nity upon a firm and immoveable foundation, than they could be at any time after; and yet the event did not answer thefe expectations. When the Apostles entered upon their miniftry, they fet out (without any nonconformist that appears) upon these two principles, which may be confidered, if not as the foundation, yet, at least, as corner-ftones in the Christian building; viz. First, that Christianity is a supplement to Judaism, and therefore was to be grafted upon it; the doctrine of Chrift's having abolished the law of ceremonies and nailed them to his crofs having then not been heard, or fo much as thought of. This principle seems to have ftood firm and unfhaken till St. Paul's converfion, who, after he became a Chriftian, opposed it greatly; which oppofition does not appear to have arifen from any special revelation St. Paul had received for abolishing the aforefaid law, but from the nature of the thing itself, as it obviously appeared to be a law of carnal commandments, which carried with them fuch a yoke of bondage as was unbearable, and therefore ought to be abolished; and that this was St. Paul's fense of the matter, is moft evident from his writings. Secondly, that the Gofpel was a favour

G 3

favour which was to be vouchfafed to the Jews only; and therefore, to them only it was to be preached. This principle the Apoftles feem to have been naturally and unavoidably led into from the declaration of their mafter, viz. that he was not fent but unto the loft Sheep of the house of Ifrael, Mat. xv. 24. And from the charge given them, when they were firft fent forth to preach, viz. not to go to the Gentiles, nor Samaritans, but rather to the loft fheep of the boufe of Ifrael, Mat. x. 5, 6. And that the Apoftles, in the exercise of their ministry, in time to come, would be concerned with the Jews only, feems to have been set forth in what Chrift foretold fhould take place when his kingdom fhould come, which he had required them to pray for, Matt. xix, 28. And Jesus faid unto them, verily I fay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the fon of man shall fit in the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael. Luke xxii. 28, 29, 30. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath appointed unto me: that ye may eat and drink at my table in my

kingdom, and fit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. From all these declarations, it was very natural for the apostles to conclude that Chrift's kingdom, whether it was to be fpiritual or temporal, was confined to the Jews, and that they, as his minifters, were to be concerned only with the twelve tribes of Ifrael: And therefore, when Chrift gave it in charge to his Apoftles to preach his gospel to all nations, they could not well underftand him to mean otherwife, than that they were not to confine their miniftry to thofe Jews who then inhabited Canaan; but were to go out and preach it to all those who were then difperfed over the world. This principle, of the favour of the gospel being confined to the Jews, feems to have been fixed until St. Peter's vision, Acts x. which vifion led Peter to give it up; but then, whether this vifion was a proper ground for Peter to act upon, in an affair of fuch confequence, may, perhaps, be questioned; because, as it needed explanation, fo it was liable to be misunderstood, and therefore fomething more than fuch a vifion feemed neceffary for the fettling a point of fuch importance: however, after St. Paul's converfion to Christianity, the aforefaid

G 4

aforefaid principle was more ftiffly opposed by him, and for which he affigns an extraordinary reafon, Acts xiii. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have been Spoken to you (Jews;) but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 11. I fay then have they (the Jews) ftumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall falvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them (the Jews) to jealousy. So that, according to St. Paul, the favour of the Gofpel being vouchfafed to the Gentiles feems to be owing to a pique and refentment which God had taken up against the Jews for their rejecting it; God gave it to the Gentiles thereby to provoke the Jews to jealousy, who had confined God's favour to themselves; which, as God forefaw, fo he foretold that this would be the cafe. Acts xiii. 47. But, with St. Paul's leave, this is a fpring of action much too low, and altogether unworthy of the supreme Deity, whofe kindness to his creatures always fprings from a much better principle. And, as the favour of the Gofpel was equally valuable

luable to, and equally wanted by the Gentiles, whether the Jews behaved properly with regard to it, or not; fo, furely, God did equally intend it for the Gentiles, and would certainly have vouchsafed it to them, whether the Jews had rejected it, or not. And as these principles, or corner-stones in the Chriftian building, were laid by the Apoftles themselves, at a time when they feem to have been beft qualified for fettling Christianity upon a true and lasting foundation; fo this part of their work was all dug up and deftroyed, even in the Apoftolick age, and partly, at leaft, by the Apoftles themselves; and from hence this question does very naturally and obvioufly arise, viz. whether the Apostles acted right or wrong in proceeding upon the forementioned principles? If they acted right, then the queftion is, by what authority was their work destroyed? If they acted wrong, then the question will be, how do we know, or upon what principle can we determine, with certainty, that they ever after acted right? and this, furely, greatly perplexes the fubject. The points referred to were not trifles, but matters of great moment; and therefore, if

the