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every exercise of it. As for those that have neither silver nor gold, such as they have let them give.-These holy apostles, we see, had not enriched themselves by being intrusted with the distribution of those goods which were laid at their feet; but had approved themselves faithful stewards: The members of Christ were far dearer to them than any temporal interest of their own; and fatally, sure, would the church in all ages have been mistaken, if it had measured the worth of its pastors by their wealth They bestowed nevertheless a much more valuable bounty: And if it be more desirable to heal men's bodies than to enrich them, how much more advantageous is it to be the instrument of healing their souls? which, if it be ever accomplished, must surely be in the same name, even that of Jesus of Nazareth May he strengthen the feeble powers of fallen nature, while we are attempting to raise men up; and may spiritual health and vigour, when restored, be improved, like the cure wrought ou this lame man, in the service of God, and a thankful acknowledgment of his goodness.

We are not to wonder, that, as the name of Jesus, their great deliverer, is incomparably precious to all that truly believe, such have also some peculiarly tender friendships for the persons, by whose means he has wrought this good work upon them: May many such friendships be formed now, and be perfected in glory! and, in the mean time, may the ministers of Christ be watching every opportunity of doing good, and especially when they see men under any lively impressions which tend towards religion: May they have that holy` mixture of zeal and prudence, which taught the apostles how to speak a word in season; a word which proved so remarkably good, and was owned by God in so singular a manner, for the conversion and sal vation of multitudes that heard it!

SECTION VII.

Peter's discourse in the temple, on the cure of the lame man. Ch. iii. 12, &c.

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ND Peter seeing this concourse of persons attracted by this miracle, answered the people, Ye men of Israel, why do ye wonder at this cure? or why do ye fix your eyes on us, as if by 13 our own power, or piety, we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his son Jesus, whom you delivered up, and renounced him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determin14 ed to release him; but you renounced the holy and righteous one, 15 and desired a murderer might be granted unto you; and killed the prince of life; whom nevertheless God hath raised from the dead, 16 of which we are witnesses: and now by faith in his name, he hath strengthened this man*, whom you see, and know: yea his name [that of Jesus] and the faith which is in him, hath [restored this man, and] given him this perfect soundness before you all.*The construction of the original, as it is commonly pointed, is very perplexed, as is the C.T. The pointing of Heinsius is far preferable.

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17 And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as 18 did also your rulers. But God hath thus fulfilled those things, which he foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ 19 should suffer. Repent, therefore, and turn to God, that so your

sins may be blotted out; that seasons of refreshment may come 20 upon you from the presence of the Lord, and that he may at length send unto you this same Jesus Christ, who was before appointed* as the saviour of sinners, to receive you to eternal happiness above : 21 whom indeed heaven must receive till the times of the regulation of all thingst; concerning which events God hath spoken by the 22 mouth of all his holy prophets from the beginning of time. For Moses said to the fathers (Deut. xviii. 15.) "Surely a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say 23 unto you and it shall come to pass, that every soul who will not hearken to that prophet, shall be cut off from among the people." 24 Yea and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as spoke, have also foretold these days which you now see. 25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant, which God constituted with our fathers, saying to Abraham (Gen. xii. 3, &c.) "And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be bless26 ed." To you first, God having raised up his child Jesus, hath sent him to bless you; every one of you turning from your iniquities.

REFLECTIONS.

Happy the minister whose heart is thus intent upon all opportunities of doing good, as these holy apostles were! Happy that faithful servant, who, like them, arrogates nothing to himself, but centers the praise of all in him who is the great source from whom every good and perfect gift proceeds! Happy the man who is himself willing to be forgotten and overlooked, that God may be remembered and owned! He, like this wise master-builder, will lay the foundation deep in a sense of sin, and will charge it with all its aggravations on the sinner, that he may thereby render the tidings of a Saviour welcome; which they can never be till this burden has been felt. Yet will he, like Peter, conduct the charge with tenderness and respect, and be cautious not to overload even the greatest offender. We see the absolute necessity of repentance; which therefore is to be solemnly charged upon the consciences of all who desire that their sins may be blotted out of the book of God's remembrance, and that they may share in that refreshment which nothing but the sense of his pardoning love can afford. Blessed souls are they who have experienced it; for they may look all their present comforts as the dawning of eternal glory; and having seen Christ with an eye of faith, and received that important cure, which nothing but his powerful and gracious name can effect, may be assured that God will send him again to complete *So the best MSS. and several of the Fathers.

upon

†The great day, when God will rectify all the seeming irregularities of his present dispensations.

the work he has so graciously begun, and to reduce the seeming irregularities of the present state into everlasting harmony, order, and beauty. In the mean time, let us adore the wisdom of his providence, and the fidelity of his grace, which has over-ruled the folly and wickedness of men, to subserve his own holy purposes, and has accomplished the promises so long since made, of a prophet to be raised up to Israel like Moses, and indeed gloriously superior to him, both in the dignity of his character and office, and in the great salvation he was sent to procure. This salvation was first offered to Israel, which had rendered itself so peculiarly unworthy by killing the Prince of life. Let us rejoice that he is now published to us, and that God has condescended to send his Son to bless us sinners of the Gentiles, in turning us from our iniquities. Let us view this salvation in its true light, and remember that if we are not willing to turn from iniquity, from all iniquity, from those iniquities that have been peculiarly our own, it is impossible we should have any share in it.

