Acts 2

Resp. 1. There are pangs before the birth; so before Christ be born in the heart, there are spiritual pangs. Some pangs of conscience, deep convictions (Acts 2:37), they were pricked at their heart. I grant, the new birth does Recipere magis & minus — all have not the same pangs…

Answer. Get a principle of grace infused: grace is like the salt cast into the spring: grace changes the heart, and sanctifies all the members of the body; it sanctifies the eyes, and makes them chaste; it sanctifies the tongue, and makes it meek and calm. When the Holy Ghost ca…

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. Peter tells the Jews plainly of their sin in crucifying Christ; but uses suasive and Gospel lenitives, to allure and encourage them to believe (Acts 2:23). Him you have taken, and by wicked hands crucified.

Zeal loves truth when it is despised and opposed (Psalm 119:126): They have made void your law, therefore I love your law. Here is grace increasing like the sun in the horizon: Zeal resembles the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:2): There appeared cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat up…

We are to count the Sabbath honorable, because God has honored it. All the persons in the Trinity have honored it: God the Father blessed it, God the Son rose upon it, God the Holy Ghost descended on this day (Acts 2:1). And indeed this day is to be honored of all good Christian…

If others cast false aspersions on any, we should wipe them off. The Apostles (who were filled with the wine of Spirit) being charged with drunkenness, Peter was their compurgator, and openly cleared their innocency (Acts 2:15). These are not drunken as you suppose.

Oh make much of the motions of the Spirit, it is as much as your salvation is worth. The Spirit of God is compared to fire (Acts 2:2); if we are careful to blow this spark, we may have fire to inflame our affections, and to light our feet into the way of peace. If we quench the…

How was he fired with zeal, steeled with courage? He who before was dashed out of countenance by the voice of a maid; now dares openly confess Christ before the rulers and the councils (Acts 2:14). The shaking of the tree settles it the more; God lets his children be shaken with…

And where lay principally the demonstration of that power? Not simply in raising his body up again — that was no more than he did for others — but in Acts 2:24 the power is said to be shown in this: that he, having loosed the pains of death whereby it was impossible he should be…

3. This exposition takes it for granted that hell is seated in the middle of the earth: whereas the scriptures reveal to us no more but this, that hell is in the lower parts: but where these lower parts should be, no man is able to define. Objection 2. (Acts 2:37) You will not l…

But now since vain speculations and fruitless controversies have so much prevailed, and heart-work and practical godliness so much neglected among professors, the case is sadly altered — their discourse has become like other men's. If you come among them now, they may (to allude…

And where that gracious and right mourning that is spoken of (Zechariah 12:10) comes, it will be in special for this undervaluing of Christ to the height of piercing of him. We would ask any of you that think you repent, if this sin of slighting him has pierced you as it did the…

For the first then, There is (we say) an eternal transaction between God and Jesus Christ the Mediator concerning the redemption of sinners, his actual redeeming by being wounded and bruised, supposes this; for the Son is no more liable to suffering (not to speak of his suitable…

The second general observation from the scope, putting both parts of the verse together, is this, that we should never look on Christ's sufferings but with respect to the covenant of Redemption, and God's transacting with him as our cautioner; therefore the last part comes in, "…

And as it is (1 Corinthians 15, at the close), he took the sting from death, disarmed it, and trod upon it. And there was necessity for this, even such necessity that it was impossible it could be otherwise, as we have it (Acts 2:24): it was not possible that he could be held of…

Secondly, observe that the Messiah had to come to the grave and be buried; it was so designed, foretold, and prophesied of him: 'He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.' Hence the Apostle (Acts 2:30, citing Psalm 16:8) gathers that as there was a neces…

As is clear, (Acts 4:27-28). Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together, to do whatever your hand and your counsel determined before to be done. In all that they did, they were but doing that which was carved out before, in the Eternal cou…

3. For whom all this was, which makes it appear to be yet more wonderful; it was for a number of lost straying sheep, that were turned every one to his own way, as it is verse 6. For debtors and debauched bankrupts, that were enemies to, and at odds with Him; some of them spitti…

2. Because, it not only reveals the object of faith, but it makes offer of it; and hereby a sinner that hears the Gospel, has warrant to embrace and make use of Jesus Christ's righteousness, and to rest upon it; and therefore, if temptation should say to the sinner, though Chris…

Though by being man He became of no reputation, and a veil was drawn over the declarative glory of the Godhead in His person for a time, yet He remained still the Son of God, and glorious in Himself, and it cannot be but He that is God must be glorious in His exaltation, when th…

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…

And 3. the humbled soul, for ought he knows, (I speak of legal humiliation) has no more any Gospel-title or promise that saving grace shall be given to him, even of mere grace, upon condition of his humiliation, or external hearing, or desire of the physician, than the proud Pha…

Christ makes a short preaching to Magdalen, and in his own way says, but, Mary; and Christ himself is in that word, her will is fettered with love. Peter makes a sermon (Acts 2) and there are such coals of Paradise in his words, that three thousand hearts must be captives to Chr…

(Psalm 29:9) In his temple shall every one speak of his glory — not every one, but converts only can utter the glory of God savingly, in the temple of the Lord, otherwise many speak and do in his temple, to his dishonor (Jeremiah 7:4, 10-11; Ezekiel 23:38-39). (Acts 2:4) They we…

And thus faith takes it up and looks at it. And upon this does Peter (in his sermon, Acts 2) pitch their faith, where having first set forth the heinousness of their sin in murdering the Lord of life, then to raise up their hearts again (that so seeing God's end in it they might…

For God having once arrested Christ and cast him into prison and begun a trial against him and had him to judgment, he could not come forth till he had paid the very uttermost farthing. And there is the greatest reason for it to assure us that can be: for he was under those bond…

And from this it is that Christ has as much work of it still in heaven as ever, though of another kind: he dealt with justice here below to satisfy it and here got money enough to pay the debt, but in heaven he deals with mercy. Therefore all the grace he bestows on us he is sai…

For as when he came to heaven he was installed king and priest as it were anew, in respect of a new execution: so for the work to be done in heaven, he was anew anointed with this oil of gladness above his fellows, (as Psalm 45:7) which place is meant of him especially as he is…

So that he being the root of the Spirit of consolation, and of sanctification, all this life of consolation and sanctification springing from the Spirit as from a fountain, and Christ being he that sets open this fountain (Zechariah 1:13), therefore it is that there is an insuff…

And therefore if God should never grant him more mercy, he could not but acknowledge he had done abundantly more for him already than he had deserved; he prays not in his own name, but in the name of another; and no man can pray in the name of Christ, but he must pray in humilit…

And so our Savior, he prayed for his crucifiers. And it is generally thought, that the powerful prevalence of Peter's Sermon in converting three thousand souls at once, did especially spring from our Savior's prayer, and the efficacy of it (Acts 2:37). And Stephen, he prayed for…

And priests also we are, so as we are able to offer up sacrifices of prayer, and thanksgiving to God, a broken and a humble heart is a sacrifice, much set by of God (Psalm 51:17) and (Philippians 2:17), offered upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith, we are now enabled to…

2. The notion by which his death is expressed, his decease [in non-Latin alphabet], which signifies the going out of this life into another, which is to be noted. 1. In respect to Christ his death was [in non-Latin alphabet], for he went out of this mortal life into glory, and s…

Or, 2. A reverential worshipping or esteeming them for their qualifications of wisdom and holiness (Acts 2:47). Good men had favor with all the people.

5. Does it come to you as the Mediator's word, not in word only but in power (1 Thessalonians 1:5)? There is a convincing power in the word (Acts 2:37). When they heard these things, they were pricked in the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren…

Think of this rule. 3. For the season, the Apostle says: Pray continually, or without ceasing, yet there are some (as it were) canonical hours of prayer, wherein a Christian's discretion must interpose: only in this case, take the fittest seasons for secret prayer, as when you a…

Which book is written to confirm and establish this argument: for it teaches nothing else but that the Holy Spirit is not given by the law, but by the hearing of the gospel. For when Peter preached, the Holy Spirit forthwith fell upon all those that heard him, and in one day thr…

Psal. 133. and it standes in three things, consent in one faith and doctrine: consent in affection, whereby men be of one hart. Act 2:47. consent in speach. 1. Cor 1:10.

If God should foresee things to come, and in no sort will or nill them, there should be an idle prouidence. Christ was delivered by the will and foreknowledge of God, Act 2:23. and the Iewes for their parts did nothing in the crucifying of Christ, but that which the hand, and co…

By his counsell and eternall decree, whereby the sonne was designed to the office of a Mediatour, and consequently to become man. Act 2:23. And thus is he said to be sealed of thefather, Ioh. 6. 27. and to be sanctified, and sent into the world, Ioh. 10. 36.

The word New is often taken in Scripture in this sense, as (Exodus 1:8) There arose up a new king which knew not Joseph: that is, (as the 70 interpreters, and Saint Luke (Acts 7:18) translate it) another king. (Mark 16:17) They shall speak with new tongues, that is, other, diver…

This then may be plainly explained by another place in Joel, which we will allege by way of example, Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, says he, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Joel 2:28). Saint Peter tells how this prophecy was f…

But he speaks not here only of Christ, but of the whole body of his Church. I grant we must begin at the head, but from there we must descend to the members, and apply it to all the ministers of the word; which is here spoken of Christ, in regard this efficacy of the word is giv…

Verse 6. Also the strangers that cleave to the Lord, to serve him, and love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants: everyone that keeps the Sabbath, and pollutes it not, and embraces my covenant. He repeats that he said before, namely, that God will so open the gates of hi…

But very differently does the Spirit settle this question; for not only does he assign as the reason why Christ was delivered up, that it was so written, but also that it was so determined. For where Matthew and Mark quote Scripture, Luke leads us direct to the heavenly decree,…

When he saw the wrath of God exhibited to him, as he stood at the tribunal of God charged with the sins of the whole world, he unavoidably shrank with horror from the deep abyss of death. And, therefore, though he suffered death, yet since its pains were loosed—as Peter tells us…

Neither does he simply name miracles, but does adorn them with two titles. And whereas he says, The power of signs and wonders, Peter in the Acts has virtues, and signs, and wonders (Acts 2:23). And surely they are testimonies of God's power to awake men, that being astonished a…

She departed not from the Temple; but served God with Fastings and Prayers, Night and Day. And Grace had this Effect upon the primitive Christians in Jerusalem; Acts 2. 46, 47. And they continuing daily, with one Accord in the Temple, and breaking Bread from House to House, did…

And John, when he had baptized them, exhorted them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, Matthew 3:8, that is agreeable to that repentance which they had professed; encouraging them, that if they did so, they should escape the wrath to come, and be gathered as wheat into Go…

The Spirit of God. The Spirit of the Son, Acts 2. 33. 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11. explained. 1 John 4. 3. vindicated. Sect. 1 BEfore we ingage into the consideration of the Things themselves concerning which we are to treat, it will be necessary to speak something to the Name whereby the…