01 N not. I Glad tidings thefe of great joy. This fhould comfort us concerning our deceafed, pious relations, that ere long they fhall rife again, and foul and body be for ever with the LORD. Howbeit JESUS fpake here of an immediate refurrection, though he did not speak plainly: For CHRIST loves to exercife the faith and patience of his difciples, and frequently leaves them to find out his meaning by degrees. It is beft for us in our prefent ftate, that it fhould be fo. In heaven it will be otherwise. "Thy brother, (fays CHRIST to Martha) fhall rise again." She might immediately have replied, When, LORD? But the fetches a circuit as it were, and labours to find out the mind of JESUS by degrees.I know, fays fhe, that he fhall rife again at the refurrection of the laft day." Thefe words feem to imply, that the had fome diftant thought of our LORD's defign to raise her brother now, and that the spoke thus only to draw our Saviour to fpeak, and tell her plainly whether he meant to do fo or Thofe who are acquainted with JESUS, are taught an holy art by the bleffed Spirit, in dealing with their bleffed mafter. know, fays the, he fhall rife again at the refurrection of the laft day," (a notable proof this, by the way, that the pious Jews believed the refurrection of the body). It is juft the fame as though she had faid, LORD, doft thou mean that my brother fhall rife again before that time? Our Saviour wifely keeps off from giving her a direct anfwer, but chufes rather to preach to her heart. JESUS faid unto her, I am the refurrection and the life: He that believeth in me, though he vetime, were dead, yet fhall he live." On this Martha's faith, if in exercife, might take hold. O glorious words! How encouraging to you poor finners lying in your blood! Though you are dead in trefpaffes and fins, and might justly be condemned to die the second death, yet if you believe on the LORD JESUS you fhall live. He adds, " And whosoever believeth in me fhall never die," never die as to their fouls, never die eternally, and confequently never finally fall away from GOD. This is an encouraging foul-comforting declaration for you, O believers, who are thus kept, as it were, in a garrifon, by the mighty power of GOD, through faith, unto falvation! "Believeft thou this?" fays CHRIST to Martha, verse 26. What avail all the many great and precious promifes of the gofpel, unless they are applied and brought home in particular to each of our fouls? H 2 མ། fouls? The word does not profit unless it is mixed with faith. We therefore do well, when we are reading CHRIST's words,' to put this question to ourselves Omy foul, believeft thou this? And well would it be for us, if upon putting this queftion to burlelves, we could with the fame holy confidence, and in the fame delightful frame, fay with Martha, verfe 27. Yea, LORD: I believe that thou art the CHRIST, the Son of GOD, which fhould come into the world." This I think is a direct confeffion of our LORD's divinity. How full was Her heart when the fpoke thefe words! I am perfuaded it burnt within her. What a divine warmth had the contracted by talking with Jesus! How does the long that her fifter might thare in her holy joy! For when the had so faid, verfe 28. The went away; full of love, no doubt, and called Mary her fifter, as all will labour to call their near relations, who have felt the LORD JESUS to be the refurrection and the Life themfelves. But Martha took care, in the midst of her Zeal as we thould always do) to behave with prudence; and therefore the called her fifter fecretly, faying, The mafter is come, and calleth for thee." The mafter is come. She need fay ho more Mary knew very well whom he meant. For holy fouls cafily understand one another when talking of their mafter Jesus. The divine Herbert used to delight (when speaking of JESUS) to fay, "My Mafter;" perhaps he learned it of Martha, who faid here, The Mafter is come, and calleth for thee!"But what is this thou fayeft, Martha? The Mafter is come,' and calleth for thee? Surely a woman of thy exalted piety will not tell a deliberate lie, and in order to faidace thy filter to come to Jesus, acquaint her that Jesus called her, when indeed he did not. Thou needest not put thyfelf to fuch an expence, or do fo much evil, that good may come of it. Only mention JESUS to Mary, and let her Know for a certainty that the Malter is indeed come, and I ach am' perfuaded the will fit no longer. Martha no doubt knew, and therefore I cannot judge her as fome do, as though in her hafte the faid what was not true. For JESUS might bid her to call her fifter, though it be not directly mentioned in this chapter. And it is very probable, that our LORD did enquire after Mary, because the ufed to take fuch great delight in fitting at his feet, and hearing the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth." 19de The Mafter is come (faith Martha Martha to her fifter) and calleth for thee. And fo fay Ito all poor finners, JESUS, your LORD and Master, your Prince and Saviour, is come, come unto this dowern world and is come this day in his word, and by me, who, am lefs than the leaft of all his fervants, and calleth for you. O that he may also come in the demonstration of the Spirit, and by his mighty power bow your stubborn hearts and wills to obey the call, as holy Mary did.; Sift cal smo: bluedt dɔidw 700 to For we are told, verfe 29. When then beard that, the rose quickly, and came to JESUS," Sinners, when will you do fo? Or why do you not do fo? How know you whether JESUS will call for you any more, before he calls you by death to judgment? Linger, Q linger no longer. Fly, Ay for your lives. Arife quickly, and with Mary come to JESUS. She obeyed the call fo very fpeedily, that her hafte was taken notice of by her vifitors. "The Jews, then, who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they faw Mary that fhe rofe up haftily (without any ceremony at all) and went out, followed her, faying, he goeth to the grave, to weep there." How wifely does our LORD. permit and order all this, to bring the Jew: out to behold the wonderful miracle that he was about to perform! Little did Mary and the fews think for what end they were thus providentially led out. But when JESUS hath work to be done, he will bring fouls to the place where he intends to call them, in fpite of men or devils. But how does Mary behave when the comes to JESUS? We may be allured, not without great bymility. No wonder then we are told, verfe 32. that when The faw him, the immediately fell down at his feet 63 place Mary had been used to, and in an agony of grief, fays, as her fifter had done before her) LORD, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Poor Mary Her concern was great indeed. Though he was a holy woman, he could not well bear the lofs of her brother. She knew very well, that the world would miss him, and no doubt he had been, a kind and tender brother overcome with However, had we been there, the fight must have affected us. It seems to have affected the vifitors, efpecially the blefled JESUS He, inftead of blaming her, for her tacitly accufing him of unkindness, and for not coming to her brother's relief, pities and fympa ་ 66 to her. But I am afraid fhe was finfully vermuck J H 3 thizes fouls? The word does not profit unless it is mixed with faith. We therefore do well, when we are reading CHRIST's words, to put this question to ourselves; O my foul, believeft thou this? And well would it be for us, if upon putting this queftion to burlelves, we could with the fame holy confidence, and in the fame delightful frame, fay with Martha, verfe 27. Yea, LORD: I believe that thou art the CHRIST, the Son of GOD, which fhould come into the world." This I think is a direct confeffion of our LORD's divinity. How full was Her heart when the fpoke thefe words! I am perfuaded it butne within her. What a divine warmth had the contracted by talking with Jesus! How does the long that her fifter might mhare in her holy joy! For when she had so said, verse / 28. The went away;" full of love, no doubt, and called Mary her fifter, as all will labour to call their near relations, Who have felt the LORD JESUS to be the refurrection and the Life themfelves. But Martha took care, in the midit of her Zeal as we thould always do) to behave with prudence; and therefore the called her fifter fecretly, faying, The mafter is come, and calleth for thee." The mafter is come. She need fay ho more Mary knew very well whom he meant. For holy fouls cafily understand one another when talking of their mafter Jesus. The divine Herbert used to delight (when fpeaking of Jesus) to fay, My Mafter;" perhaps he learned it of Martha, who faid here, The Mafter is come, and calleth for thee!"But what is this thou fayeft, Martha? The Mafter is come,' and calleth for thee? Surely a woman of thy exalted piety will not tell a deliberate lie, and in order to induce thy filter to come to Jesus, acquaint her that Jess called her, when indeed he did not. Thou needeft not put thyfelf to fuch an expence, or do so much evils that g may come of it. Only mention JEsUs to Mary, and let her know for a certainty that the Malter is indeed come, and I am' perfuaded the will fit no longer. Martha no doubt knew, and therefore I cannot judge her as fome do, a her hafte the faid what was not true. For Ji her to call her fifter, though it be not dire this chapter. And it is very probable enquire after Mary, becau This in fitting at his feet proceeded out of his good and Saviour, is come, come an For we are told, werk rofe quickly, and came u and order all this, to bring the gto g with od frame ; She ae flinketh: Othelaif ally 'do' we sfall our eye fimply ditead of looking up poring upon her broof unbeliefs, By this Sight of him will only be k our LORD only wanted |