it is the Gr. Text above c. 22. v. 6. In the way To wit When I was not far from Damascus See above c. 9. v. 3. 22.6 I saw c. See above c. 9. v. 3. 22. v. 6. 14. I heard c. See above c. 9. v. 4. 22. v. 7. 15. I c. See above c. 9. v. 5. 22. v. 8. 16. But rise and stand upon thy Feet Because both he and all those who were present with him Companions in his Journey being dazled with the Brightness of the Light which exceeded that of the Sun were fallen down upon the Earth See above v. 14. For I have appeared unto thee for this Purpose That is For this end have I who am taken up into Heaven and there sit at the Right-hand of God whom the Heavens must contain until the times of the Restitution of all things and who must at the last day come down from Heaven I I say Jesus of Nazareth whose Countenance while I was on Earth shone as the Sun Mat. 17. v. 2. now reigning in Heaven have shewn my self to thee in the brightness of Light more resplendent than that of the Sun To make thee Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may take thee in my hands See what we have noted on this Greek word above c. 22.14 A Minister and a Witness c. As if he had said As him whom I will employ for a Preacher and Witness both of those things which thou hast now seen and also of those things which shall afterwards be shewed thee by me Paul 's many Visions saith Grotius are had respect unto above c. 18.9.23.11 2 Cor. 2.2 See what we said above c. 22.15 17. Delivering thee from the People and the Gentiles That is Promising my Protection whereby thou shalt be delivered from those Dangers which shall attend thee from the Jewish People and strange Nations for the discharge of that Ministry Vnto whom now I send thee First indeed to the Jewish Nation but especially afterwards to the Gentiles of which I peculiarly make thee an Apostle See above c. 22.21 18. To open That is That by the Preaching of the Gospel thou mayest open Their Eyes Not of the Body but of the Mind a Metaphor taken from the Body as Isa 42.7 Eph. 1.18 To turn them from darkness To wit Of Ignorance and Wickedness See Col. 1.13 To light That is To the perfect Knowledg of Gospel Truth and Godliness flowing thence In the Gr. in is again put for ad as in the Verse immediately preceding And from the Power of Satan Which wicked and envious Spirit while he maliciously fights against God and Men by his Errors that he sows and Vices that result from them he keeps Men that are ignorant of the Truth Revealed by God in his own Power and Dominion as under Tyranny in miserable Slavery drawing them into utter Destruction To God That is To the true and sound way of worshipping God That they may receive c. As if he had said That Believing in me they may receive a free Pardon of their Sins and be Partakers of the everlasting Inheritance which God hath appointed to those who are separated from the Multitude of the Profane Lot That is As it is in the English Inheritance because Inheritances used to be distributed by Lot By that Lot or Inheritance is understood everlasting Communion in that Heavenly Beatitude which God himself enjoys Among the Holy Gr. In the Sanctified That is as it is in the English Among them that are Sanctified or among them who by the Efficacy of the Holy Spirit are separated to God from the Ungodliness and Ignorance of worldly Men. By Faith Excellently saith Calvin Some read wrong in one Context Among those that are Sanctified by Faith because this Particle is extended to the whole Complex therefore the meaning is That by Faith we come to the Possession of all the good things that are offered in the Gospel That is in me Faith in Jesus Christ or Confidence reposed in him as a Saviour and in his Promises and that lively and working by Charity and Obedience to his Commands joyned with a sincere Repentance of their by-past Life of which below v. 20. and above c. 20. v. 21. This Faith I say is the Means by which through the Grace of God are obtained those excellent Benefits above mentioned viz. Remission of Sins deliverance from the Punishments deserved by them especially from the second or everlasting Death the Gift of the Heavenly Inheritance and everlasting Life See Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2.17 22 26. Joh. 3.23 But that Faith in Christ and Hope joyned therewith through Christ goeth to the same God whom the Jews profess themselves to be Worshippers of See Joh. 12.44 1 Pet. 1.21 19. Whereupon That is Wherefore as Heb. 3.1.7.25 Incredulous In the Greek as also the English it is Disobedient to wit By Stubbornness and Inflexible Obstinacy As powerful as that Call was says Grotius yet it did not take away the Power of Resisting God will have voluntary Obedience not forced See Isa 50.5 Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.7 8 15. 4.7 Vnto the Heavenly Vision That is The divine Will which I learned from Christ shewing himself to me above v. 16. 20. But. Obedient to the Heavenly Revelation in all things First unto them of Damascus See above c. 9.19 20 22. And at Jerusalem Ibid. v. 28. And throughout all the Country of Judea That is Through other Cities of Judea besides the Metropolis yea also without Judea among the Jews that inhabited other Countries See above c. 13.5 14 16.14.1.17 2 10.18.4 19.19.8 And the Gentiles Strangers to the Jewish People See above c. 13.42 48.14.1 15 21 25 26.15.35.16.13 32.17.17 c. 18.4.19.10 Declared The Evangelical Doctrine of Christ That they should Repent That is That they might be sorry that they have offended God And be turned To wit From the Wickedness of their Ways To God To wit The true God who is to be worshipped devoutly and piously Works meet for Repentance That is Works agreeable to Virtue and becoming a Person who repents sincerely of a Vicious and Flagitious Life See what I have said on Mat. 3.2 8. 21. For this cause That is Because I Preached these things among the Jews and other Nations The Jews caught me while I was in the Temple See above c. 21. v. 27 30. Went about to kill me Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they attempted to kill me with their hands That is by Force and violence to kill me uncondemned 22. But having obtained help Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore as also the English instead of the adversative Particle but as Mat. 12.12 Of God Who verily according to Christs promise above v. 17. having a design to deliver me from the snares that were laid for me out of his Mercy provided those means for me to escape out of the hands of my Enemies of which see above c. 21. v. 31 32 33.22 23
year of our Lord 461. and another John Sirnamed Manzur whom Suidas extols to the Skies the Greeks being very Prodigal in their own praise lib. 2. de hist graecis c. 24. Although indeed saith Vossius Damascenus was a most learned Man and of great Fame yet in many things he was overcredulous His Histories related in his Sermons shew this Baronius doth truly acknowledge that his Writings are of very uncertain credit and that he abounds with many fictions Exercit. 13. adver Baron sect 38. which opinion of his Casaubon confirms where he remarked many and gross Errors In others of his writings he does not appear Judicious as for examples sake when he tells us of Falconillaes Soul that she by the Prayers of S. Thecla the first Martyr was delivered from the punishments of Hell although she died in the Heathens Errors and Idolatry Likewise where he saith that the Soul of the Emperour Trajan was exempted from infernal punishments by the Prayers of Gregory the Great Both which you may read in Damascenus in his Oration of those who dyed in the Faith This man was a great defender of Images against the Emperor Lâ—o Isaurus and his Son Constantine the fifth of that name sirnamed Copronymus in a Synod of three hundred thirty eight Bishops convocated by the same Constantine held at Constantinople Anno Dom. 754. which also was called the seventh Oecumenick Synod he with Germanus and George sometimes Patriarchs of Constantinople was Condemned as an Idolater and Worshipper of Wood and Images as appears from the Acts of that Synod which are inserted in the sixth Action of the Acts of the second Synod of Nice Amongst his own he was called Chrysorrhoas for his Eloquence He dyed Anno Dom. 760. The Damascene Prunes are also famous which were wont to be carried from the City Damascus to Rome together with small Figgs called Cottana of which Juvenal Satyr 3. v. 85. By the way we may observe that this kind of small Figgs was so called as Hesychius witnesseth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little Hence Martial saith Elegantly Lib. 13 Epigram 28. These Cottana which have been sent to thee in a round turned Pannier if they were bigger they would be Figgs This name Cottana among the Cretians signified also a Virgin as witnesseth the same Hesychius in the fore-cited place which is deduced from the same Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little to wit Giâ—le If you desire to know more of this most Ancient City you may consult the Itinerary of Benjamin Thudelensis and Hoffmans universal Lexicon To the Synagogues How great a multitude of Jews was at Damascus De bell Jud. lib. 2. c. 25. may be gathered from what Josephus saith that under Nero ten thousand Jews unarmed being by chance gathered in the publick Baths were there oppressed and slain by the Inhabitants of Damascus It is very probable that many of the Jews converted to Christ did to avoid the Persecution stirred up at Jerusalem fly to Damascus therefore Paul not being content to have vexed them at Jerusalem he willingly undertook the pains to prosecute them thither For the Governor of Damascus under Aretas the King of â—rabia the Stony and Damascus was a great favourer and abettor of the Persecutors of Christs Disciples as appears from 2 Cor. 11.32 That if he found any c. As much as to say That a License and liberty might be given him to bring all such as he found Professors of the Christian Religion without difference of Sex bound as Malefacâ—ors to Jerusalem The Romans saith Grotius allowed the Sanhedrin the priviledge of taking and beating not only over the Jews of Palestine but also without Palestine where there were Synagogues that willingly acknowledged the Jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin in matters pertaining to Religion Of this way That is Of this Sect and Institution as below ch 19.9 23. ch 22.4 ch 24.14 3. There shined round about him a light from Heaven Like a lightning brighter then the Sun as may be seen below chap. 22. v. 6 26. v. 13. 4. And he fell to the earth Because he was struck and as it were blasted with the brightness of that light sent to him from Heaven He heard a voice To wit Descend from Heaven with that light Saying To wit In an Hebrew Dialect as Paul himself saith below ch 26.14 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Augustine saith elegantly as his manner is Tract 10. in Epist Joannis The Head being to ascend into Heaven he commended his Members upon Earth and departed Now you do not find Christ speaking upon earth You find him speaking but in Heaven and from Heaven it self Why Because his Members were trod upon on Earth Therefore he said from above to Saul the Persecutor Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I ascended into Heaven nevertheless I lye upon Earth as yet I sit here at the right hand of the Father there I am hungry thirsty and a stranger as yet See Matth. 