"your Father, and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene "came and told the difciples that she had feen the Lord, and that he "had spoken these things unto her."

From this paffage of the Gofpel of St. John, it is evident, ift, That Mary Magdalene had not feen any vifion of angels before the ran to Peter; and confequently, that he was not of the number of those women who went into the fepulchre, and were there told by an angel that Jefus was rifen: for had fhe, before she went to Peter, feen any angels, fhe would certainly have added fo extraordinary a circumftance to her account; and, had fhe been informed by an angel that Jefus was rifen, fhe could not have perfifted in lamenting at not being able to find the body; nor have enquired of him, whom the took to be the Gardener, where he had put it, that fhe might take it away. It is alfo farther obfervable, that, when after her return to the fepulchre with Peter and John, and their departure from thence, the faw a vifioh of angels, fhe was ftanding without, at the fepulchre, weeping;--that ftooping down, and looking (not going) into the fepulchre, the faw two angels in white," fit

ting, the one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body "of Jefus had lain," who faid no more to her than "Woman, "why weepest thou?" to which the answered, "Because they have "taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have lain him." From all which circumftances it appears, 2dly, that neither after her return to the fepulchre with Peter and John, was the with those women who went into the fepulchre, &c. that he had not heard any thing of Chrift's being rifen from the dead; and that therefore those women, who were told by an angel that he was rifen, were not at the fepulchre when the returned thither with Peter and John. And indeed, from the whole tenor of the above,cited paffage of St, John's gofpel, throughout which no mention is made of any other woman befides Mary Magdalene, it is more than probable fhe was alone, when the faw the angels, and when Chrift appeared to her immediately after. That he was alone when Christ appeared to her, is plainly implied in what St. Mark fays, who tells us exprefsly, that Chrift appeared firft to Mary Magdalene, which, had he been accompanied by the other Women, could not have been spoken of her with any propriety of fpeech. In the 3d place, it is plain, from the above relation, that the angels were not always vifible, but appeared and disappeared as they thought proper; for John and Peter going into the fepulchre faw no angels; but Mary, after their departure, looking in, faw two, one fitting at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jefus had lain.

2. LUKE, Chap. xxiv. 13.

"The fame day two of them (the difciples) went to a village "called Emmaus, which was from Jerufalem about threefcore fur"longs; and they talked together of all these things that had happened. "And it came to pafs that, while they communed together, and "reafoned, Jefus himself drew near, and went with them; but

Chap. xvi. ver. 9.

"their

their eyes were holden, that they fhould not know him. And he "faid unto them, What manner of communications are these, that ye have one to another, as ye walk and are fad? And one of them, "whofe name was Cleopas, anfwering, faid unto him, Art thou only "a ftranger in Jerufalem, and haft not known the things which are "come to pafs there in these days? And he faid unto them, What "things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jefus of Nazareth, "which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God, and all "the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him "to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trufted "that it had been he which should have redeemed Ifrael: and, befides "all this, to-day is the third day fince these things were done. Yea, "and certain women alfo of our company made us aftonished, which were early at the fepulchre; and when they found not his body, "they came, faying, that they had alfo feen a vifion of angels, which "faid that he was alive; and certain of them which were with us, "went to the fepulchre, and found it even fo as the women had faid; "but him they faw not."

The latter part of this paffage, which contains an abridgement of a report made by fome women to the apostles before these two difciples had left Jerufalem, fuggefts the following obfervations: 1st, The angels feen by these women at the fepulchre told them, that Jefus was alive, whence it follows, that this report was not made by Mary Magdalene; for the angels, which the faw, faid no such thing to her. 2dly, As there is no notice taken of any appearance of our Saviour to thefe women, it is alfo evident, that this report could not have been made by the other Mary and Salome, to whom, as they were going to tell the difciples the meffage of the angels which they had feen at the fepulchre, Jefus appeared, as I fhall prefently fhew from St. Matthew. 3dly, There were therefore feveral reports made at different times to the apoftles, and by different women. At different times; for the two difciples, who, before they left Jerufalem, had heard the report now under confideration, had not heard thofe of Mary Magdalene, of the other Mary and Salome. By different women; for it having been juft now proved that this report could not belong to either of the laft-mentioned women, it must have been made by fome other; and no other being named by any of the Evangelifts but Joanna, it came in all likeli hood from her, and those that attended her. 4thly, Some of the disciples, upon hearing this report, "went to the fepulchre, and found

it even fo as the women had faid;" i. e. in the most obvious fenfe of these words. They faw the body was gone, and they faw fome angels. But I fhall not infift upon this interpretation; but only obferve, that if Peter be fuppofed to have been one of thofe difciples who, upon this information of the women, went to the fepulchre, this must have been the fecond time of his going thither, That Peter went a fecond time to the fepulchre, I fhall fhew more at large, when I come to confider the former part of this chapter of St. Luke.

These feveral conclufions being admitted, I think it will be no difficult matter to defend the Evangelifts against the imputation of

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contradicting each other in the accounts they have given of what happened on the day of the refurrection. For unless authors, who relate different and independent parts of the fame hiftory, may, for that reafon, be faid to contradict each other, the Evangelifts, I will be bold to fay, ftand as clear of that charge, at leaft in that part of their writings which we are now examining, as any of the most accurate hiftorians, either ancient or modern; as I fhall now endeavour to prove, by confidering and comparing the feveral relations of this day's events, in the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John. That written by St. John I have already produced, fo that there will be no occafion for inferting it again this place; thofe of St. Matthew and St. Mark I fhall produce and examine together, for reafons which will be evident hereafter.

$ 3. MATTH. Chap. xxviii.

"In the end of the fabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first "day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to "fee the fepulchre and behold, there was a great earthquake; for "the angel of the Lord defcended from heaven, and came and rolled "back the ftone from the door, and fat upon it: his countenance "was like lightning, and his raiment white as fnow; and for fear of "him the keepers did fhake, and became as dead men. And the "angel anfwered and faid unto the women: Fear not ye; for I know "that ye feck Jefus, which was crucified: he is not here; for he is "rifen, as he faid; come fee the place where the Lord lay; and go "quickly and tell his difciples that he is rifen from the dead; and "behold, he goeth before you into Galilee, there fhall ye fee him: "lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the fepulchrę "with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his difciples word. "And as they went to tell his difciples, behold, Jefus met them, say"ing, All hail! And they all came and held him by the feet, and "worshipped him. Then laid Jefus unto them, Be not afraid go tell "my brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there fhall they fee me. "Now when they were going, behold, fome of the watch came into "the city, and fhewed unto the chief priests all the things that were "done. And when they were affembled with the elders, and had "taken counsel, they gave large money unto the foldiers, faying, Say "ye, his difciples came by night, and ftole him away while we flept. "And if this come to the governor's ears, we will perfuade him, and "fecure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught:

and this faying is commonly reported among the Jews until this "day. Then the eleven difciples went away into Galilee, into a "mountain where Jefus had appointed them. And when they faw him, they worshipped him: but fome doubted."

MARK, Chap. xvi.

"And when the fabbath was paft, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, had bought fweet fpices, that

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"they might come and anoint him; and very early in the morning, "the first day of the week, they came into the fepulchre at the rifing "of the fun. And they faid among themfelves, Who fhall roll us "away the ftone from the door of the fepulchre? And when they "looked, they faw that the ftone was rolled away, for it was very "great. And entering into the fepulchre, they faw a young man "fitting on the right fide, clothed in a long white garment, and they were affrighted. And he faith unto them, Be not affrighted: 'ye feek Jefus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is rifen, he is "not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, "tell his difciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee : "there fhall ye fee him, as he said unto you. And they went out "quickly, and fled from the fepulchre; for they trembled and were "amazed; neither faid they any thing to any man; for they were "afraid. Now when Jefus was rifen, early in the first day of the "week, he appeared firft to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had "caft feven devils. And fhe went and told them that had been with "him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they heard that "he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that,

" he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and "went into the country. And they went and told it unto the refi"due; neither believed they them. Afterward, he appeared unto "the eleven, as they fat at meat, and upbraided them with unbelief, "and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had "feen him after he was rifen."

I fhall range the obfervations I intend to make upon the feveral particulars contained in these two paffages, under three heads. Ift, Of fuch circumftances as are related by one of thefe Evangelifts, but omitted by the other. The 2d, of fuch as they both agree in. And the 3d, of fuch as feem to clash and disagree with each other. rft, The feveral particulars of the earthquake, the defcent of the Angel from heaven, his rolling away the ftone from the door of the fepulchre, and fitting upon it, and the terror of the foldiers who guarded the fepulchre, are related only by St. Matthew as are likewife the appearances of our Saviour to the women, and to the eleven difciples in Galilee, and the fight of the guards into the city, and all that paffed between them and the chief priests upon that occafion. On the other hand, St. Mark alone makes mention of the women's having bought fpices, that they might come and anoint the body of our Saviour:-of Salome's being one of those women; of their entering into the fepulchre, and feeing there a young man fitting on the right fide, clothed in a long white garment:of the appearance of Chrift to Mary Magdalene ;-to the two dif ciples who were going into the country;-and, laftly, to the eleven as they fat at meat. As not one of all thefe circumftances can be proved to contradict or even difagree with any particular, which either of thefe Evangelifts has thought fit to mention, no argument against the reality or credibility of them can be drawn from their not having been taken notice of by both; unless it can be made appear,

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that a fact related by one hiftorian, or one evidence, muft therefore be falfe, because it is paffed over in filence by another. St. Matthew wrote his gofpel firft, within a few years after the afcenfion of our Lord; this gofpel, St. Mark, who wrote his fome years after, is faid to have abridged; though this, I think, is faid with very little propriety; for how can that book be ftyled an abridgment, which contains many particulars not mentioned in the original author? That St. Mark relates many circumstances not taken notice of by St. Matthew, will eafily appear to any one who fhall take the pains to compare them together; and of this, to go no farther, we have a plain inftance in the two paffages before us.

St. Matthew wrote his gospel at the requeft of the Jewish converts, who, having lived in that country where the fcene of this great hiftory was laid, were doubtlefs acquainted with many particulars, which, for that reafon, it was not neceffary to mention. This will account for the concifenefs and feeming defectiveness of his narrations in many places, as well as for his omitting many circumftances which the other Evangelifts thought proper to relate. St. Mark compofed his for Chriftians of other nations, who, not having the fame opportu nities of being informed as their brethren of Judea, ftood in need of fome notes and comments, to enable them the better to understand the extract which St. Mark chofe to give them out of the gofpel written by St. Matthew. It was therefore neceffary for St. Mark to infert many particulars, which the purpofe of St. Matthew, in writing his gofpel, did not lead him to take notice of. Allowing thefe Evangelifts to have had these two diftinct views, let us fee how they have purfued them in the paffages now under confideration.

That the difciples of Jefus came by night and ftole away the body while the guards flept, was commonly reported among the Jews, even fo long after the afcenfion of our Lord as when St. Matthew wrote his gofpel, as himself tells us *. To furnish the Jewish converts with an answer to this abfurd ftory, fo induftriously propagated among their unbelieving brethren, and fupported by the authority of the chief priests and elders, this Evangelift relates at large the history of the guarding the fepulchre, &c. the earthquake, the defcent of the angel, his rolling away the ftone, and the fright of the foldiers at his appearance, who "fhook and became as dead men."

And, indeed, by comparing this relation with the report given out by the foldiers, it will eafily appear on which fide the truth lay. For as there is nothing in the miraculous refurrection of our Lord, fo repugnant to reafon and probability, as that the difciples fhould be able to roll away the ftone which clofed up the mouth of the fepulchre, and carry off the body of Jefus, unperceived by the foldiers, who were fet there on purpose to guard against such an attempt; fo it is alfo evident, that the particulars of the foldiers report were founded upon the circumftances of this hiftory. In this report three things are afferted, viz. that the difciples ftole the body,-that

Chap. xxviii, ver. 15.

they