and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &C. 1.qg confequently demonftrated, beyond all ex- ception, that Lazarus had been dead feve- raI days, before JESUS called him again to life. Betides, in ftripping him, the linen offered, both to their eyes and fmell, abun- dant proofs of his putrefafion ; and, by that means, convinced them that he had not been in a trance, but was really dead; on the other hand, by his lively counte- nance appearing, when the napkin was re- moved, his frefh colour, and his aaive vigour, they who came near and handled him, mutt be convinced, that he was in perfeét health, and had an opportunity of proving the truth of the miracle, by the clofeft examination. There is fome- thing extremely beautiful in our Lord's behaviour on this occafion ; he did not utter one upbraiding word, either to the doubting fillers, or the malicious Jews, nor did he let fall one word of triumph or exultation : Loofe him, and let him go, were the only words we have recorded he was in this, as on all other occafions, confiftent with himfelf, a pattern of per- fell humility and felf- denial. Such was the bleflèd work wrought by the Son of God at Bethany ; and in the refurrefion of Lazarus thus corrupted, and thus raifed by the powerful call of Jesus, we have a firiking emblem, and a glorious earnefl of the refurreftion of our bodies from the grave at the lati day ; when the fame powerful mandate, which fpoke Lazarus again into being, thall col- Ie& the fcattered particles of our bodies, and raife them to life. So- aftonifhing a miracle performed in the neighbourhood ofJerufalem, before a multitude of fpeétators, many of them his enemies, could not fail of being the com- mon topic of converfation, and of pro- ducing different effefs upon different per- fons. Many believed that Jesus could be no other than the great Meffiah fo long promifed; while others, who Rill expelled a temporal prince, and therefore unwilling to acknowledge him for their Saviour, were filled with indignation, particularly the chief priefls and elders. But this mi- racle, as well as all the refl. he had wrought in confirmation ofhis million, was too evi- dent to be denied ; and, therefore, they pretended that his whole intention was to ellablith a new fell in religion, which would endanger both their church and na- tion: Then gathered the chiefpriefis and the Pharifees a council, and faid, What do we? for this man doth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans Jhall come and take away both our place and nation. The common people aflonithed at his miracles, will; if we do not take care to prevent it, certainly fet him up for the Mefliah; and the Romans, under pretence of a rebellion, will deprive us both of our liberty and religion. Accordingly, they came to a refolution to put him to death : this refolution was not, however, unani- mous ; for Nicodemus, Jofeph of Arima- thea, and other difciples of our Saviour, then members of the council, urged the injuffice of what they propofed to do, from the confideration of his miracles and innocence : but Caiaphas the high prieft, from a principle of human policy, told them, that the nature of govermn't"nt often required certain alts of injuftice, in order to procure the fafety of the ítate : Ye know nothing at all, nor confider that it is expedient for us, that one man fhould die for the people, and that the whole nation perk not. The council now having determined to put Jesus to death, deliberated, for the future, only upon the heft methods of ef- feling it ; and, in all likelihood, agreed to iffue a proclamation, prornifing a re- ward to any perfon who would deliver him into their hands. For this reafon, our blef- fed Saviour did not now go up to Jerufa- lem, though he was within two miles of ofit ; but returned to Ephraim, a city on the borders of the wildernefs, where ho abode with his difciples, being unwilling to go too far into the country, becaufe the paff, over, at which he wasto fuffer, was at hand: While
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