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"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, that appeared to thee on thy way to Damascus, hath commissioned me not only to restore thy sight, but to endow thee with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, to qualify thee for the service of his church, to which thou art now consecrated." Immediately upon this, Saul recovered his sight; and was, by baptism, received into the number of the faithful; and having taken food after a long abstinence, he was quickly strengthened, and recovered his former health and vigour, which it was his immediate care to employ in the service of his new master. He now associated with the disciples whom he came to persecute; and, in a very short time, began to preach Christ in the synagogues, proving, by incontestable arguments, that he is the true Messiah, the Son of God.

This sudden change of Saul greatly surprised the people of Damascus, who remembering that he had so lately been concerned in the death of Stephen, a violent per secutor of the Christians, and but just before was sent from the Sanhedrim with a special commission to that purpose, could scarcely believe him sincere. But Saul every day increased in spiritual strength, and was soon able to repel all the arguments of the Jews, enforcing his own with such evidence, that they were not able to deny the proofs he gave of Jesus being the Messiah. This Christian courage, and spiritual freedom of Saul, which baffled the Jews in all their disputes, so exasperated them, that they entered into a conspiracy against him, resolving to destroy him; but having timely notice, he prevented their malice by an honest stratagem: for the disciples understanding that the Jews kept a constant guard at the gates of the city, and that it was impossible to convey him from thence by day-light, took the opportunity of the darkness of the night, and let him down the wall in a basket, by which means he escaped to Jerusalem; where, when he offered himself to the conversation of the faithful, they were afraid to associate with him on account of his former character; but Barnabas introducing him to the apostles, vouched for his sincerity, declaring the manner of his miraculous conversion, and that in confirmation of his mission, which he in a special man

ner had received from the Lord, he had openly preached at Damascus the gospel of Christ. Upon this assurance he was received by the apostles, and employed in the work of his sacred calling, to which, by his Christian courage and great abilities, he was a bright ornament. But here likewise, as before at Damascus, signalizing himself in all disputes with the Jews that understood Greek, they were so enraged at his pious zeal, that they attempted his life; which the brethren understanding, they conveyed him from Jerusalem to Cæsarea, and thence to Tarsus, the place of his birth.

Now all the Christian assemblies through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, were indulged with the quiet use of their religion, daily improving and increasing in the faith, and building on that foundation the pure and pious practice of all Christian virtues. And as Peter, at this favour. able juncture, was making his progress through all the neighbouring country, to instruct and confirm the new converts in the faith of the gospel, he paid a visit to the disciples at Lydda, where he wrought a miraculous cure upon Æneas, who had been afflicted eight years with the palsy, and was not able to help himself. Upon which miracle, the inhabitants of Lydda and Saron generally received the faith. At this time there was at Joppa a woman who had received the gospel, whose name was Tabitha, or Dorcas, who, by extraordinary industry and labour in her profession and way of employment, was ready to do all good offices of charity and liberality to the necessitous: and thus full of good works, she was taken sick, and died. Having therefore by way of preparation for her interment washed her body, according to their cus tom of burying, they laid her in an upper room. Now Lydda being near Joppa, the disciples sent messengers to Peter, intreating his presence among them; and when he came to Joppa, they shewed him into the room where Tabitha was laid out, and the poor widows who had been clothed by her christian bounty came weeping to Peter, and shewed him the garments which she either made herself, or caused to be made, as monuments of her charity. Then Peter, ordering the company to withdraw, kneeled down and prayed; and, turning to the body, said, "Ta

bitha, arise!" Upon which, opening her eyes, she sat up; and Peter giving her his hand helped her up, and presented her alive to her friends that lamented her loss. The fame of this miracle soon spread through the place, and multitudes were thereupon converted to the faith, being no longer able to resist such evidences of the truth of the gospel. To finish this great work therefore, Peter continued some time at Joppa, taking up his residence in the house of one Simon a tanner.

