He tells his Difciples, that Lazarus is dead. the Night, he stumbleth, because there is no Light in him. II Thefe Things faid he: and after that he faith unto fleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of Sleep. them, Our Friend Lazarus 12 Then faid his Difci fhall do well. 249 Night, it is no Wonder at all, if he stumbles then, Sect. 139. Thefe Things he faid, to filence their Objections, IL His Difciples therefore, not apprehending his 12 But Jefus fpake this concerning bis Death, which 13 Then Jefus therefore, that he might not hold 14 indeed (d) For many apparent Reasons he chose to represent under this gentle Image.] Our Lord might chufe the Expreffion of Lazarus fleeping, partly out of Tenderness, as being leaft fhocking, when he fpoke of fo dear a Friend; as Homer, when he reprefents Antilochus as reporting the Death of Patroclus to Achilles, used the Word xela, he is fallen, rather than be is flain: (Iliad. lib. xviii. ver. 20.) And it may also farther be confidered, as an Inftance of our Lord's Modefty: He does not immediately fay, "He is dead, and I go by my "Almighty Power to command him back to Life again, and to burft the Bonds of the "Sepulchre;" but avoiding all Parade and Oftentation, he chufes the fimpleft and humbleft Expreffion that can be thought of. This fine Remark (which Mr. Blackwall makes, in his Sacred Claffics, vol. i. pag. 297.) is admirably illuftrated in a great Variety of Particulars in the prefent Story, by the ingenious Mr. Lardner, in his Vindication of it. He has treated the Subject with a Candor and Rectitude of Heart, equal to the Accuracy of his critical Skill, and even equal to that Malignity and Bafenefs of Soul with which Woolton attacked it. VOL. II. I i 14 250 Reflections on the Sicknefs and Death of Lazarus. Sect. 139. indeed dead. And as I could not have permitted this to have happened in my Prefence, I am John XI.15. glad on your Account that I was not there; that you may more confidently believe in me, and may find your Faith confirmed, by a farther remarkable Difplay of my Divine Power, in fome Refpects exceeding any Thing you have yet feen: But let us now go directly to him at Bethany. 16 Then Thomas, who was alfo called Didymus, faid to his Fellow-Difciples and Brethren in the Apoftolic Office, Since our dear Mafter will expofe himfelf to fo much Danger among his inhuman Enemies in Judea, let us alfo go, tho' it be only that we may die with him; for whatfoever he may fuffer, it is infinitely better we should take our Portion with him, even in Death, than that we should desert such a Friend, in an Article of the extreamest Danger. 15 And I am glad for your fakes, that I was not there, (to the Intent ye may believe;) nevertheless, let us go unto him. 16 Then faid Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his Fellow-Difciples, Let us alfo go, that we may die with him. John xi. 5. IMPROVEMENT. OW happy was this Family of Lazarus, in which Chrift was fo frequent a Gueft! how happy Lazarus, and his Sifters, who were Ver. 1,3,14. fo peculiarly beloved by him! Yet Sickness and Death invaded that Family; and this excellent Man, as it fhould feem, in flourishing Circumftances, (ver. 19.) and perhaps too in early Youth, was fnatched away on a fudden, by what appeared a very untimely Stroke. The Friends of Chrift must be fick, and die, as well as others; and no Man knoweth either Love, or Hatred, by all that is before them under the Sun. (Ecclef. ix. 1.) Let us therefore judge nothing before the Time. (1 Cor..iv. 5.) This Sickness and Death of Lazarus was for the Glory of GOD; and may all our perfonal and domestic Sufferings be fo!" To this, O Lord, may our Life be confecrated, and to this may our Death be fubfervient! We fhall not "then feel our dying Pangs in half their Bitternefs, when our Hearts "are inflamed with a Zeal for thy Glory, and when we fee that even "those Pangs are promoting it." Ver. 4. Ver. 6. Our Lord delayed his Coming to this dear Friend in his Extremity; and perhaps it occafioned, not only many an anxious, but many a fufpicious Thought, both to Lazarus, and his Sifters; yet the Intent of this Delay was both gracious and important. Let us not limit our Divine Master, as to the Time or Manner of his Appearance for us; let us not cenfure him, if it be for a while put off. It is to exercise our Faith and Patience, and to make the Mercy more fignal, and more welcome. At Ver. 7,8,15. CHRIST goes to Bethany, and finds that Lazarus was buried. 251 At length a Refolution is formed to go into Judea; tho' but a little while Sect. 139. ago the Jews had assaulted him, even in a Sacred Place, with burning Malice in their Hearts, and the Inftruments of Death in their Hands. But when Providence called, none of thefe Things could move our Blessed Redeemer, neither counted he his Life dear unto him, that he might finish bis Courfe with Joy. (Acts xx. 24.) May we fhew the like Intrepidity of Soul in his Service! walking in the Day, that we may not stumble, and Ver. 9, 10. taking all proper Opportunities of performing the Duties of Life, while the Season of it lafts; and then, when the Night of Death comes, it will close our Eyes in peaceful Slumbers. The Repofe of the breathlefs Corps, Ver. 11. infenfible of Alarms, and Sorrows, and Cares, will be a lovely Emblem of the sweeter Repose of the Soul in the Arms of Divine Love; till e'er long Chrift fhall come to awaken us out of our Sleep, by that general Resurrection, of which this of Lazarus was a Figure and Pledge. Let these glorious Thoughts, and Expectations, animate us to all the Returns of Affection, Duty, and Zeal. Let them teach us the Temper of Thomas, when he faid, Let us go, and die with him. "Bleffed Jefus! Ver. 16. "how much better is it, to die with, and for thee, who art the Refurrection " and the Life, than to prolong these wretched Days of Abfence, Mean“ness, and Affliction, by forfaking thee, when thou art leading us into Danger!" SECT. CXL. Our LORD raises Lazarus from the Dead, after he had been buried four Days. John XI. 17,----46. JOHN XI. 17. THEN when Jefus came, he found that he had lien in the Grave four Days already. 