The Apostolical History, Chapter 1

The Apostolical History · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I. Containing a Narration of the Acts of the Apoſtles (jointly conſidered) from Chriſt's Aſcenſion to Saul's Converſion.Anno Chriſti 33 Tiberii 18.

SECT. I.

THE Holy Evangeliſt Luke having in his former Treatiſe written the Hiſtory of Our Lord and Saviour, (wherein he had ſpoken of all things (a)(a)Non dicit ſe ſcripſiſſe omnia ſed de omnibus: de ſingulis nimirum tantum, quantum ad ſpiritualem aedificationem ſufficit: Et haec eſt ſufficientia Scripturae, quam credimus contra Pontificios. Non credimus omnia in Scripturis eſſe, ſed de omnibus id, quod ad ſalutem ſufficit., that Jeſus both did, …nd taught, ſo far forth as the Holy Ghoſt hought fit to dictate to him, and to injoyn …im to publiſh) he now proceeds to write the Hiſtory of his Apoſtles (b)(b)Dicit ſe de actis Apoſtolorum nunc ſcripturum, licet de aliquibus tantum Apoſtolis ſcribit, nec omnia eorum acta. Nihil ſcribit de Thomâ, Bartholomaeo, Andreâ &c. nec de eorum profectionibus in Indiam, Galliam, Germaniam, neque de eorum morte; nimirum, quia Spiritui ſancto viſum non eſt, plura ſcribi, quam nobis ad aedificationem opus erat. In iis quae ſcripta ſunt nos diligentèr exerceamus, de caeteris ne ſimus curioſi. Stres.. And in the firſt place, to connect this Hiſtory with his former, he ſhews, That after our Saviour was riſen from the dead, he continued Forty days on the earth, and in that ſpace of time appeared often to his choſen Apoſtles(c)(c)Miniſtri ſivè officiarii Chriſti ſunt hi, ut videre eſt, 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11. Rom. 12.5. Primi ſunt Apostoli qui à Chriſto ipſo vocati non poterant errare in Doctrinâ, miſſi in univerſum orbem ad eccleſias plantandas. Juxta hos, erant 2. Propherae, qui h… bebant dona praedicendi futura, et interpretandi Scripturas; et alii extraor…, qui habebant dona linguarum, & miraculorum. 3. Evangelistae, Apoſtolorum comites, & adminiſtri. 4. Docto…es & Pastores, qui ordinariè vocati erant ad explicandam Scripturam & paſcendam diſciplinâ unam aliquam particularem eccleſiam, cui erant praefecti cum his erant. 5. Rectores 1 Cor. 12.28. itemque Diaconi, Act. 6. Chriſtus tanquam Doctor ſupremus, & Academicus in paſtoribus formandis fuit occupatus, qui deinde eccleſias docerent. Quo plus reverentiae habeat quod illis praecipit Chriſtus, addit, hoc ſpiritûs directione factum. Non quod aliundè regi opu… habuerit Filius Dei, qui aeterna eſt ſapientia, ſed quia homo quoque erat, ne quis putaret humano ingenio tradidiſſe …poſtolis, quod tradidit, nominatim ad divinam authoritatem nos revocat; ſicuti toties Dominus ipſe nihil ſe tradere affirmat niſi quod à Patre accepit. Calv. in loc.1 Cor 12:28Eph 4:11Rom 12:5Acts 6, giving them many ſure Evidences, that it was truly He, their Lord and Maſter; and by the direction of the Holy Ghoſt (wherewith his Human Nature was full) he gave them many Precepts and Commandments, touching the diſcharge of their Function and Office; acquainting them with the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God, viz the Kingdom of his Grace, which is erected, and ſet up in the Hearts of men by the preaching of the Goſpel. And having now gathered p. 2them together(d)(d)foreign] ſupple foreign ipſos in unum recolligens qui diſperſi fuerant. vid. Joh. 21.2. eſt, Attico more, paſſivum ſono, ſenſu activum, Grot.John 21:2, that they might behold his Aſcenſion, he commanded them▪ that they ſhould not diſperſe themſelves, not depart from Jeruſalem, but ſtay the…e, and expect the performance of the Promiſe made by the Father of a great and plentiful Effuſion of his Spirit upon them [Joel 2.28.] of which he had often before told them, as we may ſee, Luk. 24.29. & Joh. 14. and ch. 15. and 16. And though they had been before baptized by John, who baptized(e)(e)Solent Theologi quatuor ſpecies baptiſmi recenſere 1. Eluminis, ſeu aquae. 2. Flaminis, ſeu ſpiritus, Mat. 3.11. igne baptizabit. 3. Sanguinis ſeu Martyrij Mat. 20.22. Mar. 10.38. 4. Luminis ſeu verbi, Act. 18.25. Quatuor igitur ſunt res, quas ſacrum baptiſmatis nomen ſolet inſignire. 1 Sacramentura regenerationis. 2. Ipſam regenerationem. 3. Martyrium. 4. Doctrinam Evangelii.Matt 3:11Matt 20:22Mark 10:38Mark 10:4Acts 18:25 with water, but could not confer the Spirit(f)(f)Hoc non ideo dicitur, quod Johanni… baptiſma fuerit ceremonia vana, vacua, in efficax, quae Spiritum ſanctum non habuerit conjunctum, vid Mar. 1.4. Act. 19.4. Sed dicitur Johannes ſola aquâ baptizaſſe, quia ipſe non potuit dare Spiritum ſanctum, ſed tantum dedit externum ſpiritûs ſacramentum, & ſigillum; Chriſtus autem dedit Spiritum.Mark 1:4Acts 19:4 with the outward Ordinance, yet now they ſhouldſt be baptized with the Holy Ghoſt ten days hence; not but that they had received the Spirit before in ſome meaſure, but now this Spirit ſhould be poured forth in a more large, and plentiful manner upon them, to confirm them more aſſuredly in the Doctrine of the Goſpel, to ſanctifie them more abundantly, to ſeal to them, and bear witneſs with their Spirits, that they were the adopted children of God, Eph. 1.13. Rom. 8.16. And laſtly, to confer thoſe gifts upon them, which were requiſite for the execution of their Office, namely the gifts of Tongues, Prophecies, and Miracles, that they might divulge and proclaim his Doctrine and Goſpel not only in Judea, and Samaria, but even to the uttermoſt parts of the earth. The Apoſtles hearing him diſcourſe of this extraordinary effuſion of the Spirit, and imagining (as it ſeems) it would be an introduction to the glorious temporal kingdom of the Meſſiah, (which ſtill ran in their minds,) they asked him, whether he would at this time reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael or no? having an eye, (as 'tis probable) to that place, Dan. 7 27. And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatneſs of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt High, whoſe Kingdom is an everlaſting Kingdom, and all Dominions ſhall ſerve and obey him. To whom he replies. That they ought to be contented with the knowledg of ſuch things as the Father hath thought fit to reveal to them: but for other things which he is pleaſed to keep ſecret, they ſhould not pry into them, the knowledg of them being neither neceſſary, nor profitable for them. And this might abundantly ſatisfie them, that they ſhould ſhortly be endued with ſuch power, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, whereby they ſhould be rendred fit to preach the Goſpel, and to teſtifie(g)(g)Miniſtri de Chriſto teſtantur tribus modis. 1. Chriſtum praedicando. 2. Secundum Chriſtum vivendo. 3, Propter Chriſtum patiendo. to the uttermoſt p. 3parts of the earth (even both to the Jews and Gentiles) that he was the true Meſſias, and Saviour of the world. Having thus ſpoken unto them, he led them forth to that part of Mount Olivet which is neer Bethany (h)(h)Some think our Saviour led his Diſciples as far as Bethany, and there having taken leave of ſome that were dear to him came back with them to the Mount of Olive… ▪ which lyeth between Bethany and Jeruſalem, and from thence aſcended to heaven. Lucas dicit cap. 24.50. eduxit eos foras ad Bethaniam uſque. h. e. ad eam Bethaniae partem, quae in monte erat Oliveti in quo monte Chriſtus ſaepè preces, & lachrymas ad Patr…m fuderat, ut qui locus ſubmiſſionis ipſius teſti… fuerat, idem eſſet & gloriae., and there lifting up his hands, he bleſſed them, and as he bleſſed them he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven, a cloud receiving him out of their ſight. They ſtanding amazed at this wonderful ſight, and earneſtly looking after him towards heaven, two Angels (i)(i)An tanta ſit Angelorum vis, ut ſuâ virtute poſſint efficere corpus vero ſimile, an verò divinâ virtute ipſis corpus aptetur, non diſput…bimus. Id certum quod non verum corpu… ex ſemine humano hypoſtaticè ſibi unia… ſed tantum figuram corporis ſormatam ex materiâ remotâ geſte…t, quale & Chriſtus in praeludium incarnationis ſaepè aſſumpſit. Aliud antem eſt illud corpus, quod deinde p…r incarnationem induit. Stres.in white robes appeared to them, and aſſured them, that he would ſo come to judgment, as they had ſeen him go to heaven, to wit, viſibly, and in the ſame body with which he aſcended; at which time he would appear in the clouds again with great Majeſty and Glory.

Acts 1. v. 1. The former treatiſe have I made, O Theophilus,Chap 1: ver. 1. foreign ponitur pro foreign conſtructione Graecis familiariſſimâ, quâ ſequens caſus à praecedenti regitur. Deinde verba inchoativa, completivè ſunt intelligenda; Quae coepit facere, & docere, h. e. quae fecit, & docuit. of a…l that Jeſus began both to do and teach.

v. 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.

v. 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:

v. 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.

v. 5. For John truly baptized with water, but ye ſhall be baptized with the holy Ghoſt, not many days hence.

v. 6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, ſaying, Lord, wilt thou at this time reſtore again the kingdom to Iſrael?

v. 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.

v. 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.

v. 9. And when he had ſpoken theſe things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their ſight.

v. 10. And while they looked ſtedfaſtly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men ſtood by them in white apparel,

v. 11. Which alſo ſaid, Ye men of Gallilee, 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.

p. 4SECT. II.

THe Apoſtles having ſeen our Saviour thus gloriouſly aſcend into Heaven (worſhipping, and adoring him in Spirit, as their Lord, and Saviour, Luk 24.52.) returned to Jeruſalem, and according to his command(a)(a)Tuit ha…e non ſimplex obedientia, fed obedientia contra conſilium carnis & ſanguinis [Gal. 1.16.] Sciebant Hie roſolymis perpetuas infeſtationes Judaeorum eſſe metuendas, Joh. 20.…9. ſed, congregatio habenda erat in una domo centum & viginti hominum, & carnis conſiliis abnegatis, ſtrictè Chriſti mandato adhaerent. vid. Mat. 16.24.Gal 1:16John 20:9Matt 16:24 contitinued there in joint devotion in an upperroom for ten days, together with many other men, (whereof ſome were of the kinred(b)(b)Intelliguntur cognati Chriſti, non tantum ex parte Joſephi, quem aiunt ex priori uxore plure… habuiſſe ſilios, ſed etiam ex parte Mariae. Uxor e… im Cleophae, quae Mariae ſoror erat tre… filios, habebat, Jacobum, Joſen, Simonem Judam. Mat. 13.55.56. comp. cum Joh. 19.25. & Mat. 27.56. Enere plures eo tempore, qui in Chriſtum credebant. Nam 1 Cor. 15. mentio eſt, de pluribus quam quingentis fratribu… quibus Chriſtu, apparuit, ſed videntur caeteri in Galilaea manſiſſe, & illi praecipuè Chriſtum ſecuti, qui erant de Chriſti ſanguine, quibus tamen aliqui potuerunt accedere, qui Hieroſolymis habitab…nt.Matt 13:55Matt 13:56John 19:25Matt 27:561 Cor 15 of Jeſus) and ſome pious women, who had followed him; among whom was Mary (c)(c)This is the last mention of Mary the mother of Christ, that we meet with in the Scripture. Voluit Spiritus ſanctus reliquam ejus vitam ſilentio involvere, ut futura circa ejus perſonam fabuloſa ſuperſtitio nihil praetextûs in Scripturâ inveniret.his mother; their whole number being about Sixſcore; and there they expected the great, and large effuſion of the Spirit, which was promiſed unto them.

Acts. 1. v. 12.v. 12. Iter Sabbati duo millia paſſuum habuit, eaque ſupp…tatio congruit cum l…co Johannis ubi dicit Hieroſolymam diſtare a Bethani… 15 ferè ſtadiis, quae mille, & nonginto… circitèr paſſus continet. Iter Sabbati a lege praeſcriptum non erat: ſimplicitèr enim quietem Dominus in lege praecipit: ſed quia non facilè continebantur Judaei, quin Sabbato ad ſua negotia excurrerent, ideo credibile eſt ad cohibe…dam ejuſmodi laſciviam communi ſacerdotum concilio edi… um fuiſſe ne ultra duo millia Sabbato conficere lice…et. Tametſi Hieronymus in reſponſis ad Algaſiam hanc traditionem a duobus Rabbinis fluxiſſe commemorat, Atribà Scil. & Simone Heli. Calv. in loc A Sabbath days journey] … is probable that this was the common walk of the people of Jeruſalem on the Sabbath day in pleaſant weather for their meditations when they had done the publick duties of the day. Now not only on the Sabbaths, but alſo on other holy days it was not lawful to walk above two hundred cubits, as we have obſerved out of the haldee Paraphraſe, and therefore the Evangelist may be conceived to uſe this expreſſion for the meaſure betwixt it and the City [A Sabbath days journey] becauſe it was remarkably ſo, not only upon obligation but for delight, and the peoples common Sabbath days walk. Lightf. in loc. Then returned they unto Jeruſalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jeruſalem a ſabbath days Journey.

v. 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, Bartholom…w, and Matthew, James the ſon of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

v. 14.… 14. foreign] eſt vox deducta a nomine foreign ſen robur, & notat talem perſeverantiam, qu… quis multo labore, & magnà vi ſeipſum tenet, & conſtantem reddit in aliquâ occupatione difficili. foreign] vi…. 2 Cor. 1.11. Precati ſunt animis in amore conjunctis & nullo odio divifis, 1 Tim. 2.8.2 Cor 1:111 Tim 2:8 Theſe all continued with one accord in prayer and ſupplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jeſus, and with his brethren.

p. 5SECT. III.

DUring this time of their abode together, Peter roſe up, and made a motion to the reſt of the diſciples there preſent, that one ſhould be choſen into Judas's place; who having formerly had the honour to be one of Chriſts Apoſtles had by his late treachery againſt his Lord, and Maſter**Mat. 26.47, 48:Matt 26:47Matt 26:48 (being guide(a)(a)Non eſt gravius peccatum quam aliis eſſe foreign peccati: vae Miniſtri, vae Parentibus, vae Magiſtratibus, qui hoc faciunt. to them that took him, as the Holy Ghoſt(b)(b)Ergo Spiritus Sanctus eſt vera perſona, et non qualitas, & ex propriâ ſcientiâ praedicit. Nam futurorum praedictio Deitatis ſignum eſt infallibile, Iſa. 44.6, 7. & 41.22, 23. & quamvis dicitur, Joh. 16.13. ab a…io audire ista futura, quae nobis praenunciat, tamen hoc non ita intelligendum, quaſi opus habeat a Patre aliquid diſcere, quid ipſe neſciat, ſed quod revelationem ſuam quam dat hominibus, inſtituat ſecandum voluntatem Patris, & Filii, revelans ea, quae Pater, & Filius volunt revelari. Haec enim eſt voluntaria oeconomia trium Perſonarum inter ſe.Isa 44:6Isa 44:7Isa 41:22Isa 41:23John 16:13 had long ago predicted by the mouth of the Prophet David, Pſal. 41.9.) fallen from that dignity; He tells them that this Judas received from the chief Prieſts and the Rulers of the Jews a reward for his Treaſon, yet it did not at all profit him, but only gave occaſion to them, with that money, to purchaſe the Porters field**See Zech. 11.13.Zech 11:13 called from thence Aceldama, to his everlaſting infamy. He farther ſhews, that this wretched man having through remorſe, and anguiſh of Spirit for that his hainous fact, hanged himſelf,**See my Harmony of the four Evangelists, chap. 6. Sect. 15 the rope, or that to which it was faſtned breaking, he fell down headlong, and burſt aſunder, and his bowels guſhed out(c)(c)Simile exemplum habemus in hiſtoriâ eccleſiaſticâ de Arrio haeretico, qui fecedens ad onus ventris deponendum, dicitur crepuiſſe, & omnia viſcera effudiſſe., and ſo he went to his own place(d)(d)In locum ſuum, & factis ſuis dignum, quémque malitiâ ſuá meritus eſt. Sicut in unaquâque Repub. eſt Carcer, & locus ſupplicii erectus in terrorem improborum, ita Deus etiam impiis praeparavit Infernum, Mat, 25.41.. Theſe things having thus happened to Judas, he exhorts them to chuſe another into his room, ſhewing the neceſſity of ſuch a choice for the fulfilling thoſe Scriptures, viz. Pſal. 65.25. and 109.8.(e)(e)In utroque pſalmo agit David de Aulicis Saulis. Sicut enim David in paſſionibus, & perſecutione ſuâ fuit Typus paſſionis Chriſti, ut patet paſſim ex hiſtoriâ Evangeliſtarum; ita iſti …ulici Saulis qui Davidem perſequebantur fuere typ…iſtorum Sacerdotum & aliorum hoſtium, qui Chriſtum perſecuti ſunt: Et ſpeciali…èr iſte Doeg, paſtor pecudum Saulis, qui Davidem prodidit, fuit typus Judae, quem Chriſtus Apoſtolum, & Paſtorem ovium ſuarum elegerat, ſed qui Chriſtum prodidit. Et haec eſt rati… quod iſti textus, qui alioquin de hoſtibus Davidis propriè loquuntur, hic ad Judam accommodantur. Duo autem ſunt quae David D…gi, & hoſtibus ſuis imprecatur, atque duo ſunt, quae in hâc ſuâ imprecatione de Judâ vat …matur, nempe quod ſpoltatus omnibus bonis quae per avaritiam, fraudem, & furta corraſerat, depoſitus erit ab officio.; which foretold he ſhould be ſpoiled of what he had ſo wretchedly got, and that his office ſhould be void and conferred on another. And he further declares unto them what manner of Perſon was to be choſen namely one of thoſe, who had followed Jeſus from the time that he was baptized by John, and began to gather diſciples (at which time the Baptiſt gave ſuch a publick teſtimony of him, that ſome of his own diſciples, and ſeveral others began to follow him) unto the day of his Aſcenſion, that ſo he might be a more competent and authentick witneſs, not only of his Doctrine and Miracles, and the other actions of his life, but of his Reſurrection alſo(f)(f)Articulus de reſurrectione Chriſti includit omnes alios articulos fidei de Chriſto. 1 Cor. 15.13. Si enim reſurrexit, mortuus eſt, ſi mortuus eſt, natus eſt, &c. Eſt etiam ſignum, quod pro peccatis no…ris exactè ſatisfecit. Deus enim ſponſorem noſtrum non exolviſſet vincul… mortis, niſi lytum ſufficiens ab eo accepiſſet.1 Cor 15:13.

p. 6The Apoſtles agreeing to this motion, put two men in election viz. Barſabas and Mathias, and praying unto God to direct the Lot, and to ſhew which of them he was pleaſed to chuſe, and appoint to this office, the Lot fell on Mathias, and he was accordingly numbred among the ApoſtlesApoſtoli non habent ſucceſſore…. Apoſtolat…s enim fuit officium extraordinari…m ad primam Eccleſiae. …onſtitutionem …rectum. …tr…s..

Acts 1. v. 15. And in thoſe days Peter ſtood up in the midſt of th… Diſ…iples, and ſaid, (The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty.)

v. 16.v. 16. foreign] Pa… erat, Judae ſimile quid evenire, quale Achitopheli evenerat, cujus perfidiam Judas erat imitatus. Sic foreign …aepi… ſumi diximus ad Mat. 1.22. Grot.Matt 1:22 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.

v. 17. For he was numbred with us, and had obtained p…rt of this miniſtery.

v. 18.v. 18. foreign] i. e. monumentum …eleris ſui reliquit. 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.

v. 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 blood.

v. 20. For it is written in the book of Pſalms, Let his habitation be deſolat… and let no man dwell therein: And his biſhoprick let another take.

v. 21. Wherefore of theſe men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jeſus went in and out among us,

v. 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.

v. 23. And they appointed two, Joſeph called Barſabas, who was called Juſtus, and Matthias.

v. 24. And they prayed, and ſaid, Thou Lord, which knoweſt the heart… of all men, ſhew wh…ther of theſe two thou haſt choſen.

v. 25.v. 25. Ad locum proprium] i. e. qui ipſi melius conveniebat, quàm Apoſtolica functio. That he may take part of this miniſtry and apoſtleſhip, from which Judas by tranſgreſſion f…ll, that he might go to his own place.

v. 26. And they gave forth their l…ts, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbred with the eleven ap…ſtles.

p. 7SECT. IV.

THe Apoſtles, and the forementioned number o… Diſciples having been thus employed for the firſt ten days after our Saviours Aſcenſion, and Pentecoſt aaVocatur Pent…ost…, quia celebr… tur d…e Quinquageſim… poſt paſ…ha, L…v. 23.16. V…atur etiam f…s…um Septimanarum, Exod. 34.22. quia inter paſch… ▪ & hoc feſtum ſeptem ſeptimanae intercedebant: hoc feſto praeter ordinaria ſacrificia fiebat ſacrificium primitiarum tritici, Exod. 34.22. unde vocatur feſtum primitiarum. Num. 28.26. Tria feſta magna habebant Hebraei. (1) Paſchatis, cujus ſecundo die etiam primitiae frugum offerebantur Deo, Lev. 23.10. Sed & primitiae hordei, quod citius matureſcebat quam triticum, Exod 9.31. Ruth. 2.23. (2) Feſtum Pentecostes, quo offerebantur primitiae tritici, Deut. 16.9. &c. (3) Feſtum Tabernaculorum poſt meſſem, & vindem…am quoque peractam, Deut. 16.13. Quae tr… feſta egregiè repraeſentant tres gradus noſtrae ſalutis, quae ſunt. 1. Redemptio noſtra, quam repraeſentat feſtum paſchatis, quo agnus Dei eaeſus. 2. Regeneratio noſtra, & ſanctificatio per primitias Spiritus quam repraeſentat feſtum primitiarum. 3. Glorificatio noſtra, quam repraeſentat laetiſſimum feſtum tabernaculorum, quo in ſine anni poſt peractum laborem in plenitudine horreorum, & cella…um ſub umbrâ frondium laetitiam exercebant Iſraelitae. Pentecoſte igitur erat feſtum inter haec tria medium. Finis hujus feſti erat rememo…atio duorum beneficiorum magnorum, viz. 1 Promulgatae legis in monte Sinai. 2. Ingreſſûs in terram Canaan, ejuſque poſſeſſionis, Deut. 26.1, 2. &c. Offerebantur quidem primitiae in feſto paſchatis, ſed quae non a ſingulis Iſraelitis adferebantur, ſed unus manipulus hordei viridis nomine totius Iſraelis offerebatur. Pentecoſtes autem feſto ſinguli Iſraelitae, ſaltem ex ſingulis civitatibus aliqui deputati, primitias omnium frugum, & fructuum cum cantu, & tibii… H…eroſolymam mittebant, ac Domino offerebant, quo alludit Iſa. 33.29. Die… ultimus ſeptem ſeptimanarum erat dies latae legis, ut colligitur, Exod. 19.1.11. vocaturque ob id festum legis. Eodem die caepit praedicari ab Apoſtolis lex nova, complementum veteris.Exod 34:22Num 28:26Lev 23:10Exod 9:31Ruth 2:23Deut 16:9Deut 16:13Deut 26:1Deut 26:2Isa 33:29Exod 19:1Exod 19:11being now come, as they were with one accord aſſembled together, ſuddenly there came a ſound from heaven of a ruſhing mighty wind (repreſenting the efficacy of the Spirit of God now deſcending) and an appearance of cloven fiery tongues (b)(b)Hae figurae nos docent modum operandi, quo Spiritus ſanctus in nobis utitur. Operatur per modum igni…, & venti. Per modum ignis, quia emollit, illuminat, accendit, purgat cor. Per modum venti, quia refrigerat, ac reficit tempore anguſtiarum per ſolatium, & initia vitae aeternae, & quia movet per efficacem ſuam operationem ſicut ventus impellit naves.lighted upon each of them, and they were now all filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and began to ſpeak with ſtrange tongues, ſuch as they never had before learnt (ſee Mark 16.17.) and other miraculous powers were conferred upon them.

The fame of this being inſtantly ſpread abroad, and there being preſent at that time great multitudes of Jews, who had come up from all parts of Judea to the feaſt; and alſo many other Jews(c)(c)The text ſpeaketh ver. 9. of Jew… of all nations under heaven now dwelling at Jeruſalem, and yet it reckoneth but fifteen here, which were not all the nations in the world, no not all that were in the Roman Empire. To ſay nothing of the Hyperbole's the Scripture frequently uſeth, as Cities walled up to heaven, &c. the Languages here ſpoken of took up all the nation where it is imaginable any Jews were ſcattered at this time through the world. Lightf. in loc. and Profelytes born in divers other nations, ſome whereof probably were Students there, and others had come up at this time to worſhip the true God at Jeruſalem; they were all much amazed to hear ſuch unlearned men, as the Apoſtles were, ſpeak the languages of their ſeveral nations. But ſome among them derided the miracle, and imputed it to drunkenneſs. Hereupon Peter ſtanding up with the reſt of the Apoſtles in a grave Oration confuted this calumny, ſhewing the unre…ſonableneſs of it, ſeeing it was now but the third hour of the day, or nine a clock in the morning**Vid. 1 Theſ. 5.7. Hora tertia erat tempu precum matutinariè, ad qua ho…ines vel medi…eritèr …i… iba t n…ſi jejuni. Imò ſieb… …ſtis …d ſextam uſqu… horam jejunatum, …ocet nos Joſephus de vi… ſuá. Gr…t.1 Thess 5:7; and then declares unto them, that that which was now p. 8done was the completion of a famous Prophecy uttered by the Prophet, Joel cap. 2. from 28. to the end; the meaning of which was this, that in the laſt days, viz. the days of the Meſſias there ſhould be a large, and remarkable effuſion of the Spirit of God upon all fleſh; (that is, upon Gentiles as well as Jews) yea, upon all ſorts of perſons among them, without diſtinction, namely, upon old and young, ſons and daughters, bond and free; whereby they ſhould be endued with ſuch an excellent meaſure of knowledg touching the myſteries of ſalvation, and with ſuch an ability to inſtruct others, in them, as might well be compared with the Prophecies *,(d)(d)Per iſtas prophetationes, viſiones, & ſomnia, intelliguntur omnis generis dona ſpiritualia. Ergo effuſio Spiritûs paritura eſt abundantiam notitiae, fidei, ſanctitatis, ſapientiae, inter omnis generis homines. Sic impletur abundantèr illud Iſa. 54.13. Jer. 31.33, 34. Joh. 6.45. Heb. 8.11. Dicuntur haec omnia comparativè ad V. T. Non docebunt. i. e. non tantoperè opus habebunt docere, ac ſ…b V. T. non tantâ inculcatione indigebunt, ſed leviore negotio addiſcent. Stres. See knowledg and practice. p. 151. Shall ſee Viſions, &c. that is, ſhall be enabled through the operation, and revelation of the Spirit, both to understand and explain the mysteries of the goſpel. Theſe expreſſions are borrowed from the state and condition of the Old Testament wherein God uſed to reveal himſelf to the Prophets by Dreams, and Viſions. See Numb. 12 6.Isa 54:13Jer 31:33Jer 31:34John 6:45Heb 8:11Num 12:6 Dreams and Viſions imparted by God to ſome of the ancient Prophets; and after this great effuſion of the Spirit there ſhould be many fearful ſtupendous ſights and prodigies (e(eThe Sun ſhall be changed into darkneſs, and the Moon into blood. Theſe expreſſions ſignifie the strange, fearful, and general troubles, miſeries, and deſolations which ſhall befall the Jewes before the destruction of Jeruſalem, See Mat. 24 Nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether.Matt 24, and many great ſlaughters in Judea, as fore-runners and preſignifications of the great and diſmal destruction that ſhould come upon Jeruſalem, and the people of the Jews for their crucifying the Lord of Life; and that the only way to eſcape in the time of thoſe fears, dangers, and deſtructions was to repent, and to own Chriſt and believe in him, and to call upon the name of the Lord(f)(f)Per invocationem hic intelligitur totus cultus internus, & externu…, qui à precatione denominationem habet propterea quod precatio eſt compendioſum exercitium omnium motuum Spiritualium quibus Deus colitur. Preces ſunt motus humiliationis contritionis, fidei amoris, & omnium virtutum. Qui nomen Domini invocaverit, &c. ſenſus eſt Quicunque Dominum Jeſum agnoverit, receperit, & coluerit ſecundum id, quod Scripturae de ipſo revelant, & teſtantur, is ſervabitur, Stre…. in faithful and fervent prayer.**From ver. 1. to 22.

Having thus waſhed off this unjuſt aſperſion of drunkenneſs by interpreting and applying this Prophecy, he proceeds on to ſhew them, That Jeſus of Nazareth was the true Meſſias promiſed by all the Prophets. And firſt he ſpeaks of his perſon and life ſhewing that by thoſe many miracles wrought by him in the midſt of them, he was plainly demonſtrated(g)(g)foreign h. e teſtimonio irrefrag…bili & incontradicibili honoratum; ornatum ejuſmodi teſtimonio de quo nullus dubitandi locus relictus; tàm certò ut nulla certior ſit foreign. Pricaeus. Eſt Sermo imcompletus, & hoc modo complendus Vir … Deo demonstr…tus eſſe aliquid aliud quam vir nudus. Demonſtratus enim à Deo eſt, eſſe vir juſtu…, & ſine peccato [vid. Joh. 8.46.] demonſtratus eſt eſſe filius Dei, Rom. 1.4. & miſſus à Patre. Streſo.John 8:46Rom 1:4 to be a perſon ſent from God and approved of him; Secondly, he ſpeaks of his Death, how God having determined and decreed he ſhould be put to death for the ſins of men; and by his fore-knowledg diſcerning this the fitteſt expedient to bring about that great deſign of ſaving ſinners, he had permitted him to fall into their power: who having maliciouſly accuſed, and condemned him**Omnibus adſcribitur, quia omnes (paucis exceptis ſidelibus) in mortem Chri… i conſenſerant, Luc. 23.18. Joh. 18.40.Luke 23:18John 18:40, at laſt by their vehement importunity prevailed with the Romans to put him p. 9to death, and ſo had by their wicked hands crucified him, v. 22, 23. Thirdly, he ſpeaks of his Reſurrection how God raiſed him again, looſing the bands of death, it being impoſſible as David had praedicted, that he ſhould be holden of it. For though thoſe words, Pſal 16.8. &c. in a lower ſenſe had reference to Davids perſon, yet they were more fully, and ultimately to be fulfilled in the Son of David, The eternal word of God, The Meſſias of the world; and that not only becauſe David was a Type of him, and did repreſent his Perſon, but alſo becauſe he was now in his loins, according to the fleſh. As theſe words therefore refer to David they may be thus Paraphraſed; I have ſet the Lord always before me, i. e. I have ſet my thoughts continually on God, as being ever preſent with me; and becauſe he is at my right hand ever ready to aſſiſt and ſupport me, I ſhall not be moved, that is, not ſwallowed up of my ſorrows nor removed from my conſtant obedience to his will. And upon this account, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope (*)(*)Hope is here aſcribed to the dead body figuratively., that is, When my body ſhall be laid to reſt in the earth, it ſhall not be without hope of a joyful Reſurrection. For thou wilt not leave my Soul (h)(h)Thou wilt not leave my ſoul in Hell] Soul ſometimes is taken properly, ſometimes improperly for the whole perſon, Act. 27.37 Sometime… for the dead carkaſs, Lev. 19.28. and 21.1. Num. 6.6. and 5.2. in all which place… the Hebrew word rendred dead carkaſs is foreign, and ſo foreign is taken here. Animamque Sepulchro Condimus, Virgil: The word Sheol here rendred Hell does alſo ſignifie the Grave Pſa. 55.15. and 141.7. Gen. 42.37. and not for a place of Souls under the earth. See Dr. Reynolds Praelect. 81. and 82. upon the Apocryphal Books, and Robert Parker upon Chriſts Deſcent into Hell. foreign is taken for Death, or the ſtate of the dead, or the inviſible place in reference to the Soul, or the Grave in reference to the body. The Papiſts would from this place conclude, that the Soul of Chriſt immediately upon his Death did locally deſcend into Hell the place of the damned. But without any ground. For the words ſpeak evidently of a deliverance from a paenal condition, whereas the Papiſts themſelves hold that Chriſts Soul was triumphant in Hell. And the Apoſtle in this place plainly proves, that David was left in that Hell from whence Chriſt was raiſed ſo that it is clear he underſtood the words of Chriſts riſing from the Grave: as the ſecond clauſe doth more plainly expreſs, Thou wilt not ſuffer thine holy One to ſee corruption. The Scope of the Apoſtle therefore in citing thi… place is not to deal about the deliverance of Chriſts Soul out of Hell, but punctually of Chriſts reſurrection; and the reſurrection is properly of the body, not of the ſoul. The true meaning and ſenſe therefore of the Article of Christs deſcent into Hell (as the Latines improperly tranſlate foreign) ſeems to be this, He went into the place of inviſible Souls. For his body remained in the Grave, and his Soul paſſed to Paradiſe. And thus the Articles go on methodically without any Tautology. That after Chriſts death his body was buried in the Grave, his Soul went to the place o… bleſſed Souls, and the third day both Soul and body were re united in his Reſurrection, See Dr. Richardſons notes on Pſalm. 16.Acts 27:37Lev 19:28Lev 21:1Num 6:6Num 5:2Ps 55:15Ps 141:7Gen 42:37Ps 16in Hell, that is, my dead body in the grave; nor ſuffer me utterly to periſh in the Pit of corruption ſo as never to riſe again. Thou wilt ſhew me the path of life, that is, how I ſhall after my reſurrection live for ever in thy glory, Thou wilt make me full of joy with thy countenance, that is, In thy preſence I ſhall have fulneſs of joy forevermore. But theſe words in their proper and literal ſenſe could not be ſpoken of David, becauſe David's body was left in the grave and was there corrupted [See Act. 13.36.37. compar'd with 1 King. 2.10.] and therefore they muſt needs have reference to Chriſt, who (as David ſaw by the Spirit of Prophecy) was to ſpring from his Loins. (See 2 Sam. 7. and Pſal. 132.) and ſo by the ſame Spirit he ſaw alſo that he was ſoon to riſe again from the dead, as the head of his myſtical Body, and by virtue of his reſurrection, his members were to riſe alſo. p. 10And that God had aſſuredly according to David's Prophecy raiſed this Jeſus from the dead, Peter declares that he and his fellows could, and did bear their Teſtimony**from v. 24. to 33.. Fourthly, he then ſpeaks to them of his Aſcenſion, and how after his reſurrection he was exalted to the right hand of God: the conſequent of which was, that having received authority and commiſſion from the Father to prour forth his holy Spirit in a plentiful manner, [which he had often before ſpoken to them of, as in Joh. 14.26. and 15.26. and 16.13, 14.] he had now accordingly done it, and this ſtrange thing of their ſpeaking divers tongues, (which was ſo much wondred at by them) was an effect thereof. He further ſhews that David never aſcended, or went bodily to Heaven, and ſo cannot be ſaid to be exalted to Gods right hand while his enemies were made his Footſtool. And therefore the perſon of whom that was praedicted, Pſal 110.1. (and whom David there calls Lord) could be no other than Chriſt. For Concluſion, he bids all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly that God the Father had ordained, and appointed this Jeſus, whom they had crucified, to be the Head, and Saviour of his Church, and had inſtated him in the true kingly office of the Meſſiah **from v. 33. to 37..

A great multitude of the Auditors were ſo affected with this Diſcourſe, that being touched with an inward remorſe(i)(i)Regeneratio hominis incipit à tali tertore, per quem cor ſeu anima hominis it… compungitur, conteritur, vulneratur, ut imbuat r vivo & aeri ſenſu miſeriae ſuae. Probandum eſt; an habe is, effecta hujus contritionis, ſcilicet Cor flexile, quod ve…bo Dei facilè movetur, & ducitur ad bonum. Triplex Spiritus, ſeu tres gradus donorum Spiritua ium …lectis dantur. 1. Spiritus Servitutis, q o anima conteritur, vulneratur, & ſenſu miſeriae oueratur, ut gratiam anhelet, & d…ſide et, Rom. 8.15. 2. Spiritus Regen…rationis, quo ex Deo gignimur, & Chriſto unigen…to Dei per fidem i…ferimur, ut filii Dei fi…mus, Joh. 3 5 Spiritus Adoptionis, quo de paterno Dei in nos amore certiores reddimur, quod ſimus filii Dei, accendimurque filiali amore in Deum, quo clam …mus Abba, Pater, Eph. 1.14. Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.15.Rom 8:15Rom 8:2John 3:5Eph 1:14Gal 4:6 for their ſins, they ask'd Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles what they ſhould do? Peter exhorts them to repent and to own Chriſt for the true Meſſias, and to believe in him, and to be baptized in his name, and then they ſhould be made partakers of the holy Ghoſt; and ſome of them poſſibly, of thoſe miraculous gifts and powers, which they now ſaw and admired in the Apoſtles. For upon their believing in Chriſt, the promiſe made by God in the New Covenant of remiſſion of ſins [Jer. 31.34. Zech. 13.1.] appertained to them, and to their children **Promiſſiones, quae ad Parentes fideles pertinent etiam eorum liberis debemus applicare, quamdiu facto contrario & propriâ infidelitate ſeipſos non excludunt. Streſo., and to as many of the Gentiles and their Children, as the Lord ſhould effectually call to faith in his Son, and therefore they ought to receive Baptiſm the Seal thereof. And with many other words he exhorted them to with-draw, and ſeparate themſelves from that untoward generation of the Scribes and Phariſees [See Mat. 3 and ch. 12. and ch. 16.] who ſo deſperately oppoſed Chriſt, and his Goſpel, and by their authority and example ſtrove to keep people off from embracing the only way of Salvation opened by him. 'Tis probable, whilſt Peter preached thus to the Jews of Judea and Jeruſalem in the Syriack tongue others of the Apoſtles ſpake at the ſame time, and to the ſame purpoſe * to ſeveral there preſent of other nations,See Lightfoot in loc. p. 47. 48 and the ſucceſs of their preaching was that Three thouſand were that day p. 11converted to Chriſtianity, and by their hands immediately baptized**from 37. to 42..

Theſe new converts being now added to the Church, continued and faithfully perſevered in the Apoſtles Doctrine, and fellowſhip (performing all Chriſtian offices of love one to another) and in the religious exerciſe of the duties of Gods Worſhip, ſuch as receiving the Holy Supper, Prayer and Praiſing God. And a great aſtoniſhment ſeized the people to ſee the wonderful things that were done by the Apoſtles. This alſo is further recorded of theſe new Converts, that they had their goods (as to the uſe of them) in common(k)(k)This community was not of all their goods, but of that part which every one would voluntarily conſecrate for the publick or particular neceſſities of the Saints (See Act. 5.4.) and was uſed only in Jeruſalem in thoſe firſt beginnings of Chriſtianity, and we do not read it was made a praecedent for other times, and places. Videtur ipſis jam tum revelata fuiſſe futura deſtructio terrae, & urbis Judaicae, & neceſſitas exulandi. Uſi igitur ſunt prudentiâ; maluerunt bonis ſuis eccleſiae conſulere, quam omnia perdere. Quod fecerunt, non fecerunt ex praecepto, ſed liberè: ſi inter Chriſtianos nullae privatae poſſeſſiones licitae, ſed omnia deberent eſſe communia, non foret locus praeceptis contra ſurtum, non locus praeceptis de eleemoſynis. Nam quo fine jubemur de noſtris dare pauperibus, ſi nihil noſtrum eſt, ſed omnia communia. Streſo.Acts 5:4 in that time of the Churches neceſſities, and the richer ſort ſold and parted with ſome of their poſſeſſions and goods to help and relieve the poorer. And further their practice was daily to frequent the Temple at the uſual hours of prayer, and privately in particular houſes to celebrate the Lords Supper. And thus converſing together with great ſimplicity and ſincerity, they went on cheerfully in their Chriſtian courſe praiſing and bleſſing the Lord for all that he had done for them: and their innocent and harmleſs converſation procur'd them favour with the generality of the people, who had not their hearts prepoſſeſs'd with prejudices againſt Chriſt, and his Goſpel. And thus we have ſeen what were the firſt fruits of the Apoſtles miniſtry, whoſe endeavours it pleaſed God ſo to bleſs, that there were daily more and more Converts added to the Church**from v. 42. to the end..

Act. 2. v. 1. And when the day of Pentecoſt was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

v. 2. And ſuddenly there came a ſound from heaven, as of a ruſhing mighty wind, and it filled all the houſe where they were fitting.

v. 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it ſat upon each of them.

v. 4. And they were all filled with the holy Ghoſt, and began to ſpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

v. 5. And there were dwelling at Jeruſalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

v. 6. Now when this was noiſed abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, becauſe that every man heard them ſpeak in his own language.

v. 7. And they were all amazed, and marvelled, ſaying one to another, Behold, are not all theſe which ſpeak, Galileans?

v. 8. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

v. 9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Meſopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Aſia,

v. 10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and in the parts of Libya, about Cyrene, and ſtrangers of Rome, Jews and proſelytes,

p. 12v. 11. Cretes, and Arabians, we do hear them ſpeak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

v. 12 And they were all amazed and were in doubt, ſaying one to another, What meaneth this?

v. 13. Others mocking, ſaid, Theſe men are full of new wine.

v. 14 But Peter ſtanding up with the eleven, lift up his voice and ſaid unto them, Yemen of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jeruſalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

v. 15. For theſe are not drunken, as ye ſuppoſe, ſeeing it is but the third hour of the day.

v. 16. But this is that which was ſpoken by the prophet Joel,

v. 17. And it ſhall come to paſs in the laſt days, (ſaith God) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all fleſh: and your ſons and your daughters ſhall propheſie, and your young men ſhall ſee viſions, and your old men ſhall dream dreams:

v. 18. And on my ſervants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out in thoſe days of my Spirit, and they ſhall propheſie:

v. 19. And I will ſhew wonders in heaven above, and ſigns in the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of ſmoak.

v. 20. The ſun ſhall be turned into darkneſs, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.

v. 21. And it ſh…ll come to paſs, that whoſoever ſhall call on the Name of the Lord, ſhall be ſaved.

v. 22. Ye men of Iſrael, hear theſe words, Jeſus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, wonders and ſigns, which God did by him in the midſt of you, as ye your ſelves alſo know:

v. 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counſel, and foreknowledg of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and ſlain:

v. 24. Whom God hath raiſed up, having looſed the pains of death, becauſe it was not poſſible that he ſhould be holden of it.

v. 25 For David ſpeaketh concerning him, I foreſaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I ſhould not be moved.

v. 26. Therefore did my heart rejoyce, and my tongue was glad: moreover alſo my fleſh ſhall reſt in hope;

v. 27. Becauſe thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hell, neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy One to ſee corruption.

v. 28. Thou haſt made known to me the ways of life, thou ſhalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

v. 29. Men and brethren, let me freely ſpeak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his ſepulchre is with us unto this day.

v. 30. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had ſworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the fleſh, he would raiſe up Chriſt to ſit on his throne:

v. 31. He ſeeing this before, ſpake of the reſurrection of Chriſt, that his ſoul was not left in hell, neither his fl…ſh did ſe… corruption.

v. 32. This Jeſus hath God raiſed up, whereof we all are witneſſes.

v. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promiſe of the holy Ghoſt, he hath ſhed forth this, which ye now ſee and hear.

v. 34. For David is not aſcended into the heavens, but he ſaith himſelf, The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

v. 35. Until I make thy foes thy footſtool.

v. 36. Therefore let all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly, that God hath made that ſame Jeſus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt.

p. 13v. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and brethren, what ſhall we do?

v. 38. Then Peter ſaid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt.

v. 39. For the promiſe is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call.

v. 40. And with many other words did he teſtifie and exhort, ſaying, Save your ſelves from this untoward generation.

v. 41. Then they that gladly received his words, were baptized: and the ſame day there were added unto them about three thouſand ſouls.

v. 42. And they continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles doctrine and fellowſhip, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

v. 43. And fear came upon every ſoul: and many wonders and ſigns … done by the Apoſtles.

v. 44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common:

v. 45. And ſold their poſſeſſions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

v. 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from houſe to houſe, did eat their meat with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart.

v. 47. Praiſing God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily ſuch as ſhould be ſaved.

p. 14Chap. 2. v. 1. Cum complerentur dies Pentecoſtes] verbum completivum ſumitur inchoativè ut etiam Luc. 2.21. Numerus quinquaginta dierum propriè loquendo non erat completus ineunte primo Pentecoſtes. Sed currente eo complebatur; erat enim ipſe quinquageſimus. Senſus eſt, quum tempus quinquaginta dierum, quod incidebat in diem Pentecoſtes compleretur, currente adhuc eo, quo completur, venit Spiritus Sanctus. De Dieu.Luke 2:21v. 3. Seditque ſupra ſingulos eorum] ſcilicet, iſte ignis. Poena linguarum diſperſit homines, Gen. 11. Donum Linguarum diſperſos in unum populum recollegit.Gen 11v. 5. foreign] Judaei peregrini illie commorantes religionis & ſtudiorum causâ. Judaei verò dicuntur non tam natione quam religione. foreign viri religioſi] Intelliguntur quidem viri religionem Judaicam ſectantes, verum qui non eſſent circumciſi. Quicunque enim circumciſionem aſſumpſerant, illi non jam foreign ſed foreign dicebantur.v. 11. foreign] Dei potentiam, quae Jeſu reſuſcitato apparuit. Id enim praecipuum argumentum fuit, quo converſus eſt mundus, vid. cap. 1. 22. 2. 24. 3. 15.v. 17. Sequitur Lucas in hujus loci, ut & aliorum productione, LXX interpretes non tamen ad amuſſim, verbis interdum mutatis, & tranſpoſitis, quod & Moſes fecit, Decalogum in Deuteronomium recitans.v. 19. Sanguinem, & ignem, & vaporem fumi] per Sanguinem intelligo bella, & caedes; per ignem, & vapores fumoſos multa incendia oppidorum, virorum, & villarum; per obſcurationem Solis obſcurationem gloriae, & faelicitatis populi Judaici; per mutationem Lunae in ſanguinem graſſationem haereſium, & turbulentorum, ac ſaepè ſanguinolentorum ſciſmatum in Eccleſiâ. See our Harmony of the Four Evangeliſts. pag. 172.v. 20. foreign] dies terribilis. Sic truculentus ille Antiochus dictus eſt foreign terribilis potius quàm Illuſtris. De Dieu. Omnes dies beneficiis aut poenis illuſtres, Dies Domini vocantur, ut benè notavit Maimonides Ductore dubitantium, 2.29. Grot.v. 21. Pii eripientur communi exilio.v. 22. Jeſum Nazarenum] appellant eum eo nomine, quo vulgò vocatus fuit.v. 24. Solutis doloribus mortis] Petrus hic reſpicit ad locum, Pſal. 18.6. ubi Chriſtus in perſonâ Davidis queritur quod Cheble Sheol i. e. funes ſepulchri & Mokeſhe maruth ipſum eumdederint. In Graeco eſt foreign. Lucas igitur in citando ſequitur verſionem Graecam tum receptam. At nomen funium his magis quadrare videtur. Non erat poſſibile] Scilicet, ut Chriſtus ſuperaretur, ſeu vinceretur, à morte; Id enim verbum foreign propriè ſignificat.Ps 18:6v. 25. foreign] de eo ſic apud Hebraeos ſaepe foreign pro foreign uſurpatur, ut Pſal. 91.11. vide Eph. 5.32.Ps 91:11Eph 5:32v. 27. foreign] i e me Frequens Hebraiſmus. videre corruptionem] metaphora ab animato ad exanime foreign] ſ…ilicet, foreign h. e. foreign in Inferni domo. Fnallage praepoſitionis foreign pro foreign.v. 39. foreign] & omnibus qui procul adhuc abſunt Idem vult quod foreign Conſtat enim praepoſitionem foreign ejuſmodi adverbiis adjunctum ſaepè vacare, Talia ſunt foreign ſtatim; foreign eras, &c, De Dieu.v. 40. Deſerite hujus improbae gentis mores. Schiſma eſt ſeparatio à bonis ſeu à verâ eccleſiâ p…opter rem nullius momenti; ſed Separatio eſt à malis ob corruptam doctrinam ſalvificam, & cum non licet manere ſine communione mali.v. 44. foreign] Unum communem ſcopum habebant, nimirum abnegationem ſui ipſorum, & promotionem regni Chriſti. They continued in the ſame confeſſion and practice of the duties of religion, though poſſibly they were divided into ſeveral companies and congregations according to their ſeveral nations and languages.v 46. foreign] Privatim, & ſic …poonitur foreign. Non enim in templo, ſed per domos privatorum coenam Domini participabant. Salmaſius.v. 47. Erant gratioſi apud foreign ob bonitatem, modeſtiam, patientiam, quarum virtutum ea vis eſt, ut amorem etiam à diſparis vitae hominibus extorqueat. Particula itaque univerſ…lis hic re…ringenda eſt ad eos tantum qui licet à Doctrinâ Apoſtolorum atque Eccleſiae eſſent alieni; animum tamen gerebant ſincerum, non odio, & malevolentiâ in Apoſtolos, eorumque doctrinam, vitiatum. Apud Sacerdotes enim, & Scribas tantum abeſt, ut gratioſi extiterint, ut potius in ſummo fuerint odio.SECT. III.

ABout the ſame time Peter and John went up to the Temple about three a Clock in the afternoon (being one of the hours of prayer) and there in the name of Chriſt they heal(a)(a)Prophetae, V. T. qui Legem magis, quam Evangelium praedicaverunt plura terribilia, & vindicativa fecerant miracula, quam beneficia Ignem ex coelo fecerunt deſcendere, impiorum manus fecerunt ex…reſcere, leprâ afflixerunt, tenebris, grandine, ranis, occiſione p…imogenitor…m, inundatione aquarum, &c. puniverunt. Sed in N. T. pauca habemus miracula vindicativa, ſed pleraque omnia benefica. Praeſertim de Chriſto no…andum, quod quantum vis plurima fecerit miracula, tamen nullum fecerit terribile, ac vindicativum in vitâ ſuâ, ſed omnia benefica, ut verè de illo dicatur quod eſt Act. 10.38. Unum autem miraculum vindicativum. de Chriſto legimus verum non in hominibus, ſed in ficu exercitum, Mat. 21.18.19. Cum mancos, caecos, mendicos videmus, ne dicamus ſicut diſcipuli, Joh. 9 2. ſed agnoſcamus eſſe hoc meritum totius natura… humanae; & quod nos praeſervati ſumus, ſpeciali & impromeritae gratiae eſſe tribuendum, qu… obligamur ad ſpecialem gratitudinem.Acts 10:38Matt 21:18Matt 21:19John 9:2 a cripple lying at the gate of the Temple (called Beautiful)(b)(b)Erat haec in primo Templi ambitu ſivè Atrio gentium, quod Herodes caeteris adjecerat: alta erat cubitorum 30 tota aere Corinthi…co, (quod auro pretioſius fuit) inducta, vid. Joſeph. de bello Jud. lib. 6. c. 6. Quistorpius. to ask alms,(c)(c)Exemplum hic habemus libertatis divinae in diſpenſandâ gratiâ. Hic homo accepit, quod non non quaerebat. Ipſe non niſi eleemoſynam captabat, & accepit Spiritualem, & Corporalem ſanitatem; ſicut Saul quaerens aſinas inuenit regnum. Con…mat hoc illud Paulimum, Rom. 9. Non est currentie neque volentis. Hic homo petit eleemoſynam, quam non accipit; accipit autem quod melius eſt.Rom 9 who had been lame from his birth, and was now about Forty years old (See ch. 4. 22.) The people being amazed at this miracle flock'd in great multitudes about the Apoſtles in Solomons-Porch, earneſtly gazing on them, and wondring at this ſtrange cure wrought by them; and the man that was cur'd kept cloſe to them, having received ſo great a benefit by them. Peter ſeeing this, addreſs'd himſelf to the people ſhewing them that they were much miſtaken, if they thought that this Miracle was wrought by any power, or virtue, that was in ſuch mean men, as they were. No, they durſt not arrogate ſo much to themſelves. He aſſures them it was wrought by no other power, than that of Jeſus Chriſt▪ whom they had wickedly crucified (preferring Barabbas a murderer before him): but God had raiſed him from the dead, and of his reſurrection they his Apostles were ſure, and faithfull witneſſes. He ſhews them it was p. 15by faith, and relyance on his power(d)(d)Per virturem, & Potentiam Jeſu Chriſti, quâ eum credo mihi aſſiſtere, do tibi, ut ſurgas, & ambules. Per nomen Jeſu intelligitur virtus, vis, ac poteſtas Jeſu, ſecundum promiſſionem, Mar. 16.18.Mark 16:18 (which faith was alſo his gift, and wrought in them by his Spirit) that they had wrought this cure on this Cripple. He tells them that though they had done very hainouſly in thus putting to death the Prince of life, yet he was perſwaded(e)(e)Petius dicit ſe ſcire, quod fecerint ignorantes. …eri… ſcilicet per judicium ch…ritatis, vid. Luc. 23.34. 1 Cor. 2.8. Non erant convicti, quod Ch…iſtus eſſet ille ipſe Meſſias à Deo promiſſus. Petri Scopus ergo eſt non Judaeorum peccatum excuſare, ſed tantum …is oſtendere, quod non commiſerint illud peccatum, quod non habet ſpem veniae. Peccare in Spiritum Sanctum non eſt facere quod ſcimus malum eſſe, ſed eſt ideo aliquod facere, quia ſcimus malum eſſe, vel ideo aliquod perſequi, quia ſcimus bonum eſſe.Luke 23:341 Cor 2:8. that moſt of them did it ignorantly, not being thorowly convinc'd (though they had evidence enough to have convinced them, had they duly attended to it) that Jeſus of Nazareth was the very Meſſias; yet however hereby they had accompliſhed what was praedicted in the Scriptures concerning the ſufferings of Chriſt. He exhorts them therefore to repent (f)(f)Contritio non juſtificat, ſed fides; ſed tamen nulla fides juſtificat, niſi qua… ex contritione proſiciſcitur.and turn to God, laying hold on his Grace and Mercy offered in Chriſt, that their ſins might be blotted out, ſeeing thoſe bleſſed(g)(g)Peccata delentur ex libro juſtitiae divinae per oliterationem, & inductionem ſanguinis Chriſti. Ex libro noſtrae conſcientiae, per Spiritum ſanctum, Heb. 10.22. cordibus purgatis a mal… conſcientià Series argumenti haec eſt. Moſes, & omnes Prophetae, quotquot locuti, hos die… annunciarunt, & Chriſto teſtimonium dederunt, volueruntque, ut eum audiretis, & vos ad eum converteretis. Vo…autem eſtis filii prophetarum, ideoque obligati ad eos audiendos, & filii istius foederis, quod Deus cum Abrahamo pepigit, & quo totius mundi ſalutem in hoc …hriſto promiſit.Heb 10:22 refreſhing Goſpel-times, which he had long ago promiſed, were now come, and he had ſent his Son(h)(h)Eraſmus, & Beza, ad primum Chriſti adventum haec referunt: hunc verſum ergo hoc modo reddit Beza, Reſipiſcite, & conver…te vos, ut deleantur peccata vestra post quam venerint temporare frigerationis a conſpectu Domini & miſerii prius praedicatum vobis Jeſum Christum. Glaſſius etiam dici foreign poni pro foreign quum ſen postquam: foreign uſurpatur etiam pro foreign apud Thucid. & Xen. into the world, whom the Prophets long ago foretold, and preached of. This Saviour being now aſcended he tells them the Heavens muſt contain (having received hi… Humanity) until the accompliſhment(i)(i)v. 2…. Ʋntil the restitution of all things] or the accompliſhment of all thing…. The Arabick renders it untill the time in which all things ſhall he perfected, or finiſhed. foreign doth not only ſignifie a reſtitution to a former eſtate, but a fulfilling, or accompliſhing, and the praepoſition foreign doth not ſo much ſtand in the force o Re again as in oppoſition to α privative in foreign, ſo Matth. 17.11. Elias indeed ſhall first come foreign, and ſhall restore al…: what to their former eſtate? Nay, that the Baptiſt did not, for he brought them into a quite different eſtate to their former: The words therefore may be more fully rendred thus. Elias truly ſhall fir…t come, and accompliſh all things that are written. And ſo must the Son of man do all things that are written of him, as Mark follows the ſenſe, Mar. 9.12. Lightfoot in loc. Apud Heſychium, & Phavorinum, foreign. Ergo in hoc ſenſu non ineptum erit vertere, Act. 3.21. Quem oportet coelum recipere uſque ad tempora conſummationis omnium, i. e. ad finem mundi, quando venturus eſt Judex vivorum, & mortuorum, Ds. N. Knatchbull.Matt 17:11Mark 9:12Acts 3:21 of all things, which God had ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ſince the world began; ſuch as are, Chriſts victory over Satan in the Salvation of all his people, the Calling of the Jews, and his conqueſt of the laſt enemy Death, &c. He further ſheweth them that Moſes had propheſied of this Chriſt, under the title of the great Prophet, commanding he ſhould be heard and obeyed in all things, Deut. 18.15.18, 19. and that all the Prophets from Samuel as many as have ſpoken have alſo foretold of theſe days; They therefore ſhould conſider that they were the children of the Prophets, that is, the people to whom God primarily and chiefly ſent the Prophets, and the People to whom the promiſe and covenant which God made with Abraham, That in his ſeed all the nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed (namely, by giving the Meſſias to ſpring from his loins) did primarily appertain. And this Jeſus, being that promiſed Meſſias God had now ſent into the world, whom, being put to death, he had raiſed again, and now in the power and miniſtry p. 16of his Goſpel had firſt ſent again to them, to bleſs them by turning them from their ſins by the powerful operation of his Spirit, and to offer himſelf unto them as the only Saviour, and Redeemer; and therefore they ought in point of gratitude with all readineſs to receive, and embrace him.

Act. 3. v. 1. Now Peter and John w…nt up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

v. 2. And a certain man, lame from his mothers womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entred into the temple.

v. 3. Who ſeeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms.

v. 4. And Peter faſtening his eyes upon him, with John, ſaid, Look on us.

v. 5. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive ſomething of them.

v. 6. Then Peter ſaid, Silver and gold have I none, but ſuch as I have, give I thee: In the Name of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth riſe up and walk.

v. 7. And he took him by the right hand, and lift him up: and immediately his feet and ancle-bones received ſtrength.

v. 8. And he leaping up, ſtood and walked, and entred with them into the the temple, walking, and leaping, and praiſing God.

v. 9. And all the people ſaw him walking, and praiſing God.

v. 10. And they knew that it was he, which ſate for alms at the beautifull gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had hapned unto him.

v. 11. And as the lame man which was healed, held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them, in the porch that is called Solomons, greatly wondering.

v. 12. And when Peter ſaw it, he anſwered unto the people, Ye men of Iſrael, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye ſo earneſtly on us, as though by our own power or holineſs we had made this man to walk?

v. 13. The God of Abraham, and of Iſaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jeſus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the preſence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

v. 14. But ye denied the holy One, and the Juſt, and deſired a murderer to be granted unto you:

v. 15. And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raiſed from the dead, whereof we are witneſſes.

v. 16. And his Name, through faith in his Name, hath made this man ſtrong, whom ye ſee and know: yea, the faith which is by him, hath given him this perfect ſoundneſs in the preſence of you all.

v. 17. And now brethren, I wote that through ignorance ye did it, as did alſo your rulers.

v. 18. But thoſe things which God before had ſhewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer, he hath ſo fulfilled.

v. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord.

v. 20. And he ſhall ſend Jeſus Chriſt, which before was preached unto you.

p. 17v. 21. Whom the heaven muſt rec…ive, until the times of reſtitution of all things, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets ſince the world began.

v. 22. For Moſes truly ſaid unto the Fathers, A prophet ſhall the Lord your God raiſe up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him ſhall ye hear in all things, whatſoever he ſhall ſay unto you.

v. 23. And it ſhall come to paſs, that every ſoul which will not hear that prophet, ſhall be deſtroyed from among the people.

v. 24. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and thoſe that follow after, as many as have ſpoken, have likewiſe foretold of theſe days.

v. 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers, ſaying unto Abraham, And in thy ſeed ſhall all the kinreds of the earth be bleſſed.

v. 26 Unto you firſt, God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

p. 18v. 1. foreign. Circa idem tempus.v 6. foreign i. e. Imperio, & virtute Chriſti.v. 7. Non ſine ra…ione textus addit, quod ſurgere jubens, ſimul dextram ejus apprehendens, eum erexit. Sic cum miniſtri hortant…r & jubent peccatores ut ſurgant & ambulent in bonis operibus, juſſio illorum conjuncta eſt cum potentiâ Chriſti, quae efficit quod jubetur. Homo igitur ſemel regenitus poteſt ſeipſum movere ad bonum, poteſt obedire Deo & facere quod Deo gratum eſt. Quoniam enim vitam habet Spiritualem, vita dat & fert ſecum vires operandi & ſe movendi. Tres tamen cautiones hic probè obſervandae ſunt. 1. Non poteſt ſine continuatione gratiae & aſſiſtentia ejuſdem Spiritus. 2. Non poteſt perfectè. 3. Non poteſt ſine maculâ. Poteſt regenitus facere bona opera, ſed non quae ſunt in ſeipſis tam bona, ut Deo ex ſeipſis placeant.v. 11. The Porch called Solomons] Not that the Porch built by Solomon was now ſtanding, for that was burnt and deſtroy'd by the Babylonians as well as the reſt of the Temple; but becauſe this was built in the ſame place that Solomons was.v. 12. foreign] aut quaſi Deus nobis hoc ob noſtram pietatem largiretur.v. 13. Glorificare Jeſum, eſt gloriam ejus ad quam exaltatus erat, mundo, & hominibus patefacere, ut eum agnoſcant. Perſona glorificanda tribus titulis proponitur. 1. Vocatur puer Dei. ſicut Act. 3.26. & 4.27. ad exprimendum tenerum amorem quo Deus illum complectitur (Eſt filius in ſinu ſuo, Joh. 1.18.) & ad exprimendum offi…ium Chriſti: foreign ſaepè ſumitur pro ſervo, Luc. 12.45. Iſa. 42.1. & 52.13. Sed appellatur ſervus non ratione inaequalitatis, quae eſt in naturâ, ſed ratione liberae ſubmiſſionis, & obedientiae, quâ ſe paſſus eſt à Patre mitti ad opus ejus expediendum, ad voluntatem ejus faciendam. foreign cum de Jeſu dicitur filium vertunt Ambroſius & Hilarius, ut notat Eraſmus infra, ca. 4.27. 2. foreign quia ipſe eſt ſanctitas, & juſtitia eſſentialis; & auctor Sanctitatis, & juſtitiae quae eſt in aliis. 3. Princeps vitae ſcilicet, qui vitae imperat. Nam per mortem victor mortis factus eſt, Heb. 2.14. 1 Cor. 15.54.Acts 3:26Acts 4:27John 1:18Luke 12:45Isa 42:1Isa 52:13Heb 2:141 Cor 15:54v. 16. De Apoſtolorum ſide hic agitur. q. d. per fidem quâ nos nitebamur potentiâ & verbo Chriſti cum diceremus In nomine Jeſu ſurge, & ambula, impetravimus hoc miraculum. Ad miracula facienda non opus eſt aliâ fi…e, quam quae eſt communis omnium fidelium, ſed tantum aliâ promiſſione.v. 17. Petrus Judaeos appellat fratres. Erant fratres ſecundum carnem, & propter externam communionem foederis.v. 21. Quem oportet, coeli capiant. h. e. receptum contineant. Ex idiotiſmo Hebraeorum, quo fit ut ex antec…dente intelligatur conſequens, Bez….v. 24. Samuel is reckoned the firſt of the prophets after Moſes, 1. Becauſe propheſie from the Death of Moſes to the riſing of Samuel was very rare, 1 Sam. 3.1.2. 2. Becauſe he was the firſt prophet after Moſes, that wrote his propheſie, and 3. Becauſe the Schools of the prophets were firſt erected by him, (See 1 Sam. 19.20.) and not that there was no prophet before him. See Dr. Hammond in loc.1 Sam 3:11 Sam 3:21 Sam 19:20v. 25. Filii dicuntur, qui alicujus doctrina inſtituti ſunt; ſic diſcipuli prophetarum fili…eorum vocantur 2 Reg. 2. Seu potius quia ad eos primum ſpectant prophetarum oracula, & promiſſiones. Sic dicuntur filii Teſtamenti. Quâ ratione Mat. 8. vocantur ſilii regni quibus regnum promiſſum eſt.2 Kgs 2Matt 8SECT. IV.

