Teftament by no means implies that they were even inclined to encourage others to do what they ought to have done themselves.

But are we to conclude from this, that those men of Cyprus and Cyrene (who, it may be furmifed, did not think themfelves authorifed to preach to Greeks in any of the towns through which they paffed in their way to Antioch) at laft, and of their own accord, and without being encouraged to do fo by any precedent they may have feen or heard of, fuddenly took upon them to preach the word to Greeks, contrary to their former practice? Would they have prefumed to do fo without authority? (u) Is it not likely that they were induced to take fo extraordinary a step, at leaft by fome report (v) that had reached them of what others had been doing, who were more intimately acquainted with the will of the Lord? That they had not derived any encouragement to do fo from the Apostles, may be conjectured from their not venturing to take fuch a step immediately after they had found themfelves under the neceffity of leaving them at Jerufalem. Who then was fo likely to have afforded them fuch a precedent as Paul? (w) Or rather what

reason

(u & v) St. Peter having opened the door of faith, and laid the foundation of a Christian Church among the Gentiles, after God had testified very plainly that it was agreeable to his mind and will, other Christians hearing of this event, took occasion to imitate St. Peter's example; particularly some Jewish Christians of the island of Cyprus, and of the country of Cyrene in Africa, travelling in their dispersions to Antioch in Syria, preached the Christian doctrine there, not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.

But he is now proceeding to a new period, and after having intimated that the dispersed Christians had hitherto preached to none but Jews, he, with great propriety, acquaints us, that when St. Peter had converted uncircumcised Gentiles the others followed the example, and preached to Gentiles also. DODD, on

Acts xi. 20.

(w) They did not, they could not clearly discern the comprehensive scheme of the evangelical dispensation till after Peter had been at the house of Cornelius, and there received into the church Gentile converts, without circumcision: nor till after the Gospel had been preached in foreign countries by Paul and other Apostles and ministers.

And St. Paul is called the Apostle to the Gentiles, and the Gospel of the uncircumcision is said to have been committed unto him because he got the start of all the rest in preaching to Gen

tiles

reafon have we to doubt that the encouragement proceeded originally from him? He himself has affured us that "when it pleafed God, who feparated him from his mother's womb, and called him by his grace, to reveal his Son in him, that he might preach him among the Gentiles; immediately he con-ferred not with flesh and blood: neither went he up to Jerufalem, to them which were Apoftles before him; but he went into Arabia, and returned again to Damafcus." And what does this imply-a procraflinated and partial only-or-a prompt and unqualified obedience to the full meaning of the commiffion? Would not the grace of God have been, in fome measure, bestowed on him in vain, if he had not set about preaching to Gentiles immediately? His miffion to the Gentiles by his Lord in the temple, quickly after his return to Jerufalem, feems to have been only in pursuance of his original appointment; and his removing to Tarfus forthwith,

and

tiles, and had laboured among them for a good while in divers countries, and with great success, and had formed many churches in divers places whilst they were still in Judæa, teaching Jews, and had made no addresses to Gentiles abroad in other countries. Watson, p. 56.

It may also be implied in what St. Paul says, Ep. to Gal. that several of the first twelve Apostles intended to stay still somewhat longer in Judæa. This they were the more willing to do being fully satisfied with the preaching of Paul in foreign countries: insomuch that they encouraged him to proceed as he had begun. Ditto, p. 56.

In those countries Paul was, the remainder of the year 40 and all 41, and likewise 42, or the greatest part of it, till about the beginning of the year 43, preaching undoubtedly, in the name of Jesus, to native Jews and to proselytes of the Jewish religion.-Afterwards he went to Antioch, and began to preach to Gentiles, as we shall see presently. Ditto, p. 204.

During the time of Paul's being at Antioch in the year of Christ 43, he might have the rapture mentioned by him, 2 Cor. 12. It seems to me to have been soon after he came to Antioch when he first began to preach to Gentiles, who had hitherto preached to Jews only. Ditto, p. 205.

We may now perceive the benefit of the early choice and call of Paul to be an Apostle. Who having been several years employed and exercised in preaching to Jews in Judæa, and out of it, was ready to preach to Gentiles likewise, as soon as a door was opened for applying to them at Antioch and other places: as there was after Peter had received Cornelius at Cesarea, whilst it was not yet fit for any of the Twelve Apostles to leave the land ofˆ. Israel. Ditto, p. 55.

and the readiness of Barnabas to go thither from Antioch, in queft of him, for the purpose of conducting him to Antioch, on perceiving the progrefs which the faith had made, and was likely to make in that city, feems to warrant a belief that he actually complied with his Lord's will. But ought this point to remain unfettled, if the Gospel affords intimation enough to enable us to form a fatisfactory opinion on it? Would it not argue a reprehenfible indifference to the credit of him whofe zeal and perfeverance in the cause of Christianity was the principal means of its univerfal propagation, and who ought therefore to be held in the higheft eftimation by every true believer, to fuffer it to remain in doubt for want of a little attention to the evidence which the Gofpel affords? The tranfactions of his miniftry for a confiderable interval after his converfion, it must be confeffed (and with regret we feel ourfelves obliged to acknowledge it) are but imperfectly and incidentally recorded. However, fince without application we must remain in uncertainty about this very interefting point-let us not be difcouraged from endeavouring,, by a ftrict attention to the evidence of the New-Teftament, to discover what information thofe incidents are capable of producing. And as there is no occafion to connect the propofed enquiry with this which we have now pretty well difcuffed-let us for the fake of perfpicuity enter on it as a distinct subject.

