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fully qualify them to be his witnefles, both in Jerufalem, 
and in all Judea , and in Samaria, and unto the uttermojl 
part of the earth. 
We now proceed to notice the principal circumftances 
in the hiftory of St. Peter after our Lord’s afcenfion. And 
we find that, in the meetings of the apoftles, or the affem- 
blies of the apoftles and brethren in general, he filled the 
place of prefident. Not that by holding fuch an office 
in the apoftolical college hepoffeffed any dignity fuperior 
to that of his fellow-apoftles, or was inverted with any 
jurifdiflion over them, or was endowed with any power 
or privilege not conferred upon the reft. It is juftly 
obferved by Dr. Macknight, that “ all the apoftles were 
equal in office and authority 5 as is plain from our Lord’s 
declaration : One is your Majler, even Chrijl, and all ye are 
brethren. The only diftin&ion among the apoftles was 
that which arofe from perfonal talents and qualifications: 
a diftinflion which never fails to take place in every 
fociety. Becaufe, if one diftinguiffies himfelf by his fu¬ 
perior ability in the management of affairs, he will be 
refpedled in proportion to the idea which his fellows en¬ 
tertain of him. In this manner, and in no other, Peter, 
whofe virtues and talents were Angularly confpicuous, 
acquired a pre-eminence among the apoftles: but it was 
only of the fort founded on perfonal efteem. And there¬ 
fore, in their meetings to deliberate on any important 
affair, the brethren may have wifhed to hear him fpeak 
firfl; and he commonly did fo; but that was all. In like 
manner, in their intercourfe with their adverfaries, 
Peter often fpake in the name of fuch of the apoftles and 
brethren as were prefent: which they willingly allowed, 
perhaps defired, as thinking him bell qualified for the 
office.” 
Not many days after the afcenfion of Jefus, in an af- 
fembly of the apoftles and other believers, Peter propofed 
that in the room of Judas another apoftle fhould be 
chofen, from among thofe perfons who had affociated 
with them from the commencement of their Mailer’s 
miniftry, and were witnefles of what he faid and did. To 
this propofal they all affented; and Matthias was accord¬ 
ingly defied by lot, and numbered with the eleven 
apoftles. On the day of Pentecoft following, the com¬ 
munication of miraculous powers which had been pro- 
mifed, was made to the apoftles and their company, 
attended with extraordinary circumftances, an account 
of which was foon fpread abroad, and attracted numerous 
crowds to the place where they were affembled. On this 
occafion, Peter addreffed himfelf to the multitude, vindi¬ 
cating the miraculous effects of which they were witnefles 
againft the exceptions of fome individuals; and he then 
took the opportunity of preaching to them concerning 
the refurre&ion of Jefus, anc. his claim to the character 
of the Meffiah, with fo much force, that about three 
thoufand perfons were converted and baptized on the 
fame day. Soon afterwards, Peter and John miraculoully 
reftored to the ufe of his limbs, a poor well-known beg¬ 
gar at the gate of the temple, who had been lame from his 
birth, and was forty years of age. The news of this 
event having drawn a crowd around them, Peter delivered 
to them an affecting difcourfe on the pretenlions and 
treatment of Jefus ; and fo powerfully exhorted them to 
repentance and faith in him, that numbers were awakened 
and convinced. But, while he and his fellow-apoftle 
were fpeaking to the people, the Jewilh priefts and 
rulers fent officers, who took them into cuftody, and 
imprifoned them till the following day. On the morrow, 
being brought before the Sanhedrim, and queftioned by 
what power, or in whofe name, they had cured the 
cripple, Peter undauntedly declared, that the man was 
healed in the name of Jefus Chrift of Nazareth, whom 
they had lately crucified, but whom God had railed from 
the dead; thereby confirming the truth of his million, 
and of the doftrine promulgated by them, that there is none 
other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we 
mujl beJ'aved. Struck by the boldnefs of the apoftles, the 
Vol. XIX. No. 1342. 
? E R. 775 
t ^ 
members of the council deliberated for fome time in 
private what fteps to purfue; but, finding themfelves 
utterly unable to conteft the genuinenefs of a miracle 
which yas fo notorious, they contented themfelves with 
laying an injunction on the prifoners to teach the people 
no more in the name of Jefus. To this command Peter 
and John replied, with a freedom which reflected ho¬ 
nour on their caufe, Whether it be right in the fight of God, 
to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye: for we 
cannot but Jpeak the things which we have feen and heard. 
Upon this, after being repeatedly threatened with the 
fevereft punilhments in cafe of their difobedience, the 
apoftles were difmiffed. Notwithftanding this difcourage- 
ment of the Sanhedrim, the number of believers increa- 
fed at Jerufalem,’and foon amounted to about five thou¬ 
fand. 
As many of the converts to Chriftianity were in low 
circumftances, fome of their wealthy brethren, actuated 
by a noble fpirit of generofity, fold their eliates, and 
delivered the money which they received for them to the 
apoftles, to be diftributed among the believers in com¬ 
mon, according to their neceflities. Their conduct fug- 
gelled to one of the profeffors of the Gofpel, named 
Ananias, and his wife Saphira, a fchetne for enjoying the 
reputation arifing from fuch a benevolent aCtion, and for 
gratifying, at the fame time, their covetous fpirit. 
With this view, they fold a poffeffion, and, after keeping 
back a part of the price, brought the reft to the apoftles, 
declaring it to be the whole of what the fale had pro¬ 
duced 5 and intimating, mod probably, the hope that, as 
they gave up their all, they Ihould for the future be taken 
care of among the reft of the brethren. But the fraudu¬ 
lent part which they a6led was divinely difclofed to 
Peter, who was coinmiflioned to expofe the enormity of 
their crime in the fevereft language, and afterwards to 
pronounce the fentence of an inftantaneous miraculous 
death upon each of them. Thefe awful examples of the 
punilhment of covetoufnefs and hypocrify were conftdered 
by many as unequivocal proofs of a divine interpofition, 
and induced them to become converts to the religion 
which the apoftles preached. Numerous profelytes were 
alfo made by the various miracles which Peter and his 
fellow-labourers performed, particularly in the cure of 
fick and infane perfons, who were brought to them, not 
only from among the inhabitants of Jerufalem, but out 
of the cities and countries round about. In the mean 
time, the high-prieft and council, enraged at the difre- 
gard fhown to their menaces, and the perfeverance of 
the apoftles in preaching Chrift, caufed them all to be 
apprehended and thrown into the common prifon. On 
the following day, a full fanhedrim having been convened, 
officers were fent to bring the prifoners before them ; 
who foon returned with the intelligence that they were 
not to be found, though every precaution had been ufed 
to prevent their efcape. Their deliverance was effe&ed 
by fupernatural agency, an angel having during the 
night opened the prifon-doors, brought them forth, and 
directed them to repair in the morning to the Temple, 
and perfevere in delivering their important commiffion 
to the people. While the members of the fanhedrim 
were pondering upon the report of their officers, word 
was brought to them that the apoftles were in the Temple, 
teaching the people. They therefore ordered the officers 
to bring them into court, but without any violence, left 
the people, who were perfuaded that their caufe was 
approved of by heaven, fhould rife tumultuoufly in their 
defence. As foon as they made their appearance, the 
high-prieft demanded how they dared to break the order 
which had been fo recently given, that they fhould teach 
no longer in the name of Jefus. To whom Peter replied, 
in the name of them all, We ought to obey God rather than 
men. He then repeated their teftimony to the refur- 
re&ion and divine commiffion of Chrift, and their refolu- 
tion firmly to adhere to it. Enraged at their courageous 
behaviour and declaration, fome of the council confulted 
9 M how 
