SOME

REASONS

ASSIGNED

For our Saviour's appearing

Chiefly to the

APOSTLES,

After his Resurrection;

And his Manner of Converfing with them, represented.

173

Some Reafons affigned, for our Saviour's appearing chiefly to his Apoftles, after his Refurrection, and his Manner of Converfing with them, reprefented:

IN A

SERMON

Preached at

Westminster - Abbey,

On Eafter-Day, 1718.

ACTS i. 3.

To whom also he fhewed himself alive af ter his Paffion by many infallible Proofs, being feen of them forty Days, and Speaking of the Things pertaining ta the Kingdom of God.

T

IS a just Observation of S. Chry- SERM foftom, that though the Apostles VII. were allowed 2 be prefent with our

Lord,

SERM. Lord, and to behold him, when afcendVII. ing up into Heaven, yet they were not permitted to see him in the A&t of arifing from the Dead; because their Teftimony was requifite, in the one Cafe, to establish our Faith, but not in the other. It was fit, they fhould be Eyewitneffes of his Afcent; elfe, they had not been able to attest the Truth of that Matter of Fact, the Knowledge of which they could not afterwards have attained otherwise than by Revelation: But it was no ways neceffary that they fhould fee him, when he broke loose from the Grave, in order to their bearing witnefs of his Refurrection; fince it was fufficient to that Purpose, if they saw, and conversed with him, after he was rifen. And that they did fo, all the Evangelifts inform us, particularly S. Luke, in the Words of the Text, To whom alfo [i. e. unto the Apostles whom he had chofen, which are the concluding Words of the next preceding Verse] be Shewed himself alive after his Passion, by many infallible Proofs, ling feen of them

forty

forty Days, and fpeaking of the Things per- SERM taining to the Kingdom of God.

The Obfervations I intend to fuggeft from thefe Words, may be reduced un der the three following Heads.

I. Our Saviour's continuing forty
Days upon Earth, after he arofe.

II. His appearing throughout that
time chiefly to his Apoftles. And,

III. The Manner of his fpending his
Time with them; Two Accounts
are given of it in the Text; That
by many infallible Proofs, he con
vinced them of his being returned
to Life; and that he discoursed to
them of things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God.

I. The First Point that may deserve your Attention is, our Saviour's Conti nuance upon Earth for forty Days after he arofe.

That

VII: