Five Sermons, Sermon 5

Five Sermons · Sermon 5

p. 129SERMON V.

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 Grave-cloaths: And his Face was bound about with a Napkin. Jeſus ſaith unto them, Looſe him, and let him go.

WHEN Jeſus Chriſt, the Eternal Word, was pleaſed to make all Things by the Word of his Power, his laſt Works were the beſt—When he looked back upon, and beheld the … Products of his Almighty Power, he pro…nced them good; but when that laſt, that …ly Creature Man, was formed, he pro…ed them very good—So likewiſe, the ſame p. 130Jeſus, when he came to tabernacle among… us, and begin and carry on a new and ſecond Creation, tho' all his Works were Miracles … Wonder, and manifeſted forth the Glory … his eternal Godhead, yet the nearer he came to the End of his publick Miniſtrations, the greater and more noble did the Miracles which he wrought appear—The Reſurrection of Lazarus; that is to be the Subject of the following Diſcourſe, I think, is a ſufficient Proof … this—To an Eye of Senſe, it ſeems to be one of the greateſt, if not the very greateſt Miracle of all which our bleſſed Lord performed When our Saviour bid John's Diſciples go and tell their Maſter what Things they had ſee… and heard, he commands them to inform him, that by his divine Power the Dead were raiſed; alluding no doubt to the Ruler's Daughter, who was raiſed immediately after her Deceaſe; and the Widow's Son, who at the Command of Jeſus, roſe out of his Coffin, as they were carrying his Corpſe to the Burial. Theſe were pregnant Proofs that Jeſus was indeed that Meſſiah that was to come into the World—But his raiſing of Lazarus from the Dead, after he had lain four Days dead, and ſtank, and ſaw Corruption, is ſtill, if poſſible, a greater Miracle; and conſequently, a ſtronger Proof of his being the Anointed, the Chriſt of God.—The Evangeliſt John is very particular in giving us an Account of this Miracle; p. 131even ſo particular, as to ſpend a whole Chapter in relating the Circumſtances which preceded, attended, and followed after it—And as he was undoubtedly directed herein by the all-wiſe, unerring Spirit of God, does it not point out unto us, that this Miracle with all its reſpective Circumſtances, calls for our particular and moſt ſerious Meditation?—It appears to me in this Light; and therefore, as the Lord ſhall be pleaſed to aſſiſt me, I ſhall go back to the Beginning of this Chapter, follow the Evangeliſt Step by Step, and conſider the Particulars of this wondrous Miracle, make ſome practical Obſervations as I go along, and ſhut up all with ſome ſuitable Inſtructions and Exhortations which will naturally ariſe from the Body of the Diſcourſe.—

The Evangeliſt in the firſt Verſe, makes mention of the Sickneſs of Lazarus—Now, ſays he, a certain Man was ſick, named Lazarus of Bethany, the Town of Mary, and her Siſter Martha. Some think theſe Siſters were very wealthy, ſo as to own good Part of the Town; or as the original Word ſeems to imply, the Village—But then it is probable the Evangeliſt wou'd have ſaid the Town of Lazarus, Eſtates uſually deſcending, as with us, in the Male Line: It means therefore no more, than that Martha and Mary lived in Bethany—The Holy Ghoſt pointing out to us hereby, p. 132that nothing makes a Town ſo worthy of gracious Soul's Remark or Eſteem, as its having many of God's dear Children for its Inhabitants!—Bethany, tho' a little Place, is more famous becauſe it was the Town of Martha and Mary, than if Alexander had fought in it one of his greateſt Battles—Both theſe Women loved Jeſus in Sincerity, and were as good as they were great—But Mary, tho the younger Siſter, ſeems to be moſt eminent—The Evangeliſt in the ſecond Verſe, ſpeaks of her in a very diſtinguiſhing Manner—It was that Mary, that never-to-be-forgotten Mary, which anointed the Lord with Ointment (expenſive as it was) and wiped his Feet, after ſhe had waſhed them with Tears of Love, with her Hair, even the Hair of her Head—What Notice is taken of this Action! With what an Eulogy, and in what a high Strain of Commendation is it here ſpoken of? And ſuch are the Honours of all God's Saints—Tho' all o… good Works are not recorded as Mary's were, yet God is not unmindful that he ſhould forget our Works of Faith and Labours, which have proceeded of Love—Every Tear we ſhed, every Sigh we fetch, every Alms we give, tho' it be only a Cup of cold Water, are all recorded in the Lamb's Book of Remembrance, and ſhall be brought out to our eternal Honour, rewarded with a Reward of Grace, tho' not of Debt, at the great and terrible Day of p. 133the Lord—I was an hungred, and ye gave me Meat, I was thirſty, and ye gave me Drink, naked, and ye cloathed me, ſick and in Priſon, and ye came unto me.—What Reaſon have we then to be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, foraſmuch as we are aſſured, that our Labours will not be in vain or forgotten by the Lord? It was that Mary that anointed the Lord with Ointment, and wiped his Feet with her Hair—And what follows? Whoſe Brother Lazarus was ſick—So that being related to Chriſt, or Chriſt's Diſciples, will not exempt Perſons from Sickneſs—In this Life, Time and Chance happen to all, only with this material Difference, viz. Thoſe Afflictions, which harden the obſtinately Impenitent, ſoften and purify the Heart of a true Believer. My Son, therefore deſpiſe not the Chaſtening of the Lord on one Hand, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him on the other—For whom the Lord loveth he Chaſtneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth—Jeſus loved Lazarus, and yet Lazarus was ſick—And what do his Siſters do for him now he is ſick? No doubt they applied to a Phyſician, for it is tempting God to neglect making uſe of Means for the Recovery of our Health, when it is impaired—But then they were not guilty of Aſa's Crime, who ſought to the Phyſician, but not to the Lord—No! th…y knew the moſt p. 134ſkilful Recipes would be of no Effect, unleſs attended with a Bleſſing from Jeſus the great and Almighty Phyſician; and Therefore (verſe 3) his Siſters ſent unto him, it ſhould ſeem at the Beginning of their Brother's Illneſs—Alas how unlike is their Conduct to that of the Generality of People, eſpecially the Rich and Great! How unfaſhionable is it Now-a-days, for Perſons to ſend to Jeſus in Behalf of their ſick Relations! It is ſo very uncuſtomary, that in ſome Places, if a Miniſter be ſent for to a ſick Perſon, it is a ſad Symptom that the Patient is almoſt paſt Hopes of Recovery—Thus did not Martha and her Siſter Mary—They ſent unto Jeſus, tho' he was now beyond Jordan (Chap. x. 40) where he abode, or made his chief Place of Reſidence for ſome Time—Hence it was that they knew where to ſend to him—But what