Lenoth nnd brendth are seen and are acknowleclged in the gospel of Christ. Tho workl'e clay has dawned, and the light of it, refused by so many, is entering into the eyes of that meeting of the chief pastor at the time at Jerusalem, and the elders. And they did well to" glorify the Lord" because of it.-ll. Vera. 20-39.-The pastor and elders of the Ohurch not infalliole. There may be considered to be some uncertainty as to the exact merits of tbo remarkable case which the history reproduces in this passage, but without rendering any verdict, pronouncin1 any opinion, or even offerinp; any suggestion. In the room that is accordingly allowed for option, it is believed that the following positions, as they a.re certainly maintainable in themselves, are also to be impressed on us by the present history:- I. 'l'HE ADVICE 011' THE BEST-INTENTIONED POLICY, ON THE LIPS OF THE LEADERS OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH, IB DISTANT FROM TIIE ADVIOE OF CLEAR CHRISTIA..'! PRmCII'LE A:1'1D TRUTH, AB THE POLES ARE DISTANT FROM ONE ANOTIIER. There was not a little in the exact tone of those who urged on Paul a certain course (ver. 20) and in the exact time which they used for pressing their suit, which invests it with suspicion, and which may very possibly have done so with Paul. JI, THE PRESSURE OF THE ADVICE OF MANY, AND THOSE MANY THE KNOWN LEADEP-'l OF THE CHURCH, WILL NOT ABSOLVE THE INDIVIDUAL CONSCIENCE OR JUDGMENT. It is quite possible that the present was an occasion which Paul would have described as oue of those when he would make himself all things to all men. It is also quite possible that this was a right occasion of observing that practice. And lastly, for that very reason the more, it may seem quite possible, that Paul's judgment was in no degree hoodwinked, nor his conscience eclipsed, when he yielded to the advice urged upon him. As no whisper of censure seems breathed upon him, the providence of God, nay, the Spirit himself, may have been his Guide now, to the end that facts should teach those who were responsible for the advice, while Paul would feel, ay, genuinely feel, that the compensation that was given to him for his sufferings consisted in the audience of Jew and Gentile of all sorts, of Roman governors and officers and soldiers, which he had in consequence the opportunity of addressing (ver. 39). If Paul were mi~taken and at fault now, he reaps his punishment, though still he rescues some advantage out of all for Christ and the gospel. And he is taught that not even the kindness of his heart and willingness " to be persuaded" by the skilful representations in affection's hour of others, can be a substitute for the individual, steady, regulated judgment and conscience of the Christian. If he were not mistaken, the same lesson is taught, though by a very different route. He himself held and acted upon the conviction that his individualjudgment, under the guidance of theDivineSpirit,should have its way- that judgment going to this that, though himself suffered, the leaders of the Church and "many thousands of zealots of the Law" should be effectually taught. III. '£HE DIVINE PlJRPOSE AND WORK THROUGH ALL ERROR OF HUMAN roDGMEN'I', TIIROUGH ALL UNCERTAINTY OF ll'IDELITY, EVE.'! L."'I' HUMAN CONSCIENCES, TRIUMPH AND VINDIOATE THEIR OWN RIGIITB. 1. 'l'he intended short way out of an apprehended difficulty and danger, suggested with coaxing tones and words (ver. 20, "Thou seest, brother"), proves a very long and painful way. Who can tell what must have been the excited apprehensions of James and the elders as the riot went on, nor stopped in a. sense, till Paul set off for Rome itself? 2. For Paul, whose is both the active work and the keen suffering, "the beginning of the end" dates from this very Church meeting at Jerusalem. 'l'he road is opened to Rome and to Cresar and to" the palace and all other places" left for P,rnl's miuistry. And the goal of his career comes into sight for the racer of keen vision as well as of keen energy. So the gospel gains fresh wings, and that grace of God which lovingly overrules where perhaps it was not allowed to rule, is made known to vaster numbers, and amongst them to some whom it might not have reached in any other way.-B.
Vere. 4, 11.-Tke Spirit in Paul, and the Spirit in other,. The narrative given of the apostle's progress townrd Jerusalem sugge8ts some seriouR and difficult questions. We now consider one of them. Once and again it appears as if the Divine Spirit sent ~essnges which should have stopped the apostle, and prevented his goin.; on to the holy city ; ancl St. Pa·ul evidently resisted these attempted hindrances. Then was he right 188 THE AOTS OF THE APOSTLES, (en. nt. 1-40.