9 and he faw, and believed (c). For as yet they knew not the fcripture, that he must rise again from the 10 dead (d). Then the difciples went away again unto their own home (e).

II

But Mary food without at the fepulchre, weeping and as fhe wept, fhe ftooped down and looked 12 into the fepulchre: And feeth two angels in white, fitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, 13 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 14 I know not where they have laid him. And when

fhe had thus faid, fhe turned herself back, and faw 15 Jefus ftanding, and knew not that it was Jefus. Jefus faith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom feekeft thou? fhe fuppofing him to be the gardener (ƒ), faith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou haft laid him, and I will take him 16 away. Jefus faith unto her, Mary. She turned herfelf, and faith unto him, Rabboni, which is to fay, 17 Mafter. Jefus faith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet afcended to my Father (g): but go to my brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.

(c) Believed that the body was taken away out of the fepulchre, as Mary Magdalene had faid, Verfe 2. of which until then they doubted.

(d) As to his refurrection, they had no expectation of it, though. foretold in the fcriptures. Pfalm xvl. 20. See Acts ii. 31. (e) The two difciples, Peter and John.

The garden-keeper. From the manner of her addreffing him, it is plain that our holy religion doth not forbid us to use any ufual terms of civility and respect. See Matt. xxiii. 8. Note. Acts xxiv. 3.

(g) She and the other women who were with her, endeavoured to hold Jefus by the feet (Matt. xxviii. 9.) probably fearing left they fhould lofe him again. But he comforts them by telling them, that he should not leave the world very foon, but would give them feveral opportunities of feeing him before his afcenfion into Heaven.

18 Mary

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the difciples, that fhe had feen the Lord, and that he had fpoken these things unto her.

19

Then the fame day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were fhut, where the difciples were affembled for fear of the Jews, came Jefus and ftood in the midft (b), and faith unto them, 20 Peace be unto you. And when he had fo faid, he

fhewed unto them his hands and his fide (i). Then 21 were the difciples glad when they faw the Lord. Then

faid Jefus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my 22 Father hath fent me, even so fend I you. And when

he had faid this, he breathed on them, and faith unto 23 them, Receive ye the holy Ghoft. Whofe foever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofe foever fins ye retain, they are retained.

24

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, 25 was not with them when Jefus came. The other difciples therefore faid unto him, We haye feen the Lord. But he faid unto them, Except I fhall fee in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his fide, I will not believe (k).

26

And after eight days (1), again his difciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jefus, the doors being fhut, and stood in the midst, and 27 faid, Peace be unto you. Then faith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my fide;

(h) The doors opening miraculously to admit him, as the iron gate did for St. Peter. Acts xii. 10.

(i) See Luke xxiv. 39, 40. Note.

(k) I will not believe that it is Jefus that you have feen. You must have been miflaken.

(1) That is, on the first day of the following week; being eight days inclufively from his refurrection; and as all the apoftles were then affembled together, it is not improbable that they had then refolved to dedicate that day, which was afterwards called the Lord's day, for the purposes of publick worship.

28 and be not faithlefs, but believing. And Thomas anfwered and faid unto him, My Lord and my 29 God (m). Jefus faith unto him, Thomas, becaufe

thou haft feen me, thou haft believed: bleffed are they 30 that have not feen, and yet have believed (n). And many other figns (0) truly did Jesus in the presence of 31 his difciples which are not written in this book. But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.

I

CHA P. XXI.

AF FTER these things Jefus fhewed himself again to the difciples at the fea of Tiberias; and on 2 this wife fhewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the fons of Zebedee, 3 and two other of his difciples. Simon Peter faith unto them, I go a fishing (a). They fay unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a fhip immediately; and that night they caught 4 nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jefus flood on the fhore: but the difciples knew not 5 that it was Jefus. Then Jefus faith unto them, Children, have ye any meat (b)? They answered him, 6 No. And he faid unto them, Caft the net on the right fide of the ship, and ye fhall find. They caft therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for 7 the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jefus loved, faith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now

(m) Obferve that our Lord doth not reprove his difciples for giving him the title of God.

(n) Bleffed are they who are convinced on competent evidence, without requiring more. See Matt. xi. 6.

(0) Many other miracles.

(a) I am going a fifhing. We will go with you.

(6) Any thing to eat.

when

when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked), (c) and did caft himself into the fea. And the other difciples came in a little fhip (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes. As foon then as they were come to land, they faw a fire of coals there, and fifh laid 10 thereon, and bread (d). Jefus faith unto them, Bring 11 of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter

9

went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three; and for all there 12 were fo many, yet was not the net broken. Jefus faith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the

difciples durft afk him, Who art thou? knowing that 13 it was the Lord. Jefus then cometh and taketh 14 bread, and giveth them, and fifh like wife. This is

now the third time that Jefus fhewed himself to his difciples, after that he was rifen from the dead. 15 So when they had dined, Jefus faith to Simon Peter, Simon fon of Jonas, loveft thou me more than thefe (e)? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweft that I love thee. He faith unto him, Feed 16 my lambs (f). He faith to him again the fecond time, Simon fon of Jonas, loveft thou me? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweft that I love thee. 17 He faith unto him, Feed my fheep (g). He faith unto him the third time, Simon fon of Jonas, loveft thou me? Peter was grieved, because he faid unto him

(c) The Jews were faid to be naked, when they had only their inner garment. St. Peter was impatient, and eager to go to Chrift as foon as poffible.

(d) Miraculously provided by our bleffed Lord.

(e) Do you now love me, as you profeffed to do, Matt. xxvi. 33. more than the rest of my disciples ?

(f) You will have no opportunity of fhewing your love to my perfon. Shew it by being a good fhepherd of my flock. Feed my lambs. Neglect not those that are weak and unflable in the faith.

(g) Cease not to labour for the inftruction and falvation of fuch as are more firmly established.

the third time, Loveft thou me? And he faid unto him, Lord, thou knoweft all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jefus faith unto him, Feed my 18 fheep (b). Verily, verily I fay unto thee (i), When thou waft young, thou girdedft thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldeft: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another fhall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest 19 not (). This fpake he, fignifying by what death he fhould glorify God. And when he had fpoken this, 20 he faith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter turning about, feeth the difciple whom Jefus loved, following; which alfo leaned on his breaft at fupper, and 21 faid, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee ()? Peter feeing him, faith to Jefus, Lord, and what all this man do? Jefus faith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou 23 me. Then went this faying abroad among the brethren, that that difciple fhould not die: yet Jefus faid not unto him, He fhall not die: but, If I will that he tarry till I come (m), what is that to thee? 24 This is the difciple which teftifieth of these things,

and wrote these things: and we know that his testi25 mony is true (n). And there are also many other

(h) Thefe three questions correfpond with Peter's threefold denial of his Mafter. The repetition is intended to make our Saviour's injunction the more folemn and forcible.

(i) I tell you in the most folemn manner, that you will fhortly be called upon to fuffer death, as I did, upon a Crofs, in teftimony of the truth; for, the holy Spirit of God will enable you to lay down your life..

(k) Thou shalt be girt and bound against thy will, and with thy hands ftretched out, fhalt be faftened to a Crofs: which accordingly came to pass a little before the destruction of Jerufalem; whereas St. John is faid to have lived about thirty years after that destruction. (1) See Chap. xiii. 25.

(m) Until I come to take vengeance in the deftruction of Jerusalem. (n) The Church of that time, who had been inftructed by St. John, here bear witness that what he delivered in his Gospel is true.