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inquiry "Whether a person be a false prophet, or not?" In the time of Christ, the power of this tribunal had been limited to the passing of condemnation--but the power of executing, the Romans, to whom Judea was subject, retained to themselves. John xviii. 31. There was one exception, it is true, during the procuratorship of Pilate, and only one; who permitted the Sanhedrin themselves, in the case of Christ, to see the sentence, of which they had been the authors, put in execution. John xviii. 31. xix. 6. The stoning of Stephen, afterwards mentioned, was not done by authority of the Sanhedrin, but in a riot. Acts vii.*

7. The foregoing injunction of the Sanhedrin, however, had not its designed effect upon the apostles; for, instead of being intimidated, they all continued boldly to proclaim Christ and him crucified.

8. Fired with indignation at their boldness, the enemies of religion at length seized the whole company of the apostles, and confined them in the common prison. From this, however, they were miraculously released in the night, and, to the amazement of their enemies, were found in the morning in the temple, teaching the people.

The efforts of the Jewish authorities to destroy the cause of Christianity were strenuous and unremitted; but they seem to have been made to little purpose. Opposition served only to enkindle a higher ardor in the breasts of the apostles. Stripes and imprisonment had no effect to subdue them. From the prison, the council, the Scourge, they departed "rejoicing;" and daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Nor were their labors in vain. Converts multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and many were obedient to the faith. The spiritual edifice, in the erection of which the apostles were employed, rested on a foundation, which the powers of earth could not move.

9. At this interesting period, the circumstances of the Church requiring it, the office of Deacon was instituted.

The occasion which led to the institution of this office was a dissatisfaction, on the part of some Grecian converts, because their widows did not receive a competent supply of food, from the common stock. Hitherto, the distribution had been made by the apostles, or under their direction. But, finding it difficult thus to superintend the temporal concerns of the Church, the apostles relinquished these to officers appointed particularly for this purpose.

10. Notwithstanding the persecuting spirit of the Jewish rulers, none of the followers of Christ had, as yet, been called to suffer death for his name. But near the end of the year 35, Stephen, a man preeminent for his piety, was furiously attacked, on an occasion of defending his doctrines, dragged out of the city, and stoned to death.

Stephen, who was thus called to lead in the "noble army of martyrs," was a deacon in the Church at Jerusalem. He was not less distinguished by his eloquence than his piety. His defence, delivered before the Sanhedrin, recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is a practical illustration of the zeal and boldness of the primitive disciples of Christ.

But what avail signs and wonders, the most splendid appeals of eloquence, or the most forcible convictions of truth, among the obdurate and incorrigible? For, notwithstanding the goodness of his cause, the miracles which he had wrought to support it, the lustre with which he now appeared, and the eloquence which flowerl in torrents from his lips, "they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ear, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him to death." (Acts vii. 57–60.) His dying deportment evinced how eminently he was filled with the spirit of his divine Master, and is a pattern to all who are called to suffer in the same righteous cause.

* Jahn's Archæology.

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11. On the death of Stephen, the storm of persecution became so violent, that the disciples, with many members of the Church, fled to other cities of Judea, and also to Samaria; but wherever they went, they spread the knowledge of the Gospel with great success.

The persecution which arose at the death of Stephen continued, it is thought, about four years. Calamitous as it must have then appeared to the infant cause of the Church, it became, under the direction of its Supreme Head, the direct means of promoting its progress. By the dispersion of the disciples, the Gospel was published abroad. The preaching of Philip in the city of Samaria is particularly mentioned; and such was his success, that, shortly afterwards, two of the apostles formed in that place the Second Christian Church in the world.

12. The year 36 was marked by an event most auspicious to the interests of the rising cause. This was the miraculous conversion of Saul, the persecutor, while on a journey to Damascus, to exterminate such of the followers of Christ as had taken refuge in that city.

The first mention made of Saul is at the trial of Stephen, on which occasion, though a young man, he was active in putting him to death. He was a native of Tarsus, the chief city of the province of Cilicia, and had come to Jerusalem to pursue his studies under Gamaliel, a celebrated doctor of the Jewish law.

Saul having enlisted himself against Jesus and his cause, and being of an ardent temperament, sought opportunity to distinguish himself in putting down the advancing interests of the despised Galilean. Having intimation that not a few of the disciples had taken refuge at Damascus, a noted city of Syria, Saul petitioned for a commission from the high priest against them. This being readily granted, he, with several companions, were soon on their journey, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the Christians. About noon, one day, they arrived in the vicinity of Damascus, when suddenly there appeared to him the Schekinah, or glory of the Lord, far more bright and dazzling than the sun in his meridian splendor, and a great light from heaven shone around them. Saul was sufficiently versed in Jewish learning to recognise this as the excellent glory, and he instantly fell to the earth as one dead. But how inconceivably great must have been his astonishment, to hear himself addressed by name, "Šaul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And yet, if alarmed at the question, his surprise could not be diminished on asking, "Who art thou Lord?" to be told, in reply, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest ;-it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." Trembling and astonished, Saul inquired, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Jesus said unto him, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." And Saul arose from the earth, but the splendor of the

vision had overpowered his bodily eyes, so that he was led by the hand into Damascus, where he remained three days without sight or food.

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Conversion of Saul.

It is necessary only to add, that in a few days Saul was numbered with the disci ples, and began "to preach Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God."

That such a person should become a convert to the faith in the then infant state of the Christian Church, was eminently important for this particular reason, "that all the other apostles were men without education, and absolutely ignorant of letters and philosophy; and yet there were those in the opposition, Jewish doctors and pagan philosophers, men of deep learning, whom it was essential to combat. Hence the importance of such an auxiliary as Saul, who, to great boldness of character, united an amazing force of genius, and the most thorough knowledge of the times."*

13. The conversion of Saul, who, from this time, appears to have been called Paul,-the latter being his Roman name, the former his Grecian,-being thus accomplished, he preached for a short season in the city of Damascus, whence he went into Arabia; where, having abode nearly three years, he returned, about A. D. 40, to Damascus.

Concerning the manner in which Paul was employed, during his residence in Arabia, the inspired historian is silent. It is a reasonable conjecture, however, that he preached the Gospel in that country. His temporary absence from Judea, while the storm of persecution was raging, seemed a measure of prudence, since he had become particularly obnoxious to his unbelieving countrymen, by espousing the cause which they so much despised.

14. During the absence of Paul, Tiberus, the Roman emperor, was strangled, or poisoned, and was succeeded by Caius Caligula, whose character and conduct, at length, proved to be more odious and atrocious, than had been those of his predecessor.

A brief notice of the above emperors may not be unappropriate in this place, as it will serve to shew something of the amazing corruption of the great in those times; and against what Christianity had to contend, from men" in high places," whenever they so far noticed it as to bring their opposition to bear against it.

For a few of the early years of his reign, Tiberius put on the appearance of justice and moderation. But at length he abandoned himself to the perpetration of all manner of crimes. He spent whole nights in eating and drinking, and he appointed two of his tab.e companions to the first posts of the empire, for no other merit, than that of navig set up with him two days and two nights, without interruption. His

*Lord Littleton's Observations on the Conversion and Apostleship of Paul.

libidinous indulgences were still more detestable; and the most eminent women of Rome were obliged to sacrifice to him their virtue and honor. His jealousy, which fastened on persons of the highest distinction, induced him to condemn them to death, on the slightest pretences. Frequently, the whole city of Rome was filled with slaughter and mourning. The place of execution was a horrible scene; dead bodies putrefying lay heaped on each other, while even the friends of the wretched convicts were denied the satisfaction of weeping.

Caligula was a greater monster, if possible, than Tiberius. He cast great numbers of old and infirm men to wild beasts, in order to free the state from such unserviceable citizens. He frequently had men racked before him, while he sat at table, ironically pitying their misfortunes and blaming their executioner. And, as the height of insane cruelty, he once expressed a wish that all the Roman people had but one neck, that he might dispatch them at a single blow." He claimed divine honor, and caused temples to be built, and sacrifices to be offered to himself as a god. He caused the heads of the statues of Jupiter and some other gods to be struck off, and his own to be put in their places.*

15. On the return of Paul from Arabia to Damascus, the persecution not yet having entirely ceased, the Jews took counsel to kill him, and with difficulty did he escape. Repairing to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples; but they, doubting the sincerity of his professions, refused to receive him, until Barnabas assured them of his conversion, when he was welcomed with great cordiality.

16. About the time of the death of Caligula, A. D. 41, and the accession of his successor Claudius, the persecution of the Christians, in a considerable degree, abated. "Then," according to the sacred historian, "the Churches had rest throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were edified and multiplied."

