"And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they." Acts 15:7-11 ASV
<p>Illustration of Peter, standing before the rest of the apostles, explaining to them that Jesus made no distinction between Jew and Gentile and that all should be saved by their belief and not by their adherence to the old law. The apostles and the ancients at the council decided that circumcision would no longer be required.

Peter and the Apostles Decide Not to Impose Circumcision on Christians

"And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that…

A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of worship and doctrine, as well as personal and group piety. Puritans felt that the English Reformation had not gone far enough, and that the Church of England was tolerant of practices which they associated with the Church of Rome. The word "Puritan" was originally an alternate term for "Cathar" and was a pejorative used to characterize them as extremists similar to the Cathari of France. The Puritans sometimes cooperated with presbyterians, who put forth a number of proposals for "further reformation" in order to keep the Church of England more closely in line with the Reformed Churches on the Continent.

Puritan Costumes

A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating…

"And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14 ASV
<p>Illustration of Jesus standing just inside a room, clothed in a robe over his shoulder, left hand raised, head glowing. Ten of the disciples sit and stand around the room and at a table. One of these has a book in front of him on the bench. One disciple kneels at Jesus' feet and stares up at him. One disciple peers through a curtain at the back of the room

Jesus Appears to Eleven of the Disciples

"And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them…