ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA.

SERMON XIII.

[Preached at Kettering, April 26. 1786.]

ACTS V. 1-11.

BUT A CERTAIN MAN NAMED ANANIAS, WITH SAPPHIRA HIS WIFE, SOLD A POSSESSION, AND KEPT BACK PART OF THE PRICE HIS WIFE ALSO BEING PRIVY TO IT, AND BROUGHT A CERTAIN PART, AND LAID IT AT THE APOSTLES' FEET. BUT PETER SAID, ANANIAS, WHY HATH SATAN FILLED THINE HEART TO LIE TO THE HOLY GHOST, AND TO KEEP BACK PART OF THE PRICE OF THE LAND? WHILES IT REMAINED, WAS IT NOT THINE OWN? AND AFTER IT WAS SOLD, WAS IT NOT IN THINE OWN POWER? WHY HAST THOU CONCEIVED THIS THING IN THINE HEART? THOU HAST NOT LIED UNTO MEN, BUT UNTO GOD. AND ANANIAS HEARING THESE WORDS, FELL DOWN AND GAVE UP THE GHOST: AND GREAT FEAR CAME ON ALL THEM THAT HEARD THESE THINGS. AND THE YOUNG MEN AROSE, WOUND HIM UP, AND CARRIED HIM OUT, AND BURIED HIM. AND IT WAS ABOUT THE SPACE OF THREE HOURS AFTER, WHEN HIS WIFE, NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS DONE, CAME IN. AND PETER ANSWERED UNTO HER, TELL ME WHETHER YE SOLD THE LAND FOR SO MUCH? AND SHE SAID, YEA, FOR SO MUCH. THEN PETER SAID UNTO HER, HOW IS IT THAT YE HAVE AGREED TOGETHER TO TEMPT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD? BEHOLD THE FEET OF THEM WHICH HAVE BURIED THY HUSBAND ARE AT THE DOOR, AND SHALL CARRY THEE OUT. THEN FELL SHE DOWN STRAIGHTWAY AT HIS FEET, AND YIELDED UP THE GHOST: AND THE YOUNG MEN CAME IN AND FOUND HER DEAD, AND CARRYING HER FORTH, BURIED HER BY HER HUSBAND. AND GREAT FEAR CAME UPON ALL THE CHURCH, AND UPON AS MANY AS HEARD THESE THINGS.

WE have two special advantages in reading scriptural histories. One is, we are sure they

are true; they are not well-wrought novels, the invention of men. Nor does the antiquity of them, or the marvellous circumstances they relate, in the least discredit them; because we know they are related by the Spirit of truth. Another advantage attending these narratives is, they are full of instruction; they are not amusing tales merely, which, when men have read them and been entertained by them, they cannot tell how or why. If you read sacred histories, and sit down and think upon them, it is your own fault if you are not the wiser and the better.

There is a great propriety in preaching upon these narratives; because most of us have read them so often, and they are become so familiar to us, that we are in danger of overlooking the moral of them. I dare say you have known that a story with which you are so well acquainted as to be able to repeat it almost word for word, has often appeared in quite a new light when you have heard it explained and improved; so much so, that you could not have thought there had been so much in it. I can assure you I have found it so, in studying sacred history. This shows that subjects of this kind are useful, and should be preached upon. And indeed if it had been otherwise,

we should not have had so large a part of the Bible in the form of history, or narrative.

The anecdote I have just read to you, is very instructive and very striking-a standing warning to the Christian church. And methinks we hear a voice proclaiming, Christian professor, remember Ananias and Sapphira!' on the same principle as our Lord once said, "Remember Lot's wife." What I propose to advance upon this interesting piece of history, may be arranged under five general heads: The practice of the Christians in the first ages of the church-The crime of Ananias and Sapphira, in reference to that practice-The manner in which this sin was detected-The awful judgment by which it was punished-And the effect produced upon others. And I shall improve each as I go along. In order, then, to enter into the spirit. of the history, we must observe,

FIRST, The practice of the Christians in the first ages of the church.-They had but one purse. "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common." There was no indigent person among them; for those who had lands or

houses sold them, and brought the money to the apostles, who distributed it to every man according to his necessity. Among others, there was one Joses, surnamed Barnabas, who had already eminently distinguished himself among the apostles he had an estate which it was not inconsistent with the Jewish law to alienate, and he sold it, and brought the money to the apostles.

Now, there were several good reasons why God encouraged such a practice as this.-The external reason was, that many of the Christian converts were poor; many were at a distance from home, and being detained longer at the feast of pentecost than they expected, had exhausted their stock of provisions; and many, by embracing Christianity, had probably provoked the resentment of their opulent employers, and thereby exposed themselves to a state of indigence.

But God had also special reasons for encouraging such a practice.-Worldly property is about the last thing men are willing to part with; and such a step was encouraged as a kind of test of the genuineness of their profession. Many people will give Christ good words and fair speeches; they will very freely

bestow external praises and compliments; but they love their money too well to part with much of that for the promotion of his cause, or the relief of his people. This was the case with the rich young man of whom we have an account in the Gospels: he was very complaisant to our Lord, and apparently very humble, and willing to be instructed: but Christ knew him, and therefore put him to the test: "Sell all and follow me." But when Christ touched his purse, he touched his idol; and he "went away sorrowful." This at once exhibited his true character, and proved that with all his professions he felt no genuine regard to Christ. But when persons are willing to part with their worldly all, it is a presumptive evidence, and a very strong one too, that their profession is sincere.

Another special reason, probably, why God encouraged this practice, was to teach these converts that they were all brethren, and that the distinctions of high and low, rich and poor, were in a sense done away by the gospel.Christian princes and Christian beggars are brother Christians. "All ye are brethren :" born of the same spiritual Father, related to the same elder Brother, and bound to the same heavenly home.