knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and do nothing rashly.

"I have heard one say," observes Dr. Mather, "that there was a gentleman mentioned in the 19th chapter of the Acts, to whom he was more indebted than to any man in the world. This was he whom our translation calls the town-clerk of Ephesus, whose counsel it was to do nothing rashly. Upon any proposal of consequence, it was an usual speech with him- We will first advise with the town-clerk of Ephesus.' One, in a fond compliance with a friend, forgetting the town-clerk, may do that in haste, which he may repent at leisure-may do what may cost bim several hundreds of pounds, besides trouble, which he would not have undergone for thousands."

Chap. xx, ver. 9.-And there sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

One Lord's day afternoon, the late Mr. Fuller of Kettering, perceiving some of his hearers to be drowsy; as soon as he had read his text, he struck his Bible three times against the side of the pulpit, calling out, "What! asleep already! I am often afraid I should preach you asleep, but the fault cannot be mine to day, for I have not yet begun!"

Chap. xx, ver. 21.-Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

M*

In the year 1680, the Rev. Philip Henry preached on the doctrines of faith and repentance, from several texts of Scripture. He used to say that he had been told concerning the famous Mr. Dod, that some called him in scorn, faith and repentance, because he insisted so much upon those two in all his preaching. "But," says he, "if this be to be vile, I will be yet more vile," for faith and repentance are all in all in Christianity. Concerning repentance, he has sometimes said, "If I were to die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance; or if I die out of the pulpit, I would desire to die practising repentAnd he had often this saying concerning repentance, "He that repents every day for the sins of every day, when he comes to die, will have the sins but of one day to repent of."

ance."

Chap. xx, ver. 29.-For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

A pious clergyman in England had long, through the divine blessing, successfully ministered the word of life to an affectionate flock: but the ties, which for many years had united them so closely, were at length about to be broken. The faithful pastor was laid on his death-bed. In that solemn hour, one single care distracted his soul. He thought of his people, He knew that a patron had the power of sending a hireling as his successor-one who would not feed the flock. Anticipating such an event, he said, in the agony of his spirit, "It will be all confusion!" Had the right of choosing their pastor been vested in the Christian people, he would have left them with the consoling persuasion, that his successor would be one who would follow out the plans which he himself had originated for their spiritual improvement, and who would "watch for their souls." His fears were verified-a successor was appointed whose principles were wholly in opposition to his, and all was confu

sion-and his people are now wandering as sheep without a shepherd.

Chap. xxi, ver. 13.-Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

When Luther was summoned to attend the diet at Worms, his friends, notwithstanding the safe conduct granted to him by the emperor, Charles V, apprehending danger to his person, would have dissuaded him from going thither. Luther replied, "I am determined to enter the city in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, though as many devils should oppose me as there are tiles upon all the houses at Worms." He was accompanied from Wittemberg by some divines, and one hundred horse; but he took only eight horsemen into Worms. When he stept out of the carriage, he said, in presence of a great number of persons, "God shall be on my side."

Chap. xxi, ver. 28.—And further, brought Greeks also into the temple, and have polluted this holy place.

When Sir Christopher Wren was building St. Paul's Cathedral, he caused the following notice to be affixed to several parts of the structure. "Whereas among laborers and others, that ungodly custom of swearing is so frequently heard, to the dishonor of God and contempt of authority; and to the end, that such impiety may be utterly banished from these works, which are intended for the service of God, and the honor of religion, it is ordered that profane swearing shall be a sufficient crime to dismiss any laborer that comes to the call; and the clerk of the works, upon a sufficient proof, shall dismiss them accordingly: and that if any masters working by task, shall not, upon admonition, reform the profanation among his apprentices, servants, and laborers, it shall

be construed his fault, and he shall be liable to be censured by the commissioners."

Chap. xxii, ver. 23.-They cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air.

A great similarity appears between the conduct of the Jews, when the chief captain of the Roman garrison at Jerusalem presented himself in the temple, and the behavior of the Persian peasants, when they go to court to complain of the governors under whom they live, upon their oppressions becoming intolerable. Sir John Chardin tells us respecting them, that they carry their complaint against their governors by companies, consisting of several hundreds, and sometimes of a thousand; they repair to that gate of the palace near to which their prince is most likely to be, where they begin making the most horrid cries, tearing their garments, and throwing dust into the air, at the same time demanding justice. The king, upon hearing these cries, sends to know the occasion of them. The people deliver their complaint in writing, upon which he lets them know that he will commit the cognizance of the affair to some one, by whom justice is usually done them.

Chap. xxiii, ver. 2, 3.-And the high priest. Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

Mr. Joseph Sherwood, one of the non-conformist ministers of England, having preached on that text, "I will avenge the quarrel of my covenant," was carried to a petty session of justices, where one Mr. Robinson sat as chairman, who greatly reviled Mr. Sherwood, and called him a rebel, &c, which he bore

patiently, only making this reply, "That as he was a minister of the Gospel, and at the church where there was so great an assembly, he could not but have compassion on the multitude, and give them a word of exhortation." Mr. Robinson said, "But did ever man preach from such a rebellious text?" "Sir," replied Mr. Sherwood, "I know man is a rebel against his Creator, but I never knew that the Creator could be a rebel against his creature." On which Robinson cried cut, "Write his mittimus for Launceston jail." And then turning to Mr. Sherwood, said, "I say sir, it was a rebellious text." Mr. Sherwood looked him full in the face, and addressed him in these words: " Sir, if you die the common death of all men, God never spake by me." He was then sent to prison, where he found favor with the keepers, and had liberty to walk about the castle and town. Robinson returned home; and a few days after, walking in the fields, a bull that had been very tame, came up to a gate where he stood, and his maid-servant before him, who had been milking, when the creature turned her aside with his horns, ran directly upon Robinson, and tore out his bowels! He was carried home in this miserable state, and soon afterwards died.

Chap. xxiii, ver. 15.-Now therefore ye, with the council, signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to-morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him; and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

Mr. Thoroughgood, a minister of the 17th century, having reproved the sin of swearing, one of his hearers, sensible of his guilt, and thinking he was the person particularly intended, resolved to kill him; and in order to do it, he hid himself behind a hedge, which he knew Mr. Thoroughgood would ride by when he went to preach bis weekly lecture. When Mr. T. came to the place, be prepared to shoot him, but his