hat the
apostles were sent of God and that the gospel was of heavenly
derivation.

Those heralds of gospel grace were also inspired with courage to speak
boldly in the name and cause of Christ, nothing terrified by their
enemies; and "when brought before kings and rulers for his sake, a
mouth and wisdom were given them, which all their adversaries were
unable to gainsay or resist."

Such were the means used of God to propagate the gospel? such the
agents whom he employed and such their qualifications.

We are next to consider the opposition which was made to its
propagation.

Various circumstances combined the worlds against it. So far as
Christianity prevailed, every other religion must fall. No other could
stand in connexion with it. The Jewish was not to be overthrown; but
such changes were to take place in its outward form, that those who
did not know it to be typical of a better dispensation, considered it
as included in the general proscription; as doomed to destruction if
Christianity prevailed Against Stephen that was a principal charge
--"We have heard him say, that this Jesus, shall change the customs
which Moses hath delivered us."

The different systems of Paganism were not opposed to one another, as
they were to that of the gospel. They admitted a plurality of God
--some superior? others subordinate. They considered them not only as
holding different ranks, but as reigning over different countries and
nations. If one of their systems was true another might be so. But
Christianity admitted only "one God and one Mediator between God and
man, the man Christ Jesus." It declared that all others who had been
called Gods and worshiped as such, were not Gods--that those who
sacrificed to them, sacrificed to demons--and it denounced utter,
eternal ruin against those who did not forsake them and acknowledge
Jehovah. Those peculiarities, apart from the nature of this religion,
which is opposed to the lusts of men which rule in their members,
would, of course, unite the world against it. Those of every other
religion would make a common interest in opposing this, which had
fellow-ship with none of them, but tended to their entire subversion
and utter ruin. And it is a fact, that the world did unite against the
religion of Jesus, and against those whom he had appointed to
inculcate it. Christianity then appeared devoid of support--the
opposition to have everything on its side. Christ's followers were a
little fl