Acts 4:37

REFLECTIONS

Let us ponder well those precious things contained in this Chapter, which are so freely given to us of God! And let us particularly keep in remembrance, that all that is here recorded of the prosperity of the Church, arose from the blessed Person and Office-work of God the Holy Ghost! We behold him here, under many of those most gracious characters in which the Lord Jesus promised him before his departure. As the Lord the Spirit is the Founder, so is He the Governor, Preserver, Teacher, Comforter, Sanctifier of the Church in all ages. In every individual instance of blessing both ministers and people, his is to manifest the gracious act, and in glorifying Jesus, to take of the Lord Jesus, and to make known to his disciples. And amidst all the diversities of gifts, and all differences of administrations, and all diversities of operations, all these worketh that One and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will!

Oh! blessed and eternal Spirit, do thou now, as thou didst then, manifest thy love to the Church of Jesus! Come, Lord, into the midst of thy Zion, though the builders have set at nought the chief corner stone! Raise up a faithful ministry, who, receiving their ordination from thee, may as faithfully dispense thy word to the people. Let the sweet ascension-gifts of our risen and exalted Savior, again come down to enlighten our Churches, and let that precious Scripture be again fulfilled in our day and generation, where it is said, that He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Pastors and Teachers, and all for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Lord, in mercy hear and do it; defer not, 0 my God! till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.