LECTURE VI. ACTS xvi. 5. And so were the Churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. I HAVE NOW considered the points to be noticed by the Christian reader, in the eleven first chapters of the Acts of the Apostles: the first foundation of that Church, which was built upon the rock of faith in a crucified Redeemer; and the first opening of its doors to the Gentiles. We have seen the Apostles comforted, and assured, and partially enlightened by the conversation of their Lord after his resurrection; animated and rejoiced at the glorious spectacle of his ascension; yet not regarding themselves as qualified to enter upon the discharge of that high commission, which had been entrusted to them, of preaching the Gospel to all nations, till the place of their departed Master should be supplied by the promised Paraclete. We have seen them waiting quietly for the fulfilment of that promise, and then manifesting its fulfilment, in the display of superhuman knowledge and power; no longer the timid, prejudiced, unenlightened fishermen of Galilee; but the fearless, eloquent, successful advocates and champions of the Gospel: yet not eloquent with enticing words of man's wisdom,* but with the heavenly simplicity of truth, enforced by signs and wonders, in demonstration of the Spirit, and in power. We have seen also effects corresponding to such agency; numerous conversions to the truth, evinced not only by an outward profession of faith, and the washing of water in baptism, but by the plentiful fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith;† an ardent and a self-denying charity; a resolute and immovable allegiance to Christ and to his cause. We have also seen the zealous, but mistaken Pharisee, the cruel persecutor of the Church of Christ, instantaneously converted; transformed into its most active and powerful defender; and, after a certain period of probation, separated by the Holy Ghost for the work of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. The persecution, which he had once so actively carried on against + Gal. v. 22. * 1 Cor. ii. 4. others, he was now destined to encounter himself; and as he is first introduced into the history of the Apostles, as consenting to the death of Stephen, so the first severe trial to which he himself was exposed, was at the hands of certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people of Lystra, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.* And this leads me to remark, that as Jesus Christ invited disciples to follow him, by the promise of an eternal recompense hereafter, coupled with the certain assurance of trials and persecutions in the present life,--a sure indication that he was no deceiver; so the Apostles, far from luring men to the profession of the Gospel, by holding out to them a prospect of temporal emolument or enjoyment, uniformly described that profession, as the handmaid of suffering and sorrow in the present world; as offering to its votaries a crown of thorns in the flesh, a crown of glory only in a distant and future kingdom. Paul and Barnabas are described as confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.t How persuasive and convincing must have been * Acts xiv. 19. † Acts xiv. 22. that preaching, which was of power to confirm the faith and constancy of the poor persecuted disciples of Jesus, not with assurances of profit or pleasure, but with prophetic warnings of sorrow and affliction! and what was the foundation and the end of that preaching? simply Christ; Christ crucified and glorified; the one sufficient Saviour, Mediator, Intercessor, and Judge: preaching, which to the Jews was a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them that were called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.* He was "the power of God," inasmuch as he was declared to be the Son of God with power,† by the demonstration of the Spirit, in the miracles wrought by himself and his Apostles; and in the astonishing effects produced by their preaching, the rapid conversion of multitudes, and the infusion of supernatural wisdom and firmness into their hearts. He was "the wisdom of God," inasmuch as by a simple declaration of the certainty and conditions of the Gospel covenant, a few naturally ignorant and simple men were enabled to confound and put to silence the wisest disputers of this world, and to work that change in the sentiments and affections of those who + Rom. i. 4. * 1 Cor. i. 23. heard them, which all the philosophy and eloquence of this world had never been able to effect: God having chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that were mighty; and base things of the world and things which are despised, did God choose, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. * It is however to be remarked, that although none of the Apostles was more strictly and exclusively a preacher of Christ crucified, or more entirely despised the wisdom of this world, as set in competition with the knowledge of Christ, than St. Paul; yet he was far from disdaining to avail himself, in arguing both with Jews and Greeks, of the aids afforded him by his acquaintance with the learning of either people. But he did not rely upon it, as though it were the sword of the Spirit; he did not trust to it as an effectual instrument of conversion; for Christ sent him to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. But he laboured, with great plainness of speech, not only to satisfy men's reason, but * 1 Cor. i. 27. † 1 Cor. i. 17. 2 Cor. iii. 12. |