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St. Paul's farewell, and

present I should use sharpness,

II. CORINTHIANS.

according to the power which the Lord hath given ine to edification, and not to destruction.

11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Tit. 1.13.-u Ch. 10. 8.- Rom. 12. 16, 18. & 15.5. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 2.2.& 3.16. { Pet.3.8.

God has clothed me: so that you be strong in all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit.

And this also we wish, even your perfection] We cannot be satisfied that persons, with such eminent endowments, and who have once received the truth as it is in Jesus, should be deficient in any of the graces that constitute the mind of Christ; such as brotherly love, charity, harmony, unity, and order. I have given the above paraphrase to this verse, because of the last term karaprio, which we render perfection. Karapri ois, from Kara, intensive, and apričw, to fit or adapt, signifies the reducing of a dislocated limb to its proper place; and hence, as Beza says on this passage, "The apostle's meaning is, that whereas the members of the church were all, as it were, dislocated, and out of joint, they should be joined together in love; and they should endeavour to make perfect what was amiss among them, either in faith or morals." It is a metaphor also taken from a building; the several stones and timbers being all put in their proper places and situations, so that the whole building might be complete, and be a proper habitation for the owner. The same figure, though not in the same terms, the apostle uses, Eph. ii, 20-22. The perfection or rejointing which the apostle wishes, is that which he refers to the state of the church in its fellowship, unity, order, &c. And perfection in the soul, is the same in reference to it; as perfection in the church is to its order and unity. The perfection or rejointing of the soul implies its purification, and placing every faculty, passion, and 'appetite, in its proper place; so that the original order, harmony, unity, and purity of the soul may be restored; and the whole builded up to be a habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph. ii. 22.

10. Therefore I write these things] I only threaten you now by this epistle, to put you on your guard, and lead you to reformation before visit you; that I may not then have to use sharpness, anoropia, a cutting off, employing thus my apos. tolical authority to inflict punishment; a power which God has given me, rather to be employed in your edification, than in your destruction.

11. Finally] Avirov, all that remains for me now to write, is to wish you all manner of happiness, and so to take my leave. Farewell] A good wish, froin our old mother tongue, com pounded of papan, to go, and pel, fairly, properly, or pela, with felicity; go on prosperously! This is the spirit of this good wish.

The Greek xatoɛre signifies nearly the same thing. Χαιρω means, to be very joyous; xatorre, be joyous and happy; be ever prosperous; this was among the last words which Cyrus, when dying. spoke to his friends.

Be perfect) Karapri¿colɛ, be compact; get into joint again; let unity and harmony be restored! See the note on ver. 9. Be of good comfort] Mapaxadeio0c, receive admonition; for, aparalew, signifies to admonish, beg, entreat; and also to comfort. Receive admonition, that ye may receive comfort. If ye take my advice, ye shall have consolation; if ye do not, ye will have nothing but misery and wo.

Be of one mind] To avto opɔvelTE, think the same; let there be no dissentions among you. Be of the same creed, and let disputes about that religion, which should be the bond of peace, for ever subside.

Live in peace] Eionvevere; cultivate peace; or, as he says elsewhere, follow peace, and pursue it, Heb. xii. 14. Cultivate a peaceable disposition; and neither say nor do any thing which has a tendency to irritate each other.

And the God of love and peace shall be with you] While ye are full of contentions, dissentions, and discord, peace can have no place among you: and as to love, the fulfilling of the law, that worketh no ill to its neighbour, it has necessarily taken its flight. Love cannot live, neither exist, where there are brawls, contentions, and divisions. And where neither peace nor love is to be found, there God cannot be. And if HE be not there, yourselves and the devil make the whole assembly. 12. Greet one another with a holy kiss.] Use every means by which a good understanding may be brought about. Let the spirit of friendship live among you; and encourage its continuance by every friendly act. See on Rom. xvi. 16.

13. All the saints] The Christians of Macedonia or Philip pi, from which he wrote this epistle. In the primitive church, a saint and a Christian were the same thing; for the Christian religion calls every man to be holy.

14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ) All the favour and beneficence that come from and through the Redeemer of the world; as the LORD, the ruler and governor of all things; as JESUS, the Saviour of all men by his passion and death; as Christ the distributor of all that divine unction which enlightens, comforts, harmonizes, and purifies the mind. May this most exalted, glorious, and all-sufficient Saviour, be ever with you.

i

12

apostolic benediction.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints salute you.

11 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.

24.

w Rom. 15.33-x Rom. 16. 16. 1 Cor. 16.30. 1 Thess.5.26 1 Pm.5.14.—y Rem. 16. Phil 2.1.

And the love of God] God, your Maker, in that infinite love which induced him to create the world, and form men in his own image, and in his own likeness, that he might be capable of knowing, loving, and enjoying him for ever; and God in the fullest manifestation of that love which caused him to give his only-begotten Son, to the end, that they who believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. May this God of love, and this love of God, be ever with you. And the communion of the Holy Ghost] May that Holy Spirit, that divine and eternal energy which proceeds from, the Father and the Son; that heavenly fire that gives light and life; that purities and refines; sublimes and exalts; comforts and invigorates; make you all partakers with himself! Kotrovia, which we translate fellowship and communion, signifles properly participation; having things in common partaking with each other. This points out the astonishing privileges of true believers: they have communion with God's Spirit; share in all its gifts and graces; walk in ts light; through him they have the fullest confidence that they are of God; that he is their Father and friend; and has blei ted out all their iniquities; this they know by the Spirit which he has given them. And is it possible that a man shall be a partaker with the Holy Ghost, and not know it! that he shall be full of light and love, and not know it! that he shall have the spirit of adoption by which he can cry Abba! Father! and yet know nothing of his relationship to God, but by inference from indirect proofs! In a word, that he shall have the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost with him, and all the while know nothing certain of the grace, as to his portion in it; feel nothing warming from the love, as to its part in him; and nothing energetic from the communion, as to his participation in the gifts and graces of this Divine energy! This is all as absurd as it is impossible. Every genuine Christian who maintains a close walk with God, my have as full an evidence of his acceptance with God, as ne has of his own existence. And the doctrine that explains away this privilege, or softens it down to nothing, making the most gracious and safe state consistent with innumerab doubts and fears and general uncertainty, is not of God. I is a spurious Gospel, which, under the show of a voluntary humility, not only lowers, but almost annihilates, the signéard of Christianity.

This text, as well as that, Matt. iii. 16, 17, and that other, Matt. xxviii. 19. strongly mark the doctrine of the He's TRINITY. See the note on this latter text. And had not the apostle been convinced that there was a personality in this ever-blessed and undivided Trinity, he could not have expressed himself thus. And had not our Lord intended to be understood in this way, he would not have given such a commission to his apostles to baptize the nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The doctrine is the teaching of God; let men make of it what they please. And the genuine church of God have ever received and understood it in this way.

Amen] This word is wanting, as usual, in almost every MS. of authority. Amen seems to have been anciently added at the conclusion of books, exactly as we add the word finis: both merely signifying the end.

As to the Inscription, it is wanting, either in whole or in part, in almost all the ancient MSS. The principal forms is which it exists are the following:

To the Corinthians, the second.-The scond to the Coris. thians is completed. The second to the Corinthians is finish ed.-To the Corinthians, the second, written from Philippi Written from Philippi by Titus.-Written from Philippi by Titus and Luke.-By Titus, Barnabas, and LukeThe second Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi of Macedonia, and sent by Titus, SYRIAC.-The end of the Epistle. It was written from the city of Philippi by Titus and Luke. Praise be to God for ecer, ARABICIn the VULGATE there is no subscription; nor in the Eru OPIC. Written in Philippi of Macedonia and sent by Titus and Luke, COPTIC.-The second Epistle to the Corinthians is ended; which was written from Philippi of Macedonia, by Titus and Luke, SYR. PHILOX.

It has been often remarked that no dependance can be placed on many of the subscriptions to the sacred books, which are found in MSS. and Versions, because those subscriptions were not written by the authors of those books; but were afterward added, by the transcribers or copiers, who followed either tradition or their own judgment. It is generally allowed that this second epistle was written from Macedonia; and probably from the city of Philippi, in that province. See the Introduction and Preface to this epis ile, p. 158-163.

Introduction.

GALATIANS.

Introduction.

INTRODUCTION TO THE

EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE GALATIANS.

THE authenticity of this epistle is ably vindicated by Dr. Paley: the principal part of his arguments I shall here introduce, and doubt not that they will be considered demonstrative evidence by every candid and unprejudiced reader. SECTION I. The argument of this epistle in some measure proves its antiquity. It will hardly be doubted, that it was written whilst the dispute concerning the circumcision of Gentile converts was fresh in men's minds: for, even supposing it to have been a forgery, the only credible motive that can be assigned for the forgery, was to bring the name and authority of the apostle into this controversy. No design could be so insipid, or so unlikely to enter into the thoughts of any man, as to produce an epistle written earnestly and pointedly upon one side of a controversy, when the controversy itself was dead, and the question no longer interesting to any description of readers whatever. Now the controversy concerning the circumcision of the Gentile Christians was of such a nature, that, if it arose at all, it must have arisen in the be ginning of Christianity. As Jndea was the scene of the Christian history; as the Author and preachers of Christianity were Jews; as the religion itself acknowledged and was founded upon the Jewish religion, in contradistinction to every other religion, then professed amongst mankind; it was not to be wondered at, that some of its teachers should carry it out in the world rather as a sect and modification of Judaism, than as a separate original revelation; or that they should invite their proselytes to those observances in which they lived themselves. This was likely to happen: but if it did not hap pen at first; if whilst the religion was in the hands of Jewish teachers, no such claim was advanced, no such condition was attempted to be imposed, it is not probable that the doctrine would be started, much less that it should prevail, in any future period. I likewise think, that those pretensions of Judaism were much more likely to be insisted upon, whilst the Jews continued a nation, than after their fall and dispersion; whilst Jerusalem and the temple stood, than after the destruction brought upon them by the Roman arms, the fatal cessa. tion of the sacrifice and the priesthood, the humiliating loss of their country, and, with it, of the great rites and symbols of their institution. It should seem, therefore, from the nature of the subject, and the situation of the parties, that this controversy was carried on in the interval between the preaching of Christianity to the Gentiles, and the invasion of Titus; and that our present epistle, which was undoubtedly intended to bear a part in this controversy, must be referred to the same period.

