NOTES UPON The New Testament BY JOHN WESLEY, M. A. BRISTOL: Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in Wine-Street, 1761 NOTES ON THE ACTS of the APOSTLES. HIS Book, in which St. Luke records the Actions of the panion in Travel he was) is as it were the Centre between the Gofpels and the Epiftles. It contains, after a very brief Recapitulation of the Evangelical Hiftory, a Continuation of the Hiftory of Chrift, the Event of his Predictions, and a kind of Supplement to what he had before spake to his Difciples, by the Holy Ghost now given unto them. It contains alfo the Seeds and firft Stamina of all thofe Things, which are enlarged upon in the Epiftles. The Gospels treat of Chrift the Head: The Afts fhew, That the fame Things befal his Body; which is animated by his Spirit, perfecuted by the World, defended and exalted by GoD. In this Book is fhewn the Chriftian Doctrine, and the Method of applying it to Jews, Heathens, and Believers; that is, to those who are to be converted, and thofe who are converted: The Hindrances of it in particular Men, in feveral Kinds of Men, in different Ranks and Nations: The Propagation of the Gospel, and that grand Revolution among both Jews and Heathens: The Victory thereof, in fpite of all Oppofition, from all the Power, Malice, and Wifdom of the whole World, fpreading from one Chamber into Temples, Houses, Streets, Markets; Fields, Inns, Prisons, Camps, Courts; Chariots, Ships, Villages, Cities, Iflands: To Jews, Heathens, Magiftrates, Generals, Soldiers, Eunuchs, Captives, Slaves, Women, Children, Sailors: To Athens, and at length to Rome, The Parts of it are Seven, 1. Pentecoft, with its Antecedents, 2. Tranfactions with the Jews, in Jerufalem, in all Judea, and in Samaria, C. i, ii. C. iii-ix 3. Tranfaétions at Cefarea, and the Reception of the Gentiles, C. x, xi. 4. The firft Courfe of Barnabas and Paul among the Gentiles, C. xiii, xiv. 5. The Embaffy to, and Council at Jerufalem, concerning the Liberty of the Gentiles, 6. The Second Courfe of St. Paul, 7. His Third, as far as Rome, C. xv. C. xvi-xix. I. TH The ACT S. HE former treatife have I compofed, O Theophilus, of all things which Jefus began both 2 to do and to teach, Until the day he was taken up, after having thro' the Holy Ghoft given command3 ment to the apostles whom he had chofen : To whom also he prefented himself alive after his paffion, by many infallible proofs, being feen by them forty days, and fpeaking of the things pertaining 4 to the Kingdom of God. And having affembled V. 1. The former treatise-In that important Season, which reached from the Refurrection of Chrift to his Afcenfion, the former treatise ends, and this begins: This defcribing the As of the Holy Ghost (by the Apoftles) as that does the Acts of Jefus Chrift. Of all things In a fummary Manner: Which Jefus began to do-until the dayThat is, of all Things which Jefus did, from the Beginning till that Day. V. 2. After having given commandment-In the 3d Verfe, St. Luke exprefles in general Terms, what Chrift faid to his Apoftles during thofe forty days. But in the 4th, and following Veries, he declares what he laid on the Day of his Afcenfion. He had brought his former Account down to that Day. And from that Day begins the Acts of the Apostles. V. 3. Being feer. by them forty days-That is, Many Times during that Space. And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God--Which was the Sum of all his Difcourfes with them, before his Paffion alío. V. 4. Wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard from me-When He was with them a little before, as it is recorded, Luke xxiv. 49. V. 5. Ye J them together, he commanded them, not to depart from Jerufalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, faith he, ye have heard from me. 5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghoft, not many days 6 hence. And when they were come together, they asked him, faying, Lord, doft thou at this time 7 restore the Kingdom to Ifrael? But he faid to them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye fhall receive power, the Holy Ghoft being come upon you, and shall be witnesses to me, both in Jerufalem, and in all Judea, and 9 Samaria, and to the uttermoft part of the earth. And having fpoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him from to their fight. And while they were ftedfaftly looking up to Heaven, as he went up, behold two men, in white apparel ftood by them, Who also faid, Ye men of Galilee, why ftand ye gazing into hea11 ven? This Jefus who is taken up from you into heaven, fhall come, as ye have feen him going into 12 heaven. Then they returned to Jerufalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerufalem a fabbath-day's journey. V. 5. Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghoft-And fo are all true Believers, to the End of the World. But the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft alfo are here promised. V. 6. Doft thou at this time-At the Time thou now fpeakest of? Not many days bence? Reftore the kingdom to Ifrael ?-They fill feemed to dream of an outward, temporal Kingdom, in which the Jerus fhould have Dominion over all Nations. It feems, they came in a Body, having before concerted the Design, to afk, When this Kingdom would come? V. 7. The times or the seasons-Times, in the Language, of the Scripture, denote a longer, Seasons, a fhorter Space: Which the Father bath put in his own power-To be revealed, when and to whom it pleafeth Him. V. 8. But ye shall receive power and fhall be witnesses to me-That is, Ye fhall be impowered to witness my Gospel, both by your Preaching and Suffering. V. 12. A fabbath day's journey-The Jews generally fix this to two thousand Cubits, which is not a Mile. |