nary narration stirs up the curiosity of Peter and John, and they ran both together, but John but John "did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre; and he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in;" *being probably fully satisfied that the body was not there. And this brings us to the other remarkable circumstance, which incontestibly proves that the body was not taken away by stealth. For thus it follows, in the words of the text; Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie; and," upon a more narrow inspection, “the napkin, , that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then cometh that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed. †“ From all these circumstances, therefore, it was past a doubt that the Lord was risen indeed, for the soldiers could have no view in taking away the body which they were so strictly enjoined to secure, and, if the disciples could have formed a sclicme of bribing the soldiers, or of taking an opportunity of opening the sepulchre while they were all asleep, they certainly would never have acted with so much deliberation

!

"Vel præ timore, vel quia satis constabat corpus abesse; vel quia Petrum exspectabat,, cui

hoc nunciaret.” Brugensis. Ji alla Intaluporum nóid and ton Brugensis.a tuo vint

And believed. "Non quòd resurrexisset, ex collat v. seq., sed quod mulieres dixerant, corpas ablatum esse. Nomalum enim sciebant. Est arrodoning te opera, 4. d, corpus illud vitæ redditum nondum credebat, Johannes; nam et ille et alii discipuli nondum satis perceperant id quod." Scriptura prædixerat de cjus resurrectione. Saepe quidem audiverant Dominum id pollicentem, sed rei magnitudo et ingenii tarditas jobstabant:quiminus hot in animum admitterent, Lua. xxiv. 12 Grotius, &c. And the grand; obstacle to their, believing the resurrection, of Christ was that fatal error, entertained by them as well as the rest of the Jews, that the kingdom of the Messiah was to be of a temporal nature, though he had so peremptorily declared, "My kingdom is not of this world." In consequence of which mistaken prejudice, arising from their looking only to the regal part of the Messiah's character, as predicted by the prophets, and disregarding his priest-ly office, when he was betrayed by Judas, and seised by the multitude, all' hopes being vanished. that he was the redeemer of Israel, they all forsook him and fled. Nay, after his resurrection,. still retaining the same ridiculous opinion, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Act. i. 6. The late primate of Ireland, Dr Newcome, in his Harmony, observes, “Boza in MS. legit et recte, ut opinor, xai éx imigivos, et non credidit, sć. resurrectionem,» no

as

napkin in another; but

as to have put the linen in one place, and thedy, lest some of the

would have taken them away together with the body, lest some of the soldiers should awake, and surprise them in the fact.* These minute particulars, then, however trifling they may appear to some, are recorded for the wisest purposes, being intended to obviate all the cavils and objections which scepticism and infidelity could possibly suggest against this most important article of the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, But, before I dismiss the argumentative part of this subject, there is another circumstance that may properly come under our consideration, accompanying the death of Christ, which is not only the completion of a remarkable prediction concerning the Messiah, but likewise, in a very singular manner, ascertains the identity of the person of Jesus, who is the very Christ, It was foretold, several hundreds of years before the death of Christ, that they, i. e, the Jews, should look on him, whom they pierced. And what a multitude of extraordinary incidents concurred to the fulfilling of this prophecy of Zechariah! Crucifixion not being a punishment under the Jewish law, this event could not have taken place whilst their government was in full force; and, as it was a punishment principally used by the Romans, the Jewish nation must have become subject to the Roman yoke before the accomplishment of this prediction. It is also very observable that the soldiers, at the time of the crucifixion, waved one custom, which was usual on these occasions, in regard to Jesus, to make way for another transaction, by which two very eminent predictions had their completion, and upon which St John lays very great stress. For, "When they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs; but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." Then he emphatically adds, " And he that saw it bear record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might be

* "Hæc tam accurata collocatio linteorum amovebat furti suspicionem. Fures enim festinant, nec agunt aliena a suo instituto," Grotius, &c.

+ See the sermon on this text.

