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furrection. Yet they were still fo blinded with Prejudice, as not to believe their own Eyes, but thought it was fome Angel in his Shape that appear'd to them.

Then faid fefus, Why are you difturb'd at my Appearance, and why do you entertain fuch vain Imaginations? Look upon my Hands and Feet, behold the marks of my Crucifixion, and no longer doubt whether I am your Mafter or no. Angels, 'tis true, appear fometimes in a Podily Shape, but have neither Flesh nor Bones, as you fee me have. Having thus fpoke, he fhow'd them his Hands and Feet, and his Side wounded with the Lance. Several of them perceiving this accomplishment of his Prophecy, which foretold his Refurrection, were fill'd with exceeding joy, but fome yet helitating thro an excess of it, and standing amaz'dat the greatnels of the Miracle, he ask'd them whether they had any thing to eat. They, then fet before him a piece of a broil'd Fifh, and a Hony-comb, of which he eat in their Prefence. You fee now, faid he, the Accomplishment of what I

told

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LUKE.

CHA P. XXIV.
yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled which were
written in the law of Mofes,
and in the prophets, and in
the pfalms concerning me.

45 Then opened he their
understanding, that they might
understand the fcriptures,

46 And faid unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, and to rife from the dead the third day.

47 And that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerufalem.

48 And ye are witnesses of thefe things.

49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, till ye be endued with power from on high.

CHAP. XX.

21 Then faid Jefus to them again, Peace be unto you as my Father hath fent me, even fo I fend you.

told you before my Death, that it ought thus to happen to me, that the Prophecies in the Scriptures might be fulfil'd. Then he expounded to them thofe Paffages relating to him, which foretel that the Meffiah mult be put to Death, and rife again to Life on the third day. The fame, faid he, fhow you that you are now to go and preach Repentance, and the confequence of it, Pardon and Remiffion of Sins, to all Nations by my Command and Authority, than whom there can be none more proper for this Employment, as having conftantly attended on me in the whole courfe of my Miniftry and to enable you to acquit your felves as becomes thofe that are commiffion'd by me, I will fend you the Holy Ghoft, whom my Father has promis'd fhall be conferr'd upon you, and which you fhail receive at Ferufalem; to which end continue here till you have receiv'd this Divine Influence, after your return out of Galilee, before Pentecoft. Jefus then again faluting them, and wifhing them Peace, that is, all manner of Felicity, thus continued: As I have bin fent by my Father on purpofe to reclaim Mankind, and prepofe a Religious and Holy courfe of Life to them; fo alfo do I now fend you on the fame Defign, that having receiv'd the gracious Áfliftances of the Holy Spirit, you may preach my

Gospel

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Gospel not only in Judea, but all the World over, and give a general Invitation to all Men to accept of the Rewards annex'd to the Obfervance of my Gospel. Whoever believes the Gospel, and after having bin baptiz'd by you, fhall publicly profefs his belief of it, thall obtain eternal Happiness; but whoever refufes to believe your Doctrin, fhall be condemn'd for ever. Now that you may convince the moft refractory of the truth of it, and that you really act by a Divine Authority, I will enable you to work thefe and the like Miracles: at the pronouncing of my Name, you fhall drive out the Evil Spirits from the Bodies of men, you thall fpeak Languages fluently which you never learnt. So far fhall you be from receiving hurt from venomous Beafts, that you fhall be able at your pleafure to kill them with your naked hands without the leaft danger; and by a bare impofition of your hands, you fhall cure all manner of Distempers.

After this, to affure them by bare outward Symbol of the miffion of the Holy Ghoft, he breath'd on them, and faid, Receive the Holy Ghoft; as if he had faid, that within a few days they fhould be influenc'd by that Divine Spirit, as certainly as he had now breath'd upon them: adding, that whofe foever Punishments for Sn (fuch as are Diftempers inflicted by God) they should defire to have remitted, God would accordingly remit them; and whom foever they delir'd thould be punish'd, they fhould not be cur'd of their Difeafes till pardon'd by them.

Now

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Now Thomas, firnam'd Didymus, was abfent when Jefus appear'd to the otherApoftles; and being inform'd by them of his appearing to and converfing with them, he told 'em he fhould never believe their Story unless he himself faw him, and the Wounds he had receiv'd upon the Crofs, and could touch and handle them.

After this the eleven Difciples went into Galilee, where Jefus promis'd to vifit them again. Upon the eighth day after his Refurrection, the Apoftles being met, and Thomas alfo with them, the Doors being clofe fhut for fear fome body might overhear and inform againit them to the Sanhedrim, on a fudden, no one opening the Doors, Jefus ftood in the midst of them, and having faluted them, he turn'd about to Thomas, and faid to him, Behold my Hands and my Side; touch them, and convince thy felf of the reality of my Refurrection. Thomas after this fo fenfible demonftration of the Truth of it, cried out: Thou art the fame Master I attended on before thy Death; Thou art alfo my God, who by thy Resurrecti

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MATTHEW.

MARK.

LUX.

JOHN.

CHAP. XX.

29 Jefus faith unto him, Tho mas, becaufe thou haft feen me, thou haft believed: bleffed are they that have not feen, and yet have believed,

CHA P. XXI. FTER these things Jefus fhewed himself again to the difciples at the fea of Tiberias; and on this wife shewed he himself:

2 There were together Simon Feter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the fons of Zebedee, and two other of his difciples.

3 Simon Peter faith unto them, I go a fifhing. They fay unto him, We alfo go with thee. They went forth, and entred

on haft overcome Death. Jefus replied, Thou, O Thomas, believeft after this Evidence to thy Senfes, mnch more noble will be their Faith, and more worthy of Reward, who have not feen, and yet believe the reality of my Refurrection. Thefe words fpake Jefus at that time before his Difciples, and then withdrew out of their Company.

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Jefus appears a feventh time to fome of his Difciples at the Lake of Tiberias, and foretles what shall befal Peter and John: the eighth time to the eleven Apostles upon a Mountain. in Galilee, and inftructs them in divers Particu tars concerning their Miniftry: the ninth time he is feen by 500 Difciples; the tenth by James; the eleventh by all the Apoftles; a twelfth and last time by the fame, whom he again commiffions to publifh the Gofpel, and inftructs in feveral things relating to it, and afterwards in their fight afcends up into Heaven. The Conclufion.

AFTERWARDS Jefus appear'd to fome Difciples at the Lake of Tiberias; the occafion this. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael of Cana a Galilean, the two Sons of Zebedee, and two other Difciples being together, and Peter telling them he defign'd towards the Evening to go a fishing, the reft promifed to bear him company. Whereupon they all went on board a small Veffel, and lanch'd out

upon

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