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A. D. 33. Ghoft: as your fathers did, fo do ye.

cil, told them plainly, That notwithstanding all these unexcep tionable Evidences from their own Scriptures, he ftill expected that they would continue hard against the Word of God, and the miraculous Teftimonies of his Spirit, juft as their Fore-fathers had too often done before them.

$2. Which of the prophets have not your fathers perfecuted? and they have flain them which fhewed before of the coming of the juft One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.

53. Who have received the law by the difpofition of angels, and have not kept it.

52. Only with this Difference, That they only abused thofe Prophets that foretold and defcribed the bleffed Times of the Meffiah; but you (fays he) by a more defperate Degree of Wickedness, have betrayed and murdered the very Meffiah himself.

53. And finally, That this their Law and Temple, tho' the one fo auguftly and folemnly declared from Heaven, the other fo magnificent in its Fabrick and Worship, fhould be fo far from being their Security, under fuch unrepented Violation of the Divine Will, that they would ferve only as Arguments to ascertain, and increase, and aggravate that most exemplary Judgment that was coming upon them.

54. When they
heard these things,
they were cut to the
heart, and they gnash-

ed on him with their
teeth.

55. But he being full of the holy Ghoft, looked up stedfaftly into heaven, and faw the glory of God, and Jefus ftanding on the right hand of God, SHECHINAH, of

54. This Difcourfe, and the bold Application of it to them, fo incenfed the Council, that they expreffed themselves against him, with all the Signs of Rage and Bitterness.

55. Stephen knowing what this Fury of theirs would end in, lifted up his Eyes and heart to Heaven, where his only Hope and Confidence was placed; and God for his prefent Support, vouchfafed him a Sight of the glorious Appearance of the Divine

Majefty,

Majefty, and Jefus in the higheft Splendor and Great- A. D. 33. nefs, ready to fave and receive him.

56. And faid, Behold, I fee the heavans opened, and the

56. And he declared to them
all, what he saw.

Son of man ftanding on the right hand of God.
57. Then they cri-
ed out with a loud
voice, and stopped
their ears, and ran up-
on him with one ac-

cord,

ed upon the People as a Blafphemer.

58. And caft him out of the city, and ftoned him and the witneffes laid down their cloaths at a young mans feet,whose name

was Saul.

57. But they, feeing nothing of the Vifion as he did, took it as a fresh Inftance of his Blafphemy, to confirm the former Charge; and exclaiming against him in the loudeft Manner, callto carry him off, and ftone him

58. And to put fome face of a legal Proceeding upon the Matter; they ordered him to be carried out of the City, and the Witneffes firft to begin the Execution, who accordingly ftript themselves for it, and gave their

Cloaths to be kept by one Saul, an eminent young Zealot against Stephen; who, by this Office, defired to testify his Confent to his Death.

59. And they ftoned Stephen, calling upon *God, and faying, Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit.

60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this fin to their charge. And when he had faid this, he fell asleep.

59. Thus they murdered this eminent Difciple, who all the while commended his Soul to JESUS his Saviour. *

60. And in the Midft of his Agonies got upon his Knees, and begged of God not to add this to the reft of their heavy Crimes; and fo died with as much Calmnefs and Compofure, as if he had fallen afleep. CHAP.

* Ver. 59. Calling upon God. Note, The Word [God] is not in the Original, nor ought to have been inserted here. The Reading is, And they foned Stephen, Txanéμever, Calling out to, or calling upon, or praying and saying, Lord Jefus, &c. And if the Word God be fuppofed to be put in this Place, yet the Senfe may well be this, viz. Calling upon God, and alfe faying, Lord Jefus Receive my Spirit.

CHAP. VIII.

The CONTENTS.

A general Perfecution against the Converts to Chriftia-
nity. They are forced to flee from Jerufalem. Only
the Apostles ftay there. Saul a chief Inftrument in this
Perfecution. The Preaching and Miracles of Philip
the Deacon in Samaria. Of Simon the Sorcerer. His
Propofal to buy the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft with Mo-
ney. Peter's Reproof of him thereupon. Philip con-
verts the Eunuch, and baptizeth him.

