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16. There came alfo a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerufalem, bring jng fick folks, and them which were vex ed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

17. Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the feet of the Sadduces) and were filled with indignation, 18. And laid their hands on the apoftles, and put them in the common prison.

16. And the Fame of thefe A. D. 33. Things fpreading through the m Towns and other Cities of Judea, they reforted to Jerufalem with great Numbers of their Sick, fome of natural Diseases, others poffeffed with evil Spirits; and the Apostles cured them as faft as they brought them.

17 & 18. The Apostles, continuing with thefe Miracles to preach the Refurrection of Chrift and a future State, put the High "See chap. Prieft, and that Part of the Coun- iv. I. cil that were Sadduces into a most violent Rage; (the Doctrine preached being in direct Oppofition to the principal Tenet of their Sect;) and fo they ordered them again to be apprehended,

and put into the common Goal.

19. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prifondoors, and brought them forth, and faid, 20. Go, ftand and and speak in the temple to the people, all the

words of this life. * they did.

21. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the

19 & 20. But an Angel of God, that very Night, led them out, and fhut the Doors again, without any of the Keepers Knowledge, and ordered them early next Morning to go and preach the fame Doctrine (viz. of the future State of eternal Life,) openly in the Temple, and fo

21. At the fame Time, the High Prieft and Sadduces called all the Council together, and fent to the Goal to fetch the Apostles.

high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the fenate of the children of Ifrael, and fent to the prifon to have them brought.

22. But

* Ver. 20. All the Words of this Life -or πάντα λα phuala, all the Things concerning this Life-This Life

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A. D. 33.

22. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

23. Saying, The prison truly found we hut with all fafety, and the keepers standing without before the found no man within.

24. Now when the

22 & 23. The Officers went accordingly, but came back, and told them, That they had been at the Prifon, where they found every Thing faft, and every Man in his Poft, as they were left the Night before, but that the Prisoners were gone.

door: but when we had opened, we

24. This put the Council again

high priest, and the to a perfect Non-plus.

captain of the temple

and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

25. Then came one
and told them, faying,
Behold, the men whom
ye put in prison, are
Itanding in the tem-
ple, and teaching the
people.

26. Then went the
captain with the offi-
cers, and brought them
without vlolence: (for
they feared the peo-
ple, left they fhould
have been ftoned.)
27. And when they
had brought them,
they set them before
the council: and the
high prieft asked them,
28. Saying, Did
not we ftraitly com-
mand you, that you
fhould not teach in

25. But in the Midft of their Perplexity, they had Notice given them, that their Prifoners were in the Temple, teaching the People as they used to do.

26. Upon which Intelligence, the Roman Officer went with a Guard, and brought them to the Council, with as little Violence as could be, for fear the People should have mutinied.

27 & 28. When they were come into Court, the High Prieft asked them, How they durft prefume against the folemn Orders and Threats of fo great an Authority, to preach up a Doctrine, that in effect, was to tax the whole Council with Murder and Blood-fhed? this name? and behold, ye have filled Jerufalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this mans blood upon us.

29. Then

emphatically, this Refurrection to the future Life, which the Sadduces fo violently oppofed This Life, in Contradi

ftinction to the Life of mere temporal, worldly Bleffings and Grandeur the Jews were generally fo fond of.

29. Then Peter and the other apoftles anfwered, and faid, We ought to obey. God

ather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raifed up Jefus, whom ye flew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his righthand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to If rael, and forgiveness of fins.

29. To which they all unani- 4. B. 33. moufly gave the fame Anfwer as Peter and John had given before, ch. iv. That the Authority of God was fuperior to that of their Court.

30, 31 & 32. Repeating to them again the Sum of the Doctrine they preached, viz. That the very God of Ifrael whom they all acknowledged, has raised up the very Jefus whom they had crucified, and exalted him to the higheft Degree of heavenly Glory, as the Meffiah and Saviour of Mankind; that he had now of32. And we are fered to them, and the whole his witnesses of these World, Pardon and Happiness, things; and fo is also upon the Condition of Repenthe holy Ghoft,whom tance, and a fincere Profeffion of God hath given to his Religion; that they his Apothem that obey him. ftles were Eye-witneffes, both of his Refurrection and Afcenfion, and had fufficiently confirmed them by the Powers of the Holy Ghoft. . 33. When they heard that, they were cut to the beart, and took counsel to flay them. 34. Then flood there up one in the council, a Pharifee, 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

33. The Council enraged at this, were, refolving, right or wrong, to condemn them to Death.

34 & 35, But an eminent Pharifee, one of their own Members, either from fome inward Conviction of the Truth of the Apoftles Miracles, or elfe out of Oppofition to the Sadduces, put a Stop to it, by advising them to confider a while upon a Thing of fuch Confequence.

them, Ye men of Ifrael, take heed to yourfelves, what ye intend to do as touching these men.

36. For before these days rofe up Theudas, boafting himself to be domé body, to whom

36 & 37. Telling them that they had had Inftances of Men, that fet up for Heads of Parties, and Deliverers of Ifrael, upon D

much

A. D. 33. a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: themselves who was flain, and

much worse Designs than these Men yet appeared to have; and all dropp'd and came to nothing; as in the Cafes of Theudas* and

Judas of Galilee.

all, as many as obey-
ed him, were fcatter-
ed 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 dispersed.

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It may fave the Criticks the Labour of reconciling Jofephus with Gamaliel, by either joining us or to the laft Words of the foregoing Verfe, and fo reading it, were fcattered and brought to nought wala Tlov after him, i. e. af ter he was taken off, as Dan. Heinfius thinks; or else by referring it to the Inftance, not the Time of Judas's Infurrection, and making it thus, viz. after or befides Theudas, I inftance in Judas. See Mr. Lardener's Credibil. of the Gufp. Hift. Vol. I. Book II. Chap. vii.

+ Ver. 37. In the Days of the Taxing i. e. When this Land of Judea was reduced to a Roman Province, and the Taxes payable to Cafar were firft levied upon us.

41. And they departed from the prefence of the council, rejoycing 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.

41. And tho' Whipping was a fervile and infamous Punishment, they were fo far from being afhamed of it on this Acbleffed God for the Honour of count, that they rejoyced and suffering in so glorious a Caufe.

42. And fo went on to preach the Gofpel, both in publick and private, every Day.

CHAP. VI.

The CONTENTS.

The Complaint of the Græcian Converts against the Hebrews, about the partial Diftribution of the Charities. The Apostles appoint feven Deacons to be chofen, to remedy this Evil. They are elected to the Office by Prayer, and Impofition of Hands. Stephen the most eminent amongst them. A falfe Accufation raifed against him. He is brought before the Council.

.. A

AND in thofe 1. days, when the number of the difciples was multiplied, there arofe a murmur ing of the Grecians against the Hebrews,* because their widows were neglected in the daily miniftration.

with those that were and Jews by Birth.

2. Then the twelve called the multitude

of

T

HE Chriftian Converts A. D. 33now increafing to so great a Number, that there were hardly Benefactions enough to supply all their Poor; the Convert Jews of other Countries that had been profelyted Jews, and ufed the * Greek Language, complained to the Apostles, that their poor Widows had not an equal Share Natives of the Jewish Land,

2. Upon which the Twelve affembled the chief of the Be

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I here follow the Distinction between the Grecian and Hebrew Jews, made by Bishop Pearfon. Op. Poft. p. 52, 532

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