1. It may be considered as containing a sarcasm, by which the apostle reproves their being too much inclined to adhere to false teachers: if, says he, these bring you tidings of a better Spirit, a better gospel, then bear with them; but this they cannot do, therefore reject them; or, 2. The words may be rendered, instead of _ye might well bear with him, ye might well bear with me_, as is observed in the marginal reference; the word _him_ being in an Italic character, as will be elsewhere observed,[38] is not in the original, and therefore _me_ may as well be supplied as _him_, and so the meaning is this; ye bear with false preachers, are very favourable to them, and seem a little cold to us the apostles; so that I am afraid, as is observed in the foregoing verse, lest your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; you can bear with these false teachers, and will you not bear with me? as he says, ver. 1. _Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me._ It is a sign religion is at a low ebb, when it is with some difficulty that professors are persuaded to bear with those that preach the pure gospel of Christ, who are too prone to turn aside to another gospel. Take the words in either of these senses, and they exactly harmonize with that text in Galatians, and not, as the objectors pretend, contradict it. _Object._ 7. Another charge of contradiction, which is brought against scripture, is, that our Saviour saith, Matth, x. 34. _Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword_: this is contrary to Christ’s general character, as a _prince of peace_, Isa. ix. 6. and to the advice he gives his disciples, not to use the sword, because _such shall perish by it_, Mat. xxvi. 52. and what be saith else, _My kingdom is not of this world_, John xviii. 36. and therefore not to be propagated by might or power, by force or civil policy, or those other carnal methods, by which the kingdoms of this world are advanced and promoted. _Answ._ For the reconciling this seeming contradiction, let it be considered, that Christ did not come to put a sword into his followers hands, or to put them upon making war with the powers among whom they dwell, for the propagating the Christian religion; his gospel was to be advanced by spiritual methods: in this sense, the design of his coming was not to send a sword, but to bring spiritual peace to his people; but when he saith, I came to send a sword, it implies that his coming, his kingdom and gospel, should occasion persecution and war, by reason of the corruption of men; this the gospel may do, and yet not put men upon disturbing their neighbours, or making war with them; and this is not contrary to Christ’s general character of coming to be the author of spiritual peace to his people.