Yours,

JOHN RENDLE.

Widecombe in the Moor, March 23, 1808.

LETTERS to à YOUNG GENTLEMAN, &c.

LETTER IV.

Some general Rules for Reading the Prayers.

IT is not given to every man, my dear brother, to poffefs a fine voice, or an elegant manner, peculiar bleffings no doubt, when confecrated to the fervice of the great giver of all good gifts. But every man who minifters, in that bleffed fervice, may bring a devout and attentive mind. And this, believe me, will atone for many defects. Nay, without this, all other qualifications will be of little efficacy: Affectation is dif

gusting

gufting in every sphere of life; but religious affectation, hypocrify, ftikes us with peculiar abhorrence; and though a man reads with the voice and pathos of an angel, yet if we are fatisfied, that his devotion is feigned, and his piety diffembling, we are so far from being warmed with his eloquence, that our fouls are pained with the moft unpleafing feniations.

The firft requifite therefore towards performing the fervice of the desk with propriety, is to come thither with "a devout heart:" a heart, fenfible of the greatnefs and importance of the duty, in which it is about to be employed. Confider therefore, when you enter the defk; how great and glorious a God you are about to address-to address in a public capacity, and as the mouth of the congregation-confider, that his eye is full upon you-and that you are about to be engaged in a service, the most folemn and interefting, in which a human creature can engage. An attention to these and the like reflections will imprint upon your mind that awe and folemn reverence which is fo neceffary and fo becoming.

There are some readers of the prayers, who have no fooner entered the defk, and juft covered their face, as if they would fay fomething by way of ejaculation, than they haftily begin the service, turning over the leaves of the book carelessly and inattentively, while they are repeating some of those noble texts of fcripture, wherewith our service begins. Take care to avoid this indecency. Employ a few moments in looking out the neceffary leffons and fervices; and be deliberate in the beginning. Read the firft fentences in a flow and serious manner, as well as the exhortation: and if your heart feels at all, your voice will properly and humbly attune itfelf to the language of the confeffion. More fedate folemnity is required in the reading of the abfolution; and fo all through you fhould endeavour to accommodate your manner to the fubject, whether it be confeffion, petition, or praise.

Avoid the extremes of a too rapid fwiftnefs in reading, and of a dull, heavy, lazy monotonic flowness. I know not which is most offenfive and improper. The former however would lead one to think, that clergymen are ashamed of their office, or weary of it, and with to get it over as fast as may be. An attention to our first remark, concerning the greatness of him whom you are addreffing, will ftop this unbecoming celerity. Let me beg you to pay a particular attention to the leffons; read them, with all the propriety and care you are able: and to this end you will do well to tudy them, before you come into the defk. It is easy to

throw

throw light upon the fcriptures, by the manner of reading them and as they are the word of God, it is very neceffary, that they be read to the people, with more than ordinary circumfpection.-You very well know, that great part of the excellence of reading confifts in laying the emphafis properly: This cannot be done, unless you understand what you read; and this will be a fufficient reafon to make you anxious to understand. However on no account be too emphatical; better, far better to lay no emphasis at all, than to lay it wrong; or to lay it upon almoft every little unmeaning word, like our friend Bombafto, who pronounces every monofyllable with pomp, and lays an emphasis upon almost every word—but the proper one; this pompous manner of reading, my dear brother, is infufferable; eafe, and freedom from all affectation, are indifpenfible requifites to a good reader..

Take care not to offend, as I have feen some readers, by repeating the last verse, claufe, or gloria patri, &c. which comes to their turn, in a perfun&tory careless manner, turning over their book, and looking for that part of the service which is to come next. Let not the hearers ever imagine, that their minifter is offering up a mere lip-fervice to the omnifcient Ruler of heaven.

You remember, how much we were offended at a certain church in the city, with the curate, who read the prayers tolerably well, but whofe pofture was fo lazy and lolling, that one might perceive a difapprobation in the faces of all prefent. How he leaned on his arms, while he repeated the moft folemn prayers, and lolled on his elbows, while he addreffed the fovereign majefty of the world! think you the man would have behaved thus, had he been introduced to kifs the king's hand for a good benefice? I trow not. Nor need I exhort you againft this extreme: the posture however, is not to be difregarded: it fhould be graceful and becoming. And tho' you are very well affured I am no friend to the grimaces of enthufiafm, yet I cannot but approve a decent unaffected action, especially of the hands and eyes; nay I am perfuaded, that there can scarcely be any real piety without fome external expreffions of it-fuch is the connection of the foul and body. If you find yourself in your private devotion much accuftomed to thefe, be fparing of them in public: your own good fenfe and good heart will beft direct the proper external manifestations of devotion.

Before I proceed any further, let me recommend to you, what perhaps may appear trivial, but really is not fo; and

that