stand before me Ierem. 15. 19. God reueales his secrets to the Prophets his seruants Amos 3. 7. Lastly fearefull iudgements of God belong to Ministers of wicked liues Destruction befalls the sonnes of Eli and their families because they by leud example made the people of God to sinne 1. Sam. 2. 24. The like befell the sonnes of Aaron for their presumption Againe all superiours are warned to goe before their inferiours by good example When Moses went into Egypt to be the guide of the Israelites the Lord would haue destroied him by reason of the bad example in his owne familie namely the vncircumcision of his child Dauid for his euill exāple whereby he caused the enemies of God to blaspheme is punished and that after his repentance that men might see in him an example of Gods iudgement against sinne 2. Sam. 12. 14. Here againe we see that the consent of many together is not a note of truth Peter Barnabas and the Iewes all together are deceiued and Paul alone hath the truth Panormitane saith that a laie-man bringing Scripture is to be preferred before a whole Councell Paphnutius alone had the truth and the whole Councell of Nice inclined to errour 14 But when I saw that they went not with a right foote to the truth of the Gospel I said to Peter before all men If thou beeing a Iew liuest as the Gentiles and not like the Iewes why constrainest thou the Gentiles to doe like the Iewes In these words Paul sets downe the reproofe of Peter and the whole manner of it In it many points are to be considered The first is the time of this reproofe and that was so soone as Paul saw the offence of Peter Here we learne that we must resist and cut off the first beginnings of temptation of sinne and of superstition because we are prone to cuill and therefore if it once set footing in vs it will take place The second point is the foundation of the reproofe in these wordes when I saw and that is a certen knowledge of Peters offence Here we are to take notice of the common fault and that is that we vse to censure and condemne men specially publike persons vpon suspitions and coniectures and heare-say Whereas we should not open our mouthes to reprooue till we haue certen knowledge of the fault Moreouer publike persons as Magistrates and Ministers haue their priuiledge that an accusation is not to be receiued against them without there be a proofe by two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5. 20. The third point is the fault reprooued which is here expressed by an other name not to walke with a right foote to the truth of the Gospel that is not to conuerse with men and to carrie himselfe so as he may be sutable to the sinceritie of the Gospel both in word and deede Here is a notable dutie set downe for all men To walke with an euen foote according to the truth of the Gospel and this is done when in word and deede and euery way we ascribe all the good we haue or can doe to grace to mercie and to Christ when againe in word and deede and euery way we giue all thanks to God for grace and mercie by Christ. Here two sorts of men are to be condemned as haulters in respect of the truth of the Gospel The first are Papists who ioyne Christ and workes in the cause of our iustification and saluation The second are carnall Protestants and all other sorts of men that professe the name of Christ and withall challenge to themselues a libertie to liue as they list For they walke contrarie to the Gospel disioyning iustification and sanctification faith and good life remission of sinne and mortification This is the rife and common sinne of our daies We are light in the Lord but we walke not as children of light We are content to come to the marriage of the kings sonne but we come not with the marriage garment It is to be feared this very sinne will banish the Gospel and bring all the iudgements of God vpon vs. Let vs therefore repent of our vneuen and haulting liues and preuent the Lords anger by walking worthie the Gospel of Christ. It will besaid how must we performe this dutie Ans. Two rules must be remembred The first is that we must haue and carrie in vs a right heart For the want of this was Simon Magus condemned Act. 8. 21. A right heart is an humble and an honest heart The humble heart is when in the estimation of our owne hearts we abase our selues vnder all creatures vpon earth and that for our offences when againe in the affection of our hearts we exalt the death and blood of Christ aboue all riches aboue all honours aboue all pleasures aboue all ioyes and aboue all that heart can thinke or tongue can speake The honest heart is when we carrie and cherish in our hearts the setled purpose of not sinning so as if we sinne at any time we may in the testimonie of a good conscience say that we sinned against our purpose The second rule is that we must make straight steppes to our feete Hebr. 12. 13. And that is done when we endeauour to obey God according to all his commandements Psal. 119. 6. and also according to all the powers of the inward man that is not onely in action but also in will affection and thought Let vs also applie our hearts to the doing of this least if we come to the marriage of the kings sonne without the garment of a right heart and life we heare the sentence Binde them hand and foote and cast them into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The fourth point is the place of reproofe before all men for they that sinne openly to the offence of many are openly to be reprooued 1. Tim. 5. 20. The fifth point is concerning the reasons which Paul vseth for the restraining of the sinne of Peter The first is set downe in the 16. verse If thou beeing a Iew c. Here the meaning of some words are to be opened To Iudaise or to liue as a Iew is to obserue and that necessarily a difference of meates and times according to the ceremoniall law of Moses To Gentilize or to liue as a Gentile is to vse meats and drinks and times freely without difference Peter is said to compell the Gentiles to Iudaise not by teaching of any doctrine for the Apostles neuer erred in teaching and deliuering any thing to the church of God this is a principle therefore he constrained them by the authoritie of his example whereby he caused them to thinke that the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law was necessarie The first reason then is framed thus If thou beeing a Iew vsest to liue as the Gentiles thou maist not by thy example compell the Gentiles to Iudaize in the necessarie obseruation of ceremonies but thou beeing a Iew vsest to liue as the Gentiles
breathing as the soule And so it carries a fit sense For as the bodie without breath is dead and it shewes it selfe to be aliue by breathing so faith that is without workes is dead and it shewes it selfe to be aliue by workes 3. There is a false composition of the wordes to be considered faith that is without workes is dead is true but to say faith is dead without workes as though workes gaue life to faith is false and not the meaning of S. Iames but the former onely Againe the Papists hence gather that faith and loue are ioynt causes in the iustification of a sinner and that faith worketh loue in iustifying men before God But this Interpretation is against the whole scope of this Epistle in which Paul prooues that there is no iustification by the law c. 5. v. 4. and therefore no iustification by loue Againe Paul saith Rom. 3. 21. that righteousnes is reuealed without the law and therefore without loue And againe that we are made the righteousnes of Christ as Christ is made our sinne namely by imputation and therefore not by infusion of loue 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly faith iustifies by apprehending Christ in the promise and therefore not by loue The consequent I prooue thus Faith and loue are two hands of our soule Faith is an hand that laies hold of Christ and it doth as it were pull him and his benefits into our soules But loue is an hand of another kind for it serues not to receiue in but to giue out the good it hath and to communicate it selfe vnto others Therefore faith cannot iustifie by loue Lastly loue in order of nature followes iustification and therefore it doth not iustifie For first of all faith laies hold on Christ then followes iustification vpon iustification follows sanctification and loue is a part of sanctification They vrge for themselues the words of Paul that faith works by loue Ans. Paul doth not shew in this verse what iustifieth but what are the exercises of Godlines in which Christians must be occupied And he doth not shew how faith iustifieth but how it may be discerned to be true faith namely by loue Secondly they obiect that faith and loue are alwaies ioyned and therefore ioyntly worke in iustification Ans. They are ioyned in one person or subiect and they are ioyned in the exercise of Christian life but they are not ioyned in the article of iustification Thirdly they vrge the 2. of S. Iames where it is saide that a man is iustified not onely by faith but also by works v. 24. Ans. Faith in S. Iames is put for an historicall knowledge of religion or for the bare confession and profession of faith Againe iustification is twofold one of the person the other of the faith of the person Iustification of the person is when a sinner is absolued of his sinnes and accepted to life euerlasting for the merit of Christ. Iustification of the faith of the person is when faith is approoued and found to be true faith and a beleeuer iustifies himselfe to be a true beleeuer Of this second iustification speakes S. Iames and it is not onely by faith but also by workes Lastly it may be obiected that loue is of no vse if it doe not iustifie Ans. Iustification and sanctification are two distinct benefits 1. Cor. 1. 30. and 6. 11. Iustification ministers vnto vs deliuerance from hell and a right to life euerlasting Sanctification is a fruit of the former and serues to make vs thankefull to God for our iustification and loue serues for the same vse because it is a speciall part of Sanctification Thus much of the deprauation of the text by the Papists Hence further I gather that many falsely in these last daies boast of faith because it is not ioyned with profiting in knowledge with true conuersion vnto God with fruits of loue to God and man whereas all true faith is fruitefull in good workes 7 Ye did runne well who did letyou that ye should not obay the truth The meaning Ye did runne well In these words Paul alludes to the games of running vsed among the heathen And he compares the word and precepts of God to a way or race beleeuers to runners life eternall to the price God to the vmpire or iudge the lookers on are men and Angels good and badde and the Exercise of religion is the running in this race Read of this 1. Cor. 9. 24. Phil. 3. 13 14. Who the interrogation hath in it the force of a reproofe or complaint And the sense is this they did euill which turned you forth of the way and you haue done euill that you obaied not the truth The like is Psal. 2. 1. Why doe the heathen rage that is it is great wickednes for them to rage Let stoppe intercept your course turne you out of the way That you should not obay that you should not giue credence to the doctrine of Paul and obay it The scope These wordes are a repetition of the principall conclusion of the whole Epistle And this repetition is not in vaine For it serues to bring the Galatians to a consideration of their offence and to amendement of life Hence I obserue that the often and serious consideration of our sinnes and liues past is a meanes to worke in vs a detestation of our sinnes and a reformation of life Thus Dauid saith that vpon consideration of his waies he turned his feete to Gods commandements Psal. 119. 59. And the cause why there is so little amendement among vs is because we neuer so much as thinke what we haue done In these wordes Paul sets downe three duties of Christian people The first is that they must be runners in the race of God Indeede the Sabbath of the Iewes figured a rest which is contrarie to running but this rest is from sinne and not from good duties This dutie of running teacheth vs foure things The first is that we must make hast without delay to keepe the commandements of God specially the commandements of faith repentance new obedience Psal. 119. 32 60. Contrariwise it is a great fault for youth others to deferre amendement till old age or till the last and deadly sicknes For that is the time to ende our running and not to beginne The second is that we are to increase and profit in all good duties specially in knowledge faith repentance But we in this age doe otherwise For either we stand at a staie or goe backe and very fewe of vs proceede forward in good duties And there are two causes of this One is blindnes of minde which makes vs that we see not how little our faith and repentance is and how great is the masse of our corruption the second is our vnbeleefe in the Article of life euerlasting The third dutie is that we must neither looke to the right or left hand or looke to things behind vs to set our affection on them but we must presse on forward to
one thing to be iust an other thing to be declared and knowne to be iust We are iust by faith but we are knowne to be iust by our works therefore men shall be iudged at the last day not by their faith but by their workes For the last iudgement serueth not to make men iust that are vniust which is done by faith but to manifest them to the world what they are in deede which is done by workes Men are often compared to trees in Scripture Now a tree is not knowne what it is by his sappe but by his fruit neither are men knowne to be iust by their faith but by their workes Indeede a tree is therefore good because his sappe is good but it is knowne to be good by his fruit So a man is iust because of his faith but he is knowne to be iust by his good works therefore seeing that the last iudgement must proceede according to euidence that is vpon record for the bookes must be opened and men must be iudged of those things that are written in the bookes all must be iudged by their workes which are euident and apparent to the view of all men and not by their faith which is not exposed to the sight of any And hence it is that the Scripture saith we shall be iudged according to our workes but it is no where said for our good workes Gregorie saith God will giue to euery one according to his workes but it is one thing to giue according to workes an other thing for workes For works are no way the cause of reward but onely the common measure according to which God giueth a greater or lesser reward Take this resemblance A King promiseth vnequal rewards to runners the least of which would equall the riches of a kingdome vpon condition that he which first commeth to the goale shall haue the greatest reward the second the next and so in order They hauing finished their race the King giueth them the reward according to their running Who would hence but childishly inferre that therefore they merited this reward by their running And whereas they vrge that text Matth. 25. Come ye blessed for I was hungrie and yee fedde me I answer first that the word for doth not alway signifie a cause but any argument or reason takē from any Topick place as Rom. 3. 22 23. The righteousnes of God is made manifest vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no differēce for all haue sinned are depriued of the glorie of God Where sinne is no cause of the righteousnes of faith but onely an antecedent or adiunct common to all men So when we say This is the true mother of the child for shee will not haue it diuided There for doth not implie the cause as though her refusing to haue it diuided did make her the true mother of it but onely the signe that shee was the true mother indeed Secondly be it granted that it implieth the cause yet not the meritorious cause for good workes are said to be causes of eternall life not as meriting procuring or deseruing any thing at the hands of God but as they are the kings high way to eternall life God hauing prepared good works that we should walke in them If a King promise his subiect a treasure hid in the topp of a steepe and high mountaine vpon condition that he clime and digge it out his climing and digging is the efficient cause of enioying the treasure but no meritorious cause of obtaining it seeing it was freely giuen If it be further said that the word for doth here signifie the cause as well as in the words following Goe ye cursed for I was hungrie and ye gaue me no meat seeing our Sauiour Christ speaketh after the same māner of the reward of the godly and