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CHAPTER IX.

APRIL 12, AUGUST 11, DEC. 9.

AND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest: against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat

4 They who persecute the followers of Christ, persecute Him. They afflict man, but they sin against God. 5 The efforts of those who resist God are not only vain, but harmful to themselves; even as those of the ox, who is pierced by the goad against which he kicketh.

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it is hard for thee to kick

6 His mind, habitually open to believe in heavenly revelations, instantly recognised a voice from heaven, even the voice of the Lord.

10 Happy thou, if, when called to do or to suffer, thine be the ready obedience !" Behold! Lord, I am

here !"

nor drink. 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord *. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul, of Tarsus; for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem and here he hath authority from the chief priests

Saul.

Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, in the lesser Asia, and the birthplace of

to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

16

for

15 No wonder that, in proportion to the importance of his mission, his credentials, as "an ambassador of Christ," should be stamped with marked authority. (2 Cor. v. 20.) 16 St. Paul, the chosen servant, was called to a martyr's death. Be not dismayed at thy trials! God is also with thee.

I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And imme18 So important is the rite of baptism, as the appointed seal of our

covenant with God.

20 St. Paul insisted upon the divinity of Christ, lest the glories of the everlasting Son of the Father be forgotten in contemplating the sufferings of the crucified Son of man.

diately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: "but their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he

hither for that intent, that he

22 Proving the truth, by comparing one Scripture with another. Paul's extensive and deep knowledge of the Scriptures well qualified him to pur

sue such a course.

Christ *. And after that many

24 If men watch for evil, God watches for good. His providence is ever over us, when engaged in the path of duty.

26 We do not wonder that when Paul attempted, or assayed, to join

*There is an interval of nearly three years from the conversion of St. Paul to his visit to Jerusalem; the intervening time being passed partly at Damascus, but chiefly in Arabia.

the disciples, they hesitated to receive him *.

not that he was a disciple. 27 The apostles Peter and John. (Gal. i. 18.)

assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Æneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. 34 And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all that dwelt in Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had

29 To stand up as a preacher of that faith he had persecuted, required a courage which nothing could have given but a sincerity blessed and sustained by the Spirit of God. St. Paul had to overcome not only the fear of death, but the more trying fear of shame †.

30 He who rashly risks life, tempts the Lord.

31 The Church of Christ is built up, or edified, when the members of it are truly the people of God ‡.

34 The apostles refer to Jesus the power by which they worked miracles. (Matt. v. 30.)

* This was doubtless painful to the new disciple; but he felt it to be part of the penalty attending his former sin as a persecutor: there fore he murmured not. Every penitent must expect to experience this.

By the Grecians are meant the Jews who dwelt in foreign countries. REST. That is the nearest approach to happiness which the Church of Christ and each individual Christian can expect. Thus we pray in our Liturgy that we be permitted to serve the Lord "in all godly quietness;" we implore "peace in our time," and we trust to heaven for the blessing; "because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God!"

washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

And forasmuch

as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that

he would not delay to come to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes and when she saw 41 Thus exercising the miraculous Peter, she sat up. 41 And powers promised. (Matt. x. 8.) he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa: and many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

39 How tenderly are our feelings moved at the sight of even the most trivial object which reminds us of the loved dead!

CHAPTER X.

APRIL 13, AUGUST 12, DEC. 10.
WHIT-SUNDAY, morning, from ver. 34.

THERE was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 'And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel

1 The religion of Jesus Christ is at hand to sanctify every station in life : guarding us against the peculiar temptations of each; and enabling us to fulfil its duties. (See Luke iii. 14.)

7

which spake unto Cornelius departed, he called two

was

In our prayers, and our alms, and our good deeds; there can be no merit. But God graciously accepts them, and will recompense them for Christ's sake. (Matt. xxv. 40.)

but we cannot doubt their ministra We do not discern the angels ; tion in our service. What a pleas

of his houshold servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

ing-what a salutary thought! How encouraging to virtue! How abashing to vice!

and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: and he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let 12 So the Church was to include down to the earth: wherein men of every nation.

12

And there

were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

But Peter

said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is 15 And common or unclean. the voice spake unto him again the second time, What

God hath cleansed, that call
not thou common.
16 This
was done thrice: and the

15 This removed the distinction between Jew and Gentile-clean and unclean.

16 Blessed day! when the whole Church shall be received up inte Heaven-one great family of God!

vessel was received up again into heaven. Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. 23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And

23 The voice from heaven had removed all Peter's scruples. with them, and certain brethren

24 Near friends. In one sense of the word, a Christian views all men with friendly eye-his charity free

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