"thou hadst been here, my brother had "not died.

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33. When Jefus, therefore, faw her "weeping, and the Jews alfo weeping " which came with her, he groaned in the fpirit and was troubled,

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34. And faid, Where have ye laid "him? They fay unto him, Lord, come " and fee.

As foon as Mary received from her fifter the intelligence of our Lord's approach, she repaired to him, and addressed herself to him, under every symptom of the deepest affliction; lamenting, as Martha had done, that he had not been prefent, as that might have prevented the death of her brother. How ftriking is the conduct of our Lord! and in how amiable a light does he appear, through out the whole of this interefting transaction!

Instead of the severe philofopher, who would wish to deftroy the best and most genuine

genuine feelings of our hearts, we see him, as the friend and companion of mankind, entering into all their feelings, and participating in all their diftreffes. The Saviour of the world, the great Lord of the universe, in the fulness of his power, is touched at the affliction of fuffering-mortals; and, giving way to the feelings of that nature which he had condefcended to take on himself, is troubled, and groans in fpirit! He who could fubmit, without a tear, to the most agonizing torments in his own perfon, to make atonement for the guilt of others, weeps for the fufferings of his fellow-mortals! Precious tears! which will for ever fanctify those amiable feelings of our nature, in spite of all the arguments of hard-hearted philofophers: nor, after fuch an instance, can it be deemed any impeachment of our patience and refignation to the will of God, fhould we, under fevere trials, express our fense of them in tears and lamentations. All that feems to be required of us in such cases, is, that we should not fuffer our forrow

forrow to get the better of our reason, so as to incapacitate us for the performance of our duties, or grieve as perfons without hope.

Let us, however, carefully avoid the error which too many are apt to fall intothe making troubles of trifles: which, as an evidence of an unthankful and discontented difpofition of mind, must be highly displeas ing to our all-bountiful and merciful God.

'36. Then said the Jews, Behold how " he loved him!

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"37. And fome of them faid, Could not this man, which opened the eyes "the blind, have caufed that even this "man fhould not have died?

"38. Jefus, therefore, again groaning "in himself, cometh to the grave. It was "a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

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39. Jefus faid, Take ye away "ftone. Martha, the fifter of him that was dead, faith unto him, Lord, by this "time he flinketh: for he hath been dead "four days.

"40. Jefus

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40. Jefus faith unto her, Said I not ❝ unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, "thou shouldest see the glory of God ?”

The surprize expressed by the Jews who had been witnesses upon former and less interesting occasions, that the

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powers nature were under his control, was extremely natural: they perceived how greatly he loved Lazarus, and could not conceive why he should suffer him to die fo immature a death, when he could have restored him by a word. They were not aware that our Lord had other and greater objects in view, than the indulgence of his own feelings; namely, the glory of God and benefit of mankind. Some of the Jews were, probably from this circumftance, led to fuppofe that he could not exercife this miraculous power at pleasure, but only on particular occafions and under certain influences. If fuch were their fuppofition, they muft foon have been convinced of their error. Although it Iwas the defign of our bleffed Lord to

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change the scene before him, from the deepest affliction to the utmost joy, yet it afforded too just a picture of the sufferings of mankind to be feen by him unmoved, and drew from him expreffions of pity and concern.

Although Martha had at firft expreffed her conviction. that whatever Jesus should afk of the Father, he would give it him, yet, now that the awful and astonishing event was about to take place, her faith begins to waver, and fhe requires to be reminded by our Lord of his former af furances to her. This appears by her objecting to the removal of the ftone, in confequence of his having been fo long dead.

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41. Then they took away the ftone "from the place where the dead was laid. And Jefus lifted up his eyes, and faid, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard

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me.

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42. And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people

" which