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their gods had assumed a human shape, and were come down amongst them. As Paul was the chief speaker, and Mercury was the messenger of the gods and the patron of eloquence, they supposed that the apostle was this deity, and that Barnabas, who said but little, represented Jupiter, the chief of the heathen gods, whose companion and interpreter, Mercury frequently was.

13. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, or, "the guardian god of their city,"* brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people :

That this was the usual method of paying honour to their gods, is well known to those who are at all acquainted with the history of the heathen world. Nothing, therefore, could afford a stronger proof of the faith of this people in the divinity of Paul and Barnabas, than their readiness to offer them the same homage as they paid to those whom they esteemed gods. The gates here mentioned, were not the gates of the city, but of the building where these preachers resided; at this place, it seems, the people assembled to offer sacrifice,

14. Which, when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran out† among the people, crying out,

15. And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, "We are men alike mortal with yourselves," and preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein :

16. Who, in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, i. e. sent no prophet amongst them, as he had done among the Jews.

17. Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good from heaven, and gave yous rain and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness, "with food and good cheer."

18. And with these words scarce restrained they the people that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

"We are men alike mortal with yourselves." This undoubtedly is the apostle's meaning, as is evident from the connexion, and not, as we render the phrase, "of like passions;" for he could never intend to assert that himself and Barnabas were governed by

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the same vicious passions with idolatrous Gentiles. The same thing is likewise evident from the original, which may be literally rendered, "of like sufferings," referring, principally, to the sufferings of death. To those the apostle and his companion were alike subject with other men, and therefore, had no pretensions to that immortality which was the distinguishing characteristic of divinity.

The heathen gods are called vanities in the Old Testament, (1 Kings xvi. 13,) and thence by the apostles, because they were the vain inventions of men: they were gods which had no real existence.

In this passage, the apostle has given us an excellent specimen of the arguments from the light of nature, for the existence of a Deity. He has likewise shown, what indeed we might have known without being expressly informed of it, that it was one great object of his preaching, to turn men from idolatry to the worship of one God.

19. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded, "gained over,' the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

20. But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city; and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

The words of the historian, who says that they supposed him to be dead, seem to imply that he was not really so; and yet, as he had been stoned, and dragged through the streets out of the town, it is highly probable that he must be dead, the more especially as it is not likely that his enemies would leave him before they had satisfactory evidence that they had accomplished their purpose. While in this state, and surrounded by the disciples, who were viewing his corpse with deep concern, he rose to life again by the power of Christ. That there was some miracle in the case, is evident from his being able to walk immediately into the city, and to leave it the next day, when, according to the usual course of things, he must have been more disqualified for moving than at first. Alluding to this fact, he says, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, xi. 25, "Once was I stoned."

21. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, "made a great many disciples," they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,

22. Confirming the minds of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that, "seeing that," we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God.

* Wakefield and Worsley.

They showed them that persecution was no more than what might be expected from the purity of the Christian institution, and the predictions of its author. They exhorted them, therefore, to continue in the profession of Christianity, notwithstanding these evils.

23. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

These elders seem to have been chosen by the apostles, from among the most eminent of the first converts to Christianity in every society, in order to preside over it, and deliver instruction during their absence. This was a necessary and wise regulation in the first ages of the gospel, however it might be afterwards abused. This verse has occasioned violent debates among the advocates for the different forms of church-government; some maintaining that the election was made solely by the apostles, and intended as a model of the election of ministers by ministers in all succeeding generations; while others maintain from the nature of the term made use of in the Greek, that they must have been chosen by the people: but although it should be allowed that the apostles chose these elders or ministers, it will not follow that those who are destitute of the same divine authority ought to be invested with the same privilege.

