endeavoured to observe the great principles of morality which Christ had represented as the principal part, the sum and substance of religion; if they thought honourably of the Gospel; if they offered no injury to the Christians; if they did them all the services that they could safely perform, they were willing to hope that God would accept this, and that He would excuse and forgive the rest.”  Jortin’s Dis. on the Christ.  Rel. p. 91, ed. 4. _________

Christianity, however, proceeded to increase in Jerusalem by a progress equally rapid with its first success; for in the next chapter of our history, we read that “believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.”  And this enlargement of the new society appears in the first verse of the succeeding chapter, wherein we are told, that “when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected;” (Acts v. 14; vi. 1) and afterwards, in the same chapter, it is declared expressly, that “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and that a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

This I call the first period in the propagation of Christianity.  It commences with the ascension of Christ, and extends, as may be collected from incidental notes of time, (Vide Pearson’s Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 7.  Benson’s History of Christ, b. i. p. 148.) to something more than one year after that event.  During which term, the preaching of Christianity, so far as our documents inform us, was confined to the single city of Jerusalem.  And how did it succeed there?  The first assembly which we meet with of Christ’s disciples, and that a few days after his removal from the world, consisted of “one hundred and twenty.”  About a week after this, “three thousand were added in one day;” and the number of Christians publicly baptized, and publicly associating together, was very soon increased to “five thousand.”  “Multitudes both of men and women continued to be added;” “disciples multiplied greatly,” and “many of the Jewish priesthood as well as others, became obedient to the faith;” and this within a space of less than two years from the commencement of the institution.

By reason of a persecution raised against the church at Jerusalem, the converts were driven from that city, and dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Acts viii. l.) Wherever they came, they brought their religion with them:  for our historian informs us, (Acts viii. 4.) that “they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.”  The effect of this preaching comes afterwards to be noticed, where the historian is led, in the course of his narrative, to observe that then (i. e. about three years posterior to this, [Benson, b. i. p. 207.]) the churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.  This was the work of the second period, which comprises about four years.