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We will now proceed to state,]

2. What they do mean

[The Jews imagined themselves to be the only people whom God would ever admit to his favour. As for the Gentile world, the Jews regarded them as dogs, and as accursed of the Lord. Some of them went so far as to think, that no Jew, however wicked, would be condemned, nor any Gentile, however righteous, would be saved. Against this kind of error both the Baptist and our Lord bore testimony. And even the Apostles themselves were far from having a correct judgment respecting it: they supposed that God would favour the Jews, because they were Jews; and that he would not look upon the Gentiles, because they were Gentiles. But God had now shewn to Peter, that this was an error: he had shewn to him, that the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles was broken down; that no man was henceforth to be accounted unclean; that his Gospel was to be freely preached to all without any distinction; and that all, of whatever nation they might be, should be accepted with him, provided they really feared him, and wrought righteousness; that is, that God would not regard any thing in man, but his moral and religious character: if any man possessed ever so many privileges, they should avail nothing to his eternal welfare, unless they were accompanied with such dispositions and actions as characterized the elect of God: but, if any man sought him humbly, and served him faithfully, he should be brought to the knowledge of salvation, and his feet be guided into the way of peace.

That this is the real meaning of the passage, appears from the whole context. Peter no sooner came to Cornelius, than he reminded him of the barrier which had been placed between Jews and Gentiles, so as to cut off all friendly intercourse between them; and told him how that barrier had been removed: and, when he found the account which the messengers had given him, confirmed by Cornelius himself, and that God had interposed as much to direct Cornelius to send for Peter, as to direct Peter to go to him, "he opened his mouth" with a solemnity suited to the occasion, and proclaimed God as the common Father of all mankind, equally accessible to all, and equally gracious unto all, who should seek and serve him in his appointed way.]

The words thus explained are very instructive. Let us consider,

II. The truths to be deduced from them

They SHEW US,

d Matt. iii. 9, 10. John viii. 39, 44.

e Rom. x. 11, 12.

1. That we have nothing to hope from any worldly distinctions

[The Jewish notion of God's regarding men on account of outward distinctions is generally prevalent amongst ourselves. Many fancy, that because we have been baptized we must of necessity be in a state of favour with God; and many who will not altogether avow that principle, yet imagine that God will not proceed with the same severity against the great and learned, as he will against the poor and ignorant. Hence, though we may be permitted to warn the poor of their guilt and danger, we must not presume to take such a liberty with the rich we are not to suppose that any of them can perish, or that God requires from them the same homage and service as he does from the lower classes of mankind. But to this point the text is plain and express: "God is no respecter of persons:" his law is equally obligatory on all; and his decisions in the day of judgment will be impartial, every one being adjudged to happiness or misery according to his works. In the book of Revelation is a passage well deserving the notice of those who think that any regard will be shewn to learning or wealth or honour in that days. At the same time, the poor will find it equally instructive to them for they are ready to suppose that their present trials and difficulties will procure them the same kind of favour in that day, as the rich are looking for on account of their fancied greatness. But the poor, even the poorest bond-slaves, will there be found, associates in misery with their proud oppressors, and equally "calling upon the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb." The only difference between one and another will be this: they who were the foremost in religious privileges, will be most signally visited with the Divine judgments: in that only will the Jew be distinguished from the Gentile, or the rich from the poor"; "To whom much has been given, of them will the more be required:" but there will be the same ground of judgment for all: the image of Christ upon the soul will be the only thing that will be regarded, either as the evidence of our conversion, or as the measure of our recompencek.]

2. That we have nothing to fear from any secret decrees

[That "God chooses men to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth," is asserted by God

f See Job xxxiv. 19.

Rev. vi. 15—17. Observe how many words are used to characterize the rich! Does not that speak loudly to them?

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himself: but that he reprobates any, and from all eternity decreed to consign them over to perdition without any offence or fault of theirs, we cannot admit: we think that oath of God's, that "he has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live," is decisive on the point; and all the reasonings of fallible men are lighter than vanity, in opposition to it. But, not to enter into dispute about these things, one thing is clear, that of whatever sect, or party, or nation we may be, if we "fear God and work righteousness, we shall be accepted." What then have we to do with the Divine decrees? What reason has any man to say, 'It is in vain for me to seek after God; because God has not elected me?' Who ever ascended to heaven, to see whether his name were, or were not, written in the book of life? "Secret things must be left to God, to whom alone they properly belong: the things that are revealed belong to us:" and this declaration in our text is plain, and clear, and absolute. Let every one therefore put away all distressing apprehensions about the decrees of God, and seek to attain that character which shall infallibly lead to happiness and glory ----]

3. That if we improve diligently the light we have, God will give us more light

[God forbid that we should for a moment entertain the thought, that we, by any diligence of ours, can merit any thing at the hands of God, or lay him under an obligation to confer upon us the blessings of salvation. We have no claim upon him, except that which his own free and gracious promises have given us: but if, in dependence on those promises, we press forward in his appointed way, then may we expect assuredly that those promises shall be fulfilled to us. Now God has promised, that "then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; &c." We may be confident therefore that we shall not use the means in vain. Whether Cornelius would have been saved if this fresh revelation had not been made to him, we will not take upon ourselves absolutely to determine; though Peter, and the rest of the Apostles appear to have considered his salvation as altogether effected by his conversion to Christianity m. But throughout the whole history, frequent notice is taken of the prayers and alms of Cornelius, as approved of God, and as being the means of bringing down yet greater blessings upon him: they are represented as being accepted before God, precisely as the meat-offerings were accepted from the Jews: as a memorial of the latter, when burnt upon the altar, was an offering of a

1 Hos. vi. 3. Quote and explain the whole verse.
m Acts xi. 14, 18.

sweet savour unto the Lord", so "the prayers and alms of Cornelius came up for a memorial before God." Such a memorial shall our prayers and alms-deeds be, if offered unto God with real humility of mind, and with an earnest desire to obtain a fuller knowledge of his will. Though therefore I would not exhort any one to rest in a low state of knowledge and of grace, I would encourage the weakest person, if sincere, to expect from God still richer communications of his grace, together with the ultimate possession of his glory. God will "fulfil the desire of them that fear him, and of them that hope in his mercy." Only let us listen to the word of God with the same disposition as Cornelius and his family did, and God will rather work miracles to save us, than suffer us to " perish for lack of knowledge." I mean not that God will really work miracles for any one; but that he will either, by his providence, bring us an instructor for the further illumination of our minds; or that, by his Spirit, he will guide us into all truth through the instrumentality of the written word: "He never said to any, 'Seek ye my face' in vain."]

n Lev. ii. 1, 2, 9.

。 ver. 4.

P ver. 33.

MDCCLXVII.

CHRIST'S DILIGENCE IN BENEFITING MAN.
Acts x. 38. Who went about doing good.

THERE are many principles in the human heart, that are capable of calling forth all the energy of our minds, and all the exertion of our bodies: but it is to be lamented that these principles, being evil in their nature, are, for the most part, destructive in their tendency. Ambition and the love of filthy lucre have operated in every age to the production of efforts that have excited the wonder and admiration of the world. But rarely has such zeal been found on the side of virtue. One however has appeared on earth whose only object was to do good; and whose labours were never equalled by mortal man. He was steady and uniform in his course, like the sun in its orbit; and, like that bright luminary, diffused the richest blessings wherever he came. This man was Jesus of Nazareth; of whom the Apostle justly says in our text, "He went about doing good."

We shall,

I. Confirm this record from the history of Jesus

That we may contract our subject within proper limits, we will confine our attention to three things that are peculiarly worthy of notice:

1. His condescension

[The great and mighty of the earth, however disposed to benefit mankind, are almost inaccessible to the poor; who must come often, and wait long, and get richer persons for their advocates, and, after all, be dismissed without having obtained the full object of their wishes. But Jesus gave liberty to all to come unto him: their poverty did not excite his contempt; nor the loathsomeness of their disorders his disgust. He suffered them to throng him on every side, and to touch him. Not even their moral depravity caused him to stand aloof from them. On the contrary, he sought out the poorest, the most miserable, and the most depraved; as though he had determined to honour those most, whom the rest of the world most disregarded and despised. Hence it was cast in his teeth, that he was "a friend of publicans and sinners."] 2. His diligence

[From the time that our Lord entered on his ministry to the very hour of his crucifixion, there was not a single day wherein he was not actively engaged in doing good both to the bodies and the souls of men. "It was his very meat and drink to do the will of God" in this respect. He staid not at home that persons might come to him; but he himself went about, he "went about" through all cities, towns, and villages, in order to administer instruction and comfort to "those who lay in darkness and the shadow of death." Sometimes when he had spent the whole night in prayer he would return to his labours, without regarding the calls of nature for rest and refreshment; insomuch that his friends were ready to blame him as transported with zeal bevond all the bounds of reason and propriety.

The scope of every thing that he either said or did, was to benefit mankind. Whether his discourses savoured of affection or severity, and whether his miracles were more or less benevolent in their immediate aspect, his design was invariably the same; namely, to prepare men for the reception of his truth, and the enjoyment of his salvation".]

a Mark iii. 21. "Orɩ ¿éørn, see Doddridge in loc.

b His menaces in Matt. xxiii. were to reclaim the Pharisees and his suffering the devils to destroy the swine, was to shew how great a mercy it was to be delivered from their power.

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