render effectual the great purposes of redemption in the hearts of the people by his almighty grace and power. So that there is a beautiful order in the design and execution of the work itself, as well as grace and mercy in the dispensation.

The day of Pentecost therefore opens with the manifestation of the Holy Ghost in his sevenfold gifts and graces. Hitherto the kingdom of grace had been supplied with the occasional effusions of the Spirit on the church, as the sacred purposes of JEHOVAH'S will required. "The Holy Ghost, it is said, was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John vii. 39.) But now that the Son of God hath finished the whole of his ministry upon earth, and is returned to glory, the Holy Ghost comes down in a fulness of blessings, and to him is committed the whole efficiency of the work, as the Almighty Minister in the church, to render the whole effectual; and to this agree the words of the prophets: Isa. xliv. 3-5. Joel ii. 28, &c. Acts ii. 14-34.

I beg to add one observation more on this view of our Christian Pentecost, namely, what a confirmation it gives to all the interesting doctrines of our most holy faith. The promise of God the Father in the Old Testament, and the promise of God the Son in the New Testament, both taught the church to be on the look-out for the coming of the Holy Ghost. And as the glorious period drew nigh when this Almighty Spirit would come and dwell in the hearts of his redeemed, the promises concerning him became more clear and pointed. The Lord Jesus, in his farewell sermon, when instituting his holy Supper as the standing memorial of his death, most particularly described his character, and offices. (See John chap. xiv. xv. and xvi.)- And again, in the very moment of his

person,

departure, he reminded his disciples of the near approach of this blessed guest. "Behold (said Jesus) I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke xxiv. 49.) And still farther he added at the same parting interview," John (said Jesus) truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts i. 5.) And agreeably to this promise, the Holy Ghost actually came down ten days after, on the day of Pentecost when those events took place which are recorded in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

Now from hence the following just and evident conclusion is unavoidable, and must follow: If Christ had not been God, how could he have had power and authority to have sent the Holy Ghost? If Christ had not completed salvation, and finished the work the Father gave him to do, how would his promise have been fulfilled in the gift of the Spirit? If Christ had not ascended, how would the Holy Ghost have descended in exact conformity to what he had said? Can any thing upon earth be more palpable and plain in confimation of all the great truths of our holy faith, that when the Holy Ghost came down, Jesus was gone up, and God the Father confirmed the perfect approbation he had several times from heaven by a voice given of his dear Son, that he was well pleased in him, by sending down, according to Christ's promise, the Holy Ghost? The Lord Jesus had told his disciples before his departure, that it was expedient for them he should go away. "For (said Jesus) if I go not away, the Comforter will not come; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John xvi. 7.) He did depart, and the Holy Ghost came.

What an evidence to all the other glorious testimonies of his mission! And I must contend for it, as for one of the plainest matters of fact the world was ever called to judge upon, that in the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, we have as palpable a seal to the truth of the gospel as we have to any one of the most common events in the circumstances of human life; yea, the subject will warrant my going farther, and to say, that in the heart of every individual sinner whom "the Lord hath made willing in the day of his power," that soul is a living evidence of the descent of the Holy Ghost. And surely it is by these evidences now, in the present awful day of infidelity, and a Christ-despising generation, the Lord is bringing forth proofs to the doctrine of his dear Son. The Lord speaks in every one of them in terms similar to the words by the prophet: "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen." (Isa. xliii. 10.)

I have greatly swollen this article beyond my first intention, yet I cannot take leave of it without adding a short observation, just to remark how needful it must be in every follower of the everblessed Jesus to examine in his own heart for the evidence of his Pentecost mercy, whether that holy Spirit hath witnessed in his spirit to "the truth as it is in Jesus?" Blessed is the man that can testify to the Spirit's work in his own heart in all the offices, characters, and gifts of God the Holy Ghost. When we know him as Jesus described him, the Spirit of truth to guide into all truth; the Witness to our spirits that we are the children of God; the Glorifier of Jesus; the Comforter of the soul; the Spirit of grace, of supplication, and prayer; the Helper of our infirmities; the Spirit of wisdom

and knowledge in the revelation of Christ Jesus: in a word, the great and sovereign minister in the church and heart of all his people, from the first quickenings of grace, until grace be consummated in eternal glory. Oh, for the blessed earnest of the Holy Ghost thus to testify to his own impressions on the soul, whereby believers are "sealed unto the day of redemption!" (Eph. iv. 30.) PENUEL. This is the same word as Peniel, which see. There are two persons of this name in Scripture, namely, the son of Hur, (1 Chron. iv. 4.) and Penuel, the son of Shashak, (1 Chron. viii. 25.) PEOPLE. This, though a word of general import as referring to nations, or the persons of particular kingdoms, yet in respect to the Lord's people, hath a special designation. The redeemed of Christ are called a peculiar people, (1 Pet. ii. 9.)—a“ people that dwell alone, and are not reckoned among the nations." (Num. xxiii. 9.) Hence God the Father, speaking of them to his dear Son, saith, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." (Ps. cx.) And elsewhere the Lord saith, "Thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." (Deut. vii. 6.) And it is wonderful to observe how distinguishing the grace of God is manifested towards them. They are given of the Father to the Son, and set apart in the counsel and purpose of God from all eternity; they are the object of Jesus's love before all worlds; and they are brought under the anointings of God the Holy Ghost, with peculiar marks of his love during the whole of their eventful pilgrimage-state, from the first dawnings of grace unto the fulness of glory. Such are the characters of the redeemed of the Lord. "Oh!

bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard." (Ps. lxvi. 8.)

PEOR. The word means opening, from Pahar. See Baal-peor.

PERGAMOS. One, of the seven churches in Asia, The account we have, Rev. ii. 12—17.

PERIZZITES. The word is derived from Peras, or Pherazoth. Such as dwell in villages: or perhaps, as villages are scattered buildings different from cities, the Perizzites might mean the scattered enemies of Israel, whom the Lord would drive out before them. (Exod. xxxiii. 2.) PERSIA. A kingdom in Asia. This was the king

dom, in the government of the world, which succeeded the Babylonish, when Cyrus, king of Persia, had destroyed the Chaldean powers. (See Isaiah xlv. and Daniel v. 30, 31.)

PETER. The apostle. We have a very circumstantial account of this man in the New Testament, so that it supersedes the necessity of any observations here. His name was altered to Cephas, a Syriac word for rock. We must not however totally pass by our improvements on the apostle's life and character, though we do not think it necessary to go over the history of this great man. Certainly the Holy Ghost intended that the very interesting particulars in the life of Peter should have their due operation in the church through all ages; and it must be both the duty and the privilege of the faithful to follow up the will of God the Spirit in this particular, and to regard the striking features which mark his character. As a faithful servant of Jesus how very eminent Peter stands forth to observation; for who among the apostles so zealous, so attached to his Lord, as Peter? And that such an one should fall from his integrity, even to the denial of his Lord, what caution doth it teach to the