Acts 20:6

The next journey of St. Paul is from Macedonia in Greece, to Troas in Asia, where he abode seven days. During his stay here, several are to be remarked and observed.

Observe here, 1. How this great apostle became all things to all men, though he would not become sin to any man: To the Jews he became as. Jew, for he stayed his journey all the seven days of the Jewish Passover solemnity, and would not set forth to travel that time, because he would not offend the weak Jews; accordingly he sailed not from Philippi till after the days of unleavened bread. Thus did St. Paul comply with the Jewish rites, which, though dead by the death of Christ, yet were not buried; and therefore his compliance was not sinful, but managed with design to gain the Jews.

Observe, 2. That the change of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, was of apostolical observation now, as it was before of Christ's institution; on this day the Lord arose, on this day the disciples met, and Christ honoured them with his presence, John 20:1 on this day the collection for poor saints was made, 1 Corinthians 16:2.

Now this necessarily infers the abrogation of the Saturday sabbath: for six days they were commanded to labour, and if they rested the seventh day, and first too, they violated the law of God, which we cannot suppose they did, and consequently the apostles and primitive Christians observed the first day of the week in remembrance of the work of redemption, as the Jews of old observed the seventh in remembrance of the work of creation.

Observe, 3. The fervent zeal and unwearied diligence of the great apostle for the souls of men; and also the patience and complacency with which his auditors attended upon his sermon at this time: Paul preached till midnight, ver. 7.. very long sermon upon. particular occasion is neither unscriptural nor unapostolical. We do not find that either the apostle was weary, or the auditory drowsy, at the dead time of the night; their wakefulness at midnight under. sermon, condemns our sleepiness at mid-day.

Observe, 4. The pious and prudential care which the apostle and his hearers took that their night-meeting should not fall under any calumny, or their selves reproached, for doing any thing indecently in the dead of the night; to prevent this, the 8th verse informs us, that there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together; exposing themselves, and what they did, to the view of all.

Religious meetings in the night season are not only lawful in times of persecution, but necessary; yet. special care ought to be taken to avoid all occasion of calumny, that the least suspicion may not arise, concerning the honesty and holiness of those that do assemble at such unseasonable times.

Observe, 5. What. warning the Holy Ghost here leaves upon record for such as sleep under the preaching of the word: Eutychus, when asleep under St. Paul's long sermon, falls down from the third loft, and is taken up dead.

Here note, The time when he was overtaken with sleep: not at noon-day, but at midnight; and it was not. sermon of an hour long that he was asleep under, but after St. Paul had preached several hours. This is not the case fo our common sermon sleepers, who at noon-day sleep under the word; nay, settle and compose themselves to sleep, and do what they can to invite sleep to them! What if with Eutychus any of them fall down dead! here is no Paul to raise them up; or, what if this wretched contempt of the word provoke God to say, Sleep on, and be so stupified that no ordinances shall awake you! Sleep on, till hell flames awake you!

Observe, 6. Eutychus is raised to life by. miraculous power communicated to St. Paul, which was matter of great consolation to the spirits, and great confirmation to the faith, of the disciples, ver 12. They brought the young man alive, and were not. little comforted; not only for the young man's sake, but especially for their own sakes:for hereby God gave. convincing testimony to the word of his grace,-- God did hereby bear witness to it, and many were thereby confirmed in the belief of it.