Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/831

 who made  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  things  that are in  them: who  in  past  generations  suffered  all  nations  to  walk in their  own  way. Nevertheless, He  left  not  Himself  without testimony, doing  good  from  heaven,  giving  rains  and  fruitful seasons, filling  our  hearts  with  food  and  gladness.”

Having heard  this,  many  believed  in  the  word  of  God. But some Jews  who  had  come  from  Antioch  and  Iconium  stirred  up the  people  against  Paul. They stoned  him  until  they  thought  he was  dead,  and  cast  him  out  of  the  city.

But while  the  disciples  of  the  city,  who  had  gone  out,  stood weeping around  him,  he  arose  and  went  back  with  them  to the  city. Then he  and  Barnabas,  having  announced  the  Gospel in Derbe,  returned  to  the  cities  where  they  had  already  preached. They exhorted  the  disciples  to  persevere,  ordained  priests  for them in  every  church,  and  with  fasting  and  prayer  commended them to  the  Lord. Finally, they  returned  to  Antioch,  and  related the great  things  which  God  had  done  through  them,  and  how  He had  opened  the  door  of  faith  to  the  Gentiles.

God the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth. “God”,  in  St.  Paul’s  words, “made heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  things  that  are  in  them.”

The Justice  and  Mercy  of  God.  The  avenging  hand  of  God  (Acts 14,  n)  struck  the  sorcerer  with  blindness. He was  deprived  of  the light of  the  sun,  because  he  shut  his  eyes  to  the  heavenly  light  of  truth. God, however,  showed  mercy  towards  him  as  well  as  justice,  for  he was  not  deprived  of  sight  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  but  only  “for  a time”. His blindness  was  intended  by  God  to  be  the  means  of  his  salvation, and, having  served  for  his  conversion,  was  removed.

The ordination  of  priests  and  bishops.  Our  Lord  Himself  called Paul to  be  an  apostle,  even  as  He  had  Himself  directly  converted  him to the  true  faith. We have  seen  that,  in  spite  of  his  conversion  by  the direct intervention  of  God,  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  be  baptized and received  into  the  Church  by  one  of  her  ministers;  for  which  purpose our  Lord  sent  Ananias  to  him. Now in  the  same  way  that  Paul