find it was the Practice in the Primitive Church afterwards; befides they were allowed to preach Acts 8.12. and baptize, as is plain by Philip the Deacon, who did both.

Q. How were the first Deacons ordained to their Office?

A. Seven Men of good Report, full of WifActs 6. 3. dom and the Holy Ghoft, were by the People prefented to the Apostles; who first made their Addrefs to Heaven for a Bleffing upon their Undertaking, and then laid their Hands upon them; an antient Symbolick Rite of Inveftiture and Confecration to any extraordinary Office.

Q. Who were thofe that oppofed and difputed with St. Stephen?

A. Several of the Members of five SynaVer. 9. gogues, of which there were very many at Jerufalem, established for expounding the Law, and for Prayer. In fome Apartments joining to these, were Schools or Colleges for the Inftruction and Education of Youth; which being built by Jews who were Foreigners, were called after the Name of their Countries. But, notVer. 10. withstanding their Subtilty and Learning, they were not able to refift the Wisdom and the Spirit by which be fpake.

Q. Being baffled in this Attempt, what Method did they take to fupprefs the Doctrine be taught?

Ver. 11. A. They fuborned Men of profligate Confciences to undermine him by false Accufations,

that fo he might fall a Sacrifice to their Spight and Malice, and that by the Hand of publick Juftice.

Q. What did thefe falfe Witneffes depofe against bim?

A. That

A. That they had heard bim Speak blafphe- Ver. 13, mous Words against Mofes, and against God. 14. That he should threaten the Ruin of the Temple, and the Abolition of the Mofaick Rites; and blafphemoufly affirm, that Jefus of Nazareth fhould take away that Religion, which had been established by Mofes, and by God himfelf.

Q. What was the Sum of St. Stephen's Defence?

A. That if they looked back to their Fore- A&ts 7. father Abraham, they would find that God chofe him to be a Father of the Faithful, when he lived among Idolatrous Nations; and that he ferved God acceptably without those external Rites they laid fo great Strefs upon. And, when he entered into Covenant with him, he made Use of no Ceremony but that of Circumcifion; and that without any other fixed Rite but this, the fucceeding Patriachs worshipped God for feveral Ages, till the Time of Mofes, who was appointed by God to conduct them out of the Houfe of Bondage, who had foretold, that God would raise up to them a Pro- Ver. 377. phet like unto him, and that they should bear bim. That when their Fathers lapfed into Idolatry, God commanded Mofes to fet up a Tabernacle, as a Place of publick Worship, which, after fome Years, gave Place to a standing Temple, defigned by David, but built by Solomon; which, though ftately, was not abfolutely neceffary, from the Nature of that infinite Being they worshipped. And that therefore there could not be that Neceffity for those Mofaick Rites they pretended; efpecially fince they were defigned to laft but for a Time; but

that

that it was their refractory Humour, as it had A&$7.51. been their Ancestors, to refift the Holy Ghost, and to perfecute and flay thofe Prophets that foretold the Coming of the Meffias, the Holy One, of whom they had been the Betrayers and Murderers, without any Regard to that Law he came to fulfil.

Q. How did the Judges bear his Defence?

A. They expreffed all Signs of Rage and Fury, their Confciences being stung with the Truths he delivered; which prevented the Application he defigned to make. However, regardless of their Resentment, he fixed his Eyes and Thoughts Ver. 60. upon Heaven, and faw the Glory of God, and Jefus ftanding at the Right Hand of God; the affirming of which made his Adverfaries now take it for granted that he was a Blafphemer; and thereupon refolve his Death, without any further Procefs.

Q. How did St. Stephen fuffer Martyrdom?

A. He was ftoned; which was one of the four Punishments among the Jews inflicted for great and enormous Crimes; as Blafphemy, Idolatry, &c. The Witneffes, whofe Hands were to be first upon him, putting off, according to Cuftom, Ver. 58. their upper Garments, laid them down at Saul's Feet, while the holy Saint was upon his Knees, Ver. 60. recommending his Soul to God, and praying for his Murderers, that the Guilt of his Death might not be laid to their Charge; and in this Manner copying the Example of his Mafter, be fell asleep. The miraculous Converfion of St. Paul was a Proof of the Efficacy of St. Stephen's dying Prayers; and of that gracious Favour with which God was pleafed to hear him.

Q. What

Q. What became of his Body?

A. It was carried by devout Men to be buried; who, from a Senfe of the Lofs of fo pious and good a Man, made great Lamentation for bim.

Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Feftival?

A. That a firm Belief and Perfuafion of ano ther Life is the great Support of a good Man under the Sufferings of this. That when Malice and Cruelty combine to deter Men from the Profeffion of the Truth, by inflicting the moft barbarous Torments, the good Providence of God often makes them ineffectual, by affifting his faithful Servants with an extraordinary Communication of his Grace. That no Oppofition or Calumny from bad Men should difcourage Chriftians from doing all the Good they can. That we ought to fummon up all our Courage and Refolution, when we are engaged in the Defence of God's Caufe, always remembring that Patience and Moderation beft become the Advocates of Truth. That though good Men, when they die, depart into a State of Happiness, yet they are a Lofs to the World, which we may juftly lament, being deprived of the Advantages of their edifying Example. That we should be ready to forgive all the Injuries and Affronts we receive from others, and by practising it in ordinary Provocations, to prepare ourselves for the Exercife of it in greater. That if we will diftinguish ourselves to be the Difciples of Jefus, we must love our Enemies, blefs them that curfe us, pray for them that defpitefully use us, and perfecute us, a Perfection of Charity

G

peculiar

peculiar to the Gofpel Inftitution, in which St. Stephen copied the Example of his bleffed Mafter, which we might have thought impoffible to have been imitated, if the Saint of this Day had not convinced us of the contrary.

Q. Since the Love of Enemies is a Duty peculiar to the Chriftian Institution, wherein doth it confift?

A. In bearing a fincere Affection towards our Enemies, though they are malicious and implacable to us and in being ready upon Occafion to give real Testimony of it.

Q. Is it not enough to wish them no Evil, and to do them no Harm?

A. Many devout Christians delude themselves in this Matter; for befides thefe Expreffions of Justice, we are obliged to fhew them all Offices of Charity: because they are Men and Chriftians, our Neighbours and our Brethren. We ought to honour them for their Virtues, and pity them for their Miseries, to relieve their Wants, to conceal their Defects, and to vindicate their injured Reputation; to pray for them, and be placable towards them; ready to remove all Mifunderflandings, and to take fuch Steps as may probably recover them to a true Sense of Things.

Q. What is that Uncharitablenefs to our Enemies we are most liable to?

A. Hard Cenfures and Sufpicions, fancying the worst Designs, and putting the worst Interpretations upon all their Words and Actions: A reigning Sin among Adverfaries; too common among thofe who are otherwife ferious and devout; and this not only against particular Perfons, but on all Hands, against whole Bodies and Parties,

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