that Pauls often and daungerous iourneies must teach vs to attend on our callings with care and diligence and not to be dismaied with the troubles that shall befall vs. The second answer that Paul was knowne to the Christian Iewes not by face but by hearsay this may seeme strange considering Paul was at Ierusalem and trauailed through Iurie into Syria and Cilicia but it is the truth and the reason of it is plaine The office of an Apostle is not to build vpon the fouÌ„dation of an other or to succeede any man in his labours but to plant and found the Church of the new Testament where Christ had not bin preached or named Rom. 15. 20. In this the Apostles differ from all the Ministers of the new Testament whatsoeuer And this is the cause why Paul was not knowne to the Churches of Iudea And here we see that Succession which the Papists magnifie is not alwaies a note of the true Church and the true Ministerie For the ministerie of the Apostles and the Apostolicall Churches wanted it And this is for the greater commendation of them Againe it is said that Paul was not knowne to the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ. Where let it be obserued that 4. yeares after the ascension of Christ the Apostles had gathered and planted sundrie Christian Churches in Iudea This greatly commends the efficacie and power of the Gospel For hardnes of heart had ouerspread the nation of the Iewes and they had reiected and crucified the Lord of life And thus that is verified which Christ saith that his Disciples beleeuing in him should doe greater things then he had done Ioh. 14. 12. for he by preaching did not conuert multitudes of the Iewes and range them into Churches as the Apostles did Here againe we see that the Gospel by means of the corruption of man is an occasion of diuisions For after the gospel was preached by the Apostles there arose a diuision of Churches among the Iewes Some were Churches in Christ and some out of Christ namely the Synagogues which refused Christ. We may not therfore nowe a daies take offence if schismes and dissentions followe where the Gospel is preached it is not the fault of the Gospel it is the fault of men That Paul might the better shewe that he was known to the Churches of the Iewes onely by heare-say he expresses the report that went of him Hence I gather it is not vnlawfull to tell and heare reports or newes so be it they be not to the preiudice of the trueth of the glory of God and the good name of men Nay it is commendable to report and heare newes that concernes the increase of Gods kingdome and the conuersion of wicked men In the report two things areÌ„ set downe what Paul did He once persecuted vs and destroyed the faith what he now doth He preacheth the Gospel By this we see that verified which Isai foretold that the lyon the wolfe the lambe c. should peaceably liue togither Againe here we see that all things vpon earth are subiect to change and alteration so as it may be said heretefore it was thus and thus but nowe it is otherwise Therefore in miseries we may not be ouer-much grieued for they are changeable and in earthly things we may not reioyce ouer much because they are mutable and subiect to daily alterations Our speciall care must be to auoide eternall and vnchangeable euils as death and the cause of death namely sinne and to purchase to our selues the good things which are euerlasting namely the fauour of God and euerlasting life Furthermore the thing which Paul aimed at in persequuting the Church is to be considered and that was that he might destroy the faith By faith we are to vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel and with all the vertue or gift of faith whereby it is beleeued for the deuill his instruments seeke the ouerthrow of both Christ saith Satan desired to sift his Disciples that is to sift all their faith out of their hearts and to leaue nothing in theÌ„ but chaffe Luk. 22. 32. Here then it may be demanded whether faith may be lost specially in the children of God in the time of temptation and persecution I answer thus There be three degrees of faith The first consists in two things knowledge of the Gospel and Assent to the trueth of it This faith the deuils haue and it may be lost and beleeuers by this faith may quite fall away The second kind of faith containes knowledge assent a taste or ioy in the goodnesse of God a zeale to the word of God and apparent fruits of holinesse This faith also beeing better then the former may be lost in the daies of persecution and beleeuers by this faith may fall quite away Luk 8. 13. The third faith called the faith of the Elect containes three parts knowledge of the Gospel assent to the trueth of it and apprehension whereby we doe receiue and apply Christ with his benefits to our selues or the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting This faith may be greatly wasted for things appertaining to it may be lost as boldnesse to come vnto God the sense or feeling of spiritual ioy and such like Againe it may be buried for a time in the heart and not shew it selfe either by fruits or any profession and in respect of the measure of it it may be lessened and maimed and if we respect the nature of it it is as apt to be lost as any other grace of God for there is nothing by nature vnchangeable but God Neuerthelesse where this faith is in trueth it is neuer by affliction and temptation put out or exstingnished because God in mercie confirms it by newe grace Christ saith to Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luk. 22. 32. And this priuiledge haue all the godly for God promiseth that they shall not be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. Indeede persecutors are said to destroy the faith because this is their intent and they indeauour to doe what they can but God preuents their desires by establishing true faith that it may not vtterly faile It may be obiected to the contrarie on this manner The child of God may faâ—l into persecution and denie Christ by this fall he is guiltie of a grieuous offence beeing guiltie he hath not pardon of his offence and beeing without pardon he is without faith Touching guiltinesse I answer thus The child of God when he falls is indeed guiltie but howe Guiltie in respect of himselfe or as much as in him lies because he hath done that which is worthy of death and he hath done all he can to make himselfe guiltie But he is not guiltie to condemnation because God on his part doeth not breake off the purpose of adoption and adiudge him to wrath Secondly touching the pardon of his offence I answer thus In pardon there be foure degrees the degree
that when we know not what to doe by reason of the greatnes of our distresse we must then fixe our hearts on Christ without seperation He that climes vp a ladder or some steepe place the higher he goes the faster he holds 2. Chron. 20. 12. Iob. 13. 12. Hence is true comfort Psal. 27. 13. 17 And if while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ the minister of sinne God forbid For the better vnderstanding of the latter part of this chapter it must be obserued that Paul directs his speach not onely to Peter but also to the Iewes that stood by beeing maintainers of iustification by the law Some thinke that in this verse Paul makes an obiection in the person of the false Apostles on this manner If we be iustified by Christ alone without the obseruation of the law then there is no difference betweene vs Iewes and the Gentiles but we are as deepe sinners as they and if this be so then Christ is the minister of sinne And then they say to this Paul answers God forbid But I somewhat doubt whether this be the sense of the words because Paul doth not make a direct confutation of this obiection in the words following Therefore I rather suppose that Paul continues his former speach euen to the ende of the chapter and that in these words he vseth a third reason to disswade Peter from haulting betweene the Iewes and Gentiles And the reason will the better appeare if we search the meaning of the words If while we be iustified by Christ that is by faith in Christ without the workes of the law We are found sinners that is found in our sinnes not fully iustified but are further to be iustified by the workes of the law Is Christ the Minister of sinne that is doth it not hence follow that Christ ministred vnto vs occasion of sinne in that he hath caused vs to renounce the iustice of the law God forbid that is ye doe all hold it with me as a blasphemie that Christ should be the minister of sinne The argument then is framed thus If beeing iustified by Christ we remaine sinners and are further to be iustified by the law then Christ is the minister of sinne but Christ is no minister of sinne therefore they which are iustified neede not further to be iustified by the law The vse First we learne hence that it is a blasphemie to make Christ the minister of sinne who is the minister of righteousnes yea iustice it selfe Isa. 53. 11. Dan. 9. 25. He brings euerlasting righteousnes Ioh. 1. He is the lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world Of this all the Prophets giue testimonie Act. 10. 43. Therefore Atheists are no better then deuills that recken him among the false Prophets of the world And many of them that professe Christ are greatly to be blamed that make Christ the greatest sinner in the world because Christ died for them therefore they prefume of mercie and take libertie to liue as they list Againe Paul here teacheth that they which are iustified by Christ are perfectly to be iustified and neede not further to be iustified by any thing out of Christ as by the workes of the law It may be obiected that they which are iustified feele themselues to be sinners Rom. 7. 14. Ans. The corruption of original sinne is in them that are iustified yet is it not imputed to them by God and withall it hath receiued his deadly wound by the death of Christ. Therefore they which are iustified are not reputed sinners before God Againe it may be obiected that they which are iustified must confesse themselues to be sinners to the very death Ans. Confession of sinne is not a cause but a way for the obtaining of pardon Prou. 28. 14. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. The vncouering of our sinnes is the way to couer them before God The sinnes therefore of men iustified vpon their humble and serious confession are not sinnes imputed but couered Vpon this doctrine it followes that there is not a second iustification by workes as the Papists teach For he that is iustified by Christ is fully iustified and neede not further be iustified by any thing out of Christ as by the law Againe the same persons teach that our sinnes are done away by the death of Christ and we iustified in our baptisme and that if we fall and sinne after baptisme we must doe workes of penance that we may satisfie Gods iustice and be further iustified by our works and sufferings But then by their leaues after we are iustified by Christ we are found sinners and we are further to be iustified by our owne workes Now this is the point which Paul here confuteth Againe by this doctrine we learne that Christ alone is by himselfe sufficient for our iustification In him saith Paul are we complete Col. 2. 14. He is a well of grace and life neuer dried vp Ioh. 4. 14. Thirdly we must content our selues with him alone and with his obedience for our iustification despising in respect of him all merits and satisfactions done by man Lastly here we see what must be the care of men in this world namely to seeke to be iustified by the faith of Christ. It was Pauls principall desire to be found in Christ hauing not his owne righteousnes but the righteousnes which is by the faith of Christ. Phil. 3. 10. The like desire should be in vs all 18 For if I build againe the things which I haue destroied I make my selfe a transgressour By things destroyed Paul meanes the workes or the iustice of the law as appeares by the next verse following where rendering a reason of this he saith by the law I am dead to the law These words depend on the former thus Paul had said before that Christ was not a minister of sinne vnto vs and here he prooues it thus He that builds the iustice of the law which he hath destroied is a minister of sinne or makes himselfe a sinner but the Iewes and Peter by his example build the iustice of the law which they haue destroied and so doth not Christ therefore the Iewes and Peter make themselues sinners and Christ doth not make vs sinners Here let vs obserue the modestie and meeknes of Paul The things which he speakes concerne Peter and the Iewes yet least he offend them he applies them to himselfe This care not to offend was in Christ who was rather willing to depart frō his right then to offend Matth. 17. 27. And Paul biddes vs please all men in that which is good Here againe it is Pauls doctrine that we make our selues offendours when we build that which we haue lawfully destroied Thus Teachers are great offenders when good doctrine is ioyned with bad conuersation For good doctrine destroies the kingdome of darknes and bad conuersation builds it vp againe Thus rulers are great offenders when good counsell and bad example
goe together For good counsell beats downe wickednes and bad example sets it vp againe Thus beleeuers in Christ are great offenders when reformed religion and vnreformed life are ioyned together as often they are For then vnreformed life builds the kingdome of sinne which Christ hath destroied Further we are here taught to be constant in that which is good Tit. 1. 9. and to hold fast the Gospel which we professe We haue put vnder foote the Popish religion for this many yeares our dutie is to be constant herein and no way to build either in word or deede that which we haue to the vttermost of our power destroied 19 For I through the law am dead to the law that I may liue vnto God In these words Paul sets downe a second reason to prooue Christ to be no minister of sinne in abolishing the iustice of the law And the reason is framed thus We Iewes iustified by Christ are dead to the law not to liue as we list but to liue to the honour of God Therefore Christ in taking away the iustice of the law is not the minister of sinne Here three points are propounded the first is that the person iustified is dead to the law the second that he is dead to the law by the law the third that he is dead that he may liue vnto God For the better vnderstanding of the first point we must seach what is meant by dying to the law Here the law is compared to an hard and cruell master and we to slaues or bondmen who so long as they are aliue they are vnder the dominion and at the command of their masters yet when they are dead they are free from that bondage and their masters haue no more to doe with them Here then to be dead to the law is to be free from the dominion of the law And we are free in foure respects First in respect of the accusing and damnatorie sentence of the law Rom. 8. 1. Secondly in respect of the power of the law whereby as an occasion it prouoketh and stirreth vp the corruption of the heart in the vnregenerate Rom. 7. 8. Thirdly in respect of the Rigour of the law whereby it exacteth most perfect obedience for our iustification Thus Paul here saith that he is dead to the law Lastly in respect of the obligation of the conscience to the obseruation of Ceremonies Col. 2. 20. Thus are all persons iustified by the faith of Christ free from the law Hence we learne that the Papists erre and are deceiued when they teach that the Law and the Gospel are one for substance of doctrine For then they which are iustified by Christ should not onely be dead to the law but also to the Gospel Now the Scripture saith not that persons iustified are dead to the Gospel They erre againe in that they teach that persons iustified by the merit of the death of Christ are further to be iustified by the workes of the law For he that is iustified by Christ is dead to the law but if we be iustified by workes then are we by Christ made aliue to the law Thirdly here we see how long the dominion of the law continueth and when it endeth The law raignes ouer all men without exception till they be iustified When they once beginne to beleeue in Christ and to amend their liues then the dominion of the law ceaseth and they then are no more vnder the law but vnder grace Here all such persons as liue in the securitie and hardnes of their hearts are to be admonished to repent of their sinnes and to beginne to turne vnto God For they must know that they liue vnder a most hard and cruell master that will doe nothing but accuse terrifie condemne them and cause them to runne headlong to vtter desperation And if they die beeing vnder the law they must looke for nothing but death and destruction without mercie For the law is merâ—ilesse This consideration serueth notably to awake them that are dead in their sinnes Againe all such as with true and honest hearts haue begunne to repent and beleeue let them be of good comfort For they are not vnder the dominion of the law but they are dead to the law and vnder grace hauing a Lord who is also their mercifull Sauiour who will giue them protection against the terrours of the law and spare them as a father spares his child that serues him and not breake them though they be but as weake and bruised reedes and as smoaking flaxe The second point is touching the meanes of our death to the law and that is the Law Here some by the law vnderstand the law of faith that is the Gospel Rom. 3. 27. And they make this to be the meaning of the words By the law of Christ that is by the Gospel I am dead to the Law of Moses But this sense though it be a truth yet will it not stand in this place For it is the question whether by the gospel we be freed from the law Now Paul a learned disputer would not bring the question to prooue it selfe Therefore I take the true meaning of the words to be this By the law of Moses I am dead to the law of Moses It may be demanded how this can be considering the law is the cause of no good thing in vs For it is the ministerie of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 8. 7. 9. Againe that which the law cannot reueale it cannot worke but the law neither can nor doth reueale faith in Christ the death to the law nor repentance c. therefore the law is no cause to worke them It may peraduenture be said that the law workes repentance and sorrow for sinne I answer there is a double Repentance One Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when men haue a sight of their sinnes and withall are grieued for the punishment thereof This repentance is wrought by the ministerie of the law it was in Iudas and it is no grace of God but of it selfe it is the way to hell Euangelicall Repentance is when beeing turned by grace we turne our selues to God This repentance is a gift of grace and is not wrought by the law but by the ministerie of the Gospel Again there is a Legall sorrow which is a sorrow for sinne in respect of the punishment this is no grace and it is wrought by the law Euangelicall sorrow is sorrow for sinne because it is sinne This indeede is a grace of God but it is not wrought by the law but by the preaching of mercy and reconciliation and it followes in vs vpon the apprehension of Gods mercie by faith The law then beeing the cause of no good thing in vs it may be demanded I say how we should be dead to the law by the law Ans. Though the law be not a cause of this death to the law and so to sinne yet it is an occasion thereof For it accuseth and
blessed in himselfe and giuing blessednes to all other And the beleeuers that were before Christ or after him are the â—eede of Abraham in respect they are set into Christ who is principally the seede mentioned in this text When Paul saith ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour he makes a declaration of that which he had saide before by an Euident signe on this manner That the law serues to discouer transgressions it appeares by this that the Iewes could not abide to receiue the law immediatly from God but it was deliuered by Angels and receiued by the hand of a Mediatour and this argues mans guiltines and his disagreement with God because a Mediatour is of two at the least and of two beeing at difference betweene themselues The law is said to be ordained or disposed by Angels because they were attendants on God in the Mount when the law was deliuered Secondly they were witnesses and approouers of the deliuerie Thirdly it may be the voice of God whereby the law was published in the hearing of all the Israelites was vttered and pronounced by the ministerie of Angels for the holy Ghost saith the word spoken by Angels was stedfast Hebr. 2. 2. that is the law It may be said all this prooues not that Angels ordained the law Ans. Often in Scripture the worke or action of the principall Agent is ascribed to the instrument or minister The Saints are saide to iudge the world 1. Cor. 6. whereas indeede they are no more but witnesses and approouers of this iudgement In the same manner Timothie is said to saue himselfe and others 1. Tim. 4. 16. The last trumpet is sounded by Angels Matth. 24. 31. and it is called the voice of an Archangel and the trumpe of God 1. Thess. 4. Moreouer Paul saith the law was deliuered by the hand of a Mediatour that is of Christ as some thinke but that cannot be for the hand of a Mediatour signifies the ministerie and seruice of a Mediatour and this seruice is inferiour to the seruice of Angels because the law was deliuered by Angels and receiued of them by a Mediatour Therefore the Mediatour here mentioned is Moses who stood betweene the people and God in the deliuerie of the law Deut. 5. 5. It may be obiected that there is but one Mediatour Christ 1. Tim. 2. 8. Ans. Mediatour of reconciliation is onely one and that is Christ and Moses is a Mediatour onely in the relating and reporting the law from God to the Israelites Paul addes that a Mediatour is not of one that is that euery Mediatour is of two at the least and of two at variance and disagreement And he saith further that God is one that is alwaies the same and like himselfe without change And the reason of the speach is this Paul hath taught that the law was giuen by a Mediatour and that this declared a difference betweene God and man Now it might be said where is the fault in this difference and who is the cause of it Paul saith not God but man because God is alwaies one and the same The vse In that the law is for transgressions we are taught to examine and search our hearts and liues by the law of God Zephan 2. 1. Fanne you O nation not worthie to be loued Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search our hearts and turne againe to the Lord. That we may the better examine our selues foure rules must be obserued The first when any one sinne is forbidden in any commandement of the law vnder it all sinnes of the same kind are forbidden all causes of them and all occasions The second a commandement negatiue includes the affirmatiue and binds vs not onely to abstaine from euill but also to doe the contrarie good The third is that euery commandement must be vnderstood with a curse annexed to it though the curse be not expressed The fourth is that we must especially examine our selues by the first and last commandements For the first forbids the first motions of our hearts against God and the last forbiddes the first motions of our hearts against our neighbour though there be no consent to doe the euill which we thinke Paul saith of himselfe that the commandement Thou shalt not lust was it that especially humbled him Rom. 7. According to these and other rules which now I omit we must with speciall care examine our selues The want of this dutie causeth men to rot away in their sinnes without remorse or true repentance and it is the cause that so many men profit so little in hearing the word preached because they know not what sinne meanes neither can they search aright their consciences and liues Moreouer after we haue begunne to practise this dutie we must often as occasion shall be giuen renue it to the end Consider Dauids example Psal. 119. 59. Where Paul saith that the law is added till Christ we see that the Legall ministerie of death is abolished now and that we are vnder the Ministerie of the spirit and life And for this cause we in these last daies that are Ministers of the word must preach the doctrine of saluation plainly to the very consciences of men 2. Cor. 4. 1. Againe the people of these daies ought to abound in knowledge and their obedience should be answerable to the measure of their knowledge And if after much preaching in these daies of light the Gospel be hid as it is to very many who remaine still in ignorance and disobedience it is a fearefull signe vnto them of their condemnation 2. Cor. 4. 4. In that the law of God was ordained or deliuered by Angels we are put in minde to reuerence it and to esteeme it as a treasure Secondly we are to feare to breake the least commandement of the law because the angels that were ordainers of the law doe no doubt obserue the keepers and the breakers of it and are readie prest to be witnesses and reuengers against them that offend Steuen vpbraids the Iewes that the law was giuen by the dispensation of Angels and yet they brake it Act. 7. 53. Thirdly if thou offend and breake the law repent with speede for that is the desire and ioy of Angels They that deliuered the law reioice to see the keeping of it Lastly if thou sinne and repent not looke for shame and confusion before God and his angels Because Moses was a mediatour to the Iewes Papists gather that therefore Angels and Saints may be mediatours Ans. It sollowes not Moses was ordained a mediatour so are not they Moses was present with the Iewes and had fellowship with them whose mediatour he was Saints are absent in heauen and Angels though they be about vs haue no fellowship with vs. Moses was mediatour but once and that onely in one thing Saints are made continuall mediatours Lastly Moses was mediatour in relating reporting the law from God to the people Saints and Angels are made mediatours to relate and report our praiers and
by name Exod. 33. 17. Againe it is a perpetuall and vnchangeable knowledge For whome God once knowes he neuer forgets Isai 49. 15. The third estate of the Galatians is their estate in their reuolt or Apostasie in these words How turne ye again to impotent and beggarly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage againe or thus to which ye will doe seruice againe as from the beginning The words carrie this sense How turne ye againe that is it is an intollerable offence in you hauing knowne God to returne againe to the rudiments of the law By rudiments we are to vnderstand Circumcision the Iewish sacrifices and all the ceremonies of the law of Moses And it may not seeme strange that they are called impotent and beggarly rudiments For they must be considered three waies with Christ without Christ and against Christ. With Christ when they are considered as types and figures of Christ to come and as signes of grace by diuine institution for the time of the old Testament Without Christ when they are vsed onely for custome whether before or after the death of Christ. Against Christ when they are esteemed as meritorious causes of saluation and the iustification of a sinner is placed in them either in whole or in part as though Christ alone were not sufficient In this respect Paul calls them impotent and beggarly rudiments And Paul hauing said that the Galatians returned againe to the rudiments of the lawe in the next words he shewes howe they doe it namely by seruing them againe They serued or yeilded seruice to them three waies In opinion because they iudged them to be necessarie parts of Gods worshippe and means of their saluation In Conscience because they subiected their consciences to them In affection because they placed part of their affiance in them for their iustification and saluation It may be demanded howe the Galatians can be said to returne againe to the rudiments of the law serue them againe that were neuer vsed to them before Answ. In the speach of Paul there is that which is called Catachresis that is a kind of speaking somewhat improper in respect of finenesse and Elegancie The like we haue Ruth 1. 22. when Ruth is said to returne to Iuda with Naomi yet shee was neuer there before Neuerthelesse the speach in sense is most significant and proper For Paul no doubt signifies hereby that when the Galatians subiected themselues to the rudiments of the law and placed their saluation in part euen in them they did in effect and in trueth as much as returne againe to their old superstitions serue againe their false gods Here then we haue a description of the Apostasie of the Galatians It is a voluntarie sinne for Paul saith ye will serue after the knowledge of the truth in which they returne againe to the rudiments of the law by yeelding subiection and seruice to them which act of theirs is indeede as much as if they had serued againe their false gods Here some may say if this be so then they sinned against the holy Ghost Ans. The sinne against the holy Ghost is indeede a voluntarie sinne but that is by reason of the obstinacie and malice of the will and this offence in the Galatians was voluntate onely by infirmitie Againe the sinne against the holy Ghost is an vniuersall Apostasie in respect of all the Articles of religion for that sinne makes men crucifie Christ crucified Heb. 6. 5. and to tread vnder foote the sonne of God the Apostasie of the Galatians was particular onely in the article of iustification The vse In that the Ceremonies of the law set vp against Christ in the cause of our iustification and saluation are called impotent and beggarly rudiments Paul teacheth a waightie conclusion That Christ stands alone in the worke of redemption without collegue or partner without deputie or substitute whether we respect the whole worke of redemption or the least part of it Againe that all the workes of mediation stand alone by themselues and admit nothing to be added and adioyned to them There is no other name whereby we can be saued beside the name of Christ. Act. 4. 12. Christ saues them perfectly that come vnto him Heb. 7. 25. In him we are complete Col. 2. 10. He alone treads the winepresse of Gods wrath and none with him Isai 63. 3. If Christ be a Sauiour he must be a perfect Sauiour considering he is God and man and beeing a perfect Sauiour in himselfe he needs no partner and because he is euery where 〈◊〉 all times therefore he needs no deputie in his stead Again euery worke of redemption is acted by whole Christ according to both his natures and as there are in him two natures so are there two operations of the said natures and as both natures concurre to make one person so the operatiōs of both natures concurre to make the compound worke of a mediatour which is an admirable worke not meerely humane but theandricke that is humane-diuine For this cause no action pertaining to redemptiō can be performed by a mere creature whether man or angel Obiection I. Ioh. 20. 23. The Apostles haue the power to remit and retaine sinnes therefore it is not proper to Christ. Answ. To remit by meriting and by efficacie in the conferring of pardon is proper to the mediatour The Apostles and other Ministers remit by preaching and by declaring remision The ministers of the word doe not procure our reconciliation with God as Christ doth but they exhort men to be reconciled to God 2. Cor. 5. 20. Obiect II. 1. Pet. 3. 18. Baptisme saueth therefore not Christ alone Ans. Baptisme saueth by signifying and by sealing vnto vs the grace and mercie of God and the effecting of our saluation is in the same place ascribed to Christ and his resurrection The conclusion then of Paul is to be remēbred for it serues as in engyne to ouerturne the maine grounds of poperie The primacie of the Pope is a certen estate in which he is substituted into the place and roome of Christ for he takes vpon him to make lawes that properly and truely binde conscience euen as the lawes of God Againe he takes vnto him a proper and iudiciall power to remit or retaine the sinnes of men Nowe these actions indeed are the proper actions of God Christ no meere creature is capable of them In this respect the primacie of the Pope is an impotent and beggarly inuention Again the Romish relligion beside the al sufficient oblation of Christ vpon the crosse lets vp the sacrifice of the masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead besides the Intercession of Christ it sets vp the Intercession of Saints and Angels beside the perfect satisfaction of Christ it sets vp humane satisfactions beside the infinite merit of Christ it maintaines and magnifies the merit of humane workes But all these are but impotent and beggarly deuises of men
be admonished by Magistrates and Ministers to relinquish their superstitious practises and that vpon a double ground I. Nothing hath efficacie but by the Ordinance of God And this efficacie was either put into the thing in the creation or since by some new Institution in the word And the efficacie of things that comes by any other meanes is by Satanicall operation II. Charmes inchantments and spells whatsoeuer haue no force vnlesse we beleeue that they can doe vs good Now this faith is a false faith and the seruice of the deuill For we must beleeue nothing hope nothing doe nothing without or against the word of God If these two rules be obserued not onely charming but all witchcraft shall be banished out of the world Againe it may be demanded what are the signes that serue to discouer a witch Ans. This discouerie is very hard For witches doe their feates in close manner not onely by foule and open cursing but also by faire speaking and by praising of things And hereupon we haue a fashion in England when we praise any thing withall to blesse it as to say it is a goodly child God saue it that our speach may not be suspected of witchcraft Neuerthelesse there are fiue speciall things that serue to discouer a witch One is the free confession of the accused or suspected witch The second is the confession of the associats of the witch The third is Inuocation of the deuill For that is to renounce baptisme and to make a league with the deuill The fourth is Euidence that the partie hath intertained a familiar spirit in the forme or likenes of some visible creature The fifth is Euidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the deuill As for example if the partie shew a mans face in a glasse though he professe angelicall holines he is in league with the deuill by whose meanes the feate is wrought There are besides these other signes but they are either false or vncerten A man is sicke he suspects that he is bewitched he takes it on his death that such a partie hath bewitched him All this is nothing but the suspition of one man and therefore no proofe Likewise the testimonie of some wizzard is but the testimonie of one and it is the deuills testimonie and therefore not to be receiued Againe neighbours fall out threatnings are vsed in anger afterward the partie threatned is either sicke or he dies hereupon the partie that vsed threatning words is accused of witchcraft And this is the common course But great circumspection must be vsed for sicknesse and death may arise of any other causes Lastly markes in the bodies of men and women are vncerten signes of witches All this I note the rather because if a iudgement befall a man in his familie presently according to the common fashion he saith he is hurt by euill tongues and challengeth some one or other of witchcraft whereas his owne ignorance vnbeleefe contempt of Gods word and Sacraments c. are the onely witches that hurt him and pull downe Gods iudgements vpon him Heresies The word heresie generally signifies any opinion either good or bad More specially it signifies any errour in religion Thus Ecclesiasticall writers take it For they condemne for heretikes such as erred in smaller points holding the foundation as Vigilantius Novatus c. And the very Opinion that there are Antipodes was condemned for heresie though it be a matter of small moment Yet most properly Heresie may be thus defined It is an errour in the foundation of Christian religion taught and defended with obstinacie Thus Paul saith Tit. 3. 11. that an heretike is peruerted that is put beside the foundation and condemned of himselfe in his sinne that is to say he erres obstinatly euen against his owne conscience I say that heresie is an errour in religion to put a difference betweene an errour in Diuinitie and an errour in Philosophie which is not tearmed heresie and againe to put difference betweene schisme and heresie for heresie is in doctrine schisme in manners order regiment Againe I say heresie is an errour in the foundation of religion to distinguish it from errours that are in smaller points of Diuinitie Some teach that Abraham was borne the 70 of Terah some the 130 of Terah Both cannot be true yet neither of them are heresie Some teach that Daniels weekes begin straight after the returne out of captiuitie others teach that they must begin 80 yeares after both cannot be true yet neither opinion is heresie So there are sundrie opinions touching Ophir Tarshish to which Ionah fled Decapolis in the Gospel all cannot be true yet they are not heresies because they concerne onely times and places and other circumstances of the Bible Lastly I say that heresie is maintained with obstinacy to distinguish heresie a single error For there are three things in heresie an error in the maine doctrine conuiction of the partie touching his error and obstinacie after conuiction The vse In that heresie an error in the minde or vnderstanding is made a worke of the flesh hence it followes that the word flesh signifies more then sensualitie namely the corruption of the higher powers euen of the minde and conscience though Papists teach otherwise Againe if heresie be a worke of the flesh our dutie is to detest and eschew heresies And that we may for euer preserue our selues from them three rules must be obserued I. We must propound vnto our selues the right Principles of religion For as euery Art hath his confessed principles so hath Diuinitie The head and chiefe Principle whereof is this All Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles is giuen by inspiration of God This is the foundation of all true faith here is the highest stay and stoppe This principle is the demonstration of all doctrines and conclusions and it hath no principle aboue it selfe whereby it is to be confirmed As for humane reason it is no principle of religion For it is imperfect and erronious and serues onely to make men without excuse Indeede in the minde of man there are certaine naturall conclusions that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped c. but the certentie of these is in the written word We can by reason dispute of the creation of the world but a full certentie we haue not by reason but by faith in the word Hebr. 11. 3. Againe the Papist makes the authoritie of the Church a principle For that is the first ground which they lay downe that we must captiuate our senses to the authoritie of the Church But this is no principle in religion For we cannot imagine a Church without faith and faith cannot be without the word of God It may be saide that Scripture is the sense of the written word and this sense must be from the Church Ans. Scripture it selfe is both the glosse and the text Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe And
one thing to be iust an other thing to be declared and knowne to be iust We are iust by faith but we are knowne to be iust by our works therefore men shall be iudged at the last day not by their faith but by their workes For the last iudgement serueth not to make men iust that are vniust which is done by faith but to manifest them to the world what they are in deede which is done by workes Men are often compared to trees in Scripture Now a tree is not knowne what it is by his sappe but by his fruit neither are men knowne to be iust by their faith but by their workes Indeede a tree is therefore good because his sappe is good but it is knowne to be good by his fruit So a man is iust because of his faith but he is knowne to be iust by his good works therefore seeing that the last iudgement must proceede according to euidence that is vpon record for the bookes must be opened and men must be iudged of those things that are written in the bookes all must be iudged by their workes which are euident and apparent to the view of all men and not by their faith which is not exposed to the sight of any And hence it is that the Scripture saith we shall be iudged according to our workes but it is no where said for our good workes Gregorie saith God will giue to euery one according to his workes but it is one thing to giue according to workes an other thing for workes For works are no way the cause of reward but onely the common measure according to which God giueth a greater or lesser reward Take this resemblance A King promiseth vnequal rewards to runners the least of which would equall the riches of a kingdome vpon condition that he which first commeth to the goale shall haue the greatest reward the second the next and so in order They hauing finished their race the King giueth them the reward according to their running Who would hence but childishly inferre that therefore they merited this reward by their running And whereas they vrge that text Matth. 25. Come ye blessed for I was hungrie and yee fedde me I answer first that the word for doth not alway signifie a cause but any argument or reason takē from any Topick place as Rom. 3. 22 23. The righteousnes of God is made manifest vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no differēce for all haue sinned are depriued of the glorie of God Where sinne is no cause of the righteousnes of faith but onely an antecedent or adiunct common to all men So when we say This is the true mother of the child for shee will not haue it diuided There for doth not implie the cause as though her refusing to haue it diuided did make her the true mother of it but onely the signe that shee was the true mother indeed Secondly be it granted that it implieth the cause yet not the meritorious cause for good workes are said to be causes of eternall life not as meriting procuring or deseruing any thing at the hands of God but as they are the kings high way to eternall life God hauing prepared good works that we should walke in them If a King promise his subiect a treasure hid in the topp of a steepe and high mountaine vpon condition that he clime and digge it out his climing and digging is the efficient cause of enioying the treasure but no meritorious cause of obtaining it seeing it was freely giuen If it be further said that the word for doth here signifie the cause as well as in the words following Goe ye cursed for I was hungrie and ye gaue me no meat seeing our Sauiour Christ speaketh after the same māner of the reward of the godly and punishment of the wicked I ans The paritie of the reason stands in this that as by good works we come to eternall life so by wicked works we runne headlong to perdition The dissimilitude is this that euil works are not onely the way but also the cause of death good workes are the way but not the cause as Bernard saith they are via regni non causa regnandi Obiect III. Here God promiseth eternall life to good workes therefore good works merit eternall life Answ. There is a double couenant Legall and Euangelicall In the legali couenant the promise of eternall life is made vnto workes Doe this and liue If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements But thus no man can merit because none can fulfill the lawe In the Euangelicall couenant the promise is not made to the worke but to the worker and to the worker not for the merit of his work but for the merit of Christ as Apoc. 2. 20. Be faithfull vnto the end and I will giue thee the crowne of life the promise is not made to fidelitie but to the faithfull person whose fidelitie is a signe that he is in Christ in whome all the promises of God are yea and Amen that is most certaine and infallible Secondly if any thing be due to works it is not of the merit of the worke but of gods mercifull promise Augustine saith God made himselfe a debter not by owing any thing but by promising Thirdly no reward is due to workes of regeneration vpon compact and promise first because we are not vnder the couenant of works in which God doth couenant with vs vpon condition of our obedience but vnder the couenant of grace the tenour of which coue nant runneth vpon condition of the merits of Christ apprehended by faith Secondly though we were vnder the legall couenant yet we merit not because our workes are not answerable to the lawe Lastly wheras the pillars of the Romish church teach that the promise made vpon condition of performing the worke maketh the performer to merit is very false This is not sufficient to make a meritorious worke it is further required that the worke be answerable and correspondent in worth and value to the reward as if one shall promise a thousand crowns to him that will fetch a little water out of the next well it is debt indeed in the promiser but no merit in the performer because there is no proportion betweene the worke and the reward Obiect IV. Sowing to the spirit is a good worke and reaping eternall life the reward but reward presupposeth memerit therefore sowing to the spirit doth merit eternall life Ans. There is a double reward One of fauour another of debt Rom. 44. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt So saith Ambrose There is one reward of liberalitie and fauour another reward which is the stipend of vertue and recompence of our labour Therefore reward signifieth generally any recompence or any gift that is bestowed vpon another whether it be more or lesse whether answerable to the worke or not
for grace and peace The reason true happinesse which all men desire consists in peace and is founded in grace they are said to be happie blessed that mourne suffer persecution for iustice sake Mat. 5. because in the middest of their sorrows miseries they haue the fauour of God the peace of good conscience Thirdly in that grace peace are ioyned we learn that peace without grace is no peace There is no peace to the wicked saith my god Isai. 57. last They which make a couenāt with hel death are soonest destroyed Isai. 28. 18. Laughter saith Salomon is madnes namely when it is seuered from grace and peace When men say peace peace then comes destruction 1. Thess. 5. The prosperitie of the men of this world ends in perdition read Ps. 73. Paul saith not simply that Grace and peace comes frō God but from God the father and from Iesus Christ that he may teach vs rightly to acknowledge and worship God For God is to be acknowledged and worshipped in the father in Christ in the holy spirit It was the fault of the Pagans and it is the fault of sundrie Christians to worship an absolute God without the father and without Christ. This fault must be amended for it turnes God to an Idol Againe when Paul saith that grace proceeds first from the father and secondly from Iesus Christ he sets downe the Order which God obserueth in the communication of grace peace The father is the fountaine of grace and giues it from none but from himselfe Christ againe is as it were a conduit or pipe to conuaie grace from the father to vs. Of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. In him we are complete Col. 2. Election Iustification Saluation and all is done in and by Christ. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The vse I. Let them that trauell vnder the burden of a bad conscience and a bad life come to Christ by turning from their sinnes and by beleeuing in him and they shall obtaine grace finde rest to their soules II. In our miseries our hearts may not be troubled ouermuch but we must alwaies moderate our sorrowes For if we beleeue in Christ we shall alwaies haue grace and peace Read Ioh. 14. 27. III. We must moderate our cares for this life For if we trusting in Christ haue grace and peace we shall want nothing read Psal. 4. v. 6. 7. Iesus Christ that giues grace and peace is called Our Lord for two causes One is to teach vs to acknowledge Christ aright and that is as well to acknowledge him to be our Lord as wel as our Sauiour He is a Priest to procure life a prophet to teach the way of life a Lord to command them to walke in the way of life The fault of our times All men professe Christ yet many allowe of no Christ but of their owne deuising namely a Christ that must be a Sauiour to deliuer them from hell but not a Lord to commaund them that they cannot brooke The second cause why Christ is called our Lord is to signifie the persons to whome grace and peace belong and they are such as acknowledge Christ for their Lord and yeild subiection to him in heart and life They finde rest to their soules that take vp the yoke of Christ in newe obedience and the patient bearing of the Crosse Math. 11. v. 29. 4. Who gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this present euill world according to the will of God our father 5. To whome be glorie for euer and euer Amen In these words the second argument is propounded whereby Christ is described namely the effect of Christ which is that he gaue himselfe And he is said to giue himselfe for two causes First because he presented himselfe as a price and sacrifice for sinne to God the Father Math. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 6. The second because he did publikely propound and set forth himselfe to the world as a sacrifice and price of redemption Rom. 3. 25. Ioh. 3. 14. and Act. 4. 12. In this giuing there are fiue things to be cōsidered The first the giuer Christ the second the thing giuen and that is Christ himselfe The third is the ende of his giuing for sinne that is that he might make satisfaction for our sinnes The fourth is another end of his giuing that he might deliuer vs out of this present euil world Here the present world signifies the corrupt estate of mē that liue according to the lusts of their own hearts 1. Ioh. 2. 16. And men are here said to be deliuered takē out of the world when they are seuered from the condition of sinnfull men by sanctification and newnes of life and by diuine protection whereby they are preserued from euill after they are sanctified Tit. 2. 14. and Ioh. 17. 15. And this deliuerance is not in this life in respect of place but in respect of qualitie The fifth thing is the cause that mooued Christ to giue himselfe and that is the will of God In the 5. verse there is set downe a corollarie or conclusion which containes the praise of God The vse followes Whereas Christ is the giuer of himselfe hence it followes that his death and sacrifice was voluntarie And this he shewed in two things When he was to be attached he fledde not but went to a garden in the mount as his custome was which was knowne to Iudas Ioh. 18. 2. And in the very separation of bodie and soule he cried with a loud and strong voice which argued that he was Lord of death died because his will was to die This must be remembred For otherwise his death had not beene a satisfaction for sinne In that Christ gaue himselfe to be a sacrifice we learne many things First that the worke of redemption exceedes the worke of creation For in the creation Christ gaue the creatures to man in the redemption he gaue himselfe and that as a sacrifice Secondly in that he gaue himselfe it appeares that he gaue neither angel nor meere man nor any thing out of himselfe and that all merits of life and satisfactions for sinne are to be reduced to the person of Christ and consequently that there be no humane satisfactions for sinne nor meritorious workes done by vs because they pertaine not to the person of Christ but to our persons and they were neuer offered of Christ vnto God as merits and satisfactions because he gaue nothing but himselfe and the things which appertained vnto his owne person Thirdly in that Christ giues himselfe we must take and receiue him with hungering hearts Nay he is to suffer violence of vs and the violent are to take him to themselues Lastly in that he giues himselfe to vs we againe must giue our bodies and soules vnto him in way of thankefulnes and dedicate all that we haue or can doe to the good of men The creatures at our tables
teach otherwise then I haue taught you neither I nor they must be beleeued but be accursed Againe put the case that an angell from heauen should come and preach otherwise then Paul preached to the Galatians who must be beleeued Paul or the Angel the answer is not the Angell but Paul and the angel must be accursed And the reason is because Paul in preaching and writing did represent the authoritie of God and God puts his owne authoritie into the word which he vttered and he was assisted by the extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of Gods spirit From this supposition sundrie things may be learned The first that the word preached and written by Paul is as certen as if it had bin written by God himselfe immediately It may be obiected that Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 12. To the remnant I speake not the Lord. I answer Paul saith I not the Lord not because he was deceiued in his aduise for he spake by the spirit of God c. 7. v. 40. but because he gaue counsell in a case of marriage whereof the Lord had made no expresse lawe The meaning then is this I speake by collection from the lawe of God and not the Lord by any particular and expresse lawe Secondly it appeares hence that the articles of faith or the doctrine of the Gospell is in excellencie and authoritie aboue all men and angeis And hence it followes that the Church and Councels cannot authorize the word of God in the minde conscience of any man For the inferiour and dependent authoritie addes nothing to that which is the principall and superior authoritie Therefore the opinion of the Papist is false that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God but by the testimony of the Church as though the letter of a Prince could not be knowne to be so without the testimonie of the subiects The principall authoritie is sufficient in it selfe to authorize it selfe without externall testimonie Thirdly since the daies of the Apostles sundrie doctrines haue bin receiued and beleeued touching intercession of Saints praier to the dead and for the dead Purgatorie and such like and these doctrines haue bin confirmed by sundrie revelations And here we learne what to iudge both of the doctrines and of the reuelations namely that they are accursed because the doctrines are beside the written word and the reuelations tend to ratifie and confirme them Lastly hence we learne what to thinke of the writings of Papists and Schoolemen whereof some are called Seraphicall cherubicall or Angelicall doctors They broch and maintaine sundrie things beside that which the Apostles preached wrote as iustification by workes and a mixture of the lawe and the Gospell they giue too little to grace and too much to mans will In this regard Paul hath giuen the sentence that they are accursed For this cause students of diuinitie are warily to read them with praier that they be not led into temptation and they are to vse them onely in the last place And they are greatly to be blamed that preferre them almost aboue all writers they shewe that they haue little loue of the Gospell in their hearts 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed In these words Paul repeates againe that which he said before and the repetition is not in vaine but for three weightie causes the first is to signifie that he had spoken not rashly but aduisedly whatsoeuer he had said before the second is that the point deliuered is an infallible truth of God the third is to put the Galatians and vs in minde that we are to obserue and remember that which he hath said as the foundation of our religion namely that the doctrine of the Apostles is the onely infallible truth of God against which we may not listen to Fathers Councels or to the very Angels of God If this had bin remembred and obserued the Gospel had continued in his puritie after the daies of the Apostles In this verse one thing is to be obserued Before Paul saide they are accursed which teach otherwise then he had taught here he saith they are accursed which teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued Whereby it appeares that as Paul preached the Gospel of Christ so the Galatians receiued it And they receiued it first in that they had care to know it secondly in that they gaue the assent of faith vnto it as to a truth against which the very Angels could take no exception And for this also are the Thessalonians commended that the Gospel was to them in power and much assurance The great fault of our times is that where as the Gospel is preached it is not accordingly receiued Many haue no care to know it and they which know it giue not vnto it the assent of faith but onely hold it in opinion And this is the cause that there is so small fruit of the Gospel This sinne will at length haue his punishment The places that are not seasoned by the waters of the Sanctuarie are turned to saltpits Ezech. 47. v. 11. 10 For now whether preach I men or God or seeke I to please men for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The interrogations in this place doe I preach and doe I please are in stead of earnest negations I doe not preach I doe not please And when he saith doe I now preach men or God his meaning is this Heretofore I haue preached the Traditions of men but now beeing an Apostle I preach not the doctrine of men but of God And when he saith doe I seeke to please men his meaning is this I doe not make this the scope of my mini sterie to frame and temper my doctrine so as it may be sutable and pleasing to the affections of men For otherwise we are to please men in that which is good and for their good 1. Cor. 10. 33. Rom. 15. 2. This verse containes a double reason of his former speach and of the repitition thereof The first is this Though heretofore I taught the Traditions of men yet now I teach the word not of men but of God and therefore I accurse them that teach otherwise The second is framed thus If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of God but I am the seruant of God therefore I seeke not to please men but if neede shal be I will denounce curses against them Here first we see the proper matter of the Ministerie which is not the word or doctrine of man but of God By this the Ministers of the Gospel are taught to handle their doctrine with modestie and humilitie without ostentation with reuerence and with a consideration of the maiestie of God whose the doctrine is which they vtter that God may be glorified 1. Pet. 4. 11. Secondly the hearers in hearing are to know that they haue to
