172 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE .of our BLESSED: LORD of retirement beyond Jordan, and takes a long journey into Judea, where the Jews lately attempted to kill him ; 'becaufe his being prefent in perfon, and railing Lazarus again to life, before fo many witneffes at Bethany, where he died, and was fo well known, would be the means of bringing the men of that, and of future ages, to believe in hisdoilrine, fo well fitted to prepare them for a refurrefionto eternal life ; an admirable proof, as an emblem of which, he gave -them in this miracle. Our Lord having thus declared'his re- folution of returning into Judea, and Thö- mas conceiving nothing lets than deflruaion from fuch a journey, yet unwilling to for fake his Maker, raid, Let As allo go, that we may die with him. 'Let us not forfake our Maker in this dangerous journey, but accompany him into Judea, that if the Jews, whole inveteracy we are well ac- quainted with, fhoúld take away his life, we may allo die with 'him. This journey being thus refolved on, Jesus departed with his difciples, and in his way to Bethany, paired through Sama- ria and Galilee: And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which flood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and Paid, .7fus, Mailer, have mercy on us. And when he fat, them, he maid unto them, Gothewyour felves unto the priefis. And it came to pafs, that as they went, they were cleanfed. Luke xvii. is, &c. One of theme miferable objeas, was a native of the country, who perceiving that his cure was completed, came back praifing God for the great mercy he had received; he had before kept at a diflance from our Saviour, but being now fenfible that he was entirely clean, approached his benefafor, that all might have an oppor- tunity of beholding the miracle, and fell on his face at his feet, thanking him in the molt humble manner, for his condefcen- fion in, healing him of fo terrible a difeafe. Jesus,, in order to intimate, that thofe who were enlightened with the knowledge of 3 the truth, ought, at leak, to have.íhewn as great a fenfe of'piety and gratitude as this Samaritan, alked, Were there notten cleasfèd, but whereare the nine ? There are notfound that have returned to give glory to God, fave this franger. Our Saviour and his difciples now -con- tinued their journey towards Bethany, where he was informed by -come of the inha- bitants of that village, that Lazarus- was not only dead, as he had foretold, hut lad now lain in the grave four days. The af- fliled filters were overwhelmed with for- row: fo that many of the Jews from Jeru- falem, came to comfort them on the oc,craion. It appears, the news of our Lord's coming had reached Bethany, before he arrived at that village ; for Martha, the filter of Lazarus, being informed of his approach, went out and met him, but Mary who was of a more fedate and contemplative difpofitienv, fat kill in the houfe, No fooner was -Ilse come into the pretence of Jesus, than, in excels of grief, fhe poured forth her complaint: Lord, faid the, if thou had/ been here, my brother had not died. If thou hadit complied with the meffage we fent thee, I well know that thy interefl frpm heaven had prevailed, my brother had been cured of his difeafe, and delivered from the dark chambers of death. Martha entertained a high' opinion of our Saviour's power; the believed that death did not dare to approach his pre- fence ; and, confequently, if Jesus had arrived at Bethany before her brothers difrolution, he had not fallen a vilim to the king of terrors: but imagined, that it was not in his power to heal the lick at a dilance, though, at the fame time, the feemed to have.fome dark and impete feel hopes, that our Welled Lord would kill do fomething for her: But I know, Paid the, that even now, whatfoever thou wilt afk of God, God will give it thee. She thought that JESUS could obtain whatfo- ever he defred by prayer, and, therefore, did
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