doubt that he was an eminently good man. Paul, some years after this event, desired to have him as a son associated with himself in the ministry, as Titus also had been, 2 Timothy, iv., 11: "Titus is gone to Galatia; only Luke is with me: bring Mark, for he is profitable to me in the ministry." Peter also mentions him as his son; and it was at the house of Mark that Peter made his sudden appearance from the prison.-1 Peter, v., 13. Acts, xii., 12. The conduct of Mark, however, on the occasion referred to in the context, was certainly deserving of censure; and, on a dispassionate view of the circumstances, Paul appears to have acted right: Mark did not seem a proper person to be depended on in trials; and Barnabas, swayed by natural partiality, was not judicious in pressing his choice; he might, indeed, have known his nephew's sorrow and amendment more than Paul, yet to us it appears that Paul acted the wiser part of the two. A few practical observations, suggested by this occurrence, now deserve our attention. * 1. The first is, that we should learn to expect considerable imperfections even in the best of men. Who could have supposed that Barnabas, peculiarly mentioned as "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith," would have acted thus? With respect to Paul, not a word is needed; he evidently stood at the highest point of Christian excellence. Yet these two men-men of gigantic piety-failed in this manner. It was not a mere difference of opinion; it was a "sharp contention"-a paroxysm— for this is the word in the original-so that they could not act in concert. Hence we should learn not to be surprised or discouraged when we discover faults in excellent men, since there were faults in those who formed the brightest ornaments of the primitive Church. We are apt to exaggerate the practical virtues of the first Christians. In love to God and zeal for his glory, they might greatly excel modern believers; but in correctness of conduct, they were probably not superior. So faulty were many of the Corinthians who had embraced the faith, that they made the holy communion an occasion of intemperance. We must not expect too much of any man: whenever we believe the heart to be right with God, we must exercise great tenderness in judging; and, instead of severity, we must employ mild reproof and admonition. 2. We should admire the ingenuousness of the sacred writers in recording the faults of the saints. As a perfect adherence to truth must accompany whatever is written under the direction of the Spirit of truth, it was to be expected that, in describing even the most illustrious propagators of Christianity, their faults should napolvopos Each of these holy men probably forgot, on this occasion, that feature of Christian love, as portrayed by Paul: ǹ ayazn ov napɔvverat. Both exemplified their own_acknowl edgment, so recently and so beautifully expressed to the men of Lystra : ἡμεῖς ὁμοιοπαθείς εσμεν bui avoρwпо, "we also are men of like passions with yourselves."-GRINFIELD. be unveiled; and there appears a solicitude to present every thing in its natural light-to tell things as they were. Thus Peter is reproved for his dissimulation by Paul. His denial of his Lord is recorded by all the four evangelists; we hear of the two apostles contending for the highest place in their Master's kingdom; we hear of their intolerant spirit, in wishing to call down fire from heaven on their opponents, when Jesus said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." Such is the remarkable candour that distinguishes these records from all others: and this is a proof of the Holy Spirit being the Guide of those who penned them; otherwise there must have been a degree of partiality, such as is found in every zealous historian of a party. 3. The differences of good men respect the means of doing good, not the object itself; they relate to the measures to be chosen, not to the end. Paul and Barnabas were equally influenced by the desire of serving Christ and doing good to men-equally ready to live and die for the same holy cause; yet they differed entirely on a point of practical prudence. The regenerate and the unregenerate differ in their motives and their ends: the one party are governed by regard to this world, the other by regard to eternity; but the differences of good men respect only minor arrangements for promoting the benefit of mankind and the glory of God. When, therefore, we see good men taking different ways to the same great end, what do we see but a repetition of the case before us? They may separately pursue their differing measures, but all are actuated by the same principles-all are embarked in the same cause. And this leads us to remark that, in such instances, they may and ought to separate, wishing each other "God speed." Paul and Barnabas were afterward employed in different parts of the same great field, in sowing the same heavenly seed; and where practical matters, or matters of discipline, are such that we cannot agree with each other, it is better quietly to separate, and act each on our own plan. Had this been always done, there would have been no oppression of the weaker party by the strong-no attempt to impose a yoke of uniformity on all. 4. Let us learn to admire the wisdom of Providence in overruling this evil for good, and making such separations subserv ient to the greater extension of the gospel. It is the manner of the Divine Being to act thus, turning things the least promising in their first appearance to ultimate advantage. In consequence of the dissension before us, Paul takes in Silas, and thus a new labourer is gained; and thus the differences of Christians lead to their separating into independent congregations (and to me it is clear that all churches were originally independent congregations), while each becomes a nucleus around which others are formed. The division of opinion leads to the division of labour; and this results in the greater usefulness to the whole. Thus the first churches sprang out of dissent. Much evil may at first be blended with these separations; but by degrees it passes away, is quite forgotten, and a great enlargement of the means of grace ensues. Let me not, however, be mistaken, as encouraging separations. We are by no means to lend ourselves to a spirit of division and schism, than which nothing can be more opposed to the unity desired and taught by Christ. But, if we cannot agree, let us separate in love, as the different members of one body. 5. Let us remember that the differences of good men, though sharp at the moment, are short in duration. No doubt Paul and Barnabas were soon reconciled; and as to Mark, "Bring Mark with thee," says Paul to Timothy. He kept the door of his heart open to reconciliation, on a more correct estimate of Mark's character, and was ready to embrace him as a brother. This is our duty: "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath; yea, let all wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." If others have the spirit of Christ, and love Him, it is at our peril that we reject them; and if we cannot now do much together, we should look forward with joy to that period when all will be one, all will worship in one place, join in one song, have one mind; when we shall all feel as one with each other, united to Christ as He is united to the Father. "Ephraim shall no more envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim.” There is a greater approximation to this happy state, there is a greater unity among all the real and vital parts of the Christian Church, than there has ever yet been. Something of this spirit is felt in the holy communion; and, if it is delightful in a small company, oh! how delightful must it be in the great assembly of the Church triumphant, to celebrate the passover of the Lamb who was slain, who has redeemed us with his blood, and made us kings and priests to God forever and forever! LIX. THE FOUNDATION LAID IN ZION.