(Acts viii. l.) Wherever they came, they
brought their religion with them: for our historian informs us, (Acts
viii. 4.) that "they that were scattered abroad went everywhere
preaching the word." The effect of this preaching comes afterwards to be
noticed, where the historian is led, in the course of his narrative, to
observe that then (i. e. about three years posterior to this, [Benson,
b. i. p. 207.]) the churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee
and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and
in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. This was the work of
the second period, which comprises about four years.
Hitherto the preaching of the Gospel had been confined to Jews, to
Jewish proselytes, and to Samaritans. And I cannot forbear from setting
down in this place an observation of Mr. Bryant, which appears to me to
be perfectly well founded;--"The Jews still remain: but how seldom is it
that we can make a single proselyte! There is reason to think, that
there were more converted by the apostles in one day than have since
been won over in the last thousand years.
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