this prejudice remained, the Christians at Jerusalem were not likely to reap any benefit from the ministry of Paul ; or rather, that great dissensions and divisions were likely to be occasioned by him : and therefore they wished to reconcile the minds of the people by some public act on the part of Paul. It happened that at that time there were four Jewish Chris- tians who were performing vows of Nazariteship in the temple ; and it was proposed to Paul to join with them, and to submit to all the rites prescribed to Nazarites by the law : and thus to shew publicly, that, though he had neglected all Jewish ceremonies among the Gentiles, and had maintained that they were no longer binding on the Jews themselves, he did not think that the observance of them was criminal. James was particular in making known to Paul the precise ground on which he wished him to accede to the proposal. He reminded Paul, that he did not mean to interfere with the decree which had been made in reference to the Gentiles many years before, when Paul himself had come up to Jerusalem to inquire re- specting the continuance of circumcision ; but that he only wished to convince the Christians at Jerusalem that Paul was no enemy to Moses.
On these grounds Paul, who not very long before had him- self made a vow of Nazariteship at Cenchreab, adopted the plan proposed, and immediately proceeded to carry it into execution.
The particular duties of Nazarites, and the sacrifices they offered at the time of their purification, are stated in the 6th chapter of the book of Numbers. The person who took upon him those vows, was only bound so far as he had voluntarily bound himself: and hence Paul was at liberty to join the other Nazarites, and to complete with them what they alone had begun.]
Such was the precise state of the case, and such the conduct of the Apostle Paul, which now we pro- ceed, II. To vindicate —
Various are the charges which have heen incon- siderately brought against Paul for his conduct on this occasion ; but if we view it candidly, we shall find that he was not really obnoxious to any one of them. He has been accused of,
1. Insincerity — [Great stress is laid on those words of James, "Do this,"
11 Acts xviii. 18.