Another thing was their affection for the Jewish people, their countrymen, especially thofe of Judea, with whom they had been brought up, and among whom they dwelt, together with a perfuafion of the great value of the bleffing of the gofpel. This laft confideration, I apprehend, would induce them to labor in Judea, with earnest defires, and fome hopes, of bringing all, or however, many, to faith in Jefus. This influenced Paul alfo to a great degree, and for a good while. Nor was he without hopes of perfuading his brethren and countrey-men to what appeared to himself very certain and evident. So he fays in his fpeech to the people at Jerufalem. Acts xxii. 17... 20. He affures them, that whilft he was worshipping at Jerufalem, in the temple, he had a tranfe or extafie: that he there faw Chrift, who faid to him: Make hafte, and get thee quickly out of Jerufalem. For they will not receive thy teftimonie concerning me. Paul pleaded, that they must needs pay a regard to his teftimonie, who was well known to have been for fome while zealous in oppofing his followers, and was now convinced and perfuaded. But the Lord faid unto him: Depart. For I will fend thee far bence unto the Gentils. This tranfe, or vifion, feems to have happened in the year 44. after that Paul had preached at Antioch with great fucceffe among Gentils. Nevertheless he had an earnest defire to make one attempt more among the Jews of Judea, where was the body of that people. And if they could have been perfuaded, many abroad would follow their example. And it required an exprefs and repeated order from Jefus Chrift, in vie fion, to induce him to lay afide that defign, and to proceed to preach to Gentils in remote parts.

very

It is a most affectionate concern, which he expreffes for the Jewish people in divers places of the epiftle to the Romans, writ fo late as the year 58. ch. ix. 1... 5. x. 1. 2. xi. 4. if by any means, fays he, I may provoke them to emulation which are my flesh, and might fave fome of them. Nor can it be queftioned, that the like fentiments prevailed in the other Apoftles. If it needs any proof, let St. Peter's difcourfes at the begin ning of the book of the Acts be confulted, particularly ch. ii. 38. . 40. iii. 22. . . 26. not to refer to any other.

4. There were many advantages attending the stay of the Apostles in Judea. Many more Jews were by this means converted, than otherwife there would have been. St. Luke fays, Acts iv. 4. that the number of the men was five thousand. But when Paul came to Jerufalem fome years afterwards, James fays to him, Thou feeft, brother, how many thou fands of Jews there are which believe. xxi. 20. And it is very likely, that the Jewish believers had better, and freer principles, than otherwise they would have had. They were, it is true, for obferving the law themselves: ver. 20. but they agreed, that the Gentils were under no fuch obligations. ver. 25. Farther, by this means every step taken in planting the Chriftian Religion, and spreading the gospel in the world, had the fanction of all the Apostles, and of the whole church of JeruJalem.

Upon occafion of the perfecution at Jerufalem, many were scattered abroad, who went every where preaching the word. Then Philip Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Chrift unto them, Acts viii. 45. Now when the Apofties, which were at Jerufalem, heard, that Samaria had re

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ceived the word of God, they fent unto them Peter and John. This was the first step taken in carrying the gofpel to any, befide native Jews, and profelytes to their religion. And what had been done by Philip at Samaria, was approved and ratified by all the Apostles.

The next step was preaching to Gentils, which work was folemnly allotted to Peter. And the Apostles and Elders that were in Judea, heard that the Gentils had alfo received the word of God. ch. xi. I. Upon Peter's rehearfing to them the whole affair, and what had happened at the house of Cornelius at Cefarea, all were fatisfied. They glorified God, faying: Then hath God also to the Gentils granted repentance unto life.

ver. 18.

Soon after this, fome of those who were scattered abroad upon the perfecution, went to Antioch, and there fpake to the Greeks or Gentils, preaching the Lord Jefus. And a great number believed, and turned to the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church, which was at Jerufalem. And they fent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. ver. 19... 22. This ftep therefore was alfo approved and ratified by the whole church of Jerufalem, including the Apostles.

And henceforward no objections could be made by wife men against preaching to Gentils, and receiving them, but what arose from the difficulty of the work. Nevertheless fome good while after this, there was a difpute raised at Antioch by fome bigotted Jews, who afferted it to be neceflarie, that the Gentil believers fhould be circumcifed after the manner of Mofes. This occafioned the Council of Jerufalem. Where the controverfie was fully determined by the Apoftles and Elders. Which was a great advantage. By this means the manner of receiving Gentils was fixed and fettled beyond difpute, and beyond oppofition. Or, if any fhould be made afterwards, it could not be fuccefsful, nor very troublefome. And we may be affured, that all the Apoftles, and their difciples, would be harmonious, and preach the fame doctrine to Jews and Gentils, wherefoever they went.

5. There was a neceffity of the Apostles ftaying in Judea, till about this time. Otherwife, they could not have fufficiently teftified the doctrine concerning Jefus in Judea, nor have fully taught the Jewish people, fo as to render them inexcufable, if they did not believe, and repent.

If we confider the state of things in Judea, we may difcern, that in the year 44. the Apoftles had not had an opportunity to fulfill their ministrie in that countrey. It must be evident to all from the historie in the Acts, that for fome while, foon after our Lord's afcenfion, the Apostles were grievously harraffed, and hardly ufed by the Jewish Council or Rulers. Which was the more fo, because of the weakneffe of Pilate's government, for fome time before he was difmifled from the province. And afterwards, about the time of his removal, Stephen was ftoned, and a great perfecution began. Which, as I apprehend, continued from the begining of the year 36. to the begining of the year 40. When the churches had reft. Of which reft undoubtedly the Apoftles made good ufe. St. Luke's words are: Then had the churches reft throughout Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied, ch. xi. 31.

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After which follows an account of Peter's paffing throughout all quarters, his going to Lydda, and there healing Eneas, then to Joppa, where he raised Tabitha: and from thence to Cefarea, and there preaching to Cornelius, and his companie: and of fome other matters, reaching to ch. xi. 26. How long that reft, or peace and tranquillity continued, in all its fulneffe, we cannot fay exactly. Perhaps it lafted a year, or more. And it is not unlikely, that in that fpace of time other Apoftles, befide Peter, travelled in Judea, and the feveral parts of it, preaching the gofpel, and confirming the difciples. But upon Herod Agrippa being made King of all Judea by Claudius in the year 41. that peace would be abated, if not interrupted. From the begining of his reign, especially from his arrival in Judea, and during the remainder of it, the difciples muft have been under many difficulties and difcouragements, Prince and People being of one mind. And toward the end of his reign he became an open and violent perfecutor, till Divine Providence fmote him, that he died. After his death Judea came to be in the hands of Roman Procurators, Cufpius Fadus, Tiberius Alexander, Cumanus, Felix, Feftus: When probably, the difciples of Jesus had for feveral years together more liberty, than they had at any time, fince the refurrection of Jefus, excepting the interval of reft and tranquillity, before taken notice of. For those Governours, or Procurators, had no orders from the Roman Emperour to perfecute or disturb any Jews. And that thofe Governours were not difpofed to disturb the Chriftians, may be argued from the treatment given to Paul by Felix, and Feftus, and the officers under them. Now therefore from the year 44. to the time of the Council in 49. or 50. and afterwards, the Apoftles went on fulfilling their miniftrie. All of them, as I apprehend, ftaid in Judea till the time of the Council. Soon after which fome did, probably, go abroad. However, feveral of them might ftay there a good while longer, and not remove, till a little before the commencement of the Jewish war in 66.

6. We may now perceive, the benefit of the early choice and call of Paul to be an Apoftle. Who having been feveral years employed and exercifed in preaching to Jews in Judea, and out of it, was ready to preach to Gentils likewise, as foon as a door was opened for applying to them at Antioch, and other places: as there was, after Peter had received Cornelius at Cefarea: whilft it was not as yet fit for any of the twelve Apoftles to leave the land of Ifrael.

7. We now obtain fome affiftance for interpreting thofe expreffions of Paul: Gal. ii. 7. 8. 9. When they faw that the gospel of the uncircumcifion was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcifion was committed unto Peter. For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcifion, the fame was mighty in me toward the Gentils. And they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Heathen, and they unto the circumcifion. And Rom. xi. 13. inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentils, I magnify my office. Thole expreffions cannot be intended to fignify, that Paul was Apoftle of the Gentils only, and exclufive of the Jews: or that Peter and the other of the twelve, were Apostles of the circumcifion only, exclufive of the Gentils. For an Apostle is a teacher or master of the whole world. They were appointed to be fo by Chrift himself. Nor could their commiffion be li

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mited by any compact among themselves. Our Lord's commiffion given to his twelve Apoftles, is, in Matthew, to this purpose: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, xxviii. 19. and in Luke, xxiv. 46. 47. he said to them, that repentance and forgiveneffe of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations, begining at Jerufalem. And Acts i. 8. And Ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerufalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and nto the uttermoft part of the earth. And Mark xvi. 15. And he faid unto them: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. And ver. 20. And they went forth and preached every where. Of Paul the Lord fays in a vifion to Ananias at Damafcus: He is a chofen veffel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentils, and Kings, and the children of Ifrael. Acts ix. 5. And Paul fays to King Agrippa: I was not disobedient to the heavenly vifion: but fhewed firft unto them of Damafcus, and at Jerufalem, and throughout all the coaft of Judea, and then to the Gentils, that they should repent, and turn to God. ch. xxvi. 19. 20. Moreover we know from the hiftorie of Paul's preaching recorded in the Acts, that he always first addreffed himself to Jews, in all the places where he came, if there were any, and if they had there a fynagogue.

It fhould be obferved likewife, that Peter had actually preached to Gentils, in Judea, and was the first difciple of Jefus, that did fo. There is a particular account of it in the book of the Acts, ch. x. and xi. And himself takes notice of it in his fpeech at the Council of Jerufalem. ch.

XV. 7.

The reafon therefore, why the gospel of circumcifion is faid to have been committed unto Peter, and the other Apoftles with him, is, that for a good while, their miniftry was foly, or however very much, and chiefly, employed among Jews in Judea: though afterwards they preached very freely to Gentils, in feveral parts of the world. And Paul is called the Apoftle of the Gentils, and the gofpel of the uncircumcifion is faid to have been committed unto him, because he got the start of all the rest in preaching to Gentils, and had laboured among them for a good while in divers countreys, with great fuccefie, and had formed many churches in divers places whilft they were ftill in Judea, teaching Jews, and had made no addreffes to Gentils abroad in other countreys.

It may be alfo implied in what St. Paul fays in the epiftle to the Galatians, that (h) feveral of the firft twelve Apoftles intended to ftay still fomewhat longer in Judea. This they were the more willing to do, being fully fatished with the preaching of Paul in foreign countreys: infomuch that they encouraged him to proceed, as he had begun.

8. Once more, we may now be reconciled to the fuppofition of the late date of the Gofpels. For they were not to be publifhed, till the doctrine concerning

(b) Alterum, quod ex dicto Pauli ad Galatas colligimus, illud eft, Joannem etiam poft diceffum Pauli cum duobus collegis per aliquod temporis intervallum Hierofolymis, et in Judæa fubftitiffe. Gentium enim converfione Paulo et Barnabæ demandata, ipfi inter Judæos fe operam porro locaturos declarant. Quæ etiam cauffa eft, cur Joannis et fociorum in Actis Apoftolicis vix mentio occurrat, quia poftquam primordia Ecclefiæ Chriftianæ inter Judæos memorata erant, nihil amplius videbatur addendum, nifi ut narretur, quomodo primitia Gentium effent introductæ. Lamp. Proleg, in Jo. l. 1, cap. 3. I. vii.

concerning Jefus had been preached in divers parts, and many converts had been made, to whom they would be useful, for whom they would be needful, by whom they would be received with joy, be highly valued, frequently read, and often copied. Written hiftories of Jefus could be little wanted by the Jewish believers in Judea, whilft all the Apostles were still in that countrey, and there were alfo ftill living among them many fincere followers of Jefus, and eye-witneffes of his perfon and miniftrie. Very probably, therefore, there was no written gofpel, till after the Council at Jerufalem.

Still there may be objections, which should be ftated and confidered. Obj. 1. It may be faid: Was not the progreffe of the gofpel by this means much retarded? I anfwer: No. And this objection, methinks, should be of little moment now, after all that has been said of the many, advantages of the Apoftles ftay in Judea.

However, fome confiderations fhall be here added to what has been already faid. Though the Apoftles did not leave Judea themselves, they encouraged those who did, who preached the gofpel abroad, whether to Jews or Gentils. Of this there is an inftance with regard to the church of Antioch, related Acts xi. 19... 22. And there may have been fome other like inftances. Moreover the Apoftles were very useful by their ftay in Judea, as has been already fhewn. They made many converts among the Jews. During their ftay in that countrey, if there was any measure of public liberty for the believers, the Apoftles would all, or most of them, be at Jerufalem, at the great feafts, to which there was a general refort of Jews from all countreys. Here the inquifitive of that People would have an opportunity of converfing with the Apostles. And if they were convinced, and perfuaded by them, they would carry the doctrine of the gospel into the places of their ufual refidence, and propagate it there.

Obj. 2. But, if the Apostles had attempted to make a long stay in Judea, it feems, that they must have been all deftroyed. I answer, that doubtless they met with many and great difficulties. What they were from the time of our Lord's afcenfion to the year 44. was briefly rehearfed juft now. After that for feveral years, as I apprehend, their difficulties would not be fo great, as they had been. Yea, during that space would be the best opportunity that ever they had, to promote the interefts of the gospel, as I faid before. For (i) the Jewish people had not the power of life and death in their own hands. And the Roman Pro

curators

(i) Contra perfuafum habeo, hoc emblema fupponere, Ecclefiam jarn longo admodum tempore fuiffe afflictam... Ne jam dicam, non conftare ex hiftoria Ecclefiæ, quinam illi fint Martyres, quorum fanguis, præter eum Stephani, et utriufque Jacobi, de quorum altero ex Luca, altero ex Jofepho liquet et Hegefippo, a Judæis fufus fuerit. Judæi enim, excepto brevi intervallo regni Agrippe, rerum fuarum non erant domini: et licet in Chriftianos peffime affecti fuerint, a Præfidibus tamen Romanis prohibebantur, pro lubitu in innocuos Jefu Chrifti difcipulos fævire. Quæ enim junior Ananus tentavit in Jacobum fratrem Domini, et Twas répes, quofdam alios, Chriftianæ profeffionis homines, ut conftat ex Jofepho Fefto mortuo, et Albino adhuc in itinere agente, peracta funt. Campeg. Vitring. in Apoc. cap. vi. ver, 12. § xxx.

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