genius, learning, or science, has enabled any child of Adam to rival; exhibited virtue, compared with which the highest human excellence is a rush-light to the sun; and possessed powers which disease and pain, life and death, the world and its elements instantaneously obeyed.

Nor did he merely possess these powers himself, but was able to communicate them to others at his pleasure. On this very occasion he commissioned his Apostles to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. In the progress of their ministry they performed all these wonderful works. Demons, diseases, and death actually fled at their approach, and the soul, at their command, was arrested in its flight, and returning back from the world of spirits, animated again the lifeless form to which it had bidden a final farewell. At the same time he endued them with an exact and comprehensive knowledge of the pleasure and providence of God, a knowledge with which they were able, without error or defect, to teach mankind their duty, and place their feet in the path to immortal life. Views which before were limited to their cottages and their nets, he expanded over the divine kingdom. Thoughts, which before crept upon the ground, he raised to heaven. To these endowments he added virtue, in every form and degree, in which it was necessary to enable them to fulfil the duties of their ministry; virtue, superior to the fear and the flattery of men, to the trials and the allurements of the world, to toil and discouragement, to danger and death.

By these communications he evinced, in a particular manner, his own superiority to all the Prophets who had preceded him, and showed that his powers were of a nature widely different from theirs. The messages which they received they faithfully delivered, the powers with which they were endued, they exerted with the same fidelity in accomplishing the specific purposes for which they were given. But he, while he executed the pleasure and disclosed the will of his Father, performed also his own will, and uttered his own pleasure, as he has taught us in this authoritative phraseology, "I will; be thou clean." "Verily, verily, I say unto you." But his peculiar character is still more forcibly exhibited in his communication of inspira

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tion, miraculous powers, and moral excellence, to others. The prophets, who preceded him communicated nothing. He not only conveyed all these stupendous attributes as he pleased, while he continued in the world, but imparted them also in the same voluntary manner after he had ascended to heaven.

This singular authority is, in the most impressive and solemn manner announced to us in the instructions with which he regulated this mission of the Apostles. After directing them to preach, to heal, and to perform other duties of their ministry, he proceeds, "Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, verily, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable "for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judg"ment than for that city." And again, "Whosoever shall "confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father "who is in heaven: But whosoever shall deny me before men, "him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.” And again, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these 'little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily, I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." Who is this, that in this peremptory manner opens and shuts both heaven and hell, and disposes of immortal life and eternal death in his own name, and according to his own pleasure? He certainly, and He only, who has all these things in his power. He who has the keys of death, and of hell, and of heaven, who openeth and no one shutteth, and who shutteth and no one openeth; who is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

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The errand on which the Apostles were sent was, primarily, to preach the Gospel. Incidental to it, as means of evidencing their divine mission, and proving its benevolent tendency to mankind, was the performance of several miraculous works which have been already mentioned. These were the means of exalted beneficence to mankind in their earthly concerns; that was the instrument of a more glorious beneficence to their immortal interests. These rescued them from pain, sickness, and sorrow, and raised them to hope and comfort in the present life; that was the great means of delivering them from endless sorrow, and raising them to endless glory, in the

life to come.

Both were illustrious exhibitions of the spirit with which He was animated, and of their fitness and readiness to execute so honourable a commission.

The circumstances of the Apostles were such as apparently disqualified them wholly for this extraordinary enterprise. One of them was a publican, four of them were fishermen, and all of them were of the class of peasants. They were of course uneducated men, possessed of little property, having few friends, and those, like themselves, without weight or influence in the affairs of mankind. They were now to commence an opposition, which they were to carry on through life, against the vices, prejudices, and religion of the Jews and Gentiles; and, of course, against their power, bigotry, rage, and persecution. What a conflict was this! How unequally matched were the combatants! How unequal in their numbers! Twelve men against a world. How unequal in their circumstances! Twelve peasants, poor, friendless, powerless, and uneducated, commenced a controversy against all the wealth, power, and learning of mankind; against the government, the arms, the philosophy, and the eloquence of their own and every other country. How unequal were the weapons! This little band brought into the field of controversy their truth and arguments against the bigotry, the sophistry, the pride, the ambition, the voluptuousness, the furious passions, and rank appetites of their fellow-men; opposed patience and meekness to ferocity and persecution; and arrayed their miracles against the sceptre and the sword. Who, that saw them commence this strange enterprise, would not have expected to see them crushed in a moment? Who would not have pitied such a body of poor, ignorant, well-meaning men, dreaming of success in an undertaking on which nature, in all her course, had stamped discouragement and despair, and for which heaven itself had apparently made no effectual provision?

