returned to inform Peter and John, what he had feen, and what were her fears on the occafion. These two Apoftles, furprised at the report, ran to the fepulchre with eager hafte, that from their own perfonal inspection they might judge for themselves. They entered the cave, and perceived that their Mafter was not there: yet, as the burial clothes remained, carefully folded up and laid in feparate places, it ap peared that there had been no diforder or tumultuous hurry in his departure. From thefe circumftances, probably, John concluded, that Jefus was indeed revived; though none of the other Apoftles, at that time, had any fuch conceptions. The incidents, already mentioned, excited great wonder in the minds of all the difciples. When they faw that the body was gone, and could affign no reafons for its removal either by friends or enemies, the thought of its refurrection might, poffibly, be suggested to them: yet this was an event, which they had not looked for, and which,, even when direct evidence was offered, they were backward to admit. That evidence we now proceed to ftate. It pleafed God, in condefcenfion to their ignorance and unbelief, to afford them one proof upon another, and fo to overrule their fcruples and objections, as to confirm the important fact by additional and clearer teftimonies. The extreme difficulty, with which they yielded their affent, so as to render these teftimonies neceffàry, fhews that they were incapable of forging the ac count. III. We maintain, that Jefus arose from the dead, on the express and repeated declarations of Angels. Thefe holy fpirits had been employed on former occafions, in miniftering to our Lord, and afferting his high character. Doubtless, at the feafon here referred to, they rejoiced and triumphed, and esteemed it an honour to themselves, to bear witness of his return to life. Several defcriptions of their appear ances Iances for this purpose are given by the Evangelifts, and fuch as at first view may be thought contradictory. But let it only be allowed, which is a reason. able fuppofition, that these heavenly meffengers had a power of being visible or not, at pleasure, and were feen in different forms by different perfons; and the objection of inconfiftency is removed. An Angel, clothed with tranfcendent brightness,. came down to vindicate the credit and dignity of the Saviour: this he did by breaking open his fepulchre, and confounding the guards, who were fet there to prevent his escape and to prove him an impoftor. Two of the women, alfo, who had arrived first at the place, the other Mary and Salome," whom Mary Magdalene had left there, were favoured with a vifion of the Angel, upon their entering into the cave.. To difperfe the terror, into which they were thrown he declared exprefsly, that Jefus, whom they fought,. was rifen according to his own prediction, and invited them to examine the fpot, where he had been interred *. He charged them, likewife, to carry this information to his difciples, and especially to Peter, who having fhamefully fallen, most needed confolation; and he affured them, that their Lord would meet them in Galilee, as he had promifed a little be fore his death. Impreffed with awful reverence by what they had feen and heard, yet at the fame time filled with exceeding joy, they haftened to commu nicate the glad tidings, as they had been directed.. Upon their departure Mary Magdalene, who had' returned to the fepulchre, with Peter and John, remained at the outfide in deep diftrefs: but, while the lamented the lofs of her dear Lord, fhe looked in, and perceived there two Angels in a glorious form, who fat as guards over the place, where Jefus had lain t Mat. xxviii. 5-8. Mar. xvi. 5-8. Mar. xiv. 28. 4 Mary Mary foon afterwards retired, and then came Joanna and the rest of the women, who prepared the fpices for anointing the body; and it is evident, that they then knew nothing of what had happened *. They were aftonifhed, therefore, when they found that the fepulchre had been opened, and that their Lord was gone. Their doubts and perplexities, however, were removed by the declarations of two heavenly fpirits, who appeared to them in human form, and affured them, that Jefus had returned to life again, in completion of his own prophecies. This account was carried to the difciples, and probably reached them, before they had been informed of the other vifions: yet fuch was their incredulity, that they could not entertain a thought of the refurrection, and at first confidered the relations, as no other than fancy and illufion. But we contend, that the evidence, here adduced, is ftrong and unquestionable. The perfons defcribed are credible witneffes of what they faw and heard: nor can their reprefentations, with any confiftency, be ascribed to imagination. The events, which took place, were fuch as they did not look for; and yet they were obliged by many concurrent circumftances to yield their affent. It can never be admitted, that both their eyes and their ears deceived them, or that fo many fhould be impofed upon, in the very fame manner, and at the fame time. Thefe pious women, to whom the important information was firft communicated, were abundantly recompenfed for their zealous attachment to the Sa viour. Innumerable inftances confirm the promiseof our gracious God to his faithful adherents, "Them, that honour me, I will honour t." May we be encouraged to be more bold and active in his fervice, *Luke xxiv. 1—11. t1 Sam. ii. 30. and ent and we fhall obtain more clear and diftinguished marks of his approbation! The preceding accounts, probably, left fome doubt and hesitation upon the minds of the Apostles. They had been told, only, that Angels had afferted the refurrection of their Lord; but no one had yet feen him and therefore, though they ought to have been convinced, perhaps they wished for more direct evidence of the fact. Such evidence was afforded them, in order to overcome their incredulity. IV. We contend, that Jefus inconteftably demonftrated the point in queftion, by fhewing himself alive to various perfons, who had previously known him, and to whom he gave ample teftimony of the reality and identity of his body. 1. He appeared to Mary Magdalene, before he vouchsafed the fame favour to any of his former acquaintance. We admire this grace and condefcenfion in conferring fuch an honour upon a woman, who had probably been of an infamous character. But fhe had much forgiven, and the loved much. While the remained in tears at the fepulchre, and declared to the Angels the cause of her diftrefs, Jefus came and placed himself befide her. At the first glance, fhe took him for the gardener; but her miftake was immediately corrected, when the heard him pronounce her name in the fame tone of voice, and the fame affectionate manner, which he had used in his former intercourfe. Convinced that it was her Lord, fhe flew with ardour to embrace him. This, however, he told her, fhe muft decline for the prefent, and intimated that he would see her again, and give her abundant proofs of the reality of his refurrection, before he finally quitted the earth. He charged her, therefore, to carry the account to his brethren without delay, and affure them in the *Mar. xvi. 9-11. John xx. 14-18. kindeft kindeft terms, that he ftill acknowledged his relation to them, and that, being mindful of their interefts and of his own exprefs declarations, he fhould foon afcend, by a corporeal translation, to his Father and their Father, to his God and their God. O how free and abundant is his grace! What tenderness of compaffion does he fhew even to his fallen people! His difciples had deferted him in his extremity; but, immediately on his return to life, he was anxious to inform them, that they were as dear to him as ever, that he would continue to own them as children of the fame Father, and plead their cause in heaven. The meflage was delivered; and yet their doubts were not difperfed. Poffibly, they argued, that, as Mary Magdalene alone pretended to have feen him, and she had not at first recollected or been fuffered to touch him, the might be under a delufion, or the vifion, if real, might be no more than his fpirit. But fcruples of this kind were foon removed, as we obferve 1 2. He appeared, alfo, to the other Mary and Salome*. They were flying from the fepulchre, being charged by the Angels with a commiffion to the difciples, when Jefus met them on the road, and addressed them in words of strong confolation. He exhorted them to dismiss their fears, and by fuffering them to embrace his feet, gave them a full conviction of his refurrection. By them, too, he fent word to his brethren, that in Galilee, where they chiefly refided, he would afford them a gracious interview. From this occurrence the evidence was confiderably ftrengthened. Yet the Apoftles, being "flow of heart to believe," might afk, "If the Lord be rifen indeed, why has he fhewn himself only to the women, and not to any of us?" It is prefumptuous, * Mat. xxviii. 9, 10. We |
