the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

I N the end of the (a) fabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the fepulchre. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and fat 3 upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and 4 his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him

the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and faid unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which 6 was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said: come, fee the place where the Lord lay (b). 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye fee him; lo, I have told 8 you (c). And they departed quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples word.

9

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, faying, All hail (d). And they came, and held him by the feet, and worshipped 10 him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they fee me.

(a) When the Sabbath was past, Mark xvi. 1. They fet out at this time, and arrived at the fepulchre at the rising of the fun. Mark xvi. 2.

(b) Come without fear nearer to the fepulchre, and observe well the place where the Lord's body lay.

(c) Thus I have performed the commiffion I was fent upon; which

was, to give you this information.

(d) An accustomed mode of falutation. See Luke i. 28.

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Now when they were going, behold, fome of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the 12 chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were affembled with the elders, and had

taken counsel, they gave large money unto the fol13 diers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, 14 and stole him away while we slept (e). And if this

come to the governor's ears, we will perfuade him, 15 and fecure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

16

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: 18 (f) but fome doubted. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 20 and of the holy Ghost (g): Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (b): and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (i). Amen.

(e) For a foldier to be aflcep on his post, was death by the Roman military difcipline; and that all of them should fleep at once, is to the laft degree incredible.

(f) St. Thomas having been convinced before, this passage relates not to him; but fome of them who are faid Luke xiv. 33. to have been with them, may have been still in doubt until this laft appearance of Jesus.

(g) Obferve the name is one, and the authority one, in the form of baptifm; which therefore proves the three perfons in the blessed Trinity to be equal. This then ought to be our faith.

(h) But to be a true disciple of Chrift, it is not only neceffary to be found in the faith, but likewife fincerely to obey all the divine commands.

(i) Though not personally, yet by the Spirit.

THE

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HE beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Chrift the Son of God, As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which 3 shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of 4 the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preached the baptifin of 5 repentance, for the remiffion of fins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerufalem, and were all baptized of him in the 6 river of Jordan, confeffing their fins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins: and he did eat locufts and 7 wild honey (a): And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloofe. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he Thall

(a) See Matt. iii. 4. Note.

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9 baptize you with the holy Ghost (b). And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he faw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove (c) II descending upon him. And there came a voice

from heaven, faying, Thou art my beloved Son, 12 in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the 13 Spirit driveth him into the wilderness (d). And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered unto him.

14

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the 15 kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent 16 ye, and (e) believe the gospel. Now as he walked by the fea of Galilee, he faw Simon, and Andrew his brother, cafting a net into the fea: (for they 17 were fishers.) And Jesus said unto them, Come ye

after me, and I will make you to become (f) fishers 18 of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, 19 and followed him. And when he had gone a little

further thence, he faw James the fon of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship 20 mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. And they went into Capernaum, and straightway

21

(b) He will, befides the baptism of water, cleanfe and purify your fouls with the graces of the holy Spirit, and enable you by his wonderful gifts to promote the cause of truth and righteousness, agaiuft all oppofition.

(c) See Mat. iii. 16.

(d) He went into the wilderness by the divine impulse of the

on the fabbath-day he entered into the synagogue, 22 and taught. And they were aftonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had autho23 rity, and not as the (g) fcribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and 24 he cried out, Saying, Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to deftroy us? I know thee who thou art, the 25 holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, fay26 ing, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And

when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried 27 with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, infomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do 28 obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad, throughout all the region round about Galilee. 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and 30 Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay fick of a fever, and anon they tell him 31 of her. And he came and took her by the hand,

and lift her up; and immediately the fever left her, 32 and she (b) ministered unto them. And at even, when the fun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were poffefsed with 33 devils. And all the city was gathered together at 34 the door. And he healed many that were fick of

(g) The scribes restrained the commandments of God to the mere letter of the law, and taught the people a superftitious exactness in outward ceremonies, according to the customs handed down from their fore-fathers. But our bleffed Saviour, with the authority of a divine instructor, taught them to difregard these things, and to place religion on the folid foundation of purity of heart, and integrity of life. See Mat. vii. 29.

(h) She was so perfectly recovered that she was able to attend on and entertain them.

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