opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

m Mark xvi. 12.-n Mat. xviii. 20. ver. 36.-0 John xx. 14: & xxi. 4.-p John xix. 25.-9 Mat. xxi. 11. ch. vii. 16. John iii. 2; & iv. 19; & vi. 14. Acts ii. 22.-r

that should redeem Israel, and erect the kingdom so much promised and predicted in the Scripture. They could not tell how to reconcile the ignominy of his death with the grandeur of his office, and glory of a king. And, though they had heard by the women of a vision of angels that assured them he was alive, yet they do not seem in their discourse to give any credit to the report, but relate it as they heard it; though both by what they said before, verse 21, "That they had trusted that it was he that should have

redeemed Israel," and also by the sharp reproof Christ gives them, verse 25, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken," we may conclude, that they thought it a mere illusion, or groundless imagination of the women. -CHARNOCK.

Then said he unto them, O fools, and

&ii. 38. Acts i. 6.- Mat. xxviii. 8. Mark xvi. 10. ver.9, 10. John xx. 18. ver. 12.-y ver. 46. Acts xvii. 3. 1 Pet. i. 11.-z ver. 45.-a. Gen. iii. 15; & xxii. 18; & xxvi. 4; & xlix. 10. Num. xxi. 9. Deut. xviii. 15.-6 Ps. xvi. 9,

10: & xxii; & cxxxii. 11. Is. vii. 14; & ix. 6;

10, 11; & 1.6; & liii. Jer. xxiii. 5; & xxxiii. 14, 15.

Ezek. xxxiv. 23; & xxxvii. 25. Dan. ix. 24. Mic. vii.

20. Mal. iii. 1; & iv. 2. See on John i. 45.-c See

Gen. xxxii. 26; & xlii. 7. Mark vi. 48.-d Gen. xix. 3.

Acts xvi. 15.-e Mat. xiv. 19.-1 Or, ceased to be seen of them. See ch. iv. 30. John viii. 59.- 1 Cor. xv. 5.

READER.-Two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, &c.-Christ came unknown to them, while they were discoursing together of the great news of that time, namely, the death of their master, whom they acknowledge a "prophet, mighty in deed and word before God, and all the people," ver. 19, confirmed by God to be so by miracles, and confessed to be so by the people. Yet they questioned whether he were the Messiah

to rectify their minds, begins with a reproof, and follows it with an instruction, that what they thought a ground to question the truth of his office, and the reality of his being the Messiah, was rather an argument to confirm and establish it; since that person, whose character was foretold in the Old Testament to be the Messiah, was to wade to his glory through a sea of blood, and such sufferings in every kind as cruel and shameful, as that person, in whom they thought they had been deceived, had suffered three days before; and afterwards, discourseth from the Scripture, that his death, and such a kind of death, did well

agree with the predictions of the prophets, and therefore, " Beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." He might well sum up in two or three hours time (wherein we may suppose he was with them) most of those testimonies which foretold his sufferings for the expiation of sin. The proposition which he maintains from Moses and the prophets, is in the text, "Ought not Ought not Christ to have suffered those things?" which is laid down by way of interrogation, but is equivalent to an affirmation; and he backed, without question, his discourse with many reasonings for the confirmation of it; to reduce them from the distrust they had to a full assent to the necessity of his death, in order to his own glory, and consequently theirs; the foundation of his own exaltation, and the redemption of mankind being laid in his being a sacrifice.CHARNOCK.

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things?-It is said, "he ought;" not an absolute but a conditional "ought." Not his original duty as the Son of God, but a voluntary duty as the Redeemer of man. He voluntarily engaged at first in it, and voluntarily proceeded to the utmost execution; yet necessarily after his first engagement. Necessity there was, but not compulsion. All necessity doth not imply constraint, and exclude will. Paul must necessarily die by the law appointed to all men, but willingly he "desires to be dissolved, and to be with

Christ." God is necessarily holy and true, yet not unwillingly so. Angels and glorified souls are necessarily holy by their confirmation in a gracious and glorious state, yet voluntarily so by a full and free inclination. Necessary by the decree and counsel of God, necessary by the predictions and prophecies of Scripture. All which causes of necessity are linked together, because the restoration of man required such a suffering; therefore it was from eternity decreed by God, embraced by Christ, published in Scripture. It was ordained in heaven, and set out in the manifesto of the Old Testament; so that if this death had not been suffered, the counsel of God concerning redemption had been defeated; the word and promises of Christ violated, and the truth of God in the predictions of the prophets had fallen to the ground. The decree of God was declared in many prophecies before the execution, and this will of God is an evidence of the necessity of it. Why did he ordain it, if it were not necessary to so great an end? Though the end, the redemption of man, was not necessary, yet when the end was resolved on, this, as the means, was found necessary in the counsel of God. The natural inclination and will of Christ, as man, did startle at it, when he desired that this cup might pass from him. It was contrary to the reason and common sense of men; how then should that infinite wisdom which wills nothing but what is unquestionably reasonable, have determined such a

covery

means, if it had not been necessary for his own glory, and man's rey? But both the Father and the Son were moved to it by the height of that good will they bore to the fallen creature.

