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We ought to obey God rather than men.* when they had such credentials to produce of a divine commission; the resurrection of Jesus, the gifts of the Spirit residing in themselves, the wonderful works which they had wrought before all the people; conviction ought to have followed their words: but instead thereof there was vexation and anger. When the council heard them, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. By the advice, however, of Gamaliel, they restrained their malice for a season, and having beaten the Apostles, and commanded them not to preach in the name of Jesus, they let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

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God be praised, that the sincerity of our Christian profession is not now exposed to so severe a test, as that of the Apostles and first believers. The Gospel is now outwardly, at least, and ostensibly predominant; and is not, opposed by the direct persecution of temporal power. But the conflict between good and * Acts v. 29. D

evil, between Christ and Belial, is still going on, under various shapes and names; and still it frequently happens, that in the faithful, fearless discharge of his duty to Christ, the believer and the preacher of the Gospel are called upon to suffer loss or shame for his name. This is especially the case in those countries where the Romish Church has a preponderating influence; where an abjuration of error, and a profession of the pure faith of the Reformed Churches, are often followed by alienation of kindred and neighbourhood; a destitution of worldly means; contempt, rebuke, and reproach. May all confessors of the true faith, have grace to rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ! Such are the trials, to which God has ever subjected his elect, for the truth's sake, in those seasons when he has determined to purify his Church. And they who go through the furnace, under the shadow of his grace, uninjured by the flame, are numbered amongst the inheritors of the promise, To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.*:

May we all be actuated and supported by the

* Rev. iii. 21.

same spirit, which enabled the Apostles to set forward the cause of the Gospel; a spirit of zeal, and of charity; of zeal for the truth as it is in Jesus; of charity towards those who are in error; and of fervent gratitude towards God, who has been pleased to impart to us, unworthy as we are of the least of his gifts, the unsearchable riches of Christ!

LECTURE III.

ACTS vii. 59.

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

NEXT to the holy Apostles, the person, whose death is recorded in the text, was the earliest defender of Christianity: his reward was, the distinction of being the first martyr in its cause. Within a short time after our Saviour's death, the Church had become very numerous in Jerusalem, the place where the chief priests and scribes thought that they had effectually checked the progress of the new religion, by the cruel example which they had made of its author. The believers consisted principally of two classes of people; the Hebrews, or Jews of Palestine, who had embraced the faith of Christ; and the Grecians, Jews of the Dispersion, natives of towns where the Greek language was spoken; or those, who having been born heathens, had adopted

the Jewish religion. The due administration of the common fund of the Church having become too burthensome for the Apostles, who were desirous of giving themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, they appointed to that charge seven deacons, or ministers, chosen by the brethren, men of honest report, spiritual and discreet; of whom the chief was Stephen. It appears that from the beginning of the Christian Church, the order of deacons was a distinct spiritual order, and not merely appointed for the temporal ends and convenience of the Church; for when the Apostles had prayed, they laid their hands on them; and we find them immediately afterwards acting in concert with the Apostles, although in due subordination to them, as preachers of the Gospel. It is also to be remarked, that, as the primitive Christians usually made their contributions every Lord's day, and at the Lord's table, for the use of the poor, the deacons were, from the first, employed in the service of that table; and it appears, from the example of Philip, that they were authorised to baptize for the Apostles, as the Apostles themselves had baptized for Jesus, during his ministry. The Apostles in person planted Churches in different cities of the East,

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