is preached unto you the true Meffiah, and that by the A. D. 46. the forgiveness of fins. Sacrifice of his Death, you have obtained the Means of the full Pardon of your Sins, and of eternal Salvation, upon the Condition of true Repentance, and embracing his Religion. 39. And by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which ye could not be juftified by the law of Mofes. 39. And this Pardon by the Blood of Jefus, is much more extenfive and effectual, than what the Purgations and Sacrifices of the Mofaical Law could ever procure for you: For the only Effect of those Washings and Sacrifices was, Admiffion into the Congregation again, from whence the Breach of some positive Ceremony had excluded a Man; they alone did not purge the Confcience, but only took away the political Guilt, in relation to their Civil and Ecclefiaftical Penalties; and fome Offences were punifhed with Death, and admitted no Sacrifices at all. Whereas this Atonement of Jefus your Meffiah, reaches to the perfect and eternal Forgiveness of every Kind and Degree of Tranfgreffion, in them that fincerely believe and obey him. Ver. 41. The Apoftle feems clearly to intimate their final Deftruction by the Romans. 2 A. D. 46. of the fynagogue, the Gentiles befought that the words might be preached to them the next fabbath. the Generality of the Jews went away as infidel and obftinate as they came; yet when they were gone, abundance of the Pifidian Gentiles (or rather Gentile Con verts to the Jewish Religion, called Profelytes, ver. 43.) requested Paul to preach the fame Doctrine the next *Sabbath to them, as liking it very well. 43. Now when the 45. But when the Jews faw the multi with envy, and ipake of 43. And after the Affembly was over, a good Number of the Jews and Profelytes came to the Apoftles, and profeffed themselves convinced of the Truth of their Doctrine, who thereupon gave them a great many further Arguments and Encouragements to perfevere in that Perfuafion, against the Envy and Malice of 44 & 45. Accordingly the next Sabbath, as Paul was preaching to a vaft Number of People, (viz. idolatrous Gentiles, as well as Gentile Profelytes;) the Infidel Jews inraged at the Sight of the idola trous Gentiles flocking into their Synagogue, interrupted his Difcourfe with the most outrageous Expreffions of Raillery and Abuse. and blafpheming. 46 & 47. Upon which the two Apoftles told them plainly, That they had now difcharged their Duty toward them, in giving them • Ver. 42. 'Els to μslaği σáßbalov, The next Sabbath. This Phrafe being taken by fome of the beft Interpreters to fignify The Week's Space between the laft and next Sabbath; but by others, The next Sabbath Day; and pretty good Reasons given on both Sides, I have left it without any Addition to our Tranflation. of God fhould first have been spoken to you: but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life; lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47. For fo hath the Lord commanded us, Jaying, I have fet thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for falvation unto the ends of the earth. them the firft Offer of the Gof- A. D. 46. fiah, as well as the Jews. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, be 48 & 49. The Gentile People received this with the utmost Degree of religious Joy and Gratitude, and all among them that were of a fober Difpofition, * and fincerely defirous to know the true Religion, believed and embraced the Gofpel, which now was spread through the whole Country of Pifidia. 50. But to hear the Gentiles made Partakers of the Bleffings of the Meffiah, fo enraged and exafperated the Infidel Jews, that by influencing fore Women of Quality • Ver. 48. Τλαγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αιώνιον, Ordained to eternal Life. That this Parale fignifies no other than what I have paraphrafed it, and has not the leaft Relation to any abfolute and unconditionate divine Decree of these Persons to eternal Life, is fo evidently and copiously demonftrated by all good Criticks and Interpreters upon this Place, that I may well venture to tell the English Reader in the Words of GrotiusHe that feeth it not, is blind. A. D. 46. against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their Quality among their Profelytes, and by them their Husbands, and fome of the governing Part of the City, they procured fuch fsevere Orders against the two Apoftles, that they forced them to flee for Safety. coafts. 51. But they fhook off the duft of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 51. And they, when they left the Place, remembring the Words of Chrift (Matth. x. 14.) fhook off the Duft of their Feet against them; thereby fignifying and declaring, that they ought to have no more to do with fo obftinate and incurable a People. 52. And the difciples were filled with joy, and with the holy Ghoft. 52. But in the mean time, notwithstanding this inhuman Treatment of the Apoftles, the new Converts continued in the Profeffion of the Chriftian Faith, with great Conftancy and Chearfulness; God alfo affifting and confirming them therein, by imparting fuch Gifts of the Holy Ghost among them, as were requifite and agreeable to the Circumftances of his CHURCH. CHAP. XIV. The CONTENTS. Paul and Barnabas travel to Lycaonia. They preach at 4. D. 46.1. AND it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the fyna I. THE 1. on on it, in the leffer Afia, where the A. D. 46. firft Town they enter'd was Iconium, ftill applying themselves first to the Jews in their Synagogue, where they preached with fuch Succefs, that abundance of them and their Profelytes were converted. 2. But the unbe lieving Jews ftirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. of the Town against 3. Long time therefore abode they speak ing boldly in the Lord, which gave teftimony unto the word of his grace, and granted figns and wonders to be done by their hands. 4. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5. And when there was an affault made both of the Gentiles, and alfo of the Jews, with their rulers, to ule them defpitefully, and to ftone them, 6. They were award of it, and fled unto * Ver. 3. “Inavov μèv ev xeivor Silentar. The μer Er may be rendered, either by therefore, or for indeed. The latter of which Senfes will make the Malice of the Jews, ver. 2. to proceed from their long Stay and Preaching there; |