Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/149

Rh was much affected with what he heard, believed the message was from heaven, and that the messengers, having their commission thence, had a divine power going along with them, and were therefore able to cure him of his lameness. This Paul was aware of, by the spirit of discerning that he had, and perhaps the shew of his countenance did in part witness for him; Paul perceived that he had faith to be healed; desired it, hoped for it, had such a thing in his thoughts; which it does not appear that the lame man Peter healed, had, for he expected no more than an alms. There was not found such great faith in Israel, as was among the Gentiles, Matt. 8. 10.

3. The cure wrought; Paul, perceiving that he had faith to be healed, brought the word, and healed him, Ps. 107. 20. Note, God will not disappoint the desires that are of his own kindling, nor the hopes of his own raising. Paul spake to him with a loud voice, either because he was at some distance, or to shew that the true miracles, wrought by the power of Christ, were far unlike the lying wonders wrought by deceivers, that peeped, and muttered, and whispered, Isa. 8. 19. God saith, I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth, Isa. 45. 19. Paul spake to him with a loud voice, that the people about might take notice, and have their expectations raised of the effect. It does not appear that this cripple was a beggar; it is said, (v. 8.) that he sat, not that he sat begging. But we may imagine how melancholy it was to him to see other people walking about him, and himself disabled; and therefore how welcome Paul's word was to him, "Stand upright on thy feet; help thyself, and God shall help thee; try whether thou hast strength, and thou shalt find that thou hast." Some copies read it, I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Stand upright on thy feet. It is certain that: that is implied, and, very probably, was expressed, by Paul, and power went along with this word; for presently, he leaped and walked; leaped up from the place where he sat, and not only stood upright, but, to shew that he was perfectly cured, and that immediately, he walked to and fro before them all. Herein the scripture was fulfilled, that when the wilderness of the Gentile world is made to blossom as the rose, then shall the lame man leap as a hart, Isa. 35. 1, 6. Those that by the grace of God are cured of their spiritual lameness, must shew it by leaping with a holy exultation, and walking in a holy conversation.

II. The impression which this cure made upon the people; they were amazed at it, had never seen or heard the like, and fell into an ecstasy of wonder. Paul and Barnabas were strangers, exiles, refugees, in their country; every thing concurred to make them mean and despicable; yet the working of this one miracle was enough to make them in the eyes of this people truly great and honourable, though the multitude of Christ's miracles could not screen him from the utmost contempt among the Jews. We find here,

1. The people take them for gods; (v. 11.) They lifted up their voices with an air of triumph, saying in their own language, (for it was the common people that said it,) in the speech of Lycaonia, which was a dialect of the Greek, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. They imagined that they were dropped down to them out of the clouds, and that they were some divine powers, no less than gods, though in the likeness of men. This notion of the thing agreed well enough with the pagan theology, and the fabulous account they had of the visits which their gods made to this lower world; and proud enough they were to think that they should have a visit made to them. They carried this notion so far here, that they pretended to tell which of their gods they were, according to the ideas their poets had given them of the gods; (v. 12.) They called Barnabas, Jupiter: for if they will have him to be a god, it is as easy to make him the prince of their gods as not. It is probable that he was the senior, and the more portly comely man, that had something of majesty in his countenance. And Paul they called Mercury, who was the messenger of the gods, that was sent on their errands; for Paul, though he had not the presence that Barnabas had, was the chief speaker, and had a greater command of language, and perhaps appeared to have something mercurial in his temper and genius. Jupiter used to take Mercury along with him, they said, and if he make a visit to their city, they will suppose he does so now.

2. The priest thereupon prepares to do sacrifice to them, v. 13. The temple of Jupiter was, it seems, before the gate of their city, as its protector and guardian; and the priest of that idol and temple, hearing the people cry out thus, took the hint presently, and thought it was time for him to bestir himself to do his duty: many a costly sacrifice he had offered to the image of Jupiter, but if Jupiter be among them himself—in propria persona, it concerns him to do him the utmost honours imaginable; and the people are ready to join with him in it. See how easily vain minds are carried away with a popular outcry! If the crowd give a shout, Here is Jupiter; the priest of Jupiter takes the first hint, and offers his service presently! When Christ, the Son of God, came down, and appeared in the likeness of men, and did many, very many miracles, yet they were so far from doing sacrifice to him, that they made him a sacrifice to their pride and malice; He was in the world, and the world knew him not; he came to his own, and his own received him not; but Paul and Barnabas, upon their working of one miracle, are deified presently. The same power of the god of this world, which prejudices the carnal mind against truth, makes errors and mistakes to find easy admission; and both ways his turn is served. They brought oxen, to be sacrificed to them, and garlands, with which to crown the sacrifices. These garlands were made up of flowers and ribbons ; and they gilded the horns of the oxen they sacrificed.

Victimae ad supplicium saginantur, hostiae ad poenam coronantur.

So beasts for sacrifice do feed, First to be crown'd, and then to bleed. So Octavius in Minutius Felix. III. Paul and Barnabas protest against this undue respect paid them, and with much ado prevent it. Many of the heathen emperors called themselves gods, and took a pride in having divine honours paid them; but Christ's ministers, though real benefactors to mankind, while they only pretended to be so, refused those honours when they were rendered. Whose successor therefore he is, who sits in the temple of God, and shews that he is god, (2 Thess. 2, 4.) and who is adored as our lord god, the Pope, it is easy to say. Observe,

1. The holy indignation which Paul and Barnabas conceived at this; When they heard this, they rent their clothes. We do not find that they rent their clothes when the people vilified them, and spake of stoning them; they could bear that without disturbance; but when they deified them, and spake of worshipping them, they could not bear it, but rent their clothes, as being more concerned for God's honour than their own.

2. The pains they took to prevent it. They did not connive at it, nor say, "If people will be deceived, let them be deceived;" much less suggest to themselves and one another, that it might contribute both to the safety of their persons and the