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28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is nei

ther male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jefus.

29 And if

ye

be

Chrift's, then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promise,

28. This perfect Dispensation of A. D. 58. his makes no Diftinction between few or Gentle, Circumcifed or Uncircumcifed, Mafter or Slave, Mantor Woman; but they have all equal Privileges upon the fame

Conditions.

29. And if you Gentile, as well as the Jewish Converts, be accepted into the Chriftian Covenant, you must be acknowledged the true fpiritual Seed of Abraham as well as they; and according to the very Tenour and Design of the great Promise made to that Holy Patriarch and his Pofterity, fhall inherit the Bleffing of Pardon and Salvation.

Ver. 28. Male nor Female. Note, The Apostle alludes to the Jewish Custom in Inheritances of Eftates, which defcended always by Right of the Father, and never by the Mother's Side. As Selden de Succeffion: and other Learned Writers obferve out of Maimonides and the Talmudifts.

CHA P. IV.

The ARGUMENT.

The fame Argument continued; By fhewing the Imperfection of the Jewish, and the Perfection of the Chriftian Religion; from a Comparison taken from an Heir to an Estate. The Apoftle then turns off to Expoftulating with them about the Folly of adhering to the Jewish Law; reflects on their falfe Teachers; and entreats. them to continue the fame Efteem they formerly had of Him, as their true Apostle; expreffing his tender Regard to their Church. Then he refumes the Argument, illuftrating the Difference between the two Difpenfations of the Law and Gofpel, as figuratively reprefented by the two Branches of Abraham's Pofterity, viz. Of Ifaac from Sarah, and of Ifmael from Hagar.

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A.D. 58. N

+ Cap. iii. 23, 25.

OW I fay, that the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a fervant. though he be lord of all,

2 But is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed

1 & 2. O illuftrate to you the Tim imperfect Nature of the Mofaical Difpenfation, I compared it to a School, + wherein Children are trained up for higher Learning. Let me now further fhew it you by a Comparison taken from a Son and Heir to a Man's Eftate. Though you know, an Eldeft Son has, at his Father's Death, an immediate Legal Right to Inheritance, yet while he is a Minor, he is no more capable of entring upon, and managing the Eftate, than a Servant of the Family can do; but is kept under the Difcipline and Allowance of Guardians and Trustees, till he is of Age of Inheritance, according to the Tenour of his Father's laft Will and Teftament.

of the father.

3 Even fo we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

3. This is the Cafe of the Jewish Church and People; they were inIdeed to inherit the Great Promise of the Meffiah, made to Abraham : But not immediately after it was made; but, like Minors, were first to be kept and educated under the Discipline of the figurative and introductory Difpenfation of the Mofaical Law, the better to prepare them to receive it.

4 But when the fuinefs of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law,

4 & 5. The Time that they and the rest of the World were to come to the full Enjoyment of this Promife, was, at the Appearance of this Chrift; whom, at the Season foretold by the Prophets, and when the divine Wisdom faw Mankind moft fitted to receive him, God the Father fent into the World, born of a Virgin of a Jewish Family; who himself lived in Subjection to the Jewish Law, and deliver'd that Nation, for ever after, from the Burden of it Rights and Ceremonies; bringing them and all Mankind, to the full Age and Capacity of inheriting the Promile of Pardon and Salvation.

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons.

6 And because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the fpirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,

Father.

6. And accordingly, as Chriftian A.D. 58. Believers, God has given you Gentile Converts as well as Jewish ones, the compleat Affurance and Pledge | of your being now accepted for his 15, 16.

true Children, and perfect Inheritors of this promis'd Bleffing, by the Gifts || and Graces of his holy Spirit conferr'd on you; fo that you may affuredly addrefs and approach him, as to a Merciful and Gracious Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a fervant, but a fon; and if a fon, then an heir of God through Chrift.

7. As to you of the Jewish Part, your Term of Minority is now out. Wherefore instead of adhering any longer to the childish and imperfect Services of the Law, confider the Dignity and full Privilege you are arrived at by the Chriftian Covenant. You are now enter'd, as Sons at full Age, on the Inheritance of the Promises made to Abraham and your Fore-fathers.

*

8 Howbeit, then when ye knew not God, ye did fervice unto them which by nature are no gods. 9 But now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye defire again to be in bondage?

