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wait to take him on that coast, he changed his plans, and returned by way of Macedonia, crossing over to Troas, a sea-port on the opposite coast of Asia. At Troas they remained seven days. Here Paul and his friends met on the first day of the week, Sunday, to break bread as they called it, that is, to celebrate the Holy Communion, or Sacrament, of which I have before spoken to you, and after this, Paul preached to them.

You may now open the map, and

trace the course of Paul and his companions through the Archipelago, or Egean Sea.

From Troas they went to Assos, Paul by land, his companions by sea;

from thence they all sailed together to Mytelene in the island of Lesbos, thence to the isle of Samos, passing by Ephesus without touching, because Paul was fearful lest he should be detained there, and he was anxious to reach Jerusalem in time to be present at the feast of Pentecost. They touched at Trogyllium on the coast of Asia, and soon after arrived at the town of Miletus, where they landed.

It appears to have been revealed to Paul, that imprisonment and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem; he himself, indeed, seems to have expected death. Yet observe his faith; he does not shrink from the trial; he hastens, on the contrary, to Jeru

salem, to do or to suffer whatever his Master's will should call him to. "None of these things," says he, "move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so I may finish my course with joy." The joy of bringing many to the knowledge of Christ.

Under this feeling, he sent to Ephesus for the elders or governors of that church to come to him, that he might give them his last directions, and bid them farewell.

When they were come to him, he affectionately reminded them of his labours among them, how he had shewn, both to Jews and Gentiles, the necessity of repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; how he had warned them all,

night and day, with tears, for the space of three years. He entreated them, in the most solemn manner, to be watchful over the charge committed to them, as the governors and overseers of the flock of Christ. Then, when he had done speaking to them, "he kneeled down, and prayed with them. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more."

CHAPTER XXI.

Paul returns to Jerusalem.

PAUL, and the friends who had followed him from Macedonia, embarked on board a vessel in which they sailed to the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean, and from thence to Patara, on the south coast of Asia Minor; here, finding a vessel under sail for Phoenicia in Syria, they went on board, and leaving the island of Cyprus on their left, made for that

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