20 SECT. xvi. The apostles send Peter and John to Samaria. The continued outrages and cruelties of Saul serve more and more to illustrate the sovereignty and freedom of divine grace, Ver. in that conversion which we are hereafter to survey; and give us 3 a view of a very delightful contrast between the warmth of those efforts which he made first to destroy, and then with proportionable zeal to save. 5, It is also pleasant to observe, how the gospel mutually conquered & seq. the prejudices between the Jews and the Samaritans, teaching the Jews to communicate, and the Samaritans to receive it with pleasure. It was a wonderful providence which had permitted 9 the inchantments of Simon to be so successful before; but at length 11 Simon also believed and was baptized: We see in this, as in a thou13 sand nearer instances, that there may be speculative faith in the gospel, where there is no true piety; and if such persons on the profession of that faith, where nothing appears contrary to it, be admitted to those ordinances by which Christians are distinguished from the rest of mankind, it is an evil in the present state of things unavoidable; and the conduct of Christian ministers and societies in admitting such, will be less displeasing to God than a rigorous severity. May God give us wisdom to guide our way, that we may obtain the happy medium between prostituting divine ordinances by a foolish credulity, and defrauding the children of the household of their bread, because they have not reached such a stature, or do not seek it in those forms or gestures which our mistaken caution may sometimes be ready to demand. SECT. xvii. Acts SECT. XVII. Peter going down to Samaria, to impart spiritual gifts to the converts there, discovers and censures the hypocrisy of Simon. Acts VIII. 14—25. ACTS VIII. 14. ACTS VIII. 14. NOW when the apostles, who, as we observed Now before, were still at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, by the VIII. 14. Preaching of Philip the Evangelist, as was related above, they were desirous that these new converts might be farther settled in their Christian profession, by those spiritual gifts which no inferior teacher or officer in the church could bestow; and accordingly sent to them two of the most considerable of their own number, namely, Peter and John, who had been so remarkable for the miracle they had performed, and the courageous manner in which they had borne when the apostles which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of them Peter and John. God, they sent unto were The Holy Spirit is given by the imposition of their hands. 21 come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. xvii. Acts 15 Who when they borne their testimony to the gospel : Who, SECT. though once strongly prejudiced against the Samaritans, now cheerfully undertook the province; and going down thither prayed for them vil. 15 that they might receive the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and so be openly put on a level with the believing Jews, and be shewn to be equally owned by God as his people. For 16 though the supernatural influences of the Spirit were displayed among them in the surprising name of the Lord Je- miracles which Philip had performed, these exsus.) traordinary powers were not communicated to them, and he was not yet fallen on any of them, only they were baptized, as was said before, in 17 Then laid they the name of the Lord Jesus. But after the 17 their hands on them, apostles had been praying for them, God was and they received the then pleased, in a visible and extraordinary man 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none were baptized in the of them: only they Holy Ghost. 18 And when Simon saw that through lay ing on of the apostles bands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands ner, to answer their request; for they had no Now when Simon the magician, of whom we 18 2 Though once strongly prejudiced against the Samaritans.] John was one of those who, provoked at their inhospitable treatment of Christ, (perhaps in proportion to the degree in which he honoured and loved his divine Master,) had asked a permission to bring down fire from heaven to consume them: (Luke ix 54;) But he now understood the genius of the gospel much better.- -It is observed by Dr. Whitby and others, that, as Peter was sent with John on this errand by the other apostles they had no notion of his being their head or superior. - 22 Simon being told of his danger, begs the apostles to pray for him. SECT. VIII. 20. 20 But Peter said cause thou hast thought 21 Thou hast nei cise with so much ease, that on whomsoever I hands he may receive xvi. shall lay my hands, he may the Holy Ghost. receive this extraorActs dinary communication of the Holy Spirit. But when Peter heard so infamous an offer, he was not able to conceal his indignation, and unto him, Thy money therefore said to him, in his own name and that perish with thee, beof John, Let thy money go with thee to the de- that the gift of God struction to which thou art thyself hastening, may be purchased with since thou hast thought so vilely of the free and money. invaluable gift of the blessed God, as to imagine 21 it might be purchased with money. It is very ther part nor lot in this evident, from such a detestable proposal, that matter: for thy heart notwithstanding the profession thou hast made, is not right in the thou art indeed an utter stranger to the efficacy sight of God. of the gospel, and hast no part nor lot in this matter, nor any interest in the important spiritual blessings to which all these extraordinary gifts are subservient; for thine heart is not upright in the sight of God, otherwise thou wouldst think far more honourably of this Spirit of his, than to form a mercenary scheme to traffick in 22 it in this scandalous manner. Repent therefore immediately of this thy enormous wickedness, and pray God, if perand beg of God with the deepest humiliation haps the thought of and the most fervent prayer, if perhaps his in- thine heart may be finite mercy may yet be extended to such forgiven thee. wretch, and the blasphemous thought of thy 23 corrupt heart may be forgiven thee: For though thou wast so lately washed with the water of c Let thy money go with thee to destruction.] This is not an imprecation, but a strong way of admonishing Simon of his danger, and of expressing how much rather the apostle would see the greatest sum of money lost and cast away, than receive any part of it on such shameful terms. baptism a 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall was not inferior to the chief of the apostles, 2 Cor. xi. 5; xii. 11;) had not; otherwise he would not have suffered the illness of Epaphroditus to have brought him so near to death, (Phil. ii. 25—27,) nor have left so useful a fellow-labourer as Trophimus sick at Miletum; (2 Tim. iv. 20.) e Repent therefore, &c.] Here is so incontestable an evidence of an unconverted sinner being exhorted to repentance and pray er, while he was known to be in that state, that it is astonishing it should ever have been disputed; and one would think, none could be so wild as to imagine, faith in Christ was not included in that repentance and prayer, which an apostle preaches to a baptized person as the way of obtaining forgive d Thine heart is not upright in the sight of The dubious manner in which he speaks of his being forgiven, intimates, not that his sincere repentance might possibly fail of acceptance, for that is contrary to the whole tenor of the gospel, but that after the commission of a sin, so nearly approaching blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, there was little reason to hope he would ever be brought truly to repent. f In The apostles return again to Jerusalem. 23 gall of bitterness, and baptism, I plainly perceive that thou art still in SECT. in the bond of iniquity. the very gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. ye to the Lord for me, 25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of xvii. plunged in that hateful pollution which must Acts And Simon, as he could not but be very much 24 alarmed by such a solemn admonition, answered and said to the apostles, If you indeed conceive my case to be so bad, at least extend your charity so far, as to make your supplications to the Lord on my account, that none of these terrible things, which ye have often spoken of as the fatal consequence of sin, may come upon me: For I am far from disbelieving the truth of the gospel, how improper soever my proposal might be, or however derogatory from the honour of it. Thus did the two apostles, Peter and John, 25 perform the errand they were sent upon, and the Lord, returned to executed their commission; when therefore they Jerusalem, and preach- had borne their testimony to the truth of the ed the gospel in many gospel, and had spoken the word of the Lord Jesus Christ to many, who had not received it from the mouth of Philip, they returned to the other ten at Jerusalem; and as they went along they preached the gospel in many other towns and villages of the Samaritans, which lay in their villages of the Samaritaus. way. f In the gall of bitterness, &c.] The gall of bitterness is the bitterest gall; and the whole sentence expresses, in Peter's strong manner of speaking, how odious and wretched a creature Simon now appeared to him. How much more odious in the eyes of an holy God must such a sinner be! (Compare Deut. xxix. 18; xxxii. 52; and Isa. lviii. 6.) Albertus (Observ. p. 256,) and De Dieu, would render it, "I see thee as the very gall of bitterness, and a bundle of iniquity." (Compare Mat. xix. 5; 2 Cor. vi. 18; Heb. viii. 10; in which places the former thinks it is used in the same sense as here.) See Beza's beautiful illustration of this text. g Make your supplications to the Lord on my account.] It is much to be feared, this pretence of conviction and humiliation was only to prevent Peter and John from dis IMPROVE gracing him among the body of Christians: h These things which ye have spoken.] As i Born their testimony.] See note g on Luke xxiv. 48, Vol. vii. p. 483, § 202. Histories 24 SECT. xvii. Reflections on the infamous proposal made by Simon.. Ver. IMPROVEMENT. LET us observe this peculiar honour by which the apostles were 14-17 distinguished, that the holy Spirit was given by the imposition of their hands. Thus did Christ bear his testimony to them, as the authorized teachers of his church; and it evidently appears, that we may with great safety and pleasure submit ourselves to their instruction; for these extraordinary gifts were intended in some measure for our benefit; that by an entire resignation to their authority, thus attested, we might be made partakers of those graces, in comparison of which the tongues of men and of angels would be but as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. (1 Cor. xiii. 1.) 18, 19 Who can read without horror the infamous proposal which Simon made, when he thought of purchasing the gift of God with money? With somewhat of the same horror must we look on all those by whom sacred things are either bought or sold; it is an 20 infamous traffick, about which an upright man cannot deliberate a moment, but will reject it at once with an honest scorn and indignation, like that of Peter in the present instance. God grant that none of the ordinances of Christ may ever be prostituted to secular ends, which seems a crime almost equally enormous! In vain it is for men to profess themselves Christians, in vain to submit like Simon to baptism, or like him to adhere constantly to the mi21 nisters of the gospel, if their heart be not right with God; an hypocritical conduct like this will proclaim it aloud, that they are in the 23 gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Wash us, O God, from this odious and polluting gall, which naturally overspreads us; and loosen these bonds of sin with which Satan may sometimes bind those who have a name and a place in thy church, and in which he conveys them to final and everlasting destruction. 22 Yet let us not utterly despair even of the worst of men, but direct then to that great universal remedy, a deep and serious repentance of their sins, and an earnest address to God by prayer; to him who can wash us from crimson stains, and break in pieces fetters of 24 iron. It is some token for good, when sinners seem to fall under reproof, and desire the prayers of those who are more upright than themselves: But if men are animated in such requests and submissions, by no more noble and generous a principle than a fear of destruction from God, there is great reason to suspect the since. rity of that repentance which they profess, and to apprehend that, like Simon, they will unsay all their confession, and perhaps like him (if we may credit the most authentic uninspired histories of the church |