We are all buried, O Saviour, in the grave of our fins. The stone of obduracy must be taken away from our hearts, before we can attend to thy reviving voice-then fhall it be heard, even in the region of corruption, and we shall not be exhorted in vain, "Awake, "thou that sleepest, and arife from the "dead, and CHRIST fhall give thee "light." THE faith which had for awhile led the fifter of Lazarus, even against hope, to believe in hope, now feems to have withdrawn itself from her foul. Both her zealous profeffions, and the gracious words of her Master, are vanished and forgotten. Unwilling to disturb the facred repofe of death, fhe urges that the body of Lazarus, who had been dead four days, would be noifome and peftilential. Alas, how does the weaknefs of our mortal nature throw obftacles in the way of heavenly mercy, and oppofe pofe even that power which alone can rescue us "Said I not unto thee, "that if thou wouldst believe, thou "fhouldft fee the glory of God?" THEY who were preparing to remove the ftone, for a time refrained from their labour-one while, fixing their eyes on CHRIST, one while, on the fifter of Lazarus, to hear what would be the event of fo important an objection. But foon are they given to understand, both by the words of our Saviour, and the duteous acquiefcence of his handmaid, that in fpite of apparent difficulties and difcouragements, the word of God must be obeyed. The ftone is removedand now they behold him dead whom they shall soon fee revived. Every impediment is done away-all are in filent expectation our Saviour begins his miracle. His eyes are raised up to Heaventhence he derives his power-thence he expects expects and is affured of fuccefs. His tongue addreffes the Almighty by the name of Father-that claim, which his enemies judged to be blafphemy worthy of death, is made publicly, before a cloud of witneffes-CHRIST, as the Son of GOD, gives thanks to him that fitteth on the throne for having "granted his heart's defire, and fulfilled all his mind."* Then, lifting up his voice with divine. authority, he cries aloud, "Lazarus,. "come forth!" O glorious reprefentation of that majeftic found, wherewith the last trumpet fhall addrefs all that sleep, and fhall awaken them from the duft! It is thy voice, O Saviour, which we shall hear founding into the receffes of the tomb-that voice which fhall pierce the rocks, and divide the mountains, and fummon the dead from the lowest deeps-that voice, whereby a world was made, and whereby it shall be diffolved-that voice which called * Pfalm xx. 4. time into being, and which, when time is no more, shall declare the approach of eternity. Lo! the almighty Word hath loofed those bands, whereby the beloved Lazarus was holden-the linen folds, which according to the cuftom of the Jews were wrapped around his body, (together with aromatic fpices) are yet left on him, that the aftonished beholders might fee the figns of death, with the proofs of life, and that they might be convinced, by irrefragable evidence, both of the feparation of his foul and body, and of their re-union. If the voice of CHRIST was thus powerful, while he remained in his ftate of humility, how powerful fhall it be in that awful day, when he fhall return, with majesty and glory, to judge the quick and the dead! It fhall then shake the canopy of Heaven, and move all the foundations of the earth. Once it fhook fhook the earth-but now he hath promifed, faying "Yet once more I fhake "not the earth only, but alfo Hea "ven." WITH what falutations, what joyful embraces did the happy fifters of Lazarus receive him from his grave! What amazement was in their looks-what ecftafy in their hearts! what adoration of that God and Saviour who recalled him to life! The furrounding neighbours and friends behold the mighty act, but with various impreffions of mind. Some of them believed, and confeffed that JESUS was the CHRIST-others went their way to the Pharifees, and by means of his very miracles inflamed the rancour of his enemies. LORD, when thy hand was lifted up, they would not feethe veil of prejudice and obduracy was on their hearts-they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved. In vain had Mofes faid unto the fathers, "A Pro |