kill you."

That part of the prediction, which related to faint Peter fingly, was thus explained to him; "when thou waft young, thou girdedft thyfelf, and walkedst whither thou wouldeft; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt ftretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not; this he fpake, fignifying by what death he should glorify God;" and it is generally understood to 'imply crucifixion. The feelings and wishes of the Twelve would greatly add to the diftresful effect of this prediction upon them. Full of hope to enjoy the glory of this world, in the kingdom of their Lord, they were not likely to receive his prophecy of their sufferings and violent death, without extreme disappointment, aggravated by the utmost terror. And hence it may be observed, that if Jesus should

John xiv. 36. xxi. 18.

See Grot. et Wolf ad John xxi. 18. Petrus ab altero cingitur, cum cruci adftringitur. Tertull. Scorpiaco. The ufe of his hands, and of his feet, fhould be taken from him. This would not characterize any other death, but that of Crucifixion; and it is elsewhere characterized particularly by the fuffering of the hands, and the feet; "they pierced my hands, and my feet," Píalm xxii. 16. The Apostle himfelf feems to allude to this prophecy of his Lord, 2 Pet. i. 13, 14, and it was accomplished foon after, in the perfecution railed by Nero.

9 Matth. xxiv. 9. Mar. xiii. 9. Luke xxi. 12, 16.

be

be supposed the author of imposture, his conduct in ruining the favourite hope of his adherents, even before they understood that faith, which he defigned them to propagate, and in shewing them a world, prepared to perfecute and destroy them for his name's fake, as it would certainly tend to fruftrate his own defign, feems entirely irreconcilable with every known principle of nature. There were no affignable means of overcoming the natural effect of his prediction upon them, except a commanding sense of duty, founded upon the real truth of the Gofpel, and animated by the promise of its author to support them. Befides, his direction to the disciples not to meditate before what they should answer, ftill further aggravated the cafe. He gave them a forefight of danger, yet forbad them to prepare defence; and apparently abandoned them to that perfecution, under which he taught them, at the fame time, they would affuredly fink.

• Hence Tertullian calls the perfecution of the Chriftians, "nominis prælium." See Newton on Prophecies. Vol. ii. pag. 253.

Luke xxi. 14.

According to this representation, Jefus left his Apostles without that knowledge of his Gospel, which their office neceffarily required; and, if they had really understood it, without the power of propofing it, to any but Jews, although they were fent to people of all tongues; and not even to Jews, without great disadvantage; and befides, without fortitude, equal to the undertaking. No adequate caufes of the accomplishment of the prophecies, that Jefus must increase, and the kingdom be given to his little flock, feem therefore to have existed, at the time of his afcenfion.

t

Yet if, as faint Luke certifies, the Apoftles actually entered upon the ministry of the Gospel, not many days after the departure of their Master, one of the two following points will be neceffarily true; either, that they exercised their office under fuch fignal deficiencies, or that these impediments were previously removed by the power of their Lord, according to his promife.

Acts ii. 14. That the book of the Acts of the Apostles, was written by St. Luke, and contains a true history, hath been shewn from various external and internal teftimonies, by Benfon, in a particular differtation, at the end of Hift. of the first planting of the Chriftian religion, Vol. ii. pag. 318.

The

The first of these cafes fcarcely feems defenfible; for then the fact would be, that a fyftem of Gospel-faith was, at first, clearly proposed by perfons, who did not themselves justly comprehend it; and the most implacable perfecution, and even the utmost bitterness of death, voluntarily incurred by men, who were naturally difpofed to fhrink at a much less formidable danger.

This difficulty can be avoided only by fuppofing, that their deficiencies were actually remedied, before the commencement of their ministry. But the interval, between the afcenfion of Jefus and their publication of his Gofpel, was of inconfiderable length; and the firft view, which they gave of it, was comprehenfive and clear, and, befides, was propofed with fervency, and ""much affurance." An improvement so great and fudden, both in their views of the Christian fcheme, and in their ftrength of mind, can not reasonably be afcribed to their natural powers.

According to appearances then, the increase of Jefus and of his kingdom, foretold by the Baptift and himself, could not be

provided for without his for without his

66

W

accomplish

ment of that prophecy, which he had delivered, in his last words to the disciples ; ye fhall receive power, after that the Holy Ghoft is come upon you." He had before predicted the advent, and had promifed the miffion, of another divine agent in the work of redemption, and had directed the Apostles to wait at Jerufalem for his coming, as it was his diftinct and proper office to remove those very incapacities, under which they laboured. "Behold, I fend the promise of my Father upon you;" "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth;" he fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatfoever I have faid unto you."

Jefus by actually fulfilling this prophecy and promise baptized them with the Holy Ghost; and having himself the Spirit without measure, he gave unto them' of his own fulness. The Holy Ghoft, when he de

w Summam hic proponit tot fermonum Apoftolicorum, quos hic liber (A&t. Apoft.) exhibebit, Confer Marc. xvi. zo. Grot. ad Acts i. 7.

x Acts i. 4.

Y John i. 16. Eph. ix. 13.

fcended,