Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/799

 of antagonism  and  pressure  from  without. She is  at  this  day,  after more than  nineteen  hundred  years  of  existence,  as  full  of  vigour  as  ever, and in  a wonderful  state  of  unity  and  stability. She is  the  pillar  and ground of  Christian  truth,  and  is  deeply  loved  by  the  millions  who have the  happiness  of  being  her  children. She has  no  armies  to  protect her; but  she  is  overshadowed  by  the  protection  of  the  Most  High, whose only-begotten  Son  founded  and  built  her  on  the  rock  of  Peter. As, then,  the  Church  is  indestructible,  and  as  the  gates  of  hell  cannot prevail against  her,  she  must  be  a divine  work  and  institution.

How a Christian  ought  to  regard  sufferings.  The  apostles  did  not merely suffer  patiently, for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  but  they  suffered  joyfully. Sufferings were  a joy  to  them,  and  they  esteemed  ignominy  an  honour! That which  the  children  of  this  world  would  look  on  as  a misfortune, the holy  apostles  considered  to  be  a happiness! And why? 1. Because faith taught  them  that  Christ  would  reward  their  present  sufferings with eternal  happiness. “Blessed are  they  that  suffer  persecution  for justice’ sake;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  2. Because the love of  Jesus  made  all  suffering  sweet  to  them. As their  Lord suffered so  much  shame  and  pain  for  them,  they  were  willing  to  suffer something for  Him,  in  order  to  return  love  for  love,  and  to  be  with their Master  even  in  His  sufferings.

Courageous performance  of  duty.  The  council  first  threatened the apostles, and  then,  when  they  persisted  in  preaching,  cast  them  into prison, and  finally  scourged  them. They could  plainly  see  that  they would be  persecuted  and  punished  further  still,  unless  they  refrained from preaching  the  Gospel,  but  all  the  same  they  fearlessly  continued to do  the  work  which  their  Lord  had  given  them  to  do. They did not allow  threats,  or  punishment,  or  even  the  fear  of  death  to  turn them from  doing  the  will  of  their  Divine  Master.

The Liberty  of  the  Church.  By  His  miraculous  deliverance  of  the apostles from  prison,  Almighty  God  showed  it  was  His  will  that  they should be  free  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  that  no  human  power  was to interfere. The Church  in  her  threefold  office  is  instituted  by  God, and is  independent  of  all  human  authority;  and  therefore  St.  Peter solemnly affirmed:  “We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men.”  “This solemn and  authoritative  repudiation  of  obedience  in  face  of  the  synagogue was”,  says  Reischl,  “one  of  the  most  splendid  episodes  in  the world’s history. By it  the  Church,  on  God’s  authority,  asserted  her independence. At the  same  time  she  challenged  the  secular  power, and opened  the  chapter  of  her  long  history  of  martyrdom.”

Is Jesus  King  of  your  heart? Do you  love Him above  all  things? Do you  do  His  holy  will  in  all  things? Does the  Spirit  of  Christ  reign  in  your  heart,  or  the  spirit  of