A. D. 60. which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are fan&ified. the Bleffings and Promises of the Gofpel, which, with your own fincere Endeavour, will not fail to keep you fteady and compleat in all Branches of your Duty, and bring you to the eternal Reward of all true Believers. no 33. I have coveted mans filver, or gold, or apparel. 34. Yea, you your felves know, that thefe hands have miniftred unto my ne 33 & 34. One Thing more you must remember to be my Witneffes in; that if any of thefe falfe and heretical Teachers I warned you against, should fuggeft, That I your Apoftle had ceffities, and to them any fecular and worldly Designs in preaching the Gofpel, thereby the better to draw any from the Faith, by diminishing my Efteem and Credit among you; you put a Stop to fuch a malicious Iruation, by declaring, that I maintained myself and my Friends, by working at my own Trade. that were with me. 35. I have fhewed Lord Jefus, how he 35. For you well know what an Example I have shown you, of endeavouring to remove this Objection, by my own bodily Labour and Industry, how much I encouraged you to that admirable Piece of Charity, of supplying the Wants of the Sick and Needy by our own Pains, often repeating to you that Expreffion of Chrift, 'Tis happier for a Man to give the leaft Charity, than to receive the greatest. 36. And when he had thus fpoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. 37. And they all wept fore, and fell on Pauls neck, and kiffed him. 38. Sorrowing most of all for the words which he fpake, that no more. 36, 37 & 38. Paul having concluded his Difcourfe, kneeled down and offered his folemn Prayers for a good Effect of it upon them; they in the mean while expreffing all the Marks of Love and Concern at parting from him, without Hopes of feeing him again. And they went with him to fee him take Ship. And they accompanied him unto the fhip. СНАР. CHAP. XXI. The CONTENTS. Paul's Arrival at Tyre. Predictions of his great Dan- 2. And finding a fhip failing over unto 1, 2 & 3. Arting in this me- A. D. 60. lancholy Manner from the Clergy of Ephefus at Miletus, we failed directly paft the Ifles of Coos and Rhodes, and fo to Patara, where happening of a Veffel bound to Tyre in Canaan or Syrophoenicia, we went a-board her, and leaving Cyprus to the left, went ftraight and landed there. Phoenicia, we went aboard, and fet forth. 3. Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and failed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 4. And finding dif ciples, we tarried there feven days: who faid to Paul thro' the fpirit, that he thould not go up to Jerufalem. 4. We ftaid a Week with the Chriftian Converts of that Place, fome of which, by the Spirit of Prophecy, declared to Paul (as feveral others had done before *)* Chap. that if he went to Jerufalem, he xx. 22,23. would run a great Hazard of his Life, and therefore would have diffuaded him from it. L 2 5 & 6. A. D. 60. 5.And when we had us on our way, with 5 & 6. Notwithstanding which, Paul knowing he had a juft and neceffary Occafion to go thither (and being not forbidden to do it by any exprefs Revelation) purfued his Intention; and fo we parted with them, after we had put up our folemn Prayers together by the Ship-fide. 6. And when we had taken our leave one with another, we took ship, and they returned home again. 7. And when we had finished our courfe from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and faluted the brethren, and abode with them, one day. 8. And the next day we that were of 7,8& €9. From Tyre we came to Ptolemais, and having paid a Vifit to the Chriftians there, went next Day to Cæfarea in Galilee, and lodged at the House of Philip the Deacon, whofe four Daughters keeping themselves in a State of Virginity, for their higher Advancement in Piety and Devotion, were endowed with the Spirit of Prophecy, i. e. either of understanding the Scriptures to a great Degree, or elfe of foretelling Things to come. 9. And the fame man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 10. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus. 11. And when he was come unto us, he took 10 & 11. During our Stay there (which was pretty long) there came Agabus to us, who took up Paul's + Girdle, binding firft his own Hands, and then his Feet with it; and told us, that as certainly as he had bound himself, * See Chap. vi. See the like prophetical Actions and Reprefentations in Jer. xiii, 4, &c. and xxvii. 2, &c. took Pauls girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and faid, Thus faith the holy Ghoft, So fhall the himself, the Jews would bind Paul A. D. 60. Jews at Jerufalem bind the man that oweth this girdle, and 12. And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place, befought him not to go up to Jerufalem. 13. Then Paul anfwered, What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but allo to die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 12. Upon which both we of his Company, and the Chriftians of Cæfarea, begged of him not to thruft himself into a certain and unavoidable Danger. 13. But Paul expoftulated with us, why we should thus endeavour to fright and difcourage him. from doing what his Apostolical Duty obliged him to, upon a Fear of Danger, which he knew he muft undergo fome Time or other, and was always ready to fuffer Perfecution and Death itfelf for the Advancement of the Gofpel, and the Religion of JESUS CHRIST. A. D. 60. 17. And when we 27. and all the elders were 19. And when he had faluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his mini itry. 20. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and faid unto him, Thou feeft, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which be lieve, and they are all 17 & 18. The Chriftians of 19. To whom Paul gave a par- 20. Which Relation that pious Bishop, and the Clergy aflembled with him, received with all religious Joy and Thanksgiving to GOD; and then recommended fome prudential Confiderations to Paul, with refpect to the Jewish Converts of Jerufalem, that were now increased to vaft Numbers, and all ftill full of Zeal for the Obfervation of the Jewish Law, infifting upon the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of it, as abfolutely neceffary to every one that had been born and brought up in that Religion, tho' he did embrace the Chriftian Faith. zealous of the law. 21. And they are informed of thee, that See Ver. thou teacheft all the Jews which are mong the Gentiles to forfake Mofes, fay a ing, That they ought toms. 21. Now (faid they) here has been a Set of Infidel Jews from thofe Parts of the lefler * Afia, where you have been preaching, who have reported among these Jewish Converts, That you have perfuaded the Jews there to renounce the Mofaical Law, and abfolutely leave off all the Rites and Ceremonies of it; which they account the fame Thing as 22. And to apoftatize from GOD. 1 |