life. The trade our apostle was put to, was that of tent-making;* whereat he wrought, for some particular reasons, even after his calling to the apostolate. An honest but mean course of life; and, as Chrysostom observes, an argument that his parents were not of the nobler and better rank; however, it was a useful and gainful trade, especially in those warlike countries, where armies had such frequent use of tents.

5. Having run through the whole circle of the sciences, and laid the sure foundations of human learning at Tarsus, he was by his parents sent to Jerusalem, to be perfected in the study of the law, and put under the tutorage of Rabban Gamaliel. This Gamaliel was the son of Rabban Symeon (probably presumed to be the same Symeon that came into the temple, and took Christ into his armst) president of the court of the Sanhedrim: he was a doctor of the law, a person of great wisdom and prudence, and head at that time of one of the families of the schools at Jerusalem. A man of chief eminency and authority in the Jewish Sanhedrim, and president of it at that very time when our blessed Saviour was brought before it. He lived to a great age, and was buried by Onkelos the proselyte, author of the Chaldee paraphrase, (one who infinitely loved and honored hum,) at his own vast expense and charge. He it was that made that wise and excellent speech in the Sanhedrim, in favor of the apostles and their religion. Nay, he himself is said (though I know not why) to have been a Christian; and his sitting among the senators to have been connived at by the apostles, that he might be the better friend to their affairs. Chrysippus, presbyter of the church of Jerusalem, adds, that he was brother's son to Nicodemus, together with whom he and his son Abib were baptized by Peter and John. This account he derives from Lucian, a presbyter also of that church, under John, patriarch of Jerusalem; who in an epistle of his still extant, tells us, that he had this, together with some other things, communicated to him in a vision by Gamaliel himself; which, if true, no better evidence could be desired in this matter. At the feet of this Gamaliel, St. Paul tells us, he was brought up; alluding to the custom of the Jewish masters, who were wont to sit, while their disciples and scholars stood at their feet. Which honorary custom continued until the death of this Gamaliel, and was then left off. Their own Talmud telling us, “That since our old Rabban Gamaliel died, the honor of the law was perished, purity and pharisaism were destroyed." Which the gloss thus explains: "That whilst he lived, men were sound, and studied the law standing; but he being dead, weakness crept into the world, and they were forced to sit."

6. Under the tuition of this great master, St. Paul was educated in the knowledge of the law, wherein he made such quick and vast improvements, that he soon outstripped his fellow-disciples. Amongst the various sects at that time in the Jewish church, he was especially educated in the principles and institutions of the Pharisees; of

* Acts xviii. 3.

↑ Acts xxii. 3. and iv. 34. + Gal. i. 14.

which sect was both his father and his master; whereof he became a most earnest and zealous professor; this being, as himself tells us, the strictest sect of their religion. For the understanding whereof, it may not be amiss a little to inquire into the temper and manner of this sect. Josephus, though himself a Pharisee, gives this character of them; "That they were a crafty and subtile generation of men; and so perverse, even to princes themselves, that they would not fear, many times, openly to affront and oppose them." And so far had they insinuated themselves into the affections and estimations of the populacy, that their good or ill word was enough to make or blast any one with the people; who would impli citly believe them, let their report be never so false or malicious. And therefore Alexander Jannæus, when he lay a-dying, wisely advised his queen by all means to comply with them, and to seem to govern by their counsel and direction; affirming that this had been the greatest cause of his fatal miscarriage, and that which had derived the odium of the nation upon him; that he had offended this sort of men. Certain it is, that they were infinitely proud and insolent, surly and illnatured; that they hated all mankind but themselves, and censured whoever would not be of their way, as a villain and reprobate; greatly zealous to gather proselytes to their party, not to make them more religious, but more fierce and cruel, more carping and censorious, more heady and high-minded; in short,-" twofold more the children of the devil than they were before." All religion and kindness was confined within the bounds of their own party; and the first principles wherewith they inspired their new converts were, that none but they were the godly party, and that all other persons were slaves and sons of the earth; and therefore especially endeavored to inspire them with a mighty zeal and fierceness against all that differed from them; so that if any one did but speak a good word of our Saviour, he should be presently excommunicated and cast out, persecuted and devoted to the death. To this end they were wont not only to separate, but discriminate themselves from the herd and community, by some peculiar notes and badges of distinction; such as their long robes, broad phylacteries, and the large fringes and borders of their garments, whereby they made themselves known from the rest of men. These dogged and ill-natured principles, together with their seditious, unnatural, unjust, unmerciful, and uncharitable behavior, which otherwise would have made them stink above ground in the nostrils of men, they sought to palliate and varnish over with a more than ordinary pretence and profession of religion; but were especially active and diligent in what cost them little, the outward instances of religion; such duties especially as did more immediately refer to God; as frequent fasting and praying, which they did very often and very long, with demure and mortified looks, in a whining and an affected tone, and this in almost every corner of the streets; and indeed so contrived the scheme of their religion, that what they did might appear

* Antiq. Jud. b. xvii. cap. 3, p. 585. + Antiq. Jud. lib. xiii. c. 23, p. 463.

above ground, where they might be seen of men to the best advantage.

7. Though this seems to have been the general temper and disposition of the party, yet doubtless there were some amongst them of better and honester principles than the rest. In which number we have just reason to reckon our apostle; who yet was deeply leavened with the active and fiery genius of the sect; not able to brook any opposite party in religion, especially if late and novel. Insomuch, that when the Jews were resolved to do execution upon Stephen, he stood by and kept the clothes of them that did it. Whether he was any further engaged in the death of this innocent and good man we do not find. However, this was enough loudly to proclaim his approbation and consent. And therefore, elsewhere we find him indicting himself for this fact, and pleading guilty. "When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him."* God chiefly inspects the heart, and if the vote be passed there, writes the man guilty, though he stir no further. It is easy to murder another by a silent wish, or a passionate desire. In all moral actions God values the will for the deed, and reckons the man a companion in the sin, who, though possibly he may never actually join in it, does yet inwardly applaud and like it. The storm thus begun increased apace; and a violent persecution began to arise, which miserably afflicted and dispersed the Christians at Jerusalem. In which our apostle was a prime agent and minister, raging about in all parts with a mad and ungovernable zeal, searching out the saints, beating them in the synagogues, compelling many to blaspheme, imprisoning others, and procuring them to be put to death. Indeed, he was a kind of inquisitor hæretice pravitatis to the high-priest, by whom he was employed to hunt and find out these upstart heretics, who preached against the law of Moses and the traditions of the fathers. Accordingly, having made strange havoc at Jerusalem, he addressed himself to the Sanhedrim, and there took out a warrant and commission to go down and ransack the synagogues at Damascus. How eternally insatiable is fury and a misguided zeal! -How restless and unwearied in its designs of cruelty! It had already sufficiently harassed the poor Christians at Jerusalem; but not content to have vexed them there, and to have driven them thence, it persecuted them unto "strange cities;" following them even to Damascus itself, whither many of these persecuted Christians had fled for

Damascus is distant from Jerusalem about one hundred and thirty miles, and was once the capital of Syria. It was still, when St. Paul visited it, one of the wealthiest and most splendid cities of the east; and, like the rest of the country, was under the dominion of the Romans. Had the object of Saul been otherwise than of a purely religious nature, he must have referred to the heathen governor for the desired remedy; but the Romans, with their accustomed policy, had left the conquered people to arrange their religious affairs according to their own wishes; and though the authority of the San

shelter; resolving to bring up those whom he found there to Jerusalem, in order to their punishment and execution. For the Jewish Sanhedrim had not only power of seizing and scourging offenders against their law, within the bounds of their own country, but, by the connivance and favor of the Romans, might send into other countries, where there were any synagogues that acknowledged a dependence in religious matters upon the council at Jerusalem, to apprehend them, as here they sent Paul to Damascus to fetch up what Christians he could find, to be arraigned and sentenced at Jerusalem.

8. But God, who had designed him for work of another nature, and "separated him from his mother's womb to the preaching of the gospel."* stopped him in his journey. For while he was, together with his company, travelling on the road, not far from Damascus, on a sudden a gleam of light, beyond the splendor and brightness of the sun, was darted from heaven upon them; whereat, being strangely amazed and confounded, they all fell to the ground, a voice calling to nim, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" To which he replied, "Lord, who art thou?" Who told him, that "he was Jesus whom he persecuted;" that what was done to the members was done to the head; that it was hard for him "to kick against the pricks;" that he now appeared to him to make choice of him for a "minister" and a "witness" of what he had now seen and should after hear; that he would stand by him, and preserve him, and make him a great instrument in the conversion of the Gentile world. This said, he asked our Lord "what he would have him to do;" who bade him go into the city, where he should receive his answer. St. Paul's companions, who had been present at this transaction, heard the voice, but saw not him that spoke to him; though elsewhere the apostle himself affirms, that they "saw the light, but heard not the voice" of him that spake : that is, they heard a confused sound, but not a distinct and articulate voice; or, more probably, being ignorant of the Hebrew language, wherein our Lord spake to St. Paul, they heard the words, but knew not the sepse and meaning of them.

