Jewish prcjndicc and thought of "times a.nd seasons," nnd the heavenly, In the Lord Jesus himself. ll. THE rnosPEOT, Separation for a season. Cloud concealing the glory, Promlsr of return. III. 'I'm; FELLowsnrr of the disciples with the Master, The mingling together Ol heaven nnd eArth. The witnesses appointed, that to the uttermost pa.rt of tho earth the glor)· of the risen dawn might be seen, and so a new heaven be revealed over a. new earth. (Cf. the promise made to Nathanael (John i. 51) and Jacob's dream.)-R, Ver. 8.- Witnessing for Chrisl. "Ye shall be my witnesses." I. The world through its whole extent ~'EEDS sucH A TESTIMONY. The facts which can be testified without the power of God's Spirit cannot speak the whole of the Father's mind concerning man. JI. Wrr1mssING FOR CnnrsT TIIl!: insSION OF ALL CHRISTIANS. Apostles only first because nearest to Jesus him~elf; chosen by him, not because above others in merits. Witnessing must be as universal in the cbarnctcr and life as the work of the Spirit. All speaks of the same Divine fonntain from which all flows. The hope of the Church and of the world is in the mi.kin,:; up of the witnessing spirit. "Martyrs" we should all be in heart, if not in suffcrin~. "Apostolic" in the b,,st sense-" sent out." III. Oun LIFE-WORK SHOULD TIE TBE OUTCOME OF DIVINE GnACE. .. Ye shall receive power." "The Holy Ghost sl,all come upon you;" then, being so endued from on high, "ye shall be my witnesses." Spiritual life the foundation of all other life. We should be able to know that the time is come for great work, for we should be conscious of the gifts of God. By no mere conventional forms let us be led away. "Power" the ~eat want of the Church-spiritual power; not wealth, or organization, or external attractions, but that which "comes 'Upon wr" from above. Are we working without it? ls our witnessing unto condemnation ?-R. Ver. 9.-The Ascensiofl.. Probably the only direct statement of the fact of the Ascension is by St. Luke. Other evangelists point to the same consummation, but do not describe it, for :Mark (xvi. 19, 20) probably n later addition. As nn event, corresponds with the miraculous commencement of the Saviour's life, and his many announcements of return to heaven, especially as recorded by St. John. The important place of the fact in the Acts, and its manner of relation, show that it is not a mere halo of disciple-worship round the bead of the Master, but the true beginning of the Church's history. Yet, like many other essential facts, only partly preMented to the eyes of men. There is a cloud of mystery, a veil over the secret depths of glory. Regard the Ascension- L IN ITS RELATION TO THE SA VIOUB HrnSELF. 1. As glorifi/Xl,tion, and so lifting up of the earthly facts into the higher sphere; scaling of authority; hiding of in fii:mity; manifestation of kingly power; connecting of the three offices of Christ, as Prophet, Priest, and King, with the one centre of his per~onal existence, his heavenly throne. 2. As the co=encement of the wider ministry of the Spirit. Before his ascension Jesus was almost entirely a minister to the Jews; from henceforth he was, through his mfssengers by the Holy Ghost, the Sa.viour of the world. IL IN BELATION TO DISCIPLES. I. As the completion of their faith. 2. As the correction of their errors, and the help to a more spiritual apprehension of Jesus. 3. As the embodiment of the promise of the Spirit, for the High Priest had thus visibly gone into the holiest place, and would return with the blessing. 4. As the discipline which would draw them together, and help them to realize the fact of iheir Church life 11& the life of the world. ill. ls llEI.ATION TO TRE WORLD AT LARGE, 1. l'roclnmation of the kingdom of heaven. 2. 'l'he setting on 1,igh of the gospel facts as a. sun in the sky from which the liaht should pour dowa over all the earth. The Nazarene speaks from heaven. '!'he Crucified is the Glorified. 3. The help of men's faith to lay hold of the invisible 11.nd eternal. He who bas so gone, shall so return. "I go to prepare a place for you." The end of the world is in th:i.t ascension of the world's highest to heaven.-R.
Vers. 10, 11.-7?ie a111Jell mtBSage, I. A BBK0N&TBANOE. "Why stand ye looking CR, r. 1-26.] THE AO'fS OF THE APOSTLES. 11