As it was then, says the apostle, even so it is now; afflictions are the donatives of the gospel, and persecution is the church's patrimony: To us it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but to suffer, Phil. i. 29. Observe lastly, From Ishmael's being brother to Isaac, and vet his bitter persecutor, that the sorest trials and sharpest persecutions which the saints endure, are very often from the nearest relations, who are tied to them by the strongest obligations either of kindred or acquaintance. Bitterest things are sometimes endured from the hands of those from whom better things might justly have been expected. Christ foretold all this, The brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son. Cain is dead, but the spirit of Cain yet lives; they that scoff, would bite, and make their teeth meet, had they power to use their cheekbone; he that is born after the flesh, will persecute those of his own flesh and family that are born after the Spirit; as it was then, we may go on to say, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. The apostle goes on in explaining and applying this typical history of Ishmael and Isaac, and tells us, that the casting out of Ishmael the son of Hagar the bond-woman, did typify the exclusion of the law from a partnership with the gospel in the justification of a sinner before God. As Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's family, and none but Isaac must inherit; so they that depend upon the law for justification, shall children of the bond-woman, but of the free. Here the apostle draws a conclusion from the foregoing discourse, thus: "As Sarah cast out Hagar and Ishmael, so must the children of the New Jerusalem cast out the law, and all the legal rites, henceforth to be observed no more, either alone without Christ, or in conjunction with Christ. And fied in Hagar, but in Sarah, so we the as the church of the Gentiles was not typichristian Gentiles are not obliged to judaical observances, but freed entirely by Christ from them, and justified by gospel grace without them." The conclusion and sum of all is this, to bring off the Galatians from seeking justification by the works of the law, and to apprehend themselves no longer in bondage to circumcision and the Mosaic rites, but to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free: which introduces that excellent discourse to this purpose which we find contained in the next chapter. CHAP. V. Our apostle having in the foregoing chapters clearly asserted and strenuously proved the doctrine of free justification by faith, without the works of the law, and that circumcision, and the ceremonial rites, were all certainly abolished by the death of Christ; he comes now (as his manner was) to improve his discourse by way of application to them; and this he doth both for the informing of their judgments, and directing of their practice. And the first duty he exhorts the Galatians to, is, to persist and stand fast in their christian liberty, which Christ by his death had purchased for them, and to be no longer in bondage to circumcision, and the ceremonial law. Accordingly he thus bespeaks them, ver. 1. STAND fast therefore in the liber ty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. be cast out of the church of God, and never attain the heavenly inheritance. But As if he had said, "Since Christ by his they who depend upon the promise of God, death has purchased our freedom from the and expect to be justified by faith, without yoke and bondage of the ceremonial law, legal performances, they only shall be let us resolutely stand fast in this our chrisheirs of grace and mercy. The doctrine tian liberty, without subjecting ourselves of justification by the works of the law, again to circumcision, and the observation when it is not only doctrinally maintained, of the Mosaic rites."-Here note, 1. The serbut practically pursued and walked in, vile condition of the Jewish church: they doth exclude persons from having any part were under bondage, under a yoke of or share in the kingdom of heaven. So bondage. This servitude of theirs consisted much was typified and prefigured by the in the vast number of their religious rites son of the bond-woman being cast out, and observances, as to days and weeks, and not allowed to be heir with the son months, and years; in the multitude of of the free-woman. their sacrifices of all sorts, which they were obliged every day to offer in their frequent 31 So then, brethren, we are not purifications and washings; in the strict : distinction they were obliged to make be- 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, That if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. That is, “Behold, I Paul, your apostle, do positively declare, and expressly tell you, the Galatians, and all other christians converted by me to christianity, that if ye be circumcised, that is, join circumcision with the gospel as a thing necessary to justification and salvation, Christ's undertaking will profit you nothing: for, embracing circumcision after Christ's coming, is virtually to deny and disown that he is come, and in effect to renounce and disclaim him; because at his coming the promise was fulfilled, and circumcision of its own nature ceased." Learn hence, That for persons religiously to observe any of the rites of the ceremonial law, in obedience to any divine precept, or to join any thing with Christ, and faith in him, for the justification of a sinner before God, is a plain denial of Christ, and a disdaining of his ability and sufficiency to justify and save us: If ye be circumcised, verily, Christ shall profit you nothing. every 3 For I testify again to man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. He that urges the necessity of circumcision, is a debtor to the law, in a double respect, namely, in regard of duty, and in regard of penalty. First, he is a debtor in regard of duty; because he that thinks himself bound to keep one part of the ceremonial law, circumcision, doth thereby oblige himself to keep the whole ceremonial law, yea, and the whole moral law too, without deficiency, and that under the penalty Again, Secondly, As of condemnation. he is a debtor in point of duty, so he must needs be a debtor in regard of penalty; because he is not able to keep any part of it perfectly. Hence we may infer, 1. How endearing our obligations are to Christ, who as our Surety paid both these debts for us, namely, our debt of duty, and our debt of penalty to the law of God: by fulfilling all righteousness, he paid our debt of duty, and by suffering the punishment due to transgressors, he paid our debt of penalty. We may also, infer, 2. That as he that is circumcised, is bound to keep the whole law; so he that is baptized, is obliged to obey all the commands of the gospel, to make conscience of the duties of both tables, as an argument of his sincerity, and as an ornament to his profession. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Here another argument is used, to show that believers are dead to the ceremonial law, and are by no means to expect justification by it: Whosoever of you, says the apostle, is justified by the law, that is, whosoever seeks and endeavours to be so justified, (for in reality none can in that manner be justified,) Christ is become of no effect unto such persons; that is, they renounce Christ, and disdain benefit by his death. And they are fallen from grace: that is, fallen from christianity, and the covenant of grace; they have forfeited the grace of the gospel, by cleaving to the ceremonial law, they are fallen from the doctrine of grace delivered in the gospel, and Christ is become of no effect unto them. Learn from hence, That such persons as do believe that faith in Christ alone is not sufficient to justification and acceptance with God, without the observation of the abrogated law, do in effect disown their relation to Christ, and disclaim all benefit by his death: Christ is become of none effect, &c. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. That is, "We christians, we believers, through the Spirit which we have received, and not by legal observances, do hope both for such a righteousness as will denominate and constitute us righteous in the sight of God, and also for the crown of righteousness in heaven, which now we wait and hope for here on earth." Note, 1. That a believer does not value himself by what he has in hand, but by what he has in hope; his riches are not so much in present possession, as in future expectation: We wait for the hope: that is, for heaven, the good hoped for. Note, 2. That none have either right to heaven, or can warrantably expect the enjoyments of heaven, who are destitute of righteousness; heaven is here called the hope of righteousness, that is, the rational hope and expectation of righteous persons only. Note, 3. That it is a righteousness made ours by faith, even the righteousness of the Mediator, which gives us the best title to, and the firmest ground to hope and wait for, the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. Note, 4. That it is the special work of the Holy Spirit to produce in us the graces of the Spirit, both faith and hope; faith to enable us to apprehend, and hope to enable us to wait for, the crown of righteousness, even eternal glory: We through the Spirit do wait for the hope of righteousness by faith? 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. In Christ Jesus, that is, in the economy of Christ Jesus, under the gospel dispensation, in our state of christianity, since Christ's manifestation in the flesh, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing with God, as to our acceptance with him, or reward from him: but the qualification now necessary to salvation under the gospel, is faith working by love; that is, such an effectual belief of future happiness purchased for us, and promised to us by Christ, as causes us to love and serve him, to trust in and depend upon him for the same. Learn, 1. That although circumcision, and the rest of the Levitical ceremonies, were once enjoined by God, service, and the neglect or contempt of them and practised by the Jews as an acceptable was a mortal sin; yet since Christ's coming in the flesh, who was the substance of all those shadows, the command whereby they were enjoined did cease, and neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avail any thing to salvation. ceremonial law be abolished, yet a believer Learn, 2. That though the under the gospel has work to do, a work of faith, and labour of love; for though faith alone justifieth us before God, yet it is not alone in the heart when it doth justify, but is always accompanied with the grace of love to God and our neighbour: For in Christ Jesus no faith availeth any thing, but that which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth? Ye did run well; that is, in the race he commends them for their former for- 3. ried out with a greater measure of affection Commonly young converts are carand zeal, and make a swifter progress in religion, than others do, at first, or they themselves do afterward when they are of older standing. These Galatians did run, of christianity. Note, 3. That when a yea, did run very well at first, in the race person's or a people's progress in christianity is not answerable to their hopeful beginnings, it is matter of regret and grief to all beholders, as well as matter of reproach and shame to the persons themselves: Ye did run well; who did hinder you? Intimating, that this their defection and apostasy was no less matter of astonishment to St. Paul, than it was of rebuke and reproach to them. 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. As if the apostle had said, "this judaizing opinion and practice of yours, this persuasion of the necessity of your being circumcised, and obeying the law of Moses; this new doctrine, so contrary to the spirit of the gospel, and the design of christianity; was never taught you either by God or myself, or any other faithful minister of Jesus Christ, who first converted you to the faith; but it is a mere delusion of Satan, and his emissaries the false apostles: and do not think this a small matter: let not circumcision seem a little thing to you; and let not these judaizing teachers be disregarded by you as inconsiderable, because they are few in number, for they are like to leaven; and ye know very well that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; intimating, that a few false teachers, and a little of error and false doctrine, crept into the congregation and church of Christ, may do unspeak able mischief by speedily infecting the whole church, as a little leaven (to which error is compared) leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded; but he that troubleth you shall bear his judg ment, whosoever he be. that Observe here, 1. The apostle's holy confidence, grounded upon charity; through the Lord, that is, through the Lord's assisting his endeavours, and through the Lord's blessing upon their serious consideration of what he had written to them, they would be reclaimed from their errors, and brought to be of the same mind with himself. Where note, How the holy and zealous apostle was divided betwixt hope and fear concerning these men; he feared the worst of these Galatians, and yet hopes the best: I have confidence in you through the Lord. It is a fault in the ministers of the gospel, when they despair of men too soon, when they cease or slacken their endeavours for their people's good, looking upon them as resolutely bent upon, and judicially given up unto, all evil. Though our apostle here had not a confidence of faith, or full persuasion, yet he had a confidence of charity, which caused him to hope that they would be like-minded with himself: I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be no otherwise minded. Observe, 2. With what a holy caution, as well as christian prudence and charity, our apostle applies himself unto them; declaring, that though he hoped they might be reclaimed from their crror, yet, lest they should conclude their error not to be very dangerous, he shows them his just indignation against it, by denouncing deserved punishments against those that seduced them into it: He that troubleth you, shall bear his own judg. ment, his condemnation due to him in hell, without repentance, which is supposed in all threatenings. For the condition of conditional threatenings, though it is not always expressed, yet it is to be understood. Observe, 3. The universality of the threatening: He shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be: let him be who he will, or what he will; who he will for abilities and parts, what he will for power or reputation; whoever he is, or whatsoever he be, he shall bear his judgment. Such is the exact justice of God, and such his impartiality in the exercise of it, that he will suffer no impenitent transgressor to escape his indignation, whoever he is, without respect of persons: He that troubleth you shall bear his own judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. Our apostle, in these words, signifies to us, that some of the judaizing teachers had suggested to the Galatians, as if he himself had preached elsewhere the doctrine of circumcision, and also practised the duty of circumcision, (by circumcising Timothy,) which here he opposes. "True, he did circumcise Timothy, but it was only to avoid offending the weak Jews, not out of any opinion which he had touching the necessity of circumcision: therefore, to discover to them the falsehood of that suggestion, he declares, that if he would have preached circumcision, he might have escaped persecution; the Jews were his persecutors, looking upon him as an apos tate from their holy religion, for preaching up the abolishment of the Mosaic law." Where observe, That the Jews, who looked upon themselves to be the people, yea, the peculiar and only people of God, and accounted all others contemptible and profane, were yet far greater persecutors of Christ and his apostles than the blind and barbarous Heathen, and all this out of zeal for God and his law: Why do I yet suffer persecution? implying, that the Jews did persecute him, and that his not preaching circumcision was the cause why they did so. He adds, Then is the offence of the cross ceased. By the cross, may be understood either, 1. The doctrine of the cross, the doctrine of the gospel; and then the sense is, the Jews would not have taken such offence at my preaching the doctrine of the gospel as they do, were it not because by it circumcision, and the whole frame of the old legal administration, are laid aside. Or else, 2. By the cross, may be understood the afflictions and sufferings which he underwent for the sake of Christ and his holy religion; and the sense then is, Verily, all my sufferings had long since been at an end, would I but have yielded the Jews this point, that christians are obliged to circumcision, and to yield obe. dience to the law of Moses; would I grant them this, my sufferings would soon be at an end; but my daily persecutions are evident demonstrations that I do not preach up circumcision; for had I so done, the offence of the cross had long since ceased. Learn hence, That the faithful ministers of Jesus Christ will not, dare not, conceal any part of the necessary truth, when the imminent hazard of people's salvation calls for the preaching of it, though the imbittered enemies of religion should raise against them the fiercest persecutions for the same: If I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? 12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you. The apostle's meaning is, "That it were very fit, were it seasonable, that those which had thus seduced them, should be excommunicated and cut off from the church's communion." Where note, 1. How implicitly and interpretatively St. Paul compares these seducers to rotten members, which are and ought to be cut off, lest the gangrene overspread the whole body: I would they were cut off; implying, that like rotten members they deserved it, and the church's safety called for it, would her then circumstances admit of it. Note, 2. That in the very expression here used by St. Paul, of cutting off, there seems to be an allusion to the practice of circumcision, which is a cutting off the foreskin of the flesh, and throwing it away. Now, says the apostle, I wish that these judaizing teachers, that urge you to be circumcised, that is, to cut off and cast away the foreskin of your flesh, I wish that they might be cut off as superfluous flesh, and cast out of the fellowship and communion of the church. Yet, note, 3. The apostle doth rather declare what such seducers deserve, than actually inflict the censure itself; he satisfied himself with an affectionate wish, lest the number of the seduced being great, and perhaps the seducers not a few, they should be hardened rather than reformed, and the ordinance itself exposed; I would they were even cut off, &c. 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Our apostle having finished the former part of the chapter, which contains an exhortation to stand fast in that liberty which Christ had purchased for them; he now enters upon the second part of it, namely, to caution them against abusing of their christian liberty, and by no means to apprehend or suppose as if they were thereby freed from all obligation to serve God or man, in the duties particularly required of them. Brethren, says he, ye are called unto liberty, that is, to the enjoyment of evangelical liberty, which consists in a freedom from the obligation of the ceremonial law, and the curse of the moral law: use it then so as not to abuse it; use it neither to sin nor scandal; not to sin, to allow yourselves the least liberty in indulging any carnal lust, or sinful affection, nor yet to scandalize the weak, who at present scruple the forsaking of circumcision, and the rest of the ceremonial rites; Use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but in love serve one another." Learn hence, 1. That our liberty and freedom, purchased for us by Christ, doth not dissolve any tie or obligation which we lie under either to God or man; the yoke of duty is very consistent with our christian liberty. Learn, 2. That one of the great occasions of the sins we commit in the course of our lives, is the too free use of our christian liberty the |