them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may renounce those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen1."

1 Collect 3d Sunday after Easter.

LECTURE XII.

ACTS XI. XII. 1—23.

St. Peter's Defence of his conduct—Barnabas and Paul preach the Gospel one whole year at Antioch in Syria-Martyrdom of James, the brother of John-Imprisonment and deliverance of Peter-Death of Herod Agrippa. JerusalemAntioch-Jerusalem-Cæsarea. A. D. 41-44.

IN common life, when a person of superior attainments or abilities delivers new discoveries to the world, they are received at first with caution and distrust, if not with envy and ill-nature: afterwards, when time has made known their utility, or reason has more fully investigated, and given its sanction to their valuable properties, the tide of public favour returns upon the discoverer, and the effects of his wisdom are embraced with confidence and admiration. Such was the case with St. Peter, in consequence of the very extensive additions he was making to the Church, by the admission of Cornelius into it, as the first-fruits of the Gentile world; with this difference, indeed, that human inventions exhibit only the wisdom of men, but the new discoveries of the Apostle, on this occasion,

declare, in a peculiar manner, the revelation of the wisdom of God.

The fame of this innovation, as they thought it, reached the Apostles, and Brethren, while St. Peter still resided at Cæsarea. On his return to Jerusalem, he was called warmly to account for his conduct, by those who still retained the prejudices and rites of their old religion. So difficult is it even for good men, long accustomed to peculiar habits, to accommodate their minds to new principles, however beneficial. St. Peter's defence was vigorous and conclusive. He related his vision; and to shew that he could not be mistaken in the interpretation of it, he represents to them that, God had set his seal to it by an effusion of such spiritual gifts, as had borne witness to their own separation to the work of the ministry. "The Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” "What then was I, that I could withstand God?" The argument was unanswerable; and, confirmed, as it was, at that time by six brethren, who had been eye-witnesses of the whole transaction, and had accompanied St. Peter to Jerusalem to bear this testimony, they acknowledged God's goodness in the event; they thankfully acquiesced in the declaration of this great extension of the Gospel, and said, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

Here again appears that valuable doctrine, to which all the law and all the Gospel were subserWe find it in every

vient, repentance unto life!

discourse, and even in every incidental reflection,

introduced by St. Luke into his history of the Apostles' Acts. At the point of time in which we behold it here, it is indeed precious, as it extends its promises to us, who form a portion of those Gentiles, to whom our Almighty Father thus grants repentance unto life. He places us in a condition of salvation. He He says, "This is the way, walk ye in it." My grace is sufficient for thee. Take it on those terms, and on those terms only, by which I offer it. Repentance unto life cannot but be highly acceptable to every sinner. We are all sinners; and therefore, as we hope for mercy in the hour of need, let us accept the condition, that we may receive the great, the invaluable benefit.

We may remember, that upon St. Stephen's death, a dispersion of the believers in Christ took place, which was attended with this happy circumstance, that they carried with them into various regions the important knowledge of the Gospel. The country of Phoenicia, the island of Cyprus, and Antioch, the very opulent and populous metropolis of Syria, received these holy emigrants, who propagated in those places, with indefatigable zeal, the evangelical doctrines, confining their preaching to the Jewish converts only. But when a part of these holy men, who were natives of Cyprus and Cyrene, came to Antioch, having been made well acquainted with the vision, and the consequent opinion and practice of St. Peter, they began to instruct the Grecians, that is, the devout Gentiles, also. The conversion of the Hellenists, or Grecising Jews, had been spoken of before.

St. Luke is now proceeding to a new period, or advance, in the first planting of the Gospel, and acquaints us with the reception of the Judaising Greeks, as they may be called, the uncircumcised Gentiles, into the Church'. The same blessed signs follow those that believe; "the hand of the Lord was with them." The blessing of God always attends the true preaching of his word; and whether the holy dew fall in Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch, or Great Britain, a great number will still believe; a great number will still continue to be turned to the Lord.

The prosperous condition of the infant Church at Antioch, induced the council of Apostles, resident at Jerusalem, to send an assistant, fully competent, and commissioned to confirm them in the truth. The industry and integrity of Barnabas, and the eminent spiritual gifts which he possessed, occasioned him to be selected for this purpose. He was, besides, a native of Cyprus, a Gentile like themselves, and therefore it is probable would be most acceptable to persons of the same outward condition; and, what could not but recommend him above all to their attention and affection, he was a son of consolation, a humane compassionate man; he had an hand, and heart, ready to relieve every suffering fellow-creature ; and accordingly, during the first exigency of the Church, as we have already seen, he had parted with valuable

'Benson's History of the first Planting of the Christian Religion, p. 246.