A Century of Sermons, Sermon 3

A Century of Sermons · Sermon 3

p. 568THE THIRD SERMON UPON THE RESURRECTION.

JOHN xi. 44.

And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with Grave-cloaths, and his face was bound about with a Napkin.

THis is an Eaſterday Text, notwithſtanding that the party intreated of is Lazarus; for as John Baptiſt was born a little before the birth of Chriſt, and John was the Forerunner of his Nativity: ſo Lazarus roſe from death but a little before Chriſt roſe, and was the Forerunner of his Reſurrection. The Jews Paſſover was nigh at hand, ſo you ſhall read in the 55. verſe of this Chapter: certainly it was not long before Chriſt the true Paſchal Lamb was offered upon the Croſs, that this Miracle was done, Feriâ ſextâ ante Dominicam de Paſſione, ſays one, the Friday before Paſſion Sunday, Ludolphus. pa. 2. c. 17.which is nine days paſt. foreign, ſays St. Chryſoſtom; he put them into admiration with this work, before this great day of admiration came.

Nor have we a Praeludium only how our Saviour ſhould conquer death, in this Chapter: but you ſhall reſent, and perceive ſome reſurrection wrought upon every perſon that had intereſt in this ſtory. Firſt the news of Lazarus death was brought unto Chriſt beyond Jordan, his Diſciples being with him. What did this advantage them?Serm. 63. why, Mors Lazari cum Lazaro, & diſcipulorum fides ſurgit cum ſepulto, ſays Chryſologus. Lazarus was tranſlated from death to life, and this did increaſe the Diſciples faith, which lay half dead before. 2. Martha ſollicits for her Brother: and 'tis ſtrange that Chriſt came to Bethany on purpoſe for Lazarus ſake, and yet ſpent more time with Martha than with them all. The caſe is plain, ſays Theophylact, foreign, alas her belief was near unto death, almoſt quite gone, and Chriſt came eſpecially to quicken her with his grace, that was Martha's reſurrection.Tractat. 49. Joban. 3. Her Siſter Mary was a woful woman, and ſhe falls down in compaſſion about out Saviours feet; St. Auſtin takes her to be the very ſame Mary that was the publick ſinner, which waſht his feet with her tears, and wip'd them with the hairs of her head, Luke 7. whereupon he infers, Maria peccatrix magis reſuſcitabatur quàm Lazarus, Mary the Sinner was more revived when ſhe was made a penitent Saint, than Lazarus was when he was made a living man; that was Marries reſurrection. 4. Here were divers Jews that came to comfort the two Siſters, they were witneſſes of this work, and did glorifie God and believe; Chriſt thanked his Father for it. Whereupon ſays St. Ambroſe, Non unum Lazarum, ſed fidem omnium ſuſcitavit; it was a Reſurrection day not for Lazarus alone, but for the faith of all the multitude that were preſent, whether they were the Diſciples, p. 569or Martha, or Mary, or the multitude of the Jews, they had not been as they were, if Chriſt had not made one in every part of the Miracle: wherefore let us make a difference between them that came to gaze, and them that came to believe a Miracle, from the twelfth of this Goſpel, and the ninth verſe: The Jews came not only for Jeſus ſake, but to ſee Lazarus alſo: We come not together this day ſo much to ſee Lazarus reviv'd, as to ſee the ſtrength of Jeſus above the power of death.

I have entred once before into this verſe and the former, both which riſe up into two eminent heads like Tabor and Hermon. Firſt it is a work of great Dignity, that's one part, and a work of great Divinity, that's the other part. The Dignity conſiſts in theſe two points: Firſt in that which Chriſt had ſpoken before, when he had thus ſaid: and what was that? he prayed unto his Father, wherefore it is dignum oratione, a work worthy of a Prayer for the preparation. Secondly, it is dignum proclamatione, it was cried with a loud voice, and fit to be publiſht to all the world. The Divinity appears in theſe three Circumſtances. 1. Exeat mortuus, that a dead man was ſummon'd to appear. 2. Exeat quatriduanus, Lazarus after four days departure comes forth. 3. Exeat ligatus, he that was bound hand and foot with Grave-cloaths, and his face with a Napkin, he comes forth of the Monument. O ſtrange Divinity! the Sepulchers which were ſhut did open, for Chriſt did call, who had the key of David: the dead who lay in ſilence could hear his tongue, for it was the ſame voice which makes the Hinds to bring forth young ones: the Body which lay putrified four days gave no offence in the ſmel, Chriſt was at hand, who is a ſweet favour for us unto God; the feet which were bound with Grave-cloaths could walk before him, for in him we live and move and have our being. Was not this work worthy of a Prayer? was it not worthy of a Proclamation? ſo far I have gone already, as likewiſe into the firſt Circumſtance of the Divinity, that a dead man was raiſed up. As Aelian ſays of the Sybarites, that they invite their Gueſts to a Feaſt a juſt year before the day of the Feaſt, ſo long is it ſince I promiſed you the diſpatch of this Text, and now I am come to perform it: you ſee what remains for this hours employment, the two latter Circumſtances: Quatriduanus excitatur, Lazarus is raiſed up, after he had been four days in the Grave, and 2 ligatus excitatur, it was he that was bound hand and foot with Grave-cloaths, and his face with a Napkin: two ſtrange parts of his reſurrection, not lightly to be paſſed over: for to ſpeak of a Miracle ſuddenly, and in a word, non dat lucem videntibus, ſed pavorem, Chryſol. Ser. 64.it is like lightning ſays one, the flaſh that glides by of a ſudden, it may terrifie the eye but not enlighten it.

