Acts 11

AND the apostles The rest of the Believers, who had not only one God to their Father, but one Church to their Mother, and were born of the same Spirit, and were fed by the same Milk of the Word of God., and brethren that were in Judea, heard that the This was a most incredible thing unto them who were of the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh, and were not acquainted with that Mystery that Abraham should have a Seed of his Faith, upon whom all the Promises were entailed. These looked upon the Gentiles as most execrable persons, such as the Apostle describes Ephes. 2.12. that had no hope, and were without God, and therefore no less than a Miracle, and that well attested, as this was, could make them change their Opinion. Gentiles also had received the word of God.

And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem They were such Iews as conversed with them of the Church, and argued against them for taking in the Gentiles into any fellowship with them. But it may be that the believing Iews might for a time be very weak, and offended at it, until they were further satisfied by the following Relation of St. Peter., they that were of the circumcision Till then they disputed and brought what Arguments they could against it. contended with him,

This is the Objection they make against Peter, That contrary to the Tradition of their Elders, and Precept of their Wise Men, he had familiarly conversed with the Gentiles. See Chap. 10 28. this they look upon as Piacular, although no conversation in order to the gaining of the Gentiles unto God, was ever forbidden; but only such as might withdraw the Iews from God. Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

But Peter This great Apostle condescends to the least and weakest amongst them, and gives an Account of what he had done, and the Reasons that moved him unto it, if by any means he might gain some, and confirm others. rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,

I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners, and it To show that he was especially concerned in this Vision, it being for his instruction and regulation. came even to me. See this whole Narration spoken to in the foregoing Chapter.

Upon the which when I had It speaking his great intention of mind upon it; God so ordering of it, that it might leave the greater impression upon him. fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

And I heatd a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter, slay, and eat. He might now use them without any distinction indifferently.

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing St. Peter here avoucheth, that he had lived in this ceremonial Righteousness, tho he thought himself far from being justified thereby. common or unclean has at any time He abstained from all the appearances of that Evil. entred into my mouth.

But the voice answered me This is twice spoken to St. Peter, that it might be the more unquestionable with him and others: it seeming otherwise very strange; and it may be therefore twice by St. Luke recorded. again from heaven, What God has cleansed, that call not thou common.

And this was done For the same reason but now mentioned, That God might more abundantly manifest this Mystery of the calling in of the Gentiles, which had been so long hid. three times: and all were drawn up again All this was from Heaven; unto which also it tended, namely, to bring the Gentiles thither. into heaven.

And behold, immediately there were So many sent: and such a Journy willingly undertaken, for to gain Instruction in the way of Life. three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Cesarea, unto me.

And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting: Moreover, these Whom they might hear testifie in the same thing, that in the mouths of so many it might be established. six brethren accompanied me, and we entred This Man meant, is Cornelius, concerning the entry into his House, and converse with him, the doubt or controversie was that he was now speaking to. into the mans house:

And he showed us how he had seen an Who by reason of his appearing a Man, is in Chap. 10.30. called a Man. angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter:

Who shall tell thee God promises that upon his obedience to this Oracle, in sending for Peter, he should tell him those things that were necessary to be known. words, whereby thou, and all thy house shall be saved. By him and his whole Family unto their Salvation. Whatsoever was formerly the case of such as obeyed the Precepts of Noah (as they were called) after Christ is come, and Preached unto the World, there is no other way unto Salvation, but through him.

And as I Whilst Peter was speaking, as Chap 1.1. began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them the Holy Ghost fell on them, as in the day of Pentecost, Chap. 2.4. he had fallen on the Apostles, either visibly by Fiery Cloven Tongue; or rather by extraordinarily enduing them with the Gift of Tongues; enabling the most illiterate amongst them to speak in any Language, needful for any to understand, towards their Salvation., as on us at the beginning.

Then remembred I the word Of Christ, who is every where so called. of the Lord, how that But these words seem rather spoken by St. Iohn himself, Matth. 3.11. Mark 1.8. which makes no difference. For, First, Whatsoever a Disciple of Christ says in his Name, it is as if it were spoken by himself. He that heareth you, heareth me. But, Secondly, Tho this was spoken by the Baptist, it was spoken by our Saviour also, Chap. 1.5. he said, John indeed baptized By which the great difference is implied betwixt outward Baptism (Administred by whomsoever, tho the Baptist himself) and the inward Baptism of the Holy Ghost; which, as Fire, separates powerfully the skum and dross of sin from us. with water; but be shall ye baptized The extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit. with the Holy Ghost.

The Apostles Argument is cogent: They who have the Grace signified by Baptism, ought to have the Seal of that Grace; but the Gentiles had the Grace signified by Baptism. Or they who have the inward Baptism, may not he denied the outward. As he that has a right to an Inheritance, cannot without Injustice be denied the Writings and Seals thereunto belonging. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand God? To deny Baptism unto any, unto whom it does belong, is to withstand God, and to keep back the Token of Gods Love from such unto whom it is sent.

When they heard these things, they They were fully satisfied with the reason St. Peter had given them of his admitting the Gentiles unto Baptism, and fellowship with him. Wisely inferring from what Peter had said, That it was of God, what he had done, who was to be acknowledged in it. held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then has Repentance is the Gift of God, as well as Faith, or any other Grace, 2 Tim 2.25. nor can the greatest guilt affect the heart with true godly sorrow, until God has quickned it. God also unto the Gentiles granted repentance It is called Repentance unto life, because God has appointed that it should precede our entrance into life. unto life.

¶ Now they which were So true has it been from the beginning of the Gospel, that sanguis martyrum est semen Ecclesiae. St. Stephens death, and the persecution upon it, was a great means of disseminating the Gospel. Thus all things work for good. scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as The Country about Tyre. Phenice, and An Island in the Mediterranean Sea. Cyprus, and The Metropolis of Syria. This explains what was briefly said, Chap. 8.4. and showed what places the Disciples were scattered into, and Preached in. They preached to the Iews only because they were not yet persuaded of the calling of the Gentiles; God suffering them to be enlightned by degrees. Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

And some of them were They were such as were born in Cyprus and Cyrene, but had their habitation in Ierusalem; and now upon the Persecution there, fled unto Antiock. men of Cyprus, and Cyrene, which when they were come to Which by this means in time became the Ierusalem of the Gentile-Christians, whither their greatest resort was. Antioch, spake unto the Here they of the dispersion taught not only such Hellenists as are spoken of, Chap. 6.1. who were born of Hebrew Parents, tho living out of the Country of Iudea; but such also amongst the Gentiles (who are generally called Greeks since Alexander's time, who conquered all those Nations round about, and brought in his own Language amongst them) who forsaking Idolatry, and worshipping the True God, were called, Devout or Religious persons, such as Cornelius is said to be, Chap. 10.2. And thus God by degrees brought in the knowledg of himself, and his Son Jesus Christ. Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. Which knowledg only is that which is necessary unto Salvation; and that only which Saul determined to know, 1 Cor. 2.2.

And the The Power, Assistance, and Working of God expressed by the Hand; which is the Organ or Instrument Men use in Working. This Hand, or Work of God was manifest: First, In the Miracles which they wrought. Secondly In the Conversion of any by these Miracles. For these alone cannot soften a heart; as appeared in Pharaoh, whose heart was hardened by them. hand of the Lord was with them: and Faith and Conversion are wrought by the Hand of the Lord, and are his Work. But in vain is Faith pretended unto, when there is no change in Heart and Life. What God has put together, none may put asunder. a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

¶ Then tidings of these things came This Pleonasm seems emphatical, to show with what readiness and delight the Church heard the news of the Conversion of so many to Christ. unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Of Barnabas we read, Chap. 4.36. who had given such an earnest of Love to God, and true Faith in Christ, for whose sake he sold what he had. Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch

Who, when he came, and had seen the Which appeared in their Conversion, being made manifest by their professions; and answered by their Pious lives and Conversations. For all which they might cry Grace, Grace. By the Grace of God is also to be understood the encreasing of the Church, and adding to it such as should be saved. grace of God, was This is matter of Joy in Heaven, Luke 15.7. and of all such as are learning their Lesson, and preparing for that Blissful place. glad, and exhorted them all, that with Firm and fix'd resolution, That come what can come, tribulation or distress, life or death, they would keep close to the profession of the Truth of Christ. This purpose of heart is the same with the whole heart elsewhere. Which purpose of heart they would must be joyned, or stick close to Gods Truth and Ways. cleave unto the Lord.

For he was Barnabas is here described to be beyond what the Iews called a Righteous Man, who would ay to his Neighbour, That which is yours, is yours; and that which is mine, is mine: meaning such as would do no wrong. But Barnabas, as the good Man in their esteem, (such an one as the Apostle, Rom 5.7. speaks of, for whom one would dare to die) had actually made, and not called only, that which was his, his poor Neighbours, selling what he had to bestow upon them, as Chap. 4.36. a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, and His good works accompanying his good preaching, might be a great means of the Conversion of so many. much people was added unto the Lord.

Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul or Paul being Barnabas's Friend and Acquaintance, whom Barnabas had brought to the knowledg of the Apostles, Chap. 9.27. he goes now to seek him, that they might advise and strengthen one another in the Work of the Lord. Saul.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that Frequency of meeting to partake of the Ordinances of God, is the great reason why the Gospel was so prevalent in this place. a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people; and the disciples Which will be renowned so long as the World lasts, because here the Banner of Christ was first publickly set up, and Men Listed under him: and this by Divine Authority, for the Word imports no less. And that it was not a name they gave themselves, much less was it a name the Enemies of Christianity gave unto the Professors of it, for they called them Nazareans or Galileans, out of contempt. But God would have Christs Disciples to be called Christians: not only as Scholars were amongst the Greeks called from their Masters (viz. Platonists, Pythagoreans, &c.) to teach us whom we profess to learn of, and to be instructed by; but to mind us of our Unction, (for Christians are anointed Ones) 1 Iohn 2.27. and are ade by Christ (in a Spiritual sense) Kings and Priests unto God and his Father, Revel 1.6. were called Christians first in Antioch.

¶ And in these days came These, here meant, were inabled to foretel things to come. A Gift which God did furnish some of his Church withal on such an extraordinary occasion, Ephes. 4.11. whereby they did before-hand signifie future things for the good of the Church, as here. Prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

And there stood up one of them, named Agabus, and signified By a resolution from the Spirit, as one of his Gifts, and not by Judicial Astrology, or any other means real or pretended. For it is a Prerogative of God only, to foretel things to come, as Isa. 41.22, 23. by the Spirit, That there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the This Famine Suetonius and other Heathen writers make mention of, tho some place it one year, and some in another year of Claudius his reign, it may be there were divers famines, or one might continue divers years; but thus God, who provided for the Patriarchs by means of Iosephs foreseeing of the scarcity in Egypt, and elsewhere; provides for his Church now also by a ike prediction. Gods Omniscience is exerted for his Churches preservation. days of Claudius Cesar.

Then the disciples, every man Which is the measure whereby we must mete out unto others, Luke 11.41. we are to give alms of such things as we have, or according as we are able. according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which These brethren or believers in Iudea, were very poor, by reason of the extraordinary malice and persecution of the Iews against them, and therefore recommended by St. Paul unto them of Arabia, (especially to the Corinthians) and to the believers in Macedonia. dwelt in Judea.

Which also they did, and sent it To the Apostles; or if they (as 'tis probable) were gone out of Ierusalem, to the Governors or chief of the Churches; for the famine being to come over all Iudea, 'tis most probable, that the other Churches, besides that in Ierusalem, did partake of this bounty. to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.