These were, not only Places of Publick Worship, but a fort of Colleges and Schools, where Men were inftructed in the Law and Traditions of the Jews. Who, being now dispersed in several Foreign Parts, had Synagogues peculiar to their refpective Countries, in which the Youth of fuch a District were Educated. Five of these Synagogues attack St. Stephen at once. Who, finding themselves unable to vanquish him in Controversy, dealt with Men of profligate Consciences, to accufe him of Blafphemy; and then, in a tumultuous manner, they bring him before the Council, in order to obtain a formal Sentence of Condemnation against him. Ch. vi. II. The Matter brought in Charge, and that returned to it in his own Defence, give us fair Intimation, what was the Subject in Difpute between St. Stephen and the Members of thofe Synagogues, who contended with him. The Arguments, used by Him, against the perpetual Obligation, and Neceffity of the Mofaick Inftitution, the Accufers aggravate, by representing them, as blafphemous Words against Mofes and against God. And the Charge he had brought against the Crucifiers of our Saviour, the Vengeance he threatned them with for that Sin, and the Exhortations to submit to the Gofpel-Covenant, are, in like manner, loaded with that odious Character, of Blafphemies against the Temple and the Law. For fo they explain themselves, and ground their Allegations upon this, Ch. vi. 14. We heard him fay, that this Jefus of Nazareth fhall destroy this Place, and change the Customs Mofes delivered us. From this Imputation of Blafphemy St. Stephen vindicates himself, and, at the same time, fupports the Arguments charged with it, by an Hiftorical Account of the most memorable Actions and Events, from Abraham down to Solomon. The Defign whereof is to fhew, that the Law, for which they at this time exprefs'd fo fierce a Zeal, as if no Salvation could be attained any other way, could not poffibly be of that weighty Confequence O 3 and Ch. vii. Ver. 2, to 37• and abfolute Neceffity, which they fondly imagined. And this Proof may be reduced to Three Reasons. (1.) Because (as is plain from the Hiftory of Abraham and the Patriarchs) their Ancestors pleased and continued in the Favour of God, for more than Four hundred Years, without it. Since therefore these were God's Peculiar and Elect, before that Law was given; it follows, that this Law could not be the Covenant, and Difpenfation, for faving Men, exclufive of all others. (2.) Because the very Prophet, at whofe Hands they received the Law, gave them warning of Ver. 37, 38. 15, &c. Another eminent Prophet, whom God (in Ages to come) would raise up from among them, like unto Him (that is, a Law-giver too;) and to whom every Soul among them was commanded, upon pain of utter Excifion, to yield Attention and Obedience. Confequently, Preaching the Faith and ObediSee Deut. xviii. ence of Jefus, who was that very Prophet, could not be Blafphemy against God, or Mofes. Quite contrary. This had a direct Tendency to magnify Both, by leading Men to Him, whom God had decreed, and Mofes had foretold, to be the Saviour of all them, and only Them, who fhould fubmit to be taught by, and ftedfaftly place their Hope and Truft in, Him. (3.) Because that Law, they now pretended fo great Reverence for, was plainly infufficient to Ver. 39, to 50. contain them in their Duty. This appeared from the frequent Relapses into Rebellion and Idolatry, which the Prophets sharply reproached, and threatned with fo many fevere Punishments. And, all this, notwithstanding the Prefence of God perpetually among them, in the Tabernacle firft, and then in the Temple; which yet they were not to fuppofe God fo fond of, as to fpare from Deftruction, if the Peoples Sins called for Vengeance. And therefore, as the ancient Prophets thought it no Profanation, either of the Law, or of that Holy Place, Place, to denounce the Abolition of the One, and demolishing of the Other: No more was it any in St. Stephen, to declare the Extirpation of the Former, and the utter Ruin of the Latter, to a Generation of Men, now ripe for Deftruction. Such as had not only imitated, but far exceeded, the Obftinacy and Malice, and Barbarity of their Forefathers. All which, as this holy Man was about to fhew, in the Procefs of his Difcourfe, he seems to have been interrupted, by the Clamour and Tumult of his Adverfaries; and thereupon raised to that Indignation, exprefs'd at the Fifty First and following Verses. There he flies out, in Rebukes so smart and home, that the Guilty Audience, not able to endure him any longer, were carried to all the Marks of Spight, and Rage, and Fury implacable. Under which how He behaved himself, and what this Malice ended in, the Portion of Scripture, appointed for the Epiftle, is intended to acquaint us. Ver. 51, to 55 PARAPHRASE. 55. Stephen was fo far from being discouraged at thefe Expreffions of Rage, against him, that animat ed with the Comforts of the Holy Spirit, he lifted up his Eyes and Heart to Heaven; and had a Vifion vouchfafed unto him, representing clearly the Majefty of God, encompaffed with his Holy Angels; and that Jefus, whose Cause he had pleaded, and for which he was about to die, exalted as God-Man to the fame Majesty, and in a Pofture of Readiness and Power to fuccour and receive him. 56. And faid, Behold, I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. clares to the Affembly, before 57. Then they cried out with a loud Voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. 