254

John XI. 26.

Mary comes to him, and the Jews follow her.

this?

Sect. 140. armed and transformed, that it fhall hardly de- never die. Believeft thou ferve the Name; the better Part of him being immediately conveyed to immortal Life and Glory, and the Body only fleeping a while in the Duft, till I come to awaken it to everlasting Vigour and Joy. Doft thou, Martha, believe this to be true?

27

2.8

29

And fhe fays to him, Yes, Lord, I firmly beleve every Thing thou fayeft; for I am fully perfuaded, that thou art the Meffiah, the Son of GOD, who was to come into the World, and has been fo long promised, expected, and defired; and that all Power therefore must belong to thee.

27 She faith unto him, Yea, Lord I believe that

thou art the Chrift, the Son of GOD, which fhould come into the World.

28 And when she had fo faid, fhe went her Way, and

called Mary her Sifter fecretly, faying, The Mafter is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As foon as she heard

And Martha having faid thefe [Words,] and testified her Faith, Jefus enquired for her Sifter; and presently he went away, and called her Sifter Mary as privately as fhe could, whispering in her Ear, and faying, The Mafter is hard by, and calleth for thee. And as foon as she heard [it] She immediately arofe, and having left the Com- that, the arofe quickly, and pany that were about her, came forward with the 30 utmost Eagerness to meet him. Now Jefus was not yet entered into the Village, but still continued in the Place where Martha met him, waiting there for Mary's coming.

31

32

she

The Jews then who were with her in the Houfe, attempting to comfort her under her Sorrow, Seeing that Mary arofe up hastily and went out of Doors, followed her, faying, Surely fhe is going to the Grave of her Brother, that he may weep there (f), which will only aggravate and renew her Sorrow; let us therefore endeavour to diffuade her from it. And thus, by their going. after her, they were naturally led to be Eye-witneffes of all that followed.

Then Mary, when he came to the Place where Jefus was, and faw him, was fo far from being afraid to avow her Regards to him, (compare John ix. 22. Sect. 130.) that she fell down at his Feet, and embraced them with the greatest Refpect, faying to him, as her Sifter had done before,

Lord,

came unto him.

30 Now Jefus was not yet come into the Town, Martha met him.

but was in that Place where

31 The Jews then which were with her in the House, they faw Mary, that the rofe up haftily, and went out, followed her, faying, She goeth unto the Grave, to

and comforted her, when

weep there.

32 Then when Mary

was come where Jefus was,

at his Feet, faying unto him, and faw him, fhe fell down Lord,

(f) She is going to the Grave, that she may weep there.] How customary this was among the Antients, is particularly obferved by Elfner, Observ. vol. i. pag. 330.

(8) Jefus

38 Jefus therefore again.

groning in himself, corneth

to the Grave. It was a Cave, and a Stone lay upon it.

255

dear Sect. 140.

with them to the Grave, and weeps.
Lord, if thou hadst been here fooner, furely my
Brother had not died. And fhe was so overcome
with Grief, that he could utter no more.

John XI. 32.

Jefus therefore, when he faw her thus weeping, 33
and the Jews also weeping that came with her,
groaned with a deep Concern, as feeling a strong
Commotion in his own Spirit; and judging it
proper in this Inftance to indulge it, (tho' he
always had every Paffion under the most entire
Command,) he voluntarily afflicted himself, by
opening his Mind to a Set of melting and painful
Ideas. And looking with a tender Pity on the 34
mourning Relations of his deceased Friend, he said,
Where have ye laid him? They fay unto him, Lord,
we defire thou wouldst come and fee; wishing to
bring him to the Grave, in fome uncertain Hope
of what was afterwards done.

And as they were going along, Jefus himself 35
wept, at the Remembrance of the Dead, in Sym-
pathy with the Living, and in Compaffion to the
obftinate Jews, whofe final Impenitence he fore-
faw, and knew how much the Guilt of it would
be aggravated, in Confequence of their being Spec-
tators of fuch a Miracle.

The fews therefore feeing him in Tears faid, 36
Behold how he loved him, and how his Heart over-
flows with Sorrow for his Death. But fome of 37
them, who had a fecret Averfion to him, faid,
Could not this Man, who, as it is pretended, opened
the Eyes of the Blind, have caufed that this Man allo
fhould not have died? Could he not have come to
cure him, or, as it is reported in fome other In-
ftances, have effected it even at a Distance?

