The Lord (said David, speaking to Christ) the Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power OUT OF SION: rule, thou, in the midst of thy enemies. Psalm cix, 2. David beholds him in the invincible power of his dominion and in the splendour of his sanctity. He hears the Father proclaim him to be his eternal Son. With thee is the principality, in the day of thy strength, in the brightness of the saints: from the womb, before the day-star, I begot thee. v. 3. He bears testimony to his irrevocable appointment, as man, to the office of the eternal High Priest, between God and men. The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a Priest, for ever, according to the order of Melchisedec. v. 4. These royal and sacerdotal powers belong to the ministry, which Christ, as man, exercised; and, by participation, to that sacred ministry, which he established in his church, and to which he communicated portions of these powers, for the spiritual government of his kingdom on earth, for the worship of his Father, and for the sanctification of the souls of men. The prophet Isaiah, looking to this period, announced, that the law shall come forth FROM SION, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Is. ii, 3.

On the fiftieth day, after the redemption of the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, and from the tyranny of Pharoah, the old law was given, on Mount Sinai. On the fiftieth day, after the redemption of the whole world from the slavery of sin, and from the tyranny of Satan, the new law was promulgated, on Mount Sion. The old, under the terrors of thunders, lightnings, and the thick cloud of smoke; the new, under the mighty breath of heaven, and the benign influence of the rays of the Holy Spirit, visibly descending in the forms of tongues of fire.

The Apostles, filled with the Holy Ghost, began to speak with divers tongues, by the miraculous operation of this divine spirit. There were then in Jerusalem Jews, religious men out of every nation under heaven; and every man heard them speak in his own tongue. This miracle, witnessed by so many, called the public attention to the Apostles.

Peter, the head of this apostolic body, appealing to the miracles of Jesus, which had been publicly performed among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and particularly to the glorious fact of his resurrection from the dead, which had been fore

told by David, proclaimed Jesus to be the Lord and the Christ, or Messiah ;-the Lord, to whom all are subject; the Messiah, from whom all are to seek salvation. The people said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, what shall we do, men and brethren? Peter, having established in their minds the divine authority of Christ, begins to announce his law; to make known officially to them the penitential preparation, which Christ commanded all to make; and the sacrament, which he commanded all to receive, in order to obtain the remission of sin, and the grace of the Holy Ghost. But, Peter said to them; do penance, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts ii,

38.

They, therefore, that received his word were baptized : and there were added to them, in that day, about three thousand souls. And they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Ibid., v. 41, 42. And the Lord added daily to their society such as should be saved. Ibid., v. 47.

The miracle, which called the attention of the multitude to Peter, and to the other Apostles, was a public fact. The miracles of Christ, to which St. Peter appealed, and which were well known to those who heard him, were public facts. The authoritative promulgation of that part of the law of Christ which St. Peter announced, on this first occasion, was a public fact. The acknowledgment of the authority of the Apostles, in teaching what was to be believed, and what was to be done, in order to obtain salvation through Christ, was a public fact, attested by the public submission of about three thousand souls, who "received the word of Peter," and who "were baptized."

The effect of this submission to the authority of Peter and of the Apostles, was a firm adhesion to the same doctrine, in unity of faith and communion. They were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers, v. 42, and continued daily, with one accord, in the temple. v. 46. Nor was it a matter of indifference for salvation, to be united or not, in communion with this society; for the Lord added, daily, to their society SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED. v. 47. Thus it was by the authority of the ministers of the church of Christ that his

law was made known to the people, and that the faithful were united in one society.

The authority of Peter was divinely sanctioned by another public miracle, when, at his command, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a man who had been lame from his mother's womb, was suddenly cured, at the gate of the temple. All the people saw him, immediately after his cure, walking and praising God; they were filled with amazement, and ran to Peter and John.

Again Peter, holding out to the astonished multitude, as a testimonial of the divine origin of his mission, the glorious fact of the resurrection of Christ, by whose power, and through faith in whose name, this man was made strong, announces to them the happy tidings of salvation through Christ, preaches to them the law of faith and repentance ; and promises divine blessings to every one that shall turn away from his wickedness. Many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men was made five thousand. Acts iv, 4.

The high priest and rulers, calling Peter and John, asked them, by what power, and by what means have you done this? Peter answered, by the name of our Lord Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified; whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you, whole. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven, given to men, whereby we may be saved. Acts iv, 7, 10, 12. Seeing the constancy of Peter and John, they commanded them to go aside out of the council; and they conferred among themselves, saying: what shall we do to these men? For, indeed, a known miracle hath been done by them, to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: it is manifest, and we cannot deny it. But, that it may be no further spread among the people, let us threaten them, that they may speak no more in this name to any man. And, calling them, they charged them not to speak at all; nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John, answering, said to them : if it be just in the sight of God to hear you, rather than God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Ibid., v. 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

This testimony which the Almighty gave to the authority of Peter and the Apostles, by the cure of the lame man, was

another public miraculous fact, acknowledged as such by their enemies. Again does Peter publicly preach the law of Christ. Again is obedience paid to his authority; the doctrines which he teaches are believed; five thousand follow the standard of Christ, and become subjects of his spiritual kingdom. They are united together, as members of one body. The multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul. v. 32. When forbidden by the priests and rulers to teach any more in the name of Christ, the Apostles appeal to their divine mission, sanctioned by this acknowledged miracle; and insist on the certitude of their testimony, as relating to things which they themselves had seen and heard. v. 20.

CHAPTER II.

THE REVELATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS A SERIES AND COLLECTION OF PUBLIC FACTS.

Exemplified in the History of Christ, and in the ministry of his Apostles,The propagation of the Law and Religion of Christ over Judea and the Gentile world, by the ministry of the Apostles, and of apostolic men sent by them.-The Apostles make ecclesiastical laws for the preservation of unity in faith, and for the regulation of matters of discipline.

1st. THAT Jesus, the son of Mary, of the house and family of David, lived in Judea in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, and that he proclaimed himself to be the Christ, the promised Messiah, and the Son of God-these are public facts.

2d. That he wrought many stupendous miracles to prove his claim to this title, and particularly that he raised himself from death to life-a miracle which he had pledged himself to perform, in proof of his being the Son of God-these are public facts.

3d. That he announced his doctrines in person to multitudes, and that he confirmed his authority to teach, by miracles wrought in their presence-these are public facts.

4th. That he delivered his doctrines, precepts, and sacred rites, in particular to twelve men, whom he had chosen to be his Apostles; that he commanded them to teach these doctrines and precepts, and to administer these sacred rites to all nations-these are facts, to which these same Apostles have borne testimony by their blood.

5th. That these Apostles taught certain doctrines and precepts, as doctrines and precepts which they had heard from Christ; that they administered certain sacred rites to men, as institutions, which they had received from Christ-these are public facts.

6th. That the authority with which they had acted, as com