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النشر الإلكتروني

PART V.

MATT. XXVI. MARK XVI. LUKE XXIV. JOHN XX. XXI.

CONTAINING THE PERIOD OF FORTY DAYS, FROM THE MORNING OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST TO THE

DAY OF HIS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN, IN THE YEAR THIRTY.

SECTION I.

MATT. XXVIII. 1-8. MARK XVI. 1-8.

WHEN the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, as it began to dawn, they came unto the sepulchre, to see it, at the rising of the sun.

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment: and they were affrighted. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Be not affrighted, for I know that ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is not here; for he is risen, as he said: Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples, and Peter, that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you: lo, I have told you.

And they departed quickly, and fled from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man: for they were afraid; and did run to bring his disciples word.

How fit is it that we should sing unto the Lord a new song! and with what thankful hearts should we join, on his own day, and on every day, to congratulate the triumph of his rising from the dead, and to rejoice in this birth-day of our hopes! Now is the justice of God amply satisfied, or the prisoner had never been released. Now is the reproach of the cross ceased, and turned into proportionable glory. That reproach was rolled away at once by the descending angel, who appeared, not to awaken Christ from his sleep, or to bring him a new life, for he had himself a power, whenever he pleased, to resume that which he had voluntarily resigned, (John x. 18;) but he came to add a solemn pomp to his revival, and to strike the guards with such a terror as would effectually prevent any mad attempt on this glorious Conqueror, when he was bursting the bonds in which he had for a while been held.

O Lord, we acknowledge the truth of thy promise: thou didst not leave his soul in hell, neither didst thou suffer the flesh of thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm xvi. 10.) Now is Christ indeed risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept, (1 Cor. xv. 20:) may we, in conformity to his holy example, be dead to sin, and to the world; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also may walk in newness of life! (Rom. vi. 4.) Then will he that raised up Christ from the dead, ere long, quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us. (Rom. viii. 11.)

We are now again called, as by the angel's voice, to come and see the place where the Lord lay, and to take an affectionate survey of that sepulchre, which our rising Saviour had left, and where he had laid aside the dress of death, as a token that he should return to it no more. How wonderful that he should ever have lain there! that the Lord of life should have dwelt among the dead, and from the glory of the throne of God should have sunk down to the abasement of the grave !—But he has burst its prison doors, and hath abolished death, and him who had the power of it; abolished it for himself and us. How are all its terrors now disarmed! O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! (1 Cor. xv. 55.)

With what pleasure did the angels deliver this gracious message of their Lord as well as ours! and with what transport

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