Page images
PDF
EPUB

ན་

"unbelieving Jews. stirred up

the Gentiles, "and made their minds evil affected against "the brethren" (chap. xiv. ver. 1, 2). “At

Lyftra there came certain Jews from An"tioch and Iconium, who perfuaded the

people; and having ftoned Paul, drew him "out of the city, fuppofing he had been "dead" (chap. xiv. ver. 19). The fame enmity, and from the fame quarter, our apoftle experienced in Greece: "At Theffalo"nica, fome of them (the Jews) believed, "and conforted with Paul and Silas; and of "the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of "the chief women not a few: but the Jews "which believed not, moved with envy, took "unto them certain lewd fellows of the bafer "fort, and gathered a company, and fet "all the city in an uproar, and affaulted the "houfe of Jafon, and fought to bring them "out to the people" (Acts, chap. xvii. ver. 4, 5). Their perfecutors follow them to Berea: "When the Jews of Theffalonica "had knowledge that the word of God was "preached of St. Paul at Berea, they came "thither alfo, and stirred up the people" (chap. xvii. ver. 13). And lastly at Corinth, when

N 4

when Gallio was deputy of Achaia, "the

[ocr errors]

Jews made infurrection with one accord "against Paul, and brought him to the "judgment-feat." I think it does not appear that our apoftle was ever fet upon by the Gentiles, unless they were first stirred up by the Jews, except in two inftances; in both which the perfons who began the affault were immediately interested in his expulfion from the place. Once this happened at Philippi, after the cure of the Pythonefs: "When the mafters faw the hope of their

66

gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas,

and drew them into the market-place unto "the rulers" (chap. xvi. ver. 19). And a fecond time at Ephefus, at the instance of Demetrius a filverfmith which made filver fhrines for Diana, "who called together work"men of like occupation, and faid, Sirs, ye "know that by this craft we have our wealth; "moreover, ye fee and hear that not only at

66

Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, “this Paul hath perfuaded away much peo

66

ple, saying, that they be no gods which are "made with hands; fo that not only this ❝ our craft is in danger to be fet at nought,

,,,

" but

"but also that the temple of the great god"defs Diana fhould be defpifed, and her "magnificence should be deftroyed, whom "all Afia and the world worshippeth."

No. VI.

I observe an agreement in a fomewhat peculiar rule of Chriftian conduft, as laid down in this epistle, and as exemplified in the fecond Epistle to the Co.inthians. It is not the repetition of the fame general precept, which would have been a coincidence of little value; but it is the general precept in one place, and the application of that precept to an actual occurrence in the other. In the fixth chapter and first verse of this epiftle, our apoftle gives the following direction: "Brethren, if a man be over"taken in a fault, ye, which are fpiritual, "reftore fuch a one in the spirit of meek"nefs." In 2 Cor. chap. ii. ver. 6-8, he writes thus: "Sufficient to fuch a man" (the incestuous person mentioned in the first epistle) "is this punishment, which was in"flicted of many; fo that, contrariwise, ye

"ought

"ought rather to forgive him and comfort "him, left perhaps fuch a one should be "fwallowed up with over-much forrow; "wherefore I beseech you that ye would "confirm your love towards him." little doubt but that it was the fame mind which dictated these two passages.

No. VII.

I have

Our epiftle goes farther than any of St. Paul's epiftles; for it avows in direct terms the fuperfeffion of the Jewish law, as an inftrument of falvation, even to the Jews themfelves. Not only were the Gentiles. exempt from its authority, but even the Jews were no longer either to place any dependency upon it, or confider themselves as fubject to it on a religious account. "Be"fore faith came, we were kept under the

law, fhut up unto the faith which should "afterwards be revealed; wherefore the law "was our schoolmafter to bring us unto "Chrift, that we might be juftified by faith; "but, after that faith is come, we are no longer "under a schoolmaster" (ch. iii.ver, 23—25).

This was undoubtedly fpoken of Jews and to Jews. In like manner, chap. iv. ver -5: "Now I fay that the heir, as

66

66

long as he is a child, differeth nothing "from a fervant, though he be lord of all; "but is under tutors and governors until the "time appointed of the father: even so we, "when we were children, were in bondage "under the elements of the world; but, when "the fulness of time was come, God fent "forth his Son, made of a woman, made "under the law, to redeem them that were “under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons." Thefe paffages are nothing short of a declaration, that the obligation of the Jewish law, confidered as a religious difpenfation, the effects of which were to take place in another life, had ceased, with refpect even to the Jews themselves. What then should be the conduct of a Jew (for fuch St. Paul was) who preached this doctrine? To be confiftent with himself, either he would no longer comply, in his own perfon, with the directions of the law; or, if he did comply, it would be for fome other reason than any confidence which he placed

« PreviousContinue »