that this is altogether the gifte of God and not gotten by our power that we are called to gouerne his Church Finally in that some do more subtilly dispute in the worde Seperated they do it without cause and out of season Neither is God sayd to seperate vs because he doth put into vs some habite or forme wherby we may differ from other but because he doth order vs by his counsell Although verily he had already manifestly inoughe attributed his calling to the grace fauour of God when he made the beginning thereof that voluntary separation from his mothers wombe yet agayne by name doth he expresse it partly that the cōmendation of the grace might take away al opniō of bosting partly that he might testifie his thankfulnes to God For he is accustomed willingly to do thus euen where he hath no controuersie with the false Apostles 16 To reueale his sonne If you reade To reueale his sonne by me it shal be the final cause of the Apostleship to make Christ manifest How by preaching him among the Gentiles that which the false Apostles laid to his charge as a fault But wheras in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take it to be an Hebrue phrase for mihi for with the Hebrues ב is often superfluous which is wel inough knowen to thē that are expert in the tong The sense then is that Christ was reuealed to Paul not that he alone should haue the fruition of the knowlege of him that he should keepe him close in his bosome but that he should preach him being by him knowen among the Gentiles Straightway I conferred not To confer With flesh and bloud is to take flesh and bloud to counsell And as touching the signification of these words his minde was simply to exclude all counsels of men for generally in this place he comprehendeth all men whatsoeuer wisdome or counsell they haue as by by will appeare by the text naye rather he doth by name shewe or note the Apostles that with that purpose that the immediate calling of God may more clearly appeare He therefore vsing only the authoritie of God being content therwith prepareth himselfe to the office of preaching 17 Neither returned I to Ierusalem It is an exposition also an amplification of the former sentence as if he should say I haue desired no man in the world to be mine autor no not euē the Apostles them selues They are therfore deceiued which say that the Apostles are not cōprehended vnder flesh and bloud because he doth name them now apart For he doth not adioyne any new or cōtrary thing but only doth expound more playnly that which was darkly spokē Neither is he therfore reprochful to the Apostles in such maner of appellation because to the end that he might shew him selfe not to haue bin moued by man it was needful for him to set thē opposite vnto god for cause of the forged braggings of lewd persons And wheras the creature is cōpared with God although it I meane the creature be pressed downe with low base titles it hath no wrong done to it But I went into Arabia Luke in his history of the Actes hath passed ouer these 3. yeres as neither also he doth reckē vp al other things colde therefore is their false surmise which seeke in this place some pretence of contrarietie But let the godly readers waye what a greeuous battell of temptation tooke hold of Paule immediatly after his first seruice while he was yet but a young souldier who the day before forhonors sake was sent with a goodly band to Damasco to day like a banished man is cōpelled to wander in a straunge countrie and yet for all that fainteth not 18 Three yeres The thirde yere at last after he exercised the office of an Apostle he went vp to Ierusalem therefore hee began not by the calling of man And neuerthelesse lest he should seeme to haue his considerations contrary frō others therfore to flie the sight of them he saith that he came for this purpose to see Peter therefore although he waited their authoritye in taking vpon him his office yet hee helde not his degree of Apostleship they being agaynst it but agreeing to it and allowing it and this is that which he intendeth that neither he was at anye time of contrary opinion to the other Apostles moreouer that he did well agree with them He noteth the short time that he spent there to shew that he came not thither to learn but only that they might common one with another To that ende belongeth that which he addeth that he saw no other because that he going somewhether else made his iorney that way only 19 But Iames. Who this Iames was we must see The olde writers for the most part do agree that it was one of the Disciples by surname Oblias and Iustus which ruled the Church of Ierusalem Although some think him the son of Ioseph by another wife some which is more like to be true think him cosine German to Christ of his mothers sister but seing he is reckoned among the Apostles I allow not the opiniō Neither is the excuse of Hierome of any force That this name is otherwhile set ouer from the xii vnto other seing that here he speaketh of the highest dignity we shal heare that the same Iames is a litte after accoūted amōg the principal pillers therfore it seemeth to me much more probable to be the son of Alphaeus of whome he speaketh As for the rest it is likely that they were then dispearsed through diuerse Countreyes for they rested not in one place idle Although Luke doe shew Act. 11.15 that he was brought by Barnabas to the Apostles yet that is not to be vnderstanded of the xii but of these two which then were alone at Ierusalem 20 Fathermore the things which I write vnto you This affirmatiō is extēded to the whole narratiō it sheweth how seriously Paule cōtēdeth about this matter in that he putteth to an oth the whiche it is not lawful to vse but in great causes those of much waight And it is no maruaile though he stay long in so greate a contention for wee saw afore what the deceauers didde goe about by taking awaye from him the name and honour of an Apostle But the fashions of swearing which the Sayntes vse must bee marked of vs that we may vnderstande that with an othe wee doe nothing else but call before the iudgement of God the fidelitie and truth of our sayinges and doinges the whiche when wee doe it needefull it is that religion the feare of God should gouerne 22 I was in face vnknowne This seemeth to be added that he might the more largely set out the mallice and ill will of his backbiters For if onely heresay did moue the iewish Churches to giue glory vnto God because he had so wonderfully wrought in Paule how detestable a thing
conuenient Moreouer the contention with the Iewes was concerning the Lawe Paule than had rather by fighting with them hande to hande as I may saye wound them within their owne listes than by straing farder to shewe them a kinde of running awaye as though he distrusted his cause therefore hee abideth firmelye in the disputation of the Lawe Secondarily they obiect Obiection that ther was onely a question aboute ceremonies moued the which we graunt also Why than saye they should Paule passe ouer from the particular cause to the vniuersall Answere This was the onely occation of the error of Origen and Hierom for they thought it conuenient that Paule seing the false Apostles contended about ceremonies onely should apprehend or take hold of no more than they spake of But they coÌ„sidered not that this was the very cause why he did so sharply contend with them for that that doctrine did drawe a longer traine than at the first sight it did shewe for it woulde not haue bene so greeuous to Paule to haue had ceremonies obserued as to haue the confidence and glory of saluation ascribed vnto works as whan we contend about the forbidding of eating fleshe except vpon certen dayes we do not respect so much howe great a matter it is to forbid the eating of fleshe as wee are carefull concerning the snare of the conscience Therefore Paule doth not stray beside the cause or matter when as he frameth his disputation of the whole Lawe although the false Apostles did onely contende about Ceremonies for therefore did they vrge Ceremonyes that men should seeke saluation in the keeping of the Law because forsooth they fayned it to bee a meritorious worshipping or seruice wherefore Paule doeth not lay against them the Lawe morall but the onelye grace of Christ Neyther is the whole Epistle spente in this vniuersall contention for he commeth at length to Ceremonies by name but because this was a principall Knot and Doubte Whether righteousnesse happened vnto vs by Fayth or by workes it behooued that it should first be dispatched The Papistes at these dayes because it greeueth them if we wring out of them that men are iustified by fayth only do hardly graunt morall things to be comprehended vnder the workes of the Law yea many of them obiecting the glose of Hierome thinke they haue handled the matter very handsomly but the texte will euidently shewe that he speaketh of the morall law also But by the faith He doth not meane ceremonies only or any maner workes not to suffice except the helpe of fayth be ioyned but vnto the negatiue proposition he doth counterset the exclusiue as if he should say Not by workes but by the onely fayth of Christ Otherwise it were an vnapt sentence cleane came from his purpose for the false Apostles did not refuse christ nor yet faith but they required that ceremonyes should be ioyned with theÌ„ If Paul would haue allowed such a maner of ioining there had bene a full agreement betweene theÌ„ and than Paule had in vain troubled the Church with so hateful a contention Let this than remain determined that in this place there is an exclusiue proposition That we are not iustified otherwise than by faith or That we are not iustified but by faith vnto the which this is equiualent We are iustified by faith only Wherby it appeareth how childishly the Papistes at these dayes doe dote brawling with vs aboute the worde Onely as though it were oures but forsooth the Papistes Diuinitie was vnknowne to Paule they saye a man is iustifyed by faith but they place part of the iustifiing in works Paule was ignoraunt of such halfe iustifying for whan hee teacheth that we are righteous through faith because wee cannot be so by works he taketh it as a thing graunted which is also true that we are capable of Christs righteousnesse no otherwise than if we be in our owne righteousnesse pore and needy Therfore eyther nothing or all oughte to bee ascribed to fayth or workes As touching the word righteousnesse or iustifying and in what maner fayth is the cause thereof afterwarde shall bee seene All flesh shall not be iustified Hee hath afore cited the conscience of Peter and of other to be witnesse nowe he doeth more confyrme it by pronouncing that it is so that is Not one mortall man shall obtaine righteousnesse by the workes of the law This is the foundation of free righteousnesse when we are made naked and bare of our own righteousnesse Finallye in denying any mortal man to be iustified is as much as if he should say that all men are shut out from the righteousnesse of the law nor that it can be that any man should attayne therevnto 17 Farthermore if we seeking to be iustified in Christ are our selues found also sinners is Christ therfore the minister of sinne God forbid 18 For if I build those thinges agayne whiche I haue destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser 19 For I by the law am dead to the lawe that I might liue to God with Christ I am crucified 20 And I liue noâ— any more but Christ liueth in mee in as much as I liue now in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God which hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me 21 I cast not away the grace of God for if righteousnesse be by the Lawe than Christe hath dyed * Gratis in vayne for nothing 17 If we seeking He returneth his talke now to the Galathians lest any man shoulde ioyne this sentence with the former as though it were a part of the communication hadde with Peter for to what ende shoulde these thinges neede for Peter Although this bee nothing or a very little to the matter therfore let euery man choose whether of them he list Furthermore some read it affirmatiuely among whome is Chrisostome and they make this the sence If we seeking to be iustified in Christ are not yet fullye iust but are as yet vncleane neyther yet Christ doth suffice vs vnto righteousnesse it followeth that Christ is the minister of doctrine which leaueth men in sinne as though hauing propounded this absurditie Paule should accuse of blasphemie those who doe attribute parte of iustification to the law But because the word absit which is God forbid doth by and by follow which Paule is not accustomed to vse but after interrogations or questions I suppose it is rather spoken to remoue the absurditie which seemed to followe of it According to his custome than by asking the question he vseth the figure Occupatio as in the person of his aduersaries If sayeth he the righteousnesse of fayâ—h doe bring this that we whiche be Iewes and sanctified from our mothers wombe should be deemed guiltie and polluted shall we saye that Christe is the authour of sinne as he which maketh the power of sinne to flourish in his Thereof sprang this doubt for that hee had sayde that the Iewes by beleuing in Christ had giuen ouer the
touching men the ministerie of the worde is vnprofitable to doubtfull and wauering consciences To runne in vaine is taken to labour without profite whē as that edifiing which ought to follow doth not ensue Farthermore here was a strong engine to shake weake consciences when as the deceauers did falsely say that the Doctrine which Paule did preach was contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles in so much that many did fall The certaintie of faith dependeth not vpon the consent of men but rather so must we rest in the naked truth of God that neither men neither all the Aungels should remoue vs from it Notwithstanding to the rude and those which haue scarsely yet a small taste of sounde doctrine and haue not vtterlye dronke in the same in their harte and marow this temptation can scant be born when they heare the principal teachers to be at ods among themselues Nay rather sometimes Sathan by his subtiltie prouoketh and stirreth those that be strong when as he layeth before them the contentions and dissentions of them whome it moste became to thinke and speake one thing It can hardlye be tolde how many that vnlucky contention as touching the * He meaneth the sacrament of the body of Christ body of Christ stopped from the Gospell how many mens fayth it shaked for that they saw men of principall authoritie so enuiously to striue about the greatest question againe it is no small helpe to establish fayth when all teachers consent in one Therfore whereas Sathan went about with such subteltie to let the passage of the gospell Paule would stoppe him for after that it appeared that he agreede well with all the Apostles this lette was vtterly taken away the mindes of the vnlearned were not tossed any more with shifting and chaunging whom they should follow This is then that which he speaketh Leaste my paynes which before I tooke had bene lost and finallye least I shoulde goe forwarde without commoditie I tooke away that doubte that troubled many whether they might beleeue me or Peter for with one consent haue we both embraced that which I had alwayes taught And if so be it were so great pleasure to many at these dayes to edifie as it was to Paule they woulde be touched with greater care to agree among themselues 3 But neither Titus He proueth by another reason that the Apostles are not of contrary iudgemēt vnto him for he brought vnto thē a man vncircumcised whō they doubted not to acknowledge as a brother He addeth a cause why he was not circumcised Res media for wheras circumcision was a meane thing or a thing indifferēt it might be either omitted or vsed as it serued to edifie We must alwaye holde fast that rule If all thinges are lawful vnto vs that we see what is expedient Therefore did hee circumcise Timothie least his vncircumsion might be an offēce vnto the weake for at that time he was conuersante among the weake whome he ought to fauour And he would gladlye haue done the same in Titus so neuer wearied was hee in bearing with the weake but the reason was contrary for certain false bretheren were ready to take occasion to slaunder his doctrine which straight waye would haue spread abroade this reporte Beholde this so bolde a defender of libertye as soone as he commeth into the Apostles sight he layeth downe that manlye courage fiercenesse wherewith he is puffed vp among the vnlearned As it is meete for vs to temper our selues toward the weake so must we stoutly resist the malignaunt those that of set purpose do lay to entrap our libertie neither ought the dueties of Charitie hinder the offices of Fayth Charitie than in the vse of thinges that are indifferent or meane shall be a verye good moderator if only first you haue respect of fayth 4 For because of false bretheren The sence hereof maye be two wais taken 1 that he was not circūcised whē as notwithstanding the false bretheren did importunately require it would haue cōpelled him 2 or else that of set purpose Paule circūcised him not because he saw that it would straight ways come to passe that they would take occasion thereof to slaunder For for this purpose they did thrust themselues into Paules company that they might catch the one or the other of these two things That is if he did freely contemne ceremonies that they mighte bring him therby into hatred with the Iewes but if he did wholy abstaine from libertie they would by and by triumphe ouer him among the Gentils as though being ashamed he had recanted his doctrine This second sence liketh me that Paule vnderstanding their laying in waight would not circumcise Titus He sayth that he was not compelled that the readers may perceaue that Circumcision of it self was not condemned as though it were a thing euil but that they contend about the necessitie of keping it as though he should say I woulde haue bene readye to haue circumcised him had it not bene that there had bene a greater matter in it For they would haue laid the Law vnto vs but to such compulsion I might not giue place 5 Vnto whome no not for an hower This constancie was a zeale of Paules doctrine For whereas the false bretheren were earnest vpon him desired nothing else but to accuse him and againe that he stoode stoutly in it hee tooke awaye all doubt thereafter to come Neither can he now be accused that he deceaued the Apostles he doth deny therefore that euen for a space he gaue place to them by subiection that is to saye after the maner of subiection so that that deede shoulde be as it were a document of libertie oppressed otherwise with gentlenesse and sufferaunce he was alwaye ready euen vnto hys lyues ende to giue place to all men That the truth of the Gospell There was no danger least the Paule should be robbed of his libertie yea euen with submitting himself vnto other but the example would haue hurt other He did therfore wisely consider what was expedient We see than both how farre offences are to be auoided and also what is alwaye to bee considered in thinges indifferent that is to say Edification The sum is this that we be seruants of our brethren but yet to this ende that wee all may together serue the Lorde and that the libertie of our consciences maye remayne safe and sound for in that the false brethren would haue brought the godly into bondage they were not to be obeyed The truthe of the gospell is to be taken for the naturall purytie therof or els which is the very same for the pure and sound doctrine therof for the false Apostels did not vtterly abolishe the Gospell but they did falsifie it with their expositions so that now it began to be feigned and visarded as alwaies it is when as we bowe but euen a little from the simplycitie of Christe With what face than will the papistes boast
efficacie of the Spirite of whiche hath bene spoken in both Epistles to the Corinthes be present Therefore they whiche will duelye doe their Office in the Ministerie of the Gospell lette them learne not onely to speake and preache ofte but also to pierce into the consciences that Christ crucified may be perceyued and felt and his blood may distill or drop into them Where the Churche hath suche paynters it doth not any more neede deade Images of Woode and Stone it doth not require anye payntinges or pictures and then truelye firste of all among Christians were the Dores of Temples opened to Images and pictures when as partlye the Pastors were dombe and become meere Idols partly they spake a few wordes out of the Pulpit so coldely and slightlye that the force and efficacie of the Ministerie was vterly extinguished and put out 2 This onely will I know Now afresh he confirmeth his cause with reasons The firste reason is of their experience for he bringeth them in mynde what maner of beginning the Gospell had with them They receaued the Spirite as soone as they hearde the Gospell therefore they oughte to ascribe this goodnesse as taken from fayth and not from the Lawe Peter doth vse the same argument or reason when he excused himselfe before the bretheren that he baptised those that were vncircumcised And so doth Paule himself Barnabas in the disputation which they had at Ierusalem about this matter Act. 15.2.7 It is manifest than that they are vnthankfull which yeelde not to the doctrine by the benefite whereof they receaued the holye Ghost That he taketh from them the aunswere is a signe not of doubting but of greater confidence in the assuraunce of his cause for they were compelled to graunt it to be true being cōuicted by their own experience This Figure is Motonymya Faith in this place he figuratiuely calleth the gospel which else where he calleth the doctrine of faith Ro. 3.27 because that in that place is propoūded set forth vnto vs that meere fauor of God in Christ without desert of workes The spirite I take in this place for the Grace of regeneration which is common to all faithfull persons although if any had rather take it for the particuler gifts wherewith the Lord did than garnish the preaching of the Gospel it shal be free for them so to doe for al me Obiection If any wil obiect That the Spirite was not geuen to al after this faishon I answere Answere It suffiseth for Paules purpose or intention that the Galathians did know that with the doctrine of Paule ther appeared in their Church the vertue and strength of the holy Ghost and that the faithfull were endowed diuersly with the graces of the Spirite to their cōmon edification Obiection If againe it be obiected That those Graces were not certein and sure signes of adoption and therefore to auaile nothing to the present cause Answere I aunswere It is sufficient that the Lord confirmed the doctrine of Paule with the visible signs of his spirite But that former aunswere is the plainer that they were garnished with the common benefite of adoption before these deceiuers thrust in their additions And so also he speketh Ephe. 1.13 After you heard the true Gospell of God you were sealed with the spirite c. 3 Are ye so foolish that Here also it is doubtfull what hee vnderstandeth by the Spirite what by the flesh the Interpreters doe differ It seemeth to me that Paule alluded to that which he spake of the Spirite as if he should haue sayde Seing that the doctrine of the Gospell hath brought vnto you the holy Ghost your beginning than was spirituall but now you are fallen into the worst euen as they whiche from the Spirite fall into the flesh Therefore he vseth this worde Flesh eyther for extearne or outward thinges and those which are fraile and mortall such as ceremonyes are speciallye when they are seperated from Christ or else for dead and frayle doctrine for it is a foule thing that they which haue begun well should not go forwarde well 4 Haue you suffered so great things Another reason seeing that they haue suffered so many things in the behalfe of the Gospell that they should not loose it all now in a moment nay rather after the maner of vpbrayding them hee asketh if they will lose vnto themselues so many notable onsets whiche they haue sustayned for the fayth for except the right fayth had ben deliuered vnto them of Paule it was a poynt of rashnesse to suffer any thing for the defence of an ill cause but they had tryed that God was present with them in persecutions he doth therfore burthen the false Apostles with enuie who spoyled the Galathians of such precious ornamentes But to mittigate bitternesse he addeth If yet in vaine to correcte it whereby hee raiseth vp their myndes that they conceyuing the better hope might aspire to repentaunce For this is the ende of all chasteninges not to hurle men headlong into dispaire but to encourage them to doe better 5 He therefore that ministreth He speaketh not nowe of the grace of regeneration but of the other giftes of the spirite for the order it self doth shewe that it is a contrary reason from the former because he hath but another reason or argumente betweene them He warneth them than that all the giftes of the holy Ghost wherewith they excelled be fruites of the Gospell and the same that was preached among them with his mouth therefore they didde spoyle themselues of those giftes when as they left the Gospell and did flye to another kynde of Doctrine Agayne looke how much they esteemed those giftes so much also ought they to regarde with tooth and nayle to retayne the Gospell to those kinde of giftes he ioyneth vertues that is to say miracles 6 Euen as Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse 7 Know ye therefore that they whiche are of faith those are the sonnes of Abraham 8 For the scripture because it did foresee that God would iustifie the Gentils by faith did afore shewe glad Tidinges to Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed 9 Therfore they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham After that he hath giuen them the ouerthrowe by the things themselues and by experience he passeth to the Testimonies of the scripture First of all he bringeth the example of Abraham although at all times arguments taken from examples are not so firme neuerthelesse this is moste forcible be cause neyther in the thing nor yet in the person is there anye difference for there are not many wayes vnto righteousnesse and therefore is Abraham called the father of all the faythfull because he is a common example vnto them all naye rather in his person there is a generall rule howe to obtayne righteousnesse prescribed or set out vnto vs. 6 Euen as Here must be vnderstanded these wordes But rather for whan he had asked
A Commentarie of M. J. Caluine vpon the Epistle to the Galathians And translated into English by R. V. Pray for the peace of Hierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Psal 122.6 AT LONDON Jmprinted by Thomas Purfoote and are to be solde at his shop ouer agaynst S. Sepulchres Church 1581. ¶ To the right Reuerend Father Iohn my Lorde the Bishop of London R. V. wisheth health of soule and body together with happie successe in setting forth the glory of God c. IT is not long sithens right Reuerend Father that J purposed the Dedication of a sermon of M. Iuel by me translatd out of the Latine vnto your Honour which for the brefenesse and smalnesse of the volume thereof J passed vndedicated for a season notwithstanding the worthie matter therein conteyned might sufficiently commend it as a thing of very great importaunce And nowe hauing translated also this commentarie of that learned man and godly Father I. Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Galathians I thought it my duetie especially in that I take my selfe to be bounde to render an account of my studie in parte vnto your Honour ioyning the same together with the Sermon afore specified to dedicate both at once vnto your Lordship desiring that you will vouchsafe to accept of them with such an affection as the authoures of both J meane Juel and Caluine haue both for their godlinesse in life excellēcie in knowledge and painfulnesse in vtteringe the truth full well deserued whereof I make in doubtes And therfore without troubling your Lordship any furder with more circumstaunces being otherwise occupied in waightie and great matters J commend the same together with your affaires to the defence and protection of the moste highest who euer preserue your Honour The first of August 1581. Your moste bounder R. V. The Argument vpon the Epistle to the Galathians by M. Iohn Caluine IT is sufficiently knowne what part of Asia the Galathians inhabited and with what limits their Countrey was bounded but whence they had their beginning appeareth not so well among Writers All agree that they were Gaules and therof they were named Gaulegrecians But out of what part of Gaule or Fraunce they came they doe not so well agree Strabo thought that the Tectosages came out of Gaule Narbon and that the other were Celtae vvhome all for the moste part haue followed But vvheras Plinius reckoneth the Ambiani vvith t e Tectosagi and beside that by the consent of all that they had the Tolistobogi to their fellowes vvho dwelt vpon the borders of the Rhine it semeth to me more likelye that they vvere the Belgae inhabiting the farmost coast of the Rhine toward the Brittaine Sea For the Tolistobogi held that portion in vvhich nowe the Cleueners and Brabanders do inhabite But hereof sprong the error in my opinion that whereas some band of the Tectosages hadde made an inroade into Gaule Narbon they retained their name called the Region which they by force possessed by it And this doth Ausonius shew where he sayth Euen so far as to the Teutosagi who at the first were called Belgae For he both calleth them Belgae testifieth that in the beginning they vvere called Teutosagi who afterward were named Tectosagi And whereas Caesar doth place the Tectosagi in the wood called Hercinia I vnderstād that to be done by going out of their own country thither and by the story you may also gather it But as touching the originall of the Nation more thā sufficient hath ben spoken as in regard of the present place The Galathians which held that portion of Asia which toke the nam of thē as they wer deuided into 3. principal peoples namly the Tectosages Tolistobogi the Trocmi so also saith Plinie they had three principal Cities They flourished with so greate force once among their weake neighboures that a great part of the lesser Asia vvas tributarie to them at length their Countreyes vertue wearing out they gaue themselues to delicacie and excesse So vvith no great adoe they were ouercome in battayle and subdewed by Cneus Manlius the Romane Consul in Saint Paule his tyme they were vnder the Romanes Furthermore whereas he had purely and faithfully instructed them in the Gospel there came while he was away the false Apostles who corrupted the true seede of the Word with false and corrupt Doctrines For they taught that the obseruing of ceremonies was as yet necessarie It might seeme a thing of light account in shewe but Paule contendeth about it as a principall poynt of the christian faith and not without a cause for it is no smal euill to smother the brightnesse of the Gospell to lay a snare vpon the consciences to take awaye the difference of the old and new Testament he did see besides this that vnto these erroures there was ioyned also a wicked and hurtfull opinion of deseruing righteousnesse This is the cause why he striueth with suche vehemencye and contention that we also being admonished how waightye and serious a matter is here handled maye be the more attentiue to reade it If a man estimate the cause by the Commentaries of Origen or Ierome he shall wonder that Paule was so greatly moued for certaine outward customes but whosoeuer shall looke vpon the beginning it selfe shall confesse that they were matters not vnmeete to be so sharpely contended about For in that the Galathians by ouer swift credite nay rather by lightnesse and folly suffered themselues to be lead away from the truth therefore he reprehendeth them the more sharply for I am not of their opinion which suppose that they were the hardlyer handled for because of the dulnesse of their witte The Ephesians and Colossians were assayed also and if they had so lightly yielded to their deceites thinke we that Paule would haue dealte any more mildely with them The nature of the people then moued him not thus franklye to chide them but it was rather the hatefulnesse of the matter that enforced him Now that we vnderstande the cause why he wrote this Epistle let vs come to the order of the handling thereof He contendeth in the two firste chapters about the authoritie of his Apostleship sauing that by occasion about the end of the second chapter he entreth into the principall state of the matter that is to say into the question of the iustification of man wherof neuerthelesse at the last in the thirde chapter he openlye frameth a full disputation Although he seeme to intreate of many thinges in these two Chapters yet this one thing he indeauoureth to proue himselfe equall with the highest Apostles and that he lacketh nothing but that he maye bee reckoned an Apostle in like degree of honour as they But it is worth the while to know why hee tooke so great pains about the triall of his estimation for so that Christ raigne and that the puritie of doctrine remaine sound what skilleth it whether he be aboue Peter or lesse then Peter or
whether they bee all equall among themselues If all must decrease that only Christ may encrease vnfruitfull is the contention about the dignitie of men Moreouer this maye bee demaunded why he compareth himselfe to the other Apostles for what controuersie had he with Peter and Iames and Iohn to what purpose then did it belong that those who were of one mynde and good friendes among themselues shoulde be at oddes against themselues I aunswere that the false Apostles who had beguiled the Galathians to the end they might the better aduaunce themselues pretended the names of the Apostles as though they had ben sent of them This was a notable shouldring in of thēselues for that they were beleeued to be the Apostles deputies and spake as it vvere out of their mouth and in the meane while did pluck away from Paule the name and right of an Apostle For they did obiect that he was not chosen of the Lord one of the twelue that he was neuer acknowled to be such an one by the colledge of the Apostles and that not only hee had his doctrine not from Christ but not so muche as from the Apostles so came it to passe that not onelye the authoritie of Paul vvas diminished but that he was as some one of the multitude much baser then themselues If the matter had bene concearning persons only it had bene no great matter for Paule to haue bene reputed some common Disciple but vvhen he did see his Doctrine thereby beginne to grow out of credite and to be set lesse by he ought not to holde his peace but stoutlye speake against it This is the wylinesse of the Deuill vvhen he dareth not assayle the Doctrine manifestly vvith crooked mynes to hurle down the maiestie therof Let vs remember than that in the person of Paule the truth of the Gospell vvas assaulted for if he had suffred himselfe to be spoyled of the honour of Apostleship it followed that he had vsurped more hitherto than vvas his right and this false boasting woulde haue made him bene suspected in other thinges also And therupon also did hang the estimation of his doctrine in that it should haue the beginning and was receaued not as proceeding from an Apostle of Christe but from some common disciple On the otherside hee was ouerwhelmed with the maiestie of great names and stiles For they wheras they boasted them of the title of Peter and Iames and Iohn did chalenge to themselues Apostolicall authoritie And had not Paule manfully resisted this boasting he should haue geuen roome for a lye and moreouer should haue suffered in his owne person the truth to haue bene trodden downe Therefore doth he seriously contend about both namely that he was an Apostle appointed of the Lord and also that he was nothing inferiour to the rest but that he was of like right and dignitie as they euen as he had like name with them He might haue denied either that they were sent by Peter and his felowe Apostles or that they had any commandement from them but this defence hath much more waight that he geueth not place to the Apostels themselues for if he had shunned that he should haue bene thought to haue distrusted his own cause Ierusalem in those dayes was the mother of all Churches for that the Gospel did flowe from thence into the whole worlde and it was as it weare the principall seate of the kingdome of Christe Whosoeuer came from thence into other Churches he vvas reuerently receiued and not vvithout good cause But many were swolne vvith a foolish glory because they vvere familier vvith the Apostles or at the leastwise instructed by their teaching Therfore nothing liked them but that which they saw done at Ierusalem all other rites or vsages not there vsed they not only reiected but hardily also condemned Such vvaywardnesse is a plague very euill vvhen vvee vvill haue the fashion or custome of one Church to stand as a generall law And it riseth of a preposterous zeale vvhen vve are so vvedded to some teacher or place that vvithoute vvaying the matter vve vvould bynde all places and all persons to the sence and vvill of one man and to the orders of one place as to a generall or common rule although ambition is alway mingled to it yea rather ouermuch vvaywardnesse is full of ambition But to returne to these false Apostles if onely vpon an ill emulation they had assayed in euery place to thrust in the vsage of the ceremonies which they saw kept at Ierusalem in so doing they had done no small offence for it is iniurious of a custom straight vvay to make a rule But there vvas more euill in their Doctrine being vngodly and pernicious for that they vvould holde the consciences bounde by a religion for that they placed righteousnesse in the obseruation thereof Nowe vve perceiue vvhy Paule vvas so stoute in the avouching his Apostleship and vvhy he doth set himselfe by way of comparing against the other Apostles And that doth he til the ende of the second Chapter vvhere he maketh away ouer vnto the handling of the matter namely that vve are iustified freely before God not by the workes of the law For he vseth this argument If ceremonies haue not power to iustifie then the obseruing of them is not necessarie although he speaketh not of ceremonies alone but reasoneth generally of vvorkes or else all his argument vvere caycolde If this seeme vnto any to bee farre fetched he must consider two thinges First that hee could not otherwise dispatche the question but by taking the generall principle which is We be iustified by the mere grace of God vvhich excludeth not ceremonies onlye but also other vvorkes Secondly that Paule made not so muche adoe concerning ceremonies as about the vvicked opinion of getting saluation by vvorkes Lette vs marke then that Paule beginneth not at the egge as they say but he sheweth of necessitie the very spring head that the readers maye know that contention is not moued here about the shadow of the asse but about the greatest matter of all namelye By vvhat vvay vve shall get saluation They are beguiled than vvho thinke that the Apostle keepeth himselfe in the compasse of the perticuler question concearning ceremonies for he could not vvinde him out of it by it selfe We haue the like example Act. 15.2 Strife and contention vvas moued about ceremonies vvhether they vvere necessary to be kept about discoursing vvherof the Apostles preach Of the yoke of the Law not able to be borne Of the free remission of sinnes To what purpose are these thinges for it seemeth to be an absurde digressing from the purpose but it is not so for the perticuler errour could not otherwise be soundlye confuted but by taking in hand the generall principle As for example If I must reason about the forbidding of eating flesh I vvill make mention not onely of meates but I vvill arme my selfe with the generall doctrine how farre mans traditions ought
therefore they helpe themselues nothing by cauilling on this maner 10 Doe I now perswade after men or after God or do I seeke to please men if I shoulde as yet please men I were not the seruaunt of Christ 11 I make it knowne vnto you bretheren as touching the Gospell that was preached by me that it was not after man 12 For I neither tooke it neither learned it of man but by the râ—uelation of Iesu Christ 13 And ye heard of my conuersation whiche in time past was in Iewish Religion that aboue measure I did persecute the Churche of GOD and spoyled it 14 And I did profite in Iewish religion aboue many my companions in my kindred when as I was greatly studious Studiosus desirous or diligent to attaine anye thing of the traditions of my fathers Because he had so boldly extolled his preaching now doth he without vaine boasting shew that he did it lawfully and he vseth two Argumentes to shew it The first is of the effect of his minde because he doth not apply himselfe vnto men ambitiously or to flatter The seconde is much more forcible in that hee himselfe is not the authour of this Gospell but hauing receyued it of God hath faythfully deliuered the same by hande 10 Doe I now perswade This place for the ambiguitie of the Greeke construction is diuersly expounded Some doe thus translate it 10. Doe I perswade men or God Others doe take God for godly thinges and men for humane thinges which sense would very well agree if it were not somewhat far disagreeing from the wordes I had rather therefore to followe that sence which was lesse forced for it is a common thing with the Greekes to vnderstande the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paule speaketh not of the argument of his preaching but of the purpose of his minde that he hath regard vnto God rather then vnto men although the doctrine be aunswerable to the affection of him that teacheth For as corruption of doctrine springeth of ambitioÌ„ auarice or any other wicked desire so a right coÌ„science maketh that the pure truth is retained Therfore he enforceth that his doctrine is true in that it is not conformed vnto men Or do I seeke to please men This second differeth not much from the first notwithstanding it differeth somwhat for the desire to get fauor is the cause why we speake after men Where such ambitioÌ„ raigneth in our harts that we couet to frame our speeche to win the fauour of men it may not be that we can teach sincerely Therfore Paule doth testifie himselfe to be pure and free from this vice and that he may with the more boldnesse attempt himselfe also from slaunder he speaketh asking the question For questions haue more waight for that we giue our aduersaries leaue to speake againste vs if they haue any thing to say For that was a signe of great suertie which the testimony of a good conscience gaue to Paule because indeede he knewe himselfe so to haue done his duety that he was not in daunger of such a reproche For if I should please men A sentence worthy of remembraunce that the ambitious that is they which hunt after the fauour of men cannot serue Christe Notwithstanding hee speaketh of his owne person singulerly in this sence that hee hath willingly put himselfe out of fauour with men that he might giue himselfe to serue Christ and compareth the state of his life afore with his life nowe He was in verye great estimation he was receiued in euerye place with great applaudings and welcomes wherefore if he would haue pleased men he needed not chaunge his estate But hereof is to be gathered that generall doctrine which I spake of Whosoeuer will faithfullye serue Christ they must couragiously contemn the fauour of meÌ„ This worde Men hath in this place a certaine note for the Ministers or seruauntes of Christ may not purposely desyre to please men but there are diuers sortes of men Looke whome Christe is pleasaunt vnto let vs study to please them in Christe they that will haue true Doctrine set behinde their affections them in no wise must we obay And truly this battayle must alwayes be sustayned of Godly and sound Pastors that they set noughte by the offending of them which will haue what they list in all thinges For the Church shall alwaye haue Drones and wicked persons which will preferre their owne will before the worde of God Yea and the good men are sometyme tempted of the Diuell so that they be angry with their Pastor that aduiseth them rightly whether they doe it of ignoraunce or of infirmitie It is our partes therefore not to be afrayde of any offence so that thereby we doe not alienate the weake from Christ Manye doe otherwise expounde this place as though it were Concessio that is a graunting or yielding and they thinke this the sence If I didde please men Then I were not the Seruaunte of Christe I graunte it But who will vpbrayde this vnto mee Who seeth not that I seeke not the fauoure of menne But that former sence doeth more please me in that Paule maketh mention of howe greate fauour of men he hath bereft himselfe that he mighte wholye giue himselfe to Christ 11 I make it knowne vnto you This is a moste strong argument and a speciall staye on whiche his cause dependeth That he receyued not his Gospell of men but it was reuealed vnto him by GOD. And because this mought haue bene denyed him he ioyneth an expositiue proofe that is a proofe which consisteth in the declaration of the thing done But that this declaration maye haue the more force he protesteth that he speaketh not of an obscure or darke thing but such as he is ready to make proofe off for such an Exordium or beginning is meete for an earnest matter He denyeth it to be after man because it sauoureth of no humane thing or else because it was not forged or made by man for proofe whereof hee doth straighte waye put too that hee was not taughte of anye earthly maister 12 For I neither tooke it of man What than shall a mans authoritie be therefore the baser if hee being taughte by the ministerie of man do afterwarde so become a teacher But it is requisite alwayes to consider with what engines the false Apostles inuaded him videlicet that he tooke an halting and counterfeyte Gospell of some no verye good mayster or at the least of some base teacher and vnderstanding it but weakelye nowe rashlye to preache it In the meane while they boasted themselues the Disciples of the highest Apostles the sence of whose myndes they hadde perfectlye It was therefore needefull for Paule to sette his Doctrine agaynste all the World and to stay him vppon this shore viz. That it was reuealed vnto hâ—m by GOD and not taughte him in the schoole of any man otherwise he shoulde neuer haue bene deliuered from the slaunders of the false Apostles
Obiection If anye will obiecte that he was taught of Ananias Act. the ninth Chapt. the tenth ver The solution thereof is easie Answere there is no let but that GOD by himselfe hath taught him by Oracles and to garnishe the ministerie also hath vsed mans helpe in teaching him as I haue sayde afore that he was both called immediately by Oracle of God and also was ordayned by the voyces of men and solemne approbation or admission these things disagree not in themselues 13 For ye haue heard my conuersation All this Narration is added in steede of a probation or proofe for he sheweth that all his life long hee didde so muche abhorre the Gospell that he was an hatefull enemie thereof and a spoyler of Christians thereof we gather that his conuersion was of GOD And certesse hee appealeth them as witnesses of a thing not doubtfull that that whiche hee speaketh of maye bee oute of doubt He calleth them his Companions which were of the same tyme for if he had made the comparison with the Elders it hadde bene vnproper The traditions of my Fathers Hee meaneth not those additions with whiche the lawe of GOD was corrupted but the law of God it selfe in whiche hee was broughte vp from his childehoode and which he hadde receiued from his Fathers and Graundsires by mouth When as therefore he was greatly addicted to the customes of the Fathers it was not easy for him to be remoued from it except the Lorde had drawne him by myracle 15 And after that it pleased God which had seperated me from my mothers wombe and called mee by his grace 16 To reueale his sonne vnto me that I might preache him among the Gentils straight way I conferred not with flesh and blood 17 Neither returned I to Ierusalem to them which wer Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and againe I returned to Damasco 18 Three yeres after that I came back to Ierusalem that I mighte see Peter and I remained with him fifteene dayes 19 Other of the Apostles I saw none but James the brother of our Lorde 20 Furthermore the thinges whiche I write vnto you beholde before God I lye not 21 After that I came into the Countreys of Syria and Cilicia 22 And I was vnknowne in face to the churches of Jury which were in Christ 23 But only this report was among them Hee that in time past persecuted vs now preacheth the faith which in time past he ouerthrew 24 And they glorified God in me 15 After it pleased God The seconde peece of his Narration is of his wonderfull conuersion but here must be made a resolution in that he was called by the grace of God to preach Christ among the Gentils and in that straight way after his calling not consulting with the Apostles he prepared him to the worke enioyned him without any doubting being certayne of God his determination Erasmus disagreeth in the construction of the wordes from the common translations in Latine for thus he ioineth it Whē it seemed good vnto God that I should preach Christ among the Gentils which called me to this that he might reueale him by me But the old translatiō is more apte in my iudgement for first the reuelation of Christ was offered vnto him and after that the preaching was committed Or else if it like you to follow the translation of Erasmus so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie in english by me yet for all that this peece that I should preache is added to expresse the maner of the reuelation But at the firste blushe the reasoning of Paule may seeme not so firme for howsoeuer he was conuerted to Christianitie he did by and by take vpon him without asking counsell of the Apostles the office of preaching the Gospell and doth it not for all that follow therefore that he was appointed vnto it by the reuelation of Christ but hee endeuoreth with many reasons to proue it all which if you gather into one they will be sufficient to make a full argumēt first that he was called by Gods grace secondly that his Apostleship was approued of the rest of the Apostles and so forth Let the Readers therefore remember to reade his whole narration together and so therevpon to conclude of the whole and not of the singuler partes Which had seperated me This separation was the councell of God whereby Paule was appointed to the office of an Apostle before he did know himselfe to bee borne a man His calling afterward followed in due time when as the Lord manifested his will as touching him and commanded him to be in a readinesse vnto his worke But there is no doubt but that God before the worlde was made determyned what he woulde doe with euery one of vs and assigned by his secret iudgement to euery one his duety and charge But otherwhile the scripture doth vse to place these three degrees The eternall predestination of God his appoynting from the mothers wombe and calling which is the effecte and fulfilling of both The Lord speaketh somewhat otherwise Ieremy the first chap. the fift ver that the wordes of Paule doe sounde and yet in the same sence or meaning Before that I did shape thee in thy mothers wombe I did know thee before thou camest oute of thy mothers wombe I sanctified thee I gaue thee to be a Prophet to the Nations or Gentils God also sanctified Paule not yet borne to the office of an Apostle as he did Ieremie to the office of a Prophet but he again is said to separat vs frō our mothers wombe because that to this end we are brought forth into the world that he might fulfil in vs that which he hath determined And our calling is deferred euen vntill it be a fitte time to execute when as God hath made vs meete to fulfill that office which he enioyneth vs. Thus therefore may you resolue Paules wordes When it pleased God to reueale his sonne by me which called me as before he did seperate me For he would declare his calling to depende vpon the secret election of God neither that he was therefore appoynted an Apostle because he had prepared himselfe by his owne industrie to take vpon him so great an office or els because God had found him meete as to whom he might cōmit this busines but because he was appoynted thervnto by the hidden counsell of God that before he was borne For so he is accustomed to ascribe the cause of his calling to the free pleasure of God which is diligently to be marked For therby we are taught that it is to be referred to the grace of God not onely that we are elected and adopted vnto eternall life but also that he vouchsafeth to vse our helpe wheras otherwise we are vtterly vnprofitable and that he assigneth vs a lawfull calling in which we may exercise our selues For what had Paule beeing not yet borne that was worthy of so great honour Thus then must we make our count
is it that they vnto whome his maruailous vertues were manifest by their effect should not doe the like if onely report suffised them why were not these content with the sight of the thinges He is sayde to haue ouerthrowne the faith not because faith of it selfe is able to be ouerthrowne but because he destroyed the same in weake persons Finally the enterprise is more respected then the effect 24 They did glorifie This was a manifest token that his ministerie was approued of all the Churches of Iury and so approued that with great wondering and praise they acknowledged the great power of God So glauncingly he nippeth his ill willers in that they by their spite and slaunders onely profite herein that they darken the glory of God whiche the Apostles had acknowledged and openly confessed to shine in the Apostleship of Paule In the meane space here is by the way prescribed vnto vs a rule how much we ought to reuerence the Saints of God For such is either our wickednesse or our vnthankefulnesse or our readinesse to superstition that looke whome we see garnished with the giftes of God those we worship as it were Gods not remembring of whome they had those giftes And therefore we are warned in this place rather to cast our eyes vpon the Authour that we may ascribe vnto him that which is his And also we are taught that it was an occasion to prayse God in that Paule of an enimie was become a Minister ¶ The seconde Chapter 1 Fourteene yeares after that I went vp againe to IerusaleÌ„ together with Barnabas taking Titus also with me 2 And I went vp according to reuelation and I conferred with them the Gospell which I preache among the Gentils but priuately with theÌ„ which were in price least by any meanes I should or had run in vaine 3 But neither Titus which was with me being a Greeke was compelled to be circumsised 4 For because of false bretheren being entred in whiche came in to spie out our libertie which wee haue in Christ Iesu that they might bring vs into bondage 5 Vnto whom no not for an hower gaue we place by subiection that the truth of the Gospell might remain in you FOurteene yeres after Scarslye can any man affirme for a certaintie whether he meane that going vp which Luke mentioneth Act. 15.2 nay rather the order of the History leadeth vs to the contrarye parte for there it is shewed that Paule came foure times to Ierusalem of his first comming is already sayde his seconde comming was when he and Barnabas broughte the almes collected in the Congregations of Graecia and Asia as it is reade Act. 12.25 of the which that I should rather vnderstande this present place many reasons moue me or else it must needes bee that the one of them must tell an vntruth Moreouer the coniecture doth more moue me that Peter was reprehended at Antiochia what time as Paule did abide there and that was before he was sent to Ierusalem of the Churches to dispatche the disseÌ„tion arisen about ceremonies Beside that it is not agreeable to reason that Peter would haue vsed such simulation if that controuersie had bene ended and the decree of the Apostles published Paule in this place writeth that he came to Ierusalem after he addeth that Peters simulation was reproued by him which simulation he would neuer haue vsed but in doubtfull things That is Paule furthermore he would scant at any time haue enterprised that voyage taken by the common consent of the faythfull letting passe the cause and suppressing so memorable an ende And it appeareth not sufficiently at what time this Epistle was written but that the Greekes do coniecture it to be sent froÌ„ Rome and the Latines from Ephesus But I suppose that it was not only written before that Paule saw Rome but also before the counsell was held where the Apostles gaue sentence as touching the vse of ceremonies For where as the aduersaries did falsly pretend the name of the Apostles did leane chiefly thervpoÌ„ to burdeÌ„ Paule withal what great negligeÌ„ce had it ben to passe ouer the decree euery where published among all men wherwith they were confouÌ„ded Surely this one word wold haue stopped their mouth ye obiect to me the Apostles but all men know what they haue iudged therefore I holde you conuict of a shamelesse lie You put vpon the Gentils necks necessitie of keeping the law as though ye did so by their commaundement but their writing is extant whereby they set the consciences at liberty froÌ„ it Moreouer this is to be added that in the beginning he did check the Galathians in that they fell so soone from the gospel which he deliuered them And a man may readily gather that some space there was from that time which they were brought vnto the gospel before that controuersie of ceremonies was moued Finally I take the foureteene yeares not from the one iorney to the other but that the account may begin alwayes from Paules conuersion So were there xi yeres betweene his two iorneyes 2 I went vp according to reuelation Here he doth approue his Apostleship and doctrine not only by workes but also by diuine oracle For whereas God did gouerne that iorney the cause whereof was the confirmation of his doctrine it is not nowe by the consent of men confirmed only but also by the authoritie of god which ought abouÌ„dantly to breake their obstinacie who did burdeÌ„ Paule by obiecting the Apostles names for although afore ther were some shadow of coÌ„teÌ„ding yet thaÌ„ wheÌ„ gods iudgemeÌ„t setteth in foote al quarrelling hath an end I coÌ„ferred with theÌ„ First ye must note this word Conferre for they do not prescribe vnto him what he ought to teache but he sheweth what he hath tâ—ught that they may prescribe vnto him and giue their coÌ„sent because his aduersaries might slaunderously talk by dissembling many things craftily that he weÌ„t about to get the Apostles fauour he doth namely expresse that he coÌ„ferred the Gospell as he preached it among the Gentiles whereby he turneth away all suspition of deceite and ouerthwarting We shall see what followeth at last for the Apostles did not thinke it blame worthye in that he had begun without their commaundement but without controuersie or quarelling they ratified that which he had done and that by the instinction of the same spirite who being guide Paule came vnto them He was not therefore made of them an Apostle but so acknowledged but these thinges shall be mentioned afterwarde Least by any meanes What then shall the truth of God fall except it be stayde by the testimony of men but although the whole world be faithlesse yet for all that the truth of God remayneth sure and vncorrupted neyther doe they lose their labour which by the commaundement of God do teach the Gospell although they bring forth no fruite by their labor neither doe the words of Paule tende to this ende but for that as
qualitie of the reprehension is in this place to be marked For Paule did not simply reprehende Peter as one Christian doth another but he did it as they say Ex officio that is to say according to the right or prerogatiue of the Apostolike person which he executed And here the Papacie of Rome is throwne flat downe with an other thunderbolt speciallye that shamelesnesse or impudencie is conuinced and manifestly shewed in that the Romane Antichrist doth boast himselfe free from giuing an account and in that he doeth exempt himselfe from the iudgement of the whole Church In this place one man not rashly not with an vnlawfull boldnes but according to the power and authoritie graunted him of God doth rebuke Peter before the whole Church and Peter doth submit himselfe obediently to the rebuke nay rather the whole disputation of these two Chapters was nothing else then a manifest ouerthrowing of that tyrannicall supremacie which the Romanists do babble to haue bene founded by the law of God But if they will haue god to be the authour thereof they must needes then forge a newe scripture And if they will not haue him to their professed enimie of necessitie they must wipe out these two chapters out of the holy scripture Because he was worthy of reprehension The greeke Participle signifieth reprehensus that is reprehended but I am out of doubte that it is put in steede of the Nowne for him that deserueth a iuste reprehension for whereas Chrysostom doth enterprete it thus That that complainte and the accusation did arise of others truly it is a cold or weake exposition For it is often vsed of the Greekes to giue vnto participles the signification of nownes the which euery man seeth to agree to this place and hereof a man maye readilye gather how vnapt the exposition of Hierome and Chrisostome is who thought the Apostles of a set matche to haue played this part or pranke before the people Neither doe these two wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpe them which signifie that Peter being reprehended to his face had neuer a word to aunswere Whereas Chrisostome doth iudge that they to auoyd offence would haue talked together priuately if they had had any dissention it is of no waight for other small offences were little to bee regarded in respect of this most pernicious offence because the Churche by this should be deuyded because by this the Christian lybertie was in hazarde because by this the grace of Christ was ouerwhelmed openly therfore must this open or publique sinne be reprehended The cheefest argument or reason whereto Hierome leaneth is to be friuolous and vayne Why