These elders are said to have been commended to the Lord in whom they believed, that is, as some suppose, to God, who was able to protect them from all danger, but, as others imagine, with more reason, I conceive, to Christ, who is often called the Lord; and the design of Paul and Barnabas seems to have been to ask for these elders those extraordinary powers which were necessary for their preservation in a season of persecution, or for their success in preaching the gospel. This language corresponds with other passages in this book, which represent Christ as the source whence miraculous powers proceeded, after he had ascended up, as well as while he continued in the world, and rendered it proper for the apostles and other teachers, who derived the power of working miracles from Christ, to address him on the subject, but lays no foundation for addressing similar petitions to him at the present day, when those powers have long ceased. It was to this power that Christ seems to have referred, when he said to his disciples, as he was about to leave them, Lo, I am with you always to the end of the age.

24. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25. And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia ;

26. And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the favour of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

28. And there they abode long time with the disciples.

REFLECTIONS.

1. LET us often and seriously weigh the description here given of the Deity, as the living God who made heaven and earth, and the sea and all things therein, and as the source of all our pleasures and comforts. Let us remember that in this character he is entitled to the highest reverence, and to our supreme and constant affection. When experiencing the goodness of Providence in fruitful seasons, in particular, or tasting his bounty in the plenty with which our board is covered, let us trace all these blessings to his hand, and acknowledge them as his gifts. This will make every repast an act of devotion to God, and give double relish to all our pleasures. To have prophets and instructers, is highly desirable, in order to lead us to a more perfect acquaintance with God and our duty, by explaining his nature, and pointing out the proofs of his existence and government; but these are not absolutely necessary. Lectures of theology and devotion are daily read to us by every event of our lives, by every object which we behold. If we attend not to these instructions, we are left inexcusable.

2. From the horror which these two apostles manifest at idolatry, let us learn to be careful that we do not fall into this gross error. It was no light mistake in their apprehension: it destroyed the very foundation of all genuine piety and devotion, by depriving the Deity of his essential and incommunicable perfections. They rend their clothes with grief, and manifest the greatest eagerness to dissuade the Lycaonians from so weak and impious an act; yet the Lycaonians are not the only persons who call for such expressions of sorrow. It is a lamentable truth that by far the greater part of the Christian world is, at the present day, guilty of the very idolatry which they are so ready to condemn in this people for they ascribe divine attributes and pay divine honours to a man subject to the same frailty and mortality as themselves, and one who actually died, but whom they call God in the likeness of man, or God and man united together. With whatever specious pretences such practices may be covered, they are nothing short of gross idolatry, and would have been viewed with as much horror by the apostles as the conduct of the Lycaonians.

3. In this history we see a striking example of what little value is the favour of the multitude. Him, whom this deluded

people had once been ready to worship as a god, they afterwards treat as worse than man; they stone him with their own hands, and drag him through the streets; not allowing him the respect which was paid to the vilest malefactors, that of interment. Let us learn hence not to make popular favour the object of our pursuit, much less sacrifice to it any principle of truth and duty. It is as changeable as the wind: it may be enjoyed to-day and lost tomorrow. It is only to be acquired, frequently, by flattering the prejudices and countenancing the vices of mankind, and is often forfeited by the noblest acts of integrity and benevolence.

SECTION XXIII.

Disputes respecting the observance of the Mosaic law. apostles decide that it is not incumbent on Gentile converts.

ACTS xv. 1-35

The

1. AND certain men which came down from Judæa, taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

It was not upon circumcision, in itself considered, that they so strongly insisted; but upon that rite as expressive of an obligation to observe the whole law of Moses. In this light, circumcision was regarded by the Jews, and in the same light did the apostles view it; for Paul says to the Galatians, v. 3, I testify to every one of you that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. By the phrase, “being saved," used in this verse, the Jews did not refer to final salvation in a future life, which was not the object of the law, but to deliverance from a heathen state, which is called salvation, and being introduced into the liberty of the people of God. To enjoy this privilege, these Jews maintained it was necessary to observe the law of Moses; but Paul and Barnabas asserted that it was sufficient for this purpose to profess faith in Christ, without conforming to the law.

2. When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined, that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, i. e. some of those who maintained the opposite opinion, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Paul, who was once as bigoted as the rest of his countrymen, tells us, that he was made acquainted with the privileges of the Gentiles by revelation, probably from Christ himself, from whom he derived the knowledge of the gospel. "Be it known unto you, that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery," Eph. iii.

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