Acts 28:22

DISCOURSE: 1817
THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST EVIL SPOKEN OF

Acts 28:22. We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

AS prejudice is easily excited in the mind, so is its operation extremely powerful, wherever it is entertained. An opprobrious term will often convey more in one moment, than could be conveyed otherwise in many sentences: and, as superseding the necessity of any specific accusations, it is generally resorted to as the means of bringing either persons or things into general contempt. The enemies of Christianity in every age have availed themselves of this advantage, to decry a religion which they did not choose to embrace. Thus, when St. Paul came to Rome, and had convened the principal Jews to his lodgings, he found, that, though no accusations had been brought against him, his religion, and all who professed it, were regarded in an odious light, through the malignant misrepresentations of their adversaries. Let us then inquire,

I. Whence it was that the Gospel was so universally evil spoken of in the apostolic age—

That the Gospel was universally reviled, is obvious from the decided manner in which the notoriety of the fact is mentioned in the text; “We know it:” and it was so chiefly on two grounds;

1. As being impious in itself—

[The Jews regarded it as subversive of the law of Moses. They could not see, that Jesus was the person to whom Moses and the prophets had borne witness: they could not see, that he had actually fulfilled the law, and was himself the substance, of which that was only the shadow: they therefore conceived his pretensions to be in direct opposition to God’s revealed will; and his religion to be a system of impiety altogether — — — The Gentiles also, finding that Christianity required an utter dereliction of all their false gods, and at the same time presented to them no visible object of worship, accounted all its professors atheists. They knew indeed that Christians worshipped Him who died for them on Mount Calvary: but that seemed only to add folly to impiety; since to regard him as a God and a Saviour, who, to all appearance, was not even able to save himself, was an act of absurdity, in their eyes, bordering on madness — — —]

2. As injurious to mankind—

[To individuals it was supposed to be a source of distraction to the mind, and of immorality in the life. Even the Head of this religion, the despised Nazarene, was thought to be “beside himself;” nor were his followers in any better plight; since they professed to turn their backs upon all visible good, and to follow a good that was invisible. Moreover, in the midst of these high pretensions, they were supposed to be addicted to all manner of licentious habits, even such as the Gentiles themselves scarcely ventured to indulge [Note: 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:16.].

To families, this religion was considered as a source of incalculable mischief; since, wherever it came, it set the nearest relatives against each other, as even the Founder of it himself had declared it would [Note: Matthew 10:34.].

It was hostile also to the welfare of the state. It inculcated many things which the Roman laws forbad, and prohibited many things which they enjoined. It set up a king above Cζsar himself [Note: Acts 16:20; Acts 17:6; Acts 24:5.]. Was such a religion as this to be tolerated? No: every sensible governor would give the same direction, respecting it, as Haman gave in relation to the Jews; that it ought to be banished from the face of the earth [Note: Esther 3:8.]

But, now that Christianity is established, does the same prejudice against it remain? Let us inquire into this matter, and see,

II.

How far it meets with similar treatment at this day—

The name of Christianity is still odious among millions of the human race; and, even among those who call themselves Christians, the true Gospel is disapproved and detested by multitudes, who are ready to number themselves among its warmest advocates. It is hated on many accounts;

1. As too humiliating in its representations—

[It represents the whole human race as in a state of guilt and condemnation, and as utterly incapable of delivering themselves by any thing that they can do. It presents to their view a Saviour, in and through whom all their wants must be supplied, and to whom they must stand indebted for their whole salvation, from first to last [Note: 1 Corinthians 1:30.]. But men cannot endure to think themselves so guilty, so polluted, so enslaved, so utterly helpless and hopeless, as the Scripture represents them to be; and this will be found to be at the root of all their objections against the Gospel: examine all the writings of those who oppose the truth, and this will appear to be the leading feature of them, that they suppose some degree of goodness and sufficiency to remain in fallen man; whilst the Gospel declares, that we are “altogether become abominable [Note: Romans 3:10.],” and that even the will, as well as the power, to do good must be given us from the Lord [Note: Philippians 2:13.]

2. As too easy in its proposals—

[It offers salvation freely to every human being, saying, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved [Note: Mark 16:16; Acts 16:30.].” It requires nothing on our parts to earn salvation, nothing to merit it; but only to receive it thankfully as the free gift of God to us in Christ Jesus [Note: Romans 6:23.]. But the proud heart of man does not like to be so indebted to the free grace of God: that invitation, “Come, ye that have no money, come buy wine and milk without money and without price,” is offensive to him: he would rather hear of some duties to perform that shall render him worthy of God’s favour, and of some good works to be done, in order to form a ground of glorying before God: and, if works be declared to be utterly ineffectual to these ends, he immediately supposes them to be unnecessary altogether, and that we leave men at liberty to indulge in all manner of licentiousness.]

