CHAPTER XI,

1. BUT there was a certain sick [person] Lazarus, from Bethany, of the village of Mary and Martha her sister.

2. But Mary was she who anointed the LORD with oint ment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick.

3. Then the sisters sent unto Him, saying, LORD, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4. But JESUS hearing, said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of GOD, that the Son of GOD might be glorified by it.

5. But Jesus loved Martha, JESUS and her sister, and Lazarus.

6. When, therefore, He heard that he was sick, then He abode still two days in the place where He was.

7. Then after that He saith to the disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

8. The disciples say to Him,

THE INTERNAL SENSE,

THAT the good of life in the church amongst the Gentiles was infested with evils and falses, being in external truth, derived from the affections of good and truth, v. 1.

And that from the affection of good they acknowledged the LORD with love, and from truth grounded in that love had faith in His DIVINE HUMANITY, V, 2,

Therefore they confess to the LORD the infestation under which they labour, and are consoled with the assurance that it would not terminate in their eternal destruction, but would tend only to make more manifest the divine truth of the LORD'S DIVINE HUMANITY, to which the affections of good and truth, and also the good of life thence derived, are conjoined by love, v. 3, 4, 5.

Nevertheless it is necessary that the infestation should continue for a longer period, both as to good and as to truth, before it is removed, after which period preparation is made by the divine good and truth for it's removal, notwithstanding

Rabbi, the Jews just now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again?

9. JESUS answered, Are there not twelve hours of the day? If any one walk in the day, he doth not stumble, because he seeth the light of this world.

10. But if any one walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.

11. These things He said, and after this He saith unto them, Lazarus, our friend, sleepeth; but I go, that I may

awake him.

12. Then His disciples said, Lord, if he sleep, he will be preserved.

13. But JESUS spake of his death, but they thought that He spake of the sleeping of sleep.

14. Then said JESUS to them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15. And I rejoice on your account that I was not there, that ye may believe; but let us go to him.

16. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17. Then JESUS coming, found that he had lain four days already in the sepulchre.

the opposition of false persua sions, v. 6, 7, 8.

On which occasion the church is admonished concerning all the several states of truth, and concerning the necessity of living according to them, since by so doing man escapes all false persuasions, whereas by neglecting to do so, he is ensnared in them, v. 9, 10.

In which latter case the good of the church is immersed in mere natural ideas, whilst it is the divine intention to communicate spiritual ideas, v. 11.

And such natural ideas are supposed to be conducive to spiritual good, whereas the divine truth teaches that, when separated from spiritual ideas, they destroy that good, v. 12, 13, 14.

Nevertheless, out of this de struction the LORD in His DIVINE HUMANITY provides blessing for the church, by confirming the principle of a divine faith, when by diving presence and operation the good is revived, v. 15.

Inspiring thus a desire in those, who are principled in the truths of the church, to experience the same revival, v. 16.

That at the LORD's coming to establish the church, it is discovered that all the good of life is perished, even to the conjunction of the principle of

18. But Bethany was near unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.

19. And many of the Jews came to those about Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20. Then Martha, when she heard that JESUS was coming, went to meet Him; but Mary sat in the house.

21. Then said Martha to JESUS, LORD, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22. But even now I know, that whatsoever thou shalt ask of GoD, GOD will give to thee.

23. JESUS said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day.

25, JESUS said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this?

27. She saith unto Him, Yea, LORD, I believe that thou art the CHRIST, the Son

evil and of what is false, v.

17.

And that even in the vastated church are some, who are made sensible of this mischief, and who attach themselves to the affections of truth and good in order to remedy it, v. 18, 19.

On which occasion they first apply themselves to the LORD's DiVINE HUMANITY under the impulse of the affection of truth, whilst the affection of good is apparently quiescent, v. 20.

Confessing from the former affection, that the destruction of the good of life in the church is a consequence of not cherishing the influence of divine good, and yet convinced that if the divine good be im plored through the DIVINE HUMANITY, in which it dwelleth, the good of life may still be restored, v. 21, 22.

Wherefore they are comforted with the persuasion, instilled by the DIVINE HUMANITY, that the good of life. shall be restored, and this not at the end of the church, but at it's commencement, since the LORD in His DIVINE HUMANITY is the all both of truth and of good in the church, and therefore by faith in Him even they, who were destitute of good, receive good, and if to their faith they join a good life, that good can never perish, v. 23, 24, 25, 26.

Hence the faith of the church in the LORD'S DIVINE HUMANITY is confirmed, to

28. And when she had said these things she went away, and called Mary her sister privately, saying, The Master is come, and calleth thee.

29. As soon as she heard, she arose quickly, and came to Him.

30. But JESUS was not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met Him.

31. The Jews then, which were with her in the house, and comforted her, seeing Mary that she arose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the sepulchre to weep there.

32. Then when Mary came where JESUS was, seeing Him, she fell at His feet, saying unto Him, LORD, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

35. JESUS then, when He saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, groaned in spirit and was troubled.

34. And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto Him, LORD, come and see.

35. JESUS wept.

36. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!

37. But some of them said, Could not this [man], who opened the eyes of the blind,

ledgment that His coming into the world had been predicted,

v. 27.

The affection of good also is excited, under a sense of the divine presence and tenderness, and is elevated to conjunction with the LORD'S DIVINE HUMANITY, v. 28, 29.

Nevertheless, conjunction was not yet wrought with the exterior truths of the church, but only with the affection of truth, and with those who were in the affection of good, and obedient to that affection, v. 30, 31.

Which conjunction produces deep humiliation, together with the acknowledgment of the divinity of the LORD's hu manity, and that the destruction of the good of life in the church is owing to a want of that acknowledgment, v. 32.

Hence the divine compas sion and tenderness is the more excited, together with inquisition into the state of the good of life in the church, v. 33, 34, 35.

Which is regarded by some as a proof of the divine love towards that good, whilst others are perplexed with the thought, that if that good had

43. And saying these things, He cried out with a great voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44. And he that was dead came forth, bound feet and hands with grave-clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin. JESUS saith unto . them, Loose him, and let him go.

been an object of divine regard, it would then have been preserved from destruction, v. 36, 37.

Still the divine compassion applies itself to the state of that good, discovering it to be in an obscure state, in consequence of the prevalence of false persuasions, and therefore first requires that those false persuasions should be removed, v. 38, and part of 29.

Nevertheless they, who are in the affection of truth, think it impossible to restore the good of life, when it is so far destroyed as to be succeeded by the conjunction of what is evil and false; but they are reproved for their want of faith in the divine promise, v. latter part of the 39th, 40.

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Therefore they renounce all false persuasions, on which occasion they are instructed, that the LORD united His humanity to His divinity for the sake of mankind, that they might have access to Him in His humanity thus glorified, or made divine, v. 41, 42, ` ̧

In which humanity He is ever operative by His divine truth, proceeding from His divine good, to vivify in His church the good of life, which being thus vivified, is at first destitute of freedom both internal and external, by reason of the false persuasions with which it was infested, but pre