Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/61

Rh remission, he would forsake the work of his own hands. See how necessary it is that we repent, and that we apply ourselves to Christ by faith for his grace to work repentance in us.

[5.] All this is well attested, First, By the apostles themselves; they are ready to testify upon oath, if required, that they saw him alive after his resurrection, and saw him ascend into heaven; and also that they experienced the power of his grace upon their hearts, raising them up to that which was far above their natural capacities. "We are his witnesses, appointed by him to publish this to the world, and if we should be silent, as you would have us, we should betray a trust, and be false to it." When a cause is trying, witnesses, of all men, ought not to be silenced, for the issue of the cause depends on their testimony. Secondly, By the Spirit of God; "We are witnesses, competent ones, and whose testimony is sufficient before any human judicature." But that is not all, The Holy Ghost is witness, a witness from heaven; for God hath given his gifts and graces ''to them that obey Christ. Therefore'' we must preach in his name, because for this end the Holy Ghost is given us, whose operations we cannot stifle.

Note, The giving of the Holy Ghost to obedient believers, not only to bring them to the obedience of faith, but to make them eminently useful therein, is a very strong proof of the truth of Christianity. God gave the Holy Ghost by his Son and in his name, (John 14. 26.) and in answer to his prayer; (John 14. 16.) nay, it was Christ that sent him from the Father; (John 15. 26.—16. 17.) and this proves the glory to which the Father has exalted him. The great work of the Spirit being not only to justify Christ, (1 Tim. 3. 16.) but to glorify him, and all his gifts having a direct tendency to exalt his name, proves that his doctrine is divine, else it would not be carried on thus by a divine power. And, Lastly, The giving of the Holy Ghost to them that obey Christ, both for their assistance in their obedience, and as a present recompense for their obedience, is a plain evidence that it is the will of God that Christ should be obeyed; "and then judge whether we ought to obey you in opposition to him."

IV. The impression which the apostles' defence of themselves made upon the court; it was contrary to what one would have expected from men that pretended to reason, learning, and sanctity; surely such fair reasoning could not but clear the prisoners, and convert the judges; no, instead of yielding to it, they raged against it, and were filled,

1. With indignation at what the apostles said; they were cut to the heart, angry to see their own sin set in order before them; stark mad to find that the gospel of Christ had so much to say for itself, and, consequently, was likely to get ground. When a sermon was preached to the people to this purport, they were pricked to the heart, in remorse and godly sorrow, ch. 2. 37. These here were cut to the heart with rage and indignation. Thus the same gospel is to some a savour of life unto life, to others of death unto death. The enemies of the gospel not only deprive themselves of its comforts, but fill themselves with terrors, and are their own tormentors.

2. With malice against the apostles themselves; since they see they cannot stop their mouths any other way than by stopping their breath, they take counsel to slay them, hoping that so they should cause the work to cease. While the apostles went on in the service of Christ, with a holy security and serenity of mind, perfectly composed, and in a sweet enjoyment of themselves, their persecutors went on in their opposition to Christ, with a continual perplexity and perturbation of mind, and vexation to themselves.

V. The grave advice which Gamaliel, a leading man in the council, gave upon this occasion, the scope of which was to moderate the fury of these bigots, and check the violence of the prosecution. This Gamaliel is here said to be a Pharisee by his profession and sect; and by office a doctor of the law, one that studied the scriptures of the Old Testament, read lectures upon the sacred authors, and trained up pupils in the knowledge of them; Paul was brought up at his feet; (ch. 22. 3.) and tradition says, that so were Stephen and Barnabas. Some say that he was the son of that Simeon that took up Christ in his arms, when he was presented in the temple; and grandson of the famous Hillel. He is here said to be in reputation among all the people for his wisdom and conduct; it appearing by this passage that he was a moderate man, and not apt to go in with furious measures. Men of temper and charity are justly had in reputation, for checking the incendiaries that otherwise would set the earth on fire. Now observe here,

1. The necessary caution he gives to the council, with reference to the case before them; he commanded to put the apostles forth a little while, that he might speak the more freely, and be the more freely answered; (it was fit that the prisoners should withdraw when their cause was to be debated;) and then put the house in mind of the importance of this matter, which in their heat they were not capable of considering as they ought; "Ye men of Israel, saith he, take heed to yourselves, consider what you do, or intend to do, as touching these men, v. 35. It is not a common case, and therefore should not be hastily determined." He calls them men of Israel, to enforce this caution; "You are men, that should be governed by reason, be not then as the horse and the mule that have no understanding; you are men of Israel, that should be governed by revelation, be not then as strangers and heathens, that have no regard to God and his word. Take heed to yourselves, now that you are angry at these men, lest you meddle to your own hurt." Note, The persecutors of God's people had best look to themselves, lest they fall into the pit which they dig. We have need to be cautious whom we give trouble to, lest we be found making the hearts of the righteous sad.

2. The cases he cites, to pave the way to his opinion; two instances he gives of factious seditious men, (such as they would have the apostles thought to be,) whose attempts came to nothing of themselves; whence he infers, that if these men were indeed such as they represented them, their cause would sink with its own weight, and Providence would infatuate and defeat them, and then they needed not persecute them.

(1.) There was one Theudas, that made a mighty noise for a while, as one sent of God, boasting himself to be somebody, some great one, (so the word is,) either a teacher or a prince, with a divine commission to effect some great revolution either in the church or in the state; and he observes here, (v. 36.) concerning him, [1.] How far he prevailed; "A number of men, about four hundred in all, joined themselves to him, that knew not what to do with themselves, or hoped to mend themselves; and they seemed then a formidable body." [2.] How soon his pretensions were all dashed; "When he was slain," (probably in war,) "there needed no more ado, all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and melted away like snow before the sun. Now compare that case with this; you have slain Jesus, the ringleader of this faction, you have taken him off. Now if he was, as you say he was, an impostor and pretender, his death, like that of Theudas, will be the death of his cause, and the final dispersion of his followers." From what has been, we may infer what will be in a like case; the smiting of the shepherd will be the scattering of the sheep; and if the God of peace had not brought again from the dead