Acts 11:16-18

Then remembered I the word of the Lord This descent of the Holy Ghost on them, as on us at the beginning of our public ministry, was such an extraordinary occurrence, that I immediately called to mind, and could not but reflect on, the word of the Lord, as then remarkably verified; how he said Just before his ascension, (Acts 1:5,) Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost For this pouring forth of the Spirit upon them appeared to be a wonderful accomplishment of that prediction. Forasmuch then as God The sovereign dispenser of his own favours; gave them the like gift as he did unto us who believed That is, because we believed, not because we were circumcised, was the Holy Ghost given to us. What was I that I should withstand Greek, δυνατος κωλυσαι, that I should be able to prohibit, God From conferring such a gift upon them; or should presume to oppose myself against his wise and gracious pleasure? They had inquired only concerning his eating with the Gentiles, but he satisfies them likewise concerning his baptizing them; and shows that he had done right in going to Cornelius, not only by the command of God, but also by the event, the descent of the Holy Ghost. And who are we, that we should withstand God? Particularly by laying down rules of Christian communion, which exclude any whom he has admitted into the church of the firstborn, from worshipping God together. O that all church governors would consider how bold a usurpation this is on the authority of the supreme Lord of the church! O that the sin of thus withstanding God may not be laid to the charge of those who, perhaps with a good intention, but in an over-fondness for their own forms, have done it, and are continually doing it! When they heard these things, they held their peace Being thoroughly satisfied for the present, till the controversy was renewed by some fierce zealots, Acts 15:1; and glorified God For so wonderful a manifestation of his grace; saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles The poor, ignorant, uncircumcised, despised, idolatrous Gentiles; granted repentance unto life Has not only made them overtures of it, but has graciously wrought it in some of their hearts. Here, it is plain, they speak of those to whom this repentance was granted, as persons who before, according to their apprehension, were in a state of spiritual death; in which condition, it is probable, they had thought all uncircumcised persons to be: and, without doubt, they must mean to include the idolatrous Gentiles among the rest, as those who were most evidently and certainly so. Observe, reader, true repentance is a change from spiritual death to spiritual life, and leads to life everlasting.