and xvii. 30
[If the Apostles had left Jerusalem, and gone at once to the heathen, it would have appeared as if they had despaired of succeeding where their testimony might be inquired into, and were practising an imposition on those who were unable to contradict them. Thus the Gospel would have been uni- versally regarded as " a cunningly-devised fable." But by beginning at the very place where their Master was crucified, and bearing their testimony respecting his resurrection, in the very place where he had been put to death, and before the people who were most interested in controverting their state- ments ; and being enabled too to confirm their word with signs and miracles ; being successful also in convincing hun- dreds and thousands that Christ was indeed risen, and was the only Saviour of the world ; all this carried such convic- tion along with it, that even to this hour the enemies of Chris- tianity are confounded by it, nor can find any reasonable plea for doubting what is so firmly and incon trover tibly esta- blished ]
2. To magnify his mercy —
[When we reflect on all the miracles that Christ had wrought in support of his assertions, and what indignities had been offered to him by all ranks and orders of people at Jeru- salem ; and at last what a cruel death they had inflicted on him ; we might well expect that he should exclude that mur- derous city from any share of his mercy. He might well have said to his Disciples, Go and "preach repentance and remis- sion of sins to all nations ;" but come not near Jerusalem, that wicked city, that has filled up the measure of its iniquities in the murder of its Messiah. But instead of laying any such injunction on them, he commands them to be peculiarly mind- ful of that city, and to begin their ministrations there : so that, if they should have access to the priests, who demanded sen- tence against him, or to any of the people, who, in the various ways, by mockings, by scourgings, by nailing him to the cross, by piercing him with the spear, executed it upon him, they might declare to them his readiness to forgive all their tres- passes, and, by the blood he had shed, to cleanse them from the guilt of shedding it. What wonderful mercy was here ! James and John, upon a small provocation that was offered him, would have called down fire from heaven to consume a whole village : but their Lord, after having sustained the utmost injuries that ingenious cruelty could inflict, was anxious only for the salvation of the persons that had inflicted them. Here was mercy, such as none but God could exercised]
3. To encourage sinners to the end of time —
f Flos. xi. 8, 9.