is that tree of life whofe leaf never withers, and whose fruit will revive us in every hour of dejection, cure all our maladies, and prolong our existence to endlefs ages; for, as St. Paul fpeaks, if we have our fruit unto boliness, our end will be EVERLAST

ING LIFE.

D2

SER

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 AND HIS FACE WAS

GRAVE-CLOTHES.

BOUND ABOUT WITH A NAPKIN. JESUS
SAITH TO THEM; LOOSE HIM, AND LET
HIM GO.

My defign from these words, is to make a few obfervations on the miraculous fact related in them. This is one of the most remarkable of all our Saviour's miracles. It is related by the apostle John with a fimplicity of ftyle, and the main circumstances attending it are told with a minutenefs, and, at the fame time, a brevity, that cannot but impress an unprejudiced mind. Had a perfon, who knew he was endeavouring to gain belief to an impofition 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 perfons; and D 3

fome

fome affected apologies and colourings would have been introduced to give it a plaufibility, and to guard against objections. But, inftead of this, we find it a narrative plain and artlefs in the highest degree, without a circumftance that fhows an attempt to give it any drefs, or an expreffion that betrays a design to furprise and deceive. In fhort; the astonishing miracle, which is the fubject 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 confeious of having been an eye and ear witness..

It has been thought ftrange that the other evangelifts have omitted to give us an account of this miracle. Several reasons have been affigned for this omiffion, which I will juft mention to you.

It fhould be confidered, that none of the evangelifts appear to have aimed at giving us a complete account of all our Saviour's miracles. It should be confidered 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 faft paffover; and that this was a more private part of his miniftry, concerning which the other evangelifts have faid little. But what deferves most to be attended to is, that the evangelifts must have felt a particular delicacy with refpect to the publication of this miracle. Firft; becaufe it was a miracleperformed on a friend in a family with which our Saviour was intimate. And fecondly; becaufe Laza

rus

rus might be ftill living at the time they wrote their gofpels, and might be fubjected to great inconveniences by having his name mentioned as the fubject of fuch a miracle. This, however, was a reafon which cannot be fupposed to have existed when John wrote. There was a tradition among the Fathers, that Lazarus lived thirty years after his/refurrection; 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 refurrection.

It seems proper further to mention here, that St. John, as he wroté lást, wrote alfo on purpose to give a fupplement to the other gofpels. He had read these gofpels; and finding that fome important particulars were omitted in them, and others not fully enough related, he compofed his gofpel to fupply their defects. John's gofpel will appear particularly ftriking when viewed in this light. Whoever will compare it with the other gofpels, must find that he is generally care . ful to avoid repeating accounts which the other evangelifts had given before him; and that the bulk of it is a relation of facts and inftructions about which they have been filent. The account I am now to confider is one inftance of this. Though extremely fhort, confidering the magnitude of the fact, it is given us more fully than most of the accounts of Chrift's other miracles; and we cannot employ ourfelves more profitably than in confidering it. What may be firft worth your notice in this mi

M

racle