saying, "thou Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show us which of these two thou hast chosen,

thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy by thy presence."

therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the father the promise of the holy spirit, he has diffused that spirit, the effects of which ye now see and hear.

it is the faith which we have in him, that has procured strength to this man whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him, hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

but thus it is that God has accomplished what he had foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.

who has been beforehand prepar'd thereto,

but must reside in heaven, till the time of the restitution of all things, of which God has spoken from the beginning by the mouth of his holy prophets.

at the relation of which they unanimously lift up their voice to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who hast made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is therein:

who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, "why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

for it was truly against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, that Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, united themselves in this city,

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.

thou hast no manner of share in this gift: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

in his humiliation he was judged, he was taken off: and who shall describe the men of his time? for the land has taken away his life."

then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many that this man has done a world of mischief to thy saints at Jerusalem: he is now here,

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.

and said, "Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and God has approved thine alms.

immediately I sent to you; and you have done well to come. now here we are all in the presence of God, to hear whatever he has given you in charge.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

for thus has the Lord commanded us, "I have appointed you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the remotest parts of the earth."

who in past ages has let all Nations proceed in their own ways.

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

Simon has related how God began to visit the Gentiles, to chuse from among them a people consecrated to his name.

he that does all these things, is the Lord himself that has said it." for the works of God are all known to him from the beginning of the world.

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.

that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the flesh of strangled animals, and from fornication: you will do well to preserve your selves from these practices. farewel.

he he has deduced all mankind from one parent, to inhabit the surface of the whole earth, having pre-establish'd the appointed periods, and the boundarys of their dominions:

since then we are the offspring of God, we should not imagine that the Deity bears any resemblance to the form which Gold, or Silver, or Stone has receiv'd from human art and industry.

God has been pleas'd to over-look this state of ignorance: but now he enjoins all men every where to repent:

because he has fix'd the day, when he will judge in equity, by that man, whom he has appointed thereto: of which he has given full proof to all the world, by having raised him from the dead."

yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such.

be therefore upon your guard to secure your selves, and the whole flock over which the holy spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.

my constant example has shown you that the disabled should be assisted by your labours, remembring the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, "it is a greater happiness to give than to receive."

these take, and perform the rites of purification with them, contributing to the expence of having their heads shav'd: this will convince them, what has been reported of you, is all groundless, and that you stick to the observances of the law.

then he said, the God of our fathers has singled you out to be acquainted with his will, to see the just one, and to hear the words of his mouth:

and the Scribes taking part with the Pharisees, grew warm in the debate, and said, "we find no harm in this man; perhaps a spirit or an angel has spoke to him."

who having sent for one of the centurions, said, introduce this young man to the tribune, for he has something to communicate to him.

accordingly he went along with him, and having introduc'd him to the tribune, he said, Paul, who is in custody sent for me, and desired me to introduce this young man, who has something to tell you.

and has attempted to prophane the temple: we secur'd him, and would have try'd him by our law:

the most considerable, said he, among you may go with me, and if he has committed any crime, let 'em begin the process.

As he was thus making his defence, Festus broke out into this exclamation, "Paul, you are mad: much study has turn'd your brain."

they declar'd to one another, "this man has done nothing that deserves either death or imprisonment:"

take courage then, my friends, for I have this confidence in God, that what has been told me, shall be effected,