II. The carriage of the saints upon this occasion. And there we may take notice of four things : —
1. The entire affection of the disciples to Paul, who had done them good : thci/ besought him, &c.
2. Paul's entire affection to God : yet he would not he j^ersuaded.
3. Their discretion : lohen he loould not he persuaded, they ceased.
4. The ground of their discretion, their piety : they said, The luill of iJte Lord he done.
1. Their entire affection to Paul : ' Both we and they of that place be- sought him that he would not go up to Jerusalem,' ver. 12. This en- treaty did not proceed from self-love, for they were resolved to go with him, ver. 15, but zeal for God's glory. The lives and liberties of those that are eminent instruments of Gods glory are very dear and precious to God's faithful people. Paul declares of Aquila and Priscilla, Rom. xvi. 4, Tor my life laid they down their own necks;' and Acts xix. 31, His friends desired him ' that he would not adventure into the theatre.' They have them in singular love for their worth's sake, and therefore, when they are in danger they weep sore. Acts xx. 37 ; and when they are dead they make great lamentation : ' Devout men car- ried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him,' Acts viii. 2. As the Israelites said to David, 2 Sam. xxi. 17, ' Thou Bhalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel ;' that is, lest the glory and splendour of the nation perish with thee. The loss of a good magistrate is a gi-eat loss, and such instruments are not easily had again when once lost.
But was this well done to persuade him ?
Yes ; for though the prophet had foretold what Paul should'suffer, yet we know of no command they had to the contrary. All desires against God's secret will are not unlawful, when we afterwards submit to his revealed will : 1 Kings viii. 18, ' And the Lord said to David my iather. Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart.' And yet that was against
Acts XXI. 14.] the fifteenth sermon. 329
God's secret will ; it was in his heart to build God's house, and it was no sin, for there was no command to the contrary. So here they were to desire the preservation of so precious an instrument as Paul was ; yet Satan might have a hand in it, from their persuasion to weaken his resolution. Satan often laboureth to t<ike us off from our duty by the persuasion of our loving friends, who mean ns well in what they say to us. When Christ had told of his sufferings at Jerusalem, Peter said, ' Be it far from thee, Lord ; this shall not be unto thee.' Our Saviour replied, ' Get thee behind me, Satan,' Mat. xvi. 22, 23. Who would have thought that Christ's disciple should have been Satan's instrument, and then when speaking in love to his master ? There- fore we must not measure their counsel by their good meaning, but by God's word, and be deaf to all relations, that we may discharge our duty to God. See Deut. xiii. 6, 7. In our affections to eminent instru- ments to God's glory, there may be much of carnal infirmity.
2. Here was Paul's firm resolution : ' He would not be persuaded.'
Did Paul do well in this? How doth this agree with that character of heavenly wisdom that it is ' easy to be entreated ? ' James iii. 17.
I answer — In our duty it is praiseworthy to be easy to be entreated, but not from our duty. Paul went bound in the spirit to Jerusalem. He knew the will of God, and therefore though they did even break liis heart, they could not break his purpose. No persuasions of friends, no apprehensions of danger, should turn us out of the way wherein God commands us to walk. No persuasion. So Christ, when he was de- sired to avoid suffering, which was the end of his coming into the world, rejected the motion. It is notable, the Lord Jesus with the same indignation rebuketh Peter dissuading him from suffering, as he did the devil tempting him to idolatry. See Mat. xvi. 23, compared with Mat. iv. 10. No dangers. Here were dangers threatened. Agabus foretold bonds, the Spirit foretold bonds, others told him of bonds, yet Paul was not persuaded. So when the king of Babylon threatened the three children, they resolutely answered, Dan. iii. 18, ' Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us ; but if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image.' And therefore Paul rebukes them, for they were weeping when they saw his resolution : ' What ! mean ye to break my heart ? For I am not only ready to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem for the name of Christ.' A little to clear the expression by the way.
Is it not a good thing to have a broken heart ? And are not they that further it to be commended rather than reproved ?