through the town that the king was at the point of death. Hereupon, the people in general, men, women, and children, adopted the customary mode of clothing themselves in sack cloth, and united in prayers to God for the recovery of the king. In the interim, Agrippa, who was in an apartment at the top of the palace, could not refrain from tears on seeing his mourning subjects prostrate on the pavement below. His extreme pain continued unabated from that time to the end of five days, when he died, in the seventh year of his reign, and the fifty-fourth of his age.

Having thus far traced the history of the primitive Christians, it is proper that. we should here pause a little, to consider what were the doctrines in which they were instructed, and what was the discipline established among them. The former may be collected into a few simple articles, which we shall proceed to state, enumerating, after each of them, certain passages of scripture by which they are supported.

1. The whole race of men, as descended from fallen parents, are, by nature, in a state of utter depravity, of which (not to mention innumerable other transgressions) they have given the most awful proofs the Jews, by the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; and the Gentiles, by the substituting the worship of idols instead of that of the great Creator, who is blessed for ever. [Acts vii. xvii. 22..30, Romans i. ii. iii. 1..20, v. 12..21, Ephesians ii. 1..3.]

2. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the long expected Messiah, was given up to death by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of his Father, that the scriptures might be fulfilled, and a sacrifice offered to take away sin. Being delivered: from the power of death, he was raised on the third day, presented himself alive to many witnesses, and was finally received up into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of God, to plead the cause of his people, to dispense the gifts of his Holy Spirit. on his servants, and communicate the blessings of pardon and peace to all that diligently seek him. He shall come a second time to judge the world in righteousness, and render to every man according to the transactions of his life. [Acts ii. 22..36, x. 34.. 43, 1 Cor. xv. 1 Thes. iv. 14..17, Heb. vii. 24..28, ix. x. Ì..29, 1 John ii. 1, 2.]

3. As all men, being sinners, stand in need of salvation, so there is no other way of salvation, but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Whosoever believes his gospel, is at peace with God, shall find all the troubles of this life tend ultimately to the augmentation of his happiness, has nothing to fear from death; but, being delivered from everlasting punishment, shall enjoy a blessed eternity in the presence of God and his holy angels. His body shall be, on the last day, raised from the grave, in a new and more glorious form, like that of the body of our Redeemer. [Acts iv. 10.. 12, xvi. 31, Rom. v. viii. 1 Cor. iii. 11, Gal. ii. 14..21, iii, 1 John iii. I, 2.]

4. They that are sincere believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are made partakers of a new nature, disposition, or life, in consequence of which, their affections become fixed upon God, their lives are devoted to his service, and they, forsaking their former evil practices, diligently cultivate every duty. It is therefore incumbent upon husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, rulers and subjects, 10 conduct themselves, in every instance, as may the most effectually contribute to the benefit of each other. Yet no regard to earthly relations inay tempt us to abandon the cause of Christ, though in circumstances of the greatest danger or distress, nor to violate even the least of his commands. [Rom. vi. xii. xiii. 2 Cor. vii. 1, Gal. v. 13..26, Ephes. v. vi. Col. iii. iv. 1..6, 1 Thes. v. 1 Tim. vi. James i. 19..27, 1 Pet. ii. iii. iv. Rev. v. 9, 10, vii. 14, xiv. 4, 5.]

Wherever the apostles went, as a respectable writer of the present day observes, they preached, and besought, and enjoined men to repeut and believe it.

When their

preaching was successful, they directed their converts to associate, for the observance of public worship and ordinances, always on the first day of the week, and also at other times. These societies were called churches. The word ecclesia, church, means an assembly of any kind. It is often applied to Israel, who formed one assembly in the wilderness, as their males did afterwards, three times a year, when they went up to Jerusalem. It is sometimes applied to an assembly called by a magistrate, and sometimes to a tumultuous assembly. In Acts xix. 32, the mob is called the church; and again, in verse 40, where we read, he dismissed the church. Verse 39, the same word is used for an assembly called by the magistrates. Dr. Campbell asserts, that it always denotes either an assembly actually meeting together, or a society united by some common tie, though not convened, perhaps not convenable, in one place. It is never used as a collected term in the singular number, for the body of Christians who reside in any province or kingdom.

Though the distinction of clergy and laity did not obtain in the primitive church, there were among them certain officers who were employed in building up the churches of God. Some of these offices appear to be extraordinary, and others to be permanent. Dr. Campbell argues, that the apostles could have no successors.

1. From the indispensable qualifications for the office. An apostle must be one who had seen Christ after his resurrection [1 Cor. ix. 1, xv. 8.]; for he was ordained to be a witness of Christ's resurrection. Acts i. 22, x. 41, &c.] 2. The apostles were distinguished by special prerogatives, which descended to one after them; receiving their mission from Christ, the power of conferring the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and the knowledge, by inspiration, of the whole doctrine of Christ. 3. They were universal bishops; the whole church was their charge; and the whole earth their sphere. 4. We have full proof, that no idea of succession to the office was entertained in their own age, or in the times immediately succeeding; for no one, on the death of an apostle, was ever substituted in his room; and, when the original college became extinct, the title became extinct with it. The apostles were ambassadors for Christ; and, having delivered their message, and declared the whole council of God, which is contained in their writings, it was unnecessary that any successors to them should be raised up. They are the twelve foundations of the church. [Ephes. ii. 20, Rev. xxi. 14.]

We read of prophets who foretold future events, as Agabus, [Acts xxi. 10.] although, certainly, the term prophecy is not confined to this in the New Testament. There were also prophets in the church at Antioch. [Acts xiii. 1.] Perhaps Mark and Luke, who have written a part of the New Testament, were prophets. At any rate, it was an extraordinary office, for which men were qualified, and to which they were called, by the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; and those who held it might say, as Paul does of his apostleship, "not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ." [Gal. i. 1.] It is true, prophesying seems sometimes to be put for the mutual exhortations of the brethren. [1 Cor. xiv. 31.] Ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." And he who prophesieth, is said to speak to men, to edification, and exhortation, and comfort [1 Cor. xiv. 3.]; but it is also evident from the passages quoted above, as well as from others, that the term prophet is used in the New Testament to denote a person possessed of extraordinary gifts peculiar to that period; and they appear, by the manner in which they are classed, to have been next to the apostles.

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Evangelists were assistants to the apostles. Their charge was not confined to any particular church. Philip and Timothy are expressly styled evangelists. Titus, although the name is no where given him, was evidently employed in the duties of the