PART muft have been very aftonishing and beyond
IV. all doubt, to have been able to convince them;

and that the refurrection of the dead which
happened in their fight, or within their me-
mory, must have been very fure and well
evinced, to constrain them to prefer Christ to
their mafter, to advance inftead of extenuating
his glory, and to acknowledge him for the
expected Meffiah, inftead of confidering him
as a rival of John the Baptift; for this is the
import of those words which Christ subjoins,
"Bleffed is he, whofoever fhall not be of-
"fended in me.'
That is to fay, in whom
my miracles and glory fhall not create a fenti-
ment of envy or forrow, and who fhall not be
fecretly afflicted with what edifies and confoles
others.

ARTICLE II.

Refurrection of Lazarus: certain proofs of his death.

AM perfuaded, that whilft I have been occupied in proving the truth of the refurrection of the young man at Naim, most people think on that of Lazarus, whose fame was much greater, and the confequences more important; and it is time indeed to examine it, but in a fimple and natural manner, suitable to the capacity of the multitude, and of which the learned and illiterate might be equal judges.

For

For this purpose it will only be neceffary to efta- CHAP. blifh clearly the truth of Lazarus's death, and III. in the fame manner to prove his refurrection, by fhewing the neceffary connection of these two events with circumftances which could neither be forged nor fufpected.

When they celebrated at Jerufalem the feast of the dedication, "The Jews affembled † "themselves before Jefus in Solomon's porch, "and faid unto him, How long doft thou "make us to doubt? if thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jefus anfwered them, I told you and ye believed not: the works that I "do in my Father's name, they bear witness "of me... I and I and my Father are one. "the Jews took.up ftones to ftone him; and Jefus faid, Many good works have I fhewed you from my Father, for which of these "works do ye ftone me? The Jews an"fwered him, For a good work we ftone "thee not; but for blafphemy, and because "that thou, being a man, makeft thyfelf God.

Then

Jefus anfwered them: If I do not the works "of my Father, believe me not: but if I

do... believe that the Father is in me and I " in him. Therefore they fought again to take "him: but he escaped out of their hands, " and went away beyond Jordan, into the place where John abode when he baptized." Nothing can be more circumftantiated and fincere than this recital, which not only proves Christ's abfence, but his distance from Bethany and Jerufalem during the fickness of Lazarus.

F 2

When

↑ John x. 22.

PART

When he was beyond Jordan, Mary and IV. Martha, fifters of Lazarus, fent unto him, saying, "Lord, he whom thou loveft is fick. † "When Jefus heard that, he faid, This fick"nefs is not unto death, but for the glory of "God, that the Son of God might be glori "fied thereby." This is a plain and precife prophecy, which will be decided by the event. But in fuch circumftances it cannot be fufpected. We fhall fee in the sequel, whether the Son of God received any glory from fuch a fickness. After this news Jefus abode two days ftill in the fame place where he was; "then after that, faith he to his difciples, "Let us go into Judea again. His difciples fay unto him, Mafter, the Jews of late fought to ftone thee," (it is therefore true, that they intended it, and that Chrift withdrew to avoid it) and goeft thou thither again?

Jefus anfwered, Are there not twelve hours "in the day? if any man walk in the day, "he ftumbleth not. And he added, Our "friend Lazarus fleepeth; but I go that I may "awake him out of fleep. Then faid his dif"ciples, Lord, if he fleep, he fhall do well. "Howbeit Jefus fpake of his death; but they

thought that he had spoken of taking rest "in fleep. Then faid Jefus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your "fakes, that I was not there (to the intent ye may believe) nevertheless let us go unto him."

Who can doubt but the affair happened CHAP. as here related? Was it the intereft of IIL Chrift to fuffer Lazarus to die, if he was incapable of raifing him from the dead? and if he intended to counterfeit raifing him from the dead, was it compatible with his prudence to delay his return fo long a time? In fhort, was it fit to engage himself so pofitively to reftore him to life, before he had arrived at the place, and had examined the whole affair? "When Jefus came, he found that he had "lain in the grave four days already. And

as Bethany was nigh unto Jerufalem, about "fifteen furlongs off, many of the Jews

came to Martha and Mary, to comfort "them concerning the death of their brother." His death was therefore public at Jerufalem, as a great many came from Bethany to confolate the fifters; and all the people knew how long Lazarus had been in the tomb. How could he make choice of fuch a company, fuch a place, fuch a neighbourhood as Jerufalem, a family fo well known, if he defigned to impofe on the public?

"Martha, as foon as he heard that "Jefus was coming, met him, and faid, Lord, "if thou hadft been here, my brother had "not died. But I know, that even now, "whatsoever thou wilt afk of God, God will

"

give it thee. Jefus faith unto her, Thy bro"ther fhall rife again. Martha faith unto him, I know, that he fhall rife in the

A little more than half a league. Eight furlongs go to a mile, and three miles make one league,

PART" refurrection at the laft day. Jefus faid unIV. to her, I am the refurrection, and the life.

"He that believeth in me, though he were "dead, yet shall he live; and whofoever li"veth, and believeth in me, fhall never die. "Believeft thou this? She faith unto him, << Yea, Lord: I believe, that thou art the "Chrift the Son of God, which should come

into the World." Chrift had not as yet fpoke in fo nervous and precife a manner: I am, faith he, the refurrection and the life. He expects that Martha should, without hefitation, believe and acknowledge him to be the Son of the living God; and he affures her, that her brother fhall be raised from the dead, not only at the laft day, but within a few moments. If this laft thing comes to pass, how can the refidue be difbelieved? But it is that which obliges me to inspect diligently whether Lazarus was dead,, and whether the fact bet as certain as the evangelift has related.

Martha, after the confeffion of faith which has been mentioned, went to tell her fifter fecretly: "The Mafter is come, and calleth for "thee. As foon as she heard that, she arose "quickly, and came unto him. Now Jefus

was not yet come into the town, but was in "that place where Martha, met him." A circumstance purposely remarked, in order to remove all fufpicion of collufion or acting in concert; and to fhew, that every thing was publicly performed, and in the fight of the whole multitude.

"The