and which may terminate in the late, but fure, Enjoyment of those confummate Glories, that are the future Portion of Great and Good Men, is the most hearty Prayer of,

[1]

A

PARAPHRASE

ON

The Epistle of St. PAUL

TO THE

G A L A T 1 AN S.

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 Christians, 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 Yewib Zealots of Galatia, with those of Rome and Corinth, the better to infinuate themselves with some People, they suggefted St. Paul to B

be, at the Bottom, a Favourer of the Jewish Law; but to

; others that knew him better, they represented the Apostle as one not immediately Commissioned by Christ, as Peter, James, and John, &c. were ; but to be an Apostle at secondhand: Thus derogating from the Authority of his Commillion, and the Certainty of his Doctrine. This will give the Reader the true Spirit of the several Expressions which tend to vindicate both his Apostleship, and the Sincerity and Consistency of St. Paul's Behaviour in the Controversy handled in this Epistle ; as of Cap. i. 1, 8, 9, 10, &c. to the End; the whole second, and the twelve first Verses of the fifth Chapters, with the 13th and 17th Ver. of the sixth Chapter : In the two latter of which Chapters are some Practical Exhortations, designed chiefly against the Animofities and great Partialities that this Dispute had bred and ripened among them.

Bem

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 Infinuations against the + See the Authority of his Commission t, and the Sincerity of his

Preaching

Preface.

A.D. 58. PAUL an Apostle, Paul who am a Christian Anot of , nei.

11 ther by man, but by Authority of Men, nor receiving

postle, nor by any Favour or * Jesus Christ, and God the + Father, my Commission by the choice of who raised him from the other Apostles, as Matthias the dead, did ; but having it from the extraordinary * and express Revelation of Jesus Chrift A. D. 58.

* 1. himfelf, and God the + Father, who raised him from the Dead.

* Acts ix.

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. Who gave

him. 4. Wishing you, I say, the Blerself for our fins, 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

a Sacrifice for our Sins, to redeem our Father :

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 Neceflity of observing the Jewish Ceremonies, as a Christian Doctrine; whereas there is no such Matter. The Chriftian Religion is the only fufficient Foundation of your Juftification and Happiness.

|| Ver. 4. From this present evil World, or rather čiava, the present Age. The Sence being the same with that of Aets ii. 47. this untoward Generation.