when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Rom. v. 6—10. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and by a sin offering hath condemned sin in the flesh, that the justification [or righteousness] of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. If God be for us, who is against us? He that spareth not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not even with him grant to us all things? Who will bring accusations against the elect of God? [Will] God who justifieth? Who is he that will condemn? Will Christ that died? Yea, rather, who is risen, who is also at the right hand of God? who even makes intercession for us? Rom. viii. 3, 4, 31-34.

Let nothing be done through contention or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves; each one considering, not his own affairs, but the affairs of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but divested himself [of the form of God] taking on him the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of man, and being found in condition as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath greatly exalted him, and hath granted to him the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of beings in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. ii. 3-11.

Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain behaviour, delivered down to you by your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled, foreknown indeed before the foundations of the world, but manifested in these last times for you who through him do believe in God who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.—1 Pet. i. 18–21.

For this is acceptable, if a man for conscience toward God, endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if committing a fault, and being buffeted, ye take it patiently; but if doing well and suffering, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For unto this ye are called, because he also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth justly.* Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree; that we being dead to sin should live to righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.- Pet. ii. 19-25.

For it is better to suffer for well-doing, if such be the will of God, than for evil-doing: for Christ also both suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.-1 Pet. iii.

17-19.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and

*The Rheims Testament reads here, after the Vulgate, "delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly, understanding it of Pilate and the Jewish rulers."

priests to God his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.-Rev. i. 5, 6.

WORDS, &c. TO BE EXPLAINED IN LESSON XXV.

They come to the sepulchre and find not the Lord's body-two angels declare that he is risen-Peter visits the sepulchre-two disciples meet and converse with him—and he is known by them in the breaking of bread-the two disciples announce it to the eleven-Jesus suddenly stands in the midst of them-he shows them his hands and his feet, and eats before them—the gospel of repentance to be preached in all nations, beginning at Jerusalem-He leads them to Bethany, blesses them, and is carried up into heaventhe apostles return with joy to Jerusalem.

FROM LUKE, XXIV.

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and some others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And having gone in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, behold, two men‡ stood by them in shining garments; and, as they were

*The women. † Other women.

Two angels..

afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why seek ye the living* among the dead? He is not here, but is risen; remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returning from the sepulchre, reported all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not but Peter rising up, ran to the sepulchre; and stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying by themselves and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

And, behold two of them were going that same day to a village called Emmaus,+ distant from Jerusalem about sixty furlongs. And they conversed together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they were conversing together and reasoning, Jesus himself, drawing near, went with them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not know him. And he said to them, What subjects are these about which ye converse with one another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said to him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem and hast not known

* In a place where the dead are commonly laid, that is, a sepulchre.

A village seven miles from Jerusalem. The discourse of these two disciples naturally turned on the wonderful reports of the morning; and our Saviour's object in joining them seems to have been to remove their prejudices, and to reconcile them to a belief in his resurrection.

the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said to them, What things? And they said to him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we hoped that it had been he* that should have redeemed Israel and besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Moreover, some women also of our company astonished us. Having been early at the sepulchre, and not finding his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. And some of those who were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not.

Then said he to them, O foolish and slow of understanding to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses, and all the prophets he expounded unto them the things in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village whither they were going: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Remain with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went

From the whole of this account given by Cleopas, it appears that he and the disciples generally were deeply sorrowful for the tragic events that had happened, doubting and fearing, yet not, perhaps, without some faint hope of the resurrection of their crucified Lord. Christ in his reply reproves them for their backwardness to reflect and depend on the testimonies given by the Spirit of God, through the prophets, concerning these things, showing that his death and sufferings for the sins of the people, was the way to his glory.