Glory from having Triumphed over Sin, and Death, and Hell, and Called Such as are His to the New Birth unto Righteousness. With St. Paul, therefore, leaving, or rather not confining ourselves to the first Principles, or resting on the theory and profession of Christian Principles, let us strive to apply Them and to advance towards Perfection in Their application, by a practical observance of The DIVINE Commandments, leading a life of holiness and righteousness agreeably to the Revealed Word of GOD, and, subserviently, to the Supplicated Guidance of The HOLY GHOST; trusting in the Mercies of The FATHER and in the Merits of The SON: casting all our care upon Him, Who Alone Careth for us, and can and will Administer Effectual Help in every time of need. For at the preaching of Peter "they, who were Baptized, were not only pricked in their hearts, but continued stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and Fellowship."—Acts ii. 37, 41, 42.

The necessity for works, or of a disposition for works, when by the suddenness of death, (as in the case of the penitent Thief upon the cross,) or otherwise, the opportunity for doing them is withheld, CHRIST himself hath thus Expressly Declared; and those works, if done in singleness of heart, will not be without their Reward; but they must not be considered as forming the only or the chief ground of our claim to, or, rather, hope of a Possession so Inestimable and Interminable as an Inheritance in Heaven. Such a claim, or rather hope, can only justifiably rest, even with the most Faithful, upon the Works and Merits of CHRIST Offered on our behalf; to Which our own works, when in obedience to His Appointments, are only so far appendages, as giving efficacy to our profession of faith, affixing, as it were, a Seal to our Acceptance of the Covenant of Grace. Nor can we seriously contemplate the Nature and Extent of Those Intercessory Works on our behalf by The SON of GOD, and the Vastness of the Prize They are Meant to be the Means of our gaining, without feeling conscious of the comparative nothingness of our own utmost exertions to obtain the One or deserve the Other. For the Blessings attending even the Life that is, if wisely used, are amply equal to a full recompence for the most exemplary exercise of devotedness to GOD and of all the associated virtues of Christian Charity. And as every thing we have, even our Lives and their continuance, is of the Free Gift of GOD, we should consider both our disposition and power to do good to be the Gracious Dispensation of His Providence ; and should, therefore, feel only the more disposed to spread His Praise and acknowledge His Goodness. And let it not be unto us an occasion of sin, by making it instrumental to the nourishment and increase of arrogance and pride; for these passions are utterly inconsistent with and subversive of the spirit of meekness and resignation that should predominate within us, and of the Spiritual Peace, that might otherwise be our portion, even in the Life that is; debarring us also, eventually, from That infinitely Greater Blessing, the Endless Love of The SAVIOUR-GOD in the Life to Come, when the Fulness of Wisdom and of Knowledge will Flow in upon the Accepted Souls, and Spread unceasing delight to every sentient faculty.

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And, lo! I Am With you always, even unto the End of the World!" Such were the Encouraging Words Used by our SAVIOUR, when He Enjoined His Disciples to go forward in the Principles, That He had Taught them, even unto Perfection, by reducing Those Principles to practice, and by preaching to Rich and to Poor, to Young and to Old, to Jew and to Gentile, the Glad Tidings of Salvation and of DIVINE Reconciliation by the Sufferings and Merits of CHRIST Interposed on Man's behalf. And in Fulfilment of This Promise of our SAVIOUR, He Continueth to this hour, and will Continue whilst the World lasts, and until Sin and Death are swallowed up in the Victory, Which He hath Obtained, to be by His Word and by the Operations of The HOLY SPIRIT within the

hearts of All, who yield gratefully to Such Benign Influence, A PROTECTÓR, A COUNSELLER, À COMFORTER, and An EVERLASTING FRIEND in all Things Relating to our Spiritual Welfare and our Eternal Interest. To Him, therefore, let us seek, in the spirit of meekness and thankfulness, that our end may be glorious; having the Fellowship of the Fulness of DIVINE Love Bestowed upon us, in communion with Saints and in company with Angels for ever and ever!

And with the comprehensive word "Amen;" a word which has relation to all the Matters that precede it, and embraces the whole Record by this Evangelist of CHRIST's Gospel, doth St. Matthew terminate his Narrative; thereby meaning to give a further emphatic and solemn asseveration of the Truth of All he had related, on a full and careful review of the Whole of This Vitally Important Subject. And on our hearing or reading It, it will be well for us, if with the same mind, which was in St. Matthew, we testify the readiness and confidence with which we subscribe or assent to the Truth of his Relation, and of the powerful and prevailing Influence which the Whole Matter, in All Its Parts, as Emanating from The Oracle of GOD, has had on our hearts, by saying also emphatically "Amen!"

