Jewish high priest, to bless the people, to gather His saints together, and to restore all things. (Lev. ix. 23. Acts iii. 21.) For that day let us wait, and long, and pray. Christ dying on the cross for sinners,— Christ Uving in heaven to intercede, — Christ coming again in glory, are three great objects which ought to stand out prominently before the eyes of every true Christian.
Let us notice, lastly, in this passage, the feelings of our Lord's disciples when Me finally left them and was carried up into heaven. We read that " they returned to Jeru- salem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God."
How shall we account for these joyful feelings P How shall we explain the singular fact, that this little com- pany of weak disciples, left, for the first time, like orphans, in the midst of an angry world, was not cast down, but was full of joy ? — ^The answer to these ques- tions is short and simple. The disciples rejoiced, because BOW for the first time they saw all things clearly about their Master. The veil was removed from their eyes. The darkness had at length passed away. The meaning of Christ's humiliation and low estate, — the meaning of His mysterious agony, and cross, and passion, — the meaning of His being Messiah and yet a sufferer, — ^the meaning of His being crucified, and yet being Son of God, — all, aU was at length unravelled and made plain. They saw it all. They understood it all. Their doubts were removed. Their stumbling-blocks were taken away. 'Sow at last they possessed clear knowledge, and pos- sessing dear knowledge felt unmingled joy.
Let it be a settled principle with us, that the little