the fun when completely rifen) and therefore early in the morning, certain women came to the fepulchre, among whom was Mary Magdalene and another Mary, as alfo we find there were more than thofe two by Luke xxiv. 10.

Having cleared up this point, I will proceed without further delay than quoting my authority.

The women having arrived at the fepulchre, among whom was Mary Magdalene, the and they fee, that the ftone had been removed or taken away from the fepulchre, fee John xx. 1. Mark xvi. 4. Luke xxiv. 2 Then Mary Magdalene, without entering into the fepulchre runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and John, and inform them (and likely all with them though not recorded) that the body of the Lord was taken away out of the fepulchre' fee John xx. 2. On which Peter fee Luke xxiv. 12. where he alone is mentioned, but does not fay that none of the other difciples went, but in addition to this information we find John xx. 3. that John alfo went with Peter, and we find that Mary Magdalene returned after with them, fee John xx. 11. though her following them is not recorded in words. During this tranfaction some of the other women or the other woman, that went with Mary Magdalene to fee the fepulchre, and did not return immediately as the did, went into the fepulchre, fee Mark avi. 5. Luke xxiv. 3. and on entering, it feems they were affrighted at feeing a young man fitting on the right fide cloathed in a long white garment, fee Mark. xvi. 5. N. B. This appears to be the fame angel that rolled back the flone from the door of the fepulchre and fat thereon, and appeared fo terrible to the keepers of the fepulchre, fee Math. xxviii. verfes 2. 3. and 4. but now is mild and kind to the women, for the words recorded by Matk. xxviii. 5. and 6. and by Mark xvi. 6. are to the fame purport, and very nearly the fame words. Math. does not fay that the angel was fitting on the fione when he spoke to the women.

Math. records,

Mark records,

'And he faith unto them, be not affrighted, ye feek Jefus of Nazareth, which was cruci

And the angel answered and faid unto the women, fearinot ye, for I know ye feek Jefus which was crucified; he is risen, fied, he is not here he is not here: befor he is rifen as he hold the place faid: come fee the where they laid place where the him,' &c. Lord lay,' &c.

(Thus we fee that the angel had removed from fitting on the stone without the fepulchre and had gone into and fat on the right fide thereof.) On this encouragement the women go into the fepulchre, and find that the body of Jefus was not there, fee Luke xxiv. 3. and as they were much perplexed thereabout, viz. at not finding the bo dy and not understanding what was meant by, he is rifen, not knowing of any refurrection, but the resurrection of the laft day (nor need it be wondered at, that women should be in this flate; for we fee the pofiles, when they faw Chrift among them, took him for a fpirit, and did not know at that time that his body was to rife the third day, fee Luke xxiv. 37. John xx. 9.) The women being thus perplexed, they were ftruck with greater alarm by be holding that there were two men ftanding by them in thining garments, see Luke xxiv. 4. and 5. These were in all probability the one that at first was feen fitting, and in that cafe had rifen from his feat; and another that they had not obferved at firft entering, or that had come to the fepulchre whilft they were there. They faid unto the women, why feek ye the living among the dear? &c. fee Luke xxiv. 5. 6. and 7. They having put them in remembrance that Chrift had foretold these things, and they remembring the words, fee Luke xxiv. 8. The first mentioned angel* having desired the women to go and

and tell his difciples, fee Math. xxviii. 7. and Mark xvi. 7. that he was rifen from the dead, and that he goeth into Galilee where he would be feen. On this the women that had gone into the fepulchre (whilft Mary Magdalene went to inform the apoftles, that the body of the Lord was taken away as before obferved) leave the fepulchre as recorded by Math. xxviii. 8. Mark xvi. 8. Luke xxiv. 9. and went to inform the difciples of thefe things. Whilft thefe women were returning af ter leaving the fepulchre, the apoftle John running fafter than Peter came first to the fepulchre, then Peter came, and then Mary Magdalene, fee John xx. 4. and 11. (or in this 11. verfe we find her weeping and ftanding without the fepulchre, though in verle the 2d of the fame c. it is recorded that he had gone to give information to Peter and John). But it may be asked, did not the women who had been in the fepulchre, and had feen the vifion of angels, meet Peter and John, and Mary Magdalene on their way ?What if they did? The apoftles Peter and John were (fee John xx. 3. and 4) in halle to fee things themfelves; Mary Magdalene appears to have been in too great grief to top in her way, to the fepu chre; and we are informed Mark xvi. 8. that the women who had feen the vifion of angels were in fuch a fituation that they did not fay any thing to any man (ie. mere man) on their return from the fepulchre. Now, being at the period of time that thefe women were returning from the fepulchre, and Peter and John and Mary Magdalene had arrived at it, after the former had left it. John, at firt only looked into the fepulchre and faw the linen cloaths lying, Peter then comes and enters the fepulchre,

NOT E. feen fitting, is, that the words that Math. records as fpoken by the angel he fpeaks of xxviii. 7. is almoft the fame as what is recorded Mark xvi, 7. and I have already given my reafon for thinking that the angel Math. mentions xxviii. was the fame angel that was feen fitting on the right fide, fee Mark xvi. 6.

Hib. Mag. April, 1796.

*

and fees the cloaths and napkin lying, then John goes in and faw, &c. This is contained in John xx. 5. 6. 7. and 8. the 10th informs us, that the difciples then went away. But Mary Magdalene ftood without the fepulchre weeping, and as the wept the itooped down and looked into the fepulchre, 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; and they fay unto her, woman why weepeft thou? She faith unto them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him, fee John xx. 11. 12. and 13. from the whole we fee that Mary Mag dalene was not prefent at the first vifion of angels, but the one the faw, was another, and at a fubfequent time. But let us go on. John xx. 14. fhews us, that as foon as the had thus fpoken to the angels, that he turned about and faw Jefus, but did not know him; the fpeaks to him as recorded in the next verse, fuppofing him to be the gardener; the following verfes, viz. the 16 and 17. Jefus fpeaks to her and reveals himself to her, this we find was the first time he was feen by man or woman after his refurrection, fee Mark xvi. 9. therefore this happened whilft the other women, who had feen the firft vifion of angels, after they had entered the fepulchre, were on their way to inform the disciples what they had feen and heard. By John xx. 18. we fee that Mary Magdalene went and told the difciples that the had feen the Lord, &c. But this took up fome time certainly; during which time," Chrift appears to the other women who were on their way to inform the difciples what they had feen and heard at the fepulchre, as appears by Mathe N Τ E.

*It is to be obferved that the apoftles had not any information by angels, of Chrift's refurrection; this was to try their faith, who had been fo well inftructed by Chrift before his death; and therefore Chrift upbraids them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, becaufe they believed not them (i. e. the women) which had feen him after he was rifen, see Mark xvi. 14.

T

xxviii.

xxviii. 9. viz. 'And as they went to tell his difciples, behold Jefus met them, faying, all hail, and they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him; the next appearance of Chrift recorded appears to be (the one recorded, Luke xxiv. 13 to the end of the 31ft) to the two difciples going to Emmaus, and this is corroborated by Mark xvi. 12. who records, he appeared to two of them, &c. This was ftill the fame day that he rose from the dead, fee Luke xxiv. 13. and 21. The next appearance that I fee recorded, is in the evening of the fame day to the eleven as recorded by John xx. 19. Luke xxiv. 33. 34. 35. and 36. and by Mark xvi. 14. though he does not mention on -what day, but we may eafily fee, it was his first appearance unto the apolles.

But how comes it, that it is written that he appeared to the eleven, when John xx. 24. Thomas was not prefent, and Judas Iscariot had deftroyed himfelf, fee Math xxvii. 5? The Gofpels were wrote after Matthias was numbered among the apoftles and made up their number twelve, and fo it appears that Matthias was prefent and made the eleventh though Thomas one of the twelve (fee John xx. 24.) called Didymus, was not with them when Jefus came.

I have now fet down in order thefe things that are recorded to have happened the day of the refurrection; which every one can, without much trouble, fearch and examine whether they are fairly ftated or not: as I have quoted my authorities, and given my reafons, which they can judge, whether I am jufiified in or not. I have taken thofe parts, quoted by Mr. Paine to fhew that they contradict one another; which it is to be fuppofed contain all the paffages he could object to, as to the record of the refurrection; and I hope it appears to all from the above ftatement, that the Gospels do not contradict one another.

Mr. Paine fays, that Math. relates, that the difciples went to meet Jefus in Galilee according to the direction of the angel: Behold Chrift is gone before you into Galilee;' thus Mr. Paine ftates it. Every one that reads what

Mr. Paine ftates, muft fee, that he fays this to prove John xx. 19. falfe : by proving, that the difciples went and met him in Galilee. But Math. relates no fuch thing; but records that the difciples went into Galilee into a mountain by the appointment of Jefus, fee Math. xxviii. 16. fo that it appears they had feen Jefus before the meeting in Galilee.

But why did not Mr. Paine take the 10th verfe of the fame chap. where Jefus defires the women to tell his brethren to go into Galilee and there they fhould fee him; and make that meffage the caufe of the meeting in Galilee? It would have anfwered his purpofe better on thofe, that read the fcriptures lightly. But that paffage, nor any meffage by the women would not anfwer Mr. Paine's purpose; for, fee Mark xvi. 11. Luke xxiv. 11. the difciples did not believe the women, their ftory appeared unto them as an idle tale: therefore they did not obey the meffage, and Chrift notwithftanding their unbelief, came himself to convince them: as I have before stated among the facts that happened the day of the refurrection.

The 7th v. of the xxviii. c. of Math. that Mr. Paine fets down as part of his authority, he thould have quoted fairly; for there the angel tells the women that Chrift would appear to them in Galilee, and does not mention any others; and therefore Mr. Paine mifquotes and mifapplies the text. Luke xxiv. 23. which Mr. Paine alfo quotes as if to the fame purpofe, but it fails him; it only fays, and when they (i e. certain women, fee the previous verfe) found not his body, they came, faying, that they had alfo feen a vifion of angels, which faid he was alive,' there is no meffage of an angel to the difciples even in this verfe.

As to Mr. Paine's remarks on the record of the afcenfion, Mark does not fay where it happened, and therefore cannot contradict Luke, faying, it was from Bethany, even if Luke had recorded it in that manner; but he did not do fo: but fays he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lift up his hands and bleffed them; and it came to

pafs