* 1 PETER, ii., 6-8 Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe, He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. [Preached at Cambridge.] ALTHOUGH the Saviour was sufficiently revealed under the former dispensations, as the object of faith and the foundation of human hope, * Reported in the Pulpit, vol. xiii, yet many things relating to Him which" were hid from ages and generations, are now made known to the saints;" and it is the peculiar province of inspired apostles to unlock and open the meaning of inspired prophets. Human reason is a bad guide without revelation, and fancy is a worse. It cannot, however, be reasonably doubted that the pious Jews, who lived in the days of the prophet, understood him as speaking in these words of the promised Messiah, and of the blessings of his great salvation. The Apostle Peter has, indeed, put this matter beyond all doubt. Viewed in the superior light of the New Testament Scriptures, every part of the passage before us evidently holds forth evangelical instruction. In the former part of the chapter the prophet is denouncing the judgments of God against the ten tribes of Israel; and he is pointing out the sensuality of the people whom he was addressing; that in the prospect of these judgments they had recourse to human policies and arms of flesh. He points out their inadequacy to sustain them in seasons of actual danger; and he proposes and substitutes the real and proper object of confidence in the words of the text. These prophecies, we have reason to believe, in their ultimate sense, penetrated to a very distant period of time; to the judgments which God had determined to execute upon the unbelieving Jewish people, and to the great salvation which He was pleased to manifest in the person of his Son. They give an illustrious description of Him as the only foundation of human hopes. He is frequently styled the foundation in the New Testament. "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Peter describes the Church of God as a building composed of "living stones," and placed upon the foundation laid in Zion. "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded." The variation of the words from the passage before us is sufficiently accounted for, by recollecting that the apostle made use of the Septuagint; therefore, instead of substituting "ye shall not make haste," the apostle says, "shall not be confounded;" which is expressive, in figurative terms, of the prophet's assertion, that such as are overtaken with danger, though it be the most formidable, resting upon this foundation shall not make haste, nor "be confounded, world without end." After having set aside other foundations of confidence and hope, the Divine Being claims the prerogative of laying the only foundation for human sinners to build their hopes upon. To lay a foundation of hope and confidence under the greatest calamity, is the work of God alone; and it is that which is the most illustrious of his operations.. This foundation of peace, safety, holiness, and salvation, is not suggested by the human mind, is not the discovery of human reason. God is its sole author; and had he not communicated it to us, our prospects had been dark indeed! "Behold, I lay in Zion," &c; and as JEHOVAH claims the glory of the excellence of this foundation, we may be assured that it is in the highest esteem in his sight, as well as worthy of our regard and admiration. In this grand device, all his perfections are illustrated and glorified, in the view of angels and men, in the highest possible degree. Thus he condescends to speak of it : "Behold," &c. In the Hebrew, the words are "a foundation, a foundation on which whosoever trusteth or believeth, shall not make haste.” We cannot doubt that, under these magnificent expressions, the Holy Spirit means to point out the great Saviour of the world as the foundation of human hopes. It will be my endeavour to show how great a work it is to lay such a firm foundation as guilty creatures may build on with eternal safety. There are those who have not been aware of any difficulty in such a work, or of any impediment in the way. In consequence of which, they see nothing in the person and work of the Saviour; He grows up before them as a root out of the dry ground, and when they see Him, there is no form or comeliness in Him, nor any beauty for which they should desire Him. They have not had any just conceptions of their true state and condition by nature, as it is represented in Scripture. We cannot be prepared to estimate the value of salvation, but in just proportion to our sense and conviction of a state of danger and misery to which it bears relation. "The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." No person that is not awakened by the Spirit to cry after salvation is properly apprized of its infinite concern and importance. It appears to be the most momentous inquiry," How shall man be just with God?" yet the difficulties attending this are of a peculiar nature; no human capacity fully conceives of them. Men possess astonishing powers of mind; but when the question is, how we may be reconciled to God, finite understanding leaves us without an answer, without a resource. We can barely hope that there may be some way wherein such guilty creatures may be pardoned without infringement upon Divine justice. The difficulty attending this case may be perceived by considering what is requisite to lay the sure foundation of human hopes. 1st. If the Majesty of heaven is insulted and his just displeasure provoked, some way must be devised in which the terrible effects thereof may be averted. In human government, how necessary is order! But when we consider what insult is cast upon the majesty and laws of God by the apostacy of millions in every age, who can fail to see the necessity of some method by which the pardon of sin may be rendered consistent with the glory of the Divine character and government? And here is a difficulty which human reason must forever have failed to solve. 2dly. There is a law-the constitution of moral reason-under which, by the light of nature, men are laid. In the volume of revelation its duties are described and its sanctions enforced. This law is absolute, because it is the exact truth of what God has a just right to require of his rational and accountable creatures. Hence its sentence, if it be once violated, can never be reversed. It is a dispensation of strict and impartial justice. This law denounces the curse of God in case of failure of that obedience which it requires, and promises life to those who render perfect obedience to its holy precepts. The curse |