tical body. Blessed be God, the time is coming, when Christ shall knock at the door of his children's graves, and call them out of their bed of dust, and they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. Observe, 2. The wise and holy design of Christ in delaying to go to Bethany till Lazarus was dead: namely, that he might at once raise Lazarus's dead body, and his disciples' faith, confirming them in the belief that he was the Son of God, and the true Messias. But could the faith of the apostles want confirmation, who had seen so many miracles wrought by our Saviour, and had lived under the ministry all the time of it? Yes; the faith of the most eminent saints, even of the apostles themselves, wants confirmation in this state of weakness and imperfection, and is capable of growth. I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe. Observe, 3. The great passion which Thomas expresses upon the notice given by Christ of Lazarus's death: Plainly Lazarus is dead, says Christ, Let us go and die with him, says Thomas. O what passionate and impatient impressions do sometimes drop from our mouths on occasion of the death of our dear relations; we are ready to be so affected with the death of our friends, as to wish ourselves out of the world, that we might be with them. But we must remember, that it is God that appoints us our several posts, and particular stations, which we must keep till the wisdom of God sees fit to remove us. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off. 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him; but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 21 Observe here, 1. The length of time which Christ designedly delayed before he would come to Lazarus's grave: he was not above six miles off Bethany, being within two miles of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem within four miles of Bethabara, where Christ now was, and yet our Saviour came not of four days; doubtless, that the miracle of Lazarus's resurrection might be the more conspicuous and remarkable. Christ could as easily have cured Lazarus being sick, as have raised him being dead, and as easily have raised him the first day as the fourth day; but that had not carried along with it such a full conviction of Christ's almighty power. Therefore, that he might draw the eyes of their faith more stedfastly to behold and admire his almighty power, our Saviour defers his coming till Lazarus had been dead four days. Observe, 2. The civil usage of mourning with those that mourned for the dead: anciently they mourned thirty days, and sometimes forty, for a dear relation, Numb. xx. 29. During which time, neighbours and friends came to visit and relieve them in their sadness, with such consolatory arguments as they had. Christian religion doth not condemn natural affection; human passions are not sinful if not excessive: to be above the stroke of passion is a condition equal to angels; to be in a state of sorrow without the sense of sorrow, is a disposition beneath the beasts; but duly to regulate our sorrows, and set boundaries to our grief, is the wisdom, the duty, the interest, and the excellency of a christian. As to be above all passions will be our happiness in heaven, so to regulate and rectify our passions a great part of our holiness on earth. Observe, 3. Although Martha was a true mourner for the death of her brother, yet she doth not so far indulge to grief, but uparises to go forth to meet him, with a mournon the first notice of Christ's approach, she ful moan in her mouth, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Where observe, How faith and infirmity were mixed together; faith appeared in that firm persuasion which she had of Christ's power, as if death durst not show his face in Christ's presence: Hadst thou been here, my brother had not died. But then her infirmity appeared in limiting Christ both to time and place: to place, If thou hadst been here; as if Christ could not, if he bad pleased, save his life, absent as well as present. Then to time, Now he stinketh; as if she had said, "You are come, but, alas! too late; you have staid too long, he is past recovery, the grave hath swallowed him up." As if death would not deliver up his prisoner at the command of Christ. O! the imperfect composition of the best of saints! what a mixture of faith and infirmity is found in the holiest and best of christians! This also farther appears in her next words, ver. 22. I know, that whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, he will give it thee. She seems not to believe that Christ was able to raise him by his own immediate power, but must obtain power from God to do it, as the prophets were wont to do that raised the dead. She thought Christ a person highly in God's favour, but scarce believed him able to raise Lazarus by his own power: had her faith extended to a belief that Christ was equal with the Father, and that the fulness of the godhead dwelt in him, she would not have questioned his power to raise him from the grave; for though Christ as Mediator did apply himself by prayer to God at the raising of dead Lazarus, ver. 41, 42, yet as God he had power of himself to raise Lazarus, as almighty power communicated with his essence from the Father, by an eternal and ineffable generation. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Here observe, 1. Christ's meek answer to Martha's passionate discourse. He takes no notice of the forementioned failings, but comforts her with a promise of her brother's resurrection: Thy brother shall rise again.-Thence learn, That the knowledge and belief of the general resurrection is, and ought to be, a sufficient support under the loss of our endeared friends, who die in the Lord. Observe, 2. That the doctrine of the general resurrection was no new doctrine; Job believed it, ch. xix. 26; Daniel pub lished it, ch. xii. 1; the Pharisees had a notion of it; but Martha here makes it an article of her faith: I know he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Observe, 3. How Christ particularly instructs Martha in the cause of the resurrection, acquainting her, that he himself is the author and efficient cause of it: I am the resurrection and the life. That is, I am the author and principal efficient cause of the resurrection; and this with respect to both natures: 1. His divine nature is the efficient cause of the resurrection; he shall raise our bodies out of the dust, by the power of the godhead. 2. His human nature is the exemplary cause or pattern of the resurrection; for which reason Christ is called the first-born from the dead. For though some were raised before him, yet was his resurrection the cause of their resurrection. Hence, St. Paul argues from Christ's resurrection, the certainty of the resurrection of his members: Christ and believers are one mystical body; therefore is not Christ perfectly risen till all his members are risen with him. Indeed Christ's personal resurrection was perfect when he arose, and all believers arose representatively in him; yet, till all believers arise personally, the resurrection of Christ has not received its utmost perfection; but there is somewhat behind of the resurrection of Christ. Most fitly then might our Saviour assert, I am the resurrection and the life. Observe, 4. That Christ not only asserts himself to be the resurrection, but also the life; I am the resurrection and the life. That is, I am the cause of life natural, spiritual, and eternal: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die: that is, eternally. Though his body shall die because of sin, yet his spirit shall live because of righteousness. 30 Now Jesus was 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst heen here, my brother had not died. Observe here, 1. The full confession which Martha makes of her faith in Christ as God; Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. A confession which comes nearest to that of St. Peter (Matt. xvi. 16.) of any that we meet with in scripture: nay, it seems more full than Peter's confession: for those additional words, which should come into the world, are not in his confession: the sum is, she believed Christ to be the very Messias, who was typified and prefigured, prophesied of, and promised to the OldTestament saints, as the person that in the fulness of time should come into the world for the redemption and salvation of it: Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Hence learn, That Christ is never rightly believed in, nor regularly depended upon for salvation, except he be owned and acknowledged to be the eternal Son of God. Martha was now fully persuaded of Christ's divine nature, of which the best of the disciples, till after our Saviour's resurrection, had but a faint and uncertain persuasion. Observe, 2. How earnest and intent our Saviour was to despatch the errand he came upon; namely, to raise Lazarus from the grave, and to comfort the two mournful sisters: he would not so much as enter the house, till he had effected his work; and therefore he goes straight to the grave, which probably was the place where Mary met him. Lord! it was thy meat and drink to do the will of thy Father; it was thy meat and drink by day, thy rest and repose by night. How unlike are we to thyself, if we suffer either our pleasures or our profits to divert us from our duty! Observe, 3. What haste and speed Mary makes to attend upon our Saviour: she arose quickly, and came unto him. Mary's love added wings to her motion. The Jews, observing her hasty motion, have a loving suspicion that she is gone to the grave to weep there: but their thoughts were too low; for whilst they supposed that she went to a dead brother, she was waiting upon a loving Saviour. And she that used to sit at Jesus's feet, now falls at his feet, with an awful veneration: the very gesture was supplicatory; and her humble prostration was seconded with a doleful lamentation, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Where observe, a mixture of 34 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Observe here, 1. The condolency and tender sympathy expressed by our Saviour upon this occasion: He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled: Or, as the original has it, he troubled himself; intimating, that our Saviour's passions were pure and holy, not like ours, muddy and mixed with sinful imperfection. The commotion of his affections were like the shaking of pure water in a crystal glass, which still remains clear, and they arose and were calmed at his pleasure; he was not overpowered by them, but had them at his command. Learn hence, That as Christ took upon him the human nature, so he did assume also human affections, thereby evidencing himself to be our brother and near kinsman, according to the flesh. Learn, 2. That the passions and affections, which our Saviour had and expressed, were always holy and innocent: he was not without them, but he was above them; they did never violently and immoderately trouble him, but when he pleased he troubled himself. Jesus groaned in spirit, and troubled himself. Observe, 2. How our Saviour manifests his condolency and tender sympathy with Martha and Mary, by his weeping, Jesus wept; partly from compassion, and partly for example; in compassion, first to humanity, to see how miserable sin had debased the human nature, and rendered man like unto the brute beasts that perish. Secondly, in compassion to Lazarus, whom he was now about to bring back into a sinful and troublesome world. Thus St. Jerome, Non flevit Christus lachrymas nostras, &c. "Christ (says he) did not weep our tears; he mourned over Lazarus, not because dead, but because now to be brought again to life." Again, Christ wept for our example, to fetch sighs and tears from us at the sight of others' miseries, and especially at the funerals of our godly friends. Learn hence, That mourning and sorrow, and this expressed by tears and weeping, is an affection proper for those that go to funerals, provided it be decently kept within due pounds, and is not excessive: for immoderate sorrow is hurtful to the living, dishonourable to the dead; neither is it an argument of more love, but an evidence of less grace. Note, 3. How the Jews, observing Christ's sorrow for, admire his love to, dead Lazarus : Behold, how he loved him! Christ's love to his people is admirable and soul-amazing; such as see it may admire it, but can never fully comprehend it. Note, 4. How some of the malicious Jews attempt to lessen the reputation of our Saviour, not willing to own him to be God, because he did. not keep Lazarus from dying as if Christ could not be the Son of God, because he did not at all times, and in all cases, exert and put forth his divine power. Whereas Christ acted freely, and not necessarily, governing his actions by his own wisdom, as he saw most conducing to the ends and purposes of his own glory. 