Verse 6. “And he, trembling and astonished, said, LORD, what wilt thou have me to do?” Those, who think _Saul_ had a discovery of JESUS made to his heart before, think that this question is the result of his faith, and that he now desires to know what he shall do, out of gratitude, for what the LORD had done for his soul; in this sense it may be understood; ¹and I have made use of it as an instance to prove, that faith will work by love; but perhaps it may be more agreeable to the context, if we suppose, that _Saul_ had only some distant discovery of CHRIST made to him, and not a full assurance of faith: for we are told, “he trembling and astonished,” trembling at the thoughts of his persecuting a JESUS, and astonished at his own vileness, and the infinite condescension of this JESUS, cries out, “LORD, what wilt thou have me to do?” Persons under soul-trouble, and sore conviction, would be glad to do any thing, or comply on any terms, to get peace with GOD. “Arise, (says our LORD) and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”
¹ See Volume V. Sermon 24.
And here we will leave _Saul_ a while, and see what is become of his companions. But what shall we say? GOD is a sovereign agent; his sacred Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth; “he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.” _Saul_ is taken, but, as far as we know to the contrary, his fellow-travellers are left to perish in their sins: for we are told, verse 7. “That the men who journeyed with him stood, indeed, speechless, and hearing a confused voice;” I say, a _confused voice_, for so the word signifies, and must be so interpreted, in order to reconcile it with chapter xxii. verse 9. where _Saul_, giving an account of these men, tells _Agrippa_, “They heard not the voice of him that spake to me.” They heard a voice, a confused noise, but not the articulate voice of him that spake to _Saul_, and therefore remained unconverted. For what are all ordinances, all, even the most extraordinary dispensations of providence, without CHRIST speaks to the soul in them? Thus it is now under the word preached: many, like _Saul_’s companions, are sometimes so struck with the outgoings of GOD appearing in the sanctuary, that they even stand speechless; they hear the preacher’s voice, but not the voice of the Son of GOD, who, perhaps, at the same time is speaking effectually to many other hearts; this I have known often; and what shall we say to these things? O the depth of the sovereignty of GOD! it is past finding out. LORD, I desire to adore what I cannot comprehend. “Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight!”
But to return to _Saul_: the LORD bids him “arise and go into the city;” and we are told, verse 8. that “_Saul_ arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, (he was so overpowered with the greatness of the light that shone upon them, that) he saw no man; but they led him by the hand, and brought him into _Damascus_,” that very city which was to be the place of his executing or imprisoning the disciples of the LORD. “And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” But who can tell what horrors of conscience, what convulsions of soul, what deep and pungent convictions of sin he underwent during these three long days? it was this took away his appetite (for who can eat or drink when under a sense of the wrath of GOD for sin?) and, being to be greatly employed hereafter, he must be greatly humbled now; therefore, the LORD leaves him three days groaning under the spirit of bondage, and buffeted, no doubt, with the fiery darts of the devil, that, being tempted like unto his brethren, he might be able hereafter to succour those that were tempted. Had _Saul_ applied to any of the blind guides of the _Jewish_ church, under these circumstances, they would have said, he was mad, or going besides himself; as many carnal teachers and blind Pharisees now deal with, and so more and more distress, poor souls labouring under awakening convictions of their damnable state. But GOD often at our first awakenings, visits us with sore trials, especially those who are, like _Saul_, to shine in the church, and to be used as instruments in bringing many sons to glory: those who are to be highly exalted, must first be deeply humbled; and this I speak for the comfort of such, who may be now groaning under the spirit of bondage, and perhaps, like _Saul_, can neither eat nor drink; for I have generally observed, that those who have had the deepest convictions, have afterwards been favoured with the most precious communications, and enjoyed most of the divine presence in their souls. This was afterwards remarkably exemplified in _Saul_, who was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.