Mark 16

Mark 16:1

Parallels: Luke 24; Matthew 28

In the dead, the guards flee away in astonish- Magdalene finding the sepulchre open, calls Peter having entered into it, return; while Christ his first appearance to her. Mat. XXVIII. XVI. 1, 2—3, 4. Luke XXIV. 1, 2, 12. 17.

MARK XVI. 1.

AND when the sabbath was over,ᵃ which ended in the evening (as was often observed before), Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, who was [the mother] of James and Joses, and Salome, with Joanna, and some other pious women,ᵇ were so intent on embalming the body of Jesus, that they had another consultation about it; and, not satisfied with the preparation they had made before, they bought more spices and ointments,ᶜ that, after a short repose, as soon as ever they could see to do it, they might go and anoint

ᵃ When the Sabbath was over.] This which Mark expresses by διαγνωμιν τυ σαβρατι, Matthew expresses by another phrase, εφι σαβρατι, in the end of the sabbath, or when the sabbath (and consequently the preceding week, of which the sabbath was the last day), was over; as in Philostratus, εφι μυτημαι is, when the mysteries were ended. So that the controversy between Maijus and Wolfburg, on this subject, seems needless; as the criticism of the former, who supposes these words in Matthew to belong to the close of the former chapter, and to refer to the time of sealing the sepulchre, is very unnatural; as Wolfus has shewn in his learned note on Mat. xxviii. 1.

ᵇ Mary Magdalene, &c. with Joanna, and some other pious women.] In the account the evangelists have given of the women who first came to the knowledge that Jesus was risen, Mary Magdalene is mentioned by all, the other Mary by the three first,

and Salome only by Mark: but I have named Joanna here with the rest, as it appears from Luke xxiv. 10, in the next section, she was among the other women who went to the sepulchre, and was one of those who told these things to the apostles.

ᶜ They bought more spices, &c.] Luke had before observed (chap. xxiii. 56, page 564), that they prepared spices and ointments, and then rested the sabbathday according to the commandment: and Mark here says, that διαγνωμιν τυ σαβρατι, when the sabbath was over, πρασαι, they bought [not, they had bought] spices, and then (verse 2, very early in the morning) came to anoint him. This I look upon as a strong intimation, that sometime after six in the evening (on what we call Saturday night), when the sabbath was over, as it was then lawful to perform any common work, their generous hearts prompted them to purchase a larger quantity of aromatic drugs for this pious purpose.

Mary Magdalene and others go very early to th

him with them, and pay him all the respect of an honourable interment.

Now Mary Magdalene, with the other Mary and Salome, were ready before it was day; and setting out very early in the morning,ᵈ while it was yet dark, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, they went to take a view of the sepulchre,ᵉ to see if all things were as they had left them: and not long after they were followed by Joanna and the rest who were to meet them there, who came at the appointed time, bringing the spices with them, which (as was said before) they had prepared to embalm the body of Jesus, and which indeed were a considerable weight; and some [others] of their female friends went also with them to assist on this occasion.ᶠ

ᵈ Setting out very early in the morning.] The learned and ingenious Mr. West (of whose accurate Observations on the Resurrection of Christ I have given an extract at the end of the preface to the third volume of his work) supposes Mary Magdalene, with the other Mary and Salome, to have set out to view the sepulchre before the time they had agreed to meet Joanna and the other women there, who were to bring the spices, and to come about sunrising to embalm the body: and as the word σεμαι, ade use of in this place both by Mark and John (which we have rendered early), sometimes signifies over early, or before the appointed time, he naturally conjectures it has this signification here, and concludes that the women came to the sepulchre at different times; the first setting out before the time agreed on, just as the day began to break, whereas the others came not thither till the sun was risen. (See West’s Observ. p. 45, 46.) The difference between this and the scheme here given, chiefly consists in Mr. West’s supposing the women to have made two different visits to the sepulchre, and in consequence of that, two distinct reorts to the disciples, whereas I have united them; though I do not suppose them to have all come together to the sepulchre, but only to have met there. Yet such advantages attend the scheme this author has proposed, that if it had been published to the world before I had composed this Harmony, I should have chosen to have formed it in a nearer agreement to it, but have now left it to appear with no material alteration in its order.