38

Jefus therefore, understanding this invidious Infinuation, and groaning again within himself, as in great Anguilh of Heart, comes to the Sepulchre. Now it was a Cave, and a large Stone 39 Jefus faid, Take ye was laid upon the Mouth of it. Jefus fays 39 away the Stone. Martha, to them that ftood by, Remove the Stone which the Sifter of him that was dead, ftops up the Entrance (g);. but Martha the Sifter

of

(8) Fefus fays, Remove the Stone, &c.] Our Lord (as Bishop Hall juftly obferves,) could with in finite Eafe have commanded the Stone to roll away of itfelf, without employing any to remove it; but he judicioufly avoided all unneceffary Pomp and Parade, and mingled alf

the

256 He bids them remove the Stone, and calls Lazarus forth.

Sect. 140. of the Deceafed fays to him, Lord, he has been
dead fo long, that he now smells in an offenfive
John XI. 39. Manner (b); for he has been [here] no less than
Part of four Days, this being the fourth fince his
40 Interment. (Compare ver. 17.) Jefus Says to
her, Why doft thou object against what I direct?
Did I not fay unto thee, that if thou wouldst be-
lieve in me, thou shouldft fee the Glory of GOD
remarkably displayed in a Work of fignal Power
41 and Mercy? Then they took away the Stone
from the Mouth of the Tomb, where the Deceafed
lay. And when it was removed, Jefus lifted up
bis Eyes, and faid, Father, I thank thee, that thou
haft graciously heard me in thofe fecret Groanings
of Soul, which I have been pouring forth in thy
42 Prefence: And indeed I knew, that thou al-
ways hearest me, and art most ready to answer all
my Petitions; but I now speak [thus,] because of
the Multitude that is ftanding by, that they, com-
paring what they hear with what they are now
to behold, may have increafing and more effectual
Engagements to believe that thou haft fent me.

43 And having faid thefe Words, he cried with a
loud Voice, fuitable to the majestic Part which
he was now acting, and the Dominion he had
even in the Empire of Death itself, as well as
that he might be heard by all the Multitude that

44 were prefent, Lazarus, come forth.

And

dead, faith unto him, Lord. by this Time he ftinketh:

for he hath been dead four

Days.

40 Jefus faith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that fhouldft fee the Glory of GOD?

if thou wouldst believe, thou

41 Then they took away

the Stone from the Place And Jefus lift up his Eyes, and faid, Father, I thank thee that thou haft heard

where the Dead was laid.

me.

42 And I knew that thou

heareft me always but beftand by, I faid it, that they may believe that thou hast

caufe of the People which

fent me.

43 And when he had thus fpoken, he cried with a loud Voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead

Foot with Grave-clothes:

and

fuch an Almighty Energy went along with his came forth, bound Hand and
Word, that immediately, according to his Com-
mand, be that was Dead came forth, bound (as the
Dead ufually were) about [his] Feet and Hands

with

the Majefty of this aftonishing Miracle with the moft amiable Modefty and Simplicity. There is no Reafon to imagine, as fome do, that the Stone lay on the Top of the Cave, and that the Corps was let down with Cords; for then Lazarus could not, without a farther Miracle, have afcended of himfelf. It is much more reasonable to believe, the Entrance was at the Side of the Sepulchre. Mr. Maundrell tells us, (in his Journey to Jerufalem, pag. 79.) that the Ruins of Lazarus's Houfe are ftill fhewn, and not far from thence his Sepulchre, into which there is a Defcent of twenty-five fteep Stairs, which lead into two fmall Rooms, in the farther of which the Body is faid to have been laid. But one cannot much depend on the Genuineness of fuch Antiquities. See Sand. Travels, pag. 196.

(b) He has been dead fo long, that he now fmells &c.] The Word oe has the fame Ambiguity with that which I have ufed, and feems rather more decent than that in our Tranflation, tho' the Meaning is plainly the fame.Martha's Mind feems to have been in a painful Struggle, toffed with a Variety of Paffions, which prevented a perfect Confiftency in her Behaviour.

(i) His

257

Many of the Jews believe, but fome go and tell the Pharifees. with Grave- clothes, or with feveral Rolls and Sect. 140. Foldings of Linnen, that were wrapt about him,

and let him go.

and his Face was bound about with a Napkin. Jefus faith unto them, Loofe him, but which were fo far loofened by the Power of John XI. 44. Christ as to permit him to move; and his Face was also bound about with a Napkin (i). And Jefus on his coming forth in this confined Pofture, fays to them that stood by, Unbind him, and let him go: For nothing more was needful to be done in a miraculous Way, and he had Strength enough to walk, his Health and Vigour being perfectly recovered with his Life.

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, which Jefus did, believed

and had feen the Things

on him.

46 But fome of them went their Ways to the Pharifees, and told them what Things Jefus had done.

L'

Thus was this illuftrious Miracle compleatly 45
and publickly accomplished: And fuch was the
Effect of it, that many of the Jews therefore, who
had come to vifit Mary, and beheld what Jefus did,
believed on him as the Meffiah. But some of 46
them were fo obftinate and perverfe, that they
went away to the Pharifees, and told them what
Things Jefus had done (k); on Purpose, that they
might inflame them, and ftir them up to take
fome Methods to prevent his growing Influence
among the People.

IMPROVEMENT.

ET us by Faith continually regard Jefus, (as his Difcourfes and John xi. 25. Actions concur to reprefent him,) as the Refurrection and the Life, believing, on this glorious Specimen here given of it, that he can, and will finally caufe all that are in the Graves, to hear his Voice, and to come forth. (John v. 28, 29.) A moft delightful Thought, which we should often apply, both to ourselves, and to our pious Friends! Let the Confideration, that they are to arife in the Refurrection at the Laft Day, mode- Ver. 24. rate our Sorrows for their Removal, and forbid our mourning as others that have no Hope. (1 Theff. iv. 13.) Were a Refurrection on Earth expected, tho' at the Distance of feveral Years, we fhould confider them only as Perfons absent on a long Journey, and expect their Return with Patience

(i) His Face was bound about with a Napkin.] If the Jews buried, as the Egyptians did, the Face was not covered with it, but it only went round the Forehead and under the Chin, so that on his returning to Life, he might eafily fee his Way out of the Sepulchre.

(k) Went away to the Pharifees, &c.] We have in this a moft amazing Inftance of incorrigible Hardness of Heart, and a dreadful Confirmation of our Lord's Remark, If they bear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfuaded, tho' one rofe from the Dead. Luke xvi. 31. Sect. 125.

258

Reflections on CHRIST's raifing Lazarus from the Dead. Sect. 140. Patience and Chearfulness: But oh, how much more certain is the Refur rection of the fuft, than the Iffue of any of our Journeys or Expectations

Ver. 31.

Ver. 35.

Ver. 33.

Ver. 39.

in Life!

We often go, in our Thoughts at leaft, to the Grave to weep; but let us not forget to raise our Contemplations higher, even to Jefus, who here expreffed fuch tender Sentiments of Compaffion, and wept when he saw the Tears of others, tho' he knew he was going to wipe them away, by reftoring that Friend whom they lamented. He afflicted himself; and it may be proper for us fometimes to do it, and to hold down our Thoughts to those Views of Things, which may give us Pain and Regret; if that Attention befo adjusted and attempered, as only to produce a Sadness of the Countenance that may improve the Heart. (Ecclef. vii. 3.)

Let the Modefty, with which our Lord conducted this grand and folemn Scene, teach us to avoid all mean Tranfports of Self-applaufe, and all Ver. 41, 42. Fondness for Oftentation and Parade. Like Jefus, let us in all our Ways acknowledge GOD, and maintain a continual Dependance on his Influence, to be fought by fervent, Prayer; and then we may go forth to every Duty, with a couragious and chearful Affurance, that he will carry us honourably and comfortably thro' it. Let us but ftedfastly believe, and we shall fee the Glory of GOD; he will manifeft his Power for our Help; and when our Cafe appears to be remedilefs, then is the Time for his Almighty Hand to fave.

Ver. 40.

Ver. 43, 44.

Ver. 26.

Ver. 39.

Let us adore and truft in Him, who was armed with fo Divine a Power, as to be able to rescue the Prisoners of Death, and to recover the Trophies of the all-conquering and devouring Grave. And if we are true Believers,. let us learn to take our Part in the Triumph, with a joyful Afsurance, that tho' we putrify in the Duft, and after the Skin Worms devour our Bodies, yet in our Flesh we shall at length fee GOD. (Job xix. 26.)

It was furely a happy Time, that fucceeded all the Lamentations of these affectionate Mourners. With what mutual Congratulations, and unutterable Endearments, did Lazarus and his Sifters behold each other! With what humble Gratitude and Adoration, did they all proftrate themselves at the Feet of their Almighty Saviour! But who can conceive the greater Transports, which fhall run thro' the whole Redeemed World at the Refurrection Day, when, Piety and Friendship fhall be perfected, and thofe, who were deareft to each other both in the Bonds of Nature and of Grace, fhall fpring up together to an immortal undivided Life! In the mean Time, let us truft our Friends with him, (with whom, if we are Chriftians indeed, we have trufted our Souls,) believing that the Separations he appoints are prudent and kind, and that even our Prayers for their Recovery are denied in Mercy.

SECT.