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Page 8
Peter to justify his preaching to the Gentiles, concludes his
discourse with saying, Acts 10: 43--�To Jesus gave all the
Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever (i.e. Jew, or
Gentile) believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins.�
Paul also endeavours to prove to the Jews in the Synagogue of
Antioch, (Ib. v. 13) that the history of Jesus was contained in the
Old Testament, and that he, and Barnabas were commanded in the
Old Testament, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
On the occasion of a dispute among the Christians whether the
Gentile converts were to be circumcised after the Law of Moses,
and to observe the Law, we find, that after much disputing, the
point was settled by James by quotation from Amos.
The Bereans are highly extolled (Acts 17: 11,) for searching the
Scriptures, i.e. the Old Testament, daily, in order to find out
whether the things preached to them by the Apostles were so, or no:
who if they had not proved these things, i.e. Christianity from the
Old Testament, ought, according to their own principles, to have
been rejected by the Bereans, as teachers of false doctrine.
Paul, when accused before Agrippa by the Jews, said (Acts 26; 6,)
�I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God
unto our fathers,� i.e. for teaching Christianity, or the true doctrine
of the Old Testament, and to this accusation he pleads guilty, by
declaring in the fullest manner, that he taught nothing but the
Doctrines of the Old Testament. �Having therefore (says he)
obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to
small, and great, saying now other things than those which the
Prophets, and Moses did say should come, that the Christ should
suffer, and that he should be the first who should rise from the
Dead, and should show light unto the People, and unto the
Gentiles.�
The Author of the first Epistle to the Cor. says, 15 ch. v. 4, that
�Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, according to the
Scriptures,� that is, according to the Old Testament, and he is
supposed to ground this on the history of the prophet Jonas, who
was three days and three nights in the fish's belly: though the cases
do not seem to be parallel, for Jesus being buried on Friday
evening, and rising on Sunday morning, was in the tomb but one
day and two nights.
But most singular is the argument of the Apostle Paul (in his
Epistle to the Galatians) to prove Christianity from the Old
Testament. �Tell me (says he, Gal. 4: 21,) ye that desire to be
under the Law, do ye not hear the Law? For it is written, that
Abraham had two Sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free
woman. But he who was of the bond woman, was born after the
flesh; but he who was of the free woman was by promise. Which
things are an Allegory. For these are the two covenants, the one
from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. But
this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem
that now is, and is in bondage with her Children. But Jerusalem
which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all. For it is
written (Isaiah 54: 1,) �Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not, break
forth, and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath
many more children than she which hath an husband.� Now, we
Brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the Promise. But as then he
that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the
spirit, even so it is now. But what saith the Scripture (Gen. 21: 10,
12,) Cast out the bond woman, and her son, for the son of the bond
woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then,
Brethren, we are not the children of the bond woman, but of the
free. Stand fast, therefore, in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of
bondage.�
In fine, the Author of these Epistles reasons in the same singular
manner from the Old Testament throughout; which is, according to
him, (2 Tim. iii: 15,) �able to make men wise unto Salvation:�
asserting himself and others to be ministers of the New Testament,
as being ministers, not of �the letter but of �the Spirit,� (2Cor. iii:
6.) That is. Of the Old Testament, spiritually understood; and
endeavouring to prove, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews,
that Christianity was veiled and contained in the Old Testament,
and was implied in the Jewish history, and Law, both which he
considers as types and shadows of Christianity.
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