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)?

Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:16. That Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake.

Qu. 22. Who are the extraordinary officers or rulers or ministers of the Church appointed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ therein for a season only? An. (1) The Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, with (2) the Evangelists and Prophets endowed with extraordinary gifts of the Holy G…

(4.) They differ also in the gifts which were suited to their several distinct works and employments. (1) Matthew 10:2; Luke 10:1; Galatians 1:1; Acts 1:26; Acts 6:3; Acts 14:23. (2) John 20:21, 22, 23; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5, 7.

Q. Did not Christ also declare his own resurrection by showing himself upon earth after he was risen from the dead, before he ascended into heaven? A. He showed himself alive by appearing to many within the space of those forty days between his resurrection and ascension (Acts 1…

Q What was the place from where he did ascend? A. In general from this world, and in special from the mount of Olives near to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12). Q What was the place to which he did ascend?

Q. To whom belongs the power of choosing officers to the church? A. The church is to choose her own officers (Acts 1:23; 6:3, 5; 14:23). Q. How may that be further cleared?

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 answer is, Nay: Because they had the promise of the holy Spirit to be given them, without any more baptizing with water. Acts 1:5: John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the holy Spirit not many days hence. And the Lord made good his word of promise,…

He hastens all his works of grace in their own appointed time (Isaiah 60:22). And our duty it is, to leave the ordering of all the concerns of the Church in the accomplishment of promises, to God in his own time (Acts 1:7). 2. That which is ascribed to the Lord Christ is [⟨ in n…

And it is the great exercise of faith to live on the invisible actings of Christ, on the behalf of the Church. So also the foundation of it does consist in our infallible expectation of his second appearance, of our seeing him again (Acts 1:11). We know that our Redeemer lives,…

This is the first Baptism of the Gospel, even its doctrine. The other was the communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:5). That this and this alone is intended by the laying on of hands, I shall prove fully afterwards.

Of old when Moses went into the tabernacle, all the people looked after him, until he entered in, and then the Pillar of the Cloud stood at the door of it, that none might see into the holy place (Exodus 33:8, 9). And when the Lord Christ was taken into heaven the disciples look…

The Lord Christ when he ascended into Heaven, left all things standing and continuing in religious worship, as they had done from the days of Moses, though he had virtually put an end to it. And he commanded his Disciples that they should attempt no alteration therein, until the…

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…

4. Because in the Father's love there are many circumstances which are very engaging to the soul, which are not to be found in the rest of the divine persons; for he being first in order, has the chiefest work ascribed to him; but especially are not to be found in Christ as Medi…

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…

It is true, there is a spiritual presence of God in our public meeting-places, when his people are there assembled to worship him in the beauties of holiness, but he does not afford his presence with respect to the place, but to the persons; he is not present with them for the p…

1. The example of Apostolic Synods. Matthias the Apostle after God's own designation of him, by the lot which fell upon him, was chosen by the voices, not only of the Apostles, but the other Disciples, who were met with them (Acts 1:26). [illegible] that is, Simul suffragiis ele…

To the second wee say, that Prophesie and Ministery are put in abstracto, and joined with a plurall [in non-Latin alphabet]; but teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and shewing mercie, are put in concreto, and to each of them the single article prefixed; which is a sufficient w…

He was judged and sentenced by those, that is by the Pastors and Elders of Corinth, howbeit the execution and final act of that high censure was to be with the consent and in the presence of the Congregation. Thirdly, it is objected that Matthias was chosen by the whole number o…

The second of these does follow upon the first, and the fourth upon the third. The first proposition may be made good by induction of particulars; and first, it is more than evident of Jerusalem, where we find to 120 Disciples (Acts 1:15) added 8000 by Peter's two Sermons (Acts…

His digression to prove that the Apostle alone did not give forth sentence judiciary upon the offender, is not against us, but against the prelatical party, therefore I pass it. What he alleges from Acts 1. & 6. & 14. for the churches' right of suffrage in the election of office…

It is the Spirit that quickens (John 6:63); the Word is spiritual, and we are carnal; therefore we must pray for the Spirit to help us to hear: the Spirit is not bestowed without prayer. God promised to give his Spirit to his Apostles, yet they continued long in prayers ere he g…

The Holy Spirit is that great benefit, that is the subject-matter of the promises, both of the eternal Covenant of Redemption, and also of the Covenant of Grace; the grand subject of the promises of the Old Testament, in the prophecies of the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom;…

But it is not reasonable to expect that God should make known to us beforehand, the precise time of Christ's coming in his Kingdom. The disciples desired to know this, and manifested their desire to their Lord; but he told them plainly that it was not for them to know the times…

[illegible]. 1. In pursuit of this matter of Metropolitanes, he proceeds next to take notice of one observation of mine in these words. 2. To this end he informs sect. 2. that in the New Testament there is in sundry places mention made of Church [illegible] number, as Galatians…

This further appears by another passage in that Epistle, where this act of the Apostles approving by the Spirit, and receiving perfect fore-knowledge what would fall out, and what they should do, is by him illustrated by the example of Moses, who [in non-Latin alphabet] fore-kne…

If indeed he had attacked only the utterly vain inventions of the poets, he would have acted according to the right rule of reason; but as is plain from the ensuing disputation, he set himself against the whole tradition, and therefore against the truth of the matter itself. And…

Secondly, we see that the Scripture makes a Lot, so the sentence of God, as in the most weighty matters of God and man, of life and death, it is the very oracle and declaration of God his will, wherein man must rest without any contradiction or motion to the contrary. So (Acts 1…

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.

Though Noah's workmen built the Ark, yet themselves were drowned; God will not accept of the tongue where the Devil has the soul. Jesus did do and teach (Acts 1:1). If a man teach uprightly, and walk crookedly, more will fall down in the night of his life, than he built in the d…

They strengthned him in his agony (Luke 22:43). They were witnesses of his resurrection and ascension (Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10, 11). But by him and on his account they perform the offices of their mission towards others also, even all the heirs of salvation; but this still upon the…

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…