38 Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of nim that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth! 44 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 unto them, Loose him, and let him go. In these verses we find our Saviour addressing himself to the miracle of raising Lazarus from the grave. First, he commands them to take away the stone. But could not that voice which raised the dead, remove the stone? Yes, no doubt; but it is always the will of Christ that we put forth our utmost endeavours, and do what we can, in order to our own deliverance. To remove the stone, and untie the napkin, was in their power; this therefore they must do; but to raise the dead was out of their power; this therefore will Christ do alone. Our hands must do their utmost, before Christ will put forth his help. The stone being thus removed, his eyes begin; they are lifted up to heaven, his Father's throne, from whence he expects to derive his power. His tongue_seconds his eyes, and he prays unto his Father. Christ, as God, wrought this miracle by his own powConsider him as Mediator, and so he looks up to his Father by prayer; yet we hear of no prayer, but a thanksgiving only. Christ's will was his prayer; whatever Christ willed, God granted, Christ and his Father having one essence, one nature, and one will. Neither was it fit for Christ to er. pray vocally and audibly, lest the unbetreaty, nothing by power. Observe farther, lieving Jews should say, he did it by enThat as Christ, when he spake to his Father, lifted up his eyes; so, when he spake to dead Lazarus, he lifted up his voice and cried aloud. This Christ did, that the strength of the voice might answer the strength of the affection, since we vehemently utter what we earnestly desire; also swer to the greatness of the work; but that the greatness of the voice might an. especially that the hearers might be wit messes, that this mighty work was performed, not by any magical enchantments, which are commonly mumbled forth with a low voice, but by an authoritative, and divine command. In a word, might not Christ utter a loud voice at the raising of Lazarus, that it might be a representation of that shrill and loud voice of the last trumpet at the general resurrection which shall sound into all graves, and raise all flesh from their bed of dust? Observe next, As the manner of our Lord's speaking with a loud voice, so the words spoken by him: Lazarus, come forth. Mark, Christ doth not say, Lazarus, revive; but, as if he supposed him already alive, he says, Lazarus, come forth; to let us know that they are alive to him, who are dead to us. Mark also, what a commanding word this was, Come forth! Not that it was in the power of these loud commanding words to raise Lazarus, but in the quickening power of Christ which attended these words. blessed Saviour! it is thy voice which we shall ere long hear sounding into the bottom of the grave, and raising us from our bed of dust. It is thy voice that shall pierce the rocks, divide the mountains, and echo forth throughout the universe, saying, Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment. Observe lastly, how readily obedient Lazarus was to the call and command of Christ: He that was dead came forth: And if Lazarus did thus instantly start up at the voice of Christ in the day of his humiliation, how shall the dead be roused up out of their graves by that voice which shall shake the powers of heaven, and move the foundations of the earth, in the day of his glorification! Question, But where was Lazarus's soul all that while that he was dead? If in heaven, was it not a wrong to him to come from thence? if not, doth it not prove that the soul sleeps as well as the body? Answer, Souls go not to heaven by necessitation, as the fire naturally and necessarily ascends upwards, but are disposed of by God as the supreme Governor; those that have served him go to heaven, and those that have served the devil go to hell; and those that are not yet judged to either place, but are to live presently again upon earth, as Lazarus was, are reserved by God accordingly; whether shut up in the body as in a swoon, or whether kept in the custody and hands of an angel not far from the body, waiting his pleasure, either to restore it to the body, or to return it to its proper place of bliss or misery, the scripture has not told us whether; and it would be too great curiosity to enquire, and greater presumption to determine. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall come, and take away both our place and nation. Observe here, 1. The different effects which this miracle had upon these Jews who were present at the raising of Lazarus. Some of them believed on Christ; but others, persisting in their unbelief, went to the Pharisees, and informed against him. Notwithstanding all the evidence which our Saviour gave of his being the Messias, by the miracles which he wrought, yet many rejected him, and refused to believe on him, to their unutterable and inevitable condemnation. Observe, 2. How greatly disturbed the Pharisees were upon the account of our Saviour's miracles: knowing how proper an argument they were to convince men, they concluded, that if Christ were suffered to go on and work miracles, he would draw all men after him. Learn thence, That Jesus proved himself to be the true Messias by the miracles which he wrought, his enemies themselves being judges. For we find here, the worst of our Saviour's enemies were afraid of his miracles, that by them he would draw all men after him: If we let him alone, all men will believe on him. Observe, 3. What was the ground of the Pharisees' fear, if they let Christ go on to work miracles; that he would have so many followers as would alarm the Romans, and awaken their jealousy, and cause them to come upon them with an army, to deprive them of the little liberty they indulged them, and take away their place and nation. Their place; that is, their place of worship, the temple: and their nation; that is, bring the whole body of the Jewish nation to utter destruction. Learn hence, How all the enemies and opposers of Christ and his kingdom do endeavour to colour their quarrel with |