which, according to the manner of the Jews, had a great massy stone rolled to the door of it. The scribes and pharisees, not satisfied with this, but remembering the words of Jesus, "After three days, will I risé again," took care to make the tomb still more secure, by sealing it, and setting a watch, not of friends, but of enemies, strictly to guard it. Yet notwithstanding this careful sealing of the tomb, and thus guarding it with all possible precaution-notwithstanding this, in the morning of the third day, the body is actually gone-nothing left but the "napkin that was about his "head, not lying with the linen clothes, "but wrapped up together by itself." The question there is this-how came the body of Jesus to be removed, and by what means? This could not be done, nor even connived at, by the soldiers, for they too were professed foes, were besides appointed to be its vigilant guards, and were to answer for it, at the peril of their lives. Neither could it have been done by the disciples, for they, a few poor despised individuals, and totally destitute, both of the power and inclination, to effect such a desperate purpose, were now all scattered

abroad, and had given up their late Lord and master as finally lost. No other account can be credited, save that which the Scriptures contain, and which on the spot was fully published, which the Christians openly declared, and which even the guards themselves, ere they were corrupted, freely confessed and solemnly deposed. A great earthquake, they pled, had happened-an angel from heaven had descended, with a countenance like lightning, and raiment white as snow, he rolled back the stoneJesus who was crucified, came forth from the tomb, and they, the panic struck keepers, did quake, and become as dead

men.

The malignant story which they were afterwards bribed to give out, by the influence of money, was not only directly false; but, as we might expect, a lie against God to be-self contradictory. The chief priests and elders, after taking counsel together, prevail on them to say-(O wretched tools of villainy!) "His disciples came by night, and stole him away, while we

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slept. And if this come to the Gover"nor's ears."-added the sacerdotal hypocrites, to embolden those victims of iniquity, "we will persuade him and secure

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you. So they took the money-(O infer"nal bargain!) and did as they were taught ; "and this saying is commonly reported "among the Jews until this day."-Strong indeed must be that delusion which could lead any, even the most credulous, to believe this bungled lie-a lie flatly contradicting the soldiers' own first confessioncontradicting itself, and by representing them as bearing witness, to what supposes them awake to see, and yet themselves acknowledging they were sleeping-contradicting their own, and the chief-priests' completest conviction-yea, contradicting the testimony of God himself, felt in the earthquake, not only by the Sanhedrim, but by all Jerusalem. But mark the evidence of this fact, as arising not only from its corroborative circumstances, but also from the previous incredulity and subsequent faith and fortitude of its witnesses. What we are beforehand disposed to admit, we are very easily brought fully to credit. Whereas, what we have not only no expectation will take place, but are even strongly prejudiced against, overpowering evidence only can constrain us to believe. Let us apply this to the case before us. The Apostles

had no idea of the death of Jesus-it accorded not with their high formed secular expectations and having no prospects of his death-they consequently had no previous hopes of his resurrection, notwithstanding all his own repeated, and most explicit declarations. The notion of a temporal prince, held strong possession of their minds; to the last they flattered themselves," that this was he who should “ redeem Israel.”—And when they suffered the deep and sudden disappointment of their fondly formed views, they became abandoned to despair, never looking for the resurrection and its glories, to succeed an event so terrible and ignominious as the death of the cross. Accordingly, the first publication of the joyful tidings, they heard as an idle incredible tale, which made no reviving impression upon their minds. Nay, the first time they saw him alive, they were afraid, and thought they had seen a spirit. Their strong incredulity could hardly be overcome, even by the decisive evidence of their senses. And therefore, in condescension to their obstinate prejudices, and fully and for ever to establish a fact of such vast importance, we find their

gracious master favouring them not with one; but, at least, seven different and familiar appearances-that to Mary at the sepulchre-that to the two disciples at Emaus-that to ten of the Apostles, the very evening after he arose that to the eleven, eight days after, when he removed the faithlessness of Thomas-that to seven of the disciples, at the sea of Tiberias-that to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part were alive, when the Apostle Paul wrote his Epistle to the Corinthians, and last of all, that to this Apostle himself likewise," as to one born "out of due time." Thus, on sundry and divers occasions, having seen again their lately crucified Jesus, the few dispirited Apostles, who but a little before cowardly left him in danger, who durst not own him in the high priest's hall, who durst not come within the shadow of his cross, nor within the sight of his sepulchre, lo! even these, now instantly shake of their fears, feel their breasts beat high with heavenly hopes, and armed with invincible courage. Emerging from the lurking places of Jerusalem, and the dark retreats of the mountain of Olives, from east to west,