They sell their estates, and have all things in common. 53 they spake the word And being animated by that strong impulse, sECT. of God with bold- which through his operation they felt upon their ix. ness. 32 And the mul courage, Acts hearts, they spoke the word of God wherever they came with all courageous freedom, and renew- iv. 31 ed their public testimony without any appearance of fear, on the very day on which they had been so solemnly forbidden by the Sanhedrim to preach any more in the name of Jesus. And that sacred agent wrought upon their 32 titude of them that souls not only as the spirit of zeal and believed, were of one heart and of one but of love, so that the very heart and soul of soul: neither said the whole multitude of believers, numerous as any of them, that they were, was all one : Nor did any one [of ought of the things them] call any of his possessions his own; but was his own, but all things were common amongst them, and they had all things each was as welcome to participate of them as the original proprietor could be, being in these new bonds of Christian fellowship as dear to 33 And with great him as himself. And with great power, that 33 power gave the apos- is, with a divine force of eloquence and of mirresurrection of the acles, did the apostles give forth their important Lord Jesus and testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; great grace was up- and great grace was upon them all, so that the energy and sweetness of the gospel was felt by the inward experience both of speakers and hearers, beyond what it was possible for words which he possessed, common. tles witness of the on them all. 34 Neither was there any among them and brought : to express. Neither was there any one indigent person 34 them that lacked among them, though many of them were far for as many as were from their habitations, and many others in low possessors of lands, circumstances of life: for as many as were proor houses, sold prietors of lands or houses, sold them as fast as the prices of the they could find any to purchase them, and things that were brought the price of the things they had sold, whether it were more or less, And laid [it] 35 35 And laid them down at the feet of the apostles, to be disposed down at the apostles' feet and distribu- of as they should direct; who discharged their tion was made unto trust with the strictest fidelity, and took care every man according that distribution was made to every one accord sold, as he had need. ing as any had need for his present relief (compare chap. ii. 45): The apostles esteem * All things were common amongst them.] See note on chap. ii. 44. To have one heart and soul is a proverbial expression for the most intimate and endearing friendship, as Elsner and others have shewn. * Great grace was upon them all.] Casau bon, Grotius, and some others, understand this of the favour they had among the people on account of their charity and good conduct: But this is by no means the natural import of this phrase, which is very different from that used, Acts ii. 47. 54 ix. Reflections on the characters of the primitive Christians. SECT. ing themselves sufficiently happy, while living IMPROVEMENT. THIS was indeed the golden age of the church; and it is im possible to trace the memoirs of it, if we love Sion, without a verse secret complacency and exultation of mind. How amiable and 1 how venerable do the apostles and primitive converts appear, in this native simplicity of the Christian character! and what a glory did the grace and Spirit of God put upon them, far beyond all that human establishments, splendid dignities, or ample revenues, could ever give to those that have succeeded them! While the multitude of them had one heart and one soul, and each was ready 32 to impart to his brethren whatever he himself possessed, how high a relish of pleasure did they receive, and how were their joys multiplied by each of their number! Thus does divine grace, when it powerfully enters into the 53, 35 heart, open it in sentiments of generosity and love. it conquer that selfish temper which reigns so frequently in the Thus does minds of sinful men, and makes them like wild beasts rather than like brethren to each other. Providence does not indeed call us entirely to give up our possessions, or to introduce a community of goods among Christians, in circumstances so different from those which we have now been surveying. always our duty, and will be our highest interest, to remember Yet surely it is that we are not original proprietors of what we possess, but sterv ards, who are to manage what is intrusted to our care, for the honour of our great Master, and the good of his family here on earth; continually ready to resign any part, or even the whole of it, whenever these important ends shall require such a resignation. 24 In the mean time, let us frequently lift up our hearts to the great and ever blessed God, who hath made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, that he would support and extend the progress of that gospel in the world, which he hath so gra25, 26 ciously begun to plant. King's may still set themselves, and rulers take counsel against it; but he knows how to turn their counsels into foolishness, and their rage into shame. He hath anointed Jesus his holy child with the oil of gladness, and placed him on his throne in heaven; and all the united malice and fury of his enemies can do no more, than what shall make part of his wise and gracious scheme for the government of his people. Let us pray, 29 that he would give freedom of speech to all employed in pleading his cause; and that he will plentifully anoint them with the effu30, 31 sion of his Spirit: And let the signs and wonders which were done Barnabas sells his estate, and brings the money to the apostles. 55 by the name of Jesus in former ages, encourage us to hope that secг. he will never totally desert a scheme which he once so illustriously ix. interposed to establish; and consequently let them animate us to exert ourselves in its service, whatever labours, threatenings, or dangers, may meet us in our way! SECT. X. The sale of estates proceeding, Ananias and Sapphira attempt fraudulently to impose upon the apostles, and are immediately struck dead. That event, together with other extraordinary miracles wrought about the same time, promotes the increase of the church more and more. Acts IV. 36, to the end. V. 1-16. ACTS IV. 36. AND Joses, who by the apostles was sirnamed Bar A ACTS IV. 36. X. Acts MONG the rest of those primitive con- SECT. verts who so generously contributed of nabas (which is, be- their substance for the relief and subsistence ing interpreted, The of the poor believers in so extraordinary a cir- iv.36 son of consolation) a cumstance, there was one foses, who, on acLevite, and of the country of Cyprus, count of his great benevolence and usefulness, was much respected in the church, and by the apostles was sirnamed Barnabas, which being interpreted from the Syriac language, signifies, A son of consolation: He was a Levite, who was so far from being prejudiced against this new religion, as it might seem to oppose his temporal interest, that he gladly devoted himself to its service: [and] was a native of another country, being by birth a Cyprian: 37 Having land, And having an estate, which was capable of 37 sold it, and brought being alienated without any transgression of the law, he sold it, and brought the money, as others had done, and laid it down at the feet of signifies. Mr. Fleming makes it a most honourable title indeed, as signifying, a son of the operation of the Paraclet, that is, of the Holy Ghost. Joses-sirnamed Barnabas,-a son of comfort, and to exhort, as the word also consolation. Considering how common the names of Joses and Joseph were, there seems no just reason to conclude, as some have done, that this was the Joseph mentioned chap. i. 23, as a candidate for the office of an apostle. (Compare note i on b An estate, which was capable of being that text.) Nor can I see any reason to alienated, &c.] He could not have sold that conclude with Abp. Wake, (Apost. Fath- which was his paternal inheritance as a Leers, Introd. p. 62) that this Joses was call- vite but this might perhaps be some leged a son of consolation, to express the great acy or purchase of land in Judea, to which he consolation the brethren received from the might have a title till the next Jubilee, or sale of his estate The name seems rather perhaps some land in Cyprus : and we may to refer to his extraordinary abilities for the suppose it mentioned, either as the first ministerial work, and to those gifts of the foreign estate sold, or as of some extraordi Spirit whereby he was enabled both to nary value. 56 X. Ananias sells his, and keeps back part of the price. SECT. the apostles, desiring they would dispose of it the money, and laid in such a manner, as might be most serviceable it at the apostles' feet. to the necessities of the saints: And the addition which it made to the public stock was so considerable, that it seemed to deserve this particular mention. Acts iv.37 Acts v. 1 But it is in a very different point of light, and ACTS V. 1. But a on a very melancholy occasion, that we are certain man named obliged to mention another person before we phira his wife, sold Ananias, with Sapleave this story. There was also among these a possession, early professors of the gospel a certain man named Ananias, who with the concurrence of Sapphira his wife, sold an estate; And fraudu2 And kept back lently secreted part of the price, his wife also part of the price, his wife also being privy being conscious [of it ;] and bringing only a cer- to it, and brought a tain part of it, he laid it down at the feet of the certain part, and laid apostles, as the rest did, pretending that it was it at the apostles' feet. the whole of the purchase money; and consequently intimating, that having deposited his all in their hands, he should hope for the future, to be taken care of among the rest of the brethren. 3 But Peter said, 3 But, upon this, the Holy Spirit, under whose 3,4, how ready they were soon to transfer the Laid it down at the feet of the apostles.] Orobio insinuates, apud Limborch. Collat. p. 134, (and it is one of the weakest and meanest things I remember in his writings) that it was no small advantage to poor fishermen to be treasurers of so con- & Filled thine heart- -to impose on the siderable a bank. But nothing can be Holy Spirit.] The Hebrews express a more unjust and unnatural, than to suspect, person's being emboldened to do a thing, by that men, who were so ready to sacrifice the phrase of his heart being filled. (Comtheir lives to the cause of truth and the pare Esth. vii. 5, and Eccles. viii. 11): And happiness of mankind, should be capable Bos has abundantly shewn, that food of falsifying such a trust as this, for the Ta signifies to lie to a person, or to impose sake of a little money. Their miraculous upon him, (Bos Exercit. p. 73, 74) but powers were joined with a thousand marks, I cannot recollect, that it ever signifies to of probity in their daily conduct to warrant belie a person, as Dr. Benson would here such a confidence, which was but a natural render it. Hist, of Christianity, Vol. I. p. token of due respect. We see in chap. vi. 2, 103. Ananias is struck dead as having lied to God. 57 Acts V. 4 keep back part of the direction we are; and to secrete part of the price sECT. price of the land? of the land thou hast sold, when thou pretendest X. 4 Whilst it re- to have brought the whole? While it remained mained, was it not unsold, did it not continue thine, notwithstandthine own? And af- ing thy profession of faith in Jesus? And when ter it was sold, was it not in thine own it was sold, was it not still in thine own power, power? Why hast to have given or not given the whole, or any thou conceived this part of it, into the treasury of the church, as thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied thou shouldst think proper? Why then hast thou unto men, but unto admitted this thing into thine heart, so meanly God. 5 And Ananias and so profanely to dissemble on this solemn And Ananias, hearing these words, while the 5 came not only on the immediate spectators, but on all that heard the report of these things. 6 And the young Then some of the young and ablebodied men in 6 men arose, wound the assembly arose, and perceiving there was no room to hope for the recovery of one who When it was sold, was it not in thine own power?] It evidently appears from hence, that no Christian converts were obliged to sell their estates. An answer to the Popish argument from hence, in favour of works of supererogation, may be collected from our paraphrase on Mat. xix. 12. Vol. II. Christians, merely for the sake of a present alms, to which, by a fraud like this, many might on easy terms have purchased a pretence, who would also, no doubt, have proved a great scandal to a profession taken up on such infamous motives. (Compare ver. 13.) This likewise was a very conAnanias-fell down and expired.] This vincing attestation of the apostles' most upseverity was not only righteous, considering right conduct in the management of the that complication of vain glory and covet- sums, with which they were intrusted, ousness, or fraud and impiety, which, as and indeed, in general of their divine misLimborch and Mr. Bisco (p. 659–661) sion; for none can imagine, that Peter have well proved, the action contained; would have had the assurance to pronounce, but also, on the whole, was wise and gra- and much less the power to execute such a cious, both as it served to vindicate the sentence as this, if he had been at the honour of the blessed Spirit, so notoriously same time guilty of a much baser fraud of affronted by this attempt to impose on those, the like kind, or had been belying the Holy who had been so lately and eminently Ghost, in the whole of his pretensions to be anointed by his extraordinary effusion, and under his miraculous influence and direc farther, as it tended most effectually to tion. See Cradock's Apost. Hist. p. 27, and deter any dishonest persons from joining the Reynold's Lett. to a Deist, p. 245. |