326 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD [tripes, and begged of them to inftrua him in the knowledge of that God who was fo mighty to fave and deliver. The gaoler's requeft was readily granted by St. Paul, who replied, That, if he be- lieved in JEsus CHRIST, he might be faved, with his whole houfe. Accordingly, the gaoler, with all his family, were, after a competent inffruaion, baptized, and received as members of the church of CHRIST. How happy a change does the do&rine of the gofpel make in the minds of men! How does it fmooth the rougheft tempers, and inftil the fweeteft principles of civility and good-nature into the minds of men! He who, but a fewmoments be- fore, tyrannized over the apoffles with the molt cruel ufage, now treats them with the greateft refpe&, and the higheR marks of kindnefs he was capable of [hewing. When it was day, the magiftrates, either hearing what .had happened, or refleaing on what they had done, as too harsh and unjuftifiable, fent their ferjeant to the gaoler, with orders to difcharge the apoftles. The gaoler joyfully delivered the meffage, and bid them depart in peace: but Paul, that . he might make the magiftrates fenfible what injury they had done them, and how un- juftly they had punifhed them without ex- amination or trial, fent them word, that as they had thought proper to fcourge and imprifon Romans, contrary to the laws of the empire, he expeaed they fhould come themfelves, and make them fome fatisfaaion for the illegal treatment they had received. This meffage terrified the magiftrates, who well knew how dangerous it was to provoke the formidable power of the Ro- mans, who never fuffered any freeman to be beaten uncondemned ; they came there- fore to the prifon, and very fubmifliively entreated the apoffles to depart without any further diffurbance. This (mall recom- pence for the cruel ufage they had received was accepted by the meek followers of the bleffed JEsus ; they left the prifon, and retired to the houfe of Lydia, where they comforted their brethren with an account of their deliverance, and departed ; having laid the foundation of a very eminent church, as appears from St. Paul's epiftle to the church at Philippi. Paul and his companions leaving this city, continued their journey towards the weft, till they came to Theffalonica, the capital of Macedonia, about an hundred and twenty miles from Philippi. On their arrival at Theffalonica, Paul, according to his cuftom, went into the fynagogue of the Jews, and preached unto his country- men ; the ungrateful ufage he had met with in other places, not difcouraging him from perfevering in fo glorious a work. His doarine however was ffrenuouflyop- pofed by the Jews, who would not allow JEsus to be the Meffiah, becaufeof the ignominious death which he had fuffered. The apoftles during their flay at Thef- falonica, lodged in the houfe of a certain Chriftian named Jafon, who entertained them very courteoufly. But the Jews would not fuffer the apoffles to continue at reft ; they refufed to embrace the gof- pel themfelves, and therefore envied it's fuccefs, and determined to oppofe it's pro- grefs : accordingly, they gathered to- gether a great number of lewd and wicked wretches, who befet the houfe of Jafon, intending to take Paul, and deliver him up to anincenfed multitude : but in this they were difappointed, Paul and Silas being re- moved from thence by the Chriflians, and concealed in fome other part of the city. Their fury however was rather exafperated than leffened at lofing their prey ; and, as they could not find the apoftles of the bleffed JEsus, they determined to be re- venged on Jafon, who had concealed them. Accordingly they feized on him and fome others of the brethren, and carried them before the magiftrates of the city, accufing them, as they had before done the apoftles themfelves at Philippi, of difturbing the peace of the empire, and fetting up Jefus as a king, in derogation of the emperor's dignity 'and authority. This accufation induced 3
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