25.40 45. Luke 10.16 Believers are the Mystical Body of Christ and his Mystical Members hence whatever is done to them Christ takes it as done to himself 5. Who art thou Lord. As much as to say Whose voice do I hear And the Lord said As much as to say Christ who wasin Heaven and spae from Heaven itself answered I am Jesus c. As much as to say You hear the voice of that Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest while you pour out your rage and storms of your wrath upon my Servants It is hard In Trucul Act. 4. sc 2. v. 55. That is It is a very troublesome and vain labour If thou beatest the pricks with thy fists thou hurtest thy hands says Plautus To kick against the pricks The Greek and Roman Writers frequently use this Proverb against such as attempt a thing that will happen ill to them For if Oxen being thrust and galled with the goad while they draw the Plough or Cart should kick while they would hurt the goad they do but hurt themselves because as the Scholiast upon Pindarus in the end of his second Pythia saith they are more sorcly strucken and beating their heel against the sharp goad they are pricked again with its point Therefore by this proverbial phrase the Lord Jesus declares that Sauls wrestling against him was to his own great hurt so that if he desisted not from applying himself to ruine the Christians it would come to pass that he should dye a sad death 6. And he trembling and astonished c. As much as to say But Saul being terrified with the brightness of the Heavenly light and the voice which came from Heaven puts off his Wolf-like fierceness and puts on a Sheep like disposition and also freely and willingly gave himself to do the commands of the great Shepherd of Souls whom he lately despised For the Lord Jesus sends him to the City of
yet to set down the whole series of what he said and did so as to make a full Narration was an undertaking of that prodigious Labour that St. John in his Gospel tells us cap. 21. v. 25. the World would not contain the Books O Theophilus This Theophilus to whom St. Luke dedicates his Gospel also seems to many to have been a person in high Dignity Luke 1.3 For the Title attributed to him of most Excellent not wont to be given but only to Princes and Persons in great Authority does plainly demonstrate as they alledge that it was the proper name of some Noble Personage The Author of the Books of Recognitions under the name of Clement the first of that name Bishop of Rome says l 10 near the end that this Theophilus was one of the principal Men of Antiochia who being converted by St. Peter to the Faith of Christ Argum. in Luc. set apart his Houses for the publick and solemn Meetings of the Church Theophylactus calls this Theophilus a Consular Person and perhaps a Prince In prolog in Matt. q. 21. A certain author cited by Abulensis conjectures this Theophilus Prince of Antiochia to have been after the departure of Peter Bishop of that City and that upon his persuasion and encouragement both the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles were written by St. Luke Grotius believes him to have been the chief Magistrate of some City in Achaia and baptiz'd by Luke But though the Additional most Excellent which by several Writers is frequently given to persons in high Authority as for example c. 23. v. 26. c. 26. v. 25 in fin vit suâ—e by Paul to both the Procurators or Vice-Governours of Judaea Felix and Festus and by Josephus to Epaphroditus to whom he dedicates the History of his Life and by Justin Martyr to Diognetus to whom he writes a Compendium of the Christian Religion yet it does not seem to be a Note of Dignity in Theophilus in regard it does not appear likely that St. Luke would have omitted to have given the same Addition to Theophilus while he recommends to him his Acts of the Apostles had it been a Title of Dignity Hoâ— 1. in Luc. Ia Luc. 1. Haer. 51. Origen therefore St. Ambrose and Epiphanius believe it more probable that Theophilus was an Appellative made use of by St. Luke In Luc. 1. as belonging to all that professed the Christian Religion out of a sincere love of God Nor ought it saith Camero to be thought a thing out of practise seeing that Athanasius uses the same sort of Compellation For in his Book of the Incarnation he gives the Titles of Happy and Friend of Christ and sometimes both together without distinction to every pious and true Christian Which Jesus began to do and teach That is which make to the whole of our Salvation from the beginning of the Works and Doctrine of Christ Learnedly the Greek Scholiast observes that Luke wrote of all things from the beginning till Jesus was translated into Heaven Of which St. Chrysostom takes notice also where he says that Luke wrote not simply of all things but of all things from the beginning to the end And this is that which St. v. 3. Luke himself says in the Preface to his Gospel That be had perfect understanding of all things from the very beginning That is what Christ powerful both in deed and word both taught and acted most remarkable while he convers'd upon Earth Others will have these words Which Jesus began to do and teach to be understood according to an usual Hebrew phrase which Jesus did and taught Most excellently therefore Calvin Now saith he we see the sum of the Gospel contain'd in these two parts the Doctrine and deeds of Christ For as much as he not only performed the duty of that Embassy for which he was sent by the Father to Men but effectually discharg'd whatever could be requir'd from the Messiah He laid the Foundations of his Kingdom he atton'd the wrath of God by offering himself he expiated the sins of men with his own Blood he overcame Death and the Devil he restor'd us to our true Liberty and acquir'd for us Justice and Life Eternal And that every thing that he said or did might be ratified among Mankind he proved himself to be the Son of God by his Miracles 2. Vntil the day That is until the 14th day of our May according to Bishop Vsher In which time giving commandment As if he had said Upon which day after he had dictated to his Apostles by him elected lest they should deliver any thing but what was truly Divine through the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost what they should Teach and Preach he was taken up into Heaven The Apostles says the Learned John Lightfoot had cast out Devils and had heal'd the Sick by the Assistance of the Spirit but it is to be doubted whether they had taught any thing which they had not heard verbatim from the lips of their Master He had promis'd 'em that they should bind and let loose the Law of Moses he had told em that there were several things to be reveal'd to 'em which they could not bear in which they should be instructed by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Therefore when he arose and had breathed upon their faces saying John 20.22 Receive the Holy Ghost then they were inspir'd with the Holy Spirit like the Prophets of old who dictated to them what they should Preach what they should require and what they should enjoyâ— And now they wanted nothing but the gift of Tongues that they might be able to deliver what was dictated to them in the proper Languages of those to whom they should speak Which he had chosen That is whom he created his Messengers to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel two years before he suffer'd over all Judaea and after his Resurrection over all the world Luke 6.13 These Messengers Christ called his Apostles or Envoys Thus formerly the Emperours of the East and Popes call'd their Legate Envoys as is frequently apparent from Anastasius the Bibliothecarian and others He was taken up That is by the Interposition of a Cloud he was taken from the sight of men as is said below v. 9. 3. To whom c. As if he had said And that the Apostles might be most credible and substantial Witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ upon the Truth of which is founded all the Majesty of the Gospel he being restor'd from the Grave by most solid and uncontrovertible Arguments prov'd himself to be truly risen from the dead as often as he shew'd himself visible to his Apostles during the forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension and discoursed with them concerning the Kingdom of God He shew'd himself alive That is ocularly prov'd himself to be risen After his Passion That is after he had been put to a most ignominious Death for the sake
of our Salvation By many Proofs An Hebraism that is by many evident signs that had the force of a most powerful and irresistible Proof The Greek calls Theses proofs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth says Beza as Quintilian affirms out of Aristotle l. 5. c. 9. signs necessary and indubitable as these actions speaking walking eating drinking are undoubted signs of life To appear publickly in sight and to be felt by the Hands are certain signs of a real natural Body Also the wounds of the hands feet and side were indubitable signs that the same Body rose that was crucified and Pierced with the Lance. The Blood and Water flowing from his wounded side was for a certainty a sign of the parts about the heart being wounded and of Death These were therefore the signs by which St. Luke affirms that Christ confirm'd his Resurrection of which he treats more fully in his Gospel Being seen Often and long together For it was but necessary that Christ in regard of the infirmity of his Disciples should converse with them both frequently and for a good while together to the end they might have a full assurance of his Resurrection For we know how difficultly they were induc'd to believe it and how at first when he appeared to them they thought it only a delusion of the sight and that it had been only some Apparition that deceiv'd them And speaking of the Kingdom of God That is of the Spiritual Kingdom the possession of which Christ was to take upon his ascent into Heaven The Apostles were as yet but ignorant in many points of Faith which before the suffering of Christ being blinded by their own prejudices they could not sufficiently apprehend tho they had frequently heard them from his mouth Therefore after his Resurrection he delay'd his Ascension forty days and took in that Interval as much time as he thought to be sufficient to instruct his Disciples in what was necessary for them to know to the end they might the more faithfully perform the Function which they were to undertake 4. And being assembled together The Greek word is using one common Table or eating the same Salt and Meat together Whence the Proverb To have eaten many Bushels of Salt with any one is the same thing as to have had long converse with any one In his Critica Sacra Says the most Learned Sir Edward Leigh There are some that endeavour to prove by Examples that the Greek word signifies properly the rallying of Souldiers dispers'd in pursuit after a Battel won Or as when a Shepherd gathers his scatter'd Sheep into one Fold Which significations agree very exactly to the sense of this place because Christ doth recollect his Disciples dispersed like scatter'd Sheep and gave them Instructions for the Spiritual Warfare which they were to undergo The same Author in the same place affirms the Greek word to be a Military word and to signifie the pitching of the Victor Captain in the Field of Battel The most Learned Lightfoot deduces the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from Hals which signifies Salt but from Halia which signifies an Assembled Congregation But whereas Christ after his Resurrection never appear'd to his Disciples but of a suddain and when he was least expected Mat. 28.6 but only upon the Mountain of Galilee where he had appointed a meeting that most learned man refers this verse to that meeting as if this were the sence of the words Jesus a little before his ascent into Heaven being met in an Assembly of five hundred of the Brethren upon the Mountain of Galilee according to his own appointment 1. Cor. 15.6 finding his Disciples not willing to return to Jerusalem still as it were reaking with his Blood without his express order he commanded them to repair thither forthwith and not to stir from thence until they had receiv'd the Holy Ghost according to his promise They should wait for the promise of the Father Esa 44.3 Ezek 36.26 27. Jod 2.28 Thus he calls both here and Luc. 24.49 the gift of the Holy Ghost promised by the Father to all Believers Which saith he ye have heard from my mouth As if he had said The performance of which promise I have told you that I will make good to you Luc. 24.49 A passing like to this from an Oblique to a Direct Speech is frequent in History 5. Because John c. As if he had said Because within a few days ye shall find by experience how truly my Forerunner John said formerly that he Baptiz'd indeed with Water but that I would Baptize with the Holy Ghost See our Literal Explication on Mat. 3.11 Shall be Baptiz'd The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Casaubon is to dip or plunge as if it were to dye Colour In which Sense the Apostles may be truly said to have been Baptized For the House in which this was done was filled with the Holy Ghost So that the Apostles may seem to have been plunged into it as into a large Fish-pond Hence Oecumenius upon Act. 2. v. 2. A Wind fill'd the whole House that it seem'd like a Fish-pond because it was promis'd to the Apostles that they should be Baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost Not many days hence Christ seems as it were to point out with his Finger those few days between the time wherein he had charg'd his Disciples not to stir out of Jerusalem and the approaching Pentecost 6. When they therefore were all met That is All the Apostles at Jerusalem They ask'd him When he appear'd to them upon the very day of his ascent into Heaven as appears out of the 1 Cor. 15.7 Luk. 24.50 51. compar'd together Wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel That is Now thou art again risen from the dead wilt thou reign over the Israelites after the manner of other Kings and free them from the Yoke of the Heathens Christ had really propos'd to restore the Kingdom of Israel but not the Earthly and Worldly Kingdom as both now and at other times the Apostles imagin'd but by recalling that People from their incredulity to the knowledg of himself that he might rule in the midst of them by the power of his Gospel Rom. 11.25 c. which St. Paul foretells shall be but by reason their minds were clouded with worldly thoughts they could not yet understand this Mystery Christ therefore contenting himself to restrain their Curiosity as to the point of time when it should come to pass and which it nothing concern'd them to know adds to his answer But you shall receive the Power of the Holy Ghost upon you As if he had said That Heavenly Doctor whom I shall send to you shall instruct you as to that which now ye seek from me that is to say what that future Restitution of the Kingdom of Israel shall be which you expect Tho as to the time that is
English Law phrase to enter upon or to take upon one the Inheritance And this Interpretation adds the same Author seems to me more agreeable to reason than that of those who understand the words as spoken of Judas as if Luke would say that Judas went into his place that is into Hell Nor can I believe that ever any such thing entred into the thoughts of the Evangelist But I admire with Chrysostom the prudence of the Evangelist who does not reproach nor insult over any person Which argues that Chrysostom did not believe that St. Luke had adjudged Judas to Hell For what more reproachful could Luke have said than that he was gone to his place if he meant Hell Neither was it for an Historian or an Evangelist to give his own Judgment so severe but to have left Judas to the condemnation of God It was enough for him to relate matter of fact as he promised in the beginning of his Gospel as they delivered them to us who from the beginning were Eye-witnesses But who was an Eye-witness of Judas 's being in Hell Thus far the most accomplish'd with all manner of Learning Sir Norton Knatchbull Knight and Baronet 26. And they gave forth their Lots That is according to the Interpretation of Grotius they put their names together into an Vrn and into another Vrn a small Roll of Paper having the word Apostle wrote within it together with another Blank then out of both Vrns they equally drew two Rolls as in the Division of the Land Of this way of casting Lots in the choice of a King whose Election God would have to depend upon himself there is a notable example to be found 1 Sam. Josh 7.13 c. 10.20 Likewise for the discovery of Achan See our Annotations upon the 11th verse of the Prophet Obadiah And the Lot fell upon Matthias That is Divine Providence so disposing the Lots the name of Matthias with the word Apostle came forth See our Literal Explanation upon Jonah c. 1. v. 7. He was number'd The Greek word implys that this Event of the Lot was approv'd by the common consent of all the rest as they who from thence were certainly assur'd that it was the Will of God that Matthias should succeed in Judas's room and from thenceforth was to be called not by the common Name of Disciple but to be dignified with the noble Title of Apostle CHAP. II. 1. AND when the day of Pentecost was fully come According to the Greek in the fulfilling the day that is the time of the Quinquagesima The space of fifty days from the Paschal day to the Festival day it self which the Christians vulgarly call'd Pentecost is by the Greek and Latine Writers generally called Pentecost or the time of Pentecost By Ferrand the Deacon as also by Cassian it is call'd Quinquagesimâ— * c. 214. l. 2. de Caenob Instit c. 〈◊〉 By Rabanus * l. 1. de Institâ—t Cler. c. 41. 43. l. 3. gen Anim. c. 148. Honorius of Augustodunum Quinquagesima Paschalis to distinguish it from the other Quinquagesima which is before the Quadragesima Lent The sense therefore of Luke is the same as if he had said When the day came or Presently after it was past wherein the Paschal Quinquagesima was compleated For the words of Luke admit either of the two Interpretations as we have observ'd in our Annotations upon Matth. 21.1 They were all That is those hundred and twenty of which that most noble and most holy Colledge of Disciples of Christ at that time consisted as is said before c. 1. v. 15. With one accord The Greek word by Beza is render'd with one accord as in the English but by the Latine Vulgar Interpreter here c. 1. v. 14. together above unanimously Nevertheless we must confess that the self-same word is often made use of by the Greek Interpreters of the Scripture to express the simple meaning of the word together even where cannot be any agreement of mind In the same place That is in the same Dining-room or Upper-chamber c. 1.13 into which the Disciples ascended upon their return from Mount Olivet to Jerusalem See what we have said upon the same place 2. And there came That is upon the first day of the week the fiftieth from the Resurrection of Christ and the tenth from his Ascent into Heaven which that year according to Vshers Chronology fell upon the 24th of May. This day by the Christians is call'd from the Greek word Pentecost c. 29. but by the first Council of Orleans c. 17. and by the second of Tours Quinquagesima Suddenly The Ears are the more surpriz'd with a sudden and unexpected noise A sound from Heaven In Greek a sound reverberated or resounding As if he had said The Sky by the divine power resounded with a sudden noise as if a violent Wind had suddenly began to blow with unusual violence But as the four Evangelists neither of them say that a Dove descended upon Christ at his Baptism so it is not here said that there was heard the sound of a vehement Wind but as it were of a vehement Wind. In the same manner in the following Verse the Tongues that were seen were said to be seen as it were like fire to the end that we may understand that all these things were only visional Serm. 1. de Pentecoste which St Chrysostom observes and as we from him have noted upon Mat. 3.16 And fill'd c. See what we have already said upon c. 1.5 13. Where they were sitting That is where they remain'd together or where in a quiet and sedate posture Luke 24.49 Acts 1.24 by the command of Christ they expected from him the gift of the Holy Ghost promised by the Father to all Believers 3. And there appeared unto them cloven Tongues like as of fire Isa 5.24 The Tongue is liken'd to Fire and Flame by reason of its resemblance to the shape for the aspiring flame of Fire is like the Tongue put out of the mouth and next because of its resemblance in action for that as the creatures take hold of and lick in their food with the Tongue so the Fire casting forth its flame is said to devour the combustible matter And it sate c. That is and this Fire resembling cloven Tongues visibly rested upon every one of the hundred and twenty who with conjoyn'd hearts and unanimous wishes expected the Holy Ghost which was to be sent by Christ 4. And they were all filled The Women also who were then present in the same place as appears v. 17 18. With the Holy Ghost That is with the most excellent gifts of the Holy Ghost who being promis'd by Christ made it undoubted to the hearing by the noise of the Wind and visible to the sight by means of the Fire resembling the cloven Tongues that he was now come Those visible gifts Upon John 7.30 saith Beza
to come Matt. 3.7 See our Annotations upon the place And he shall send The Construction requires that with the most learned Ludovicus de Dieu Heinsius and Lightfoot after the Syriack and Arabick Interpreters we render the Greek Aorist in this place by the present tense May send That is may reveal by the comfortable preaching of the Gospel than which nothing can be more pleasing and grateful to afflicted and trembling Consciences What saith Lightfoot in the place fore mentioned can be more fully and plainly said if our Interpretation be admitted to answer the Conceptions of the Auditors had they objected against those things which Peter said Is it so Is Jesus whom we crucified the true Messiah Then all hopes of Refrigeration by the Messiah are vanished since the Messiah himself is vanished and gone There 's an end of the expectation of Israel's comfort if there be an end of him that should be the Comforter Not so says Peter for the Messiah and Comfort shall be restored to you upon your Repentance yet so that the Messiah is still to remain in Heaven He shall be sent to you in his comforting and refreshing word and in his graces and benefits if ye repent The Parallel is that of Acts 13.47 We turn to the Gentiles For so has the Lord commanded saying I have appointed thee to be a light to the Gentiles I have appointed thee whom Paul or Barnabas No but thee Christ sent and shining in the Doctrine of Paul and Barnabas So c. 26.23 Christ risen from the dead is said to shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles So Ephes 2.17 It is said of Christ after he had suffered the death of the Cross for Mankind that he came and preached peace to those that were afar off that is to the Gentiles and to them that were nigh that is to the Jews Who was preached unto you In the Greek and English Who was before preached unto you St. Chrysostom reads it Who was before ordained as the ancient Greek Copies which Beza says he has read which the Arabick and Syriack Interpreters seem to have followed while they turn the words Who was prepared and Tertullian rendering it Who was pre-designed The Ethiopick seems to have read it otherwise in his Greek Copy seeing that he renders it Who was fore-Anointed But the first and vulgar Lection is to be preferred He who was before preached For saith Lightfoot in his Hebraick Hours upon this place the Discourse and Meaning of Peter relates to preaching for he shall send you Christ by preaching as he was preached before Now you are to understand that the Apostle in this Discourse speaks of a threefold time 1. Before the coming of Christ he was promulgated by Moses and by all the Prophets from Samuel 2. When he came at what time God shewed him to the world v. 26. raising him up a Saviour then he sent him to you first of all by his Doctrine to convert you from your iniquities 3. When he ascended into Heaven there to remain yet then he shall send him to you again upon repentance by the preaching of his word as before he was made known by preaching Jesus Christ That is Jesus who is the Messias or Christ promised in the Law and the Prophets for the Redemption and Consolation of Israel 21. Whom the Heaven must receive These words carry an Ambiguous sense if you look upon the Grammatical Construction and may signify as well that Heaven is received by Jesus as that Jesus is received into Heaven But when you consider the meaning of the Speaker and the context of the words it is not probable they should admit of the first Exposition For Peter speaking of the Jews by whose importunity Christ was put to death disswades them from expecting his Corporal presence upon Earth 1 Epist 3.22 Who as the same Peter says is gone into Heaven and sits at the Right-hand of God and whom the Heaven must receive not as a Prison but as his own most glorious Palace and Mansion more befitting his Divine Majesty than the Earth wherein he lived during the time of his Mortality Now by Heaven is meant not that part of the Sky which is visible to our sight but the Third Heaven Paradice the Seat and Habitation of God that inaccessible light which God inhabits For Christ ascended above all the visible Heavens Ephes 4.10 and sits at the Right-hand of the Majesty of God in the highest Altitudes to prepare a place for us in the House of his Father John 14.2 Vntil the times of Restitution According to the Greek as Hesychius Interprets it until the times of a full finishing or atchieving Tertullian translates it until the times of Exhibition and thus he cites this place Vntil the times of the Exhibition or setting forth of all things Lib. de Resur Carnis which God spake by the mouths of his Holy Prophets In like manner Oecumenius explains it 'Till all things be finished or performed Lightfoot also admirably expresses the Sense of this verse in these words Heb. horis upon Mat. 17.11 Jesus the Heavens both contain and shall contain as to his person till all these things be brought to pass or effect Therefore do not continue in the Errour of the Generality of our Erring People to expect his personal presence upon Earth Hence it is apparent that Peter meant the time that Jesus should abide in Heaven according to what he with the rest of the Apostles had heard from the Angels before As if he had said c. 1.11 Christ being gone into Heaven shall there remain till all the predictions of the Prophets shall be fulfilled and those being fulfilled he shall return from Heaven to Earth to judge the Quick and the Dead Since the world began That is of old Isa 64.4 Jer. 2.20 of ancient times 22. For Moses c. Although this place in the first and more gross sense may be understood from Dent. 18.15 of any Prophet endued with foreknowledge whom God should raise up at any time after Moses among the people to the end they might obey him as speaking by a Divine Inspiration so he did not seduce them from the Worship of the true God and from true Piety Yet in the more exquisite and mystical sense it contains the Prophecy of Christ the Head and chief of all the Prophets to whom all the rest were but fore-runners and then whom there was none more glorified by those Signs by which God was pleased to have his Prophets distinguished Which mystical sense of this place in the time of Christ and his Disciples was also admitted by the Jews as appears by this Text and below c. 7.34 and by many places of the Gospel and particularly by the words of the Samaritan John 4.25 John 6.14 and those other of the People who were about to Crown Christ This is really that Prophet that should come into the world For the Messias was
properly understood by him that should come Luke 7.19 A Prophet That is one who shall proclaim to men the will of God as yet concealed in Mystery Shall the Lord your Godraise That is shall the Lord your God give present send Of your Brethren As much as to say Not a Stranger but one of your own Nation born of the Posterity of Israel and your Relation by the tye of Blood and Kindred Like unto me Midrasch Kobeleth ad cap. 1. v. 9. See Eusebius demonst Evang. lib. 3. So the Jews comparing the Messiah with Moses speak in these words as the first Redeemer so shall be the last Redeemer But Christ was not only like to Moses for the wisdom of his Doctrine and the greatness of his Miracles but he exceeded him also in Honour and Glory Him shall ye hear That is ye shall believe in all his Promises and obey all his Commandments Therefore are none of the sayings of Christ to be called in question nothing to be omitted which he commanded nor any thing to be altered at mens pleasure Now since there is no place in the Law that more manifestly points at Christ John 7.38 I believe that Christ refers to it when he says Who believes in me as the Scripture has said This the Father with a Heavenly voice declared openly of Christ and commanded all to hear him Matt. 17.5 Admirably therefore Grotius upon that place of Matthew Those things which follow in Moses are to be observ'd as if it had been said You have your selves desired of God not to act among you by signs of Terrour God consents to your Petition and therefore the Word is made Flesh He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant Behold him who while he excells Elias in vehement Zeal toward the House of God at the same time exceeds Moses in Meekness Neither Thunders nor Clouds nor Fires from Heaven bear witness of him but the cheering Light and affable voice of the Father 23. Every Soul That is whoever shall refuse to hear Christ who is confessed and manifestly appears to be recommended by Moses as the Chieftain of all the Prophets Deut. 18.15.19 Shall be destroyed from among the People He does not deserve to be numbered among the People of God who refuses Christ for his Master by whom alone God instructs us so that he cuts himself off from the Body of the Church who refuses to submit to the Head of it And indeed Eternal Destruction is prepared for all those that will not obey Christ 2 Thes 1.8.9 as the Apostle witnesses 24. And all the Prophets c. As if he had said And all the rest of the Prophets after Moses in a long Succession of time from Samuel who led their Sacred Chorus Hagigah fol. 77.1 Therefore the Jerusalem Talmud calls Samuel the Master of the Prophets Have spoken and proclaimed In the Greek and English foretold or declared before Of those days Wherein God has chosen to procure the Salvation of his People by the Christ whom we preach But how or in what manner Samuel nominally foretold of Christ does not appear in Scripture unless we refer hither what we read about the Anointment of David who was to be a Type of the future Messiah when he was elected King of the Israelites by the Divine Choice of God 1 Sam. 1.6 But frequently the Prophets that lived after Samuel among the Israelites Prophesie concerning Christ Among the rest most remarkable is that of the Prophecy of Nathan 2 Sam. 7.12 c. not to mention those that are frequent in the Psalms Isaiah Jeremiah and other writings of the Prophets 25. Ye are the Children c. As if he had said ye are those to whom belong the Oracles of the Prophets and the Covenant made with the Ancient Progenitors of the Hebrews Gen. 22.18.26.4.28.14 Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the Hebrew Phrase whereby to be said the Son of any thing signifies the same thing as to belong unto or to be partaker of Hence Matt. 9.15 The Sons of the Bridegroom or of the Nuptial Chamber are said to be those that lead the Bridegroom into the Chamber or who looked after the Garnishing of the Chamber The Sons of this World Luc. 20.34 That is who lead a Mortal Life to whom are oppos'd the Sons of the Resurrection that is those who shall rise to blessed Immortality and are the Sons of God that is partakers of Divine Felicity Thus there is mention made of the Sons of the Kingdom of Light and Darkness Mat. 8.12 1 Thes 5.5 But here by the word of Prophets is meant their Prophesies Gen. 26.4.28.14 by a Metonymy of the Cause Saying to Abraham Gen. 22.18 which he repeats to Isaac and lastly to Jacob. And in thy Seed As if he had said From thy Off-spring shall be born the Saviour of all men of what Nation soever who shall believe in him See Gal. 3.8.14.16 26. Vnto you c. As if he had said He who by this promise was foretold that he was to be born from the Off-spring of Abraham is Jesus the Son of God whom being already born the Son of Man God has sent to you his Kinsmen that first the benefits he is to bestow upon those that believe in him might be offered to you before the rest of the Nations that thereby every one of you might be excited to reform his conversation See c. 13.46 Raising That is Presenting bringing forth in open view Sec c. 13.12 Judg. 2.16 18.3.2 15. Ezec. 34.23 Amos 2.11 making him conspicuous by most excellent Endowments and Gifts It refers to the Prophesies of Moses before mentioned v. 22. Hence to rise or be raised is attributed to the Prophets Deut. 13.1.34.10 c. To bless you That is To offer you the highest of blessings Under the word Blessing is comprehended all manner of Felicity with which God hath and shall bless us through Christ as Remission of sins Eternal life and all other Celestial advantages In turning c. That is That he may excite every one of you to exchange your vitious and corrupt custom of Living into a pure and undefiled conversation CHAP. IV. AND the Captain of the Temple That is who was the chief of all that had the charge of guarding the Temple For every night the Temple was guarded by 24 Companies that kept watch in 24 places To wit the Priests in three places and the Levites in all the rest Now that the Chiefs or Overseers of these Watches are signified by the name of Captains Luke 22.40 the famous Lightfoot does no wise Question He also believes that to these Watches or Guards Mat. 27.65 that of Pilate referred Ye have a Watch. As if he had said Ye have Watches of your own send some of those to guard the Sepulcher To this the same Author adds I take the Captain of the Temple distinctly and for