Kind of Meſſage did they ſend? A very humble and ſuitable One—Lord, Verſe 3. behold, he whom thou loveſt is ſick—They might have ſaid, Lord he who loveth thee is ſick—But they knew that our Love was not worth mentioning, and that we love Jeſus only becauſe he firſt loved us—Beſides here is no preſcribing to our Lord what he ſhou'd do, or what Means he ſhould make uſe of—They do not ſo much as ſay, we pray thee come, only ſpeak the Word, and our ſick Brother ſhall be reſtored—They only ſimply tell Jeſus the Caſe, knowing it was p. 135ſufficient barely to lay it before an infinitely compaſſionate Redeemer, and leave it to him to act according to his own ſovereign Good-Will and Pleaſure—Lord behold he whom thou loveſt is ſick—Oh how ſweet is it when the Soul is brought to this! And with what a holy Confidence may we pray to, and intercede with the holy Jeſus, when we have Reaſon to hope, that thoſe we pray and intercede for, are Lovers of, and are beloved of Him! For his Eyes are in a peculiar Manner over the Righteous, and his Ears always open to their Prayers—This was their Meſſage, and it ſoon reached Jeſus Chriſt—And how does he receive it? We are told, Verſe 4. For when Jeſus heard that, viz. That he whom he loved was ſick, He ſaid this Sickneſs is not unto Death, but unto the Glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby—To whom theſe Words were ſpoken is not certain—In all Probability Jeſus ſpake them to the Perſons that deliver'd Martha's and Mary's Meſſage—And if ſo, it was no Doubt a comfortable Anſwer for the preſent, tho' it muſt afterwards puzzle them as well as the Diſciples how to explain it, when they found that Lazarus was actually dead. This Sickneſs is not unto Death, i. e. Not unto an abiding Death, becauſe he intended to raiſe him again, ſoon after his Deceaſe—It is like that other Expreſſion of our Lord in St. Mark, The Damſel is not p. 136dead, but ſleepeth; which muſt not be underſtood in a literal, but metaphorical Senſe—And this and ſuch like Inſtances, ought to teach us to weigh carefully our bleſſed Lord's Words, and to wait for an Explication of them, by ſubſequent Providences; otherwiſe we ſhall be in Danger of miſapplying them, and thereby bring our Souls into unſpeakable Bondage—This Sickneſs is not unto …eath, but unto the Glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby—This is the End both of the Afflictions, and the Deaths of God's People—By all that happens to them, he will be glorified one Way or another, and cauſe every Thing to work together for their Good—And who then wou'd but be content to be ſick, or willingly ſubmit to Death itſelf, if ſo be the Son of God may be glorified thereby? This Anſwer no Doubt proceeded from Love—For we are told, Verſe 5. that Jeſus loved Martha and her Siſter, and Lazarus—Oh happy Family! Three in it beloved of Jeſus, with a peculiar, everlaſting Love—Very often it ſo happens that to uſe the Words of …he pious Biſhop Beveridge there is but one in a City, and two in a Country, of this Stamp—But here are two Siſters and a …rother, all Lovers of, and beloved by the …orious Jeſus—What ſhall we ſay to theſe …hings? Why, That our Saviour's Grace is …ree and Sovereign, and he may do what he p. 137will with his own—They who are thus ſo highly favoured, as to have ſo many converted in one Houſe, ought to be doubly thankful! Such a Bleſſing have not all his Saints—No! Many, very many, go mourning over their perverſe and graceleſs Relations, all their Lives long; and find even to their dying Day, that their greateſt Foes are thoſe of their own Houſhold.—Surely theſe three Relations lived a Heaven upon Earth—For what can they want, what can make them miſerable who are aſſured of Jeſu's Love? But ſurely if Jeſus loves this dear little Family, the next News one wou'd think we ſhou'd hear, would be, that he went immediatly and healed Lazarus; or at leaſt, cured him at a Diſtance—But inſtead of that, we are told, Verſe 6. When he had heard that he was ſick, he abode two Days ſtill in the ſame Place where he was—A ſtrange Way this, in the Eye of natural Reaſon, of expreſſing Love; but not ſo ſtrange in the Eye of Faith—For the Lord Jeſus very often ſheweth his Love, by deferring to give immediate Anſwers to our Prayers—For hereby he tries our Faith and Patience, and exerciſes all our paſſive Graces—We have a Proof of this in the Syrophenician Woman, upon whom the bleſſed Jeſus frowned, and ſpake roughly too at firſt, only that he might afterwards turn unto her and ſay, O Woman, great is thy Faith—Let not thoſe then that p. 138believe, make too much Haſte; or immediately in their Hearts repine againſt the Lord, becauſe he may not Anſwer their Requeſts, in their own Time and Way—God's Time and Way is beſt—And we ſhall find it to be ſo in the End—Martha and Mary experienced the Truth of this, tho' undoubtedly our Lord's ſeeming Delay, to come and heal their Brother, coſt them great Searchings of Heart—But will the Lord Jeſus forget his dear Lazarus whom his Soul loveth? Can a Woman forget her ſucking Child? Indeed ſhe may; but the Lord never faileth thoſe that fear him—Neither is he ſlack concerning his Promiſe, as ſome Men count Slackneſs—For his very Delays are Anſwers—The Viſion is for an appointed Time—In the End it will ſpeak and not lie.—Tho' our Lord abode two Days were he was, to try the Faith of theſe Siſters, yet after this, he ſaid unto his Diſciples, Verſe 7. Let us go into Judea again—With what a holy Familiarity does Jeſus converſe with his dear Children! Our Saviour ſeems to ſpeak to his Diſciples, as tho' he was only their Brother, and as it were upon a Level with them; Let us go into Judea again. How gently, according to what was predicted of him, does he lead thoſe that are with Young! Jeſus very well knew the Weakneſs of his Diſciples, and alſo what a dangerous Place Judea was: How gradually therefore p. 139does he make known unto them, his Deſign of going thither! And how does he admit his Diſciples to expoſtulate with him on this Account! Maſter, ſay they (Verſe 8.) the Jews of late ſought to Stone thee, and goeſt thou thither again? They were amazed at our Lord's Boldneſs, and were ready to call it Preſumption. As we generally are prone to cenſure and condemn other zealous and enterprizing Perſons, as carrying Matters too far, for no other Reaſon, if we examine the Bottom of our Hearts, but becauſe they go before, and excel ourſelves.