ncipal facts which they
were about to produce and relate concerning him; ( Acts i. 12, 22.) that
they began their work at Jerusalem by publicly asserting that this
Jesus, whom the rulers and inhabitants of that place had so lately
crucified, was, in truth, the person in whom all their prophecies and
long expectations terminated; that he had been sent amongst them by God;
and that he was appointed by God the future judge of the human species;
that all who were solicitous to secure to themselves happiness after
death, ought to receive him as such, and to make profession of their
belief, by being baptised in his name." (Acts xi.)

The history goes on to relate, "that considerable numbers accepted this
proposal, and that they who did so formed amongst themselves a strict
union and society; (Acts iv. 32.) that the attention of the Jewish
government being soon drawn upon them, two of the principal persons of
the twelve, and who also had lived most intimately and constantly with
the Founder of the religion, were seized as they were discoursing to the
people in the temple; that after being kept all night in prison, they
were brought the next day before an assembly composed of the chief
persons of the Jewish magistracy and priesthood; that this assembly,
after some consultation, found nothing, at that time, better to be done
towards suppressing the growth of the sect, than to threaten their
prisoners with punishment if they persisted; that these men, after
expressing, in decent but firm language, the obligation under which they
considered themselves to be, to declare what they knew, 'to speak the
things which they had seen and heard,' returned from the council, and
reported what had passed to their companions; that this report, whilst
it apprized them of the danger of their situation and undertaking, had
no other effect upon their conduct than to produce in them a general
resolution to persevere, and an earnest prayer to God to furnish them
with assistance, and to inspire them with fortitude, proportioned to the
increasing exigency of the service." ( Acts iv.) A very short time after
this, we read "that all the twelve apostles were seized and cast into
prison; ( Acts v. 18.) that, being brought a second time before the
Jewish Sanhedrim, they were upbraided with their disobedience to the
injunction which had been laid upon them, and beaten for their
contumacy; that, being charged once more to desist, they were suffered
to depart;