Acts 9:43

REFLECTIONS

Pause, my soul, over the several miracles recorded in this chapter, and behold the wonders connected with the event of Christ tabernacling in the flesh! All, and every circumstance, which hath occurred, or hereafter to be accomplished, in the present life, of the time-state of the Church; all spring out of that one mystery, God manifest in the flesh! Precious Lord Jesus! what a world of mysteries is thy Church in? What a world of mysteries is the one view of thy love to thy Church? While I read the conversion of Paul, the healing of Eneas, the bringing back to life Tabitha; and ponder the cause of these, and all the numberless miracles recorded in the word of thy grace: while I contemplate the continuation of the same, daily going on through the earth; and all arising from the love of my Lord to his Church; oh! who shall speak of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.

And is this the manner of Jesus, in testifying his love? Doth Jesus indeed delight to raise a persecuting Saul from the brink of hell, to employ him in the service of heaven? Will the Lord indeed take pleasure, from having his name proclaimed from those very lips which have been uttering continued blasphemy? Shall he, who consented to the murder of Stephen, and persecuted unto death, men and women, of the Lord's people, be the very One Jesus hath chosen to be his honored instrument in the conversion of thousands? Lord! how mysterious thy ways; and how full of grace thy judgments? But, my soul! amidst all these wonders with which thou art surrounded do not lose sight of what the Holy Ghost taught Saul after his conversion to tell the Church; that it was for this cause he obtained mercy, that in him the Lord Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting!

Reader! let us bless the Lord for the sweet records in this chapter; and for the grace manifested to the Church in the rest which she is here said to have enjoyed after the sharp persecutions. Oh! that those latter ages may find revivals from the Lord among the people; and that walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, they may be multiplied.