wavering, and to correct any errors in discipline or doctrine into which they might have fallen. He had also in view the farther object of making a collection among the Gentile churches, for the benefit of the poor saints who were at Jerusalem. With this view he had already sent Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, xix. 22, to prepare them for his arrival. This object being now accomplished, he proposed to return the shortest way to Jerusalem, through Syria, but is obliged to go by another route, in consequence of the designs formed against him by the Jews.

And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed, "he resolved," to return through Macedonia, the way by which he

came.

4. And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berea; but Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy of Lystra, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia,

verse.

5. These, going before tarried for us at Troas. There are different methods of reading and pointing the fourth According to that which I have adopted, Paul had but one companion to attend him from Greece, namely Sopater. The other persons here mentioned went before to wait for him at Troas. I must, indeed, add the name of the writer of this history to that of Sopater; for by using the pronoun us he modestly intimates, that he was one of the companions of Paul on this journey. The persons above-mentioned were the messengers of the several churches jointly commissioned with Paul to convey their charity to Jerusalem.

6. And we sailed away from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came to them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.

The days of unleavened bread, were the days of preparation for the passover; they are here mentioned either merely for the sake of marking the time at which the apostle began his journey, or to intimate that it was deferred till after that time, which was deemed more than ordinarily sacred with the Jews, even when in a foreign country, where that festival could not be observed; for although the apostle contended so earnestly for exempting the Gentile converts from the observance of the law of Moses, yet he allowed the Jews, after they became Christians, to keep it, and complied with it himself.

7. And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.

The first day of the week, here mentioned, is undoubtedly the day on which Christ rose from the dead, answering to our Lord'sday, or Sunday. As the breaking of the bread occurs in this verse in connexion with disciples, it is generally supposed to refer to the Lord's Supper, which is aptly described by that action, and was celebrated on this day, in preference to any other, on account of the relation which it bore to his resurrection. From this passage it appears that it was the custom of Christians, in early times, to meet together on the first day of the week for celebrating the Lord's Supper, and for other purposes of religious worship and instruction, and that they were countenanced in doing so by the apostle Paul; but it does not appear from this, nor, I conceive, from any other passage of the New Testament, that they regarded this day as more sacred than any other, or that they observed it, as the Jews did their sabbath, as a day of total cessation from all ordinary occupation. Religious worship and instruction were evidently not confined to the Lord's-day; for we find that Paul taught daily in the school of one Tyrannus. As this was the last time Paul would have to address them, being resolved to depart on the morrow, he extended his discourse to an extraordinary length.* 8. And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together.

This circumstance is noticed, I apprehend, to account for what is mentioned in the next verse, the windows being open in the night; that precaution being necessary for the purpose of admitting air, and of preventing the apartment from being too much heated by the lights, as well as by the company assembled.

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, "the third story," and was taken up dead.

The windows of the ancients were not covered with glass, as ours are, but were small doors, which, when uncovered, were quite open. Through one of these doors, therefore, a man might fall, when oppressed with sleep. From the height from which Eutychus fell, that of three stories, we may suppose that he was not merely dead in appearance, but actually killed, and that, therefore, the symptoms of life which appeared soon afterwards, were the effect of miraculous powers exerted for his recovery.

10. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and, embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

In this action Paul seems to have imitated the conduct of Elijah and Elisha, who, when they endeavoured to raise a dead child to life, threw themselves upon him. 1 Kings xvii. 21. 2 Kings iv. 34.

* Theological Repository, Vol. VI. pp. 335, &c.; Vol. V. pp. 345, &c.

11. When he, therefore, was come up again, and had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, he departed.

That this was not the bread of a common meal is evident from its not having been eaten till midnight.

12. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

13. And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, a sea-port town, at a little distance from Troas, there intending to take in Paul; for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot, "by land."

14. And when he had met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene, the principal town in the island of Lesbos.

15. And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios, another island in the same sea, and the next day we arrived at Samos, an island on the coast of Asia, and tarried at Trogyllium, a promontory of the Lesser Asia, and the next day we came to Miletus.

This sea-port was situated on the continent beyond Ephesus, in the direction in which they were now sailing, and gives occasion for the observation in the next verse, that Paul purposely passed by Ephesus, lest it should prevent him from arriving in time at Jerusalem.

