Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Observe here, How the apostle and his companions had a desire and design to propagate the gospel in several provinces, but were forbidden by a secret impulse of the Holy Spirit. Learn thence, That the frustrating our attempts, and disappointing our designs to preach the gospel to particular places, which we were purposed to go unto, doth sometimes arise from the Holy Ghost: the apostle intended to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered him not. The very journeyings of the apostles, and first preachers of the gospel, as well as their divine exercises, were all ordered by the wisdom and will of God; they might neither speak, nor act, nor walk, but according to divine directions: They were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. Thus Almighty God at pleasure orders the candle of the gospel to be removed out of one room into another, sends it from one place and people to another, and accordingly ought all places and persons to prize it highly, and improve it faithfully.

8 And they passing by Mysia, came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

These words are a relation of a message from heaven unto St. Paul, to direct him in his preaching and publishing of the gospel, both as to the place where, and as to the persons to whom, he was to deliver it. Where note, The manner of it: it was by a vision, A vision appeared. The time of it, it was in the night, the bringer of it, a man of Macedonia: the matter of it, help for the Macedonians, interpreted (ver. 10.) to be by the preaching of the gospel. Learn hence, 1. That no men in the world want help, like them that want the gospel. Of all distresses, want of the gospel cries loudest for relief and help; for by want of the gospel, they want every thing that is worth having; they want Jesus Christ, who is revealed only by the gospel; they want communion with God, they want the

comforts and refreshments of ordinances, and they will at last want heaven and salvation. But that which is most deplorable is this: Those that want the gospel, though they want all these things, yet are they not sensible that they want any thing. Learn, 2. That the sending of the gospel to one nation, place, or people, and not to another, proceeds from the determinate will and pleasure of Almighty God, and is the effect of his own free grace and good pleasure: Stay not in Asia, go not into Bithynia, but come over into Macedonia; Even so, Father, for thus it seemed good in thy sight.

11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony. And we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller ot 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.

15 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.

A farther account is here given of St. Paul's travels to preach the gospel; he departs from Troas to Samothracia, from thence to Neapolis, and thence to Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia. Here on the sabbath-day he went out of the city to the river's side, where a meeting place for prayer, say some, was built, and made use of, as being remote from the noise and observation of the multitude. In this oratory, St. Paul preached to the women, they being both most numerous and most zealous; and God gives him the seal of his ministry in the conversion of Lydia. In which famous conversion observe how particularly”

the Holy Ghost is in relating the several circumstances belonging to it; she is described by her person and sex, a certain woman; by her name, Lydia; by her calling and employment, a seller of purple ; by her city, Thyatira; by her pious disposition, she worshipped God. Her conversion is described, 1. By the efficient cause of it; the Lord opened her heart. 2. By the instrumental cause of it; her attending to the things that were spoken of Paul. Learn, 1. That the hearts of persons are naturally shut up and fast barred against Jesus Christ. 2. That the opening of the heart to receive Jesus Christ, is the peculiar effect of the sovereign power and omnipotent grace of God. 3. That till God opens the heart of a sinner, the preaching of the gospel little affecteth, though never so plainly and persuasively preached. That when once the heart is opened, the ear will not be shut, the person is truly attentive to the preaching of the gospel: The Lord opened Lydia's heart, and she attended. Observe next, The seal of her conversion and salvation received by her: She was baptized, and her whole house. It was the ordinary way of the apostles to baptize households; not that they were sure that they were all believers, or that the family governors could make them so ; but it was their duty to devote all their power to God, and to do their utmost to persuade; and God usually succeeded their endeavours. Note here, That the church of God for near seventeen hundred years, never refused the baptizing of infants of believing parents, as being taken into cove. nant with themselves. Having then for so many ages been in the possession of this privilege, we may more reasonably require the Anabaptists to prove by express scripture, that children were not baptized by the apostles, (when they baptized whole families, yea, whole nations, according to their commission, Matt. xxviii. 19.) than they can require us to prove that they were. Lydia and her house were baptized, says the text; that is, says the Syriac, Lydia and her children. Lydia, by reason of her faith in Christ, having a right to bap tism, all her family, upon her undertaking to bring them up in the knowledge of Christ, were admitted to the ordinance with her. Observe, lastly, A special fruit and evidence of Lydia's conversion: she constrained the apostles with an amicable violence, by fervent entreaties and passionate importunities, to receive the civilities of her

house. Converted persons have so much love to Christ's ministers, who were the instruments of their conversion, that they greatly desire to express it by all acts of possible kindness: If ye have judged me faithful, come into my house, and abide there; and she constrained us.

and

19

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, are the cried, saying, These men servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus And Christ, to come out of her. he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place, unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, heing Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the gaoler to keep them safely: 24 Who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, their feet fast in the and made stocks.

As we went to prayer, a damsel possessed met us. That is, As the apostles went towards the forementioned place of prayer, a damsel possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future things, and revealed many secrets to them that consulted her, followed them, crying out, These are the servants of the most

:

high God, who declare unto us the way of salvation. Where observe, 1. That the father of lies sometimes speaks the truth, though never for truth's sake, but for his own advantage: here what the devil said, was truth, but it was for devilish ends; he transforms himself now into an angel of light, to draw men on to believe him the prince of darkness. Observe, 2. How St. Paul refuses the devil's testimony concerning himself, even when he spake the truth. The testimony of truth from the father of lies, is enough to render truth itself suspected. Observe, 3. The authority which St. Paul takes upon him in the name of Christ to dispossess the devil, and cast him out of the damsel: Paul said, I command thee in the name of Jesus to come out of her: and he came out the same hour. These words St. Paul uttered by the motion of the Holy Spirit, and relying by faith on the promise of Christ made by himself to his apostles, Mark xvi. 17. That in his name they should cast out devils: accordingly he received power from on high to cast out this daring devil. Observe, 4. How Satan seeks to be revenged on Paul for dispossessing of him he raises up an hot persecution, and soon casts him into prison, who had cast the devil out of the damsel. If we disturb and trouble Satan, he will be sure to trouble and disturb us. Such ministers as make the greatest opposition against Satan, must expect to meet with the greatest opposition from him. Observe, 5. Who were the instruments which Satan stirs up to raise this persecution against the apostles: they were the rulers and the rabble: The multitude rose up, and the magistrates rent their clothes, cast them into the inner prison, and made their fect fast in the stocks. Thus were the holy apostles, and innocent servants of Jesus Christ, imprisoned, and treated as the vilest malefactors, only for opposing Satan, and seeking the welfare of mankind. Observe, lastly, That love of money was the root of all this persecution. The damsel's masters perceiving that their gain was gone, and that she could help them to no more money by telling people their fortunes, the devil of discontent possessed them. They stir up persecution against the apostles, they cast them into prison, into the inward prison, and to make all sure, set them in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto

God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken: and im-
mediately all the doors were open-
ed, and every one's bands were
loosed. 27 And the keeper of the
prison awaking out of his sleep, and
seeing the prison doors open, he
drew out his sword, and would have
killed himself, supposing that the
28 But
prisoners had been fled.
Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,
Do thyself no harm; for we are
all here.

The apostles are here, by Satan and his instruments, cast into prison; but observe, they had their prison-comforts. 1. The joy of their hearts runs out at their lips: they sang praises unto God, when their bodies were in prison, and their feet were in the stocks; these holy servants of God were not only meek and patient, but joyous and cheerful under persecution, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for him who had undergone so much indignity and shame for them. 2. They enjoy sweet communion with God in prayer: At midnight they prayed, and the prisoners heard them. No place can be improper, no time unseasonable, for prayer. No prison can bolt out God, nor deprive us of our communion with him: prayer will get up to heaven in spite of all opposition either of hell or earth. Observe, 3. How sudden the answer, and how sensible the return of prayer was which the Lord graciously gave his suffering servants: Suddenly there was a great earthquake. This earthquake was an infallible sign of God's audience; that he heard them, and would stand by them. Observe, 4. The powerful efficacy of St. Paul's prayer: bis prayer shook the heavens, the heavens shook the earth, the earth shook the prison, even to the very foundations of it. Prayer has a divine kind of omnipotency in it: Vincit invincibilem et ligat omnipotentem: "It overcomes God with his own strength." Observe, 5. What influence this earthquake had upon the gaoler: it occasioned such an heartquake in him, that to give himself ease, silly soul, he resolves to murder himself. Lord! how miserable are the consolations which the carnal and unregene rate world have recourse and fly unto, when trouble and distress take hold upon

them! They run to an halter, to rid them of their trouble, having no God to go unto, and thereby plunge themselves into endless troubles, yea, eternal torments. Observe, lastly, How kind the apostle was to his cruel keeper: he that hurt the apostles' feet with the stocks, hears the apostles crying unto him in the midst of the earthquake, Do thyself no harm. Good men ever have been, and are, men of tender and compassionate dispositions; not go solicitous for their own liberties, as for others' lives. The apostles night have held their peace, and suffered the gaoler to have slain himself, and thereby made their own escape; but they preferred the gaoler's eternal salvation before their own temporal liberty and happiness: Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

As if the gaoler had said, " Sirs, now I see and acknowledge that the doctrine taught by you is the truth of the eternal God; and he hath by this miraculous earthquake testified to me, that you are his true and faithful servants: tell me therefore, I bescech you, what I must do to attain salvation?" They answer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, &c. That is, "If you and your family receive the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and regulate your lives according to it, you shall be saved. Here note, 1. That scorners and persecutors will become tremblers, when once God hath touched their hearts, and wounded their consciences with remorse for sin. The gaoler here came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; trembling under a sense of his guiltiness, and falling down upon his knees to ask them forgiveness. Note, 2. That trembling sinners are always inquisitive, yea, very inquisitive, persons. An awakened conscience will put a man upon enquiry, upon great and much enquiry, what he should do. Note, 3. That the chief thing which the trembling

soul enquires after, is the business of salvation: What shall I do to be saved? Note, 4. That trembling sinners, and troubled souls, must be directed to Jesus Christ, and to faith in him, as the only way to obtain salvation by him; Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

The

Behold how sudden and strange a change was wrought in this gaoler. Before his conversion he was cruel, barbarous, and hard-hearted; now he is meek, merciful, and compassionate. He that before had beaten, imprisoned, and hurt the holy apostles' feet in the stocks, now pities them, mourns over them, and washes their stripes. Learn thence, That religion, and the grace of God, softens and mollifies the hardest hearts, sweetens the sourest natures, and changes the most barbarous and bloody conversion, a savage persecutor, a tiger, and dispositions. Behold this gaoler, before his a vulture, like the demoniac in the gospel, exceeding fierce: but now dispossessed of his fury, and by grace turned into a lamb for meekness, and a dove for innocency. Observe, 2. How the gaoler believing, he and all his house were baptized. apostle denied not baptism to the gaoler's household, upon the gaoler's sincere profession of the christian faith; yet no doubt he promised to use his utmost endeavours to bring them to the knowledge and obedience of Jesus Christ. Observe, lastly, How improbable it is that the gaoler and his household were baptized by dipping. We do not deny the lawfulness of baptizing by immersion; but we cannot assert the absolute and indispensable necessity of it. St. Paul, who was newly washed, and his sores dressed, occasioned by stripes, cannot be supposed either to go out himself, or to carry the gaoler and all his family, in the dead of the night, to the river or a pond to baptize them; neither is it in the least probable, that St. Paul himself was baptized by dipping. See Acts ix. 18, 19. He arose, and was baptized; and when he had received meat, he was strengthened. The context may convince us, that he was baptized in his lodgings, being sick and weak, having fasted three days, and being in a very low condition, partly by his mira

culous vision, and partly by his extraordinary fasting it was no ways probable that Ananias should carry him out to a river in that condition, to plunge him in cold water. Dipping then, surely, cannot be so essential unto baptism, as for want of it to pronounce the baptism of all the reformed churches throughout the world to be null and void, as some amongst us do.

34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house.

See here a special evidence and sweet fruit of the gaoler's conversion; he brings the apostles, who were the instruments of his conversion, into his house; and having washed their stripes, refreshes their bowels: he set meat before them. The truth of conversion will manifest itself in a thankfulness, and other tokens of respect, towards those whom God has made the instruments of our conversion. True conversion changes men's thoughts of God's ministers, and causes men to love and honour those whom before they did disdain and scorn, persecute and hate. Observe, 2. How full of joy and spiritual rejoicing this new convert was he rejoiced. O the sweet fruit of faith in Christ! namely, peace with God, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Conversion always puts men into a joyful state: rejoicing, spiritual rejoicing, is the portion, the proper portion, and the peculiar portion, of converted persons: as it is sometimes their present portion. The gaoler, upon his believing in God, instantly rejoiced.

say

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this ing to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in 37 But peace. Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves, and fetch us out.

Observe here, 1. The willingness of the magistrates to release those innocent pri

soners, the holy apostles, and what might be the probable occasion of it; namely, 1. The terror of the earthquake, which affected them with fear. 2. The consciousness of their own guilt, for their injurious dealing with the apostles, scourging them, and casting them into prison, only for casting a devil out of a possessed servant. The consciences of the vilest and worst of men, at one time or other, do make furious reflections upon them for their cruelty and injustice towards the ministers and members of Jesus Christ. Observe, 2. How the innocent apostles refused to be thus clandestinely released, and privately brought out of prison they were unjustly laid in prison, and without any legal trial scourged and bound, contrary to the law and privileges of the Romans; and therefore the apostles insist upon their privilege, and would not be content with a sneaking clandestine dismission, after such a public ignominious punishment, injuriously inflicted on them. Learn thence, That it is lawful to plead our right by law against unjust magistrates; and though we must not return evil for evil, yet we may use all lawful means for redressing and removing here; yet more for the gospel's sake than our own grievances. Thus did St. Paul his own, lest the word of God should be despised with their persons.

38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Observe here, 1. What an awe God has over the consciences of men in general, and of magistrates in particular: they stoop to their prisoners, and beseech them to come out of prison, and to depart from the city.

The same can God do for all his servants who have been disgracefully and despitefully used. He can make their enemies become their benefactors at his pleasure, and their very persecutors shall be their deliverers. Observe, 2. That as desirable as liberty was, those honest hearts chose

« ZurückWeiter »