A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Acts · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THE former treatiſe have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jeſus began both to do and teach, 2. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the holy Ghoſt had given commandments unto the Apoſtles whom he had choſen.
1. I wrote the Goſpel Hiſtory as a Record of Chriſts Birth, Miracles and Doctrin…, reaching to the day of his Aſcenſion, after he had by breathing on his Diſciples given them the Holy Ghoſt, and their Comiſſions.
3. To whom alſo he ſhewed himſelf alive after his paſſion, by many infallible proofs, being ſeen of them forty days, and ſpeaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
3. That their Faith ſhould not waver but have full aſſurance, he ſhewed himſelf to them by unqueſtionable manifeſtation, at ſeveral times in the forty days ſpace, in which he abode on Earth before his Aſeention, Inſtructing them in the matters of his Kingdom.
4. And being aſſembled together with them, commanded them that they ſhould not depart from Jeruſalem, but wait for the promiſe of the Father, which, ſaith he, ye have heard of me. 5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye ſhall be baptized with the holy Ghoſt, not many days hence.
4, 5. And when he was among them he bid them wait at Jeruſalem for the great Gift of the Father even the Holy Ghoſt, the Promiſe of which ye have heard of me: which ſhall be your full ſolemn initiation into your Apoſtolical and Extraordinary Miniſtry, and a few days hence you ſhall receive.
Note, The Holy Ghoſt given by Chriſts breathing on them, was not a meer Title, Name or Relation, bu… yet it was not that full effuſion which they were to have after his Aſcenſion; but a previous earneſt of it, to ſhew them from whom the fuller Communication was to come, differing from this later, as his own Reſurrection Victory differed from his Aſcenſion, Majeſty and Kingdom. They were not to ſet upon the Publick Miniſtry without this neceſſary previous qualification: nor ſhould any now take up the ordinary Miniſtry, without holy ſuitable qualifications by Chriſts Spirit.
6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, ſaying, Lord, wilt thou at this time reſtore again the kingdom-to Iſrael?
6. They were now in hope of Earthly Dominion, and ſaid, wilt thou now deliver Iſrael from Captivity and reign in viſible Glory over them, as the Meſſiah.
7. And he ſaid unto them, it is not for you to know the-times or the ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his own Power. 8. But ye ſhall receive power after that the Holy Ghoſt is come upon you: And ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me, both in Jeruſalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt part of the earth.
7. Preſume not to enquire into Gods ſecrets, of which this is one, at what time God will advance you and his Iſrael to viſible Reign and Glory. But ſuch Power as is fitteſt for you at preſent, ye ſhall receive by the coming of the Holy Ghoſt upon you: by which you ſhall be enabled to declare your Teſtimony of what you have ſeen and heard of me, throughout the Earth.
Note, It may ſeem ſtrange that Chriſt confuteth not their conceit of an Iſraelitiſh Kingdom reſtored, but only their demands about the ſeaſon. But they were ſo far in the Right, as that Chriſt would advance believing Iſraelites with the reſt of the Catholick Church, though not reſtore the Moſaick Policy, nor ſet the Iſraelites over others in a local Monarchy at Jeruſalem. Therefore Chriſt intimateth that they ſhall have better than they expected, which the Spirit ſhould teach them better to underſtand.
9. And when he had ſpoken theſe things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their ſight.
9. Note, No doubt but Chriſts body at its enterance in the Glorious Region of Spirits, became glorious and ſpiritual eminently ſuch as Paul ſaith ours ſhall be 1 Cor. 15.
2. The ſight of Chriſts Aſcention muſt needs be as full an aſcertaining of the Apoſtles Faith as his Reſurrection; And it muſt be no wonder that four Evangeliſts mention it not, it being enough that any mention it, Gods Spirit making their ſeveral Hiſtories indited by him to be as one Book.
10. And while they looked ſtedfaſtly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men ſtood by them in white apparel; 11. Which alſo ſaid, Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand ye gazing up into heaven? this ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven.
10, 11. While they looked up after him two Angels in the likeneſs of Men, in white ſtood by them, ſaying, ye Men of Galilee, gaze no more after the body of Jeſus aſcended into heaven: Know ye not that he muſt there Reign in Glory, and thence ſend you down the Grace and Bleſſings purchaſed by his life on Earth; and yet he ſhall come again at the day of Judgment, attended with his glorious Angels, and does not forſake you by his remove.
12. Then returned they unto Jeruſalem, from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jeruſalem a ſabbath-days journey.
12. Note, Mount Olivet at the neereſt part is but five Furlongs from Jeruſalem, (a Furlong is ſix hundred feet, and five Furlongs a thouſand Yards.) And Chriſt is ſaid Luke 24. to lead them out as far as Bethany, which is ſaid to be fifteen furlongs from Jeruſalem John 11.18. To underſtand thus ſome ſay. 1. That Bethany was the name of a large ſpace of Ground (as Hackney where ſome houſes are far neerer London than other.) 2. And that Chriſt aſcended not from the neereſt part of Mount Olivet, but from the top: And it is poſſible that Chriſt might lead them as far as Bethany, and in the houſe of Lazarus inſtruct them, and go forth again with them to the top of the Mount, and thence aſcend.
13. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper Room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the ſon of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14. Theſe all continued with one accord in prayer and ſupplication, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jeſus, and with his brethren.
14. Note, The ſight of Chriſt Aſcending confirmed their Faith. 2. And that Faith preſently cauſed conſtant Prayer in Concord and Communion.
15. And in thoſe days Peter ſtood up in the midſt of the Diſciples, and ſaid, (the number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty).
15 An hundred and twenty being aſſembled for Prayer and mutual encouragement in Faith.
16. Men and brethren, This Scripture muſt needs have been fulfilled, which the holy Ghoſt, by the Mouth of David ſpake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jeſus. 17. For he was numbred with us, and had obtained part of this miniſtery.
16. Note, This [muſt needs ſignifie no neceſſity or conſtraint put on Judas, but a neceſſity Hypothetical, and of conſequence, that is, i… cannot but be true which God foretelleth or foreſeeth, 2. Judus, though a Thief and a Devil had by Chriſts own choice a part or office in the Apoſtolick Order: But not after Chriſts breathing on them and giving them the Holy Ghoſt for the proper work of his univerſal Kingdom, as it began after his Reſurrection, but only as one ſent to offer Grace to the twelve Tribes of Iſrael that moſtly refuſed it ſuch may be Miniſters to condemnation of them ſelves and others; and God may bleſs their doctrine to his Elect.
18. Now this man purchaſed a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burſt aſunder in the midſt, and all his bowels guſhed out.
18 N. Mat. 27. Saith he ſtrangled himſelf: Some Expoſiters ſuppoſe ſtangling was not by hanging himſelf but the rage of his Conſcience and Paſsion did ſuffocate or ſtrangle him, and that he fell down and burſt: or rather that he caſt himſelf headlong from ſome high place and burſt: Others think that the Rope or Bough break where he was hanged: And its poſſible without hanging he might at once ſtrangle himſelf with a Cord on the brow of ſome Precipice or fall or caſt himſelf down it.
19. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jeruſalem; inſomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to ſay, The field of bloud.
19. This is commonly known, and the name of the field to this day is as a Record of it.
20. For it is written in the book of pſalms, Let his habitation be deſolate, and let no man dwell therein: and, His biſhoprick let another take.
20. What is ſaid in Pſal. 69.25 and 109.8. is ultimately to be verified of him: his Office another muſt take.
21. Wherefore of theſe men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jeſus went in and out among us. 22. Beginning from the baptiſm of John, unto that ſame day that he was taken up from us, muſt one be ordained to be a witneſs with us of his reſurrection.
21, 22. Note, Many beſides the twelve did conſtantly accompany Chriſt. 2. Queſt. Why muſt the number of twelve Apoſtles be yet kept up, were not others good witneſſes without being choſen Apoſtles. Anſw. The Iſraelitiſh Policy was not utterly demoliſhed till near fourty years after Chriſts Reſurrection: Therefore till then the Jews there were to be Preacht to, and the twelve Apoſtles, ſuited to the twelve Tribes; though after the number was changed by Pauls Converſion, when the Goſpel was to be principally ſent unto the Gentiles.
23. And they appointed two, Joſeph, called Barſabas, who was ſurnamed Juſtus, and Matthias. 24. And they prayed, and ſaid, Thou, Lord, which knoweſt the hearts of all men, ſhew whether of theſe two thou haſt choſed, 25. That he may take part of this Miniſtery and apoſtleſhip, from which Judas by tranſgreſſion fell, that he might go to his own place.
23, 24, 25. Note, 1. The Apoſtleſhip was not only the qualification of Eye Witneſſes of Chriſts works, but a ſpecial preeminent office of ſome of thoſe many who ſaw his works: All that ſaw them were not Apoſtles. Therefore Chriſt did ſet diverſity and diſparity of Miniſterial Offices in his Church
2. Peters ſpeech was to all the Diſciples, ver. 15, 16. Its therefore to be ſuppoſed that the two were choſen by all the Company, but by the Conduct of the Apoſtles. And God by Lot choſe one of the two, it being his Prerogative to make Apoſtles. And I know no reaſon why the chief Paſtors of the Church (at leaſt in caſes of doubt) ſhould not now be ſo choſen.
26. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbred with the eleven apoſtles.
26. Note, How caſual ſoever it ſeemed, God was the undoubted determiner of it. But ſolemnly to appeal to his determination in ludricrous toys, or things already determined by his word, is but prophanely to take his name in vain.