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liar spirit of the gospel , in refusing to hold communion with the Gentile Chri&tians , thus calling that common or unclean which God had cleansed , I cannot but deem these things as unequivocal proofs of their real heresy ; for if it be not heresy wilfully to differ
in religious sentiments from the divinely-commissioned teachers of religion , I know not what is * Such conduct is surely much more likely to lead to error than to religious truth ; and persons guilty of it are no fit
objects to be held up to our view as examples of original Christian purity , either in matters of faith or practice . But their wilful and entire ignorance of the grand design of the gospel , as the means of breaking down the middle wall of ceremonies between Jews and
Gentiles , and of making them all the children of God by faith , ( not circumcision , ) is a decisive proof that they were no true converts to the apostles , much less all the Jewish believers . If we refer to the Christian Scriptures , which contain the best historical
authority for Christians , we shall find that all the true Jewish converts to the gospel , submitted to the advice and teaching of the apostles , respecting its grand and distinguishing design , as to Jews and Gentiles , which , according
to the apostle , was to make " both one" in Christ . This design appears to have been first specifically revealed to Peter in his vision , ( recorded in Acts x ., ) which instructed him that the faith of the Gentiles in Christ was their
cleansing from that unholiness which had separated between them and the Jews . Thus Peter understood it ; for , Acts xv . 7 » &c ., it is said , ' * Peter rose up and said unto them , Men and brethren , ye know how that a good while ago , God made choice among us , that the Gentiles by my mouth should
hear the word of the gospel and believe : and God , which knoweth the hearts , bare them witness , giving them the Holy Ghost , even as he did unto us ; and put no difference between them and us , purifying their hearts by faith" And that Peter and other JewSj his companions , did not scruple to hold communion with the Gentile
Christians , appears from the following passages : Acts x . 23 , where it is said concerning his going to Cornelius , 4 < Certain brethren From Joppa accompanied him : " compare thi » with ,
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the 45 th verse , which says , < c They of the circumcision which believed , were astonished , as many as carpe with . Peter , because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost ;" coqapare this also with chap . xi . 2 and
following verses , where it is said , " When Peter was come up to Jerusalem , they that were of the circumcision contended with hiin , saying , Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised , and didst eat with them . But Peter
rehearsed the matter from the beginning , and expounded it by order unto them , " &c . See also verse 18 , where it is said , Cf When they heard these things , they held their peace , and glorified God , " &c . ^ Thus we find the body of Jewish Christians , wen &t Jerusalem , assenting to the doctrine which Peter was
taught in his vision , and to his conduct and that of his Jewish companions in having acted upon the doctrine , by holding communion with Gentiles who believed . And , no doubt , what the body of Jewish Christians thus allowed in Peter and his friends , individuals of
that body did not scruple to do , upon proper occasions ; not , indeed , at Jerusalem , the seat of Jewish prejudices and influence , to give occasion of scandal to the unbelieving of the Jews , and excite needless persecution by rashly
shocking their prejudices , but in Gentile cities . Believing Jews commonly held communion with believing Gentiles , ( as I shall presently shew , ) nor does it appear that the propriety of so doing was ever disputed by the body of Jewish believers after the above
explanation which Peter gave of his conduct in going to Cornelius . But we read of " certain men which came down from Judea , " ( some of the early Ebionites , probably ; they are not called brethren , ) " who taught the brethren , and said , Except ye be circumcised , " &c . But we find tLese " certain men "
( who , like true Ebionites , thought they knew better than the apostles , and opposed the catholic spirit of the gospel ) were overruled by the apostles and body of Jewish believers at Jerusalem , none objecting , except " certain of the sect of the Pharisees , " and even these
seem to have yielded to the arguments of Peter . See Acts xv . That the Jewish Christians not only allowed the holiness of Gentile believers by faith , but also held communion with them , appears from the fol-
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404 Mr . R . Martin on the Difficulties of Unitariankni .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1821, page 404, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2502/page/24/
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