that feared the Lord, of those who were under him: to whom when he had related all, he sent them to Joppe.

On the next day, whilst they were going on their journey, and drawing near to the city, Peter went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. And being hungry, he was desirous to taste somewhat. And as they were preparing, there came upon him an ecstacy of mind: and he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth, in which were all manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him: Arise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said: Far be it from me, Lord: for I have never eaten any common and unclean thing. For he still believed that he was to continue to obey the old rules of the law of Moses, by which the flesh of many animals was made unclean, and forbidden as food. And a Voice from heaven reproved him, saying: That which God hath cleansed, do not thou call comThese beasts and birds were sent to the apostle as a figure of the race of men, both Jew and Gentile; and, by the command to kill and eat, Peter was taught that the distinction between the clean Jew and the unclean Gentile was henceforth to be abolished. And all this was done three times; and immediately the vessel drawn up into heaven.

mon.

was

Peter still doubted what the vision could mean, when the messengers of Cornelius came to the gate of the house, and inquired whether Simon surnamed Peter lodged there. And as Peter was thinking on the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold, three men seek thee. Then Peter brought them in, and lodged them; and the next day departed with them to go to Cornelius. And Cornelius waited for them, having called together his kinsmen and special friends. And it came to pass, when Peter was come in, Cornelius met him, and falling down at his feet worshipped. But Peter raised him up, saying: Rise, I myself also am a man. And talking with him he went in, and found many that

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were come together. And he said to them: You know how abominable a thing it is for a man that is a Jew to keep company or to come to one of another nation : but God hath shewed to me not to call any man common or unclean. Wherefore making no doubt, I came when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, for what cause you have sent for me? And Cornelius said: Four days ago, until this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold a man stood before me in white apparel, and said: Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thy alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppe, and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter: he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner by the sea-side. Immediately therefore I sent to thee: and thou hast done well in coming. Now, therefore, all we are present in thy sight, to hear all things whatsoever are commanded thee by the Lord.

Then Peter said: In very deed I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh justice is acceptable to Him. And as he preached Jesus and the resurrection, and declared that all the prophets gave testimony that by His name all who believe receive remission of sins, the Holy Ghost fell upon Cornelius and the rest. And the believers of the Jewish race, who had come with Peter, were astonished because the grace of the Holy Ghost was also poured out upon the Gentiles. they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptised, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they entreated him to stay with them some days.

For

Peter then returned to Jerusalem, where the Jewish believer was at first blamed for his intercourse with the Gentiles, until he related to them his vision, and all that had taken place. Then they glorified God, for having given to the Gentiles repentance unto life.

During the next year great multitudes were con

verted at Antioch by the preaching of Barnabas and Saul. And at Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. There also a prophet from Jerusalem named Agabus foretold a great famine shortly to take place; upon which the disciples, according to their ability, immediately sent relief to their poorer brethren in Judea, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

CHAP. VII. Herod's Persecution. Peter's Deliverance.
Herod's Death.

KING HEROD now commenced a fresh persecution of the Church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also (now it was in the days of the azymes), whom, as soon as he had apprehended, he cast into prison, delivering him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the Church to God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, that very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the guards before the door kept the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room: and he striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him: Gird thyself, and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And going out he followed him, and knew not that it was true, which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. And having passed through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city, which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.

And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know

indeed that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And considering, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were assembled, and praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhode. And as soon as she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but running in, she told that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened, they saw him, and were astonished. But he beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and he said: Tell these things to James and to the brethren. And being gone out, he went into another place.

An awful death soon after carried off Herod. On a certain day he sat in judgment upon an affair of the Tyrians and Sidonians; and, arrayed in kingly apparel, made an oration to them. And the people with acclamations cried out: It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And forthwith an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the honour to God: and eaten up by worms, he expired.

CHAP. VIII. Paul and Barnabas preach at Antioch, Paphos, Iconium, and Lystra. The Lame Man healed.

Ar Antioch it was now intimated by the Holy Ghost to the chief men in the Church, that Saul and Barnabas, then ministering in that city, should be set apart for some special work to which God had called them. With fasting and praying they therefore laid hands upon these two, and sent them away. Thus led by the Holy Ghost, Saul (now called Paul, a Roman name, Saul being a Jewish name,) and Barnabas went to Seleucia and Cyprus. At Paphos they were invited by Sergius

Paulus, the Roman proconsul, or governor, to preach before him. And a magician of the place, Elymas by name, vehemently opposed them, and was stricken with blindness at the word of Paul. And Sergius Paulus, recognising the power of God in the judgment executed by the hand of His servants, was converted to the faith of Christ.

From Paphos the Apostles went by Perge in Pamphilia to Antioch in Pisidia, where they made many converts among the Gentiles. The Jews, however, stirred up a persecution against them; and therefore, shaking off the dust of their feet as they went, as a token that they disowned and rejected them, they left Antioch, and went to Iconium. There they stayed some time, and preached with great power, and wrought many miracles; till the hatred of the Jews excited a riot in the town, which drove the Apostles away. They then went to Derbe and Lystra, cities of Lycaonia.

In Lystra they found a man who was impotent in his feet, and a cripple from his birth. This man heard Paul speak; and Paul, looking upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked. And when the multitudes had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian tongue, saying: The gods, in the likeness of men, are come down to us. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; but Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. The priest also of Jupiter, that was before the city, bringing oxen and garlands before the gate, would have offered sacrifice with the people. Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul had heard, rending their clothes, they ran among the people, crying out, and saying: O men, why do ye these things? We also are mortals, men like unto you, preaching to you to be converted from these vain things to the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them: who in past generations suffered all nations to walk in their own way. Nevertheless He left not Himself without testimony, doing good from