21 Then ſaid Martha unto Jeſus, Lord, if thou hadſt been here, my brother had not died -. |
s Mary, wer. 32. ſaith the ſamz, They were both in an Error, for Lazarus his death was appointed, and determined by an Eternal Counſel ; and he was both Sick, and died for a wiſe end, that God might be glorified, and his Son glorified in raiſing him from the dead 3 as we are before told ver. 44 Bur it lets us ſee the vanity of our Natures ; who in the loſs of our Friends, are ready to think, if ſuch or ſuch means had been uſed, we had not loſt our Friends ; ne- ver conſidering our days are appointed, and we cannot pals the num- ber of them. If any rationa}, probable means for continuing their Lives be omitted, that alſo is not without the Counſel of God, who having determined the iſſue, . concealeth diſeaſes, or the true, and proper means for their cure, from Phyſicians, or ſuch as are about the Sick Perſoas. Nor did Martha ind Mary fail in this only, but in that, thy made the Lerd's preſence neceſſary to the preſerving of che Life of their Brother 3 who had he pleaſed, could (tho abſent ) have kept him from Death.
22 But I know, that even now whatſoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give :t theew. w She ſhewed ſome unbelief in her former words, but here again ſhe ſheweth her Faich, but not without ſome weakneſs mixed hy her Faith ; for by theſe words ſhe ſeemeth not to be ſatisfied, that the fulneſs of rhe Godhead dwelt in Chriſt, and that he was [aqua with the Father, and able by his own Power to raiſe the dead ; Her Faith extendeth no farthee than a belief, that he was im ſo much favour with God, that if he would pleaſe to intercede with God, he would reſtore her Brother to Life ; this ſhe meaneth, tho the raiſing of perfons from the dead, was a thing fo rar2, and unuſual, that ſhe dareth not ro mention that particular thing, the uppermoſt in her thoughts.
23 Jeſus ſaith unto her, Thy brother ſhall riſc again v.
x Chriſt takes no notice of Martha's failings before-mentioned, ( He can have compaſſion upon-his peoples Infirmities ) but appliert himſelf roche reliet of her under her aflition, He doth nor rel! her, that her Brother ſhould be raiſed to Life preſently, nor th he would do it; but only faich, He fhad riſe azain: To ler us know, that a belief of the genera] ReſurreQion is enough, and onght 70 be improved by ns, to curb our immoderate mourning and Yaſtoi:s for thoſe of our Friends who are dead in the Lord.
again in the ReſurreQton at the laſt day y.
y From hence we learn, that the general Reſurrec | is no novel DoQtrih ; Job believedir, Job 19. 25, 27. Daniet pubiift ed ir, Chap. 12.1, The Phariſees owned it, tho the Sadducces dent ed ir; and poſſibly rhe Phariſ:es had bur a confuled Notion of tr, Martha here makes it an Article of her Faith.
25 Jeſus ſaid unto her, I am the reſurreFion aad the * life z: * he that believeth in me,tho he were dead, 'yet ſhall he live a.
\* 2 Martha by her ſpeech ſeemed not to have a true Notion, of | Chriſt,ſhe belizverh that there ſhould be a general Reſurre&ion from 'the dead in the laſt day, by the mighty Power of (rod ; bur ſhe did .not truly underftand, whar influence Chrift had upon this Reſur- \re&ion, that the raiſing of the Dead, ſhould be the peculiar work of
2.4 Martha ſaid unto him *, I know that he ſhal' riſe . -
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18 (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jeruſalem, || abont | 7+: «,
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But poſſibly, It 15 betrer judged by others,that Chriſt was not yer come | Chrift, not without the Father, but as he was Ordained by the Fa nto Bethany, bur only to the place where he met 3/ar:ha ; becauſe 'ther, to be the Judge of the Quick and of the Dead. Chriſt doth x1 faid after this, wer. 30. That Feſus was not yer come into the ; therefore here further inſtru& her, and tel} her, He was the Reſur
own, but was in that place where Martha met him ; which it is _ was at Lazarns's Sepulcher, out of the Town, but near it, - al the 7ew;ſb Burying-places were ) where he heard from the —_ of Martha, how long Lazarss had been Buried. Our Saviour
uid have come ſooner had hepleaſed, for tho Bethabara was on the Other fide of 7ordan, { ſo may give any credit to thoſe
| ref#i0n ; where ( as 15 uſual in Scripture ) the Ff2@ 1s pur ſor the | Cauſe : 1am the Reſurre#icn ; 15 no more, than I am, and ſhall bs, 'the Principal Cauſe of the Reſarrefion: The Dead ſhall hear the | Voice of the Son of God, Chap. 5. 28, He alſo adds, ana the Life, | That is, the cauſe of Life; both that Life which the Dead ſhajl
out of the Confines of 7udea) yet if we.|in the RelurreQion recover, and alſo that Ererna! Life w hich ity ( who have laboured in the ſtudy of places, | ſhall follow. « And whofoever looketh upon me in that Not! 3 about forr miles off Jeruſalewr, ſo as it could not be ſix miles |
on, and commitreth himſelf unto me, tho he doth dye, yet he
"WY ns, , Which our Saviour could have travelled in a l&i6 time | ſhall Riſe agairt, and Live Eternaly; and this Power being 12 Our or five days. Some think Lazary: died the ſame day news; me, I am to be tyed to the laſt day, bur have a Power when I
«me to Chriſt of his Sickneſs ; after which we read ver. $5. that he
pleaſe to Raiſe the Deaq. Our Saviour indeed hath more in his
md not of two days ; after which it- was vers 7, that he took |Anſwer than reſpeRted the preſent caſe, bur there was nothing _
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than 19: 41 Gf les to raiſe Up the hearts of his peo- - dork 1m (hi place raiſe Martha beyond the
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(Hover ol a Fieturreflion of I1-r Brother $ Body to a Natural Lite, to grin ot a Soirttual 2nd Erernal Life.
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* the that l»tore proved himſeif to be the ReſurrefFion, naw he noveth huntelt to bs 4 Life. Heſaith, he that Liveth a Natural 1 ith be one whorxeceiverh and imbraceth me asthe true Mera, -