d b Then intend to bring this mans blood upon us. 29. Peter and the other apoftles anfwered and faid, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jefus, whom ye flew and hanged on a tree. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a f Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Ifrael, and Forgivenefs of Sins. 32. And we are his witnesses of these things; and fo is alfo the holy Ghost, whom God hath bf Acts 4. 19. c See on Acts 2. 24. d h 10 † A&s 10. 39. Whom they flew, and hanged on a Tree. † Acts 15 13. 29. When they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the Tree 1 Pet. 2 24 Who his own felf bare our Sins in his own Body on 20 the Tree. et A&ts 2. 33, 36. Therefore be ing by the right Hand of God exalted. Let all the House of Ifrael know affuredly, that God hath 25 made that fame Jefus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. See on Mat 22.44. A&ts 3. 15. And killed the Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other Name given among Men whereby we must be faved. given quities. Acts 11. 18. -Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life. + Acts 13. 38. Be it known unto you there5 fore, Men and Brethren, that thro this Man is preached unto you the Forgiveness of Sins. 1 Joh. 2. 12. I write unto you little Children, because your Sins are forgiven you for his Names fake. i See on Luk. 24. 48. k Joh. 15. 26. When the Com forter is come, whom I will fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father, he fhall teftific of me. A † Acts 2. 2, 4, 38. Suddenly there came a Sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty Wind, and it filled all the Houfe where they were fitting; And they were al filled with the holy Ghost, and began to fpeak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jefus Chrift, for the Remiffion of Sins, and ye fhall receive the Gift of the holy 30 Ghoft. A&ts 4 31. When they had prayed,the Place was fhaken where they were affembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they fpake the Word with boldness. A&s 7 55. He being full of the holy Ghost. Acts 8. 15, 16. [Peter and John] prayed for them that they might receive the holy Ghost. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name Luk. 24. 47. That Repentance 35 and remiffion of Sins fhould be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerufalem. A&ts 3. 26. Unto you firft, God having raifed up his Son Jefus,40 fent him to bless you, in turning avay every one of you from his Ini of n given to them that obey him. 33. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counfel to flay them. 34. Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named " Gamaliel, a doctor of law, had in reputation. among all the people, and commanded to put the apoftles forth a little space, 35. And faid unto them, Ye men of Ifrael, take heed to your felves, what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36. For (1) before thefe days rofe up Theudas, boafting himself to be fome body, to whom a number of men, about four hund ed, joyned themselves; who was flain, and all as many as obeyed [Or, believed] him, were fcattered, and brought to nought. 37. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he alfo perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were difperfed. 38. And now I fay unto you, Refrain from thefe men, and let for if this counfel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; left haply ye be found even to P fight against God. 40. And to him they agreed: and when they had them alone: of the Lord Jesus). A&s 9. 17. -Brother Saul, the Lord hath fent me, that thou mighteft receive thy Sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost. Acts 10.44 -The boly Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word. A&ts 11.15,17,24. As I began to fpeak, the holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the Begin li 3 5 with their Teeth. ning. Forafmuch then as God 10 God is with us. + Mat 15. 13. gave unto them the like Gift he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jefus Chrift, what was I that I Could withstand God? He [Barnabas] was a good Man, and full of the holy Ghost, and of Faith.Acts 13. 52. The Difciples were filled with joy, and with the holy Ghost. 15 A&ts 15. 8. God which knoweth the Hearts, bare them, witness, giving them the holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. A&ts 7. 54. When they heard thefe things, they were cut to the Heart, and they gnafhed on him 25 (1) This was in the Third Year Year of our Lord. Every Plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, fhall be rooted up. - P + Acts 9. 