bear him out; following his Lord's example, who used the same argument in reproving their want of faith, "If ye believe not me believe the works." and again he says, "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin." The Apostle, not content with this assertion, next charges them with being the murderers of Christ, who had been betrayed (as God foreknew) into their wicked hands. Here we perceive the first beginnings of that intrepid boldness, which I have already noticed, and which, being inspired by the Holy Ghost, continued through the whole ministry of the Apostles; a subject of almost equal wonder with their mighty powers derived from the same source. For what less than a particular divine providence could have protected them upon occasions like the present, where it became necessary for those poor and friendless men to stand up against the chiefs and rulers, and people of the 'whole state; objecting to them the blackest crimes, and denouncing vengeance from heaven upon their unrepented guilt? But God was on their side; wherefore they did not fear what man could do unto them.

Another point observable in the passage last read is, the manner of speaking of our Lord's resurrection, "It was not possible that he should be holden of death." In proof of which St. Peter applies, by way of prophecy, to Christ, the latter

part of the 16th Psalm, as you will see in the four following verses of this chapter; and not only applies, but reasons upon them with great force and clearness: Men and brethren, says he, let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." I need not detain you for the purpose of shewing the complete and literal accomplishment of this prophecy in the person of our Lord, whose body remained in the grave but for one whole day and part of two others, and of course did not experience the slightest taint, but rose entirely and numerically the same as it had been buried. This Jesus, says the Apostle, hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses; therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see:" that is, the miracle, which ye have this day seen and heard, is the gift of the Holy Spirit promised to the disciples of our Lord before his exaltation to Heaven. "For David," continues he, "is not ascended into the Hea

vens: but he saith himself, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool." The same argument was pressed upon the Jews by Christ, with the addition of these words, "If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" And it was so conclusive against their notion of a mere temporal king, that "no man was able to answer him a word." For how could David with propriety call one of his descendants (a mere man like himself, and deriving under him the sole claim to dominion and power) by the magnificent title of his Lord? whereas it is plain that the eminent person here spoken of must be Lord, not only of the Jewish nation, but of its king. So impossible was it found to evade this difficulty, that the latter Jews, since the time of our Saviour, have denied the Psalm, containing these words, to be intended for a prophetic description of the Messias, although it was so applied by their ancient expounders of the Holy Scriptures. St. Peter's reasoning concludes thus: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." I will endeavour to draw the whole together into one short and connected view. Ye men of Judea, the wonderful event ye this day witness completes the prophecy of Joel; and has come to pass through Jesus of Nazareth, a man proved by mighty works performed amongst you,

as ye yourselves do know, to have come from God. But, notwithstanding these, ye have crucified and slain him by wicked hands; in vain! for he loosed the pains of death, of which he could not be holden; being that divine person, of whom David speaks in the following passage of his Psalms : "Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption." For these words cannot possibly apply to David, who is dead and buried, and hath remained in his sepulchre, the food of worms; but they justly and beautifully describe the resurrection of Christ, which that prophet in his day foresaw, and of which we are actual witnesses in ours. Who, having ascended up into heaven, and being exalted to the right hand of God, sent the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, promised by him to his disciples, in the miraculous gift of tongues, which ye now see and hear. And as the passage before cited, concerning the resurrection, could not be meant of David, so neither can the words used by him on another occasion, mean either his ascension and exaltation, or that of any of his merely human descendants; "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand," &c. because neither has David ascended into Heaven, nor are the words so applied in any degree intelligible. Whereas they are clearly and strikingly descriptive of the same glorious person before mentioned, whom David in spirit called

Lord. This then is the Christ, the long-expected Messiah; your King, your Saviour, and your Lord.

The effect of St. Peter's address is recorded through the remaining part of this chapter. When they heard this they were pricked in the heart;" that is, were stung with a lively sorrow and compunction; under the influence of which they anxiously inquire what they should do and were exhorted by Peter to repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." And for their greater encouragement he tells them, that the promise is in the first instance made to them, and to their children, agreeably to which our Lord, giving his disciples their commission, said, "Go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" but at the same time instructs them in the design of the new religion, shewing that it was not to be confined exclusively to the Jews, but to extend to all that are afar off," to distant heathen nations, as many as God should call.” And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, "save yourselves from this untoward generation," whose destruction is impending; the certain consequence of their unbelief and crimes. Nor was his preaching vain; for the same day were added unto them about three thousand souls:" a noble harvest in so short a time; and whose prime efficient cause was the operation of the Holy Ghost, so visibly and astonishingly displayed.