1.5 2 Kings 16.9 were carried over into Kir which Samuel Petit himself doubts not but was in Babylonia and he suspects that that City of Babylonia which by Ptolomy in the fourth Table of Asia is called Chiriphe had its name hence But the Prophet does foretel that the Israelites should be carried further than those of Damascus were for these were carried into Babylonia but they should be carried further than into Babylonia to wit into Media See 2 Kings 17.6 44. Tabernacle c. He aggravates the wickedness of the Jews because when they had both the place and manner of Divine Worship prescribed by God both in the Wilderness and in the Promised Land they hankered after External Figures with a preposterous abuse of the true and pure worship As if he had said The Tabernacle indeed was set up by Moses at the command of God but which should bring men back to its Heavenly Archetype whom Moses saw in the Mount Excellently saith Calvin For God does not regard External Rites but precisely as they are Symbols of Heavenly Verity Of Witness They who translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabernacle of the Congregation may be reconciled with them who render it Tabernacle of the Witness or Covenant provided it be so called not so much in respect of the people that came together there to God as in respect of God himself who was there made known to the people by the declaration of his Testimonies and Covenant and as it were met there with them For so saith Lud. de Dieu God himself explaineth it Exod. 29.42 where there is a reason given why it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 'll meet you in that place that I may speak with you there You see that God meets that he may speak and indeed that I may speak with thee to wit Moses which might be done without any assembling of the people Nor was this name given to the Tabernacle from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Porch which was the place the people met in but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most holy place where was the Ark where God met with Moses and the High-priest whence Exod. 25. v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will meet thee there to wit at the Ark and I will speak with thee at the Propitiatory Thus far de Dieu Hence the Ark is called The Ark of the Covenant and the Ark of the Testimony or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Testimony absolutely The Tabernacle is also called Numb 9.15 17.23 the Tabernacle of the Testimony or Witness Also Exod. 28. v. 21. Numb 1.50 The dwelling place of the Testimony According to the fashion that he had seen That Moses is said to have seen a fashion the Spirit of God thereby signifies that we must not devise forms at our pleasure but that all our Senses should be fixed on the form shewed by God that all our Religion may be formed according to it The Godly saith Calvin excellently according as he usually doth receive nothing but from the word of God but others think anything lawful they have a mind for and so they make their own pleasure a Law when yet God approves of nothing but what he himself has appointed I pray God that all that are called by the name of Christians may judge by this most sound Rule in their Controversies about Religion and then all their Judgments and Opinions would easily agree 45. Bringing in That is As the Arabick excellently translates it When they had received that to wit from those who died in the Wilderness So Mat. 26.27 Taking the Cup that is when he had taken the Cup or as it is rendred Mark 14.23 having taken the Cup. See what we have said on Matt. 37.48 Our Fathers with Jesus That is With Joshua who at the Death of Moses succeeded in the Government appointed by God and who in name and deeds performed by him typified Jesus Christ Into the Possession of the Gentiles Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which the Syriack renders Periphrastically into the Land which God gave them for a Possession among the Gentiles Greek Interpreters promiscuously use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in with the Ablative and 〈◊〉 into with the Accusative because the Hebrews put the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for both the Praepositions but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rather signifies the Land it self which is obtained and possessed than the taking or acquisition of it Whom God drove out from before the Face of our Fathers That is At the arriving of our Fathers This manner of speaking is to be seen Deut. 2.21 22. and often elsewhere Which the Authors of the Inscription that Procopius Gazensis saw in Africa have imitated We are those who fled from before the face that is at the coming of Jesus the Robber the Son of Nave that is Nun. Even in the days of David In the Greek as also the English it is unto the days of David As if he had said And so the Tabernacle of the Testimony was flittering and wandring until God declared to David by an Angel from Heaven that he had chosen the Threshing-Floor of Arauna 1 Chron. 21. or Ornan the Jebusite for a sure and fixt Seat for the Ark. 46. Who found c. As if he had said This David obtained by the singular favour of God that when he was earnestly desiring to build a settled Seat for the Ark of the Lord God shewed him the place chosen for that purpose And desired Earnestly and most desirously binding himself with a Vow Psal 132.3 that he would in no time or place lay aside that solicitous care in searching out the place appointed by God for building the Temple until he found it by Divine Revelation This Vow of Davids was according to the will of God in regard God had promised Deut. 12. that he would chuse to himself a certain place which should be the Sanctuary Seat and had added a command that the People should frequent what place soever he should make choice of and there perform the external Rites he had prescribed in the Law But the vows of the Papists are partly ridiculous and foolish or even impossible and partly manifestly impious because they are made out of an opinion of Merit and to Created things therefore Davids vow does in nothing justify them Tabernacle That is A Habitation or place not designed for a short abode as a Tent or Tabernacle properly so called is but like a House intended for a certain and setled dwelling Ps 132. v. 5. Vntil I find out a place for the Lord an Habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. That is until I find the place appointed by God for building the Temple in which as in a certain Seat the Ark of God may be put to the end that he who delivered Jacob powerfully from dangers may be
Ears are shut and obturate to all sound Doctrine The Jews are in the same manner upbraided Lev. 26.41 Jer. 6.10 9.26 Ye always resist the Holy Ghost In the Greek it is Ye fall down cross its way That is Ye stubbornly despise the Holy Ghost speaking in the Prophets and you set your selves in opposition to his admonitions as those do who stop one in his Journey This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk across ones way Levit. 26.22 23 24 40 41. Stephen seems to have had respect to Isa 63.10 With this agreeth that sharp upbraiding of Jeremiah c. 7.24 c. Ezek. 20. from v. 5. to the end of the Chap. Nor is the promiscuous multitude only accused of Rebellion before God but the Priests Princes and Prophets are upbraided with the same Crime Jeremiah 2.8.5.31.6.13.8.10.10.20 21.22.21 22.23.1 2 9 11-31 32.30 32. Ezek. 8.12.22.25 Hos 4.1 Mic. 3.5 c. Zeph. 3.1 Zech. 7.11 Mal. 2.8 11.3.7 As your Fathers did so do ye As if he had said You Children have succeeded your Fathers in the same Wickedness 52. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted Excellently Luctantius * 1 Instit 4. Prophets were therefore sent by God both that they might be setters forth of his Majesty and Chastisers of Mens Wickedness But the Precepts of Justice are unpleasant to the vicious and evil livers Therefore they who were both accused of sin and forbid to do it put them to death after they had most cruelly tormented them 1 Kin. 19.10 Elias complaineth thus They have slain thy Prophets with the Sword and I even I only am left to wit of all those who came to the knowledge of Ahabs Court and they seek my life to take it away Nehem. 9.26 They slew thy Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee See Mat. 5.12 21.35.23.31 33. Luke 6.23.13.34 Heb. 11.37 And they killed To wit your Fathers degenerated from the Piety of our Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Which shewed before of the coming of the Just One. That is the Messengers that were sent before the Face of Christ that was to be born who as Drusius expresseth it is here in a peculiar manner called the Just One possibly because he was Innocent when he was put to death For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Law Term signifying a supposed guilty person that yet is innocent to which is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Person that is accused as guilty and is so indeed as in that place of David * Psal 109.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he shall be judged that is when he shall contend in Judgment let him be condemned Of whom ye c. As if he had said But ye with a combination of wickedness did most wickedly conspire against Christ himself the Author of Righteousness and Salvation nor left ye any means unattempted to bring about his death See above c. 3. v. 13. 53. By the disposition of Angels Gr. At the appointment of Angels that is Angels in the Name of God ordaining and enjoyning the observation of the Law So the Law is said to have been ordained by Angels * Gal. 3.19 And Heb. 2. v. 2. it is called the Word spoken by Angels And although the Law was given principally by one Angel sustaining the Name and Person of God yet because this was done in a stately manner many Troops of Angels having attended him as Apparitors the promulgation of the Law in Mount Sina is rightly ascribed to Angels 54. They were cut to the Heart As if he had said They were enraged with a mad fury and that unruly and head-strong fury against Stephen broke forth into a gnashing of Teeth as a vehement and violent Fire does into a Flame See what we have said above c. 5. v. 33. 