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preached in all the ci-
ties, till he came to
Cæfarea.

Place he took him up at; from whence he went up the Coaftfide, and preached the Gospel

in the Towns as far as Cæfarea.

CHAP. IX.

The CONTENTS.

A. D. 35. The Rage of Saul against the Chriftians. His Commiffion to feize them. His extraordinary Converfion. Ananias Jent to him. He preached the Gospel at Damascus to the Jews. They attempt to deftroy him. His Efcape. He comes to Jerufalem, and is received by the Apostles, Peter's Preaching and Miracles at Lydda and Joppa.

1.

AND Saul yet

breathing out
threatning and flaugh
ter against the difciples
of the Lord, went
unto the high priest,
2. And defired of

him Letters to Da-
mafcus to the fyna
gogues, that if he
found any of this way,
whether they were
men or women, he
might bring them
bound unto Jerufalem.

I.

TO proceed now in the Ac

count of this Perfecution, and of what happened to Saul, who was the chief Inftrument of the Council in carrying it on.

ing by this Time been preached 2. The Gospel-Doctrine havand entertained at Samaria, and in feveral other Cities into which the Chriftians were difperfed; Saul out of his furious Zeal for the Jewish Law, addrefs'd himself to the High Prieft and Council for a Commiffion to go thither, and demand of the Rulers of the Synagogues to feize upon all Chriftians, and fend them to Jerufalem, to be condemned and punished as Enemies to the Jewish Religion.

3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damafcus and fud

Chap. denly there fhined

xxii. 6.

round about him a

light from heaven.
4. And

2

3. They gave him his Orders, and in his Journey thither to execute them, as he drew near the

Town about Noon, he and his*
Company were furrounded with
a miraculous Light from Heaven,
that eclipfed the very Sun.
4. Where-

4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice, faying unto him, Saul, Saul, why Perfecuteft thou me?

4. Whereupon, either con- A. D. 35cluding it to denote the fpecial Prefence * of God, or else struck and confounded at the Brightness of it, they tall fell proftrate upon † Chap.

the Ground, when a Voice out of the Cloud was di- xxvi. 14. rected to Saul, Saul, why doft thou thus perfecute me, in eppreffing the Members of my Church?

5. And he said, Who 5. Saul, aftonished to hear his art thou Lord? And Zeal for Religion fo dreadfully the Lord faid, I am interpreted, defired to know wheJefus whom thou per- ther this was the Appearance of fecuteft: It is hard the true God or no? To which for thee to kick athe Voice answered, That it was gainst the pricks. the Manifestation of the very Jefus, the Son of God, the true Meffiah, whofe Religion and Difciples he thus inhumanly perfecuted; adding, that it would be a most desperate Attempt for him any longer to oppofe fuch Evidences, and refift fuch a dívine Authority.

6. And he trembling and aftonifhed, faid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord faid unto him, Arife, and go into the city, and it fhall be told thee what

thou must do.

tation of the divine

6. Thus convinced of his Error, and trembling at his own Guilt, Saul humbly begg'd to be directed what he should do to teftify his Repentance, and obtain his Pardon? And the Voice replied, That he should pursue his Journey into the Town, and wait there for a further ManifefWill concerning him.

Ver. 5.

See Chap.

xxii. 8.

7. And the men 7. (Now his Fellow-Travellers which journeyed with heard this Voice only, as a loud him, flood fpeechlefs, and confufed Sound, but not the | See Ch. hearing a voice, but diftinct Words that were spoken xxii. 9. feeing no man. to Saul; and though more truck and Ch. and confounded, had not fo clear a Sight of the vine Glory that apeared, as he had.)

di- xxvi.

8 & 9.

Or to be the Shechinah. the Glory of the Lord. 2 Ver. 7. undeva beagles. Seeing no Perjon whence moit Interpreters concluding, that St. Paul at this

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mafcus.

9. And he was three days without fight,

and did neither eat nor drink.

10. And there was a certain difciple at Damafcus, named Amanias, and to him faid the Lord in a vi fon. Ananias. And he faid, Behold, I am bere, Lord.

11. And the Lord faid unto him, Arife, and go into the ftreet, which is called Straight, and enquire in the houfe of Judas for one called Saul of Tarfus: for behold, he prayeth,

12. And hath feen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his fight.

13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath

done

8 & 9. So that when they rofe up to go on their Journey, Saul's Eyes were fo dazzled at the Light he had feen, that he was forced to be led into the Town by his Companions, and continued blind for three Days together, which he fpent in folemn Repentance, Prayer, and Fafting.

10 & 11. At three Days end Jefus performed his Promise to Saul, (ver. 6.) by appearing to Ananias a Chriftian Difciple, (formerly a Jewish Profelyte) and ordered him to go to fuch a House, in fuch a Street, to find out Saul, to cure him of his Blindnefs, and baptize him into the Chriftian Religion, and qualify him for the Miniftry, by conferring the Holy Ghoft on him, telling him, that the great Perfecutor was now a true Penitent.

12. And that he might go to. him without any Fear, Chrift acquainted him, That Saul knew before-hand what he came for, by a Vifion from himself.

13 & 14. Ananias knowing the Character of the Man, and the Commiffion he came thither with, could not but exprefs his Amazement at fuch a Change, and (per

haps)

Time faw the Perfon of Chrift: I have fo express'd it in the PARAPHRASE, as to give a juft Latitude to that Notion. Se ver. 17, and 1 Cor. ix. 8. and xv. 1. and Alts xxii. 14.

done to thy faints at Jerufalem:

14. And here he hath authority from

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haps) fome Fearfulness to make A. D. 35. himfelf known to fo notorious a Perfecutor.

chief priests, to bind all that call on thy name. 15. But the Lord faid unto him, Go thy way for he is a chofen veffel unto me, to bear my name be fore the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Ifrael. 16. For I will fhew him how great things he muft fuffer for my

names fake.

17. And Ananias went his way, and entred into the house, and putting his hands on him, faid, Brother Saul, the Lord (even Jefus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou cameft) hath fent me, that thou mighteft receive thy fight, and be filled with the holy Ghoft. 18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been fcales, and he received fight forthwith, and arofe, and was baptized.

19. And when he had received meat, he was ftrengthned. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples

which

15 & 16. But Chrift bad him go and fear nothing, affuring him, That, now his violent Prejudices were removed, Saul would become not only a true Disciple, but an eminent Preacher of the Gofpel, both to Jews and Gentiles; and that as he had been an Oppreffor of, he would now. be a moft undaunted Sufferer for, the Truth of it.

17 & 18. Ananias, fully fatisfied at this, went and performed his Meffage, congratulating and faluting Paul by the Name of Brother, Chriftian; and then, † Ver. 17. in the Name of Chrift, laid his See Chap. Hands upon him, cured his Blind- xxii. 16. nefs, baptized him, and he was then endowed with the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoft. In the Cure of his Blindness there fell from his Eyes fomething like Scales; as a fit and lively Emblem denoting that the Veil was now taken away from his Heart, and that he was come to the Sight and Underftanding of the true Religion.

19 & 20. Saul being affured by all this, of the Truth of Chrift's Religion, and of his own Pardon, ended his Faft, joined himself to the Chriftian Difciples at Damaf

cus,

Ver. 16. boa deï ávlöv tadär. I will fhew him what Things HE (emphatically) muft juffer for my Names-fake.

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20. And ftraightway he preached Christ in the fynagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21. But all that heard him were amazed, and faid, Is not this he that deftroyed them which

cus, and forthwith preached up JESUS to be the Son of God, the true Meffiah, in the very Jewish Synagogues.

21. This was a great Surprize to all his Hearers, who knew very well how contrary a Purpofe he came thither for.

called on this name in Jerufalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

22. But Saul increafed the more in ftrength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damafcus, proving that this is very Christ.

22. But he increasing every Day more and more in the Knowledge of the Scriptures, and of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, gave the Jews of that Place fuch undeniable Proofs, that Jefus was the true Meffiah, as they

could no way anfwer. A. D. 36. 23. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

23. After this his first preaching at Damafcus, Saul retired from thence into Arabia, * where he continued about a * Year, and then returned hither again, and preached to the Jews, who, by Authority obtained from the Governor of the Town, watched the Gates with a Defign to kill him.

24 But their lay-
A. D. 37.
ing a wait was known
of Saul and they
watched the gates day
and night to kill him.

25. Then the dif

24 & 25. But getting Intelligence of their Defign, the Chriftian Difciples let him down from the Town-Wall by Night, and fo he escaped. (2 Cor. xi. 32.)

ciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

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26. Thence, in the third Year after his Converfion, he went up to Jerufalem to converfe with

the

*Ver. 23. See Galat. i. 17. Bishop PEARSON, Annal. Paulin. p. 2. and 2 Cor. xi. 32.

+ Ver. 26. Galat. i. 18. and Bishop PEARSON, Sup. p. 3.

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