Study Desk

thus the word of God was spread; and the number of disciples encreased very much at Jerusalem; and a numerous body of priests embrac'd the faith.

they suborned men, who said, we have heard him speak irreverently of Moses, and of God.

Stephen answer'd, my brethren, and you my fathers, lend your attention. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years.

and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage, will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place."

the patriarchs being jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt: but God was with him,

now while the time was approaching to accomplish what God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew numerous in Egypt,

for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it.

"I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." and Moses trembled so, he durst not observe any longer.

this Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? the very same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

this is that Moses who said to the children of Israel , "a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear."

then God left them, and abandon'd them to the worship of the celestial army; as it is written in the book of the prophets , "O ye house of Israel, is it to me that ye have offered victims, and sacrifices, for the space of forty years in the wilderness?

on the contrary, ye carried the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: wherefore I will transport you beyond Babylon."

which our fathers and Joshua having receiv'd, they carry'd it into the territory of those nations whom God drove out upon their arrival: where it staid to the time of David, who was favoured by God,

and desired to have a settled tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

but he, full of the holy spirit, fix'd his eyes towards heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

and he said, there I see the heavens open, and the son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Thus they stoned Stephen, while he was calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

that they all followed him, both old and young. this man, said they, is the plenipotentiary of God.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem, heard that the Samaritans had embraced the word of God, they sent Peter and John,