rate and set me apart for the work of an apostle, even from my very infancy, and afterwards of his mere grace and good-will called me to preach the gospel to the Gentile world, having first revealed his Son in me, and to me, and then by me, immediately I set about the work, and complied with my duty, not consulting any person living, neither my own carnal reason, nor any man's advice; neither went I up presently to Jerusalem to confer with, to receive authority or instruction from, them which were apostles before me, but I went immediately from Damascus, the place of my conversion, into Arabia, and preached the gospel three years among those wild and barbarous heathens, and then returned again unto Damascus : from whence it evidently appears, that I neither had instruction nor commission from any of the apostles that were before me, having never seen any of them as yet, but both my mission and my message were immediately received from Jesus Christ." Here observe, 1. The qualification necessary in a minister that reveals Jesus Christ unto his people, namely, that Christ must be revealed to him, and in him. We must learn Christ ourselves, before we pretend to preach him to others; When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, I preached him among the heathen. As there is no knowledge like the knowledge of experience; so there is no preaching like experimental preaching. Happy those that can say, Not only that which we have heard and read, but that which we have tasted, and felt, and experienced from the Holy Spirit's operation in and upon our own hearts, that declare we unto you. Observe, 2. What haste the apostle made to obey the call and command of God, after he had received it: Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. He consulted neither himself nor others, neither his own heart, nor the wisest heads; he consulted not his own safety nor carnal interest, but instantly did what he was commanded to do. The great commendation of duties, is the ready discharge of duties. When once the mind of God is declared, and conscience thoroughly satisfied, we cannot be too quick and expeditious in the execution of divine commands. Lord! how readily should all men, but especially thy ministers, answer and obey thy call, and execute thy will and pleasure! Immediately I conferred not, says St. Paul: I made haste and delayed not, says holy David. In a good work it is good to make Here is a third evidence to prove that St. Paul received his ministry and message by divine revelation from Jesus Christ, and not from man, or by man. He acknowledges, that not till three years after his conversion, when he had preached the gospel in the deserts of Arabia, had he ever seen Peter, or any other of the apostles, and consequently could not receive the knowledge of the gospel from him or them, as his adversaries the false apostles would insinuate and suggest. True, after his three years' preaching in, and in his return from Arabia, he went up to Jerusalem, and saw Peter and James, and conversed with them for fifteen days. But the shortness of his stay with them is an evidence that he went not up to Jerusalem to learn the gospel from them, much less to pay homage to St. Peter as the prince of the apostles: for St. Paul often affirms, in his epistles, That he was not inferior to St. Peter, nor came behind the chiefest of the apostles; but it was only a familiar and friendly visit, given by one minister of Christ to another, in token of mutual consent and agreement in the same truth preached by both; and by no means to receive ordination from Peter, or divine instructions, (for he had an higher teacher than him, even Christ himself,) or to acknowledge any subjection to him, by owning his supremacy over all the apostles; as the church of Rome would bear us in hand he did, in defiance of what St. Paul himself declares to the contrary. But we cannot help it, if men who have their credulity at their own dispose, and can believe what they list, will yield their assent to what is contrary to divine revelation, and the reason of things. Very evident it is to an impartial observer, that St. Paul's visit at Jerusalem was a visit of civil courtesy, yet for the spiritual consolation and mutual edification both of himself and the apostles, whom he thus visited. From hence learn, 1. That the ministers of Christ should be so far from living at variance with, or at any distance in affection from, each other, that they ought to maintain correspondency and familiarity with one another, and to give friendly visits to each other, in token of their harmony and mutual agreement in the same divine truths delivered by them. Thus did our apostle here: he took a journey to Jerusalem to see Peter, and James our Lord's kinsman. Learn, 2. From the shortness of his visit and stay at Jerusalem, though it was in the most delightful and desirable, yea, most profitable company, yet it was but for fifteen days: he hastens away to his charge again. Thence note, That though the ministers of Christ may and ought to visit each other, as an evidence of reciprocal affection, and in order to mutual direction, edification, and consolation; yet ought their meetings to be neither so frequent, nor of so long continuance, that thereby their several flocks shall suffer prejudice. After a short time spent in visiting, we must return to our business, and mind, above all things, our ministerial charge: I went to see Peter, but abode with him only fifteen days. 20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Observe here, That St. Paul, having to do with the false apostles and the seduced Galatians, who, he had just cause to suspect, would not (as they ought) give much credit to his word; he asserts the truth of what he affirmed opon oath, appealing to the all-knowing and heart-searching God, as witness and judge of the truth of what he said. Behold, before God, I lie not. Where note, 1. That it is no new thing for the faithfullest and ablest ministers and servants of Christ to be looked upon as liars, unworthy to be trusted, and to have the truth of what they deliver, though in God's name, questioned and suspected. Our apostle's purging of himself here from lying, doth import, that some did suspect him for a liar. And if an inspired apostle be, what private minister may not be, suspected? Note, 2. The mean which St. Paul makes use of for purging himself from the imputation of falsehood: it was by taking an oath in a solemn manner. Learn thence, That though rash swearing, false swearing, and upon every light occasion to take or