Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians

Vers. 1. PAUL an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead, 2. And all the Brethren which are with me, unto the Churches of Galatia.

IN these two Verses is the Inscription of the Epistle, holding forth, 1. Who did write it, to wit, Paul, described from his Office, and his Call to that Office, which were both wholly divine, as being immediately from God, ver. 1. And the Brethren with him; such were eminent Professors, but especially public Preachers, who then were with Paul, and did give their testimony to those Truths contained in this Epistle, though they were not the immediate Pen-men of the holy Ghost in it, as Paul was. 2. To whom the Epistle was written, ver. 2. From ver. 1. Learn, 1. Free-grace doth often light upon the most unworthy, not only by giving grace and salvation to themselves, but also making them sometimes instrumental for the Kingdom of Christ, and for bringing about the salvation of others: for, Paul, once a wicked persecutor, 1 Tim. 1. 13—is now made an eminent Apostle; Paul an Apostle. 2. Faithful and called Ministers of Jesus Christ, are to be so far from cowardly ceding, or heartless fainting under the bold, bitter and unjust aspersions of those who would labor to question their Calling, and thereby weaken their Authority, and render the truth of their Doctrine doubtsom, Mat. 21. 23. that they ought so much the more, for the credit of their Office, Rom. 11. 13. and for the Truth's sake which they preach, 1 Cor. 7. 25. avow their Calling against all, who do question it. Thus Paul, writing to these Galatians amongst whom, by means of the false Apostles, his Authority was questioned more than in any other Church, (chap. 2. 6, 9, &c.) expresseth himself more largely in avowing his Call to the Apostolic Office, than in any other Epistle: not only affirming that he was called by Jesus Christ, and God the Father; but also denying that he was an Apostle of men, or, by man. 3. The Apostolic Office had this common to it with all other Church-offices, whether ordinary, or extraordinary, Eph. 4. 11. that it was not the invention of man, or founded upon authority merely human, but was instituted by Jesus Christ, to whom only it appertaineth to appoint Office-bearers in His House, 1 Cor. 12. 28. for which respect, Paul affirmeth he was an Apostle not of man, as the Ambassadors and Officers of Princes and States are: Ministers are Ambassadors for Christ, representing Him, and having their Authority from Him, 2 Cor. 5. 20. 4. The Office of an Apostle had this peculiar unto itself, that the designation of the person to undergo that Office, was not mediately by the election and suffrages of men, as it is in the calling of ordinary Office-bearers, Act. 14. 23. but immediately from God; so that the Function of the Apostles ceased with them, and did not pass by succession to a Pope or any other: for, in this respect, Paul affirmeth he was an Apostle, not by man, to wit, mere man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father. He was called immediately by God, Act. 9. 15. Doct. 5. That Jesus Christ is not mere man but God also, appeareth from this, that the Apostle here opposeth Christ to man, and so He behooved to be more than man: and this was not an Angel, Heb. 2. 16. and therefore He was also God; Neither by man (saith he) to wit, mere man, but by Jesus Christ. 6. When Scripture ascribeth an action to the Father, the first Person of the blessed Trinity, as done by Him, it is not to be so understood, as if the Son and holy Ghost were excluded from having hand in that action; but that they are rather included in the Father, as persons of the same Godhead: for, the calling of the Ministers of the Gospel, which is ascribed to God the Father, is ascribed to the holy Ghost, Act. 20. 28. and Paul, who is here said to be called by God the Father, is by the holy Ghost separated and sent forth unto a particular employment in his Calling, Act. 13. 2, 4. and the raising of Christ from the dead in like manner ascribed to God the Father here, is ascribed to Christ also, Joh. 10. 18. and to the holy Ghost, Rom. 8. 11. And God the Father, who raised Him from the dead. All the external actions of the Godhead towards the creatures, are common to the whole Trinity, Joh. 5. 19. So that the ascribing of some actions to the Father, is not, as if any of the rest were not concurring, But because of the order of working, which is among the Three Persons; the Father being the first fountain of working, as doing all things from Himself (1 Cor. 8. 6.) by the Son (1 Cor. 8. 6.) and holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12. 6, 8. because of this order, those actions which are common to the whole Trinity, are frequently ascribed unto the Father. 7. As Jesus Christ who hath life in Himself, Job. 5. 26. and is the fountain of life unto others, (Joh. 6. 33.) was once among the dead; so He was raised again by the power of the Father from death unto life, and is alive for evermore, Amen, Rev. 1. 18. it being impossible that He should be holden by death, Act. 2. 24. and Divine Justice having received full satisfaction from Him for all which He undertook to do or suffer, as our Cautioner, Joh. 16. 10. Who raised Him from the dead, saith he. 8. So blinded are men usually with preposterous zeal towards their erroneous opinions, that frequently they do allege those things for to uphold them, which of all other things are most contrary unto them: Thus the false Apostles, that they might shake the Truth preached by Paul, and establish their own contrary Error, did allege that he was no lawful Apostle, as for other reasons, so it would seem mainly for this, Because he had not seen Christ in the flesh, 1 Cor. 9. 1. nor yet was called before His death; and that therefore his Doctrine was not to be much regarded: Which reason Paul doth here refute, by showing he was called by Christ, after He was raised from the dead, and had taken possession of His glorious Kingdom; leaving unto them to gather, that therefore his Call • ng had at least no less dignity and glory in it than if he had been called by Christ when He was here upon the Earth in the days of His flesh; And God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.

From verse. 2. Learn. 1. The moc they are whom God maketh use of to hold out the beauty of Truth and Holiness unto us, that we may embrace and follow it; or, the deformity and danger of Error and Vice, that we may fly from, hate, and abhor it, We are the more to take heed how we reject or embrace, despise or obey what is so pressed upon us; as knowing there will be the moe to bear witness of our guilt, and seek to the equity of God's judgment against us, if we obey not, Luke 9. 5. for, Paul doth join the consent of all the Brethren who were with him, unto what he writeth; that so his Doctrine and Reproofs might have the more weight; And all the Brethren which are with me. 2. Though the sins of a Church, whether in Doctrine or Manners, are not to be reputed as no sins by us, because they are connived at, or pleaded for by a Church, Jer. 5. 31. and though the sins of Churches are to be pleaded against by private Christians in their places and stations, Hos. 2. 2. So far are they to be from following of a multitude to do evil, Exod. 23. 2. Yet we are not so to stumble at the many sinful failings; yea, gross enormities, which may be in Churches, relating either to Faith or Manners, as presently to unchurch them, by denying them to be a Church, or to separate from them, by refusing to keep communion with them in lawful and commanded Ordinances, being purely administrated according to the prescript of God's Word, chiefly if their Error be not contrary to fundamental Truths, or at least if they err of human frailty, and not obstinately or avowedly: for, the Churches of Galatia had made a grievous revolt, even from a fundamental Truth, ver. 6. and chap. 3. 1. and yet because they were rather through frailty seduced by others, than active seducers of others, therefore he useth much meekness and moderation towards them, allowing them the name of Churches, and exercising his Apostolic care towards them as a part of his charge, and thereby keeping communion with them, as with Churches which were sickly and under cure; Unto the Churches of Galatia: which Truth makes nothing against our separation from the Church of Rome, as being after much pains taken in order to their reclaiming, and not until we were driven to it by persecution; besides that the Romish Church had erred in the foundation obstinately, and avowedly.

Vers. 3. Grace be to you and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

HEre is the Salutation, wherein he wisheth unto them God's gracious favor and good-will, whereby He is well-pleased with the Elect in, and for Christ, Rom. 3. 24. and Peace, that is, first, Peace of conscience, and with God, Rom. 5. 1. Secondly, peace with the creatures, as with the Angels, Col. 1. 20. with the Godly, Isa. 11. 9. with ourselves, all within us being conform to the rule of the renewed mind, Rom. 8. • 1. and in some respect with our enemies, Prov. 16. 7. and with the beasts of the field, Hos. 2. 18. Thirdly, Prosperity and good success, Psal. 122. 7. All which he seeketh from God the Father as the fountain of Grace, and from Jesus Christ as the conduit or pipe to convey Grace from the Father unto us, Job. 1. 16. Doct. 1. God's gracious favor and good-will is to be sought by us in the first place, whether for ourselves (Psal. 4. 6.) or others: that being a most discriminating mercy betwixt the Godly and the wicked, Ephes. 1. 6. and a mercy which of any other bringeth maniest mercies alongst with it, Psal. 84. 11. Yea, all things are mercy to a man, who hath obtained that mercy, Rom. 8. 28. for, the Apostle wisheth for Grace unto them first; Grace and peace. 2. Peace also is to be sought, even Peace with God, Peace with the creatures, together with prosperity and good success; but withal, Peace is to be sought after Grace, and not to be expected before it. Peace without Grace, is no Peace: there can be no peace with God, no sanctified peace with the creatures, nor sanctified prosperity or success to our undertakings, except through Jesus Christ we lay hold on God's favor and grace; Yea, there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God, Isa. 57. 21. Thus the Apostle wisheth unto them also Peace, but so as it flow from Grace; Grace and Peace. 3. Grace and Peace are such, as we cannot acquire unto ourselves by our own industry or pains: they come from God, are to be sought from Him, and His blessing is more to be depended upon for attaining of anything, which cometh under the compass of Grace and Peace, than our own wisdom, industry or diligence; So Paul seeketh Grace and Peace from God the Father. 4. Whatever favor we seek from God, we are to seek it also from Jesus Christ as Mediator: for, He hath purchased it, Eph. 1. 7. He is appointed Lord of His own purchase to bestow all, Act. 5. 31. and there is no coming to, or trysting with the Father; but in Him, Joh. 14. 6. Thus Paul seeketh Grace and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. They to whom Grace and Peace belong, are such as acknowledge Christ for their Lord to command and rule them, and do yield subjection to Him in their heart and life: for, while the Apostle wisheth Grace and Peace to them, he doth lead them to thoughts of Christ's Sovereignty, he himself taking Him up as Lord, and holding Him forth so unto others; From our Lord Jesus Christ.

Vers. 4. Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God, and our Father.

THe Apostle (having but mentioned Christ, ver. 3: that he may in the very entry draw the minds of these Galatians from off their errors and superstitions to embrace Him, as one in whom is fullness of sufficiency for the redemption and justification of lost sinners) doth describe Him from one eminent action of His, whereby, as the great High-priest over the House of God, Heb. 10. 21. He did offer up Himself, Soul (Isa. 55. 10.) and Body (Heb. 2. 14.) by death upon the Cross, Joh. 19. 17, 18. that He might expiate and take away (Joh. 1. 29.) the sins of the Elect, Joh. 17. 9. and that hereby He might deliver them from this present evil world, or from the sin, misery and cruelty of wicked men in the world, who get the name of world, 1 Joh. 5. 19. and all this He did in obedience to His Father's will, who had fore-ordained this to be the only way of bringing lost sinners to Heaven, Heb. 10. 8, 9. Doct. 1. The lively impression of Christ's worth and excellency, doth ordinarily so fill the hearts of those, who know Him, and have tasted how gracious He is, as there will be a readiness, upon any occasion of mentioning Him, to breakforth in His commendation: for, such is the constraining power of love on Paul's heart, that usually he doth not so much as make mention of Him, but presently he must extol, and at large commend Him; so doth he in this verse, Who gave himself, &c. which his attainment, should be our aim; and his practice, our copy, 1 Cor. 11. 1. 2. The well-grounded knowledge of what Christ is to us, and hath done for us, together with the frequent remembrance of it, is a sovereign Antidote against all those Errors and Superstitions, which tend to draw us from Christ, either in part, or in whole; and that, both to prevent them, and to purge us from them: He is that Sun of righteousness, Mal. 4. 2. the arising whereof doth easily dispel and scatter all those fogs and mists, Act. 19. 18, 19, 20. for, Paul, in order to this end, doth in the very entry hold forth what Christ had done for them; Who gave himself, &c. saith he. 3. So deep and deadly was the guilt of sin, Gal. 13. 10. So exact was the justice of God, and so unalterable was His faithfulness in executing the judgment, which was denounced for sin, (Gen. 2. 17.) that there was no delivery to the Elect from it, without the payment of a ransom and satisfaction for the wrong done by sin to the provoked justice of God: for, Christ gave himself for our sins, that is, a propitiation for them, 1 Joh. 2. 2. and to cleanse us from them, 1 Joh. 1. 7. 4. Nothing less could be a satisfying ransom to the Father's justice, than the offering-up of Jesus Christ, the holy, harmless and spotless Lamb of God, both in Soul and Body, as a Sacrifice, by death upon the Cross. The wrong was infinite, Gen. 39.—9. and so must the price be, even no less than the Blood of God, Act. 20. 28. Who gave himself for our sons. 5. Such was the desire which Jesus Christ had to the salvation of lost sinners, Prov. 8. 31. such was His care to perform what He had undertaken to the Father, and what was fore-told of Him in Scripture, (Psal. 40. 7, 8.) that willingly, and of His own accord, without any constraint, except that of love, (Joh. 15. 13.) He did offer up himself a Sacrifice to satisfy provoked justice: for, He gave himself for our sins, saith Paul. 6. They for whom Christ did give Himself upon the Cross, are also delivered by Him from this present evil world: which Christ doth not by taking them presently out of this world by death, or otherwise. Joh. 17. 15. But, first, by renewing their natures, and so separating them from the condition of unregenerate men, who are called the world, 1 Joh. 15. 19. And, secondly, by guarding them against those baits and snares of sinful temptations, which are mainly prevalent in the men of this world, 1 Joh. 2. 16. Thirdly, by defending them, so far as He seeth conducing for His own glory, (Psal. 76. 10.) and their good (Psal. 84.—11.) from the malicious cruelty of wicked men of this world, Psal. 105. 14. And, lastly, by taking them at the close of their time (2 Cor. 5. 1.) from Earth to Heaven, that they may be forever with Himself, Joh. 14. 3. for, He gave himself, that He might deliver us from this present world. Doct. 7. So much do wickedness and wicked men abound in the world, Gen. 6. 5. so many are the snares and temptations to sin and wickedness, which are in it, 1 Joh. 2. 16. so many also are the crosses and calamities, which godly men may resolve to meet with while they are in the world, Psal. 34. 19. that though the world simply in itself, and as it speaketh our duration and abode in this life, all the days of our appointed time, be not evil, but distinguished from evil, Joh. 17. 15. Yet for those causes, and in those respects, the present world is an evil world; for so it is here called. 8. That any of lost mankind, in whom by nature sin doth reign, should have their natures renewed, the power of sin in them mortified, and so themselves delivered from this present evil world, it was necessary that Christ should offer up Himself: for, as life eternal, so also God's Image and Holiness was forfeited by Adam's fall unto all his posterity, 1 Cor. 15. 21. and so behooved to be purchased by Christ's death before ever we could attain unto it, Heb. 9. 14. for, saith the Apostle, He gave himself, that we might be delivered from this present evil world. 9. This evil world, wherein so much wickedness, so much misery, and so many wicked men abound, is but present, not lasting; transient, not continuing; it is hastening to its end, Rom. 8. 19. and at last shall be consumed with fire, 2 Pet. 3. 10. and a new World, new Heavens, and a new Earth, are to succeed unto it, wherein shall dwell righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. for, he calleth this a present world, importing that there is another to come. 10. That Jesus Christ did offer up Himself in satisfaction to provoked Justice for the sins of the Elect, was a thing decreed and appointed by the Father, which, as it speaketh the Fathers unspeakable love unto lost sinners, Joh. 3. 16. so it showeth the ground whereupon the satisfaction given by Christ, is accepted for those, who by faith lay hold on Him. Joh. 6. 39, 40. it was so transacted betwixt the Father and the Son, even that He should give himself for our sins, according to the will of God, to wit, the Father: for, when God is opposed to Christ, then God signifieth the Father; Yet so, as the other two Persons of the Godhead are not excluded, as is noted upon Ver. 1. Doct. 6. 11. By reason of this satisfaction given by Jesus Christ to provoked justice for our sins, God, who was before a consuming fire to sinners, Heb. 12. 29. a strict sin-pursuing Judge, Exod. 34. 7. becometh now our Father: for, justice being satisfied, and that satisfaction laid hold upon by faith, Rom. 5. 1. the enmity ceaseth, and we become children; yea, heirs and joint-heirs with Christ, having received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, Rom. 8. 15, 16, 17. This is imported, while it is said, According to the will of God, and our Father.

Vers. 5. To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

HEre is the close of the Salutation: in which, by holding forth his own practice for an example, he comprehendeth the duty of the Redeemed: they are to ascribe lasting glory and praise to God the Father for His goodwill to this work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ. Doct. 1. As God, in this great work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ, hath made the glory of almost all His Attributes, especially of His Justice, as to Christ, Rom. 8. 32. of His Mercy, as to us, Eph. 1. 7. and consequently of His infinite Wisdom (1 Tim. 1. 17.) to kyth and shine forth: So it' is the duty of the Redeemed, and such a duty as useth willingly to flow from the very making mention of that so excellent a Work, in a heart duly affected with the worth thereof, even to acknowledge that glory of His which is manifested therein, and to wish that His glory may be set forth more and more, both by ourselves and others; and this not only by speaking to the commendation of His Glory and Greatness, Psal. 145. 5, 6. but by making our whole life and conversation to be nothing else, but a testimony of our thankfulness to Him, 2 Cor. 5. 15. for, the Apostle, having mentioned that great Work, ascribeth glory to God, as God's due, and his own duty; To whom be glory. 2. This duty of ascribing glory to God for the great and excellent work of our Redemption, is such, that it can never be sufficiently discharged: there is no less required than a succession of Ages to Ages; yea, and Eternities leisure to ascribe glory to God: for, so much is imported, while he saith, To whom be Glory forever and ever. 3. The Glory of the Redeemer, and of God who sent His Son to do that Work, shall be the long-lasting and neverending song of the Redeemed-ones through millions of imaginable ages, even to all eternity: so much doth the word, rendered forever and ever, bear: for, it signifieth to ages of ages, or innumerable ages. 4. Our praise and thanksgiving to God, must not be formal or verbal only, Mat. 15. 8. but ought to be fervent and serious, as proceeding from the most intimate affection of the heart, (Luk. 1. 46, 47.) signified by the word, Amen, that is, Let it be so; an earnest wish.

