"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
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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