ye shall receive." Now that he was soon to offer up himself as a sacrifice for our sins, he would, as the Head of his church, leave this eminent example of faith in prayernamely, that the first knowledge those who surrounded him had of his having prayed at all, was his thanksgiving to his Father for answering his petitions.

A third lesson, which this act of thanksgiving teaches, is the blessedness of having such an Advocate ever living to make intercession for us: One sitting at the right hand of God-his well-beloved Son, "whom he heareth always." For as the prayer which is recorded in the seventeenth chapter of St. John was uttered in an audible voice, that those who were present hearing the words, they, and "all who believe on him through their word," to the end of time might receive the comfort to be derived from it so this silent petition at the grave of Lazarus seems intended to make known to us the nature of our Lord's intercessory office as at present exercised. This, we have reason to believe, is carried on rather by his presence than his words.

Who can tell the blessedness of having such a Friend to plead our cause? The more especially when we see his earnest desire that his people may benefit by his prevalent advocacy. This desire is manifested at the time he is thanking his Father: for these were his gracious words, "I know that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." Surely we cannot behold this earnest desire without that we

lifting up our hearts in silent prayer may thus believe on Him; may so receive him as sent of his Father, as to listen to him as our Prophet, confide in him as our Priest, and obey him as our King. Lord, grant us this faith, for thy blessed name's sake.

Having thus prepared the minds of the spectators by this solemn address to his heavenly Father, the Evangelist proceeds to mention that when he had thus spoken, “He said, with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth."

"The word of a king is with power;' especially His word who is "King of kings and Lord of lords:" for no sooner did Jesus

give this wonderful command, than "he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin." Yes, notwithstanding his body had felt that offensive change which passes upon the dead, so that corruption had commenced its attacks, still the powerful voice of the Almighty Saviour restored him to life, and health, and activity. He came forth, not indeed as our Lord himself did, in his unique resurrection, leaving his grave-clothes in the tomb: thus manifesting that death had no longer dominion over him. Lazarus came forth as a child of Adam, who, though restored to life, was yet subject to that sentence which passed upon all men, for that all have sinned; "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." He came forth, wearing his grave-clothes. From these our Lord soon relieved him, saying to those who were standing by, "Loose him, and let him

go."

It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to express the varied feelings of surprise and admiring gratitude of the spectators at

this wonderful spectacle ;-beholding him, who but a moment before was a dead corpse, now returning in full health to his family and friends.

The inspired Evangelist has left us to meditate upon them, and upon the ineffable delight which must have filled the hearts of his affectionate sisters; or rather, he has reserved this latter subject to the following chapter, in which, with peculiar beauty, he informs us that they made Jesus a supper, and Martha served, and Lazarus was one that sat at table with him ;-closing the history of this family which Jesus loved, as St. Luke commenced it, with a very interesting domestic scene.

He has, however, noticed some of the effects produced upon the spectators. Thus he mentions, at the forty-fifth verse, “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." It is delightful to observe the encouragement here given to acts of kindness to the afflicted. Some of our Lord's most remarkable miracles were performed to re

lieve near relatives who were suffering under those tender feelings which God has planted in the human heart. Thus it was in compassion to the widow at Nain, that our Lord visited that city, and restored her only son to life; so it was to relieve the sorrows of Jairus, whose little daughter "lay a-dying," that he visited his dwelling, and restored her to her parents: but in this instance our blessed Saviour holds out this strong motive, to "mourn with those that mourn, and to weep with those that weep;" that MANY of those who came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother, were made partakers of that faith which bringeth salvation;-that it was not one or two of the mourners who were blessed, but many of them.

Surely this is a reason for following His steps, "who came to bind up the brokenhearted, and to comfort those that mourn; that not for the merit of the act, but of his abundant grace and mercy, the Lord may, in return for a single visit to an afflicted family, grant blessings which shall never end.

Let