250 The other apostles owned his mission to the Gentiles;

SECT.

iii.

19, 20,) we did not either at Antioch, or at Je- might continue with rusalem, give place by any compliance or sub- you. Gal. jection to their insolent demands for so much as II.5. an hour; but always entered our open protest

6

against their principles, that the truth of the gos-
pel might continue with you, and you might rest
assured, by all the proofs we could give, that the
Christian religion was sufficient for justification
and salvation, without the super-addition of the
Jewish rituals.

I

6 But of these who

it maketh no matter

somewhat, in confer

me.

This was my conduct at Jerusalem on this grand occasion, nor was it upon the whole dis- seemed to be somewhat approved by those of my brethren for whom (whatsoever they were had the greatest regard. But even of those who to me: God accepteth indeed appeared to be the most considerable and no man's person;) for of the greatest note and eminence, however they who seemed to be some would set them up above me, as having ence added nothing to conversed with Christ here on earth, and been apostles long before me, I must needs say, that whatsoever advantage they had, or how great soever they formerly were as to any personal privileges, it makes no difference as to me, nor does at all affect my character, or set me upon this account beneath them as to my knowledge in the gospel (since God, who called me as well as them to the apostleship, accepteth no man's person, so as out of partial favour to constitute him supreme in his church, and Lord of his bre thren, but employs whom he will to be apostles, and qualifies them for it in what way he pleases, as it is manifest he hath done with reference to me,) for they who were of greatest note and reputation, when I engaged in conference with them, added nothing further to me, nor were capable of informing me of any thing which I

g But of those who appeared to be considerable.] The apostle had before declared what was his conduct with respect to the false brethren, and now proceeds to those who were of real note and reputation: and there is no such difficulty in the construction here, as that there should be a necessity of supplying any thing to complete the sense, or of supposing an ellipsis of the article at the beginning of the verse, which instead of removing a difficulty, would only involve the construction, which is obvious enough as it stands, if the parenthesis be rightly placed, so as only to include (God accepteth no man's person) and without any supplement or transposition, the sense of the whole verse is easy.-And

had

as there is no doubt but a douwvles in this verse, as well as in verse 2 and 9, is to be understoood of those who really were men of note and eminence, and does indeed re fer to the apostles themselves (who are expresly named in ver. 9,) however it may be a literal translation, it carries in it to an English ear (as Mr. Locke observes,) too diminishing a sense, to render it as if St. Paul had only spoke of them as those who seemed to be somewhat, and who seemed to be pillars. I have therefore rendered it as expressive of the character of those who indeed appeared to be consi derable, and were confessedly of the first rauk, and pillars of the church.

h They

the gospel of the uncircumcision was com

mitted unto me, as the gospel of the circumci

sion was unto Peter;

And approved of his preaching to them.

251

SECT.

iii.

Gal.

had not before fully learned by immediate reBut contrariwise, velation from Christ. But on the contrary, when they saw that far from pretending to give me any new instructions, or to invest me with any new powers, 11. 7. they recognized my full title to the apostleship in all its extent; and plainly seeing that I was intrusted with the chief management and direction of the gospel of the uncircumcision, or of the mission to the Gentiles, as Peter was [with that] 8 (For he that which was especially directed to those of the cirwrought effectually in cumcision; (For indeed it was very apparent, 8 Peter to the apostleship of the circumcisi- that he who wrought so effectually in Peter, to on, the same was qualify him for the apostleship of the circumcision, mighty in me towards wrought effectually also by the same miraculous 9 And when James, powers and endowments in me, to fit me for my Cephas and John, who mission to the Gentiles;) My worthy associates g seemed to be pillars, in this high office seeing this, and knowing the perceived the grace was given unto grace that was given to me, and how remarkably me, they gave to me I was furnished for the great work in which I and Barnabas the right was engaged by the extraordinary favour I had hands of fellowship; received from Christ, James, and Cephas and the heathen, and they John, who appeared to be, and were indeed, the unto the circumcision. pillars of the church, on which that at Jerusa

the Gentiles :)

that

that we should go unto

10 Only they would

that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was for

ward to do.

