"that these things are not yet come to pafs; and "it is as plain, that all thofe who foretold, that they would be fulfilled long ago, were not, at "leaft at that time, under the influence of divine infpiration +." 66 The paffages which the Author has referred to, as proofs of this charge, are-1 Cor. x. 11. Rom. xiii. I. 12.-Heb. ix. 26.-James v. 7, 8. John ii. 18.2 Peter iii. 11, 13.-But though he has referred to thefe places at the bottom of the page, as fo many predictions of the Authors of thefe books, that CHRIST'S coming to judge the world was an event which they at that time expected very speedily to take place, he has not actually produced the paffages themselves; or entered into confideration of any one of them; or urged any reafon, or any authority, but his own bare affertion, to prove it. But to fhew at once the falsehood of this groundless accufation, I fhall produce the paffages themselves; when it will plainly appear, that only one of them can relate to the final coming of CHRIST to judge the world; and that That one, fo interpreted, affigns no period whatever for the arrival of that event. In the first of them ‡ St. Paul, after enumerating feveral judgments which the Ifraelites brought upon themselves, by their idolatry and rebellions in the wilderness, in order to deter the Corinthians he can ferve the cause of infidelity. Here we see him pofitively afferting, that "JESUS was miftaken," in delivering that Prophecy (Matth. xvi. 28.) which we have just been confidering and this, affertion neceffarily fuppofes, that JESUS really did deliver the Prophecy itself, and that it was not falfely attributed to him by the Apoftles. But in the very fentence immediately before this, (p. 317, 318) he afferts, that it is by far moft likely to be the cafe, that JESUS himself did not in reality fay, what is there attributed to him.-Whence comes it to pafs, that those who are fo fond of contradicting the Scriptures, are fo perpetually contradicting themselves? 1 Cor. x. 11. + P. 318. from from frequenting the idol feafts; immediately adds, Now all these things-are written for our aðmonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. -And it is an agreed point, among all thofe who are at all qualified to pafs any judgment upon the matter, that the words of the original which are here rendered-the ends of the world; fhould be tranflated-the ends of the ages; i. e. the concluding age; That in which all the feveral ages of this world will end; the Gofpel Difpenfation. So that here the phrafe fignifies, the abolition of the Jewish, and establishment of the Chriftian Difpenfation. In the next paffage the Author has alleged St. Paul exhorts the Romans to the practice of all the duties of true benevolence, by telling them; → And this we should do, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of fleep; for now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far fpent, the day is at hand; let us therefore caft off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour (rather the dress) of light*.-The meaning of which appears plainly to be no other than this, That as they were now farther advanced in life, and confequently had lefs time to live, than when they firft embraced the faith in CHRIST; fo it was every day more and more incumbent upon them to fulfil the duties of their Chriftian Profeffion. The paffage of James which the Author has referred to is as follows:- Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the bufbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and bath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the letter rain. Be ye alfo patient; ftablish your bearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh †. Rom xiii. 11. 12. ✦ James v. 7. 8. And And here the Apostle is exhorting his Chriftian Brethren to bear the perfecutions they then fuffered from the Jews with fteadiness and refolution; from this confideration more especially; that the coming of the Lord (That Coming which we have al ready fo fully enquired into,) to put an end to the Jewish Polity, and free them by that means from their Jewish perfecutors, was juft at hand, when he wrote this epiftle. The paffage of John called into question isLittle children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrift fhall come, even now are there many Antichrifts; whereby we know that it is the last time *. To which nothing more can be neceffary to be faid, than that it is fo immediate and exprefs a reference to our Saviour's Predictions of the Signs that would forerun the deftruction of Jerufalem, and the overthrow of the Jewish state ‡; feveral of which were actually taking place, and this of the Appearance of Antichrifts among the reft, at the very time, when John wrote this epiftle; that the paffage will not admit of being applied to any other event. The last of thofe places to which the Author has referred is as follows: Seeing then that all thefe things (the heavens and the earth) fhall be diffolved, what manner of perfons ought ye to be, in all boly converfation and godliness? (12) Looking for and bafting unto the coming of the day of God; wherein the heavens being on fire, fhall be diffolved, and the elements fhall melt with fervent heat." (13) Neverthelefs we, according to his promife, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (14) Wherefore beloved brethren, Seeing that ye look after fuch things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without Spot and blameless +. Now grant 1 John ii. 18. 14. Matth. xxiv. 5, 11, 24. ing that St. Peter is here fpeaking of the final judgment of the world, what he has faid cannot afford room for the Author's objection founded upon it. Though we should grant St. Peter here meant to exhort them to prepare for the day of judgment; because they knew certainly that there would be fuch a day; he here fays not a fyllable to imply, that the day of judgment would arrive, while that generation was still living; not a fyllable relative to the time when it would arrive. He only alleges the certainty, not the time of its coming, as a fufficient reafon; and furely a fufficient one it was; for their diligence and care in preaching the duties of their Christian Profeffion. Not one of these paffages therefore to which the Author has referred, as so many self evident inftances of falfe predictions delivered by the Apostles, concerning the time of the final judgment of the world, can afford the leaft real ground for fuch a charge; as even the mere repetition of the paffages themselves is almost fufficient to fhew. However, for his further fatisfaction with regard to the true meaning of the places he has referred to; and to convince him, that the Apoftles both knew and taught, that the final judgment of the world was not an event then near at hand; let him, if he has concern enough for the truth to be inclined to do it, confult Hammond, Whitby, Locke, Lightfoot, Benfon, and Taylor, upon the paffages in que ftion; and befides, let him confider particularly the paffages referred to in the note *.-And till he fhall attempt at least to fhew, that what these *Hammond on Acts ii. 17.-Lightfoot's Sermon on Pet. iii. 13. Vol. II. p. 1074. and on James v. 9. p. 1117.-Hammond on Matth. xxiv. 3, 6. and on chap. xxviii. 20.-on 2 Pet. i.. 16. and on Heb. x. 25. And Lightfoot on Luke xii. 20 -And Benfon on James v. 7, 8.-and on 2 Pet. iii. 11. &c. -and efpecially on 1 Theff. iv. 15.-And likewife Mede, p. 652, 655, and 663, 665. on the last times. admirable admirable expofitors have fo well proved is all delufion and mistake, which I will venture to fuppofe neither he, nor any one for him, will be very ready to attempt; I fhall lay it down, as an established truth, that the interpretation which the Author would fain put upon these paffages of the New Teftament, is utterly groundless and unwarrantable, and his charge built upon it, against the divine inspiration of the Apostles, abfolutely falfe. SECT. X. The Author's Argument founded on what passed between St. PETER and St. PAUL at Antioch, confidered. A NOTHER of the Author's attacks is founded on what happened between the Apostles Peter and Paul at Antioch: St. Paul's Relation of it is as follows. When Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to the face (i. e. openly) because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, be withdrew, and feparated himself; fearing them which were of the circumcifion. And the other Jews diffembled likewife with him, infomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their diffimulation.-But when I faw, that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Gofpel; I faid unto Peter before them all ; — If thou, being a Jew, livest in the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews; why compelleft * thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? &c. t. That is,-Why INDUCEST thou the Gentiles, by thy example mifunderflood? + Gal. ii. 11, &c. M The |