The more exalted our conceptions of the Holy Spirit are, the more shall we see,
II. The importance of approving ourselves to him in all things —
It is certain we may commit the same sin as Ananias and Sapphira did —
[Let us get a precise idea of what their sin was. Many in the Church sold their possessions, and laid the whole pro- duce of them at the Apostles' feet, to make a fund for the support of the Church at large b. Barnabas in particular is mentioned as having done thisc. Doubtless this generosity gained them high credit in the infant Church : and Ananias and Sapphira determined to come in for a share of this honourable distinction. They sold their estate therefore ; but not being able to trust God for their future support, or not choosing to relinquish all their temporal comforts, they agreed to keep back a part of the price, and to present only a certain portion of it to the Apostles. Wishing however to appear as eminent as others, they professed to give the whole produce ; thus endeavouring to obtain the full credit of others, without making their sacrifice. This was their sin ; a mixture of ostentation, of covetousness, of unbelief; a seeking of credit which they did not deserve, and a pretending to virtue which they did not possess.
This the Apostle calls " a lying unto," and " a tempting of, the Holy Spirit :" for it was an attempt to deceive the Apostles, whom the Holy Ghost had invested with miracu- lous gifts and powers ; and it tempted the Holy Spirit to shew whether he were an omniscient, holy, and just Being, or not.
Hence then it appears that all alloioed hypocrisy is of the very nature of their sin. The short-comings and defects of a sincere Christian, though contrary to his profession, cannot properly be classed with their sin ; but every wilful deviation from duty, especially if deliberate and persevered in, is in fact a lying unto God.
What then must be said of those who harbour any secret
lust ? or make any reserve whatever in their obedience
to God ? or do even what is right in itself from any
corrupt motive ? — — — A desire of man's applause will carry some to great apparent heights of virtue ; it will urge them to laborious exertions, and reconcile them to painful sacrifices : but God, who seeth the heart, will abhor all such offerings, and account them no better than that which Ananias and Sapphira presented to him.]
b Acts iv. 34, S5. r Acts iv. 30, 37.