this truth; for there only can we "see God as he is, and know Him even as we are known1."

Apollos, afterwards a celebrated disciple of the Gospel, was recommended by the Ephesian brethren to those of the Church planted by St. Paul at Corinth. At this place he manifested his improvements in religious knowledge; "he helped them much, which had believed through grace." His countrymen were greatly benefited by the instruction he communicated; for "he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the Scriptures (with which he was so conversant) that Jesus was the Christ."

This was the great doctrine for which all the Apostles laboured; and they laboured not in vain. "I have planted, (says St. Paul) Apollos watered, but God gave the increase "." Such was the mode of establishment, and such the progress, of the Christian Church. And "because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it, O Lord, evermore by thy help and goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3."

1 1 Cor. xiii. 12.

3

1 Cor. iii. 6.

16th Sunday after Trinity.

LECTURE XIX.

ACTS XIX. 1- -20.

St. Paul's third Apostolic Journey.-The Countries of Galatia and Phrygia. The City of Ephesus. A. D. 56-58.

HAD human means been the only means made use of to propagate the religion of Jesus, notwithstanding the inadequate causes assigned for its success by the insidious author of the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, it must inevitably have sunk before the arts of an interested philosophy, or fallen a sacrifice to the violence of wordly opposition. We cannot view St. Luke's account of the first settlement of the Gospel, in the various countries, which are the objects of his history, without being struck with this circumstance. For what reasonable end could have induced any one man, much less vast multitudes of persons, in populous and highly civilized cities, to have embraced the holy doctrine of the Cross, if it had not been supported by supernatural help? Paul might have preached and travelled unnoticed and unattended, if he had not been able to have convinced his hearers that his commission was from above and how could his hearers have been

thus convinced, if he had not directed them to the miracles, and wonders, and signs, which his Lord and master had done, and which his immediate disciples were enabled to do; and to compare them with those records of the Divine Will, which, from time to time, had been delivered by the Prophets? Had the visible effusion of the Spirit alone been withheld, the effect of conversion would have been confined to few. But why should we imagine a situation, which the Almighty thought not fit to adopt? It is not our business on such points to reason, but to obey.

The energy with which the Apostle of the Gentiles undertook his mission, prevents us from feeling any lassitude in being the companions of his travels. How indeed should that be the case, when we are every moment listening to his animated discourses, following him into every Synagogue, and attending him at every tribunal? He himself was the willing pupil, the indefatigable follower, of his own instructions. "Let us not be weary in well-doing. As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men1.” No sooner had he completed one journey upon this truly catholic principle, than he undertook another. He allowed himself no interruption in his religious duties; and it was not till much later in life, when he had his martyrdom in view, that he said in the spirit of Christian resignation, "I have finished my course'."

We once more set forward with St. Paul from

1 Gal. vi. 9, 10.

2 2 Tim. iv. 8.

converts.

*

Antioch in Syria, where we left him, on his third apostolic journey. The account is very short of the first part of his travels, but comprehends a vast extent of country, as well as a large harvest of "He went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, strengthening all the Disciples'." The Historian was equally concise, when he mentioned St. Paul's former visit to these regions. It now appears that he had planted Churches as he had travelled, and had converted a considerable number of the inhabitants. In this journey he makes a regular visitation of his infant Churches; with which, as we find in his Epistle to the Galatians, he had great reason to be satisfied. He delicately refers to his personal uneasiness and afflictions, when he first appeared among them as their teacher, and mentions, with great feeling, their strong affection for him. "Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the Gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected, but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where then is the blessedness that you spoke of? (What was then your happiness?) For I bear you record, that if it had been possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes (ye would have deprived yourselves of the dearest things ye had) and would have given them to me." How delightful to visit friends thus sensible of the value of his friendship! How grateful

1 Chap. xviii. 23.

2 Gal. iv. 13, 14, 15.

to a faithful pastor to receive such proofs of attachment, as they are irrefragable evidences, that the dew of heaven has not fallen on an unkindly soil!

When he had thus passed through "the upper coasts," the Apostle, according to his promise, came down to Ephesus, and proceeded immediately with an earnestness and solemnity becoming his character, to enquire into the spiritual state of all the members of the Church. The manner in which he made this inquiry, and his proceedings on the occasion, have afforded a model for future visitations of the same nature. This in Scripture language, has been called strengthening, setting in order, and, when accompanied by the laying on of hands, confirming the Disciples. Apollos, as Apollos, as we have seen, had departed for Corinth; but several persons had, in the mean time, arrived at Ephesus, possessing, like Apollos at his arrival, a very imperfect knowledge of Christianity. Finding certain Disciples, he said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"-An important question! They formed part of the society of Christians; of course it might reasonably be expected that they were in possession of spiritual gifts. Let all who think themselves believers, attend awfully to this inquiry, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"—And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." On the first view, this passage appears to be very obscure, or or very inconsistent; as it is not likely that any Jew who must have known the Scriptures, or any Gen

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