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question in the case of Titus was, whether circumcision was necessary to be practised by the Gentile converts. St. Paul, therefore, would not yield to those who were desirous of bringing Christians into subjection to the law, but made a resolute and effectual resistance, that the truth of the Gospel might continue. His determination in this respect was perfectly consistent with the decree adopted by the Apostles and elders; nor was his conduct afterwards, in regard to circumcising Timothy, inconsistent with what is above related. St. Paul circumcised Timothy, because his mother Eunice was a Jewess", and he thereby avoided giving offence to the Jews, without establishing any precedent for the circumcision of the Gentile converts.

ACTS xvi. 1-S.

1. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named 'Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2. Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him, because of the Jews which were in those quarters.

a 2 Tim. i. 5. Acts xv. 1.

b Selden says, 66

Israelitidis prolem, sive a pagano, sive a servo, susceptam generis esse Israelitici." See Selden, de Jur.

Nat. lib. V. chap. xv.

On the above, as well as on other occasions, St. Paul proved equally incapable of unworthy compliances on the one hand, and of intolerant bigotry on the other. He did not regard circumcision as necessary to salvation, either for Jewish or Gentile converts; but in things lawful and indifferent, St. Paul yielded to the wishes and prejudices of others; where, however, an important principle was at stake, as in the case of Titus, he would not give way, no, not even for an hour.

I

CHAP. VII.

ST. PAUL BELIEVED― continued.

SECT. I.

Conference between St. Paul and other Apostles.

66

GALATIANS, ch. îì. ver. 1—16.

1. THEN fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5. To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6. But of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person: for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles :) 9. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, 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, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15. We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

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The object of St. Paul, in writing his Epistle to the Galatians, has been already stated; have seen, that it was with a view to counteract

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the attempts made by a judaizing faction, to undermine his character, and to prevent the Galatian converts from being brought into bondage to the Mosaic institutions. We have also seen

what was meant by his preaching privately, and unto them which were of reputation, that Gospel, or doctrine of freedom from the Jewish law, which he preached among the Gentiles; and what sort of characters the false brethren were, to whom Paul would not give place, no, not even for an hour. Consistently with what St. Paul had said in a former part of his Epistle, respecting his not having any need of being instructed in the Gospel, by any of those Apostles, with whom the judaizing faction had invidiously compared him, he proceeds to say, that those very Apostles, had not only imparted to him no new information, but that they had themselves borne testimony to the truth of his Apostleship, by giving him the right hand of fellowship, upon hearing of the success, which had attended his ministry among the Gentiles. As a further proof, that he had not derived his authority or Apostleship, from any of the Apostles, he tells the Galatians, that when Peter was in error, he boldly rebuked him to his face. From the beginning of the sixth, to the end of the twelfth verse of chap. ii. of Galatians, we may consider St. Paul as writing

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