55. But he being c. As much as to say But Stephen armed with an invincible power of the Spirit lift up his Eyes to Heaven and straight saw a certain resplendency representing the Divine Majesty and Jesus triumphing in that Flesh in which he was abased 56. I see the Heavens opened The opening of the Heavens is a sign previous to Visions Ezek. 1.1 some of the Hebrews will have nothing else signified by the opening of the Heavens but that any thing is done or shewed by a Heavenly Power But the Pagans thought that the Heaven was also opened by Heavenly Portents Livy l. 17. saith That the Heavens were divided as it were with a great gaping and that a great light shined out where it was open And on that of Virgil * Aeneid 9. v. 20. I see Heavens part asunder in the middle Minellius saith That it was divided and opened with a great Chasma or gaping Servius * In Augural lib. among other Prodigies Heaven was also said to have parted asunder And the Son of Man c. An Hebraism as if he had said I see that Man Christ Jesus whom as despised and the lowest of men you think destroyed by death enjoy the Government of all things in Heaven Christ appears to Stephen not sitting but standing on the right hand of God that he may thereby signify that he is ready to afford him help in that conflict of his for his Name Yet in most other places the phrase of sitting on the Right-hand or Right-hands of God is used as more fitting to signify the glorious state of Christ to wit that Majesty and Power of ruling all things which he obtained after his Ascension into Heaven before which all must stand and be judged Augustine saith that Christ is said to sit as a Judge and to stand as our Advocate with the Father 57. Then they cryed out with a loud voice c. As if he had said Those of the multitude who were standing by when they heard this Declaration of Christs Glory breaking out with a horrible Noise as if it had been intolerable Blasphemy they shut their Ears either by putting their Fingers therein or the flap of the Ear I mean that lowest and soft part of the Ear which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take because the Ancients pulled the Ear on that part that they might give any a Caution Hence the Poet * Virg. Ecl. 6. v. 3 4. Then Phoebus thus Nipping my Ear advis'd The Hebrews call this part in a Sheep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos 3.12 in a Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.20 and frequently in Leviticus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tail in the Writings of the Rabbins Humanists call the flap of the Ear Lana Lanna or Lamna the Ancient Glossary Lana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Glossary of St. Benedict Lannae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philoxenus 's Lexicon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamna Of the flap of the Ear the Talmud * In Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 5.2 speaketh thus Wherefore is the whole Ear hard but the Flap soft That
Jesus who saves his people from their sins See Matth. 1.21 God of old raised Saviours for Israel Judg. 3.9 15. who delivered them from Bodily Bondage and Earthly Miseries but he raised up Jesus to be the Author of Eternal Savlation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 to confer the causes means and ways of repentance and to grant time and place and to purchase for repenting sinners a remission of their sins by his Merits and Prayers See what we have said above ch 5.31 24. Preached c. As much as to say John as his fore-runner had prepared his way according to the Prophesy of Malachy c. 3.1 when Jesus was to enter forthwith upon his Office by the Preaching of Baptism to testify repentance of sin which not only includes the avoiding of evil but the following of good or works of Piety Before his coming The Greek hath it Before his entring That is Before the Lord Jesus had entred upon his Office So saith Grotius Lawyers say also to enter upon the Consulship To all the people of Israel That is publickly so that many came to John to be Baptized Matthew 3.5 25. And as John fulfilled his course That is saith Learned Heinsius when John was to execute his Calling This Col. 4.17 is called To fulfil the Ministry that one received from the Lord. Col. 1.25 To fulfil the Word of God Rom. 15.19 Fulfil the Gospel of Christ. Whom think ye that I am To wit The Messiah promised in the Law and in the Prophets Paul related not the very words but the sense which is in John 1.20 There cometh one after me That is There is one to enter upon his Office after me Whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose Petronius said To loose the strings of his shoes The Baptist would express the basest kind of Service Suetonius in his Vitellius He sought from Messalina for a very great Office that she would allow him to pull her shoes off her feet See our literal explanation Mat. 3.11 26. Whosoever among you feareth God See what we have said above v. 16. To you is the word of this salvation sent As much as to say We have a Command from the Lord to Preach to you who are of the stock of Abraham or taken into his Family as Proselytes this saving Doctrine of Jesus the Saviour to which John gave so honourable a Testimony 27. For they This word for is in this place put for but. That dwelt at Jerusalem and their Rulers That is Not only the common people at Jerusalem but also the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and the whole Sanhedrin Because they knew him not To wit To be the promised Messiah See what we have said above chap. 3.17 Nor yet the voices of the Prophets c. As much as to say Neither understanding the Prophesies of the Prophets which used to be read every Sabbath to them in the Synagogues See what we have noted above v. 15. Condemning Viz. To death him to wit Jesus Fulfilled That is brought to pass supply these voices of the Prophets whereby it was foretold that the Messiah should be by 〈◊〉 despised reproached mocked afflicted pierced and slain as Isa 53. Dan. 9.24 c. 28. And though they found no cause of death in him As much as to say Could find no true Crime worthy of death in him who did well explain the Law and bestowed many favours upon the people Yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain That is They persuaded Pilate that he would adjudge him to death 29. And when they had fulfilled all c. As much as to say And when they had brought upon Christ all the punishments and reproaches which the Prophets foretold the Messiah was to suffer Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus having taken him from the Cross laid him in a Sepulchre John 19.38 39. 30. But God c. As much as to say The Jews at Jerusalem and those who were chief among them the Priests Scribes and Pharisees delivered Jesus to be put to death unjustly but the just God being against them did bring him back from death to life 31. He. To wit Jesus being raised from the dead Was seen many days That is Fourty days Who are his Witnesses to the people As much as to say The Eye-witnesses who are remaining do to this day openly and publickly profess that Jesus Christ being risen from the dead did appear to them fourty days 32. And we To wit I and my Companion Barnabas Declare unto you c. As much as to say We now Preach unto you the promise made to our Fathers of the Messiah to come because that God hath now fulfilled it to us who are their Children Time therefore persuades and presses us that what he hath fulfilled to us we should declare unto you The promise which was made to the Fathers To wit Abraham Gen. 22.18 Isaac Gen. 26.4 Juda Gen. 49.10 David 2 Sam. 7.12 Isaiah 11.1 33. God hath sulfilled That is Really performed To us their Children That is To us who are their Children In that he hath raised up Jesus Gloriously whom they had undeservedly put to a barbarous and ignominious death My Son c. Although these words in their literal meaning do in some respect agree to David as to the Figure who is as it were begotten again of God that he might be his Son when he was delivered from the snares of his Enemies 2 Sam. 5.12 19.22 The first-born or chief among the Kings of the Earth who are called the Sons of God Psal 82.6 appointed of God Psal 89.27 28. yet upon a far more honourable account were they fulfilled in the first-born from the dead Col. 1.18 Rev. 1.5 in Christ who was shadowed by David called by Davids name Jer. 30.9 Ezek. 34.23 Hosea 3.5 seeing that being risen from the dead all power was given him in Heaven and in Earth Matthew 28.18 This Paul teacheth here and the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 5.5 These words saith Camero are not to be so taken as that Christ after his Resurrection had begun to be the Son of God and to be begotten by him but because that God did then most powerfully declare Christ by his Resurrection to be his own Son For this is the manner of Scripture that things be then said to be done or born when they are manifested do appear as when Solomon Prov. 17.17 saith A friend is born in a day of adversity that is he then discovers himself when our streights press us For although the Father also before the Resurrection gave Testimony to him yet because until his Resurrection Christ was as it were incompassed with infirmities and liable to death his calling to the Mediatory Office was somewhat obscure until that day But when having laid aside his Mortality he gloriously rose again and ascended into Heaven then did he properly as it were openly declare unto all that Christ is both
that the Apostles did not long after continue their Residence there but divided the Parts of the World between them by Lot in which each of them should repair to preach the Gospel Concerning which may be consulted Origen on Genesis and Eucherius of L on s who write that the East fell to Thomas and Bartholomew The South to Simon and Matthew The North to Philip and Thaddeus The Midland Regions to Matthias and James surnamed the Just The Provinces of the Mediterranean Sea to John and Andrew The West to Peter and James the Son of Zebedee but all the World alike to Paul whence in some Calendars of the Roman Church the separation of the Apostles is celebrated on the Fifteenth of July But as to the year when the same happened there is almost every where a total silence There is another Division of their Work made amongst the Apostles mentioned Gal. 2. v. 7. viz. how the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed to Paul and that of the Circumcision to Peter but that relates not to this place This Council at Jerusalem seems to have been holden after that first separation of the Apostles and that there were then no more Apostles residing in that City but Peter and James who also alone are read to have delivered their Sentence in that Council Although I think we ought to add unto them John who is mentioned Gal. 2.9 For that which Paul says there v. 1. that he after fourteen years went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking also Titus with them appears by the Circumstances which he there recounts to be meant of this Journey which he made thither that he might be present at this Council whereof we are treating So that at least four Apostles appeared there Peter James John and Paul besides those Apostolical Preachers Barnabas Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas of whom we find mention Acts 15.22 As also Titus as appears Gal. 2.2 and other famous men of whom consisted the Church at Jerusalem So that there never was a more eminent Convention than this unless when the Apostles were all present Thus Curcellaeus Others conceive all the Twelve Apostles were here actually present and that the distribution of the Provinces of the World which the Ancients speak of was made afterwards amongst the Apostles when the Gentiles all abroad began to flock into the Church And Elders Who are elsewhere called Bishops Presbyters or Elders and Bishops were then the same see what is said before on Verse the second But in this Council besides the Apostles and Presbyters of Jerusalem there were present other Members of the Church viz. meer Brethren as we find afterwards v. 22. and 23. 7. And when there had been much disputing On both sides Peter rose up To make an Oration to the Synod And said to them That is to all the Christians of what Calling or Condition soever that were present in the Synod Men Brethren So Peter calls not only the Apostles and Elders but all other Christians present in the Council being so taught by Christ Matth. 23.8 Ye know that a good while ago According to the Greek from the ancient or first days The famous Lightfoot doubts not but in these Words Peter had respect to what Christ said to him Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which is as he the said Lightfoot Interprets it Thou first shalt open the Door of Faith to the Gentiles Then the Lord chose him that by his mouth the Gentiles might first hear the Word of the Gospel and Believe And this he says was done a good while ago or in the first days that is as he speaks before in the first Ch. v. 21. in the time when the Lord went out and in among us which time is expressed Luke 1.2 by these Words from the beginning Among us Who of the Circumcision believed in Christ That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear To wit first 8. And God who knoweth the hearts c. As if he should say Which when I performed God the searcher of hearts witnessed by a manifest Sign that he had adopted the uncircumcised Gentiles that embraced the Faith of Christ communicating to them the same Gifts of the Holy Spirit which he hath imparted to us who are Believers Circumcised 'T is plain Peter here respects the History of the Conversion of Cornelius by his Ministry set forth at large in the tenth and eleventh Chapters In Diatrib de Esu Sang. Between the Conversion of Cornelius the Centurion saith Curcellaeus and this Council of Jerusalem about twenty years as most Chronologers acknowledge were elapsed and 't is very strange that in so long a space after God by that most illustrious Example had manifested his Will to admit the uncircumcised into his Church and to partake of all Spiritual Blessings yet the Opinion that Circumcision was still necessary to please God would not be rooted out of the hearts of the believing Jews But the Reverence of those Rites of the Law as being divinely instituted had made such Impression on their Minds that it was not easie presently to remove them and to convince them of the Liberty purchased for us by the Blood of Christ For even after this celebrated Council the same Opinion seems to have remained in many of the Church of Jerusalem as appears Acts 21.20 and other Monuments of Ecclesiastical History particularly in Sulpitius Severus who in the second Book of his Sacred History treating of the Emperour Hadrian saith That then almost all did believe Christ to be God under the Observation of the Law Purifying their Hearts by Faith That is when he had cleansed the Minds of these uncircumcised Gentiles from the sins wherewith they were defiled by a lively Faith on Christ with which whosoever is endued presently resolves to renounce all Impiety and worldly Desires and to live soberly justly and godlily in this World 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God That is why do you grievously offend God He that offends God saith Grotius tempts his Patieâ—ce and he offends him who opposes his Will sufficiently revealed To put c. As going about to impose the Yoke of all the Ceremonies of the Law on the Necks of all such Gentiles as have believed on Christ which the Israelites themselves were never able to bear but with the greatest molestation The Yoke To wit of Bondage as Paul calls the Legal Rites Gal. 5.1 because they consisted in things indifferent which of themselves were neither good nor requisite but depended only on the pleasure of the Law-giver so that they seemed suited rather to the state of Servants than to men of a free Condition 'T is true the Precepts of Christ are also called a Yoke but an easie one and a Burthen but a light one Matth. 11.30 For what says Salvian does he require of us what does he command us to follow but only Faith Chastity Humility Sobriety Mercy and Holiness all which do not Burthen
house be a Receptacle for the Wise and roll thy self in the dust of their feet For this saying has no other sense than what the Commentators have exprest it in that is by the words and wallow thy self in the dust of their feet this is injoyned Be humble and attend constantly on the Wise Confut. impii Carminis R. Lipman Thus far the Learned Wagenseilius Taught Interpreters commit an error while they connect the words at the feet of Gamaliel with the Word Taught because it rather agreeth with the foregoing Words brought up in this City and Paul signifies that he was fed and was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but not that he was instructed in Learning at Gamaliel's feet The Syrian Interpreter takes the words in the same sense whence it is that he is so careful in leaving a difference between Paul's Nativity Education and Instruction by Copulative and Disjunctive Particles He translateth the words thus I am a Man a Jew and was born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this City at the feet of Gamaliel and I was perfectly instructed in the Law of our Fathers Furthermore in Gamaliels time the Scholars stood as they were taught by their Masters who used to sit For so the Rabbins deliver in Megilla pag. 21. a. that from the time of Moses to that of Gamaliel Scholars in no other postures save that of standing attended the Instructions of their Masters who taught sitting But that after the Death of Gamaliel the World was more than ordinarily infested with diseases and so that custom was introduced for Scholars to sit by their Masters as they imbibed their Instructions Whence it is said in Mishna that after Gamaliel 's Death the reverence of the Law vanished But that this was a custom amongst the ancient Jews that the Teachers sate and the Scholars and other Auditors stood upright on their Feet appears plainly from the Gospel as you may see Mat. 5.1 2 3. C. 23. v. 2. and if we credit the Authority of the Syrian Interpreter Mar. 4.1 But since the time that it became a custom for Scholars to sit by their Masters to wit after Gamaliel's decease a little before the destruction of the second Temple the Master used to sit in the head and the Scholars in time of teaching used to sit by him on each side Semicircle-wise nor did any sit behind the back of the Teacher that they might all behold their Master and hear his discourse saith Maimonides In Hilchot Talmud Tora c. 4. Num. 2. But tho none of the Pharisees or Scribes before the Decease of Gamaliel used sitting as a common posture both to Teacher and Hearer yet that Christ sometimes used it and out of tenderness to his hearers sometimes permitted them contrary to the received custom after they had stood longer than ordinary to sit down that they might refresh their Limbs that were fatigated by long standing that they might be able more attentively to give ear appears from Mar. 3. v. 32 34. According to the perfect manner of the Law of our Fathers In the Greek it is as the Learned Beza Interprets it according to the exact form of the Law of our Fathers Where the Learned Lud. de Dieu extraordinarily well versed both in the Holy Tongues and Learning by the Law of our Fathers does not simply understand that Law which their Fathers had received from God by Moses but that Tradition which they had received from their Fathers It saith he denoteth the Religion of the Pharisees which in a great measure consisted of the Traditions they had from their Fathers of which Paul says Gal. 1.14 that in times past he was a great Zealot and when he attributes strictness to that Sect he saith the same as below c. 26. v. 5. The meaning therefore is that he was instructed in Pharisaism which is the most accurate Form of the Law of the Fathers Now this Gamaliel was a very Famous Master among others of the sect of the Pharisees Zealous towards God The vulgar Latin Interpreter reads it Zealous of the Law whereas the common reading in the Greek Text has it Zealous towards God Paul professes that he was a Zealot of God by a Hebraism very usual in Scripture that is that he was moved with a hot Zeal against those who did not observe the Law of Moses as it is augmented by the Traditions of the Pharisees See Gal. 1. v. 14. As ye all are this Day Paul compareth himself when in this hot Zeal to the Jews that were risen up against him to whom also he attributeth a Zeal of God Rom. 10.2 or ardent Study towards the observation of the Law though not according to knowledge 4. This way That is the Christian Religion for which I am now in Bonds C. 9. v. 2. c. 18. v. 25 28. c. 19. v. 9 25. So is way taken above I persecuted unto the Death c. That is I contemned it and abhorred it as a loathsome and pernicious Plague so that I cast the Professors of it into Prison without regard to sex and caused them to be cruelly murdered See above C. 7. v. 48. c. 8. v. 1 3. c. 9. v. 1 2. As also the High Priest That is The Prince of the great Sanhedrin See above c. 9. v. 1. Doth bear me Witness That is who knowing these things very well can bear witness to the truth of them And all the Estate of the Elders That is And the rest of the Senators of the great Sanhedrin St. Luke saith Selden both in the Gospel and also in the Acts made use of the Word Presbyterion which the vulgar Latin Interpreter rendreth Seniors or Elders to signifie the great Sanhedrin See Mat. 26. v. 59. and Luke 22.66 From whom c. See above c. 9. v. 1 2. I received Letters That is When I had received Letters or having received Letters whereby Power was given me to do that which I designed Vnto the Brethren That is to other Jews and their Synagogues To be punished That is That they might be cruelly tortured and put to Death 6. And it came to pass that as I made my Journey That is Hurried on with a Blind rage I might bring my hot Zeal against the Disciples of Jesus to Effect And was come nigh unto Damascus See above c. 9. v. 2 3. At Noon The Greek hath as the English Translation about Noon Suddenly That is In a trice beyond my expectation Shone from Heaven Like Lightening Me. Supply from Chap. 26. v. 13. And those who were Journeying with me A great Light Much surpassing the Noon-day brightness of the Sun as you may see below c. 26. v. 13. 7. And I fell unto the ground That is But when I was stricken with that sudden light I fell to the ground C. 9. v. 4. See above I c. See above c. 9. v. 5. 9. And they that were with me My Companions in that Journey to Damascus
