* She worshipped God.'
She was perhaps a Jew, and looked for a Messiah. There were three sorts of people before Christ. The Jews, and those which we call prose- lytes, and religious persons fearing God. She might be one of tho three;
522 LYDI.v's COXA'EESION.
it is not certain "^•Iifit she was. Certainly she was one that feared God. She had some rehgion in her. Though yet she was not ripened in the true rehgion, she was a woman that * feared God.'
From such kind of places as this, we have occasion to speak of works of preparation. St Paul was sent to her ; she was a woman that feared God. To speak a little of works of preparation.
It is true God usually prepares those that he means to convert, as wo plough heforc we sow. "\Vc do not sow among the thorns ; and we dig deep to lay a foundation ; we purge before cordials. It is usual in nature and in grace preparations ; therefore preparations are necessary. There is such a distance between the nature and corruption of man and grace, that there must be a great deal of preparation, many degrees to rise by before a man come to that condition he should be in. Therefore preparations we allow, and the necessity of them.
But we allow this, that all preparations are from God. We cannot pre- pare ourselves, or deserve future things by our preparations ; for the pre- parations themselves are of God.
And, thirdly, though we grant preparations, j-et we grant no force of a meritorious cause in preparations to produce such an effect as conversion is. No. Only preparation is to remove the hindrances, and to fit the soul for conversion, that there may not be so great a distance between the soul and conversion as without preparation there would be.
Quest. But when is preparation sufficient ?
Ans. When the soul is so far cast down as it sets a high price on Christ, and on grace, above all things in the world. It accounts grace the only pearl, and the gospel to be the kingdom of heaven. When a man sets a high price on grace more than all the world besides, then a man is suffi- ciently prepared.
Some poor souls think they are never prepared enough ; but let them look to the end that God will have preparation for, that is, that a high price be set upon the best things, and value all things but grace meanly in their own rank. When a man is brought to that pitch that by the light of the Spirit he esteems all nothing but Christ, and that he must be had, and ho must have saving grace, let him never talk whether he be prepared or no. This disposition shews that he is prepared enough, at least to bring him to conversion.
Now, God in preparation for the most part civiliseth people, and then Christianiscth them, as I may say ; for the Spirit of God will not bo effec- tual in a rude, wild, and barbarous soul ; in men that are not men. There- fore they must be brought to civility ; and not only to civility, but there must be a work of the law, to cast them down ; and then they are brought to Christianity thereupon.
Therefore they take a good course that labour to break them from their natural rudeness and fierceness ; as by nature every man is like ' a wild ass colt.' There cannot be more significant words, ' a colt, an ass colt, and wild,' Job xi. 12. Now, there is no sowing in the sand or on the water. There is no forcing of grace on a soul so far indisposed, that is, not brought to civility. Paulo and barbarous souls therefore, God's manner is to bring them in the compass of civility, and then seeing what their estate is in the corruption of nature, to deject them, and then to bring them to Christianity, as we see here in Lydia.
For however there is no force of a meritorious cause in preparations to grace, to raise up the soul to grace ; for, alas ! that cannot be. It is not
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in it to produce such a blessed efiect. Yet notwithstanding it brings a man to a less distance than other wild creatures that come not within the compass of the means. Therefore usually to those that use the talents of their understanding and will, that they have, well, God after discovers him- self more and more.
Therefore let all be encouraged to grow more and more to courses of civility and religion, and wait the good time till God shine on them in mercy. For though those courses can never produce religion, yet it brings men to a proximity and nearness to God and Christ, more than those that stand further ofl\ But I will not force this point further at this time. ' She was a woman that feared and worshipped God.' She was faithful in that light she had ; ' and to him that hath shall be given,' Mat. xiii. 12.
' She worshipped God.'
Not in any sight of her own. She had the grace of God fi'om the Spirit of God. All fear comes from the Spirit of God, initial fear and ripened fear ; all fear is from God, But I will not conflict with adversaries at this time. You see the person, a woman ; her calling, ' a seller of purple ;' and her pious disposition, she was such a one ' as worshipped God,' ' and she heard Paul.'