he was right, as a natural consequence Stephen was wrong, even
blasphemous, and as such worthy of death. Therefore, he had no scruples
about instigating the death of such a one. Notwithstanding all this
uncompromising and straightforward religiousness, he needed to be
brought from death to life.

Again: look at Cornelius, who was "a devout man that feared God with all
his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway"
(Acts 10:2). There can be no mistake about this man with such a
testimony; and yet he also needed to hear words whereby he and all his
house should be saved (Acts 11:14). Next: Nicodemus, I suppose it will
be admitted, was an earnest and religious man. Evidently, he was one of
those who "believed in the name of Jesus, because he saw the miracles
which He did" (John 2:23). This man, humble and teachable as he was,
came to Jesus, and said, "Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come
from God, for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God
be with him." Yet he was told, "Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God." "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again" (John 3). As surely as all mankind are dead in Adam, so
surely every man needs spiritual life. In this respect it was no new
thing which the Lord Jesus propounded to Nicodemus. The spiritual change
of heart he referred to has always been the one condition of intercourse
with God. All God's saints, even in the Old Testament times, had
experienced 'this. Hence the Lord's exclamation, "Art thou a master of
Israel, and knowest not these things?"

It may be urged that these three men were not in the Christian
dispensation. Let this be granted; but the point at hand is that they
needed spiritual life, though they were such good religious men. It will
not be very hard to prove that even baptized men in the Christian
dispensation need to be raised from death unto life just as much as any
other children of Adam. It is clear, both from Scripture and experience,
that baptism, whatever else it imparts, does not give spiritual
vitality.

St. Peter's testimony is this, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth Him and
worketh righteousness is accepted with Him" (Acts 10: 34, 35). Accepted
to be saved, not because there is any merit in his works, but because
God sees that there is real sincerity in his living up to the light he
has. The heathen w