would Paule haue condemned sayth he in an other that which he counteth prayse worthy in himselfe for he boasteth that to the Iewes he was become a Iewe 1. Cor. 9.20 I aunswere That Peter did farre otherwise for Paule didde not in any wise conforme himselfe to the Iewes but that the doctrine of libertie shoulde remayne safe and sound whereby neither would he circumcise Titus that the truth of the Gospell might remayn whole But Peter did so play the Iewe that he draue the Gentils into bondage and seruitude and also as it were with this preiudice he did abase the doctrine of Paule He did not therefore holde the meane because he had more regarde to gratifie than to edifie and he did more respect what pleased the Iewes then what was expedient for the whole body More rightly therefore hath Augustine iudged whiche sayth that nothing was done of a sette matehe but that Paule did sincerelye of a Christian zeale sette himselfe againste the naughtye and vnseasonable simulation of Peter because he deemed it harmefull to the Church 12 For before certaine came The state of the cause is here described that Peter for the Iewes sake had made a departing from the Gentils so that he would driue them from the cōmunion of the Church except they would renounce the liberty of the Gospell and put their necks vnder the yoke of the law If Paul should now haue held his peace his whole doctrine did fall his whole building erected through his ministerie did lie aground therefore it was neede for him both stoutly to resist and sharpely to fight Here we beholde how warily we must attemper our selues to please men lest we swerue aside from the right course with too much desire to please or else with preposterous feare to offend If that might happen to Peter howe much more easilye shall it happen to vs except we take very good heede 14 When I saw they went not forward rightly Some expounde this of the Gentils who being troubled with the example of Peter did now begin to faynt but it is more conuenient to vnderstand it of Peter Barnabas and their followers The right path or way to the truth of the Gospel keeping sound the true Doctrine was to vnite and bring in one the Iewes and the Gentils but to bynde the consciences of the Godlye with the necessitye of keeping the lawe and in silence to burye the Doctrine of libertie were an vnworthye rewarde of vnitie The truth of the Gospell Paule taketh in this place as afore hee didde vnto which he setteth opposite the colour wherewith Peter and other did deforme the Gospell Whiche sith it is so it is not to bee doubted that Paules contention was serious and waightye As touching doctrine they did verye well agree but because Peter hauing no respecte of Doctrine did too too seruilely followe the Iewes mynde therefore is he reproued of halting There be some which with another pretence may excuse Peter for that hee being the Apostle of the Circumcision ought to haue had more care of the Iewes sauegarde or saluation and neuerthelesse they maye also graunte that Paule did well in taking vpon him the Gentils cause but it is a fonde thing to defende that whiche the holye Ghost hath condemned by the mouth of Paule Neyther was mans businesse talked of here but the puritie of the Gospell was brought into daunger least it shoulde be defiled with Iudaicall leauen Before all By this example we are admonished that they are openly to be chastised which to the hurt of many haue offended as farre forth as it is profitable for the Churche The ende is lest if suche a fault shoulde be lefte vnpunished it shoulde by the example thereof doe harme and Paule doth teach 1. Tim. 5. ver 20. that that oughte to bee obserued namely in Priests or Elders that is to saye for that in respecte of the office whiche they beare they doe by their example more greeuouslye hurte but speciallye it was profitable to defende constantlye before the people a good cause whiche did belong to all whereby Paule might make it more manifest that he did not flye the light If thou seing thou art a Iewe. Paules Oration to Peter consisteth of two partes in the firste he doth expostulate for that he doth the Gentils wrong because he doth driue
the question he woulde sodaynlye cutte off the occasion of doubt or else the wordes Euen as are referred only to that which is next afore that is to saye that by the hearing of fayth lhey had the ministration of the Spirite and of vertues as if he would say that there shined in the grace giuen vnto them a similitude or likenesse with Abraham Beleeued God With this Testimonie hee proueth as well in this place as in the fourth Chapter to the Romaynes that men are iustified by fayth because Fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse Fyrste brieflye is to be vnderstanded what Fayth in this place meaneth with Paule secondlye what righteousnesse thyrdlye why fayth is deemed the cause of iustification Fayth is not taken for euerye perswasion which men may haue of the truth of God for be it that Caine had a hundred tymes beleeued God when he tolde him he would punishe him he hadde not bene the nere to obtayne righteousnesse Abraham therefore was iustified by beleeuing because whereas he had of God a promise of his fatherly goodnesse he did certaynely and surely embrace the same than Fayth in this place hath a relation and respecte vnto suche a worde of GOD as men hauing it in possession may rest in it and sticke fast to it As touching the worde Righteousnesse the manner of speaking of Moses is to be marked for whereas he sayth It was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse because he beleeued hee declareth thereby that he is righteous that is so taken with GOD. And whereas men haue not righteteousnesse layde vp in themselues they obtayne the same by imputation because GOD doth impute Fayth vnto them for righteousnesse Wee are sayde than to bee iustifyed by Faith not because fayth doth poure into vs an habite or qualitie but because we are accepted before GOD. And why is there so great honour attributed to faith that it is called the cause of our righteousnesse Firste wee must knowe that it is the instrumentall cause onely for to speake properly our righteousnesse is nothing else but a free accepting of GOD in which lieth the foundation of our saluation but because the Lorde in giuing vnto vs a Testimonie of his loue and grace thorowe the Gospell doeth communicate vnto vs that righteousnesse which I haue spoken off therefore we take holde of it by fayth Therefore when we attribute mans iustification vnto fayth wee dispute not of the principall cause but we note onelye the manner whereby men come to true righteousnesse For this righteousnesse is the meere gifte of God and not a qualitye whiche sticketh or is in man but is possessed onely by Fayth neyther yet that by the deserte or merite of Fayth that it should be as a due rewarde but because we receaue by Fayth that which GOD of his owne accorde and good will doth giue therefore all these speeches are of like force That we are iustified by the grace of God That Christe is our righteousnesse That the mercye of GOD is the cause of our righteousnesse That righteousnesse is gotten vnto vs by the death and resurrection of Christ That righteousnesse is giuen vnto vs by the Gospell That we obtayne righteousnesse by Fayth Whereby it appeareth howe childishlye they erre whiche woulde make these propositions agree together Wee are iustified by Fayth and Workes both for hee that is iust by Fayth he being bare and voyde of his owne righteousnesse resteth in the onlye grace of GOD. And this is the reason why Paule to the Romaynes doth conclude that Abraham is destytute of Glorye before GOD because hee hath obtained righteousnesse by Fayth Rom. 4.2 for it is not sayde that Fayth was imputed vnto him for parte of righteousnesse but for righteousnesse simplye without more wordes therefore Fayth was vnto him in the whole for righteousnesse Fynallye Fayth beholdeth nothing beside the mercye of GOD and Christ deade and raysed agayne Therefore all merite of workes is shutte out from the cause of iustification when as all is assigned to fayth For fayth for that it contayneth in it selfe the free goodnesse of God Christ with all his good things the testimony and witnesse of our adoption whiche is giuen in the Gospell is vtterly opposite and set against the law the merits of workes and the worthinesse of men for whereas the Sophisters doe thinke that it is only set agaynst ceremonies the order of the disputation or reasoning shall by and by with small adoe thorowly reproue them We must therefore beare in mind that they that are iust by fayth are iust without themselues that is in Christ whereby also the foolishe cauillation of some which dally with Paule is confuted because say they Moses calleth righteousnesse goodnesse or honesty and so it signifieth nothing else but Abraham was accounted a good man because he beleeued God Such frantike sprites doth Sathan at these dayes rayse vp to ouerthrow the certayntie of the Scripture with crooked slaunders as it were with mynes But Paule who knew that Moses in that place taught not children grammar but that he spake of the iudgement of God did not without cause take the worde Righteousnesse after the maner of a Diuine for we are not deemed righteous before GOD after the like reason wherewith we haue prayse of goodnesse before men but when we bring perfecte obedience of the Lawe For righteousnesse is opposite or sette againste the breaking of the Lawe yea euen in the least iote or tittle but because we haue not it I meane righteousnesse of our selues God doth freelye giue it vnto vs. Obiection But here the Iewes shake vp Paule for that he hath wrongfully wrested Moses wordes to serue his owne turne for Moses there in that place doth not entreate of Christe or of the life euerlasting but maketh mention onely of the earthye promise The Papistes also are not farre off from the Iewes for albeit they dare not reproche Paule yet they do altogether ouerturne Paules intent and purpose Answere I aunswere Paule taketh it for a thing graunted as an vndoubted Principle among Christians that whatsoeuer promises the Lorde gaue vnto Abraham they did appertayne or depend on that firste promise I am thy God Genesis 17.1 Thy rewarde is exreeding greate Gen. 15.1 And in thy seede shal all nations be blessed Gen. 22.17 18. And therfore whē Abraham heard this Thy seed shal be as the sande of the sea c. he stayed not in that word but rather he included it in the grace of adoption as the part in the whole moreouer whatsoeuer promise was giuen he did not otherwise receiue the same than as a testimonye of the fatherly grace of God that thereby hee mighte take sure confidence of saluation For euen in this doe the Children of God differ from the vnbeleeuers for that they in deede haue the vse of God his benefites together with the children of God but yet like beastes they regarde not that which is higher but as for God his Children because
agreement of the names for Agar is called Sina because it is a tipe or figure as the Passouer was Christ he also setteth out the situation of the Mount by contempt In Arabia saith he that is to say without the limits of the holy land which is the symbol or pledge of the euerlasting heritage it is marueilous that men shot so far wide in so familiar an application And representeth that In stead of which the old interpreter hath set down on this maner Is ioined vnto Erasmus hath set down bordereth but I to auoyd obscuritie haue translated it as you see For certaine it is that the Apostle meant not here of the nighnesse nor of that situation of the places but of the similitude in the figure whereof be treateth for among the Greekes those thinges are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are so placed in order that the one haue respect or looke toward the other and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a row as wel in trees as other things set after a iust proportion Iâ— the same sence he sayd the mount Sina was proportioâ—â—â— or had respect to that which now is IerusaleÌ„ in whiâ—â— Aristotle writeth the rethorick is in likelyhoode to 〈◊〉 by a metaphor takeÌ„ froÌ„ minstrels who vse to set ii parts one agaynst another whereof the one aunswereth the other in tune In summe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other thing but to be brought into one order or if I may so speake coordered But wherefore doth he compare the present Ierusalem with the mount Sina Although I was somewhile of a contrary opinion yet nowe I assent vnto Chrisostome and Ambros who expound it to bee the earthlye Ierusalem and euen so as then it was degenerate or gone out of kinde to seruile doctrine worshipping therefore he sayth Which now is for it should haue bene a liuely Image of the heauenly Ierusalem and should haue expressed the disposition thereof But such as now it is sayth he it hath respect vnto the mount Sina although they are farre off the one from the other yet are they vtterly like and haue betweene themselues a perfect concordaunce It is a very sore checke to the Iewes who were fallen awaye from grace and had to their mother not Sara but the counterfeit Ierusalem Agars owne sister borne at one byrth and therefore bonde borne of a bondewoman although proudelye they boasted themselues the sonnes of Abraham 26 Which is aboue He calleth it heauenly not as included in heauen not as though it were to be sought without the worlde for it is a congregation dispersed through the whole world and is a stranger in the earth why than is it sayd to bee of heauen because she hath her beginning from the heauenly grace for the children of God are not borne of fleshe and blood but of the power of the holy Ghost The heauenly Ierusalem therefore which hath her beginning from heauen and dwelleth aboue by fayth the same is the mother of the faythfull For she hath the vncorruptible seede of life layd vp with her whereby shee fashioneth vs nourisheth vs in her wombe bringeth vs into the light and she hath milke and meate wherwith after that she hath brought vs forth she continually feedeth vs. Loe wherefore the Church is called the mother of the faythfull and truely he that refuseth to be a childe of the Churche in vayne doth he require to haue God his father for God doth 〈◊〉 â—â—get vnto him childreÌ„ whom he bringeth vp til they be growne and 〈◊〉 vntill they come to mans state but by the ministerie of the churchâ—â— notable praise or title of the Church without doubt and the same bâ—â—â—â—nourable But the Papistes are fonde and twise childish who pretend it to make it a burthen to vs for whereas they haue an adulterous mother which bringeth forth children to the diuel vnto death how vnreasonable a thing is it to request that the children of God should yield theÌ„selues to her to be cruelly slayne with how much honester preteÌ„ce might the Sinagogue of Ierusalem haue at that day set vp her selfe then at this day the sinagoue of Rome may and yet wee see that Paule hauing plucked off all her gaye attyre maketh her no better than Agar 25 For it is written Reioice thou barraine that bringest not forth children breake forth and crie thou that trauailest not for more are the children of the forsaken than of her that hath an husband 28 And we brethreÌ„ are after Isaac the childreÌ„ of promise 29 But as he that was born thaÌ„ after the flesh did persecute him that was born after the spirite eueÌ„ so is it now 30 But what saith the Scripture Cast forth the bondwoman and her sonne for the sonne of the bondwomaÌ„ shall obtaine no inheritaunce with the sonne of the freewoman 31 Therefore bretheren we are not children of the bond-woman but of the free woman 27 It is written He proueth by the testimony of Esay that legitimate children are born of the church according to promise the place is in the 54. cha 3. ve where the Prophet treateth of both the Kingdom of Christ the calling of the Gentils and it promiseth vnto the barrain and widow a very great offspring for this is the cause of mirth ioy to which he exhorteth the church And it must be noted that the purpose of the Apostle tendeth to this poynt to take away from the Iewes this spirituall Ierusalem of which Esay prophecieth as to which the Prophet denounceth children to be gathered from euery place out of all nations yet that not by any her own preparation but by the free blessing of God and therefore he concludeth by and by that wee are the sonnes of GOD by promise by the example of Isaac Hom. 9 8. and that we obtayne not this dignitie by any other way This conclusion seemeth to be weake to the vnlearned and such as are smally exercised in the Scripture because they hold not the principall or ground which notwithstanding is moste certayne that all the promises are freely grounded in Messias Now because the Apostle did hold that as graunted therefore did hee so securely set the promise against the Law 29 As he than that was according to the flesh Here doth he confute the fiercenesse of the false Apostles who did frowardlye triumphe ouer the Godly which reposed all thinges in Christe For suche kynde of fiercenesse troubled the Godly and therfore they had neede of comforte as also it was necessarye to keepe sharpelye vnder the false Apostles He putteth them in mynde than that it is no maruayle if the children of the law doe at this daye that which their Father Ismaell didde in the beginning who vexed Isaac the true heire which had his byrthrighte and that his posteritie with the like boldnesse now for outward ceremonies Circumcision and the whole preparation of the law are stoute agaynst the legitimate children of God and doe put them to greefe
Agayne hee vseth the worde Spirite as being contrary to the flesh that is to say the calling of God as being contrarye to the appearaunce of man so hee yeeldeth the outwarde shew to the followers of the Lawe and Workes but as for the thing it selfe he challengeth it to them who leaue on the onely calling of God and depende on his grace Did persecute There is no mention made in any place of persecution onelye Moses doth say that Ismaell was with whiche participle hee meaneth that he mocked his brother Isaac For in that some of the Iewes doe expound it to haue bene but bare laughing it is not agreeable for what a rage had it bene so sharpelye to reuenge harmelesse laughing There is no doubt than but that in reproche he prouoked the Infante Isaac with tauntes But howe farre is that off from persecution yet Paule doeth not amplifie this in vayne or without cause For no persecution ought to bee so grieuous vnto vs as while wee see by the skoffes and tauntes of the wicked our calling to be decayed and shaken neither the blowes nor the whippes nor the nailes nor the thornes brought so great vexation vnto Christ as that blasphemie He trusted in God what doth it auayle him seing he is destitute of all helpe For there is vnder that more poyson then in all persicutions else for how much more is it for the grace of the adoption of God to be made voyd than to haue this fraile life taken from vs Therefore Ismaell persecuted not his brother with the sword but that which was worse he proudly set vp himselfe agaynst him by treading vnder feete the promise of God This also is the welspring of all persecutions that the vngodly doe despise and hate the grace of GOD in the elect of which matter wee haue a playne and pithie Doctrine in the Storie of Cayne and Abell Wee are also admonished that not onelye outwarde persecutions oughte to bee fearefull vnto vs when as the enimies of Godlinesse do kill vs with sworde and fire when they vexe vs with banishmentes prisonments tormentes and scourginges but when they goe aboute by theire blasphemies to make voyde our confidence whiche resteth in the promises of GOD when they ieast at our Saluation when malapartlye they scoffe at the whole Gospell For there is nothing that ought so greeuouslye to wounde our hartes as the contempte of GOD and as mockes agaynste his grace oughte to doe neyther is there any more deadlye kinde of persecution than when the Saluatyon of the Soule is assayled The Swordes of the wicked come not at this daye to vs who are deliuered oute of the Tyrannye of the Pope but howe doltishe bee wee if wee haue no feeling of that spirituall persecution when they goe about by all meanes to quench that doctrine from which we haue life when as by their blasphemies they resist our fayth yea and perilously batter too the faith of the vnlerned Truely the furie of the Epycures bringeth more sorrowe vnto me at this daye than that of the Papistes They inuade not with force and armes but loke howe much more precious the name of God is vnto mee than mine owne life so it cannot bee but that muche more sorrowefullye am I vexed when I see a diuelishe conspiracie to bee made to quenche out all the feare and worship of GOD to bannishe the memorye of Christe or else to lay it open to be mocked of all wicked persons than if a whole countrie should at one time be set all on a fire 30 But what saith the Scripture Gen. 21.20 Cast forth c. Now that was no small comfort that he setteth forth the example of our father Isaac but this was somewhat more effectual whiles he addeth that the hypocrites with their boasting gette nothing else but that they be cast out of the spirituall housholde of Abraham and that neuerthelesse the heritage is saued for vs howsoeuer braglye they hunche at vs for a time Lette the faythfull vpholde themselues with this comfort that the tyrannye of the Ismaelits shall not last always They seeme indeede to haue gotten the first place and therefore they despise vs as borne out of time and are puffed vp with their eldership in that they were borne first but at the length they shall bee pronounced Agarens borne of a bondwoman and vnworthy of the heritage It is a very fine place to be noted that we should not bee troubled with the high lookes of hypocrits or should enuy their case while they haue an honourable mansion or being in the church although it last a but time but that we should patiently waite the end which bideth them For many either bastardes or straunge children vsurpe a roome in the Church but they haue not a faith that is perpetually fixed as Ismaell like a straunge childe was with his posteritie caste out who notwithstanding was puft vp with his byrthright as first born and did beare the sway at the firste But here some men wise as they think themselues doe scorne the simplicitie of Paule in that he compareth the anger of a woman rising of vayne chiding vnto the iudgement of God but they doe not perceiue that the determination of God came in place whereby it might be made playne that al the whole matter was gouerned by heauenly prouidence For in that Abraham is commaunded vtterly to hearken to his wife that surely was extraordinarie whereby wee gather that God vsed the ministerie of Sara to establish his promise finallye the casting out of Ismaell was nothing else but the executing and effect of this Oracle In Isaac shall thy seede be called and not in Ismaell Although therefore it was a reuenge of womā-like chiding yet that hindereth not but that God by the mouth of his Church hath in tipe declared forth his iudgement 31 Therefore bretheren Now he exhorteth the Galathians that they should chuse rather to be the sonnes of Sara than of Agar nay rather he mentioneth that they are alredie begotten into libertie by the grace of Christ to the ende they maye continue in their state If we should at these dayes tearm the Papistes Ismaelites and Agarens and should boast our selues to be legitimate children they will laugh but if we confer thing with thing and cause with cause there shall be none so vnskilfull but that he may readily iudge it so ¶ The fyft Chapter 1 Stande therefore in the libertie wherewith Christe hath deliuered vs and bee not entangled againe in the yoke of bondage 2 Behold I Paule do shew vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall nothing auaile you 3 For I testifie againe vnto euery man who is circumcised that he is a debter to doe the whole law 4 Ye are made emptie of Christ whosoeuer you be that be iustified by the law you are falne from grace 5 For we by the Spirite doe looke for the hope of righteousnesse through faith 6 For in Christ Iesus neither
iustifieth is alone but we affirme that it is alwayes ioyned with good works only we contend that it alone auaileth vnto iustification The Papistes themselues like Tormentoures doe teare and rente Fayth miserablye while sometime they make it vnshaped and without charitie and sometime shaped as for vs we holde that true faith cannot be plucked away from the Spirite of regeneration but when we speake of the cause of iustification than we shutte oute all workes As touching this presence place Paule doeth not reason whether charitie worketh with fayth to iustifie but onely sheweth what are now the true excercises of the faythfull least he shoulde seeme to make Christians idle and as it were like to blockes Therefore when you are in hand with the cause of iustification take heede you admitte not anye mention of charitie or of workes but firmelye holde fast that which shutteth them out In as much as Paule here doeth not entreate of iustification nor yet assigneth the prayse thereof to charitie in part we may thereby readilye conclude that by the same reason it should follow that Circumcision and ceremonies did iustifie in time past For as he commendeth faith with charitie in Iesus Christ so before the comming of Christ ceremonies were required But that was nothing to the deseruing of righteousnesse which the Papists also will confesse and therefore we must not thinke so of charitie neither 7 Ye did run wel who did hinder you that you should not obay the truth 8 The Perswasion is not of him who hath called you 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe 10 I am perswaded of you in the Lord that you will thinke no other thing he that troubleth you shall beare iudgement whosoeuer he be 11 And I Bretheren if as yet I preache Circumcision why as yet doe I suffer persecution the offence of the crosse is done away I would to GOD they also were cut away which trouble you 7 Ye did run well He doth of a sette purpose mingle the reproche of their present backsliding with the praise of their former course that being ashamed they maye the more willinglye returne into the way It is a token of wondering that he asketh them who led them away from the right course whereby hee may make them the more ashamed I thought good once againe to turne the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Obay rather than to Beleeue because now alreadie they had embraced the puritie of the Gospell and were caried away from obaying it 8 The perswasion is not of him He contended afore with reasons now at last he goeth to it by authoritie wheras he crieth vnto them that this perswasion came from some other place than from God For this admonitiō should not haue very much waight were it not vpholded by the authoritie of the person But Paule of his owne right mighte so boldlye speake to the Galathians for that hee was a Preacher vnto them of that calling that GOD called them with and therefore hee nameth not GOD but he signes him out by a Periprasis Periphrasis 〈◊〉 fight whē a thing is signified in many words that may be said in one as one that selleth raysons c. for a grocer as if he should saye God is not at controuersie with himselfe hee it is who called you into saluation by my preaching This newe perswasion then came from some other place Therefore if you will haue the calling of God ratified take heede you giue no eare vnto them who bring in amongst you new inuentions Although I confesse the greeke Participle be of the present tence yet because it is taken indifinitely it liked me to turne it thus Which hath called you for to take away doubtfulnesse in the meaning 9 A little leauen I referre it to the doctrine and not to the men for he aduiseth them how hurtfull a thing the corruption of doctrine is least they should not repute it as commonly men doe as a thing of no daunger or else of no great daunger For Sathan creepeth in with this vndermining so that he doth not openlye shake the whole doctrine but infecteth the purenesse thereof with false and forged opinions many because they consider not the greatnesse of the euill are lesse vehement in resisting the same therefore the Apostle here doth crie out that no iote of safetie doth remayne after that the truth of God is corrupted and he vseth the similitude of leauen which although it bee but a little doeth sende out it sharpenesse into the whole lumpe Therefore we must carefully beware that we suffer not any thing to be deuised and put to the pure doctrine of the Gospell 10 I am perswaded Hee doeth agayne turne all his sharpe speeche from the Galathians vnto the false Apostles hee sayeth they were the cause of the euill to them hee threatneth punishmente hee sheweth that hee hath good hope of the Galathians because they will returne readylye and easilye to agree to the truth And that giueth vs a courage when wee heare that wee are well hoped of for wee counte it a foule matter to deceyue the opynyon of them who iudge louingly and friendly of vs. And because it was the worke of GOD to bring the Galathians agayne to the pure Doctrine of fayth from whiche they hadde swarued hee sayeth he hopeth in the Lord whereby he monisheth them that returning or repentaunce is a heauenlye gifte that they also might aske the same of God He that troubleth you It is a confirmation of the sentence going afore because after a sort he layeth a great part of the blame vppon those deceiuers by whome the Galathians were beguiled for looke what reuengement hee denounceth agaynste them from the same for the moste parte doeth hee exempt the Galathians But whosoeuer they be that giue occasion of hurly bulyes to the Church whosoeuer breake the vnitie of fayth whosoeuer make concorde shake and decaye lette them heare and if they bee in their right wits let them shake for feare at this speeche for GOD by the mouth of Paule doeth pronounce that no suche Authoures of offences shall scape vnreuenged This peece Whosoeuer helde hath a force in it for in as muche as the false Apostles by theire greate wordes did terrifie the ignoraunte and vnlearned multitude it behoued Paule on the other side so loftily to extoll his doctrine that hee shoulde spare none whiche durste quetche agaynste him whatsoeuer tytle otherwise they were knowne by 11 And I bretheren An argumente drawne from the finall cause I mought sayth he auoyde the hatred of men daungers and persecutions if I woulde but onlye mingle ceremonies with Christ whereas therefore I contende so greatlye aboute this matter to maintayne the contrarye I doe it not for myne owne cause nor yet for myne owne profite But doeth it therefore followe that it is true whiche hee teacheth I aunswere that the right affection and pure conscience of the Teacher is of no small force to winne credite moreouer it is
vnto you a Lawe which it becommeth you to preferre before all lawes and that worthilye namely that wee shoulde holde mutuall humanitie among our selues For hee that hath not this hath nothing on the contrarye side hee sayth the Lawe of Christ is fulfilled whereas euery one easeth his brother with mercye whereby hee sheweth that all thinges are superfluous which belong not to charitie for the composition of the Greeke worde expresseth a sounde and firme fulfilling But because no man perfourmeth in all respects that which Paule requireth therefore we are farre off all of vs from perfection and he that is least of all off in comparison of others yet in respect of God is very farre off 3 For if any man thinke The construction of the wordes is doubtfull but the meaning of Paule is certaine For this peece when as he is nothing at the first showe soundeth thus If any man who otherwise is nothing as many men there are of no account and yet puffed vp with a foolishe perswasion of themselues attributeth any thing to himselfe but the sentence is more generall and therefore maye thus bee resolued Because all men be nothing hee that will seeme to be any thing and perswadeth himselfe that he is somebodye hee deceaueth himselfe Firste therefore hee pronounceth vs to bee nothing whereby he meaneth that we haue nothing our owne of which wee maye boast but to be voyde of all goodnesse that all our boasting may be meere vanitie Secondely he gathereth therof that they deceaue themselues who challenge any thing vnto themselues and it is a very absurde thing wheras we take nothing more in dogen than to be mocked of others that willingly we our selues will mock our selues The thinking vpon this will make vs much more fauourable vnto others for whereof commeth fierce triumphing ouer other whereof commeth stately seueritie but of this that euery man extolleth himselfe and disdainefully despiseth others take arrogancie out of the way and we shall all be very modest one to another 4 Let euery man trie Paule hath alreadye brused mans pride with a very sore blow but because it falleth out for the most parte thereby that while we conferre our selues with others we make valuation of our selues according to their base estimation he sayth here there is no place for such comparison Let no man sayeth he measure himselfe by another mans freedome nor like of himselfe therefore because hee more misliketh other than himself but leauing the view of other let him search his owne conscience and consider what his owne worke is That is true prayse not which we get vs by backbiting others but which we haue without comparison Some thinke it is an Ironia as though Paule should say Thou flatterest thy selfe because of other mens faultes but if thou looke vpon thy selfe who thou art than shall thou haue the prayse that longes to thee that is none at all because there is no man that deserueth a drop of prayse Afterwarde they expounde that whiche followeth Euery man shall carrie his owne burthen as thus Is accustomed to beare c. But the sence hangeth together better without any figure for the wordes sounde thus As concerning thee selfe alone thou shalt haue prayse not by comparing thee self by others I know why the Ironia liketh them namely because the Apostle in the next sentence hath broughte to nothing all the glory of men But Paule in this place speaketh of the boasting of a good conscience which the Lord graunteth vnto his and whereof Paule reioyceth Acts. 23.1 and that is nothing else but a recknowledging of the grace of God whiche in no wise doth make a man proude but stirreth him to glorifie God Such an occasion of prayse doe the Godlye finde in themselues which they ascribe not to their merites but to the goodnesse of God This is our boasting sayth he 2. Corin. 1.12 the testimonie of a good conscience that wee haue faythfully bene conuersaunt c. And Christ sayeth Enter into thy Chamber doe well before thy father in secrete and thy Father whiche is in secrete shall reward thee Math. 6.7 Although to speake properly he affirmeth nothing but teacheth that this shall be a legitimate and firme prayse if euerye one bee valued acording to that which he is himselfe and not as another man is It is then a conditionall speeche as if he should say that none else shall be accounted good but that they seuerally are found to be such 5 Euery one shall beare To the end he maye shake off from vs slouth and disdaine he setteth before vs the iudgemente of GOD where euery one seuerallye shall giue an accounte of his life without comparing For this is it that deceiueth vs for that a poore blinde man among blinde men seemeth to himselfe to bee well sighted and he that is browne among blacke men thinketh himselfe white He denyeth that these imaginations shall haue any place in the iudgement of God because euerye one shall there beare his owne burthen and shal not acquite one another from their sinnes this is the verye righte meaning of Paule 6 Let him which is taught in the word minister vnto him which teacheth in all good thinges 7 Be yee not deceiued God is not mocked for that which a man soweth that also shall he reape 8 For he that soweth for flesh shall of the fleshe reape corruption but he that soweth for the Spirite of the Spirite shall reape life euerlasting 9 But let vs not be weary with doing that which is good for if we shrinke not we shall reape in due time 10 Therefore where as we haue time let vs do well towards all but specially toward them who are of the houshold of faith 6 Let him minister It is verye likelye that euen than the Teachers and Ministers of the worde were not seene too and yet for all that it is a verye foule vnkyndenesse For howe heynous a thing is it to holde backe from them bodilye foode by whome our soules are fedde or not to vouchsafe them an earthly recompence of whome we receyue heauenlye riches But this is and hath bene also in former tymes the manner of the Worlde to paumper largelye the ministers of Sathan but to godlye Pastors to minister foode hard and scante And albeit it is not meete for vs neyther too muche to complayne nor to be too handfast of our righte yet oughte Paule to exhorte the Galathians to perfourme their duetie wherein he was the more liberall and bolde because he pleaded not his owne cause priuately but prouided for the common vtilitie of the Churche hauing no regarde of his owne commoditie He sawe that the Ministers of the Worde were therefore neglected because the Worde it selfe was contemned for it cannot bee if the Worde he had in estimation but that the Ministers are also honestly and liberalie handled Moreouer this is the wilinesse of Sathan to defraud Godly ministers of their liuing that the Churche maye bee