The Guards were terrified, and fled away.

Heaven, and came and rolled

back the Stone from the Door, and fat upon it.

3 His Countenance was Nike Lightning, and his Rai

ment white as Snow.

4 And for Fear of him the Keepers did shake, and became as dead Men.

JOHN XX.-I. And Mary Magdalene feeth the Stone taken away from the Sepulchre.

595

Matth.

approached in Sight of the Guards, and rolled Sect. 194.
away the Stone from the Door, and fate down upon
it. And, at the very fame Time, Jefus, like a XXVIII. 2.
fleeping Conqueror awaking on a fudden, burst
afunder the Bands of Death, and fprung up to a
new and immortal Life. But none of the 3
Guards faw him rife, being struck into the utmost
Confternation at the Sight of the Angel, who
appeared to remove the Stone: And well indeed
they might be fo; for his Countenance was like
the Brightness of Lightning, and his long flow-
ing Garment was as white as Snow, glittering
with extraordinary Luftre beyond what their Eyes
could bear. And the Guards, tho' Romans and 4
Soldiers, trembled for Fear at the Sight of him,
and became like so many dead Men, falling down
on their Faces in a most helpless Condition. But
quickly after prefuming to lift up their Eyes, and
finding he had disappeared, and left the Sepulchre
open, they fled to fome diftant Place, to confult
their own Safety in fo furprizing an Occur-
rence (á).

By this Time the Women, whom we men- John XX. 1.
tioned before, were near the Place;
and Mary
Magdalene, tranfported with the distinguishing
Ardour of her Affection, advanced a little before
the rest; and, it being now Light enough to dif-
cern Objects, as foon as he came thither, fhe
faw to her great Surprize, that the Stone was al-
ready taken away from the Sepulchre (e), and that

the

(d) They fled to fome diftant Place, &c.] As nothing is faid of any Interview between them and the Friends of Chrift, there is great Reafon to believe, that this was the Cafe; as indeed it is on other Accounts probable it should be.

(e) Mary Magdalene faw that the Stone was taken away &c.] Every attentive Reader, may have obferved, how difficult it is, to form the Evangelifts into one coherent Story here, and to reconcile fome feeming Contrarieties in their Accounts: Nevertheless I hope, on a careful Examination of this, and the following Sections, it will be found not impracticable. I fhall not mention the very different Schemes other Criticks have taken, nor the particular Objections against them; but would only add a Word or two concerning that of Dr. Guyfe, which is both new and ingenious, yet not to me fatisfactory. He fuppofes, (in his Note on John xx. 2.) that there were Two Appearances of the Angels to the Women; and that Mark and Luke fpeak only of the First, and Matthew and John of the Second; that is in other Words, (as I understand it,) That as foon as it was Light, thefe good Women came to the Sepulchre, and faw an Angel, who told them, "He knew they fought Jefus, "but that he was rifen ;" and inviting them" to come and fee the Place where he was "laid," charged them "to go and tell his Difciples, that he would go before them into GaFfff2

"lilee."

596

Sect. 194.

Luk.XXIV.

2.

John XX. 2.

Mary finding the Sepulchre open, runs and tells Peter and John.
the Tomb was open. And he was greatly LUKE XXIV. 2. And
aftonished and alarmed at the Sight, and prefently [when they all looked, 1
concluded that the Body was removed. She there- they found the Stone rolled
away from the Sepulchre.
fore stepped back, and informed her Companions [MÁRK XVI. 4.—]
of this Circumftance; upon which they [alfo] look-
ed, and plainly found that it was as the reprefent-
ed, and that the Stone was indeed rolled away
from the Entrance of the Sepulchre.

And not reflecting on the Affurance Jefus had
given them of his rifing again from the Dead,
they knew not how to account for the Removal
of the Stone; but Mary Magdalene and the other
Women having confulted a little together, as well
as the Confufion they were in would admit, it
was thought beft that fome of the Disciples fhould
be immediately acquainted with it: She therefore
runs back to the City with all poffible Difpatch (f),.
and knowing where they lodged, he comes to
Simon Peter, and to John, that other Difciple,
whom Jefus peculiarly loved, (by whom this Part
of the Story is moft exactly and circumftantially
recorded ;) and finding them already up, and full
of Solicitude about the Events of this important
Day, the fays to them, Oh my Friends, the Se-
pulchre is broke open, and fome or other must
have been there, who have removed the Stone

nor

JOHN XX. 2. Then she

runneth, and cometh to SiDifciple whom Jefus loved, and faith unto them, They

mon Peter, and to the other

have

"lilee." Upon this they go immediately, and tell the Difciples, (without faying any Thing, that we find, of the Vifion,)" that fome unknown Perfons had taken away the Lord, "and laid him they knew not where " And then returning again to the Sepulchre, in lefs than an Hour, they fee another, or the fame Angel as before, who, as if it were perfectly unknown by any former Declaration, tells them juft in the fame Words, " He knew they fought Jefus, but he was rifen;" and inviting them again," to come and fee the Place "where he had lain," charges them again" to go and tell his Difciples, that he went be "fore them into Galilee." This is fuch a Similarity of Words and Actions, immediately fucceeding each other, as I believe can no where be parallelled.-The Scheme I offer here, (which is that, which twice at the Diftance of feveral Years, prefented itself to me, on a View of the Evangelifts alone,) is incumbered with no fuch Difficulty, nor indeed with any worth naming, except what arifes from the Tranfpofition of Mark xvi.-2. and Luke xxiv. 12. on which fee Note (h) in this Section, and Note (a) in the next.

(f) She therefore runs back to the City &c.] It is not exprefsly faid, whether the ether Women ftaid any where near the Sepulchre, or whether they returned to the City with her; but confidering that John, who was an Eye-Witness, has mentioned only Mary Magdalene, and fays that he ran, (which with their Load of Spices they could not all do,) it feems moft probable, they ftaid at fome Distance, till Peter and John came, and had viewed the Sepulchre John hints nothing at all of Mary's having look'd into the Sepulchre, before The ran back to him; and his Narration being the last, and most circumftantial, must guide us in adjusting all that is ambiguous in the rest.

(8) They

Peter and John have taken away the Lord out of the Sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

John XX. 2.

nor is there any room to doubt but they have Sect. 194.
taken away the Lord out of the Sepulchre (g), and
we know not where they have laid him; fo that I,
and my Companions, whom I have left behind
me, cannot find any Method of performing that
laft Office of Refpect and Affection, which you
know we intended.

the

12.

And upon hearing this, without fo much as Luk.XXIV.. ftaying to make any Reply, Peter, whofe Heart was ftruck with fuch a Circumstance, arofe in a Tranfport of various Paffions (b), and that other Difciple whom we mentioned before, [and] went directly out, and never stopped till they came to the Sepulchre. And not contented with the John XX. 4.. fwifteft Pace with which they could walk, they both ran together; and as that other Difciple was younger Man, he out-ran Peter who had the Start of him at the Beginning, and came first to the Sepulchre : And stooping down [to look into 5. it,] be faw the Linnen Clothes, or Rollers, in which the Corpfe had been wrapped up, lying there by themselves; but he did not at first enter in to the Sepulchre. Then came Simon Peter, 6. very quickly following him, and having ftooped down to view the Sepulchre, as John had done before, he was not fatisfied with this; but that he might examine this important Affair with fuch Exactness as it deferved, he went into the Sepulchre,, and found the Body was gone, but faw the Linnen Clothes, with which it had been covered, laid by themselves, as John had obferved from with

out..

(8) They have taken away the Lord &c.] It is difficult to fuppofe with Dr. Clarke, Dr. Guyfe, and many other Criticks, that he would have fpoken thus, if the Angels had before this exprefsly affured her of Christ's Refurrection, and fent her back with fuch a Meffage, as they did, to the Difciples. Compare Note (m) on ver. 13.

(b) And Peter arofe.] Thefe Words in Luke come in after the Account given by the Women to the Eleven, and all the rest of the Disciples, (ver. 9.) of the Angels appearing to them, &c. and fo make the chief Objection against the Scheme here offered to the Reader: But the Word Then, with which this Verfe is introduced by our Tranflaters, does not well anfwer to de in the Original; and as we have often fhewn before, that Luke is not always fo exact in his Order, as not to admit of fome Tranfpofition, fo it will run us into greater Difficulties, not to allow it in the prefent Cafe, in which it is apparently reafonable to follow fohn's Order, who was an Eye-Witness, and who gives the laft and largest Account. And indeed if no Tranfpofition may be allowed, it is abfolutely impoffible to make any confiftent Harmony of the Evangelifts at all, not only in this Story, but in many more; as every attentive Reader must have often obferved.

(i) But

Then

598 They find nothing there but the Clothes, and Sect. 194. out. And he difcovered another material Circumstance, which had not been remarked before, John XX. 7. namely, that the Napkin which was about his Head, was not laid with the Linnen Clothes, but was folded up in a Place by itself (i), in fuch an orderly Manner, as plainly fhewed, that the Body was not haftily hurried away, either by Friend, or Enemy; but made the Sepulchre appear rather like a Bed-Chamber, which a Perfon on his awak8 ing in the Morning had leisurely quitted. that other Difciple, who came first to the Sepulchre, and being lefs adventurous than Peter ftood hitherto without, went in alfo to view it; and when he faw the feveral Parts of the Funeral Dress in this Situation, he was immediately convinced, and believed it at least to be now very probable, that his dear Mafter was indeed revived (k). For hitherto they did not know the full Meaning of those various Intimations of Scripture, to which Jefus had fo often referred to convince them, that he must certainly rife from the Dead; which if they had confidered, they would chearfully have expected the fure Accomplishment of them, and would not have been fo much furprized at the News which Mary brought them.

