perfect, were the only rules of duty which the heathens enjoyed, before the introduction of the gospel. From all thefe different laws and religious inftitutions, Chrift hath bought off, that is, delivered mankind by his death, that he might place them under the gracious gospel dif penfation, and thereby beftow on them all the privileges of the fons of God.

2. That we might receive the adoption of fons. The first clause of this verfe, directs us to confider both Jews and Gentiles as bought off from the law. Nevertheless the perfons in whofe name he speaks, when in this claufe he fays, That we might receive the adoption of fons, are the Gentiles, as is evident from the parallel paffage, Rom. viii. 16. See the note on that verfe.-The Ifraelites were the adopted fons of God from the beginning, by virtue of the covenant which God made with their father Abraham. See i John ii. 29. note. And as by their adoption, they were made the church and people of God, and were entitled to all the privileges belonging to the church and people of God, the adoption of the Gentiles as the fons of God, implies, that under the gospel they were made the church and people of God, and were entitled, equally with the Jews, to all the privileges of the church and people of God. And in particular, being the fons of God they were heirs of God, as the apoftle obferves, ver. 7. What is implied in a perfon's being an heir of God, fee in the note on ver. 7.

Ver. 6. Sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your bearts. As the phrafe, fent forth, is ufed, ver. 4. to exprefs the coming down of Chrift from heaven, many are of opinion, that the apoftle is here fpeaking, not of God's infufing the temper of his Son into the hearts of the believing Gentiles, but of the effufion of the Holy Ghoft upon them, whereby they were in their hearts affured of their acceptance with God, and of their being heirs of eternal life through faith, as he tells them in the next verfe.-The Holy Spirit, is called the Spirit of God's Son, for the reafon mentioned, John xiv. z6.-If by the Spirit of his Son fent forth into the hearts of the Gentiles, the apostle meant the difpofitions of God's Son infufed into their hearts, his reafoning is equally conclufive. Ver. 7.

6 And, becaufe ye believing Jews and Gentiles are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, by whofe gifts, being affured that ye are God's fons, ye can address him in prayer with confidence, calling him, each in your own language, Abba, Father.

7 So that thou who poffeffeft the gifts of the Spirit, art no more a bondman, under law as a rule of justification, and driven to obey by the fear of punishment; but a fon actuated by love: And if a fon, then an heir of God through Chrift.

8 However, that ye Gentiles may not foolishly renounce your privileges as the fons of God, ye ought to remember what your condition was, whilft under the elements of the world, and compare it with your prefent happy ftate: That then indeed, not knowing God, ye ferved flavishly, beings who are not gods by their own nature, but by human appointment.

Ver. 7. If a fon, then an heir of God. Since, as was fhewed, ver. 5. note 2. the adoption of the Gentiles who believed the gofpel, confitted in their being made the church and people of God under the gofpel difpenfation, even as the adoption of the Ifraelites anciently confifted in their being made the church and people of God, under the Mofaic œconomy, their being heirs of God, means their being entitled to all the privileges belonging to the church and people of God in the gofpel difpenfation.-But as the adoption, when spoken of individuals, implies that they are the fons of God by poffeffing the difpofitions of his fons, their being heirs of God, means that they are to be raised from the dead with incorruptible bodies, and to be immortal like God their father. For their adoption is faid, Rom. viii. 23. to confift in the redemption of their bodies, namely, from the bondage of corruption, ver. 21. Farther, as heirs of God, his fons are to have the pardon of their fins, together with the everlafting poffeffion of the joys of their father's houfe. And in the prefent life, they have the affurance of God's love, peace of confcience, protection from their spiritual enemies, affiftance in times of trial and temptation, and the certain hope of eternal life.

Ver. 8. Who are not gods by nature. This is a true description of the idols worshipped by the heathens: for either they had no existence,

1

12 Brethren, I befeech you, be as I am, for I am as

9 Νυν δε, γνοντες Θεον, μαλλον δε γνωσθεντες ὑπο Θε8, πως επιςρέφετε παλιν επι τα ασθενή και πτωχα τοιχεία, δις παλιν ανωθεν δελεύειν θελετε;

1ο Ημερας παρατηρεισ θε, και μηνας, και καιρες,

και ενιαυτές.

Η φοβεμαι ύμας,

ύμας, μη

πως εική κεκοπιακα εις

μας.

12 Γίνεσθε ώς εγώ, ότι

ye are, ye have not injured καγω ὡς ὑμεις, αδελφοι, δεόμαι ύμων. εδεν με ηδικ Werner Ame

me at all.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh, I

κησατε.

13 Οίδατε δε ότι δι ασε

being mere creatures of the imagination; or if any of them exifted, they were dead men, or evil fpirits, or the luminaries of the heavens, deified by human folly; and being deftitute of divine perfections, they were utterly incapable of bestowing any bleffing whatever on their worthippers.

Ver. 9.-1. Or rather being acknowledged of God. Beza tranflates this claufe, (edocti fitis a Deo) are taught of God, fupponing the Greek verb to be ufed in the fenfe of the Hebrew conjugation Hiphil. But the word know in fcripture, often fignifies to acknowledge, Amos iii. 2. 2. The weak and poor elements. See ver. 3. note, for the meaning of elements. The apottle calls the law of Mofes, and the heathen reli gions, weak elements, because they afforded men no affiftance to overcome their corruption. He calls them alfo poor elements, because they gave to men no hope of a bleffed immortality after death.

3. Το which again from the firf. Ανωθεν, in molt of the tranflations is made to fignify again. But many hath that fignification; and the word are is emphatical, representing the Galatians as attached, ever fnce their converfion, to their former carnal worthip.

Ver. 10. Te carefully obferve days, &c. By days, the apoftle means the Jewith weekly Sabbaths: by moons, their new moons : by feafons, their annual festivals: and by years, their Sabbatical years and jubilees. See Col. ii. 16. note 4. This was directed to fuch of the Galatians as had embraced Judaism. Chandler thinks this verfe should be read interrogatively, Do ye obférve, &c. because it infinuates a hope

that

9 But now, under the golpel, having acknowledged the true God, as your father, (ver. 6.) or rather being acknowledged by him as fons, why, by embracing Judaism, turn ye back again to the unprofitable and low kind of worship, formerly practised by you in your heathenifh ftate, and to which again, ever fince your converfion, ye incline to be in bondage?

10 Why do ye carefully obferoc days, and moons, and feafons, and years? Thefe holidays, though enjoined by Mofes, are equally ineffectual with the rites of the heathen religions, formerly practifed by you, for procuring the favour of God.

II Ye are so fond of thefe weak and poor elements, that I am afraid of you, left perhaps I have preached in vain among you. For, ye do not feem to understand and value the privileges of the gospel.

12 Brethren, I pray you to continue in friendship with me; for I am your true friend, having reproved you from love, and not from resentment. For all the time I was with you, ye injured me in nothing.

13 On the contrary, ye behaved towards me with the greatest respect and affection. Ye remember certainly,

that it might be otherwife. As a queftion, it likewife expreffes the apoftle's furprise, that the Galatians obferved these days.

Ver.-12. Be as I am, for I am as ye are. See 2 Chron. xviii. 3. where thefe expreffions denote the moft ftrict friendship. The apoftle having fharply rebuked the Galatians for their attachment to Judaifm, checked himself, and turned his difcourfe into the most affectionate in treaties and expoftulations; in which he fhewed himfelf to have had a great knowledge of human nature. For he mentioned fuch things, as must have deeply affected the Galatians; efpecially, as he expreffed them in a fimplicity and energy of language that is inimitable. Ver. 13. In weakness of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you. What the apoftle here calls weakness of the flesh, was probably the thorn in the flesb, with which, after his rapture into the third heaven, he was afflicted,

left

left he should have been exalted above measure with the tranfcendency of the revelations which were given nim, as mentioned, 2 Cor. xii. 7, See note 1. on that verfe, for an account of this weakness of the flesh, of which the apostle speaks.

Ver. 14. 1. Neither did ge rejelt me. Εξέπτυσατε, literally, ye did not Spit me out with abhorrence, as one spits out meats which he abominates.

2. As an angel of God, nay as Chrift fefus. The veneration, with which the Galatians regarded the apoftle at his first coming among them, cannot be more ftrongly painted than by thefe expreffions.

But

Ver. 15. What then was your happines ? Locke fays, the word μακαρισμό, in this place, may be taken actively, What, or, How great then was your bleffing of me? the bleffings which ye gave me. this fenfe of the phrafe μακαρισμό. ύμων, is unufual. In other pallages of Paul's writings, the word is used to denote blessedness, or happiness. Rom. iv. 6. 9.

Ver. 16. So that I am become your enemy. The apoftle's addrefs, in putting the Galatians in mind of their former affection and gratitude

te