ᵉ They went to take a view of the sepulchre.] I have rendered the word κηβον, went (and have likewise explained the word κηβωσαι in the same manner in the first verse of this section), which agree better with the order of the story, and is frequently the sense in which our translators have rendered it elsewhere. See Matxii. 9; xiii. 36; xiv. 12; Mark iii. 19; Luke ii. 44; xiv. 1; John iv. 45; vi. 17; Acts iv. 23; xxviii. 14. The true import of the word θωρησαι is to take a view; and thus implies their going to see if all things were in the same condition as before when they had seen the body laid in the sepulchre. (Luke xxiii. 55, p. 564.) I think Maijus and Elsner justly observe, that the xxiiiᵈ chapter of Luke should no have ended at the place it does; for here, as in several other places, a sentence is divided: [Το μιν σαζεζον κουχασαν,—τη δε μια των σαζεζων,—κηβον, &c.] Such divisions are great instances of negligence in the person by whom they were first made; but in a work like this Harmony, they are less material, and hardly in some cases avoidable.

ᶠ Some others of their female friends went also with them.] It was indeed a circumstance of decency, considering the office they were intending to perform, that the men and the women should perform their respective parts in it by themselves; which accordingly the evangelists plainly intimate they did. Their setting out alone was a remarkable instance of their zeal and courage: perhaps some appointment might be made with Peter

d been there before, and rolled away the stone.

And as they were advancing towards the sepulchre, they were not under any apprehension from the soldiers that were set to guard it, who had been stationed there without their knowledge on the sabbathday (sect. cxciii. p. 566); but remembering the stone that was placed at the mouth of it, they said among themselves, Who shall roll away the stone for us from the door of the sepulchre, which all of us together have not strength to remove? For they had seen Nicodemus and Joseph stop up the entrance with it; and it was indeed very large and heavy.

But this perplexity of theirs was altogether needless; for God had provided a very extraordinary way to remove that obstruction. And behold, with due regard and admiration, it was this: There was, but a little before they arrived there, a great earthquake (which would naturally awaken the guards, if any of them had fallen asleep); and very awful and astonishing were the circumstances that attended it; or an angel of the Lord descending from heaven, had approached in sight of the guards, and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat down upon it. And, at the very same time, Jesus, like a sleeping conqueror awaking on a sudden, burst asunder the bands of death, and sprung up to a new and immortal life. But none of the guards saw him rise, being struck into the utmost consternation at the sight of the angel, who appeared to remove the stone: and well indeed they might be so; for his countenance was like the brightness of lightning, and his long flowing garment was as white as snow, glittering with extraordinary lustre beyond what their eyes could bear. And the guards, though Romans and 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, presuming to lift up their eyes, and finding he had disappeared, and had left the sepulchre open,

and John (who were early up, as it should seem, on this occasion), either to meet them, or come after them, to assist in re- moving the stone, though not in embalming the body.

VOL. 2.

Mary, finding the sepulchre open,

they fled to some distant place, to consult their own safety in so surprising an occurrence.ᵍ

By this time the women, who had set out as it began to dawn, were near the place; and Mary Magdalene, transported with the distinguishing ardour of her affection, advanced a little before the rest; and, it being now light enough to discern objects, she looked forward, and saw, to her great surprise, that the stone was already taken away from the sepulchre,ʰ and that the tomb was open. And she was greatly astonished and alarmed at the sight, and presently concluded that the body was removed. She therefore stepped back, and informed her companions of this circumstance; upon which they [also] looked, and plainly found that it was as she represented, and that the stone was indeed rolled away from the entrance of the sepulchre.

And, not reflecting on the assurance Jesus had given them of his rising again from the dead, they knew not how to account for the

ᵍ They fled to some distant place, &c.] As nothing is said of any interview between them and the friends of Christ, here is great reason to believe that this as the case, as indeed it is on other accounts probable it should be.

ʰ Mary Magdalene saw that the stone was taken away, &c.] Every attentive reader may have observed how difficult it is to form the evangelists into one coherent story here, and to reconcile some seeming contrarieties in their accounts: nevertheless I hope, on a careful examination of this and the following sections, it will be found not impracticable. I shall not mention the very different schemes other critics have taken, nor the particular objections against them; but would only add a word or two concerning that of Dr. Guyse, which is both new and ingenious, yet not to me satisfactory. He supposes (in his note on John xx. 2) that there were two appearances of the angels to the women; and that Mark and Luke speak only of the first, and Matthew and John of the second; that is, in other words (as I understand it), That as soon as it was light these good women came to the sepulchre, and saw an angel, who told them, “He knew they sought Jesus, but that he was risen;” and,

inviting them “to come and see the place where he was laid,” charged them “to go and tell his disciples that he would go before them into Galilee.” Upon this they go immediately and tell the disciples (without saying any thing, that we find, of the vision.) “that some unknown person had taken away the Lord, and laid him they knew not where;” and then returning again to the sepulchre, in less than an hour, they see another, or the same angel as before, who, as if it were perfectly unknown by any other declaration, tells them just in the same words, “He knew they sought Jesus, but he was risen; and, inviting them again to come and see the place where he had lain,” charges them again “to go and tell his disciples that he went before them into Galilee.” This is such a similarity of words and actions immediately succeeding each other as I believe can no where be paralleled. The scheme I offer here (which is that which twice, at the distance of several years, presented itself to me on view of the evangelists alone) is incumbered with no such difficulty, nor indeed with any worth naming, except what arises from the transposition of Mark xvi.—2, and Luke xxiv. 12, on which see noteⁱ in this section, and noteⁱⁱ in the next.

runs to tell Peter and John.

removal of the stone; but Mary Magdalene and her companions having consulted a little together, as well as the confusion they were in would admit, it was thought best that some of the disciples should be immediately acquainted with it: she therefore runs back to the city with all possible dispatch,¹ and, knowing where they lodged, she comes to Simon Peter, and to John, that other disciple whom Jesus peculiarly loved (by whom this part of the story is most exactly and circumstantially recorded); and finding them already up, and full of solicitude about the event of this important day, she says to them, O my friends, the sepulchre is broke open, and some or other must have been there, who have removed the stone; nor is there any room to doubt but they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him;² so that I, and my companions, whom I have left behind me, cannot find any method of performing that last office of respect and affection which you know we intended.

And, upon hearing this, without so much as I staying to make any reply, Peter, whose heart was struck with such a circumstance, arose in a transport of various passions,¹ and that other

¹ She therefore runs back to the city, &c.] It is not expressly said whether the women with whom she came thither staid any where near the sepulchre, or whether they returned to the city with her; but considering that John, who was an eyewitness, has mentioned only Mary Magdalene as running with the news, her companions in the mean while might stay at some distance till Peter and John came, and had viewed the sepulchre; and might be joined there by the other women who were to bring the spices, upon whose coming they might go into the sepulchre. (Compare Mark xvi. —2, and Luke xxiv. 3, in the beginning of the next section.) John hints nothing at all of Mary’s having looked into the sepulchre before she ran back to him; and his narration being the last, and most circumstantial, must guide us in adjusting what is ambiguous in the rest.

² They have taken away the Lord, &c.] It is difficult to suppose, with Dr. Clarke, Dr. Guyse, and many other critics, that she

would have spoken thus if the angels had before this expressly assured her of Christ’s resurrection, and sent her away with such a message as they did to the disciples. Compare note p on ver. 13.

¹ And Peter arose.] These words in Luke come in after the account given by the women to the eleven, and all the rest of the disciples (Luke xxiv. 9), or the angels appearing to them, &c and so make the chief objection against the scheme here offered to the reader: but the word then, with which this verse is introduced by our translators, does not well answer to do in the original; and as we have often shewed before, that Luke is not always so exact in his order as not to admit of some transposition, so it will run us into greater difficulties not to allow it in the present case, in which it is apparently reasonable to follow John’s order, who was an eyewitness, and who gives the last and largest account. And indeed, if no transposition may be allowed, it is absolutely impossible in many

Peter and John run immediately to the sep

disciple whom we mentioned before, [and] went directly out, and never stopped till they came to the sepulchre. And, not contented with the swiftest pace with which they could walk, they both ran together; and as that other disciple was the younger man, he outran Peter, who had the start of him at the beginning, and came first to the sepulchre: And stooping down [to look into it], he saw the linen clothes, or rollers, in which the corpse had been wrapped up, lying there by themselves; but he did not at first enter in to the sepulchre. Then came Simon Peter, very quickly following him, and having stooped down to look into the sepulchre, as John had done before, he was not satisfied with this; but that he might examine this important affair with such exactness as it deserved, he went into the sepulchre, and found the body was gone, but saw the linen clothes, with which it had been covered, laid by themselves, as John had observed from without. And he discovered another material circumstance, which had not been remarked before, namely, that the napkin which was about his head was not laid with the linen clothes, but was folded up in a place by it-

passages of the gospel history to make any consistent harmony of the evangelists at all; as every attentive reader must have often observed. This was the view in which I formerly considered the account that Luke has given (ver. 12) of Peter’s visit to the sepulchre, which I have incorporated here with that of John, who at large relates their going there together, as soon as they received the first report from Mary Magdalene of the sepulchre being open, and the body gone: and, as Luke does not mention Peter’s visit till after the report the women who had seen the angels made to the disciples, it could not any way agree with that of John, without allowing the necessity of a transposition. But, on considering the observations made by Mr. West, I am now satisfied that Luke refers not to the visit which Peter made with John, but to a second visit which he made afterwards upon the women’s coming with the report that they had seen two angels who had assured them Jesus was risen. These women Mr. West supposes to have seen Joanna and the other women who came

with the spices; upon whose coming to the disciples before the arrival of the two Maries and Salome, and telling them that they had seen two angels at the sepulchre, who had informed them Jesus was alive, Peter, willing to see if the angels were there, immediately arose and ran again to the sepulchre, and without entering in (as he had done before), but only stooping down and looking into it, as he could see no angels there, but only the linen clothes lying (for so it is that the words τα οθανία κειμεία μου should be rendered), came back again in great astonishment. (See West’s Observ. p. 52, 5 seq.) This I now think to be the best solution of this difficulty, and there is thus no need of any transposition; of which I could not but inform the reader, as it is the principal circumstance in which the scheme that Mr. West has given differs from mine, though I have left the harmony to stand as before, that it may still be seen what I had offered, as it will either way be found sufficient to acquit the evangelists from any charge of absurdity or contradiction.

ding only the clothes, return in surprise.

self,ᵐ in such an orderly manner, as plainly shewed that the body was not hastily hurried away, either by friend or enemy; but made the sepulchre appear rather like a bedchamber, which a person on his awaking in the morning had leisurely quitted. Then that other disciple who came first to the sepulchre, and being less adventurous than Peter, stood hitherto without, went in also to view it; and when he saw the several parts of the funeral dress in this situation, he was immediately convinced, and believed it now to be at least very probable that his dear Master was indeed revived.ⁿ For hitherto they did not know the full meaning of those various intimations of scripture to which Jesus had so often referred to convince them that he must certainly rise from the dead (compare Mat. xvi. 21, Vol. I. p. 487, and Luke xviii. 31—34, Vol. II. p. 257); which if they had considered they would cheerfully have expected the sure accomplishment of them, and would not have been so much surprised at the news which Mary brought them.

Then both the disciples went away again to their companions in the city,ᵒ [Peter] not being so thoroughly satisfied as John was, yet greatly wondering in himself at what had happened, and

ᵐ But folded up in a place by itself.] Perhaps our Lord himself folded up the napkin; and this remarkable circumstance might be intended to signify the perfect calmness and composure with which he arose, transported with no rapture or surprise at his awaking out of this long sleep. It would be very impertinent to inquire 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.

ⁿ He saw, 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 modest intimation that he, first indeed of all others, believed the truth of Christ’s resurrection, inferring it, as he reasonably might, from the order in which he found the sepulchre. These 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 consists in such hints as these, which shew the temper of that excellent man; and, were he to be considered merely as a human historian, add great weight to his testimony. See noteᵈ on John xxi. 20, sect. cci.

ᵒ Went away again to their companions.] So ἀγὼς ἰαυτίνις seems evidently to signify. (Compare Elsner, Observe. Vol. I. p. 348.) Accordingly soon after this the women found the eleven and the rest together. (Luke xxiv. 9.) Ἀπικλίνις ἰαυτίνις never that I know of signifies to come to one’s self, or to the exercise or possession of one’s own mind, as some have strangely interpreted these words. Luke’s expression in that case is different; Luke xv. 17, where he says of the prodigal, ιε ἰαυτίνις ἰαυτίνις, when he came to himself. It was very prudent in Peter and John to retire immediately, lest they should have been questioned by the rulers, if found near the sepulchre.

esus appears to Mary, who at first does not

very much concerned as to the event of so surprising a beginning.

But Mary, who was now returned, stood near the sepulchre after Peter and John were gone from it, not indeed going into it as they had done, but weeping without, in great perplexity at her not knowing what was become of Jesus: and as she wept, she also stooped down, [and looked] very wishfully into the sepulchre: And there she saw with great surprise two angels in the form of men, clothed in white habits, sitting, one at the head, and the other at the feet, of that niche in the sepulchre where the body of Jesus had been laid. And they said to her, with a tender regard, Woman, why dost thou weep thus? And she said to them, Alas, I have reason enough to weep; it is because they have taken away the body of Jesus my dear Lord, and I know not where they have laid him, or how the sacred corpse may be neglected or abused.⁹

And just as she had said this, hearing a sudden noise behind her, she turned back, before the angels could give her any answer; and she saw Jesus himself standing near her: and she knew not at first that it was Jesus, his habit being changed, her eyes also overflowing with tears, and her mind being so far from any expectation of his appearance, and so much distressed, that she did not so much as look up to the face of the person who appeared.

Then Jesus said to her, with a gentle voice, Woman, why dost thou weep thus? and whom dost thou seek? And she, supposing him to be the gardener,⁹ said to him, Sir, if thou hast for any unknown reason borne him away from hence,

⁹ They have taken away my Lord, and I now not where they have laid him.] This expression may very easily be accounted for in our manner of ranging this story; but it is very harsh to suppose she should speak in this manner if one of the angels had a few minutes before told her that Jesus was risen. She perhaps thought they came to do a kind of homage to the place where he had lain, if she apprehended them to be angels; which, whether she did or did not, we do not certainly know.

⁹ Supposing him to be the gardener.] It is very probable that Jesus might speak low, or in a different way from what he usually did; and her taking him for the gardener seems to intimate there was nothing very splendid in his dress: accordingly when he appeared to the two disciples in their way to Emmaus, they seem to have taken him for a person of a rank not much superior to their own. Her eyes might also be withheld at first from knowing Jesus by some supernatural restraint, as theirs were. Luke xiv. 16.

ing himself, he prevents her embracing him.

where the master of the sepulchre saw fit so onourably to lay him but a few hours ago, I arnestly beg thou wouldst immediately tell me here thou hast put him, and I will remove him, and take effectual care that his corpse shall be decently interred elsewhere, without giving any farther trouble here.

