mh_parser/vol_split/44 - Acts/0 - Introduction.xml

<div2 id="Acts.i" n="i" next="Acts.ii" prev="Acts" progress="0.35%" title="Introduction">
<h2 id="Acts.i-p0.1">Acts</h2>
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<p id="Acts.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Acts.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Acts.i-p1.2">W I T H   P R A C T I C A L   O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Acts.i-p1.3">OF THE</h5>
<h2 id="Acts.i-p1.4">A C T S   O F   T H E   A P O
S T L E S.</h2>
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<p class="indent" id="Acts.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Acts.i-p2.1">We</span> have with
an abundant satisfaction seen the foundation of our holy religion
laid in the history of our blessed Saviour, its great author, which
was related and left upon record by four several inspired writers,
who all agree in this sacred truth, and the incontestable proofs of
it, that <i>Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.</i>
Upon this rock the Christian church is built. How it began to be
built upon this rock comes next to be related in this book which we
have now before us, and of this we have the testimony only of
<i>one witness;</i> for the matters of fact concerning Christ were
much more necessary to be fully related and attested than those
concerning the apostles. Had Infinite Wisdom seen fit, we might
have had as many books of the Acts of the Apostles as we have
gospels, nay, as we might have had gospels: but, for fear of
over-burdening the world (<scripRef id="Acts.i-p2.2" osisRef="Bible:John.21.25" parsed="|John|21|25|0|0" passage="Joh 21:25">John xxi.
25</scripRef>), we have sufficient to answer the end, if we will
but make use of it. The history of this book (which was always
received as a part of the sacred canon) may be considered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.i-p3">I. As looking back to the preceding
gospels, giving light to them, and greatly assisting our faith in
them. The promises there made we here find made good, particularly
the great promises of the descent of the Holy Ghost, and his
wonderful operations, both <i>on</i> the apostles (whom here in a
few days we find quite other men than what the gospels left them;
no longer weak-headed and weak-hearted, but able to say that which
then they were not able to bear (<scripRef id="Acts.i-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:John.16.12" parsed="|John|16|12|0|0" passage="Joh 16:12">John
xvi. 12</scripRef>) as bold as lions to face those hardships at the
thought of which they then trembled as lambs), and also with the
apostles, making the word mighty to the <i>pulling down of</i>
Satan's <i>strong holds,</i> which had been before comparatively
preached in vain. The commission there granted to the apostles we
here find executed, and the powers there lodged in them we here
find exerted in miracles wrought on the bodies of people—miracles
of mercy, restoring sick bodies to health and dead bodies to
life—miracles of judgment, striking rebels blind or dead; and much
greater miracles wrought on the minds of people, in conferring
spiritual gifts upon them, both of understanding and utterance; and
this in pursuance of Christ's purposes, and in performance of his
promises, which we had in the gospels. The proofs of Christ's
resurrection with which the gospels closed are here abundantly
corroborated, not only by the constant and undaunted testimony of
those that conversed with him after he arose (who had all deserted
him, and one of them denied him, and would not otherwise have been
rallied again but by his resurrection, but must have been
irretrievably dispersed, and yet by that were enabled to own him
more resolutely than ever, in defiance of bonds and deaths), but by
the working of the Spirit with that testimony for the conversion of
multitudes to the faith of Christ, according to the word of Christ,
that his resurrection, the sign of the prophet Jonas, which was
reserved to the last, should be the most convincing proof of his
divine mission. Christ had told his disciples that they should be
his witnesses, and this book brings them in witnessing for
him,—that they should be <i>fishers of men,</i> and here we have
them enclosing multitudes in the gospel-net,—that they should be
the <i>lights of the world,</i> and here we have the world
enlightened by them; but that day—spring from on high the first
appearing of which we there discerned we here find shining more and
more. The <i>corn of wheat,</i> which there fell to the ground,
here springs up and bears much fruit; the <i>grain of
mustard-seed</i> there is here a <i>great tree;</i> and <i>the
kingdom of heaven,</i> which was then <i>at hand,</i> is here set
up. Christ's predictions of the virulent persecutions which the
preachers of the gospel should be afflicted with (though one could
not have imagined that a doctrine so well worthy of all acceptation
should meet with so much opposition) we here find abundantly
fulfilled, and also the assurances he gave them of extraordinary
supports and comforts under their sufferings. Thus, as the latter
part of the history of the Old Testament verifies the promises made
to the fathers of the former part (as appears by that famous and
solemn acknowledgment of Solomon's, which runs like a receipt in
full, <scripRef id="Acts.i-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.8.56" parsed="|1Kgs|8|56|0|0" passage="1Ki 8:56">1 Kings viii. 56</scripRef>,
<i>There has not failed one word of all his good promises which he
promised by the hand of Moses his servant</i>), so this latter part
of the history of the New Testament exactly answers to the world of
Christ in the former part of it: and thus they mutually confirm and
illustrate each other.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.i-p4">II. As looking forward to the following
epistles, which are an explication of the gospels, which open the
mysteries of Christ's death and resurrection, the history of which
we had in the gospels. This book introduces them and is a key to
them, as the history of David is to David's psalms. We are members
of the Christian church, that <i>tabernacle of God among men,</i>
and it is our honour and privilege that we are so. Now this book
gives us an account of the framing and rearing of that tabernacle.
The four gospels showed us how the foundation of that house was
laid; this shows us how the superstructure began to be raised, 1.
Among the Jews and Samaritans, which we have an account of in the
former part of this book. 2. Among the Gentiles, which we have an
account of in the latter part: from thence, and downward to our own
day, we find the Christian church subsisting in a visible
profession of faith in Christ, as the Son of God and Saviour of the
world, made by his baptized disciples, incorporated into religious
societies, statedly meeting in religious assemblies, attending on
the apostles' doctrine, and joining in prayers and the breaking of
bread, under the guidance and presidency of men that gave
themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, and in a
spiritual communion with all in every place that do likewise. Such
a body as this thee is now in the world, which we belong to: and,
to our great satisfaction and honour, in this book we find the rise
and origin of it, vastly different from the Jewish church, and
erected upon its ruins; but undeniably appearing to be of God, and
not of man. With what confidence and comfort may we proceed in, and
adhere to, our Christian profession, as far as we find it agrees
with this <i>pattern in the mount,</i> to which we ought
religiously to conform and confine ourselves!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.i-p5">Two things more are to be observed
concerning this book:—(1.) The penman of it. It was written by
Luke, who wrote the third of the four gospels, which bears his
name; and who (as the learned Dr. Whitby shows) was, very probably,
one of the seventy disciples, whose commission (<scripRef id="Acts.i-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.1" parsed="|Luke|10|1|0|0" passage="Lu 10:1">Luke x. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c.) was little inferior to
that of the twelve apostles. This Luke was very much a companion of
Paul in his services and sufferings. <i>Only Luke is with me,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.i-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.4.11" parsed="|2Tim|4|11|0|0" passage="2Ti 4:11">2 Tim. iv. 11</scripRef>. We may know
by his style in the latter part of this book when and where he was
with him, for then he writes, We did so and so, as <scripRef id="Acts.i-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.16.10 Bible:Acts.20.6" parsed="|Acts|16|10|0|0;|Acts|20|6|0|0" passage="Ac 16:10,20:6"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 10; xx. 6</scripRef>; and
thenceforward to the end of the book. He was with Paul in his
dangerous voyage to Rome, when he was carried thither a prisoner,
was with him when from his prison there he wrote his epistles to
the Colossians and Philemon, in both which he is named. And it
should seem that St. Luke wrote this history when he was with St.
Paul at Rome, during his imprisonment there, and was assistant to
him; for the history concludes with St. Paul's preaching there in
his <i>own hired house.</i> (2.) The title of it: <i>The Acts of
the Apostles; of the holy Apostles,</i> so the Greek copies
generally read it, and so they are called, <scripRef id="Acts.i-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.20" parsed="|Rev|18|20|0|0" passage="Re 18:20">Rev. xviii. 20</scripRef>, <i>Rejoice over her you holy
apostles.</i> One copy inscribes it, <i>The Acts of the Apostles by
Luke the Evangelist.</i> [1.] It is the history of the apostles;
yet there is in it the history of Stephen, Barnabas, and some other
apostolical men, who, though not of the twelve, were endued with
the same Spirit, and employed in the same work; and, of those that
were apostles, it is the history of Peter and Paul only that is
here recorded (and Paul was now of the twelve), Peter the apostle
of the circumcision, and Paul the apostles of the Gentiles,
<scripRef id="Acts.i-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Gal.2.7" parsed="|Gal|2|7|0|0" passage="Ga 2:7">Gal. ii. 7</scripRef>. But this suffices
as a specimen of what the rest did in other places, pursuant to
their commission, for there were none of them idle; and as we are
to think what is related in the gospels concerning Christ
sufficient, because Infinite Wisdom thought so, the same we are to
think here concerning what is related of the apostles and their
labours; for what more is told us from tradition of the labours and
sufferings of the apostles, and the churches they planted, is
altogether doubtful and uncertain, and what I think we cannot build
upon with any satisfaction at all. This is <i>gold, silver,</i> and
<i>precious stones,</i> built upon the <i>foundation:</i> that is
<i>wood, hay, and stubble.</i> [2.] It is called their <i>acts,</i>
or <i>doings; Gesta apostolorum;</i> so some.
<b><i>Praxeis</i></b>—their practices of the lessons their Master
had taught them. The apostles where active men; and though the
wonders they did were by the word, yet they are fitly called
<i>their acts;</i> they spoke, or rather the Spirit by them
<i>spoke, and it was done.</i> The history is filled with their
sermons and their sufferings; yet so much did they labour in their
preaching, and so voluntarily did they expose themselves to
sufferings, and such were their achievements by both, that they may
very well be called their <i>acts.</i></p>
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