Commentary Upon Acts, Part 5
ACTS.
Chap. 9. Vers. 32. And it came to passe as Peter passed through all quarters.
THe occasion of Peters travaile at this time, may bee well apprehended to bee for the setling and confirming of those Churches that were now begun by the Ministery of the dispersed Preachers: One thing was most necessary for these new founded Churches, which the Preachers themselves could not provide for them, and that was Ministers or Pastors, unlesse they would have stayed there themselves, which in all places they could not doe and in many places they did not, if in any place at all they did longer then for a little space, the necessitie of dispersing the Gospell calling them from place to place: Therefore it was needfull that the Apostles themselves should goe after them to ordaine Ministers by the imposition of their hands, with which they did not onelyonly install or institute into the office of the ministery, but also bestowed the holy Ghost, for the inabling of those that they did ordaine, for the performance of that office, which gift the other Disciples could not bestow, and this may bee conceived one reason why ten of the twelve Apostles were absent from Ierusalem at Pauls comming there, as was observed before, namely because they were dispersed abroad over the new planted Churches for this purpose▪ And this was one cause why Peter travailes thus at this time, the plantations of the Churches still increasing: and his comforting, confirming and setling the Churches was another.
Through all quarters.
This referreth to those places mentioned in the verse preceding, Iudea, Galilee and Samaria: onelyonly whereas that verse speaketh of the places themselves, this Verse in the word foreign, a word of the masculine gender, referreth to the people of the places, and this is all the difference: And therefore Baronius is besides the Cushion, who upon this very place and out of this very word would conclude that Peter in this his peregrination did found the Episcopacy at Antioch. His words are these.
Luke, saith hee, being intent (as it appeareth) to commend to memory the more remarkable miracles wrought by Peter, hath omitted in silence the rest of his actions performed in this visitation of the province, and among other things, the institution of the Church of Antioch: which that it was erected by him in this very yeer, wee shall easily shew by the testimony of the ancients. Eusebius may bee alledged as one of these ancients, and one for all, who speaketh much to the same purpose, and somewhat further, but onelyonly with this difference that hee hath set downe this matter a little before the death of Tiberius. Peter the Apostle, saith hee, founded the Church of Antioch, and having there gotten his chaire bee sate five and twenty yeers. Thus Eusebius ad annum Christ. 38. Parisiis, 1511. Now to take up this position and story in its severall particulars, almost every parcell will prove a stumbling block, and before beleefe can bee given to it, it must passe thorow, and overcome these difficulties.
1. Whereas his journey to Antioch is laid in this visitation: it is strained beyond the letter, and beyond the Spirit and meaning of the Text. For that speaketh onelyonly of the Churches of Iudea, Galilee, and Samaria, and then how came in Antioch in another country? And those words through all quarters run at a very uncertaine randome if they bee uncircumscribed by the Verse before.
2. It is past all peradventure that as yet there was no Church at Antioch at all, much more that there was no Episcopall Chaire and See there. For it is a yeer yet to come before there be any mention of a Church there, Act. 11. and that that story of the first beginning of that Church lieth in its proper place and time without any transposition or Hysteron-proteron is so plaine to him that will but view it that it needeth no proof.
3. How is it consistent with Peters imprisonment at Ierusalem, Chap. 12. to sit Bishop in another country? Much more is it inconsistent, or rather to speak plainly, impossible that he should fit five and twenty yeers at Antioch and as many at Rome, and yet goe thither in the second of Claudius as hee is held to have done. Now Baronius hath espied these two stumbling blocks, and laboreth to remove them: but in his striving about the one, hee throweth dirt into Eusebius his best Authors face, for hee saith hee is corrupted; and indeed hee doth little lesse about the other: For whereas Eusebius saith in plaine termes, ibi sedit, Peter there sate, this his Paraphrast glosseth, that it sufficed though hee never came there; For with him Peter was as a Creator of Churches and Bishopricks; for if dixit factum est if hee but spake the word, bee hee where hee would, there was a Metropolis or an Episcopacy created in any place whatsoever. But not to spend much labour where wee are sure but of little profit, let it suffice the reader to have but a Catalogue and particular of his arguments, & let him censure them according to his own judgment.
Argum. 1. It was Peters office to oversee and take care of the whole stock, and for this hee visited all the Churches that lay round about Ierusalem, pag. 306. But that draweth on another question, which will bee harder to prove then this, and it maketh Paul but an intruder, th…t took upon him such a care.
Arg. 2. Peter taking opportunitie of the Churches tranquillity, pag. 306. visited all (the Christians which were in Syria) pag. 309. But here hee is besides his warrant of the Text, and maketh a History of his owne head.
Arg. 3. Peter wheresoever hee was might raise an Episcopall or metropoliticall See at any place distant where hee pleased, by the Authoritie wherewith hee was indewed, pag. 309. When this is proved, wee may beleeve the other that hee would prove.
Arg. 4. The number of Eusebius, of his sitting 25. yeers at Antioch, is an error crept into the Text, but the number of his 25. yeers at Rome, in him is right, pag. 306. but if hee bee at liberty to suspect the one, sure wee may have the like liberty to suspect the other.
Arg. 5. The Hierarchicall order seemeth not to indure, that the prime Church that had been as yet instituted, should bee governed by any but the prime Apostle, pag. 309.330. It will bee some worke to prove any Hierarchicall order at all, or Peter Prime Apostle, or Antioch, a chiefe Church above others more then by humane preferring, or Antioch yet a Church; and were all these proved, which never will bee, yet is the inference or argumentation thereupon but of small value and validity.
6. His last Argument is from Authorities, which at last hee gathereth into the Center of a Councell at Rome, pag. 332. But Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles, magis amica veritas.
As for his answers to Eusebius that calleth Evodius the first Bishop of Antioch, his answer to Ignatius that saith hee was placed there by the Apostles, more then one, and to Onuphrius, that maketh Peter Bishop of Rome before hee was Bishop of Antioch, bee they referred to the perusall in his owne Text, for the matter is not worth the labour of examining them.
Vers. 32. Lydda.
This seemeth to bee the same with Lod, 1 Chron. 8.12▪ A Citie in the Tribe of Benjamin, mentioned, Ezra 2.33.
Vers. 35. Saron.
Heb. Sharon: A fertile valley famous in Scripture, as 1 Chron. 27.29. Esa. 33.9. Cant. 2.1, &c. where the Targum renders it, the garden of Eden, and the Seventie foreign a field or p…aine, the masculine Article sheweth, it is not the name of a Citie: And so do the Seventie article it, Esa. 33.9. There is men…ion of a Sharon beyond Iordan, 1 Chron. 5.16. inhabited about by Gileadites: by which it seemeth that it was a common name for plaine champion grounds wheresoever.
Vers. 36. Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas.
Tabitha the Syriack, and Dorcas the Greek, do both signifie a Hind, or Doe, Capream as Beza renders it. Now the reason why Luke doth thus render the one into the other, seemeth to be because Tabitha was a Grecizing Jewesse, and so was commonly called by these two names, by the Syrian among the Hebrews, and by the Greeke among the Greeks.
Vers. 37. Whom when they had washed.
Whether it were a common custom among the Jews to wash all their dead bodies before they buryed them, as is concluded by many upon this place, wee will not insist to question; nor whether it were in token of the resurrection, or no, as some apply it; onelyonly the other application that they make hereupon, I cannot passe over untoucht: which is, that Paul spake in reference to this custome, and to that intention is this custome, when hee saith, foreign, &c. 1 Cor. 15.29. Else what shall they doe, which are baptized for the dead, &c. as our English reads it: as if the Apostle produced this custome as an argument for the resurrection, as meaning to what purpose should dead bodies bee washed, if not to betoken this: thus hee is conceived to argue: whereas, by the juncture of the 30. verse to this, it seemeth that hee intendeth a cleane contrary, or different thing, by being baptized foreign, namely, being baptized so as baptisme signifieth death by martyrdome, or suffering for the truth, as Matth. 20.22, 23. Luke 12.50. And his arguing is to this sense, If the dead rise not againe, what will become of those that are baptized with a martyriall baptism, or that doe suffer death for the profession of the truth? why are they then baptized for dead? yea, and why stand wee in jeopardy every houre of such a baptisme and martyrdome also? Why do they suffer, and why are we daily in danger to suffer for the truth, if there bee no resurrection? And so the word foreign to signifie, not vice, or supra, but pro, that is, in such a sense; and foreign to meane, In such a sense as baptized, meaneth, dead or martyred: As foreign is taken in this clause, foreign. Fabius delivered the power, or Army to Minucius, under this intent and meaning, or condition, that hee should not fight, Plut. in Fab.
Sect. They laid her in an upper chamber.
This probably was the publike meeting roome for the beleevers of that Town; Dorcas being a woman of some good ranke, as may bee conjectured by her plenteousnesse of good workes and almes-deeds. Now they purposely disposing of the dead corps, that Peter if hee would come, might exercise a miracle upon it, they lay it in that publike roome, that the company might bee spectators of the wonder; but Peter would not suffer them so to bee for some singular reason, ver. 40.
Acts X.
Sect. Some things remarkable about the calling in of Cornelius.
First, the Gospel had now dilated it selfe to the very utmost bounds of the Jews territories in Canaan, Iudea, Samaria, and Galilee, had been preached to, and through, and now is it got to the very walls of their dominions round about: And there wanteth nothing but laying the partition wall flat, that the Gospel may get out unto the Gentiles: and that is done in this Chapter; where the great partition and distance that was betwixt Jew and Gentile is utterly removed and taken away by God himselfe, who had first pitched and set it betwixt them.
Secondly, the two first and mainest stones of interposition that were laid in this wall, were circumcision and diet: the one in the time of Abraham, Gen. 17. the other in the time of Iacob, Gen. 32.32. And in reference to these two it is, that they of the Circumcision contend with Peter, upon his returne to Ierusalem, for they are grieved that hee went in to men uncircumcised, and ate with them, chap. 11.3. These were the proper distinguishers betwixt Israel and other Nations; for all their other Ceremonies were not so much to distinguish them from other people, as to compose them among themselves and towards God, they being first distinguished from others by these.
Of these two, singularity of Dyet, or Prohibition of certaine meates, was the more proper differencer, and the more strict distinctive: For all the seed of Abraham was circumcised, and so in regard of that Ceremony, there was no difference betwixt an Ismaelite and a Iew: But abstaining from such and such meates, was a proprium quarto modo, a singularity that differenced an Israelite from all the world besides.
Thirdly, therefore it was most proper, and of most divine reason, that the liberty of eating any meates, did denote and shew a liberty of conversing with any nation, and that the inlarging of the one, is the inlarging of the other.
Fourthly, the first-fruits of this inlargement, and entertainment beyond the partition wall is Cornelius, a Convert, but not a Proselyte: a man that was already come into God, but not come in to the Church of Israel: a man as farre contrarily qualified for such a businesse, in all humane appearance, as what could bee most contrary, as being a Roman, a Souldier, a Centurion; and yet hee of all men chosen to bee the first-fruits of the Gentiles, that God herein might bee the more plainly shewed to bee no respecter of persons.
Fifthly, it had been now 2210 yeares since the Heathen were cast off at the confusion of Babel, and had lain so long in darknesse, sin, superstition and idolatry, strangers to God, and aliens from the congregation of Israel; bondslaves of Satan, and under his dominion, and even all the world (Israel onelyonly excepted) become the kingdome of hell and the Devill.
Sixtly, Satan had by this very time brought his kingdome among these heathens to the very Apex and perfection, when hee had gotten one into the throne of the Roman Empire, (which was now over all the world) who by the very sword and power will force the people to adore him for a God, and had the sword and power in his owne hand to force them to adore him: as wee saw by Caius even now. And here I cannot but looke backe from Caius as hee sate in his throne as an ungodly Deity when the Gentiles began to bee called in, to the first Idoll that they proposed and set up for themselves to adore at Babel, as hee is described by the Ierusalem Targum at their first casting off: For thus doth it Paraphrase those Rebels plot and conspiracy, for the building of that Idolatrous Citie, Gen. 11.3. And they said, Come let us build a Citie and a tower, whose top may reach to heaven, and in the midst of it, let us build a Chappell, and an Idol in the head of it with a sword in his hand to fight for us that wee be not scattered.
Nor can I but looke forward also from the same Caius Deifying himselfe, and that in the Temple of God as wee shall see ere long, to the succeeding times of the Gentile Church, which is now beginning: wherein a man of sinne, the successor of Caius Caligula a thousand fold more likely, then the successor of Simon Peter, hath set up himselfe to be adored, and exalts himself above every thing that is called God.
Seventhly, the instrument of the first introducing of the Gentiles, by the bringing in of Cornelius, was Peter: not for any Primacy or universall Bishopship that hee was invested withall, but rather because hee was the most singular minister of the Circumcision: for his bringing in of the Gentiles would stop the mouth of the Judaizing beleevers the more.
