the Apostles erred with regard to them, even when under the advantages aforefaid; that is, when the personal inftructions of their mafter, concerning the things that appertained to his kingdom, were strong and fresh upon their minds; and when they were full of the Holy Ghoft, of which we cannot be certain that they had fuch an overflowing of the divine spirit at any time after; and when the power of working miracles was also mightily present with them; then, how can we know, or upon what principle can we determine, with certainty, when, and in what inftances, thefe fallible men may with fafety be abfolutely relied upon? furely, we have no fuch rule; nor can miracles poffibly be of any service, because they are supposed to be wrought by the Apostles whilft they maintained those principles that were afterwards deftroyed by them. And thus much we gain, by calling into our aid the history of the ministry of the Apostles, in order to clear up and fettle the foregoing enquiry, viz. what is the Chriftian revelalation? or what is that message which Christ was fent of God to publish to the world?

BUT farther, I must beg my readers patience, whilft I make a few reflections, with regard

regard to that great change, in one of it's branches, that took place in Christianity whilft in it's most primitive ftate. The apostles and first preachers of the gospel fet out upon this principle, viz. that Chriftianity was to be annexed to Judaism, and, as it were, to be grafted upon it; this the converted Jews were exceedingly zealous of, but when St. Paul was converted to Chrifianity he became altogether as zealous against it, and this drew on him the great difpleasure of thefe Judaifers; and therefore, when he went up to Jerufalem, the elders of the church were greatly alarmed, and, in order to take down the refentment of their brethren against St. Paul, they confulted with, and advised Paul to deceive them in the following manner, Älts xxi. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Thou feeft, brother, bow many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous of the law. And they are informed of thee that thou teacheft all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forfake Mofes, faying, that they ought not to circumcife their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude muft needs come iogether; for they will hear that thou art come.

Do therefore this that we fay to thee: we have four men which have a vow on them; them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may have their heads; and all may know (or be led to believe) that those things whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepeft the law, ver. 26. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them, entered into the temple, to fignify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. Upon which I obferve; that though it may have been juftifiable, and, perhaps, commendable in St. Paul for him to have become all things to all men, by yielding to their weakness for their good, when the cafe required it; yet, furely, no principle can justify the deceit that was advised by St. James and the elders, and practised by St. Paul upon this occafion; which diffimulation, probably, laid a foundation, and paved the way for those religious frauds that (according to the learned) fo much abounded in the fecond century; and, indeed, feem to be justified, or at least countenanced by it. For, if it was

juftifiable

juftifiable in the apoftles to deceive, as aforesaid; then, it must be equally fo with all other Chriftians; and then, this confequence will follow, viz. that Chriftians are not truft-worthy in any thing they fay or do, in fuch cases wherein religion is concerned. And that St. Paul, St. James, and the Elders, were justly blameable, in the cafe abovementioned, I think, will abundantly appear from the following confiderations, when taken together. First, St. Paul's actions were lying actions, if I may be allowed to use fo difgreeable an expreffion. St. Paul went into the temple, and performed according to the law, with this view, and to answer this end, viz. to fatisfy the judaifing Chriftians that he had not taught the people to forfake Mofes, when he knew that he had; it was to lead the people to think that he walked orderly, at all other times, and kept the law, when he knew he did not; it was to induce the people to believe that what they had heard of him was falfe, when he knew it to be true; and as thofe actions were intended to lead the people into a belief of those falfhoods, therefore I call them lying actions. Secondly, the diffimulation St. Paul went into naturally and obviously tended to effablish

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blish and confirm thofe judaifing Chriftians in an error, which, according to St. Paul's declaration to the Galatians, might be of the most fatal confequence to them. The judaifing Chriftians, on the one fide, maintained, that except those who who profeffed Chriftianity were circumcifed, after the manner of Mofes, they could not be saved, Acts xv. 1. St. Paul, on the other fide, maintained, that if those men were circumcifed and hoped for falvation through the law, that then they were fallen from grace, and that Christ should or would profit them nothing, Galatians v. 2, 4. Thus ftood the controverfy betwixt them. Now, seeing the point in question was of fuch confequence, as that the falvation of men was at stake, according as St Paul hath declared (behold 1 Paul fay unto you, that if ye be circumcifed Christ* fhall profit you nothing;) then, sure

ly,

* Notwithstanding St. Paul feems to have been fo certain of what he averred to the Galatians, that he, as it were, pawned his apoftolical authority upon it; behold I Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, by whofe ministry you have been converted to Chriftianity, I fay unto you, that if ye be circumcifed Chrift fhall profit you nothing; and though St. Paul withstood St. Peter to the face, and faid he was to be blamed, Galatians ii. only for temporifing a little, in withdrawing from the Gentiles, and refuI fing to eat with them, for fear of offending the Jews;

fay,