1  do  not  take  notice  at  prefent  that  the  perfon  firft  employed  in  calling
of  the  Gentiles,  is  St.  Peter,  to  whom  Jefus  Chrift  had  promifed  the  ho-
nour of  founding  his  church  atnongSt  the  nations,  and  who  himfelf  at
firSt  thought  that  the  thing  was  unlawful,  and  who,  after  a  yifion  given
him  for  that  very  purpofe,  obferves  they.wijh  cuftoms,  and  obliges  the
Gentiles  to  do  rhe  fame;  neither  do  I  obferve  that  the  firft  who  was
called  was  Cornelius,  a  Roman  officer,  who  refided  at  Cafarea,  where  he
became  a  profdyte.  Behold  here  a  man  engaged  to  examine  that  which
he  had  a  better  opportunity  to  do  than  any  one  elfe,  by  reafon  of  the
nature  of  his  charge,  whether  what  the  Soldiers  had  depofed  coacern-

H  h  %  in*


4S4  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XW

Jng  the  Difciples  ftealing  away  the  body  of  our  Saviour,  were  true  or
no.
I  am  obliged  to  confine  myfelf  to  fome  general  reflexions  upon  this
matter.  1  confider  firft  the  difficulty  which  was  upon  all  accounts  in
this  defign  of  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  prodigious  fuccefs  which
this  call  of  the  Gentile*  met  with,  according  to  the  Prophets.
