The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 193

quite the contrary. 2. That no one could possibly h11ve weightier re11&one for changing hie mind than he had. First came a heavenly vision, arresting him In his path ol pel"IN!Cuti~n, a~d for~idding him ,to continue (vers_. 6-11). Then came I\ powerful confirmation, in a miracle of healing of which be himself was the eub.leot l\nd of whloh a most honourable and estimable Jew was the instrument (vers. 12, 13); and a further confirmation in the message with which he was charged (vers. 14-16). Then came a third influence of a powerful character in the shape of another manifestation, and a coroml\nd, against which he vainly strove, to go out and work among the Gentiles (ve111. 18-21). II. A SENSELESS AND SUICIDAL EXASPERATION. (Vers. 22, 28.) Snch was the violent antipathy in the minds of his audience to any fellowship with the Gentile world, that nil Paul's nrguments went for nothing. This WAS such an opportunity as was little likely to recUI, of having the facts of the case placed plainly and forcibly before their minds; it was a day of grace to them. But so utterly prejudiced were they that one word filled them with a senseless exasperation which stole from them the golden chance they had of learning the truth, and which riveted the chains of error and exclusiveness they wore upon their souls. 'l'his defence of the apostle and this exasperation of his audience may suggest to us: 1. The fulness of the Divine argument. God" reasons with" ue. He does so (1) in proof of his own presence and providence in the world; (2) in proof of the heavenly origin of the gospel of his grace; and (3) in furtherance of our personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our soul. The Divine argnments and inducements are very strong, and they are very varied. They include the miraculous and the ordinary; they appeal to the human consciousness, to history, and to daily obser- vation; they are based on well-attested facts; they appeal to our hopes and to our fears, to our sense of what is due to our Creator and of what we owe to ourselves, of obligation and of wisdom. They are mighty, urgent, convincing, one would say-but for sad facts which argue to the contrary-overwhelming. 2. The foolish and fatal anger which it sometimes excites. There are those who, when God speaks to them in nature, providence, or privilege, instead of lending their ear to his word and bowing their spirit to his will, are only angered and exasperated ; they go still further away from him in increased alienation, in still more determined rebelliousness of soul. But so doing (1) they aggravate their guilt; and (2) they cut down the bridge by which they might cross to the heavenly kingdom.-C. Ven. 14, 15.-" The will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us." I. DIVINE ELECTION. "The God of our fathers bath chosen thee" (ver. 14). It will always be a difficulty to know what to think of the electing grace of God. But we are on safe ground when we say: 1. That God.desires the well-being of every member of his human family. We may surely argue that it must be so ; we may boldly affirm that it is so. Is it not written that God is one " who will have all men to he saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. ii 4 ; see Ezek. xviii. 23; xx.xiii. 11 ; 2 Pet, ill. 9). ~- That he bestows special favours and privileges on some men ; to some as not to others he gives intellectual faculty, material resources, educational advantages, domestic influences, providential guidance, knowledge of Christian truth in its purity and integ1ity, etc. These he "elects," or "chooses;" on them he confers distinguishing goodness. IL A VISION OF TBE RIGHTEOUS SAVIOUB. "That thou ehouldest . . . see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth" (ver. 14). To Saul there was vouch- safed a very special and peculiar manifestation of the risen Lord. In such wise ae we do not, he saw the Just One himself and heard his voice, But Christ does present himself now to the sons of men, and he manifests himself as the Just One, as the Lord of righteowmeBB, By a spiritual act we recognize Jesus Christ as: 1. That Being who is in himself the Holy and Righteous One, in whom is no trace of sin. 2. That Divine One who eummons us to a new life of holiness and sacred service. 8. That Just One who, by his atoning death, has made the way open to our immediate justification, who has rno.de it poseible for us to attain to "the righteousness which is of God by faith" (l'Lil. iii. 9). fo the presence of him, the Just One, we are filled with she.me; but by fait.h in. hiB fi.oishecl work we have acceptance with God and are accounted righteous (or, OH. UUI, 1-30,1 THE ACTS OF 'l'HE APOSTLES. 199