Let us turn again to God's Word
in the chapter from which we read in Mark chapter 8 and directing
your attention now to the verses 22 through to 26. Mark chapter 8 verses 22 through
to 26. And he cometh to Bethsaida and
they bring a blind man unto him And besought him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the
town. And when he had spit on his eyes
and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And
he looked up and said, I see men as trees walking. After that, he put his hands
again upon his eyes and made him look up. And he was restored
and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house,
saying, neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."
Let's consider then the content of this portion that speaks of
the blind man upon whom Christ performs this miracle, in many
ways a strange miracle. There are two stages to it. In the first place, restore his sight in part. As we see in verse 24, he looked
up and said, I see men as trees walking. But then, the second
part of the miracle as it were, when his sight is fully restored
and he saw every man clearly as it says there in verse 25.
considering then the detail of this particular miracle that
is different in many ways to other miracles where Christ heals
the blind because we see that then the healing was immediate
and it was a full healing that was granted. But there is some
significance, I would say, in the detail that we have in this
particular case. But first of all to say something
with regards to the prophetic purpose that we are to recognize
in the miraculous ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember
what the miracles are, they are mighty works. That is the description
that we have of them back in the second chapter, the sixth
chapter, here in Mark's Gospel. And there at verse 2, When the
Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and
many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this
man these things? And what wisdom is this which
is given unto him, that even such mighty works, such mighty
works, are wrought by his hands? And these mighty works are spoken
of, as we've said so many times before in John's Gospel, as signs,
mighty miracles, are really signs from God, signs that direct us
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, here, of course, in the
course of this chapter, at verse 11, we are told how the Pharisees
came forth and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign
from heaven. tempting him, and he sighed deeply
in his spirit and said, Why doth this generation seek after a
sign? Verily I say unto you, There
shall no sign be given unto this generation." Mark's account,
of course, throughout the Gospel is the briefest of the Gospels. But if we compare what Mark says
with what we find in other of the Gospels, we discover, for
example, here, with regards to these words that we've just read
in verses 11 and 12 that in Matthew's account for example in Matthew
chapter 12 verse 38 following the fuller account there indicates
that Christ goes on to speak of a sign being given and the
sign that was given to that generation was the sign of the prophet Jonah
And as Jonah was three days in the fish's belly, so shall the
Son of Man be three days in the bowels of the earth." The great
sign that was given was that most glorious of all the miracles,
which was Christ rising again from the dead on the third day. That was a sign. That was a sign
from heaven. There was to be no other sign.
not the sort of sign that the Pharisees were desirous of Christ
performing. But all of the miracles are the
only signs, all leading up to that most glorious of the miracles
when Christ himself rose again on the third day. But what are
these miracles indicating to us? What do they show to us concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ, where we see a number of things with
regards to miracles as signs. And we're thinking, remember,
of the prophetic purpose of these various miracles. First of all,
do not the miracles indicate to us something of the real human
nature of the Lord Jesus Christ? I know that ultimately they indicate
to us that this one is divine. This is indeed God. God manifest
in the flesh, able to perform these mighty works. But they
also reveal to us something of the reality of his human nature. We see, for example, the great
compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ in the various miracles
that he performs. When Peter speaks there in the
house of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. See how he speaks of the ministry of
Christ. Verse 38. How God anointed Jesus
of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about
doing good. He went about doing good and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with
him. He did good. He had compassion.
and he had compassion upon the multitude and we see it here
at the beginning of this 8th chapter in Mark the multitude
about him was very great and there at verse 2 he says I have
compassion on the multitude because they have now been with me 3
days and have nothing to eat and he performs a miracle he
feeds the 4,000 with just 7 loaves and a few fishes And we see,
I say, this time and again in the miracles Christ is revealing
to us. the reality of his human nature,
how he feels for his fellow men, how he desires to minister to
all those who are in any sense afflicted. Back in the opening
chapter here, in verse 32, it's even when the son did said, they
brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were
possessed with devils, and all the city was gathered together
at the door, and he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases,
cast out many devils, and suffered not the devils to speak, because
they knew Him. Oh, how the miracles show to
us that Christ was one who fell for His fellow men, who sought
to minister to them, who had great sympathy. His was a real
human nature. How is it with us when we see
our fellow beings in great trouble? It grieves us. He touches us
in our hearts when we hear of those who are suffering awful
events. And so too the Lord Jesus Christ. We have not an High Priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in
all points tempted like us, we are yet without seeing. He's touched. Touch with the
feeling of our infirmities. How he suits us. Such a high
priest became, says the Apostle. He suits us. He's so becoming
because of who he is. And we're told, are we not concerning
him? A bruised reed. shall he not
break nor quench the smoking flasks, until he send forth judgment
unto victory." And immediately after that statement that we
find in the Gospel, it's there in the 12th chapter of Mark's
Gospel at verse 20 that we read those words concerning the tenderness
of the Lord Jesus Christ, And immediately, I say, after that,
we see the Lord Jesus ministering again. He doesn't break the bruised
reed. He doesn't quench the smoking
flaps. And we're told, Then was brought
unto him one possessed with the devil, blind and dumb, and he
healed him in so much that the blind and dumb both spake and
saw, and all the people were amazed. and said, is not this
the Son of David? The tenderness, the compassion
of the Lord Jesus Christ. How we see in the miracles that
He performs, how real was His human nature, that ability to
empathize with others. And as He sees needs, He cannot
but minister to those needs. Here then is a sign a sign that
this one is truly human. But then also here, do we not
discern something of the offices, the offices of the Lord Jesus
Christ in terms of the eternal covenant? When he ministers to the people,
He is revealing to them something of His own character. After performing
these various miracles that we read of in the Gospel, see how
He speaks in this particular chapter to His disciples. In verse 29, He said unto them,
Whom say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto
him, Thou art the Christ. It is the ministry that he's
exercising, and the miraculous aspect of that ministry, that
is the revelation to his disciples that this one is truly the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the Christ of God. We're
told how John, John the Baptist, who came, of course, to prepare
the way, seems to be beset by certain doubts concerning the
reality of the office that the Lord Jesus Christ has, and he
sends his disciples to ask Christ if he really is whom John imagined
that he was. And we have the record there
For example, in Matthew's account, in Matthew 11, verse 2, when
John had heard in prison the works of Christ, and noticed
he heard of the works, he sent two of his disciples and said,
Aren't thou here that should come, or do we seek for another? Jesus answered and said unto
them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear
and see. The blind received their sight,
the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the
dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto
them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in him."
Here is the proof. Here is the sign that he is truly
the Christ of God. It is the Word. It's the miracle.
that he performs, that points to him as such. And so he is
recognized by his work to be that one who is the great prophet
of God. Isn't that one of his offices?
We think of him in terms of a threefold office. He is prophet, he is
priest, and he is king. And we see him as a prophet.
And demonstrating his prophetic office in the miracles He raises
the widow of Nain's son as we see there in Luke chapter 7 verse
11 following. This is her only son and he is
dead and they're taking the buyer, they're going to bury this young
man, the widow's only son. And Christ, remember, goes and
touches the buyer and rises from the dead. this young man. And we're told there in Luke
7, how there came a fear on all and they glorified God saying
that a great prophet, a great prophet is risen among us. How did they recognize him to
be a great prophet? By the miracle that he performed. The miracles are a sign then
of his office. as they are a sign of his real
human nature, the compassion that he has upon men, so they
are a sign that he is truly the Christ of God. When Nicodemus
comes to him in John chapter 3, Rabbi, we know that thou art
a teacher come from God, he said, for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him. This man who is a teacher
amongst the Jews, recognizes that Christ is a teacher, a prophet,
come from God, and how does he recognize that? By the miracles
that Christ performs. Never man spake like this man,
was the report of those that the Pharisees sent to to try
to catch the Lord Jesus in his speech. Never man spake like
this man. Remember what's recorded at the
conclusion of that great sermon that Christ preaches there in
Matthew 5, 6 and 7, his sermon on the mount. When we come to
the end of chapter 7 there in Matthew, It came to pass when
Jesus had ended these sayings that people were astonished at
his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not
as the scribes. He is the Christ. Here we see
him in his office then as that teacher, that prophet who has
come from God. But as I said, he is also a priest. And in the Gospel do we not see
the Lord Jesus Christ time and again in his priestly office.
in the 17th chapter of John we have that priestly prayer his
high priestly prayer as he comes to the end of his ministry having
been giving instruction to his disciples in the previous chapters
in chapter 17 of John he now turns and addresses his father
in heaven And then having prayed his high priestly prayer, in
the following chapters, in John chapters 18 and 19, we see him
as a priest again, but this time he is making a great sacrifice,
as he is a praying priest. So the Lord Jesus in the Gospel
is revealed to us as a sacrificing priest. And the sacrifice that
he lays down is himself, he is the Lamb of God. to take it away
the sin of the world and then also in his offices we see him
as a king he says in that mockery of the trial that he must endure
before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate my kingdom is not of this
world if my kingdom were of this world then would my servant's
pirate. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. Go and see how he speaks in the
course of his earthly ministry, making mention of the very nature
of that kingdom. He's demanded of the Pharisees
concerning that kingdom and he says the kingdom of God cometh
not with observation or Zimajin says cometh not with outward
show neither shall they say lo here or lo therefore behold the
kingdom of God is within you and he comes to establish in
the hearts of men and women that reign of Christ He doesn't just
minister to the physical needs of the people, He ministers to
the needs of their never-dying souls. And He is able to save
them, He is able to subdue all their iniquities, He is able
to deliver them. All these miracles, they have
this great purpose, this prophetic purpose, we might say, that they
direct us to the Lord Jesus Christ as that One who is truly human,
who has compassion upon the multitude, who is moved by the needs of
those that he sees about him. And he goes about doing good
and healing all manner of diseases. But then, behind that, there
is this indication that he is that true Christ of God. He is that prophet, that priest,
that king whom God had promised in the Old Testament. We see
him then also here in his offices. But then ultimately, of course,
as we've already mentioned, the miracles are a revelation of
his deity. In the miracles we see him as
that one who is truly God. We referred to the raising of
the widow of Nain's son there in the 7th chapter of Luke, verse
11 following, and how the people were moved with fear and glorified
God saying that a great prophet is risen among us. But they say something more than
that. Not only a great prophet. They go on to say, and God hath
visited his people. They see the miracle then as
the indication that this is truly a visitation from heaven. This
is God. This is God amongst men. This is what the miracles do
time and again, they reveal to us the deity of the Lord Jesus. We have the record there in John
chapter 2 of the first of all the miracles, when he turns the
water into wine in the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee. And
what do we read? This beginning of miracles did
Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory. Oh,
He manifested His glory as divine, His glory as God. He manifested
forth His glory and His disciples believed on Him. And we see it,
I say, several times with regards to these miracles. Here in Mark,
in chapter 2, at verse 3 following, we read of the healing of that
paralyzed man. Remember how his friends bring
the man and they cannot find access to where Christ is in
the house because there's a great press of people and they go onto
the roof and they lower him down, they make a hole in the roof
and they lower the man, their friend, the paralyzed man, they
put the man where Christ is. And what does Christ do? He pronounces
the man's sins forgiven. He pronounces the man's sins
forgiven. This is a great offense, of course,
to those Jewish dignitaries, the scribes, and their associates
who were present. What do they say? Who can forgive
sins of God? Why? This is blasphemy. that
such a one as Jesus of Nazareth should say, Son, thy sins be
forgiven thee? Who can forgive sins but God
only? And immediately when Jesus perceived
in his Spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto
them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? whether is it
easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven
them, or to say, Arise up, and take up thy bed, and walk? But
that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to
forgive sin. He said to the sick of the palsy,
I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way into
thine own house. And immediately he rose up, took
up his bed, and went forth." It is again, you see there, a
revelation of who He is. He is God. And He doesn't just
have power to heal the sick. He has authority to forgive sin. This is a declaration, a demonstration
of his deity. And what do we see there in chapter
2? We see the significance of Christ's
ministry. He doesn't just deal with the
physical needs of the people. He deals with the needs of their
souls. He deals with the matter of sin.
And he is able to forgive sin. His ministry is not just to the
physical ailments of the people, but even in the miracles we see
there is a deeper significance. He is concerned for the spiritual
well-being, the spiritual needs of the people. And we can observe
the same here in this miracle that's recorded in Mark chapter
8, this blind man. He cometh to Bethsaida, and they
bring a blind man unto him, and they sought him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the
town, and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon
him, he asked him if he saw it. And he looked up and said, I
see men as trees walking. After that he put his hands again
upon his eyes and made him look up, and he was restored and saw
every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house,
saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."
So I want us, as we look at these verses for a while, to observe
the spiritual significance of this miracle. We thought of the
prophetic purpose of the miracles, what they are about, how they
are directing us as signs to point us to Christ, to the reality
of his human nature, as one who is compassionate and tender in
his dealings with his fellow men. We see how they direct us
to his offices, but ultimately they direct us of course to his
deity, he is God. But what of the spiritual significance? And what do we see here in this
particular miracle and the detail of it? Well, first of all, here
we see the danger, oh, the grievous danger of rejecting the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 23, when they bring this
blind man to Him, we're told, there He took the blind man by
the hand and led him out of the town. He took the blind man by
the hand and led him out of the town. Why? Do you ever ask questions
when you see some of the little details that are recorded here
in Scripture, especially in the Gospel with regards to the way
in which Christ proceeds? Why did He do this? Why did He
take this blind man by the hand and lead him out of the town? Well, the town was Bethsaida.
And this is one of those towns that the Lord Jesus Christ upbraided
because of their unbelief. We turn back to Matthew chapter
11 and there in verses 20 and verse 21, "...then began he to
upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done."
because they repented not. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe
unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which
were done in Jew had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would
have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. He upbraids this town,
this city of Bethsaida and upbraids them because of
their unbelief. He'd perform miracles amongst
them, but all to no effect. And so Christ would not do any
more mighty works in that place. That's why He takes this man
by the hand and leads him out. He will not minister in such
a place as that. Likewise, it was the case, was
it not, also with Nazareth, the very place where he was brought
up back in chapter 6 Jesus says the prophet is not without honor
but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house
and he could there do no mighty work save that he laid his hands
upon a few sick folk until then and he marveled because of their
unbelief and he went about the villages teaching he marveled
because of their on belief. There was no deficiency in the
power of the Lord Jesus Christ. It wasn't that he was unable
to perform miracles in Nazareth or unable to perform miracles
in Bethsaida. No, it was more significant than
that. This was a judgment. This was
a judgment from God that he would not minister in such places. where his ministry had been so
seriously rejected. Look at what he says to this
man after he has healed him, after he has restored sight to
the blind man. In verse 26, he sent him away
to his house saying, neither go into the town, nor tell it
to any in the town. All this was a terrible judgment
that the Lord Jesus Christ visited. upon this particular place called
Bethsaida. You see, there is such a thing
as judicial blindness. There is such a thing as judicial
blindness. And this is what was visited
upon this particular place where this man dwelt. Although Christ
performs a notable miracle, it is a remarkable thing for a man
blind to receive his sight. Yet whilst the man himself is
healed of his physical blindness, there was such a judgment of
judicial blindness that was visited upon the very place where he
dwelt. Or the great danger, you see, of rejecting the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And there are those who are in
that situation, they reject Him, they refuse Him. And the Lord determines he will
not come again and again and again. Judicial blindness. We have it
of course in John chapter 9 where Christ there heals a man who
was born blind. And now because the man recognizes
the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ they put him out of the
synagogue. They excommunicate him. They cut him off from Israel,
as it were. And it's described, it's the
Pharisees again. But what does the Lord say at
the end of that chapter? The whole chapter, of course,
is taken up with this miracle of the healing of the man born
blind. And this is a note on which it concludes, for judgment
may come into this world that they which see not might see,
and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the
Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto
him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If you
are blind, you should have no sin, but now you say, We serve.