5. The Lord faid, am Jefus whom thou perfecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against. the Pricks. † Acts 23 9. We find no Evil in this Man: but if a Spirit or an Angel hath fpoken to him, let us not fight against God.. I Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealoufie? are we ftronger than he? Rev 7 14. Thefe fhall make War with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them. before the Account called, The ACTS VI. had called the apoftles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not fpeak in the name of Jefus, and let them go. 41. And they departed from the prefence of the council, E rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fuffer fhame for his name. 42. And daily in the temple, and in every houfe, they ceafed not to teach and preach Jefus Chrift. CHAP. VI. A ND in those days, when the number of the difciples was multiplied, there arofe a murmuring of * A&ts 4. 18. Mar. 21. 35. The Husbandmen took his Servants, and beat one, and killed another, and ftoned another. Mar. 13. 9. Take heed to your Selves: for they fhall deliver you up to Councils ; and in the Synagogues ye fhall be beaten, and ye shall be brought before Rulers and Kings for my fake. 10 the joy and rejoice with you all. † Col. 1. 24. Who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you. Heb. 10. 34. Ye had compaffion of me in my 5 Bonds, and took joyfully the Spoiling of your Goods, knowing in your felves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring Subftance. Jam. 1. 2 My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations. I Pet. 1. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a Seafon (if need be) ye are in Heavinefs through manifold Temptations. † Pet. 4. 13, 16. Rejoice in as much as ye are Partakers of Chrifts Sufferings, that when his Glory fhall be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy. If any Man fuffer as a Chriftian, let him not be afhamed; but let him glorifie God on this behalf. 20 Mat. 5. 11, 12. Bleffed are ye when Men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fhall fay all manner of evil against you falfly for my fake. Rejoice, and be 15 exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven.-- Acts 16. 25. At Midnight [in Prifon] Paul and Silas prayed, and fang Praifes to God. Rom. 5. 3. •We glory in Tribulations- 2 Cor. 6. fo. As forrowful, yet alway rejoicing 2 Cor. 7. 4. -I am filled with Comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our Tribulation. 2 Cor., 8. 2. How that in a great Tryal of 25 Affliction, the Abundance of their Joy- 2 Cor. 12. 1o. I take Plea fure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Neceffities, in Perfecutions, in, Diftreffes for Chrifts fake.† Phil. 2. 17. If I be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your Faith, I 30 d Phil. 1. 29. Unto you it is giv en in the behalf of Chrift, not only to believe on him, but also to fuffer for his fake. e See on Acts 2. 42, 46. f Mat. 13 31. The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Grain of Mufard-Seed, which a Man took, and fowed in his Field. See on Acts 2. 41. the Grecians against the (1) Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily miniftration. 2. Then the twelve called the multitude of the difciples unto them, and faid, It is not reafon that we should leave the word of God, and ferve tables. 3. Wherefore, brethren, k look ye out among you feven men of honeft report, full of the holy Ghoft and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this bufinefs. 4. But we will give our felves continually to prayer, and to the miniftry of the word. 5. And the faying pleafed the whole multitude: and they chofe Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the holy Ghoft, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a profelyte of Antioch. 6. Whom they set before the apoftles: and when they had P prayed, they (2) laid their : Acts 9. 29. And he fpake boldly in the Name of the Lord Jefus, and difputed against the Grecians; but they went about to flay him. A&s 11. 20. Some of them were Men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greci= ans, preaching the Lord Jefus. 5 เว h.. Acts 4. 35. And laid them 10 down at the Apoftles Feet: and diftribution was made to every Man according as he had need. + Exod. 18. 17. Mofes Father in Law faid unto him, The Thing that thou doft is not good. 15 20 + Deut. 1. 