ly delicacy in prayer. They lay the object at d leave it there. They do not say: Come and come quickly, Lord. They know his lovee his wisdom. They leave the case in his hands: whom thou lovest is sick." 66 They cast them esus' feet, and he healed them."-Matt. xv. 30. ot plead, but let their misery plead for them. requests be made known unto God."-Phil. iv. 6. at urgency in prayer does not so much consist at pleading as in vehement believing. He that ost the love and power of Jesus, will obtain yer. Indeed the Bible does not forbid you using ts, and asking for express gifts, such as healing ends. 66 My little daughter lieth at the point of ray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that e healed; and she shall live."-Mark v. 23. m not worthy that thou shouldest come under ut speak the word only, and my servant shall be Matt. viii. 8. Still there is a holy delicacy in ch some believers know how to use. Like these lay the object at his feet, saying: "Lord, he lovest is sick."

answer.

-d of promise: "This sickness is not unto is was an immediate answer to prayer. He e-he did not heal; but he sent them a word ake them happy: "This sickness is not unto way the messenger ran, crossed the Jordan, and et perhaps he enters breathless the village of With anxious faces the sisters run out to hear of Jesus. Good news! "This sickness is not

Sweet promise!—the hearts of the sisters are nd no doubt they tell their joy to the dying he gets weaker and weaker; and as they look

through their tears at his pale cheek, they begin almost to waver in their faith. But Jesus said it, and Jesus cannot lie: if it were not so he would have told us. "This sickness is not unto death." At last Lazarus breathes his latest sigh beside his weeping sisters. His eye is dim-his cheek is cold-he is dead; and yet Jesus said: "Not unto death!" The friends assemble, to carry the body to the rocky sepulchre; and as the sisters turn away from the tomb, their faith dies-their hearts sink into utter gloom. What could he mean by saying: "Not unto death ?

Learn to trust to Christ's word, whatever sight may say. We live in dark times. Every day the clouds are becoming heavier and more lowering. The enemies of the Sabbath are raging. The enemies of our Church are becoming more desperate. The cause of Christ is everywhere threatened. But we have a sweet word of promise: "This sickness is not unto death." Darker times are coming yet-the clouds will break and deluge Scotland soon with a flood of infidelity, and many will be like Mary-heart-broken. Has the Lord's word failed? No, never! "This sickness is not unto death." The dry bones of Israel shall live. Popery shall sink like a mill-stone-widowhood and loss of children shall come to her in one day. The kings of Tarshish and the isles will bow their knee to Jesus. Jesus shall reign till all his enemies are put under his feet, and the whole world shall soon enjoy a real Sabbath.

2. The explanation: "But for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." Some might ask, Why, then, was Lazarus sick? Ans. "For the glory of God." Christ was thereby in an eminent manner made known. (1.) His amazing love to his own was seen, when he wept at the grave. (2.) His power to raise the dead. He was shown to be the resurrection and the life when he cried, "Lazarus, come forth." Christ was more glorified far than if Lazarus had not been sick and died.

(1.) So in all the sufferings of God's people. Sometimes a child of God says: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? I will teach-preach-do great things for thee. Sometimes the answer is: Thou shalt suffer for my sake. (2.) It shows the power of Christ's blood-when it gives peace in an hour of trouble-when it can make happy in sickness, poverty, persecution, and death. Do not be surprised if you suffer, but glorify God. (3.) It brings out graces that cannot be seen in a time of health. It is the treading of the

grapes

that brings out the sweet juices of the vine; so it is affliction that draws forth submission, weanedness from the world, and complete rest in God. Use afflictions while you

have them.

LECTURE VI.

BETHANY.-PART II.

"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."-JOHN xi. 5-10.

I. Jesus' love: "Jesus loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus."

1. These are the words of John. He knew what was in the heart of Christ, for the Holy Spirit taught him what to write, and he leaned upon Jesus' bosom, and knew the deepest secrets of Jesus' heart. This, then, is John's testimony: "Jesus loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus." You remember they had sent this message to Jesus: “He whom thou lovest is sick." Some would have said, That was a presumptuous message to send. How did they know that Lazarus was really converted?-that Jesus really loved him? But here you see John puts his seal upon their testimony. It was really true, and no presumption in it: "Jesus loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus.'

66

How is it saints know when Jesus loves them? Ans. Christ has ways of telling his own love peculiar to himself. 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him." How ridiculous is it to think that Christ cannot make known his love to the soul! I shall mention one way-By drawing the soul to himself: "Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting

love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.”— Jer. xxxi. 3. "Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine."-Ezek. xvi. 8. "No man can come unto me except the Father draw him.”—John vi. 44. Now when the Lord Jesus draws near to a dead, carnal sinner, and reveals to him a glimpse of his own beauty— of his face fairer than the sons of men-of his precious blood-of the room that there is under his wings; and when the soul is drawn away from its old sins, old ways-away from its deadness, darkness, and worldliness, and is persuaded to forsake all, and flow toward the Lord Jesus-then that soul is made to taste the peace of believing, and is made to know that Jesus loves him. Thus Lazarus knew that Christ loved him. I was a worldly, careless man-I mocked at my sisters when they were so careful to entertain the Lamb of God-I often was angry with them; but one day he came and showed me such an excellence in the way of salvation by him he drew me, and now I know that Jesus has loved me.

Do you know that Christ loves you? Have you this lovetoken, that he has drawn you to leave all and follow him— to leave your self-righteousness, to leave your sins, to leave your worldly companions for Christ-to let all go that interferes with Christ? then you have a good token that he has loved you.

2. Jesus loved all the house. It seems highly probable that there was a great difference among the family-some of them were much more enlightened than others--some were much nearer Christ and some much more like Christ, than others; yet Jesus loved them all. It would seem that Mary was the most heavenly-minded of the family. Probably she was brought first to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. She sat at the feet of Christ when Martha was cumbered about much serving. She was also evidently more humbled under this trying dispensation than her sister was; for it is said: "She fell down at his feet." She seems also to have been filled with livelier gratitude; for it was she that took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Christ, and wiped his feet with her hair. She did what she could. She seems to have been a very eminent believer-very full of love, and of a teachable,

meek, quiet spirit. And yet Jesus loved them all-Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. Every one that is in Christ is beloved by Christ-even weak members.

Good news for weak disciples. You are very apt to say: I am not a Paul, nor a John, nor a Mary; I fear Jesus will not care for me. Ans. He loved Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus. He loves the weakest of those for whom he died. Just as a mother loves all her children, even those that are weak and sickly; so Christ cares for those who are weak in the faith-who have many doubts and fears-who have heavy burdens and temptations.

Be like Christ in this. "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations"-"We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." -Rom. xiv. 1, xv. 1. There is much of an opposite spirit, I fear, amongst us. I fear that you love our Marys, and Pauls, and Johns-you highly esteem those that are evidently pillars; but can you condescend to men of low estate? Learn to stoop low, and to be gentle and kind to the feeble. Do not speak evil of them-do not make their blemishes the subject of your common talk. Cover their faults. Assist them by counsel, and pray for

them.

II. Christ's delay: "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Here seems a contradiction-Jesus loved them, and yet abode two days. You would have expected the very reverse: Jesus loved them, and therefore made no delay, but hastened to Bethany. This is the way with man's love. Human love will not brook delay. When you love any one tenderly, and hear that they are sick, you run to see them, and to help them. These were two important days in the cottage of Bethany. The messenger had returned, saying: "This sickness is not unto death." They knew that Jesus loved them, and loved their brother tenderly; and therefore they expected him to come every hour. Martha, perhaps, would begin to be uneasy, saying, Why does he tarry? why is he so long in coming? can anything have kept him? Do not fret, Mary would say. You know that he loves Lazarus, and he loves us; and you know he is true, and he said: "This sickness is not unto death." The dying man grew weaker, and at length breathed his last sigh