hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Mr. Ellis, when speaking of the conversion of an old blind priest of the fisherman's temple at Parea, says: "When the majority of the inhabitants embraced Christianity, he declared he would not abandon the idols, nor unite in the worship of the God of the Christians, and in order to show his determination, on the Sabbath day, when the people went to the chapel, he went to work in, I think, a part of the ground belonging to the temple: while thus engaged in mending a fence, a bough struck his eyes, and not only inflicted great pain, but deprived him of his sight, and, like Elymas, he was obliged to be led home. This circuinstance deeply affected his mind; he became a firm believer in the true God, maintained an upright and resigned frame of mind, and when baptized, adopted the name of Paul, from the similarity in the means employed in humbling and converting him, and those used to bring the apostle to a sense of the power and mercy of the Saviour."

Chap. ix, ver. 23,24.-And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying await was known of Saul; and they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Mr. Bradbury possessed an ardent zeal in the cause of civil and religious liberty, and had many admirers. This exposed him to the hatred of the popish faction, whose designs in respect of the Jacobitish succession he had often exposed. They once employed a person to take away his life. To make himself fully acquainted with Mr. Bradbury's person, the man frequently attended at places of worship where he preached, placed himself in the front of the gallery, with his countenance stedfastly fixed on the preacher.

Mr.

It was scarcely possible, in such circumstances, wholly to avoid listening to what was said. Bradbury's forcible way of presenting divine truth awakened the man's attention; the truth entered his understanding, and became the means of changing his heart. He came to the preacher with trembling and confusion, told his affecting tale, gave evidence of his conversion, became a member of Mr. Bradbury's church, and was, to his death, an ornament to the Gospel which he professed.

Chap. x, ver. 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.

During the late unhappy commotions in Ireland, a private soldier in the army of Lord Cornwallis was daily observed to be absent from his quarters, and from the company of his fellow soldiers. He began to be suspected of withdrawing himself for the purpose of holding intercourse with the rebels, and on this suspicion, probably increased by the malice of his wicked comrades, he was tried by a court martial, and condemned to die. The marquis, hearing of this, wished to examine the minutes of the trial; and, not being satisfied, sent for the man to converse with him. Upon being interrogated, the prisoner solemnly disaVowed every treasonable practice or intention, declared his sincere attachment to his sovereign, and his readiness to live and die in his service; he affirmed that the real cause of his frequent absence was, that he might obtain a place of retirement for the purpose of private prayer, for which his lordship knew he had no opportunity among his profane comrades, who had become his enemies merely on account of his profession of religion. He said he had made this defence on his trial, but the officers thought it so improbable, that they paid no attention to it. The marquis, in order to satisfy himself as to the truth of his defence,

observed, that if so, he must have acquired considerable aptness in this exercise. The poor man replied, that, as to ability, he had nothing to boast of. The marquis then insisted on his kneeling down, and praying aloud before him; which he did, and poured forth his soul before God with such copiousness, fluency and ardor, that the marquis took him by the hand, and said, he was satisfied that no man could pray in the manner who did not live in the habit of intercourse with his God. He not only revoked the sentence, but received him into his peculiar favor, placing him among his personal attendants, and in the way to promotion.

Chap. x, ver. 42.-And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Adalbert, who lived in the tenth century, was appointed Archbishop of Prague. This preferment seemed to give him so little satisfaction, that he was never seen to smile afterwards; and on being asked the reason, he replied, "It is an easy thing to wear a mitre and a cross, but an awful thing to give an account of a bishopric before the Judge of quick and dead."

Chap. xi, ver. 6.—But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning: and expounded it by order unto them.

"I don't know," said a gentleman to the late Rev. Andrew Fuller," how it is that I can remember your sermons better than those of any other minister, but such is the fact."-"I cannot tell" replied Mr. Fuller, "unless it be owing to simplicity of arrangement; I pay particular attention to this part of composition, always placing things together that are related to each other, and that naturally follow each other in succession. For instance," added he, "suppose I were to say to my servant, Betty, you must go and

and soap,

buy some butter, and starch, and cream, and tea, and blue, and sugar, and cakes,' Betty would be very apt to say, Master! I shall never be able to remember all these.' But suppose I were to say, 'Betty you know your mistress is going to have some friends to tea to-morrow, and that you are going to wash the day following; and that for the tea party, you will want tea, and sugar; and cream, and cakes, and butter; and for the washing you will want soap, and starch and blue;' Betty would instantly reply, "Yes, master, I can now remember them all very well.""

Chap. xi, ver. 18.-Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

In one of the counties in England, which is famous for its mines, lived a collier, who had spent a great part of his life in a careless and ungodly manner. Not accustomed to attend the preaching of the Gospel, he was grossly ignorant of divine things. From his habits of vice, and aversion to the worship of God, his case appeared very hopeless. God was pleased, however, to accomplish his conversion to himself in a way exceedingly simple, yet truly marvellous. Though regardless of concern for his own spiritual welfare, he was induced to permit the attendance of his children at a Sabbath school. It pleased God to visit one of the daughters of this wicked father with a mortal sickness; but before her death, she was rendered instrumental in exciting the attention of her parent to the concerns of his soul. "Father," enquired the dying child, "can you spell repentance?" This artless question, through the blessing of God, was effectual to awaken concern. "Spell repentance," repeated the astonished father, "what is repentance?" Thus he became desirous of knowing, and ultimately was taught its sacred meaning. He also discovered that he needed repentance, that he was a guilty sinner, deserving God's everlasting wrath. Repentance unto life was granted him, and L*

he was enabled by grace to bring forth the fruits of righteousness in his conversation.

Chap. xii, ver. 5.-Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Mr. Elliot, who labored as a missionary among the American Indians, was eminent in prayer; and several instances are recorded of remarkable answers having been given to his petitions; the following is striking.

Mr. Foster, a godly gentleman of Charlestown, was with his son taken by the Turks; and the barbarous prince, in whose dominions he was become a slave, was resolved, that in his lifetime, no captive should be released: so that Mr. Foster's friends, when they had heard the sad news, concluded that all hope was lost. Upon this, Mr. Elliot, in some of his next prayers before a great congregation, addressed the throne of grace in the following very plain language: "Heavenly Father, work for the redemption of thy poor servant Foster. And if the prince, who detains him, will not, as they say, dismiss him as long as hinself lives, Lord, we pray thee, kill that cruel prince : kill him, and glorify thyself upon him." In answer to this singular prayer, Mr. Foster quickly returned from captivity, and brought an account,, that the prince who had detained him had come to an untimely death; and that by that means he had been set at liberty. "Thus we knew," says Dr. Cotton Mather, "that a prophet had been among us."

Chap. xii, ver. 11.-And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

One Mr. Barber, a Protestant, was, in the reign