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the stone quitted his station, entered into the sepulchre, and probably placed the linen clothes and napkin in the order they were afterwards found and observed by John and Peter.

In the mean time, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were still on their way to the sepulchre, together with Salome, who joined them on the road. As they proceeded on their way they consulted amongst themselves with regard to the method of putting their intention of embalming the body of their beloved Master in execution; particularly with respect to the enormous stone which they had seen placed there with the utmost difficulty two days before : "Who," said they, " shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? for it was very great." But in the midst of their deliberation about removing this great and sole obstacle to their design (for it does not appear they knew any thing of the guard) they lift up their eyes, and perceived it was already rolled away: alarmed at so extraordinary and so unexpected a circumstance, Mary Magdalene concluded, that the stone could not be rolled away without some design; and that they who rolled it away could have no other design, than that of removing our Lord's body: and being convinced by appearances that they had really done so, she ran immediately to acquaint Peter and John of what she had seen, and what she suspected; leaving Mary and Salome there, that if the other women should arrive during her absence, they might acquaint them with their surprise at finding the stone removed, and of Mary Magdalene's running to inform the apostles of the extraordinary

event..

The soldiers who were terrified at seeing an awful messenger from on high roll away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, and open it in quality of a servant, fled into the city, and informed the Jewish rulers of these miraculous appearances. This account was highly mortifying to the chief priests, as it was a proof of our Saviour's resurrection that could not be denied; they therefore resolved to stifle it immediately; and, act cordingly, bribed the soldiers to conceal the real fact, and to publish evey where, that his disciples had stolen the body out of that sepulchre. What! the body taken away while the sepulchre was guarded by Roman soldiers ? Yes! the disciples stole the body while the soldiers slept. A story so inconsistent, and which so evidently carries the marks of it's own confutation with it, deserves no answer. The priests themselves could not be so stupid as not to forsee what construction the world would put upon the relation of persons, who pretended to know and tell what was done while they were asleep and in a state of insensibility.

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CHAPTER XLI.

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The Speech of the Angel to the Women, informing them that JESUS is risen: Peter and John go into the Sepulchre: CHRIST appears to Mary Magdalene: The Company of Women set out a second Time in Quest of Peter and John: JESUS meets them: Mary Magdalene and the Company of Women return from their several Interviews with JEsus: Peter runs to the Sepulchre a second time, and as he returns sees his Great Lord and Master.

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AFTER Mary Magdalene was gone to inform the disciples that the stone was rolled away from the mouth of the sepulchre, and the supposed body taken away, Mary and Salome drew near towards the sepulchre, and

at their arrival found what they expected, the body of their beloved Master gone from the place where it had been deposited by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea; but at the same time beheld, to their great astonishment, a beautiful young man, in shining raiment, very glorious to behold, sitting at the right side of the sepulchre. Matthew tells us, that it was the angel who had rolled away the stone, and frightened away the guards from the sepulchre. It seems he had now laid aside his terrors in which he was then at rayed, & assumed the form and dress of a human being, in order that these pious women, who had accompanied him during the greatest part of the time of his public ministry, might not be terrified : but, notwithstand) notwithstan ing his beauty & benign appearance, they were greatly affrighted, & on the point of turning back when the heavenly messenger, to banish their fears, told them, in a gentle accent, that he knew their errand: "Fear not," said he, "for 1 know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not bere; for he is risen, as he said;"" and then invited them to come down into the sepulchre, and view the place where the Son of God had lain; that is to look on the linen cloths, and the napkin that was about his head, and which he had left behind him when he rose from the dead: for to look at the place in any other view would not have tended to confirm their faith of his being risen.

: Greatly encouraged by the agreeable news, as well as by the sweet accent with which this messenger from the heavenly Canaan delivered his speech, the women went down into the sepulchre, when behold another of the angelic choir appeared. Probably the one sat at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain; the position in which they appeared to Mary Magdalene afterwards.

However they did not yet seem to give credit to what was told them by the angels; and therefore the other gently chid them for seeking the hving amongst the dead, with an intention to do him an office due only to the latter, and for not believing what was told them by a messenger from heaven, or rather for not remembering the words which their great Master had himself told them with regard to his own resurrection: "Why seek ye the living amongst the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

After this, when the women had satisfied their curiosity by looking at the place where our Lord had lain, and where nothing was to be found but the linen cloths, the angel who first appeared to them resumed the discourse, and bade them go & tell his disciples, particularly Peter, the gladtidings of his resurrection from the dead; that he was going before them to Galilee ; and that they should there have the pleasure of seeing him in person.

The disciples, it may reasonably be supposed, were ordered to go into Galilee to meet their great and beloved Master, because they were now most of them in usalem, celebrating the passover; and it may easily be imagined that, on the receiving of the news of the Lord's resurrection, many, if not all of them, would resolve to tarry in Jerusalem, in expectation of meeting him a thing which must have proved of great detriment to them at that time of the year, when the harvest was about to begin, the sheaf of first fruits being always offered on the second day of the passover-week. In order therefore to prevent their staying so long from home, the message was sent directing them to return to Galilee, with full assurance, that they should there have the pleasure of seeing their great Lord and Master; and by that means be happily relieved from the suspicion of his being an impostor, which doubtless had arisen in their minds, when they saw him expire on the cross. Hereupon the women, highly elated with the news of their Lord's résurrection, left the sepulchre immediately, and ran to carry the disciples these glad-tidings.

In the mean time, Peter and John, having been informed by Mary Magdalene, that the stone was rolled away, & the body of Jesus not to be found were hastening to the grave, and missed the women, who had seen this vision of angels. These disciples being astonished at what Mary Magdalene had told them, and desirous of having their doubts cleared up, made all the haste possible to the sepulchre; and John being younger than Peter arrived at the sepulchre first, but did not go in contenting himself with stooping down and seeing the linen cloths lying which had been wrapped about our Saviour's body. Peter soon arrived, and went into the sepulchre, where he saw the " linen cloths lie; and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped together in a place by itself."

It is the opinion of some that our dear Redeemer folded up the napkin, to shew the perfect calmness and composure with which he arose, as out of a common sleep; but however that be, it is certain that he left the grave cloths in the sepulchre, to shew that his body was not stolen away by his disciples, who in such a case would not have taken time to have stripped it; besides, the circumstance of the grave cloths, disposed the disciples themselves to believe when the resurrection was related to them; but at present they had not the least suspicion that he was risen from the dead, as the angels had affirmed.

Having thus satisfied themselves, that what Mary Magdalene had told them was really true, those two disciples returned to their respective habitations: but Mary continued weeping at the door of the sepulchre; she had it seems, followed Peter and John to the garden, but did not return with them, being anxious to find the body; accordingly stepping down into the sepulchre to examine it once more, she saw two angels sitting, the one at the head, & the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. They were now in the same position, as when they appeared to the other women; but had rendered themselves invisible while Peter and John were at the sepulchre, seeking our Lord.

Mary beholding these heavenly messengers dressed in the robes of light, was greatly terrified; but they in the most endearing accent, asked her, "Woman, why weepest thou ?" To which she answered, " Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." On pronouncing these words, she turned herself about, and saw JESUS standing near her; but the terror she was in, & the garments in which he was now dressed, prevented her from knowing him for some time. JESUS repeated the same question used before by the angel, " Woman why weepest thou?" To which Mary who now supposed him to be the gardner, answered, "Sir, if his body was troublesome in the sepulchre, and thou hast removed him, tell me where he is deposited, and I will take him away."But our blessed Saviour willing to remove her anxiety, called her by her name, with his usual tone of voice. On which she immediately knew him; and falling down before him, would have embraced bis knees, according to that modesty and reverence with which the women of the East saluted the men, especially those who were their superiors in station and dignity.

JESUS refused this compliment, telling her that he was not going immediately into heaven: he was often to shew himself to his disciples before he ascended, so that she would have frequent opportunities of shewing her regard to him; and at the same time said to her, "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my father, and your father; and to my God, and your God." Thus did the blessed JESUS contemplate with a singular pleasure the work of redemption he had just finished. The happy relation between God and man, which had been long cancelled by sin, was now renewed; the Almighty who had disowned them on account of their rebellion, was again reconciled unto them; he was become their God and Fa

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