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20 ing fhall come from the prefence of the Lord, And he fhall fend Jefus Chrift, which before was preach21 ed unto you: Whom the heaven muft receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, 22 fince the world began. For Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, A prophet fhall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me (e); him fhall ye hear in all things whatsoever he fhall 23 fay unto you. And it fhall come to pass, that every foul which will not hear that prophet, fhall be de24 ftroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewife foretold of 25 these days. Ye are the children of the prophets (f), and of the covenant which God made with our fa thers, faying unto Abraham, And in thy feed fhall 26 all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you firft, God having raised up his Son Jefus, fent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

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AND as they fpake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple (a), and the Sadducees, 2 came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jefus the refur

(e) Our bleffed Saviour was the prophet raised up like as Mofes was; being, like him, of the Jewish nation, and having received the fulf eft and freeft communications of the divine will, and the power of working miracles, for the conviction of men. Deut. xviii. 15.

(f) Ye are defcended from the same flock as the prophets, and of confequence ye are heirs of the covenant.

(a) The captain of the temple was the officer commanding the guard, or watch, that was kept there by the Levites.

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3 rection from the dead (b). And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day; for it 4 was now even-tide. Howbeit, many of them which heard the word, believed; and the number of the 5 men was about five thousand. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and 6 fcribes, And Annas the high-prieft, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high-prieft, were gathered toge-7 7 ther at Jerufalem. And when they had fet them in the midft, they afked, By what power, or by what 8 name, have ye done this? Then Peter filled with the holy Ghoft, faid unto them, Ye rulers of the 9 people, and elders of Ifrael, If we this day be ex

amined of the good deed done to the impotent man, 10 by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Ifrael, that by the name of Jefus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him, II doth this man ftand here before you whole. This is the ftone which was fet at nought of you builders, 12 which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there falvation in any other (c): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved.

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Now when they faw the boldnefs of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men (d), they marvelled; and they took 14 knowledge of them, that they had been with Jefus.

(b) The Sadducees denied a refurrection and life to come, and were therefore provoked that that doctrine was publicly taught.

(c) It appears from this paffage that invocation of the Virgin Mary, or any other Saint, for either eternal falvation, or relief from bodily disease, is not only useless, but finful.

(d) That they were unlearned and ignorant men, was a proof, that their unfhaken courage, the firength of their reafoning, and the miracles they performed, could not be owing to any thing but the real power of God himself.

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And beholding the man which was healed ftanding with 15 them, they could fay nothing against it. But when

they had commanded them to go afide out of the 16 council, they conferred among themfelves, Saying, What fhall we do to thefe men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerufalem, and we cannot 17 deny it. But that it fpread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak 18 henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor 19 teach, in the name of Jefus. But Peter and John anfwered and faid unto them, Whether it be right in the fight of God, to hearken unto you more than un20 to God, judge ye. For we cannot but fpeak the 21 things which we have feen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which 22 was done. For the man was above forty years old, 23 on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had faid 24 unto them. And when they heard that, they lift up their voice to God with one accord, and faid, Lord, thou art God which haft made heaven and earth, 25 and the fea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy fervant David haft faid, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his 27 Chrift. For of a truth against thy holy child Jefus, whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael 28 were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy

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hand and thy counfel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy fervants, that with all boldnefs they may 30 fpeak

30 fpeak thy word, By ftretching forth thine hand to heal and that figns and wonders may be done by 31 the name of thy holy child Jefus. And when they had prayed, the place was fhaken where they were affembled together; and they were all filled with the holy Ghoft, and they fpake the word of God 32 with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and of one foul: neither faid any of them, that ought of the things which he poffeffed, was his own; but they had all things: 33 common. And with great power gave the apoftles witness of the refurrection of the Lord Jefus (e) : 34 and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were poffeffors of lands or houfes, fold them, and 35 brought the prices of the things that were fold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man, according as he had need. 36 And Jofes, who by the apoftles was furnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, the fon of confola-37 tion) (f) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, fold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

(e) With the power of miracles they enforced their arguments in proof of the refurrection; and the grace of God was plentifully beftowed upon them; which appeared in the most perect unity of fentiment, and unbounded affection, and liberality to each other.

(f) He was probably fo called, becaufe of his readinefs to fell bis eftate for the comfort and support of his fellow Christians.

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B UT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira 2 his wife, fold a poffeffion (a), And kept back part of the price, his wife alfo being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' 3 feet. But Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the holy Ghoft (b), and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was fold, was it not in thine own power? why haft thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou haft not lied 5 unto men, but unto God (c). And Ananias hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghoft: and great fear came on all them that heard these 6 things. And the young men arofe, wound him up, 7 and carried him out, and buried him. And it was

about the space of three hours after, when his wife, 8 not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye fold the land for fo much. And fhe faid, Yea, for fo much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord (d)? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy huf10 band are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell fhe down ftraightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghoft and the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her

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(a) Pretending that he had thrown all that he received for it into the common fund, for the benefit of his fellow Chriftians.

(b) To endeavour to impofe on us, to whom the holy Ghoft hath given the power of difcerning of fpirits, (1 Cor. xii. 10.) and detecting the moft fecret evil intentions of the mind.

(c) Thou haft lied not only unto men, but likewife and especially unto God, the fearcher of hearts, and the avenger of all wickednefs. (d) To make an experiment, as it were, whether the Holy Spirit could find out the fraud.

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