associate them in one religious community by opening to their apprehension the import and design of the facts which they already believed. In making one new religious body or association of persons, whose former views, prejudices, partialities, and antipathies were so discordant, lay the chief difficulty, and constituted the most arduous part of the Apostolic labors. The Jew with great reluctance abandoned his prejudices against the Gentile; and the Gentile, with no less difficulty, was reconciled to the Jew. The Jew conceited that it would be an improvement upon the Christian religion to incorporate with it a few of the essentials of Judaism; and the Gentile fancied that sonie of his former much-loved philosophy would be a great acquisition to a Christian congregation. The infidel, or unbelieving Jews, attacked their brethren who associated with the Apostles-first by arguments, and lastly by polit ical power; and the Gentile philosophers and magistrates alternately ridiculed and persecuted such of their brethren as united with this sect every where spoken against. The Apostles labored to keep the doctrine of the Messiah pure from any mixture with Judaism and Gentile philosophy, and to fortify the minds of the disciples with arguments to maintain their controversy against their opponents, and with patience and resolution to persevere amidst all sufferings and persecutions. Now these few facts, so frequently and fully stated in these writings, go a great way in explaining some entire epistles, and many passages in others.

But in a preface to one of the Epistles we can illustrate and apply these principles to much better advantage than in such general remarks; and for this purpose we shall present the reader with a short preface to the epistle to the Romans, which has generally (both by the ancients and moderns) been considered the most obscure and difficult of all the epistles:

PREFACE TO THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

As this epistle, when understood, is a sort of key to the greater number of Paul's letters, much depends on forming clear and comprehensive views of its import. As far as our limited means of furnishing such preparatory information as may assist the reader in examining it for himself will permit, we shall contribute our mite. In the first place we request the reader's attention to a few facts of great importance in the investigation of this epistle; and, Indeed, of all Paul's epistles.

I. The main question discussed in the narratives of Mat

thew, Mark, Luke, and John; or the grand topic of debate from the time John the Immerser appeared in the wilderness of Judea, till the reusrrection of Jesus, was-Whether Jesus the Nazarene was the Messiah? The Jews on the one part, and the Saviour and his Apostles on the other, were the only persons engaged in the controversy--the principal parties in this discussion. Hence it was altogeth er confined to the Jews. Indeed, they only had the means of determining this point, as they were in possession of the oracles which foretold his coming, identified his person, and attested his pretensions.

II. The grand topic of debate from the resurrection of Jesus till the calling of the Gentiles, (an interval of several years,) was-Whether Jesus who was crucified had actu ally arisen from the grave and ascended into heaven? This, though different in form, was, in effect, the same as the preceding. It was differently proposed and argued, though tending to establish the same grand point. The Jews in Judea, the Samaritans, and the Jews in all the synagogues among the Gentiles whither the Apostles went, were the only persons who took an active part in this controversy.

III. After the calling of the Gentiles, and the number of disciples among the Jews had greatly augmented, a new question arose, which, among the converts generally, and especially among those of the Jews, occupied as conspicuous a place as the first question did among the Jews in Judea. This question is as prominent in many of Paul's epistles as the former is in the historic books of this volume. It is this-Whether the Gentile converts had a right to be considered the people of God equally as the Jewish believers; or whether they should be received in the christian congregations of believing Jews, without submitting to any of the Jewish peculiarities, on the same footing with the circumcised and literal descendants of Abraham.

IV. Many questions grew out of this one, which for a long time occupied the attention of the christian communities throughout the world, and called for the attention of the Apostles. But as Paul was the Apostle to the Gen. tiles, he was obliged to take a more active part in these discussions, and thus we always find him the bold and able advocate of their rights, however, or by whomsoever assailed. To this question we are doubtless indebted for much of the information which this Apostle has given us, as it was the occasion of so much being written on many topics connected with it, such as

1st. The genius and design of circumcision. 2d. The promises made to Abraham. 3d. The nature and design. of the Law of Moses, or Old Covenant. 4th. The righteousness of the Law, and the righteousness of Faith; or justification by works and justification by grace. 5th The Jewish priesthood and sacrifices. 6th. The sacrifice of Christ. 7th. The grace of God, or the divine philan thropy. 8th. The election and calling of the Jews. 9th. The nature, design, and glory of the christian constitution and assembly: and many other topics subordinate to, and illustrative of, the one grand question concerning the recep tion of the Gentiles.

To simplify still farther, and to comprehend under a few heads the whole apostolic writings, it may be said that there are three gospels, with their circumstances, which engross the whole volume.

The first is "the glad tidings," emphatically and supereminently so called, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, exhib ited and proved to be the only begotten Son of God, sent to bless the people among whom he appeared, who credited his pretensions. The second is the glad tidings of salva tion to the Gentiles, called "the Gospel of their Salvation." This exhibits Jesus as the Saviour of the world, and his death as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. The third gospel is that developed in the Revelation of John, in the common version called "the everlasting gos. pel," or good news, that the long apostacy, that the long dark night of antichristian superstition, tyranny, and usurpation, is passed; and that the kingdoms of the whole world have become the kingdoms and empire of Jesus, the King of kings.

The circumstances that gave rise to these three gospels constitute the shade in the picture of God's philanthropy. The developement of the character and condition of the human family, relative to these three gospels, in connection with them, engross the whole apostolic writings. On this a hint or two must suffice.

As to that which is by way of eminence called "the Gospel" the degenerate and apostate state of the most enlightened and favored nation among men, the descendants of the Father of the Faithful, form the contrast; and, as a foil, set off and brighten this most splendid of all exhibitions of the mercy of God, from which spring all other good news to men.

As to the second gospel or good news-the deplorable condition, the ignorance of God, and the nameless vices of the Gentile world, their long alienation from God, and

scandalous idolatry, constitute a theatre on which to exhibit to advantage the glad tidings of God's gracious purpo ses towards them from the beginning, evinced in sending his Son to make a propitiatory sacrifice for their sins, and in calling himself the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews.

And as to the third gospel-the awful apostacy of the professed christian communities, and gross departure from the letter and spirit of the christian institution; their schisms, strifes, and persecutions, which this apostacy has given rise to; the long rejection and continued infidelity of the Jews, with awful grandeur prepare the way for the proclamation of the everlasting good news-the joyful era when it shall be sung, "Babylon the Great is fallen, NEV ER more to arise!" The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his saints shall triumph with him for a thousand prophetic years! These engross the whole apostolic writings.

The first of these three has been fully discussed and established in the testimonies of the four Evangelists. The second is recorded in the book of the Acts of Apostles, and developed in the epistles. The third, in some passages of the epistles, but particularly and fully in the last revelation made to the Apostle John.

The epistle to the Romans is altogether devoted to the second-and was written with a design to prove that the believing Gentiles are, equally with the Jews, entitled to all the rights and immunities of citizenship in the kingdom of God's own Son.

This brings us to the epistle to the Romans; in reference to which let it be remembered, that although the term Roman, in its most restricted sense, denoted a Pagan citi. zen of Rome, yet both Jews and proselytes who lived there were called Romans as well as the Pagan citizens of Rome. Hence Luke informs us that Roman sojourners, both Jews and proselytes, heard Peter announce the glad tidings on Pentecost in Jerusalem. Hence we may conclude that a congregation in Rome was formed soon after the return of the Roman Jews from Jerusalem. Though the congregation in Rome was at first composed exclusively of Jewish disciples; after the calling of the Gentiles, and especially at the time when Paul wrote this letter, it was composed of Jews and Gentiles.

Without going into a long detail of particular proofs to come at the design of the Apostle in writing this letter, we may readily gather from the epistle itself that the Jewish and Gentile disciples in this congregation were not perfect.

ly reconciled on account of certain questions and debates involving the Jewish peculiarity; that the great question between the Jews and Gentiles was not decided in this congregation, though so eminent in the Christian faith; that Paul wrote with a reference to the actual condition and circumstances of this people, according to the best information he had respecting them, not having been himself at Rome. As this congregation was placed in so conspicuous a place, and was known to the whole Christian communities throughout the Roman empire, the settling of this question in Rome was a great object; and as the Apostle, though anxious to visit the city, had been prevented for a long time, he conceived the noble design of settling the difficulties between the Jewish and Gentile brethren in this city, by a long and argumentative epistle, embra cing all the points of chief difficulty between the Jews and Gentiles in Rome and elsewhere. Such was the design of writing this letter, as the circumstances and allusions found in it, and all evidences, internal and external, evince.

Having formed such a design, the Apostle was at no loss how to execute it. He was well skilled in all the questions and customs, and expert in all the arguments of the Jews in the support of their peculiarity. He knew all that a Judaizer or an infidel Jew could say in support of his favorite theme. Besides, as the Judaizer, who aimed at bringing the Gentiles under the law, argued from the same topics that the infidel Jew handled to show the superiority of the Jews' religion and to oppose the Christian, the Apostle so arranges his arguments as to silence both. He was well aware that this letter would soon become public property, and that it would be read by all parties, as well as by the brethren to whom it was addressed; for all would De anxious to know what "the apostate Jew," as some called him, or the great "Apostle to the Gentiles," had to say with reference to these questions. He writes with all these things before his mind.

It is worthy of notice that the Apostle does not attempt to settle such questions merely, or, indeed, at all, by his apostolic authority. Though his decision, without assigning a single reason for it, would be final amongst all Christians who recognized him as an Apostle; yet he does not attempt to settle the point in this way. He appears as a logician, and meets opposition, not by a decree, but by ar. gument. In this way he enlightens and confirms the christians in the faith, and qualifies them to convince and silence those who would not receive the decree of an Apostle, as that from which there is no appeal.