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CXLVI.

Elymas the Sorcerer is fricken Blind.

Great Saul and Barnabas abroad were fent,
And preach'd the Word of God where e're
they went.

To Cyprian Paphos come, accepted there,
To prudent Sergius heav'nly Truths declare:
But a falfe Jew in Charms of Magic read,
And the forbidden Language of the Dead ;
With all his Art oppos'd the facred Law,
The noble Sergius from the Faith to draw.

Nor this Great Paul, who on him fix'd his Eyes,
And thus began--- O full of Fraud and Lies!
Unworthy that high Title thou haft claim'd,
The curfed Child of Satan rather nam'd:
Wilt thou not cease thy guileful Art t' apply,
Oppofing Truths thou never canft deny ?
And fince to wilful Darkness thus inclin'd,
Bid the Sun's Light farewel, and, Wretch, be Blind!
Seiz'd with a fudden Mift, he saw no more,
But did the help of fome kind Hand implore.
The Deputy receiv'd the heav'nly Law,
Juftly amaz'd at all the wond'rous Things he faw.

CXLVI.

ACTS Chap. XIII. Ver. 9, 10, 11,

146.

9. Paul filled with the Holy Ghoft, fet his eyes on him,

10. And faid, O full of all fubtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteouf nefs, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right way of the Lord?

II. And now behold, the band of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the Sun for a feafon. And immediately there fell on him a mift and a darkness; and he went about feeking fome to lead him by the hand.

CXLVII.

Paul and Barnabas accounted Gods by the

Lycaonians.

Reat Paul and Barnabas to Lyftra came,

GRe

Where lay a Wretch who from his birth was
lame;

They bid him rise and walk, his Limbs obey,
With new mirac❜lous Strength he fprings away.
Th' aftonish'd Crowd (who ftill are wife too late,
And always in Extreams admire or hate,)
Cry'd out-- The Gods in human Form come down,
To see Mankind, and bless our happy Town:
So foft their Speech, fo awfully they move,
It must be Hermes, and his Father Jove:
Two free-neck'd Bulls, whofe Heads and threatning
Horns,

A facred Wreath of od'rous Flow'rs adorns,
The vested Priefts for Sacrifice prepare:

Th' Apoftles rend their Cloaths, and cry- Forbear,
Your Fellow-mortals we, and wou'd restrain
From your mistaken Zeal for Idols vain,

To ferve the one Supreme, who ever lives,

And Sun, and Rain from Heav'n, and Food and Gladness gives.

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ACTS Chap. XIV. Ver. 11, to 18.

147

11. When the people faw what Paul had done, they lift up their voices, faying in the Speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

12. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief Speaker. 13. Then the priest of Jupiter which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands into the gates, and would have done facrifice with the People.

14. Which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul beard of, they rent their cloaths, &c.

CXLVIII.

The failor converted and baptifed.

WITH faithful Silas Paul's in Bonds fecur'd,

When cruel Scourgings they had first en-
dur'd;

Yet full of inward Peace and heav'nly Joy,
In Songs of Praise their Mid-night Hours imploy.
When loe the bellowing Earth begins to quake,
The Prisons deep and ftrong Foundations shake;
All things were, full of Fear and Noife, confus'd,
The Doors fly open, ev'ry Bond is loos'd:
The Jailor thought his Pris'ners all were gone,
His Poniard draws and wou'd himself have thrown
Against the deadly Point- Rash Man forbear,
Aloud th' Apoftles cry, we all are here.

For Lights he calls, and when the Saints he fees,
Springs trembling in, and proftrate at their Knees,
The way to Bliss and endless Life enquires.
They readily comply with his defires;
The Gospel he fincerely must receive,

And in the Saviour of the World believe:
He wash'd their Stripes,then both with Food suffic'd,
And he and all his Houfe rejoycing were baptis'd.

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