and which may terminate in the late, but fure, Enjoyment of thofe confummate Glories, that are the future Portion of Great and Good Men, is the most hearty Prayer of, My LORD, Your Lordship's Most obliged, and humble Servant, THO. PYLE. [1] A PARAPHRASE ON The Epistle of St. PAUL TO THE GALATI ANS. The PREFACE. OR the chief Observations that are to let the Reader into the main Arguinent of this Epistle, I refer him to the Preface of the Epistle to the Romans. Of those Questions which he there finds to be the Subject of them both, this one is more particularly handled in This Letter against the Jewish Chriftians, viz. Whether Circumcision and the full Observation of the Ceremonial Law of Moses were necessary to the Salvation of a Christian Convert? All I now further observe is, The same Factious and Calumniating Spirit of these Jewiß Zealots of Galatia, with those of Rome and Corinth, the better to infinuate themselves with some People, they fuggefted St. Paul to B be, but to be, at the Bottom, a Favourer of the Jewish Law; CH A P. I. The ARGUMENT. written in or about the Year of our Lord 58. This E. The Title * the Apostle gives himself, levelled against the pistle was Suggestions of their False Teachers of the Judaizing Faction. He wondereth at their Relapse from the true Christian Doctrine of Men’s being Justified and Saved by the Christian Religion alone, into the Jewish Principle of the Necessity of the Ceremonial Law : To cure them of which Prejudice is the main Purpose of this Epiftle. His Answer to the Insinuations against the + See the Authority of his Commision t, and the Sincerity of his Preaching Preface. A.D.58. P hot of mengoment I Paule, whor am an Christian 4 ther by man, but by Authority of Men, nor receiving the other Apofles, as Matthias the dead, did ; but having it from the ex traor traordinary * and express Revelation of Jesus Christ A. D. 58, himfelf, and God the + Father, who raised him from * Acts ix. the Dead. xxii, & 2 And all the bre 2, 3. Send this Epistle to the xxvi. Chap. thren which are with Churches of Galatia, wishing you 14, 15. + Acts xxii. me, unto the churches all Favours and Blessings from God of Galatia : the Father, and our Lord Jesus 3. Grace be to you Christ; as do also the Christian and peace, from God the Father, and from Brethren that are with me here at our Lord Jesus Christ. Rome. 4 Who gave him 4. Wishing you, I say, the Blesfelf' for our sins, that sings of Christ Jesus, who, accorhe might deliver us ding to the merciful and gracious from this present evil Purpose of God, and the Predictithe will of God and ons of his Prophets, gave himself our Father : a Sacrifice for our Sins, to redeem us from the Punishment and Condemnation that is justly to fall upon the vitious and obftinate Unbelievers || of the present Age. 5 To whom be glo 5. For which Mercy be he ry for ever and ever. praised and glorified for ever and Amen. ever! Amen. 6 I marvel, that ye 6. He therefore being the only are so soon removed Saviour by whom we obtain Parfrom him that called don and Redemption, I am amayou into the grace of Christ, unto another zed to hear you should, so soon gospel. after your Conversion, be thus changed in your Belief of this grand Article, and be brought to embrace the Necessity of observing the Jewish Ceremonies, as a Chriftian Doctrine; whereas there is no such Matter. The Chriftian Religion is the only sufficient Foundation of your Justification and Happiness. || Ver. 4. From this present evil World, or rather aan, the present Age. The Sence being the same with that of Aets ii. 47. this untoward Generation. |
