of God, their case was not desperate. He directs them to repent of their aggravated crime, and in token of their desire to be washed from the guilt of that blood which they had so rashly imprecated upon themselves and their children, to be each of them baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, in order to the forgiveness of that and of all their sins, which he assured them they should certainly obtain, and also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby they should be qualified to serve and honour that glorious Lord whom they had crucified.

To confirm them in the belief of this, he referred them to the promise of God, (Joel ii. 17, 18,)" which," added he, "is to you, and to your children, whom God is willing to admit to the same privileges with you, and also to extend it to the remotest nations, even to all whom God shall invite by the preaching of the gospel."

Many other discourses were, no doubt, uttered by St. Peter and the rest of the apostles,* urging them with the most affectionate importunity to renounce that obstinate unbelief in which they had united with those who crucified Christ, and then avoid the ruin which would quickly come upon that depraved and perverse genera

tion.

Such was the wonderful effect of these addresses upon those who received the word with readiness, that there were added to the number of the disciples, that very day, three thousand souls. Nor was this a transport of sudden passion, but it was evidently the work of God on their hearts, whereby a thorough change was effected; for, notwithstanding all the efforts of their adversaries, and all the danger to which these converts exposed themselves, they continued stedfast in their attendance on the word which the apostles preached, and resolutely adhered to their doctrine and though many came from distant parts of the world, they continued for a time in Jerusalem, to

Apostles. It is highly probable that, as a variety of tongues were given, all the apostles, and perhaps some of the other disciples, addressed themselves to different auditories, for the concourse of people was too great to meet in one place, or hear the voice of one man.

be more perfectly instructed in the Christian faith; they all lived in the most endearing fellowship and intimate friendship with each other, and particularly expressed their mutual affection in breaking of bread together, and joining in the exercise of social prayer. And so surprising was this spectacle, that many who were not converted, when they took notice of this wonderful effect of the apostle's preaching, were mightily impressed with the thought of it; so that a reverential dread fell upon every soul, which was farther increased by many miracles which were wrought in the name of Jesus. Such also was the strong affection that prevailed among them, that they had all things common, and the wealthy, in order to supply the wants of the poor, sold their possessions and effects, and divided their produce among the necessitous. And then with unanimity of heart they frequented the temple daily at the hours of prayer, and as frequently as they could, made entertainment for their brethren, especially for the strangers, and partook of their ordinary refreshment with the greatest joy and simplicity of heart, filled with gratitude to God for the riches of his grace towards them, and being, in general, much respected among the people, on account of their amiable and benevolent conduct: And the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom they had devoted themselves, added daily to the church considerable numbers of those happy souls who were saved from the approaching destruction, and from the future punishment to which they would otherwise have been exposed by it.

Shortly after the miraculous conversion of the three thousand, Peter and John went up together to the temple, at three in the afternoon, which was one of the times of day generally set apart for prayer. And as they entered in at the gate of the temple toward the east in Solomon's porch, which was called the Beautiful Gate, there lay an impotent man, that had been lame

* Beautiful Gate. This was erected by Herod the Great; it is said to have been about forty-five feet high, and twenty-two feet broad, made of Corinthian brass, and exceedingly splendid.

from his birth, and who used to beg the alms of those that daily came to pray there. The cripple seeing Peter and John going into the temple, begs their charity: the apostles stop at the importunity of the man; and looking earnestly on him, Peter bids the cripple look on them. The poor man, expecting pecuniary relief, earnestly fixed his eyes on the apostles, who, under the divine impulse, intending a far more valuable favour, said to him, "The alms thou requirest I have not to give, but that which exceeds the worth of silver and gold, and will eminently supply thy wants I freely bestow on thee: In the name of Jesus of Nazareth* rise up and walk." And taking him by the hand he helped him up, and immediately he was cured of his lameness, being able to stand and walk. Upon this miraculous cure, the poor man, now no longer a cripple, entered with the apostles into the temple, to demonstrate the miracle, and to praise God for the instruments of his cure. Having many years sat an object of charity there, he must of course be well known of all pious people who used to go that way, who seeing him walking and praising God, were amazed at the greatness of the cure. The rumour of this soon spread abroad, and as the poor man thus healed kept close to Peter and John, being unwilling to part with those from whom he had received so great a benefit, the people in great numbers crowded about the apostles, to whom Peter thus addressed himself:

"Men of Israel, why do you look upon this cure as a thing strange? (The miracles of Jesus were far greater than this.) Or why do ye attribute any thing to us in this matter, as if there were any excellency in us to which this cure were to be imputed? The God of our fathers hath given this power of working miracles to Jesus, whom you delivered to Pilate to be crucified, releasing a known murderer and thief, and putting to

Nazareth. We shall have frequent occasion in the course of this history to observe, that this name of reproach by which our Saviour was distinguished, was adopted both by himself and his apostles; for Jesus was not born in Nazareth, as the Jews pretended, but at Bethlehem.

death him, who came to bring life to the world; whom God hath pleased to raise from the dead, and make us witnesses thereof. And now it is by faith in him that this man hath recovered from his lameness. The man you know, having for many years seen him a begging cripple. And this faith working by his power on whom we believe, hath wrought this remarkable cure, at which you all so much wonder. Now this, I suppose, brethren, that you of the multitude, which did thus reject Christ, did not know him to be the Messiah, and the same I suppose of your rulers. But by these means, the many prophecies of Scripture, that the Messiah should be put death, have been fulfilled. Repent, therefore, of your iniquities, and turn to God, that you may be delivered from the heavy burden of your guilt, that seasons of refreshment and delight may come upon you, and that so, at length, he may send unto you Jesus Christ, whom the heavens, to which he has ascended, must retain, till the happy times of the restitution of all things at the great day shall arrive; when the seeming irregularities of the present dispensation shall all be rectified, according to the predictions of these events by all the holy prophets. For Moses, one of the first, and chief of all the prophets, plainly described the Messiah of whom I speak, and all his successors have foretold these eventful days. Ye are the peculiar persons of whom the prophets foretold, and to whom the covenant belongs, which was made to Abraham, in which was promised that the posterity of him should be so blessed, that all the families and people of the world, that would bless themselves or others, should use this form, " God bless them, as he blessed Abraham's Seed." This was upon the account of having Christ given them, besides many other special prerogatives bestowed on them. This accordingly is performed and accomplished. For God having raised this Christ again, hath, by our preaching his resurrection, first to you, sent him again in a most glorious manner to bless his enemies, to do to them all the good offices imaginable, by tenderness and charity to work upon his most obdurate crucifiers, and to turn every one of you from your infidelity and im penitence."

Whilst Peter was instructing the people, the captain of the guard that sat at the porches of the temple, to keep the peace, at the instigation of the Sadducees, came with an armed force, and seized the two apostles, and led them to prison; notwithstanding which, so great was the power and efficacy of Peter's preaching, that five thousand more converts were added to the church and faith of Christ. *

The two apostles being confined all night, the next morning they of whom the Sanhedrim consisted, and particularly Annas and Caiaphas assembling in council, caused Peter and John to be brought before them, whom they examined upon these interrogatories: How they were enabled to perform the miracle on the lame man? Whose name they invoked? and From whom they pretended to have commission thus to preach to the people? In answer to these questions, Peter being by the Spirit of God endued with an extraordinary presence of mind, and elocution, spake thus, "Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, we are this day examined before you concerning an action, which is so far from being criminal, that it is an act of special mercy. Be assured, that this miraculous cure performed on the lame man, was wrought by no other means than by invoking the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, and God most miraculously raised again. This is he that was prophesied of under the title of a stone refused, rejected by you, the chief of the Jews, and treated with contempt, but is now by his resurrection enthroned in power (an effect of which is this miracle wrought in his name) and is indeed become the ruler and king of the church, the prime foundation-stone of the whole fabric. In him alone must salvation now be hoped for by all; for there is no other name under heaven, given out by God among the children of men, whether of patriarch or prophet, or priest, or king, in which we can be saved or recovered."

Christ. It may be doubted whether five thousand beside the three thousand before mentioned were now converted, or whether the latter made five thousand together with the former.