The Works of Dr. John Tillotson, Late Archbishop of Canterbury, Volume 5

THE SIN AND DANGER OF ADDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE GOSPEL.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed.—Gal. i. 8, 9.

BEFORE I come to handle the words, for the better understanding of them, I shall give a brief account of the occasion of them, which was this:—some false apostles had made a great disturbance in the churches planted by the apostles of Christ, by teaching that it was necessary for Christians, not only to embrace and entertain the doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion, but likewise to he circumcised, and keep the law of Moses. Of this disturbance, which was raised in the Christian church, yon have the history at large, Acts xv. and as in several other churches, so particularly in that of Galatia, these false apostles and seducers had perverted many, as appears by this Epistle; in the beginning whereof St. Paul complains, that those who were seduced into this error, of the necessity of circumcision, and keeping the law of Moses, had, by this new article of faith, which they had added to the Christian religion, quite altered the frame of it, and made the gospel another thing from that which our Saviour delivered, and commanded his apostles to teach all nations.