A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

CHAP. III. The First Miracle.

HAving already declared the wonderful Constitution of the first Gospel-Church that ever was in the World; in the next place follows the Discourse concerning the Fate and Fare which attended it, wherein an intermixture of the Acts of sometimes all the Apostles, and of sometimes some only (as touching what they said, what they did, and what they suffered) 'tis summarily comprehended. Note; This Primitive Church being thus prodigiously planted. Persecution presently was raised against it to root it up, and ruin it. Though God's Bridle had hitherto (as before) restrained the Devil's Instruments, so that the very Pharisees and Chief Priests, &c. had seemed to favor them, as yet not daring to frown upon them: But now the Grumbling of their Gizzards inwardly (for fear of the loss of their Pharisaical Kingdom) began to work up, and break out outwardly. Note; Oh the depths of Divine wisdom, in disposing of things thus, that where-ever God hath a Church, the Devil (by God's unsearchable permission) must have his Chapel; and this cannot become a Chapel of Ease to the Devil's Chimney-Chaplains (called Chemarim's, Atrati, or Black-Birds, Zeph. 1.4.) unless they find a free vent for their Spirit of Persecution, which took its first Fire from Peter and John 's healing of the Lame Beggar, Acts 3.1, 2, &c. This was the first occasion of the first Persecution. Hitherto all the Apostles had acted in conjunction with Peter. (1.) In their choosing Matthias by a Lot from the Lord to complete their number of twelve Apostles. (2.) In their boldness of Preaching to the People when they had received the Holy Ghost. (3.) In providing for the Poor that received the Gospel, for which the Jewish Synagogues (out of which they had formerly been Relieved) had now cast them out of their care; whereof more afterwards: As also (4.) In their Joint Celebration of a Council, and sending their Canons or Decrees to the several Churches, &c. But in this place here, Peter and John only come into play, by their going into the Temple at the Ninth Hour, the hour of Prayer, not to communicate with the Jews in their now Antiquated Worship, but that they might have a larger Field for sowing their seed of the Gospel in, which they could not miss of, but meet with upon the Evening of this great Feast of Pentecost-day, about three a Clock in the Afternoon, which was the time of their Evening Sacrifice: At their entering into the Gate, not of the first Court of the Gentiles, but of the second Court of the Jews, they find the Lame man laid hoping for more Alms from his Country-men than from Strangers. Note; This same Cripple was born lame, and was now forty years old, therefore the harder to cure, and when cured, the more credible Witness against the Cavillers at his cure, Acts 4.22. This man lay begging daily there, and if he had beg'd in that place so many years, it may well be wondered at, that Christ himself had not cured him long ere this in his passing so frequently through this Porch, seeing we do not find that our Lord ever refused any who came for cure: To this it may be said, that the Lord might reserve this Miracle for this very Time, both for confirming the Truth of the Gospel, and the Faith of the Apostles in Preaching it. All Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hands, who both justly forbears to send Salvation at one time, and graciously vouchsafes it at another. Note; This now was the day of sending Salvation to the Cripple, who asked Alms of these two Apostles. God was better to him than his expectation, and so he is to us, daily giving us more than we can ask or think, Eph. 3.20. Yea, he presseth favors upon his Suitors, as Naaman did upon Gehazi, 2 Kings 5.23. Peter had no Gold to give him, but he had Grace, to wit, a power from Christ wherewith to heal him, which, as he had freely received, so he freely gave it to him; when he first excited his expectation with [Look on us] that he might the more mind the means, and the manner of his Cure, and be the better prepared to give God the glory of it: No sooner had Peter spoke [In the Name of Jesus, &c. Rise up and walk ] but presently [ his Feet and his Ankle-bones received strength, &c.] v. 4, 5.6, 7. Together with this word there went forth a power, as Luke 5.17. then was fulfilled that Prophecy, Isa. 35.6. [The Lame Man shall leap as an Hart: The Lord raised up the Crooked] Psal. 146.8. as was this Cripple, whose Inside and Soul was now healed, as well as his Outside and Body; for he went into the Temple with them, not only to hang up his Crutches (as it were) there, as Memorials of his Mercy; but also to render Praises to the God of his Mercy: [He praised God] not the Apostles. Note; Instruments must not rob the Author of his glory; we may pay the Messenger, but we must return Thanks principally to the sending Benefactor: Yet this healed Cripple (in an Extasie of Thankfulness to them) held those his Healers till a great confluence of People came about them (all astonished with the unexpected Miracle on this notoriously known Lame Beggar) which when Peter saw, he embraces this Golden Opportunity, and Preacheth his second stinging Sermon to them, whereby a great Increase was added again to the Church. Not only this Cripple (who had cause at last to bless God for his Lameness, which brought him, as divers Miseries do others, to the knowledge of Christ and of Salvation through him; a blind Eye hath helped the healing of a blind Soul, &c. ) but also two thousand more believed (as an addition to the three thousand, Acts 2.41. at the least, &c. ) 'It is not improbable these Converts were five thousand distinct from the three thousand. See after: this was the provocation to the first Persecution, Acts 4.4. Thus this Fisher-man Peter became by Christ's helping Spirit, a very notable Fisher of Men, according to his Master's promise; for in this second rousing Oration.

He 1. Abaseth himself (and his Fellow-Disciple) that he might exalt Christ, saying [This Miracle is not done by our holiness] Acts 3.12. It seems the Jews had a conceit that extraordinary Holiness would attain to miraculous workings. The Apostle answers [No] to it; for Holiness, though it be never so real, and raised in Men, cannot cause the least Miracle, although, all things considered, itself be a great one, requiring so much power to work it in us, as the Raising of Christ from the Dead, Eph. 1.19. much less could their Holiness heal a Man that was born Lame, as he reasoned well, who said, [Since the World began was it not heard, that any opened the Eyes of one that was born blind] John 9.32.

2ly. When he had rectified their readiness to pay their Rent to a wrong Landlord, then he corrects and rebukes them sharply for their cursed contempt of Christ, v. 13. in denying him, crying, [We have no King but Caesar] Joh. 19.15. And again, [But ye denied him] verse 14. in preferring Barabbas the worst of Men and a Murderer before Jesus the best of Men, and a Savior, crying, [His blood be upon us and upon our Children] Matth. 27.20, 25. This Nail of their denying Christ he beats upon again and again, and drives it home to the head, and the more, because it had been Peter 's own sin, which had cost him so much bitter sorrow, Luke 23.62. He proposed to them the same effectual Remedy.

3dly. Then, dipping his Nail in Oil, that it might drive the deeper, he, not being able to excuse their Malice and Murder of the Prince of Life, thus far mitigateth it, that it was not the Sin against the Holy Ghost, which can never be forgiven, verse 17. whereby he put the penitent (among them) in hope of pardon, because it was their Ignorance and blind Zeal that had led many of them into this unparalleled Enormity. So 1 Tim. 1.13. 1 Cor. 2.8. and Luke 23.34. Note; This ought to be carefully cautioned, when such as have been Persecutors are under conviction and contrition, for having favored the wicked, and frowned on the godly, &c. They must thus be informed, that they despair not of Divine Mercy.

Thus Peter (from his own experience) opened a door of hope for them, who had given consent only to the Crucifying of Christ (and therefore was that Sin charged upon them, though probably none of those present did actually nail Christ to his Cross.) if they did but repent and be converted, verse 17, 19. The same door of hope may we have opened to us by Repentance, &c. Though we have too often given our consents, that such and such Soul-murdering Sins (like so many Barabbas 's) should be prefer'd before a precious Christ. Thus both Jews and Gentiles conspired against Christ as foretold, Psal. 2.1, 2.

4ly. Beside this Lenitive to qualify the foregoing Corrosive, Peter doth not only tell them how God used the Ignorance of some, and the Malice of others for his own glorious Ends, in accomplishing the foreordained and foretold Death of our dear Redeemer; but also informs them, v. 19, 21. (1.) Of a day of Refreshing, to cool their now-inflamed Consciences, if indeed they repented and were converted, that is, if they came up to a true and thorough contrition for sins in time past, and to a real universal Reformation from sin for time to come, though now in an angry Conscience, they felt an angry God, yet then their sins should be blotted out, Isa. 43.25. and 44.22. and not be found anymore, though they should be sought for, Jer. 50.20. And though they had been writ in God's Book of Remembrance with a Pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, Jer. 17.1. yet the Red Lines of Christ's Blood should be drawn over the Black Lines of their Sins, and so cancel out the bitter hand-writing against them, Col. 2.14, &c. And their sins being thus perfectly remitted by Christ, as if they had never been committed against Christ. They should then sit as cool under Christ's shadow, Cant. 2.3. as the weary Laborers or Travelers do under refreshing shades, when the hot Sun-beams hath beaten upon their heads. Now the Judgments of God, and his most hot Displeasure, did hasten to destroy the Jewish Nation, but ye by embracing Christ (says he) shall escape: And he informs them (2dly.) Of a Time of Restitution (as well as of a day of Refrigeration) wherein all things (put out of order by the Sin of the First Adam ) shall be repaired and restored into their primitive order and beauty by the blessing of the Second Adam, Acts 3.21. to the end. Under this present Disorder upon the Universe, the whole Creation is said to groan, Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, &c. waiting and looking out at a Window (as Sisera 's Mother did, Judge. 5.28.) earnestly expecting this blessed and blessing Friend's coming. Note; When this Time shall be, is become a great Question. Plato hammer'd at it in his great year of Revolution, wherein all things shall return ( [in statu quo prius] as they were at first: All the Constellations of the Heavens shall come to the very same point wherein they were created: Some think, it shall be at the calling of the Jews, which Paul calls [Life from the Dead] Rom. 11.15. Their Restoration will bring better blessings to us Gentiles, than did their Rejection, a more glorious State, a thorough Reformation, such as shall be at the last Resurrection of the Dead.

CHAP. IV. The First Persecution of the first Church, &c.

THE next Inquiry is, what (in general, more particularly afterwards) were the Divine Dispensations of Providence towards this Primo -primitive Church, and to these two principal Pillars of it Peter and John's Answer, the Church had here (as the Militant Church always hath) her Habitation at the Sign of the Chequer, both the Black of Misery, and the White of Mercy were marvelously mingled together, hanging upon the Sign-post at her door; her Adversity and her Prosperity were placed orderly the one over against the other (as Solomon saith in his Sapientials, Eccles. 7.14.) and most beautifully intermingled: Chekered work is always by all persons looked upon as a piece of beautiful work, &c.

1st. Let us view her Adversity, the Black of Misery attending this Church. These two Apostles are laid hold of, while they hold forth to, and are thus teaching the People, and are also put into hold: We have an exact account hereof in all its circumstances, Acts 4. (1.) By whom this was done, v. 1. not only by the Jews Priests, &c. but also by the Gentile Captain over that Guard of Roman Soldiers appointed to prevent Tumults that might arise by such vast Confluences of the Multitude resorting to Worship in the Temple at the Feast.

(2.) For what cause, because they Preached the Resurrection by Jesus, verse 2. This grieved them (as Moab was at God's Israel 's, Numb. 22.3, 4.) and made them sick of the Devil's fretting Disease: No wonder that the Sadducees were vexed at this Doctrine, for they denied the Resurrection, &c. but also the Priests, &c. were angry, not only because these two illiterate persons took upon them to Preach to the People in the Temple without their License and Ordination (not understanding the Apostle's extraordinary Call) and therefore looked upon it as their duty to suppress them; but also because these Intruders into the Preaching Office (as they judged them) did both assert the Resurrection of Christ, (which they had given a great sum of Money to the Soldiers for stifling the report of, Matth. 28.12, 13.) and their own Resurrection also through Jesus, suppose they should be slain by the same hands which had slain their Lord and Master: This did jointly so anger them to such a degree, that they plainly did eat up their own hearts (in their fretting Leprosy of Envy) because they could not come to tear out the hearts of these two holy Apostles, being restrained by an almighty invisible hand for this time.

(3.) How far God suffered those Persecutors to proceed, verse. 3. as to Degree and to Durance [They laid hands upon them] even those very wicked hands (so called, Acts 2. v. 23.) which was yet besmeared with the precious Blood of the Lamb of God: Their strongest Argument (as of all wicked Persecutors) must be Club-law and Violence. Argumentum Baculinum is better with them than Aristotelicum. Now the Apostles began to experience the truth of their Lord's words, Luke 21.12. They shall lay hands on you, &c. [They put them in hold] not cast them into the Jail, or into the Dungeon, but delivered them into the Sergeant's hand for their forth-coming the next day, it being now Evening, verse 3. The Lord Tempteth not his Servants above what they were able, 1 Cor. 10.13. They were yet but young Pupils in Christ's School; they must not have Trials beyond their strength at the first, but gradually learn to bear the Cross. Tender Plants are nourished by soft Rains, whereas a Violent and Dashing Shower would destroy them before they be grown into the stability of a strong Tree. God knows our frame, and remembers we are but Dust (instar fictilium) poor Potter's Vessels, easily broken as all such brittle matter is, Psal. 103.14. Therefore God suffered not Persecution to break in upon this New planted Church with over-much Violence at the first. These two Apostles were not immediately Jayled, but only Bailed, promising Appearance on the Morrow, &c. Beside, the Sun of Righteousness (their Lord Christ) was but newly departed from them, therefore was it not suddenly. As the Pitch Darkness of the Night of Persecution with them: God's design is gracious, when he chastizeth his Church and Children; 'tis not to crush them with the Cross, but to correct them for their profit, as a Father doth his Children. Heb. 12.14.

(4.) What was the Event of this offered Violence, verse 4. God over-ruled it for this his Church's Advantage and wonderful Increase by a New Addition of five thousand Souls more to it. Note; This Number seemeth the more probable to be a New Accession distinct from the Three Thousand aforementioned, Acts 2.41. because to call but Two Thousand now added, by the name and number of Five Thousand, is a manner of numbering very unusual to the Tenure of the Sacred Scriptures. However, suppose it to be only the Increase of that lesser number, yet was it a most goodly and wonderful Draught of Fish by those two Fishers of Men at the second casting out the Net of the Gospel. This was a New Confirmation of that Old Adage [Sanguis Martyrum est Semen Ecclesiae, The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of his Church. The more that the Church is molested, the more she is multiplied, as she was in Egyps, Exod. 1. v. 11. Though these two Apostles were now in hold, yet, behold the Evidence of Divine Power; this Church flourished the more by these frownings of Men upon her, and was protected from all the Outrages that the Devil could stir up against her. What Pliny saith of the Lily, that it groweth up and is increased by its own Juice which floweth from it, and droppeth down upon its Root. Sure I am, this holdeth most true of the Church. This leads to the second Branch in the view of the first Church.

2ly. Let us take a prospect of the Prosperity of it, the White of the Mercy, which gave light and luster to her Black of Misery. This contained the marvelous Deliverance of the Two Apostles from their present disturbance and confinement, which consisteth of Antecedents, Concomitants and Consequents thereof. (1.) The Antecedents have the Apostle's Trial, wherein is their Accusation and their Apology with the Issue of both. (1.) They are Accused by the Priests, &c. who damned both their Doctrine and their Miracle, Acts 4.7. They do not only question their Power, saying, Who made them (Illiterate Fellows) Doctors or Teachers; being uncalled and unsent by their Sanhedrim, but also, whether they had not cured the Lame Beggar by a power derived from the Devil, and not from God; by virtue of the Black. Art, and not by the Gift of Christ's Spirit? Tho' the Miracle itself gave convincing light sufficient to demonstrate that it was Heavenborn, yet were they willingly and willfully ignorant hereof, and inquire thus that they might find matter out of the Apostle's own mouths for which they might punish them. (2.) The Answer of Peter to this Accusation, verse 8, 9. put them to a non-plus, saying, [ Ye Rulers, &c. we have done a good deed, &c.] The end of your Office is to be a Terror to Evil-doers, and to praise them that do well, &c. Rom. 13.3, 4. as yourselves cannot but acknowledge, and therefore ought to encourage and protect us: We are no Necromancers of the Devil, but the Apostles of Christ, who hath enabled us to work this Miracle, and in whose name all Salvation for Soul and Bo • y is wrought; though ye (who should be Builders) have rejected this Principal Stone more precious not only than Baal (the God of Ekron ) in whom Idolaters, but also than Moses in whom ye trust. This boldness of Peter (in daring now to Preach Christ so confidently to the whole Council, who had been before frighted into a denial of him by a silly Wench) did so confound them, together with that ocular Demonstration of the Lame Man (who used to lie down) now standing upright beside the Apostles, that they had nothing to say, and were at as great a loss what to do, though they thought power enough was in their hands to have the Victory, verse 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Though they scrupled not to be unjust (in condemning the Apostles for working such a notable Miracle as all the Country rang of) yet loath they were to seem to be so: Therefore consult they how to palliate it before men with whom they valued their own Credit more than keeping a good Conscience towards God, or the Salvation of their own or others Souls. (2.) The Concomitants; when they had thus conferred in this Cabal about finding out the best Expedient for stifling the Gospel, the Result of clubbing their Wits together was, to lay their thteatning Charge upon the Apostles, (1.) Not to Preach (publicly or privately) in the Name of the Lord Jesus: Nor (2.) To Pray in his Name: Nor (3.) To work anymore Miracles by it. Thus those Unjust Judges pretended to be so far good-natured, as to pass by the former fault, provided the Apostles would promise to do so no more, but be bound to their Good-behavior for time to come, yet intended by this principal piece of Policy to keep the People in Ignorance, most mischievously lessening their Light (as Cheats use to do) that Spectators might more easily be gulled and beguiled by their Legerdemain-Tricks without discovery, verse 16, 17, 18. Both Peter and John agreed in one and the same Answer, as being acted by one and the same Spirit, saying [We are not concerned at your Threats and Edicts, nor solicitous what will best bring us off at present out of your hands, but we do appeal to your own Consciences, whether God will excuse us: If we against his Commands do obey yours: Will ye bear us harmless against the Woe God denounceth against us, if we Preach not the Gospel? 1 Cor. 9.16. Ye command us that which is morally impossible, unless our Tongues were cut out, &c. verse 19, 20.] They were now filled with the new Wine of the Spirit, and their Vessels therefore must either vent or burst. See Jer. 20.9. Psal. 116.16. and Acts 17.16. This Authority of God being thus opposed to Man's, these Rulers were over-ruled to dismiss the Apostles, not from any sense of their own Sin, or dread of Divine Wrath, but for fear of losing the People's Favor, verse 21. God used this means to Restrain these Ruler's Rage, &c.

3dly. The Consequents hereof; (1.) The Apostles, thus marvelously delivered and dismissed, Return to the Church, and relate to them their marvelous Deliverance, v. 23. encouraging them to hope for the like Salvation in the like service and suffering. (2.) This occasioned the Church's Prayer in Joint-Communion: Wherein God's Omnipotency in Creating and Governing the World doth afford their first comfort against their present sufferings, and future also, verse 24. This Master-controuler will manage all for his own Glory and his Church's good, Rom. 8, 28. Then do they apply the Prophetick Oracle of David, Psal. 2.12. to their own State at this juncture, Act. 4.25, 26, 27, 28. showing what a mere madness it is in Men (whether Jews or Gentiles ) to oppose Christ, for he will prevail mangre the Malice of angry Men, and enraged Devils: Hence the Psalmist begins that Psalm with an abrupt Le ••• d, (or why) in an angry Interrogation, as if he had said [What, are ye all mad, ye many, and ye mighty, to attempt a Design whereof ye can render no good Reason, nor ever expect any good success, &c? ] Then they petition that God above would behold Men's threatenings below, &c. Act. 4.29. and that Christ might magnify himself (not them) both by their Oracles and Miracles, verse▪ 30. The effect of it was a gracious Answer from Christ, testified both by an Earthquake, and a fresh Effusion of the Spirit, verse 31. Note; Thus the Gospel grew by opposition, and would do so now, were we but awakened by our Dangers to a more fervent praying as they were here: The Conclusion is the present State of the Church; (1.) In its Teachers, many Miracles (unrecorded) were wrought by them, beside their Magnanimity in Preaching. (2.) In the Hearers, both Unanimity, as if one Soul had moved all the Bodies of that Multitude, and Liberality in contributing, the Manner, how, the Matter, how much, and the End, for what use, verse 32, 33, 34, 35. more particularly in Barnabas, verse 36, 37, Many Believers lived far from Jerusalem, which was shortly to be destroyed, therefore this Act was peculiar to this time and place. (3.) Great Grace was upon all, verse 33. as if dropped down from Heaven, both gratis data, & gratum faciens, that Grace freely given, and that also which makes truly gracious, shining forth in the carriages and countenances, in the speeches and actions of both Apostles and Auditors, so that all called them blessed, &c. Isa. 61.9, &c.

CHAP. V. Of Ananias and Sapphira 's Sin and Death.

THE Church is ever like the Land of Canaan, which was a Land of Hills and Valleys, Deut. 11.11. So is she sometimes up and sometimes down; now abased, and now exalted by the turning Wheel of Providence. Now that Envious One (the Devil) envying the great Grace which gave a great Grandeur to this primo primitive Church, began to sow his cursed Tares: The Perils and Impediments of this growing Gospel-Church became now twofold. (1.) Internal; and (2.) External. (1.) The Internal was the Hypocrisy and Perfidiousness of Ananias and Sapphira▪ in their committing Sacrilege: The matter and form of the sin of these two Sacrilegious persons were that they both (Man and Wif • ) conspired to defraud the Church of part of the price of their sold Possession, &c. Acts 5.1, 2. The Adjuncts of this Sacrilege (wherein is comprehended the punishment of it) are expressed by their Quality upon the Offenders, and by the Effects in the Church: The Quality of the Punishment is described, (1.) Upon Ananias the Husband, whom Peter first accuseth for lying at the instigation of the Devil, and in defiance of the Holy Ghost, verse 3, 4. and then for Theft, which he also aggravates from his own propriety by right of Law therein, verse 4. whereupon follow the convicted Man's sudden Death, verse 5. and after that his immediate Burial, v. 6. which struck all the Auditors and Spectators with a dreadful Awe after; verse 10. Then (2.) Upon Sapphira the Wife, whom the over-ruling hand of God brought in at that juncture, when all these things had happened to her Husband, verse 7. She upon examination confesseth the deed, verse 8. for which she is condemned, verse 9. and immediately executed, verse 10. This produced wonderful Effects, as those without the Church wondered at, and magnified this Discipline, so those within were marvelously strengthened, and the Church by these and other Miracles wonderfully increased, verse 12, 13, 14, 16.

The Remarks and Mysteries held out in all those Histories, thus analysed, may more distinctly and particularly be thus amplified and enlarged upon. That concerning Anania's Story concerning his sin and punishment for it, hath this (1st.) Remark relating to his Name, the same with Jer. 28.1. which signifies [the Grace of God ] so Canan-Jah signifies in the Hebrew Language: Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis, saith the Poet, Names and Natures do oft agree, but it holds not true in these two Hananiah's, in whom not great Grace (as Acts 4.33.) but very little was to be found: The Old Testament Hananiah was only a pretended Prophet, Preaching pla •• ntia, pleasing things to the Prince and People through flattery, and for filthy lucre likely: He limits their Deliverance from Babylon to come within two years, when the Lord by Jeremy had told them their Captivity should continue seventy years: Now because this graceless false Prophet made the Prince and the People to trust in a Lye, therefore within two months of his Lying Prediction God smote him that he died, Jer. 28.1, 3.15, 17. Note; So dangerous a matter it is for Ministers to teach People contrary to the Revealed Will of God, and presumptuously to limit the Holy One of Israel to our time, Psal. 78.41. Event hath confuted and confounded such Lying Prophets in our Day, according to Deut. 18.22. And this New Testament Chananiah is found here to have little more Grace, &c. than he had, as will appear after in describing his sin, &c. How many Ships are named, the Happy Success, and the Good Speed, &c. yet make unhappy Shipwrack at Sea.

The Second Remark relateth to his State and Quality; he was not an ordinary or common Person or Professor, but probably (as 'tis thought) a Minister of the Gospel, who had received extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, and therefore mention is made of him next to Barnabas, Acts 4.36, 37. that Son of Consolation, a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, Acts 11.24. whereas alas, this greatly gifted Minister, was a bad man, and full of the evil Devil; for Satan is said to fill his heart top-full, even from corner to corner, Acts 5.3. As when the head is filled with the fumes of Strong-waters, such a person is bold and daring, &c. So the Devil had so filled this man's heart with his Intoxicating Cup, that he dare desperately venture to provoke God to his face. Note; This teacheth us, (1.) What are Gifts without Grace; there the Handmaid wants the Mistress to manage her, so miscarrieth. And (2.) The more light and love any Man or Minister is made partaker of, his sin hath the more aggravation, and is a falling Star, &c.

The Third Remark is touching his Sin, which was this; he would ambitiously imitate blessed Barnabas in selling his Farm, and devoting the whole price of the Possession by a solemn Vow to God and his Service; but the Tempter by his Temptation (meeting with, and drawing forth this man's corruption) persuades him to purloin and detain part of the vowed price, for supplying his and his Wife's necessaries in their Old Age, or in a time of Sickness, or in some sad scattering Persecution that might arise after (as indeed it did) which they might lawfully enough have done, keeping back part for such Ends as are aforesaid, had they not vowed to give the whole to the use of the Church. Thus there was a complication of many sins in this one; as (1.) Here was Ambition, he would be thought as good as the best, yea even as Barnabas himself, &c. (2.) Hypocrisy, pretending Holiness and Devotion to God, but intending to serve his own ends, &c. (3.) His Diffidence and Distrust in that God, whom when he had made his Vow, he seemed to dedicate himself and his whole substance unto, and upon whom he professed to have his whole dependency for time to come: And (4.) Sacrilege, in Robbing of God, insomuch as he paid not down the whole that he had vowed to God contrary to the Law, Mal, 3.8. Lev. 27.10. and Deut. 23.21, 22 23.

The Fourth Remark relateth to his Punishment for the concurrence of these four sins in one: No sooner had Peter told him of his belying God the Holy Ghost, who had stir'd up the first motion of selling his Possession, but he had suffered Beelzebub (the God of Flies, or Master-Fly) Satan, soon to fly-blow and corrupt it. &c. but immediately he falls down and gave up the Ghost, Acts 5.2, 3, 4, 5. Note; Thus as God graced the Jewish Church with some extraordinary Instances of his severe Judgments upon Sinners in the beginning of it, such as were executed upon the Man that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath day, Numb. 15.35. and upon Nadab and Abihu, for offering strange Fire, Levite. 10.1, &c. So did the Lord accordingly grace the beginnings of the Christian Church with the like Judgments upon Sinners, that they might be set forth as Sea-marks for all who sail in the Sea of professing Christian-Religion, to shun such sins, and to learn that the great God, with whom we have to do therein, is greatly to be seared: That we may be what we seem to be, we must be to God what we seem to be to Men, and we must be to God at all times, what we seem to be to Men at any time: That we worship God in spirit, as opposed to Formality, and in Truth, as opposed to Hypocrisy, John 4.24. God takes some Malefactors [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the very Theft or Act, John 8.4.] and hangs them up (as it were) in Gibbets, that others, warned thereby, may hear, fear, and do no more any such wickedness, Deut. 13.11. and 17.13. and 19.20. and 21.21. Alterius perditio tua fit cuntio; seest thou another suffer Shipwrack, then look well to thy own Tackling. Note; Christ had impowered his Apostles with this Commission [ Whosoever's sins ye remit, or retain, they are remitted or retained, John 20.23.] whereby they were invested with a power of Life and Death, to inflict corporal Plagues upon the disgracers of the Gospel, or to spare them as they were directed by the Holy Ghost, which they now had received, and whom Ananias and ••• hira had here basely belied, thinking their False-play could not be detected by that Divine Spirit, as if he were not the Third Person in the Godhead, which those that cursedly deny, have cause to fear Ananias 's Plagues. Peter here, being fully persuaded that his own sin of Lying against his Lord (in denying him, &c. ) was assuredly pardoned, doth dare thus signally to avenge a Lye against the Holy Ghost, and thus doing in a 〈◊〉 Zeal for his Master whom he had denied. Note; This miraculous manner of punishing notorious Sinners, in the Gospel-Church, was accommodated only to those Primitive-Times, wherein Magistrates were so far from defending the Church, that they themselves were found the greatest offenders of it: Therefore were those two Dissemblers extraordinarily erected (by the extraordinary Apostles) as lasting Pillars of Salt (with Lot 's Wife) and everlasting Monuments to all Generations of the great God's just Indignation against the Despisers of the Spirit of Christ. After the Husband's Death for his sin against the Holy Ghost, followeth (2.) The Story of his Wife, wherein we have these Remarks likewise.

The first Remark is, her Name was Sapphira, which signifies specious or beautiful; She might be so on the outside, but her heart within was not right with God, but rotten, having a foul Soul in a fair Body, &c. like the Apples of Sodom, which ( Soli • us saith) are beautiful to behold, but crumbles with the least touch into stinking sulphurous Ashes: Or like the Egyptian 's Temples, which were much beautified upon the outside of the Fabric, whereas within nothing could be found, but some ugly Serpent, or crooked Crocodile: Or like the Jewish Sepulchers, whose Entrance into those Vaults, for Burial, were gawdilly garnished, when within were nothing but stinking Carcases, Matth. 23.27. We may think the same of all painted Hypocrites, who like Glo-worms, seem to have both light and heat, but by touching them, neither thereof is in them: It may be said of them, as a grave Roman Senator said of a painted Embassador; What Sincerity can we expect at this man's hands, whose locks, and looks, and lips do lie? fair Professors they may be, but are foul Practisers; yea, even Atheistical in practice, or practical Atheists. Note; No doubt but the Hypocrisy of this noble pair of Hypocrites ( Ananias and Sapphira ) did spring from their Atheism, in thinking to hide their sinful Sacrilege from the Omnisciency of the Holy Ghost, which doth no less than pave a way unto that unpardonable sin of the Pharisees, Matth. 12.31, 32.

The second Remark, concerning this Woman, is, how soon and suddenly did the Hope of this Hypocrite perish, Job 8.13. She came to the Apostle's Convention about three hours after her Husband's death, Acts 5.7. not only suspecting nothing, and therefore made no inquiry; but also expecting, and heightened with hopes to find her Husband in the highest. Honor among the Apostles for his Charity (with the best) to the Church: But alas, how soon her head, full of hopes, dwindled into an heart-full of Blanks; her hope was not only as the giving up of the Ghost (as Job 11.20. which is very cold comfort) but also it ended in a plain real personal giving up the Ghost.

The third Remark is; one sin makes way for, begets and draws on another: She had been privy to her Husband's Hypocrisy, in mocking God with part for the whole, Acts 5.2. From consenting to the sin, she steps on to a cunning covering of it after, verse 8. She had agreed with her Husband to commit the sin of Sacrilege, and to cover it with telling a Lye about the price. 'It is too common a crime in our time to cover sin with sin: One sin draws on another (as one Link in a Chain draws on another until the whole be drawn up) till it end in perdition, as here: Her subjection to her Husband excused her not; as she was partaker of his sin, so must she of his punishment, verse 10.

The second Impediment of this growing Gospel-Church was external, from professed Foes without, as the first was internal, from pretended Friends within the Church; And this was the second Persecution which the Devil and his Instruments (those pestilent Persecutors the Priests, &c. ) raised to suppress the Gospel, sed veritas magna est & pravalebat. In this second Persecution and hindrance of the Church, there is still more checker'd work of new Disturbance, and of new Deliverance. (1.) The Disturbance was occasioned by the many mighty and marvelous Miracles wrought not only by the hands of the Apostles, but also by the very shadow of Peter, Acts 5.12, 15, 16. The light and luster whereof did both terrify the unsound, and wonderfully incite the sincere to embrace the Gospel (which made a fresh vast Accession to the Church) verse 13, 14. All this did so enrage the Sa ••• ical Sanhedrim of the Priests, &c. (the greatest part whereof were Saddaces who denied the Resurrection) that, out of their blind Hellish (not Heaven-born) Zeal, they lay their wicked hands again upon the Apostles, and cast them into the common Prison (where their notorious Malefactor's were kept) verse 17, 18. This was the Disturbance designed by the Devil. But (2dly.) There was deliverance wrought for them by an Angel, who opened the Prison-doors, verse 19. And, having brought forth the Lord's Prisoners, shut the Prison-doors insensibly again, as appears, verse 23. And the Reason or End, why they were thus miraculously delivered, is rendered, verse 20. that they might publicly teach the People in the Temple, which doing, and obeying God rather than Man, verse 21, 25. became a new provocation to the Priests &c. to summon them again before the Sanhedrim, who accused them afresh both of Contumacy, Novelty, and Sedition, v. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Thus after their first Disturbance by the Devil, and their Deliverance from it by the Angel in this second Persecution, they must even then meet with a fresh and a second Disturbance, out of which they have a fresh and a second Deliverance, at this time also, which was wrought for them, not by an Angel, as before, but by the marvelous means of two Men. (1.) By the powerful Apology of Peter, verse 29, to 33. And (2.) By the grave Counsel of Gamaliel, verse 34, to 40. after which are the Effects to the end. The most eminent Remarks and Mysteries this famous History affordeth, are these that follow.

