On his arrival at Miletus, he sent to Ephesus, to summon the elders of the church; and on their coming, reminded them of the manner in which he had conversed among them; how faithfully and affectionately he had discharged the offices of his ministry, and how incessantly he had laboured for the good of the souls of men: adding, that he had never failed to acquaint them both in public and private, with whatever might be useful and profitable to them; urging both the Jews and Gentiles to repentance, and reformation of life, and a hearty perseverance in the faith of Christ: that he was now going up to Jerusalem, where he was ignorant of what might befal him, except what had been foretold him by those endued with the prophetical gifts of the Holy Ghost; namely, that afflictions and imprisonment would attend him. But that this gave him no concern, being willing to lay down his life whenever the gospel required, and fully determined to serve faithfully his great Lord and Master. "I well know," said he, "that you will see my face no more: but for my encouragement and satisfaction, ye yourselves can bear me witness, that I have not, by concealing any part of the Christian doctrine, betrayed your souls. And as for yourselves, whom God hath made bishops and pastors of his church, you should be careful to feed, guide, and direct those Christians under your inspection, and be infinitely tender of the welfare of souls, for whose redemption the blessed Jesus laid down his own life. All the care, therefore, possible for you to use is no more than necessary; for after my departure, heretical teachers will appear in the church, to the great danger of the souls of men, seeking by every crafty method and pernicious doctrine, to gain proselytes to their party, and by that means fill the church of Christ with schisms and factions. Watch ye, therefore, and remember with what tears and sorrow I have, during three years, warned you of these things. And now I recommend you to the divine favour and protection, and to the rules and instruction of

the gospel, which, if adhered to, will undoubtedly dispose and perfect you for that state of happiness which the Almighty hath prepared for good men, in the mansions of eternity. You well know that I have, from the beginning, dealt faithfully nad uprightly with you; that I have no covetous designs, or ever desired the riches of other men; nay, I have laboured with mine own hands, to support myself and my companions: you ought, therefore, to support the weak, and relieve the poor, rather than be yourselves chargeable to others, according to that incomparable saying of the great Redeemer of maukind, “It is more blessed to give than to receive." If we minutely attend to the whole of this apostle's preaching and writing, we shall find that he ever strenuously inculcates not only points of faith, but also practical duties, without which our faith is vain.

St. Paul having finished his discourse, he kneeled down, and joined with them in prayer; and they all melted into tears, and, with the greatest expressions of sorrow, attended him to the ship: grieving in the most passionate manner for what he had told them, That they should see his face no more.

Paul, with his companions, now depart ed from Miletus, and arrived at Coos, from whence they sailed the next day to Rhodes, a large island in the Egean sea. Leaving this place, they came to Patara, the metropolis of Lycia, where they went on board another vessel bound for Tyre in Phoenicia. On his arrival, he visited the brethren there, and continued with them a week, and was advised by some of them, who had the gift of prophecy, not to go up to Jerusalem. But this apostle would by no means abandon his design, or refuse to suf fer any thing, provided he might spread the gospel of his Saviour. Finding all persuasions were in vain, they jointly accompanied him to the shore, where he kneeled down, and prayed with them; and after embracing them with the utmost

affection, he went on board, and came to Ptolemias, and the next day to Cesarea.

During their stay in this place, Agabus, a Christian prophet, came thither from Judea, who taking Paul's girdle, bound his own hands and feet with it, signifying by this symbol, that the Jews would bind Paul in that manner, and deliver him over to the Gentiles. Whereupon both his own companions and the christians of Cesarea earnestly besought him that he would not go up to Jerusalem. But the apostle asked them, if they intended by these passionate dissuasives to add more affliction to his sorrow? "For I am ready, (continued he) not only to be bound, but also to die, at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

When the disciples found that his resolution was not to be shaken, they importuned him no farther, leaving the event to be determined according to the pleasure of the Most High. And all things being ready, Paul and his companions set forward on their journey, and were kindly and joyfully received by the Christians on their arrival at Jerusalem.

The day after their arrival, Paul and his companions went to the house of St. James the Apostle, where the rest of the bishops and governors of the church were met together. After mutual salutations, the apostle gave them a particular account of the success with which God had blessed his endeavours in propagating Christianity among the Gentiles; for which they all joined in thanksgiving to God: but withal told him, that he was now come to a place where there were many thousands of Jewish converts, who were all zealous for the laws of Moses, and who had been informed that he taught the Jews whom he had converted to renounce circumcision, and the ceremonies of the law. That as soon as the multitude heard of his arrival, they would all assemble to see how he behaved himself in this matter: and therefore, to prevent a disturbance,

they thought it adviseable forhim to join himself with four persons, who were at that time to accomplish a vow, and perform the usual rites and ceremonies with them, and provide such sacrifices for them, as the law, in that case, required. St. Paul, who in such case, was wishing to become all things to all men, that he might gain the more, consented unto their counsel; and taking the persons with him to the temple, told the priests that the time of a vow they had made being now expired, and having purified themselves, according as the nature of their case required, they were come to make the offerings required by law.

The seven days in which those sacrifices were to be offered being now almost ended, certain Jews from Asia, finding him in the temple, began to raise a tumult, and laying hold of Paul, called to their brethren the Jews to assist them, declaring that this was the person who every where preached doctrines derogatory to the Jewish nation, and destructive to the institution of the law. This accusation, though absolutely false, set the whole city in an uproar, and seizing on the apostle, they dragged him out of the temple, when the doors were immediately shut, to prevent his returning into that holy place.

As they were proceeding in this manner, Paul asked the governor whether he might have the liberty of speaking to him, who finding he understood the Greek language, inquired of him whether he was not the Egyptian who, a few years before, had raised a sedition in Judea, and headed a party of four thousand vile and profligate wretches? To which the apostle replied, That he was a Jew of Tarsus, a freeman of a rich and honourable city: therefore begged of him that he might have leave to speak to the people. This being readily granted, Paul addressed them in the Hebrew language as follows:

"Listen, ye descendants of Jacob, to a

person of your own religion, and like yourselves a child of Abraham; born in Tarsus, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and fully instructed in the law delivered by Moses to our forefathers, and formerly as zealous for the temple-worship as ye are at present.

"Nay, I persecuted unto death all who believed in Jesus, seizing on all I could find, both men and women, and casting them into prison.

"But as I was pursuing my journey, to execute this commission, and was arrived near Damascus, there appeared about midday, a light from heaven, shining round about me.

I

"Terrified at so awful an appearance, fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" To which I answered, "Who art thou, Lord ?" And the voice replied, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest."

"After recovering from the terror with which my mind was filled, I answered, "What shall I do, Lord? And he replied, "Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do."

"The brilliancy of the glory deprived me of my sight: so that my companions led me by the hand to Damascus, where one Ananias, a person well respected by all the Jews of that city, visited me, and said, "Brother Saul, receive thy sight;" and in a moment my eyes were opened, and I saw him standing before me.

"When he saw that my sight was restored, he said unto me, the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, hath appointed thee to know his will, to see the great Messiah, the Holy One of God, and hear the voice of his mouth: for thou art chosen No. 21.

to be a witness to all the nations of the earth, of those surprising things thou hast seen and heard. Why, therefore, tarriest thou here any longer? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

"After this glorious vision, and miraculous powers of the Most High, when I was returned from Damascus to Jerusalem, and offering up my prayers in the temple, I fell into a trance, and again saw the great Sou of David, who said unto me, "Depart quickly from Jerusalem; for the sons of Jacob will refuse to believe thy testimony concerning me." And I answered, Lord, they know how cruelly I used thy saints and followers; that I imprisoned and beat them in every city, and in every synagogue. Nay, when they shed the blood of thy holy martyr Stephen, I was also one of the spectators; I consented to his death; I even kept the raiment of those that slew him.

"But he replied, Depart, I will send thee to countries far remote: even to the Gentiles.

The Jews had, till now, listened with some attention to his speech; but on his mentioning the commission he had received to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, their fury knew no bounds: crying out with one voice, Away with such a fellow from the earth!

But the captain of the guard commanded him to be brought within the castle, and that he shall be examined and scourged, till he confessed the reason of the uncommon rage shewn against him by the people. Accordingly the lietor bound him, and was going to put the orders he had received into execution, when Paul asked the centurion that stood by, whether it was lawful to scourge a citizen of Rome, before any sentence had been passed upon him? The centurion, instead of answering the question, repaired immediately to the governor, and desired him to take care how he proceed

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ed against the prisoner, because he was a Roman. On this information the governor came into the prison, and asked Paul whether he was really a free citizen of Rome? and being told he was, he answered, that himself procured that great privilege by a large sum of money; but Paul answered, I was free born. On receiving this account, the governor commanded the centurion not to scourge him, being terrified at what he had already done, namely, his chaining a free denizen of Rome.

The next day he ordered his chains to be taken off; and that he might thoroughly satisfy himself of the cause of so unusual a tumult on the preceding day, summoned the Sanhedrim to meet, and brought down Paul before them.

The apostle being thus placed before the great council of the Jews, told them, that in all the passages of his life he had taken care to govern his actions by the severest rules of duty and conscience. "Men and brethren, said he, I have lived in all good conscience before God, until this day."

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But however this expression of St. Paul might tend to shew the true state of his mind, the high-priest Ananias was so offended at it, that he commanded those who stood next him to strike him in the face; at which the apostle smartly replied, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall. On which some of the spectators replied, "It is not lawful to revile the high-priest of the Almighty." Paul answered, "I did not know that Ananias was appointed by God to be an high-priest; but as he is invested with authority, it is unjust to revile him." God himself having commanded that "no man should speak evil of the rulers of the people." Paul perceiving that the council consisted partly of Sadducees, and partly of Pharisees, cried aloud, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and am now brought before this tribunal, for asserting the resurrection from the dead."

This declaration threw the whole court into confusion, by exciting the regard of the Pharisees, who favoured the doctrine of the resurrection, and incurring the resentment of the Sadducees, who strenuously opposed it.

The dissentions of these sects increased to that degree, that the captain feared Paul would have been pulled to pieces; and therefore took him from the bar, and carried. him back to the castle. But during the silence of the night, he was comforted by extraordinary, communications of the Divine Spirit, encouraging him to constancy and resolution, and assuring him that he should, notwithstanding all the malice and wicked designs of his enemies, live to bear his testimony, even to Rome itself.

The next morning the Jews, whose envy and malice were increased by these dilatory proceedings, determined to use a quicker method of putting a period to his life. In order to this,above forty of the most turbulententered into a shocking confederacy of killing him; ratifying it by oaths and the most bitter execrations, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had put their inhuman design in execution. Accordingly, this design, though probably concluded under the mantle of the night, was discovered to St. Paul by his sister's son, and, at the request of the apostle, told to the governor himself, who immediately commanded two parties of horse and foot to be ready by nine o'clock that night, in order to conduct St. Paul to Felix, the Roman governor of that province; to whom also be sent an account of the whole proceedings of the Jews against the prisoner, and at the same time ordered his accusers also to appear before the Roman magistrate. Accordingly, St. Paul was conducted to Antipatris, and afterwards to Cæsarea, where the letters being delivered to Felix, the apostle was also presented to him; and finding that he belonged to the province of Cecilia, he told him that as soon as his accusers were come down, he would

determine the affair, and in the mean time commanded him to be secured in the place called Herod's hall..

CHAP. VI.

The Transactions of St. Paul, from his first Trial before Felix, till his coming to Rome.

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UR apostle, soon after his arrival, encountered Turtullus, who in a short, but eloquent speech, began to accuse him, charging him with sedition, heresy, and the profanation of the temple.

The orator having finished his charge against the apostle, Felix told St. Paul that he was now at liberty to make his defence, which he did in the following manner:

"I answer this charge of the Jews with the greater satisfaction before thee, because thou hast for many years been a judge of this nation. About twelve days since, I repaired to Jerusalem, to worship the God of Jacob. But I neither disputed with any man, or endeavoured to stir up the people in the synagogues or the city. Nor can they prove the charge they have brought against me.

"This however, I readily confess, that "after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers," and according to his faith, I am careful to maintain a clear and quiet conscience, both towards God and man.

"After I had spent some years in distant countries, I repaired to Jerusalem, with the alms I had collected in other provinces for the poor of mine own nation, and offering to the God of Jacob. And while I was performing the duties of religion, certain Asiatic Jews found me in the temple, purified according to the law: but neither attended.

with a multitude of followers, nor the least tumultuous assembly. It was therefore necessary that these Jews should have been here, if they had any thing to alledge against me. Nay, I appeal to those of the Sanhedrim, here present, if any thing has been laid to my charge, except the objections of the Sadducees, who violently opposed me for asserting the doctrine of the resurrection."

Felix having thus heard both parties, refused to pass any final sentence, till he had more fully advised about it, and consulted Lysias, the governor of the castle, who was the most proper person to give an account of the sedition and tumult; commanding, in the mean time, that St. Paul should be kept under a guard, but at the same time enjoy the liberty of being visited. by his friends, and receiving from them any office of friendship.

Soon after this, Felix's wife, Drusilla, a Jewess, and daughter of the elder Herod, came down to him at Cæsarea, in whose presence the governor sent for Paul, and gave him leave to explain the doctrines of Christianity. In this discourse the apostle took occasion to insist upon the most important points, both of faith and practice, particularly the influence which a future judgment should have upon the whole tenor of his life and conduct.

This discourse was wisely adapted to the state and temper of Felix: though when St. Paul pathetically described the terrors of the last judgment, Felix trembled on his throne, and was so greatly affected, that he caused the apostle to break off abruptly, telling him that he would hear the remainder of his discourse at a more convenient:

season.

Felix, no doubt, had sufficient reason to tremble, and his conscience to be sensibly,. alarmed at these reflections; for he was a man notoriously infamous for rapine and