18 (Now Bethany was fifteen Furlongs off.) JOHN XI. 17. THEN Jefus, according to the Refolution he Sect. 140. Now Bethany, the Place where Lazarus had 18 19 And many of the Jews Ii 2 252 Sect. 140. the Jews who dwelt there (a), when the Funeral · John X1. 19. they might comfort them concerning the Lofs of was over, came to Martha and Mary (b), that their beloved Brother (c). He is there met by Martha, 20 21 And Jefus was no fooner come into the Neighbourhood, but prefently the News of his Approach was bought to the afflicted Family, that had fo long been impatiently defirous to fee him. Martha therefore, as foon as she heard that Jefus was coming, immediately went out to meet him: But Mary, who was mourning with her Friends in private, was not as yet informed of his Approach, and [fil] fate weeping in the House (d). Then Martha, being told where he might meet with him, and having haftened to the Place, faid unto Jefus, Lord, we have been much furprized at thy Delay, and cannot but be exceedingly troubled at it, that thou didst not immediately take Notice of the Meffage that we sent thee; for furely if thou hadst been here, my dear Brother had not died, but would have been given back to thy Prayers, which in fo many Instances have been fuccessful even for the Recovery of Stran22 gers. But even now I know, that whatsoever thou shalt think fit to afk of GOD, it fhall affuredly be granted; and I am fatisfied that GOD will give [it] thee, however great the Favour be, if there be any Method to repair the grievous Lofs we have fuftained. Jefus Jews came to Martha and cerning their Brother. 20 Then Martha, as foon as fhe heard that Jefus was coming, went and met him: but Mary fat still in the House. 21 Then faid Martha un to Jefus, Lord, if thou hadft been here, my Brother had. not died. 22 But I know, that even now whatsoever thou wilt afk of GOD, GOD will give it thee. (a) Many of the Jews &c.] It might be one Reason, why Jefus delayed his Coming till the fourth Day, that he might meet a great Number of them, as for wife Purposes he determined to make this Miracle very publick. (b) Came to Martha and Mary.] The Original has it, προς τας περι Μαρθαν και Μαρίαν ; but the learned Revius, in his Notes on Valla on this Text, has produced inconteftible Authorities to vindicate our Verfion here, and to fhew that there is no Need to render or paraphrafe it, as Beza and Wolfius would do," That the Men came to join with thofe Female Friends, who had before attended the mourning Sifters, and were now with them.' The Word Iedasov, Jews, to be fure includes Perfons of both Sexes. See alío Raphel. Not. ex Xenoph. pag. 137. (c) That they might comfort them &c.] Many Ceremonies ufed by the antient Jews in mourning for the Dead, and in comforting the Mourners, are collected by Dr. Lightfoot, (in his Hor. Hebr. on this Place ;) but the Mention of them here would be tedious, rather than edifying. (d) Sate weeping in the Houfe.] She probably fate on the Ground, which was the Posture of Mourners. Compare Jcb ii. 8. Ezek. viii. 14. and Mat. xxvii. 61. (e) That and affures her, 23 Jefus faith unto her, Thy Brother shall rise again. that her Brother should rife again. 253 Jefus beholding her Distress with a compaf-Sect. 140. fionate Concern, fays to her, Martha, do not aban don thyself to overwhelming Grief; for I affure John XI, 23. Then Martha conceiving fome fecret and tremb- 24 Jefus then faid unto her, I am the Refurrection 25 armed (e) That is living, and believes in me, fhall never die.] The Senfe that I have given in the Paraphrafe, appears to me the most confiftent Senfe that can be made of thefe remarkable Words, and the equivalent Paffages: John v. 24. and viii. 51. And a very fublime and important Senfe it is, perfectly agreeable to the Height of Sentiment and Language, with which Chrift is faid elsewhere, to have abolished Death, and to have deftroyed the Devil;(2 Tim. i. 10. and Heb. ii. 14.) and with which Chriftians are faid, to be come to the Heavenly Jerufalem, to the general Affembly and Church of the First-born, &c. and to be raised up with Chrift, and made to fit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus. (Heb. xii. 22, 23. and Eph. ii. 6.) See Vitring. Obferv. Sacr. lib. ii. cap. 7. §. 9,—18.To ender the Words, as Mr. Maffey would do, (Vernac. Sacra, pag. 8.) Whoever while he lives, "believes on me, shall not die for ever, or eternally," is both obfcuring and enervating their Senfe, and (as I have fhewn elfewhere, Note (k) on John iv. 14. Vol. i. pag. 174. and Notes (3), (c), on John viii. 51, 52. Vol. ii. pag. 78.) is grounded on a Criticifm, which. cannot agree with the Ufe of the Phrafe in queftion in parallel Paflages. Compare Mat. xxi.. 19, Sect. 149.—The Oppofition between this, and the preceding Verfe, plainly fhews, that the former refers to the Spirits of thofe who were dead, who are yet fpoken of as believing in Chrift; and is, I think, no contemptible Proof of their remaining in a State of Activity: But the Doctrine is fo very plain in Scripture, as not to need the Aid of fuch confequential Arguments. (f) She |