in vindicating the doctrine of juftification, by allowing on no account the circumcifion of Gentiles, informs us, where he laid the ftrefs for falvation. This union of candour and firmness in the fame perfon, acting variously in oppofite circumftances, has led fome writers to accufe him of inconfiftency, who feem not to have underftood the principles of the controverfy. This was the cafe of Jerom of old. His controverfy with Auguftine on the fubject is yet extant in the epiftles of the latter, whofe ftatement of the affair I think perfectly juft; and it is agreeable to the views in which the conduct of the Apoftle has now been exhibited.

3. We fee here how infinitely important the doctrine of juftification is! What excellent fruits it had brought forth in the Jewish Church, now confifting of many thoufands, has been fhewn. It appears how naturally the human heart departs from the faith of Chrift, before it is aware. The penetrating and zealous fpirit of Paul was ployed by the divine goodness to uphold still the ftandard of truth. Many, no doubt, received benefit from his example; but the glory of this Church was now on the decline.

4. The evil of bigotry is no lefs evident, and how naturally it connects itfelf with felf-righteoufnefs is apparent. An eager ftrefs laid on any rite, or form, or external work whatever, easily thus degenerates. Stedfaftnefs in the faith, and candour, and charity, are, under God, our preservatives against it.

There was little opportunity of trying the ef fect of the charitable fcheme, concerted between the two Apoftles, on the minds of Chriftians, because

• Acts xxi. 20.

becaufe before the feven days were expired, the malice of the infidel Jews broke out against Paul. St. Luke's narrative, from the twenty-first chapter to the end of his hiftory, is fpent on the confequences of this. The cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and piety of the Apostle Paul: the convincing force of his reasoning, which caufed Felix to tremble, and Agrippa to confefs himself almost a Chriftian: his prefervation from Jewish malice by the privilege of Roman citizenship: the perils he underwent by fea and land, till he arrived a prifoner at Rome, and his labours for two years in the miniftry among them who vifited him in his imprisonment these things are fo circumftantially, and, I may juftly add, fo beautifully related by the facred writer, that I fhall refer my reader to him altogether, especially as neither the hiftory of the mother-church, nor of any other particular Churches, is connected with the account.

The malice of the Jews having failed of its object in Paul by his appeal to Cæfar, would gladly have gratified itfelf on James. But he, though no Roman citizen, was fhielded by the lenity of the Roman government a little longer. His long refidence at Jerufalem, where he was ftationary at leaft for the most part, had given him an opportunity, by a blameless life, to abate the prejudice of his unbelieving countrymen, and to extort the tribute of praise from the populace in general. A. D. About the year of our Lord fixty, he wrote his 60. Catholic epiftle. It is addreffed to Jews in general; fometimes he speaks to Chriftians, fometimes to Infidels, like a perfon well known, and of confiderable influence among both. The covetoufnefs, inhumanity, and perfecuting spirit of the nation are defcribed in ftrong colours; and he writes like one who forefees the speedy defolation

which was to overtake them. By the practical turn of his doctrine, by his defcanting on the vices of the tongue*, of partiality to the rich, and of contemptuous treatment of the poor in Chriftian affembliest, and by his direction against vain swearing, it is but too evident, that the Church had confiderably declined from its original purity and fimplicity; and that the crafts of Satan, aided ever by natural depravity, were wearing out apace the precious fruits of that effufion of the Spirit, which has been defcribed. Such is the common courfe of things in all fimilar cafes, within the like period of about thirty years. The Lord had not however forfaken his Church; though its members were in a perfecuted ftate, and were brought before Jewish magiftrates §, and vexed, fo far as the rage of this infatuated nation had power to exert itself. He particularly exhorts them to patience under their trials, and a refignation to the Divine Will.

About the fame time, or a little after, this Church was favoured with the epiftle to the Hebrews, which feems to have been written by St. Paul II.

As apoftacy, partly through the fashionable and natural evil of felf-righteousness, and partly through the cruelty of perfecution, was the great evil to be feared among them, he directs them particularly to maintain the Chriftian faith. He largely and diftinctly fhews the accomplishment of all Mofaic types in Jefus. His priesthood, facrifice, and interceffion are amply defcribed. The privileges and benefits of his falvation are diftinctly

Chap. iii.

+ Chap. ii. ↑ Chap. v. Chap. ii. 6. St. Peter, in his fecond epiftle to the Jews, reminds them of St. Paul's letter to them, which, probably, could have been no other than this epiftlę.

tinctly stated. He exhorts them to conftancy in the fimple faith of Chrift. He urges them to perfevere in fupporting their Chriftian affemblies, from which fome* had declined, probably through fear of perfecution. He reminds them of the feyerities they had patiently undergone after their first illumination, of the compaffion which his fufferings had excited among them, and of the cheerfulness with which they had fuftained the fpoiling of their goods, from the confidence they "had of having in heaven a better and enduring fubftance." The whole turn of his exhortation fhews, that they were

state of grievous moleftation at the time of writing this epiftle. And yet from their dulnefs in divine things, which he fo warmly cenfures, it is certain their spiritual tafte had declined. The perfecution of St. Paul at Jerufalem probably excited a general hoftility against the Church. That it did not proceed to blood, feems owing to no other cause than the protection of the Roman government. The Apoftle is particularly earneft in exhorting them to remember and hold faft the grace of the Gofpel, which their firft minifters had taught them, and to confider that Jefus Chrift was their great object, and that a return to Jewish dependencies would ruin their fouls. On the whole, we have here the most glorious views of the Gofpel, and the moft diftinct information of the nature of a true adherence to it; though I fee no evidence on the face of the epiftle for concluding, that he forbad them that fame occafional and prudential compliance with Judaism in external obfervances, which all the Apoftles practifed. It was the departure of the HEART from the Lord Jefus, against which he warned them, dwells not largely on particular duties. He had

• Heb, x. 25.

+ C. v. ver. 12.

1 xii. 4.

He

not

not lived much among them; and fpecial details of practical matters came better from the paftoral pen of James.

Thus earnestly did thefe two Apostles inftruct and warn a declining Church. But grace has its feafons! God will not always ftrive with man ; yet the ufe of the epiftles will remain, till time hall be no more.

CHAP.