but Peter and John made answer, do you yourselves judge, whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather than God.

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

to effect what thy power and thy wisdom pre-determined to be done.

by displaying thine hand in miraculous cures, and prodigies, which by the name of thy holy child Jesus shall be done.

Great was the power by which the apostles attested the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and they were all greatly favoured by the people.

among the rest one Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (that is to say, the son of consolation) a Levite, and a native of Cyprus,

in the instant she fell down dead at his feet: and the young men came in, found her dead, carried her out, and buried her by her husband.

Thus were many signs and wonders wrought among the people, by the apostles, who us'd to meet in Solomon's porch with great unanimity:

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.

but an angel of the Lord opened the prison-doors by night, and having brought them out, said to them,

Upon hearing this, the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests wonder'd bow this could be.

upon which the captain went with his officers, and brought them, without offering any violence, for fear of being stoned, he and his men by the people.

him hath God rais'd by his power to be the author of salvation, by giving repentance to Israel, and the remission of their sins.

when a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of law, who was respected by all the people, rose up in the council, and moved the apostles might withdraw for some time.

and then he said, "ye men of Israel, be cautious how you proceed with regard to these men.

for some time ago one Theudas started up, pretending to be something extraordinary, who was join'd indeed by about four hundred men: but he was no sooner put to death, than his followers all dispers'd, and were reduc'd to nothing.

my opinion therefore is, not to meddle with these men, but to let them go on: for if the design be a human project, it will fall of it self. but if it be from God,

you cannot defeat it; perhaps you may be found warring against heaven." To him they agreed: and

and every day either in the temple or in private houses they continued to preach and proclaim Jesus to be the Christ.

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

and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage, will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place."

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.

at length Moses was instructed in all the sciences of the Egyptians, and had great influence by his counsels and actions.

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

for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it.

this Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? the very same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

he it was, who delivered them by doing prodigies and miracles in the land of Egypt, in the red sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

'twas he that was in the assembly with our fathers in the wilderness, and with the angel that spoke to him on mount Sina: and delivered the oracles to him by word of mouth for our use.

"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."

which our fathers and Joshua having receiv'd, they carry'd it into the territory of those nations whom God drove out upon their arrival: where it staid to the time of David, who was favoured by God,

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

One Simon was then resident in that place, who pretended to be something extra-ordinary, and by his magical practices had so enchanted the people of Samaria,

when Simon saw that the holy spirit was given by imposition of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, saying,

but Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, for thinking that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

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

for I perceive you are upon the brink of misery, led captive by your sin.

after this the apostles having certified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel by the way in many villages of the Samaritans.

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, arise, and go toward the south, by the way that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, in the desart.

but rise, and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do.

at length Saul rose from the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: so that they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus,

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

Ananias therefore departed, and being arrived at the house, he put his hands on Saul, and said, brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared to you on your journey hither, hath sent me, that you might obtain your sight, and be filled with the holy spirit.

the disciples took him by night, and let him down the wall in a basket.

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 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.

and when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord? and he said to him, thy prayers and thine alms have been observ'd and approv'd by God.

he lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side.

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.

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."

this was what he communicated to the children of Israel, proclaiming salvation by Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of all mankind.

how Jesus of Nazareth divinely inspired by the holy spirit, and with miraculous power, went about doing good, and healing all that were under the oppression of the devil: because God was with him.

and he commanded us to publish, and to testify to the people, that he was the person whom God had constituted to be the judge of the living, and of the dead.

he is the person to whom all the prophets give this attestation, that all who believe in him, shall receive remission of sins, by his authority.

so he directed they should be baptized in the name of the Lord. after which they desired him to stay some time with them.

but I said, Lord, by no means: for I never did eat any thing impure, and defiled.

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

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

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.

and sent it by the hands of Saul and Barnabas to the presbyters at Jerusalem.

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

the Lord suddenly appear'd and fill'd the room with light, and touching Peter on the side, awak'd him, saying, rise, be quick. and immediately his chains fell from his hands.

but he made a sign to them with his hand, to be silent: and related to them, how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. go, said he, and acquaint James and the other brethren with this affair. after which he departed and went to another place.

Herod having caus'd diligent search to be made, without being able to find him, after examining the guards, he order'd them to execution. after which he departed from Judea, and went to Cesarea, where he resided.

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.

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

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.

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.

after that he distributed to them by lot the territorys of seven nations, which he destroyed in Canaan.

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.

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:

although they could not convict him of any thing capital, yet they demanded of Pilate, that he should be put to death.

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.

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

by him, every one who believes, is purged from all that guilt, for which the law of Moses had made no such provision.

"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."

but Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, you indeed were the first, to whom the word of God was to be preach'd: but since you reject it, and judge your own selves unworthy of eternal life, be assur'd, we shall make the same offer to the Gentiles:

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."

however the apostles stay'd there a considerable time, being inspir'd with great resolution by the Lord, who gave his attestation to the evangelical doctrine, by the prodigys and miracles, which he did by their hands.

upon this the Gentiles and the Jews, supported by their magistrates, made an insurrection in order to use violence against them, and even to stone them:

one day he heard Paul preach, who fixing his eyes upon him, and perceiving that he expected to be cured,

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."

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.

when they were arrived, and had assembled the Church, they related what great things God had wrought by them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles:

However some that arrived from Judea, told the Gentile converts, unless you are circumcised agreeably to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.

so they set out, accompanied part of the way by the church, and pass'd thro' Phenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles, which gave great joy to all the brethren.

and being arrived at Jerusalem, they were receiv'd by the church, by the apostles, and presbyters, to whom they related all that God had done by them.

but some of the sect of the Pharisees who had embraced the faith, started up, pretending that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, and observe the law of Moses.

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

making no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by the faith.

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.

The whole assembly were very silent, whilst Barnabas and Paul related what miracles and prodigies God had wrought among the Gentiles by their ministry.

Whereas we have been appriz'd, that some who went from us, have embarass'd you with their discourse, and unsettled your minds, maintaining, that you ought to be circumcised, and to observe the law, though we gave them no such injunction: after having been assembled,

for by the holy spirit it seemed good to us, to lay no greater burthen upon you, than these necessary injunctions;

they being also prophets, they consolated and confirm'd the brethren by several discourses.

but Paul chose Silas, and having been recommended by the brethren to the favour of God,

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.

but after they had travers'd Phrygia and Galatia, they were order'd by the holy spirit not to preach the gospel in Asia: