whose flower and fruit are in heaven itself. Based on
this, comforts abound; and in every step the living Lord Jesus is seen:
His resurrection throws its blessed light everywhere. If One has
actually risen from the dead, what glorious possibilities follow.

For as to those who are falling asleep, is _He_ insensible to that
which moves us so deeply? Nay; He Himself has put them to sleep. They
are fallen asleep [not "in," as our version says, but] _through_
(_dia_) Jesus. He who so loved them has Himself put them to sleep. No
matter what the outward, or apparent, causes of their departure to
_sight_, faith sees the perfect love of the Lord Jesus giving "His
beloved sleep." Sight may take note only of the flying stones as they
crush the martyr's body; mark, with horror, the breaking bone, the
bruised and bleeding flesh; hear the air filled with the confusion of
shouts of imprecation, and mocking blasphemy; but to faith all is
different: to her the spirit of the saint, in perfect calm, is enfolded
to the bosom of Him who has loved and redeemed it, whilst the same Lord
Jesus hushes the bruised and mangled form to _sleep_, as in the holy
quiet of the sanctuary.

Let our faith take firm hold of this blessed word, "fallen asleep
through Jesus," for our comfort. So shall we be able to instil this
comfort into the wounded hearts of others,--comforting them with the
comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. What would
Solomon have given to have known this?

_Second_, the mind must be gently loosened from occupation with itself
and its own loss; and that by no rebuke or harsh word, so out of place
with sorrow, but by the _assumption_, at least, that it is for the loss
that the departed themselves suffer that we grieve. It is because we
love them that our tears flow: but suppose we know beyond a question
that _they_ have suffered no loss by being taken away from this scene,
would not that modify our sorrow? Yea; would it not change its
character completely, extracting bitterness from it? So that blessed
Lord Himself comforted His own on the eve of His departure: "If ye
loved me, ye would rejoice because I go unto my Father, for my Father
is greater than I." The more you love me, the less--not the more--will
you sorrow. Nay; you would change the sorrow into actual joy. _The
measure of the comfort is exactly the measure of the love_. That is
surely divine. So here, "You are looking forward to the day when