their temporal concerns, they proceed to detail the history of one whose piety was most distinguished, and whose end was most glorious ; and who, as being the first martyr in the Christian Church, was to be an example for the imitation of Christians in all future ages.
In relation to this history of Stephen, there are two things which we propose to notice ;
I. The occasion of his death —
Being endowed with very eminent gifts, he main- tained a controversy with the most learned Jews of different countries ; and so confounded them with his arguments, that they had no alternative, but to acknowledge their errors, or to silence him by force. To this latter method they had recourse : they seized him, and brought him before the council, and accused him of blasphemy, that he might be put to death. In the chapter before us is contained his defence ; which so irritated and inflamed them, that it stirred them up in a violent and tumultuous manner to take away his life. Let us consider distinctly its most prominent parts:
1. The statement —
[A superficial reader would scarcely see the scope and bearing of Stephen's argument : but the argument will be found plain and clear, if only we bear in mind what the accusation was. He was accused of blasphemy against Moses, and against the temple, and the law, because he had declared that the Lord Jesus would execute his judgments on the whole nation. For these declarations he had abundant warrant, from the prophecies
contained in the Jewish Scriptures3 — ■ nor can we doubt
but that, if he had been permitted to proceed in his argument without interruption, he would have proved every part of his assertions in the most convincing manner. But, as soon as they discerned the precise scope of his argument, they shewed such impatience as constrained him to break off abruptly in the midst of it. He had shewn them, that Abraham was chosen of God whilst he was yet an idolater in an idolatrous land ; that he and his posterity served and enjoyed God, long before
a For the destruction of Jerusalem, see Jer. vii. 4, 7 — 14. and xxvi. 6 — 9, 12, 18. And for the change of "the customs," i. e. of the law itself, sec Isai. lxv. 1G. and lxvi. 19 — 21.