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that our blessed Lord was now touched with the thought of their continued future unbelief, and the miseries it would bring upon them. As they had not admitted a full conviction of his character from the works they had already seen him do, so he foresaw they would not be convinced neither by the great work he was now going to do in raising Lazarus to life, but would after all persist in their obstinate malice and unbelief. And supposing Jesus to have really done those things which are told of him in the gospels, I think no one can deny, but that the hardness of heart which was in that people was matter of just grief to any wise and good man.

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Secondly, observe,' says the author, p. 40. that John 'says, it was with a loud voice, that Jesus called Lazarus 'forth out of his grave.-Was dead Lazarus deafer than 'Jairus's daughter, or the widow's son?' &c.

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It is necessary, when a miracle is wrought for the proof of the character or divine mission of any person, that it appear to be done by him, and not to be a casual thing. It has been common therefore for all the prophets and extraordinary messengers of God to make use of some external action at the same time that they performed a miracle, though that external action was in itself of no real virtue. When the red sea was to be opened to give a passage for the children of Israel," God said to Moses: Lift up thy rod, and stretch thine hand over the sea, and divide it," Exod. xiv. 16. And when they had passed through, “ God said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians," ver. 26. The "stretching the hand" did not divide the sea, but the divine power that accompanied that action. Nevertheless the action was of great use to convince the people, that the dividing or returning of the waters, which immediately followed thereupon, was not a casual, natural event, but that God was with Moses their leader. The same thing may be said of any other external actions made use of by Moses, or other ancient prophets. Jesus in like manner, when he intended a miracle, sometimes laid his hands on the person to be cured; or else said, Be thou clean, be thou healed, or used some such other words; that the people might be assured, that the cure was wrought by him, and might believe that God had sent him. For this reason, when he raised Jairus's daughter," he took her by the hand," and said unto her, "Damsel, arise." And when he raised the widow's son at Nain," he said; Young man, I say unto thee, arise." And when he raised Lazarus," he cried with

a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth." There is no absurdity in the loudness of the voice. It well became so solemn and awful an event. When he raised Jairus's daughter, there was no occasion for a loud voice; she being raised to life in the chamber where she lay, where there were no more than five persons present. But at Lazarus's grave a loud voice was not at all improper, when there was by a great multitude of people, that all might know Lazarus was raised to life by Jesus. Whether Jesus spoke with a loud voice when he raised the widow of Nain's son is not related, and we are under no obligation to conjecture. I think, Jesus might speak in what voice he pleased upon such great occasions as these. There can be no cavils formed, but what are at first sight unreasonable.

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Thirdly, because that a miracle should be well guarded against all suspicion of fraud, I was thinking to make it 'an absurdity, that the napkin, before Jesus raised Lazarus, was not taken from his face, that the spectators might behold his mortified looks, and the miraculous change of 'his countenance from death unto life,' p. 41. This wise objection is repeated again in the Jew's letter. But how'ever this was, they [the spectators] could not but take no⚫tice of the napkin about his face all the while; which Jesus, to prevent all suspicion of cheat, should have first ordered 'to be taken off, that his mortified countenance might be viewed before the miraculous change of it to life was ' wrought,' p. 51, 52.

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The napkin over Lazarus's face is one proof that he was supposed by his friends to be dead, when they buried him. Do not all civilized people out of decency cover the face of a corpse with a napkin, or some such other thing, as well as the other parts of it? If any one had been sent into the sepulchre by Jesus, before he commanded Lazarus forth, it might have given ground of suspicion that the person had been ordered in to see whether Lazarus was alive, and capable to come out of himself, and concur with the command pronounced to come forth. Or it might have been pretended, that he went in to daub his face with some juices that might make him look like a mortified corpse. Any meddling with the body beforehand might have caused some suspicion, but now there was none at all. And the napkin is a circumstance I am very glad St. John did not forget. It very much corroborates other proofs of Lazarus's real death.

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Fourthly and lastly, Observe, St. John says, ver. 45, "" that many of the Jews, who had seen the things that Jesus

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did here, believed on him; and some of them," ver. 46, who "did not believe, went their ways to the pharisees, and 'told them what things Jesus had done" in this pretended 'miracle, and how the business was transacted,' p. 41.

It is true, that some went to the pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. But it does not follow that they were persons who did not believe. They did not indeed believe Jesus to be the Christ, as many other Jews did hereupon; but they believed the miracle, and knew it, and went and told the pharisees of it. That these persons told the pharisees of a miracle done by Jesus, is evident from the speeches of the pharisees upon occasion of the report brought them, ver. 47. “Then gathered the chief priests and the pharisces a council, and said, What do we? for this man doth many miracles."

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Mr. W. goes on, p. 42, Whereupon the chief priests and pharisees were so far incensed as, ver. 53, "from that day forth they took counsel together to put him to death; and, chap. xii. 10, consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death. Jesus therefore," (and his disciples and Lazarus fled for it, for they) ver. 54, “walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence into a country near to the wilderness," (a convenient hiding place,)" and 'there continued with his disciples;" otherwise in all probability they had been all sacrificed.'

I must take leave to observe, that it is no where said that Lazarus absconded or fled for it: nor is there any account of the pharisees having at this time any design against Lazarus. Afterwards when Jesus came again to Bethany, we find that Lazarus was then at home. And many of the Jews came thither, "not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted, that they might put Lazarus to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus," John xii. 9, 10, 11. Lazarus therefore did not abscond, but was at Bethany; and the miracle wrought on him was so certain, that many for that reason believed on Jesus. And the reason why the pharisees consulted that they might put Lazarus to death, was not because any imposture was detected, but because the miracle was too clear to be denied, and induced great numbers of the Jews, even followers of the pharisees, to go away from them, and believe in Jesus.

But this retirement of Jesus with his disciples into a country near the wilderness is judged so mighty an objection, that it is repeated again in the Jew's letter.

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did Jesus and his disciples, with Lazarus, run away and abscond upon it? Is there not here a plain sign of guilt and fraud? Men that have God's cause, truth and power on their side, never want courage and resolution to stand 'to it,' p. 44.

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The judgments of men are surely very unfair and unequal. When any of the first Christians are observed to have been too forward in exposing themselves, they are represented as a company of mad men, and hot-headed enthusiasts. Jesus now for avoiding a danger is taxed with want of' courage ' and resolution;' nay his retirement for only a very short time is termed, a plain sign of guilt and fraud.' Thus the desire of serving a present low purpose prevails over all the regards of justice and equity.So hard is it, (as Socrates observed,) though you are free from all fault to escape 'unfair judges.' "But wisdom is justified of her children."

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It might be sufficient here to remind men of Christ's returning in a short time to Bethany again, and appearing publicly at Jerusalem, and teaching in the temple. But let us at present observe only this history of his raising Lazarus from the grave. When Jesus heard of the sickness of Lazarus, he was in the country beyond Jordan, John x. 40, and when he proposed to his disciples " to go into Judea again," they remembering the attempts of the Jews against him, endeavour all they can to divert him from the journey. "His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again?" chap. xi. 8. Jesus then argues with them, that they need not apprehend any danger to him as yet. "These things said he, and after that saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep," ver. 11. They from thence take occasion to argue again, that then their journey to Bethany was not needful: "Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well." After that he tells him that Lazarus was dead, and declares his resolution to go to Bethany: "nevertheless let us go unto him." Whereupon Thomas filled with a kind of indignation that Jesus should have no more concern for himself nor them, than to expose them all to certain death, but at the same time sensible of his duty to follow him, says to his fellow-disciples; "Let us also go that we may die with him," ver. 16.

* Χαλεπον δε και αναμαρτήτως τι ποιήσαντας μη αγνωμονι κριτη περιτυXav. Apud Xenophon, Memor. 1. 2.

b Or perhaps, there was no indignation in his mind, but only a warm affection, which disposed him to go with Jesus, and to call upon the other disciples to do so likewise, whatever the danger was.

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So that our blessed Lord, when he was in a place of safety, resolved to come to Bethany near Jerusalem, for the sake of Lazarus: and herein showed great courage and resolution. And what is there, I pray, blamable in his retiring again to some distance from Jerusalem, when he had performed the business for which he came into its neighbourhood?

CHAP. II.

ANSWER TO THE JEWISH RABBI'S LEtter.

We are now come to the letter of Mr. W.'s Jewish Rabbi, whom Mr. W. calls his friend, and says his letter 'consists of calm and sedate reasoning,' p. 55. I on the other hand can see no reason in it. But the reader shall not need to rely upon my judgment. Therefore I will transcribe some parts of it, and then make some remarks. The argument of the letter is, that the story of Lazarus's being raised is an imposture; or else the Jews could not have been so wicked as to be on that account provoked against Jesus and La

zarus.

If there had been an indisputable miracle wrought in 'Lazarus's resurrection, why were the chief priests and ' pharisees so incensed upon it, as to take counsel to put Jesus and Lazarus to death for it?' p. 43.

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The reason is very evident; because that by reason of it many of the Jews went away," deserted the proud pharisees," and believed on Jesus," John xii. 10.

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If,' says he, historians can parallel this story of the malignity of the Jews towards Jesus and Lazarus upon 'such a real miracle with thing [things] equally barbarous and inhuman in any other sect and nation; we will acknowledge the truth of it against our own nation or if such inhumanity, abstractedly considered, be at all agreeable to the conceptions any one can form of human nature, in the most uncivilized and brutish people, we will allow our ancestors in this case, to have been that people.-And 'he promises to make it out as foolish and wicked an im" posture as ever was contrived and transacted in the world that it is no wonder the people by an unanimous voice, 'called for the releasement of Barabbas, a robber and murderer, before Jesus,' p. 46, 53, 54.

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The demand made of a parallel of the malignity of the.

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