2. He vouches the reality of his miracles, of his crucifixion, and of his resurrection, by the testimony of the Apostles, his chosen witnesses; who, from their number, knowledge, and integrity, were sufficient to satisfy the most scrupulous enquirers; whereas, all the people of Jerusalem were as unfit as unworthy of such a special revelation; as was, indeed, evinced already in the mockery of the vulgar, on the day of Pentecost; and in the subsequent persecutions by the Sanhedrim, after the most stupendous miracles, and the most indisputable by their own confession, wrought in the name of CHRIST. 3. He supports the testimony of the Apostles to these facts, (in which they did not volunteer, but were expressly commissioned by GOD and CHRIST,) by the whole series of ancient prophecy, addressed to the Jews, indeed, but foretelling the universal redemption of mankind through faith in CHRIST. The stupendous issue of this speech, uttered in all the plenitude of divine inspiration, accorded therewith. While Peter was still speaking these oracular words (pnuarа), THE HOLY SPIRIT fell upon all the hearers, (probably with a visible illumination.) And they of the circumcision who accompanied Peter were astonished, because the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT was poured out also upon the Gentiles; for they heard them speaking in tongues, and magnifying GOD, ver. 44-46, as on the day of Pentecost. Then answered Peter, Can any one object, why water should not be brought, that these might be baptized who have now received the HOLY SPIRIT, as well as we, originally? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of THE LORD, ver. 47, 48, and he afterwards thus apologized for doing so before the Church at Jerusalem; "Forasmuch then, as GOD gave them the like gift as he did unto us who believed on the LORD JESUS CHRIST; what was I, that I could withstand GOD?" Acts xi. 17. Cornelius has been represented by Lord Barrington, and several commentators, as a lower proselyte to Judaism, which they call "a proselyte of the gate," supposed to be uncircumcised, and bound only to the observance of the seven Noach ic precepts; as distinguished from a perfect proselyte, or proselyte of justice, who was circumcised, and bound to keep the law of Moses. But there is no foundation for this distinction of proselytes in Scripture; for every uncircumcised person was consi dered as an "alien from the commonwealth of Israel," Eph. ii. 12; not being entitled to possess land; nor to enjoy the privileges of citizens. The proselyte of the gate was no other than the "stranger within thy gates," who was permitted to sojourn in the land, on submitting to circumcision and the observance of the law of Moses, Exod. xx. 10, Deut. v. 14; and was clearly distinguished from the alien, or foreigner, Deut. xiv. 21. But Cornelius was an alien, or foreigner (adλopvλą), with whom, Peter observed, that it was unlawful for a Jew to associate hospitably, as the word koλλaola implies; nor even to go into their houses, as implied by poσɛрɣɛσ0αι, ver. 28, as confirmed by the censure of the Judaizing Christians at Jerusalem, “ Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them," Acts xi. 3*. Some freethinkers have grafted a dangerous error upon Peter's declaration of the terms of acceptance with GOD, to undervalue or exclude CHRISTIANITY; as if to fear GOD, and work righteousness, were the only duties every where essentially necessary to salvation; but that these were as old as the creation, inculcated by NATURAL RELIGION, and adopted by the PATRIARCHAL, Heb. xi. 6; Job xix. 25; and by the MOSAICAL, Matt. xxii. 40. This may be refuted, and it should seem fully and satisfactorily, 1. By the case of Cornelius himself, who, though he possessed these requisites, was further, by a special revelation, required to embrace CHRISTIANITY. 2. By the general commission to the Apostles, to publish the GOSPEL throughout the whole world, or glad tidings of salvation upon the further terms of faith and baptism in the name of THE TRINITY. 3. Upon both accounts, therefore, Peter required Cornelius to be baptized, or admitted into the Christian Church, and entitled thereby to its higher benefits and privileges. 4. Paul has clearly stated the higher privileges of Jews above Gentiles, and of Christians above both, in his doctrinal epistles to the Romans and to the Hebrews. See this subject fully discussed by Lardner, VI. p. 522-530; who has satisfactorily shewn that this distinction between the two sorts of Jewish proselytes was not found in any Christian writer before the fourteenth century, or later. 5. NATURAL RELIGION, if opposed to REVEALED, is a mere fiction of false philosophy. "The world by [human] wisdom, knew not GOD," at any time, from the creation; as we learn from that profound philosopher Paul, expressly asserting the fact to the first philosophers of Greece, 1 Cor. i. 21. Such knowledge being too wonderful and excellent for the attainment of mankind by the confession of the Patriarchs and Prophets, Job xi. 7, xxxvii. 23; Psalm cxxxix. 6; and of the wisest of the Heathen philosophers themselves, Socrates, &c. 6. The Patriarchal and Mosaical dispensations were only "school-masters to the Christian," designed to train the world gradually for its reception in the fulness of time: as subordinate parts of one grand scheme of REDEMPTION, embracing all mankind; instituted at the creation, Gen. iii. 15, and gradually unfoding to the end of the world, John iii. 16; Rev. i. 18. "All are but parts of one stupendous whole."-Pope. "Parts, like half sentences, confound; the whole Read his whole volume, sceptic, then reply !"-Young. Thus did Peter first exert the power of " the keys," granted to him by his gracious Master, Matt. xvi. 19, by being made the foremost of the Apostles, to open the door of faith to the first fruits of the Jews, on the memorable day of Pentecost; and of the Gentiles, on this equally memorable day of their conversion. With whom, on their entreaty, he remained some days, Acts x. 48. While Peter was thus employed on his circuit through Judea, the disciples dispersed on Stephen's persecution, spread the Gospel to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, in Syria, speaking the word to none but Jews only. But hearing of the conversion of Cornelius, some of them, men of Cyprus and of Cyrene, preached the LORD JESUS to the Greeks*, or idolatrous Gentiles, at Antioch; and the hand of THE LORD was with them, and a great number believed, and turned [from their idols] unto THE LORD, Acts xi. 19-21. Compare Acts xv. 19; 1 Thess. i. 9. Instead of the received reading, 'EXŋvioraç, Griesbach substitutes 'EXŋvas, upon the authority of several ancient MSS. and most of the ancient versions. Which is also evidently required by the context, because they were idolaters; whereas the Hellenists were Jews. When the report of their success reached the ears of the Mother Church at Jerusalem, they sent, as usual, Barnabas to confirm the new converts in the faith, who was himself a good man, and full of the HOLY SPIRIT and of faith. Finding a considerable increase in their numbers, he went to Tarsus to seek Saul as an associate in the ministry, and brought him to Antioch. In that capital city they spent an entire year, which became the Mother Church of the Gentile converts; who then were first denominated Christians, ver. 22-26, while they were denominated Nazarenes by the unbelieving Jews, Acts xxiv. 5. We may date this occurrence, A.D. 43. SAUL'S SECOND VISIT TO JERUSALEM. During those days, some prophets, or inspired preachers, came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, among whom was Agabus, who predicted a great famine throughout the whole land of Judea, which accordingly took place next year, A.D. 44, in the fifth year of Claudius Cæsar. Josephus has noticed this famine, and the relief which the people of Jerusalem obtained from Helena, queen of Adiabene, and her son Izates, Ant. XX. 2-6, which is recorded also in the Rabbinical Work, Joma, p. 66. To relieve the suffering brethren in Judea, a collection was made by those of Antioch, each contributing according to his ability, and sent to "the Presbyters," or Church at Jerusalem, by the hand of Barnabas and Saul, ver. 27–30. SECOND JEWISH PERSECUTION. Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, by his son Aristobulus, had been appointed king of the Tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias, by Caius Caligula, upon his accession to the empire, on the death of Tiberius, A.D. 36, at the same time that Marullus was appointed procurator of Judea, Joseph. Ant. XVIII. 7-10. After the assassination of Caligula, and the accession of Claudius, A.D. 40, the new emperor, to reward Agrippa's services on that occasion, granted him all his grandfather's dominions of Judea and Samaria, added to what he possessed before, Ant. XIX. 5-1. We may date this full grant A.D. 41. But he reigned three years after it, Ant. XIX. 8—2. And in the last year of his reign, A.D. 44, soon after the commencement of the famine, in order to please his new subjects the Jews," Herod, the king, stretched forth his hands to molest certain [Presbyters] of the Church. And he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword; and seeing that this was acceptable to the Jews, he proceeded further to seize and imprison Peter also, at the time of the passover," intending to bring him forth to execution after the passover *, Acts xii. 1—4. The historical accuracy of Luke on this occasion is remarkable. This short interval of Agrippa's reign was the only time from the deposal of Archelaus that the Jews had a king of their own, till the end of their state. Thus was our Lord's prediction fulfilled respecting James, the elder of the sons of Zebedee, that he should drink of his master's cup, as the first martyr among the Apostles; while he graciously spared Peter, that main pillar of the Mother Church, for further services and sufferings when he should grow old, as he promised. Upon this ground, perhaps, incessant prayer was made by the Church to GOD for his deliverance. And their prayer was heard; for on the very night before Herod intended to have brought him forth to execution, while Peter was sleeping, with all the calmness of conscious innocence, between two soldiers, having each hand bound with a single chain to each soldier, according to the Roman custom, (Acts xxviii. 20; Ephes. vi. 20,) he was suddenly liberated by an Angel of the LORrd, who brought him out of the prison, and through the iron gate of the city, and then left him near the house of Mark the Evangelist. After sending an account of his miraculous deliverance to James, (his successor in the superintendance of the Mother Church, as first Bishop of Jerusalem,) and to the brethren, he retired to another place, out of Herod's dominions, to avoid the tyrant's fury; probably to Antioch, (Gal. ii. 11,) to visit that first Gentile Church, whose bounty he had so recently shared,ver.5—17. Herod, probably, to counteract the report of this miracle, condemned the guards to be put to death, as if they had betrayed their trust, and soon after was smitten himself by an Angel of THE LORD, because he accepted the acclamation of the Tyrians, It is the voice of a God and not of a man, without giving GOD Josephus represents Agrippa as a munificent prince, who courted popularity, resided much at Jerusalem, and was zealous for the law, Ant. XIX. 7-3; which corresponds exactly with the Evangelist's account. Agrippa was, probably, afraid to execute Peter during the passover, for fear of exciting an insurrection in Galilee, where Peter was most popular, or a rescue by the Galileans at the feast. |