§. I.

The general observations are these.

There are in these relations proper circumstances of time and place, and the names and characters of persons. Of the miracle on Jairus’s daughter, the time and place are sufficiently specified by St. Mark and St. Luke. It was soon after his crossing the sea of Galilee, 87after Jesus had cured the men possessed with devils in the country of the Gergesenes, Mark v. 21. And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea. And behold there cometh one of the rulers, &c. Luke viii. 40. And it came to pass, that when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him. And behold there came a man, &c.

The character of the person on whom the miracle was perform’d is particularly described. She is the daughter of a ruler of a synagogue, whose name was Jairus. Matthew says, Ch. ix. 18. There came a certain ruler. Mark, Behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name. Luke: Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was the ruler of the synagogue. And by Mark, she is said to have been of the age of twelve years.

Of the next miracle, related by Luke only, it is said to have been done the day after the cure of the centurion’s servant at Capernaum. The place is the city of Naim, the person is the only son of a widow there. Luke vii. 11, 12. And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Naim.—Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

Of the last miracle related by St. John only, the person on whom it is said to have been done is, Lazarus, of the town of Bethanie, nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off, 88brother of Mary and Martha; friend of Jesus and his disciples; and on occasion of the death of Lazarus, Jesus came up from beyond Jordan to Bethanie, and then retired into a city called Ephraim. Moreover it appears to have been done not long before our Saviour’s death.

This specifying of time, place and names or characters of persons, is an argument of a real story and not a fiction: for, if it had been a fiction, it might have been easily discovered.

2. These miracles were done at the usual place of the residence of those persons, on whom they were performed; a much greater security; in this case, against cheat and imposture, than if they had been done on travellers, who were strangers in the places, where such things are acted on them.

3. They were all very, public miracles, as is apparent from the relation. It may be difficult to say, where there was the greatest concourse; but I am inclined to think, that the company at Lazarus’s resurrection was the fewest; and also, that the company which attended Jesus to the house of Jairus was the greatest concourse of the three. There were not indeed so many present at speaking the word, when his daughter was restored to life. Nor could the young woman’s corpse be brought out of her chamber, and placed before the house, in order to raise her there before all the people, without ostentation; which is entirely unbecoming the character of Jesus: But all the numerous company then attending 89our Lord had full evidence of her death, and of her restoration to life; as has been shewn in part already, and may farther appear presently,