^ ver. 10, 11. <= John vii. 7.
<• Acts iv. .3. and v. 18, 10. « 2 Cor. xi. 23—27.
is not of himself only, but of all, that he speaks in another place, saying, " I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last, as it were appointed to death : for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place : we are made as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things unto this day^" Every one of them might with truth make the same solemn assertion as St. Paul did, " I protest by my re- joicing, which I have in Christ Jesus my Lord, I die daily s."]
But the whole Church were in fact exposed to the heaviest trials —
[Stephen, being distinguished by his gifts and graces, speedily fell a victim to the people's rage : and his death was a signal for a general persecution against the whole Church: and so bitter was this persecution, " that the people were scattered abroad through all the regions of Judsea and Samaria, none daring to continue at Jerusalem, except the Apostles'*." They had been taught from the beginning to expect this: they had been told, that, " if they would be Christ's disciples, they must take up their cross daily," and " forsake all," and follow him. The saints of former days had been called to suffer like things'; and the same path was now prescribed to all the followers of Christ : " they must bear about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus'^," and " through much tribulation must enter into the kingdom of heaven." By " bearing about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus," I understand the being subjected to the same trials as the Lord Jesus Christ himself endured when on earth : and this was, more or less, the appointed portion of all the early Christians: the same description of people who hated him, and persecuted him, hated and persecuted all who resembled him, and all who honoured him : " they had called the Master of the house Beelzebub;" and by the same ignominious name did they designate " those of his household." In a word, so vehement and universal was the hatred against the very name of Christ, that the mere profession of faith in him was esteemed a suf- ficient ground for imprisonment and death: so that the pre- diction of David respecting them was fully verified, " For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter'."]
How greatly we are interested in their history will appear, whilst we consider,
f 1 Cor. iv. 9, 11, 13. e 1 Cor. xv. 31. ^ Acts viii. 1.
i Heb. xi. 35—38. ^ ver. 10. i Ps. xliv. 22.
2015.] christians' trials magnify their lord. 495
II. The instruction to be derived from it —
The reflections which most powerfully suggest themselves to our minds, are,
1. How worthy the Lord Jesus Christ is to be loved and served —
[Every convert was taught beforehand what he was to expect : yet, in tlie face of all these dangers, millions embraced, and openly professed, the faith of Christ: and as fast as one set of Christians sealed the truth with their blood, others came forward to confess the same Lord, and " were baptized in the room of the dead™," like soldiers instantly springing forward to occupy the ranks which the devouring sword had thinned. So far were they from being intimidated, they were rather emboldened, by all that they saw and heard : if they fled from the sword of persecution, they availed themselves of the oppor- tunity which their flight afforded them, to preach the Gospel throughout all the Roman empire", and " rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake." The example of the Apostle Paul, though transcendently eminent in these respects, may serve to shew us what was the general feeling of the whole Church. Though his afflictions were so numerous and heavy, yet " none of these things moved him, neither counted he his life dear unto hiiu, so that he might but finish his course with joy." He was " willing not only to be bound, but also to die, at any time, and in any manner, for the Lord Jesus."