Eighthly, and for this thing hee had a speciall ingagement and deputation from our Saviour a good while agoe as hee himselfe speaketh, Act. 15.7. And that was, when Christ giveth him the keyes of the kingdome of heaven, Matth. 16.19. that is, putteth into his hand, the peculiar priviledge to open the doore of faith and the Gospel to the Gentiles, and giveth him power withall to bind and to loose, the use of Moses Law among the Heathens when hee brought the Gospell among them, some of it to fall and some to stand, according as the Spirit should direct him, and accordingly it should bee ratified in heaven. And that this is the genuine, proper and onelyonly meaning of that so much disputed place, will bee undeniable to him that shall consider what is the proper meaning of the kingdome of heaven in Scripture, and of binding and loosing …n Jewish authors from whom that Phrase is taken.
Vers. 1. In Caesarea.
Called of old Turris Stratonis, Stratons Tower; but new built by Herod the great, and named Caesarea in honour of Augustus. It lay upon the Sea shore betwixt Ioppa *Dor.and Dorae saith Iosephus, Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 13. where hee describeth it at large.
Sect. The Italian band.
Not to spend time in inquiring what Italian band this was, whether Ferrata, or Dives, or Voluntariorii, or the like, it seemeth to me that the consideration of the place it selfe where Cornelius was, will help …o understand what Luke intendeth by it. For Caesarea was the place where the Roman Governor or Proconsull resided: as appeareth, Act. 23.23, 24. and 24.6. and that partly for the bravery of the Citie, and chiefly for the commodiousnesse of the haven: Now this Italian band may very properly bee understood of that band that attended the Governours person, or were his life-guard, and which had come out of Italy for this purpose to bee his defence and the defence of the Citie where hee lay.
Vers. 2. A devout man, &c.
foreign, A man that worshipped the true God, and followed not Idolatry: And a man that feared Good indeed, as well as hee worshipped him in profession.
Sect. Which gave much almes to the people.
To the Jewes, to whom almes was not uncleane though given by a heathen; to which thing our Saviour seemeth to allude in that speech, Luk. 11.41. But rather give almes of such things as yee have, and behold all things are cleane unto you. And upon this respect it is like that almes are called foreign Righteousnesse, so commonly among the Jewish authors, and used by the Syriack and Arabick here, because they lost not their nature or qualitie of cleannesse or puritie and righteousnesse, though they came even from an uncleane, yea a heathen person.
Sect. And prayed to God alway.
Beza hath made this clause the beginning of the next verse, and that, as hee saith, with the warrant of one copy. The Arabick doth the like: They thinke they mend the sense with it, in which they mistake because they mind not the scope: For it is the intent of the holy Ghost to shew the constant carriage of Cornelius in his devoutnesse, as Vers. 4. and not his devoutnesse as occasion of his vision.
Vers. 3. Hee saw in a vision evidently.
The word evidently, or foreign, is added to shew that he saw it waking, and with his bodily eyes, for there were visions in dreames, as Gen. 20.3. and 28.12. Iob 4.13.
Sect. About the ninth houre.
The houre of the evening sacrifice, three a clocke after noone: compare Dan. 5.21. Cornelius though hee were not yet proselyted by circumcision to the Jewish Church, yet followed hee their manner and forme of worship.
Vers. 9. To pray, about the sixt houre.
About twelve a clocke or high noone, and this was the time of the Mincha gedolah as the Jewes called it, or the very beginning of it: And so doe they expound, Dan. 6.10. and Psal. 55.17. accordingly. Daniel prayed three times a day, that is, say R. Saadias and R. Solomon, Morning, Evening, and at the Minchah. And Evening and Morning, and at noone will I pray, R. Sol. Evening, Morning and at Minchah, the three times of prayer: Now this Minchah time is described by their Doctors thus, Minchah gedolah, is the beginning of the time of the daily sacrifice betweene the two evenings, when the Sun begins to decline: which is from the sixth houre and forward untill night, some say, from the sixth houre and an halfe, which was according to our phrase in hand about the sixth houre: Now this their accounting was not for that they alwayes began to fall about their evening sacrifice at twelve a clock, or half an houre after, but because that it was lawfull then to begin to fall about it; for when there were additionall sacrifices besides the daily, as the Passeover, or the like, then it was necessary for them to begin to prepare the sacrifices from that time, that it was lawfull to begin about them; which from that time of the day it was, all the time from thence forward till night being foreign between the evenings, according to the letter of the Law, Exod. 12.6. Numb. 28.4. And to this sense speaketh the Text 1 King. 18.29. When noonetide was passed, and they had now prophecied till the offering of the Minchah: not till the very time of the firing of the sacrifice, for that the verses following deny: but to the time of the Minchah in that sense that wee have in hand: and to this purpose the difference of the words foreign here and foreign Vers. 36. is very remarkable.
So that Peter in this practise of praying about the sixth houre imitated the custome of the Jewes, and though hee had so long been a Convert to the Gospell, yet doth hee not forsake their manner of worship: no more did the other Disciples, as hath been shewed elsewhere.
foreign. An extasie fell upon him, and so Chap. 22.17. foreign, I was in an extasie: This was the highest and excellentest way of all other, of revelations; when a man was rapt even from himselfe into heaven: for so Paul calls it, 2 Cor. 12.2. and was wholly in the spirit, for so Iohn calls it, Rev. ….10. being for the time as it were out of the body, and in the very next degree to soules departed, enjoying God. Seven manner of extraordinary wayes did God use to reveale himselfe and his will to his people in ancient times. 1. By dreames. 2. By apparitions when they were awake. 3. By visions when they were asleepe. 4. By voyce from heaven. 5. By Vrim. 6. By inspiration, or revealing of the eare. 7. By rapture or extasie: and this last the excellentest, as to him that did injoy it. And of this should I understand that deep sleepe that fell upon Adam, Gen. 2.21.
Vers. 12. Fourfooted beasts and wild beasts.
foreign and foreign Beasts tame and wild, for so doth the Scripture most frequently distinguish them.
Vers. 15. That call not thou common.
Gr. foreign: Do not thou pollute, that is, do not thou call or account polluted, Vers. 28. For so is the use of Scripture very frequently, to speake as in an effective or active sense, and to intend onelyonly a declarative, as Gen. 41.13. Me hee restored to my office, but him hee hanged, Ezek. 43.3. When I came to destroy the Citie: The Priest did make cleane, or make uncleane the Leper, Lev. 13.6.8. &c. which was onelyonly pronouncing cleane or uncleane, as our English hath well rendred it: or teaching what was cleane and what unclean, as Chap. 14.57. And in the very same sense is the binding and loosing to bee understood, Matth. 16.19. and 18.18. for teaching what is bound and what loose, what foreign and what foreign as the Jewes speake, or what lawfull, what unlawfull.
Vers. 28. Yee know how that it is a… unlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company, &c.
foreign. By which words is not to bee understood as if a Jew might have no dealing at all with a Gentile, for they might walke, and talke, and traffick with them, and it was within a little of impossible to doe otherwise, they living exceeding many of them in heathen Cities: And Gentiles came continually in way of trade to Ierusalem, Neh. 13.16. But the unlawfulnesse of their conversing with the Gentiles, was conversing in neere and more close societie, as the word foreign signifieth, and that especially in these two things, not to eate with them, and not to goe into their houses: And this is that for which they of the Circumcision excepted at Peter upon his returne. Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eate with them, Chap. 11.3.
Sect. But God hath shewed mee, that I should not call any man common, or uncleane.
This vision that Peter had, when this satisfaction was given him, to learne to call nothing common, was onelyonly of beasts and fowles and creeping things, yet might hee learne that the lesson was also to bee understood of men, because the distinction between men and men in regard of common and uncleane was first made and most strictly made by the difference betwixt meats and meats. For the very first distinguisher that ever began to inclose Israel for a peculiar from other people, was the not eating of the smew that shrank, Gen. 32. Circumcision distinguished the seed of Abraham from other people, but this began to distinguish Israel from the other seed of Abraham. And it is observable, that that ceremony or distinctive rite was first taken up, when Iacob first received the name of Israel.
Now it is true indeed that their forbearing to eate the smew that shranke, was not as if they accounted it common or uncleane, but it was in regard of the honorable memoriall that they read upon it, yet was that ceremony the first and proper distinguisher of an Israelite from all other people under heaven some hundreds of yeeres, till more distinctive rites came in, and more things were prohibited to bee eaten, for the surer distinction.
