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the least foundation to suppose that a few dastardly men, who had all* a little before forsook him and fled, would have engaged in so danger ous an enterprise as to break open the door of the sepulchre, when it was guarded by a band of Roman soldiers who could not neglect their duty but at the peril of their lives? Is it in the least probable, that, if they were awake, they could all be bribed to connive at the taking away the body of Jesus? or can it be imagined that they were all at the same time so sound asleep as not to have been awakened at the rolling away of the stone, which was very great, from the door of the sepulchre? The fabrication, therefore, of that story of the Jews, that the disciples of Jesus came by night and stole him away while the soldiers, slept, carries, its own confutation with it. And St Augustin's expostulation with the soldiers on this occasion was remarkably apposite: "Ye wicked, corrupt, senseless, wretches! either ye were awake or asleep; if awake, it was your business to secure the body from being stolen away; if asleep, then your own words disprove you; for, granting this, it was impossible you should either know what was done or who the persons were who did it."

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That they had left their station before the sepulchre, contrary to the injunction of the chief priest and Pharisees, is evident, from the appearance of Mary Magdalane and the other Mary at the sepulchre; for, if the soldiers had been there, they would not have ventured to approach.; And what could have induced the soldiers, one and all, to have abandoned their duty at that critical time, when they ought to have been more particularly on the guard? The only probable account of this extraordinary circumstance is what St Matthew furnishes, who tells us,

"Omnes, i. e. plerique: nam sequebantur ipsum Petrus, 58, et Johannes, c. xviii. 15, vel omnes statim diffugerunt, sed hi redierunt." Maldonet.

"Loquitur de Romanorum militum custodia, qua jam usi fuerant ad crucem: hæc, inquit, vobis præsto est ad nutum, et quasi vestra est, eâ utaminî et ad sepulchrum." Brugensis.

"Quis credet, tot milites, vigiliis perpetuis assuetos, circumfusos sepulchro, in rei tanța momenti, summæque exspectationis, in tanto strepitu saxi amoti, discipulorum accedentium et efferentium cadaver, &c. jucuisse omnes quasi lethargo sepultos. Sed esto, quomodo ergo id testari possent?" Brugensis.

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that " 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, when they were recovered from their panic, "Some of the watch," as the evangelist afterwards adds, “came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done;" but gave not the least intimation that the body had been, taken away. But, as it was foreseen, by the great Disposer of all things, that the invincible malice of the Jews against the holy Jesus would instigate them to fabricate this incredible falsehood, that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while the soldiers slept, two remarkable circumstances stand upon record to obviate every the least suspicion of such an attempt. One of which is, that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were the first persons who went to see the sepulchre. Which is the strongest proof that no such design could ever have entered into the minds of the disciples: for, if it had, they would never have permitted the women to have gone before them, which might have wholly frustrated their intention. And, if they could possibly have formed such a scheme, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary could not have been unacquainted with it: but this was so far from being the case, that, when Mary Magdalene came to the sepulchre, and saw that the stone was taken away, "She runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved,|| and with unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.§" This extraordi

Contremuerunt. "Timore tum humano, ne pœnas luerent corporis negligenter custoditi; tum præcipue divino, ne a Deo punirentur, ut qui Judæis operam præstarent." Brugensis.

↑ "Terræ motum, visum cœleste, devolutum lapidem, corpus non repertum." Grotius, &c. "Mulieres deliguntur futuræ resurrectionis testes, ut et fraudis et violentiæ omnis abesset suspicio, quibus resurrectio persuaderi vix potuerit, tantum abest ut eam finxerint." Brugensis. "Ad omnes quidem discipulos numero undecim, sed ita ut cum his, tanquam eminentibus, peculiariter sermonem conferret." Grotius.

§ "Ubi relictum sit corpus, in via, an in sepulchro alio, in loco decenti, an indecenti," Grot. &c.. L nary

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nary narration stirs up the curiosity of Peter and John, and they ram both together, 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 discr ple, 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 scheme of bribing the soldiers, or of taking an opportunity of opening the sepulclire while they were all asleep, they certainly would never have acted with so much, deliberation!

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* «Vel præ timore, vel quia satis constabat corpus abesse; vel quia Petrum exspectabat, cui f hoc nunciaret." Brugehsisi w borban az max. Se † And believed. "Non quod resurrexisset, ex collat. v. seq. sed quod mulieres dixerant, corpus ablatum esse. Nondum enim sciebant. Est αιτιολογικόν τα σιωπώμενού, 4. d. corpus illud vitæ redditum nondum credebat Johannes: nam et illé et ali discipuli nondum satis perceperant id quod Scriptura prædixerat de ejus resurrectione. Sæpè quidem audiverant Dominum id pollicentem, 7 sed rei magnitudo et ingenii tarditas obstabant quominus hoc in animum admitterent, Luc. xxiv. 12. Grotius, &c. And the the resurrection of Christ wasthat 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, 'atising from their looking only to the regal part of the Messiah's character, as predicted by the prophets, and disregarding his priest- 3 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 to11Israel? Act. i. 6. The late primate of Ireland, Dr Newcome, in his Harmony, observes, "Beza in MS. legit et recte, ut opinor, zal' en 'imigivot," et "non = credidit, ise, resurrectionem. junoob o90! niçoil, orrible que mi mujer mi jer qisa di una ako!T

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as to have put the linen in one place, and, the napkin in another; but would have taken, them away together with the body, Jest 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 Jr dismiss the argumentative part of this subject, there is, another circumstance that, may properly come under que 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 maimer, 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 Zechariali Crucifixion not being a punishment under the Jewish law, this event could not have taken place whilst their government, was in full fores; 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, obsergable that the soldiers, at the time of the orucifixion, waved one custom, which was usual on these occasions, in regard to Icsus, 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 alrady, 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

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record is true; and he knoweth, that he saith true, that ye might be, Atul subur Lóop os x i. {,*3-རྟེA£r,5* pe

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"Hæc tam accurata collocatio linteorum amovebat furti suspicionem. Fures enim festinant, nge agunt aljena a suo instituto

+ Scothe sermon on this text.

Grotius, &c, ia o noas

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hieve." For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “A bone of him shall not be broken." And again another Scripture saith, "They shall look on him, whom they pierced." From which circumstance an irrefragable proof is afforded of the iden 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 themt 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 ità res- ́ ́ pondet typo in pactione fœderis primi." Lightfoot.

* He shewed unto them, &c. "Thomas præ dubitatione tardius veniens, præ incredulitate recessit, deliramenta esse putans, permittente hoc Domino, ut ejus dubitatione nos confirmati essemus, &c." Toletus. "Pertinax incredulitas; non credidit mulieribus, apostolis, ipsi Christo,. qui toties hoc prædixerat. Mallet non credere quàm tristitiâ affici ex eo quòd fraudatus fuisset Christi conspectu." Brugensis.

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

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