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.

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.

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.

When Paul and Barnabas were gone out of the Jewish synagogue, the Gentiles desired them to entertain them on the same subject, the following sabbath.

when the Jews saw such a crowd, they were fill'd with resentment, and oppos'd what Paul had advanc'd, even to blasphemy.

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:

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.

and the disciples were filled with joy, and with the holy spirit.

so that the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

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

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:

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.

why therefore do you tempt God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear?

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

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

thus were the churches established in the faith, and daily grew more numerous.

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

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

after they had been severely lash'd, they were thrown into prison, the jayler being charg'd to keep them safe.

when all of a sudden there was such a great earthquake, that the foundations of the prison were shaken: immediately all the doors opened, and the setters dropp'd from the prisoners.

then he conducted them to his house, and gave them an entertainment; and he and his family were affected with joy, for having believed in God.

the serjeants having reported what he said, to their officers, they began to be apprehensive upon hearing they were Romans.

the people, and the magistrates upon hearing this were alarm'd:

the Jews there were of a more generous temper than those of Thessalonica: for they very readily embrac'd their doctrine, and daily examin'd, whether it was conformable to the scriptures.

so that many of them believed, besides a considerable number of women of distinction, and of men, that were Greeks.

but when the Jews of Thessalonica were inform'd that Paul had preached the word of God at Berea, they went thither to stir up the populace.

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

and when Silas and Timothy were arriv'd from Macedonia, Paul with great concern remonstrated to the Jews, that Jesus was the Messiah:

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.

and when Paul was going to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "if it were a matter of some injustice or something immoral, O Jews, it would be reasonable to hear you out.

when they heard this, they were initiated by baptism into the christian profession.

or aprons that had touch'd his skin, to the distemper'd, they were cured, and the evil spirits came out of the possessed.

Upon this, certain vagabond Jews, who were exorcists, pretended to cure demoniacs by pronouncing the name of the Lord Jesus: their form being this, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."

these practitioners were seven in number, the sons of Sceva a Jew, one of the chief priests.

the man who was possess'd immediately leapt upon them, got the better, and used them so roughly, they were forc'd to fly out of the house, cover'd with nothing but their wounds.

this was known to all the Jews and Greeks, that liv'd at Ephesus, who were all seiz'd with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted.

at these words, they were fir'd with indignation, and cry'd out, "great is Diana of the Ephesians."

but was prevented by his disciples, and by the primates of Asia, who were his friends, and sent to desire he would not venture to the theatre:

there the mob were in the utmost riot, some bawling out in one cry, some in another, and the greatest part at a loss to know why they were met.

in the upper chamber where we were assembled, several lamps were burning:

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:

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

After we were parted from them, and clear of land, we made directly for Cos, the next day to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara:

some of the disciples of Cesarea accompany'd us, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, at whose house we were to lodge.

When we were arriv'd at Jerusalem, the brethren receiv'd us with joy.

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,

when they perceiv'd he talk'd Hebrew, they were the more silent.

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.

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?

immediately those who were going to put him to the question, withdrew: the commander himself being under some apprehension for having order'd him to be bound.

at which the high priest Ananias order'd those that were near him to strike him on the face:

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."

at these words the Pharisees and the Sadducees were all in confusion, the whole assembly being divided:

the conspirators, who were above forty in number,

The Jews having seiz'd this man, were just upon the point to dispatch him, when I march'd with a body to his rescue;

when he appear'd, the Jews, who were come from Jerusalem presented themselves before Festus, and loaded Paul with abundance of accusations, which they were not able to prove.

the next day after they were come, to avoid delay, I mounted the tribunal, and order'd the man to be brought.

where numbers of converts I threw into jail, by warrant from the high priests: and when they were put to death, I myself was an accomplice.

we were all struck down: when I heard a voice directed to me pronounce these words in the Hebrew tongue, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? it is dangerous for thee to kick against the goad."

the king is inform'd of these things, to whom I address myself with the greater confidence, being persuaded he is fully apprized of these matters, that were far from being transacted in private.

I pray God, said Paul, that not only you, but all that now hear me, were both almost and altogether such as I am, the circumstance of my bonds excepted.

When he had said this, the king, the governour, Bernice, and all that were seated near them, rose up: and being retired,

When it was resolv'd, that we should sail for Italy, Paul and other prisoners were delivered to the custody of one Julius, a centurion of

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.

we could not go upon the wind, but were forc'd to let her drive.

when we were nigh the isle Clauda, we had much ado to hoist in the skiff.

It was the fourteenth night that we had been driving up and down in the Adriatick sea, when the ship's crew about midnight suspected they were making to land:

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:

at day-break they made an unknown land, with a creek, where they resolv'd, if it were possible, to run the ship ashore.

Having thus escap'd, we found we were upon the isle of Malta:

where the inhabitants, as much barbarians, as they were, receiv'd us with great humanity. they kindled a fire, and secur'd us from the falling rains, as well as the cold:

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.

upon this several that were indispos'd in the island came to Paul, and were cur'd,

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:

because when they knew God, they did not with gratitude glorify him as God, but their reasoning became extravagance, and their minds, void of judgment, were involv'd in darkness.

and the men unnaturally leaving the sex, were inflamed with mutual passions, which they shamefully indulged, and received in their own persons, the retribution that was justly due to such enormities.

they were full of all injustice, fornication, mischief, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, contention, fraud, malignity;

if therefore an uncircumcised Gentile keep the moral precepts contained in the law, shall not he be reckon'd, as if he were circumcised?

much every way: chiefly, because they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

" I have made thee a father of many nations," then existing in the sight of God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls forth things that are not, as if they were:

for at the appointed time Christ died for us, when we were in a helpless, sinful state.

but herein hath God displayed his love towards us, in that Christ died for us, even while we were yet sinners.

for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son: much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

don't you know that when we were all baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we were plunged into a state figurative of his death.

considering this, that our vicious passions were crucified with him, that the body of sin being destroyed, we might not any longer be vassals to sin.

but God be thanked, that you, who were the vassals of sin, have sincerely obeyed in the manner the gospel prescribed.

for when ye were the vassals of sin, ye were not in the service of virtue.

for when we were in the carnal state of the law, the sinful passions of that state set our animal faculties to work in the service of death.

who were not, by their own choice, expos'd to this uncertain state, but by virtue of him, who subjected them thereto:

for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call,

as he saith himself in Osee, "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved.

You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation.

if then, some of the branches are broken off, and thou like a wild olive, were grafted in their place to partake of the root and sap of the olivestock;

you will say then, "the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

well, be it so, for their incredulity they were broken off, and you by faith stand firm: be not then elated, but let this be your fear,