Acts 18

God wrote the two tables with his own fingers, and if God took pains to write, well may we take pains to read. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24). The Word is our Magna Charta for heaven; shall we be ignorant of our charter?

A Father will keep off danger from his child. God calls himself scutum, a shield: a shield defends the head, guards the vitals; God shields off dangers from his children, (Acts 18:10). I am with you, and none shall set on you to hurt you: God is a hiding place, (Psalm 27:5).

The word [in non-Latin alphabet] signifies to make a curious and critical search. And [text unclear] was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24). Some gallop over a chapter [hurriedly], and get no good by it.

(4) To admit them being approved into the order and fellowship of the Gospel in the Church. Acts 8:20, 23; Titus 1:10; Revelation 2:2; Jeremiah 15:19; Acts 18:26; 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, 11; Acts 9:29, 27; Romans 14:1. Qu. 50 What is the duty of the whole Church in reference to…

And it seems if they did begin to exceed in number beyond a just proportion for their Edification; they did immediately erect other Churches among them or near them. So whereas there was a mighty encrease of Believers at Corinth (Acts 18:10), there was quickly planted a distinct…

The Woman of Samaria said, I know the Messiah commeth which is called the Christ (John 4:25). Apollos mightily convinced the Jews, shewing by the Scriptures, that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 18:28). Now that I received from the Lord, I could not but make known to you, You being o…

There is but one place that sounds as if it were quickly after, namely, Acts 2:41, 42, which is here alleged by our brethren: but to that; 1. There is no word about the Lord's Supper in Peter's Sermon, the heads whereof are in that chapter set down, though there is somewhat of t…

Looking after the inward man, that's the main care; and men would first regard it, if they did believe that the soul were so concerned both in point of danger and hope, surely when men take no heed to the great offers of the Gospel, they do not look upon it as a certain truth. 3…

Being observed by them, they were parts of God's worship, but now under the Gospel they are not — being all abolished with the ceremonial law, to which Christ put an end at his death upon the cross. It is true Paul made a vow and afterward kept the same in the time of the New Te…

Sure it is, the Apostle tells the Corinthians and Ephesians, that the time had been when they were not the same men that now they are when he wrote to them; and yet he does not blame them for leaving their former opinions or practice, but commends them for it (1 Corinthians 6:11…

This a ruling Elder ought to do by virtue of his calling, and with authority (1 Thessalonians 5:12). Private Christians ought in charity to instruct the ignorant (John 4:29; Acts 18:26), to exhort the negligent (Hebrews 3:15 & 10:24, 25), to comfort the afflicted (1 Thessalonian…

Of Berea, that many of them believed: also of the honorable women, and the men not a few (Acts 17:12). Of Corinth the Lord says, I have much people in this city (Acts 18:10). Of Ephesus we find, that fear fell on all the Jews and Greeks which dwelt there, and many believed; yes,…

Answer: This is a gross mistake; for first, the civil court was in the gate of the city, not in the synagogue. Second, he who presided in the synagogue was called the chief ruler of the synagogue (Acts 18:8, 17), the rest who sat and voiced therein, were called the rulers of the…

And Paul (Acts 13:16, 17, etc.). And of Apollos, who openly disputed with the Jews upon this argument, it is said, that he mightily convinced the Jews, publicly showing by the Scripture, that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 18:28). And Paul persuaded the Jews concerning Jesus at Rome,…

And so likewise the particular sins, and sinners both there and here, to which they apply their exhortations, the incest, the going to law before heathen judicatures, the seditions, etc. do evidently restrain it from that latitude, which two circumstances being balanced on each…

By feeling of the heart, we choose, love, desire, delight, are zealous in the good thing itself, that it may be done; to refuse, hate, abhor, and are zealous against the known evil (Amos 5:14; Philippians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:1). Among these, zeal is an earnest affection of th…

Lastly, it signifies the whole Ecclesiastical ministry. Thus Apollos is said to teach the way of the Lord, knowing nothing but the baptism (that is, the doctrine) of John (Acts 18:25). In the third sense is baptism taken in this place, when Paul says, You are all baptized into C…

Yet as before it must be taken generally for any kind of teaching, or instruction; for so the word is used else where in scripture, as Luk 1:4. Act 18:25. Rom 2:18. 1.

For in their preface, they are bold to affirme, that it seems rather to have bin writtenat Corinth, then at Athens: and they give this reason of it, because after the sending of Timothie to Thessalonica, Paul and he meete not at Athens againe, but at Corinth. And Baronius affirm…

None otherwise, then if he would say: Those things which you there read written, you see here truly done, and in very deed performed. The same we read also of Saint Paul, Acts 9, and of Apollos, Acts 18, how they convinced the Jews, and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus was Ch…

Whereby the modesty of the holy man the rather appears, who neither thinks scorn to have, nor yet is ashamed to acknowledge a woman for his companion in the work of the Lord. And this was the wife of Aquila himself, whom Luke calls Priscilla (Acts 18:1). 4 To whom not only I.

Of these that Church had received an abundant measure, especially of those that were Extraordinary, and tended to the Conviction of Unbelievers. For the Lord having much people in that City, whom he intended to call to the Faith, Acts 18. 9, 10. not onely incouraged our Apostle…

John 12. 40, 41. Acts 18. 26. Rom. 11. 8.

