The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 233

words; we c1mnot resist your influence. We will do the only thing we can do; we will break your bones e.nd draw your blood." Such a fearful sight is sin driven to Its worst, How needful to keep clear of its dominion I III. DIVINE ~A:!.'"l~STA'I';[ONB IN THE HOUR OF TRUL, (Vef!l- 55, 56.) To his devoted servant m this trymg hour God vouchsafed an exceptional manifestation of himself, en extraoi:dinary proof of his Divine favour and assurance of support. We do not look for anything of this kind. But to us, if we are true and loyal to our Saviour's cause, when the time of special trial comes, our Lord will grant some tokens of his presence end of his sympathy. He will not leave u.s alone; he will come to us. And if the heavens be not opened, and if a vision of the Son of man be not granted us, we shall have "the comfort of the Holy Ghost," and the strong inward assurance that he who was with Stephen at this solemn scene is laying beneath us "the everlasting arms." IV. CmusTIAN MARTYRDOM AND MAGNANllDTY. (Vera. 59, 60.) "They stoned Stephen . . . and he cried . . • Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." We can hardly conceive a nobler end than this: a man sealing his testimony to Christian truth with his life-blood, and with his last breath praying for mercy to be granted to his murderers. To few of us is it th'IJ,S given, " not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." But in the course of every Christian life there are offered many oppor- tunities of (1) showing the martyr spirit, and of (2) acting in the spirit of large-hearted- ness. Though we may gain no applause for so doing, and expect no notice to be taken of it by any chronicler, we may remember that" great is our reward in heaven," that we have the approval of the Divine Master, when in any sphere and in any degree we cheerfully "bear his reproach" and show a generous spirit toward those who do us wrong. V. A CRBlsTIAN EXODUB. (Vere. 59, 60.) In the midst of such agitating scenes Stephen was perfectly trustful; he said," Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." In the midst of such tumult he was calm; it seemed natural to the historian to write of his death as if he were going to rest-" he fell asleep." We often look on to the time of our depar- ture, and perhaps wonder what will be the manner of our" goiDg out into the light." If we nourish our faith in Christ as we have the means of doing, by use of sacred privilege and seizure of manifold opportunity, then when the end shall come, in whatsoever form it may appear, our hearts will be (1) trustful in our Divine Saviour-we shall tranquilly resign our spirits to his charge, as into the hands of our Almighty Friend; (2) peaceful ~ur death will be to us as a pleasant sleep. Weary with the toil and strife of earth, we shall lie down to die as those who commit themselves to the darkness of the night, to the restfulness of the couch, in sweet assurance that the eyes which close on this side the grave will open on the other side, to be filled with the light and to .behold the glories of immortality. Live in Christ, and you will die in reverent confidence and unbroken aerenity of soul--C. V ers. 1-17.-Stephen!s addrta: lesS011,s of the patriarchal, ti'IM, Stephen's view of Jesus and his mission rests, as every sound and thoughtful view must do, on the whole past history of the nation-as a nation called to a spiritual destiny in the purposes of God. L THE HIBTOBY o:ir !SBAEL IS BOOTED m DIVINE BEVELATION. Her God is the " God of glory." Power, holiness, perfect freedom, are included in this idea of the " glorious God." History is a Divine revelation, because it unfolds his counsel In times of doubt the rulers of a nation, the guides of a community, should retrace the past to its beE,rinnings, for a Divine idea. lies at the basis of the national life and of every sacred institution. 1. The self-revel,ation of God to Abraham. Every new epoch in religious history starts with a fresh self-revelation of the spiritual nature and attributes of the glorious God. Amidst idolat~ous scenes,_the depths of Abraha:m's spiri~ were stirred, and a light from above shone m. From idols, from Sahrean fet1sh-worsh1p, he turned,. " to serve the livinu and the true God." 2. The call to Abraham. He was to be the reformer of religioi, the founder of a nation, whose life was to root itself in the acknowledgment of a living and a holy, spiritual Being as their God. (1) Such calls involve ever sacrifice. Home must be quitted; its loved associations in fancy and feel- ing torn up ; kindred left behind. It is the type of those moral changes and those llll, VII, 1-60.] THE AOTS OF THE APOSTLES.