Chapter I

The Training Of Saul The Rabbi.

Acts 7:8 ; 22:3.

St. Paul's Appearance On The Christian Stage And Its Results — The Tubingen Theory — His Parentage — Birthplace — Testimony Of St. Epiphanius — Early Friends — Education — Trade Gamaliel And His Influence — Evidence Of Talmud — Pharisaic Schools — Their Casuistry And Exegesis — Parallel Between Hagar And Sarah I  

Chapter II

The Conversion Of The Persecutor.

Acts 8:3 ; 9:1-6.

Saul Of Tarsus And St. Stephen — Saul And The Sanhedrin — Conduct Of Saul When Unconverted — Continuity Of Judaism And Christianity — Saul And Blasphemy Of Christ — Sense Of Sin Compatible With Sense Of Forgiveness — Hooker On The Litany — Jeremy Taylor On Humility — Saul's Mission To Damascus Domestic Tribunal Permitted To The Jews By The Romans — Used Against The Men Of The "Way — Meaning Of This Expression — Influence Of It — Saul's Journey — Scene Of Conversion — Lord Lyttelton's Observations Upon St. Pauls Conversion — Supernatural Accompaniments Appropriate To — Apostle's Own Narrative — Reflections Of The Venerable Bede  

Chapter III

The New Convert And His Human Teacher.

Acts 9:10, 11.

Saul And The Vision — Which Probably Produced Ophthalmia — Portrait Of St. Paul — Ananias Of Damascus — Straight Street — St. Chrysostom On The Spiritual Greatness Of Ananias — Seventeenth-Century Travellers In Palestine — Conversation Between Jesus Christ And Ananias — Its Theology — Meaning Of Word Saint — Protest Against Antinomianism — St. Paul And Title Vas Electionis — And Doctrine Of Election — Balance Of Doctrine — The New Convert And Prayer

Chapter IV

Saul And Sinai.

Acts 9:19, 20.

Visit Of Ananias To House Of Judas — Christ The True Visitor — Keble's Hymn For Easter Monday — Restoration Of Saul's Sight — His Baptism — Language Of Ananias — Importance Of This Fact — Saul's Work In Damascus — Narrative In Acts And In Galatians — Difficulties — Reconciliation — Saul In Arabia Ancient Explanations Of — Discipline Of — Value Of Seasons Of Retirement — Waste Of Vital Spiritual Tissues In Activity Abuse Of This Principle In Monasticism — Celtic Monasticism — Saul, The Vas Electionis, Trained Like Jesus Christ  

Chapter V

The First Gentile Convert.

Acts 10:1-6.

The Turning-Points Of Primitive Church History — Conversion Of Saul And Of Cornelius — Saul's Earliest Ministry At Jerusalem His Escape To Tarsus — St. Peter And Church In Joppa Temporary Peace After Saul's Conversion — Caligula's Attempt To Erect His Statue In Jerusalem — St. Peter And Simon The' Tanner — Time Of Conversion Of Cornelius Was Providential — Place, Cassarea-By-The-Sea, Providential — Cornelius, A Roman Centurion — The Legions And Palestine — Modern Authorities Confirm The Acts — New Testament And Favourable Estimate Of Soldiers — Catholic Nature Of Christianity — Value Of Discipline — Lessons Taught By Example Of Cornelius

Chapter VI

The Petrine Vision At Joppa.

Acts 10:9-15.

St. Peter Led To Joppa Unconsciously — His Period Of Repose — Joppa And Missions To The Gentile World—Jonah — Peter And The Hour Of Prayer — Value Of Forms — Canonical Hours Tertullian's Testimony — Nature Of Peter's Vision — Conditioned By His Natural State — Exactly Suited To Destroy His Prejudices — John Calvin's View — St. Peter At Caesarea — His Sermon Not Latitudinarian, As Some Think — But Truly Catholic — Peter Presupposes Some Knowledge Of Gospel Facts — Evidence Of Resurrection — Necessarily Limited — Unless Course Of Human Affairs Was To Be Upset — And God's Usual Laws Set Aside Outpouring Of Holy Ghost On Gentiles — Baptism Of Cornelius  

Chapter VII

The Harvest Of The Gentiles.

Acts11:26.

Reception Of News Of Gentile Conversion At Jerusalem — Debate And Strife With St. Peter — The Early Church Knew Nothing Of The Privilegium Petri — Fable Of Pope Marcellinus — Origin Of Antiochene Church — Foundation Of Antioch — Scenery And History — Orators And Water Supply — Arrival Of Barnabas And Of Saul — Invention Of The Name Christians — Remarks Of Archbishop Trench — The Prophet Agabus And The Outgoings Of Charity  

Chapter VIII

The Defeat Of Pride.

Acts 12:1-3, 23, 24.

Contact Of Sacred And Secular History In This Chapter — Story Of Herod Agrippa — Illustration Of Principle Of Heredity — First Martyrdom Among Apostles — Character Of James, Son Of Zebedee — His Spiritual Eminence — His Death A Real Answer To Prayer — St. Peter's Deliverance — Granted To A Pleading Church — Angelic Interference — And The Proprieties Of Christianity — Clement Of Alexandria And The Paedagogue — Herod's Ostentation And Miserable Death — Testimony Of Josephus  

Chapter IX

St. Paul's Ordination And First Missionary Tour

Acts 13:2-4, 14 ; 14:1, 26.

Thirteenth Chapter May Be Called The Watershed Of The Acts — Calvin And St. Paul's Ordination — Title Apostle Henceforth Applied To Him — Ember Seasons, Reason Of — First Fomial Mission To The Gentile World — Outline Of Apostolic Tour Saul And Sergius Paulus — Discoveries Of General Cesnola St. Paul's Sermon At The Pisidian Antioch — Jewish Jealousy And Opposition — Iconium — Lystra And Greek Legends — Discovery Of Site Of Lystra — Roman Police In Asia Minor Dialects Of Asia Minor — Museum Of The Evangelical School At - Smyrna — St. Paul And Church Organisation

Chapter X

The First Christian Council.

Acts 15:1, 2, 6, 19.

History Of The Great General Councils — Originates At That Of Jerusalem — Date And Subject-Matter — The Controversy About Circumcision — Social Questions Springing From It — St. Paul's Position — His Apparent Inconsistencies — Lessons Of Apostolic Council — Early Church Scene Of Controversies — No Infallible Guide — Composition Of Council — Lay Element In Church Synods — Hooker And The Church Of England — Witness Of Prayer Book — Experience Of Irish Church — Proceedings Of The Council — Triumph Of Gentile Freedom.  

Chapter XI

Apostolic Quarrels And The Second Tour.

Acts 15:36, 39 ; 16:6, 8, 9.

Introduction Of Christianity To Greece — St. Peter And His Asserted Roman Episcopate Of Twenty-Five Years — Quarrel Between St. Paul And St. Barnabas — Between St. Paul And St. Peter — Patristic Explanations — St. Augustine And St. Jerome — St. Paul's Opposition To Nepotism — Barnabas And Mark — Blessings Of Sternness — The Wrath Of Man Praises God — Outline Of St. Paul's Second Tour — Ramsay's Historical Geography Of Asia Minor — Timothy's Ordination — The Gospel Among The Celts—Jeremy Taylor And The Via Intelligentia — The Vision At Troas  

Chapter XII

St. Paul In Macedonia.

Acts 16:29, 31 ; 17:1, 2, 10.

Ancient Roads And Rome — The Gospel At Philippi — History Of That Town — Constitution Of Roman Colonies — Lydia And Jewish Oratory — Francis De Sales And Small Congregations Politics And Christianity — The Apostle Before The Duumviri The Jailer And The Earthquake — " Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ, And Thou Shalt Be Saved" — The Philippian Church And Persecution — St. Paul At Thessalonica And Bercea — The Politarchs

Chapter XIII

St. Paul In Greece.

Acts 17:16-18; 18:1.

St. Paul And St. Athanasius, A Parallel — Escape To Athens Down The Thermaic Gulf — Visit Of Pausanias To That City — Ideal Character Of Athenian Paganism — Areopagus And St. Paul The Unknown God — The Greek Poets — Jesus And The Resurrection — The Primitive Athenian Church And Its Theology — Aristides And His Apology — Dionysius The Areopagite And His Reputed Philosophy — Origin Of Corinthian Church — The Saintly Tentmakers — The Firstfruits Of Achaia — Gallio And The Jews — Philosophy And Christ

Chapter XIV

The Ephesian Church And Its Foundation.

Acts 18:19-21, 24-26; 19:1.

History Of Ephesus — Cenchrese And Its Church — Aquila And His Vow — Christianity And External Actions — Judaism And Christianity Confounded By Romans — St, Paul's Journey To Ephesus And Jerusalem — Visit To Galatia — Ephesus And John's Disciples— Slow Progress Of Gospel In Apostolic Age — Apouos And Meyer's Theory About Baptism — The Baptismal Formula — The School Of Tyrannus — Ephesian Magic And Its Professors — Story Of St. Chrysostom — The Sons Of Sceva .  

Chapter XV

The Ephesian Riot And A Prudent Town Clerk.

Acts 19:23-28.

Duration Of St. Paul's Ministry At Ephesus — Date Of 1st Corinthians — Diana Of Ephesus And Her Persian Worship — Weakness Of Argument E Silentio — Demetrius And The Craftsmen — Artemisian Festivals And Christian Sufferings — Testimony Of Achilles Tatius — Martyrdom Of Polycarp — Celtic Conventions — Mr. Wood's Discoveries At Ephesus — Gaius Vibius Salutarius — Extant Specimen Of Ephesian Silverwork — Speech Of Demetrius — The Asiarchs And The Recorder — Apostolic Controversy And Its Methods

Chapter XVI

St. Paul And The Christian Ministry.

Acts 20:1, 7, 17-19, 28.

St. Paul's Position In A.D. 57 — Personal Character Of St. Luke's Narrative — Defects Of German Criticism — Apostle's Second Visit To Macedonia — " Round About Unto Illyricum " — Visitation Of Corinth — Passover At Philippi — Holy Communion At Troas — The Lord's Day In The Primitive Church — Argument From Silence, Dangers Of — Justin Martyr On Sunday — Eucharistic Amen — Evening Celebrations — The Agape — Fasting Communion — St. Paul's Sermon And Eutychus — Miletus And Charge To Ephesian Elders — Its Apologetic Tone — St. Paul's View Of Sermons — Decay Of Modern Preaching — Apostolic Power Of Prevision — The Ministry And Personal Religion — The Holy Ghost And Ordination — Origin Of Episcopacy Dr. Hatch's Theories Unhistorical — Irenseus On Bishops Derived From Apostles — Communicatio Idiomatum — St. Paul's Farewell

Chapter XVII

A Prisoner In Bonds.

Acts 21:2, 3, 17, 33, 39, 40 ; 22:22, 30; 24:1 ; 26:1.

St. Paul's Voyage From Miletus To Jerusalem — Christianity At Tyre — "The Seed Growing Silently" — The Church At Caesarea And Its Teachers — St. Paul's Interview With St. James — The Nazarite Vow — St. Paul's Arrest And Appearance Before The Sanhedrin — His Defence Before Felix — Felix And Drusilla Lessons Of St. Paul's Vicissitudes — Agabus And Prophesying — St. James And Compromise — St. Paul And The High Priest His Quickness And Tact — Tertullian On Flight In Persecution Quietism And Quakerism — St. Paul And The Herodian Family — Argument Of His Address Before Agrippa And Bernice — His Appeal To Caesar  

Chapter XVIII

"In Perils On The Sea."

Acts 27:1-3 ; 28:16.

St. Paul As A Traveller And A Prisoner — Length Of His Imprisonment — Blessed Results Of His Captivity — "The Prisoner Of The Lord " — Teaching Of The Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity — His Captivity Benefited — {A) His Personal Religion {H) The Church At Casarea — (F) The Church At Rome {(I) The Universal Church — Composition Of St. Luke's Gospel — Technical Use Of Word Gospel — Testimony Of Aristides And Irenreus — Epistles Of The Captivity — Story Of The Voyage To Rome — Roman Provincial Organisation — Writings Of Mr. James Smith Of Jordan Hills — Church At Sidon — The Storm Malta And Puteoli — Christianity At Pompeii — Christian Inscription There Discovered — St. Paul's Approach To Rome Intense Humanity Of The Apostle — Interview With The Local Jewish Sanhedrin — Christianity At Rome — Investigations Of Harnack And Schürer