It has been usual with commentators to attribute the cessation of persecution, at this time, to the conversion of Paul; but a more probable cause lies in the well established fact, that, at this time, the Jews were too much engaged with their own troubles, to attend to the "heresy of Christianity." Caligula, towards the close of his life, had issued an order to Petronius, the governor of Judea, to set up his statue in the temple at Jerusalem. This order came upon the Jews like a clap of thunder. Petronius, accordingly, marched the army under his care towards Jerusalem, upon which an immense multitude of Jews, men, women, and children, went forth to meet Petronius, to avert, if possible, this designed insult and calamity. Petronius humanely granted their request, and deferred executing his commission; and accordingly wrote to the emperor, urging the importance, and even necessity, of deferring the matter, for fear of the scarcity that might ensue. Thus the Jews were so employed in warding off this terrible blow from themselves and their temples, which was their glory and confidence, that they had little leisure and inclination to pursue and persecute the Christians. Caligula died soon after, upon which the Churches had indeed rest from their troubles; and doubtless many, who had been driven from their families and houses, returned again to Jerusalem.

17. The Church at Jerusalem had now been planted nearly eight years, during which time the preaching of the Gospel had been restricted to Jews. But now Peter was instructed by a vision, that the Gentiles also were to enjoy this privilege, and was directed to open the way for this change, by going to Cæsarea, and preaching the Gospel to a Gentile by the name of Cornelius.

That the privileges of the Gospel should be extended to the Gentiles, seems scarcely, at all, to have entered the minds, even of the apostles themselves. The Jewish

*Robbins's Outlines of Modern History.

converts, as a body, still retained many of their former prejudices, which could only be removed by a divine interposition. On the return of Peter to Jerusalem, he was censured by some for having preached to a Gentile. But he so explained his conduct in going to Cornelius, informing them of what God had wrought in the family of this man by his preaching, as to silence their scruples; for "they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

18. The way being thus prepared to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, Paul, who had received a commission to execute his ministry among them, repaired to Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, A. D. 43, where was soon after gathered the First Gentile Church, and where the followers of Christ first received the appropriate name of Christians.

19. Although the persecution which had existed in the time of Caligula had generally ceased, there were some exceptions. For about this time Herod Agrippa, king of Judea, to please the Jews, put the apostle James, the son of Zebedee, to death; and would have followed his death by the martyrdom of Peter, had he not been miraculously delivered from his hand.

This Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great, (mentioned Matthew xi.) and nephew to Herod the tetrarch, who put to death John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa had incurred the displeasure of Tiberius, by whose order he was put in chains and thrown into prison. The displeasure of Tiberius arose from a speech of Herod, which he made to Caius Caligula, one day, as they were riding in a chariot together, viz.; "that he wished to God that Tiberius were gone, and that Caius were emperor in his stead." Euthychus, who drove the chariot, overheard the words, but concealed his knowledge of them at the moment. Sometime after, however, being accused by Herod, his master, of theft, he informed Tiberius of what Herod had said, upon which the latter was arrested and confined for life.

On the death of Tiberius, Caligula not only liberated his old friend, but invited him to his palace, put a crown upon his head, and constituted him king of the tetrarchy of Philip, and bestowed on him a chain of gold, of the same weight as the iron one which he had worn during his imprisonment.

Such were the circumstances, which elevated to the throne the man who murdered James, and whose efforts to bring to a similar fate the apostle Peter, are recorded in the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

Herod did not long survive this impious attempt to kill an apostle of Christ. On an occasion of receiving the submission of the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which had incurred his displeasure, he appeared in the theatre for that purpose, arrayed in the most gorgeous apparel. To the ambassadors he made an oration, at the close of which the multitude resounded from every quarter, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." This filled his foolish heart with pride, and led him to arrogate that glory to himself which belonged to God. Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him with an irresistible, though invisible stroke. In the midst of receiving these idolatrous acclamations he was seized with excruciating pains: "worms bred in his putrefied flesh, and devoured him alive." After suffering tortures the most tormenting for five days, he died, an awful instance of pride and impiety.

20. About the year 44, a season of great scarcity prevailed in Judea, which seriously affected the Christian converts in that country. This event having been foretold to the Gentile converts at Antioch, by some one divinely inspired, (Acts xi. 28,) they sent relief to their brethren by the hands of Barnabas and Paul, who, when they had accomplished the object of their mission, returned to Antioch.

This famine is notice by Josephus, Eusebius, and others. Its occurrence presented an opportunity to the believing Gentiles to give to the Church at Jerusalem a token

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