonly) to thehungry,1[.; 8 ' o. And immediatly their eyes receivedfight] This is not every blinde mans happineffe, that yet prayesforfight. But thereisa better eye fight then that ofthe body, which it God vouchfafe to any inbodily blindeneffe (as he did to that blinde boy ofGlocefer that had [offered imprifonment there for confeffin1 the truth) it may be said to Such 'Surely as Bithop Hooper the Martyr did to him ; Ah poor boy, God hath taken from thee thy outward fight, L$° a"d Rion. but hath given thee another much more precious,&e.The likefa- 1°' vosr God chewed to D idymes Alexandrinets, who,though blinde fromhis childhood, yet was not only an excellent Anil}, but an K 4 able
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