A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The Third Perſecution againſt Stephen ſtoned.
BUT the next blow (the Adverſary gave the Church in the third Perſecution) was a blacker and bloodier blow, as the ſequel will demonſtrate; yet even then alſo was there checker'd-work; ſtill the white of Mercy marvelouſly mingled with the black of Miſery.
The procuring cauſe of this third Perſecution was, this Primo-Primitive Church daily winning ground by both the two former Perſecutions, and growing into a very great multitude of Members, whereof many of them were poor perſons, according to Chriſt's word [Go tell John that the poor receive the Goſpel] Matth. 11.4, 5. Therefore there was a neceſſity of Ordaining more Officers to the Twelve Apoſtles, for making a more equal Diſtribution out of their community of goods to the poor ſcatter'd Jews (diſperſed by War among the Gentiles, yet retaining their Religion, in repairing to thoſe great Feaſts where they were converted, and to whom James and Peter wrote their Epiſtles) as well as to thoſe poor Jews, who lived in their own Countrey. The Apoſtles (having greater work in hand, dividing their whole time between Preaching and Praying) could not poſſibly provide for the Love-Feaſts, &c. Therefore to remove the murmuring at the Inequality of Relief, ſeven Deacons were choſen out of the 120, Acts 1.15. to aſſiſt the Apoſtles, and to diſpoſe of that Treaſury (which had been laid down at the Apoſtle's feet) with more equality and indifferency to all fit Objects of Charity without exception.
N.B. The ſacred Record is ſilent concerning five of thoſe Deacons, ſave only in Recording their names, Acts 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and their choice to Office, verſe 6. but wonderful works are recorded concerning the other two, who were moſt Eminent, to wit, Stephen, Acts 6.8. to the end, and Acts 7.1. to the end, and Philip, Acts 8.5. to the end, and chap. 21.8, &c.
Firſt; This Stephen is deſcribed to be a Man mighty in deed and word (wherein he carried the Character of Chriſt, Luke 24.19.) He was full of Faith and Power to work many Miracles among the people, Acts 6.8. and he was as mighty in word as in deed, ſpeaking the word of Truth ſo convincingly, that his Oppoſites had no power to oppoſe it, verſe 10. Thus the promiſe of Chriſt's Aſſiſting Spirit, Matth. 10.20. and Luke 21.15. was performed. Stephen uſing the Office of a Deacon well, did purchaſe to himſelf an higher Decree, &c. 1 Tim. 3.13. A diligent man ſtays not long in a low place. N.B. This was occaſion enough of Envy to the Envious one, who thereupon ſtirr'd up the Libertines and Philoſophers to diſpute againſt Stephen's Doctrine, but being foiled and confounded by him in their Diſputes, they betake themſelves unto Fraud and Force. The beſt Arguments of a baffled Adverſary, are ever found to be Craft and Cruelty. Thus thoſe that did here, (1.) Accuſing Stephen falſly of Blaſphemy, both againſt Moſes and againſt God, verſe 11. (2.) Moving the Mobile and Rude Rabble, or worſt ſort of the multitude, &c. againſt him, verſe 12. (3.) Taking and tolling him away to the Tribunal of unjuſt Judges. And (4.) Suborning falſe Witneſſes there againſt him, v. 11, 13. N.B. This they had learnt of old Jezabel againſt innocent Naboth, an Abominable Artifice, never (that we read of) practiſed before, or rather of older Beelzebub, that old Man-ſlayer, John 8.44. Thus theſe malicious Enemies dealt with out dear Redeemer, before this; and thus was Athanaſius accuſed by the Arrians afterward, and many others alſo; and at laſt, for theſe falſe ſuppoſed Crimes Stephen was ſtoned, Acts 7.58. this was the firſt Breach made upon the Church after its firſt Conſtitution, in its loſing ſuch an uſeful Inſtrument and Officer out of it ſo early. Having diſcovered the black of Miſery attending this Church, let us view the while of Mercy beautifully intermixed with it in the next place to be a little diſcourſed upon. As the cloudy Pillar in the Wilderneſs had a dark ſide and a bright; ſo hath the Church in this World: We have ſeen her black or dark ſide here, now come we to take a proſpect of her light and bright ſide.
The firſt white of Mercy was, that notwithſtanding all oppoſition, the Word of God, and this Church of Chriſt greatly increaſed; and that which was more wonderful; N.B. A great company of the Prieſts were obedient to the Faith, Acts 6.7. Thoſe Legal Prieſts had been the moſt active Adverſaries, and the moſt implacable Enemies of Chriſt and his Goſpel; and their Intereſt had moſt probably prompted their oppoſition, but now feeling themſelves over-powered by the mighty power and preſence of God the Father, Son, and Spirit, they throw down their Arms, cry Quarter; leaves the Legal, and liſts themſelves under the Evangelical Banner; Magna eſt veritas & valebit; Great is Truth, eſpecially in the Spirit of Truth, and will prevail even over the moſt obſtinate Oppoſers, either to their Converſion, or to their Confuſion. Such Converts as thoſe could not but be a comforting and corroborating Cordial to this late Conſtituted Church. N.B. Oh would to God the like were done to the Prieſts in our Day: We ought not to deſpair of the worſt. God hath his time to call them, when he vouchſafeth to ſpeak to their ſtubborn hearts with a ſtrong hand, Iſa. 8.11. then muſt they truckle and become obedient to the Faith, not in a bare ſpeculation only, but in a practical, pious converſation alſo. The Spiritual Weapons of Goſpel Warfare are not weak, but mighty through God, not only to pull down the Devil's ſtrong holds, but alſo to reduce the moſt Rebellious into the obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10.4. and Pſal. 68.18.
The ſecond white of Mercy was, that while thoſe vile wretches were by their ſuborned Witneſſes accuſing Stephen for vilifying Moſes, then our bleſſed Meſſiah from Heaven did vindicate him moſt miraculouſly (and that before he began to ſpeak one word in his own vindication) by clothing his countenance with the like Angelical ſplendour and glory, as Moſes himſelf had been, Exod. 34.30. This ſame admirable Aſpect, Radiancy and Majeſty (put here upon Stephen, Acts 6.15. the like whereof had been put upon Moſes in whom they truſted) could not but convince them, that he was not only no Enemy to him, but alſo of the goodneſs of his Cauſe, the purity of his Conſcience, and the greatneſs of his Courage, through the Divine preſence of the Holy Spirit aſſiſting him; for a mortal Man to look like an Angel, muſt affect the Spectators with admiration.
The third white of Mercy was, the excellent Apology the Lord help'd Stephen to anſwer his Accuſers with, when the Court ſeem'd to give him a fair hearing, though reſolved before-hand to have his blood. Note; He (1ſt.) Denies the Accuſation of a Blaſphemer againſt the Law or Temple, (1.) Arguing abſtrucely (yet well enough underſtood according to the Jews Rhetorick and Logick) that all the Patriarchs before the Law, were ſaved only by Faith upon the promiſed Meſſiah, therefore was there but one way in all times to Salvation. (2.) That Moſes himſelf pointed them to this great Prophet, as their ultimate Oracle. (3.) That the Tabernacle was built according to the Pattern in the Mount, therefore the Patriarchs might pleaſe God, before there was an outward Tabernacle. (4.) That the Temple, tho' not tumbling to and fro, as did the Tabernacle, yet did not confine God to a certain place, proved from Iſa. 66. v. 1, 2. (2dly.) He truly retorts Blaſphemy on them, as they falſly faſtened it on him, ſaying, Your Fathers perſecuted thoſe that Propheſied of Chriſt, as you do me for Preaching him; nay, you go beyond your Fathers ſteps, for you have kill'd Chriſt himſelf, but they kill'd only his Prophets; beſide, you are more for Ceremonies given by Moſes, than for the Moral Law given by God himſelf. (3dly.) He tells them of ſinning againſt the Spirit; all this inraged them, they immediately condemn and execute him, having no better Reply to make, &c.
The fourth white of Mercy was, the Beatifical Viſion vouchſafed to this firſt Martyr of the Goſpel (as Abel was of the Law) to ſupport him in the midſt of all his Enemie's Fury, and his own Anguiſh: He both ſaw, and ſaid he ſaw his Lord ſtanding up to behold his Servants carriage and courage, to count every Stone caſt at him, and to judge and avenge himſelf of his Judges and Executioners, ſo cannot be conquered, &c.
The fifth white of Mercy was, Stephen having ſeen his Exalted Jeſus thro' a ſhower of Stones, kneels down upon his knees in the midſt of his Martyrdom, and prays (as before) that this Jeſus (whom he ſaw ſtanding) might receive his Soul when his Body was Ruin'd, imitating his Lord herein, Luke 23.46. So after that his Martyrers might be pardoned: He prayed for himſelf ſtanding, but when for his Foes, he kneeled This had a ſingular Efficacy for Paul's Converſion, 1 Tim. 1.16, &c. Then died he quietly as one fallen aſleep, being aſſured of his Reſurrection. See Acts 7. per totum.
The ſixth is, The Church, not afraid of theſe mad Murtherers, ſolemnly buried him, Acts 8.2. Bewailing their great loſs, they own him, though executed, for a Blaſphemer, &c.