expected within his own breast, and will experience a support which will protect him in danger, cherish him in trouble, and carry him to the footstool of Him who is higher than the highest.

Paul and Barnabas, after landing at Perga, and no doubt taking every opportunity to fulfil their important mission, proceeded up the country to the city of Antioch, in the province of Pisidia, which we must carefully distinguish from Antioch in Syria, the city from whence they set forward on this journey.

On their arrival at Antioch, they went into the Jewish Synagogue, not only as a place of public worship, where they were certain to hear several edifying passages of the law and the prophets recited, but where they might find occasion, as it actually happened, to promulgate the still more edifying doctrines of the Gospel. Being seated in the synagogue, the ruler of it sent to request, that if they had any profitable instruction to communicate to the people, they might make use of this opportunity. This permission might arise, either from custom, or from some prepossession in favour of the Apostles, whose fame had probably preceded them to Antioch. Upon this St. Paul arose, and beckoning with his hand to solicit attention, with great energy of language addressed a most attentive assembly. "Ye men of Israel, (ye native Jews, regular descendants of the patriarchs) and ye that fear God, (religious proselytes) give audience!"- This discourse affords an high and accurate notion of St. Paul's preaching. He is

addressing those who were believers of the Jewish law, and therefore founds his argument in the early history of their nation, as St. Peter and St. Stephen, for the same reason, had done before him. From the tendency of the Jewish dispensation, and the express language of their Prophets, he deduces the necessary and actual appearance of the Saviour Jesus. "Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God (that is, native Jews and devout Gentiles) to you is the word of this salvation sent;" an expression according with our Saviour's own declaration, that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." A summary of our Lord's death and resurrection is next recited, and a suitable application made. Then follows the grand conclusion to which both the law and the prophets had only been preparatory. "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." The justification of man by the faith of Christ, in opposition to the works of the law, or any human works, is the doctrine of St. Paul, and the true doctrine of the Church. "By Him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Neither the purifications of the Jewish law, nor the merits of man, however applied, will be effectual to man's salvation. The one may be preparatory to that happy state, and the other a genuine fruit of faith; but,

as a meritorious cause, we must rest solely on the sacrifice of Christ. "The law made nothing perfect, but it was the bringing in of a better hope1." Therefore, the same Apostle says in another place, "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law;" a faith productive of every blessed, every sanctifying grace. The Apostle concludes this discourse with a solemn warning taken from one of their own prophets, and calculated to make a deep impression on their minds. "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you3 ;' though it be laid before you in the plainest manner, supported by the clearest and most uncontrovertible evidence.

3."

This passage evidently refers to the approaching ruin of the Jewish people; and the solemn admonition leads to this important conclusion, that the only way by which a Jew might secure himself from being involved in this national evil, was by embracing Christianity. This indeed is the way, the only way by which all temporal evils may be avoided; at least it is the way by which they may be converted to real and substantial blessings.

Happy shall we be if the application of this passage does not rest upon ourselves! for though the Jewish veil may not be upon our hearts, yet the darkness of iniquity, and the impenetrable darkness of infidelity, may spread themselves over many

1 Heb. vii. 19

2 Rom. iii. 28.

3 Is. xxviii. 14.

souls, even in the brightest region of the sun of righteousness. That this may not be our case, let us pray, in the language of our liturgy, that "God, who did teach the hearts of his faithful people, by sending them the light of his Holy Spirit, would grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen."

1 Collect for Whitsunday.

LECTURE XIV.

ACTS XIII. 42. CHAP. XIV.

Paul's first Apostolic Journey with Barnabas concluded. Antioch in Pisidia.-Iconium.-Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia. -Return by Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Perga through Attalia, to Antioch in Syria. A. D. 45, 46.

IT may be remembered, that we have accompanied the great Apostle of the Gentiles, and his companion Barnabas, as far as Antioch in Pisidia, in their journey to convert the idolatrous nations. Let us these eminent travellers, not merely as specpursue tators of their progress, but as interested in their success. Had not the zealous and intrepid Paul obeyed the heavenly mandate, and carried the sound of the Gospel even beyond the confines, as it is supposed, of the then civilized world, what, probably, at this moment, would have been the state of Britain? Had natural religion then given us what was most valuable in society? Or had the cruelties and severities of the Druids taught us tenderness and mercy? What was this island, but forlorn and uncultivated? What were the islanders, but rude and savage? It was the introduction of Christianity which paved the way for every