AS the Apoſtles were thus going on in inſtructing the People, the Prieſts, and Sadduces, and Captain of the Roman Band (that was placed in the Tower Antonia (a)(a)The Tower Antonia was firſt built by Hircanus the Armonean but a…ter repaired by Herod, and in honour of Anthony, named Antonia.for the guard of the Temple) came upon them, and being greatly enraged(b)(b)foreign, i. e. Ira, & dolore erant accenſi. The diſtaſte and diſlike of theſe men proceeded from ſeveral principles and cauſes. The Captains diſtaſte was for fear the buſineſs ſhould tend to a tumult The Sadduces becauſe they preached the Reſurrection of the dead. The Priests, becauſe the Apoſtles being private men went about to teach the people, and becauſe they preached the Reſurrection through Jeſus, foreign. i. e. either as verified in Jeſus, or by the power and efficacy of Jeſus. Sadducaei rigidi admodum in poenis exigendis ut Joſephus docet, qui Phariſaeos ait fuiſſe in iis rebus leniores. Nimirum qui omnem ſpem in hâc vitâ collocatam habebant, ſeverè occurrendum putabant omnibus iis quae turbare poterant quietem populi, in quâ & ipſorum quies continebatur, Grot. at the Doctrine they preached, they took them and put them in cuſtody(c)(c)Deus ſenſim adſuefacit ſuos ad ferendam crucem, ut creſcant cum cruce vires. that night; yet Peter's Sermon had had ſo good an operation upon the people, that with the Three thouſand which were before converted ch. 2.41. the number of believers in Chriſt was now come to be about Five thouſand(d)(d)Prior concio convertebat 3000. nunc accedunt 5000. aut ſaltèm tot, ut utriuſque concionis effectus conjunctim producat 5000. Quòd numerus credentium circitèr ad 5 millia creviſſe dicitur non de novâ acceſſione intelligo, ſed de totâ eccleſiâ, Calv. in loc. The next day the Council being met together (in which were Annas and Caiaphas, and ſome others, that were deſcended of High Prieſts) the Apoſtles are now called in queſtion about the Miracle, they had wrought, and required to give an account by what power or authority they had done it. Then Peter being filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and an extraordinary meaſure of Courage, told them plainly, that by the power and authority of Jeſus of Nazareth (whom they had crucified and God had raiſed from the dead) and by Faith in him, they had wrought this miraculous cure. This he tells them was the Stone**See my Harmony of the Four Evangeliſts, ch. 5. p. 144. ſpoken of, Pſal. 118.22. and Iſa. 28.16. (which could be meant of no other than the Meſſias) who was now rejected and diſ-eſteemed of them who would be accounted the builders of the Church of God with ſound Doctrine; yet notwithſtanding their rejecting of him he tells them he is certainly the head of the corner (e)(e)Deus eum conſtituit in lapidem angularem, i. e. in fundamentum cui in poſterum tota eccleſiâ ſuperſtrueretur. Duplex eſt cujuſlibet aedificii fundamentum 1. Externum, & naturale, viz. fundus, vel terra apta. 2. Internum, & artificiale, quod ab architectis ponitur, & eſt pars aedificii. Sic eccleſia chriſtiana duplex habet fundamentum. 1. Externum, viz revelationem Dei per prophetas, & Apoſtolos in Scripturis ſacris; Haec eſt principium, & fundamentum cui innititur fides eccleſiae, & propter quod Eccleſia credit quae credit. Non enim teſtimonium aliquod humanum, non authoritas Papae & Eccleſiae, neque rationis humanae ſcientifica demon…ratio eſt illud fundamentum, & principium, propter quod credimus quae credimus, ſed ſacra Scriptura, Joh. 5. Illae ſunt, quae testificantur de me. 2. Habet etiam Eccleſia Chriſtiana fundamentum internum quod eſt pars aedificii. Sicut enim architecti in ipsâ terrâ ponere ſolent lapidem quadratum, vel Petram aliquam in angulis aedificii, quae muros …uſtineat, Ita in aedificio Eccleſiae primò omnium ponitur lapis ille angulalis, & Petra, quae cum ſit ipſa pars aedificii, caeteris aedificii partes ſuſtinet, atque portat. Hic lapis eſt Jeſus Chriſtus. Ille eſt cum ſuis meritis cui innititur ſides noſtra, & ſicut ſ des habet duas quaſi partes, 1. Aſſenſum mentis. 2. Fiduciam cordi…. Ita duo habet fundamenta. Scripturae authoritas eſt fundamentum aſſensûs: Chriſti merita, fundamentum fiduciae. Fides in Chriſtum non eſt mera imaginatio ſalutis, ſed eſt fiducialis amplexus Chriſti, repoſitio Cordis in Chriſtum, quâ ei adhaeremus cum ſenſu miſeriae noſtrae premimur. Stres. in loc.John 5, and the principal Stone, or chief part of the whole ſpiritual building, his true Church being the Perſon in whom the ſtrength of the building lyes, and by whom the two walls of the building, viz. Jews and Gentiles are joined together, and made up into one Houſe and Church; neither is Salvation to be attain'd by or through the mediation of any other perſon whatſoever. From v. 1. to 13.

p. 19The Council much marvelled at this boldneſs, and freedom of ſpeech, wherewith the Apoſtles expreſſed themſelves, ſeeing their education had been ſuch as could not raiſe them above mean and ordinary men. But then they were told, or elſe ſome of them remembred, that they were ſuch as had attended upon Jeſus in his life time. However though they were convinced of the truth of the Miracle wrought by them, yet after they had debated upon the matter among themſelves, they judged it fit ſtrictly to prohibit them to preach any more in the name of Jeſus; which injunction the Apoſtles would by no means yeild obedience unto, alledging that it was much more right and fit to obey God, than them; and declared, that they could not chooſe but proclaim for the benefit of others thoſe truths concerning Chriſt of ſo high importance, which themſelves had certain knowledg of, being eye and ear-witneſſes of them. However notwithſtanding this rational Plea, the Council added ſome further threatnings to terrifie them, and ſo diſmiſſed them, having nothing to lay to their charge, but only that for which the people looked on them with admiration and glorified God for working by them. From 13. to 23.

The Apoſtles being thus diſmiſs'd, went immediately to their own company (that is the Society of thoſe Hundred and twenty mentioned ch. 1.15.) and acquainted them with what had happened unto them. The Brethren being much affected herewith betake themſelves, by fervent prayer unto the Lord, acknowledging that what he had long ago praedicted by his Prophet David (f)(f)The ſecond Pſalm which owne not its author in the Title, the Holy Ghoſt aſcribeth here to David, and ſeemeth thereby to intimate, that every Pſalm that declareth not its Author in the Title is to be aſcribed to David, Lightf. in loc.Pſal. 2.1. concerning the Meſſias, was now come to paſs. For the Jews had highly oppoſed him, the anointed (g)(g)A Patre unctus, ut eſſet ſervus, & legatus Dei▪ haec unctio conſiſtit 1. In datione poteſtatis, & authoritatis. 2. In datione Spiriti Sancti, qui humanam naturam ad hoc faceret aptam. Hac unctione roboratus eſt ad perficiendam omnem juſtitiam, quae à nobis requirebatur. Unctus eſt Spiritu Sancto, ut ex ejus plenitudine Eccleſia ſumeret, & hauriret ſua dona. Unctio ergo notat commiſſionem officii & adaptationem ad illud. Hoc autem officium Chriſti triplex eſt. 1. Propheticum conſiſtens in Doctrinâ ſive mediatâ, ſive immediatâ, miraculis etiam ad confirmationem Doctrinae facie…tibus. 2 Sacerdotale, conſiſtens in oblatione Sacrificii, & Interceſſione Huc pertinet benedictio, quâ impetratur benedictio populi. 3. Regium, conſiſtens in rectione eccleſiae per Spiritum ſuum, & defenſione contra hoſtes. Particula Ʋt latens in conſtructione Graec… hic non eſt nota intentionis, ſed eventus Voluntas Dei, & interdictum Dei non pugnant. Deus en…m ſaepe prohibet quod vult fieri, ſed diſtinctione hic opus eſt: alia eſt voluntas eligens, alia voluntatas approbans. Deus non vult quod prohibet, i. e. non approbat, ſed odit, ac deteſtatur. Deus tamen vult quod prohibet, i. e. eligit ſibi in medium, quoad bonum aliquem finem perveniat. Quânam autem in re conſiſtit ille concurſus divinae manûs cum pec…atis hominum? ſolet vulgò in ſequentibu… conſtitui. 1. Deus permittit non Ethicè quaſi non prohibeat, ſed hyſicè, quia non impedit, ſed ſinit homines ire viis ſuis. Relinquit eos ſui… libidinibus, nec coercet Satanam. 2. Suſtentat creaturam peccantem. 3. Dirigit malitiam cre…turae in talia objecta, & in tales fines, in quos vult, & eam limitat ne agat pro menſurâ malitiae, ſed ad menſuram divinae ſapientiae. Deus non praedefinit, & ordinat malas impiorum actiones in quantum malae ſunt, verum ordinat bonum illud quod inde elicit, & quod illi malo adverſum eſt.of the Lord, and invented falſe things againſt him, and the Roman Governours in Paleſtine, Herod, and Pontius Pilat had combined againſt him, and the Jewiſh Sanhedrin had joined their malicious Counſels to deſtroy him, and in oppoſing him, had alſo oppoſed God the Father who ſent him. All this they had done, and thereby had been inſtruments to act that which God before determined (h), viz. that his Son ſhould be put to death for the ſins of men. And now God having raiſed him again from the dead, and commanded his Apoſtles to preach him to the world, theſe Jews had with great threatnings forbidden them: Whereupon they humbly beſeech the Lord p. 20to enable them his Servants, and Miniſters to preach his word with all boldneſs and courage▪ and to give them power to work miraculous cures in the name of Jeſus for the confirmation of the Goſpel.

Upon this prayer of theirs there came a wind from heaven like to that mentioned Chap. 2.2. and ſhook the place where they were aſſembled, and ſpecial eminent gifts(i)(i)Repleti ſunt Spiritu Sancto, i. e. augmentum donorum acceperant ſicut d…e Pentecoſtes receperant bonum initium. Repleti ſunt Spiritu Sancto, ut ſcilicet in perſecutione loquantur verbum Dei cum fiduci…. Unde Chryſost. Reaccenſi ſunt Spiritu Sancto, & reaccenſum in ipſis Chariſma. De. Lightfoot thinks, that upon the Twelve now ſell that wonderful gift of conferring the Holy Spirit. of the Spirit fell upon them, and eſpecially they were indued with a greater meaſure of boldneſs to preach the Goſpel even in the midſt of perſecution, and this was ſuch a confirmation to them, that deſpiſing the terrors of the Jews, they with greater confidence publiſh'd the Goſpel of Chriſt than before. This alſo is further to be obſerved concerning this infant Church, and theſe primitive diſciples, that they maintain'd a great union and concord(k)(k)Duplici medio ſibi contra hoſtes conſulunt. 1. Precibus. 2. Strictâ inter ſe unione, dilectione, & concordiâ. Et ſpecialitèr in hoc conſenſerunt, ut articulum de Reſurrectione Chriſti efficacitèr urgerent. 1. Ex vaticiniis …cripturae demonſtrabant verum Meſſiam debuiſſe reſurgere. 2. Potentiâ ſuae doctrinae ſuorumque operum miraculoſorum, quae in nomine Jeſu faciebant, convincebant homines, Jeſum eos roborare, & proindè non mortuum eſſe, ſed vivere. among themſelves both in Doctrine and Opinion, in Heart and Affection, and had ſuch enlarged bowels toward one another, that no man eſteemed what he had his own when the Churches neceſſity required it for the help of ſuch among them as were in want.

The Apoſtles alſo with great authority and aſſurance gave teſtimony to the Reſurrection of Chriſt, and their Doctrine found great favour and acceptation with the People. And thoſe of the diſciples, that had poſſeſſions ſold them(l)(l)Such was the ſtate of the Church at this time, as was never like to be again. It was but newly born, it was all in one city, the moſt of the people far from their own houſes, all in a poſſibility to be ſoon ſcattered by perſecution. Therefore this example cannot be a copy for after times to follow as a command or to imitate as a perfection, Lightfoot in loc. Re…quae erat temporariae alicujus neceſſitatis, & liberi arbitrii, Act. 5.4. non debet hodiè in exemplum trahi, multò minu… ut neceſſaria obtrudi. Freid. lib.Acts 5:4 and laid down the mony received for them, at the Apoſtles feet to be diſtributed by their advice, and counſel, to every one as they had need. In which buſineſs Barnabas **…arnabas dictus eſt a foreign filius, & foreign pro quo contractè foreign conſolans …riaco foreign conſolatus eſt. De Dieu.a Levite gave an eminent example, who having a piece of Land of his own (not part of the Levites portion, which he might not alienate, but probably ſomewhat, which belonged to him in Cyprus where he was born) made ſale of it, and brought the full price of it, and put it wholly in the Apoſtles power to diſpoſe of, and to p. 21diſtribute as they ſaw occaſion among thoſe of the Church that were in want and neceſſity.

Act. 4. v. 1. And as they ſp…ke unto the people, the prieſts and the captain of the temple, and the Sadduces came upon them.

v. 2. Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jeſus the reſurrection from the dead.

v. 3. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now even-…ide.

v. 4. Howbeit, many of them which heard the word, believed, and the number of the men was about five thouſand.

v. 5. And it came to paſs on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and ſcribes,

v. 6. And Annas the high prieſt, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kinred of the high prieſt, were gathered together at Jeruſalem.

v. 7. And when they had ſet them in the midſt, they asked, By what power or by what Name have ye done this?

v. 8. Then Peter filled with the holy Ghoſt, ſaid unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Iſrael.

v. 9. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole.

v. 10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Iſrael, that by the Name of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raiſed from the dead, even by him doth this man ſtand here before you whole.

v. 11. This is the ſtone which was ſet at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

v. 12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we muſt be ſaved.

v. 13. Now when they ſaw the boldneſs of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned, and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledg of them, that they had been with Jeſus.

v. 14. And beholding the man that was healed ſtanding with them, they could ſay nothing againſt it.

v. 15. But when they had commanded them to go aſide out of the council, they conferred among themſelves.

v. 16. Saying, What ſhall we do to theſe men? For that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifeſt to all them that dwell in Jeruſalem, and we cannot deny it.

v. 17. But that it ſpread no furth…r among the people, let us ſtraitly threaten them, that they ſpeak henceforth to no man in this Name.

v. 18. And they called them, and commanded them not to ſpeak at all, nor teach in the N…me of Jeſus.

v. 19. But Peter and John anſwered, and ſaid unto them, Whether it be right in the ſight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judg ye.

v. 20. For we cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſ…n and …rd.

v. 21. So wh…n they had further threatned them, they l…t t…m go, fi…ding nothing how they might puniſh them, b…c…uſe o… th… p…ople, for all men glorifi…d God for that which was done.

v. 22. For the man was above fourty years old, on whom this mi…cle of healing w…s ſh…w…d.

v. 23. And b…ing let go, th…y went to th…ir own comp…ny, and rep…rted all that the chi…f prieſts and elders had ſaid unto th…m.

v. 24. And when th…y heard that, they li…t up their voice to God with p. 22one accord, and ſaid, Lord, thou art God which haſt made heaven and earth and the ſea, and all that in them is,

v. 25. Who by the mouth of thy ſervant David haſt ſaid, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

v. 26. The kings of the earth ſtood up, and the rulers were gathered together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Chriſt.

v. 27. For of a truth againſt thy holy child Jeſus, whom thou haſt anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Iſrael were gathered together.

v. 28. For to do whatſoever thy hand and thy counſel determined before to be done.

v. 29. And now Lord, behold their threatnings, and grant unto thy ſervants, that with all boldneſs they may ſpeak thy word,

v. 30. By ſtretching forth thine hand to heal: and that ſigns and wonders may be done by the N…me of thy holy child Jeſus.

v. 31. And when they had prayed, the place was ſhaken where they were aſſembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghoſt, and they ſpake the word of God with boldneſs.

v. 32. And 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.

v. 33. And with great power gave the Apoſtles witneſs of the reſurrection of the Lord Jeſus, and great grace was upon them all.

v. 34. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were poſſeſſors of lands, or houſes, ſold them, and brought the prices of the things that were ſold,

v. 35. And laid them down at the Apoſtles feet: and diſtribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

v. 36. And Joſes, who by the Apoſtles was ſurnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The ſon of conſolation) a Levite, and of the countrey of Cyprus,

v. 37. Having land, ſold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apoſtles feet.

p. 23v. 5. Seniores] idem quod Senatores, & conſules urbium. Scribae, qui apud Jeremiam Juris-conſulti, & interpretes legis, qui in medio conſeſſûs reſponſa dabant de jure. Quidam Scribae erant interpretes legis forenſis, & potius politicae vocationis quam eccleſiaſticae.v. 6. Quotquot erant ex genere Pontificio] h. e. Quorum majores ſummo ſacerdotio non ita pridem functi fuerant; Quae magna nobi…itas fecerat ut Synedrio magno aſcriberentur, Grot.v. 9. De beneficientiâ hominis infirmi] h. e. in eum collatâ. Genitivus modo cauſam efficientem, modo rem, aut perſonam recipientem notat, ut hic.v. 11. foreign] in Pſal. 118.22. 'tis foreign, the ſtone, whom they refuſed. So 'tis alſo Mat. 21.42. and that according to the Hebrew text. But here the Apoſtle heightens the expreſſion, that he may ſet home their re…uſing Chriſt the nearer to their hearts.Ps 118:22Matt 21:42v. 12. Non eſt aliud nomen] nomen pro ipſâ perſonâ, aut re ponitur: ſic nom…n Chriſti eſt Chriſtus ipſe, quod etiam Ethnicis in uſu. Tibullus, nec fidum foemina nomen. Sic Virgil. 6. Aeneid. Silvius Albanum nomen h. e. Albanus homo. Nomen aliquando ponitur pro dignitate, & eminentiâ. ut Phil. 2.9, 10.Phil 2:9Phil 2:10v. 13. foreign hic opponitur foreign, h. e. peritis, & intelligentibus. Agnoſcebant eos cum Jeſu fuiſſe] Non mirum, cum Senatorum quidam interdum Jeſum ſuis diſcipulis comitatum adiiſſent, & allocuti eſſent, Mat. 21.23. Luc. 18.18. Joh. 12.42.Matt 21:23Luke 18:18John 12:42v. 20. Non poſſumus, quae vidimus, non loqui] h. e. Non debemus ſilere verbum poteſt…tis non raro pro verbo d…biti, & juris accipitur; non poſſum, i e. non jure, ligetime, honeſtè, & bonâ conſcientiâ. Id poſſum, quod jure p ſſum.SECT. VII.

ANanias and Sapphira (a)(a)They had the formality to ſell their lands as others did, but had not the ſincerity to part with the money, as others had: their double dealing both in word and deed is fearfully puniſhed with ſudden death at the beginning of the Christian Church, as Nadab, and Abihu, and the Sabbath-breaker were at the beginning of the Jewiſh, that in future times others might beware of diſſembling with God, Lightfoot. in loc. Nota in quibus peccaverit Ananias praecipuè. 1. Non propter Dei gloriam, & proximi utilitatem vendidit agrum, ſed ut venaretur ſibi ſanctitatis, & pietatis laudem. 2. Aſſeverat quod totum pretium depoſuerit, cum tamen partem ejus maximam ſibi reti…uiſſet. Concurrunt igitur hic Dei contemptus, ambitio, diſſidentia, mendacium, hypocriſis, Freidl. Quod Ananias voto jam ante totum agrum Deo conſecraverit, votoque illo violato ſacrilegus evaſcrit, ex textu colligi non videtur; ſed tantum quod cum per ambitionem totius pretium don…ſſe videri voluerit partem ejus ſuppreſſerit, quod hypocriſeos erat, & mendacii, De Dieu. Petrus antehac majeſtatem, & exaltationem Chriſti teſtatus eſt per miraculum beneficentiae in homine clando. Nunc eam teſtatam reddidit per miraculum ſeveritatis in homine hypocritâ. Interpretes vulgo hunc actum comparant cum facto Pauli, Act. 13 9, 10, 11. & cum facto Eliae, 2 Reg. 1.9, 10. Peccatum Annaniae erat peccatum nullius neceſſitatis, quod facillimè potuiſſet omittere. Non opus habebat quicquam dare, & potuiſſet totum retinere. Hinc videmus quod bona vendere, & dare omnia pauperibus, non fu…t res neceſſitatis in primitivâ Eccleſiâ, ſed libertatis. Carebat tum temporis Eccleſia protectione Magiſtratûs, & propriis armis Spiritualibus ſe defendebat, quae cum ordinariè funt inviſibilia, tunc viſibilia fuerunt ad majorem terrorem impiorum, tum intra, tum extra Eccleſi…m.Acts 13:9Acts 13:10Acts 13:112 Kgs 1:92 Kgs 1:10his wife pretending to follow this example fraudently kept back by joynt conſent part of the price for which they had ſold a poſſeſſion, and yet pretended to lay down all the price it was ſold for at the Apoſtles feet. For which Hypocriſie, and lying to, or in the preſence of the Holy Ghoſt, and thinking to go undiſcovered of that Spirit, which wrought ſo powerfully in the Apoſtles, and to impoſe upon God himſelf, as if he ſaw not what men ſecretly did, and preſumptuouſly tempting him, and trying (as it were) whether he would be ſo ſevere to puniſh it, or no, they are ſtricken dead, and great fear fell on all that heard of theſe things.

Act. 5.1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, ſold a poſſeſſion,

v. 2. 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.

v. 3. But Peter ſaid, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the holy Ghoſt, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

v. 4. 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.

v. 5. And Ananias hearing theſe words, fell down and gave up the ghoſt: and great fear came on all them that heard theſe things.

v. 6. And the young men aroſe, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

v. 7. And it was about the ſpace of three hours after, when his wife not knowing what was done came in.

v. 8. And Peter anſwered unto her, Tell me whether ye ſold the land for …o much. And ſhe ſaid, Yea for ſo much.

p. 24v. 9. 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 that have buried thy husband are at the door, and ſhall carry thee out.

v. 10. Then fell ſhe down ſtraitway at his feet, and yeilded up the ghoſt: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

v. 11. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard theſe things.

p. 25v. 2. foreign] Verbum factum ex foreign ſeorſim, notat clam, & callidè quippiam ſurripere, & ſuffurari.v. 3. Quare implevit Satanas cor tuum] h. e. Cur occaſionem praebuiſti Satanae, ut veneno ſuo cor tuum impleret, & ad hoc mendacium impelleret? Quare te ita regi, & impelli paſſus es à Satana? Implere cor alterius eſt audacem eum reddere, implere cor ſuum audacem fieri. Confer Esth. 7.5. Quis est hic, qui implevit cor ſuum (vel quem implevit cor ejus) ad faciendum est? i. e. qui tam audacis animi ſit, ut hoc facere ſuſtineat. Vide etiam, Eccleſ. 8.11. Nihil enim metuit cor Spiritibus plenum, De Dieu. foreign] i. e. in Spiritum Sanctum. Elipſis praepoſitionis foreign. Hinc elicitur Teſtimonium ad demonſtrandam Spiritus Sancti Deitatem. v. 4. Non es mentitus hominibus tantum, ſed cum primis Deo. Idem eſt mentiri Deo, & Spiritui Sancto. Mentiri Deo aut Spiritui Sancto is dicitur, qui ſperat ſe Apoſtolos fallere poſſe Spiritu Sancto inſtructo…, Grot.Esth 7:5Eccl 8:11v. 4. foreign, ſcilicet in tuâ poſſeſſione, foreign ad tuos uſus manebat, & venundatum in tuâ erat poteſtate. foreign ſcilicet foreign] Quid eſt quod potuiſti, &c.SECT. VIII.

