2. This question argueth some kind of hope that there may be relief for them ; for they do not give over the business as desperate, as if nothing could be done, but inquire, ' What shall we do ? ' Is there no remedy for such vile wretches as we are ? They presume there is some course to be taken. There is a kind of twilight in the soul, neither utter despair nor certain h(5pe ; but only some present support, that we may not give over the business in despair : Joel ii. 14, ' Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God ? ' They are in suspense, but incline to look for grace from God: Jonah iii. 9, * Who can tell if God will leturn, and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not ? ' It is a venture, but such as encourageth them to wait. There is a possibility or probability, but not a certainty , that hojje is the fruit of faith. Sensible sinners have many sad tossings and conflicts of spirit between the expectation of God's mercy and the sense of their own deservings, so that they cannot speak the pure language of faith nor the pure language of unbelief, but
VeR, 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. 259
mixed and made up of both ; as those Jews, Neh. xiii. 24, ' They spake half the language of the Jews, and half of Ashdod.' Yet such as it is, it maketli them wait and venture on God ; as Benhahad's servants on the king of Israel: 1 Kings xx. 31, 'And his servant said unto him, Behold, now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings : let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel ; peradventuie he will save thy life.' So these doubtful thoughts have a mixture of hope ; yea, some predominancy of it ; so that though they do not cer- tainly determine, yet they will try what will become of it. Now the soul is in a hopeful way. Faith is coming on, and comfort will not be far off, when we make these adventures, and inquire, though we do not know what will come of it : Jer. xviii. 12, ' All his trangressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him ; for his righteousness which he hath done, he shall live.'
3. It expresseth their solicitude and anxious care, ' What shall we do ? ' It is a point of the highest consideration, and therefore they ask counsel. When the Corinthians were made sorry by Paul's letter, 2 Cor. vii. 11, ' This self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you ; yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, wiiat fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge ! In all things ye have approved your- selves to be clear in this matter.' Carefulness and consultation about the means of grace and salvation is a hopeful beginning, and men are in a fair way of passing from death to life. The generality of the world is stupid and listless : Rom. iii. 11, ' There is no man that under- standeth, there is no man that seeketh after God.' Many never saw a need to do anything, nor have a heart to do anything ; therefore when men come to consult, either with themselves or others, there is some hope. With themselves ; as those lepers, 2 Kings vii. 3, 4, * And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate, and they said one to anotlier, Why sit we here until we die ? If we say. We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians ; if they save us alive, we shall live ; and if they kill us, we sliall but die ; ' Luke xv. 17, 18, ' And when he came to himself, he said. How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish for hunger ? I will arise, and go to my father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.' And as the wise steward, Luke xvi. 3, 4, ' Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do ? For ray lord taketh the stewardship from me : I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of my stewardship they may receive me into their houses.' Or when they consult with others, when a man asketii serious questions, how to frame his heart to the obedience of the gospel, how to establish his heart in the hopes of pardon and glory ; this will come to somewhat. Men begin to be awake: P.s. xxii. 27, 'All the ends of the world shall re- member, and turn to the Lord.' For a while they are like men sleep- ing and distracted ; they do not act like men, having no sense, no heart for heavenly things. But when once they are full of pangs of con-