is a point which is forcibly brought out in the well-known sentence which our Lord addressed to Martha. In reply to her vague and faltering expression of belief in the resurrection at the last day, He proclaims the glorious truth, " I am the resurrection and the life ; " — " I, even T, thy Master, am He that has the keys of life and death in IIi« hands." And then He presses on her once more that Gid lesson, which she had doubtless often heard, but never fully realized : "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die."
There is matter here which deserves the close consider- ation of all true Christians. Many of them complain of want of sensible comfort in their religion. They do not feel the inward peace which they desire. Let them know that vague and indefinite views of Christ are too often the cause of all their perplexities. They must try to see more clearly the great object on which their faith rests. They must grasp more firmly His love and power toward them that believe, and the riches He has laid up for them even now in this world. We are many of us sadly like Martha. A little general knowledge of Christ as the only Saviour is often all that we possess. But of the fulness that dwells in Him, of His resurrection, His priesthood, His interces- sion, His unfailing compassion, we have tasted little or nothing at all. They are things of which our Lord might well say to many, as he did to Martha, " Believest thou this ? "
Let us take shame to ourselves that we have named the name of Christ so long, and yet know so little about Him. What right have we to wonder that we feel so little sensible comfort in our Christianity? Our slight and imperfect knowledge of Christ is the true reason of our discomfort. Let the time past suffice us to have been lazy students in Christ's school ; let the time to come find