men to Angels, and in that foul cavern, the human heart, to light up the beauty and glory of heaven. This religion they went forth to substitute for systems of ceremonious worship, which fascinated with their splendour both the senses and the imagination; for creeds, which flattered human credulity, and were flexible to every toach of ignorance, prejudice, or vice; and for codes, which denanded no sacrifice of lust or sin, and yielded to every corrupt wish of a corrupted heart. What a wonderful object is here presented to a mind, versed in the history and character of man; and with what astonishment must such a mind see this object committed to such hands!

The Character of these men was of the same interesting nature with their Circumstances. They were, as I have observed, poor, uneducated peasants, without friends, power, or influence. Yet they were men of plain, strong sense; and had been trained, for several years, in moral and religious knowledge, under the ablest and best Teacher who has ever appeared below the sun; and to whom all men, learned, as well as unlearned, are indebted for every thing of importance, which they know in the moral system. To the instructions, directly received from this great Teacher of righteousness, he was pleased to add the sun-shine of Inspiration. "Let there be light," said the same voice, which originally commanded the light to shine out of darkness; and in the hearts and minds of these humble men there sprang up "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Under this illumination they uttered wisdom, by the side of which all the preceding and succeeding wisdom of this world is foolish

The chair of religious instruction they assumed at once; and claimed to themselves the character of teachers and lawgivers to the human race. Unlike the Philosophers of antiquity, and the Infidels of modern times, they did not advise; they did not persuade; they did not recommend; but they dictated rules of faith, and prescribed laws of practice. Nor did they differ less from these men in another part of their character. Lofty as their pretensions were, and decisive as were their precepts, they claimed nothing to themselves. In this magnificent office, totally superior to any other, ever occupied by mere men; an office, which kings would have been proud to hold; they still retained all their

former modesty, and were more humble in their deportment, than even in their circumstances. Philosophical pride is proverbial. The Wise man, particularly, of the Stoics, was, notwithstanding his contemptible errors and abominable vices, perfect, both in his own opinion, and that of his sect; and in some respects equal, and in others superior, even to the gods. Immeasurably distant from this arrogance, the Apostles were humble, meek, modest, and gentle, as little children. Proclaiming, as they did, the terms on which the sins of all men shall be remitted, or retained, they gave the glory of all their endowments and attainments to their Master. Yet the greatest of monarchs, and men with whom monarchs can rarely sustain a comparison, have gloried in being registered among their followers.

Of the same extraordinary nature was their Faith in God. No other attribute of the human mind, but a cordial confidence in the Creator, could have induced these sober, quiet men, humble and modest as they were, to undertake an enterprise of this magnitude, obviously attended at every step by tremendous difficulties. They knew, and have proved to us that they knew, their own insufficiency; and on their own powers, whether single or combined, placed no reliance. But they also knew the power of their Master; and in innumerable instances had had ocular evidence, that He was able to control both the natural and the moral kingdoms, with a word, and to do whatever he pleased. Equally were they assured, that he was able to communicate to them whatever powers, and faithful to furnish them whatever assistance, might be necessary for the accomplishment of their undertaking. In him their confidence was, ordinarily, unlimited: and an unlimited confidence was indispensable, where such difficulties were to be overcome, and such efforts were to be made. With this spirit Peter boldly ventured to walk upon the billows, to meet his Master; and with the same spirit, less rash indeed, but equally vigorous, and incomparably more stable, both he, and his companions, when they went out on their great Errand, fearlessly trod their way during life, through the fiery ordeal of persecution. The trial of their faith, as it is beautifully expressed by one of their number, being much more precious than of gold which perisheth.

though it was tried with fire, was found unto glory, and honour, and praise, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

They were Honest; and with an integrity, which no heathen, nor Infidel, Philosopher ever possessed. They were honest to God; honest to their fellow-men; and honest to themselves. Their purposes were perfectly single; and never sinister. They sought neither fame, nor wealth, nor power, nor pleasure. Every wish they restricted to their duty; every aim they centred in the glory of God, and the good of their fellow-men. Their declarations, also, were equally free from the stains of falsehood, and the disgrace of sophistry. They were direct, they were exact. The glorious character of their Master they describe without a single commendation: the transcendent wickedness of his persecutors they recite without a single invective, and almost without a single censure. Their own faults and follies, they disclose without reluctance, without disguise, without palliation. They set out, professedly, to preach the Gospel of salvation to mankind, and to become means of eternal life to such as heard them. This object they pursued, till death interrupted their career.. In their progress they met with innumerable persecutions; such as might be expected, only by the open, bitter enemies of the human race. When these sufferings arrested them in one city, they fled to another; keeping their great design unalterably in view, and only changing the theatre of their efforts. The story of these abuses they have left behind. It is a tale, told, not only without vehemence and hostility, but without emotion. A parallel to it the world cannot furnish. The facts are barely narrated; and the reader is left to form his own unbiassed judg

ment.

Nor were they less distinguished for their Resolution. Fewattributes of the human mind have commanded more admiration than this; and yet few have commonly deserved less to be applauded. Whenever active courage adventures boldly into great dangers, and accomplishes great purposes, the world has ever been prone to admire without consideration, and to applaud without justice: not reflecting, that in this manner, and on the same grounds, both admiration and applause would be due to the exploits of the bull dog, and the tiger. It is only when this attribute is under the control of conscience, and is enlisted in the service of God, and mankind; when danger is encountered firmly, for ends.so valuable as to justify the exposure; not only when great efforts are made, but great good is attained; that courage is to be considered as a virtue, and the brave man to be esteemed honourable.

Their

Such was the resolution of these extraordinary men. Master, in the directions, which he gave them on this occasion, warned them of the dangers, upon which they were entering: "Behold," said He, "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Beware of men: for they will deliver you up to their Councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues: and ye shall be brought before Governors and kings, for my sake, for a testimony against them, and the Gentiles." Melancholy encouragements these to any enterprise; demanding invincible resolution even to commence it, and much more to accomplish it.

In the same manner he taught them to anticipate their sufferings after his death. "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep, and lament; but the world shall rejoice. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." As they placed an implicit and unlimited confidence, both in the integrity and the foreknowledge of Christ, they went out upon this singular expedition, with an entire certainty of experiencing all the distresses which he had announced. " And now," saith St. Paul, "I go to Jerusalem, not knowing what things shall befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth, that in every city bonds, and afflictions, abide me." But with this conviction, this certainty of danger and suffering, both found every where, and extending through every period of their Ministry, they entered upon their great undertaking with the same coolness and serenity, the same undisturbed tenor of thought, with which we go to the ordinary business of life. The anticipated danger they met with an undaunted eye; the present suffering they encountered with unyielding energy. With this spirit they moved directly forward to meet, with this spirit they actually met, danger and difficulty, hatred and persecution, the prison, the stake, and the cross.

Nor were their Patience and their Fortitude less conspicuous,

They were not merely summoned to encounter, but to suffer, also, and endure. Hear the summary, which St. Paul gives of his own distresses. "Are they Ministers of Christ? I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one: thrice was I beaten with rods: once was I stoned: thrice I suffered shipwreck: a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often; in perils of waters; in perils of robbers; in perils by my own countrymen; in perils by the heathen; in perils in the city; in perils in the wilderness; in perils in the sea; in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness; in watchings often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in cold and nakedness."

The manner, in which these extraordinary men bore and endured all this, may be learned most effectually from their own declarations. "None of these things," saith St. Paul, " move me; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

Perfectly accordant with these sentiments was their conduct : " And when they had called the Apostles," saith St. Luke, " and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the Council, rejoicing, that they were worthy to suffer shame for his name." Such was the spirit, which they every where discovered, and on every occasion. Illustrious copies of their Divine Master, they reflected, as mirrors, the glory of the Lord; and were changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Like him, when they were reviled, they reviled not again; when they suffered, they threatened not; but committed themselves to Him, who judgeth righteously. Their patience extorted pity and esteem from their iron-hearted persecutors; and often converted to the faith of the Gospel those, on whom their arguments and miracles had been employed in vain. Their fortitude overcame the fury of their enemies; and forced even malice itself to admire and applaud. From the midst of