I. Through the avenues of conscience, which is to the soul what the eye is to the body, communications from God are always pouring in. In nature, in providence, but still more by His Word, and by His own inward grace, He acts upon the man. The understanding is formed, the reason is directed, the affections are moved, the will is urged, holy influences stream in upon the inner being. And this process, up to a certain point at least in every man's life, is continually going on. To what a height this inward light is capable of being raised by culture it is impossible for us to estimate, seeing no man has ever cherished it as much as he might. But did we pray, and study, and listen, and obey the still small voice as we ought, there would be no limit to the degree in which the judgment would be directed, the heart softened, the will conformed, the thoughts made sunny, the future assured, the love of God dominant, and heaven foretasted. For if the eye be single, the whole body is full of light.
II. But it is a truth too certain, that all this light, with which God beams upon us, is capable, not only of being hindered and resisted and destroyed, but, worse than that, of being actually converted into a deeper darkness becoming a medium of spiritual blindness, or casting the soul into a more utter night. For there is no death so locked as that which once lived the most there is no blackness so black as the shrouded day there is no soul so dark as the soul that was once illumined. The grieved light goes away from some men, and no marvel now what step they take in the dark, when the Holy Ghost is gone. It is like a traveller, overtaken by the night in a dark wood. What was clear is now misty and shrouded. The precious jewel looks like a stone or the stones may look like the most precious jewels. Shadows pass in the wood for substances, and substances for shadows. Their outline is undefined there is no faculty to separate between the real and the false between the vile and the good. But do not say of any one you love, do not say of yourself, that there is a night set in, which must last for ever. If there be still one latent consciousness of this light, and if there be in your heart the slightest wish for that light again, I do not fear to say that the morn is breaking, and I see the horizon tipped with light for you. For that Spirit lives in your soul, and is the same, who once moved upon just such a chaos, and just such a darkness as is going on in your mind, and He said to it, "Let there be light": and there was light.
J. Vaughan, Sermons,1868, p. 28.
References: Luke 11:35. Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times,"vol. x., p. 150. Luke 11:36. Philpott, Church of England Pulpit,vol. xiii., p. 78. Luke 11:37-47. Homiletic Magazine,vol. xiii., p. 15; Preacher's Monthly,vol. i., pp. 314, 316; E. Conder, Drops and Rocks,p. 194.Luke 11:40. Preacher's Monthly,vol. vi., p. 219. Luke 11:41. J. E. Tonge, Expositor,2nd series, vol. v., p. 318. Luke 11:44. D. Fraser, Metaphors of the Gospels,p. 191.Luke 11 F. D. Maurice, The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven,p. 172.