II. The means by which it was overcome —
The Apostles diligently investigated the subject proposed to them —
[They were informed by Mary Magdalen, that the body of our Lord was removed from the sepulchre. Without loss of time they set out, as expeditiously as possible, to investi- gate the point. John being the younger man, and not, like Peter, oppressed with a load of guilt, arrived first at the place, and looked into the sepulchre : but Peter, being the more intrepid character, as soon as he arrived, went directly, and without hesitation, into the sepulchre, and saw the care- ful manner in which the linen and the napkin were folded up and laid in separate places, evidently showing that the body had not been taken away, nor had escaped but with the utmost calmness and composure. John, emboldened by his example, used the same means of ascertaining the fact ; and, on discovering it, " believed" that Christ was indeed risen ; whilst Peter, though " wondering at the things that had come to pass," still retained some doubts respecting them. Still, how- ever, the measure of conviction which was wrought in both their minds, was produced by the same means : but it was strongest on him, whose mind was most under the influence of love.]
In a similar way must all unbelief be vanquished —
[We must search and examine for ourselves: we must
also vie with each other, as it were, in the pursuit of truth,
animating and encouraging one another both by testimony and
example To such diligent and candid exertions is the
faith of the Beraeans ascribed': and wherever they are used, with prayer to God for the illumination of his Spirit, they will sooner or later assuredly succeed ]
From the circumstance of their not yielding an easy assent to what was told them, we shall be led to notice,
III. The grounds which are hereby afforded for our faith — The Apostles were very slow to believe the fact of Christ's resurrection —
[They would not believe the woman that had seen a visionk: nor even when Mary had had a personal interview with him, would they believe1; nor even when two of their own body had conversed with himm. They would scarcely
> Acts xvii. 11,12. k Luke xxiv. 4 — 11.
i Markxvi. 9—11. m Mark xvi. 12, 13.