4. D. 33. 1. AND Saul was

confenting un-
to his death. And at

that time there was a
great perfecution a-
gainft the church
which was at Jerufa-
lem; and they were
all scattered abroad
throughout the regi-
ons of Judea and Sa-
maria, except the a-
poftles.

I.

THE Rage and Malice of

the Council at Stephen's Difcourfe, did not end in his Murder, but extended to all the Chriftian Converts; all, or moft of which, were forced thereupon to retire from Jerufalem into the feveral Parts of Judaa and Samaria. But the twelve Apoftles* continued there ftill. And in the Execution of these perfecuting Orders of the Council, Saul was a principal Inftrument, as he had before been of Stephen's Condemnation.

2. In'

* Ver. 1. Tλy Jav drósónwv, Except the Apoftles; who,
in all Probability, would hardly have abided the Danger of
this Perfecution, but from fome special Order from GOD,
and by a particular Providence over them.

. The Reason for their Continuance at Jerufalem in a Body,'
I conceive to be, That they might confult and give Direc-
tions to them that were fcattered into feveral Parts, relating
to the Converts they fhould make. See Chap. viii. 14, &c.
and Chap. xi. 22, . See Bp. Pearfon's Oper. Poft
pag. 62.

I

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2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

2. In the mean Time, tho' it A. D. 35. was against the Cuftom of the Jewish Nation to bury Malefactors in the fame Manner with other People, yet Stephen's Friends ventured to carry his Body off, and perform his Funeral with the usual Decencies and Respects.

3. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entring into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prifon.

3. To proceed now in the Account of this Difperfion of the Chriftian Converts, who could now no longer endure their own Houfes, by reafon of the Zeal and Fury of Saul, who by Order of the Council, entered and fearched them all, dragging Men and Women out to Prifon.

4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word.

4. But these Endeavours to fupprefs the Chriftian Doctrine, tended yet further to fpread and propagate it. For fuch of those that were driven from Jerufalem, as had fufficient Endowments of the Holy Ghoft, and Authority from the Apostles, went preaching, and confirming the Gofpel, through the feveral Towns and Countries, into which they were difperfed.

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5, 6, 7 & 8. Among whom Philip, one of the seven Deacons or Stewards for the Poor, (Chap. vi.) diftinguished himself in one of the chief Cities of the Samaritan Country; in which he preached, and wrought Miracles with fuch Succefs, that the greateft Part of the People believed, and embraced the Gospel with

E

the

"Ardess iuλaßās, Devout Men. Whether this Phrase in this Place, fignifies Jewish Profelytes, or Chriftian Converts, is hardly to be determined; though moft probably they were Jewish Profelytes turned Chriftians.

A. D. 35. rits, crying with a the greatest Gladness and Satisloud voice, came out faction.

of many that were poffeffed with them: and many taken with palfies, and that were lame, were healed.

8. And there was great joy in that city.

9. But there was a certain man called Simon, which beforetime in the fame city ufed forcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was fome great one.

to. To whom they all gave heed, from the leaft to the greateft, faying, This man

9, 10 & 11. Now there had been a good while in that City, one Simon, a famous Sorcerer, that declared himself endowed with moft eminent Degrees of divine Power; and indeed had fo long and often astonished the People with diabolical and magical Performances, that he was cried up by all Ranks, for a wonderful and divine Perfon.

is the great power of God.

11. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with forceries.

12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom

of God, and the name

of Jefus Chrift, they
were baptized both
men and women.
JESUS CHRIST.
13. Then Simon
himself believed also:
and when he was bap;
tized, he continued
with Philip, and won-
dred, beholding the
miracles and figns
which were done.

12. But upon hearing the comfortable and reasonable Doctrine of the Chriftian Religion from Philip, and feeing the far more plain and unexceptionable Miracles by which he confirmed it, they left Simon, and were baptized into the Religion of

13. Nay, the Power by which Philip wrought his Cures, appeared fo evidently to be derived from the true God, that Simon himself was as much ftruck and aftonished at them, as the People had been at his; and finding he could no longer ftand in Competition with him, pretended at leaft, to be his fincere Convert, and fo was baptized, and attended upon his preaching.

14. Now when the 14 & 15. Now the twelve Aapofiles which were at pofties at Jerufalem, having Intelligence

Jeru

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