Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day." This place, it was said, was named after Ptolemy, the first king of Egypt. Its modern European name is Acre. It was a Palestinian city of the Mediterranean, about thirty miles south of Tyre. It has been the perpetual theatre of war, constituting, as it does, the key of Syria, and has stood perhaps, longer on the field of history than most of the other places mentioned in the Holy Book. The present population is about 20,000. They discovered "brethren" here: they saluted those brethren, and remained with them one day. From Ptolemais or Acre they start next day for Cæsarea, a city on the coast of the Mediterranean, about thirty-six miles to the south of Ptolemais, and about sixty north-west of Jerusalem. It was rebuilt by Herod the Great, and named Cæsarea, in honour of Augustus Cæsar. It has long since been blotted out of existence. Its Christian associations, however, possess an imperishable interest. It was the abode of the centurion Cornelius, the first Gentile believer in the new faiththe Abraham of Gentile believers. Here the angel smote Herod because he gave not God the glory. Here Peter unlocked the gates of the kingdom, and flung them open for the Gentile world. Here, as we shall see, Paul made Felix tremble and Agrippa almost a Christian; and here for two long years he was held a prisoner, and from thence sent in bonds through storms and shipwreck to Rome. Here they remained some days, and were the guests of Philip the Evangelist. "And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the Evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him." He was one of the seven elected deacons of the Church at Jerusalem (Acts vi. 5), but since then had become an evangelist—a preacher of the Gospel. After his conversation with the eunuch he had " gone down to Cæsarea" (Acts viii. 40), and had continued ever since preaching the new faith. How many converts he had won we are not told, but we are told something of his family. "He had four daughters, virgins, which did

prophesy." In their case the prophecy was fulfilled. (Joel ii. 8.)

While the Apostle and his companions abode in the house of this distinguished family, a prophet came down to him from Jerusalem, dramatically warning him of the danger which awaited him there. “And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judæa a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." It is probable that this Agabus was the same man as he who foretold the famine, and gave occasion to Paul's first official mission at Jerusalem. (Acts xi. 27-30.) It was not an uncommon thing for the prophets to perform actions emblematic of the events they predicted. Thus Jeremiah, in order to denote the approaching captivity of the Jews, was directed to bury his girdle by the Euphrates. (Jer. xiii. 4.) And thus Isaiah, in order to indicate the captivity of Egypt, walked naked and with bare feet. (Isa. xx. 3, 4.) Many other instances of similar emblematic actions occur. (See Jer. xxvii. 2, 3; xviii. 4; Ezek. iv. also xii.) Christ Himself acted in the same way when He took a towel and girded Himself, and washed the disciples' feet. (John xiii. 4, 5.) Such symbolic actions added to the impressiveness of the declaration. The action of Agabus was felt to be impressive now. "And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem." Their hearts were smitten with sadness at the terrible dangers awaiting Paul which were thus so dramatically announced, and with tears they besought him not to go to Jerusalem. Paul, however, had made up his mind, he was not to be turned from his purpose, although he deeply felt the tenderness of their appeals. "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." Seeing the in

vincibility of his purpose they ceased to persuade him, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

Having thus spent some days with Philip and his family, listened to the prophecies of his virgin daughters, received the terrible warning of Agabus, and overcome the powerful persuasions of his friends not to go to Jerusalem, he and his companions depart.

"And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem." The word carriages does not mean conveyances, but baggages. "We took up our carriages" is, in the Greek, all in one participle, and means taking up our luggage. Some of the disciples of Cæsarea accompanied them, who "brought with them one Mnason, of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge." Four things are indicated of this Mnason, that he was a native of Cyprus, that he had been a convert to Christianity for some time, he was called an 66 old disciple," and that he had a house at Jerusalem to which the apostle was taken.

Thus we have followed Paul into Jerusalem, and here for the present we leave him.

There are several subjects of a spiritual and useful character discoverable in this fragment of apostolic history, which we would endeavour, with great brevity, to bring into prominent impressiveness.

There is

I. THE SOCIAL LOVE GENERATED BY THE GOSPEL. an affection which man has for man altogether apart from Christianity. It is an affection of animal sympathy, personal interests, mental reciprocities. But the social love generated by Christianity is of a purer and higher character. Several of its features are here displayed.

First: Strength. So strongly did it bind Paul and the Ephesians together on the shores of Miletus that they had to tear themselves asunder :-for such is the meaning of the expression translated "after we had gotten from them." Their souls had so deeply struck the roots of their love into each other's being, that a violent energy of will was required for

the separation. The parting scene, too, on the Tyrian shore, and the tears wept on leaving Cæsarea, also indicated the strength of Christian love. The love which genuine Christians have for each other is not the thread of a passing sentiment, but the golden chain of an immutable law. It is that which binds all the hosts of heaven in an indissoluble unity of thought, aspiration, interest, and pursuit.

men.

Secondly: Hospitable. It is probable that Paul and his companions were entertained in the homes of Christians wherever they stayed. It is distinctly stated that they abode with Philip. Paul a guest in Philip's house! This is one of the divine marvels which sometimes occur in the history of The name of Saul of Tarsus at one time was a terror to the heart of Philip. Elsewhere we have these remarkable words: "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them." (Acts viii. 3-5.) We perceive from this that terror of Saul drove Philip from his home at Jerusalem. Had they ever met since? Probably never. What a change the Gospel has accomplished. The lion has become a lamb. He from whose presence he rushed as from a fiend, he now entertains as a loving brother and a distinguished Apostle of the Lord. Christian love is hospitable: its doors are ever open to the faithful. Its motto is "Share and share alike." It holds its possessions as the common property of the brotherhood. Use hospitality, &c.

Thirdly Tender. Christianity quickens the sensibilities and intensifies the feelings of the human heart. The more Christianity a man has in him the more tender he is. Lived there ever a man with more Gospel in him than Paul, and was there ever a man more tender in soul? In nearly all the partings recorded in these verses there were tears.

:

Fourthly Religious. In parting with the Ephesians we are told that he kneeled down and prayed with them all, and

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in parting with the men of Tyre he did the same. kneeled down on the shore and prayed." Christian love turns to God as the opening flower to the sun. It presents its dear objects to the loving guardianship of the Eternal Father. The best way of serving one's friends is to commend them "to God" as Paul did, and to "the word of his grace." Apart from Him we can render them no help. Our best thoughts, our wisest counsels, our tenderest sympathies, our most costly gifts will be of little service apart from His benediction and superintending care.

Such then are some of the features here developed of that love which Christianity generates in the hearts of its disciples. Another subject discoverable in the piece of Apostolic history before us is

The good men

II. THE FALLIBILITY OF HUMAN AFFECTION. of Tyre loved Paul, yet they sought to dissuade him from duty, so also did the good men of Cæsarea: "They besought him not to go out to Jerusalem." So urgent and powerful were they in their persuasions, that Paul exclaims, "What! mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?" Or, as it has been better translated, "What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart?" We do not know the arguments they employed; but we know in both cases they quoted the Holy Spirit's influence. At Tyre we are told that the disciples said to Paul," through the Spirit," that he "should not go up to Jerusalem." And at Cæsarea the prophet Agabus said, "Thus saith the Holy Ghost." This reference to the Spirit would add power to the urgency of their loving appeals. He was deeply moved by it, but not mastered. All their arguments were the arguments of mistaken love-arguments which, if they had succeeded, might have injured the character and usefulness of Paul.

Human affection often

The mistaken kindness

recommends that which is not good. of parents has ever proved the greatest curse to children. Never does the devil act so mightily upon the human heart as when his errors are urged on us by the arguments of those