SECTION VIII.

The two apostles being seized by order of the Sanhedrim, declare their resolution to preach in the name of Jesus, notwithstanding their threatenings. Ch. iv. 1-22.

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ND while they (Reter and John) were speaking to the peo ple, the priests came upon them, and the captain of the tem2 ple, and the Sadducees, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached the resurrection from the dead in the person of Jesus. 3 And they laid hands upon them, and committed them into custody 4 unto the next day; for it was now evening. But many of those who had heard the word, believed; and the number of the men 5 with those converted before became about five thousand.

And

the next day their rulers, and elders, and scribes gathered together 6 at Jerusalem: and Annas formerly the high-priest, and Caiaphas*, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the high7 priest's kindred. And having set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name have you done this 8 strange work? Then Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, said unto 9 them, O ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we are this day examined about the benefit conferred upon the impotent 10 man, by what means he is healed; be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, 11 yea, by him this man stands before you sound. This is the stone, which was set at nought by you builders, that is become the head 12 of the corner (Ps. cxviii. 22.) And there is salvation in no other; neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, in which we must be saved.

* As Caiaphas was now high-priest, it seems strange that the title should be given to another :-[possibly a and, may have been transposed.]

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Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were illiterate men, and in private stations of life*, they were astonished: and they knew them, that they had been 14 with Jesus. And seing the man that was cured standing with 15 them, they had nothing to say against the fact. But having ordered them to withdraw out of the council, they conferred 16 among themselves, saying, What shall we do with these men? for that indeed a signal miracle hath been wrought by them, is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny 17 it. Nevertheless, that it may not any further spread among the people, let us severely threaten them, that they speak no more to 18 any man in this name. And having called them in again, they

charged them that they should not speak any more, or teach in 19 the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answering them, said,, Whether it be righteous in the sight of God, to obey you rather 20 than God, judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which 21 we have seen and heard. And having threatened them again,

they dismissed them; finding nothing for which they might punish them, on account of the people; because they all glorified God 22 for that which was done for the man, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought, was more than forty years old, and therefore his case appeared desperate.

REFLECTIONS.

We see, in the instance before us, the natural but detestable effects of a proud, bigotted, over-bearing temper, even where it seems least excusable. The Sadducees themselves, though they believed no future state of retribution, yet persecuted the apostles as eagerly, as if they, like some other Jews, had expected to merit heaven by their severity to them. On the other side, it is delightful to observe the zeal and courage, with which Peter and John defended the cause of their crucified Redeemer, even in the presence of those by whom he had so lately been condemned. Thus can God give power to the feeble, and increase the strength of them that have no might. The testimony they bore is well worth our regarding. There is salvation in no other, neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. O that the ends of the earth might hear and reverence that name! O that thousands, to whom it is yet unknown, may learn to build all their hopes of salvation upon it; and may we never be ashamed to own it, never afraid to adhere to it! May we speak of it with such a fervour, may we defend it with such a zeal, that they who are around about us may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus, and trace the genuine effects of our intimate acquaintance with him!

Never was there an instance of a more memorable combat between the force of evidence and of prejudice; never a more impudent attempt to bear down the cause of unquestionable truth by bru

*The C. T. here is a very unhappy one, and does not do justice to these men, who were not ignorant, though unlearned.

tal violence. But great is the truth, and it will prevail. May the ministers of the gospel never want that courage in the defence of it which these holy men expressed; always judging it infinitely more reasonable, more safe, and more necessary, to obey God than man! Never may we be ashamed to profess our reverence and love to him, who is our supreme ruler, and our most bountiful friend; and may he give us such an inward and heart-influencing sense of the worth and sweetness of his gospel, as may effectually prevent our betraying or neglecting it!

SECTION IX.

The prayer of the disciples on the return of Peter and John, and a renewed effusion of the Spirit. Ch. iv. 23—35.

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ND Peter and John being dismissed, they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and elders 24 had said to them. And when they heard it, they lift up their voice with one accord to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who didst make heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that 25 are in them: who didst say by the mouth of thy servant David, "Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves in hostile array, and the rulers combined together against the Lord, and against his Mes27 siah." For of a truth, against thine holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the heathen, 28 and the people of Israel, have combined to do what thine hand 29 and thy counsel had before determined to be done. And now, O

Lord, regard their threatenings; and give unto thy servants to 30 speak thy word with all freedom; whilst thou art stretching out thine hand for healing; and signs and wonders are done by the 31 name of thy holy child Jesus. And while they were praying, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with freedom.

32

Now the heart and soul of the multitude of believers was.one : nor did any one of them call any of his possessions his own; but 33 all things were common amongst them. And with great power did the apostles give forth their testimony of the resurrection of 34 the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any one indigent person among them; for as many as were proprietors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought 35 the price of the things they sold, and laid it down at the feet of the apostles; and distribution was made to every one according as any had need.

REFLECTIONS.

This was indeed the golden age of the church; and it is impossible to trace the memoirs of it, if we love Sion, without a secret complacency and exultation of mind. How amiable and how venerable do

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