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sometimes reckoned part of Syria. Hence it is, that in the gospels we read of a Syro-Phenician woman.

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4. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul, through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

This they did not say by the direction of the Spirit; but the dangers, which this illustrious preacher of the gospel would encounter in Jerusalem, were revealed to the disciples at Tyre, as they had been before to those in other places, and their dissuasion of the apostle from pursuing his journey was founded upon this revelation, but made no part of it. Had it been really dictated by the Spirit, he must have yielded to it.

5. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city; and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed.

6. And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship, and they returned home again.

7. And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, a town in Palestine, now called Acre, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8. And the next day we departed, and came to Cæsarea, and we entered into the house of Philip the Evangelist, (who was one of the seven,) i. e. one of the seven deacons mentioned in chapter vi. and abode with him.

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The words, "we that were of Paul's company, which appear in our English translation of this verse, are not found in some of the best copies of the original, and therefore have been omitted.*

9. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, who did prophecy.

It has been observed more than once in the course of this history, that the term prophet does not always imply a power of foretelling future events, but frequently the office of a Christian teacher. This was probably the employment of these daughters of Philip, whom their father, himself a preacher, had trained up for this purpose, in an age when teachers were so much wanted. Miraculous powers were undoubtedly communicated to both sexes, without distinction, in the first ages; but it is not probable that four

* Griesbach.

persons in the same family should all be endued with the sameextraordinary talent. Had this really been the case, we should have been informed of the subject of their prophecies as we are in the next verse of those of Agabus.

10. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judæa a certain prophet, named Agabus.

This is the same person who is mentioned, Acts xi. 28, as being at Antioch, and foretelling a dreadful famine in Judæa, in the days of Claudius Cæsar.

11. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. By such symbolical actions, the ancient prophets frequently foretold future events.

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12. And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

His friends, probably, regarded this prediction of the sufferings which he must endure if he went up to Jerusalem, as containing intimations that he ought not to go, and urged them upon him in that view. But as the apostle had received no prohibition upon the subject, he was not to be discouraged by the prospect of persecution from discharging what he conceived to be his duty.

13. Then Paul answered, What, mean ye to weep and to break my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

The affectionate concern which you show for my safety, distresses me beyond measure, but does not move my purpose. I entreat you, therefore, to spare me this pain, by ceasing your importunities; for so great is my desire to advance the Christian doctrine, that for this purpose I am willing not only to be imprisoned, but also to suffer death. The name of Christ is here, by a common" figure of speech, put for his cause.

14. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

Since thou appearest to act from a sense of duty in going up to Jerusalem, we acquiesce in thy resolution to expose thyself to danger, since it seems to be the will of Heaven.

15. And after those days we took up our carria

ges, "we made ourselves ready," and went up to Jesusalem.

16. There went with us, also, certain of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, i. e. one who had professed the gospel from the beginning, with whom we should lodge.

17. And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

It is worthy of observation, that, although the followers of Christ had been called Christians for many years, yet Paul and Luke decline the use of the term, calling them, as here, brethren or believers. They probably thought that it rendered them too much like the different sects of philosophers, which were called after the names of their leaders.

18. And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James, and all the elders were present.

James was one of the apostles, who resided many years at Jerusalem-the rest were the elders of different churches in the city.

18. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry, "by his services."

This work was done by the apostle; yet so accustomed was he to see God in every thing, that he ascribes it to him; and strictly and philosophically speaking, the work was his; for he furnished Paul with ability to perform it; not in a miraculous way, but by endowing him with talents that qualified him for preaching the gospel.

20. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, they praised God for this fresh proof of his goodness, and said unto him, thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are zealous for the law;

21. And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying, that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs, i. e. of Moses.

22. What is it, therefore? "what is to be done, therefore?" The multitude must needs come together; for they will hear that thou art come.

23. Do this, therefore, that we say unto thee. We have four men which have a vow on them;

The vow, it seems, was that of the Nazarite-abstaining from wine, and letting the hair grow long.

24. Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads; and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself, also, walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

To assume the vow of a Nazarite, after recovery from illness or some remarkable deliverance, seems to have been a common practice among the Jews at this time. The accomplishment of a vow of this kind, is thought, by many, to have been the object of Paul's late journey to Jerusalem. As the expenses of the vow were considerable, it was a popular act to bear a part, or the whole of them, for those who could not afford to do it themselves. For this reason, Agrippa, when he came to the throne, ordered, as Josephus tells us, a good number of Nazarites to be shaved, in order to ingratiate himself with the people.* A similar act the brethren at Jerusalem now advise Paul to perform, in order to remove the prejudices entertained against him by his countrymen, as encouraging men to forsake the law. Of the prudence and propriety of this advice, there is much reason to doubt. One thing, at least, is certain, that it did not answer the purpose intended. For it proved the cause of the tumult which was afterwards excited.

25. As touching the Gentiles who believe, we have written, and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from every species of idolatry.†

The apostles and first Christians, as long as the temple stood, thought proper to conform to the law of Moses; but after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, they exempted themselves, as well as the Gentiles, from observing it.

26. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself with them, entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

*Lardner, Vol. I. pp. 211, 212.

+ See the note on Acts xv, 20.

REFLECTIONS.

1. FROM the example of the apostles and the Christians at Ephesus and Tyre, we may learn in what manner religious friends should take leave of each other-by prayer, private or public, by committing each other to the divine protection and blessing. For this purpose, the apostle and his friends knelt down on the shore of that dangerous element on which he was about to embark, and with no other covering than the canopy of heaven; and he addressed his petition to Him who rules over the sea as well as over the land. From such an act of devotion they would rise with minds free from anxiety and care. The apostle would pursue his voyage with alacrity, knowing that he was under the protection of God; his friends would return to their several occupations with tranquillity and composure, satisfied with having done for him the best thing they were able to do, by commending him to the care of Heaven. In this manner let us also introduce devotion to God into all our transactions; when we separate from our friends, and when we meet them again; when we go to rest at night, and when we rise in the morning; when we engage in important undertakings, and when we abandon them; when we prosper, and when we fail. By thus introducing the Divine Being into all our concerns, we shall render our pleasures more delightful, our pains and sorrows less burthensome.

2. Let us admire the fortitude of this illustrious advocate of the truth, in going up to Jerusalem, notwithstanding the predictions of so many prophets foretelling his sufferings there, and notwithstanding the importunate entreaties of his friends. It was not the fortitude of constitutional courage, or of stoical apathy, but the fortitude of a man who felt all the tender sympathies of human nature, who wept with his friends when they wept, and whose heart was almost broken by their anxious cares for his own safety. It was the fortitude of a man who acted from principle, and not from feeling; whose sense of duty, and a desire to do good, were stronger than the love of friends, of liberty, or of life. Where shall we find so illustrious a pattern of Christian integrity and zeal ? No where, but in him who went up to the same city, with the certain prospect before him of dying a most ignominious and painful death.

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3. Let us adopt the language of these pious Christians under similar disappointments, and learn to say, like them, The will of the Lord be done.'

If our friends are doomed to affliction which we cannot prevent; if we are ourselves overtaken by great and unexpected calamities; if schemes for doing good, which we had long entertained and fondly cherished, are defeated by events over which we had no control, in all these circumstances let us learn to say, with cheerful resignation, The will of the Lord be done.'

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