offered for every one of them. 27. And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, 28. Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29. For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the templeb. It appears evident from the above account, especially from the 24th verse, that the Apostles and elders considered the charge alleged against St. Paul of teaching Jews to forsake the law as altogether unfounded, nay, that they believed him to be one, who "walked orderly and kept the law," and consequently a very unlikely person to encourage others to others to contemn it. Unless, therefore, we are prepared to prefer the testimony of Mr. Gamaliel Smith, to that of the Apostles, we cannot hesitate for an instant to pronounce St. Paul innocent. This verse, Gamaliel Smith disingenuously omits, after quoting those which precede it. N SECT. IV. St. Paul's Epistles afford no proof that he taught BUT let us now look at what Mr. Gamaliel Smith calls the direct evidence, evidence from Paul's own pen, of "teachings to forsake Moses." For this purpose, Gamaliel Smith makes the following extracts from Paul's Epistles. Rom. xiv. 14. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. iii. 20. By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his (God's) sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. iii. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also: 30. Seeing it is one God, who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Rom. x. 9. --If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him. 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved". Rom. xiv. 2. One believeth that he may eat all things, another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 5. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. a It is well known that, "Christ crucified" proved in many instances to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. Hence, St. Paul obviates in this chapter, the doubts and scruples of those who distrusted either the power or willingness of Christ to save such as believe, whether Jews or Gentiles. The doctrine which St. Paul teaches in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th verses of this Chapter has a striking conformity with that of Christ. (Matth. x. 32, 33.) "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven.” b cc 'Behold, here," says Gamaliel Smith, "the degree of importance attached by Paul to Sabbaths." p. 274. That St. Paul religiously observed the Sabbath is manifest, from what is related of him, in The Acts of the Apostles. See Acts xiii. 14-44. xvii. 2. xviii. 4. With regard to other festival days, appointed by the ceremonial law of Moses, and which the converted Jews thought it right to keep holy, but the observance of which, the Gentiles deemed unnecessary under the Gospel dispensation, St Paul gave advice worthy of a liberal minded conscientious man. "Let every man be fully persuaded in 1 Cor. vi. 12. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient, all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it, and them. 1 Cor. viii. 8. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 1 Cor. ix. 19 to 23. 19. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23. And this I do for the Gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 2 Cor. iii. 12 to 17. 12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. 13. And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14. But their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15. But even unto this day, when Moses in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it." The whole of this chapter (Rom xiv.) strongly illustrates the liberality and goodness of St. Paul's heart. is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Rom. ii. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. 25. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision. 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision, dost transgress the law? 28. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom. iii. 1, 2. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? much every way: chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. Rom. iv. 9, 10, 11, 12. 9. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised: that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12. And the father of circumcision to them who are |