steady adherence to religion may occasion, let us be always ready to exclaim with St. Paul. "In all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord "." Another consideration suggested by this transaction is, that we have before us a practical illustration of the manner in which we ought to manifest some of the noblest and most heavenly virtues of the Gospel. The force of our Saviour's example, our self-love may sometimes lead us to elude, by persuading ourselves, that from the union of the Divine with his human nature, our practice cannot be expected to coincide with his. But here, in the case of St. Stephen, we have a mere mortal, like ourselves, shewing what faith, assisted by divine grace, can accomplish. We have here displayed the zeal, the diligence, and the fortitude of Stephen in his holy calling; we behold him actively promoting the religion of his master; intrepidly and acutely disputing with his opponents; in defi • Romans viii. 37, &e: ance of every danger upbraiding his unjust and prejudiced judges with the murder of the Messiah: striking terror into their guilty conscience, by the assurance that he beheld their judge sitting at the right hand of the Father: and, finally, in the very agonies of death, firm to his faith, remembering his Saviour, raising himself on his knees, to express his devout adoration; commending himself to his mercy, and exclaiming, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit." Not less striking is the example he gave in the practice of those peculiarly Christian graces, meekness and charity. Here we behold that holy martyr, in obedience to the precepts, and in conformity with the example of his gracious Master, pouring forth his last breath in prayer for his merciless and wicked persecutors. Suffering under an unlawful and unjust sentence, expiring under the infliction of a most cruel punishment, not an expression of resentment escapes his lips. He dies exclaiming, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Let us bear in mind this example; let us often meditate upon it. When, at the petty wrongs and provocations, which we suffer from our fellow-mortals, our bosom shall swell with wrathful and revengeful passions, let us call to mind the martyrdom of Ste K phen. Let us consider before we exclaim, as we are too prone to do, that our injuries are too hard for flesh and blood to endure. Let us picture to our imagination his sufferings, and his forbearance. Let us compare our petty provocations with his cruel wrongs. Let us ask ourselves, are we bearing the cross and following Jesus, if we revenge when Stephen pitied, if we curse when Stephen prayed? Let us praise God for having upheld by his Holy Spirit, the courage of these virtuous martyrs, and for having preserved the record of their devotion for our edification and encouragement. What triumphs human nature can achieve when invigorated by a steady faith, and supported with aid from above, Stephen displayed a first and most glorious example. The sufferings of this present life, however severe, he was persuaded, were not to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. All the cruelties that could be inflicted upon his body, shook not his faith and fortitude. He was intent on commending the immortal spirit to his faithful Redeemer. "Lord Jesus," he exclaimed, "receive my spirit." With this feeling on his mind, death, even in his most terrific form, was welcome. To the martyr he came as his conductor to a blessed immor tality. Stephen laid himself " down to take his rest, in tranquil and peaceful resignation. He fell asleep." His example has not been lost to the Christian world; many a faithful soldier of Christ Jesus has emulated his devotion to the cause; has embraced and clung to the cross; preferred torture and death to the denial of the Captain of his salvation. To such heroic emulators of Stephen's faith, we are, under God, mainly indebted, for the pure and apostolic Church in these realms established. In the memory, and in the heart of every lover of true religion and piety, our Cranmer, Latimer, Hooper, Ridley, and many other glorious martyrs, will ever hold an honourable place. We may learn to value the religion for which they shed their blood, and committed their bodies to the flames. And, above all, let the records of their virtue cherish our faith. Let it raise an ardent zeal for the maintenance of the true religion, a holy emulation to lay down, as they did, all things, even our life, in the service of Christ. In the animated language of our liturgy, we exclaim, "The noble army of martyrs praise thee!" "And we also bless thy holy name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that |