est courage and resolution. But snares were soon laid for hi can as easily cease to be, as to remain inactive; and being wa in a vision, that his testimony would not be received at Jerusal fore it was necessary for him to départ and preach the gospel tiles. Accordingly, being conducted by the brethren to Cæsare he set sail for Tarsus, his native city; from whence he was brought by Barnabas to Antioch, to assist him in propagating in that city. In this employment he spent one whole year, & pleasure of seeing the gospel flourish in a very remarkable man parts.

Here the disciples first acquired the name of Christians, for be were styled Nazareens; but this appellation soon prevailed al world, and the former was, in a few ages, almost entirely laid as

A terrible famine, foretold by Hgabus, happened about thi several parts of the Roman empire, particularly in Judea; which the Christians at Antioch to compassionate the miseries of their at Jerusalem; and accordingly raised considerable contributions relief, which they sent to the capital of Judea by the hands of Barr Saul who, immediately after executing their commission, returne tioch. But while they were performing the public exercises of it was revealed to them by the Holy Ghost, that they should s Barnabas and Saul, to preach the gospel in other places, which cordingly done, and they were immediately deputed for that se prayer, fasting, and the imposition of hands.

They first of all visited Seleucia, where they did not continue I sailed for Cyprus; and at Salamis, a great city in that Island, they ed in the synagogue of the Jews. From hence they removed to the residence of Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of the Island, a mar wisdom and prudence, but miserably seduced by the wicked ar Bar-Jesus, a Jewish imposter, who styled himself Elymas, or the r vehemently opposed the apostles, and kept the proconsul from er the faith, as preached by them.

However, the proconsul called for the apostles, who, after check mas for his malicious opposition to the truth, told him the divi geance was now ready to seize upon him; and immediately he was d of his sight. The vengeance of the Almighty, in depriving him of of his bodily eves, Sore a remarkable analogy to the blindness of t his mind, which were so wilfully and maliciously shut against the the gospel, and also endeavoured to keep others in darkness and ig This miracle convinced the proconsul of the truth of the doctrines by the apostles and made him a convert to Christianity.

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After this remarkable success in Cyprus, St. Paul repaired to F and Pamphilia, and taking Titus with him in the room of Mark, wi gone to Jerusalem, travelled to Antioch, the metropolis of Pisidia. after their arrival, they entered the synagogue of the Jews on the Sal day, and after the reading of the law, Paul being invited by the ruler the synagogue, delivered himself in the following manner: "Hearker descendants of Jacob, and ye that fear the Almighty, to the word my mouth. The God of Israel made choice of our fathers, and Ir them, when they had no city of their own to dwell in, but were strang and slaves in Egypt, bringing them from thence with a mighty hand, a stretched out arm; fed them in the wilderness forty years, and would suffer his anger to rise against them, though they often provoked him the desert. On their arrival in the land he promised their fathers. destroyed the nations that inhabited it, and placed them in that frui country, dividing it to them by lot, for their inheritance.

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"As soon as they were settled in the land, he gave them Judges dur four hundred and fifty years, till Samuel the prophet; but on their de

They went from Antioch to Iconium, the metropolis of Lycaonia, a province of the Lesser Asia, where they again entered into the synagogue of the Jews, notwithstanding the ill-treatment they had met with from the Jews in other places; for so great was their zeal for the gospel, that they were not to be deterred from preaching it by ill usage, however great. Therefore, according to their usual method, they again began their preaching in the assembly of Israelites; and the Almighty so far assisted their endeavours, that many, both Jews and proselytes, believed. Their success encouraged them to continue a considerable time in this. city, to instruct the converts, and confirm their faith by miracles. But, though they had gained a considerable part of the city to the faith, yet many continued in their infidelity: the old leaven of Jewish malice began again to ferment, and the unbelieving Jews, having stirred up the Gentiles against the apostles, at last prevailed on the multitude to stone them: but the apostles having timely notice of their design, fled from the city, and: travelled to Lystra, where they preached the gospel to the inhabitants, and those who dwelt in the country adjacent.

At Lystra, there was a man amongst the converts, who had been lame from bis mother's womb, and never had walked and Paul, perceiving that he had faith to be saved, thought proper to add the cure of his body to that of his soul, knowing that it would not only be beneficial to him, but to all the rest of the believers, by confirming their faith; and, that the miracle might be wrought in the most conspicuous manner, be, in the midst of the congregation, said in an audible voice to the man, "Stand upright on thy feet:" and the words were no sooner pronounced, than his strength was at once restored, and he leaped up and walked, praising God.

They who were eye-witnesses to this miracle well knew, that it was not wrought by any human power; but having been initiated into the su perstitious customs of the Heathens, cried out, in the speech of Lycoania, The Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." And according ly they called Barnabas Jupiter, because of his venerable gravity, and Paul, Mercury, from his eloquence. Nor was it long before the whole city> resounded with acclamations; so that almost all the inhabitants gathered: themselves together, and, preceded by the priest of Jupiter, and oxen dressed in garlands, they came to the house where the apostles were, intending to do sacrifice to them: but as soon as Barnabas and Paul understood their intentions, they were greatly affected at this superstitious attempt; and rending their clothes to express their grief and abhorrence of the action, ran to them, crying out, "Ye men of Lystra, ye are mistaken in the ob ject of your worship; for though we have done many miracles in the name & by the power of CHRIST, yet we are no more than men, & subject to the same passion's as yourselves, & preach unto you the glad-tidings of salvation that ye may forsake the vanities of this world, and turn to the Living God,, who created the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all the creatures they contain. This Omnipotent Being suffered all nations formerly to walk in. their own ways, though he never left himself without a witness, doing the: greatest good to the children of men; it is he that sendeth rain from heaven, and crowneth the year with fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with joy and gladness."

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The apostles' argument had the desired effect; and the people were at last, though with difficulty, persuaded to lay aside their intended idolatrous sacrifice; and surely no argument could be more proper to affect the minds of the audience. Is it possible to survey the several parts of the creation, & not discover in every place, evident traces of an infinite wisdom, power, and goodness? Who can contemplate the heavens, and not discerna the wisdom of Omnipotence, adorning in the most beautiful manner those lofty regions? Behold the sun, how justly is that source of light and heat, placed in the centre of the planetary choir, that each may enjoy it's des

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tined share of his prolific beams; so that the earth is not burnt by a too near approach, nor chilled by the nothern blasts from too great a recess; but impregnated with fruits and flowers, by the happy influence of a vital heat, and crowned with luxuriant plenty by the benign influences of the seasons. Who but an Infinite Being could launch these massive globes through the immense regions of space, and confine their motions to their respective orbits? Who poizes "the balancings of the clouds, that divides a water-course for the overflowing of waters, and a way for the lightening of thunder ?" Who can "bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion ?" Or who can "bring forth Mazzaroth in his season, or guide Arcturus with his sons?" Do these happen by chance or by the secret appointment of Infinite Wisdom? Who can contemplate the wonderful properties of the air, the great treasury of vital breath," and not reflect on the Divine Wisdom that formed it? If we survey the earth, we there discover the footsteps of an Almighty Being, who" stretchest the North over the empty place, & hangeth the earth upon nothing ;" filling it with a great variety of admirable and useful creatures, and maintaining them all by the bounty of his hand. It is be that clothes the grass with delightful verdure, that crowns the year with his loving-kindness, and causes the vallies to stand thick with corn. It is he that "maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the service of men:" he adorns the lilies of the field, that neither toil nor spin, with a glory that excels the pomp and grandeur of Solomon's court: "He shut up the sea with doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." It is this Almighty Being that arrests the storms, and smooths the tempestuous billows of the deep; that delivereth the mariner from all his troubles, and bringeth his ship into the desired haven of safety. How reasonable, therefore, is it that we should worship and adore this Omnipotent, this kind Creator, and not transfer the honours due to him alone, to frail mortals, much less to dumb idols, the works of men's hands, which cannot profit.

Thus having persuaded the people to desist from the idolatrous worship they would have paid them, the apostles continued their labours in instructing the people, and planting in this city the gospel of the Son of God: but the malice of the Jews still pursued them; for some of these bigotted Israelites coming from Antioch and Iconium, exasperated and stirred up the multitude; so that those very persons who could hardly be restrained from offering sacrifice to them, now used them like slaves, stoning them in so cruel a manner, that Paul was thought to be dead, and as such they dragged him out of the city; but while the Christians of Lystra were attending on his corpse, probably in order to carry him to his grave, he arose and returned with them into the city; and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derbe where they preached the gospel, and converted many; no danger being able to terrify them from the work of the minis try and publishing the glad tidings of salvation in every place they come to. However, they did not long continue at Derbe, but returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisida, coufirming the Christians of those places in the faith, earnestly persuading them to persevere, and not be discouraged with those trouble and persecutions which they must expect would attend the profession of the gospel. And that the affairs of the church might be conducted with more regularity, they ordained elders and pastors, to teach, to instruct, and to watch over them; and then left them to the protection of the Almighty to whose care they recommended them by fasting and prayer.

The Apostles, after leaving Antioch, passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia; and after preaching the gospel at Perga, they went down to Attalia. Having thus finished the circuit of their ministry, they returned back to Antioch in Syria, from whence they at first departed. Here

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they summoned the church, and gave them an account of their Ministry, the success it had met with in these different parts, and how great a door had thus been opened for the conversion of the heathens.

During St. Paul's stay at Antioch, that famous controversy, relating to the observation of the Jewish ceremonies in the Christian dispensation, was set on foot by certain Jewish converts, to the disturbance of the whole church. And it was determined to send Paul and Barnabas to consult with the Apostles and church at Jerusalem, that this affair might be settled on the most solid foundation. On their arrival at Jerusalem, they first addressed themselves to Peter, James, and John, the pillars of that church, by whom they were kindly entertained, and admitted to the right-hand of fellowship. And perceiving by the account given them by St. Paul, that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to him, as that of the circumcision was to Peter, they agreed that Peter should preach to the Jews, and Paul to the Gentiles. This being determined, a council was summoned, wherein Peter declared his opinion, and Paul and Barnabas aequainted them with the great things God by their ministry, had done amongst the Gentiles. A plain evidence, that they were accepted by the Almighty, though uncircumcised, as well as the Jews with all their legal rights and privileges. Accordingly, it was unanimously determined, that the Gentiles were not under the obligation of the law of Moses, and therefore, for their fuller satisfaction in this matter, it was agreed, that some persons of their own church should be joined with Paul and Barnabas, to carry the decrees of the council to Antioch.

St. Paul and his companions, having received the decretal epistle, returned back to Antioch; and soon after Peter himself came down. On reading this epistle in the church, the converts conversed freely and inoffensively with the Gentiles, till some of the Jews coming thither from Jerusalem, Peter withdrew his eonversation as if it had been a thing unwar fantable and ulawful. By such a strange method of proceeding, the minds of many were dissatisfied, and their consciences very uneasy. St. Paul, with the greatest concern, observed it, and publicly rebuked Peter with that sharpness and severity his unwarrantable practice called for on such an important occasion.

Paul and Barnabas, soon after this dispute, resolved to visit the churches they had planted amongst the Gentiles, and Barnabas was desirous of taking with them his cousin Mark but this Paul strenuously opposed, as he had left them in their former journey. This trifling dispute arose to such a height, that those two great apostles and fellow-labourers in the gospel parted asunder; Barnabas, taking Mark with him repaired to Cy prus, his native country; and Paul, having made choice of Silas, and recommended the success of his undertaking to the care of Divine Providence, set forward on his intended journey.

St. Paul and Silas first visited the churches of Syria and Cilicia, confirming them in the faith, by their instructions and exhortations. Hence they sailed to Crete, where Paul preached the gospel, and constituted Titus to be the first bishop and pastor of that island, leaving him to settle those affairs of the church which time would not permit the apostle to settle himself. From hence Paul and Silas returned back into Cilicia, and came to Lystra, where they found Timothy, whose father was a Greek but his mother a Jewish convert, and by her he had been brought up under all the advantages of pious and religious education, especially with regard to the Holy Scriptures, which he had studied with the greatest assiduity and success. This person St. Paul designed for the companion of his travels, and a special instrument in the ministry of the gospel: but, knowing that his being uncircumeised would prove a stumbling block to the Jews, caus ed him to be circumcised; being willing in lawful and indifferent matters, in order to save the souls of men, to conform himself to their tempers, apprehensions, and prejudices.