could so easily look away to the period, when no rebellion against God marked the feelings of any of his creatures, was equally able to contrast, with a condition of that kind, the scene of gloom and destruction, which at this time he was called to contemplate. The inquiry then becomes, what did he see in the present sight? It is not enough to remind you that he saw the spreading ravages of death. He looked to that which was the cause of death, and for the removal of which he came into the world. He knew that there never would have been death but for sin― and no rebellion against God but for sin. It is sin that constitutes the essence and spirit of rebellion, which we inherit from our infancy, and against which, every one of the thunders of Heaven that have rolled forth their accents has been uttered, as the voice of condemnation. In the present case moreover, one was removed from the world, who had been honored with the name of the friend of Christ. The once happy cottage at Bethany was overcast with a cloud-Sickness entered within its walls, paralysing one of its stoutest inhabitants, and shrouding with gloom the minds of the rest. We may guess what was likely to be the deep anxiety of the sisters for the restoration of their brother. Would they not watch every pulsation which he heaved? Would they not, night and morning, be ready to notice every change? We know not how many changes they witnessed during the sickness of Lazarus; or what, in his case, was the awful precurser of death; but we do know that death eventually visited the family, and that Lazarus was carried to his grave! Jesus knew it all, more intimately than the sisters, or the sorrowing Jews; and meditating on the extended ravages of the tyrant-king, and on the fate of his friend amongst others, how could he

but weep when his heart was compassion; or weeping at all, how could his tears be any other than the tears of sorrow?

that

He wept moreover in sorrow; at least we have every reason to suppose so, because of the impenitency of his countrymen. He clearly foresaw that in many cases impenitency would be still continued, notwithstanding the display of a miracle, or the exhibition of a thousand miracles; or that though one should even rise from the dead, they would not believe! It is true that there were those who did believe on Christ, because of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead; but there were others just as stout and determined in their opposition against him ;-so much so indeed, that when they heard of the circumstance, sought the more keenly how they might put him TO DEATH! Connecting therefore the Saviour's weeping with the Saviour's foresight, there might many causes be assigned why we should regard them as the tears of sorrow. As on other occasions he spake not as man speaketh, so on the present, he saw not as men see. The heart was open to his inspection, and he read its every line and its every feature of unbelief and apostacy. But finally, were they not the tears of sorrow in answer to the question, why did he weep at all? The Redeemer might have shewn his affection for his friend in some other way, but this was the way he made choice of; and if he felt when he wept, we may then see from the circumstance; that whilst on the one hand they were the tears of affection, they were on the other the proofs of the strength of that affection. How beautifully and strikingly this part of the Saviour's history shows us the truth of the apostle's statement: "We have not a High Priest, who cannot be touched with the feel

ing of our infirmities,”—he was keenly touched, and no humanity was ever more susceptible than his.-And surely if ever our own tears are ready to flow fast, they are likely to be so at the grave-side of our friends. One like Lazarus may sometimes suddenly pass away from you.You may just be beginning to cultivate a friendship with the departed, and in whom to be interested, when lo! the spirit takes its flight! You meet no more as you were wont. Memory is all that is left: and for days and for months, whether waking or asleep, it dwells and it lingers beside the grave. How assuredly sweet and comforting if we know that they enjoyed the sympathy of Jesus! He is the Shepherd through the valley of the shadow of death, and our guide to the climes of the celestial. But we proceed to notice

3. That the tears of Jesus on this occasion were the tears of joy. This, at first sight, is advancing an apparent contradiction. We have just been shewing that they were tears of sorrow, and now we have intimated that they had also to do with the feelings of triumph. To remove this apparent contradiction, it may be sufficient perhaps to observe, that we are not to measure the mind and sympathy of Jesus by our own. The past, the present, and the future were equally before him. He had already contemplated the cause of death and the number of his victims, from the first, it is likely, up to Lazarus his friend. He looked upon the weeping relatives of the deceased, and then his compassion broke forth into weeping,-but he looked forward, and he knew what he was about to perform, even to call back his friend from the sepulchre, for the comfort of his sisters, and the display of his own Omnipotence. Both Martha and Mary had alluded to the power of Christ

when they first approached him, after the death of their brother" Lord," said they, "if thou hadst been here, iny brother had not died." But the power of Jesus was still unfettered, and about to be displayed; not in the recovery of an individual from sickness, but in the resurrection of the dead. How meek and affectionate was the Saviour's inquiry when he said, "Where have ye laid him?"Not that he was ignorant of the place, for as God he knew all things; but he seems on the present occasion to have acted more as one of themselves, up to the moment when the power of death was to be disputed by him, and when the might of the Redeemer was to triumph. That was the hour and the power of Christ, when sorrow gave place to joy, and grief to comfort. The preparation for all this was extremely simple. The Jews conducted Christ to the spot where the dead man rested. It is not for us to portray the circumstances of the scene. We cannot say whether it was a place generally appropriated to the dead-or what cypress overshadowed it; or what weeping willow bespoke its solitude and solemnity. There were two who thought it every whit the gloominess of death. They stood, it is likely, as near to the Saviour as they could get and as they stood, they wept. It was the grave of their brother they were gazing on-of a brother who had been kind to them. It seems they had but slender hopes of any thing now being done for them; and hence it was the language of Martha-"Lord by this time he corrupteth, for he hath been dead four days." They ought to have remembered however, that they had brought with them no common personage to see the grave of their brother. Strong faith would have given them to believe, that he would not have followed them so far from motives

of curiosity. It was for him to blend with his affection for Lazarus the display of his power as God.-And was this his opportunity? He embraced it-He stood by the graveside; but as he stood and effected the resurrection of his friend, the process was simple. He did not call for the thunder of the heavens to lay open the sepulchre-no storm and no tempest rocked the scenery that surrounded the place of repose-The thunder of his voice was enough; and all that it uttered was "Lazarus, come forth!" Did the miracle follow? As certainly as the goings forth of any of the fiats of omnipotence. The silence of death was broken! and "he who had been dead sat up." Bear it in mind that this was nothing unexpected by Christ. He looked forward to it in the midst of his weeping as a joyful He saw, moreover, in the resurrection of Lazarus, the future resurrection of himself. To this we may sup pose he looked forward as the crowning event of redemption; and if by this redemption, happiness would be bestowed upon the world, he rejoiced in the prospect of it. Nor was this all. The resurrection of Lazarus typified the resurrection of the saints. Of all that the Saviour has had given him, nothing can be lost.-And "them that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him." If we have faith in this expectation, then we have comfort in the midst of sorrow. Have any of our friends died in the Lord? They shall rise again, in the resurrection at the last day. Many more than Martha and Mary will then rejoice, and friends To sustain us in

event.

long separated meet to part no more.

the mean time, let us make the friend of Lazarus our friend. He was all sympathy-sympathy for suffering humanity, and sympathy for those who mourn their dead. We now come to notice