9.

ΤΟ

return in Surprize.

7 And the Napkin that was about his Head, not lying with the Linnen Clothes, but wrapped together in a Place by itself.

8 Then went in also that other Difciple which came

firft to the Sepulchre, and he faw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he muft rife again from the Dead.

10 Then the Disciples own Home, [Peter won

Then both the Difciples went away again to their Companions in the City (1), [Peter] not be- went away again unto their ing fo thoroughly fatisfied as John was, yet greatly

won

dering

(i) But folded up in a Place by itself.] Perhaps our Lord himself folded up the Napkin; and this remarkable Circumftance might be intended to fignify the perfect Calmness and Compofure, with which he arofe, tranfported with no Rapture or Surprize at his awaking out of this long Sleep. It would be very impertinent, to enquire whence he had his Clothes; the Angels no doubt furnished him with them; and perhaps the Diversity of their Colour, or Form, might prevent his being known by his Friends at first Sight.

(k) He faw, and believed.] Many Interpreters explain this only of his believing that the Body was not there; but that he must have believed before, on looking into the Sepulchre: I rather understand it as a modeft Intimation, that he, first indeed of all others, believed the Truth of Chrift's Refurrection, inferring it, as he reasonably might, from the Order in which he found the Sepulchre. Thefe Words have a Force, and a Grace, on this Interpretation, which I think no other can give them. Much of the Beauty of John's Manner of Writing confifts in fuch Hints as these, which fhew the Temper of that excellent Man; and were he to be confidered merely as a Human Hiftorian, add great Weight to his Testimony. See Note (d) on John xxi. 20. Sect. 201.

(1) Went away again to their Companions.] So apos saules feems evidently to fignify: (Compare Elfner. Obferv. Vol. i. pag. 348.) Accordingly prefently after the Women found the Eleven, and the reft together. (Luke xxiv. 9.) Areale pos taulov never that I know of fignifies, to come to one's felf, or to the Exercife or Poffeffion of one's own Mind, as fome

Mary ftands weeping at the Sepulchre, and fees Two Angels.

dering in himself at that which was come to pafs.] [LUKE XXIV.-12.].

11 But Mary flood without at the Sepulchre, weep ing and as he wept, fhe flooped down, and looked in

to the Sepulchre,

12 And feeth Two Angels in white, fitting, the one at the Head, and the other at the Feet, where the Body of Jefus had lain :

599

wondering in himself at what had happened, and Sect. 194.
very dubious as to the Event of so surprizing a
Beginning.

But Mary ftood near the Sepulchre after Peter John XX.
and John were gone from it, not indeed going II.
into it as they had done, but weeping without:
And as he wept, she also bowed herself down, [and
looked into the Sepulchre ; And there the faw 12
with great Surprize Two Angels in white Habits,
fitting, one at the Head, and the other at the Feet,
of that Niche in the Sepulchre, where the Body
of Jefus had been laid. And they faid to her, 13:
Woman, why dost thou weep thus? And fhe faid to
she
them, Alas, I have Reafon enough to weep; it is
because they have taken away the Body of Jefus
my dear Lord, and I know not where they have
laid him, or how the facred Corpse may be neg-
lected, or abused (m).

And just as fhe had faid this, hearing a fudden 14.
Noise behind her, he turned back, before the
Angels could give her any Answer; and the faw
Jefus himself standing near her: And he knew
not at firft that it was Jefus, his Habit being
changed, her Eyes alfo overflowing with Tears,
and her Mind being fo far from any Expectation
of his Appearance, and fo much diftreffed, that
she did not fo mnch as look up to the Face of
the Perfon who appeared.

Then Jefus faid to her with a gentle Voice, 15
Woman, why dost thou weep thus? and whom doft
thou feek? And fhe, fuppofing him to be the Gar-
diner (n), faid to him, Sir, if thou haft for any
unknown Reafon borne him away from hence,,

where

have strangely interpreted thefe Words. Luke's Expreffion in that Cafe is different; Luke xv.. 17. where he fays of the Prodigal, es eaulov exlar, when he came to himself. It was very prudent in Peter and John to retire immediately, left they fhould have been queftioned by the Rulers, if found near the Sepulchre.

(m) They have taken away my Lord, &c.] This Expreffion may very eafily be accounted: for, in our Manner of ranging this Story; but it is very harsh to fuppofe, the fhould speak in this Manner, if one of the Angels had a few Minutes before told her, that Christ was: rifen. She perhaps thought, they came to do a Kind of Homage to the Place where he had lain, if the apprehended them to be Angels; which whether the did, or did not, we do not. certainly know.

(n) Suppofing him to be the Gardiner.] It is very probable, Chrift might fpeak low, or in a different Way from what he ufually did; and her taking him for the Gardiner, feems.

to