deale with God and that they are to receiue the doctrine taught not as the word of man but as the very word of God as the Thessalonians did 1. Thess. 2. 13. The want of this consideration is the cause that some contemne the ministerie of the word and others are not touched and mooued in hearing Againe here is set downe the right manner of dispensing the word which must not be for the pleasing of men but of God Hence it appeares that Ministers of the Gospel must not be men-plea 〈…〉 nor applie and fashion their doctrine to the affections humours and dispositions of men but keepe a good conscience and doe their office The Lord tells Ieremie he must not turne to the people but the people must turne to him Ierem. 15. 19. Thus God shal be with them and they shal bring forth much fruit And the people must know it to be a good thing for them not to be pleased alwaies by their Ministers The ministerie of the word must be as a sacrificing knife to kill and mortifie the old Adam in vs that we may liue vnto God A sicke man must not alwaies haue his minde but he must often be crossed and restrained of his desire and so must we that are sicke in our soules in respect of our sinnes It is a fault therefore of men that desire to be pleased to haue matters smoothed ouer of their teachers This is Dauids balme which he wisheth may neuer be wanting to his head Psal. 141. 5. The ende of this verse sets downe a memorable sentence That if we seeke to please men we cannot be the seruants of God Hence I gather that our nature is full of rebellion and enmitie against God because they which please men cannot please God Againe here is set downe what is the hurt that comes by pride and ambition It keepes men that they cannot be the seruants of Christ. Ye beleeue not saith Christ because ye seeke glorie one of another Ioh. 5. 44. Ambition so fills the minde with vanitie and the heart with worldly desires that it cannot thinke or desire to please God Wherefore he that would be a faithfull Minister of the Gospel must denie the pride of his heart and be emptied of ambition and set himselfe wholly to seeke the glorie of God in his calling And generally he that would be a faithfull seruant of Christ must set God before him as a Iudge and consider that he hath to deale with God and he must turne his minde and senses from the world and all things therein to God and seeke aboue all things to approoue his thoughts desires affections and all his doings vnto him Lastly the profession of the seruant of God is here to be obserued in the example of Paul who saith Doe I now preach men and doe I yet please men as if he had said I haue done thus and thus I haue preached the Traditions of man heretofore and I haue pleased man in persequnting the Church of God but I doe not so still neither will I. And he that can say the like with good conscience I haue sinned thus and thus heretofore but now I doe not neither will I sinne as I haue done is indeede the seruant of God v. 11. Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached by me was not after man The meaning is this that it may the better appeare that I haue iustly accursed them which teach any other Gospel and iustly reprooued you for receiuing it I giue you to vnderstand that the Gospel which I preached was not after man that is not deuised by man or preached of me by mans authoritie but it was from God and preached by the authoritie of God And this sense appeares by v. 10 and 12. In these words is laid downe the reason of the conclusion or the assumption of the principall argument which was on this manner If I be called to teach and that immediatly of God and my doctrine be true then ye ought not to haue reuolted from the Gospel which I preached but I was called to teach immediatly of God and my doctrine is true The first part of this assumption is here set downe and handled to the ende of the second chapter and the conclusion as we haue heard was set downe in the premises Hence two maine points of doctrine that are of great consequent may be gathered The first is this It is a thing most necessarie that men should be assured and certified that the doctrine of the Gospel and the Scripture is not of man but of God This is the first thing which Paul stands vpon in this Epistle It may be demanded how this assurance may be obtained I answer thus For the setling of our consciences that Scripture is the word of God there be two testimonies One is the Euidence of Gods spirit imprinted and expressed in the Scriptures and this is an excellencie of the word of God aboue all words and writings of men and Angels and containes 13. points The first is the puritie of the law of Moses whereas the lawes of men haue their imperfections The second i◠that the Scripture setteth downe the true cause of all miserie namely sinne and the perfect remedie namely the death of Christ. The third is the Antiquitie of Scripture in that it fets downe an historie from the beginning of the world The 4. is prophecies of things in sundrie bookes of Scripture which none could possibly foretell but God The 5. is the confirmation of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles by miracles that is works done aboue and contrarie to the strength of nature which none can doe but God The 6. is the consent of all the scripture with themselues whereas the writings of men are often at iarre with themselues The 7. is the confession of enemies as namely of heretickes who in oppugning of scriptures alleadge scriptures and thereby confesse the trueth thereof The 8. is an vnspeakable detestation that Sathan and all wicked men beare to the doctrine of scripture The 9. is the protection and preseruation of it from the beginning to this houre by a speciall prouidence of God The 10. is the constant confession of Martyrs that haue shedde their blood for the Gospell of Christ. The 11. is that fearefull punishments and iudgements haue befallen them that haue oppugned the word of God The 12. is holinesse of them that professe the Gospell The last is the effect and operation of the word for it is an instrument of God in the right vse whereof we receiue the testimonie of the spirit of our adoption and are conuerted vnto God And yet neuerthelesse the word which conuerteth is contrarie to the wicked nature of man The second testimonie is from the Prophets and Apostles who were Embassadours of God extraordinarily to represent his authoritie vnto his Church and the pen-men of the holy Ghost to set downe the true and proper word of God And the Apostles aboue
of loue and of a sound minde Where he sets downe three caueats First that this libertie in reprouing is not the fruite of a bold and rash disposition but it is a fruit of Gods spirit and so to be acknowledged Read Mich. 3. 8. The secoÌ„d that the vse of this libertie is to be ordered by a sound mind whereby we are able to giue a good ac count of our reproofes both for the matter and manner of them The third is that all our admonitions must be seasoned and tempered with loue that they tend to the good and saluation of them that are reproued These caueats obserued libertie in reproouing shall neuer want his blessing Isai. 50. 7. Thirdly here is an example in Paul of an ingenious ho nest minde When he sees Peter doe amisse he reprooues him to his face Contrarie to this is the common practise in backbiting whispering tale-bearing whereby it comes to passe that when a man is in fault euery man knowes it saue he which is in fault This vice the lawe of God expressely forbids Leu. 19. 16. And it is the propertie of a good man not to take vp a false reporte Psal. 15. And Dauid reproues Soul because he did but lend the eare to tale bearers saying wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens wordes that say behould Dauid seeketh euill against thee 1. Sam. 24. 10. In Peter who when he was reproued made no reply we see an example of patience and humiltie whereby he humbled himselfe before the reprouer when he was conuicted of an offence The like was in Dauid when he said let the righteous smite mee Psal. 141. v. 5. Where as Paul saith that Peter was to be blamed or condemned not in respect of his person but of his example we see that excellent men euen the cheefe Apostles are subiect to erre and be deceiued It may be said howe then may we trust them in their writings I answer while they were in deliuering any thing to the Church whether it were by sermon or wri ting they were guided by the infallible assistance of the spirit and could not erre Otherwise they might erre when they were out of this worke in mind will affection or action Thus Ionas when he saw that Niniue was not destroyed was impotent in his anger Nathan was deceiued in giuing aduise to Dauid touching the building of the temple 2 Sam. 7. The Apostles at the ascension of Christ still dreamed of an earthly kingdome saying When wilt thou restore the kingdome to Israel Act. 1. And Peter beeing bidden to arise and eate of things forbidden by the ceremonial law said Not so Lord Act. 10. 1. 4. Thus then if Peter was subiect to errour the pretended successours of Peter namely the bishops of Rome cannot be free from errour It is alleadged that Peter erred in life and not in doctrine I answer it was so indeed yet did his bad example tend to the ruine of doctrine if it had not bin preuented Therefore the errour that was in acte if we respect the euent was in doctrine Againe I answer that an errour in action presupposeth an errour in minde or at the least some ignorance because the minde is the beginning of the thing done Thus all sinners are called ignorant persons Hebr. 5. 2. And it seemes that the errour of Peter was that of two euils it was the best to choose the lesse that is to choose rather to offend the Gentiles then the Iewes to whome he was an Apostle specially appointed Here againe we miserable wrethes are taught to watch and pray that God would not lead vs into temptation considering most excellent men are subiect to falling And men must be warned not to abuse Peters example in boulstering themselues in their naughtie waies by saying we are all sinners that the best man aliue is a sinner that the iust man falles seuen times a day For the place in the Prouerbs 14. 16. is spoken of affliction and not of sinne the iust man falls seuen times that is he falles into manifould perills And further we should not only consider the faults of iust men but also their conuersion and repentance And againe to sinne and to commit sinne are two diuers things Though the godly sinne yet doe they not keepe a course in sinning and goe on from sinne to sinne v. 12. For before certen came from Iames he ate with the gentiles but when they were come he withdrew himselfe fearing them that were of the circumcision 13. And other Iewes dissembled likewise with him in so much that Barnabas was brought into their dissimulation also The Apostle hath propounded his second answer in the former verse now he proceedes to make a declaration of it And first he sets downe the cause why Peter was reproued and the manner of reprofe The cause is the 12 and 13. verses namely Peters sinne And this sinne is set forth by foure things By the name of the sinne the matter of the sinne the cause of the sinne the effects of the sinne The name of the sinne is noted when Paul saith And other Iewes dissembled likewise with him v. 13. where I gather that Peters sinne was Simulation Simulation of it selfe is a thing indifferent and according to circumstances is either good or euill Lawfull simulation is when men conceit that which they may lawfully conceit and signifie something either by word or deede that is onely beside the truth and not contrarie to it This was the Simulation of Ioseph who carried himselfe as a stranger to his brethren in Egypt after he had examined them and knew who they were Gen. 42. This was the Simulation of Christ who when he was come to Emaus made as though he would haue gone further Luk. 24. 28. Thus Paul among the Iewes plaid the Iewe 1. Cor. 9. 20. Vnlawfull Simulation is that when something is signified or fained against the truth or to the preiudice of any Of this kind was the simulation of Peter which tended to the preiudice of the Gospel and to the offence of the Gentiles The second point is the matter of the sinne or the sinne it selfe which was on this manner First among the Gentiles at Antioch he vseth Christian libertie in eating things forbidden by the ceremoniall law yet after the comming of certen Iewes from Ierusâ—lem he seperates himselfe from the Gentiles and plaies the Iewe among the Iewes Like to this was the halting of the Israelites betweene God and Baal 1. King 18. 21. and the practise of sundrie men who are Protestants with vs and yet in other countries goe to Masse and the practise of our people who change their religion with the times Here we see the great weaknesse of Peter in that vpon a very little occasion and that presently falls away from his profession to his old course In him we may behold our owne weakenesse and consider what we are like to doe in like case We nowe professe the Gospell of Christ yet if
any occasion were offeâ—ed it is to be feared that many of vs would be easily mooued to returne to our old prophanenesse and to the superstition of poperie But for the staying and the better establishing of our mindes let vs alwaies remember that they shall perish who withdraw themselues from their faith profession and obedience which they owe vnto God Heb. 10. 38. Psal. 73. 27. Againe here it must be obserued that Paul in describing the sinne expresseth two actions his eating with the Gentiles and his seperation from them the first good and the latter euill The beginning of his action was good but the end of it was naught The reason is this the man regenerate is partly flesh and partly spirit and hereupon it is that when we will that which is good we cannot accomplish it and euill is present with vs. The child of God is like a lame man that goes the right way but yet halts at euery step AbrahaÌ„ Sara desire ishue that is from the spirit but they desire ishue by Agar their handmaid that is from the flesh Rebecca seekes the blessing for Iacob that is a worke of the spirit but shee seekes it by lying that is from the flesh Peter eates with the Gentiles that is from Christian libertie he after seperates himselfe that is from corruption Thus we see that the best workes are imperfect mixed with corruption and that for the best workes we must humble our selues and seeke pardon not in respect of the goodnesse of the worke but in respect of the defect thereof It may be demanded how the acte of Peter should be a sin considering he did onely abstaine from certaine meates that he might auoide the offence of certen Iewes Answer The fact of Peter considered by it selfe is not a sinne for Paul did the like in playing the Iewe but the circumstances make it a sinne For first of all Peter doth not onely abstaine from meates forbidden by the ceremoniall lawe but also he withdrawes himselfe from the companie of the Gentiles and keepes company apart with the Iewes Secondly he abstaines not among the Iewes at Ierusalem but at â—nâ—â—â—ch among the Gentiles where a little before he had openly done the contrarie in vsing his Christian libertie Thirdly he vsed this abstinence when certen Iewes câ—m from Ierusalem to search out the libertie of the Gentiles Fourthly while Peter seekes to auoid the small offence of some Iewes he incurres a greater offence of all the Gentiles Lastly this acte of Peter did tend to the ouerthrowing of Pauls Ministerie and the suppressing of the truth of the Gospel Thus then the act of Peter becomes vnlawfull that was otherwise lawefull beeing simply considered by it selfe Here it may be demanded what Peter should haue done Ans. He shoul haue openly withstood the Iewes that came from Ierusalem as Paul withstood them that vrged the circumcision of Titus Or againe before he had plaid the Iew he should haue aduertised the Gentiles that for a time he was to yeeld to the infirmitie of some Iewes In Peters example we are taught that we must not offend God though all the world be offended Lesse offences must giue place when the great offence is at hand that is when god is dishonoured and the very least part of his trueth is suppressed The third point to be conâ—idered is the cause of the sinne of Peter and that was the feare of the offence of the Iewes Here two questions are to be handled The first how Peters feare should be a sinne Ans. There is a naturall feare created by God and placed in the heart of man This feare of it selfe is good Neuerthelesse by the corruption of nature it becomes euill And it is made euill two waies One is when men feare without cause as when the disciples feare Christ walking vpon the sea and feare drowning when Christ was in the ship with theÌ„ The other is wheÌ„ there is no measure in feare As wheÌ„ men so feare the creature that they neglect their dutie to God This was Peters feare and it was a sinne in him For God is to be feared simply because he is Lord of bodie and soule and can destroy both and he is to be feared for himselfe whereas euery creature is to be feared in part onely and for God Rom. 13. 3. 4. By this we are taught daily to inure our selues in our hearts to feare God aboue all things The second question is how Peter could haue the feare of God considering he feared men more then God at the least in this one action Ans. There are three kinds of feare One is without all sinne this was in Adam and in Christ. The second is altogether sinnefull in the wicked and vngodly because it is seuered from faith and obedience as when there is a feare of men without the feare of God The third is a mixed feare in them that are regenerate in whome the feare of God is ioyned with the corrupt feare of man And in this mixture otherwhiles the one preuailes otherwhiles the other And this feare was in Peter in whome at this time the carnall feare of man preuailed against the true feare of God Paul notes feare to be the cause of Peters sinne that he may thereby signifie vnto vs what kind of sinne it was namely a sinne not of malice but of infirmitie A sinne of infirmitie is when there is a purpose in the heart not to sinne and yet for all this the sinne is committed by reason the will is ouercarried by temptation or by violence of affection as by feare anger lust Thus Peter sinned And let it be remembred that to sinne of infirmitie iâ— properly incident to such as be regenerate as Peter was Euery wicked man makes his sinne his infirmitie fornication is the infirmitie of the â—ornicatour drunkennes the infirmitie of the drunkard c. but it is false which they say For they sinne with all their hearts when they sinne The fourth and last point is the Effect of Peters sinne in drawing the Iewes and Barnabas to the like dissimulation Here we see the contagion of euill example And hence we learne that Minisâ—ers of the word must of necessitie ioyne with good doctrine the Example of good life For first of all it is the expâ—esâ—e commandement of God 1. Pet. 5. 3. Be patternes of the flocke 1. Tim. 4. 12. Be an ensample in word conuersion loue spirit faith puritie Phil. 4. 8. What ye haue seene in me that doe Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works SecoÌ„dly practise in the Minister is a part of his teaching For the multitude doe not maâ—ke so much what men say as what men doe Herod did many things not because Iohn the Baptist was a good Minister but because he was a good man Mark 6. 20. Thirdly Ministers haue not the presence protection of God vnlesse their liues be vertuous and godly If thou turne thou shalt
stand before me Ierem. 15. 19. God reueales his secrets to the Prophets his seruants Amos 3. 7. Lastly fearefull iudgements of God belong to Ministers of wicked liues Destruction befalls the sonnes of Eli and their families because they by leud example made the people of God to sinne 1. Sam. 2. 24. The like befell the sonnes of Aaron for their presumption Againe all superiours are warned to goe before their inferiours by good example When Moses went into Egypt to be the guide of the Israelites the Lord would haue destroied him by reason of the bad example in his owne familie namely the vncircumcision of his child Dauid for his euill exāple whereby he caused the enemies of God to blaspheme is punished and that after his repentance that men might see in him an example of Gods iudgement against sinne 2. Sam. 12. 14. Here againe we see that the consent of many together is not a note of truth Peter Barnabas and the Iewes all together are deceiued and Paul alone hath the truth Panormitane saith that a laie-man bringing Scripture is to be preferred before a whole Councell Paphnutius alone had the truth and the whole Councell of Nice inclined to errour 14 But when I saw that they went not with a right foote to the truth of the Gospel I said to Peter before all men If thou beeing a Iew liuest as the Gentiles and not like the Iewes why constrainest thou the Gentiles to doe like the Iewes In these words Paul sets downe the reproofe of Peter and the whole manner of it In it many points are to be considered The first is the time of this reproofe and that was so soone as Paul saw the offence of Peter Here we learne that we must resist and cut off the first beginnings of temptation of sinne and of superstition because we are prone to cuill and therefore if it once set footing in vs it will take place The second point is the foundation of the reproofe in these wordes when I saw and that is a certen knowledge of Peters offence Here we are to take notice of the common fault and that is that we vse to censure and condemne men specially publike persons vpon suspitions and coniectures and heare-say Whereas we should not open our mouthes to reprooue till we haue certen knowledge of the fault Moreouer publike persons as Magistrates and Ministers haue their priuiledge that an accusation is not to be receiued against them without there be a proofe by two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. 20. The third point is the fault reprooued which is here expressed by an other name not to walke with a right foote to the truth of the Gospel that is not to conuerse with men and to carrie himselfe so as he may be sutable to the sinceritie of the Gospel both in word and deede Here is a notable dutie set downe for all men To walke with an euen foote according to the truth of the Gospel and this is done when in word and deede and euery way we ascribe all the good we haue or can doe to grace to mercie and to Christ when againe in word and deede and euery way we giue all thanks to God for grace and mercie by Christ. Here two sorts of men are to be condemned as haulters in respect of the truth of the Gospel The first are Papists who ioyne Christ and workes in the cause of our iustification and saluation The second are carnall Protestants and all other sorts of men that professe the name of Christ and withall challenge to themselues a libertie to liue as they list For they walke contrarie to the Gospel disioyning iustification and sanctification faith and good life remission of sinne and mortification This is the rife and common sinne of our daies We are light in the Lord but we walke not as children of light We are content to come to the marriage of the kings sonne but we come not with the marriage garment It is to be feared this very sinne will banish the Gospel and bring all the iudgements of God vpon vs. Let vs therefore repent of our vneuen and haulting liues and preuent the Lords anger by walking worthie the Gospel of Christ. It will besaid how must we performe this dutie Ans. Two rules must be remembred The first is that we must haue and carrie in vs a right heart For the want of this was Simon Magus condemned Act. 8. 21. A right heart is an humble and an honest heart The humble heart is when in the estimation of our owne hearts we abase our selues vnder all creatures vpon earth and that for our offences when againe in the affection of our hearts we exalt the death and blood of Christ aboue all riches aboue all honours aboue all pleasures aboue all ioyes and aboue all that heart can thinke or tongue can speake The honest heart is when we carrie and cherish in our hearts the setled purpose of not sinning so as if we sinne at any time we may in the testimonie of a good conscience say that we sinned against our purpose The second rule is that we must make straight steppes to our feete Hebr. 12. 13. And that is done when we endeauour to obey God according to all his commandements Psal. 119. 6. and also according to all the powers of the inward man that is not onely in action but also in will affection and thought Let vs also applie our hearts to the doing of this least if we come to the marriage of the kings sonne without the garment of a right heart and life we heare the sentence Binde them hand and foote and cast them into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The fourth point is the place of reproofe before all men for they that sinne openly to the offence of many are openly to be reprooued 1. Tim. 5. 20. The fifth point is concerning the reasons which Paul vseth for the restraining of the sinne of Peter The first is set downe in the 16. verse If thou beeing a Iew c. Here the meaning of some words are to be opened To Iudaise or to liue as a Iew is to obserue and that necessarily a difference of meates and times according to the ceremoniall law of Moses To Gentilize or to liue as a Gentile is to vse meats and drinks and times freely without difference Peter is said to compell the Gentiles to Iudaise not by teaching of any doctrine for the Apostles neuer erred in teaching and deliuering any thing to the church of God this is a principle therefore he constrained them by the authoritie of his example whereby he caused them to thinke that the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law was necessarie The first reason then is framed thus If thou beeing a Iew vsest to liue as the Gentiles thou maist not by thy example compell the Gentiles to Iudaize in the necessarie obseruation of ceremonies but thou beeing a Iew vsest to liue as the Gentiles
terrifieth and condemneth vs and therby it occasioneth or vrgeth vs to flie vnto Christ who is the cause that we die vnto the law As the needle goes before and drawes in the third which sowes the cloth so the law goes before and makes a way that grace may follow after and take place in the heart Thus must this place be vnderstood and all other places that speake of the law in this manner as Rom. 7. 8. c. The third point is touching the ende of our death to the law and that is that we may liue to God It may be demanded what life this is whereby we liue to God Ans. There is a naturall and a spirituall life Naturall life is that which we receiue from Adam by generation and it is the function of naturall faculties in liuing moouing vse of senses and reason Spirituall life is that which we receiue from Christ by regeneration and it is the action motion or operation of the spirit in vs. This life is called by Paul the life of God Eph. 4. 18. And this is the life which he speakes of in this place And it is described by many things First by the ende and vse of it For it serues to make vs to liue to God that is to the honour and glorie of God And we liue to God by liuing wisely godly iustly Tit. 3. 12. Wisely in respect of our selues godly in respect of God iustly in respect of men That we may liue wisely we must obserue two rules The first we must labour with all diligence and with all speede that we may be worthie to stand before the sonne of man at his comming And therefore we must labour to be in Christ hauing true faith and good conscience Eph. 5. 15. Luk. 21. 36. Consider also the example of Paul Act. 24. 16. It is true wisdome to be wise for our soules and for euerlasting happines and it was the follie of the foolish virgins that they did not surnish themselues with the oyle of grace in time conuenient The second rule we must in this world come as neere heauen and the happines of life euerlasting as may be Psal. 3. 14. And for this cause we must ioyne our selues to the assemblies where the word is preached praier made and sacraments administred for there is the gate of heauen Consider the practise of Moses Heb. 11. 25 26. and of Dauid Psal. 84. 10. Againe beeing absent from heauen both in bodie and soule yet we must haue our conuersation there by the cogitation of our mindes and by the affections of our hearts Phil. 3. 21. That we may liue godlily seuen rules must be remembred The first we must bring our selues into the presence of the inuisible God yea we must set our thoughts wills affections and all we doe in his sight and presence and we must euermore remēber whatsoeuer we doe that we haue to deale with God himselfe In this regard Enoch is said to walke with God Gen. 5. 24. Abraham and Isaac before God Gen. 17. 1. and 48. 15. and Dauid Psal. 116. 9. and 139. all and Cornelius Act. 10. 33. and Paul 2. Cor. 7. 17. The second we must take knowledge of the will of God in all things whether it be reuealed in the word or by any euent It is not enough to know Gods will but when time and place serues we must acknowledge it Rom. 12. 2. Col. 1. 10. The third we must bring our selues in subiection to the knowne will of God and captiuate all our senses vnto it and suffer God to set vp his kingdome in vs. Rom. 12. 1. The fourth when we haue offended God we must instantly humble our selues before his maiestie confessing our offences and making instant deprecation for mercie Thus did Ezra chap. 9. and Daniel chap. 9. and Dauid Psal. 32. 3. The fifth in all our miseries and aduersities we must be silent in our hearts by quieting our wills in the good will of God Psal. 4. 4. Examine your selues and be still Psal. 37. 7. be silent to Iehoua Consider the example of Aaron Leuit. 10. 3. of Dauid Psal. 39. 9. of the Iewes Act. 11. 18. The sixth in all things we doe or suffer we must depend on the goodnes prouidence and mercie of God for the successe of our labours and for ease or deliuerance out of miserie This is to liue by faith and as Peter saith 1. Pet. 3. 17. to sanctifie God in our hearts The last in all things we must giue praise and thankes to God and that for our miseries and afflictions Iob 1. 22. for in them God mingles his iustice with mercie whereas he might vtterly condemne vs. That we may liue iustly in respect of men two rules must be obserued The first we must make God in Christ our treasure and our portion and his fauour and blessing our riches Then shall not the vile sinnes of auarice and ambition beare sway in vs and then shall we learne with Paul to be content in any estate Phil. 4. 11. because howsoeuer the world go we haue our portion and treasure The second we must loue God in louing of man and serue him in doing seruice to men by the offices and duties of our callings They which labour in their callings for this end to get riches honours and to set vp themselues in this world prophane their callings and practise iniustice For not selfe loue but loue to God in duties of loue to men must beare sway in all our actions Thus we see what it is to liue to God Now we are all to be exhorted to order our liues in this manner For first of all we are Gods and therefore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and soules 2. Cor. 6. 20. Secondly the end of our iustification and redemption is that we may liue to God And it is great wickednes to peruert the order of God by liuing to our selues and the iusts of our hearts Thirdly there be three degrees of life one is in this life a spirituall and a renewed life the second in death when the bodie goes to the earth and the soule to heauen the third in the last iudgement when bodie and soule reunited enter into the presence of God Therefore that we may be saued we must liue vnto God in this life for we can neuer come to the second degree of life but by the first And we must not imagine that we can steppe immediatly out of a leud and wicked life into euerlasting happines in heauen Lastly the grace of God in the ministerie of the Gospel hath appeared and long taught vs and called vpon vs to liue vnto God Therefore vnlesse we be ashamed and confounded for our sinnes and beginne with all speede to liue vnto God it will be worse with vs then with Sodom and Gomorrha and many other nations 20 I am crucified with Christ Thus I liue yet not I any more but Christ liues in me And in that I now liue in the
therefore to liue in the flesh is to liue a naturall life by eating drinking sleeping Further Paul saith that liuing in the flesh he liued by faith and for the better conceiuing of this two questions may be demanded The first is Why a beleeuer is said to liue by faith Ans. There be two causes First faith is an Instrument to vnite vs to Christ and by meanes of this vnion we receiue life from Christ for Christ dwells in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. Secondly faith is a Guide to order and gouerne temporall life in all good manner according to the will of God And this faith doth by a diuine kind of reasoning framed in the mind whereby it vrgeth and perswadeth to good duties Rom. 6. 11. The second question is How men liue by faith Ans. The child of God liues a double life in this world a spirituall and a temporall The spirituall stands specially in three things Reconciliation with God renouation of life and good workes Now in our Reconciliation with God we liue in this world onely by faith For we haue and enioy pardon of sinnes imputation of iustice and acception to life eternall onely by meanes of our faith Rom. 4. 4. 5. 1. Againe in the renouation and change of our liues we liue by faith For our faith in Christ purifieth our hearts Act. 15. 9. partly by deriuing holines and puritie from Christ vnto vs who is our sanctification and partly by moouing and perswading of vs to holines and newnes of life 1. Ioh. 3. 3. Lastly in the doing of euery good worke we must liue by our faith For first there must be a generall faith that the worke in his kind pleaseth God Rom. 14. 25. Secondly iustifying faith must giue a beginning to the worke I beleeued therefore I spake Psal. 116. 12. Thirdly after the worke is done faith must couer the defects thereof that it may be acceptable to God Heb. 11. 5. Temporall life stands in cares or miseries and miseries are outward afflictions or inward temptations And in all our worldly cares we are to liue by faith For our care must be to doe our office and the labour of our calling with all diligence This beeing done we must there make a pause and for the successe of all our praiers and labours we must cast our care on God 1. Pet. 5. 7. Likewise in our afflictions we are to liue by faith For our faith is to assure vs that God according to his promise will giue a good issue 1. Cor. 10. 12. And though all temporall things faile vs it makes vs retaine the hope of mercie and of eternall life Thirdly it makes vs waite Gods leisure for our deliuerance Isa. 16. 28. Lastly in our Temptations we are not to liue by feeling but by faith yea against feeling to rest on the bare promise of God when we feele and apprehend nothing but the wrath of God And thus we see how the beleeuer liues by his faith in this world It may be said What is the faith we liue by Answer is here made It is the faith of the sonne of God And sauing faith is so called because Christ is not onely the Author of it and the obiect or matter of it but also the Reuealer of it For there was a certaine faith in God which was put into the heart of man in the creation which also the morall law requireth but this faith in the Messias was not knowne till after the fall and then it was reuealed to the world by the sonne of God Againe it may be saide What is this faith of the Sonne of God Answer is here made A faith whereby I beleeue that Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me These words then thus explaned are an answer to an obiection which may be framed thus Why shouldest thou say that thou liuest not but that Christ liueth in thee considering thou liuest in the flesh as other men doe Answer is made Though I liue in the flesh yet I liue by the faith of the sonne of God The vse Here first of all they are to be blamed that liue by sense like beasts beleeuing no more then they see and trusting God no further then they see him For if a man whome we see and know make a promise to vs we are comforted yet if God who is inuisible make in his word farre better promises as he doth we are not in like sort comforted Againe we put too much confidence in meanes If we haue good callings house land liuing we can then trust in God but when meanes of comfort faile we are confounded in our selues as if there were no God We are like the vsurer who will not trust the man but his pawne euen so we trust not God vpon his bare word without a pawne If he come to vs with a full hand and with the pawne of his good gifts and blessings we trust him els not Againe they are to be blamed that liue onely by the guidance of reason For many dispute thus I deale truly and iustly with all men and liue peaceably with my neighbours therefore God will haue me excused But there must be a better guide to euerlasting life namely faith in Christ els shall we misse of our marke Thirdly they deceiue themselues that thinke they may liue as they list and call vpon God when they are dying and so die by faith It is well if they can die by faith but that they may so die they must liue by faith Lastly they are to be blamed that spend their daies in worldly cares so as no good thing can take place This is the life of infidels And where true faith raignes it cuts off the multitude of cares and makes vs cast them on God Moreouer here we see what we are to doe in perilous times as in the time of plague famine sword when present death is before our eyes we must then liue by faith When Noeh heard of the flood he prepared such meanes as faith would affoard for the sauing of himselfe and his familie Abraham Isaac Iacob by faith liued as pilgrimes in a strange land and were content Moses left Pharaos court and feared not the wrath of the king because by faith he saw him that was inuisible Hebr. 11. 27. Dauid in the feare of present death comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1. Sam. 30. 6. When Iehosaphat knew not what in the world to doe he lift vp the eyes of his faith to the Lord. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Christ in his agonie and passion of the crosse by faith commended his soule into the hands of his father Of the Saints of the New Testament some were racked some were stoned to death and that by faith Heb. 11. 36. We must therefore all of vs learne to liue by faith and for this cause we must acquaint our selues with the word and promises of God and mingle them with our faith els shall the life of a man in
the world be worse then the life of a beast Againe in these words who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me the nature and propertie of iustifying faith is set down which is to Applie the loue of God and the merit of the passion of Christ vnto our selues And therefore the Papists are deceiued who say that hope applieth and not faith It may be alleadged that Paul speakes these words priuately of himselfe Ans. He speakes them in the name of all beleeuers Iewes and Gentiles For as we may see in the former verses that which concerned Peter and the rest of Christian Iewes he applies to himselfe least his speech should seeme odious Againe it may be obiected that all beleeuers cannot say thus Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Ans. If the minde be fixed on Christ and there be also a will and indeauour to beleeue and apprehend Christ there is faith indeede For God accepts the true and earnest will to beleeue for faith We are not saued for the perfection of our faith but for the perfection of the obedience of Christ which faith apprehendeth The Israelites which looked vpon the brasen serpent with one eye or with a squint-eye with halfe an eye or dimme sight were healed not for the goodnes of their sight but for the promise of God The poore in spirit are blessed Now they are poore in spirit who finde themselues emptie of all goodnes emptie of true faith full of vnbeleefe and vnfainedly desire to beleeue So then if we greeue because we cannot beleeue as we should and earnestly desire to beleeue God accepts vs for beleeuers Againe in these words who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me S. Paul sets downe the reason or argument which faith vseth in the minde regenerate to mooue men to liue to God And the reason is framed thus Christ loueth thee and hath giuen himselfe for thee therefore see thou liue to God Read the like Rom. 12. 1. and 2. 4. and Psal. 116. 12. By this we are to take occasion to consider and to bewaile the hardnes of our hearts who doe not relent from our euill waies and turne vnto God vpon the consideration of his loue in Christ. The waters of the Sanctuarie haue long flowed vnto vs but they haue not sweetned vs and made vs sauerie therefore it is to be feared least our habitations be at length turned to places of nettles and saltpits Eze. 7. 11. 21 I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died without cause The meaning Grace in Scriptures signifieth two things the free fauour of God and the gifts of God in vs. And where the holy Ghost intreates of iustification grace in the first sense signifies the good will and fauour of God pardoning sinnes and accepting vs to life euerlasting for the merit of Christ. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Eph. 2. 8. And in this sense is the word vsed in this place And when Paul saith I doe not abrogate the grace of God his meaning is I doe not make void or frustrate the grace of God in respect of my selfe or in respect of other beleeuers by teaching the iustification of a sinner by saith alone He addes If righteousnes be by the law that is if a sinner be iustified by his owne obedience in performing the law then Christ died without cause The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely translated without cause hath a double signification One is when it signifies as much as without price or merit Math. 10. 8. Ye haue receiued freely giue freely The second is when it signifies rashly without iust or sufficient cause as Psal. 69. 4. Mine enemies hate me freely as the Seuentie translate that is wrongfully or without iust cause Thus here is Christ said to die freely that is in vaine or without cause because if we be iustified by obedience to the law then Christ died in vaine to make any satisfaction to the law for vs. These words are an answer to an obiection The obiection is this If thou teach that a sinner is iustified onely by his faith in Christ then thou abolishest the grace of God The answer is negatiue I doe not by this doctrine abrogate the grace of God And there is a reason also of this answer If we be iustified by our owne fulfilling of the law then Christ died in vaine to fulfill the law for vs. The vse First let vs marke that Paul saith he doth not abrogate the grace of God and why because he will suffer nothing in the cause of our iustification to be ioyned with the obedience of the death of Christ. And hence we learne what is the nature of grace It must stand wholly and intirely in it selfe Gods grace cannot stand with mans merit Grace is no grace vnlesse it be freely giuen euery way Rom. 4. 4. To him that worketh the wages is giuen not of grace but of desert Rom. 11. 6. If election be of grace then not of workes els is grace no grace Grace and works of grace in the causing of iustification can no more stand together then fire and water By this we are admonished to be nothing in our selues and to ascribe all that we are or can doe to the grace of God Againe here we see our dutie and that is to be carefull not to abrogate the grace of God vnto our selues But how is that done Ans. We must strippe and emptie our selues of all righteousnesse and goodnesse of our owne euen to the death and withall hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnes Math. 5. 6. Luk. 1. 35. Thirdly Paul here sets downe a notable ground of true religion That the death of Christ is made voide if any thing be ioyned with it in the worke of our iustification as a meanes to satisfie Gods iustice and to merit the fauour of God Therefore the doctrine of iustification by workes is a manifest errour For if we be iustified by the workes of the law then the iudgement of the holy Ghost is that Christ died without cause Againe the doctrine of humane satisfactions is a deuice of mans braine For if we satisfie for our selues then did Christ by death satisfie in vaine Thirdly it is a false and wicked though a colourable inuention to say that Christ by his death merited that we should merit by our workes For if we merit by workes Christ died in vaine to merit by his owne death This is the sentence of God who cannot erre Lastly here we see the Church of Rome erreth in the foundation of true religion because it ioyneth the merit of mans workes and the merit of the death of Christ in the iustification of a sinner And therefore we may not so much as dreame of any reconciliation to be made with that religion for light and darknes cannot be reconciled nor fire and water Here the Papists answer that Paul in this text speakes against them that looked to be iustified by
pray for this gift at Gods hand For power to suffer is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. and we must obserue the commandement of God not to feare the terrours of men Reu. 2. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 14. And for this cause we must as Peter saith sanctifie God in our hearts beeing assured by our faith of the presence protection and prouidence of God When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things he shewes that we must endure manifold miseries in this life Iacob said to Pharao his daies were few and euill Many are the afflictions of the righteous Psal. 34. 20. Christ saith Take vp thy crosse euery day Luk. 9. 23. and thereby he signifies that euery new day that comes ouer our heads we must looke for a new crosse And for this cause it is not enough to be patient for a fit but we must shew all patience and long suffering and that with ioyfulnes Col. 1. 11. When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine he signifies that our sufferings are of great vse vnlesse our sinnes be the hindrance It may then be demanded what is the vse of our sufferings The Papists answer that in our baptisme or first conuersion Christ sufferings doe all abolish the whole fault and punishment but if we sinne after our conuersion then they say Christs sufferings abolish the fault and the eternall punishment and our owne sufferings abolish the temporall punishment But this doctrine leslens and obscures the mercie of God and it must be obserued that Paul holds all their sufferings to be in vaine that seeke remission of sinnes or iustification in any thing out of Christ. Now we for our parts make fiue other vses of our sufferings First they serue for triall of men that it may appeare what is hidden in their hearts Deut. 8. 2. Secondly they serue for the correction of things amisse in vs. 1. Cor. 11. 23. Thirdly they serue as documents and warnings to others specially in publike persons thus Dauid suffers many things after repentance for his murther and adulterie Fourthly they are markes of adoption if we be content to obey God in them Heb. 12. 7. Lastly they are the troaden and beaten way to the kingdom of heauen Act. 14. 23. When Paul saith If they be in vaine we are to obserue his moderation He reprooues and terrifies the Galatians yet so as he is carefull to preserue the hope of mercie in them and the hope of their amendment in himselfe The like hath bin the practise of the Prophets Ionas preacheth yet fourtie daies and Niniuie shall be destroied but withall he addes It may be the Lord will repent and turne from his fierce wrath Ion. 3. 9. Peter saith to Simon Magus Thou art in the gall of bitternes but withall he addes Pray God that the thought of thy heart may be forgiuen thee Act. 8. 21. See the like Ioel 2. 14. and Amos 5. 15. And thus are Ministers of the Gospel to delay and qualifie their reproofes and censures 5 He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith These words are a repetition of the second verse whence the exposition must be fetched The words and worketh miracles among you are added and they carrie this meaning That God gaue to the Galatians not onely the spirit of adoption but also other extraordinarie gifts of the spirit as to speake with strange tongues to cure diseases and such like Repetitions in Scripture are not idle but of great vse and signifie vnto vs the necessitie of the thing repeated and the infallible certentie of it The substance therefore of this verse must carefully be remembred and that is this Ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and of God The argument is of great vse For by it we come to an infallible assurance of the Certentie of the Scriptures and of true religion deriued thence The Galatians are now reuolted from Pauls doctrine and they erre in the foundation and yet Paul saith in the time present He that ministreth the spirit vnto you Hence it appeares that falls of infirmitie in the child of God doe not vtterly extinguish the spirit but onely grieue or make sadde the spirit Againe Paul here teacheth that God is the onely and proper author of miracles For he that ministreth the spirit worketh miracles namely God A miracle is a worke aboue the strength of natureâ— therefore it can be effected of none but the author of nature It may be obiected the Apostles Prophets and others had a gift to worke miracles Iosua commanded the sunne to stand Ios. 10. 12. and Elias commanded fire to come downe from heauen 2. king 1. Ans. God neuer gaue to any man power to worke and effect a miracle either mediately or immediately The gift was the faith of miracles The faith was grounded vpon reuelation and the reuelation was that God himselfe would worke such or such a miracle when they praied commanded or imposed hands Men therefore properly are but the mouth of God and messengers to signifie what he will doe Againe it may be obiected that the deuill can worke miracles Ans. He can worke a wonder or things extraordinarie in respect of the ordinarie course of nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen and he caused vlcers to arise in the bodie of Iob and that true vlcers And this he did by the force of nature better knowne to him then all the world But as for a true miracle that exceedes the strength of nature he cannot possibly doe it no not Christ himselfe as man though he be exalted aboue all men and angels By this we see that they are deceiued who thinke that the deuill can make raine thunder and lightning Indeede when the matter of raine and thunder is prepared by God he can hasten it and make it more terrible but raine and thunder he cannot make for that is indeede as much as any miracle Againe it is a falsehood to thinke that Alchimists are able to turne baser mettals into gold For it is a worke of creation to turne a creature of one kind into a creature of an other kind It is also as foolish to imagine that witches by the power of the deuill are able to turne themselues into catts and other creatures None can doe this but God that made the creature Here againe we see the vse of miracles that is to confirme doctrine in the Apostolike Churches That their vse is further to confirme doctrine euen at this day it cannot be prooued Lastly here in the Galatians we see what an easie thing it is to fall from God from our faith and allegiance to him They were taught by Paul they had receiued the spirit of adoption they were enabled to worke miracles and yet for all this they fall away to an other Gospel They must be a looking glasse to vs. In peace we
written in tables of stone is the law the same law of Moses written in the hearts of men by the holy Ghost is the Gospel But I say againe that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And this ouersight in mistaking the distinction of the Law and the Gospel is and hath bin the ruine of the gospel We must here further obserue that beleeuing and doing are opposed in the article of our iustification In our good conuersation they agree faith goes before and doing followes but in the worke of our iustification they are as fire and water Hence I gather that to the iustification of a sinner there is required a speciall and an applying faith for generall faith is numbred among the works of the law and the deuills haue it This kind of beleeuing therefore and doing are not opposite Againe hence I gather that works of faith and grace are quite excluded from iustification because the opposition doth not stand betweene beleeuing and the works of nature but simply betweene beleeuing and doing Lastly it may be demaunded why the Lord saith He that doth the things of the law shall liue considering no man since the fall can doe the things of the law Ans. The Lord since mans fall repeates the law in his old tenour not to mocke men but for other waightie causes The first is to teach vs that the law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature The second is to aduertise vs of our weaknes and to shew vs what we cannot doe The third is to put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curfe for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Paul hauing prooued the truth of his doctrine by sundrie arguments in the former part of this chapter he here answereth an obiection the occasion whereof is from the 10. verse It may be framed on this manner If they be accused that continue not in all things written in the law to doe them then all men are accursed and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham as you haue said Answer is here made that to them that beleeue there is full redemption from the curse of the law And Paul for the better inlightning of his answer here makes a description of our redemption by foure arguments The first is the author Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law The second is the forme or manner of our Redemption in these words When he was made a curse for vs. And this forme is further declared by the signe in these words for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree The third argument is in the end in these words that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles The last is also an other ende that we might receiue the promise of the spirit Touching the Author in these words Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law sundrie things may be learned First of all comparing these words with the 10. verse or comparing the answer and the obiection together we see and are to obserue that the threatnings of the law are to be vnderstood with an exception from the Gospel All are cursed saith the law that doe not continue to doe all things written therein Except they haue pardon and be redeemed by Christ saith the Gospel And thus are all curses of the law to be conceiued with a limitation or qualification from the Gospel Againe in that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law here is our comfort that neither hell nor death nor SataÌ„ hath any right or power ouer vs so be it we do vnfainedly beleeue in Christ. For we are bought with a price And for this cause we must be admonished not to feare any euill ouermuch as the reuilings and curses of euill tongues withcraft the plague pestilence famine the sword or death For the curse which makes all these and many other things hurtfull vnto vs is remooued from them that are in Christ. And therefore all immoderate feare should be restrained Thirdly our dutie is to glorifie God and Christ who hath redeemed vs and that both in bodie and soule The redeemed must liue according to the will of their redeemer 1. Cor. 6. 20. This is all the thankfulnes that we can shew to our Redeemer for his mercie Lastly here an obiection made by some may be answered If say they we were redeemed by Christ beeing captiues to the deuill the price of our Redemption was paid to him and not to God Ans. We were captiues properly to the iustice of God in the law to the order whereof we stand subiect and by this meanes we are captiues to the curse of the law and consequently to the deuill who is the minister of God for the Execution of the said curse And beeing captiues to the deuill no otherwise then as he is the minister of God for the infâ—â—cting of punishment the price must not be paid to him but to God who is the principall and hath a soueraigntie ouer him and vs. I come now to the forme of our Redemption Who was made a curse for vs. For the better vnderstanding of these words foure points are to be handled The first is what is this curse Ans. A double death the first of the bodie the second of the soule The first is the separation of the bodie and soule The second is the separation of the whole man from God not in respect of his vniuersall power and presence for the very damned haue their moouing and beeing from him but in respect of his fauour and speciall loue whereby God ceaseth to be their God And this is death indeede whereof the first is but a shadow and this is the curse of the law The second point is How Christ was a curse or accursed who is the fountaine of blessednes Ans. He is not so by nature for he is the naturall sonne of God nor by his owne fault for he is the vnspotted lambe of God but by voluntarie dispensation and therefore Paul saith he was made a curse And he was made a curse first because he was set a part in the eternall counsell of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to be our redeemer and consequently to be a curse In this regard the father is said to haue sealed him Ioh. 6. 27. and he is said againe to be prcordained before all worlds 1. Pet. 1. 20. and giuen according to the counsell and foreknowledge of God Act. 3. 22. Secondly he was made a curse
2. 6. This beeing so our dutie is to guard and inclose our selues specially our hearts Prov. 4. 23. and all the senses and powers of our soules Psal. 141. 3. by the wholesome precepts and counsells of God Considering we lie open to so many enemies we should continually be armed and fensed from the head to the foote Eph. 6. 13. otherwise we shall vpon euery occasion be ouerturned To come to the 24. v. the Iewes might happily say seeing we are thus kept and shut vp by the law what meanes haue we of comfort and of saluation The answer is made the law is further our schoolemaster Here by schoolemaster vnderstand one that teacheth little children or Petits the first rudiments or elements A. B. C. And the law is a schoolemaster to Christ for two causes One because it points out and shadowes forth vnto vs Christ by bodily rudiments of ceremonies and sacrifices The second is because the law specially the morall law vrgeth and compelleth men to goe to Christ. For it shewes vs our sinnes and that without remedie it shewes vs the damnation that is due vnto vs and by this meanes it makes vs dispaire of saluation in respect of our selues and thus it inforceth vs to seeke for helpe out of our selues in Christ. The law is then our schoolemaster not by plaine teaching but by stripes and correction In this verse Paul sets downe the manner and way of our saluation which is on this manner first the law prepares vs by humbling vs then comes the Gospel and it stirres vp faith And faith wrought in the heart apprehends Christ for iustification sanctification and glorification Paul sets this forth by a fit similitude They that would be the seruants and children of God must come into the schoole of God and be taught of him In this schoole are two formes and two masters In the first forme the teacher and master is the law And he teacheth men to know their sinnes and their deserued damnation and he causeth vs to despaire of our saluation in respect of our selues And when men haue bin well schooled by the law and are brought to acknowledge their sinnes and that they are slaues of sinne and Satan then must they be taken vp to an higher forme and be taught by an other schoolemaster which is Faith or the Gospel The lesson of the Gospel is that men after they are humbled must flie to the throne of grace beleeue in Christ and with all their hearts turne vnto God that they may be iustified and glorified When we haue by the teaching of this second master learned this good lesson we are become children and seruants of God By this then it is manifest that there are two sorts of badde schollers in the schoole of Christ among vs. One sort are they which come to the Lords table and yet learne nothing either from the law or from the Gospel but content themselues with the teaching of nature The second sort are they which learne something but in preposterous manner For they haue learned that mercie and saluation comes by Christ and with this they content themselues not suffering themselues first of all to be schooled by the law till they despaire in respect of themselues nor to be schooled of the Gospel till they beleeue in Christ and repent of their sinnes In a word he is a good scholler in the schoole of Christ that first learnes by the law to humble himselfe and to goe out of himselfe and beeing humbled subiects his heart to the voice and precept of the Gospel which biddes vs beleeue in Christ turne to God and testifie our faith by new obedience In the second part of the comparison 25. v. Paul sets downe one point that at the comming of the faith the Iewes were freeed from the dominion of the law of Moses and consequently that the said law was abrogated The lawgiuer that is the expounder of Moses law was to last but till the comming of Shilo Gen. 49. 10. The law of commandements standing in ordinances was abrogated by the flesh of Christ. Eph. 2. 15. And the change of the priesthood brought the change of the law Hebr. 7. 12. For the better cleering of this point three questions are to be demanded The first is when was the policie regiment or law of Moses abrogated Ans. At the comming of the faith or when the Gospel first beganne to be published to the world which was at the Ascension of Christ. And he in his death cancelled the ceremoniall law and tooke it out of the way Col. 2. 14. When the old Testament ended and the new began then was the abrogation of the law now the ending of the old Testament and the beginning of the new was in the Resurrection of Christ. For then was the beginning of the new world as it were The second question is How farre forth the law is abrogated Ans. The law is threefold Morall Ceremoniall Iudiciall Morall is the law of God concerning manners or duties to God and man Now the morall law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in respect of iustification and this Paul prooues at large in this epistle Secondly in respect of the malediction or curse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Rom. 8. 1. Thirdly in respect of rigour For in them that are in Christ God accepts the indeauour to obay for obedience it selfe Neuerthelesse the law as it is the Rule of good life is vnchangeable and admits no abrogation And Christ in this regard did by his death establish it Rom. 3. 31. The Ceremoniall law is that which prescribed rites and gestures in the worship of God in the time of the old testament Ceremonies are either of figure and signification or of order The first are abrogated at the comming of Christ who was the accomplishment of them all Col. 2. 17. The second beeing ceremonies of particular order to the times of the old and new Testament concerne not vs. For example In the commandement of the Sabbath some things are morall some ceremoniall some iudiciall That in one day of seuen there should be an holy rest it is morall Rest vpon the seuenth day from the creation is Ceremoniall in respect of order Strictnes of rest from all labour is ceremoniall in respect of the signification of rest from sinne and rest in heauen Therefore the particular day of rest and the manner of rest is abrogated and Christ by his owne example and by the example of the Apostles examples not beeing contradicted in Scripture appointed the eight day or the day of Christs resurrection to be the Sabbath of the new Testament Iudiciall lawes are such as concerne inheritances lands bargaines controuersies causes criminall and they pertaine to the regiment of the Commonwealth If the Commonwealth of the Iewes were now standing they should be gouerned by these lawes For to them were they giuen The case is not like with vs. Some
are of minde that all Iudiciall lawes are abrogated and some are of contrarie mind that all Commonwealths are to be gouerned by them But they are both deceiued and the meane betweene both is the truth Know then that of Iudiciall lawes of Moses some are abrogated some are not Such lawes as are meerely Iudiciall that is iudiciall and not morall and doe particularly concerne the nation of the Iewes the land of Canaan the times before Christ the things of the old Testament are abrogated Of this kind is the law that commands the brother to raise vp seede to his brother Deut. 25. 5. The law of Tenths is partly ceremoniall and partly iudiciall and specially concernes the land of Canaan For as countries are richer or poorer then Canaan so must their allowance to the Ministerie be more or lesse The seuenths the eights the ninths the eleuenths the twelfths and not the tenths And the allowance of Tenths stands not in force in this other Commonwealths by the Iudiciall law of God but by positiue laws of countries For if it did then Ministers should not meddle with their Tenths either for the gathering or for the disposing of them but they should be brought into storehouses by certaine ouerseers and they should dispose of them according to the neede of euery Minister 2. Chron. 31. Malac. 3. The law that the theefe must either restore fourefold or be a bondman concernes Canaan and those countries In Europe specially in the Northerne and Westerne parts a straighter law is required For the people are much giuen to idlenes and consequently to robbing and they are of fierce disposition and therefore with theft ioyne violence and disturbance of the common peace And for this cause excepting in some cases theft is punished with death And this must not seeme hard For euen the Iewes when the theft was aggrauated with other circumstances might punish it with death 2. Sam. 12. 6. And it is in the power of the Magistrate when sinnes are increased to increase the punishment Now Iudiciall lawes that are in foundation and substance morall are not abrogated but are perpetuall For the better discerning of them I giue two notes The first is this If a Iudiciall law serue directly and immediatly to guard and fense any one of the ten Commandements in the maine scope and ende thereof it is morall in equitie and perpetuall because the end and vse of it is perpetuall I will giue sundrie examples It is the law of God that he of the Israelites that shall intise them to goe and worship other gods shall be put to death Deut. 13. 6. This law serues to maintaine and vphold the first commandement the ende whereof is to inioyne vs to take the true God for our God and this ende is most necessarie both for Gods glorie and for the saluation of men and therefore whatsoeuer thing or person ouerturneth or abolisheth this ende it must be cut off from the societie of men Here note by the way that they which haue bin borne baptised and brought vp among vs and yet afterward become Masse-priests and seeke malitiously and obstinately without ceasing to seduce our people deserue in this respect to be put to death Example 2. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Exod. 22. 18. This law againe is a fense to the first commandement For Witches renounce God and humane societie and therefore are worthely cut off though they doe no hurt euen because they make a league with the deuill Example 3. He that blasphemeth the name of God shall be put to death Leuit. 24. 16. Vnderstand this law of manifest and notorious blasphemies that pearce through God as the words import and then it is a maine fense to the third commandement For Gods name may in no wise be abused and troad vnder foote and therefore blasphemers pearcing God are to be cut off This is the very law of Nature as appeares by Nabuchadnezzar who gaue in commandement to his people that whosoeuer blasphemed the name of the true God should be put to death Dan. 3. 29. Here note that manifest and conuicted Atheists if they be put to death haue but their deserts Example 4. He that curseth father or mother shall die the death Leuit. 4. 9. This law is a necessarie fense to the fifth commandement and vpholds the honour that is due to parents Examples 5. He that smites a man that he die shal die the death Exod. 21. 12. To this law there is no exception made but one and that is when a man is killed at vnawares And it is for his equitie perpetuall For it is a maine and direct fense to the sixth commandement Consider an other reason Num. 35. 33. The whole land saith the Lord shall be defiled with blood till his blood be shed that killeth a man Example 6. The adulterer the adulteresse shal both be put to death Leuit. 20. This Iudiciall serues to vphold and maintaine chastitie which is the ende of the seuenth commandement Marke withall the reasons Leuit. 20. 22 23. Least the land spne you out and for these things that is for suffering this and other sinnes vnpunished the Gentiles were cast out It may be said that Christ did not condemne the woman to death which was taken in adulterie Ans. He came to be a Mediatour and not a Iudge or Magistrate It is alleadged that Dauid was not put to death for adulterie Ans. He was the highest in the kingdome there was none to iudge him Againe it may be saide that if adulterie be death then innumerable persons must die Ans. We must doe that which we finde to be the will of God and the euents of things must be left to God The second note whereby we may discerne a iudiciall law to be morall for his equitie is this If it follow necessarily and immediatly from the light principles and conclusions of nature For example Deut. 22. 5. The man shall not put on the things that appertaine to the woman nor the woman the things that appertaine to the man This law is more then Iudiciall for it is a Rule of common honestie practised in those countries by the light of nature where the written law was neuer knowne And things good and honest which nature teacheth are morall and must be done This is Pauls rule Doth not nature teach this 1. Cor. 11. 14. This I speake not to censure and condemne the lawes of this or any other commonwealth but onely to shew how farre Iudiciall lawes haue moralitie in them and stand in force The third question is what is our guide now in the time of the new Testament seeing the Regiment and law of Moses is abrogated Ans. The outward guide is the Doctrine of the morall law and of the Gospel It is therefore called the rodde and the staffe of God Psal. 23. and the rodde of his mouth Isa. 11. 4. The inward guide is the spirit of God writing the lawes of God in our hearts and
baptisme that are retained in the Papacie pertaine not to the Papacie but to another hidden Church which by these and other meanes is gathered out of the middest of Romish Babylon And therefore baptisme is rather a signe of this then of the Romish Church Againe we must be warned to take heede that we deceiue not our selues thinking it a sufficient matter that we haue bin baptised For except Christ inwardly wash vs by his spirit we haue no part in him Ioh. 13. 8. Circumcision saith Paul auaileth not vnles thou be a doer of the law Ro. 2. 25. Baptisme indeed saueth 1. Pet. 3. 21. but that is not the baptisme of water but the stipulation of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ. The outward baptisme without the inward is not the marke of Gods child but the marke of the foole that makes a vow and afterward breakes it Eccles. 5. 3. Moreouer baptisme is not onely a signe of our adoption but also a seale thereof and a meanes to conuaie it vnto vs and for the better vnderstanding of this point and for a further clearing of the 27. verse I will speake of the whole nature of baptisme That which is to be deliuered I reduce to eight heads I. the name of baptisme and the phrases II. the matter III. the forme IV. the ende V. the efficacie of baptisme VI. the necessitie thereof VII the circumstances VIII the vse Touching the name Baptisme is taken sixe waies First it signifies the superstitious washings of the Pharisies who bouÌ„d themselues to the baptismes or washings of cuppes and potts Mar. 7. 4. Second 〈…〉 it signifies the washings appointed by God in the Ceremoniall law Hebr. 9. 10. Thirdly it signifies that washing by water which serues to seale the couenant of the new Testament Math. 28. 19. Fourthly it signifies by a metaphor any grieuous crosse or calamitie Thus the passion of Christ is called his baptisme Luk. 12. 50. Fiftly it signifies the bestowing of extraordinarie gifts of the holy Ghost and that by imposition of hands of the Apostles Act. 1. 5. and 11. 16. Lastly it signifies the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie Thus Apollos is saide to teach the way of the Lord knowing nothing but the baptisme that is the doctrine of Iohn Act. 18. 25. In the third sense is baptisme taken in this place when Paul saith Ye are all baptised into Christ. The phrases vsed in Scripture of baptisme are strange in reason and therefore they are to be explaned Here it is said Ye that are baptised into Christ put on Christ. The reason of this speach is threefold The first is this the washing of the bodie with water is an outward signe to represent to our eies and minde the inward washing and our vnion or coniunction with Christ therefore they that are baptised are said to put on Christ. The second reason is because the washing by water seales vnto vs our inward ingrafting into Christ for as certenly as the bodie is washed with water so certenly are they that beleeue ingrafted into Christ. The third reason of the speach is because baptisme is after a sort an instrument whereby our insition into Christ and fellowship with him is effected For in the right and lawfull vse of baptisme God according to his owne promise ingrafts them into Christ that beleeue and the inward washing is conferred with the outward washing For these causes they that are washed with water in baptisme are said to put on Christ. In the same manner must other phrases be vnderstood as when it is said that baptisme saueth 1. Pet. 3. 21. that men must be baptised for the remission of sinnes Act. 22. 6. that we are buried by baptisme into the death of Christ. Rom. 6. 3. The second point concernes the Matter of baptisme Here I consider three things the signe the thing signified the Analogie of both The signe is partly the element of water Act. 8. 36. and partly the Rite by diuine institution appertaining to the element which is the sacramentall vse of it in washing of the bodie and these two water and externall washing of the bodie are the full and complete signe of baptis 〈…〉 e. Here a question may be made Whether washing of the bodie in baptisme must be by dipping or by sprinkling Ans. In hot countries and in the baptisme of men of yeares dipping was vsed and that by the Apostl 〈…〉 and to this Paul alludes Rom. 6. 3. and dipping doth more fully represent our spirituall washing then sprinkling Neuerthelesse in cold couÌ„tries and in the baptisme of infants new borne sprinkling is to be vsed and not dipping in respect of their health and life For the Rule is Necessitie and charitie dispense with the Ceremoniall law Vpon this ground Dauid did eate the shewbread circumcision was not alwaies the eight day as appeares by the Israe lites in the wildernes and for the same cause in these countries dipping may be omitted though otherwise a sacramentall rite And it must be remembred that baptising signifies not onely that washing which is by diuing of the bodie but also that which is by sprinkling The thing signified or the substance of baptisme is Christ himselfe our Mediatour as he gaue himselfe to wash cleanse vs. Thus Paul saith that he cleanseâ—th his Church by the washing of water Eph. 5. 6. The Analogie or proportion of both is on this manner Water resembles Christ crucified with all his merits S. Iohn saith The blood of Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that is the merit and efficacie of Christ crucified freeth vs from our sinnes and from the guilt and punishment thereof Externall washing of the bodie resembles inward washing by the spirit which stands in iustification and sanctification 1. Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 5. The dipping of the bodie signifies mortification or fellowship with Christ in his death the staying vnder the water signifies the buriall of sinne and the comming out of the water the resurrection from sinne to newnes of life Rom. 6. 3 4. The third point concernes the Forme of baptisme Math. 28. 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. I explaine the words thus Marke first it is faide Teach them that is make them my disciples by calling them to beleeue and to repent Here we are to consider the Order which god obserues in making with man the couenant in baptisme First of all he calls men by his word and commands theÌ„ to beleeue and repent when they beginne to beleeue and repent then in the second place God makes his promise of mercie and forgiuenes and thirdly he seales his promise by baptisme This diuine Order Christ signifieth when he saith make them disciples and 〈…〉 as alwaies obserued of God Before he made any couenant with Abraham and before he sealed it by Circumcision he saith to him Walke before me and be vpright Gen. 17. 1. and of his seede he saith they must-first doe
me doth it Here marke Paul calls concupiscence in himselfe after regeneration sinne and that properly because he saith it is the same that maketh men to sinne And Col. 3. 5. he saith Mortifie your earthly members and among the rest he nameth euill concupiscence And to the Ephesians 4. 22. Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mindes Therefore after baptisme some portions remaine still of the old man or of originall sinne S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues Answer is made that this is spoken of veniall or small sinnes but how can they be small sinnes that are to be washed away with the blood of Christ as he saith v. 7. And if these words be spoken of infants as they are then must Concupiscence be a sinne in them for they haue no actuall sinnes Lastly Christ saith Ioh. 13. 10. He that is all washed must haue his feete that is his carnall affections washed Here obserue two things One that defilements of sinne remaine in them that are washed The second that they are after the first washing to be done away by Christ and not by the acts of our pennance The grounds of Popish doctrine in this point are two The first is this They make three degrees of Concupiscence The first is the pronesse in the flesh to rebell against the law of the minde or the proâ—esse to euill The second stands in the first motions to sinne which goe before consent of will The third stands in acts of lust ioyned with consent of will This third they say is forbidden in the moral law which forbids and condemnes voluntarie concupiscence and the two first are not Because as they speake concupiscence it selfe with the first motions are not in mans power and therefore they are rather to be tearmed defects or infirmities then sinnes and that men are no more to be blamed for them then for the diseases of their bodies Ans. The doctrine is false for it is an euident truth that Concupiscence with the first motions thereof to euill is condemned in the Morall law It is a Principle in expounding the law where any actuall sinne is forbidden there all causes occasions furtherances thereof are likewise forbidden Therefore considering actuall concupiscence ioyned with consent is forbidden in the law Originall concupiscence with the first motions thereof beeing causes of the former are likewise forbidden And Paul saith he had not knowne Lust to be sinne vnlesse the law had said Thou shalt not lust Rom. 7. 7. Now he was a Doctor of the law and knew that lust with consent was a sinne for thus much the light of nature teacheth therfore the law speakes of an higher degree of lust namely of lust going before consent The second ground is this When sinne is remitted it doth not make men guiltie but ceaseth to be a fault Originall sinne therefore ceaseth to be sinne after baptisme Ans. Though actuall guilt be taken away yet potentiall guilt remaineth namely an aptnes in Originall sinne to make men guiltie and though it be not the fault of this or that person yet it is a fault in nature or as it is considered in it selfe The vse If Originall sinne remaine after baptisme to the death then we must humble our selues and vse to the very death the plea of mercie and pardon denying our selues and resting on Christ. Againe if persons baptised be sinners to the death it may be demaunded what difference there is betweene the godly and vngodly Ans. In them that are regenerate there is a sorrow for their inward corruptions and for their sinnes past with a detestation of them and withall there is a Purpose in them to sinne no more and with this purpose there is ioyned an endeauour to please God in all his commandements so as if they doe sinne they can say with good conscience that they sinned against their purpose and resolution This cannot the vngodly man doe The third point is how baptisme conferres grace Ans. It conferres grace because it is a meanes to giue and exhibit to the beleeuing minde Christ with his benefits and this it doth by his signification For it serues as a particular and infallible certificate to assure the partie baptised of the forgiuenes of his sinnes and of his eternall saluation And whereas the Minister in the name of God applies the promise of mercie to him that is baptised it is indeede as much as if God should haue made a particular promise to him In this regard baptisme may well be said to conferre grace as the Kings letters are said to saue the life of the malefactour when they doe but signifie to him and others that the kings pleasure is to shew fauour Againe baptisme may be saide to conferre grace because the outward washing of the bodie is a token or Pledge of the grace of God and by this pledge faith is confirmed which is an instrument to apprehend or receiue the grace of God And this confirmation is made by a kind of reasoning in the minde on this manner He that vseth the signe aright shall receiue the thing signified I saith the partie baptised beeing of yeares vse the signe aright in faith and repentance therefore I shall receiue the thing signified remission of sinnes and life euerlasting A king saith to his subiect He that brings the head of such a traytour shall haue a thousand poundes Well the head of the foresaid traytour is cut off and he that hath the head may say Here is a thousand pounds or this will bring me a thousand pounds because it is vnto him as a pledge vpon the kings word of the reward of a thousand pounds And so is the washing in baptisme an infallible pledge to him that beleeues of the pardon of his sinnes Thus doe the sacraments conferre grace and no otherwise One reason for many may be this The word of God confirs grace for it is the power of God to saluation to them that beleeue and this it doth by signifying the will of God by the eare to the mind now euery sacrament is the word of God made visible to the eye the sacrament therefore confirs grace by vertue of his signification and by reason it is a pledge by the appointment of God of his mercie and goodnes It may be said a sacrament is not only a signe and a seale but also an instrument to conuay the grace of God to vs. Answer It is not an instrument hauing the grace of God tyed vnto it or shut vp in it but an instrument to which grace is present by assistance in the right vse thereof because in with the right vse of the sacrament God conferres grace and thus is it an instrument and no otherwise that is a morall and not a physicall instrument The doctrine of the Papist is that the sacrament conferres grace by the worke done that is that the outward action of the Minister conferres grace by his owne force when
of this world in ciuill societie the second is the regiment or the kingdome of heauen which stands in iustice peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost In the first estate there are sundrie differences of persons that beleeue some fathers and mothers some children some masters and seruants some magistrates and subiects In the second estate there are no outward differences of men but all are members of Christ and all one in him Thus must the text be vnderstood Obiect II. Beleeuers are gouerned by Gods spirit and therefore outward gouernment by magistrates is needlesse Answ. In the visible Church hypocrites are mingled with true beleeuers and they are not gouerned by Gods spirit but by the spirit of the deuill and therefore in respect of them ciuill authoritie is requisite Againe true beleeuers are but in part gouerned by the spirit for the time of this life And for this cause ciuill gouernment is requisite for the ordering of the outward man and for the protection of the Church Obiect III. They that are in Christ are freed from sinne and consequently from subiection which followes vpon sinne Answ. Subiection is either politique or seruile Politicke is when men are subiect for their own good and this was before the fall yeilded by Eve to Adam Seruile subiection when they are subiect for the good of their masters and this onely comes of sinne Againe subiection with ioy was before the fall subiection ioyned with paine and miserie followes vpon sinne Gen. 3. 16. The second question is whether bondage in which some are Lords others bond-men or slaues may stand with Christian religion Answ. It may in the countries where it is established by positiue lawes if it be vsed with mercie and moderation Righteons Abraham had in his owne house bondslaues Gen. 17. 13. God did permit the Iewes to buy the children of the Canaanites Leuit. 25. 45. Paul saith If any man be calied beeing a seruant or bondman let him not care for it 1. Cor. 7. 21. Obiect I. Be not seruants of men 1. Cor. 7. 23. Ans. That is in respect of conscience the subiection whereof must be reserued to God Obiect II. Christians haue libertie by Christ and where libertie is there may be no bondage Answ. Christians obtaine by Christ spirituall libertie in this life and bodily libertie in the life to come Obiect III. Bondage is against the lawe of nature Answ. Against the law of pure nature created in innocencie not against the lawe of corrupt nature the fruite whereof is bondage Obiect IU All are one in Christ therefore the difference of bond men and free-men must cease Ans. All are one in respect of the inward man or in respect of faith and fellowship with Christ but all are not one in respect of the outward man and in regard of ciuill order The sense then of the text is this There are distinctions of men in respect of nation some Iewes some Gentiles in respect of condition some bonde some free some rich some poore some in authoritie some in subiection c. in respect of sexe some men some women yet in Christ Iesus all are euen as one man The vse By this text we may expound another 1. Tim. 2. God would haue all men to be saued that is not all particular persons vpon earth but all kinds For here Paul saith all are one in Christ that is men of all nations of all conditions and of all sexes Againe the name Jewe apposed to Gentiles signifies not onely men of the tribe of Iuda but all circumcized persons of all tribes Rom. 2. 28. and thus it is all one with an Israelite And thus we see howe to expound the place of scripture 2. Chron. 21. 2. where Iehosaphat king of Iuda is called king of Israel The words Iuda and Israel are sometime opposed Iuda signifying the kingdome of the two tribes Iuda and Beniamin and Israel signifying the 10. tribes Sometimes againe they are Synonima and are put one for another as Psalm 114. 1 2. and in this text And Iuda at this time was indeed the true Israel of God and Iehosaphat without any fault in the text as some suppose is truely called king of Israel Thirdly they which are of great byrth and of heigh condicion must be pnt in mind not to be heigh minded nor to dispise them that are of lowe degree for all are one in Christ the obscure and base person hath as good part in Christ as the greatest men that be Therefore we may not swell in pride for outward things The king must not lift vp his hart against his brethren Deut. 17. 20. rich men saith Paul must not be high minded 1. Tim. 6. 17. Iob would not despise the cause of his handmaid Iob. 31. 13. Naaman a great man respected the counsell of his seruants 2. King 5. 13. Fourthly all beleeuers must be on hart and mind 1. Cor. 1. 10. In the kingdome of Christ the wolfe and the lamb dwell together Isai. 11. 6. And good reason for all are on in Christ. And we haue great cause to be humbled when schismes coutentions and differences arise in points of religion For that shewes that hypocrites are mingled with true beleeuers and that we are but in part as yet vnited to Christ. Lastly hence we learne not to hate any man but alwaies to carrie in mind a purpose to doe good to all by thought word and deed and to doe good to men in respect of their names their goods their liues And this wholy mind and purpose must alwaies beare sway in vs. there is no hurt in the mount of the Lord. Isai 1â— 9. Men turne their swords speares into mattocks sithes that are of the kingdom of Christ. Isai 2. 4. because they are one with Christ by the bond of on spirit v. 29. And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires by promise Before Paul had taught v. 7. 8. 9. that all beleeuing gentiles were the children of Abraham and not the Iewes only Here he returnes to the same point againe and prooues it by a new Argument thus Christ is the seed of Abraham v. 16. and all gentiles beleeuing in Christ are parts of him and one with him therefore they also are children of Abraham and heires of all the blessings of God The intent of Paul in these words is to establish and confirme an argument which before he had vrged in this chapter against patrons of workes in the case of our iustification it may be framed thus As Abraham was iustified so are all they that beleeue in Christ instified for they are Abrâ—â—ams children and succeed him v. 29. but Abraham was iustified by faith without workes therefore all beleeuers in Christ are so iustified Let the Argument be obserued for it makes against the Papist who if he studie till his head and heartake shall neuer answer it In this verse Paul sets down the fruit and banefit that comes by the gift of adoption to
may they that lic now vnder the Apostasie of Antichrist be recouered Act. 15. 6. And the promise of God is that when two or three come together in his name he will be with them Matth. 18. Lastly the Ministers as here we see are to temper their gifts and speach to the condition of their hearers The Corinthians were babes in Christ and Paul feedes them with milke 1. Cor. 3. 3. to the Iew he became a Iew to the Gentile a Gentile that he might winne some 1. Cor. 9. 18. For this cause it were to be wished that Catechising were more vsed then it is of our Ministers For our people are for the most part rude and vncatechised and therefore they profit little or nothing by sermons A sermon to such persons is like a great loafe set before a child And it is no disgrace for learned Ministers in plaine and familiar manner to catechise for this is to lay the foundation without which all labour in building is in vaine Againe our ignorant people should be content euen in their old age to learne the catechisme for by reason of their ignorance they lie as a pray to the Atheist and Papist and in much hearing they learne little because they know not the grounds of doctrine that are vsually in all sermons And it is a fault in many that they loue to heare sermons which are beyond their reach in which they stand and wonder at the Preacher and plaine preaching is little respected of such The occasion of Pauls desire is in these words I doubt of you or thus I am in perplexitie for you and this Paul speakes as a mother in some dangerous extremitie in the time of her trauel as Rachel was in the birth of Benjamin Gen. 35. And the words carrie this sense I am troubled for your recouerie and I feare it will neuer be Here we learne how daungerous a thing it is to fall from grace though it be but in part For a man cannot recouer himselfe when he will We doe not the good we can vnlesse God make vs doe it Ezech. 36. 27. Cant. 1. 4. Ier. 31. 29. Therefore it is an Errour to thinke that we may repent and turne to God when we will as many suppose And this must be a warning vnto vs to preserue the good things that God hath put into vs and not to quench the spirit And though Paul doubt of the recouerie of the Galatians yet he spares not to send his Epistle to them and to vse meanes And thus in desperate cases we must vse the best meanes and leaue the successe to God Thus the Israelites when there was no other helpe went into the sea as into their death bedde or graue by faith staying themselues on the promise of god Heb. 11. 29. 2. Chron. 20. 12. That which Paul here saith may be saide of many among vs in whome Christ is not yet framed whether we respect knowledge or good life for they giue iust occasion of doubting whether they will euer turne to God or no. 21 Tell me ye that will be vnder the law doe ye not heare the law 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one by a seruant and an other by a free-woman 23 But he which was of the seruant was borne after the flesh and he which was of the free-woman by promise From the 8. verse of this chapter to the 20. verse Paul hath handled the conclusion of the principall argument of this Epistle touching the Apostasie of the Galatians and here he returnes againe to his former doctrine touching the iustification of a sinner by faith without the workes of the law and he confirmes it by an other Argument the summe and substance whereof is this Your libertie from the law w 〈…〉 prefigured in the familie of Abraham therefore ye are not bondmen to the law but freemen The argument is at large propounded and it hath foure parts a preface in the 21. verse an historie of Abraham and his familie vers 22. 23. the Application of the historie from the 24. verse to the 30. the conclusion v. 31. And first of the Preface Law the word law in the first place is taken properly for the morall and Ceremoniall lawe of Moses and in the second place for the bookes of Moses and namely for the booke of Genesis And in this sense the word is taken when Christ is said to expound the law and the Prophets Luk. 24. And sometime it signifies all the bookes of the old testament Ioh. 15. 15. Vnder the law to be vnder the lawe is to hold our selues bound to the fulfilling of the lawe and to looke for life eternall thereby Doe ye not heare the law that is ye read and heare indeede but ye vnderstand not the scope and drift of that which you read In this preface first Paul meetes with the pride of mans nature whereby the Galatians went about to establish their owne righteousnesse by the lawe when he saith ye that will be vnder the lawe c. with this pride were the Iewes tainted Rom. 10. 3. and the young Prince that came to Christ and said Good master what must I doe to be saued And the Papists of our time who will not be subiect to the iustice of God but set vp their owne iustice in the keeping of the law The like doe the ignorant people among vs who hold that they are able to fulfill the law and that they are to be saued thereby And when they say they looke to be saued by their faith they vnder stand thereby their fidelitie that is their good dealing Againe Paul here notes the seruile disposition of men that loues rather to be in bondage vnder the law then to be in perfect libertie vnder the grace of God This we see in daily experience All professe Christ among vs yet is it euen a death to the most to forsake the bōdage of the flesh Christ we professe yet so as we take libertie to liue after the lustes of our owne hearts When Paul saith doe ye not heare the lawe he notes the cause of our spirituall pride and of the seruile disposition before named namely ignorance in mistaking and misconceiuing the true scope of the law for the Galatians did not consider that Christ was the scope of the lawe but they supposed that the very obseruation of the lawe euen since the fall of man did giue life and iustifie This ignorance was to the Iewes as a vaile before their eies in the reading of the lawe 2. Cor. 3. 14. And this ignorance hath blinded the Papist at this day for he supposeth that the Gospell is nothing els but the lawe of Moses that Christ indeed is but an instrument to make vs keepers of the lawe and consequently sauiours of our selues In the historie of Abraham I consider three things the facte of Abraham in taking two wiues the Euent vpon this fact he had two sonnes by them the condition of these
If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ First I gather that the Law and the Gospel are not one in substance of doctrine as the Papists teach for they say the Gospel is nothing but the law made more perfect and plaine which if it were true a man might be iustified both by Christ and the law which Paul saith cannot be Secondly I gather hence that it is a meere deuice of mans wit to say that Christ by his death and passion merited that we should merit by our owne workes our iustification and saluation For if this were true that the merit of our workes were the fruit of Christs passion Paul would not haue said that iustification by the law should abolish Christ vnto vs. For the cause and the effect both stand together whereas Christs merit and the merit of our works agree euen as fire and water And no maruell For the reason why Christ meriteth is the Personall vnion of the Godhead with the manhood which vnion because it is not to be found in any meere man neither is there any true and proper merit to be found Whereas Paul saith Ye are fallen from grace some gather that the children of God may fall quite from the fauour of God Ans. Men are said to be vnder grace two waies First in the iudgement of infallibilitie and thus onely the Elect are vnder the grace of God Secondly in the iudgement of Christian charitie and thus all that professe Christ though indeede hypocrites are vnder the grace of God And in this sense Paul saith that the whole Church of Galatia is vnder the grace of God And they are said to fall from grace not because all were indeede vnder the fauour of God and at length cast out of it but because God makes it manifest to men that they were neuer in the fauour of God Thus Christs enemies are said â—o be blotted out of the booke of lifâ— Psal. 69. 28. when God makes it manifest that their names were neuer written there Secondly I answer that Paul speakes this not absolutely but vpon condition If ye will be iustified by the law And therefore v. 10. he saith that he is perswaded better things of them Lastly here we see it is false that euery man shall be saued by his religion for he that is abolished from Christ is quite out of the â—auour of God And therefore no religion but that which is truly Christian saueth 5 For we in the spirit by faith waite for the hope of righteousnes 6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue The meaning We I Paul the rest of the Apostles and all other Christian churches In spirit that is in the powers of the soule sanctified and renewed In this sense Paul saith that the true circumcision is that which is in the heart in spirit Rom. 2. 29. and Christ saith that true worship of God is in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And that spirit is here taken in this sense it is manifest because it is opposed to circumcision which is in the flesh By faith we wait Faith apprehends the promise and thereby brings forth hope and faith by meanes of hope makes them that beleeue to waite Hope of righteousnes that is saluation or life eternall which is the fruit of righteousnes Tit. 2. 13. or againe righteousnes hoped for Righteousnes indeede is imputed to them that beleeue and that in this life yet the fruition and the full reuelation thereof is reserued to the life to come when Christ our righteousnes shall appeare and when the effect of righteousnes namely sanctification shall be accomplished in vs. Rom. 8. 23. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. The sense then is this All the Apostles and Christian churches with one consent in spirit by meanes of their faith waite for the full reuelation of their imputed righteousnes and for euerlasting life whereas the false Apostles place their righteousnes in circumcision of the flesh and looke to haue the fruition of it in this life v. 6. In Christ that is in the Church kingdome or religion of Christ. 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any be in Christ that is if any be a Christian he is a new creature Vncircumcision that is the condition and workes of men vncircumcised Auaileth any thing is of no vse respect or acceptation with God Faith working faith effectuall in duties of loue The resolution These wordes containe a second reason where Paul confirmes the former conclusion and it may be framed thus That thing which makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes that iustifies not circumcision but faith makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes therefore not circumcision but faith iustifies The proposition is omitted the minor is in the 5. verse And it is confirmed by two arguments The first is the consent of all Churches We waite The second is taken from the propertie of faith in the sixt verse thus It is faith and not circumcision that auailes before God therefore faith and not circumcision makes vs waite Againe in these two verses Paul meetes with an Obiection which may be framed thus If ye abolish circumcision and the ceremoniall law ye abolish the exercises of religion The answer is in stead of them we haue other exercises in our spirit namely the inward exercises of faith hope and loue The vse In the 5. verse foure things are to be considered The first is who waites Paul saith we waite Before he hath iustified his doctrine by the Scriptures now he addes the consent of the Churches Here then we see what is the office of all faithfull dispensers of the word namely to declare such doctrines as are founded in Scriptures and approoued by the consent of the true Church of God Paul an Apostle that could not erre respected consent much more are all ordinarie Ministers to doe it Againe it is the office of all Christian people to maintaine and defend all such doctrines and opinions as are founded in the Scriptures and ratified by the consent of the true churches of God and no other This to doe is to walke in the way of vnitie and peace and to doe otherwise is to walke in the way of schisme and heresie The second point is what is waited for Paul saith the reuelation of righteousnes and eternall saluation Here I obserue that there is no iustification by the obseruation of the law and I prooue it thus The righteousnes whereby a sinner is iustified is apprehended by faith and expected by hope but if righteousnes were by the law men should haue the fruition of their righteousnes in this life and consequently the hope thereof should cease Secondly here is comfort for the godly They complaine of the want of sanctification but they are to know that in this life they shall neuer feele righteousnes as they feele sinne here they must hunger and thirst after righteousnes liuing in some want of it If we haue the first
ariseth a distinction of the calling of god sometime it is operatiue because God signifies and withall workes his will in the Elect sometimes againe in respect of others it is only significatiue when God reueales his will to men but spares to worke it for iust causes knowne to himselfe The third point is what is the calling to libertie Ans. An action of God translating men from the kingdome of darknes to his owne kingdome It hath 2. parts inuitement and admission Inuitement is when God offers remission of sinnes life euerlasting to them that beleeue outwardly by the preaching of the Gospell inwardly by the inspiration of heauenly desires Admission is when men are entred into the kingdome of grace and it is either outward or inward Outward admission is made in baptisme Inward admission is when men are taken out of olde Adam and by faith ingrafted into Christ for by this insâ—tion into Christ men are made reall members of gods kingdome The last question is why Paul mentions the calling to libertie in this place Ans. It is the ground of all comfort by it Paul comforts the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. 9. Againe it is the ground of good life Therefore Peter saith be ye holy as he that hath called you is holy 1. Pet. 1. 15. And Paul walke worthie the calling wherewith he hath called you Eph. 4. 1. If the calling of god doe not mooue vs to amendement of life nothing will doe it We in England haue heard the calling of god more then 40. yeares and yet very few of vs are mooued to change and amend our liues This shewes our Atheisme and vnbeleefe here is almost nothing but heauing shouing and lifting for the world Some are held captiues of their couetousnes some of their pride some of their damnable and fleshly lusts and all this shewes that few or none so much as dreame of a calling to spirituall libertie The first Rule followes Only vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh The sense Flesh hereby the Papists vnderstand Sensualitie or carnall appetites but hereby is ment the corruption of all the powers of the soule euen of reason and conscience Paul saith that the wisdom or vnderstanding of the flesh is emnity to God Rom. 8. 7. fleshlines therefore pertaines to the vnderstanding Againe he saith of some that they are puffed vp in the mind of the flesh Col. 2. 18. and he willes the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. The meaning then of the rule is this vse not the benefit of spirituall libertie as an occasion to the flesh to liue according to the flesh Here I consider three things what is the abuse of libertie where is this abuse to be found and what is the right vse thereof The first question is what is the abuse of Christian libertie Ans. To vse it as an occasion of fleshly and carnall libertie that is done 3. waies The first is when men make more things indifferent theÌ„ god euer made Thus the Corinthians vsed fornication as a thing indifferent 1. Cor. 6. To many in these daies drunkennes and surfetting is but a thing indifferent Men vse not to distinguish a thing indifferent and the vse of it but they commonly thinke that if the thing be indifferent in it selfe then also the vse of it is indifferent Thus all abuses of meat drinke apparrell all rioting and gaming dicing and carding c. are excused by the names of things indifferent Secondly our libertie is abused by an immoderate vse of the gifts of god The vse of them is immoderate 3. waies first in respect of time as when Diues fared deliciously and was arraied in rich attire euery day Thus many gentlemen and others offend when they turne recreation into an occupation Secondly the gifts of god are immoderatly vsed in respect of themselues as when men Exceed in eating and drinking as the prophet saith Deut. 29. 19. adding drunkennes to thirst Thirdly in respect of the callings and conditions of men for euery man is to vse the gifts of God according to his place and condition They then offend that beeing but meane persons liuing by trades yet for their diet and apparrel are as great gentlemen gentlewomen Thirdly liberty is abused when the blessings of God are made instruments and as it were flagges and banners to display our riot vanitie ostentation pride for this cause sundry things whereof some are indifferent in themselues are condemned Isai 3. 16. The second question is where is this abuse Ans. Euen among vs in England It is the fashion of men to take vnto themselues a Toleration of sinning some vpon the pacience of God others vpon the doctrine of the gratious Election of God saying that they will liue as they list because if they be Elected to saluation they shall certenly be saued whatsoeuer they doe And some there be that take occasion to continue in their sinnes vpon the mercy of God in the death and passion of Christ. A certen dweller in this towne of Cambridge made awaie himselfe In his bosome was found a writing to this effect that God did shew mercie on great grecuous and desperate sinners and therefore he said that he hoped of mercy though he hanged himselfe Of this mind are many ignorant persons who perseuering in their sinnes yet perswade themselues of mercy because they haue heard that Christ died for mankind And thus the death of Christ is as it were a licence or letters patents to commit sinne Againe great is the abuse of meat drinke and apparell To Elias there came an Angell and said arise and eate 1. King 19. 7. but to the men of our daies there had need come an Angell and saie cease to eate cease to drinke cease to game The third questioÌ„ is what is the right vse of Christian libertie Ans. It stands in 2. things first of all we our selues must be renewed and sanctified To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. The person must first please God before the action can please him The second is that beside the lawfull vse of the creatures we must haue a spirituall holy vse of theÌ„ The lawfull vse of the creature I call the politick vse therof coÌ„monly allowed takeÌ„ vp among men The spirituall vse is whereby we receiue vse the creature as from the hand of god the father in Christ according to his will and word And the Godly are not to seperate the one vse from the other but are bound by vertue of the 3 commandement to take vp an holy vse of euery gift of God When Noe came out of the Arke soâ— soone as he sett foote vpon the earth he built an altar offered sacrifice and called on the name of God not only for this end to worship god but also to sanctifie the earth and all the creatures of God vnto his vse The like did Abraham when he come into the land of Canaan And
good but partly euill for such as the cause is such is the effect now the minde and will of man are the cause of his workes and the mind is partly carnall and partly spirituall so also is the will and therefore the workes that proceede from them are partly spirituall in part carnall Vpon this ground it followes that all the workes of regenerate men are sinfull and in the rigour of iustice deserue damnation Obiect Sinne is the transgression of the law good workes are no transgression of the law therefore good workes are no sinnes I answer to the minor The transgression of the law is twofold One which is directly against the law both for matter and manner the second is when that is done which the law requires but not in that manner it should be done And thus good workes become sinfull The dutie which the law requires is done but it is not done perfectly as it ough to be done by reason of the flesh Secondly it is alleaged that good workes are from the spirit of God and that nothing proceeding from the spirit of God is sinne Ans. Things proceeding from the spirit of God alone or from the spirit immediatly are no sinnes now good workes proceed not only from the spirit but also from the mind and will of man as instruments of the spirit And when an effect proceedes from sundrie causes that are subordinate it takes vnto it the nature of the second cause hereupon workes are â—â—rtly spirituall and partly carnall as the minde and will of the doer is Thirdly it is alleged that good works please God and that things pleasing God are no sinnes Ans. They please God because the doer is in Christ and so pleaseth God Againe they please not God before or without pardon for they are accepted because God approoues his owne worke in vs pardons the defect thereof Lastly some obiect on this manner No sinnes are to be done good workes are sinnes there-therefore not to be done Ans. They are not simply sinnes but onely by accident For as God commands them they are good and as godly men doe them they are good in part Now the reason holds onely thus That which is sinne so farre forth as it is a sinne or if it be simplie a sinne is not to be done Now then vpon this doctrine it followes that there is no iustification by workes nor no fulfilling of the law for the time of this life Thirdly hence it follows that the grace of God for the time of this life is mixed with his contrarie the corruption of the flesh This mixture the godly feele in themselues to the great griefe of their hearts When they would beleeue their mindes are oppressed with vnbeleefe They see more ignorance in themselues then light of knowledge There are a number amongst vs that say they know as much as all the world can teach them that they doe perfectly beleeue in Christ and euer did that they loue God with all their hearts and did neuer so much as doubt of the mercie of God But these men are voide of the grace of God they are like emptie barrells that make a great sound they neuer knew what is meant by the combate of the flesh and spirit Fourthly we are here to be admonished in all duties of religion to vse industrie and paines by willing striuing and indeuouring to the vttermost to doe that which we ought to doe We must vse asking seeking knocking Matth. 7. 7. we must with Paul vse wrastling in our praiers to God Rom. 15. 30. They that would haue knowledge in the booke of God must doe more then heare a Sermon they must striue against their ignorance and blindnes and laboriously exercise their senses in the discerning of good and euill They that would beleeue must striue against their naturall vnbeleefe and indeauour to beleeue Blessed saith Salomon Prou. 28. is the man that feareth himselfe or inures himselfe to feare Paul saith of himselfe that he laboured and tooke paines to keepe a good conscience Act. 24. 16. Lastly by reason of this combate we are put in minde to vse sobrietie and watchfulnesse ouer our owne corruptions with much and instant praier least we fall into temptation Matth. 26. 41. We should practise these more then we doe for beside the enemies without we haue an enemie within that seekes our perdition 18 And if ye be led by the spirit ye are not vnder the law In the 13. verse Paul propounds a maine rule of good life Giue no occasion to the flesh and for the better keeping of this he giues a second rule v. 16. Walke in the spirit Of this second rule he giues two reasons The first is taken from the contrarietie of the flesh and the spirit v. 17. The second is in these words they that walke according to the spirit are freed from the curse of the law In these words Paul sets downe three things The first is the office of the spirit which is first of all to regenerate and renew all the powers of the soule and secondly to guide and conduct them that are regenerate Psal. 143. 10. In this guidance or conduction there are foure actions of the spirit The first is Preseruation whereby the holy Ghost maintaines the gift of regeneration in them that are regenerate The second is Cooperation whereby the will of God as the first cause workes together with the regenerate will of man as the second cause And without this Cooperation mans will brings forth no good action no more then the tree which is apt to bring forth fruit yeeldes fruit indeede till it haue the presence and cooperation of the Sunne and that in the season of the yeare The third is direction whereby the spirit of God ordereth and establisheth the minde will and affections in good duties 2. Thess. 3. 5. The last is Excitation whereby the spirit stirres and still mooues the will and minde after they are regenerate because for the time of this life the grace of God is hindred and oppressed by the flesh Hereupon after regeneration there must still be new inclining Psal. 119. 36. new drawing Cant. 1. 3. new working of the will and the deede Phil. 2. 13. Hence it follows that beside the antecedent and first grace there is necessarie a subsequent or second grace For we doe not that good which we can doe vnles God by a second grace make vs doe it as he made vs able to doe it by the first grace The second thing is the Office of all true beleeuers and that is to resigne theÌ„selues in subiection to the worke of Gods spirit Now Gods spirit workes in and by the word of God And hereupon this Subiection hath two parts The first is to make triall inquirie and examination what is the good will of God in euery thing Rom. 12. 2. Thus did Dauid Psal. 119. 94. I am thine saue me for I seeke thy commandements The second part is to denie our selues
and to conforme our mindes consciences wills affections in all things to the foresaid will of God Rom. 12. 2. Let all such as desire to be spirituall remember and make conscience to practise this The third is the Priuiledge of beleeuers in the last wordes Ye are not vnder the law Vnderstand this in respect of the curse and condemnation of the law for otherwise we are all vnder the law as it is the rule of Good life The priuiledge then is that God doth not impute the defects of obedience to such as truly beleeue and repent but he accepts their imperfect obedience as perfect and absolute This serues to comfort them that greeue because they feele the want of Sanctification in themselues For if they can and doe will that which is good and indeauour themselues in the course of their liues according to their will let them not feare ouermuch when their obedience is defectiue because they are not vnder the rigour of the law and therefore God accepts the will and indeauour to obay for obedience And the consideration of Gods mercifull acceptation must stirre vs vp to an earnest care and conscience of all good duties 19 Moreouer the workes of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes 20 Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies 21 Enuie murthers drunkennes gluttonie and such like whereof I tel you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shal not inherit the kingdom of God Paul before deliuered his rule in generall tearmes Giue no occasion to the flesh and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Now he proceedes further in way of declaration to make a Catalogue or rehearsall of the particular workes of the flesh which were in vse and knowne to the Galatians And this he doth for waightie cause For we are full of blindnes and see not our corruption and we are full of hypocrisie and therefore readie to esteeme our selues spirituall when we are carnall And therefore this Catalogue serues fitly as a table or glasse to discouer the corruption of mans heart by the fruits thereof After Pauls example euery man shall doe well to make a Catalogue of the sinnes of his whole life By this meanes shall we better know our selues and take a manifest view of our sinnefull condition In this Catalogue I consider three things the condition of the workes of the flesh the kinds of them and the punishment thereof The condition is that the workes of the flesh are said to be manifest not onely to God but euen to men that haue the light of reason and naturall conscience Hence it followes that there is matter sufficient for the condemnation of them that neuer knew the Gospel For though the flesh it selfe be secret and hidden yet the workes of the flesh are manifest to the naturall man And this must further admonish vs neuer to hide or excuse our sinns but freely to confesse theÌ„ before God and before men also when neede requires Whether we confesse them or no they are manifest and the ingenuous confessing or vncouering of them is the way to couer them Psal. 32. 1. 4. Touching the kinds or sorts of the workes of the flesh they are in number seâ—uenteene and I may reduce them to foure heads The first sort are against chastitie the second against religion the third against charitie the last against temperance The workes of the flesh against chastitie are foure and they are placed in the first ranke for iust cause for by them men are brought to reprobate mindes Rom. 1. 28. and to be without sense or feeling Eph. 4. 19. and the bodie which should be the temple of the holy Ghost is made a stable and a stie for the deuill Adulterie it is the incontinencie of persons married or of persons vvhereof one at the least is married or betrothed I say betrothed because one and the same punishment is designed to married and betrothed persons and therefore the sinne is like in both If adulterie which is the breach of wedlocke be a worke of the flesh then damnable is the decretall of Pope Syricius that marriage it selfe was the pollution of the flesh It may be obiected that young widdowes by marrying haue damnation and breake the faith of baptisme 1. Tim. 5. 12. Ans. They are not saide to breake the faith of baptisme because they marrie but because they waxe wanton against Christ and so marrie that is cast off the reines of obedience by committing fornication and then for to couer their offence they marrie This I take to be the right sense of that place Adulterie is named in the first place and that for speciall cause For as it is a common so is it also a great sinne For it is the breach of the couenant of marriage made in the presence of God and vnto God and therefore it is called the couenant of God Prou. 2. 17. It is the punishment of idolatrie Rom. 1. 24. It is a sinne greater then theft Prou. 6. 30. 32. The committers of this sinne cut off themselues from humane societie and become men of death women of death according to Gods law And it will neuer be well with humane societie till adulterers be made fellons their liues taken from them and their goods confiscate Lastly this sinne brings the ruine of the families of adulterous persons and it sets a fire in them that burnes to destruction Fornication it is the incontinencie of single persons Marke how it is made a manifest worke of the flesh Hence it follows that fornication is no light matter or a thing indifferent as some haue taught It may be obiected that it is numbered among things indifferent Act. 15. 29. for with strangled and blood is ioyned fornication Ans. The Gentiles indeede esteemed it as a thing indifferent and hereupon it may be it is ioyned with things indifferent But the iudgement of the Church was otherwise and this opinion of the Gentiles is confuted by Paul 1. Cor. 6. Againe it may be obiected that the Lord commanded the Prophet Ose to take vnto him an harlot Ose 1. 2. Ans. It was done in type or figure and then the wordes of the Lord carrie this sense Take vnto thee a wife of fornications that is prophecie and publish that thou art like one that takes a wife of fornication Againe if the thing were done indeede yet did not the Prophet take an harlot to liue in fornication with her but at Gods commandement to liue with her according to Gods ordinance namely in marriage Againe hence I gather that there is no warrant for the Toleration of fornication For it is a foule and manifest worke of the flesh Magistrates may not doe euill that good may come thereof Rom. 3. 8. Whosoeuer doth euill must feare because the Magistrate beares the sword to punish Rom. 13. 4. And the commandement of God was that there must be no whore in Israel Deut. 23.
the sense which is agreeable to the words of the text to the scope of the place to other circumstances and to the analogie of faith in the plainer places of Scripture is the proper and infallible sense of Scripture Thus fetching the sense of Scripture from it selfe we shall keepe our selues within the limits of Scripture and in the matter of our saluation haue certentie of faith which we shall neuer haue if we listen to reason tradition and the authoritie of men II. Read the Scriptures be a doer of them in the exercises of inuocation faith repentance then shalt thou neuer be a heretike It is Gods promise Ioh. 7. 17. If ye will obay ye shall know whether my doctrine be of God or no. Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him Marke them that make Apostasie and become Papists they are such as neuer had a minde to loue and obay the religion in which they haue bin baptized and brought vp III. Col. 2. 8. Let no man spoile you through Philosophie Paul doth not condemne the Philosophie of the Gentiles but he puts a caueat that it be vsed with circumspection as Marchants vse the sea to wit in eschewing rockes and sands and pirats So students may vse the Philosophie of the Gentiles but they must take heede lest their mindes be corrupted with the errors thereof which are to be considered Naturall Philosophie giues too much to nature or to second causes and too little to God It puts downe principles flat against the word as the eternitie of the world and the mortalitie of the soule Morall Philosophie placeth happinesse in ciuill vertue out of Christ it teacheth that vertue is a meane or mediocritie of affection whereas in true vertue there is not onely a restraint or moderation of affections but also the renouation of them by regeneration It teacheth that Vrbanitie in iesting frumping is a vertue Paul saith no Eph. 5. 4. It teacheth that Magnanimitie whereby a man thinkes himselfe worthie of great honour is a vertue but it is contrarie to Christian humilitie Psal. 131. 1 2. Lastly it teacheth that man hath a freedome of will in good actions which doctrine applied by the Schoolemen to matters of religion is false and erronious The third head of sinnes are such as are against Charitie and they are in number eight The first is Enmitie of it I consider three things The first is whether it be a sinne or no for somewhat may be obiected to the contrarie Obiect I. Psal. 139. 21. Doe not I hate them that hate thee Ans. Dauid here speakes of the hatred whereby he hated Gods enemies not in respect of their persons but in respect of their sinnes whereby they were enemies of God And this hatred is commendable and not here to be vnderstood Obiect II. Luk. 14. 26. He that will be a disciple of Christ must hate father and mother and his owne soule Ans. This hatred is not simply commanded but only in a certaine respect namely as father and mother and a mans owne soule are in comparison opposed to God and Christ in regard of whome they are vtterly to be despised Obiect III. Rom. 9. God chose Iacob and hated Esau and we must be like vnto God Ans. We are to be like vnto God in holines and the duties thereof and not in the soueraigntie and Lordship ouer the creatures whereby he either loues or hates them Obiect IV. It is the vniuersall nature of all creatures to flie their contrarie therefore men may hate their enemies Ans. Man and man are not contrarie in nature or naturall properties but are all one flesh the contrarietie that is is by reason of the corruption of nature The second point is what is this Enmitie Ans. It is a peruerse disposition of minde whereby men remember iniuries discourtesies and vnkindnesses and carrie about them a purpose and desire to requite like for like when time and place shall serue Thus did Esau hate Iacob Gen. 27. 41. and Absolom his brother Amnon 2. Sam. 13. The third point where is this Enmitie Ans. Euery where among vs. For we daily see person diuided against person familie against familie and Corporation against Corporation This shewes that we are carnall and that Gods kingdome takes no place among vs as it should For in it the lambe and the wolfe quietly dwell together Isa. 11. The remedie of this Enmitie is That all be of one mind desire and affection in the receiuing and furthering of the Gospel of Christ. 1. Cor. 1. 11. If in the maine point there be a concord in leffer matters the agreement will be easie Debate It is a contention in words whereby men striue who shall shew most courage who shall get the victorie and who shall carrie away the last word no respect had of equitie or truth In this respect crying or lifting vp the voice in reasoning is condemned Eph. 4. 31. Emulations There is a good emulation and that is when men striue to be like to them that excell in vertue or to goe beyond them And it is commanded by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 14. 12. and it were to be wished that it were more common then it is Beside this there is a carnall emulation whereby men that excell in any thing grieue that any should be equall to them or goe beyond them The vse If to grieue at another mans Excellencie be a worke of the flesh then it is our dutie to reioyce in the excellencie of others Thus did Moses when Eldad and Medad prophecied Numb 11. 29. And Iohn the Baptist when Christ increased and he decreased Ioh. 3. 29 30. And Paul gaue thankes as well for the graces bestowed on the Churches as for gifts bestowed on himselfe Anger Of it I consider three points The first is whether there be any lawfull anger Aus Yea. Christ in whome was no sinne was angrie Mark 3. 5. When there is a iust cause of anger then is anger iust When there is a manifest offence of God there is a iust cause of anger therefore anger is then iust The second is when is anger a sinne Ans. When men are hastie to be angrie Eccles. 7. 11. and are offended at euery thing that goes against their mindes Or againe hauing a iust cause to be angrie yet they keepe no measure in their anger The third point is the Remedie And that is here set downe Hastines is a worke of the flesh or of corrupt nature and it barres men from the kingdome of heauen and therefore it is to be auoided Contention There are sundrie kinds of lawfull contention as contention with the enemie in iust warre contention at the barre with an aduersarie in a iust cause contention in disputation with an heretike contention in Schoole disputation for exercise and trialls sake Contention is carnall and finnefull in respect of matter and manner In matter when men contend for things for which they should not contend as the
disciples for Primacie Luk. 22. or when contention is without forgiuing forbearing or suffering and that in trifling matters 1. Cor. 6. 7. Contention likewise is faultie in respect of manner when men wilfully defend their owne priuate causes no regard had whether they be right or wrong true or false and by this meanes they often oppugne truth or iustice or both Of this kind are the warres of the Rebell in Ireland the warres of the Spanyard in the low Countries and the suits of many quarrelsome and contentious persons among vs. The vse Doe nothing by contention Phil. 2. 3. And therefore we must forgiue put vp as much as may be and yeelde of our right Seditions The originall word signifies such dissentions in which men separate one from another and that is done two waies either by schisme in the Church or by faction in the Commonwealth Question Why are not we schismatiks in England Scotland Germanie considering we haue dissented and separated our selues from the Church of Rome Ans. We indeede haue separated our selues but they of the Church of Rome are schismatikes because the cause of our separation is in them namely their Idolatrie and their manifold heresies The case is the like A man threatens death to his wife hereupon shee separates Yet not shee but he makes the separation because the cause of separation and the fault is in him For the auoiding of schisme and sedition remember two rules I. So long as a Church or people doe not separate from Christ we may not separate from them II. Prou. 24. 21. Feare the King and meddle not with them that varie that is make alterations against the lawes of God and the King Indeede subiects may signifie what is good for the slate and what is amisse but to make any alteration in the estate either ciuill or Ecclesiasticall belongs to the supreame Magistrate Ennie It is a compound of carnall griefe and hatred For it makes men grieue and repine at the good things of others and to hate the good things themselues Thus the high Priests of Enuie hated Christ and all his most excellent sayings and doings Matth. 27. 18. At this day they which haue any good things in them are commonly condemned for hypocrites and their religion for hypocrisie All this is but the censure of Enuie The vse That we may depart from Enuie we must loue them that feare God and loue the gifts and graces of God wheresoeuer they be euen in our enemies Murthers Obiect I. A plant liues a beast liues and man liues the cropping of a plant and the killing of a beast is no sinne why is it then a sinne to kill a man Ans. God hath giuen libertie for the two first and hath restrained vs in the latter Againe the life of a plant is but the vigour in the iuice and the life of a beast is but the vigour in the blood Gen. 9. 4. but the life of man is a spirit and spirituall substance Thirdly man is of the same flesh with man and so is neither plant nor beast Obiect II. The Magistrate kills without sinne Ans. The killing which is in the name of God by publike reuenge is not murther And Paul onely condemnes that killing when men take the sword and vpon their owne wills slay and kill by priuate reuenge Obiect III. Sampson is saide to kill himselfe Iudg. 16. 30. and he sinned not in so doing Ans. Sampson was a Iudge in Israel and tooke publike reuenge of his enemies and in this reuenge he hazzarded his life and lost his life Though he died in the execution yet his intent was not to kill himselfe but onely to take reuenge Secondly his example is speciall For he was in his death a figure of Christ. The words Matt. 2. he shall be called a Nazarite are first spoken of Sampson and then applied to Christ in whome was verified that which Sampson figured For as Sampson conquered his enemies more in his death then in his life euen so did Christ. Obiect IU For the auoiding of some great danger or some great sinne as the deniall of Christ in persecution men may make away themselues so said the Donatists Ans. Death is no remedie in this case but faith in the promise of God which is that he will giue an issue in euery temptation 1. Cor. 10. 13. The vse Seeing murther is a worke of the flesh our dutie is by all meanes to preserue both our owne and our neighbours liues Life is a treasure For by it we haue time and libertie to glorifie God to doe good to our neighbours and to saue our owne soules The sinnes of the fourth sort are against temperance they are two drunkennesse gluttonie For the better conceiuing of the nature of these sinnes we are first of all to consider the right manner and measure of eating and drinking of which I deliuer two rules I. We may vse meate and drinke not onely for necessitie but also for delight Psal. 104. 15. II. That measure of meate and drinke which in our experience makes vs fit both in bodie and minde for the seruice of God and for the duties of our callings that measure I say is fit convenient and lawfull This is a confessed principle in the light of nature Drunkennesse then is when men drinke either in wine or strong drinke beyond this measure so as there followes an intoxication of the powers of the soule And in the sinne there are two things excessiue drinking and the distempering of the powers of the soule Gluttonie is when men in eating goe beyond the measure before prescribed This gluttonie is that which now a daies is called reuelling rioting swaggering And it is fitly ioyned with drunkennes For there are men that vse to drinke exceedingly and will not be drunke and for all this they are not free from blame because they drinke out of measure To be giuen to drinking and to loue to sit by the cuppe when there is no drunkennesse is a sinne 1. Tim. 3. 3. These sinnes are said to be rise among vs. The manner of many is to meete together and to fill themselues with wine or strong drinke while their skinnes will hold Afterward they giue themselues to dicing carding dauncing singing of ribauld songs and thus they passe the day the night the weeke the yeare But we must be put in minde to detest and to flie these vices Inducements to this dutie are many I. Gods commandement Keep not companie with drunkards and gluttonous persons Prou. 23. 20. Be not drunke with wine in which is excesse Eph. 5. 18. II. The punishment of drunkennes is plague pestilence famine captiuitie Isai 5. 11 12 13. III. The example of the bruite beast that in eating drinking keepes measure and takes no more then will suffice nature The horse and the asse may be schoolemasters to many of vs. IV. If we cannot forsake a cup of wine or beere which is not needfull for vs we shall neuer be able
two respects 1. Because by faith we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ and so in him who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs we fulfill it and so establish it 2. because hauing our hearts purified by faith we liue no more according to the flesh but according to the spirit and so by inchoaâ—e obedience we fulfill the law Lastly in the end in that both the lawe and the gospel tend directly to the manifestation of the glorie of God Yet they differ in 5. things First in the manner of reuealing the lawe before the fall was perfectly known by nature and since the falliâ— part Rom. 2. 15. The Gospel is not known by nature neither was it euer written in mans heart before or after the fall as Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. 9. Those things which the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him therefore the Gospel is called a mysterie Rom. 16. v. 25 26. First because the doctrine of the Gospel was made knowne to men and angels by the reuelation of God Eph. 3. 5. 9. Secondly because there is required a special reuelation worke of gods spirit before a man can yeeld assent vnto it Therefore Paul saith We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. Secondly in the subiect or doctrine it selfe and that in two respects First the Law preacheth nothing but absolute iustice to the transgressours thereof the Gospel sheweth how iustice is qualified with mercie from all things from which ye could not be absolued by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Act. 13. 39. Secondly the Law teacheth what manner of men we ought to be and what we ought to doe that we may come to eternall life but shewes not howe we may becom such indeed the Gospel teacheth that by faith in Christ we may be such as the Law requires God hath made him to be sinnâ— for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly in the obiect The law is giuen to the vniâ—st lawles vngodly prophane 1. Tim. 1. 9 10. that it may shew them their sinnes and the punishment thereby deserued and so may accuse and condemne them the Gospel is to be published and dispensed onely to the penitent which are contrite and broken in heart mourne for their sinnes Math. 11. Esay 57. Luk. 4. IIII. The law promiseth eternall life vpon condition of works Doe this and liue If thou wiâ—â— enter into life keepe the commandements The Gospel promiseth eternall life freely without any condition of works Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue V. In the effects The Law is no instrumentall cause of faith repentance or any sauing grace it is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3. 7. causing wrath Rom. 3. 15. But the Gospel causeth life it is the grace of God which bringeth saluation Tit. 2. 11. for this cause Paul calleth the Law a dead or killing letter the Gospel a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly it may be demaÌ„ded whether any maÌ„ be able to fulfil the Law considering that Paul biddeth vs beare one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Ans. No meere man can perfectly fulfill the Law in this life This conclusion S. Paul prooueth in sundrie of his Epistles specially by these arguments First by the great and generall deprauation of nature which remaineth in part euen in the regenerate stayning their best actions and making them like a menstruous cloath confessing withall that his best workes are not answerable to the law by reason of the remainders of originall corruption Rom. 7. Now perfect fulfilling of the law cannot stand with corruption of nature and transgression in life For a corrupt fountaine cannot send forth sweete waters neither can a corrupt tree beare good fruit Saint Iames saith He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all and the Scripture pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all things written in the bookâ— of the law to doe them Popish Doctours answer first that originall corruption which they call the fewell of sinne and the first motions to euill preuenting all consent of will are indeede in the regenerate but they are no sinnes properly But it is false which they teach For euery transgression of the law is a sinne as S. Iohn defines it 1. Ioh. 3. 4. but these are transgressions of the tenth commandement for it either forbiddeth these first motions whether they be primò primae or secundò primae as Schoolemen speake or it forbid doth nothing but the motioÌ„s which are with coÌ„sent of wil which were forbidden in the former commandements and so in effect there are but nine commandements the tenth forbidding no speciall sinne Againe Paul teacheth that these motions preuenting all consent of will are formally opposed to the Law I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde Secondly they answer that Paul Rom. 7. speakes not of himselfe but in the person of the vnregenerate according to the opinion of S. Augustine Ans. Augustine indeede was once of that iudgement but he after retracted that opinion as it is manifest out of his booke of Retractations and the 6. booke against Iulian the Pelagian and that for these reasons First because Paul saith To will is present with me and I doe not the good I would and J delight in the law of God concerning the inward man all which are proper to the regenerate and cannot be affirmed of the wicked Secondly because he makes mention of the inward man which is all one with the new man or the new creature which agreeth onely to the regenerate Thirdly because he saith he is ledde captiue to sinne v. 23. whereas the wicked are not drawne to sinne by force against their wills but runne riot of their owne accord into all wickednes as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8. 6. Lastly in that he cries out in a sense and sorrow for his sinnes O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death v. 24. which can not be the voice of the vnregenerate for they feele not the burden of their sinne nor desire to be eased of it but take delight and pleasure in it His second reason is this such as our knowledge is such is our loue of God and man but our knowledge is onely in part therefore our loue is but in part and so consequently our obedience is but in part therfore there is no perfect fulfilling of
other mens sinnes saith Euery man shall beare his owne burden And to meete with the carelesnesse of others who respect themselues alone neuer minding the good of their brethren he saith Beare ye one anothers burdens II. Obiect By bearing of our owne burdens is vnderstood giuing an account for our selues vnto God Nowe euery man is not to giue account for himself alone but for those also that are coÌ„mitted to his charge as the father for his child the master for his seruant the magistrate for the subiect the sheapheard for the sheepe Ezek. 34. His blood will I require at thy hand Hebr 13. 17. They watch ouer your soules as they that must giue account Answ. Gouernour and superiours are not to giue account for the sinnes of those that are committed vnto them but for the sinnes which themselues commit in not looking vnto them not admonishing them not restraining them not taking condigne punishment of them for their offences This is plainly taâ—ght Ezek. 33. 8 9. If thou doest not admonish the wicked of his way he shall die for his iniquitie but his blood will I require at thâ— hand Neuerthelesse if thou warne the wicked of his way to turn from it if he doe not turne from his way he shall die for his iniquity but thou hast deliuered thy soule III. Obiect Infants which haue not sinned after the manner of the transgression of Adam doe beare the burden of Adams sinne therefore all doe not beare their own burden Ans. First the words are properly to be vnderstood of personall or actuall sinnes which are proper to euery man in particular and not of originall sinne or the sinne of our nature which is common to all mankind beeing propagated together with nature Secondly I answer that Adams sinne was our sinne and therefore seeing infants partake with him in the sinne it is iust with God they should partake with him in the punishment and so beare their owne burden For albeit the transgression of Adam was his actuall and personall sinne yet it is our originall sinne or the sinne of our nature seeing it is ours by imputation and propagation of nature together with corruption For as Leui was in the loynes of Abraham when Melchizedech met him and payed tithes in Abraham Hebr. 7. 9 10. So all mankind was in the loynes of Adam when he sinned as the branches are in the roote or in the seede And therefore when he sinned we also sinned as the Apostle saith Jn whome all sinned Rom. 5. 12. For so the words are in the originall and not as it is commonly translated for as much as all men haue sinned IV. Obiect In the second commandement the Lord threateneth to visit the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation Therefore they beare not their owne burden but part of their parents burden and parents doe not beare their owne whole and entire burden but their children for them Ans. The clause in the second commandement of visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children doeth not contradict that of Ezek. 18. 19. The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne the same soule that sinneth that shall die For they are reconciled v. 14 17. If he that is a wicked man begette a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done and feareth neither doth the like he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue Therefore the threatning in the second commandement is not to be vnderstood absolutely as though God would alway plague the children for the fathers sinne but conditionally if they persist and continue in their sinnes walking in their waies and treading in their steps And the same answer is giuen in the second commandement that God will not visit the sinne of the fathers vpon the children saue vpon those that hate him It may be said The sinnes of the parents are not vindicated vpon the children because the punishment inflicted vpon their posteritie is not felt of the parents Ans. First children are as it were a part of their parents and therefore they beeing punished their parents are punished with them Secondly it is a corrasiue and a torment to parents to knowe thâ—â— their children shall be seuerely punished and afflicted Thirdly the punishment of posteritie hath a relation to the parent seeing God hath threatened he will punish the children which walke in the wicked waies of their fore-fathers that so he may testifie how extreamly he abhorreth both their sinne and the sinne of their progenitors Fourthly the parents sinne is often a cause of the childrens sinne seeing that God in his iust iudgement curseth a wicked mans posterity by leauing them to themselues to blindenesse of minde and hardnesse of heart that so they may fulfill the measure of their fathers as our Sauiour Christ speaketh Matth. 23. 32. And by their owne sinnes may iustly pull vpon them condigne punishment Lastly God doth more manifest his wrath against the sinne of the parent by punishing the child Obiect V. Numb 25. 4. The chiefest of the Israelites were hanged vp before the Lord for the fornication and idolstrie of the people therefore they did not beare the burden of their own sinne Ans. They were punished for their owne sinne for they consented to worship the idol and commit folly with the daughters of Moab or râ—ther were principall ring-leaders and first actors in this Commick-tragedie as may appeare by the practise of Zimri Prince of the familie of the Simeâ—nites v. 6. in bringing Câ—sbie a Madianitisâ— woman into his tent in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation Therefore because they did not hinder them from committing this fact as they might beeing in place of gouernment but did partake with them in the sin they are first punished that more seuerely for a thousand of them were hanged vp the same day v. 4. the rest of the people to the number of 23 thousand were slain by the sword at the commandement of God v. 5. to which Paul had an eye when he said that there fell in one day 23 thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. meaning of the common sort excluding those that were hanged vp for in all there were 24 thousand Num. 25. 9. Thus the contrarietiâ— which seemes to be betwixt those two places may be better accorded then to say as some doe that the pen-men or scribes failed in copying out the bookes Or as others that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paul or as others that Paul is not contrarie to Moses seeing that if there were 24 thousand as Moses saith there were 23 thousand for there is no reason why the Apostle should vse the lesse number rather then the greater except that which I haue said considering the greater is as round a number as the lesse Obiect VI. Dauid sinned in numbring the people and they were punished for his sinne
seedes but seeds are the proper cause of the fruite therefore good works are the proper cause of eternall life not faith only So that as there is a hidden vertue in the seede to bring forth fruit so is there a dignitie in good workes to merit eternall life Ans. First as in a parable so in a similitude whatsoeuer is beside the scope and drift thereof as this their dispute is prooueth nothing The scope of the similitude is this that as he which soweth wheate shall reape wheate so he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting and as he that soweth tares shall reape nothing but tares so he that soweth to â—he flesh the cursed seedes of a wicked life shall of the flesh reape nothing but corruption and as he that soweth plentifully either of these shall reape a plentifull haruest of either of them so he that sowes the seede of a godly or wicked life in plentifull manner shall reape a plentifull increase either of miserie or felicitie When the Papists therefore reason thus Seedes are the cause of the fruit and haue in them a hidden vertue whereby they grow and bring forth fruit therefore good works are the proper cause of life and haue a dignitie and excellency in them whereby they are worthie of eternall life they misse of the drift and intent of the Apostle and so conclude nothing Besides this their collection and discourse is contrarie to their own doctrine For they teach that good works are meritorious by merit of condignitie which may be vnderstood 3 waies either in regard of the dignitie of the worke alone or in regard of the promise of God alone and his diuine acceptation or partly in regard of the dignitie and excellencie of the worke partly in regard of the promise of God Now albeit some of them hold that good workes doe merit in respect onely of Gods promise and mercifull acceptation as Scotus Ariminensis Durandus Uega Bunderius Coster and the like others in respect partly of their owne worthines partly of Gods promise and acceptance as Bonaventure Biel Driedo lingius Iansenius Bellarmine c. it beeing the common receiued opinion among the Schoolemen as B 〈…〉 ldius witnesleth yet noâ—e of them excepting onely Caietan affiâ—â—e that they are meritorious onely in regard of the dignitie of the worke which notwithstanstanding the Rhemists and others labour to prooue out of this similitude vrging the analogie betwixt seede and good workes contrarie to the current and streame of their owne Doctours Thirdly I answer that good workes are seedes yet faith is the roote of these seedes and in that good workes are made the seedes of eternall life it is to be ascribed to Gods mercifull promise not to the merit of the worke for in that we or our workes are worthie of the least blessing it is more of Gods mercie then our merit Fourthly the Apostle sheweth onely who they are that shall inherit eternall life and the order how life is attained but not the cause wherefore it is giuen It will be said not onely the order but the cause is set downe as it may appeare by the antithesis for as sowing to the flesh is the cause of destruction so sowing to the spirit is the cause of eternall life Ans. It is true in the one but not in the other For first sinnes or workes of the flesh are perfectly euill as beeing absolute breaches of the law and deserue infinite punishment because they offend an infinite maiestie whereas workes of the spirit are imperfectly good hauing in them wants and imperfections there beeing in euery good worke a sinne of omission comming short of that perfection that is required in the law they beeing good and perfect as they proceede from the spirit of God imperfect and vicious as they come from vs. Euen as water is pure as it proceedes from the fountaine but troubled as it runneth through a filthie channell or as the writing is imperfect and faultie as it comes from the yong learner but perfect and absolute as it proceedeth from the scriuener which guideth his hand So that if God setting aside mercie should trie them by the touchstone of the word they would be found to be but counterfeit And if he should waigh them in the balance of his iustice they would be found too light Secondly there is a maine difference betwixt the workes of the flesh and the works of the spirit in this very point in that the workes of the flesh are our owne workes and not the works of God in vs and so we deserue eternall death by reason of them they beeing our owne wicked workes whereas good workes proceede not from vs properly seeing we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. but from the spirit of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deede and are his works in vs therefore beeing not ours we can merit nothing by them at the hands of God Thirdly obserue that it is not said he that soweth to the spirit shall of that which he hath sownercape life euerlasting but shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Where we see the Apostle attributes nothing to our workes but to the grace of Gods spirit Lastly Rom. 6. 23. the holy Ghost putteth manifest difference betweene the works of the flesh of the spirit in respect of merit when he saith The wages of sinne is death but eternall life is the gift of God He saith not that eternall life is the reward of good workes but the gift of God now in the reward of sinne there is merit presupposed in the gift of eternall life nothing but grace and fauour Obiect II. God giueth eternall life according to the measure and proportion of the worke v. 7. As a man soweth so shall he reape 2. Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his proper wages according to his owne labour Therefore in giuing eternall life he hath no respect of the promise or compact but of the dignitie and efficacie of the worke Ans. Fulnes of glorie called by Schoolemen essentiall glorie is giuen onely for the merits of Christ in the riches of Gods mercie without all respect of workes Accidentall glorie when one hath a greater measure of glorie an other a lesse as when vessels of vnequall quantitie cast into the sea are all filled yet some haue a greater measure of water some a lesse is giuen not without respect of works yet so as that it is not giuen for workes but according to workes they beeing infallible testimonies of their vnfained faith in the merits of Christ. If it be said that eternall life is giuen as a reward meritoriously deserued by good works because it is said Come ye blessed for I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate Matth. 25. I answer it is
boasteth not but onely of his Apostolicall calling and his faithfull discharge thereof to the end he may stoppe the mouthes of the false Apostles Thus to confesse the good things we haue to the glorie of God beeing vrged thereunto is lawfull boasting nay it is sometime necessarie making much for the maintenance of the Gospell as Pauls boasting made much for the good of the Church of Corinth Againe there is a twofold lawfull boasting one before God another before men Rom. 4. 2. Of the former the Apostle speakes in this verse of the latter in the 2. Cor. 12. He gloried not in the testimony of a good conscience before god but onely before men Before God he glorified in nothing but in the sauing knowledge of Christ and him crucified And whereas it may besaide that this his boasting in regard of the false Apostles as also his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. and in his infirmities 2. Cor. 11. 30. were not in the crosse of Christ. I answer they were for his glorying ouer the false Apostles in teaching freely was in the good and prosperous successe of the Gospel which is the doctrine of the crosse and his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience in that it was washed by the blood of the crosse as Paul speakes Coloss. 1. 20. In his afflictions in that they were the afflictions of Christ and he by them made conformable to him But it will be said that he gloried in his reuelations in his paines and trauell in preaching the Gospel and in the multitude of Churches which he had planted Ans. First he did it beeing vrged thereunto secondly he did it to defend his calling and the credit of the Gospel and therefore this boasting was not vnlawfull nay it was necessarie and in the Lord. For when we are compelled we may confesse the good things we haue if we doe it sparingly and for the edification of others that they may be bettered by our example and that they seeing our good workes may glorifie God our heauenly father Matth. 5. 16. Here we see what glorying is Vnlawfull namely when men ascribe vnto themselues either that which they haue not or more then they haue or as proceeding from themselues their wisdome strength industrie in sacrificing to their owne netts and burning incense to their owne yearne Habac. 1. 16. or in boasting of them without necessarie cause either for their owne vaine glorie as Nebuchodonosor did Dan. 4. or not for Gods glorie as Herod did Act. 12. And if this glorying be so greata sinne surely boasting in wickednes as Doeg did Psal. 52. 1. must needes be most damnable as when the greatest swearers and swaggerers count themselues the best companions the greatest Idolaters and superstitious persons most religious the greatest oppressours surfeters drunkards fighters most valiane and couragious c. Now this may be done three waies either ignoraÌ„tly as wheÌ„ Paul gloried in his cruel persecuting of the Saints before his coÌ„uersion Act. 26. 11. or presumptuously when men glorie in wickednes notwithstanding they be perswaded in conscience that it is euill and then it is the sinne of Sodom Isa. 3. 9. or malitiously to despite God and then it is the sinne against the holy Ghost The second point to be considered in the words is the thing wherein he will glorie called here the Crosse of Christ Sane in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. The words in the originall translated saue are exceptiue as if he should say I will glorie in nothing except in the crosse of Christ and exclusiue onely in the crosse of Christ and in nothing els Albeit they are sometime aduersatiue as Gal. 2. 16. and Apoc. 21. 27. There shall enter into it no vncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they that are written c. where the words are not exclusiue for then it would follow that some which worke abomination should enter into heauen but aduersatiue as Matth. 12. 4. and Luk. 4. 20. which may serue by the way to cleare the text Ioh. 17. 12. Those thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is lost but the child of perdition that is but the child of perdition is lost For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I take it are not so well translated by the exceptiue coniunction nisi as by the aduersatiue sed seeing here is no exceptioÌ„ made of Iudas as though he had beene giuen to Christ afterward had fallen away which exposition must needes be made if the words be read nisi filius perditionis Further by the Crosse of Christ the Apostle vnderstandeth synecdochically the all sufficient expiatorie and satisfactorie sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse with the whole work of our redemption in the sauing knowledge where of he professeth he will glorie and boast For Christ is made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes that as it is written He that glorieth should glorie in the Lord euen to make boast of him all the day long as the Psalmist speaketh And the reason why Paul professeth that he will glorie onely in the Crosse of Christ is because Christ crucified is the treasurie and storehouse of the Church seeing that in him are hid not onely the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 3. but of bountie and grace Ioh. 1. 16. and of all spirituall blessings Eph. 1. 3. For first by Christ crucified we haue reconciliation with God remission of sinns acceptation to eternall life Secondly we haue the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding peace with God with Angels with men with our selues with the creatures Thirdly we recouer the right and title which we had in the creation to all the creatures and blessings of God 1. Cor. 3. 22. Fourthly all afflictions and iudgements cease to be curses and punishments and become either trialls or corrections Lastly death it selfe is no death but a sleepe for all that die in the Lord are said to sleepe and to rest vpon their beddes Isa. 57. 2. Indeede if we looke vpon death through the glasse of the Law it is the very downefall to eternall destruction but if we consider it as it is changed by the death of Christ it is but a passage from this transâ—torie life to eternall life Christ by his death hath taken away sinne the sting of death so that though it seaze vpon vs yet hauing lost it sting it cannot hurt vs. So that in a word in Christ crucified are all things that a man can glorie of If we would glorie in knowledge and wisdome He is the wisdome of the father seeing that all treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid in him and therefore Paul desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but brist and him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. for this knowledge is eternall life Ioh 17. 3. If in the loue and fauour of great men by him we are highly aduanced into the loue fauour of god Eph. 1. 6. If in
wresting preuerting and breaking this rule but in making other new Lesbian rules which they prescribe as necessarie to be followed as the rule of S. Francis of S. Dominick S. Austen S. Ierome c. holding on mans baptisme better then another on mans profession holier then another on mans rule perfecter then another following any rule rather then Christs and so diuide his seaâ—â—les coate And that these sundry rules of Monks are vaine and wicked it may appeare First because they agree not with this rule of Paul they beeing many it but on it directing and leading to Christ they leading to by paths obscuring the merit of Christ and prescribing many things partly friuolous partly impious contrary to faith and good life Secondly in that they agree not among themselues euery sect hauing his own proper orders and contending their owne to be better holier perfecter then the rest Thirdly in that they diuide into diuerse sects those that ought to be all on in Christ for which cause Paul calles the Corinthians carnall in houlding some of Paul others of Apollos 1. Cor. 3. 4. For how can they be spirituall who in speech action habitte and attire profession and conuersation professe nothing but shisme and dissention Ierome against the Luciferians saith Sieubi audieris â—os qui dicuntur Christi non a Domino lesu Christâ— sed à quoquam alio nuncupari puta Marciònitas Valentinianos Montenses Campates scito non â—cclesiam Christi sed Antichristi esse Synagogam that is whersoeuer thou shalt heare those that are called Christians not to haue their name from our Lord Iesus Christ but from some other as Marcionites Valentinians Montenses Campates knowe thus much that they are not the church of Christ but the Synagogue of Antichrist Nay further solitary life in leauing the society of men and sequestâ—ing themselues from all company which is the grownd and generall practize of Monkish Eâ—emites for Coenobites to speake pâ—operly are no Monks as the word teacheth is against the very light of nature it selfe First because it is naturall for men to liue together nay it is the ground of the family the church and common-wealth There was neuer nation so barbarous or sauage but endeauoured to liue together by associating themselues in cities townes villages caues woods tents or some other way according to the custome of the countrey which generall practise of all argues the impression of nature in all Secondly speach is giuen men for this end that they might conuerse together for it were little or nothing auaileable if men should liue alone and conuerse withnone Thirdly sundry vertues bestowed vpon men as iustice fortitude loue and frendship should be giuen in vaine if men should liue solitary sequestred from all company Fourthly mans imbecillity argues thus much for whereas all other creatures are armed by nature as the Bull with hornes the Boare with tuskes other with teeth fethers swiftnes c. man is borne feeble and naked not able to prouide or defend himselfe but only by helpe of others which is an argument that he is borne to liue in ciuill society and to be holpen by others Lastly man is borne to doe good to himselfe and others in some estate and calling 1. Cor. 7. But he that liueth alone can doe no good to others nor receiue good from them For whereas they plead for themselues that they leaue their particular callings and betake themselus to Armetages that so they may renounce the world I answer that to renounce the world is not to leaue their places and callings whereunto God hath caled them but to renounce the corruption that is in the world through lust 2. Pet. 1. 4. These and the like reasons made the Philosopher to say that he which left the societie of men and betooke himselfe to a solitary life was either a God or a beast By this we may see what Lesbian rules they follow and how that which they account the highest degree of perfection is in truth the depth of abomination that it hath beene the cause of much wickednes as of idlenes hypocrisie whoredome so domitry besides the cruell murthering of many poore innocents Therefore let neither their hypocrisie nor the churches pretended authoritie nor the long receiued custom any thing mooue vs but that leauing them we follow the rule of Paul in this place for they that walke according to it peace shall be vpon them and mercie By peace we are to vnderstand outward peace as prosperitie and good successe in all things we goe about For whatsoeuer they doe shall prosper Psal. 1. 3. And peace with the creatures as first with the good Angels Colosâ— 1. 20. who are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shal be heires of saluation Ebr. 1. 14. pitching their tents about them Psal. 34. 7. and bearing them in their hands as the nourse her child Psal. 91. 12. Secondly with the godly The Prophet saith that in the kingdome of Christ the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe the leopard shall lie with the kidde c. that is men of fierce sauage and woluish natures shal be so changed by grace as that they shall liue peaceably and louingly together Thirdly with the wicked their enemies partly because they seeke to liue in peace as Dauid saith of himselfe I labour for peace Psal. 120. 7. partly because God so inclines their hearts as that they are peaceable Lastly with the beast of the field and all the creatures The Lord promiseth to make a couenant with the wild beasts and foules of the heauen in behalfe of his people that they may sleepe safely Hos. 2. 18. But the peace which is principally meant in this place is peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. Which is peace with God beeing reconciled and at one with him Rom. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God And peace with our selues which is three fold as it is opposed to a threefold dissention in man The first is when the will and affections renewed by grace are obedient to the minde enlightened by the spirit and at peace therewith opposed to the dissention that is betwixt rebellious affections and naturall reason The second is when grace though strongly assailed giueth corruption the foile whereupon followeth the calming and quieting of the mind opposed to the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit The third is when the conscience perswaded of remission of sinnes and reconciliation with God ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and beginnes to excuse and comfort vs opposed to the conflicts that a distressed conscience hath with legall terrours and the anger of God By mercy which is the cause of this peace are vnderstood all spirituall blessings which flow vnto vs from the loue and fauour of God in Christ as remission of sinnes iustification sanctification and eternall life it selfe The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon them haue great emphasis signifying that these blessings