Vers. 6. I marvel, that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another Gospel;

IN the second part of the Chapter, that the Apostle may reclaim those Galatians from their Errors, he falleth upon them with a sad, though most gentle, reproof; wherein, by way of admiration at their inconstancy, he chargeth them with the sin of suffering themselves to be so easily and so soon seduced by their false Teachers from the Truth, which they had once embraced: whereof he mentioneth three dangerous consequences, first, That hereby they had made defection from God, who called them; and consequently were ungrateful, as walking unworthy of their heavenly calling, Eph. 4. 1. Secondly, That herein they had the doctrine of Free-grace through Jesus Christ, without which they could not be saved, Eph. 2. 8. And, thirdly, They had embraced another Gospel and way of Salvation, held forth by the false Apostles, concerning which he declareth his judgment in the following Verse. Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christ's Ministers, not only to hold out the pure and sincere truth of the Gospel unto the People of their Charge, Act. 20. 27. But also to defend it, by convincing of gainsayers, and by reproving those sadly, who are carried away with contrary errors: for, so doth the Apostle here reprove those Galatians, I marvel, that ye are so soon removed. 2. The Ministers of Jesus Christ, are in all their reproofs, chiefly against such who are carried away with the spirit of error, and are not incorrigible in their error, to use much moderation and meekness, eschewing all sharpness of speech, at least until pains be taken to inform their judgment; and this, left the evil which they intend to cure, be otherwise made worse: for, although Paul intend afterwards, chap. 3. ver. 1. (having once confirmed his Doctrine from Scripture) to rebuke them most sharply; yet he doth not here, at the first entry, in an upbraiding way, shame them, but using much moderation and meekness, with admiration and grief, maketh mention of their levity unto them; and this, because many of them at least were not yet incorrigible, chap. 5. 10. I marvel, &c. saith he. 3. They are also in all their reproofs, to use much wariness and circumspection, not omitting any circumstance which may justly extenuate the sin reproved, or furnish with any ground of hope concerning the amendment of him who is reproved: for, hereby the bitter potion of a medicinal reproof is much sweetened, & the guilty patient alluted to the more thorough-receiving of it: Paul useth this circumspection, while he saith, not ye of yourselves do remove to another Gospel, but ye are removed, passively; thereby laying the chief part of the blame upon others; and while he speaketh of them in the present time, not that they were already removed, but as being in the act of removing, so that their case was not desperate; I marvel, that ye are removed: In the Original, it is a word of the present time. 4. The most quick-sighted of Christ's Ministers, may be much deceived and disappointed in their expectation of good things from some eminent Professors (for, in charity they are obliged to hope the best of all, 1 Cor. 13. 7. in whom the contrary doth not appear, Tit. 1. 16.) and so may readily fall short of their hope, as Paul showeth he did, while he saith, I marvel, that ye are removed; importing, that their defection had fallen forth beyond his expectation; for, at such things men use to marvel, Mark 15. 44. Doct. 5. The Servants of Jesus Christ, are not, under the pretence of wariness and circumspection in reproving, to omit any circumstance, which may deservedly aggrege the sin reproved, whereby the guilt may be charged home with greater weight upon the sinners conscience, 2 Sam. 12. 7. prudence and faithful freedom may well consist, Mat. 10. 16. Thus Paul heapeth together several things, whereby their apostasy was aggreged, as that it was sudden, a turning from God, and to another Gospel; I marvel that ye are so soon removed, &c. 6. How great need have they who stand, to take heed lest they fall, 1 Cor. 10. 12. seeing such is man's inconstancy, especially in the matter of Religion; that they who are flourishing Professors of saving Truths now, may upon a sudden, and with very little ado, be carried away to soul-destroying Errors before it be long: for, such were those Errors, unto which the Galatians were removed, chap. 5. 2. and that so soon, either after their first conversion, or after the time when they were first assaulted by the false Apostles, which doth not militate against the doctrine of perseverance, seeing Paul speaketh to the whole visible Church, among whom some had never saving grace; and for the few truly gracious, which were among them, there is nothing here to prove that their falling away was either total or final. 7. This aggregeth the sin of any person not a little, when he doth suddenly without difficulty or resistance, and with ease succumbe and yield unto the temptation: for, hereby is their defection aggreged, even that they were so soon removed; they did not long resist the •• ntation. 8. Though active seducers of others from Truth, be more inexcusable than simple creatures that are seduced by them, Rom. 16. 18. Yet, even those of the latter sort, are not altogether free of guilt; when the blind do lead the blind, both fall together in the ditch: for, herein were these Galatians guilty, that they did suffer themselves to be seduced, or, so soon removed from Him that called them. 9. As the dangerous consequences which follow upon Error, ought to be presented unto People, that thereby they may be made the more to fly from it; So there are some Errors in Doctrine, which do no less separate the person erring from God and interest in free grace, than profanity of life doth: of which Errors, this is one, the maintaining of Justification by works: for, Paul showeth that by this Error they were removed from God, who had called them, and from the grace of Christ. 10. As the inward effectual calling of sinners from the state of nature unto grace, is the work of God, which He bringeth about by the preaching of His Word, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Yea, and the external calling of men from Idols, to be Members of the visible Church, which is attended with professed subjection upon his part, who is called, unto God's Laws and Ordinances, is his work also, though in an inferior degree and respect: So it is no small aggravation of sin or error in any person, when it is evidently inconsistent with, or reflecting upon, that state, unto which he is called: for, Paul describeth God here, as elsewhere, chap. 5. 8. from His calling of them, and chooseth to describe Him so, while he is speaking of their defection; that hereby he may aggrege it, as reflecting so much upon their calling; From Him that called you. 11. The Gospel is a Doctrine which holdeth forth much of Christ's free grace and good-will to sinners, and specially in this, that Heaven and Salvation, though purchased at a dear rate by Christ, Joh. 3. 16. is notwithstanding freely offered unto all, Rev. 22. 17. and really to be bestowed upon all who do but come to Him, Joh. 5. 40. and by savingfaith lay hold upon Him, Joh. 3. 36. for, God's calling them to receive the Doctrine of the Gospel, is here termed His calling them unto the grace of Christ. 12. It is ordinary for Seducers, and those that are acted by a seducing spirit, to usher-in their Errors by some excellent designations, as of New-Lights, a more pure Gospelway, and what not? as here they design their Eerror, by the name of another Gospel; and this doubtless, as they would have had the people believe, a more excellent Gospel than what Paul had preached: for, Paul in imitation of the false Apostles, calleth their Errors Another Gospel.

Vers. 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.

THe Apostle taketh away that excellent title from the error of the false Apostles, whereby themselves did design it, and denieth it to be a Gospel at all; yea, and to be any other thing but the invention of men, whereby they troubled the Churches peace, and labored to overturn and corrupt the doctrine of the Gospel. Doct. 1. It is the part of Christ's Ministers to undeceive a seduced People, by taking off the veil of fair pretences, wherewith Error useth to be covered, and so made the more taking, and to set it forth in its vilest colors, that People may loath it: for, Paul doth take the name of Gospel from this error, declaring it to be nothing else but a perverting of the Gospel; Which is not another. 2. There is but one Gospel, one in number, and no more; and but one way to Salvation held out in the Gospel, which is by Faith laying hold upon the righteousness of Christ, Joh. 3. 16. Whatever doctrine holdeth forth any other way to Salvation than this, it is no Gospel, no glad-tidings of Salvation, but a perverting of the Gospel: for, so doth Paul affirm of the doctrine taught by the false Apostles; Which is not another, &c. 3. The proper effect of Error, is, to trouble the Churches peace; first, their outward peace among themselves, the patrons of Error being zealous of nothing so much as to gain many followers, Mat. 23. 15. for attaining whereof, they scruple not much to make woeful rents and deplorable schisms within the Church, Rom. 16. 17. Secondly, their inward peace of conscience, while some are thereby rendered first perplexed, and anxious what to choose or what to refuse, and at last are made to question all Truth, 1 Cor. 15. 32. and others to embrace Error for Truth, and so to ground their peace upon an unsure foundation, which can give no solid peace, no not in the mean time; and whatever false peace is thereby offered, it will afterwards end in trouble, Jude 13. Hence it is said here of the false Apostles by Paul, There be some that trouble you, to wit, by their Errors. The Scripture-use of the word, is, mainly to signify inward trouble, anxiety, fear and perplexity of mind, Mat. 2. 3. and 14. 26. The word seemeth to be borrowed from the troubling of waters, Job. 5. 4, 7. which usually cometh to pass by great winds, Jonah. 1. 7. and applied to the troubling of the Galatians by the winds of erroneous doctrine, Eph. 4. 14. Doct. 4. Then is usually the design of Satan, and of his instruments, against Truth, most dangerous, and so most to be watched against and feared, Mat. 7. 15. when they speak fairest and endeavor to palliate their Errors with specious pretences: for here, when they pretend to no less than the holding out of a more excellent Gospel than Paul 's, ver. 6. they endeavor even to pervert and overturn the Gospel of Christ. 5. However people, who are in hazard of seduction, or already seduced unto Error, are to be tendered, and by all means fervently to be labored with, in order to their confirmation or recovery, Jude 22, 23. Yet these obdured Leaders and desperate Seducers, are not much to be taken notice of: Paul thinketh such unworthy, whom he should once name; But there be some that trouble you. 6. The Doctrine which maintaineth that Justification and Salvation are obtained partly by Christ, and partly by the merit of good works, is a perverting and total overturning of the Gospel, in so far as it contradicteth the main scope of the Gospel, which is to hold out and exalt Christ as our complete Savior, Mediator, and Ransom, and not in part only, Eph. 2. 7, 8, 9. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Hence the false Apostles, while they press justification by works, as appeareth from the tenor of the following dispute, are said to pervert the Gospel of Christ.

Vers. 8. But though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

IN the third part of the Chapter, the Apostle, that he may justify his former reproof, asserteth the Divine Authority of that Gospel, which he had preached unto them. And first, by denouncing the terrible curse of eternal separation from Christ against those who should corrupt that Doctrine by preaching another way of Salvation differing from it. The certainty of which denounciation he confirmeth from the supposition of an impossible case, That if either he himself, or the other Apostles with him, Yea, or if an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise, they were not to be exempted from this curse; and therefore much less should there be exemption for others. Doct. 1. The written Word of God, without the help of unwritten traditions, containeth in it all Truths necessary for bringing about the salvation of those who yield themselves to be instructed by it: for, the written Word comprehendeth the sum and substance of all that Paul preached or believed, Act. 24. 14. and no Doctrine, differing from what he had preached, was to be taught under the hazard of a curse, which could not be, except he had preached all necessary Truths; Let him be accursed, saith he, who preacheth any other Gospel. 2. Whatever Doctrine is propounded unto the Church, as a part of God's Word and necessary to Salvation, if it be diverse and differing from, or besides the written Word, though it be not directly contrary unto it, it is a cursed Doctrine, and the Authors thereof accursed: The Ambassador who speaketh anything beside his Commission, is as well in a fault, as he who speaketh the contrary, though not so much: for, saith the Apostle, If we preach unto you any other Doctrine than that (the word signifieth besides that we have preached unto you) let us be accursed. 3. So assured ought Ministers to be of the truth of what they hold forth as the way to life and salvation, that nothing imaginable, no not the authority of an Angel from Heaven may prevail to brangle them in their leaving of it; yea, and that knowingly and with confidence they may be able to denounce the curse of God against those who would dare to hold out another way of Salvation contrary unto it: for, so doth Paul; If an Angel preach besides what we have preached, let him be accursed. 4. The Ministers of Jesus Christ ought to be faithful unto the souls of those over whom they are set, by declaring the whole Counsel of God unto them, Act. 20. 27. and keeping up no Truth necessary for Salvation from them: for, Paul was thus faithful to the Galatians, else he could not denounce those accursed who would preach anything, to wit, as necessary to Salvation, even besides that which he had preached unto them, as he doth here. 5. So much of glory to God's Justice and Mercy is manifested in the Doctrine of the Gospel, Eph. 1. 6, 7, 12. the keeping of this Doctrine pure and uncorrupt is so necessary for the salvation of sinners, 1 Tim. 4. 16. the perverting of this Doctrine by adding anything of man's inventions to it, is so dishonorable to God, whose wisdom is hereby taxed as defective; so destructive to the Doctrine of the Gospel itself, ver. 7. and so perniciously poisonable to the souls of People (Act. 15. 24.) that they who are guilty of this sin, and labor to seduce others to embrace their pernicious Errors, are liable to the terrible curse of eternal separation from Christ, and ought to be pronounced such judicially by the Church, Tit. 3. 10. Let him be accursed, or, Let him be Anathema, which was one kind of that dreadful sentence of Excommunication, as it was used with the Jews; and the word signifieth that which is put apart from the use of man, and dedicated unto God, with the accursing of them who should convert it to their own use; and so, by a translated sense, it signifieth eternal separation from Christ. Rom. 9. 3. 1 Cor. 16. 21. Doct. 6. The more impartial the Ministers of Christ be in reproving of sin, and denouncing of threatenings against all without exception, who are guilty of the sin threatened, the word of reproof and threatening will have the more weight from his mouth; and when the Word is dispensed with evident respect to persons, so that the faults of some are sharply rebuked, when the sins of others equally guilty for by-respects are wholly connived at, usually no person careth for it: therefore, Paul, that the judgment denounced may have the more weight with others, exempteth not himself, if so he should be found guilty of the sin against which he threateneth, Though (saith he) even I Paul, or any other of the Apostles, preach any other Doctrine, &c. 7. As people, when they discern any excellencies or perfections, whether in gifts or graces in Ministers, are ready to take upon trust whatever they deliver; so nothing of that kind should make faith to what they preach, if it be not founded upon the Word of Truth: the first of these is supposed, the other more directly expressed, while he saith, If we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Doctrine, let him be accursed. 8. The Authority of the Gospel and written Word, is far above the Authority of the most trust-worthy Men; yea, and of the glorified Angels, So that neither Man nor Angel, Church or any other, can add any Authority to it, as though without the testimony of those it had not sufficient Authority in itself, (2 Pet. 1. 19.) and from God the Author of it, 2 Tim. 3. 16. to give faith unto it; neither can they detract anything from its Authority, though they should all in one voice contradict it, as it appeareth from this impossible case, supposed by the Apostle; Though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel, let him be accursed.

Vers. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

THat the Apostle may show what he spoke, proceeded neither from rage nor rashness, he doth again denounce the former terrible curse more generally against all whomsoever guilty of the forementioned sin. Doct. 1. Such is the incapacity of men's minds to understand the things of God. Eph. 4. 18. the imbecility and weakness of their memories to retain and carefully keep, Heb. 2. 1. Yea, such is the deadness, slowness and averseness of the will and affections from embracing and giving entertainment to saving. Truths at first when they are offered, Zech. 7. 11. that weighty and necessary Truths are not only once but frequently to be inculcated by faithful Ministers, especially fundamental Truths, Philip. 3. 1. and of daily use and practice, 2 Pet. 1. 12. which frequent inculcating of one and the same thing, must flow not from laziness, occasioning vain and idle repetitions condemned, Mat. 6. 7. but from the zeal of God, respect to, and compassion of, the people's necessity: for, Paul doth inculcate and again repeat this necessary and fundamental Truth, that the Doctrine of the Apostles, and by consequence their Writings, (1 Joh. 1. 1.) have Divine Authority, and are thoroughly sufficient to Salvation, without any mixture of human Traditions added to them; As I said before, so say I now again. 2. Though zeal for God and Truth, with fervency in the delivery of Truth, chiefly in the reproof of sin (Isa. 58. 1.) be required in a Minister; yet he is carefully to guard, lest, under pretence of zeal, he vent his inconsiderate and fleshly passions, or, lest he give any ground for people to conceive so of him: for, Paul guardeth against this, by repeating advisedly what he had presently spoken; As I said before, so say I now again. 3. It is not enough for the Salvation of people's souls, to have the Gospel preached in purity among them, except it he also received by them, as laboring to understand the purpose of it, Act. 8. 30. giving assent unto the truth of it in their understanding, Heb. 4. 2. and embracing the good things offered by it in their heart and affections, 1 Tim. 1. 15. for, whereas (ver. 8.) Paul said they are accursed who teach otherwise than he had preached, here he saith, they are accursed who preach otherwise than they had received: whereby it appeareth, as Paul had preached the Gospel of Christ, so the Galatians received it, to wit, the whole bulk of Church-members come to age, the two first ways mentioned in the Doctrine, and sincere Believers among them in the last way.

