saw the linen clothes, or rollers, in which the corpse had been wrapped up, lying there by themselves; but he did not at first enter into the sepulchre. Then came Simon Peter, very quickly following him, and having stooped down to look into the sepulchre, as John had done be fore, he was not satisfied with this but that he might examine this important affair with such exactness as it deserved, he went into the sepulchre, and found the body was gone, but saw the linen clothes, with which it had been covered, laid by themselves, as John had observed from without. And he discovered another material circumstance, which had not been remarked before, namely, that the napkin which was about his head, was not laid with the linen clothes, but was folded up in a place by itself, in such an orderly manner, as plainly shewed, that the body was not hastily hurried away, either by friend or enemy; but made the sepulchre appear rather like a bedchamber, which a person on his awaking in the morning had leisurely quitted. Then John who came first to the sepulchre, and was less adventurous than Peter, stood hitherto without, went in also to view it; and when he saw the several parts of the funeral-dress in this situation, he was immediately convinced that his dear Master was indeed revived. For hitherto they did not know the full meaning of those various intimations of scripture to which Jesus had so often referred, to convince them that he must certainly rise from the dead;* which if they had considered, they would cheerfully have expected the sure accomplishment of them, and would not have been so much surprised at the news which Mary brought them.

Then both the disciples went away again to their companions in the city, Peter not being so thoroughly satisfied as John was, yet greatly wondering in himself at what had happened, and very much concerned as to the event of so surprising a circumstance. But Mary who was now returned, stood near the sepulchre after Peter and John were gone from it, not indeed going into it as they had done, but weeping without, in great perplexity at

* Dead. See Matt, xvi. 21, &c.

her not knowing what was become of Jesus: and as she wept, she also stooped down, and looked very wishfully into the sepulchre; and there she saw with great surprise two angels in the form of men, clothed in white habits, sitting, one at the head, and the other at the feet, of that niche in the sepulchre where the body of Jesus had been laid. And they said to her with a tender regard," Woman, why dost thou weep thus?" And she said to them, "Alas, I have reason enough to weep; it is because they have taken away the body of Jesus my dear Lord, and I know not where they have laid him, or how the sacred corpse may be neglected or abused." And just as she had said this, hearing a sudden noise behind her, she turned back, before the angels could give her any answer; and she saw Jesus himself standing near her and she knew not at first that it was Jesus, his habit being changed, her eyes also overflowing with tears, and her mind being so far from any expectation of his appearance, and so much distressed, that she did not so much as look up to the face of the person who appeared. Then Jesus said to her with a gentle voice," Woman, why dost thou weep thus? and whom dost thou seek?" And she, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if thou hast for any unknown reason borne him away from hence, where the master of the sepulchre saw fit so honourably to lay him but a few hours ago, I earnestly beg thou wouldst immediately tell me where thou hast put him, and I will remove him, and take effectual care that his corpse shall be decently interred elsewhere, without giving any farther trouble here."

Jesus on this, said to her, with a loud and distinct voice, in his usual affectionate way, "Mary, dost thou not know me?" Mary thereupon turning directly towards him, and eagerly fixing her eyes upon him, immediately discovered who it was; and transported with a mixture of unutterable passions, she said to him "Rabboni !" that is to say, "My great Master, and teacher!" and so much was her heart affected, that she could say no more; but immediately prostrated herself at his feet to embrace them. But Jesus said to her, "Do not stay here to embrace me now," either to pay thine homage to me, or VOL. II.

3 H

to confirm thy faith; both which thou wilt have other opportunities of doing; for I am not yet withdrawn from your world, and ascended to the heavenly court of my Father, as you may imagine, I should presently do; but I shall yet continue for a little while upon the earth, and give you further opportunities of seeing me again : let nothing therefore now detain thee any longer, but go immediately to my dear brethren, for whom I have still the same affectionate regard as ever, and say unto them, 'I am risen from the dead," and after I have paid some visits to you, am shortly indeed to ascend into heaven, from whence I came; yet grieve not at that separation, but remember, that as I am going to him who is in a very peculiar sense my Father, so I shall still be mindful of your interest, and am also going to your Father, and to my God, and your God; for such he is now become, through that covenant which he has established with you in me: on the whole therefore, you have infinitely greater reason to rejoice than to mourn. And upon saying this, he immediately disappeared for the present; and the other women, advancing to the sepulchre, where the an gels continued, received the news of his resurrection from them, and were directed, as Mary Magdalene also was, to report it to the disciples.

