When  the  holy  Jesus,  a  little  before  his  sufler-
ings,  had  been  speaking  to  them  of  the  joys  of
heaven,  and  had  told  them  he  was  going  to  pre-
pare mansions  for  them,  that  they  might  follow
him,  and  that  they  knew  both  the  place  whither
he  was  going,  and  the  way  thither;  our  Apostle
replied.  That  they  knew  not  whither  he  was
going,  n)uch  less  the  wfiy  that  would  lead  them
thither.  To  which  our  Lord  returned  this  short
but  satisfactory  answer;  I  am  the  loaij;  I  am  the
person  whom  the  Father  sent  into  the  world  to
show  mankind  the  paths  that  lead  to  eternal  life,
and,  therefore,  you  cannot  miss  the  way  if  you
follow  my  example.
After  the  disciples  had  seen  their  great  Master
expire  on  the  cross,  their  minds  were  distracted
by  hopes  and  fears  concerning  his  resurrection,
about  which  they  were  not  then  fully  satisfied,
which  engaged  him  the  sooner  to  hasten  his
appearance,  that  by  the  sensible  manit'estations
of  himself,  he  might  put  the  matter  beyond  all
possibility  of  dispute.  Accordingly,  the  very  day
in  which  he  arose  from  the  dead,  he  came  into


374


THE  LIVES  OF  THE  APOSTLES.
Chap.  II.
the  house  whore  they  were  assembled,  while
the  doors  about  them  were  close  shut,  and  gave
them  sufficient  assurance  that  he  was  risen  from
the  dead.
