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time afterwards, taking up the cross, and joyfully bearing it even unto death. What produced this wonderful change? what, but the power of Divine truth, displayed in the glory of our Lord's resurrection? They saw him triumphant over the grave, and they witnessed his ascension into heaven, and in him they beheld "the Resurrection and the Life."

These observations, considered attentively, must produce conviction in every thinking mind. The disciples of Jesus deserting him when he was led to judgment, and their subsequent behaviour, their fearless declaration of the truth of the Gospel after his death, are demonstrations of the Divine origin of the New Testament, which defy every attack of infidelity, and destroy every opposition of the unbeliever, while they are also proofs, which he who acknowledges Moses and the Prophets cannot, with any colour of justice, resist.

CHAPTER XII.

FURTHER REMARKS ON THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL.

In the history of the commencement of the Christian Church, given us by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, he teaches us, that after the Holy Ghost had descended on the followers of Jesus, three thousand persons were converted by their preaching, and that this remarkable occurrence took place not above fifty days after the resurrection of our Lord.

It is particularly worthy of observation, that this first church was formed at Jerusalem, the very place at which our Lord had suffered, where every transaction of his painful and ignominious death and his glorious resurrection had occurred. Had not the first Christians openly declared their faith till they were at a distance from the capital of Judea, infidelity might have thus obtained arms against the Gospel: and unbelievers perhaps might have attempted to say, that a few followers of Christ had imposed on a set of ignorant people; a tale, which, at such a distance from Jerusalem,

they could not contradict. But behold the disciples of our Lord publicly calling on all to believe on him as the Christ, and that, in the very town where, a few weeks before, he had been put to an open shame. Hear them addressing themselves to those who had consented to his death in such terms as these, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know; him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain*"

The Apostles not only preached Jesus thus openly at Jerusalem, but we must not forget one principal figure in the group,-they did it immediately after his ascension. They did not wait until death had removed some of the witnesses of the extraordinary facts attending our Lord's humiliation; till time had effaced them from the memories of others: nor did they tarry till the fury of his murderers had in some degree subsided; but, fearless of the consequences, they openly announced, that the Son of God, in the person of the lowly Jesus, had been crucified, and they

Acts ii. 22, 23.

called upon all to accept him as their Redeemer, if they valued their salvation.

The Apostles did many miracles in the name, and by the power of Him whom they preached : and we find that, in a short space, eight thousand of those who had joined in the cry of "Crucify him, crucify him!" were among those who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ. I would ask, is there any appearance of fraud here? Now this first church was so intimately connected with all the others, and we are so distinctly led back to it, step by step, in the most received histories, that it at once destroys the assertion made by infidelity, that there were no Christians in those ages which immediately succeeded the crucifixion.

Neither shall we be able to find any trait of imposture in the miracles which the Apostles performed they were too celebrated, too public, and too numerous to be suspected either of fraud or falsehood.

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These miracles were performed in the face of the whole synagogue. The Scribes and Pharisees had been too active in the condemnation of our Lord to let them pass unnoticed: we may be assured that they were scrutinized with the most pointed attention, and with all the precaution which the malice of their hearts could suggest. Can we then doubt, that, if they had discovered

the slightest circumstance to which they could attach a suspicion of fraud on the part of the Apostles, they would triumphantly have exposed it to the people? And the consequence of this must have been, that the Gospel would have been rejected and its preachers abandoned to contempt.

The second observation which we are led to make on the first preachers of Christianity is, that the circumstance of the Jews being among the earliest converts, is worthy of the wisdom of God; for it was most fit that our Lord should be glorified and worshipped where he had for our sakes been insulted and murdered: it was consistent that his name should be honoured by some of those very persons, who had called for his crucifixion; that his exaltation should be acknowledged by those, who had gloried in his humiliation.

This would not have been carried into effect if only the Gentiles had formed the first Christian church. Our Lord had been unknown to them while engaged in his ministry: his preaching, as well as his sufferings, had been confined to Judea. It was fit then that the Jews who denied him should be the first to confess him.

Some have asked, why did not Jesus appear, after his resurrection, to the whole Jewish nation, priests and people, Scribes and Pharisees? I reply, that sufficient witness was given them of

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