The same day on which Jesus arose, one of his disci ples named Cleophas or Alpheus, was travelling to Emmaus, a village about seven miles distant from Jerusa lem, in company with another disciple whose name is not mentioned. The two were in the utmost dejection on account of their Master's death, insomuch that their grief appeared visible in their countenances, moreover as they went along, they talked of the things that sat heaviest on their spirits. "And while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them."-He overtook them as coming himself from Jerusalem. "But their eyes were holden that they should not know him: they were held by his miraculous power; or they mistook him by reason of his appearing

• Cowdenances. Luke xxiv. 17, &c.

to them in an unusual dress. By the alteration which Jesus could easily make in the tone of his voice, while speaking, and by his new dress, he might be concealed from them, especially as they still believed he was dead, and had no expectation of his resurrection. Jesus therefore spake to them in the character of a stranger, making free, as travellers might do with one another, to ask what the subject of their conversation was, and why they looked so sad? Cleophas was surprised that any one who had come from Jerusalem should have been ignorant of the extraordinary things which had lately happened there. "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God, and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him." Having thus given an account of Christ's character, miracles, and sufferings, Cleophas was so ingenuous as to acknowledge, that they once believed him to be the deliverer of Israel, and in that faith had been his disciples; but that they began now to think themselves mistaken, because he had been dead three days. Cleophas added, that some women of their acquaintance, who had been that morning at the sepulchre, astonished them with the news of his resurrection, affirming that they had seen a vision of angels, which told them he was alive. "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" From this reproof it would appear, that Cleophas and his companion were of the number of those who gave little credit to the tidings which the women had brought of their Master's resurrection. His crucifixion and death, as they themselves acknowledged, having almost convinced them that he was not the Mesiah, they had little faith in his resurrection. Wherefore, to shew them their error, Jesus reproved them sharply for not understanding and believing the prophecies, which, said he, declare it to be the decrce of heaven, that before Messiah enters into his glory, that is, before he receives his kingdom, he must suffer such things as

you say your Master has suffered. Moreover, that his reproof might appear well-founded, that their drooping spirits might be supported, and that they might be prepared for the discovery he was about to make of himself, he explained the types and prophecies of the Old Testament which relate to Messiah's sufferings; such as the Mosaical sacrifices, and the lifting up of the brazen serpent, Psalm xxii. Isaiah liii. &c. Thus did Jesus demonstrate to his desponding disciples, from the Scriptures, that their despair was without cause, and the suspicion without foundation, which they had taken up of his being a deceiver, because the priests had put him to death. His discourse made a deep impression on them, and engrossed their attention to such a degree, that they neither thought of the length of the journey, nor considered the countenance of him who spake to them; so that, ere they were aware, they arrived at the village whither they went. And now the disciples turned aside from the road, to go to their lodging, Jesus in the mean time travelling But they, loth to part with a person whose conversation charmed them so much, begged him to go no farther, but to abide with them, because the day was far spent. By their hearty invitations, the disciples prevailed with their fellow-traveller to turn in with them; and their humanity met with an abundant recompence, for Jesus made himself known to them at table, in the action of giving God thanks for their food. "And their eyes were opened, and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight."

on.

As soon as Jesus departed, the two disciples made all the haste they could to Jerusalem, that they might have the pleasure of acquainting their brethren with the agreeable news. But they were in some measure prevented. For immediately on their arrival, the eleven, with the women, accosted them, giving them the news of their Master's resurrection, immediately exclaiming, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon!"

While the disciples from Emmaus were giving their brethren 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