propagation of the Gospel. Let those who are for ever wrangling about matters comparatively trivial, attend to this. If they would but think of that common cause in which they are all embarked; if, instead of irritating and being irritated by mutual recrimination, they would carry on their discussions with temper, and expostulate only in the spirit of love, then would the controversies of the wise become a fountain of increasing light; the cause of truth and freedom would finally triumph over all opposition, and the knowledge of God would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

SERMON

345

SERMON XIV.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Gal. ii. 11-15. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise; insomuch that Barnabas also was led away by their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all; If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the gentiles to live as do the Jews?

NEXT to our Lord himself, the apostle Paul is unquestionably the most prominent character in the history of the New Testament. He

appears

appears first as the determined enemy, and then as the zealous friend of Christianity. By an extraordinary interposition of Divine power, from a persecutor he is converted into an apostle. His mind, suddenly illuminated by a ray from heaven, perceives, abhors, and renounces its former errors. His views are changed, and a corresponding change of conduct ensues; but the great and striking features of his temper and character continue the same. He displays the same mental energy, the same ardent zeal, the same indefatigable activity and perseverance in preaching, as he had once done in persecuting the truth; and the evident cause of that superiority, which he justly claims, in this respect, over all the apostles, is assuredly to be found in his constitutional make, and in the habits which he had acquired previously to his conversion. It were easy to illustrate this at length, from a minute consideration of his interesting history. But it would open far too wide a field; and my only intention, at present, is to contrast the conduct of Peter and Paul, in the instance to which the text refers.

You

You have already seen, how the former was induced, by an ill-timed compliance with the prejudices of his countrymen, to abandon a cause, which he knew, from Divine authority, to be the cause of truth, and how justly he deserved the rebuke of his brother-apostle on that account.

Let us now attend to the conduct of Paul; not from any wish to make an invidious comparison between two illustrious characters, to whose respective labours Christianity is so much indebted; not to exalt the one by partial commendation, nor to depreciate the other by unfounded charges; but to point out, with a practical view, the dif ference of effect, produced upon different men by the same principles; and so to discriminate the features of two minds, in some respects not much unlike, that we may be enabled to give a satisfactory account of this diversity.

The first question that naturally occurs in attending to the conduct of the two apostles is, whether any thing may be perceived, in their outward circumstances, to occasion the

firmness

firmness of the one and the vacillation of the other on the point in question. Was there a stronger temptation on the part of Peter? On the contrary, there appear to have been some considerations, which should have operated with peculiar force, in begetting and strengthening a resolute adherence to the freedom of the Gospel. He was singled out from among his brethren to proclaim that freedom, in the case of Cornelius. He was the first to support it in the council of Jerusalem. His credit among the churches was so great, that, instead of complying with any suggestions from his countrymen, to abridge the liberty of the Gentiles, and thus throwing the weight of his reputation into the scale of error, he should have resisted indignantly the claims of the Judaizing Christians. By expressing his sentiments with a manly decision, he would have encouraged the weak, repressed the insolent, and set the question at rest, as far as his authority could avail.

Paul was assailed by his countrymen as well as Peter. He had the same reasons for wishing to conciliate their good-will; and we know

from