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no fooner acquainted us* of his 4. D. 53.
Company with it, but we agreed
with him in concluding it to be
a Notice from God, to go and
preach there; and accordingly
made the best of our Way thither;

II & 12. Going from Treas
directly to Samothracia; the next
Day to Neapolis, and fo to Phi-
lippi, the firft City of Macedonia,
(on that Side) and Head of a
Roman Colony or Plantation, and
ftayed there fome confiderable

Time.

a colony and we were in that city abiding certain days.

13. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river fide, where prayer was wont to be made ; and

we fat down and fpake

unto the womenwhich reforted thither.

14. And a certain woman named Lydia, a feller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whofe heart the Lord opened,

that the attended unto

13. In this City the Jews were allowed a Place of publick Worfhip in the Out-skirts of the Town; to which we first resorted the major Part of the Affembly upon the Sabbath-day to preach, being Women.

14. Among which there was one Lydia a Jewish Profelyte, a Woman whofe fincere and religious Difpofition made her fo attentive to, and fo throughly to confider Paul's Arguments, as to be converted by them.

the Things which were spoken of Paul.

15. And

This Paffage makes it plain that St. Luke, the Writer of this HISTORY, was St. Paul's Fellow-Traveller, and fo wrote what he knew and faw himself.

+ Ver. 12. The chief City of that Part of Macedonia en The μegid, Not the Chief, but the firft that you come at, on that Part or Divifion of Macedonia. See Mr. Peirce Synop. to Philip.

A. D 53

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15. And when she was baptized and her houfhold, the befought us, faying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my houfe, and

abide there. And the constrained us.

16. And it came to pafs as we went to prayer, a certain damfel poffeffed with a fpirit of divination, met us, which brought her mafters much gain by footh-faying:

17. The fame fol. lowed Paul and us, and cried, faying,

These men are the

fervants of the most high God, which fhew unto us the way of falvation.

Chrift's Religion.

18. And this did

fhe many days. But Paul being grieved, turned, and faid to the spirit, I command thee in the name of

Jefus Chrift, to come

out of her. And he came out the fame

hour.

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15. And after fhe and her whole Family were fully inftructed and baptized into the Christian Religion, the intreated us, upon all the Confidence we had of her Sincerity, to lodge at her Houfe, and would not be denied in her Request.

16. As we went every Sabbath' to this Jewish Affembly, there' followed us a young Woman, that by the Help of a wicked Spirit, was wont to amuse the People by telling Fortunes, and was kept or hired by feveral People to get Money that Way.

17. She came after us every Day, proclaiming us to be the Meffengers of the fupreme and be the true Way of Happiness true God, and our Doctrine to and Salvation. God thus conftraining even the wicked Spirits, to bear Teftimony to the Truth of

18. But Paul, to give the People a higher Evidence to this divine Truth than what came from an evil Spirit, and out of Compaffion to fee them thus deluded, Name of JESUS, to leave the commanded the evil Spirit, in the Woman, and fhe was difpoffeffed immediately.

19. The People that employed her, were fo far from being converted by this Miracle, that enraged at the Lofs of their gainful Trade, they feized upon Paul

and

drew them into the market-place, unto the rulers,

20. And brought them to the magi ftrates, faying, Thefe men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city: 21. And teach cuf. toms which are not ferve, being Romans.

22. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magiftrates rent off their clothes, and com

manded to beat them. them to be feverely

23. And when they had laid many ftripes upon them, they caft them into prifon,charging the jaylor to keep them fafely.

and Silas, and carried them be- A. D. 53. fore the Magistrates.

20 & 21. And fending for the Roman Officers into Court, they accufed him of fpreading and propagating a new Religion in Oppofition to the Roman Laws, and to feditious Purposes.

lawful for us to receive, neither to ob

22. Upon which the common People fet up an universal Clamour against them; and the Officers (ufing the Rigour of the Law) ordered their Clothes to be torn from their Backs, and whipp'd.

23 & 24. And then to be imprifon'd, with a particular Charge to the Jaylor, who thereupon shut them into the Dungeon, and put Shackles upon their Legs.

24. Who having received fuch a charge, thruft them into the inner prison, and made their feet faft in the ftocks.

25. And at mid

night Paul and Silas

prayed, and fang praif es unto God: and the prifoners heard them.

25. The two Apoftles, under all the Pain of their Stripes, and in that doleful Confinement, yet fpent the Night in Prayers, and finging Praifes to God, with fo

chearful and audible a Voice, that the reft of the Prifoners could hear them:

26. When about Midnight, the whole Prison was fhaken by a miraculous Earthquake, the Doors of every Apartment flew open, and all the Prisoners Chains fell off of their own Accord.

26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, fo that the foundations of the prifon were thaken : and immediately all the doors were opened, and every ones bands were loofed. ~ I

27. The

A. D. 53.

27. The Jaylor waking at this dreadful Motion, and finding all open, concluded his Prifoners were gone, and dreading the Punishment he was liable to, attempted to kill himself:

27. And the keeper
of the prifon awaking
out of his fleep, and
feeing the prifon doors
open, he drew out his
fword,and would have
killed himself, fup-
pofing that the prifoners had been fled.

28. But Paul cried
with a loud voice,
faying, Do thy felf no
harm, for we are all

here.

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28. But juft as he was going to do it, Paul called out to him, and bad him fear nothing, for that all his Charge was fafe, and not a Man gone.

29 & 30. At which the Man came to them, and understanding how the Matter was, threw himfelf at their Feet, acknowledging this Miracle to be an Evidence of their divine Commiffion, and begged of them to inftruct him in the Way of true Religion, in order to Salvation.

31 & 32. The Apostles told him, The only Condition of Man's Salvation, was a fincere Belief and Profeffion of the Religion of Jefus Chrift; and then inftructed him, and his Family in the particular Hiftory and Doctrines of it.

33 & 34. The Man then took them into his House, washed and drefs'd their Stripes, gave them Meat; and upon their folemn Profeffion of the Chriftian Faith, he and all his Family received Baptifm, with great Joy and Thankfulness to GOD.

meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house.

35. And

35. And when it was day, the magiftrates fent the fergeants, faying, Let

those men go.

35. Next Morning the Roman A. D. 53. Officers hearing what had paffed in the Prifon, were fo ftartled at it, that they fent to have the two Apoftles difmifs'd.

36 & 37. The Jaylor acquainted them with this Meffage with great Satisfaction: But Paul fent the Officers word, That he was a Roman Freeman, and that as they had ordered him to be whipp'd, contrary to the Roman Privilege, and that in fo open and difgraceful a Manner, they ought to come themselves, and in as publick a Manner difcharge him, and clear his Innocence.

36. And the keeper of the prifon told this faying to Paul; The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37. But Paul faid unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have caft us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; fetch us out.

38. And the fergeants told these words unto the magistrates; and they feared when they heard that they were Romans.

39. And they came and befought them, and brought them out, city.

40. And they went out of the prifon, and entred into the house of Lydia, and when they had feen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

but let them come themselves and

38 & 39. This Meffage_put them into a much greater Concern, the Law being very fevere against doing any Difhonour to a Roman Citizen; infomuch that they came to him, gave him good Words, and defired him to be gone. and defired them to depart out of the

40. The two Apoftles, fatisfied with this fmall Recompence, left the Prifon, and went to their Lodgings; whither having fent for the feveral Converts they had made, and given them all proper Exhortations to perfevere in their Profeffion, they took Leave and left the Town.

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