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they would not from thence have adopted the idea that this covenant is an hard covenant, difficult in the extreme, if not impoffible to be kept; they would not from thence have learnt to reprefent the Mofaic difpenfation as at an end, or to perfuade the Jewish nation to renounce the covenant of circumcifion, as they have done.

The tracts which they print for the purpose of diftribution among the Jew, are explicit; in that tract, which relates to the apoftacy of a large family in Germany from the covenant of circumcifion, words more explicit cannot be used. This family were SEDUCED to renounce the law of Mofes and the covenant of circumcifion, by German minifters. It matters not whether this tract was written in Germany or England; the act, it is true, was done in Germany, but the publication of it for diftribution among the Jews, amounts to a full and entire approbation on the part of the Miffionary Society, of the unchriftian conduct of thefe German minifters.

In this tract, published by the Miffionary Society, after relating the facts which have been laid before them, by which it appears that the Jewish "cere"monies gradually loft their value," in the esteem of the father of this family, and became CONTEMPTIBLE in his eyes; and THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT, in particular, revolting to the "feelings of his heart." His perplexity was increased by an event which is thus related: "In this perplexing state, the mother of this family was, in

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the month of December 1804, delivered of her "thirteenth

"thirteenth child, which, being a fon, obliged them "to come to an immediate decifion, whether they "would, by circumcifing the new born infant, act

contrary to their convictions; or, by neglecting the "circumcifion, take that important ftep on which "depended the future peace of their minds.

"Several minifters were again applied to, of "whom fome were reluctant to give any positive "advice; but others who, on account of their years, "experience, and fituation in the church, were par❝ticularly looked up to, conceived that they were "obliged to anfwer, If you fuffer your child to be "circumcifed, Chrift is become of no avail to you.”

It is manifeft that the words used by this German minifter are a quotation from the 5th chapter of St. Paul's Epiftle to the Galatians. If quotations of Scripture are to be made, as abftra&t propofitions, without regard to the context and fubject matter, even these words may be quoted: "There is no God;" but if we turn to the context, we find that it is "THE "FOOL" who hath faid in his heart "There is no God," Pf. xiv. 1. In like manner, by reference to the words of the apoftle, we fhall be enabled to see the manifeft impropriety of these German minifters quotation: "Behold I, Paul, fay unto YOU, that "if YE be circumcifed, Chrift fhall profit you "nothing." To whom were these words addreffed, were they addreffed to the Jews? They were not, they were the words of the apoftle of the Gentiles, addreffed to the Gentiles, even to the Galatians. Not only from the Epiftles of the apoftle

Paul,

Paul, but also from the apoftolic decree we learn that there were Chriftians of the Jewish nation, who vehemently exerted themselves to compel believers of the Gentile nations to become circumcifed; and in order to terrify them to conform, they urged that it was effential to their falvation: " Except ye be "circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, ye cannot "be faved," Acts xv. i. The words of the apostle, whereby he repels the attack of thefe violent and mistaken men, are ftrong words, but not TOO STRONG for the occafion upon which they were written, Salvation is of grace, it proceeds from the love of God: "God fo loved the world that he

gave his ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that who"foever BELIEVETH in him fhould not perish, "but have everlafting life. For God fent not his "Son into the world to condemn the world; but that "the world THROUGH HIM might be faved." John iii. 16, 17.-" In this was manifefted the love of "God towards us, because that God fent his ONLY "BEGOTTEN SON into the world, that we might "live through him. Herein is love, not that we "loved God, but that he loved us, and fent his Son "to be the PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS." 1 John iv. 9, 10. That the apostle Paul, at the time he wrote the words which were fo improperly quoted by the German minifters, could only intend to apply them to the Gentiles, to whom they were addreffed, is manifeft from the 3d verfe of the 2d chapter of the fame Epiftle; for the apostle afferts, that even, when at Jerufalem, Titus, who accompanied

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him, was not circumcised; and he informs us why he was not, it was because he was a GREEK; he was not of the Jewish nation. Circumcifion is a Jewish ordinance which is not given to the believers in the divine legation of Mofes among the Gentiles, but those who endeavoured to perfuade them that their falvation depended upon being circumcifed, did not act more inconfiftently than thefe German minifters did in addreffing thefe words to a JEWISH family.

What would be the conduct of the directors or members of the Miffionary Society if any one in their prefence were to declare that the apostle Paul was a very INCONSISTENT CHARACTER? Would they not reprove the perfon who fhould make fuch an affertion? I am persuaded that they would; and if after reproof fuch expreffions were repeated, they would give the strongest mark of their difapprobation and deteftation, by departing from fuch company. Let me then urge them to confider whether they do not themselves, by the circulation of the tract in queftion, accuse the apoftle of inconfiftency. By publishing the words of the German minifters, they make the act their own, and thefe words of the apostle, "If ye be circumcifed Chrift fhall profit you "nothing," Gal. v. 2. are turned into an abstract propofition, equally applicable both to Jew and Gentile. They reprefent circumcifion as a crime, a crime fubverfive of falvation; in fact they reverse the propofition we find in the 15th chapter of the Acts. The exhortation of the mistaken men there fpoken of, was contained in these words, which they addreffed

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addreffed to the GENTILES: "Except ye be circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, ye cannot "be faved," Acts xv. 1. The exhortation of these mistaken German minifters, and which exhortation, as addreffed and applied to the JEWS, the Miffionary Society, by the circulation of this tract among the JEWS, approve and adopt as their own, is this, "If ye (JEWS) be circumcifed, Chrift fhall profit 66 you nothing." It is the direct reverse of the other; it is as ftrong as if the words had been, "Ye Jews "cannot be faved unless ye renounce circumcifion ;" for how are believers profited by believing in Chrift our Lord? They "behold the Lamb of God that "taketh away the fin of the world."-As Mofes lifted up the ferpent in the wilderness, fo was the Son of Man lifted up, "that whofoever believeth in him "fhould not perish, but have eternal life." John i. 29. iii. 14, 15. He is JESUS the Saviour, who SAVETH"his people from their fins." Matt. i. 21.

It is a very great crime in any Chriftian to charge. an apostle with inconsistency of condu&t; and surely if the Miffionary Society examine this point, they will be convinced that by reducing the words of the apostle into an abftract propofition, applicable to JEWS as well as Gentiles, they do act under a great error; for whoever can read the New Testament muft be aware, that if thefe words are to be taken as an abstract propofition, the conduct of the apoftle Paul was very INCONSISTENT indeed; for we read in the 16th chapter of the Acts, that a certain dif

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