which if ye keep yourselves, ye fhall do well. Fare ye well. So when they were difmiffed, they "came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the "multitude together, they delivered the epiftle: which when they had read, they rejoiced for the ❝ confolation." Acts xv. 12-31.

It is indeed a matter of great confolation when a queftion, which occafions ftrife, can be decided by authority, to which both parties are difpofed to fubmit. This matter being thus decided should be confidered as at reft, and not to be called in question; and, as far as it refpects US, it is not now called in question; no one confiders believers in the divine legation of Mofes, who are not of the Jewish nation, as bound to conform to circumcifion and the Mofaic difpenfation. If a fect were to arife among us, who were to say to us of the Gentile nations, "Except 66 ye be circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, and "keep the law of Mofes, ye cannot be faved," A&s xv. 1, 5. fhould we not with great propriety repel their attempts upon us, by reading this apoftolic decree to them? But furely this apoftolic decree is as clear evidence that the Jewish nation ARE bound to obey the law of Mofes, and that they ARE under the COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION, as that we of the Gentile nations are NOT under the covenant of circumcifion. Every expreffion that proves that we of the Gentile nations are NOT under the LAW and the covenant of circumcifion, proves that the Jewish nation ARE under the LAW and covenant of circumcifion..

Whoever,

Whoever, therefore, endeavours to feduce a Jew from the obfervance of the law of Mofes and from the covenant of circumcifion, acts the part of that old ferpent, called the Devil and Satan, Rev. xx. 1-3. He entered into argument with Eve, and perfuaded her that the penalty of death would not follow the breach of the COMMANDMENT; but fhe found, however, that it DID follow. Should not this be an example to us to beware how we liften to any one who hath the wickedness to emulate the old ferpent, by contradicting the pofitive delarations of the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth? Hath not he a right to give what laws he pleases to his creatures? Hath not he who directed our first parents to abstain from the fruit of one tree, as a small acknowledgment of their obedience and thankfulness to him who had created them, and placed them in the blissful garden of Eden; hath not he by whose bounty we and our brethren of mankind enjoy that extensive grant recorded in the 9th chapter of Genefis: "Every "moving thing that liveth fhall be meat for you; ❝even as the green herb have I given you all things. "But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood "thereof, fhall ye not eat." Gen. ix. 3, 4. Hath not he the right to felect one man from all his creatures of mankind, and to give him a peculiar covenant of circumcifion which he and his pofterity are BOUND to obey, but which others are not required to obey? Hath not he who thus SELECTED one family, and by this very means SEPARATED them from all the families of the earth, a right to give unto them

peculiar

peculiar laws which the reft of mankind are not bound to obey? The fin of Korah and his company was directed to the fame OBJECT, even to throw down that diftinction which the Almighty hath pleased to make to obtain an EQUALITY, Numb. xvi. 3. Equality can only be obtained two ways; if the believers in the divine legation of Moses, among the Gentiles, were to have been permitted in all things to conform to the Jewish rites, laws, and ordinances, the Jews would have been mixed, and no longer to be diftinguished from thofe who would have thus obtained an apparent equality with them-this evil was prevented. It is the will of God that they fhould be a diftin&t nation, and not be numbered with other people, Numb. xxiii. 9. Jere. xxxi. 36. and therefore unto this day they fo continue; but there is another way in which EQUALITY may be fought. If it cannot be obtained by raifing one party to a level with the other, the only remaining way is to bring DOWN the party that ftands upon the higher ground to a level with the other. The attempts have therefore been directed to PULL DOWN the Jews; to perfuade them to give up the covenant of circumcifion and the Mofaic ordinances, even the laws and ordinances of their God! An opportunity feems to be graciously and providentially afforded to the Miffionary Society to DEPART and SEPARATE THEMSELVES from the tents of those who feem determined to perfevere in this matter, Numb. xvi. 21, 24, 26. In the inftance of Korah, Mofes exhorted the congregation to flee from the impending judgment

judgment whereby thefe rebels were about to be confumed; furely then the DIRECTORS of the Miffionary Society would do well both collectively as directors, and individually as members of the Miffionary Society, to beware how they let this opportunity flip.

It is related of one of the martyrs of this land, at the time of the reformation, that after being made a spectacle by the disputers of this world, he patiently endured the fiery trial; and these were the words which comforted the dying faint: "None but "Chrift!"-None but Chrift!" They were a cordial to his foul, that strengthened him to become faithful unto death!" One is your master, even Christ; and "all ye are brethren. Call no man your father upon "earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. "Neither be ye called mafters for one is your "Mafter, even Chrift." Matt. xxiii. 8-10. These are the words of Chrift, our blessed Master, and they were precious unto this martyr, and should be precious unto us; all the words of Chrift, our bleffed Mafter, fhould be precious unto our fouls, and I would humbly request the directors and members of the Miffionary Society to meditate upon the following words of Chrift, our bleffed Mafter, "All "things MUST BE fulfilled which were written in "the law of Mofes, and in the Prophets, and in the

Pfalms concerning me," Luke xxiv. 44. He is the vine and we are the branches, and have no life in us but what we derive from him, John xv. 1—11. He is the head and we are the members, 1 Cor. xii.

12-31. Thus united unto Chrift, we are interested in all things that concern him and his kingdom. There is a prophecy in the 29th chapter of Deuteronomy which evidently concerns the Gentile nations who believe in the divine legation of Mofes; and who of the Gentile nations believe in the divine legation of Mofes, but Christians? The paffage therefore feems peculiarly to concern us of the Gentile nations who believe in the divine legation of Mofes, and there is an expreffion in the paffage conveying the idea of univerfality, "ALL NATIONS." These words are calculated to afford ftrong encouragement to thofe who ardently defire to fee the Heathen become the inheritance of Meffiah, and who are defirous to feek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, in preference to all things, Matt. vi. 33. but the encouragement to be thus derived from this paffage can only belong to thofe who are defcribed in the words of the text; let us therefore examine this matter, and fee how far those who have been engaged in miffions to the Heathen, are in agreement with the words recorded by Mofes, the fervant of God.

"Even ALL nations fhall fay, Wherefore hath "JEHOVAH done thus unto this land? what meaneth "the heat of this great anger? Then men fhall fay, "Because they have forfaken the COVENANT of "JEHOVAH, the God of their fathers, which he made "with them when he brought them forth out of the "land of Egypt: for they went and ferved OTHER "GODS, AND WORSHIPPED THEM, gods whom "they knew not, and whom he had not given unto

"them: