Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 238
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PAUL A PRISONER . 231 unbelievingJewswerefranticwithrage. They would have taken the lifeof the Son of God , had not angelsinterposedfor his deliverance. Those men of Nazareth manifested the same spirittoward Christwhich theirforefathershad manifestedtoward Elijah. Blindedby Satan, theycouldnot perceivethe divinecharacterof the Son of God , or appreciatethe truth and purityof hisinstructions. The Saviour'swords of reproofto the men of Nazareth applyin thecaseof Paul,notonly totheunbelievingJews,but tohisown brethren in the faith . Had the leaders in the church fullysurrenderedtheirfeelingsof bitternesstoward the apostle,and acceptedhim as one speciallycalledof God to bear the gospelto the Gentiles, the Lord would have sparedhim to them to still labor for the salvation of souls . He who sees the end from the beginning, and who understands the hearts of all, saw what would be theresultof theenvy and jealousy cherished toward Paul . God had not in his providenceordainedthat Paul's laborsshould so soon end ; but he did not work a miracle to counteract the train of circumstances to which theirown coursegave rise. The same spiritis stillleadingto the same results. A neglectto appreciateand improve theprovisionsof divinegrace, has deprivedthe church of many a blessing. How oftenwould theLord have prolongedthelifeof some faithful minister,had hislaborsbeen appreciated. But ifthechurch permittheenemy of soulstopervert theirunderstanding, so that they misrepresentand misinterpretthe words and actsof the servant of Christ; if they allow themselves