13. Take ye wife Men and understanding, and known among your Tribes, and I will make them Rulers over you. † A&s 1.21. Of these Men which have companied with us, all the Time that the Lord Jefus went in and out among us. † Acts 16. 2. Which [Timotheus] was well re- 25 ported of by the Brethren.- t Tim. 3. 7. He must have a good Report of them which are with li 4 out. 1 A&ts 2. 42. They continued ftedfaftly in the Apoftles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. † Act. 11. 24. He [Barnabas] was a good Man, and full of the holy Ghoft, and of Faith. nt Acts 8. 5, 26 Philip went down to the City of Samaria, and preached Chrift to them. The An gel of the Lord fpake unto Philip, faying, Arife, and go toward the South. Acts 21. 8. We entred into the Houfe of Philip the Evangelift (which was one of the feven) and abode with him. • Rev. 2. 6, 15. Thou hatest the Deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. So haft thou alfo them, which hold the Doctrine of. the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. P Acts 1. 24. They prayed and faid, Thou, Lord, which knoweft the Hearts of all Men, fhew whether of these two thou hast chofen. (1) That is, Jews who lived in Judea, and used the Hebrew or Syriac Language. The Grecians were probably Jews, who lived in Heathen Countries, and fpoke the Greek Tongue, and ufed the Greek Bible in their Synagogues. Thefe feem to have been Jewish Profelytes. (2) Instead of fetting down the Texts at length where this Ceremony, the a their hands on them. 7. And the word of God increased; and the number of the difciples multiplied in Jerufalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8. And Stephen full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9. Then there arofe certain of the fynagogue, which is called the na gogue of the (1) Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and of Afia, difputing with Stephen. 10. And they were not able to refift the wisdom and the fpirit Ifa. 55. 11. So fhall my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth: it thall not return unto me void, but it fhall accomplish that which I pleafe, and it fhall profper in the Thing whereto I fent it. +Acts 12. 24. The Word of God grew and multiplied. Acts 13. 49. And the Word of the Lord was pubLifhed throughout all the Region. 10 Acts 19. 20. So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed. Rom. 16. 26. But now is made manifeft, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the Commandment of the everlafting 5 God, made known to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith. † Rom. 15. 18. To make the Gentiles Ohedient by Word and Deed. 2 Cor. 1c. 5. Cafting down Imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it felf against the Knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Chrift. Col. 1. 6. Which is come unto you, as it is in all the World, and bringeth forth Fruit, as it doth alfo 15 in you, fince the Day ye heard of it, and knew the Grace of God in Truth. Joh. 12. 42. Among the chief Rulers alfo many believed on 20 him Rom 1. 5. By whom we have received Grace and Apoftlehip for Obedience to the Faith among all Nations for his Name. 25 d + See Exod. 4. 12. I will be with thy Mouth, and teach thee what thou fhalt fay. Ifa. 54. 17. -Every Tongue that shall rife against thee in Tudgment thou fhalt condemn - + Luk.21.15.I will give you a Mouth and Wifdom, which all your Adverfaries fhall not be able to gain ay or resist. - e Mat. 10. 20. For it is not ye that the Laying on of Hands, is mentioned, I will briefly lay before you on what Occafions this antient Rite was used. I. In Bleffings, Gen. 48. 14. Mat. 19. 15. Mar 15. 16. 11. In Dedicating Sacrifices to God under the Law, Exod 29 10 Lev. 1. 4. II. In the Condemnation and Punishment of Criminals, Lev.24. 14. Deut. 17.7. daining Perfon's to Offices, Numb. 8. 10, 20. 34 9. Acts 6. 6. Acts 13.3. 1 Tim. 4. 14. IV. In Appointing and Or 1 Tim. 5. 22. Luk. 13. 13. 2 Tim. 1.6. V. It was used by our Lord and his Apoftles in miraculous Cures wrought by them, Mar. 6. 5. Mar. 16. 18. Lak 4. 40. Acts 9 17. Ats 28.8. VI. In conferring the miraculous Gift of the holy Ghost, As 8. 17. Acts 19. 6. Our Church ufes this antient Ceremony in Confirma tion, and in Ordaining and Confecrating Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. (1) These were probably the Sons of fuch Jews as had obtain'da Ro• man Freedom, and fo were Free born, which was accounted more honour able than the being made Free by Purchafe or Gift. |