of the majesty and goodness his presence and his bearing exhibited? Probably he felt the influence of both.

“And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia." The expression, "we sailed under Cyprus," means they kept near to it for shelter and safety. The ancient navigators, ignorant of the mariner's compass, and other means and resources now enjoyed, were accustomed to creep along the shores as much as possible in sight of land. With the nautical advantages of modern times, the open sea is considered the least perilous. Thus sailing on over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, they came to Myra, a city of Lycia. Lycia was a maritime district of Asia Minor, bounded on the north by Pamphylia, and on the east, west, and south by the sea. Myra was the capital of the district, and situated on the coast. Here they landed.

"And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria, sailing into Italy: and he put us therein." The first part of the voyage is ended, the second part is commenced.

The population of Rome, at this time numerous, were supplied with grain in a great measure from Egypt, whose Nile made it the granary of nations. The ship of Alexandria now found at Myra was laden with wheat. It must have been a large vessel, for, besides its cargo, it had two hundred and sixty souls on board, after the centurion, Paul, and his companions, and the prisoners had embarked. Adverse winds had probably driven the ship on the coast of Asia Minor.

"And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone: and, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea." Several places are here mentioned. Cnidus. This was a city, situated on a rocky and mountainous peninsula of the same name, in the province of Caria, between the island of Rhodes and Coos or Cos. It was

distinguished for the worship of Venus, and contained the celebrated statue of that goddess by Praxiteles. Crete, now called Candia, an island fronting the Egean Sea, one hundred and seventy miles long, and about thirty or forty broad, distinguished for its salubrity, fertility and beauty. Salmone, a promontory, at the east end of the island, which they doubled, and sailed under Crete, or south of it, to escape the contrary winds. Having passed Salmone with great difficulty, "hardly passing it," being almost driven on it, they steered round the coast end of the island and came to a roadstead, a species of harbour, "called the Fair Havens," near the city of Lasea.

"Now, when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south-west and north-west. . . . And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away."

No doubt when they started,

A crisis is now reached. they expected to reach Italy before the dangerous time of navigating the Mediterranean arrived, but contrary winds had embarrassed and detained them, and now the tempestuous season had set in. "The fast was now already past." The fast of the great day of atonement, which occurred at the time of the autumnal equinox, was, no doubt, meant. The fast, of course, is not mentioned here as influencing the weather, but as a period of time. Paul felt the crisis. Though not professionally a sailor, he was not ignorant of the naviga tion of that sea. He knew something of its dangers. Two years before this, in his letter to the Corinthians, he says, "Thrice have I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day hare I been in the deep." He sounds the warning, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage," &c. Whether he speaks from mere human forecast, or from supernatural inspiration, is a question answered by the distinct assurance he afterwards gave, as recorded in the 24th verse. His warning, however, goes for nothing. "The centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken by Paul." It would seem that the "more part," the greater part of the crew, and the passengers agreed with the advice of the master and the owner. They considered that the haven was not sufficiently commodious to winter in, and hence they determined to leave "the Fair Havens." At first when they moved off, things proved propitious-appeared to indicate that they had taken the right course. "The south wind blew softly. . . . Supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete." The wind had probably before been a head wind, blowing from the west; it now veered to the south, and was favourable. A change, however, soon takes place.

"But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon." Euroclydon, derived from two words, meaning east wind and wave-may be rendered the wave-stirring east wind. This was a wind which veered to different points of the compass, from north-east to south

east, and is probably the one known at the present day under the name of Levanter-the country at the eastern extremity of the Mediterranean Sea being called the Levant. They are soon now plunged into distress. "And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive." The wind seized her, and carried her along by its resistless force. Being unable to face the tempest, or poetically, as the original implies, to look it in the eye, they gave up all command, and let her drive along at the mercy of the tempest. "And running under a certain island which is called Clauda". '-a small island lying south-west of Cretewe had much work to come by the boat." With the utmost difficulty, in consequence of the fury of wind and wave, they managed to reach the little boat which followed them, and lifted it on board the vessel. Having secured the boat, they commenced to undergird the ship, and to "strake sail." With cables or chains they girded the body of the vessel to prevent her timber from starting by the concussions of the sea, and to lessen the force of the wind, upon the vessel they strake sail, lowered the mast, and "so were driven" on by the force of the elements. Meanwhile the storm continues to increase in violence, for being "exceedingly tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship, and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship." This was a desperate effort. The sacrifice of the freight, the baggage, the rigging, and the furniture of the vessel. "Skin for skin, all that a man hath he will give in exchange for his life." "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." What a terrific position! Mariners then having no compass, they could only tell their direction by the heavenly bodies, but the heavenly bodies had not shown themselves to these sailors for "many days," and the minds of all on board sunk in the depths of despair. "All hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

Now these eleven verses, extending from the ninth to the

twentieth inclusive, suggest four general truths of universal importance, in relation to—

MAN'S COUNSELLORS IN PASSING THROUGH LIFE.

First: That men in passing through this life have true and false counsellors. Paul here stands for the true counsellor. He admonishes the mariners of their danger should they take a certain course. (Ver. 10.) "The master and the owner of the ship" stand for the false counsellors. Their advice was contrary to that of Paul's. (Ver. 11.) Thus it ever is men have counsellors true and false. Some pointing them to the right path and some to the wrong. Some the apostles of God, and some the emissaries of hell.

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Secondly That men are ever disposed to follow the false rather than the true. The centurion and the "more part," the greater portion on board, rejected the counsels of Paul, and followed those of the master and the owner. It may be that some of them considered it a piece of impertinence on Paul's part, himself a landsman, to give nautical advice. Men ever follow the false in preference to the true. It is more congenial, more popular, more promising.

Thirdly: That following the false, often appears at first to be the better course. When the vessel, contrary to the advice of Paul, moved off from the Fair Havens, things looked propitiously. "The south wind blew softly." Perhaps under the bright sky, and before favourable winds, many on board laughed at Paul on the first day. So it is a false sinful course frequently appears at first desirable. Youth especially feel it so.

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Fourthly That the false ultimately conducts to the most terrible disasters. The soft south wind gives way to the Euroclydon, which hurls the bark into the utmost distress. "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

"But, after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer