Acts 9

(Psalm 138:5) Indeed, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. (Acts 9:31) If we leave God, where shall we go? When Saul left God, he went to the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:8).

A father when his son takes bad courses, knows not how to make him better, but God knows how to make the children of the election better; he can change their hearts. When Paul was breathing out persecution against the saints, God soon altered his course and set him a praying; (A…

Thirdly, he is precious to God (Isaiah 15:43, 44). He is a member of Christ's body; therefore what injury is offered to him, is done to God himself (Acts 9:4). Caution 1. Though this commandment forbids private persons — 'You shall not kill' — to shed the blood of another (unles…

When the heart is in a melting frame, it will better receive the stamp of the Word preached. When Paul's heart was melted and broken for sin, then, Lord, what will you have me do? (Acts 9:6). Come not here with hard hearts: who can expect a crop when the seed is sown upon stony…

If we have the anointing of the Spirit, it will oil the wheels of our endeavor, and make us lively in our pursuit after the heavenly kingdom. No sooner had Paul grace infused, but presently, Behold he prays (Acts 9:11). The affections are by divines called the feet of the soul,…

When one becomes a New Creature, there is such a visible change, that all may see it; therefore it is called a change from darkness to light (Acts 26:18). Paul, a persecutor, when converted, was so altered, that all who saw him wondered at him, and could scarce believe that he w…

Abraham never dreamed of the true God, nor of any new covenant of grace and salvation, when God called him. And so, when Paul was going armed with bloody fury, and his fury armed with commissions and authority against the Saints, then God from heaven called him; and of a persecu…

Lastly, there is a secret enmity between the seed of the wicked, and the seed of the Church: (1 John 3:12) the wicked are of that evil one, the devil; and therefore, must needs hate the godly, who are born of God. So that, when we shall see or hear, that ungodly persons shall in…

Where learn this, That Christ esteems the reproach and affliction of his Church, as his own affliction. When Saul went to persecute the brethren at Damascus, Acts 9:2, 4, Christ Jesus calls to him from heaven, saying; Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Saul went to persecute t…

Lastly, if there be such a communion between Christ and a believer, that our sins were made his, and his righteousness made ours; This may teach us patience, and minister us comfort in all outward afflictions, or inward temptations; because it is certain all our sufferings are h…

This was practiced by good Obadiah: when Jezebel killed the Lord's Prophets, he hid them by fifties in a cave; which if it had been known, would have cost him his life. And so did the Apostles and brethren in the Primitive Church; when the Jews would have slain Paul in Damascus,…

So has he dealt for the body, and for the soul he has been no less wonderful. Saul, of a bloody persecutor, he can make a zealous Preacher, Acts 9, even a glorious instrument, and a chosen vessel to carry his name unto the Gentiles, even he who thought to have blotted out the na…

- 5. If God be a father who is called upon, then prayer is the mark of God's child. Saint Luke and Saint Paul set out the faithful servants of God by this mark, Acts 9:14. He has authority to bind all that call on your name. 1 Corinthians 1:2. To them that are sanctified by Jesu…

And by the example of Paul, when Christ says, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? At this very speech he is converted, and said, Who are you, Lord: what will you that I do (Acts 9:6)? And this is manifest also by experience.

When they have been ready to make their own grave, you have built them Hospitals. The milk of your Charity has nursed them up, and while they have sat under your vines, they have eat the sweet grape; we read that they showed Peter the garments and coats which Dorcas made, Acts 9…

What is your beloved more than another beloved? Those who journeyed with Paul, heard a voice, but saw no man (Acts 9:7). So the unregenerate person hears the minister set forth Christ as altogether lovely, he hears a voice, but sees no man; he sees not Christ's orient beauties.

3. There is, by the man Christ's being in heaven, this ground of consolation added, that he has a sympathy with sinners otherwise than before — not as to the degree, nor as to the intenseness of his grace and mercy (as I hinted before), but as to the manner how he is affected; s…

O, so attentive as he is, when his own are under the cross; his bowels are then moved, though not as they were on earth, yet certainly they want not their own holy motion, suitable to the glorious estate to which he is exalted. Therefore (Acts 9) he cries from Heaven, "Saul, Sau…

Consideration 2. God reasons not only with men's minds, to convince them; but also with their will and affections. (Acts 9) Christ from heaven proposes a syllogism to Saul's fury, It's hard for you to kick against pricks. God has logic against anger, which has neither ears nor r…

1. Some Christ draws by the heart, as Lydia, Matthew: love sweetly and softly blows up the door, and the King is within doors in the floor of the house before they be aware. Others Christ trails and drags by violence, rather by the hair of the head, than by the heart, as the jai…

Manasseh, as if he had intended to make sure work of Hell, runs on to pawn soul and salvation, and gives himself to witchcraft; observing of times; to cause the streets of Jerusalem to run with blood, to all abominable idolatry: mercy in the Lord went as near hell to save him. P…

Or how without money? It is true, should a man offer his house full of treasure for Christ, it would be despised (Song of Solomon 8:7), and when Simon Magus offered to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost for money, it was rejected with a curse (Acts 9:8-10), and if the gift of the H…

I for my part ran clean another way, I never had a desire after God, I had indeed a kind of form and show, and could comply myself to my governors and neighbors; that I might be flattered and encouraged by them, and I should never have taken better course of myself; but when it…

While Cornelius was in the act of prayer, at the ninth hour of the day, which was the hour of prayer, he saw in a vision the angel of God (Acts 10:3-9). While Peter went up to the house top to pray, then he had the heavenly vision; so when Paul was in prayer Ananias was sent to…

They had not a full dispensation of his glory, but only a glimpse of it, and that under a cloud and revealed in mercy; yet they were sore afraid. Upon any visions and apparitions of the divine Majesty, God's servants fell to the earth — (Ezekiel 1:28) when I saw the appearance o…

What spirit are they of, that will rather give themselves to the roaring lion, and incur the wrath of the King of Heaven, which is more terrible than a thousand hungry lions, than solemnly perform this useful duty of secret prayer: let careless souls consider this. 9. Peter, a f…

And is it not that which on all occasions draws the soul to its Father? It is said of Paul, when newly converted, Behold he prays! (Acts 9:11). Others do not see it, but I know it; there he is in a corner, sighing and seeking me, go Ananias, inquire for him, he is now one of you…

Now, Paul received his gospel in the way as he was going to Damascus, where Christ appeared to him, and talked with him. Afterwards also he talked with him in the temple at Jerusalem: but he received his gospel upon the way, as Luke recites the story in Acts 9. Arise (says Chris…

Thus did God usually teach the Prophets (2 Peter 1:21). Now the revelation which Paul had, was not ordinary, but extraordinary, and that partly by vision, partly by voice, and partly by instinct (Acts 9 and 22). It may here be demanded, where Christ was, whether on earth or in h…

For the commission of the twelve Apostles ran thus, that they must first preach to Jerusalem and Judea, then to Samaria: and in the last place; to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). And Paul's commission was, that he should first preach to the Gentiles, and in the secon…

Thirdly, here we see that true and spiritual invocation of God, is a mark of the Church of God: because it is a fruit of the spirit of God in them that are the children of God. And by this the people of God are noted (Acts 9:14; 1 Corinthians 1:2), and on the contrary, it is the…

So, in this place, when the Galatians did wrongfully withhold and keep back that competent allowance, that was due to their teachers; he tells them that it was a sin tending against God, who is not, nor will not, nor cannot be mocked: for whatever wrong is done to the messenger…

None otherwise, then if he would say: Those things which you there read written, you see here truly done, and in very deed performed. The same we read also of Saint Paul, Acts 9, and of Apollos, Acts 18, how they convinced the Jews, and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus was Ch…

Of whose praise though Chrysostom and diverse others have said very much: yet if it be compared with his desert, it is either nothing or else but a little. For with what praises shall we sufficiently set him forth, whom the Lord himself immediately after his conversion so highly…

It may be they can proceed no further in their Expectations but to that of the Prophet; who knowes if God will come and give a Blessing; Joel 2. 14. yet is this a sufficient ground and encouragement to keep them waiting at the Throne of Grace. So Paul after he had received his V…

But they do not discover to others, nor can discern in themselves any degree of life and vigour, of heavenliness and spirituality, of love to God or zeal for him, proportionable to their high expectations from him, or the great import of this thing to be beloved of God: there is…

What ever Creature be instrumental for any good to you, it's your Lord Jesus Christ that gave the orders and commands to that Creature to do it; and without it they could have done nothing for you: It's your head in Heaven that consults your peace and comfort on Earth: these be…

Balaam runs greedily for reward to curse Isral; but meets with an unexpected check at his very out-set, and though that stopt him not, but he essay'd every way to do them mischief, yet he still finds himself etter'd by an effectual bond of restraint, that he can no way shake off…

So did the believers in the primitiue Church for S. Paul: When his life was sought in Damascus, the disciples let him downe at a window in a basket through the wall, and he escaped, Act. 9. 25. And at Ephesus when the great tumult was about Diana, Paul would have thrust himselfe…

2. The commendation is explained, or illustrated by a similitude: the thing she explains, and which she understood by ointments, is his Name; the similitude whereby it is illustrated is ointment poured forth. Christ's Name is himself, or the knowledge of himself, or every thing…

Now as our Savior used this sign of breathing upon his disciples when he ordained them; so the apostles afterwards instituted and used another sign, namely laying on of hands, of which there is frequent mention in Scripture, and which was introduced into the Christian church fro…

It is the lively acting of grace that makes the heart calm and serene. These two go together, walking in the fear of God, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:31). Christian, if once you grow remiss in religion, conscience will chide.

The language of this meekness is that of the child Samuel (1 Samuel 3:9): Speak Lord for your servant hears; and that of Joshua, who when he was in that high post of honor, giving command to Israel, and bidding defiance to all their enemies, his breast filled with great and bold…

After the way which they call heresy (says St. Paul, Acts 24:14) so worship I the God of my Fathers. The sect of the Nazarenes, so Tertullus calls it in his opening of the indictment against Paul (Acts 24:5), it is called this way (Acts 9:2) and that way (Acts 19:9), as if it we…

Colloss. 1:24 and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of CHIST, they are the afflictions of Christ, and every one must make account to fill them up; not the satisfactory sufferings of Christ, but the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body, in his members: And so…

Seventhly, let us lay hold upon our opportunities of peace and liberties that we do enjoy, to edifie ourselves in our most holy faith: let us make use of our peace to prepare us for the times of affliction, which God may call us unto. This was the care of the Churches, when they…

Thirdly, be sure to lay a good foundation, in a through work of humiliation: the more you art willing to bear Gods hand in the work of humiliation for sin, the lighter will all the burthens of afflictions be unto you; the seed that fell upon the stony ground withered; and althou…

Consolation is the first of these. Acts 9:31: the disciples walked in the fear of the Lord and in the consolation of the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter, and from his work toward us and in us we have comfort and consolation.

But that wisdom that does what he will, by what means he will, and works one contrary out of another, brings light out of darkness, good out of evil, can, and does turn tears, and troubles to the advantage of his Church, but certainly in itself, peace is more suitable to its inc…

He sees whether you pray or no, and how you pray. (1.) He sees whether you pray or no; mark that passage, (Acts 9:11) The Lord said to Ananias, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarsus; for behold, h…