16. For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia; for he hasted, if it were possible, for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

At this time Paul hoped to meet a greater number of Christians at Jerusalem, and to have a better opportunity of distributing the charity with which he was entrusted.

REFLECTIONS.

1. LET us follow the example of these early Christians, who assembled for observing religious ordinances and for receiving religious instruction, on the first day of the week. No precept of our religion, indeed, enjoins upon us a like practice; no declaration of Christ or his apostles is recorded, by which it can be made to appear, that the day is appropriated to such purposes; yet the

practice is recommended to us on the same principles of expediency and utility as it was to them. We have the same wants as they had, and are exposed to the same dangers from the snares of the world and the frailty of our nature. We have, therefore, the same occasion for religious information, and the same necessity for having divine truth frequently inculcated upon the mind. While we are urged by the same powerful motives, it will be our wisdom to follow the same conduct.

If Christians so near the time of Christ found it so useful to break bread in remembrance of their Master, when many circumstances conspired to preserve his memory, can it be less useful to us, who are removed to so great a distance from the period in which he lived, and who are under so many stronger temptations to forget him? Let those who live in the habitual neglect of this ordinance seriously consider, whether their conduct can be justified.

2. The conduct of Paul furnishes us with a fresh instance of his zeal. He spends a whole evening, nay, a whole night until break of day, in discoursing concerning Jesus and his religion; and this, also, when about to encounter the fatigues of a journey, for which, others would think it necessary to prepare by previous repose. This, it seems, was a most interesting and delightful theme, which never appeared exhausted, and on which he could dwell for ever. To most of his hearers, also, no doubt, it was alike interesting and delightful. If there was one of them who, instead of listening with watchful attention to his words, fell into a sound sleep, yet had he a better apology to offer for his conduct than those who indulge themselves in the same manner at the present day, namely, that the preacher's discourse had been con tinued till midnight. Happy apostle, whose heart was so deeply interested in the work in which he was engaged; whose mind was animated with such divine ardour; and happy they, among the ministers of Christ of the present day, who feel any portion of this spirit!

SECTION XXXIV.

Paul's farewell address at Miletus to the elders of the church of

Ephesus.

ACTS xx. 17-38.

17. AND from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the élders of the church.

These were persons the most respectable for their years, characters, and knowledge, whom the apostle, with the consent of the church, had chosen to preside over it for the purpose of instruction. It seems to have been the practice of the apostles and first teachers, to appoint such persons to this office, in every place

where a society of Christians was established; for we read, xiv. 23, that they appointed them elders in every city. This was no more than a necessary provision for accomplishing the design of religious societies. The reason of his sending for these elders at this time, was, to warn them of some dangers to which they would shortly be exposed, and to exhort them to a faithful discharge of their office.

13. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you, "I have behaved among you," at all seasons.

This he might with propriety say to the elders of the church at Ephesus; for the greatest part of the time which he had past in Asia he had spent in that city.

19. Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, "trials," which befel me by the lying-in-wait of the Jews;

He refer them to his modest aud unassuming manners, as proofs that his motive was not ambition; and to the dangers which he encountered, as evidences of his sincere attachment to the gospel, and especially to those parts of it which were obnoxious.

20. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house,

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

By the word repentance in this place, I understand the same thing as in xi. 18, where it is said that God had granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life; a change of mind, by their abandoning their former errors, and embracing Christianity. This was the great subject of the apostle's preaching to Jews as well as Gentiles. To exhortations to abandon their errors, might very well be added, exhortations to believe in Christ; but if the common interpretation were true, faith in Christ must precede repentance, and be the cause of it, which is directly the reverse of the order in which the apostle preached. By saying that he kept back nothing that was profitable, the apostle probably refers to that doctrine which he seems to have received by peculiar revelation from heaven, and which he elsewhere calls a mystery, namely, that the Gentiles were to be admitted into the Christian church upon professing faith in Christ, without conforming to the law of Moses. This doctrine was of high importance to the Gentiles, and, if denied or concealed, might have caused many of them to reject Christianity altogether. It was, therefore, explicitly avowed, and strenuously insisted upon by the apostle in all the Gentile churches;