effect which might he.ve been anticipated; it a.roused the intense hostility or the enemies of the Lorcl, and their bitter opposition found vent in a speedy arrest and imprisonment of the apostles (vers. 17, 18). But man's adversity was God's oppor- tunity, and we he.ve- J. DIVINE INTERPOSITION, (Ver. 19.) How vain all bolts and bare to shut out those whom God would have to enter, to shut in those whom he would have escape! 'l'he hour had come for his interposing hand, and all the contrivances of man's wrath were broken through as if they were but" the spider's most attenuated thread." We often wish for the direct interposition of God now; we often ask for it; we often wonder that it does not come, thinking that the hour for Divine manifestation must have arrived. 'l'he duty and the wisdom of true piety are (1) to ask God to deliver in hrs own time and way; (2) to expect his delivering hand at some time and in some way; (3) to wait in patient endurance till his time has come; (4) to recognize his gracious band in whatever ways he may be pleased to act. II. A DIVINE INSTRUCTION. "Go, stand and speak .•. all the words of this life" (ver. 20). Doubtless the apostles well understood what was the tenor of their commis- sion. They were to speak all those words which would enlighten their fellow-citizens on the great subject of the new spiritual life which they had begun to live. They who stand now in the relation of religious teachers to the men of their own time, may take these words of the heavenly messenger as a Divine instruction to themselves. They are to "speak all the words of this life;" i.e. (1) to explain and er.force the truth, that beneath and beyond the life which is material and temporal is the life which is spiritual and eternal ; (2) to make known the conditions on which that life is to be entered upon-repentance toward God, :and faith in a crucified and risen Saviour; (3) to make clear the way by which that life is to be sustained-by " abiding in him;" (4) to assure all disciples that" this life" is to be perpetuated in the other world. Ill. THE DIVINE DEMAND. "We ought to obey God rather than man" (ver. 29). God demands our first obedience-that is the teaching of his Word; it is also the response of our own conscience. We agree, when we consider it, that God has a claim, transcendently and immeasurably superior to all others, on our allegiance. That Divine One who called us ourselves into existence; by whom we have been endowed with all our faculties; in whom "we live, and move, and have our being;" from whom we have received every single blessing we have known; who is the righteous and holy Sovereign of all souls throughout the universe of being; on whose will absolutely depends our future destiny ;-to him we owe our allegiance in such degree, that any claims man may have upon us are "as nothing, and less than nothing." There are many reasons why we should yield ourselves to his service-the example of the worthiest and the best of our kind; the excellency, dignity, exaltation of that service; the present and future advantages we gain thereby; the awful issues of disloyalty and persistent rejection, etc. But there is one thought which should weigh the most, and be of itself sufficient-" wB ought to obey God." We cannot decline to do so without violating the plain teaching of our moral judgment. When we do yield ourselves to him, we put ourselves in the right and have the strong and blessed sanction of our conscience. We should hear the voice within, saying daily, hou1·ly, in tones which will not be silenced, "You ought to obey God."-C. Vers. 30-32.-Tlie cross and the erown. In this address which Peter delivered to the Sanhedrim we have another epitome of the gospel. I. THE LOWEST DEPTH OF EARTHLY SHAME. "Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (ver. 30). '!'he Son of God was "made e. little lower than the angels," even o. Son of man, "for the suffering of death " (Heb. ii. 9). He stooped to the level of our humanity, in order that he might " taste death for every man." And he underwent that experience in its m.:,,;t dreadful form-in darkness, pain, she.me, desertion, inex- pressible agony of soul. He went deliberately down to the very lowest point to which he could stoop, that he might finish the work the Father had given him to do. II. TuE IIIGHEST SUMMIT OF HEAVENLY HONOUR. "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus ... him hath God exaltecl with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour" (vers. 30, 31). "From the highest throne of glory to the cross of deepest woe" he had ~ome,; now he reascended from the graN t,) the throne, to the seat of heavenly powe, lGS THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
and blessedncs~. lie bas become an enthroned Iledcemer, a sovereign Saviour, (1) occupy- ing the foremost place in heavenly rank, (2) dispensing salvl\tion to the lost children of men, and (3) receiving the willing homage, the affectionate service of the multitude ho bas redeemect. \Vhat more honourable, enviable, blessed position can we conceive than that of One who, seated in the very highest post of honour, is conferring the best of all imagir.able boons, and is receiving, in return, the freest, richest, most rejoicing worshiP, and service of his redeeml'd, both of those who are about his person "in the heavens,' and of those also who are serving him and striving to follow him below? III. THE METHOD OF THE REIGNING SAVIOUR. He is a Prince and a Saviour, "to give repentance ... and forgiveness of sins." How does the exalted Lord carry on his great work as he reigns in heaven? By giving repentance and remission, 1. He gives to hnman ~ouls a sense of the heinousness of their sin. 2. He dispenses to them, through ills atoning sacrifice, full and free forgiveness of their sin. Thus he leads men every. wbere away from their iniquity, and restores them to the favour and so to the happy ~en-ice of the Supreme. IV. THE BLESSED CERTATh--n' WE HAVE OF TIIE FA.OT OF HIS ELEVATION. (Ver. 22.) The apostles could assure the council that these things were so; they could place it beyond all doubt, inasmuch as (1) they themselves were witnesses of the facts, and (2) the Holy Spirit had confirmed their testimony by the signs and wonders he enabled them to work. We too have testimony, both human and Divine. 1. The human testimony of the apostles of our Lord; also of all Christian souls in all succeeding generations, who have witnessed for him and the power of his grace; and also the assurance of our contemporaries, who rejoice in the liberty with which he has made them free. 2. The Divine testimony of that F:r&cious Spirit of God, who, though he works no signs and wonders around us, does work conviction, comfort, sanctity, strength, within ua.-C.