great importance and necessity of the redemption of Christ. You then will take refuge in Him who receives sinners, who was made to be sin for us,' who has paid the debts of our sins, and suffered their punishment, that we might be made the righteousnesss of God in him, and might have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.' Still the blood of Christ speaks for you. He that is merciful still stretches forth his hands. Without Jesus there is no salvation. He is the cause of it. Even for your sake he has received gifts.' You may have in him righteousness for your peace of mind and for your sanctification. O that Jesus might be glorified in your heart. In him we have happiness whilst we live, whilst we suffer, whilst we die, and after death. "Your mother gives her love to you. She weeps, she prays with me, for our unfortunate sons. My son, my son, how deeply do you afflict us! Oh! could we but have this only comfort, that our sons turned with all their heart unto the Lord, and that we with joy might find them again in eternity before the throne of the Lamb! "Your crimes, which brought you into prison, are not properly and sufficiently known to us. What is talked of and read in public about you, is of such a nature that your parents condemn and detest it. Oh! I wish to God you had remained a physician. Of your rise to honours we were informed by the newspapers; but it was no matter of joy to us; we read it with grief. Oh! that you had kept, in all your transactions, a clear conscience with much wisdom, piety, and humility, for the good of Denmark, and that you might have submitted, with all due subjection, to all the commands of your sovereign. We cannot altogether judge about this matter for want of information. But know, that though we love our children, we nevertheless do not approve of their crimes, nor will we excuse or palliate them, or call them good; we rather hate all sins, detest, condemn, and abhor them, and praise God when he manifests his just wrath over the wicked, and shows his mercy to the repenting and the faithful. The Lord our God be your physician in your imprisonment, and cure thoroughly the wounds of your soul. "We your parents recommend you to the love of the Lord that has mercy on you. May Jesus, who is a compassionate High-Priest, remember you for good at the right hand of God, that you may receive mercy before the throne of grace, and be pardoned unto everlasting salvation. Yea, Jesus! thou great friend of mankind, who wilt in no wise cast out him that comes to thee, help parents and children to life everlasting!" When reading this affecting letter the Count wept bitterly. He was unable to proceed, but speaking in he most tender manner of his parents, he begged Dr Munter to write a reply, as soon as possible, assuring hem that he hoped to die a Christian. 666 'Cease, said I, good Count, to be an unhappy man. Believe in Jesus, and your sins will be forgiven you. Your death will open you the door into a blessed eternity.' "Here ensued a scene which was moving to me beyond description. Never felt I such joy. Never have I been so sure of the happiness of having brought back a sinner from his errors ! I shall never forget this solemn and joyful hour, and never cease to praise God for it. "I should be guilty of the greatest folly,' said the Count, if I would not embrace Christianity with joy, when its arguments are so overbalancing, and when it breathes such general benevolence. Its effects upon my heart are too strong. Oftentimes I cannot help crying when I read the history of Christ. I think already with hope on my death. I have acquainted myself with the most terrifying circumstances. I do not know how I shall be when the awful hour comes. At present I am not uneasy about it; I find nothing that makes me anxiously wish for this life. I will confidently expect forgiveness of my sins through Christ. And to you, my dear friend, I am infinitely obliged that you have brought me so far.' I embraced him, and exhorted him to thank God for it. We prayed together. "I would now have left him, but he begged of me to stay half an hour longer, which I did. "He complained that his former idea, that there perhaps was no eternity, now and then returned to him, (and in fact it did not leave him entirely until a few days before his death.) He said, with a kind of indignation and grief, Sometimes I think again, suppose my former idea was true, that we have no existence after death? But I comfort myself by reflecting, that I abhor the idea; and that I am sensible it would be a very unhappy prospect if all my wishes and expectations of futurity should be vain. I tremble when this melancholy thought disturbs me, and I arm myself against it by recollecting the various convincing proofs which are alleged in favour of Christianity as well as of a future state. I am now fully determined to follow the same rule in my new principles which I had laid down in regard to my former ones. For my intention was, to think on the approach of death in the following manner: I have examined my idea that every thing ceases with this life, and I have found it to be true. Therefore, if I should die, nothing shall make me think otherwise; and I will die with a confidence, that, in case I should be wrong, God is a benevolent being who will forgive my error. But I see now that my former notions of God's mercy are unworthy of the Supreme Being, I have now examined Christianity with greater exactness than I ever did my old system, and by this examination I am convinced of its truth. I therefore will remain firm. Neither my old system, nor new doubts, shall henceforth stagger me.' We must pause for the present, and resume the subject in our next number. UNREGENERATE MAN DEGRADED TO Struensee being now impressed with a sense of his ost condition as a sinner, the clergyman showed him hat Christ alone made atonement for our sins, and that is only by faith in Him as our great Redeemer and Jurety we can obtain acceptance with God, and the ardon of our innumerable transgressions. He felt a eep interest in the account which was given him of he great work of redemption, and more especially, as e felt that he had no other ground of hope on which e could rely. After proving that the doctrine of reemption glorifies the divine perfections, and is abblutely necessary to human happiness, Dr Munter ntreated Struensee to avail himself of the only way f salvation by believing in Christ Jesus. What folwed will be best described in the worthy doctor's by fine trees, the grounds command, at several points, wn words: A LEVEL WITH THE BEASTS. BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE PIOUS BROTHERS." DURING a short residence in the country, I happened lately to visit, in company with my children and servant, the beautiful but deserted property from which a late Lord of Session derived his title. Besides extensive gardens and romantic walks, shaded one of the loveliest views which can be conceived. In fluenced by that undefinable sensation of pleasure which the contemplation of fine scenery usually inspires, my servant exclaimed, "What a beautiful place this is, ma'am! how happy one might be just always roaming about here, if it were possible to be free of care, either about this world or the next." "Yes, Ellen," I replied, "you would be as happy as the cows in that inclosure, which roam about, enjoying the bounties of God's providence without knowing or caring whence they proceed, or being troubled with thoughts of what shall be on the morrow." Ellen looked abashed, and on my entering more fully on the subject (being a really well disposed young woman) seemed to feel that she had spoken thoughtlessly. Her remark, however, forcibly struck me; it seemed to embody in words the sentiments too evidently cherished by a numerous class of the human race; nay, even by many professing Christians, by whom thoughts of eternity seem rather to be regarded as an unavoidable evil, than as the soul's delightful element; fears of eternal misery compel them to give some attention to religious duties, but gladly would they live like the beasts that perish, seeking no present enjoyment, no future portion, beyond what can be afforded by this vain and perishable world; all that appears to alloy their happiness, being the evanescent and uncertain nature of the pleasures they most fondly prize. Nor are sentiments akin to these peculiar to a limited portion of mankind,-they are cherished, though not acknowledged, by every unregenerate person. Let us contemplate the man on whom God has bestowed elevated rank, or distinguished talent, but who, instead of evincing his gratitude, by employing these gifts for the glory of God, or the good of his own immortal soul, turns them into weapons of rebellion; nay, perhaps even denies the existence of that Almighty Being who has formed and preserved him, and attempts to persuade himself and others, that as a beast dieth so dieth man, -the spirit being annihilated when the perishing body ceases to breathe. Let not such an individual plume himself on his rich intellectual endowments, and look down with contempt on the humble Christian, whose character he cannot appreciate,-whose enjoyments he cannot comprehend; he has abused and degraded powers bestowed upon him for nobler purposes, and, whether he be monarch, statesman, or philosopher, he has no real pre-eminence above the beast; nay more, the beast, as using all the powers conferred upon it, and fully answering the end of its existence, has decidedly the preeminence over him: and though their character is less revolting, can we speak more favourably of the state of those who neglect those things which pertain to their everlasting peace, or rest in that form of godliness which the Scriptures have declared to be utterly unavailing? The reader may have seen a flock of sheep quietly grazing in an inclosure, when suddenly they have been disturbed by the entrance of an individual who designed to abstract some of their number, that they might be devoted to the knife; for a time all was alarm and consternation, but presently the loss of their companions was forgotten, and the sheep returned quietly to their pasture, unmindful that any thing had occurred to disturb their peace, and unconscious that to-morrow the same scene would again be acted; and thus is it with the great mass of the world,-friend after friend is summoned away, and each successive bereavement seems for a time to arouse the survivor to a sense of the awful realties of eternity, but the veriest trifles of time serve to efface the impression, and ere long he returns to his worldly pursuits, perhaps with increased avidity, unconscious that, regarding him, the sentence may already have gone forth,-" This night thy soul shall be required of thee." It were superfluous to enumerate, among those whose portion is in this world, that degraded number whose debasing vices bring them obviously on a level with the brutes. Contrasted with all these classes, how lovely is the character, how enviable the portion, of the true Chris tian; though by nature "an heir of wrath, even as others," by the grace of God he has become highly exalted in the scale of intelligent being. His hopes, his enjoyments, are of a nature which misfortune can. not blight, which death itself cannot destroy! He suffers, indeed, from "the various ills that flesh is heir to," for religion rather refines than deadens the feelings; but they do not overwhelm his spirit, he has a support which the world knows not of, and by the eye of faith he is enabled to discern the land that is afar off, where he shall rest for ever from all his sorrows; nay, he is even enabled to bless God for those very trials which have been the means of weaning his affections from an evil and deceitful world, and fixing them where alone the immortal spirit can find solid rest or satisfaction. On the other hand, should it please God to grant him prosperity, while a deep sense of unwer thiness will keep him humble, with what gratitude and delight will he trace those turns in Providence whica others attribute to chance, daily acknowledging God as the giver of "every good and perfect gift;" and how desirous will he be to improve every talent committed to his care, for the glory of God and the good of Es brethren of mankind; and when that hour arrive which every reflecting person must anticipate with feelings of deepest solemnity, instead of the darkness of despair which must ever be the companions of those whom the summons finds unprepared, he can calmly commit his spirit into the hands of that Saviour who has redeemed him with his blood, conscious that He is both able and willing to keep that which he has committed to His care. If such is the happy lot, why, O why, is it that to so many, even in this favoured land, the blessed Redeemer has still cause to address the touching remon strance, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might hav life?" Surely none can plead that they have not bee invited, when, as if to sum up the numerous calls with which the Word of God abounds, its very concludir? chapter presents the precious and unlimited invitation. "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and let hi that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of he freely." Printed and Published by JOHN JOHNSTONE, 2, Hunter Square, Edinburgh; and sold by J. R. MACNAIR & Co., 19, Glassford Stret Glasgow; JAMES NISBET & Co., HAMILTON, ADAMS & Co., R. GROOMBRIDGE, London; W. CURRY, Junior, & Co., Ducis W. M'COMB, Belfast; and by the Booksellers and Local Agents & all the Towns and Parishes of Scotland; and in the principal Town in England and Ireland. Subscribers will have their copies delivered at their Residences. THE SCOTTISH CHRISTIAN HERALD, CONDUCTED UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH. PAUL AND JOSEPHUS FELLOW-PASSENGERS TO ROME. -a to the prisoner of the Lord the rare and unexpected privilege of dwelling in a hired house of his own for two whole years, the subject of this paper cannot appear destitute of interest or of little importance in the eye of a Christian. VERY reader of the Acts of the Apostles will member that the Apostle Paul made a voyage to ome to prosecute his appeal against an unjust and rannical proceeding of Felix, governor of Judea,* that that memorable voyage was made in a vessel Alexandria, the chief port from which commu- Without entering into the details of the affectcation was kept up anciently between Italy and ing recital of the evangelist, it may be sufficient e Eastern world, and that the merchant ship to state that its leading circumstances are briefly which he sailed carried, besides her usual cargo these-Scarcely had the apostle embarked in grain, two hundred and seventy-six passengers the Alexandrian vessel that was bound for Rome, board, a great number, considering the mode when, having received a divine premonition that which such ships were built at that period. In the voyage would prove disastrous not only to ecourse of this voyage, which lasted a long the ship and her valuable cargo, but to the lives ne,-for it must be remembered that sailing of all on board, he disclosed the unwelcome ins then very slow and tedious compared with telligence to the centurion, and pressed that officer e rapid communication by sea we boast of now, to take the precaution of putting in for the winthe apostle had ample opportunities, notwith- ter to the nearest port on the coast of Crete. inding his situation as a prisoner, to converse The prudent counsel, however, was disregarded, th his fellow-passengers on his favourite theme; and the crew, continuing their course with no aid d whatever success may have attended his to direct them but their own observation of the eaching, it is certain that a most favourable im- heavens, a most uncertain guide at a season when ession was made in behalf of his own character the sky was often beclouded for many days toa devoted man of God, and a warm sympathy gether, soon found themselves overtaken by a t in his cause by all in the ship. Among those storm of unusual violence and duration, which sengers there are very strong grounds for sup- deprived them of all command and management sing that Josephus the historian was one. And of the vessel. After encountering the greatest en we think of the probability of that accom- perils, and being tossed about for fourteen days, shed man and celebrated warrior sitting fre- she struck, and the hinder part being broken by ently alongside of the apostle, and listening to the violence of the waves, the vessel was comexposition of the doctrine of Christ, while they pletely disabled, so that the crew and passengers re for weeks together traversing the waters of had, to all human appearance, the near and cerMediterranean,-when we think that the gene-tain prospect before them of a watery grave. s and high minded soldier, although his views of igion remained unchanged, yet from conceiving warm friendship for Paul, was probably the inument, in the hands of Providence, that secured The appeal was taken under the administration of Festus, it is of consequence for the purpose of this paper, that the Nevertheless, according to the declaration of Paul, that there should be no loss of any man's life, the whole of the shipwrecked people succeeded in reaching the shore of a little island called Melita Illyrica, which lay in their direct course up the Adriatic. Among the simple and hospitable ler should bear in mind that it was by the order of Felix, pre- people of that place they sojourned for three essor of Festus, Paul had been imprisoned. No. 43. OCTOBER 26, 1839.—1§ď. [SECOND SERIES. VOL. I. months, when, on the return of the sailing season, having secured a passage on board another ship of Alexandria, which, through stress of weather, had also been compelled to winter on that island, they disembarked at Puteoli, the usual landing place in Italy. There, as well as at Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, they met brethren, in whose company they departed, and arrived at length in Rome, where, by special favour, Paul was permitted, under the care of a guard, to occupy a private house of his own. The foundation on which the opinion rests, that Paul and Josephus were fellow-passengers, is the very striking similarity that appears in the account of Paul's voyage, as given by the evangelist Luke, and the narrative of another, made at the same period, and in the same circumstances, by the Jewish historian himself,-a similarity so very striking, as to have led a number of learned men to conclude that they refer to one and the same expedition. And in order that the reader may be enabled to judge of the conclusiveness of the evidence, it may be proper to transcribe the story of Josephus at length, and compare it with the leading circumstances which are detailed in the twenty-seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The relation of Josephus is as follows: "When I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age, it happened that I took a voyage to Rome, and this on the occasion that I shall now describe. At the time when Felix was procurator of Judea, there were certain priests of my acquaintance, and very excellent and pious persons they were, whom, on a trivial occasion, he had put into bonds, and sent to Rome to plead their cause before Cæsar. These persons I was desirous to procure deliverance for, and that especially, because I was informed that they were not unmindful of their piety towards God, even under their affliction, but supported themselves on figs and nuts; accordingly, I came to Rome, though it was through a great number of hazards by sea; for as our ship was wrecked in the Adriatic sea, we that were in it, being about six hundred in number, swam for our lives all the night, when, upon the first appearance of the day, and upon our sight of a ship of Cyrene, I and some others, eighty in all, by God's providence, got before the rest, and were taken up into the other ship. And when I had thus escaped, I had come to Puteoli, where I became acquainted with Aliturius, an actor of plays, and a great favourite of Nero, but a Jew by birth, and through his interest, became known to Poppaa, the emperor's wife, and took care, as soon as possible, to entreat her to procure that the priests might be set at liberty." On examining the two narratives of Josephus and Luke, several leading circumstances immediately present themselves as common to both. In both, the ships belonged to the port of Alexandria, and carried one or more passengers on their way to Rome to prosecute an appeal against some tyrannical acts of the provincial government of Felix in Judea. In both, the ship was wrecked in the | Adriatic, and they that could swim first cast themselves into the sea. In both, the passengers were taken up by another Alexandrian ship at Puteoli. And, finally, both accounts bear that some powerful influence at court procured unprecedented license to the prisoners during the pending of their cause. The coincidence, in point of time, is not less remarkable. For, according to the most approved system of chronology, the voyage of Paul was made in the year of our Lord 63; and as Josephus, who tells us himself that he was born in the thirty-seventh year of the Christian era, was then in the twenty-sixth year of his age, it follows that his voyage occurred in the same year, and of course must have commenced at the same sailing season with that of the apostle. While the leading features in the two historical narratives bear so close a resemblance to each other, several minor circumstances in the account of the Jewish historian afford a very obvious and natural explanation of some incidents described or alluded to in that of the Acts, and tend, by their accumulated weight, to strengthen the presumption that the two narratives refer to the same calamitous voyage. What is more likely than that Josephus should have been acquainted with Paul? Both of them were nearly of the same age; both of them were educated in the religious persuasion of the Pharisees; both of them studied in the eminent school over which Gamaliel presided; both of them were connected with families of high respectability in the country, and both of them might have frequently met in early life in the society of the same common friends. What is more likely than that Josephus, not knowing by what better name to designate Paul and his friends in their connection with the new religion, called them by the common appellation of priests, which signifies men devoted to the service of God? What is more likely than that the exalted piety which be mentions as having characterised them is descrip tive of the calm and settled submission to the divi will, and the admirable superiority to fear which the apostle and his comrades evinced in the dread ful emergency, and which being associated with the commanding part Paul acted on the occasion, wo its way to the heart of Josephus, in spite of all his hereditary prejudices against him as an apos tate from the faith of his fathers? What is mon likely than that it was through Josephus' inde ence with his acquaintance and friend, Alituris the favourite of Nero, that the apostle escape confinement in the dungeons of Rome, and en joyed the rare privilege of dwelling in a house of his own? All these circumstances, though mentioned by the author of the Acts, are per fectly consistent with the tenor of the evangelics story. In all probability they formed a part that extraordinary chain of concurring events by which the Lord and Master of Paul opened up, in his providence, an unexpected door of en trance for him even in the capital of the world, in which he arrived a poor and unknown pri soner, and perhaps are alluded to in those passages where the apostle is describing, in his epistles, a degree of success in his ministry in Rome that delighted and surprised him. "The things that had happened to him," he says, "had fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel; so that his bonds in Christ were manifest in all the palace, and in all other places." Philip. i. 12, 13. And again, "In my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion," that is, Nero, then emperor of Rome. swimming, in the first instance, and their afterwards falling in with some hospitable vessel, which delivered them at the nearest landing-place, from whence they found their way shortly after him to Puteoli. The assertion of Josephus thus receives a rational and sober explanation, and brings us to the same happy termination of the shipwreck, in respect of the passengers, as the evangelist, who says, "And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land." The silence or suppression by Josephus of several circumstances that make a prominent figure in the There are, it must be admitted, several difficul- sacred narrative, and which, occurring antecedently ties standing in the way of this conclusion, which to the foundering of the vessel and the consequent cannot be so easily got over. The first relates to dispersion of the passengers, he must have been the number of persons in the ship in which Jose- a witness to, is very easily accounted for. The phus sailed, estimated by him to have been six prophetic announcement by Paul, at an early hundred, whereas the apostle's had no more than period of the voyage, that their course would be two hundred and seventy-six on board. This attended with peril; his second, and equally oramakes a great discrepancy in the two accounts. cular declaration, that not a hair should fall from But there is reason, in the opinion of learned men, the head of any of them, with the great influence to suspect that, through the carelessness of trans- which these communications gave him over the cribers, a numerical error has crept into the text of passengers, as a man owned and beloved by Josephus, the more especially, as the diminutive God; his command, and the ready compliance size of the ancient merchant vessels would scarcely given to that command by desperate men, in accommodate so great an amount of passengers. extremity of danger, "to abide in the ship, or they The other difficulty arises from the circum- could not be saved," were incidents too memorable stances Josephus has mentioned as attending his to be forgotten by any survivor of that disastrous own escape. His words, as given above, are expedition,-least of all by one who, from his wellthese: "We that were in the ship, being about known energy and promptitude in action, we may six hundred in number, swam for our lives all the believe would be the foremost to lend his counsel night, when, upon the first appearance of the day, and his assistance to every effort to save the ship I and some others, eighty in all, by God's provi- and the crew, and in whose hearing the latter of dence, got before the rest, and were taken up those commands of Paul must consequently have into the other ship." This passage is evidently been issued. The omission, therefore, of these written in a very careless style, and cannot be remarkable occurrences, in the memorabilia of the received in the literal acceptation of the words. voyage he has recorded, cannot be ascribed to forFor to keep swimming, amid the violence of the getfulness, but to his indisposition to state any raging billows, and during the whole of a winter's thing that might redound to the credit of Chrisnight till day returned, may, with all safety, be tianity. His penetrating and sagacious mind pronounced a physical impossibility. And to find perceived that the publication of those singular six hundred people on board a ship, all of whom incidents would have constrained him to admit the were such expert swimmers, that they saved them- miraculous interference of Paul, and, by necessary selves by that means from a watery grave, may, consequence, the truth of the doctrine the apostle with equal safety, be declared a discovery, the like preached, against the bare idea of which all his of which was never made at sea before or since Jewish prejudices rose in arms; and while the the time of Josephus. The only explanation of esteem and admiration he entertained for the charwhich this strange statement of the Jewish his-acter of Paul stimulated him to leave not a stone torian is capable, is the by no means improbable supposition, that he, along with seventy-nine of the passengers picked up by a ship of Cyrene, were those who, being able to swim, first cast themselves into the sea, and got to so great a distance from the wreck, that the Cyrenian vessel could not, amid the thick haze of the tempestuous morning, descry its situation, and that either the ship or the stragglers, not knowing how the rest, who saved themselves by clinging to boards and floating pieces of the ship, got safely ashore, but finding, on their arrival at Puteoli, that all who had been on board with him had survived the misfortune, he contented himself with ascribing their preservation to the same means to which he owed his own, to their extraordinary efforts in unturned, by which he might promote the personal safety and comfort of that prisoner, he would allow himself to do nothing, in the way even of recording a historical transaction, by which he must have indirectly aided the religious party that Paul supported. On the whole, we think it will appear that there are so many striking coincidences in the two narrations as affords a very strong presumption that Paul and Josephus-both of them so illustrious in their own way-were fellow-passengers, during part at least of the voyage, and were involved in the common calamity that befell the ship when sailing up the Adriatic. And hence the interesting conclusion will follow that that eminent Jew was employed, as an instrument_in |