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THE

GOSPEL COMMISSION CONSIDERED.

"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 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." Luke xxiv. 45, 46, 47.

THERE is not a more important question among all the speculations of men than this:-Is the Christian religion of God or from man? And with none should the answer rest upon clear and satisfactory grounds, more than with those who conscientiously labour to diffuse a knowledge of the principles and precepts of the gospel among their fellow-men. It is of infinite importance to them, that the doctrines which they preach be not a cunningly devised fable; that they may be firm, enduring to the end, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: it is absolutely

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necessary, that they be rooted and grounded in the truth, and able to give a reason for that which they say, and whereof they affirm. How gratifying then must it be to such, when they are able from conviction to say to their adversaries, we have a more sure word of prophesy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light which shineth in a dark place." And how firm will the ground appear on which they rest, when they can confidently view the outworks by which their religion is defended, broad in their basis and high in their summits, as the mountains which are round about Jerusalem; and when they are able from conviction to say, "beautiful for situation is Mount Zion the joy of the whole earth;" or when turning their eyes within, and contemplating the divine and glorious structure, which is exhibited in the city of their God, they can say, "Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together." "Thy foundations are firm upon the holy, the eternal hills; they are garnished with all manner of precious stones; thy gates are of pearl, they are open for all the spiritual Israel; thy streets are of pure gold, as it were of transparent glass. Thou art crowned with the unfading brightness of eternal glory; and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple in the midst of thee."

To ministers of the gospel, perhaps, no passage comes with greater weight of authority, and clearer evidence of truth, than that now chosen for consideration. During Christ's life, the injunction was, "go not in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans

enter ye not." We should have thought the time of Christ's life a long enough probation, and the circumstances of his death a sufficient proof, that the Jews had forfeited all favour or mercy from God. How high is Jehovah's "way above our ways." Christ said,

"Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise 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." The place where he had been publicly and perfectly known; where the name of Jesus of Nazareth was not new or strange; where the tragical circumstances of his death were declared to have been completed; where all possible means of detecting any imposition existed, with all the most powerful motives to the immediate and rigorous use of them; the place odiously distinguished as the abode of his murderers; where they would suffer the continual obloquy of their atrocious deeds, should the cause of Christ prosper; and where existed every necessary power for suppressing and crushing, by violence and inquisitorial influence, the first declaration of the facts. Would Christ have given this command had his religion been a deceit? Could he as a thinking being have done it had he been a mere man, and had he trusted alone to the power of most unpalatable truth for his immediate success? We answer, No.

We have then a foundation which standeth sure; and for the ground of our confidence, security as

perfect as the two immutable things-the truth of God and his oath, that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached, and that his "word shall not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and shall prosper in the thing whereunto he hath sent it." "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 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."

These words contain :-First, A general and brief description of the gospel. The character and particular work of Christ were the subject of previous prediction, "Thus it is written." This is plainly stated by the apostle Peter, in his address to the assembled and wondering multitude, in the temple; "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers; but those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled; and Moses truly said, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me." Now if we refer to the circumstances which preceded this promise, and the impression intended to be produced by its utterance, we shall more fully comprehend the import of the apostle's reasoning, and the application of the passage to our purpose. The children of Israel had come to the

mount, which might be touched, and that burned with fire, which was covered with blackness, and darkness, and tempest, from which were heard the sound of the trumpet and the voice of words. So much were they impressed with these, that they entreated that the words should not be spoken to them any more. The following is the account which Moses gives of the matter, "According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, they have well spoken, that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Here they besought a Mediator, and one is promised even more efficient than Moses.

It was evidently to be a different person from their present leader. None of the prophets claimed this character. The Jews continued to look for such a prophet, and enquired of John Baptist, "Art thou that prophet?" The woman of Samaria said, “I know that Messias cometh. When he is come, he will tell us all things." Christ was one of themselves. He says: "I have given them the words thou gavest ⚫ unto me: for I have not spoken of myself, but the Father who sent me; he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak." The disciples claimed this prophecy as applicable to their

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