Vers. 10. For, do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for, if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

HEre is a second Argument, proving the Divine Authority of the Gospel, which Paul had preached to those Galatians, taken partly, from the scope of his Doctrine, which was not to persuade men, that is (by a necessary Ellipsis and a construction somewhat unusual) he did not by his Doctrine persuade men to be heard and obeyed (as the false Apostles, who did always inculcate the Authority of men upon the hearers, that hereby they might gain credit to their Doctrine;) but the drift of his Doctrine was to draw men to God, persuading God, that is, to be heard and obeyed; that so the faith of the hearers might rely only upon the Authority of God, and not of men; partly, from the scope of the preacher, Paul himself, which was not to hunt after the favor of men, (as the false Apostles did press the Legal Ceremonies, that they might hereby gain the applause of, and decline persecution from, the Jews, Gal. 6. 12.) but his aim was, singly to approve himself to God, however men should esteem of him, 1 Cor. 4. 3. and withal, giveth a reason inducing him to be thus single and sincere, to wit, if he should set himself to hunt after the favor of men, as he did when he was a Pharisee, he could not be an approven Servant of Christ, but of those whose favor he studied to gain. Doct. 1. The faithful Servants of Jesus Christ, beside their many other sufferings, must resolve to suffer somewhat sometimes in their credit and estimation from those, who, being set on by a spirit of spite and malice, will spread sinistrous reports in secret of honest Ministers, the truth whereof they dare not avow or publicly stand to, when they are put to it, and have fair opportunity to do it if they could: for, it appeareth Paul's adversaries had been secretly whispering, as if the scope of his Doctrine had been to set up his own Authority and Testimony in the Points controverted, not only above the other Apostles, to whom they falsely boasted of to have favored them (as is collected from chap. 2. 6.) but also above the Authority of God speaking in the Old Testament, and that he was not constant to himself, sometimes disproving Circumcision, and sometimes approving it, chap. 5. 11. as he might best please the humors of men with whom he had to do: and Paul wipeth off these calumnies, not by a positive denial of any Truth to be in them, but by interrogations and questions; which, as they serve for strong negations of the things questioned, according to the use of Scripture, 1 Sam. 12. 3. So they in a manner provoke the adversary to assert the thing questioned for truth, if he be able: for, do I now persuade men, or God? or, do I seek to please men? 2. Though the Minister of Jesus Christ may make use of human Authority as a secondary proof and testimony unto the Truth, already proved to be Truth from the Word of God, and chiefly towards those with whom the testimony of such will have most weight, Act. 17. 28, Yet the Authority and Writings of men, or of any man whatsoever, are not to be rested upon as the first and main proof of any religious Truth: neither are they, especially in preaching, to be always inculcated and promiscously unto every sort of hearers; lest thereby the faith of people be brought to rely on the Authority of men: for, this is to persuade men, to wit, to be chiefly heard, as the supreme Judges of religious Truths, which Paul denieth to have been his practice; Do I now persuade men? 3. That Doctrine only, the truth whereof is grounded upon Divine Testimony, and Thus saith the Lord, is to be received in the Church, as that which men may safely venture their eternal well-being on, 1 Cor. 3. 12, 15. and which God will own for His, Act. 15. 24. for, Paul proveth that the Doctrine preached by him was the only true Gospel of Jesus Christ, because thereby he did persuade God, to wit, to be heard and obeyed, and His Authority only to be stood to, as appeareth by the causal particle for; For do I now persuade men, or God? The first part of the question hath the force of a denial; the second of a vehement affirmation, as if he had said, I do not persuade men, but God. 4. It is not enough that a Minister preach nothing to people, but that which is the Truth of God; he must also preach Truth sincerely, not concealing any part of necessary Truth, or misapplying Truth so, as that thereby he may please the sinful affections, humors and dispositions of men, but aiming singly to approve himself to God in doing of his duty, 2 Cor. 2. 17. Thus Paul denieth that his aim in preaching, was to please men; Or do I seek to please men? 5. As true conversion doth work a real change in a man from what he once was in his unconverted state, 2 Cor. 5. 17. so particularly in this, that where before he did prostitute his gifts and parts; yea, his very conscience to the slavery of men's sinful humors whom he conversed with, and by pleasing of whom he did expect any profit, credit or contentment, Joh. 5. 44. he will not now abase himself, or dishonor God by doing so anymore: thus was it with Paul; For if I yet pleased men; where he insinuateth that formerly, and while he was a Pharisee, he did please men, but he would do so no more. 6. Though the Minister of Jesus Christ, ought not to set himself of purpose, and without necessity to displease men, or, by his imprudent disobliging carriage to irritate and stir up their corruptions; (for hereby the Word in his mouth should be made unsavory unto them) and though he ought to endeavor the pleasing of all men, by eschewing anything which may be just ground of offense to them, 2 Cor. 7. 2. by retrenching or enlarging himself in the use of his Christian liberty in things indifferent, as he may be least offensive unto them, 1 Cor. 10. 32, 33. and as he may gain most upon them, 1 Cor. 9. 20, 21, 22. and by accommodating himself in his public preaching to the case, capacity and state of all, by assigning unto everyone what is competent, 1 Joh 2. 13, 13. and so is to please men for their good to edification, Rom. 15. 2. Yet, there is a way of pleasing men, most sinful and base, especially in a Minister, and which is inconsistent with fidelity in Christ's service, to wit, when he concealeth any necessary Truth, which he is otherwise called to deliver; lest he displease men, 1 King. 22. 13, 14. when his highest aim is to gain applause from men, 2 Cor. 4, 5-. and generally when he is so timorously disposed, as to venture rather upon the displeasure of God, by omitting any part of His duty, than to irritate and displease the sinful humors of men, by faithfulness in the discharge of his Calling, Act. 4. 10. A Minister who setteth himself so to please men, and who resolveth not in these respects to meet with the displeasure of some men, cannot be a faithful Servant to Jesus Christ; for, a man cannot serve two masters, Mat. 6. 24. If I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ. 7. A faithful Servant of Jesus Christ, will prize his acceptation with Christ, his being approven of Him, and the testimony of a good conscience for fidelity in His Service, more, than all the favor, countenance, applause, or any advantage flowing from these, which he can receive from men; and before he hazard the loss of the former, he will rather a thousand times embrace with gladness the most certain loss of the latter: for, Paul maketh this an argument, why he did not seek to please men; because that hereby he should lose the approbation of Christ: F • ra if I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ.

Vers. 11. But I certify you, Brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me, is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

THe Apostle addeth a third Argument, to prove the Divinity of that Gospel which he had preached, whereby he asserteth also his own lawful Call to be an Apostle, which was questioned by his adversaries, affirming (as it appeareth from his so much insisting to demonstrate the contrary from ver. 13. chap. 1. to ver. 15. chap. 2.) that he was no Apostle, but some ordinary Preacher, who had received the Doctrine of the Gospel at the second hand only, and having so received it, had now himself corrupted it, contrary to what was taught by the other Apostles, James and Cephas, of whose Authority and Patrociny his adversaries did falsely boast, whereby they created a prejudice in the minds of those Galatians, both against Paul's person, and his doctrine, which he wipeth off, while he prosecuteth this Argument at large. And, in the first place, he propoundeth the Argument as a thing known, at least which could not be contradicted, to wit, that the Gospel preached by him was not after man, ver. 11. that is, as he explaineth presently, he neither received it of man, or, he received not his Office to teach and preach the Gospel from any mere man, and so was no ordinary Preacher; Neither was he taught it by man, that is, the knowledge which he had of the Gospel, was not by any ordinary mean or instruction from men, and so he had it not at the second hand, but it was immediately revealed to him by Jesus Christ; and therefore behooved to be divine, ver. 12. Doct. 1. It is the part of a faithful and prudent Minister by loving and affectionate insinuations to bear himself in upon the affections of people, even though deeply prejudicate against him, so long as there is any hope of gaining them: for, thus doth Paul to these Galatians, while he calleth them Brethren. 2. It is the usual custom of Heretics and adversaries of Truth, when they have nothing to say in reason against the Doctrine itself, to cast reproach upon the persons of those who preach it, and especially to question their Call and Authority to preach; that so they may indirectly at least reflect upon the Doctrine which they preach. So do the Papists now against the Ministers of the Reformed Churches, and so did the false Apostles then against Paul, as we cleared in giving the sense of the words, and appeareth from his asserting his Call to be an Apostle; It is not after men, neither received I it from man. 3. When subtle wits do thus puzzle the People of God by such diversions from the main purpose, and by Arguments which do not directly strike at the Truth in question; it is nevertheless the part of Christ's able and faithful Ministers, to take off those indirect prejudices, by showing how groundless they are; and particularly they are not only to clear the truth of the Doctrine, but also their own Call from God to preach that Doctrine: for, so doth Paul here, and to the end of the Chapter; Now I certify you, Brethren, &c. 4. As none may take upon him to dispense the Word of God publicly unto others, without a lawful Call from God to do it, Rom. 10. 15. So there are several sorts of callings, one, of men, and ordinary, when God calleth by the voices and consent of men, following the Laws of the Word, 2 Tim. 2. 2. another of God, and extraordinary, when He doth call immediately, the Call of the Church not intervening, Joh. 20. 21. for, Paul doth not preach until he receive the Office to preach, and this not of man, in the ordinary way; and so of God extraordinarily; For neither received I it of man, saith he. 5. They who are to teach others, are first to be taught themselves, to wit, ordinary Preachers by ordinary means, whereby they may be enabled by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince gainsayers, Tit. 1. 9. The Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth, Mal. 2. 7. for, as Paul received an Office to preach the Gospel; so he was taught and instructed in the Gospel; I neither received it, neither was taught it, but by revelation. 6. It was required to the Office of an Apostle, that the person called to it, should have the infallible knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, and this not wholly by the help of human means, as we do now learn knowledge at Schools of Learning, and by our own private study, but also and mainly by immediate inspiration from the Spirit of God: for, Paul showeth that the Gospel was not taught him of man; and this he saith not to depress human learning, and the knowledge of divine Mysteries, which we attain unto by the help of Learned-men, and of their Writings, this being the ordinary way of attaining knowledge now, 1 Tim. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 2. but, that hereby he may obviate the calumny of his adversaries, who alleged he had the knowledge of the Gospel by ordinary instruction from men only, and so was no Apostle; Neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, that is, it was immediately revealed unto him by Christ. 7. And this that Christ is opposed unto man, doth point at His Deity. See Vers. 1. Doct. 5.

Vers. 13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past, in the Jews Religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it: 14. And profited in the Jews Religion above many my equals in mine own Nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

BEcause the Argument presently mentioned, is most weighty, therefore the Apostle doth at large prosecute it, and giveth, in this Chapter, four Evidences of the truth of what he asserted in it, to wit, That neither the knowledge which he had of the Gospel was from human persuasion, or by ordinary means; nor yet his Call to preach the Gospel was from the suffrage of men, or any Authority conveyed by man; but both of them were immediately from God. The first Evidence, relating mainly to the first branch of the Assertion, is, The hostile mind which he carried against the Christian Church, while he was a Pharisee, Act. 26. 5. in persecuting and making havoc of it, ver. 13. together with the great measure of knowledge he had in that Religion which he did then profess, and of abilities to defend it beyond many of these who were equal in age with him, and his zeal and servour for his Religion, and the worst part of it, to wit, unwritten Traditions received from their fathers, without any ground in the written Word of God, Mat. 15. 3, 9. All which he speaketh as of a thing publicly known, ver. 14. leaving them to gather hence, that his so sudden change, from being so zealous, so deeply engaged, and every way so able a persecutor, • o embrace the Christian Religion, could not flow from human persuasion, or any ordinary means, but immediately from God. Doct. 1. It is a matter of no small difficulty; yea, and in an ordinary way almost impossible for a man, deeply engaged in a course of error, having kythed active for it, and endued with ability to defend it, to be reclaimed from his error, to embrace the way of Truth: for, Paul maketh his so deep engagements to the Pharisaical Errors, an evidence that his sudden change to Christianity did not flow from any ordinary mean, but was wrought immediately by God; For ye have heard, &c. 2. A sincere Convert will not shun to make an open and ingenuous confession of his wicked life, not omitting anything which may tend to the just aggravation of it: and this not in a boasting or a rejoicing manner, I am. 4. 16. but that here by the freedom of God's grace may be commended, 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14. and that other vile sinners, in their own eyes lost, may have encouragement from God's dealing with him to belie •• on Christ for life everlasting, 1 Tim. 1. 16. and that God's honor one way or other may be thereby brought about for, Paul doth ingenuously confess here, that in time p 〈…〉 he had persecuted the Church of God extremely, and wasted it; that he may thereby make evident that his conversion flowed from the immediate and extraordinary work of God, and so stopped the mouth of those who were adversaries to Truth. 3. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were endited by the Spirit of God, and that the Pen-men thereof were not acted with human policy, but immediately inspired by that unerring Spirit, appeareth from this, jointly with other evidences held forth in Scripture itself, that they concealed not their own faults, but blazed them to the world when the glory of God did so require, as Paul doth here; Beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, saith he. 4. This open and ingenuous confession of our bypast wicked life, is to be extended only unto sins already known, that hereby the public offense may be removed; but not to the making notour of such evils as have been keeped secret from the knowledge of others, the divulging whereof would but multiply scandals and stumbling-blocks, Rom. 2. 24. for, Paul confesseth only what they had already heard; Ye have heard of my conversation in time past. 5. There is no particular Church on earth, though never so famous for, and orthodox in, the point of Religion, who may not so far degenerate from what they once were, as that Religion both for Doctrine and Worship may be wholly corrupt, from which those, who would be saved, must deliver themselves quickly, and which God will not own for His, as not being prescribed by Him, but will father it on those who do profess it, as their Religion, and as invented by them: thus the Jews, once right in the point of Religion, Hos. 11. 12. had now, in Paul 's time, so far corrupted Religion in the doctrine of Justification, Rom. 10. 3. of the Trinity, Joh. 8. 9. of Manners, or of the Moral Law, as if it required nothing but external obedience, (Mat. 5, 6, 7. chapters) in asserting the authority of unwritten Traditions, and in worshiping God according to those, Mat. 15. 3, 9. and rejecting Jesus Christ the promised Messias, 1 Thess. 2. 15. that Paul seeth a necessity to quit that Religion, calling it theirs, not God's; My conversation in times past in the Jews Religion. 6. Crosses, afflictions and persecutions from wicked men, are the ordinary lot of God's Church and People: and this by reason of that enmity which is betwixt the seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent, Gen. 3. 15-. together with Satan's malice against the Church, Gen. 3. - 15. and his prevalent power over wicked men, whereby he inciteth and draweth them on by such inducements, as he knoweth will be most prevalent with the different tempers of those who are acted by him, Joh. 12. 6. compared with Mat. 26. 15. to be executioners of that his rage and malice, Rev. 20. 7, 8. and because of God's tolerance and permission, that thereby His Church may be tried, (Rev. 2. 10.) everyone, whether good or bad, being made to appear what really they are, Dan. 11. 32. and that by the sufferings of His People the way of Truth may be made more lovely, further spread, and more embraced by others, Act. 8. 4, 5, 6, &c. and that they may be also corrected for their bypast sins, as abused peace and prosperity, Judge. 10. 6, 7. and that hereby also they may be restrained from many sins in time coming, Isa. 27. 9. and this either by removing the opportunity of such sins through the rod, Hos. 2. 6. or by renewing the hearts of many through sanctifying grace, a greater measure whereof is bestowed usually by God upon His People under persecution and affliction (Hos. 2. 14, 15.) than at another time: thus, Paul persecuted the Church of God extremely. 7. Though the Church of God, as to the inward estate thereof, which standeth in Election and the fruits of saving Grace flowing therefrom, cannot be utterly wasted, Joh. 10. 28, 29: neither can the outward state of the visible Church be so far decayed, as that the visible Church should altogether cease to be, at least in all places, Mat. 16. -18. Yet the Lord may so far give way to the rage of persecutors, for the reasons mentioned in the former Doctrine, as that thereby the outward face and beauty of the visible Church shall be totally marred, the Members thereof being partly killed, Joh. 16. 2. partly scattered, Act. 8. 3, 4. the public Ordinances of divine Worship being altogether for a time suppressed, and the public Assemblies of the Church interrupted, Dan. 11. 31. Thus Paul wasted the Church: the word signifieth the vastation of Lands, burning of Houses, and utter depopulation of Countries, which use to be accomplished by an enraged prevalent enemy; I wasted it. 8. The Church of God may expect to meet with persecution and sufferings, not only from men avowedly wicked and openly flagitious, but also from others, whose carriage is smooth, free from scandal, and in all things, according to that false way of Religion which they profess, blameless: Satan laboreth most to have such engaged, and such being once engaged, are most bitter and implacable persecutors, as having some respect to conscience in other things, and being acted in this from the principles of a deluded conscience, Joh. 16. 2. which of all other ties, doth most strictly bind, and most effectually drive forward to fulfill its dictates, especially in things of religious concernment, Act. 13. 50. for, Paul, who profited in the Jews Religion above his equals, and was exceedingly zealous, did persecute the Church. 9. The life and way of some who are engaged in a false Religion, may be so blameless, and, according to the dictates of their deluded conscience, so strict, as that it may be a copy unto those, who profess the true Religion, and a reproof to many such for their palpable negligence: so was Paul 's way, while he was a Pharisee, even such, as may serve for a copy unto Christians to walk by in several things, as first, to be active in spreading the true Religion in our places and stations, and bearing down of contrary Errors, as he was in persecuting the Christian Church; because it was opposite to the Jewish Religion professed by him. Secondly, that what we do in Religion, or for God, we do it not negligently, but with all our might, Eccl. 9. 10. and to the uttermost of what our power can reach, as he did persecute the Church, not lazily, but above measure, or extremely. Thirdly, that we labor to profit, advance and grow in Religion, both as to the knowledge of Truth contained in it, Heb. 6. 1. and practice according to those Truths, 2 Pet. 1. 5. as he profited in the Jewish Religion. Fourthly, that in the matter of growth, there be an holy emulation and strife with others; that we may outstrip them, as he profited above many of his equal • . Fifthly, that we be zealous for our Religion, as having love to it, and to the honoring of God whether by ourselves or others according to it, Act. 15. 3. together with grief and anger when God is dishonored and Religion wronged, Joh. 2. 15, 16, 17. as Paul was zealous of the Traditions of his fathers: for, zeal hath in it a mixture of love and anger. Doct. 10. As love to the honor of God may engage a man sometimes to speak to his own commendation; So there would be that modesty and sobriety of spirit, as it may appear he doth not speak from arrogancy or pride, and that he seeketh not his own commendation in speaking: for, Paul commendeth his own diligence and abilities, that thereby he may commend Free-grace, which delivered him out of that state, but with great modesty: for, he saith not, he profited more than all, but more than many; and not, more than his superiors, but, more than his equals, to wit, for time and age, and those not in all the world, but of his own nation. 11. As our affections of joy, love, hatred, anger and grief, are by nature so corrupt (Eph. 2. 3.) that even the choicest of them, if they be not brought in subjection to the Word by the Spirit of God, will lay forth themselves rather upon forbidden and unlawful objects, than that which is warrantable and commanded by the Lord: So our zeal and fervency of spirit in particular, will bend itself more toward the maintenance of Error, than of Truth: for, Error is the birth of our own invention, Gal. 5. 20. and hath the rise from some unmortified lust within, which it doth gratify. (2 Tim. 4. 3.) so is not Truth: Thus Paul showeth that his zeal tended more to maintain that part of the Jewish Religion, which was unwarrantable, to wit, the unwritten Traditions, than all the rest of it; And was much more zealous of the Traditions of my fathers, saith he.

Vers. 15. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, 16. To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood; 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem, to them which were Apostles before me, but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damoscus.

HEre is a second Evidence of the truth of what he formerly asserted, ver. 11. and 12. to wit, that as God in His providence had been making way, both in Paul 's birth and education, for that which He had purposed to employ him in; so when it pleased God at the time of his gracious and effectual calling, ver. 15. to make Christ, and the doctrine of Redemption by Christ, known unto him by extraordinary and immediate revelation, Act. 9. 4. that as an Apostle, immediately called by God, ver. 1. he might publish the knowledge of Christ among the Gentiles; he was so much persuaded of his immediate Call from God, that he did not debate the matter neither with himself nor others, who might have dissuaded him from giving obedience to it, ver. 16, but immediately went about the discharging of his Apostolic Office, not without great hazard and pains to himself, in Arabia and Damascus, without so much as once visiting any of the Apostles, ver. 17. far less went he to be instructed in the knowledge of the Gospel by them, or to receive Ordination unto the Ministerial Office from them, as his adversaries did falsely allege of him, the falsehood whereof he is here making evident.

From Vers. 15. Learn, 1. Such is the power of God's good pleasure, whereby He doth whatsoever He willeth in Heaven and Earth, (Ps. 135. 6.) that the will of man, though never so deeply engaged in the course of sin and wickedness, cannot resist it, but most willingly doth yield unto it, whenever the Lord thinketh fit to let forth that His good pleasure in its gracious and powerful effects of drawing a sinner out of Nature to the state of Grace, as it appeareth from the adversative particle, But, whereby the Apostle opposeth God's pleasure to his own former weakness, as prevailing over it; But when it pleased God, &c. 2. The fountain-cause of man's salvation, and of all things tending to it, especially of his effectual calling, and of that, whereby he is made first to differ from another, is, God's good-pleasure, and nothing present (Eph. 2. 1.) or foreseen to be (Rom. 9. 11.) in the person, who is called: for, the Apostle ascribeth all of that kind in himself, to the pleasure of God; But when it pleased God to reveal His Son in me. 3. The disposing of events, or of things which shall fall out, together with the time when they shall fall out, are wholly ordered by God's will and pleasure: for, this pleasure of His, circumscribeth even the time of Paul 's calling; But when it pleased God, then, and neither sooner nor later, was Christ revealed to him. 4. The Lord, by His working in us, and particular acts of providence towards us, is often making way for some hid design and purpose of His about us, which for the time we are ignorant of, but when it appeareth by the event, a wonderful contexture of providences making way for it, and tending to it, is also manifested with it: Thus the Lord had separated Paul from the mothers womb, to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles; whereby is meant, that God was without Paul's knowledge, preparing him for that Office, by His providence about him from his very birth, as, that he was born of such parents, with such a bodily temper, fitted, as it would appear, to endure much travel and hardships, that he was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, that he was a Pharisee, instructed in all human and divine learning according to the Law, &c. 5. The effectual calling of the Elect in time, whereby they are drawn to Jesus Christ, Joh. 6. 44. and enabled to embrace Him as He is offered, 1 Tim. 1. 15. their minds being savingly illuminated, Act. 26. 18. and their wills renewed, Ezek. 36. 26. is, the work of God's almighty Power and Grace; in the first instant of which work, man doth only receive the impression from Grace, and hath no active influence in it, Eph. 2. 5. This doth Paul assert, while he saith, God called me by His Grace.

From Vers. 16. Learn, 1. However man, by the light of Nature, Rom. 2. 14, 15. and by the works of Creation (Rom. 1: 19, 20.) and Providence, (Psal. 19. 1.) may attain to know there is a God, and that this God should be served, (Act. 17. 23.) and will be terrible to those who serve Him not (Rom. 1. 23.) Yet the knowledge of Jesus Christ the Son of God, and of Redemption purchased to lost sinners through Him, is a thing which the greatest Wits, by the fore-mentioned helps, cannot reach, except it be revealed unto them, either by an ordinary or extraordinary revelation: for, even Paul had this knowledge by revelation; It pleased God to reveal His Son in me. 2. As there is an ordinary way of revealing Christ to souls, to wit, by the Word preached, (Rom. 10. 17.) and God's blessing upon the Word, 1 Cor. 3. 7. so there is another extraordinary, without the Word preached, whether by voice, instinct or apparition: This latter way was Christ revealed to Paul, as appeareth not only from the history of his conversion, Act. 9. and 22. chapters, but also from the expression here used, to reveal His Son, not, to, but, in me; whereby, as some conceive, is signified, that the grace and knowledge of Christ did from Heaven immediately break-in upon his soul. 3. The knowledge of Jesus Christ, which Ministers especially do receive from God, is not only for themselves, but that it may be communicated by them unto others: So that the Lord doth bestow the more liberally upon them for His Peoples sake, 2 Cor. 1. 4. Thus, God revealed His Son in Paul, that he might preach Him among the Heathen. 4. Though before Christ's coming in the flesh, the doctrine of Salvation was by God's appointment confined in narrow bounds, Psal. 147. 19, 20. Yet by Christ's death, the partition-wall was removed, and the division which was betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles, quite abolished, Eph. 2. 13. so that the doctrine of Salvation was to be spread among the Heathen; and this, that the Prophecies of the calling of the Gentiles might be fulfilled, Psal. 2. 8. Isa. 2. 2. That I should preach Him among the Gentiles, saith Paul. 5. The Call of God, whether to amendment and newness of life, or to undergo any lawful Office, especially an Office in His House, it being once known to be His Call, ought not to be shifted, but immediately and without delay obeyed, Heb. 3. 7, 8. because our life is uncertain, I am. 4. 14. we know not if we shall again get such an offer, Act. 13. 46. or, though we get a new offer, yet the longer we delay, there will be the greater indisposition to embrace it, Jer. 13. 23. for, this made Paul immediately to follow the Call of God; Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. 6. Because flesh and blood (whether thereby be meant carnal men, friends or any other, or our own carnal and natural reason) will furnish abundance of seeming reasons, either for questioning the reality of God's Call, or for not obeying, or at least for postponing obedience to His Call, chiefly when obedience to it doth carry hazard, loss, or probability of discredit with it, Mat. 16. 22. Therefore, in the things of God, and in the matter of obedience to the will of God, we are not to consult with flesh and blood, but once knowing what the will of God is, we are without deliberation, whether we shall obey or not, to put it in execution, committing all our cares and fears about the issue to God, Esth. 4. 16. for, Paul conferred not with flesh and blood: the word signifieth to lay down our cares and difficulties, as a burden, in some friends bosom; but he looked not on flesh and blood as a friend to be advised with in the present case.

From Vers. 17. Learn, 1. That extraordinary way of revelation, whereby the Lord made known His mind to the Penmen of Scripture, was so infallible in itself, and so evident to those unto whom it came, to be no delusion, but the very mind of God, that they were above all doubt to the contrary, and needed not so much as to advise with the best of men in order to their thorowconfirmation about the reality of it: for, Paul was so persuaded of his immediate Call from God to be an Apostle, and of the infallible truth of the Gospel, which was revealed unto him, that he did not consult with the very Apostles about it; Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me, to wit, that he might consult with them, and obtain a Permission or Commission from them to discharge his Office; otherwise it is probable, from Act. 12. 17. that Paul shortly after his conversion went to Jerusalem, going through it in his way to Arabia, but went not at that time to any of the Apostles, being discharged by God to stay any longer there. 2. There may be more ground of hope to bring the most wild and barbarous savages to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, than a people outwardly civilized living under the drop of Ordinances, and thereby inured to a form of godliness without the power thereof: for, Paul being commanded to make hast out of Jerusalem (there being no hopes that his Testimony would be received there, Act. 22. 18.) is sent to the wicked and savage Arabians; But I went to Arabia. 3. The Lord maketh sometimes the first piece of public service, which He putteth His Ministers upon, as hazardous, uncouth, and unsuccessful-like as any wherein He doth ever employ them afterwards; that hereby they may be taught to depend more on God's blessing, than upon any human probabilities for success to their pains, 2 Cor. 1. 9. and that they may give proof of the sincerity of their obedience to the Call of God, when no apparent hazard will make them repent their undertakings, Jer. 17. 16. and withal that they may, in the first entry, receive a proof of God's fidelity in bearing them through all hazards, which they may meet with in following of His Call, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Thus was it with Moses, Exod. 2. 10, &c. so was it with Jeremiah, Jer. 1. 19. and so here with Paul, whose first work, after God had called him to be an Apostle, was to preach the Gospel among the wicked and savage Arabians; I went to Arabia. 4. The Apostles by their Office, were not fixed or tied unto any certain Charge, as ordinary Ministers now are, Rev. 2. 1, 8. but their Charge being the whole World, Mat. 28. 19. they went from place to place, as the necessities of People required, (Rom. 1. 11.) rules of Providence (Rom. 15. 20.) or God by His Spirit did immediately direct, Act. 16. 9, 10. Thus Paul went unto Arabia, and returned again to Damascus, near to which he was converted, Act. 9. 3. at which time of his return, did fall out that hazard, wherein he was, from the Jews, mentioned Act. 9. 23, &c. for, the history showeth, it was many days after his conversion, and that immediately after his delivery from it, he went to Jerusalem and conversed familiarly with the Apostles, and therefore it could not have been before his journey to Arabia, else that history should contradict Paul himself, affirming here, that he went up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before him.

Vers. 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19. But other of the Apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's Brother.

HEre is a third Evidence, to wit, that three years after his conversion he went to Jerusalem, to give a familiar, serious and friendly visit to Peter, in token of mutual consent and agreement to one and the self-same Truth, which was preached by them both, but not that he might learn the knowledge of the Gospel from Peter, as his adversaries alleged: for, his abode with Peter, was but for fifteen days only, ver. 18. And lest any should object, that he had been taught at that time by some other Apostle, he showeth he saw no other Apostle there but James, and that he did see him only, as it were, upon the by: which James, was not the son of Zebedee, who was beheaded by Herod, Act. 12. 2. but the son of Alpheus, Mat. 10. 3. who either himself, or his wife, hath been of kindred with Mary the mother of Jesus. Hence James their son is here called the Lord's Brother, according to the custom of the Hebrews, who called men of the same kindred and blood, Brethren, Gen. 13. 8. Doct. 1. That nothing of Peter's supposed supremacy over Paul and the rest of the Apostles can be gathered from this place, as the Papists do allege, appeareth from this, that Paul went first to his Work before he came to Peter at all, and that his business with Peter, was not to receive ordination from him, or to evidence his subjection to him, but from the respect and reverence he carried to him, to give him a friendly visit; Besides that, it is the Apostle's scope in a great part of this Epistle, to show that he was nothing inferior to Peter, or to any other of the Apostles. 2. We ought so to spend our time for diligence and faithfulness in our stations, that we may be able to give a good account how time hath been spent both for days and years: Paul giveth such an account, while he showeth he preached three years in Arabia and Damascus, and after stayed in Jerusalem fifteen days; Then after three years I went up and abode fifteen days. 3. It ought to be the endeavor of Christ's Ministers to entertain love and familiarity one with another, as also to make their so doing evident unto others; it being most unseemly for those who preach the Gospel of Peace unto others, to live in discord among themselves: for, Paul went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, as for other reasons, so that hereby he might evidence that love and harmony which was between them. 4. The Lord doth so direct the steps of those who do acknowledge Him in all their ways, Prov. 3. 6. that His glory and their good is sometimes eminently brought about by some of the ordinary passages of their life, even beyond their own intention or purpose: as here Paul 's deferring to go to Jerusalem for the space of three years, his abode there only fifteen days, and his seeing none of the Apostles there save Peter and James, do serve as an evidence to refute that calumny of his adversaries against his Doctrine and Office, and hath been ordered so of God for that end; although Paul in the mean time knew not so much, being then ignorant that ever he should meet with such a calumny. 5. As Ministers may and ought to meet sometimes together, to evidence and entertain mutual love and concord, and because of that mutual inspection which they ought to have one of another; So their meetings ought neither to be so frequent, or of so long continuance, as that thereby their Flocks may suffer prejudice: for, the word importeth that this was a serious visit, and about serious things, made by Paul to Peter, and yet he remained with him but a short time until he returned to his Charge again; He went to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Vers. 20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

THe Apostle, having to do with adversaries, and some also amongst the seduced Galatians, who gave not much credit to his Word, asserteth the truth of all he hath said, and is to say, in matter of fact, through the whole Epistle, and confirmeth it by an oath, where, according to the use of Scripture else-where, he expresseth but one principal part of an oath, to wit, a confession of God's presence and power to witness and judge the Truth, and includeth the other parts, such as our invocation of God to bear witness that we speak the truth, 2 Cor. 1. 23. and imprecation, that God would be a Judge to take revenge upon us, if we lie, Ruth 1. 17. Doct. 1. The Spirit of God in Scripture hath not left us destitute of sufficient evidences to be found in Scripture itself, from whence the truth of it may be made out, and all atheistical doubtings to the contrary removed, among which this is one, the solemn Oath of those who write it, being men otherwise godly and worthy of trust, attesting the truth thereof, and taking God to witness against their own soul, if they did lie in what they wrote; Behold, before God, I lie not. 2. The choicest Servants of Christ may be looked upon as liars, and unworthy to be trusted, even by those to whom they are sent: and yet they must not give over to preach, as knowing the Word spoken by them doth still get credit from some, 2 Cor. 2. 15. and will beget trust to itself from others, whom God hath ordained to be saved, Act. 13. 48. and for the rest, it will seal up their condemnation and make them inexcusable, 2 Cor. 2. 16. for, Paul his purging of himself from lying, doth import some did suspect him for a liar, and yet he ceaseth not to take pains upon them; I lie not. 3. It is not unlawful for Christians under the New Testament to take an Oath, providing it be with these conditions, 1. That the thing which we swear be truth; so was it in Paul 's Oath; I lie not. 2. That there be weighty reasons for taking an Oath; so was it here, the glory of God, the dignity of his Apostleship, which was questioned by his adversaries; the confirmation of the Faith of those Galatians, and of all Christians, as to the truth of the things asserted, did call upon Paul to swear. 3. That we swear only by the Name of God, and not by the creatures, Zeph. 1. 5. seeing none but God can bear witness to the secrets of his heart who doth swear, Act. 15. 8. So did Paul, Behold, before God. 4. That we do not swear rashly, but with great attention, preparation and reverence, seeing an Oath is a kind of invocation, 2 Cor. 1. 23. and a part of divine Worship, Deut. 6. 13. Thus Paul prefixeth to his Oath a word of attention, Behold, before God, I lie not.

Vers. 21. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Silicia, 22. And was unknown by face unto the Churches of Judea, which were in Christ. 23. But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the Faith which once be destroyed. 24. And they glorified God in me.

FOlloweth a fourth Evidence to the truth of what he asserted, ver. 11, 12. to wit, That after he was driven from Jerusalem by persecution, Act. 9. 29, 30. he discharged his Apostolic Office in Syria and Silicia his own Country, (Act. 21. 39.) ver. 21. and this with the approbation of the Christian Churches in Judea, who, although he was unknown unto them, ver. 22. and though they had heard by fame, that he was the man who had formerly been a bloody persecutor; Yet, God did so bless the very report which they had of his Calling to preach, as an Apostle, and consequently of his miraculous Conversion, ver. 23. as they could not deny them to be divine, as appeared by their acknowledging of God's mercy and power manifested in them, and by their thanksgiving to God for them, ver. 24. Doct. 1. Though not one of the Apostles was universal Pastor and Bishop of the whole World above the rest, seeing all of them were endued with equal Authority by Christ, Mat. 20. 26, 27. Yet, if this illimited power were to be pleaded-for unto any of them, there should be more pretence of reason for placing of it in Paul, than in Peter, or any of the rest; Paul being particularly ordained to be the Apostle of the Gentiles, Act. 9. 15. and acknowledged heartily by the Jews to be so, and having actually discharged his Office far and near, as in Arabia, and then in Damascus, ver. 17. and now in Syria and Silicia, as also at Rome, Act. 23. 11. and having been the first planter almost of all the primitive Christian Churches among the Gentiles, as appeareth from the history of the Acts, and Paul 's own Epistles; and all this he did by immediate Authority from Jesus Christ, ver. 16. and was not sent out by Peter, as his Deputy or Suffragan, but in all things was his Equal, chap. 2. ver. 6, 7, 8. So little ground have the Papists to plead that Peter was universal Pastor above all the rest, and much less, that the Pope is Peter's Successor in this Charge; Afterwards I came into the regious of Syria and Silicia. 2. A faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, will labor mainly to be known unto, and acquainted with the People of his own Charge, not ingyring himself upon the Charge of others, or laboring so much as indirectly to draw the affections of People towards himself from those who are their own Pastors, and particularly entrusted with the actual charge of their souls: thus Paul was unknown by face unto the Churches of Judea, as not having conversed familiarly with them, though he had sometimes occasion to be among them in his frequent going to, and returning from Jerusalem, and that because they were a part of Peter's charge, chap. 2. ver. 7. Doct. 3. Immediately, or very soon after Christ's Death and Resurrection the preaching of the Gospel hath been marvelously blessed, in converting of numerous multitudes to Jesus Christ; yea, and more blessed than readily it hath been in any age of the Church since, whereof this is one evidence amongst many other, which are in the history of the Acts, and in Paul 's Epistles, that at this time whereof Paul writeth, which is supposed to be the fourth or fifth year after Christ's Ascension, there were several Christian Churches planted with Officers, and constituted according to the Rule of the Gospel, even in Judea amongst that people, who had hardened their hearts against the light, Mat. 13. 15. and rejected and crucified the Lord of life, 1 Thess. 2. 15. The Gospel was then new, and fresh, the Preachers of it unanimous among themselves, the Truths insisted upon most by them, were such as did relate to Faith in Christ, and Repentance from dead works, and the most necessary duties of a Christian-life, besides that God's design was to bring the Gospel once in credit and request with a blinded and idolatrous World at the first breaking-up thereof, and therefore the preaching of it was attended with more success, and a richer blessing at that time than ordinarily it hath been since; Unto the Churches in Judea. 4. Not only particular Believers, but also whole visible Churches, are in Christ, though in a much different way: real Believers are in Him savingly, so, as to be freed from condemnation by Him, Rom. 8. 1-. being knit to Him by the band of saving Faith, Eph. 3. 17. and receiving the influence of saving graces from Him, Joh. 7. 38, 39. Again, visible Churches are in Christ in the respects presently mentioned, only as to the better part of them, and with regard had to real Believers, who always are among them: but besides this, the whole bulk of visible Churches, and of visible Church-members, are in Christ, so, as they enjoy from Him outward privileges and divine Ordinances, Psa. 147. 19, 20. the communication of common gifts from the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 12. 8. and some measure of divine protection more than the rest of the world, Isa. 27. 2, 3. and these all by virtue of their union with Him; the bond whereof, is, the profession of His Name, and of those substantial Truths which relate unto Him either personally or parentally; which external union betwixt Christ and the visible Church, is sealed up by Baptism; The Churches of Judea, which were in Christ. 5. Such power hath Christ over the hearts of very enemies, so deep are His engagements to enlarge His own Kingdom, (Psal. 2. 9.) that before means and instruments be deficient for the propagation of the Gospel. He will turn the hearts of desperate enemies, and make most bitter persecutors to be eminent, lively, and painful Preachers: so was it here, He who persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed. 6. How patient ought the Church of Christ to be under saddest persecutions, and how far from base despondency of spirit, as if her case were wholly desperate and remediless, seeing Jesus Christ at an instant can carry captive her chiefest adversaries, and make them to be her stoutest friends, as appeareth from this, He who persecuted us, now preacheth. 7. As godless persecutors propose unto themselves no less than the total overthrow and rooting-out of Truth, though neither Men nor Devils shall be ever able to effectuate it, Mat. 16. 18. so men may look, if they repent not, Luke 13. 3. to be justly charged with the guilt of all that evil, which once they intended, as if they had actually accomplished it, although it was without their reach so to do: for, that Faith, or Doctrine of Faith (as Tit. 1. 13.) which Paul at this time did preach, is said once to have been destroyed by him; because he aimed at no less; and his sin before God was no less than if he had done it, although the Lord in mercy did pardon it, 1 Tim. 1. 13. Now preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed. 8. We ought so to look upon notable changes which do fall out, whether in particular persons or public societies, whether to the better or the worse, as that we may see somewhat of God manifested in them, either His Justice or Mercy, Wisdom or Power, someone Attribute of His or other, and so as we may give a suitable return, whether of fear or joy, thankfulness or admiration, or of any other sanctified frame of spirit and holy performance, for which, such a manifestation calleth: for, those Christians in Judea, did so look upon this notable change in Paul, as to see God's mercy and power manifested in it, and accordingly with joy, did give God thanks: so much is imported in this, They glorified God in me, saith he. 9. Whensoever God is pleased to make a man instrumental, whether for our own particular good, or the more public benefit of Christ's Church, as we would not be ingrateful unto the instruments themselves, Judge. 9. 16, &c. so neither are we to rest upon them, ascribing the praise of what they do to them, but as we would not provoke the Lord to smite them, or at least to make them useless to us, 1 Cor. 4. 6. we are to look unto God more than them, ascribing the praise of what they do unto Him, as that which is His proper right and due: so do they ascribe to God the praise of any good, which Paul did by his preaching; They glorified God in me, or, concerning me. 10. The more that God hath made it convincingly, and from clear evidences, manifest to the conscience of His People, that a Work is owned and approven by Him, and hath drawn an acknowledgement from them to that purpose unto His own praise, it aggregeth the sin of those the more, who would afterwards question or deny that Work to be His: for, the Apostle's scope, in part, is, to aggrege the sin of his adversaries, who denied him to be an Apostle immediately sent from Jesus Christ, and that the Doctrine preached by him was the Truth of God, from this, that the Churches in Judea were convinced of the contrary, and had acknowledged so much long since, to the praise of God, by giving glory unto Him on Paul 's behalf, so that those Galatians and the false Apostles, were guilty of obscuring the glory of God, shining forth in his Conversion and Office, which was already acknowledged by others; And they glorified God in me.

Vers. 1. THen fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem, with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

THe Apostle, first, mentioneth another journey of his to Jerusalem, together with the time, when, and the companions with whom he went, and that extraordinary Instinct and Command from God, which moved him to undertake that journey, ver. 1, 2—And secondly, showeth that when he came to Jerusalem, he did privately communicate the Doctrine which he had preached among the Gentiles, to the most eminent of the Apostles; that by their subscribing unto it, as to the same with that which themselves did preach, his bypast and future labors might have the more success, which (as it seemeth) was in hazard to be much retarded by the calumnies of his adversaries, affirming that the other Apostles did not approve of the Doctrine which he preached ver. -2. So that here is a fifth Evidence, that both his Doctrine and Office were divine; in that not only they were such as might abide the censure of the other Apostles, but also that he in the course of his Ministry was singularly owned and approved of by God, as being directed by immediate revelation from Him. Doct. 1. It pleaseth the Lord often, in mercy toward His Church, to preserve the lives of profitable Instruments for His Work for a long time, notwithstanding of all the endeavors of Men and Devils to the contrary: for, Paul, whose blood was much thirsted after, and whose hazards were so many in several places, and from several hands, (2 Cor. 11. 26.) is yet preserved, in despite of all, in the free exercise of his Ministry, for the space at least of fourteen years together, even though the space of time here mentioned were to be reckoned from his first conversion, which yet some do reckon from the third year following, to wit, the time mentioned, Chap. 1. ver. 18. Then fourteen years after I went up, &c. 2. It may be sometimes lawful; yea, and necessary also, for a Minister, to go abroad from the Flock committed to his charge for a season, to wit, when and where the glory of God in defense of Truth, and in removal of what may mar the edification of the Lord's People, doth call him: for, Paul here taketh journey to Jerusalem, leaving the Gentiles for a season, who were his own more proper Charge, Act. 9. 15. that his consent in Doctrine with the other Apostles might be made evident, and so the edification of those, to whom he did preach, more advanced; I went up to Jerusalem, saith he, and that lest I should run in vain. Jerusalem was seated on a mountain, and compassed with mountains, Psal. 125. 1, 2. whence it is said he went up to it. 3. It is the part of all, and especially of Christ's Ministers, the moe they are who mark their steps, and mis-represent their actions, to walk the more circumspectly; that so far as is possible, the mouth of adversaries may be stopped, 2 Cor. 11. 12. Thus Paul, being to make it evident that the other Apostles did approve the Doctrine preached by him, taketh with him Barnabas and Titus as two witnesses, according to the Law, sufficient (Deut. 17. 6.) to give testimony to the Apostles what Doctrine he had preached to the Gentiles; and again to testify to the Gentiles that consent, which was betwixt him and the Apostles; And this, lest his adversaries might have objected that he had lied in both, or either of these; With Barnabas, and took with me Titus also. 4. Though we are not now to expect immediate revelations from God, whether for direction in one duty, or information of future events, such as were in use before the Canon of the Scripture was completed, and the gift of extraordinary Prophecy had ceased, Heb. 1. 1. Yet seeing the written Word is given unto us as a complete Rule both for Faith (Joh. 20. 31.) and Manners, (2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.) and as that which may abundantly supply the defect or want of all those extraordinary ways, whereby God did make known His mind unto His People then, Heb. 1. 1. Therefore we ought to advise with God's Will, revealed in Scripture, and regulate all our actions, motions and journeys according to it, both for the lawfulness and expediency of what we undertake, Psal. 119. 9. that thus while we acknowledge God in all our ways, He may direct our paths, Prov. 3. 6. Thus Paul advised with God in his journey: for, he went up by revelation; in place whereof, as said is, we have the written Word now. 5. How little ground the Papists have to infer from Paul 's practice here, that the Church of Rome, and particularly the Pope, the head thereof, is the supreme Judge upon Earth of all questions pertaining to Religion; and that all Preachers, after Paul 's example, should submit their Doctrine to be tried and judged by Peter's Successor, appeareth from this, passing-by other things, that Paul did not submit his Doctrine to be judged by Peter, or by any other, as if he had been either inferior to them, or uncertain of the truth of that which he had preached: both which had been contrary to Paul 's scope, which, as said is, was to evidence, that both his Doctrine and Office were immediately from God: Neither will the words bear further than that he did in a friendly and brotherly manner acquaint them with the Doctrine preached by him, that their approbation being given unto it, the mouth of adversaries might be stopped: for, the word, rendered to communicate, signifieth to make anything known to another in a familiar and friendly way, which in strict Law we are not bound to. See Act. 25. 14. where the same word is used: And communicated unto them. 6. Though the Minister of Jesus Christ is not to depend upon the approbation of others for confirmation of his Doctrine, as if he himself were uncertain of the truth thereof, before their testimony be added to it, chap. 1. ver. 8. Yet he is not to be so self-willed as to misregard what others do judge or think of what he preacheth, but ought to dimit himself so far, as, when there is necessity, he may give a friendly account unto others of the Doctrine preached by him; that so, if it be possible, mistakes arising through misinformation, may be removed, and the joint consent of others to the truth of what he preacheth may be obtained: thus Paul, that he might gain their approbation, did communicate unto the Apostles that Gospel which be preached among the Gentiles. 7. When the approbation of others is sought after unto any action or deed, Christian candor will, and ordinary prudence may teach a man to report the matter of fact truly, which he would have approved of; lest otherwise an approbation surreptitiously required, and given upon misinformation and through mistake, may, upon a discovery, tend unto the informer's greater prejudice: for, Paul here, being to gain the approbation of the Apostles unto his Doctrine, did give them a faithful account of that same Doctrine which he had preached: I communicated that Doctrine which I preach among the Gentiles. 8. It tendeth in no small measure to uphold the credit of a man's Ministry against his adversaries, that in his Doctrine he hath been always constant to himself, without wavering or contradicting of himself in anything, which he did ever vent for Truth; providing always, that he be constant in the Truth: for, constancy in Error, is nothing else but obstinacy; and to retract an Error, is praise-worthy, Philip. 3. 7. Thus Paul, that he may further stop the mouth of adversaries, showeth the Doctrine which he did preach from the beginning of his Ministry, and whereof he did give an account to the Apostles, was the same which he did presently preach, while he saith, I communicated unto them the Gospel which I preach. It is a word of the present time. 9. As there are always some in the Church of God, who for their place, graces or parts, have deservedly more of reputation than others: so Christian prudence will teach a man to be so far from striving against the stream and current of common fame and universal applause, by laboring to discountenance or oppose without necessity, those who are so deservedly applauded unto; that he will endeavor, by giving due respect unto them, to receive approbation from them, whereby he may be in a better capacity to do good unto others, as being approved-of by such: for, Paul at Jerusalem addresseth himself to those that were of reputation, to wit, James, Peter and John (ver. 9.) who, though in their Apostolic Power they were but equal with the other Apostles, 1 Cor. 9. 5. Yet because of their age, gravity and some other respects, were generally more esteemed of, than the rest; and this he did for gaining of their approbation to his Office and Doctrine: that so he might not run in vain; I went up, saith he, to them that were of reputation, &c. 10. There is much prudency required in the public debating of controverted Truths in Religion, neither would it be ventured upon without necessity, and until all other private means for composing of differences be first assayed, Act. 15. 28. lest thereby unnecessary doubts and scruples be created in the vulgar sort, who do often prove but unskillful Judges in weighty and intricate Questions: thus Paul, while this controversy was but yet in its birth, did not make any public noise of it, communicating the matter but privately to them that were of reputation. 11. It is the part of a faithful Minister, not only to preach the Gospel, and go about all the other parts of his Ministerial Office faithfully and painfully, and so as he may be approven unto the consciences of all, 2 Tim. 4. 5. but he must be also solicitous about the success of his pains towards those among whom he laboreth: for, so was Paul, who compareth his continual labors and painfulness in his Ministry to running in a race, and yet was careful, lest he had run in vain, that is, lest his labors had wanted fruit among the hearers; for otherwise, and as to the end intended to be brought about by God, 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. or as to the promised reward Isa. 49. 4. the work of a faithful Minister is never in vain; Lest by any means I should run in vain, saith he. 12. Nothing marreth the good and success of the Gospel among the hearers more than difference of judgments, and strites and debates about these differences among the eminent Preachers thereof: for, hereby are people carried unto schisms, 1 Cor. 1. 12. the Truth of God received with respect to persons, 1 Cor. 4. 6. and atheism given way to by many, as resolving to believe nothing till Preachers agree among themselves, Act. 18. 17. and many stumbling-blocks casten before people of all sorts by the venting of passions, jealousies, animosities, and sometimes a spirit of revenge, which do usually accompany such divisions, 2 Cor. 12. 20. for, Paul showeth he endeavored so much to get the joint consent of the other Apostles, to the Doctrine preached by him, lest by the calumnies of his adversaries, who affirmed that Paul did differ from the rest, his preaching and other pains should have been useless; Lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

Vers. 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

HEre is a sixth Evidence, especially of the truth of his Doctrine, to wit, that in the point controverted, betwixt him and his adversaries, the other Apostles did join with Paul, judging Circumcision to be a thing indifferent, and not of absolute necessity to Salvation, else they would have required Titus to be circumcised, which they did not, but received him in fellowship with them, though he was an uncircumcised Greek. Doct. 1. Amongst those controversies which did very early trouble the Christian Church, this, concerning the necessity of observing Circumcision, and the rest of those Levitical Ordinances, was one, which appeareth (as from several other Scriptures, Act. 15. 1, 2. so) from this, where Paul, mentioning how the Apostles joined with him in that controversy, which was betwixt him and his adversaries, doth give the instance in Circumcision; Neither Titus was compelled to be circumcised. 2. Though Circumcision, and the rest of those Levitical Ordinances, were necessarily to be observed by virtue of a divine Precept, Gen. 17. 10, &c. and as the external part of Worship then prescribed, Heb. 9. 10. until Christ should come in the flesh, and offer-up Himself a Sacrifice upon the Cross, Eph. 2. 15. Yet, after he was come, they were abolished, and all necessity to observe them, through virtue of a divine precept, removed: the body being come, the shadow did evanish, Col. 2. 17. the Jews and Gentiles were then to be united in one People, and so that partition-wall was to be removed, Eph. 2. 14, 15. the Church also then, to wit, under the New Testament, was bound to believe, and accordingly to profess, that Christ had already come in the flesh, & offered-up a perfect and satisfactory Sacrifice to God, which was wholly inconsistent with the observing of those Legal Ceremonies and Sacrifices, which by virtue of divine institution did serve mainly for types and figures of Christ to come, Heb. 8. 5. and 9. 8, 9. for, because of those reasons, the Apostles did admit of Titus, a Greek, to their fellowship, not requiring him to be circumcised; But neither Titus was compelled to be circumcised. 3. It is not unlawful, but a duty incumbent to those who are in place, not only to enjoin attendance upon, and practicing of the external commanded duties of Divine Worship, but also by rebuke and other Church-censures, to constrain and urge those who are disobedient: for, Paul maketh the Apostles their not compelling of Titus to be circumcised, an evidence that they did not judge Circumcision at that time to be a part of commanded Worship, which imports, if they had thought otherwise, they would have compelled him to it (to wit) by the force of Church-censures; for they had not the power of the Magistrate to compel him by pecunial mulcts, imprisonment, or such like; But neither Titus was compelled to be circumcised. 4. From this it followeth, that the Civil Magistrate may constrain men, by inflicting of corporal punishments, to go about the external duties of commanded Worship, in case that more gentle means do not prevail: for, if constraining by Ecclesiastic-censures be not unlawful, nor a tyranny over the consciences of men, constraining by Civil-censures, must be lawful also: now that men may be compelled by the former, as said is, is here supposed, while he saith, Neither Titus was compelled to be circumcised.

Vers. 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5. To whom we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.

HE giveth the reason, why Titus was not compelled to be circumcised, to wit, because some, called here false brethren, as having been urgers of the necessity of Circumcision, and of the other Levitical Ordinances, and were brought in to be members of the Church at Jerusalem by fraud, and through reason of their large pretences to piety, whereby they covered their heretical spirits for the time: for, so much doth the word, rendered unawares brought in, hold forth: these men, I say, had secretly conveyed themselves to that meeting, which Paul had with the other Apostles: and this of purpose to try if Paul would stand to the defense of that liberty from the Ceremonial Law before the Apostles, which he had preached among the Gentiles, as a part of Christ's purchase: which if he had not done, but ceded to them in that one particular of circumcising Titus, then they would have triumphed over Paul, among the Gentiles, as if he had recanted before the Apostles; and so would have endeavored to bring back the Apostles, Gentiles, and the whole Church, to the bondage of the Ceremonial Law, ver. 4. Therefore was it that neither Paul, nor the other Apostles, would yield to the importunate desire of these false brethren, no not for an hour, that is, in using of Circumcision but that once; and that because, this had been to subject the Apostles, and their Doctrine in the Truth controverted, to their adversaries; which the Apostles did resolutely withstand, that so the Doctrine of the Gospel might remain sincere and uncorrupt among the Churches of Christ, and particularly among the Galatians, ver. 5.

