intercession of His Son, when they saw Him who had been healed "through faith in His name," stand before them whole? So that "many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand." We should pause to consider the wonderful rapidity with which the Gospel was propagated. The Jews still remain in the midst of all of us; but how seldom it is that we make a single proselyte! There is reason to think that there were more converted by the Apostles in one day, than have since been won over in one thousand years *.

SECT. CLXXXIII. — Peter and John brought before the Council.-Acts iv. 1-34.

THE zealous exertions of the two Apostles provoked the resentment of the priestly rulers: "And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the Temple, and the Sadducees came upon them." Before our Saviour's passion, the chief agents against Him were the Scribes and Pharisees; but now that the Apostles do not only assert the resurrection of our Lord, but also preach, "through Jesus, the resurrection from the dead." The Sadducees, who denied any resurrection of the body, became their fiercest adversaries'. The Sadducees were the sceptics of that age, and rejected all belief of the existence of the soul after death, and the rewards and punishments Dr. Whitby.

3 Brewster.

'Bryant.

5

of an invisible world. In their principles we see a striking characteristic of the same infidelity, which in every age has produced the most fatal results. If the language of such professors be, that death is an eternal sleep, it is natural to suppose that the actions of their lives will be directed with a reference to this conclusion. If the Sadducees held the opinion that the soul perishes with the body, as we are assured they did, we can hardly be surprised to find them persecuting, even unto death, those holy men, who endeavoured to reclaim the world from so dangerous a delusion: “And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day."

On the day following they stood arraigned before the Sanhedrim. This great council was composed of three descriptions of persons, which is often expressed in the Gospels, by "the Chief Priests, Scribes, and elders." In this place there is a different way of enumeration from what is usual,-"rulers, elders, and Scribes;" but it is especially mentioned, that "Annas, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the High Priest, were gathered together." The title of Chief Priests was applied to the heads of the twenty-four families, sprung from the sons of Aaron'. There could be but one High Priest properly so called at one time; but there is an indeterminateness 8 › Dr. Lightfoot.

6 Brewster.

7 Dr. Hammond.

in the use of the title of High Priest in the Gospels sometimes it is applied exclusively to the person who held the office at the time; sometimes to one or two more, who probably shared with him some of the functions or powers of the office. It has been a subject of much discussion in what sense Annas and Caiaphas are both called High Priests. They were related, and appear continually to act together; but it is recorded by Josephus, that the former had been deposed by the Romans. It has been conjectured that they were both considered High Priests; either because, having been deposed from the office by a heathen governor, Annas was still considered as High Priest by the Jews; or because he was at this time the sagan, or deputy of the High Priest; or the nazi, or chief of the Sanhedrim'. Peter addresses them in the terms, "Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel:" and boldly avowed before them all that in thus healing the lame man, they had acted by the authority, and "by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead." In the firm constancy displayed by these "unlearned and ignorant men," when brought into the presence of the great council of their nation, and in the courageous declaration they made, that, as the guiding principle Bishop Pearce.

"Archdeacon Paley.

1

of their conduct they must obey God rather than man, we see the fulfilment of those promises made to them by Jesus, that when brought before kings and rulers, they need not meditate beforehand what they should say; but that He would give them a mouth and wisdom, which all their enemies would not be able to gainsay or resist and that it would not be so much they, the mortal instruments of God's will, that spake, but the Spirit of His Father speaking in them 2. From this moment the meek and humble followers of Christ assume a new character. Their humility and meekness, indeed, do not desert them; but to these are added other qualities, absolutely necessary for the great and important undertakings to which they are called. The influence of the Holy Spirit, as we shall find in the subsequent history, supported them in circumstances, from which the mere fishermen would have shrunk3. In the beautiful prayer, in which, when dismissed by the Sanhedrim, and returned "to their own company," "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord," they petitioned these two things: that God would give them boldness to speak the word; and that healings, and signs, and wonders might be done in the name of Jesus: and in earnest of its accept"when they had prayed," the place was

ance,

Dean Howard.

3 Brewster.

Dr. Lightfoot.

shaken where they were assembled together, and they were "all filled with the Holy Ghost." SECT. CLXXXIV.-The Church have all things common.Acts ix. 32-37.

THE multitude of believers who had now congregated round the Apostles, and formed the first Christian Church, were not more linked together in heart and doctrine than in the community of worldly goods. It is related after the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, and now again, when the whole company were assembled with Peter and John, and were again "all filled with the Holy Ghost,” that “all that believed were together," and "were of one heart and one soul," "and had all things common," "neither said any of them, that ought of the things which he possessed was his own;" but they "sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all as every man had need." So that it would seem that the influence of the Paraclete was not only to give tongues, and boldness, and power, but to take from the heart that innate selfishness that we see continually to prevent men from adding of their own to the public store without grudging. At the same time it is a beautiful picture of the confidence inspired by the first professors and teachers of Christianity, that the confidence upon each other should be so great, that they

5 Dean Howard.