of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.'

Fifty-first Week-Sixth Day.

FOREWARNINGS.- -ACTS XXI. 1-17.

This

THE Vessel in which Paul had embarked touched next at Coos, the largest of several small islands (the Sporades), off the coast of Caria, and the birthplace of Hippocrates the physician. The island of Rhodes, at which they next touched, looks like a portion broken off from the south-west corner of Asia Minor, lying only nine miles from the nearest point of its coast. island was of remotely ancient renown as a seat of commerce, navigation, literature, and art. The climate was delightful, the soil fertile, the scenery picturesque, and at this time of the year the air was perfumed with the fragrance of its flowers. We have all heard of the huge colossus, 105 feet high, which bestrode the entrance to the harbour of the city of Rhodes. But Paul's vessel did not sail between its legs, as the vast image had been prostrated many years before by an earthquake.1 Indeed, it is doubtful whether they entered the harbour at all, as there was good anchorage in the roadstead; or even landed, seeing that they appear merely to have lain to there for the night. It is still, however, usual for vessels from and to Caramania, and from or to Syria and Egypt, to touch at Rhodes for pilots or information.

From Rhodes the vessel proceeded to Patara, on the southern coast of Asia Minor, upon a bay into which the river Xanthus flows. It is about ten miles from the city of that name, upon the same river, whose interesting monuments

1 'About the end of Olymp. 138, or at the beginning of Olymp. 139, in the reign of Euergetes, it (Rhodes) was almost wholly destroyed by an earthquake, during which the colossus was overthrown, which was never set up again.'-NIEBUHR, Lectures on Ethnography, i. 201. This date corresponds to about B.C. 225.

have been of late years brought to light, and are now preserved in the British Museum. Patara was in some sense the port of Xanthus. The vessel seems to have finished its voyage at this port, or was proceeding to some place farther east on the coast than suited the design of Paul to be at Jerusalem by Pentecost. He was therefore glad to find in the harbour a vessel just about to sail across the open sea to Phoenicia. They forthwith went on board, and took their departure-perhaps the same evening -as even the timidity of ancient navigation did not refuse, with a fair wind, to pass by night over this safe and unobstructed piece of water. At that rate they might, with a good wind-and the wind is always fair for their course at that time of the year—reach Tyre in two days. Their course was direct for that port, passing the island of Cyprus rapidly on the left. The advantage of finding at Patara a vessel ready to sail at once for Phoenicia, and the quick passage thither, not only relieved Paul from any anxiety as to being in time for the Pentecostal feast at Jerusalem, but left him several surplus days. He determined, therefore, to abide at Tyre, for the edification of the church in that place, during the few days the vessel required to remain there in order to discharge her cargo, and perhaps to take in another, before proceeding to her final destination.

A church had been founded at Tyre soon after the death of Stephen, and it is in every way probable that Paul himself had been there once, if not oftener, before, as it lay in the track of some of his previous journeys by land and sea. In refreshing intercourse with the Christian friends in this city, Paul and his companions remained for a week, during which he so established himself in the affections of the brethren, that, when he departed, they all, with their wives and children, accompanied him out of the city gate down to the sea-shore. They there knelt upon the beach, and employed in prayer the few last moments they could spend together; and then, with a warm embrace, parted from each other—the travellers proceeding on board, and the Tyrian brethren slowly and mournfully returning to their homes. They feared that they should meet no more; for some of the brethren

who were prophets had announced that Jerusalem would be a scene of great danger to him. This was in accordance with the conviction he himself had expressed at Miletus; but none of these things moved him, for he felt that he was in the path of duty, and could leave the rest to God.

