An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

To the first we reply, that the reason of sending Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, was not so much to know, whether these teachers had commission from the Apostles and Elders, to press the keeping of the Law of Moses, as to get a resolution of the question it self, verse 2. about this question. Now the question was not what commission the Apostles had given to those teachers, but whether they should be circumcised, after the manner of Moses, verse 1.

To the first wee reply, that the reason of sending Paul and Barnabas to Hierusalem, was not so much to know, whether these teachers had commission from the Apostles and Elders, to presse the keeping of the Law of Moses, as to get a resolution of the question it selfe, verse 2. about this question. Now the question was not what commission the Apostles had given to those teachers, but whether they should be circumcised, after the manner of Moses, verse 1.

To the second, we say, that if Paul and Barnabas, were messengers to make narration of the case, certainly they were more then sufficient messengers, and there was no need of others to be joined in message with them, so that it appeareth the rest who were sent with them were Commissioners to represent the Churches which sent them. Neither is it credible, but that all the Churches of Syria and Cilicia, which were in the same case, with the Church of Antioch, did send their Commissioners also to Jerusalem, for otherwise, how could the Apostles and Elders have so certain and perfect intelligence of the case of those Churches, verse 23. Beside it had been a great neglect in those Churches, if they had not sent some to Jerusalem, as the Church of Antioch did, for if it was ⟨p. 182⟩expedient which Antioch did, they ought no less to have done it, their case being the same. Moreover it may be collected from verse 3. that the other Churches through which Paul and Barnabas passed in their journey, did send some companions along with them, to join with them in their errand, and to give their consent in the meeting at Jerusalem, unto that which was to be concluded. This is the observation of Cajetan, Mentzerus, Calvin, Gualther, and other Interpreters upon that place.