Wherefore, in the preaching of it, our Apostle affirms, that he endured all things for the Elects sake, that they might obtain the Salvation which is in Jesus Christ, with eternal Glory, 2 Tim. 2. 10. So God before-hand commanded him to stay and preach the Gospel at Corinth, bec…

Hebrews 10:24, 25. Let us consider one another, to provoke to love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. Acts 18:23. Whom when Aquila and Prisc…

He spake in his Son, and he spake in him that he might manifest his name (himself and will) to the men whom he gave him: for, says the Son, your they were, set apart for you in your eternal purpose, and you gavest them to me (John 17:6). And therefore Paul tells us, that in prea…

Apollos has been thought by some to be the penman of this Epistle; and that because § 6 it answers the character given of him. For it is said, that he was an eloquent man, mighty in the Scripture, fervent in spirit, and one that mightily convinced the Jews out of the Scripture i…

3. There may be in that one visible Church, many more real converts in one part thereof, than in another; spices in beds are not in every place of the garden. 4. Though Christ has a singular care of, and respect for, his whole Church, and has a peculiar presence there where ever…

"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles: for so hath the Lord commanded us." And so Act…

Have you not seen lively flames proceed from glimmering and dying sparks, when carefully collected and blown up? Get among the most lively and quickening Christians; as iron sharpens iron, so will these set an edge upon your dull affections (Proverbs 27:17; Acts 18:15). But abov…

And I have often thought that law was imposed on them by the craft and projection of Satan, to keep them off from the knowledge of the true God: for notwithstanding this law, they admitted into their superstition all sorts of idols even the folly of Egyptians themselves, as havi…

The Prophets (Acts 13), Paul and Silas (Acts 16), Philip (Acts 8), accurately observe the command of the spirit, as being as binding as the command of the Father and the Son. The commands of God to the men of God were more legal in the Old Testament; but the commands of the spir…

It is a great blessing to have an interest in the prayers of the Saints, and so in all their gifts, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, &c. all are yours, and you are Christs: as if he should say, there need no such envying one at another, to say, I am of Paul…

Answer. 1. That branch of teaching has respect to public assemblies, and churches, in which she may not teach: but not to private families, in which she may, and ought to teach: for Bathsheba taught Solomon (Proverbs 31:4). When Apollos was brought to the house of Aquila, Prisci…

Here then being the principal foundation (if it has any) of that great fabric about schism, which in latter ages has been set up, it must be duly con[illegible]ered; that if it be possible, we may discover by what secret engines or artifices the discourses about it, which fill t…

As that at Jerusalem consisted of elders and brethren (Acts 15:22), the Apostles or some of them being there then present, which added no other consideration to that Church than that we are now speaking of. Such were those many Churches wherein elders were ordained by Paul's app…

Julian the Apostate, took himself to be admonished, yes and reproved when the Christians sang in his hearing the 115th and 97th Psalms; which declare the vanity of idols, and the confusion of such as worship them, as is recorded in the church-story by Socrates, Theodoret, Niceph…

The publicans and sinners justified God, and were baptized; but the scribes and Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves, that is, against their own good and happiness. Indeed, so the apostle to the gainsaying Corinthians, when he had disputed long, and manifeste…

You shall not need to study, God will put an answer into your mouth; this many of God's sufferers can set their seal to; the Lord has on a sudden darted such words into their mouths, as their enemies could easier censure than contradict. 2. God has made promises of protection (A…

But if the former sense is intended (as how can it be denied?) — namely, that the word of the covenant is preached to you and an offer of Christ is made in the preached gospel to you — then it cannot be denied that the promise is to all the reprobate in the visible church, wheth…

(4) What if there be no Christ, nor Gospel, but only questions of words? Such clay-pots were framed by Gallio, and Festus (Acts 18:14-15; Acts 25:11, 19). Hence come imaginations of things impossible (Isaiah 14:13): I'll ascend to heaven, says Babylon, I will set my nest among t…

Fourth, if Christ by his death should remove this, he should bring on, by his death, a heart past feeling, and burnt with a hot iron, which is condemned (Ephesians 4:19; 1 Timothy 4:2). Fifth, it speaks a graceless rockiness of heart to sin, and not care for it (Acts 18:17-18; P…

And though perhaps the word Many itself be not sufficient to restrain the object of Christ's death unto Some, in opposition to All, because Many is sometimes placed absolutely for All, as (Romans 5:19), yet these Many being described in other places to be such, as it is most cer…

1. Of our Savior Christ himself, who did not only pose the doctors when he was but twelve years old (Luke 2:46), but also afterwards preached in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:18), being neither doctor, nor scribe, nor Levite, but of the tribe of Judah (concerning which tribe…

And that this was observed by private Christians, in the primitive times is very apparent. Come we in the third place, what either their duty binds them to, or otherwise by the word, they are allowed to do, in sacred performances, having reference to others; look then in general…

Man's relation to the Covenant of Works, exposed him sufficiently to revenging justice; the new covenant was for the display of grace. If God sends his Gospel to any, it is because he has some there to be made partakers of his saving mercy, this was the reason why Paul must tarr…

God hides his servants, Psalms 27:5. In the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me; that is, he shall keep me safe, as in the most holy place of the Sanctuary, where none but the Priests might enter. Christs Wings are both for healing, and for hiding; for curing, and securing…

In this State of things, every thing was under as many improbabilities of Success unto all rational Conjectures as can be conceived. Besides, together with the Doctrine of the Gospel that they preached, which was new and uncouth unto the World, they taught Observances of Religio…

Paul preached to Lydia and others, but it was the Lord that opened her heart savingly to attend to what was spoken (Acts 16:14). And God, as he is bound to none, so he sees cause not to give his grace to all, no nor to all that do enjoy the means, that so they to whom his grace…

A third difference in the effect is this; the pricking of the heart humbles a man's spirit, so as now he is content to stoop to his underlings, though contemptible to him before, yet now willing to be taught by them; these men in the text inquire of the apostles the way to salva…