Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

more blameable of the two; first, because he seems to have been too much actuated by partiality for his nephew; and next, because the Church at Antioch appear to have sided with the Apostle Paul; "commending him with renewed earnestness to the grace of God," whilst Barnabas was suffered to depart without any such expressions of their regard'. Still it seems as if Paul himself was not wholly blameless, in suffering the contention to rise to such a pitch; when, if he had proposed to refer the matter to God with solemn fasting and prayer, we can have no doubt but that God would have made known to them his will respecting it.

The separation however was overruled for good: for Paul went with Silas, and Barnabas with Mark, each to his native country m, m, where they hoped to labour with most effect; and thus "confirmed and established more Churches"" than they could have done, if they had executed the plan that was at first proposed.]

We will now endeavour to,

II. Fulfil the design in reference to the Church here present―

The design of their projected journey was, to inquire into the state of the different Churches which they had planted: "Let us go and see how they do.” Now if such an inquiry was necessary among the apostolic Churches, doubtless it cannot be superfluous amongst us. We will direct our inquiry then,

1. Generally, to the Church at large

[We are called a Christian Church: but are there not many amongst us who have no more of Christianity than the name? In the Church of Philadelphia there were some who "said they were Jews, and were not, but did lie":" and so it is amongst us: there are many who "name the name of Christ," without ever once endeavouring "to depart from iniquity," or truly to give up themselves to him as his disciples. But, to speak rather of those who profess a love for the Gospel, and who therefore more resemble the primitive Church; are there not many who "have a name that they live, and yet are dead;" or, at least, "the gracious dispositions that remain in them are so weak, that they are ready to die??" Are there not many who "have left their first love," and are relapsed into such a lukewarm state, (neither cold nor hot,) m Acts iv. 36. and xxi. 29.

k Col. iv. 10.

1 ver. 40. n ver. 41. and Acts xvi. 5.

P Rev. iii. 1, 2. q Rev. ii. 4.

• Rev. iii. 9.

that they are as hateful to God as if they made no profession at all? And are there not many also of whom it must be said, that "their works are not perfect before Gods:" and that, instead of having "their last works more than their first"," they have lost much of their spirituality and devotion to God? Verily, if we were to address you all, as John did Gaius, and "wish your bodies to be in health, and prosper as your souls prosper," we fear that we should be wishing the greater part of you either sick or dead ".]

2. Particularly, to different classes of Christians in the Church

[ocr errors]

St. John divides the members of Christ's mystical body into three classes, "little children, young men, and fathers.' We ask then of the "little children," in what state are you? Are you "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?" and, in order to the promotion of that growth, are you "desiring and delighting in the sincere milk of the word?" Are you sensible of your weakness and sinfulness; and looking to the Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse you daily in his blood, and to uphold you by his Spirit? And are you so diligent in every good work, as to "make your profiting appear unto all?" To the young men, of whom it is said that

the word of God abideth in them, and that they overcome the wicked one "," we next address ourselves: Do you indeed find that "the word of Christ dwells richly in you in all wisdom?" that the precepts are your guide, and the promises your support? Do you go forth with that "word as the sword of the Spirit," to fight with all your spiritual enemies? and do you shew from day to day, that you are gaining fresh victories over the flesh and all its lusts, the world and all its vanities, and the devil and all his temptations? If there be any amongst us who, on account of their long standing and their high attainments in the divine life, are worthy the name of fathers, we would ask of them, are you increasingly growing in an acquaintance with God, so as to "walk with him," like Enoch? and are you "forgetting all that you have attained, and reaching forth to still higher attainments, and pressing forward for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?"

Let all of every class search and try themselves, that they may know what answer to give to such inquiries as these. The great High-Priest walketh among the seven golden candlesticks, and observes infallibly the state of every lamp, whether it be burning dimly, or its light be bright: and to every one will

Rev. iii. 15, 16.

u 3 John, ver. 2.

s Rev. iii. 2. * 1 Pet. ii. 2.

t Rev. ii. 19. y 1 John ii. 14.

z Rev. i. 14, 20.

he give according to his state before God. Let this inquiry then lead you all to diligent examination, and redoubled earnestness in the ways of God: for "we have no greater joy, than that our children walk in truth":" and " then we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord"."]

a Rev. i. 23.

b3 John, ver. 4.

c 1 Thess. iii. 8.

MDCCLXXXV.

THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA.

Acts xvi. 14, 15. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

IN preaching the Gospel to mankind, every minister will not be alike successful; though every one may expect such a measure of success, as shall be a testimony from God to the truth of his declarations, and a seal to the commission with which he has been charged. More especially may we hope to convert sinners unto God, if we are attentive to the calls of his providence, respecting the proper sphere of our labours. We may, like the Apostles, spread our net wide, and "toil all the night, and catch nothing:" but, if our Lord instruct us where to cast the net, we may hope to enclose a multitude of fishes. The commission given to the Apostles was, to "go and preach the Gospel to every creature:" yet there were particular places to which, at particular times, their attention was more especially directed. St. Paul, after going through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, would have gone into Asia and Bithynia; but he was forbidden by the Holy Ghost to go there'; and was instructed by a vision to go over rather into Macedonia. There therefore he went; and there he met with the woman of whom our text speaks; and was

a Jer. xxiii. 22.

b

ver. 6, 7.

с

ver. 9, 10.

the happy instrument of saving her soul alive. Her name, her occupation, her character, and the place of her nativity, are all distinctly noticed: she was called "Lydia;" and was "of the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple" clothes; and a worshipper of the true God. We forbear, however, to dwell on these circumstances, in order that we may consider more fully the means and evidences of her conversion:I. The means of her conversion

Lydia was, by nature, like all the rest of mankind: her heart was shut against the truths of the Gospel: nor could she either receive or know them, because she possessed not a spiritual discernment. But the Lord "knocked, as it were, at the door" of her heart, and constrained her to open to him: he fixed her attention to the subject which Paul insisted on; gave her an insight into it; inclined her cordially to embrace the truth; and thus "subdued her to the obedience of faith."

Now this is the way in which the work of conversion is always effected—

[We say not that every person is wrought upon as suddenly as she was; or that there are not many subordinate points in which the conversion of others may differ from hers: but we are sure that every natural man is blind to the Gospel of Christ"; that both the sublimity of its doctrines and the purity of its precepts is offensive to him; that an effort of omnipotence also is exerted to overcome the reluctance of his soul; and that, till that influence is felt, he will hold fast his delusions, "confounding good and evil, sweet and bitter, light and darkness."]

Nor can it be effected by any other means what

ever

[If good dispositions would effect it, or if human eloquence could effect it, she might have been converted without any such exercise of the Divine power; seeing that she was already "a worshipper" of the true God, and had Paul for her instructor. But we are expressly told, that the work of conversion depends not on any such circumstances, but that it is altogether the effect of a divine operation on the soul. The Disciples, who had the peculiar advantage of our Lord's instructions for above three years together, and that in private as well as in public,

d 1 Cor. ii. 14.

• John i. 13.

VOL. XIV.

GG

could not understand the most important parts of Scripture, till "he opened their understandings." In like manner, there is yet a veil on the hearts of men whilst they read and hear the Scriptures; nor can any but God remove it. Hence it is plainly declared by our Lord himself, that "no man can come unto him, except he be drawn of the Father." However humiliating therefore the truth may be, we are constrained to say, in relation to every man that is converted, that the work is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."]

66

That a great and effectual work was wrought upon her will appear, whilst we consider,

II. The evidences of her conversion

Here we are called to notice,

1. Her public profession of the faith of Christ

[She was not ashamed to acknowledge the conviction that had been wrought on her mind; nor was she afraid to confess her faith in Jesus of Nazareth. Accordingly, she was, together with all her household, baptized immediately, in token that she had embraced the Christian covenant, and was become a disciple of the Lord Jesus. This, it is true, was not a decisive proof of sound conversion; because some submitted to the rite of baptism who had not received the grace of God in truth*: but it was a strong presumptive evidence of her sincerity, inasmuch as it exposed her to all the obloquy and persecution, which were the common lot of Christians at that day. The insincere were deterred by these considerations from acting according to the dictates of their conscience1: but the upright uniformly and universally complied with them; and exerted their influence over their respective households, to bring them also by baptism into covenant with Christ.

In this, her example deserves particular attention: for though, on account of our having already received the seal of the covenant in baptism, we are not again to be baptized, yet are we to maintain the same fidelity as she did, and to shew, by the whole of our conduct, whose we are, and whom we have engaged to serve m

-]

2. Her zealous attachment to the cause of Christ[She felt an ardent love towards him who had been the instrument of her conversion; and a most unfeigned desire to glorify her God, to whose grace alone she was indebted for

f Luke xxiv. 45. i Rom. ix. 16.

m Rom. x. 10.

2 Cor. iii. 13-16. k Acts viii. 13.

h John vi. 44, 45.

1 John xii. 42, 43.

« AnteriorContinuar »