Therefore your sin remaineth. How these men they thought, you
see. They thought that they saw, they
thought that they knew. Saul of Tarsus was once one of
these Pharisees. And he could say, touching the
righteousness which is in the Lord, he was blameless. He really
thought that. He was a self-righteous pharisee. And these are those,
you see, who are under this terrible judgment of God. They don't recognize
what their real condition is. They don't see themselves as
God sees them. They think that they see and
they're blind. I say, friends, it is a terrible judgment. when
this judicial blindness is visited upon any person. Again, there
in John chapter 12 at verse 37, we're told, Though he had done
so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him,
that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which
he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom is the
arm of the Lord revealed? Therefore they could not believe,
because it is as Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their
eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with
their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted,
and I should heal them. These things said Isaiah when
he saw His glory and spake of Him." Oh, what remarkable words
are those at verse 41 there in chapter 12 of John's Gospel.
These things said Isaiah when he saw His glory." Whose glory? Christ's glory. When Isaiah,
that's Isaiah in the Hebrew, when he saw His glory, the glory
of Christ, and spoke of Him. He saw Him. He saw Him there
in Isaiah chapter 6, when he beheld the throne of God, and
the seraphim about that throne, and the song of the seraphim,
remember, holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. He saw the Trinity. He saw God the Father. He saw
God the Son. He saw God the Holy Spirit, the
thrice holy Jehovah. These things said Esaias when
he saw Christ glorious, and spake of Him. But he is speaking here,
you see. of that judicial blindness who comes upon those who do not
recognize who this Jesus of Nazareth is. He had done many miracles
before them but they believed not. Now God's Word is set before
us and we are to believe God's Word. And the things that are
written here concerning the Word of God. and the testimony of
scripture which is constant, of course, in directing us to
the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are they which testify
of them. The Lord's words are so plain,
so clear. Who are we, those friends, whose
eyes are open to behold something of the glories that belong to
Christ? What a judgment if our eyes are
blinded to the truth that he set before us on the page of
Holy Scripture. There is the danger then here
of rejecting Christ's ministry. He will not perform this miracle
in the city. He took the blind man by the
hand and led him out of the town. And having healed him, he sent
him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, and
tell it nor tell it to any in the town." This town is under
judicial judgment. Their eyes are blinded. But then
also, with regards to the significance, the spiritual significance of
this miracle, do we not learn something with regards to the
different degrees in the way of Christ's dealings with His
people? He took the blind man by the
hand, led him out of the town, and when he had spit on his eyes,
put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw it. And he looked
up and said, I see men, as trees, walking. Now again, there's no
deficiency here in Christ's power. Let us not think that, that Christ
couldn't not have immediately healed the man and given him
perfect sight all at once, he could easily have done that.
In verse 25 he put his hands again upon his eyes and made
him look up and he was restored and saw every man clearly. Now
Christ could have done that in an instant. There's no deficiency
in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we have to ask
the question again. just as we would ask, why did
Christ take the blind man by the hand and lead him out of
the town? Why on this occasion did the Lord Jesus Christ also
heal this man by degrees? Why did he not heal the man all
at once? Why are there different stages
in the restoring of this man's sight? Well, there is surely
an important spiritual lesson that we learn here. When the
sinner, and we're thinking of the spiritual significance of
the miracle, when the sinner is first awakened, does he not
feel his deadness? And does he not in a sense also
feel his blindness? That's the paradox of the experience
of the people of God. By nature we're as others, we're
those who are dead in trespasses and in sins. That's the great
multitude all about us. We rub shoulders with them every
day. They have no concept of spiritual things. They're dead.
