Observe here, 1. The remarkable diligence and industry of St. Peter and the other apostles in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the third hour of the day on the feast of Pentecost, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, St. Peter preached. sermon, Acts 2:14 which by the blessing of the Hol... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The condition of this person. 1. He was poor, even to beggary; but poverty is no sign of God's disfavour, nor doth exclude any from partaking of the best of blessings. 2. He was born. cripple, not lamed by casualty or accident, but lame from his mother's womb. 3. He had continued... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The poverty of this great apostle St. Peter, and his holy contempt of the world; silver and gold he had none; his pretended successor the pope upon his election says the same; but with as little sincerity as he says, NOLO EPISCOPARI: The apostle's poverty was real, not fictitious. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. As soon as ever the poor cripple received strength, all the people beheld him praising and blessing God.- Learn hence, That the very first appearances of the power and mercy of God, towards ourselves or any of ours, should put us upon the works of praise and rejoicing. We truly say... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe her, 1. How St. Peter lays hold upon this opportunity, (when the people are gathered together to gaze upon this lame beggar) to preach. second awakening sermon to the Jews; in which he rebukes them sharply for their cursed contempt of Christ, and the horrible indignities offered to him. 1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How careful the apostle was, not to drive these murtherers of Christ (and consequently the worst of men) to despair, but to draw them to repentance; in order to which, 1. He mitigates their sin, imputing it rather to ignorance and blind zeal, than to malice. 2. He is charitable as... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle, like. wise physician, having discovered to the Jews the danger of their disease in the foregoing verses, now directs them to the only effectual remedy, viz Repentance: REPENT AND BE CONVERTED; that is, repent of your rejecting Jesus Christ, and be converted to Christianity. To repent, d... [ Continue Reading ]
Here St. Peter enforces his exhortation to repentance with. strong motive; namely, the certainty of Christ's coming to judge the world. God SHALL SEND JESUS, this Jesus whom we preach to you, visibly, to justify and glorify all penitentt and pardoned sinners, whom yet THE HEAVEN MUST CONTAIN TILL TH... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are recorded, Deuteronomy 18:15. and here by St. Peter pertinently applied unto Christ, to convince the unbelieving Jews, that he is the true and only Messiah, the great Prophet and Teacher of his church, whose doctrine it was highly dangerous to condemn, though out of the mouth of such... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, "All the prophets from Moses to Samuel, and particularly Isaiah, the evangelical prophet, did fortell the coming and kingdom of the Messias, the special mercies to them that believe on him, and the destruction of those that reject him." Where note, That Samuel is mentioned as the first pro... [ Continue Reading ]
Still observe, How sweetly St. Peter invites and encourages these murtherers of Christ to repentance; the worst of men must neither be driven to despair, nor to be too hastily despaired of. He tells them, they were the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom God first entered into covenant... [ Continue Reading ]
Here note, 1. That the offer of Jesus Christ, and eternal salvation by him, was first made to the people of the Jews, because they were the children of the covenant; that is, the only people in visible communion with God throughout the whole world. Note, 2. The benefit offered; God's Son is raised... [ Continue Reading ]