58. And caft him out of the city, and ftoned him: and the witnefes laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whofe name was Saul. 04 56. This Vifion, fo graciously afforded for his Support, he boldly dewhom he then ftood. 57, 58. At the hearing whereof, they unanimously exclaimed against him, and by ftopping their Ears, expreffed their utmost utmost Deteftation of the horrible Blafphemy they pretended him guilty of, in affirming a Man, whom he confeffed to have been lately put to Death, now to be glorified, and to reign with God in Heaven. And, looking upon his own Words, as a fufficient Confirmation of the Crimes before alledged against him: They gave a loose to their Zeal, dragged him with Violence out of their City, (as was ufual in the Execution of impious Malefactors) and went to inflict on him the Death, prescribed in the Law, for Blafphemers and Seducers to Idolatry. Which, that they might do with more Expedition and Dexterity, the Witneffes, who by the Law were to have the firft Hand in the Execution (a Ceremony importing the Truth of their Teftimony, and a taking upon themselves the Guilt of the Blood fhed thereupon, in Cafe it were false; and therefore wifely ordained to make Men very cautious what they depofed in Evidence) ftripp'd, and committed their Clothes to the Cuftody of a young Man (afterwards a zealous Preacher, but now a bitter Perfecutor of the Chriftian Faith) called Saul; who thus declared his Confent, and Concurrence in that wicked and bloody Fact. 59. Then the Witnef 59. And they ftoned Stephen calling upon God, and fes firft, and afterwards Saying, Lord Jefus receive my Spirit. the People, caft Stones at this good Man, who, in the mean time, continued to express the greatness of his Faith in that Saviour for whom he fuffered, by commending to his Care and Custody that Soul, which, though now about to be separated from, yet he knew very well should not die with his Body. 760. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this Sin to their charge. And when be bad faid this be fell asleep. A 60. Nor was his Charity lefs exemplary and wonderful, than his Faith. For he did, in most devout manner, befeech God, not to charge this Sin to the Account of them that flew him. And with these Words in his Mouth this Firft Martyr died. Death, which, in regard of the Meeknefs and Compofure of Mind he underwent it with, as well as the Certainty of his Refurrection to a better Life, is rather to be called a Sleep, in which the Body lay down to reft a while, till it fhall please God to awaken and unite it again to that Soul which had fut it off, and which in the mean time lives and acts in a feparate State of Bliss, prepared for the Spirits of good Men. Uffer. Ann. Teft. ad Ann. The Time of this Martyrdom is by Some* placed after our Lord's Death about Eight Months, +by Others at the Distance of about Four, by Others again Seven + Years. Eufebius is exprefs, that it followed quickly after his Election into the Office of Deacon; and from St. Chryfoftom, and fome Others who fpeak in his Honour, we are to conclude, that he was martyred young. The Scripture acquaints us farther, that his Body was interred with Solemnity, and fuch Le Sucur. ad Ann. 38. Lamen Evagr. Hift. Lamentation, as was proper for one, whofe Labours the Church loft, though the gained by his Example. The Place where he fuffered, is faid to have a stately Church built upon it by Eudocia the Empress, Wife to Theodofius. Eccl. 1. I. c. 2. COMMENT on the Portion of Scripture for the Epiftle. F ROM celebrating the Glories of God clothing himself with a Body of Flesh, we pass to the Respects due to the Leader of that noble Army, who willingly unclothed themselves, and put off this Body, for the Testimony of Jefus. Yesterday fhewed us the Heavens opened, for Angels to fing forth the Praises of the Son of God, defcending from thence; To Day the fame Heavens open, to discover the Son of Man Standing at the right band of God, and ftepping forward, as it were, to take up thither a Spirit, not only commended to him, but offering its mortal Attendant as a Sacrifice, the Firft Sacrifice, for his Truth. In the Circumstances of which Heroick Action, described by St. Luke as you have heard, 'tis easy to observe a great Variety of Matter; all conducing very much, to the Honour of that Saint we now remember, and to the Edification of every pious Chriftian, who shall fet himself seriously to confider and remember him as he ought. As First, We have here the great Mercy and Goodnefs of God, in vouchfafing to St. Stephen fuch extraordinary Measures of his Grace, fuch a comfortable and ravishing Profpect of the Glories of Heaven, to fuftain and fortify him, in the Conflicts of his approaching Death, for the fake of his Bleffed Son. And this is contained in the 55th and 56th Verses. Secondly, |