probable it was written to the Jews, from his calling Chrift" the Word," a ftyle much more likely to be used by him to the Jews, than to the Gentiles. It is indeed difficult to determine to whom his fecond epiftle is written, but she might be a Jewefs for aught appears. His third epiftle indeed feems to be addreffed to a Gentile, Gaius being a Gentile name. But these two last are only epiftles written to two particular perfons; which therefore puts them out of the prefent confideration. Though I confefs if Jude's be a genuine epiftle (which cannot be doubted when the evidence for its genuineness is fairly weighed), it seems to be written to Gentiles, an ancient copy having τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐν Θεῷ; and it being direated to them as "the Called f, which, if I mistake not, is used generally, if not only, of the Gentiles; and faying, what I think can fcarce be fuppofed to be faid to Jews. But perhaps this epiftle was written after the death of Peter and Paul, the apostles of the devout and idolatrous Gentiles.

Peter, indeed, after he had preached to these Jews from the year 33 to the year 41, went by efpecial direction from God, and preached to Cornelius and his family, profelytes of the gate; who are called Gentiles, and were fo by nation, but not by religion; and had pecu

liar privileges among the Jews, on account of their worshiping the one true God, and of their abftaining from things offered to idols, fornication, things ftrangled, and from blood; and who may be confidered as free denizens among them. And to thefe Peter seems to have written his two epistles, as his more peculiar province. For he addreffes his firft epiftle to the ftrangers fcattered through "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknow

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ledge of God the father, through fanctifica"tion of the Spirit unto obedience, and fprinkling of the blood of Jefus." These characters cannot belong to Jews, any more than that of " ftrangers fcattered through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and By"thinia ;" and which he repeats, ver. 17. and chap. ii. ver. 11.; where the word is wagoí285, by which the Septuagint ufes to denote

the profelytes of the gate." To this purpose St. Peter fays, "who (Chrift) verily was "foreordained before the foundation of the "the world, but was manifeft in thefe laft "times for you," that is, "you Gentiles;" wherefore he fays, that the angels defire to look into the things which the prophets prophefied should come unto you, and which are now reported unto you by them that have i 1 Pet. i. 12.

See the Fourth Effay.

* Ver. 20.

preached

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preached the gofpel unto you by the Holy Ghoft fent down from heaven, agreeably to what St. Paul tells the Ephefians' about the angels; and what there is manifeftly the mystery of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, and admitting them to the fellowship of the faints. But what must put it out of doubt that they were not Jews, is, that Peter tells them", "that in time paft they were not "a people, but were now a people; which "had not obtained mercy, but now have "obtained mercy; and were become," "even in a more excellent fenfe than the Jews, a chofen generation, a royal "priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, "to his praife, who had called them out of darkness," (that is, when they became profelytes of the gate; and at laft) "into his "marvellous light" of the gofpel. This is the most distinguishing character of the idolatrous Gentiles, being the words of the commiffion given to St, Paul, when he was first sent to convert them. And it is obfervable that the word aacs, which is rendered "people" in our verfion, is ufed by the writers of the N. T. of Jews only: fo that, when it is faid they were not a people, it is strongly afferting that they were not Jews; but are now in

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1 Chap. iii. 10.

D

Ver. 2-12. » Chap. i. 10.

Acts xxvi. 18. alluding to Isaiah ix. 1, 2. and to Mal. iv. 15, 16.

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deed become the people of God. And the fame apoftle alfo fays," not fashioning your"felves according to the former lufts in your ignorance:" From hence likewife he afferts," that he who lacketh these things," that is, faith, virtue, knowledge &c. "is blind" (morally fo); alluding to the darkness and ignorance in which they had been before they became worshipers of the true God: and bids them abstain from fleshly lufts;" the lufts of the Gentiles, whose character it is "to work all "uncleannefs with greedinefs; among whom "they had their conversation":" but from which they, even "as ftrangers" or profelytes of the gate, but much more as chriftians, were to abftain. And befides, he fays, most unexceptionably to this purposes, "For the time paft of our lives may fuffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we "walked in lafciviousness, lufts, excess of "wine, revellings, banquetings, and abomi"nable idolatries." From hence it is that St. ' Peter addreffes his fecond epiftle (written to the fame perfons as the firft) "to them who "have obtained like faith with us" that is, us Jews through the righteousness of God, "and our Saviour Jefus Chrift"." And that epistle also seems to distinguish them from the

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pro

Jewish nation". But there were "false "phets among the people" (v T λaw, the Jewish people)," as there fhall be falfe teach"ers among you." Finally, that it was written to Gentiles, may be fairly collected from 1 Pet. iii. 6. "whofe daughters (Sarah's) ye "are as long as ye do well;" that is, imitate her, as the Gentiles become the children of Abraham, by imitating him. But there was no reason to say that they were Sarah's daughters if they had been Jews. Tertullian and Cyprian accordingly quote the firft epistle of Peter, as the epiftle of Peter to thofe of Pontus, citing it under the title " Epiftola Petri "ad Ponticos *." Junilius infcribes it “ Epif"tola ad Gentes," or the epiftle to the Gentiles". Nor can this epiftle be written to the idolatrous Gentiles of thofe places, any more than to the Jews; but to fuch converted Gentile worshipers of the true God, of every nation, as happened to be scattered among them. "Strangers" is the ftyle belonging to thefe. The idolatrous Gentiles were never called ftrangersfimply, and without any other addition: but fuch only as (though Gentiles) were the worfhipers of the true God, and might, if they pleased, live in Palestine; yet ftill as " ftran

w 2 Pet. ii. r.

Tert. Scorpiac. c. xii. and Cypr. lib. iii. ad Quirin. c. 36, 37.39.

y Lib. i. de Part Div. Legis c. 6. See Mill. 1 Pet. i. 1.

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gers.