Upon the borders of Palestine, about seventy miles from Jerusalem, stood the stately city of Cæsarea, where the Romans kept a garrison to awe the conquered Jews, part of which was called the Italian-Cohort, or band of soldiers, commanded by Cornelius, who was a man of distinguished piety, and worshipped the true God, and his family, led by his pious example, did the same; he was also remarkably generous to the poor, and abounded in acts of devotion. And as he was one day, at three in the afternoon, engaged in prayer, he saw an angel, who called him by his name. But when he discerned it to be a message from God, in great fear and astonishment, he said, "Lord, what is thy pleasure?" To which the angel gave this comfortable reply, "Thy prayers and the alms with which they have been attended, are come up into the Divine presence, as a grateful memorial, more pleasing than the most fragrant incense; and he is now about to afford thee a singular token of his favour. Send a message therefore to Joppa, and at the house of one Simon a tanner, near the sea-side, inquire for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who shall instruct thee in the knowledge of the mercy designed thee, and give thee directions for thy whole future life." The angel being gone, Cornelius called two of his menial servants, and a pious soldier, one of his domestics, whom, when he had acquainted with the whole matter of the visi on, he sent off to Joppa.

The next day, whilst these men were on the road, and not far from Joppa, about noon Peter went up to the flat roof of the house (a place commodious for devotion) to pray; and being hungry, would have eaten; but he

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fell into an ecstacy, or a trance,* and in a vision seemed to see heaven opened, and a great sheet or wrapper, tied at the four corners, which containing all sorts of creatures, clean and unclean, denoting the Jews and Gentiles together, was let down to the earth; and there came a voice to Peter, saying, "Rise, kill and eat!" But Peter refused, thinking himself bound to eat nothing that was forbidden by the law, concerning things clean and unclean. But the voice spoke to him a second time, telling him God had taken away those interdicts concerning meats; and therefore when God makes no distinction, he ought not to make any. After three admonitions, the sheet was taken up into heaven, and Peter was left in great perplexity, seriously considering what could be the meaning of this visionary representation. While he laboured under this doubtful anxiety, the men who were sent from Cornelius were just come to Simon's house, and stood at the gate, inquiring for Peter; at which instant of time it was revealed to Peter by an inward suggestion, that three men inquired for him, and that he must go along with them, making no question upon those Jewish scruples of the unlawfulness of conversing with the Gentiles.

Peter immediately obeyed the heavenly admonition, and went down to the men, demanding the cause of their coming; who tell him, that Cornelius, a pious centurion, and generally well esteemed by the Jews, had seen a vision, and therein was commanded by an angel of God to send for him to come to him, that he might hear something of great moment from him. Then inviting them into the house, he entertained them that night; and the next morning Peter went from Joppa attended with several of the brethren to Cæsarea, where they the next day arrived; and Cornelius, to shew the greater respect to his venerable guest, had invited his kindred and friends to join with him in the reception.

Trance. The word cars signifies, "the rapture of the mind," when the external senses being suspended, God reveals himself in a peculiar manner to his servants, the prophets or apostles, Acts x. 19, xi 17.

Peter and his company being arrived at Cæsarea, Corne lius met him at his door, and considering him as an an gel sent immediately from heaven, he behaved himself with the greatest humility, falling down at his feet to pay him homage; but Peter would not permit this, telling him, as he raised him from the ground, that him self was no more than a man, though God had employed him on this errand. Then addressing himself to the company, he thus begun: "Ye all know that the laws of the Jewish religion permit not a Jew to converse with any Gentile; but God hath by a vision revealed to me, that I should not make any difference between Jews and Gentiles. Therefore I came to you without scruple, as soon as I was sent for: I desire therefore to know the cause of your sending for me?"

Cornelius, with the greatest frankness and seriousness, answered for the company: "four days since I was fasting until this time of the day, and at three of the clock retiring to prayer, an angel appeared to me in human form, in bright apparel, and said, "Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thy alms recorded in the book of heaven; send therefore to Joppa, and inquire at Simon the tanner's for Peter, who, when he cometh, shall in struct thee what to do." In obedience to the divine decree I sent to thee, and thus far all things in the vision are fulfilled. It now only remains that thou instruct us farther in the will of God; for we are here assembled in his presence, and disposed to hear with becoming reverence and attention all those things which God hath given thee in charge."

Then Peter, laying aside all personal distinctions and prerogatives, makes the following improvement of the former vision: "I now plainly perceive, and am fully satisfied, whatever my former prejudices were as to the difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, that God, the great Father of the whole human race, is no respecter of persons, and accepts no man merely because he is of such a nation, nor does he mean to confine his favours to the seed of Abraham: the middle wall of partition is broken down, so that proselytes, and pious men of every nation, are equally acceptable to him, and may be freely

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