of his violent death, employed himself wholly in publishing the institution in Judea and Galilee; that, in order to assist him in this purpose, he made choice, out of the number of his followers, of twelve persons, who might accompany him as he travelled from place to place; that, except a short abfence upon a journey, in which he sent them, two by two, to announce his miffion, and one, of a few days, when they went before him to Jerufalem, these persons were statedly and conftantly attending upon him; that they were with him at Jerufalem when he was apprehended and put to death; and that they were commissioned by him, when his own ministry was concluded, to publish his gospel, and collect disciples to it from all countries of the world." The account then proceeds to state, "That, a few days after his departure, these persons, with some of his relations, and some who had regularly frequented their society, assembled at Jerufalem; that, confidering the office of preaching the religion as now devolved upon them, and one of their number having deserted the caufe,

F2

cause, and, repenting of his perfidy, having destroyed himself, they proceeded to elect another into his place; and that they were careful to make their election out of the number of those who had accompanied their master from the first to the last, in order, as they alledged, that he might be a witness, together with themselves, of the principal facts which they were about to produce and relate concerning him *; that they began their work at Jerufalem, by publicly asserting, that this Jesus, whom the rulers and inhabitants of that place had so lately crucified, was, in truth, the perfon in whom all their prophecies and long expectations terminated; that he had been fent amongst them by God; and that he was appointed by God the future judge of the human species; that all who were folicitous to secure to themselves happiness after death, ought to receive him as fuch, and to make profeffion of their belief, by being baptized in his name†." The history goes on to relate, "that confiderable numbers accepted this proposal, and that they who did fo, formed amongst themselves a ftrict union and society; that, the attention of the Jewish government being foon drawn upon them, two of the principal perfons of the twelve, and who also had lived most intimately and constantly with the founder of the religion, were seized as they were discoursing to the people in the temple; that, after being kept all night in prifon, they were brought the next day before an afsembly, composed of the chief persons of the Jewish magistracy and priesthood ; that this afssembly, after some confultation, found nothing, at that time, better to be done towards fuppreffing the growth of the fect, than to threaten their prisoners with punishment, if they persisted; that these men, after expreffing, in decent but firm language, the obligation under which they confidered themselves to be, to declare what they knew, " to speak the things which they had seen and heard," returned from the coun

دو

cil, and reported what had paffed to their companions; that this report, whilst it apprized them of the danger of their situation and undertaking, had no other effect upon their conduct, than to produce in them a general resolution to persevere, and an earnest prayer to God to furnish them with assistance, and to inspire them with fortitude, proportioned to the increasing exigency of the service *." A very short time after this, we read " that all the twelve apostles were seized and cast into prison †; that, being brought a second time before the Jewish Sanhedrim, they were upbraided with their difobedience to the injunction which had been laid upon them, and beaten for their contumacy; that being charged once more to desist, they were fuffered to depart; that however they neither quitted Jerufalem, nor ceased from preaching, both daily in the temple, and from house to house ; and that the twelve confidered themselves as so entirely and exclufively devoted to this office, that they now

* Acts iv.

† Acts v. 18.

‡ Acts v.

trans

transferred, what may be called the temporal affairs of the society, to other hands*."

* I do not know that it has ever been infinuated, that the Christian mission, in the hands of the apostles, was a scheme for making a fortune, or for getting money. But it may nevertheless be fit to remark upon this pafsage of their history, how perfectly free they appear to have been from any pecuniary or interested views whatever. The most tempting opportunity which occurred, of making a gain of their converts, was by the custody and management of the public funds, when some of the richer members, intending to contribute their fortunes to the common fupport of the society, fold their possessions, and laid down the prices at the apostles' feet. Yet so insensible, or undefirous, were they of the advantage which that confidence afforded, that, we find, they very foon disposed of the truft, by putting it into the hands, not of nominees of their own, but of stewards formally elected for the purpose by the society at large.

We may add also, that this excess of generofity, which cast private property into the public stock, was so far from being required by the apostles, or imposed as a law of Christianity, that Peter reminds Ananias that he had been guilty, in his behaviour, of an officious and voluntary prevarication; for whilst, says he, thy eftate remained unfold, " was it not thine own? and, after it was fold, was it not in thine own power?"