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neceffary, even in their own Cafe, to an Intereft in the Kingdom and Covenant of God, under the Gospel; (Phil. iii. 3-11.) much less might they impose them upon the Gentile Converts. But, that the believing Jews might confiftently with their Chriftian Profession, obferve all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Law of Mofes, feems to be true. For there were "many Thousands of Jews who believed at Jerufalem, and they were all zealous of the Law," Acts xxi. 20. And, fo far was the Apoftle James, and all the Elders of the Chriftian Church, from thinking their Zeal for the Ufages of the Law inconfiftent with their Chriftian Profeffion, that they advised the Apostle Paul to conform to one of the Inftitutions of the Mofaic Law, in order to clear himself of a Sufpicion they had entertained, that he taught the Jews, which were among the Gentile, to forfake Mofes, Ver. 21-25. This was falfe; he, indeed, taught the Gentile Converts, that it was inconfiftent with their Chriftian Profeffion to embrace Judaism, or to put their Necks under the Yoke of the Law of Mofes; but he never taught the Jews to forfake Mofes. And fo willing was he to convince the Chriftian Jews, that the Information they had received was falfe, that he complied with the Advice of James and the Elders, and joined himself to four Men, who had a Vow of Nazaritifm on them, subjecting himself to the fame Vow for feven Days, joining with them in the Expences; and "the next Day purifying himself with them he entered into the Temple, to fignify to the Prieft the Accomplishment of the Days of Purification, until that an Offering fhould be offered for every of them ;" and, confequently for Paul as well as the other four, Ver. 24-27. Here Paul joined in every Part of a Rite purely Mofaical; fhaving his Head, prefenting himfelf to the Prieft in the Temple, and offering the Sacrifices and Oblations, which the Law required, Num. vi. 13—22. his Refolution and Integrity would never have done, in mere Complaifance to any Perfons whatsoever, had it been inconfiftent with his Chriftian Profeffion.

Which a Man of

297. But, before he came to Jerufalem, either he or Aquila, for it is not certain which, had a Vow, a Vow of Nazaritism, at Cenchrea, Acts xviii. 18. Now, fuppofe it was Aquila, who was under this Vow; he was a Chriftian Jew, well acquainted with Paul, Ver. 2, 3; and, no doubt, thoroughly inftructed by him in the Gofpel. It cannot therefore be fuppofed, Paul would have fuffered him, under his Eye, to have conformed to a Rite purely Mofaical, at leaft without a Reproof, had it been unlawful for a Chriftian Jew to obferve Mofaical Inftitutions.

298. Paul circumcifed Timothy, the fon of a Jewish woman, Acts xvi. 1, 2, 3. And in general, "to the Jews he became as a Jew, (that is, by conforming to Mofaical Rites and Ceremonies), that he might gain the Jews," I Cor. ix. 20, 21. Which he would never have done, had it not been confiftent with his Profeffion of the Gospel. On the other Hand; "To them that were without the Law, (that is, to the Gentiles,) he became as without Law;" or, as one that did not obferve Mofaical Ceremonies. Which fhews, that he did not think the Obfervance of them neceffary, even to himfelf, in reference to his Intereft in the Gofpel-Covenant; otherwife, he could upon no Confideration have fufpended the Obfervance of them.

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299. The

299. The Truth feems to be this. The Rites and Ceremonies of the Law of Mofes, were incorporated into the Civil State of the Jews; and fo might be confidered as National and Political Ufages. Now, as the Gofpel did not interfere with, or fubvert any National Polity upon Earth, but left all Men, in all the feveral Countries of the Globe, to live, in all Things not finful, according to the Civil Conftitution, under which it found them; so it left the Jews alfo at Liberty to obferve all the Rites and Injunctions of the Law of Mofes, confidered as a Part of the Civil and Political Ufages of the Nation. And in this refpect, they remained in Force fo long as the Jews were a Nation, having the Temple, the Token of God's Prefence and Refidence among hem. But when the Temple was destroyed, and they were expelled the Land of Canaan, their Polity was diffolved, and the Mofaic Rites were quite laid afide. And, as the Time, in which this happened, was near, when the Epiftle to the Hebrews was written, therefore the Apostle faith, The first Covenant, or Mofaical Difpenfation, was "then decaying and waxing old, and ready to vanish away," Heb. viii. 13.

300. But though the Gospel was not, in itself, intended to unchurch the Jews; yet the Jews every where warmly opposed the preaching of it; though not for the fame Reafons.

301. (1.) Some Jews oppofed it totally, and rejected the whole Gofpel, as unneceflary; judging the Mofaical Conftitution, and their Conformity to the Law there delivered, compleatly fufficient for Juftification, or Salvation, without any further Provision made by the Grace of God. Thefe accounted Chrift, our Lord, an Impoftor, and the Gospel a Forgery, and therefore perfecuted the Apostles with the ut moft Affiduity, and Outrage, as Deceivers, who had no Divine Miffion. Such were the Jews, who put Stephen to Death, Acts vith, viith Chapters. Such were they at Antioch in Pifidia, who "were filled with Envy, and spake against the Things that were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blafpheming," Acts xiii. 45, 50. Such were the Jews at Iconium, Acts xiv. 2, 19.-at Theffalonica,-xvii. 5.-at Corinth,xviii. 5, 6. And in other Places. And fuch a Jew was Paul himself, before his Converfion. He confented to the Death of Stephen, "made Havock of the Church," Acts viii. "and breathed out Threatnings, and Slaughter against the Difciples of the Lord," ix. 1. xxii. 4. xxvi.

9, 10, II.

302. What Paul's Principles and thofe of the unbelieving Jews, were, we way learn, if we obferve; That the first Perfecution, raised againit the Apostles at Jerufalem, was partly on Account of their "preaching through Jefus the Refurrection from the Dead," Acts iv. 1, 2. This gave great Offence to the Sadducees: And partly, because they openly affirmed, That Jefus, whom the Rulers of the Jews flew and hanged on a Tree, was the Mefliah, "whom God had exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour." This difgufted all the Council and Senate of the Jews, Acts V. 21, 28, 29, 30, 31. But, with Regard to these two Particulars, the Indignation of the Jews feems, for fome Time, to have been abated; till the Doctrine, the Apoftles taught, was better understood, and Stephen, in his Difpute with fome learned Jews, had suggested that the Gofpel was intended to abrogate the Mofaical Conftitution, Acts vi. 9

-15. This

-15. This irritated the Jews afrefh; efpecially the Pharifees, the ftricteft, and moft numerous Sect among them. And Saul, one of that Sect, (Acts xxiii. 6. xxvi. 5.) being then a young Man, just come out of Gamaliel's School, having finished his Studies in the Law, and being fully perfuaded, that the Jewish Difpenfation was inftituted by God, never to be altered, but to abide for ever, he really believed that * Jefus and his Followers were Deceivers; and that it was his Duty to oppofe them, and to stand up courageoufly for God and his Truth. Thus he honeftly followed the Dictates of his own Confcience. How far other unbelieving Jews were, or were not, upright in their Oppo fition to the Gospel, God only knows; but their profeffed Principles feem to be nearly the fame. In fhort; they were for feizing on the Inheritance, (Mat. xxi. 38.) and for ingroffing all Salvation, and the Favour of God to themfelves. The Jews, they judged, were the only People of God; and the Jewish Nation the only true Church, out of which there was no Salvation. No Man could be in a State of Ac ceptance with God, without obferving the Law of Mofes. The Works of that Law, Moral and Ceremonial, must be performed, in order to his being a Member of God's Church and Family, and having a Right to future and eternal Happiness. They expected the Melliah indeed, and his Kingdom: But not as if either had a Reference to another World. The Law, and a punctual Obfervation of it, was the Ground of their Expectations in a future World. And as for the Meffiah, they fuppofed, his Coming and Kingdom related only to temporal Profperity and Grandeur of the Jewish Nation, and the perpetual Establishment of their Law, by refcuing them out of the Hands of the GentilePowers, who had greatly embarraffed and diftreffed their Constitution. Thus they endeavoured to "eftablish their own Righteoufnefs," (Rom. x. 3.) Salvation, or Intereft in God; an Interest which they imagined for themselves, and which excluded Men of all other Nations, who, they thought, were, in Fact, utterly excluded from the Divine Favour and eternal Life, as quite loft and hopeless. Againft us Gentiles they had the strongest Prejudices, accounting us as perfectly vile, as nothing, as abandoned of God, only because we were not included in their Peculiarity: While they imagined themselves to be vaftly fuperior to us, and the only People beloved of God, purely on Account of their external Privileges, and Relation to God, as the Seed of Abraham, being circumcifed, enjoying the Law, the Promites and Ordinances of Worship, &c.

303. And this was another Ground of their Oppofition to the Gofpel, when it was preached to the Gentiles. Indeed, the Apoftles themfelves, and the first Christians among the Jews had, for fome Time, no Notion of the Gofpel's being preached to the Gentiles; till God in a Vifion convinced Peter, it was his Will that it fhould, Acts x. But the unbelieving Jews regarded the Preaching of the Gofpel to the Gentiles, or the declaring that they were, upon the Faith in Chrift, pardoned and admitted into the Church of God, and to the Hopes of eternal Life, almoft in the fame Manner, as we fhould regard the Preaching of the Gofpel to Brute Creatures. They could not bear the Thought, that the Gentiles, any barbarcus Nations, fhould, only by Faith, have