From Vers. 4. Learn, 1. Though the Ceremonial Law of Moses was abolished by Christ's coming in the flesh; (See upon vek. 3. doct. 2.) Yet the use and practice thereof was not in itself sinful, but indifferent for a time, chiefly to the Jews, and in some points at least; the Lord from respect to that, which was once His own Ordinance, and from condescendence to the weakness of the Jews, who being educated in the practice of these Levitical Ordinances, could not be so soon convinced of their being laid aside, did proceed slowly to the total abrogation of them, removing first the tie of necessity through virtue of a divine precept, whereby they were obliged to observe them, and leaving for a time the practice lawful and indifferent, until the Doctrine of the Gospel and freedom from that yoke by Jesus Christ, might be sufficiently cleared, the term whereof is affixed for the most part to be the destruction of Jerusalem both of City and Temple by the Romans, whereby the most obstinate in it, considering that Christ had now suffered, might have been convinced that an end was put to the Jewish Policy, both Civil and Ecclesiastic, by God; after which time, the use of the Ceremonial Law was not only dead and unprofitable, but also deadly and damnable: thus the Apostles did not compel Titus to be circumcised; not as if the use of Circumcision had been at that time simply and in itself unlawful and sinful: for, Paul himself did circumcise Timothy upon grave and weighty considerations, much about, and probably after that time, Act. 16. 3. but because that false brethren, then present, would have made bad use of their doing otherwise, to the prejudice of the Gospel; And that because of false brethren, &c. 2. Though the practice of the Ceremonial Law was for that time a thing in itself indifferent; Yet (which also holds, of all other things in their own nature indifferent, 1 Cor. 8. 9, 10, &c.) it might not always and upon all occasions lawfully, and without sin be practiced, but the practice thereof was to be ruled according to charity and prudence; So that in the case of giving scandal by the neglect thereof to the weak and infirm, it was to be practiced, as Paul did, Act. 16. 3. but in case of hardening the obstinate, and confirming them in their opinion of its necessity to Salvation, and thereby giving the adversaries of Truth advantage against the Truth by the practice thereof, it was to be foreborn: for, the Apostles here, did not circumcise Titus, because of false brethren, brought in unawares, who would have taken advantage from the practice of the Apostles, if they had circumcised him, to bring the Church of Christ again into bondage. 3. It hath been the Churches lot in all times and all places, to have a mixture of wheat and tares, regenerate and unregenerate, godly and profane in it: even the Church which was planted and governed by the Apostles themselves, had false brethren: for, saith Paul, Because of false brethren unawares brought in. 4. Heretical spirits, not only can, but usually do so far dissemble their Errors, 2 Pet. 〈◊〉 . -1- and pretend so much to piety, thereby to gain respect and credit, 2 Tim. 3. 5. that the most quick-sighted of men will readily be deceived by them, taking them for the just contrary of that which they really are, until they find an opportune time to discover themselves: Thus, those false brethren were brought in unawares, to wit, to the Church at Jerusalem; they carried the matter so handsomely, what by dissembling their Errors, what by their pretences to Piety, that the Apostles themselves, acting as ordinary Ministers in the admission of Church-members, (Act. 6. 3, &c.) could see nothing for which to stumble at them, or reject them. 5. Heretical spirits are most active, vigilant, and so effronted as to ingyre themselves upon the most private Societies and Fellowships of others, if their presence may contribute anything to advance their pernicious Errors: Thus those false brethren do intrude themselves upon that meeting, which Paul had with the other Apostles, though it was but of few, and private, ver. 2. Who came in privately to spy out our liberty. 6. It is too too usual for many, to frequent the meetings of God's People and Servants, not that they may be edified from them; but that they may find occasion to carp at what they hear, and make bad use of it to the prejudice of Christ's Servants, and to their own further confirmation in a sinful course, who carry about their own judgment with them, they come to ensnare others, and the Word of the Lord proveth a snare unto them, Ezek. 14. 4. Thus those false brethren came in privately to spy out their liberty, resolving whatever had been done, they should have ground from it to make Paul invidious; if Titus had been circumcised, they were ready to traduce him to the Gentiles, as a man who preached one thing to them, and practiced the contrary among the Apostles; if he had not been circumcised, they had ground to incense the Jews against him, as a contemner of that divine Ordinance. 7. Jesus Christ having by that only Sacrifice of Himself upon the Cross, fulfilled all those Legal Types and Shadows of things to come, Heb. 8. 5. and 9. 9. hath purchased liberty unto the Christian Church, and made them fully free from the observation of those Levitical Ceremonies, chap. 5. 1. hence this freedom is called Our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus. 8. The Ceremonial Law of Moses was a great bondage, and most burdensome yoke (Act. 15. 10.) to the ancient Church, what through the multitude of performances which were thereby enjoined; some whereof were extremely expensive. Lev. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. chapters, others painful and hazardous to the natural life, Gen. 34. 25. and others most wearisome to the flesh, Deut. 16. 16. and what through the punctual observance of all those Ordinances enjoined under most terrible Certifications, Deut. 27. 26. for, the Apostle calleth the return of the Christian Church to the observation of the Ceremonial Law, which was endeavored by those false brethren, a bringing of them unto bondage; That they might bring us unto bondage.

From Vers. 5. Learn, 1. When things in themselves indifferent, are urged as necessary, and required as an evidence of our assent unto an untruth, or quitting of any part of Truth, in that case, which is indeed a case of confession, the practice of a thing indifferent, is sinful, and to be abstained from: for, so did the false brethren urge the Circumcision of Titus, even as an evidence of Paul's receding from the Doctrine of Christian Liberty, and therefore he obeyed them not; To whom we gave place, no not for an hour. 2. Though much may be done for comopsing of Church-differences, by using all meekness and forbearance towards those who oppose themselves, 2 Tim. 2. 25. acting jointly with them in those things, wherein there is an harmonious agreement, Phil. 3. 16. holding off public debates in those things, whereabout the difference is, Rom. 14. 5. providing they be not of the most weighty and substantial Truths, Gal. 5. 2, 3. Yet we are not for peace's cause to quit the least part of Truth, whether by a formal denying of it, or doing that which in reason may and ought to be so expounded: thus Paul, who for lawful ceding did become all things to all men, 1 Cor. 4. 19, &c. would not give place by way of subjection, so as to yield the cause controverted to the adversaries, neither would he do anything, though never so little, and in its own nature indifferent, which might be an evidence of his yielding; To whom we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour: he would not use Circumcision, no not that once, he would not cede one hair breadth to them. 3. A Minister of Christ, when he is called to confess and avow Truth, hath not only his own peace with God, and keeping of a good conscience to look unto, 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. but also the condition of his Flock, who will be much shaken or confirmed in the Truth, by his faint, or bold and faithful confession: Thus Paul, in the present business, had an eye to the converted Gentiles, of whom were these Galatians, lest their Faith had been shaken by his inconstancy; We gave not place, faith he, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you. 4. It is not enough that people have the name of the Gospel among them, of some Truths of it being mixed with several Errors, but all, and especially Ministers, should endeavor to have the Gospel in purity and integrity, free from any mixture of contrary Errors; for, a little leaven (to which Error is compared, Mat. 16. 12.) leaveneth the whole lump. 1 Cor. 5. 6. Thus it was Paul's endeavor that the truth of the Gospel might continue with them, that is, the whole Doctrine of the Gospel not corrupted with any Error.

Vers. 6. But of these, who seemed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man's person) for they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me.

FOlloweth a seventh Evidence, that both Paul's Doctrine and Office were divine, containing the event of that meeting which he had with the Apostles, in three things; the first whereof, is in this Verse, to wit, that of these, or from those who were looked upon as chief among the Apostles, of whom Paul's adversaries did boast, as if they had been his superiors, Paul had learned nothing (which last words, or some such like, are to be supplied for making out the sentence) and because their personal prerogatives such as that they had seen Christ in the flesh, were Apostles, when he was a persecutor, might have been objected to his prejudice; he showeth these were not to be taken notice of by him, neither would be taken notice of by God, whose judgment is not swayed by anything which is extrinsical, and belongeth not to the cause in hand; and therefore their being Apostles before him, would not make his Office or Doctrine more uncertain, or less divine than theirs; seeing he was an Apostle now, as well as they, and his Doctrine such as could not be questioned by themselves: for, after that conference, wherein he related to them the Gospel preached by him, they corrected nothing and added nothing to what he had said, but approved all. Doct. 1. It is nothing contrary to, but agreeth very well with Christians modesty and humility, for a man to speak to his own commendation in some cases; especially when he laboreth under reproach, and when the honor of God and the Gospel do also suffer with him: for, Paul avoweth that he learned nothing from the chief Apostles, and was not in anything inferior to them; because if he had yielded to the contrary, his adversaries would presently have retorted that he was no Apostle, but, at the most, an ordinary Preacher, and his Doctrine in time bypast had been erroneous; But of these, or from those, who seemed to be somewhat, supply (for making out the sense) I learned nothing; which Paul concealeth in modesty, it being that part of the phrase which should have expressed his praise most, and leaveth it to be supplied by the reader from the scope of the purpose, and from the like expression in the close of the verse: The like form of speaking is used, 1 Chron. 4. 10. Oh that thou wouldest, &c. or, If thou wouldest. 2. It is not unusual for heretical spirits, to cry-up some of Christ's faithful Ministers above the rest, and so to have the persons of men in admiration; and this not from any respect to them, but for their own advantage, Jude, ver. -16. as hereby rendering those, whom they so cry-up, suspect of favoring their Error, and bearing down the rest with the pretended show of their authority: Thus Paul's adversaries did extol Peter, James, and John, as much preferible to him, because of their personal prerogatives above him, as appeareth from Paul's laboring so much to prove that they were no ways superior to him, and to take off any prejudice which might rise against himself from their personal prerogatives of seeing Christ in the flesh, and being Apostles before him; But from those I learned nothing, whosoever they were, &c. 3. In our esteem of persons and things, our judgment ought not to be ruled by the approbation of men, so as to put a price upon everything which is commonly esteemed of among men, Luke 16. 15. but by the approbation of God, so that everything may have more or less weight with us according as He esteemeth of it: Thus Paul regarded not the personal prerogatives of the other Apostles, as bearing any weight in the present business, because God regarded them not; It maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man's person. 4. The Lord, in passing judgment upon persons or things, is not swayed with anything which is extrinsical, and belongeth not unto the cause whereabout He judgeth: He respecteth not the person of man, that is, He will not approve or disapprove of a man's cause for his person, if it be not otherwise worthy of approbation or reproof; because most frequently a man's cause and person come under different considerations: for, saith he, God accepteth of no man's person: whereby in this place is meaned, that the personal prerogatives of the other Apostles did not bear weight with God to make Paul's Office or Doctrine more uncertain, and less divine than theirs; seeing whatever other use those prerogatives did serve for; Yet they appertained nothing to the present cause. 5. Though some of Christ's faithful Servants, may be cried-up by light wits, or heretical spirits, to the down-bearing of the deserved estimation of others; Yet so far ought they themselves to be from being transported with groundless applause, and from despising those others, beyond whom they are so much esteemed of, that they are to bear-up their credit so much the more by withholding no approbation of theirs from them which is their due, although they should thereby contradict their own flatterers, and make them liars: for, those Apostles, who were so much cried-up by the false brethren, to Paul's prejudice, did thoroughly approve his Doctrine, declaring him to be an orthodox Preacher and an Apostle of Jesus Christ as well as themselves, contrary to what his adversaries and their flatterers affirmed of him; In conference they added nothing to me: and, ver. 9. They gave me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship.

Vers. 7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the Gospel of the Circumcision was unto Peter: 8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles) 9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the Grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Heathen, and they unto the Circumcision.

HEre is a second part of the event of that Meeting at Jerusalem, to wit, that when the Apostles, James, Cephas, (that is, Peter, Joh. 1. 42.) and John had by certain evidences found that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision, or the Apostolic-office to preach the Gospel among the uncircumcised Gentiles, was concredited by God to Paul as well as the Gospel of Circumcision, or the Apostolic-office to preach the Gospel among the circumcised Jews, was committed unto Peter, ver. 7. which they did gather from this, that the like divine assistance, blessing and success, did accompany the labors both of Peter and Paul towards their respective Charges, and so their Office behooved to be equally divine, ver. 8. and when those three Apostles (who were commonly, and no less deservedly, reputed pillars of the Church, as being, under God, the upholders of it by their Ministry, gifts, diligence and fidelity) had seen the grace, or gifts, both ordinary and extraordinary, which were bestowed by God upon Paul, fitting him every way for the Apostolic-office, they did without more ado acknowledge both Paul and Barnabas for their Collegues or fellow-Apostles, giving them the right hand in evidence of the same, as also of their mutual agreement in dividing of their Charge, so as that Paul and Barnabas should go on to discharge their Apostolic-office among the Gentiles, and the other three among the Jews, vet. 9. which paction is nothing contrary to what is held forth, Act. 15. 7. for, Peter speaketh not there, that his ordinary Charge was to preach unto the Gentiles, but of that one act of his, mentioned Act. 10. whereby he was at one time employed to preach to them at the first beginning of their conversion: All which, doth evidence that Paul was an Apostle, immediately called, and acknowledged to be such by the other Apostles. Doct. 1. This Scripture doth many ways refute that dream of the Papists concerning Peter's primacy, or supremacy over the rest of the Apostles, and over the Catholic Church, and of the Pope's succeeding to Peter in that supposed illimited trust: for, 1. the Apostle's drift in all this, is, to show that he was every way equal with Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, and no ways inferior unto them, and that he was acknowledged to be so by Peter himself; so that Peter was not supreme over all: When they saw that the Gospel of uncircumcision was committed unto me, &c. 2. Paul doth here compare himself mainly and particularly with Peter, while he expresseth him by name, even when he is speaking of these things, which were common to Peter with the other two, James and John, as that the Gospel of Circumcision was committed to Peter, and this because it seemeth Paul s adversaries did mainly cry-up Peter, as superior to him; so that this of Peter's primacy above the other Apostles hath been an old plea, but ill grounded, and expressly confuted by Paul in this place; As the Gospel of Circumcision was committed unto Peter. 3. We find here a divine Ordinance, that Peter should exercise his Office among the Jews, as their Apostle, of which Ordinance they can produce no change; and so if the Pope plead to be Peter's successor, he must challenge a superiority over the Jews, and hath nothing to do with us; As the Gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. 4. Paul, by virtue of the same divine Ordinance, was to exercise his Office among the Gentiles, as their Apostle, and endued with the same Authority in all points, which Peter had over the Jews; and therefore Peter was not supreme: But if the Pope give-out himself for universal Pastor over the whole World, he must not plead his succession to Peter so much as to Paul, who had the Gospel of the Uncircumcision committed to him: which was a Charge extending almost to all the universal World. 5. While there is a question here of dignity anent the Apostles, James is first named before Peter, as being of eminent Authority among the Apostles, who was President at the Council of Jerusalem; for, he spake last, and concluded all, Act. 15. 13, &c. to whom Paul did betake himself, and with whom all the Elders did convene in a matter of great concernment, and not with Peter, Act. 21. 18. so that James hath rather been supreme than Peter; at least, it followeth, the first naming of Peter in other places, (Mat. 10. 2. Mark 3. 16.) is no sufficient ground whereon to build his supremacy: And when James, Cephas, and John. 6. Peter was at this time at Jerusalem, and without doubt had not yet seen Rome, seventeen years at least after Christ's Resurrection, ver. 1. compared with chap. 1. ver. 18. Yea, neither was he at Rome a long time after this, when Paul was there a prisoner, Col. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 16. How then could he have sitten Bishop at Rome twenty five years before his death? as is alleged for one main ground, upon which the Popes succession to Peter, as universal Bishop over the whole World, is founded: And when James, Cephas and John perceived. 7. There is here a solemn and mutual agreement, that Paul, and not Peter, should be the Apostle of the Gentiles: and therefore, How could Peter have been twenty five years Bishop at Rome, except he had violated his solemn paction confirmed by giving his hand, which were most absurd once to mention? They gave the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Heathen. Doct. 2. The more we wait upon God for His Call and Direction to our Undertaking, we have ground to expect, that the more of success and of a blessing will accompany them: for, Paul, who did not undertake this journey to Jerusalem without the Call of God, ver. 2. hath all things succeeding with him according to his hearts wish; so that not only the Apostles, did not condemn the Doctrine preached by him, ver. 6. but, on the contrary, gave him their approbation, acknowledging him for their Colleague and fellow-Apostle, whereby the mouths of his adversaries might have been fully stopped: But contrariwise they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; for, so are the words to be constructed, all that which interveeneth being the reason which moved James, Peter, and John to do what they did. Doct. 3. The Note which ariseth from dividing of the Charge of Jews and Gentiles betwixt Peter and Paul, is at large, Col. 1. 25. doct. 3. Doct. 4. The Office of preaching the Gospel, is a special Trust, whereby a rich treasure of saving Truths (2 Cor. 4. 7.) is concredited to weak men, who must be answerable to God how they keep, maintain and dispense that Treasure for the good of souls: hence he saith, the Gospel was committed, or, as a rich Treasure, entrusted to him; The Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto me. 5. It is not the pains of Ministers, Isa. 49. 4. or any virtue which is in the Word preached, as of itself, 1 Cor. 1. 18. from whence the success of the Ministry among a People floweth, but from the effectual working of the Spirit of God, whereby He effectually worketh that which the Word doth press upon us, 1 Cor. 3. 6. for, Paul ascribeth the success both of his own and Peter's Ministry to this; He that wrought effectually in Peter, the same was mighty in me. 6. The power with which the Lord accompanieth His Word towards those whom he intendeth to convert by it, is most efficacious and such as cannot be resisted, but breaketh through and taketh away whatever doth oppose it; He that wrought effectually: the word signifieth to work with pith and energy, and frequently it signifieth to work with irresistible efficacy. 7. Where a Ministers pains are much blessed of God, for the turning of many souls to God, and where a man is endued with gifts and parts for the Ministerial Calling, it is a real testimony, and speaking-evidence of that man's calling from God: for, from this do they gather, that the Gospel of Uncircumcision was committed to Paul, because his Ministry was powerful among the Gentiles, and endued with gifts fitting him every way for the Apostolic Office: for, saith he, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles, and they perceived the Grace which was given unto me. 8. It is the duty of Ministers, as pillars, to uphold the Truth by their doctrine, prayers, graces and parts, Isa. 62. 6, 7. 2 Tim. 2. 2. to be constant in Truth against all contrary blasts, Mat. 11. 7. to adorn the Truth by good example of an holy life, whereby they ought to shine before others, Mat. 5. 16. 1 Tim. 4. 12. for, as James, Cephas, and John, were accounted pillars; so they, and all faithful Ministers are really such: and Paul doth here indirectly tax the common opinion, whereby that name was appropriate only to those three, which did belong also to others: Hence it is also that the Church Militant, in respect of the Ministry of the Word chiefly, is called the pillar and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3. -15. And when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars. 9. Whom God doth call to the undergoing of any employment, and chiefly whom He calleth to the Ministry, those he fitteth with gifts and abilities suitable for that employment in some measure whether lesser or greater, Mat. 25. 15. for, James, Cephas and John did not acknowledge Paul to be an Apostle, called by God, but upon their perceiving that Grace, or gifts, both ordinary and extraordinary were bestowed upon him; They saw that the Gospel of Uncircumcision was committed unto me, when they perceived the Grace that was given to me. 10. We ought not to withhold our approbation, especially when it is craved, from that which by evident signs and reasons we perceive to be approved of by God, although there be many who disapprove it, and though the giving of our approbation to it may disoblige those who otherwise pretend much friendship to us: for, those three Apostles, perceiving by most convincing evidences that God had called Paul to be an Apostle, they acknowledge him for such, though those who did cry them much up as pillars, (and what not?) did no doubt oppose their so doing, as tending evidently to the disadvantage of their cause; They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship.

Vers. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do.

THe third thing in the event of that Meeting, which did also evidence, that Paul and the other Apostles did part good friends, and in all things one among themselves, was, That the other Apostles did earnestly recommend to Paul and Barnabas the collecting of some charity among the Churches of the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 16. 1. to supply the poor Jews who were turned Christians, Rom. 15. 25. which they performed speedily and diligently. See the places cited, and 2 Cor. 8, and 9. chapters. Doct. 1. It is frequently the lot of those who are rich in Grace, to be poor in the things of a present life; and who are heirs of a Kingdom, (Luke 12. 32.) to be driven unto such straits, as they are forced to live upon some charitable supply from others; God seeing it convenient hereby to wean them from worldly contentments, that Heaven may be the more longed after, and more sweet when it cometh: Thus the Christians in Judea, for the most part, were poor, and such as needed supply from the Gentiles; Only they would that we should remember the poor. 2. Though those who are our own poor within the bounds where we live, are chiefly to be relieved by us, because of our nearer interest in such, 1 Tim. 5. 8. Yet, in cases of extremity, even those poor who live remote from us (because they are also of our own flesh, Isa. 58. 7. and members of the same mystical body, if Believers, Gal. 6. 10.) are also to be supplied by us: for, Paul was to stir up the Gentiles to contribute for the poor at Judea; Only they would that we should remember the poor. 3. The care of the poor, and supply of the outward necessities of the Saints, is an employment not unworthy of the very chief Apostles, and which Ministers and other Officers of the Church ought to make conscience of: for, the care of the poor, was the last farewell of those Apostles: Only they would that we should remember the poor, which Paul also was forward to do. 4. The Ministers of Jesus Christ, ought to press upon the People not only duties which are easy, and cost them naught; but also those that are burdensome and expensive, especially that they would willingly give of those things which they enjoy, for the supply of others which want; and are to be as forward in pressing the one sort of duties as the other, as being equally profitable to the Church, and most evidencing of an inward work of Grace in the heart, 1 Joh. 3. 17. Thus Paul was forward to press upon the Gentiles to give some supply to the poor Jews; The same which I was also forward to do, or did speedily and diligently, as the word signifieth.

Vers. 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

FRom this Verse to the 15. there is a further evidence of that Truth, which he had formerly asserted concerning the authority of his Office and his divine Doctrine, even in that point which was controverted betwixt him and his adversaries; which he maketh appear from this, That, as an Apostle, and by virtue of his Apostolic Office, he did with Authority rebuke Peter one of the chief Apostles, when in his practice at Antioch he declined from the Doctrine taught by him concerning the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law, and that, for anything which appeareth to the contrary, Peter in this debate did yield to Paul, as having Truth for him. This action of Paul 's towards Peter, is first summarly propounded in this Verse, wherein Paul showeth that boldly and freely he did oppose himself to Peter, and that because his carriage, as he doth clear more fully afterward, was most blame-worthy. Doct. 1. No band of friendship or confederacy, which parties have entered, no fear of occasioning the breaking-off of friendship (whatever may be the consequences thereof) ought to make those, who are so conjoined, connive at others in a sinful course, or withhold a testimony against that which is sinful in their friend, when the hazard which may ensue from his sin to the Work and People of God, doth call for it: for, though Paul had come to Jerusalem of purpose to purchase a good understanding betwixt him and Peter, ver. 1, 2. and though they had given, not long since, mutual evidences of their harmony and agreement, ver. 9. and though their renting asunder, was the thing which adversaries to Truth would have been most glad of, as making much for the advantage of their bad cause; Yet, not long after this agreement was made, when Peter falleth in a sin reproof-worthy, which had dreadful consequences to the People and Work of God (as will appear afterward) following upon it, Paul doth freely and boldly give testimony against his sinful course; But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face. 2. As the Ministers of Jesus Christ are bound to reprove sin and vice; so they are to reprove it, first, with much boldness and resolution, not faintly, as if they were more feared for the offense of man, than grieved for the dishonor of God: so Paul, in reproving Peter, withstood him: In the Original, it is a military word, and signifieth to stand against, whether it be by force of arms, or arguments: it is a word of defiance, and combating, as it were, hand to hand, face to face, and foot to foot, not yielding a hair breadth to the adversary, Rom. 13. 2. Eph. 6. 13. Secondly, with ingenuity and candor, so as not to conceal the man's fault only from himself, and in the mean time to speak of it broad and wide unto others for his prejudice, Lev. 19. 16. But they are to declare his sin even-down to himself, and rebuke him for it: Thus Paul, withstood Peter to the face: for, the word in the Original, doth not import that he withstood him only in show, and for the fashion, making the beholders think they were serious when they were not, as some of the Ancients did allege: such dissimulation had been most base in those two eminent Apostles, and Paul had not here spoken truly, affirming that Peter was worthy to be blamed, and that he walked not uprightly; so the word must read, as it is here rendered, to the face, or to his face, as 2 Cor. 10. 1. Thirdly, with certainty and knowledge of the deed reproved, both for the truth of the fact, and the vicious quality of it: Paul before he reproved, was assured of both these; Because he was to be blamed, saith he. Doct. 3. The most eminent Saints on earth, are not free of their own sinful and blame-worthy failings; that hereby they may be keeped humble, and from being lifted up with their gifts, graces, and other excellencies, 2 Cor. 12. 7. and others may hereby learn not to think of them above what is written, 1 Cor. 4. 6. for, even the Apostles themselves and Penmen of Scripture, though they could not err in writing Scripture, being therein guided by the infallible assistance of the Spirit, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Yet in other things they had their own sinful failings, as is evident in Peter; Because he was to be blamed. 4. It is the part of every man, though never so eminent and esteemed of by others, when he meeteth with a just and deserved reproof, to stoop to it, without repining to embrace it, and with silence to correct the error, and amend the fault which is reproved: for, he that hateth reproof, shall die, Prov. 15. 10. So doth Peter, who, being sharply rebuked by Paul, defendeth no • his fault, contendeth not with his reprover, but patiently taketh with his reproof, as appeareth from his silence; for he replieth nothing.

Vers. 12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the Circumcision. 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

NExt, the Apostle enlargeth what he had briefly propounded: and, first, he showeth Peter's sin for which he was reproved, to wit, that whereas before some Jews did come from Jerusalem, where the Apostle James had his residence, Peter did keep fellowship with the Christian Gentiles, and had eaten freely with them, (wherein he did right according to the Doctrine of Christian Liberty, by which all differences of meats, and betwixt Jew and Gentile, are removed under the New Testament, as Peter himself was instructed by vision, Act. 11. 9.) but when those Jews did come, he did separate from the Gentiles, as if it had been unlawful to eat with them, and this through fear of offending those forementioned Jews, who were most tenacious of the Ceremonial Law, ver. 12. by which bad example of Peter's, the other Jews, which were at Antioch, were moved to withdraw from the Gentiles, as if it had been unlawful to have entire fellowship with them; Yea, and Barnabas also did the like, ver. 13. From whence we Learn, 1. Such influence have circumstances upon our actions, that though an action, considered simply and in itself, be not sinful; Yet, by reason of accompanying circumstances, it may become exceeding sinful: for, the exceeding sinfulness of Peter's action, for which he was here reproved, did not consist in his simple abstinence from certain kinds of meats, to eschew the offense of the weak; for, Paul did something like to this himself, Act. 16. 3. and 21. 26. but in the circumstances which did accompany that his abstinence, which will appear by pointing at some of those circumstances, whereby also the Text will be further cleared; as first, That he did withdraw from the Gentiles in eating, as if they had been no Church-members, with whom it was lawful to have entire fellowship; He withdrew, and separated himself. Secondly, That he abstained not among the Jews at Jerusalem, which had been more tolerable, but at Antioch, where, a little before, he had openly done the contrary, in using his Christian Liberty: for, before he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew. Thirdly, That he did withdraw, not as if it had been a thing indifferent to have done so, or otherwise, and therefore would do it for a time to gain the Jews; but as if it had been a thing in itself sinful to have eaten with them, contrary to what himself knew, and was informed of by the heavenly vision; and therefore it is called dissimulation in him, while it is said, The other Jews dissembled with him likewise. Fourthly, That his abstinence was not for gaining of the weak Jews, whom he might afterwards have informed of the abrogation of these Levitical Ordinances, but from fear of losing esteem with, and incurring the hatred of, those who were spying-out their liberty, and would doubtless make bad use of that his abstinence, for confirming themselves in, and drawing over others to, their Errors; Fearing them which were of the Circumcision. Fifthly, That by his example he did hurt to the other Jews, who were beginning to be informed concerning the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law, and in evidence of it, had been eating with the Gentiles; but now, by this practice of Peter's, did again drink-in their former error; And the other Jews dissembled likewise. Sixthly, This practice of his (as is clear from the following 14. verse) did tend to force the Christian Gentiles to take on the yoke of the Ceremonial Law, (which had been most sinful in them, they being never under it) as they would not have been debarred from the fellowship of Peter, and of the Church; Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as the Jews? And, seventhly, He hereby gave a great dash to Paul's Doctrine, and the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christian Liberty, and the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law; for, his practice did speak as much, as if it had been yet in force; He withdrew and separated himself, and the other Jews dissembled likewise. Doct. 2. So weak and inconstant are the best of men, that, being left to themselves, the least blast of temptation will make them break off the course of doing-well in the very midst, and, without respect had either to conscience or credit, openly to desert it: for, Peter having begun well in the use of Christian Liberty, by eating with the Gentiles, giveth evidence of great levity, in that for fear of man's offense he did presently slip from it; Before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew. 3. To separate from, and to breakoff communion with, a true Church, and the received Members thereof, is such an act as cannot be attempted without sin, no not though hereby we could eschew the offense and stumbling of many: for, this was it that made Peter blame-worthy, even his separating from the Church of the Gentiles, as if it had been unlawful to keep communion with them, notwithstanding the Jews would have been offended if he had done otherwise; He withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the Circumcision. 4. It is of great concernment to men of grace and parts, who are in public place, and do enjoy the applause of many, to be both men of courage, and self-denied spirits; and even when they enjoy the applause of all, to be dead and dying to it; lest, if they conceit more of it than they ought, through their fleshly fear of losing applause and incurring hatred from men, they venture upon the dishonor of God: for, even Peter, fearing too much his loss of esteem among the Jews, did sin against the Lord; He withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the Circumcision, or the Jews, who are frequently so designed. 5. As good men sometimes, under the fit of a violent temptation, will in practice condemn that which in their judgment they do approve; so for any to sin thus against their light, is an high aggravation of their guilt: for, this is the dissimulation wherewith Peter is charged, and whereby his sin is here aggreged: by his practice he pretended, that fellowship with the Christian Gentiles was unlawful, in the contrary whereof, he was instructed by the heavenly vision, Act. 11. 9. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him. 6. Of so great force is the bad example of men, eminent, gracious and learned, that not only the weak and infirm, but even those who are strong, and richly endued both with grace and parts, will sometimes be corrupted by it: It is usual for us unawares to esteem of such, as of somewhat more than men, and being once that far engaged in our esteem of them, we do not so narrowly examine their actions, as we would of other men, Hence all is taken for current that cometh from them: thus not only the vulgar Jews, but even Barnabas himself, an eminent Apostle, (Act. 13. 1, 2.) was carried away with Peter's bad example; And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulati • n: and ver. 14. his example had a kind of compulsion in it towards the Gentiles, to make them do as he did; Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 7. A speat and inundation of evil examples, though even held forth by private Christians, especially if they be otherwise pious, is so impetuous, and of such force, to carry others along in their practice with it; that even the very best of men can very hardly stand out against it: for, Barnabas his dissimulation, is ascribed not only to Peter's bad example, but also, if not mainly, to that influence which the evil example of these other Jews had upon him; And the other Jews dissembled likewise; insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation. 8. It is of great concernment unto all Superiors, and chiefly those who are eminent for piety and parts, to take diligent heed left they give bad example unto others; and this not only because of what is partly expressed in the two former Doctrines, but also because the sins of others, which are occasioned by the evil example of any, will be justly charged upon him whose bad example they do follow: for, the dissimulation of the Jews and Barnabas, is mentioned as an aggravation of Peter's sin, which had such dreadful consequences; And the other Jews dissembled likewise.

Vers. 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

SEcondly, The Apostle enlargeth what he said ver. 11. of his withstanding Peter; showing that when he had perceived they walked not uprightly, or with 〈◊〉 straight foot, according to the sincere Doctrine of the Gospel, without more ado he did openly fall upon Peter, whose example had given the occasion of that 〈◊〉 unto all the rest: and the fault which he chargeth hi • with, and that which did aggrege his sin most, was, th 〈…〉 by his example he did constrain the Gentiles, as they would not have been cast out of Peter's fellowship and of the Church, to observe the Ceremonial Law of Moses, as the Jews did: the iniquity whereof he show 〈…〉 in this, that Peter himself, who was a Jew, and so mo 〈…〉 bound to observe the Ceremonial Law, which was give 〈…〉 not to the Gentiles, but to the Jews, had cast off th 〈…〉 yoke, and lived after the manner of the Gentiles, as 〈◊〉 clear from ver. 12. and therefore there was no reason 〈◊〉 it, that he should enforce that yoke upon others. Doct. 1. The multitude of those who swerve from Truth, should not make Truth the less lovely unto, or blunt the edge of others in the defense of it against Error: Though Truth should be deserted by all except one only, it is worthy to be owned, stood to, and defended by that one, and this against all who do oppose it: for, though Peter, the other Jews, Barnabas and all did dissemble, and halt from the Truth; Yet Paul alone doth stand for it: And when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the Truth, I said unto Peter, &c. 2. It is the duty of all professors to walk so both in the matter of opinion and practice, as is suitable unto, and well-agreeing with the sincere Truth of God, held out in the Gospel, even so, as that in opinion they hold nothing, which is, though but indirectly, contrary to that Truth, or in practice act nothing which may reflect upon that Truth; and when they halt, or walk not with a straight foot in either of those, they are blame-worthy: for, the fault of Peter and the rest, for which they are here reproved, was, That they walked not uprightly, or with a straight foot, according to the truth of the Gospel. Their practice and their opinion concerning the lawfulness of gratifying the Jews in the present business, did indirectly at least contradict and reflect upon that great Gospel-truth about the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law. 3. When many are guilty of one and the same sin, the Minister of Jesus Christ ought to reprove wisely and without respect of persons, making the weight of the reproof light upon them, as they have been more or less accessory to the sin: for, because Peter's example had been the occasion of sin to all the rest, Paul directeth the reproof to him by name, and this before the rest; that they might see themselves, indirectly at least, reproved also for following this bad example; I said unto Peter before them all. 4. Though private sins, which have not broken forth to a public scandal of many, are to be rebuked in private, Mat. 18. 15. Yet, public sins are to receive public rebukes; that hereby the public scandal may be removed, and others may be scared from taking encouragement from those sins to do the like, 1 Tim. 5. 20. Thus, because Peter did sin publicly before all, Paul, by way of reproof, said unto Peter before them all. 5. Though the binding power of the Ceremonial Law was abrogated at Christ's death, and the practice thereof, in some things at least, left as a thing lawful, and in itself indifferent unto all for a time after that, (See ver. 4. doct. 1.) Yet the observation thereof, even for that time, was dispensed with more for the Jews sake, and was more tolerable in them who were born and educated under the binding power of that yoke, than in the Gentiles, to whom that Law was never given, and so were to observe it, or any part of it, only in case of scandalizing the weak Jews by their neglecting of it, Rom. 14. 20, 21. This difference betwixt Jew and Gentile, as to the practice of the Ceremonial Law, is gathered from the Apostle's way of arguing with Peter, from the less to the more; If thou, being a Jew, livest not as do the Jews, to wit, in observing the Ceremonial Law, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Whereby he implieth, that the observation of these Ceremonies was more to be comported with in the Jews than in the Gentiles. 6. It is a piece of unreasonable absurdity in a Minister, for which he can give no accompt neither to God nor man, to take liberty of practice to himself in those things which he doth condemn in others, and the contrary of which he doth either by his Doctrine or example at other times constrain them to, as appeareth from the question here propounded, If thou livest not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? as if he had said, Thou can neither answer to God nor man for it. 7. It is no small sin for Superiors to bind where the Lord hath left free, by urging upon their Inferiors the observing of a thing, in its own nature indifferent, as necessary; except it be in these cases wherein the Lord, by those circumstances which do accompany it, doth point it out as necessary; such are the cases of scandal, Act. 15. 28, 29. and contempt, 1 Cor. 14. 40. for, hereby mainly is Peter's sin aggreged, that he did compel the Gentiles to the necessary observation of the Ceremonial Law, though the use of it was at that time indifferent; Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 8. In the primitive times of the Christian Church, the People of God did wonderfully subject themselves to the Ministry of the Word in the hand of His Servants, and much more than People now do: for if the actions of the Apostles compelled men to do this or that, as Peter's action did compel the Gentiles, what then did their Doctrine and heavenly Exhortations? Why compellest thou the Gentiles, &c.?

Vers. 15. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

SOme Interpreters do conceive that Paul 's speech to Peter doth yet continue in these two Verses; Yea, and some think that it is extended to the end of the Chapter: but others conceive, that Paul, having closed the narration of what passed betwixt him and Peter, ver. 14. doth here return to speak to the Galatians: and though those last do seem to have most of reason for them; yet which of these opinions do stand, it is all one to the main purpose: for, it is clear that the Apostle doth here state and fall upon one of the main questions, which were betwixt him and his adversaries, to wit, That we are justified, or accepted of, and declared righteous in God's sight by Faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law.

And for the better understanding of the thread & method of the Apostles dispute, together with the state of the present question, and the sense and force of those arguments which he maketh use of to confirm the Truth in controversy, We shall premit three things in general, First, the Apostle's adversaries erred in two things mainly, 1. they urged the rigid observation of the Ceremonial Law, as necessary by virtue of a divine Precept standing yet in force, as may be gathered from the Apostle's reasoning, chap. 3. 19, 25. and chap. 4. 3, 4, 5. 2. As Seducers wax worse and worse, 2 Tim. 3. 13. so they went higher, and urged the observation of these Ceremonies, as that whereby, jointly at least with Christ, sinners are justified before God, as appeareth from chap. 2. 16, 21. and 3. 11. Now the Apostle addresseth himself to the refutation of both those Errors: and because the latter Error, to wit, That sinners are justified by their obedience to the Law, is most dangerous, therefore he doth refute it first, and apart, to ver. 19. chap. 3. And next, he refuteth that first Error jointly with the other, proving there was no necessity at all of observing the Ceremonial Law, or any part of that Mosaical Pedagogie, now under the New Testament, and that it ought not now to be observed, the date prefixed by God for the observation of it being already expired, to ver. 13. chap. 5. Secondly, while the Apostle, all-along this dispute, denieth we are justified, or that righteousness and the inheritance do come by the Law, he understandeth by the Law, not the whole Doctrine delivered by Moses upon Mount Sinai; for, the Law, being so taken, was a Covenant of Grace, as appeareth from the Preface and Promises of the Decalogue, and from the Ceremonial Law, which shadowed forth Christ and remission of sins through Him, Heb. 10. 4, 8, 9. so that Believers under the Old Testament may be said to have been justified, and to have had righteousness by the Law in this sense: for, it implieth no further than that they were justified according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace, as it was wrapped-up in that ancient legal dispensation. The Apostle therefore takes the Law more strictly, and, in the sense of his adversaries, for the mere precepts and threatenings of the Law, as it requires perfect obedience, and curseth those who have it not, abstracting from Christ, and Grace, which were held forth (though but obscurely) in it; for, in that sense his adversaries maintained justification by the Law, and therefore the Apostle while he refuteth justification by the Law, must be understood to speak of the Law in the same sense also, which sometimes he clearly expresseth, while he explaineth his meaning by denying we are justified by the works of the Law, verse. 16. and chap. 3. 5, 10. Thirdly, that the Apostle may strike at the root of this their most dangerous Error of Justification by Works, he excludeth all Works in general, not only those of the Ceremonial Law, but the Works also of the Moral Law; Yea, and all Works of ours whatsoever, from having influence upon Justification: for, as shall be observed in the Dispute itself, the Arguments used by the Apostle to prove that we are not justified by Works, are applicable to the Moral Law equally, if not more than to the Ceremonial Law; Yea, and do exclude the Works of the Regenerate, as well as of the Unregenerate: Besides, it is sure that none professing the Name of Christ, as the Apostle's adversaries did, would have urged the naked external performance of those Ceremonies, as having influence upon Justification, except as it was conjoined with internal love to God and our neighbor, commanded by the Moral Law, and signified, expressed, and someone way or other advanced by those outward performances: Neither is it conceivable how they, maintaining a necessity of Faith in Christ, could imagine that any Works whatsoever, whether done in obedience to the Ceremonial Law, or to the Moral being such Works only as are done by the power of Nature and strength of Freewill, without the Grace of Christ, should have justified a sinner, and made him righteous before God; So that if Paul in this Dispute had excluded from Justification only the external Works of the Ceremonial Law, and not the Works of the Moral Law also, or only all Works whatsoever flowing from the strength of Nature, or, the Works of the Unregenerate, and not the Works of the Regenerate also, which are performed by the Grace of Christ, he should have quite mistaken the question, and not at all refuted his adversaries. It doth therefore of necessity follow, that the Apostle reasoneth against Justification by Works, done in obedience to the Law in general, and that he affirmeth we are justified only by Faith in opposition unto all Works of ours whatsoever; which he proveth by two Arguments in this Chapter. First, because he himself and other Jews, who, though they enjoyed by birth and education (as being born Members of the visible Church) many privileges beyond the Gentiles, who were profane sinners and born aliens from God; and therefore might have expected to be justified by their good works, if so any could be justified that way; Yet they (knowing perfectly that all their Works, done in obedience to the Law, could never justify or make them righteous before God, and that only Faith in Christ would make them so righteous) even they, who had as much reason to boast of their Works as any other, had renounced all confidence in their Works, and betaken themselves only to Faith in Jesus Christ for Justification, and hereby he leaveth unto them to gather what madness it were for those Galatians, or any other of the Gentiles, to rely upon the Works of the Law, so as to be justified by them; which he further confirmeth, as it seemeth, from Psal. 143. -2. affirming that no flesh, whether Jew or Gentile, shall be justified, to wit, by the Works of the Law, which is here supplied by the Apostle, without adding to the sense. The like addition of words for explication, without wronging the sense, is frequently used in the New Testament, where Scriptures are cited out of the Old, as Mat. 4. 10. compared with Deut. 6. 13. Heb. 10. 5. compared with Psal. 140. 7. Doct. 1. Though every man by nature, is a child of wrath and enemy to God, Eph. 2. 3. as Nature speaketh that which is born with us, and conveyed unto us from our parents by carnal generation, Psal. 51. 5. Yet all those who are born within the visible Church, have a right by nature unto Church-privileges and to enjoy the external means of Grace and Salvation as Nature speaketh that which is born with us, not of natural generation, but of free grace, which God is pleased to honor His People with, and to deny unto others: for, the Apostle here calleth himself and others come of Abraham, who had been from that time upwards the only visible Church, Psal. 147. 19, 20. Jews by nature, whereby he doth not simply design them to be men of such a Nation; for, that could make nothing to the Apostle's scope in the present argument, besides that the Jew is here opposed to sinners of the Gentiles; so it must relate some way to their spiritual state, neither doth it import that much, as if they had inherent holiness, and were altogether sinless by nature: for, this is contradicted by Scripture, Rom. 3. 9. So the meaning must be, that from their birth, and because of God's love to them in making choice of them to be a Church to Himself above all Nations, Deut. 7. 6. they were (externally at least) in covenant with God, Deut. 29. 11. whereby they had a right to all Church-privileges, as of being under God's special care and government, Isa. 4. 5, 6. of enjoying the ordinary means of Salvation, as they were capable of them, Gen. 17. 12. And as it was with the Jews then, so is it with those that are born within the visible Church now: they are Christians by birth, to wit, in the sense presently mentioned: for, the visible Church under the New Testament, and among the Gentiles, hath succeeded to those privileges, which were enjoyed by the Church under the Old, Rom. 11. 17. So that even young Infants are expressly called holy, 1 Cor. 7. 14. to wit, with an external and federal holiness: and on this account they have right to Baptism, the seal of the Covenant, which no Infidel can claim, Act. 2. 38, 39. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles. 2. The Doctrine of free Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ, and not by Works, was early opposed by Satan and heretical spirits, and no Doctrine so much opposed as it was, and that because no Truth is more necessary to be keeped pure than this is, it being such a Truth as if it be keeped pure, several other Truths are keeped pure also; and if it fall, many other Truths do also fall with it: Therefore is it that Satan did so much labor, and yet laboreth to bear it down: for, the defacing of this Truth was mainly aimed at by the false Apostles among those Galatians, as appeareth from the Apostle his setting of himself so much to defend it; That we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law, saith he. 3. Concerning the nature of Justification, we learn several things; First, That Justification is not the Lord's making one, who was before unjust, to be just by working of habitual and inherent righteousness in him, as the Papists do take it, confounding Justification and Sanctification, contrary to Scripture, 1 Cor. 6. 11. But it is a judicial action, whereby the Lord absolveth the sinner from death and wrath, and adjudgeth him to life eternal: for, the word expressing this grace here, is a judicial word taken from Courts of Justice, which, being attributed to the Judge, is opposed to condemn, Rom. 8. 33, 34. and so signifieth to absolve, and give sentence: neither doth the Scripture ever make use of this word in any other sense, where the justification of a sinner before God is spoken of; Knowing that a man is not justified, &c. and that we might be justified. Secondly, The ground whereupon, and the cause for which sinners are thus justified or absolved from wrath, and adjudged to life eternal, is not any Works which they do in obedience to the Law of God, whether Ceremonial or Moral: for, Works are excluded, while he saith, A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ; it is not, except by the Faith, &c. as if Works were only excluded, when Faith is not joined with them, as the Papists do read it; but the word is well turned here by the adversative particle, But, as it is frequently in Scripture. See chap. 1. 7. Mat. 12. 4. So that Works are simply excluded, and Faith established, as only having hand in this businesss: which is more plainly asserted afterwards; That we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law: by which are meaned both the Works of the Moral and Ceremonial Law, as we cleared in the Exposition. Thirdly, The Works which are excluded from having hand in Justification, are not only those which are done before conversion, but also which follow after, and flow from the working of God's Spirit in us; even those Works are imperfect, Isa. 64. 6. and so cannot make us completely righteous, and we do owe them to God in the mean time, Luke 17. 10. and so they cannot satisfy divine Justice for the failings of the bypast time, They are the work of God's Spirit in us, Philip. 2. 13. and so we can merit nothing at God's hand by them: for, He excludeth the Works of the Law in general; now the good Works of the Regenerate are such, as are commanded by the Law, and done in obedience to the Law, besides that those false Apostles did admit a mixture of Faith and Works in Justification, so that if the Apostle had not excluded even Works which flow from Faith, they might have quickly agreed upon the point; Man is not justified by the Works of the Law. Fourthly, That, through virtue whereof we are thus justified and absolved by God, is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, performed by Himself, while He was here on Earth, both in doing what we should have done, Mat. 3. 15. and suffering what we ought to have suffered, Gal. 3. 13. which righteousness is not inherent in us, but imputed to us, Rom. 5. 17, 18, 19. as the sum of Money paid by the Cautioner, standeth good in Law for the principal Debtor, So we are said to be justified by the Faith of Christ, or Faith in Jesus Christ, as laying hold upon His righteousness, which is imputed to us, as said is, and by which only we are made righteous. Fifthly, Though Faith be not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces; for, it worketh by Love, chap. 5. 7. Yet Faith is that only grace which hath influence in our Justification: for, all other Works, even those that flow from Grace, are excluded, and only Faith admitted to have hand in this business; A man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, and, that we might be justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law. Sixthly, Faith hath influence upon our justification, not as it is a Work, or because of any worth which is in itself, more than in other graces, or, as if the act of believing, whether it alone, or jointly with other graces, were imputed unto us for righteousness, but only as it layeth hold on Jesus Christ, and giveth us a right to His Righteousness, through the merit whereof alone we are justified: for, it is by the Faith of Jesus Christ, or, Faith receiving (Joh. 1. 12.) and resting on Jesus Christ (Isa. 26. 3, 4.) that we are justified; besides that all Works of the Law, or commanded by the Law, are here excluded, and by consequence Faith itself, as it is a work, is excluded also. Seventhly, This way of Justification by Free-grace accepting of us for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and not because of our own worth, is common to all whoever were, are, or shall be justified, whether good or bad: the most eminent and best of men must quit the conceit of their own righteousness, and rely upon Him who justifieth the ungodly by Faith: for, even those who were Jews by nature, Paul and the other Apostles, betook themselves to this way, Even we (saith he) have believed in Jesus Christ, and the Scripture cited by Paul, speaketh universally of all; For by the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. Eighthly Before man be justified through virtue of this imputed Righteousness, he must first be convinced of his own utter inability to satisfy divine Justice, and so to be justified by anything which himself can do: So natural is it to seek for a righteousness of our own and in ourselves, that we will never seek in earnest to the Righteousness of Christ until we be made to despair of ourselves, Rom. 10. 3. for, the Apostle showeth that this conviction went before their Justification; Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law. Next, he must be convinced also of a worth in Christ's Merit to satisfy divine Justice, and that this Merit of Christ's is offered to all, who shall lay hold on it by Faith, so as that it shall stand good in Law for them in order to their Absolution, as if they had given an equivalent satisfaction to God's Justice themselves; for, none will venture his immortal soul upon that, the worth whereof he doth not know. Hence the Apostle showeth that the knowledge of this also did precede their Justification; Knowing that a man is not justified but by the Faith of Jesus Christ. And lastly, being thus convinced, he must by Faith receive and rest upon Jesus Christ and that most perfect Righteousness of His, by making his soul adhere and cleave to the Word of Promise, wherein Christ is offered, Act. 2. 39, 41. whereupon followeth the real Justification and Absolution of the man, who so doth: for, Paul marketh this as a third thing going before their Justification; Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified. Doct. 4. The former practices of ancient Believers, eminent for parts, privileges and graces, who have quit their own righteousness, and ventured their soul wholly upon this imputed Righteousness of Christ, laying hold upon it by Faith, ought to be looked on as a strong argument enforcing us to do the like: for, the Apostle's scope is to prevail with those Galatians by this argument; We who are Jews by nature, saith he, have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might bejustified. 5. Though the approved practices of eminent godly persons, may have their own weight in order to our encouragement to deny ourselves and lay hold on Christ; Yet it is the Word of the Lord which can only quiet a man's conscience in this matter, and make his mind fully aquiesce to it: for, the Apostle unto their example subjoineth a Scripture-confirmation of the Truth in hand; By the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

Vers. 17. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

HE preoccupieth an Objection, which might have been framed against the present Doctrine, thus, If the Doctrine of Justification by Christ, doth suppose that even the Jews themselves, who are sanctified from the womb, are equally sinners with the Gentiles, and that, being unable to attain to Justification by the Works of the Law, they must only rely on Christ by Faith, as Paul had but presently affirmed, ver. 16. Then it would seem to follow, that Christ were the minister of sin, or, that the Doctrine of the Gospel did make men sinners, both by taking away that Righteousness of the Law, which the Jews thought they had, and were warranted, as they conceived, by the Scriptures of the Old Testament so to think, as also by furnishing both Jew and Gentile with an occasion to cast-by all care of Holiness and good Works, seeing that thereby they were not to be justified, but by Faith in Christ only (See the like Objection propounded, Rom. 3. 31.) Which Objection the Apostle answereth, first, by repelling the Inference as absurd and blasphemous in this verse; and next, by confuting it in the following. Doct. 1. The Ministers of Jesus Christ, in holding forth Truth, would carefully foresee, and prudently take off what atheistical, loose or erring spirits do usually object against it, to make it odious: so doth Paul here; But if while we seek, &c. 2. It is too usual for people to conceit too much of their external Church-privileges, as if by having them, they had saving Grace, and stood not in so much need of Christ's imputed Righteousness as others: for, this is that which the adversaries did stumble at, that the Jews by nature, who enjoyed so many rich privileges, should be found sinners, and as unable to be saved by their own works as others: For if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are found also sinners. 3. Whatever be a man's privileges otherwise, he must; if so he would be justified by Christ, take his confidence off them, and reckon himself equal to the most vile and worthless sinners, in the point of unability to merit anything from God by his own Works: for, this is supposed, as that whereon their Objection is grounded, and Paul doth pass it as granted, and speaketh only against their Inference from it; But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves are found also sinners. 4. It is no new prejudice, though a most unjust one, whereby the Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, and not by Works, hath been unjustly loaded, that of its own nature it doth tend to foster people in sin: The Papists do object so now, and the false Apostles did so of old; Is therefore Christ the minister of sin? say they, or, the Doctrine preached by Christ the occasion of sin? 5. To take occasion from Free-grace, or the Doctrine of it, to live in sin, is, so much as in us lieth, to make Christ the minister of sin, and therefore a thing which all Christian hearts should sk •• ner at and abominate: for, in the place of saying the Doctrine of the Gospel doth occasion sin, it is said, Is Christ the minister of sin? And Paul doth abominate the very thought of it, rejecting it as most blasphemous and absurd; God forbid, saith he: it is a denial, joined with a detestation of the thing denied. So chap. 3. 21. and 1 Cor. 6. 15. Rom. 9. 14.

Vers. 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

THe Apostle refuteth the former Inference, next, by some reasons taken from that indissoluble tie which is betwixt Justification and Sanctification, which he holdeth forth in his own person; that he may hereby propose himself an example unto others. The first, is, that Paul, in preaching the Doctrine of Justification, had jointly with it pressed the ruin and destruction of sin, as necessarily flowing from that Doctrine: and therefore if he should again build up sin, by giving way to the practice of it, he should contradict himself in what he had preached, not walking according to the Doctrine of the Gospel, but contrary to it: and so himself should be the transgressor, and the Gospel free from giving him any occasion so to be. Doct. 1. The Doctrine of Justification by Free-grace, cannot be rightly preached, except the Doctrine of Mortification and destroying of sin be jointly preached with it: for, the same Faith which layeth hold on Christ for Righteousness, doth rest upon Him also for grace and strength to subdue corruption and sin, Act. 15. 9. and if He be not employed for the latter, He will not bestow the former: thus sin and corruption were those things which Paul destroyed, in so far as he did hold forth the most solid and ready way how to get them destroyed, while he taught the Doctrine of Justification; If I build again the things which I destroyed, 2. From this it followeth, that the untender lives of those who profess this Doctrine, do not reflect upon the Doctrine, as if in itself it did give occasion or encouragement unto them so to live; but upon themselves, who do not make the right use of that Doctrine, but abuse it, and walk quite contrary to what is prescribed by it: for, so doth Paul infer; For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor; or, the fault is not in the Doctrine, but in myself.