1, EVEN 1, AM HE THAT BLOTTETH OUT THY TRANSGRESSIONS FOR MINE OWN SAKE, AND WILL NOT REMEMBER THY SINS.-Isa. xliii. 25.

ACTS i. 7.

again aπокaboravers the kingdom to Israel? And he- 7 said unto them, It-is not for-you to-know the-times or SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

I HAVE FORMED THEE; THOU ART MY SERVANT: O ISRAEL, THOU SHALT NOT BE FORGOTTEN OF ME.-Isa. xliv. 21.

reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. | and righteousness in the land. 16, In those days 7, And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as safely and this is the name wherewith she shall be at the first. 8, And I will cleanse them from all their called, The Lord our righteousness. 17, For thus iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have upon the throne of the house of Israel;'-25, .6, Thus sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and me. 9, And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances and an honour before all the nations of the earth, of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.'Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their Joel ii. 23-32, Be glad then, ye children of Zion, captivity to return, and have mercy on them.'-Eze. and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given xxxvii. 34-7, And David my servant shall be king you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe latter rain in the first month. 24, And the floors shall my statutes, and do them. 25, And they shall dwell be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, and oil. 25, And I will restore to you the years that wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the dwell therein, even they, and their children, and caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army their children's children for ever: and my servant which I sent among you. 26, And ye shall eat in David shall be their prince for ever. 26, Moreover I plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place you and my people shall never be ashamed. 27, And them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and in the midst of them for evermore. 27, My taberthat I am the LORD your God, and none else: and nacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their my people shall never be ashamed. 28, And it shall God, and they shall be my people.'-Da. vii. 27, And come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, the people of the saints of the most High, whose your young men shall see visions: 29, and also upon kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all domithe servants and upon the handmaids in those days nious shall serve and obey him.'-Ho. iii. 5, Afterwill I pour out my Spirit. 30, And I will shew ward shall the children of Israel return, and seek wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fire, and pillars of smoke. 31, The sun shall be fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.'turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, Joel iii. 16-21, The LORD also shall roar out of before the great and the terrible day of the LORD Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the come. 32, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will shall call on the name of the LORD shall be de- be the hope of his people, and the strength of the livered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be children of Israel. 17, So shall ye know that I am deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the rem- the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mounnant whom the LORD shall call.'- Comp. Ac. ii. tain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall 16-21. It was therefore natural that they should no strangers pass through her any more. 18, And it ask in surprise, whether the restoration was now to shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains take place, without those long desolations being ac- shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow O complished, of which Jesus had before spoken, as in with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with Mt. xxiv. § 86, p. 322, and which had been predicted waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house by the prophets, as Eze. vii. &c. of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Ac. i. 6. the kingdom to Israel-The kingdom had 19, Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a been promised to Jesus as coming of the tribe of desolate wilderness, for the violence against the chilJudah, Ge. xlix. 8-10, Judah, thou art he whom thy dren of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of in their land. 20, But Judah shall dwell for ever, thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21, before thee. 9, Judah is a lion's whelp: from the For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.'-Am. ix. 11, In that couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is him up? 10, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people old:'-Mi. v. 2,But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, be-And of the family of David, Is. ix. 6, 7, For though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The of old, from everlasting.'-Zep. iii. 15-.7, 'The LORD mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with 16, In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear judgment and with justice from henceforth even for thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine bands be slack. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform 17, The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; this.'-xi. 1-10, &c.-The disciples had, on the holy he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he mount, been given a sample of the kingdom, Mt. will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with xvi. 28, § 50, p. 44; xvii. 1-5, § 51, pp. 51-6-the singing.' promise had been given them, xix. 28, § 75, p. 228, When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' See Is. xxxii. 1. Je. xxxiii. 15-7, In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment [Ac. i. 6. Restore again the kingdom. 'ATOKabioτávey signifies not only to restore, &c., but to finish,' 'make an end'-make an end of that commonwealth which opposes thy truth, and set up thy kingdom over all the land.] 7. It is not for you to know. Our Lord's answer

ever.

514]

7. It is not for you-Jesus had before said, Jno. xvi. 12, .3, § 87, p. 394, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. How. beit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: &c. the times, Sc.-comp. Mt. xxiv. 36, § 86, p. 341; Ac. xvii. 26.

NOTES.

may intimate it should at length be restored, though
not immediately, or with all the circumstances they
imagined.
[Times... seasons. xpórovs kaipovs. The former
denotes time in general; the latter, a point of time,
a fair occasion. They are here synonymous.]

PUT ME IN REMEMBRANCE:-Isa. xliii. 26.

[VOL. II.

O ISRAEL, FEAR NOT: FOR I HAVE REDEEMED THEE, I HAVE CALLED THEE BY THY NAME; THOU ART MINE.-Isa. xliii. 1.

the-seasons, which the Father hath-put e0eTо in his-
own-power ovσig. But ye-shall-receive power, after- 8
that-the Holy Ghost-is-come upon you: and ye-shall-
be witnesses unto-me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the-uttermost-part of-
the earth.
(Ver. 9, p. 516.)

(G. 16.)-The same day Jesus conducts the apostles unto Bethany, and being about to ascend into heaven, repeats to them the apostolical charge, or command to preach the gospel. Bethany.

15

MARK XVI. 15-.8.
(Ver. 14, 95, p. 501.)

LUKE XXIV. 50.

"And he-led them out as-far-as to Bethany,

And he said unto-them, Go-ye into all the world, and preach the 16 gospel to every creature κToe. He that-believeth and is-baptized shallbe-saved; but he that-believeth-not shall-be-damned катaкρionσetai. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Ac. i. 7. which the Father-Mt. xx. 23, [Mk. x. 40,]

§ 77, p. 238.

8. But ye shall receive power, &c.-The disciples were afterwards given the power to bear such knowledge as they now asked for, Ac. xv. 15-.8; 1 Th. v. 1-4; 2 Th. ii. 1-3; 2 Ti. iii. 1-4.

witnesses, &c.-see on Lu. i. 2, § 1, p. 1-appointed, Mt. xxviii. 19, § 96, p. 503; Mk. xvi. 15-.8, infra; Lu. xxiv. 45-8, p. 512; Jno. xv. 27, § 87, p. 391began to be fulfilled, Ac. i. 22.

Jerusalem-The apostles received this testimony from their enemies, Ac. v. 28, Behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine,'

all Judea, and in Samaria-Ac. viii. 1.

unto the uttermost part-Ps. xxii. 27, All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD:'-see also Ps. xcviii. 3; Is. xli. 1, 5, 9; xlii. 10-.2; xlv. 22.5; xlix. 6; lii. 10; Je. xvi. 19-The apostolic preaching continued to progress north-westward to the uttermost part-comp. Rom. x. 18; xv. 15-24-Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, the blessings of the Prevailer were to go forth, in order that they might fall upon the people of promise, Ge. xlix. 26; De. xxxiii. 16, .7.

"energy

50

Lu. xxiv. 50. Bethany-ch. xix. 29, § 82, p. 260, Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives,' Mk. xvi. 15. Go ye, &c.-see on Mt. xxviii. 19, § 96, p. 503; Lu. xxiv. 47, .8, p. 512; Jno. xv. 16, § 87, p. 389; xx. 21, § 95, p. 499.

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, preach the gospel-Mt. xxviii. 19, § 96, p. 503, Teach and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

16. He that believeth, &c.-Jno. iii. 15-21, § 12, pp. 85-.7; vi. 29, 35, 40, § 43, pp. 327-..9; vii. 37. 8, § 55, p. 95; xi. 25, .6, § 58, p. 129; xii. 46, § 85, p. 311; xx. 31, § 100, p. 518; Rom. iv. 24; x. 9-17; He. x. 38, .9; 1 Pe. iii. 21; 1 Jno. v. 10-.3.

and is baptized-With the baptism of which Jesus had just before spoken, Ac. i. 5, p. 513; not merely that of which Simon Magus was a partaker, viii. 13, 23, but that which Peter recognised in Cornelius previous to his being baptized with water, xi. 15, .6; xv. 8, 9; that holiness which accompanies faith, and without which no man shall see the Lord, He. xii. 14. believeth not, &c.-Jno. xii. 48, § 85, p. 312; 2 Th. i. 8; ii. 12; Rev. xxi. 8.

NOTES.

[Ac. i. 8. Power. 'duvaus, here used, means the communicated to the disciples to work miracles, and differs from the word used in the preceding verse, ovaíg, which means God's infinite "authority" over all times and seasons, &c.-A. C.] Lu. xxiv. 50. He led them out as far as to Bethany. Not the town, but the district: to the mount of Olives, Ac. i. 12, which stood within the boundaries of Bethany.-See GEOG. NOTICE, Mount of Olives,' § 86, p. 354.

Mk. xvi. 15. And he said unto them. "We must not suppose that these words were spoken by our Lord at the time of the appearance mentioned in ver. 14. [§ 95, p. 500,] but at some time afterwards probably not long before his ascension into heaven.' Lonsdale and Hale.

inheritance of all who are willing to be prepared for
it, by the regenerating Spirit of God.]
16. He that believeth and is baptized, &c. He that
Ghost, without which he is none of Christ's.
by his actions proves he has been given the Holy

Our Saviour does not here, of course, refer to the
mere typical or ceremonial baptism, but to that
baptism of which he had just before been speaking,
as contrasting it with the baptism of John. It would
have been inconsistent with the whole of our Lord's
teaching to have coupled together faith and the
observance of a religious ceremony, such as baptism
with water, as the terms of salvation: but it was per-
fectly consistent with all other New Testament
teaching to connect with faith, that purification
which is effected by faith, that holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord,' He. xii. 14.
He that believeth not, &c. By which is meant the
rejection of the gospel in heart and life, not weakness
or doubt as in ver. 14, [§ 95, p. 501,] shall condemn a
man, whether baptized or unbaptized.
PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

[And preach the gospel. Proclaim the resurrection from the dead, the free forgiveness of sin, through Him who hath died and risen again, and the joyful hope of the kingdom of heaven; which is the blissful

[Ac. 1. 7, 8. See margin. Let us be grateful to God for remembering us in his Divine compassion when we were yet afar off; and for sending so directly the gospel unto us in the uttermost part of the earth,' in this, the extreme north-west; whither the word of his grace was so expressly sent, and where he has been so careful to preserve a lamp for his beloved; and whence the light is at length going forth into all the dark corners of the earth.]

known the love of God to our enemies; and then unto
all others as God gives us opportunity.
Mk. xvi. 15. The heralds of salvation are to preach
the gospel not only to those who come unto them;
they are to go everywhere and proclaim the free
forgiveness of sins unto every creature, inviting all
to partake of eternal life as the gift of God in Christ
Jesus.
[16 ver. Salvation is sure to all that put their con-
fidence in the atoning merits of the Son of God, and
who are truly willing to be purified through faith in
the blessed Jesus; but a fearful looking for of judg-
ment is the reward of those who refuse to obey the
gospel.]

May we consider as we ought our privileges and
responsibility as the appointed witnesses for Christ
unto all men, both near and distant. We should
first endeavour to spread the knowledge of the truth
at home among our friends; next we are to make
VOL. II.] IN THE LORD HAVE I RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH:-Isa. xlv. 24.

[515

WE MUST WAIT THE FATHER'S TIME TO RECEIVE KNOWLEDGE, AND POWER TO DO HIS WILL; WHICH IS BY THE OPERATION OF THE HOLY GHOST.

WHEN THOU PASSEST THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH THEE; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW THEE:

MARK XVI. 17, .8.

17 And these signs shall-follow them that-believe; In my name shall-they-cast-out devils; 18 they-shall-speak with-new tongues; they-shall-take-up serpents; and-if they-drink any deadly-thing, it-shall-not-hurt them; they-shall-lay hands on the-sick, and they-shall

(G. 17.)-Jesus blesses the apostles, and in the act of blessing them is taken up into heaven ; two angels appear to the apostles, and foretell his coming again in like manner as they had seen him depart. Bethany.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.
Mk. xvi. 17. signs, &c.-Jno. xiv. 12, § 87, p. 382;
Ac. iv. 29, 30; He. ii. 4.

the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.'-To the scribes and Pharisees the True Witness said, Mt. xxiii. 33, § 85, p. 319, Ye serpents, In my name, &c.-Lu. x. 17, .8, § 60, p. 143; Ac. iii. ye generation of vipers,'-Stephen experienced the 6, 16; v. 15, .6; viii. 5-13; ix. 32-.5, 40; xiv. 3. truth of the promise, Ac. vi. 8-10-and Paul had the cast out devils-Ac. xvi. 16-8; xix. 11,.2-Ja. iv. 7, promise doubly fulfilled, xiii. 6-12; xxviii. 3-6. 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.' deadly thing-Ja. iii. 8, The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.'The influence of which deadly poison, the true be liever, as walking in holiness, is able to resist, Tit. i. 15. lay hands on the sick-Ja. v. 14, .5, Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him,' &c. - Ac. xxviii. 8; 1 Co. xii. 9.

NOTES.

FEAR NOT: FOR I AM WITH THEE:-Isa. xliii. 5.

WHEN THOU WALKEST THROUGH THE FIRE, THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNED; NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON THEE.

Isa. xliii. 2.

HE IS THE OBJECT OF THAT WORSHIP WHICH CAN RIGHTFULLY BE RENDERED TO NO MERE CREATED BEING.

LET US ADORE JESUS.

SECTION 99.-(No. 99.)-[Lesson 100, continued.]-THE APOSTLES WORSHIP JESUS, AND RETURN TO JERUSALEM, AND AWAIT THERE THE EFFUSION OF THE HOLY GHOST.-Luke xxiv. 52, .3. Acts i. 12.

Ac. i. 9. taken up-Enoch, Ge. v. 24-Elijah, 2 Ki. ii. 9-11-see Ac. ii. 33; iii. 21; v. 31. a cloud received him, &c.-His return is to be in a cloud, Lu. xxi. 27, § 86, p. 338.

Mk. xvi. 19. right hand, &c.-Predicted, Ps. cx. 1see Col. iii. 1; He. i. 3; iv. 14; vi. 20; viii. 1; ix. 24; x. 12; xii. 2; 1 Pe. iii. 22; Rev. iii. 21.

Ac. i. 10. two men, &c.-Mt. xvii. 2, 3, § 51, p. 53; Lu. xxiv. 4-7, § 93, p. 488; Jno. xx. 12, § ib., p. 491. 11. Ye men of Galilee-Mk. xiv. 70, § 89, p. 432. shall so come-Is. xxv. 9; Da. vii. 13,.4; Zep. iii. 17; Mt. xvi. 27, § 50, p. 43; xix. 28, § 75, p. 228; xxiv. 30, § 86, p. 338; xxv. 31, § ib., p. 351; xxvi. 64, § 89, p. 429;

Jno. xiv. 3, § 87, p. 381; 1 Th. i. 10; iv. 16; 2 Th. i.
7-10; Rev. i. 7.
Lu. xxiv. 52. worshipped him, &c.-Mt. xxviii. 9, 17,
§§ 95, .6, pp. 501, ..2; Jno. xx. 28, .9, § 95; He. i. 6.
§ ib., pp. 393,..6; 1 Pe. i. 8.
with great joy-Jno. xiv. 28, § 87, p. 385; xvi. 7, 22,

xxiv. 3, § 86; xxvi. 30, § 87; Lu. xxi. 37, § 86, p. 357.
Ac. i. 12. from the mount, &c.-Mt. xxi. 1, § 82;
Lu. xxiv. 53. in the temple-Ac. ii. 46, .7; v. 41, .2.
Amen-so at the conclusion of each of the gospels,
Mt. xxviii. 20, § 96, p. 504; Mk. xvi. 20, § 100, p. 518;
Jno. xxi. 25, ib.

NOTES.

Lu. xxiv. 51. Carried up into heaven. ȧvepipero. | Into that heaven from which he had descended, Jno. i. 18; iii. 13. This was forty days after his resurrec tion, Ac. i. 3, during which time he had given the most convincing proofs of that resurrection, not only to the apostles, but to many others-to upwards of "five hundred brethren at once," I Co. xv. &.

As in his life they had seen the way to the kingdom, and in his death the price of the kingdom, so in his ascension they had the fullest proof of the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the human body, and of his continual intercession at the right hand of God.'-A. C.

Ac. i. 11. Shall so come. In like manner, visible, in a cloud, in his own person, with the same body, and with such majesty and glory.-See Mt. xvi. 27, § 50, p. 43. This is a blessed assurance to comfort all sorrowing disciples, and about which Jesus had so largely discoursed.

Lu. xxiv. 52. They worshipped him. If Jesus had ascended before they rendered this homage, this must have been an act of worship, strictly so called; for how they could do obeisance to one absent with

out supposing him some way acquainted with what they did, or admitting him to be a Divine person, is difficult to conceive. Nor can it be said that they paid this homage "while he was ascending," for according to Ac. i. 9, 10, they continued to look up to heaven until the angels addressed them.'-Boothr. προσκυνήσαντες αὐτὸν. The term here must denote no less than the performance of religious worship, now first rendered to Christ by the apostles, even though absent and invisible; a decisive proof of their opinion of his divinity, as having now returned to the state of Divine glory which he had with the Father before he was made flesh.'-Comp. Jno. xx. 28, [§ 95, p. 501;] and see Juo. i. 14, [§ 7, p. 48;] xvii. 5, § 87, p. 399]

Ac. i. 12. Olivet,. . . . from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. This was usually computed at about eight furlongs, or a mile. It was the distance between the ark and the camp when they marched, Jos. iii. 4, and probably the same proportion was observed when they rested. See GEOG. NOTICE, § 86, p. 354, first paragraph, 'Mount Olivet.'

Lú. xxiv. 53. Were continually. Not all their time,' daily at the hours of prayer.-See Ac. i. 13; iii. 1. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

[Mk. xvi. 19; Lu. xxiv. 50, .1. Jesus ascended into heaven in the act of blessing his disciples. Nor has he ceased to bless them, now that in our nature he sits upon the Father's throne. May we be ready to receive that which he is able and willing to bestow.]

Lu. xxiv. 52. See margin.

[53 ver. From the example of the chosen disciples, let us be the more induced to give honour and glory to God, not only apart or in secret, but in the public assemblies of the people. Let us, like the apostles, with praise and thanksgiving to God, wait for the farther fulfilment of his promise; and, as he gives us opportunity, cheerfully devote our all to his service, endeavouring to make his name known upon earth, his saving health among all nations.]

Ac. i. 10, .1. Let us assuredly believe that the same Jesus who was taken up in a cloud, shall so come in like manner as he went. Let us haste to be prepared for his second and glorious appearing. VOL. II. STAND.... HAVING YOUR LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH,-Ephes. vi. 14. [517

ANGELS REPROVE FOR WORSHIP GIVEN TO THEMSELVES, BUT THEY SPEAK TO THE JOY OF THOSE WHO ARE THE WORSHIPPERS OF JESUS.

SECTION 100.-(G. 18.)-[Lesson 100, continued.]-CONCLUSION OF THE GOSPELS ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN AND ST. MARK; THE FORMER RELATING TO SUCH PARTICULARS OF THE HISTORY OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST, AS ARE NOT CONTAINED IN THE GOSPELS.-John xx. 30, .1; xxi. 25. Mark xvi. 20.

(G. 19.)-CONCLUSION OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK; WHICH SUMS UP IN BRIEF THE PROGRESS OF THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL, FROM ITS COMMENCEMENT TO THE TIME OF THE WRITER, WHEN IT HAD BEEN LONG ESTABLISHED, EVEN AT ROME.-Mark xvi. 20.

20

(Ver. 19, 98, p. 517.)

And they went-forth, and-preached every-where, the Lord working-with them, and confirming ßeßalovvTOs the word with signs following. Amen. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Jno. xx. 31. these are written, &c.-The gospel according to John is a summary of the evidence for the Messiahship and Divinity of Jesus, of which a still briefer sketch is given in ch. v. § 23, p. 175-see ADDENDA, p. 519, infra.

believing ye might have life, &c.-see Jno. iii. 15, .6, § 12, p. 85; v. 24, § 23, p. 177-see on Mk. xvi. 16, § 98, p. 515.

IF ANY MAN SPEAK, LET HIM SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD: IF ANY MAN MINISTER, LET HIM DO IT AS OF THE ABILITY WHICH GOD GIVETH:

33

O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us. ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.'-Jno. i. 3, 'All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.'

Mk. xvi. 20. went forth-see the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles throughout, describing the course of the apostolic preaching from Jerusalem in the direction of the British Isles, whence the glad tidings of salvation are now being sent forth unto all the ends of the earth.

NOTES.

Jno. xx. 30. And many other signs... in this book. Meaning, this book must not be supposed to be a complete account. 31. That ye might believe. The mere miracle faith, so often reproved by the Lord, is not that intended here. This is faith in himself, as "THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD:" and the evangelist means, that enough is related in the book to be a ground for such a faith, by shewing us his glory manifested forth.-See ch. ii. 11, [§ 11, p. 78].'-Alford. [xxi. 25. There are also many other things, &c. 'The purpose of this verse seems to be to assert and vindicate the fragmentary character of the gospel; for that the doings of the Lord were so many, his life so rich in matter of record, that in a popular hyperbole we can hardly imagine the world containing them all if written down; thus setting forth the superfluity and cumbrousness of anything like a perfect detail in the strongest terms, and in terms which certainly look as if fault had been found with this

·

gospel for want of completeness by some objectors.'—
Alford.]
24, .5. The words οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι-βιβλία are an
oriental and hyperbolical mode of expression (to re-
present that the miracles, the remarkable actions
and discourses of Jesus, were exceedingly numerous);
of which many examples are adduced by the commen-
tators from the scriptural and the classical writers.
Mk. xvi. 20. They went forth. Not immediately,
but after they had received the gift of the Holy Ghost
on the day of Pentecost.-Comp. Lu. xxiv. 49; Ac.
i. 4, 8.'-Lonsdale and Hale.
The Lord working with them. It is clear that by
"the Lord" we are here to understand the same Lord
Jesus who is mentioned in the verse immediately pre-
ceding. His Divine power working with the apostles
after his ascension into heaven, and in fulfilling his
promise of the miraculous signs by which their
preaching should be confirmed, ver. 17, .8, is here
plainly asserted.'-Lonsdale and Hale.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

Jno. xx. 30, .1. Let us attentively consider the general scope and particular bearing of each book of holy scripture: that intended by the gospel according to John was that we should be given herein such a summary of the evidence THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD,' as that we through faith in him should be led into the possession of eternal xxi. 25. He who knows most about Jesus knows but little of what he hath done. This book begins

life.

with stating that all things were made by him, and
ends with intimating that the world itself would be
insufficient to contain an account of all his works.
Mk. xvi. 20. Let us go forth and make known in
every place the unsearchable riches of Christ, be-
seeching God to give evidence to the word of his
grace. His power is not exhausted; but he waiteth
for our prayerful obedience, that he may bless us
therein.

Mark xvi. 20, does not admit of being harmonized with any part of the intervening period: for it contains in brief an account of the propagation of Christianity from the day of Pentecost, when it properly began, down to the time of the writer, when it had long been established even in Roine. I's proper conjunction, then, is with the first sentence at the outset of the gospel.'-Greswell.-Vide Vol. I. p. 121; Vol. III. p. 320. GREET YE ONE ANOTHER WITH A KISS OF CHARITY.-1 Pet. v. 14. [VOL. II.

518]

AMEN.-1 Pet. iv. 11.

THAT GOD IN ALL THINGS MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, TO WHOM BE PRAISE AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER.