Acts 5

Thus he is exalted in his titles of honor. 2. God has exalted Christ in his office: He has honored him to be Salvator Mundi, the Savior of the world (Acts 5:31). Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior.

If the world reproach us for Christ's sake, and cast dust on our name, let us bear it with patience. The Apostles (Acts 5:41) departed from the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to endure shame for Christ's name: [illegible], that they were graced to be disgraced…

Use 1. If God be a Spirit, then he is impassible; he is not capable of being hurt. Wicked men may set up their banners, and bend their forces against God, they are said [in non-Latin alphabet], to fight against God (Acts 5:39). But what will this fighting avail?

Whom the Devil could not destroy by intemperance, he has by vain-glory. 3. It reproves them who fight against God's glory (Acts 5:39): Lest you be found to fight against God. Quest. But who do fight against God's glory?

A sinner is to God worse than a toad; a toad has no poison, but what God has put into it; but a sinner has that which the devil has put into him. Acts 5:3: Why has Satan filled your heart to lie? A wicked man is possessed with an evil spirit.

Thus men naturally are in the house of bondage, they are enslaved to Satan: Satan is called the Prince of this World (John 14:30), and the God of this World (2 Corinthians 4:4), because he has such power to command and enslave them: Though Satan shall one day be a close prisoner…

He seduced our first parents by a lie (Genesis 3:4). How does this sin incense God? — he struck Ananias dead for telling a lie (Acts 5:5). The furnace of hell is heated to throw liars into (Revelation 22:15): "Without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and whoever loves…

Use 2. Is all Scripture of divine inspiration, is it a book made by God himself? Then this reproves, 1. the Papists who take away part of Scripture, and so clip the King of Heaven's coin; they expunge the second Commandment out of their catechisms, because it makes against image…

Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:26). The Apostles went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41), that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for the name of…

The Holy Ghost which dwells in us. As the unclean spirit dwells in the wicked, and carries them to pride, lust, revenge; the Devil has entered into these swine (Acts 5:3). So the Spirit of God dwells in the elect as their guide and comforter.

Where there is a lie in the tongue, it shows the devil is in the heart. Why has Satan filled your heart to lie? (Acts 5:3). Lying is such a sin as unfits men for civil society.

She brought two things to Christ, tears and ointment; her tears were more precious to Christ than her ointment. 3. Repentance ushers in pardon; therefore they are joined together (Acts 5:31): repentance and remission. Pardon of sin is the richest blessing; it is enough to make a…

When a man tells a lie does he not do the devil's will? (Acts 5:3) Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? (3.) Not to do God's will is dangerous; it brings a spiritual praemunire.

That Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake. Acts 5:3. Peter said to Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lye to the Holy Ghost?

And for all this, if these men would but look a little closer into their own hearts, they shall find that they have not as yet been brought to a willing consent to part with their own ways and courses, or to submit themselves to his Prophetical and Kingly office: they lean to th…

Then we must all learn to rejoice in the troubles and wrongs which we suffer for Christ's sake. So did the Apostles, Acts 5:41. They departed from the council, rejoicing in that they were counted worthy to suffer affliction for his name.

This the whole Scripture testifieth to, namely, a real communication of glory to Christ by the Father after his ascension which he had not before. See Luke 24:16; John 17:24; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Romans 14:9; Ephesians 1:20, 21, 22, 23; Philippians 2:9, 10, 11; Hebrews 1:3; Cha…

Again this is expressed as the first issue of grace and mercy from God towards men by Jesus Christ, which is therefore first to be proposed to them. God exalted him and made him a Prince and a Savior to give repentance to Israel (Acts 5:31). And because it is the first, it is pu…

5. There is a double joining to the Church: (1.) that which is, as to total communion in all the duties and privileges of the Church, which is that whereof we treat; (2.) an adherence to the Church, as to the means of instruction and edification to be attained thereby. So person…

Yes, wicked men usually prove a trouble, and we come to wish afterward we had been more strict. 'Tis said (Acts 5:13, 14), Of the rest durst no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them, and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and wome…

Thirdly, in this Temple, beside the Holy of Holies, were three Courts; the Court of the Priests, the Court of the people, commonly called Atrium Israelis; and without both these Atrium Gentium, the Court of the Heathen, so called, because the Heathen, as also many of those who w…

Aaron when he lost his two sons, in so judicial a manner by fire from heaven, yet held his peace; because God had declared his mind positively, I will be glorified. 'Tis dangerous to resist the mind of God, for the word of his providence shall prosper in spite of men and devils…

Secondly, those that were joined were believers before they joined; for it is said, divers were added, ver. 14. Thirdly, those that were added to the Church, were added and joined to them by such an act as others durst not put forth (Acts 5:13). Of the rest durst no man join to…

The first proposition may be made good by induction of particulars; and first, it is more than evident of Jerusalem, where we find to 120 Disciples (Acts 1:15) added 8000 by Peter's two Sermons (Acts 2:41 and 4:4). Besides whom, there were yet more multitudes added (Acts 5:14).…

But how will that be established? Maimonides indeed reports that Gamaliel, whose age and time of life are known from sacred history, composed a prayer for the extirpation of the heretics — that is, of the Christians; how well this accords with the counsel that Luke ascribes to h…

Tempted Job believes (Job 19:25). The scourged apostles rejoice (Acts 5:41). Drowned Jonah looks to the holy temple (Jonah 2:4).

