But let me not be misunderstood on this point; I am not speaking of the promiscuous intercourse of society; not of religious discussions or allusions amid the ordinary business of life; not of that irreverent and dangerous habit, into which same believers have been incautiously betrayed, of detailing to one another their continual and familiar experiences; I am speaking of the private and sober communing of christian friends, who are dwelling together, or journeying together, as the disciples to Emmaus: and truly, “with the bible in their hands and the Saviour in their hearts,” it is wonderful how they can forbear from spiritual intercourse. If the everlasting truths of the gospel have made a deep impression upon their minds; if, for the promises therein revealed, it is their object to live and to die; if they have one common hope of their calling, “one thing needful” which occupies their affections; if they have the same exalted view of a glorious kingdom in heaven; if they are living together in love, and comforting themselves, that the holy bond shall never be broken, that it shall be renewed in a happier world and last for ever; then it would be strange if their thoughts and their conversation should never turn upon a subject of such overwhelming interest; upon a topic so abundantly fruitful in materials for mutual edification. The idea of the Lord being present with us in our conferences is an animating and ennobling idea: but we cannot expect His holy presence in the scenes of vanity and frivolity; nor can we expect it at any time, if the thought and desire of Him be altogether excluded. From the cold moralist, or the worldly-minded disciple, from those who have no practical concern for the gospel or for their souls, we need not look for a word of spiritual communication; it is abhorrent to their feelings and inconsistent with their notions; but the sincere Christian should “think on these things.” “The world will love its own,” and follow its own; its own friends and maxims and ways: but “we are not of the world,” and better fruit is expected from us.
But to return to the history before us. Having listened for a time to the earnest discourse of the disciples, Jesus at length, as if a stranger, enquired into the subject, which engrossed their minds and rendered them so sorrowful: “And the one of them whose name was Cleopas, (the same, it is thought, as Alpheus, who was the father of two Apostles and nearly related to our Lord Himself,) 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?” said it, probably, with a view of giving them an opportunity of declaring their opinions, upon what had taken place, as also upon Himself and the nature of His kingdom: “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. But we trusted, that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel; and beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done.” { 101} They concluded, that their bright hopes of redemption were extinguished, were all dead and buried with Jesus: even though they had heard of His rising again, according to His own promise, which they had just alluded to, still they had no expectation of holding any further intercourse with Him, of any further display of His power in their behalf.