poses, ftrike terror into their hearts, abafe and humble them, and even render them zealous advocates for his truth. "There is none like unto thee, O Lord 3 neither are there any works like unto thy works *!”

The wifdom of God, alfo, appears wonderful in selecting a person of St. Paul's former character, whom we fhould have thought moft unlikely to be employed in the Church of Chrift. On many accounts he must be allowed to be a defirable and unexceptionable witness for the Gofpel. Such had been his violent prejudice against it; and, afterwards, such was his patient fubmiffion to fuffering, fo firm the courage, and unwearied the affiduity, which he fhewed in its fupport, that, without confidering his ftrong natural abilities, we admire the fuitableness of his appointment to the miniftry, though he "was before a blafphemer, a perfecutor, and injurious." In a more fignal manner, the rich mercy of our God and the fufficiency of his grace in Jefus Chrift are here exhibited. St. Paul represents his own cafe as fo remarkable in this view, that it may furnish encouragement to penitents in every age, whatever their former character may have been. Nay, he thought that he had obtained forgiveness for this very purpose, that none might defpair. The Saviour, who refcued him, can recover you, who have departed the fartheft from God: he can fubdue your depravity, fanctify your polluted heart, and pardon your numerous and aggravated fins, even your fierce oppofition to his Gofpel, and profane blafphemies against himself. O rejoice in that "faithful faying," which is indeed "worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners † : and, like the Apostle, "count all things but dung, that you may win Chrift, and be found in Him t!"

Pfal. lxxxvi. 8. + 1 Tim. i. 15.

Phil. iii. 8, 9

SECT. 2.

Paul, driven from Damafcus and then from Jerufalem, fled to Tarfus-accompanied Burnabas to Antioch in Syria, and thence to Jerufalem-fent forth with him to preach to the Gentiles, travelled through Cypruswent to Perga, Antioch in Pifidia, Iconium, Lyftra, Derbe-returned to Antioch in Syria-attended the council at Jerufalem-reproved Peter-feparated from

Barnabas.

RELIGION confifts not in a fyftem of merely fpeculative notions: the fentiments and affections, which it excites in the heart, produce fuch excellent fruits in the life, as evince its holy nature and divine original. Who will not allow, that this was eminently the cafe with St. Paul? We have already intimated that the truth of his converfion appeared by its effects: we must now appeal to the whole of his fubfequent conduct for the proof of this obfervation. We fhall perceive him, to the laft moment, invariably and zealoufly attached to the caufe of Chrift, exerting himself not only as a foldier, but as a principal leader and commander, in the armies of the faithful. We cannot but remark with admiration his activity, courage, fervour, and perfeverance : yet at the fame time we may propofe him as a bright pattern of meeknefs, patience, contempt of the world, purity, and fpirituality of mind. Let it be our pleafing employment, to accompany him from place to place, and contemplate the important purpofes, for which he was called and ordained to the Apoftolic function.

The

The lovers of hiftory may here find enough to engage their attention, and excite their wonder. We invite them to ftudy the records of the primitive Church, which abound with facts moft curious and interefting, and particularly entitled to regard, as proceeding from the pen of infpiration. Come, and fee the great Apoftle, by his indefatigable labours, planting, watering, enlarging, and protecting many Chriftian focieties. Come, and obferve the kingdom of Satan fhaken and fubverted, and upon its ruins. the kingdom of peace and righteousness established.

St. Paul began, immediately after his converfion, to declare the revelations he had received, and to preach Chrift in the fynagogues at Damafcus *. There he continued for three years, excepting the time which he spent in Arabia, whither he retired for a feason, and where, probably, he was favoured with clearer difcoveries of divine truth +. He fhewed a particular concern for his unbelieving brethren among the Jews, and endeavoured with unremitting zeal to recommend the Gofpel to their acceptance. Did they not credit his teftimony? We might have fuppofed, that fuch a witness would have removed every objection. But alas! through the perverseness of nature, men are difpofed to refift every effort for their falvation. Inftead of liftening to his arguments and exhortations, the Jews confpired againft his life, and thus exhibited to his view a picture of what he himself had been. A formidable combination was entered into, and the governor of the city, together with his garrifon, employed to apprehend Paul. But their fcheme failed: for what could all their counfels and preparations avail against him, whom the Lord of hofts defended? "Through a window in a basket he was let down by the wall, and escaped their hands ‡." + Gal. i. 17. † 2 Cor. xi. 32, 33.

As ix. 20, &c.

Upon

Upon that occafion he fled to Jerufalem, D. and there fought for the fociety of thofe very 38. difciples, whom he had once abhorred and pertecuted. They, however, remembering his former character, and not having received any fatisfactory account of his converfion, were backward to credit his profeffions; till Barnabas gave a clear and decided account of the important change, which had taken place. For a few days he had free communications with the Church, but was not indebted to the most eminent of the Apoftles for his knowledge of the Gofpel*. At Jerufalem he had been known as a violent enemy to the Chriftian faith; and therefore it might feem, that his teftimony in its fupport would there meet with peculiar regard. Yet it proved otherwise. His zeal for the honour of the Saviour foon excited the indignation of his countrymen; and, being again obliged to fly for his life, he was conducted with hafte to his native city, Tarfus.

Here he obtained a fafe retreat, and proba. A.D. bly applied himself with diligence to the work 42. of the miniftry: but what was his fuccefs we are not informed. Nothing further is recorded of him during the three or four following years. Barnabas, at length, in great want of his affiftanee, found him at Tarfus, and prevailed on him to go to Antioch, the capital of Syria, where they laboured together for the space of a year with good effect †. Our Apostle, as we may conclude from his repeated vifits, felt a peculiar attachment to the large and flourishing Church, which was gathered in that place: and there the difciples of Jefus firft received the honourable appellation of CHRISTIANS. The name was once reproachful: we, perhaps, glory in it; but do we seriously confider, according to this pro

feffion, what are our relations and confequent obli gations to the Lord Jefus Chrift? Are we, what the title imports, his followers and fervants?

Paul and his intimate companion, Barnabas, were fent from Antioch with certain charitable collections to the poor faints at Jerufalem, then diftreffed by famine but, having faithfully executed their commiffion, they returned to Antioch, taking with them John Mark as their affociate and affiftant *.

A.D. 45.

At length, thofe holy men, filled with zeal for God, went forth to propagate the Chriftian faith upon a more extenfive plan. In obedience to an exprefs revelation from God, they were fet apart by the folemn prayers of certain teachers in the Church, and a peculiar influence of the Holy Ghost qualified them, for carrying the glad tidings of falvation among the Heathens t. They had previously committed themselves to the Lord; and, in confequence of their engagements with him, confidered themselves at his difpofal. Without hesitation or reluctance, therefore, they obeyed the call, not declining the most painful fervices, nor fhrinking from formidable dangers. They accounted it fufficient that the Lord was with them, and had affigned them their work. Ah! where fhall we now find fuch an unfeigned regard to God and his caufe? Do not "all feek their own, and not the things which are Jefus Chrift's ‡ ?"

They went out, like the Patriarch of old, "not knowing whither they went §," depending upon their Lord for guidance and protection. The other Apoftles, alfo, were fent forth to evangelize the world; but little is told us concerning their labours. The facred hiftory of the Church, from this period, is confined chiefly to the exertions and fufferings of

* Acts xii. 25. + xiii. 1, &c. + Phil. ii. 21. § Heb. xi. 8.

St.