LECTURE IX.

CHAPTERS XIII, XIV.

IN the 13th and 14th chapters of the Acts, we have

an account of the appointment of Barnabas and Saul to their ministry, their mission upon that service, and the discharge of their duty in several places, between the time of their leaving Antioch and their return thither; which is thought to occupy a space of two or three years. "There were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers, as Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." The designation here spoken of is to a particular work or ministry; not an investing with apostolical power and authority, nor an ordination of them to be bishops in the Christian church. St. Paul declares

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of himself, that he was an Apostle, not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ;" from whom he received this high commission at the time of his conversion, as is plain from the following words of our Lord," For I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness, both of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send thee." Where we are to observe, that the original word, translated send, is that very word from which the term apostle is immediately derived. Accordingly we find him entering upon his office without further ceremony, preaching the Gospel at Damascus, Judea, and, without doubt, in many other places before his present appointment. And in his Epistle to the Galatians he speaks in the fullest and most explicit manner upon the subject; For I neither received it (the Gospel) of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

As to the imposition of hands, it was a ceremony used on various occasions, and for divers purposes. Of these the principal in spiritual matters were consecration and benediction. An instance of the former may be seen in the ordaining of persons to sacred functions: of the latter, in our Saviour's putting his hands upon little children and blessing them. Now the office of Apostle, comprehending

in it all ecclesiastical power, and entitling to the performance of every religious duty, could not receive the least increase of authority from the imposition of hands, especially of those not apostolical. We are, therefore, to look upon it, on the present occasion, as nothing more than "recommending them to the grace of God for the work which they were to fulfil;" which are the very words of St. Luke, explaining the nature of their mission in the next chapter, c. 14. v. 26.

And, as it is judiciously remarked by an able and candid writer,* the account here contended for exactly suits the manner in which the other Apostles were appointed. They were Apostles from the time that Jesus Christ called them to attend upon him: Luke 6. 13. So Paul was from the beginning called, and appointed to be an Apostle and by degrees he was qualified for it, as his commission opened. And in time he was called out by Divine Providence to the full execution of it. But all along he was an Apostle, and acted and taught as such : first preaching to Jews at Damascus, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and other parts, and then to Gentiles.

As to Barnabas, it seems pretty evident that he was invested with apostolic power before this time; namely, when he was sent by the church at Jerusalem (where the chief of the apostles then were) to Antioch; and having brought Paul from Tarsus

* Dr. Lardner.

thither, continued to preach there with him a whole year, and made a great multitude of converts. But supposing for a moment that some general power resided in those prophets and teachers, of creating apostles or bishops; yet I cannot see what use could be made of the concession, as applying to the case before us. For if we will fairly consider the circumstances, there appears not the slightest exercise of human authority. In the second verse we read, that "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul ;" and in the fourth, that they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed.”—What can be more clear, to shew their commission immediately derived from Heaven? Or can language more plainly exclude all pretensions of man from the least share in their appointment, whatever it be? I can see no difference between the present mode of conveying the divine will, issuing the command directly to Barnabas and Saul, to separate themselves for the work; unless it were to give the greater solemnity to the order, greater assurance and satisfaction to the minds of their companions, and more mutual trust and harmony among the members of the church. To these we may add their natural effect, the prayers and good wishes of the brethren for the success of their ministry; which was the very event here described.

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Paul and Barnabas, thus sent away, went first to Selucia, a city of Syria, about twelve miles from Antioch, whence they sailed to the island of Cyprus; and having arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, of whom there were great multitudes in the island. It was probably for this reason, rather than because it was the native country of Barnabas, that they went thither; their Divine Master having enjoined his disciples to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."-Having passed. through the isle to Paphos, the seat of the deputy or *proconsul Sergius Paulus; this governor," a prudent man, called for them; and desired to hear the word of God."-But a certain Jewish sorcerer, named Barjesus, or by interpretation Elymas, (which signifies magician) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith;" for which offence he was struck by St. Paul with blindness.

We are naturally led by the occasion to make some reflections upon the guilt of those men, who abuse their talents, and employ their subtilty, in perverting the faith of others. It is scarcely possible to conceive a greater crime. For what is it less than to destroy those hopes which are the sweet

* Augustus reserved the most powerful provinces of the Roman empire to himself; the rest he gave to the people and senate. The governors of the former were called lieutenants or proprætors; of the latter, procunsuls. Cyprus was, at first, the emperor's province, but afterwards given to the senate, in exchange for Dalmatia. The title of proconsul is therefore just.