The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 176

prophecy (iii. 1), They present the type or the calling or e.ll Christian women tn appropriate forms of Christian service. HI. AoADUB AND THE omDLE OIi' PAUL. He gives e. symbolic prophecy of comin,z trio.I. The girdle migl1t be o. symbol of complete dedication to the service of the Lord Josue and of his gospol--of Christian duty. 'fhe loins once girt up must not be relaxed. Only wh~n the will has been subdued to God and hie service are we truly free; anrl this even when others would uso compulsion upon us, "'fhcn the strona band encircles our life and girds us for eternity." It is a blessing when our eyes ar~ opened to th·~ coming trial, and our hearts are at the same time strengthened to meet it. This givc:s assumnce that all that occurs is according to the blessed will, and must work together for good. IV, "Trm WILL OF TIIE Lono BE DONE." Often it is harder to contend with the weaknesses of others than with one's own. See Millais's touching picture of the ' Huguenot.' Some silken band of dearest affection would detain us as we a.re pre- paring to march to the post of duty (cf. Gen. xliii. 3, 4). Love means well, but does not always point in God's way (John xx. 17). ·when Luther was on his way to Worms, at place after place warning friends met him; and close to the town his beloved Spalatin sent to him to beg he would not venture into the scene of danger. " W em there as many devils in Worms as tiles on the roofs, I would go in," was his reply. Paul's heart is touched; he feels the spring of manly strength giving way. But with a strong effort of faith and will be overcomes. "I am ready to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus." "Not the cross for the cross's sake, but the cross for the sake of Christ;" to be made like to his death (Phil. iii. 10) ;-these were the ideals of his life. And so the love of the Christian flock to the pastor must give way to the pastor's love for Christ. "The will of the Lord be done l" It is the best concluding word of all our deliberations. It silences all objections to God's ways ; our thoughts must be suppressed before the thought of the Only Wise, and our power bow before that of the Omnipotent. Our affection for others must withdraw its claims in favour of his, whoso we are and whom we serve. This motto may well suit the servant of God in all the changes of his pilgrimage, against all the opposition of his foes, against the temptations of flesh and blood, of near and dear affection, and the weakness of hi~ own beart.-J. Vera. 17-26.-Paul and the Levitical usages. Paul's gospel was that of salvation by Christ Jesus alone, as contrasted with the principle of salvation by legal obedience. Ilut he did not contend against the Law and against Mose.ism as such-only against the doctrine that the observance was indispensable to salvation. The spirit of evan- gelical freedom made him tolerant of the observance in the case of born Jews, while at the same time he contended for the emancipation of the Gentile Christians from the claims of the Law (1 Cor. vii. 18, 19). I . .AN EXAMPLE 011' CHRISTIAN PRUDENCE IN OE::raltAL. It is necessary to study and consider human nature as it is. No acting as if in a vacuum, no trying to carry out abstract principles, regardless of men's habit of thinking and acting, c:m be either right or successful. The followers of Christ were to be "wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves." Want of tact is often a greater hindrance to success than want of greater gifts of bead and heart. Men are repelled by disregard of their feelings, and often wou over by trifling concessions, which cost nothing important to those who make them or to the cause of truth. But serious cases of conscience may arise under these conditions; and prudence ceases to be a virtue whenever it is practised at the expense of truth or of truthfulness. IL AN EXAMPLE OF CONCESSION TO THE PREJUDICES 011' THE WEAK. In these difficult cases love must be the great guiding principle (Rom. xv. 1). Christian love "cndureth all things." It bas a delicate intelligence of the needs of the weak.; it practises a fine self-denial, condescends to the lowlier in word and in deed. In such weakness there is trne stren,,tb. It demands intellectual strength, to di,tiugt1ish between form and contents, bet;oen the shell and the kernel; and firmness of cliarade-r, to hold fast ·to the main matter, while those of subordinate importance are given up; constancy and faithfulness, not to deny the law of Christ, while promoting love amongst his disciples. In things indiITcreut we may take a part, ·provided we cl:,c. :y 182 'l'HE AC'l'S OF '!'HE APOSTLES. [on, xxr. 1-40,