and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 171 When Jefus heard that, he laid, This ficknefs is not unto death: words which were doubtlefs carried to Martha and Mary, and muft ftrangely furprife them, and exercife both their's and his difciples faith ; fince it is probable, that before the meffenger arrived atBethany, Lazarus had expired. Soon after, JESUS pofitively af- fured his difciples, that Lazaruswas dead. St. Luke, in the beginning of his ac- count, tells us, that JESUS loved Martha, and her fitter, and Lazarus ; and that after he had received the meffage, he abode two days in the fame place where he was. His defign in this might be to infinuate, that his lingering fo long after the meffage came, did not proceed from a want of concern for his friends, but happened ac- cording to the counfels ofhis own wifdom: for the length of time which Lazarus lay in the grave, put his death beyond all poflibility of doubt, removed every fufpi- cion of fraud, and confequently afforded JEsus a fit opportunity of difplaying the love he bore to Lazarus, as well as his own almighty power, in his undoubted refurreftion from the dead. His filters, indeed, were by this means kept a while in painful anxiety, on account of their brother's life, and at laft pierced by the forrow of feting him die : yet they muft furely think themfelves abundantly recom- penfed, by the evidence accruing to the gofpel from this allonifhing miracle, as well as by the inexpreffible furprife of joy they felt, when they again had their bro- ther reftored from the dead. At the expiration of two days, JEsus faid to his difciples, Let us go into Judea again, John xi. 7. His difciples were aftonifhed at this propofal, and the recol- le&ion of his late danger in that country alarmedthem : Matter, faid they, the yews of latefought to ftone thee; and goof thou thither again? Wilt thou hazard thy life amongft thofe who defired nothing more than to find an opportunityof killing thee ? .7efus anfwered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, 2 he !tumbled: not, becaufe he feetit the light of this world : but if a man walk in the night, heftumbleth, becaufe there is no light in him. Thus he intended to inform his difciples, that they had no reafon to fear, feeing his day was appointed, and the light of the Almighty was in him ; that he could not (tumble nor fall, before the night of his paffion approached, but that night was coming when no man could work. JEsus having thus removed their groundlefsappre- henfions, and ffrengthened their faith, that he might clearly explain to them the caufe ofhis going into Judea again, told them, Ourfriend Lazarusfleepeth; but Igo, that Imay awake him out offleep. The difciples underftanding his difcourfe in a literal fenfe, replied; ,Lord, ifhe fleep, he(hall do well; his diftemper is abated, and he in all pro - bability is recovering. It would be, there- fore, highly unreafonable in us to take two days journey only to awake him out of his fleep. Thus they covered their fears, and hinted to their Mailer, that it would be far fafer to continue where they were, than to take a hazardous journey into Ju- dea. They were, however, miftaken ; for the evangelift informs us, that he fpake of his death, but they thought, that he had fpoken of taking rejt infleep. Jesus, there- fore, to remove any doubts, faid plainly to them, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad foryour fakes, that I was not there, to the intent that you might believe : I am glad for your fakes, that I was not in Judea be- fore he died ; for had I been there, and reftored him to his health, your faith in me, as the Meffiah, muft have wanted the great confirmation it (hall now receive, by your beholding me raife him thus miracu- loufly from the dead. JEsus CHRIST having thus given his difciples a- proof of his divine knowledge, and of the defigns of Providence in the death of Lazarus, added, Neverthele] let us go unto him. Thus JEsus, who could have railed Lazarus without opening his lips, or riling from his feat, leaves his place of
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