SERMON III.

OF THE

RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS.

JOHN XI. 43, 44.

AND WHEN HE HAD THUS SPOKEN, HE CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, LAZARUS, COME FORTH ! AND HE THAT WAS DEAD CAME FORTH BOUND HAND AND FOOT WITH GRAVE-CLOTHES. AND HIS FACE WAS BOUND ABOUT WITH A NAPKIN. JESUS SAITH TO THEM, LOOSE HIM,

AND LET HIM GO.

My design from these words is to make a few observations on the miraculous fact related in them. This is one of the most remarkable of all our Saviour's miracles. It it is related by the apostle John with a simplicity of style, and the main circumstances attending it are told with a minuteness, and, at the same time, a brevity, that cannot but impress an unprejudiced mind. Had a person, who knew he was endeavouring to gain belief to an imposition which he had been concerned in contriving, given us this narrative, it would have been told in a very different manner. It would, probably, have been drawn. out to a greater length. No particular mention would have been made of times, places, and per

sons; and some affected apologies and colourings would have been introduced to give it a plausibility, and to guard against objections. But, instead of this, we find it a narrative plain and artless in the highest degree, without a circumstance that shews an attempt to give it any dress, or an expression that betrays a design to surprise and deceive. In short; the astonishing miracle, which is the subject of this narrative, is told us exactly as we should expect an honest but unlettered man, who had been familiarized to miracles, to relate a fact of this kind, to which he was conscious of having been an eye and ear witness.

It has been thought strange that the other evangelists have omitted to give us an account of this miracle. Several reasons have been assigned for this omission, which I will just mention to you.

It should be considered, that none of the evangelists appear to have aimed at giving us a complete account of all our Saviour's miracles. It should be considered further, that this miracle was performed in the interval of time between our Saviour's going into the country beyond Jordan, and his going up to his last passover; and that this was a more private part of his ministry, concerning which the other evangelists have said

little. But what deserves most to be attended to is, that the evangelists must have felt a partic

ular delicacy with respect to the publication of this miracle. First, because it was a miracle performed on a friend in a family with which our Saviour was intimate. And secondly, be cause Lazarus might still be living at the time when they wrote their gospels, and might be subjected to great inconveniences by having his name mentioned as the subject of such a miracle. This, however, was a reason which cannot be supposed to have existed when John wrote. There was a tradition among the Fathers, that Lazarus lived thirty years after his resurrection; and John did not write his gospel till at least forty or fifty years afterwards. Lazarus, therefore, most probably was not then alive; and John, for this reason, must have been more at liberty to give an account of his resurrection.

It seems proper further to mention here, that St. John, as he wrote last, wrote also on purpose to give a supplement to the other gospels. He had read these gospels; and finding that some important particulars were omitted in them, and others not fully enough related, he composed his gospel to supply their defects. John's Gospel will appear

when viewed in this light.

particularly striking Whoever will com

pare it with the other gospels, must find that he is generally careful to avoid repeating accounts which the other evangelists had given before

him; and that the bulk of it is a relation of facts and instructions about which they have been silent. The account I am now to consider is one instance of this. Though extremely short, considering the magnitude of the fact, it is given us more fully than most of the accounts of Christ's other miracles; and we cannot employ ourselves more profitably than in considering it.

What may be first worthy our notice in this miracle, is the character of the person on whom it was performed. Our Saviour had a particular affection for him. He calls him his friend in the 11th verse of this chapter, and the message which was sent to acquaint him with his illness was expressed in these words; Lord, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. We may well believe, that a person who was thus distinguished must have been endued with some very amiable qualities. John tells us further, that he had two sisters, whose names were Martha and Mary; and that they lived together in a village called Bethany, within fifteen furlongs of Jerusalem. When Lazarus was taken ill, our Saviour was at a considerable distance from Bethany. It was natural for Martha and Mary, knowing the particular af. fection he had for their brother, to hope that he would exert those miraculous powers by which he had cured others, in recovering this his friend. They, therefore, sent to inform him of their

The

brother's sickness, hoping that he would soon come to them, and give them relief. But, we are told, that, after receiving the message, he staid two days in the place where he was. reason of this delay was, that he chose Lazarus should die before he got to Bethany, because he intended, for the fuller manifestation of his divine mission, to raise him from the dead. Had he been on the spot when Lazarus died, he would have suffered, perhaps, some troublesome importunities; nor, I think, would it have looked so well for him to have permitted Lazarus to die, while he was with him, and after that to raise him from the dead.

Secondly; The HUMILITY which our Lord discovered on this occasion is worth our notice. After staying two days where he was when he received the account of Lazarus's sickness, he told his disciples that he was resolved to go into Judea, and invited them to go with him, informing them, at the same time, of the death of LazThe words in which he gave this infor mation are a little remarkable. Ver, 11, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, and I go to awake him out of sleep. He does not say, Lazarus is dead. That would have been too harsh. Nor does he say, I go to raise him from the dead, and thus to display my great power. A deceiver would, probably, have used some boasting language of

arus.