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-15. This irritated the Jews afresh; especially the Pharifees, the ftricteft, and most 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 finifhed 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 oppose them, and to ftand-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 Oppofition 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 Acceptance 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 Meffiah indeed, and his Kingdom: But not as if either had a Reference to another World. The Law, and a punctual Observation of it, was the Ground of their Expectations in a future World. And as for the Mefliah, 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 Conftitution. Thus they endeavoured to "establish their own Righteousness," (Rom. x. 3.) Salvation, or Intereft in God; an Intereft 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. Against 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 vastly 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 Promifes 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 Apostles themfelves, and the firft Chriftians 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 Gospel to Brute Creatures. They could not bear the Thought, that the Gentiles, any barbarous Nations, fhould, only by Faith, have Ee 2

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an equal Interest in God, and the Bleffings of his Covenant with themfelves. They did not, indeed, deny the Poflibility of their being taken into the Church, and of obtaining Salvation: But it must be only by their becoming Jews; they must firft 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 first became a Jew, and performed the Works of the Mofaical Law. By these Sentiments, they were led to do all they could to oppofe the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles; and commenced very bitter Enemies to Paul, who was the Apoftle particularly felected, and commiflioned 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 perfuade the Gentiles every where, that he was an odious Impofter; that his Gofpel was a Forgery, deftitute 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 Etablishment, 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; whatever he might pretend, or what Miracles foever he might work. Of this Sort of Jews the Apostle speaks, 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 Gospel, 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 Gofpel was infufficient without the Law. They differed from the forementioned Jews, in that they embraced 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 Observance 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 those, who adhered to the pure and unmixed Gofpel, were expofed, Gal. vi. 12. Thefe Jews, who were for joining Law and Gofpel together, were alfo great Enemies to our Apoftle. He fpeaks of them, Phil. iii. 2, 3, &c.

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СНА Р. XV.

The Difference between the Epifle to the Romans, and that to the Galatians. In the Epifile 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 epiitle 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 profefled faith in Chrift. In the epiftle to the Romans, he oppofes the gospel to Judaism; the whole gofpel to whole Judaism: 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 gofpel. 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 themselves 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 believing Jews as impofing the ceremonial law upon the Gentiles: but his drift and design 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, fhould have their effect upon the believing Jews in the church at Rome, to convince them,

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them, that the believing Gentiles ftood in the church of God upon as juft and fure a ground as themfelves; and to induce them to a free and peaceable communion with them, upon the common profesfion of faith alone. And therefore, he fometimes addreffes the believ ing Jews directly, as Chap. vii. 1, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I fpeak to them that know the law), &c."

306. It is evident enough the epiftles to the Romans and Galatians have relation to different forts of Jews. But as the principles of those Jews did in fome things coincide, and their fentiments were the fame with regard to the perpetual obligation of the law of Mofes; fo there may be an affinity and agreement in the arguments, which the apostle advances in confutation of the one and the other *.

307. Now, against the mistakes of the infidel Jews, the apostle thus argues in the epiftle to the Romans. Jews, as well as Gentiles, have corrupted themfelves, and are become obnoxious to divine wrath; and, if they reform not, will certainly fall under the wrath of God in the last day. Confequently, as both are obnoxious to wrath, both must be indebted to grace and mercy for any favour fhewn them. The continuance of the Jews in the church, as well as the admittance of the Gentiles into it, is wholly of grace, mere grace, or favour. Upon which foot, the Gentiles must have as good a right to the bleflings of God's covenant, as the Jews themselves. And why not? Is not God the creator and governour of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews? and, if both Jews and Gentiles have corrupted themselves by wicked works, it is impoffible either fhould have a right to the privileges of God's church and people on account of works, or obedience to the law of God, whether natural or revealed. It must be pure mercy, accepted by faith, or a perfuafion of that mercy, on their part, which gives that right. All must be indebted to grace. The works of law never gave the Jews themselves a right to the privileges and promifes of the covenant. Even Abraham himself,

(the head of the nation, who was first taken into God's covenant, and from whom the Jews derive all their peculiar bleffings and advan tages) was not juftified by works of the law. It was free grace, or favour, which at once admitted him, and his pofterity, into the covenant and church of God. And that the grace of the gofpel actually extends to all mankind, appears from the univerfality of the refurrection; which is the effect of God's grace, or favour, in a Redeemer; and is the first and fundamental part of the new difpenfation, with regard to the gift of eternal life. For as all were involved in death, in confequence of Adam's fin, fo all fhall be restored to life at the laft day, in confequence of Chrfti's obedience. And therefore it is certain that all men actually have a fhare in the mercy of God in Chrift Jefus. Thus the apoftle argues.

308. And we ought particularly to obferve; How he combats the ingroffing temper of the Jews in his arguments. They could not

ingrofs

*Had Mr. Locke confidered these things, he would hardly have faid in his preface to the Galatians, that " the fubject and defign of this Epiftle is much the fame with that of the Epifte to the Romans,"

ingrofs all Virtue to themselves; for they were as bad as other People. They could not ingrofs God and his Favour to themfelves; for he was the Governour and Creator of Gentiles, as well as Jews. They could not ingrofs Abraham, and the Promise made to him, to themfelves; for he is the Father of many Nations; and the believing Gentiles are his Seed, as well as the Jews. They could not ingrofs the Refurrection, the neceflary Introduction to eternal Life, to themfelves; because it is known, and allowed, to be common to all Mankind.

309. And he had good Reafon to be fo large and particular in confuting the Miftakes of the infidel Jews. For had their Principles prevailed, the Gofpel could not have maintained it's Ground. For if we must have performed the Works of Law, before we could have been interested in the Bleffings of the Covenant, then the Gospel would have loft its Nature and Force. For then it would not have been a Motive to Obedience, but the Refult of Obedience; and we could have had no Hope towards God, prior to Obedience. Therefore, the Apoftle has done a fingular and eminent Piece of Service to the Church of God, in afferting and demonftrating the free Grace and Covenant of God, as a Foundation to ftand upon, prior to any Obedience of ours, and as the grand Spring and Motive of Obedience. This fets our Intereft in the Covenant, or Promife of God, upon a Foundation very clear and folid.

310. To understand rightly the Epiftle to the Romans, it is further neceflary to obferve; That the Apoftle confiders Mankind as obnoxious. to the Divine Wrath, and as ftanding before God the Judge of all. Hence it is, that he ufes Forenfic, or Law-Terms ufual in Jewish Courts; fuch as the Law, Righteousness or Juftification, being Juftified, Judgment to Condemnation, fuftification of Life, being made Sinners, and being made Righteous. Thefe I take to be Forenfic, or Court-Terms; and the Apostle, by ufing them, naturally leads our Thoughts to fuppofe a Court held, a Judgment-Seat to be erected by the most high God, in the feveral Cafes whence he draws his Arguments. For Inftance; Chap. v. 12-20 he fuppofes Adam ftanding in the Court of God, after he had committed the firit Tranfgreffion; when the Judgment, paffed upon him for his Offence, "came upon all Men to Condemnation;" and when he and his Pofterity, by the Favour, and in the Purpose of God, were again made righteous, or obtained the Juftification of Life.-Again; Chap. iv, he fuppofes Abraham ftanding before the Bar of the fupreme Judge: When, as an Idolater, he might have been condemned; but, through the pure Mercy of God, he was juftified, pardoned and taken into God's Covenant, on Account of his Faith. He alfo fuppofes, Chap. iii. 19-29, all Mankind ftanding before the univerfal Judge, when Chrift came into the World. At that Time, neither Jew nor Gentile could pretend to Juftification, upon the Foot of their own. Works of Righteoufnefs; both having corrupted themselves, and come fhort of the Glory of God. But at that Time, both had a Righteoufnefs, or Salvation, prepared for them in a Redeemer; namely, the Righteoufnefs, which refults from the pure Mercy, or Grace of God, the Lawgiver and Judge. And fo, both (instead of being deflroyed)

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