4. If the inquiry be humbly and dutifully made, it may be known wherefore he contendeth with you.
[1.] Partly by the word of God : Heb. ii. 2, 'If the word spoken by
SERMON UPON JOB X. 2. 69
angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward,' &c.
[2.] Partly by checks of conscience. What is your greatest burden in sore troubles? Gen. xlii. 21, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother.' It was many years before, yet their trouble brought it to their remembrance: Isa. lix. 12, 'For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us ; for our transgressions are with us ; and as for our iniquities, we know them.'
[3.] Partly by christian friends, what they tell us of and observe in IIS. As Nathan to David : Ps. cxli. 5, ' Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness.'
[4.] Partly by enemies. Keproaches of enemies ; they are sharp and quick-sighted ; they soon spy out the faults of others. We often hear our enemies teaching our duty to us, that will not hearken to God. The staff of Egypt is a broken reed, Isa. Ivi. 6, with Ezek. xxix. 6, 7.
[5.] The nature of affliction. God knoweth how to strike in the right vein. Usually one contrary by another.
[6.] By his Spirit, with due application to him : Job xxxiv. 32, ' That which I see not, teach thou me ; if I have done iniquity I will do no more.'
SERMON UPON ACTS VII. 55, 56.
But he, heing full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saio the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said. Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. — Acts vii. 55, 56.
These words show the carriage of Stephen when the Jewish fury was whetted against him. We read of some, Acts ii. 37, that were pricked in heart when they were cliarged with crucifying the Messiah ; but these, when they are charged by Stephen with the same crime, are cut at heart, ver. 54. This is not so kindly a work as that ; that pierced their spirits with sorrow, this embittered and inflamed them into wrath and rage ; they were cut at heart, and gnashed on him with their teeth. Stephen, by that discerning they were resolved upon his death, what doth he do ? Expect to be defended and rescued by the christians ? There were none such in the council ; and for other, their religion warranted not violence against the magistrate. What then ? Being forsaken of all, he lifteth up his eyes to heaven to the Lord Jesus, whose cause he pleaded, and for whose sake he incurred this hazard and danger, ' But he,' &c.
In the words we have two things — (1.) His vision ; (2.) The publi- cation of it.
First, His vision ; there three things are observable —
(1.) The inward impulsive cause, ' Being full of the Holy Ghost.' (2.) The action consequent thereupon, * He looked up to heaven.' (3.) The event ; where — (1st.) The act, 'He saw.' (2d.) The objects, or things seen by him, ' The glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand.'
1. The inward moving cause or power by which he was moved and assisted, ' Being full of the Holy Ghost.' It is said before. Acts vi. 5, that Stephen was a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. That expresseth the habit, which was now excited and quickened into act ; his faith and confidence in God was heightened into courage ; as a good soldier hath always an habit of fortitude, but in the danger of battle his valour is quickened, and a great ardour cometh upon him. So holy men, that have always a spirit of faith, upon necessary occasions are elevated beyond the line of their ordinary strength ; as Stephen was here by a new impulse of the Holy Ghost. This is notable, that
• SERMON UPON ACTS VII. 55, 56. 71
it is a special work of the Spirit of God to raise our minds to tlie sight of heavenly things : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts ; ' Kom. viii. 23, ' Our- selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, viz., the redemption of our body.' All the lively effectual knowledge of any truth cometh from him, especially a sight of heaven ; it is his office to make all our knowledge of truth more quick, lively, and powerful, to affect the heart and rule the life. And especially is the Spirit given as the earnest and first-fruits of heaven.
2. The action on Stephen's part ; he looketh up steadfastly into heaven. All earthly help failing, he looketh higher ; turneth off his eyes from the world and men to God, tlie great arbiter and disposer of life and death. We read of Moses, diri/SXeire ek ixiaOairohoaiav, Heb. xi. 26, a looking off and a looking on. The word signifietli a turning of the eye from one object to behold another. He turned away his mind and heart from the honours, pleasures, and treasures of Egypt, and fixed them on the rewards of godliness. The more we shut the eye of sense, the better we shall open that of faith. If we did oftener look from that which is present to that which is to come, from the creature to God, from earth to heaven, we should be much wiser and stronger than we are, and not so regard our worldly concernments as that upon every rumour of danger our hearts should be shaken like the leaves of the trees of the wood.