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where many were ga- the Family was up, with feveral 4. D. 44. thered together, pray- of their Neighbour Chriftians at

their Devotions, and praying par

ing.
ticularly for his Deliverance, ver. 5.

13. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damfel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

14. And when she knew Peters voice, The opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter ftood before the gate.

15. And they faid unto her, Thou art mad. But the constantly affirmed that it was even fo. Then faid they, it is his angel.

13. As foon as Peter knocked at the Gate, a Maid-Servant came to examine and know certainly who it was, before she would venture to let him in.

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14. But being fure it was Peter's Voice as foon as he spoke to her, fhe had not Patience to open the Gate, till fhe ran and told the Company.

15. Who all told her, she must be mad, to affirm fuch an impoffible Thing. But the Maid perfifting in it, they concluded it must be either fome + Meffenger from him of his near Acquaintance, who could beft imitate

his Voice; or elfe an † Angel in his Shape, that could do it perfectly.

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* Ver. 13. Transoas-To hearken. Subaufcultare. See Le Clerc upon the Place.

+ Ver. 15. afferC dve scIt is bis Angel. The Word fignifying either a Mejenger or an Angel

Tis not

abfolutely certain, which of the two Senfes 'tis here to be taken in; though P. à Limborch, in his late CoMMENTARY, has obferved fuch Circumstances as render it molt probably to fignify a real ANGEL,

2

A. D. 44. the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prifon. And he faid, Go fhew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

18. Now affoon as it was day, there was no fmall ftir among the foldiers what was

become of Peter.

Neglects of keeping
19. And when He-
rod had fought for
him, and found him
not, he examined the
keepers, and com-
manded that they
fhould be put
to death.
And he went down
from Judea to Cefarea,

20. And Herod was

highly displeased with
them of Tyre and Si-
don: but they came
with one accord to
him, and having made
Blaftus the kings cham-
berlain their friend,
defired peace, because

prefent, telling them shortly how it was, and ordered fome of them to carry the News to James the Bishop of Jerufalem, and the other Chriftians, to fhow them what a good Effect their Prayers had had; and fo went to another House, where he thought he could be more fafe and private.

18. Next Morning the poor Soldiers were in a dreadful Apprehenfion for their Prifoner, as well knowing the great Severity of the Roman Discipline upon all Guard.

19. And well they might, for Herod had them immediately to a ftrict Examination, and upon their not being able to give any Account of his Escape, he ordered them all four to be put to Death.

and there abode.

20. After this, Herod went to Cafarea, to celebrate the Solemnity there kept for the Honour of Cafar; whither the Cities of Tyre and Sidon fent Ambaffadors to him, to appease his Displeasure at fome Mifdemeanour of theirs, for which they feared he might declare War against them, and deprive them of the conftant Supplies of Corn and other Provifions out of Judea and Galilee, without which they could not well fubfift. And gaining over his Chamberlain to their Intereft, they obtained their Peace.

their

country

was

nourished by the kings

country.

21. Upon

* Ver. 20. Their Country was nourished by the Kings Country -See Ezek. xxvii. 17. and i Kings v. 11.

21. And upon a set day, Herod arrayed in royal apparel, fat upon his throne, and made an oration unto

them.

loquent Oration in

22. And the people gave a fhout, faying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a

21. Upon the fecond (being 4. D. 44. the chief) Day of the Solemnity, Herod in glittering and fumptuous Robes, feated under a Canopy in the Theatre, harangued the Nobles and People with a moft ethe Praise of Cafar.

22. Upon which the Nobles about him, gave him the most extravagant Compliments, and the People with loud Acclamations cried him up for a Kind of Deity. All which fulfom Flatteries he received with the highest Degree of Pride and Satisfaction.

man.

23. And immediately the angel of the Lord fmote him, because he gave not God the glory : and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

23. For which, along with the many other Inftances of his Vanity and Cruelty, the invisible t Hand of God immediately ftruck him with a most painful and tormenting Disease in his Bowels, t which in five Days Time ulcered and bred Worms, and ended in a loathfome and calamitous Death.

24. But the word of God grew and multiplied.

24. In the mean while, notwithstanding the late Oppofition of Herod, the Christian Religion

got Ground every Day.

