Saul preaches]

for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the Chief Priests? 22 But Saul increased the more in

[at Damascus.

strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. (S)

CHAP. IX.

(S) Ver. 1-22. Saul's miraculous conversion.-"Saul yet breathing:" this represents to us Saul, as it were, panting with zeal and fury,breathing out threatenings and slaughter!-The Christians, in consequence of Stephen's death, had fled to all the surrounding countries; and Saul, by some means, obtained intelligence that many had fled even to Damascus, where a great number of Jews resided, who were under control of the Sanhedrim of Jerusalem. Saul, therefore, obtained letters from Caiaphas, the High Priest, to pursue the Christians thither, and bring all that he could find unto Jerusalem in bonds. By great exertions he, probably, soon got within sight of this famous city, said to be founded by Abraham himself; and this circumstance might animate his zeal, and make him the more eager to clear the city from the pestilent heresy of the Nazarenes, as he called them, For we must by no means consider him as actuated by a disposition naturally cruel; but (as he told King Agrippa) he verily thought that he "ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." (Acts xxv. 9.) He, therefore, acted from a principle of duty, as other persecutors have doubtless doue; and this shows that good motives will not justify bad actious, and that no motives will justify persecution. It was, perhaps, while he was flattering himself that he was engaged in a most meritorious service, that he was arrested by a light from heaven, similar to that of the Shechinah, or sacred glory, which generally accompanied the Divine presence. At the same time a voice sounded from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Whether this voice spake to him in thunder (as some suppose) or not, no thunder could have so much alarmed him. He was instantly struck to the earth, and trembling, said, "Lord, who art thou?"-"I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest," was the reply; and it was added, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks,"alluding to the goads used in driving cattle, the kicking against which would only make them pierce the deeper. Thus it is with all human opposition to the divine decrees. When the heathen raged, and Jews and Romans both combined against the Son of God," what did they? They fulfilled the

very decrees which they resisted. And when Saul went with a design to bring the disciples of Jesus bound to Jerusalem, what did he? He was led blind and fasting to Damascus; and there laid praying and bewailing hiraself, till he was relieved by another miracle of mercy: Ananias being sent to restore sight to his eye-balls, and consolation to his mind.

Another sacred vision was necessary to fulfil the divine purposes. Anauias must be directed to Saul's apartments; and he at first hesitated, from having heard so much of his persecuting spirit, lest it should have been a plan to entrap him: "Lord (says he), I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints;" but his fears were soon allayed by the important intelligence-" Behold, he prayeth!" And he is farther assured that Saul was "a chosen vessel, to bear the name of Jesus, both to Jews and Gentiles." This work he entered upon without delay, and, instead of persecuting the Christians, he confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this Jesus, of whom, but a few days since, he hated the very was the very Christ the true

name,

Messiah.

-

To return, however, to the circumstances of Saul's conversion: we are informed that the men who journeyed with him at the time, stood speechless-"hearing a voice," or sound, and beholding the supernatural light; but neither understanding the words uttered (see chap. xxii. 9), nor seeing any man; and consequently not distinguishing the person of our Saviour. Who the men were that accompanied Saul in his journey to Damascus, we are not told; whether his own servants, or the High Priest's, or some volunteer zealots from Jerusalem, we know not; possibly some of each, but it does not appear that any of them were converted. Thus were our Lord's words, in reference to another case, here fulfilled. "one was taken and another left." And thus it is to this day in our worshipping assemblies: many persons may sit under the same means of grace; one may be converted while many others receive no benefit. Now, to whatever we may attribute this, the Scripture, and particularly St. Paul himself, refers the cause to divine grace, "Who maketh thee to differ?-By the grace of God, I am what I am." (1 Cor. iv. 7; xv. 10.)

(T) Ver. 23-43. Paul persecuted— Eneas cured-and Dorcas raised from the dead. In the preceding section we left Saul preaching "boldly' at Damascus ; but it appears from his Epistle to the Galatians, that he did not long there remain, nor did he go immediately from thence to Jerusalem: for he there says, that before he visited the apostles, he went iuto Arabia, and laboured there for a considerable time; and, after his return to Damas. cus, the Jews, enraged at his supposed apostacy, and his pertinacity in preaching that Jesus was the Messiah, took counsel to slay him." (Gal. i. 17, 18.) It seems that Aretas, an Arabian King, had got possession of Damascus at this time, and that the governor appointed by him abetted the design against Saul. (2 Cor. xi. 32, 33.) (Mr. Scott: See also Dr. Paley's Hora Pauline, ch. v. N. 2.) Providence being, however, his protector, and having got notice of their design, his Christian brethren let him down in a basket, by night, without the walls, on which he seems at this time to have lodged. But whither did he now flee? Not to hide himself among the Gentiles, but directly to Jerusalem, that he might, at all hazards, preach the name of Jesus, where he had so often and so outrageously blasphemed it.

At first the Christians here, like those of Damascus, were greatly amazed, and recollecting how, formerly, he had "breathed out threatening and slaughter" against them, were afraid to receive him, until the kind-hearted Barnabas took him by the haud and brought him to the apostles, informing them of what they seem yet to have been uninformed, namely, his extraordinary conversion, and unexceptionable conduct for three years subsequently; for so long it was from his conversion to his first journey to Jerusalem. (Gal. i. 19.)

Here Saul resumed his activity, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputing with the Grecians (or those Jews who spoke the Greek language), till

at length they also conspired to slay him; in consequence of which the brethren privately conducted him to Cæsarea, and then sent him on to his native city, Tarsus. "Then had the churches rest," says St. Luke; partly through the conversion of Paul, their great persecutor, but more probably through an alarm among the Jews, owing to a threatened attempt, by force of arms, to introduce a statue of Caligula into their most holy place: this turned their attention from persecuting the Christians to the necessity of seeking their own preservation; and thus does the gracious providence of God produce peace to bis church out of the dangers and contentions of their enemies. This favourable interval may have lasted, according to Dr. Lardner, from one to three years before A. D. 40.

Our attention is now drawn to the history of Peter, who, in passing through Joppa, found a man named Eneas, who had been bed-ridden eight years, and cured him in the name of Jesus Christ. This was a mean of greatly increasing the number of believers; and the report reaching Joppa, where a female disciple of the name of Tabitha (or Dorcas), who was greatly beloved and respected for her benevolence and charity, was recently deceased, and was just laid out in an upper chamber, her friends sent for Peter; and, after secret prayer for a divine power, he raised her from the dead, which produced a farther enlargement of the Christian Church.

But we must not leave the short account here given of Dorcas, without recommending her amiable example to our female readers to such, at least, as have not already copied it; for we have the pleasure to know, that there are many Christian ladies already thus engaged: and though we cannot promise them an exemption from mortality; yet, to such as engage in these "labours of love" for Christ's sake, we are authorized to say, they shall not pass unrewarded.

about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 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.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

-6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 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:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 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 down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise Peter; kill and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spake unto him

[Cornelius and Peter.

again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou

common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 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,

18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

21 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?

22 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 with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24 And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

CHAP. X. Ver. 4. What is it, Lord?-If this be addressed to the angel, perhaps the pronoun my should here be understood, as in Numb. xi. 28, "My lord Moses, forbid them.'

Ver. 6. Simon a tanner.-The Rabbies say, that this was considered as a mean trade, and execrated by the Jews.

Ibid. He shall tell thee, &c.-This latter member of the verse is omitted in four ancient, and many

other MSS., in both the Syriac versions, &c.; and is rejected by Wetstein, Griesbach, and Michaelis. Ver. 9. The sixth hour-i. e. noon.

Ver. 11. A certain vessel.-Doddr. "Something descending to him like a great sheet," &c.

Ver. 12. Fourfooted beasts-both clean and unclean, say some; but Doddridge remarks, that in this case Peter might have made a selection. He thinks, therefore, that they were all unclean.

Peter's visit]

26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house,

CHAP. X.

[to Cornelius, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. (U)

34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth,

(U) Ver. 1-33. The visions of Cornelius and of Peter.-"Hitherto (says Mr. Scott) none had been admitted into the Christian Church, but Jews, Samaritans, and prose lytes," who had been circumcised, and bound themselves to keep the whole Jewish law; but it is the opinion of Dean Prideaux, Lord Barrington, and many other learned men, that beside those who were called Proselytes of Justice (or Righteousness), there were others called Proselytes of the Gate, and understood in the fourth commandment under the denomination of "strangers within their gates," meaning devout but uncircumcised Gentiles, who renounced idolatry, and observed the moral law and the seven precepts of Noah, but paid no regard to the Mosaic ritual, and therefore they were admitted into the temple, no farther than the court of the Gentiles. This opinion of two kinds of proselytes, Mr. Prebend. Townsend has lately defended at great length, and with cousiderable ability. The principal argument which weighs with us is, that Peter objected to go to preach to Cornelius, as unclean, till he received a special command to that purpose, which could not have been the case had he been an observer of the Jewish laws, like the proselytes of right

eousness.

Let us now attend to the two visions before us, and first to that of Cornelius. He, as we have seen, was a Gentile proselyte, who "feared God and wrought righteousness," notwithstanding he belonged to the military profession, whose works are too often of a very opposite description. This man was a Centurion, that is, he commanded an hundred men of the band called Italian, probably from its consisting chiefly of Italians. The military profession is not only very ineligible for Christians, as it presents many temptations to licentiousness; but that of a Roman soldier was particularly obnoxious, as he was trained up to violence and plunder-to oppress the weak, and to enslave the world." Engaged in the profession, however, previous to their conversion, it could be no easy matter, especially for the common soldiers, to disentangle themselves from it; and, indeed, the attempt cost many of them their lives. The only case in which we can coa template the soldiers' character with pleasure is, when we see them enrolled for the protection of our liberties and our lives, in opposition to a foreign despot, or an unconstitutional Pretender.

Cornelius was, however, under these most unfavourable circumstances, still a man of piety and benevolence; insomuch that an angel was sent to announce to him

Ver. 26. Stand up.-Did Jesus say so? or what are we to inter upon the doctrine of the simple humanity of Jesus? Was he less pious, or less hurable than St. Peter?

Ver. 28. An unlawful thing.-So Josephus :

"Those strangers who come to us on any other ac count but that of religion, Moses permitted not to be mixed with us in any familiarities." Cont. Apion, ii. 28.