famine brought to them by Agabus the prophet, awakened the generosity of the Christians at Antioch, to supply the pressing necessi ties of the saints in Judea. The possibility at least, that it might have affected themselves, whould have led some to conclude it the part of prudence to keep what they had to themselves. But they argued much more wisely, chusing thus to lay up in store a good foun dation against the time to come, and to secure a title to that peculiar care of divine, providence, which is promised and engaged to those who mind not every one his own things, but each the welfare of others and of all. SECTION XXVI. Herod having slain James, commits Peter to prison who is delivered by an angel. Ch. xii. 1-19. 1 2 NOW time, laid OW about that time, Herod Agrippa the king laid hands on And he 3 slew James the brother of John with the sword. And as he saw that this was acceptable to the Jews, he went on to seize Peter 4 also: and it was in the days of unleavened bread. And having seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to the custody of four quaternions of soldiers to guard him by turns, intending 5 after the passover to bring him out to the people. In the mean time, therefore, Peter was kept in the prison; but earnest and continued prayer was made to God on his account by the church. And when Herod was ready to have brought him out for execution, even that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the guards before the door 7 were keeping the prison. And behold an angel of the Lord presented himself, and a light shone in the house; and giving Peter a gentle blow on the side, he awoke him, saying, Arise quickly : 8 and his chains immediately fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals; and he did so. And he saith to him further, Throw thy mantle round thee and 9 follow me. And going out he followed him; and he did not know that what was done by the angel was true and real, but supposed 10 that he had seen a vision. And passing through the first and second watch, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city; which opened to them as of its own accord, And going out, they went together through one street of the city, and immediately the angel 11 departed from him, And Peter being come to himself, said, Now I know truly that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all the expectations of the 12 Jewish people. And recollecting where he was, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was sirnamed Mark; where many Christians were gathered together, praying for his 13 deliverance. And as Peter knocked at the door of the outer gate, a maiden whose name was Rhoda or Rose, went to inquire who 14 was there. And kowing Peter's voice, transported with joy, she did not open the gate; but running in, told them that Peter was 15 standing at the gate. And they said to her, Surely thou art distracted: but she confidently affirmed that it was so. Then they 16 said, It is his angel or spirit. But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were aston17 ished. And he beckoned to them with his hand to be silent, and related to them how the Lord had conducted him out of prison. And he said, Inform James (i.e. the less) and the brethren of 18 these things: and departing thence he went to another place.-And as soon as it was day, there was no small tumult among the sol19 diers, who made great inquiry what was become of Peter. And Herod searching for him and not finding him, examined the keepers, and ordered them to be led away to execution for their negligence. REFLECTIONS. We have now before us the death of another martyr, and that martyr an apostle, and that apostle no less a person than James the brother of John, who was also one of the chosen favourites and companions of our blessed Lord; and not the less dear because so early dismissed from mortal life and labour, and dismissed by a violent and bloody death. He was slain with the sword; but that blow, which was hardly if at all to be felt, in one short moment transported him to his long loved Lord, and introduced him to that endeared converse with Jesus in his heavenly presence, of which all the most intimate hours spent with him upon earth, not excepting that of the transfiguration itself (to which he was an eye-witness) were but an imperfect shadow.— But how strange was it, that this should please the Jews! To see the slaughter of one of the most excellent persons that ever adorned their nation, one of the greatest benefactors, his Lord only excepted, that ever had appeared in all the list of the prophetic and inspired race! Yet thus it was that they proceeded to fill up the measure of their fathers; and such was still the hardness of their hearts, that after having rejected the message, they soon came to hate the messengers, and to thirst for their blood: The surest token of wrath coming upon them to the uttermost; as indeed it was but a few years more, and such an execution was done upon them, as seemed to be the accumulated vengeance due for all the righteous blood which had been shed from Abel to James. Peter was also imprisoned, and was bound with chains; and no doubt the prayers and tears with which the church were contending for his delivery, would appear exceedingly despicable to his enemies, if known by them; but they found to their confusion, that his Redeemer was strong. The Lord Jesus sent an angel to him, who found him, secure in his innocence, and happy in his hope, sleeping between those two guards, who perhaps in a few hours were to have been his executioners, and sleeping so sweetly sound, that the brightness of the angel's presence did not immediately awake him. The angel smites him, and his chains fall off; the iron gates are opened, and the prisoner is set at full liberty. So does the angel of death smite as it were, Peter but with a gentle blow, the servants of Christ, and the fetters of mortality fall off; the doors of the dungeon are opened, and they are led into the new Jerusalem, where they find another kind of society, another kind of rest, another kind of joy, than Peter knew, even in the first transports of his deliverance. The prayers of the night were added to those of the day. Pious men and women, the aged and the young, were assembled on this important occasion; and while they were praying, God answered; while they were yet speaking, he heard. Behold, Peter is himself sent among them, to bring them the astonishing news of that real deliverance, which at first appeared to him but as a vision of the night. What delight must such a mercy give them; especially when considered as an answer of prayer! What an encouragement must it be to them all, to hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering, and in every future exigence by prayer and supplication to make their requests known unto God. was solicitous it might be known to the surviving James, and the other apostles, that they might glorify God in him, and might take encouragement from it, to go on boldly in the prosecution of their work. With such views should we own the goodness of God in any deliverance he grants us, that others may learn to confide in him, and may join thir praises with ours.-Herod in his diappointment turns his rage on the soldiers, and makes those unhappy men the victims of his wrath. Unhappy indeed, if they had not learnt from Peter, whilst they had him in their power, that lesson which his charity would be so glad to teach them, in what he apprehended to be the last moments of his life, to believe in Jesus for life and salvation, But whatever they suffered, a much severer vengeance was reserved for Herod, on whom God quickly began to visit that innocent and pious blood which he had spilt, and that too after which he had thirsted; for in his sight he must have appeared the murderer of Peter, as well as of James. SECTION XXVII. Herod makes a public oration, for which he is extravagantly applauded, but for his pride is miraculously destroyed. Ch. xii. 19—24. 19 A ND Herod, after his disappointment in Peter's escape, departed from Jerusalem, and passing from Judea to Cæsarea, abode 20 there. And Herod was, for some supposed affront, highly incensed against the Tyrians and Sidonians, and intended making war upon them. But they unanimously came before him with a petition; and gaining Blastus the king's chamberlain to their interest, they begged for peace; because, having little corn of their own 21 growth, their country was nourished by that of the king. And upon a set day, when a grand assembly was held, Herod being arrayed in a royal habit and seated upon the throne, made an ora22 tion to them, expressing his clemency. And the people, charmed with his appearance and address, cried out, It is the voice of a god, 23 and not of a man. But immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, with a grievous disease, because he gave not God the glory, so as to reject these blasphemous applauses; and being eaten with 24 worms, he soon after expired in agony and infamy. And the word of God grew, and was multiplied. REFLECTIONS. The wrath of a king is as the messengers of death; but a wise man (says Solomon) will pacify it: The world generally teaches this wisdom to its votaries, and the ties of interest are felt, when those of affection have but little force. Tyre and Sidon were nourished by the king's country, and therefore they sought peace with him. But how much more necessary is it, for all countries and people and princes, to seek peace with the God of heaven, by whom the earth and all its inhabitants are nourished, who giveth rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and can by his sovereign word turn the heavens into brass, and the earth into iron.-How vain and impious was the applause of this servile multitude, when they were so ready to compliment a mortal man in shining apparel, and on a royal throne, with the title of divinity! and how wretched the infatuation of his mind, when he could receive that ascription without horror, yea even with complacency! Thus do pomp and power, wealth and grandeur, take away the heart of their possessors; but never is a mortal nearer to destruction than when he forgets he is a mortal. With pleasure no doubt, did this angel of the Lord come down to execute upon this proud and persecuting prince the vengeance due to the honours of God which he had invaded, and the blood of the saints which he had spilt. Let us adore the triumph of the injured majesty of heaven. He was smitten with death, with a death equally tormenting and ignominious; vermin devoured this god; nor could all his robes, his guards, or his physicians, preserve his living body from being as easy a prey to them as the carcase of the meanest slave. Thus is the Almighty Sovereign of the universe known by the judgment which he executeth upon the haughty kings of the earth. Well might the gospel flourish on occasion of such an event; when this royal corpse was (as it were) given for manure to the roots of that vine which he, in contempt of the King of Kings by whom it was planted, had impiously endeavour. ed to root up. SECTION XXVIII. Paul and Barnabas, sent out to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, smite El ymas with blindness, and convert the Roman governor. Ch. xii. 25. xiii. 1-12. 25 A ND Barnabas and Saul, having fulfilled their ministry, in carrying the alms from Antioch, returned from Jerusalem, bringing along with them John, whose surname was Mark. xiii. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch, certain pro phets and teachers; particularly Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenean, and Manaen who was edu cated with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And as they were minis tering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them, of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. And having fasted and pray4 ed, and laid their hands upon them, they dismissed them.-They therefore being sent out by the Holy Spirit, departed to Seleucia, 5 and from thence they sailed to Cyprus; and being arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogue of the 6 Jews and they had also John for their attendant. And having traversed the island, as far as Paphos, they found a certain Jew, a magician and false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus, that was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who calling for Barna8 bas and Saul, desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas, or the magician (for that was his name when translated into Greek) withstood them, endeavouring to turn away the proconsul 9 from the faith. Then Saul (who is also called Paul by the Greeks and Romans) being filled with the Holy Spirit, and looking sted10 fastly upon him, said, O thou, who art full of all deceit and of all wickedness, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteous ness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Il And behold now the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind and not see the sun for a time, to convince thee of thy sin and folly. And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him; and going about, he sought some person to lead him by the hand, 12 Then the proconsul, seeing what was done, believed, being struck with the doctrine of the Lord. REFLECTIONS. We who were once sinners of the Gentiles, and now by the divine goodness are brought to the knowledge of the gospel. have abun= dant reason to be thankful that inspired messengers were sent to teach it being separated to that purpose by the direct appointment of the Holy Spirit. May they that go out to this sacred work in all nations, and in all times, maintain a becoming regard to his influences; and may he make their way prosperous! That he may be engaged to do so, it is certainly convenient, upon the justest principles of reason and piety, to send them forth with solemn prayer; in which ministers and private Christians should from time to time concur, with an intenseness and seriousness answerable to the occasion. Wherever the messengers of the gospel go, they must not be surprised if Satan raise up his instruments and children to oppose them; especially where they would endeavour to introduce religion into the hearts of princes, or other great men. Well does the prince of the power of the air know, how dangerous every such blow is to his kingdom Nevertheless, the King of Kings knows how to make way to the hearts of the greatest among the children of men; nor can any of them shew a more solid and important prudence, than to inquire imparz tially into the evidences of the gospel, and to give themselves up to be governed by it; an happy resolution, which they will probably be disposed to form, in proportion to the degree in which they observe |