ing the word of God, he asked this question: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? and looking upon those who were round about him, he said, These are my mother and brethren; declaring, "That whosoever did the will of his heavenly Father, the same was his mother, his sister, and brother."

From this time we have no further account of the holy Virgin, till we find her in Jerusalem, at the last passover our Saviour celebrated in that city. Here she saw all that was transacted against him, followed him to Mount Calvary, and stayed at the foot of the cross during the passion of her blessed Son. We cannot doubt that her soul was at this time pierced through, as old Simeon prophesied, with the most acute pains for the death of such a Son. Yet her constancy was remarkable; for when the apostles were frightened away from their Master, she with a courage undaunted and worthy of the mother of Christ, continued even in the midst of the executioners, being prepared to die with her Son.

Our blessed Saviour, being now ready to leave the world, and seeing his own mother at the foot of the cross, and his beloved disciple, St. John, near her, he bequeathed her to him by his last will and testament, saying to his mother, "Woman, behold thy son." And to the disciple, "Behold thy mother;" and from that hour the disciple took her home to his own house.

St. Luke acquaints us, in the first chapter of the Acts, that the Virgin Mary was with the apostles and

others, and continued with them when assembled at Jerusalem after his ascension, waiting for the descent of the Holy Ghost. After this she dwelt in the house of St. John the Evangelist, who took care of her as his own mother. It is thought he took her along with him to Ephesus, where she continued some time, and there is a letter of the council of Ephesus, importing, that in the fifth century it was believed she was buried there.

Yet this opinion was not so universally received, but that some authors of the same age think the Virgin Mary died and was buried at Jerusalem: or rather in her sepulchre at Gethsemane, near that city, where to this day it is shown in a magnificent church dedicated to her name.

Epiphanius, the most learned father of the fourth century, declares he could not tell whether she died a natural death, or by martyrdom: or whether she was buried or not. “None, (says he,) know any thing of her decease: but that it was glorious cannot be doubted."

A learned writer has added to the before-cited passage of the council of Ephesus, another remark from their act: "That the cathedral church of Ephesus was dedicated under the name of the Virgin Mary; and that we find no other church of her name at that time in any approved author."

The sentiments of the Roman church are, that she is dead; but they are divided as to her having risen again or whether she stays for the general resurrection at Ephesus, Jerusalem or any other place.

With regard to the age at which she died, and the precise year of her death, it is needless to trouble ourselves about this inquiry; since nothing can be said on these matters but what is very doubtful: and they cannot be fixed but at random.

MARY, THE SISTER OF
LAZARUS.

THIS holy woman has been preposterously confounded with the sinful person who sat at the feet of the blessed Jesus weeping, while he was at meat in the house of Simon the leper. (See Luke vii. 37, 39.) Who this sinner was is unknown: some will have her to be Mary Magdalene; but this opinion has nothing more than conjecture for its basis.

But whoever that sinner was, she was a very different person from Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who, with her sister Martha, lived with their brother at Bethany, a village near Jerusalem. The blessed Jesus had a particular affection for this family, and often retired to their house with his disciples. One day, and perhaps the first time that Jesus went thither, Martha received him with remarkable affection, and took the greatest pains in providing a proper entertainment for him: but Mary, her sister, continued sitting at our Saviour's feet, listening to his words with peculiar attention. This Martha consid

ered as an instance of disrespect, and therefore said to Jesus, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me." But the blessed Jesus justified Mary, by telling her sister, that she had chosen the better part, which should not be taken from her.

Some time after, their brother Lazarus fell sick, and his sisters sent to acquaint Jesus of the misfortune; but he did not arrive at Bethany till after Lazarus was dead. Martha, hearing Jesus was come into the neighborhood, went and told him, that if he had not been absent her brother had been still alive. Jesus promised her that her brother should rise again. To which Martha answered, "I know that he shall rise again at the last day." Jesus replied, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Martha answered, "Yea, Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God, which should come into the world."

Having said this, she departed, and gave her sister notice privately, that Jesus was come. Mary, as soon as she heard the welcomne tidings, arose and went to Jesus; and as Martha had done before her, said, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." The blessed Jesus was greatly moved at the pathetic complaints of these two worthy sisters, and on asking where they had buried him, they conducted him to the sepulchre.

On his arrival at the place where the body of Lazarus was deposited, the great Redeemer of man

kind groaned deeply in his spirit; he wept, he prayed to his Father, and then cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth." The dead obeyed the voice of the Son of God; Lazarus immediately revived, and Jesus restored him to his sisters.

After performing this stupendous miracle, Jesus departed from the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and did not return thither till some days before the passSix days before that festival, Jesus came again to Bethany with his disciples, and was invited to a supper at the house of Simon the leper. Martha attended, and Lazarus was one of the guests.

over.

During the supper, Mary, to express her gratitude, took a pound of spikenard, a very precious perfume, and poured it on the head and feet of Jesus, wiping his feet with the hair of her head; and the whole house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Judas Iscariot was highly offended at this generous action; but his Master vindicated Mary, and told him, that by this she had prevented his embalment, signifying that his death and burial were at hand.

After this we have no account of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, in the sacred writings. Several authors, indeed, by not distinguishing properly between Mary, the sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene, say, that she was present at the crucifixion of the great Redeemer of mankind: and also that both she and her sister accompanied the women who went to embalm the body. This is not, indeed, improbable; but it is certain neither of them are particularly mentioned by the evangelists. The ancient Latins believed, and the Greeks are still of the same opinion.