his 11ttc11tlon 11a ho journeyed-the rising knoll, the conspicuous wood, the sheet of water, the open plain. But as he looks he spies out other obj~cts which he had not noticed before-an ivy-m11ntled towP-r, e. dwelling-house, a village, a clump of trees which e.dd richness nnd diversity to the aceno ; and so he adds them to his journal 0 ; to his sketch. In like manner our sacred historian, being about to quit the blcs 8 en scenes of tho Jifo of Josue Christ which had engaged his pen in the Gospel, and to enter upon the history of the Apostolic Church, casts II lingerina look upon the closin,, de.ye of our Lord'~ sojourn upon ee.rth, _marks again what°he had before narratec!~ recapitul11tes the history of the days which connect the Gospel with the Acts, buc withal adds some st.riking incidents, throws in some additional words from the lips or the Divine Mnster, and by e. few touches of bis master-pen heightens the beauty of the scene, which was the le.st parting of J csus from his Church on earth. The Resurrection itself, and the many proofs thereof given to the sight, the bearing, and the handling of the apostles; the commandments to the apostles; the walk to Bethany; the partin"' blessing; the ascension into heaven; the return of the apostles to Jerusalem; th: continual prayers and praises of the disciples while they waited there for the promise of the Father ;-these had all been duly noted in the closing chapter of the Gospel. But St. Luke wished, before entering upon his new ground, to mark more distinctly that mysterious border-land between the pre-resurrection and the post-resurrection Church; that strange period which belonged neither to the life of Jesus Christ on earth nor to the history of his Church, properly speaking-the forty days that intervened between the Resurrection and the Ascension. It was important to mark more distinctly than he bad done in the Gospel that those manifestations of himself to his apostles, and that converse in the course of which he had instructed them in the duties of the apostola.te, were extended over a. period of forty days. It was important to do this both as strengthening the other proofs of the Resurrection, and also as showing how full a commission the apostles had recci"ed for the future ordering and governing of the Church. Hence the distinct mention of the forty days, nnd the somewhat fuller report of the conversations between the Lord and his apostles. But the act of the .Ascension a.lso was to receive some further light. fo the Gospel St. Luke had mentioned the touching fact that it was while in th•~ very act of blessing them that Jesus was parted from them. But now he adds, his mind apparently being full of the importance of proofs of the things narrated by him, that he was ta.ken up "as they were looking,'' and that they did not lose sight of him till he was enveloped in a cloud. He adds also another remarkable circumstance, of which he may not have been previously aware, that two angels bad appeared to the apostles, a.s they stood looking with fix:ed gaze into heaven, and announced to them his sure return. Aad thus, in this recapitulation and expansion of his briefer narrative iu the Gospel, he closes with the announcement of that crowning glory of the Son of man which has been the hope and joy and strength of the Church amidst all her sufferings, the second advent of the Lord in the clouds of hea.ven.
Vers. 12-14.-77ie grain of mustard seed. Let us contrast for a moment thtJ account here given with the present condition of Christianity in the world. Christianity has taken possession of the whole civilized world. 'l'he thrones, the laws, the institutions of those nations wt.ich hold sway in the earth are all based upon the gospel. The arts, the sciences, tho literature of civilized men are more or less impregnated with the doctrine of the New Testament. Take the cathedrals of Europe; what an expenditure of thought and skill and wealth they represent I They are among the most imposing monuments of human thought and human labour. Look at the mass of Christian literature-in poetry, in philosophy, in science, in theology, in sacred oratory, in genera.I literature. ,vhat countless Christian writers have elevated the human intellect, enlarged the borders of knowledge, added dignity to man, and happiness to mankind! What vast influences, of nil sorts, permcatin~ the civilized worlcl, we can now trace up to tho gospel! What multitudes of indil·idtml men and women in a.ii ages hince Christ, and all over the world, have learnt "·hat the true view of human lire is, and have found their whole end of living, and their chiof enjoyment of life, and their only consolation and support, in tho truths which the gospel teaches! How has the world been fillci.l with fruits of righteousness, altori~ the whole aspect of human 8 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [on. 1. 1-20,