place, we find the irresolute, the wavering, the denying St. Peter, standing up before the people, and with a boldness altogether foreign to his recent life and habits, vindicating himself and his companions from an imputation of drunkenness. His language is firm but temperate, his manner calm, his demeanour solemn but dignified, and his views clear, rational, and consistent. He illustrates at once the prophecies of Scripture, applies them to passing events, and asserts the truth of our Saviour's resurrection in the very teeth of the falsehood put forth by the soldiers and the priests. He proves that this great event is in perfect harmony with the testimony of the Psalmist, and he exhorts his hearers, knowing how much it must exasperate the leading men at Jerusalem, to "save themselves from this untoward generation." He accompanies St. John to the Temple. There, at the very entrance-gate, he cures an impotent man in the name of his deceased, but ascended Master. He calls upon the spectators, who glorified God at this miraculous display of his power, to repent and be converted, and to become the disciples of his son Jesus. He and his companion are arrested by the officers of the Temple, and carried before that very tribunal which had condemned their Lord to death for blasphemy. There the same Peter, who but a few weeks before had disclaimed all knowledge of his Master, now vindicates his Master's name and memory, and ascribes to him the well-known title of the Corner-stone, and the sole power of salvation from sin. Nor was this all. He took upon

him, in the very midst of the enemies of the Christian name, to inflict summary death upon Ananias and Sapphira, two converts, showing the extent of the authority conferred upon the Apostles, and the great sinfulness of an hypocritical attachment to the new religion.

If we hear less of the rest of the Apostles, it is only because the history of one is an history of them all. The same spirit actuated the whole body; and both in their lives and in their deaths, they evinced the greatest order, magnanimity, courage, and independence. We hear no more of the temporal dominion of Christ. That error past away like a dream on the day of Pentecost, and no allusion is made to it in any subsequent period of their ministry. And not only were their opinions, but their characters were changed. With all their fortitude and all their heroism, they were the most patient, meek, quiet, and harmless men that ever embarked in a public cause, or ever lived for the advantage of the world. Their actions were free from violence, and they combined, with the wisdom of the serpent, the innocence of the dove.

Can we then be at a loss to ascertain what it was that caused this wonderful revolution in their sentiments? If within ten days of the feast of Pentecost, they were still cherishing the hopes of a temporal kingdom, and enquiring the period when Christ would set it up, it is clear that the descent of the Holy Ghost on that memorable occasion, produced the momentous change. When John the

Baptist warned his disciples to flee from the wrath to come, he pointed out the essential difference between his ministry and Christ's: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." And our blessed Lord himself spake of this spiritual unction when he took leave of his disciples at his ascension. He had promised before his death to send them

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another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, who should teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them." The office of the Holy Ghost was thus pointed out to them, and his agency was very plainly inculcated in that last discourse. When, therefore, they were enabled to speak all languages, to apply the prophecies of Scripture to the history of Jesus, to cure diseases, to inflict death, and to raise the dead, these were manifestations of that spiritual power which their divine Lord had promised to give them, and they could not but feel that the Comforter was indeed come, who was to guide them into all truth, to take of the things of Christ and show them unto them, to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, and to abide with them for ever.

If, then, the Holy Ghost taught the Apostles a right notion of our Saviour's kingdom, and produced such an entire alteration in their views and sentiments, we cannot but be struck with the immense importance of this gift to the welfare of

mankind. That baptism with which they were baptized, was indeed followed by extraordinary events; it being necessary for the first teachers of the Gospel and for the infant Church, to be supported by miraculous power. But though such powers have ceased with the occasion of them, and no necessity now exists for any supernatural display of God's word and will, yet the grace of the Holy Spirit and the gift by grace, are essential to the salvation of every Christian, and to the comfort and conduct of his life. Once for all, God manifested his love for his Church, by pouring out upon it the Spirit in visible majesty. There was no need to repeat this sublime and holy act, because one public baptism was a sign to all future generations of his adoption and sanctification of his Church, and of the spiritual nature of its services. As our blessed Lord "by one offering of himself perfected for ever them that are sanctified," so the Holy Ghost by one visible descent, sanctified for ever them that are anointed. The two acts, therefore, run parallel to each other, and are in perfect accordance with the unity of the divine appointments.

As members of the holy Catholic Church we have been baptized with the Spirit. Our first initiation into its pale was a spiritual initiation, and the water poured upon our face was only a sign of the action of the Spirit. If, then, we have received the Holy Ghost, and have been made partakers of the gift of eternal life which he communicates, it behoves us to act, at all times, as under the influence of so

great an agent. His grace may be increased or lost; and we are charged to pray for it as the renewer of our minds. Let us, then, with meek and penitent hearts implore this spiritual grace, which all our infirmities declare we want, and all our necessities urge us to obtain. Let us always remember, that the struggle we maintain is for life or death; that every temptation to which we yield, is a grievance done to the Spirit of purity and truth; and that he who loses his own soul, first loses from his breast this blessed Comforter. Let us dwell under the awful reflection, that every child of man shall be held accountable for his talents, and that if we neglect the means of salvation which are freely offered, or despise the Spirit by polluting or rejecting his gifts, we shall come into the condemnation of that wicked servant whom his lord sentenced to be cast into outer darkness. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, that our bodies may be a meet habitation for the Holy Ghost, and let us chasten our wills, and subdue our tempers, that our souls may be always pliant to the calls of duty. Above all, let us watch over our weaknesses, of which every one has a conscious knowledge and feeling; and as disciples of Jesus Christ, and candidates for heaven, let us pray, that he may dwell in us and we in him, and that we may be united to him by a spiritual incorporation for ever.