rth_." How could Jesus expect the dead Lazarus to hear?
Why did he call? Why did he not first make him alive; and then after
he found out that he _was alive_, and stirring round in the grave,
call to him and tell him to come out of that dark place? This is
precisely the way a Calvinist would think he ought to have done. But
Calvinism was not known in the Lord's day, and so he took a very
different way. He threw his voice into that cave, and it went right
into the ear of the dead Lazarus, because his power went with the
words, and the very instant they struck the ear of Lazarus the life
was in his body and he heard. Thunder and lightning always go
together; but Calvinists think the lightning must always be first.

The resurrection of Lazarus is a clear exemplification of our Lord's
meaning where he says: "My words are SPIRIT, and they are LIFE." No
sooner did the Lord call to Lazarus than his heart began to beat and
his lungs began to breathe. The Lord's words to him were _life_ and
_breath_. _Spirit_ [in one sense] means breath; and _life_ means a
beating of the heart; for as long as man's heart beats there is life
in him. Is any one here to-night willing to charge our Lord with the
folly, the _madness_ of commanding one of his creatures to do what he
knows he cannot do?

Sinner, if the popular view of election be correct, I have a word of
comfort for you right here. In Jer. 13:21 we read this question: "What
wilt thou say when he shall punish thee?" I will tell you what to say.
When you stand before his judgment seat and hear from his lips,
"Depart, thou cursed into everlasting fire," just say to him: "Why do
you condemn _me_? You told me to enter in at the straight gate, it is
true; but you did not give me the power to move in that direction. I
was blind, too, and you did not open my eyes. I was all leprous with
sin; I knew that all the time; but you did not cleanse me, although
you cleansed others. I am told that you say in your Word that you are
no respecter of persons; how then can you make such a difference in
your treatment of men, when you have 'included all under sin?'"

Now I say to you, poor sinner, the Lord never will and he never can
send you to hell with such questions in your mouth and in your heart.

There is no need of one sinner under the sound of my voice going to
hell, because Jesus is the STRAIT GATE and he is the NARROW WAY OF
LIFE; and wherever his Gospel is preached his power goes with it, jus