numbers accepted this propofal, and that they who did fo, formed amongst themselves a ftrict union and fociety*; 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 moft intimately and conftantly with the founder of the religion, were feized as they were discoursing to the people in the temple; that, after being kept all night in prison, they were brought the next day before an affembly, compofed of the chief persons of the Jewish magiftracy and priesthood; that this affembly, after fome confultation, found nothing, at that time, better to be done towards fuppreffing the growth of the fect, than to threaten their prifoners with punishment, if they perfifted; 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 fpeak the things which they had seen

and heard," returned from the council, and

reported what had paffed to their companions that this report, whilft it apprized them of the danger of their fituation 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 affiftance, and to infpire them with fortitude, proportioned to the increafing exigency of the fervice *." A very fhort time after this, we read "that all the twelve apostles were seized and caft into prifont; that being brought a fecond 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 defift, they were fuffered to depart; that however they neither quitted Jerufalem, nor ceased from preaching, both daily in the temple, and from houfe to houfe ; and that the twelve confidered themselves as fo entirely and exclusively devoted to this office, that they now transfer

• Acts iv.

+ Acts v. 18.

Acts v.

red,

red, 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 Chriftian miflion, ¡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 paffage of their history, how perfectly free they appear to have been from any pecuniary or interested views whatever. The moft tempting opportunity, which occurred, of making a gain of their converts, was by the cuftody and management of the public funds, when fome of the richer members, intending to contribute their fortunes to the common fupport of the fociety, fold their poffeffions, and laid down the prices at the apostles' feet. Yet fo infenfible, 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 ftewards formally elected for the purpofe by the fociety at large.

We may add also, that this excefs of generofity, which caft private property into the public ftock, was fo far from being required by the apoftles, or impofed as a law of Chriftianity, that Peter reminds Ananias that he had been guilty, in his behaviour, of an officious and voluntary prevarication; for whilft, fays he, thy estate remained unfold," was it not thine own? and, after it was fold, was it not in thine own power ?"

Hitherto the preachers of the new religion feem to have had the common people on their fide; which is affigned as the reason, why the Jewish rulers did not, at this time, think it prudent to proceed to greater extremities. It was not long, however, before the enemies of the inftitution found means to represent it to the people as tending to fubvert their law, degrade their law-giver, and difhonour their temple*. And these infinuations were dispersed with so much fuccefs, as to induce the people to join with their fuperiors in the ftoning of a very active member of the new community,

The death of this man was the fignal of a general perfecution, the activity of which may be judged of from one anecdote of the time: "As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prifon." This perfecution† raged at Jerufa

* Acts vi. 12. + Acts viii. 3.

lem

lem with fo much fury, as to drive moft* of the new converts out of the place, except the twelve apoftles. The converts, thus "fcattered abroad," preached the religion wherever they came: and their preaching was, in effect, the preaching of the twelve; for it was fo far carried on in concert and correfpondence with them, that, when they heard of the success of their emiffaries in a particular country, they sent two of their number to the place to complete and confirm the miffion,

An event now took place of great importance in the future hiftory of the religion. The † perfecution which had begun at Jerufalem, followed the Chriftians to other cities, in which the authority of the Jewish

* Acts viii. 1. "And they were all fcattered abroad;" but the term "all" is not, I think, to be taken frictly, or as denoting more than the generality; in like manner as in Acts ix. 35. "And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord." † Acts ix.

San