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avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian.

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The emperor Kaung-hi, one of the most celebrated of the Chinese monarchs, in one of his visits to the provinces, having retired a little way from his attendants, perceived an old man weeping bitterly: "What do you weep for?" said the emperor. My lord," replied the old man, who did not know the person of his sovereign, "I had only one son, in whom all my hopes were centered, and who might have become the support of my family; a Tartar mandarin has torn him from me. I am now deprived of every assistance, and know not where to seek relief; for how can a feeble old man like me obtain justice against a powerful man!" " Your son will be restored," said the emperor, without making himself known.. "Conduct me to the house of the mandarin who has been guilty. of this act of violence." The old man obeyed, and after having travelled two hours, they arrived at the mandarin's house, who little expected such a visit. The emperor immediately condemned him to lose his head; and this sentence was executed upon the spot. The emperor then turning towards the old man, with a grave tone, addressed him thus: "I appoint you to the office of the criminal whom I have now put to death; be careful to discharge the duties of it with more moderation than your predecessor, lest yourself become an example to others."

Chap. vii, ver. 60.—And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

J. W. a pious young man, was employed in a large manufactory, the overseer of which took every opportunity of exposing him to the ridicule of his companions, on account of his religion, and because he refused to join in their drinking parties and Sunday frolics. As they lived in the same house, the overseer one day heard him at prayer, and resolved to lis

ten: when, to his great surprise, he found himself the subject of the young man's supplications, who was spreading his case of infidelity and hardness of heart before God, and supplicating earnestly for him, that God would give him repentance unto salvation, and create in him a new heart, and put a right spirit within him. The man was deeply penetrated with what he heard. He had never entertained an idea of the power or nature of true prayer; he wondered at the eloquence and fervor with which his own unhappy case had been pleaded before God. I never, said he to himself, thus prayed to God for myself. The impression dwelt upon his mind. The next day he took John aside; "I wish," said he, "John, you would preach to me little." John, who only thought his grave face was meant to turn the subject into ridicule, said, “Mr. M. you know I am no preacher; I don't pretend to it." Nay," said Mr. M." I don't know how you can preach to-day; but I heard you yesterday make such a description of my state, as convinces me you can do it very well; and I shall be much obliged to you to repeat it.. "Ob," says John, "it is true I was at prayer, and did, indeed, heartily pray for you." Very well," said he, pray do it again; for I never heard any thing in my life which so deeply affected ine." John did not wait for much entreaty They kneeled down together, and cried to the God of all grace, and found acceptance. From that day they were bosom friends; went to the same place of worship, and frequently bowed their knees together, and joined in praise and thanksgiving. Their conversation adorned their profession; and the mocker became a confessor of the grace which he had so often abused and turned into ridicule.

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Chap. viii, ver. 1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the region

of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

During the reign of the bigoted and persecuting Mary of England, many of the Protestants sought refuge in Germany, where, by the good providence of God, they were comfortably provided for till the death of the Queen. "It is no less pleasant to consider," says Fuller, " than admirable to conceive, how the exiles subsisted so long, and so far from their native country, in so comfortable a condition. Espccially seeing Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, solemnly vowed, so as to stop the sending of all supplies to them, that, for very hunger, they should eat their own nails, and then feed on their finger's ends. But threatened folks live long; and, before these banished men were brought to that short bill of fare, the bishop was eaten up of worms himself."

Chap. viii, ver. 20.-But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gifts of God may be purchased with money.

Pope Julius II, began the building of the magnificent church at Rome; but left it unfinished. His successor, Leo X, was desirous to complete this superb edifice, but being involved in debt, and finding the apostolic treasury exhausted, he had recourse to the selling of indulgences, a gainful traffic for the procuring of a sufficient sum of money. Accordingly, in 1517, he published general indulgences throughout all Europe, to such as would contribute to the building of St. Peter's. The sum of ten shillings was sufficient to purchase the pardon of sins, and the ransom of a soul from purgatory!

Chap. ix, ver. 8, 9.—And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the

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hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Mr. Ellis, when speaking of the conversion of an old blind priest of the fisherman's temple at Parea, says:-"When the majority of the inhabitants embraced Christianity, he declared he would not abandon the idols, nor unite in the worship of the God of the Christians, and in order to show his determination, on the Sabbath day, when the people went to the chapel, he went to work in, I think, a part of the ground belonging to the temple: while thus engaged in mending a fence, a bough struck his eyes, and not only inflicted great pain, but deprived him of his sight, and, like Elymas, he was obliged to be led home. This circumstance deeply affected his mind; he became a firm believer in the true God, maintained an upright and resigned frame of mind, and when baptized, adopted the name of Paul, from the similarity in the means employed in humbling and converting him, and those used to bring the apostle to a sense of the power and mercy of the Saviour."

Chap. ix, ver. 23, 24.-And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying await was known of Saul; and they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Mr. Bradbury possessed an ardent zeal in the cause of civil and religious liberty, and had many admirers. This exposed him to the hatred of the popish faction, whose designs in respect of the Jacobitish succession he had often exposed. They once employed a person to take away his life. To make himself fully acquainted with Mr. Bradbury's person, the man frequently attended at places of worship where he preached, placed himself in the front of the gallery, with his countenance stedfastly fixed on the preacher.

It was scarcely possible, in such circumstances, wholly to avoid listening to what was said. Mr. Bradbury's forcible way of presenting divine truth awakened the man's attention; the truth entered his understanding, and became the means of changing his heart. He came to the preacher with trembling and confusion, told his affecting tale, gave evidence of his conversion, became a member of Mr. Bradbury's church, and was, to his death, an ornament to the Gospel which he professed.

Chap. x, ver. 7.-And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually.

During the late unhappy commotions in Ireland, a private soldier in the army of Lord Cornwallis was daily observed to be absent from his quarters, and from the company of his fellow soldiers. He began to be suspected of withdrawing himself for the purpose of holding intercourse with the rebels, and on this suspicion, probably increased by the malice of his wicked comrades, he was tried by a court martial, and condemned to die. The marquis, hearing of this, wished to examine the minutes of the trial; and, not being satisfied, sent for the man to converse with him. Upon being interrogated, the prisoner solemnly disaVowed every treasonable practice or intention, declared his sincere attachment to his sovereign, and his readiness to live and die in his service; he affirmed that the real cause of his frequent absence was, that he might obtain a place of retirement for the purpose of private prayer, for which his lordship knew he had no opportunity among his profane comrades, who had become his enemies merely on account of his profession of religion. He said he had made this defence on his trial, but the officers thought it so improbable, that they paid no attention to it. The marquis, in order to satisfy himself as to the truth of his defence

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