There is no other way to attain this spirit of power, wisdom, and revelation, than the path in which Cornelius walked. We have naturally a feeling of disquietude, and a longing for the peace of God; the world cannot give it, and still less can we attain it by our own exertions, for it must come to us from above. Cornelius did not find it by his own merits, by fasting or prayer, penitence or alms; but, through the instrumentality of Peter's sermon, he found peace in believing on Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. As sight was restored to the believing blind man at the word of the Lord, and as the man sick of the palsy took up his bed and walked, when our Lord said, 'thy faith hath cured thee,' so the word of the Apostle became light and life in the heart of the Gentile by means of his faith; and the Gospel became in him the power of God unto salvation. But in order to obtain the gift of the Holy Spirit, there is a nearer path for us than for Cornelius; we do not need to send, like him, to Joppa. The word spoken by our Lord, and evangelized by his Apostles, is close at hand and in our very dwellings; and as soon as we desire it, we can hear the voices of Peter and John, Paul and James.

If this wish is lively and ardent, and if we receive the word joyfully as the first of blessings, then the giver himself, the Holy Spirit, will come unto us, and we shall enjoy the fellowship of God. If we grasp it firmly, as the better portion; then more and more shall be given to us; if we are only willing to learn, the Spirit of God will teach us; if we will follow, he will guide us; if we open to him our troubled hearts, he will console us;

if we remain faithful, he will strengthen and perfect us. Then shall we speak with tongues, and with thanks and praises, by word and deed, shew forth the goodness of him who has called us from darkness into his wonderful light. To him be honor and glory, for ever and ever. Amen!

CHAPTER XIV.

THE GENTILES BAPTIZED.

IF, following the example of the Holy Scriptures, we call them a covenant, and then divide it into the Old and New, we indicate thereby the divine origin, the character, aim, and history of the revelations of God. The Bible is the glorious word, profound and true, which, rightly understood, reveals to us the mystery of the dependence of man on his heavenly Father, and the connection of God with man. The words of the prophet, 'men have transgressed the covenant,' find their confirmation both in human feeling and in human history. Slavish fear, striving to reconcile the offended Godhead by self-chosen mediators, or by its own art to appease the divine anger, and quiet its own terror, has been the basis of idolatry in all ages, and in all nations. Every religion not grounded on revelation, is false, being a proof of sin and of apostacy from God,―tending, besides, to a perpetually increasing separation from Jehovah and his salvation. Man could only be reconciled to God, by means of a divine mediator; but this was beyond the power of man to conceive till God himself revealed it.

The history of that nation, which God chose from amidst the idolatrous world, to be his own peculiar people, amply proves how difficult it is for the natural man

to raise his faith, so as to comprehend the covenant of God with the human race; simplicity and humility alone can do it. Therefore the Lord says, by the mouth of his prophets, 'Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

I,

even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins,' Is. xliii. 24, 25. I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.' Jer. xxxi. 3. These words paint with striking reality, both the unwearied mercy of God, and the unceasing rebellion of men. The next step which the Jewish nation shall take, is deeply interesting to all mankind; though God is also the God of the Gentiles, yet Israel is his first-born son.

It is unspeakably touching to observe how he, 'which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,' how the Lord of Sabaoth condescends to draw men unto himself, and if they will humbly believe on him, covers their transgressions, showering blessings upon them. As the Lord, after the first judgment had been passed over the miserable earth, extended his bow in the clouds, as a pledge to Noah that he would keep his covenant and his promises; so all the exterior forms and observances of the Old Testament had no other object than the visible ratification of his gracious words, For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee,' Is. liv. 10.

And the Apostle Paul says, ' Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever!' Rom. ix. 4, 5.

After the kindness and love of God our Savior towards man had appeared, when the promises were fulfilled, and the eternal covenant was concluded, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Baptism stands among the ordinances of Christianity, in wonderful simplicity, as the seal of the covenant of God, as a visible pledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the love of God, and of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Oh! that all would regard it as the glad token of a new covenant, like the bright testimony God stretched among the clouds, the footstool of him whose throne is in heaven! Oh! that Sion would hear his voice; lo, I shall be with thee, even unto the end of the world! I have graven thee on the palms of my hands.'

'THEN answered Peter, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.'-Acts x. 46-48.

Peter had preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his friends; they had received the word of truth joyfully,