pirit by which he fpake. 11. Then they fuborned men which faid, We have heard him fpeak blafphemous words gainft Mofes, and against God. 12. And they fftirred up he people, and the elders, and the fcribes, and came upon im, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13. And fet up falfe witneffes, which faid, This man ceafeth ot to speak blafphemous words against this holy place, nd the law. 14. For we have heard him fay, that this Jeus of Nazareth fhall deftroy this place, and fhall change the customs [Or, rites] which Mofes delivered us. 15. And all that fat in the council, looking ftedfaftly on him, aw his face as it had been the face of an angel. T i CHA P. VII. HEN faid the high priest, Are these things fo? 2. And he faid, k Men, Brethren, and Fathers, hearken, The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mefopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3. And faid unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I fhall thew 4. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, thee. n that fpeak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. Acts 13. 50. The Jews ftirred up the devout and honourable Women, and the chief Men of the City, and raifed Perfecution againft Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their Coafts. 5 Mat. 26. 59. The chief Priests and Elders, and all the Council, 10 fought falfe Witness against Jefus to put him to death. Acts 25.8. Neither against the Law of the Jews, neither against the Temple, nor yet against 15 Cefar, have I offended any thing at all. Exod. 34. 30. When Aaron and all the Children of Ifrael faw Mofes, Behold, the Skin of his 25 Face jhone, and they were afraid to come nigh him. Mat 28. 3. His [the Angels] Countenance was like Lightning, and his Raiment white as Snow. k Acts 22. 1. Men, Brethren, 25 and and Fathers, hear ye my Defence, which I now make unto you. 1 Pfal. 29. 3.-The God of Glory thundreth. m * Gen. 12. 1, 4. Now the Lord had faid unto Abram, Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy Kindred, and from thy Fathers Houfe, unto a Land that I will shew thee. So Abram departed, as the Lord had fpoken unto him. Gen. 15. 7. I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this Land to inherit it. Neh. 9. 7. Thou art the Lord the . God, who didft choofe Abram, and brought eft him out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gaveft him the Name of Abraham. "Gen. 11. 31. Terah took Abram his Son, and Lot the Son of Haran his Sons Son, and Sarai his Daughter in Law, his Son Abrams Wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land wherein ye now dwell. 5. And he gave him no inheritance in it, no not Jo much as to fet his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a poffeffion, and to his Seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6. And God fpake on this wife, that his feed fhould fojourn in a ftrange land, and that they fhould bring them into bondage, and (1) intreat them evil four hundred years. 7. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage, will I judge faid God: and after that fhall they come forth, and ferve me in (2) this place. 8. And he gave him the covenant of circumcifion: e go into the Land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. at Gen. 12. 7. The Lord appeared unto Abram, and faid, Unto thy Seed will I give this Land. Gen. 13, 15. All the Land which thou feeft, to thee will I give it, and to thy Seed for ever. b Gen. 15. 3, 18. Abram faid, Behold, to me thou haft given no Seed- In that fame Day, the Lord made a Covenant with Abram, faying, Unto thy Seed have I given this Land, from the River 15 of Egypt unto the great River, the River Euphrates. † Gen. 15. 13, 16. He faid unto Abram, Know of a furety, that thy Seed fhall be a Stranger in a Land 20 and that is not theirs, fhall ferve them, and they fhall afflict them four hun dred Years. But in the fourth Generation they fhall come hither a5 gain. dt Exod. 12. 40. Now the fo journing of the Children of Ifrael who dwelt in Egypt, was four Hundred and thirty Years. Gal. 3. 17. The Covenant that was confirm'd before of God in Chrift, the Law which was four Hundred and thirty Years after cannot difanul. ** Gen. 17. 9, 10, 11. God faid unto Abraham, Thou fhalt keep my Covenant therefore, thou and thy Seed after thee in their Gene rations. This is my Covenant which ye fhall keep between me and (1) This Computation includes not only the Time when the Pofterity of Abraham were in actual Bondage in Egypt,but likewife the Time before, when they fojourned in the Land of Promife, as in a ftrange Country, Heb. 11. 9. For they were then in an unfettled and fuffering Condition. St. Stephen's Computation is the fame with that, Gen. 15. 13. and commences from the Birth of Ifaac; St. Paul's, Gal. 3. 17. is 43 Years, the fame in Exod. 12.40. which begins thirty Years before Ifaac's Birth, at the Time when the Promife was made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees, Gen. 12. 1. The 430 Years are thus reckoned; in Haran five Years; in Canaan eleven; fourteen Years of Ishmael's Age when Ifaac was born; between the Birch of Ifaac and Jacob were fixty Years; from Jacob's Birth to 70Seph's was ninety Years; thence to Jofeph's Death, one Hundred and ten Years; thence to the Birth of Mofes, fixty Years; when the Children of Ifrael came out of Egypt Mofes was eighty Years old; in all, 430 Years. See Bp. Kidder on Gen. 15. 13. and Exod. 12. 40. (2) That is, the Land of Canaan, to which they were to return, where St. Stephen was when he made his Defence. and nd fof Abraham begat Ifaac, and circumcised him the ighth day and Ifaac begat Jacob, and h Jacob begat the welve patriarchs. 9. And the patriarchs moved with nvy, fold Jofeph into Egypt: but God was with him, o. And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave imm favour and wifdom in the fight of Pharaoh king of Eypt; and he made him " governour over Egypt, and all his house. n nd you, and thy Seed after thee; very Man-child among you fhall e circumcifed. And ye fhall cir umcife the Flesh of your Fore-skin, and it fhall be a Token of the Covenant betwixt me and you. f+ Gen. 21. 2, 3, 4. Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a Son in his old Age. And Abraham cal rous Man. The Lord was with Jofeph, and fhewed him Mercy, and gave him Favour in the Sight of the Keeper of the Prison. Wifd: 10. 5 13. When the Righteous was fold, fhe forfook him not, but delivered him from Sin: She went down with him into the Pit. 11 Sam. 17.37. David faid more led the Name of his Son that was 10 over, The Lord who delivered me * Gen. 29. 32, &c. -Leah conceived and bare a Son, and the 20 called his Name Reuben- + Gen. 30. 5, &c. Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a Son, &c. Gen. 35. 23, &c. The Sons of Leah, Reuben, Jacob's first born, and Simeon, and 25 Levi, and Judah, and Ifachar, and Zebulon, &c. * Gen. 37.4, 11, 28. When his Brethren faw that his Father loved out of the Paw of the Lion, and out of the Paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the Hand of this Philiftine. Pfal. 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righte ous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Prov. 24. 16. A juft Man falleth feven Times, and rifeth up again.- 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from fo great a Death, and doth deliver: in whom we truft that he will yet deliver us. 2 Tim. 3. 11. Perfecutions, Afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lyftra; what Berfecutions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me. m * Gen. 41. 37. The Thing was him more than all his Brethren, 30good in the Sight of Pharaoh, and in they hated him, and could not k : Gen. 39. 2, 21. The Lor was with Jofeph, and he was a profpe 35 40 the Eyes of all his Servants. - " Gen. 42. 6. Jofeph was the Governour over the Land. Gen.4 1. 40. Thou shalt be over my Houfe, and according unto thy Word fhall all my People be ruled: only in the Throne will I be greater than thou. Pfal. 105. 21. He made him Lord of his Houfe, and Ruler of all his Subftance. I Mac. 2. 53. F0Seph in the Time of his Diftrefs kept the Commandment, and was made Lord of Egypt. b с ACTS VII. houfe. 11. Now there came a a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction; and our fathers found no fuftenance. 12. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he fent out our fathers firft. 13. And at the fecond time Jofeph was made known to his brethren; and Jofephs kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14. Then fent Jofeph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, (1) threefcore and fifteen Souls. 15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers. 16. And were carried over into Sychem, and laid с into Egypt, were threescore and ren, † Deut. 10. 22. Thy Fathers went down into Egypt with threefore and ten Perfons; and now the 5 Lord thy God hath made thee as the Stars of Heaven for Multi tude. * Gen. 45. 4, 16. Jofeph faid 15 unto his Brethren, Come near to me, I pray you; and they came near and he faid, I am Jofeph your Brother, whom ye fold into Egypt. And the Fame thereof was heard 20 in Pharaohs Houfe, faying, Jofephs Brethren are come. Gen. 46. 27. -All the Souls' of the Houfe of Jacob, which came e * Gen. 46. 5. Jacob rofe up from Beerfheba: and the Sons of Ifrael carried Jacob their Father,and their little Ones, and their Wives,ine the Waggons which Pharaoh had fent to carry him. ** Gen. 49. 33. When Jacob had made an end of Commanding his Sons, he gathered up his Feet into the Bed, and yielded up the Gho, and was gathered unto his People. † Gen. 23. 16. Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed unto Ephron the Silver which he had named, in the Audience of the (1) There is fome Difference between the Account of Mofes in the Re ferences, and that of St. Stephen here; but this will be no unfurmount. able Difficulty, when it is confidered, that the Defign of Mofes feems to be, to number Jacob and thofe that proceeded out of his Loins; where as St. Stephen's Defign was not to number Jacob's Family, but the Perfons Jofeph fent for into Egypt. This takes in their Kindred, that is, their Wives, as well as the Defcendants from Jacob. Among the threefcore and fifteen, Jacob, the Head of the Family, is not reckoned, nor Jofeph, nor his two Sons, becaufe they were already in Egypt., But the threefcore and fifteen may be thus computed: Jofeph's Brethren and their Wives 22, their Children 52, and their Sifter Dinah, which makes up the Number before mentioned. There are other Solutions of this Place. See Dr. Whitby's Comment. Surenbufius on the Texts cited out of the Old-Teftament in the New, pag. 407. Alfo Dr. Lightfoot's Works, Vol. I. p 490, 781. in the (1) fepulchre that Abraham bought for a fum of money of the fons of Emmor the Father of Sychem. 17. But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had fworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18. Till another king arole, which knew not Jofeph. 19. The fame dealt fubtilly with our kindred, and evil intreated our fathers, fo that they caft out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20. In which time Moles was born, and was exceeding fair, [Or, the Sons of Heth, four Hundred Shekils of Silver, current Money with the Merchant. Gen. 33. 19. [Jacob] bought a Parcel of a Field where he had fpread his Tent, at the Hand of the Children of Hamor, Shechems Father, for an hundred Pieces of Money. Gen. 47. 30. I[Jacob] will lie with my Fathers, and thou fhalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying Place. Gen. 49. 29. [Jacob] charged them, and faid unto them, I am to be gathered unto my People: bury me with my Fathers, in the Cave that is in the Field of Ephron the Hittite. Gen. 50. 13. His [Jacob's] Sons carried him into the Land of Canaan, and buried him in the Cave of the Field of, Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the Field for a Poffeffion of a Burying-place, of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre. + Exod. 13. 19. Mofes took the Bones of Jofeph ΙΟ * k 1 fair Parcel of Ground which Jacob bought of the Sons of Hamor the Father of Shechem, for an hundred Pieces of Silver; and it became the Inheritance of the Children of Jofeph. h Gen. 15. 13. He faid unto Abram, Know of a furety, that thy Seed fhall be a Stranger in a Land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they fhall afflict them four hundred Years. it Exod. 1, 7. The Children of Ifrael were fruitful, and increased 15 abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding Mighty; and the Land was filled with them. Exod. 1. 12, 20. The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.- The People multiplied, and waxed exceeding Mighty. † Pfal. 105. 24. He increafed his People greatly, and made them Stronger than their Enemies. 20 7 k Exod. 1. 22. Pharaoh charg with him: for he had ftrait-25 ed his People, faying, Every Son that is born ye thall caft into the River, and every Daughter ye fhall fave alive. ly fworn the Children of Ifrael, faying, God will furely vifit you, and ye fhall carry up my Bones away hence with you. Josh. 24.30 32. The Bones of Jofeph, which the Children of Ifrael brought out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a 1 * Exod. 2. 2. The Woman conceived and bare a Som: and when fhe faw him that he was a goodly Child, (1) I have fet down the Texts relating to this Subje&t. To fpeak to the Difficulties arifing from hence, would carry me too far from my main Design. Thofe who would fatisfie themselves, may confult the Authors referred to in the former Note; alfo the Effay for a new Tranflation of the Bible, Part II. pag. 149. Dr. Lightfoot proves that the Bones of all the Patriarchs, as well as Jofeph's, were brought out of Egypt, and buried at Sichem, Vol I. p. 781, 782. |