The Light Which descended from Heaven shined about me and them But they heard not the Voice That is They understood it not See above c. 9. v. 7. 10. What shall I do That is What would thou have me do See above c. 9. v. 6. Arise viz. From the ground on which thou lyest prostrate Go to Damascus That is continue thy Journey to Damascus which thou undertookest with design to deliver over to punishment those who are addicted to my Worship changing only thy purpose thou hadst in thy Journey And there it shall be told thee By Ananias my Disciple Of all things which are appointed for thee to do That is Which I have revealed to him as by me constituted and ordained C. 9. v. 6. what thou shouldst do See above 11. And when I could not see c. See above c. 9. v. 8. 12. Ananias Of him see above c. 9. v. 10. A devout Man according to the Law That is Who adores and worships God rightly according to the Tenour of the Law delivered from God by Moses Having a good report viz. Of his Devotion to God Of all the Jews which dwell Supply there viz. At Damascus 13. Came unto me Into the Street of Damascus which is called Straight See above c. 9. v. 11 17. And stood and said unto me That is Having laid his hands upon me as appears above c. 9. v. 17. Receive thy sight Which thou hadst lost and look upon me The same hour That is The same point of Time See c. 9.18 I looked up upon him That is Having my sight which I had lost restored again I beheld him 14. The God of our Fathers That is The true God who of old adopted our Forefathers the Patriarchs maintainers of his Worship Hath preordained thee The Greek as the English Translation have he hath chosen thee For the Greek word properly signifies to take that in your hands which ye would make use of whether it have a reference to the Thing or Person Hence the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take is by the Greek Interpreters translated by this word Jos 3.12 Take unto you twelve Men. See also 2 Mac. 3.7 c. 8. v. 9. The Famous Beza is of opinion that this manner of speaking is borrowed from Artificers who take the thing that is to be made into their hands having before deliberated what to make and for what end See above C. 9. v. 15. and beneath c. 26. v. 16. That thou shouldest know his Will Revealed by Jesus Christ touching the things which are necessary to be believed and done in order to eternal Life And see that just one To wit The Messias promised in the Law and the Prophets risen from the dead whose brightness did so dazle thy Eyes that thou thereby becamest blind See what we have said above C. 3. v. 14 7. v. 52. And shouldest hear the Voice of his Mouth Directed to you while enlightened with a heavenly light in your Journey to Damascus ye saw him 15. For thou shalt c. As if he had said And for that end the Lord Jesus exhibited himself to be heard and seen by thee that before all Nations whither thou shalt happen to go or converse with thou mayest bear witness that he is risen from the dead and was seen by thee in the splendor and brightness of that heavenly light which being darted on thee did grievously dazzle thy Eyes and that by his own Mouth he Commanded thee to Preach that Gospel the knowledge of which thou receivedst from himself among all Nations C. 26.17 18. See below 16. And now c. As if he had said Now therefore without delay be thou initiated by Baptism instituted by Christ and by this dipping of thy Body in Water profess that by Faith in Jesus Christ thou art washed or to be washed from the inward defilements of thy Mind or from the pollutions of Sin See what is said on c. 2. v. 38. Baptism is a dipping and was celebrated of old according to the import and Notion of the Word Now only Rhantism is in use with the generality in the West not Immersion or Dipping In Ep. ad Andr. Colv. Script Kal Jul. 1644. saith the Learned Salmasius Calling on the Name of the Lord. To wit The Lord Jesus Christ Those that believe in Christ and are obedient to him and profess his Worship are described thus that they are those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as you may see above Hence in the Invocation of the name of Christ are comprehended C. 9. v. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 1. v. 2. Faith in Christ a Religious profession of his Worship and an unfeigned obedience to his Commands 17. And it came to pass that when I was come again c. As if he had said It happened to me after I had returned to Jerusalem on the fourth year after my Conversion to Jesus Christ that my bodily senses being benummed I had been in a rapture out of my self when embracing an occasion of conferring with the Jews about Faith in the same Jesus Christ I prayed in the Temple of Jerusalem in which the Solemn Worship of God used to be performed by the Jews C. 9. v. 26 10. v. 10. See above In a trance This Extasie of his must not be confounded with his rapture into the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 18. And saw him c. As if he had said And so the Lord Jesus whom I saw while enlightened with Divine light as I was Sojourning to Damascus appeared again a second time to me being as it were in a rapture beside my self and commanded me to depart quickly from Jerusalem because the Jews the Inhabitants thereof would stubbornly withstand my Preaching of him and bearing witness to his Apparitions to me See above c. 9. v. 29. 19. And I said c. As if he had said But I being very desirous of Preaching the Gospel there where I had opposed it before did urge that I might be permitted to stay longer at Jerusalem saying Lord Jesus may not some of the Jews at Jerusalem attributing my Faith in thee to a great and just cause embrace it when Preached by me seeing they all know that I was an inveterate Enemy to thy Servants that so far as I could or had liberty I beat and imprisoned them cruelly and unmercifully in every Synagogue or Juridical Congregation See above v. 4. and Grot. in Mat. 10.17 20. And when the Blood of Stephen was shed By Stoning him C. 7.59 Of which above Thy Martyr That is Who was the first of the Martyrs or Witnesses peculiarly so called who not only witnessed with a Verbal confession as those did whom the Ecclesiastick Historians called Confessors but also Sealed and confirmed their Testimony with their Blood that was violently shed by their Adversaries for their Testimony of Christ and his Doctrine I. Supply As the Jews at Jerusalem know very
4. Solin c. 30. Letting down the Vessel That is When we had taken down the Sail-yard with the Sail fastened to it For as saith Seneca when the Wind is grown too strong and too great to bear Sail to the Yard is taken down Hence that of Ovid The Yard let down escapes the Winter Storms It is a Hebraism very frequent in the Scripture whereby any moveable thing is called a Vessel So. To wit having taken in our Sails from the Storm Were driven That is floated on the Waves whithersoever their force drave us 18. And we being exceedingly tossed with a Tempest As if he had said But when our Ship tossed with the furious Tempest now was lifted up as it were to the Heavens anon was tumbled down between the gaping Waves as it were into a Pit or Gulph See a lively description of a dreadful Tempest Psal 107.25 26. which Virgil imitating hath elegantly expressed in these words Aen. 3. v. 564. At Heaven we tilt then suddenly we fell Watry Foundations sinking low as Hell The next day they lightened the Ship That is The Mariners cast out of the Ship the heaviest Lading and the more weighty Merchandise that the Ship being lightened of its burden might draw less water and so might not so easily be overwhelmed by the Waves 19. And the third day To wit From the rising of that dreadful Tempest They cast out with their own hands the tackling of the Ship Gr. as also the English we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the Ship To wit we who were Passengers in the Ship together with the Mariners Some Copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cast out To wit the Master and Mariners Now all Marine Utensils wherewith a Ship is accoutred as the Mast Yard Oars Cables and such like are called the Tackling 20. And when neither Sun nor Stars appeared As if he had said But when the Firmament was darkned Night and Day with a black Fog An usual description of a very great Storm So in Virgil Aen. 1. v 92. When from the Trojans sight dark Clouds restrain Heaven and the Day black Night broods on the Main In many days Without intermission And no small Tempest lay over us That is Lay upon us As if he had said And when a Turbulent and Thundring Tempest did now afflict and distress us All hope that we should be saved was then taken away Grotius excellently observeth that this was spoken according to all humane probability such as are many other things in Holy Writ The meaning therefore is the same as if he had said All hopes seemed to be cut off of escaping Death which now all appearances portended to be impending over us 21. But after long abstinence That is And when they who were in the Ship being tossed with the Tempest had endured a long hunger through want of Appetite but not through scarcity of Food as appears afterwards v. 36 38. Paul stood forth in the midst of them With whom he was aboard in that tossed Ship You should have hearkened to me By giving heed to me when I presaged this storm we are now tossed with Not have loosed Supply Anchors And to have gained That is have prevented He that evites the damage that he was like to sustain is said to gain and be fortunate according to Aristotle l. 2. Mag. Moral c 9. Hence by Pliny 7. Nat. Hist 39. Sutorius Priscus is said to have gained an injury which he committed unpunished and suffered no punishments for inflicting it This harm That is This boisterous rage of the Winds And loss To wit of the Merchandize and Tackling or Furniture of the Ship 22. And now That is Now therefore as above c. 5. v. 38. or but now to wit seeing that as Silius expresseth it the cruel storm groweth worse and worse I exhort you to be of good cheer I again and again beseech you who by the event have had experience of the Truth of my former sayings that ye be not dejected in your Minds For there shall be In this Voyage how dangerous soever The loss of no Mans Life That is Person as above v. 10. Among you To wit as appears below v. 31. if ye hearken to me otherwise than ye did before Such Speeches saith Grotius are every where in the Holy Scripture which contain in them a tacit condition easie to be understood either from the words preceeding and subsequent or from the Nature of the thing it self 1 Sam. 2.30.13.13 14. But of the Ship That is But the Ship only shall be cast away An exceptive particle saith Grotius instead of an adversative as Luke 23.28 John 8.10 in the Greek 1 Cor. 11.11 Phil. 1.8.3.16.4.12 Rev. 2.25 Whos 's I am That is To whom I am devoted And whom I serve That is And whom I worship with true Piety Jonas said the same of himself of old when he Sailed in the Company of Heathens Jon. 1.9 24. Thou must be brought before Caesar As if he had said Thou shalt be presented alive before Caesar to whom thou appealedst above c. 25.11 Lo c. As if he had said God has so liberally granted thy request that not one of them that are carried with thee in this Ship shall perish provided they obey thy wholesome advice and use all means that in them lie for their preservation See below v. 31. The Verb give is taken in another contrary sense above c. 25 v. 11. but is used in a like sense to this above c. 3.14 25. For I believe God Without the least doubt or hesitation 26. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain Island Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall on How this praediction was fulfilled is declared below c. 28. v. 1. 27. Fourteenth Night To wit From the raising of the storm by the Winds As we were Sailing Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 driven up and down as it also is in the English tossed hither and thither Plutarch saith Grotius hath used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to be carried hither and thither In Adria That is In the Adriatick Gulph or Sea which is described by the Poets as very tempestuous Adria or Hadria a City belonging to the Picentes or Piceni according to Ptolemy Geog. l. 3. c. 1. was a Colony of the Tuscans who before the Romans attained the Government commanded all by Land and Sea as Livius recordeth in his Book 5. c. 3. Adrian Câ—sars Progenitors had their Original from this City as Aelius Spartianus in his Life declareth The same City after the Tuscan Empire was buried in Oblivion was made a Colony by the Romans as you may see in the Epitome of Livy l. 11. From this City also the Sea which by the Greeks is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latins call the Adriatick or Adrian Sea or Gulph The Poets also call it Adria after the manner of the Greeks and Adriacum which anciently was called Atriacum as also the