An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

CHAP. II.

THere are two parts of the Chapter: In the first hee proceeds to write the history, which hee declared, and to add the other signs of his Apostleship, or his di∣vine Doctrine, to vers. 15. In the remaining part of the Chapter hee confirms, that Righteousness is by Faith, and not by the works of the Law.

Vers. 1. Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with mee also;

2. And I went up by revelation, and communicated un∣to them the Gospel, which I preach among the Gen∣tiles, but privately to them which were of reputa∣tion, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

Six Signs of the heavenly and divine Doctrine of the Apostle went before, five others follow. Sign 1. That God directed the course of his Ministery by special reve∣lation, that hee might know from whence and where∣fore hee came; The example whereof hee shews in his ascending to Ierusalem by revelation: which revelation was a divine approbation of his Apostleship and Do∣ctrine.

Communicated] Sign 2. That hee communicated to the Apostles the manner of his doctrine delivered a∣mongst the Gentiles, that his consent with them might bee made manifest, and namely with Peter, Iames, and Iohn, lest hee should bee deprived of the fruit of his Mi∣nistery amongst some by the calumnies of his Emulators, who falsely said, that the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul did disagree from the Doctrine of the rest of the A∣postles.

Vers. 3. But neither Titus, who was with mee, being a Greek; was compelled to bee circumcised:

4. And that because of false Brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spie out our liberty, which wee have in Christ Iesus, that they might bring us into bondage.

5. To whom wee gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the Truth of the Gospel might continue with you.

Sign 3. That in the presence of the Apostles, hee pleaded this very cause in the person of Titus, of freeing Christians from the yoak of Circumcision, and defended him lest hee should bee circumcised, against the false Bre∣thren, who went about to take away Christian Liberty from Beleevers, that they might bring the Churches of Christ into bondage, to whom the Apostle does not in the least give place, that the sincerity of the Doctrine of the Gospel might remain pure amongst the Gentiles, and namely amongst the Galatians, which was an evident sign of his heavenly and divine Doctrine, wherein hee had instructed the Galatians.

Vers 6. But of these, who seemed to bee somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it makes no matter to mee, God accepteth no mans person) for they who seemed to bee somewhat, in conference added nothing to mee.

Sign 4. Whereof there are four Branches.

(1.) That the Apostles which were called chief, Pe∣ter, Iames, and Iohn, having heard his Doctrine, cor∣rected nothing, added nothing to his knowledge: In the mean while hee prevents an Objection concerning their personal prerogatives, of which hee will not speak, as of those that had seen Christ in the flesh, that were called to the Apostleship before him, that were nearer of kin to Christ, &c. Because these and such like did conduce no∣thing to their doctrine, to their Apostolical authority, to the commendation of man before God, seeing that God doth not accept the persons of men.

Vers. 7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto mee, ••s the Gospel of the Circumcision was to Peter.

8. (For hee that wrought effectually in Peter to the A∣postleship of the Circumcision, the same was mighty in mee towards the Gentiles.)

(2) That those three Apostles acknowledged the A∣postleship of Paul amongst the Gentiles, to have no less authority and efficacy from God, than the Apostleship of Peter amongst the Jews.

Vers. 9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to bee Pillars, perceived the Grace that was given unto mee, they gave to mee and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that wee should go unto the Heathen, and they unto the Circumcision.

(3) That those three Apostles perceiving the gifts and signs of Apostleship in Paul, gave to Paul and Bar∣nabas the right hand of fellowship, that with the like au∣thority they should execute their Apostolical charge a∣mongst the Gentiles, as they amongst the Jews.

Vers. 10. Onely they would that wee should remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do.

(4) Those three desired Paul and Barnabas, that they would procure a Collection to bee made by the Churches of the Gentiles, for the use of the poor Jews, that which Paul and Barnabas have faithfully performed.

Vers. 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I with-stood him to the face, because hee was to bee blamed.

Sign 5. Of his heavenly and divine Doctrine, name∣ly, in the Article of shunning the Ceremonial Yoak of Moses, That Paul openly reprehends Peter himself tur∣ning off from this Doctrine, and brings him into the way again, which that it may better appear, the things that follow are observeable.

