374 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our. BLESSED LORD convinced that God had broken down the partition-wall, and no longer maintained a peculiar kindnefs for the Eons of Jacob ; that it was not the nation, but the religion; not the external, quality of the man, but the internal temper of the mind, that re- commended the .human race to the favour of Omnipotence : that the devout and pious, the righteous and the good man, whatever part ofthe earthhe may inhabit, is the favourite of heaven that God as highly refpeas a juil and virtuous man in the barren wafles of Scythia, as on the mountain of Sion that the reconciling and making peace between God and man by Jesus CFIRIST, was the doarine pub- lifhed by the prophets of old ; and that God had now anointed and confecrated JESUS of Nazareth with divine power, in the exercife whereof he went about doing good to the children of men. At the time that Peter was thus preach- ing to them, the Holy Ghofl fell upon the greatefl part of his hearers, enabling them to (peak feveral languages, and in them to magnify the great Creator of the Eons of men. At this the Jews, who accompanied Peter, marvelled exceedingly, to fee that the gifts of the 'Holy Gholl were poured upon the Gentiles ; and Peter feeing this, told the company, that he knew no reafon why thefe perfons fhould not be baptized, as they had received the Holy Ghofl as well as them ; and, accordingly, he gave orders that they fhould be baptized; and, to confirm them in the holy faith they had embraced, he tarried fome time with them. Having thus finithed his "vifitation to the new-planted churches, Peter returned to Jerufalem, and was indefatigable in in- ftruaing the converts in the religion of J1-:sus, and preaching the glad- tidings of falvation to the defcendants of Jacob: but he did not long continue in this pleafing courte ; Herod Agrippa, in order to in- gratiate himfelf into the favour of the Jews, put St. James to death, and finding the anion was highly acceptable to that {tiff- necked people, he refolved to extend his al . cruelty to Peter, and accordingly call him into prifon: but the churches were incef- faut in their prayers to God for his fafety, and what have mortals' to fear, when guarded by the hand of Omnipotence! Herod was perfuaded he fhould loon ac- complish his intention, and facrifice Peter to the infatiable cruelty of the Jews. The night before this intended execu- tion, a meffenger from the courts of hea- ven vifited the gloomy horrors of the dun- geon, where he found Peter afleep between his keepers. The angel railed him up, took off his chains, ordered him to gird on his garments, and follow him.: Peter obeyed, and having paffed through the firfl and fecond watch, they carne to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened to them of it's own accord : the angel alto accompanied him through one of the ftreets, and then departed from him ; on which Peter came to himfelf, and perceived that it was no villon, but that his great and beloved Mailer had really fent a meffenger from above, and releafed him from prifon. He therefore repaired to the houleof Mary;' where the church was alfembled, and of'- fering up their prayers to the throne of grace for his fafety. On his knocking at the door, a maid who came to let him in, knowing his voice, ran back to tell them that Peter was at the door, which they at firfl confidered as the effeél of fancy ; but the damfel continuing to affirm, that it was really true, they concluded it was his angel, or fome meffenger fent to him from the court of heaven : but on opening the door, they were convinced oftheir miffake, find- ing that it was really Peter himfelf, who briefly told them how he was delivered ; and, defiring them to inform his brethren of his being let at liberty, retired from them. The officers came in the morning from I3crod to the prifon, with orders to bring Peter out to, the people, who were gather- ed together to behold his execution : but when they came to the prifon, the keepers informed them, that the apoftle had made his
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