all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that essential form in Baptism has been well called "the summary of creeds;" and no act upon earth, by the hand of God's ministers, can be more solemn and important, than that of baptizing into the Name of the triune God. How sad is the neglect of proper teaching, and the want of right information and reverence, which identifies baptism merely with the "naming of the person baptized! It is but natural, when we find many persons thus ignorant and careless, that they should advance the opinion, that registration by a civil officer is equally effective with the Church's administration of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Such an agency for recording the name, may so far seem preferable to such persons, as it avoids, on their part, the sin of profanation of a Sacrament, and of an irreverence awful to contemplate. We notice that the term "name" is in the singular number; it denotes the unity of the Godhead in the trinity of Persons-a doctrine which is thus associated with our very entrance into the kingdom of Christ.

11. to observe.-The three main essentials of Christian life are here, as in many other instances, enjoined: repentance, faith, and obedience. Becoming disciples of Christ includes the repentance, and refusal of all other masters; baptism supposes faith in Christ; and "observing all things whatsoever He has commanded," is that obedience which is a characteristic of true discipleship.

12. saved. As we know that some who believe fall away from the faith, and that not all who are baptized are saved, we see that there is the same limitation here, as in Acts ii. 47. Those who believe and are baptized, shall be brought within the conditions of salvation (which is the first meaning of the term "saved"), and under the influence of God's Holy Spirit; and then, secondly, if faithful unto death, saved absolutely, and eternally. We should read the awful sentence, "shall be damned," in the same light, namely, as a state of damnation, from which God's grace may give repentance of unbelief in matters of faith and practice, and may renew His great gift of faith; but, if not, then of eternal damnation. It is here said, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," because the covenant of Christ's salvation is with the baptized only; but we do not read the converse, "he that believeth not, and is not baptized," partly because unbelief will reject baptism, and lead to perdition; partly, perhaps, also, because baptism, under certain circumstances, may be impossible, as is the case with some infants of Christian parents, by no fault of their own. Nor, again, would God bar the door of His "uncovenanted mercies" against those who cannot receive baptism-for then, such as the penitent malefactor could not enter paradise; nor even against the heathen, who may never have had the offer of salvation through Christ, or the option of acceptance and rejection. The whole history of missionary labour, is full of

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believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; 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 recover. And, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen.

instances where belief has been possible, and lively, but where, from peculiar reasons, baptism has been delayed, or impossible; instances of the difficulty of baptism following naturally upon faith, are amongst the painful experiences of Zenana teaching in India. (See App. XXI.) But it is clear that the prescribed conditions of the covenant of salvation, are belief and baptism; and that those who wilfully and deliberately reject these, i.e. who "believe not" (i.e. " disbelieve"), or who refuse to be baptized, will not be saved by any other conditions. Thus, "he that believeth not shall be damned." In the words, "believeth and is baptized," is included the confession of belief made at baptism; for “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Hooker says, "If Christ Himself, which giveth salvation, do require baptism, it is not for us that look for salvation, to sound and examine Him, whether unbaptized men may be saved; but seriously to do what is required and religiously to fear the danger which may grow by the want thereof." "The argument cannot be deduced from this text, that infants are incapable of baptism, as being incapable of belief; for then, as faith is absolutely necessary, they could not, in case of early death, be saved at all." (Forster.)

13. these signs. These signs and gifts were realized in the first ages of the Christian Church; they were withdrawn when they became no longer necessary for accrediting the commission of those who preached the Gospel. In certain Churches (for instance, in that of Corinth), they appear to have been more than ordinarily necessary, and to have been bestowed in greater abundance. But these signs are not, like the baptism of repentance, faith, and obedience, perpetually necessary.

14. I am with you.-Christ's spiritual presence in the Church to the end of time, was a promise which was frequently made to the disciples. (See John xiv. 23, and Matt. xviii. 20, where His presence is promised even "where two or three are gathered in His name.")

15. always.-Gk. "all the days,” i.e. “ every day," without intermission of presence. The expression is thus as comprehensive of time, place, and persons, as can possibly be.

Holy Thursday.

VIII. THE ASCENSION, IN THE PRESENCE" OF ALL THE APOSTLES."

S. Mark xvi. 19, 20; S. Luke xxiv. 44-53; [Acts i. 3-12; Cor. xv. 7]. The Farewell Charge.

S. Luke xxiv. 44-49; [Acts i. 4-8.]

And being assembled together with them, He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you,

