z Nothing could pleaſe the People better than to hear God fo filed: For this they gloried in, above all things, that they and theirs had God to their Father, --obhn 8. 41. And nothing cud betrer 1tuit” St, Paul's purpoſe, who wou'd not lie under wat ſcandal of endeayo.ring an Apoſtacy from the Jew:jb Re- $101 (tor the Goipel which he preached, was bur the ſubſance ind perieion of the Law; } or thathe ſerved or worſhipped iy other God than the God of A4breham. a jie harh taken lice, a Þy the hand, and by his wondcrfu! Providence brought thee no that condition in vaich thru at. 6 Chriſt is rhe 40'y Cre, ſpotleſs and wi:hour Llen ith ; - God's righteovs fer- Mant, 1a, 53. 1:, But this is hez< the rather ſpoken, that he M'zbt convince thera of their ſin, in putting our Lord to Death : Oo though be fweer..ed his ſpeech to them in what he michr. Oy _ i-trer fl. tO their deſtruction ; Like a skilful xy Oy 1c would nor hea] roo faſt, Now Paul law Chrift ime Eye of his mind, it being enlightned to believe ir. him: nd he aw him in his Journey allo with the Eyes of his body.
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15 For thou ſhalt be his e witnef unto all mon. of what thou haſt ! ſeen 2nd head.
.£ The Apoſtles were in a more foeci?} manner Chris jc. nzſſes; as Luke 24. 48. 7ohn 1, 7. Chap. 1.8, God 6: ins ther extraordinary Gifts, not for their own lakes chiciy, but to projic others withal : As the tree bears not fruit, nor the field yield its encreaſe for its {e]Jf. d Nor thar St. Pay/'s Commillion ex- tended only to the publithing this Wonder at his convertion : For he was entruſted with the Golpel, and hid char Treafurc in his Earthen Veſſel: Bur this Miracle is expreily mentioned, becaul: it was unto him and othersa great coutirmation of the Truths which he believed him elf, and recomn:ended to the Faith of others. And therefore in the coarſe of bis Vimiſtery he mentions this frequently ; as here in this place, and betor: King Agrir2a, Chap. 26. 12. and 1 Cor. 9. 1. Asalſo r Cor. 15. 8 7:
15 And now why tarrieft thon ? ariſe, an'l be ha. tz:d, ande waſhaway f thy fins, calling on the IN of the g Lord.
e As waſhing cauſeth the ſpots to dif@pnear, and to Fe as if they had not been, 1/a. x. 18. ſo does Pairdoning mercy, or remiſſion of f ſins, which ascompanieth Baptitm, as in the Cue receiver, Mat. 9. 11. 1 Per. 3 21, 22, Where tine Faith, is, together with the profeſſion of it by Bapr {.n, there is faiv.: [07 promiſed, Mark 16. 16. In the mean whiic it is nor the: W ter (for thar only fignifies,) bur it is the Flocd of Chr © wiiich ts thereby ſignified, that cleanteth us from cur tins; as 1 7404 1. 7. Yet Sacraments are not empty and decei:tul tigns; bit God ac- companieth his own Ordinances with his power from en hich, and makes them efFeCQtual for thoſe great rhings for which {£ 111. ſtiruted and appointed them, g Chrift, ro whom by Bapriin: be was to be dedicated,
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17 And* it came to paſs. that 5 wh: I was came * ch +59 again to Jerulatem, cren while Iptiayed in the temple, [ was inaz trance:
þ This was probably about three years afrer bis converſion ; as Gal. 1. 18. and was one of the Viſions and Fevelations he makes mention of, 2 Cor. 12.1, # A Rapture and Exralic ; as Chap. to. 10. | :
18 And ſaw him ſaying unto me*. Make hol, *Mar. gs. ind get thee quickly & our of Jeruſalem ; for / they witi 14. not receive thy teſtimony concerning me.
& This St. Paul takes notice of, that it might appear unto the *ews that he did not out of choice, or "ccauſe he bare a gradge againſt them, decline them, and preach +0 the Genriles / Ag if Chriſt had faid, They who were appoinced unto 'ife, and were curable, are already cured ; but the reſt 'who are, hardney, no- thing remains for them bur utter deſtru&ton,
I9 72 And T ſaid , Lore FS they 2 know that T im- pe priſoned, and beat in every ſynagogue them that ho- lieved on thee.
»m This was Paul's ObjeQtion which he made againſt the Will of God concerning his leaving Feruſa/cm, and the ewr in it -- and ſhews how apt carnal Reaſon is in the very beſt men ro fer 7 it ſelf againſt the Wiſdom of God, and ro argue for whit we fancy beſt to be done, or left undone. »n The tum of his reaſ-. ning 1s this, That he was moſt likely ro do more good amoneſt the ew: than amongſt the Gentiles, whither God was ſending of him; becauſe the Jews knew how zealous he had been ; nor only to obſerve the Law himſelf, but to procure its obſer-ation by ail others: And that it was no Jeſs than a Miracle which changed ig mind about it. He ſhews alſo by this, his great oe unto rhe
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12 Jews, whom -he would have ftaid wirthal, had ic beea ac bis choice ; and did only remove from by God's command.
20 * And when the blood of thy + mirtvr Stephen * ch, - was ſhed, I alfo was ſtanding by. and » contro © ne to his death, ard kept the raiment + of them that r flew him.
6 Martyr is a Greek word that fignities # 177þ ; and is here and ſince by the Ecclcftaſtical Writers, oppropt f2ted 1mm ful LS ſuffer Death for the Teſtimonycrhey & ve rothe Truthy of or DoGrine of the Gofpel. p As Chep 8 1. 9 "that 5s, 0. the Witneiles againſt Stephen ; as Chep 7 58 For the Wiimeilc,
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2r And ke faid unto we er, Depait*: For I will, +, end thee 7 ta; hence unto the Gentiles oy
s God repeats his Command, and by that anſwers ai] Pax”s
Paul, and he went very far ; as appears, C2p. 5: 15. Rom. :5.19. Gal, 1, 17. and 2. 9,
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