2

whole world. But the world must hear and know of this, that the sacrifice might profit them. If the type of the crucified Saviour, the brazen serpent, had been set up in some retired corner of the wilderness, the people must have continued to perish through ignorance of the appointed remedy." Moses raised it on high in the midst of the camp, that all might be able to look upon it, and live. And so now that God had accepted a propitiation for man's sin, means must be used that the world might become acquainted with the blessing.

4

For this purpose the Lord had already given his commission to the apostles, and commanded them to "preach the gospel to every creature." But the apostles must have helpers in their work; and the people among whom they went and proclaimed the gospel must have proof among themselves that God was authorizing and directing the whole such proof as the Jews demanded, saying. "What sign showest thou, seeing thou doest these things?" such proof as Jesus appealed to, saying, "If ye believe not me, believe the works; the works which I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." Hence, to the command that the disciples should proclaim the truth, is the promise added, These signs shall follow them that believe your words, and believe in me through your words;-many of them shall be endued with power from above, and make it manifest that "God is with you of a truth." In my name they shall cast out devils. So Paul addressed the spirit with which the damsel at Philippi was possessed,

Heb. x. 10-14.

4 John ii. 18.

3 Num. xxi. 8. John iii. 14. 5 John x. 38.

"I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour." 6 So evident a change took place in her, that her masters, to whom she had before brought much gain by soothsaying, now found that all hope of future profit by such evil means was gone. It was a still more important gift, to speak with new tongues : to be enabled to declare the good will of God towards men, of which they themselves had received the first fruits, and to communicate the tidings of salvation in languages before unknown to them. As was experienced in the house of Cornelius at Joppa. 7 "While Peter yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision were astonished, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God."

A further promise is given. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. St. Paul testifies to the fulfilment of these promises. In his own person, he bid defiance to the serpent's venom, when he shook off the viper which had fastened on his hand at Melita, and received no hurt, so that the rude natives regarded him as a god. And writing to the Corinthians he says, "God hath set in the church first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, the gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Have all the 7 Acts x. 44.

6 Acts xvi. 17-19.

8 Acts xxviii. 3—7.

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gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?"9 All had not the same gifts, God dividing to every man severally as he saw fit. But all whom he employed to enlighten their fellow creatures, he endowed with some peculiar qualification which showed the power in which they spoke, and the influence which acted upon them. The Lord made good his promise, that such signs should follow them that believed.

By means like these the religion of Jesus, "the gospel of the kingdom," was established in the world. It was designed to renew the nature of men, "purifying their hearts by faith" and to change their condition, restoring them to the favour of God. There was something therefore suitable to the character and design of the gospel, when they who conveyed its glad tidings were enabled to change the nature of those visible things which with men are conversant to render serpents and poisons harmless, to quell the fever of disease, to cast out those evil spirits which were holding mankind under their power.

The same signs do not now follow them that believe. But they are not without evidence that God is present with them. Evil passions afflict like evil spirits; and evil passions are cast out "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."' Sin "at the last stingeth like an adder, and biteth like a serpent:" and the disciples of Jesus are free from those venomous wounds, for "he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ," does not commit sin." 3

2

91 Cor. xii. 28.

2 Prov. xxiii. 32.

1 Acts xv. 9.

31 John iii. 9.

Sin is the disease of the soul, fatal as those diseases of the body which the apostles had the gift of healing. And the gospel subdues the force of this disease, and thus shows its heavenly origin as much as when the course of outward nature was changed by "the signs and wonders" wrought by the apostles.

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All are bound to inquire, Have they such signs to show; such evidence that they believe? i. e. that they have so embraced the gospel of Christ, that it has become to them" the power of God unto salvation?" As long as they remain in this corrupt world, they must be brought into contact with sin, that deadly thing but are they able to overcome it so that it shall not hurt them? To shake it off as a serpent, and clear themselves from its folds? This sign must attend them, if they are to be numbered among the believers: for believers are "under grace," and it is the promise to those "under grace,' that "sin shall not have dominion over them:"5 believers are children of God, and it is the character of the children of God, that they are "led by the Spirit of God." 6

4 Rom. i. 16.

Rom vi. 14.

6 Rom. viii. 14.

LECTURE XCVIII.

ASCENSION OF JESUS.

MARK XVI. 19, 20.

19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Thus far, in our progress through this gospel, we have accompanied Jesus" in his temptations :" have followed him through that life and death of sufferings, which for our sake he endured. We have seen him in his infancy and youth: growing up not as a royal prince or one of noble birth, but with fewer of the comforts of life than belong to most of the sons of Adam. We have seen him led up into the wilderness, and there tempted of the devil: we have seen him insulted by the scornful contempt of the Pharisees, assailed by the cavils of the scribes, upbraided for his very deeds of mercy, and accused as the friend of sinners, because he called them to repentance. We have seen how the prophecy was fulfilled in him, and he was despised, reviled, rejected. At last we have attended him through the agony of Gethsemane, the malice of the chief priests and elders, the injustice of his trial, the cruelty of his tormentors, the final conflict of his death. The hour was now come, on account of which he bade his disciples, if they