TITIANS. to him Chriſt's death fignifieth nothing, nor is of any virtue at all : For he had told us before; Chap. 2. 21. If rig!teneſnety wer? by ths Law, then Chriſt 1s dead ia wain, and Rom. $. 5. Ihr the Lim cold not do In that ir was weak through the fleſh, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of finful fleſh, and for fin cond:mned fin in the flefr, that the righteouſneſs of the 11w might be fulfilled in ns, &c. The very end of Chriit's coming and dying was to ſu pnly us with a righteous neſs, which (apprehended by Faith) ſhould bs reckoned to us 5; ours; wherein we might ſtand before God. Which end of Chri®; Death had been fruſtrated, it rho ovr f:ſh, there had not been ſuch a weakneſs, or impotency in the Law as to Juſtification. <0 as if any ftill looked for Juſtification by performance of the Law as ſuch, made the death of Chrift in vain, becauſe if ſuch a thine could have been done that way, there had be2n no need of Chriſt's dying: So they alſo made it, which was not in vain in it (elf, yet in vain, and of no effett to their Souls, becauſe Chrift would not be a partial cauſe in the Jultification of a Soul. f And they, by this renounced the Grace of God exhibited in the Goſpel, and fell from the grace of it. For by Grace here is not to be under- ſtood, a ſtare of Grace (from which none can fall :6:.:7y and firally) but the Grace of the Gofp1 3 by which is ſignified the free love of God in it exhibited, offering Chrift to Sinners for Righteout- neſs. . 5 For we &, through the Spirit þ, wait for * the * > Tiny hope of righteouſneſs 7 by faith &. 4. $ g We Chriſtians, who have truly imbraced Chriſt. Or (as 0- thers think) we that are turned from Judaiſm to Chriſtianity and ſo are more concerned in the Law, which was not given to the Gentiles, but to us Jews: Yet, þ by the guidance and direQion of the Spirit, or through the operation of the Spirit in us. i We wait for the hope of Righteouineſs; that is, We hope for Rightzonſ* neſs; that Righteouſneſs whereby we ſhall be made righteous be- fore God; or (as ſome will have it) the Crown of Righteouſneſs : 1 had rather underſtand it of Xighieonſneſs it ſelf, that having been all along the Argument of the Apoſtle's Diſcourſe here. & Not by our obiervance cf the Law, but by Faith in Jeſus Chritt.
worketh by love m. | 1 Under the New Teſtament eftibliſhed in Chrift, and confirmed + x The.
by the death of Chriſt, there is no difference betwixt F2w and 1. 2:
Gentile; there is but one way of Juftification, one of Salvation
for them both. m And that is, by believing in Chrift Jeſus,
which Faith is not an idle, inattive, inoperative Faith $ bur ſuch
a Faith as worketh by Iove, both towards God and towards men in an
obedience to all the Commandments of God : yet is riot the Soul
juſtified, nor ſhall it ſtand righteous before God in and for this obe-
dience, which neither is Faith, nor gocth before it, but followeth
it, as the true, properand neceffary effett of it.
you ſhould not obey the truth o ? 24.
hindred you in your courſe, or turned you out of your way, or 4/4 4/42 given you a check in your race ? 0 And hath made you diſobedient 9 back. to, or to ſwerve from the truth which you formerly owned and profeſſed ?
leth you 9.
þ Thisnew Opinſon into which Seducers have miſled you, which by imbracing it, you have made yours; q Is not from God, who hath calz4 you out of darkneſs into marvellous light, unto fellow- ſhip with himſelf, intoa ſtate of Grace and Favour with him , and to the hopes of Eternal Life z and who yet calleth you by his Goſpel; It muſt therefore be from the Devil and his Jnftruments, who go about to ſeduce and pervert you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the wholz lump 7.
r This is a proverbial Expreſhon, which (as others of that na- ture) is applicable in more caſes than one. The Apoſtle made uſe of it, 1 Cor. 5. 6. to perſwade that Church to purge their Com- munion, by cafting out the inceſtuous Perſon ; He maketh uſe of it here to perſuade them to take heed of admitting any Principles of falſe Dottrin, which he compareth to leaver (as our Saviour does, Mztth. 16; 6, 12.) And that very fitly, both in regard of the ſowre, and of the diffuſive nature of it; the latter of which is here chiefly intended. The truths of God having ſuch dependance one upon another, that he who erreth in any one Doctrin of Faith, ſeldom continueth long ſound as to other points.
he be x. s The Apoſtle (according to his uſual method) ſweetneth his ſharp reproof of this Church for their deviations from the Faith of the Goſpel, with a declaration of his good Opinion of them ; de- claring that he had a confidence in them, that through. the Grace of God they would be reduced to the truth, or kept from wandring from it, and that in matters of Faith they would be all of the ſame mind. # And for thoſe who endeayoured to ſeduce and pervert them , God ſhould reward them according to their works. He ſeems to aim at ſome particular falie Teacher (whole Name he concealeth) who gave this Church this trouble. _ 11 And | brethren, it 1 yet preach circumciſion 7, why do I .yet ſuffer perſecution w ? then 15 the * of- * 1 Cor. fence of the croſs ceaſed x. L, 23. u Tt ſhould ſeem by what the Apoſtle faith in this Verſe, that ſome of theſe falſe Teachers had quoted the Apoitle tor them, as if he himſelf had preached circumciltion; poſhibly taking, advantage from his circumciſing 7:/morthy, not diftingiiithing berwixr what was done by Paul as of liberty, aud tg avoid rac oficuce of the Jews,
A -v
"0s of the Law, he diſclaimeth - the righteovineis of Chriſt ; |
I —_
. , . ; es F + « O- 6 For * 12 Jeſus Chriſt neither circumcition availeth * ns any Thing, nor uncircumciſion /, but +. faith which 7" 6 1c. Col. 3oI1s
7 * Ye did run well z, who did + * hinder you that * x Cor.g.
7 This was once your Faith, your Profefſion, and according to Þ - 3+ Is this you direfted the courſe of your Life and Affions; who hath * Or, #9
3 This perſwalion p cometh not of him * that cal- # cy. ;, c.
10 * ] have confidence in you throngh the Lord, * 2 Cor.2. that you will be none otherwiſe minded s , but | he 3-& $.22. that troubleth you ſhall bear hs judgment, whoſoever T ©» 5+ 7*
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