40 Rç Chap. I. c' Commentarieupon treamely, and wafted it. 14. And profitted in the Iewifh' religion,aboue manyofmy compa- nions,ofinine ovine nation,andwas muchmore zealous ofthe Traditi- ons ofmy fathers. In the former verfe,the Apoffle fet downe , that he learned the Gofpel,not ofman,but ofiefus Chri11 immediately . This in the next place,hegoes about toprooue at large. His reafon is framed thus.If I learned the Gofpell ofany man,I learned it either before, or after my conuerfion : but I learned it neither before,nor after myconuerfion ofany man . The fitft part of hisreafon is hereconfirmed thus : beforemy calling and con= uerfion,I profeffed Iudaifine, and I lined accordingly,perfecu- tingthe Church, and fupprefíïng the Gofpel of Chri[t,and profiting in my religion abone many others:therefore I was not then fit to heare and learne the Goffell of Chri(f ofany man.This argument he further confirmes,by the teftimonieof the Galatiansthus:That this was my conuerfation in Iudaifine, yeare wítneffes:for yehaue heretofore heard asmuch. In theexample of Paul,twopoints are generally tobe con. fidered. The firft , that thedi(tinEfionof man and man,arifeth not ofthewill,or naturall difpofitionofman , but ofthe grace and mercie ofGod.For Paul an EIeei vefíèli fornatureand di. fpofition,before his conuerfion,isas wicked asany other. And he faith,Rom.9.t I.that the difference betweene man and man beforeGod,is not in him that willeth, no inhim thatrnanneth, 6m in God thatJbewetb mercie. Therefore it is a Pelagian errour, to thinke that men , doing that which they can,doe bynature oc- cafion God to glue them fupernatural grace.Th-e fecondpoint is,that Paul here makes an open, and ingenious confeffionof his wicked life paff.Andhence I gather that this Apoftle, and confequently the reft,writthe fcripturesofthenewTeffament by the inffinEl of Gods fpirit , and not by humane pollicie, which(nodoubt)wouldhauemooned them to haue couered and 5 15 20 25 3° 35
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