Luke 24
DODDLuke 24:13-33
Christ appears to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, and, having opened the scriptures to them, makes himself known in breaking of bread. Luke XXIV. 13—33.—
LUKE XXIV. 13.
WE are now to give some farther account of that fact which was hinted at in the close of the preceding section, of our Lord’s appearing to two of his disciples on a journey: and the case was this. Behold (for it is a very observable story), two of them were travelling that very day on which Jesus rose from the dead to a village called Emmaus, which was about sixty furlongs, or somewhat more than seven miles, from Jerusalem. And as they walked along, they discoursed together of all these wonderful and important things which had lately happened, and which could not but lie with great weight on their spirits. And it came to pass, that as they talked about the sufferings and death of their beloved Lord, and the report which had been spread that morning of his resurrection, and argued the point together with visible marks of the greatest concern,ᵃ LUKE XXIV. 13. AND behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that while they communed together, and reasoned,
ᵃ Argued the point together.] The word scope of their inquiry was how to reconcile these events with what had been foretold concerning the Messiah, which, by the message that the women had but just before brought from the angels, they were particularly called to remember. (Com-
s into conversation with them as a stranger.
Jesus also himself drew near, as one come from Jerusalem who was going the same way, and travelled on with them.
But that they might not presently discover who he was, and be prevented by this means from expressing their own thoughts with freedom, he appeared to them in something of a different form and habit from what he usually wore (compare Mark xvi. 12, p. 594); and besides what there might be of an uncommon vigour and majesty in his countenance, their eyes were so affected and restrained by a secret but powerful influence on them, that they did not look upon him with that attention and recollection which might have been expected; so that, on the whole, though they were some considerable time in his company, yet they did not know him.b
And he joined himself to them, as it were by accident, and, after the usual salutation, said to them, May I inquire what are these matters which you are conferring upon between yourselves, as you walk, and about which you seem to be so much concerned? for I perceive you to be very earnest in discourse, and see that you appear with a sorrowful countenance.
And one [of the two], whose name was Cleopas,c answered and said to him, You seem to be come from Jerusalem, and though you may perhaps be no more than a stranger there, yet is it possible that you should be at any loss to know what is the subject of our conversation, and
pare Luke xxiv. 6, 7, p. 586, and xviii. 31—33, p. 256, 257.) Accordingly when Jesus had inquired, ver. 17, What arguments are these that ye are debating one with another? (for so Mr. West would render it) this is the point he took occasion to illustrate and explain (ver. 26, 27), by shewing them it was necessary, in accomplishment of what was foretold, that the Messiah should suffer these things, and so should enter into his glory; and with this view he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (See West’s Observ. p. 69—73.)
b They did not know him.] A different habit, and their having no expectation of seeing him, might, in part, prevent their knowing him: yet, as it is said their eyes were restrained from knowing him, I am ready to think there was something more
than this, even some particular agency of God, to divert their eyes from looking stedfastly upon him, or so to affect their memories as to render them incapable of recollecting who he was. Compare Gen. xxi. 19; Numb. xxii. 31; and 2 Kings vi. 17, 18.
c One of the two whose name was Cleopas.] It has already been observed that Cleopas was the same with Alpheus, the father of James the less and Judas, who were two of the apostles. (Luke vi. 15, 16.) See note c on John xiv. 22, p. 441, and note b on John xix. 25, p. 549. Some suppose that the other was Luke; but Dr. Lightfoot endeavours to prove it was Peter. (See note c on Mat. xxviii. 15, p. 593.) It seems more probable that he was not one of the apostles, but might possibly be one of the number of the seventy, whose name is uncertain.
hey tell him the concern they were under about Jesus,
what it is that gives us such concern? Are you the only person that sojourns in Jerusalem, and is unacquainted with the extraordinary things which have been done there in so public a manner within these few days, that they engross the conversation of the whole city?