And as they are now, that's where we were once upon a time. We were dead. in trespasses and
sins and when spiritual life first comes into the soul the
strange thing is that we feel that deadness we learn the doctrine
of total depravity we feel what we are we feel our complete and
utter inability we are shot into what we are we cannot deliver
ourselves but likewise with those who are also blind and when God's
grace first comes to us we're made to feel something of our
blindness, do we not see it? In those words of the Prophet
back in Isaiah chapter 59 and there at verse 10, we grope for the wall like the
blind We grope as if we had no eyes, we stumble at noonday as
in the night, we are in desolate places as dead men. Who is it
that the Prophet is describing? Is it not the experience of those
whom God is dealing with? We feel we're in desolate places,
we feel, as I've said, like dead men. And we feel our blindness,
we're groping, we're trying to feel our way forward, we don't
understand. There are degrees, you see, in the way in which
God instructs us and teaches us and brings us to Himself.
Again, the Prophet says it must be precept upon precept, precept
upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little,
there a little. We're not born again of the Spirit
of God and immediately we see it all so clearly and understand
it all so wonderfully. It's not like that. By degrees,
many of us are brought to the light, are we not? Some of us,
when we look back over our experience, we see how God dealt with us.
We were saved. When I think back to the beginnings of that work
of grace, as I trust in my own soul, I recognize that there
was a work there, but there was a certain feeling there was. only seeing men as trees walking,
not having a clear view and an understanding. Subsequently,
now I can only speak of my own experience. Subsequently, of
course, I come into contact with one who is better taught, and
I'm introduced to the great doctrines of the sovereignty of the grace
of God. And it's a strange thing, but it's like a second conversion. It's like a second conversion.
I mean, many of you have been privileged to hear the pure gospel
of the grace of God. From childhood, to be in a place
where the sovereignty of God was recognized, accepted, proclaimed. But that wasn't the case with
all of us. When I think back, you see, to those early days,
there was much confusion. There was that scoping for the
wall, as it were. feeling one's way forward, and
then one is introduced to the great doctrines of the grace
of God, and you see things clearly, I see men clearly. But how God
deals with us, you see, in a variety of ways. William Gadsby says
we must not learn God's truth as schoolboys. Schoolboys learn
their task. We don't learn by rote, do we?
God takes us in hand, God teaches us. And do we not see something
of this in the manner in which the Lord Jesus Christ deals with
this man? On other occasions, as I say,
He comes to one who is blind and immediately He restores the
sight of the blind man, but not always. We cannot dictate to the Lord
how He will deal with us. He'll deal with us in a variety
of ways, and He'll teach us by different degrees. The great
thing is, of course, that we're those who are taught of God.
And this certainly was the case with this man. He may have been
one who was a citizen there in Bethsaida, and it was a city
under terrible judgment. And yet here is an individual
that the Lord comes to, and ministers to, and not only restores his
blind eyes, that works in the very soul of this man. He sends
him away to his house and he tells him he's not to go into
the town or tell anybody. Always to give God the glory.
Why were we those then who would seek, friends, to give God the
glory, to recognize His sovereignty in all the manner of His ways
and His dealings with us and desire that we might understand
something of the spiritual significance of every aspect of the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless to us His Word today. We're going to omit verses 4
and 5 and the tune is Christchurch. The path that Christians tread
to reason's eye is strange. Though regions of the dead they
frequently must range, ten thousand monstrous beasts of prey beset
the soul by night and day. Hymn 618 omitting verses 4 and
5. But that Christian's tread to
reason's eye is strange.