for thy Heart is not right in the Sight of God, ver.

20, 21.

38 Q. Whither was Philip fent next to preach?

A. The Angel of the Lord fent him to meet a great Officer of the Queen of Ethiopia upon the Road, as he was returning from Jerufalem, where he had been to worship as a Profelyte, ver. 26, 27. 39Q.How was he employed when Philipmet him? A. He was fitting in his Chariot, and reading the 534 Chapter of Ifaiah, where it is written, He was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter, &c. ver. 28-32. 40 Q. In what Manner did Philip preach the Gospel to him?

A Upon his Enquiry, "Who was the Perfon "of whom the Prophet fpake?" Philip preached Jefus Chrift the Saviour to him, ver. 34, 35.

41 Q. What Succefs had this Difcourfe of Philip? A. He profeffed his Faith, that Jefus is the Son of God, and was baptized as soon as they came to any Water, ver. 36-38.

42 Q. What became of Philip afterwards?

A. The Spirit of the Lord caught him away, and carried him to Azotus; whence he travelled to Cefarea, and preached to all the Cities upon the Road, ver. 39, 49.

43 Q. What are the next remarkable Actions of Peter?

A. He went down to Lydda, and cured Eneas, who had kept his Bed eight Years with the Palfy; and he went to Joppa, and raised Dorcas from the Dead, Acts ix. 32—41.

44 Q. Who was this Dorcas ?

A. She was a Woman full of good Works, and who made Garments for the Poor, ver. 36-39. 45 Q. What was the Effect of these Miracles? A. Many at Lydda and Joppa believed, and turned to the Lord, ver. 35-44 •·

8

46 Q What Meffage did Peter receive while he was at Joppa?

A. Cornelius, a Centurion that feared God, and prayed to him daily, was ordered by an Angel in a Vifion to fend to Joppa for Peter; that he might teach him the Way of Salvation, Acts x. 1—6.

47 Q. Did Peter readily go upon this Meffage, and preach toCornelius, whowas one of the Gentiles? A. Peter being a Jew, would have thought it unlawful to keep Company with the Gentiles; that is, to go and fojourn, and eat with them in a familiar Manner, as thinking them unclean: But God forewarned him in a Vision, just before the Messengers came to him, that he fhould freely go and preach to the Gentiles who fent for him, ver. 19, 20, 28, 29.

48 Q. What Sort of Vifion was this whereby God forwarned Peter that the Gentiles fhould not be judged unclean any longer?

A. While the Meffengers of Cornelius drew near the City, Peter went upon the House-top to pray; and there was a great Sheet appeared to be let down from Heaven, with all Manner of unclean Beats and Birds, and creeping Things'; and a Voice bid Peter kill and eat, nor call thofe Things unclean, which God hath cleanfed, ver. 9, 20.

Note. By this Vifion Peter feems to have been taught thefe two Things at once; namely, He was taught literally and exprefly, that there were no more Jewifh Diftinctions of Meats to be observed; and he was taught, by way of Emblem, that the Gentiles. fhould no longer be accounted unclean, or unfit for Jews familiarly to eat and converse with..

49 Q. How did Peter begin his Sermon to Cornel us and his Friends?

A. Thus; Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Refpecter of Perfons; but in every Nation, be that feareth God, and worketh Righteousness, is accepted of him, Acts x. 34, 35.

50 Q. What was the chief Subftance of his Dif courfe?

A. He preached the Life, and Death, and Refurrection of Chrift; and that he was ordained to be the Judge of the World; and that whofoever believeth in him should have Remiffion of Sins, ver. 36-43. 51 Q. Had this Sermon of Peter any remarkable Succefs?

A. While Peter fpake thefe Words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all those that were prefent; and they Spake with Tongues, and were baptized in the Name of the Lord, ver. 44-48.

52 Q. How did Peter defend himself for con-verfing and eating with the Gentiles, when the Jewish Believers reproved him for it?

A. Peter related the wholeStory, both of his own Vifion upon the Houfe-top, and of the Angel that was fent to Cornelius, and the wonderful Success of his Sermon; upon which they held their Peace, and glorified God, Acts xi. 1-18.

53 Q. Were the Difciples of Chrift free from Perfecution at this Time?

A. They had been free from Perfecution for a confiderable Time in Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, till Herod killed James the Brother of John with a Sword, and put Peter in Prifon, Acts ix.. 31. and xii. 1-4.

54 Q. How did Peter escape from his Hands?

A. Prayer was made by the Church, without ceafing, for him; and while he was fleeping between two Soldiers, bound with twoChains, and theCentinels kept the Prifon-door, at Night a Light fhone in the Prison, and the Angel of the Lord awaked him, the Chains fell from his Hands, the Gates opened of their own Accord, and the Angel brought him into the Street, and departed, Acts xii. 5-10.

55Q Whither went Peter after his Releafe from Prifon?`

A. To the Houfe of Mary, the Mother of John Mark, where the Difciples were met together for Prayer, and he ordered them to acquaint the Brethren of his miraculous Deliverance, ver. 12—17. 56 Q. How did Herod fhew his Rage for his Difappointment ?

A. He commanded the Keepers of the Prifon to be put to Death, being exceedingly vexed that Peter had escaped his Hands, ver. 19.

57 Q. What remarkable Judgment of God fell upon Herod?

A. Upon a special Occasion,fitting on his Throne in his Royal Robes, he made a Speech to the People; upon which they cried out, It is the Voice of a God, and not of a Man; and immediately the Angel of the Lord fmote him, because he gave not God the Glory, and he was eaten of Worms, and died, ver. 21-23.

58 Q. What further Account is there given of Peter in Scripture ?

A. He preached the Gofpel to the World, he encouraged the receiving the Gentiles into the Church without Circumcifion, by his own Example; he wrote Letters to encourage the Believers under Perfecution; till at laft he was crucified, as Chrift had foretold him, Acts xv.7-11. firft and fecond Epiftle of Peter, John xxi. 18, 19. 2 Peter i. 13-15.

59 Q Is there any Thing else recorded concerning the Apoftle John?

A. He alfo preached the Word, and wrote the Hiftory of the Life and Death of Chrift, which is called his Gofpel; he wrote feveral Epiftles to the Chriftians; he was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the fake of Chrift, where he wrote the Book of the Revelation: In what Order he wrote thefe Things, does not appear from Scripture.

60 Q. You have informed us what were the Doctrines, and what was the Religion that the Apoftles and Difciples taught after Chrift went to Heaven; But how comes it to pafs, that among thefe Doctrines we do not find them infifting more expressly on that great Article of the Gofpel, the Redemption by Christ's Death, and the Atonement made for Sin by his Sufferings?

A. It is fufficiently evident that this Doctrine was taught the World by Peter and John, as well as by Paul, fince there is frequent Mention of it in their Epiftles, as well as it fhines every where through the Epiftles of St Paul: Nor can we suppose their Preaching utterly forgot or neglected what their Writings abound with, 1 Peter i. 18,19.chap.ii. 24. chap. i. 18. and iv. 1. 1 John i. 7. chap. ii. 2. chap. iii. 16. and chap. v. 6. and therefore it is poffible they might preach it fometimes at first, though it be not expressly recorded in fuch fhort Abftracts of their Sermons, as we find in the Book of Acts. Or, if this Doctrine was not published at firft with Frequency and Freedom, there feems to be a very good Reafon for it; namely, because neither the Jews nor Gentilescould bear it fo foon; for it was a Stumbling-block to the Jews, and Foolishness to the Greeks, I Cor. i. 23. And they were to be led by Degrees into a full Acquaintance with the Mystery of the Gofpel; even as Chrift himself led his own Difciples by flow Degrees into the Knowledge of this and other Things, as they were able to bear them, John xvi. 12.

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