568 xii. He is apprehended and brought before the Sanhedrim. Cilicia, and of Asia, SECT. of emancipated captives or slaves', and [some] nians, and Alexanof the Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them draus, and of them of who were natives of Cilicia and Asia, who en- disputing with Stephen. IV. 9. deavoured to prevent the success of his preach Acts wisdom and the Spir ing, by disputing with Stephen", and arguing 10 with him concerning his doctrine. And 10 And they were though they had an high opinion of their own not able to resist the sufficiency to manage the dispute, yet such was by which he spake. the force of his reasoning, that they were not able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit with which he spake, the divine Spirit itself guiding his thoughts and animating his expressions, which raised him far above the strength of his natural genius, and made him indeed a wonder to all that heard him. (Compare Mat. x. 20. and Luke xxi. 15.) 11 12 borned men which said, Then, as they found they were incapable of 11 Then they sudefending themselves by fair argument, they had we have heard him recourse to a most mean and dishonest fraud; for speak blasphemous they suborned men to depose and say, We heard words against Moses, him, even this very Stephen, speak blasphemous and against God. words against Moses, and [against] God himself", the great author of that religion which Moses elders, and the scribes, And as the law required that a blasphemer 12 And they stirred should be stoned, (Lev. xxiv. 16.) they stirred up the people, and the up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, especially those who were in stations of autho- and caught him, and rity, against him; and setting upon [him,] they brought him to the violently seized and dragged him away with them, and brought [him] to the Sanhedrim 1 Libertines, as having been the children remind us, that great numbers of Jews, Their children which council. gius's Nethinim, or Cademan's pays, i. e. persons speaking Hebrew, or the libertines, whom Maius (agreeably indeed to the Syriac,) supposes to bave built this synagogue. But the curious reader may, opinions, and that of some others, in Wolif he pleases, see a farther account of their fius' notes on this verse.-Dr. Hammond and Mr. Biscoe (chap. iv. § 4, p. 105.) take them to have been such Jews as were member to have seen the word libertini free citizens of Rome: but I do not reused in that sense. considerable synagogues in Jerusalem had m Disputing with Stephen.] As the most each a kind of academy or college of young students belonging to it, instructed under some celebrated rabbi, it is no wonder such nurseries should afford disputants, like these spoken of here. n against God.] See note a on chap, vi, in Blasphemous words against Moses, and the beginning of the next section. Reflections on the choice of deacons, and the duty of ministers. 569 xii. which was then sitting; and there, in presence SECT. of their highest court of judicature, they prosecuted the affair to an issue, which will be described in the following sections. Acts VI. 12. IMPROVEMENT. WE see how difficult it is, even for the wisest and best of men, Ver. to manage a great multitude of affairs, without inconvenience and 1, 4 without reflection: It will therefore be our prudence not to ingross too much business into our own hands, but to be willing to divide it with our brethren, with our inferiors, allotting to each their proper province, that the whole may proceed with harmony and order. Let us be solicitous that nothing may be done through partiality; 1 especially let those avoid it who are intrusted with the distribution of charities; It is a solemn trust, for which their characters at least are to answer to the world now, and they themselves must ere long account for it to God. Let them therefore be willing to be informed of the truth of particular cases, willing to compare a variety of them, and then select such as in their consciences they are persuaded it is the will of God they should in present circumstances regard, and in such or such a proportion prefer to the rest. In religious societies it may be highly proper, that after the ex-3 ample here given in the apostolic age, deacons, or persons to perform this office, should be elected by the society, in concurrence with their ministers. It is their business to serve tables. Happy those societies who make choice of men of an attested character, and of those who appear by the virtues and graces of the Christian temper to be in that sense full of the Holy Spirit! While these good men are dealing forth their liberal contribu-4 tions, (by which, while Christ has any poor members remaining we are still to testify our love to him,) let ministers devote themselves with all attention to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Let those, who would administer the word with comfort and success, remember of how great importance it is, that it be watered with prayer, falling upon it as the former and as the latter rain; and especially see to it, that, by the constant exercise of lively devotion in secret, in their families, and on other proper social occasions, they keep their graces vigorous and active; that, living continually in such a state of nearness to God, they may be qualified to speak in his name with that dignity, tenderness, and authority, which nothing but true and elevated devotion can naturally express, or can long retain. Let 570 SECT. xii. Stephen is charged with blasphemy before the Sanhedrim. Let us adore that efficacy of divine grace, whereby a multitude of the Jewish priests were made obedient to the faith; and let us Ver. heartily pray, that, if there are any who claim a sacred character, 7 and yet, out of regard to worldly honour or interest, oppose the power and purity of the gospel, they may be convinced by the influence of the blessed Spirit, that they can have no interest in contradiction to the truth, and that they are happy in purchasing, at the highest price, that gospel which may enrich them for ever. 9 In whatsoever station we are fixed, whether in the world or the church, let us always remember our obligation to plead the cause of the gospel, and to render a reason for the hope that is in us. If this engage us in disputation with men of corrupt minds, we must still hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, knowing that he is faithful that has promised. (Heb. x. 23.) 11 The vilest charge may, as in this instance, be fixed upon the most worthy men; piety may be defamed as blasphemy, and that which is the true love of our country as treason against it: But there is one supreme Lawgiver and Judge, who will not fail, sooner or later, to plead the cause of injured innocence. And when we read of this vile attack that was made by perjury on the character and life of Stephen, we may take occasion to adore that wise and powerful providence which so remarkably exerts itself to defend our reputation and our lives from those false and venomous tongues which, were it not for that secret invisible restraint, might, like a two-edged sword, so quickly destroy both. SECT. XIII. Stephen, being accused before the Sanhedrim of blasphemy, begins his vindication of himself from that charge. Acts VI. 13, to the end. VII. 1—14. SECT. xiii. IT Acts ACTS VI. 13. ACTS VI. 13. witnesses, which was observed in the last section, that those AND set up false Jews who had been confounded by the force said, This man ceaseth and spirit of Stephen's argument and address, not to speak blasphewords against VI. 13. had brought him before the Sanhedrim; and mous this holy place, and while he stood before them as a prisoner, they the law. set up certain false witnesses, who said, This detestable man is incessantly speaking blasphemous words against this holy place in which we now are, that is, against Jerusalem and the temple, and likewise against the divinely inspired law, as one that has no reverence at all for its authority. 14 For we ourselves have heard him saying, that this same Jesus of Nazareth, whom he celebrates so heard him say, that much upon every occasion as the long expected and 14 For we have this Jesus of Nazareth shall The high-priest calls upon him to answer the charge. shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15 And all that sat in the council, looking his face as it had been stedfastly on him, saw the face of an angel. Acrs VII. 1. Then Are these things so? 571 xiii. and desired Messiah, having been rejected and SECT. And, at the very instant that this heinous 15 charge was advanced against Stephen, all that were sitting in the Sanhedrim as his judges, fixing their eyes upon him, saw a surprising radiancy upon his countenance, so that it appeared like the countenance of an angel; God being pleased to crown the natural benignity, sweetness, and composure of his aspect, with a refulgent lustre, like what those celestial spirits have sometimes worn, when they have appeared as his messengers to men. Nevertheless the council proceeded against Acts said the high-priest, him, and the high-priest, without any particular VII. 1 notice of it, said with an affected calmness, as to a common criminal on his trial, Are these things indeed thus, as these witnesses have deposed? Thou art permitted to make thy defence, and this is thy time to speak; if therefore thou hast any thing to offer in thine own vindication from this charge of blasphemy, which the witnesses have so expressly advanced against thee, plead it; and the court will patiently attend to what thou hast to say, before it proceeds to sentence. This a Shall change the customs which Moses delivered to us. I see no reason to believe that Stephen knew the mystery of the abolition of the Mosaic law, which the apostles do not seem immediately to have understood; and it is much less probable, that he openly taught what Paul himself many years after insinuated with so much caution. (Compare Gal. ii. 2.) therefore seems to have been the inference they drew from what he taught, of the destruction he denounced on the Jews, if they continued in their unbelief. But it was a very precarious inference, as the city and temple had been destroyed before, without any repeal of the law, and therefore they were false witnesses. b Like the countenance of an angel.] Grotius, Brennius, L'Enfant, and some others interpret this as a proverbial expression of the majesty and beauty of his countenance, arising from a transport of inward joy, in VOL. VII. And the consciousness of innocence and ex- 372 SECT. xiii. Acts Stephen begins his vindication with the call of Abraham. before he dwelt in Charran, And upon this Stephen began a large dis- 2 And he said, Men, course, in which, in the softest and most in- brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of offensive manner, he solemnly declared his firm glory appeared unto our VII. 2. persuasion of the divine authority of that law, father Abraham, when which he was charged with blaspheming; and he was in Mesopotamia, proved to them from their own scriptures, that God's gracious regards to his people were not limited within the boundaries of that land, nor appropriated to those who were subjected to the Mosaic ritual; at the same time reminding them of some instances, in which they had ungratefully rejected those whom God had appointed for their deliverers, that they might be cautioned against repeating the fault in this instance to their final ruin. He therefore traced the matter to its original, and said, Men, brethren, and fathers, I beseech you all, whether old or young, whether of greater or lower rank, to hearken to me, while I offer these things, which may not only serve for my own vindication from this unjust charge, but may likewise remind you of some important particulars, which it is your highest interest in present circumstances seriously to consider. It is well known to all of you, that long before our law was given, or the place in which we stand had any peculiar sanctity, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, by some resplendent and majestic symbol of his presence, while he was yet with his idolatrous ancestors in Mesopotamia,(Gen xi. 31) before he dwelt in Charran, which for a while he did, after he had removed his abode from Ur of the Chaldeans, which was the land of his 3 nativity. In this idolatrous land it was, that God appeared and said to him, Depart from this him, Get thee out of thy native country, and from thy kindred, who thy kindred, and come are now alienated from my worship, and come away from this land, which for so long a time Stephen began a large discourse.] Le Clerk with a mixture of rashness and weakness, into which he frequently falls in his Reflections on Scripture, not understanding the true scope of this excellent discourse, presumes to censure it, as containing many things not to the purpose, as well as many slips of memory, though it is expressly said, (ver. 55) that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit, when he delivered it. I am persuaded, that it will be admired by all that well understand it, and hope the hints I have given in the paraphrase will lead the reader into the true design of it, and shew has 3 And said unto thy country, and from into the propriety of the circumstances introduced. Dr. Benson has illustrated it in a large and very judicious manner, in his History, Vol. I. p. 123–135, which I shall leave the curious reader to consult. I only add, that, had not Stephen been interrupted by their fury, it is probable, he would have added some other articles, and have summed up the discourse in such a manner, as to shew, that the main design of il was to humble that haughtiness of spirit, which occasioned their rejecting Jesus and his gospel. d Afler |