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the question which the imposture was intended to recom mend. I can allow the possibility of such a scheme as that. But for a writer, with this purpose in view, to feign a series of transactions supposed to have passed amongst the Christians of Galatia, and then to counterfeit expressions of anger and resentiment excited by these transactions; to make the apostle travel back into his own history, and into a recital of various passages of his life, some indeed directly, but others obliquely, and others even obscurely, bearing upon the point in question; in a word, to substitute narrative for argument, expostulation and complaint for dogmatic positions and controversial reasoning, in a writing properly controversial, and of which the aim and design was to support one side of a much agitated question-is a method so intricate, and so unlike the inethods pursued by all other impostors, as to require the very flagrant proofs of imposition to induce us to believe it to be one.

SECTION II-In this section I shall endeavour to prove, 1. That the Epistle to the Galatians, and the Acts of the Apostles, were written without any communication with each other. 2. That the epistle, though written without any communication with the history, by recital, implication, or reference, bears testimony to many of the facts contained in it. 1. The epistle, and the Acts of the Apostles, were written without any communication with each other. To judge of this point, we inust examine those passages in each, which describe the same transaction; for, if the author of either writing derived his information from the account which he had seen in the other, when he came to speak of the same transaction, he would follow that account. The history of St. Pan), at Damascus, as read in the Acts, and as referred to by the epistle, forms an instance of this sort. According to the Acts, Paul (after his conversion) was certain days with the "disci ples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he which destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, confounding the Jews which were at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying wait was known of Saul; and they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was cone to Jerusalein, he assayed to join himself to the disciples." Acts, chap. ix. 19-26.

According to the epistle, "When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his own Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood; neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus; then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem."

Beside the difference observable in the terms and general complexion of these two accounts, "the journey into Arabia," mentioned in the epistle, and omitted in the history, affords full proof that there existed no correspondence between these writers. If the narrative in the Acts had been made up froin the epistle, it is impossible that this journey should have been passed over in silence; if the epistle had been composed out of what the author had read of St. Paul's history in the Acts, it is unaccountable that it should have been inserted.* The journey to Jerusalem related in the second chapter of Jerusalem,") supplies another example of the same kind. Either this was the journey described in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts, when Paul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch to Jerusalem, to consult the apostles and elders upon the qnostion of the Gentile converts; or it was some journey of which the history does not take notice. If the first opinion be followed, the discrepancy in the two accounts is so considerable, that it is not without difficulty, they can be adapted to the same transaction; so that upon this supposition, there is no place for suspecting that the writers were guided or assisted by each other. If the latter opinion be preferred, we have then a journey to Jerusalem, and a conference with the prin cipal members of the church there, circumstantially related in the epistle, and entirely onitted in the Acts; and we are at

But again; the epistle supposes that certain designing ad herents of the Jewish law had crept into the churches of Galatia; and had been endeavouring, and but too successfully, to persuade the Galatic converts, that they had been taught the new religion imperfectly, and at second hand; that the founder of their church himself possessed only an inferior and deputed commission, the seat of truth and authority being in the apostles and elders of Jerusalem; moreover, that whatever he might profess amongst them, he had hiniself, at other times and in other places, given way to the doctrine of circunci sion. The epistle is unintelligible without supposing all this. Referring therefore to this, as to what had actually passed, we find St. Paul treating so unjust an attempt to undermine his credit, and to introduce amongst his converts a doctrine which he had uniformly reprobated, in terms of great asperity and indignation. And in order to refute the suspicions which had been raised concerning the fidelity of his teaching, as well as to assert the independency and divine original of his mission, we find him appealing to the history of his conver-the epistle, ("then, fourteen years after, I went up again to sion, to his conduct under it, to the manner in which he had conferred with the apostles when he met with them at Jeru. salem: alleging, that so far was his doctrine from being de. rived from them, or they from exercising any superiority over him, that they had simply assented to what he had already preached amongst the Gentiles, and which preaching was communicated not by them to him, but by himself to them; that be had maintained the liberty of the Gentile church, by opposing, upon one occasion, an apostle to the face, when the timidity of his behaviour seemed to endanger it; that from the first, that all along, to that hour, he had constantly resisted the clains of Judaism.; and that the persecutions which he daily underwent, at the hands or by the instigation of the Jews, and of which he bore in his person the marks and scars, might have been avoided by him, if he had consented to employ his labours in bringing, through the medium of Christianity, converts over to the Jewish instition, for then "would the of fence of the cross have ceased." Now an impostor who had forged the epistle for the purpose of producing St. Paul's authority in the dispute, which, as hath been observed, is the only credible motive that can be assigned for the forgery, might have made the apostle deliver his opinion upon the subject, in strong and decisive terins, or might have put his name to a train of reasoning and argumentation upon that side of

N. B. The Acts of the Apostles simply inform us that St. Paul left Damasens in order to go to Jerusalem, "after many days were fulfilled" If any one doubt whether the words "many days" could be intended to express a period which included a term of three years, he will find a complet instance of the same phrase, used with the same latitude, in the first book of Kings, chap. xi. 38, 39. "And Shimei dwelt at Je. rusalem many days: and it came to pass at the end of "three years,' that two of the servants of Shiinei ran away."

Introduction.

GALATIANS.

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Introduction. Fberty to repeat the observation, which we before mide, that of Syria and Ciliciu. Secondly, that the passage itself has the omission of so material a fact in the history is inexplica.itle significancy, and that the connexion is inexplicable, un ole, if the historian had read the epistle; and that the i iser- less St. Paul went through Judea (though probably by a hasty tion of it in the epistle, if the writer derived his information journey) at the time that he came into the regions of Syria from the history, is not less so. and Cilicia. Suppose him to have passed by land from Ca sarea to Tarsus, all this, as hath been observed, would be precisely true.

St. Peter's visit to Antioch, during which the dispute arose between him and St. Paul, is not mentioned in the Acts.

If we connect, with these instances, the general observation, that no scrutiny can discover the sinallest trace of tranreription or imitation either in things or words, we shall be fully satisfied in this part of our case; namely, that the two records, be the facts contained in the true or false, come to our hands from independent sources.

Secondly, I say, that the epistle, thus proved to have been written without any communication with the history, bears estimony to a great variety of particulars contained in the history.

1. St. Paul in the early part of his life had addicted himself to the study of the Jewisli religion, and was distinguished by his zeal for the institution, and for the traditions which had been incorporaled with it. Upon this part of his character the history makes St. Paul speak thus: "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gainaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers; and was zealous towards God, as ye all re this day." Acts, chap. xxii. 2. The epistle is as follows: I profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers." Chap. i. 14. 2. St Paul, before his conversion, had been a fierce persecutor of the new sect. "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church; entering into every house and haling men and wo men, committed them to prison." Acts, chap. viii. 3.

This is the history of St. Paul, as delivered in the Acts; in the recital of his own history in the epistle, "Ye have heard," says he, "of my conversation in times past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God." Chap. i. 13.

3. St. Paul was miraculously converted on his way to Da. mascus. "And as he journeyed he came near to Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me 1 And he said, Who art thou, Lord And the Lord said, I am Jesus, who thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do " Acts, chap. ix. 3-6. With these compare the epistle, chap. i. 15-17. "When it pleased God, who se parated ine from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him ainong the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalein, to then that were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus."

;

In this quotation from the epistle, I desire it to be remarked how incidentally it appears, that the affair pissed at Damascus. In what may be called the direct part of the account, no inention is made of the place of his conversion at all; a casual expression at the end, and an expression brought in for a different purpose, alone fixes it to have been at Damascus "I returned again to Damascus." Nothing can be more like simplicity and indesignedness than this is. It also draws the agreement between the two quotations somewhat closer, to observe, that they both state St. Paul to have preached the Gospel immediately upon his call: "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." Acts, chap. ix. 20. "When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach hiin among the heathen, imme diately I conferred not with flesh and blood." Gal. chap. i. 15. 4. The course of the apostle's travels after his conversion was this: He went from Damascus to Jerusalemn, and from Jerusalem into Syria and Cilicia. "At Damascus the disci. ples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a bas. ket, and when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to pin himself to the disciples." Acts, chap. ix. 25. Afterward when the brethren knew the conspiracy formed against nin at Jerusalein, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus, a city in Cilicia." Chap. ix. 30. In the epistle, St. Paul gives the following brief account of his proceedings within the same period: "After three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days; afterward I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia." The history had told us that Paul passed from Cæsarea to Tarsus: if he took this journey by land, it would carry him through Syria into Cilicia; and he would come, after his visit at Jerusalem, "into the regions of Syria and Cilicia," in the very order in which he mentions them in the epistle. This supposition of his going from Cæsarea to Tarsus by land clears up also another point. It accounts for what St. Paul says in the saine place concerning the churches of Judea: "Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea, which were in Christ: but they had heard only that he which persecuted as in times past, now preacheth the faith, which once he destroyed; and they glorified God in me." Upon which passage 1 observe, first, that what is here said of the churches of Judea, is spoken in connexion with this journey into the regions

5. Barnabas was with St. Paul at Antioch. "Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul; and when he had found him, he brought hin unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church Acts, chap. xi. 25, 26. Again, and upon another occasion, "they (Paul and Barnabas) sailed to Antioch: and there they continued a long time with the disciples." Chap. xiv. 26.

Now what says the epistle? "When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed; and the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." Chap. t. 11, 13.

6. The stated residence of the apostles was at Jerusalem. "At that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Saunaria, except the apostles." Acts, chap. viii. 1. "They (the Christians at Anfioch) determined that Paul and Barnabas should go up to Je rusalem, unto the apostles and elders, about this question" Acts, chap. xv. 2.--With these accounts agrees the declaration in the epistle: "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to the which were apostles before me," chap. i. 17. for this declara tion implies, or rather assumes it to be known, that Jerusalem was the place where the apostles were to be met with.

7. There were at Jerusalem two apostles, or at the least two eminent members of the church, of the name of James. This is directly inferred from the Acts of the Apostles, which in the second verse of the twelfth chapter relates the death of James, the brother of John; and yet in the fifteenth chapter, and in a subsequent part of the history, records a speech de livered by James in the assembly of the apostles and elders. It is also strongly implied by the form of expression used in the epistle: Other apostles saw I none, save Jaies, the Lord's brother;" i. e. to distinguish him frein James, the brother of John.

To us who have been long conversant in the Christian history, as contained in the Acts of the Apostles, these points are obvious and familiar; nor do we readily apprehend any greater difficulty in making them appear in a letter purporting 13 have been written by St. Paul, than there is in introducing them into a modern sernion. But to judge correctly of the argu ment before us, we must discharge this knowledge from our thoughts. We must propose to ourselves the situation of an author who sat down to the writing of the epistle without having seen the history; and then the concurrences we Lave deduced will be deemed of importance. They will, at least, be taken for separate confirmations of the several facts; and not only of these particular facts, but of the general trutà of the history.

For, what is the rule with respect to corroborative testimo ny, which prevails in courts of justice, and which prevails only because experience has proved that it is an useful guide to truth? A principal witness in a cause delivers his atcount: his narrative in certain parts of it, is confirmed by witnesses who are called afterward. The credit derived from their testimony belongs not only to the particular circumstan ces in which the auxiliary witnesses agree with the prine'pa) witness, but in some measure to the whole of his evidence; because it is improbable that accident or fiction should draw a line which touched upon truth in so many points.

In like manner, if two records be produced, manifestly inde pendent, that is, inanifestly written without any participation of intelligence, an agreement between them, even in few and slight circumstances, (especially if from the different nature and design of the writings, few points only of agreement, and those incidental, could be expected to occur,) would add a sensible weight to the authority of both, in every part of their contents.

The same rule is applicable to history, with at least as much reason as any other species of evidence.

SECTION III-But although the references to various particulars in the epistle, compared with the direct account of the same particulars in the history, afford a considerable proof of the truth. not only of these particulars, but of the narrative which contains them; yet they do not show, it will be sid that the epistle was written by St. Paul; for admitting (what seems to have been proved) that the writer, whoever he was. had no recourse to the Acts of the Apostles; yet many of the facts referred to, such as St. Paul's miraculous conversion his change from a virulent persecutor to an indefatigabin preacher, his labours among the Gentiles, and his zeal for the liberties of the Gentile church, were so notorious as to occur

Dr. Doddridge thought that the Cæsarea here mentioned was not the celebrated city of that name upon the Mediter nean Sea, but Casarea Philippi, near the borders of Syri which lies in a much more direct line from Jerusalem to Tar sus than the other. The objection to this, Dr. Benson remarks is, that Cæsarea, without any addition, usually denotes Cas rea Palestine.

Introduction.

GALATIANS.

readily to the mind of any Christian, who should choose to personate his character, and counterfeit his name; it was only to write what every body knew. Now I think that this supposition-viz. that the epistle was composed upon gene ral information, and the general publicity of the facts ailuded to, and that the author did no more than weave into his work what the conumon fame of the Christian church had reported to his ears-is repelled by the particularity of the reci tals and references. This particularity is observable in the following instances; in perusing which, I desire the reader to reflect, whether they exhibit the language of a man who had nothing but general reputation to proceed upon, or of a man actually speaking of hiinself and of his own history, and consequently of things concerning which he possessed a clear, intimate, and circumstantial knowledge.

