of the name of Jesus, the certainty of His resurrection from the dead, His exalted state at the right hand of God, together with His being able to save them unto the uttermost on their going unto God through Him, and that without any ceremonial rite, or goodness, or works of their own.

It was an opportunity not to be lost. God's providence had collected them together, the impartation of His Spirit had fitted them for it, and at the same time had given them. a disposition to enter on the hallowed work. How long it lasted, and when the multitudes dispersed we know not, nor yet the effect produced. We cannot doubt, however, that the gospel delivered proved the savour of life unto life unto many, and that a large accession took place to the already numerous body of believers.

And what a testimony was this to the divinity of the truths which they delivered! Could uninfluential, unlettered men, have stood thus forward in Jerusalem in direct opposition to the positive commands of the ruling powers of the nation, unless they had felt, and unless they had proved by supernatural evidence, that their mission was divine? No: They would have shrunk from it, sidled away, and have escaped from the danger which beset them. But here the men speak boldly, with openness, with all freedom, with all confidence, just as they had told the Council that they should do-that they must-that they could not but speak the things concerning Jesus which they had seen and heard. And they keep their promise :'They tell to all around

The dear Saviour they have found,'

and that he might be found of all those who heard them; and that there was no other Saviour but Jesus: and that there never will be; and that none could be saved but in and through Him.

How the report of these proceedings must have struck with additional amazement the scribes, and elders, and chief priests, who had just set them at liberty. What an evidence it must have been to them that the whole work was of God, and that they could not stop it, do what they would. And had they been wise men, they would have listened to the voice that sounded so loudly in their ears, and at once have kissed the Son, embraced Him with all

their hearts, lest (as was afterwards the case) He should be angry, and they perish from the way when His wrath should be further kindled against them.

The subject teaches us—

Ground for confidence in God. The Apostles felt that God was all powerful. On this rock they reposed. He knew what was best, and He could do what He willed. This was enough for them. They left the issue of all events with Him in reference to themselves while they were in the path of duty.

And the same should be the case with ourselves. If we cannot accomplish what we wish in reference to what we think to be right, when having done what lies in our power to effect the object we have in view, or want done, then we must leave it with God assured, while He has all power, He will do what most consorts with His own glory, and best in what takes place in respect to ourselves. Who is among you,' saith the prophet Isaiah, 'that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and that hath no light? Let him trust in the Lord, and stay upon His God.'

The subject sets before us, secondly,

The prescience, or foreknowledge, of God. And we should ever be careful to distinguish between God's foreknowledge, and His determination.

In the 28th verse we read of a determination on His part to do the thing which the rulers of the Jews afterwards effected. This was the death of His Son to take away the sin of the world, because, (according to His own will) without shedding of blood, there could be no remission. He, therefore, delivered Him up for us all. But, while purposing His death, He did not decree the means to the end. By His prescience or foreknowledge He foresaw how Jesus would be treated by the evil passions, and malice, and envy of those to whom He would be sent, and knowing that that would accomplish His purpose-effect His object-He permitted it in His providence to take place, and very often caused His prophets to state circumstances which He foresaw would happen; not decreeing them-only permitting them. And though those events added additional guilt to the individuals who were the instruments in effecting them, yet, as the potter has power over the clay to make one vessel unto honour and another

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unto dishonour, He could consistently with His justice and holiness permit, in His providence, the individuals to be guilty of them, since they were deserving of His condemnation independently of the commission of the things alluded to, using wicked men as His instruments when He found them such, not making them such.

And the directing, from His foreknowledge, His prophets to state what would happen, ages and ages before what did take place, gave an authority to the written word as divine, proved God's absolute interference in the redemption of the world in the way of atonement for sin, and set marks in connection with the Messiah when He came by which those who read the word of God might recognize Him as the Lamb of God without the possibility of the least mistake or misconception.

We have next set before us—

An authority for praying to God to qualify His servants for the work of the ministry; 'Grant unto Thy servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy word.' And here the prayer was for well-qualified ministers-for men who had been and were still endued with power from on high to preach the word. And the Apostle Paul, qualified as he was for the work, and appearing unto Him as Christ had done to make him a minister, constantly begs the prayers of those to whom he wrote. 'Brethren, pray for us,' he says to the Thessalonians, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified.' It is evident from these instances that blessings descend on ministers from the prayers that are put up for them by the faithful in Christ Jesus. Why it is, and how it is, we cannot say; but so it is. And it teaches the people of God to pray for their ministers-even for those who are the best, as well as for those who are the least, fitted for their work.

Many do, I have no doubt, and all should. The great day of God, I have not the least hesitation in saying, will reveal the fact that many of God's servants obtained larger gifts, additional graces, and a greater extent of usefulness through the prayers which ascended to God on their behalf; and that, while they were so blessed from above, those who besought God for them were also blessed in an abundant degree themselves.

We have set before us lastly

An example to carry all our straits and difficulties to the Lord. 'And now, Lord, behold their threatenings,' said the Apostles, with reference to the violence with which they themselves were threatened if they prosecuted their work of teaching in the name of Christ, and preaching His having risen from the dead. They begged the Lord to have regard to the matter, and to regulate it according to His own will. And in the same way Hezekiah, when he was threatened, and received a taunting letter from an enemy to God's people, went to the throne of grace, and laid the whole matter before the Lord. And both he and the Apostles received an answer from the Lord-had the assurance that the Lord would take the whole affair into His own hands. Paul and Silas did the same in their straits and difficulties, and were favourably answered. And myriads of others of God's people have done the

same.

And these instances are an encouragement for us to pursue the same practice. I do not mean that we are not to pray till we are in straits and difficulties; but to pray always, and, in seasons of special trial and special affliction, to have seasons for special prayer, for special intercession with God. And that in accordance with the direction of the Lord Himself: Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.'

XIX.

"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet."-Acts, iv. 32-37.

In these words, my brethren, we have, first,

A manifestation of uniformity in the influence of living faith. I say living faith: for it should be borne in mind that there are two kinds of faith in the professing church: a faith which is dead, and a faith which is the opposite. The former is that of those who receive, as the Apostle Paul states, the gospel in word only-who believe it without its producing any corresponding effect or change on their hearts and lives: the latter is that of those who receive the gospel, as the same Apostle states, 'in power, in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance:' who possess a faith which worketh by love, and a hope which purifieth both heart and life.

The persons referred to as believing appear to me to be individuals who had been induced to become disciples of Christ from the preaching referred to in the 31st verse. It is there stated that after the company-to which Peter and John had returned after being let go from the Jewish Council, and to which the two Apostles had reported what the chief priests, and elders, and scribes had said-had prayed, and the place had been shaken where they were assembled together, being all filled with the Holy Spirit, they were speaking, as it is said, the word of God with boldness. The effect of the continued speaking of these men to those who had probably followed with the two Apostles from the Jewish Council's Hall of Assembly to the place where the two Apostles' own company were assembled with those who were already, perhaps, waiting there, was, as it appears to me, that many, yea, a large company, believed.

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In the 32nd verse, those believing, and as I conceive on that occasion, are spoken of as a multitude :''The heart and the soul of the multitude that believed was one 'or was the same.' And this ' one heart,' or this one soul," which there was to those who believed, appears to be illustrated in the words before us in their effect.

Through believing in, or on, Christ, love to God was produced; for wherever personal redemption is obtained in Christ, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, there love, gratitude, is the result. Hence the language of St. John: 'We love Him, because He first loved us.' And then when this love is felt, the individual, who is the subject of it, loves His brother also. And this also St.