condition they would spread abroad a rumour, that the disciples of Jesus had come by night, and taken an opportunity to steal away his body while they were fallen asleep; and, because this was to confess themselves guilty of a capital offence, they promised that if it should reach the governor, means should be found to pacify him, and save them from punishment. An impartial observer, however, would find much in the rumour to excite suspicion. The believers were few, friendless, and dispirited, and in expectation of arrest themselves; for when they met together, they fastened the door from fear; the time was the passover, when the moon was full, and the town was crowded; and the sepulchre was just without the walls, and open to observation. Could the whole guard, probably of sixty men, be sleeping, and if sleeping, competent witnesses? If awake, could they be overpowered by persons so weak and few, or bribed by those so poor? It might be asked, Why were not the accused examined, and why was no notice taken of the avowed misconduct of the soldiers? But the council did not themselves believe the story, to which they endeavoured to give currency; for when the apostles were brought before them twice, and boldly declared, that Him whom they had put to death as a malefactor, God had raised, they did not venture to make this charge.

140. The second party of women visit the sepulchre.

Luke xxiv.

MEANWHILE another set of women arrived at the sepulchre. Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward, was the chief of this party, which was the more numerous one. The delays incident to their assembling from different parts of the city, and the slowness of their progress with the spices, so retarded them, that the other three were out of sight before their arrival. These also observed that the tomb was open, but did not express any astonishment, supposing that some of their friends had been before them and removed the stone.

But

when upon examination they could no where discover the body, they were perplexed, till two angels showed themselves to them, asking why they sought for the living among the dead; and reminding them, that their Lord had foretold his resurrection as well as his crucifixion. They withdrew to report what they had seen and heard; but, though the other company of women had likewise communicated a message from angels, so desponding were the apostles, and so slow to believe the prophecies, and this their accomplishment, that they regarded both accounts as no better than idle tales. Still the report had sufficient weight with Peter to make him run a second time to the tomb. The angels, however, were not visible to him, and as he saw there no more than he had seen upon his first visit, he departed wondering; unable to reconcile the report with appearances, and at a loss what to think, till it pleased Christ to remove his suspense by appearing to him. Had his Master shown himself to any of the other men first, he might have thought his repentance ineffectual, and have been plunged into despair. No particulars of this appearance have been recorded; but it seems to have been the first vouchsafed to any man; and we may conclude, that it took place after the two disciples set out for Emmaus, it being evident that they knew nothing of it till their return. One of them was Cleopas, father of two of the Apostles, and the Virgin's brother-in-law.

141. Jesus converses with two of his disciples, who are walking to Emmaus, and makes himself known to them, and immediately after disappears. Luke xxiv.

JESUS showed himself to these on their walk, in another form [or dress], and was taken for a stranger. He led the conversation to the subject nearest their hearts; and that they might open their thoughts more freely to him, and afford him better opportunity for instructing them, he held their eyes from discerning him. Having heard the confession of

their perplexity, he reproved them for their want of faith and misconception of the Scriptures; and then, beginning with Genesis, explained to them in order the predictions and types concerning himself, showing that Christ must suffer before he entered into glory. During this conversation they drew nigh to Emmaus, and they, unwilling to lose so instructive and interesting a companion, pressed him to stay, observing, that it was advancing towards sunset, and that little of the day remained. He yielded to their solicitation, and their meal being ready, Jesus acted as the master of the family, and blessed the loaf, and gave it to them. Some peculiarity in the manner of doing this probably undeceived them, for they instantly recognised in this mysterious stranger their lamented Master. But he gave them no opportunity of declaring their feelings, for he vanished out of their sight, apavτos éyéveTo. The same phrase occurs in the Classics; and a nearly similar one is used by Josephus, xx. 8; and it is rendered in the margin of our Bible, "he ceased to be seen of them." There is therefore no necessity of supposing with some, that his body was essentially different from what it had been before his resurrection; and we know from his passing unseen through the multitude at Nazareth, that he possessed previously the power of preventing men from seeing him, when he pleased. On missing him, they immediately rose from table, and hastened back to Jerusalem to communicate the joyful intelligence to the brethren. They found them privately assembled with the doors bolted, from apprehension of the rulers, it should seem, after supper; and on gaining admittance, were themselves informed, that Jesus was risen, and had appeared unto Peter. They then related his appearance to them; and while they were yet speaking, Jesus himself stood in the midst, and saluted them.

142. Jesus shows himself the same evening to his Apostles, who, with the exception of Thomas, are assembled together. Luke xxiv. John xx.

SEVERAL of the fathers, and some modern commentators, imagine, that the door was still fastened, and that Jesus passed through it by a miracle, from his rendering himself visible and invisible at pleasure. This, however, is not mentioned, and is not necessary, since he might order the doors to open to admit him, as an angel did afterwards that of Peter's prison; and they seem to forget, that the proof of his resurrection, and the hope of our own, rest upon the identity of his crucified and raised body. This he is anxious to demonstrate to his disciples, declaring that it is he himself, and that a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as they see him have. He offers them all the evidence the case admits of; he shows them the marks his crucifixion has left upon his hands and feet; he invites them to handle him; and he eats in their presence. To this very evidence St. John afterwards appeals in his first Epistle; "We declare unto you that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life." And his writing to confute the Gnostics, explains why he relates more circumstantially than Luke, the proofs which our Saviour gave of his having resumed his real body. Bishop Horsley supports the contrary opinion, I think unsuccessfully. That is opposed by Bishop Sherlock, as an infidel objection; and the fourth Article of our Church maintains, that our Lord rose and ascended with the same body, in which he was incarnate, with flesh, bones, and all things pertaining to the perfection of man's nature.

The joy of the assembly was now complete, for they could not resist the evidence of their senses. The object, therefore, of Christ being attained, he withdrew; but first he renewed his appointment of them as his ambassadors to the world, and breathed upon them as a token of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, which they were to receive in order to

qualify them for their commission, the noblest and the most important that had ever been delegated to men. Thus did our Lord show himself four times at least during that ever memorable first day of the week, on which, by rising as the first fruits of the dead, he triumphed over him that had the power of death, thus bruising the head or vital part of his enemy, who could only bruise his heel. "This is," as the Psalmist (cxviii.) prophesied, pre-eminently" the day which Jehovah has made," and Christians should say with him, "we will rejoice and be glad in it." It has been designated ever since as the Lord's, and has superseded the seventh as the day of public worship, and of rest from secular business and diversion, according to Isaiah's prediction, that the new creation, that is, the restoration of man to holiness and the divine image, procured through the death and resurrection of the Saviour, would be commemorated in preference to that inferior work, the creation of the material world and its inhabitants. (lxv. 17, 18.)

143. After the interval of a week, Jesus appears to all the eleven, and Thomas, who had not believed the report of the rest, now acknowledges him for his Lord and his God. Mark xvi. John xx.

CHRIST seems to have left his disciples to their own reflections for a week; for it was not till the next Lord's day (to anticipate a term that was soon substituted for that of the first day) that we hear of another visit. In the interval, Cleopas, and the other disciple, and the eleven, were engaged in communicating information of the event to the remaining believers; but they found many of them as little disposed to credit it, as they had been themselves; among whom was one of the eleven, Thomas, whom some circumstances had kept from their late meeting. Their unanimous assurance of the fact was unavailing; and it is supposed that the resurrection