THE Apoſtles having thus manifeſted the power of Chriſt, and his Juſtice in this example of Ananias and Sapphira, they alſo manifeſted his graciouſneſs and mercy in working many miraculous cures in his Name, in healing the diſeaſed, and delivering the poſſeſſed; inſomuch, that the people brought forth their ſick into the ſtreets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at leaſt the Shadow (a)(a)Pontificii ſuper hanc umbram Petri aedificant ſuperſtitionem ſuam circa reliquias Sanctorum. Si ſola, inqu unt, umbra Petri tot morbos potuit ſanare, quid non poſſint reliquiae veſtimentorum, vel corporis? Si Pauli ſudoriola, Act. 19. Si Chriſti fimbria, Mat. 9, fanarunt morbos; Si oſſa Eliſae mortuos excitarunt, 2 Reg. 13. Quid non poterunt lignum crucis, ſepulchrum Chriſti, tunica Chriſti, lac & crines Mariae, caligae Joſephi, &c.? vid. Streſ. in loc. Chriſtus ſimbriae tactu ſanavit morbos; Petrus etiam umbrae contactu: ſic impletum eſt quod dixerat Chriſtus, Joh. 14.12. Grot.Acts 19Matt 92 Kgs 13John 14:12of Peter paſſing by, might overſhadow ſome of them. And theſe acts of mercy were as neceſſary for the propagating of the Goſpel, and to invite people to believe in Chriſt, as thoſe other of ſeverity were for the reſtraining thoſe corruptions wherewith Satan would otherwiſe have infected the Church in its minority; and to prevent the intruſion of Hypocrites(b)(b)Poena Ananiae, & Sapphirae non parum valebat terrendis impiis, nè temerè prorumperent in eorum coetum, ubi Deus tam ſeverum vindicem ſe oſtenderat. Calv. in loc.. The Apoſtles and Believers had at this preſent their place of meeting and aſſembling to preach the Goſpel in Solomon's Porch**See chap. 2. ver. 46., which was the Eaſt-Cloyſter of the Mount of the Temple [See 1 King. 6.3.], in part of which the Sanhedrim uſed to ſit, and yet they are not afraid to come ſo nigh unto them. But ſuch of their hearers as were not ſincere, durſt not join themſelves to them, having ſeen the ſeverity on Ananias and Sapphira for their Hypocriſie; yet multitudes of others were added to the Church daily; and the common people ſeeing the wonders that were done by them, and their eminent gifts and endowments, could not but extol and magnifie them(c)(c)Erant, (inquit Chryſoſt.) Apoſtoli ſicut Angeli, admirabiles, interriti ad minas, & pericula, & deliciis ſuperiores, ſpirantes ignem divinum, gravitate & vultu venerabiles, affabilitate amabiles, charitate fervidi, oratione coeleſtes, moribus divini. Corn. a Lap. in loc.. From ver. 12, to 17.

Hereupon the High-Prieſt, and thoſe that were with him (moſt of them of the Sect of the Sadduces) ſet themſelves very zealouſly againſt them; and apprehending them, put them into the common Gaol; from whence being freed the night following by an Angel, they are commanded by Him to go again, and preach boldly in the Temple the Doctrine of Chriſt, which declares unto men the right way unto eternal life(d)(d)Vocat Evangelium verbum vitae hujus: non hujus terrenae, ſed q. d. hujus vitae propter cujus ſpem captivi erant Apoſtoli.. The Council meeting next morning, ſent to the Priſon for them, but find them not there; for they were preaching in the Temple; from thence they are brought before them by the Captain and Officers, yet without violence: for they feared the people would ſtone them, if they uſed ſuch perſons harſhly who had done ſo many cures among them. Being p. 26now again brought before the Council, they are here accuſed of two things. 1. Of Contumacy, in perſiſting to preach the Goſpel, notwithſtanding they were ſtrictly forbidden. 2. Of Sedition, as if they endeavoured to ſtir up the people to avenge the blood of Jeſus upon the Rulers, perſwading them it was by them moſt unjuſtly ſhed. Peter, in the name of the reſt, anſwers to the firſt of theſe, acknowledging they had not obeyed them in that their Injunction, becauſe they had commanded that which was contrary to God's Command; and in ſuch a caſe it was juſt and reaſonable, that God ſhould be obeyed, and not they. He tells them, That though they had dealt moſt injuriouſly and maliciouſly with Jeſus of Nazareth, and had crucified him; yet God had raiſed him again from the dead, and exalted him(e)(e)Ante exaltationem Chriſtus erat Salvator, quia ſalutem pro nobis merebatur: post exaltationem eſt Salvator, quia ſalutem in nobis operatur. Chriſtus erat Rex noſter in med…â ſua exinanitione, ut de ſe fatetur, Joh 18.37. Erat enim unctus in Regem ſed tamen, durante exinanitione, non ita evidentèr functus eſt …fficio Regio, ac poſt exaltationem. Sicut David erat Rex ab ipſo unctionis momento, 1 Sam. 16.13. Sed tamen dium exilio paſſus eſt, antequam Regium ſolium aſcendit; ita Chriſtus, &c.John 18:371 Sam 16:13 to his …ight hand in Heaven, and inſtated him in his Regal Power, that he might, as a Spiritual Prince, rule and protect his Church; and, as a Saviour, ſend his Spirit into the Hearts of Sinners, to draw them to Repentance, and belief in himſelf(f)(f)Religio piorum in V. T. nullâ alia in re fuit poſita quàm, 1. In humili confeſſione propriae indignitatis, & corruptionis, & impotentiae. 2. In confugio fiduciali ad miſericordiam Dei, in ſacrificio & ſatisfactione promiſſi Mediatoris ſundatam. 3. In ſincero ſtudio emendationis, & gratitudinis, ac patientiâ, ac ſpe reſurrectionis & vitae aeternae: Converſio ergo generalitèr ſumpta dividitur in tres partes, viz. contritionem fidem, & emendationem. that ſo they might receive remiſſion of ſins, and all the bleſſed conſequents thereof. He declares, that they his Apoſtles did bear their teſtimony to the truth of theſe things; and ſo did the Holy Ghoſt **See Joh. 15.26. and 16.13, 14.John 15:26John 16:13John 16:14, who deſcending upon them, and others alſo (who believed in Chriſt, and yielded obedience to him), endowed them with extraordinary gifts(g)(g)Spiritus Sanctus duplici modo de Chriſto teſtatur. 1. Inartificialiter per modum testis; cum ita operatur in animos fidelium, ut eis perſuadeat de veritate verbi divini, & verbum illud, quod ipſe revelavit, eſſe veritatem. Spiritus Sanctus non tantum eſt Auctor verbi, ſed Testis verbi. Verum hoc teſtimonium eſt internum, quo non p…ſſunt uti fideles ad convincendos alios, & quod non potuiſſent allegare Apoſtoli ad convincendos hos judices. 2. Artificialiter, per modum argumenti, cum ſcilicet iis qui Chriſto obediunt, largitur tam mirabilia dona, ex quibus tanquam certiſſimo argumento poſſunt omnes homines concludere, Chriſtum non eſſe nunc mortuum, ſed vivum, & exaltatum. Hoc teſtimonium hoc loco allegant Apoſtoli ad convincendos hos judices., and enabled them to do miraculous cures: And if their teſtimony were falſe, certainly it would never have been ſo confirmed. From Ver. 12, to 30.

Theſe words ſo enraged(h)(h)Haec concio Petri eadem eſt quantum ad ſubſtantiam eum iſtâ, Act. 2. tamen longè alius effectus illius ac hujus. Illam a…diente, foreign compung: bantur, hanc audient…s foreign diſſecabantur.Acts 2 the Council, and cut them to the heart, that they preſently entred into conſultation of putting the Apoſtles to death; but were diverted from that wicked intendment, by the advice of Gamaliel, a learn'd and grave Senator, and of much repute among them; who told them, that if this work were of men, it would come to nought; as he proves by two inſtances, one of Theudas **Fuerunt duae Theuda; alter prior, de quo hic Lucas; alter poſterior, de quo Joſephus ſcribit, lib. 20. c. 2. Is de quo hic agitur exſtitit paulò ante finem Herodis, ut notat Caſaub. Exerc. 17 Oſtendens ita ſenſiſſe & O…igenem, Non eſt mirum, diverſis temporibus plures extitiſſe factioſos homines ejuſdem nominis. Grot., who gave himſelf out to be ſome excellent perſon ſent of p. 27God for the delivering of the Jews; and the other, of Judas of Galilee **Dictus fuit Gaulonites cujus meminit Joſephus, lib. 18. c. 1. lib. 20. c. 5 Hic cum Cyrenius Praeſes Syriae mitteretur ad cenſendum populum, ſeditionem concitavit, docens non alium eſſe Dominum quam Deum agnoſcendum; cenſum nihil aliud eſſe quam manifeſtam ſervitutis profeſſionem; & libero Judaeorum populo indignum. Faciebat autem iſta Judas miniſterio Sadociae Phariſaei, quem ſibi adjunxerat., who in the time of the Tax laid by Auguſtus raiſed a Sedition, diſſwading the people from paying it; Both which perſons he tells them gathered many followers after them, but miſerably miſcarried in their enterprize. But he further ſhews them that if this work were of God, they could not poſſibly overthrow it, neither ought they to attempt it, leaſt therein they ſhould ſhew themſelves to be fighters againſt God.

This advice being ſo rational, it prevailed with them to deſiſt from their former intention. Yet notwithſtanding ſending for the Apoſtles again into the Court they appointed them to be ſcourged**Non autem Apoſtolos intactos dimittunt: quod tamen aequum fuerat, & congruens iis quae dixerat Gamaliel., and ſtrictly charging them not to preach any more in the name of Chriſt(i)(i)Poteſt mundus impius ferre concionatores, qui praedicent legem, reprehendant vitia, hortentur ad virtutem. Illos tamen doctoret non poſſunt ferre, qui concionantur in nomine Jeſu, & docent, in ſolo Jeſu eſſe omne id, quod ad ſalutem requiritur, in tantum ut nemo poſſit ſalvari miſi per juſtitiam Chriſti, & per tractionem, & converſionem, Spiritûs Sancti., diſmiſſed them. But they were ſo far from being diſcouraged(k)(k)Perſecutio piorum eſt comoedia, quae triſte habet initium, triſtesque proceſſus, ſed ſemper laetam cataſtrophen. Martyrium, & amiſſio vitae corporalis non eſt exitus & finis, & cataſtrophe hujus fabulae, ſed coronatio, martyrium ſequens. Tum demum finitur, cum caeſus coronatur, & caedens in ignem conjicitur. by theſe things, that they went away rejoycing, that they were counted worthy**Magna virtus ipſam contumeliam honori ducere ob bonam cauſam, Ita in Apoſtolis, per elegans foreign, combinantur ſumma dignitas, & indignè propter Christum tractari. to ſuffer ſhame for his ſake. And daily both in the Temple, and in private houſes they ceaſed not to preach Jeſus Chriſt.

Act. 5. v. 12. And by the hands of the Apoſtles were many ſigns, and wonders wrought among the people (And they were all with one accord in Solomons porch.

v. 13. And of the reſt durſt no man joyn himſelf to them: but the people magnified them.

v. 14. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women)

v. 15. Inſomuch that they brought forth the ſick into the ſtreets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at leaſt the ſhadow of Peter paſſing by, might overſhadow ſome of them.

v. 16. There came alſo a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jeruſalem, bringing ſick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean ſpirits: and they were healed every one,

v. 17. Then the high prieſt roſe up, and all they that were with him. (which is the ſect of the Sadduces) and were filled with indignation.

v. 18. And laid their hands on the Apoſtles, and put them in the common priſon.

v. 19. But the Angel of the Lord by night opened the priſon doors, and brought them forth, and ſaid,

v. 20. Go, ſtand and ſpeak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

v. 21. And when they heard that, they entred into the temple early in the morning, and taught: but the high prieſt came, and they that were p. 28with him, and called the council together, and all the ſenate of the children of Iſrael, and ſent to the priſon to have them brought.

v. 22. But when the officers came, and found them not in the priſon, they returned, and told,

v. 23. Saying, The priſon truly found we ſhut with all ſafety, and the keepers ſtanding without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

v. 24. Now when the high prieſt, and the captain of the temple, and the chief prieſts heard theſe things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

v. 25. Then came one and told them, ſaying. Behold, the men whom ye put in priſon, are ſtanding in the temple, and teaching the people.

v. 26. Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence (For they feared the people, leſt they ſhould have been ſtoned)

v. 27. And when th…y had brought them, they ſet them before the council, and the high prieſt asked them,

v. 28. Saying, Did not we ſtraitly command you that you ſhould not teach in this Name? And behold, ye have filled Jeruſalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this mans blood upon us.

v. 29. Then Peter, and the other Apoſtles anſwered, and ſaid, We ought to obey God rather than men.

v. 30. The God of our fathers raiſed up Jeſus, whom ye ſlew and hanged on a tree.

v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins.

v. 32. And we are his witneſſes of theſe things, and ſo is alſo the holy Ghoſt, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

v. 33. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counſel to ſlay them.

v. 34. Then ſtood there up one in the council, a Phariſee, named Gamaliel a doctor of law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the Apoſtles forth for a little ſpace.

v. 35. And ſaid unto them, Ye men of Iſrael, take heed to your ſelves, what ye intend to do as touching theſe men.

v. 36. For before theſe days roſe up Theudas, boaſting himſelf to be ſomebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joyned themſelves: who was ſlain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were ſcattered, and brought to nought.

v. 37. After this man roſe up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he alſo periſhed, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were diſperſed.

v. 38. And now I ſay unto you, Refrain from theſe men, and let them alone: for if this counſel or this work be of men, it will come to nought.

v. 39. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, leſt haply ye be found even to fight againſt God.

v. 40. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the Apoſtles, and beaten them, they commanded that they ſhould not ſpeak in the Name of Jeſus and let them go.

v. 41. And they departed from the preſence of the council, rejoycing that that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his Name.

v. 42. And daily in the temple, and in every houſe they ceaſed not to teach and preach Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 29v. 13. foreign] Nemo eorum, qui extra eccleſiam erant, & fidem Chriſti nondum amplexi eſſent auderet ſe adjungere conſortio Apoſtolorum, ob recentem adhuc ex prodigioſo Ananiae interitu metum; id tamen progreſſui Evangelii non obfuit.v. 20. Omnia verba vitae hujus] Vitae nomine intelligit doctrinam, quae ad vitam aeternam ducit, Joh. 12.50. & 17.3.John 12:50John 17:3v. 34. This Gamaliel was Pauls Tutor, Ast. 22.3. the Son of Simeon, that took Chriſt in his Arms, Luc. 2. and the Grandchild of the famous Hillel, Lightf.Luke 2v. 19. Ne cum Deo pugnare comperiamini] ante foreign: ſubintelligitur Cavendum est.SECT. IX.

THe number of Believers now increaſing at Jeruſalem, there aroſe (as it commonly happens among a multitude) a murmuring of the Helleniſts (a)(a)Horum plerique Hebraica non intelligebant. Quorum fuit & Philo, quanquam Judaeus ex Judaeis ortus.(that is ſuch Jews as were diſperſed among the Graecians, and were born, or lived in Heathen Countries, and uſed the Greek Tranſlation of the Old Teſtament, and the Greek Tongue, yet ſavouring ſomething of the Hebrew Phraſes and manner of ſpeaking) againſt the Hebrews (who were ſuch Jews as inhabited Judea, and ſpake the Syriack Language) becauſe their Widdows**Quod viduae Hellenistarum aut aegrotae, aut infantibus oneratae, minus acciperent quam viduae in Judaeâ natae. Id autem accidebat quod (ut videtur) Apoſtoli ad hanc diſtributionem utebantur Judaeis in Judaeâ natis. were neglected, and received leſs, than the Widdows of the Hebrews, in the daily diſtribution of the Churches moneys. The Apoſtles deſiring to have the poor well provided for, yet being themſelves taken up with diſpenſing the word, (the food of the ſoul,) and ſo not at leiſure to attend that other ſervice; by their advice, and the ſuffrages of the Church, there were Seven men of good report for wiſdom and the endowments of the Spirit, choſen out of the Hundred and Eight, mentioned before, ch. 1. to be Stewards of the Churches ſtock(b)(b)Exemplo ſcilicet eorum qui in ſynagogâ dicebantur foreign Epiphanio foreign. Totum primae Eccleſiae regimen conformatum fuit ad formam Synagogae. Quae bene ſe habebant nihil opus erat mutari, Grot., unto which they were ordained by the impoſition of hands(c)(c)Signum mandati miniſterii.. Among thoſe Stephen, and Philip were the moſt eminent, whoſe ſtory is particularly related. Thus the Goſpel went on ſucceſsfully, and the number of the Diſciples increaſed daily, yea ſome of the Prieſts(d)(d)Caſaubonus exiſtimat vocem foreign hic deeſſe. Legendum igitur foreign, ut ſententia ſit, Multam populi turmam credidiſſe, & aliquos etiam è ſacerdotibus. Nam inſolens (inquit) videtur, ut dicatur ſacerdotum multa turba doctrinam Chriſti veram propter hoc factum eſſe amplexa. foreign nihil nonnunquam praeter eos qui, in numero aut turbâ, deſignat. Quomodo foreign, Luc. 19 39. foreign. Sic foreign omnes praeter elaſſium principes dicebantur. Vide Joh. 12.42. Heinſius.Luke 19:39John 12:42 themſelves (formerly bitter enemies to Chriſt) now embraced the faith, and were joined to the Church.

Act. 6. v. 1. And in thoſe days, when the number of the diſciples was multiplyed, there aroſe a murmuring of the Grecians againſt the Hebrews, becauſe their widows were neglected in the daily miniſtration.

v. 2. Then the twelve called the multitude of the diſciples unto them, and ſaid, It is not reaſon that we ſhould leave the word of God, and ſerve tables.

v. 3. Wherefore brethren, look you out among you ſeven men of honeſt report, full of the holy Ghoſt, and wiſdom, whom we may appoint over this buſineſs.

p. 30v. 4. But we will give our ſelves continually to prayer, and to the miniſtery of the word.

v. 5. And the ſaying pleaſed the whole multitude: and they choſe Stephen a man full of faith, and of the holy Ghoſt, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proſelyte of Antioch.

v. 6. Whom they ſet before the Apoſtles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

v. 7. And the word of God increaſed, and the number of the diſciples multiplied in Jeruſalem greatly, and a great company of the prieſts were obedient to the faith.

v. 5. Cum Nicolaus dicitur fuiſſe ab Antiochiâ proſelytus, intellige foreign i. e. circumciſum, & legi, ſuâ voluntate, ſubditum. Hic eſt Nicolaus à quo nomen traxêre Nicolaitae, Apoc. 2.6.15. à Patribus memorati, Iren. lib. 1. c. 27. Euſeb. hist, l. 3. c. 29. vid. Grot. This Sect miſ-conſtrued the Doctrine of Chriſtian community, to all licentiouſneſs: but whether it began to be ſo miſ-conſtrued by Nicolas himſelf, or ſome of his followers, as the Sadduces abuſed the good Doctrine of Sadoc to a damnable Hereſie, it is difficult to determine, Lightf.Rev 2:6Rev 2:15SECT. X.

STephen being thus choſen to be one of the firſt Deacons, and being a man full of Faith, and power**Per foreign intelliguntur Incitationes, & impulſus Spiritûs Sancti ex quibus poterant obſervare praeſentiam, & promptitudinem Spiritûs ad perpetrationem miraculorum. Vide phraſim Scripturae, Jud. 14.6, 19. & 15.14. 1 Sam. 10.10. Cum Spiritus per hos volebat facere miraculum non ſolebat externo verbo prom…ſſionem edere, ſed irruoba… in eos, i. e. Aliquo motu, & incitatione aliquâ praeſentiam, & promptitudinem ſuam ad miraculum ipſis inſinuabat & ſic promiſſionem miraculi ipſis dabat. Cum homines huic promiſſioni credebant, & illius fiduciâ miraculum edebant, fiebat miraculum. Cum autem ejuſmodi incitationes Spiritus non fiunt, etiamſi adſit fides, miracula tamen non fiunt. Tales igitur virtutes, i. e. tales impulſus, & incitationes Spiritus crebras fuiſſe ſuper Stephanum dicit Evangel…ſta, quibus Stephanus credens & confidens, multa in populo fecit miracula, quibus doctrinam ſuam confirmavit, vid. 1 Cor. 12.28. Streſ.Judg 14:6Judg 14:19Judg 15:141 Sam 10:101 Cor 12:28 to work Miracles, he accordingly does many wonders among the people, and ſtoutly defends the cauſe of Chriſt againſt ſeveral perſons of the Synagogue of the Libertins(a)(a)Illi qui Stephanum adorti ſunt fuerunt homines de Synagogis ſeu Scholis, ſtudioſi, ſcilicet qui in Academiâ Hieroſolymitanâ, vel inſtituebant, vel inſtituebantur. Erat Hieroſolymae Academia conſtans diverſis collegiis & variarum nationum Judaei hic erexerant collegium aliquod pro ſuâ quaque juventute. Libertini vocantur filii eorum Judaeorum qui à Pompeio abducti, & in ſervitutem venditi, à Tiberio manumiſſi erant, iisque conceſſum partem urbis inhabitare. Judaeus ergo manumiſſus vocabantur libertus, filius autem liberti Libertinus, vid. Streſ. in loc. Libertini Romae multi Judaicae religionis. Eorum fuit Cicilius ille in quem eſt divinatio Ciceronis. Tocitus Annal. 2. ait, Quatuor millia libertini generis, ſuperstitione Judaicâ infecta, miſſa in Sardiniam. Horum ſumptu ſtructa Hieroſolymis haec ſynagoga, & poſiti in eâ magiſtri eruditi., and of ſome other Synagogues, that diſputed with him, who when they were not able to reſiſt the wiſdom, and ſpirit, by which he ſpake, they falſly accus'd him, and bringing him before the Council, ſet up falſe witneſſes(b)(b)Mixing true and falſe things together, as thoſe, who bare witneſs againſt Chriſt. Stephen might ſpeak of the deſolation of the City, and deſtruction of the Temple, from Dan. 9.26.27. and Chriſts own praediction, Luk. 19.43.44. Mat. 23.37. He might ſpeak that the Ceremonies and Shaddows muſt vaniſh, now the Substance is come, and of the diſanulling of the Moſaical rites to give way to a more excellent ſpiritual Worſhip, and yet not ſpeak theſe things with any abomination of the Temple or the Service thereof, as they poſſibly ſuggeſted.Dan 9:26Dan 9:27Luke 19:43Luke 19:44Matt 23:37 againſt him, who declared they heard him ſpeak blaſphemous words againſt Moſes, and againſt God, and that he ſhould ſay that Jeſus would deſtroy the Temple, and City**Vide ſimilem accuſationem, Jeremiae, c. 26.9.11., and change the Cuſtoms, and Rites which Moſes had inſtituted,(c)(c)Unde obſervamus quam facilè corda hominum externis ceremoniis ad haereant in cultu. Nulla acrior contentio eccleſiam exercuit, quam quae eſt de Sacramentis, & externis ceremoniis. Ratio eſt, quia homines, ad verum, internum, & ſpiritualem cultum minimè proclives ſunt, tamen ad colendum Deum obligati, in externo ceremoniarum cultu, qui corporalis eſt, & animalis, adeoque naturali homini poſſibilis ac facilis, acquieſcunt, & in eo fiduciam ponunt, Streſo in loc. and commanded from God.

p. 31v. 8. And Steven full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

v. 9. Then there aroſe certain of the ſynagogue, which is called the ſynagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and of Aſia, diſputing with Steven.

v. 10. And they were not able to reſiſt the wiſdom and the ſpirit by which he ſpake.

v. 11. Then they ſuborned men, which ſaid, We have heard him ſpeak blaſphemous words againſt Moſes, and againſt God.

v. 12. And they ſtirred up the people, and the elders, and the ſcribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the Council:

v. 13. And ſet up falſe witneſſes, which ſaid, This man ceaſeth not to ſpeak blaſphemous words againſt this holy place and the law.

v. 14. For we have heard him ſay, That this Jeſus of Nazareth ſhall deſtroy this place, and ſhall change the cuſtoms which Moſes delivered us.

p. 32SECT. II.