lem especially rested, as the great ornament and
support of it under Christ, and on whose pious
labours and wise conduct so much of the in-
terest of the gospel in general depended,
willingly gave to me and Barnabas my com-
panion, the right-hands, in token of receiving us
into full fellowship and apostleship with them;
that we [might go] and preach, as we had done
before, to the Gentiles, wherever it should please
the great Head of the church to direct us, and
that they for the present would continue their
endeavours to promote Christianity among those
of the circumcision, till the whole harvest of
the Jews in those parts should be gathered in:
Only [they proposed] that we should be mindful
of the poor Christians in Judea, so as to make
collections in their favour, as we proceeded in
our progress through the Gentile churches;
which very thing I also of my own accord was
forward to do with all the diligence I could from

h They for the present would continue, &c.] I express it with this caution, because there is no reason to believe that the labours of Peter, James, and John were entirely appropriated to those of the circumcision; as, on the other hand, we are VOL. IX.

Ii

the

assured that those of the apostle Paul were
not confined to the uncircumcised Gen-
tiles; for we often find him preaching to
the Jews, and indeed, wherever he came,
he proposed the gospel in the first place
to them.

10

252

Reflections on the conduct of the apostle Paul.

iii.

cern

SECT, the sincere affection I had for them, and the conI had for their encouragement and support under the frequent sufferings they endured from their oppressive and rapacious enemies,

IMPROVEMENT.

WARM and eager as the temper of St. Paul naturally was, it must certainly give us great pleasure to observe in how prudent and steady a manner he conducted himself when once engaged in the sacred work of the Christian ministry and apostleship. Ver. With what integrity and resolution did he behave on the one 3-5 hand, that he would not give place for an hour to the false brethren,

who had slipped in among his converts to spy out and subvert their liberty? And on the other, with what caution, that he 2 might not frustrate the purposes of his own ministry, by carrying that which was in general the cause of truth, of liberty, and justice, to an excess? Thus also let us act, holding the truth in love and in prudence, and labouring to do all the good we can with as little offence as possible.

While we are contending for the liberty of Christians, against the imposition of things which at best are indifferent, we may possibly be obliged to dispute the point with some who are persons 6 of worth and eminence; but God accepteth no man's person. We may give them all the honour that is due to their wisdom, their piety, and their station, without yielding up what ought to be dearer to us than any human approbation or friendship, the dictates of our conscience as in the sight of God.

Persons of true steadiness and candor, such as deserve to be 7-9 esteemed pillars of the church, will not suffer themselves to be so borne down by popular prejudices as to disown their brethren, whom God hath honoured with the ministry as well as themselves, because they exercise it in some diversity of forms; but will be willing (so far as they can) to give them the right-hand of fellowship, and will perhaps wish to be able to do it more entirely and openly than some human constitutions will admit.

In this however may we all agree, after the example of this blessed apostle, ever to do what we can to promote mutual charity 10 among different denominations of Christians; to be expressed by a readiness to bear one another's burdens, and to afford liberal relief as Providence gives opportunity. And we shall find, that as a disunion of hearts adds weight to the least cause of division, so fervent and unfeigned love will by mutual condescension and indulgence heal the breach, or happily prevent its most fatal con

sequences.

SECT.

Peter's dissimulation for fear of the Jews.

253

SECT. IV.

The Apostle gives an account of his opposing Peter publicly at Antioch, and standing up in defence of the liberty of the church from Jewish impositions. Gal. II. 11, to the end.

GAL. II. 11. BUT when Peter was come to Antioch, I

I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, be withdrew, and separated himself, fearing

them which were of

the circumcision.

13 And the other

Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch

GALATIANS II. 11.

iv.

Gal.

II. 11.

HAVE been telling you how entirely I agreed SECT. with the chief apostles of the circumcision, in the interview which I had with them at Jerusalem, when that decree was made in favour of the converted Gentiles, by which they were declared free from any obligation to observe the rituals of the Mosaic law. But when Peter was come to Antioch, after Barnabas and I were returned thither (Acts xv. 30), I opposed him to the face, because indeed he was so far left to his own spirit, as to behave in such a manner, that he very much deserved to be blamed. For 12 before some Jewish zealots, who were strict in the observation of those rituals, came from the apostle James who was then at Jerusalem, he did upon all occasions eat and converse freely with the Gentiles there, who had embraced the gospel and had not submitted to circumcision; but when they were come, he withdrew from that freedom of converse, and separated himself from them, as if he had thought them unclean, though the Lord had so expressly taught him the contrary (see Acts x. 28); and this he did, not from any change in his sentiments and apprehension of things, but purely as fearing them of the circum-cision, and being unwilling to displease them, thinking their censures of much greater importance than they really were.

And I thought it the more necessary to take 13 public notice of it, as the other converted Jews, who had before used the like freedom, dissembled their true sentiments also, by a weak conformity

a When Peter was come to Antioch.] It is a just remark of Mons. Sauri (Serm. Vol. XI. p. 49,) that Father Harduin seems to have been solicitous to increase the number of his chimeras as much as possible [and more I never met with in any learned author than in him] by adopt ing the pious frauds of some of the ancients, who, to defend themselves from Porphy

ry's objection against Christianity from
this error in the conduct of Peter, denied
it to be Peter the apostle who was here
spoken of, and interpreted it of another
Cephas, whom they pretended to be one
of the Seventy: an hypothesis as unne-
cessary as it is improbable. See Hard.
Diss. in loc.

Ii2

b I

254

Paul stands up for the liberty of the Gentiles.

also was carried away

SECT. formity with him in this scrupulous avoiding much that Barnabas
iv. their brethren; so that even Barnabas too, with their dissimula
Gal. though so honest and wor hy a man, and one of tion.
II. 13. the messengers who had passed with me between

Antioch and Jerusalem, and been acknowledged
there as an apostle of the Gentiles, was himself
in some measure carried away with their dissi-
mulation; which could not but give great grief
and offence to the Gentile Christians, who had
been so particularly committed to his care as
14 well as mine. But when I saw that they did not
in this affair walk uprightly, according to the
truth and design of the gospel, which indeed the truth of the gospel,
taught the contrary, I said to Peter in the pre-
sence of [them] all, when a numerous assem-
bly was met together.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to

I said unto Peter before them all,

-If thou being a

manner of Gentiles,

I must speak to thee, Peter, with the freedom of a Christian brother and fellow-apostle, on a Jew, livest after the particular of thy conduct which hath given and not as do the Jews, public offence: let me then ask thee, If thou, be- why compellest thou ing a Jew, and having been brought by circum- the Gentiles to live as cision under the strongest engagements to fulfil do the Jews? the whole law, livest frequently (as we have many of us seen) after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, making no scruple to converse freely with the Gentiles without conforming to the ceremonial customs of the Jews; why dost thou now, by a change in thy conduct, as it were compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Is it not at least as lawful for them to neglect the Jewish observances as it was for thee to do it but a few days ago? We [who 15 are] by nature, that is, by birth and education, by nature, and not sinJews, and so entitled to many peculiar privileges, and who are not unclean, profligate, and

b Isaid to Peter in the presence of [them] all.] Had this been matter only of private offence, to be sure Paul would have known that duty required him to expostulate with Peter privately upon it before he had brought it before such an assembly; but as it was a public affair, in which great numbers were so sensibly affected, this method was most proper. Probably this happened after public worship; and it would seem the less surprising, considering the conferences which used to be held in the Jewish synagogues before the assembly was broke up; of which many instances still occur to those excellent persons in Germany and the neighbouring regions, who are engaged in a mission to the Jews,

abandoned

15 We who are Jews

ners of the Gentiles,

which may Divine grace succeed!-It is a very just observation of Mr. Jeffery here, that had any imposture been carried on, the contention of these two great managers would probably have been an occasion of discovering it.-That no objection against the authority of Peter, as an apostle and inspired writer, can be derived from this dispute, will follow on the principles laid down in our essay on inspiration Vol. VIII. See also note f, on Acts xv. 7, Vol. VIII. p. 124.

c We who are by nature Jews, &c.] Mr. L'Enfant thinks Paul speaks of himself in the plural number, and rests the matter on his own practice: but to me it appears evident he meant to include the