3. As too strict in its requirements—

[We stop not now to notice the inconsistency between the former objection and this: suffice it to say, that they are made by the same persons, and oftentimes almost in the same breath. The Gospel requires, that we mortify all sin whatever; that we “crucify the flesh, with its affections and lusts;” and that we “live altogether not to ourselves, but unto Him that died for us, and rose again.” But this is supposed to be incompatible with all the common offices of life: and we are represented as making the way to heaven so strait, that none but a few devotees can hope to enter into it.
Thus the truth of God is in reality traduced, as in the days of old, and, though the name of Christianity is honoured, the life and power of it are despised.]
Since then the Gospel is still evil spoken of to such a degree, permit me to state,

III.

What is our duty in relation to it—

We should endeavour to get all possible information respecting it.
[It would he strange indeed to form our judgment solely from the representations of its enemies: we ought assuredly to hear its friends also, and to learn what they have to say in its favour. If then we can have access to any who are qualified to instruct us, we should say to them, as the Jews did to Paul, “We desire to hear what thou thinkest.” Were this step taken, and with any measure of candour, I have no doubt but that the prejudices against the Gospel would soon be done away. But there is one, to whom we may all have access, and whose judgment may be fully relied on; I mean, that very person to whom the Jews at Rome applied, even the Apostle Paul himself. No man had ever juster or deeper views of the Gospel than he; and no man has written so fully respecting it as he: consult him therefore: study those Epistles of his in which the subject is most fully stated, the Epistles to the Romans, the Galatians, and the Ephesians. From those may be fully learned the doctrines which the Gospel maintains: and in his life may be seen the practice it requires. Go then, and sit at his feet, and ask of him in relation to every thing we have spoken, “What thinkest thou?”]

Our inquiries, however, should not be merely speculative, but practical—
[We should not, like Pilate, ask, “What is truth?” and then go away without any desire to be informed: but should imitate rather the man whose blindness had been healed, “Who is the Son of God, that I may believe on him [Note: John 9:36.]?” All our inquiries should be with a view to practice, and with a determination of heart to follow the light whithersoever it may lead us. Did we, like the Berζans, search the Scriptures daily with this view, it would soon be said of us, as it was of them, “Therefore many of them believed [Note: Acts 17:11.].”

We will now, by way of improvement,
1.

Give a specific answer to the question ourselves—

[Is it asked by any, “What thinkest thou” of the Gospel itself, and of the people who profess it? We reply, that, in our judgment, the plain simple doctrine of salvation by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, is, “the wisdom of God, and the power of God,’ even “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;” and that its proper title is, “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God.” As for those who profess it, we say, that, if they walk unworthy of it, they are hypocrites, and self-deceivers: but, if they adorn it by a suitable life and conversation, then are they “the excellent of the earth,” “the Church of the living God,” “the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty.” Of them will we say, with Moses, “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved of the Lord [Note: Deuteronomy 33:29.]?” Whoever may speak against them, they may be of good courage; for God approves them, and will confess them as his before the assembled universe. They shall assuredly “be his, in the day that he shall make up his jewels [Note: Malachi 3:17.].”]

2. Put the question to every one here present—

[What thinkest thou? Dost thou think the doctrines of the Gospel so objectionable as the world represents them to be? Compare those doctrines with thine own wants and necessities; and then say, whether they do not contain the very remedy which thou standest in need of? — — — Would Paul have represented them as containing “the unsearchable riches of Christ;” and would the angels be represented as ever “desiring to look into them,” if they were unworthy of our regard?

Again, Dost thou think that those who embrace the Gospel deserve the ignominious appellation of “a sect?” By this name they were called in the first ages; and by this name they are yet too often called. But, because “they worship God in a way which the world calls heresy,” are they therefore heretics? No: they are “the general assembly and Church of the First-born, which are written in heaven;” they are the living stones of which his temple is composed; and they are now, and shall to all eternity continue, the habitation of God through the Spirit [Note: Hebrews 12:23. 1 Peter 2:5.Ephesians 2:19.].

Once more; Dost thou think, that, because “they are everywhere evil spoken of,” thou shouldest not join thyself to them? Sad indeed is thy state, if thou entertainest such a thought as that: for, “if thou art ashamed of Christ, of thee will Christ be ashamed,” when he shall come in his glory to judge the world. Remember the choice of Moses, and ask, Whether it be not that which thou shouldest make [Note: Hebrews 11:24.]? If the circumstance of the Lord’s people being universally “evil spoken of” appear an argument against them, know, that it is greatly in their favour; and that, if you belong to a party that is not universally evil spoken of by the ungodly world, you are not of the party to which Paul belonged, nor shall have your portion with him in the eternal world.

What though they be “a little flock?” they are those to whom “it is the Father’s good pleasure to give the kingdom [Note: Luke 12:32.].” What if they be walking in “a strait and narrow, unfrequented path?” it is “the path that leadeth unto life,” whilst all other paths, however frequented, “lead only to destruction [Note: Matthew 7:13.].” The time is shortly coming, when they who now most loudly condemn them, will yet still more loudly condemn themselves; “We fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour: but now they are numbered with the saints [Note: Wisd. 5:4.],” &c.

To all then I say, Beware what sentiments you imbibe respecting the Gospel of Christ; and beg of God that you may so think of it in this world, as you will assuredly think of it in the world to come.]