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9 A little leaven

leaveneth the whole lump.

9. Have a care of it then. This A. D. 58. one Doctrine, like Leaven, will fowre and spoil all your Chriftian

Principles; and a few fuch * Teachers may foon corrupt your whole Church.

10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwife minded; but he that troubleth you, fhall bear his judgment,

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcifion, why do I yet fuffer perfecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

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11. How irrational is it for them to fuggeft that I should favour their Notions? Were la Favourer of that Doctrine, how come the Jews to perfecute me as they ftill do. 'Tis plain, would 1 but give up this one being faved only by the Death of a Crucified Jefus, (the very Principle that gives them so much Diftafte) they would foon be Friends with me.

Principle, of Mens

12 I would they

were event cut off

12. Verily, I have fuch an Averfion to the Teachers that spread this which trouble you. Doctrine, that I could even wish they were expelled † the Christian Church, for troubling and perverting you with it.

9, 10. A little Leaven

13. For

and He that troubleth you.

Note, Some Learned Men would conjecture, from the two Expreffions, that it was one fingle Teacher, or falfe Apostle, that gave St. Paul this Trouble and Oppofition. It might be fo; yet, I think, the twelfth Verfe renders it very uncertain There it is They which trouble

you.

Cut off. The Apostle's Meaning in this Phrase may, perhaps, run higher than bare Excommunication, according to the Conjecture of the Judicious Dr. Jackfon, Tom. III. p. 182. who fupposes him here to wifh the fame Sentence upon those that unreasonably preffed Circumcifion, which was denounced upon fuch as omitted it. Now that was Gen. xvii. 14. To be cut off or defroyed from among the People. Which the Jewish Doctors, and many of our best Divines understand of immediate Death, or at leaft fortning of Life, by the Divine Hand. See Exod. iv. 24.

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A. D. 58.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only ufe not liberty for an occafion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

13. For 'tis evident beyond Contradiction, the Chriftian Religion has freed all its Members from the Burden of the Jewish Law. Only let me advise that maintain you this Freedom, not to abuse it into a Liberty of uncharitable Cenfures, Animofities, or reviling Behaviour against fuch as differ from you; for these are the Effects of carnal and finful Principle. But, on the contrary, be ready to ferve them in any kind of good Offices.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thy self.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not confumed one of another.

14. Remembring that a juft and kind Treatment of all Mankind is the Sum and Substance of all the Moral Laws of the Second Table.

15. Whereas if your Differences and Difputes fly out into an outragious and abufive Carriage to each other, it may hazard to end in the Ruin of you all, and the Difcredit

and Bane of your common Profeffion.

16 This I fay then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye fhall not fulfil

16. To prevent which direful Ef fects, live and converse agreeably to the pure and spiritual Religion of the Gospel, and worthy of those extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit conferred on your Church.

the luft of the flesh.

:

17 For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and one to the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would,

thefe are contrary

the

18 But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are

not under the law.

17. For the corrupt Inclinations, of which fuch Vices are the genuine Effects, are directly oppofite to the Temper and Spirit of Chriftianity; they are perfectly deftructive of each other, and 'tis impoffible you can indulge them both.

18. The Religion of Christ is truly Spiritual; and all its Members are

under the Conduct and Influence of

the Holy Ghost; which both enables and obliges them to

a higher

a higher degree of Purity and Holiness than could be ex- A. D. 58. pected from a few under the Mofaical Law; and at the

fame time shows them to be in no need of that Law.

19 Now the works

of the flesh are mani-
feft, which are thefe,
adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lafcivi-
oufnefs,
zo Idolatry, *witch-
craft, hatred, variance,
wrath,

emulations,
ftrife, feditions, here-
fies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkennefs, revellings, and fuch like: of the which I tell you before, as I have alfo told you in time past, that they which do fuch things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Chriftian, or enjoy

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against fuch

19, 20 & 21. And the better to preferve you from the Vices that fpring from thefe indulged Corruptions of humane Nature, let me point out to you fome of the chief of them, as Adultery, Fornication, Impurity in Thoughts or Actions, Idolatrous Worship, with all the unclean Practices attending it, * Witchcrafts, Enmities, Quarrels, Animofities, furious Anger, Sedition against the Lawful Government, Divifions and Separations in the Church on needlefs Occafions, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenness, and Night Revellings, &c. Which I always told you, and now again particularly warn you, are fuch Enormities, that no Practicer of them can ever be a true the Happiness of Heaven.

22 & 23. On the contrary, the Graces and Virtues required of us by the Spiritual Religion of the Gospel, are fuch as thefe, viz. Love to all Mankind, a chearful and contented Mind, Peaceablenefs of Behaviour, Patience under Injuries, Sweetness of Difpofition, Gentlenefs and Beneficence, Fidelity to our Words and Promifes, Meekness and Temperance in the Ufe of worldly Pleasures. These are agreeable to the divine Will, and will fkreen us from all Guilt and Punishment.

there is no law.

24 And they that are Chrift's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lufts. 25 If

24. And every true Chriftian engages by his Profeffion to get fuch Maftery over his corrupt and fleshly Inclinations, as to arrive at the habitual Practice of all thefe Virtues. 25. Where

D

Witchcrafts. Dappaxsla, i. e. The Art of Poisoning.

A. D. 58.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us alfo walk in the Spirit.

25. Wherefore, if we pretend ourselves Members of this pure and fpiritual Religion of the Gospel, that is attended with fuch Affiftances of the Holy Ghost; it infinitely concerns us to live fuitably to its holy Dictates and Precepts.

26. Let us not be
defirous of vain-glory,
provoking one
ther, envying one a-
nother.

ano

26. And let me perfwade all your Contending Parties to begin to give an Inftance of this Chriftian Temper, by particularly fuppreffing that Spirit of Ambition and Vain-glory, that is fo apt to make them envy, contemn, and exasperate one another.

* See the Preface.

I Cap. 5. 22, 23.

CH A P. VI

The ARGUMENT.

He continues his Exhortation to a tender and peaceable Temper. Admonisheth the Spiritual Governors of the Church to endeavour the Recovery of fuch as fall into Errors and Irregularities, by kind and gentle Treatment. Reflects upon the Pride of their falle Teachers. Encourages the Galatians to a liberal and impartial Contribution for the Maintenance of their Minifters: And to Charity towards all Mankind, especially their Fellow Chriftians. Then Jums up the Argument of his whole Epiftle, and concludes with his Bleffing.

Rethren, if a man

a

B be overtaken in
fault, ye which are
fpiritual, restore fuch
an one in the fpirit of

I.

B

Y the Rule of Chriftian Charity then, it is the indifpenfible Duty of your spiritual and infpired Minifters to endeavour, by all gentle and kind Methods, to reduce fuch Members as are misled into bad Principles or Practices, to a juft Sense of their Duty: Remembring that they themselves are not abfolutely exempted from falling into the like Miscarriages.

meeknefs, confidering
thy self, left thou alfo
be tempted.

2 Bear ye one anothers burthens, and fo

fulfil the law of Christ.

2. Instead therefore of impofing A. D. 58. the Drudgery of the Jewish Law upon one another ; make it your Business fully to obey this noble Chriftian Law, by bearing with, and relieving the Infirmities of each other.

man

3 For if a think himself to be fomething, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himfelf.

3. For whatever Teacher exalts and values himself, fo as to be above a tender Concern for the Good and Safety of others, or imperiously to impose his own Notions upon them, makes himself a very little and foolish Person.

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or in making them

5 For every man fhall bear his own burthen.

6 Let him that is

taught in the word,

communicate unto him

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5. For 'tis our own Behaviour we shall all be accountable for ; let others be of what Opinion or what Party they will.

6. And, whereas I find feveral of you very partial in contributing to the Maintenance of your Minifters, by the Difference and Difputes that prevail amongst you; I now exhort you to be just and liberal in your Collection for them all.

that teacheth, in all good things.

7 Be not deceived, 7. Let none of them lead you God is not mocked: into wrong Prejudices against the for whatsoever a man reft. They may deceive you, but foweth, that shall he God they cannot; who will be fure alfo reap. to reward you in Proportion to the Prudence and Liberality of your Distributions.

D 2

8. For

* Ver. 4. Shall have Rejoicing. Kávxnua, Glorying os

Boafting.

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