after the apostles were called in, and scourged, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then releas'd them. out they went from the council,

thus the word of God was spread; and the number of disciples encreased very much at Jerusalem; and a numerous body of priests embrac'd the faith.

and they stirred up the people, the senators, and the doctors of law, who came and seiz'd him, and brought him to the council,

where they produc'd false witnesses, who said, this man is continually inveighing against the holy place, and against the law.

Stephen answer'd, my brethren, and you my fathers, lend your attention. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years.

at the second voyage Joseph discover'd himself to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred were made known to Pharaoh.

this prince employ'd all his arts against our nation, and persecuted our fathers, by obliging them to expose their young children, in order to extirpate the race.

and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter caused him to be taken up, and maintain'd for her adopted son.

and seeing one of them abus'd, he defended him, and avenged the injury by killing the Egyptian:

will you kill me as you kill'd the Egyptian yesterday? at these words Moses fled,

him our fathers would not obey, but rejected him, and they return'd to their Egyptian disposition.

then God left them, and abandon'd them to the worship of the celestial army; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O ye house of Israel, is it to me that ye have offered victims, and sacrifices, for the space of forty years in the wilderness?

was there ever any prophet whom your fathers did not persecute? have they not slain those who predicted the coming of that just person whom you have so lately betrayed and murder'd?

you, I say, who received the law by the administration of angels, but have not however observ'd it.

but he, full of the holy spirit, fix'd his eyes towards heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

then they dragg'd him out of the city, and stoned him: the false witnesses having laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

and Saul was accessory to his death. At that time the persecution was so violent against the church at Jerusalem, they were all dispers'd through the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles,

as for Saul, he made havock of the Church, entring into their houses, whence he dragg'd away both men and women, to throw them into prison.

no wonder they were so attach'd to one, who had for a long time infatuated them with his arts.

nay, Simon himself became a proselyte: and after he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and was transported at the sight of the miracles and prodigies which he perform'd.

repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray to God, to forgive, if it be possible, this suggestion you have entertain'd.

how can I, answer'd he, without some expositor? and he desired Philip to mount, and sit with him.

so he order'd the charioteer to stop: and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

and is impower'd by the chief priests, to imprison all that make profession of thy name.

immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recover'd his sight; upon which he instantly arose, and was baptized.

and when he had taken some food, he was refresh'd. after which Saul staid some time with the disciples at Damascus.

however Saul still gain'd ground, and confounded the Jews of Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Messias.

A good while after, the Jews conspir'd to kill him:

but Saul was appriz'd of their plot. and as they were night and day upon the watch at the gates, in order to kill him,

when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he try'd to associate himself with the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and could not be persuaded that he was a disciple.

then he convers'd freely with the apostles at Jerusalem:

and he openly preach'd in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Hellenists, who therefore plotted against his life:

Then the churches in all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, were unmolested and establish'd, and by their religious conduct, and the assistance of the holy spirit, grew more extensive.

but Peter turn'd them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, then turning towards the body, Tabitha, said he, arise immediately. she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

and being seiz'd with hunger, he would have had something to eat: but while they were making it ready, he fell into a trance,

when he saw the heaven open, and something descending in the form of a great sheet, ty'd at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

they answered, Cornelius the centurion, a man of probity and piety, one that has an universal good character among the Jews, was divinely admonish'd by an holy angel to send for you to his house, to hear what you had to say to him.

the next day they arriv'd at Cesarea: where Cornelius expected them, having invited his kinsmen and intimate friends, to his house.

but Peter rais'd him, saying, stand up; I am but a man, as well as you.

and as he discours'd with him, he went in, where finding many persons assembled; you know,

send therefore to Joppa, for one Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner, by the sea-side, who, when he is arriv'd, will give you information."

you know, how his fame spread from Galilee through all Judea, after the baptism which John had preach'd:

In the mean time, the apostles, and the brethren, who were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles had likewise receiv'd the word of God.

and when Peter was return'd to Jerusalem, the Jewish converts objected to his conduct,

and ask'd him, why did you go to eat with the uncircumcised?

but the voice from heaven address'd it self to me again, and said, don't call that impure, which God has purified.

at that very instant three men, dispatch'd from Cesarea to me, were just arrived at the house, where I was.

and the spirit bid me make no difficulty of going with them. these six brethren accompany'd me, and we went together to the man's house.

he told us how he had seen an angel, who had presented himself to him, and had said, send to Joppa, to fetch Simon, surnam'd Peter:

then I remember'd that expression of the Lord, "John baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the holy spirit."

if therefore God has bestow'd the same favour upon them, as on us, after we had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I make any opposition to the divine will?