Firſt of ille quatriduanus, he came forth alive, who had been four days aſleep in the Monument. It is hard to perſwade death to part with any thing it hath gotten. The Devil ſtrove with the Angel about the Body of Moſes, think you that Death would not ſtrive with Chriſt much more about the Soul of Lazarus? what, a Gueſt of four dayes continuance, and let him go? I may ſay to the Grave as the Prophet ſaid to Ahab, for letting Benhadad eſcape? 1 King. 20.1 Kgs 20Why haſt thou let a man go out of thy hand, who was appointed to utter deſtruction? Wherefore St. Chryſoſtom brings in Death to complain of this fact for a ſore grievance on this wiſe. Elias rais'd up a Child whoſe ſoul was departed for a time; Eliſha did as much likewiſe; this I took for a violence done to nature foreign, but here's a Conqueror that's more violent than them both, he takes a dead man out of my chaws, who ſtinks, and hath been four days in the Sepulcher. The ſame Father replies again, this is a ſmall thing to raiſe up one from burial after four days, do you complain of that? what if he were putrified? what if he were dry bones? what if he were duſt and clay? yea what if that duſt were converted into other creatures? Adam ſhall be cloathed again with fleſh; Noah hath lived in two Worlds, he ſhall live again in a third: And according to the Baſil Edition of the 72. Job was one of thoſe that roſe and appeared in the holy City unto many, Matth. 27. Si attendamus quis fecit, delectari debemus, potiùs quàm mirari, ſays St. Auſtin: Tractat. Job. 4….Job 4If we do but attend who it is that doth all theſe things, we ſhall rather break out into a paſſion of Joy than into Admiration. For Chriſt that died for us, and roſe again for our Juſtification; he hath the Keys of Life and Death, and therefore we ſhall not ſee corruption for ever. Martha had a faith that God could raiſe up her Brother again, and that He would do it if Chriſt would pray unto him; I know even now, whatſoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. O Woman, ſays Chryſologus, thou art yet but of little faith, Judex ipſe eſt quem tu poſtulas Advocatum. Serm. 63.Wouldeſt thou make Chriſt thine Advocate to plead thy Cauſe? Nay, Comfort is nearer p. 570at hand, he is the Judge whom thou wouldſt make an Advocate; It is in his own power to raiſe up thy Brother after four days.

Two days our Saviour abode beyond Jordan after Lazarus was dead, and after he ſet forward to Bethany, he made two days Journey of it before he came to the place; all this while the Priſoner was faſt lockt up under the Gates of Death. Belike Lazarus could not be releaſed till Chriſt came unto the Cave where he was laid:Tractat. 49. Joh. No ſuch neceſſity, Beloved, Ʋbicunque Chriſtus ſteterat, patebant inferi. Hell muſt open her mouth in any place where Chriſt did ſet his foot; nay in any place where he ſhould but ſay unto the Grave, I will, be thou opened. Therefore another Reaſon muſt be given why Lazarus ſtaid until the fourth day for his Enlargement. foreign, ſays St. Chryſoſtom; Jonas and Lazarus both were Servants, they muſt not jump with Chriſt in the ſame Privileges in every thing, then the Servant ſhould be equal with his Maſter. Jonas came out of the Whales Belly the third day, ſo did Chriſt out of the Tomb; but Jonas was alive, and Chriſt was dead, there was the Difference between the Servant and the Maſter. Chriſt roſe from the dead, and ſo did Lazarus; but Chriſt the third day, and Lazarus the fourth; there's the Difference between the Maſter and the Servant. The Reſurrection of the dead is an Article of the Creed ingendred in the heart by a very ſtrong Faith, 'tis mirabilium mirificentia, as one ſays, The aſtoniſhment of all admiration; and when it ſhall be reported by the Women, that an Angel told them it, the beſt of them all will doubt, Thomas and many more will flatly deny it. What deny that Chriſt could quicken himſelf the third day, when he raiſed up Lazarus the fourth?

Lazarus was unto Chriſt, as Aaron's Rod was unto Aaron: The Sedition of Dathan and Abiram oppoſed Aaron, and would not acknowledge him to be the High Prieſt; That ſhall be tried, ſays the Lord, and Aaron's Rod, which was a dry ſtick, budded buds and bloomed bloſſoms, as if it had been living, more than all the other Rods of the Tribes of Iſrael: So Lazarus was laid up in the Cave, like the Rod of Aaron in the Tabernacle; and when his life was reſtored the fourth day, it proved that Chriſt could build up the Temple again in three days, which they had pluckt down before. What ſhall we ſay then? That the Reſurrection was more wonderful in Lazarus by one day, than in Chriſt himſelf? Nothing leſs. For Chriſt was raiſed up by his own power, and Lazarus by the power of Chriſt. Chriſts death was violent, his very heart, as ſome think, was digg'd through with the Souldiers Spear. Lazarus his death was natural, and no principal part of his body was wounded, or impaired. Si aliud videtur vobis mortuus, aliud videtur & occiſus; if it be one thing to die in the peace of nature, and another thing to be made away by violence, Ecce Dominus utrumque fecit, here are examples of both that returned to life, Chriſt the third day from the death of violence, Lazarus the fourth day from the death of nature: both are from the Lord.

Plantus.As a Servant ſaid of an unlucky day wherein all things went croſs, huic diei oculos eruere vellem, he viſhed the Sun had never ſhined upon it. So this fourth day hath not a little troubled Satan: Upon the fourth day, Gen. i. 14. God ſet lights in the Firmament: to what end? to divide the day from the night, and the light from the darkneſs. Periiſti Satana, this is a fatal day with the Devil, who would have mingled night with day, and darkneſs with light; but now his works are diſcovered: The fourth year hath been as climacterical unto him, and as much out of his way in the 13. of St. Luke and the 7. verſe. Theſe three years, ſays the Lord of the Vineyard, I have lookt for fruit, and find none, now I will cut down the Vine: nay ſays the Dreſſer of the Vineyard, ſtay but this year alſo, and the fourth there are hopes it will bring forth grapes and pleaſe the Lord. To ſay thus much for our Evangeliſt St. John, the fourth Evangeliſt gave the ſhrewdeſt blow to the ſtratagems of Satan, and hath ſo prov'd the Divinity of Chriſt, almoſt in every verſe, that Ebion and Cerinthus were confounded, and Hereſie is proved a lyar to her face for ever. Even ſo was this number critical unto death in the Reſurrection of Lazarus, three days he was given for loſt, and upon the fourth day Chriſt cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth.

There is a moral ſenſe beſides that whereof I have ſpoken, and that is like fine flower boulted out of the Letter, and it yields like the bread which our Saviour broke to the multitude, and will ſatisfie thouſands. Death was the reward of ſin. In that Lazarus was dead and buried, I read the Parable of a ſinner upon his Sepulcher: In that he was four days dead he muſt be magnus peccator, ſays St. Auſtin, p. 571no ſmall offender can be meant by that, but a grievous ſinner. Where have you laid him ſays Chriſt? O what a dreadful queſtion is that? Lord know me for one of thy children; but know me for a ſinner, rather than not know me at all. Let it not be ſaid unto me, Depart from me, I know you not. Projectus ſum à facie oculorum tuorum, ſays David in the perſon of a caſtaway, I am caſt out of the ſight of thine eyes. Perditum neſcit ubi ſit, it is Gods language, he pretends he ſees not them, he knows not them that were loſt. Adam where art thou ſays God. O Adam, that queſtion had confounded thee, if Chriſt had not anſwer'd for thee, Loe I come. Where are the other nine ſays Chriſt of the Lepers, de ingratis quaſi ignotis loquitur, ungrateful men were not in Chriſts Book, he knows not what becoms of them, nor whither they wander; ſo to enquire of Lazarus, as if he knew not where he was laid, is to ſet him forth as the ſimilitude of a great ſinner; ubi poſuiſtis? where have you laid him? nay but this agrees not perchance with his Siſters meſſage, He whom thou loveſt is ſick; and again, See how he loved him. Yes it agrees full well. Si peccatores non amaret, Deus de coelo non deſcenderet, it was out of a moſt compaſſionate love that God deſcended from heaven to ſave ſinners. Behold he lov'd him: and yet Lazarus ſtands for the Parable of a ſinner.

That foundation is laid, and then you ſhall know the better what is meant by lying four days in the Sepulcher. Firſt we are all dead born; man as ſoon as he ſees the light his heart is in darkneſs, he brings the ſeeds of original ſin with his frail fleſh into the world, and then he is dead one day. 2. Nature hath dictated a Law unto us. The Gentiles are a Law unto themſelves ſais St. Paul: and when we do thoſe things which Nature her ſelf is aſham'd at, and bluſheth, then we are dead the ſecond day. 3. God gave us a Law by Moſes, for the ſpark which he had kindled in nature was almoſt put out, and it was time to dig that into ſtone which was worn out in fleſh, and he that violates the Law of Moſes is dead the third day. 4. Sin is grown ſtrong by the Law, Precept upon Precept made us the worſe; corruption in the ſoul is like an ill affected body, it deſires that moſt which is forbidden: And therefore Chriſt gave us Legem Evangelii, a ſhort Leſſon, Repent and believe, which is called the Law of the Goſpel; and if we violate that Law, it is the fourth day of death, and we begin to ſtink in the Sepulcher. What an hard task hath Chriſt? what a troubleſome work have we put him to? to diminiſh the power of original ſin, to rectifie the impairs and decays of Nature, to ſatisfie for the Law, but above all to mollifie a ſtony heart that will not believe, to quicken an unrepentant heart, this is dignus vindice nodus. Martha and Mary ſent to Chriſt when their Brother was ſick to come and help, now he had more need of Chriſt, quatriduanus eſt, this is the Parable of a ſinner that will not believe the Goſpel. Help Lord, and raiſe us up, for who elſe can do it but the Lord?

Five Miracles you ſhall meet with in this Goſpel of St. John, four of which are recorded by no other Evangeliſt, every one is greater than another, but this is the Maſter-piece. The firſt was turning of Water into Wine at Cana in Galilee. Joh. 2.John 2Chriſt at the firſt converſion makes us quite other men than we were before,Joh. 2.John 2 cold water becoms warm and chearful wine. 2. Follows the ſcourging of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, that ſignifies contrition and compunction of the heart, when theeviſh fancies, ſuch as ſteal away our ſoul, are caſhiered from the holy place. 3. A man was healed at Betheſda that had been ſick of an infirmity 38 years.Joh. 5.John 5 Cuſtom in ſin, and want of devotion is a ſore languiſhing ſickneſs, it is more to cure them, than to caſt the den of theeves out of the Temple.Joh. 9.John 9 4. A man born blind was reſtored to his ſight; he that languiſhed 38 years had enjoyed health before, but he that was born blind was never better, and it exceeded all the reſt to diſpel ignorance, and blindneſs, quando ſyntereſis extincta eſt, when the light of the conſcience was quite put out. But fifthly, what talk we of ſickneſs or blindneſs, the dead man, the Graves Tenant for four dayes, dead by original ſin, dead by imperfection of nature, dead by diſobedience to the Law, dead by unbelief and want of faith in Chriſt, dead four days is raiſed up. Tollite lapidem, ſays Chriſt, away with the ſtone, removete legis pondus, & gratiam praedicate, away with the burden that lies heavy upon him, preach grace, and remiſſion of ſins unto him, and he ſhall live.

Behold another Moral of the ſame Authors in the Sermons de tempore, if they be St. Auſtins. Sin when it is made very ſinful, grows up by four degrees, titillatione, conſenſu, facto, conſuetudine. 1. By delighting in the ſuggeſtions of ſin (not but that ſuggeſtions of ſin are ſin; but I ſpeak of the growth of ſin, and not the p. 572root.) 2. By conſenting to thoſe delights. 3. By committing the evil whereunto we conſented. 4. By continuing in the cuſtom of delight, and conſent, and committing evil. Delight is the rotting of the ſeed in the ground, Conſent is the blade, Commiſſion of evil is the grown fruit, Cuſtom is the root that faſtens it to the ground: the ſeed may quickly be pickt up, the blade may be blaſted, the fruit may be cut down, but the root lies deep hidden, you muſt plow, and turn up the earth, and dig deep before you can get it out. In the 3 former parts the waves of ungodlineſs are coming up, but cuſtom is the inundation of iniquity, the ſtream that goes over our head. It was ſaid of one Mandrabulus, that the Oracle of Apollo pronounced againſt him that he grew worſe and worſe. For out of a thankful mind for all his happineſs received, the firſt year he offered up a Gold Cup; he repented him of his coſt, and the next year it was a Cup of Silver; yet he thought he was too bountiful, and the third year it was a Boul of Wood; the fourth year he thought he had been thankful enough, and gave juſt nothing. Now, ſays Apollo, is Mandrabulus as bad as He can be. So the heart which pleaſeth it ſelf with vicious cogitations is much corrupted, yet God may ſtill have the better part. The heart that makes a bargain with Satan to do injuſtice is half the Devil's, yet the Body is not defiled with the act. The body alſo may be an inſtrument of uncleanneſs, then the heart is even loſt and gone, yet it may deteſt the fact, and return unto the Lord. But when cuſtom hath as it were ſealed the Covenant to the Devil, and delivered up the Deed, the caſe is very deſperate, all the heart is in the enemies hand. Lazarus is under a Grave-ſtone four days. Difficilè ſurgit quem moles malae conſuetudinis premit, he will hardly ſwim above water again that is caſt into the bottom of the Gulf with a Milſtone of evil cuſtom about his neck. Yet Chriſt can quicken him, as he did Lazarus, I do not deny it: but let no man treaſure up ſin, as it were to prepare himſelf to repent of ſuch a maſs of iniquities: but let no man diſpair of that repentance if frailty have overtaken him. If you feel your ſelf incline to preſume of repentance, ſays St. Auſtin, oppoſe againſt it the uncertain hour of death: if you feel your ſelf incline to deſpair of repentance, oppoſe againſt it the abundance of grace. Moderation is the beſt. When ſin doth poſt from delight to conſent, from conſent to act, from act to cuſtom, yet after four days, ſays Chriſt, Lazarus come forth.

So much of that circumſtance, Lazarus quatriduanus, that being four days dead he was raiſed up to life. It follows to be conſidered, Lazarus ligatus, he was bound hand and foot with grave-cloaths, and his face with a Napkin. He was laid like a pledge in the grave, and bound for ſecurity. Chriſt was willing to releaſe him, ſome bonds he cancelled himſelf, and ſome he left to be untied by others. As for the bonds of death God did bind them, and unlooſe them; as for the bonds of the grave-cloaths let them unknit them that made the knot, God did unty that which God bound, let men unty their own work, and then they are ſure there can be no deceit. As if our Saviour had ſaid, I know you will ſay of Lazarus as you did of the man born blind, This is not he. Will you deny it? But here is your own bond, can you deny that? Is not this Lazarus? See but what infirmity Chriſt pretended in the beginning of this work, and how powerfully it ended. Jeſus wept in the 35 verſe, as if it were a pitiful caſe indeed, but he could not help it. He asked where they had laid him? Lord, doſt thou ask for the grave which was hard by, and yet knowſt thine own ſelf, no man told thee, being two days journey from Bethany that Lazarus was dead? Then he ask'd for help to take away the ſtone, Debile initium miraculi; a weak beginning, God knows, how ſhould we expect that he ſhould open the gates of Hell, that with a word doth not command the Sepulchers to open. Doth this offend you? What and if you ſee not only a dead man after four days raiſed to life, but alſo to walk before you, when his feet and hands were bound? As if he moved like an Angel, rather by the will of his own Spirit than by bodily inſtruments. This was the concluſion of the Miracle, and whatſoever the beginning was, the end was admirable. As Samſon went away with the Pin and the Web, Judg. xvi. 14. which were tied to his hair, whatſoever Delilah bound him with ſtill he walked: So Lazarus went away with his bonds, as if he had triumphed over death, and carried the Enſigns away, that is the grave-cloaths with him.

Acts 12.Acts 12Peters Chains fell off from his hands, and ſo he avoided the impriſonment of Herod. Peter thought ſo ſtrangely of this to walk when his fetters were off, that a great while he wiſt not it was true that was done, but thought he ſaw a viſion. What did Peter think of Lazarus then? For he was one that ſtood by. His eyes p. 573were blindfold that he could not ſee his way; the hands are the blind mans Candle, and ſerve to feel out the way, and they had Manicles. The feet had Shackles that ſhould tread the way: Yet as if he had flown out of the Grave rather than walked, Lazarus came forth, he was in the Sepulchre, ſhortly to be brought forth as if he had been hatching in his mothers womb rather than in a Cave of interred men. He was, ſays St. Chryſoſtom, foreign, like a babe new born wrapt in ſwadling clouts, rather than like one in a winding ſheet. But when he walk'd without the uſe of feet or hands, he was like Paul wrapt up into the third heavens, whether in the body, or out of the body he knew not.

It is a great comfort unto us, ſays Irenaeus, that Lazarus came forth cap-a-pe the ſame man that he was laid in the Grave, nothing altered about him, Igitur eâdem animâ, eodem corpore ſumus reſurrecturi; it ſhall be our own body, it ſhall be our own ſoul in the Reſurrection, no ſubſtances newly created. Lazarus could beſt ſpeak for the ſoul that it muſt be his own, becauſe his former fancy and remembrance ſtill remained: And his Siſters could ſpeak for the body, they knew what they had foulded up, and what they found when they had unfoulded it. And therefore ſome think that it was unto Martha and Mary that Chriſt ſpake in the end of this verſe, Looſe him and let him go. When Elias raiſed up the Son of the Widow of Sarepta to life, he gave him to his Mother; when Eliſha reſtored the Shunamites Child to life, he gave him to his Mother; when Chriſt raiſed up Lazarus from the Grave, he puts him into the hands of his Siſters, that they may unty what they had bound before; nay, when he roſe from death himſelf, he appeared firſt to Mary Magdalen. What is the reaſon that at every turn the women had the Reſurrection firſt declared unto them? Becauſe they did firſt occaſion death, therefore to ſhew that by faith they were excuſable of the fault, they had the firſt news of the life of them that roſe again. Lord, ſays Martha, if thou hadſt been here my brother had not died. She put all the fault upon the abſence of Chriſt. Nay, woman, ſays Chryſologus, Niſi tu fuiſſes in paradiſo; If thou hadſt not been in Paradiſe thy brother had not died. But Lazarus is bound that you may unty him, and give him breath, who firſt did ſtop his breath by eating the forbidden fruit.

Exiit ligatus, he came forth bound. Lazarus was not glorified in body by this Miracle as the Saints ſhall be, yet here you ſhall ſee one of the properties of a glorified body; and they are reckoned up to be four by the Schoolmen, Claritas, incorruptibilitas, ſpiritualitas, motus agilitas. 1. There ſhall be an exceeding brightneſs in thoſe bodies, as our Saviours body ſhined ſo white at the Transfiguration, that no Fuller could make a thing ſo white. 2. They ſhall be incorruptible. Summer and Winter, Fire and Sword could do them no violence, as Chriſt ſaid unto Mary, Touch me not. 1 Cor. xv. 44.1 Cor 15:443. They ſhall not be groſs like our bodies, and ſuſtained with meat. It is ſown a natural body, it is raiſed a ſpiritual body. 4. It ſhall be nimble in motion like an Angel, flying as Philip did from Gaza in the Deſart to Azotus ſuddenly, gliding upon the wings of the wind, not depending upon feet as we do, and to prefigure this property in a glorified body hereafter, Lazarus came forth bound.

The vulgar Tranſlation puts in a word to make the Miracle more ſtrange, Statim exiit, that Lazarus came inſtantly forth without delay, though his feet and hands were bound, and his face with a Napkin. foreign, ſays Nonnus, he came not out like one that was ſhackled, and halted becauſe of his impediments, he ran ſwiftly before them all. For Chriſt uſeth not to do his work lamely, and by halves. St. Chryſoſtome makes this compariſon: As a horſe and his Rider liſten at the Race when the word ſhall be given, and take it at the firſt ſyllable to be gone. So ſays he, as ſoon as Chriſt had but ſaid, Lazarus come forth, foreign he ſtarted out like the horſe at his game, and came on with ſpeed and chearfulneſs; foreign, like one that watch'd the Sepulcher rather than the Corps. Chryſologus brings in the Devil who is the Jaylor of death wonderfully amazed, that our Saviour called for a dead Corps, and makes him to ſpeak thus: Let him have the man he calls for, let him have him bound hand and foot if he will; let us not ſtay ſo long as to unty the knots, make no delay, Ne dum tardius unum referimus, omnes cogeremur afferre, leſt while we prolong the time to reſtore one dead man he ſhould call unto the Graves to reſtore them all. As Luther called upon the Pope at firſt to have but one error amended concerning indulgences, and while he trifled, and hung off to do that, Luther cried ſo loud, that he cauſed divers Churches moſt happily to mend twenty more: So death haſtned away Lazarus being bound, p. 574leſt if he ſtaid more would follow him. As the Egyptians haſted away the Iſraelites at midnight to be gone; let them go with their Jewels and Riches which they had borrowed, for if they ſtaid they were afraid to loſe lives and all. Thus much of the literal ſenſe, that Lazarus came forth bound, and that inſtantly ſays the Latin vulgar Tranſlation.

Now for the Moral which is the Uſe of this Point, wherein thus I will proceed: 1. What it is to come forth. 2. What it is to be bound. 3. Concerning the binding of the feet and hands. 4. Concerning the binding of his face with a Napkin. Briefly of theſe, that we may make ſuch haſte from the Text as Lazarus did from the Tomb.

What is it to come forth? Do we firſt queſtion that? Poenitet, & ſurgit: Confitetur & prodit, ſays Burgenſis; To repent of ſin is to riſe from it, to come forth is to confeſs it which was hid before. When Jonathan and his Armour bearer appeared to the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. xiv. 11.1 Sam 14:11the Philiſtines derided them, ſaying, See how the Hebrews come out of the holes where they hid themſelves. So, profane men will laugh at you if you betray your ſelf ſo much unto any man as to confeſs your ſins and imperfections; but God is well pleaſed when you do not diſguiſe your ſelf in hypocriſie. When the Publican ſmote his breaſt,Serm. 8. tom. 10. Arguebat aliquid quod latebat in pectore, ſays St. Auſtin; He pierced his own heart, and gave it vent to draw out that acknowledgment, God be merciful to me a ſinner. Why haſt thou eaten of the tree that I forbad thee, ſays God to Adam? What is this that thou haſt done, ſays he again to Eve? He calls both them to an account,Greg Moral. lib. 22. c. 13. that they may make an humble confeſſion, and be pardoned. Serpens perſuaſor qui non erat revocandus ad veniam, non eſt de culpâ requiſitus, ſays Gregory; but the Serpent was never queſtioned. It was bootleſs for him to confeſs, and give an anſwer, becauſe God never thought to pardon him. To accuſe our ſelves of great diſobedience what is it but to magnifie his mercies who remits our ſins? Si nos accuſemus, Serm. 8.& Deum laudemus, bis Deum laudamus, ſays St. Auſtin, Then if we condemn our ſelves, and praiſe him, what is it but to give double praiſe unto his name?

As gall and bitter humours come off from the ſtomach with great diſtaſte unto the mouth: So, it doth not pleaſe our Palat, it offends our tongue to bewray thoſe vices which our heart would fain conceal. I, but all this while Lazarus is in the Tomb, he is cloſe kept, and ſtinks, ſaid Martha. While you would not be known of that which is paſt,Greg. ibid. Non te Domino, ſed dominum abſcondis tibi; You do not keep your ſelf cloſe from God, but you keep God from your ſelf: You take a courſe, a woful courſe, that you may not ſee his face that ſees all things in the world; but you cannot bring it about, that he who ſees all things in the world may not ſee you. I have not covered my tranſgreſſion, ſays Job, as Adam did, by hiding my iniquity in my boſom;Job 31.Job 31 a teſtimony of a ſound conſcience howſoever his body was diſeaſed. Vir iſte magnus in virtutibus ſuis, mihi certè etiam ſublimis apparet in peccatis, ſays Gregory. Job was a man of eminence in his vertues but I renown him in his very ſins, becauſe he opened them to him that will have mercy.

The confeſſion that we ſpeak of is thus amplified further in my Text, that Lazarus came forth when another called him. Many take a pride to deſcend to ſo much humility as to impeach themſelves, but if another condemn them, and provoke them to acknowledge their faults, they deny it with indignation. You muſt not ſay that he is a Swearer, though himſelf comfeſſeth he is a Blaſphemer: You muſt not ſay he is Intemperate, though he confeſs himſelf to be Luxurious. You muſt not ſay that he is uncharitable, though himſelf confeſs that he hates his enemies; thus while we arrogantly defend our ſelves againſt reproof, it is manifeſt that we did accuſe our ſelves but out of arrogance, or for faſhion ſake, or out of hypocriſie. In this vitious Age I admire Chaſtity, and Juſtice, and charitable works, but conſidering the ſtubborn imaginations of mens hearts, I do not ſo much wonder at thoſe vertues, as I do admire the humble confeſſion of a ſinner, when he is chid and reproved by him that hath the charge of his ſoul It is not ſo hard to ſhun ſome ſins before they are committed, as to cry guilty when they are committed. And therefore to teach us to come out of the cloſe dens of ſin by confeſſion, Chriſt ſays Gregory, did not ſay to this man reviviſce, but prodi foras, not Lazarus live again, but Lazarus come forth.

Secondly, Let us learn what it is to be bound; it is to be plunged in ſin like Simon the Sorcerer, who was in obligatione iniquitatis; In the bond of iniquity, Acts viii. 23. As debtors are in bonds to pay what they owe, or elſe to yield their bodies to p. 575impriſonment. Wherefore our treſpaſſes are called our debts in the Lords Prayer, Mat. vi. Lex a ligando. It is good to keep the Law of God, there is no greater freedom in the world, but they that take freedom to have their own ſwing, and to do what they liſt, are held unto the greateſt ſlavery in the world.Job 11.12. Greg. Moral. lib. 10. c. 15.Job 11:12 Man is born like a wild Aſſes Colt, ſays Job. The wild Aſs is not bridled, and he taketh his paſtime where he will in the Wilderneſs; but ſuch beaſts as are of uſe and ſervice muſt be tied unto the Yoke: So the natural man gives his luſts and deſires what they ask, no command controuls him, but he is held with the cords of his own ſins, ſaith Solomon, Prov. v. And who is ſuch a Vaſſal as he that can deny the luſt of his own concupiſcence nothing? Herod was bound by promiſe to Herodias, and ſo he could not ſave the head of John Baptiſt, who might have cut off the head of Herodias had he been a free man. Judas had taken Preſs-money of the Devil, and he muſt betray his Maſter. More than forty men had bound themſelves by oath to kill St. Paul. O what a Tyrant is Satan! He binds Kings in chains, and Nobles with links of Iron. And when the hand of one Ruffian might have killed a ſilly weak Apoſtle, he knits above forty men with one knot to eat nothing till they had diſpatch'd him, as who ſhould ſay, You ſhall ſtarve if you will not be Murderers.

God hath ſet bounds unto the Ocean Sea, and hath ſaid unto it, Hither thou ſhalt go, and no further. Can any man ſay ſo to his own luſts, thus far I will ſin, and no more? You fools that gaze upon beauties, and put your feet into unchaſte doors, and ſay that you will go no further into wantonneſs. You doating Covetous, that think it nothing to corrupt your ſelves with one baſe reward, and ſay you will leave at that. Idem facis, ac qui è monte ſe praecipitans velit ſiſtere. ſays Tully; You are unwiſe as he that did caſt himſelf headlong from a ſteepy rock, and thought he could ſtop before he loſt his breath. Sin hath no moderation. Qui facit peccatum eſt ſervus peccati; He that commits ſin is the ſervant of ſin, you cannot play faſt and looſe with the Devil. If you be once bound, it will ask you plenty of tears, and many groans of repentance that Chriſt may make you free. Sin is not like the green withs that tied Samſon, and brake like a thread of Tow; but like the fetters caſt upon poor Joſeph, The Iron entred into his ſoul, ſays David. It is ſuch a long captivity as the Jews ſuffred in Babylon, it truſſeth you up, as the tares were bound in bundles for everlaſting fire, Mat. xiii. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the Leopard his ſpots? Then may ye alſo do good that are accuſtomed to do evil, Jer. xiii. 23.

Now becauſe ſin is a bond, eſpecially ſin that is enormous and ſcandalous, not only Satan by inclining them to evil, but God in his juſtice holds them faſt to it that they cannot get looſe. For the Prieſt he caſts another bond upon that, Quodcunque lig averitis, whatſoever you bind upon earth; they bind none but incorrigible and contumacious ſinners that is one bond for another, and then the Lords bond is thrown upon them both, whatſoever you bind upon earth it is bound in heaven, the bond of iniquity is upon the ſinner, the bond of Eccleſiaſtical Cenſure is upon the bond of iniquity, the bond of Gods judgment ratifies the bond of Eccleſiaſtical Cenſure. How can the planchers fly out when they are thus hoopt about? A threefold cord is not eaſily broken. Ligantur poenâ qui ligati fuerunt culpâ à bonis operibus, ſays Lira; Super Mat. 22.Matt 22They are bound over to eternal puniſhment in the life to come, who in this life bound themſelves from doing good.

