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,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

Most obliged, and

humble Servant,

THO. PYLE.

;

;

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 Circumcifion and the full Obfervation of the Ceremonial Law of Mofes were necessary to the Salvation of a Christian Convert? All I now further observe is, The same Factious and Calumniating Spirit of these Jewish Zealots of Galatia, with those of Rome and Corinth, the better to infinuate themselves with fome People, they suggested St. Paul to be,

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, Fames, and John, &c. were; but to be an Apostle at fecondhand: Thus derogating from the Authority of his Commission, and the Certainty of his Doctrine. This will give the Reader the true Spirit of the several Expreffions which tend to vindicate both his Apostleship, and the Sincerity and Confistency 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 fecond, and the twelve first Verses of the fifth Chapters, with the 13th and 17th Ver. of the fixth Chapter: In the two latter of which Chapters are some Practical Exhortations, defigned chiefly against the Animosities and great Partialities that this Dispute had bred and ripened among them.

pistle was written in

or about the Year of our Lord 58.

CHAP. I.

The ARGUMENT.

* This E- The Title * the Apostle gives himself, levelled against the 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 Chriftian Religion alone, into the Jewish Principle of the Neceffity of the Ceremonial Law: To cure them of which Prejudice is the main Purpose of this Epistle. His Answer to the Infinuations against the Authority of his Commission t, and the Sincerity of his Preaching.

+ See the Preface.

A. D. 58. P

AUL an Apostle,

IPaul who am an Christian Authority of Men, nor receiving my Commiffion by the choice of the other Apostles, as Matthias did; but having it from the ex

traordinary * and express Revelation of Jesus Chrift A. D. 58. himfelf, and God the † Father, who raised him from the Dead.

2 And all the bre

thren which are with me, unto the churches

of Galatia :

3. Grace be to you and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 Who gave himself for our fins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and

* Acts ix. xxii, & † Acts

2, 3. Send this Epistle to the xxvi. Chap. Churches of Galatia, wishing you 14, 15. all Favours and Bleffings from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ; as do also the Chriftian Brethren that are with me here at Rome.

4. Wishing you, I say, the Bleffings of Christ Jesus, who, according to the merciful and gracious Purpose of God, and the Predictions of his Prophets, gave himself a Sacrifice for our Sins, to redeem us from the Punishment and Condemnation that is justly to fall upon the vitious and obstinate Unbelievers || of the present Age.

our Father:

5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6 I marvel, that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Chrift, unto another gofpel.

5. For which Mercy be he praised and glorified for ever and ever! Amen,

6. He therefore being the only Saviour by whom we obtain Pardon and Redemption, I am amazed to hear you should, fo foon after your Converfion, be thus changed in your Belief of this grand Article, and be brought to embrace the Neceffity of observing the Jewish Ceremonies, as a Chriftian Doctrine; whereas there is no such Matter. The Christian Religion is the only fufficient Foundation of your Justification and Happiness.

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