A. D. 33. Ghost: as your fathers cil, told them plainly, That not did, so do ye. withstanding all these unexceptionable Evidences from their own Scriptures, he still expected that they would continue hard against the Word of God, and the miraculous Testimonies of his Spirit, just as their Fore-fathers had too often done before them. 52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just One, of whom je 52. Only with this Difference, That they only abused those Prophets that foretold and described the blessed Times of the Meffiah; but you (fays he) by a more defperate Degree of Wickedness, have betrayed and murdered the very Meffiah himself. 53. Who have re53. And finally, That this ceived the law by the their Law and Temple, tho' the disposition of angels, one so augustly and folemnly deand have not kept it. clared from Heaven, the other so magnificent in its Fabrick and Worship, should be so far from being their Security, under such unrepented Violation of the Divine Will, that they would serve only as Arguments to ascertain, and increase, and aggravate that most exemplary Judgment that was coming upon them. 54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55. But he being full of the holy Ghost, looked up itedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, SHECHINAH, of 54. This Difcourse, and the bold Application of it to them, so incensed the Council, that they expressed themselves against him, with all the Signs of Rage and Bitternefs. 55. Stephen knowing what this Fury of theirs would end in, lifted up his Eyes and heart to Heaven, where his only Hope and Confidence was placed; and God for his present Support, vouchsafed him a Sight of the glorious Appearance of the Divine Majesty, Majesty, and Jesus in the highest Splendor and Great- A. D. 33. ness, ready to fave and receive him. 56. And faid, Behold, I see the heavans opened, and the Son of man standing 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, ed upon the People as a Blafphemer. 58. And caft him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their cloaths at a young mans feet, whose name was Saul. on 56. And he declared to them all, what he saw. the right hand of God. 57. But they, feeing nothing of the Vision as he did, took it as a fresh Instance of his Blafphemy, to confirm the former Charge; and exclaiming against him in the loudest Manner, callto carry him off, and stone him 58. And to put some face of a legal Proceeding upon the Matter; they ordered him to be carried out of the City, and the Witnesses first to begin the Execution, who accordingly stript themselves for it, and gave their Cloaths to be kept by one Saul, an eminent young Zealot against Stephen; who, by this Office, defired to testify his Confent to his Death.. * 59. And they stoned 59. Thus they murdered this eminent Disciple, who all the while commended his Soul to JESUS his Saviour. * Stephen, calling upon 60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this fin to their charge. And when he had faid this, he fell asleep. * Ver. 59. Calling upon God. Note, The Word [God] is not in the Original, nor ought to have been inserted here. The Reading is, And they stoned Stephen, ἐπικαλέμενον, Calling out to, or calling upon, or praying and saying, Lord Jesus, &c. And if the Word God be supposed to be put in this Place, yet the Sense may well be this, viz. Calling upon God, and also saying, Lord Jesus Receive my Spirit. CHAP. VIII. A general Perfecution against the Converts to Christianity. They are forced to flee from Jerufalem. Onty the Apostles stay there. Saul a chief Instrument in this Perfecution. The Preaching and Miracles of Philip the Deacon in Samaria. Of Simon the Sorcerer. His Proposal to buy the Gifts of the Holy Ghost with Money. Peter's Reproof of him thereupon. Philip converts the Eunuch, and baptizeth him. A. D. 33. 1. ND Saul A confenting was to his death. And at lem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regi ons of Judæa and Sa- postles. I. T HE Rage and Malice of the Council at Stephen's Discourse, did not end in his Murder, but extended to all the Christian Converts; all, or most of which, were forced thereupon to retire from Jerufalem into the several Parts of Judaa and Samaria. But the twelve Apostles * continued there still. And in the Execution of these perfecuting Orders of the Coun cil, Saul was a principal Instrument, as he had before been of Stephen's Condemnation. 2. In * Ver. 1. πλὴν ζῶν ἀποςόλων, Except the Apostles; who, in all Probability, would hardly have abided the Danger of this Persecution, but from some special Order from GOD, and by a particular Providence over them. The Reason for their Continuance at Jerufalem in a Body, I conceive to be, That they might consult and give Directions to them that were scattered into several Parts, relating to the Converts they should make. See Chap. viii. 14, &. and Chap. xi. 22, &c. See Bp. Pearson's Oper. Poft pag. 62. I 2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great 2. In the mean Time, tho' it A. D. 35. was against the Custom of the Jewish Nation to bury Malefaclamentation over him. tors in the same Manner with other People, yet Stephen's * Friends ventured to carry his Body off, and perform his Funeral with the usual Decencies and Respects. 3. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entring into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to 3. To proceed now in the Account of this Dispersion of the Christian Converts, who could now no longer endure their own Houses, by reason of the Zeal and Fury of Saul, who by Order of the Council, entered and searched them all, dragging Men and Women out to Prifon. prifon. 4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word. 4. But these Endeavours to fuppress the Chriftian Doctrine, tended yet further to spread and propagate it. For fuch of those that were driven from Jerufalem, as had fufficient Endowments of the Holy Ghost, and Authority from the Apostles, went preaching, and confirming the Gospel, through the several Towns and Countries, into which they were dispersed. 5, 6, 7 & 8. Among whom Philip, one of the seven Deacons or Stewards for the Poor, (Chap. vi.) diftinguished himself in one of the chief Cities of the Samaritan Country; in which he preached, and wrought Miracles with fuch Success, that the greateft Part of the People believed, and embraced the Gospel with E the * "Ανδρες ἐυλαβεῖς, Devout Men. Whether this Phrafe in this Place, signifies Jewish Profelytes, or Christian Converts, is hardly to be determined; though most probably they were Jewish Proselytes turned Christians. A. D. 35. rits, crying with a the greatest Gladness and Satif loud voice, came out faction. of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8. And there was great joy in that city. 9. But there was a certain man called Si- time in the fame city used forcery, and be- great one. to. To whom they all gave heed, from the leaft to the great 9, 10 & 11. Now there had been a good while in that City, one Simon, a famous Sorcerer, that declared himself endowed with most eminent Degrees of divine Power; and indeed had so long and often aftonished the People with diabolical and magical Performances, that he was cried up by all Ranks, for a wonderful and divine Person. est, saying, This man 11. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with forceries. 12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both JESUS CHRIST. and when he was bap- 12. But upon hearing the comfortable and reasonable Doctrine of the Christian Religion from Philip, and feeing the far more plain and unexceptionable Miracles by which he confirmed it, they left Simon, and were baptized into the Religion of 13. Nay, the Power by which Philip wrought his Cures, appeared so evidently to be derived from the true God, that Simon himself was as much struck and aftonished at them, as the People had been at his; and finding he could no longer stand in Competition with him, pretended at least, to be his fincere Convert, and so was baptized, and attended upon his preaching. 14. Now when the 14 & 15. Now the twelve Aapostles which were at pofties at Jerufalem, having In Jeru telligence |