own persuasion of the prisoner's innocence, Paul was called upon by Agrippa to speak for himself. Nothing can exceed the eloquence of the apostle on this occasion. He entered upon his defence with confidence and pleasure, because the person whom he addressed was acquainted by birth and education with all the customs and questions of the Jews. Paul then proceeded to a narration of his former life, and the miraculous manner of his conversion to Christianity. Having stated the Divine commission which was given to him, he says, "whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision; but showed first to them of Damascus, and of Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and return unto God, and do works meet for repentance." These were the only causes, he observes, for the malignity of the Jews, and for their repeated attempts upon his life. "But," says he, in a solemn strain of pious gratitude, "having obtained help of God, I continued unto this day witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the Gentiles."

When Festus heard the apostle speak of a resurrection of the dead, and maintain that a person who had actually suffered upon the cross came actually to life, he concluded the whole to be a fiction, and the result of an intense study.

"Paul," said the governor, "thou art beside thyself; much learning or reading hath made thee mad."

The apostle could easily make allowances for the warmth and scepticism of a heathen, to whom these things must necessarily appear strange and incredible; he therefore answered respectfully, but with

firmness, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and soberness."

He then appeals to Agrippa for the truth of what he had asserted concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus, "for the king," says he, "knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him for this thing was not done in a corner." This is not the language of an enthusiast or an impostor, but of a man relying upon the verity of what he relates, on the solid ground of the publicity of the facts. The circumstance of his own conversion was known to all the Jews in Damascus; and nothing was inore certain than that he who was now a preacher of Christianity, had been the most violent persecutor of all who made profession of that faith. But the apostle, though he might well appeal to Agrippa for the truth of this, yet it is evident he here avails himself of the king's acquaintance with the history of Jesus, and of his resurrection; "which thing," says he, was not done in a corner," but "the fame of it was spread through all Judea."

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Having established the truth of this fact, which the king did not contradict, the apostle puts to him this emphatic question, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest."

The reply of Agrippa was candid, and to us it is instructive and important; "Almost," said he, "thon persuadest me to be a Christian." He was convinced that the account which Paul had given of his own conversion was true, and that the reason which he had assigned for his profession of the religion of Jesus was just. Thus far has Agrippa borne an honourable testimony to the character of Paul, and to the cause of Christianity. That he went no farther than this declaration, which was drawn from him by the force of truth, is to be attributed to his national prejudices, and the vicious course of life to which he was habituated. How exalted was the answer of the apostle, and what a spirit of en

larged benevolence for the interest of his fellowcreatures does it breathe!" I would to God," said he, "that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am; except these bonds."

The court now retired; and what impression the discourse of the apostle made upon the mind of Agrippa, appears from his observation to Festus ; "This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar."

It being determined that Paul should be sent to Rome, he was placed with some other prisoners under the care of Julius, the centurion of a legion distinguished by the name of Augustus. They embarked at Adramyttium, a sea-port in the province of Mysia; and the apostle was accompanied by his faithful friends, Luke, the historian of his travels, and Aristarchus, a christian of Thessalonica. this voyage the centurion treated Paul with peculiar kindness; and when the vessel arrived at Sidon, he permitted him to go on shore and visit his friends.

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When they came to the Fair Havens, a port in Crete, the apostle, perceiving that the tempestuous season was approaching, advised the centurion to winter there e; but the master and crew of the ship being of a different opinion, it was resolved to steer for Phenice, a more convenient harbour in the same island. At first the wind blew fair and moderately; but it soon shifted and increased to a violent storm. After being driven by the fury of the tempest fourteen days, the ship was wrecked upon the island of Melita, where every person landed in safety, as had been predicted by Paul in the midst of their greatest danger.

They were received with great kindness by the natives, who kindled a fire for their accommodation: but when the apostle gathered some sticks, among which was a concealed viper, that fastened itself upon his hand, the islanders concluded that he must

be a murderer, pursued by Divine vengeance, though he had escaped the devouring flood.

These sentiments, however, were soon changed; for, perceiving that the venomous animal, which Paul shook into the fire, had produced no effect upon his person, they looked upon him with reverence as a deity. So easily are credulous minds transported from one extreme to another. During his stay on this island, St. Paul wrought a miraculous cure upon the father of the governor; the fame of which induced many of the inhabitants to bring their diseased friends to the apostle, who healed them all. At the expiration of three months, the centurion and his company embarked on board of a ship bound for Italy. After stopping three days at Syracuse, in Sicily, and touching at Rhegium, on the coast of Calabria, the vessel arrived at Puteoli, where Paul and his companions finished their long and perilous voyage. The apostle finding some christians, continued with them seven days, and then set forwards on his journey to Rome. When the news of his landing reached that city, several believers hastened to meet him, some coming as far as the Three Taverns, which was at the distance of thirty-three miles, and others to Appii Forum, which was fiftyone miles from Rome.

Great was their mutual joy at this meeting; and the holy apostle, when he heard of the increasing condition of the church, and of the liberty which was enjoyed by the christians, "thanked God and took courage.'

On their arrival at Rome the centurion delivered his other prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul, most probably at the request of the friendly Julius, was permitted to live in a house which he hired for himself, having a soldier to guard him.

The first care of the apostle was to send for the heads of the Jewish consistory, and to acquaint them with the cause of his coming to Rome. They replied that no information concerning him had

been sent to them, nor had their brethren who came from Judea said any thing to his disadvantage. But as the apostle avowed himself a member of that sect which was every where spoken against, these Jews expressed their desire to hear him fully on the subject of his religion. Accordingly, on a day appointed, many of them came to his lodgings, where he expounded the scriptures both of the law and the prophets, concerning the Messiah, from morning till evening. His discourse proved the conversion of some; but the others remained so obstinate in their infidelity, that the apostle concluded by applying to them the declaration of Isaiah: "Go unto this people, and say, hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

After this Paul continued two years in the house which he had hired; but though he was in confinement and chained, yet his active spirit was still at liberty, and he employed his time in the noblest of purposes, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him."

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His ministry in captivity appears to have exceeded in fruitfulness the abundant labours of his former life; for thus he writes in his epistle to the Philippians: "I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.'

Whether Paul was brought before the emperor during his two year's confinement at Rome, is not