Acts 11

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XI.—Delightful are the tidings of sinners’ receiving and being converted by the gospel of Christ. The salvation of souls, the honour of Christ, and the glory of God, are hereby highly promoted. And it is strange that even saints should be sometimes prejudiced when their enemies, or persons of detested characters, are made partakers of the same spiritual blessings as themselves; that rash censures should so often drop from gracious lips, and godlike charity should be reproached as looseness in religion! But ministers must bear with the weak; and though no unreasonable prejudice should ever hinder the execution of their commission, they should be always ready to clear their conduct to scrupulous minds. And every Christian also ought gladly to hear and receive any thing that may tend to remove his prejudices. What, are we to withstand God, who distributes his favours as he pleases, and overrules the fury of persecutors for the spread of the gospel and conversion of sinners? Thrice happy are they to whom he freely grants that repentance which manifests spiritual life received, and prepares them for the eternal life promised hereafter.—When his Spirit and power attend the preached gospel, multitudes believe and are turned to the Lord, and cleave to him with fixed purpose of heart. And with alacrity and diligence do ministers then attend their increasing work. Delightful is the name and great the honour to possess the privileges and tempers of CHRISTIANS; and especially to act up to the profession and obligations included in the character! Happy had it been for the church if no other character had ever marked the followers of Christ. With harmony in the truth, with holiness and order, ought such to hold fellowship one with another; and with great cheerfulness should they supply one another’s wants, none of which can take place without the foreknowledge of God. Yea, he sometimes wisely plunges his people into calamities, for the trial, exercise, and improvement, of their own or others’ faith, love, and self-denied obedience, and for the removal of groundless differences among them