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namely, 58, he communicated the converfion of the idolatrous Gentiles to the whole church of Jerufalem, in fuch a manner as to make them understand it); and that he made no stay at Jerufalem one of those times; namely, the fourth time of his being there, which was ann. 54.

4thly, That when the church of Jerufalem heard of the converfion of the Gentiles, yet they thereby probably only understood the converfion of the proselyted, and not of the idolatrous Gentiles. Indeed, I believe, Gentiles never fignify any thing but profclyted Gentiles, from the xth to the xiiith chapter of the Acts. And, as I apprehend, when the converfion of the idolatrous Gentiles was fpoken of, Acts xv. it was not understood to fignify idolatrous, but profelyted Gentiles only by any of the church of Jerufalem, befides Peter, James, and John, to whom Paul had imparted this matter; and continued to be so understood by them till the xxist of the Acts. Thus, when Cornelius and his family, profelyted Gentiles, were converted, the Jewish Chriftians speak of them as Gentiles. St. Luke fays, " And the apostles and brc" thren that were in Judea heard that the " Gentiles" (that is, Cornelius and his fa

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mily) " had also received the word of God. " And they that were of the circumcifion " contended with Peter, saying, Thou wentest " unto men uncircumcised," or to the Gentiles. And when they were forced to hold their peace on the justification that Peter gave of himself, they said, "Then hath God " also unto the Gentiles granted repentance "unto life." In all these places, Gentiles undoubtedly fignify Proselytes of the Gate, or Devout Gentiles. There had been great debates, in the church of Antioch first, and in the church of Jerufalem afterwards, about the " brethren, who from among the Gentiles " were turned unto God, in Antioch, Syria, "and Cilicia," and a decree about them *: all which, as I hope, I have fully proved in the Fourth Effay, related only to the Profelytes of the Gate converted to christianity. On the other hand, the Jewish Christians had no notion of the calling of the idolatrous Gentiles. That was a mystery hid in the council of God from them, as well as from all ages before, and revealed first to Paul1.

WHILST the heads, therefore, of these Jewish Christians were so full of the cafe of the profelyted Gentiles; and whilst it so little entered into their thoughts that the idolatrous Gentiles would be called to the faith of Chrift; or that they would be called to the faith, without being obliged to fubmit to any of the laws of Mofes; it cannot be very furprizing that whatever they heard concerning the converfion of the Gentiles, should not be understood of the conversion of the idolatrous Gentiles, and the terms on which they were received into the fellowship of the faints, but should be turned to the Proselytes of the Gate.

Acts xi. 2.

* Acts xv.

Ver. 18.

1 See the Third Essay.

Gentiles

We have a much higher instance of the apostles and first disciples being blinded by a prepoffeffion than this. For though our Saviour foretold them, in the most plain and express words, that he must suffer many things, and be crucified, and rise again the third day; nay, though they once told him, that now they understood him, for " that "he then spake plainly, and spake no pro“ verb m; yet was this saying hid from "them":" and that not only before, but after, these events happened. So that after he was faid to be risen by fome of their own company, yet, influenced by their pre-conceived opinion of a temporal kingdom, they lost all hopes concerning him; and only

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"trusted that this had been he that should " have redeemed Ifrael."

We have yet another instance of a stronger and more furprizing prepossession in the history of the Acts, and in a case in point too. For though the prophets speak of the " call" ing in of the Gentiles by the Meffiah;" though Simeon, at Chrift's being presented in the temple, had faid, that " he was a Light " to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the Glory " of God's people Ifrael;" though Chrift had not only hinted it in his parables to the people, and more distinctly in the parable of the wedding-fupper, but spoke plainly of it to his difciples, and had given his apostles commiffion to " go and teach all nations, and

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to preach the gospel to every creature;" and had told them, that they should " be his " witnesses, after the Holy Ghoft was come

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upon them, in Jerufalem, Judea, and Sa" maria, and even to the uttermoft parts of " the earth;" though the Holy Ghost was fallen on them, to infufe into them great degrees of all neceffary knowledge; nay, though Peter quoted the prophecy of Joel, "that God " would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh;" yet their duty to preach to the devout Gentiles the people the best disposed of any to receive the gofpel), in order to convert them, was so entirely hid from them, that none of them attempted it, till about eight years after our Saviour's afcenfion. Nor could Peter then scarce be brought to it by a vision from God to that purpose; he still perfifting to say, "Not fo, Lord!" And though at last Peter went to Cornelius in confequence of his vifion, and on finding messengers come from Cornelius, and on a farther direction from the Spirit to go with them; and on finding that Cornelius had had a vision which correfponded with his; and preaches to them; and, on the Holy Ghost's falling on them, baptizes them; yet is he questioned about all this by the Jewish believers with great feverity: and scarcely can he justify himself, by reciting this whole tranfaction in order to them. And after he had justified himself, and it was a case settled, in the church, that the devout Gentiles might be received, on believing the gospel; we fee how fierce a contention broke out upon it at Antioch in Syria first, and at Jerufalem afterwards 9.

Luke xiii. 19-22,24-31. P Ibid. xiv. 16-25.

receive

Nor did any of the apostles, even though they faw this point fo fully determined, attempt thereupon to preach to the idolatrous Gentiles, till about four years after the con

* Acts xv. 1, 4.

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