SERMON V.

Of the Refurrection 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 FØRTH BOUND HAND AND FOOT WITH GRAVE CLOTHES. AND HIS FACE WAS BOUND ABOUT WITH A NAPKIN. JESUS SAYS 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 per

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fon 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 dif ferent 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 fome affected apologies and colourings would have been introduced to give it plausibility, and to guard against objections. But, instead of this, we find it a narrative plain and artlefs in the highest degree, without a circum-ftance that fhews an attempt to give it any drefs, or an expreffion that betrays a defign to furprise and deceive. In fhort; the aftonishing miracle, which is the subject of this narrative, is told us exactly as we should expect an honeft but unlettered man, who had been familiarized to miracles, to relate a list of (16 kind, to which he was con fcious of having been an eye and ear witness.

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

It should be confidered, that none of the Evangelifts appear to have aimed at giving us a complete account of all our Saviour's miracles. It fhould be considered farther,. that

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 laft paffover; and that this was a more private part of his ministry, concerning which the other Evangelifts have faid little. But what deferves moft to be attended to, is, that the Evangelists must have felt a particular delicacy with respect to the publication of this miracle. Firft; because it was a miracle performed on a friend, in a family with which our Saviour was intimate. And fecondly; because Lazarus might still be living, at the time they wrote their Gofpels, and might be fubjected to great inconveniences by having his name mentioned as the subject of fuch a miracle. This, however, was a reason which cannot be fuppofed 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 Gofpel till at least forty or fifty years afterwards. Lazarus, therefore, moft probably was not then alive; and John, for this reafon, muft have been more at liberty to give an account of his refurrection.

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It seems proper farther to mention here, that St. John, as he wrote laft, wrote alfo on purpose to give a fupplement to the other Gofpels. He had read thefe Gofpels, and finding

finding that fome important particulars were omitted in them, and others not fully enough related, he composed his Gospel to fupply their defects. John's Gospel will appear particularly ftriking when viewed in this light. Whoever will compare it with the other Gospels must find, that he is generally careful 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 instance 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 ourselves more profitably than in confidering it.

What may be firft worth your notice in this miracle, is the character of the perfon on whom it was performed. Our Saviour had a particular affection for him. He calls him his friend in the 11th verfe of this chapter; and the meffage which was fent him to acquaint him with his illness was exprefled in these words: Lord, Behold him whom thou loveft is fick. We may well believe, that a perfon who was thus diftinguifhed, must have been endowed with fome. very amiable qualities. John tells us far

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ther, that he had two fifters, whofe names were Martha and Mary; and that they lived together in a village called Bethany, within fifteen furlongs of Jerufalem. When Lazarus was taken ill, our Saviour was at. a confiderable diftance from Bethany. It was natural for Martha and Mary, knowing the particular affection 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, fent to him to inform him of their brother's sickness, hoping that he would foon come to them, and give them relief. But, we are told, that, after receiving the meffage, he ftaid two days in the place were he was. The reason of this delay was, that he chose Lazarus fhould die before he got to Bethany, because he intended, for the fuller manifeftation of his Divine Miffion, to raise him from the dead. Had he been on the fpot when Lazarus died, he would have fuffered, perhaps, fome troublefome importunities; nor, I think, would it have looked fo 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 occafion is worth our notice. After flaying two days where he was when he received the account of Lazarus's