which occasion'd a flying rumour among the brethren, that John should not die: tho' Jesus had not said, he shall not die: but, if I will have him stay till I come, what have you to do with that?

"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 said, men and brethren, the prediction which the holy ghost made, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was guide to those that seiz'd Jesus, must have been accomplished.

wherefore of those who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus convers'd among us,

him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by means of the wicked, have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up,

therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

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.

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.

and now, brethren, I know it was through ignorance, that both you and your rulers, have acted thus.

afterwards Samuel and all that prophesied after him, have likewise foretold these times.

and having caused Peter and John to appear, they asked, by what influence, or by what authority have you done this?

for we cannot avoid publishing what we have seen and heard.

when Peter addressing himself to her, tell me, said he, have you sold the land for such a price? yes, said she, for so much.

then Peter said to her, how comes it that you have conspir'd together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? see there at the door the men that are come from burying thy husband, and they shall carry thee out likewise.

saying, did not we strictly command you, not to teach in this name? and yet you have spread your doctrine through Jerusalem, and you endeavour to make us responsible for this man's blood.

wherefore, brethren, chuse out of your number seven persons of good reputation, full of the holy spirit and wisdom, who may have the management of this affair:

they suborned men, who said, we have heard him speak irreverently of Moses, and of God.

for we have heard him say, that Jesus the Nazarene shall destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses delivered us.

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.

the next day seeing some that were fighting, he would have persuaded them to agree, saying, sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye injure one another?

I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt; I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. come immediately, and I will send you into Egypt."

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?

and desired to have a settled tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

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.

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

and he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is hard for thee to kick against the goad. Then trembling with the fright Saul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said to him,]

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,

go, said the Lord to him: for he is the instrument I have chosen, to bear my name to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel.

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.

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,

but Peter said, not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

rise therefore, get thee down, and go with them, without hesitating: for I have sent them.

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.

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

having apprehended Peter, he put him into prison, appointing a detachment of sixteen soldiers to guard him, intending to have him brought to publick execution, after Easter.

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.

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.

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."

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:

agreeable to what is written in the first psalm, "thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee."

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."

When the people saw what Paul had done, they cry'd out in the Lycaonian tongue, the Gods have assum'd a human form, and are descended among us.

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.

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,

men that have exposed their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some time after, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return to visit all those cities, where we have preach'd the word of the Lord, to see what condition the brethren are in.

we went out of town on the sabbath towards the river, where the Jews were allowed to have an oratory.

but Paul replied, they have publickly scourg'd us, who are Romans, without any trial, they have thrown us into jayl, and now do they give us a private discharge? no, let them come themselves and release us.

but not finding them, they dragg'd Jason and some of the brethren to the magistrates, crying out, these that have been every where the disturbers of the publick peace, are come hither also, and have been entertain'd by Jason.

he receives no service from their officiousness: he is self-sufficient: it is he that gives to all their life and breath and every thing they have.

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

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.

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.

for the men you have brought here, have neither plunder'd your temples, nor inveigh'd against your goddess.

and when they were arriv'd he told them, you know how I have always behav'd towards you from the first day of my arrival in Asia:

how I have serv'd the Lord with all resignation, with tears, and trials occasion'd by the insidious practices of the Jews:

that I have conceal'd nothing that might be useful to you, but have inform'd you of it, and instructed you therein, both in publick and in private:

and now I am persuaded you will none of you see my face any more: whilst I have been among you, I have proclaim'd the kingdom of the Messias:

for I have acquainted you with the whole dispensation of God without reserve.

be then upon the watch, and remember, that for three years I have not ceased by night, or by day to warn every soul of you, even with tears.

I have not desir'd to get from any one either silver, or gold, or apparel.

you yourselves can witness, that what was necessary for myself and those who were with me, these very hands have supply'd.

now they have heard that you instruct the Jews that are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, by telling them they must not circumcise their children, nor observe the establish'd rites.

yield then to our advice: there are four men here, who have made a vow:

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."

bawling out, "men of Israel, help: this is the man that every where inveighs upon all occasions against the people, against the law, and against this place, where they have brought Greeks too to profane this holy place."

My brethren, and fathers, pray hear what I have to say for my self.

that you might testify to all men, what you have seen and heard.

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

The night following, the Lord appear'd to him, and said, Paul, take courage; for the same remonstrances that you have made concerning me at Jerusalem, you must likewise make at Rome.

went to the chief priests and senators, and said, "we have bound our selves by oath not to eat till we have slain Paul.

the Jews, said he, have agreed to desire you would send Paul down to-morrow to the council, under the pretext of examining him more strictly.

but don't believe them: for above forty of them lie in ambush, having bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink till they have kill'd him: they are already prepar'd, and only wait your answer.

then the tribune dismiss'd the youth with this charge, don't tell any one, that you have given me this information.

but not to trespass upon you too far, be pleas'd to hear what I have to say in brief, with your usual indulgence.

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

Then the governour sign'd to Paul to reply; who said, I enter upon my defence with the greater confidence, by considering you have govern'd this nation several years:

I have the same expectations from the DEITY, which they themselves entertain, that of the resurrection both of the just and of the unjust.

and here they ought to have appear'd, if they had any thing to object against me.

this he frequently did, and convers'd with him upon the presumption that Paul would have

to this he answer'd, "I have not been guilty of any misdemeanour, either against the law, or against the temple, or against Cesar."

"I stand, said Paul, to the tribunal of Cesar, where I ought to be judged. to the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself very well know.

upon this, Festus having deliberated with his council, answer'd, "since you have appeal'd to Cesar, to Cesar you shall go."

and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and senators of the Jews made their appearance, and demanded to have justice against him.

but Paul having made his appeal, insisting to have his cause refer'd to the cognizance of the emperor, I order'd him into custody, till I could send him to Cesar.

then Festus said, "King Agrippa, and you that are here present, you see the man, against whom a numerous body of the Jews have been practising with me both at Jerusalem, and in this city, urging with vehemence, that he should not be suffer'd to live.

but finding he had done nothing that deserv'd death, I have resolved to send him to the emperor, to whom he had appealed.

as I have no certain account to communicate to the emperor my master, I caus'd him to appear before this assembly, and before you, king Agrippa, in particular, that after he is examin'd, I may know how to represent the affair;

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, in having this opportunity of vindicating myself in your presence, from every thing the Jews have laid to my charge:

but rise upright upon thy feet: for I have appear'd to thee in order to establish you my minister in testifying both what you have seen, and what I shall hereafter show to you,

but by the divine favour I am still preserv'd alive, testifying to the small and to the great nothing but what Moses and the prophets have predicted should happen: "that Christ should suffer:

nay, Agrippa said to Festus, "this man might have been discharg'd if he had not appeal'd to Cesar."

for as that haven could not cover us from the storm, most were of opinion to bear away, and try to put in at Phenice, where we could ride safe, the port lying by south-west, and north-west.

and our spirits droop with fasting: when Paul presented himself, and said, "well, my friends, it had been, if I could have prevail'd upon you, to have sav'd your selves all this perplexity and loss by staying at Crete.

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

while they were waiting for day, Paul advis'd the whole company to take some refreshment: "these fourteen days, said he, you have been very abstemious, and not made a meal:

however, they expected to have seen him swell, or suddenly die away. but when they had waited a good while, and saw no harm come to him, they were of another opinion, and said he was a God.

three days after, Paul sent for the chief of the Jews: and when they were assembled, he said to them, "my brethren, tho' I have done nothing against the Jews, or against the customs of our fathers, I was made a prisoner at Jerusalem, and put into the hands of the Romans:

who, after my examination, would have discharg'd me, as having done nothing that was capital.