I have already mentioned, that the errand on which they were sent was primarily to preach the Gospel. Of this preaching the immediate object was, to establish the religion which the Gospel announced to the world in the hearts of mankind,

and to substitute it for the Judaism of their own, and the heathenism of other nations; a religion, simple, pure; prescribing to the faith of mankind nothing but exact truth, and to their inclinations nothing but unmingled virtue; and thus warring upon the native depravity of man, and upon every inordinate as well as every guilty passion and appetite; a religion which professed to assimilate men to angels, and in that foul cavern, the human heart, to light up the beauty and glory of heaven. This religion they went forth to substitute for systems of ceremonial worship, which fascinated with their splendour both the senses and the imagination; for creeds which flattered human credulity, and were flexible to every touch of ignorance, prejudice, or vice; and for codes which demanded no sacrifice of lust or sin, and yielded to every corrupt wish of a corrupted heart. What a wonderful object is here presented to a mind versed in the history and character of man; and with what astonishment must such a mind see this object committed to such hands!

The character of these men was of the same interesting nature with their circumstances. They were, as I have observed, poor uneducated peasants, without friends, power, or influence. Yet they were men of plain, strong sense, and had been trained for several years in moral and religious knowledge, under the ablest and best teacher who has ever appeared below the sun; and to whom all men, learned as well as unlearned, are indebted for every thing of importance which they know in the moral system. To the instructions directly received from this great teacher of righteousness, he was pleased to add the sunshine of inspiration. "Let there be light," said the same voice which originally commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and in the hearts and minds of these humble men there sprang up "the light of the knowledge of the glory of "God in the face of Jesus Christ." Under this illumination they uttered wisdom, by the side of which all the preceding and succeeding wisdom of this world is foolishness. The chair of religious instruction they assumed at once, and claimed to themselves the character of teachers and lawgivers to the huUnlike the philosophers of antiquity, and the in

man race.

Both were illustri

life to come. with which He was animated, and · to execute so honourable a commiThe circumstances of the Ape disqualified them wholly for a One of them was a publican. and all of them were of the class course uneducated men, po few friends, and those, like fluence in the affairs of mence an opposition, wh life, against the vices, Gentiles; and, of cour and persecution. Whe matched were the coll bers! Twelve men circumstances! Twe and uneducated, co wealth, power, and la ment, the arms, th› own and every oʻl pons! This little i their truth and ar the pride, the am sions, and ran tience and meel their miracles a saw them cor: expected to ser have pitied su dreaming of sy her course, bac which heave vision?

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ing the im

the Gospel

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they dictated rules of Nor did they differ their character. Lofty e as were their precepts,

in this magnificent office, cupied by mere men, an

proud to hold, they still and were more humble in circumstances. Philoso

man, particularly of the acemptible errors and abo

opinion and that of his d in others superior, even at from this arrogance, the

and gentle as little chilhe terms on which the sins -ained, they gave the glory ments to their Master. Yet with whom monarchs can gloried in being registered

ature was their faith in God.

mind, but a cordial confire induced these sober, quiet were, to undertake an entery attended at every step by her knew, and have proved to us efficiency; and on their own mined, placed no reliance. But their Master, and in innumerable once that he was able to control mr kingdoms with a word, and to ally were they assured that he them whatever powers, and faithcwee $ssistance might be necessary for or undertaking. In him their conmited; and an unlimited confidence