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confer, or consult with the other Apostles, but went immediately from Damascus, where he was converted, into Arabia. Now for what purpose did he go into Arabia? Certainly to execute his commision, which was to preach Christ to the Gentiles. He then must have preached the gospel to the Gentiles sometime in the third year after the ascension. To suppose that he did not preach to the Gentiles before Cornelius was converted, is to suppose that this zealous, reckless individual, remained idle for six years after Christ, (as he says) appeared to him, and told him to preach to them; and also, that he went to Arabia merely on a tour of observation. His language is too pointed to admit of any such supposition, I will here quote the first, and part of the second chapter of his letter to the Galatians.

CHAP. I.

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,)

2. And all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia: 3. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father:

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5. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7, Which is not another: but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other, gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10. For do I now persuade men or god? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached o me is not after man.

12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it;

14. And profited in the Jews' religion above many mine equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace,

16. To reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen: immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood;

17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

18. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, abode with him fifteen days.

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19. But other of the Apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. 20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie

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21. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilcia:

22. And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ.

23. But they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

24. And they glorified God in me.

CHAP. II.

Then fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also.

2. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

5. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.

5. To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6. But of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person; for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

3. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles.but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him: insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, if thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

First, that some

From this letter we learn the following particulars. persons had preached to the Galatians a different doctrine, (he would not suffer it to be called gospel) from the gospel he had preached. Second: that the gospel, that is, the gospel that he preached, he did not receive from man, but from Christ himself. Third: that God revealed his son to him, that he might preach him to the Gentiles. Fourth: that he did not consider himself under any obligation to confer with the twelve, as he held a commission distinct from theirs. Fifth: that some seventeen years after his conversion, he went up to Jerusalem, to compare notes with those who seemed to be something, (now mark the bitterness and vulgarity of the sneer: "whatsoever they were it maketh no matter to me, ") from whom he could learn nothing; "In conference they added nothing to me." Sixth: that those who seemed to be somewhat, namely, James, Peter, and John, the most influential of the Apostles, had to learn from him, as he had received from Christ, a commission different from the one they had received. “In conference they added nothing to me, but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been committed to me, as the gospe of the circumcision had been to Peter." Is not this, of itself, sufficient to prove, that had it not been for Paul, the christian religion would have been confined to the Jews? But, seventhly: we learn that Peter, many years after Cornelius' conversion, was a Jew, though occassionally playing the hypocrite before the Gentiles, for which Paul chides him, telling him he did not walk uprightly, nor according to the truth of the gospel. Now think of this! Paul the abortive, dictating to Peter, the chief of the twelve Apostles, all of whom had been with Christ from the beginning of his ministry, and on whom the Holy Ghost had been poured out, dictating to Peter what was the true gospel!

It is manifest from this letter alone, that the present or Paul's gospel, was

between the original Apostles on the one side, and Paul and his party on the other, the former contending that the Gentiles on becoming christians, should become Jews also; the latter that they should not. Paul being more talented, more learned, more persevering, and more industrious, having as he says, labored more abundantly than all the Apostles, was enabled to bring them to a compromise on this point. It was finally settled, that no Jewish burden should be laid upon the Gentile converts, but that they should become Jews, so far as to abstain from meats offered to idols, from things strangled, from blood; and from fornication. (It should not, be inferred that the Roman law, or religion permitted fornication.) But the Apostles never did yield the point to Paul, that a Jewish convert should be relieved from any, the least tittle, of the Jewish law. However, Paul kept up the war on this point, still contending, and preaching, every where, that the whole law was abolished, and that a Jew need not walk after it, telling him that he need not circumcise his children, until he drew upon him the resentment of all the Jewish converts, and especially of the members of the original church at Jerusalem.

All this is manifest from Luke's account of Paul's last visit to that city. He tells us, that Paul, or rather his friends, apprehended that violence would be done to his person by the Jews. We learn from the speech of James, found in the 21st Acts, that these Jews were his own converts.This speech was made to Paul immediately on his arrival at Jerusalem, and is in substance as follows:

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“Paul! we have heard of you, and the doctrine you preach; we have heard that you tell the Jews every where they need not circumcise their children, nor walk after the law of Moses; 'there are thousands of Jews here in Jerusalem who believe' in Jesus, but are still zealous of the law; they have also heard of you, and your doctrine; it is very unpopular with them, and so are you; they will hear of your arrival, and will come together. Now something must be done to appease them. What shall that be? I advise that you play the Jew for several days, and then these exasperated christians, who are still Jews, will believe, that all they have heard about you and your doctrine, is a grand lie, and will be satisfied that you are still a good Jew and walk orderly, and keep the law.”

Paul took the advice, and did it. I do not cite this case now, to show that these holy and immaculate Apostles could resort to shifts and tricks, and double dealing, but to prove, that Paul was actually preaching a different doctrine or gospel, from the one preached by the twelve Apostles.

James does not hint to Paul, that he had any thing to fear from the disbelieving, but from the believing Jews. No doubt he was very sorry to see Paul, as he, (James) and his converts were living in great harmony with

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the other Jews at Jerusalem; and he knew also, that Paul was always kicking up a dust wherever he went, and had made a fuss once before at this very city. The Jews at Jerusalem, no doubt, viewed all christians alike; they had become reconciled to the Apostles and their disciples, and had never heard that Paul was an innovator, in fact, an enemy to their much cherished law. Some Jews, (we are not told whether believers in Jesus or not) from Asia, who had heard Paul declaim in their country against the law, and on that account were hostile to him, on seeing him at Jerusalem arrested him, on a charge, (whether true or false is immaterial) of profaning the temple, by taking persons into it, that ought not to have been taken there. As no one of the Apostles is said ever to have visited Paul, after his arrest, either at Jerusalem, Cesarea, or Rome, or to have raised a voice or finger in his defence; it is fair to presume, that if they did not procure his arrest, they were not displeased at it.

But to the point. The talents, and energy, and intrepidity of Paul, finally overcame the weakness, illiteracy, and indecision of the Apostles, and a religion, called the christian, has come down to us, not as Christ, or any o his chosen twelve taught it, but as a restless, and, very probably, a disappointed Jew chose to make it. If you were to be asked, who first preached christianity to the Gentiles? you must answer, Paul. Who contended that Jewish believers should forsake the law of Moses? Paul. Who taught that the law was temporary and imperfect-a mere type? Paul. Were you, as a christian, to go ta a Jew, and exhort him to forsake the law of Moses, and he should ask you, by whose authority you spoke? you must answer, Paul's. And should he ask, whether Christ or any of his chosen twelve taught any of these things? you must answer in the negative; not only so, but that they taught directly the reverse.

Paul is, then, the author of your religion. He founded churches, many churches the Apostles founded none, except the one at Jerusalem. My position, that the Jewish converts, at the time my cosmopolite visited Judea the second time, had not abolished the Sabbath, is a corollary from the preceding argument. And let me add, that if you were asked, who abolished the Jewish Sabbath? you would be obliged to answer, Paul. No one of the witnesses of the resurrection ever preached any such doctrine.

I said, that baptism was not instituted by John or Christ, or his Apostles, or continued by them, as commemorative of any thing. Would you suffer me to go out of the book, I would settle the first position off hand; but I will prove from the book itself, that baptism was practised by the Jews before Christ's appearance; that is, that the Jews, were in the habit of frequently baptising themselves, or of being baptised, in order to effect an inward cleansing. When John came to the Jordan baptising, we are told, the

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