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Observe here, 1. How our apostle supposes an impossibility only for the confirmation of what he had before affirmed. He doth not suppose it possible for any angel in heaven, or apostle upon earth, to contradict the doctrine of the gospel which he had delivered, to preach any thing contrary to it, or besides it, or different from it; making that necessary to be believed and practiced, which Christ and his apostles never made necessary.
Learn hence, that the written word of God, without unwritten traditions, contains in it all things necessary to salvation; and whatever doctrines are propounded to the church, not only contrary to, but differing from it, or besides the written word, are cursed doctrines.
Observe, 2. The terrible Anathema which the apostle denounces against those, whoever they should be, be it an apostle upon earth, or an angel from heaven, that should thus pervert the gospel of Christ, by making any thing necessary to be believed or practiced in order to salvation, which Christ has not made necessary, Let him be accursed. Let the church of Rome in general, and the council of Trent in particular, dread the efficacy of this curse, who have added so many new articles to the Christian faith, and enforced them as necessary to be believed by all Christians; insomuch that they pronounced, "that no salvation can be obtained without the belief of them," and denounced their anathemas against us who cannot believe them: but as their curse, causeless, shall not come, so we believe that they, propounding terms of salvation, nowhere delivered by Christ and his apostles, do bring themselves under the apostle's anathema here in this text: for if the new articles of the church at Rome be necessary to salvation, than what Christ and his apostles delivered was not sufficient to salvation before; and thus the pride of man exalts itself above the wisdom of God.
Observe, 3. How the apostle expresses his assurance in this matter; and to shew that he did not speak rashly, and in a heat, but upon due consideration, he repeats again, As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach otherwise, let him be accursed Gal_1:9.
Note here, how positive and peremptory the apostle is in this matter: and doubtless this one Anathema of his, is more dreadful than all the bruta fulmina, the freakish anathema, of an enthusiastic church, who, in a manifest affront to the authority of St. Pual, has presumed to add so many new articles to the Christian religion, for which there is not the least ground or warrant, either from the holy scriptures, or any of the ancient creeds.
Observe lastly, how the apostle puts himself into the number, if I, or any man, or any angel preach otherwise, let him be accursed. As if the apostle had said, "Not only the false apostles are to be rejected, but I myself deserve to be anathematized, and accounted an execrable person, should I preach any other doctrine to you, than what you have received from Christ by me; nay, should any angel from heaven attempt it, he ought to be detested for it."
Learn, that no angel in heaven, no person or church upon earth, have power to make new articles of faith, or to impose any thing upon our belief or practice, that is either against or besides the written word, or any ways inconsistent with it, or contrary unto it.