24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

25. For David speaketh concerning him,1 I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad: moreover also, my flesh shall rest in hope; 27. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,2 neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corrup

tion.

28. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day:

30. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne: 3

31. He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

We here find Peter fulfilling the prophecy of his Lord; laying the first stone of that building which he was to raise, the Christian church. The foun

dation on which he places it, is the death and resurrection of Christ. His death, though brought about by the wicked passions of men, was settled in the determinate counsel of God, that he might be "the propitiation for our sins," the "Lamb slain before the foundation of the world." Thus he died

as man; but he rose as God. Him God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. It was not possible that he who "had life in himself," who "quickeneth whom he will," should be kept in the chains of death. He might submit to die in that nature which he had assumed; he might

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lay down his life of himself," though no man could take it from him; but it was not possible that he should be holden of death, as had been foreshown from the beginning in a prophecy of David, which cannot be justly or fully applicable to any other. In part, it is applicable to all the people of God; for he is on their right hand, that they shall not be moved; moreover also their flesh shall rest in hope, that "though worms destroy this body, yet in their flesh shall they see God;" they shall "come forth," shall rise again at the last day." But not until they have seen corruption. "It is appointed unto all men once to die;" to suffer the original sentence, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." But this did not Jesus. His soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

In him, and in him alone, are the words of David verified, which, being a prophet, he before spake of the resurrection of Christ.

Such was the prophecy, hitherto lying in a dark place, on which the light had now shone. And this might prepare their minds for the fact which was to follow.

32. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35. Until I make thy foes thy footstool.5

36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Here Peter brings home to the minds of the assembly that great truth which he must prove, and they receive. God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. Your nation has long expected a king; one whom the Lord should send "to rule his people Israel." Your own David speaks of such an one; one who should ascend into heaven, which he himself did

5 Ps. cx. 1.

not; should sit on the right hand of God, till all his foes were subdued under his feet. Jesus, then, whom God hath raised up, is that Lord, that King. Your nation has always expected a Messiah: one anointed of God to deliver his people. He is that Messiah: God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ.

But why should they believe this? There were strong reasons to prevent their believing it; for it opposed the whole current of their thoughts and opinions. Should their king be crucified? Still more, should they have crucified their king, and thus acknowledge themselves guilty of a most heinous sin? This they would be most unwilling to admit; and there must be strong proof and evidence on Peter's side to prevail over the natural resistance of their hearts.

There was, however, such evidence. There was the evidence of that miracle, which had just excited their surprise. Are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in his own tongue wherein he was born? Here was an astonishing fact, which must in some way be accounted for. St. Peter accounts for it. This Jesus hath God raised up: and he hath sent forth that, which ye both see and hear. Such proof could not be set aside, as the Jews had attempted in the case of other miracles. No false reasoning could explain it away. How hear we every man speak in our own language? It agrees with a prophecy.

It fulfils a promise which we find in our Scripture. But these prophecies cannot cause the wonder, though they enable us to understand it: the cause must be, some more than human power exerted on these men.

Through this medium the truth was conveyed to the understanding of the assembly, that God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ. And not alone to that assembly is the truth addressed. God has been pleased to leave such indisputable evidence of his Gospel, that it might satisfy all future ages. Only fifty days after the Crucifixion, when all the events were recent, and might be known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem, these apostles appeared as public witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus; and the proofs of it which they alleged were satisfactory to a numerous and mixed assembly of their countrymen. What had not been then proved, could not be proved now. But what was then proved to be certain, is as certain now: has lost none of its claims to be believed.

Thus we are carried back to the foundation of our faith, and find it strong and firm. And that faith is, that God has made that same Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, both Lord and Christ. The Christ who died to atone, the Lord who lives to rule. 66 Through the tender mercy of our God, the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow