property, and, whatever would become of them, the miracle would still remain. It was well known to these authorities, and there is no attempt to deny it, but I\ most foolish attempt to destroy it. (2) The death of LBZarue could not pre1Jent tlie pcr- f ormanoe of another miracltJ. It is foolish to attempt to dry the stream while the foUDtain is still springing. It WltS foolish to put Lazarus to death whilst Christ was 6till alive. They could not Rend hie spirit so far to the invisible world thnt hi6 voice could not reach and recall it. They could not hope to mangle his body to ~,wh an extent that the chemistry of his Divine power could not reunite it. He could cause Lazarus to appear before them and scare them, till they would bo only t,io glRd to let him alone. (3) Lazarus was not the only monument of (Jh,rist's Divine 7,ower. He had hosts of them throughout the whole country. The destruction of all these monuments would involve such a m,,ssaore as would be beyond their power and authority to perpetrate. Their opposition was foolish. 6. Their opposition was piti- ably fvtue.. (1) Physical death cannot destroy Divilne life and energy. (2) Physical death cannot destroy Diuine purposes. They flow on like a mighty river, increasing.in ma.,,.crnitude and force, and sweeping every opposition before them. The futile devices of priests and stratagems of Pharisees are seen carried away on its crested and sweeping tl<10d. (3) Physical dea.th cannot destroy spiritual principles, but rather increase and intensify them. Faith, hope, and love can thrive in cha.ins, feed on flames, and leap with life, even in death. If Lazarus were put to death and fell a.martyr to these priests and never again return, thousands would leap to life from his grave a.nd feed upon his ashes. The futility of physical opposition to truth was aptly expressed by the Pharisees, when some of tha.t sect said, "Perceive ye not," etc. ? 6. The.fr opposi- ti()fl, oomefrom an unezpected qu,a,rter. "The chief priests,n (1) They were in the be.st position to ea:amine the genuineness of the miracle and tJQtdersta.nd its .'111,Caning. As a olass they were educated and highly privileged. They were the leaders of religious thought, and one would naturally expect that they had sufficient philosophical insight and integrity, apart from their religious position, to inquire into such a strange pheno- menon and accept its plain and inevitable teaching. (2) They should b.e tlieforemost to awpt the cl,aims of Jesus, see in him the promised Messiah, the fulfilment of pro,. phecy, a.nd the 1;ubsta.nce of all sacrifice-the Lamb of God. (3) What ought to breed faith bred in them murder. The reason which led others to believe in Jesus, led them to ha.te and oppose him. The miracle of life revived in them the vilest passions for death, What stronger proofs of Christ's Divinity and Divine commission could they wish or ha.ve? How could fa.ith be satisfied better than by an outward sign? And yet the reaBOn for faith they want to destroy, and the light of faith they want to extinguish; the monument of faith they wa.nt to overthrow, a.nd the object of faith they want to murder. What moral depravity and bliodness does this reveal ! . •· LBl!SONB. 1. The leaders of the people have often been the bitterest. opponents. of truth and progress. They have opposed every true reform, and instead of leading the people to the light, they have stood between the people and it, and have attempted to extin- guish it. 2. If the leaders of the pwple are SQ opposed to troth, what can be expected of the people themselves. 3. When they will not lead the people, the people should lead them and h£/,p themselves. 4. .,dll people, karned and unlearned, rich and poor, have a true l,w,d,erinJeB'/1,$.-B.T.
Vers. 27~.-Tlwuu,gh, trovble to triwmph. L JESUS IN TROUBLE, He was not a. stranger to trouble, but this was a .special one. 1. Trouble arising from a vivid reali- zation of his approaching de,ath and BUfferings. They already,cast their awful shadows upon his pure souL The unpamlleled tra.gedy of his death, with all its sinfulness on the pact of his foes, and e.11 its cruelties, agonies, and shame, was now acted in his soul, and it ea.used him to shudder. He was far from being a coward, but quite so far from being e. heartless Stoic. He was courageous, but human ; most heroic, but still most 11ensitive. 2. Trouble arising from the immediaf,e effect of hi• death on others. The Gentiles were already knocking at his door for admission ; but the opening of the door involved his death and the rejection of that people whom he came to save. The more remote joy of his dea.th was hushed in its immediat.e efl'eots upon his own nation. This jud.gment which hi1 death inivolved troubled him. a. Trouble wMch affected his wrwle nature. "Now w m1 10ul troubled,n etc. The soul here represeuts his whole on. xu. 1-60.J THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 171