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an equal Intereft in God, and the Bleflings of his Covenant with themfelves. They did not, indeed, deny the Poffibility of their being taken into the Church, and of obtaining Salvation: But it must be only by their becoming Jews; they must first fubmit to the Law, and yield Obedience to its Precepts and Obligations, before they could be the qualified Objects of God's Mercy. There was no Grace, no Part in the Kingdom of God, either here or hereafter, for a Gentile, unless he firft became a Jew, and performed the Works of the Mofaical Law. By thefe Sentiments, they were led to do all they could to oppose the preaching of the Gofpel to the Gentiles; and commenced very bitter Enemies to Paul, who was the Apoflle particularly felected, and commiffioned for that Purpofe. They could not allow the Gentiles to have any Access to the Privileges of God's Church and People, but through the Door of the Law; and to introduce them any other Way, was not only to overthrow their Law and Peculiarity, but to deceive the Gentiles. Therefore they did all in their Power to withstand the Apostle, and to persuade the Gentiles every where, that he was an odious Impofter; that his Gofpel was a Forgery, deltitute of a Divine Authority; that he propofed admitting them into the Church and Covenant of God in a Way, which had no Foundation in the declared Will of God. Their Law was the only Divine Establishment, and Obedience to it the only Means to introduce them into the Kingdom of God; and Paul could have no Commiffion from Heaven to teach otherwife; what ever he might pretend, or what Miracles foever he might work. Of this Sort of Jews the Apoftle fpeaks, 1 Thef. ii. 14, 15, 16.

304. (2.) Other Jews there were, who believed the Gofpel, and agreed that it ought to be preached to the Gentiles: But fo, that the Gentiles, at the fame Time they accepted the Gofpel, were obliged to fubmit to the Law of Mofes in every Part; otherwife, they could not be faved, or have any Intereft in the Kingdom and Covenant of God, Acts xv. 1. These taught, that the Gofpei was infufficient without the Law. They differed from the forementioned Jews, in that they em braced the Faith of Jefus Chrift: But agreed with them in this, That the Law of Mofes was to be in Force for ever, and the Obfervance of all its Rituals abfolutely neceffary to a Standing in the Church of God, and the Hopes of eternal Life. And for this Reafon, they were upon pretty good Terms with the unbelieving Jews; and avoided the Perfe cution, to which thofe, who adhered to the pure and unmixed Gofpel, were expofed, Gal. vi. 12. Thefe Jews, who were for joining Law and Gospel together, were alfo great Enemies to our Apostle. He fpeaks of them, Phil. iii. 2, 3, &c.

CHAP

CHA P. XV.

The Difference between the Epifle to the Romans, and that to the Galatians. In the Epiftle to the Romans the Apoftle combats the unbelieving Jews, who totally oppofed the Gofpel. A Sketch of his Arguments. In what Circumftances he confiders Mankind.

305.

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HE latter fort of Jews, who were for joining law and gofpel together, the Apoftle oppofes in the whole epistle to the Galatians; the former fort, who totally rejected the gospel in the whole epiftle to the Romans. For when he faith, Rom. iii. 29, "Is God the God of the Jews only? is he not alfo of the Gentiles?" it is evident he oppofes mere Jews to mere Gentiles. And, Chap. x. I, My prayer to God for Ifrael is that they may be faved;" he fpeaks of the fame Ifrael, or body of Jews, against whom he is arguing in the whole epiftle. But it appears from this place, that thofe Jews were not faved; or, were not taken into the Chriftian church and profeffion; confequently, they must be Infidel Jews.-But it is a different fort of Jews, it is the believing Jews, he oppofes in the epiftle to the Galatians. For in the inftances he produces to fhew, what his own fentiments were, with regard to the fubject upon which he writes, he appeals to his tranfactions with believing Jews; and, particularly, to his withstanding the apoftle Peter, Chap. ii. And, Chap. vi. 12, he tells them, they who laboured to pervert them, did it only "left they fhould fuffer perfecution for the crofs of Chrift." Which could be true of those Jews alone, who profeffed faith in Chrift. In the epiftle to the Romans, he oppofes the gospel to Judaism; the whole gofpel to whole Judaifm : in that to the Galatians, he oppofes his gofpel to another gofpel, Chap, i. 6, 7, 8; the true, pure gofpel to a perverted, adulterated gospel. În the Romans, he affures the Gentile converts they had a fair and regular ftanding in the church; in the Galatians, he teaches Gentile converts to keep themfelves free from Jewish dependence upon works of law and Mofaical ceremonies, now they were received into the church. All his arguments relating to the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles, in the ninth chapter to the Romans, his quotations, Chap. x. 19, 20, 21, and Chap. xv. 9-12, evidently fhew, that he is, in that epiftle, defending the caufe of the converted Gentiles, against the infidel, rejected Jews. Indeed he touches upon a difpute between the Chriftian Jews and Chriftian Gentiles in the 14th and 15th chapters. But there he doth not confider the believ ing Jews as impofing the ceremonial law upon the Gentiles: but his drift and defign is, to perfuade the Gentile converts to bear with the weakness of the Jews, and to perfuade both to a friendly coalition.Nor do I make any doubt, but he intended his arguments against the infidel Jews, in favour of the converted Gentiles, should have their effect upon the believing Jews in the church at Rome, to convince

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