i Isai. lxiv. 4. 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. r 2 Cor. ix. 15.
* Eph. iii. 8. l Phil. iv. 7. " 1 Pet. i. 8.
" a height and depth, and length and breadth" that can never be explored x. Respecting the future life, we are still further from being able to appreciate the glories of it. The description of heaven, as a city paved with gold, and enriched with every thing magnificent or good, affords but a faint idea of that glorious place y; as the songs and music of its inhabitants very inadequately represent their blessedness and joyz. But this we know, that, both on earth and in heaven, the felicity of the saints shall be worthy of the sacrifice that was made to obtain it. Let not any one then seek it in a listless and lukewarm
manner, as though it were of little value for it is a
" great salvation11," which the tongues of men and angels can never worthily describe, nor can the ages of eternity suffice to enumerate its blessings.]
x Eph. hi. 18. y Rev. xxi. 10—23.
z Rev. v. 8—14. and xiv. 1—3. a Heb. ii. 3.
John xi. 25, 26. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this ?
IN great and long continued afflictions, we are apt to entertain hard thoughts of God. But, whatever be his intention with respect to the ungodly, we are sure that he designs nothing but good to his own peculiar people, even when he appears most regard- less of their supplications. There are two ends which he invariably proposes to himself in his dispensations towards them ; namely, the brighter revelation of his own glory, and the fuller manifestation of it to their souls.
In the history before us we have an account of a heavy affliction that had befallen a family, through the death of one, to whom Jesus had shewn a very peculiar attachment. He had been solicited to come and help them ; but he had delayed his visit till the sick person had been dead four days. This however, though liable to misconstruction, he had done inten- tionally, in order that he might manifest more fully