apostolical benediction.

tumult excited by Demetrius the silversmith, against St. Pauling under the yoke of the Mosaic law. This was the point

and his companions; and it is very possible that this was the
same person. He is here called not only the host, ξενος, the
entertainer of St. Paul, or Tertius, (if he wrote this and the
following verse,) but also of the whole church; that is, he re-
ceived and lodged the apostles who came from different pla-
ces, as well as the messengers of the churches. All made his
house their home; and he must have been a person of consi-
derable property to be able to bear this expense: and of much
piety and love to the cause of Christ, else he had not employ.
ed that property in this way.

Erastus, the chamberlain of the city] Treasurer of the city
of Corinth, from which St. Paul wrote this epistle. This is
supposed to be the same person as is inentioned Acts xix. 22.
He was one of St. Paul's companions; and, as appears from
2 Tim. iv. 20. was left about this time by the apostle at Co-
rinth. He is called the chamberlain, οικονομος, which signi-
fies the same as treasurer; he to whom the receipt and ex-
penditure of the public money was entrusted. He received
the tolls, customs, &c. belonging to the city, and out of them
paid the public expenses. Such persons were in very high
88

which was kept secret: as to the calling of the Geutiles, this
was declared in general terms by the prophets, and the apos
tle quotes and makes a most important use of their predic-
tions; but the other was a point on which the prophets gave
no information, and it seems to have been peculiarly revealed
to St. Paul, who received the commandment of the everlasting
God to make it known, εις παντα τα έθνη,
all the people of the earth that were not of Jewish extraction.
they might believe its doctrines, and obey its precepts; its uni-
And it was to be made known for the obedience of faith, that
versal voice requiring repentance towards God, faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ, and circumcision of the heart, in the place
of all Jewish rites and ceremonies.

27. To God only wise) This comes in with great propriety. He alone, who is the Fountain of wisdom and knowledge, had all this mystery in himself, and he alone who knew the times, places, persons, and circumstances, could reveal the whole, and he has revealed all in such a way as not only to manifest his unsearchable wisdom, but also his infinite goodness. Therefore, to him be glory for his wisdom in devising this

General observations on

most admirable plan; and his goodness in sending Christ Je-cution raised against the apostles at Jerusalem, was, partly, the calling of the Gentiles

sus to execute it to Him, through Christ Jesus, be glory for
ever! Because this plan is to last for ever; and is to have no
issue but in eternal glory.namo ads

Written to the Romans from Corinthus, &c.] That this
epistle was written from Corinth is almost universally believ
ed. That Phebe was a deaconess of the church at Cenchrea,
we have seen in the first verse of this chapter; and that the
epistle might have been sent by her to Rome is possible: but
that she should have been the writer of the epistle, as this
subscription states, εγράφη δια φοιβης, is false, for the 22d
verse shows that Tertius was the writer, though by inserting
the words and sent, we represent her rather as the carrier
than the writer. This subscription, however, stands on very
questionable grounds. It is wanting in almost all the ancient
MSS., and even of those which are more modern, few have it
entirely, as in our common editions. It has already been no-
ted that the subscriptions to the sacred books are of little or
no authority; all having been added in latter times, and fre-
quently by injudicious hands. The most ancient have simply
To the Romans, or the epistle to the Romans is finished. The
word Amen was seldom added by the inspired writers, and
here it is wanting in almost all the ancient MSS. As this was
a word in frequent use in religious services, pious people
would naturally employ it in finishing the reading or copying
of this epistle, as they would thereby express their conviction
of the truth of its contents, and their desire that the promises
contained in it might be fulfilled to them and to the church at
large; and in this sense the word is not only harmless, but
useful. May the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in, and
may all Israel be saved! This is treated of at large in this
epistle; and to this prayer let every pious reader say AMEN!
See the observations on this word at the end of the Gospel of John.
Before I conclude this work, I shall beg leave to add several
important observations, chiefly extracted from Dr. Taylor.

