the stars (Sabaiom) formed a part of all the ancient nature-worships. The words at ver. 42, "Have ye offered to Me," &c., will be better understood if rendered more literally, "Have ye not," i.e. ye have not, "offered Me sacrifices," and the meaning will be, that though the Israelites had offered sacrifices in the wilderness, yet were they so marred by their idolatrous practices, as to be as though none were offered.

43. The word Moloch means 'king' or 'lord,' and corresponds to the name Bel, or Baal, as the Canaanitish nations named their gods. Under this name was honoured the sun as the principle of life. Remphan, or Rephan, is the Coptic word for Saturn.

44. As a contrast with the preceding, St. Stephen mentions the true tabernacle which was established in the wilderness. The people were without excuse for following vain idols, as God had made known to them the true worship of Himself.

48. Without detracting from the sanctity of the temple as a type of God's dwelling-place, St. Stephen shews, in the words of the Prophet himself, that the Lord of heaven and earth cannot be contained in anything created. Thus is a reply afforded to the accusation of "speaking blasphemous words against this place." St. Stephen honoured the outward temple, without supposing that God's presence could be confined to it, though His presence was eminently shewn there until the Christian Church took the place of the Jewish temple. We do not suppose that God's presence is confined to churches, yet we built

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houses of prayer and houses of God, in accordance with the dictates of all religion, natural and revealed. We know that God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth, yet we use words in prayer to Him, not imagining that He cannot hear us without them, but because words and forms of words are needful to our prayers.

51. We must suppose some outbreak or interruption among the multitude, which causes St. Stephen so abruptly to change his manner of address. He had done all hitherto to pacify their minds and remove their prejudices, but as, in spite of his words, they still vehemently accuse him, he passes suddenly into the language of stern rebuke. We must regard the address of St. Stephen as incomplete, being cut short by the tumult among the people.

53. This means, 'Ye have received the law through the agency of angels: angels, not mere men, have been employed as the deliverers of the law to you.' There is no direct mention in Holy Scripture of angels at the delivery of the law on Mount Sinai, and doubtless this circumstance was handed down in the unwritten teaching concerning the delivery of the law, which prevailed among the Jews in St. Stephen's time. The fragments of truth in this tradition he selected and used. It is remarkable that in the Greek translation, the Septuagint, at Deut. xxxiii. 2, there is the addition, "on His right hand were angels with Him." There seems an allusion to this "disposition of angels" in Psalm lxviii. 17.

55. In what manner this vision was revealed to

St. Stephen it is impossible for us to say. But the saying is to be received, not as a figure of speech, but as a real fact. To the dying martyr the consolation of supernatural assurance of Christ's presence was vouchsafed. It is remarkable that twice it is said that the Son of Man was seen standing on the right hand of God, whereas it is usual to speak of Him as sitting on the right hand of God; (see St. Mark xvi. 19). St. Gregory has well observed on this, "To sit is the position of a judge or king, to stand of a champion and defender." Hom. xix., on the Feast of the Ascension.

58. The witnesses were to cast the first stone, Deut. xvii. 7. We have here the first mention of him who was afterwards the great Apostle St. Paul. No certain evidence can be derived as to his age from the use of the word "a young man," (neanias,) as that was applied to persons from their twentyfourth to their fortieth year.

59. We here find a direct prayer to Christ Himself as God. That which our Lord Himself said to His heavenly Father, "Into Thy hands I commend My Spirit," St. Stephen says to Christ, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit ;" an irrefragable evidence of the divinity of Christ.

63. As our Lord's words, St. Luke xxiii. 34. The death of a Christian, though the most painful, is called by the gentle name of 'sleep.' The martyr St. Stephen "fell asleep :" so our Lord says of Lazarus, "Our friend sleepeth."

CHAP. VIII. 1. A direct and immediate consequence of this first martyrdom was the further spread of the Gospel. A persecution of the Church at Jerusalem followed the death of St. Stephen, and the Christians were dispersed throughout Judæa and Samaria, the apostles excepted, who remained at Jerusalem, the post of danger.

2. The "devout men," who carried St. Stephen to his burial, were no doubt pious Jews who were convinced of his innocency. At such a time Christians would not have been allowed to pay the last rites of the holy martyr.

4. The very means which the enemies of the Church used for its destruction became a cause of its spread. Probably, but for this persecution, the first Christians would have clung to the city of Jerusalem, and been unwilling to leave it.

5. This Philip is not the apostle of that name, (we are told, ver. 1, that the apostles did not leave the city,) but Philip the deacon, who is described (ch. xxi. 8) as "Philip the Evangelist, which was one of the seven." The other deacons, after the death of St. Stephen, would appear to be more especially the objects of hatred. The city of Samaria in which he preached is not named: it has been conjectured that Sychem might be the city, as our Lord's teaching had been gladly received there, (St. John iv.); and many believers must have been in the place.

9. We have here mention of the Simon known in

Church history as Simon Magus. He belonged to the class of conjurers (goetai) who existed in such great numbers in heathen times, and especially before the coming of Christ. No doubt a great deal of the magic practised was mere trickery. But from the manner in which sorcery is mentioned, as well as demoniacal possession, in the New Testament, we must conclude that it was not all deceit. It would seem as though, before the incarnation of Christ, the evil one possessed a power over men's minds and bodies of which since he has been deprived. The ancient Fathers of the Church believed that many of the answers of the oracles were dictated by devils, who could foresee future events with a clearness beyond that possessed by men. Justin Martyr says that this Simon was born at Gitton, in Samaria. He could not, therefore, be the same Simon mentioned by Josephus as employed by Felix to procure the divorce of Drusilla from her husband. This latter was born, according to the Jewish historian, at Cyprus. Simon Magus was regarded by the ancient Church as the author of the Gnostic heresy. From his name is derived the word 'simony,' to signify the purchase of spiritual gifts or a spiritual charge. The conferring holy orders for a bribe would be most evident simony. The payment of money in order to be intrusted with the cure of souls is regarded by the Church as simony.

13. We must suppose that Simon was for a short time convinced by the heavenly power of truth, and