G 2

25. And

Ver. 21. Made an Oration unto them · πρὸς αυλές, which may refer either to the Affembly in general, or to the forementioned Ambaffadors in particular.

+ Ver. 23. ὁ 5 ἄγελΘ- Κυρίκ ἐπάταξεν αυ]όν. — The Angel of the LORD fmote him. Jofephus, who gives the Particulars of this Relation, makes no Mention of an ANGEL. So St. Luke may be thought to exprefs it, in the usual Strain of the Jews, who were wont to attribute any fupernatural Event, the immediate Caufe whereof was not vifible, to the Operation of ANGELS.

For the more full Account of this, the Reader may fee Jofephus's Antiq. Lib. XIX Cap. vii. and from him in Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. II. Cap. x.

25. And Barnabas 25. And Saul and Barnabas having delivered their Contributions, fent from Antioch to Jerufalem, (Chap. xi. 29, 30.) returned to Antioch again; of whofe Travels and Tranfactions (in the more remote Parts of the World)

and Saul returned
from Jerufalem, when
they had fulfilled their
miniftry, and took
with them John whofe
firname was Mark.

I now come to give a Relation in the following Chapters.

СНАР. XIII.

The CONTENTS.

·T

The Progrefs of the Gospel at Antioch, and other remote
Parts. Sergius Paulus, the Roman Governor at Pa-
phos, converted by Paul and Barnabas. Elymas the
Sorcerer ftruck blind by Paul. Paul's Sermon in the
Jewish Synagogue at Antioch in Pifidia, proving Jefus
to be the Meffiah. The Effect it had upon many. The
unbelieving Jews caufe them to be expelled the Country.
I. HE Perfons endowed with
prophetical Gifts at An-
tioch (mentioned Chap. xi. 27.)
were by this Time grown to a
confiderable Number, and become
the chief Teachers in the pub-
lick Affemblies of that Church,
among whom were Saul, Barna-
bas, Symeon, Lucius, and one Ma-
naen belonging to Herod's Court.

A. D. 45. in the Church
OW there were
that was at Antioch,
certain prophets and
teachers; as Barna-
bas, and Symeon that
was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and
Manaen, which had
been brought up with
Herod the tetrarch,

and Saul.

2. As they miniftred to the Lord, and fafted, the Holy Ghoft

said,

2. On a certain Day, which they fet apart † for Fafting and publick Worship, the Holy Ghoft fuggefted

Ver 1. Пegonas x Siddons. Prophets that were their chief Preachers and Minilters. See Dr. Whitby's Gen. Pref. to the Epift. §. 12.

+ Ver. 2. λειζερ γίν]ων τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ νηςευόντων Α they fafted and ministered unto the Lord.

faid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them.

fuggefted to thefe prophetick 4. D. 45.
Teachers, that God intended
Barnabas and Saul fhould travel
into several remote Countries to

fpread the Gofpel both to Jews and Gentiles; and or-
dered they should be in a folemn Manner appointed and
fet upon that Work.

3. And when they had faited and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent

3. Which they did accordingly by Fafting and folemn Prayer for a Bleffing upon their Undertakings, and Impofition of Hands, as a Token of fpecial Defigna

them away.
tion to a particular Office.

4. So they being fent forth by the holy Ghoft, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they failed to Cyprus.

5. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the fyna gogues of the Jews and they had alfo John

to their minifter.

4. They went first to * Seleucia (which was hard by) and thence into the Ifle of Cyprus, where the Jews were very nu

merous.

5. All along as they went, they applied themselves, first to the Jews, beginning at Salamis to preach in their Synagogues; and because they expected a great Number of Converts, they took Mark with them to baptize and

do other Offices under them, while they attended wholly upon preaching.

6. And when they had gone through the ifle unto Paphos, they found a certain forcerer, a falfe prophet, a Jew, whole name was Birjefus.

6 & 7. Thence they went through the whole Ifland to Paphos, where the Roman Governor had his Refidence, and had got with him a Jewish Magician, that amufed him with his diabolical Arts. But being a fenfible and well difpofed Perfon, and hearing of the Fame of the two Apoftles, fent for them to hear what Religion they taught.

7. Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man: who called for Barnabas and Saul, and defired to hear the word of God.

* Now called Scandarone.

8. But

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