tinue far from God, and live without his love. Should this be the case with any one here, he must know he is not the friend of Jesus. If he be living without God, or without being "born again," Jesus could not say of him, as he did of Lazarus, "Our friend sleepeth." The end of that man is not rest, it is death, the destruction of his mortal body, followed by what the Bible calls "the second death." Oh! while Jesus comes to you as a friend, and not as a judge, hasten to believe in his word, in his promises, and in his love. To-morrow it may be too late-“ * Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation."If you acknowledge Jesus as your Saviour, during your life, he will be your friend at the hour of death. May the Almighty God bless you with such a friend; and may those who are dear to you, and who would lament your departure, write upon your tomb in the name of Jesus, being full of joyful hope of their own glorious advent-"Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep."

2 Cor. i. 2.

LECTURE VI.

THE FEAR OF DEATH. DISGUST FOR LIFE.

Then said his Disciples, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit, Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the inteat ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow Disciples, let us also go, that we may die with him.St. John xi. 12 13, 14, 15, and 16.

There is something in the little history which we have been considering peculiarly interesting, it is more easily felt than described. Every word pronounced by Jesus conveys to the soul a feeling as tender as it is deep, and affects us so sweetly, that we are obliged to say, "Surely, never man spake like this man." We must also add, that no man ever wrote like St. John. Jesus, driven by persecution to the other side of Jordan, received there the sad news that Lazarus, whom he loved, was ill. It is always more distressing to hear that those we love are ill, when we are far from them—Jesus appeared to have felt this in common with human nature, he hastened to comfort his Disciples and those who brought him the message, with these words-" This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God,"-he purposed to return into Judea, that he might bestow the blessings of his power and grace on those he loved. His Disciples opposed this on account of the hatred the Jews bore him, and the danger of delivering himself up to men who had so lately sought to stone him. Jesus encou

* St. John vii. 46.

H

raged them by reminding them of the shortness of their time, of the twelve hours of the day, which were passing so quickly away. "You must walk while there is light, if a man walk in the night he stumbleth.” To convince them of the necessity of his return to Judea, he desired they should know that Lazarus was no more; but instead of using lauguage which might fill them with painful thoughts, he told it to them in the gentlest manner- "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth"-then it would seem that he regretted to have given them pain, and kindly added, "but I go that I may awake him out of sleep." However, his Disciples did not understand him, they thought that "he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep"-they indulged the hope of a speedy recovery-" Lord,” said they, "if he sleep he shall do well." Jesus must then tell them the sad truth plainly, but scarcely had the words "Lazarus is dead," escaped from his lips than he comforted them, saying, "I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe. Nevertheless, let us go unto him." Oh what a kind master! Lord give us knowledge and love that we may fully enter into the unspeakable consolation of the words that proceed from thy divine mouth.

Notwithstanding the love Jesus felt for his Disciples, and the tender care he took to instruct them, we find them full of ignorance and weakness; so true is it that the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God." The saying of the Disciples,

* 1 Cor. ii. 14.

"if he sleep he shall do well," proves the warm interest they took in Lazarus; they rejoiced in the idea that his sufferings were ended, and thought he had fallen into a sweet and refreshing sleep. This passage shews us clearly that man rarely attained the right understanding of our Lord's sayings, but constantly interpreted, in an earthly and carnal manner, what Jesus said with much delicacy and grace, in order to spare them pain. It was a daily and severe trial in the life of Christ that his associates were men whose ignorant minds were perpetually recurring to earthly things, and he never had any return for his trouble in teaching them; he had, however, selected them, as 66 + chosen vessels," and he "‡ who had not . where to lay his head," had not even the comfort of one friend in whom he could confide.

What an example of patience do we receive here from Jesus! These men had followed him and listened to him for more than three years, and still could not understand one of his most simple thoughts. How vexed we are, if those around us are not capable of entering into our meaning; we often feel impatient at it, some times even sorrowful, but we seldom try to explain ourselves more clearly as Jesus did, bringing ourselves down to their level, making them aware of our love, that their hearts may comprehend us, even though their understandings do not. What distressing arguments, angry disputes, hatred, and animosity would be avoided in this world, if we used

† Acts ix. 15. Mat. viii. 20.

the same forbearance to our fellow-creatures, that Jesus did to his Disciples. Those men who, by their vocation and influence, are called upon to instruct mankind, would be far different from what they are, if they followed the example of their Divine Master. In whatever light we contemplate his character, we are covered with humiliation and shame-""* O Lord! righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces."

But there is a still more important lesson to be drawn from this passage. The Disciples had just opposed our Lord's intended return to Judea, having a vague and fearful presentiment of the sufferings that awaited him, and to which they might possibly be themselves exposed. Jesus had foretold them all: we read their anxious fear in these words" If he sleep he shall do well," meaning, that if he be well why should Jesus return into Judea? Thus the important lesson which Jesus had given them on the necessity of employing faithfully "the twelve hours of the day," without shrinking from trials or even from death, had no effect whatever on them; their hearts were "+ slow to believe." They had the same fearful forebodings as ever; the prospect before them destroyed their courage, and deprived them of all energy and devotion. How plainly do I see the work of sin in death; death which inspires us with such horror, and is accompanied by darkness, agony, and dissolution. Yes, it is sin which has engraved on

Daniel ix. 7. + Luke xxiv, 25.