may see Christ had a great meeting in this desert, where he wrought this miracle. Luke ix.

'And Jesus took Peter, and John, and James, and went into a mountain to pray, and the next day, when they were come down the hill, much people met Christ.' Here you may see, in Luke ix. what places Christ prayed in, and had meetings. And Jesus went into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God; and when it was day he called unto him his disciples, and he came down with them into a plain, and a great multitude of people, out of all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coasts of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him,' &c.

So you may see, here was a great meeting, where Christ stood in the plain, Luke vi. from verse 12 to the end. And one of the Pharisees desired Christ that he would go eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat, and the woman stood at his feet behind him weeping, which was a sinner, and began to wash his feet with her tears, and did kiss his feet, and anoint them with ointment she brought; and the Pharisees said, This man, if he was a prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman she was, that touched him.'

And you may see how Christ preached to him, and to them that were in the Pharisee's house, from verse 40 to the end, in Luke vii. 36, 37, 38, 39. And Christ went through every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. Here again you may see in what places Christ preached. Luke viii. 1. And had not Jesus a meeting at Martha's house? See what he said to her and her sister Mary; For Mary sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his words; but Martha was cumbered and careful about many things;' but Christ said, 'Mary had chosen the good part, which should not be taken away from her.' Luke x. 38 to the end. And when Christ had appointed seventy disciples, he sent them by two and two, and said, 'into whatsoever house ye enter, first say peace to the house; and in the same house eating and drinking such things as they give you; for the labourer is worthy of his meat or hire.' Go not from house to house.

Here you may see, Christ's disciples were to preach in houses. Luke x. 1 to 12. And Christ taught his disciples to pray. Luke xi. 12. And Christ went into a house of one of the chief Pharisees, to eat bread on the sabbath day, and there came a man before him, which had the dropsy, and he healed him. You may see how Christ preached to the lawyers and Pharisees on the sabbath day, in the Pharisee's house; and he put forth a parable to them, 'Of a certain man that made a great supper, and bade many,' &c. and they all with one consent began to make excuses, and one said, he had bought a piece of ground, and I

must needs go see it,' &c. And another had bought a yoke of oxen, and he must prove them; and another said, he had married a wife, and therefore could not come. So the servant came and showed his lord these things; then the master of the house being angry, said to his servants, Go quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, maimed, halt and blind. And the servant of the lord said, It is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servants, Go ye out into the highways and hedges,' &c. that my house may be filled. I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden, shall taste of my supper.' To wit, he that had bought a piece of ground, and he that had bought the oxen, and he that had married the wife, who made excuses, they could not come and taste of his supper, as in Luke xiv.

So here you may see the servants of Christ preached in the streets, lanes, highways, hedges. And had not Christ a meeting at Zaccheus' house, who was a chief publican? And did not Christ tell him, 'He was the son of Abraham, and this day salvation was come to his house?' And did not Christ preach many things to them, and in parables? Luke xix. And after Christ was risen from the dead, he appeared to two of his disciples, as they were walking to a village called Emaus, and he opened their understandings, and showed them out of the scriptures, 'that he was the Christ;' and they went to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, and they told them how that Jesus Christ was risen; and as they thus spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said, 'Peace be unto you,' &c. And Christ bid them 'tarry in the city of Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high.' Luke xxiv.

Here you may see Christ preached to two of his disciples by the highway side, and in the house, and his disciples and others kept their meetings, and Christ was amongst them after he was risen from the dead, as well as in their meetings with him before he was crucified. And there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and Jesus was called, and his twelve disciples, and the mother of Jesus was there. John ii. 1. Here you may see Jesus was at this marriage meeting, and his disciples through his words and miracles believed on him. And Nicodemus the ruler of the Jews, that came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Thou art a teacher come from God,' &c. John iii. Had not Christ and his disciples a meeting with him in the night? And Christ taught him, that he must be born again, before he could see the kingdom of God, or enter into it. And in John iv. had not Christ a meeting with the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well? And did not he teach her, 'that God was worshipped not at Jerusalem, neither in that mountain

where Jacob's well was, but that God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth?

And did not the disciples marvel at Christ's speaking with, or teaching the woman? And did not the woman leave her water pot, and go into a city of Samaria, and say to the men of that city, 'Come, see a man which hath told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?' And they went out of the city, and came unto him; and through this meeting of Christ with the woman at the mountain of the Samaritans, many of them believed in him. And there lay a great multitude of impotent folk at the pool of Bethesda, and there Christ on the sabbath day, healed a man that had an infirmity thirty-eight years; and therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. John v. And in John xi. had not Christ and his disciples a meeting in Martha's house, when Lazarus was dead, when the Jews were met together with Mary and Martha? and did not he preach to them in Martha's house? and did not many of the Jews believe on him through his preaching, and raising Lazarus from the dead? John xi. 17 to 54.

And again, had not Christ and his disciples another meeting at Bethany at Martha's house, after he had raised Lazarus from the dead? And Lazarus was one that sat at table with Christ and his disciples at supper; and many people of the Jews came not for Christ's sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death, because by reason of Lazarus' being raised from the dead, many of the Jews believed in Christ. John xii. And when Jesus went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples, for Jesus oftentimes resorted thither with his disciples; so here you may see, Christ and his disciples oftentimes had meetings in this garden. And Judas knowing the place where he and his disciples oft resorted, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanthorns, torches, and weapons, while he was yet speaking; and Jesus said unto them, 'Whom seek ye? And they said unto him, Jesus of Nazareth.' And Jesus said unto them, I am he; if ye therefore seek me, let those go,' to wit, his disciples. Here you may see Christ was taken out of a meeting in the garden, (and while he was yet speaking,) by Judas and the officers, and a great multitude with lanthorns, torches, swords, and staves. John xviii. Matt. xxvi. 47.

And the disciples when they came to the Mount of Olives, where Christ did ascend into heaven from them, they went to Jerusalem, and went into an upper room, and these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of

Jesus, and his brethren; and Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and showed them the fulfilling of the scriptures; and this meeting was of about an hundred and twenty, the first meeting after Christ's ascension, in an upper chamber. Acts i. And at the time of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place, and they were filled with the holy ghost; for suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting; and there were dwelling at Jerusalem devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when it was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language, and they were amazed, and were in doubt, and marvelled, saying one to another, what meaneth this? And others mocked, saying, these men are full of new wine.'

This meeting, and the new tongues of the holy ghost, confounded the professors, that did not possess the life; but Peter and the eleven apostles stood up and preached to them Christ, (from verse 14 to 41.) and showed to them the fulfilling of the scriptures concerning him; and 'there were converted and added to them about three thousand souls that day; and they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, and did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart.' Acts ii.

Here you may see what a wonderful conversion there was at this meeting, in this house. And Peter and John, and the apostles continued in their preaching; but the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, being grieved that they preached in the name of Jesus, who is risen from the dead, laid hands on them, and put them in hold; and howbeit, many of them which heard the word, believed, to about the number of five thousand men. And the next day they had them out of the prison before Ananias the high priest, and the rulers, and elders, and scribes; and Peter and John preached Christ unto them, and said, There is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus, neither is there any salvation in any other.'

And the priest and the rulers commanded them not to speak at all, nor to preach in the name of Jesus; but Peter and John said unto them, 'Whether is it right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen.' So when the rulers had threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them. Acts iv. So you may see, as the disciples were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through VOL. VI.

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Jesus the resurrection from the dead, and laid hands upon them, and put them in hold, and had them before the high priests, &c.

So the disciples of Christ were taken out of their meeting, as they were teaching and preaching to the people, by the priests and captain of the temple, and the Sadducees. Acts iv. 1, 2. And again, when the apostles were set at liberty, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said and done unto them; and when they heard, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and preached, prayed, and glorified God, and they were filled with the holy ghost, and the place was shaken where they were assembled. Acts iv. 23, 24, 31, to the end.

And again, they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch, and the high priest rose up, and all that were with him, with the sect of the Sadducees, and they were filled with indignation, and laid hands on the the apostles, and put them in prison; but the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 'Go stand and speak in the temple to the people, all the words of this life.' Acts v. 20. And then came one and told them, 'The men that ye put in prison, stand in the temple, teaching the people.' Then went the captain of the temple, with the officers, and brought them out with violence, and set them before the council; and the high priest asked them, say. ing, 'Did not we straitly command you, that you should not teach in the name of Jesus,' &c.

But the apostles preached to the council and the high priest; and when they had beaten the apostles, they commanded them, that they should preach no more in the name of Jesus,' and let them go: but the apostles answered, and said, 'We ought to obey God rather than men.' But the apostles daily, in the temple and in every house, 'ceased not to preach and teach Jesus Christ.' Here again, you may see the captain and officers brought out the apostles from their meeting, when they were teaching in the temple; and it seems the multitude of believers kept their meeting with one accord in Solomon's porch, for all the high priests' and the officers' threatening, beating, and imprisoning; yet they ceased not daily to teach and preach Christ Jesus, in the temple and in houses, as Acts v.

And in Acts vi. Stephen being a man full of faith and power, certain of the synagogue, of the Libertines, &c. disputed with him, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake, &c. and they stirred up the people, and elders, and scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council and high priest, and set up false witnesses against him, and put him to death. Acts vi. 7. Here you may see the work of such libertines and disputers with their false witnesses, high priests, and councils, and false professions, when they