There was distinction of cleane and uncleane beasts before the flood, as appeareth, Gen. 7.8. but this was in reference to sacrifice onelyonly, and not in reference to diet at all: for till the flood they ate nothing but the fruits of the ground, till God gave Noah libertie to eate flesh, and to eate any thing that was wholesome for diet. And in this libertie did the world continue till the Law given at Sinai, save onelyonly an Israelites not eating the smew that shranke: And this libertie some Jewes themselves confesse shall be in the dayes of Messias, which now first taketh place at this vision of Peter and forward. And here doth Peter begin to put in use and ure that power of binding and loosing which Christ had put into his hands, when hee put into his hands the keyes of the kingdome of heaven: And this very place doth so cleerly expound and interpret that speech of our Saviour to him, that it is a wonder that ever there should bee such scruple and controversie about it.
For, 1. Here beginneth the kingdome of heaven: when the Gentiles are received to savour and to the Gospell, who had been so long cast off, and laine in ignorance and idolatry, and when no difference is made betwixt them and the Jewes any longer, but of every nation, they that feare God and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him as well as Israel. This is the very first beginning or dawning to the kingdome of heaven; and so it grew on more and more, till Ierusalem was destroyed, and then was the perfect day, when the Gentiles onelyonly were become the Church of Christ, and no Church or Commonwealth of Israel to bee had at all, but they destroyed and ruined.
Secondly, here Peter hath the keyes of the Kingdome, and unlocketh the doore for the Gentiles to come in to the faith & Gospel, which till now had bin shut and they kept out. And Peter onelyonly had the keys, and none of the Apostles or Disciples but hee: for though they from hence forward brought in Gentiles daily in to the Kingdome of Heaven, by converting them to the Gospel; yet it was hee that first and onelyonly opened the doore, and the doore being once opened, was never shut, nor ever shall be till the end of the world. And this was all the priority that Peter had before the other Apostles, if it were any priority; and how little this concerneth Rome, or the Papacy, as to be any foundation of it, a childe may observe.
3. Peter here looseth the greatest strictnesse, and what was the straitest bound up of any thing that was in all the policy of Moses and customes of the Jews, and that was, the difference of cleane and uncleane in the legall sense. And this he looseth on earth, and it is loosed in heaven, for from heaven had hee an immediate warrant to dissolve it: And this hee doth, first declaratively, shewing that nothing henceforward is to bee called common or uncleane, and shewing his authoritie for this doctrine, and then practically conforming himselfe to this doctrine that hee taught, by going in unto the uncircumcised, and eating with them: Binding and loosing in our Saviours sense, and in the Jewes sense from whose use hee taketh the phrase, is of things and not of persons, for Christ saith to Peter foreign, and foreign and not foreign, whatsoever thou bindest and not whomsoever, and to the other Apostles foreign, Matth. 18.18! and foreign and not foreign, whatsoever things, and not whatsoever persons, so that though it bee true indeed that Jewes and Gentiles are loosed henceforward one to the communion of another, yet the proper object of this loosing that is loosed by Peter, was that Law or doctrine that tied them up: and so concerning the eating of those things that had been prohibited, it is true indeed that the Jewes were let loose henceforward to the use of them in diet and to eate what they thought good, but this loosing was not so properly of the men, as the loosing of that prohibition that had bound them before. And this could bee no way but doctrinally by teaching that Christian libertie that was given by the Gospel.
Now though Peter onelyonly, and none but hee had the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven, yet had all the Apostles the power of binding and loosing as well as hee: and so have all the Ministers of the Gospel as well as they, and all in the lame sense, namely, doctrinally to teach what is bound and loose, or lawfull and unlawfull, but not in the same kinde: for the Apostles having the constant and unerring assistance of the holy Ghost, did nullifie by their doctrine, some part of Moses Law, as to the use of it, as Circumcision, Sacrifices, Pu…ifyings, and other legall Rites, which could not have been done by men that had not had such a spirit, for there must bee the same spirit of Prophecy to abrogate a Law, which had set it in force.
This matter therefore of Cornelius his calling in, as the first-fruits of the Gentiles, is a thing that deserves very high regard and consideration; as in which are included and involved so many things of note as have been mentioned, and divers others that might bee added thereunto; and in the consideration of the matter, the time of it is not to bee neglected, which to the serious and considerate Reader and weigher of things in the ballance of judgement, will appeare to bee in this yeare in which wee have laid it; especially, that being concluded upon, which before wee proved undeniable, that the Famine was in the second yeare of Claudius. And this time is the rather to bee looked upon, because that some doe foolishly misconstrue a clause in Daniel 9.27. by missing of the right time of this occurrence of Cornelius. For looking no further into the text then in our English translation, which there hath not spoken the minde of the Originall, they conceive that Christ dyed in the midst of the last seven yeares of the seventy sevens, namely, when three yeares and an halfe of the seven were gone, and that at the end of the other three and an halfe Cornelius was converted: and so they will make those seventies to end in that his conversion, and not in Christs death: which were scarcely worth answering, though wee had time and season to doe it: seeing it riseth from a mistake in the Text, and sets in a mistake of the time.
