A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Acts · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
ANd Saul yet breathing out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Diſciples of the Lord, went unto the high Prieſt, 2. And deſired of him Letters to Damaſcus to the ſynagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jeruſalem.
1. Ignorant zeal made Saul ſet himſelf to deſtroy the Chrſtians, and ſought to the High Prieſt for Power, and travelled toward Damaſcus to do it: that he might find them out and bring them in Bonds.
3. And as he journeyed he came near Damaſcus: and ſuddenly there ſhined round about him a light from Heaven.
3. God the father of Light; uſeth to ſhew himſelf to man by Light, external and internal, and ſo doe his Angels when the Devil is the Prince of Darkneſs.
4. And he fell to the Earth, and heard a voice ſaying unto him, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me?
4. The Power of God went forth with that Light, and caſt him to the ground, &c. Note 1. Love and Mercy in Chriſt expoſtulate with a blinded furious Sinner, in order to his Converſion. 2. But till Power had caſt him down the Expoſtulation came not: God can ſoon lay proud Proſecutors on the Earth, and tame them and make them fear and hear. 3. Whatever is done againſt Chriſtians for any thing that Chriſt commandeth them, he taketh as done againſt himſelf. If we are bound by the Law of Chriſt to Preach, to Pray, to edifie each other, to live a Holy life, and we be reviled, ſcorned, called all manner of evil names, impriſoned, fined, baniſhed, or murdered for this Chriſt will judge the doers of it as doing it againſt him.
5. And he ſaid, Who art thou, Lord, And the Lord ſaid, I am Jeſus whom thou perſecuteſt: It is hard for thee to kick againſt the pricks.
5. Note, Did wicked Proſecutors know Chriſt, it would reſtrain them from perſecution. (But the ſubtile Devil hath taught Hypocrite Chriſtians to proſecute him as by his own Authority and Commiſſion, and in his own name, and for his Church (that is, themſelves.) 2. Chriſts Servants ſhould no more doubt of their ſeaſonable vindication when perſecuted for their duty, than if Chriſt was pesonally perſecuted in their ſtead 3. O how terrible will it at laſt prove to Perſecutors, that they have kickt with their bare feet againſt the Pricks or Thorns of Gods diſpleaſure? Who hath hardened himſelf againſt him and hath proſpered? Or who hath Conquered the Almighty.
6. And he trembling and aſtoniſhed, ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord ſaid unto him, Ariſe, and go into the city, and it ſhall be told thee what thou muſt do.
6. Note, God can make the firerceſt Perſecutor tremble: And then O how they are changed, ready to do any thing that God will bid them, which before they Perſecuted. And if the change be true, this will hold and come to practice. 2. O then what need have proud Perſecutors to be caſt down, and how great a mercy to them it may prove?
7. And the men which journeyed with him, ſtood ſpeechleſs, hearing a voice, but ſeeing no man.
7. Note, In Act. 22.9. it is ſaid, they that were with him ſaw the Light and were afraid, but heard not the voice of him that ſpake.] The ſence of both is, they ſaw the Light and heard the ſound, which its like was a Thunder, or like it; but heard not the voice or words of Chriſt, which in that ſound were uttered to him, nor ſaw any ſimilitude of Chriſt. Though we have only Pauls witneſs of this, his after life of labour, ſuffering and Miracles proveth it to be true.
8. And Saul, aroſe from the Earth; and when his eyes were opened he ſaw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damaſcus.
8. This ſtroak of blindneſs, was to convince him of the blindneſs of his Perſecuting fury.
9. And he was three days without ſight, and neither did eat nor drink.
9. Note, This was ſome conformity to Chriſts being three Days and Nights in the darkſom Grave.
10. And there was a certain Diſciple at Damaſcus, named Ananias, and to him ſaid the Lord in a viſion, Ananias. And he ſaid, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11. And the Lord ſaid unto him, Ariſe, and go into the ſtreet which is called Straight, and inquire in the Houſe of Judas for one called Saul of Tarſus: for behold, he prayeth, 12. And hath ſeen in a viſion a man named Ananias, coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his ſight.
10. Ananias was a Chriſtian appointed by God to this work on Saul. 2. Praying was (next to reſolved obedience and ſubmiſſion) the firſt fruits of Sauls Converſion.
13. Then Ananias anſwered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jeruſalem: 14. And here he hath authority from the chief Prieſts; to bind all that call on thy name.
13. Note, Ananias objecteth what he had heard of Sauls, as rendring his converſion improbable.
15. But the Lord ſaid unto him, Go thy way: for he is a choſen veſſel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Iſrael. 16. For I will ſhew him how great things he muſt ſuffer for my names ſake.
15. Obey me who know man, and my own decrees, and object not former things againſt me, I have choſen him, &c.
17. And Ananias went his way and entred into the Houſe; and putting his hands on him, ſaid, Brother Saul, the Lord (even Jeſus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou cameſt) hath ſent me, that thou mighteſt receive thy ſight, and be filled with the holy Ghoſt.
17. God hath made known to me, what he did to thee by the way, and hath ſent me that thou mighteſt be reſtored to thy ſight and filled with the Holy Ghoſt, for gifts neceſſary to the Miniſtry.
18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been ſcales; and he received ſight forthwith, and aroſe, and was baptized.
18. He was Miraculouſly ſtruck blind, and Miraculouſly cured, and then Baptized.
19. And when he had received meat, he was ſtrengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the Diſciples which were at Damaſcus. 20. And ſtraightway he Preached Chriſt in the Synagogue, that he is the Son of God.
19, 20, Being ſtrengthned with food, he converſed certain days with the Chriſtians at Damaſcus whom he purpoſed to have preſecuted, and forthwith Preached Chriſt in the Syoagogue to the Jews, that he is the Son of God, and conſequently all his Goſpel true. (And then going into Arabia retured to Damaſcus again before he went to Jeruſalem.
21. But all that heard him were amazed, and ſaid, Is not this he that deſtroyed them which called on this name in Jeruſalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief Prieſts?
21. The ſuddain change from being a deſtroying Perſecutor to be a Preacher made the People wonder.
22. But Saul increaſed the more in ſtrength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damaſcus, proving that this is very Chriſt.
22. Proving Jeſus to be the true Chriſt, inferreth all the reſt to be believed.
23. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took Counſel to kill him:
23. If one of the Leaders of the Perſecutors or Malignant wicked Men ſhould be Converted and perſuade his Companions to turn, they would but ſeek to kill him alſo, till God Convert them.
24. But their laying await was known of Saul: and they watched the Gates day and night to kill him. a5. Then the Diſciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
24. Note, It is lawful to avoid the violence of bloody Perſecutors by ſecret flight.
26. And when Saul was come to Jeruſalem, he aſſayed to joyn himſelf to the Diſciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a Diſciple.
26. Note, 1. Converſion will ſhew it ſelf by joyning with the Converted. 2. Known Perſecutors and wicked men are not too haſtily to be truſted, when they profeſs Converſion.
27. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apoſtles, and declared unto them how he had ſeen the Lord in the way, and that he had ſpoken to him, and how he had Preached boldly at Damaſcus in the name of Jeſus. 28. And he was with them coming in, and going out at Jeruſalem.
27, 28. This evidence was ſatisfactory and they received him to their conſtant Society of the Church,
29. And he ſpake boldly in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and diſputed againſt the Grecians: but they went about to ſlay him. 30. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Ceſarea, and ſent him forth to Tarſus.
29, 30. He Preeached Chriſt boldly and confuted the unbelieving Jews that uſed the Greek Tongue. But they ſought to kill him, &c.
31. Then had the Churches reſt throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoſt, were multiplied.
31. Saul being Converted who was a chief Perſecutor, and he being removed whom they afterward moſt maligned, the Chriſtian Churches were quiet a while from Perſecution, and were edified in knowledge, and Holineſs of Heart and life, living in obedience to God, and in the Comfort of the inward Grace and outward Gifts and Miracles of the Holy Ghoſt, by which they were multiplyed.
32. And it came to paſs, as Peter paſſed throughout all quarters, he came down alſo to the ſaints which dwelt at Lydda.
32. Note, He was no Chriſtian who was not a Saint, by Dedication to God and by profeſſion.
33. And there he found a certain man named Eneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was ſick of the palſie. 34. And Peter ſaid unto him, Eneas, Jeſus Chriſt maketh thee whole: ariſe, and make thy bed. And he aroſe immediately.
33. Note, The length and nature of the Diſeaſe made the Miracle the more notable and convincing.
35. And all that dwelt at Lydda, and Saron, ſaw him, and turned to the Lord.
35. The undenyable Miracle cauſed a general Conviction and Converſion of them.
36. Now there was at Joppa a certain Diſciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works, and alms-deeds which ſhe did: 37. And it came to paſs in thoſe days, that ſhe was ſick, and died: whom when they had waſhed, they laid her in an upper Chamber. 38. And foraſmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the Diſciples had heard that Peter was there, they ſent unto him two men, deſiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
36. A laborious Charitable woman being dead, the Chriſtians had Faith to believe that by Peters Miniſtry ſhe might be raiſed to life, &c.
39. Then Peter aroſe, and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper Chamber: and all the widows ſtood by him weeping, and ſhewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while ſhe was with them.
39. Note, Its like they were poor-Widows, that ſhewed the fruit of her Labour and Charity to them and others.
40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed, and turning him to the body, ſaid, Tabitha▪ ariſe. And ſhe opened her eyes: and when ſhe ſaw Peter ſhe ſat up. 41. And he gave her his hand, and lift her up; and when he had called the ſaints and widows▪ preſented her alive.
40. Note, This was not a Miracle to be done without fervent Prayer: And it is like Peter had aſſurance of raiſing her as an anſwer to his Prayer, before he ſaid Ariſe.
42. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
42. Thus Miracles made Chriſtians, and fully ſealed the Teſtimony of the Apoſtles.
43. And it came to paſs that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a Tanner.