8 & 9. Thus it is with the Jewish Converts. But it is yet more foolish and unaccountable, That you Gentile Chriftians, who, from a perfectly falfe and idolatrous* Religion, are now converted to the Knowledge, Worship and Favour of the true God, fhould ever be perfwaded to embrace a burdenfome Difpenfation, that you were never at all obliged to; and which, in comparifon of that you are now baptized into, is a mean, low, and imperfect C 4

Way

* Ver. 8. Ye did Service to them which by Nature are no Gods, i. e. which in Reality [us] were not God's; were Gods in no Senfe whatever. Or elfe, by pointing and reading it thus, Εδελεύσατε τοῖς φύση μὴ ἐσι, θεοῖς, ye were in Bondage to Gods that in Nature had no Being, or were not, had no Divinity in them: According to St. Paul's Language in another Place, 1 Cor. viii. 4. An Idol is nothing. Images and Dæmons there might be, but Gods or Lords they were not, having neither fupreme nor fubordinate Power or Qualities; meer Fictions, Vanities and Nullities.

Rom. viii.

A.D. 58. Way of Religion; and would reduce you again to a Bondage, though not fo ill a one as your Heathen State was

10 Ye obferve days, and months and times, and years.

11 I am afraid of you, left I have beftowed upon you labour in vain.

12 Brethren, I befeech you, be as I am: for I am as ye are, ye have not injured me at all.

10 & 11. I perceive you are grown zealous Obfervers of the Jewish Sabbaths, New-Moons and Festivals. If this Temper continues on you, I fear my Labours of converting you to the Chriftian Religion are all loft.

be.

12. Let me entreat you, dear Brethren, to be of my Sentiment. I was once as zealous a Patriot for the Mofaical Law as any of you can And tho' I am now otherwise; yet am willing to condefcend and conform to your Notions, as far as ever my Christian Office and Profession will permit me. Let no Sufpicions or Refentments between us abate your Love toward me: For my part, I have none against you.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel unto you at the firit,

14 And my temp tation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Chrift Jefus.

15 Where

13 & 14. Do not forget what Refpect you once payed both to my Perfon and Doctrine, when I first preached to you and made you Chriftians. None of the Sufferings and Infirmities I laboured under, nor the Meannefs of my perfonal Appearance, made you then flight me in the leaft; but ye received me with fuch Refpect as if I had been Christ himself, the true Meffiah, the Great Angel of the Covenant.

15. You

Turn again, and defire again: i. e. not that the Galatians were ever Jewish Profelytes at all; but that, as their former Heathen Religion was beggarly, weak and flavifh, fo by defiring to be Circumcifed, they would again be reduced to a Bondage, tho not the fame they were under before.

*An Angel of God, yfεhov Je8. The Meffenger of God Emphatically, The Angel of the Covenant.

15

Where is then 15. You then expreffed fuch Sa- A. D. 58. the bleffedness you tisfaction and Happiness in me, that fpake of? for I bear I can teftify you would have done you record, that if it or suffered almoft any thing for my had been poffible, ye Sake. But what Bleffing was I or would have plucked out your own eyes, my Miniftry to you, you now and have given them leave me, and run to the Jewish

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Teachers?

if

16.5 Or what is it that has changed your Sentiments of me? Is it that I tell you plainly, The Mofaical Law has no hand in your Juftification that be it, 'tis the very Gospel Truth,

and Happiness? If and I muft ftand to it.

17 They zealously affect you, but not well yea, they would exclude you, that you might affect them.

*

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17. Your falfe Teachers indeed pretend an extraordinary Love and Refpect for you; they maliciously endeavour to draw you entirely from me, and engrofs all your Affections to themselves.

18. But pray rembember, if ever you had any juft Reason to esteem me as a good and true Apostle, you ought to do fo ftill in my Abfence, as well as when I was preaching among you in Perfon.

19. My dear Christian Children! I am in the very Pains of a Mother in Travail, till I have renewed and brought you forth again into better and founder Principles of Christianity.

20. I could wifh myself with you; and that I had reafon to change thefe Complaints into Commendations.

* Ver. 17. Exclude you, i. e. from the Chriftian Covenant, unless you be Circumcifed; and thereby make you fond of their Principles. Or elfe, was, Exclude Me, as fome Copies read it, and as in the Paraphrafe.

To be zealously affected in a good Thing. Or c xaλã, toward a good Perfon.

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