condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of "faith for whatsoever is not of faith is fin." Rom.

xiv. 14-23.

To us Gentiles all things are pure, we are not bound to abstain from certain meats as the Jews are; you will obferve that in thus expreffing himself, St. Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, was writing to us Gentiles, to the Chriftians at Rome, the metropolis of the Gentiles. It is poffible for a Gentile Chriftian, though not bound by the Mofaic law, to prefer the food which was given to the Jews; it is poffible for a well-meaning Chriftian of the Gentile nations not to have clear ideas of that Chriftian liberty which is given to us in this matter of meats, even that liberty which is given unto all mankind, except the Jewish nation: "Every moving thing that liveth fhall be "meat for you; even as the green herb have I given 66 you all things but flesh with the life thereof, "which is the blood thereof, fhall ye not eat." Gen. ix. 3, 4. But though the reproof of the apoftle is a very mild reproof, the apoftle Jude fpeaks very ftrongly against the Balaamites "feeding themfelves "without fear;" and the great vifitor of his churches reproves the angel of the church of Pergamos thus, "Because thou haft there them that hold the doctrine "of Balaam, who taught Balak to caft a STUM"BLING BLOCK before the children of Ifrael, to "eat things facrificed unto idols, and to commit forni"cation," Rev. ii. 14. Here we have evidently a reference to the Book of Numbers, and are informed that the trefpafs of Ifrael, recorded in the 25th chap

ter

ter of Numbers, was not the mere refult of inad vertence on their part, they were BEGUILED, Numb. xxv. 18. it was a fnare, a STUMBLING BLOCK placed in their way by Balak, who was taught fo to do by Balaam. It is manifeft, therefore, that even in the apoftolic age there were Balaamites; and if we fee the fame fpirit arifing among us, it behoves us to endeavour to fhew them their error; for thus is it written concerning them: "Repent, or "elfe I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight " against THEM with the fword of my mouth." Rev. ii. 16. Balaam perfuaded Balak to lay a STUMBLING BLOCK in the way of the children of Ifrael, to eat things facrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication; the temptation was a strong temptation. If his advice had gone no further than to endeavour to feduce them to eat thofe meats which were forbidden to THEM to eat, he might not have prevailed as he did; but if he had thus confined his endeavours and prevailed, Ifrael would have fuffered; for he who commanded them not to eat things facrificed unto idols, alfo commanded them not to eat these forbidden meats.

Happy, truly happy may the members of the Miffionary Society confider themselves, that they have fuch a fair opportunity to escape, if they have not already escaped, out of this fnare of the devil, 2 Tim. ii. 26.-"Confcious that the efficacy of all "the means of grace is derived from the power of "the Holy Spirit, they have inftituted a meeting of

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prayer in behalf of the children of Ifrael, to be

"held

"held on Friday evenings, and the directors entreat "the attention both of minifters and private Chrif "tians to this exercise." The directors of every religious fociety occupy an important office, an office of great refponfibility, and it behoves them to act with firmnefs, and to guard against being fwayed by the opinion of violent men. I would humbly recommend to their confideration, whether inasmuch as they are DIRECTORS, and therefore more peculiarly refponfible for the acts of the Miffionary Society, it might not be advifable for them, collectively and individually as directors, not only to pray for Ifrael, but, as in the prefence of God, to examine their conduct in this matter, and to judge for themfelves whether it be confiftent with the word of God. The words of an apoftle are of high authority among us; and furely if the words of an apoftle are of high authority among us, the DECREE of the apostles, affembled for the purpose of deciding a question fubmitted to them, ought to be confidered as a rule of conduct from which no Chriftian fhould deviate.

It is not only in the Old Teftament that we are instructed that it is the will of God that the Jewish nation fhall ever remain a people diftinct from all the other nations of the earth, Numb. xxiii. 9. Jere. xxxi. 36. having peculiar laws, which THEY are bound to obey, but which other nations are NOT BOUND to obey, Deut. iv. 32-40. Jere. xxxv. 1-19. It is as manifeft in the New Teftament as it is in the Old, and he who doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabi

tants

tants of the earth, Dan. iv. 35. who controlleth all things by his almighty power, hath fo overruled this matter, that, in fulfilment of his moft holy word, the Jews ARE to this day a distinct people, having laws which they acknowledge themselves bound to obey, but which we are NOT bound to obey; and they themselves admit that we are not bound to obey them. There were, however, in the apoftolic age certain Jewish Chriftians of another mind, and it feems to have been graciously ordained that so it fhould be, in order that all queftions upon this point fhould be decided by the authority of the apoftles and elders, who affembled together to confider of this matter, A&ts xv. 6. In this affembly all the multitude kept filence, and "gave audience to Barna"bas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders "God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. "And after they had held their peace, James "anfwered, faying, Men and brethren, hearken unto 66 me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did "vifit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for <his name. And to this agree the words of the "prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, "and will build again the tabernacle of David, which "is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins "thereof, and I will fet it up: that the refidue of "men might feek after the Lord, and all the Gen"tiles, upon whom my name is called, faith the "Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto "God are all his works, from the beginning of the "world. Wherefore my fentence is, that we trouble 66 not

Y

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"not them, which FROM AMONG THE GEN"TILES are turned to God: but that we write ❝ unto them, that they abftain from pollutions of "idols, and from fornication, and from things 86 ftrangled, and from blood. For Mofes of old "time hath in every city them that preach him, "being read in the fynagogues every fabbath-day, "Then pleased it the apoftles and elders, with the

whole church, to fend chofen men of their own "company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas ; "namely, Judas, furnamed Barfabas, and Silas, "chief men among the brethren: and they wrote "letters by them after this manner, The apoftles

and elders, and brethren, fend greeting unto the "BRETHREN WHICH ARE OF THE GEN"TILES in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia: for"afmuch as we have heard, that certain which went

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out from us have troubled you with words, fub"verting your fouls, faying, Ye must be circumcised,

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and keep the law: to whom we gave no fuch "commandment: it feemed good unto us, being affembled with one accord, to fend chofen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men "that have hazarded their lives for the name of our "Lord Jefus Chrift. We have fent therefore Judas "and Silas, who fhall alfo tell you the fame things "by mouth. For it feemed good to the Holy "Ghoft, and to us, to lay upon you no greater "burden than thefe neceffary things; that ye abftain "from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things ftrangled, and from fornication: from

" which