—The Diſciples, no doubt, thought that they ſpoke out of Love to their Lord, and aſſuredly they did; but what a Deal of Self-love was there mixed and blended with it? They ſeem much concerned for their Maſter, but they were more concerned for themſelves—However Jeſus overlooks their Weakneſs, and mildly replies, Verſes 9, and 10. Are there not twelve Hours in the Day? If any Man walk in the Day, he ſtumbleth not, becauſe he ſeeth the Light of the World; but if any Man walk in the Night he ſtumbleth, becauſe there is no Light in him. As tho' our Lord had ſaid, My dear Diſciples, I thank you for your Care and and Concern for me—Judea is a dangerous Place, and what you ſay of the Treatment I met with from its Inhabitants, is juſt and true; but be not afraid of going there upon p. 140my Account—For as a Man walketh ſafely Twelve Hours of the Day, becauſe he walketh in the Light; ſo as long as the Time appointed by my Father for my publick Adminiſtration laſts, I ſhall be as ſecure from the Hands of my Enemies, as a Man that walks in Broad-day is ſecure from falling—But as a Man ſtumbleth if he walketh in the Night, ſo when the Night of my Paſſion cometh, then, but not till then, ſhall I be given up into the Hands of my ſpiteful Foes Oh what Comfort have theſe Words, by the Bleſſing of God, frequently brought to my Soul! How may all Chriſt's Miniſters ſtrengthen themſelves with this Conſideration, that ſo long as God hath Work for them to do, they are immortal! And if after our Work is over, our Lord ſhould call us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren, and to Seal the Truth of our Doctrine with our Blood, it would certainly be the higheſt Honour that can be put upon us—To you it is given not only to believe, but alſo to ſuffer, ſays the Apoſtle to the Philippians—Theſe Things the Evangeliſt tells us, Verſe 11. ſaid he, viz. Jeſus, and after that, to ſatisfy them that he was not going into Judea without a proper Call, He ſaith unto them, Our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth—Our Friend—Amazing! For what is a Friend? As one's own Soul—How dear then, and near are true p. 141Believers to the moſt adorable Jeſus! Our Friend Lazarus—Still more amazing! Here is Condeſcenſion, here is unparallelled Familiar…y indeed—And what of him? He ſleepeth—A figurative Way of Expreſſion—For what is Death to the Lovers of Jeſus Chriſt, but a Sleep, and a refreſhing One too? Thus it is ſaid of Stephen when he died, that he fell aſleep—Chriſt indeed died, but Believers only ſleep—And thoſe that ſleep in Jeſus. ſays the Scripture, will God bring with him—Our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth—For tho' he be dead, I ſhall raiſe him from the Grave ſo ſoon, that his dying will be only like a Perſon's taking a Nap of Sleep—Our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of Sleep. By this Time, one wou'd imagine, our Lord's Diſciples ſhould have underſtood him: But how unwilling are we to believe any Thing that we do not like. Then ſaid his Diſciples, Verſe 12th, Lord, if he ſleep he ſhall do well—Oh fearful, and ſlow of Heart to believe! How fain wou'd they excuſe themſelves from going into Judea, for fear of a few Stones! By this Way of talking, how do they in effect impeach their bleſſed Maſter's Conduct, and under a Pretence of preſerving his Perſon, foſter, and as it were, plead for their own (tho' perhaps undiſcern'd) Cowardice and Unbelief! That Charity, which hopeth and believeth all Things for the beſt, teacheth us to judge thus favourably of p. 142them—For, Howbeit Jeſus ſpake of his Death: they thought that He had ſpoken of taking reſt in Sleep—The Great and Compaſſionate High Prieſt knowing whereof they were made, and remembring they were but Duſt, throws a Veil of Love over their Infirmity; and at length, Verſe 14th, ſaid unto them plainly (for if we wait on Jeſus, we ſhall know his Will plainly, one Way or another) Lazarus is dead—And even then, leſt they ſhould be ſwallowed up with over-much Sorrow, he immediately adds, Verſe 15th, And I am glad for your Sakes that I was not there, to the Intent ye may believe; that is, have more Faith, or have that Faith you have already encreaſed and confirmed—A plain Proof this, that all Jeſu's Delays to anſwer Prayer, are only to ſtrengthen our Faith—Nevertheleſs, ſays our Lord, let us go unto him.—This was a ſufficient Hint, if they knew how to improve it, that he intended to do ſomething extraordinary, tho' he would not tell them directly what he intended. For the Lord Jeſus will keep thoſe whom he loves at his Foot, and dependent on him. Let us go unto him—He ſtill ſpeaks as tho they were his Equals—Oh that Chriſtians in general, Oh that Miniſters in particular, would learn of him their great Exemplar, to condeſcend to Men of low Degree! Well, the Secret is now out—Jeſus has ſaid unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead—And what Reception p. 143does this melancholly News meet with? With great Condolency, eſpecially from Thomas; for Verſe 16. Then ſaid Thomas, which is called Didy…us, unto his Fellow Diſciples, let us alſo go and die with him; i. e. according to ſome with Lazarus, with whom it may be, Thomas had contracted an intimate Acquaintance—But granting it was ſo; ſhall I commend him for this paſſionate Expreſſion? I commend him not—Surely he ſpake unadviſedly with his Lips; Let us alſo, ſays he to his Fellow Diſciples, go and die with him—As tho' there was no Comfort henceforward to be expected in the World, now his Friend Lazarus was gone—This was a great Fault, and yet a Fault that many of God's Children run into daily, by mourning over their deceaſed Relations over-much, like Perſons that have no Hope—But this Infirmity ought not to be indulged—For if our Friends and dear Relatives are dead, Jeſus, that Friend of Sinners, is not dead—He will be better to us than ſeven Sons, and will abundantly ſupply the Place of all Creature-Comforts. But I am more inclined to think that the Word Him, refers to Jeſus his dear Maſter; and if ſo, he is ſo far from being blamed that he ſpake like a good Soldier of Jeſus Chriſt—Let us alſo go, that we may die with him—If our dear Maſter will go into Judea, and hazard his precious Life, let us not any longer make ſuch frivolous Excuſes, p. 144but let us manfully accompany him; and if the Jews, ſhould not only be permitted to Stone, but alſo to Kill him, let us alſo go, and die with him, we cannot die in a better Cauſe.—This was a Speech worthy of a true Chriſtian Hero, and Thomas herein hath ſet us an Example, that we ſhould follow his Steps, by exciting and provoking one another cloſely to adhere to the bleſſed Jeſus, eſpecially when his Cauſe and Intereſt is in any more immediate Danger—This Exhortation it ſeems had a proper Effect—They all went, and as far as we know, chearfully accomp…ied their glorious Maſter—How their Thoughts were exerciſed on the Road we are not told—But I am apt to believe they were a little diſcouraged when they came to Bethany—For When Jeſus came, (Verſe 17.) he found that he had lien in the Grave four Days already. And what wou'd it avail them; to come ſo many Miles only to ſee a dead Man's Tomb? But how wiſely were all Things ordered by the bleſſed Jeſus, to manifeſt his Glory in the moſt extraordinary Manner, that not only his Diſciples might have their Faith confirmed, but many alſo of the Jews might believe on him—This Bethany, it ſeems, Verſe 18th, was nigh unto Jeruſalem, about fifteen Furlongs off; i. e. about two Miles; and Martha and Mary, being what we may call, People of Faſhion, and devout likewiſe, many of the Devout, p. 145and we may ſuppoſe many of the wealthy Jews came from the Metropolis, as well as other adjacent Places, Verſe 19th, to Martha and Mary; not to pay an idle, trifling, but a ſerious, profitable Viſit, viz. to Comfort them concerning their Brother.—This was kind and neighbourly—To weep with thoſe that weep, and to viſit the Afflicted in their Diſtreſſes, is one eſſential Branch of true and undefiled Religion—And Oh how ſweet is it when we viſit ſurviving Friends, that we have reaſon to think that their departed Relations died in the Lord! And we can therefore give them Comfort concerning them! For bleſſed are the Dead, that die in the Lord, even ſo ſaith the Spirit, for they reſt from their Labours.—This, and ſuch like Arguments, no doubt theſe Viſitors made uſe of in order to comfort Martha and Mary—And indeed they ſtood much in Need of Conſolation—For we have Reaſon to ſuppoſe, that from our Lord's Anſwer, viz. This Sickneſs is not unto Death, but the Glory of God; they had entertained Thoughts of the Recovery of their Brother—But who can tell what theſe two holy Souls muſt feel? When they found their Brother not only not recovered, but dead, laid out, and now ſtinking in the ſilent Grave!—What hard Thoughts, without judging them, may we ſuppoſe they entertained concerning Jeſus! Think ye not that they were ready to cry out p. 146in the Language of the Prophet? Thou haſt deceived us, and we are deceived—But Man's Extremity is Jeſu's Opportunity—In the Multitude of the Sorrows that they had in their Hearts, the News of Chriſt's Coming refreſhes their Souls—Some Body or another commendably officious, privately informs Martha of it—Who, Verſe 20th, as ſoon as ſhe heard that Jeſus was come (without making any Apology to the Company for her Rudeneſs) went and met him: But Mary ſat ſtill in the Houſe—But why ſo, Mary? I thought thou hadſt been moſt forward to attend on Jeſus, and thy Siſter Martha more prone to be cumbered about the many Things of this Life—Why ſitteſt thou ſtill? It may be the News was brought only privately to Martha (for it is plain from Verſe 31ſt, that the Jews who were in the Houſe knew not of it;) and Martha knowing how our Lord had chid her once, was reſolved he ſhould have no Reaſon on the ſame Account to chide her any more; therefore when the News were brought, ſhe would not ſo much as ſtay to inform her Siſter, but went out to ſee whether the News were true or not, and if ſo, as the eldeſt Siſter, ſhe wou'd invite the bleſſed Jeſus in—How happy is it, when Chriſt's Reproofs for paſt Neglects, excites our future Zeal to come out and meet him! Such Reproofs are an excellent Oil—Or, it may be, the News reached p. 147Mary's Ears, as well as Martha's, but being overcome with overmuch Sorrow, ſhe thought it too good News to be true, and therefore ſat ſtill in the Houſe—Oh how careful ought Believers to be, to keep up and maintain even in the midſt of T…ibulation, a holy Confidence and Joy in God! For …he Joy of the Lord is a Believer's Strength—Whereas giving Way to Melancholy and Unbelief, raiſes Glooms and Vapours in the Mind, clouds the Underſtanding, clogs in the Way of Duty, and gives the Enemy, who loves to fiſh in troubled Waters, a very great Advantage over us—Mary, perh…p…, thro' the Prevalence of this, and being alſo naturally of a ſedentary Diſpoſition, ſat ſtill in the Houſe, while her Siſter Martha got the S…rt of her, and went out to meet the Holy Jeſus—And how does …e accoſt him? Why, in a Language beſpeaking the Diſtreſs of a burdened and diſordered Mind—For ſhe ſaid unto Jeſus, Verſe 21ſt, Lord, if thou had…t been here, my Brother had not died. Here is a Mixture of Faith and Unbelief—Faith made her ſay—Lord, if thou h…dſt been here, my Brother had not died—But Unbelief made her con…ne Chriſt's Power to his bodily Preſence—Beſides, here was a tacit Accuſation of the Bleſſed Jeſus of Unkindneſs, for not coming when they ſent unto him this Meſſage, Lord, he whom thou loveſt is ſick—Once ſhe charged Jeſus with Want of Care; Lord, careſt thou p. 148not, that my Siſter hath left me to ſerve alone? Now ſhe taxes him with Want of Kindneſs—If thou hadſt been here; as much as to ſay, if thou hadſt been ſo kind as to have come when we ſent for thee, my Brother had not died; and by ſaying thus, ſhe does as it were lay her Brother's Death to Jeſus Chriſt—Oh how apt are even thoſe whom Jeſus loves in a very peculiar Manner, to charge him fooliſhly! How often does the Enmity of our deſperately wicked Hearts riſe againſt Chriſt, when we are under the afflicting Hand of his Providence! Are not the very beſt of us frequently tempted in ſuch Circumſtances, to ſay within our ſelves at leaſt, Why does God thus cruelly deal with us? Why did not he keep off this Stroke, ſeeing it was in his Power to have prevented it? How ſhould we be aſhamed and confounded before him upon this Account! How ſhould we pray and labour to be delivered from this remaining Enmity of the Heart, and long for that Time, when Mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up of Life, and we ſhall never feel one ſingle Riſing of Heart, againſt a good and gracious, an all-wiſe and glorious Redeemer, any more! However, to do Martha Juſtice, Verſe 22d, ſhe pretty well recovers herſelf—But I know, ſays ſhe, that even now, whatſoever thou wilt aſk of God, God will give it thee—Whether theſe Words imply an actual Belief of our Lord's Divinity is not certain—To me they do— p. 149Becauſe we ſhall find by and by, that ſhe did believe that our Lord was the Son of God, and that Meſſiah which was come into the World—Therefore when ſhe ſaid ſhe knew that whatſoever he aſk'd of God, God would give it to him, ſhe may be underſtood as referring to God the Father, under whom the Lord Jeſus acted as Mediator, tho' equal to him in reſpect to his eternal Glory and Godhead—This Myſtery we may well ſuppoſe her acquainted with, becauſe Jeſus had been frequently preaching at her Houſe, and conſequently, had no doubt opened that Myſtery unto her—O what a bleſſed Thing muſt it be to have ſuch a Mediator! Such an High Prieſt, and Interceſſor at the Father's Right-hand, that whatever he aſks the Father in our Behalf, he will give us!