1. and being assembled.-The disciples had again assembled at Jerusalem; and there had been one other appearance of our Lord, which is not mentioned in the Gospels, but which is recorded by S. Paul in 1 Cor. xv. 7. Speaking of the gathering of the disciples in Galilee, he says, "After that He was seen of James." We are not told of the object of this special personal revelation; but I. Williams, and others, conjecture, with great probability, that this was James the Less, "the brother of the Lord," who became Bishop of Jerusalem, whom we find, in Acts XV., presiding over the apostolic Church and council; and that this appearance was to instruct him in that matter. They attach importance to the manner in which the name of James is mentioned in connection with that of the Apostles, as is that of Peter, in the same account by S. Paul: "After that He was seen of James; then of all the Apostles (1 Cor. xv. 5, 7). After His appearing to Peter, the gifts, formerly promised to Peter, were conferred on the Apostles generally; their relative share in that commission must then have been defined to them. The presumption is, that it was so also in the case of James, whose duties with regard to the others, his equals in the kingdom of Christ, our Lord afterwards may have defined. The support of the ancient writers leans towards this theory; two quotations are alleged which are very important. Theophylact says, "He was seen of James, the brother of our Lord, who was appointed by Him the first Bishop of Jerusalem; and Photius: "James the first high priest, who, by the Lord's hand, received holy unction, and the Bishoprick of Jerusalem." Ebrard thinks that the order to assemble at Jerusalem for the ascension, was probably given through James.

2. the words. This is thought by Grotius, and other writers, to be a summary notice of various matters discussed by our Lord with His Apostles, concerning the future prospects of His Church. S. Luke's words (Acts i. 2, 3) are very suggestive; the "commandments" given to them may (we might almost say must) have embraced many things

while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise

afterwards made clear to them by the Holy Spirit. "The things pertaining to the kingdom of God," of which He spoke to them during the "forty days He was seen of them," must have included many points of doctrine, discipline, and practice, which they at once made distinct, as they published the Gospel; such as were "the laying on of hands" upon every baptized person, which is reckoned (Heb. vi. 1, 2) amongst the "principles of the doctrine of Christ; " the orders of subordinate ministry; and other subjects. Whilst, however, the passage is suggestive of a summary, the greater portion of it appears to have been the subject of the special appearance of our Lord-that, perhaps, when "He appeared to all the Apostles," and which terminated, probably, in the procession to Bethany, and in the ascension. He now points, at the conclusion of His life on earth, to the fulfilment of all He has spoken of during His ministry, before His Passion; and to the verification, in His life, and death, and resurrection, of the prophecies and types of Holy Scripture.

3. law of Moses, etc.-This is an enumeration of the Scriptures extant in our Lord's day. "They were divided into the law, and prophets, and the Hagiographa-the first containing the Pentateuch; the second, Joshua, Judges, the four Books of Kings, and the prophets except Daniel; the third, the Psalms, and all the rest of the canonical books, Daniel, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah being reckoned as one book, and the Chronicles closing the canon." (Alford.) (See App. XXII.)

4. then opened He.-Our Lord here again confers upon the disciples a special gift. It may be that they did not receive full possession of it until that great day of illumination, when the Holy Ghost was given (John xiv. 26); but this is now bestowed, as the Saviour's gift to them, the power to understand and apply the Scriptures. It was a necessary gift to those who should be the writers of the New Testament, that they should also understand those of the older covenant, and their harmony with the Gospel scheme.

5. thus it is written.-The life of Christ, His Passion, and resurrection, are a comment and illustration of the text, "It is written." This formed one-half of their commission as preachers of the everlasting word, especially to Jewish hearers. They were also to preach the Gospel of repentance and absolution in the name of Christ, who had 'power on earth to forgive sins," and who now proclaims, by the mouth of His ministers, the word of that power, which He still exerci es within His Church on earth.

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from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6. beginning." The word of the Lord from Jerusalem " (Isa. ii. 3; Micah iv. 2). The universal custom of the Apostles, was to preach, to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile, the unsearchable riches of Christ. This was the Jews' privilege, as the first-born amongst the people of God. They thrust it from them, and "judged themselves unworthy of eternal life;" and, therefore, the Apostles were obliged to turn to the Gentiles, not merely as graced in their turn with the gift of the Gospel, but also as to those who were willing to receive what the elder sons of God refused.

7. witnesses.-Eye-witnesses of the earthly ministry of Christ; witnesses to the truth of all they proclaimed in His name; witnesses, as martyrs, to His truth.

8. the promise.-The Holy Spirit, whose advent was to give life, intelligence, and the full realization of all that Christ had promised them.

9. tarry ye.-After the ascension, until the Spirit is given you, and you are inspired with power and wisdom from on high.

10. with water.-This refers to the declaration of John (Matt. iii. 11), that his baptism was but a temporary measure, and should be superseded by that of the Holy Ghost, which was with fire, i.e. searching and purifying as fire. His baptism was that of repentance, preparatory to the first advent of Christ to preach the Gospel; that of the Holy Ghost was to be perpetual, throughout all ages of the Church. It was the baptism into the everlasting Gospel of the Saviour, who had come, and had wrought the salvation of His people; it was, therefore, "baptism for the remission of sins," baptism into the covenant already established. The disciples had, probably, all, like their Lord, received this preparatory baptism of John. It may not, even in their case, have been superseded by that which, in its earlier exercise, they had administered in the behalf of Christ (John iv. 1, 2), and which, in its full institution as a Sacrament of the Gospel, they were commissioned to exercise solely in future. But henceforward it would not be enough to be baptized with "the baptism of John" (see Acts xix. 3-5), as that was baptism into the kingdom now established; but in their case John's baptism of water (an element not abolished but perfected in union with the Spirit-baptism of Christi