The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 232

not lends to another and a worse ; one sin to a number or transgressions ; and these to a habit of iniquity; and this to a dark, baneful life and a ,hateful and odious character. Uy far the worst ponnlty which sin has to pay is the spiritual damage and deterioration to which it leads-the blinded eyes of the understanding, the weakened will, the enfeebled conscience, the masterful unbridled passions, the foul soul. Suffering of body, exile, loss of worldly prospects, the death of the body,-all these are nothing to this spiritual ruin. Ill. THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS 18 AN EARNEST ASPIRATION AND ENDEAVOUR AFTEB GOD AND GOODNESS, (Ver~. 44-46.) It does not consist in the possession of pivilege; other- wise the fathers of the Jewish race-having "the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness" and afterwards in the land where the Gentiles were driven out before them (ver. 45) all things having been made " according to the fashion " which Moses had seen-w~uld assuredly have been godly and holy men. True human righteousness is rather found in such Godward aspiration and endeavour as we find in David, the man" who found favour before God" (ver. 46). And how came he to enjoy this Divine regard? Not because he was faultless in behaviour-we could wish he had been far less blame- worthy in certain particulars than he was-but because he strove earnestly to worship and serve God, repenting bitterly when he sinned, struggling on again with contrite spirit, continually seeking to gain God's will from his Word, and honestly endeavouring, spite of inward imperfection and outward temptation, to do what he knew to be right. This is human goodness ; not angelic purity, not flawless rectitude, but earnest seeking after the true and good, hating the evil into which it is betrayed, casting itself on God's mercy for the past, facing the future with a devout resolve to put away the evil thing and walk in the paths of righteousness and integrity. IV. THAT THE OONBOLATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN THE NEARNESS OF GoD TO OUR SPIRIT. (Vers. 47-50.) David was not permitted to" build an house for the Lord." It was a deep disappointment to him, bot he had a very real consolation. God was near to him everywhere. Was he not, indeed, much nearer to the father who did not build the house, than to the son who did? David might have written (if he did not)," I am continually with thee" (Ps. lxxiii. 23). u The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (ver. 48), and though we do not build him costly and splendid sanctuaries, though we should be deprived of the opportunity of meeting him in his house at all, yet when we survey" all these things" his hand has made and is sustaining. we may feel that he is at our right hand, and that we stand" before the Lord." Nay, if we be "in Christ Jesus," we know that, though no magnificent temple can contain him, he dwells abidingly within our hearts, to sustain and to sanctify us.-C. Vers. 61-60.-.lllustrations. We have some of the best and ene of the worst things illustrated in this passage. I. FAITBFULNESS FINDING trrrERANOE IN VEHEMENT BEPBOAOB. (Vers. 61-53.) Stirred (as we suppose) by the impatient interruptions of the senators, who at this point showed themselves unwilling to listen, Stephen rebuked them in the strong and stringent language of the text. They who imagined themselves to be " the cream of the cream," the very best specimens of the holiest people, were setting themselves to resist the gracious dealings of God, who was willing to bless them with his fullest blessing ; they were resisting the "Holy Ghost" and injuring, in the worst of all ways, the people they were chosen to serve. Unqualified condemnation is sometimes the duty of the servant of God. Not often, indeed; for usually it is our wisdom and our duty to hold our feelings of indignation in check. But there are times when holy resentment should overflow in words of unmeasured indignation, when we shall not "deliver our soul" unless we denounce the wrong that has been done and warn ¾,aainst the evil which impends. II. SIN IN THE MOMENT OF EXASPERATION. (Vers. 54, 57, 58.) Sometimes sin is checked and cowed by the strong voice of holy censure, and it holds its hand if not its tongue. At other times it is only driven by exasperation to say and do its very worst. So here, it (1) yielded to frenzy; (2) proceeded to unmannerly exhibitions of rage-- "they gnashed on him with their teeth; " and (3) ended in brutal and fatal violence- " they stoned him." There is somethiug, not only painful and horrible, but also con- temptible in this resort to physical violence. It seems to say, " We cannot answer yo111 228 THE AOTS OF THE APOSTLES. [OH, VU, 1-60,