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ift, For the Plaufiblenefs of their Behaviour, 'tis exprefs'd in these words; As many as defire to make a fair Shew in the Flesh. 'Tis the Guife and Practice of falfe Teachers, to put fair, tho falfe Colours upon what they fay or do; to make ufe of Difguifes, to hide the Evil and Mif chief they intend, and to make the fairest Show and Appearance they can. Our Saviour tells us, that the falfe Prophets came in Sheeps Clothing; that is, with foft and fmooth Pretences, tho inwardly they were ravenous Wolves, that came not but to devour and deftroy. The Apostle tells us of others, that with good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple. Of all fuch we are bid to beware, as thofe that come with all the Deceivableness of Unrighteoufnefs, able if it were poffible to deceive the very Elect. Of this kind were the falfe Teachers in this Chapter, who defir'd to make a fair Show in the Flefh, that is, would be thought the most zealous and confcientious of all the Jews. And fuch are the Diffenting Falfe Teachers in our days, who by feign'd Shews of Zeal and Reformation, delude the Ignorant into Schifm and Sedition. Of all fuch we cannot be too cautious, by giving no heed to their Words, and fhunning their Ways and their Example. But to the Plaufibleness of their Behaviour, the Apoftle adds,

2dly, The Unfoundness of their Doctrine, in these words; They conftrain you to be circumcis'd: meaning, that they urg'd upon thefe Galatians the Neceffity of Circumcifion, tho that painful Rite was done away, and exchang'd, for the easier Rite of Baptifm by our Bleffed Saviour: yet to make the fairer Shew in the Flefh, they prefs them to. take this Mark of Circumcifion in their Flesh, being the Seal of the Covenant made to Abraham and his Seed. For this they urg'd the Inftitution of God himself, who laid this Ordinance of Circumcifion in charge on Abraham and his Pofterity for ever, Gen. 17. For which reafon they pretended it to carry an eternal Obligation, being call'd therefore the Covenant of Circumcifion, Acts 7. 8. This fhak'd the Faith of many, and begat that firft and great Controverfy in the Chriftian Church, about the Conti-. nuance of the Rites and Ceremonies of Mofes's Law; which our Apostle, in this and fundry other of his Epiftles, hath fully decided for us, having by many Arguments prov'd and determin'd for the Abrogation of them: for Chrift the Subftance being come, in whom all those typical Rites and Shadows were fulfill'd, they all vanish'd and were Vol. IV. Part 2. Z

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difpell'd by the Brightness of his Coming, as Mifts and Vapors are scatter'd by the Approach of the Sun. So that to continue thofe Rites, is a virtual Denial of Chrift's.coming in the Flesh and therefore St. Paul teftifies and declares unto them, that if ye be circumcis'd, Chrift can profit you nothing, Gal. 5. 2. And ver. 3. I teftify again (faith he) to every Man that is circumcis'd, that he is a Debtor to keep the whole Law; and fo can have no Juftification thence. Chrift is become of no effect to them, being fallen from the Grace and Favour of the Gofpel. The fense of all which is, that by sticking to the old Covenant of Circumcifion, they deprive themselves of all the benefit of the new Covenant, into which we are now initiated by Baptifm.

But, 3dly, why did thefe Teachers, who were in a great meafure brought over to Christianity, fo far comply with the Jews, as to preach and prefs Circumcifion on the Gentile Converts? Why that, the Apostle tells us, was only left they should fuffer Perfecution for the Cross of Chrift. There was at that time a great Perfecution rais'd against the Chriftians: the Jews, out of their great Zeal to the old Law, would not hear of a new Gofpel; the Doctrine of Chrift crucify'd was to the Jews a Stumbling-block, and to the Greeks Foolishness: which made them perfecute this Way even to the Death. Hence fome for fear of Punishment, and others for the reproach of the Crofs, revolted from Chriftianity, and fell back to the old Law: and we are told of thefe in our Text, that they adher'd to Circumcifion merely to avoid Perfecution. 'Twas not any confcientious Perfuafion of the Obligation of the Law, that mov'd them thus to keep to it for the next Verfe tells us, that they themselves that are circumcis'd, do not keep the Law in other matters; yea, fometimes can dispense with that too, when it may be done with fafety. But they defire to have you circumcis'd (faith he) only that they may glory in your Fleh meaning, that the true Reafon of all this was their own Advantage, and their own Glory; partly to avoid the Fury and Trouble of the Jewish Zealots, and partly that they might be able to boaft of the many Profelytes they had made to the Judaical Law. This is that fair Shew in the Flesh, mention'd before, and their glorying in your Flesh, mention'd here; both which fignify, their getting fome Glory and Intereft to themselves, by having you circumcis'd

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But thefe Mens feeking for Glory by fuch finifter and indirect ways, and fhrinking from the Doctrine of the Cross for fear of Perfecution, made St. Paul let them know, that all true Glory lies in other things; namely, in a firm Conftancy of Mind, and a fteddy Adherence to the Doctrine of Christ against all Oppofition: And therefore he speaks in his own Name in the following Verfe, faying, God forbid that I should glory, fave in the Crofs of our Lord Jefus, by whom the World is crucify'd to me, and I unto the World. That is, all Glorying in the Flesh is vain, and all Boafting of worldly Wealth and Honour is fruitless and infignificant; fuch idle Vaunts and Vain-glorying as this, proceed only from the fond Suggeftions and Compliances of falfe Teachers, who make merchandize of you: but God forbid (faith the Apoftle) that I fhould ever make use of these or any other like Arts to beguile you, or to draw Difciples into fuch pernicious Errors and Delufions. The only true matter of Boafting is in the Cross of Chrift, which they would make you either afraid or afham'd-of. For my own part (faith he) I know nothing worthy to be glory'd of or rejoic'd in, fave that only and accordingly all my Joy and Rejoicing is in my Conftancy to my Saviour, and the Sufferings Ï have undergone for his fake; which have made the Pleafures, Honours, and Riches of the World altogether lifelefs and untempting to me, and likewife me as dead and mortify'd to any inordinate Love or Defire of them. Hence we find him declaring to the Romans, that he was not afham'd of the Gospel of Christ, which is the Power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth; Rom. 1. 16. Whatever mean Thoughts others might have of it, or whatever Reflections they might caft upon it, he was fo far from being afham'd, that he made it the Object of his greatest Glory and Rejoicing, knowing it to be the only Way and Means of obtaining Life and Salvation.

Again, He told the Corinthians, that he determin'd to know nothing among them but Jefus Chrift and him crucify'd; I Cor. 2. 2. And to the Philippians ne affirm'd, that he counted all other Knowledg but as Lofs and Dung, in comparifon of the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ, for whom he had fuffer'd the Lofs of all, and counted it as nothing, that he might win Chrift; Phil. 3. 8. He had been before mentioning the Privileges of Circumcifion, in which he could pretend as great a fhare as any: for he was circumcis'd the eighth Day, according to the Law given to Abraham; he

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was of the Stock of Ifrael, of the Tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, and as touching the Law a Pharifee; ver. 5. And yet all these Privileges he reckon'd of no worth or value to him without an Interest in Christ, which was infinitely above them all. And therefore he here tells the Galatians, that all infifting on these Privileges, and all other Contests about the Law are frivolous and to no purpofe; For in Chrift Jefus neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a new Creature. Now under the Gospel 'tis not material whether a Man be circumcis'd or no, for he can be the better for neither: that which is now requir'd, is to be regenerate by Baptifm, to be born again of Water and the Holy Ghoft, and thereby to become new Creatures: and fuch muft all be that come to Chrift; For if any Man be in Chrift (faith the Apostle) he is a new Creature, old things are paft away, behold all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5. 17. The old finful Practices are to be laid afide, and the antiquated Rites of the Law to be done away, and we enter upon a new State that obliges to Newness of Life: For the Gospel brings a Change of Things and Perfons from what they were before; there is more Grace, better Promises, greater Afliftances, and ampler Encouragements than were made known before; all which call upon us to lead better Lives, and fo to become new Creatures.

And as many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them and Mercy, and upon the whole Ifrael of God. Which words may be understood either as a Wifh, that all who lead their Lives by these measures, and walk as becometh the Gospel of Chrift, may have all Peace and Mercy multiply'd upon them; or elfe as a Promife, that they who do fo, fhall certainly find all that Peace and Happiness, which the Gospel exhibits and holds forth to them. Both which Prayer and Promife is here made, not only for those who newly embrac'd the Faith of the Gofpel, but for the whole Ifrael of God, that believe on him, whether they be Jew or Gentile, Bond or Free, for they are all one in Chrift Jefus.

Having faid this to them, he adds in the following words, From henceforth let no Man trouble me, for I bear in my Body the Marks of the Lord Jefus: that is, for the future I defire that none would give me any farther trouble in this matter, for I have other work to do, which by my Office I am bound to attend and difcharge. And there can be no rea

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fon to caufe any more Vexation to me; for I have already felt thofe Afflictions in my Body, which in fome measure resemble the Sufferings of Chrift, and are fo many Marks and Tokens of my Sincerity and Conftancy to him.

And then he clofes all with this Salutation, Brethren, the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with your Spirit. Amen. With this Prayer he begins and ends most of his Epiftles, which contains his hearty Wifh for the Profperity both of Body and Soul, and that all the Favours and Bleffings of Heaven, both temporal and spiritual, may be multiply'd upon them which Wish we ought all to have for all our Fellow-Chriftians.

This is the Sum of the Epiftle for this Day, from whence we may learn the following Leffons: And,

1. From St. Paul's writing fo large a Letter with his own Hand, we may learn to fpare no pains for the Satisfaction of doubting Chriftians, and to refcue them from the evil Arts and Designs of Deceivers. We fee what pains the Apostle here takes with thefe Galatians, to keep them fteddy to the Truths of the Gospel, and to arm them against thofe Judaizing Teachers, that would urge Circumcifion upon them, and introduce other abolish'd Rites of Mofes's Law. With the like Care and Diligence ought we to inftruct ignorant and deluded People in the Faith of Chrift, to reduce those to the Unity of the Christian Church that have ftray'd from it, and to preserve them from the Errors and Infinuations of falfe Teachers, that labour to feduce them.

2. From St. Paul's Difcourfe here, we may learn to fand faft in the Liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, and not to be intangled again in the Toke of Bondage. St. Luke tells us, that the Church fometime groan'd under a heavy and burdenfom Yoke of carnal Ordinances, fuch as neither they nor their Forefathers were able to bear from this Yoke Jefus Chrift hath happily deliver'd his Church, having blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us, and refcu'd us from the beggarly Rites and Rudiments of the Ceremonial Law, and particularly the painful Rite of Circumcifion. Let us not then fuffer our felves to be again brought in Bondage to these things; Christ being the fole Master of our Faith, let us not become the Servants of Men. This Advice St. Paul frequently gave in moft of his Epiftles; which yet we must not ftrain fo far,

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