the proceedings of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, and mark how they accused the Jews of killing (by their wicked hands) Him whom God had approved by miracles, and wonders, and signs among them, and asserting that though they had crucified and slain Him, yet that God had raised Him from the dead, and that they themselves were witnesses to that great and glorious fact: and then mark their calling upon them to repent them of their wickedness, and turn unto God, if haply they might obtain mercy at His hands. Mark again the answer of Peter and John when brought before the Jewish rulers and commanded by them not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the name of Jesus: 'Whether it be right in the sight of God,' said they, 'to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' Witness again their boldness when brought before the elders of Israel after they had been let out of prison by an angel who had come expressly from heaven for the purpose. When also the chief priest and elders of the Jews accused them of continuing to teach in the name of Jesus, though they had forbidden them to do so, their answer was: 'We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted, with His right hand, a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things: and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.'

And in this spirit they prosecuted their labours, preaching Jesus Christ as the medium of access to God, declaring that there is no salvation in any other—that there is no other name (than that of Christ) given among men whereby we must be saved.'

And their labours were attended with success-with great success. And that because the Lord wrought with them, confirming the word with the signs which He spake of following. On the day of Pentecost three thousand souls were added to the church. In a short time afterwards, it is said that the number increased to five thousand. And after this statement it is said, that in Jerusalem the number of the disciples increased greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient unto the faith. The theme of the Apostles' preaching was Christ-Christ crucified, Christ

risen, Christ glorified, Christ at the right hand of God, and exalted there a Prince and Saviour to give repentance unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins. We have not a full account of the labours of the Apostles during the timereferred to. We know, however, that the gospel was preached by them in Judea, in Galilee, and in Samaria, as well as in Jerusalem; and that by the remark of St. Luke, who, in the 9th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, says: 'Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.' We may say then, in the Apostles wit-nessing to Christ as they did in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, and forming churches there as they did, that their labours were not in vain in the Lord.

The next point we have to refer to is the ascension of Christ. When He had spoken these things, referring to the answer He had given to the inquiry of the Apostles, and His directing them to be witnesses to Him in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the utmost part of the land of Palestine, it is said: While they beheld, He was lifted up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” At least this is the next thing that we are told in the Acts. of the Apostles which happened after Jesus had given an answer to the inquiry of the Apostles and directed them to be His witnesses to the extent we have spoken of. St. Luke in his Gospel, however, refers to an interesting incident that took place just on the eve of Christ's ascension. He states that, Jesus having ceased speaking to the Apostles, He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and that while in the act of blessing them He was separated. from them, being carried up into heaven. What an in-teresting scene this must have been! Jesus, having finished on earth the work which had been given Him to do, on the eve of leaving those behind Him with whom He had spent three years and more of intimate and close fellow-ship, instructing them and preparing them during the time for the work which He assigned them, leaving them. to continue the work which He had commenced, sending them forth, too, as sheep among wolves, sending them forth also on the most important embassy upon which any of the sons of men were ever sent forth, even as His ambassadors to beseech men in His stead to become

reconciled to God, and having spoken to them the last word that He had to say to them, while they are before Him hearing and listening to the last sound that falls from His lips, He lifting up His hands and blessing them! What a heart-melting time it must have been! No such scene was ever witnessed before, and never will be again. How delightful it must have been to the Apostles, after they had gone in and out with Him for so long a time, to have Him to bless them instead of to condemn them; to learn His acceptance of them instead of His rejection of them! The blessing of Christ coming upon them as it did must have thrilled through their very soul, and filled them with ecstatic peace and joy. No one can possibly tell what their feelings must have been at the moment. No doubt they consecrated themselves afresh to the service of their Master with renewed determination, fresh ardour, and an increased feeling of ardent zeal for His honour and glory. And they never flagged in their work; their whole course exhibited an illustration of those words,—

'Too much to Thee we cannot give;

Too much for Thee we cannot do.'

While, however, their feelings were overpowered; while an awe-inspiring bliss, an overwhelming degree of joy, pervaded their whole souls, while they are looking at Him, listening to Him, drinking in every word that He utters, drawn to Him with an attraction more intense than that of the magnet, He rises up before them—a cloud receives Him, He is lost to their sight!

And whither is He gone? St. Mark states, in closing his gospel, 'The Lord was taken up into heaven, and He sat down on the right hand of God.' This part of the subject I close with the words of St. Paul: 'Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.'

We have next to notice that certain visitants attended the scene of His ascension.

The feelings of the Apostles were so absorbed, and their look so intent, as Christ rose up before them, became separated from them, being carried up into heaven, that they were not aware of any one being present but themselves. Two men, however, we are told, in bright raiment,

D

indicative of whence they came, even from the bright scene of glory into which Jesus had just entered, had placed themselves near the Apostles. Who they were we cannot say not a word is stated on the subject. They might, perhaps, be Moses and Elias, who attended Him and talked with Him in the mount when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, when His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. It might possibly be so, though we cannot say. We know not. But whoever they were they took an interest in the scene-in the transactions of the moment. Beholding the Apostles looking up with ardent feeling and earnest gaze they accosted them, saying: 'Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you thus into heaven, shall come as ye saw Him go into heaven.' We read of no answer being given to these angelic or celestial beings. Neither is it stated what became of them. Perhaps (and I think it very probable), as soon as they had drawn off the attention of the Apostles from their now useless gaze, and given them the assurance which they did, that He should come again, they ascended as Moses and Elias had done after the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus. In reference to them on that occasion it is stated, 'that a bright cloud overshadowed them, and suddenly when the Apostles looked around they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.' These two men, when they had given the Apostles the comforting assurance of Jesus coming to them again, were probably taken up in the same way.

We might dwell on the way in which the Apostles saw Jesus ascending, and notice the assertion of the two men, that He should come again to them; but on these points we will not now dwell, as on some future occasion we may perhaps, God willing, consider the different passages in which the coming of Christ is spoken of. Therefore, as our time is nearly gone, I shall only now say, that the manner of Christ's ascension exhibited Almighty power, and the full concurrence of heaven in all that Jesus had done and said. And in this way the coming again referred to would exhibit the same power, and manifest the perfect concurrence of Jehovah in the object of His future coming.

We have lastly to notice the obedience of the Apostles to their Lord's command: Then they returned into Jerusalem

from the Mount of Olives.' This is the statement of the text; but St. Luke, who makes it, says in his Gospel: 'And they having worshipped Him returned into Jerusalem with great joy.'

And their paying religious adoration to Him teaches u that it is lawful for us, and our duty and privilege, to do the same; to worship Him as God, and heartily and fully to enter into the spirit of the exclamation in the Apocalypse: 'Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'

But the Apostles not only worshipped Jesus before they returned into Jerusalem, but they returned from the scene which they had witnessed with great joy; joy for the manifestation of the love of Jesus to them; joy for the exhibition of His exalted position; joy that God had so set His seal upon all that He had done; joy for the promise of which they confidently awaited the fulfilment; joy that they were not to enter on a work unassisted by the power of heaven; joy that their Master, by His Spirit, world be with them; joy that they needed not fear what man could or should do to them; joy that victory and success would attend the cause of Him who had been exalted to heaven with God's

own right hand. These and a thousand other things would crowd in upon their mind to excite and to increase their joy! yea, to fill their spirits with peace and confidence in believing in Jesus, and for enabling them to look upon Him as 'the power of God, and as the wisdom of God."

With feelings then of adoration to and for Jesus, and joy for the light of His countenance which He had vouchsafed unto them, they returned to Jerusalem, the city which they had previously left to witness the great and glorious scene which they had just beheld. And they returned thither in obedience to the command of Christ, who had said to them after His resurrection: 'Remain ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye put on power from on high-depart not from Jerusalem, but await the promise of the Father. This command, after all they had witnessed, was too sacred not to be kept. They would not depart from it one iota, but obey it in its complete and entire fulness. And this as we proceed we shall find was the case with them.