"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"

 -75-
      

APRIL

3, 1646 --England. Presbyterianism is made the state religion by the English Parliament.

3, 1811 --New Jersey. George Burrowes is born at Trenton. He will be educated at Princeton Theological Seminary where he will sit under Archibald Alexander and Charles Hodge. He is perhaps best known for his Commentary on the Song of Solomon. He will become a Presbyterian minister.

4, 397 --Italy. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, dies today. He has been reared and educated by his sister Marcellina, and is noted for his orthodox, having consistently contended against the Arians who deny the Deity of Christ. When the Empress adjures him to deliver up a basilica in Milan for Arian worship, he steadfastly refused.
        In the Senate hall at Rome there stood an altar dedicated to the god of Victory on which all oaths had been taken. In 382, Gratian removed this altar and though the Senate made repeated efforts to have the altar restored under Gratian, Valentinian II, and Theodosius, Ambrose has successfully opposed it.
        He has declared the state must not interfere with the church. When in 388 Christians burned a synagogue at Callinicum in Mesopotamia, Theodosius ordered it rebuilt at the expense of the bishop there, but Ambrose induced the emperor to recall his order.
        In 370, the people of Thessalonica murdered the military governor during a riot. When Theodosius retaliated with a fearful massacre resulting in the murder of some seven thousand Thessalonians, Ambrose forbade him to enter the church until he humbled himself publicly for eight months.
         It has been his preaching that has awakened in Augustine, and his friend Alypius, a need for salvation.

4, 1571 --France. Pierre Viret dies. With regard to the Lord's Supper, he has brought matters to a climax by refusing to celebrate the ordinance without excluding all who were recognized as profane, and in 1559 he was dismissed as preacher at Bern because of it. William Farel ordained him in 153l.
        When Mr. Viret accompanies Mr. Farel in Geneva in 1535, the local priests induced a female servant to give poisoned soup to the two Reformers. Mr. Viret was taken seriously ill, but Mr. Farel did not partake.

4, 1662 --Virginia. A large number of Quakers are arraigned before the court as recusants. "Tender consciences," it is argued, "must obey the law of God, however they suffer." To this the court responds, "There is no toleration for wicked consciences."


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"The Mountains shall depart, and the Hills be removed; but My Kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee." -- Isaiah 54:10

 

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