1. The history, in giving an account of St. Paul after his conversion, relates, "that, after many days," effecting, by the assistance of the disciples, his escape from Damascus," he Acts, chap. ix. 25. The epistle, proceeded to Jerusalein." speaking of the same period, makes St. Paul say, that " he went into Arabia," that he returned again to Dainascus, that after three years he went up to Jerusalem. Chap. i. 17, 18. 2. The history relates that, when Saul was come froin Damascus, "he was with the disciples coming in and going out." Acts, chap. ix. 28. The epistle, describing the same journey, tells us, "that he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days." Chap. i. 18.

3. The history relates, that when Paul was come to Jerusalem, "Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles." Acts, chap. ix. 27. The epistle, "that he saw Peter; but other of the apostles saw he none, save James, the Lord's brother." Chap. i. 19.

Now this is as it should be. The historian delivers his account in general terms, as of facts to which he was not present. The person who is the subject of that account, when he comes to speak of these facts himself, particularizes time, names, and circumstances.

4 The like notation of places, persons, and dates, is met with in the account of St. Paul's journey to Jerusalem, given in the second chapter of the epistle. It was fourteen years after his conversion; it was in company with Barnabas and Titus; it was then that he met with James, Cephas, and John: it was then also that it was agreed amongst them, that they should go to the circumcision, and lie unto the Gentiles.

5. The dispute with Peter, which occupies the sequel of the second chapter, is marked with the same particularity. It was at Antioch: it was after certain came from James; it was whilst Barnabas was there, who was carried away by their dissimulation. These examples negative the insinuation, that the epistle presents nothing but indefinite allusions to public facts. "I am afraid of you, lest I SECTION IV. Chap. iv. 11-16. have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Brethren, I beseech Ye have not injured me you, be as I am, for I am as ye are. at all. Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preach ed the Gospel unto you at the first; and my temptation, which was in the flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness YOU SPAKE OF? for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, Am I therefore become your and have given thein unto me. enemy, because I tell you the truth? "It is With this passage compare 2 Cor. chap. xii. 1-9. not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory; I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth;) such a one was caught up to the third heaven; and I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth,) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory, yet of myself will I not glory, bat in mine infirmities: for though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth. But now I for bear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Introduction.

extracted the quotations at length, in order to enable the
reader to judge accurately of the manner in which the men
tion of this particular comes in, in each; because that judg
inent, I think, will acquit the author of the epistle, of the
charge of having studiously inserted it, either with a view of
producing an apparent agreement between them, or for any
other purpose whatever.

The context, by which the circumstance before us is intro-
duced, is in the two places totally different, and without any
mark of imitation: yet in both places does the circumstance
rise aptly and naturally out of the context, and that context
The Epistle to the Galatians, from the beginning to the end,
from the train of thought carried on in the epistle.
runs in a strain of angry complaint of their defection from the
apostle, and from the principles which he had taught them.
It was very natural to contrast with this conduct, the zeal
with which they had once received hin; and it was not less
so to mention, as a proof of their former disposition towards
him, the indulgence which, whilst he was amongst them, they
Where is then the bless-
had shown to his infirmity: "My temptation which was in
the flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an
angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
edness you spake of, i. e. the benedictions which you bestow-
ed upon me for I bear you record, that, if it had been pos
sible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have
given thein to me."

In the two Epistles to the Corinthians, especially in the second, we have the apostle contending with certain teachers in Corinth, who had formed a party in that church against him. To vindicate his personal authority, as well as the dig. nity and credit of his ministry amongst them, he takes occa sion (but not without apologizing, repeatedly, for the folly, that is, for the indecorum of pronouncing his own panegyric,) to meet his adversaries in their boastings; "Whereinsoever any Are they the seed of Are they Israelites ? so am I. is bold (I speak foolishly) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. of Abraham? so am I. Are they the ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." Being led to the subject, he goes on, as was natural, to recount his trials and dangers, his incessant cares and labours in the Christian mission. From the proofs which he had given of his zeal and activity in the service of Christ, he passes (and that with the same view of establishing his claim to be considered as "not a whit behind the very chiefest of the apostles") to the visions and revelations which from time to time had been vouchsafed to him. And then by a close and easy connexion, comes in the mention of his infirmity: "Lest I should be exalted," says he, "above measure, through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me." Thus then, in both epistles, the notice of his infirmity is suited to the place in which it is found. In the Epistle to the Corinthians, the train of thought draws up the circumstance by a regular approximation. In this epistle, it is suggested by the subject and occasion of the epistle itself. Which observation we offer as an argument to prove that it is not, in either epistle, a circumstance industriously brought forward for the sake of procuring credit to an imposture. A reader will be taught to perceive the force of this argument, who shall attempt to introduce a given circumstance into the body of a writing. To do this without abruptness, or without betraying marks of design in the transition, requires, he will find, more art than he expected to be necessary, certainly more than any one can believe to have been exercised in the composition of these epistles.

"But as then he that was born SECTION V.-Chap. iv. 29. after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." Chap. v. 11. "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution: Then is the offence of the cross ceased." Chap. vi. 17. "From henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

From these several texts, it is apparent that the persecu tions which our apostle had undergone, were from the hands, or by the instigation of the Jews; that it was not for preaching Christianity in opposition to heathenism, but it was for preaching it as distinct from Judaism, that he had brought upon himself the sufferings which had attended his ministry. And this representation perfectly coincides with that which results from the detail of St. Paul's history, as delivered in the Acts. At Antioch, in Pisidia, the "word of the Lord was pub devout and honourable women and the chief men of the city, lished throughout all the region; but the Jews stirred up the There can be no doubt that the temptation which was in and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and exthe flesh," mentioned in the Epistle to the Galatians, and pelled them out of their coasts." (Acts, chap. xiii. 50.) Not "the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him," long after, at Iconium, "a great multitude of the Jews and mentioned in the Epistle to the Corinthians, were intended to also of the Greeks believed; but the unbelieving Jews stirred denote the same thing. Either therefore it was, what we pre-up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren." (Chap. xiv. 1, 2) "At Lystra there came certend it to have been, the same person in both: that is, we are tain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the reading the real letters of a real apostle; or, it was that a sophist, who had seen the circumstance in one epistle, con- people; and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, trived, for the sake of correspondency, to bring it into ano- supposing he had been dead." (Chap. xiv. 19.) The same ther; or, lastly, it was a circumstance in St. Paul's personal enmity, and from the same quarter, our apostle experienced condition, supposed to be well known to those into whose in Greece; "At Thessalonica, some of them (the Jews) behands the epistle was likely to fall: and, for that reason, in-lieved, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the devout I have Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few 199 troduced into a writing designed to bear his name.

Introduction.

GALATIANS.

Introduction.

with them (the apostles) coming in, and going out, at Jerusalem; and he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him; which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cæsarea." Or rather this account, taken by itself, would lead a reader to suppose that St. Paul's abode at Jerusalem had been longer than fifteen days. But turn to the twentysecond chapter of the Acts, and you will find a reference to this visit to Jerusalem, which plainly indicates that Paul's con tinnance in that city had been of short duration: "And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalemn, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance, and saw him lemn, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.' Here we have the general terms of one text so explained by a distant text in the same book, as to bring an indeterminate expression into a close conformity with a specification delivered in another book: a species of consistency not, I think, usually found in fabulous relations.

hath persuaded ade with hands; so that not only this our (Chap. xvi. 22.) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, the

out the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people." (Acts, chap. xvii. 4, 5.) Their persecutors followed them to Berea: "When the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came hither also, and stirred up the people." (Chap. xvii. 13.) And lastly at Corinth, when Gallio was deputy of Achaia, "the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat." I think it does not ap car that our apostle was ever set upon by the Gentiles, uness they were first stirred up by the Jews, except in two in-saying unto me, Make haste, get thee quickly out of Jerusa tances; in both which the persons who began the assault were immediately interested in his expulsion from the place. Once this happened at Philippi, after the cure of the Pythoness: "When the masters saw the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers." (Chap. xvi. 19.) And a second time at Ephesus, at the instance of Demetrius, a silversmith which made silver shrines for Diana, "who called together workmen of like occupation, and sail, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth; moreover ye see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul much people, saying, that they be no gods which are craft is in danger to be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth."

SECTION VI-I observe an agreement in a somewhat peculiar rule of Christian conduct as laid down in this epistle, and as exemplified in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. It is not the repetition of the same general precept, which would have been a coincidence of little value; but it is the general precept in one place, and the application of that precept to an actual occurrence in the other. In the sixth chapter and first verse of this epistle, our apostle gives the following direction: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye, which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness." In 2 Cor. chap. ii. 6-8. he writes thus: "Sufficient to such a man" (the incestuous person mentioned in the first epistle) "is this punishment, which was inflicted of many: so that, contrariwise, ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."

SECTION IX-Chap. vi. 11. "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand." These words imply that he did not always write with his own hand; which is consonant to what we find intimated in some other of the epistles. The Epistle to the Romans was written by Tertius. "I. Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord” Epistle to the Colossians, and the Second to the Thessalo nians, have all near the conclusion, this clause: "the salu tation of me, Paul, with my own hand;" which must be understood, and is universally understood to import, that the rest of the epistle was written by another hand. I do not think it improbable that an impostor, who had remarked this subscription in some other epistle, should invent the same a a forgery; but that is not done here. The author of this epis tle does not imitate the manner of giving St. Paul's signature; he only bids the Galatians observe how large a letter he had written to them with his own hand. He does not say this was different from his ordinary usage; that is left to implication. Now to suppose that this was an artifice to procure credit to an imposture, is to suppose that the author of the forgery, because he knew that others of St. Paul's were # written by himself, therefore made the apostle say that this was: which seems an odd turn to give to the circumstance, and to be given for a purpose which would more naturally and more directly have been answered, by soining the salutation or signature in the form in which is found in other epistles.

