and as they were looking stedfastly toward heaven, as he mounted up, on a sudden, two men appear'd before them robed in white, who said,

"ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up to heaven? this same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall descend in the same manner as ye have seen him ascend thither."

and they were all filled with the holy ghost, and began to speak in different languages, as the spirit gave them utterance.

these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is but the third hour of the day.

ye men of Israel attend to what I say; Jesus of Nazareth was a man whom God distinguished among you, by miracles, by prodigies, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you your selves also know:

that, as he was a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, to place the fruit of his loins upon his throne: foreseeing this,

for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

so that they sold their possessions and goods, and distributed the money to every one as his occasions required.

One day as Peter and John were going together to the temple, at the ninth hour, which was the hour of prayer,

they were carrying a man who had been lame from his birth, one whom they daily laid at the gate of the temple called, Beauty-gate, to ask alms of those that pass'd into the temple.

then Peter said, silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give thee: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk.

As the lame man who was cured, held Peter and John, the people all in surprize ran to Solomon's porch, where they were.

which Peter observing, thus addressed them, ye men of Israel, why are ye so surprized at this event? or why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or piety, we had caus'd this man to walk?

with Annas the high priest, Caiphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the pontifical family.

As soon as they were discharg'd, they went to their brethren, and reported all that the chief priests and senators had said to them:

Now the whole body of believers were but one heart, and one soul: no one look'd upon what he possessed, as his own, but every thing was held in common.

for there was no poor among them, because as many as bad lands or houses, sold them, and brought the value,

which they laid down at the apostles feet: and they distributed it to every man as his occasions required.

was not the estate your own estate? and was not the price for which it was sold, all in your own hands? how came such a design as this in your heart? thou hast not lyed unto men, but unto God.

insomuch that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least, the shadow of Peter might cover some of them, as he pass'd by.

At that time, as the number of the disciples was multiplied, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the distribution that was made daily.

but as they were not able to withstand the force of that sublime knowledge which appeared in his discourse,

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

Moses was astonished at this vision: and as he drew near to observe it, he heard the voice of the Lord, which said to him,

"make us gods, said they to Aaron, to be our guides: for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him."

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?

our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, ordering Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen.

altho' the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands; as the prophet said, "heaven is my throne,

stubborn people, whose hearts and ears like the uncircumcised, are always averse to the holy spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.

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.

(for as yet he had not descended on any of them: they having only been baptized in the name of the Lord

the passage of the scripture which he read, was this, "he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before his shearer, was dumb, so opened he not his mouth:

as they pursued their journey, they came to a place of water: and the eunuch said, see, here is water; what should hinder my being baptized?

As he was on his journey, and near Damascus, on a sudden, a light from heaven surrounded 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,

now as Peter was making a general visitation, he went to Lydda to see the converts in that city,

as Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples having heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him to desire he would come to them without delay.

As soon as the angel that spoke to Cornelius was departed, he called two of his domesticks, and a devout soldier, one of those that were in waiting:

On the morrow as they were on their journey, and drew nigh the city, Peter went upon the leads to pray, about the sixth hour.

and calling somebody, ask'd, whether Simon Peter lodg'd there.

As Peter was still pondering upon the vision, the spirit said to him, there are people below, who enquire for you.

as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and prostrated himself at his feet,

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,

said he, how unlawful it is for a Jew, to frequent a stranger, or even to go to his house: but God hath shewed me, that I should not look upon any man as common and unclean.

for which reason I came without demur, as soon as I knew your message: I ask therefore upon what account you sent for me?

then Peter said, can we refuse the water of baptism to such as have received the holy spirit as well as we?

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

saying, as I was at prayers in Joppa, I saw something like a great sheet, tied at the four corners, which descended from heaven, and came just to me.

as I was considering it very attentively, I saw several quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.

who will give you such instructions, as will be the means of saving both you and all your family.

and while I was speaking to them, the holy spirit descended upon them, as it did on us, at the beginning.

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?

In the mean time they who were dispers'd upon the persecution that arose after Stephen's time, had travell'd as far as Phenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, without preaching the gospel to any, but Jews only.

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

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

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

As soon as it was day, the soldiers were in a world of confusion to know what was become of Peter.

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.

Having travers'd the isle as far as to Paphos, they found a Jew there nam'd Barjesus, who was a false prophet and magician:

as for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and their senators, by their not knowing who he was, and by condemning him, they have accomplished the declarations of the prophets, which are read every sabbath-day:

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.

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:

God who knows their hearts has granted them a testimonial, by giving them the holy spirit, even as he did to us:

but we believe that it is by the favour of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we are to be sav'd, as well as they.

and this is agreeable to the oracles of the prophets: as it is written,

for as to the law of Moses, that has been published in every city a considerable time, being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day.

Then the apostles, the presbyters, and the whole church thought it proper to select some out of their own body to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch: such as Judas surnam'd Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

they were affected with joy at the comfortable contents, as for Judas and Silas,

as the brethren of Lystra and Iconium gave him a good character, Paul had a mind he should accompany him.

as they pass'd through the cities, they recommended it to the faithful to observe the decisions, made by the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem.

One day as we went to the oratory, we happen'd to meet a slave, who had the spirit Python, and was very gainful to her masters by telling of fortunes.

as she followed Paul and the rest of us, she cried out, these men are the servants of the most high God, who show you the way to salvation.

as it is not lawful for Romans, as we are, to admit or practise.

Paul, as was his custom, us'd to go there, and for three sabbath-days discours'd to the Jews from the scriptures,

for considering, as I pass'd along, the deitys, which you adore, I met with an altar that had this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. now that GOD whom you worship without knowing him, is the same that I denounce to you.

are moved, and do exist: even as some of your own poets have said, WE ARE EVEN HIS OFFSPRING.

however, there were some who adher'd to him, as Denis the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

but as they oppos'd him with invectives, he shook his garment, and said, "you your selves be answerable for your own destruction, I am clear: and for the future I shall address my self to the Gentiles."

the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his family, as well as many of the Corinthians, who heard Paul, and were baptized.

(since I am with thee, and no man shall lift up his hand so as to hurt thee:) for my people in this city are numerous."

did you receive the holy spirit, when you made profession of your faith? they answer'd, we have not so much as heard of a holy spirit.

but some of them being such obdurate infidels as to inveigh against the institution before the populace, he retired, and taking the disciples with him, he instructed them daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

and as Paul continued his discourse a great while, a young man, named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, was seiz'd with a deep sleep, which quite o'er-came him; so that he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.

but the young man was brought in alive and well, to the joy of the whole assembly. As for us, we embark'd, and sail'd to Assos,

things that little affect me, nor is life so much my concern, as to finish my course, and the charge I receiv'd from the Lord Jesus, to attest the declaration of the divine favour.

as for the believing Gentiles, we have given them by letter this decision, "they need only take care to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, from the flesh of animals strangled, and from fornication."

as they were busy upon his execution, news came to the commander of the cohort, that the whole city was in an uproar.

as he was mounting the stairs, the soldiers bore him up thro' the violence of the people, who were all pressing after,

just as he was entring into the castle, Paul said to the officer, may I be favour'd with a word? you can speak Greek then, said he?

then he said, I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, but had my education in this city: at the feet of Gamaliel I was instructed in the law, and in the exact decisions of our fathers, and was as religiously zealous as you are at this time.

as I was upon the road, advanc'd near Damascus, about mid-day, all of a sudden a great light from heaven broke all around me.

but as I had lost the use of my eyes by the splendor of that light, I was led by the hand to Damascus, by those who were with me.

at length being return'd to Jerusalem, one day as I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance.

as they were tying him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion, does the law allow to scourge a Roman citizen, and without any trial?

as he was resolv'd to know for certain, the next day, what the Jews laid to his charge, he took off his chains, and summon'd the chief priests, and the council to appear, when Paul was brought, and presented before them.

Then Paul directing himself to the council, thus said, "hitherto I have liv'd strictly conscientious, as God knows."

But as Paul knew that one part of the Sanhedrim were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out, my brethren, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and I am now prosecuted for believing the resurrection of the dead."

then the tribune taking him by the hand, retir'd with him in private, and ask'd, what he had to say.