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⚫ sabbath, or about the setting of the sun, on our Saturday ' evening.'

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Therefore, before their setting out, which, according to you, was as soon as the Jewish sabbath was ended, immediately after sun-setting, or about the setting of the sun,' they had a suspicion that Joseph had already removed the body, and were in great doubt about it; but, if at that time

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they had any suspicion or doubt whether the body was still in the sepulchre,' they must have had a suspicion, that it had been removed by Joseph, before the sabbath was over. But I apprehend, that none could admit in their minds any suspicion, that a pious Jew (as Joseph certainly was) would remove a dead body on the sabbath day.

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Supp. 3. p. 623, While they were going, there was a 'great earthquake.' For this you have no authority from the gospels. The women, as you say, set out for the sepulchre at about six or seven in the evening, immediately after sun-setting.' But there is no reason to think from St. Matthew, or any other evangelist, that there was an earthquake at Jerusalem at that time. The earthquake, of which you speak, must have happened soon after the women set out, near Jerusalem, and early in the evening, which seems not to be the time of the earthquake mentioned by St. Matthew.

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Supp. 4. You say, p. 624, This earthquake, I suppose, ' terrified the women to such a degree, that they immediately ' turned back. Yet the guards remained at the sepulchre 'all the while.' Suppositions for which there is no ground; for there is no intimation in the gospels that any of the women followers of Jesus were affrighted by an earthquake; nor that the Roman soldiers stayed near the sepulchre, after the earthquake mentioned by St. Matthew, which is the only earthquake spoken of at all about this season. Nor is it said, that the soldiers were seen by the women, or by the disciples, who came to the sepulchre, early in the morning.

Supp. 5. You say, at p. 625, That the angel's appearance was ushered in with a great earthquake and a storm, which lasted several hours.' I do not see any intimation of this long storm in the gospels. It is a contrivance of yours, to support your fictitious journey, begun and attempted, but not finished, early in the evening, soon after sun-setting. The earthquake mentioned by St. Matthew, was sudden and instantaneous, or, however, of no long du a

tion, immediately preceding or accompanying the appearance of the angel.

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Supp. 6. In arguing for this imaginary journey, you suppose, that for a while the weather was cloudy and rainy. Your words at p. 621, are, To conclude, it cannot be said, that this journey was too great to be undertaken in the evening for the sepulchre was nigh to the city, John xix. 20. It may be said indeed, that it was always full moon at the passover: and therefore that the middle of the night

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was as proper a season for their visit as any. It would not, however, be a proper season, if the weather was either rainy or cloudy then, as it seems actually to have beeu. 'This I gather from John xx. 1, where we are told, that in the morning, when Mary Magdalene came to the sepul'chre, it was dark.'

But those words "early [or in the morning] when it was yet dark,” πρωὶ σκοτιας ετι εσης denote no more, than that it was not yet full day-light, or that the sun was not risen, or, according to Dr. Clarke's paraphrase: Very early, before

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it was yet day-light.' To the same purpose are the two Latin versions of Beza and the Vulgate, which here agree exactly. Maria Magdalene venit mane, cum adhuc tenebræ essent. Those words do not denote the temperature of the air, but the time of the day.

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However of the bad weather at that time, you speak also in some other places, particularly p. 643, The storm, the earthquake, and the vision that accompanied this astonishing event, had driven the soldiers away from the sepulchre. Impelled therefore by their fears and the weather, they 'would take shelter in the first house they could find. And

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as they fled away about the time that Jesus arose, they would, probably, sleep till morning. Or, though the 'terror they were in hindered them from sleeping, they 'would stay nevertheless, having no inclination to go out in such a stormy night.'

So you are pleased to write. Nevertheless I discern not any intimations in the evangelists what the weather was at that time. And if the evangelists have said nothing about it, we can form no determinations concerning it. And for aught that is said by them during the period of our Lord's lying in the grave, it may have been all calm and serene, till the time appointed for his rising out of it. When on a

d Terræ motus factus est magnus.'] Motus hic signum fuit secuturæ onTaolag, satis notum Judaïco populo. Ps. lxviii. 8, 9; xcix. 1; cxiv. 6, 7. Grot. ad Matt. xxviii. 2.

sudden, there was a forcible concussion of the earth and air, preceding, or accompanying the presence of the angel, who descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the sepulchre. After which also, so far as we know, the air was calm and serene. For the women, and some of the disciples, came early out of the city to the sepulchre, without any difficulties arising from bad weather, so far as we can observe.

The several suppositions above mentioned, appear to me to be made by you altogether without any ground or foundation from the evangelists; and therefore they are unjustifiable, and must be of bad consequence. What history can stand before such treatment? It must be perverted. It will be altered, and made somewhat very different from what it really is. Heedless and inattentive readers (of which there are too many) are amused and entertained, and not carefully consulting the original, they admit such suppositions as parts of the history, though they are not mentioned nor implied in it.

IV. I now proceed to my fourth inquiry, which relates to the preparing the spices by the women from Galilee to anoint the body of Jesus.'

The accounts which we have of this are in two evangelists only. St. Mark having at the end of ch. xv. said: "And Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, beheld where he was laid," begins the xvi. chapter in this manner: "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought [or brought] sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him." St. Luke xxiii. 55, 56, xxiv. 1, "And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how the body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the sabbath-day, according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

I understand that narrative in this manner. When the crucifixion was over, and the women here spoken of had seen our Lord laid in the sepulchre, they returned to Jerusalem, to their apartment there, and rested on the sabbathday, which was now coming on, if not already begun. And when the sabbath was over, in the evening they bought sweet spices, and early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the sepulchre, carrying the spices

with them, in order to anoint the body, according to their intention.

Your way of reconciling these two accounts is this. P. 617, This is not inconsistent with Mark xvi. 1, where we

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are told, that they bought spices after the sabbath was 'ended. It seems, the quantity, which according to Luke ' had been provided and prepared on the night of the cruci'fixion, was too small or the sabbath coming on, they had not time to procure all the ingredients that were necessary. For which reason they went the first day of the week, and 'bought more.'

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I rather think, that all the spices which they wanted were bought at once, and in the evening, after the sabbath was ended, as St. Mark says. Nor need St. Luke to be otherwise understood. You can help us out here. For you say, Prelim. Obser. iii. p. 14, Matthew and Luke giving the history of our Lord's public entry into Jerusalem, connect the purging the temple therewith, as if both happened in 'one day. Nevertheless, from the more particular account which Mark gives of these affairs, it appears, that on the

day of his public entry, Jesus did not go into the temple 'till the evening, when the market, usually kept in the 'court of the Gentiles, which he intended to prohibit, was over, and that he did not reform this abuse till the next day.'

So it is here. Nor is St. Luke to be understood to say, that they prepared any spices that day. He is to be understood in this manner. And they returned, and prepared 'spices and ointments. Nevertheless they rested the sabbath-day, according to the commandment. And deferred 'preparing them till that was over.'

In your Chronological Dissertations, p. 88, you say: Luke also insinuates, that Jesus was crucified on the pre'paration of the passover. For he tells us, ch. xxiii. 56, that when the women had viewed our Lord's sepulchre, and how his body was laid, "they returned, and rested ac'cording to the commandment." It seems the sabbath began about the time they were at the sepulchre.'

Which indeed I take to be the truth of the case. By the time the funeral rites were finished, and whilst they were yet at the sepulchre, the day closed, the sun set, and the sabbath came on. After which the women, and the other company there present, might without any scruple of their own, and without offence to others, walk thence to their apartments, or their habitations, at Jerusalem. But after

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that, no work could be done until after the sabbath was

over.

Nor do I see how it could be otherwise. For our Lord did not expire, as all allow, till the "ninth hour of the day," or our three afternoon. And says St. Matt. xxvii. 57, 58, "when the even was come," that is, three afternoon, “there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus; then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered." Compare Mark xv. 42-45, and Luke xxiii. 50-53, and John xix. 38. But we are told by St. Mark, in the place just referred to, that when Joseph presented that request, "Pilate marvelled if he were already dead; and calling for the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it, he gave the body to Joseph." That would take up some time. For the centurion, undoubtedly, was at the place of execution, attending the bodies. Nor could he remove from that place without special order from the governor himself. Whether by "calling for the centurion," be intended, that Pilate commanded him to come to him, that he might himself speak to him; or whether thereby be only meant, that Pilate sent a messenger to the centurion, and received an answer from him by that messenger, I do not determine; either way some time was required to give Pilate satisfaction upon this head.

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Nevertheless, I will suppose that much time was not lost by that means; for Joseph and Nicodemus might take it for granted that the body would not be refused, but would be delivered to them at their request; and immediately after the Lord Jesus had expired, they might begin to make preparations for his burial. However, the performing the funeral rites, as related by St. John, might fully occupy the space of time that followed, till sun-setting. Nor is it conceivable that the women could get back to Jerusalem before the sabbath was begun, or very near beginning, at the soonest, that is, the time of sun-setting, or our six afternoon. At p. 620, you speak of the women pounding and mixing the spices. Accordingly, having bought the spices, they 'judged it proper to send two of their number to see if Jesus was still in the sepulchre that when the spices 'were prepared, that is, pounded, mixed, and melted into an ointment, they might go directly to the place and embalm ' him.'

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• Apparemment que Joseph fit ses appareils, et assembla les gens dont il avoit besoin pour la sépulture de Jésus Christ, dès qu'il le vit crucifié. Le Clerc eur Marc xv. 42.