The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 328

mother of a family-that disthroned queen of the domestic heaven, whose vacant throne dashes dismay into so many true hearts, and fills all the house with darkness and a sense of desertion. It was no such pensive, pathetic, importunate, natural sadness that begged the mercy of miracle. 4. The object of the miracle was a woman, "full of good works and almsdeeds." We arc kept a brief while in suspense as to the nature of her "good works," but are at once apprised that her "alms'' are not almsgivi11gs, but "almsdeeds." So it is not an instance of a wealthy woman lamented from a very superficial sorrow of survivors. And then it proves that her "good works" (though we are not by any means constrained to suppose that they were literally all comprehended under this description) were such as to be sufficiently t~·pificd by the bumble handiwork of scissors and needle and thimble, "coats and "1\rmcnts," and these, not for the "rising generation" and "tho hope of the nation," bt:t forsooth for "widows." Yet it is such a person and such a woman who is restored to life, and no doubt to the humble but beneficent round of such a life again. And to this woman alone of women is given the space in all Scripture to tell the record in full of miraculous restoring of life. These are some of her ever-memorable characteristics. (1) She worked, and was known for working, rather than for anything else. (2) She worked "abundantly," perhaps "more than they all." She worked so abundantly that she is described as "full of good works." (3) Her works aimed at one thing-being useful works, and they succeeded in attaining that at which they aimed. ThPy succeeded because they were practical and not merely theoretical, practicable and not Utopian. (4) She worked humbly and for the humble, and rcrnmnbercd the spirit of the proTerb that bids not be so wasteful of what we have or what we are as to "cas, our pearls before swine." What waste there is in a world already poor, because that with labour and with material the right thing is not wrought nor offered to the right person I Yet Jesus taught his disciples against even thiH sort of error, when he told them to go and preach in other places when the people would not hear them where they were. He would not have any of us waste our time and his precious Word-seed, nor eat our heart in one place, when we might be enlarging it in another. (5) She did what came first to do-first to her own ability, first to her own means, first to the want that was nearest to her in place and nearest to her in feminine alliance, first to the suggestion of Providence, instead of first to the idle swellings of an amb:tions heart within. And how often did God smile on that woman's work, and Jesus own it, whose Spirit had first quickened the heart from which all came! But now, even now already, had come a day ripe for manifestation. There is to be a glorions "demonstration of the Spirit and of power." She who had loved so well and been beloved so well, snatched a day from eight and life, is restored to sight and life, still awhile longer to bless and be "blessed." Il. 'l'HE DECISIVE MAllKB OF RESPECT HERE PUT ON SlllPLB GR~TITUDE, THOUGH IT WERE BUT GRATITUDE TO A FELLOW-BEING. The miracle, humanly speaking, owed its working to the deep feeling, so genuine and so earnest, which pervaded all who had known Dorcas. The feeling was the right kind of feeling, not wastefully overwhelming, but quickening to thought and action. Perhaps the illness was sharp and short. She is dead before they know how dangerously ill she is. But " the disciples" have their memory about them. They remember that they have heard of Peter at Lydda and of what he has been doing there for lEneas. It is eight miles off, but some of them isoon clear the ground. And Peter does not feel affronted at being begged "not to delay." And he comes and sees how grieved all were. Evidently it little entered into the mind of the many that it was a case for a miracle of restoring to life. But love and gratitude and grief, without "anticipation of favours to come," made the widows come with their impromptu exhibition of garments, and with their grateful reminiscences uttered forth. Well, that Peter was on the spot was the result of a real feeling and gratitude; and come, he does not find himself come to a dead or a dead-alive Church and congregation. Far otherwise; and it was the very crisis and point of the occasion. Peter couldn't help but recall the dear Master's words and action, «> far a, they were apropo• to the occasion-and it was only in a degree that they were apropos t.o thia occaaion-" Why make ye this ado and W88J>? the woman--" (Mark v. 39). But no, he uy1 no more at present, but he does just the same thing &11 Jeaus did; he put.a them all 0'llt, and gQell and prays, and pleads and win• hl.e tltt. u. 1-43.) '.l'HE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.