Having heard this, they were appeas'd, and glorified God, saying, God has then granted salvation likewise to the gentiles, on the terms of their repentance.

and as the divine assistance accompany'd them, a great number of persons believed and became converts.

who upon his arrival there, was glad to see such effects of the divine grace, and exhorted them all to remain firmly attach'd to the christian profession:

and one of them named Agabus foretold by the spirit, that there should be a great famine, thro' all the world: which accordingly happen'd in the reign of Claudius Cesar.

he caus'd James the brother of John to be beheaded.

and perceiving that the Jews were pleas'd with this, he proceeded to secure Peter during the feast of unleavened bread:

now the very night preceding the day which Herod design'd for his execution, Peter bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the other guards secured the prison door; when an angel of

put on your girdle, continu'd the angel, and bind on your sandals: which he did. throw your cloak over you, said the angel, and follow me.

said he, I know for certain, that the Lord has sent his angel, and has deliver'd me from the hands of Herod, and from what the Jews were in expectation of.

then recollecting where he was, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, surnam'd Mark, where many were assembled at prayers.

when he had knock'd at the door of the gate, a servant named Rhoda came to ask who was there.

are you mad? said they. but she persisting that it was even so, they reply'd, it is then his angel.

as Peter still continued knocking, they let him in, and seeing it was he, they were extremely surpriz'd:

Herod was then making warlike preparations against the Tyrians, and Sidonians: but they unanimously sent a deputation to court: where having gain'd Blastus the king's chamberlain, they brought matters to an accommodation: for their country was subsisted by the king's territorys.

one court-day, Herod array'd in his robes of state, and seated upon the throne, made a publick oration:

Now there were several prophets and teachers in the church of Antioch, as Barnabas, Simeon surnam'd Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

as they were ministring to the Lord, and fasting, the holy spirit said to them, separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have destin'd them.

accordingly, after having fasted and prayed they gave them imposition of hands, and dismiss'd them.

being thus appointed missionarys by the holy spirit, they went to Seleucia, where they embark'd for Cyprus.

when they were arrived at Salamis, they preach'd the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and had John for their assistant.

his hand is falling upon thee, thou shalt be blind, and not see the sun for some time." immediately his eyes were covered with obscurity and darkness; so that he grop'd about for somebody to lead him by the hand.

and after the lesson out of the law and the prophets was finish'd, the heads of the synagogue sent this message to them; Men and brethren, if you have any instruction to offer to the people, deliver it.

the God of Israel made choice of our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourn'd in Egypt, from whence he conducted them by the terror of his arm.

for forty years he maintain'd them in the wilderness.

God removed Saul, and rais'd up David to be their king, to whom he gave this testimonial, " I have found David the son of Jesse: he is a man most acceptable to me, and he will execute all my orders."

it is of his posterity that God, pursuant to his promise, has rais'd up Jesus to be the saviour of Israel.

before his appearance, John had preach'd the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

and for many days he was seen by those, who had accompany'd him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and they are now his witnesses to the people.

to you therefore we declare, that the promise which God had made to the fathers, he has now perform'd to us, who are their children, by his having raised up Jesus again.

and to show that he rais'd him from the dead, never more to return to corruption, he said thus, "I will faithfully perform the promises, which I made to David."

for David, after he had serv'd in his time the designs of providence, died and was buryed with his fathers, and was subject to corruption.

know then, my brethren, it is by him, that the remission of sins is offer'd to you:

"consider you despisers, be surpriz'd and turn pale, for I shall perform a work in your days, which you will not believe, whoever shall declare it unto you."

when the assembly was separated, many Jews and religious proselytes followed after, to whom the apostles address'd themselves, and exhorted them to persevere in the divine dispensation.

when the Gentiles heard this, they received the word with joy, glorifying the Lord: and as many as were dispos'd to eternal life, believed.

but the Jews having animated the women of quality of their religion, and the leading men of the city, raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and banish'd them from their territorys.

of which they were appriz'd, and fled to Lystra and Derbe, citys of Lycaonia, and to the adjacent country,

where they preach'd the gospel.

even the priest of Jupiter, whose statue was at the city-gates, brought oxen and garlands there, and together with the people, would have offer'd sacrifice to the apostles.

but Paul and Barnabas being appriz'd of it, tore their clothes, and throwing themselves among the crowd,

cry'd out, "sirs, what are you going to do? we are but men as well as you, and we exhort you to renounce these vanities, and turn to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth and the sea, and all that they contain:

nevertheless he sufficiently display'd himself by his beneficence to mankind, in giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, replenishing our hearts with food and gladness."

but whatever they could say, it was with difficulty that they restrain'd the people from sacrificing to them.

but the disciples being gather'd about him, he rose up and went into the city, from whence he departed the next day with Barnabas to go to Derbe.

After they had preach'd the gospel in that city, and made many disciples, they retook the road to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,

and after they had by prayers and fastings establish'd Pastors for them in every church, they recommended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

at length they pass'd thro' Pisidia, and came to Pamphilia:

and having preach'd the word in Perga, they went to Attalia: