40

turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us for as for this Mofes, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot 41 not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered facrifice unto the idol, and 42 rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned (1), and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Ifrael, have ye offered to me flain beafts, and facrifices, by the space of forty years in 43 the wildernefs? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch (m), and the ftar of your god Remphan, figures which ye made, to worship them and I will 44 carry you away beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witnefs in the wilderness, as he had appointed (n), fpeaking unto Mofes, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had feen. 45 Which also our fathers that came after, brought in with Jefus (0) into the poffeffion of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, 46 unto the days of David: Who found favour before

(1) Turned away from them; withdrew his favour.

(m) They carried about the tabernacle or ark of the cruel MoToch, to whom they facrificed their children; and Remphan, called alfo Chiun (Amos v. 26.) who was worshipped in the figure of a ftar. Somewhat like this is the fuperftitious practice, which prevails in popifh countries, of carrying in preceffion the host, and images of faints.

(n) The fervice enjoined by the law of Mofes, could not be effential to true religion; for the Jews had it not for the space of four hundred years: and that it was not intended to be unchangeable, appears from the tabernacle, though appointed with the utmoft fo lemnity, being laid afide, and the temple built in its ftead, near five hundred years after: nor was the temple, how magnificent foever, of any regard in the fight of God; for he is Lord of heaven and earth, and will accept the devotions of his faithful fervants, whether offered up at Jerufalem, or in any other place whatsoever. John iv. 24.

(0) Jofhua is here called Jefus, and alfo Heb. iv. 8. each name (one in Greek, the other in Hebrew) fignifying Saviour.

God,

God, and defired to find a tabernacle for the God of 47 Jacob. But Solomon built him an houfe. Howbeit 48 the most High dwelleth not in temples made with 49 hands; as faith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footftool: what houfe will ye build me? faith the Lord: or what is the place of my 50 reft? Hath not my hand made all these things (p)? 51 Ye ftiff-necked (q), and uncircumcifed in heart and

ears, ye do always refift the holy Ghoft: as your fa52 thers did, fo do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers perfecuted? and they have flain them which thewed before of the coming of the Juft One,. of whom ye have been now the betrayers and mur53 derers: Who have received the law by the difpofition of angels (r), and have not kept it.

54

When they heard thefe things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnafhed on him with their teeth.. 55 But he being full of the holy Ghoft, looked up sted

faftly into heaven, and faw the glory of God, and 56 Jefus ftanding on the right hand of God; And said,

Behold, I fee the heavens opened, and the Son of 57 man standing on the right hand of God. Then they

cried out with a loud voice, and ftopped their ears, 58 and ran upon him with one accord, And caft him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witneffes laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose 59 name was Saul. And they ftoned Stephen, calling upon

God, and faying, Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit (s). 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.

(p) See Ifaiah Ixvi. 1, 2.

(4) Stiff-necked, like unruly oxen in the plough, which will not bend their neck to the yoke.

(r) By the miniftry of the holy angels, who attended at the delivery of it with the moft awful folemnity.

(s) Obferve, that St. Stephen in his last moments commends his departing fpirit to our Lord in the very fame manner as Christ did on the cross to his almighty Father. Luke xxiii. 46.

4

CHA P. VIII.

AND Sant was confenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great perfecution against the church which was at Jerufalem; and they were all fcattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea 2 and Samaria, except the apoftles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church (a), entering into every houfe, and haling men and women, committed them to prison. Therefore they that were fcattered abroad, went 5 every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Chrift 6 unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto thefe things which Philip fpake, hearing 7 and feeing the miracles which he did. For unclean fpirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were poffeffed with them: and many taken with 8 palfies, and that were lame, were healed. And there 9 was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man called Simon (b), which before time in the fame city used forcery, and bewitched the people of Sama10 ria, giving out that himself was fome great one. To

whom they all gave heed, from the leaft to the greateft, faying, This man is the great power of God. II And to him they had regard, because that of long 12 time he had bewitched them with forceries. But

when they believed Philip, preaching the things con

(a) The church is the fociety of chriftians, Matt. xviii. 17. Obferve that, by the providence of God, which directs all things, the perfecution and difperfion of the faithful became the occafion of extending the knowledge of the Gospel.

(b) He aftonifhed the people with his curious arts, and by his bold profeffions he had raised their opinion of him to the highe pitch.

cerning

cerning the kingdom of God (c) and the name of Jefus Chrift, they were baptized both men and wo13 men. Then Simon himfelf believed alfo (d): and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and figns which were 14 done. Now when the apoftles which were at Jeru

falem, heard that Samaria had received the word of 15 God (e), they fent unto them Peter and John. Who

when they were come down, prayed for them that 16 they might receive the holy Ghoft, (For as yet he

was fallen upon none of them: only they were bap17 tized in the name of the Lord Jefus) (f). Then laid

they their hands on them, and they received the holy 18 Ghoft. And when Simon faw that through laying

on of the apostles hands (g), the holy Ghoft was 19 given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me

alfo this power, that on whomfoever I lay hands, he 20 may receive the holy Ghoft. But Peter faid unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou haft thought that the gift of God may be purchased with 21 money. Thou haft neither part nor lot in this mat

ter for thy heart is not right in the fight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickednefs, and pray

God, if perhaps (b) the thought of thine heart may 23 be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in

(c) The kingdom of God is the religion of Chrift. Chap. i. 3. (d) Simon was convinced by the reasoning and miracles of Philip; but his corrupt heart was not changed.

(e) The gifts of the holy Ghoft could be conferred only by the hands of the apoffles, and therefore Peter and John were fent. From hence appears, that St. Peter claimed no fupremacy over the reft of the apofiles, but obeyed their directions.

(f) According to the command of the Lord Jefus.

(g) As if the miracle he had feen were the effect of human art. (4) This opinion, which approached very nearly to the blafphe my against the holy Ghoft (Matt. xii. 31.), you fee, was not thought by St. Peter to be abfolutely unpardonable.

the gall of bitterness (i), and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then anfwered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have fpo25 ken come upon me. And they, when they had teftified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerufalem, and preached the gofpel in many vil26 lages of the Samaritans. And the angel of the Lord fpake unto Philip, faying, Arife and go toward the fouth, unto the way that goeth down from Jerufalem 27 unto Gaza, which is defert. And he arofe and went : and behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians (k), who had the charge of all her treafure, and had come 28 to Jerufalem for to worship (1), Was returning, and 29 fitting in his chariot read Efaias the prophet. Then

the Spirit faid unto Philip, Go near, and join thyfelf 30 to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and

heard him read the prophet Efaias, and faid, Under31 ftandeft thou what thou readeft? And he faid, How can I, except fome man fhould guide me? and he defired Philip that he would come up, and fit with 32 him. The place of the fcripture which he read, was this, He was led as a sheep to the flaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his fhearer, fo opened he 33 not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away (m): and who fhall declare his genera

tion?

(i) Gall of bitternefs fignifies the very worst flate of corruption: by the bond of iniquity is meant the hardeft of all bondage and flavery, even that of finful lufls.

(k) It is not neceffary to underftand the word in its ufual fenfe, it being anciently ufed for the great officers in the courts of caftern princes.

() Being a Jewish profelyte, he had come to keep the feaf of Pentecoft.

(m) In his flate of humiliation, he was moft cruelly and unjufly condemned, and who can exprefs the wickednefs of that generation of men? Or, the words may be underflood of the Meffiah, when the gospel of falvation was preached, to fignify the great happiness

of