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A. D. 56 Galatians.

56 1 Ep. Cor.

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the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us! for it is written-Curfed is every one that hang

eth on a tree.' If this is what he meant in other places where he fays he preached Chrift crucified, well did he add- To the Jews, a ftumbling block; and to the Gentiles, foolish• nefs.'

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(How far this perfecution for And goes on Which is And yet the

His next Epiftle is his firft to the Corinthians, ch. i, v. 17. he fays For Chrift fent me not to baptize, but to preach the gofpel: not with wifdom of words; left the cross of Christ 'fhould be made of none effect.' was verified, the horrid history of righteousness fake will inform us.) to fhew the infufficiency of wifdom, foolishness in the fight of God.' following chapter is, according to his own account, wifdom and mystery: which they were not to question, but believe, though they did not understand. The third chapter he concludes with faying- Ye are Chrift's, and Chrift is God's.' In the feventh chapter he anfwers fome interrogatories relative to chastity, beginning withIt is good for a man not to touch a woman: nevertheless to avoid fornication, he permits 'them to marry rather than burn, as the lefs

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* That this rule was followed by the Chriftians we have reafon to fuppofe, from the affertions of the Pagans that they had no other, vide page 239.

evil of the two.' Marriage, it feems, was to- 1Ep. Cor. lerated as a defect: But was defire condemned as a crime? If St. Paul could have proved the last, he would indeed have proved his favorite doctrine Original Sin as in that cafe, the whole creation male and female inheriting this defire, are all by nature born in fin,' but as to and the ' children of wrath,' that goes a little hard; the first command God gave to his creatures, was (if Mofes tells us truth) Be fruitful, and mul

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tiply, and replenish the earth.' It is remarkable in this feventh chapter St. Paul faid, some of his directions were by inspiration; others not. Of which kind is that in the thirty-fixth verfe? It seems to have been a very early apoftolic practice to lead about a fifter (that is, a believer) or a wife a privilege to which St. Paul (ch. ix, v. 5) claims an equal right with Cephas, the ⚫ brethren of the Lord, and other apoftles.' But if, in leading about this fifter or female believerWhat fays the faint in the said thirty-sixth verse ?

But if any man thinketh that he behaveth him⚫ felf uncomely towards his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need fo require, let him

do what he will, he finneth not: let them marry:' bravo St. Paul! The next interrogatory was-If they were obligated to abftain from meats offered to idols to this his answer is clear, that they were; and the reafon affigned is, that the example of a man of knowledge, who partook

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1 Ep. Cor. of fuch meats as knowing that an idol is nothing in the world,' might influence the conduct of a weak brother, to his prejudice. In ch. xiii. St. Paul defines charity in a most excellent manner which fhews, though he did not practice it upon all occafions, that he understood it thoroughly he concludes the fubject thusAnd now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three but the greatest of these is charity.' Than this chapter, no part of his works doth him more honor, few fo much. Ch. xiv. is upon tongues and prophecy. With respect to the former, I confefs Luke's pompous account of its first appearance and effect, has never paffed in review before me, without occafioning fome doubts. What St. Paul here fays of it, has, with me, difgraced it quite and I cannot but think it was an affected and unintelligible jargon, used by most of the teachers to their ignorant audience; impofing it as a proof of infpiration. Paul, in ch. xii. fpeaking of the diftribution of gifts fays - to one is given by the fpirit, the word of wisdom, &c. to another divers kind of tongues. To another the interpretation of tongues.' This has very much the appearance of collufion. Of what use was speaking in a language that required an interpreter? But if one teacher delivered a jargon for infpiration; another, for the credit of both, might interpret it in whatever way he pleased, The Corinthian converts, it feems,

were

were fond of exhibiting this proof of infpiration; 1 Ep. Cor. but the frequency of the practice, we may prefume, had brought it into difgrace. Paul durft not deprive them totally of this favourite privilege; but to prevent, if poffible, its receiving in future, the imputation of madnefs; he wifely endeavours to lay it under fome decent reftraints. The faint himself did not escape this imputation; nor doth it appear altogether groundless. In this Epiftle ch. xiv, v. 18, he fays- I thank my God, I fpeak with tongues more than you all.' In his next Epiftle to these people, ch. v, v. 13, he fays For whether we be befide ourselves, it

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is to God or whether we be sober, it is for 'your caufe.' It may appear a little unaccountable to believers, that Paul who poffeffed this gift of tongues in fo eminent a degree, fhould be under a neceffity of employing Titus, as an interpreter of languages. With refpect to prophecy; the criterion whereby they were to judge of its reality, is, with equal wisdom, given by Paul in the said ch. xiv, v. 37, < viz. If any man think himself to be a prophet, or fpiritual; let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you, are the commandments of the Lord.' In chap. xv. St. Paul gives an account of the foundation, advantages, and profpects of Chriftianity-Chrift died for our fins, according to the fcriptures. He was buried, and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

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1 Ep. Cor. For fince by man came death, by man came

alfo the refurrection of the dead.' He tells them-If Chrift be not rifen then is our preach

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ing vain, and your faith is alfo vain.' But to convince them that Chrift was really rifen, he boldly fhews the notoriety of it: first, He was feen of Cephas, then of the twelve. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this prefent, but fome are fallen afleep. After that he was feen of James, then of all the apoftles. And last of all he was feen of me alfo.' I have already fhewn how exceedingly the four evangelifts differ in their account of this interesting matter, the refurrection: but however they difagree in fome particulars, they appear unanimous in confining the proof of it to a few witnesses. Luke, in ch. x. of his fecond work (executed under the immediate infpection of Paul) tells us, that St. Peter at Cæfarea, inftructing Cornelius in the history of Jefus; after reciting his life and death, added- Him God raised up the third day, and fhewed him openly not to all the people, but unto witneffes chofen before of God; even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead,' And Paul himself, preaching at Antioch in Pifidia, said—But God raised him (Jesus) from the dead, And he

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was feen many days.

of them which came up with him from Galilee < to Jerufalem, who are his witnesses unto the

people.'

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