And now the hour of our Saviour’s performing this long-expected miracle, is come. Verse 43. “When he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, _Lazarus_, come forth.” With the word there went an irresistible power: he spake, and it was done: he cried, and behold, “He that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave 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 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! 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, “Loose him, and let him go?” That same power that raised _Lazarus_ from the dead, might have also taken 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 could unloose the bands of death.
And now, perhaps, some may be ready to ask, What news hath _Lazarus_ brought from the other world! But stop, O man, thy vain curiosity! It is forbidden, and therefore useless knowledge. The scriptures are silent concerning it. Why should we desire to be wise above what is written? It becomes us rather to be wholly employed in adoring the gracious hand of that mighty 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 the 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 45. “Then many of the _Jews_ who 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 who stand by, I said it, that they may believe, that thou hast sent me.” One would imagine, that all who saw this miracle, were induced thereby, really to believe on him: But alas! I could almost say, that I can 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 to the Pharisees, and told them what JESUS had done.” verse 46. It was 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, “take counsel together,” to execute what they had long before designed, to put the innocent JESUS to death. See how busy they are, verse 47. “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 should we do? Believe in, to be sure, and submit to him; take up the cross, and follow him. No; on the contrary, say they, verse 48. “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 _Cæsar_? But they were afraid of the church as well as the state: “They will come and take away our place,” our place of worship: and consequently, they look upon JESUS CHRIST and his proceedings, and adherents, as dangerous both to church and state.