ALL truth, and teftify of him. Accordingly, after the miraculous effufion of the Holy Ghoft on the day of Pentecoft, we find them discovering very different fentiments, and animated with fpiritual expectations; we fee them calling upon the people to fave themfelves from an untoward generation; exhorting them to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of fins; (m) renouncing in an instant all honours, profits, and pleasures of this world; rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fuffer Shame for the name of their Divine Mafter; and, in a word, preaching the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, the Son of God, through the infpiration of the Spirit, and in the trueft sense of the expreffion. On the memorable day just mentioned we are told, that the Apoftles were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. What they spake is not particularly specified; but in general we are given to understand, that they fpake in all languages the wonderful works of God. On the credit of what has been advanced, which will be ftrengthned by what will follow, it

is most reasonable to suppose, that, by the works here referred to, the great work of redemption by the eternal Son of God is principally intended; the mystery of godliness, exhibited in God manifeft in the flesh, and difplayed in the wonderful effufion of the Holy Ghoft.

In the first addrefs of the Apoftles to the Jews, and Jewish profelytes, by the mouth of Peter, on the fame day, both the humanity and divinity of our Saviour are plainly and distinctly afferted, or implied; and in such a manner as hardly to be liable to misconstruction. The doctrine of the refurrection of Jefus Chrift, confidered as the confirmation of a ftill greater doctrine, that of his Divinity, is the chief corner-ftone of our Christian Faith; and, as fuch, is particularly infifted upon by the Apoftles, who were ordained to be witnefes of it. And because this most important of all events could not be accomplished by himself in his mere human сараcity, we find the holy writers frequently declaring that God raised him from the dead. But

let

let it be remembered, that Jefus, whom God raised up, is likewise as expressly faid to have rifen; and is styled by these very witnesses the Holy One, and the Just, and the Prince of life in different places; which beyond all doubt are titles appertaining to the Supreme God. Under the firft of thefe characters, God the Creator is described in numberless paffages of the Old Teftament; and he who is the Prince, or author of life, according to the marginal reading, must be the fame, in point of power and perogative, with him to whom belong the issues from death; who killeth and maketh alive; and in whofe hand is the life of every thing. Indeed the Prince, or Author of life must have life in himself from all eternity; must be emphatically the life and refurrection, as our Saviour calls himself; and therefore may as truly and properly be faid to have raised the temple of his body by his own power, (to borrow his own phrase,) as to have been raised from the dead by the power of God the Father. We may fay, in short, with equal truth and propriety, Christ was raised from the dead, or Chrift rose from the

dead,

dead, according to the Scriptures; the latter affertion importing his Divinity, the former not fuperfeding it; and therefore when St. Peter told the men of Ifrael, that they had killed the Prince of life, I scarce know which ftrikes us moft, the force of the implied truth, or the keennefs of the farcafm. But to return to the addrefs of the Apoftles. Peter, ftanding up with the eleven, fays the facred hiftorian, lift up his voice, and said unto them, ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerufalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words; for thefe are not drunken, as ye fuppofe, &c; but this is that which was Spoken by the prophet Joel: and it shall come to pafs in the last days, (faith God,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your fons your daughters fhall prophesy, &c; and I will fhew wonders, &c; and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord fhall be faved.* Now let us compare the promulgation or delivery of this prophecy with the completion of it at this period. Obferve the words of the Apostle in

and

* A&ts ii. 14.

the

the course of his harange. This Jefus, fays he, (whom, with reference to his humanity, he had just before called a man approved by God,) hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghoft, HE bath shed forth this which ye now fee and hear. That the

Father and the Son concurred in this wonderful difpenfation of infinite wisdom and power on an equal foot, it will scarce be poffible for us to doubt, when we recollect that the fecond Perfon in the bleffed Trinity is often reprefented as the giver of Spiritual gifts, independently on any promife from, or affociation with the firft. I will give you a mouth, fays he to his Apoftles, just before his paffion, and wisdom which all your adverfaries fhall not be able to gainsay. I am with you always, fays he after his refurrection, even unto the end of the world. Without him, he tells them, they can do nothing. And, to produce only one paffage more out of many that might be cited, which has a manifeft

* Matt. xxviii. 20.

allufion