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in connexion with angry or light emotions, he must be blind indeed who fails to perceive the tendency of such a practice to wear out all traces of seriousness from the mind. They who are guilty of it are continually taking lessons of impiety, and their progress, it must be confessed, is proportioned to what might be expected.

(4.) The criminality of taking the Lord's name in vain is enhanced by the absence of every reasonable temptation. It is not, like many other vices, productive of either pleasure or emolument; it is neither adapted to gratify any natural appetite or passion, nor to facilitate the attainment of a single end which a reasonable creature can be supposed to have in view. It is properly the "superfluity of naughtiness,” and can only be considered as a sort of peppercorn rent, in acknowledgment of the devil's right of superiority. It is a vice by which no man's reputation is extended, no man's fortune is increased, no man's sensual gratifications are augmented. If we attempt to analyze it, and reduce it to its real motive, we find ourselves at a total loss to discover any other than irreligious ostentation, a desire of convincing the world that its perpetrators are not under the restraint of religious fear. But as this motive is most impious and detestable, so the practice arising from it is not at all requisite for that purpose; since the persons who [persist in] it may safely leave it to other parts of their character to exonerate them from the suspicion of being fearers of God. We beg leave to remind them that they are in no danger of being classed with the pious either in this world or in that which is to come, and may therefore safely spare themselves the trouble of inscribing the name of their master on their foreheads. They are not so near to the kingdom of God as to be liable to be mistaken for its subjects.

XXXV.

ON THE ORIGIN AND IMPORT OF THE NAME CHRISTIANS. Acts xi. 26.—And the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

It is the glorious prerogative of God to bring good out of evil, and by the powerful superintendence of his providence to overrule the most untoward events, and render them conducive to the ends of his glory and the good of his people.

The persecution which arose upon the death of Stephen affords a striking instance of this; whence the disciples, being all scattered and dispersed, besides the apostles, went everywhere preaching the word; in consequence of which, the neighbouring districts and provinces were much sooner visited with the light of the gospel than they would have been but for that event.

Had the church of Jerusalem continued to enjoy [it] undisturbed in that abundance of spiritual prosperity which attended it, and in the

endearments of the most exalted friendship, they would in all likelihood have been indisposed to separate, and the precious wheat would have been accumulated in one spot. By the violence of persecution this happy society was broken up: the disciples found it necessary, according to the direction of their Divine Master, to flee to other cities, where, inflamed with the desire of magnifying Christ and of saving souls, they distributed the precious treasure of the gospel. Thus the clouds which the wind had scattered descended in rich and copious showers to refresh and render fruitful the earth: "And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles; and they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word."*

Among other places where the gospel was planted on this occasion was Antioch, a famous city built on the river Orontes, and the capital of Syria, where the kings of Syria, the successors of Alexander the Great, usually resided. This city must be carefully distinguished from Antioch in Pisidia, mentioned in the thirteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

The instruments chiefly employed in this work appear to have been men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to this city for the first time, spoke to the Greeks (that is, the pagan inhabitants of the city), preaching the Lord Jesus. Much success crowned their labours; or, to speak in the language of the Holy Ghost," the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord."

This is the first instance we meet with in sacred writ of the gospel being preached to the heathen. Though the apostles and evangelists had received from their Lord a commission for that purpose, it was some time before they fully comprehended its import, or attempted to execute it. By a special direction, Peter had, indeed, previous to this, communicated the gospel to Cornelius and his family; but no general attempt had hitherto been made to propagate Christianity among idolaters.

Until this time, they who were dispersed from Jerusalem, in various parts, preached the gospel to Jews only. The introduction of the gospel into Antioch was therefore distinguished by the remarkable circumstance of its being the first instance in which the apostles' commission was executed to its full extent, and the treasures of divine truth were freely proposed to the acceptance of the gentiles. It was here the light of the word first began to dawn on benighted pagans, and that the heathen began to be "given to Christ for his possession." The happy union of Jews and gentiles in one church, and the breaking down of the middle wall of partition which had for ages divided them from each other, commenced here. That ancient oracle in which it was foretold that "God would enlarge Japheth, and that he should dwell in the tents of Shem," then began to receive its accomplishment. Those whom Jesus had made "fishers of men," and who had hitherto † Gen. ix. 27.

Acts vill. 1, 4.

confined their labours to the scanty rivulets and shallow pools of one people, began now to "launch out into the deep," and to cast their net in the wide ocean.

When tidings of these things came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem, they were far from feeling emotions of envy. The holy apostles were strangers to any uneasy sensation on finding that event accomplished by meaner instruments which they had neglected to attempt. They immediately "sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch; who, when he came and saw the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them, that with purpose of heart they should cleave to the Lord." His character explains his conduct; for “he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much people were added unto the Lord."

Not satisfied with contributing his own exertions to the formation of the work, he called in superior aid: he [went] to "Tarsus, to seek Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch." Thus this church, in addition to other extraordinary circumstances, had the honour of being one of the first scenes in which the great apostle of the gentiles laboured. It was here he began to scatter those celestial sparks which soon after kindled a general conflagration in the world. "And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people." Then follows the circumstance on which we have founded this discourse: "And they were called Christians first at Antioch."

I. As the appellation of “Christian" was unknown till this time, it is natural to inquire by what appellation they were distinguished previously. From the Scriptures it appears there were various names by which the followers of Christ were characterized. Among themselves the most usual denomination was brethren. "And we came the next

day to Puteoli, where we found brethren."* "If any man," saith St. Paul, "that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, with such an one no not to eat." They were styled "believers:" "And believers were the more added to the Lord, both of men and women." They were denominated "disciples:" "There went with us also certain of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge."§ Their enemies, by way of contempt, styled them Nazarenes; thus Tertullus accuses Paul of being "a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes." Of similar import to this was the appellation of Galileans, and the term aineis, or sect, meaning by that a body of men who had embraced a religion of their own in opposition to that established by the law. And this appellation of Galileans was continued to be employed by the enemies of Christ as a term of reproach as late as the time of Julian, who reigned about the middle of the fourth century, and used it incessantly in his invectives against Christians. The followers of Christ were also styled "men of this way:" "And I persecuted this way unto the death."P

* Acts xxviii. 13, 14.

Acts xxi. 16.

↑ 1 Cor. v. 11.
Acts xxiv. 5.

1 Acts v. 14.

Acts xxli. 4.

II. Another question naturally here occurs,-Was this name given by human or divine authority? On this the Scriptures offer no certain information, nor can any thing be affirmed with confidence. It is not at all probable an appellation so inoffensive, and even so honourable, originated with their enemies; they would have invented one that was more opprobrious. But supposing it to have been assumed first by the disciples themselves, we can scarcely suppose they would have ventured to take a step so important as that of assuming an appellation by which the church was to be distinguished in all ages, without divine direction; especially at a time when the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were so common, and in a church where prophets abounded. For" there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.*" Is it to be supposed that they would assume a new appellation without recourse to the prophets for that direction; or that, supposing it to have had no other than a human origin, it would have been so soon and so unanimously adopted by every part of the Christian church? This opinion receives some countenance from the word here used, which is not in any other instance applied to the giving a name by human authority. In its genuine import, it bears some relation to an oracle.† Names, as they are calculated to give just or false representations of the nature of things, are of considerable importance; so that the affixing one to discriminate the followers of Christ in every period of time seems to have been not unworthy of divine interposition.

III. The next inquiry which arises on this subject respects the propriety and import of this name.

1. Of its propriety no doubt can be entertained. It has always been usual in the schools of philosophy, and in the sects arising out of a difference of opinion in religion, to give to the partisans the name of the founder. Thus the Platonists were so styled from Plato, the Pythagoreans from Pythagoras, the Aristotelians from Aristotle, the Sadduceans from Zadoc. The propriety of the followers of Christ taking their name from him was still more striking. The respective leaders we have mentioned merely communicated their opinions to their followers, and after they quitted the present [state] had no further influence over them; the conviction ceased for ever. It is far otherwise with the disciples of Christ: he is now as much as ever their living head; he lives in them, and they live by him. To them he stands in the same relation as the natural head to the members. It is not a civil, but a vital-not a temporary, but a perpetual and eternal union, which subsists between Christ and his followers. By a sacred and mysterious influence, he imparts his very image to his disciples; and it is surely fit they should receive their name from him from whom they have derived their nature.

*Acts xiii. 1.

+ Benson, Doddridge, and others, think that the word xonarioal implies that it was done by a divine direction But Parkhurst thinks that the passages quoted by Doddridge do not bear him out in his interpretation.-ED.

VOL. III.-M

In bestowing the appellation of Christians on the disciples of Christ, God may be considered as fulfilling that gracious declaration, "Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name:"*"The Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name."t

It soon began to prevail to the exclusion of every other. When Peter wrote his first Epistle, it seems to have been in familiar use: "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." St. James styles it "that worthy name;" it is truly a most excellent and honourable appellation: "Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?" In the times of persecution, the only question asked of such as were arraigned at the tribunal of the magistrate was, "Are you a Christian?" To answer this in the affirmative was looked upon as in every way to justify the proceeding to the utmost extremities. And in the midst of the sharpest torments, the martyrs found a relief and refreshment in repeating, at each pause of agony, "I am a Christian."

2. The proper import of this name is, a follower of Christ: it denotes one who, from mature deliberation and an unbiassed mind, embraces the religion of Christ, receives his doctrine, believes his promises, and makes it his chief habitual care to shape his life by his precepts and example.

The Christian and the man of the world are diametrically opposite characters; since it is a chief part of our Saviour's design, and the great scope of his religion, to redeem us from the present evil world.

The Christian is one who professes to have attained such a practical knowledge of Christ as enables him to walk even as he walked. The rules by which he lives are the words of Christ; his example is the model after which he copies; the happiness he aspires to is that of being for ever with the Lord.

Here it is too apparent that multitudes assume the name of Christian, to whom it is, in strict propriety, utterly inapplicable. Educated in a country where Christianity is the established religion, they acquiesce in its truth, or perhaps never thought the inquiry, whether it were true or not, of sufficient importance to engage their attention. But to whatever distinguishes the real Christian-his faith, his hope, his charity; to whatever relates to a spiritual union with Christ-faith in his sacrifice, delight in his person, or an animating hope of his appearance, they remain total and contented strangers. They neither have any share in these things, nor are dissatisfied at the consciousness of not possessing them. They feel no scruple in associating the name of Christ with many, perhaps, of the vices, and with all the spirit of the world. This assumption of the name of Christ, without aspiring to the least resemblance to his character, has done incalculable injury to the interest of religion. To this, more than to any other cause, we must ascribe the little progress vital Christianity has made in the world. It is [this] that imboldens the scoffer, encourages the infidel, the profligate, the

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