"The Jews, which were with Martha in CHAP. "the house, and comforted her, when they III. "saw that she rose up haftily, and went out, "followed her, faying, She goeth unto the

grave, to weep there." Thefe Jews afford me great pleasure, and their teftimony strongly encourages me. The opinion that they had of Mary, confirms to me that every thing was ferious, and her grief intense: but upon the whole I am glad they followed her, because they are going to be prefent at the fequel. "When Mary was come to the place where Jefus was, and faw him, fhe fell down at his feet, faying unto him, Lord, if thou hadít been here, my brother had not died. "When Jefus therefore faw her weeping, "and the Jews alfo weeping which came with "her, he groaned in the fpirit and was troubled, and faid, Where have ye laid him? They fay unto him, Lord, come and fee. Jefus wept." Who could withstand the like circumstances? and what jealoufy would not vanish at the tears of the standers-by, and even of Jefus Chrift? nevertheless I wait for their going to the fepulchre. The fight of fuch a place will more ftrongly affect the fenfes; and as we are about verifying his death, it is the fepulchre which must convince us of

it.

"The Jews, when they faw Jefus weeping, faid, Behold, how he loved him. And "fome of them faid, Could not this man, " which opened the eyes of the blind, have "caused that even this man fhould not have "died?

F4

PART" died?" Such a manner of reafoning is IV. with me of great moment; for it proves that

Chrift was really affected, and that his grief was confidered by the Jews, not only as the effect of friendship, but as an indication of weakness and impotence with regard to Lazarus's death; which thoroughly convinces me, that they looked upon it as unquestionable and paft all remedy. I make a great point of the man that was born blind: it is a cogent teftimony, and which does not proceed from fufpicious perfons," Jefus again groaning in himself, "cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a "ftone lay upon it. Jefus faid, Take ye away "the ftone. Martha, the fifter of him that

was dead, faith unto him, Lord, by this "time he ftinketh; for he hath been dead "four days." I confefs, that I did not expect this remonftrance on Martha's part, who was fo full of faith, and to whom Chrift had exprefly faid, That her brother should be raifed from the dead; and whom he had affüred, that himself was the refurrection and the life, demanding of her to believe him. But I conceive, how the difficulties staggered her, when the compared them in that decifive moment with the defign of Chrift, and how the herself was ftartled at the obftacles which he muft furmount; and it is her fear which banishes mine, because I am convinced that the whole is true and fincere, and that corruption had already disfigured his body, which had been four days in the grave.

unto her, Said I not unto thee,

Jefus faith that if thou

wouldft

"wouldst believe, thou shouldft fee the glory CHAP. "of God? Then they took away the ftone III. "from the place where the dead was laid, "And Jefus lift up his eyes and faid, Father, “I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. And "I knew that thou heareft me always: but " because of the people which stand by, I faid "it, that they may believe, that thou haft «fent me. And when he had thus fpoken,

"he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come "forth. And he that was dead came forth, "bound hand and foot with grave-cloths; "and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jefus faith unto them, Loofe him and let him go."

ARTICLE III.

Manifeft proofs of the refurrection of

B

Lazarus.

EFORE I give loofe to the joys of fo wonderful a refurrection, I draw near to confider Lazarus as yet untied. I examine the napkin, which would have ftifled him, had he been living. I view his arms and legs tied with fillets after the Jewish custom, and I cannot comprehend what virtue forced him out of the tomb, as he had not within himfelf any principle of motion. In fhort, I fee when they uncover his face, that it is full of life and vigour, and that he only waits for the liberty of walking, which he fpeedily will en3

joy's

PART.joy; and then I proftrate myself before him, who IV. in fo wonderful and unheard-of a manner hath

proved himself to be the Meffiah, fent by his heavenly Father, and that he is truly the refurrection and the life, fince he animated, by a fingle word, a carcafs already corrupted.

I would only have fo extraordinary a refurrection to be attended with confequences, and that these confequences fhould make fuch a part of the hiftory of Chrift, and of the Jews, as to be infeparable from both. I continue then to read, and I meet with ftill more than I defired." Many of the Jews (faith Saint John *) "being present at the

fpectacle with all the apoftles, who came "to fee Mary and Martha, and to comfort "them, and had feen the things which Jefus

did, believed on him. But fome of them

went their ways to the pharifees, and told "them this miracle. Then gathered the chief "priests and the pharifees a council, and faid, "What do we?. for this man doth many mi"racles. If we let him thus alone, all men "will believe on him: and the Romans fhall come, and take away both our place and nation. Caiphas the high priest faid, It is expedient that one man fhould die for the people, and that the whole nation perish "not. Then from that day forth the death of Jefus Chrift was refolved, and they took "council together to put him to death. And Jefus therefore went thence unto a country near to the wildernefs, into a city called

*John xi. 45, &c.

Ephraim,

Ephraim, and there continued with hisCHAP. difciples." III.

The chief prieft and the council did not venture to examine the miracle, as they had done with refpect to the blind man. The confideration of Lazarus and of his fifters, who were no mean people, the number of witneffes, who were likewife people of dif tinction, and who had filled Jerufalem with the news at their return, and the fear of adding a farther degree of evidence to a miracle which they were defirous to fupprefs, if they feemed to doubt it; induced them to refolve on the death of Chrift, and thus to put an end to his miracles. The words of Caiaphas "That it was expedient that oneman should die for the people;" and the retreat of Chrift towards the defart, are proofs of this deliberation.

Then Jefus, fix days before the paffo"ver, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was " which had been dead, whom he raised from "the dead. There they made him a fupper, "and Martha ferved: but Lazarus was one of " them that fat at the table with him. Then "took Mary a pound of ointment, of spike"nard, very coftly, and anointed the feet of Jefus, and wiped his feet with her hair: " and the houfe was filled with the odour of "the ointment. Then one of his difciples, "Judas Iscariot, who should betray him, faid, "Why was not this ointment fold for three "hundred pence, and given to the poor ? "This

"

# John xii. 1, &c. Matth. xxvi. 14. Mark xiv. 10.