And he said to them, What are those things that you refer to? And they said to him, Those that relate to Jesus, who was called the Nazarene; a man who was a prophet of the most illustrious character, and greatly powerful both in actions and in words; for he wrought the most astonishing miracles, and taught the most instructive and excellent doctrine, which raised him to the highest honour before God, and all the people of Israel, among whom he publicly appeared for several months and years. And have you not then heard, how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to the Roman governor, and compelled him by their importunity to pass a sentence of death upon him, and so crucified him between two robbers? And this must needs be an unspeakable affliction to us, who are two of his disciples: for we not only thought him a Messenger from God, as the old prophets were, but we verily hoped that he had been the Messiah himself, even the very person who should have delivered Israel from the power of their enemies, and have established the long expected kingdom of God among us: but now are we ready to give up all our hopes; for we have seen him on a cross instead of a throne: and besides all these melancholy [occurrences], though he had given us intimations of his rising again on the third day, yet this is now the third day since these things were done, or since he was condemned and crucified, and we have not yet received any convincing evidence of his being risen from the dead. It is true indeed, some women among us, of our society, have greatly surprised us with an account they brought this morning; who tell us, they were very early at the sepulchre in which he was laid, with an intent to embalm him; And, not having found his body there, they came away
re you the only person that sojourns in is the emphatical in alem, and is unacquainted, &c.] This συ μονφ πανικυς—κι
n crucified, and was now reported to be alive.
in haste to acquaint us with it; and besides this they say, that they also saw a vision, or apparition, of angels, who affirmed him to be alive again, with some other strange and extraordinary circumstances. Nay, and some men too who were with us, of our own company, went themselves to the sepulchre, and found [it] to be even so as the women had said, that is, that the body was gone, and saw the funeral linen laid in order there; but him they did not see: though we are informed that since we left the company some women have come to them, who affirm that he has actually appeared to them himself, and declared that he was risen, and would shew himself to his disciples: but still we have received no certain proof of it ourselves, so that as yet we know not what to think of it, and cannot but be under great concern about it.
And upon this our Lord, without discovering who he was, said to them with some warmth,
*And say that they saw also a vision of angels.] According to the order in which the story is digested in the preceding section, the women did not come to the disciples with the report of what they had seen between the appearance of the angels and that of Christ to them; but had first seen both, and therefore must undoubtedly have mentioned both: it may however be concluded, that (as Luke says on their relating what they had seen, ver. 11, their words seemed to them as an idle tale, and they believed them not) these travellers might apprehend that what the women took for an appearance of Christ was at most but a vision of angels (as some imagined with respect to Peter, Acts xii. 15); and what is added in the next verse, with relation to the men there spoken of [but him they did not see], may perhaps imply that the women pretended also to have seen Jesus himself. But I am now inclined to acquiesce in Mr. West’s solution of this difficulty, who supposes it was Joanna, and the other women with her, who only saw the angels and did not see Jesus, that came with this report to the disciples before Mary Magdalene, and those to whom Jesus appeared, arrived with the account that they had seen the Lord. For notwithstanding it is certain that Mary Magdalene on Christ’s appearing to her went and ac-
acquainted the disciples with it (Mark xvi. 10, and John xx. 18), yet, as they might be now assembled together by Peter and John at a different place from that where she met with Peter before, it is no way improbable that by Mary’s going to Peter’s lodgings, who was now gone to meet the disciples elsewhere, or by some other accident unknown to us, Joanna and those with her might get thither first with the report of their having seen a vision of angels, who had declared that Jesus was alive. Immediately on hearing which, some men (of whom it was probable Peter might be the first) went away to the sepulchre, and found things in the same order as the women said, but had no sight of Jesus. On whose return these two disciples that were going to Emmaus left the company; and though as they were setting out some might inform them that a report was brought by Mary Magdalene and some other women that they had seen the Lord, they might be as backward to believe it, and as ready to impute it to the power of imagination, as those in whose presence the report was made. I am obliged to Mr. West for this view of the matter, which represents it in a clearer light than any other scheme proposed before. (See West’s Observ. p. 106, 107.)
VOL. 2.
He opens what the scriptures had foreto of Christ;
O ye thoughtless [creatures], and slow of heart to believe all the things that the prophets have so frequently and clearly spoken; which, if you had attentively considered and believed them, would have prevented this surprise! Was it not necessary, in order to accomplish those sacred oracles, “which testify beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet. i. 11), that the Messiah should suffer all these things, at which you are so much stumbled, and [so] by his rising from the dead should enter into his glory?
And hereupon beginning from the writings of Moses, and supporting his discourse with the authority of all the prophets, he interpreted to them, in a much clearer light than they had ever seen them in before, the principal things which either had been typified or were foretold concerning him in all the scriptures.
And by this time they drew near to the village whither they were travelling; and when they came to the house where they designed to tarry, Jesus, like one that was a stranger, began to take his leave; and making no offer to turn in with them, he seemed as if he were going
O thoughtless creatures, &c.] The word exonus is by no means of so bad a sound as that of fools, by which we translate it. (See note m on Mat. v. 22, Vol. I. p. 217.) Yet, as Dr. Bullock justly observes (in his Vindication of Christ’s Resurrection, p. 174), if the prophecies of the Old Testament had been (as Mr. Collins pretends) only all-orical, there could not have been room for such a heavy charge of stupidity against these disciples for not understanding them. It is, by the way, very weak in Mr. Collins, and some other deists, to urge the lowness of Christ’s friends to believe his resurrection, as an argument that the proofs of it were defective: on the contrary, as Bishop Chandler well replies (in his Vindication of Christianity, p. 45, 46), their believing afterwards carries the greater weight; for it removes all suspicion of a collusion between Christ and them in his lifetime; and also implies an impartial examination of the fact, and the strength of those proofs that vanquished this incredulity.
- Be innin om Moses, and all the prophets.]
It is no way necessary (with Mr. Mede in his ingenious discourse on these words) to suppose that Christ’s sufferings, resurrection, and exaltation, are each of them distinctly foretold in each of those parts of the sacred writings which are mentioned here. It is enough, if Moses gives some intimations concerning him, which succeeding prophets carry on; and if, when all their testimonies are taken together, all these events are expressed by some one or other of them. It was very unbecoming the character of an honest writer to represent our Lord as here attempting to prove his resurrection from scripture; which Mr. Collins pretends to have been the case. The precise point in view plainly was to convince them that there was no reason to be scandalized at the death of one whom they took to be the Messiah; nor in general to look on the report of his resurrection as a monstrous and incredible tale. But that he was actually risen was to be proved another way; which accordingly our Lord immediately used by discovering himself to them.
and going in with them, in breaking of bread they know him. 601
farther, intending indeed to do it, if he were not prevented by their request. But they even compelled him by their friendly importunity to go in with them, saying, Let us prevail upon you to continue this night with us, where we assure you of a most hearty welcome : and as indeed we are so greatly delighted and edified with your company, that we cannot part with you, it may also be inconvenient for you to travel much farther ; for it is now towards evening, and the day declines apace. And he complied with their request, and went in to continue with them.
And it came to pass, as he sat down to table with them, he took a cake of bread ; and though he only appeared as a guest there, he assumed the office of the head of the family, and looking up to heaven blessed, or gave thanks over it ; and then brake it, and gave [it] to them, just in the manner he had formerly been used to.
And they were so surprised at this circumstance, that they now looked upon him more intently than they had done before ; and their eyes were then opened, and, to their unutterable astonishment and joy, they knew him, and plainly saw that it was Jesus their dear Master : and as they were preparing to acknowledge him as such, he suddenly became invisible, and withdrew himself from before them in a moment.
And they said one to another, How strange is it that we should discover him no sooner ! Sure we might easily have known him, even by that inimitable spirit and energy in his discourses, so peculiar to himself ; for did
h They compelled him, &c.] It might be rendered, they pressed him. (See note e on Luke xiv. 23, p. 147.) Every body easily sees how little room there was for any proper compulsion in such a case as this. Probably one of them dwelt at Emmaus, or they were going to an inn, or to some friend’s house, where they could use the freedom to introduce this unknown stranger, for whom they had so high a veneration.
i Their eyes were opened.] I see no reason to conclude (with Cradock and Brennius) that his undertaking this office of breaking bread, or (with others) that some peculiar action or gesture in performing it, was the thin that made the discovery.
(See note b on ver. 16.) The evangelist strongly intimates that the miraculous influence, which before prevented their knowing him, was removed, though the other circumstances mentioned might awaken them to more attentive observation.
k Became invisible, and withdrew himself from before them.] Erasmus justly observes that the word vanished leads the mind to think of the person vanishing as a mere spectre ; he would therefore render ἀφανήσῃς γίνετο as we have done. Beza also observes that ἀφανήσῃς is more expressive than αἰσίως, and signifies our Lord’s being separated from them by a swift and sudden motion.
Re ections on Christ’s interview
not our very hearts glow, and burn within us,¹ while he was talking to us by the way, and while he was opening the scriptures to us?
