and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &C. 285 refurrefion, not only by eatingwith them, but by working a miracle like that which, at the beginning of his minifiry, had made fuck an impreflion upon them, as difpofed them to be his confiant followers. This was the third time that Jesus appeared publicly to a great number of his difciples in a body, betides his (hewing himfelf to particular perfons, upon fpecial occafions, and at divers times. After they had eaten, Jesus reminded Peter how diligent and zealous he ought to be, in order to wipe off the Hain of his denying him, when he'was carried before the high-priefl : Simon, fon of,7onas, faid our bleffed Saviour to him, art thou more zealous and affefionate in thy love to- wards me, than the reft of my difciples ? To which Peter anfwered, Yea, Lord; thou knowe/l that I love thee. He was taught modeffy and diffidence by his late fall ; and, therefore, would not compare himfelf with others, but humbly appealed to his Maffer's omnifcience, for the fincerity of his regard to him. JESUS anfwered, Ex- prefs then thy love towards me by the care of my flock committed to thy charge: Feed my lambs, feed myAmp. I well know, in- deed, continued the bleffed Jesus, that thou wilt continue my faithful fhepherd even until death : for the time will come, when thou, who now girdeff on thy fiber's coat voluntarily, and ftretchedft out thy hands to come to me, lhalt in thine old age be girt by others, and forced to firetch out thy hands againfi thy will, in a very different manner, for the fake of thy con- Rant profeflion of my religion. JEsus, by there lafi words, fignified the manner of Peter's death, and that he lhould finally fuller martyrdom for the glory of God, and the tcflimony of the truth of the Chriflian religion, which he had been in- flrumental in propagating to the world. The difciples beingnow about to meet their great Lord and Mailer, according to the meffages he had font them by the wo- men, and having, in all probability, ap- pointed this meeting at force former appearance, not mentioned by the evan- gelifts, the brethren fet out for the mountain in Galilee, perhaps, that on which he was transfigured. Here five hundred of them were gathered together, waiting the joyful fight of their great Mailer, after he had triumphed over death and the grave ; fotne of them not having yet feen him after his refurre&ion from the dead. The difciples did not wait long before Jesus appeared; on which they were feized with rapture, and with hearts over- flowing with gladnefs, they approached their kind, their benevolent Mailer, and worfhippedhim. Some few indeeddóùbted, it being a thing agreeable to nature for men to be afraid to believe what they vehe- mentlywith, left they fhould indulge them- felves in falfe joys, which vánifh like a morning cloud. But JEstis afterwards appeared frequently to them, and gave all of them full fatisfáélion, and inflruaed them in many things relating to their preaching the gofpel, efiablifhing the church, and fpreading it through the known world, Our bleffed Saviour, either at his ap- pearance on the mountain; or force fubfe- quent appearance, not mentioned by the evangelifis, probably ordered them tore- turn to Jerufalem, as he propofed to afcend vifibly into heaven from the top of the Mount of Olives. No. 24. CHAPTER
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