Acts 4:18-31 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.… John Nelson, the Methodist stonemason, being once desired by his master's foreman to work on the Lord's day, on the ground that the King's business required despatch, and that it was common to work on the Sabbath for His Majesty when anything was wanted in a particular haste, Nelson boldly declared, "That he would not work upon the Sabbath for any man in the kingdom, except it were to quench fire, or something that required immediate help." "Religion," says the foreman, "has made you a rebel against the King." "No, sir," he replied, "it has made me a better subject than ever I was. The greatest enemies the King has are Sabbath-breakers, swearers, drunkards, and whoremongers, for these bring down God's judgments upon the King and country." He was told he should lose his employment if he would not obey his orders; his answer was, "He would rather want bread than wilfully offend God." The foreman swore he would be as mad as Whitefield if he went on. "What hast thou done," said he, "that thou needest make so much ado about salvation? I always took thee to be as honest a man as I have in the worlds, and would have trusted thee with £500." "So you might," answered Nelson, "and not have lost a penny by me." "I have a worse opinion of thee now," said the foreman. "Master," rejoined he, "I have the odds of you, for I have a worse opinion of myself than you can have." The issue, however, was that the work was not pursued on the Sabbath, and Nelson rose in the good opinion of his employer for having shown a sense of his duty as a Christian. (Southey's Life of Wesley.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.WEB: They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. |
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