Thus ends The Gospel Record by St. Matthew, who was himself a lively instance of that pure devotedness to the Will of GOD, which it would be well, in spirit at least, to follow as an example; for though by virtue of his office, as Collector of Customs, the insinuating attractions of comparative wealth and influence belonged to him, yet he, at the Bidding of JESUS, forsook all, and followed Him; being thenceforth immoveable from the faith, and always abounding in the Work of The LORD, knowing that his labour would not be in vain in The LORD. Of the fruits of that labour of his love in CHRIST JESUS, his once Crucified, but now Glorified, REDEEMER, here contemplated, may we gratefully partake to the strengthening and refreshing of our Souls in Time, for Eternity. In this, as well as in every further consideration of Those Doctrines and Duties, Which he was thus so distinguishingly instrumental in recording, may that teachableness of heart be in us, which so conspicuously shone forth in him; and, like him, may we not only learn the Paths of Righteousness and true Holiness, but walk Therein to our Lives' end here; that in the Life to Come we may, through the Efficacy of CHRIST's Mediation, to our Souls' endless Consolation, walk in the Paths of Pleasantness and Peace, in Communion with the Angels of Light, and with the Spirits of Prophets and Apostles, and of All the Just, Made Perfect by The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD for Ever and Ever!

To the Instructions Thus Given by CHRIST to His Disciples, St. Mark adds this Conclusion to his History of The Gospel; "So then, after The LORD had Spoken unto them, He was Received up into HEAVEN, and Sat on the Right Hand of GOD. And they went forth, and preached every where; The LORD Working with them, and Confirming the Word with Signs following. Amen!"-Chap. xvi. 19, 20. Here we have an Evangelical Record of the Fact of CHRIST's Ascension into Heaven, and of the Commencement of the Fulfilling The Prophecy in the exth Psalm; "Sit Thou at My Right Hand, until I Make Thine Enemies Thy Footstool! And this Testimony by St. Mark to The Ascen sion, is corroborated by St. Luke, both in his Record of The Gospel and in his Narrative of the Acts of the Apostles, thus; "And JESUS Led His Disciples out as far as to Bethany; and He Lifted up His Hands, and Blessed them! And it came to pass, while He Blessed them, He was Parted from them, and Carried up into HEAVEN!" [Luke xxiv. 50, 51,] and again, The former Treatise bave I made, O Theophilus, of All, That JESUS Began both to Do and to Teach, until the Day, in Which He was Taken up, after that He, through The HOLY GHOST, had Given Commandments unto the Apostles, whom He had Chosen: " and, after mentioning particular Communications had between CHRIST and His Disciples,

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this Evangelist adds, "When He had Spoken These Things, while they beheld, He was Taken up, and a Cloud Received Him out of their sight. And while the Disciples looked stedfastly toward Heaven, as He Went up, behold, two Men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, 'Ye Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This Same JESUS, Which is Taken up from you into HEAVEN, shall So Come in Like Manner, as ye have seen Him Go into HEAVEN.'”—Acts i. 1, 2, 9 to 11.

Thus was Human Nature, in The Incarnate SON of GOD, Triumphant over Sin and Death and Hell, Incorporated Everlastingly with the Pure SPIRIT of THE GODHEAD, and Made Next in Degree to That GODHEAD, being Superior to Angels, and All else of Creation, either visible or invisible. And with and through That Adoption and Glorification of our Nature by The SON of The MOST HIGH, may we, by faith Therein, and patience of hope, and by conformity to The DIVINE Will, Revealed in the Precious Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, and as the supplicated Influence on our hearts of The HOLY GHOST, through CHRIST's Intercession, trusting also in our HEAVENLY FATHER's Mercies, Each of us, whether high or low, rich or poor, bond or free, eventually be in visible Communion, participating in the Exhaustless and Inestimable and Inconceivable Riches of DIVINE Favour; having Opened to us the Treasures of Heavenly Knowledge, the Sources of DIVINE Wisdom, and the Fountains of Pure and Endless Happiness.

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The Continuing Presence of CHRIST in His Human Nature at the Right Hand of GOD, (a Phrase, doubtless, used figuratively, since GOD is A SPIRIT without Bodily Form,) the Martyr Stephen bore testimony to, in a moment when the Soul is least capable of deception; and when the frame of his mind, amidst excruciating agony of body, with Death instantly awaiting him, was so full of mercy, as to pray for the Pardon of his murderous Assailants; in his last moments, saying, as he looked up stedfastly into Heaven, and saw The Glory of GOD and JESUS Standing on the Right Hand of GOD, Behold, I see the HEAVENS Opened, and The SON of Man Standing on the Right Hand of GOD!'”—Acts vii. 54 to 56. And this, too, in the instant, when from the savageness of the manner of his Murderers in gnashing upon him with their teeth, he could not but have expected a stronger excitement of their hatred and malice and thirsting for his blood, at such an avowal of The DEIFIED Glory of his LORD and SAVIOUR, Whom they had also so recently persecuted unto death.