1. Paul, the apostle, writes to all the Christians at Rome, without distinction, as being called of Jesus Christ; beloved of God, called saints, as justified by faith, and having peace with God, as standing in the grace of the Gospel, chap. v. 1, 2. as alive from the dead, chap. vi. 13, &c. He gives them various exhortations. Walk in newness of life. Let not sin reignin your mortal body. Yield yourselves unto God, chap. xii. 1, &c. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service: chap. xiv. 10, 12. We shall all stand before the judg. ment seat of Christ. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God: chap. xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14. It is high time to awake out of sleep; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness; let us not walk in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, in strife and envying; Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof: viii. 13. For, if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; μελλετε αποθνήσκειν, ye shall hereafter die, meaning in the world to come. But if ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 2. The rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses, were in corporated in the civil state of the Jews, and so might be considered as national and political usages. Now, as the Gospel did not interfere with, or subvert, any national polity upon earth; but left all men, in all the several countries of the globe, to live, in a" things not sinful, according to the civil constitution under which it found them: so it left the Jews also at liberty to observe all the rites and injunctions of the law of Moses, considered as a part of the civil and political usages of the nation. And in this respect, they remained in force so long as the Jews were a nation, having the temple, the token of God's presence and residence, among them. But when the temple was destroyed, and they were expelled the land of Canaan, their polity was dissolved, and the Mosaic rites were quite laid aside. And as the time in which this happened was near, when the Epistle to the Hebrews was written, therefore the apostle saith, The first covenant, or Mosaical dispensation, was then decaying and waxing old, and ready to vanish away. Heb. viii. 13.

3. But though the Gospel was not, in itself, intended to un church the Jews; yet the Jews every where warmly opposed the preaching of it, though not for the same reasons. Some Jews opposed it totally, and rejected the whole Gospel as unnecessary, judging the Mosaical constitution, and their conformity to the law there delivered, completely sufficient for Justification or salvation, without arty farther provision made by the grace of God. These accounted Christ our Lord an impostor, and the Gospel a forgery; and therefore persecuted the apostles with the utmost assiduity and outrage, as deceivers who had no divine mission. Such were the Jews who put Stephen to death, Acts vi. vii. chapters. Such were they at Antioch, in Pisidia, who were filled with envy, and spake against the things that were spoken by Paul, contra dicting and blaspheming, Acts xiii. 45, 50. Such were the Jews at Iconium, Acts xiv. 2, 19.-at Thessalonica, xvii. 5.at Corinth, xviii. 5, 6. and in other places. And such a Jew was Paul himself before his conversion. He consented to the death of Stephen, made havoc of the church, Acts viii. 3. and breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, ix. 1. xxii. 4. xxvi. 9, 10, 11.

4. What Paul's principles, and those of the unbelieving
Jews were, we may learn, if we observe, that the first perse-
VOL. VI.
M

on account of their preaching through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, Acts iv. 1, 2. This gave great offence to the Jesus, whom the rulers of the Jews slew and hanged on a tree, was the Messiah, whom God had exalted to be a Prince Sadducees; and, partly, because they openly affirmed that and a Saviour. This disgusted all the council and senate of the Jews, Acts v. 21, 28, 29, 30, 31. But with regard to these two particulars, the indignation of the Jews seems, for some time, abated; till the doctrine the apostles taught was better understood; and Stephen, in his dispute with some learned Jews, had suggested that the Gospel was intended to abrogate the Mosaical constitution, Acts vi. 9-15. This irritated the Jews afresh; especially the Pharisees, the strictest, and most numerous sect among them. And Saul, one of that sect, (Acts xvi. 5. xxiii. 6.) being then and being fully persuaded that the Jewish dispensation was instituted by God, never to be altered, but to abide for ever, of Gamaliel's school, having finished his studies in the law, he really believed that Jesus and his followers were deceivers, young man, just come out and that it was his duty to oppose them, and to stand up courageously for God and his truth. Thus be honestly followed the dictates of his own conscience. How far other unbelieving Jews were, or were not, upright in their opposition to the Gospel, God only knows; but their professed principles seem to be nearly the same. In short; they were for seizing on the inheritance, (Matt. xxi. 38.) and for engrossing all salvation, and the favour of God, to themselves. The Jews, they judged, were the only people of God; and the Jewish nation the only true church, out of which there was no salva. tion. No man could be in a state of acceptance with God, without observing the law of Moses. The works of the law, moral and ceremonial, must be performed, in order to his being a member of God's church and family, and having a right indeed and his kingdom; but not as if either had a reference to another world. The law, and a punctual observance of it, to future and eternal happiness. They expected the Messiah was the ground of their expectations in a future world. And as for the Messiah, they supposed his coming and kingdom related only to the temporal prosperity and grandeur of the Jewish nation, and the perpetual establishment of their law, by rescuing them out of the hands of the Gentile powers, who had greatly embarrassed and distressed their constitution. Thus they endeavoured to establish their own righteousness, (Rom. x. 3.) salvation or interest in God; an interest which they imagined for themselves, and which excluded men of all other nations, who, they thought, were, in fact, utterly exchuded from the Divine favour and eternal life, as quite lost 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 superior 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 circumcised, enjoying the law, the promises and ordinances of worship, &c.

