Paul was not called to the apostleship because of his personal merit but, being called to the apostleship, he was bound to be zealous, courageous, and laborious in discharging its duties; and the blessedness and honour conferred upon him by his appointment would not only have been lost, they would have given place to the most appalling misery and shame if the responsibilities of his vocation had not been faithfully discharged.
From: The Jewish Temple and the Christian Church: A Series of Discourses on the Epistle to the Hebrews by R. W. Dale; 2nd edition (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1871), p. 165.
R. W. Dale (1829-1895) was a Congregationalist minister and author. At Carr’s Lane Chapel, in Birmingham, England, he was co-pastor with John Angell James from 1853 until James’s death in 1859. He was then sole pastor of the church until his own death.
