rival, the eleven, with the women, accosted them, giving them the news of their Master's resurrection. 33. And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven (see on John xx. 24. p. 829.) gathered together, and them that were with them; 34. Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. The apostles had given little credit to the reports of the women, supposing they were occasioned more by imagination than reality. But when a person of Simon's capacity and gravity declared that he had seen the Lord, they began to think that he was risen indeed. Their belief, therefore, was not a little confirmed by the arrival of the two disciples, who declared that the Lord had appeared to them also. 35. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread; that is, by his prayer before meat. Mark however represents the reception which their report met with somewhat differently, xvi. 12. After that he appeared in another form, svega μogon, i. e. in another dress, the dress of a traveller, unto two of them, as they walked and went into the country. 13. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them. But there is no inconsistency between the evangelists; for though the greatest part of the apostles believed that Jesus was arisen, as Luke affirms, some, who had not given credit either to the women or to Simon, continued obstinately to disbelieve, in spite of all that the two disciples or the rest could say. This seems to be a better method of reconciling Mark and Luke, than to suppose that on Peter's information the apostles "believed Jesus was risen, but did not believe that he had appeared to the two disciples, because, according to their own account of the matter, they did not know him at first, and because at parting he had vanished out of their sight. For I ask the reader, whether it is not natural to think that the disciples, who on this occasion were more than twenty in number, would not divide in their opinions upon such a subject as the resurrection of their Master from the dead; some believing it, others rejecting it. We know from Luke himself, that a few did not believe even after they had seen Jesus with their own eyes, chap. xxxiv. 41. see also Matt. xxviii. 17. It is therefore no straining of the text to suppose, that by the eleven's saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Peter, Luke means only some of the eleven, perhaps the greatest part of them said so. Besides, we must understand the evangelist's words in a limited sense, because Peter, of whom he speaks, was himself one of the eleven." See on Matt. xxvii. 44. § 146.

CLVI.

§ CLVI. Jesus appears to his apostles on the evening of the day whereon he arose; Thomas being absent. Luke xxiv. 36,-43. John xx. 19,--25.

"WHILE the disciples from Emmaus were giving their bre thren an account of the Lord's appearing to them, and offering arguments to convince those who doubted the truth of it, Jesus himself came in, and put an end to their debate by shewing them his hands and his feet. Luke xxiv. 36. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them. The expression, per avrov, signifies that he stood among them, without intimating whether they saw him come forward, or did not observe him till he was near them. John however mentions a circumstance, which, compared with Luke's account, seems to prove that they saw him enter the room, and come forward. John xx. 19. Then the same day at evening, (see on Luke xxiv. 29. § 155.) being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. Luke xxiv. 37. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. The disciples had secured the doors of the house by locks and bolts, as well as they could, for fear of the Jews. But Jesus, before he entered, opened the locks and drew the bolts by his miraculous power, (see Prelim. Observ. II. No. i. p. 30.) without the knowledge of any in the house. Wherefore, as the whole company knew that the doors had been secured, it was no wonder that they supposed they saw a spectre, and were exceed ingly affrighted, when something in a human form, whose features they could not easily discern by the evening light, entered the room. Thus the circumstance of the doors being shut is very happily mentioned by John, because it suggests the reason why the disciples took Jesus for a spirit, as Luke tells us, notwithstanding the greatest part of them believed he was risen, and were conversing about his resurrection at that very instant. To dispel their fears and doubts, Jesus came forward, spake to them, and shewed them his hands and feet, desiring them to handle him, and be convinced by the united report of their senses, that it was he. 38. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. 40. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet, (John, and his side.) The disciples beholding these infallible proofs of their Master's resurrection, received him with exultation and rapture. But their joy and wonder so wrought upon their minds, that some of them, sensible of the commotion they were in, suspended their belief till they had considered the matter more calmly. Jesus,

therefore,

therefore, knowing their thoughts, called for meat, and did eat with them, to prove more fully the certain truth of his resurrection from the dead, and the reality of his presence with them on this occasion. (See on Matt. xxviii. 16. § 159.) Luke xxiv. 41. And while they yet believed not for joy, (John, Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord) and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43. And he took it, and did eat before them. He tarried so long with them, that they had time to make ready some fish for supper, which he took a share of. John xx. 21. Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 【 send you to preach the gospel, and teach men the way of salvation, for which purpose I honour you with an authority and commission from God, and bestow on you power to confirm your doctrine and mission by miracles. 22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, (see on Matt. xviii. 2. § 74.) and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Luke, ver. 35. informs us, that the disciples from Emmaus told their brethren on this occasion what things were done in the way. Among the rest, no doubt they repeated the interpretations which Jesus gave of the prophecies concerning his own sufferings and death. But such a sense of the Scriptures being diametrically opposite to the notions which the Jews in general entertained, a peculiar illumination of the Spirit was necessary to enable the apostles to discern it. This illumination they now received from Jesus, who, in token that he bestowed it, breathed upon them, and bade them receive it. The effect of this illumination was, that by perceiving the agreeableness of the things which had befallen him with the ancient prophecies concerning Messiah, their minds were quieted, and they were fitted to judge of the present appearance, and of the other appearances which Jesus was to make before his ascension. Farther, the expression, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, may have a relation not only to the illumination of the Spirit which they now received, but to those which they were to receive afterwards, and in greater measure. Accordingly it is added, 23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. This may refer to the temporal pardon and punishment of mens sins. (See on Matt. xvi. 19. § 70.) Or the meaning may be, Ye are soon to receive the Holy Ghost in the fulness of his communications, whereby you shall understand the will of God for mens salvation in the most comprehensive manner, and so be qualified to declare the only terms on which mens sins are to be pardoned. Some indeed carry the matter higher, supposing that this is the power of what they call authoritative absolution. Yet the only foundation on which the apostles themselves could claim such a power,

