hearts burned within them;" and which they afterwards thought sufficient to have enabled them, had they attended to it, to discover him.

With respect to the first point, if we look back to the account of Mary Magdalene's revelation, we shall find that she too was as ignorant of the person of Christ as these disciples, and only recognized him by the sound of his voice, or, more probably, by some peculiarity in his well known mode of addressing her. On the present occasion it is expressly said, that the disciples' eyes were holden, that they should not know him. What this miraculous concealment consisted in, it seems neither easy nor needful to determine; but the object obtained by it is more obvious. It might have been designed, in withholding from them all sensible evidence of the reality of the resurrection, to prevent such evidence from superseding the use of that which might have been derived, as surely, from the Law and Prophets. Christ therefore having proved to them from Scripture the antecedent certainty of this taking place, they were instructed in the application of a kind of evidence, which, if the Lord had been at first recognized, they might

have been tempted to undervalue and neglect. It conveyed the same lesson as when he said, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed"," Except ye see signs and

wonders, ye will not believe."

As to the internal sensation to which the disciples allude, it was perhaps some mode of divine manifestation, effected by an impression on the mind, which might afterwards serve, when repeated and recognized, as a proof that Christ though unseen, was with them, strengthening them under affliction-suggesting to them or prohibiting them when acting, preaching, or writing-deciding for them when deliberating—in short, it might have been the appropriate vehicle of God's will for many points of guidance and instruction, in their after ministry. Being then given for the first time, it was strange, and its character unknown; although afterwards recognized, familiarized, and boldly acted on. Like Samuel of old, they did not yet know the Lord when thus speaking to them; but when afterwards their hearts felt that same inward burning repeated, they would naturally cry out, " here am I."

Lord,

CHRIST'S FIRST APPEARANCE TO THE eleven.

(Fifth appearance.)

Mark xvi. 14-18.

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Luke xxiv. 36-49.

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 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. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey-comb. And he took it, and did eat before them. 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. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

John xx. 19-25.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

When Cleopas and his fellow-disciples returned to the assembly which they had left at Jerusalem, and were reporting what had happened to them, Jesus is said to have manifested himself to all present, and to have afforded certain proofs of his bodily resurrection. last appearance which is recorded to have been made on the day of the resurrection. That day was the day next to the Jewish sabbath, and consequently answering to our Sunday, the first day of the week. It was on account of our Lord's resurrection on that day, that it was adopted by the Christians for ever after as the weekly day of rest and devotion. On that day week accordingly the disciples were again assembled, when Christ again appeared to them.

This is the fifth and the

CHRIST'S APPEARANCE TO THE ELEVEN WHEN THOMAS WAS CONVINCED.

(Sixth Appearance.)

John xx. 24-29.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord, But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails,