Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/119

Rh that preaching is certainly right, with which the Holy Ghost is given. The apostle supposes that, when he thus argues with the Galatians, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Gal. 3. 2.

[2.] Peter was hereby put in mind of a saying of his Master's, when he was leaving them; (ch. 1. 5.) John baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, v. 16. This plainly intimated, First, That the Holy Ghost was the gift of Christ, and the Product and Performance of his promise, that great promise which he left with them when he went to heaven. It was therefore without doubt from him that this gift came; and the filling of them with the Holy Ghost was his act and deed. As it was promised by his mouth, so it was performed by his hand, and was a token of his favour. Secondly, That the gift of the Holy Ghost was a kind of baptism. They that received it were baptized with it in a more excellent manner, than any of those that even the Baptist himself baptized with water.

[3.] Comparing that promise, so worded, with this gift just now conferred, when the question was started, whether these persons should be baptized or no, he concluded, that the question was determined by Christ himself; (v. 17.) "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did to us; gave it to us as believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to them upon their believing in him, What was I, that I could withstand God? Could I refuse to baptize them with water, whom God had baptized with the Holy Ghost? Could I deny the sign to those on whom he had conferred the thing signified? But as for me, who was I? What, able to forbid God? Did it become me to control the divine will, or to oppose the counsels of Heaven?" Note, Those who hinder the conversion of souls, withstand God; and those take too much upon them, who contrive how to exclude those from their communion, whom God has taken into communion with himself.

IV. This account which Peter gave of the matter satisfied them; and all was well. Thus when the two tribes and a half gave an account to Phinehas and the princes of Israel of the true intent and meaning of their building them an altar on the banks of Jordan, the controversy was dropped, and it pleased them that it was so, Josh. 22. 30. Some people, when they have fastened a censure upon a person, will stick to it, though afterward it appear ever so plainly to be unjust and groundless. It was not so here; for these brethren, though they were of the circumcision, and their bias went the other way, yet, when they heard this,

1. They let fall their censures: they held their peace, and said no more against what Peter had done; they laid their hand upon their mouth, because now they perceived that God did it. Now they who prided themselves in their dignities as Jews, began to see that God was staining that pride, by letting in the Gentiles to share, and to share alike, with them. And now that prophecy is fulfilled, Thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain, Zeph. 3. 11.

2. They turned them into praises; they not only held their peace from quarrelling with Peter, but opened their mouths to glorify God for what he had done by and with Peter's ministry; they were thankful that their mistake was rectified, and that God had shewed more mercy to the poor Gentiles than they were inclined to shew them, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life! He hath granted them not only the means of repentance, in opening a door of entrance for his ministers among them; but the grace of repentance, in having given them his Holy Spirit, who, wherever he comes to be a Comforter, first convinces, and gives a sight of sin, and sorrow for it; and then a sight of Christ, and joy in him. Note, (1.) Repentance, if it be true, is unto life; it is to spiritual life; all that truly repent of their sins, evidence it by living a new life, a holy, heavenly, and divine life. Those that by repentance die unto sin, from thence forward live unto God; and then, and not till then, we begin to live indeed; and it shall be to eternal life. All true penitents shall live, that is, they shall be restored to the favour of God, which is life, which is better than life; they shall be comforted with the assurance of the pardon of their sins, and shall have the earnest of eternal life; and at length the fruition of it. (2.) Repentance is God's gift; it is not only his free grace that accepts it, but his mighty grace that works it in us; that ''takes away the heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;'' it is he that provides himself that lamb. (3.) Wherever God designs to give life, he gives repentance; for that is a necessary preparative for the comforts of a sealed pardon and a settled peace in this world, and for the seeing and enjoying of God in the other world. (4.) It is a great comfort to us, that God hath exalted his Son Jesus, not only to give repentance to Israel, and the remission of sins, (ch. 5. 31.) but to the Gentiles also.

19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. 22. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. 25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

We have here an account of the planting and watering of a church at Antioch, the chief city of Syria, reckoned afterward the third most considerable city of the empire, only Rome and Alexandria being preferred before it; next to whose patriarch that of Antioch took place. It stood where Hamath or Riblah did, which we read of in the Old Testament. It is suggested that Luke, the penman of this history, and Theophilus, to whom he dedicates it, were of Antioch; which might be the reason why he takes more particular notice of the success of the gospel at Antioch; as also because there it was that