70 Reflections on the reception of the Gentiles into the church. xxiv. SECT. Only made them the overtures of it, but has graciously wrought it in some of their hearts; and we shall rejoice to see it prevailing more XI. 18. and more. Acts Ver. IMPROVEMENT. WITH what joy ought every one who loved God or man to 1, 2 have heard, that the Gentiles had received the word of the gospel; yet we find those of the circumcision disputing with Peter upon the occasion: Their prejudices as Jews were so strong, that they thought the passage to the church must still lie through the synagogue, and so remembered that they were disciples of Moses, as almost to forget that they were the disciples of Christ. Let us always guard against that narrowness of mind which would limit even the Holy One of Israel to the bounds which we shall mark out, and exclude others from his favour, that our own honour may appear so much the more signal. 4 But let us with pleasure observe the mildness and prudence of & seq. Peter; warm as his temper naturally was, and high as he was raised by the divine favour; though he had been so remarkably turning the key of the kingdom of heaven itself, and opening it by immediate divine direction to the uncircumcised, that they might enter; yet he stands not upon the general honours of his apostolic character, nor insists upon that implicit submission to him, which some, with no such credentials, have been ready to arrogate to themselves. But he condescends to the younger brethren, and gives them a plain, distinct and faithful narration of the whole matter, just as it was. Thus let us learn, in the spirit of gentleness, humility and love, to vindicate our actions, where they have been uncandidly mistaken. And when we have the pleasure to know that they are right, let us enjoy that happy reflection to such a degree, as not to suffer ourselves to be disquieted, and put out of temper, by the rash charges and censures of those, who will judge our conduct before they have examined into it; and are disposed, more to their own detriment than it can possibly be to ours, to err on the severe extreme. chap. xv. 1,5. But I beg leave to observe Peter bable they had thought all uncircumcised persons to be and without doubt, they must mean to include the idolatrous Gentiles among the rest, as those who were most evidently and certainly so.-To render this clause, "God has granted salvation to the Geutiles on the terms of their repentance," is, I think, determining and limiting the sense in an unwarrantable man. ner. Many of the Greeks are converted at Antioch. 71 xxiv. Peter, we see, very circumstantially recollected what he had seen, SECT. and heard. Let it also be our care to treasure up in our memory, and to inscribe on our hearts, whatever God shall be pleased, Ver. though in more ordinary methods of instruction, to discover to us. And never let us be disobedient to any intimation of the divine will; but on the contrary, always most cheerfully acquiesce in it. Who are we, that in any respect we should resist God? and par- 17 ticularly, who are we, that we should in effect do it, by laying down rules relating to Christian communion, which should exclude any whom he has admitted? O that all the churches, whether national or separate, might be led seriously to consider, how arrogant an usurpation that is on the authority of the supreme Lord of the church! O that the sin of this resistance to God may not be laid to the charge of those, who perhaps in the main with a good intention, in an overfondness for their own forms, have done it, and are continually doing it! Like these brethren of the circumcision, let us be willing to yield 18 to the force of evidence, even when it leads us into an unexpected path. And let us glorify God, when he is pleased to manifest himself to those, who seemed to us to have the least room to hope for such a favour. Whether it be to us, or to others, that God hath granted repentance unto life, may we rejoice in it, and adore his goodness therein! For it is certain that none of the delights of life, which men so fondly pursue, are half so valuable as that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation. SECT. XXV. The gospel is preached at Antioch. Barnabas coming thither confirms the disciples, who are there called Christians. Agabus visits them, and foretells the famine, which occasions their sending alms to Jerusalem. Acts XI. 19, to the end. Acis XI. 19. NOW they which were scattered abroad Phenice, and Cyprus, IT ACTS XI. 19. XXV. Acts T is now proper to mention some other cir- SECT. upon the persecution cumstances, relating to the church elsewhere. that arose about Ste- We observe therefore, that during the transacphen, travelled as far as tions which have been before related, they who XI. 19. were dispersed from Jerusalem by the distress and persecution which arose about Stephen, after they had gone through Judea and Samaria, (chap. viii. 1.) travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word of the gospel to none but the Jews only; not being at all apprehensive, that the Gentiles were to share in the and Antioch, preach ing the word to none but unto the Jews only. blessings 72 XXV. Acts Barnabas is sent from Jerusalem to confirm them. b 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus, and Cyrene, which to the Grecians,preach with 21 And the hand of them; and a great SECT. blessings of it. But some of them, who bore a part in this work, were men that were natives of the island of Cyprus, and of the province of when they were come X1.20. Cyrene in Africa, who having heard the story of to Antioch, spake unPeter's receiving Cornelius, though a Gentile, ing the Lord Jesus. into the communion of the church, took occasion from thence to imitate his example, and having entered into Antioch, spake freely to the Greeks as well as to the Jews; preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus to them, and inviting them to accept of his invaluable privileges. 21 And the hand of the Lord was remarkably with them in this pious labour; and a great number the Lord was of the Gentiles were so effectually convinced number believed, and and wrought upon by their discourses and turned unto the Lord. miracles, that they believed, and turned unto the Lord Jesus; consecrating themselves to the service of God through him, with the most humble dependance on his blood and grace. And the report concerning him came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, who, the ears of the church, as they had lately seen a way was opened for which was in Jerusa the conversion of the Gentiles, received the lem; and they sent tidings of this further progress of the gospel forth Barnabas, that he with peculiar pleasure; and, desirous to confirm them in the faith into which they had been. initiated, they sent forth Barnabas to go as far 23 as Antioch: Who when he was come thither, 23 Who when he and beheld the grace of God manifested towards came, and had seen the grace of God, was them in bringing them to the knowledge of 22 a Having entered into Antioch.] This is an account very different from that which Ecclesiastical History gives us, which affirms that Peter was the first who preached the gospel at Antioch; which I mention to shew, how little these traditions are to be depended upon, as to the first settlement of Christian churches in the world; of which I think we know little certain, but from the New Testament. It seems more probable, that Simon, Lucius, and Manaen, who are mentioned, chap. xiii. 1. might be the first preachers here.Antioch was then the capital of Syria, and next to Rome and Alexandria, was the most considerable city of the empire. b Spake to the Greeks.] Instead of ExAnsas the Alexandrian manuscript, which is favoured by the Syriac and some other ancient versions, reads Exλnvas; which common sense would require us to adopt, even if it were not supported by the authority of any manuscript at all: For as the Hellemists were Jews, there would, on the receiv himself 22 Then tidings of these things came unto should go as far as Antioch. glad, ed reading, be no opposition between the conduct of these preachers, and those mentioned in the preceding verse. Here undoubtedly we have the first account of preaching the gospel to the idolatrous Gentiles; for it is certain, there is nothing in the word Exλnvas to limit it, to such as were worshippers of the true God: Nor cau I find the least hint in the New Testament of the two different periods that some have supposed, in the first of which it was preached only to those called proselytes of the gate, and in the second to those who were before idolaters; yet the hypothesis seems in itself so improbable, that it stands in need of the strongest proof before it can be admitted, as I may elsewhere shew at large. It is well known, that as the Greeks were the most celebrated of the Gentile nations near Judea, the Jews called all the Gentiles by that general name. Compare Rom. x. 12. 1 Cor. xiii. 13. Gal. iii. 28. Col ii. 11. See also 2 Mac. iv. 10, 15, 36. vi. 9. xi. 24. The disciples are first named Christians at Antioch. 73 Acts glad, and exhorted them himself in a Redeemer, greatly rejoiced in the SECT. all, that with purpose of heart, they would good work that was begun among them, and xxv. cleave unto the Lord. exhorted them all to adhere to the Lord with full determination and resolution of heart, whatever XI. 23. circumstances of difficulty and extremity might 24 For he was a arise. And the exhortation, as it came from his 24 good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of mouth, was peculiarly graceful and effectual; faith: And much peo- for he was a good man himself, and full of the ple was added unto Holy Spirit and of faith; and speaking from the the Lord. deep experience of his own heart, and with that Then Barnabas perceiving, after some abode 25 there, that he wanted an assistant in his labours, went to Tarsus to seek Saul, whose departure thither we mentioned above, in the last particulars which we related concerning him. (Compare Acts ix. 30.) And finding him there, he 26 gave him such an account of the state of things, and such a view of the probability of extensive usefulness, which seemed to present itself there, that he succeeded in his proposal, and brought him to Antioch, at his return to that populous and celebrated city. And it came to pass, that they continued there, and assembled at proper times in the church for a whole year, and taught considerable numbers of people: And the disciples were by divine appointment first named Christians at Antioch; a title A good man.] The author of Miscell. Sacra thinks the expression signifies, that he was a man of a sweet and gentle disposition, not disposed to lay any unnecessary burdens on these new converts, and so the more fit to be employed at Antioch in these circumstances. Abstract, p. 18. d Went to Tarsus to seek Saul.] I have never been able to discover, on what foundation the ingenious writer mentioned in the last note asserts, that this was the second time of Saul's being at Tarsus after his conversion, and that he had in the mean time, (that is, since his first journey thither, Acts ix. 30.) made the tour of Syria, and preached the gospel there. that e Finding him he brought him to Antioch.] This he might do, as very rightly judging, that since he was by his country a Greek, though by descent a Hebrew of the Hebrews, (that is, descended from two Jewish parents) he would be peculiarly fit to assist him in his great work; especially considering, on the one hand, his fine accomplishments as a scholar, and on the other, his extraordinary conversion and eminent piety and zeal. f By divine appointment first named Christians at Antioch.] They were before this called by the Jews, Nazarenes, or Galileans; and by each other, disciples, believers, brethren, or saints. But they now assumed the name of their great leader, as the Platonists 74 Agabus comes to Antioch, and foretells a famine. SECT. that was really an honour to them, and was very were called Christians XXV.__ well adapted to signify their relation to Christ as Acts their common Lord, and their expectations from XI. 26. him as their Saviour. first at Antioch. Agabus, and signified 27 And in these days, while Barnabas and Saul 27 And in these were at Antioch, certain prophets, who were di- days came prophets vinely inspired to foretell future events, came Antioch. from Jerusalem unto 28 from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them, 28 And there stood whose name was Agabus, stood up in one of their up one of them named assemblies, and signified by the immediate direc- by the Spirit, that there tion of the Spirit, that there should shortly be a should be a great dearth great famine over all the land; which accord- throughout ingly came to pass quickly after in the days of Claudius Caesar, the Roman emperor then 29 reigning. And, in consideration of the distress which it might bring along with it, the disciples cording to his ability, at Antioch determined, that according to the re- determined to send respective abilities of each, they should send a libe Platonists, Pythagoreans, Epicureans, &c. with much less reason had done the name of theirs. I think with Dr. Benson, that the use of the word xenala implies, that it was done by a divine direction, and have translated it accordingly: (Compare Matt. ii. 12, 22. Luke ii. 26. Acts x. 22 Heb. viii. 5. xi. 7. xii. 25.) and therefore am not solicitous to enquire, whether the name were given them, as Ecclesiastical History tells us, by Euodius, (who is mentioned by it as their first bishop,) or by Barnabas, or Saul, as Bishop Pearson seems to think. (See Pears. on the Creed, p 103.) The learned and candid Witsius thinks it a circumstance of remarkable wisdom, that this celebrated name should arise from Antioch, a church consisting of a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, rather than from Jerusalem dignified in so many other respects; and that it was a kind of victory gained over Satan, who from Antioch had some ages before raised so many cruel persecutors of the church of God. Wits. de Vit. Paul. cap. iii. § 5. A great famine over all the land.] As it is certain, may have such a limited signification, (see note a on Luke ii. 1, Vol. VI. p. 62) I follow this translation, as what appears to me safest, and refer my reader to those reasons for doing it, which he may find at large in Mr. Lardner's Credibility. (Book I. chap. 11, § 2. Vol. I. p. 589, & seq.) The learned Archbishop Usher has endeavoured to prove the famine in the fourth year of Claudius [4. D. 44,] universal. But Mr. Biscoe rather thinks, there may be a reference here to what happened in a course of some years, and observes, (as Mr. Basnage had done before,) that there were famines ral all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man ac lief in various places during the reign of Claudius, not only in Judea, which began the latter end of his fourth, and was continued in his fifth, sixth, and seventh years, (of which Josephus takes notice, Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 2. § 6. & cap. 5, [al. 3,] §3,) but also at Rome in his second; (as mentioned by Dio, lib. Ix. p. 671;) and that Syria in his fourth, (Oros. lib. vii. cap. 6,) Greece in his ninth, (Euseb. Chron. p. 204,) and Italy in his tenth and eleventh, (Tacit. Annal. lib. xii. cap. 43. and Sueton. Claud. cap. 18.) were visited with the like calamity: He therefore supposes all these to be included in this prophecy. (Serm. at Boyle's Lect. chap. iii. § 3. p. 60-66.) But the persons, with regard to whom it is here mentioned, were so much more concerned in the first of these, which seems also to have been the most extreme, that I am still of opinion, the prediction chiefly refers to that, which was the dearth in which Helena queen of Adiabene so generously relieved the Jews with corn and other provisions from Egypt and Cyprus; which, by the way, proves that the famine was not universal at that time. See Wits. Meletem, de Vit. Paul. cap. iii. § 6. h According to the respective abilities of each.] I think this all that is intended by nabwę numoprilo rig, though the words might more literally be rendered, according to the abundance which each had: for it is hardly to be imagined, that every Christian at Antioch was in abundance or plentiful circumstances: Nor do I think any thing can be inferred, concerning the extent of the famine, from this circumstance; as it plainly appears not to have been begun, when the collection was resolved upon. i They |