Repentance is an Evangelical ingredient in a saint. 2. Christ was made a Prince, and exalted to give repentance (Acts 5:31), and the law as the law, has not one word of Christ, though it cannot contradict Christ, except we say, that there be two contradictory wills in Christ, wh…

Argument 5. God (as Augustine says) has a greater dominion over our wills, than we have over them ourselves; as he is more master of the beings, so of the operations, (that are created beings) than the creature is, and so he must use the creature's operations at his own pleasure…

2. It is not merit, or acquired by way of merit of Christ's death, that a Crown is given to Jesus Christ, for this end, to destroy such enemies as are not capable of sinning against his Mediatory Crown, especially, when as God, he had power to destroy them, as his enemies, thoug…

Salvation belongs to God, and though many means may be used, yet it is the Lord and his mercy, and blessing, that saves and delivers, and nothing else, and God's servants they know it. But there is a second duty in having Christ for a Savior; and that is, in looking up to Christ…

Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp bearing his reproach (Hebrews 11:26). Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; prefer it before all earthly honor (Acts 5:41). And they departed from the council rejoicing that they were count…

(2 Kings 19:35) The Angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand. An Angel opened the prison doors to the Apostles (Acts 5:19 and Acts 12:7). But were not all these services extraordinary and miraculous, which we may n…

And we Christians may also tempt Christ, for the Apostle warns us against it: we tempt Christ now he is ascended into heaven, when we disobey his laws, question his authority, doubt of his promises, after sufficient means of conviction, that he is the Messiah, the Son of God; gr…

Christ delighted to give it, and God delighted to accept of it. He paid a perfect ransom for us, besides or above which he craved no more, but rested fully content in it; for the other, the renovation of man's nature, to put him into a capacity to serve and please God, for God w…

The Apostles notwithstanding all this did not cease to do their office, but most constantly preached and confessed Christ. For they knew that they should rather obey God than men: and that it was better that the whole world should be troubled and in an uproar, than that Christ s…

And they had extraordinarie authoritie, to punish them that rebelliously withstood them. Act 5:5. & 10. & Act 13:20. 2. Cor 10:6.

Hence it follows, that the Gospel must be preached, though all men be offended. God must not be displeased though all men be displeased (Acts 5:29). Indeed Christ pronounces woe against them by whom offences come: but that is meant of offences given, and not of offences taken: o…

Thirdly, the word of salvation, Act 13:26. because it shewes the way and meanes of attaining salvation. Lastly, the word of life, Act 5:20. because it does not only shew the narrow way, that leads to eternall life; but is in it selfe a liuely word, and mightie in operation, Heb…

We glory, says Paul (Romans 5:3), even in our tribulations: now this glorying or boasting cannot be without joy. The Apostles went away rejoicing from before the Council, that God vouchsafed them the honor to suffer rebuke for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). I grant the faithful…

Let us then with Moses, esteem the rebuke of Christ above all the riches of Egypt (Exodus 2:11; Hebrews 11:26). Let us with the Apostles rejoice, who went from the Council with glad hearts, in regard they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke and wrongs for the name of the Lord J…

Wherefore denying him so to be, they lay up all their hopes of success in denying him to be a Person; But yet because the Subject we are upon does require it, and it may be useful to the Faith of some; I will call over a few Testimonies given expresly to his Deity also. Sect. 31…

This is the proper End of all the Acts and Actings of this Life, Rom. 14. 7, 8. (2.) That we design in and by it, to come to the eternal enjoyment of him, as our Blessedness and Reward, Gen. 15. 1. (5.) It is the Life whereof the Gospel is the Law and Rule, John 6. 68. Acts 5. 2…

Third, this repentance that has been described, is indeed the special condition of remission of sin. This seems very evident by the Scripture, as particularly, Mark 1:4: John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. So, Luke…

Now God being here spoken of [in non-Latin alphabet] in distinction from the Son expressly, and from the Holy Ghost by evident implication, it being He by whom he spake in the Prophets, that name is not taken [in non-Latin alphabet] substantially, to denote primarily the essence…

It is said to the wicked rich man in the Gospel (Luke 12:20), You fool, this night shall your soul be required of you, demanded indeed, but O how unwillingly does the rich man pay this natural debt, who is so able to pay all civil debts. Yet it must be confessed that we find the…

And why so? because death being penally inflicted on him, when he had paid the debt, he was legally to be acquitted; Now for whom, and in whose name and stead he suffered, for them, and in their name and stead, he received his acquitment. Fourthly, Because upon his death, God th…

Rom. 5. 3. We reioyce in tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings forth patience: and Act. 5. 41. The Disciples reioyced, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ.

It is true he is bound in conscience to observe you, yet it is only in those things wherein the law of God has left his conscience free; and therefore where the great and universal Lord has laid a prohibition upon him, his obedience is superseded, and your commands do only bind…

This is the firstborn of the Devil; the beginning of his strength; for by lies he prevailed over wretched man; and therefore is his darling and beloved sin, and the greatest instrument of promoting his kingdom. It is that which, in his own mouth, ruined all mankind in the gross;…

4. Liars, turn from your evil ways. We read Acts 5 at the beginning, of Ananias and Sapphira, who were smitten with sudden death for the sin of lying; it is said, they fell down at the Apostles' feet, and gave up the ghost. And has not the sin of lying been one ingredient in the…