Did this man sin?
The Man Blind from his Birth.
(The Gospel History, Section 80)
And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Did this man sin?
(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book IV Poem LIII)
Now, as the Lord passed forth, a man He saw,
Blind from his birth: and the disciples draw
Close to their Lord to ask Him, inly vexed,
Of a matter which had troubled and perplexed
Their hearts for many a day: now, they would know;—
For sure, their part, the ways of God to shew.
“Master, who then hath sinned, this man or they
Who him begat, that blind, he treads his way?”—
No new thing to suppose the drunkard’s child
Needs must his parent follow; that the wild
And lawless vagabond who runs the street
Must children bear for gracious ways unmeet;
Or that the sufferer must look within—
His punishment bewrays his secret sin:
Hard judgments, these, from man’s embittered heart;
But Christ declares the merciful true part.
“This man hath done no sin to mark him worse
Than other men—one labouring under curse,—
Nor have the man’s parents sinnéd in such wise;
What think ye? there be men the Father tries
With utmost suffering, that they honoured be
To manifest God’s power. For who hath eyes to see,
The works of God are manifest in strange ways;
To work His works,—the business of men’s days.
‘Sore suffering,’ say ye, ‘is that work divine,
Enduring much, make we God’s glory shine
Effulgent before men? But God is good,
And pities men.’ Ye have not understood;
One labours and one suffers, which is best?
Nay, go and do God’s will; leave ye the rest:
Not suffering and not doing is man’s part,
But, to discern God’s will—the single art,
A man must exercise whilst it is day;
When the night cometh none may see the way.
And night approacheth, when no man can work,—
When earth and heaven be wrapped in darkness murk:
I am the Light of the world whilst I am here;
Who walks with Me, to that man shall appear
The Will of God—to suffer or perform;
And, doing God’s will, nought shall that man harm.
But the hour when I depart is close at hand;
Behoves ye straight to keep your Lord’s command.”
“But, Lord, if Thou go hence, how shall we see?
Reft of Thy light, in darkness shall we be!”
St. John ix. 1-5.
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