Gal. i. 8, 9. Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that ivhich we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
TO exercise candour and forbearance towards those who differ from us, is the duty of all : yet there are
bounds beyond which candour becomes indifference, and forbearance treason. In things which are non- essential, and only of secondary importance, we should on no account be rigid : we should form our own opinions, and leave others to follow their own judgment : yea, rather than grieve them by an un- necessary adherence to our own ways, we should conform to theirs, or at least forbear to prosecute our own. This was the conduct of the Apostle Paul. He " bore with the infirmities of his weak brethren a:" he circumcised Timothy, in order that he might gain an easier access to them for their goodb. " He became all things to all men," that he might win their souls c : and rather than prove a stumbling- block to any, by using that liberty to which he was introduced by the Gospel, he would decline the use of meat to the latest hour of his life d- But was this his practice when he came to things essential ? Did he express no concern when he saw the whole city of Athens given to idolatry ? Yes ; " his spirit was stirred within him," and he testified boldly against their ignorant superstitions6. When he perceived that some of the Corinthians were lax in their senti- ments and conduct, he told them plainly, that " if any man defiled the temple of God, him would God destroy f." Thus, in the passage before us, he, who on other occasions " was gentle among them, even like a nursing mother cherishing her children s," was filled with indignation against those who perverted the " Gospel of Christ," and denounced against every one of them, even though he were an angel from heaven, the most awful anathemas : yea, that they might know the fixedness of his mind respecting it, he renewed his declarations, and repeated his ana- themas.
Let us then inquire, I. What was the Gospel which Paul preached —
a Rom. xiv. 1. and xv. 1. b Acts xvi. 3.
c 1 Cor. ix. 19—22. d 1 Cor. viii. 13. e Actsxvii. 16,22.
f 1 Cor. iii. 17. si Thess. ii. 7.