Then tidings of these things came to the ears of the Church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, to go as far as Antioch. And he, when he arrived, and saw the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted them all, to adhere with purpose of heart to the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith: and a great multitude was added to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went away to Tarsus, to seek Saul and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that, a whole year, they came together in the assembly [of believers] and taught a great multitude. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

And, in those days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them, named Agabus, stood up, and signified, by the Spirit, that there should be a great famine throughout the whole world:* which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea: which also they did, and sent to the elders, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

WORDS, &C. TO BE EXPLAINED ON LESSON IX.

WHEN the brethren at Jerusalem heard that Peter had gone to Cornelius, what did they do?

How did he answer them?

How did the brethren receive Peter's explanation? What happened to the believers in Jerusalem, in consequence of the distress that arose respecting Stephen?

* Whole world-i. e. the Roman Empire: see Luke ii. 1. The word is used in that sense by Greek writers of the same period.

To what place did they go?

Where were Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch, and Cyrene?
Who else came to Antioch?

To whom did they declare the glad tidings of Jesus Christ?

What was the effect?

What did the apostles and brethren at Jerusalem do in consequence?

What did Barnabas do when he came ?

What was the character of Barnabas?

Whom did he go to seek, and to what place?

Where was Tarsus? (See former Lesson.)

Where were believers in Christ first called Christians?
Who came from Jerusalem to Antioch in these days?
What was the name of one of them?

What did he foretel?

When did the famine take place?

What did the disciples do on that occasion?
Who brought the contributions to Jerusalem ?

LESSON X.

Herod persecutes the Church-puts to death James the brother of John-imprisons Peter, who is delivered by an angel-Herod makes a vainglorious speech-is smitten by an angel and dies -Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch.

FROM ACTS XII.

Now, about that time, Herod* the king stretched forth his hands to injure some of those who be

* Herod, grandson of the first Herod, who reigned at the birth of the Saviour. He had been at Rome, and acquired the friendship of Caligula, who, on his accession to the Empire, gave him part of his grandfather's dominions, with the title of king. When Caligula was assassinated, and Claudius obtained the Empire, he granted to Herod the remainder of his grandfather's dominions, including Judea. He enjoyed this honour for about three years, and this was the only period, after Judea was made a Roman province, governed by a Roman governor, that it had a king. The sacred history here most accurately corresponds to authentic profane history.

longed to the Church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And, seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions* of soldiers to keep him; intending after the passover + to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,§ and the keepers before the door were guarding the prison.

And, behold, an angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shone in the prison and smiting Peter's side, he roused him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, aud bind on thy sandals: and he did so. And he

* Four quaternions.-Four times four soldiers, who were to guard him in rotation by four at a time.

The Passover.-The days of unleavened bread were immediately connected with the passover, Exod. xii. 15—20. Herod might be afraid of putting Peter to death when Jerusalem was crowded with people from the country, especially from Galilee, of which Peter was a native, and where he was well known; or the days of the feast having already begun, and being attentive to the Jewish ceremo nies, he would not desecrate the solemn days of the feast by a public execution.

* Prayer was made.-It had been promised to Peter, that he should live to old age, John xxi. 18. This did not prevent, but encourage, the prayers of the Church.

Bound with two chains.-That is, bound to each soldier by a chain, so that he could not have moved without awaking them, and the two others guarding the door of the prison. This was the manner in which the quaternions of soldiers were disposed, for the safe-keeping of the prisoner.

D

saith unto him, Cast thy cloak* about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and knew not that what was done by the angel was real; but thought it was a vision that he saw. When they were past the first and the second ward they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them of itself: and they went out, and passed along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

And Peter, having come to himself,+ said, Now I know certainly, 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. And he, when he bethought himself, went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were assembled, praying. And, as he knocked at the door of the porch, a young woman, named Rhoda, came to listen. And, having recognised the voice of Peter, she opened not the gate for gladness,‡ but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said to her, Thou art mad. But she steadfastly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking and when they had opened the door, they saw him, and were astonished. But he beckoned to them with his hand to be silent, and

*Gird thyself, &c.-The angel gave him time to clothe himself properly for going out to the open air, in his girdle, to bind his garments about him, his sandals and his cloak. This was at once calculated to give him the impression of perfect security, and to fortify him against the air of the night, which is peculiarly sharp in that country.

Coming to himself.-Peter, now left to himself, was obliged to consider where he should go, and then he felt that it was no vision, but the reality of an astonishing deliverance which he had experienced.

She opened not.-In her joy and haste to tell the news, she seems to have forgotten to open the gate.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the just,
And his ears are open to their cry.

The face of the Lord is against evil doers,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the
earth.

The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them,
And from all their troubles delivers them.
The Lord draws near to the broken-hearted,
And the bruised in spirit he saves.
Many are the afflictions of the just,

But out of them all will the Lord deliver him.
He preserves all his bones,

Not one of them shall be broken.

Mischief shall utterly slay the wicked,

And they that hate the just shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of his servant,

And no one that seeks safety in him shall be condemned.

WORDS, &c. TO BE EXPLAINED IN LESSON X.

Whom did he kill?

Whom did he take and put in prison?

What did he intend to do to him? and at what time?

What did the church do?

What encouragement had they to pray?

How was Peter guarded?

How was he set at liberty?

Where did he go to?

Who came to the gate ?

What did she do?

Relate the particulars ?

What did the people within say to her?

And when she affirmed that it was so, what did they say?

What did Peter do when he was let in?