*Though St. John does not, in his Record of The Gospel, expressly relate the Fact of CHRIST's Ascension into Heaven after His Resurrection, yet does that Apostle bear indirect testimony to It; since in the Conversation that, in the interval, passed between our SAVIOUR and Mary Magdalene, on her approaching Him with reverential joy, and gratitude, and affection, this Evangelist represents JESUS to have Said to her, "Touch Me not! For I am not yet Ascended to My FATHER: but go to My Brethren, and say unto them, I Ascend unto My FATHER, and your FATIIER; and to My GOD, and your GOD!'" [John xx. 17,] thus affording us not only proof of CHRIST's Declaration, That He would Ascend to HEAVEN, but Imparting the Comforting Hope that, if we believe on Him as The MESSIAH, and gratefully rest in His Meritorious Intercession for us, we may become the Adopted Children of GOD, and be Called to an Ascension unto our HEAVENLY FATHER's Presence and Favour, being Admitted under the Glorious Appellation of the Brethren of JESUS CHRIST. And this Evangelist records Another Saying of our SAVIOUR, Bearing on the Point, thus ; "I Came forth from The FATHER; and am Come into the World! Again, Í Leave the World; and Go to The FATHER."--John xvi. 28. St. Paul expressly corroborates This Vital Tenet of the Christian Faith, where, in writing to the

Converts at Ephesus, after declaring the interest he felt in the increase within their hearts of the Grace of The SPIRIT, in the knowledge of the Wisdom and Power of GOD, the Apostle describes That Influence of The SPIRIT as "Wrought in CHRIST by GOD, when He Raised Him from the Dead, and Sat Him at His Own Right Hand in The HEAVENLY PLACES, Far Above All Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every Name, that is named, not only in this World, but also in That, Which is to Come; Having Put All Things under His Feet, and Given Him to be The HEAD over All Things to The CHURCH, Which is His BODY; The Fulness of Him, That Filleth All in All." -Eph. i. 20 to 23. And in application of This Doctrine, as Instrumental for the improvement of the heart, the same Apostle again adverts to It, when, addressing the Christian Converts at Colosse, he says, "If ye be Risen with CHRIST," (as All true Believers through the Regenerating Grace of The HOLY SPIRIT are,) "seek Those Things, Which are Above; Where CHRIST Sitteth on the Right Hand of GOD! Set your affections on Things Above; not on things on the Earth! For ye are dead; and your Life is Hid with CHRIST in GOD. When CHRIST, Who is our Life, shall Appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory."-Col. iii. 1 to 4.

*** The same Important Fact of CHRIST's HEAVENLY Ascension, and the Blessed Effects Thereof, are thus incidentally insisted on and illustrated by reference to the Prophecy Thereof in St. Paul's argumentative admonition "to keep the Unity of The SPIRIT in the Bond of Christian Peace, for (says he,) There is one Body and one Spirit, even as ye are Called in one Hope of your Calling, ONE LORD, One Faith, One Baptism, ONE GOD and FATHER of All, Who is Above All, and Through All, and In you All! But unto every One of us is Given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of CHRIST. Wherefore He Saith, [in Ps. Ixviii. 18,] When He Ascended up On HIGH, Ile Led Captivity captive, and Gave Gifts unto Men.' Now that He Ascended, what is it, but that He also Descended first into the lower parts of the Earth? HE, That Descended, is The Same also That Ascended up Far Above All Heavens, that He might Fill All Things."-Eph. iv. 3 to 10. And in another place saith the Inspired Writer to the Hebrews, "GOD, who at Sundry Times and in Divers Manners Spake, in time past, unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath, in these last days, Spoken unto us by His SON, Whom He hath Appointed HEIR of All Things; by Whom also He Made the Worlds; Who being The Brightness of His Glory and the Express Image of His PERSON, and Upholding All Things by the Word of His Power, when He had by Himself Purged our sins, Sat down on the Right Hand of The MAJESTY On HIGH; being Made So Much Better than the Angels, as He hath by Inherit ance Obtained a more Excellent Name than they."-Heb. i. 1 to 4. St. Paul also in his Communication to Timothy, adverts to the Doctrine, saying, "Without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness; GOD was Manifest in the Flesh, Jus tified in The SPIRIT, Seen of Angels, Preached unto the Gentiles, Believed on in the World, Received up into Glory."-1 Tim. iii. 16. And in the Epistle to the Hebrews another Passage applicable to the Position is; "We have A Great HIGH PRIEST, That is Passed into the Heavens, JESUS, The SON of GOD."— Chap. iv. 14. On which Account the Writer of that Epistle exhorts his converted Countrymen "to hold fast their profession; for (adds he,) Such An HIGH PRIEST Became us, Who is Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, Separate from Sinners, and Made Higher than the Heavens." [Chap. vii. 26.] And in the summary of his Address the Writer thus further affirms the same Essential Doctrine; "Now of the Things, Which we have spoken, This is the Sum :" [viii. 1,] and after again denominating JESUS as our Great HIGH PRIEST, he adds, For CHRIST is not Entered into the Holy Places made with hands, which are the figures of the True; but into

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HEAVEN Itself, now to Appear in the Presence of GOD for us :" [Heb. ix. 24,] and again, "This MAN, CHRIST JESUS, after He had Offered One Sacrifice for sins, for Ever Sat down on the Right Hand of GOD; from henceforth Expecting till His Enemies be Made His Footstool," [Chap. x. 12, 13,] and in further application of the Same Subject, the Writer introduces what we should do well to add in practice to our knowledge; "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which doth so easily beset us; and let us run with patience the Race, That is Set before us; looking unto JESUS, The AUTHOR and FINISHER of our Faith: Who, for the Joy, That was Set before Him, Endured the Cross, Despising the Shame, and is Set down at the Right Hand of The Throne of GOD:" [Heb. xii. 1, 2,] and in still further illustration of the Cloud of Witnesses we may add from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, where he is enlarging on the Doctrine of the Justification of Man through CHRIST JESUS, when he says, "Who is he, that condemneth? It is CHRIST, That Died, yea, rather, That is Risen again; Who is even at the Right Hand of GOD; Who also Maketh Intercession for us.' -Rom. viii. 34. To this Effect is the evidence given by St. Peter, when, reasoning from the Old Testament on The DIVINITY of JESUS, and that He was The SON of GOD and The Expected MESSIAH, in the course of his argument the Apostle says, This JESUS 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 GHOST, He hath Shed forth This," (the Power Imparted to the Apostles of speaking with divers languages as The SPIRIT Gave them utterance; "for (adds the Apostle,) David is not Ascended into the Heavens; but he saith himself, [Ps. cx. 1,] THE LORD Said unto my LORD, 'Sit Thou on My Right Hand, until I Make Thy Foes Thy Footstool.' Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly, that GOD hath Made That Same JESUS, Whom ye have Crucified, both LORD and CHRIST."-Acts ii. 32 to 36, 4. And in one of his Epistles the same Apostle saith, "CHRIST hath once Suffered for (our) sins, The JUST for the Unjust, that He might Bring us to GOD; being Put to Death in the Flesh, but Quickened by The SPIRIT; Who is Gone into HEAVEN, and is on the Right Hand of GOD: Angels and Authorities and Powers being Made subject unto Him."-1 Peter iii. 18, 22.

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In the opening of his Apocalyptic Communication, the venerable Disciple, St. John, thus enriches the scroll of Gospel Testimony; "John to the Seven Churches, which are in Asia, Grace be unto you, and Peace from Him, Which is, and Which was, and Which is to Come; and from the Seven Spirits, which are before His Throne; and from JESUS CHRIST, Who is The Faithful WITNESS, and The FIRST BEGOTTEN of the Dead, and The PRINCE of the Kings of the Earth! Unto Him, That Loved us, and Washed us from our sins in His Own Blood, and hath Made us Kings and Priests unto GOD and His FATHER; to Him be Glory and Dominion for Ever and Ever! Amen." And then with a prophetic eye, penetrating the Deep Things of GOD, Awaiting Their Fulfilment until the Day of Universal Judgment upon Mankind, the Apostle breaks out thus apostrophetically, saying, "Behold, He Cometh with Clouds: and every eye shall see Him, and they also, which pierced Him; and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of Him!" [Rev. i. 4 to 7,] that is, shall shed interminably tears of sorrow, or of joy, at His Advent, as He shall Look upon Each with the Countenance of Rejection or Adoption.

The second additional fact recorded by St. Mark of the influence of Faith on the hearts of the Apostles, is so obvious from the whole tenor of their History and Writings, as contained in the Acts and Epistles, that to do them justice the whole of those Records should be consulted, and a careful application of Them, at the