336 The NEw and COMPLETE .LIFE of our BLESSED LORD. provide fuch facrifices for them, as the law, in that cafe, reqúired; and that as a fym- bol of their difcharging their vow, they might (have their heads ; whereby it would appear,.that.the reports that were fpread concerning him were falfe and groundlefs, and that he himfelf {lilt obferved the rites and orders of the Mofaical inflitutions. But, with regard to the Gentile converts, they required no fuch obfervances at their hands, nor expefed any thing more from them in thefe indifferent matters, than what had been before determined in the fynod formerly held at Jerufalem. St. Paul, who in fuch cafes was willing to become all things to all men that he might gain the more, confented to their counfel and, taking the perfons with him to the temple, told the priefts that the time of a vow they had made being now expired, and having purified themfelves as the nature of their cafe required, they were come to make the offerings which the law required. When the (even days, in which thofe facrifices were to be offered, were almoft ended, certain Jews fromAfta, finding him in the temple, began to raife a tumult, and laying hold on Paul, called to their bre- thren the Jews to affili them, declaring that this was the perfon who every where preached doEirines detrimental to theJewifh nation, and defiruBive to the inflitutions of the law, and the purity of that facred place which he had now defiled, bybring- ing Greeks into the temple ; pofitively concluding, that becaufe they had leen Trophimus, a Gentile convert, withhim in the city, that he had.alfo brought him into the temple : fo apt is malice to make any fuppofition in order to draw from thence it's own conclufion. This accufation, tho' abfolutely falle, let the whole city in an uproar, and feizing on the apoflle, they dragged him out of the temple, when the doors were immediately Phut, to prevent his returning into that holy place nor had they failed of loon putting a period to all his fufferings and troubles, had not ClaudiusLyfias, commanderof the Roman garrif."on in the cattle of Antonio, arrived with a band of foldiers to his refcue, and fuppofing, from the great tumult of the Jews, that he was a more than ordinary malefaélor,. loaded ltim with a. double chain, though hé was as yet altogether ig- norant,, either of his country, or the crime he was accufed of ; it being impoffible to obtain any fatisfaaory anfwer from the multitude, who called for nothing but his death, following the foldiers in fuch a riotous manner, that they were forced to carry the apoflle in their arms, to fecure him from the rage and violence of the people, who were ready to tear him in pieces. While they were going in this manner towards the cattle, Paul aaked the governor, whether he mighthave the liberty of fpeak- ing to him ; who finding he underflood the Greek language, inquired of .him whether he was not that Egyptian, who, ,a few years before, had railed a feditiori in Judea, and headed a party of four thoufand vile and profligate wretches. To which the apoflle replied, that he was a Jew of Tar- fus, a freeman of a rich and honourable city, and therefore begged of him, that he might have leave to fpeak unto the people. This the Roman officer readily granted, and Paul, (landing near the door of the cattle, made figns that they thould hold their peace, and began to addrefs them in the Hebrew language ; which engaged them to linen with more attention to the following extraordinary narrative. °' Ye defcendants of Jacob, liften to a perfon of your own religion, and, like yourfelves, a child of Abraham ; born in Taifus, and brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and fully inftruiled in the law delivered by Mores to our fore- fathers, and formerly as zealous for the temple-worfhipas ye are at prcfènt. « Yea, more, I perfecuted unto death all who believed in Jefus, fcizing on all I could find both men and women, and call them into prifon. This the high-priefl, and all our elders well know ; for from them
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