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I. GOD IS ABLE TO PREVENT ANY PERSON DYING SO SOON AS HE DOES DIE. He preserved the lives of men much longer in former ages: but He could have prevented Methuselah dying at 969 had He pleased. He is able to preserve men from sickness, the common cause of death — and He does so often for seventy, eighty, or ninety years. And if men become sick He can raise them as He did Hezekiah. So with accidents, another cause of death.

II. GOD NEVER DOES PREVENT MEN DYING AS SOON AS THEY DO DIE. He might have prevented Lazarus dying, yet He did not. And this holds in all cases; and no power can move Him when He chooses that any shall die. This we see in David's prayer for his little infant, in those of pious parents for theirs, and in those of the Church for good and useful men.

III. WHY GOD DOES NOT PREVENT PERSONS DYING AS SOON AS THEY DO DIE. Because —

1. He knows that their appointed time to die is come. "Is there not an appointed time," etc.

2. He sees it best for them to die then. He knows what will be the consequence of living, and takes them away from the evil to come.

3. He knows that it will be the-best for the survivors. Many have done more good by dying than they would by living. — How often has the death of a child resulted in the conversion of the parents! This was the reason of the death of Lazarus.

4. He has a supreme regard for His own glory. He displays a wisdom, goodness and sovereignty which surpasses that of all His intelligent creatures.Improvement. If God can preserve human life or cut it short as He pleases, then —

1. It is proper to pray for the sick as long as the least spark of life remains. Neither young nor old ought to give up the hope of living; and God has wrought wonders in answer to prayer.

2. We ought never to pray for the preservation of life unconditionally. We ought to rejoice that we are in God's hands, who knows best. So Christ prayed conditionally in view of His tremendous sufferings — "Not My will."

3. All ought to carry about with them a sense that they are dying creatures. They know not what a day or an hour may bring forth. "Lord make me to know mine end."

4. Death commonly comes unexpected. We are ready to remember that God can preserve our lives as long as He pleases, but forget that He has an appointed time, and that time always comes suddenly.

5. None can enjoy life without becoming truly religious. Then whatever comes we shall be ready for the joy of our Lord.

6. Mourners have always reason to exercise unreserved submission to his bereaving hand.

(N. Emmons, D. D.)

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KJV: Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

WEB: So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.