plete ecclesiastical history of the Christian church, during the first thirty years after our Saviour's ascension, nor even of Saint Paul's life during that period; for he has almost wholly omitted what passed among the Jews after the conversion of that apostle, and is totally silent concerning the spread of Christianity in the East and in Egypt, as well as the foundation of the church of Christ at Rome, Saint Paul's journey into Arabia, and many other topics, though the labours and sufferings of the other Apostles could not but have afforded the most interesting materials, had it fallen within his design to have composed an entire history of the Church.

a

If we carefully examine the Acts of the Apostles, we shall perceive that Saint Luke had two objects in view: I. To relate in what manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent miracles performed by the Apostles, by which the truth of Christianity was confirmed. An authentic account of this matter was absolutely necessary, because Christ had so often assured his disciples, that they should receive the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers, therefore, whether Jews or Heathens, might have made objections to our religion, if it had not been shown that Christ's declaration was really fulfilled. 2. To deliver such accounts as proved the claim of the Gentiles to admission into the church of Christ, claim disputed by the Jews, especially at the time when Saint Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles. And it was this very circumstance which excited the hatred of the Jews against Saint Paul, and occasioned his imprisonment in Rome, with which Saint Luke closes his history. Hence we see the reason why he relates (ch. viii.) the conversion of the Samaritans, and (ch. x. xi.) the story of Cornelius, whom Saint Peter (to whose authority the adversaries of Saint Paul had appealed in favour of circumcision)1 baptised, though he was not of the circumcision. Hence also Saint Luke relates the determination of the first council in Jerusalem relative to the Levitical law and for the same reason he is more diffuse in his account of Saint Paul's conversion, and Saint Paul's preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, than on any other subject. It is true that the whole relation, which Saint Luke has given (ch. xii.) has no connection with the conversion of the Gentiles but during the period, to which that chapter relates, Saint Paul himself was present at Jerusalem (see Acts xi. 30. xii. 25.), and it is probable, for that reason, that Saint Luke has introduced it. But there is, 3. A third opinion which Michaelis thinks not devoid of probability, viz. that Saint Luke might design to record only those facts, which he had either seen himself or had heard from eye-witnesses.2

1 See Galat. ii. 6-21.

2 Michaelis, vol. iii. part i. p. 327–331. Dr. Benson, however, is of opinion that Saint Luke designed his book to be only a concise specimen of the doctrines preached by the apostles, and that he was chiefly desirous of deseribing the manner in which the Jews, proselytes of the gate, or devout Gentiles, and the idolatrous Gentiles, were respectively converted. Hence this learned author divides the book into three parts or books, viz. 1. The first part contains an account of the propagation of the Gospel among the Jews only, from A. D. 33, to a. D. 41, including chapter ii. to x. 2. The second comprises an account of the spreading

V. The Acts of the Apostles, Michaelis observes, were evidently written with a tolerably strict attention to chronological order; though Saint Luke has not affixed a date to any one of the facts recorded by him. There are, however, several parts of this book, in which ecclesiastical history is combined with political facts, the dates of which are known and these Michaelis has endeavoured to determine, because the chronology will not only contribute to illustrate the Acts of the Apostles, but also will assist us in fixing the year when many of Saint Paul's Epistles were written. Taking for granted, therefore, that this book commences with the year 33 of the Christian æra (in which calculation he follows Archbishop Usher), he has given us the following series of dates.

1. "The first epoch, after the commencement of the book, is at ch. ix. 29, 30.; for what happened between the first Pentecost after Christ's ascension and this period is without any marks of chronology. But at ch. xi. 29, 30. we have a date for the famine which took place in the time of Claudius Cæsar, and which induced the disciples at Antioch to send relief to their brethren in Judæa, happened in the fourth year of Claudius's reign, that is, in the year 44 of the Christian era.

2. Second epoch. Herod Agrippa dies soon after he had put to death the apostle Saint James: and about that time Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas return from Jerusalem to Antioch. (ch. xii. 21–25.) This is still in the year 44.

3. Third epoch. (ch. xviii. 2.) Shortly after the banishment of the Jews from Italy by Claudius Cæsar, Saint Paul arrives at Corinth. Commentators affix the date of 54 to this event; but it is uncertain, for Suetonius, the only historian who has noticed this banishment of the Jews, mentions it without date.

4. Fourth epoch. Saint Paul comes to Jerusalem, where he is imprisoned by the Jews, not long after the disturbances which were excited by the Egyptian. (ch. xxi. 37-39.) This imprisonment of Saint Paul happened in the year 60, for it was two years before Felix quitted his government of Judæa, (ch. xxiii. 26. xxiv. 27.)

5. Fifth epoch. Two years after the commencement of Saint Paul's imprisonment, Festus is appointed governor of Judæa, A. D. 62. (ch. xxiv. 27. xxv. 1.)

From this period the chronology of the Acts of the Apostles is clear. Saint Paul is sent prisoner to Rome in the autumn of the same year in which Festus arrived in Judæa: he suffers shipwreck, passes the winter in Malta, and arrives in Rome in the following year, that is, in 63. (ch. xxvi. xxvii. xxviii.)

The Acts of the Apostles close with the end of the second year of Saint Paul's imprisonment in Rome: consequently, in the year 65. (ch. xxviii. 30.)"

It is difficult to determine the date of the events that happened be

of Christianity among the devout Gentiles, together with its farther progress among the Jews, A. D. 41. to A. D. 44. (Acts x.-xiii.) 3. And the third part com prehends the diffusion of Christianity among the idolatrous Gentiles, together with its further progress among the two preceding classes of persons, A. D. 44, to A. D. 63. (Acts xiii.-xxviii.) Benson's Hist. of the First Planting of Christianity, vol. i. pp. 22-24.

tween the epochs 33 and 34, and between 44 and 60, especially the time of Saint Paul's conversion and of the council at Jerusalem : Archbishop Usher places the first of these transactions A. D. 35, others in 38. But though we cannot attain to absolute certainty, a probable conjecture may be formed. Thus, Michaelis remarks, Saint Stephen hardly suffered martyrdom before Pilate was recalled from the government of Judæa; because, under that procurator, the Jews had not the power of inflicting capital punishments. Now, according to Usher, the year in which Pilate was recalled, was the thirty-sixth of the Christian æra, Saint Stephen's martyrdom therefore probably happened after 36. If this be true, Saint Paul's conversion must have happened likewise after 36, and therefore 35 is too early a date. But how long after 36, whether in 38, cannot be determined.

In what manner the chapters iii. iv. v. vi. are to be arranged between 33 and 36, Michaelis cannot determine: for what chronologers have said is mere conjecture, and not calculation. The same uncertainty prevails in respect to ch. viii. and x.: for we can affirm nothing more, than that the one must be placed before the other, after 36. We are likewise in the dark with respect to ch. xiii. xiv. and several other chapters. Of ch. xvi. we may assert, that it belongs to a period at least six years prior to the fourth epoch, or the year 60 for a year and an half at Corinth, three years at Ephesus, and the time spent on several journeys, can hardly be pressed into a smaller compass than that of six years. To ch. xvi. therefore, the latest date which can be assigned is 54 and it is not improbable that it should be dated still earlier.1

VI. The Acts of the Apostles as they appear in our copies, may be divided into three principal parts, viz.

PART I. contains the rise and progress of the mother church at Jerusalem from the time of our Saviour's ascension to the first Jewish persecution. (ch. i.-viii.)

SECT. 1. The transactions before and after Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven. (1.)

SECT. 2. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles at the feast of Pentecost, and Peter's discourse to the people in consequence of it. (ii.)

SECT. 3. A lame man healed by Peter and John- Peter's discourse to the people-Events that befel the apostles in consequence of that miracle. (iii. iv.)

SECT. 4. The death of Ananias and Sapphira Miracles of the apostles, who are scourged and dismissed. (v.)

SECT. 5. The institution of deacons, the discourse and martyrdom of Stephen, and the first Jewish persecution. (vi. vii.

viii. 1—4.) PART. II. comprises the dispersion of the disciples-the propagation of Christianity among the Samaritans-the conversion of

Michaelis, vol. iii. part i. pp. 336-338. The observations of M. Cellérier on the Chronology of the Acts of the Apostles, the results of which do not differ materially from those of Michaelis, are worthy of an attentive perusal. See his Introduction au Nouv. Test. pp. 361-378.

Saint Paul, and the foundation of a Christian church at Antioch. (viii. 5-12.)

SECT. 1. The planting of the church at Samaria. (viii. 15—25.) SECT. 2. The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. (viii. 26—40.) SECT. 3. The conversion, baptism, and first preaching of Saint Paul. (ix.)

SECT. 4. Account of two miracles performed by Peter, and the conversion of Cornelius and his family. (x. xi. 1—18.)

SECT. 5. The first Gentile church founded at Antioch. (xi. 19 -30.)

SECT. 6. The apostle James put to death by Herod Agrippa, — relation of his miserable death. (xii.)

PART III. describes the conversion of the more remote Gentiles, by Barnabas and Paul, and, after their separation, by Paul and his associa.es, among whom was Luke himself during the latter part of Paul's labours. (xiii.—xxviii.)

SECT. 1. The planting of several churches in the isle of Cyprus, at Perga in Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe - The return of Saint Paul to Antioch. (xiii. xiv.) SECT. 2. Discussion of the question by the apostles at Jerusalem, concerning the necessity of circumcision and of observing the law Their letter to the churches on this subject. (xv. 1-35.) SECT. 3. Paul's second departure from Antioch He preaches the Gospel in various countries, particularly at Philippi in Macedonia The conversion of the Philippian gaoler. (xv. 36 -40. xvi.)

SECT. 4. The journeys and apostolical labours of Paul and his associates at Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens - - His masterly apology before the court of the Areopagites. (xvii.)

SECT. 5. Paul's journey to Corinth, and thence to Antioch. (xviii. 1-22.)

SECT. 6. Paul's third departure from Antioch-Consequences of his preaching at Ephesus. (xviii. 23–28. xix.)

SECT. 7. The labours of Paul in Greece and Asia Minor, and his journey to Jerusalem. (xx.)

-

SECT. 8. The persecution of Paul at Jerusalem-He is sent a prisoner to Cæsarea. (xxi.-xxiii. 1-30.). SECT. 9. Paul's arrival at Cæsarea The charges of the Jews against him - His defence before Felix-Appeal to Cæsar — His defence before Agrippa, at whose request his cause was reheard. (xxiii. 31–35. xxiv.-xxvi.)

SECT. 10. Narrative of Paul's voyage from Cæsarea - His shipwreck on the isle of Malta- His voyage thence to Rome, where he preaches the Gospel to the Jews, and resides for two years. (xxvii. xxviii.)

In perusing the Acts of the Apostles, it will be desirable constantly to refer to the accompanying map of their respective journeys, particularly those of Saint Paul. In constructing this map, the accurate geographer D'Anville has principally been followed; the courses of the several winds that usually blow in the Levant or Medi