SECTION XXXIX.

Evidence of gospel truth by subsequent confirmation.— Paul the apostle.—Conclusion.

WITHIN two years after the persecution of Stephen, we find this pupil of Gamaliel at Damascus, in Syria; to which place he had solicited a commission, to apprehend all the new disciples of the Christian faith ; and to bring them bound unto Jerusalem. But with whom do we find him associated in that city ?-with those very disciples! And "straightway he (this Pharisee, and persecutor of the Christians,) preached Christ in the synagogue-that he is the Son of God!" What had produced this change? a change so sudden, so wonderful, so complete!

"All that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem; and came hither with that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priests?" (Acts ix. 21.) Amazed indeed they

might well have been ! "But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ."

The first fruit of this astonishing conversion, was the imminent risk of a violent death, from which the convert escaped. He repaired to Jerusalem, where "he essayed to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." On the assurance of Barnabas, however, that this late persecutor had "preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus," he was admitted to the fraternity, and was "with them going out and coming in at Jerusalem."

His exhortations were addressed chiefly to the Grecians, to whom " he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus." His life, however, was again in danger; and he escaped first to Cesarea, on the coast of Samaria; and thence to his own city Tarsus in Cilicia. From thence, he was brought by Barnabas to Antioch, a city at the northern extremity of Syria, on the river Thapsacus. There many were converted; "and the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." From thence, he accompanied Barnabas with contributions for the brethren which dwelt in Judea, in anticipation of a "great dearth," which had been foretold by a certain prophet named Agabus, who came to Jerusalem from Antioch, and signified by the Spirit this impending calamity, "which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar."

Having accomplished that mission, Saul returned again to Antioch, from whence he proceeded with Barnabas by Seleucia to Cyprus, visiting Salamis, and then Paphos, cities of that island. At the latter place, Saul was also called "Paul;" and there he preached to Sergius Paulus, the deputy of the country. From Paphos they sailed to Perga, on the coast of Pamphylia; and they went thence to Antioch, a city of Pisidia in Asia Minor.

This was about the tenth year of his novitiate.

We have tracked the convert, from his first appearance in that character at Damascus, to Pisidia. Here he and Barnabas appeared in the synagogue of those who were of their own nation, on the sabbath-day, and sat down. After "the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on."

Paul immediately unveiled to their sight, the concentration of prophetic light in Christ Jesus, its focal point.-"Of this man's (David's) seed," said he, "hath God, according to his promise" (the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,) "raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus!" He shewed how, "they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath-day, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. And when they had fulfilled

all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre."

The crucifixion of Christ was the fulfilment of prophecy. It was an event fore-ordained in the inscrutable counsels of the Most High. The hearts of the Jews were hardened, as the heart of Pharaoh had been hardened, for this cause-namely, "that God might shew his power in them; and that his name might be declared in all the earth." "Therefore

hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." (Rom. ix. 17.) But this necessity, (if we may use the expression) if it applied to "them that dwell in Jerusalem," did not apply to those Jews, who were scattered abroad throughout the Gentile lands! nor even to those of Jerusalem itself, after the crucifixion. Therefore it was, that the Jews had the privilege of priority over the Gentiles, in having the gospel preached to them: (a priority consistent with their spiritual election, as the elder brethren of the church of God.)

At Phenice, at Cyprus, at Antioch, "they that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, preached the word to none but unto the Jews only." (Acts xi. 19.) That they, who dwelt at Jerusalem, had crucified the Lord of glory, was no reason why even they, (as well as those "throughout all the coasts of Judæa,") should not "repent and turn to God." (Acts xxvi. 20.)

Paul and Barnabas, on this very occasion at Antioch

in Pisidia, warned the Jews, (when, filled with envy, they spoke against those things which were spoken, contradicting and blaspheming,") "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye put it from you, lo! we turn to the Gentiles.”

The Jews had condemned and executed their Messiah; precisely as Paul himself had persecuted the infant church: they had acted "in ignorance and unbelief."

A plenary pardon was simultaneously prepared for them, at the very instant that their predestinated guilt had been accomplished. The last words of their blessed victim were, "Father! forgive them; for they know not what they do." If, in a spirit of presumptuous remonstrance, any one should be disposed to ask, how could guilt attach to an act of his creatures, which the Almighty Creator himself had decreed? "Why doth he yet find fault, for who hath resisted his will?" the answer to such a cavil is most convincing, most consoling, most gracious. It is this, that God, in the second person of his glorious Trinity in Unity, himself "endured, with much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction," because he was "willing to shew his wrath" against sin "and to make his power known to all the world." But to what end did He vouchsafe to endure, with much long-suffering, these vessels of wrath, who were alas! so justly fitted to destruction? Was it that