THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

FOR forty days our Lord remained on earth, to give full proof of the reality of his Resurrection, Acts i. 3; to give fuller instructions to his disciples, Luke xxiv. ; John xxi.; and to prepare them for their future wider sphere of labour, by his precepts, promises, and miracles (especially the REPEATED miraculous draught of fishes, John xxi.) It was, however, only at intervals that He appeared to them, so that we have but mere glimpses of his new life, just as it is only by slight glimpses that we know anything of that future life which the redeemed of the Lord will share with Him. We know, however, that He was still PERFECT MAN (see previous Lesson), but PERFECT in this also, that his glorified body was no longer subject to decay, pain, or death, Rom. vi. 9; Rev. i. 18.

Thus the earth was hallowed by THE PRESENCE OF HER RISEN LORD. A curse had long since fallen on her original beauty, Gen. iii. 17-19, and ever since she has borne the burden, Rom. viii. 22; but she is still God's Creation, and the Lord of Glory scorned not to dwell here, not only in the days of his mortal life, but also for these forty days, as if to show us how Heavenly things may visit us HERE, before the great change that is to pass on the earth (compare Jacob's dream, Gen. xxviii., also John i. 51).

But earth was NOT THE HOME OF THE LORD JESUS. But for "a little while" would He be seen here, John xvi. 16, and then would go home to his Father, John xvi. 28; xvii. 11, 13. His love and pity made Him willing to become flesh and dwell among us for a time, but as soon as his work was done, He went back to the glorious kingdom that He had left, having been for while lower than the angels " (Heb. ii. 7, margin), then exalted far above all things, Phil. ii. 9-11. That glorious place is his home, where He has dwelt from all Eternity, Prov. viii.; John i. 1, 2; xvii. 5.

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The CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ASCENSION are briefly related by St. Mark and St. Luke in their Gospels, and by the latter also in Acts i. Once during the forty days He was seen by above 500 disciples at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6, but the witnesses of the Ascension were far fewer,-probably about the number of the Church in Jerusalem mentioned Acts i. 15. These, however, were amply sufficient for testimony. The place was near Bethany, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, about a mile from Jerusalem, Luke xxiv. 50; Acts i. 12. (In Matt. xxviii., the meeting in Galilee, verse 16, is a distinct incident). There, while giving them bis last counsels and encouragement (Acts i. 4--8), and with a blessing on his lips (Luke xxiv. 51), He was parted from them, and gradually carried up into heaven (a cloud hiding Him), to sit at God's right hand, Mark xvi. 19. His Apostles gazed after Him with mingled feelings, but joy was the strongest, Luke xxiv. 52, 53. St. Paul and St. Stephen were afterwards favoured with visions of Him there, Acts vii. 55; 1 Cor. ix. 1; xv. 8. And to St. John He showed Himself in all his glory, Rev. i.

THE ASCENSION WAS THE LAST PROOF THAT CHRIST HAD TRIUMPHED. The Resurrection was the seal of his work being accepted, and by returning to Heaven He showed that He had finished that work; and the question now is not whether men CAN be saved, but whether they will: it rests with us, for Christ is able to save all that come.

Of his present work in Heaven the Scripture gives blessed assurance; He lives to plead, and make intercession for those for whom He died. Their sins, cares, troubles, are all known to Him, and He pleads with his Father. THAT INTERCESSION CANNOT FAIL, for when He ascended in glory (Ps. xxiv.), HE RECEIVED GIFTS FOR MEN, Ps. lxviii. 18.

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST.

THE works of an Almighty hand are always around us, and even the birth of a corn-stalk from a grain is so utterly beyond our understanding that we may justly say we are always witnessing miracles. But the general sense of the word is an act of Divine power, contrary to the usual order of things. The parting of soul and body is mysterious; but it is the common lot of man, and no miracle; but to call back the parted spirit is clearly so.

MIRACLES HAVE BEEN WROUGHT BY MANY OF GOD'S SERVANTS. In old times Moses wrought many; Joshua bade the sun stand still; Elijah and Elisha each wielded the wondrous power. And the Apostles of the Lord received expressly the same commission, Matt. x. 8; Mark xvi. 17, 18; Acts ii., iii., vi. 8; ix. 32-43; xiii. 11.

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST, however, were beyond all comparison glorious,in two points,-in being PERFECTION, and in being HIS OWN WORK. The first He wrought, John iii., was like a type of all his work, turning common things into valuable ones, and giving a richness and beauty to what was otherwise poor and tame. See again, the over-abundant draught of fishes, repeated twice, Luke v.; John xxi.; the feeding multitudes with a few loaves, also twice done, Matt. xiv., xv., when the supply far exceeded the need (contrast this with 2 Kings iv. 42-44); the resistless recall of dead Lazarus, John xi. (contrast this with the apparent difficulty in 2 Kings iv. 32-35). Nothing failed, and all that was done was done perfectly.

All his miracles, moreover, were HIS OWN WORK. When we turn back to those quoted above, as wrought by his servants, we find them constantly avowing that it was in God's name or the name of the Lord that they worked, Ex. vii. 15-17; viii. 1, 2 ; xi. 1, 2, &c.; 1 Kings xvii. 14; 2 Kings iii. 16-18; iv. 43; Luke x. 7; Acts iii. 6, 12; iv. 10; ix. 34. But turning to the works that the Lord did, we find Him speaking in his own name "I COMMAND," Mark ix. 25. He did indeed commune, constantly, with his heavenly Father, but was yet so ONE with Him (John v. 17) that "He spake and it was done." His commands are those of a king, not a servant's delegated authority; and his crowning miracle, the resurrection, proved HIS OWN Almighty power, John ii. 19; x. 18.

FOR WHAT PURPOSE did our Lord work all these miracles? We trace in them THE INFINITE COMPASSION OF THE REDEEMER, who, in the midst of misery and guilt, moved about as a messenger of mercy, "touched" by human woe, Heb. iv. 15, and rejoicing to dry the tears of all that would let Him, Acts x. 38.

But the avowed object was rather TO CONFIRM THE LORD'S CLAIMS TO DIVINE POWER.-See, for instance, John xv. 24; also John x. 25; v. 36; and especially our Lord's direct statement in Matt. xi. 1—6. This result followed again and again, see John i. 48, 49; ii. 11; iv. 29, 53; xi. 45; xii. 11; Matt. xiv. 33. And the efforts made by the priests to stifle the fact of the resurrection showed they felt this. If that were true, IT PROVED CHRIST TO BE DIVINE.

But there are two warnings on that point. See Deut. xiii. to show that DocTRINE IS TO BE JUDGED BY THE SCRIPTURE, not by miracles, which may be Satanic. Our Lord constantly appealed to the Word of God to prove the soundness of his teaching, THEN to his miracles as a confirmation.

And the second warning is that miracles may CONVINCE, but not CONVERT. our Lord's own words in Luke xvi. 29–31. Grace alone reaches the heart.

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THE TEACHING OF CHRIST.

THE CHARACTER, OBJECT, AND RESULTS of our Lord's teaching are worthy of as much careful study as his works. Indeed, as we have already pointed out, the Bible itself instructs us to test the Doctrine (or Teaching) by Scripture not by Miracles, the latter being then a confirmation to our Faith. And our Lord's character shines out fully as much in His Teaching as in His Miracles. His one chief work on Earth was to die for our Sins, but we must ever look on Him not only as the REDEEMER, but also as the TEACHER.

The CHARACTER of His Teaching is remarkable for three things-AUTHORITY, KINDNESS, and WISDOM. The Jews were not, even in those evil times, untaught and uneducated: it was the quality of the instruction that was so wretched, com pare Matt. xxiii. 4 with Luke xi. 52. But the poverty of such teaching was felt and the common people could not respect their teachers, whose known inconsistencies spoilt their best instruction. Christ came with power, and without one stain on His Life to spoil the effect, and people at once recognized His AUTHORITY, Matt. vii. 28, 29; though they might not all yield to it. Under that power His enemies trembled, and could only seek to silence the lips they could not answer, Matt. xxii. 46, whilst His disciples rejoiced in the same evident authority, John vi. 68,

Again, in KINDNESS, His teaching was pre-eminent. He could and did rebuke bold blasphemers and hypocrites with righteous anger, Matt. xxiii. 23—36; but that very denunciation ended in a burst of tenderness and pity for the misguided people, v. 37, 38. And the main topic of His Discourses was to call sinners to repentance, to bring back the wanderers, and comfort the broken-hearted, Matt. xi. 28-30. See especially Matt. ix. 36.

And the WISDOM with which He spake has been the admiration of numbers who have not been true believers, whilst His true disciples have felt it. He knew the heart, John ii. 25, and He used that Divine knowledge to reach the heart, by simple statements, familiar illustrations, and earnest appeals. He so taught that a thoughtful mind would find itself continually reminded of His words by the scenes of daily life. The sun, the rain, the harvest, the fisherman's toil, the birds, the lilies, all were employed and hallowed; whilst all was done with patient and repeated efforts-line upon line.

