Chapter VII: Part 7

And was it ever thus with you, my dear hearers? (For I must question you as I go along, because I intend, by the Divine help, to preach not only to your heads, but your hearts). Did the Spirit of GOD ever bring all your sins thus to remembrance, and make you cry out to GOD, “Thou writest bitter things against me?” Did your actual sins ever appear before you, as though drawn in a map? If not, you have great reason (unless you were sanctified from the womb) to suspect that you are not convicted, much more not converted, and that the promise of the text was never yet fulfilled in your hearts.

Farther: When the Comforter comes into a sinner’s heart, though it generally convinces the sinner of his actual sin first, yet it leads him to see and bewail his original sin, the fountain from which all these polluted streams do flow.

Though every thing in the earth, air, and water; every thing both without and within, concur to prove the truth of that assertion in the scripture, “in _Adam_ we all have died;” yet most are so hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, that notwithstanding they may give an assent to the truth of the proposition in their heads, yet they never felt it really in their hearts. Nay, some in words professedly deny it, though their works too, too plainly prove them to be degenerate sons of a degenerate father. But when the Comforter, the Spirit of GOD, arrests a sinner, and convinces him of sin, all carnal reasoning against original corruption, every proud and high imagination, which exalteth itself against that doctrine, is immediately thrown down; and he is made to cry out, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” He now finds that concupiscence is sin; and does not so much bewail his actual sins, as the inward perverseness of his heart, which he now finds not only to be an enemy to, but also direct enmity against GOD.

And did the Comforter, my dear friends, ever come with such a convincing power as this into your hearts? Were you ever made to see and feel, that in your flesh dwelleth no good thing; that you are conceived and born in sin; that you are by nature children of wrath; that GOD would be just if he damned you, though you never committed an actual sin in your lives? So often as you have been at church and sacrament, did you ever feelingly confess, that there was no health in you; that the remembrance of your original and actual sins was grievous unto you, and the burden of them intolerable? If not, you have been only offering to GOD vain oblations; you never yet prayed in your lives; the Comforter never yet came effectually into your souls: consequently you are not in the faith properly so called; no, you are at present in a state of death and damnation.

Again, the Comforter, when he comes effectually to work upon a sinner, not only convinces him of the sin of his nature, and the sin of his life, but also of the sin of his duties.

We all naturally are Legalists, thinking to be justified by the works of the law. When somewhat awakened by the terrors of the LORD, we immediately, like the Pharisees of old, go about to establish our own righteousness, and think we shall find acceptance with GOD, if we seek it with tears: finding ourselves damned by nature and our actual sins, we then think to recommend ourselves to GOD by our duties, and hope, by our doings of one kind or another, to inherit eternal life. But, whenever the Comforter comes into the heart, it convinces the soul of these false rests, and makes the sinner to see that all his righteousnesses are but as filthy rags; and that, for the most pompous services, he deserves no better a doom than that of the unprofitable servant, “to be thrown into outer darkness, where is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.”

And was this degree of conviction ever wrought in any of your souls? Did the Comforter ever come into your hearts, so as to make you sick of your duties, as well as your sins? Were you ever, with the great Apostle of the _Gentiles_, made to abhor your own righteousness which is by the law, and acknowledge that you deserve to be damned, though you should give all your goods to feed the poor? Were you made to feel, that your very repentance needed to be repented of, and that every thing in yourselves is but dung and dross? And that all the arguments you can fetch for mercy, must be out of the heart and pure unmerited love of GOD? Were you ever made to lye at the feet of sovereign Grace, and to say, LORD, if thou wilt, thou mayest save me; if not, thou mayest justly damn me; I have nothing to plead, I can in no wise justify myself in thy sight; my best performances, I see, will condemn me; and all I have to depend upon is thy free grace? What say you? Was this ever, or is this now, the habitual language of your hearts? You have been frequently at the temple; but did you ever approach it in the temper of the poor Publican, and, after you have done all, acknowledge that you have done nothing; and, upon a feeling experimental sense of your own unworthiness and sinfulness every way, smite upon your breasts, and say, “GOD be merciful to us sinners?” If you never were thus minded, the Comforter never yet effectually came into your souls, you are out of CHRIST; and if GOD should require your souls in that condition, he would be no better to you than a consuming fire.

But there is a fourth sin, of which the Comforter, when he comes, convinces the soul, and which alone (it is very remarkable) our LORD mentions, as though it was the only sin worth mentioning; for indeed it is the root of all other sins whatsoever: it is the reigning as well as the damning sin of the world. And what now do you imagine that sin may be? It is that cursed sin, that root of all other evils, I mean the sin of _unbelief_. Says our LORD, verse 9. “Of sin, because they believe not on me.”

But does the christian world, or any of you that hear me this day, want the Holy Ghost to convince you of unbelief? Are there any infidels here? Yes, (O that I had not too great reason to think so!) I fear most are such: not indeed such infidels as professedly deny the LORD that bought us (though I fear too many even of such monsters are in every country); but I mean such unbelievers, that have no more faith in CHRIST than the devils themselves. Perhaps you may think you believe, because you repeat the Creed, or subscribe to a Confession of Faith; because you go to church or meeting, receive the sacrament, and are taken into full communion. These are blessed privileges; but all this may be done, without our being true believers. And I know not how to detect your false hypocritical faith better, than by putting to you this question: How long have you believed? Would not most of you say, as long as we can remember; we never did disbelieve? Then this is a certain sign that you have no true faith at all; no, not so much as a grain of mustard-seed: for, if you believe now, (unless you were sanctified from your infancy, which is the case of some) you must know that there was a time in which you did not believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST; and the Holy Ghost, if ever you received it, convinced you of this. Eternal truth has declared, “When he is come, he will convince the world of sin, because they believe not on me.”

None of us believe by nature: but after the Holy Ghost has convinced us of the sin of our natures, and the sin of our lives and duties, in order to convince us of our utter inability to save ourselves, and that we must be beholden to GOD, as for every thing else, so for faith (without which it is impossible to please, or be saved by CHRIST) he convinces us also, that we have no faith. “Dost thou believe on the Son of GOD?” is the grand question which the Holy Ghost now puts to the soul: at the same time he works with such power and demonstration, that the soul sees, and is obliged to confess, that it has no faith.

This is a thing little thought of by most who call themselves believers. They dream they are christians, because they live in a christian country: If they were born _Turks_, they would believe on _Mahomet_; for what is that which men commonly call faith, but an outward consent to the established religion? But do not you thus deceive your own selves; true faith is quite another thing. Ask yourselves, therefore, whether or not the Holy Ghost ever powerfully convinced you of the sin of unbelief? You are perhaps so devout (you may imagine) as to get a catalogue of sins; which you look over, and confess in a formal manner, as often as you go to the holy sacrament: but among all your sins, did you ever once confess and bewail that damning sin of unbelief? Were you ever made to cry out, “LORD, give me faith; LORD, give me to believe on thee; O that I had faith! O that I could believe!” If you never were thus distressed, at least, if you never saw and felt that you had no faith, it is a certain sign that the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, never came into and worked savingly upon your souls.

But is it not odd, that the Holy Ghost should be called a Comforter, when it is plain, by the experience of all GOD’s children, that this work of conviction is usually attended with sore inward conflicts, and a great deal of soul-trouble? I answer, The Holy Ghost may well be termed a Comforter, even in this work; because it is the only way to, and ends in, true solid comfort. Blessed are they that are thus convicted by him, for they shall be comforted. Nay, not only so, but there is present comfort, even in the midst of these convictions: the soul secretly rejoices in the sight of its own misery, blesses GOD for bringing it out of darkness into light, and looks forward with a comfortable prospect of future deliverances, knowing, that, “though sorrow may endure for a night, joy will come in the morning.”

Thus it is that the Holy Ghost convinces the soul of sin. And, if so, how wretchedly are they mistaken, that blend the light of the Spirit with the light of conscience, as all such do, who say, that CHRIST lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that light, if improved, will bring us to JESUS CHRIST? If such doctrine be true, the promise in the text was needless: our LORD’s apostles had already that light; the world hereafter to be convinced, had that light; and, if that was sufficient to bring them to CHRIST, why was it expedient that CHRIST should go away to heaven, to send down the Holy Ghost to do this for them! Alas! all have not this Spirit: it is the special gift of GOD, and, without this special gift, we can never come to CHRIST.

The light of conscience will accuse or convince us of any common sin; but the light of natural conscience never did, never will, and never can, convince of unbelief. If it could, how comes it to pass, that not one of the heathens, who improved the light of nature in such an eminent degree, was ever convinced of unbelief? No, natural conscience cannot effect this; it is the peculiar property of the Holy Ghost the Comforter: “When he is come, he will reprove (or convince) the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment.”

We have heard how he convinces of sin: we come now to shew,

_Secondly_, What is the righteousness, of which the Comforter convinces the world.

By the word _righteousness_, in some places of scripture, we are to understand that common justice which we ought to practise between man and man; as when _Paul_ is said to reason of temperance and righteousness before a trembling _Felix_. But here (as in a multitude of other places in holy writ) we are to understand by the word righteousness, the active and passive obedience of the dear LORD JESUS; even that perfect, personal, all-sufficient righteousness, which he has wrought out for that world which the Spirit is to convince. “Of righteousness, (says our LORD) because I go to the Father, and ye see me no more.” This is one argument that the Holy Spirit makes use of to prove CHRIST’s righteousness, because he is gone to the Father, and we see him no more. For, had he not wrought out a sufficient righteousness, the Father would have sent him back, as not having done what he undertook; and we should have seen him again.

O the righteousness of CHRIST! It so comforts my soul, that I must be excused if I mention it in almost all my discourses. I would not, if I could help it, have one sermon without it. Whatever infidels may object, or _Arminians_ sophistically argue against an _imputed righteousness_; yet whoever know themselves and GOD, must acknowledge, that “JESUS CHRIST is the end of the law for righteousness, (and perfect justification in the sight of GOD) to every one that believeth,” and that we are to be made the righteousness of GOD in him. This, and this only, a poor sinner can lay hold of, as a sure anchor of his hope. Whatever other scheme of salvation men may lay, I acknowledge I can see no other foundation whereon to build my hopes of salvation, but on the rock of CHRIST’s personal righteousness, imputed to my soul.

Many, I believe, have a rational conviction of, and agree with me in this: but rational convictions, if rested in, avail but little; it must be a spiritual, experimental conviction of the truth, which is saving. And therefore our LORD says, when the Holy Ghost comes in the day of his power, it convinces of this righteousness, of the reality, compleatness, and sufficiency of it, to save a poor sinner.

We have seen how the Holy Ghost convinces the sinner of the sin of his nature, life, duties, and of the sin of unbelief; and what then must the poor creature do? He must, he must inevitably despair, if there be no hope but in himself. When therefore the Spirit has hunted the sinner out of all his false rests and hiding-places, taken out the pitiful fig-leaves of his own works, and driven him out of the trees of the garden (his outward reformations) and placed him naked before the bar of a sovereign, holy, just, and sin-avenging GOD; then, then it is, when the soul, having the sentence of death within itself because of unbelief, has a sweet display of CHRIST’s righteousness made to it by the Holy Spirit of GOD. Here it is, that he begins more immediately to act in the quality of a Comforter, and convinces the soul so powerfully of the reality and all-sufficiency of CHRIST’s righteousness, that the soul is immediately set a hungering and thirsting after it. Now the sinner begins to see, that though he has destroyed himself, yet in CHRIST is his help; that, though he has no righteousness of his own to recommend him, there is a fulness of grace, a fulness of truth, a fulness of righteousness in the dear LORD JESUS, which, if once imputed to him, will make him happy for ever and ever.

None can tell, but those happy souls who have experienced it, with what demonstration of the Spirit this conviction comes. O how amiable, as well as all-sufficient, does the blessed JESUS now appear! With what new eyes does the soul now see the LORD its righteousness! Brethren, it is unutterable. If you were never thus convinced of CHRIST’s righteousness in your own souls, though you may believe it doctrinally, it will avail you nothing, if the Comforter never came savingly into your souls, then you are comfortless indeed. But

What will this righteousness avail, if the soul has it not in possession?

_Thirdly_, The next thing therefore the Comforter, when he comes, convinces the soul of, is judgment.

By the word _judgment_, I understand that well-grounded peace, that settled judgment, which the soul forms of itself, when it is enabled by the Spirit of GOD to lay hold on CHRIST’s righteousness, which I believe it always does, when convinced in the matter before-mentioned. “Of judgment (says our LORD) because the Prince of this world is judged;” the soul, being enabled to lay hold on CHRIST’s perfect righteousness by a lively faith, has a conviction wrought in it by the Holy Spirit, that the Prince of this world is judged. The soul being now justified by faith, has peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and can triumphantly say, It is CHRIST that justifies me, who is he that condemns me? The strong man armed is now cast out; my soul is in a true peace; the Prince of this world will come and accuse, but he has now no share in me: the blessed Spirit which I have received, and whereby I am enabled to apply CHRIST’s righteousness to my poor soul, powerfully convinces me of this: why should I fear? or of what shall I be afraid, since GOD’s Spirit witnesses with my spirit, that I am a child of GOD? The LORD is ascended up on high; he has led captivity captive; he has received the Holy Ghost the Comforter, that best of gifts for men: and that Comforter is come into my heart: he is faithful that hath promised: I, even I, am powerfully, rationally, spiritually convicted of sin, righteousness and judgment. By this I know the Prince of this world is judged.

Thus, I say, may we suppose that soul to triumph, in which the promise of the text is happily fulfilled. And though, at the beginning of this discourse, I said, most had never experienced any thing of this, and that therefore this preaching must be foolishness to such; yet I doubt not but there are some few happy souls, who, through grace, have been enabled to follow me step by step; and notwithstanding the Holy Ghost might not directly work in the same order as I have described, and perhaps they cannot exactly say the time when, yet they have a well-grounded confidence that the work is done, and that they have really been convinced of sin, righteousness and judgment in some way, or at some time or another.

And now, what shall I say to you? O thank GOD, thank the LORD JESUS, thank the ever-blessed Trinity, for this unspeakable gift: for you would never have been thus highly favoured, had not he who first spoke darkness into light, loved you with an everlasting love, and enlightened you by his Holy Spirit, and that too, not on account of any good thing foreseen in you, but for his own name’s sake.

Be humble therefore, O believers, be humble: look to the rock from whence you have been hewn: extol free grace; admire electing love, which alone has made you to differ from the rest of your brethren. Has GOD brought you into light? Walk as becometh children of light. Provoke not the Holy Spirit to depart from you: for though he hath sealed you to the day of redemption, and you know that the Prince of this world is judged; yet if you backslide, grow luke-warm, or forget your first love, the LORD will visit your offences with the rod of affliction, and your sin with spiritual scourges. Be not therefore high-minded, but fear. Rejoice, but let it be with trembling. As the elect of GOD, put on, not only humbleness of mind, but bowels of compassion; and pray, O pray for your unconverted brethren! Help me, help me now, O children of GOD, and hold up my hands, as _Aaron_ and _Hur_ once held up the hands of _Moses_. Pray, whilst I am preaching, that the LORD may enable me to say, This day is the promise in the text fulfilled in some poor sinners hearts. Cry mightily to GOD, and, with the cords of holy violence, pull down blessings on your neighbours heads. CHRIST yet lives and reigns in heaven: the residue of the Spirit is yet in his hand, and a plentiful effusion of it is promised in the latter days of the church. And O that the Holy Ghost, the blessed Comforter, would now come down, and convince those that are Christless amongst you, of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment! O that you were once made willing to be convinced!

But perhaps you had rather be filled with wine than with the Spirit, and are daily chasing that Holy Ghost from your souls. What shall I say for you to GOD? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” What shall I say from GOD to you? Why? That “GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself:” Therefore I beseech you, as in CHRIST’s stead, be ye reconciled to GOD. Do not go away contradicting and blaspheming. I know _Satan_ would have you be gone. Many of you may be uneasy, and are ready to cry out, “What a weariness is this!” But I will not let you go: I have wrestled with GOD for my hearers in private, and I must wrestle with you here in public. Though of myself I can do nothing, and you can no more by your own power come to and believe on CHRIST, than _Lazarus_ could come forth from the grave; yet who knows but GOD may beget some of you again to a lively hope by this foolishness of preaching, and that you may be some of that world, which the Comforter is to convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment? Poor Christless souls! do you know what a condition you are in? Why, you are lying in the wicked one, the devil; he rules in you, he walks and dwells in you, unless you dwell in CHRIST, and the Comforter is come into your hearts. And will you contentedly lie in that wicked one the devil? What wages will he give you? Eternal death. O that you would come to CHRIST! The free gift of GOD through him is eternal life. He will accept of you even now, if you will believe in him. The Comforter may yet come into your hearts, even yours. All that are now his living temples, were once lying in the wicked one, as well as you. This blessed gift, this Holy Ghost, the blessed JESUS received even for the rebellious.

I see many of you affected: but are your passions only a little wrought upon, or are your souls really touched with a lively sense of the heinousness of your sins, your want of faith, and the preciousness of the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST? If so, I hope the LORD has been gracious, and that the Comforter is coming into your hearts. Do not stifle these convictions! Do not go away, and straightway forget what manner of doctrine you have heard, and thereby shew that these are only common workings of a few transient convictions, floating upon the surface of your hearts. Beg of GOD that you may be sincere (for he alone can make you so) and that you may indeed desire the promise of the text to be fulfilled in your souls. Who knows but the LORD may be gracious? Remember you have no plea but sovereign mercy; but, for your encouragement also, remember it is the world, such as you are, to whom the Comforter is to come, and whom he is to convince: wait therefore at wisdom’s gates. The bare probability of having a door of mercy opened, is enough to keep you striving. CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners, the chief of them: you know not but he came to save you. Do not go and quarrel with GOD’s decrees, and say, if I am a reprobate, I shall be damned; if I am elected, I shall be saved; and therefore I will do nothing. What have you to do with GOD’s decrees? Secret things belong ♦to him; it is your business to “give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.” If there are but few who find the way that leads to life, do you strive to be some of them: you know not but you may be in the number of those few, and that your striving may be the means which GOD intends to bless, to give you an entrance in. If you do not act thus, you are not sincere; and, if you do, who knows but you may find mercy? For though, after you have done all that you can, GOD may justly cut you off, yet never was a single person damned who did all that he could. Though therefore your hands are withered, stretch them out; though you are impotent, sick, and lame, come, lie at the pool. Who knows but by and by the LORD JESUS may have compassion on you, and send the Comforter to convince you of sin, righteousness, and of judgment? He is a GOD full of compassion and long-suffering, otherwise you and I had been long since lifting up our eyes in torments. But still he is patient with us!

♦ duplicate word “to” removed

O Christless sinners, you are alive, and who knows but GOD intends to bring you to repentance? Could my prayers or tears effect it, you should have vollies of the one, and floods of the other. My heart is touched with a sense of your condition: May our merciful High-priest now send down the Comforter, and make you sensible of it also! O the love of CHRIST! It constrains me yet to beseech you to come to him; what do you reject, if you reject CHRIST, the LORD of glory! Sinners, give the dear Redeemer a lodging in your souls. Do not be _Bethshemites_; give CHRIST your hearts, your whole hearts. Indeed he is worthy. He made you, and not you yourselves. You are not your own; give CHRIST then your bodies and souls, which are his! Is it not enough to melt you down, to think that the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, should condescend to invite you by his ministers? How soon can he frown you to hell? And how know you, but he may, this very instant, if you do not hear his voice? Did any yet harden their hearts against CHRIST, and prosper? Come then, do not send me sorrowful away: do not let me have reason to cry out, O my leanness, my leanness! Do not let me go weeping into my closet, and say, “LORD, they will not believe my report; LORD, I have called them, and they will not answer; I am unto them as a very pleasant song, and as one that plays upon a pleasant instrument; but their hearts are running after the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.” Would you be willing that I should give such an account of you, or make such a prayer before GOD? And yet I must not only do so here, but appear in judgment against you hereafter, unless you will come to CHRIST. Once more therefore I intreat you to come. What objections have you to make? Behold, I stand here in the name of GOD, to answer all that you can offer. But I know no one can come, unless the Father draw him: I will therefore address me to my GOD, and intercede with him to send the Comforter into your hearts.

O blessed JESUS, who art a GOD whose compassions fail not, and in whom all the promises are yea and amen; thou that sittest between the cherubims, shew thyself amongst us. Let us now see thy outgoings! O let us now taste that thou art gracious, and reveal thy almighty arm! Get thyself the victory in these poor sinners hearts. Let not the word spoken prove like water spilt upon the ground. Send down, send down, O great High-priest, the Holy Spirit, to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. So will we give thanks and praise to thee, O Father, thee O Son, and thee O blessed Spirit; to whom, as three Persons, but one GOD, be ascribed by angels and archangels, by cherubims and seraphims, and all the heavenly hosts, all possible power, might, majesty, and dominion, now and for evermore. Amen, Amen, Amen.

SERMON XLI.

_Saul_’s Conversion.

ACTS ix. 22.

_But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews
which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very CHRIST._

IT is an undoubted truth, however paradoxical it may seem to natural men, that “whosoever will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, shall suffer persecution.” And therefore it is very remarkable, that our blessed LORD, in his glorious sermon on the mount, after he had been pronouncing those blessed, who were poor in spirit, meek, pure in heart, and such like, immediately adds (and spends no less than three verses in this beatitude) “Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake.” No one ever was, or ever will be endowed with the forementioned graces in any degree, but he will be persecuted for it in a measure. There is an irreconcileable enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. And if we are not of the world, but shew by our fruits that we are of the number of those whom JESUS CHRIST has chosen out of the world, for that very reason the world will hate us. As this is true of every particular christian, so it is true of every christian church in general. For some years past we have heard but little of a public persecution: Why? Because but little of the power of godliness has prevailed amongst all denominations. The strong man armed has had full possession of most professors hearts, and therefore he has let them rest in a false peace. But we may assure ourselves, when JESUS CHRIST begins to gather in his elect in any remarkable manner, and opens an effectual door for preaching the everlasting gospel, persecution will flame out, and _Satan_ and his emissaries will do their utmost (though all in vain) to stop the work of GOD. Thus it was in the first ages, thus it is in our days, and thus it will be, till time shall be no more.

Christians and christian churches must then expect enemies. Our chief concern should be, to learn how to behave towards them in a christian manner: For, unless we take good heed to ourselves, we shall imbitter our spirits, and act unbecoming the followers of that LORD, “who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatned not; and, as a lamb before his shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth.” But what motive shall we make use of to bring ourselves to this blessed lamb-like temper? Next to the immediate operation of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts, I know of no consideration more conducive to teach us long-suffering towards our most bitter persecutors, than this, “That, for all we know to the contrary, some of those very persons, who are now persecuting, may be chosen from all eternity by GOD, and hereafter called in time, to edify and build up the church of CHRIST.”

The persecutor _Saul_, mentioned in the words of the text, (and whose conversion, GOD willing, I propose to treat on in the following discourse) is a noble instance of this kind.

I say, a persecutor, and that a bloody one: For see how he is introduced in the beginning of this chapter; “And _Saul_ yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of our LORD, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to _Damascus_ to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to _Jerusalem_.”

“And _Saul_ yet breathing out.” This implies that he had been a persecutor before. To prove which, we need only look back to the 7th chapter, where we shall find him so very remarkably active at _Stephen_’s death, that “the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was _Saul_.” He seems, though young, to be in some authority. Perhaps, for his zeal against the christians, he was preferred in the church, and was allowed to sit in the great council or Sanhedrim: For we are told, chapter viii. verse 1. “That _Saul_ was consenting unto his death;” and again, at verse 3. he is brought in as exceeding all in his opposition; for thus speaks the evangelist, “As for _Saul_, he made havock of the church, entring into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison.” One would have imagined, that this should have satisfied, at least abated the fury of this young zealot. No: being exceedingly mad against them, as he himself informs _Agrippa_, and having made havock of all in _Jerusalem_, he now is resolved to persecute the disciples of the LORD, even to strange cities; and therefore yet breathing out threatnings. “Breathing out.” The words are very emphatical, and expressive of his bitter enmity. It was as natural to him now to threaten the christians, as it was for him to breathe: he could scarce speak, but it was some threatnings against them. Nay, he not only breathed out threatnings, but slaughters also (and those who threaten, would also slaughter, if it were in their power) against the disciples of the LORD. Insatiable therefore as hell, finding he could not confute or stop the christians by force of argument, he is resolved to do it by force of arms; and therefore went to the high priest (for there never was a persecution yet without a high priest at the head of it) and desired of him letters, issued out of his spiritual court, to the synagogues or ecclesiastical courts at _Damascus_, giving him authority, “that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto _Jerusalem_,” I suppose, there to be arraigned and condemned in the high priest’s court. Observe how he speaks of the christians. _Luke_, who wrote the _Acts_, calls them “disciples of the LORD,” and _Saul_ stiles them “Men and women of this way.” I doubt not but he represented them as a company of _upstart enthusiasts_, that had lately gotten into a new method or way of living; that would not be content with the temple-service, but they must be righteous over-much, and have their private meetings or conventicles, and break bread, as they called it, from house to house, to the great disturbance of the established clergy, and to the utter subversion of all order and decency. I do not hear that the high priest makes any objection: no, he was as willing to grant letters, as _Saul_ was to ask them; and wonderfully pleased within himself, to find he had such an active zealot to employ against the christians.

Well then, a judicial process is immediately issued out, with the high priest’s seal affixed to it. And now methinks I see the young persecutor finely equipped, and pleasing himself with thoughts, how triumphantly he should ride back with the “men and women of this way,” dragging them after him to _Jerusalem_.

What a condition may we imagine the poor disciples at _Damascus_ were in at this time! No doubt they had heard of _Saul_’s imprisoning and making havock of the saints at _Jerusalem_, and we may well suppose they were apprised of his design against them. I am persuaded this was a growing, because a trying time with these dear people. O how did they wrestle with GOD in prayer, beseeching him either to deliver them from, or give them grace sufficient to enable them to bear up under, the fury of their persecutors? The high priest doubtless with the rest of his reverend brethren, flattered themselves, that they should now put an effectual stop to this growing heresy, and waited with impatience for _Saul_’s return.

But “He that sitteth in heaven laughs them to scorn, the LORD has them in derision.” And therefore, verse 3. “As _Saul_ journeyed, and came even near unto _Damascus_,” perhaps to the very gates, (our LORD permitting this, to try the faith of his disciples, and more conspicuously to baffle the designs of his enemies) “suddenly (at mid-day, as he acquaints _Agrippa_) there shined round about him a light from heaven,” a light brighter than the sun; “and he fell to the earth (why not into hell?) and heard a voice saying unto him, _Saul, Saul_, why persecutest thou me?” The word is doubled, “_Saul, Saul_:” Like that of our LORD to _Martha_; “_Martha, Martha_;” or the prophet, “O earth, earth, earth!” Perhaps these words came like thunder to his soul. That they were spoken audibly, we are assured from verse 7. “His companions heard the voice.” Our LORD now arrests the persecuting zealot, calling him by name; for the word never does us good, till we find it spoken to us in particular. “_Saul, Saul_, Why persecutest thou Me?” Put the emphasis upon the word _why_, what evil have I done? Put it upon the word _persecutest_, why persecutest? I suppose _Saul_ thought he was not persecuting; no, he was only putting the laws of the ecclesiastical court into execution; but JESUS, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, saw through the hypocrisy of his heart, that, notwithstanding his specious pretences, all this proceeded from a persecuting spirit, and secret enmity of heart against GOD; and therefore says, “Why persecutest thou me?” Put the emphasis upon the word _me_, why persecutest thou me? alas! _Saul_ was not persecuting CHRIST, was he? he was only taking care to prevent innovations in the church, and bringing a company of enthusiasts to justice, who otherwise would overturn the established constitution. But JESUS says, “Why persecutest thou me?” For what is done to CHRIST’s disciples, he takes as done to himself, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. He that touches CHRIST’s disciples, touches the apple of his eye; and they who persecute the followers of our LORD, would persecute our LORD himself, was he again to come and tabernacle amongst us.

I do not find that _Saul_ gives any reason why he did persecute; no, he was struck dumb; as every persecutor will be, when JESUS CHRIST puts this same question to them at the terrible day of judgment. But being pricked at the heart, no doubt with a sense not only of this, but of all his other offences against the great GOD, he said, verse 5. “Who art thou, LORD?” See how soon GOD can change the heart and voice of his most bitter enemies. Not many days ago, _Saul_ was not only blaspheming CHRIST himself, but, as much as in him lay, compelling others to blaspheme also: but now, he, who before was an imposter, is called _Lord_; “Who art thou, LORD?” This admirably points out the way in which GOD’s Spirit works upon the heart: it first powerfully convinces of sin, and of our damnable state; and then puts us upon enquiring after JESUS CHRIST. _Saul_ being struck to the ground, or pricked to the heart, cries out after JESUS, “Who art thou, LORD?” As many of you that were never so far made sensible of your damnable state, as to be made feelingly to seek after JESUS CHRIST, were never yet truly convicted by, much less converted to, GOD. May the LORD, who struck _Saul_, effectually now strike all my christless hearers, and set them upon enquiring after JESUS, as their all in all! _Saul_ said, “Who art thou, LORD? And the LORD said, I am JESUS, whom thou persecutest.” Never did any one enquire truly after JESUS CHRIST, but CHRIST made a saving discovery of himself, to his soul. It should seem, our LORD appeared to him in person; for _Ananias_, afterwards, says, “The LORD who appeared to thee in the way which thou camest;” though this may only imply CHRIST’s meeting him in the way; it is not much matter: it is plain CHRIST here speaks to him, and says, “I am JESUS, whom thou persecutest.” It is remarkable, how our LORD takes to himself the name of _Jesus_; for it is a name in which he delights: I am JESUS, a Saviour of my people, both from the guilt and power of their sins; “a JESUS, whom thou persecutest.” This seems to be spoken to convince _Saul_ more and more of his sin; and I doubt not, but every word was sharper than a two-edged sword, and came like so many daggers to his heart; O how did these words affect him! a JESUS! a Saviour! and yet I am persecuting him! this strikes him with horror; but then the word JESUS, though he was a persecutor, might give him some hope. However, our dear LORD, to convince _Saul_ that he was to be saved by grace, and that he was not afraid of his power and enmity, tells him, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” As much as to say, though he was persecuting, yet he could not overthrow the church of CHRIST: for he would sit as King upon his holy hill of _Zion_; the malice of men or devils should never be able to prevail against him.

Verse 6. “And he, trembling and astonished, said, LORD, what wilt thou have me to do?” Those, who think _Saul_ had a discovery of JESUS made to his heart before, think that this question is the result of his faith, and that he now desires to know what he shall do, out of gratitude, for what the LORD had done for his soul; in this sense it may be understood; ¹and I have made use of it as an instance to prove, that faith will work by love; but perhaps it may be more agreeable to the context, if we suppose, that _Saul_ had only some distant discovery of CHRIST made to him, and not a full assurance of faith: for we are told, “he trembling and astonished,” trembling at the thoughts of his persecuting a JESUS, and astonished at his own vileness, and the infinite condescension of this JESUS, cries out, “LORD, what wilt thou have me to do?” Persons under soul-trouble, and sore conviction, would be glad to do any thing, or comply on any terms, to get peace with GOD. “Arise, (says our LORD) and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”

¹ See Volume V. Sermon 24.

And here we will leave _Saul_ a while, and see what is become of his companions. But what shall we say? GOD is a sovereign agent; his sacred Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth; “he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.” _Saul_ is taken, but, as far as we know to the contrary, his fellow-travellers are left to perish in their sins: for we are told, verse 7. “That the men who journeyed with him stood, indeed, speechless, and hearing a confused voice;” I say, a _confused voice_, for so the word signifies, and must be so interpreted, in order to reconcile it with chapter xxii. verse 9. where _Saul_, giving an account of these men, tells _Agrippa_, “They heard not the voice of him that spake to me.” They heard a voice, a confused noise, but not the articulate voice of him that spake to _Saul_, and therefore remained unconverted. For what are all ordinances, all, even the most extraordinary dispensations of providence, without CHRIST speaks to the soul in them? Thus it is now under the word preached: many, like _Saul_’s companions, are sometimes so struck with the outgoings of GOD appearing in the sanctuary, that they even stand speechless; they hear the preacher’s voice, but not the voice of the Son of GOD, who, perhaps, at the same time is speaking effectually to many other hearts; this I have known often; and what shall we say to these things? O the depth of the sovereignty of GOD! it is past finding out. LORD, I desire to adore what I cannot comprehend. “Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight!”

But to return to _Saul_: the LORD bids him “arise and go into the city;” and we are told, verse 8. that “_Saul_ arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, (he was so overpowered with the greatness of the light that shone upon them, that) he saw no man; but they led him by the hand, and brought him into _Damascus_,” that very city which was to be the place of his executing or imprisoning the disciples of the LORD. “And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” But who can tell what horrors of conscience, what convulsions of soul, what deep and pungent convictions of sin he underwent during these three long days? it was this took away his appetite (for who can eat or drink when under a sense of the wrath of GOD for sin?) and, being to be greatly employed hereafter, he must be greatly humbled now; therefore, the LORD leaves him three days groaning under the spirit of bondage, and buffeted, no doubt, with the fiery darts of the devil, that, being tempted like unto his brethren, he might be able hereafter to succour those that were tempted. Had _Saul_ applied to any of the blind guides of the _Jewish_ church, under these circumstances, they would have said, he was mad, or going besides himself; as many carnal teachers and blind Pharisees now deal with, and so more and more distress, poor souls labouring under awakening convictions of their damnable state. But GOD often at our first awakenings, visits us with sore trials, especially those who are, like _Saul_, to shine in the church, and to be used as instruments in bringing many sons to glory: those who are to be highly exalted, must first be deeply humbled; and this I speak for the comfort of such, who may be now groaning under the spirit of bondage, and perhaps, like _Saul_, can neither eat nor drink; for I have generally observed, that those who have had the deepest convictions, have afterwards been favoured with the most precious communications, and enjoyed most of the divine presence in their souls. This was afterwards remarkably exemplified in _Saul_, who was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

But will the LORD leave his poor servant in this distress? no; his JESUS (though _Saul_ persecuted him) promised (and he will perform) that “it should be told him what he must do. And there was a certain disciple at _Damascus_, named _Ananias_; and unto him, said the LORD, in a vision, _Ananias_; and he said, Behold, I am here, LORD.” What a holy familiarity is there between JESUS CHRIST and regenerate souls! _Ananias_ had been used to such love-visits, and therefore knew the voice of his beloved. The LORD says, “_Ananias_;” _Ananias_ says, “Behold, I am here, LORD.” Thus it is that CHRIST now, as well as formerly, often talks with his children at sundry times and after divers manners, as a man talketh with his friend. But what has the LORD to say to _Ananias_?

Verse 11. “And the LORD said unto him, Arise, and go into the street, which is called _Straight_, and enquire in the house of _Judas_, for one called _Saul_ of _Tarsus_;” (See here for your comfort, O children of the most high GOD, what notice JESUS CHRIST takes of the street and the house where his own dear servants lodge) “for behold, he prayeth;” but why is this ushered in with the word _behold_? what, was it such a wonder, to hear that _Saul_ was praying? why, _Saul_ was a Pharisee, and therefore, no doubt, fasted and made long prayers: and, since we are told that he profited above many of his equals, I doubt not but he was taken notice of for his gift in prayer; and yet it seems, that before these three days, _Saul_ never prayed in his life; and why? because, before these three days, he never felt himself a condemned creature: he was alive in his own opinion, because without a knowledge of the spiritual meaning of the law; he felt not a want of, and therefore, before now, cried not after a JESUS; and consequently, though he might have said or made a prayer (as many Pharisees do now-a-days) he never prayed a prayer; but now, “behold! he prayed indeed;” and this was urged as one reason why he was converted. None of GOD’s children, as one observes, comes into the world still-born; prayer is the very breath of the new creature: and therefore, if we are prayerless, we are christless; if we never had the spirit of supplication, it is a sad sign that we never had the spirit of grace in our souls: and you may be assured you never did pray, unless you have felt yourselves sinners, and seen the want of JESUS to be your Saviour. May the LORD, whom I serve in the gospel of his dear Son, prick you all to the heart, and may it be said of you all, as it was of _Saul_, behold, they pray!

The LORD goes on to encourage _Ananias_ to go to _Saul_: says he, verse 12. “For he hath seen in a vision a man named _Ananias_, coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.” So that though CHRIST converted _Saul_ immediately by himself, yet he will carry on the work, thus begun, by a minister. Happy they, who under soul-troubles have such experienced guides, and as well acquainted with JESUS CHRIST as _Ananias_ was: you that have such, make much of and be thankful for them; and you who have them not, trust in GOD; he will carry on his own work without them.