therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." *

The divine institution of the Christian ministry, and the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit in all the richness and variety of his gifts and graces, are necessarily and inseparably connected. The Christian dispensation is the ministration of the Spirit; and the ministry of the Gospel "is not of the letter, but of the Spirit." The Spirit was not given, to any large extent, until Christ was glorified; the Comforter did not come before his departure; and his amplest effusion was reserved to grace the triumph of the ascended Saviour, according to the language of the royal Psalmist: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." +

Of this divine visitation, the Pentecost, one of the Jewish festivals, was the chosen era. "When the day of Pentecost was fully come," the apostles were endued with such power, that none could withstand them. Their adversaries were confounded, and multitudes converted by means of their preaching. While the preaching of the cross was to them that * Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. + Psalm lxviii. 18.

perished "foolishness," it was to them that believed "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." That the apostles might be enabled to declare the truth of God, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth," the Spirit of truth was given to them to guide them into all truth; and to confirm their testimony, they were enabled in the name of Christ and by the Spirit of God to work the most astonishing miracles. Languages which they had never before heard were at once fluently spoken; the sick were healed, and the lame walked; the living were struck dead, and the dead were raised to life. This extraordinary inspiration, and these miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit, were conferred on the first messengers of Christ for special purposes. The design of them was to enable the apostles to spread and establish Christianity among both Jews and Gentiles. The use of them was for the conviction of sinners, and the edification of believers. The gift of tongues, healing, prophecy, and miracles, which were possessed and exercised by the apostles, were the special and sensible attestations of God to the truth of the Gospel; and they rendered it successful against all opposition, and in the awakening of multitudes to a sense of their guilt and danger.

Nor were the effects of the apostles' preaching transient, but abiding. Repentance ripened into

genuine conversion. From a deep and serious conviction of the fact and danger of sin, those who were pricked in their heart were brought to the humble and thankful acceptance of divine mercy, through our Lord Jesus Christ. The precious blood of Jesus purged their consciences. It extended peace to them like a river, and the glory of redemption like a flowing stream. "Being justified by faith, they had peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."* A change took place within. The guilt of sin was. not only purged away by the precious blood of Christ, but the dominion of sin was destroyed by the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit. "Being made free from sin, and become servants to God," the first believers had their "fruit unto holiness, and the end was everlasting life." + A model church was formed; signs and wonders were wrought; a community of possessions followed;-a rare example of charity, but not of universal obligation; the fellowship of the faithful was established; and the num-. ber of believers was multiplied: "And the Lord added unto the church daily such as should be saved." +

Now who does not, upon the most rapid survey of these things, give expression to the sentiment, and utterance to the language, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the + Rom. vi. 22. Acts ii. 47.

* Rom. v. 1.

ancient days, in the generations of old?" Who does not pray for another Pentecost of Christianity; for baptisms of fire and tongues of fire; for larger effusions of the Holy Spirit upon the church and the world, that "the wilderness may be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest?" And who does not breathe the aspiration in every scene; in the buoyancy of health, and in the languor of sickness; amidst the active energy of life, and in the closing agony of death?" Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." + + Psalm xc. 16, 17.

* Isaiah li. 9.

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CHAPTER II.

THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH IS CHRIST.

"THE head being of all other parts of the body most divine, hath dominion over all the rest; it is the fountain of sense, of motion; the throne where the guide of the soul doth reign; the court from whence the direction of all things human proceedeth. Why Christ is called the Head of the Church, these causes themselves do yield.”— HOOKER.

"WHAT think ye of Christ?" was a question once proposed by our Lord to the Jews; and it is a question which is worthy of the most serious regard of all. The thoughts which we ought to entertain of Christ, are only to be learned from the Holy Scriptures, which contain a full disclosure of his character and offices; the high and important work which he engaged to accomplish; and the relationships which subsist between him and his people.

Numerous indeed, and greatly diversified, are the official titles and descriptive appellations by which Jesus Christ is distinguished in the Sacred Writings. He is declared to be the Chief Shepherd of the sheep; and as a shepherd he guides, defends, and feeds his people in the pastures of his word and ordinances. He is exhibited as the Great Prophet of