'house it feems) and preached every where; the 'Lord working with them, and confirming the ' word with figus following. Amen.'

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Having finished the hiftories given by Matthew and Mark, we will now take up where we left, and finish that given by Luke. 'And they (the two difciples at Emmaus) rose up the fame hour, and returned to Jerufalem and found the eleven gathered together. (John says Thomas was not with them. He certainly knew, and

in that cafe there were but ten) and them that ' were with them, (women, I suppose) saying, 'the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to

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Simon. (Why not, to us?) And they told ' what things were done (or rather faid) in the

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way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and faith unto them; Peace be unto you. But they were ter'rified and affrighted, and fuppofed that they had seen a spirit. (The natural consequence of his appearing in this fupernatural way: John tells us that the doors were shut; for fear of the Jews.) And he said unto them, Why are ye

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troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your * hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it ' is I myself; handle me, and fee; for a spirit ' hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have; and when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet

believed

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LUKE.

Chapter Verse believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto xxiv. 42 'them; have ye here any meat ? and they gave ' him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey43 comb, and he took it, and did eat before them. (Neither Matthew nor Mark mention these cir'cumstances; and John relates them in a very ' different way.) And he said unto them, These

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are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be ful' filled which were written in the law of Moses, ' and in the prophets, and in the Pfalms con45 ' cerning me. Then opened he their under

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standing, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them; Thus it is written, ' and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to ' rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance, and remiffion of sins should be preach

' ed in his name among all nations, beginning at 48' Jerufalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. 49' And behold I send the promise of my Father

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upon you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem ' until ye be endued with power from on high. ' (This speech; that in Matthew, and that in 'Mark, differ from each other. Mark and Luke

* seem to agree as to the place where it was 'made-a house in Jerufalem: but Matthew says

' it was in a mountain in Galilee.) And he led ' them out as far as Bethany: and he lift up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass • while he blessed them, he was parted from them, ' and

' and carried up into Heaven. (He doth not Chapter Verse 'say, with Mark-and fat on the right hand of 'God) And they worshipped him, and returned xxiv. 52 'to Ferufalem with great joy; and were continually in the temple, praising, and bleffig God. 'Amen.'

Thus ends St. Luke's gospel: and we learn from three of the evangelists, that this had been a very busy day. The refurrection: appearance of angels: his own appearance at different times and places: his different conversations with, and instructions given to, different people: are all comprised within it, and so is even his afcenfion, according to the accounts given by Mark and Luke in their gospels. The latter, in his history of the Acts of the Apostles, tells us, that forty days elapsed from the refurrection to the ascension. John records more appearances than either of them; the second of which (to the disciples) he says, was eight days after the first: as he records no afcenfion, in course no time is ascertained. We will now take up his gospel where we left it*. Jesus-near the fepulchre, and after Peter and John had left it-appeared to Mary Magdalene: she, thinking it had been the gardener, conversed with him as fuch: at length, discovering her mistake, she (I suppose) advanced to fakute him. Upon which he said to her-Touch xx.

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JOHN. Chapter Verse 17

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me not; for I am not yet afcended to my Father, ' and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 ، Mary Magdalene came and told the difciples ' that she had seen the Lord, and that he had • spoken these things unto her.' This conversation, and this message, differ exceedingly from those recorded by Matthew, viz.-' And as they • (the two Mary's) went to tell his disciples, (that they, at the sepulchre, had seen an angel; • who told them, that Jesus was risen; and di

rected them so to inform his disciples; that he ' would go before them into Galilee; and that ' they should see him there) behold Jesus met ' them saying, All hail: and they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him: then faith Jesus unto them, be not afraid; go tell my bre' thren that they go into Galilee, and there shall ' they see me.' Agreeable to this, Matthew sends the eleven to a mountain in Galilee where he says Jesus had appointed them. Mark says, that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene; that she informed his disciples she had seen him alive, and that they would not believe her: but he says not a word of the speech or message. Luke's record does not inform us that Jesus appeared to Mary, the two Mary's, or the women, at 19 all. John proceeds-Then the fame day at evening, being the first day of the week, (the day • of the refurrection) when the doors were shut ' where the disciples were assembled (in Jerufalem

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'falem Luke says plainly) for fear of the Jews, Chapter Verse 'came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and faith ' unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he xx. had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his fide. Then were the disciples glad when ' they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them ' again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath 'sent me, even so send I you. And when he had 'faid this, he breathed on them, and faith unto 'them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whofe 'foever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto ' them: and whose foever sins ye retain, they are ' retained.' Here ends the conversation; at which Thomas was not present. Upon these five verses, it is necessary to make as many remarks: Time. Place. Speech. Its effect. And the Holy Ghoft. Luke, and John, agree in the two first; that it was upon the evening of the refurrection day, and at a house in Jerufalem. Mark fays nothing contrary to this: but Matthew says it was in a mountain in Galilee: consequently it must have been some days later. And here, though Matthew stands alone, yet is his account the best connected. He says-The angel first, and immediately after, Jesus himself sends a message to the disciples, informing them, that Jefus was gone before them into Galilee, and that they should meet him there. Mark likewise says the angel sent this message to the disciples. Notwithstanding these plain directions, certain it is,