hedrim could not properly be regarded as extending since the price of conciliating so strong a party as to Damascus, the stretch of power was allowed, the Pharisees would, in this instance, be only the sacrifice of some unknown and, perhaps, seditious individuals. It has been remarked on this subject, that the power of the Sanhedrim and the high-priest, like the authority of the pope by the Papists, was course it could only be exercised by the sufferance acknowledged by the Jews of all countries; but of of the civil magistrate.-ED.

and heard things great and unutterable, and was fully instructed in the mysteries of the gospel; and hence expressly affirms, that he was not "taught the gospel which he preached by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."* There was, at this time, at Damascus one Ananias, a very devout and religious man, (one of the seventy disciples, as the ancients inform us, and probably the first planter of the Christian church in this city,) and though a Christian, yet of great reputation amongst all the Jews. To him our Lord appeared, commanding him to go into such a street, and to such a house, and there "inquire for one Saul of Tarsus," who was now at prayer, and had seen him in a vision coming to him, to lay his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight. Ananias startled at the name of the man, having heard of his bloody temper and practices, and upon what errand he was now come down to the city. But our Lord, to take off his fears, told him, that he mistook the man, that he had now taken him to be a chosen vessel, to preach the gospel both to Jews and Gentiles, and before the greatest potentates upon earth, acquainting him with what great things he should both do and suffer for his sake; what chains and imprisonments, what racks and scourges, what hunger and thirst, what shipwrecks and death he should undergo. Upon this Ananias went, laid his hands upon him, told him that our Lord had sent him to him that he might receive his sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost; which was no sooner done, but thick films, like scales, fell from his eyes, and his sight returned. And the next thing he did was to be baptized, and solemnly initiated into the Christian faith. After which he joined himself to the disciples of that place, to the equal joy and wonder of the church, that the wolf should so soon lay down its fierceness, and put on the meek nature of a lamb; that he who had lately been so violent a persecutor, should now become not a professor only, but a preacher of that faith which before he had routed and destroyed.

SECTION II.

which he was sure would pursue and follow him. He withdrew into the parts of Arabia, (those parts of it that lay next to the xwpa sapaonun, the "region of Damascus ;" nay, Damascus itself was sometimes accounted part of Arabia, as we shall note by and by from Tertullian,) where he spent. the first-fruits of his ministry, preaching up and down for three years together. After which he returned back to Damascus,t preached openly in the synagogues, and convinced the Jews of Christ's messiahship, and the truth of his religion. Angry and enraged hereat, they resolved his ruin; which they knew no better way to effect, than by exasperating and incensing the civil powers against him. Damascus was a place not more venerable for its antiquity, (if not built by, at least it gave title to Abraham's steward, hence called Eliezer of Damascus,) than it was considerable for its strength, stateliness, and situation: it was the noblest city of all Syria, (as Justin of old, and the Arabian geographer, has since informed us; and the prophet Isaiah before both, calls it "the head of Syria,") seated in a most healthful air, in a most fruitful soil, watered with most pleasant fountains and rivers, rich in merchandize, adorned with stately buildings, goodly and magnificent temples, and fortified with strong guards and garrisons; in all which respects, Julian calls it the holy and great Damascus, "the eye of the whole east." Situate it was between Libanus and Mount Hermon; and though probably belonging to Syria, yet Arabic retro deputabatur (as Tertullian tells us) was anciently reckoned to Arabia. Accordingly at this time it was under the government of Aretas, (father-in-law to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch, whose daughter the said Herod had married, but afterwards turned off; which became the occasion of a war between those two princes,) king of Arabia Petræa, a prince tributary to the Roman empire. By him there was an evapxns, or governor, who had jurisdiction over the whole Syria Damascena, placed over it, who kept constant residence in the city, as a place of very great importance. To him the Jews made their address, with crafty and cunning insinuations, persuading him to apprehend St. Paul, possibly under the notion of a spy, there being war at this time between the Romans and that king. Hereupon the gates were shut,

at Jerusalem.

could be laid to take him. But the disciples, to prevent their cruel designs, at night put him into a basket, and let him down over the city wall.And the place, we are told, is still showed to travellers, not far from the gate, thence called St. Paul's gate at this day.

2. Having thus made his escape, he set for wards for Jerusalem, where when he arrived, he addressed himself to the church.|| But they, knowing the former temper and principles of the man, universally shunned his company; till Barnabas brought him to Peter, who was not yet cast into prison, and to James, our Lord's brother, bishop of Jerusalem, acquainting them with the manner of his conversion; and by them he was familiarly entertained. Here he staid fifteen days, preaching Christ, and confuting the Hellenist