surely they must have been believers. And this same Agabus, we find, on a subsequent occasion, prophetically warning St. Paul, that the Jews would bind, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. How could this friendly admonition have happened, if he had been unconverted, and therefore an enemy to the apostle and his cause?

3. St. Paul himself, in different parts of his writings, enumerates prophecy among the various gifts bestowed upon the several members of the church And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers," &c. &c.

Let us now briefly examine the import of this prophecy of Agabus, "that there should be great dearth throughout all the world."-The word here translated "world," literally signifies inhabited part of the earth; but most commonly that part which was under the Roman empire. However, we sometimes meet with it taken in a more limited sense, and confined to the land of Judea ; as by the very writer of this book, in the Gospel which bears. his name. Hence we may reasonably conclude, that he uses the word here in the same sense; particularly as we find in the next verse, that relief was sent to the brethren in Judea, and none others are noticed.-Now if this be the just meaning, we have a very clear testimony from Josephus, of an accomplishment to this prediction. For speaking

of Cuspius Fadus, (procurator of Judea in the days of Claudius) and of the successor of Fadus, he says, "In their time happened a great dearth in Judea; when queen Helene, having purchased corn in Egypt with large sums of money, gave it away amongst the poor."

But even supposing the Roman empire to be meant, it is not necessary that a famine should rage in every spot of it, in order to justify the expression. If several of its great districts were so afflicted, it would be sufficient for the purpose. Now we are informed by other writers that this was the case, during the reign of Claudius, in Greece, and Rome, and a good part of Italy ; and probably at the same time with the famine in Judea, mentioned by Josephus. In either view there is authority to prove the prediction fulfilled.

In the twelfth chapter of the Acts we have an account, how Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church."-This was Herod, called also Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great. And from the title of king here given him, we may observe the accuracy of St. Luke; for the three years of his reign in Judea (which ended his life) was the only period from the banishment of Archelaus, in the sixth or seventh of the Christian æra, to the year 66, in which Judea, properly so. called, was not a Roman province. In this persecution he killed James, the brother of John, with

the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also."-Such are too often the motives that influence the actions of ambitious men, when exalted to power; they do not so much consider what is right and just, as what may render them popular and pleasing. The grandfather of this prince had done many improper things to gratify the Roman emperors, because he saw no other method so likely to advance his own power and now the grandson, inheriting the same wicked policy, persecutes innocent men to death, in order to render himself more acceptable to a barbarous and enraged people. It was no doubt, in compliance with their religious customs, that he now did only confine Peter, during the days of unleavened bread, under custody of sixteen soldiers, to be constantly guarded by four in succession; and intending after Easter, that is in eight days, to bring him forth for trial, or rather for execution.

And here we cannot but remark the gross blindness of the infatuated Jews, who were so tenacious of their rites and ceremonies, that no motive could induce them to profane the feast, yet nourished in their hearts a murderous design against innocent blood, which they meant to accomplish in some days after.-Merciful God! that human nature should be capable of such monstrous absurdity and wickedness! that men should thus strain at a

gnat," according to the expressive words of our Lord, and swallow a camel!" that they, who had been so often warned of the total ineflicacy of sacrifices and oblations, new moons and sabbaths, to reconcile them to God, while their inward parts were corrupt and abominable, should yet become more and more attached to the former, more vile and detestable in the latter! Let it be a warning to us, my brethren, to be less anxious about the forms of religion, than about its spirit and sub. stance, the great end which those are appointed to serve. I do not mean to discountenance external services they make part of our duty, nor can be dispensed with, while we are able to perform them: but we must learn to esteem them what they are, valuable means to attain a more excellent purpose, not as having virtue and sufficiency in themselves.

The night before Peter was to have been brought forth to the people, while he lay sleeping between two soldiers, (from which we may judge by the way the extreme vigilance of the government towards him, and at the same time the tranquility of his mind) The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly and his chains fell off from his hands.” He then orders him to prepare and follow him, and Peter obeyed. At first the transaction seemed to

him nothing more than a vision or dream, so little of enthusiasm did he possess. But when they had completely past all the barriers of the prison, and through one street of the city, and the angel had departed, Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."

Having considered in this manner, he goes to the house of Mary, where many were gathered together, praying ;" and having spoken at the door to a damsel named Rhoda, she knew his voice, and ran joyfully to report, that Peter was at the door. Which they, continuing still incredulous, in spite of all her assurances, attempted to account for, by saying, "It is his angel."-The word rendered angel signified messenger; but from the circumstances here stated, something more than the common notion of messenger seems to be implied. That it was the voice of Peter they do not appear to deny. What, then, is the obvious inference? Not supposing it to be himself in person, (whom they knew to be so strictly guarded) they imagine the appearance of some supernatural being in his place, probably his guardian angel, according to an opinion prevalent among the Jews. But they were soon undeceived, for upon opening the door they saw, and heard him relate his deliverance from prison.