name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 The disciples had remembered the prophecy, that He would rise from the dead the third day.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were 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? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen

indeed, and hath appeared to
Simon.
35 And they told

29 Their prayer for his presence was answered. He did abide with them -so He will with you, you, from your heart, adopt the disciples' prayer.

31 And is it not always so? Did ever sincere and humble communicant not find his mind more opened word of God? thereby to the solemn truths of the

32 Reader! your heart now burns within you as you listen to the word of your God.

34 Tender and compassionate Master ! Thou appearest first, not to John, thy beloved friend, but to

what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 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 said unto them, Why are ye 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 honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Peter-the penitent, the subdued of spirit, the broken of heart! lest otherwise "the smoking flax be quenched, and the bruised reed broken."

35 Thus the communicant rejoices to testify to others the sure blessing

of Christ's spiritual presence to those engaged in the holy service of “breaking of bread and of prayers." they had seen a spirit. And he troubled? and why do thoughts

Ver. 44. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you,

39 God, who wills that our faith be a reasonable conviction upon evidence, affords ample testimony for such conviction.

43 Adorable mystery! In the risen body-in the very body which was to ascend into heaven Jesus did partake of food for the body.

44 Under these three heads were included the whole of the Jewish scriptures, which are thus evidenced as truth.

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, concern

45

45 Pray we to Him, to open our ullderstanding also-even now, as we are hearing and reading his word.

ing 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. 49 And, behold, I send the 49 This power was granted on the promise of my Father upon day of Pentecost, when the promise you: but tarry ye in the city of the Father was fulfilled by the of Jerusalem, until ye be en- coming of the Holy Ghost. dued with power from on high. as to Bethany, and he lifted up And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up

51

And he led them out as far his hands, and blessed them. 51 And to heaven he did bear the same body in which he had lived and died.

into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

O Almighty God! grant "that we may also in heart and mind thither dwell; who liveth and reigneth with ascend, and with Him continually Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end." Amen !

The Gospel according to St. John.

CHAPTER I.

MARCH 14, JULY 13, Nov. 9.

ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES, morning, from ver. 43.

As the former evangelists had faithfully detailed the lowliness and humiliation, the sufferings and death of Christ, many of the unbelievers cavilled at the doctrine of his divinity. St. John, about to confirm the previous histories by his own record of those events, sets out with a decided declaration, that Jesus the crucified, was yet the everlasting God -the Creator of all things.

1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness;

By the Word is meant Jesus Christ. It is not unusual in Scripture language to express a person by a quality.

4 Jesus is the author of our second creation by grace. Sin is the darkness of ignorance and woe: Jesus is the light of wisdom and joy.

• John the Baptist.

and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9

Christ is a light to Gentile as well

That was the true Light, as to Jew-else, O my reader! you

which lighteth every man

that cometh into the world.

and I had never known the Gospel. He was in the world, and the

world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him,

11 How painful an instance of ingratitude-scorned by his own coun

trymen *.

to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to

*

Having been born anew of water and the spirit in our baptism, let us devote ourselves to his service, through whom alone we are made children of God, and inheritors of his kingdom. We are now, his own.

them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made

flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

14 His glory was displayed in his miracles-his truth, in his doctrine and example.

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace 15 John bare wit- 15 As God, Jesus was from everlasting to everlasting. spake, He that cometh after me is

and truth.
ness of him, and cried, say-
ing, This was he of whom I
preferred before me for he
was before me. 16 And of
his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
law was given by Moses, but
Christ. No man hath seen
God at any time; the only

16 He giveth power to exercise every appointed grace.

18

For the

grace and truth came by Jesus 18 In Jesus Christ we behold our

incarnate God.

21 John, though not in person Eliasor Elijah, was to be so considered as to his office. "This is Elias, which was for to come." (Matt. xi. 14)

Then said they unto answer to them that He said, I am the

begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who at thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. him, Who art thou? that we may give an sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And

I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest

29 The sacrifice of the paschal lamb blessed Israel only-the sacrifice the Lamb of God blesseth all men; and taketh away the sin of the world.

31 "I knew him not as the Messiah till, at his baptism, a voice from heaven declared his Messiahship."

to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples: and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. brother Simon, and saith unto him, sias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

He first findeth his own We have found the Mes42 The name Cephas, like Peter, means a rock.

Ver. 43. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me, Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael,

45 These faithful ones had kept alive, by mutual communion, their holy expectation of the promised Messiah.

and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there anygood thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus

46 So if any now doubt the truth and excellency of Jesus and his Gospel, all we ask of them is-" Come and see." Search the Scriptures; examine them; judge for yourselves.

saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou