by whose will I am an Apostle of Christ For concerning Gods will for his Apostleship see what himself saith 1. Cor. 1.1 and 2. Cor. 1.1 and Ephes 1.1 and Coloss 1.1 And his Apostleship was grounded not so much on Gods permissive will to allow and suffer it as on Gods imperative will to require and command it for hence he sayth 1. Tim. 1.1 That he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandement of God our Saviour which is a speciall will of God for every command is a speciall will and every Mandate is a speciall Command Who raysed him from the dead An Evangelicall attribute of God the Father frequently ascribed unto him in the New Testament And the reason why there it is so frequently alleadged is partly to confirme the doctrine of the New Testament and partly to certifie the perfect consent in all things between God the Father who ordayned it and Christ the Son who mediated it and the Apostles who were the Ministers of Christ to propagate and perpetuate it For God by raysing Christ from the dead did marveilously confirme the whole doctrine which Christ had publickly delivered unto the world and did manifestly declare that himselfe was the authour of the doctrine taught by Christ Because God raysed Christ from the dead for the further prosecution of the Gospel whom the Jewes had put to death for the publication of it And because for the greater honour and glory of Christ the Gospel was afterward propagated and confirmed by miracles in the name of Christ crucified and raysed againe from the dead And this Divinity of the Gospel that it came originally from God as his last Will and Testament was a point to be seriously pressed especially against the unbeleeving Jewes who magnified and maintained the Law as a divine Institution proceeding from God and of ancient observance amongst Gods people But they despised and opposed the Gospel as a humane Invention and as a late novelty newly sprung up contrary and derogatory to the will of God And besides Paul by mentioning the raysing of Christ from the dead doth tacitly commend and advance his Apostleship above all the other Apostles from this singularity in it that he was ordayned an Apostle by Christ after the Resurrection of Christ from the dead A speciall priviledge unto him which befell none of the rest who were all ordayned before his Resurrection while Christ was yet a mortall man and therefore his Calling was more divine then theirs by how much Christ being made immortall was more Divine then while he was mortall VERSE 2. Text. And all the Brethren which are with me unto the Churches of Galatia Sense And all the Brethren viz. All they of the Ministery who preach the Gospel Which are with me i. e. Which are abiding for the present where I am Vnto the Churches of Galatia i. e. Unto the congregations or assemblies of Christians within the Province of Galatia Reason In this verse are mentioned two things 1. The approbation of his Epistle in being testified by all the Ministers of the Gospel then resident or abiding with him who by way of subscription did approve the contents thereof And this was done that their Testimony might advance and improve the authority and credit of his Epistle which although it had authority enough from his Apostleship yet ex abundanti had so much the more from their testimony 2. The Direction of the Epistle which is not addressed to a single person but unto the Congregations of Christians in Galatia Comment Paul writes sometime singly sometime joyntly and why so Unprofitable reasoning The direction is generall and very abrupt and why so A Church unfound may be truly a Church AND all the Brethren which are with me Paul in some of his Epistles writes single in his owne name only without any Approver of his Doctrine to subscribe and testifie it besides himselfe as in his Epistle to the Romans to the Ephesians and to Timothy In some of his Epistles he adjoynes some one of his fellow-Ministers as Sosthenes in the first to the Corinthians and Timothy in the second whom also he adjoynes in that to the Philippians and in that to the Colossians In some he adjoynes two as Silas and Timothy in the first and second to the Thessalonians But in this to the Galatians he assumes not only one or two but even all the Ministers his Brethren that were at that present abiding with him Because as it seemeth all of them would have their Judgement extant in this Epistle that it might carry the greater weight and authority with it Partly to shew their affection to the Galatians but chiefly to declare their approbation of Pauls doctrine and to justifie it from that singularity wherewith the Judaizers and false Teachers had charged it What persons these Brethren were is neither expressed from any Scripture nor to be collected from any solid reason Yet if we suppose that this Epistle was written from Rome as the Postscripts of many ancient copies date it and the conjectures of many learned men affirme it then it seemes they were Romans eyther for their Nation or at least for their present residence But by this inference we gaine no knowledge of their persons and therefore desist from further search after them Because that Reasoning makes but small gaines which in a matter of no moment gathers but one uncertainty out of another Vnto the Churches of Galatia The direction of the Epistle for the persons unto whom it was addressed And heerein this Epistle of Paul is singular from all the rest by him written and that in two respects 1. For the generality of the direction for Paul directs his other Epistles eyther to some single person as unto Timothy Titus and Philemon or to some one single Church or congregation assembled in some one City as all the rest are directed but this is directed unto many Churches in many Cities For Galatià was not a City but a large Country or Province wherein were severall Churches or Christian Congregations whereof as it seemeth all or the most part were leavened and sowred with Judaisme or the false doctrine of super-adding the law of Moses unto the Gospel of Christ Whereupon Paul directs his Epistle not to any one single Church of them in particular but to them all in generall because they were all equally concerned 2. For the abruptnesse or flatnesse of the Direction for therin he attributeth not unto them any title of love or respect by saying unto the Churches of God or by calling them beloved sanctified or the faithfull as his usuall maner is to preface other persons and Churches in the rest of his Epistles But hee only affords them a bare and flat compellation in an abrupt and disrespective maner unto the Churches of Galatia Whereby the holy Apostle would argue and declare his holy indignation against the Galatians as Congregations unworthy of those gratious appellations which otherwise he readily attributes
in Christ yet they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospell but lived as did the Jewes These labouring a compliance betweene Moses and Christ did teach and professe that the Law and the Gospel the Old and New Testament were all one and the same or at the most that the latter was but an addition or supplement to the former and that there was no coming unto Christ and to the Gospell but by passing first through Moses and the Law These were Operaries and Rituaries i. e. so much for the Workes and Ceremonies of the Law that they made Workes the cause conservant to continue justification and therefore after their faith and justification in Christ to the end that they might continue and abide in that state they continued in the Workes of the Law as in practising the use of Circumcision in abstaining from divers meates both of Flesh Fish and Fowle and especially from all meates that had beene offered unto Idolls in observing divers seasons of dayes moneths times and yeares And proceeding yet further at last they came to this that they made Workes also the cause procreant of justification to constitute create and begin the state of it for therefore they urged their Workes especially Circumcision upon the Gentiles as necessary unto salvation Of this Sect were they who are mentioned Acts. 15.1 And certain men which came down frō Judea taught the brethren and sayd Except ye bee circumcised after the maner of Moses ye cannot be saved Certain men i. e. certain Judaizers And they who are mentioned here in this cap. v. 12. For before that certain came from James i. e. certain Judaizers Also they in the Church of Rome and of Colossa whom Paul notes in his Epistles to the Romans and Colossians and they Phil. 3.2 whom Paul there cals Dogs evill workers and the Concision and they in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus who were given to Jewish Fables to endles Genealogies and strivings about the Law The Cause of this their Judaisme was at first partly their zeal to the Law of Moses whereof they acknowledged God himself the Author partly their envy and hatred against the Gentiles that they should be made partakers of Gods grace in Christ from which by this meanes they endeavoured to discourage the Gentiles But afterward this Judaisme was advanced partly out of vain-glory to insult over the Gentiles in forcing them to the Laws and Customs of the Jews and partly out of policy that living as did the Jews they might enjoy the Priviledges of the Jews and thereby not become liable to that persecution which lay upon the sincere Christian The Effect of this Judaisme was that the walking therein was not onely an errour against the truth of the Gospel but also a scandall against the growth of it a damage and mischiefe to the planting and spreading of it for heereby it came to passe that the unbelieving Gentiles were unwilling to receive it and the believing Gentiles were ready to desert it 3. The third party of Christians were the Gentilizers for so they may bee called seeing here in this verse Paul denotes them by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to Gentilize or as our English Translation renders it to live after the maner of the Gentiles These also in respect of their faith were Christians for they believed in Christ but in respect of their life they were Heathenish because they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel but lived after the maner of the Gentiles For these labouring a compliance betweene Philosophy and Christianity interserted mingled and blended the Gospel of Christ with Pythagorisme and Platonisme with Epicurisme and Stoicisme The severall Sectaries or followers heereof either turning the grace of God into wantonnesse or pretending to exercise their Christian liberty were somewhat divided amongst themselves not onely in their Doctrines and Opinions but also in their practice and conversation For some as the Pythagorists abstained from Wine drinking onely water they abstained from all kinde of flesh eating onely herbes and they abstained from mariage disallowing that state holding it good for a man especially a Philosopher not to touch a woman Others as the Epicures were heerto so contrary that they would abstain from nothing not from bloud nor things strangled nor any kinde of flesh eating meats offered unto Idolls not from fornication nor incest nor other uncleannesse not from drunkennesse at the Communion 1. Cor. 11.21 For in eating every one took before other his supper and one the Pythagorist was hungry and another the Epicure was drunken Yet these different sects agreeing all in the fayth of Christ tolerated one another in other matters as anciently they had done before their conversion that in the maine they might all side against the Judaizer Wherefore taking advantage of Pauls doctrine against works and boasting that Paul was their Apostle as indeed he was they became Fiduciaries and Libertines i. e. They were only for faith and liberty neglecting despising and disgracing works as no way necessary to salvation as no cause at all of Justification neither procreant to constitute or build the state of it nor conservant to continue and maintaine it Of this sect were they Rom. 14. who did eat only hearbs and they who did eat all things They 1. Cor. 1. who made divisions and contentions saying I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ They 1. Cor. 5. who were puffed up in the behalfe of the incestuous Corinth They 1. Cor. 6. who held fornication lawfull They 1. Cor. 7. who held mariage unlawfull or unexpedient They 1. Cor. 8. who would eat meat offered unto Idols and would eat it in the Idols temple They 1. Cor. 15. who denyed the Resurrection to come and they at Ephesus who affirmed that it was already past They Coloss 2. who spoyled men through Philosophy beguiling them in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels In a word they in generall who are censured and taxed in the Generall Epistles of James Peter John and Jude The Cause of this their Gentilisme was partly their vaine-glory in being gifted men and puffed up with the gifts of the Holy Ghost as the gift of fayth of knowledge of tongues and of prophesie partly their Sensuality in abusing their Christian liberty unto licentiousnesse and loosenesse following their carnall appetite and walking after the flesh partly their Animosity in opposing and crossing the Judaizer whose doctrines and practises especially that of Circumcision they detested and abhorred The Effect of this Gentilisme was the very same with that of Judaisme for this walking or living thus after the maner of the Gentiles was not only an error against the truth of the Gospel but also a scandall against the growth of it a damage and mischiefe to the planting and spreading of it especially amongst the Jewes for heerupon the event was that the unbeleeving Jewes were unwilling to
THE IUSTIFICATION OF A SINNER Being the Maine ARGUMENT OF THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS By a Reverend and Learned Divine NON ALTVM PETO I.S. LONDON Printed by T. H. and are to be sold at the Gun in Ivy-Lane 1650. THE PREFACE For the Reading of the Epistle to the GALATIANS In five Particulars The situation of Galatia Her Inhabitants Her reception of the Gospel Her false Teachers Their false Doctrine Their Arguments for it Their designe in it The Scope and parts of this Epistle three Pauls Apostleship is immediate from Christ and no way inferiour to the chiefe Apostles Circumcision is of it selfe a thing indifferent Justification makes us a right unto Blessednesse whereto Faith in Christ is our title and workes of Love are our tenure and these two are sufficient But workes of the Law are neither title nor tenure Paul exhorts to severall holy duties He argues variously 1. Gravely 2. Severely 3. Gently For the time and the place 1. The Direction IT is addressed to the Churches of Galatia The Land of Judea extending it so as sometime it is to include Samaria and Galilee is bounded on the South with Arabia the Desert wherein the Famous Mount Sinai is seated But on the North it bordereth upon Syria whereof anciently it was a Province for therefore the King of Syria is by the Prophet Daniel frequently called the King of the North. And North from Syria lies Cilicia the Native Country of St. Paul and North from Cilicia is Galatia whereof the Metropolis or Chiefe City is the Famou◠Ancyrà from whence the people of the whole Country are by some Historians called Ancyrans So that the Countries of Arabia Judea Syria Cilicia and Galatia lye as it were in a Line under the same Meridian successively North-ward the latter still more Northerly then the former Galatia being a large Province of Asia the lesse was originally inhabited by the Greekes But afterward some 360 yeares before Christ was possessed by the Gaules or French who quartering and mingling themselves with Greekes gave occasion that the Countrey was called Gallo-Graecia or Graeco-Gallia i. e. that part of Greece wherein the Gaules lived At last the Jewes whose manner was being a populous Nation to disperse their Families into divers other Countries seated themselves as sojourners or strangers in the chiefe Cities of Galatia where they had their severall Synagogues as the French and Dutch in some Cities of England have their proper Congregations Into this Countrey of Galatia bordering upon Cilicia Paul being a Cilician borne did in discharge of his Ministery make two severall journeys The first by way of Plantation to publish the Gospel and the second by way of Visitation to confirme the Believers in it And those Believers of Galatia who came in unto the Faith whether from the Jewes or from the Gentiles for there came in from both are in respect of their severall Congregations stiled by the Apostle the Churches of Galatia unto whom he directs this Epistle 2. The Occasion AFter Pauls finall departure from Galatia into other Countries to plant and settle the Greeke and Latine Churches there arose in the Congregations of Galatia certaine false Teachers who by Birth and Nation were not Jewes but Proselytes or Strangers who had lived among the Jewes in Judea where by Religion they became Christians and from thence travelled afterward into Galatia amongst whom it seemes by Ecclesiasticall Writers Cerinthus was the leading man The false Doctrine taught by these was That unto Salvation the Ceremonies of the Jewish Law were necessary especially that of Circumcision Yet heerewith they taught not that Faith in Christ and Holynesse of life were either to bee rejected or neglected But approving the necessity of these they pressed their insufficiency alledging that Faith and Holynesse were not sufficient and prevalent to procure us a right interest and claime unto the Blessings promised in the Gospel unlesse to our Faith and Holynesse wee super-added Circumcision Thus they framed a complyance of Christ with Moses to compound the Gospel with the Law or rather if wee consider the moment of the matter to substitute the Law instead of the Gospel for both of them cannot subsist together The Arguments whereby they raised and maintained this Doctrine were chiefely Calumnies against St. Paul partly by extolling Peter James and John as the chiefe Pillars of the Church as Apostles ordained by Christ himselfe as Residentiaries of Jerusalem in the Consistory of Christ partly by disparaging Pauls Apostleship and opposing the authority of the Apostles against his authority as that hee had not the authority of an Apostle or if hee had any it was but derivative onely from them and therefore was inferiour to them That hee was the onely man who opposed the Ceremonies of the Law for the rest of the Apostles allowed of them and indeede for a time they seemed to allow them prudently concealing their minde in that point lest otherwise the Jewes of Judea where they chiefly preached being blindly zealous for the Law should have taken distast against the Gospel That hee in the poynt of Circumcision was inconstant and various sometime urging it as hee did upon Timothy and sometime opposing it as hee did in Titus The Designe or end of this Doctrine was double 1. That by this means these Teachers might render themselves gratious amongst the Jewes who highly esteemed the use of their ancient Lawes and consequently that heereby they might become capable of all Honours Offices Priviledges and Commodities granted then to the Jewes in divers places 2. That heereby they might decline those persecutions and other inconveniences whereto those Christians were subject who professed the purity of the Gospel stripped from the Jewish Ceremonies For in those times by the Civill Lawes of Rome and by the Edicts of the Romane Emperours the Jewes in all places enjoyed the free exercise of their Religion But so did not the Christians who were every where vexed by all Vnbelievers on all hands both by Jewes and Gentiles as appeares throughout the Acts of the Apostles 3. The Intention THE maine Scope of St. Paul in this Epistle is to reduce the Galatians from their Jewish errour in retaining and adhering to the workes and Ceremonies of the Law unto the sincerity and purity of the Gospel as will best appeare in the parts of the Epistle which besides the Salutation and Valediction seeme principally three 1. A Defence of his Apostleship cap. 1. ver 6. c. For because the false teachers by impugning his Apostleship had grounded and raised their errour therefore he with great courage and freedome of language doth vindicate the Office and authority thereof as that hee had not his Apostleship from the Apostles nor by the Apostles but as immediately from Christ as ever they had theirs That hee was no way inferiour to the chiefe of the Apostles either for knowledge in the mysteries of Christ or for power in Preaching the Gospel That they acknowledged the
him For the Place whence it was written whether from Rome or from elsewhere there is as much uncertainty as for the time See the Poscript added at the end of the Epistle GAL. CHAP. 1. VERSE 1. Text. Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Sense Not of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Not from men men were not the authors from whom I had my Apostleship Neither by man i. e. Neither was any mortall man the secondary meanes by whom I was made an Apostle But by Jesus Christ .i. e. By the meanes of Jesus Christ And God the Father .i. e. And from God the Father who was the prime author from whom he had his Apostleship Reason These words shew the Author of this Epistle describing him by his name by his function that he was an Apostle and by his commission that his Apostleship was not humane from men or by men but altogether divine from God by Jesus Christ And this is therefore so done that his Epistle might carry with it the higher authority and be received with the greater reverence partly for the procuring assent unto the matters therin contained and partly for the vindicating of his Apostleship from the calumny of the Judaizers or false teachers among the Galatians who had traduced it to be but of humane authority Comment Paul first so called amōg the Romans Many persons are binomious The Apostles were founders planters of the Gospell Other Ministers but edifiers and waterers of it Why Paul here stiles himself an Apostle The authority of the Apostles was sacred The Judaizers calumny against Pauls Apostleship and the ground of it Pauls Apostleship not humane for the authour nor for the means of it either for his Instruction or for his Mission though for some dismission it were humane Another difference between the Apostles other Ministers Pauls Apostleship Divine Christ opposed unto man Man is some time put for an ordinary man Pauls calling equall to the rest of the Apostles for the meanes and the Authour grounded on Gods Mandate An Evangelicall Attribute of God as the sole Authour of the Gospel the Divinity whereof was to bee pressed Pauls Apostleship singularly divine PAUL an Apostle The Author who wrot this Epistle doth alwayes call himselfe by the name of Paul But Luke who in Acts of the Apostles wrot the acts of Pauls Ministery doth call him Saul while he preached the Gospel among the Jewes and Syrians Yet when he began to preach it among the Romans and amongst them he began in Cyprus where Sergius Paulus the Proconsul of the Island desired to heare it from him then and from that time ever afterward Luke mentions him by the name of Paul Which name being ordinary among the Romans might first be attributed unto him in the family of that Roman Proconsul whose name was also Paul But whether Saul and Paul be two different names given to one and the same person for among the Jewes as wel as other Nations many persons were binomious and some trinomious as appears by the three names of Simon Peter Cephas al denoting the same person or but one the same name in different languages like Silas and Silvanus as Beza conjectures I stand not to determine But his name of Paul he prefixeth before his Epistle because in those times it was the custome among most Nations especially the Romans not to subscribe their name under or after their Letters but to prescribe or prefixe it above or before them in the first place as Princes doe in these times And Paul stiles himselfe by the title of an Apostle i. e. of an Emissary Legate or Messenger universall sent forth by divine authority from God by Christ to be a founder and planter of the Gospell at large without restraint to any certaine City or Countrey For thus the Twelve were the Apostles of Christ and thus was Christ himselfe the Apostle of God for of the Gospel Christ was the originall Founder who by a mission immediate from his Father layd the first stone for the foundation of it and Christ in respect of his mission is therefore called Heb. 3.1 The Apostle and high Priest of our profession And heerein all other Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel are different from the Apostles because all other Ministers besides them are not founders and planters of the Gospel but are only Edifiers and Waterers upon that Foundation and plantation which was first layd and made by Christ and his Apostles Or they are only Teachers and Pastors to feed and rule that flocke which by Christ and his Apostles was first constituted and collected This title of Apostle according to his usuall maner Paul attributes to himselfe in all his Epistles but in this Epistle above any of the rest there was especiall reason for it Because by this title he would establish his authority in the Churches of Galatia and confirme his doctrine there planted which after the plantation of it was by false Teachers amongst them questioned and challenged of falshood For to reject or but to question the doctrine of an Apostle being a sacred messenger from God fortified with divine authority and for the most part armed with the power of miracles was lawfull for no man but for Christians to doe it was insufferable This abuse therefore must bee rectified by words that were proper to discountenance it Not of men The Greeke particle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which heere must needs signifie from Because his meaning is that men were not the prime authours from whom hee received the Commission or Mandate for his Apostleship or that the authority from whence hee derived that Function was not humane And because his words are a vindication of his Apostleship and of his calling thereto from a malicious and subtle calumny cast upon his Function by the Judaizers and false Teachers amongst the Galatians For they allowed Paul to bee an Apostle sent forth to found and plant the Gospel But they questioned his authority therein pretending that his Calling was not Divine to come from God as from the prime authour of it Or if it were from God as from the prime authour yet that it was not by the meanes of Christ that hee had not his Instruction and Mission from God by Christ But that hee was taught his knowledge in the Gospel by some mortall man and preached it by the meanes of humane helpe and that in this respect hee was not comparable to the rest of the Apostles For which opinion or rather calumny of theirs this may seeme to be the ground Because Paul entred upon the office of his Apostleship after Christ was ascended into Heaven whereas the rest of the Apostles had their mission from Christ himselfe while hee yet remayned upon earth This calumny Paul removes by a flat negation that his authority or mandate to be an Apostle was not humane for
he received not his mission from men as sent to Preach from men as if men were the prime authors of it Before his conversion while he was a Pharisee his authority against the Gospel was humane for hee had that calling from men and from men hee had his mandate to persecute the professours of it seeing hee had it from the chiefe Priests as it appeares Act. 9.14 And heere he hath authority from the chiefe Priests to bind all that call on thy Name But after his conversion when he was a Beleever his authority for the Gospel to preach and plant it came not from men Neither by man His Apostleship was not from God mediately by the meanes of any person who was a mortall or meere man And heere hee takes man for an ordinary mortall man in opposition unto Christ who is both God and man and who though hee bee man yet is an extraordinary and immortall man First therefore for his Instruction in the Doctrine of the Gospel hee had it not by man as taught it by man as before hee had his knowledge in the Law by the meanes of Gamaliel at whose feete hee was brought up in Jerusalem Act. 22.3 And taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers and was zealous towards God Or as Apollos who although hee was before eloquent in the Scriptures and well catechised in the Christian Religion yet afterward hee had his best and soundest knowledge therein by the meanes of Aquila and Priscilla for Acts 18.26 They tooke him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly Secondly neither had hee his Mission by man for some Preachers of the Gospel in the Primitive Church though they had their authority and calling from God yet they had their Mission into their Function by the meanes of men being instituted and ordained thereunto by men As Mathias by the eleven Timothy and Titus by Paul and others by the rest of the Apostles But the Mission of Paul was not effected by any such meanes for although Ananias at Damascus put his hands upon Paul that hee might receive his sight Yet Paul had no Instruction nor Mission from Ananias but from the Lord onely who having first converted him sent Ananias to performe this office unto him for the recovery of his sight But Christ reserved unto himselfe the Instruction of Paul Act. 9.16 I will shew him how great things hee must suffer for my names sake Likewise the Presbytery at Antioch Act. 13.3 When they had fasted and prayed layd their hands on Paul and Barnabas and sent them away But that Mission was not autoritative but onely dismissive for the Calling and the Warrant for their sending away was wholly from the Holy Ghost who had sayd in the former verse Seperate me Barnabas and Saul for the worke whereunto I have called them Paul therefore doth utterly disclaime this humane Instruction and Mission that thereby hee might the more commend and improve the authority and credit of his Apostleship against the calumnies and obloquies of the false Teachers who had divulged that Paul had received from Peter James and John both his Instruction and his Mission And heere againe the Calling of the Apostles differeth from ours for although our Calling bee Divine and come from God yet it is not Primitively and immediately from God but derivatively and mediately by the meanes of man Because our Instruction and Mission is derivative and delegate to bee instructed by the teachings and writings of men and to bee sent forth to preach by the authority of men who were in this Office before us and are the onely competent Judges of our ability and sincerity for our Function But by Jesus Christ and God the Father A full Declaration of his calling to his Apostleship whence hee received it and by whom namely from God the Father as the prime Authour of it by the meanes of Jesus Christ by whom hee had immediatly his Instruction and his Mission For having before removed the calumny that was made against his Calling he now asserts the verity and truth of it But in this Assertion hee proceeds in an order retrograde to the former for in the first place he introduceth Christ as the immediate and proximous person by whom he was called unto his Apostleship opposing Christ to the last words before mentioned not by man wherein the cause mediall was before intimated And then he specifies God the Father as the prime and principall person from whom hee was called by Christ opposing God the Father to the remoter words before not of or from men wherein was intimated the cause prime and principall of his humane calling But in opposing Christ unto man by man he understands as we sayd before an ordinary person like other vulgar men unto whom Christ though he also be man may with good reason be opposed Because Christ is exempted and exalted from and above the ranke quality and condition of all other men for he is the unigent Sonne of God who was in the entire and perfect nature of man even then when he lived amongst men on earth And therefore much more is he so now in Heaven where he is invested with immortality and glory enjoying soveraigne dominion over all men and Angels For Worthies and persons of eminent quality are wont to exempt themselves from the account and number of men because they are not like other vulgar men but seeme to themselves as petty gods For so Sampson sayd of himselfe Judg. 16.17 If I be shaven then my strength will goe from me and I shall become weake and be like any man i. e. like every ordinary man And from the number of men Judges and Rulers are in a maner exempted and that by God himself when he speakes to them in this forme Psal 82.6 I have sayd Yee are gods and all of you are children of the most High but yee shall die like men i. e. Like other vulgar and ordinary men If then such persons as are Worthies and Judges may be exempted from the number of men and be opposed unto them much more may Christ be so who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 With good reason therefore Paul heere opposeth Christ unto man q. d. I am no way inferiour to the rest of the Apostles for as they for their preaching of the Gospel had not their Instruction and Mission by man but by Jesus Christ who first taught and after sent them forth so I for my part to preach among the Gentiles had my Instruction and Mission not mediately by man but immediatly by Christ who immediately by himselfe revealed and taught the Gospel unto me and by himselfe sent me forth to preach it among the Gentils And as the rest of the Apostles had the originall of their calling from God the Father whose will it was that they should bee taught and sent forth by Christ so the originall author of my Apostleship is God the Father
Doctrine of the Apostles for shee her selfe distinguisheth them from the Precepts of the Apostles For if Pauls Doctrine which contained not those Traditions of the Church were sufficient to salvation with wâ—â—â— authority can those Traditions bee urged as necessary and by what meanes shall they who urge them escape the curse heere menaced But if they alleage that their Traditions are not contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles but onely additionall even the concession of this is enough for their conviction for in adding to the Doctrine of the Apostles and urging their additions as necessary to salvation they thereby teach besides the Doctrine of Paul as much as they did who unto the faith of Christ would adde the legall Ceremonies which is the maine point in this Epistle condemned because those legall Ceremonies though they were not contrary and against yet were different and besides those things which Paul affirmed as sufficient to salvation But the Galatians by necessitating of their additions must needes deny them sufficient and therefore the Churches of Rome joyne heerein with the Churches of Galatia that unto the Gospel of Christ they make additions though the additions bee not the same Let him bee accursed The censure and doome upon the former presumption that whosoever shall attempt it shall become a curse i. e. an abominable and execrable and devoted thing which no man may or dare touch In poynt of false Doctrine urged against or besides the Gospel of Christ no respect is to bee had to the Dignity or quality of the Person though hee bee an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven for if such Persons as these may by no meanes corrupt the Gospel what person else shall dare to doe it Whosoever therefore shall wittingly and purposely with arrogance and pertinacy attempt this corruption directly or indirectly against or besides the Gospel that person cannot escape the thunder of this curse but hee may escape it who out of ignorance or errour teacheth somewhat which hee thinkes consequent to the Doctrine of the Gospel though indeed it bee repugnant or different from it if afterward upon the sight of his errour hee forsake it and submit to the truth for such a one is not forthwith to bee accursed but must first bee refuted and instructed in the truth VERSE 9. Text. As wee sayd before so say I now againe If any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that you have received let him bee accursed Sense Then that yee have received Viz. from mee who first planted and afterward confirmed it amongst you Reason A Repetition of the former sentence to the same sense yet expressed in words somewhat more generall and full lest any man should thinke that the former clause was too severe and fell from him rashly or unawares VERSE 10. Text. For doe I now perswade men or God or doe I seeke to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Sense Doe I now viz. Since I was made an Apostle Perswade men i. e. Doe I teach humane doctrines or the opinions of men Or God Doe I not teach divine doctrine proceeding from God For if I yet viz. Since I became the servant of Christ Pleased men viz. Against or besides the pleasâ—â—e of Christ I should not be the servant i. e. I would not have been the servant Reason An entrance upon the third part of this Chapter wherein he vindicates the authority both of his Ministery and Doctrine and whereby he will conclude that such a person is worthy to be accursed who shall presume to oppose or corrupt his doctrine by teaching any thing against it or by adding somewhat besides it because his doctrine was altogether divine for he was taught it by God from heaven and by God from heaven he was commanded to publish it Comment The word Now. Men put for humane Doctrines and God for Divine Doctrine Paul was no Men-pleaser The particle yet How farre Men may must bee pleased and how far not Ministers are the servants of Christ FOR doe I now perswade men or God The particle now and the particle yet in the words following though sometime they be taken for the very instant and moment of the time present yet heere in this place they must bee ampliated or extended to a greater latitude to signifie such a time present as comprehendeth some compasse and includeth a certaine state and condition of things which state as long as it lasteth the same is so long accounted the time present See Matt. 3.10 and John 12.31 and Rom. 13.11 and 1. Cor. 13.12.13 and 2. Cor. 6.2 In this place therefore the particle now signifies that space of time from whence the Apostle being made a Minister of Christ did begin to preach the Gospel and yet continued to preach it for it is opposed to that former time when he was a Pharisee and a vehement maintayner of the Law He demands therefore whether now during his Ministery of the Gospel hee perswade men or God which he proposeth by way of Interrogatory signifying thereby that the matter was so evident to the Galatians that they must needs be forced to confesse the truth of it for this Interrogation must bee resolved and construed for two vehement assertions one a Negation thus I doe not now perswade men the other an affirmation repugnant to the former negation thus I doe now perswade God The word Men is here figuratively put for humane doctrines or for those opinions whereof men are the Inventors as wee often use the words Plato and Aristotle for the opinions or writings of Plato and Aristotle And in like manner the word God is put for divine Doctrines and for those verities whereof God is the Authour and Revealer so Christ is sometimes put for the Doctrine of Christ and the preaching of Christ is put for the preaching of his Doctrine See Act. 5.42 and Act. 8.5 and 2 Cor. 4.5 and Phil. 1.15 q. d. When I was a Pharisee zealous of the Law I perswaded and pressed humane Doctrines as the traditions of our Fathers and other opinions of men but now since I was ordained an Apostle and a Minister of Christ I dare urge no humane Doctrine but contrarily the Doctrine which now I urge is wholly Divine whereof God is the Authour and Revealer unto mee This Phrase to perswade men is taken in another sense 2 Cor. 5.11 for there he affirmes that he perswades men which heere he flatly denyes and the reason is because there men are taken for the personall object of his perswasion to whom the matter which he perswaded was piety but heere Men are put for the reall matter of his perswasion that the matter which now he perswaded unto men was not the Doctrine of men Or doe I seeke to please men A reason of his double assertion contained in his former interrogation by removing the cause impulsive which might seeme to move him to perswade humane Doctrines and
the reproof is by way of Interrogation which therefore redounds to the sharper reprehension for in demanding a reason of his action why he being a Jew compelled the Gentiles he seems to tell him that he had no reason at all for his action but rather his action was against all reason Yet the Interrogatory of his reproofe is but one and that one so concise that the language and the argument of it is contained and couched under a marvelous brevity q. d. seeing thou art a Christian Jew and by vertue of thy Christianity hast relinquished Judaisme and hast hitherto lived after the liberty of the Gentiles eating all sorts of meats after their maner for so thou didst eate till certaine Jewes came from James why art thou now become so contrary to thy selfe as to relapse back againe into Judaisme and in one fact to commit three offences for therein thou dissemblest with thine owne soule seeing thou hast declared thy judgement to the contrary and therein thou confirmest the Jewish Christians in their infirmity for by thy fact they will be hardened and therin thou compellest the Gentile-Christians to Judaize for thereto they are forced by the example of thy fact and for feare of thee Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as doe the Jewes Why some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. how but it matters not at all what the Interrogation should be for although the words be Interrogatory yet the sense is reprehensory thus certainely thou art too blame in compelling c. Compellest thou The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. necessitatest not by way of violence but by way of example whereby thou dost occasion and move them and by thy fact dost impose a kinde of necessity upon them to doe the like or at least that for fear of thee and of thy authority that dare not do otherwise For he is sayd to necessitate or compell who by force of reason or of example doth vehemently perswade or urge a thing to be done for in this sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used See afterward cap. 6. vers 12. and Luke 14.23 and Mat. 14.22 and Marc. 6.45 and Act 28.19 and 2 Cor 12.11 The Gentiles to Judaize i. e. The Christian-Gentiles to abstaine from certaine meats after the Jewish manner seeing neither that Ceremony nor any other part of the Law of Moses was ever by God imposed on the Gentiles for that Law to them was never given nor never binding q. d. Why dost thou now contrary to thy declared judgement and to thy former custome force the Gentiles to forsake their liberty and to apply themselves to the Ceremonies and observances of the Jewish Lawes whereto the Gentiles were never obliged this is not onely against all equity but against the liberty of the Gentiles and against the freedome of the Gospel The Law of Moses did not now binde the Jewes for by the accesse of the new Testament the old ceased and was expired much lesse should the Gentiles be compelled to it now being expired seeing formerly while it was in force it never obliged them But so great was the authority of Peter that any notable act of his was in a maner compulsory to prescribe and impose upon others especially when the rest of the Jewish Christians and even Barnabas himselfe followed the example of it Neither could all know that Peter herein dissembled for they might believe that he did it as moved in conscience and that now he corrected that errour whereinto before he somwhat swerved in love and courtesie to the Gentile-Christians Seeing then this fact of Peter might have occasioned great troubles seeing it might have disquieted the consciences of many and have much hindred the liberty of the Gospel therefore Paul had great reason to pluck off the vizard in publicke and to discover before all men the person which Peter had assumed For necessary it is that even great Persons when their example grows to a publick offence should undergoe a publick reproof yea the greater they are and the greater the danger that may arise from their example so much the greater should our care be that their authority which otherwise is to be maintained for the publicke good be not turned to the publicke ruine Hence for our better understanding of the former foure verses and of divers passages in the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles wee may and must observe that in the Church of Christ there then were and still are and ever will bee three sorts of Christians or three severall parties which agreeing all in the faith of Christ differed much among themselves 1. The sincere Christian who was intirely and wholly a Christian believing in Christ and walking in Christ or as from Pauls words in this verse they may bee described who believed uprightly and walked uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel edifying their faith and composing their life according to the Doctrines Precepts and Rules delivered by Christ and his Apostles These laboured for the sincerity and purity of the Gospel to preserve the truth therof clean and free from the admixture leaven of all Religions Opiniōs whatsoever that therunto were alien and forraine These were inoffensive peaceable and quiet giving no scandall to any party who differed from them in judgement or practice not busying their mindes with foolish questions and fruitlesse disputes to no profit but exercising themselves not in the workes of the Law but in the workes of their callings and in the good workes of the Gospel by doing all Offices and Services of Love Charity Equity Mercy Courtesie and Kindenesse towards all men but especially towards the houshold of faith and chiefely one toward another These were the children of the Kingdome the good seede which Christ sowed in the field of the world and they were the Wheate among which his Enemy sowed Tares Of this sort were the Friends Landlords and Companions of Paul to whom and from whom in his Epistles hee sendeth salutes also Aquila and Priscilla and the Church in their house also the houshold of Cloe of Crispus Gaius and Stephanas in the Church of Corinth also the house of Onesiphorus and all those in the Church of Ephesus whom Paul salutes in these words Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and also those in the Church of Philippi to whom hee writes thus Phil. 1.9.10 And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that yee may approve things that are excellent that yee may bee sincere and without offence till the day of Christ 2. The second party of Christians were the Judaizers for by that name Paul seemes to denote them heere by using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to judaize or to live as doe the Jewes These in respect of their faith were Christians but by their life they were Jewish for they did believe
