Acts 20

Christ must needs be God, not only that the divine nature might support the human from sinking under God's wrath, but also to give value and weight to his sufferings. Christ being God, his death and passion is meritorious; Christ's blood is called Sanguis Dei, the blood of God (…

He had not quite lost the Spirit. As Eutiches when he fell from a window (Acts 20) and all thought he was dead — No, says Paul, there is life in him — so David fell foully, but there was the life of grace in him. Though the saints may come to that pass they have but little faith…

Whatever worldly comforts we have, are but [in non-Latin alphabet], for a season (Hebrews 11:25). We must part with all, as Paul's friends did accompany him to the ship and there left him (Acts 20:28). So all our earthly comforts will but go with us to the grave and there leave…

To them who seek for glory and honor — eternal life. The people of God here are in a suffering condition (Acts 20:23). Bonds and afflictions abide me.

He says as David when Michal reproached him for dancing before the Ark (2 Samuel 6:22), if this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile. Let others persecute him for his holiness, he says as Paul (Acts 20:24), none of these things move me. He prefers sanctity before safety, and h…

Christ arose on the first day of the week out of the grave, and appeared twice on this day to his disciples (John 20:19, 26), which was to intimate to the disciples (says Austin and Athanasius) that he transferred the Jewish Sabbath to the Lord's Day. 2. The keeping of the first…

It was an excellent appeal that Samuel made to the people (1 Samuel 12:3): Witness against me before the Lord, whose ox have I taken, or whose ass, or whom have I defrauded. And it was a brave speech of Saint Paul (Acts 20:33): I have coveted no man's gold, or silver, or apparel…

Therefore it is called repentance, [in non-Latin alphabet]. Toward God (Acts 20:20). The heart points toward God as the needle to the North Pole.

All which places assert the person of Christ to have descended from Heaven in the assumption of human nature, and ascended into Heaven therein being assumed; and to have been in Heaven as to his divine nature, when he was in the Earth in the flesh that he had assumed. Acts 20:28…

He offered himself to God. He, that is the Sacrificer, denotes the person of Christ God and Man; and Himself as the sacrifice denotes his human nature; from where God is said to purchase his Church with his own blood (Acts 20:28). For he offered himself through the Eternal Spiri…

John 20:28. And Thomas answered and said to him, my Lord and my God. Acts 20:28. Feed the Church of God which he has purchased with his own blood. Romans 1:3, 4. Concerning his Son Jesus our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the…

And that is one reason why it is so called in our text, and (2 Corinthians 5:21), it is not of God only that he ordained it, nor yet because he did accept it of his hands, but mainly because the person that did it was God. Upon this score also is his blood called the blood of Go…

It is true in the observation of positive institutions, we may have regard to rules and prescriptions of prudence, as to times, places, and seasons; that by no inadvertency or miscarriage of ours, or advantage taken by the adversaries of the truth, the edification of the Church…

Why, as they were ordained in every Church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5), so their whole charge is limited to the Churches. Acts 20:17: he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the Church, and said to them; verse 28: take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over whi…

Quest. 23. Who are the ordinary officers or ministers of Christ in the Church to be always continued therein? Answ. Those whom the Scripture calls, pastors and teachers, bishops, elders, and guides (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; Philippians 1:1…

(2) John 20:21, 22, 23; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5, 7. (3) Matthew 28:18, 19, 20; 2 Corinthians 11:28; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:2; Colossians 4:17. (4) 1 Corinthians 12:28, 29, 30.

Qu. 26. May a person be called to, or be employed in a part only of the office or work of the ministry, or may he hold the relation and exercise the duty of an Elder or Minister to more Churches than one at the same time? Answ. Neither of these have either warrant or president i…

(1) 1 Timothy 3:10, 11, 13; chap. 4.12; 2 Timothy 2:3; Colossians 1:24; Philippians 2:17; chap. 3.17. (2) Hebrews 13:17; Acts 20:28. (3) 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 4:2; Romans 12:6, 7, 8.

And therefore (2) Whatever they do as Elders in the Church according to rule, they do it not in the name or authority of the Church by which their power is derived to them, nor as members only of the Church by their own consent or covenant, but in the name and authority of Jesus…

For the words expressly assign two sorts of Elders, whereof some, only attend to rule; others moreover labor in the word and doctrine. Neither does that word, as some would have it, labor in the Word, intend any other labor but what is incumbent on all the Pastors and Teachers o…

Answ. Every first day of the week, or at least as often as opportunity, and conveniency may be obtained. 1 Corinthians 11:26; Acts 20:7. Quest. 41. What is the discipline of the Church?

Quest. 42. To whom is the power and administration of this Discipline committed by Jesus Christ? Answ. As to the authority to be exerted in it in the things wherein the whole Church is concerned, to the Elders; as to trial, judgment and consent in, and to its exercise to the who…

Acts 14:23. Acts 20:28. Hebrews 13:17.

(1.) No man ever doubted of the prudence of the Apostle as a Governor, though in this place he acts only as a Teacher divinely inspired, instructing the Churches in the mind of God, as to the differences that were among them. (2.) The difference then among the Romans was about t…

Q. Who then were redeemed by Christ? A. He gave himself for none others but only for his Church (Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28; John 10:15; 11:52). Q. What is meant by the Church in the holy Scriptures?

And if now they should build but upon the least hay and stubble, they should not only suffer loss; but lay a foundation of a new rent in the ages and generations to come: yes, and look what unjust Penal Statutes they impose now; may perhaps fall as heavy upon their posterity, as…

For the death which he underwent in the discharge of his office, being not the death of his whole person, but of his human nature only, no interruption of his endless office did ensue thereon. For although the person of the Son of God died, from where God is said to redeem his C…

The Scripture by them intends his eternal generation, as the Son of the Father; they only his nativity of the Blessed Virgin, with his exaltation after his resurrection. But the true excellency and efficacy of the blood of Christ in this sacrifice, was from his divine person, wh…

Besides, where these two Repentance and Faith are elsewhere joined together, as they are frequently, it is an especial sort of Faith in God that is intended. See Luke 24:46, 47; Acts 19:4; Acts 20:21. It is therefore Faith in God as accomplishing the promise to Abraham in sendin…

And we have as much need to labor for this frame in our hearts, as for any thing in the outward discharge of our duty. We must in the first place take heed to ourselves, if we intend to take heed to the flock as we ought (Acts 20:28). And herein especially do we, as we are charg…

And this also provoked their rage against our Apostle (Acts 21:28). Yes, the most of them who were converted to the faith of the Gospel, yet continued obstinate in this persuasion, that the law of Moses was yet to continue in force (Acts 20:21). And with this opinion some of the…

It was the Blood of Christ. Of Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:18), whereby God purchased his Church with his own Blood (Acts 20:28). The dignity of his Person gave efficacy to his office and offering.

It must therefore be enquired, how the Lord Christ was made a Priest according to this power. And I say it was, because thereby alone he was rendred meet to discharge that Office, wherein God was to redeem his Church with his own Blood (Acts 20:28). By Power therefore here, both…

That the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin, was utterly impossible, as our Apostle declares. It must be the blood of the Son of God (Romans 3:24, 25; Acts 20:28). And herein were glorified both the love and grace of God, in that he spared not his only Son, but gave h…

He is hereby Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and end of all (Revelation 1:11), because he is [illegible], the living one, ver. 18. And this life of Christ is the foundation of the efficacy of all his mediatory actings, namely, that he was in his own divine…

Neither of them are consistent with its perfection. And this absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ arises, (1) From the dignity of his Person (Acts 20:28). There needs no new offering after that, wherein he who offered and who was offered, was God and Man in one Pers…

These assemblies were of two sorts. (1.) Stated on the Lord's Day, or first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 20:7). (2.) Occasional, as the duties or occasions of the church did require (1 Corinthians 5:4). The end of these assemblies were twofold.

But it may be said, that they enjoyed the word of God in their state of Judaism; they did so, as to the written word; for to them were committed the oracles of God (Romans 3:2). But it is the word of God as preached in the dispensation of the Gospel that is eminently thus called…

See what a charge our Apostle gives to Timothy to this purpose (2 Timothy 4:1, 2, 3). And a great example hereof we have in the account he gives concerning his own ministry in Asia (Acts 20). (1) He declares when he began his work and ministry, the first day he came into Asia (v…

Ans. If this that is here said were sufficiently and clearly proved, it would be very acceptable to many elders in this country, as clearing them from a great part of the burden which they suppose themselves to be under. And when the Holy Ghost says, that they must take heed to…

But surely we may well distinguish, especially between the memberly Relation and those special superadded Qualifications, and between what belongs to persons in the one respect and in the other. For some Priviledges in the Church belong to persons by virtue of their memberly Rel…

And hereupon the flesh of Christ though it profit nothing of itself, yet by the virtue which it receives from that person to which it is joined, it is quickening flesh and the bread of life. Again from this union of two natures into one person, arises a kind of speech or phrase…

Perseverance carries away the garland; a true Christian does not only set out in the race, but hold out; The righteous also shall hold on his way (Job 15:9): be the way what it will, though strewed with thorns, though there be a lion in the way, he is resolved to hold on his way…

These are [in non-Latin alphabet], (2 Timothy 2:2), the faithful men, the feoffees in trust, to whom truth is committed; they are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), those that must season the world with gracious principles; therefore they must above all others labor in the de…

This vow is against the will of God. Acts 20:35: It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive. Proverbs 30:8: Give me neither riches nor poverty.

I will that men pray every where, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], in every place (1 Timothy 2:8). The Church of Troas met in an upper chamber to break bread, and for preaching and other ordinances (Acts 20:8), therefore all places are alike. Our public meeting-places for worship in…

5. They complain that the power of capital punishment was taken from them by the Romans, importing that otherwise they might have put him to death by their law (John 18:31). Now Doctor Fields last reason is, For that all Fathers or Councils mentioning Elders, place them between…

Sundry particular flocks may be called one flock, three ways: 1. Respectu pastorum, when the same shepherds oversee and take care of the whole. See an example both of the one kind of shepherds (Luke 2:8) and of the other (Acts 20:28). 2. Respectu pabuli: so Paul Baynes speaking…

Of Ephesus we find, that fear fell on all the Jews and Greeks which dwelt there, and many believed; yes, many of the Magicians themselves, whose books that were burned, amounted to fifty thousand pieces of silver, so mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed (Acts 19:17, 18, 1…

2. Because the reformed Churches cannot know their Elders whether they be good or bad, except by heare-say. 3. Because otherwise the Elders can not ministerially take heed to the whole flock as they are warned to do (Acts 20:28). Ans. 1. Ruling Elders do execute their office not…