far as Bethany, he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And, CHAP. III. while he blessed them, a cloud received him out of their sight, and they worshipped him; and returned to Jerusalem with great Acts, i. 8, 9. joy, and continued there with one accord until the day of Pentecost.

CHAPTER III.

THE INSTITUTION OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH.

It is evident, from the Scriptures, that the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour, had received no real spiritual understanding of the nature of his kingdom, until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

2. Although it is written, that John was filled with the Holy Spirit, that Zacharias and Elizabeth were filled with the Holy Spirit, and that the prophets, and holy men of God in old time, spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; yet, after all this, it was said that, "the Holy Spirit was not yet given, be- John, vii. cause that Jesus was not yet glorified."

3. When, therefore, the Prophets, or holy men of God, are. represented as having the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of Christ, before Christ was fully made manifest in the Church, his true body, it means nothing more than their being anointed and inspired with the Holy Spirit, which influenced them, at certain times, to prophecy of things to come, but did not abide and remain in them as the constant spring of all their actions.

4. There was evidently an extraordinary measure, and manner, in which the Holy Spirit was to be received according to the promise of Christ, which could not possibly take place, until the work of regeneration was completed in him, and till he was glorified, and received that fulness of the Spirit which was the promise of the Father, and which was to flow from him to such as were united to him by faith and obedience, as members of his body.

5. Jesus Christ could, and did, administer a measure of his Spirit to his disciples, while he was with them; and they could go forth in faith, and speak in his name; and in the power of that spirit which they received from him, they could cast out anclean spirits, and perform many miracles. But they had not

39.

CHAP. III. the fountain abiding in them, from which that power flowed; and therefore they followed Jesus from place to place, and received their ministrations from him.

Heb. viii. 2;

ix. 11.

2 Cor. vi.

16.

Mat. xvi. 25-19.

Rev. i. 5.

6. This was signified by the tabernacle of Moses in the wilderness, which was followed by the children of Israel, until the ark of the testimony found a fixed habitation in the temple of Solomon.

7. Christ Jesus, while in the body of his flesh, was "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man." And the primitive Church was "the temple of the living God," where his mind and will was made known; which was prefigured by the first temple at Jerusalem.

8. Christ Jesus, while visible on earth, asked his disciples, saying, "Whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." This could now be said in truth; for Jesus was then the anointed of God, and became the first born from the dead.

9. And Jesus answered, and said unto him, "Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter,* and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." 10. God is the Rock. And other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The Revelation of God through Christ, was therefore the rock upon which he promised to build his Church. And, though this revelation was in pii. 20. all the Apostles, and was the same according to its order, by which the Prophets had prophesied of Jesus Christ; yet, according to the promise of Christ, Peter was ordained to be the leader among the Apostles in the Church.

Deut.xxxii.

4.

1 Cor. iii. 11.

Mat. xvi. 20.

11. At the same time that the disciples of Jesus manifested their faith concerning him, he charged them to tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. By which it may be clearly seen, that, although he had, from time to time, given them great authority, respecting their future mission; yet, while he was visibly present with them, they could not exercise that authority, until they had received an abiding seal of the Holy Spirit.

His former name was Simon, and the name Peter (in the original Petros, i.e. a rock or stone) was given him by Christ, signifying that in him should be manifested the rerelation of God; and by this revelation, through Christ, which proceeded from the Rock of eternal ages, he was appointed the visible head of the primitive Church, after Christ, and the leader of the twelve Apostles. (See Mat. xvi. 18; and John, i. 42.) N.B. Kephas, or, as it is in our translation, Cephas, is said to be a Syriac word, and signifies the same as does Peter in Greek, namely, a rock or stone.

The

12. Christ, that is, the Divine Spirit, could never be seen by CHAP. III. mortal eye, nor the nature of his kingdom be understood by human wisdom. He was only known by revelation. disciples of Jesus Christ themselves, were far from having a perfect understanding either of Christ, or his kingdom, until the day of Pentecost, after they had received the spirit of promise, by which they remembered and understood what Jesus before had taught them.

21-28.

13. When Jesus spake to them that he must suffer many Mat, xvi. things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day, Peter began to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan; thou art an offence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

14. The disciples believed, and knew that Jesus Christ was the anointed of God; but he often had occasion to complain of the dulness of their apprehension. "How is it that you do not xvi. 1L understand?"

66 These

19. 20. xvi. 25.

15. Jesus Christ said unto them, "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in the John. xiv. Father, and you in me, and I in you.” And again: things have I spoken to you in proverbs; but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father."

16. From which it is plain that, although they knew that he came from God, yet they did not know what it was to be in Christ, and to have Christ dwelling in them; nor did they then, in reality, know the Father.

17. Even after the resurrection of Jesus, unto the last, when he was about to take his leave of his little family, whom he had mide heirs of his kingdom by promise, they still remained ignorant of the nature of that kingdom. For,. being assembled together in his last interview with them, they asked him, saying, "Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"

18. The only answer they received, was, "It is not for you Acts, i. 6, to know the times, or the seasons, which the Father hath put in 7, 8. his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utmost part of the earth."

19. It is evident that they were still intent upon an earthly Luke.xxiv. kingdom; that they still imagined the Messiah would deliver 21, 25. their nation from under the Roman government, and restore again, that kingdom to Israel, which in the days of David and

CHAP. III. Solomon, stood in its highest degree of earthly glory; although John, xviii. Christ Jesus had plainly told them, that his kingdom was not of this world.

36.

Acts, ii 2,

4.

20. But, when the sound came from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and filled all the house where they were sitting; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance;

21. Then, and not till then, did they begin to know the truth of Christ's words, relating to the design of his work, and the nature of his kingdom. This was the Spirit of anointing with which Jesus himself was anointed; and which he had promised to send them, to lead them into all truth; and this brought to their remembrance whatever he had taught them, either by precept or example.

22. Here, then, was the true institution of the PRIMITIVE CHURCH; even the Spirit of truth and revelation of God given to the Apostles. This was the foundation upon which the Church was built; the anointing of the Holy Spirit, or Christ himself, being the chief corner stone: that is, Christ dwelling in his people, and they in him, according to promise. 23. And as "tongues" were for a sign;" and as, in the first outpourings of the Spirit, the Apostles received the gift thereof; this gift, or sign, was to them the true and proper seal of their Mark, xvi. commission, to go and teach all nations; to baptize them with the same Spirit; and teach them to observe all things whatsoever Jesus had commanded them.

17.

1 Cor. xiv. 21, 22.

John, vi. 15.

chap xiv.

16, 17. & xvi. 13.

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24. Hence it is evident that the Primitive Church was not built upon any human system whatever, artfully formed by man's device; but upon the inspiration of the living God, made manifest in the hearts of living and chosen witnesses.

25. The first Apostles, were plain, honest, illiterate men, who cared for no other knowledge than what they received from Jesus, who himself also, had never learned letters, according to the order of the Jewish priesthood.

26. Jesus had promised them, saying, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive." 66 When the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come.

27. This was the Spirit which the Apostles received on the day of Pentecost-This was the rule of their faith, the bond of their union, and the spring of their actions, and of their testimony.

The word here translated "he" in the original is in the neuter gender, and is used in either the masculine or feminine, as the case may be.

28. The work of Christ was spiritual; and therefore what CHAP. III. Moses wrote upon hewn stone, Christ Jesus wrote upon the hearts and minds of his true followers and in the same manner the testimony of truth was conveyed from the Apostles to others.

:

15.

29. Christ Jesus taught his Apostles, saying, "If ye love me, keep my commandments.-As the Father hath loved me, so have John, xiv. I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my command- chap. xv. 9, ments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Fath- 10, 14. er's commandments, and abide in his love.-Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

30. Nothing, then, was necessary to the government of the Church, but for those who had learned of Christ Jesus, to walk even as he walked; to follow his example; and to let their light so shine, that others seeing their good works, might learn to copy after them. As saith the Apostle, "Be ye followers of me. even as I also am of Christ. And again: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an example."

Mat. v. 16.

1 Cor. xi.

1

Phil. iii. 17.

1 John, iv. 17.

31. And thus, while the spirit of love and obedience flowed from Christ the Head, through every member of his body, which was his Church, they became one with Christ, as Christ was one with God. And hence the followers of Christ could say, in the spirit of truth, "As he is, so are we in this world." 32. Herein was the prayer of Christ Jesus answered, "that John, xvii. they may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thec; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

33. It is very evident that the Spirit which the Apostles. received on the day of Pentecost, did actually produce the kind offices of love and benevolence, and every good work, in those who received the Apostles' word.

34. The effects of that Spirit with and into which they were baptized, were manifest to the honest-hearted, as flowing from a good cause; while, to the blind and dishonest, they appeared as the effects of intoxication. Justice and freedom, harmony and peace, reigned in them and among them; and they were united together, not by human systems, or the laws of men, but by the cords of faith and love.

21.

46.

35. "And all that believed were together, and had all things Acts, ii. 44common; and, breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."

32-35.

36. And the multitude of them that believed were of one chap iv. 14, heart, and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was