Thirdly, Let us underſtand what it is for a ſinner to be bound hand and foot. Manus non extenſae ad eleemoſynam, pedes tardi ad bonum, ſo ſays the Gloſs. Hands that were ſhut to the poor, and gave no Alms, feet that have not frequently walked to the houſe of God, theſe were bound in this life when they ſhould have executed their Function, and then follows, Take him, and bind him hand and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſs, Mat. xxii. The hand is the principal Engine of all other inſtruments, and if it be bound, we may direct much perchance, yet can execute nothing. But there is no muſick in that eloquence, where the tongue perſwades enough, but the hand is like the hand of Jeroboam, dried up and withered. He that takes upon him to teach, and direct, let his hands be looſe, that he may give a demonſtration of his Doctrine in his own works, and then it is powerful. Dux conſilio, miles exemplo, as it was ſaid of Caeſar: He gave the counſel of a General, he did the work of a Common Souldier. The Sun under a Cloud looks as if his glorious beams were ſhut up and impriſoned: So it is a dark and a gloomy Profeſſion of Piety to caſt no beams abroad; let your light ſhine before men that they may ſee your good works. If your hands, I mean your good deeds, be bound up, the bonds are ſuch as Lazarus had, and worſe, the ſwadling bonds of eternal death. Pedes ſunt affectus p. 576ſenſuales qui terrae adhaerent, that is the uſual Moral, by feet are underſtood our ſenſual Paſſions, and Affections, which cleave unto the earth. Indeed Lazarus will walk better with thoſe feet, when they are obedient to reaſon, and bound to her Law than when they are looſe, and run their own ways. Excellent Servants to be guided, but unruly Maſters to command. O let your affections be ſet upon heaven above, and not fix themſelves upon earth beneath, and then you may ſay with David, I will run the way of thy Commandments. So much for the binding of the hands and feet.

The laſt Point, and that which ſhuts up all, is to open this Myſtery, that Lazarus his face was bound with a Napkin. Lazarus came forth with his winding-ſheet about his body, with his Napkin about his face; here again is the Reſurrection of Lazarus diſtinguiſhed from the Reſurrection of Chriſt. As for Chriſts grave cloaths Peter look'd in, and ſaw them wrapt together, when his body was without. And what cauſed this difference Beloved?Salmer. To. 11. tract. 10. Why, firſt to anſwer a falſe rumour which belied both Chriſt and his Diſciples at once, even for that cauſe our Saviours linnen cloaths were left behind in the Monument, You will ſay his Diſciples came by night, and ſtole him away. But if they took out the body, why did they leave the linnen cloaths behind? Had deſperate thieves ſuch leiſure to uncaſe him, and to fold up ſeveral parcels by themſelves, when a guard of Souldiers were round about them? Now when as no ſuch objection ſhould be made againſt Lazarus, he came forth with his winding ſheet knit about his hands and feet, and his face with a Napkin, 2. Lazarus roſe out of the Grave, but to die again, he was virbius. One poor life ſerved him to change it for two deaths; and therefore he came abroad like a mortal man,Orat. 2. de Reſurrect. with his raggs wrapt about him to cover his nakedneſs. But Chriſts, ſays Niſſen, roſe to immortality, and therefore left thoſe clouts in the grave which had been caſt about him. That bleſſed life which we ſhall enjoy needs not garments to cloath the body. In the days of innocency Adam and Eve walked naked, and were not aſhamed, they ſaw no uncomlineſs in it. Then ſhall apparel much leſs be an ornament to a glorified body. And therefore Elias mounting up to heaven in the fiery Chariot left his Mantle with Eliſha: But he in our Text returned to the eſtate of frailty and corruption, his face was covered with a Napkin.

Octag. 3. queſt. lib. unus.Thirdly, ſays St. Auſtin, Lazarus in the Tomb was the figure of a ſinful man, Lazarus coming forth was the type of one that was born again, and is regenerate. But as touching a man new born and regenerate, ſtill there remain in him, Vinculum peccati, & velumignorantiae; The intanglements of ſome ſins, and the vail of ignorance. The bonds about the feet, and the Napkin about the face. But as for Chriſts linnen cloaths in whom there was nor ſin, nor ignorance, but a ſoul full of grace and truth, why ſhould he carry away his Shrowd, or his Kercher? No, he bequeathed them to the earth, and left them to the Monument. Let us be wiſe unto ſalvation, and not too curious in ſearching theſe things, the Text doth admoniſh us. For why was Lazarus his face covered, though his Spirit was returned unto him again? St. Auſtin anſwers, Quod in hâc vitâ per ſpeculum videmus in aenigmate, poſtea autem facie ad faciem; Becauſe in this life we ſee darkly as in a glaſs, but hereafter we ſhall ſee God face to face. As concerning natural Cauſes and Effects, ſays Ariſtotle, 1 Metaph. c. 1.we ſee into them, but foreign, with Owles eyes by day, that diſcern nothing clearly, but as concerning the Myſteries of Godlineſs, we look upon them as Moſes did upon the Land of Canaan when Jordan was between; we are in one Country, and ſee afar off indiſtinctly the proſpect of another. As Rebecca took away her vail when Iſaac came toward her, that ſhe might ſee his face, ſo this vail ſhall be taken from the Church, which is the Spouſe of God, when he draws near unto it: Now Lazarus his Napkin is about our face. O that thou wouldſt rent away this vail O Lord, Pſal. 123.Ps 123that we might ſee thy glory! Behold, as the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Miſtreſs, even ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us. AMEN.