and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &C. 337 them I received a commiffion, and repaired " In a fhort time after this glorious vi- to Damafcus, to bring from thence to Je- fion, and miraculous power of the Moft rufalem all the Chriftians, in order to their High, whenI was returned from Damafcus undergoing an exemplary punifhment. But to Jerufalem, and offering up my prayers as I was purfuing my journey, to execute in the temple, I fell into a trance, and this commiffion, and was arrived near Da- again faw the great Son of David; who mafcus, there appeared, about mid-day, a faid unto me, ' Depart quickly from Jeru- light from heaven, fhining round me with ' falem ; for the fons ofJacobwill refute to great brightnefs. ' believe thy teftimonyconcerningme: And " Being terrified at fo awful an appear- I anfwered, ' Lord, they know how cruelly ance, I fell to the ground, and heard a voice ' I ufed thy faints and followers ; that I im, . faying unto me, Saul, Saul, why perfecutell ' prifoned and beat them in every city, and thou me? To which I anfwered, Who art ' in every fynagogue. Nay, when they !bed thou Lord ? And the voice replied, I am ' the blood of thy holy martyr Stephen, I .7efus of Nazareth, whops thou perfecut?. was alto one of the fpeaators; I confented " My companions, during this interval, ' to his death ; I even kept the raiment of were greatly terrified at the great light that ' thofe that flew him.' But he replied, ' De- furrounded me ; but they did not under- ' part: I will fend thee to countries far fland the words that were fpoken from ' remote ; even to the Gentiles, that thou above. ' mayefl there fpeak in my name, and " As foon as I had recovered from the ' publifh to themmy falvation." terror with which my mind was filled, on Till now the Jews had liftened with fome feeing Jefus fo highly advanced above all attention to his fpeech ; but, on his men- earthly power, I anfwered, What Jhall Ido tioning the commiffion he had received to Lord ? And he replied, Arife, andgo into preach the gofpel to the Gentiles, their Damafcus; and there it fiait be told thee fury knew no bounds; crying out, with of all things which are appointed for thee one accord, Away with fuch a fellowfrorn to do. the earth: he is unworthy to be ranked " I was immediately deprivedof fight by amongft the race of mortals, or even to the brilliance of the glory that Ihone a- breathe the vital air. And as they thought round me ; fo that my companions led me words too weak to exprefs their fury, they by the hand to Damafcus, where one Ana- threw off their clothes, and filled the air nias, a perfon well refpe&ed by all the with dull, indicating their great delire of Jews of that city, vifited me, and Paid, floning him to death. Brother Saul, receive thy fight. And in a At this infiant the captain of the guard moment my eyes were opened, and I faw commanded him to be brought within the him !landing before me. caftle, and that he fhould be examined by " Perceiving that my fight was reflored, fcourging, till he confeffed the reafon of he Paid to. me, The Almighty God of A- the uncommon rage !hewn againft him braham, Ifaac, and Jacob, hath appointed by the people. Accordingly, the lie- ' thee to know his will, to fee the great for bound him, and was going to put Meffiah, the Holy One of God, and hear the orders he had received into execu- the voice ofhis mouth ; for thou artchofen tion, when Paul afked the centurion that to be a witneTs, to all the nations of the flood by, whether it was lawful to earth, ofthofe furprifing thingswhich thou fcourge a citizen ofRome, before any fen- ' haft feen and heard. Why therefore tar- tence had been paffed upon him? The rieft thou here any longer ? Arife, and be centurion, inftead of anfwering the quel baptized, and waJh away thy fns, calling Rion, repaired immediately to the go-. ' on the name of the Lord.' vernor ; defiring him to take care how No. sg. 4 N be
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=