And they were not able to conceal such good news, or to defer the publication of that which would give their brethren such a holy transport as they felt in their own breasts; and therefore, late as it was, they presently rose up from their unfinished meal that very hour, and with cheerful speed returned to Jerusalem, and told it to the rest of their companions (compare Mark xvi. 13, p. 594); among whom they had soon after the pleasure of seeing their Lord again, in the manner related in in the next section.
IMPROVEMENT.
Luke xxiv. 13, 14 How delightful a close of so melancholy a day to these pious travellers! A day surely long to be remembered by them and by us! They were on a journey; but they did not amuse themselves on it with any trifling subject of discourse. Their hearts were set upon Christ, and therefore their tongues were employed in speaking of him. And behold, Christ himself, the dear theme of their discourse, makes one among them; he enlightens their eyes and warms their hearts, and at length makes himself known to them in the breaking of bread.
So may we often be speaking of Christ, from the fulness of our hearts, when we go out, and when we come in! So may he still, in some degree, join himself with us in spirit, guiding our souls into Divine knowledge, and animating them with holy love!
They bear an honourable and just testimony to that great Prophet whom God had raised up for them, as mighty befor him both in word and in deed. But they knew not how to see through so dark a cloud: their hopes were almost extinguished, and they could only say, We trusted this had been he that should have redeemed Israel. Pitiable weakness! Yet too just an emblem of the temper which often prevails in the pious mind; when the Christian is ready to give up all, if deliverance does not proceed just in the method he expected. Yet was Christ even then delivering Israel in the most glorious and effectual manner, by those very sufferings which gave them such distress. Verily thou art the God of Israel, and the Saviour, when thou art a God that hidest thyself from us. (Isa. xlv. 15.)
¹ Did not our hearts burn within us?] This which, instead of καιρμιν here, have κια- reading is far more expressive, as well as λυμμιν, Was not our heart veiled? Ὡ far more authentic, than that of some copies, Compare Psal. xxxix. 3, and Jer. xx. 9.
with the two disciples.
In faithful friendship, and with a plainness well becoming his office, the compassionate Redeemer upbraids them with their slowness of heart to believe these things, when they have received line upon line, precept upon precept, concerning them. How lustly do we fall under such a rebuke in many instances! Let us then humbly say, Lord, increase our faith! (Luke xvii. 5.)
We should reasonably have thought ourselves happy in an opportunity of hearing or reading this discourse of Jesus, in which he threw such lustre on the prophecies of the Old Testament, and proved that, according to the tenor of them, it was necessary that the Messiah should thus suffer, and so enter into his glory. As Providence has denied us this satisfaction, let us however improve this general and very important hint, that Moses and all the prophets speak of these things. Let us delight to trace the heavenly beam from its earliest dawn, and to observe how it grew brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. May the blessed Spirit, by whom those mysterious predictions were inspired, so direct our inquiries, that every veil may be taken off from our eyes, that we may see Jesus in the Old Testament as well as in the New; and see him in both with that lively fervour of holy affection which may cause our hearts to burn within us! And oh, that we may especially find that, when we surround his table, he makes himself known to us in the breaking of bread, in such a manner, as to fill our souls with all joy, as well as peace in believing! (Rom. xv. 13.)
Luke 24:33
The two disciples return to make their report to the apostles; and while they are together, Jesus appears to them the evening after his resurrection. Mark XVI. 14. Luke XXIV. —33—43. John XX. 19—23.
LUKE XXIV.—33. AND [they] found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
LUKE XXIV. —33.
IT was observed before, concerning Cleopas and the other disciple, to whom Jesus discovered himself at Emmaus, that they immediately arose and returned to Jerusalem, to communicate the joyful news to their brethren there. And now when they came thither, they found the eleven apostles assembled, and others with them, who, before these two could begin
They found the eleven apostles assembled.] As Paul (1 Cor. xv. 5) calls the company of the apostles the twelve, though Judas, the twelfth person, was dead; so Luke here calls them the eleven, though Thomas, the eleventh person, was absent, as evidently appears from John xx. 24, in the next section.
The two disciples tell the apostles what they had seen.
their story, were eager on their part to inform the travellers of the satisfaction they had received since they went out: So that, as soon as they appeared, they heard several of the company saying, as with one voice, O brethren, here are good tidings, which will make your hearts leap within you; for the Lord is risen indeed, and has himself appeared to Simon Peter, who is here present to testify the truth of it.b
And the two travellers declared how easily they could believe it, and recounted the things [which had happened] to them in the way to Emmaus; and how, after many wise and affectionate discourses, he was at last known by them in the breaking of bread, as they were sitting down to supper. But notwithstanding these repeated testimonies of the resurrection of Christ, yet there were some in the company whose prejudices were so strong, and their faith so weak, that they did not believe either Peter or them c (compare Mark xvi. 12, p. 594), though most of them were convinced (as they had just declared) that the Lord was risen indeed.
And quickly afterwards, as they were speaking of these things among themselves, while they were sitting at supper, [Jesus] himself appeared to the eleven, who were then all together, except one of them. And this appearance was attended with some remarkable circumstances, which shall be now related.
It was then on the evening of the same day on which he rose from the dead, [which was], as we have before observed, the first day of the
b And has appeared to Simon Peter.] None of the evangelists mention any thing of the circumstances of this appearance to Peter; but it has been observed before (note i, sect. excii. p. 593), that the apostle Paul expressly refers to it, 1 Cor. xv. 5. The same apostle likewise mentions an appearance of Christ to James. (Ibid. ver. 7.) Yet, as nothing is said of his having seen him that day, it much diminishes the credit of the story which Jerom gives us from the gospel of the Nazarenees, that James had vowed to eat nothing after the paschal supper, till Jesus arose; on which account our Lord appeared first to him. None of the apostles seem to have had such a firm expecta-
tion of Christ’s resurrection as must have been the foundation of such a vow; and the order in which Paul mentions his appearance to James does very ill suit with this story. Probably Peter was the first man, as Mary Magdalene was the first woman, that was favoured with the view of our risen Saviour.
c Some — did not believe, &c.] Mark expresses it in a general way (chap. xvi. 13) that they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them: but we are undoubtedly to understand these words with such a limitation as in the paraphrase. See note g on Mark xvi. 12, page 594; and note a on Mat. xxviii. 17, sect. ccii.
ears to the apostles when the doors were shut.
week, even when the doors of the room, where the disciples were gathered together, were shut, and fastened on the inside, for fear of the Jews; as they did not know but some officers of the high priest might come to apprehend them, on the scandalous pretence that they had stolen away the body, which was now publicly laid to their charge: it was, I say, at this time and place that Jesus himself on a sudden came in, opening the locks or bolts by a miraculous power;⁴ and he stood in the midst of them in his usual form, and said to them, with a mild voice and a gracious aspect, All peace and happiness be unto you: thereby graciously intimating that he forgave their former cowardice, and would still continue to treat them as his friends, though they knew in their own consciences they had of late behaved themselves in a manner unworthy of that character and relation.
But they were greatly amazed and terrified at this sudden unexpected appearance; and as they knew the doors of the room were shut, and in the present hurry of their thoughts did not immediately reflect upon the proofs he had so often given of his Divine power, or on the evidences they had but just before received of his resurrection, some of them suspected that what they saw was only a spirit, or a mere airy phantom, and not a real body.
And he said to them, Why are you thus perplexed and troubled at the sight of me, and why do these doubtful and unreasonable suspicions arise in your hearts, as if it only were the appearance of a spirit that you have here before you? Behold my hands and my feet, which
⁴ Jesus himself came in, opening the locks or bolts by a miraculous power.] Dr. Wallis (on the Sabbath, p. 25) thinks the expression of the doors being shut intends no more, than that what follows happened in the evening, when the doors are used to be shut up. But, as the doors are said to have been shut for fear of the Jews, it strongly implies they were fastened within; and that all that was herein miraculous was the causing them, as of themselves, to fly open, and shut again very suddenly. Elsner has shewn (Observ. Vol. I. p. 351) that this is some-
times spoken of by some of the pagan writers, especially those who may be suspected of copying from the evangelists, as the effect of a supernatural power attending the appearance of their deities, or other extraordinary persons, among them. The argument which the Papists bring from hence, to prove that two bodies may be in the same place at the same time, and consequently one in different places, is so evidently built upon an absurd interpretation of the clause under consideration, as not to deserve any farther notice.
He eats with them, and upbraids them with the
for your satisfaction still retain the scars of those wounds which I received on the cross, to convince you that it is I myself, and no other: handle me, if you please, and see whether this be not really a solid and substantial body: for you know that a mere spirit or phantom hath not flesh and bones as you see me have, but is only an empty form presenting itself to the eye, yet eluding the grasp of any hand.
*And saying this, he shewed them his hands and his feet, and even the mark which the spear had left in his side, which appeared like a large wound, newly, though perfectly healed:*ᵉ and several of them, and among the rest John the beloved apostle, who records this circumstance, had the curiosity particularly to examine it. (Compare 1 John i. 1.) And the disciples therefore were exceeding glad, as it might reasonably be expected they should be, when they thus saw the Lord, and learnt by such infallible tokens that he was really alive.
And for their further satisfaction, when [some of them] were so transported, that they as yet believed not their own eyes for joy, and were so astonished that they hardly knew where they were, he said to them, Have you any food here left, that I may eat with you? And they gave him such as they had, even part of a broiled sh, and of an honeycomb, on which they had been supping just before. And taking [it], he eat before them, that thus they might be fully satisfied that he was actually alive, and had a true and real body. (Compare Acts x. 41.)
And when he had for a while gently upbraided and reproved them for their unbelief, and for the hardness of their hearts, that they had not believed the repeated testimony of those who had already seen him since he was risen from the dead, and that, even after his own appearance to them, they should be capable of entertaining any further doubts; Then, that they might be satisfied that he had graciously forgiven them, Jesus
ᵉ He shewed them his hands and his feet, the disciples of the truth of his resurrection; &c.] Probably these marks were retained though indeed without that additional circumstance the evidence might in his body when raised from the dead, on purpose to give the greater satisfaction to have been very satisfactory.
He renews their commission as apostles.
said to them again, Peace be unto you: may all prosperity and happiness attend you! As [my] Father sent me, and gave me authority to act in his name, so also I send you to act as my apostles, under the important character of my ambassadors to the children of men.
And saying this, he in a solemn manner breathed upon [them], and said to them as one that had Divine authority, Receive ye the Holy Spirit, and take this as an earnest of what you shall further receive not many days hence: for thus will I shortly breathe out the miraculous influences of my Spirit upon you, in a greater abundance than you have ever yet received them, to qualify and furnish you for this important office; In consequence of which, whose soever sins, you shall remit, or shall declare to be forgiven, they are remitted and forgiven to them; [and] whose soever [sins] you shall retain, or shall pronounce to be unpardoned, they are assuredly retained, and their guilt lies upon them: for you shall have a power, not only of declaring what is lawful or unlawful under the gospel dispensation, but also of sending or removing miraculous punishments, and of discerning the spirits of men in such perfection, as to be able with certainty to declare to particular persons in question, whether they be, or be not, in a state of pardon and acceptance with God. (See note h on Mat. xvi. 19, Vol. I. p. 485.)
And after this discourse with his disciples, at his first appearance to them, Jesus departed from them for that time, and left them to spend the rest of the evening in those delightful exercises of devotion which this great occasion had so natural a tendency to inspire.
IMPROVEMENT.
WITH pleasure let us echo back the words of the apostles, and Luke join in that glad anthem which so well suits a resurrection day, xxiv. The Lord is risen, he is risen indeed. We owe our daily praises 34 to God for the abundant demonstration he has given us of so important a fact, for every appearance of Christ to his disciples, and for all the infallible tokens by which he shewed himself to be live after his passion. (Acts i. 3.)
VOL. 2.
Reflections on Christ’s first appearance to the apostles.
cxcviii. John xx. 22 He came with peace and blessings in his mouth; he came to disperse their fears, and to assure them of his forgiving love. How strong were those prejudices which so hardly yielded to such convincing proofs! And how rich was that grace which condescended to overcome them!
Christ breathed on the apostles, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. May he also breathe on our souls, and fill us with that glorious and Divine gift, which, if it qualified the apostles for their extraordinary office, may much more furnish us for the common duties of life! May we try our state by the characters which they have laid down in their inspired writings; in which sense, among others, we may assure ourselves, that, if they have declared our sins to be remitted, they are remitted: and, if indeed they are so, we need not be much concerned by whom they are retained. Vain and arrogant men may claim a despotic power, which God never gave, and which these words are far from implying. But, whatsoever be the sentence they may pass, they whom God blesseth, are blessed indeed. (1 Chron. xvii. 27.) May we always esteem it a very small thing to be judged of man’s judgment (1 Cor. iv. 3); pitying, rather than resenting, the rashness of those who claim any such discretionary sacerdotal power as can give the real penitent any alarm, or the impenitent any encouragement to continue in sin!