Ver. 30. Foure dayes agoe I was fasting, &c.
The Greeke hath it, From the fourth day untill this houre I was or have been fasting: by which it seemeth that Cornelius had now been fasting foure dayes together, as Paul was three dayes at his conversion, Chap. 9.9. But it is not much materiall whether wee understand it so, or as it is commonly understood of his fasting foure dayes since, till such an houre of that day, as it was now of this day when he is speaking to Peter, unlesse we will make any thing of it, that the Jewes especially upon their solemn dayes used to taste nothing till noone, and Cornelius herein follows their custome: and that it was about noone when Peter comes to Cornelius, as it was about noone when Cornelius messengers came to Peter: And so the distance betwixt Caesarea to bee a days journey and an half.
Vers. 36. The Word which God sent.
Bez… supposeth that this▪ verse ought to bee referred and joyned to the verse that went before, and they two together to bee construed to this sense, Now I know that God is no respecter of Persons; but in every Nation, hee that feareth him, and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted of him; which is the very doctrine which God sent among the children of Israel by Moses and the Prophets, preaching peace by them by Iesus Christ. And one maine induction that hee hath to this construction is, because otherwise it would bee improper for Peter to say, Cornelius and his friends knew this word, when it was Peters very errand to instruct them in it, and teach it to them. But the words are to bee read and taken in the sense that our English hath wel made of them; namely, as following the word ye know: For all the Country knew that Iesus preached, and preached peace and the like; and thousands though they knew that hee preached, and what hee preached, yet did they not beleeve that hee was the Messias, nor that hee was risen from the dead: and these two last things it was that Peter came to teach Cornelius, and not to tell him that Iesus of Nazareth had preached, for, that hee and all his friends knew.
Ver. 44. The holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word.
This was a second confirmation of the entertainment of the Gentiles to the Gospel, or a miracle added by God, to the doctrine preached by Peter, that nothing now was to be accounted common or unclean: for when God had powred the holy Ghost upon the uncircumcision as well as upon the circumcised, it was evidence sufficient that now God made no difference betwixt them: How these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit had been confined hitherto onelyonly to the Nation of the Jewes, it is not onelyonly cleare by scripture, but it is upon that cleerenesse thought by the Jewes that it must be confined thither ever, and that neither any Gentile at all, nor hardly any Jew out of the Land of Canaan could be capable of them; and therefore when they here see the same measure and fulnesse and freenesse of the Spirit upon the Gentiles, as had been upon the Jews; they cannot but conclude that the difference was in vanishing, and that God was setting up a Church among them, when hee bestowed the spirit of Prophecy upon them.
Ver. 47. Can any man forbid water, &c.
Peters thoughts in these words, looke backe to those words of our Saviour, Goe teach all Nations, and baptize them, Mat. 28.19. where he meaneth not, that none should bee baptized but those that are capable of teaching, but his meaning is this, that whereas his Disciples had hitherto been limited and confined onelyonly to preach to the Jews, & to go to none but to the lost sheep of Israel; now had the Jews by the murdering of Christ shewed themselves unworthy, and had forfeited the benefit of the Gospel; and therefore Christ now inlargeth his Apostles and Disciples, to goe now and to teach all Nations, and to baptize them, to preach to the Heathens, and to bring them in by baptisme, since the Jews had despised the Gospel, and crucified the Lord of life that preached it: To this it is that Peter here looketh, at this first conversion of the Gentiles; and when hee seeth the very same gifts bestowed on them from Heaven, that were upon the Jewes, hee concluded that none could object against their being baptized; and accordingly hee commands that they should bee baptized: either by some of those that came with him from Ioppa, they being more then probably Ministers; or hee commanded that provision should bee made for their baptizing by himselfe.
Acts XI.
That part of this Chapter which falleth under this yeare that we have in hand, viz. to ver. 19. is but a rehearsall of this Story in the tenth Chapter, and therefore it is not necessary to insist upon it.