498

SECT.

i.

Orders them to wait for the Spirit at Jerusalem.

to stay no longer with them, and they knew of rusalem, but wait for no immediate business which they had there; ther, which, saith he, the promise of the Fabut ordered them to wait there for the accom- ye have heard of me. 1. 4. plishment of that promise of the Father, to send

Acts

baptized with water;

hence.

the Spirit which [said he,] you have so often, and so lately heard from me. (See John xiv. 26. 5 xv. 26. xvi. 7. and Luke xxiv. 49.) For John 5 For John truly indeed baptized with water only, when he was but ye shall be bapsent to call men to repentance; but, as he then tized with the Holy declared, (Mat. iii. 11,) there is a nobler bap- Ghost, not many days tism you may expect from me; and to prepare and furnish you for the great work to which I have commissioned you, of preaching repentance and remission of sins in my name, you shall be baptized with an abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit, far beyond what you have ever yet received: And this, I assure you, shall be done within these few days; which proved by

the event to be but ten.

6 When they therefore were come toge

Israel?

6 But now, as the appointed time was come for
his returning to the Father, Jesus withdrew with ther, they asked of
his apostles from the city, and led them out, as him, saying, Lord wilt
was observed before, unto the mount of Olives, thou at this time restore
as far as to the boundaries of Bethany. (See
again the kingdom te
Luke xxiv. 50) They therefore being
come together, full of expectation that he had
brought them thither with a view to some
remarkable transaction, asked him, saying,
Lord, wilt thou at this time break the Roman
yoke from our necks, and after all this confu-
sion restore the kingdom to the ungrateful people
of Israels, who have been thus shamefully

rusalem, or perhaps accompanied them
thither, and spent his last days on earth
there; doing this last honour to the place,
where God had chosen to dwell, and where
the most solemn ordinances of his worship
were administered.

f Said he. These words, though omit-
ted in the original, are plainly implied.
Raphelius (ex Xen. p. 146, 147.) has pro-
duced many examples of such a change in
the person speaking in the best Greek wri-
ters. Many others ocear in the sacred
authors. Compare Luke v. 14. Acts xvii.
3 xxiii. 22. Gen. xxvi. 7. Deut. ii. 13.
See also Psal. ii. 5, 6. and xci. 14. And I
the rather mention it, as it may account
for many prophecies of Christ in the Old
Testament, where he is introduced as speak-
ing on a sudden, in an abrupt manner;
which is not so usual, especially in modern
and testern Writers.

abusing

g Restore the kingdom to Israel.] They seem to have expected, that, when the Spirit was in so extraordinary a manner poured out, and the world, according to Christ's prediction, (John xvi. 8.) convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judzment, the whole nation of the Jews would own him for the Messiah, and so not only shake off its subjection to the Romans, but itself rise to very extensive, and perhaps universal dominion. The word anoxic avas intimates the shattered and weakened state, in which Israel now was. And I cannot but think, our Lord's answer may intimate, it should at length be restored, though not immediately, or with all the circumstances they imagined; which concession seems the most satisfactory answer to Rabbi Isaac's objection against Christianity, from his mistaken sense of these words. Chissuck Emunah, Part II. p. 59.

He checks their curiosity about a temporal kingdom.

And he said unto

them, It is not for you the seasons, which the Father hath put in his

to know the times or

own power.

i.

499

abusing and crucifying thee? Is the empire of SECT.
the Messiah immediately to be erected? and
wilt thou begin it from Jerusalem; a place Acts
that, of all upon the face of the earth, seems to I. 6.
be the least worthy of such a distinguished ho-
nour?

But he, waving a direct answer to this curi-7
ous question, and leaving it to the Spirit, which
was shortly to be given, to rectify the mistaken
notions on which they proceeded in it, only said
to them, Cease your inquiries at present on this
head since it is not convenient for you now to
know those times or seasons in which many re-
markable prophecies concerning my kingdom
shall be fulfilled: For the Father has reserved
them in his own power, under his own direction
and disposal, and hath not expressly determined
them in those predictions which certify the events
themselves. And he hath taken this precau-
tion, on purpose that the minds of his people
might be kept in an humble, dependent, re-
signed frame: It will therefore be your wisdom
always to cultivate such a temper, applying
yourselves diligently to the duties of your of-
fice, and lea ing all events to be determined by
his infinite wisdom and goodness. But for the 8
present let it suffice you to be told, that ere
long, though I say not exactly when, you
ye shall be witnesses shall receive an extraordinary power of the Holy
unto me, both in Jeru- Spirit coming upon you; and in consequence of
and in Samaria, and that, shall be abundantly qualified to be my
unto the uttermost part witnesses both in the city of Jerusalem, and in
all the land of Judea; and not only so, but in
Samaria too, though you have never yet ad-
dressed yourselves to the Samaritans in any
former mission, (see Mat. x. 5. and compare
Acts viii. 5, 14, 25.) and even to the remotest
parts of the earth; the barbarous nations of
which you shall visit, with a success which
shall gloriously illustrate my Father's promise,
of "
giving me the heathen for mine inheri-
tance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for
my possession." (See Psalm ii. 8)

8 But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is

come upon you; and

salem, and in all Judea,

of the earth.

9 And when he had

spoken these things, was taken up, and a cloud received him out

while they beheld, he

of their sight.

VOL. VII.

And having said these things, he lifted up his 9 hands and blessed them; (Luke xxiv. 50.) and while they beheld him with great earnestness, and high expectation of some extraordinary event consequent on this solemn preparation, he was lifted up from the ground in a miraculous. manner, and rose gradually higher and higher, till at length a bright cloud, conducted by the 3 R

ministry

500

i.

Having blessed them, ascends to heaven in their sight.

SECT. ministry of angels, who jovfully attended their returning Lord, received him out of their sight, and they saw him no more.

Acts

I. 10.

as he

went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

up into heaven? This

heaven, shall so come,

10 And while they This marvellous event was so astonishing to looked stedfastly tothe apostles, that they continued with their eyes wards heaven, fixed the way that he was gone: And while they were stedfastly looking up to heaven, after him, as he went on in his triumphant ascent, behold, two angels, in the form of men, in white and shining raiment, came and stood near them ; 11 Who also spake to them, and said, Ye men of 11 Which also said, Galilee, why do ye stand thus gazing up to hea- Ye men of Galilee, ven, with so much surprize and amazement? why stand ye gazing This Jesus, who is now taken up from you into same Jesus, which is heaven, is gone to that world from whence he taken up from you into came, and in which he is to make his final in like manner as ye abode: Nevertheless there will be a time, have seen him go into when he shall visit your earth once more, and heaven. so come in a visible form, riding on a cloud as his triumphant chariot, and attended by angelic guards, in the same manner as you have now beheld him going into heaven: Depart therefore in peace, and pursue the interest of his kingdom, with a firm assurance that his cause shall prosper amidst all opposition, and that while you are engaged in the service of this ascended triumphant Lord, you can never be losers by your fidelity and your zeal.

12

Then were the hearts of the apostles filled with joy by what they had seen and heard; and having worshipped their ascended Lord, (Luke xxiv. 52.) they returned to Jerusalem, from the mount called Olivet, which is but a sabbath day's journey, or about a mile distant from Jerusalem. And there they employed themselves in a daily course of public and private devotion; rejoicing in what they had seen, and firmly believing some extraordinary event was at hand, whereby they should be more fully qualified for the great work assigned them; which, whatever the hazard of it might be, they were firmly determined to undertake and prosecute.

b A sabbath-day's journey from Jerusa lem.] For the extent of a sabbath-day's journey, see Luke xxiv. 52. note c. The easiest manner of reconciling this text with Luke xxiv. 50. and John xi. 18. may be seen in the note on the former of those passages, sect. cciii. note a. And it is with pleasure that I see it confirmed and illustrated by the learned Mr. Biscoe,

IMPROVE

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem,

from the mount called Olivet, which is from

Jerusalem a sabbath

day's journey.

in his Sermons at Boyle's Lecture, p. 391 —394. An elaborate and valuable work; by referring to which I shall have an opportunity of saving myself and the reader a great deal of trouble in these notes; for which therefore I gladly take this opportunity of making my acknowledgment to the worthy author.

Reflections on the apostles' return from mount Olivet to Jerusalem. 501

IMPROVEMENT.

If we have ever seriously considered the contents of this excellent history on which we are now entering, we must surely see abundant reason to adore that gracious Providence which hath transmitted it to us, to confirm our faith, and animate our hope in the gospel. The account of our Lord's ascension, with which it begins, relates to a fact of so great importance, that we may well bear the repetition of what we have read concerning it in the former history.

SECT.

i.

Ver.

1

2,9

We see the apostles still dreaming of a temporal kingdom to be 6 restored to Israel: So hard is it for the best of men to be entirely crucified to the world, even by the cross of Christ! (Gal. vi. 24.) Our Lord does not set himself at large, to combat that error; 7 nor is it necessary that we should be eagerly solicitous on the like occasions, where mistakes do not affect men's characters, or their eternal state. Prudently does he direct them to wave the indulgence of their curiosity. Let us learn to moderate ours, and refer times and seasons to him who hath reserved them in his own power. Let a sense of the perfect wisdom and goodness of the Divine Being silence and compose us, amidst all the darkness which veils our prospects of futurity.

With the apostles let us look up after an ascending Saviour, and 10 send our wishes and our souls to heaven; where he now is, and where he must remain, till that important day in which he shall descend to the final judgment. Behold, he then cometh in the 11 clouds, and every eye shall see him! (Rev. i. 7.) May we view him to our joy, and not to our terror! and lift up our heads with a serenity and chearfulness, becoming those who see the approach of their complete redemption! (Luke xxi. 28.) In the mean time, may his cause and service be ever dear to us! and while he is attending to our concerns in the world above, may we with grateful and joyful alacrity, pursue that which he graciously condescends to own as his interest here upon earth.

SECT. II.

The apostles being returned to Jerusalem, and assembled with the rest of the disciples, Matthias is chosen to succeed Judas in the apostolic office. Acts I. 13. to the end.

ACTS I. 13.

A

ND when they

ACTS I. 13.

were come in, they NOW the apostles being returned from the

SECT. ii.

went mount of Olives to Jerusalem, immediate-
ly after the ascension of Christ, as was ob- Acts

3 R 2

served L. 13.

502

11.

The apostles and other disciples meet in an upper chamber. SECT. served in the conclusion of the former section; went up into an upper room, where abode when they were entered [into the city] they pre- both Peter, and James, Acts sently retired for devotion, and went up into an and John, and Andrew, 1. 13. upper room, where they usually held their Philip, and Thomas, assemblies. And as this was the place where the Bartholomew and Matapostles commonly abode, all the eleven were of Alpheus, and Sithere, both Peter, and James, and John and mon Zelotes, and Ju

thew, James the son

Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and das
James.

Matthew, James, [the son] of Alpheus, and Simon
the Zealot, and Judas, or Jude, [the brother] of
James. But Judas the traitor was now dead,
as was observed towards the close of the pre-
ceding history (sect. cxciii.) and the vacancy
occasioned by his death gave rise to that
important business to which they quickly pro-
ceeded.

the brother of

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and

with his brethren.

14 These all unanimously persevered in prayer and
supplication, with great intenseness and ardor of
soul, together with the pious women, who were
formerly mentioned as attending the cross of
their Lord,and particularly Mary, so celebrated
as the mother of Jesus: and also with his bre-
thren and near kinsmen after the flesh, of whom
there were some other besides the apostles
whose prejudices, though once strong, were
now happily worn off. (Compare John vii. 5.)
And in these days, while they were waiting
for the promise of the spirit Peter rising up in days Peter stood up in
the midst of a full assembly of the disciples, spake ples, and said, (the
as follows: Now the number of persons c that number of the names
were met together in that place, was about an together were about
hundred and twenty; the greater part of the five
hundred to whom Christ had appeared, (1 Cor.
xv. 6.) continuing in Galilee, during this in-
terval between the feast of the passover and that
of pentecost. And he said,

15

16

O ye men that hear me this day, [and] whom
I regard as my brethren, in the bonds of reli-

a Into an upper room.] I can see no
sufficient reason for saying, as many have
done, that this was in the temple. (Com-
pare note d, On
Luke xxiv. 53.)
Epiphanius says, it was on mount Sion,
and that a Christian Church was afterwards
erected on the spot of ground on which it
stood. (See Hammond in loc.) Perhaps
they might the rather choose it, as giving
some advantage for looking to the temple
But it is plain from many other passages,
that upper rooms were often large, and fit
for containing a considerable number of
persous. (Compare Mark xiv. 15. and

gion,

15 And in those

the midst of the disci.

an hundred and twenty.)

16 Men and brethren,

Acts xx. 8.) See Bos. Exercit. p. 64, &

seg.

b The brother of James.] The expres sion in the original is ambiguous, and may signify either son or brother: But Jude himself expressly determines it, that he was his brother, in ver. 1. of his epistle.

c Number of persons.] It is literally the number of names; but it is well known that ovopala often signifies persons; (Sce Rev. iii. 4. xi. 13. and Raphel. ex Polyb. p. 297.) And it best suits the English language, to render it so.