means no more, than that whoever receiveth the doctrine, which Jesus sent them to preach for the remission of sins, his sins shall be forgiven; but whoever rejecteth this doctrine, and complieth not with the conditions therein offered him from God, his sins shall be retained, and he must consequently perish; for, "By the terms of that doctrine, which I commission you to preach on earth, shall every man's sentence be finally and judicially determined of God in heaven." But while this be acknowledged to be its ultimate signification, yet, like the expressions of the prophets, it may also have a present reference to the removal, or retention, of sickness, and other penalties of sin, which appear to have been inflicted in that first age of Christianity, for the conviction of strangers, for the correction of the wicked, and for the confirmation of all good men †. In conformity with this doctrine, which appears to have been generally received among the Jews ‡, our Saviour, in

of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven."

* Clarke's Serm. fol. vol. ii. p. 457. See also Serm. LII. and LXXXIX.

+ See Acts v. 5.; xiii. 11. and 1 Cor. xi. 30.

John ix. 2.

the cure of the paralytic, recorded in each of the three first Gospels, says to him, "Thy sins are forgiven." And to him, who had been cured at the pool of Bethesda, he says, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee*."

Ver. 26. The second appearance of Jesus to his apostles just eight days after the former, brings us to another Sunday, and may be considered as a tacit approbation of their assembling themselves together on that day in prayers and praises to God, and an illustration of what he had said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of you +."

The twentieth chapter closes with an admonition that these things were but a part of many signs and assurances of his identity, which he afforded them for forty days; and they were written, not for the purpose of vain speculation, or idle criticism; but " that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, we might have life through his name;" might secure to ourselves eternal happiness through faith in his redemption, and obedience to his word.

It is pleasing and profitable to pause here for a little space, and to look back, as from an emi

John v. 14.

+ Matt. xviii. 20.

I

nence, upon the steps, by which this great event of Christ's resurrection was gradually developed to the eyes of his apostles; the subject unfolding itself by just degrees, and breaking upon them insensibly, as in the successive scenes of some well ordered tragedy, calculated to raise the expectations, and excite a lively attention, and lead to the grandest termination. While they yet lay overwhelmed with sorrow and despair, they hear the first tidings of their Lord's body being gone; and at the same time a message, which they knew not how to credit, of his having risen from the dead. In their anxiety they go themselves to view the sepulchre; but return full of perplexity and amazement. Presently they are informed that to one of the female mourners Christ had actually shewn himself alive, and had bid her tell his apostles. It may be supposed that some hope would then at least begin to dawn in their minds; yet even so they believe it not. Next he appeared to two of the disciples as they walked to a village a few miles distant from Jerusalem; nevertheless he shewed not himself openly, but thought fit to make himself known to them by degrees, while their hearts burned within them as he talked with them. As soon as Jesus had left them, they

eagerly return to Jerusalem to add their testimony to the accumulating evidence of his resurrection. At length the sun of truth rises upon them in unclouded majesty, and Christ himself appears amongst them. After eight days he again shews himself to them, and removes all their doubts. Five times more his appearance to some, or all of the apostles, is recorded; and on one occasion to above five hundred disciples at once. Without pursuing further these particulars, we may contemplate in respectful admiration the gradual steps by which his followers were conducted to the full conviction of this important event, without which all our faith were vain.

CHAPTER XXI.

Ver. 7. IT is said of St. Peter, that when he heard it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, "for he was naked." This expression might deceive one, who did not know that "being naked" was frequently used to signify "being without an upper garment." Therefore when we read of "a young man having a linen cloth cast about his

*

naked body, and that he afterwards " fled away naked" from those who came to take Jesus; it is not to be supposed that he was literally naked; but only that, instead of his usual robe, he had hastily thrown round him a loose cloak, which he quitted in his flight. This is still more evident in the case of the sons of Sceva, related in the Acts of the Apostles †, upon whom a demoniac is said to have leaped, and prevailed against them, "so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded." Here nobody can imagine that they were otherwise naked, than that they were glad to make their escape leaving their outer garment behind them.

Ver. 12. It has been justly observed that the incidents of any story, or representation, to be strongly felt, should be natural but not obvious. Eminently entitled to this praise are the narratives of the Evangelists generally; and, in this place, the simple remark, that "none of the disciples ventured to ask Jesus, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord." These few words do more

* Mark xiv. 51. There is a striking resemblance between this history, and what is related of Tiberius Gracchus―avreλαβετο τις των ἱματιων· ὁ δε την τρεβεννον αφεις, και φευγων εν τοις χιτωσιν, εσφαλη. Plut. 4to. vol. iv. p. 378.

† Acts xix. 16.