STephen being thus brought before the Council, his face(a)(a)Hoc de nativâ facie non dlcitur, ſed potius de praeſenti vultu, Calv. Deus coeleſti fulgore, & ſplendore faciem ejus induit, ut ita teſtimonium daret eſſe ſuum miniſtrum. utque hoſles terrerentur. Sicut Moſis faciem fecit ſplendere, Exod. 34.29, 30. & Chriſti faciem in transfiguratione, Mat. 17. Probabilior tamen eſt ſenſus, quod animus Stephani incredibili ſolatio Spiritûs fuerit adeo r… pletus, ut nullos terrores aliquo ſaciei pallore proderet, ſed potius laetitia ipſius in ipſo vultu reſulgeret, non ſecus ac ſi omni triſtitiâ exemptus inter Angelos Caeli in plenâ gloriâ fuiſlet conſtitutus. Sic poteſt Deus triſtitiam ex hominibus tollere, cum nondum vult homines ex triſtitiâ, vel miſeriâ tollere, Streſo.Exod 34:29Exod 34:30Matt 17 appeared full of Majeſty, and Splendor, not unlike poſſibly to that which Moſes's face had, Exod. 34.30. or ſuch as the Angels appeared with, Mat. 28.3. An argument of a clear conſcience, and of the divine aſſiſtance, and preſence. Being permitted to ſpeak for himſelf, he in a long and grave oration applyes himſelf to anſwer the charge that was brought againſt him. And becauſe theſe his accuſers, and others of the Jews (as it ſeems) imagined that God was ſo delighted and pleaſed with the Temple, and the Temple-Service, and the Moſaical, Rites that he intended always to continue and perpetuate them, and that no other way of Worſhip could be acceptable to him; therefore by an hiſtorical deduction he ſhews them that God was worſhipped aright before either Tabernacle or Temple was made, or any of the Moſaical Rites inſtituted or ordained, and therefore the true Worſhip of God was not neceſſarily, and inſeparably annexed to any of theſe things. For the proof of this he begins at Abraham, and ſhews them how that he living of old at Ʋr of the Chaldeans in the midſt of Idolaters [Joſh. 24.2, 3.] God was pleaſed of his free mercy to manifeſt himſelf to him**Gen. 12.Gen 12 about the ſeventieth year of his age, and effectually to enlighten him by his grace, and ſavingly to draw him to own, and worſhip him the true God: and commanding him to leave his native Country, and go into a land which he would ſhew him, he promiſed to make of him a great nation, and that in him, all the families of the earth ſhould be bleſſed. Abraham obeying this command, drew on his father Terah alſo with him; and ſo they came from Ʋr to Charran, where he ſerved God till the death of his father, which was about five years after. His father being dead he was again called by God to leave that Country, and to go into Canaan, which accordingly he did, and there God promiſed that to his ſeed he would give that land, but they muſt firſt endure a long ſervitude in Egypt. After he had a good while ſojourned in Canaan, when he was Ninety nine years old**Gen. 17.Gen 17 God made a Covenant with him, and inſtituted Circumciſion as the Seal thereof, ſo that from his firſt Call from Ʋr, when he was ſeventy years of age to this time when he was Ninety nine, he had ſerved God faithfully, yet without circumciſion to this preſent time. After this, Abraham begat Iſaac, and Iſaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the Twelve Patriarchs: and the Patriarchs moved with envy ſold Joſeph into Egypt, where the Lord was with him, and by his wonderful providence raiſed him up to be chief Governour of the country under Pharaoh, p. 33ſo that in the time of the Famine he ſent for his father, and his family, being Seventy five ſouls, to come down into Egypt, and nouriſhed them there. Jacob, after ſome time ſpent there, died in Egypt, and ſo all the reſt of his ſons after him, and in teſtimony of their Faith, and belief of the Promiſe, that God had made unto Abraham of giving the land of Canaan to his Seed, they commanded that their bones(b)(b)Ex omnibus Patribus in Egypto mortuis, ſolus Joſephus Sichemam tranſl…tus videtur, & Sichemae ſepultus, vid. Heb. 11.12. Ergo hic eſt Synecdoche pluralis pro ſingulari ſcilicet tranſlati & poſiti, pro tranſlatus & poſitus fuit in Sichem, prout docemur, Joſh. 24.32. H…nc opinionem amplectitur Calvinus, & multis exemplisilluſtrat Lorinus, nimirum, Mat. 26.8. murmurabant diſcipuli, plurale hoc intelligitur de uno ſingulari Judâ Iſcariote, qui folus indignabatur ob profuſum unguentum prout exponit Johannes, cap. 11. & 12. Sic etiam Mat 27.44. Latrones dicuntur obloqunti Christo in cruce; quod verum non ſuit niſi de uno Latrone. Joſephus Antiq. lib. 2. ca. 4. poſt hiſtoriam de morte Joſephi patriarchae haec ſubjungit de fratribus. Sed & obierunt fratres ipſius cum in Egypto faeliciter vixiſſent: atque eorum quidem corpora cum post aliquod tempu… posteri exportaſſent, Chrebone ſepeliverunt. Quod ex vetuſtiorum Judaeorum traditione hauſit Joſephus, quamvis in eo fallatur quod Chebronem ſcripſit pro agro Sichemitarum. Hieronymus teſtatur Jacobi duodecim filios Sepulchra habuiſſe prope Sichemam cum Epiſtolâ 27 ad Euſtachium, ſcribit de Paulâ matre. Tranſivit Sichem, &c. atque inde divertens vidit duodecim Patriarcharum ſepulchra. Merito igitur Stephanus de Patriarchis foreign tranſlati ſunt Sichemam, id eſt, p opè Sichemam ut Heb. 9.4. In arcà erat urna aurea, & virga Aaronis, i. e. prope arcam. Nam praecisè loquendo, nihil fuit in arcâ praeter duas legis tabulas, 1 Reg. 8.9. Bochart…s.Heb 11:12Josh 24:32Matt 26:8Matt 27:44Heb 9:41 Kgs 8:9 ſhould be carried into the land of Canaan, and buried there.

The Children of Iſrael now growing, and encreaſing to a vaſt multitude in Egypt, in tract of time, there aroſe a Pharaoh, that knew not Joſeph, who fearing the number, and ſtrength of the Iſraelites, exceedingly oppreſſed them; and to prevent their encreaſing, made a barbarous Edict, that their male children ſhould be killed as ſoon as they were born, or elſe drowned in the river*. In the time of this Edict, Moſes was born to Amram and Jochebed his wife, who being a very lovely child, his Parents hid him three months in their houſe; but at laſt not daring to conceal him any longer, they put him in a basket of Bulruſhes, daubed over with flime and pitch, and laid it in the flags by the ſide of the River. Here the Kings Daughter finds him; and moved with compaſſion towards the Infant, nouriſheth him up for her own ſon, putting him out to his own Mother to nurſe: and cauſed him to be educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, ſo that he proved a perſon of great abilities above other men, being very able both to give counſel, and to act any great affair. When he grew to the age of Forty, it came into his mind to viſit his brethren the Iſraelites; and among other things that evidenced to him their ſad condition, he ſaw an Egyptian ſmiting an Iſraelite, which ſo ſtirred up his ſpirit, that he ſlew the Egyptian who did the wrong, thereby giving the Iſraelites the firſt intimation, that God would deliver them by his hand, (which it ſeems God had by inſtinct, or revelation made known unto himſelf,) but they underſtood it not. The next day ſeeing two Iſraelites at variance, he would have made them friends, and ſet them at one again. But he, who did the wrong upbraided him for it, and ſaid, Who made thee a ruler, and a judg over us? wilt thou kill me as thou didſt the Egyptian yeſterday? Moſes p. 34perceiving hereby, that what he had done to the Egyptian was known, and that the King hereupon would ſeek his life, he fled from thence into the land Midian, where he ſpent other Forty years of his life, and married Zippora, Jethro's daughter, and by her had two Sons. The children of Iſrael continuing ſtill under ſore bondage in Egypt; it pleaſed the Lord now at length to compaſſionate them, and to reſolve to deliver them. Wherefore, when Moſes had been Forty years in Midian, as he was keeping his father-in-laws ſheep about Horeb, or Sinai, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him out of a burning Buſh, and called him to go to Pharaoh, requiring him to deliver his people Iſrael. Moſes after he had ſhewed many ſigns and wonders in Egypt at laſt brought them out. And leading them through the red Sea, he brought them into the wilderneſs to Mount Sinai, where God gave them his law, and appointed Moſes to make a Tabernacle for his worſhip according to the pattern he had ſhewed him in the Mount. So that to this day for above Four hundred years, he ſhews them, the Fathers had worſhipped God without any Tabernacle at all.

He further ſhews them, that though Moſes was a perſon highly to be regarded, whoſe memory ought always to be precious to them, having had intimate converſe with God, and having received the law from his mouth, yet they might remember to their humiliation how their impious Anceſtors would not obey him; but contrary to his mind, during his abſence in the Mount, made a golden Calf(c)(c)v. 39. Certum eſt Judaeos dum Egyptiis ſerviebant, eorum quoque Diis ſerviiſſe. In quam rem diſerte, Joſh. c. 24.14. & Ezek. 20.7, 8. & 23.3, 8. Ex quibus videtur ſequi, Judaeos ad Egyptiorum exempla ſe compoſuiſſe cum vitulum aureum in deſerto fuſum adorârunt. Recte igitur de iiſdem Lactantius, lib. 4. c. 10. Ad prophanos Egyptiorum ritus animos tranitulerunt, & aureum caput Bovis, qu…m vocant Apim, quod eos ſigno praecederent, figur…runt. Et Heron. in Oſeae 4. Videtur mihi populus Iſrael in ſolitudine ſibi feciſſe caput vituli, quod coleret, & Jeroboam vitulos aureos frabricatus, ut quod in Egypto didicerant, foreign, qui ſub figurâ boum coluntur, eſſe Deos, hoc in ſuâ ſuperstitione ſervarent. Hi ſunt Dii tui, O Iſrael. Ibi plurale pro ſingulari uſurpatur, quod ſaepè fit cum de Deo re… eſt, vid. Gen. 35.7. Pſal. 149.2. Eccleſ. 12.1. vide etiam, Neh. 9.18. Hic eſt Deus tuus qui eduxit te ex Egypto, i. e. imago ſeu ſymbolum illius unici Dei, Boch p. 347.Josh 24:14Ezek 20:7Ezek 20:8Ezek 23:3Ezek 23:8Gen 35:7Ps 149:2Eccl 12:1Neh 9:18 and ador'd it. They might alſo call to mind how Moſes told them before hand, of a great Prophet the Lord would raiſe up in due time, whom they were to hear, and obey in all things. And this great Prophet, who was no other perſon than the Meſſias, was now come. Moreover they might conſider how that when the Tabernacle was made by Moſes, and all the worſhip of God appertaining to it appointed, their rebellious Anceſtors notwithſtanding, did not long continue faithfull to it, but God for their ſins leaving them to themſelves, and to their own hearts luſts, they fell to worſhip the Hoſt of Heaven**See Deut. 17.3. 2 King. 23 5. 2 King. 17.16. Jer. 19.13.Deut 17:32 Kgs 23:52 Kgs 17:16Jer 19:13 the Sun, Moon, and Stars, upon which it was that the Lord ſo highly expoſtulates with the people of Iſrael, Amos 5.25. denying that their Anceſtors offer'd ſuch ſacrifice to him in the wilderneſs as was pleaſing in his ſight.(d)(d)Hoc contigiſſe videtur, cum populus appulit ad terram Moab. Pſal. 106.28. Numb. 25.2. …ornicatus est populus cum f…liabus Moab quae vocaverunt eos ad ſacrifieia ſua. At illi comederunt, & adoraverunt Deos earum. In his erat Moloch, qui Deus erat Moabitarum uti & Ammonitarum, à quibus illi acceperant, & loci & ſanguinis propinquitate conjuncti, Glaſs Sicut Baal in genere de omnibus Diis dicitur, ita Melech vel Moloch eſt nomen Diis omnibus commune. In Amoſo extat vox Chiun, quae Saturnum deſignat. Cum autem nomen hoc minus fortè notum, & ſacrorum tantum eſſet, LXX ſubſtituerunt appellationem ejuſdem Dei Saturni magis notam & familiarem, quae in promiſcuo uſu eſſet apud plebem, ſcilicet Rephae. Salmaſius foreign in linguâ Egyptiacâ Saturnum ſignificare teſtatur. Capellus putat intelligi Regem Egypti Remphin quem exiſtimat eundem eſſe cum Pharaone cujus tempore vixit Joſeph, qui quòd Egyptum ſervaſſet. ab Egyptiis intra aſtra fuerit collocatus, & pro Deo cultus, & fortè etiam à quibuſdam Iſraelitarum Idolatris. Ut id hoc loco dicatur, Sacrificia illa quae in deſerto obtulistis, non mihi, ſed idolis vestris, & Diis fictitiis, quos occultè animo fovebatis, & colebatis, obtulistis. Tabernaculum quod ibidem humeris bajulastis non meum fuit, ſed Molochi vestri, i. e. Non me in eo Tabernaculo colustis, ſed Idolum, quod vos tacitè agitabatis, vid. Freidl. in loc.Ps 106:28Num 25:2 And though they made ſhew of ſerving him by carrying his Tabernacle, and all things belonging to it, yet they hankred after their Idols, which they not only bare in their hearts, but alſo carried p. 35about with them repreſentations of them. For it ſeems they had gotten the Shrines, or Chaplets, wherein the mages of Moloch and Saturn were kept and inſhrined, and carried them about with them, and worſhipped them. Which Idolatry of their Anceſtors not ſufficiently bewailed, and repented of, together with the conſequent ſins of their children in ſucceeding ages, at laſt provoked God to bring the captivity of Babylon upon them(e)(e)Amos 5.27. Migrare vos faciam trans Damaſcum, hic v. 43. id ita effertur, Transferam vos ultra Babylonem, utrumque eſt impletum. Neque enim in Syriam tantum, cujus Metropolis Damaſcus eſt, ſed etiam trans Babylonem in Perſiam, & Caſpiam Iſraelitae fuere abducti ut ex Ezra 8.17. conſtat. Minùs ergo dixit Amoſus, plus ſignificavit. Aſſyria, & Media quae ultra Babylonem ſunt, multò magis ſunt ultra Damaſcum.Amos 5:27Ezra 8:17. But to return to the Tabernacle, (where God uſed to witneſs, and evidence his glorious preſence, and where the Ark of the Covenant was, and the Law, and the Teſtimonies, evidences of Gods will how he would be ſerved) he ſhews, their Fathers indeed carried it with them all along through the wilderneſs, and at laſt brought it into Canaan, where it continued all the days of David, and to the beginning of Solomons reign; and then it ended, and gave way to the Temple: which though David deſired to build for the Service of God, yet that honour was reſerved for Solomon his Son, who accordingly built it in a very ſumptuous and magnificent manner. Now when the Temple was built, God himſelf declared by the mouth of his Prophet Iſaiah, ch. 66.1, 2. That he delighted not to dwell in Temples made with hands, as if he were included therein, and bound thereto. And therefore they were not fondly to conceive that after the Temple was built the worſhip of God was ſo tyed to that place as he could not be worſhipt acceptably any where elſe —. As Stephen was thus going on, and (as 'tis probable) would have ſpoken much more fully to the point in hand, the Council it ſeems interrupted him, apprehending him to ſpeak in a way of diminution of the Temple. Therefore breaking off his former diſcourſe, and turning his ſpeech to them, he ſharply reprehends them for ſeveral things**Cum animae pericliantur, non lenitate, ſed ſale, & acore opus eſt, quod non magis repugnat charitati, quam cum medicus in extremitate morbi adhibet rodentia. Qui metuit acritudinem reprehenſionis, caveat putredinem malitiae.. 1. For their rebellion, and reſiſting the Spirit of God, which ſpake to them by the Apoſtles and by him. 2. For their imitating their cruel Anceſtors, who killed the old Prophets in killing the Lord of life. 3. For their horrible violating the holy law of God given them by the glorious miniſtry and proclamation of Angels(f)(f)Inter quos erat caput Angelorum, ipſe Filius Dei, Streſ.. At theſe words they were extreamly inraged at him, and gnaſhed on him with their teeth. But he being full of courage and faith looked up to Heaven, and had an extraordinary Viſion of the glory of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt ſtanding on his right hand, and accordingly declared unto them what he ſaw. They hearing this, without any more ado, in a violent furious manner ran upon him as a Blaſphemer: and though the p. 36Romans permitted them not to put any man to death, yet in a popular rage, they hurried him away out of the City, and there ſtoned him. And they that witneſſed againſt himSee ch. 6.13., (and were therefore by the Law to caſt the firſt ſtone at him, Deut. 17.7.) put off their upper garments to ſit themſelves for the work, and a young man called Saul undertook to look to them, who conſequently had an hand in ſtoning of him. Stephen devoutly commending his Soul into the hands of Chriſt, and praying for his murderers, that this ſin might not be laid to their charge ſo as to obſtruct their repentance(g)(g)That this prayer was heard appeare by Gods ſpecial mercy to Saul., gave up the Ghoſt.

Act. 6. v. 15. And all that ſit in the council, looking ſtedfaſtly on him, ſaw his face as it had been the face of an Angel.

Act. 7 v. 1. Then ſaid the high prieſt, Are theſe things ſo?

v. 2. And he ſaid, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Meſopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

v. 3. And ſaid unto him, * G…t thee out of thy country, and from thy kinred, and come into the land which I ſhall ſhew thee.

v. 4. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell.

v. 5. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no not ſo much as to ſet his foot on: yet he promiſed that he would give it to him for a poſſeſſion, and to his ſeed after him, when as yet he had no child.

v. 6. And God ſpake on this wiſe, that his ſeed ſhould ſojourn in a ſtrange land, and that they ſhould bring them into bondage, and intreat them evil four hundred years.

v. 7. And the nation to whom they ſhall be in bondage, will I judg, ſaid God: And after that ſhall they come forth, and ſerve me in this place.

v. 8. And he gave him the covenant of circumciſion: and ſo Abraham begat Iſaac, and circumciſed him the eighth day: and Iſaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

v. 9. And the patriarchs moved with envy, ſold Joſeph into Egypt: but God was with him,

v. 10. And delivered him out of all his affliction, and gave him favour and wiſdom in the ſight of Pharaoh king of Egypt: and he made him governour over Egypt, and all his houſe.

v. 11. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers found no ſuſtenance.

v. 12. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he ſent out our fathers firſt.

v. 13. And at the ſecond time Joſeph was made known to his brethren, and Joſephs kinred was made known to Phraoh.

v. 14. Then ſent Joſeph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kinred, threeſcore and fifteen ſouls.

v. 15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers.

v. 16. And were carried over into Sichem, and laid in the ſ…pulchre that Abraham bought for a ſum of money of the ſons of Emor the father of Sichem.

v. 17. But when the time of the promiſe drew nigh, which God had ſworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

v. 18. Till another King aroſe, which knew not Joſeph.

p. 37v. 19. The ſame dealt ſubtilly with our kinred, and evil-intreated our fathers, ſo that they caſt out their young children, to the end they might not live.

v. 20. In which time Moſes was born, and was exceeding fair: and nouriſhed up in his fathers houſe three months:

v. 21. And when he was caſt out, Pharaohs daughter took him up, and nouriſhed him for her own ſon.

v. 22. And Moſes was learned in all the wiſdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

v. 23. And when he was full fourty years old, it came into his heart to viſit his brethren the children of Iſrael.

v. 24. And ſeeing one of them ſuffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppreſſed, and ſmote the Egyptian:

v. 25. For he ſuppoſed his brethren would have underſtood, how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they underſtood not.

v. 26. And the next day he ſhewed himſelf unto them as they ſtrove, and would have ſet them at one again, ſaying, Sirs, ye are brethren, Why do ye wrong one to another?

v. 27. But he that did his neighbour wrong, thruſt him away, ſaying, Who made thee a ruler and a judg over us?

v. 28. Wilt thou kill me as thou didſt the Egyptian yeſterday?

v. 29. Then fled Moſes at this ſaying, and was a ſtranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two ſons.

v. 30. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderneſs of mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a buſh.

v. 31. When Moſes ſaw it, he wondred at the ſight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,

v. 32. Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moſes trembled, and durſt not behold.

v. 33. Then ſaid the Lord to him, Put off thy ſhoes from thy feet: for the place where thou ſtandeſt is holy ground.

v. 34. I have ſeen, I have ſeen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them: And now come, I will ſend thee into Egypt.

v. 35. This Moſes whom they refuſed, ſaying. Who made thee a ruler and a judg? the ſame did God ſend to be a ruler and a deliverer, by the hands of the angel which appeared to him in the buſh.

v. 36. He brought them out, after that he had ſhewed wonders and ſigns in the land of Egypt, and in the Red ſea, and in the wilderneſs fourty years.

v. 37. This is that Moſes which ſaid unto the children of Iſrael, A prophet ſhall the Lord your God raiſe up unto you of your brethren like unto me: him ſhall ye hear.

v. 38. This is he that was in the church in the wilderneſs with the angel, which ſpake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively Oracles to give unto us.

v. 39. To whom our fathers would not obey but thruſt him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

v. 40. Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: For as for this Moſes which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

v. 41. And they made a calf in thoſe days, and offered ſacrifice unto the idol; and rejoyced in the works of their own hands.

v. 42. Then God turned and gave them up to worſhip the hoſt of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye houſe of Iſrael, have p. 38ye offer'd to me ſlain beaſts, and ſacrifices, by the ſpace of forty years in the wilderneſs?

v. 43. Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the ſtar of your god Remphan, figures which ye made, to worſhip them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

v. 44. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witneſs in the wilderneſs, as he had appointed, ſpeaking unto Moſes, that he ſhould make it according to the faſhion that he had ſeen:

v. 45. Which alſo our fathers that came after, brought in with Jeſus into the poſſeſſion of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David.

v. 46. Who found ſavour before God, and deſired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

v. 27. But Solomon built him an houſe.

