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beg at this Gate, through which the greatest Numbers went into the Temple.

3. Who begg'd of them as they went in, to give him fomething.

4 & 5. The two Apostles bad the Man look upon them, and obferve their Faces, as they did his; (that he might be fure to know them again, and teftify what they had done to him.) He did fo, and fully expected they would beftow fomething on him.

6. Then Peter told him, That as for Money they had none to give him, but fomething that was much better. In the Name, * and by the Power and Authority of Chrift Jefus (faid he) get up and walk, as found as other Men.

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* Ver. 6. In the Name, and by the Power of Jefus Chrift. See Chap. ii. 21. The Name of JESUS is here emphatical In His, and none but His Name.

10. And they knew that it was he which fat for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and

amazement at that which had happened unto him.

11. And as the lame man which was healed, held Peter and John, all the people together unto them in the porch that is called Solomons, greatly wondering.

ran

12. And when Peter

faw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Ifrael, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye fo earneftly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made

knowing him to be the very A D. 33,
fame Perfon that used every Day
to lie begging at the Porch, and
had lain there but just before;
they were perfectly aftonished to
fee him all of a fudden among
them at the Service.

11. When Service was ended, the Man ftill kept close to Peter and John, and as they were together in the Porch where he was cured, the People came about them in vaft Numbers full of Wonder and Amazement.

12. Which gave Peter another Opportunity of speaking to them to this Effect. It is ftrange (fays he) that after what you have already feen and heard of us, you fhould have no better Apprehenfions of what is now before you; that you can fill imagine this Cure to be the Effect of any fecret Art or human Power in us, or that God should have conferr'd this Gift upon us on account of any Worthiness in us above all other Men.

this man to walk?

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A. D. 33. a

murderer to
to be
granted unto you,
15. And killed the
prince of life, whom
God hath raised from

the dead; whereof
we are witneffes.

16. And his name,
through faith in his
name, hath made this
man strong, whom ye
now fee and know:
yea, the faith which

is by him, hath given
him this perfect found
nefs in the presence of

you all.

bre

17. And now, thren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did alfo your rulers.

18. But thofe things fhewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should fuffer, he

which God before had

the violent Prejudice that made you fo irrational, as to ask the Life of a common Robber and a Murderer, rather than that of the moft holy and innocent Per

for that ever lived.

16. And we now declare to you, that the Power by which we have fo wondrously and perfectly reftored this Man, whom you all knew and faw a Cripple, was given to us by the fame Jefus, as we are his faithful Difciples, and commiffion'd to be his Apostles: By whofe Authority and Power alone, it is that we act.

17 & 18. We cannot indeed be fo uncharitable as to think, that either you of the Multitude, or even the chief Priests of your great Council, committed that Act of crucifying our Jesus, absolutely againft Confcience, or that you really knew him to be your Meffiah; you did it by the ungoverned Sway of finful Paffions and Prejudices, against the Meannefs of his Perfon and Appearance; and God, by permitting you fo to do, has moft wifely fuffered you to become the Inftruments of accomplishing the Prophecies concerning the Death of Chrift.

hath fo fulfilled.

19.Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, when ing fhall come from the prefence of the

the times of refresh

Lord.

20. And

19 & 20. Wherefore if ye will now ftill be wrought upon by the Evidences and Warnings of us his Apoftles, fo as fincerely to repent, amend your Lives, and embrace and live up to his Religion, God has fuch a Compaffion to thefe

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Ver. 17. I wot through Ignorance ye did it So our Lord fays, Luke xxiii. 34. Father forgive them, for they know not (i. e. are not aware of) what they do.

20. And he fhall fend Jefus Chrift, which before was preached unto you.

these your Prejudices, that he A. D. 33. will not only forgive you what is paft, but make this Jefus (by whofe Miracles and Preaching ye wou'd not be converted) your Saviour and Deliverer, both from the prefent Judgments that are coming on the Jewish Nation, and from the terrible Punishments he fhall come to inflict, at the great Day of final Judg ment, upon all wicked and obftinate Unbelievers.

21. Whom the heaven must receive, till * the times of reftitution of all things, which God hath fpoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, fince the world began,

22. For Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, A prophet fhall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto + me; him fhall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he fhall fay unto you. 23. And it fhall come to pass, that every foul which will not hear that prophet, fhall be deftroyed

21. He is now in Heaven, there to remain the Lord and Head of his Church upon Earth, to fee the whole Difpenfation of the * Gofpel-Age perfected in the Accomplishment of all the Prophecies concerning it; and then fhall come again to the folemn Trial of all the World.

22 & 23. Among which numerous Prophecies, let me refer you particularly to the plain Words of your great Prophet Mofes to your Fore-fathers, (Deut. xviii. 15.) Wherein he promises them God would one Day cause the ftill greater Prophet the Meffiah to be born from one of their Families; with a ftritt Charge left to receive him, and obey his Laws; threatning withal, that all those that would not be obedient to him, fhould be cut off from the true C 2 Church,

* Ver. 21. Till the Times of Reftitution See NOTE on Rom. v. 13.

+ Ver. 22. Os qui. Either like unto me, i. e. in being a Lawgiver, and Mediator between GoD and the People; or else as he has raised up or made me your Prophet, fo he will bim. But it seems to refer to the foregoing Words, of your Brethren, i. c. as I am a Prophet and Lawgiver, of your own Stock and Nation, fo will He be. See my NOTE and PARAPHRASE on Deut. xviii. 15, 18.

A. D. 33. ftroyed from among Church, and from all Hopes of m the people.

24. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and thofe that follow after, as many as have fpoken, have likewife foretold of these days.

Salvation.

24. And not only Mofes, but all the other Prophets after him, that have left any Predictions concerning the Meffiah, have, defcribed the Manner, Circumftances, and Effects of his Appearance, no otherwife than you have found it in our fefus; and are all full of the like Threatnings upon those that reject and disobey him.

25. Ye are the chil-
dren of the prophets,
and of the covenant
which God made with
our fathers, faying un-
to Abraham, And in
thy feed fhall all the

kindreds of the earth
be bleffed.
26. Unto you firft,
God having raised up
his Son Jefus, fent
him to bless you, in
turning away every
one of you from his
iniquities.

25 & 26. You indeed are the Pofterity of Abraham, to whom, for his eminent Piety, God folemnly promifed, that the Meffiah, the Saviour of the whole World, fhould be born of his Family; and you have had a Succeffion of Prophets to confirm and affure you of that great Promife; and accordingly God has now given you Jews the first Offer of Repentance, Pardon, and Salvation by Him; which if you ftill obftinately refuse, you shall utterly perish and be destroyed.

CHAP.

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