soner, tied and bound by the chain of his sins, and that now he is rejoicing in the liberty wherewith Christ has made him free, we can imagine we hear him gratefully exclaiming, "Oh! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

And what gentleness to our tongue, what tenderness to our spirit, what forbearance to our manner would be given by the simple recollection of Christ's pardoning love to us! We have seen Christians, who for some trifle, light as air,—some imagined want of respect, have assumed the chilling aspect; and we have wondered if it was thus their Master looked at Peter, when he for the third time denied his Lord! Do we not continually grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and are we not again and again followed by the affectionate invitation, "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings?" Oh! let us remember this when we are inclined to deal harshly with our brother, and, as Christ has forgiven us, so let us from our heart forgive the erring one, though he sin against us seventy times seven !

The country around Cæsarea is remarkably verdant and beautiful; and we think Saul, after the stormy time of trial through which he had lately passed, must have joyfully welcomed the shade of

those olive-trees, and perhaps under their sheltering boughs he spoke to the people of that Jesus whom he had persecuted.

He does not remain long there, but proceeds to Tarsus, his birthplace, which was no mean city, but was distinguished for its philosophy and literature, and at one time, in its schools and its celebrated literary characters, it rivalled even Athens.

F

X.

REST IN THE CHURCHES.-MIRACLES PERFORMED BY PETER.-THE VISION OF CORNELIUS.-THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST ON THE GENTILES.

THEN had the churches rest! We scarcely value this sweet gift now. In the blessed English land, it has been our privilege from our earliest years to go to the house of God in peace. We sat as children by the pleasant fire-side, and uninterruptedly listened to the holy instructions of our dear parents; and when maturer years came, we, in our turn, took our little ones to hear the word of life, in the temple of the Lord.

But in those early days, when the sword of the persecutor was often allowed to be triumphant, oh, with what delight did the disciples hail these times of rest! They walked in the fear of the Lord, and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, was with them.

From our own experience, we know that there are seasons when the flower of Christian delight raises its drooping head, even in this wilderness world. There are green spots in every desert;

places where the dry land becomes springs of

water.

Who amongst us does not recollect the unexpected mercy that has caused him, from the very depths of sorrow, to sing praises unto his God?—or the reviving promise that, resting with power on his soul, has shed sunshine around him, where all before was darkness? Oh, yes! though he cause grief, yet hath he compassion according to the multitude of his

mercies.

Just at this time the Roman emperor, Caligula, who was a blood-thirsty and cruel man, determined that his statue should be erected in Jerusalem, in sign of its subjection to him; and he sent Petronius thither with a command to set it up in the midst of the temple; and all those Jews who offered any resistance to this measure were to be put to death or made slaves. Look at the alarm and dismay painted on every countenance! Oh, it is an affecting sight! In hundreds they are abandoning the cities and villages; the youthful and the aged, the robust and the feeble-manhood, with its anxious brow, and childhood, in its simple wonder ;-all are hastening to Petronius, and there, with weeping and much lamentation, they plead for their beloved city. "The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters, but God shall rebuke them." And do they think of the Christians now? Do they remember

the unavailing cries and prayers of this inoffensive people? Do they feel that an angry God is chastening them for their iniquity? Alas! we fear not : "God speaketh once, yea, twice; yet man perceiveth it not."

But rest was thus given to the Christians, by him who, in his own good time, causes the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

The Jews were so concerned for their own safety, that even cruelty forgot its savage work; and joy and peace again flourished amongst these early Christians.

We have now something to tell you about Peter, the disciple to whom much was forgiven, and who, in spite of rash presumption and weak faith, still dearly loved his Saviour.

In many towns he has been visiting his Christian friends, for they that fear the Lord delight in speaking often to one another; and this communion of saints is, we are persuaded, a foretaste of their blessed and everlasting association in heaven.

Peter now arrives at Lydda, a large town, not far from the plain of Sharon, which, you will remember, was so famed for its roses that Solomon, speaking of him who was to save his people from their sins, calls him the Rose of Sharon.

Does Peter, wearied with his journeyings, think