2.48. Howbeit the moſt High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as ſaith the prophet,

v. 49. H…aven is my throne, and earth is my foot-ſtool: what houſe will ye build me, ſaith the Lord? or, what is the place of my reſt?

v 50. Hath not my hands made all theſe things?

v. 51. Ye ſtiff-necked, and uncircumciſed in heart, and ears, ye do always reſiſt the holy Ghoſt: as your fathers did, ſo do ye.

v. 52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers perſecuted? And they have ſl…in them which ſhewed before of the coming of the juſt One, of whom ye have b…en now the betrayers and murderers:

v. 53. Who have received the law by the diſpoſition of angels, and have not kept it.

v. 54. When they heard theſe things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnaſhed on him with their teeth.

v. 55. But he being full of the holy Ghoſt, looked up ſtedfaſtly into heaven, and ſaw the glory of God, and Jeſus ſtanding on the right hand o… God,

v. 56. And ſaid, Behold, I ſee the heavens opened, and the Son of man ſtanding on the right hand of God.

v. 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and ſtopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord.

v. 58. And caſt him out of the city, and ſtoned him: and the witneſſes laid down their clothes at a young mans feet, whoſe name was Saul.

v. 59. And they ſtoned Stephen, calling upon God, and ſaying, Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit.

v. 60. And he kneeled down, and cryed with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this ſin to their charge. And when he had ſaid this, he fell aſleep.

p. 41Chap. 7. v. 2. Videtur Ʋr fuiſſe in Meſopotamiâ. Meſopotamiam Stephanus vocat non modo eam regionem, quae Euphrate, & Tigride includitur, ſed etiam Babyloniam cujus pars eſt Chaldaea, Beza. So that Chaldaea was alſo reckoned to Meſopotamia.v. 5. Abraham was forc'd to buy a place of Burial, though all the land was given him by promiſe. Duo mihi Stephanus contribulibus ſuis in Patriarchâ Abrahamo conſideranda proponere videtur, quibus fidem ejus Deus vehementèr exercuit. Primum, quod in terram Canaan & in Judaeam eum tranſtulerit, neo tamen ullam poſſeſſionem, ne veſtigii quidem pedis ei dederit. Alterum, quod hanc terram ipſi, & ſemini ejus obtinendam promiſerit, quum ſemen non haberet, De Dieu.v. 6. There is a double ſumm of years mentioned concerning the ſeed of Abraham's ſojourning, namely Four hundred years, Gen. 15.13. and Four hundred and thirty Exod. 12.40. Gal 3.17. The Four hundred are to be reckoned from the birth of Iſaac, who was born in the hundreth year of Abraham, and had Jacob when he was ſixty years old. Jacob when he was an hundred and thirty went into Egypt, from thence to the delivery out of Egypt reckon two hundred and ten years, and the ſumm will be four hundred. To which add twenty five years of Abraham ſince he came from Haran (for he came from thence in the ſeventy fifth year of his age) and five more ſince he came from Ʋr of the Chaldees to Haran, and the ſum will be four hundred p. 39and thirty. The Septuagint on Exod. 1….40. thought fit to expreſs their ſenſe in this Paraphraſe. The ſojourning of the children of Iſrael, which they and their fathers ſojourned in the land of Egypt and Canaan was four hundred and thirty years. So that Stephen muſt be underſtood to ſay, that the children of Iſrael were to ſuffer, and be oppreſſed till the end of four hundred years from the birth of Iſaac.Gen 15:13Exod 12:40Gal 3:17Exod 1:40v. 14. Joſeph accerſivit Patrem ſuum Jacob & omnem cognationem ejus in anima…us Septuaginta quinque. Scilicet, conſtantem, conſcriptam ex animabus 75. Multum torſit interprete… conciliatio hujus loci eum illo, Gen. 46.27. & Deut. 10.22. ubi 70 ſolum animas domûs Jacobi, quae intrarunt in Egyptum commemorat Moſes. At difficultatis parum eſt, ſi dicamus non eſſe loca Parallela. Moſes enim catalogum texit in quo unà cum Jacobo ſoli ejus poſteri, & quidem ex ſa…mere ejus egreſſi, exceptis diſerte filiorum uxoribus, v. 26. comprehenduntur: Ob quam cauſam non ii ſolum qui cum ipſo Egyptum actu ſunt ingreſſi, ſed & Joſeph eum duobus filiis Ephraim, & Manaſſe in ſeptuagenario numero continentur, etſi jam ante in Egypto eſſent, quia ex faemore Jacobi n…ti, & è terr… Canaan orti, peregrini in Egypto degerent, adeoque merito haberentur quaſi cum Jacobo Egyptum intro iiſſent: Specialisque in eo catalogo rationis eſt, quod Judae duo nepote… …x Phares, Hezrem ſcilicet & Hamul, etſi poſt in Egypt… nati in numerum iſtum, v. 11. referantur, ut nempe duorum filiorum Judae Er, & Ouan jam deſunctorum locum ſupple…r…nt. At in oratione Stephani non genealogia J…cobi inſtituitur, ſed quoſnam Joſephus è terrâ Canaam in Egyptum advocaverit, docetur. Plure…enim quam è faemore Jacobi ortos accerſivit, neque omnes è faemore Jacobi ortos accerſivit. Excludendi ibi ſunt primo duo nepotes Judae, deinde ipſe Joſeph cum duobus ſiliis: Illos enim, quippe nondum natos, & ſe ſuosque filios, quippe jam in Egyp…o degentes, accerſere non potuit. Separatis itaque iſtis quinque, deinde, & p…tre Jacobo, qui ſeorſim à Stephano commemoratur, reſtant ex ſeptuagenario Moſ… numero 64, nempe undecim fratres, una ſoror Dina, & 52 fratrum filii; quibus ſi adjungas undecim fratrum, undecim uxores, quas neceſſariò Joſephus …nà cum maritis accerſivit, quaeque ad foreign pertinebant, habes omnem cognationem ejus in 75 animis. Unde conſequitur corruptum eſſe textum LXX interpretum, qui Gen. 46.27. pro 70. habent 75. De Dieu. Non tantum foreign fuit, quod ſcriptores ſacri, N. T. verſionem Graecam LXX ſequuti ſunt, ſed ex purâ neceſſitate. Nam alitèr impoſſibile erat, ut allegationes eorum ex Lege, & Prophetis à gentilibus (ut pote Hebraica non callentibus) examinarentur. Et, ſi Judaeus in manu habens N. T. queratur, & cavilletur quod receditur in allegationibus à textu Hebraeo, in promptu adeſt, quod reſpondeatur; Haec ipſa verſio, quae citatur, ipſiſſima veſtra eſt, quam vos exaraſtis, edidiſtis, & mundo propoſuiſtis, ut ſymbolum, & teſſeram Legis, & religionis veſtrae, ut ipſiſſima Biblia veſtra. Dr. Lightf. in Heb. ad Epiſt. prima ad Corinth.Gen 46:27Deut 10:22v. 16. Quomodo Abraham Emeril à filiis Emor monumentum? Cum hoede Jacobo dicatur, Gen. 33.19. & Joſh. 24.32. Maſius multique alii textum putant à librariis corruptum, & nomen Abrahami irrepſiſſe, additum à quodam ſciolo deſcriptore, cum nomen Jacobi à prioribus repetitum rectè conveniat cum verbo emerit. Ludovicus Capellus vult loco Abraham legendum foreign, nepos ſcilicet Abrahami Jacobus. Rivetus facit nomen Patronymicum Abraham pro Abrahamides & hujuſmodi phraſeos varia Salmeron & A Lapide exempla afferunt, tùm ex ſacris tùm ex profanis literis. Vide plura in Rob. Bailii opere Hiſt. & Chronolog. Sunt qui Abrahamum putant ideo pro Jacobo nominari, quia Parentes, & filii idem eſſe moralitèr cenſentur, atque i…de eſſe quod 1 Reg. 12.16. Populus Roboamo inſenſus, dicit, quae pars nobis in Davide? i. e. in Roboamo Davidis nepote, & quod 1 Reg. 15.6. Perpetuum bellum interceſſiſſe legitur inter Roboamum, & Jeroboamum quamdiu hic ſuit in vivis. Ubi Roboami nomine, qui pridem obierat, Abias filius intelligitur, qui gravitèr afflixit Iſraelitas uſque ad obitum Jeroboami. 2 Paral. 13.17, 18, 19, 20. Sic Chriſto tribuitur Davidis nomen, Jer. 30.9. & Ezek. 34.23. Bochartus pag. 435. foreign verti ſolet quod emerat Abrahamus cum ex ſacrâ hiſtoriâ conſtat non Abrahamum, ſed Jacobum eum agrum emiſſe. At cum articulus non exprimatur tam dativus ſubintelligi poteſt, quam nominativus, ut ſenſus ſit foreign, quod emerat (ſcilicet Jacob de quo commate praecedente) Abrahamo. Etſi enim Abrahamus diem ſuum jam obiiſſet, ipſi tamen dici poteſt emptus iſte ager, ad deſignandum ſcopum, quem in agri emptione habuit Jacob, qui non ſuit duntaxat, ut eo pro ſepulchreto uteretur (neminem enim iſtie Jacobus in humavit, nec ipſe ibi inhumatus eſt, ſed in ſ…eluneá Maepelae, Gen. 49.30. & 23.16.) ſed vel maximè, ut primitiae quaedam eſſent terrae Canaan cujus totius Haereditatem Abrahamo Deus, & ſemini ejus promiſerat, quippe cui primò …acta eſt promiſſio, ut haeres mundi eſſet, Rom. 4.13. Atque ibi ſimul cauſa latet cur non tantum Joſephus ſed (quod hic à St. Stephano diſcimus) reliqui etiam Patriarchae à Poſteris haereditatem terrae promiſſae jam capientibus, Sichemum ſint tranſlati, atque in ejus agro ſepulti, nempe quia ager iſte emptus erat Abrahamo tanquam pignus haereditatis totius terrae, Abrahamo promiſſae. De Dicu. Gen. 33.19. Jacob emiſſe legitur partem agri ſiliorum Hemor foreign centum agnis. Fortaſſe pro ag…is, nummi intelligendi ſunt agni effigie ſignati, quales cudiſſe legitur Servius Rex Romanorum: Fortaſſè argenti vel pecuniae nomine eo loco cenſeri poſſit quicquid illâ aetate praeſtabat pecuniae vices. Bochart. lib. 1. cap. 2. de ammalib.Gen 33:19Josh 24:321 Kgs 12:161 Kgs 15:62 Chr 13:172 Chr 13:182 Chr 13:192 Chr 13:20Jer 30:9Ezek 34:23Gen 49:30Gen 23:16Rom 4:13v. 26. foreign] Conatui datur nomen effectûs. 3 25. foreign] ductu Angeli. Senſus eſt Deum, quum Moſen mitteret principem, & redemptorem & Moſis, & redemptionis per eum praeſtandae regimen univerſum commiſiſſe manibus hujus Angeli. Unde liquido conſtat Angelum iſtum, qui Exod. 3. apparuit Moſi in rubo, quique ibi aliquoties Jehova, ac Deus patrum nuncupatur, ac qui iſtie Moſen mittit, ac inſtruit, non fuiſſe creatum Angelum, ſed ipſum filium Dei, per cujus manum Stephanus ait Deum, nempe Patrem, miſiſſe Moſen; qui Angelus vocatur quia in hâc actione, ut & in totâ populi liberatione ſubſerviit Patri. Eſt ille Angelus faciei ejus de quo Iſa 63.9. Angelus faderis quem Moſi in deſerto comitem fuiſſe eumque in Monte Sinai eſſe allocutum, Stephanus infra teſtatur, v 38. Vere ergo princeps faederis qui populo Iſraelis tanquam ſuo, legem tulit in monte Sinai, qui ſe principem exercitus Domini meritò vocavit, Joſh. 5.14. Ideoque non Angelus modo faedetis, ſed & ipſe Dominus jure vocatur, Mal. 3.1. Hic Angelus eduxit populum ex Aegypto, Numb. 20.16. & duxit per deſertum, Exod. 23.20, & 33.2. quem Chriſtum fuiſſe teſtatur Apoſtolus, 1 Cor. 10.9. De Dieu.Exod 3Isa 63:9Josh 5:14Mal 3:1Num 20:16Exod 23:20Exod 33:21 Cor 10:9v. 38. foreign] Reſpicitur locus, Deut. 32.47. ubi lex dicitur eſſe vitae, i. e. cauſa vitae faelicis, quae eximiè vita Hebraeis. Hic foreign pro foreign.Deut 32:47v 41. Fecere juvencum, ad imitationem Aegyptiorum, apud quos Apidis cultus valdè eſt vetus, vid. Tacit. Hiſt. 5 & Herodotum lib. 2.v. 43. foreign eſt foreign 2 Reg 5.18. Sic Saturnum vocabant Syri, colebantque non in formâ Regis, ſed in formâ Stellae, in Hebraeo eſt foreign Ciiun quod eandem Saturni ſtellam ſignificat, ſed Arabibus. Gro… Vos porta…tis Saturnum, stellam Dei vestri, idem eſt ac ſi dixiſſet Vos portastis stellam Dei vestri Saturni; figuras quas fecistis, nempe Tabernaculum Molochi, ſcilicet imaginem Caeli, in qu… Sol, ſive Moloch magnus ille aſtrorum Rex, tanquam in Tabernaculo continetur, & Saturni ſtellam, De Dieu. Praecipua Egyptiorum inter quos verſati erant Iſraelitae idolatria erat in veneratione aſtrorum, & praecipuè planetarum, quorum praecipui erant Sol, & Saturnus, vel Mars, qui Aegyptiacè appellabantur Melech & Remphan, vel Rephan, ut obſervant docti; Simulacra quaedam horum aſtrorum ſolebant Sacerdotes includere certis tentoriolis, vel Tabernaculis, & ciſtis, eaque circumgeſtare humeris, populo acclamante, cantante, tripudiante. Hoc imitati ſunt Iſraelitae in deſerto, Exod. 32.4.5, 6. Etſi enim ibi non legimus niſi vitulum factum, altare aedificatum, luſum, & potum eſſe, tamen ex interpretatione Amoſi, & Stephani clarum eſt, fuiſſe ibi quoque quandam circumgeſtationem idoli tabernaculo incluſi qualis olim fuit inter Ethnicos, Streſo.2 Kgs 5:18Exod 32:4Exod 32:5Exod 32:6v. 48. Senſit Origenes, Deum, cum Templum ſibi fieri permiſit à Solomone, pari id feciſſe propoſito, quo & altare, & victimas indulſit, nempè ut ſe populi genio aptaret, ac eos ritus ſibi vindicaret, quos alioqui populus falſis Diis erat impenſurus. Templum Chriſtianis eſt corpus purum, altare animus Sanctus, Simulachra verò omnis generis, virtutes. Vocabant ergo Chriſtiani ſuorum conventuum loca modò Eccleſias foreign, modò Baſilicas, & eodem ſenſu Domos Dei: Templi autem appellatione, deſtinatò abſtinebant. Grot.v 51. Incircumciſi corde, & auribus] i. e. Cor habentes plenum vitioſis affectibus, Lev. 26.41. Jer. 9.26. & quibus pruriunt aures ad ea audienda, quae vitiis favent, Jer. 6.10. Intellectûs ſtupiditas, voluntatis pertinacia, & indomiti affectus, praeputium ſunt, & membrum quod deponendum eſt, Col. 3.5. & 2.11. Non hic Judaeis exprobratur naturalis corruptio, ſed corruptio attracta, qua ſe ipſos magis, magiſque induraverant, exc…ecaverant, & praeputium roboraverant per contemptum Evangelii.Lev 26:41Jer 9:26Jer 6:10Col 3:5Col 2:11v. 5… foreign pro inter. Inter medios exercitus Angelorum. Oſtendit quam magnificè data ſit Lex inter multas Angelorum turmas. Reſpicitur locus Deut. 33.2. Grot. Accepistis legem ad ordinationes Angelorum, i e. ordinantibus Angelis vel ſecundum, & juxta ordinationes Angelorum: huic loco parallela ſunt, Gal. 3.19. Heb. 11.2. foreign reſpondet foreign Hebr. Filius Dei, qui quamvis in ſe Deus, hic tamen foreign tanquam Angelus Dei, Caeterorumque Angelorum praefectus conſideratus, è medio Angelorum, qui eum undique ſtipabant, legem in monte Moſi dedit, De Dieu. Deus Pater legem per filium dedit. Filius uſus eſt miniſterio Angelorum. Angeli, nomine filii Dei Moſi legem tradiderunt, eique quid docere Iſraelitas debeat, praeceperunt Moſes foreign ad ordinationes ſeu ſecundum, vel juxta mandata Angelorum Iſraelitis legem dedit, ſeu ſecundum diſtributiones Angelorum, quibus legem diſpoſuerunt, vel diſtribuerunt in decem praecepta, & decem praecepta in duas tabulas, totámque adeo legem in Moralem, Ceremonialem, Forenſem. Diſtinguenda quoque circa legis promulgationem ſunt haec tria. 1. Promulgatio legis per vocem, quae facta eſt, Exod. 19. in monte Sinai. 2. Scriptio legis in tabulis, quae facta eſt poſt hanc pomulgationem, Exod. 31, & 34. 3. Scriptio legis in libro quae Moſi injungitur, Exod. 34.27. ut lex ex iſto libro populo quotidiè praelegeretur, dum tabulae lapideae autographae manebant in arcâ faederis. In ſolâ promulgatione uſus eſt Angelorum miniſterio, non in ſcriptione.Deut 33:2Gal 3:19Heb 11:2Exod 19Exod 31Exod 34:27v. 57. Irruerunt concorditèr in eum] quaſi ex judicio zeli quod ſtante repub. uſurpare ſolebant, ſed tantum in eos, qui Judaeis auctores eſſent ad falſos cultus. Ad quod connivere ſolebant Sacerdotes, vid. Joſephus lib. 15 c. 8. etiam cum ſub Romanis eſſent. Peccabant autem iſti homines hic duplicitèr. 1. In legem, quae etiam liberâ repub. p. 41judicium illud populare exerceri noluit niſi in auctores idolatriae, qualis non erat Stephanus. 2. In Romanos, qui ipſis ademerant jus omne capitalium ſuppliciorum.58. Teſtium erat, primos jácere lapides, ac ſic ſemet, ſi quid falſi ſubeſſet ſontes facere caedis, populum vero, qui ipſorum auctoritatem ſequebatur, abſolvere.59. Domine Jeſu, recipe ſpiritum meum] Hinc diſcamus immortalitatem animae. Eſt haec inter primas veritates, quod anima humana ſit immortalis, vid. Eccl. 12.7. Mat. 10.28. Luc. 12.4. 2 Cor. 5.8. Phil. 1.21, 22. 2 Pet. 1.14.Eccl 12:7Matt 10:28Luke 12:42 Cor 5:8Phil 1:21Phil 1:222 Pet 1:14v. 60. foreign. Ne ſtatuas illis hoc peccatum, & hoc Domini exemplo Luc. 23.34. Peccata velut ante Deum ſtant, vindictam petentia. Emman. Saa.Luke 23:34SECT. XII.

STephen becoming thus the Protomartyr, and firſt, that under the Goſpel ſealed the Doctrine of Chriſt with his blood, he was carried to his burial by devout men, who made great Lamentation(a)(a)See Gen. 50.10. Deut. 34.8. 2 Chron. 35.24, 25.Gen 50:10Deut 34:82 Chr 35:242 Chr 35:25 over him. But the ſpite and cruelty of the Jews was not quenched by the blood of Stephen, but rather inflamed. For immediately after this, they raiſed a great perſecution againſt the whole Church at Jeruſalem, wherein Saul (the young man before mentioned) was very active. This mans Parents were both Jews, ſo that he was an Hebrew of the Hebrews; he was of the Tribe of Benjamin born**He had a double Name, Saul as he was an Hebrew by birth; and Paul as he was a Roman, being born at Tarſus, a free City of the Romans: His Education was in the Schools of Tarſus; which as Strabo reporteth, lib. 14. was then famous for the ſtudy of Philoſophy, and the Liberal Sciences. Here he attained the Greek Language and Learning, and grew expert in their Philoſophy and Poems, his skill wherein he ſheweth, in alledging Epimenides, Aratus, Menander. From thence he was ſent to Jeruſalem for the ſtudy of Divinity and of the Jewiſh Law. In his youth, he learned the handicraft Trade of making Tents. at Tarſus (b)(b)This City had among other priviledges obtained of the Roman Emperor Augustus the freedom of the City of Rome, becauſe that in his wars againſt Brutus and Caſſius they held with him, and had ſuffered much, See Act. 21.39.Acts 21:39in Cilicia; by Sect a Phariſee, and the Son of a Phariſee **Act. 23.6.Acts 23:6, and ſtudied at that time (as it ſeems) at Jeruſalem, and frequented the School of Gamaliel a famous Doctor among the Phariſees. He was a very ſtrict obſerver of the Law of Moſes, and of the Traditions delivered to the Fathers, but a bitter, and fierce enemy againſt the Doctrine of Chriſt, and all thoſe that owned him, and profeſſed to believe in him. This man having received Commiſſion from the Chief Prieſts impowring him to do this wretched work, made miſerable havock of the Church: for entring into Houſes, he haled thence both men and women, that believed in Chriſt, and bound them, and put them in Priſon, and often cauſed to be beaten and ſcourged in the Synagogues; and uſed all ſcourged in the Synagogues; and uſed all rigid means to make them deny Chriſt, and blaſpheme him (as it ſeems) he himſelf did [1 Tim. 1.13.]: And ſuch as were conſtant to the faith, he forced to fly to heathen Cities, and then purſued them thither alſo.

Act. 8. v. 1. And Saul was conſenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great perſecution againſt the church which was at Jeruſalem, and they were all ſcattered abroad thorowout the Regions of Judea, and Samaria, except the Apoſtles.

v. 2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

v. 3. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entring into every houſe, and hailing men and women, committed them to Priſon.

p. 42Phil. 3. v. 5. Circumciſed the eighth day, of the flock of Iſrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Phariſee.

v. 6. Concerning zeal, perſecuting the church: touching the righteouſneſs which is in the law, blameleſs.

Act. 22. v. 3. I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarſus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous towards God, as ye all are this day.

v. 4. And I perſecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into priſons both men and women.

v. 19. And I ſaid, Lord, they know I impriſoned and beat in every ſynagogue them that believed on thee,

v. 20. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was ſhed, I alſo was ſtanding by and conſenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that ſlew him.

Act. 26. v. 9. I verily thought with my ſelf, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jeſus of Nazareth:

v. 10. Which thing I alſo did in Jeruſalem, and many of the ſaints did I ſhut up in priſon; having received authority from the chief prieſts, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice againſt them.

v. 11. And I puniſhed them oft in every ſynagogue, and compelled them to blaſpheme; and being exceedingly mad againſt them, I perſecuted them even unto ſtrange cities.

Gal. 1. v. 13. For ye have heard of my converſation in time paſt in the Jews religion, how that beyond meaſure I perſecuted the church of God, and waſted it:

v. 14. And profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

v. 23. But they had heard only, that he which perſecuted us in times paſt, now preacheth the faith, which once he deſtroyed.

Act. 9. v. 13. Then Ananias anſwered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy ſaints at Jeruſalem:

v. 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?

p. 43SECT. XIII.

THis perſecution diſpers'd in a manner the whole body of the Church, and ſcattered both the Members and Teachers thereof, (excepting the Apoſtles(a)(a)In gravi perſecutione neque omnes fugere, neque omnes debent, inquit Auguſtinus. Quando autem fugere fugere liceat, quando non liceat, generalibus regulis difiniri non poteſt, ſed prud… cujuſque permittendum eſt, ut ſec… dum circumſtantias ita agat ne con… entiam laedat.) into divers Countries, which tended greatly to the advantage of the Goſpel. For the Apoſtles (who had an extraordinary Function, and therefore were bound to ſhew more than ordinary courage) remaining at Jeruſalem, and ſticking to their work there, till they ſhould be more manifeſtly called by God from thence; the reſt of the Diſciples (of which there were now ſome thouſands, as appears Act. 2.41. and ch. 4.4.) were ſcattered ſome into the Regions of Judea and Samaria, who ſpread the Goſpel whereſoever they came; ſome went to Damaſcus, among whom was Ananias a devout and religious perſon, Act. 9.10. & 22.12. Others, it's like, went to Rome, and among them Andronicus and Junia, who were of note among the Apoſtles, and kinſmen of the Perſecutor Saul, and had embraced the faith before him, as himſelf teſtifieth, Rom. 16.7. Others travelled as far as Phoenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Goſpel to the Jews only [Act. 11.19.] namely to thoſe Jews, that were diſperſed among the Gentiles, as may be gathered from Jam. 1.1. and 1 Pet. 1.1. Among them that went to Samaria, Philip was one, (the ſecond in order after Stephen among the ſeven Deacons). He coming into that City, preached Chriſt ſo effectually, that the people with one accord gave heed to the Doctrine he delivered, and ſeeing the Miracles(b)(b)Miracula ſolent comparari cum campanis, quibus homines convocantur ad verbum audiendum. wrought by him, they were perſwaded to embrace the Goſpel. For out of many that were poſſeſſed, he caſt unclean Spirits who at their coming out, made loud acknowledgments of the irreſiſtableneſs of the power by which he acted. And others, that were taken with Palſies, or were lame he cured. Before this time, there had been in the City, one Simon a Magician, who had by Sorcery, and the help of the Devil done ſome ſtrange things among them, which ſo affected the ignorant people, that they cryed him up as a perſon in whom the great power of God did wonderfully manifeſt its ſelf. But they now ſeeing far greater Miracles done by Philip, they were converted to Chriſtianity, and many among them, both men and women believing, were baptized by him in the name of Chriſt. And among others Simon Magus himſelf was convinced, and believed(c)(c)Non puto fidem Simonis fuiſſe meram ſimulationem, ſed fidem hiſtoricam, quâ verè convictus credidit Jeſum Chriſtum (in cujus nomine Philippus praedicabat, & miracula faciebat) eſſe Deum, & ſe, ac Diabolo (cujus vi ipſe ſuas edebat praeſtigias) majorem: Sicut Magi Aegyptiaci comparantes ſua miracula cum miraculis Moſis, credebant, & fatebantur per Moſen operari digitum Dei, Exod. 8.19. Streſ.Exod 8:19, and was alſo baptized.

p. 44Act. 8. v. 1. And Saul was conſenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great perſecution againſt the church which was at Jeruſalem, and they were all ſcattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea, and Samaria, except the Apoſtles.

v. 4. Therefore they that were ſcattered abroad, went every where preaching the word.

v. 5. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Chriſt unto them.

v. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed unto thoſe things which Philip ſpake, hearing and ſeeing the miracles which he did.

v. 7. For unclean ſpirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were poſſeſſed with them: and many taken with Palſies, and that were lame, were healed.

v. 8. And there was great joy in that city.

v. 9. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the ſame city uſed ſorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himſelf was ſome great one.

v. 10. To whom they all gave heed from the leaſt to the greateſt, ſaying, This man is the great power of God.

v. 11. And to him they had regard, becauſe that of long time he had bewitched them with forceries.

v. 12. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, they were baptized, both men and women.

v. 13. Then Simon himſelf believed alſo: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondred, beholding the miracles and ſigns which were done.

p. 45v. 8. Magnum gaudium factum eſt in illa civitate non tantum ob tot ſanatos obſeſſos, paralyticos, & claudos, ſed praecipuè ob manifeſtatam aeternae ſalutis viam.v. 10. foreign. Metalepſis pro foreign.v. 12. foreign] de regno illo, quod hic inchoatur, & conſummabitur poſt reſurrectionem.v. 13. Simon qui totam urbem fallaciis ſuis infatuaverat, Dei veritatem ſimul cum aliis recipit. Quamquam non tam ſuâ unius, quam totius gentis causâ illuminatus fuit in Evangelii notitiam, ut ſcandalum tolleretur, quod imperitos morari poterat. Voluit enim Dominus hunc, quem pro ſemideo habebant Samaritae in triumpho ducere: quod fit dum excuſſà inani jactantiâ veris miraculis gloriam dare cogitur. Fides autem Simonis erat temporaria cujus meminit Chriſtus, Mar. 4. Sentit veram eſſe Evangelii doctrinam, & conſcientiae ſuae ſenſu ad eam recipiendam cogitur, ſed deeſt fundamentum, h. e. ſui abnegatio. Et Baptizatus est] Hoc Simonis exemplo clarè patet non conferri, omnibus indifferentèr in baptiſmo gratiam, quae illic figuratur. Nos ſciamus offerri nobis à Domino per ſacramenta quicquid ſonant annexae promiſſiones, & non fruſtrà, & inanitèr offerri, modo ſide ad Chriſtum directi ab ipſo petamus quicquid Sacramenta promittunt. Adhaerebat Philippo] Quod cum Philippus admiſit, in eo apparet, quam difficile ſit hypocritas diſcernere. Sic Demas temporarius Pauli comes, poſtea factus eſt perfidus deſertor. Cum igitur interdum improbi, & fraudulenti homines ſe nobis adjungunt, & ſe nobis aſtutè inſinuant, ſedulo cavenda eſt facilitas quoslibet ſine delectu admittendi, quae ſaepè ignominiam aſpergit Evangelio atque eò prudentius attendere nos decet quando magnos viros deceptos fuiſſe audimus, Calv. in loc.Mark 4SECT. XIIII.

THe Apoſtles which remained at Jeruſalem hearing of the ſucceſs of Philip's preaching at Samaria thought fit to ſend Peter (a)(a)Hoc obſervatu dignum eſt, quod Petrus mittitur, & deputatur à caeteris Apoſtolis. Ubi igitur primatus Petri, cui Papa ſuperſtruit ſuum?and John, to confirm the new Converts there in the Faith, and to ſettle all convenient order among them. They accordingly coming thither, by their preaching and exhortation confirmed them in the Doctrine of the Goſpel. Theſe believing Samaritans had received the grace of the Spirit, whereby they were enabled to believe in Chriſt; but the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were not as yet fallen upon any of them; whereupon the Apoſtles by their earneſt prayer unto God obtained this mercy for them, and accordingly by the impoſition(b)(b)Frat Apoſtolica praerogativa per impoſitionem manuum Eccleſiis impetrare chariſmata Spiritus Sancti ad aedificationem Eccleſiae neceſſaria. Hi Samaritani habuerunt quidem antea Spiritum regenerationis, ſed non Spiritum Prophetiae, ſeu dona illa, quae quibuſdam in Eccleſiâ data erant ad Eccleſiam aedificandam, de quibus agitur 1 Cor. 12.28. Et quum datus eſſet hic Spiritus, exercebat ſe per viſibilia effecta, e. g. per eloquutionem variarum linguarum per patrationem miraculorum, &c. Streſ. Lucas hic non de communi Spiritûs gratiâ loquitur, quâ nos ſibi Deus in filios regenerat, ſed de ſingularibus illis donis, quibus Dominus, initio Evangelii, quoſdam eſſe praeditos voluit ad ornandum Chriſti regnum. Hic autem illorum erat uſus, ut quiſque pro facultatis ſuae modo Eccleſiae prodeſſet, Calv. The impoſition of the Apoſtles hands mentioned here and elſewhere, was not upon all that believed, and were baptized, but on ſome certain perſons, whom they were directed by the Holy Ghoſt to lay hands upon, not for their confirmation in grace, but as thoſe God intended to imploy in the propagating of his Goſpel, See Lightf. in loc.1 Cor 12:28 of their hands upon certain perſons among them, whom they were directed by the Holy Ghoſt to lay their hands upon (as thoſe God had appointed to be preachers, and miniſters of the Goſpel, and whom by theſe their gifts he would enable to underſtand the language and ſenſe of the Scripture, and to be inſtructors of the people) thoſe miraculous powers were conferred on them. Simon Magus ſeeing this, and being touched with a ſecret Ambition to get this power of conferring theſe miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoſt upon whomſoever he pleaſed, (which would have made him famous and renowned in the world) he offered the Apoſtles a ſum of (c) money to inable him to do it. Peter inflam'd with an holy indignation at this wretched motion, ſaid unto him, Thy mony periſh with thee. Aſſure thy ſelf, No ſhare, or portion of ſo glorious a priviledg as this is, belongs unto thee. (a)(a)From this deed of Simons, 'tis called Simony to ſeek to buy ſpiritual gifts or offices, with money or gifts.For I perceive thou art not upright before God, but thy hypocriſie and ambition, by which thy heart is as it were bound and fettered, is as odious to him as the bitterneſs of Gall can be to any mans taſte. Repent therefore, and humble thy ſelf unfeignedly before the Lord for this wicked project of thine, and earneſtly ſeek his pardon, which if thou wilt do ſincerely 'tis not impoſſible but thou mayſt obtain it. Simon at this beſought them that they would pray for him, that God would pardon this wickedneſs of his, and not inflict on him ſuch puniſhments as they ſeemed to intimate, were like to fall upon him.

When theſe two Apoſtles had finiſhed their miniſtry in thoſe parts they returned to Jeruſalem preaching, and diſſeminating p. 46the Goſpel, in the Villages of Samaria as they paſſed along.

Act. 8. v. 14. Now when the Apoſtles which were at Jeruſalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they ſent unto them Peter and John.

v. 15. Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Ghoſt.

v. 16. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jeſus)

v. 17. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy Ghoſt.

v. 18. And when Simon ſaw that through laying on of the Apoſtles hands, the holy Ghoſt was given, he offerred them money,

v. 19. Saying, Give me alſo this power, that on whomſoever I lay hands, he may receive the holy Ghoſt.

v. 20. But Peter ſaid unto him, Thy money periſh with thee, becauſe thou haſt thought that the gift of God may be purchaſed with money.

v. 21. Thou haſt neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the ſight of God.

v. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedneſs, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

v. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterneſs, and in the bond of iniquity.

v. 24. Then anſwered Simon, and ſaid, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of theſe things, which ye have ſpoken, come upon me.

v. 25. And they, when they had teſtified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jeruſalem, and preached the goſpel in many villages of the Samaritans.

p. 47v. 16. In nomen Jeſu] i. e. in hunc finem, ut teſtarentur ſe credere in Dominum Jeſum, nec non in Deum Patrem & Spiritum Sanctum, qui ſimul hic intelligendi ſunt per Synecdochen membri, Mat. 28.19.Matt 28:19v. 17. Manus impoſuerunt illis] Fuit haec ceremonia antiquitùs uſitata cum alicu aliquod bonum apprecarentur, & alicui benedicerent, Gen. 48.14. Non quod in Ceremoniâ aliqua vis eſſet, ſed quod eſſet viſibile ſignum cordialis, ac ſincerae comprecationis, vel benedictionis.Gen 48:14v. 20. q. d. Apoſtolus, Malim te, & pecuniam tuam perire, quàm me acceptation… illius pollui, vid. 2 Reg. 5.16, 17. Pecunia tua tecum maneat in exitium, i. e. tibi maneat, & tibi cedat in exitium, Piſc.2 Kgs 5:162 Kgs 5:17v. 21. Non eſt tibi pars neque ſors foreign pro re. Rom. 9.28. Hinc interpretor in hac re, nempe in dono Spiritus Sancti. Tu poteſtatem tribui cupis etiam aliis donandi Spiritum Sanctum? Abſit. Nam ne ipſe quidem portionem ullam habes in hac re, De Dieu. Secundum aliquos, foreign hic ſignificat beneficia per ſermonem Evangelii promiſſa.Rom 9:28v. 22. foreign] interna cogitatio, conſilium, & machinatio cordis. Si forte remittatur] Apoſtolus non docet dubitantèr precari, ſed vehementèr precari, & Simonem eò magis ad poenitendi ſtudium inflammat.v 23 foreign. Vocatur foreign amaritudo tanta quanta eſt ſellis, vel veneni. De felle amaritudinis, vid. Deut. 29.18. ubi ſimilis phraſis, & Heb. 12.15. De nexu injuſtitiae, Iſa. 58.6. 2 Tim. 2.26. Hiſce verbis deſcribit malitiam Simonis, ſcilicet, hypocriſin, & ambitionem, qua animus ejus veluti devinctus erat, quâque Deum graviſſimè offendebat, ut amaritudo ſellis offendit hominis guſtum, Piſc.Deut 29:18Heb 12:15Isa 58:62 Tim 2:26v. 24. Senſit ſe talem eſſe intus, qualem Apoſtoli dixerant. Itaque cum ipſos judicet Deo charos, eorum deprecatione uti vult, ut Jobi deprecationi, qui eum laeſerant. Grot.SECT. XV.

FRom Samaria, Philip is warned of an Angel(a)(a)Miniſterium verbi digniſſimum eſt officium, cum Angelorum interventu ad id vocentur homines. Speciali mandato Angeli, & ſpeciali inſtinctu Spiritus Sancti, v. 29. mittitur Philippus ad Aethiopem. Sic Petrus ſpeciali viſione & inſtinctu mittitur ad Cornelium, Act. 10. Sic Paulus, & Barnabas ſpeciali mandato mittuntur ad Macedones, Act. 16Acts 10Acts 16 in a Viſion, that he ſhould go to Gaza, but he muſt not travel the ordinary road; but the other way which was through the deſart, and lay through the mountains. In this way he meets with a great man an Eunuch, Treaſurer of Candace Queen of the Aethiopians (b)(b)Aethiopia eſt regio inter Arabiam, & Aegyptum, ſub zonâ torridâ.returning in his Chariot from Jeruſalem where (being as it ſeems a proſelyte) he had been to worſhip(c)(c)Fuit vir pius, ſed opus habuit majori illuminatione, & ſpeciali receptione Meſſiae exhibiti. at the feaſt of Pentecoſt. Philip by the inſtinct, and motion of the Spirit joining himſelf to his Chariot, finds him well imployed(d)(d)Qui cupit Deum habere comitem itineris, in divinis ſit occupatus. namely reading the Fifty third Chapter of the Prophet Iſaiah, and being courteouſly invited by him to come up into his Chariot(e)(e)En ſignum animi diſcendi cupidi, & de ſalute ſolliciti. and to interpret that Scripture to him, (which he acknowledges he did not well underſtand) Philip accordingly expreſſes himſelf ready to ſerve him therein. The words(f)(f)foreign propriè comprehenſio, i. e. pars ſermonis, quâ continetur certum pronunciatum, certá ve pronunciata. the Eunuch was reading are the ſeventh and eighth verſes of that Chapter. He was led as a ſheep (g)(g)Chriſtus non tantum paſſus eſt, ſed patientèr paſſus eſt., ſo opened he not his mouth. The next clauſe in the Hebrew Text was this. He was taken from priſon, and from judgment (h)(h)Iſa. 53. v. 8. In Hebraeo eſt foreign a coarctatione & à judicio tollitur: in LXX foreign. In ipſius depreſſione judicium ejus ſublatum est. Judicium aliquando pro jure ſumitur, Job 34.5. vid. Lightf. in loc. Aliqui haec verba ſic exponunt, De angustiâ, & judicio ſublatus est, hoc eſt, à paſſionis. vinculis, & morte ſolutus eſt, & liberatus per Patrem ſuum, cum à mortuis reſurgeret: & in depreſſione ejus, i. e. cruce & morte, judicium ejus, h. e. jus, ſeu cauſa ejus aſſerta eſt à Deo, vid. Freidl. in loc.Isa 53:8Job 34:5, that is, hurried from thence to execution; but the Septuagint (which Luke follows, and poſſibly the Eunuch at this time read) hath inlarged the ſenſe, by change of the phraſe, reading it thus, In his depreſſion, or humiliation, his judgment was taken away, that is, his right was taken away, and no right at all done him, and Who can ſufficiently declare the wickedneſs of that generation, which dealt ſo unjuſtly with him, as to take and cut him off from the land of the living, who was ſo innocent a perſon. Philip ſhews him that the Prophet in this place ſpeaks not of any other perſon but the Meſſias, who was now come into the world, and had done and ſuffered all that was propheſied of him. And having largely inſtructed him in the Doctrine of Chriſt, and (as 'tis probable) concerning Baptiſm alſo, the Eunuch deſired to be baptized, profeſſing his Faith in Chriſt. Thereupon Philip immediately baptized him, which when he had done, he was ſtrait-way tranſported, and carried out**See 1 King. 18.12. & 2 King. 2.16.1 Kgs 18:122 Kgs 2:16 of his ſight by the Spirit(i)(i)Inſigne exemplum quod miniſtri mittantur à Spiritu Sancto, quippe qui Philippum non tantum inſpiratione ſuâ ad Eunuchum perduxit, ſed & deindo tranſportavit in alium locum ubi concionari debebat. p. 48of the Lord (which might be an evidence to him, that he was ſent to him of God, and was no mercenary perſon, ſeeing he ſtaid not to receive any reward) and found himſelf ſet down at Azotus or Aſhdod, one of the five Cities of the Philiſtins [See Joſh. 15.47.] The Eunuch went on his way rejoycing at this wonderful mercy of God in revealing Chriſt to him, in whom he believed for the remiſſion of his ſins; But Philip paſſing through the Country, whither the Spirit had carried him, he preached the Goſpel in all the Cities and Towns thereof, through which he went, till he came to Caeſarea Stratonis …here it ſeems he ſtayed a great while. For fourteen years after t… …ul coming with the collections of Aſia, and Achaia to carry t… … o Jeruſalem he found Philip there with his whole Family, … lodged with him, See Act. 21.8.

Act. 8. v. 26. And the angel of the Lord ſpake unto Philip, ſaying, Ariſe, and go toward the South, unto the way that goeth down from Jeruſalem unto Gaza, which is deſert.

v. 27. And he aroſe, and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an …unuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who h…d the charge of all her treaſure, and had come to Jeruſalem for to worſhip;

v. 28. Was returning, and ſitting in his chariot, read Eſaias the prophet.

v. 29. Then the Spirit ſaid unto Philip, Go neer, and joyn thy ſelf to this chariot.

v. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Eſaias, and ſaid, Underſtandeſt thou what thou readeſt?

v. 31. And he ſaid, How can I except ſome man ſhould guide me? And he deſired Philip, that he would come up, and ſit with him.

v. 32. The place of the Scripture which he read, was this: He was led as a ſheep to the ſlaughter, and like a lamb dumb before the ſhearer, ſo opened he not his mouth:

33. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away; and who ſhall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.

v. 34 And the Eunuch anſwered Philip, and ſaid, I pray thee, Of whom ſpeaketh the prophet this? of himſelf, or of ſome other man?

v. 35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the ſame Scripture, and preached unto him Jeſus.

v. 36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the Eunuch ſaid, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?

v. 37. And Philip ſaid, If thou believeſt with all thine heart, thou mayſt. And he anſwered, and ſaid, I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God.

38. And he commanded the chariot to ſtand ſtill: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him.

v. 39. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch ſaw him no more: and he went on his way rejoycing.

v. 40. But Philip was found at Azotus: and paſſing thorow, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Ceſarea.