The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 374

on the part of the ~hurch. '.l'hia it learnt partly "from above," p1utly also from bitter and humbled experience of its own. It had 11lre11dy had the faithless within it, and the attempts of tbe worst worldliness (BB in the instance of Simon M11aus) to enter wit.bin its sacred f?ld. 2, The real gist of anxiety 11nd of the inquiry proposed turned, no doubt, l)pon this grea.t 11ew gospel that was now coming upon those who had them- sch·cs rcc_e1ve~ the go_spel in very deed, and which only shook their faith (if it did shake their_ faith) lest 1t be too great, too good, to be true, 'l'he "mighty works" of God are bemg wrought upon and among ail, Gentiles and Grecians, as they had been on the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem. ,veil may the Church stop a.nd turn aside to see this great sight, and to find out for certain that it is not a. vision and that they do not dream, 3. 'l'he Church, as results proved, did not act for the sake of mere caution or for the mere sake of enlightenment, least of all from love of cold and suspicious criticism, but, if things were real and true, also to give the right hand of fellowship to those who, like its own present members, were" called." III. O~'E SPECIAL CRITERION LOOKED FOR BY IlAnNAilAS, AND GUIDING Hill. No details lie on the page for us, no sealed instructions are mentioned, no open instruc- tions, no parting suggestions even; a.nd nothing is sa.id of a.11 the thoughts and feelings that chased one another or amid which the very soul of Barnabas mused a.s he travelled a.far. No; but we are not left without the necessary clue, He reached his destination, a.nd apparently docs not hold or offer to hold any court, and call witnesses, a.nd loftily and inquisi t-0rially investigate the state of things, With a. lnr;!e and open eye he surveys the scene. He looks and sees the proofs of "the grace of God" given to them at Antioch, even "the uncircumcised." He listens, and hears the sounds that attest " the grace of God" given to them. He mingles with them, and he sees tbe works that none could do unless "the grace of God" were given to them. .And he is satisfied. The tree is known by its fruits, and there can be no mistake what the fruits are now. ,vould that the same simplicity of method of judging one another were the one method known and followed now a.nd ever! For thi~ beautiful expression. "the grace of God," does not stand for mere feeling and experience or profession of the sa.me, but rather for those "works" and "fruits of the :-;pirit" which only could come of the imparted grace of God. IV. 'I'm: VERY GLADNESS OF HEART ITSELF OF A HOLY MAN. It is emphatically said," He was gla.d." 1. It wa.s a. relief to an anxious, inquiring mind, on a. subject of thrilling interest. How it had 'l\·eighed on the mind of Barna.bas all his journey- the question itself, and his responsibility a.s delegated to examine into it I 2. It was a relief to Barnabas to think he could speak with such thorough confidence, a.nd in no halting tone a.t all, to those who had sent him, when he should render his account to them. 8. lt was all joy to his heart to think how da.y dawned at la.st on the whole world. What startling, ravishing prospects must have sometimes been revealed by the Spirit to the apostles and the early disciples a.nd brethren in those da.ys I V. THE MINDF'UUl'ESS OF .A HOLY MAN, EVEN WHEN EXCITED BY JOY. 1. Darna.ba.s was I1¥I1dful of his own duty, to speak the word of exhortation even in the midst of a scene full of present brightness, hope, confidence. 2. He was mindful of the ever- existing temptation to go back to the world, to love the world, to yield in enthusiasm's hour, but to relapse in the long da.ys of heat a.nd toil and trial. And therefore tho burden of his exhortation was that they should "cleave to the Lord," and that "with purpose of heart they should cleave to the Lord." VL ,A SOMEWH.AT INOPPORTUNE MIXTURE OF COMMENDATION OF BARNABAS AND HIS Th'DIVIDU.AL CHARACTER WITH MUCH MORE SERIOUS MATTER, Let it seem 80; let it be so. Yet this is the condescension of God. '!'his is the sympathy of Jesus. This is the Spirit's comfortilia aid and honour shown to those who a.re true. However, as the sacred and abiding page of Scripture inscribes these things to the honour and glory of Barnaba.I! in the midst of matter which all redounded only to the honour and glory of God, .;,e may observe tha.t the ch_a.racter here given to Barnaba.~: 1. Justified his selection for a new and delicate and important embassy. 2. Explams the very deep, full, genial joy of his_ heart, its openne_ss to conv_iction, and its freedol!1 from th~ least and last taint of Jewish envy and JeW1Sh exclusiveness. 3. Proves withal that 1t wa.ij God's Spirit who was in all," working within" him, when he ea.me, when he saw, when he judged rightly, whe11 he was profoi.Jn~ly impressed, whep he was glad to the bottom Oil, XJ. 1-30.] 'l'HE ACTS O.I!' 'l'llE APOSTLES. 371