T

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lieve.

lieve.* For these things were done t that the Scripture should be fuffilled, “A bone of him shall not be broken." And again another Scripture saith, "They shall look on him, They shall look on him, whom they pierced."" From which circumstance an irrefragable proof is afforded of the ident tity of the body of Christ after his resurrection: as, had not this last mark distinguished him in a peculiar manner, the Jews might have said, that it was one of the thieves, who was crucified with him, that was risen from the dead. In order, therefore, to obviate every objection of this sort, which could be possibly raised, it was ordained by divine Providence that the incredulity of Thomas should give the most ample testimony to Jesus and his resurrection. For, notwithstanding he must have heard what Mary Magdalene had seen at the sepulchre, and what she had told the disciples; notwithstanding he must have known the conversation which passed between the two disciples, who were going to Emmaus, and the blessed Jesus; notwithstanding he had assurance, from all the disciples, that they had seen the Lord, and that he shewed unto them his hands and his feet; he still persists in his unbelief, and peremptorily declares, “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, I will not believe." And we learn, that, "After eight days, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas," not so much for his satisfaction as for theirs who were to come after, "reach

*

"

Quò magis vos Christiani credatis vere mortuum esse Jesum, ac proinde etiam vere a mortuis resuscitatum." Grotius. « Ut credatis, scil. hunc esse verum sanguinem fœderis qui îtà rèspondet typo in pactione fœderis primi" Lightfoot,

↑ He shewed unto them, &c. cessit, deliramenta esse essemus, &c." Toletus.

"Thomas præ dubitatione tardius veniens, præ incredulitate reputans, permittente hoc Domino, ut ejus dubitatione nos confirmati "Pertinax incredulitas; non credidit mulieribus, apostolis, ipsi Christo, Mallet non credere quàm tristitiâ affici ex eo quòd fraudatus fuisset

qui toties hoc prædixerat. Christi conspectu." Brugensis.

partim ut corum testi

“Volebat Christus Thomæ se, non soli, sed coram reliquis, ostendere, monio confirmaretur, partim ut palam redargueretur, juxta 1. Tim. v. 20," Maldonat, &c.

1

hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand. and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless but believing." Which condescending indulgence of the meek and humble Jesus extorted from the incredulous disciple this noble confession," My Lord and my God!" And the reply, which his blessed Master made to it, most nearly concerned not only the generation then present, but the whole race of mankind in future; "Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. For all these things were done for our admonition and instruction, that there might not be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief; or, if there were, that we should be left without excuse. For what fact was there ever recorded, which had such accumulated evidence to support the truth of it, as the resurrection of Christ; and, if we will not believe it upon this indisputable authority, our condemnation lieth at our own door, and judgement without mercy awaits us. But the belief of this important article of our religion is not matter of mere speculation; for, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again for us, the necessary inference to be drawn from this faith is, that, to be partakers of the benefit of his sufferings and of the power of his resurrection, we must die unto sin and henceforth live unto righteousness ;: otherwise we shall frustrate the ineffable grace of God, which hath brought salvation unto all men, and Christ has died and risen again in vain.

Knowing this, therefore, that our old man is crucified with him,, and that we are buried with him by baptism into death; that, like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also› should walk in newness of life; let us yield ourselves unto God as those

* "Repetit Thomæ verba, ut se omniscium ostendat." Menochius, &c.

+ "Christum hic palam vocat Deum: quod Christus agnovit, utique repulsurus si falsò dictus fuisset Deus." Erasmus.

+ “Non tam mihi, aut authoritati meæ; quam manibus tuis credidisti." Brugensis..

Beati, &c. "Beatiores. Positivus pro comparativo. Qui non viderunt. Est et hîc aoristus pro præsenti: præsens autem quovis tempore; et præcipue agitur de futuris discipulis, cum ex Judæis, tum ex Gentibus." Grotius, &c..

that

that are alive from the dead; having this always in remembrance, that, if we have not part in the first resurrection from the death of sin, we shall be only so far partakers in the second resurrection as to rise to shame and everlasting, contempt, as the Son of Man himself has expressly declared in these memorable words, Mark viii. 38; "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him, also, shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." When we come to the cross of Christ and see him pouring forth his blood to redeem us from all iniquity, shall we continue in sin and thereby crucify the Son of God afresh? Far be it from us, Lord, thus to vilify the sufferings of our Saviour, and, by our ungrateful contempt of them, to put him to an open shame. When we go with Peter and John to the sepulchre and see the napkin not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a place by itself, we shall cry out, in an exstasy of admiration, the Lord is risen indeed! and under the fullest conviction of this most important truth, that the Lamb that was slain now liveth again and is alive for evermore, we must put on the garments of holiness and be clad in the robes of righteousness, that we may be meet to be partakers of the marriagesupper of the Lamb in the kingdom of heaven.