Tn addition to them, the Holy Ghost himself also bare wit- ness to these things. The Lord Jesus had repeatedly declared, that, after his ascension to heaven, he would send the Holy Ghost to testify of him. On the accomplishment of this promise depended the validity of his pretensions. At the appointed time he fulfilled his word, and sent down the Holy Ghost in a visible manner on his Disciples. In this first instance then the Holy Ghost testified, that Jesus was indeed risen, and that he had ascended to the right hand of God. By the influence of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles were enabled to preach the Gospel in a great diversity of languages which they had never learned. They wrought also many and stupendous miracles in confirmation of their word. They were empowered also, by the imposition of their hands, to communicate the Holy Ghost to others. By all these things the Holy Ghost
b Mark xvi. 14. Luke xxiv. 39—43. John xx. 25—29. c Matt, xxviii. 11 — 15.
bore yet further testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. By his communications also, of light, and peace, and holiness, he testified in the hearts of all who received the Apostles' word : and to this hour does he continue to testify unto thousands in the same way.
Can we conceive that God the Father would have interposed in this astonishing manner to aid an imposture? Assuredly the facts so attested must be true; and Jesus is exalted for the ends and purposes which are specified in the text.]
To mark the immense importance of this subject, I proceed to shew, II. The interest we have in it —
Of what importance this testimony was considered by the Jewish rulers we see by the effect it produced upon them : " They were cut to the heart," from a conviction that the testimony was true ; and they sought to slay the witnesses, that the truths asserted by them might be no further spread among the peo- ple. Now this whole record calls on us,
1. To believe in Christ ourselves —
[We are as much interested in the resurrection and ascen- sion of Christ, as ever the Jews were, because by the one we know him to be the Messiah ; and because by the other we know him to be able to fulfil all that he has promised to his believing people. We are perfectly sure that he is " a Saviour," yea, the Saviour that was to come into the world ; and that he has effected all which was necessary for our salvation, making a full atonement for all our sins, and working out for us a righteousness wherein we may stand perfect before God. We know also that he is " a Prince," yea, the Prince who shall rule over the whole world, and bring all things into subjection to his will. In this double capacity we are assured that he is able to " give repentance" to our souls, by " taking away the heart of stone, and giving us a heart of flesh ;" and at the same time so to blot out our iniquities, that no sin we have committed shall ever rise up in judgment against us, or be imputed to us in the last day. What can be more delight- ful tidings to fallen man? Let every one of us hear them, and rejoice in them, and bless God for them. Let us renounce every kind and every degree of self-dependence, and have all
our righteousness and strength in Christ alone And
let none despond : for, if these tidings were proclaimed to those who had so recently imbrued their hands in the Saviour's blood, and were at this moment seeking to slay all his chosen Apostles, to whom shall they not be proclaimed? or to whom