The story of a sinner's need is the fitting prelude to the precious tale of the Savior's grace, and in the instances of it with which Scripture furnishes us, this is usually the order. But here in John, not so, for the stream of blessing flowing from the heart of God out to us is seen on His side first,-"down from above." "The good and perfect gift," of which we are by grace receivers, is viewed first in its source " from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," and not, as often presented, come to us in our need, and then, by the heart that learns its blessing, traced back to its source in Him.

Turning to our chapter, we find this divine order. "And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth." Connected with the close of the previous chapter, what a tale is told us in these words! There, man's heart of enmity, as being the bond-slave and child of Satan, is seen finding expression in hatred to the Light, which had searched him out; and as fuller and clearer its rays of searching-and yet blessing-illumined the moral darkness, they finally "took up stones to cast at Him." But Jesus (albeit He " had authority to execute judgment also,") trod His lowly path of grace to men and of submission to His Father's will, hiding Himself and "going through the midst of them, and so passed by." No flight of haste or fear was His, but the path of humility and yet confidence in God,-removing Himself from the hands of those who desired Him not, and so putting Himself into the Father's for the next service love assigned Him to do; and here He finds it. "As Jesus passed by, He saw a man," etc. Whose heart but His, receiving for all His love, hatred, and for His grace, rejection of it all, would ever have expressed itself in such a way? Yes, who but Jesus would have been at leisure from himself at such a moment?-His own sorrows forgotten, to think of others-His own will lost in that of Him "whose compassions fail not," whose name, words, and works He came to witness of; and how blessedly His works declare Him-they all yield Him praise. "He saw," as once in the chaos of the first creation (Gen. 1:), a ruin for which He only could bring the remedy-"a man, blind from his birth." Once more His Spirit, as He who had then "commanded the light to shine out of darkness" was about to shine upon the darkened vision, and, better still, into the darkened heart, before Him. No mere chance was it that had befallen him, to which human skill might apply itself, but a ruin complete-the very nature and being wrong, hopeless and irremediable in human account-"blind from birth; " on this Jesus looks, and with a com-, passion equaling His power, and a ,wisdom that directed all His love. But here, as, alas! so often since, disciples are in His way, indulging the reasonings of their poor minds, instead of thankfully and humbly waiting to see what the Lord would do, and whither, as it were, the pillar of His glory led, and following it, not going on before it to merit His rebuke. They make their inquiries, and receive His gracious answer, revealing Himself more fully to their hearts; and this at least could be said of them, and well if it can of us,-with all their mistakes, they loved and confided in Him, and were counted blessed, for it is written, " Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." But Jesus passes on His way to do His Father's work, telling them as He does so where the only light for this dark world is ever found. Thus doing, He takes up the case of need before Him, which first His eyes saw, His heart compassionated, and now His hands would heal. All the activities were on His side; He saw, spake, spat upon the ground, made clay, anointed his eyes, and said unto him, " Go, wash,"-He did all. "By Himself" met all his need, as also we read as to ourselves, "purged our sins," and then "sat down" in token of His completed work. And be it marked, we read of no appeal to Jesus here, as with the blind man at Jericho, who cried, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"-no cries or tears or groans had moved His heart to pity, but the mute and hopeless misery His eye had seen spake loudest to His heart, for how truly He could say, "Mine eye affecteth mine heart"! God's fair creation marred-the creature He had exalted fallen-the being whose eyes once met His unabashed, of whom God could say surely, if of all the works of His hands " very good," now a libel upon His character and the glory of His name, and Jesus, as vindicator of His Father's character, as well as the doer of His will and the declarer of His name, cannot suffer it. All the stirrings of His heart are seen, and with the majesty of God He acts, if with the lowliness of Jesus, and "none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?"

But the way of His working still further declares Him. "He spat" (expression of abhorrence) "on the ground" thus significantly expressing the divine judgment of " sin in the flesh," for " the end of all flesh has come before" Him, and God's estimate of it is given-"All flesh is as grass." Thus must all man's glory be declared as shame, and his need and helplessness be made fully manifest ere the remedy of grace be further realized. All the actions doubtless are significant; and if the first speaks of judgment, which is the necessity of God's holy nature where sin is in question, how plainly does the next of grace, turning the former to account to further His blessed work! Oh to know better the meaning of all He does by knowing Him better! we may surely say. The blind man made blinder, if possible, by the clay put upon his eyes, (at least so if receiving sight is in question,) His works then are " made manifest." Throughout, He is declared to be " a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." The blind man but submitting to His dealings (as ourselves to the righteousness of God now-Rom. 10:3),-giving nothing, but receiving all; thus according Christ His rightful place as God the giver.

May His words become the true language of our hearts also-" I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day:the night cometh, when no man can work." The Lord grant it to us, and to hear Him say, "As I do, so shall ye do" Amen. B.C.G.