By the decree of the Synod at Ierusalem, Act. 15. the necessity of the Ceremonial Law amongst the Jews is abro∣gated, and liberty is left to the Jews of using ceremonies for a time, all observation of the Levitical ceremonies, amongst the Gentiles, is expelled from the Christian Churches, as from those to whom the Law of Ceremonies was never designed, nor given: They are onely comman∣ded to abstain from some meats, le••t they use their liber∣ty to the scandal of the weaker Jews, and that by force of the Moral Law, which in matters simply indifferent, doth circumscribe the use of liberty with the bounds of scandal. Peter the Apostle going down to Antioch, by the sentence of the Synod at Ierusalem, useth his liberty, and eats meat with his Brethren, the Gentiles; some who held the Ce∣remonies of Moses went down in the mean while to An∣tioch from Iames: Here Peter ought not to counterfeit his Christian Liberty, which the day before hee profes∣sed, but to remain in fellowship with the Christian Gen∣tiles, and to defend his fact by the authority of the Synod; But Peter fearing le••t hee should incurr the hatred of the Jews, which came down from Iames, with-draweth him∣self from the Table of the Christian Gentiles, and eateth no more with them; others imitate the example of Peter: The evil spreads abroad to the drawing Barnabas into the same dissimulation: by this example scandal was given to the Jews to the confirming of them in Judaisme, and not put away the yoak of Moses (already broken and dissolved by the Authority of God in the Synod.) Scandal also is given to the Christian Gentiles, who are compel∣led by the example of so great an Apostle, either to take upon them the yoak of Ceremonies, or renounce the so∣ciety of the Apostle; what could Paul do in this case? certainly as it became him, hee resisted Peter to his face, and reproved him publickly.

Vers. 12. For before that certain came from James, he

did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, hee with-drew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the Circumcision.

The reasons of his reprehension are three. Reason 1. Because hee dissembled the freeing of Christians from the yoak of Moses, for fear of the hatred of some Jews, when hee ought rather to fear, lest hee should give scandal to the Jews or Gentiles.

Vers. 13. And the other Iews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Reason 2. Because by his example hee drew others with himself into the same dissimulation.

Vers. 14. But when I saw that they walked not upright∣ly according to the Truth of the Gospel, I said unto Pe∣ter before them all, If thou, being a Iew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Iews: why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Iews?

Reason 3. For which, Paul rightly reproves Peter, be∣cause when hee had preached that a man is justified by Faith alone, without the works of the Law; by this hee confirms the false Doctrine of those, that taught Moses Law necessarily to bee observed to salvation: which was to halt in his course towards the mark of Evangelical Truth, or to take a very ill course, for the preservation of the Doctrine of Grace pure; which fact was a most manifest sign that his Doctrine, which hee had taught to the Churches of Galatia concerning justification by the Grace of Christ, and freedome from the yoak of Ce∣remonies, was so heavenly and divine, that thereby hee had convinced Peter himself of errour, when hee did not do things consentaneous to his doctrine.

The Second Part.

Vers. 15. Wee who are Iews by nature, and not sin∣ners of the Gentiles,

16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Iesus Christ: even wee have beleeved in Iesus Christ, that wee might bee justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the Works of the Law, for by the Works of the Law shall no flesh bee justified.

From the occasion of his contention with Peter, Paul commeth to the other part of the Chapter, wherein as in the Epistle to the Romans, hee confirms that Justification is not by Works of the Law, but onely by Faith; whilst hee affirms this Doctrine, hee repeats his discourse had with Peter, that all might know, that hee had taught no∣thing else to the Galatians than that (many faithful both of the Jews and Gentiles hearing) speaking openly for the convincing of Peter, which hee had taught before and defended, viz. wee who are Iews by Nature, &c. The sense whereof is, if referred to Peter, wee who are Jews by Nature or propagation, wee are holy in Gods account by the Covenant, and not sinners, i. e. strangers from the Covenant, as the Gentiles; wee, (sayes hee) Jews and Apostles, knowing that man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by Faith in Christ, flie by Faith to Christ to this end, that wee may bee justified by Faith, and not by the Works of the Law: Therefore the Gentiles are not to bee compelled to Judaize, and to undergo the yoak of the Law, as if they were any way under the Covenant of Works.

But if these words bee referred to the principal intent, it is a Proposition of the Doctrine, and of the same kind with that, which hee had taught the Galatians, and to which hee exhorted them to return, to this sense; wee Jews, who by the Covenant are born the holy people of God, and not strangers from the Covenant, as you Gen∣tiles, wee are compelled to renounce the Works of the Law in point of Justification, and to seek Righteousness through Faith in Christ: Therefore much more to bee done by you gentile Galatians: Furthermore, hee con∣firms this Doctrine in this Chapter with three Ar∣guments, by the way answering Objections.

