learned reader should know make no part of the Apostolical writings, deceive us.

The people of this country received the Gospel in great numbers, insomuch that several Churches were planted through the district. They understood St. Paul's doctrine, and received it in its true sense, namely, that justification before God is attainable only by faith in Christ crucified. He clearly laid before them the riches of Divine Grace. And they had so deep an impression of the truths, which he taught, and felt so much of their energy, that they seemed as it were to see the Son of God crucified among them*: they received the promised Spirit of adoption, by which they rejoiced in God as their Father, and they cheerfully suffered much persecution for the name of Christ. Before this, they had lived in the darkest idolatry; for these Churches were formed almost, if not entirely, of Gentiles. The true God was made known to them, and Unitarianism, of itself unable to emancipate men from sin, as the case of the Jews evinced, was with them attended with the distinct knowledge and lively faith of Jesus.

What proves the divine taste of this people was, that no disadvantage in the circumstances of the delivery of the Gospel operated with them to its prejudice. Some remarkable infirmity this great man was afflicted with;-what it was precisely we are no where told;-but it presented something contemptible in the eyes of profane persons. And it is no small proof of the Galatians being much humbled and awakened in their minds by the Spirit of God, that this circumstance lessened not at all their regard to the Apostle or to his message. They received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus ||." They confessed the blessedness, which they felt on account of the Gospel, and were ready to give even the most painful proofs of their affection to him. In * Galat. iii. 1. iv. 6. iii. 4. § iv. 8. iv. 8. iv. 14.

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58

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VII.

all this we see, what the Gospel is, what it does for men who truly understand and embrace it in an humbled heart, what was St. Paul's manner of preaching, and how different a thing Christianity then appeared from the frigid speculations which in modern times bear that name.

But soon after Paul had left them with the most pleasing hopes of their spiritual growth, he was astonished to hear of a change for the worse, which took place among them. Some Jews, who were either their own countrymen, or who had lately arrived at Galatia from other parts of Asia Minor where Paul had laboured, took pains to pervert them. They made no attempts, indeed, to unsettle their minds in the views of the unity of the Godhead, and the principal facts of Christianity; nor did they endeavour to draw them back to the worship of idols. They neither formally denied the atonement of Christ, nor persuaded the people to desist from Christian worship. Yet was it another gospel, though it deserved not the name of Gospel *, to the love of which they seduced them. They assured them, that they could not be saved without circumcision, and prevailed on them to JUDAIZE so far, as to observe the rites of Moses in various instances t. They took pains to estrange them from Paul, and to draw them over to themselves, and to a worldly spirit of conformity, loving to appear fair in the eyes of men, and pretending to be zealous for good works, while their real view was to avoid the persecution, which attended the Cross of Christ. To give the better effect to their insinuations, they instilled into them disrespectful ideas of Paul as though he were far inferior to the other Apostles: and, as it seems, they represented the mother-church of Jerusalem, with the college of Apostles there, as coinciding with themselves in doctrine.

Thus the self-righteous poison, which first issued + iv. 10. tvi, 12.

* Chap. i. 6, 7..

from Jerusalem, was brought into this distant pro-
vince, where the ignorance and simplicity of the
people, unacquainted with Jewish modes and habits,
gave it the freest room to operate. These false
teachers still called themselves Christians, and the
mischief which they introduced, may be deemed at
first sight no great one. So, I doubt not, some
fashionable perversions of Evangelical truth at this
day, of a similar kind, appear to many to be of no
great consequence. I am not, however, to disguise
that this Galatian delusion appears strongly to re-
semble the perversions to which I allude. I have
represented things as they appear to me from the
epistle. The great evil lurking under all this art
and zeal, was the adulteration of the faith of Jesus,
the sole Author of our salvation. In no epistle does
the Apostle speak so sharply, or express himself so
vehemently. His exhortation and rebuke came
warm from a charitable heart, just after the recep-
tion of the disagrecable tidings. He professes him-
self astonished at the defection of the Galatians
from Christ; and execrates any man or even angel,
who should preach any other way of salvation. If
such a person still call himself a Christian, and hold
the historical facts of the Gospel, the case is not al-
tered for the better; the deception only passing more
current on that account *. He asserts, that if they
mixed circumcision, or any work of the law, with
Christ in the article of justification, Christ would
be of no effect to them f. He must be their whole
Saviour, or he would profit them nothing; law and
grace in this case being quite opposite. He marks
the mere worldly nature of the doctrine they were
embracing it would make them bigotted Jews
indeed, proud, self-righteous, void of the love of
God and man§, and no better in their spiritual state
than they were while idolaters ||. Thus they would
+ Chap. v.
Chap. vi. toward the end.

• Chap. i. Chap. v.

iv. 9.

CENT.

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VII.

CHAP. lose all the liberty of the Gospel, and be mere slaves in religion, like all unconverted persons, who in reality are self-righteous, and devoid of holy principle. He points out to them the peculiar nature of the Gospel, as perfectly distinct from any thing that man in his depraved state is apt to teach or ready to embrace. In the historical part of the epistle he vindicates his own Apostolical character, inculcates throughout, in all possible variety of language, and with his usual copiousness both of clear argument and strong diction, the all-important article of justification, and presses the necessity of continuing in it, in order to be benefited by it. Otherwise we make Christ the minister of sin, or of condemnation: we build again what we have destroyed; and, as far as in us lies, make him to have died in vain. He appeals to their own experience of the happy fruits of the Gospel, which they had felt internally, and represents himself as travailing in birth for them, till Christ be formed in them. He expresses himself dubious of their condition, and desirous of visiting them, that he might adapt his language to their perilous situation. He wishes that their evil advisers were cut off, so mischievous were they to souls; and assures them, that the Divine Vengeance would overtake those that troubled them. He informs them, that the persecution, which he himself endured, was on account of this very doctrine. This it was that stirred up the enmity of the human heart; and this doctrine being lost, the Gospel becomes a mere name, and Christianity is lost in the group of common religions.

It will be proper for us to bear in mind the Apostle's reasonings on this subject, and to apply them to every period of Church-history; since it is evident, that the rise or fall of this great Christian article, must determine the vigour or decline of true religion in all ages. He neglects not however to inculcate in his usual manner the necessity of good

works, as the just fruits and evidences of a real Christian state*; and he particularly encourages them to works of mercy, attended with a patient and cheerful prospect into eternity, and animated with genuine charity t.

There is reason to hope, that the best effects were produced by the epistle. No very long time after, the Apostle again visited these Churches, and went over the whole country, strengthening "all the disciples t." This is the substance of what I can collect from Scripture concerning the history of this Church, —except a single hint in another epistle §, in which he recommends to the Corinthians to use the same plan for the relief of the poor saints, which he had suggested to the Galatians. From the influence which he hence appears to have had in Galatia, it is probable, that the Judaical perversion was over

come.

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CHAP. VIII.

PHILIPPI.

THE dispensation of the Gospel is doubtless the greatest blessing that can be vouchsafed to any country. But the times and the seasons God hath reserved to himself. Even in this sense salvation is of grace; and Divine Providence alone orders and appoints, that the Gospel shall be preached here or there, as he pleases. Paul and Silas, if left to themselves, in their progress to the west, would have evangelized Pergamus or Asia propria and Bithynia ||, but were. prevented by special intimations of the Holy Spirit. They came now to Troas,so called from its being the place, or near the place, where old Troy had stood, by the sea-coast,-uncertain whither they should go next, and perhaps little apprehensive, that

⚫ Chap. v. toward the end. «§ 1 Cor. xvi. 1.

+Chap. vi. Acts, xviii. 23.
Acts, xvi. 7.

VIII.