The vessel might, and probably did, reach Ptolemais the same day, the distance being but twenty-eight miles. Here the sea voyage terminated, either because the vessel proceeded no farther, or because Paul preferred to make the rest of the journey by land. There were disciples at this place, and affectionate greetings were exchanged with them; but the stay here was only for one day, as, although there was abundance of time for being at Jerusalem by Pentecost, the apostle wished to spend some days at Cæsarea before proceeding to the holy city. The next day Paul started for Cæsarea, which lay upon the coast, forty-four miles south of Ptolemais, so that it might be reached in two days' easy travel. Here a Christian society had long ago been established by Philip the evangelist (Acts viii. 40); and it still flourished under his auspices, for he had settled there with his family. To his house Paul repaired on his arrival at Cæsarea, and took up his lodging with him; and happy, doubtless, were the days which he was enabled to spend under this roof, with Philip and his four virgin daughters, 'which did prophesy,'—a fact mentioned perhaps to indicate that they were commissioned by the Spirit to intimate to Paul the risk and danger of the path he was pursuing. This was more distinctly declared to him by Agabus, the same prophet who had years before predicted the famine. He was in Judea when the news came that Paul was staying at Cæsarea; but he hastened down to the coast, and went to Philip's house, where, on seeing Paul, he deprived him of his girdle, and binding therewith his own hands and feet, declared, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles!' On this very plain intimation, all the disciples present, both those that came with Paul and those resident in the place, implored him with tears to abandon his intention. He was

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not moved by this assured view of peril to himself; but he was affected by the grief they felt on his account, and he cried, with deep emotion, 'What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' Finding that his resolution was not to be shaken, they ceased to distress him by their entreaties, and said, 'The will of the Lord be done.'

If we feel some surprise at Paul's persistence in the face of this authoritative intimation, we may reflect that, although warned of danger, he was not forbidden to proceed. Nor can we say that he did wrong, when we consider that although all this came to pass, yet the result was in accordance with his own ulterior views, by transferring his services to Rome, which he had so long been desirous of visiting, and was at this time actually intending to visit.

When Paul arrived at Cæsarea, it was still twelve days to the day of Pentecost, three of which would be required for the journey of seventy-five miles to Jerusalem. Thus there were nine clear days before the feast, which he was at liberty to spend either at Jerusalem or at Cæsarea. He chose the latter, probably from some regard to his safety; for although determined to spend the Pentecost at Jerusalem, he was not the man to expose himself to needless danger; and he could not but be aware that every day in Jerusalem would be dangerous to himself, and perhaps to others.

At length it was time to proceed. And now the party had become so large that, with its baggage, it formed a little caravan; for it received the addition of brethren of Cæsarea, who went up with them, partly in token of their respect and affection for the apostle and his friends, and partly to provide for their entertainment there, by introducing them to their friend Mnason of Cyprus, an early convert, now resident at Jerusalem, who, as they knew, had the means of affording them accommodation in his house, and, as they felt sure, or had ascertained by letter, had the will to do so. This was an important matter at that time, when Jerusalem was usually crowded with visitors. To Mnason they accordingly repaired on their arrival, and were

most cordially received by him and other brethren, who had perhaps assembled to meet them.

Fifty-first leek-Seventh Day.

THE TOWER.-ACTS XXI. 18-XXII. 29.

THE day after their arrival, Paul and his companions attended at the house of James, the Lord's brother, who had a special charge over the Jerusalem church, and where they found the presbyters or elders already assembled to receive them. When Paul and the delegates to whom the Gentile churches had, at his instance, entrusted their contributions, had delivered up their offerings, Paul reported at length the progress of the gospel in heathen lands, and the trying scenes through which he had passed since their last interview. When they heard these things, they glorified the Lord,' by uniting in solemn thanksgiving. In his recital, Paul could not but give some prominence to the opposition he had encountered from Jews and Judaizers; and they were themselves well aware of the odium which rested upon his name among the same parties in Jerusalem. This made them anxious for his safety, and set them to devise such means as they thought best calculated to secure it. They told him it was generally reported and believed in the city, among the thousands of converted Jews who remained zealous for the law, that he taught the Jews in foreign lands that they ought not to circumcise their children, or observe the law of Moses. This, we all know, was a misrepresentation. What he did teach was, that the Gentile converts were not to have the obligations of the law forced upon them; and that although the Jewish converts might observe the law if they thought fit, it was not to be taken as a ground of justification before God. His teachings in this matter, however, have been so repeatedly explained in the present volume, that it is not needful to develop them more fully here.

This being the case, and seeing it was impossible that the