Titus was not only a Christian, but also the chief overseer in Crete; for unto him Paul had committed the charge of governing the churches there (Tit. i.), and this Titus was a Gentile.

VERSE 2. And I went up by revelation.

For unless Paul had been admonished by revelation, he had not gone up to Jerusalem: but because God warned him by a special revelation, and commanded him to go up, therefore he went. And this he did to bridle, or at least to appease, the Jews that believed, and yet obstinately contended about the keeping of the law, to the end that the truth of the gospel might the more be advanced and confirmed.

VERSE 2. And I communicated with them teaching the gospel.

You hear then, that at length, after eighteen years, he went up to Jerusalem, and conferred with the apostles touching his gospel.

VERSE 2. Which I preach among the Gentiles.

For among the Jews he suffered the law and circumcision for a time, as the other apostles did: "I am made all things unto all men," saith he, (1 Cor.ix. 22.) Yet ever holding the true doctrine of the gospel, which he preferred above the law, circumeision, the apostles, yea, and an angel from heaven. For thus he saith unto the Jews: "Through this Christ is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." And he addeth very plainly: "and from all things, from the which ye could not be justified," (Acts xiii. 39.) For this cause he teacheth and defendeth the doctrine of the gospel so diligently every where, and never suffereth it to come in danger. Notwithstanding, he did not suddenly break out at the first, but had regard unto the weak. And because the weak should not be offended, there is no doubt but he spake to the Jews after this manner: if that unprofitable service of Moses' law, which nothing availeth to righteousness, do so highly please you, ye may keep it still for me, so that the Gentiles which are not bound to this law, be not charged therewithal.

Paul therefore confesseth, that he conferred the gospel with the apostles, but saith he, they profited me, or taught me nothing; but I rather for the defence of the liberty of the gospel, in the presence of the apostles, did constantly resist those which would needs force the observation of the law upon the Gentiles, and so did overcome them. Wherefore your false apostles lie, in saying that I circumcised Timothy, that I shaved my head in Cenchrea, and that I went up to Jerusalem, at the commandment of the apostles. Nay, rather, I glory, that in going up to Jerusalem, by the revelation of God, and not at the commandment of the apostles, and there conferring my gospel with them,

I brought to pass to the contrary, that is to say, obtained that the apostles did approve me, and not those which were against

me.

Now, the question whereupon the apostles conferred together in this assembly, was this: whether the keeping the law were necessary to justification or no. To this Paul answereth: I have preached unto the Gentiles, according to my gospel which I received from God, faith in Christ, and not the law, and at this preaching of faith, they received the Holy Ghost; and hereof Barnabas shall bear me witness. Wherefore I conclude, that the Gentiles ought not to be burdened with the law, nor to be circumcised. Notwithstanding, I give no restraint to the Jews herein, who if they will needs keep the law and be circumcised, I am not against it, so that they do it with freedom of conscience. And thus have I taught and lived among the Jews, "being made a Jew unto the Jews;" holding ever the truth of the gospel notwithstanding.

VERSE 2. But particularly with them that were the chiefest. That is to say, I did not only confer with the brethren, but with those that were the chiefest among them.

VERSE 2. Lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

Not that Paul doubted, that he ran, or had run in vain, forasmuch as he had now preached the gospel eighteen years, (for it followeth incontinent in the text, that he had continued firm and constant all this while, and had prevailed) but for that many did think that Paul had therefore preached the gospel so many years in vain, because he had set the Gentiles at liberty from the observation of the law. Moreover, this opinion daily more and more increased, that the law was necessary to justification. Wherefore, in going up to Jerusalem by revelation, he meant so to remedy this evil, that by this conference all men might plainly see his gospel to be in one point contrary to the doctrine of the other apostles, to the end that by this means he might stop the mouths of the adversaries, which would else have said, that he ran, or had run in vain. Note here by the way, the virtue of man's own righteousness, or the righteousness of the law to be such, that they which teach it, do run and live in vain.

VERSE 3. But neither yet Titus, which was with me, though he were a Grecian, was compelled to be circumcised.

This word (was compelled) sufficiently declareth what the conference and conclusion was: to wit, that the Gentiles should not be constrained to be circumcised, but that circumcision should be permitted to them for a time: not as necessary to righteousness, but for a reverence to the fathers; and for charity's sake towards the weak, lest they should be offended, until

they were grown up more strong in faith. For it might have seemed a very strange and unseemly thing, upon a sudden to forsake the law and traditions of the fathers, which had been given to this people from God with so great glory.

Paul then did not reject circumcision as a damnable thing, neither did he by word or deed enforce the Jews to forsake it. For in the seventh chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, he saith: "If any man be called, being circumcised, let him not add uncircumcision."-But he rejected circumcision as a thing, not necessary to righteousness, seeing the fathers themselves were not justified thereby, (Rom. iv. Ï1.) but it was unto them as a sign only, or a seal of righteousness, whereby they testified and exercised their faith. Notwithstanding the believing Jews which were yet weak, and bare a zeal to the law, hearing that circumcision was not necessary to righteousness, could understand this no otherwise, but that it was altogether unprofitable and damnable. And this fond opinion of the weak Jews, the false apostles did increase, to the end, that the hearts of the people being stirred up against Paul, by this occasion, they might thoroughly discredit his doctrine. So we at this day do not reject fasting, and other good exercises as damnable things: but we teach, that by these exercises we do not obtain remission of sins. When the people hear this, by-and-by they judge us to speak against good works. And this opinion the Papists do confirm and increase by their preachings and writings. But they lie, and do us great wrong. For many years past, there was never any that taught more sound and godly doctrine as touching good works, than we do at this day.

Paul therefore did not so condemn circumcision, as though it were sin to receive it, or keep it: for the Jews would have been highly offended; but it was decided in this conference and council, that it was not necessary to justification, and therefore not to be forced upon the Gentiles. So this moderation was found, that for the reverence of the fathers, and charity towards the weak in faith, the Jews should keep the law and circumcision still for a time; notwithstanding they should not thereby seek to be justified. And moreover, that the Gentiles should not be burthened therewith, both because it would have been to them a very strange thing, and also a burden intolerable, (Acts xv. 10.) Briefly, that none should be constrained to be circumcised, or any constrained from circumcision.

Paul therefore compelled none that would be circumcised, to remain uncircumcised, so that he knew circumcision not to be necessary to justification. This constraint would Paul take away. Therefore he suffered the Jews to keep the law, so that they did it with a free conscience. For he had ever taught, as well the Jews as the Gentiles, that in conscience they ought to be free from the law and circumcision; like as all the patriarchs, and

all the faithful in the Old Testament, were free in conscience, and justified by faith, and not by the law or circumcision. And indeed, Paul might have suffered Titus to be circumcised; but because he saw that they would compel him thereunto, he would not. For if they had prevailed therein, by-and-by they would have gathered that it had been necessary to justification, and so through this sufferance, they would have triumphed against Paul.

Now, as the false apostles would not leave circumcision and the observation of the law indifferent, but required the same as necessary to salvation, so at this day our adversaries do obstinately contend, that men's traditions cannot be omitted without peril of salvation; and thus of an example of charity, they make an example of faith, when notwithstanding there is but one example of faith, which is to believe in Jesus Christ. And this, as it is alone necessary to salvation, so doth it also indifferently pertain to all men. Notwithstanding the adversaries would rather worship the devil ten times instead of God, than they would suffer this. Therefore they are daily hardened more and more, and seek to establish their impieties and blasphemies against God, defending the same by force and tyranny, and will not agree, or consent unto us in any point. But what then? Let us go on boldly in the name of the Lord of Hosts, and for all this, let us not cease to set forth the glory of Jesus Christ: and let us fight valiantly against the kingdom of Antichrist, by the word, and by prayer, that the name of God alone may be sanctified, that his kingdom may come, and that his will may be done." (Matt. vi. 9, 10.) And that this may speedily come to pass, we desire even from the bottom of our hearts, and say, Amen, Amen.

This triumph of Paul, therefore, was very glorious: namely, that Titus, who was a Gentile, although he were in the midst of the apostles, and all the faithful, where this question was so vehemently debated, was not yet constrained to be circumcised. This victory Paul carrieth away, and saith, that on this conference, it was decided, by the consent of all the apostles, the whole church also approving the same, that Titus should not be circumcised. This is a strong argument, and maketh very much against the false apostles. And with this argument: neither was Titus compelled to be circumcised, Paul was able to repress and mightily to convince all his adversaries: as if he should say, why do these counterfeit apostles so falsely report of me, saying, that I ain compelled to keep circumcision by the commandment of the apostles, seeing I have the witness of all the faithful in Jerusalem, and moreover, of all the apostles themselves, that by my pursuit and travel, the contrary was there determined, and that I did not only there prevail that Titus should not be circumcised, but that the apostles also did approve and ratify the same? Your counterfeit apostles therefore do lie deadly, which slander

me under the name of the apostles, and thereby deceive you; for I have the apostles, and all the faithful, not against me, but with me. And this I prove by the example of Titus.

Notwithstanding, Paul, as I have often said, did not condemn circumcision as an unprofitable thing, nor constrained any man thereunto. For it is neither sin nor righteousness to be circumcised or uncircumcised, as it is neither sin nor righteousness to eat or drink. "For whether thou eat or eat not, thou art neither better nor worse," (1 Cor. viii. 8.) But if any man should add thereto either sin or righteousness, and say: if thou eat thou sinnest, if thou abstain thou art righteous, he should shew himself both foolish and wicked. Therefore to join ceremonies with sin or righteousness, is great impiety; as the Pope doth, who in his form of excommunication, threateneth to all those that do not obey the law of the bishop of Rome, God's great curse and indignation, and so maketh all his laws necessary to salvation. Wherefore the devil himself speaketh in the person of the Pope, in all the Pope's decrees. For if salvation consisteth in keeping of the Pope's laws, what need have we of Christ to be our justifier and saviour.

VERSE 4, 5. For all the false brethren that crept in, who came in privily to espy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. To whom we gave not place by subjection for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Here Paul sheweth the cause why he went up to Jerusalem, and there conferred his gospel with the other apostles, and why he would not circumcise Titus; not that he might be the more certain, or confirmed in the gospel by the apostles, for he nothing doubted thereof; but that the truth of the gospel might continue in the churches of the Galatians, and in all the churches of the Gentiles. We see, then, that the business of Paul was no light matter.

Now, where he speaketh of the truth of the gospel, he sheweth that there be two gospels, a true and a false gospel. Indeed, the gospel of itself is simple, true, and sincere; but by the malice of Satan's ministry, it is corrupt and defaced. Therefore where he saith "the truth of the gospel," he would have us to understand also the contrary. As if he would say: the false apostles do also preach a faith and a gospel, but they are both false therefore have I set myself so constantly against them. And in that I would not give place unto them, this have I brought to pass, that the truth of the gospel continueth with you. So the Pope and Anabaptists do brag at this day, that they teach the gospel, and faith in Christ. True it is: but with such fruit as the false apostles once did, whom Paul calleth before, in the first chapter, troublers of the church, and subverters of the gospel of Christ. On the other side, he saith "that he