second will be far more so. His second ascension, also, will differ from his first in this, that whereas, in his first, he was parted from his disciples, and left them in this world of trial below, in his second, he will leave none of them behind, but take them all along with him to form part of his glorious retinue, to enter with him into heaven, and to be blessed in his immediate presence for ever. "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then" they who "are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall" they ever be with the Lord." May we all be prepared for that delightful yet tremendous day! And, as He who testifieth these things saith, "Surely, I come quickly," may we be enabled to say from the heart, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." 66 Such, then, are the practical effects which the consideration of our Lord's ascension should produce on us. As a conclusion to the whole history, there is subjoined the emphatic word, "Amen." This word is found at the end of all the four Gospels. The circumstance of this word being wanting in some of the best manuscript copies of Luke, has led many to think that it did not form part of the original, but was afterwards appended by some transcriber. However this may have been, the word forms a very appropriate conclusion for us. In here saying, Amen, we declare our belief of the truth of the whole history, and express an earnest desire that the blessings it describes may be ours, and assent most cordially to the praises and blessings which the disciples are just before declared to have ascribed to God. The Lord be praised for this authentic and beautiful record of facts, in which we are so deeply interested! Many other signs truly did Jesus," and many other sayings uttered he, "in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, we might have life through his name." The Lord grant that this design may be happily fulfilled in us! Surely, to this prayer every one of us will subjoin a hearty Amen. 66 Thus have we finished the exposition of the Gospel according to Luke, in a course of one hundred and thirtyseven Lectures. We might have gone through the whole in a much shorter time, had it not been that (however many and great the defects in the execution) we were unwilling to proceed hastily, without carefully noticing, more or less, almost everything that belongs to this evangelist's history, and without taking time to bring prominently forward the leading points which seemed most calculated to be useful. Since we entered on the examination of this Gospel, many, many, who opened up the book, and turned to the first chapter along with us, have finished their course: and now they are no more seen in the midst of us. Let this affecting thought solemnly impress our minds; let it inspire us with gratitude to God that we are preserved: and let it excite in us a growing desire carefully to improve, while we have them, all our opportunities of preparing for eternity. And what a wonderful history, from first to last, is this on which we have been meditating! How eventful, and how interesting in itself! and how directly and vitally important to us! How rich in edification, and comfort, this particular account of the personal history of our Redeemer, in his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension-embodying, as it also does, so many of his miracles, prophecies, parables, and discourses! On a retrospect of the whole, let us view and acknowledge Christ both as the Son of God and the Son of man-as our teacher, instructing us in the knowledge of the truth-as our Saviour, working out for us a justifying righteousness by his meritorious obedience, even unto death- -as our Lord and Master, whose commandments we are bound to obey-and as our perfect pattern, whose example, in all that is imitable by us, we are called on to copy. Let us all remember, too, that the exercises on this book in which we have been engaged, must prove to us either the "savour of life unto life or the savour of death unto death;" and that we shall have to give an account of them before the Judge of all. May the Lord forgive our sins and errors in speaking and hearing from this sacred book! and may he graciously accept of us in these our very imperfect services! In the midst of much shortcoming, it may be hoped that these studies have not been altogether in vain. May they prove the means of permanently impressing our minds with a more full, and distinct, and comprehensive view of the history of Christ and of redemption, than we should otherwise have had. May the result be the commencement of serious and saving impressions on some of you who have hitherto been living in darkness and unbe lief; and also the encouraging of those of you who formerly loved the Word of God, to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now, unto Him who is all and in all in this history-unto Him who is all our salvation and all our desire-unto the Faithful and True Witness, the Prince of the kings of the earth-unto our once rejected and crucified, but now exalted and most honoured Redeemer-" unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." THE END. A DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL TREATISE ON EFFECTUAL CALLING. By JAMES FOOTE, A.M., Minister of the Free East Church, Aberdeen, Author of "Lectures on Luke," &c. Foolscap 8vo, cloth, 3s. "We regard it as the best work on Effectual Calling' in the English language."-Evangelical Magazine. "If we held the peculiarities of Calvinism, we should regard this as a more than ordinarily valuable work. Holding, as we do, evangelical Arminianism to be in accordance with the truth of God, the author's labours are, in a great measure, lost upon us. Still, we can appreciate his ability and piety, and find in several portions of his book matter calculated to be profitable to all who hold the Head, however they may differ on non-fundamentals."- Watchman. "The topics treated of the author illustrates with clearness, and enforces with vigour. He writes in plain but forcible language, and uses the words of truth and soberness, like a man in earnest, fully impressed with the importance of his subject, and exceedingly desirous that his readers should reap real and lasting benefit from what he has written. He reasons and tenderly expostulates with them, placing before them the deepest and the most simple, the most awakening and the most encouraging, views of effectual calling. To the thoughtful and to the careless we cordially recommend this little volume, as well adapted to awaken the one and to instruct and encourage the other.”—Baptist Magazine. "Within the work, the various views in which the subject presents itself, through which it can be pressed, by which it can be illustrated, and the classes-embracing ultimately all-to whom it can be addressed, are exhausted; and the treatise forms thus 'a hand-book' on a most vital department of theology."-Banner of Ulster. "The volume, although published so opportunely, is no hasty production; it is the substance of a series of lectures which the respected author had addressed to his own congregation, and now publishes at their request; so that each portion of it has had the benefit of deliberate reflection."-Aberdeen Banner. "The work is pre-eminently a practical one-the author justly deeming it of far higher importance to enforce a duty than to dwell upon an abstract proposition. Such portions of the work are peculiarly fervid, striking, and impressive."-Dundee Warder. "A well written treatise on an important subject. The author is evidently a deep thinker, and thoroughly in earnest when he writes—a fisher of men, and not a mere hireling."-Border Watch. "The whole is characterized by a freshness and earnestness which display the deep-seated sincerity of the writer, and bring his words home with affection and power to the reader. He has discussed the question with great fidelity, and we hope his labours will be blest in benefiting all who peruse the volume."-Greenock Advertiser. "In these times of abounding religious publications (which, even when well designed, are often superficial and fanciful), such a sound, scriptural exhibition of sacred truth, doctrinal, experimental, and practical, may well be welcomed by the Christian community as a most suitable manual for family instruction, or for private self-examination. We most cordially wish for it a wide circulation, and confidently trust that it may prove the means of many a salutary impression and saving change."-Montrose Review. |
