ing, and discovered itself in characteristic effects, which are noticed in the close of the 14th, together with the 15th verse, "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.".

Here we have three things, subsequent to the opening of Lydia's heart, which require our attention.

First, she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul. The word rendered here" attended unto'," expresses more. It means "both to believe and obey," and therefore includes Christian principle and practice.

gave

To the Gospel, preached by Paul, Lydia thus full obedience. She was persuaded of the truth of what he stated, and embraced and rested on Jesus Christ, as he was offered to her in the Gospel. Her faith was the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. It worked by

Igorixe Parkhurst's Lex. and Kypke's Obser. Sacr. tom. 11, on the text.

VOL. II.

50

love to God, to Christ, to Believers, to the Law as a rule of life, to the Gospel as the great instrument of her regeneration and salvation. It purified the heart, enabling her to cleanse herself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; filled her with hatred of sin, and loathing of self; as also with love of holiness, and desires after greater conformity to God. Her faith being living, produced corresponding fruits. She obeyed the things which Paul spake: her credit to his testimony affecting her heart, produced a corresponding deportment in her life. She now discharged the moral duties of life, from a principle of faith, and with an eye to God's glory. She moreover performed the Christian duties of self-denial, taking up her cross, and following the Redeemer through evil as well as good report. No sacrifice was too great for her, now that she was become an heir of glory. Denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, she henceforth lived not unto herself, but unto him who loved his people, and gave himself for them an offering unto God. She also attended to the positive ordinances of worship which the Redeemer had established in his house, being thorough

ly convinced that such was both her duty and privilege. Thus, we are informed,

Secondly, That" She was baptized and "her household."

1

The Redeemer, in the commission which he gave to his apostles, commanded them to baptize as well as teach all whom they discipled. They, therefore, who profess to be his disciples, fail in their duty if they neglect to partake of the ordinance of baptism, and deprive themselves of an inestimable privilege, designed to strengthen their faith, and confirm their hope. Those who were converted under the preaching of the Apostles and Evangelists, were baptized, thus receiving God's token of his own most gracious Covenant. That same token we find in the case of Lydia, as well as of the Jailor in Philippi" and Stephanas of Corinth", was administered to her household, though we read not that any one besides Lydia professed faith in the Lord Jesus. Thus it was that upon the profession of Abraham's faith,

every male among the men of Abraham's "house" was circumcised, according to the command of God'. As my object is not to

m Acts xvi. 33. n 1 Cor. i. 16. Gea. xvii. 23. p Gen.

xvii. 10-14.

illustrate or defend the particular view of the doctrine of baptism, maintained by our Church, I only remark, that this is not the only point in which baptism resembles circumcision; for in fact the one has come in the place of the other, and therefore all the essential spiritual features belonging to the one are found in the other. The apostle asserts the truth that baptism is Christian circumcision, when he says, addressing the Believers in Colosse, "In whom," i. e. Christ, "are ye also circumcised with the "circumcision made without hands, in put"ting off the body of the sins of the flesh,

by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with "him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen "with him through the faith of the operation "of God, who hath raised him from the "dead"." In no other way that is satisfactory can we explain the fact of households being baptized by the apostles, except this, that baptism has come in the place of circumcision.

Thirdly, Lydia besought the apostle and his companions, saying, "If ye have judged "me to be faithful to the Lord, come into q Coloss. ii. 11, 12.

my house, and abide there; and she con

Having, through the instrumentality of these men, become a partaker of eternal life, she could not be contented till they had partaken of her bounty. She no longer put that value on worldly possessions which she had done before; she viewed them in a different light. As she was the Lord's, so were her house, her gold, her servants, her accommodations. Here she grounds her request on her sincerity, " If ye judge me to be faithful to the Lord," which means,

If

ye think I have truly believed and obeyed what the Lord by you has made known unto me, then come into my house. She desired their company,

1

First, To display her gratitude. They had been the honoured instruments of bringing her to the knowledge and acknowledgment of the truth. Having become an heir of glory, she felt her heart drawn out in love and gratitude to God and his people. She had expressed these feelings in her obedience to the call of the former by his ministering servants, and now expresses the same feelings to the latter, by entertaining