must

must either have been the gift of discerning spirits, which they enjoyed after the effusion of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. xii. 10. and by which they knew the secret thoughts of mens hearts, consequently the reality of their repentance; or it must have been some infallible communication of the will of God concerning mens future state that was made to them. For, properly speaking, they neither forgave nor retained sins, they only declared a matter of fact infallibly made known to them by God. In the mean time, to render this interpretation feasible, the general expressions, "Whose soever sins ye remit," &c. must be very much limited, since it was, but a single individual here and there, whose condition in the life to come can be supposed to have been made known to the apostles by revelation. John xx. 24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, i. e. the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. It is said, Luke xxiv. 33. that the disciples from Emmaus told their story to the eleven, and to them that were with them. The eleven was the name by which the apostles went after the death of Judas, whether they were precisely that number or fewer. Wherefore we are under no necessity, from this name, of supposing that Thomas was present when the disciples came in. We are sure that he was not present in this meeting when Jesus shewed himself. Yet, if Luke's expression is thought to imply that Thomas was with his brethren at the arrival of the disciples, we may suppose that he was one of those who would not believe, (Mark xvi. 13. p. 826.) and that he went away before they had finished their relation. 25. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, except I have the fullest evidence arising from the testimony of my own seeing and feeling him, I will not believe that he is risen." See Prelim. Observ. VI.

Thus ended the transactions of the day on which our Lord arose from the dead; a day much to be remembered by men throughout all generations, because it brought fully into act the conceptions which had lodged in the breast of Infinite Wisdom from eternity, even those thoughts of love and mercy on which the salvation of the world depended. Christians therefore have the highest reason to solemnize this day with gladness each returning week, by ceasing from labour, and giving themselves up to holy meditations and other exercises of devotion. The re

demption of mankind, which they commemorate thereon in its finishing stroke, affords matter for eternal thought, being such a subject as no other, how great soever, can equal; and whose lustre neither length of time nor frequent reviewing can ever diminish. For as by often beholding the sun, we do not find him less glorious or luminous than before, so this benefit which we celebrate

after

after so many ages, is as fresh and beautiful as ever, and will continue to be so, flourishing in the memories of all reasonable beings through the endless revolutions of eternity.

But that the reader may form a more distinct notion of the history which the evangelists have given of Christ's resurrection, it will not be improper here to join the several circumstances of that important affair together briefly, and in their order. The Jewish Sabbath being at hand when Jesus expired, his friends had not time to embalm him in the best manner, or even to carry him to the place where they intended he should remain, but they laid him in a new sepulchre hard by, belonging to one of themselves, with an intention to remove him after the Sabbath was over. The women therefore who were present, observing that the funeral rites were performed in a hurry, made an agreement to come and embalm him more at leisure. Accordingly, as soon as they returned to the city, they bought spices and prepared them. But the Sabbath coming on, they rested from working, according to the commandment. When the Sabbath was ended, that is, on our Saturday evening about sun-setting, the two Marys, by appointment of the rest, set out to see if the stone was still at the door of the sepulchre, because thus they would be certain that the body was within. Or if the sepulchre was open, and the body taken away, they were to inquire of the gardener where it was laid, that the spices might be carried directly to the place. While the women were going on this errand, a great storm and earthquake happened, occasioned by the descent of an angel who came to wait on Jesus at his resurrection. This storm and earthquake terrifying the women, they turned back and joined their companions, who were going to buy some more spices to complete the preparation. In the mean time, the angel rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, then sat down uponit, and assuming a very terrible form, frightened the guards. Soon after this Jesus arose, and the guards fled in a panic, probably to the first house they could find, where they waited till the morn ing. As the morning approached the storm abated. At length every thing being got ready, all the women went out together, and arrived at the sepulchre before the rising of the sun. The door was open. They entered and searched for the body, but it was gone. They were exceedingly perplexed. After consultation they agreed, that while they searched the garden, Mary Magdalene should go and inform the apostles of what had happened. Coming out of the sepulchre, therefore, she departed, and the rest began to search. But having traversed the garden a while to no purpose, they resolved to examine the sepulchre a second time, and were entering for that end, when lo!" an angel appeared in the farthermost right corner, where the feet of Jesus had lain. He spake to them, desiring them to come and see the

place