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power could never have been realized, either in this world or in a future existence.

Thus, the whole purport, design, and influence of Christianity, rests on the fact of the revival of the body of Jesus: nor would its simple revival have answered the purpose, without its translation to a state of immortality. There would still have been no evidence of this great and glorious event; it was in its complete transition from inanimation to a spiritual and immortal state, in which he became associated with celestial spirits, that a specimen was afforded of a like state of existence to all his followers, and, with certain modifications, apportioned to their respective merits or demerits, to the whole human race.

From the moment, therefore, of the disappearance of the body from the sepulchre, every circumstance indicates that he is not only living, but elevated in the sphere of existence above that of ordinary humanity. An angel descending from heaven is his deliverer; and eluding the vigilance of the watchmen, he passes into that state of invisibility from which the angel had proceeded. He now appears to be the companion of celestial spirits; they are the attendants on his movements, and, like them, he undergoes transitions from an invisible to this visible state, and vice versa. He occasionally assumes precisely the same bodily form and appearance, as previous to and even beyond the moment of his decease-exhibiting the wound in his side inflicted after that event, and which remaining, it was not only evident that his life was renewed, but, it is probable also, supported by a miracle. The whole evidence of his invisible existence, is effected by these corporeal manifestations from, and returns to, that state; and in each of those manifestations, the most palpable proofs are exhibited of his actual presence, as distinguished from any of those ideal images which are apt to arise in the minds of the living, on the recollection of their departed friends, and which have so often been mistaken for real external spirits or phantoms. In the last instance, after exhibiting himself again in the form of ordinary humanity, he proves, by his ascent toward the heavens, that he is gradually withdrawn from this visible to an invisible and heavenly state; the diminution of his specific gravity, necessarily attendant on his ascent, evincing not only his local removal, but the transition of his body to a state totally different from that of our present gross

bodies. Thus, every circumstance conduced to show that his whole person was both revived and translated to an immortal state, and that every change he underwent, was inseparably connected with that of his bodily frame.

His transition to the world of spirits, in consequence of the revival and translation of his body, was further evinced by his almost constant removal from the observation of his enemies, and of the world at large, from that time forward. Not only was he withdrawn invisibly from the sepulchre, but no traces of his body were afterwards discovered by them. Its total disappearance must have been to them a most unexpected as well as unsatisfactory circumstance. Unless they had received such evidence as they could not resist, that the mode of his removal and disappearance was miraculous, they would have commenced a strict scrutiny, in order to discover in what secret retreat the body had been deposited. If any reason had existed, to believe that he was living in the ordinary form of humanity, this also must have given rise to much searching and inquiry after his person, on the part of the Jewish people, from various motives. The multitudes who had ushered him into Jerusalem with hosannas, "wishing prosperity to him and his kingdom,"* as the Messiah, but who were shortly afterwards persuaded by their rulers to join in the cry for his crucifixion, would be deeply interested to know the result of his disappearance from the sepulchre; nor, probably, would any circumstance be more accordant with their expectations, than his appearance as the Messiah, "with great power and glory." That he should have become an invisible spirit, in consequence of his resurrection, would be contrary to their ideas and expectations in every point of view, and, therefore, would not easily obtain credit from them. No person, probably, had any previous idea of such a transition of an animal body to invisibility; and that the Messiah should exercise his authority in such a state, as the result of his resurrection, would be equally remote from their wishes and their expectations. It would appear to them a mass of improbabilities, alike incredible and revolting. They would, under these impressions, suspect some mistake or deception with respect to the removal of the body, and

Whitby on Mat. xxi. 8. Hosanna to the Son of David, v. 9, is rendered by Cruden, "Lord preserve the Son of David, this king.'

would, therefore, be earnestly desirous of discovering his person, and of determining whether it were living or inanimate. Yet it has never been pretended, from the period of his resurrection to the present day, that they succeeded in making any discovery of this nature. All who acknowledged his authority, and they were numerous from the Jews in the first instance (though not in such bodies as to indicate, that it proceeded from that blind enthusiasm in favour of a Messiah, for which their national character has been so long distinguished), regarded him as a sovereign who had been withdrawn from the ordinary state of humanity, and had passed into the celestial state. He was, therefore, according to every fact that can be deduced from all descriptions of men, withdrawn from observation at the moment of his resurrection-an event which they would not have credited without much inquiry or powerful evidence; and, contrary as it was to the ideas and wishes of those especially who were prepared to acknowledge him as the Messiah, he was admitted to have been, from that period, translated to the world of invisible spirits.

Though the Jewish people in general, never saw Jesus from the period of his interment, yet they well knew that he had been put to death, and his body as effectually secured in the sepulchre, as human power and prudence could render it. They must soon have become acquainted with the fact, that these precautions had proved unavailing-that the body had disappeared, and the force and vigilance of the guards been completely frustrated: so that they had not only failed in their resistance, but were unable to give any account of the mode of his disappearance. As this extraordinary circumstance must have stimulated the inquiries of the people, for the purpose of obtaining satisfaction as to a result in which their past conduct was strongly implicated, and on which their eager expectations, with respect to his pretensions as the Messiah, depended, so from that day to the present, there never has appeared any other conclusion from those inquiries, than that the body was withdrawn from all human cognizance. A conclusion so singular, under circumstances in which the body or person of Jesus was, from various motives, so peculiarly in request by all parties, in which its disappearance was so unexpected, and in one point of view or another so disappointing to all, could only have proceeded from reality.

The body of Jesus had disappeared in a miraculous manner; it was absolutely withdrawn from all the powers of mortal inspection. The angelic appearances, recorded as having been alike unexpectedly exhibited at the sepulchre, furnish the clue for its explication. They came from the invisible state, in order to receive him into it; and from the period of his resurrection, and not before, he became "a quickening spirit," and the associate of beings of a celestial order.

The fact we are considering, viz. the transition of the body of Jesus, as identified with his person, from inanimation to an invisible and immortal state, was no less at variance with the opinions of the Gentiles, than of the Jews. If they had any belief of a future conscious existence, it was founded not on the renovated life, but the death of man-not on his bodily translation to an immortal state, but on a supposed separate existence of a vital principle: while his body, regarded as a mere clog or impediment to its active energies, the prison of the soul, was left to perish for ever. It could, therefore, only be by the force of palpable evidence, that such a doctrine would make progress among them. They would have the less inducement to give a serious attention to the representation, when the person who was asserted to have undergone this transition, was of low origin-distinguished by none of those martial achievements to which they appropriated the name of virtue, and by none of those splendid literary attainments which "immortalized" the names of some of their writers, but who terminated his career in this life, by a most ignominious death as a malefactor, with the concurrence of the Gentile authorities, and those of his own nation. And it must have added not a little to their incredulity, and their disposition to oppose the account, that this crucified Jew was not only said to have undergone this transition of his whole person to an immortal state, but to be invisibly exercising the authority of a sovereign, who should finally triumph over all human authorities, and establish a universal empire; being the appointed "King of kings, and Lord of lords,"-"the Lord both of the living and the dead." Such pretensions, unaccompanied by evidence which could not be gainsayed nor resisted, would draw down upon the disciples the marked ridicule and contempt of the Gentiles in general. Now, miracles enabling timid and illiterate men, who

had no previous notions concerning such an event, to announce it with extraordinary courage and address, and even with fluency, in languages which they had never learned,* must have been admirably calculated to summon the general attention to their statement. In every instance in which so wonderful a miraculous influence could be ascertained, it could hardly fail of producing a conviction of the truth of the fact it was employed to announce and authenticate. At least, it is not possible to conceive of a miracle more calculated to bespeak the attention of men to the other miraculous proofs which the disciples of Jesus professed to perform. Miracles consisting in the removal of every malady to which the human frame is subjected,† and in occasionally restoring the vital powers after they had been suspended;‡ in some instances producing parts|| and functions which had never before existed; and, on a few extraordinary occasions, withdrawing life or some of its faculties, all wrought expressly in the name of Jesus, were no less adapted to evince his authority over the bodies and lives of men, and to show that the divine favour is exerted in healing, preserving, and restoring the bodily powers, and that their destruction is a mark of the divine displeasure. These were sensible means of bringing home to the judgment and feelings of men, the conclusion that their whole persons are under the care and blessing of the Almighty; that the framer of our bodies is no other than the father of our spirits, who has rendered their vigour and enjoyments mutual. The copious effusion of spiritual gifts was a species of miracle peculiarly suited to confirm the same principles. This would manifest that the same power, which gave soundness to the bodies, purified and exalted the spirits of men, and by their united influence gave anticipations of a period when both their bodies and spirits should be renewed—when all the evils appertaining to the former should be removed; and in consonance with the elevated character of the latter, should lose their "vile" properties, and become "glorified" and immortal.

The actual performance of such miracles, must have powerfully operated in the establishment of the great

* As we read at length, Acts ii.

Acts ix. 36-42.

Acts v. 15 xiv. 3. 200

Luke has not particularized this in his brief narrative, but see Matt. xv. 31.-Wakefield's translation.

§ Matt. xiv. 8-10. ¶ Acts v. 1-11. xiii, 11.

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