Subject-Matter Revealed in the Acts--Our Lord's Post-Resurrection Appearances--Apostolic Curiosity-- Messianic Idea among Jews--Books of Enoch and of Jubilees--Evidence for Inspiration of New Testament-- Christianity a Practical Religion--Contrast with Paganism--Mithraism--Spiritual Blessing of Christ's Reticence concerning the Future--Antinomies in Scripture--Bad Effects of Human Curiosity--At Thessalonica--In the Middle Ages--In Last and Present Centuries--Irvingism--Holy Ghost alone the Source of Spiritual Power 23-42 CHAPTER III. THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST, AND ITS LESSONS. ACTS i. 9. Position of Doctrine of Ascension in Epistles--And in Apostolic Teaching--Curious and Foolish Questions about it--_The Unseen Universe_--Fitness of the Doctrine--And Necessity if the Church was to rise out of Judaism into Christianity--Illustrations, London and the Papacy--Rénan's Theory--The Ascension Glorified Human Nature--Paganism Degraded It--Gladiatorial Shows and Story of the Monk Telemachus--Tacitus and Slavery--Cato the Censor and the Treatment of Slaves--The Ascension and Darwinism 43-60 CHAPTER IV. THE ELECTION OF MATTHIAS. ACTS i. 24-26. Expectation Days--Principle of Divine Delay--Christian Seasons and Judaism--Pentecost and Sinai--Continuity of the Divine Purposes--Christian Chronology--Tatian's _Oration_--The Apostles and the Upper Room--Narratives of Epiphanius and Cyril of Jerusalem--Christianity Supra-local--Last Notice of the Blessed Virgin--Doctrine of the Assumption--Self-restraint of Scriptural Writers-- Choice of New Apostle--St. Peter's Proposition--His Character--_Privilegium Petri_--Reasons for the Election-- The Christian Ministry and the Resurrection--C. Leslie's _Short and Easy Method_--History of St. Matthias-- Apocryphal Gospels--Papias on Fate of Judas Iscariot 61-81 CHAPTER V. THE PENTECOSTAL BLESSING. ACTS ii. 1-4. Origin and History of Pentecost--Gnosticism and Antinomianism-- Modern Aspect of Ancient Heresies--Ancient Union and Modern Divisions of Christendom--Jeremy Taylor's Prayer-- The Fiery Tongues--Protest against Persecution and Penal Laws in Religion--Ussher and Baxter, Mistakes of-- Death-Scene of Queen Caroline--Importance of Corporate Aspect of Christianity--Clergy and Laity in Apostolic Church--Gift of Tongues and Irvingism--Modern Theories about Pentecost--Hypnotism--Greek and Latin not Universal Languages in Apostolic Times--Ramsay's _Geography of Asia Minor_ 82-106 CHAPTER VI. ST. PETER'S FIRST SERMON. ACTS ii. 14.