7 To maintain them who teach you, is your duty. Therefore do not deceive yourselves, God will not be mocked: For, as in the natural fo in the moral world, whatever a man foreth, that alfo he fhall reap.

8 Therefore be who, by fpending his time and wealth in gratifying his fenfual defires, foweth into his own flesh, shall from such a sensual life, reap corruption; the utter deftruction of his foul and body. But he who by fpending his time and wealth in improving his mind, and in doing good to others, foweth into his fpirit, fball, from fuch fowing into the fpirit, alfuredly reap life everlasting.

9 Wherefore, having such a profpect, let us not flag in improving our own minds, and in doing good to others: For in the proper feafon, namely at the judgment, we shall reap, (ver. 8.) the bleffed harveft of everlafting life, if we faint not.

10 Certainly then, while the feafon of fowing lafteth, let us work good to all men, whatever their country or their religion may be, but especially to them who are of the family of God by faith: for confidering our perfecuted ftate, we ought to be very attentive in fuccouring one another.

the objects to be relieved, prefer those who in their profperity relieved others, and whose characters are virtuous. These are the members of the household of faith, of whom the apoftle fpeaks.-Yet the vicious are not to be wholly overlooked in their diftreffes. They ought to be relieved by the charitable: but not in fuch a manner as to prevent them altogether from feeling the evil confequences of their finful courfes. For, as mifery is appointed by God to follow vice, even in the prefent life, for the purpofe of reclaiming the wicked, to relieve their wants

12 As many as defire to make a fair fhew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcifed, only lent they thould fufer perfecum

tion for the cross of Chrift.

13 For neither they themfelves who are circumcifed keep the law, but de. fire to have you circumcifed, that they might glory in your flesh.

14 But God forbid that

I fhould glory, fave in the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom the world . is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

12 Όσοι θέλεσιν ευπρο σωπήσαι εν σαρκί, έτσι απ ναγκάζεσιν ὑμας περιτεμ νεσθαι, μονον ἵνα μη το 5αυ iva ρω τε Χριςε διωκωνται, δι περιτεμα

13 Ουδε зад νομενοι αυτοι νομου φυλασ σεσιν αλλα θέλεσιν μας περιτεμνεσθαι, ἵνα εν τη Uμετερα σαρκι καυχησωνται.

14 Εμοι δε μη γενοιτο καυχασθαι ει μη εν τω ςαυρω τε Κύριε ήμων Ιησε Χρισ 58 δι & εμοι κοσμος εξαν ρωται, καγω τω κόσμω.

in an abundant manner, would be to counteract the wife plan of the divine providence, and to encourage them in their wickedness.

21.

with

Ver.1. Ye fee how large a letter. The phrafe dixois yeaμpact, is rightly tranflated, how large a letter. For the first word, wax, properly fignifies of what fize; and the fecond word, yeaμμaoi, denotes an epiftle, as well as the letters of the alphabet. See Acts xxviii. This tranflation is adopted by Beza, Le Clerc, Beaufobre, Wolf, and Lardner. But Whitby, Doddridge, and others, following Je rome, Chryfoftom, and Theophylact, tranflate dixois yeaμμact, what kind of letters; fuppofing it to be an apology for the inelegance of the writing. For from the apoftle's making ufe of an amanuenfis in his other letters, they infer that he was not accustomed to write Greek. The inference, however, does not follow. Eminent men much engaged in affairs, commonly employ others to write for them, notwithstanding they are able to write very well themfelves. I therefore prefer the tranflation in our Bibles, which reprefents the apostle as informing the Galatians, that he wrote this large epiftle with his own hand, to fhew how anxious he was to reclaim them from their errors, and to give them the fulleft affurance of the truth of the doctrines contained in it; and that he uniformly preached the fame doctrines every where.

Ver. 12.-1. As many as wish to appear fair by the flesh. So the phrafe ευπροσωπησαι εν σαρκι, may be tranflated: for ευπροσωπησαι, properly fignifies, to have an handfome, or lovely countenance. The apostle's meaning is, that the falfe teachers wished to appear well in the of the Jews, on account of their attachment to the law of Mofes, which the apoftle in other paffages terms the flesh, in oppofition to the gospel, which he calls the fpirit, Gal. iii. 3. note.

eyes

2. That

12 As many as wish to appear fair by the flesh,' thefe constrain you to be circumcifed, only that they may not be perfecuted for the cross of Chrift.'

13 For not even do the circumcifed themselves keep the law, (fee chap. v. Illuftr. ver. 3.) but they wish you to be circumcifed, that they may boast in your flesh.

14 But let it never happen to me to boast, except in the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, by which the world is crucified to me,' and I to the world.'

12 As many of your teachers as wish to appear fair, in the eyes of their unbelieving brethren, by their attachment to the law, these ftrongly perfuade you to be circumcifed, not because they think circumcifion neceffary to falvation, but only that they may not be perfecuted by the unbelieving Jews, for preaching falvation through a crucified Meffiab.

13 These hypocrites do not enjoin circumcifion on any confcientious motives; for not even do the circumcifed themselves, keep the law of Mofes, but they wish you to be circumcifed, merely that they may boast among the unbelieving Jews, of having perfuaded you to receive that rite in your flesh.