1. That Hypocrites are but Wens, or rather Botches of the Church, and may be taken off without any detriment to it. It was so little a loss to the Church, to lose Ananias and Sapphira, by such a dreadful Doom and Judgment, that it became a double gain to it, not only in affrighting the Sanballat 's and Tobiah 's of this day from insinuating themselves into the Fellowship of the Church (as they did in Ezra 's day, Ezra 4.1, 2, 3, &c.) Those Hypocritical Adversaries, beholding this dismal Example against Hypocrites, durst not join themselves to the Church, verse 13. but also in stirring up the sound-hearted so much the more to become Christians indeed, whereby the Church was greatly increased, verse 14. Thus when those two Rotten Branches ( Ananias and Sapphira ) were cut off, the Lord's Vine (the Church) flourished the better; and that which might seem an hindrance to the Gospel, became a great furtherance of it, as it did, Phil. 1.12.

The second Remark is, that the truly Godly may expect a succession of Trials and Troubles, velut unda supervenit undae; one wave of the Salt-Sea of Affliction closely pursues another; and the following wave is mostly greater than the foregoing: Like Job 's Messengers, not only treading upon the very heels one of another, but also each latter bringing worse Tidings than the former; the first beginning with the loss of his Cattle, &c. and the last with the loss of all his Children. Thus Persecution (which is the Evil Ghost that haunts the Good Gospel) grows here upon this Church as well as Doggs it. In the former Persecution the Apostles were only secured, and Bail taken for their Appearance, and upon their Answering for themselves, they were soon dismissed with a few Threatenings only: But now in this following Persecution, they were cast into the Gaol among common Malefactors; and though they were fetched out from Prison by an holy Angel, yet were they after beaten by these wicked men, v. 40. Note; Oh the Tenderness of God to his tender Servants! while these Apostles were but tender Striplings, and not yet grown up to maturity, God stays the Rough Wind in the day of the East-Wind, and lets it out of his fist (as Prov. 30.4.) not whole bushels of Affliction at once, but only by peck and by peck (as the Hebrew word signifies) Isa. 27.8.) as his people are made able to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. They were but tender Plants at their being first filled with the Spirit, Acts 2.4. so must not at the first be blown upon with the boisterous, blasting, and blustering Euroclydon ( Acts 27.14.) or East-Wind of Persecution, lest those Trees of Righteousness (of God's planting and watering, Isa. 61.3.) should be too much shaken, or blowed down quite by the Roots: But now after they were filled the second time with the Spirit, Acts 4.31. and so better fitted for suffering work by the Spirit of Glory that rested on them, 1 Pet. 4.14. they must now grapple with greater Sufferings at this time. N.B. There is most comfortable Gospel in that Levitical Law [What Vessel is not able to bear the purifying by Fire, it shall suffice to rinse them by Water] Numb. 31.23. In God's great House there be various Vessels, some of Wood, as well as others of Gold, &c. 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. The Psalmist speaks of both a passing through the Fire, and also a passing through the Water, Psal. 66.10, 12. So compassionate and tender-hearted is our heavenly Father toward us, that rather than our spirit should fail in the day of our Affliction, because our strength is small, Prov. 24. v. 10. he will not over-afflict us with Fiery Trials, it shall suffice to purify us with brackish Waters, &c. He will suit the stroke to the strength; he will proportion the burden to the back of the bearer. Thus dealt God with David 's Son, gently chastising him with the Rod of weak Men, 2 Sam. 7.14, 15. as tender Parents chasten their stubborn Children, to break their stomachs, but not their bones. God will not scourge us with Scorpions, nor crush us with the weight of his own mighty hand upon us.

The third Remark is, that no Human Misery can befall the Church and Children of God, but there is a suitable Salvo of Divine Mercy: They can meet with no kind of Malady upon Earth, but what may have a more powerful and preponderating Remedy from Heaven. Note; God sometimes shifts hands, and changes means and methods of his Church's Deliverance, as here: The first was by an Angel, the second by Men; he works both ways, by Peter 's Apology, or by Gamaliel 's Counsel; he will be exalted in his own strength, when not in the strength of the creature, Psal. 21.13. not by might but spirit, Zech. 4.6. Here the foul Fiend of Hell, the Devil (by his Imps) prevails so far, as to cast the Apostles into Prison, there he lodges and confines them: But is the matter carried so? No; God sends an Angel, who over-powers, and out-pulls the Devil; makes a forcible Entry with a Rescue, and pulls the Prisoners out of Prison, &c. God could have delivered them by other means, but he useth here the Ministry of Angels, for the better confirmation of their new exercised Faith, letting them see by experience, that he had given his Angels charge over them, Psal. 91.11. And the same, and no less is the privilege of all that fear God; The Angels incamp round about them, Psal. 34.7. They are ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister to all Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. Suppose Satan (as our Savior saith, Rev. 2.10.) should cast some of us into Prison; still God's hand is not shortened; 'tis God's Ordinance doubtless, and the good we must now look for from Angels, is, as they are in the hands of a Mediator, Gal. 3.19. They are all under Christ's Power, Matth. 11.27. and 28.18. They ministered to him, Matth. 4.11. and Rolled away the Stone from the mouth of his Sepulcher, Mat. 28.2. They healed Bodies, John 5.4. opened Prisons, as here, and Acts 12.7. N.B. And undoubtedly they do many signal and singular services for God's Servants still; though their visible Apparitions be ceased, yet their invisible Operations for Heirs of Salvation shall never cease. Some have thought they have felft the touch of an Angel, when they have been entering upon some evil Act, and thereby have been reclaimed: 'Twas doubtless an Angel that spoke to Mr. Laremouth a Scotch Minister and Chaplain to the Lady Ann of Cleve, and being praying in Prison in the Marian days) saying, once, twice, thrice, [Arise and go thy ways] whereupon he arising from his knees, and ending his prayer, immediately a piece of the Prison-wall fell down, whereby he not only was delivered from being crushed to pieces, but also escaped beyond Sea, &c. N.B. God will now have us to live by Faith, and not to walk by Sense, and therefore we must not see those Ministring Angels, yet ought we so to believe, as to improve this Ordinance of God. N. B. It may be, God will make use of Angels to throw down Babylon with Violence, and with a Vengeance, Rev. 18.21. When Rome (that Rueful Milstone which hath grounded to Powder so many Myriads of Saints) shall be irreparably Ruined; yea, rather than the Everlasting Gospel should not be Preached perpetually, but fail by the forced silence of holy Men's Ministry, God may make an Angel Preach it, &c. Rev. 14.6. No doubt but Angels do now act for the Church and Children of God, though invisibly; their hands are under their wings, Ezek. 1.8. They are not seen now, because Christ governs his Church in a spiritual way, yet have we communion with them by Christ, though in an invisible manner, Hec. 12.22. They are our Nurses to keep us in our way, wherein, while we abide, they protect us, &c. This they do for us, from our Birth to our Death, and then, as Nurses, they carry home the Nurse-child to the Father's house, at his command, Luke 16.22. Holy Angels fight for us, though the Devil and his Angels fight against us, Rev. 12.7. This is comfort.

The 4th. Remark is, God works such convincing and such confounding Deliverances for his Church and Children, that their Adversaries are non-plus'd, and horribly perplexed thereby. Thus was it with these Adversaries; 'tis said, [ They doubted (about these wonderful things that were done) whereunto this Deliverance would grow ] Acts 5.24. The word translated [They doubted] is [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] which signifies [to be thrust into inextricable straits] to be profoundly perplexed; so 'tis read of Herod, Luke 9 7. They (as he did) stood here amuzed and amazed; they (as it were) stuck fast in the Mud, and could find no way out; and knew not which way to turn themselves: They were in such doubt and fear, as put them to a loss what new measures to take, and what retrieving counsel to follow; thus the same word is used, Luke 24.4. Acts 2.12. and here, and Acts 10.17. N.B. Thus the wicked, in the fullness of their sufficiency, are in straits, Job 20.22. whereas the godly have, in the fullness of their straits, a well-contented sufficiency: True Piety hath true Plenty, 1 Tim. 6.6, &c. Such a non-plus and perplexity these wicked Adversaries had been plunged into before, when reduced to such a strait, and at such a loss, as they knew not what to say, or what to do, Acts 4.14, 20, 21. Though their Fingers even itched to do something against them. And now again, they are confounded and startled only at this wonderful work, but are not converted thereby. How much more shall all wicked men be dispirited, and even Ring their Bells backward at the last Day, when they shall see the whole World all on a light fire? when the evident presages of some eminent Temporal Judgment doth so startle them, & drive them into so deep a consternation now, such men's hearts shall then fail them much more indeed, Luke 21.26. This was fulfilled at the Siege of Jerusalem upon these wretches, who were now so much troubled at the Apostle's Preaching the Crucified Christ to be alive, for which they thought them sure enough in Prison, yet while their restless malice was consulting to destroy them for Preaching, they hear the Preachers were not only freed out of Prison, but also Preaching again in the Temple. This made them more mad.

The fifth Remark is, the most sound and sacred Doctrine is an unsufferable Torment to unsound and unholy hearts. When Peter and all the other Apostles answered before the Council (who now had sent for them without their former Violence, fearing Men more than God, and aggravating their crime to the highest degree of obstinacy, with odious Reflections upon Christ (as one unworthy of a name) verse 26, 27, 28.) We ought to obey God rather than Man, verse 29. as before, Acts 4.18, 19.) N. B. Urging this Argument as the common sense of all considering persons, a principle granted and grafted in all Mankind by the Law of Nature; so that the sage Heathen Socrates could say, [I love you Heathens, yet will I obey God rather than you.] How much more may Christians from the light of Scripture say, [ When Men command or forbid us anything contrary to the Word of God, then God is to be obeyed, and not Man, Dan. 3.18, &c. Then Peter proceeding to Preach Christ (whom they had Crucified) to be now an exalted Prince, able to subdue his Foes, and defend his Friends, &c. verse 30, 31, 32. This cut them to the heart, verse 33. they were so tortured hereat, that (as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies) they were as cut asunder with a Saw, and grinning at them with their Teeth, as if they would devour them. Thus in all times, bad men endure not good Doctrine, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. That Honey purges green wounds, but causeth pain to exulcerate parts. Lusty Itch must be gratified with gentle scratching only, &c.

The sixth Remark is, the true Christian Religion which comes from Heaven cannot be destroyed by all the wicked men on Earth, nor by all the Devils in Hell to help them. This is asserted by Gamaliel ( Paul 's Tutor, Acts 22.3.) who was a Pharisee, and one of this Council, yet more moderate than were the Sadducees, by whose wise caution, as with a Bridle, God restrained the outrageous Fury of those Mad-men. He alledgeth (1.) The History of Theudas and Judas (two Rebels against the Romans ) both which soon dwindled away; by this he counseled them to do nothing rashly; for furious Indignation is but a bad Counselor. N.B. History (derived of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of stopping the stream of Violence) hath its excellent use and efficacy, as it had here, verse 34, 35, 36, 37, 40. Then (2.) He urges a Dilemma (a two-horned Argument, that pushed both ways, saying, [ What the Apostles do act, is either of Men, or of God: If of Men, it hath a sandy bottom, so must fall, Matth. 7.27.] You need not trouble yourselves, &c. but, if of God, ye cannot overthrow it, verse 38, 39. therefore refrain and fight not against God; as the proud Giants did, and perished thereby. N.B. This moderate Pharisee may shame our peevish Persecutors, who little think they are waging War against the great God; Did ever any harden himself against God and hath prospered? Job 9.4. No one Instance can be given (either among Tongue-smiters, or Handsmiters) that could boast of the last blow, or ever cry Victory: No, such as harden their hearts against God, God will harden his hand against them: Shall they escape by Iniquity? No; In thine Anger cast them down, O God, Psal. 56.7. How can the borrowing Power be a meet match for the lending Power? 'It is of God that all Men do live and move, Acts 17.28. There is no Counsel, Wisdom, or Might against the Lord, Prov. 21. v. 30. All contrary Powers are to no purpose, if God deny concourse or influence. The Arm of Human Power and Policy (like Jeroboam 's) shrinks up presently, and while it strives for Mastery, is over-mastered. If God will gather together his Armies, who can put a stop to him? Job 11.10. The Counsel of the Lord must stand, Prov. 19.21. Isa. 8.10. and 46.10. Psal. 33.11. Man purposeth, but God disposeth. There is a Counsel in Heaven that will dash down the Mould of all contrary Counsels on Earth.

The seventh Remark is, The Issue of all and every Conflict of the Church, is an happy Conquest over her Adversaries. They yielded here to Gamaliel 's convincing counsel; yet not altogether, for they will not dismiss the Apostles without beating them, wherein they so far fought against God, as well as in prohibiting their Preaching: Notwithstanding all this beating, and brow-beating, the Apostles abated not of their courage, nor one hair-breadth of their work, but rejoiced that they were so graced in their being so disgraced for Christ: They looked upon it as an high honor to be dishonored, in being beaten as Slaves, as Christ their Lord hath foretold them, Matth. 10.17. This Testimony to the Truth they accounted a favor and Divine Condescension, according to Phil. 1.29. where 'tis intimated, that to suffer for Christ is as great a gift (if not greater) than to believe in him. Nor did they (for all this) cease to Preach publicly as well as privately; and the more outrageous were the Adversaries, the more courageous were the Apostles.

CHAP. VI. The Third Persecution against Stephen stoned.

BUT the next blow (the Adversary gave the Church in the third Persecution) was a blacker and bloodier blow, as the sequel will demonstrate; yet even then also was there checker'd-work; still the white of Mercy marvelously mingled with the black of Misery.

The procuring cause of this third Persecution was, this Primo-Primitive Church daily winning ground by both the two former Persecutions, and growing into a very great multitude of Members, whereof many of them were poor persons, according to Christ's word [ Go tell John that the poor receive the Gospel ] Matth. 11.4, 5. Therefore there was a necessity of Ordaining more Officers to the Twelve Apostles, for making a more equal Distribution out of their community of goods to the poor scattered Jews (dispersed by War among the Gentiles, yet retaining their Religion, in repairing to those great Feasts where they were converted, and to whom James and Peter wrote their Epistles) as well as to those poor Jews, who lived in their own Country. The Apostles (having greater work in hand, dividing their whole time between Preaching and Praying) could not possibly provide for the Love-Feasts, &c. Therefore to remove the murmuring at the Inequality of Relief, seven Deacons were chosen out of the 120, Acts 1.15. to assist the Apostles, and to dispose of that Treasury (which had been laid down at the Apostle's feet) with more equality and indifferency to all fit Objects of Charity without exception.

N.B. The sacred Record is silent concerning five of those Deacons, save only in Recording their names, Acts 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and their choice to Office, verse 6. but wonderful works are recorded concerning the other two, who were most Eminent, to wit, Stephen, Acts 6.8. to the end, and Acts 7.1. to the end, and Philip, Acts 8.5. to the end, and chap. 21.8, &c.

First; This Stephen is described to be a Man mighty in deed and word (wherein he carried the Character of Christ, Luke 24.19.) He was full of Faith and Power to work many Miracles among the people, Acts 6.8. and he was as mighty in word as in deed, speaking the word of Truth so convincingly, that his Opposites had no power to oppose it, verse 10. Thus the promise of Christ's Assisting Spirit, Matth. 10.20. and Luke 21.15. was performed. Stephen using the Office of a Deacon well, did purchase to himself an higher Decree, &c. 1 Tim. 3.13. A diligent man stays not long in a low place. N.B. This was occasion enough of Envy to the Envious one, who thereupon stir'd up the Libertines and Philosophers to dispute against Stephen 's Doctrine, but being foiled and confounded by him in their Disputes, they betake themselves unto Fraud and Force. The best Arguments of a baffled Adversary, are ever found to be Craft and Cruelty. Thus those that did here, (1.) Accusing Stephen falsely of Blasphemy, both against Moses and against God, verse 11. (2.) Moving the Mobile and Rude Rabble, or worst sort of the multitude, &c. against him, verse 12. (3.) Taking and tolling him away to the Tribunal of unjust Judges. And (4.) Suborning false Witnesses there against him, v. 11, 13. N.B. This they had learnt of old Jezebel against innocent Naboth, an Abominable Artifice, never (that we read of) practiced before, or rather of older Beelzebub, that old Man-slayer, John 8.44. Thus these malicious Enemies dealt without dear Redeemer, before this; and thus was Athanasius accused by the Arians afterward, and many others also; and at last, for these false supposed Crimes Stephen was stoned, Acts 7.58. this was the first Breach made upon the Church after its first Constitution, in its losing such an useful Instrument and Officer out of it so early. Having discovered the black of Misery attending this Church, let us view the while of Mercy beautifully intermixed with it in the next place to be a little discoursed upon. As the cloudy Pillar in the Wilderness had a dark side and a bright; so hath the Church in this World: We have seen her black or dark side here, now come we to take a prospect of her light and bright side.

The first white of Mercy was, that notwithstanding all opposition, the Word of God, and this Church of Christ greatly increased; and that which was more wonderful; N.B. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith, Acts 6.7. Those Legal Priests had been the most active Adversaries, and the most implacable Enemies of Christ and his Gospel; and their Interest had most probably prompted their opposition, but now feeling themselves over-powered by the mighty power and presence of God the Father, Son, and Spirit, they throw down their Arms, cry Quarter; leaves the Legal, and lists themselves under the Evangelical Banner; Magna est veritas & valebit; Great is Truth, especially in the Spirit of Truth, and will prevail even over the most obstinate Opposers, either to their Conversion, or to their Confusion. Such Converts as those could not but be a comforting and corroborating Cordial to this late Constituted Church. N.B. Oh would to God the like were done to the Priests in our Day: We ought not to despair of the worst. God hath his time to call them, when he vouchsafeth to speak to their stubborn hearts with a strong hand, Isa. 8.11. then must they truckle and become obedient to the Faith, not in a bare speculation only, but in a practical, pious conversation also. The Spiritual Weapons of Gospel Warfare are not weak, but mighty through God, not only to pull down the Devil's strong holds, but also to reduce the most Rebellious into the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4. and Psal. 68.18.

The second white of Mercy was, that while those vile wretches were by their suborned Witnesses accusing Stephen for vilifying Moses, then our blessed Messiah from Heaven did vindicate him most miraculously (and that before he began to speak one word in his own vindication) by clothing his countenance with the like Angelical splendor and glory, as Moses himself had been, Exod. 34.30. This same admirable Aspect, Radiancy and Majesty (put here upon Stephen, Acts 6.15. the like whereof had been put upon Moses in whom they trusted ) could not but convince them, that he was not only no Enemy to him, but also of the goodness of his Cause, the purity of his Conscience, and the greatness of his Courage, through the Divine presence of the Holy Spirit assisting him; for a mortal Man to look like an Angel, must affect the Spectators with admiration.

The third white of Mercy was, the excellent Apology the Lord helped Stephen to answer his Accusers with, when the Court seemed to give him a fair hearing, though resolved beforehand to have his blood. Note; He (1st.) Denies the Accusation of a Blasphemer against the Law or Temple, (1.) Arguing abstrucely (yet well enough understood according to the Jews Rhetoric and Logic) that all the Patriarchs before the Law, were saved only by Faith upon the promised Messiah, therefore was there but one way in all times to Salvation. (2.) That Moses himself pointed them to this great Prophet, as their ultimate Oracle. (3.) That the Tabernacle was built according to the Pattern in the Mount, therefore the Patriarchs might please God, before there was an outward Tabernacle. (4.) That the Temple, though' not tumbling to and fro, as did the Tabernacle, yet did not confine God to a certain place, proved from Isa. 66. v. 1, 2. (2dly.) He truly retorts Blasphemy on them, as they falsely fastened it on him, saying, Your Fathers persecuted those that Prophesied of Christ, as you do me for Preaching him; nay, you go beyond your Fathers steps, for you have killed Christ himself, but they killed only his Prophets; beside, you are more for Ceremonies given by Moses, than for the Moral Law given by God himself. (3dly.) He tells them of sinning against the Spirit; all this enraged them, they immediately condemn and execute him, having no better Reply to make, &c.

The fourth white of Mercy was, the Beatifical Vision vouchsafed to this first Martyr of the Gospel (as Abel was of the Law) to support him in the midst of all his Enemy's Fury, and his own Anguish: He both saw, and said he saw his Lord standing up to behold his Servants carriage and courage, to count every Stone cast at him, and to judge and avenge himself of his Judges and Executioners, so cannot be conquered, &c.

The fifth white of Mercy was, Stephen having seen his Exalted Jesus thro' a shower of Stones, kneels down upon his knees in the midst of his Martyrdom, and prays (as before) that this Jesus (whom he saw standing) might receive his Soul when his Body was Ruin'd, imitating his Lord herein, Luke 23.46. So after that his Martyrers might be pardoned: He prayed for himself standing, but when for his Foes, he kneeled This had a singular Efficacy for Paul 's Conversion, 1 Tim. 1.16, &c. Then died he quietly as one fallen asleep, being assured of his Resurrection. See Acts 7. per totum.

The sixth is, The Church, not afraid of these mad Murderers, solemnly buried him, Acts 8.2. Bewailing their great loss, they own him, though executed, for a Blasphemer, &c.

CHAP. VII. The Fourth Persecution of this First Church.

NOW come we to the Fourth Persecution raised against this first Gospel-Church, which had hitherto continued in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship, and in Breaking of Bread, and Prayer, Acts 2.42. and was highly commended with that honorable Character of having great Grace upon them all (both Apostles and Auditors, both the Pastors and the People) Acts 4.33. An account of this Persecution is given in Acts 8.1, 3, 4. where there is a Relation only of two grand Remarks. (1.) Of the Efficient or Instrument of this Persecution, to wit, the bloody Wolf Saul. And (2.) The Effect of it, to wit, the almost Universal Scattering of the Body of that most purely and most powerfully Constituted Church at Jerusalem. N.B. But not one word have we here of any peccatum flagrans, or flaming sin, whereby God was provoked to let loose the Devil's Ban-Dogs among Christ's Flock to scatter them. We read concerning God's Church in the Wilderness, (so called, Acts 7.38.) that while she kept pure from the Iniquity of Baal-peor, God saw no sin in her; and (as the mad Prophet Balaam subtly said) none of that Devil's Spelman's Inchantments could prevail against her, Numb. 23.21, 23. therefore gave he that pestilent Advice to Midian and Moab, to entice Israel with their Daughters both to Adultery and Idolatry, &c. Numb. 25.3. Hos. 9.10. Micah 6.5. N.B. This Satanical Consult succeeded, produced that foul-flaming sin in God's Eye, which stunk in God's Nostrils, and whereby they were put under Divine displeasure, 2 Pet. 2.15. Jude 11. Rev. 2.14. but no such foul God provoking sin is found Recorded concerning this Primitive Gospel-Church, for which such a plaguy dispersing Persecution did here so foully fall upon it; which may teach us, N.B. That sometimes the great God out of his mere Sovereignty over his Servants, may let loose Persecution and sore Affliction upon them, and in so doing he is not bound to give an account of his Reasons why he does so to the Sons or Daughters of Men, Job 33.13, &c. Thus God dealt with his None-such Servant Job; his prodigious and None-such Sufferings we do not find were inflicted upon him, for punishing any gross flaming foul sin that was found in him, but merely for the exercise of his great Grace of Patience, and for evidencing his Sincerity, which Satan said he wanted, &c. Nor do we find any provoking sin in this Church, which was the procuring cause of this Persecution, &c. yet may we not say, that our heavenly Father doth as earthly Fathers are said to chastise their Children for their own pleasure; no, but he always corrects for his Children's profit, Heb. 12.9, 10. Though N.B. Whom he loves he chastens, yet he loves not to chasten, Rev. 3.19. Heb. 12.6, 7, 11. God doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men, Lam. 3.33. We are in heaviness only, when need is, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7. as well to prevent sin, as to punish sin; thus the Messenger of Satan was let loose to buffet Paul, for preventing his Pride, lest he should be exalted above measure, &c. 2 Cor. 12.7, 8. N.B. In this sound sense only may it be said, that God afflicts from sin as well as for sin. Thus God's Visitation upon Job preserved his Spirit sweet for his Generation-work, Job 10.12. And thus the same afflicting hand of God withdraws many men from their sinful purposes, and hideth Pride from Man, Job 33.17. We must all say always in our afflictions with holy David [I know, O Lord, that thy Judgments are righteous, and that thou in thy very faithfulness hast afflicted me] Psal. 119.75. 'It is our duty in a Suffering day dropping in upon our heads, then to search our hearts at what door it had its entrance, Lam. 3.40. Sinning in the general is always the occasion of suffering, when this or that sin is not ever the particular cause thereof, as it was in the Church of Corinth [ For this cause (of their unworthy Receiving the Lord's Supper) many are weak and sickly among you, and some are fallen asleep, ] 1 Cor. 11.30. There could be no just suffering, where there is not (before) some unjust sinning: Now seeing God finds all his Churches, and all his Children to be sinners against him (for there be none that sinneth not, 2 Chron. 6.36. and God hath a [But] at the door of the best, as against Naaman, 2 Kings 5.1. but he was a Leper; and against David, but in the matter of Uriah, 1 Kings 15.5. The best of men, are but men at the best. And a notwithstanding I have (at least) a few things against those seven Golden Churches of Asia, Rev. 2.4, 14, 20, &c.) wherefore his Sovereignty doth most justly bring sufferings upon them; giving them their Hell on Earth, to make them long the more for Heaven: A bitter life makes men look for a better life, &c. Now, though this Primitive Church was the purest Gospel-Church that ever was in the World, yet was she not altogether without sin. If that glorious Celestial Body the Moon (which borrows her Light from the Sun of the Firmament) hath some spots in her, no wonder if this Terrestrial Church (borrowing her Light from the Sun of Righteousness) be not found without some spots in her also. The sacred Scriptures do Record two Spots in this Church, (1st.) The sin of Hypocritical Sacrilege in two of her Members, Acts 5. but this sin ('tis told there also) was miraculously expiated by the death of those two sinners: And (2dly.) The sin of murmuring, Acts 6.1. which indeed is a great, grievous, God-provoking-sin, as Exod. 16.7, 8. Numb. 14.27, 36. and 16.17. and 17.5. John 6.43. and 1 Cor. 10.10, &c. Note well; These Murmurers were destroyed by the Destroyer: The Rabbins say, God wrote their sin upon their punishment; for, as they had sinned with their Tongues, so they died by an Inflamation upon their Tongues, and Worms issuing out of them, Numb. 14.37. But as to this Murmuring that arose in this Apostolical Church, it was seasonably discovered and redressed by the choice of Deacons equally concerned in the Hellenists as well as Hebrews: Nor can we find upon Record any one Church-sin, whereby such a blessed and useful Instrument as Stephen (so full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom) was forfeited: But on the contrary, N.B. Acts 8.2. Such great Grace remained upon the whole Church, that the eminently religious Members durst give their stoned Stephen a solemn Funeral, and with great mourning also (as being sensible of the Church's great loss in him) being nothing afraid of those mad Murderers, and furious persecuting Butchers, though those outrageous Zealots looked upon it as a piaculiar Act, and of deep pollution among the Jews, to touch a dead Corps, especially of such an one as was put to death for Blasphemy; yet did these Devout Men bear him upon their shoulders, and performed such Funeral Rites for him, as were usual only for those of greatest Eminency, such as were used for the Patriarch Jacob, Gen. 50.1, 3, 10. at his Interment; and more lately at Lazorus 's even by our Lord himself, John 11.35. Thus the Church here lamented their great loss in such a Man at such a time, which may serve to condemn that unnatural Apathy or Stupidity of Stoics, rather than of Christians in our day: to lament over Dead Members, especially Ministers of Note, is a laudable Custom. However, though no foregoing foul sin can be found in this Church, whereby either its Officers, or its own Peace might be forfeited, yet this we find, that a great persecution was raised against her, Acts 8.1. not as heretofore against the Apostles only, but now it was against the whole Church: Whereas God had (before this) restrained the Rage of those persecuting Priests, &c. with their fear of the people (lest they should lose their favor) Acts 4.21. and 5.26. N.B. This Awe had hitherto held them in, as is the unruly Horse by Bit and Bridle, Psal. 32.9. but now, through the unsearchable Wisdom of God, the Reins of that restraining Bridle are let loose, and laid along the Neck of those furious persecuting Beasts to run Riot according to their own wicked will, and according as the Devil drove them by both his Whip and Spurs. 'It is Tertullian 's phrase, every Persecutor hath [Insessorem Diabolum] the Devil for his Driver, and (as saith the Proverb) They must needs go, yea run, whom the Devil drives: [The lusts of their Father they both must and will do] John 8.44. Satan is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4.4. because, as the great God at the Creation did but speak the word and it was done; so if the Devil do but hold up his finger, give the least hint, his Vassals do obey him. N.B. Thus those Priests did, who, when they saw the people (whom they had formerly feared) so tamely suffer them to stone Stephen to death, do enlarge their Outrage, which hitherto they had let fly against the Apostles only; but now they fall foul upon the whole Church, wherein Saul (1.) Was their fit Instrument, by whose Diabolical craft and cruelty they proceeded. (2.) To persecute the Church so effectually, as to disperse it abroad: Their Staff of Bands and Beauty ( Zech. 11.10, 14.) their former Fellowship was now broken. N.B. A little discourse (1.) Of the Efficient cause of this Persecution; and then (2.) Of the sad Effects thereof, may not do amiss, as follows.

1. The Divine Record doth stigmatize this Saul to strike with the Devil's great Hammer herein. This same Saul gives an account of his own Education [that he was brought up at Gamaliel's feet] Acts 22.3. but alas, how little had he learnt of his Tutor or Master's Moderation; for his Tutor had taught this his Pupil to do nothing rashly, much less to be found fighting against God, as he daringly dehorted the Grand Council, and thereby prudently and piously-got them dissolved, whereby he disappointed the Devil's design of that Satanical Sanhedrim in the Church's second Persecution, Acts 5.34. to 41. whereof Saul sitting at his feet, could not be ignorant: Yet this Heteroclite, and degenerating Pupil was so filled with a furious Frenzy against Christ and his Gospel, that he spent his Youth in Persecution; for, while he was but a Young Man, 'tis said [that the Witnesses which stoned Shephen, threw off their upper Garments (that they might be more nimble to stone him) and laid them down at this Young Man's feet ] Acts 7.58. for, they were to cast the first stones, Deut. 17.7. And the Spirit of God doth farther brand Saul [that he was consenting to Stephen's death] Acts 8.1. Though he was no Actor in it, yet was he a Consenter to it, and thereby became guilty of the same bloody Crime. N.B. 'It is all one to hold the Sack, and to fill it; to do evil, and to consent to it. There is heart-murder, as well as hand-murder, Matth. 5.22. and committing Adultery with the mind, as well as with the body, Matth. 5.28. A mind to do evil is sin in the seed, which time and opportunity brings forth to maturity, James 1.14, 15. Quae, quid non licuit, non facit, ill facit. God may justly judge us (saith Austin ) for our evil affections, though we may want an opportunity for our evil actions. N.B. Thus Christ charged all the Blood that was shed from Abel to that day, upon the Priests, &c. Matth. 23.35. because, by their consenting to shed Innocent Blood now, they consented to, and approved of all the Murders of the Innocent that had been perpetrated in all former Ages. Nor did Saul here barely consent, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies, He was well pleased with it, did approve of it in thought, word, and deed, Acts 22.4, 20. and 26.10, 11. as he acknowledged of himself; and 'tis said [that this Saul made Havock of the Church ] Acts 8.3. which phrase makes some think that he was the Raving Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin, which was prophesied by Jacob, Gen. 49.27. He unlearned the Lenity and Moderation of his over-ruled Master; N.B. Yet easily learned the Savage Cruelty of the mad Multitude, so became as mad as the most and worst of that Rude Rabble; yea, stepping a degree higher beyond the ordinary sort of Persecutors, he violently broke open many Doors of the Houses where those Christians had their private Meetings, and there he spared none of either Sex, but hailed both Men and women by the Hair of their Heads (as if they had been taken Captives in the heat of War) and cast them into Prison, and still, (which was worse than all this, he compelled them to blaspheme, Acts 26.11. that is, not only to renounce their Religion, but also to curse their Crucified Christ; therefore confesseth, that he had been not only a Persecutor, but one who had been notoriously Injurious, 1 Tim. 1.13. Phil. 3.6.

The Remarks hereupon are, (1.) That there is a blind Zeal misguided by an Ignis Fatuus, a Will-with-Wisp, or rather by a false Fire from Hell: His Zeal was only exercised in persecuting the Church, Phil. 3.6. that could not conform to the Pharisaical Traditions. N.B. Zeal is good when it acts in a good matter, Gal. 4.18. but this of Saul 's was not so, Gal. 1.13. He saith the same of his own Zeal, as of that of the Jews, that it was a Zeal without knowledge, Rom. 10.2, 3. though a warm, yet a blind Zeal; They knew not that Christ was the End and Accomplishment of the Law, and that his Righteousness (not that of the Law) was only acceptable to God. If Zeal be not qualified with knowledge, all will be on fire, as the primum-mobile with its swift Revolution would be, were it not cooled by the counter-motion of the lower Spheres. Blind Zeal is as wild-fire in the hand of a Fool; 'tis like the Devil in the Demoniac, which casts him sometimes into the Fire, and sometimes into the Water, Mark 9.22. Ignorance is a great Breeder, and mostly great-bellied, which Aristotle himself makes the Mother of mis-rule and mischief. The dark corners of the Earth (saith the Psalmist ) are top-full of cruelty, Psal. 74.20▪ The Soul that is without knowledge is not good; and he that (without knowledge) basteth with his feet, sinneth, saith Solomon, Prov. 19.2. The faster he goeth, the farther he wandereth out of the Right way. Mettle in a blind Horse is dangerous: Yet this mad Zealot lived a blameless life otherwise, Phil. 3.6.

The second Remark is; This black Character is designedly given (here and elsewhere) of this peevish Zealot, as a foil, to give the more luster to the Riches of the Grace and Mercy of God towards him, in changing such a bloody worrying Wolf into such a gentle and useful Lamb, and of such an unparalleled Persecutor, to make such an eminent and wonderful Pastor. N.B. All this is Recorded of him, that none might despair of Saving-Mercy, who can but find hearts given them, to repent of their sins, and to be converted, &c.

The third Remark is, the prospect of that black Hue which this young Persecutor had put upon him, by being dipped in the Devil's Dye-Fat. N.B. Satan, before his Fall, did think none, but after his Fall, would have none better than himself; therefore makes he Saul here as bad as himself, both in Malice and Sin. These two Evils, whether in Devils, or in Men, are equally Aged, and be as equally Evil; both have the same Name and Nature, as if there were no sin but Malice. All Evil is envious: The good that a bad man will not imitate, he cannot but envy. He that grieves not because himself is evil, usually Irks that another is good. As Sin separates 'twixt God and Man, so it sows Enmity 'twixt the Devil and Man; yet can it combine wicked men to become Sworn-Brethren in Iniquity, not only in being, but also in doing Evil. N.B. This Confederacy is not Union or Concord, but the worst sort of Conspiracy, as was that of Herod 's and Pilate 's against Christ. When Thieves shake hands, 'tis done for malice and mischief against the truly honest Man. Judas both consents to, and consults with the Priests for killing Christ. Saul consents only which is always the first step to sin) with the Stoners of Stephen, Acts 8.1. and 22.20. N.B. To behold Evil, and not to dislike it, is to consent to it. By-standers may be Accessories, making the offense of others their own, by their consent. He that forbids not Evil, furthers it. Particpat Nutans, non obstans, non manifestans. Either Saul 's degree was above the Office of an Executioner, or his Age was under it: Yet if he may not be a Partner in the Murder, he will be a Witness, yea a Witness of the Witnesses [who laid down their clothes at his feet] Acts 7.58. N.B. No Age is innocent: [Childhood and Youth are vanity] Eccles. 11.9, 10. This Young Man, though not rejoicing in the vain pleasures of his Youth, yet was villanous and violent in a malicious persecution of the Gospel of Truth: So villainy as well as vanity was found in this Youth, who might be too young to have Might enough for casting a Stone at a Martyr's head with his hand, yet was there no want of Malice in his heart (though there was not Might in his hand) to hold the clothes of those that could more mischievously cast them: So Saul stoned Stephen with his heart, while his hands held the clothes of those that did it, and probably prompted them on therein: So Saul stoned Stephen by the many hands of the mad Multitude, as if his own hands alone were not enough to stone him. N.B. Now being once flesh'd in Stephen 's Blood, Saul becomes a second Nimrod (a mighty Hunter) not satiated with devouring one silly Lamb (whose flesh still sticks in this Wolf's Teeth) becomes now bolder to seize upon the whole Flock: Stephen 's Blood had only made his mouth to water after a deeper Draught, and a fuller Carouse of the Saint's Blood; as one who could not sit down satisfied with destroying one single Saint, without dissolving the whole Communion of Saints.

Having thus far spoke (1.) To the Efficient Cause or Instrument of this Fourth Persecution, I come (2.) To speak of the sad and deplorable Effects thereof, which is expressed in those words [ They were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judea and Samaria, excepting the Apostles ] Acts 8.1. There be various Opinions about the [All] that were scattered hereby.

The first Opinion is, that this [All] here is to be taken largely for the Multitude of Believers who were the Constituting Members of the first Gospel-Church; at least, so many of them as could not commodiously Abscond, and had conveniency to fave themselves by flight: This was allowed, or rather commanded by Christ, Matth. 10.23. Therefore they are too Rigid that discommend it.

The second Opinion taketh this [All] more strictly for all the Teachers of the Church, those extraordinary Gifted Deacons, and others who Preached the Word (a work only proper for Ministers) Acts 8.4. one of which number was Philip, who Preached at Samaria, verse 5, &c. which very Imploy is ever most obnoxious to Persecution. N.B. This sense is the more probable; For (1.) Luke 's scope is to write an History of the one hundred and eight, which with the Twelve Apostles made up the one hundred and twenty mentioned Acts 1.15. who were designed for the Ministry. (2.) Because Believers still abode in Jerusalem, verse 3. which Saul made Havock on, and which remained under the Inspection of the still remaining Apostles, who otherwise would have been left without work; [Except the Apostles] who were commanded to stay at Jerusalem, Luke 24.47. and Acts 1.8. that they might confirm the Gospel-Church, which was to succeed the Jewish Synagogue. N.B. This they do, being well assured, that while the Lord hath any work for them to do there, he both could and would preserve them as he did the Bush in the midst of the Fire, Exod. 3.3.) from the Rage of their ouragious Enemies. No doubt but abundance of those many thousands of Believers were frighted away (with the 108.) to save their lives by flight, while this Bloody Wolf (Saul) made such havoc of the whole Flock, sparing no Sex, &c. verse 3. This was the disturbance, &c. This bold daring Wolf (who had been but a Spectator in stoning of Stephen (waxing worse and worse) is now become a principal Actor) he became the worse by acting his hellish part the better [breaking into every house.] So earnest was this Wolf of his Prey, and, like a Mad-man, spares not Women as well as Men, wreaking his raging Malice upon the weaker Sex, and acting what was below a Man, haling Women, who are commonly exempted from Spoil, Tyranny and Persecucution; so out-doing Pharaoh and Herod, who were the two Arch-Tyrants in all Ages for their matchless Outrage upon that Innocent Age of Children, yet murdered they only the Males, and spared the Females, Exod. 2.16. and Matth. 2.16. Nor did that mad Crew which Crucified Christ, offer violence to the weeping Women at his Cross▪ but Saul (worse than all) forgets himself to be a Man, or his Mother to be a Woman, drags both Men and Women. Sad havoc is made of the Church, when such as may bear for the Church, Persecutors forbear not, but all suffer for Truth, Women as well as Men, when Saul brake up house after house, so that the 108 Teachers could find no private place peaceably to meet in for Teaching the People; this caused the fad scattering of the Church, and this was the dark side of this Divine Dispensation, a dismal Disturbance: Now come we to take a prospect of the bright side thereof, a beautiful Intermixture of marvelous Mercy and remarkable Deliverance, &c.

CHAP. VIII. The Fourth Persecution.

THE Remarks of Mercy mixed with this Church's Misery, are these; (1.) God overpowers the Devil in setting bounds and limits to all his, and his Instrument's Persecutions, saying to them, as to the unruly Ocean [Thus far shalt thou go and no farther, and here shall thy proud Waves be stayed] Job 38.10, 11. N.B. No Reason can be rendered why the main Raging Sea doth not overflow the many small Islands of Dry Land that are seen in Maps, and found by Mariners in all parts of the habitable World, save only this, that the great God hath set Bars upon it by his Divine Decree. God hath shut it up in his Decreed place (the hollows of the Earth) with Bounds and Banks. As it was the incomprehensible work of God's Wisdom and Power to produce such a prodigious vast powerful Body of that fluid Element out of nothing at the first, like an Infant out of his Mother's Womb, Job 38.8. so 'tis no less a work of wonder, that God can as easily Rule and Repress that unruly Sea, as the Mother or Nurse can her sucking Infant, when 'tis swathed up with Swadling-bands, verse 9. This is a work of God's great Power, and is therefore instanced and insisted upon in Scripture, as here, and Psal. 107.23. to 30. and Jer. 5.22, &c. God holds the Sea in his hand, as in a Pit, that it cannot pass out of the hollow of God's hand, to overflow the Land in the least of those little Islands, but the Tide is pulled back by an Ebb, &c. N.B. Thus the great God butted and bounded the Roaring and Raging Waves of this great Persecution; though the Enemy came now in like a Flood, yet the Spirit of the Lord did lift up a Standard against him, Isa. 59.19. and made him stand at his appointed Bounds, beyond which he could not pass. Though Stephen shall be stoned, and the Teachers (with other Believers) shall be scattered by the Adversary, yet not one more shall be murdered; a Church still (though not so very numerous) shall remain in Jerusalem, and the Twelve Apostles shall stay there untouched in the midst of that fiery Furnace, to comfort and cherish the Church in that sad deplorable and scattering Day, maugre the Malice of angry Men, and of enraged Devils.

The second Remark is; As God over powered the Devil, so he over-witted him in this Fourth Persecution. The Wisdom of God out-wits all the Seven Heads of the Dragon's Beast, as the Power of God proves too hard for his Ten Horns, insomuch that all the Plotting-heads, and the Pushing-Horns do but Aethiopem lavare, labor in vain, as here. This scattering Persecution (by which the Devil designed to destroy and smother the Gospel) did propagate and spread it the more, Acts 8.4 • &c. and Acts 11.19. They that were scattered went everywhere Preaching the Word, not only in Judea and Samaria, but they that were scattered abroad (upon the Persecution that arose about Stephen ) travelled as far as Phaenice (the Country about Tyre ) and Cyprus (that famous Isle in the Mediterranean Sea) and Antioch (the Metropolis of Syria ) N.B. Which City, by this means, became in time the New Jerusalem of the Gentile-Church, as Old Jerusalem (out of which they were now banished) had been hitherto of the Jewish Church the principal Seat, Acts 11.19, 20, 26. which place is exegetical, explaining what was more briefly intimated, Acts 8.4. This City Antioch will be Renowned to the World's end, because the Banner of Christ was first Erected therein, and Believers listed themselves under him as their Ensign-Bearer, Cant. 5.10. and Captain, Heb. 2.10. and had the honor to be called by his sacred Name, Christians, not nicknamed so by the Enemies of Christianity (who scornfully called all Professors of Christ Nazareans, or Nazarites, supposed to arise from Peter 's weakness in his Judaizing at this City, Gal. 2.11.) but it was done by Divine Direction, as the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] doth import, being rendered [warned of God] Heb. 11.7. The name of Christians signifies [Anointed ones] 1 John 2.27. which Divine Unction hath made many Myriads of Believers in all Ages (in despite of the Devil) to be Kings and Priests unto God, Rev. 1. v. 6. that is, in a spiritual sense, such as ever durst own Christ, and did glory in the name of being called Christians. N.B. Oh! that we may hold fast the Profession of our Faith, Heb. 4.14. and 10.23. (being mindful of this holy Oil poured upon us in this name) and not fall; as if we had not been anointed with Oil, 2 Sam. 1.21. Thus the Lord (as he ever doth) did over-shoot Satan in his own Bow, over-ruling the Malice of the Adversary, in turning it here to the propagation of the Gospel. Those Disciples were forced to fly for their lives from the Capital City of the Jews, hereby the Light of the Gospel is carried to the Gentiles. N.B. The great God causeth the Devil to break his own head by his own design, and maketh Light to come out of Darkness, Psal. 112. v. 4. God is a skillful Pilot, and can sail with contrary Winds, using cross Providences to accomplish his precious Promises, Gen. 9.27. Hereby Japheth (the Gentiles ) were made to dwell in the Tents of Shem, the Jews. This scattering proved to the Church's great Advantage, which, like the Sea, what ground it loseth on one side, it gaineth on the other side: No doubt, God is fetching such a compass now, &c. 2 Sam. 5.23. 'It is a great and most sacred Truth, that the great God would suffer no sort of evil to be, unless he knew how to bring some excellent good out of that evil. N.B. The following History is a confirming Comment upon this Text of Truth. The most wise God would not have permitted such a Dispersing Persecution upon this Primo-primitive Church, but to over rule it for his own greater glory, and for his Church's greater gain. This Church at Jerusalem was now grown so great by the many Accessions and Additions to it (through the great Grace that was upon it, Acts 4.33.) that it was become like the Hive of Bees, which is so full of stock, that there is not room within to receive all those little laborious Animals, and therefore, if they do not voluntarily remove in a Swarm, they must be driven to make a new Colony in another new Hive. Thus (and much more) the Lord dealt with this numerous over-grown and full-stocked Gospel-Church: A great many of those Evangelical Bees are driven away from Jerusalem, not only to plant new Colonies of Christians in Samaria, but also in many other places both among the Jews and among the Gentiles, as the sequel showeth.

N.B. The first Instance hereof is; the planting of a Gospel-Church in Samaria, whereof the Procatartick or occasional cause was this great Persecution that the Devil and his Imps raised against this first Church at Jerusalem; but the Organical or instrumental cause thereof, was, Philip, not the Apostle, Mat. 10.3. but the Deacon of that name, Acts 6.5. for all the Apostles still stayed at Jerusalem, Acts 8.1. This Deacon, having been found faithful over a few things, was made Master of more in the Ministry, as Mat. 25.23. Thus he (being [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] apt to teach the Truth, and able to maintain it by the Gifts of the Holy Ghost upon him) purchased to himself an higher degree in the Ministry of the Church, 1 Tim. 3.12, 13. fairly stepping from that good degree of a Deacon (therefore none should despise the Deaconship, that is so honourably entitled) to an higher Order, &c. This holy Deacon was of that scattered number, whom God directed to go into Samaria; where, what he did, the Divine Record gives a full account of it, Acts 8.5, &c.

N.B. The Relation of his Actings there, (1.) Concerns his Doctrine; and (2.) His Auditors. (1st.) His Doctrine is described; (1.) In the Matter of it, Acts 8.5, 12. He Preached the Doctrine of Faith, Repentance, and Remission of Sins by Christ alone, &c. (2.) In the Success of it, verse 6, 7. a mighty presence of Divine Power prepared those to attend, whom God had a purpose to save, hanging their Ears (as it were) at the mouth of this their Minister, as those are said to do upon Christ himself, Luke 19.48. [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] They did hang upon him (it signifies) as the Babe hangs on the Breast, the Be upon the Flower, or the little Bird upon the Bill of her Dam: As Christ drew the People after him, by the Golden Chain of his Angelical, yea Divine Eloquence: So Philip here (by the powerful presence of the Spirit of Christ upon him) united his Hearer's hearts (as well as Ears) to attend diligently unto the Doctrine of Christ: He Preached to them concerning his marvelous Birth, his holy Life and Death; and his glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and concerning the Kingdom of his Grace and Glory; both which are one, seeing the Kingdom of God hath its Inchoation on Earth, but its Consummation in Heaven. This diligent attention was a blessed preparative to these Samaritan's Conversion, seeing Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. The Syriac word [Methtephisin] here signifies, they did not only Attend to, but also did Acquiesce in all he spake to them. N.B. Were there more Reverend Attention to the Word, and more plenary Aquiescency in it, there would be more Conversion at this day. N.B. But besides Philip 's Evangelical Eloquence wherewith he drew his Auditory to his Oracles, he wrought Miracles also which were as so many Evidences of the Truth of his Oracles, and whereby he shown God's Authority for what he Preached: He healed many Diseases, and cast out many Devils (called unclean Spirits, because they delight in sin, that spiritual uncleanness of the Soul) who cried out with a loud voice, as very loath to leave their Lodgings, had they not been constrained to it, &c. N.B. The performance of what Christ promised, Mark 16.16, 17. did both corroborate the Faith of those Gospel-Ministers, and did mightily promote the Success of Philip 's Ministry in Samaria.

Then (3dly.) The Effect hereof is briefly comprised, v. 8. and [There was great Joy in that City] Tho' Samaria was a place of corrupted Worship, and basely bewitched by the Sorceries of Simon Magus, yet even there God begets a People to himself, who not only rejoiced for the miraculous Cures wrought upon their Bodies, but more especially for the Word of Reconciliation and Salvation Preached to their Souls. N.B. Josephus saith, that at Samaria was a Sanctuary opened by Sanballat for all Renegado- Jews, and upon the very building of the Temple upon Mount Gerizim, multitudes of Jews flocked thither, that called Jacob their Father, had their Priesthood. Service, Pentateuch, &c. so that Samaritanism generally was but a Mongrel-Judaism: Therefore the Jews hated the presence, the are, the fashions, and the very Books of the Samaritans, John 4.9. Now this despised Samaria embraces the Gospel with Joy; when the formerly beloved and holy City Jerusalem doth explode and persecute it. N.B. Such strange Alterations doth the Free Grace of God work, both in Cities and Countries, and in all Societies of Men. Once it was before this, that Christ must needs go to Samaria, John 4.4. Oh happy City! that then lay in a sweet Savior's way to be looked upon with his gracious look of Love, and that his Footsteps may drop fatness upon it, Psal. 65.11. Many believed in Christ at that time of the Samaritans, John 4.40, 41. though he stayed among them but two days then, verse 43. for he had forbid his Disciples to Preach in any City of Samaria (which was no obliging Law to himself) Matth. 10.5. because the fuller Calling of the Gentiles (whereof this was only an Earnest) was reserved to after times, when the Partition Wall was broken down, then did the Lord at his Ascension direct his Disciples to be Witnesses of him in the Cities of the Samaritans, Acts 1.8. which was now done, &c. Thus have we dispatched the first particular, to wit, The Doctrine of this Deacon Philip in its Efficacy at this place and time: Occasion will be offered to enlarge upon it in the sequel, &c.

The second particular is, Philip's Auditors after this Effect: They were of two sorts. (1.) The False and Hypocritical, who was Simon Magus, verse 9. And (2.) The True and Sound Auditor (beside those Samaritan sound Believers) and that was the Ethiopian Eunuch, verse 27, 28, &c. First of the first and false One, (1st.) Simon Magus is described (1.) By his Country; he was a Samaritan, verse 9. It may easily be supposed that this Instrument of Satan must needs be a strong Impediment to the Success of Christ's Gospel in Samaria, having such a strong Satanical Samaritan in the very Bowels of it. (2.) By his Condition or Occupation, how he led his former life in exercising Magical Inchantments, bewitching the whole City with his Sorceries, insomuch that this Conjurer carried the Citizens generally out of themselves (as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies) so that they were more his than their own, driving them into an amazing Extasie, and affrighting them as if he had been one of the Heathen God's, verse 9, 10, 11. Having by God's permission, and by the Devil's power, wrought wonders among the People; this was a mighty disadvantage to the Entertainment of the Gospel, had not Christ been stronger than this strong Man to disarm him, &c. Luke 11.21, 22. He is described (3.) By his Manners or Behaviour; (1.) While his Hypocrisy was covered; he takes upon him to believe with an Historical Faith only, and is baptized, v. 12, 13. (2.) When it was discovered even by the Sorcerer himself, by bidding Money wherewith to buy the Holy Ghost; for which (3.) He was reproved by Peter for a Rotten Professor, &c.

The Remarks hereupon are these, (1.) A Rotten Heart may go far in Reformation, yet be in the gall of bitterness, &c. 'It is said here, [Then Simon himself believed also] Acts 8.13. yet was in the bond of iniquity, verse 23. N.B. He had only the Faith of Devils, who believe their Doom shall be denounced against them to their Eternal Torment at the last day, which belief makes them [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] frisk and tremble, James 2.19. They give their bare Assent that there is a God to judge them; so Simon did assent with his head, but he believed not with his heart, Acts 8.37. and Rom. 10.9. His Faith was only Historical, believing it to be true, that Christ indeed did many Miracles, and was really Raised from the Dead, &c. He only took upon him to believe, it was not given him of God, whereas Faith is God's gift to us, Ephes. 2.8. and not to be taken up by us at our pleasure; therefore was it not the Faith of God's Elect, Titus 1.1. but a Tempory Faith only, which serveth to breed Horrour, as the Historical doth in Devils, yet is but a mere flash in Hypocritical men, and thereupon soon dwindles away. Notwithstanding this Historical (which was but Hypocritical) Faith, and his seeming Repentance professed, verse 25. pray for me, &c. yet was he still in the State of sin, and all his pretended Profession was as bitter to God's palate, as is the flesh of any creature corrupted with Gall, to ours, Deut. 29.18. & 32.32. He was yet fast bound, like a Bondslave of Satan, in the irrefragable Bonds of his own Hypocrisy, Ambition, and Avarice.

The second Remark is, Hypocrites shall sooner or later be detected; some men's sins go before hand to Judgment, and some men's sins follow after; no putrid Hypocrisy can be forever hid, 1 Tim. 5.24, 25. N.B. The great Judge of the World keeps his Petty-Sessions often in this life, letting the Law pass upon some few, reserving the rest till the great Assizes of the last Judgment. Some men's sins are discovered and punished in this life, before their persons appear at God's Tribunal. In the discovery of Simon 's Hypocrisy, there is the Occasion and the Manner thereof to be considered. N.B. (1.) The Occasion, when the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had embraced the Gospel by Philip 's Ministry, they sent Peter and John (those two Pillars of the Church, Gal. 2.9.) as their Ambassadors to confirm Philip 's Doctrine, and to constitute a Church there by their Apostolical Authority, yea, and to confer upon some men (not on all, nor on the Women who were Believers also, verse 12.) those extraordinary Gifts of Teaching, Healing, &c. Acts 2.38. which was done only by the Apostles (and not by Philip 's) Prayer and Imposition of Hands, Acts 8.14. to 18. N.B. They all that believed had received the Saving Grace of the Holy Ghost (saving this unsound Simon ) but none of them the extraordinary Gifts, &c. which were given for confirming this New Tender Church of the Samaritans. This was the Occasion. N.B. (2.) The Manner of Simon 's discovering his Hypocrisy was, when he saw those Gifts were confer'd by Imposition of Hands, he offers a price to purchase this power: Hereby this Notorious Hypocrite discovered himself, having taken a Profession upon him, and counterfeiting that, he believed only for base ends, to wit, both that he should not be deserted by his own Disciples, who now were won over to Philip 's Doctrine, and also that thereby he might procure a power of working Miracles, when he saw the Apostles had done far beyond what he was able to do, verse 18, 19. N.B. The unsoundness of his Soul, and baseness of his Spirit, appeared in his having such low estimations of the high things of God, as if they were purchaseable by perishing Metals, and as if these things of God had been vendible here, as after was said to be at Rome, where Simon 's Statue stood with this Inscription [Simony Deo Sancto] in Claudius Caesar 's time, and where 'tis now become a Proverb, [Romae omnia Venalia] All things at Rome are soluble and saleable; so Mantuan their own Poet testifieth, &c. N.B. And 'twere well if the Sin of Simony were not found in other places (as well as in Rome ) betwixt covetous Patrons, and a corrupt Clergy; so Crucifying Christ afresh between two Thieves; Benefices being bestowed (saith he) non ubi optime, sed ubi quaestuosissime, to him who will give the most for them, not who best deserve them: As if a man should bestow so much Provender on his Horse, because he is to Ride upon him, &c. It was Judas 's sin [What will ye give me?] Matth. 26.15. that cursed Traitor sold the Head, but Simoniacal Patrons sell the Members; he the Shepherd, they the Sheep; and herein, as worse than Judas; he only sold the Body, but they the Souls of Men, as that Scarlet Strumpet doth at this day, Rev. 18.13. Nor did Simon here desire to purchase those Miraculous Gifts, that he might glorify God, or confirm the Truths of the Gospel (which he now professed) by them, but to make Merchandize of them, selling dearer than he would have bought to satisfy his insatiable Thirst after gain, as also to maintain his Reputation among his Admirers, who saw the Apostles out-vie and over-do him. N.B. Beside, this Simon Magus was thus far convinced by Simon Peter, that himself had no more than a mere show of Godliness (under which he labored to lurk) and was no better a man than what the Apostle had characteriz'd him to be; therefore, being terrified with that direful Threatning, verse 20. and probably fearing to fall under the same dismal Doom that had (as he might hear of) befallen Ananias and Sapphira, he feigns a Repentance, as he had done a Faith, begs the Apostle's prayers, which he knew were prevalent with God: What became of him, the Scripture is silent. N.B. However, this same Simon, whom Philip had looked upon as Honest, and Baptized him, was detected by Peter, who soon smelt the Fox, and divinely drew him out of his Den, exposing him to open view. Ecclesiastic History saith, that as he was flying in the Air, at Peter 's powerful prayers, he fell down and broke his Neck. This Story, though not Canonical in itself, yet holds it a sacred correspondency with Solomon 's Canonical Sentence and saying, [The Memory of the Just is blessed, but the Name of the Wicked shall rot] Prov. 10.7. And [He that perverteth his ways shall be known, whereas he that walketh uprightly, walks surely] verse 9. Sure I am, the name of this Notorious Hypocrite, hath an ignominious and black Brand put upon it, wherewith he stands stigmatized in all Civil, as well as Sacred History; and notwithstanding his cunning Contrivances to hide his Hypocrisy, yet, as this Hypocrite was detected by Peter, so is he detested by all persons of consideration to this day: His Name still stinks like putrefied Carrion. N.B. Though this Simon Magus did manage his matters so cleverly and craftily, that Philip mistook him for a Believer, and baptized him, yet Peter presently pump'd up his Rottenness, and laid him open in his proper colors; all comes out to his eternal contempt and dishonor; therefore, as those wicked Sodomites (who would have carnally known Angels in the likeness of Men, Gen. 19.5, 8.) gave the odious name to that beastly sin of Sodomy: So this Sorcerer, unsound Simon, hath given the execrable name to that abominable sin of Simony, wherewith both the Laws of God and Men do brand all those that barter for Spiritual Benefices. N.B. This sin is forbid, Lev. 25.34. The Levites Portion and Patrimony was not to be sold, &c. The sellers of Doves (in which form the Spirit descended, Matth. 3.16.) our Lord did whip out of his Temple twice; the first time was at his Entrance on his Public Ministry, John 2.14. and the second was at his Ending of it, Matth. 21.12. N.B. Alas! it may most truly be sighed out, and said in our sad seasons, that Satan hath his Simon and Jude, as well as God; He hath his Jude or Judas, who was a seller of our Savior God the Son, and his Simon that would have been the buyer of God the Holy Spirit; and because he attempted to purchase with Money that greatest of Gifts, he deprived himself of all part and portion either in receiving, or in the conferring of that Gift, and of any part in Eternal Life Preached by Peter, &c.

N.B. But (2dly.) Though Simon Magus proved an unsound Proselyte to Philip 's Ministry, yet the Ethiopian Queen Candace 's Chamberlain, became a more sound one, (as well as all the other Samaritan Professors) who was truly and thoroughly converted by the Ministry of Philip; in the Story of whose Conversion there be five singular Circumstances to be observed.

1. The Author or Instrument converting, Philip, Acts 8.26. when the two Ambassadors (the Apostles) had confirmed this new Constituted Church at the chief City of Samaria, they all Preach the Gospel in all the same Villages of that Country also, as they were commanded by Christ, Acts 1.8. (which testified their Indefatigable and Invincible Industry in despite of this fourth great Persecution, Acts 8.1.) so returned to Jerusalem, Acts 8.25. N.B. But Philip was commanded by the Angel of God to go from thence to Gaza, verse 26. nor must he go the ordinary Road thither, but the Desert-way, which was up-hill and down-hill (an Emblem of the way to Heaven) so but little frequented. Had not Philip been thus directed, he had certainly gone the common Path, and not have met with this great Ethiopian Officer, which doth teach us [That man's way is not in himself; it is not in man to direct his own steps] Jer. 10.23. and that the Lord tells all our wanderings, Psal. 56.8. Man is not Master of his own walkings, but is over-ruled and directed by God; and if God will have man to wander in a Wilderness, as David did, when hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains; and as Philip did here, passing through a Desert, yet was it great comfort to them both, that as they went hither and thither at the Lord's direction, so God kept an account of all their footings and flittings.

N.B. (2dly.) The Object or Person converted; he is commended by his Nation, Condition, Dignity, Religion and Occupation, Acts 8.27, 28. He was (1.) An Ethiopian by Nation. (2.) An Eunuch, or Gelded Man (such as Queens employed in their Chambers to avoid suspicion) was his Condition. (3.) His Dignity is imported in his being styled an Officer of great Authority, a Noble-man of the Queen's Court. (4.) For his Religion, he was a Proselyte, who had been at Jerusalem to worship God in that Solemn Festival of the Passover. N.B. His Religion may rise up in Judgment against many Professors, who know more of God than this Proselyte: He could have only some small knowledge of God in that Dark Region of Africa; yet can he cross the Seas, takes this long Journey to worship God at Jerusalem, and in his Return improved his time so well as to Read the Sacred Scriptures, which declares he did not desire to worship the True God according to any false Fancy, but as he was directed by the Word of God in his External Worship. What a shame is it to behold our Courtiers and Gallants, &c. (if they Read at all in their Coaches) do spend their time there in Reading frivolous Romances, &c. when this ignorant Ethiopian Lord did better, having some small smattering of Divine Knowledge, used his best endeavor to increase it; [To him that thus hath, it shall be given him, and that more abundance] Matth. 13.12. They shall know, that follow on to know the Lord, Hos. 6.3. God will rather work a Miracle, than that they who thus seek, should not find, Matth. 7.7. Such as seek God sincerely, and endeavor to know him and his Will faithfully, and more fully, shall not be disappointed. N.B. Here God makes Philip miraculously to meet this Eunuch, who was inquiring after Godliness, &c. N.B. Then (5:) His Occupation; he was Lord Treasurer to this Queen Candace, which is one of the principal of Court-Offices; yet while this Eunuch was occupied in his Charge over the Queen's Treasure, he still neglected not the True Treasure for saving his own Soul, wherein that precious Promise and Prophecy, Isa. 56.4, 5. was graciously fulfilled. Let not the Eunuch say, I am a dry Tree, verse 3. I will give to them a Place and a Name in my House, both the Credit and the Comfort of being the Sons of God, &c. N.B. And this honor the Lord conferred upon this Eunuch, to make him the first we find who carried the Profession of Christ into Africa; and though' the Ethiopians were a People most despicable in the Eyes of the Jews, and of the Greeks likewise (for their famous Greek Poet Homer, calls those Sun-burnt People, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the lowest of Mankind ) yet the Lord did demonstrate hereby, that there is no respect of Persons or of Nations with him, but whoever fears God, and works Righteousness, is accepted of him, Acts 10.34. Gal. 3.28, &c.

N.B. (3.) The Manner of his Conversion is described by the Eunuch's Reading, and by Philip's Running to hear what he Read; both were done by the direction of the Spirit; as the one is expressed, so the other is undoubtedly implied. As the Spirit by the Ministry of an Angel moved Philip, verse 26, 27. and made him able to Run as swiftly as this great Man's Chariot Ran, so that not only he could come up to the Eunuch, but keep pace with him, to hold a conference also: The Scripture he was Reading, was that in Isa. 53.7, &c. [ He was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter, &c. Philip asks him [Understandest thou what thou Readest?] The Eunuch modestly and humbly answered [How can I except some man guide me?] verse 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, &c. Is qui nil dubitat, nil capit inde boni. Ask & learn.

This Proselyte might (by conversing with both the dispersed Jews in his own Country, and those at Jerusalem, at his keeping the Festivals there) be acquainted with the Lives of the Prophets, and might find there Recorded, how much Isaiah suffered under Manasseh; this might well raise a doubt in him, whether the Prophet spake of himself, or some other Man; and that he might be resolved of his doubts, such was his modesty and humility, that this great Man takes up his Inferior into his Chariot (as Jehu did Jehonadab, 2 Kings 10.15.) and asks him this Question; in answer whereunto Philip Preach'd a powerful Sermon of Christ to him, showing that Prophecy could be meant of none but our dear Redeemer, and not of Isaiah, Jeremy, or any other: And by that pregnant and pathetical discourse, (the Lord blessing the Ordinance of Hearing the Word) Saving Faith was effectually wrought in this Eunuch 's Soul.

N.B. The Remarks upon this are these, 1. This Ethiopian may teach us Christians to spend our time profitably, not vainly; we do not so much want time as waste time, whereof we are but Tenants at will, and must, as Stewards, give an account for that Talent.

2. Of all other Books, to Read the Scriptures most (as he did) that we may by digging in that golden Mine find Eternal Life, John 5.39.

3. That Masters ought to instruct their Servants out of the Scriptures. Thus, 'tis supposed, this man was doing, though he had but small knowledge.

4. That such as are thoroughly humble, are also truly docile, willing to learn knowledge from any hand, and to acknowledge their own ignorance.

5. That Superiors must not disdain to be instructed by their Inferiors, as he here, and great Naaman by a Captive Girl, 2 Kings 5.2, 13. How would our great Treasurers and Chamberlains huff at such an Affront?

6. That bare Reading the Scripture, without understanding it, is no better than the tinkling of a Cymbal: They are blessed that Read it with Knowledge, Attention, Affection and Application in their Lives, Rev. 1.3.

7. Divine Commands must not be grudgingly disputed, but speedily dispatched, as Philip did here, in hastening through a Desert of Difficulties (without cavilling at the uncouth way) to save a Soul.

8. Divine Providence doth wonderfully work in a concurring tendency towards this Ethiopian's Conversion: God both orders him to be Reading such a portion of Scripture, as he had need to be informed of concerning Christ, and also Philip to be so ready at that juncture to inform him there in a most Fundamental Truth.

N.B. (4.) The wonderful Effect of this holy Conference follows; not only the Conversion, but also the Baptism of this New Convert. Incredible gain is got by mutual Conference in all Arts and Sciences, especially in the knowledge of Divine Truths. N.B. The Mathematics are so called, because they cannot be learned without a Teacher: No Man is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Self-Teacher in Divine Literature. It were to be wished that illiterate Mechanics, and ignorant Women would say with this great Officer [How can I understand the Scripture, except some Interpreters help me?] Acts 8.31. The Priests of the Lord should preserve knowledge on their Lips, and the People should seek the Law at their Mouths, Mal. 2.17. Deut. 33.10. and Jer. 3.15. N.B. He that in heavenly things dare become a Scholar only to himself, hath no better than a Fool to his Master. None can know the things of God, by the reach of their own carnal Reason, &c. but only by the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.10, 11, 14. Thus God's Spirit, who had directed Philip hither, did also in lighten the Eunuch 's understanding in the Divine Mysteries of Man's Salvation; and this Questionist becoming a Christian, desires the Seal of Christianity in Baptism, which upon, the Profession of his Faith was done according to God's appointment, verse 36, 37, 38. by Dipping in those hot Countries, but now God will have mercy, &c. in our cold Countries; for Sprinkling is as significative and effectual, answering the Type, Exod. 12.3. and Heb. 10.22.

(5thly.) And lastly; The Event of all, to wit, the departure of both each from other. N.B. (1st.) Philip was suddenly taken up out of the Eunuch 's sight, and was miraculously caught and carried away out of this great Man's company by the Spirit of God in the Ministry of an Angel, as the Apocryphal Daniel affirms of Habakkuk; and this Rapture and Transportation was in a rapid and swift motion. The like we read of, 1 Kings 18. v. 12. and 2 Kings 2.16. and Ezek. 3.12, 14. 'It is said [The Eunuch saw Philip no more] Acts 8.39. for he was not let or set down out of the Angel's Arms (who had charge over him, to keep him in his way] verse 40. till he came to Azotus (so called by the Septuagint ) which in the Hebrew Old Testament Reading is Ashdod, one of the five Principal Cities of the five Lord's of the Philistines, Josh. 15.47. 1 Sam. 5.3. and 6. v. 16, 17, 18. N.B. Now the distance from Gaza to Azotus (as Diodorus Siculus measures it) is 270 Furlongs, or 34 Miles; so far did Philip fly safely upon the wings of an Angel, employed by the Spirit of God.

The Remarks hereupon are these; (1.) This miraculous Rapture of Philip from the Eunuch 's presence and prospect, was for this purpose, that the Eunuch might be the more assured of the Truth of those things which were taught him by Philip 's Ministry, and that he was a person sent of God to save this Ethiopian's Soul.

The second Remark is; God will do better to his People at the latter end, than at the beginning, according to his promise, Ezek. 36.11. Philip here had an hard and toilsome Journey from Samaria to Gaza, footing it through a Desert in untrodden paths: But now from Gaza to Azotus he hath an easier passage, an holy Angel becomes his Chariot, and he who ran to the Eunuch 's Chariot, [ making haste, and not delaying to obey God's Command, Psal. 119.60.] as he Rode a while in that earthly wooden Chariot (when the Eunuch had handed him into his, Acts 8.30, 31.) So now he Rides in an Heavenly and Angelical flying Chariot, wherein he not only Rode, but did Fly to Ashdod.

The third Remark is; Wheresoever Christ comes, he casts out Satan, that strong Man, out of his strongest holds, as he is the stronger Man, Luke 11.21, 22. This Ashdod was a place famous (or rather infamous) for Dagon, and his Diabolical Worship, 1 Sam. 5.3. where the True God Awakes in his Power, by beating Dagon upon his own Dung-hill, and paying the Posteriors of his Worshippers with Emerods. And it was a principal place of the Philistines, those Irreconcileable Enemies of the Church of God: But now Philip must go thither with the Gospel, that in this dark place he might bring Life and Immortality to light, 2 Tim. 1.10.

N.B. (2dly.) The Eunuch went on his way rejoicing, which Joy was the fruit of his Faith, Rom. 5.1. admiring at the great Gift conferred upon him in the Knowledge of Christ, and in the Salvation of his Soul, which was now sealed to him with the Seal of the Covenant of Grace; he values not what the wild Courtiers at home would say of him, or censure him for having Christ's Mark set upon him, but takes Ship at Gaza, and becomes the first, we find, that carried Christianity into Africa.

CHAP. IX. Of Saul 's Conversion, and the Church's Rest.

THIS ninth Chapter containeth a most remarkable Remedy of the Church's Malady, the most notorious Misery that ever yet had befallen her since her first Constitution: God now wrought the Church's Deliverance by a new and notable providential way, not by the Confusion, but by the Conversion of the most principal and most pestilent Persecutor thereof, whereby not only that Church which was at Jerusalem, but also the other Churches which had been gathered in other places (by means of the Dispersion) had rest and peace, Acts 9.1. to 32. verse 31. saith, Then had the Churches Rest, &c. at Saul's Conversion. N.B. Moses's-Bush, Exod. 3.2, 3. was an excellent Emblem of the Church of God, as the Bush burned, yet was not consumed, no more is the Church by the fire of Tribulation, Isa. 43.2. because of the good will of him who dwelt in the Bush, Deut. 33.16. whereby either the Bush is consolidated so as to bear the force of the flame without harm (as Gold in the Furnace comes purer out, but is not consumed, Job 23.10.) or the furious and consuming heat of the fire is restrained, as was done in the Fiery Furnace of Babylon, so that the fire had no power so much as to singe the Hairs or the Garments of those three Nobles who were cast into it, Dan. 3.25, 27. N.B. God Almighty (who is the God of Nature) did divide between the substance of fire, and the intense activity of its heat against and above Nature; God miraculously separated between the Essence and the Faculty, and so hindered its operation. Thus he doth in his Church's case: Let us turn aside with Moses, and behold this great wonder; great indeed, for there was a flame of fire, else how was the Bush burning? There was light, else how did Moses see it? yet was there no heat, else how came the Bush not to be consumed? Thus is it with the Church in her fiery Trials, even as great a Vision; In her Affliction the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire, Psal. 29.7. and not only so, but divideth also the heat from the light, so that she is not consumed by the former, but only illuminated by the latter. So 'tis with each afflicted Saint, as dying, yet live, 2 Cor. 6 9, &c.

The first Remark is; The Church of Christ may have worrying Wolves, and desperate Devils let loose upon her; such an one was Saul here, Acts 9.1, 2. This Blood-hound had been blooded in the Blood of stoned Stephen, yet was not glutted nor satiated with it, but makes desperate Havock upon other Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 8.2. And (as he says of himself) chap. 22.4. and 26.10. relating still to this time) not being satisfied herewith, He yet breathed out more Threatenings and Slaughter, &c. which signifies a violent and vehement hellish Heat of a diabolically enraged and inflamed heart, discovered by the fiery words that he breathed out of his black Mouth, &c. He was so full of the fire of Rage within, that it broke out with his breath in flames without; And N.B. This Ravenous Wolf is described here, as if wearied with worrying the Flock, he now lay's himself down panting for breath: But enough of Saul 's black Character in the foregoing 6th Chapter. It shall suffice here only to show how insatiable this Wolf was of the Blood of Saints, insomuch that no sooner had he (by panting a while) recovered his breath, but he presently trotts to the High Priest (who was Prince or President of the Sanhedrim ) for a new Commission, that his Persecution might have the Semblance of Justice and Authority; and his Letters-Patents must be so large as to reach so far as Damascus. N.B. For though the Romans had conquered Judea, and the Countries contiguous to it, yet did they give Liberty to the Jews to exercise their Religion, and to Imprison Dissenters both within and without their Country, where they had any Synagogues, and such they had at Damascus (the chief City of Phoenicia, whither many of them had been driven in their many Dispersions, as well as to many other places: It could not suffice this greedy Beast to drink Blood at Jerusalem only, but he must have a Draught of the same Liquor (the Blood of Saints ) here also. N.B. 'Twas not sufficient to Rage in Judea only, but he will pursue them also six days Journey into Syria, and his Outrage is aggravated herein, that he spareth not the weaker Sex (who are usually spared in such cases) if they professed themselves Christians: And it appeareth, that the High Priest, and that Council, were no less outrageous than he, in putting a Sword into such a Mad-man's hand: No less than the Destruction of the Church of Christ everywhere is designed by its Enemies; both They and Saul hunt for Christians Lives.

The second Remark is; Oh what an eminent Monument of Divine Mercy doth this Blood-thirsty Brute remain upon Scripture Record, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14, 16. that a Pharisee, a Persecutor of the first Magnitude, and so malicious a Murderer, should become a Christian, an excellent Preacher of Christ, and such an eminent Apostle! N.B. Here a Wolf is changed into a Lamb; Oh what cannot Omnipotency do out of his Free Grace! Persecuting Saul is made a Praying and a Preaching Paul. The Sacred Scriptures do largely relate what a notorious Villain this same Saul had been before his Conversion, that none might despond or despair of the Free Grace of God, so they have but hearts given them earnestly and sincerely to seek it. This Man, when converted, doth (as it were) Penance in a white Sheet, confessing that he had been the chief of Sinners, primus, quo nullus prior aut pejor, yet the Grace of Christ abounded to an overflow towards him, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 1 Tim. 1.14. signifies Preaching ever this great Grace. This introduceth Saul's Conversion so wonderful a work of God's Free Grace, as is almost without a parallel in the Sacred Record. N.B. As it was once said of the Old Testament; Saul in derision [Is Saul also among the Prophets?] 1 Sam. 10 11. and 19 24. Tho' the first was spoken for a Wonder, yet the latter was uttered in a Jear; importing, all was surely well, when such a Bloody Tyrant was so tied up & manacled, maugre all his malice and madness: So the same may be said of this New Testament Saul, even with admiration: Yea this latter is the greater Wonder of the two; for the old Saul in his seeking Asses, did but find a Temporal Kingdom; but this young Saul, while he was pursuing Death, strangely stumbles upon Everlasting Life. N.B. Oh marvelous Metamorphosis! far beyond all Ovid's Pagan Dreams: Here's not only a Wolf turned into a Lamb, but here's a Monster of Nature changed into a Miracle of Grace: Here's a Child of Wrath become a Vessel of Mercy, and a Son of Perdition, an Heir of Salvation. The former Saul had the Spirit of Prophecy come upon him, which made him another man, 1 Sam. 10.6, 9. and 10. but this was for the time only, who spake only as Balaam's Ass did, for the Gift soon left him again, he was not turned into a new Spiritual Man: However, this made many amazed, that there should be Anser inter Olores, & Corvus inter Musas (as the Latin's Proverb is, suitable to that of the Hebrews) A Goose among the Swans, a Crow among the Muses, a Rustic Saul among the Divine Prophets. N.B. But there was more matter of Amazement at the change of this latter Saul, Acts 9.21. who of a Cursed Tare, was turned into Blessed Wheat, and had a real Transmutation, a thorough Transmentation, and an Abiding work upon him; Saul the Persecutor, was turned into Paul the Preacher. The power of that Chymist is worthily praised, who can most curiously, not only Refine the fine Gold from its Dross, but also extract pure Gold out of drossy Copper. How much more is the great God to be magnified, who changes Dross and base Metal, into the most Refined Gold! 'It is only the God of Nature, that hath the true Philosopher's Stone, and can change the Nature of created Beings, the bad into good, and the old depraved Nature into that which is new and truly Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Such a great change as this, of Saul into Paul, was an unaccountable matter, and therefore might truly cause Amazement: But the Father saith [Ex quovis ligno fit Mercurius, cum Digitus Dei sit Statuarius.] The Omnipotent God can of crooked Timber make straight Pillars in his Temple: He can of very Stones raise up Children to Abraham, Matth. 3.9. Nothing is too hard for that God in whose hand Saul's heart was, Gen. 18.14. Job 42.2, &c. This so Famous a Conversion of Saul stands Recorded in many remarkable circumstances: As (1.) The Time when; (2.) The Place where; (3.) The Manner how; (4.) The Witnesses thereof; (5.) The Concomitants; and (6.) The Consequents of it.

(1.) The Time when; it was while in the very Act of his outrageous Persecution, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] as the Adulteress was, John. 8.4, in the very nick of his highest Rebellion against Christ, Acts 9.1, 2. This Furioso Saul had got his Fatal Commission out of the High-Commission-Court of the High Priest, who was as full of Fury as he, so needed God's Bridle, rather than Saul's Spur; for in this whole Book of the Acts of the Apostles, in all the over-busy oppositions stirred up against the Gospel, we do find the Priests, not only the busiest men, but also (as it is related all along, Acts 7.1. and 9.1. and 23, 2, &c.) They seem to be the only Men that were the principal Persecutors. Though they were indeed mostly concerned in that cursed work, because they looked upon it as belonging to their Function and Interest to look after the prevention of this growing evil of the Gospel, as they profanely mis-judged it: Yet had they no distinct power from the Sanhedrim, save only as a part thereof. This is testified by Saul himself (who best knew from whom he had those killing Commissions) saying, that he received his Letters of Life and Death, not only from the High Priest, but from all the Estate of the Elders also, Acts 22.5. N B. Notwithstanding this, the Sacred Story pitcheth upon the Priests as a parcel of profligate persons, who principally prompted on and promoted this Persecution. Saul being thus furnished with Authority, fetches a compass to fire out all the Christians at Damascus, and, no doubt this Wolf was worrying them (all the way he went) with his heart, no doubt but Satan suggested many a murdering thought into his mischievous mind: Here this Grand Informer, this principal Apparitor (like a Spanish Inquisitor) or rather the great Apostle of that Hellish High Priest (who yet became, through Grace, the true and heavenly High Priest's Apostle) passeth end-ways almost an hundred and sixty Miles from Jerusalem, and within sight of Damascus; at Noon-time of the day was the Time of his Call.

N.B. The second is, the Place where; it was when he was come near to Damascus, Acts 9.3. The Hebrew name of that place [Damesec] signifies a bag of Blood; so it was called, because the Rabbins suppose that City to be built upon that very plat of ground where Cain murdered his Brother Abel; and bloody Saul would have dipped this Damascus of a deeper Dye, by acting in the Spirit of old Cain, to shed the blood of many new Righteous Abel's there. N.B. Oh stand and wonder how Christ suffered this Mad-man to march end-ways without any Disturbance, for five whole days together, and for the middle of his sixth day, while he was hoping to pepper the poor Professors of Christ in Damascus!

Object. But it may be here demanded, What had the High Priest to do in Damascus, which had a King of its own over it, 2 Cor. 11.32. and a Deputy-Governor also?

Answer the first; Though the Romans had subdued Judea, Syria, &c. yet they suffered the Jews, both at home and abroad (in the places of their Dispersion, where they had several Synagogues, whom they still styled Brethren, Acts 22.5.) to live according to their own Law and Religion, whereupon the High Priest, as Prince and President of the Sanhedrim, might judge of any Jews Crime and Imprison, &c. Though this Council had not power to determine in matters capital, which the Romans reserved unto themselves, as also to pronounce the Judicial Sentence of Death, and the power of public Execution, as is clear in Christ's Caese, who was Crucified by Pilate 's power.

Answer the second; Hereupon this Plenipotentiary Persecutor carries his Credential Letters to this place, taking along with him a great many Sergeants and Bailiffs to Arrest the Christians in that City, that he might bring them bound to Jerusalem, Acts 9.2. because he feared those Dissenters would find too much favor among those Gentiles, had they been Tried in their Courts, and because it was impossible a Prophet should perish in any place but in Jerusalem, Luke 13.33. That City must fill up the measure of its iniquity, Matth. 23.32. And when her Ephah was full, then was she to be Ruined and removed, Zech. 5.6, 8. and 11. This Cutting Commission from the Sovereign Sanhedrim, Saul was to deliver to the Deputy-Governor under King Aretas, who was now (as Josephus saith) warring against King Herod, for putting away his Daughter, and taking Herodias to Wife in Aretas his Daughter's stead; and those Pestilent Informers could easily gain the Governor to be on their side to assist them, by slandering the Christians, that they were Traitors to the King of Damascus, and took King Herod's part, &c.

The third Remarkable Circumstance is, The Manner how this chief Commissioner of Satan was converted by, and to Christ, which in the general (the particulars being referred to the Concomitants ) is thus described, while Saul was marching with a bloody mind the last day of his Journey, and was got near, even within the sight of his much desired Damascus, resolving to Ruin many Christian Families (by ragingly rushing in upon them, &c. ) before he slept that night. Behold in the midst of all those his murdering Imaginations, and malicious Diabolical Machinations; even then, when he was almost at the end of his Devilishly designed Journey, there meets him the Lord Jesus (and prebably in his glorified Body ) unhorseth him, or knocks him down (if on foot, as with a Thunder-bolt, or Flash of Lightning, as [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] is read circumfulguravit cum, the Lord thundered and lightened round about him, to stun and astonish him, but not to stone him with a Thunder-stone (or a spire of Lightning) as he had stoned Stephen by other wicked hands: And the Thunder of Christ's Power uttered this Voice [Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?] Acts 9.4. This terrible Noise and dazzling Light from Heaven, makes this proud and presumptuous Persecutor fall down to the Earth: He could not but be sensible of the Affrighting presence of the great God, who was wont to make himself known in so amazing a manner to mere mortals. N.B. Saul being learned in the Law, could not but know that Daniel himself a man greatly beloved, Dan. 9.23.) did in a prostrate posture Reverence the Majesty of God's presence, Dan. 8.17. and 10 9. How much more such a matchless wretch as himself, who had justly deserved no better a denomination, than to be reputed [a Man, or rather a Monster greatly to be abhorred] being conscious to himself that he was a Villain of the first Magnitude, and had bid Defiance of the deepest Dye against the God of Heaven and Earth, &c. Christ calls Saul by his name, to mind him that he was doing the Devil's Drudgery, just as his old Name-sake Saul had done in persecuting David, who was the Father, Type, and Figure of Christ; and that name Saul is doubled, not only the more to awaken him, but also to show his greater commiseration of him: And though Christ was now above the reach of Saul 's Rage, N.B. Yet because he and his Church make but one Body, he saith to Saul [Why persecutest thou me?] I am the Head of my Church, and do feel myself wounded in my Members of the Saints, In whom I live, Gal. 2.20. and to whom thou art injurious. 1 Tim. 1.13. All injuries done to my little ones, I take them as done to myself, Mat. 25.35, &c. And in all their afflictions I am afflicted, Isa. 63.9. As the honor of the Head redounds to the Members; so their sorrows and sufferings do reach unto the Head. Our Head is not senseless, though it be in Heaven, when his Members suffer, although they be on Earth. N.B. Our Lord retains still both a feeling and a fellow-feeling, and is not only sensible of his Saints, saying [He that despiseth you, despiseth me] Luke 10.16. but is also tender over them, saying likewise [He that toucheth you, toucheth the Apple of my Eye] Zech. 2.8. or [Why persecutest thou me?] may be emphatically meant of Christ himself: And why me? for what demerit of mine? Sure I am, it is causeless on my part: It cannot be, but for my good deeds, that thou dost it: I have given thee no other cause to persecute me, but this, that I have so loved thee, as to lay down my Life for thee. Thus Christ speaks, and Saul says [Who art thou Lord?] verse 5. Art thou God, or art thou an Angel? This learned man in the Law, was an Ignoramus in, and knew little of the Gospel: He knew something of God the Father in the Old Testament, but nothing of God the Son in the New; therefore he asks [Who art thou?] He answers not therefore [Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth] as the Child Samuel did, 1 Sam. 3.9. N.B. Saul under this consternation is answered by his sweet Savior, [I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; 'tis hard for thee to kick against the pricks.] There are more words added to this short Answer, Acts 22.10. and 26.14. In which places this short History hath a more ample and plenary Relation. However, so much is Related and Recorded in this place, Acts 9.5. as gives Saul an account, (1.) That though Saul might not directly design to persecute Christ himself, yet our Savior tells him, he looked upon all the good or evil done to his Members, as done to himself: And (2) The Lord reclaims him with a Proverbial speech borrowed from stubborn Oxen or Slaves, whom Men used to prick on to their work with Goads, &c. which being obstinately spurned at, did usually wound their Spurnets; showing hereby, that such Kickers against the pricks of the Law, Deut. 32.15. and 1 Sam. 2.29. do it to their damage and deadly detriment: Much more such as are Kickers against the pricks of the Gospel: How much sorer punishment do such deserve, &c. Heb. 10.28, 29. N.B. As this should teach Persecutors Moderation; so must it teach the Persecuted, Patience; knowing, that the evil, which evil men do, will recoil on their own heads. Persecutors do but provoke God (who is more potent than the most powerful persecuting Potentate) to lay a more crushing load upon them, and to batter them down by a more fatal blow, 1 Cor. 10.22. Jer. 7.19, &c. whereby the Innocency of Christ in his Members may be vindicated. N.B. Thus our Lord had knocked down this Persecutor here to the Earth, and he seconds his Blow with these Rebuking words. By this time Saul (laying all along groveling upon the ground) became humbled and docible, his foregoing Question [Who art thou Lord?] were words of one doubting, yet desirous to learn, and somewhat disposed to believe. In his [Who art thou?] he acknowledged his Ignorance, yet in calling him [Lord] this was a word of Faith: It was a sign of some feeble inclinations toward Believing. Saul lay still but a little while humbled under Christ's mighty hand, then moves he his second Question with trembling and astonishment [Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?] Acts 9.6. Oh what a strange change is apparent here wrought by an immediate and omnipotent hand of Christ! How soon is Saul altered from himself; he is now not only another Man (as his old Name-sake King Saul was, 1 Sam. 10.6.) but, as it were, a quite contrary Creature; not a Wolf, as before, but now a Lamb. The Wolf that had heinously hunted, and hideously howled for catching his Prey, now gently couches here like an harmless Sheep, yea, and (which is more admirable) is become both willing and desirous to hear the Voice of the Shepherd: He that had been so violent to oppose, is now made a Volunteer to obey the Gospel of Christ; and he that thought he had done God good service, John 16.2. in persecuting Christ, now offers himself as Rasa Tabula, a white Paper for Christ (who had now rased or scraped out the depraved principles of his mistaken Zeal) to write the Divine Principles of his Evangelical Law upon the Tables of his heart, his heart was now in the hand of Christ, and was as a Rased Table, out of which his Raging and furious Frenzy against the Gospel was well wiped off, and now 'tis made a Marble Monument Ingraven (with Christ 's Graving-Tool) the lively Pourtraiture of Saving Grace. N.B. 'It is not [What shall I say?] but [That shall I do?] We may sooner find a fire without any operative heat, and a burning Nature, than a true Convert, without a lively heart, and a working grace. The Mark in the forehead of one whose name is writ in the Lamb's Book of Life, is, that he willingly, and speedily inquireth after his Lord's Will, that he may do it; 'tis not the talking, but the walking and working person, that is the true Christian indeed: Such an one cries with converted Saul here, Lord, Reform me of my sins, Inform me of thy Will, and Conform my will and way to it, N.B. The Lord's Answer to Saul 's second Question was▪ [Arise, go into the City, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.] Here be three remarkable parts in this Answer.

The First is, Saul is bid by his Lord to Arise: He was knocked down and fallen to the ground by the Lord's Power, but now hath he not only the Lord's leave, but Life also to Rise again. Christ did not strike Saul down to confound him, but to convert him: His heavy Revengeful hand could have done the former, Psal. 2.12. so have made him to perish in his way of wickedness; but his gracious and compassionate heart did the latter, that he might become a Monument of Mercy upon Divine Record to all Generations, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14, 15. Saul did but fall to rise again: Christ thus smites him, to heal him, who otherwise would have smitten Christ in his Members) to have wounded himself against the pricks he kicked at. This was a favorable (though an affrighting) stroke, that did strike down with a design to raise up again. N.B. Why should we not humble ourselves under that hand, which hath therefore cast us down (when a very little time is over, Isa. 10.25.) to lift us up again: Should we lay still that little time?

N.B. Secondly; Go into the City: He was going to Damascus before at the Devil's bidding, but now he hath the Lord's leave, and Law for it: Why? he rose not up the same Man as when he fell down; for he fell from a Wolf, a Saul, a Persecutor, but he rises again a Lamb, a Paul, a Preacher, &c. As he had now a better Authority to go thither, than was his Commission from the High Priest, so he had now likewise a better Errand: It was not now for other's destruction, but for his own instruction. N.B. So it follows

Thirdly; Ananias (though he was taught immediately by Christ himself, Gal. 1.12.) must be his Teacher, whose Destruction he designed, but now, whose Instruction must be accepted. Thus Christ honored his own Ordinance here, and Acts 10.3, 6. Neither did Christ Read a Lecture of Redemption unto Saul here, nor the Angel to Cornelius there, but both are referred to Preachers, that the Ministry, and the use of Gospel-means (which are called the power of God unto Salvation, Rom. 1.16.) might be commended thereby.

N.B. The Fourth Remarkable Circumstance is, the Testimony or Witnesses of Saul's Conversion; to wit, [the Men that Journied with him] Acts 9 7. 'It is evident, he carried many Companions with him (such as were base Bailiffs, and busy Pursivants or Sergeants) by whom he was designed by the Sanhedrim to bring both Men and Women (that professed Christianity) bound to Jerusalem, verse 2. which was a fuller Aggravation of his Sin, to involve others in the same guilt and provocation of God. N.B. 'It is said, that those Fellow-Travelers of Saul saw indeed the Lightning, and heard the Thunder, and were struck astonished thereat, yea, struck down (with Saul ) to the ground, Acts 26.14. And though they heard a Voice here, that is, a confused Noise, or an Inarticulate Sound, as of Thunder, yet did they not hear that Articulate Voice of Christ, that spake so powerfully, so convincingly, and so convertingly to Saul, Acts 22 9. Thus it was in a parallel case, The People are said to hear that Voice which spake to Christ from Heaven, yet heard they it so confusedly, and only the Noise of that Voice, that they thought it had been only the Noise or Voice of Thunder, John 12.29. Thus the Thunders are said to utter their Voices, Rev. 10.3. These men heard the Thunder (as well as saw the Lightning) and the Noise that the Voice made, but not the Voice distinctly that came forth from the Thunder; nor did they see any man, not that Godman (though in his glorified Bedy ) who spake to Saul, notwithstanding they used their utmost endeavors (as the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] doth signify) to behold this Speaker. Thus God made a difference here (as he had done, Dan. 10.7.) The Prophet only saw the Vision, yet those with him were frighted with the glory of it: So only Saul was converted here by hearing the Voice of Christ; we read not anything to the contrary, but that all his Companions remained unconverted. N.B. Thus hearers of the Word of Christ do hear it after a differing manner. The Word Preached hath three degrees of operation upon the hearts of hearers. (1.) It falls upon Men's Ears as the sound of many Waters, a confused sound, which commonly bringeth neither Fear nor Joy, but yet an admiration and acknowledgment of a strange affecting force, and more than an Human power, Mark 1.22, 29. Acts 13.41. (2.) It may operate as the Voice of Thunder, which brings not only Wonder, but Terror: These two may be in a Reprobate, as in Felix, Acts 24.25. and others. But the (3d.) Effect, peculiar to the Elect, is the sound of harping, when the Word not only ravishes the heart with Admiration, and strikes the Conscience with Terror, but also filleth the Soul with sweet Peace and Joy. Such surely as are made Real Converts by the Word Preached, and have true Faith wrought in them by hearing, Rom. 10.17, do hear distinctly the Voice of Christ speaking to their hearts with a strong hand (as he did to the Prophet, Isa. 8.11.) They, and they only hear it inwardly, spiritually, effectually: Whereas others that sit under the Droppings of the Sanctuary, and within the hearing of the Silver Trumpets of a Gospel-Ministry, yet remain in their Unbelief, and in an Unconverted estate, do but hear some confused sound, a naked Noise, not the very Voice of Christ, as these here. And though these Associates of Saul heard no more than a Noise, whereof they understood not the meaning, yet were they in some respects the more undeniable Witnesses of a great part of this Miracle.

The fifth Circumstance is, the Concomitants of completing his Conversion, or the next Adjuncts thereof: As (1.) His change of Posture [He arose from the Earth] verse 8. No doubt but the hand of Christ touched him (as it had done Daniel, Dan. 8.18. Yea, three times, Dan. 10.10, 16, 18.) with an effectual touch, which raised him, though gradually from the ground; and, sure I am, God had touched his heart with a better and a more saving touch, than were the heart of his Name-sake Saul 's Friends and Followers, 1 Sam. 10.26. For this Saul rises up a Saint, who, when knocked down, was a Devil. Here's free Grace and Mercy, that the Earth did not open her mouth (when he lay all along upon her, as a burden too heavy for her to bear) and swallow him up alive (as it did the Accomplices of Korah 's Conspiracy) and that he is got set upon his feet again, as Ezek. 2.1, 2. (2.) His blindness of Eye-sight, though he had not lost his Eyes, but still had them to open; yet (as 'tis expressly said) when he rose up, and opened his Eyes, as at other times, to look about him, he could see nothing, nor no Man: The glorious Vision of a glorified Christ had so dazzled him, that he could see nothing; Vehemens sensibile destruit sensum, saith the Philosopher; the transcendent excellency of that eminent Object, had certainly confounded his natural faculty and sense of seeing, yea and covered his visive spirits with crusty Scales in a miraculous manner, which required as miraculous a Cure, verse 17, 18. N.B. As Saul was, so all men are no better than Blind before they be Regenerate. He had the shape of a Man, yea of one learned in the Law, yet is he blind, and sees or knows nothing as he ought to know (as this same Man himself saith) 1 Cor. 8.2. But, blessed be the Lord, this bodily blindness was a blessed means to open the Eyes of his Mind (as Gehazi 's Leprosy of body cured his Soul.) Now this Saul had seen so much of Heaven, he could see nothing, no Man upon Earth; or he now sees nothing that is done on Earth, that he might the better attend to what was spoke to him from Heaven: Or probably the Light was so much within him, that all, in comparison thereto, was but dark without him. The Sun of Righteousness did not only out-shine, but also overshadowed the Firmament Sun. (3.) His Manuduction, or leading by the hand to the City, when he had lost the use of his own Eyes. Christ had commanded him to Arise and go to Damascus, &c. but though' he had Legs wherewith to raise up himself, and to walk upon, yet wanted he Light and Sight to walk with. How can a blind Man find the right way to the City, &c? He had now both Christ's Leave and Law for going thither upon a better Errand than he first intended, but still he wanted Light, therefore must have a Leader to perform both his Sufferance and his Obedience; that Man is reputed no better than a Fool, who knows not the way into the City, Eccles. 10.15. And such a blind Fool was this Saul now. N.B. Would to God all Persecutors were so served, and be smitten with blindness, as the Sodomites were, who therefore could not find Lot 's door to persecute him, Gen. 19.11. He that sends a Message by the hands of a Fool, cuts off his feet, and drinketh damage, Prov. 26.6. Tho' Saul found his feet uncut off, yet had he lost the blessing of Light, and the benefit of his Eye-sight; therefore, though his Lord (who sent him to the City) could not drink any damage (as being now above all detriment in his glorified State) yet might Saul have done so; for, being blind, he might have wandered in a wrong way, or might have stumbled (he not knowing upon what, John 11.9, 10. as well as whither he went, John 12.35.) and got a second fall to the former fatal one, therefore must he have one to lead him, as is usual for blind men to have; but who must be his Leaders? none but Dogs were nigh him now, such as had not only barked at, but would have also bitten the Lambs of Christ, had not that great Lord now chained them up, and restrained them, as Psal. 76.10. Rev. 20.21. N.B. He had now no hands nigh to lead him to Damasous, but those very hands that should have helped him to hale the Saints from thence to Jerusalem. Here you might see, what sometimes you have seen, even a Dog in a string, leading forward a blind Man. What Paul said afterwards from David 's Pen, Ephes. 4.8. Psal. 68.18. [He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men, even to the Rebellious.] This same Saul himself found by experience: He that thought to have taken Christians captive, is himself taken captive by Christ himself; and he that would have brought the Saints bound from Damascus to Jerusalem, is himself led blind, far off from Jerusalem, to Damascus: Nor had he only a Man-Dog, or a Devil's Ban-Dog (now tamed) to lead him, but undoubtedly Christ himself took this Vessel of Wrath (whom he had now made a Vessel of Mercy) by the hand, and led him all along to complete his Conversion in the City: O happy