that they immediately accused him of blasphemy, and dragged him out of the city to stone him; and they that were the evidences against him, and were according to the law to be his executioners, put off their upper garments to fit themselves for their work, and a young man, named Saul, took the charge of them during this furious assault, Stephen continued invoking his great Lord, and saying, "Lord Jesus receive my Spirit ;" and at last concluded in this charitable expression for his enemies and murderers, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And so saying, he expired.

Saul, who was afterwards so renowned an apostle, was one of those who approved of the stoning of Stephen, and concurred in it. Nor did the storm, which burst out so violently on the protomartyr, cease with his life; the flaming zeal of the Jews, exerting itself with the greatest fury against the professors of the christian faith at Jerusalem; all of whom, except the apostles, dispersed themselves in Judea and Samaria, and preached to the Jews: but the apostles continued in Jerusalem. Stephen being thus crowned with martyrdom, some proselytes that were in the city made a solemn funeral for him, and sincerely lamented his death. As for Saul, he continued a violent persecutor of the faithful, annoying them wherever he found them, and without distinction of age or sex committed them to prison. Wherefore those that had dispersed themselves to avoid persecution, and Saul's zealous rage, retired to a distance; but wherever they wandered, they published the glad tidings of the gospel.

In the number of those scattered disciples, Philip, the deacon, was pre-eminent; who going from Judea to Samaria, preached the gospel at Sebaste, one of its cities; and all people being convinced by the miracles that Philip wrought, were persuaded to receive the faith of Christ; for from many who were possessed, he cast out devils, which, on that occasion, loudly proclaimed the irresis

rational to suppose, that it was a visionary representation, miraculously impressed on his imagination. So (Dr. Doddridge observes) Ezekiel saw, while he sat in his house at Babylon, the city of Jerusalem, Ezek. viii. 1, 4.

tibleness of the power by which they were expelled. But previous to the preaching and miracles of Philip, there had been in this city one Simon, a magician, who had puzzled and amused the people with his necromantic tricks and performances; and having for a long time imposed on their weakness by these arts, he had acquired the name of Divine. But when Philip, by preaching the chris tian faith, and by the performance of real miracles, had converted many to christianity, they became proselytes to the gospel, and received baptism of him; and even Simon himself, when he professed to give credit to the doctrines he heard, expressed his astonishment at the miracles he beheld, and was actually baptized.

These wonderful proceedings and happy successes of Philip, were soon related to the apostles at Jerusalem; who being desirous that these new converts might be further confirmed in their christian profession, by those extraordinary gifts which inferior officers in the church could not bestow, sent Peter and John unto them, who, though once strongly prejudiced against the Samaritans, cheerfully undertook the journey; and being with them, implored the miraculous powers of the Spirit, which were immediately granted, upon the imposition of the apostles' hands.

Simon, the magician, seeing those miraculous effects follow the imposition of hands, offered to give the apostles money, if they would convey this powerful gift to him. But Peter, in a holy indignation, resenting this affront offered to the sacred function, refusing his money, told him, "Thy money perish with thee, and thy profane offer of it will call for mischief on thee, for thinking so meanly of this extraordinary privilege, bestowed on us by Christ, which is not to be purchased like earthly com modities with the price of money: thou shalt never have

• Divine. He pretended to be some extraordinary person. Irenæus says, that Simon boasted, he had appeared to the Samaritans as the Father, to the Jews as the Son, and to the Gentiles as the Holy Spirit; and Justin Martyr, says he asserted that all the names of God were to be ascribed to him, and that he was "God above all principality, power, and virtue."

any part of this divine privilege, nor right of dispensing these holy things; for thy design, in desiring these gifts, is to advance thy own credit and esteem among men, and not to enlarge the kingdom of Christ. Repent therefore, and humble thyself before God for this wicked and impious proposal, and humbly beseech him to pardon thee; (for it is not impossible that it may yet be obtained) for I perceive that thou art in a condition dangerous to thyself, and hateful to God." Simon being convinced of his wicked error, and affected with the horror of his guilt, implored the prayers of the apostles to God for him, to pardon this wickedness, and to avert those punishments and judgments which they seemed to foretel would fall upon him.

The apostles having confirmed those in the faith, who were baptized by Philip, returned to Jerusalem, and as they proceeded on their journey, preached the gospel in many other towns and villages of Samaria with much success. But Philip received particular orders from heaven by an angel of God, who commanded him to travel to the south. Philip obeyed the heavenly vision, and being on the way, at a little distance observed a chariot with a splendid retinue, which belonged to and attended on the treasurer of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, who being a* proselyte to the Jewish religion, had been at Jerusalem to worship the God of Israel. Whilst Philip was looking on, the Spirit of God directed him to go near to the chariot, and speak to him that rode in it. Philip obeyed, and approaching the chariot, heard him reading the prophecy of Isaiah; and asking him whether he understood what he read, the treasurer told him he was at a loss, and desired his instruction: whereupon Philip ascended the chariot. The place of scripture that perplexed the Ethiopian was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before her shearers he opened not his mouth; in his humiliation his judgment

Proselyte. A proselyte is one, who being a Gentile by birth and religion, comes over to the Jewish religion in whole, or in part.

was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? for his life was taken from the earth." This text he desired Philip to explain, demanding, whether the prophet spake this of himself, or of some other person? Then Philip began at this text, and from thence preached Jesus to him. Upon which the Ethiopian was converted, and desired to be baptized; and opportunely seeing a pool of water near the road, he instantly pressed Philip to perform that office; who told him he was ready to do it, provided he was sincere: upon which the other replied, "I stedfastly believe these prophecies of the Messias to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and that he is the Son of God." Then both alighted from the chariot and went down to the water, where Philip baptized him; and as soon as they were come up from the water, the Spirit of God took Philip out of sight, and the Ethiopian was left alone; who returning to his chariot, went with joy to his own country; but the angel conveyed Philip to Azotus, who all the way he went preached the gospel till he came to Cæsarea.

Notwithstanding this dispersion of the disciples, persecution still raged against the faithful, wherever they lay in their enemies' way. But none so eminent for zeal and cruelty as Saul, whose sanguinary mind, not satiated with Stephen's death, pushed him on to the utmost seve rities against the Christians, whom he threatened with nothing less than prisons and death. And to qualify himself the more for the execution of this bloody purpose, he requested the High-priest to enlarge his commission. The Sanhedrim, overjoyed at the forwardness of this furious instrument, immediately dispatch him away with power to seize all Christians, and send them bound to Jerusalem to be tried; Jerusalem being the metropolis of Syria as well as Judea. This commission was highly 'pleasing to Saul's cruel spirit, who immediately hastens to Damascus to put it in execution; but while he was on the road entertaining himself with the bloody prospect, God, in mercy to him, and those whom he went to persecute, takes him off from his wicked purposes: a bright shining cloud encompassed him, which struck him with great terror, as at the presence of God, who he knew was wont

thus to exhibit himself. This threw him prostrate on the ground, where, as he lay, a sudden clap of thunder invaded his ears, and a voice out of it saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" This increased his amazement, and being desirous to know the meaning of this vision, he asks, "Who art thou, Lord ?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest; all thy fury can only hurt thyself, but cannot do me any real injury." Saul, perceiving that he whom he had so virulently opposed was indeed a glorious and powerful person, and yet, instead of destroying him, had condescended to expostulate with him, cried out, in the amazement and consternation of his soul, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" For he was constrained at once to decline his opposition to Christ, and to resign himself entirely to his disposal. The Lord immediately replied, “Go to Damascus, and there thou shalt know my will." The attendants were struck dumb with fear and amazement, wondering that they should hear a voice, but see no man speaking. Therefore, taking up Saul, they led him to the city, where, in a sort of trance or ecstacy, he continued blind three days, without receiving any

sustenance.

At the time of this wonderful transaction, there was at Damascus a certain disciple named Ananias, to whom the Lord, in a vision, gave this charge: "Go into the straight street, and inquire at the house of one Judas for Saul of Tarsus, for I have revealed to him in a vision, that he shall recover his sight by imposition of thy hands." But Ananias, well knowing Saul's furious temper, the fame of which had been too sensibly known in those parts, expostulated with the Lord, for putting him on so dangerous an attempt. But the Lord said, "Obey, for I have chosen him a special instrument for the service of my church, to preach my gospel, not only to the Jews, but to the gentiles and as fierce as he hath been against the Christian faith, he shall suffer very heavy trials for my sake, labour most abundantly in the propagation of it, and at last lay down his life for it."

Ananias obeyed, and coming to the house where Saul was, he saluted him with this congratulatory speech,