this be our firong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before us; which hope we have as an anchor of our fouls, ftedfaft and immoveable. This hope it was that fupported our fellow-chriftians in all the painful conflicts of their fpiritual warfare: And it is this that muft afford us the only reafonable confolation under every distressful, or difcouraging event. 66 66 Why art thou fo full of heaviness, "O my foul! And why art thou fo difquieted within me? Truft in God." -Repofe on his infallible word, his immutable promises; and in every various fituation of life the ETERNAL PROVIDENCE fhall never fail thee nor forfake thee. Whether thou art in the city, or whether thou art in the field; bleffed fhalt thou be in the city, and blessed salt thou be in the field. SERMON II The Refurrection of Lazarus. LUKE xi. 44. He that was dead came forth. HE refurrection of Lazarus not TH only affords a firm proof in favour of Christianity, but exhibits a very pleafing picture of its amiable Author. While we read the ftory, the miracle itself does not fo much engage our attention, as the circumstances of tendernefs that lead to it: We admire that divine C 2 divine power which could re-animate the dead, but the fenfibility of friendship carries away our hearts: And, when we behold that divine Perfon who entered into this ftate of Being for the benevolent purpose of our redemption, melting under the tender fenfations of friendship, that reverence we owe to the dignity of his character forgets itself in affection. The ftory of Lazarus is recorded by that beloved difciple who was eminent for his fenfibility and affectionate difpofition. Hence it is that we find it related with all thofe tender circumstances that await the event of death, when female foftness bewails the lofs of a brother, and friendship is a mourner at the grave. The The facred writer opens his ftory with the fickness of Lazarus, and diftinguishes him as the brother of that pious woman, who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. These good offices juftly entitled her to call upon him for his affiftance in a cafe where he might be eminently ferviceable. She, therefore, with her fifter, fent unto him, faying, Lord, be whom thou lovest, is fick. The hiftorian has not mentioned the purpose of this meffage, but it was fent most probably with the hope of what fome of the Jews prefent fuggefted afterward, that he who opened the eyes of the blind, could cause that this man fhould not die. At the fame time it might be hoped that the confolations of friendship would afford fome relief to their afflicted brother; for the pity of those we love has power to foothe the heart, even while the body labours under the languor of sickness. But whatever might be the purpose of the meffage, it had not the effect which was, undoubtedly, expected from it; for Jefus did not immediately go to Bethany, though be, whom he loved, was fick. Yet why? why were the kind offices of friendship refused, at a time, when they were wanted fo much? Or why was that healing power, which had been fo effectually and fo generally exerted, fufpended, in a cafe where affection, and even gratitude, appeared to demand it? Could he, whofe benevolence was univerfal, who could restore the daughter of the Syrophenician woman-could he withhold that aid from a friend |