all that in them is: 25. Who by the mouth of Thy servant David
hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain
things? 26. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were
gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. 27.
For of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou hast
anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and
the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28. For to do
whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.
29. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy
servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, 30. By
stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders
may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus. 31. And when
they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled
together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spake the word of God with boldness.'--ACTS iv. 19-31.

The only chance for persecution to succeed is to smite hard and
swiftly. If you cannot strike, do not threaten. Menacing words only
give courage. The rulers betrayed their hesitation when the end of
their solemn conclave was but to 'straitly threaten'; and less heroic
confessors than Peter and John would have disregarded the prohibition
as mere wind. None the less the attitude of these two Galilean
fishermen is noble and singular, when their previous cowardice is
remembered. This first collision with civil authority gives, as has
been already noticed, the main lines on which the relations of the
Church to hostile powers have proceeded.

I. The heroic refusal of unlawful obedience. We shall probably not do
injustice to John if we suppose that Peter was spokesman. If so, the
contrast of the tone of his answer with all previously recorded