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whether they could not inflict capital punishment on them. One of the counsellors rose to speak, and desired that the apostles might be removed out of hearing. He was a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, under whom the apostle Paul had been instructed (Acts xxii. 3); and a person in great repute amongst the Jews. Addressing the council, he bid them take care what they were about, and act with caution in interfering with the prisoners. He referred them to some well-known instances, in which the claims made by various persons to great powers had turned out false. There had been one Theudas, who pretended that he was an important person, and had induced about four hundred people to join him; but his attempt had failed-he himself was killed, all his followers had been dispersed, and the plot came to nothing. Then again there was Judas of Galilee, who, in the valuation of property which had been made not long before (when the Romans took possession of the province previously governed by Archelaus, the son of Herod), raised an insurrection; in which he was joined by a large number of people. He too had lost his life; and all his party was separated and put down. From these examples, Gamaliel gave his advice that it would be better to leave the apostles to take their own course: which if it was the device and work of men, it would be sure to end in nothing; whereas if it should turn out to be really a divine work, as they professed, it would be in vain to attempt to put it down; and in making the attempt, they would be opposing God himself.

The advice of Gamaliel prevailed with the rest of the council, so far at least as to prevent them from carrying on their purpose of punishing the apostles with death; but they ordered them to be brought into court again, and sentenced them to be flogged; repeating the order, that they should not preach the Gospel in the name of Jesus to the people. The apostles having received these stripes, were dismissed. As they left the presence of the council, they shewed their joy at being honoured by God, so far as to be stigmatized with shame for being witnesses to the name of Jesus; neither did this punishment in the least prevent them from continuing the course which had

brought it on them, but they continued from day to day, both publicly in the Temple, and privately from house to house, to preach and instruct the people in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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APPLICATION.

1. The beginning of this portion gives a striking picture of the state of the Church in its earliest days, in the midst of the world, which was violently opposed to Jesus and his Gospel. True it is that miraculous powers were then bestowed by the Holy Ghost upon the apostles, such as are no longer manifested in the manner they were at the beginning but yet the ordinary gifts of the Spirit of Christ are the more important effects of his presence, to which the signs and wonders of the earliest days were only intended to draw attention; and these have been bestowed upon the Lord's people from generation to generation, and are promised to abide with the Church for ever. (John xiv. 16.) One effect of the presence of the Spirit of Christ with his people in these first days was, that a solemn feeling of respect was produced amongst the crowd of loiterers about the public parts of the temple, which prevented them from mixing themselves with the band of worshipping christians. And such an effect may be hoped for in a great degree from an abiding consistency of conduct, in any circle of christian society, where the evidence of spiritual life is plain and powerful. Where the standard of conduct is raised high above the world's false notions of morality, whatever may be the opposition of some more violent in their worldliness, there will always be such an effect as will hinder mere hypocrites from joining themselves by a wordy profession, and will alarm sincere people from the snare of self-deception; while believers will be the more added to the Lord, being drawn from darkness by the steady light which such a circle of christians is sure to diffuse in its immediate neighbourhood.

QUESTION.

When I hear of the evils which result from false professors being mixed with the true, am I the more careful to make my own calling and election sure; more especially with a view to render it less likely that such persons should

attempt a profession which is so distinct from the tone of worldliness?

2. The opposers of true religion are sure to be exasperated, when they find that they cannot prevent true christians from doing the will of God, however contrary to the customs of the world; and hence arises the great struggle, by which the faith of the Lord's people is tested in the midst of the world. In these days, it may seldom happen that opposers are able to cast christians into the common prison; but whatever be the degree of trouble they have the power to inflict, their enmity is the same; and the patience required on the part of true christians is often very great, though the external privation may appear but small. The providence of God, which is ordered by the instrumentality of angels (Heb. i. 14), works in each case by the arrangement of circumstances, so as to produce an effect similar to what the angel did for the apostles. They are set free from the trouble; and the danger which seemed to impend is mercifully averted. The angel which works the deliverance under the direction of God, is not seen, except indeed by the eye of faith; but his instrumentality is nevertheless equally real, and each providential mercy is intended to work the same end as that here related and every christian should make such mercies of providence the occasions of manifesting more plainly the glory of God, in whatever manner the course of their duty may point out; just as the apostles were desired when they went from the prison, to "go and speak in the temple to the people, all the words of this life."

QUESTION.

What effect is produced on my temper by the thwarting of my sincere endeavours for the glory of Christ? Do I trace the providence of God in the means by which I am relieved from the distresses thus brought upon me? and what is the result of such providential mercy in my conduct?

3. The christian boldness of the apostles in accounting for their conduct upon the same ground as that which they had before taken, is an example of the consistent courage which ought to characterize christians at all times. A calm

statement of the golden rule "we ought to obey God rather than men," would be enough to carry us through every difficulty to which we may be exposed on account of religion; and if it be accompanied with the same dignified faithfulness which marked Peter's defence, it may excite the anger of opposers, but it will ensure the protection of God. The effect upon the unbelieving Sanhedrim was just such as may be expected from unbelievers of every generation. These men were "cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay" those that were faithful to God. How great is the contrast between this result of faithfulness, and that which was worked by the Holy Ghost, when Peter declared the same faithful truths on the day of Pentecost. (Acts ii. 36, 37.) Then "they were pricked in their heart," and humbly asked the apostle what they should do. That movement of conscience, which convincing them of sin brought them in repentance to Christ, is the very reverse of this movement of conscience which making thein rebel against the truth they dared not deny, only drove them further from Christ, and deeper into sin.

QUESTION.

When faithful truth is applied to my conscience, am I pricked in my heart, desiring to know how I can remedy the evil? or am I cut to the heart, and impelled in anger to increase my sin?

4. The advice of Gamaliel seems to be full of wisdom; but it is the wisdom of this world, and has the peculiar character of such wisdom, that it is distinctly opposed to the principle of faith. It requires but the simplest element of common sense, to be assured that it is in vain to withstand the mighty power of God; and it is a matter of common experience, that those who assume a power they do not possess are sure to fail in their attempts. To combine these two thoughts required but the wisdom of the world; and it might be characterized as the cunning of the world, to have so employed them, as to avoid the responsibility of deciding either for, or against, the matter in hand. It would have been the part of faith to have acknowledged the work as of God; but the advice of Gamaliel required that it should be tested by the result, which excludes the

principle of faith. Those who, like Gamaliel, desire to leave the Gospel and its advocates alone, and to wait for its great results before they acknowledge it to be of God, will find that those results will involve their own condemnation; and that when its divine source shall have been established by the glorious consequences, it will be too late to avail themselves of its saving benefits.

QUESTION.

Do I delay to decide upon the divine authority of the Gospel, until its results shall have made it no longer a matter for faith? and do I treat its advocates with indifference, upon the principle of Gamaliel's advice?

5. The apostles were beaten, in order to deter them from speaking in the name of Jesus; but they rejoiced that they were permitted to suffer shame for Christ's sake, while they continued boldly to speak in that precious name. The vexations and hindrances, to which any of us may be exposed, can rarely be of this kind; at how much less cost then are we called upon to rejoice in those marks of shame, with which the world is able now to honor the true disciples of Christ. The main point is, whether we should follow the customs of the world, or continually manifest that we belong to Jesus; upon this will depend whether Jesus will claim us as his, in the day when all the glories of the present world shall pass away.

QUESTION.

Do I allow the degree of reproach, which is given in the world to a spiritual christian, to prevent me from being one of that number? or do I rejoice in being counted worthy to suffer shame for his name?

THE PRAYER.

Gracious God, who art the giver of every good gift, give me thy Holy Spirit, to work in me both to will and to do of thy good pleasure. May the Spirit of Christ so rule my conduct in all things, that. I may shine as a bright light, and be one amongst many to draw thy people out of darkness, and to deter the children of evil from mixing themselves with thy people. Whatever trial thou mayest be pleased to appoint for my faith, I implore thee to give thine

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