Thie might run into superstition; as when men in the Middle Agee turned over Virgil's pn"es for a clue to decision in cRses of perplexity. But in the case of the apostles there is ~o reason to believe (but. the contrary) that their habit, in common with all the devout, of fnlling back on old sayings checked the full and free exercise of their independent judgment.. III. 'l'm: BllLE0TION OB' A FnEBH WITNEBB of the Resurrection. 1. " Witnesses for Christ" is pcrhapo the large~t designation of the "office" to be filled. An "apostle" is one sent-a man with a misMion; and the mission is to witness. Of what? Above nil of the Resurrection; for it is this which made the gospel a power in the world. ".Assurance is given to all men" that Jesus WRS the Son of God with power and possesses all the functions of majesty, by the resuJTection from the dead. vVe' ca.n hardly conceive how the gospel should have spread without this testimony. Hence the importance of the present business. 2. The mode of ~election. It blends human intelligence with the recognition of Divine determination. The call to any function proceeds from God, and is contained in the gift or capacity. Yet God requires us to co-operate with him through all the sphere of freedom. The use of means towards a decision does not exclude the Divine wisdom, but reposes upon it. The junction of the Divine and the human will in such solemn acts is real, though impossible to explain. First, then, there is an exercise of human judgment, anrl two distinguished brethren are selected. Here the human choice already recognizes the Divine indicatioc in the existence of observed gifts and graces. Next there is prayer, sacramentall.v sealing the union of Divine with human thought, and seeking a fruitful result. Lastly, there is the casting of lots, in which the human intelligence confesses its inability fur the last decision, and surrenders itself utterly to the guidance of God. 'l'he lot falls on Matthias; and be is "voted into" the company of the eleven. Two extremes are to be avoided in the crises of affairs. One, to passively "leave everything to God," which really means to excuse one's self from the trouble of thought. The other, to take the whole burden of responsibility on ourselves, which means to move from our point of support. Thus we topple over into weakness and deeper uncertainty. Let faith be at the root of all our thinking; the scales of judgment stand firmly on the Wisdom that works through and in the activity of finite minds.-J.
Vera. 1-5.-The dawn of the gospel day. These verses form an introduction to the whole book. 'l'he risen Christ is the chief Object in view. The light which bas been a lowly light upon the earth, is now about to ascend and take its place as the Sun of Righteousness in the heavens. From thence he will shine upon the earth-first upon that part of the earth immediately below the point of his ascent; and from that, as a starting-place, from conntry to country, till the whole earth is enlightened. '!'he .Acts begins its narrative at Jerusalem, the metropoli~ of Palestine, and ends it at Rome, the metropolis of the world. .Again, we recognize the divinely chosen method, the appoinlment of apostolic witnesses and representatives, who heard the things which Jesus" spake concerning the kingdom of God," and received from him " the commandment,'' or commission, to preach and labour for the spread of the glad tidings of the kingdom, And then,further, in these verses, the vital distinction is set prominently forth between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of this world- the indwelling presence and operation of the Holy Ghost, which is represented as first in Jesus himself, speaking in him, working in him, promised by him, and then as bestowed upon the messengers of the kin~dom according to "the promise of the Father," repeated by the Son. 'l'hus the great fundamental lines of the Book of the .Acts are laid down ; the kingdom of the risen and glorified Christ proclaimed and spread through the world; chosen and consecrated men the representatives and ministers uf the kingdom; baptism of the Holy Ghost the prerequisite for Christian work and achievement, without which it must uot be attempted and cannot be accom- plished..-R. Ver. 1.-" Alpha and Omega." "Concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach." This opening sentence of the .Acts, full of significance, as pointing at once to the past years of Christ's earthly ministry and to the future work of his people, in his Name nnd by bis power, and connecting them together. He himself is the 16 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [olI, I, 1-20,