Gofpel to none, but their own Nation. And when St. Peter was fatisfied by a Vision from Heaven of the Duty of doing otherwise, they that were of the Circumcifion blamed him for what he had done: till, having an Account laid before them of the Authority he went upon, they held their Peace, and glorified ·God, faying: Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life. But when this Difficulty was over, another very great one was immediately ftarted; whether he had granted it on any other Terms, than their obferving the Jewish Law: on which Point was held a Council at Jerufalem, as you may read, Acts xv. where after the Matter had been throughly debated, the Apoftles, Elders, and Brethren, directed by the Holy Ghost, unanimously determined, that fince the Jews had never been able to keep their own Law in Strictness; and therefore could not themselves be faved, but through the Grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift; and fince the Gentiles, without the Law, had not only been purified by the fame Faith, but had received the fame Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, with the Jews; this was Evidence enough, that they were accepted in

their present Condition, as the Prophets had intimated they should: and therefore it was needlefs and unjust to lay a new Yoke upon them, which they had never been enjoined before to undertake, nor would be able to bear

now.

But even after this, one Doubt remained ftill, whether the Jews at least ought not to continue obferving their own Law. For it had been declared in the old Teftament an Ordinance to endure for ever. And our Saviour himself had not only, pursuant to its Direction, been circumcifed in his Infancy, but throughout his Life was obedient to every Precept of the Mofaic Covenant: and therefore it might seem requifite, that all his Disciples of that Nation should be fo too. Now contradicting this Notion immediately and openly, muft, confidering how fond the Jews were of their religious Ceremonies, have proved a great Hindrance to their embracing the Faith of Chrift. And therefore he did not apprise his very Apoftles clearly at first of his whole Intention, as to these Matters; but told them, that he had many Things to say unto them, which then they could not bear ; but that e Exod. xii. 14, &c.

when

when the Spirit of Truth fhould come, he would guide them into all Truth". And after they were more fully instructed, they exercised great Prudence and Patience towards their Countrymen: permitting, and even practising along with them, for a While, what they knew to be unneceffary; and gently loosening their deeply-rooted Prejudices. For, when examined with Care, they will evidently appear to be Nothing more than Prejudices. The Phrase, for ever, ufed concerning the Continuance of the Law, is ufed in that Law itself concerning very fmall Periods of Time; the Term of a Man's Life, the Term of fifty Years and less in short, it means no more, than this; that what is appointed, fhall be done, fo long as the State of Things, to which the Appointment refers, fhall laft. And therefore, notwithstanding fuch Words; when Circumstances visibly alter, God may as juftly and as wifely repeal any of his Laws, as Men do many of theirs, into which the fame, and like Words, have been inferted. Now the Coming of Chrift made a moft evident and material Alteration. It was indeed very fit, that to fhew himself perfectly obedient, and John xvi. 12, 13.

prevent all Poffibility of Cavil against him on that Head, he should fulfil the whole Righteoufnefs of the Covenant, under which he was born. But when he had exhibited the Substance of thofe good Things, of which the legal Ceremonies were Shadows; and completed all that the Mofaic Difpenfation prefigured, one great End of its Existence plainly ceafed. When Men were grown capable, as God faw they were by that Time, of a freer, and more fpiritual, and manly Service, instead of those formal Restraints to keep them from going wrong, and thofe outward carnal Ordinances to strike their Imaginations, under which they had been placed in the earlier Ages, compared by the Apostle to a State of Childhood e: then a fecond Defign of the Law ceafed. And when the Time came, in which God judged it proper, that the Jews, who had been diftinguished from the Gentiles, to preferve true Religion in the World for their common Benefit, should be reunited to them, that they might practise it together, and be one Fold under one Shepherd; then the third End of the Law ceased; and breaking down the Wall of Partition, that is taking away the CereEph. ii. 14.

e Gal. iv. 1, &c.

monies that separated them, contributed much, not only to the Uniformity and Beauty of Chriftianity, but to the Prefervation of Harmony and Love, and the Avoidance of Jealousy and Complaint, amongst its Profeffors: Befides, that indeed many of the Inftitutions of Mofes were calculated for the Ufe only of one small Nation, as that Nation to which he prescribed them, was; and neither could poffibly be obferved by all Mankind, nor can be obferved by the Jews in their prefent Difperfion.

Yet, weighty as thefe Confiderations were, many continued unmoved by them; and infifted, that all Men must keep the Jewish Law; for that, without it, Faith in Chrift would not fave them. And this is the Doctrine, which St. Paul in his Epiftles fo zealously confutes, as dishonourable to, and inconfiftent with, the Gospel. He there fhews, that Jews, as well as Gentiles, are Sinners; and, far from meriting future Happiness by their good Deeds, can escape future Punishment for their bad ones only through God's Mercy, which Chrift hath procured for them, and revealed to them : that the Law of Mofes requires perfect Obedience; and, after Difobedience, makes no Provifion for Pardon, but through him, whom