No. CXXXVIII. CONSIDERATIONS OF THE NATURE OF THE We have seen, in the foregoing Fragment, the history of the seizure and execution of our Lord Jesus. In this Fragment we shall "see the place where the Lord lay;" and shall examine the nature and form of that honoured Sepulchre. We have marked, with a dotted line, in the Plan of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Plate II. the path of our Lord from Jerusalem (A)—to Calvary, B and C. At Calvary, we now suppose the crucifixion to be terminated, and the dead body of Jesus to be taken by his pious, but unexpecting friends, to D, the stone of unction, where, having been hastily whelmed over with spices, &c. it was carried to E, F, and at G, was deposited in a tomb, cut out of the solid rock, but not finished. The evangelist John tells us that in the place (i. e. close to) where Jesus was crucified "was a garden, and in that garden was a new Sepulchre, wherein never man had yet been laid:" and this we learn from the other evangelists, was cut in a rock; so that no geographical objection arises against the tomb now venerated as having been our Lord's, it being only "one hundred and eight feet," says Sandys, distant from Calvary; which inconsiderable distance very naturally accounts for the expression in of the evangelist John. We shall not stay to prove that it was customary for great and eminent men, by wealth or station, to form their Sepulchres in rocks; because this may occupy our attention hereafter. We assume, for the present, that this was the fact: and that in this respect our Lord "made his grave like that of a man of eminence," Isaiah liii. 9. Many such Sepulchres remain in the sides of Mount Sion; and on those of all the valleys round about Jerusalem. They have been cut with prodigious labour; and some of them are very extensive. Dr. E. D. Clarke has particularly described them]. Inspecting now, Plate I. as well as Nos. 1, 2, 3, Plate II. we observe, that the tomb of our Lord consisted of two chambers, (1) an outer chamber, about 12 or 14 feet wide, and as many deep; (2) an inner chamber, about 12 or 13 feet long, by 6 or 7 broad. The door-way of the first chamber, we suppose, was left open (the Sepulchre being unfinished); that of the inner chamber was closed by a great stone, adapted nearly, but not accurately, to the dimensions of the door: for this being unfinished also, it did not precisely fit the jambs of the door, but required sealing, for security; not being readily wrought into more exact fastening, to answer the purposes of the moment. [N. B. This representation of the history is coincident with the idea that such a door was preparing, according to custom, for this Sepulchre. Nevertheless, if it be thought that this door was not in readiness, but that only a great stone was rolled (which word seems to confirm this latter conjecture) to close up the entrance, it makes no variation in the principles on which we are reasoning.] The inner chamber of the Sepulchre has, at one end, a kind of bench, in length six or seven feet, by three feet wide, on which, it is every way probable, the body of Jesus was laid; as denoted in the upper figures of Plate I. This bench is at present encrusted with marble, as indeed are most, or all, of the places engaged in this history. But the outer chamber of this Sepulchre is of no less consequence to our faith than the inner; when we consider, that a Roman guard was appointed to keep it. Now, where would this guard most naturally stay during night?-in the open garden, or in the chamber which afforded them shelter, and where they might burn lights, &c. for their use? Was the night cold? here they might be somewhat protected from the cold (Mark xiv. 54); was it stormy? here they might be secure from the storm. The moon being at full, a moonlight night might now be expected: so that whoever, or whatever, approached this Sepulchre, was exposed to their notice; and, by their sentinels, patroles, &c. they might inspect the whole of the adjacencies around their station. By these hints, try the story of the disciples stealing the body. (1) The Sepulchre being a natural rock, it could not be dug through, either behind or on the sides :-the disciples had neither tools, time, nor powers, for the purpose; to say nothing of the noise they must have made in such an undertaking. (2) If the soldiers really did sleep, they would certainly rather sleep in this room [this outer chamber; for the inner chamber was sealed from them, equally as from others], than in the open garden. (3) If the soldiers were asleep, the removal of the heavy stone door, and breaking the seal, among (no doubt) a quantity of stones and rubbish, accompanying the unfinished work, would have required too many persons, and too much exertion and labour, and would have made too much bustle and noise, not to have awakened those who slept much more soundly than a guard of Roman soldiers could do. (4) The persons engaged in such a removal of the stone, must have been passing over, or among, the soldiers themselves, their extended legs, &c.; because, in so small a room, they must have been thus situated (lying, &c.) on the floor. From these, and other hints, arising from the nature, form, and dimensions of the place, it appears, that the theft of the body by the disciples of Jesus, required a miracle to render it possible. It being about the time of full moon, the night might be moonlight; nevertheless, the soldiers might have lanterns, &c. with them; for so had those who seized Jesus the night before. They might also have a fire burning. Vide John xviii. 18. I would query also, whether some kind of lamp were not burning in the Sepulchre itself, being left there by Joseph? This is a customary Eastern usage, in token of honour to persons greatly respected, to prophets, &c. and is seldom or never omitted. Let the reader imagine what was the effect, the terrific effect, of the brilliant and lightning-like countenance of the angel, when he entered the first apartment, advanced to the tomb, and in dignified, but obsequious splendour, drew back the stone from the door of the inner chamber (which no doubt rolled with noise enough), and sat upon it: such effulgence of light concentred within this small anti-chamber, must have been dazzling and terrific in the highest degree: no wonder the keepers, Romans though they were, trembled, and fainted, and fled away in amazement. It is likely, therefore, the guard did not actually behold our Lord coming forth from his sleeping-place: but, if they did, the terrors occasioned by the angel must have been greatly heightened by the sight of the dead-malefactor! issuing in calm triumph, amid this noise and effulgence, from this strangely inhabited rock. We consider, for a moment, our Lord as awaking, removing from his person such swathes of linen, &c. as had been wrapped around it, by Joseph, &c. deliberately folding them up, and placing them in order (at his head, for instance); then taking some of the clothes, which Joseph or his attendants, designing to return, or his gardener, might have left behind them, and quitting his temporary lodging in the heart of the earth. But we must not omit to notice how accurately the evangelists have described this tomb and its connections; notwithstanding any seeming contradiction, or inconsistency of which their narrations may be suspected of at first sight, when compared together. The reader will observe for himself, how necessary it is to understand their accuracy. Matthew xxviii. "The angel of the Lord descending from heaven, advanced,"coming forward (πρоσελ0ùν), i. e. along the first chamber,-" rolled the stone from the door" of the inner chamber, "and sat upon it "-i. e. he not only removed it from closing the door, but pulled it fairly out of the way of the person expected to come out of the inner cnamber-and then he sat on it: looking, no doubt, sufficiently VOL. III. 2 H sternly, on the Roman soldiers. Now, since he sat on the stone, he sat in the outer chamber, where the women afterwards might easily see him; yet he was concealed from the view of persons without the Sepulchre by the projections of the rock :-agreeably to this idea, he says to them, "Come in, see the place where the Lord lay "—i. e. advance towards the inner chamber. Mark xvi. "The women said, Who shall roll away the stone? and looking, they saw the stone was rolled away; then entering into the Sepulchre," i. e. the outer chamber, "they saw a young man sitting, &c. who said,-Behold the place where they laid him" [Jesus], i. e. in the inner chamber. These evangelists, then, speak of the outer chamber by the name of "the Sepulchre." Luke. "The women entered in," i. e. to the inner chamber, "and found not the body of the Lord Jesus," which had been laid there. This evangelist speaks of the inner chamber by the name of "the Sepulchre." "Then arose Peter, and ran to the Sepulchre, and STOOPING DOWN, i. e. having passed into the outer chamber, and advanced to the door of the inner chamber, he stooped down, to look into that inner chamber, and it being now daylight, he saw the clothes lying, &c. [or, was it by the light of a lamp, burning to enlighten the Sepulchre, as supposed above:] John. "Peter and John ran together, but John outran Peter, and came first to the Sepulchre, and he STOOPING DOWN" (bending himself) at the door-way of the inner chamber," and looking into" that chamber, "saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in" to that inner chamber. "Simon Peter followed him a moment after, went in" to that inner chamber, and took particular notice that the napkin, &c. was disposed in the most orderly manner. "After which, John also went in" to the inner chamber," and he saw, and believed" the resurrection of Jesus, though neither himself nor Peter had at that time any conception that such an event was foretold in Scripture. "But Mary stood without," (q. in the outer chamber?) "weeping; and as she wept she stooped down" towards the inner Sepulchre," and seeth two angels..... whom having answered, she turned herself backward, and saw Jesus standing," ie. perhaps, in, or near the door-way of the outer chamber, and the light entering at the door-way, the whole face and person of Jesus was in shadow; so that Mary could not at the first glance ascertain who it was, but guessed it might be the keeper who took care of this garden for Joseph: but when "Jesus said to her, Mary! she turned herself” much farther toward him, so as to procure a more distinct view of his person, and knew now that it was Jesus, her beloved Lord. Is this an accurate view of this incident? Observe, as the height of the door-way into the outer chamber was considerable (being designed to receive ornaments, &c.), no person could need to stoop down to look into that; but, as the door-way to the inner chamber was but four feet high, by two feet four inches wide, says Le Bruyn; while Sandys says three feet high, by two feet wide —“ affordeth a way to creepe through," &c. when the evangelists mention stooping down to look within it, they maintain an accuracy of relation, which strongly confirms their history. Observe, that the garden, being planted with tress, &c. though our Lord might be actually in some part of the garden, whether behind the trees, or the rocks in it, while his followers (Peter and John, for instance) were examining his Sepulchre, he might advance or retire; might shew himself to some, but not to others, at his pleasure; or he might even be conversing with some in one part of the garden, while others, passing in other parts of the garden, might be totally unapprized of his presence. It would be easy, by assuming that the apostles did not all dwell together, but in various parts of the city, to account for the different times of the visits of the women, and of the apostles, &c. And by forming a proper plan of the garden, to shew how our Lord did actually converse with one person, while another could not conceive where he was-but, it is enough to have suggested this hint, which the intelligent reader may enlarge at his leisure. We beg leave to correct Mr. Maundrell by a query, whether the Holy Sepulchre was in a rock under ground? at least at any considerable depth. We rather think he has taken this idea, as many others have done, from the "looking down" of the apostles, &c. which, we humbly conceive, is better accounted for in the present article. The tomb of Lazarus (John xi. 38.) was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. The command to remove this stone, is expressed by a very different word (apare) from that of rolling away (άπокνλíσн) used by all the evangelists, in reference to the tomb of our Lord. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF THE SEPULCHRE OF JESUS CHRIST.-PLATE 127. The upper figures represent, first, a PLAN, with measures of this Sepulchre; whereby it appears that the door-way into the second chamber is but narrow, and the depth of the chamber not more than sufficient for the reception of a body, &c. (about six feet.) The other figure gives an internal view of the Sepulchre: the wall of rock between the two chambers is supposed to be taken away. The linen lying on the bench of rock marks the "place where the Lord lay." The lower print is a conception of what this Sepulchre might have been originally. We do not mean to affirm that this conception is authentic or correct; but, it may serve to impart some idea of the relative situation of the rock, the chambers, &c. We must consider the outer chamber as extending to right and left, more than the projection of the rock permits to be visible. [So that the angels by retiring to, or advancing from, either side of the room, suppose, rendered themselves visible to, or concealed themselves from, persons standing without.] These designs are from Le Bruyn. No. CXXXIX. ON THE MODERN STATE OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, &c. AS it may be agreeable to the reader to be informed what is the present state of those venerated places, to which we have been attending in the foregoing Fragments, we insert the correspondent accounts of Mr. Sandys and Mr. Maundrell. If it be enquired whether these are truly the places which they are usually held to be, we refer to the articles ELIA, CALVARY, GOLGOTHA, &c. in the Dictionary. We also subjoin the reasonings, and the alleged authorities of Dr. Shaw; and the rather, because it will be observed, that however we may esteem the principal places, and those of most consequence, to be authentic, yet we do not adopt every tale now told on the spot; nor consider any thing as certain, which has not, in its nature, something which may justify, at least in some reasonable degree, the credence it solicits. MR. SANDYS'S ACCOUNT. After a little refreshment, the same day we came (which was,vpon Maundie Thursday) we went into the temple of the Sepulcher; euery one carrying with him his pillow and carpet. The way from the monastery continues in a long descent (the east side of Gihon) and then a little ascendeth to mount Caluary. Mount Caluary a rockie hill, neither high nor ample, was once a place of publicke execution: then without, but now wel-nigh within the heart of the citie: whereupon the Emperour Adrian erected a fane vnto Venus. But the vertuous Helena (of whom our country may iustly glorie) ouerthrew that receptacle of paganisme, and built in the room thereof this magnificent temple; which not onely possesseth the mount, but the garden below, together with a part of the valley of Carcasses (so called, in that they threw thereinto the bodies of the executed) which lay betweene mount Caluary and the wall of the old citie. The frontispiece opposing the south, of an excellent structure; hauing two ioyning doores, the one now walled vp, supported with columnes of marble; ouer which a transome engrauen with historicall figures; the walls and arches crested, and garnished with floritry. On the left hand there standeth a tower, now something ruined (once as some say, a steeple, and depriued by Saladine of bels, vnsufferable to the Mahometans:) on the right hand by certaine steps a little chappell is ascended; coupled aboue, and sustained at the corners with pillars of marble. Below through a wall which bounds the east side of the court, a paire of staires do mount to the top of the rocke (yet no rocke euident) where is a little chappell built (as they say) in the place where Abraham would haue sacrificed Isaac; of much devotion, and kept by the priest of the Abissens. Page 160, &c. This ioyneth to the top of the temple, leuell, and (if I forget not) floored with plaister. Out of the temple there arise two ample coupulos: that next the east (couering the east end and isles of the chancell) to be ascended by steps on the out-side: the other over the church of the Sepulcher, being open in the middle. O who can without sorrow, without indignation, behold the enemies of Christ to be lords of his Sepulcher! who at festiuall times sit mounted vnder a canopie, to gather money of such as do enter: the profits arising thereof being farmed at the yearly rent of eight thousand sultanies. Each franke payes fourteen (except he be of some religious order, who then of what sect soever is exempted from payments), wherein is included the impost due at the gate of the citie: but the Christians that be subject to the Turke, do pay but a trifle in respect thereof. At other times the doore is sealed with the seale of the Sanziack, and not opened without his direction: whereat there hangs seven cords, which by the bels that they ring, giue notice to the seuen seuerall sects of Christians (who liue within the temple continually) of such as would speake with them; which they do through a little wicket, and thereat receiue the prouision that is brought them. Now to make the foundation euen in a place so vneuen, much of the rocke hath bin hewne away, and parts too low, supplied with mightie arches: so that those naturall formes are vtterly deformed, which would have better satisfied the beholder; and too much regard hath made them lesse regardable. The roofe of the temple is of a high pitch, curiously arched, and supported with great pillars of marble; the out iles gallered aboue: the vniversal fabrycke stately and sumptuous. But before I descend vnto a particular description, I will present you with |
