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this lesson in mind, and pray, that as He "hath visited and redeemed us,” as "the Day-spring from on high hath visited us, so His constant "visitation may preserve our spirit";" that He will "visit us, and perform His good word" toward us1; “remember us with the favour that He beareth unto His people," and not leave us to our own wayward wills and perverse affections; but, "visit us every morning, and try us every moment'," that there be "no wicked Make us, in short, so to "know," "in this our day," "the time of our visitation," that, when "He shall come again to judge the earth," He shall" visit us with His salvation "."

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SERMON X.

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

MARK Vii. 37.

He hath done all things well; He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

THESE are the concluding words of the Gospel for this day, which rehearsed to us our Lord's merciful work of healing the man "that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech."

This miracle is remarkable, beyond perhaps all others recorded in the Gospels, by the lengthened process of outward signs, with which it pleased our Blessed Lord to accompany His work.

There are no fewer than seven particulars recorded.

1. He took the man aside from the multitude.

2. He put His fingers into his ears.
3. He spit.

4. He touched his tongue.

5. He looked up to Heaven.
6. He sighed.

7. He said, “Ephphatha, that is, Be opened! And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain."

I apprehend that no one can read this narrative, with that deliberateness and thought with which we ought always to read God's word, without at once feeling that something must be meant by this array of, if not means, signs.

If any one does not feel it, I do not scruple to say that he ought to feel it; and that for two reasons, involved in the narrative itself. First, because this miracle stands, in this respect, distinguished from all other of our Lord's miracles that are recorded. There is not one that comes up to it in this array of means or signs.

Secondly, (and this is also an à fortiori for the first,) that there appears to have been no lack of faith, such as should either merit trial, or require confirmation by outward signs, on the part of those who applied to our Lord.

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They bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and beseech Him to put His hand upon him." On other occasions, the like faith was rewarded by simple compliance with the request; or, as in the case of the centurion's servant, by a cure without any outward sign whatever, beyond simply speaking the word."

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Accordingly, I believe that there is no commentator, ancient or modern, but has endeavoured to assign some meaning to each of these particulars. That they all seem to fail (if so be) is no proof, of itself, that the attempt is wrong; no proof that the particulars have no meaning. It only throws us back on the Apostolic exhortation, “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God;" and suggests the Psalmist's

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prayer, Open Thou mine eyes, that may behold the wonders of Thy law;" and, "Open Thou our lips, and our mouth shall shew forth Thy praise." And even if we give up the attempt to assign to each particular its own proper significance, and simply take them all together as attendant on one and the same miracle, there should seem one general inference to be drawn from them. We may surely infer thus much, viz. that since our Blessed Lord was pleased to use signs and outward appliances, not only commonly, but on this occasion so largely, although the Fulness of the Spirit dwelt in Him; there surely can be nothing objectionable, in the nature of the thing, to the use of the same under the Gospel Dispensation, (which is the ministration of the Spirit,) by the Church, (which is Christ's Body.)

Let us, however, endeavour to look more closely into the details of this narrative. Perchance we shall find some fruit in each. Doubtless there are figs upon this full-leaved tree.

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