'The heaven is my throne,
And the earth the footstool of my feet:
What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord:
Or what is the place of my rest?
Did not my hand make all these things?'

"Ye stiffnecked and unregenerate in heart and ears, ye [{344}] do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which one of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them which showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not."

Martyrdom.

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they raged against him. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

But they cried out with aloud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men buried [{345}] Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging out men and women committed them to prison.

(The martyrdom of Stephen gave a fresh impulse to the new faith. The disciples had been content to stay in Jerusalem, and preach to their own people. But persecution drove them out of the city, so that the gospel came to a wider circle of hearers. We shall see, as the story goes on, how Philip was directed to the officer of Queen Candace, and how Peter, against his will, at first, was sent to the Roman captain. So the new faith broadened, not as the apostles planned, but as God willed.)

[{346}]

V
SIMON THE SORCERER
The New Faith Spreads. The Story of the Man of Samaria Who Wished to Use It for His Own Selfish Advantage.