The OBJECT of our Lord's Teaching is perhaps less distinct, for all who have ever spoken in His name have sought to tell the same precious truths-to show what Sin is, and what its end must be-to show how God is ready to forgiveand to urge men to flee from the wrath to come. As there is but one Saviour, there is but one Gospel.

But we may notice, with respect to the particular times in which our Lord lived, that he had to rescue Religion from formalism and hypocrisy on the one hand, as well as neglect and infidelity on the other. In this view we may sum up his teaching in John iv. 23, 24, and say that He taught the supreme importance of the state of THE HEART before God.

The RESULTS of His teaching were worthy of note, throwing light on the desperate hardness of the Human heart, and at the same time magnifying the Patience and Goodness of Him who was willing to go on so unsuccessfully. The prediction in Isaiah liii. 1 finds its full accomplishment; 500 disciples is the greatest number we read of (before the Day of Pentecost), as the result of His Teaching. Let us thank God, however, that we know what a glorious Future is to come. "HE WILL BE SATISFIED."

Plans and Entelligence.

TEACHERS' PRAYER UNION.

MANY teachers, feeling deeply anxious that their Sunday schools should share in that gracious out-pouring of God's Holy Spirit, which He is so manifestly giving at the present time in answer to faithful prayer, have called upon the Committee of the Institute. to name a special subject for each week, and to appoint a particular time for all teachers to join together in united supplication. Fully convinced that a great blessing will attend such united prayer, they have gladly adopted the suggestion, and now invite all their fellow-labourers to select the morning of TUESDAY in each week for special prayer for the Sunday school cause, and especially to plead for the particular object named for each day. The Committee also ask them to circulate this invitation among their Christian friends, and to solicit their co-operation in this most important part of their duty.

The following is the list of subjects proposed for the first quarter, which will be repeated each succeeding quarter in the same order, only that the one especial point to which prominence has been given in this list will be changed in each of the following ones. In naming one portion of the subject especially, it is not intended that prayer should be limited thereto, but only that it should have a chief place in our petitions.

SUBJECTS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER.

Jan. 1st. For the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as a Teacher and Intercessor on all engaged in Sunday school work.

Jan. 8th.-The Sunday School Institute, and especially its Officers, that they may be endued with wisdom from on high to guide its operations usefully.

Jan. 15th.-The Ministers of the Gospel, and especially that they may preach Christ and Him crucified, with faithfulness and wisdom.

Jan. 22nd.-All Superintendents, and especially that they may know how to rule by love with wisdom.

Jan. 29th.-All Sunday School Teachers, especially that they may themselves experience the power of that Gospel which they teach, and that they may speak the truth in love.

Feb. 5th.- All Sunday Scholars, and especially that they may receive with meek. ness the engrafted word to the salvation of their souls.

Feb. 12th.-The Parents and Families of our Sunday Scholars, and especially that they may know and value the same Gospel which we teach unto their children.

Feb. 19th.-Those who have passed from our Schools into the world, and especially that they may continue in those things that they have learned.

Feb. 26th.-The due observance of the Sabbath, and especially that Sunday bands, Sunday travelling, and other such desecrations may be discontinued.

Mar. 5th.-The Church of Christ, and especially that it may be kept from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism.

Mar. 12th.-For the Spread of the Gospel, especially among the unconverted of our own land.

Mar. 19th. For the Church of England, and especially that it may be purified

from false Teachers.

Mar. 26th.-For our Queen and Rulers, and especially that they may rule in the fear of the Lord.

Copies of this paper may be had on application, by letter to the Editors, at the Offices of the Institute, 41, Ludgate Hill. E.C.

SPECIAL HYMNS FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS. THERE are probably few of us who have not occasionally felt the want of hymns exactly suited to our work as teachers. Sometimes when alone, oftener still when met together as fellow-workers, we seek to give utterance to our feelings in a hymn (and thus follow the highest of all examples, Matt. xxvi. 30), but our Christian literature, though rich beyond that of all other countries in such compositions, furnishes few that are felt to be thoroughly applicable to own work. Not many hymns, in truth, have been written for the purpose.

We think, therefore, that an esteemed friend, superintendent of a large and interesting school, has done well to call general attention to the question; and his own original collection, so modestly put forward rather as a incentive than as an supply, may lead to a combined effort to furnish what is needed.

The Committee of the Sunday School Institute are pledged to do their best, and we now on their behalf, appeal to our many friends to send us manuscripts of original or copied hymns, sound in doctrine, apposite in thought, and of sufficient poetical taste and accuracy to prevent good matter from being spoilt by the mode in which it is set forth.-EDITORS.

A WELCOME TO A NEW TEACHER.