The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 80

outer enr, nor silence whnt speaks of itself in their inner ear, 3. They mock when they don't understand and don't try to understand, 4. They mock when they are ready to risk everything, mther than yield anything of self and self-will. II. 'l'HEl\l!l ARE WHO HEAR AND PROORABTINATE, 1. They procrastinate when they are persua~ed-almost, 2.. 'l'hey pror:rastinate when it is no matter of'' two opinions" but of active duty or public declarat10n of themselves, 3. They procrastinate when their mind is quite clear, but their heart neither honest nor earnest. 4. They pro- crastinate when they feel they must say something, but are not prepared either to do or to say the right something, III. 'l'HERl!I ARE WHO HEAB AND BELIEVE, 1. They believe when "the Lord has opened their heart to attend to the things spoken." 2. They believe when they feel that the things spoken are true to their need and are /0'1' them, 3. They believe when they are practically ready, if needs be, to "forsake" all the rest in order to "cleave to" that one Being who has "the words of eternal life."-B. Ver. 2.-Paul's manner. "And Paul, as his manner was" (Revised Version, "custom"), Luke thinks it necessary to record St. Paul's habits in connection with his missionary labours, and his point is, not that the apostle kept the sabbath day, but that he consistently observed the injunction to the first preachers that they should "begin at Jerusalem;" that is, deliver the gospel message first to the Jews. Whenever St. Paul went to a fresh town, "his manner was" to find out the Jews and join them at their meeting-place, whether that were proseucha or synagogue. In either case be would have the opportunity always offered to visitors to say a. word of exhortation to the people. Here, at Thessalonica, the fact that St. Paul wa.s allowed to preach for three sabbaths in succession shows the respect commanded by his character as a rabbi, and, it may be, by his earnest eloquence. We dwell on the fact that Luke recognizes a fixed custom and settled habit of the apostle, and seems to feel that anything so orderly and regular it was singular to find in so impulsive a man. A great part of religious duty concerns the formation and the preservation of godly habits, and the subject is one which may be practically and usefully treated in a Christian congregation. I. SETTLED HABITS. It is singular that our most common association with the word "habit" should be bad habits, and that a much stronger form of teaching should go in the direction of warning against or curing bad habits, than in that of culturing and nourishing good ones. Moralists have given abundant counsel in respect of common habits of personal and social life, but religious teachers, even of the yo~, have not worthily recognized that habits may be formed in connection with the religious life, and that direct instruction and guidance in relation to them is imperatively needed. Our Lord had settled habits of prayer and worship, and no Christian life can be hope- fully maintained without them. II. How HABITS GET SETTLED. By simply doing things again and again with regularity. The philosophical and the practical explanations of the formation of habits may be given; and it may be well to show how the very muscles, nerves, and senses get fixed by continuing to act in the same direction. But the point to dwell on is that habits may be settled by intelligent intention and effort. They may be a product of will, and the formation of good habits is II proper exercise of the regenerate will. It may be further shown that relations of dependence bring on all parents, masters, or teachers, the responsibility of inciting to the formation of good habits and the due nourishment e.nd strengthening of them. III. How FAR DOES THE SETTLING 01!' HABITS DEPE:S-D ON DISPOSITION? In all questions of moral culture or religious duty the natural dispositions of men have to be taken into account. To some habits come easily, and they can be as easily changed. Others only form he.bits after much self-mastery and conflict. But these are tl,,e persons who are best helped by habits when once they get them fixed. Such an II?pulsive me.n as St. Paul might even find it necessary to restrain himself by forcing himself into 'the orderliness of settled habits. Illustrate how differently different perso~s stand related to the great Christian duties-prayer, reading God's Word, worship, almsgiving, etc. IV. How MAY SETTLED HABITS HELP THE MAN WHO HAS FORM.ED THEM? Illustrate, especially in relation to the religious life, two points. 1. They help him to master hi~ .\VfB-U. 9  82 TllE ACTS OF THE APOS'l'LES. [OH, :I.VII, 1--34:,