and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST; and his APOSTLES, &C. aftonifhed the difciples exceedingly: anti as they had before fent Peter and John to examine into the truth of what Mary Magdalene had told them concerning the body's being removed out of the fepulchre, fo they now judged it highly proper to fend force of their number tofee the angels, and learn from them the joyful tidings of that great tranfaétion of which the women had given them an account. That this was really the cafe, appears from what the dif- ciples, in their journey to Emmaus, told their great Lord and Mailer; namely, that when the women came and told them that they had feen a vifion ofangels, certain of their number went to the fepulchre, and found it even as the women had Paid, but faw not Jesus. We may venture to affirm, that this le- cond deputation from the apofiles didnot go alone ; for as Mary Magdalene returned with Peter and John, who were fent to examine the truth of her information, fo the women who brought an account of the vifion of angels, in all probability returned with thofe who werefent to be witneffes of the truth of their report: besides curiofity, they had an errand thither. The angels had exprefsly ordered them to tell the news to Peter in particular ; for which reafon, when they understood that he was gone to the fepulchre, it is natural to think they would return with the difciples to feek him. About the time that the difciples and women fet out for the fepulchre, Peter and John reached the city, but patting through a different fireet, did not meet their brethren in the way. Having a great defire to reach the fe- pulchre, the difciples foon left the women behind, and just as they arrived, Mary Magdalene, having feen the Lord, was com- ing away ; but they did not meet her, be- caufe they entered the garden at one door, while the was comingout at another. When they came to the fepulchre, they faw the angels, and received from them the news of' their bleffed Mailer's refurrebtion ; for St. Luke tells us, they found it even as the 279 wateten had Paid: Highly elated with their fuccefs, they departed and ran back to the city, with fuch expedition, that they gave an account of what they had feen in the hearing of the two difciples; before Mary Magdalene arrived. Nor will their fpeed appear at all incredible, if we confider that the nature of the tidings the apoflles had to carry gave them wings, as it were, to make their brethren partakers of their joy at this furprifing event. The company of women who followed the difciples, 'happening, in the mean time, to meet Peter and John, went forward in quell' of them : but they had not gone far from the fepulchre, before Jesus himfelf met them, and Paid, All hail! On which they approached their great Lord and Matter, held him by the feet and worfhipiped him. This favour ofembracing his knees, JESUS had before refufed to Mary Mag- dalene, becaufe it was not then neceffary but he granted it to the women, becaufe the angel's words having firongly impreffed their minds with the notion of his refur- reEtion, they might have taken his appear- ing, for an illufion of their own imagina- tion, had he not permitted them to handle him, and convince themfelves by the united reports of their fenfes : betides, if our Lord intended that Mary Magdalene thould go away as fail as poffible, and publifh the news, he might hinder her from embracing his knees, to prevent her lofing any time before the returned. Thefe pious women having tarried force time with Jesus on the road, did not ar- rive with the joyful tidings of their great Mailer's refurreEtion, till force time after Peter and John ; and perhaps were over- taken by Mary Magdalene on the road, unlefs we fuppofe that fhe arrived a few minutes before them. But be, that as it may, this is certain, that they arrived either at or near the fame time ; fo that their ac- counts of this miraculous event tended to confirm each other's belief of it. The relationof the women having filled the difciples with affonithment, they e confidered
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