Gospel, when it was preached to the Gentiles. Indeed the apostles themselves, and the first Christians among the Jews, 5. And this was another ground of their opposition to the had, for some time, no notion of the Gospel's being preached to the Gentiles; till God, in a vision, convinced Peter it was his will that it should, Acts x. But the unbelieving Jews regarded the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, or the declaring that they were, upon their faith in Christ, pardoned and admitted into the church of God, and to the hopes of eternal life, almost in the same manner as we should regard the preaching of the Gospel to brute creatures. They could not bear the thought that the Gentiles, any barbarous nations, should, only by faith, have an equal interest in God and the blessings of his covenant, with themselves. They did not indeed deny the possibility of their being taken into the church, and of obtaining salvation. But it must be only by their becoming Jews; they must first submit to the law, and could be the qualified objects of God's mercy. There was no grace, no part in the kingdom of God, either here or hereafyield obedience to its precepts and obligations, before they ter, for a Gentile, unless he first became a Jew, and performed the works of the Mosaical law. By these sentiments they were led to do all they could to oppose the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and became very bitter enemies to Paul, who was the apostle particularly selected and commissioned for that purpose. 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 persuade the Gentiles every where that he was an odious impostor; that his Gospel was a forgery, destitute of divine authority; that he proposed 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 establishment, and obedience to it the only means to introduce them into the kingdom of God; and Paul could have no commission from miracles soever he might work. Of this sort of Jews the apostle speaks, 1 Thess. ii. 14, 15, 16. heaven to teach otherwise, whatever he might pretend, or what

eneral observations on

ROMANS.

the calling of the Gentiles.

Other Jews there were who believed the Gospel, and agreed | ham standing before the bar of the Supreme Judge: when, as

that it ought to be preached to the Gentiles. But so that the Gentiles, at the same time they accepted the Gospel, were obliged to submit to the law of Moses in every part; otherwise they could not be saved, or have any interest in the kingdom and covenant of God, Acts xv. 1. These taught that the Gos. pel was insufficient without the law. They differed from the fore-mentioned Jeans in that they embraced the faith of Jesus Christ. But agreed with them in this, that the law of Moses was to be in force for ever, and the observance of all its rituals absolutely necessary to a standing in the church of God, and the hopes of eternal life. And for this reason, they were upon pretty good terms with the unbelieving Jews, and avoid ed the persecution, to which those who adhered to the pure and unmixed Gospel were exposed, Gal. vi. 12. These Jews, who were for joining law and Gospel together, were also great enemies to our apostle. He speaks of them, Phil. iii. 2, 3, &c.

6. Now against the mistakes of the infidel Jews, the apostle thus argues in the Epistle to the Romans: Jews, as well as Gentiles, have corrupted themselves, and are become obnoxious to the Divine wrath; and if they repent not, will certainly fall under the wrath of God in the last day. Consequently, as both are obnoxious to wrath, both must be indebted to grace and mercy for any favour shown 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 footing, the Gentiles must have as good a right to the blessings of God's covenant as the Jews themselves. And why not? Is not God the Creator and Governor of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews? And, if both Jews and Gentiles have corrupted themselves by wicked works, it is impossible that either should 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 through Christ, or a persuasion of that mercy on their part which gives that right. All must be indebted to grace. The works of the law never gave the Jews themselves a right to the privileges and promises of the cove. nant. 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 blessings and advantages,) was not justified by works of the law. It was free grace, or favour, which at once admitted him and his posterity into the covenant and church of God. And that the grace of the Gospel actually extends to all mankind, appears from the universality of the resurrection; which is the effect of God's grace or favour in a Redeemer; and is the first and fundamental part of the new dispensation, with regard to the gift of eternal life. For, as all were involved in death, in consequence of Adam's sin; so shall all be restored to life at the last day, in conse. quence of Christ's obedience. And therefore, it is certain that all men actually have a share in the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. - Thus the apostle argues.

7. And we ought particularly to observe; how he combats the engrossing temper of the Jews, in his arguments. They could not engross all virtue to themselves, for they were as bad as other people; they could not engross God and his favour to themselves, for he was the Governor and Creator of Gentiles as well as Jews; they could not engross Abraham, and the promise made to him, to themselves, for he is the father of many nations, and the believing Gentiles are his seed as well as the Jews; they could not engross the resur rection, the necessary introduction to eternal life to themselves, because it is known and allowed to be common to all mankind. 8. And he had good reason to be so large and particular in confuting the mistakes of the infidel Jews. For, had their principles prevailed, the Gospel could not have maintained its ground. For, if we must have performed the works of the law, before we could have been interested in the blessings of the covenant, then the Gospel would have lost its nature and force. For then it would not have been a motive to obedience, but the result of obedience; and we could have had no hope towards God, prior to obedience. Therefore, the apostle has done a singular and eminent piece of service to the church of God, in asserting and demonstrating the free grace and covenant of God, as a foundation to stand upon, prior to any obe. dience of ours, and as the grand spring and motive of obe. dience. This sets our interest in the covenant or promise of God upon a foundation very clear and solid.

9. To understand rightly the Epistle to the Romans, it is farther necessary to observe; that the apostle considers man kind as obnoxious to the Divine wrath, and as standing before God, the Judge of all. Hence it is, that he uses forensic, or law terms, usual in Jewish courts; such as the LAW, RIGHTEOUS NESS or JUSTIFICATION, being JUSTIFIED, JUDGMENT to CONDEMNATION, JUSTIFICATION of LIFE, being made SINNERS, and being made RIGHTEOUS. These I take to be forensic, or court terms; and the apostle, by using them, naturally leads our thoughts to suppose a court held, a judgment seat to be erected by the most High God, in the several cases whence he draws his arguments. For instance; chap. v. 12-20, he supposes Adam standing in the court of God, after he had committed the first transgression; when the judgment, passed upon him for his offence, came upon all men to con demnation; and when he and his posterity, by the favour and in the purpose of God, were again made righteous, or obtained the justification of life. Again, chap iv. he supposes Abra

an idolater, he might have been condemned; but, through the pure mercy of God, he was justified, pardoned, and taken into God's covenant, on account of his faith. He also supposes, chap. iii. 19-29. all mankind standing before the universal Judge, when Christ came into the world. At that time neither Jeu nor Gentile could pretend to justification, upon the foot of their own works of righteousness; having both corrupted themselves, and come short of the glory of God. But at that time, both had righteousness or salvation prepared for them in a Redeemer; namely, the righteousness which results from the pure mercy or grace of God; the Lawgiver and Judge. And so both, (instead of being destroyed,) had admittance into the church and covenant of God, by faith, in order to their eternal salvation.

10. But, besides these three instances, in which he supposes a court to be held by the Supreme Judge, there is a fourth to which he points, chap. ii. I-17. and that is the final judg. ment, or the court which will be held in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. And it is with regard to that future court of judicature, that he argues, chap. ii. 1-17. But in the other cases, whence he draws his arguments, he supposes the courts of judicature to be already held: and, consequently, argues in relation to the economy, constitution, or dispensation of things in this present world. This is very evident with regard to the court, which he supposes to be held when our Lord came into the world, or when the Gospel-constitution was erected in its full glory. For, speaking of the justification which mankind then obtained through the grace of God in Christ, he expressly confines that justification to the present time, chap. iii. 26. To demonstrate, I say, his righteousness, Εν ΝΥΝ καιρώ, at the PRESENT TIME. This plainly distinguishes the righteous. ness, or salvation, which God then exhibited, from that righteousness or justification, which he will vouchsafe in the day of judgment, to pious and faithful souls.

11. Before the coming of our Lord, the peculiar kingdom of God was confined to the Jewish nation, and to such only of the heathens as were incorporated among them by becoming Jews, and observing the whole law of Moses. And the Jews firmly believed it would always continue in the same state.

But when our Lord came, the mystery of God, which had been concealed both from Jews and Gentiles, was revealed; namely, that the Gentiles also, even men of all nations, should be freely admitted into it. This was an act of great favour, considering the darkness, idolatry, and wickedness, into which the heathen world was then sunk.

But God mercifully passed over their former sins; and our Lord commissioned his apostles, and particularly St. Paul, to promulge a general pardon; and to call, or invite, all who re. pented, and accepted of the grace, to all the blessings and privileges of his kingdom; confirming their interest in those blessings, by pouring out the Holy Ghost upon them, in various miraculous gifts, or endowments above the ordinary capacity of men. This was a very evident seal to them, (and to us too,) of a title to the blessings of God's kingdom and covenant, Gal. tii. 2-5.

And it had such an effect upon the Christian Jews at Jerusalem, that though they were at first greatly disgusted at Peter, for treating the first uncircumcised Gentile converts as members of the kingdom of God, (Acts xi. 2, 3.) yet, when they heard that the Holy Ghost was fallen upon those converts, they were much surprised, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted, (the benefit of,) repentance unto, (eternal,) life; which, before this, they verily believed, could not have been granted unto them without obedience to the law of Moses, by being circumcised.

But the unbelieving Jews paid no regard to this, or any other argument in favour of the uncircumcised Gentiles. The notion of admitting them into the kingdom and congregation of God, only upon faith in Christ, they opposed and persecuted every where, with great zeal and bitterness. And it was not long before good impressions wore off, and old prejudices revived, among even the believing Jews. Numbers of thein very stiffly, and with much warmth and contention, endeavoured to persuade the Gentile converts, that, except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved, or admitted to the privileges of the kingdom of God, and the hope of eternal life, Acts xv. 1, 2.

The Gentiles, even the most learned and wise amongst them, were wholly ignorant in the affair. They were perfect strangers to the Gospel scheme: they had no notion or expectation of being received into the kingdom and covenant of God; and could have no knowledge of it but what they received from some or other of the Jews: nor could they have any objection against it, worth regarding, but what came from that quarter. And the Jews had a considerable influence among them, having synagogues in most, if not all, the great towns in the empire, from the Euphrates, as far as Rome itself: which numbers of the Gentiles frequented, and so had received impressions in favour of the Jewish religion.

But had the Jewish notion prevailed, that no part of mankind could have any share in the blessings of God's covenant, the pardon of sin, and the hope of eternal life, but only such as were circumcised, and brought themselves under obligations to the whole law of Moses; had this notion prevailed, the extensive scheme of the Gospel would have been ruined.

13. Farther, we can neither duly value this epistle, nor be sensible how much we are indebted to the author of it, unless we make this sentiment familiar to our thoughts: namely, That St. Paul is the patron and defender of all valuable and important to us in the world, against the only opposition that could be made to our title and claim. Give me leave to explain this by an easy comparison. A person, to me unknown, leaves me at his death 1000l. a year; I my self can have no objection against the noble donative; and the good pleasure of the donor, who had an undoubted right to dispose of his own, may silence any of the cavillers' surmises. But a person claiming, as heir at law, gives me the greatest uneasiness. He alleges, the estate was entailed, and that he has a prior title, which renders the donation to me invalid. Here I want an able advocate, to prove that his pretentions are ill grounded, and that my title is perfectly good and firm. St. Paul is that advocate: he argues and strongly proves, that we, believing Gentiles, have a just and solid title to all the blessings of God's covenant; and effectually establishes us in possession of all the noble principles, motives, comfort, hope, and joy of the Gospel. The sum of what he demonstrates, is comprehended in 1 Pet. ii. 8, 9, 10. They, the Jews, stumble, and lose their ancient honours and privileges; but ye Gentiles, are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of heathenish darkness, into his marvellous light. Thus, on the authority of God, we Gentiles have an indisputable right to all the blessings of the Gospel; and if we receive by Christ Jesus, that grace which pardons and cleanses the soul, we shall pass from the church militant into the church triumphant.

At the conclusion of my notes on this very important epistle, I feel it necessary to make a few additional remarks. I have sincerely and conscientiously given that view work which I believe to be true and correct. I am well aware that many great and good men have understood this portion of Divine revelation differently, in many respects, from my self: they have the same right of private judgment which I claim; and to publish those opinions which they judge to ac cord best with their views of the Gospel. My business is to give what I think to be the mind of my author; and every where I have laboured to do this without even consulting any pre-established creed. I hope my readers will take in good part what is honestly intended. I wish to avoid controversy: Igive my own views of Divine truth. The plan on which I have endeavoured to expound this epistle shows it a beautiful, highly important, and consistent whole: a work which casts the clearest light on the grand original designs of God, relative to the diffusion of the Gospel, and its blessings over the face of the earth: illustrating many apparently dark and unaccountable providences; fully proving that, though clouds and darkness are often round the Supreme Being, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

voured to explain; and where this could not be conveniently
done in the notes, I have generally stated it at the end of the
The peculiar phraseology of this epistle I have also endea-
chapters. And for the explanations of difficult points, or ar-
ticles which may have been but slightly handled in the notes,
I beg to refer to those concluding observations; and particu-
larly to those at the end of chap. viii. and ix.
cessary to make some remarks on this epistle, as an epistle
ed at Rome. Though the Gospel was preached and esta-
blished there long before either the apostle had visited this
directed to the Romans; that is, to the church of God found-
city, or written this epistle; yet we may rest assured that the
Rome, and therefore that church was holy and apostolic. If
it do not continue to walk by the same rule, and mind the
doctrine contained here was the doctrine of the church of
same thing, it is no longer so; in a time then, when the Ro-
man church that now is, invites the attention of the Christian
world by making great and bold pretensions; assuming to it-
self the titles of holy, catholic, and apostolic; representing
Rome as the fountain whence pure truth and apostolical autho-
rity emanate; it may be useful to examine whether such pre-
tensions are well founded; and not permit confident assump-
tion, noise, and parade, to carry away our understandings;
however, cannot be done to any extent in this place; only it
may be necessary to state, that as the doctrines, &c. of the
and occupy the place of reason, argument, and truth. This,
Roman church, profess to be apostolic, they must be found
work directed to that church. If they are not to be met with
here, it would be absurd to look for them any where else.
in the Epistle to the ROMANS, this being the only apostolic
But there is not one distinguishing doctrine, or practice of
no exclusive churchship, no Peterpence, first-fruits, legatine
levies, dispensations, pardons, indulgences, reliques, Agnus
the Romish church, found in
Dei's, jubilees, pilgrimages, crusades, carnivals, canoniza-
tions, abbies, monasteries, cells, shrines, privileged altars,
this epistle. Here is no pope,
auricular confessions, purgatories, masses, prayers for the
dead, requiems, placebos, dirges, lamps, processions, holy
water, chrisms, baptism of bells, justification by works, pe.
nances, transubstantiation, works of supererogation, extreme
unction, invocation of saints and angels, worship of images,
crossings of the body, rosaries, albs, stoles, &c. nor the end-
less orders of priests, abbots, monks, friars, nuns, anchorets,
hermits, capuchins, &c. &c. Here are no inquisitions, no
writs de hæretico comburendo, no auto da fès, no racks, gib-
bets, tortures, nor death in all variable and horrid forms, for
those who may differ from this mother church, in any part of
their religious creed. In vain will the reader look into this
epistle for any thing that is not consistent with sound sense,
inflexible reason, and the justice, purity, and endless benevo-
lence of the Great God, the equal Father of the spirits of all
flesh. Here, indeed, he will see the total fall and degeneracy
of all mankind, strongly asserted and proved; the utter help-
lessness of the human race, to rescue itself from this state of
corruption; the endless mercy of God, in sending Christ Je-
sus into the world to die for sinners; the doctrine of justifica-
tion by faith in the blood of the Lamb; regeneration by the
energy of the Divine Spirit, producing that holiness, without
sus Christ takes place of all Jewish sacrifices, and works or
sufferings of man, in reference to justification. Here is no-
which no man can see God. Here, the sacrificial death of Je-
ding to the understanding; no religious act unworthy of the
spirit and dignity of the Gospel; nothing that has not the most
thing puerile, nugatory, or superstitious; no dogma degra-
immediate tendency to enlighten the mind, and mend the
heart of man: in a word, every thing is suitable to the state
of man, and worthy of the majesty, justice, and benevolence
of that God, from whom this epistle came. Here, indeed, is
the model of a pure church. What a pity it is not more closely
followed by all, whether Protestant or Popish, that profess
the faith of Christ crucified! Alas! that a church which was
once pure and apostolic, and still retains all the essential doc-
trines of the Gospel, should compound them with others,
which are not only the commandments and inventions of men,
but which so counteract the influence of the truths still re-
tained, as to destroy their efficacy; and no wonder, when
this foreign admixture is an assemblage of rites and ceremo-
nies, borrowed partly from the Jews, and partly from the an-
cient heathens; rendered palatable by a sinall proportion of
Christianity.

The reader will observe, that in the attempt to illustrate
91