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Tho’ Judas ’mongst the Apostles was
And with them took his part,
His awful end proved him to be
A traitor in his heart.
On the Evening after our Lord’s resurrection he
appeared unto ten of the apostles, Judas being dead,
and Thomas absent: he renewed their mission, and
breathed on them, as a token of his sending the
Holy Ghost. After giving them repeated proofs of
his resurrection, he just before his ascension gave
them a formal commission, saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." After they had
witnessed their master’s departure to the heavenly
mansions, Peter proposed, that one who had been a
constant witness of his marvellous sufferings and
conduct, should be chosen to fill the room of Judas,
The disciples chose Baraabas and Matthias for the
candidates. As the office was extraordinary, and
perhaps the votes equal, the final determination,
which of the two should be the apostle, was left to
the decision of God by the lot After prayer, the
lots were cast, and it fell upon Matthias: he was
therefore numbered with the eleven apostles.
On the day of Pentecost, a feast appointed to commemorate the giving of the law, the Holy Ghost, in the shape of cloven tongues of fire, descended on each of them; rendered them bold and infallible in preaching the gospel; qualified them with power, to speak in every language, to discern men’s tempers,
