Chronological Table of Contents. Philip is ordered by an angel into the desert in the way to Gaza, where he instructs an Ethiopian eunuch in the faith of Christ; and, having baptized him, the Spirit takes him to Azotus, from whence, when he had preached in all the cities of the neighbouring coast, he comes to Cæsarea, § 18. Saul, setting out for Damascus with an intent to persecute the church there, is miraculously converted by Christ's appearing to him on the way, who bids him go to Damascus, where he should hear what he must do. The light that shone around him strikes him blind, and, being led to Damascus, he continues three days fasting, § 19. Ananias, by divine direction, comes and restores his sight, declaring that the Lord had chosen him to be his witness unto all of what he had seen and heard; and, having baptized him, he receives the Holy Spir it, 20. Immediately he preaches Christ at Damascus, and confounds the Jews, proving that Jesus is the true Messiah, ibid. Then goes into Arabia, and preaches there: from whence he returns to Damascus, where the Jews seek to kill him, but he makes his escape in the night, ibid. Three years after his conversion, Saul returns to Jerusalem, and is introduced by Barnabas to Peter and James; but, preaching boldly there, he is again in danger from the Jews; on which the brethren conduct him to Cæsarea, and send him away to Tarsus, ibid. The persecution ceases, and the churches are multiplied, ibid. Peter, making a progress through the neighbouring parts, cures Eneas of a palsy at Lydda, and raises Dorcas from the dead at Joppa, § 21. Cornelius, a devout centurion, is divinely admonished to send to Joppa for Peter, who in obedience to the divine command, comes with his messengers to Cæsarea, preaches the gospel to him and his friends though Gentiles, and receives them into the church by baptism, 22, 23. Anno Dom. 39. Chronological Table of Contents. Peter, returning to Jerusalem, is questioned by the brethren of the circumcision for his conversing with such as were uncircumcised; but on his giving an account of the matter, they acquiesce, and bless God for his grace to the Gentiles, 24. The gospel is preached at Antioch, and a great 40 number of the Greeks believe. Barnabas is sent from the church at Jerusalem to confirm the disciples at Antioch, who are first called Christians there, 42 43 25. Barnabas goes to Tarsus for Saul, and bringing him to Antioch, they spend a year together there, ibid. Agabus comes thither from Jerusalem, and foretells an approaching famine: A collection is resolved upon for the poor brethren in Judea, which is sent to Jerusalem by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, ibid. Herod Agrippa puts James to death at Jerusalem, and imprisons Peter, who is delivered by an angel, 26. Herod extravagantly applauded at Cæsarea dies miserably by the stroke of an angel, § 27. Barnabas and Saul having executed their commission, and carried to Jerusalem what was collected for the poor brethren, return to Antioch, and bring with them John sirnamed Mark, § 28. The Holy Spirit orders Barnabas and Saul to be set apart to preach to the Gentiles: They go to Seleucia attended by John, and from thence sail to Cyprus Having preached at Salamis, they go through the island to Paphos, where Elymas opposing them is struck blind by Saul, (hereafter called Paul,) and Sergius Paulus the proconsul is converted, ibid. From hence they sail to Perga in Pamphylia, where John, departing from them, returns to Jerusalem, 29. Paul and Barnabas go on to Antioch in Pisidia, A persecution being raised against them by the 459 460 Anno Dom. 46. Claudius 6. 8 9 10 11 Chronological Table of Contents. Many converts are made there both of the Jews and Greeks. The unbelieving Jews stir up the multitude against them, and they depart to Lystra, where they cure a lame man; on which the people take them to be gods, and are hardly restrained from sacrificing to them, 31. But, being followed thither by the Jews, the people are persuaded to stone Paul, who being left for dead recovers, and goes with Barnabas to Derbe, from whence they return through Pisidia and Pamphylia, constituting presbyters in every church, and sailing from Attalia, come back to Antioch in Syria, where having called the church together, they report the wonderful success of their ministry among the Gentiles, § 32 48 Paul and Barnabas continue a long time with the disciples at Antioch, §-32. 49 50 51 The Jewish converts urge the necessity of circumcision: Debates arise at Antioch; and Paul and Barnabas are sent, with some others, to consult the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, § 33— Having passed through Phoenicia and Samaria in their way, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles to the great joy of all the brethren, they come to Jerusalem, where the matter is debated in a full assembly in which, after Peter and James had spoken for their liberty, the celebrated decree is made in favour of the Gentile converts, § 33, 34. They send back messengers with Paul and Barnabas, who arrive at Antioch with the decree; and having made some stay there, Judas returns to the apostles, but Silas chooses to continue longer there, 35 Peter comes down to Antioch, and is publicly reproved by Paul for dissimulation in his conduct, ib. a. Paul with Silas, and Barnabas with John sirnamed Mark, set out different ways, to visit the churches they had lately planted, § -35. Paul and Silas travel through Syria and Cilicia, and several provinces of the Lesser Asia, and come to Derbe and Lystra, where having associated Timóthy with them, they go on to Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia, and from thence come to Troas, where they are called to Macedonia, § 36— Being joined by Luke at Troas, they sail from thence and cross the sea to Europe, passing by Sa Anno Dom. 51. Claudius 11. 12 13 14 52 53 54 VOL. 3. Chronological Table of Contents. mothracia to Neapolis, where they land, and go to Having preached at Philippi, Lydia is converted, Passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they come to Thessalonica, where Paul having preached in the synagogue, and planted a Christian church, the unbelieving Jews stir up the mob against them, and oblige them to depart, § 39 Being come to Berea, they are received more candidly by the Jews there, many of whom, and of the Greeks, believe; but being followed thither by the Jews of Thessalonica, Paul goes away to Athens, appointing Silas and Timothy to follow him, §-39. Paul, greatly moved at the idolatry which prevailed at Athens, makes an excellent discourse to the philosophers there; who most of them make light of what he says, but some believe, § 40. Paul departs from Athens to Corinth, where he finds Aquila and Priscilla, and, lodging at their house, works as a tentmaker, but preaches every sabbathday to the Jews and Greeks, § 41 Silas and Timothy come to him here: and Paul, rejected by the Jews, turns to the Gentiles, many of whom believe and are baptized, ib. Being encouraged in his work by a vision of Christ, From hence he writes his first and second epis- Paul departs from Corinth to Cenchrea, where in 61 goes 461 Chronological Table of Contents. having kept the feast, returns to Antioch in Syria,) 42 Having continued there some time, Paul sets out on another progress, (which was the third that he began from thence since his conversion ;) in which he visits the Asian churches, and particularly those of Galatia and Phrygia, ib. Apollos, in the mean time, preaches at Ephesus ; and being farther instructed in the Christian doctrine by Aquila and Priscilla, goes over to Achaia, and preaches at Corinth and other places in that province, -42. While Apollos was watering what Paul had planted at Corinth, Paul comes to Ephesus, where some of John's disciples, being instructed by him, are baptized, and receive the Spirit, § 43 Having taught there in the synagogue three months, meeting with opposition from the Jews, he separates the disciples, and discourses daily for two years in the school of Tyrannus; performing extraordinary miracles, while the exorcist Jews are beaten by a dæmoniac they would have dispossessed; and preaching the word with such success, that many believe and burn their magical books, §-43. About this time he writes his first epistle to the Corinthians, 44, ". Paul thinks of setting out for Macedonia and Achaia, from whence he would go to Jerusalem, and afterwards to Rome; but sending Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, he alters his design, and tarries some time longer in that part of Asia, § 44 Demetrius the silversmith raising a tumult against him, the mob is enraged and cries out for Diana: Paul is advised not to venture among them: The chancellor comes and appeases the tumult, §-44. Paul leaving Timothy, who was now returned to him, at Ephesus, departs from thence; and having passed through Troas in his way, crosses the sea to Macedonia, where he visits the several churches, gathering a contribution as he passed for the poor brethren in Judea, § 45— In this journey he writes his Second Epistle to the Corinthians; as also, probably, his Firs to Timothy, ib. b, c. From Macedonia he goes on to Greece, where he visits the churches at Corinth, and in the neighbour |