alem. Though Philip and John, [169:2]
and perhaps one or two more of the apostles, still survived, we know
almost nothing of their proceedings. After the death of Nero the Church
enjoyed a season of repose, but when Domitian, in A.D. 81, succeeded to
the government, the work of persecution recommenced. The new sovereign,
who was of a gloomy and suspicious temper, encouraged a system of
espionage; and as he seems to have imagined that the Christians fostered
dangerous political designs, he treated them with the greater harshness.
The Jewish calumny, that they aimed at temporal dominion, and that they
sought to set up "another king one Jesus," [169:3] had obviously
produced an impression upon his mind; and he accordingly sought out the
nearest kinsmen of the Messiah, that he might remove these heirs of the
rival dynasty. But when the two grandchildren of Jude, [169:4] called
the brother of our Lord, [169:5] were conducted to Rome, and brought to
his tribunal, he discovered the groundlessness of his apprehensions. The
individuals who had inspired the Emperor with such anxiety, were the
joint-proprietors of a small farm in Palestine which they cultivated
with their own hands; and the jealous monarch at once saw that, when his
fears had been excited by reports of the treasonable designs of such
simple and illiterate husbandmen, he had been miserably befooled. After
a single interview, these poor peasants met with no farther molestation
from Domitian.

Had all the disciples been in such circumstances as the grandchildren of
Jude, the gospel might have been identified with poverty and ignorance;
and it might have been said that it was fitted to make way only among
the dregs of the population. But it was never fairly open to this
objection. From the very first it reckoned amongst its adherents at
least a sprinkling of the wealthy, the influential, and the educated.
Joseph of Arimathea, one of the primitive followers of our Lord, was "a
rich man" and an "honourable counsellor;" [170:1] Paul himself, as a
scholar, stood high among his countrymen, for he had been brought up at
the feet of Gamaliel; and Sergius Paulus, one of the first fruits of the
mission to the Gentiles, was a Roman Proconsul. [170:2] In the reign of
Nero the Church could boast of some illustrious converts; and the saints
of "Caesar's household" are found addressing their Christian salutations
to their brethren at Philippi. [170:3] In the reign of Domitian the
g