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the fynagogue fent unto them, faying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the 16 people, fay on (e). Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand, faid, Men of Ifrael, and ye that 17 fear God (f), give audience. The God of this people of Ifrael chofe our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as ftrangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. 18 And about the time of forty years fuffered he (g) 19 their manners in the wilderness. And when he had deftroyed feven nations in the land of Canaan, he di20 vided their land to them by lot. And after that, he gave unto them judges, about the space of four hun21 dred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

And afterward they defired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the fon of Cis, a man of the tribe of Ben22 jamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raifed up unto them David to be their king; to whom alfo he gave teftimony, and faid, I have found David the son of Jeffe, a man after mine own heart, which fhall fulfil all my will. Of this man's feed hath God according to his promise, 24 raifed unto Ifrael a Saviour Jesus. When John had

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first preached, before his coming, the baptifm of re25 pentance to all the people of Ifrael. And as John (b) fulfilled his courfe, he faid, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But behold, there cometh one after me, whofe fhoes of his feet I am not worthy to 26 loofe. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whofoever among you feareth God,

(e) See Luke iv. 17. Note.

f) Ye that believe in and worship the one true God, though ye do not keep the whole ceremonial law of the Jews. These are called religious profelytes. Verfe 43. Chap. ii. 10.

(g) Patiently bore with their behaviour, as a nurfe bears with the frowardnefs of an infant.

(h) As St. John Baptift was near the end of his miniftry. See Luke iii. 16.

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27 to you is the word of this falvation fent (i). For they that dwell at Jerufalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every fabbath-day (k), they 21 have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no caufe of death in him (1), yet defired 29 they Pilate that he should be flain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a fepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: And he was feen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerufalem, who are his witneffes un32 to the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the faGod hath fulfilled the fame unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jefus again; as it is also written in the fecond pfalm, Thou art my Son, 34 this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he faid on this wife, I will 35 give you the fure mercies of David. Wherefore he

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faith alfo in another pfalm, Thou shalt not fuffer 36 thine holy One to fee corruption. For David, after he had ferved his own generation by the will of God, fell on fleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and faw 37 corruption: But he whom God raised again, faw no corruption.

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Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this inan is preached unto you the for39 giveness of fins: And by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which ye could not be 40 juftified by the law of Mofes. Beware therefore,

(2) As in verfe 16.

(k) Leffons as well out of the prophets as the law were read on the fabbath-days (verse 15), whereas on other days out of the law only.

(4) They could not prove what they accufed him of.

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left that come upon you which is spoken of in the 41 prophets, Behold, ye defpifers, and wonder, and perifh: for I work a work in your days, a work which you fhall in no wife believe, though a man 42 declare it unto you. And when the Jews were gone out of the fynagogue, the Gentiles befought that thefe words might be preached to them the next 43 fabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious profelytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who fpeaking to them, perfuaded them to continue in the grace of God (m). 44 And the next fabbath-day came almoft the whole 45 city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews faw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were fpoken by Paul, contradicting and blafpheming. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and faid, It was neceflary that the word of God fhould firft have been spoken to you: but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourfelves unworthy of everlafting life, lo, 47 we turn to the Gentiles. For fo hath the Lord commanded us, faying, I have fet thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou fhouldest be for falvation 48 unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles

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heard this they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eter49 nal life (n), believed. And the word of the Lord 50 was published throughout all the region. But the Jews ftirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raifed perfecution againít Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out 51 of their coafts. But they fhook off the dust of their

(m) To continue ftedfaft in the profeffion which God had given them grace to embrace. Chap. xiv. 22.

(n) As many as were duly prepared and difpofed in their hearts for the doctrine of eternal life, they with readiness received the word (as in Chap. xvii. 11.) and became christians.

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52 feet against them (0), and came unto Iconium. And the difciples were filled with joy, and with the holy Ghost.

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CHA P. XIV.

ND it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the fynagogue of the Jews, and fo fpåke, that a great multitude both of the Jews, and 2 alfo of the Greeks, believed. But the unbelieving Jews ftirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds 3 evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave teftimony unto the word of his grace, and grant4 ed figns and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held 5 with the Jews, and part with the apofties. And when there was an affault made both of the Gentiles, and alfo of the Jews, with their rulers, to use them 6 defpitefully, and to ftone them, They were aware of it, and fled unto Lyftra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: And there they preached the gofpel.

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And there fat a certain man at Lyftra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, 9 who never had walked. The fame heard Paul fpeak who ftedfaftly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed (a), Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped II and walked. And when the people faw what Paul had done, they lift up their voices, faying in the fpeech of Lyaconia, The gods are come down to us 12 in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas,

Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, becaufe he was the 13 chief fpeaker. Then the priest of Jupiter which

(0) According to Chrift's command. Matt.x. 14. Lukeix. 5. (a) By the power of difcerning fpirits, St. Paul knew him to be of an honest and religious difpofition, and to have a fincere faith in Chrift.

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was before their city (b), brought oxen and garlands únto the gates, and would have done facrifice with 14 the people. Which when the apoftles, Barnabas and

Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in a15 mong the people, crying out, And faying, Sirs, why do ye thefe things? we alfo are men of like paffions with you (c), and preach unto you, that ye ihould turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and all 16 things that are therein. Who in times past suffered 17 all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons (d), filling our hearts with food and gladness. 18 And with these fayings fcarce restrained they the people, that they had not done facrifice unto them.

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And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who perfuaded the people, and having ftoned Paul, drew him out of the city, fup20 pofing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples flood round about him, he rofe up, and came into the city and the next day he departed with Barna21 bas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gofpel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lyftra, and to Iconium, and Anti22 och, Confirming the fouls of the difciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith (e), and that we must through much tribulation enter into the 23 kingdom of God (f). And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with

(b) Whofe temple was at the entrance into their town. (c) We are not gods, but mortal men like yourselves.

(d) Thefe being proofs of the power and goodness of his providence.

fe) See Chap. xiii. 43.

(f) Teaching and forewarning, that in these times they who would become chriftians (Mark xii. 34.) must expect trouble and perfecution.

fafting,

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