demonstration could be given to the certainty of our own? Or what could more distinctly verify the solemn declaration that "the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear" the voice of the Son of Man, "and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation 1?" Behold then warning for the impenitent, and consolation for the faithful. By virtue of this authority the Apostle teaches the Thessalonians not "to be ignorant concerning them which are asleep," and exhorts them "to sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if," saith he, "we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 2 " He bids them exhort and "comfort one another with these words ";" and assuredly the remembrance of the same remaineth a comfort to ourselves. In the time of our trouble we too may fly for refuge to this stronghold, and find our joy and our defence within the secret places of this tabernacle that is prepared for us. It is the rock, even the rock of our salvation, upon which the Lord hath set us up. Connecting all these solemn and affecting truths with the history of the risen Lazarus; and, seeing how the reception of them into our hearts is enforced by the conviction, that the Redeemer, who

1 John v. 28, 29.

2 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14.

3 Ibid. 18.

wept for and assuaged his sisters' sorrows, is still inviting and encouraging ourselves, still mitigating our grief, still strengthening our weakness, still purifying our affections, may we not share the grateful wonder of those who stood by the grave of Bethany, and not only exclaim, as they did, Behold how He loved the poor child of earth that lay there, but behold, also, how He loveth ourselves; yea, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God1;" -that He should have given to us the record of eternal life, and that this life should be "in His Son2?" Yes, the summons which bade Lazarus come forth, proclaims the same tidings of light, of life, of liberty, to all who lie bound and fettered in the dark prison-house of their iniquities, and are dead in trespasses and sins. It saith to each one of us, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light"." Be it that the clouds of trial and adversity dim its brightness for a season, the light itself shall never be extinguished. Be it that the course of God's Providence assume the aspect not of peace but wrath; and that affliction, not joy, be made the portion of your inheritance ;-still "let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid 4" If you, like Mary, have learned the truth in Jesus; like her you shall hear the blessed tidings,

"The Master is come, and calleth for thee." Like her you shall be made to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which have been broken may rejoice. Like her, you shall find, that, whether in joy or heaviness, whether in strength or weakness, whether in life or death, the love of God in Christ is your present stay, your future glory.

SERMON XI.

THE SPIRIT REPROVING THE WORLD OF SIN, OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND OF JUDGMENT.

JOHN xvi. 8, 9, 10, 11.

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

WE learn from the verse immediately preceding these words, that He, to whom this peculiar office of reproving the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, is ascribed by our blessed Lord, is none other than "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom," as He had already assured His disciples, the Father, granting His prayer, should send in His name, to teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever He had said

THE SPIRIT REPROVING THE WORLD OF SIN, &c. 233

unto them1;"-"even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father," who should testify of Christ,-who should guide them "into all truth," and shew them "things to come;"-who also should glorify Christ; for he should receive of Christ, and should show it unto them. He calls this blessed guide the Comforter, or, as the original expresses it, the Paraclete, the Advocate:-one, i. e. who not only intercedes with the judge for the accused, but also pleads and maintains his cause against the adversary, and thereby, in an especial manner, extends unto him comfort. By no other Evangelist than St. John is the discourse, which reveals these gracious promises, related; and in no other discourse of our Lord is the title of Paraclete assigned to any of the persons of the Godhead. It is matter, therefore, both of interest and of thankfulness to observe, that, now, when the Redeemer was about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners; when, with all the touching solemnity of a parting exhortation, He was comforting the troubled hearts of His Apostles with the hope of glory, and with the assurance that the

'John xiv. 16. 26. 2 John xv. 26. 3 Ibid. xvi. 13, 14. * This double meaning of the term Paraclete, applicable, i.e. both to the advocates who were employed to plead the cause of the accused, and to the friends who came forward to assist him by their presence and intercession with the judge, is abundantly proved by the authorities which Bishop Pearson has adduced in his Exposition on the Eighth Article of the Creed, p. 329, fol. ed.