Authority of his Commission the largenesse of his circuit and the efficacy of his ministery among the Gentiles That for Circumcision hee allowed the liberty of it as a thing indifferent to be used or omitted as occasions and circumstances should require for the advance of the Gospel But he opposed the Necessity of it that it should be imposed and forced as a yoke upon all the faithfull without any distinction of persons times or places for such a necessity was inconsistent with the liberty of the Gospel which by the necessity of Circumcision must necessarily be overthrowne 2. The Doctrine of Justification cap. 2. ver 15. c. Wherein hee declares the power and vertue of faith in Christ That every Christian is justified i. e. hath a present right interest or claime unto the future Blessings promised in Gods Covenant and bequeathed in his Will and Testament for it is the nature of promises and covenants of Wills and Testaments to create assigne and convey rights interests and claimes That the right interest or claime which we have by vertue of Gods Will and Testament is a Right of amity alliance and inheritance whereunto wee are instituted and adopted for the Sons and Heires of God as co-heires with Christ for Wills and Testaments doe produce amities and alliances by devising Legacies and setling Inheritances That the cause procreant or title whereby wee acquire and have this Right of Inheritance is Fayth in Christ for by faith in him we covenant and contract with God to accept and receive this Right because Christ is the Publisher Probator and Executor of Gods Will and the Legatary or particular Heir can never possesse himselfe of the gift assigned him but by meanes of the Executor or heire generall because the performance of the Testators Will as to matter of gifts and Legacies is charged onely upon the Executor That the cause conservant or Tenure whereby we preserve and hold this Right of inheritance is our workes of love for the greatnesse of this Blessing ought so to animate and quicken our faith as to make it lively and working by love without which our faith is an act imperfect frustrate voyd and dead and the workes of love are the conditions and services which we must performe in acknowledgement and thankfulnesse unto God for his infinite grace and savour in giving us this right of Inheritance for without such workes we become ingratefull and disinheritable to forfeit our future possession of that inheritance whereto our faith procures us a present right interest or clayme seeing it is in vaine for us to have a right unlesse we performe the services whereby to hold it for what Inheritance is there in the world which requires not a tenure whereby to hold it as well as a title whereby to have it Vnto Blessednesse therefore these two onely are necessary and sufficient on our part namely Faith in Christ whereby we are Justified or made the Sons of God jurally to have the Rights of Sons and workes of love whereby we are sanctified or made the sons of God morally to performe the duties of Sons As for works of the old Law whether Morall which are rather not-works then workes as not to have many Gods not to worship images not to forsweare our selves not to worke on the Sabbath c. or whether Ceremoniall such as Circumcision and the rest thereon depending these especially the latter are no way effectuall or causall either procreant or conservant to our right interest or claime of Blessednesse they are neither a title whereby we acquire and have that Right nor a tenure whereby we preserve and bold it but are rather destructive and extinctive to defeat frustrate and voyd it for seeing the Gospel is Gods last Will and Testament and every last Will doth infringe all former therefore he that will adhere to Gods former Will debars himselfe from the benefit of the latter This Doctrine the Apostle proveth and presseth by reasons authorityes examples and types from the old Testament and withall hee solidly refutes the arguments alleadged by the false teachers for their false Doctrine 3. An Exhortation to holinesse cap. 5. vers 1. c. Wherein hee seriously moves them to all holy dutyes as To persist in their Christian liberty and to use it without any abuse of it To live in love and walke after the spirit whereby they should be enabled against the lusts of the flesh the fulfilling whereof would exclude them from possessing that inheritance whereto by faith they had a present right To practice Christian toleration in bearing with one anothers infirmities To allow a liberall maintenance to their Teachers whom although they might mock and defraud of their meanes yet God would not bee mocked To persevere in doing good universally toward all men especially faithfully to the faithfull To suffer persecution joyfully even to glory in the Crosse of Christ. So that if wee respect these two last parts of Doctrine and Exhortation this Epistle to the Galatians seemes to bee an Epitome or breviat of that to the Romans 4. The Composure THe stile or frame of this Epistle is different and various for the Apostle earnestly laboring to reduce the Galatians from their Jewish errour summons up all the sorces of reason and Scripture omitting no kind of assertion nor no kind of argument but winding and turning himself every way assumes all forms of perswasion whereby to open the truth and presse it home upon them Sometime hee is grave and sterne neglecting all manner of respect in saluting them not affording them any honourable appellation of Christianity as to call them Elect Faithfull or Saints as his maner is in other of his Epistles to other Churches Sometime time hee is severe and sharpe reproving and chasticing them with bitter rebukes wondring at their suddain revolt from Christ and tearming them a foolish and bewitched people Sometime againe hee is gentle and kind cherishing and winning them with words of deare affection stiling them his brethren and his little children of whom hee travelled in birth againe commemorating withall their former affection toward him that at first they received him as an Angel of God yea as Christ Jesus and would have plucked out their owne eyes to have given them to him To this variety and freedome of argumentation in a way so familiar the Apostle might bee therefore induced because the Galatians were his next neighbours bordering upon Cilicia whereof he was a Native 5. The Date FOR the time when it was written some thinke it was the first of all Pauls Epistles Others conceive it written about the same time that hee wrot his Epistle to the Romans which they collect from the affinity of the argument betweene these two Epistles But if wee suppose it written at Rome then it seemes probable that it was the last of all his Epistles written while hee was there a Prisoner at large after Luke had finished the Acts of the Apostles and was departed from