—Jeſus takes this kindly at Martha's Hand, and paſſes over her Infirmity—For if the Lord was exact to mark every Thing that we ſay or do amiſs, alas who could abide? He only calmly ſays unto her, Verſe 23d, Thy Brother ſhall riſe again—Glad Tidings theſe of great Joy—This ſhould comfort us concerning our deceaſed, pious Relations, viz. That e're long they ſhall riſe again, and Soul and Body be for ever with the Lord—Howbeit Jeſus ſpake here of an immediate Reſurrection, tho' he did not ſpeak plainly—For Chriſt loves to exerciſe the Faith and Patience of his Diſciples, and frequently leaves p. 150them to find out his Meaning by Degrees—It is beſt for us in our preſent State, that it ſhould be ſo—In Heaven it will be otherwiſe—Thy Brother, ſays Chriſt to Martha, ſhall riſe again—She might immediately have replied, When, Lord? But ſhe fetches a Circuit as it were, and labo…rs to find out the Mind of Jeſus by Degrees—I know, ſays ſhe (Verſe 24) that he ſhall riſe again at the Reſurrection of the laſt Day—Theſe Words to me ſeem to imply, that …he had ſome diſtant Thought of our Lord's Deſign to raiſe her Brother now, and that ſhe ſpoke thus only to draw our Saviour to ſpeak, and tell her plainly whether he meant to do ſo or not—For thoſe who are acquainted with Jeſus, are taught a holy A…t by the bleſſed Spirit, in dealing with their bleſſed Maſter—I know ſays ſhe, he ſhall riſe again at the Reſurrection of the laſt Day (a notable Proof this, by the Way, that the pious Jews believed the Reſurrection of the Body) It is juſt the ſame as tho' ſhe had ſaid, Lord, doſt thou mean that my Brother ſhall riſe again before that Time? Our Saviour wiſely keeps off from giving her a direct Anſwer; but chuſes rather to preach to her Heart—Jeſus ſaid unto her (Verſe 25th) I am the Reſurrection, and the Life: He that believeth in me, tho' he were dead, yet ſhall he live. On this Martha's Faith, if in Exerciſe, might p. 151take hold. Oh glorious Words! How encouraging to you poor Sinners lying in your Blood! Tho' you are dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, and might juſtly be condemned to die the ſecond Death, yet if you believe on the Lord Jeſus you ſhall live.—And whoſoever, Verſe 20th, believeth in me, ſhall never die; i. e. Never die as to their Souls, never die eternally, and conſequently, never finally fall away from God—This is an encouraging Soul-comforting Declaration for you, O Believers, who are thus kept as it were, in a Garriſon, by the mighty Power of God, thro' Faith, unto Salvation! Believeſt thou this? ſays Chriſt to Martha, Verſe 26th—For what avail all the many great and precious Promiſes of the Goſpel, unleſs they are applied and brought home in particular to each of our Souls? The Word does not profit unleſs it is mixed with Faith—We wou'd therefore do well, when we are reading Chriſt's Words, to put this Queſtion to our ſelves; O my Soul, believeſt thou this? And well wou'd it be for us, if upon putting this Queſtion to our ſelves, we could with the ſame holy Confidence, and in the ſame delightful Frame, ſay with Martha, Verſe 27th, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Chriſt, the Son of God, which ſhould come into the World. This I think is a direct Confeſſion of our Lord's Divinity—How full was her Heart when …he ſpoke theſe p. 152Words! I am perſuaded it burnt within her—What a divine Warmth had ſhe contracted by talking with Jeſus! How does ſhe long that her Siſter might ſhare in her holy Joy! For when ſhe had ſo ſaid, Verſe 28th, She went away; full of Love no doubt, and called Mary her Siſter, as all will labour to call their near Relations, who have felt the Lord Jeſus to be the Reſurrection and the Life themſelves—But Martha took Care in the midſt of her Zeal (as we ſhould always do) to behave with Prudence; and therefore the called her Siſter SECRETLY, ſaying, The Maſter is come, and calleth for thee—The Maſter is come—She need ſay no more; Mary knew very well whom ſhe meant—For holy Souls eaſily underſtand one another when talking of their Maſter Jeſus—The divine Herbert uſed to delight (when ſpeaking of Jeſus) to ſay, "MY MASTER." Perhaps he learned it of Martha, who ſaid here, The Maſter is come, and calleth for thee—But what is this thou ſayeſt, Martha? The Maſter is come, and calleth for thee? Surely a Woman of thy exalted Piety will not tell a deliberate Lie, and in order to induce thy Siſter to come to Jeſus, acquaint her that Jeſus called her, when indeed he did not—Thou needeſt not put thy ſelf to ſuch an Expence, or do ſo much Evil, that Good may come of it—Only mention Jeſus to Mary, and let her know for p. 153a Certainty that the Maſter is indeed come, and I am perſuaded ſhe will ſit no longer—Martha no doubt knew this, and therefore I cannot judge her as ſome do, as tho' in her Haſte ſhe ſaid what was not true—For Jeſus might bid her call her Siſter, tho' it be not directly mentioned in this Chapter—And it is very probable, that our Lord did enquire after Mary, becauſe ſhe uſed to take ſuch great Delight in ſitting at his Feet, and hearing the gracious Words that proceeded out of his M…u…h—The Maſter is come, …aith Martha to her Siſter and calleth for thee. And ſo ſay I to all poor Sinners—Jeſus, your Lord and Maſter, your Prince and Saviour, is come, come unto this lower World, and is come this Day in his Word, and by me, who am leſs than the leaſt of all his Servants, and calleth for you—Oh that he may alſo come in the Demonſtration of the Spirit, and by his mighty Power, bow your ſtubborn Hearts and Wills to obey the Call, as Holy Mary did!—For we are told, Verſe 29th, When ſhe heard that, ſhe roſe quickly, and came to Jeſus—Sinners, when will you do ſo? Or why do you not do ſo? How know you whether Jeſus will call for you any more, before he calls you by Death to Judgment? Linger, Oh linger no longer—Fly, fly for your Lives—Ariſe quickly, and with Mary, come to Jeſus—She obeyed the Call ſo very ſpeedily, that her p. 154Haſte was taken notice of by her Viſitors—The Jews then, Verſe 31ſt, which were with her in the Houſe, and comforted her (that is taken particular Notice of) when they ſaw Mary that ſhe roſe up haſtily (without any Ceremony at all) and went out, followed h…, ſaying, ſhe goeth to the Grave, to weep there—How wiſely does our Lord permit and order all this, to bring the Jews out to behold the wonderful Miracle that he was about to perform! Little did Mary and the Jews think for what End they were thus providenti…lly led out—But when Jeſus hath Work to be done, he will bring Souls to the Place where he intends to call them, in ſpite of Men or Devils—But how does Mary behave when ſhe comes to Jeſus? We may be aſſured not without great Humility—No wonder then we are told, Verſe 32d, that When ſhe ſaw him, … immediately fell down at his Feet (a Place Mary had been uſed to) and in an Agony of Grief, ſays, as her Siſter had done before her. Lord, if thou hadſt been here, my Brother … not died—Poor Mary! Her Concern was great indeed—Tho' ſhe was a holy Woman, ſhe could not well bear the Loſs of her Brother—She knew very well that the World would miſs him, and no doubt he had been a kind and tender Brother to her—But I am afraid ſhe was ſinfully overcome with over-much Sorrow—However, had we been there, the p. 155Sight muſt have affected us—It ſeems to have affected the Viſitors, eſpecially the bleſſed Jeſus—He, inſtead of blaming her for her tacitly Accuſing him of Unkindneſs, for not coming to her Brother's Relief, pities and …mpathizes both with Mary and her weeping Friends!—When Jeſus, Verſe 33d, ſaw her weep, and the Jews alſo weeping, he groaned in his Spirit, and was troubled—Troubled: Not with any ſinful Perturbation we may be aſſured—Nothing of that Nature could poſſibly be in his ſinleſs Soul—And therefore ſome have judiciouſly enough compared the Trouble our Lord now felt, to ſome Chryſtal Water, ſhaken in a Glaſs or Bottle—You may ſhake it, but there will be no Sediment—It will be Chryſtal Water ſtill—He groaned in his Spirit I do not ſee why this may not be underſtood of his Praying in the Spirit, which maketh Interceſſion for the Saints, with foreign, Groanings that cannot be uttered.—Methinks I ſee the Immaculate Lamb of God, ſecretly, but powerfully Agonizing with his Father—His Heart is big with Sympathy! At length out of the Fulneſs of it, he ſaid, Verſe 34th, Where have ye laid him? They, I ſuppoſe Mary and Martha, ſay unto him, Lord, come and ſee—He came, he ſaw, "He wept," Verſe 35th—It is put in a Verſe by itſelf, that we might pauſe a while, and aſk why Jeſus wept? He wept to ſhew us that it p. 156was no Sin▪ to ſhed a Tear of Love and Reſignation, at the Grave of a deceaſed Friend. He wept, to ſee what Havock Sin had made in the World, and how it reduced Man, wh… was originally little lower than the Angels (by making him ſubject to Death) to a Level wi…h the Beaſts that periſh—But above all he wept at the Foreſight of the People's Unbelief—He wept to think how many then preſent would not only not believe on, but would be hardened, and have their Prejudices encreaſed more and more againſt him, tho' he ſhould raiſe Lazarus from the Dead before their Eyes—Well then may Miniſters be excuſed, who, whilſt they are Preaching, now and then drop a few Tears, at the Conſideration of their Sermons being, thro' the Perverſeness▪ and Unbelief of many of their Audience, a Savour of Death unto Death, inſtead of a Savour of Life unto Life—Upon a like Occaſion Jeſus wept—What an affecting Sight w… here! Let us for a while ſuppoſe our ſ…lves placed amidſt theſe holy Mourners—Let as imagine that we ſaw the Sepulchre juſt here before us, and the Jews, and Mary, and the bleſſed Jeſus weeping round it!—Surely the moſt obdurate of us all muſt drop a Tear, at leaſt be affected with the Sight—We find … affected thoſe that were really By-ſtande…—For, then ſaid the Jews, Verſe 36th, Behold, how he loved him. And did they …y, p. 157Behold, how he loved him, when Jeſus only …ed a few Tears over the Grave of his departed Lazarus? Come then, O Sinners, and view him dying, and pouring out his precious Heart's Blood for you upon an accurſed Tree, and then ſurely you muſt needs cry out, Behold how he loved us! But alas, tho' all were affected, yet it ſeems, all were not well affected at ſeeing Jeſus weep!—For we are told, Verſe 37th, that 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? One wou'd imagine that Satan himſelf could ſcarce have utter'd a more perverſe Speech. Every Word is full of Spite and Rancour—Could not this Man, this Fellow, this Deceiver, who pretends to ſay, that he opened the Eyes of the Blind, have cauſed that this Man, that he ſeems to love ſo, ſhould not have died? Is not this a ſufficient Proof that he is a Cheat? Have we catched him at laſt? Is it likely that he really helped others, when he could not help his own Friend? Oh how patient ought the Servants of our Lord to be! And how may they expect to be cenſured, and have their good Deeds queſtioned, and leſſened, when their bleſſed Maſter has been thus treated before them! However Jeſus will do Good, notwithſtanding all theſe Slights put upon him; and therefore again groaning in himſelf, Verſe 38th, he p. 158cometh to the Grave—It was a Cave, or Vaul… (as is cuſtomary in great Families) and a Stone lay upon it—Jeſus ſaid, Verſe 39th, Take ye away the Stone—How gradual…y does our Lord proceed, in order to engage the Peoples Attention the more—Methinks I ſee them all Eye, all Ear, and eagerly waiting to ſee the Iſſue of this Affair—But Martha now returning with the reſt of the Company, ſeems to have loſt that good Frame which ſhe was in when ſhe went to call her Siſter—She …aith unto him, Verſe 39th, Lord, by this Time he ſtinketh: For he hath been either dead or buried four Days—Oh the diſmal Effects of carnal Reaſoning! How naturally do we fall into Doubts and Fears, when we have not our Eye ſincerely directed to the bleſſed Jeſus! Martha, inſtead of looking up to him, looks down into the Grave, and poring upon her Brother's ſtinking Corpſe, falls into a Fit of Unbelief—By this Time he ſtinketh, and therefore a Sight of him will only be offenſive—For, perhaps, ſhe might think our Lord only wanted juſt to take a View of her Brother Lazarus—Jeſus therefore, to give her yet a further Hint, that he intended to do ſomething extraordinary, …aith unto her, Verſe 40th, Said I not unto thee, that if thou ſhouldſt believe, thou ſhouldſt ſee thee Glory of God? Our Lord ſpeaks here with ſome Degree of Warmth—For nothing diſpleaſes him more than the Unbelief of his p. 159own Diſciples—Said I not unto thee, if thou wouldſt believe, thou ſhouldſt ſee the Glory of God? When Chriſt ſpoke theſe Words unto her, we are not told—It might be, this was Part of their Converſation upon ſome other Occaſion ſome Time before—However he checks her openly for her Unbelief now—For thoſe whom Jeſus loves muſt expect to be rebuked ſharply by him, whenever they Diſhonour him by Unbelief—The Reproof is taken—Without making any more Objections, They Verſe 41. took away the Stone from the Place where the Dead was laid; And now behold with what Solemnity the holy Jeſus prepares himſelf to execute his gracious Deſign! And Jeſus, Verſe 41ſt, lift up his Eyes, and ſaid, Father I thank thee that thou haſt heard me—And I knew, Verſe 42d, 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. Who can expreſs with what Fervour and Intenſeneſs of Spirit, our glorious High-Prieſt uttered theſe Words! They are a Thankſgiving ariſing from an Aſſurance that his Father had heard him—For Chriſt as Mediator was inferiour to the Father—I knew that thou heareſt me always (and ſo may every Believer in his Degree ſay too) But becauſe of the People which ſtand by I ſaid it—Said what? We do not hear that Jeſus ſaid any Thing by Way of Prayer before—And that is true, if we p. 160mean vocally, but mentally he did ſay ſomething, even when he groaned in the Spirit once and again, and was troubled—For there is a Way of praying even when we do not, and cannot ſpeak—Why cryeſt thou, …aith God to Moſes, tho' we do not hear that he ſpoke one ſingle Word—But he cried in his Heart; and I obſerve this for the Comfort of ſome weak, but real Chriſtians, who think they never pray, unleſs they can have a great Flow of Words—But this is a Miſtake—For we often pray beſt, when we can ſpeak leaſt—There are Times when the Heart is too big to ſpeak, and the Spirit itſelf maketh Interceſſion for the Saints, and that too according to the Will of God, with Groanings that cannot be uttered—Such was Ha…nah's Prayer for a Son, ſhe ſpake not, only her Lips moved; and ſuch was our Lord's Way of praying at this Time—And perhaps the Soul is never in a better Frame, than when in a holy Stillneſs, and unſpeakable Serenity, … it can put itſelf as a Blank in Jeſu's Hand, for him to ſtamp on it, juſt what he pleaſes—And now the Hour of our Saviour's performing this long expected Miracle, is come—When he thus had ſpoken, Verſe 43d, He cried with a loud Voice, Lazarus come forth—With the Word there went an irreſiſtable Power—He ſpake, and it was done—He cried and behold, He that was dead, Verſe 44th, came forth, bound Hand and Foot with p. 161Grave-cloaths; and his Face was bound about with a Napkin. What a Sight was here! Methinks I ſee Surprize ſit upon each Spectator's Face—As the Body riſes, their Wonder riſes too—See how they Gaze! See how their Looks beſpeak the Language of aſtoniſhed Hearts; and all with a Kind of ſilent, but expreſſive Oratory, ready to ſay, What Manner of Man is this? Surely this is the Meſſiah that was to come into the World. How did the Hearts of Martha and Mary, as we may very well ſuppoſe, leap for Joy! How were they now aſhamed of themſelves, for charging Jeſus fooliſhly, and taxing him with Unkindneſs, for not coming to prevent their Brother's dying! It is true Chriſt ſuffered him to die, but behold he is now alive again! For Jeſus never denies us one Thing, but he intends to give us ſomething better in the Stead of it.—Think you not that Martha and Mary were now the moſt officious to obey our bleſſed Lord's Command, viz, Looſe him and let him go? That ſame Power that raiſed Lazarus from the Dead, might have alſo taken off the Grave-cloaths from him—But Jeſus Chriſt never did, and never will work a needleſs Miracle: Others could unlooſe his Grave-cloaths, but Jeſus alone cou…d unlooſe the B…nds of Death.—And now perhaps ſome may be ready to aſk, what News hath Lazarus brought from the other World? But ſtop, O Man, p. 162thy vain Curioſity! It is forbidden, and therefore uſeleſs Knowledge—The Scriptures are ſilent concerning it—Why ſhou'd we deſire to be wiſe above what is written? It becomes us rather to be wholly employed in adoring the gracious Hand of that gracious Redeemer who raiſed him from the Dead, and to ſee (now we have heard the Hiſtory) what Improvement we can make of ſuch a remarkable and inſtructive Tranſaction—Would to God, that my preaching upon this Reſurrection of Lazarus To-day, may have the ſame bleſſed Effects upon you, as the Sight of it had upon ſome of the Standers-by—For we are told, Verſe 45th, Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had ſeen the Things which Jeſus did, believed on him—A profitable Viſit this! The Beſt no Doubt that they ever paid in their Lives—And this was in Anſwer to our Saviour's Prayer, but becauſe of the People that ſtand by, I ſaid it, that they may believe that thou haſt ſent me. And one wou'd imagine, that all who ſaw this Miracle, were induced, thereby, really to believe on him—But alas! I could almoſt ſay, that I could tell you of a greater Miracle, than raiſing Lazarus from the Dead—And what is that? Why, that ſome of theſe very Perſons who were on the Spot, inſtead of believing on him, went their Way, Verſe 46th, to the Phariſees, and told them what Jeſus had done—And this p. 163was ſo far from convincing them, that it only excited their Envy, ſtirred up the whole Hell of their Self-righteous Hearts, and made them, from that Day forward, Verſe 53, take Counſel together, to execute what they had long before deſigned, I mean, put the innocent Jeſus to death—See how buſy they are, Verſe 47th, Then gathered the Chief Prieſts and the Phariſees a Council, and ſaid, What do we? For this Man doeth many Miracles—Envy itſelf it ſeems could not deny that—And need they ſay then, What do we, or what ſhou'd we do? Believe on to be ſure, and ſubmit to him; take up the Croſs, and follow him. No, on the Contrary ſay they, Verſe 48th, If we let him thus alone (which they would not have done ſo long, had not God put a Hook in the Leviathan's Jaws) all Men will believe on him—And ſuppoſe they did? Then all Men would be bleſſed indeed, and have a Title to true Happineſs—No, ſay they, then the Romans ſhall come, and take away both our Place and Nation—But were not the Romans come already? Were they not at this Time Tributaries to Caeſar? But they were afraid of the Church as well as the State—They will come and take away our Place, i. e. our Place of Worſhip, and conſequently they look upon Jeſus Chriſt and his Proceedings, and Adherents, as dangerous both to Church and State—This hath been always the Method of Phariſees p. 164and High-Prieſts, when they have been taking Counſel againſt the Lord Jeſus, and his dear anointed Ones—But they need not have been afraid on this Account—For our Saviour's Kingdom neither was, nor is of this World; and the only Way to have preſerved their Place and Na…ion, was to countenance, and as much as in them lay, to have cauſed all to believe on Jeſus—How miſerably were they o…t in their Politicks! The Death of Jeſus, which they thought would ſave, was the grand Cauſe of the utter Deſtruction both of their Place and Nation—And ſo will all Politicks formed againſt Chriſt and his Goſpel end at laſt in the Deſtruction of thoſe that contrived them—But Oh the deſperate Wickedneſs and Treachery of Man's deceitful Heart! Where are the Scribes, where are the Infidels, where are the Letter-learned Diſputers of this World, who are daily calling for a Repetition of Miracles, in order to confirm and evidence the Truth of the Chriſtian Religion? Surely if they believe not Moſes and the Prophets, neither would they believe, though one roſe from the Dead—Here was one raiſed from the Dead before many Witneſſes, and yet … thoſe Witneſſes did by no Means believe on Jeſus—For divine Faith is not wrought in the Heart by moral Perſuaſion (tho' moral … ſuaſion is very often made uſe of as a Means to convey it—) Faith is the peculiar … of p. 165God—No one can come to Jeſus unleſs the Father draw him—And therefore, that I may draw near the Cloſe of this Diſcourſe, let me ſhut up all with a Word of Exhortation.—Come then, ye dead, Chriſtleſs, unconverted Sinners, come and ſee the Place where they laid the Body of deceaſed Lazarus—Behold him dead and laid out, bound Hand and Foot with Grave-cloaths, lock'd up and ſtinking in a dark Cave, with a great Stone placed on the Top of it!—View him again and again—Go nearer to him—Be not afraid—Smell him, and ſee how he ſtinketh—Stop there now, and pauſe a while; and whilſt thou art gazing, O Man, upon the Corpſe of Lazarus, give me leave to tell thee with great Plainneſs, but greater Love, that this dead, bound, entombed, ſtinking Carcaſe, is but a faint Repreſentation of thy poor Soul in its natural State—For whether thou believeſt it or not, thy Spirit which thou beareſt about with thee, ſepulchred in Fleſh and Blood, is as literally dead to God, and as truly dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, as the Body of Lazarus was in the Cave—Was he bound Hand and Foot with Grave-cloaths? So art thou bound Hand and Foot with thy Corruptions—And as a Stone was laid on the Sepulchre, ſo is there a Stone of Unbelief laid upon thy ſtupid Heart—Perhaps thou haſt lain in this State, not only four Days, but many Years, ſtinking in God's Noſtrils!—And what p. 166is ſtill more affecting, thou art juſt as unable to raiſe thy ſelf out of this loathſome, dead State, to a Life of Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, as ever Lazarus was to raiſe himſelf from the Cave in which he lay ſo long—Thou mayeſt try the Power of thy own boaſted Free-Will, and the Force and Energy of Moral Perſuaſion and rational Arguments (which, without all Doubt, have their proper Place in Religion) but all thy Efforts, exerted with never ſo much Vigour, will prove quite fruitleſs and abortive, till that ſame Jeſus who ſaid, take away the Stone, and cried, Lazarns come forth, comes by his mighty Power, removes the Stone of Unbelief, ſpeaks Life into thy dead Soul, looſes thee from the Fetters of thy Sins and corruptions, and by the Influences of his bleſſed Spirit, enables thee to go and walk in the Way of his holy Commandments—And Oh that he wou'd now rend the Heavens, and come down amongſt you! Oh that there may be a Stirring among the dry Bones this Day! Oh that whilſt I am ſpeaking and ſaying, dead Sinners, come forth, a Power, even an Almighty Power, might accompany the Word, and cauſe you to emerge and awaken into new Life! And if the Lord ſhou'd vouchſafe me ſuch a Mercy, and but one ſingle Soul in this great Congregation, ſhould ariſe and ſhake himſelf from the Duſt of his natural State, I think, according to the preſent Frame of p. 167my Heart, I ſhould not care if preaching this Sermon here in the Fields, was an Occaſion of haſtening my Death, as raiſing Lazarus, haſtened the Death of my bleſſed Maſter. For, methinks, Death in ſome Reſpects is more tolerable, than to ſee poor Sinners Day by Day lying ſepulchred dead and ſtinking in Sin! Oh that you ſaw how loathſome you are in the Sight of God, whilſt you continue in your natural State! I believe you wou'd not ſo contentedly hug your Chains, and refuſe to be …et at liberty—Methinks I ſee ſome of you affected at this Part of my Diſcourſe—What ſay you? Are there not ſome here ready to complain, alas, we have ſome Relations preſent, who are ſo notoriouſly wicked, that they not only hug their Chains, but make a Mock of Sin, and ſtink not only in the Sight of God, but Man—Dear Hearts! you are ready to urge this, as a Reaſon why Jeſus will not raiſe them, and think it hard, perhaps, that Jeſus does not come, in anſwer to your repeated Groans and Prayers, to convert and ſave them—But what Jeſus ſaid unto Martha, I ſay unto you—Believe, and you ſhall yet ſee the Glory of God—Look not down ſo much, nor think it a Thing incredible, that God ſhould raiſe their dead Souls—Oh think not hard of Jeſus for delaying an Anſwer to your Prayers—Aſſure yourſelves he heareth you always—And who knows but this Day Jeſus p. 168may viſit ſome of your dear Relations Hearts, upon whoſe Account you have travai…led in Birth …till Chriſt be formed in them?—You have already ſympathized with Martha and Mary, in their Do…bts and Fears: Who knows but you may alſo be Partakers of that Joy which their dear Souls experienced, when they received their riſen Brother into their longing Arms—Oh Chriſtleſs Souls, you do not know what Grief your Continuance in Sin Occaſions your godly. Relations! You do not know how you grieve the Heart of Jeſus—I beſeech you give him no freſh Cauſe to weep over you upon Account of your Unbelief—Let him not again groan in his Spirit, and be troubled—Behold how he has loved you, even ſo as to lay down his Life for you—What could he do more? I pray you therefore, dead Sinners, come forth—Ariſe, and ſup with Jeſus—This was an Honour conferred on Lazarus; and the ſame Honour awaits you—Not that you ſhall ſit down with him perſonally in this Life, as Lazarus did, but you ſhall ſit down with him at the Table of his Ordinances, eſpecially at the Table of the Lord's Supper, and e're long ſit down with him in the Kingdom of Heaven—Happy, thrice happy ye who are already raiſed from ſpiritual Death, and have an Earneſt of an infinitely better and more glorious Reſurrection already in your Hearts—You know a little how delightful it p. 169muſt have been to Martha, and Mary, and Lazarus, to ſit down with the bleſſed Jeſus here below—But how infinitely more delightful will it be, to ſit down, not only with Mary and Martha, but with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and all your other dear Brethren and Siſters, in the Kingdom of Heaven—Do you not long for that Time, when Jeſus ſhall ſay unto you, Come up hither? Well, bleſſed be God, yet a little while and that ſame Jeſus, who cried with a loud Voice, Lazarus come forth, ſhall with the ſame Voice, and with the ſame Power, ſpeak unto all that are in their Graves, and they ſhall come forth—That all who hear …he this Day may be then enabled to lift up their Heads and rejoice, that the Day of their com…leat Redemption is indeed fully come, may …eſus Chriſt grant for his infinite Mercy's …ake, Amen, and Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · George Whitefield, Five Sermons (1746)