SECTION VIL-This epistle goes farther than any of St. Paul's epistles; for it avows in direct terms the supersession of the SECTION X.-An exact conformity appears in the manner in Jewish law, as an instrument of salvation, even to the Jews which a certain apostle or eminent Christian, whose name themselves. Not only were the Gentiles exempt from its au- was James, is spoken of in the epistle and in the history. thority, but even the Jews were no longer either to place any Both writings refer to a situation. his at Jerusalem, somedependency upon it, or consider themselves as subject to it on what different from that of the other apostles; a kind of emia religious account. "Before faith came, we were kept under nence or presidency in the church there, or at least a more the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be fixed and stationary residence. Chap. ii. 12. "When Peter revealed: wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring was at Antioch, before that certain came from James, he did us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith; but, after eat with the Gentiles." This text plainly attributes a kind of that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." pre-eminency to James; and, as we hear of him twice in the (Chap. iii. 23-25.) This was undoubtedly spoken of Jews, same epistle dwelling at Jerusalem, chap. i. 19. and ii. 9. we and to Jews. In like manner, chap. iv. 1-5; "Now I must apply it to the situation which he held in that church. say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing In the Acts of the Apostles divers intimations occur, convey. from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors ing the same iden of James's situation. When Peter was and governors, until the time appointed of the father: even miraculously delivered from prison, and had surprised his so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the friends by his appearance among them, after declaring unte elements of the world; but when the fulness of time was then how the Lord had brought him out of Prison, “Ga come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under show," says he, "these things unto James, and to the brethren." the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we (Acts, chap. xii. 17.) Here James is manifestly spoken of might receive the adoption of sons." These passages are in terms of distinction. He appears again with like distr nothing short of a declaration, that the obligation of the Jew-tion in the twenty-first chapter and the seventeenth and eighs ish law, considered as a religious dispensation, the effects of teenth verses: “And when we (Paul and his company) were which were to take place in another life, had ceased, with re- come to Jerusalem, the day following Panl went in with us spect even to the Jews themselves. What then should be the unto James, and all the elders were present." In the debate conduct of a Jew (for such St. Paul was) who preached this which took place upon the business of the Gentile converts, doctrine? To be consistent with himself, either he would no in the council at Jerusalem; this same person seems to have longer comply, in his own person, with the directions of the taken the lead. It was he who closed the debate, and propos law; or, if he did comply, it would be for some other reasoned the resolution in which the council ultimately concurred; than any confidence which he placed in its efficacy, as a reli- "Wherefore my sentence is," &c. gious institution. Now so it happens, that whenever St. Paul's compliance with the Jewish law is mentioned in the history, it is mentioned in connexion with circumstances which point out the motive from which it proceeded: and this motive appears to have been always exoteric; namely, a love of order and tranquillity, or an unwillingness to give unnecessary of fence. Thus, Acts, chap. xvi. 3. "Him (Timothy) would Paul have to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him, because of the Jews, which were in those quarters." Again, Acts, chap. xxi. 26. when Paul consented to exhibit an example of public compliance with a Jewish rite by purifying him. self in the temple, it is plainly intimated that he did this to satisfy many thousands of Jews, who believed, and who were all zealous of the law." So far the instances related in one book, correspond with the doctrine delivered in another. SECTION VIII Chap. i. 18. "Then, after three years, 1 went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him if teen days." The shortness of St. Paul's stay at Jerusalem is what I desire the reader to remark. The direct account of the same journey, in the Acts, chap. ix. 28. determines nothing concerning the time of his continuance there: "And he was

Upon the whole, that there exists a conformity in the expressions used concerning James, throughout the history, and in the epistle, is unquestionable. This proves that the circumstance itself is founded in truth; viz. that James was a real person, who held a situation of eminence in a real soci ety of Christians at Jerusalem. It confirms also those parts of the narrative which are connected with this circunstance. Suppose, for instance, the truth of the account of Peter's escape from prison, was to be tried upon the testimony of a wit ness who, among other things, made Peter, after his deliver. ance, say, "Go show these things to James and to the bre thren;" would it not be material, in such a trial, to make out by other independent proofs, or by a comparison of proofs drawn from independent sources, that there was actually at that time, living at Jerusalem, such a person as James; that this person held such a situation in the society amongst whom these things were transacted, as to render the words which Peter is said to have used concerning him, proper and natu ral ? If this would be pertinent in the discussion of oral tes timony, it is still more so in appreciating the credit of remote history.

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