Ver. 16.-.A biography of honour, written in a name and title only. The slight obscurity attaching to the rendering of this verse diminishes in nothing its interest and instructiveness. Whether the verse purports to say that the disciples of Cresarea. journeying with Paul and his companions brou~ht them to Mnason as their host, when they arrived at Jerusalem; or that, picking up Mnason himself at Cresarea., who after- wards became the host of Paul at Jerusalem, they rendered him also the help of their escort thither,-does not alter its special significance. This lies in the fact that Mna.son's name, as soon as mentioned, is despatched with two remarks, never again to be referred to in the sacred history ; and yet those two remarks are felt to be worth more than two volumes. Wherein, then, we may ask, does their special significance bide ? J. THEY AP.E TIDINGS OF A MAN WHO HAS RECEIVED CIIBISTIAN LIGHT, AND HAll BEEN FAITHFUL TO IT "EVEN TO OLD AGE." II. THEY ARE TIDINGS OF A MAN WHO RECEIVED CHRISTIAN LIGHT AT THE BIGHT TIME TO RECEIVE IT--SO SOON AS IT CAME, AND WHEN HE WAS YOUNG. III. THEY THEREFORE FIX THE DESCRIPTION OF A MAN wno MUST IN CONSEQUENCE HAVE NOW STORES OF THE BEST KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND STRENGTH. IV. THEY PROCLAIM A MAN WHOSE CHARACTER RAS A CERTAIN A.ND AN INDISPUT- ABLE VALUE, AS A SPEAKING TESTIMONY TO CHRIST HIMSELF AND ms TRUTH. V. TIIEY MAKE A CERTAIN PROMISE BOTII FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD-- THE PROMISE OF A MAN WHOSE COMPANY, FRIBNDSHIP, HOSPITALITY, AND VERY COUN- TENANCE GIVEN TO A FELLOW-CREATURE WILL BE A HUNDREDFOLD PROFITABLE.-B,
Vers. 18-20.-The advocate of the Gentiles. With great determination Paul had made his way to Jerusalem. The public ways terminating in the city were frequented, and the city itself would soon be filled with visitors. Paul knew well in the spirit that stern conflicts and no imaginary dangers a.waited him. But before he encountered these he had to count with some other dangers, and which were in some aspects justly more formidable. Paul does not shirk them. He had not come up to desert his colours at the last, nor to prove his faithfulness gone. That a disunited Church should meet the crowd of the world, and even of various ecclesiastical parties, was a. thing not to be thought of, certainly not to bo allowed. It is the very thing that, times without number, since Paul showed the illustrious example to the contrary now, has been the weakness of the Church and the strength of 1he great foe. It is evident from the passage now before us that Paul's course was a course that meant practic,,lly tkt so 186 TIIE ACTS OF THI] .APOSTLES. [c11. XXI. 1--40,