wonderful providences, wonderful deliverances, incomprehensible excellences, unspeakable joy and glory. It is a wonder there should be such things every day before our eyes, and yet we could not see them till now; and it is a wonder, that when we did not see them before, we should ever see them now-that those things which we despised, derided, mocked at, stumbled at, as mere foolishness and fancy, we should now see and admire, even to astonishment-that that Jesus who was to the Jews a stumbling-block, to the Greeks foolishness, should be to the same men when called, the wisdom of God and the power of God. Oh the deep things of God! Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ, which he that searcheth all things reveals unto the saints! Oh the hidden treasures they now discover in this deep mine! To you that believe, he is precious, a praise, an honor; all fair, all glorious; and you have seen his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth.

Again, there are marvellous evils, as well as good things, which by this light are brought to light. Sin, with all the hidden things of darkness that lie below in those chambers of death-the secrets of the evil

heart of man. Sin appears a wonder to the savingly enlightened soul: exceeding sinful, a world of wickedness. There is death, and hell, and the devil in every sin; unkindness, unthankfulness, folly, enmity, rebellion, spite, and the blackness of darkness. What once appeared as a pleasure, a delight, a beauty—or at least, if an evil, yet but a trifle, a matter of nothing— is become a plague, a terror, a burden, a bondage,

bitterness, shame, sorrow; and such a high provocation, that whereas once he swelled and murmured, and cried out of rigor, severity, cruelty in the least punishment of it; now he wonders at the clemency, and patience, and forbearance of God, that such an affront and provocation had not long since turned the whole earth into a hell.

Christian, thou complainest thou canst not see, thou canst not feel, thou canst not mourn, thou canst not break under all the guilt that lies upon thee; thy heart is hard, thine eyes are dry; not a tear, not a groan, scarce a sigh will all this evil fetch out from thee. "Oh this blind and sottish mind! Oh this dead and senseless heart! what shall I do? what would I not do to get me a melting, mourning, broken spirit? but I cannot, I cannot; I cannot see, I cannot bleed, nor break." O beg the light of this Holy Spirit; and if the sight he will present thee with, of this wonderful evil, do not rend thy heart, and turn thee, and open all thy sluices, and let out thy soul in sighs and groans, in shame and sorrow, thou mayest then well be a wonder to thyself. But be not discouraged, be not dismayed; do not say, This rock will never break, this iron will never melt; I may go sighing for sighs, mourning after tears, groaning after groans, but all in vain, it will never be; I am past feeling; sorrow flies from me, repentance is hid from mine eyes. Do not thus discourage thyself; wait for this Spirit, open to it and thou shalt see flowing in such streams of selfshaming, self-confounding light, as shall flow forth in self-abasing, self-abhorring streams of tears.

3. These marvellous things are revealed to them with marvellous clearness; that is, in comparison with what they are to the purblind world, and in comparison with what they themselves once saw. They come to see the glory, and the beauty, and the reality of the wonderful things of God. "We have seen his glory," saith the apostle. John 1:14. "The kindness of God our Saviour appeared;" "but we all, with open face, behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. Out of Zion hath he appeared in perfect beauty.

It is prophesied of the unbelieving world, that when they should see Christ, they should see no beauty in him. Isa. 53:2. Strange! though he is all beauty, yet they should see him, and yet see no beauty; that is, they shall see him, and yet not see him. "What is thy beloved more than any other beloved? What is Christ more than an ordinary man? What is the gospel more than an ordinary story? What is the Spirit? What is truth? What is there in this faith and love, in this holiness and righteousness, in this peace of conscience, and joy of the Holy Ghost? What substance is there in them? Where is the glory, and wherein is the excellency of them? Which way came the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee?" Thou shalt know in that day, when thou shalt call to the mountains to fall on thee, and the rocks to hide thee from the face of God and the Lamb. We know whom we have believed. We know that we know him. We speak that which we know, and testify what we have seen. We have an unction from

the Holy One, we know all things. God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. We have a clear and certain sight. We do not see men as trees walking, with our eyes half open: we see men as men, Christ as Christ, truth as truth, in its full lustre and evidence. This we have seen and do testify, neither deceiving nor being deceived. We thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

And as they see truth and holiness and goodness in their wonderful glory and beauty, so also folly and falsehood and sin in their wonderful ugliness and deformity. Sin appears to them to be sin, folly to be folly, falsehood to be falsehood; they see men as men, Christ as Christ, truth as truth, holiness as holiness; and they see beasts as beasts, fools as fools, sin as sin, devils as devils, hell as hell. They see all things as they are, temptations as they are, delusions as they are; they see what is under them, the hook under the bait, the sting in the locust's tail, the war in the devil's heart carried on under his fawning face; they are not ignorant of his devices.

Sinners, cease your wondering at the saints, let them be no longer for signs and for wonders in Israel; cease your wondering at the saints, and come and wonder with them. Wonder not that they speak not

as you, live not as you, run not with you after the same follies and vanities. Oh, if you once come to see what they see, you will be a wonder to yourselves. Mock not at their blessedness: blessed are their eyes, for they see. The blind envy, but do not disdain the seeing. Say not, These men are in a dream, or drunk, or mad; take heed, blaspheme not the Holy Spirit, call not his light darkness, put not your darkness for light. Would you know, when these men testify what they have seen and heard, whether they are sober or beside themselves? Come and see: I say not, stand and see; you cannot see at the distance you stand: come near, come in, and you shall see-see your blindness first, if ever you will see the light. Oh, bewail your darkness and seek light; seek, and you shall see it. "Son of David, have mercy on me." Why, what wilt thou, man? "Lord, that I may receive my sight." Shall that be thy cry? O pity thy blind soul. O pray for eyes. They that see, pity the blind. O be eyes to thy blind, be a light to thy dark soul; let them that dwell in darkness see thy great light. Sinners, those whom you persecute do thus pity, do thus pray for you: "Lord, that their eyes might be opened." Will you say, Amen, to their prayers; or will you say, Lord, regard not their word, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways?

Christians, be marvels. You that have seen marvellous things, be marvellous persons. Let your light shine, let the light which hath shined into your hearts shine forth in all your paths: let the Spirit of light within you, be a Spirit of glory resting upon you.