Argum. 1. No flesh is justified by the Works of the Law: Therefore the Jews nor Gentiles.

Vers. 17. But if, while wee seek to bee justified by Christ, wee our selves also are found sinners: is therefore Christ the Minister of sin? God forbid.

Turning his speech to the Galatians, hee solves the ad∣versaries Objection; The adversaries might say, If whilst yee seek to be justified by Christ, and not by the Law or Works, yee are found sinners, as from your own confession, and your own mouth wee may judge of you, then it will be lawful for you Christians, justified by the Faith of Christ, to give your selves liberty to sin, and through you Christ will bee the Author and Minister, or the Teacher of sin, that you may sin by his authority.

Hee answers by abhorring the Objection, as blasphe∣my: God forbid (sayes hee) confidently denying it to follow from the Doctrine of Justification that it is law∣ful for him that is justified by Faith, to sin, or that Christ can bee said to bee the Minister or Teacher of sin.

Vers. 18. For if I build again the things which I de∣stroyed, I make my self a transgressor.

Hee gives four reasons of his Answer; The first is this, I betaking my self to Justification by the Faith of Christ, have entred upon a sure course for the destroying of sin, because I betook my self to Christ, that hee might both forgive my sin, and administer grace to the mortification of sin: Therefore if I should again give my self up to sin, (as is objected) and build the work of the Devil in mee, I should bee contrary to my self, I should transgress the means which is now laid for the destroying of sin, and so I should bee foolish and mad, not following the Doctrine of Justification by Faith: Therefore from the Principles of Justification by Faith it is impossible, that I should abuse the Grace or Name of Christ to sin more free∣ly.

Vers. 19. For I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.

Reas. 2. I by the strength of the Law, am slain in the death of Christ, and in respect of the Law or Legal Co∣venant I am dead to the Law, and so set free from the Covenant of the Law, to that end, not that I should sin, but that I should live unto God, and should obey him: Therefore from the Principles of this Doctrine I cannot indulge my self to sin. The Argument is of force, for if through the Law or Covenant of Works, Christ is dead, in the place of those that are to bee justified, to this end, that they being justified should live unto God; It is im∣possible, that the justified, who in Christ are dead to the Law, and would bee accounted free from the Covenant of Works, should not also acknowledge themselves bound to live unto God, and consequently, that they ought not to indulge themselves in sin.

Vers. 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in mee, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved mee, and gave him∣self for mee.

Reas. 3. Confirming the former: I being justified by Faith, am judicially united unto Christ crucified, and in him I am judicially bound to dye unto sin, to crucifie the old man: Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith. This is the Reason, Christ our Surety on the Cross, did not onely expiate the sins of the redeemed, but also for their sakes hee promised that they should dye to sin, and cruci∣fie their corrupt nature: Therefore hee which by Faith apprehending his judicial union with Christ crucified, it is necessary also that hee acknowledge his obligation, to dye to sin, or to crucifie his old nature by the virtue of Christ.

Nevertheless I live] I justified by Faith, am a new Creature, by the Spirit of Christ living in mee, so that I

live not, as to the old man, but Christ dwelling in mee useth this natural life as his Organ and Member, and Effects, that by Faith, in his strength, I may lead this life, taking care of all my affairs, that I may, as it were, bring the Spirit into obedience unto God, and that out of his same love, by which hee dyed for mee: Therefore I cannot consent to sin from the principles of justifying Faith. The force of the Argument in short is this; The Spirit quickens us that are justified by the Faith of Christ to live holily: Therefore Justification by Faith doth not give liberty to sin.

Vers. 21. I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if Righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The Objection is removed: The second Argument for Justification by Faith, and not by the Works of the Law followeth: If Justification bee by the Works of the Law, the Grace of God is in vain, and made of none ef∣fect; for if Justification bee by Works, it cannot bee by Grace, as Rom. 11.6. But God forbid, that I should make the Grace of God of none effect: Therefore God forbid, that I should determine Justification to bee by Works.

For if] Argum. 3. If Justification bee by the Law, Christ is dead in vain, because then both otherwise, and more easily Justification might bee obtained, than by the death of Christ: But it is absurd to say that Christ is dead in vain: Therefore Justification is not by the Law, but by Faith.