them, were firft called " believers," being diftinguished from the other Jews by nothing but believing in Chrift f; and then "difci"ples ;" and, when they encreased to a multitude, "brethren h." After this, the profelytes of the gate in the church of Antioch, who at first called themselves "christians i," but had at laft the other names allowed them, and particularly that of " brethren," as I fhall obferve more fully in the Fourth Effay. But whatever new name these or any of the Jewish believers might take or receive, yet it was without lofing their former appellations; for though they were generally and for the most part called "brethren," yet are they called believers" and " difciples" afterwards on many occafions, and all or fome of them "chriftians" once 1. And as apostles, elders, and brethren, comprehended the whole church of Jerufalem, all that were not apostles or elders in the sense I have explained them came under the appellation of " brethren;" whatever acquaintance they might have had with our Saviour, or whatever gifts were conferred on them by f Acts v. 32. 66 Acts vi. 1. ii. 7. ix. 1. x. 19, 25, 26. xiv. 20. h Ibid. vi. 3. ix. 30. xii. 17. xv. 1, 23, 36, 40. xvii. 6, 10, 14. xviii. 18, 27. i ibid. xi. 24. k Ibid. x. 19, 25, 26. xiv. 20. xx. 1, 7. xxi, 4, 16. 1 1 Pet. iv. 16. the the immediate descent of the Holy Ghost, if both thefe did not concur, they were ftill no more than brethren. Nor did the ministry they might perform in the church take them out of the rank of brethren, and give them the rank of an elder, whatever the ministry was, whether it was of prophet, evangelist, teacher, bishop, or government. The divifion of the church into apoftles, elders, and brethren, was a divifion that neceffarily flowed from the nature of things; and other divifions or diftinctions were not fo much regarded, and could be confidered the lefs, because, suppose, it may be made more than probable, that there was not one member in the church of Jerufalem who had not some gift of the Spirit, which he publicly exercised for the fervice of that church, as occafion offered., In this account of apoftles, elders, and bre thren, it is vifible, how very fmall a proportion in number the two first bear to the laft. So that it is no wonder, if, towards the later times of the apostles, "brethren" came to fignify the fame thing with "believers," whether they were apoftles, elders, or brethren ftrictly fo called. Whence the apostles direct, "Let brotherly love continuem." And Peter fays to the elders, as well as the rest, that they fhould be "loving to the brethren "," fo is the reading in the margin; and that they m Heb. xiii. I. ORI Pet. iii. 8. hould fhould love the brotherhood." And Peter addreffes himself to them all thus, "Where"fore, brethren P." It was to thefe apoftles, elders, and brethren, at Jerufalem, that the message was fent from the church of Antioch, on "cer"tain falfe brethren coming thither," with a pretended authority from thefe apostles, elders, and brethren, at Jerufalem, faying, "that they must be circumcised 1." 66 Whereupon Paul and Barnabas having had much difputation with them, without filencing them; or, perhaps, entirely fatisfying the church of Antioch; it was agreed and determined (for which also there was a revelation ) to fend up Paul, Barnabas, and others, to the church of Jerufalem about this question: not to determine it by their authority, as apostles; for then Paul and Barnabas might have done it, who were acknowledged and owned as apostles in that church; but firft to know, whether these perfons had the authority from the apoftles, elders, and brethren at Jerufalem, which they pretended. This appears from the answer, "Forafmuch as we have "heard that certain men which went from "us, have troubled you with words, fubvert"ing your fouls; faying, ye must be circum 1 Pet. ii. 17. • Acts xv. 24 P 2 Pet. i. 10. Gal. ii. 21. Acts xv. 2. «cifed, «cifed, and keep the law, to whom we gave no fuch commandment." For the Holy Ghost having given a full decifion against this opinion, in the cafe of Cornelius, on whom the Holy Ghost fell in uncircumcifion, I suppose these false brethren found there was no way for them to avoid that decifion, and get credit at Antioch, for the impofing circumcifion, but by pretending an authority from the apostles, elders, and brethren, at Jerufalem; as if a new revelation made to these apoftles, and received by that church, had given a new turn to this matter: That there were many who pretended to revelations in the apoftolick times, is evident from feveral paffages in the epiftlest. Perhaps these very men are the pretenders to revelation which St. John refers to ", by which pretences they might have deceived the faithful," if they "had not had an unction from the Holy One, * and had not known all things "." And I believe thefe men's alledging that this was a new revelation made to the apof tles, and pretending to bring it from the church at Jerufalem, was, together with the revelation that was actually made at Antioch, to go up to Jerufalem, the chief, if not • Acts xv. 24. I Particularly, Theff. v. 20, 21. 1 Tim. iv. 1. 2 Pet. li; 1. 1 John iv. 1—4, 6; 1 John ii. 19. w Ver. 29. the only reafon of the church of Antioch's fending to the church of Jerufalem; it being neceffary for the peace and fafety of the church of Antioch, to know the truth of this fact; namely, whether the church of Jerufalem was from fome new revelation come to think that the devout Gentiles converted to chriftianity were to be circumcifed; and whether they had sent these men with such a message to the church of Antioch. Accordingly the apoftles, elders, and brethren at Jerufalem, meet on this occafion. When they were met, fome of the fame leaven in the church of Jerufalem with those pretended meffengers rife up to fupport the fame fide of the queftion. Whereupon a debate enfues; and after much difputation, and James's fumming up the debate, and forming the question, they fend an anfwer, to let them know that they did not send these meffengers; and that, instead of having had any new revelation, they adhered to the decifion which the Holy Ghoft had made in the case of Cornelius. This anfwer they fend, but by meffengers of their own, to explain and enforce it; and who being prophets were very capable of exhorting thofe to whom they were fent, to comply with it, and adhere to it. If the church of Antioch had fent for an authoritative decifion, they would have fent to one apostle: infpiration of one being as authoritative as of 1 |