Acts 26

When God called Samuel, he answered, Speak Lord, your servant hears (1 Samuel 3:10). When God calls you to any act of religion, you do run at God's call (Acts 26:19). I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

The ceremonies of the law which God himself ordained are now abrogated and out of date; Christ the substance being come, the shadows fly away; and therefore the Apostle calls the legal ceremonies carnal rites (Hebrews 9:10), and if not use those Jewish ceremonies which God did o…

Improve the gospel; the gospel proclaims a Jubilee to captives. Sin binds men, the gospel looses them: Paul's preaching was to turn men from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). The gospel-star leads you to Christ, and if you get Christ, then you are made free — though not fr…

O what a mercy is it, to be brought out of the house of bondage, to be taken from being made captives to the Prince of the Air, and to be made subjects of the Prince of Peace! And this is done by the preaching of the Word (Acts 26:18): To turn them from the power of Satan to God…

It would make us put fire to the incense. (Acts 26:7). The tribes instantly served God day and night, [illegible], omnibus venibus, with the utmost zeal and intenseness of spirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of ou…

He was to be kept out of the holy assemblies of Israel as an infamous creature: A bastard by the Law cannot inherit; before the kingdom of grace come into the heart, a person is to God as one illegitimate, and so continuing he cannot enter into the congregation of Heaven. 5. Bef…

With what delight do men come to a feast? The word preached anoints the blind eye, mollifies the rocky heart; it beats off our fetters, and turns us from the power of Satan to God, (Acts 26:18). The word is the seed of regeneration, (James 1:18).

Other callings have only to do with men's bodies or estates, but the ministers' calling is employed about the souls of men. Their work is to [reconstructed: redeem] spiritual captives, and turn men from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). Their work is to enlighten them who…

When having seen how deformed and damnable a thing sin is, we change our mind. Paul, before conversion, verily thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus (Acts 26:9). But when he became a penitent, now he was of another mind (Philippians 3:8): "I count all…

When the harlot Lais came to one of her old acquaintance, after he was converted, and tempted him to sin, Ego non sum Ego, said he, I am not the same man. When one becomes a New Creature, there is such a visible change, that all may see it; therefore it is called a change from d…

2. Pity those who are not yet called. Sinners in Scarlet are not objects of envy, but pity, they are under the power of Satan, Acts 26.18. They tread every day on the Banks of the bottomless pit; and what if death should give them a jog?

It cannot be proved that they ever confirmed any doctrine by tradition. Acts 26:22: I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses said should come. By this we are given to understand that we must alwa…

2. Study to know what is the main end and design of, and what is the advantage that is to be had by the ordinances; many come to the preaching of the gospel, to hear and learn some lesson, for informing their judgment, some come to get directions, in reference to some particular…

Oratory cannot make the taste feel the sweetness of honey. There is a light that comes from heaven, above the sun and moon; indeed, above the gospel; and is not extracted, or drawn out of the power of either the soul, no, nor of the gospel, (I conceive,) that brings forth, in ac…

And all that Christ Jesus heard of his Father, he made known to his Apostles (John 15:15). And of these one Apostle Paul, who also received the Gospel not from flesh and blood, but by revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12; 2 Peter 3:15-16; Acts 9:1-2, etc.) did declare to…

The man never has a fair venture of heaven, nor comes into close grips with eternal love revealed till he believe, because the poor man's believing is his act of choosing God for his portion, and so cannot be an assent to a common good, general to all men, Heathens, Pagans, Jews…

Oh take heed of this; nothing breeds slightness and hardness of heart so much as perfunctory praying. The rule is continue instant in prayer (Romans 12:12), and it is said of the saints that they served God instantly day and night 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (Acts 26:7), that they…

The law is represented by Moses, and the prophets by Elias. Both did frequently foretell and prefigure the death and resurrection of Christ, and all the Scripture which was then written, was usually called by this term, Law and Prophets, (Acts 24:14) believing all things that ar…

What profit is it to know that there is such a blessed and joyful estate if we have no interest in it. Heaven is worth our pains, and will bear all the cost we can lay out upon it, so the children of God thought (Acts 26:7), to which promise our twelve tribes instantly serving G…

One was, that he might not be thought to deliver any priuate doctrine deuised of his own head. And this care he had alwaies: and therefore taught nothing but that which was in the writings of Moses and the Prophets, Act 26:22. And this was the care of Christ: who says, My doctri…

And his manner was so to doe. Act 26:22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome, which takes to it selfe an absolute power of judgment in all matters, without, and beside the scripture, indeed a power to judge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense there…

Cor 11:23. and taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets had written. Act 26:22. Paul commāds Timothie to charge the Pastours of Ephesus, that they teach nodiuers doctrine, either for matter or manner, for substance or circumstance.

This was a remarkable Instance or a humble Behavior towards them that were out of Christ, and that Abraham knew to be [〈◊〉] and therefore would by no Means suffer his Servant to [〈◊〉] a [〈◊〉] to his Son, from among them; and [〈◊〉] Wives, because of these Children of Heth, were a…

And the Kindred of our Saviour, when he began to Preach the Gospel, said, He was besides himself, or extatical, Mark 3. 21. and they went out to lay hold of him. So Festus judged of Paul, Acts 26. 24, 25. And the Author of the Book of Wisdom gives us an account what acknowledgme…

And therefore the Faith intended is that which is in God through Christ as revealed and exhibited in the Promises, and this Coming to God is a Fruit and Effect thereof. (2) Our Lord Jesus Christ affirms that men are sanctified by the Faith that is in him, Acts 26. 18. That they…

But that a believer's justification implies not only remission of sins, or acquittance from the wrath due to it, but also an admittance to a title to that glory that is the reward of righteousness, is more directly taught in the Scripture, as particularly in Romans 5:1, 2, where…

And so the man that is truly godly, would make others godly too. As Paul said to King Agrippa, I would to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am (Acts 26:29). Grace is attractive, it desires to draw others into fe…

The use: First, this title of light given to ministers, shews the right use of the ministry of the word. The whole world lis in darknesse, that is, in ignorance under sinne, and so subiect to damnation by nature; now God has ordained the ministry of the word to bee a light, wher…

See 1 Corinthians 1:19, 20, 21. After God had showed the vanity of human learning, when set up in the room of the gospel, God was pleased to make it subservient to the purposes of Christ's kingdom, as an handmaid to divine revelation; and so the prevailing of learning in the wor…

(Luke 13:24) in the pursuit of happiness, striving, even to an agony. (Acts 26:7) in prayer, serving God instantly; or in a stretched-out manner; indeed, pouring out their hearts before him (Psalm 62:8) as if the body were left like a dead corpse upon the knees, while the spirit…

Sin made a forfeiture of all to justice, upon which Satan entered and took possession, and as a strong man armed, still keeps it in them (Luke 11:21). But upon payment of this sum to justice, the elect (who only are intended in this purchase) pass over into God's right and prope…

However, it may be mistaken and misrepresented, it is very far from being really a sect. There were sects of religion among the Jews; we read of the sect of the Sadducees (Acts 5:17), which was built upon peculiar notions, such as overturned the foundation of natural religion, b…

One Felix Earl of Wartenburg, one of the Captains of the Emperor Charls the fifth, swore in the presence of divers at supper, that before he dyed, he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of the Lutherans; here was one that burnt in malice, but behold how God works his arrows…

And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body, is a Doctrine full of singular Consolations to Believers, 1 Cor. 15. and most clearly asserted in Scripture, Acts 26. 8. Job 19. 25. 1 Cor. 15, &c.

Noah was an heir of the righteousness which is by faith: which Peter calls a being heir of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:9). And James puts both these together (James 2:6), heirs of the kingdom which God has promised: that is, of the kingdom of grace, and the righteousness thereo…

Having recounted the excellencies which he had, and the privileges which he enjoyed in his Judaism, which were all of a spiritual nature, and a participation wherein made the rest of his countrymen despise all the world, and look upon themselves as the only acceptable persons wi…

It exhorts more insinuatively and persuasively that it may be so, to urge it on them that it is so. Thus Saint Paul, Acts 26:27: 'King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?' 'I know that you believe.' And straight he answered, 'You almost persuade me to be a Christian.'

O go to God, in the name of Christ; there is no way of escape, until God pluck you out by main force. And mark, this power by which we are delivered, God conveys by the preaching of the Word, which was appointed to turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to G…

You must be turned, you must be rescued. You must be turned (Acts 26:18): to turn them from the power of Satan to God. You must be rescued, and plucked out of this captivity by strong hand (Colossians 1:13): who has delivered us from the power of Satan; who has taken us out of d…

2. Let it not be a weak, broken, but full resolution: Cold wishes are easily overcome by the love of the world. (Acts 26:28): Almost you persuaded me to be a Christian. That will not do unless we be altogether.

The Psalmist complains of all natural men, There is none that understands, none that does good, to no one (Psalm 14:2) and (Romans 3:11): There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. Therefore it is God must give understanding, at first [reconstructed: con…

So (Luke 8:18) not only it is required that we hear, but to take heed how we hear, with what reverence and seriousness. And (Acts 26:7) the twelve tribes served God instantly day and night, with the uttermost extension of their strength, so the word signifies. And for charity, i…

1. Branch. First, a perseverance without intermission: We should at all times and in all places serve God, and not by fits and starts; as it is said of the twelve tribes (Acts 26:12), They served God instantly day and night; alone and in company, in all conditions, adverse and p…

Renounce we must, for we were once under another master (Romans 6:17), and (Matthew 6:24), and (Romans 6:13), (1 Chronicles 30:8). 3. Accordingly frame themselves to do his work sincerely (Romans 1:9): Serve with my Spirit, and (Romans 7:6): In newness of Spirit, so as will beco…

Poor man is covered with Egyptian thick darkness, indeed said to be not only dark, but darkness (in the abstract) (Ephesians 5:8); and (which is sad) is in love with darkness (John 8:19), and his light is darkness (Matthew 6:23). That man is in darkness by sin, is clear as the l…

Pilate seemed to witness against the Jews, when they cried out for the crucifying of Christ Jesus, and would wash his hands to testify his innocency (Matthew 27:24), and yet because he did not put forth his power, he is reckoned one of the number of them that killed him (Acts 4:…

Be as willing to die to sin, as he was to die for sin, and to live to him, as he was to die for you; be as willing to be his to serve him, as that he should be yours to save you. Take him on his own terms, give up yourself wholly to him; forget your father's house, depart from a…

Sinners are led by him at his will, like his dogs on a string. When men are converted, they are delivered from his power (Acts 26:18), and they that apostatize or are excommunicated are delivered again to Satan. So that in whatever state a sinner be a sinner — whether infidel, f…

Acts 26:28.—[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] —Almost you persuade me to be a Christian. In this chapter you have the Apostle Paul's apology and defensive plea which he makes for himself against those blind Jews which did so maliciously prosecute him before Agrippa, Festus, Bernice an…

Not every change makes a man a Christian, indeed there is a change that whoever is under it, he is a true Christian. When a man's heart is so changed as that it is renewed, when old things are done away, and all is become new when the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the new creature…