Page images
PDF
EPUB

Pisidia, to direct his first attention to the Jews, in every city which he visited; for his heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved.* Now Timothy, being born of a Jewish mother, might be rendered still more completely a Jew, by undergoing the legal rite of circumcision, not as being necessary to salvation, but as a means of propitiating his countrymen; whereas Titus, being a Greek, that is, a Gentile by birth, was not compelled to be circumcised,† lest it should be thought necessary for every man to pass through the Jewish religion into the Christian. This conduct on the part of St. Paul, was a specimen of that happy application of the maxims of human prudence to the advancement of religion, which our Saviour appears to have recommended, when he directed his Apostles to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves ;‡ and it was an exemplification of the Apostle's own precept to his Corinthian converts, Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God; even as I please all men in all things; not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.§ The same account is to be given of the motives

* Rom. x. 1.
Matth. x. 16.

+ Gal. ii. 3.

§ 1 Cor. x. 32.

which induced St. James and the elders to recom-. mend, and St. Paul to consent to a compliance with the prejudices of the Jewish Christians at Jerusalem, by purifying himself with certain men who were under the obligation of a vow. As long as the temple and polity of the Jews continued to subsist, the long-suffering of God appeared to abstain from a solemn and open abrogation of his covenant with the descendants of Abraham; and so long were the Jewish members of the Christian Church, and especially those who dwelt in Palestine, permitted to observe the rites of the law, and the customs of the elders; for they were all zealous of the law, and were informed that Paul taught all the Jews which were among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.*

I wish now to call your attention to the conversion of Lydia, related in the fourteenth verse of the sixteenth chapter.

While the Apostle and his attendants were preaching at Philippi, in an oratory by the river side, a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which

* Acts xxi. 20.

worshipped God, heard them. Which worshipped God; that is, the true God; the God of Moses. She was a Gentile by birth, but a proselyte to the worship of Jehovah. Whose heart the Lord opened. But how was her heart opened? Was it at once enlightened in the doctrines of the Gospel, and fixed in the stedfastness of a perfect faith? Was she suddenly and irresistibly converted by an overpowering constraint of the Spirit? No: her heart was opened so far, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. She was disposed by the Holy Spirit to inquiry after the things which belonged to her peace. She had served God to the best of her knowledge and ability, and so became, not indeed entitled to, but qualified for, a more effectual measure of light and grace. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.*

It is to be observed then, in the first place, that the understanding of Lydia, although she had aforetime worshipped the true God, did not enable her, by its natural light, clearly to discern the whole truth, or fully to comprehend the purport of the doctrines, preached by Paul, until

* John vii. 17.

18

it had been opened by the Lord; enlarged, and cleared from prejudice by the Spirit. Yet it must be observed, in the second place, that the effect of this spiritual interference was not to constrain her belief: it did not unseat reason from her tribunal, as a judge of truth; nor command her to give sentence at once, without any examination of the evidence proposed: but only prevented and assisted her in forming a right conclusion. The heart of Lydia was opened by the Lord, not to an instantaneous conviction and comprehension, but to attend to the things which were spoken by Paul. She considered, and examined what he said, with an inclination, no doubt, to believe it-for every honest and good heart must wish to find the Gospel true-yet at liberty to disbelieve it, if it had been obviously unreasonable and untrue. But as the Lord had begun a good work in her, so he carried it on to perfection. Seriousness and honesty of purpose obtained his awakening grace; a humble, teachable, inquiring spirit was guided by his enlightening grace in the use of its natural faculties; and the result was faith. The same process led to the same result in the case of the Beroan Jews, whom the historian characterizes, with a remarkable emphasis of

commendation, as being more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so. And therefore, adds St. Luke, that is, because they were both ready to receive the word, and diligent and candid in their inquiries into its authority, many of them believed. This it is, to receive the word in an honest and good heart; this it is, to secure that indispensable guidance and instruction of the Spirit, without which no man can come unto Christ; which first predisposes him to long after a clearer insight into the things of God; then enables him to obtain such an insight; and lastly fixes and preserves him in just and satisfactory views of Gospel truths, and duties, and consolations.

*

[ocr errors]

You will remark, that when Lydia was baptized, it was not singly and alone; She was baptized, and her household. I pointed out, in a former lecture, the practical inference to be drawn by Christian fathers and heads of families, from the example of Cornelius, who feared God with all his house. So when Stephanas was baptized, his household was baptized with him.† And when the keeper of the prison at Philippi + 1.Cor. i. 16.

* Lect. V.

p. 93.

« PreviousContinue »