CH A P. V.

1.

The ARGUMENT.
The first Verse is an Exhortation from the Discourses of the

two foregsing Chapters. Then the Apostle, in more ex-
press Termis, declares, He never preached up the Neceflity
of the Jewish Law to Christians; as their false Teachers
infinuated he had done. Clears himself of that Imputation
several Ways. Pronounceth all Christians free from the
Jewish Ceremonies ; but exhorts them to avoid all violent
Disputes, and uncharitable Censures upon each other, in
their Arguments for, and Defence of, that Freedom.
Warns them against the several Vices of the Flesh, and
preljes them to the Practice of the Spiritual Graces and

Virtues of the Gospel Religion.
STfore in the liber

F then the Christian Religion A. D.58.
ty, wherewith Christ Obligation to the burdensome Cere-
hath made us free, monies of the Mofaical Law, main-
and be not * intangled tain that Freedom, and never * sub-
again with the yoke mit yourselves to that flavish Dif-
of bondage.

pensation. 2 Behold, I Paul

2. And, for an absolute Confusay unto you, that if tation of that false Suggestion of ye be circuincised, some of your new Teachers ||, that Chrift shall profit you I have given any countenance to nothing.

the Necessity of that Law upon Christian Converts : Take notice, I now myself expresly again tell you, That whatever Christian depends upon Circumcifion, and the Observance of the fewilh Ceremonies, for his Justification, loses all the Benefits of his Christian Profession.

I

3. For

* Intangled again. See cap. iv. 9. the Note there,
Η Υποκρίτης εσιν αλαχά «εκτομήν κηρύσσων έλαχε δε ε.
Theodoret in Local

1. D.58. 3 For I testify a 3 & 4. Nay, to show you how

gain to every man much in earnest I am, I repeat it that is circumcised, again * ; Whatever Christian is Cirthat he is a debtor to

cumcised becomes a perfect Jew, do the whole law.

and must keep the whole Ceremo4 Christ is become of no effect unto you,

nial Law: and whoever does that whosoever of you are

as a necessary Means of his Pardon justified by the law; and Salvation, renounces the Salye are fallen from vation of the Gospel, and forfeits grace.

all Claim to it. 5 For we through 5. For a Christian's Hope of Salthe Spirit I wait for vation is founded wholly in his the hope of righte- embracing the Christian Religion ; ousness by faith,

which Hope he has fully confirmed to him by the extraordinary Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit #bestowed upon the Christian Church.

6 For in Jesus Christ 6. And in this Gospel Dispensation, neither circumcifion Circumcision or Uncircumcision figniavaileth any thing, fy nothing: The only Thing that nor uncircumcision, faves either Jew or Gentile

now,

is but faith which work

such a Faith in Christ's Religion as eth by love.

produces the true Love of God and

our Neighbour. 7 Ye did run well, 7. When you Galatians were first

who did hinder you ll. Converted by me, you were in a i

that you should not good Way, and went on well ; what obey the truth?

People are they that stopt and drew you off from the true Christian Doctrine ?

8 This perswafion 8. Be assured, this Notion of the cometh not of him Necessity of the Jewish Law to that calleth you.

Christians comes not from God, the Author of your Religion, nor from me that first preached

it to you.

9. Have

#

Again. See

cap. i. 8, 9, 10.
I -through the Spirit See Cap. iii. 2, 5. iv. 6.

|| Who did hinder you? ávíxols, juftled you out of the way. It refers to impézets, and seems to me to be a Term proper to the Games, wherein the Racers endeavour’d to justle and retard one another.

9 A little leaven 9. Have a care of it then. This A. D.58. leaveneth the whole one Doctrine, like Leaven, will lump.

sowre and spoil all your Christian Principles ; and a few such * Teachers may soon corrupt your whole Church.

10 I have confi 10. But, I hope in Chrift, what dence in you through I have said to you will bring you the Lord, that you off from it ; and that the Preachers * will be none other

of it shall be censured and conwise minded; but he that troubleth you,

demned as they deserve. shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

11 And I, brethren, 11. How irrational is it for them if I yet preach cir. to suggest that I should favour their cumcision, why do I Notions ? Were la Favourer of that yet suffer persecution? Doctrine, how come the Jews to then is the offence of the cross ceased.

persecute me as they still do. 'Tis

plain, would l but give up this one Principle, of Mens being saved only by the Death of a Crucified Jesus, (the very Principle that gives them so much Distafte) they would soon be Friends with me.

12 I would they 12. Verily, I have such an Averwere even + cut off fion 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.

13. For

C

9, 10. A little Leaven

and He that troubletb you Note, Some Learned Men would conjecture, from the two Expressions, that it was one single Teacher, or false Apostle, that gave St. Paul this Trouble and opposition. It might be fo ; yet, I think, the twelfth Verse 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. Jackson, Tom. III. p. 182. who fupposes him here to with the same Sentence upon those that unreasonably preffed Circumcifion, which was denounced upon such as omitted it. Now that was Gen. xvii. 14. To be cut off or deAtroyed from among the People. Which the Jewish Doctors, and many of our best Divines understand of immediate Death, or at least foortning of Life, by the Divine Hand. Sce Exod. iv. 24.

4. D. 58. 13 For, brethren, 13. For 'tis evident beyond Con

ye have been called tradition, the Christian Religion
unto liberty ; only has freed all its Members from the
use not liberty for an Burden of the Jews Law. Only
occasion to the Aesh,
but by love serve one

let me advise you that maintain
another.

this Freedom, not to abi:se it into

a Liberty of uncharitable Censures,
Animofities, or reviling Behaviour against such as differ
from you ; for these are the Effects of a carnal and sinful
Principle. But, on the contrary, be ready to serve them
in any kind of good Offices.
14 For all the law

14. Remembring that a just
is fulfilled in one and kind Treatment of all Man-
word, even in this ; kind is the Sum and Substance of
Thou shalt love thy all the Moral Laws of the Second
neighbour as thy self.

Table.
15 But if ye bite 15. Whereas if your Differences
and devour one ano- and Disputes fly out into an out-
ther, take heed that ragious and abusive Carriage to each
ye be not consumed

other, it

may

hazard to end in the one of another.

Ruin of you all, and the Discredit and Bane of your common Profession.

16 This I say then, 16. To prevent which direful Ef-
Walk in the Spirit, fects, live and converse agreeably
and ye shall not fulfil to the pure and spiritual Religion
the luft of the flesh.

of the Gospel, and worthy of those
extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit conferred on your
Church,
17 For the flesh

17. For the corrupt Inclinations,
lufteth against the of which such Vices are the genuine
Spirit, and the Spirit Effects, are directly oppolite to the
againft the flesh: and Temper and Spirit of Christianity ;
these are contrary the
one to the other ; fo they are perfectly destructive of each
that ye cannot do the other, and 'tis impollible you can
things that ye would indulge them both.
18 But if ye be led

18. The Religion of Christ is truly
by the Spirit, ye are Spiritual ; and all its Members are
not under the law.

under the Conduct and Influence of the Holy Ghoft; 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
same time shows them to be in no need of that Law.
19 Now the works

19, 20 & 21. And the better to
of the files are mani. preserve you from the Vices that
feft, which are these, spring from these indulged Corrup-
adultery, fornication, tions of humane Nature, let me
uncleanness, lascivi.
ousness,

point out to you some of the chief
20 Idolatry, *witch of them, as Adultery, Fornication,
craft, hatred, variance, Impurity in Thoughts or Astions,
emulations, wrath, Idolatrous Worship, with all the un-
ftrife, feditions, here- clean Practices attending it, * Witch-
fies,

crafts, Enmities, Quarrels, Animofi-
21 Envyings, mur- ties, furious Anger, Sedition against
ders, drunkenness, re the Lawful Government, Divisions
vellings and such like; and Separations in the Church on
you before, as I have needless Occasions, Envyings, Mur-
also told you in time ders, Drunkenness, and Night Revel-
past, that they which lings, &c. Which I always told
do such things, shall you, and now again particularly warn
not inherit the king. you, are such Enormities, that no
dom of God.

Practicer of them can ever be a true
Christian, or enjoy the Happiness of Heaven.

22 But the fruit of 22 & 23. On the contrary, the
the Spirit is love, joy, Graces and Virtues required of us
peace, long-suffering, by the Spiritual Religion of the
gentleness, goodness, Gospel, are such as these, viz. Love
faith,

to all Mankind, a chearful and con-
23 Meekness, tem-
perance : against such tented Mind, Peaceableness of Be-
there is no law.

haviour, Patience under Injuries,

Sweetness of Disposition, Gentleness and Beneficence, Fidelity to our Words and Promises, Meekness and Temperance in the Use of worldly Pleasures. These are agreeable to the divine Will, and will skreen us from all Guilt and Punishment.

24 And they that 24, And every true Christian en-
are Christ's, have cru- gages by his Profession to get such?
cified the flesh, with Mastery over his corrupt and fleshly
the affections and lufts. Inclinations, as to arrive at the ha-

bitual Practice of all these Virtues.
D

25. Where

25 If

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