many as the Lord our God should call. And this reminds us of the practical improvement to be drawn from the passage we have been considering.

That state of heart which was required of the assembly at Jerusalem, must be the habitual state of every Christian. Towards God, a state of penitent acknowledgment, that he has not been what he ought to have been, and even what he might have been. A state of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of that sin which he feels, confesses, and laments. And a state of prayerful expectation that "the Holy Ghost may be shed on him" more and more abundantly, that he may in greater and increasing measure be "partaker of the divine nature," and made fitter for "the inheritance of the saints in light."

To bring man to this mind, and to give eternal life to all who are thus minded, was the object for which Christ died: and as far as this object is fulfilled, he has not " died in vain."

LECTURE VI.

THREE THOUSAND ARE BAPTIZED, AND A SOCIETY OF CHRISTIANS IS FORMED.

ACTS ii. 41-47.

41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Thus mighty was the effect produced by the Spirit of God. We lately read the exhortation of Peter, calling upon his countrymen to save themselves from that untoward generation, which had crucified "the Lord of glory." What was required of them, was great indeed. It was required, tha they who had joined with the rest of their countrymen, in rejecting Christ, should now acknowledge that he was the promised Messiah: nay more; that in him alone they could obtain "remission of sin." Others might not have been partakers of this same guilt: but their general spirit had been, no doubt, that of men self-satisfied; approving themselves as righteous; "resting in their knowledge of God" and of his law, and believing that "they had

4

need of nothing." Now their views must be wholly changed. They must confess themselves sinners in the sight of God, who had no hope but in his mercy: they must accept the terms of pardon offered by him, and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin.

Such, and no less, was the repentance, the change required. And yet so strong was the emotion produced upon their hearts, that three thousand persons received the word gladly, were baptized, and became the first fruits of the death of Christ, the first members of that company which no man can

number.

The Lord had made a very express promise, that although they had been few who followed him whilst on earth, and became his avowed disciples, it should not be always so. (John xvi. 8.) “When He, the Comforter, is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me: of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye see me no more of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

We see, now, the explanation and the fulfilment of that promise. That so many, even three thousand souls, should so suddenly and so gladly receive the word, and be baptized as believers in Christ, can be ascribed to nothing but the Spirit of God, reproving Peter's hearers, softening their hearts, 5 'eλegel, convict.

4 Rom. xi, 17.

and disposing them to be convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Especially as this was no mere verbal acknowledgment of truth, or change of speculative opinion. A change of life ensued, which must proceed from an abiding

cause.

42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and

in

prayers.

43. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common ;

45. And sold their possessions, and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

For the present, circumstances rendered this necessary. Many of those who were now baptized, would be forced to relinquish their former mode of livelihood. And the apostles, together with all those who were employed under them in teaching and publishing the gospel, would, of course, stand in need of subsistence. Therefore they had all things common. He that had much supplied him that had little, "so that there was no lack." It was an extraordinary case, and met by an extraordinary provision. We shall find, as we proceed in the history, that this state of things continued but a short time. It is not, generally, the will of God,

6 Eating the Lord's Supper: as v. 46.

in his providential government of the world, that men should have all things common.

But the spirit which led to this, when "none of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own," is a spirit inherent in the christian faith. That faith is, that we have incurred the wrath of God; that the wrath of God is eternal death: and that our ransom from eternal death is the blood of Christ. Therefore, thus "bought with a price," and such a price, we are no longer "our own:"7-so these men would argue: like one who has been purchased, who has become the property of his master, together with all belonging to him, and must surrender himself to that master's use. Whatever he has need of, whatever may serve the purpose of his will, must be yielded up. Therefore they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, because the present occasion required it. The preachers of the gospel, and the believers in the gospel, could not at that moment have been otherwise maintained.

The principle remains the same to all who are led by the same spirit and live in the same faith. The only question will be, in what way they are called upon, in their particular circumstances, to act upon the principle, that they are "not their

own."

1 Cor. vi. 20. 2 Cor. v. 15.