Saviour to the devoted Jerusalem, "and ye would not." Taught of God the soul will receive with equal simplicity the one doctrine and the other. Content to leave with Him the clearing up of their apparent contradiction, in that day when we shall no longer know in part, but then shall we know even as we are known. (1 Cor. xiii. 12.)

2. The gracious change itself. The heartthat deep well; who can fathom it? That filthy prison, (Mark vii. 21, 22,) who can cleanse it? The rebellious foe, who can overcome it? The hard spirit, who can melt it? Pride, self-love, indulgence, thoughtlessness, "bars of iron, and gates of brass," yet “the Lord opened." Oh! the power of the change! have you experienced it? If so, then the Lord indeed has mightily cast out, and planted in. "He hath made all things new." "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." (2 Cor. ii. 5, 17.)

3. The manner of the change. "She attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." What things? Humbling things: she hearkened to that which told her, In thee dwelleth no good thing; she turned not away from the

word of truth when it cast down self-righteousness. Mysterious things; the great mystery of godliness-"God manifest in the flesh;" the doctrine of Christ crucified-"to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness," to her was made "the power of God unto salvation." Heavenly things-absorbing things. Whatever she heard she gave heed thereto; conscience received the application. She gave her mind to them, and through the gate of her heart now opened, one after another they rushed in and demanded as it were an audience, would not be put off. Oh! for this attention! Not "I will hear thee again of this matter," but immediate. What in comparison demands your attention? Your farm? It is well, it needs care. Your business, your family? all demand care. But truly, farm, or family, or business, had better never had been, than that they should be put foremost, when God has bid thee put them last; than that for the sake of them thou shouldst miss heaven, or trifle with thine immortal soul.

4. The blessedness of the change. Faith was her's; and liberty, and peace, and hope of heaven were her's. She was " persuaded of the truth and embraced the truth, and confessed that

she was a stranger and pilgrim on earth :" she believed in the Lord; "He that hath the Son, hath life," life spiritual, life eternal.

III. Her adornment of the doctrine of God her Saviour.

1. She acknowledged Christ by obedience to his commands. Baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, (St. Matthew xxviii. 19,) she "put on Christ" as her Saviour and her God; she framed no excuses to avoid the open confession of her Lord; she used the blessed means of his own appointment as certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace. Brethren, is it thus with you! do you honour the Lord, and seek your own good in prayer, in the hearing of his word, in the sacraments which he hath ordained? Baptized, as you doubtless have been, in infancy, do you draw near with faith to that blessed feast which commemorates his dying love? if not, what is it which separateth between thee and thy God? search it out, and cast it out. Say with Ephraim (Hosea xiv.), "What have I to do any more with idols?" If ye love me," saith our Lord, "keep my commandments;" -"Them that honour me, I will honour. * Ask that the Holy Spirit may so show you

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your deep need, and so open to you the fulness that is in Christ, that whilst you cry, " God be merciful to me a sinner," you may yet rejoice in that faithful saying worthy of all acceptation," that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," even the chief.

2. She claimed the promise for her household. She was not content with gaining the salvation of her own soul: she immediately saw her responsibility with regard to others. Were there children in her household she laid hold on the promise, "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed; were there servants or assistants, she could no longer look on them as merely living with her to carry on her worldly business, and to help her in the increase of her worldly substance; she saw in them immortal souls, concerning whom she would one day be asked, "Where is thy brother's soul, or where thy sister's?" Lydia was baptized and her household.

3. She braved danger in the cause (ver. 15).

Come in and abide;" the city might threaten, the cost might be burdensome, but to all this what would she reply? The LORD hath opened my heart, can I but open my house?— Christians, what do we for Christ's sake? When His cause and our self-interest come

in opposition one to the other, which prevails? are we denying ourselves for His Name's sake? are we with him, not against Him? gathering with Him, not scattering. (Luke xi. 23.)

4. She remained steadfast in the faith. At least the persecution that forthwith arose moved her not; the indignities done to Paul and Silas made her not ashamed, and though they were about to separate and necessarily leave her and a few others to combat their difficulties alone, "none of these things moved her." Her's was the house (verse 40) into which they retired on being brought out of prison, there they met the brethren, and thence they departed on their way, it may be, to meet each other no more on this side the grave, but looking forward to that blessed day when the Lord "shall bind up the breach of his people, and heal the stroke of their wound;" when the whole family of which Jesus Christ is the Head, shall be gathered in the kingdom of their Lord, "no more to go out."

And where, brethren is that same blessed one now? Eighteen hundred years have passed, and yet her bliss is but begun : throughout eternity her song of praise shall rise "to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood."