Acts 1

Response. Negatively. 1. He does not mean a political, or earthly kingdom. The Apostles indeed did desire, 1. Christ's temporal reign (Acts 1:6). When will you restore the kingdom to Israel.

3. Are we heavenly in our speeches? Christ after his resurrection did speak of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Are our tongues tuned to the language of the heavenly Canaan (Malachi 3:16)?

For a little after, when Christ tells them of his going to Jerusalem, and of his passion, for the redemption of them, and all the elect, Peter persuades him to the contrary, saying; Master, spare thyself, these things shall not be unto thee. Whereby it appears, that Peter did no…

The number of Christians since Christ, that have grown to millions, began in a poor number at the first. For, when Christ himself was ascended, the number of known believers, was but 120, Acts 1:15. The consideration hereof should teach us all these duties;

In their example we may observe this point: That whom God does raise up extraordinarily, for some special good in his Church, them he endues with extraordinary gifts to discharge that calling: and withal, he gives them the spirit of grace, with a true and lively faith. This (bes…

The Angel ascribes two actions to the Holy Ghost in this great work (Luke 1:35); the one to come upon the virgin Mary; the other, to overshadow her: by the first is signified the extraordinary work of the Holy Ghost in fashioning the human nature of Christ, for so much the phras…

Again, they were all ignorant of Christ's resurrection until certain women who first saw him after he was risen had told them, and they by experience in the person of Christ had learned the truth. Thirdly, they were ignorant of the ascension, for they dreamed of an earthly kingd…

But 2. There is not only consolation for a believer's particular condition from this ground, but also in reference to the public case of God's Church: There are four things especially, that seem very heavy to the Church, and public work of God; in reference to all which we will…

Hell and destruction are before the Lord, how much more than the hearts of the children of men. He that can read hell, and destruction, and all the secrets of darkness, can also read, as a book opened at noon-day, the midnight-thoughts of all the children of men (Psalm 44:21; Je…

(2.) Often in the fullest sense, not regenerated, nor wholly reprobated, are called men (Job 11:11, 12; Psalm 12:1; and 4:2; and 53:2). (3) Believers are called men (Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 3:21, 22). In regard of passions (Acts 14:15).

You would think yourselves secure enough, if you were ascended into heaven. As Heman said of his condition, that he was free among the dead, that is, he reckoned himself (in his despair) free of the company in hell, as well as if he had been there; thinking his name enrolled amo…

1. To convey Moses and Elias out of their sight, when this conference was ended: therefore some expound that which is said (Luke 9:34), they feared as they entered into the cloud after this manner, the disciples feared when they saw Moses and Elias entering into the cloud, that…

At his resurrection, an angel rolled away the stone from the grave, and attested the truth of it (Matthew 28:2). At his ascension, the angels declared the manner of his going to heaven, and return to judgment (Acts 1:10-11). So now they come to attend Christ, as subjects on thei…

And this may elsewhere be gathered. For the commission of the twelve Apostles ran thus, that they must first preach to Jerusalem and Judea, then to Samaria: and in the last place; to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). And Paul's commission was, that he should first prea…

Thus the passion of Christ, is called his baptism (Luke 12:50). Fifthly, it signifies the bestowing of extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, and that by imposition of hands of the Apostles (Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16). Lastly, it signifies the whole Ecclesiastical ministry.

But the word ([〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]) signifies, seasons, or fit times for the doing of this or that busines. So is it translated, Act 1:7. It is not for you to know the times and seasons.

But above all, a foolish hope which they entertained, as to the immediate reign of Christ, drove them to hasten to the attainment of happiness and rest, without attending to the means. Just as, when they see that Christ is risen from the dead, (Acts 1:6,) they rush forward to gr…

The Power of the Spirit of God; Rom. 15. 19. Prescience, Acts 1. 16. This Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the Mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas.

Things presupposed to the Work of the Spirit towards the Church, the Love and Grace of Father and Son. (3.) The whole Work of the building of the Church committed to the Holy Spirit; Acts 2. 33. opened. (4.) The Foundation of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit, and its Buil…

For the right understanding of this, know that there is a two-fold term or season fixed for the performance of mercy to us. One by the Lord our God, in whose hand times and seasons are, Acts 1:7 Another by our selves, who raise up our own expectations of mercies sometimes meerly…

First, in the Apostles' Epistles the name of bishop did never signify anything different from the office of a presbyter. For a bishop, presbyter, and an apostle, were common names, as you may see (Acts 20), (Philippians 1:1), (Titus 1), (1 Peter 5:12), (Acts 1:20). Next.

So (Psalm 48:10), According to your name so is your praise, that is, you are praised like yourself, as you are in yourself, so you are or ought to be praised by your people, the name is put for the person. You have it clearly (Acts 1:15), The number of names together were about…

They are enemies to Idolatrie; for, Apoc. 19. 10. when John would have worshipped the Angel, he forbad him, saying, See you doe it not, worship God: herein also we must be followers of Angels, by furthering the Gospel and true worship of God to the vttermost of our power; by hin…

Men are easier led by examples, than by precepts; for though precepts are the more exact, yet examples are the more easy way of teaching. And he is a perfect workman who joins both together, neither teaching what he will not do, nor doing what he dares not teach; and therefore i…

Christ gave this reason for it, that he would not put new wine into old bottles; and it was gradually done after Christ's resurrection. In all probability, Christ much more clearly instructed them personally after his resurrection, and before his ascension; as we read that he co…

I desire you to correct and curb swearing, lying, drinking, Sabbath-breaking, and idle spending of the Lord's day in absence from the church, as far as your authority reaches in that parish. I hear a man is to be forced into the place to which I have God's right; I know you shou…

As at another time, when his own followers spoke of stoning him, though he could not still the tumult of his troops, he could those of his spirits, for then he encouraged himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6). As to those prayers against his enemies, which we find in some…

Fourthly, or if you shall be taken off for a while, and put into an afflicted condition; in which it shall not appear that you are of any great use, (although sometimes sufferings are the greatest services) yet your afflictions shall but prepare you for higher service afterwards…

It might have been the Means of raising some Prejudices in the Minds of his own Disciples; whereas he reserved some of these Things to be taught in those forty Days, while he continued with them after his Resurrection, and spake with them of the Things pertaining to the Kingdom…

Thus, Revelation 3:4: You have a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; that is, many persons. So, Acts 1:15, it is said there, The number of the names together were about one hundred and twenty; that is, of persons. So it is used in the present case: G…

(1.) Internal: that God would bless them with ordinances, enrich them with graces, preserve truth and unity, and continue his presence with them: his ordinances, that they may enjoy them in purity; that the word, seals, and censures may be rightly administered till the Lord come…

And so when Levi made him a Feast, Luke 5—He feasts him again with Heavenly discourse. And no sooner was Christ risen from the Grave, but he was speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, Acts 1:3. The more Spiritual we are in our speeches, the more we resemble Chr…

Christ refuses that respect of bare naked commendation (Luke 11:27-28): "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you nursed from" [illegible], "indeed, rather, blessed is he that hears the word of God, and keeps it." We are disciples of that master that did both…

Oh no. Thus consider of these things, and do not go on to provoke the Lord, lest a worse thing befall you than any hitherto; do not contend with God who is stronger than you are, who is able when he will, and he will be one day found both able and willing enough, to turn the wic…

It was the carriage of God to Abraham, and typified out in the son of his promise, when his body was dead, her womb was barren, then he gives them a son: he brings and begins his church out of the dust, and calls things that are not, as though they were. Paul is breathing out th…

Christ's spouse is a lily among thorns. Christ's sheep must expect to lose their golden fleece; this the flesh does not like to hear of; therefore Christ calls persecution the cross (Matthew 16:24), because it is cross to flesh and blood; we are all for reigning (Acts 1:7). When…

Which the apostle again relates of them in 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16: 'They please not God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved.' That the apostles themselves had also deeply drunk in this opinion, learned by tradition from t…

Secondly, sending the Spirit visibly in the form of a dove, to light upon him, at the time of his baptism (Matthew 3:16), when he was endued with a fullness thereof, for the accomplishment of the work, and discharge of the office whereunto he was designed; attended with that voi…

Fourth, we deny that all humanity is the object of that love of God which moved him to send his Son to die. God has made some for the day of evil (Proverbs 16:4), hated them before they were born (Romans 9:12), long before ordained them to condemnation (Jude 4), fitted them for…

The spirit helps us with sighs andgroans. 2. We cannot resist temptation without it, Acts 1:8. Ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

If ignorance do so corrupt a former Baptism, that it must be amended with a second Baptism: the Apostles should have been rebaptized first of all, which in whole three years after their Baptism, had scarcely tasted any small portion of purer doctrine. And now among us what river…

Joseph, said he, be like Joseph in Potiphar's house, chaste, and one that flees from temptation (Genesis 39). And James, be like James the just, and like James the brother of our Lord (Acts 1:13). Then they told him of Mercy, and how she had left her town and her kindred to come…

(3.) The full Revelation of the whole mind of God, whereunto nothing pretending thereunto is ever to be added, was committed unto, and perfected by Jesus Christ, Hebrews 1. 1, 2. That the Revelations of God, made by him, whether in his own Person, or by his Spirit unto his Apost…

They that make mention of the Lord, at this day, ought not to keep silence, and should give God no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, agreeable to (Isaiah 62:6-7). Before the first great outpouring of the Spirit of God, on the Christian ch…