is preached unto you the true Meffiah, and that by the A. D. 46. the forgiveness of fins. Sacrifice of his Death, you have obtained the Means of the full Pardon of your Sins, and of eternal Salvation, upon the Condition of true Repentance, and embracing his Religion.

39. And by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which ye could not be juftified by the

law of Mofes.

39. And this Pardon by the Blood of Jefus, is much more extenfive and effectual, than what the Purgations and Sacrifices of the Mofaical Law could ever procure for you: For the only Effect of those Washings and Sacrifices was, Admiffion into the Congregation again, from whence the Breach of some positive Ceremony had excluded a Man; they alone did not purge the Confcience, but only took away the political Guilt, in relation to their Civil and Ecclefiaftical Penalties; and fome Offences were punifhed with Death, and admitted no Sacrifices at all. Whereas this Atonement of Jefus your Meffiah, reaches to the perfect and eternal Forgiveness of every Kind and Degree of Tranfgreffion, in them that fincerely believe and obey him.

Ver. 41. The Apoftle feems clearly to intimate their

final Deftruction by the Romans.

2

A. D. 46. of the fynagogue, the Gentiles befought that the words might be preached to them the next fabbath.

the Generality of the Jews went away as infidel and obftinate as they came; yet when they were gone, abundance of the Pifidian Gentiles (or rather Gentile Con

verts to the Jewish Religion, called Profelytes, ver. 43.) requested Paul to preach the fame Doctrine the next *Sabbath to them, as liking it very well.

43. Now when the
congregation was
broken up, many of
the Jews, and reli-
gious profelytes fol-
lowed Paul and Bar-
nabas, who fpeaking
to them, perfuaded
them to continue in
the grace of God.
the unbelieving Jews.
44. And the next
fabbath day came al
moft the whole city
together to hear the
word of God.

45. But when the

Jews faw the multi
tudes, they were filled

with envy, and ipake
against thofe things
which were spoken
by Paul, contradicting
46. Then Paul and
Barnabas waxed bold,
and faid, It was ne
ceffary that the word

of

43. And after the Affembly was over, a good Number of the Jews and Profelytes came to the Apoftles, and profeffed themselves convinced of the Truth of their Doctrine, who thereupon gave them a great many further Arguments and Encouragements to perfevere in that Perfuafion, against the Envy and Malice of

44 & 45. Accordingly the next Sabbath, as Paul was preaching to a vaft Number of People, (viz. idolatrous Gentiles, as well as Gentile Profelytes;) the Infidel Jews inraged at the Sight of the idola trous Gentiles flocking into their Synagogue, interrupted his Difcourfe with the most outrageous Expreffions of Raillery and Abuse. and blafpheming.

46 & 47. Upon which the two Apoftles told them plainly, That they had now difcharged their Duty toward them, in giving

them

• Ver. 42. 'Els to μslaği σáßbalov, The next Sabbath. This Phrafe being taken by fome of the beft Interpreters to fignify The Week's Space between the laft and next Sabbath; but by others, The next Sabbath Day; and pretty good Reasons given on both Sides, I have left it without any Addition to our Tranflation.

of God fhould first have been spoken to you: but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life; lo, we turn

to the Gentiles.

47. For fo hath the Lord commanded us, Jaying, I have fet thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for falvation unto the ends of the earth.

them the firft Offer of the Gof- A. D. 46.
pel-Doctrine and Privileges, ac-
cording to the Direction of JE-
SUS CHRIST (Acts i. 8.) But
as their incurable Malice and Pre-
judice rendered them unworthy
and incapable of any further At-
tempt for their Converfion, they
fhould leave them to themfelves,
and tender thefe Offers of Mercy
to the Gentiles, who by the Te-
nour of all the prophetick Writ-
ings, particularly that of Ifai.
xlix. 6. were intended for Mem-
bers of the Kingdom of the Mef-

fiah, as well as the Jews.

48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained

to eternal life, be

48 & 49. The Gentile People received this with the utmost Degree of religious Joy and Gratitude, and all among them that were of a fober Difpofition, * and fincerely defirous to know the true Religion, believed and embraced the Gofpel, which now was spread through the whole Country of Pifidia.

50. But to hear the Gentiles made Partakers of the Bleffings of the Meffiah, fo enraged and exafperated the Infidel Jews, that by influencing fore Women of Quality

• Ver. 48. Τλαγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αιώνιον, Ordained to eternal Life. That this Parale fignifies no other than what I have paraphrafed it, and has not the leaft Relation to any abfolute and unconditionate divine Decree of these Persons to eternal Life, is fo evidently and copiously demonftrated by all good Criticks and Interpreters upon this Place, that I may well venture to tell the English Reader in the Words of GrotiusHe that feeth it not, is blind.

A. D. 46. against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their

Quality among their Profelytes, and by them their Husbands, and fome of the governing Part of the City, they procured fuch fsevere Orders against the two Apoftles, that they forced them to flee for Safety.

coafts.

51. But they fhook off the duft of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

51. And they, when they left the Place, remembring the Words of Chrift (Matth. x. 14.) fhook off the Duft of their Feet against them; thereby fignifying and declaring, that they ought to have no more to do with fo obftinate and incurable a People.

52. And the difciples were filled with joy, and with the holy Ghoft.

52. But in the mean time, notwithstanding this inhuman Treatment of the Apoftles, the new Converts continued in the Profeffion of the Chriftian Faith, with great Conftancy and Chearfulness; God alfo affifting and confirming them therein, by imparting fuch Gifts of the Holy Ghost among them, as were requifite and agreeable to the Circumftances of his CHURCH.

CHAP. XIV.

The CONTENTS.

Paul and Barnabas travel to Lycaonia. They preach at
Iconium in the Jewish Synagogue, and convert many.
Being forced at laft from thence, they go to Lyftra, and
Derbe. A Cripple cured at Lyftra. The Inhabitants
take them for Deities, and would have offer'd Sacrifice
to them. The Apostles Difcourfe to them hereupon. The
Jews caufe Paul to be ftoned. The Apostles return to
Antioch in Syria, from whence they first fet out.

4. D. 46.1. AND it came

to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the fyna

I.

THE

1.
HE two Apostles, Paul
and Barnabas, being thus
expell'd from Pifidia, went into the
Province of Lycaonia bordering up-

on

and their Profelytes were converted.

* Ver. 3. “Inavov μèv ev xeivor Silentar. The μer Er may be rendered, either by therefore, or for indeed. The latter of which Senfes will make the Malice of the Jews, ver. 2. to proceed from their long Stay and Preaching there;