of Divine Providence called for thankfulness, and exhibited the supreme Creator to the consciences of men. Thus faithfully did the Apostles preach conviction of sin to the Lycaonians, and with difficulty prevented the actual performance of the sacrifice, which would have given them more pain than the persecution which followed. The fickle multitude were soon persuaded by some Jews who came from Antioch and Iconium, to harbour the worst opinion of Paul and Barnabas; and the dislike of secular glory which the Apostles manifested, contributed, no doubt, to alienate from them those who of late were so idolatrously attached to them. In a tumult that ensued, St. Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city as a corpse; but, while the disciples stood around him, he rose up and came into the city. The next day he and Barnabas departed to Derbe. There many were converted; and the persecuting spirit intermitting, they visited again in circuit the regions of Pisidia and Lycaonia encouraging the disciples to persevere in the faith of Jesus, in confidence of the Divine support, and in full expectation of the heavenly kingdom, into which real Christians must not expect to enter without encountering much tribulation. They now ordained some of the brethren to minister in every church, and earnestly recommended both pastors and flocks to the care of that gracious Lord on whom they believed with solemn fasting and prayer. Returning through Pamphylia, they preached again at Perga; and from Attalia sailed to the great Antioch, from prayers of the church to the grace of God for the work which they had now fulfilled. Here they remained a considerable time previous to their attendance at the council of Jerusalem; after which they returned to the same church in company with Judas and Silas, who with authority from the mother-church confirmed them in the liberty of the gospel, in conjunction with many other teachers. The Christians of Antioch walked now in genuine consolation; and, while they dared to rest on Christ alone, they practised good works in a filial spirit. Thankful for the assistance of Judas and Silas, they dismissed them to the Apostles who had sent them. Silas, however, chose to remain in the service of the Gentiles. Some days afterwards, Paul proposed to Barnabas a second circuitous visitation of the Asiatic churches. Barnabas, fond of Mark his nephew, proposed to take him with them. Paul, remem bering his former desertion, thought him unfit for the work. On which side there was more blame in this contest it may be hard to determine. Probably both were too positive; but to us, at this distance of time, St. Paul's view of the question seems to be more just. The consequence was a separation between these two Christian leaders; and it does not appear that they ever saw one another afterwards, though we may be assured that their esteem and regard for each other continued. The best men are but men. Barnabas sailed with Mark to Cyprus, where he is dismissed from the sacred memoirs.* * Milner's History of the Church of Christ. We cannot depend on any thing concerning St. Barnabas besides what has been mentioned from the Acts of the Apostles. It is supposed that he spent his last days in his native island, and that he was stoned to death at Salamis by the Jews. The Epistle which bears his name, though certainly very antient, is generally thought to be a forgery. That St. Barnabas was endued by God "with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost," as is asserted in the introductory part of our collect, has been proved by the memoirs of his life which have been recited. The Scripture declares him to have been "a good man, full of the Holy "Ghost and of faith." His warm charity to the souls and bodies of men, his fervid zeal and persevering diligence in the work of the ministry, are prominent features of the preceding narrative. By a long series of affectionate labours he "hazarded his life for the name of the "Lord Jesus," as the college of Apostles testfied concerning him. On this memorial of St. Barnabas we found a prayer for the communication of the same gifts to ourselves in such measures as may be necessary to our personal profit and extrinsecal usefulness. We implore not a renewal of miraculous powers, but to be furnished, with those talents which may qualify us for the station which we hold in the church, whether as ministers or people. We acknowledge that all ability to do good, whether mental or corporeal, proceeds from God," without whom nothing is strong, "nothing is holy." It is deeply to be lamented that few professing Christians consider the source of those abilities which they possess, or feel any desire to employ them for their proper end, the "honour and glory of God, through Jesus "Christ our Lord." We moreover implore "grace" that we may always use the gifts which God bestows on us to His honour and glory. O what a humiliating view of the human heart doth this petition of our collect present, since it supposes that we are liable to employ God's own gifts to His dishonour! That it is not a libel, awful matter of fact demonstrates. For, Oh! how many have no concern for the promotion of the Divine glory, though they must know that all they have proceeds from God. They seek their "own, and not the things which are Jesus "Christ's." They forget that they are placed in the church for the fulfilment of duties which they owe to it and its Lord; and the language of their daily conduct is, "We are our own. But among those persons who know that they are intrusted with talents for the purpose of promoting the Divine glory, how needful is an importunate use of the prayer before us! For how faint and interrupted is our pursuit of that object which we have in view! How defective in humility, charity, and zeal, do we prove ourselves to be! And how often do secular interests bias our minds, diverting our aim from the interests of God and His church! Surely every pious minister must feel the necessity of praying for a large measure of God's "manifold gifts," when he considers the work in which he is embarked; and for grace to use what he possesses, or may yet be conferred on him, to the Divine honour, when he contemplates the selfishness and worldliness of his own heart. And surely every pious layman also, considering that while he is a recipient of blessing he is also |