trius and his craftsmen. How came these men to be so very forward and zealous for maintaining the worship of Diana? Were they persons of very extraordinary piety? Had they most intimate acquaintance with the sublime mysteries of religion, so as to qualify them for deciding upon the proper objects of national veneration? What connection had their calling with such matters? Here, indeed, the doubt would begin to clear up; and every one would naturally ascribe all this excessive zeal for the worship of Diana to its true cause, the profitable trade of making silver shrines after the fashion of her temple. The same plain and easy method of enquiry would serve for other occasions, such as effecting changes in public affairs. Who are the men that set the people in motion? Are they men of settled and established characters for wisdom and virtue? Have they given unquestionable proofs of disinterestedness and patriotism? What sacrifices have they made to the welfare and honour of their country? Have they proved themselves worthy of confidence, by a love of peace and good order, by justice and moderation, and above. all, by a deep sense of religion, with its awful sanctions ? If they do not answer this description, but on the other hand appear to be rash and untried adventurers, full of interested or ambitious hopes, and dissatisfied with the present state of things, because they cannot suddenly rise to wealth

and honours; if their lives have been loose and immoral, unjust or oppressive, governed more by constitution, or a regard to a popular opinion, than by a due consideration of the will of God, and evidently limiting their prospects to this life only: trust not to such men; the foundation is hollow and unsure, neither can it withstand the rude shocks or undermining temptations of a turbulent and deceitful world.

In the twentieth chapter we read, that when the uproar ceased, Paul departed for Macedonia, and thence into Greece; where having staid three months, he intended to have sailed directly thence for Syria, but finding that the Jews laid wait for him, he changed his purpose and went back through Macedonia. After his arrival at Troas, on the coast of Asia, a young man, named Eutychus, having fallen asleep while Paul was preaching, fell from a window in the third loft, and was taken up dead. Some understand this expression to mean, as one dead; because Paul says in the next verse," trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him."-But I rather think that he uses these words after he had just restored him; for they follow the account of his having fallen upon and embraced him. And were this not so, I should consider it as a parallel passage to that, where our Saviour restores the daughter of Jairus, who certainly was

dead; yet he says, "give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth;" meaning, that she shall revive, as though she only slept. This miracle was performed on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread."-Whence we may perceive the early usage of Christians, in keeping holy the day on which our Lord rose from the dead, and on that day celebrating the eucharist. To which we may add the authority of Pliny, who writes to the emperor Trajan of Christians in these terms; it is their custom to meet on a set day before it is light, and to bind themselves by an oath to do no evil. And Justin Martyr, who wrote but forty years after, and not quite fifty after St. John's death, gives a particular account of the religious exercises performed by Christians upon the day of our Lords's resurrection; the reading of the prophets and apostles, preaching, praying and administering of the sacrament.

St. Paul now proceeds on his journey along the coast of Asia, till he arrived at Miletus; whence " he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church." And when they arrived, he lays before. them various circumstances of his manner of life and behaviour, from his first coming into Asia, appealing to them for the truth of his assertions. The general course of his statement is too clear to detain you with; but I shall advert to a few particulars. In the twenty-second verse he says, " And

now behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem :" which, among several others, may well admit either of the following interpretations; first, that he was compelled, and as it were, constrained with bonds by the Holy Ghost, to go up to Jerusalem; or, secondly, that by the Holy Ghost he foresaw that bonds' awaited him at Jerusalem, which, therefore he speaks of as things present. In the twenty-sixth versé are these words; wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men," that is, I am entirely innocent of that destruction, which obstinate and disobedient men may incur ;

for says he, I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God."-As he had therefore made known to them the whole divine will, and had, through the Holy Ghost, made them overseers of the flock, nothing had been left undone by him, either for their own salvation, or of those committed to their care: he had performed his duty, they must now perform theirs. In the twenty-ninth verse he warns them of grievous wolves," who

should enter in among them, not sparing the flock. These were probably the teachers of heresies, who soon sprang up in the church, corrupting some of its most important doctrines and precepts; who, under pretence of belonging to the faith, introduced the most dangerous errors and vicious practices, and drew away disciples after them." In the thirty-fifth verse, recommending to support the

weak, he bids them remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive." These words are not found in any of the Gospels: the Apostle, therefore, probably had them from some of our Lord's immediate disciples or hearers. Neither are we to wonder at this and many other sayings, as well as actions, of Christ, being omitted by all the Evangelists; who did not profess to record every thing, but only such matters as appeared to them of highest moment. And although the sentiment is worthy of our divine Instructor, yet has he enforced the duty of Christian charity in so many different forms, that it does not require any further support in addition to what is written. As to the excellence of the doctrine here taught; no man who has ever relieved the wants of a fellow-creature, from motives of compassion, and a sense of duty, will hesitate to say, that it is a source of the purest and most heart-felt delight, of which human nature is capable. By a sense of duty I do not mean only the natural impulse, that urges to mutual aid and support, but likewise the consideration of God's will; who has implanted this amiable instinct in our hearts, and also enjoined the exercise of it, as one of the best proofs of our gratitude and affection toward himself; "This commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also."Can we conceive a more blessed state of