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10 docia, in Pontus, and Afia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and ftrangers of Rome (b), Jews and profelytes, II Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our 12 tongues the wonderful words of God. And they

were all amazed, and were in doubt, faying one to 13 another, What meaneth this? Others mocking (c), faid, 34 Thefe men are full of new wine. But Peter standing up with the cleven, lift up his voice, and faid unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerufalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my 15 words: For thefe are not drunken, as ye fuppofe, 16 feeing it is but the third hour of the day (d). But

this is that which was fpoken by the prophet Joel, 17 And it fhall come to pafs in the laft days (faith God), I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your fons and your daughters fhall prophefy, and your young inen fhall fee vifions, and your old men fhall18 dream dreams: And on my fervants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out in thofe days of my 19 Spirit, and they fhall prophefy: And I will fhew

wonders in heaven above, and figns in the earth be20 neath; blood, and fire, and vapour of fmoke. The fun fhall be turned into darkness, and the moon into

(b) Strangers from Rome who fojourned at Jerufalem, fome of whom were Jews by extraction and defcent, that obferved the whole law of Mofes, and others who were called profelytes or converts of the gate (the ftranger within thy gates, as in the fourth commandment), being permitted to dwell among them, and to worship in the outward court of the temple, on renouncing idolatry, and profeffing their belief in the one true God.

(c) Others, who, understanding but one language, fuppofed that what was faid in other tongues was only found without fenfe.

(d) The third hour of the day was nine o'clock in the morning, the hour of prayer and morning facrifice, to which the Jews always went falling.

blood,

blood, before (e) that great and notable day of the 21 Lord come: And it fhall come to pafs, that who

foever fhall call on the name of the Lord, fhall be 22 faved (ƒ). Ye men of Ifrael, hear thefe words; Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, and wonders, and figns, which God did by him in the midft of you, as ye yourfelves alfo 23 know Him, being delivered by the determinate counfel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and flain; 24 Whom God hath raifed up, having loofed the pains of death: because it was not poffible that he should 25 be holden of it. For David fpeaketh concerning him, I forefaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be mo26 ved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my

tongue was glad: moreover alfo, my flefh fhall rest 27 in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my foul in hell,

neither wilt thou fuffer thine holy One to fee corrup28 tion (g). Thou haft made known to me the ways of

life; thou fhalt make me full of joy with thy coun29 tenance. Men and brethren, let me freely fpeak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his fepulchre is with us unto this 30 day: Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had fworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up. 31 Chrift to fit on his throne; He feeing this before, fpake of the refurrection of Chrift, that his foul was not left in hell, neither his fefh did fee corruption.

(e) Before the terrible deftruction that is coming upon Jerufalem, defcribed in terms reprefenting the day of judgment: and, in fact, it was accompanied with the fame diftrefs of mind, that we can ima gine to happen at the end of the world.

(f) They who embrace and obey the religion of Christ, fhall efcape and be faved from the common deftruction. Matt. xxiv. 13. (g) In full affurance that thou wilt not leave my foul in the state of the dead, nor fuffer my body to remain in the grave long enougla to undergo corruption. P. xvi. 10. Q6

32. This

32 This Jefus hath God raised up, whereof we all are 33 witnefles. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promife of the holy Ghoft, he hath fhed forth this, 34 which ye now fee and hear. For David is not asfcended into the heavens: but he faith himself, The LORD faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right 35 hand, Until I make thy foes thy footftool. There36 fore let all the house of Ifrael know affuredly, that

God hath made that fame Jefus whom ye have cru37 cified, both Lord and Chrift. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and faid unto Peter, and to the rest of the apoftles, Men and bre38 thren, what fhall we do? Then Peter faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins, 39 and ye fhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoft. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 40 God fhall call. And with many other words did he

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teftify and exhort, faying, Save yourselves from this 41 untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized, and the fame day there were added unto them about three thousand fouls (h). 42 And they continued ftedfaftly in the apoftles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in 43 prayers. And fear came upon every foul and many 44 wonders and figns were done by the apoftles. And all that believed were together, and had all things 45 common, And fold their poffeffions and goods, and

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parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they continuing daily with one accord in the

(h) Obferve how juftly the Gospel flate is compared to a grain of muflard-feed. Matt. xiii. 32. There having been an increafe of three thousand fouls, befides the one hundred and twenty mentioned, Chap. i. 15. and a daily addition of more, verfe 47. fo that Chap. iv. 4. the number is faid to be five thousand.

temple,

temple, and breaking bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladnefs and-finglenefs of heart, 47 Praifing God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily fuch as fhould be faved (i).

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CHA P. III.

NOW Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth 2 hour (a):"And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who feeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, afked 4 an alms. And Peter fastening his eyes upon him, with John, faid, Look on us. heed unto them, expecting to receive fomething of them: 6 Then Peter faid, Silver and gold have I none; but fuch as I have give I thee: In the name of Jefus Christ of Nazareth, rife up and walk (b). And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up; and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.

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And he

gave

(2) Thefe were the chofen remnant, who were faved or preferved from the judgments impending over the Jewifh nation. The words may alfo fignify fuch as were in the way of eternal falvation; and then it is obvious to remark, that the church of Rome is fo far from being (as fhe pretends) the mother and miftrefs of all churches, that there was not at this time any church at all at Rome: and fo far is falvation from being confined within the Roman pale, that there was daily an addition of fuch as fhould be faved at Jerufalem. When therefore we profess our belief in the holy catholic church, we mean the whole body of the church in every part of the world, as united in one communion and fellowship under Chrift our only

head.

(a) The ninth hour was three o'clock, being the time of evening prayer.

(b) In the name, means, by the authority and power, of Jefus Chrift.

8 And he leaping up, ftood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and 9 praifing God. And all the people faw him walking 10 and praifing God: And they knew that it was he which fat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement II at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed, held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering..

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And when Peter faw it, he answered unto the people, ye men of Ifrael, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye fo earneftly on us, as though by our own power or holinefs we had made this man to 13 walk? The God of Abraham, and of Ifaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jefus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the prefence of Pilate, when he was determined to let 14. him go. But ye denied the holy One, and the Just, 15 and defired a murderer to be granted unto you: And ́

killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from 16 the dead; whereof we are witneffes. And his name, through faith in his name (c), hath made this man ftrong, whom ye fee and know: yea, the faith which is by him, hath given him this perfect foundness in 17 the prefence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did alfo your 18 rulers. But thofe things which God before had fhewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Chrift fhould fuffer, he hath fo fulfilled (d).

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Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refreth

(c) Through the lame man's faith in the power given by Chrift to the apofles to heal him.

(d) But the wife providence of God made ufe of your errors and paffions, to accomplish the redemption of men by the death of Chrift, as the prophets had all along foretold.

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