"These things." Every one of those severe and sharp circumstances. The whole system of those sufferings; not a dart that pierced him, not a reproach that grated upon him, but was ordained every step he took in blood and suffering, was marked out to him. Since Christ was to die for the reparation of man, for the expiation of sin; it was necessary that his death should be attended with those particular sharpnesses that might render his love more admirable, the justice of God more dreadful, the evil of sin more abominable, and the satisfaction itself more valuable. The intenseness of his love had not been set off so amiably in a light and easy death, as in a painful and shameful suffering. And though the greatness of his merit, and the fulness of his satisfaction, did principally arise from the dignity of the suffering person; yet some consideration might be also had of the greatness of his suffering not only his death, as he was considered equal with God, but his shameful death in the circumstance of the cross, is a mark of obedience and a cause of his exaltation, Phil. ii. 8. Both were regarded in the crown of glory, and that high dignity wherein he was instated. So that the sum of Christ's speech amounts to thus much: Be not doubtful whether the person

so lately suffering, whom you account so great a prophet, were the Messiah. You clearly may see in the prophets, that nothing hath been inflicted on him, but what was predicted of him. So that it is not merely the malice of man that hath caused those sufferings; that was only a means God in his infinite wisdom used, to bring about his own counsel. He was not forced to what he suffered, but willingly delivered up himself to perform the charge and office of a Redeemer, which could not else have been accomplished by him. And that glory which you expected, was not by the order of God to be conferred upon him, till he abased himself to such a passion. He will have a glory to your comfort, though not answering your carnal expectations. Be not dejected, but recover your hopes of redemption, which you seem to have lost, and let them be rectified in the expectation, not of an earthly, but a heavenly glory.-CHARNOCK.

And to enter into his glory.-His exaltation therefore, was a necessary sign that he had fulfilled righteousness, and disarmed justice, conquered death and hell, and opened the gates of heaven; since he suffered as our surety, his glory would manifestly be conferred on him because he so suffered, and therefore it would respect our interest; and though by the efficacy of his death, had he only risen again, we had been freed from those torments that remain after death; yet had he not been glorified in heaven, we could not have been restored to the happiness of that Paradise we had lost,

no more than our bodies could have been delivered from the darkness of the grave, had he himself remained under the chains of death. We should have wandered about the earth without a supreme felicity, though without a smarting punishment. But by his glory we have a certain evidence, that we are not only freed from the dominion of death, but made heirs of life, and have a pledge in our hands that we shall enjoy it. If we have a union with him by faith, and a communion with him in the power of his death, there is no doubt but we shall have a communion with him in the felicities of his heavenly glory and to such a confirmation of our faith and hope was an entrance into his glory necessary.-CHARNOCK.

And he went in to tarry with them. -When they came to Emmaus, he went into the same house, through their earnest request, and sat down with them to table. At this repast he blessed and distributed the bread, according to his former manner, perhaps with the solemnity of the Sacramental Supper; and immediately the dimness, which had been cast over their eyes, was removed, and they recognized the person of their beloved master. But, the end of his appearance being answered, he instantly withdrew from their sight.

As they reviewed this singular occurrence, they wondered at their own stupidity, remarking that they might have known him from the extraordinary energy of his words, and the effect produced in their minds.

They said one to another, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" Their doubts were all removed; they felt a rational conviction of their Lord's resurrection, and perceived that every thing had happened in perfect consistence with God's declarations. That same evening they returned to Jerusalem, where they found the Apostles assembled together, and exulting in the thought that their Lord was risen indeed, and had shown himself to Peter. The different accounts were then compared; and yet, decisive as these testimonies were, some at least in the company withheld their assent; or, perhaps, allowing the accounts, concluded that his spirit only had been seen, and that his body, if revived, was carried up to heaven. How gracious and condescending was the Saviour to these weak, doubting, and incredulous disciples! To satisfy their scruples, and prove incontestably that his reanimated body yet remained upon earth, he manifested himself again that very hour.-ROBINSON.

HYMN.

Light of the world, shine on our souls;
Thy grace to us afford;
And, while we meet to learn thy truth,
Be thou our teacher, Lord.

As once Thou didst thy word expound,
To those that walk'd with Thee;
So teach us, Lord, to understand,
And its bless'd fulness see.

Its riches, sweetness, power, and depth,
Its holiness discern ;

Its joyful news of saving grace, By bless'd experience learn.

Help us each other to assist,

Thy Spirit now impart ;

Keep humble, but with love inflame, To thee and thine, each heart.

Thus may Thy word be dearer still,
And studied more each day :
And, as it richly dwells within,
Thyself in it display,

BICKERSTETH.

§ CCXXXII.

CHAP. XXIV. 36-53.

Christ afterwards appeareth to the Apostles, and reproveth their unbelief. He giveth them a charge; promiseth the Holy Ghost, and so ascendeth into

Heaven.

g

36 [ ༈ And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen "a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

n

44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and ' remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And 'ye are witnesses of these things.