authority in the Church at Jerusalem; yet (not did they send, but) persecution scattered abroad, throughout all the regions of Judea and Samaria, the first preachers in those parts of the Gospel: it was an effect of Providence, that they were scattered (viii. 1); grace led them, everywhere, to speak of Him they loved (ver. 4). It is the Holy Ghost who says to the prophets and teachers who were gathered together in prayer at Antioch, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (chap. xiii.). In this case, the mission is manifestly directly from God in the assembly.

From Paphos they go to Perga; whence John departs from them, returning to Jerusalem. But they go onward, whither the Spirit led them, to Antioch, in Pisidia. There, in the synagogue, Paul gave his testimony on the seventh day (ver. 16-41), with no little blessing. The Jews leave the synagogue; the Gentiles beg to hear the word again. Many of the Jews and proselytes follow Paul and Barnabas, who persuade them to continue in the grace of God. Next Sabbath, all the city, so to speak, comes to hear. Envy moves the Jews against the words spoken by Paul; they contradict and blaspheme. This forces these servants of the Lord to make good the position to which their work led them. They warn the Jews, and turn, in the most formal way, to the Gentiles. This is so important a step in their course, that we may as well quote the text: "But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation. unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (ver. 45-48).

The word spreads (ver. 49).

The unhappy Jews stir

up persecution, and thrust the word and the Lord's messengers of it from them; but they, shaking off the dust of their feet against them, come to Iconium: and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.

At Iconium, the testimony again begins in the synagogue: there is decided blessing (xiv. 1), and opposition (ver. 2). But the Lord is with them in power (ver. 3); persecution ensues. They pass on to Lystra and Derbe (ver. 6). At Lystra, Paul displays his power on a cripple who had faith to be healed. The mob salutes them as gods, and would make Barnabas to be Jupiter, and Paul Mercury (he being the chief speaker). They protest against the blasphemy (ver. 8-18); and in the next verse (19) we read, that Jews came down from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people; and having stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. But the mercy of the Lord was, in this case, above the enemy's spite and the disciples' fears; for as these last stood round Paul, he rose up and came into the city: thence he is onward to Derbe; back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

They seek to settle the souls of the disciples in faith and patience (ver. 22), appoint elders in every assembly, and commend the disciples to the Lord with prayer. They pass onward, through various places, back to Antioch, whence they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled; and there relate what they have passed through-all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

The next chapter is one of peculiar interest in many respects. It contains an account of the effort made by some coming from Judea, to legalise the brethren at Antioch, through a false place given by them to the ordinance of circumcision. The disciples determine to take up the matter, and to send up Paul, Barnabas, and others to the head-quarters of such teaching. They go up, spreading joy everywhere by the blessed news of the conversion of the Gentiles. At Jerusalem they are received, announce the same good news, and set forth

the legalizing teaching complained of. Peter (and it is the last time he appears in this book) takes his place as the one whom God had chosen among them, that the Gentiles by his mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.

God had given to the Gentiles the Holy Ghost, as well as to the Jews: He had put no difference between the two; both were to have the heart purified by faith. Why, then, tempt God, and put an unbearable yoke on the necks of disciples? Such was his thought. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (ver. 11). Barnabas and Paul then declare what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them (ver. 12). James confirms Peter's judgment (ver. 13-21). The apostles and elders of the whole Church send forth their written judgment by Barsabas and Silas, chosen men of their own company, who are to go down with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch (ver. 22-29). This, which seemed good to the Holy Ghost and them at Jerusalem, is in a very solemn way made known at Antioch; and they were glad (ver. 30, 31). Judas and Silas aid in the work; and, even when let go in peace, still please to stay on there (ver. 32-34).

Paul, after a time, proposes to Barnabas to repeat their former excursion: they split upon the question of companions. The contention was sharp, and issued in Barnabas taking Mark (who on the former occasion had turned back from the work), and sailing for Cyprus (alas! his native place); and Paul departs with Silas, being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God- -no little matter that.

Here I close for my subject was not the apostleship of Paul, but Heaven as it is, so far as it manifests itself in the setting up of the Church upon earth. We have seen the expressions of heaven as it is in acts; and we have seen deeds which proclaim the love and wisdom. and power of God and of Jesus in heaven, owned now as Lord and Christ and Son of God, and of the Holy Ghost come down to earth. The aggressiveness of the love; the pertinacity and faithfulness of it; the way that

power, in Providence and circumstances, acts, so as to make good the purposes of love where man fails to understand the Spirit's mind and teaching, and the depth and wisdom of the Lord's ways-are all to be noted and admired. What a master-stroke is found in the choice of Saul of Tarsus, the leader of the persecution by the circumcision, to be made the apostle of the uncircumcision! What depth in using the very persecution as the means of spreading the word everywhere; and that, too, when the Jerusalem prejudices of the twelve apostles had hindered them in understanding and in going forward with the commission they had received!

Jerusalem, and the testimony presented there by the Church, and renewed in various ways; the cities of Judea; Samaria; a Gentile proselyte; the Gentile Cornelius, and those with him-these were the trophies of grace in connection with the circumcision: the circumcision, as such, being clearly a mark for earth. The call of Saul as apostle of the uncircumcision-called from heaven, and sent by the Holy Ghost-is another thing. And the gradual leading of Saul through all the questions which seemed on earth to entangle his freedom, and his coming out in the close of this chapter, not with Barnabas, who had befriended him (ix. 25) and counted on him (xi. 25), but with Silas (whom he chose, xv. 40, and) whose working propensities had approved themselves at Antioch, is remarkable, and tells of a mind in heaven which was directing everything for him.

The differences between the Church when at Jerusa lem, and the Churches of heavenly disciples the wide world over, would tell many a tale of the perfectness of the same wisdom, love, and power, had we room to go into them.

For divine and heavenly grace, acting upon a limit which was confined by its connection with Jerusalem (God's self-chosen centre for earthly dealings), could not express itself in the same free way as it chose for itself when its connection was (not with Jerusalem upon earth, but) with Jesus as Son of God in heaven-earthrejected, though owned in heaven as Lord and Christ.

No. XVIII.

THE WORK OF GRACE FOR, AND THE WORK OF GRACE IN, MAN.

"THEN were there two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the king of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth" (Mat. xxvii. 38-44).

"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke xxiii. 39–43).

THE SAVIOUR, the Son of Man, was dying: the just One in place of the many unjust; bearing our sins in His own body on the tree. This was His great work for us. But of the two malefactors, between whom He was crucified, both of whom had reviled Him-one became converted, and showed a work of grace wrought in him.

The work of grace for us, and the work of grace in us, are not one and the same thing, any more than the death of Christ for the thief, and the change inside the thief (by the means of which he ceased to be a blasphemer and owned Jesus), were one and the selfsame thing. The former is outside of us, and was in and by