Acts 19:41

REFLECTIONS

See, my soul, in the history of those disciples Paul met at Ephesus, how easy it is to have a name to live, and yet be virtually dead before God. Oh! how sweet the baptisms of the Spirit. Lord, let my soul seek thy daily baptisms, thy sweet anointings, without which all outward ordinances, how good soever in themselves, will profit nothing!

Oh! for a portion of the same Spirit as Paul had, when speaking boldly for the space of three months in the Synagogue, and contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. Oh! how cold and languid are our warmest arguments, compared to the burning zeal of this Apostle. Ye ministers of my God! beg of Him who touched the Prophet's mouth, to touch yours, that the words of God's grace may not freeze as they drop, but from being warm yourselves, your souls may kindle others, and from the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak.

Blessed Lord Jesus! we would praise thee, that even in the darkest days, as here, so now, thy miracles of grace upon the heart are plainly distinguished from all counterfeits, like those vagabond Jews. Thy work, Almighty Lord, in conversion, manifests the people of thy love from all idol worshippers. Great is the cry of the world in their various schemes of creature perfection. But, oh.! thou dear. Lord! do thou hold up thy faithful servants, as thou didst Paul, by giving testimony to the word of thy grace, and granting signs and wonders in the conversion of the heart to God, to follow a faithfully preached Gospel.