living among the dead. He is revived, and has left this place, according to what he himself predicted while he was yet in Galilee, chap. 35., which you must needs remember. For he plainly foretold, that he should be deliver'd up into the power of the Gentiles, that he fhould be crucified, dead and buried, and rife again to life on the third day. But now make haft to his Apoftles, acquaint them with the News, and tell them he will go before them into Galilee, where they fhall again fee him according to his Prediction. Take notice of what I fay unto you, and remember to execute the Meffage you are charg'd with. The Women then collected, that he had actually foretold his Refurrection on the third day, and making haft from that place, being divided between Fear and Joy, they imparted their News to none upon the way for fear of the Sanhedrim, but made what haft they could to acquaint the eleven Apoftles with thefe joyful Ti dings.. ... JOHN. CHA P. XX. 2 Then the runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other difciple whom Jefus loved, and faith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the fepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other difciple, and came to the fepulchre. 4 So they ran both together and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the fepulchre. 5 And he stooping down and looking in, faw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the fepulchre, and feeth the linen clothes lie; dings. Mary Magdalene therefore, as we faid, and Joanna, and Mary the Mother of James, and fome others related what they had heard and feen to the Apoftles, who were ftill fo ftupid as not to remember the repeated Prediction of Chrift concerning his Refurrection, or at least not rightly understanding it, they look'd upon this Relation of the Women as a dream or vifion. Then Mary Mag dalene affur'd Peter and John apart, that she had bin in the Tomb, which the found empty; and that if fefus was not rifen to life again, they had however remov'd his Body, nor could the poffibly guess where they had laid him. Upon this Peter and John ran both to the Sepulchre; and John, the youngest of the two, being got thither firft, ftoop'd down, and look'd into the Tomb, where he faw only the linen Clothes in which the Body had bin wrap'd, but went not in. Peter fhortly after came, and went in, and took notice of the linen Clothes, and befides Aaaa 2 of of the Napkin with which his head had bin cover'd, lying apart from the Clothes John then went in alfo, and having narrowly viewed the Sepulchre, doubted no longer of the truth of what Mary Magdalene had told them, viz. that fome body had remov'd the Body of their Mafter. For as for his Refurrection, they did not yet understand the Prophecies concerning it. They return'd therefore from the Sepulchre greatly wondring what was become of their Mafter's Body. But Mary continued at the Monument, bemoaning her felf for not being able to fee Jesus either alive or dead. Peter and John being, as we faid, departed, the again went into the Tomb to affuage the Violence of her Grief if poffible, and there again beheld the two Angels, one of them fitting at the place where Jesus's Head lay, the other at his Feet, who thus accofted her: Woman, why weepeft thou ? She replied, because they have taken the Body of my Lord from hence, and I know not JOHN. CHAP. XX. 14 And when she had thus faid, he turned her felf back, and faw Jefus ftanding, and knew not that it was Jefus. 15 Jefus faith unto her, Woman, why weepeat thou? whom feekeft thou? The fuppofing him to be the gardener, faith unto him, Sir, if thou haft born him hence, tell me where thou haft laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jefus faith unto her, Mary. She turned her felf, and faith unto him, Rabboni, which is to fay, Mafter. 17 Jefus faith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet afcended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the difciples, that he had feen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.. not where they have laid As foon as she had faid this, fhe turn'd about and faw Jefus himself ftanding by her, but knew him not. Jefus ask'd her why the wept, and whom the fought? Mary fuppofing him to be the Gardener, anfwer'd, Sir, if thou haft taken away the Corps, tell me I pray where thou haft laid it, that it may be transferr'd to a more convenient place, and no more remov'd. Jefus faid unto her, Mary. This Surprife made her look more attentively on Jefus, whom the now own'd to be the fame, her Lord and Master, and fell down at his Feet to embrace them. Then faid Jefus, Touch me not, neither lofe time by tarrying here to demonftrate thy reverence and love for me; make haft to my Difciples, whom I efteem as my Brethren; tell them thou haft feen me, and that I have affur'd thee, I fhall quickly leave this World, and afcend to the God and Father of us all, unto thofe happy Manfions, where he manifefts his Prefence in a moft efpecial manner, according as I told them before my Death. Mary accordingly, immediatly de-parted to acquaint the Apostles with this joyful Meffage, CHAP.. Mary Magdalene tells the Apostles, that fhe bad feen Jefus, but they give no THUS But when the deliver'd her Meffage to the Apostles and Difciples, they gave no credit to ber ftrange Relation, fo blinded were they, or fo unmindful of the promifes of their Mafter. The other Women alfo, whom we mention'd, having in like manner gone a fecond time to the Sepulchre, which they found empty, upon their return to the Apoftles, to affure them that they could no where find the Body of their Mafter, Jefus himself met them, and firft faluting them, was immediatly known to them. They therefore proftrated themselves at his Feet, altho they were greatly afraid. Eut Jefus bid them not fear, but go to his Apoftles 1 |