such cordial gratitude to this inspired Evangelist.

Let not this precious portion of the Sacred History be lost on us, my brethren, but let us implore the Divine Spirit to bring it home to our affections, that our hearts may also burn within us when we hear (or read) the gospel of our Saviour, and join in his holy ordi

nances.

We learn that, on the day in which our blessed Lord rose from the dead, two of his disciples were travelling to Emmaus, a village a few miles distant from Jerusalem; "and they talked together of all these things which had happened.” One of the disciples was named Cleopas, and the early tradition of the Church maintains, that the other was no less than the Evangelist himself; an idea which derives no small support from the many minute and exquisite touches in the description, which seem to indicate that the historian was himself an eye witness of what he relates, But what was the subject of their conversation? The most important that had ever yet engaged the thoughts or reflections of mankind! The cruel sufferings and death of him whose heavenly life and doctrine, and gracious miracles, had raised their hopes so high, only, as it appeared, to plunge them into

deeper despondency at his sad and unexpected end. They had been expressing, most probably their mutual surprise, that he, who could open the eyes of the blind, and bring the dead to life, could not enlighten the minds of his judges, or soften the hearts of his persecutors; that he who could calm the raging sea, and expel devils out of the bodies of their unhappy victims, could not tame the ferocity of the infatuated populace, who cried "crucify him, crucify him;"-that he who could have summoned legions of angels to defend him, should have permitted a few persons with sticks and staves to lead him away captive, and deliver him into the hands of his enemies. To form any adequate idea of the state of mind in which the two disciples found themselves on this memorable journey, we must conceive ourselves in their situation, and we shall then, and then only, rightly understand it. They had numberless proofs of Christ's extraordinary power over the order and course of nature-they had heard him speak, as never man spake before, with a simple force and majesty of language, wholly unknown to the scribes and usual teachers of the lawthey had often witnessed the meekness and tenderness of his manner toward his disciples, and at the same time exulted, perhaps, in

that singular assertion of his real dignity, which struck such awe into the buyers and sellers in the temple, and made them fly before him. With such strong impressions on their minds, they trusted, that it was he who should redeem Israel. They doubted not that he was the promised Messiah; they had, therefore, a firm faith in him-why then were they desponding? Because that faith, however strong, was partial. It embraced but part of the Redeemer's character. It admitted his miraculous powers, and supernatural wisdom and knowledge, but overlooked his mysterious priesthood, his grand mediatorial office, as the Saviour of sinners. It was here their faith was deficient. They gladly received Christ as the great and powerful Prophet, who was to restore his people to freedom, and the Divine favour; but they neither recollected the spiritual nature of that freedom, nor examined the conditions of that mercy which was now revealed to mankind. Viewing the

character of their Lord and Master in this partial light, it is no wonder that they were surprised and dismayed, when they beheld him a captive, dragged before a Heathen tribunal, insulted and reviled, accused of treason and impiety, and yet dumb before his accusers, regardless of self-vindication, and then con

demned to the most disgraceful death as a malefactor. This was too severe a trial for their imperfect faith, and they were, therefore, dispirited and sad. But did not our Lord often foretel to them, that he was to suffer and to die? Yes, but this intelligence was so inconsistent with their expectations of a temporal deliverance, that they received it with reluctance, and accordingly when it was fulfilled, their faith in Christ as a King, was shaken, and little remained but their belief in his prophetic character and office. They could not be persuaded that the Messiah was to be treated with such indignity and cruelty. They saw the distressed and unhappy state of their country, exposed to the insolence and tyranny of a foreign power; but they looked not into their own hearts, nor examined the true causes why their country was reduced to such degradation. A suffering Saviour who was to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, by offering up his precious life for the sins of the world, was not agreeable to their Jewish prejudices and, therefore, if our Lord had not expressly foretold his sufferings, the faith of his disciples would have been entirely overthrown by his death; an event which, under these circumstances, secured their reliance on him as

that singular assertion of his real dignity, which struck such awe into the buyers and sellers in the temple, and made them fly before him. With such strong impressions on their minds, they trusted, that it was he who should redeem Israel. They doubted not that he was the promised Messiah; they had, therefore, a firm faith in him—why then were they desponding? Because that faith, however strong, was partial. It embraced but part of the Redeemer's character. It admitted his miraculous powers, and supernatural wisdom and knowledge, but overlooked his mysterious priesthood, his grand mediatorial office, as the Saviour of sinners. It was here their faith was deficient. They gladly received Christ as the great and powerful Prophet, who was to restore his people to freedom, and the Divine favour; but they neither recollected the spiritual nature of that freedom, nor examined the conditions of that mercy which was now revealed to mankind. Viewing the character of their Lord and Master in this partial light, it is no wonder that they were surprised and dismayed, when they beheld him a captive, dragged before a Heathen tribunal, insulted and reviled, accused of treason and impiety, and yet dumb before his accusers, regardless of self-vindication, and then con