"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. (3) And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. (4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: (5) And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? (6) He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (7) Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. (8) And they remembered his words, (9) And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. (10) It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. (11) And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. (12) Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass."
I detain the Reader, immediately at his entrance into this Chapter, to remind him, that the blessed doctrine contained in it, is the most momentous and interesting which can possibly engage his attention.
For, as God the Holy Ghost taught the Church, by Paul: If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and the faith of God's people is also vain: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God! 1 Corinthians 15:14. See, Reader! the infinite importance of the thing itself, and let that importance arrest your closest attention, to regard, with suitable thankfulness and affection, the vast chain of evidences the Lord the Spirit hath granted the Church of this most glorious event, in the certainty of which the sure resurrection of all the mystical body of Christ is included.
In those verses we have the account as related by Luke. There is a beautiful variety, and yet a uniform sameness, to the relation of the fact itself of our Lord's resurrection; as delivered by the several Evangelists: but this was evidently intended by the Holy Ghost, for the more full and satisfying testimony to the glorious truth, springing forth from so many quarters. And Paul, years after, was brought into a personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus, when Christ called to him from heaven; and which became an additional proof in confirming this precious doctrine. Last of all, (saith Paul) alter Christ had been seen of above five hundred brethren at once, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 1 Corinthians 15:6-8
I do not think it necessary to notice to the Reader the consternation of those godly women; neither of the eleven Apostles, at the first account of Christ's resurrection. It is enough to observe from it, how little disposed their minds were to the faith of it, notwithstanding all the discourses of Jesus, which one might have supposed would have prepared them for the event. Reader! I pray you learn from it, that nothing short of God the Holy Ghost's influence in teaching, can bring home a feeling sense of his truths, to his people. The Lord must take away the stone out of the heart, as well as roll it from the mouth of the sepulchre, or we shall not enter into a joyful apprehension of the resurrection of Jesus.