Acts 23

He may give increase of grace, when not increase of joy; but oftentimes he pours in the oil of gladness, and gives the soul a privy seal of his love; as Christ made himself known in the breaking of bread. 2nd Season. Before God calls his people to suffering (Acts 23:11). Be of g…

Such as are the true children of God, fear to shoot at him; but such as are bastards and not sons, care not, though they shoot at him in heaven with their oaths and curses. And which makes swearing yet more heinous is, when men have resolved upon any wicked action, they bind the…

Daniel was an excellent person (Daniel 5:14): Excellent wisdom is found in you — there was the prudence of the serpent: and (Daniel 6:4): The presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel, but they could find no occasion or fault — behold here the innocency of th…

And so confident were they in their infidelity, as that they would needs argue and dispute with our Savior about it, by whom they were confounded; but after the manner of obstinate infidels, not converted (Matthew 22:23, 24, etc.). This was the principal heresy of the Sadducees,…

But although the principal reason hereof must be left hid in the wisdom and sovereign good pleasure of God; yet we may see that two inestimable advantages did redound to the Church thereby. For, (1.) His bonds being first at Jerusalem, and afterwards at Rome (as Acts 23:11), the…

Now the reason why he answered thus sparingly in general terms is; because their examination served only to entangle him: and out of his words to gather matter of accusation. After whose example we may learn, that being called to make answer of our faith and doctrine before our…

To this tribunal were referred all doubtful matters, too hard for inferior courts to decide (Deuteronomy 8:8, 9), as also all things that did belong to the twelve tribes, or to the whole nation; all things that concerning the High Priest, matters of war, and peace, the false pro…

If the Papists hold sundry articles of faith, as that there is a unity of the divine essence, and trinity of persons, that Jesus Christ is God and man, and that true Messiah that was promised, and the only Savior of the world, and many such like, must we deny these things becaus…

When Abraham was the father of all the faithfull, and was come to the highest degree of faith, and abounded in good workes, yet was he not then justified by workes, Rom 4:1, 2. Paul kept a good conscience before God and men, Act. 23. and yet was he not justified therby, 1. Cor 4…

First, that all our actions (specially in the worship and service of God) be grounded upon the will and word of God; and not upon will-worship, or human inventions: otherwise it will be said, Who required these things at your hands? Secondly, that we perform all our actions sinc…

How the sect of the Sadducees originated we have explained under another passage. Luke assures us that they denied not only the final resurrection of the body, but also the immortality of the soul, (Acts 23:8.) And, indeed, if we consider properly the doctrine of Scripture, the…

5. They may express such love that in times of danger they may take care of the safety of godly men. So in Acts 23:27, Claudius Lysias, when he heard Paul was in danger of his life, came with an army of men to rescue him, that they should not take away his life from him; and yet…

Hence it is that our Apostle calls the times of the Gospel, the world to come (chap. 2:5; chap. 6:5), the name whereby the Jews denoted the state of the church under the Messiah, proper to it only while the legal administrations of worship did continue. Thus as de facto he had s…

The Essenes were like Popish Monkes and Friers, which did separate themselues from the people, vowing and dedicating themselues to live in perpetuall sanctitie. The Sadduces were a sect that did expound the law, according to the letter and syllable, and with-all denied the resur…

In fact, when it comes to this they are so sworn to their own faction and party, that they will defend the apparent and open enemies of Jesus Christ, and so as they may strengthen themselves in the lesser differences, they will hazard the main principles, as Meletius who formerl…

The name of hope in other things scarce suits withal, but sounds a kind of uncertainty, and is somewhat airy, [illegible] of all other hopes but this it is a very true word, that it is the name of an uncertain good; but the gospel being entertained by faith, furnishes a hope tha…

Better be in a Prison and have Gods presence, than on a Throne and want it. Gods presence gives courage, Act. 23:11. When Polycarp was near the Theatre and going to Suffer, a Voice came from Heaven, Be of good chear O Polycarp.

Acts 14:4, the multitude of the city was divided, that is, in their judgment about the Apostles and their doctrine: but not only so, for [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], is spoken of them, which expresses their separation into parties: what weight this new criticism is like to find wi…

Mount Sion, or Mount Gerizim, which was the Temple of the true God, one or the other. Then we read afterward among the Jews themselves in their private sects, who were very keen against each other, Pharisees and Sadducees; and Paul though an enemy to them both, and was looked up…

With respect to the resolution, observe, the matter is good he resolves upon. Some will resolve upon a course of sin, as they (Acts 23:12) that bound themselves under a curse to kill Paul. In this case a vow is a bond of iniquity.

Who are God's servants? 1. Such as own his right, and are sensible of his interest in them (Acts 23:23): The God whose I am and whom I serve. 2. Such as give up themselves to him, renouncing all other masters.

The Devil entered into Judas. The Jews laying in wait for Paul (Acts 23:12-14). Certain Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, or oath of execration, that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul.

And yet that young man had not saving grace in his soul: he wanted that one thing necessary to salvation: he loved the world more than he loved Christ: he had not faith, and therefore could not overcome the world: he would rather part with Christ, and lose eternal life, than par…

When he did not speak that which they would have him. Thus your false-hearted hypocrites deal with the truth of God, as the Jews dealt with Paul who banded themselves together and bound themselves under a curse, that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul, a…

2. When we suffer with a good conscience: a man may have a good cause, and a bad conscience; he may suffer for righteousness' sake, yet he himself be unrighteous. Saint Paul, as he had a just cause, so he had a pure conscience (Acts 23:1). I have lived in all good conscience to…

And immediately, verse 31: Fear not therefore — the same word that is in verse 28 — then he must forbid a fear opposite to servile fear, and which stands with the faith of sons who are to believe the care of a father, which is more toward his children than toward sparrows (verse…

I argue from that instance that therfore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were living at that time, though not in their bodies; if you marke the reason of that Text, it was not to prove a Resurrection of the body only, which the Sadduces deny, but also to prove the immortality of the so…

While you think of your own righteousness, and hope to be saved by your good meaning, you are alive to the law. Though Paul sinned not against his conscience (Acts 23:1), neither law nor conscience did accuse him, yet he looked not for righteousness by that means (Philippians 3:…

Again, being in danger, he used Christian policy to save himself. For, by saying he was a Pharisee, he made a division between his accusers, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and so escaped (Acts 23:6-7). And if that were lawful for him to do, then is it also lawful for a man, by fli…

The first, is sin. Thus the Jews bound themselves with a vow, that they would neither eat, nor drink, till they had killed Paul (Acts 23:12, 14). This their vow was nothing else, but a threatening of God himself: and therefore utterly unlawful.

And Paul himself never made mention of this, as of a sin, which he would undoubtedly have done, had it been sin. Again (Acts 23:6), when he was brought before Ananias the Priest, and the council at Jerusalem, being in some danger, he uses policy: for he pretended that he was a P…

To be any one's God is to give one eternal life (Psalm 33:12; Psalm 144:15). From which it follows that those patriarchs lived still with God in respect of their souls (which these Sadducees also denied — Acts 23:8), and should also rise in respect of their bodies and live etern…

The people were angry at laying hands on the Apostles, but there was no fear of their wrath if the Apostles should be killed. Not for fear of the Romanes wrath, which, says he, they often regarded not, as (Acts 23:27). A place which confuteth himself, for when the Jews would hav…