A.D. 58. voice, for I ftand in mendations. But indeed at the prefent, I know not what to think of you. doubt of you. 21 Tell me, ye that defire to be under the law, do ye not hear 21. But let me argue the main Point with you again, from the very Words of the Old Teftament, wherein both Law and Gospel may be reprefented. And I hope, you that are fo fond of Mofes's Law, will not refuse to believe his Writings. the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two fons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-wo man. 23 But he who was of the bond-woman, was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise. 22. You read there, that Abraham had two Sons, from whom the two different Branches of his Pofterity Hagar, and the other by his proper fprung, the one by his Bond-Maid Wife Sarah. 23. Ifmael that was born of Hagar, (while Abraham was young enough to have Children) was by the common Course of Nature; but Ifaac was begotten of Sarah, at an Age when they were naturally inHis Birth was extraordinary, capable of Procreation. * 24 Which things are an allegory; for thefe and the two covenants, the one from the mount Sinai which 24. You must know then, That this is not only a literal History, but may be taken as a figurative Reprefentation of the two Covenants and Law and the Gospel: And accorReligious Difpenfations, viz. The dingly the Prophet Ifaiah ufes it in the way of Figure or Allegory. [Ver. 27.] 25 For this +Agar is 25. For Hagar (the Mother of mount Sinai inArabia, the Ifmaelites) reprefents the flavish gendreth to bondage, and and * 'Anyopi puéve, are allegorized, viz. by Ifaiah in Veṛ. 27. † To ráp Ayap Ewa op, &c. This Hagar is Mount Sinai. For the Conftruction of this Verfe, let the Critical Reader fee Dr. Bentley's Epift. to Joan. Mal. Chron. and the Note of Dr. Mills on this Place. And for a larger and most excellent Explanation of this whole Allegory, I refer him to Dr. Jackson, Tom. III. Book XII. Cap. 10. 1 and anfwereth to Jerufalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. that were to be kept 26 But Jerufalem which is above, is free, which is the Mother of us all ||. and temporary Difpenfation of the A.D. 58. 26. But Sarah (the Mother of Ifaac) denotes the promised Seed of Abraham, the Spiritual Jerufalem, i. e. the Chriftian Church; which is truly fpiritual and free of all Obligation to those troublesome Ceremonies; and is not, like the Jewish Religion, confined to one Nation, but, as an univerfal Mother, receives all, both Jewish and Gentile Believers, into her Bleffings and Privileges. And you cannot deny the Juftness of this Reprefentation: For how can you allow that it was of God's mere Pleasure and Will, that Sarah, and not Hagar, Ifaac, and not Ifmael, were chofen to be the Parents of the Convenanted People, and of the Promifed Seed; and yet deny, that by the fame Will and Pleasure God cannot and will not chufe the Gentile World to be his Church in Chrift? 27 For it is written, Rejoice thou barren that beareft not; break forth and cry, thou that travaileft hath many moe children than fhe which hath an husband. not for the defolate 28 Now we, brethren, as Ifaac was, are the children of promise. 27. Of this Church it is you are to understand those triumphant Words of Ifaiah, (Ifai. liv. 1.) wherein he calls upon her (particularly the Gentile part of her) to rejoice in the vaft Number of her Members, that should exceed thofe of the Jewish People, who had been all along the only Church and People of God. 28. The Application then of this Allegory is plain, Chriftians, whether Gentile or Jewish, Circumcifed or not, are the Members of this bleffed Covenant intended in the Promise to Abraham; and are the Spiritual Offspring of Isaac. 29. But The Mother of us all. Márng, the Metropolis, fays Mr. Dodwel, Differt. Cyp. 5. A. D. 58. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh, perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even fo it is now. 29. And indeed the Jews, by their obftinate Behaviour, have carried the Refemblance ftill further. For, as Ifmael, who was a meer * Natural Son, did then mock and infult Isaac, that was to be the Inberitor of Abraham's Promife; fo now the worst and most bitter Perfecutors of the Chriftian Church are the Infidel Part of the Jewish Nation, and the zealous Adherents to their Ceremonial Law. 30 Nevertheless, what faith the fcripture? Caft out the bond-woman and her fon: for the fon of not be heir with the fon of the free-wo the bond-woman shall man. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. 30. And God will compleat the Parallel in a juft Recompence upon them: For as Ifmael and his Mother were turn'd out of Abraham's Family, fo fhall these obftinate Patriots of the Jewish Law, who depend upon it for their Juftification, have no Share in the Bleffings of the Christian Covenant. 31. The Sum of the Argument is this then, That every Christian is a Member of the free, gracious, and Spiritual Religion of the Gospel, as Ifaac was the promised Seed of Abraham; and confequently, cannot be obliged to the heavy Bondage of the Ceremonial Law of Moses. * Ver. 29. After the Flesh a naturàl Son, i. e. a Son by a fecondary Wife or Concubine, and begotten without any special and extraordinary Concurrence of Divine Power, or Promife; in Contradiftinction to the Cafe of Ifaac. CHAP. The first Verfe is an Exhortation from the Difcourfes of the two foregoing Chapters. Then the Apoftle, in more express Terms, declares, He never preached up the Neceffity of the Jewish Law to Chriftians; as their falfe Teachers infinuated he had done. Clears himself of that Imputation feveral Ways. Pronounceth all Chriftians free from the Jewish Ceremonies; but exhorts them to avoid all violent Difputes, and uncharitable Cenfures upon each other, in their Arguments for, and Defence of, that Freedom. Warns them against the feveral Vices of the Flesh, and preffes them to the Practice of the Spiritual Graces and Virtues of the Gospel Religion. Tand faft there- I. F then the Chriftian Religion A. D. 58. fore in the liber ty, wherewith Chrift hath made us free, and be not* intangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul fay unto you, that if ye be circumcifed, Chrift fhall profit you nothing. has thus freed you from all Obligation to the burdenfome Ceremonies of the Mofaical Law, maintain that Freedom, and never* fubmit yourselves to that flavish Difpenfation. 2. And, for an abfolute Confutation of that false Suggestion of fome of your new Teachers ||, that I have given any countenance to the Neceflity of that Law upon Chriftian Converts: Take notice, I now myself exprefly again tell you, That whatever Chriftian depends upon Circumcifion, and the Obfervance of the Jewish Ceremonies, for his Juftification, lofes all the Benefits of his Chriftian Profeffion. * Intangled again. See cap. iv. 9. the Note there, 3. For Η Υποκρίτης ἐσιν άλλαξε αειτομήν κηρύσσων ἀλλαχε δὲ ἐ Theodoret in Loc * A. D. 58. 3 For I teftify a- do the whole law. grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteoufnefs by faith. 3 & 4. Nay, to fhow you how much in earnest I am, I repeat it again; Whatever Chriftian is Circumcifed becomes a perfect few, and must keep the whole Ceremonial Law and whoever does that as a neceffary Means of his Pardon and Salvation, renounces the Salvation of the Gospel, and forfeits all Claim to it. 5. For a Chriftian's Hope of Salvation is founded wholly in his embracing the Chriftian Religion; which Hope he has fully confirmed to him by the extraordinary Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit befstowed upon the Chriftian Church. 7 Ye did run well, 8 This perfwafion 6. And in this Gospel Difpenfation, Circumcifion or Uncircumcifion fignify nothing: The only Thing that faves either Jew or Gentile now, is fuch a Faith in Chrift's Religion as produces the true Love of God and our Neighbour. 7. When you Galatians were first Converted by me, you were in a good Way, and went on well; what People are they that ftopt and true Chriftian Doctrine? the 8. Be affured, this Notion of the Neceffity of the Jewish Law to Chriftians comes not from God, the Author of your Religion, nor from me that firft preached it to you. * Again. See cap. i. 8, 9, 10. We 9. Have -through the Spirit- ·See Cap. iii. 2, 5. iv. 6. Who did hinder you? àvénove, juftled you out of the way. It refers to irpixers, and feems to me to be a Term proper to the Games, wherein the Racers endeavour'd to juftle and retard one another. |