Jesus, on this, said to her, with a loud and distinct voice, in his usual affectionate way, Mary, dost thou not know me? [And] Mary thereupon turning directly towards him, and eagerly fixing her eyes upon him, immediately discovered who it was; and, transported with a mixture of unutterable passions, she said to him, Rabboni; that is to say, [My great] Master and Teacher! and so much was her heart affected, that she could say no more, but immediately prostrated herself at his feet to embrace them.

But Jesus said to her, Do not stay here to embrace me [now], either to pay thine homage to me, or to confirm thy faith; both which thou wilt have other opportunities of doing: for I am not yet withdrawn from your world, and ascended to the heavenly court of my Father, as you may imagine I should presently do; but

Sir, if thou hast borne him hence] It is observable that she accosts this stranger in respectful language, even when she took him for a servant (for κυπταρς cannot, I think, signify the owner of the garden); prudently reflecting that an error on that hand would be more excusable than on the other, supposing he should have proved one of superior rank in a plain dress: and also that she does not name Jesus, but speaks in indefinite terms, if thou hast borne him hence; intimating that he was the one person of whom her own thoughts and heart were so full, that she took it for granted every one must know who she meant. Such language in such a circumstance was perfectly natural. If there was any hedge or arbour near the sepulchre, so that while she spake to Jesus she was not visible to her companions; or if this avenue was such that, while they came up to it, the sepulchre was between her and them; or if they were now waiting at some distance, or coming up with a slower pace, being charged with the weight of the materials

for embalming (any one of which might very possibly be the case); a difficulty with respect to the time of their coming to the sepulchre, which may offer itself to the sagacious reader, in the disposition of the following section, when compared with this, will disappear at once.

Do not embrace me now, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.] Mr. Chandler, in his Answer to the Considerations on the Trial of the Witnesses, has given such convincing reasons in the present case for rendering the word α=7b, embrace (which I before apprehended to be the sense of it), that I think myself warranted in changing the version. We find indeed in the next section, that presently after this, when Jesus appeared to the women who were fleeing from the sepulchre, they were permitted to embrace him. (Compare Mat. xxviii. 8, 9, and Mark xvi. 8.) But this is well accounted for by Mr. West, as graciously designed to calm their minds, and to remove the terror they were under; while Mary, who was under no such terror, had

He sen s er away to com ort his iscip

I shall yet continue for a little while upon the earth, and give you further opportunities of seeing me again : let nothing therefore now detain thee any longer, but go immediately to my dear brethren, for whom I have still the same affectionate regard as ever, and say unto them, I am risen from the dead, and after I have paid some visits to you, am shortly indeed to ascend into heaven, from whence I came : yet grieve not at that separation, but remember, that as I am going to him who is in a very peculiar sense my Father, so I shall still be mindful of your interest, and am also going to your Father, and [to] my God and your God ; for such he is now become, through that covenant which he has established with you in me : on the whole, therefore, you have infinitely greater reason to rejoice than to mourn.

And upon saying this he immediately disappeared for the present ; and the other women, advancing to the sepulchre, where the angels

her grief dispersed at once, and was immediately convinced that it was Christ upon his calling her by her name. And, to induce her not to wait for any thing more at present, it was a very proper consideration that our Lord subjoins, For I am not yet ascended to my Father ; in which he at once assured her that he was not yet quitting this world, and plainly intimated his intention of seeing her and his disciples again, and paying frequent visits to them before his final departure, when what he had lately said to his disciples, of his going to the Father (John xvi. 28), should be fulfilled by his ascension into heaven. (See West’s Observ. p. 167, & seq.) The sense is obvious and easy in this view, and Dr. Whitby (in his Note on this place), Mr. Fleming (Christol. Vol. III. p. 502), Mr. Cradock, and others, interpret these words as I have done in the paraphrase ; and it is strange that Mr. Whiston should think this text inexplicable, unless we suppose “that Christ was immediately to ascend to his Father, before he could at all converse with any of them, or receive the expressions of their homage to him.” (See the Appendix to his Sermons at Boyle’s Lect. p. 298—300.) If there had been any necessity for his ascending immediately, he surely would not first have appeared to Mary, and then to the other women on their way to the city. The inter-relation here even suits the words as

well, and other scriptures much better. She probably thought that if he was risen he was also returned back to his heavenly Father, to keep up his stated abode with him again, as he quickly after did : to assure her therefore of the contrary was exceeding proper, and the best reason that could be given to persuade her to wave any farther discourse now, with which to be sure she must otherwise have been earnestly desirous to detain her dear Lord. To suppose, with Messrs. L’Enfant and Beausole, that she meant this adoration as homage to a temporal prince, and that our Lord’s answer was chiefly intended as a declaration that he must ascend to his Father before he received his kingdom, appears to me very unnatural. (Go to my brethren, &c.) By calling the disciples his brethren, and God their Father and their God, he intimates in the strongest manner the full forgiveness of their fault in leaving him, even without ever mentioning it ; just as the Father of the prodigal son (Luke xv. 22, & seq.) intimated his forgiveness of his undutiful behaviour, by calling for the best robe, &c. without any direct reply to what his penitent child had said of his unworthiness to be called his son. These exquisite touches, which every where abound in the evangelical writings, give inexpressible delight to a well turned heart, and shew how perfectly Christ knew our frame.

Reflections on the Resurrection of Christ.

continued, received the news of his resurrection from them, and were directed, as Mary Magdalene also was, to report it to the disciples, with a variety of additional circumstances, which will be mentioned in the following section.

IMPROVEMENT.

How fit is it that we should sing unto the Lord a new song! and with what thankful hearts should we join, on his own day, and on every day, to congratulate the triumph of his rising from the dead, and to rejoice in this birthday of our hopes! Now is the justice of God amply satisfied, or the prisoner had never been released. Now is the reproach of the cross ceased, and turned into proportionable glory. That reproach was rolled away at once by the descending angel, who appeared, not to awaken Christ from his sleep, or to bring him a new life, for he had himself a power, whenever he pleased, to resume that which he had voluntarily resigned (John x. 18); but he came to add a solemn pomp to his revival, and to strike the guards with such a terror as would effectually prevent any mad attempt on this glorious Conqueror, when he was bursting the bonds in which he had for a while been held.

O Lord, we acknowledge the truth of thy promise: thou didst not leave his soul in hell, neither didst thou suffer the flesh of thine Holy One to see corruption (Psal. xvi. 10). Now is Christ indeed risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (1 Cor. xv. 20): may we, in conformity to his holy example, be dead to sin, and to the world; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also may walk in newness of life! (Rom. vi. 4.) Then will he that raised up Christ from the dead, ere long, quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us. (Rom. viii. 11.)

Let the faith of what has been done with regard to our glorified Head, and shall at length be accomplished with respect to all his members, daily gladden our hearts. When our eyes are weeping, and our souls sinking within us, let us raise our thoughts to Jesus, our risen, and now ascended Redeemer; who says to all his brethren these gracious words (which may justly be received with transports of astonishment, and fill our hearts at the same time with joy unspeakable, and full of glory), “I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.”

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is now, through the death and resurrection of his dear Son (whom by raising him from the dead he has so solemnly owned under that relation), become our Father and our God. As such let us honour him,

VOL. 2.

The other women come to the sepulchre at sunrising.

love him, and rejoice in him: and when we must leave this cxciv. world, which Christ has long since left, let it delight our souls to John think that we shall likewise ascend after him, and dwell with xx. 17 him in this propitious Divine presence. In the mean time, if we are risen with Christ, let us seek those things which are above, where Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God (Col. iii. 1); and let us be willing, in whatever sense God shall appoint, to be made conformable to his death, that we may also be partakers of his resurrection and glory. (Phil. iii. 10, 11.)