multiply oaths, be a very great sin; yet to swear, and bear witness to the truth, and to take an oath upon due consideration, and for weighty reasons, and to swear by the name of God, is certainly a VOL. II. lawful duty, and sometimes a very necessary and important duty. 21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia ; 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea, which were in Christ : 23 But they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me. The fourth evidence is here produced by St. Paul, to prove, that both his ministry and his message, his office and his doctrine, were divine; and that he was so far from learning the christian religion from the christian churches in Judea, that he was not by face so much as known to them, or they to him: they had heard, indeed, that one Paul a persecutor was become a preacher, but they had never seen him and accordingly they magnified the grace of God in his conwrought in him. Observe here, 1. The version, admiring the wonderful change laborious diligence and indefatigable industry of St. Paul, in planting and propagating the christian faith throughout the world: he travels as soon as converted into Arabia, then into the regions of Syria, and Cilicia, thinking he could never do service enough for Christ, who had suffered and done so much for him. Oh how full of life and zeal are young converts! What activity and industry for Christ and souls is found with them! They despise all danger, they surmount all difficulties, are above all discouragements, in expressing their love to Christ, and venturing their lives for him. But alas, as they grow older, their affections are cooler, so that they have many times just cause to say, Oh that it were with me as in the month of old, in the day when God converted me, when the secret of God was with me, and when by his light I walked through all difficulties, to subserve his interest, and to promote his glory. Observe, 2. The great and mighty power of the heart-changing grace of God, which turns the haters and professed enemies of religion into friends, and bitter and bloody persecutors into bold and painful preachers of the gospel: He who persecuted in times past, now preached the faith which once he destroyed. He that leads captivity captive, can soon make the stoutest enemies of religion to become its strongest friends. Observe, 3. Paul before his con X version, is said to destroy the faith, because he intended it, and endeavoured it, though he could not actually effect it, and accomplish it. Sin and evil intended by a determined resolution, are as good as acted, in God's account. Bloody persecutors design no less than a total extirpation of the truth, to destroy the faith: which though it be out of their reach to effect, yet having deliberately resolved it, it is as actually accomplished in the account of God: He now preacheth the faith that once he destroyed. Observe, lastly, To whom the glory and praise of converting grace is due; namely, to God, and God alone. They glorified God in me: that is, they owned and admired the grace of God bestowed upon me, which wrought such a glorious and blessed change in me. The converting grace of God, wrought either in ourselves or others, is matter of admiration, and calls for thanksgivings and acknowledgments unto God: They glorified God in me. CHAP. II. Our apostle prosecutes, in this, the argument which he had begun in the former chapter, namely, to evidence and prove that both his ministry and his message, his office and his doctrine, were divine, neither of them received from man, but immediately from Jesus Christ, And because the false apostles had suggested that St. Paul taught divers doctrines which were contrary to the judgment and practice of St. Peter and the other apostles, he declares in this chapter, how he went up to Jerusalem, and communicated his doctrine which he had preached among the Gentiles, to the most eminent of the apostles, who unanimously subscribed to it, and in a full synod declared their approbation of it: for they perceiving that St. Paul was in an extraordinary manner called of God to be an apostle, both from that divine assistance wherewith he was accompanied, and from those apostolical gifts with which he was endowed, they acknowledged him for an apostle; yea, that he was inferior to none of themselves: to the great shame of the false apostles, who misrepresented him as delivering doctrines which were opposite and contrary to what was taught and practised by the other apostles. THEN, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain Observe here, 1. How the gracious care and good providence of God did watch over St. Paul from place to place, and from time to time, when and wheresoever he went up to Jerusalem, that is, fourteen This good man, this great And to the most ences of judgment, and strife and debate about those differences amongst the most eminent preachers of it. Hence it was that St. Paul endeavoured so much to get the joint consent of the most eminent apostles to the doctrine delivered by him, lest by the calumnies of his adversaries his preaching should have been rendered unsuccessful, and he should hereafter run and labour in vain. 3 But neither Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4 And that because of false brethren una wares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Observe here, 1. The instance and evidence which St. Paul brings of the apostles at Jerusalem agreeing with him both in their doctrine and in their practice; and that was Titus, who being a Gentile, born a Greek, and now a preacher of the gospel, and never circumcised, the apostles at Jerusalem would no more compel him to be circumcised than St. Paul had done, but received him into fellowship with them, though he was an uncircumcised Greek. This was a plain evidence, that they did not judge circumcision at that time to be a part of God's commanded worship; for then they would have compelled Titus to it; that is, constrained him, by the force of ecclesiastical censures, to become circumcised, had they thought circumcision necessary to the Gentiles. Observe, 2. The reason assigned why the apostle would not circumcise Titus, though he had before circumcised Timothy; namely, because some false brethren, crept in, would have taken advantage from it to bring persons into bondage to the law of ceremonies, and plead conformity to circumcision as an obliged duty. Learn hence, That although the ceremonial law was certainly abolished by the death of Christ, yet Almighty God, partly with respect to it as his own ordinance, and partly in condescension to the weakness of the Jews, was pleased to tolerate the observation of some part of it, and particularly circumcision, as an indifferent action, though not as a part of religion, for some time; the ceremonial rites being dead, they were to be decently, not over-hastily, buried. Observe, 3. The apostle's undaunted courage and heroic resolution in this matter; he would, notwithstanding the false apostles' importunity, never yield subjection or submission to, or compliance with, their commands, in the least measure, by consenting to circumcise Titus ; that so the truth and liberty of the gospel might continue sincere and unshaken. Learn hence, That an outward act of compliance must not be consented to, which in some cases might be complied with, when by making it necessary we turn christian liberty into servitude and bondage, when urged and enforced as necessary; in that things in their own nature indifferent are case, the practice of a thing indifferent is to be abstained from. Thus here, when false brethren urged the circumcision of Titus, as an evidence of St. Paul's receding from the doctrine of christian liberty, he would not obey them, nor consent unto them. To whom we gave place, no, not for an hour; that is, we refused to use circumcision, though but that once, because we would not give the adversaries the least advantage against us, or against the truth delivered and defended by us. 6 But of those who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person :) for they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me. As if he had said, "When I came up to Jerusalem, thus I behaved myself towards the false brethren, as I have here declared; but now for those who seemed to be somewhat, that is, Peter, James, and John, who were of chief reputation among the apostles, and more than ordinary ministers of Jesus Christ, being the foundations of the christian church laid by Christ himself, although they had some external advantages above me, as being apostles before me, and having conversed with Christ, and seen him here on earth, which I never did; yet this maketh no matter to me, for God values no man for these outward favours and benefits: neither in that conference about circumcision did they add any thing to me, either by their authority or instruction; they added nothing, they corrected nothing, but approved all things, both what I did and said. From whence it evidently appears, that my authority was equal with theirs, and my doctrine the same with theirs also." 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter: 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles ;) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the cir10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. cumcision. Note here, 1, That the ordinance both of Peter and Paul, for the office and work of apostles, was alike divine. The former, St. Peter, was to be the minister of the circumcision, that is, to exercise his ministry among the Jews; and St. Paul, by virtue of the same divine ordinance, was to exercise his office among the Gentiles, called the uncircumcision; yet this must not be so understood, as if Paul might not preach to the Jews, nor St. Peter to the Gentiles, which they both did upon occasion, but because their more special and particular province was thus, St. Peter to preach to the Jews, and St. Paul to the Gentiles. Learn hence, That the office of preaching the gospel is a special trust, committed by God himself to such as he qualifies for it; and as none must enterprise it but such as he calls unto it, so must all that undertake it be accountable to him for it. The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was committed unto Peter. Note, 2. How this great apostle ascribes the success and efficacy of his own ininistry among the Gentiles, and of St. Peter's among the Jews, alike to God: He that wrought effectually in Peter to the circumcision, was also mighty in me toward the Gentiles. It is neither the person nor pains of the minister, nor any natural energy or efficacy in the word preached, As upon which the success of the gospel depends, but upon the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. He that wrought effecThe word of God works not as a natural tually in Peter, was also mighty in me. agent, but as a moral instrument in the hand of the Spirit. The weapons of our ministerial warfare are then mighty, when made mighty through God for the pulling down the strong holds of sin and Satan. Note, 3. The duty of the ministers of Christ implicitly declared, namely, to be pillars; pillars, they are to uphold the truth, by not seeming to be so, but really so. their doctrine and diligence; as pillars, to be constant in defending the truth against all the blasts and storms of error and false doctrine; as pillars, to adorn the truth, by an innocent life and instructive example, whereby they ought not only to shine before others, but also to outshine others. When James, Cephas, and John, seemed to be pillars. These three apostles under Christ were the great supporters of the church of Christ, by their diligence and faithfulness; yet observe, James is here named before St. Peter; which shows the weakness of the papists' argument for Peter's primacy, because sometimes first named. But it is evident he is not always so; St. James is here mentioned before him, because, say some, bishop of Jerusalem, and the Lord's brother or near kinsman; but certain it is, that St. Paul paid not here any deference to Peter, upon the account of his primacy or supremacy, which is now so much contended for, but was not then thought of, design to show that he was in every respect because it is the apostle's great drift and equal with Peter and the rest of the apostles, and in no respect inferior to any of them; and consequently that neither in his mission nor his message, neither in his office nor his doctrine, neither in his external authority nor his internal gifts and graces, did he come behind the chiefest apostles, as the false apostles had misrepresented him. Note farther, St. Peter's integrity, with James's and John's, in this matter: they being all very well satisfied by convincing evidence, that Almighty God had certainly called Paul to be an apostle no less than themselves; they own and acknowledge him for such, no doubt to the grief as well as to the shame of the false apostles who had vilified his person, lessened his authority, and disparaged his doctrine. When James, Cephas, and John, perceived the grace that was given |