This bold and animated addrefs was fcarcely fufficient to divert them from their purpofe. It appears, then, that thefe primitive affertors of the Chriftian faith had no felfifh views, and might declare, with the greatest fincerity, "We preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord." God forbid, that any, who fuftain the minifterial office, fhould aim at their own exaltation, or be pleafed with the flattering fpeeches and admiration of their hearers! They fhould defire to obtain the approbation of their fellow-creatures no farther, than as it may give them an opportunity of recommending the Saviour. Being chiefly concerned for his glory, they will be grieved, when He is overlooked, and they themfelves are extravagantly praised. Popular favour is a poor acquifition: "it is a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanifheth away +." The people at Lyftra, who had proposed to worship St. Paul as a deity, being foon. afterwards prejudiced by the objections of certain furious perfecutors from Antioch and Iconium, rofe up with violence against him, and stoned him. They then dragged him out of the city, with marks of extreme contempt, and left him as one dead. Here, therefore, the hiftory of our Apoftle was on the point of being concluded. But the Lord God, who defigned him for more extenfive ufefulnefs in the Church, interpofed for his deliverance, Accordingly, being fuddenly and miraculoufly reftored to his former ftrength, and not terrified by his enemies, he returned to the city, and the next day travelled with. Barnabas to Derbe. It were eafy for the Lord to rescue his fervants from every danger and diftrefs. Let us learn to commit ourselves cheerfully to his difpofal, defirous only, that, whatever events may 2 Cor. iv. 5. † James iv. 14. await us, "Chrift may be magnified in our body,whether it be by life or by death *." At Derbe they preached with vigour and fuccefs; and there finished their progrefs for that time, advancing no farther into the country. They went back by the fame road, and again vifited the places, in which they had met with fuch violent oppofition. Trufting in the divine protection, they dreaded noconfequences to themfelves; and they were folicitous to confirm and comfort thofe, who had received the word. They exhorted the difciples, therefore, throughout that region, to maintain their Chriftian proffion under all their afflictions, and reminded them, NatGod has appointed his people to pals through many trials in the road to his kingdom. At the feveral towns, where churches were gathered, they ordained minifters over them for their fpiritual guidance, and> folemnly commended them all to the care and protection of the Lord Chrift. Much regard is due to young converts, and much pains fhould be used to eftablish them in their holy calling, that they may not, by any temptations, be moved away from the hope of the Gofpel. O be encouraged to perfevere through. all oppofition, and "hold faft that which you have, that no man take your crown +!" Be not unwilling to fuffer: the cross must be your present portion; it is your duty to bear it cheerfully, in the expectation of receiving "the crown of life." At length thefe indefatigable labourers returned to Antioch in Syria,. from which place they had first fet out on their important expedition. There they fixed their abode for fome time, that they might enjoy the fociety of the faithful, and to them they recounted the various inftances of fupport and fuccefs, with which they had been favoured in their miniftry among the Gentiles. Shall not we, alfo, cultivate an inter- Phil. i 20.- P. 4 + Revs iii. 11. courfe courfe, with thofe, who know and love the Lord? And, when admitted to their friendship, fhall we not embrace the opportunity of declaring, or enquiring after, the enlargement of the Church? Hath God "opened the door of faith" to thofe, who were in darknefs? Let this be proclaimed with grateful adoration; for no information can be more interefting or delightful. Compared with this, how trifling and foolish are the fubjects, which generally occupy converfation! How grievous is the ftupidity of men, who, though eager to hear or relate every idle occurrence, have no defire to be acquainted with the glorious work, which God is carrying on by the Gospel of his Son! 52. St. Paul and his companion were now called A. D. to different trials, not to contend with furious adverfaries, but to oppose and correct fome dangerous miftakes among the brethren. A diffenfion arofe, in confequence of certain Jewish zealots maintaining, that circumcifion and the obfervance of the cerem nial law were abfolutely neceffary for the falvation of Gentile believers *. Our Apoftle confidered the fentiment as a destructive error, fubverting the very foundation of the Gospel, and therefore fet himfelf to refift it with great firmnefs. It implied, that the obedience and facrifice of Christ are not a fufficient ground of dependence towards God, that we cannot be completely juftified by faith alone, however fincere, and that our own qualifications or performances have a fhare, at least, in procuring our favourable acceptance. We might have thought, that pofitions, fo directly contrary to the fundamental principles of the Chriftian fyftem, would have gained no credit. But many were ftaggered; and therefore, from a defire of fatisfying their confciences, and reftoring the peace of *Acts xv. 1, &c. the the Church, it was agreed that Paul and Barnabas fhould go to Jerufalem, and take the opinion of the Apostles and elders upon the subject*. Accordingly, a folemn council was there held, and the matter feriously discussed. A full account of the work of God. among the Gentiles was given; and it was decided,. that real believers, among the uncircumcifed, fhould. not be required to conform to the Mofaic rites, but be confidered as complete in Chrift Jefus. With. this decree the ambassadors returned to Antioch; and their intelligence produced great joy among the dif ciples. For that time the difpute was fettled; but it broke out afterwards in other places, as appears from. feveral of St. Paul's Epiftles, especially from that. to the Galatians. Erroneous doctrines of a like dangerous tendency. are propagated in the prefent day. Circumcifion, indeed, is not infifted on; but, as if the merit of the Saviour were not fufficient for our juftification, it is. maintained that our own obedience muit, in part at leaft, recommend us to God. Satan is ever labouring to divide the Church, and corrupt the minds of its members "from the fimplicity that is in Chrift t He is the father of lies, and it is his grand artifice: to spread falfe opinions. It is remarkable, that the unfcriptural fentiments, advanced in modern times,. made their appearance very early; and were permits ted to do fo, that they might receive a full confuta-tion from the Apoftles themselves. Let us beware. of the fubtle devices of our adverfary, and, in order. the more fuccefsfully to refift him, let us study the It is fuppofed, that the Apoftle refers to this journey, when he.. fays, that he went up by revelation." Doubtlefs, he then acted under the influence of the Spirit, and the confultation was overruled for the clearer understanding and more explicit declaration of the Gospel. Gal. ii. 1-10. † 2. Cor. xi. 3. P 5 divine divine oracles, which will furnish us with weapons of defence against all the attacks of error. During St. Paul's continuance at Antioch, he had occafion to speak in language of fharp reprehenfion to St. Peter, who vifited the place, and withdrew from the Gentile converts through a fear of difpleafing the Jews. Paul ftood forth as a bold advocate for the liberty of the Gofpel, maintaining that the Gentiles, who were turned to God by faith, were. as fecure through the grace of the Saviour, as the Jews themfelves. It was a painful tafk to reprove a beloved brother; but, where the purity of God's truth is likely to fuffer, we fhould make no compliances, nor fhew any partialities; we fhould earnestly contend for the honour of the Gospel, even against our dearest friends. The Church at Antioch enjoyed the fociety and the labours of St. Paul for fome time. But being eager to extend his usefulness, and confirm the disciples at a distance, he proposed to Barnabas, that they should again vifit the people, to whom they had preached, and enquire into their state. The fcheme was rea dily agreed to; and yet it gave occafion to a warm contention, which iffued in a feparation of thefe two affectionate companions. We contemplate this circumftance with wonder and grief. But, when we perceive the evident figns of wrong tempers in perfons fo confeffedly eminent, we fhould learn to place no confidence in the moft exalted of human characters, and to keep our own hearts with diligence and care. The cause of the difference appears trifling; but there is nothing, however inconfiderable, which may not excite and draw forth fome latent corruption of the mind: nay, probably, we are most liable to fall by the smalleft temptations, which do not Gal. ii. 11, 56. awaken |