14 But let it never happen to me to boast, except in falvation through the Grofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, by which the world is crucified to me; is rendered incapable, either of alluring me by its pleasures, or of terrifying me by its frowns; and I am crucified to the world; I am rendered incapable of its finful practices and finful pleafures.

2. That they may not be perfecuted for the cross of Christ. The Jewifh chief priests and elders, were great perfecutors of the difciples of Christ, and began their perfecution very early, John ix. 22. xii. 42. xix. 38. Even Paul himself, before his converfion, was employed by them in this hateful work, which he executed with great violence, not in Judea only, but in foreign cities. It feems the mandates of the council at Jerufalem, were received with implicit fubmiffion, even by the fynagogues in the Gentile countries, Acts ix. 2. Wherefore the falfe teachers, of whom the apoftle fpeaks, to recommend themselves to the rulers at Jerufalem, who ftirred up the unbelieving Jews every where against the Chriftians, fell upon the fcheme of blending Judaism with the gospel; and as the apoftle informs us, urged the Gentiles to receive circumcifion, merely that they themselves might not be perfecuted for the cross of Chrift, or gofpel doctrine of falvation through a

crucified Meffiah.

Ver. 14.-1. By which the world is crucified to me, &c. are no where faid to be crucified by Chrift, the words

As believers 'u, must be tranДated,

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcifion, but a new creature.

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Ifrael of God.

17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jefus.

σταυρού.

translated, by which, and not by whom; for the pronoun ov, is put for The world is faid to be crucified to believers by the cross of Chrift, because Chrift having been put to death for calling himself the Son of God, he was demonstrated to be really the Son of God by his refurrection from the dead. Confequently by that great miracle, God confirmed all the promises which Chrift made to mankind concerning the pardon of their fins through his death, and concerning his own return from heaven to raise the dead, and judge the world, and to bestow on the righteous eternal life. Now by the firm expectation of these great events, and the affured hope of enjoying eternal happiness with Chrift in heaven, founded on the cross, that is, on the death and refurrection of Chrift, the world, like the dead carcase of a crucified malefactor, is ftript of all its vain allurements.-Farther, our Lord having on the crofs endured with the greateft patience and fortitude, extreme fufferings; and having received in his human nature the government of the world, as the reward of thefe fufferings, his followers are thereby taught, that the cause of God and religion often needs the fufferings of good men to fupport it: and that when they are called to fuffer for his caufe, they fhall receive extraordinary affiftances and confolations from God; and that distinguished rewards fhall be bestowed on them who fuffer courageously for righteoufnefs fake. By all which it comes to pass, as the apoftle affirms, that the world with its terrors, hath no more power to excite in the mind of believers undue fears, than the dead carcafe of a crucified eremy.

2. And I to the world. The crofs of Chrift likewife crucifies believers to the world. It infpires them with fuch principles, and leads them to fuch a courfe of life, as renders them in the eyes of the world as contemptible, and as unfit for their purposes, as if they were dead carcafes. All believers, therefore, after the apoftle's example, juftly glory in the crucifixion of their master, not only as it is the foundation

of

15 I boast in the cross of Chrift, as the only foundation of my hope of falvation, and as the great principle of my fanctification; Because, under the gospel, neither circumcifion, nor uncircumcifion is of any avail towards our acceptance with God, but the being a new creature.

16 Now as many of the believing Gentiles as walk by this rule, seeking acceptance with God, not by circumcifion, but by becoming new creatures, may peace be their portion in this life, and pardon at the day of judgment. The fame bleffing I wish on the believing Jews.

17 Henceforth, let no one give me trouble, by calling my commiffion, my doctrine, or my faithfulness in queftion: For I bear the marks of the Lord Jefus's fervant in my body.

of that affured hope of pardon which they entertain, but as it is an effectual principle of their fanctification.

Ver. 15. A new creature. The phrases new creature, new man, Col. iii. 10. and the putting on of Chrift, Gal. iii. 27. (fee Ephefians iv. 24. note,) are often ufed by the apoftle, to denote an entire change of principles, difpofitions, and actions. See 2 Cor. v. 17. notes 1, 2.

Ver. 16.-1. Peace be on them: or peace fhall be on them. In this manner of translating the claufe, it is a prediction or promise of hap piness, rather than a benediction. For the meaning of peace, fee Rom. i. 7. note 4.

2. Ifrael of God. Not the believing Jews only, but the believing Gentiles, are called the Ifrael of God, because they are the fpiritual feed of Abraham, and the only children of God to whom the promises in their secondary and higheft meaning belong. But here, the Ifrael of God, being distinguished from the believing Gentiles, are plainly the Jewish believers.

Ver. 17. I bear the marks of the Lord Jefus in my body. Becaufe the word syuara denotes marks made by burning, it is generally fup. pofed that the apoftle had in his eye, thofe fervants in the heathen temples, on whofe foreheads the name of the god to whom they be longed was burned. After which, it was believed they were under the immediate protection of the god. Hence the beast, Rev. xiii. 1. had upon its head the name of Blafphemy: and the worshippers of the beaft, ver. 16. had a mark on their right hand, or on their foreheads, whereby they were known to be its worshippers. In like manner, the

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fervants