Acts 17

Acts 17:4

DEvout Greekes,] Prselytes who had embraced the ewish Religion all but〈◊〉.

Acts 17:5

Of Iason,] in whose house Paul and Silas lodged.

Acts 17:9

Securitie,] to come and answer whensoever they should be called.

Acts 17:11

More noble,] free and loyall Iewes in following the word of their God, and endeavouring to obtaine the reward of their faith, and the effect of their expectation being not degenerate thorow incredulitie, nor gone astray from right judgment thorow the filthy passion of envie.

Acts 17:12

Greekes,] gentile Proselytes.

Acts 17:14

As it were,] and in the meane time going by land to Athens, to avoyd the ambushes; and provide for their owne safeties.

Acts 17:19

Aeopagu,] Namely was Mars his Hi’l, for so was the Palace called, where the Athenians held their Senate. Where Paul was brought, either to be examined concerning this new Religion, or only to eed the curiositie of those people.

Acts 17:21

For all the,] this is intermixed to shew the reason why there was such a great concourse of people came thither by reason of Paul.

Acts 17:22

I perceive,] this is spoken by the way of a milde insiuation, to avoyd offence and obtaine audience: though indeed all your Ahenian customs and rites were but only superstitions and Idolaies.

Acts 17:23

An Altar,] many Authors make mention of this inscription, whereof the cause and originall is very uncertaine Peradventure it was to make even the strange Godspropicious to them. Paul makes use of it onely to shew them, that they had no cause thus absolutely to reject his doctrine and the God which he preached unto them, under the pretence of an unknowne Noveltie.

Acts 17:24

Dwelleth not] he is an infinite spirit, and lleth heaven and earth, is not circumscribéd & shut up in any certaine place, as Idols are, and is the Author of all good, of which he makes men patakers and receaves nothing of them for himselfe: Nor requires any thing for all their dutie, but that man should acknowledge and worship him in spirit and in truth.

Acts 17:26

Of one blud,] of the same stock and race of Adam, that as God is one, and all the generation of man is but one, all without any distinction of nations, may tend to one end, namely to know him, and serve him Hath determined,] though hee hath appointed severall times for mens births, and appointed them severall places for their abode, yet are they all of one generation, and therefore ought not to have particular Gods for every nation and province after the Pagan manner, but one only universall one, Creator of all.

Acts 17:27

That they,] the end of man, even since thorow sinne hee lost his first light of the knowledge of God, ought to be to employ that little naturall light which hee hath remaining to observe and take notice of the markes; and trackes of Gods Nature in his workes, to serve him according to it, and not runne a stray after Idolatry. See Romans 1:19-20; Romans 1:23.

Acts 17:28

In Him,] thorow him, and thorow his vertue; which hee continually infuseth into his creatures, for to maintaine them in their being, Colossians 1:17. Hebrews 1:3 As certaine,] Namely as Aatus a Greeke Poet. See 1 Corinthians 15:32. Titus 1:12. to shew that by naturall discourse many heathens had knowne Gods Image in their owne soules. Whereby they mightraise themselves to that point, to know that hee was an eerlasting and infinite spirit 〈◊〉 and therefore can not bee represented by corporall and corruptible things, nor be served in them

Acts 17:30

Winked at,] borne with men, looking not after them to destroy them for their horrible Idolatries.

Acts 17:31

By that man,] namely by Iesus Christ, whom Paul nameth by his humanity, peradventure regarding the Gentiles incapacity to apprehend the mystery of the Trinitie and incarnation, and not to confirme them in the opinion of the multiplicitie of Gods.

Acts 17:34

Areopgite,] a Senator or judge of the Areopagus.