THE words which contain the important subject of the following Essay, being part of that epistle which was written by Paul to the Galatian churches, it may not be improper, by way of introduction to observe, That in his letter to those churches, we have an antient piece of sacred controversy; and that the truth vindicated in it is interesting to the last degree. For the great question here debated is, in the words of Job, How shall man be just with God? (Job ix. 2) In the management of which controversy, the great apostle proceeds, under the conduct of inspiration, with all the fire of godly zeal; (Gal. iii. 1) with all the affection of a tender parent; (Chap. iv. 19) with all the meekness of heavenly wisdom; (James iii. 13) and (I will not say, with all the accuracy of logical disputation, but, which is infinitely superior) with all the certainty of infallibility.
Paul was au indefatigable labourer in the vineyard of Jesus Christ, and a successful preacher of the everlasting gospel. He was abundantly useful in the execution of his apostolic office, in turning multitudes of sinners from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Yet, alter all his unwearied labours, and all his unparalleled success, he did not assume the least share of honour. His language is, Not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Nor was he backward to acknowledge, after all the sufferings which he had sustained, and all the works that he had performed, for the sake of his divine Master; that, as a saint, he was less than the least; but as a sinner, the first and the chief. (Eph. iii. 8; 1Tim. i. 15.) –Perfectly sensible that he was utterly unworthy in the sight of his Maker, and that his hope had no support but sovereign grace, as revealed in Jesus; being well acquainted with the infinite purity of a righteous God, and the sublime demands of his holy law; he could accede to no terms of acceptance, nor acquiesce in any doctrine which did not provide, as well for the honour of divine justice, as for the safety of the guilty soul; which did not maintain the rights of a holy law, and display the riches of unbounded grace. Such was the faith he possessed, and such was the doctrine he preached.
These truths were dispensed by him among the Galatians, and with a considerable degree of success, Sinners were converted, and churches formed in Galatia, by the instrumentality of this excellent man. –For a time, they lived in mutual peace, and regarded the doctrine which Paul had taught, as of heavenly origin, They rejoiced in hope; they ran well, (Gal. v. 7) and seemed to bid fair for obtaining the prize. Such were their happy circumstances for some time after they received the gospel!
But, alas, how soon the face of things was altered! (Gal. i, 6.) How soon, as to many of them, were their views of the grace of God, and of their justification before him, darkened! For Satan, that arch enemy of God and man, quickly began to sow the seeds of destructive error, and to raise up instruments to propagate a perverted gospel. He transformed himself into an angel of light, and pleaded the necessity of obedience to the law, in order to acceptance with God. Thus were they deceived, under a specious pretence of greater sanctity, and of a more than ordinary zeal for the divine commands. The righteousness of Christ, which Paul had described as the one thing needful for the justification of sinners, and which they had regarded as the only ground of their hope; they became afraid to trust, supposing it insufficient. They were taught by the false apostles, and were persuaded in their own deceived hearts, that they were under the necessity of seeking a supplementary aid from their own duties.
This doctrine, so flattering to their own vanity, so favourable to human worthiness, and not including a professed rejection of Christ and his work, they received with all readiness. For it is much more agreeable to the pride of nature, and a far more popular way of seeking acceptance with God; to use our own skill, and exert our own endeavours, as co-efficients with divine grace and the great Redeemer; than to rely entirely on the righteousness of another, and be absolutely beholden to a foreign, undeserved assistance.–They entered, therefore, on a vain pursuit of happiness, in this plausible and self-pleasing, but delusive method. They clave to the law. They relied on their own duties, as co-partners with Jesus, in performing the greatest of all works; in obtaining the noblest of all blessings, their justification before the Almighty. The awful consequences of which were, they embraced another gospel; made void the necessity of our Lord's death; and virtually renounced all interest in him. (Gal. i. 6. ii. 21. v. 2, 4.) By such a procedure, they became debtors to do the whole law, and were obnoxious to its dreadful curse. (Chap. v. 3. iii. 10) Besides, having discarded the glorious truth which Paul preached, they traduced his character, they renounced his fellowship, and treated him as their enemy. (Chap. iv.16.)
Such were the malignant effects of receiving a corrupted gospel! These effects the good apostle beheld with a mixture of indignation and of sorrow. Against their destructive and fatal mistakes, he therefore takes up his pen, and makes a resolute stand. The false apostles he considers as their greatest enemies; and as being, in a peculiar manner, accursed of God. (Chap. i. 8,9.) –He made it appear, by such a determined opposition to their plausible and prevailing tenets, that when the capital truths of the gospel were corrupted, the peace of the Christian injured, and the souls of men endangered; he had no fear of the hideous charge and popular clamour,' of 'bigotry to his own way;' or, 'of rashness, and a want of charity for others.'–In this respect, as in his ministerial conduct in general, he is worthy of imitation by all the succeeding servants of Christ. For, though it be their indispensable duty to speak the truth in love, and to follow peace with all men; yet, when the great doctrines of divine revelation are perverted or denied, then they are called in Providence, then they are required by the command of God, and the love which they bear to the Lord Redeemer, to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Nor ought they to regard the persons of men, or fear the consequences which may attend a zealous and prudent defence of the truth.
Happy had it been for the church of Christ in following ages, if the errors espoused and propagated by the antient judaizing teachers had ceased to exist, from the time that their strenuous patrons left the stage of action. But, alas, the same temper and spirit still continue, and still prevail. True it is, that names are changed, and the terms of the question, then in debate, are greatly altered. Now, none, professing Christianity, pretend to maintain the necessity of circumcision, in order to acceptance with God. That is universally esteemed an obsolete rite, though by some of old accounted of great importance under the christian aeconomy. The same principle, notwithstanding, on which the judaizing Christians proceeded in maintaining the necessity of circumcision, is still retained, and operates in various ways.
The grand question then was, In what does that righteousness consist, for the sake of which a sinner may be justified before God? And the article in controversy between Paul and his opponents, was, Whether the obedience of Christ, without any addition whatever, was that very righteousness? Or, Whether some doings or endeavours of their own were not necessary for that important purpose? Paul maintained the former; the Jewish zealots the latter. To this one point may the disputations of Paul with the deceived Galatians, on the article of justification, be reduced; as is obvious from the contents of his epistle to them.
"As the same dispute still continues in the world, and as the words which afford matter for the present Essay, are happily adapted to cast light on this very interesting subject; it may be no unpleasing, perhaps, no unprofitable employ, to consider the capital ideas contained in them. May the unerring Spirit illuminate the mind, and guide the pen of the writer, that he may not prove an ignorant patron of error, but a well-informed advocate for truth! May the same infallible guide smile on this feeble attempt for the good of the reader, that the minds of the ignorant may be instructed; the consciences of the unawakened alarmed; the hearts of the disconsolate comforted; and real holiness promoted in all into whoso hands these pages may come!