TIBERIUS. Circumstances 22. The dissensions which prevailed among the rulers of the Jews served to mitigate the persecution with which the Apostles were pursued. At this time the High Priest was a Sadducee; but Gamaliel, the most learned and influential man among the Jews, was a Pharisee. Between these two sects jealousy and hatred raged. The new religion was hateful to both: it forcibly inculcated the doctrine of the resurrection, which the Sadducees denied; and as forcibly rebuked the external observances, as opposed to inward purity, in which the Pharisees prided themselves. Both, therefore, were ready to persecute the followers of Jesus, but jealousy of each other restrained their hands: the Sadducees would not be anxious to punish the Apostles for practices and doctrines which depreciated Pharisaical rites; nor would the Pharisees consent to their death for the zeal with which they promulgated the doctrine of the resurrection. Add to this that the government was in some sense aristocratical; that the Romans (who did not care to interfere with the intestine troubles of a religion which they affected to despise,) had the appointment of High Priest; and that the chief persons among the Jews would therefore be desirous to propitiate their Roman masters, which they might do by suppressing commotion and promoting tranquillity,-and we have a combination of circumstances favourable to the Apostles and the progress of the Gospel. 22. Mention any circumstances which were likely to have been favourable to the early progress of Christianity, (1) among the Heathen, and (2) among the Jews. Why was Christianity particularly hateful (1) to the Sadducees, and (2) to the Pharisees? What considerations were likely to restrain their hands? Fictitious Causes of the Progress of Christianity. 23. Sceptics have taxed imagination TIBERIUS, for causes of the spread of Christianity, independent of Divine aids bestowed upon the Apostles. Some have conjectured that the kindness of the Christians to the poor induced multitudes to embrace their faith but it is here forgotten that the profession of Christianity involved an immediate risk of life. Others have represented that the profligate lives of the Pagan priests caused many to become Christians: but the profligacy of the priests could not infuse the love of a faith which put credit, property, and life itself to the hazard. Others again, as Celsus, Julian, and Porphyry, have affirmed that the Churches gathered by the Apostles were composed of plebeians and women, i.e., of persons deficient in intelligence, rank, and wealth, who might easily be persuaded to believe almost anything by persons of moderate talents: but this is not true, for among those converted by the Apostles were many persons of wealth and learning (1 Tim. ii. 9: 1 Peter iii. 3: Col. ii. 8); and "a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts vi. 7). Appointment of 24. The number of Believers increasing daily, the time of the Apostles became fully occupied in baptising, attending the Common Prayers of the Church, administering the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, healing the sick, and distributing the common fund. A complaint of the Hellenistic* against the Jewish Christians having arisen, * From 'Envi(w, to copy Greek | ists, or Græcising Jews, were speech or manners. The Hellen- foreign Jews who used the Greek 23. Mention some of the causes of the progress of Christianity which sceptics have advanced, and show them to be groundless. 24. As the number of Believers increased, how were the Apostles occupied ? TIBERIUS. because their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution of the Church's money, the Apostles directed Seven Deacons, of eminent report for wisdom and the endowments of the Holy Spirit, to be chosen as stewards of the common stock, so that the Twelve might be enabled to give themselves" continually to prayer, and the ministry of the word" (Acts vi. 4). Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Simon, Parmenas, and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch, were elected by the body of Believers, and ordained to this special ministry by imposition of the hands of the Apostles.* But their office was ecclesiastical, as well as civil. They not only "served tables,” i. e., waited upon the necessities of the poor, but preached, baptised, and made daily provision for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The power of imparting the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit was withheld from them, the privilege of conferring these gifts being confined to the Apostles. ་ James, the first 25. There is some uncertainty as to the date of the appointment of Jamest to the Bishopric of Jerusalem. It is undoubted, however, that at an early period, perhaps about the year 32, in consequence of the language: by some, however, | It appears from the case of tion to an office by Divine commission, and blessings sacerdotally conferred, were ratified by the imposition of hands.-See Numbers viii. 10; xxvii. 18: Deut. xxiv. 9: 2 Samuel xiii. 9. †There are two persons of the name of James mentioned in the What was the immediate cause of the appointment of the Seven Deacons ? 25. Who was the first Bishop of Jerusalem ? About what period, and why, was he appointed to preside over the Church at Jerusalem? How long did he hold his office? Give an account of his martyrdom. By whom was he suc ceeded? Are any of his writings extant? * [Note.] Give a brief account of those mentioned in the New Testament who bore the name of James. frequent engagements of the Apostles in other places, TIBERIUS. James the Less was selected to preside as Bishop over the Church at Jerusalem. He is spoken of in Scripture as the brother of our Lord, by which it is to be understood that he was the cousin* of our Lord, being supposed to have been the son of the Virgin's sister, by her husband Cleopas. For thirty years he held the perilous situation of Bishop of Jerusalem, obtaining by his divine temper and pious life the universal title of James the Just. In the year 62 the fury of the unbelieving Jews was turned against him; and taking advantage of the interval between the death of the Roman Governor, Festus, and the appointment of his successor, Albinus, they induced Ananus, the High Priest, a bold and daring Sadducee, to call a Council of the chief men of the Jews, who were enemies of Christianity, before whom James was brought. But the people so greatly venerated the justice and sanctity of James that his enemies dreaded to proceed against him by a formal accusation. An attempt was, therefore, made to ensnare him into assisting to check the growth of Christian doctrines. It was the time of the Passover, and he was placed upon the battlements of the Temple, that he might exhort the multitude who had come together for the feast not to become Christians. He did the very opposite to this, whereupon the people below glorified the blessed Jesus. His enemies, perceiving their mistake, threw him New Testament, viz., James, the son of Zebedee, put to death by Herod Agrippa the elder; and James the Less, first Bishop of Jerusalem. Some, however, suppose James the Less and James the brother of Jude to be two distinct persons; and thus hold that there are three persons of the name of James mentioned in the * See p. 17. TIBERIUS. down from the place where he stood. He was bruised, but not killed, by the fall, but was soon despatched with stones and a fuller's club. His brother Symeon succeeded him in the Bishopric.* He was the author of the Epistle which bears his name, addressed to the converted Jews, the exact date of which cannot be ascertained. Government of the 26. Although we have called James the first Bishop of Jerusalem, we are not to take it for granted that he bore that title in his own lifetime. He was the inspector, or overseer, of the Christians of Jerusalem; but it probably was not until a few years after his time, when Church government was more uniformly established, that the word Bishop acquired the exact signification now attached to it. We may here introduce some account of the government of the primitive Church. Although Christ himself left no positive and direct instructions for the form of government which the Church was to assume, yet from the very first we find a regular chain of authority and subordination, in the appointment of the twelve Apostles, and the ordination of the seventy Disciples. The authority exercised by the Apostles was considerable and extensive, as we learn from various passages in the New Testament (Acts v. 1; vi. 2; xv. 6: 1 Cor. v. 5, 13: 2 Cor. xi. 5). It has been thought that the offices of Bishop and Presbyter were originally the same; and that the name of Presbyter, or Elder, was expressive of age, or rather of gravity and wisdom. The number of Presbyters was proportioned to *The first fifteen Bishops of Jews. Marcus, the first Gentile Jerusalem were all circumcised | Bishop, was appointed A.D. 135. 26. Show that a regular chain of authority and subordination existed in the earliest days of Christianity. How did the office of Bishop originate? What |