punishment of the wicked I ans The paritie of the reason stands in this that as by good works we come to eternall life so by wicked works we runne headlong to perdition The dissimilitude is this that euil works are not onely the way but also the cause of death good workes are the way but not the cause as Bernard saith they are via regni non causa regnandi Obiect III. Here God promiseth eternall life to good workes therefore good works merit eternall life Answ. There is a double couenant Legall and Euangelicall In the legali couenant the promise of eternall life is made vnto workes Doe this and liue If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements But thus no man can merit because none can fulfill the lawe In the Euangelicall couenant the promise is not made to the worke but to the worker and to the worker not for the merit of his work but for the merit of Christ as Apoc. 2. 20. Be faithfull vnto the end and I will giue thee the crowne of life the promise is not made to fidelitie but to the faithfull person whose fidelitie is a signe that he is in Christ in whome all the promises of God are yea and Amen that is most certaine and infallible Secondly if any thing be due to works it is not of the merit of the worke but of gods mercifull promise Augustine saith God made himselfe a debter not by owing any thing but by promising Thirdly no reward is due to workes of regeneration vpon compact and promise first because we are not vnder the couenant of works in which God doth couenant with vs vpon condition of our obedience but vnder the couenant of grace the tenour of which coue nant runneth vpon condition of the merits of Christ apprehended by faith Secondly though we were vnder the legall couenant yet we merit not because our workes are not answerable to the lawe Lastly wheras the pillars of the Romish church teach that the promise made vpon condition of performing the worke maketh the performer to merit is very false This is not sufficient to make a meritorious worke it is further required that the worke be answerable and correspondent in worth and value to the reward as if one shall promise a thousand crowns to him that will fetch a little water out of the next well it is debt indeed in the promiser but no merit in the performer because there is no proportion betweene the worke and the reward Obiect IV. Sowing to the spirit is a good worke and reaping eternall life the reward but reward presupposeth memerit therefore sowing to the spirit doth merit eternall life Ans. There is a double reward One of fauour another of debt Rom. 44. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt So saith Ambrose There is one reward of liberalitie and fauour another reward which is the stipend of vertue and recompence of our labour Therefore reward signifieth generally any recompence or any gift that is bestowed vpon another whether it be more or lesse whether answerable to the worke or not
of the Apostles 2. Tim. 3. 14. Hence it appeares to be a fault in sundrie priuate persons when they read the Scriptures to gather priuate opinions to broch them to the world This practise hath beene the foundation of heresies and schismes in the Church Secondly Paul writes with consent that he might the better mooue and perswade the Galatians to receiue his doctrine which he is nowe to deliuer Hence it appeares that the Consent of Pastors and people is of great excellencie For the better conceiuing of it and the meaning of the text I will handle three points The first is what is the force of consent wherein stands it and where it is nowe to be found For the first Consent is of force to prepare the heart and to mooue it to beleeue as Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospell except the authoritie of the Church had mooued me And this is all it can doe For it is the word that is the obiect and the cause of our faith the word it selfe workes in vs that faith whereby it is beleeued And Paul in this place vseth consent not to worke a faith in the Galatians but onely to stirre vp a liking of his doctrine Two errors of the Church of Rome must here be auoided One that Consent is a certaine marke of the Church It is false for Consent may be among the wicked in the kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 13. 16. In the kingdome of darkenesse all is in peace Againe dissention may be among the godly as betweene Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter in the church of Corinth there were schismes 1. Cor. 11. Consent therefore simply vnles it be ioyned with true faith and true doctrine is not of force to declare vnto vs the true Church The second errour is that the catholike consent of beleeuers in pointes of religion is the true and liuely scripture and that â—he written word is but a dead letter to it and to be iudged by it for his sense and meaning But all is contrary For the written word is the first perfect pattern of the mind and will of God and the inward consent in the hartes of men is but a rude and imperfect extract and draught of it The second point is wherein standes this consent it must haue his foundation in Christ thence flow to the members as the oile from Aarons head to his garments Psal. 133. and it standes in three things consent in one faith and doctrine consent in affection whereby men be of one hart Act. 2. 47. consent in speach 1. Cor. 1. 10. The third point is where it is now to be found The Papists say that they haue true and perfect consent among themselues and that fathers and Councells be on their side and that we haue no consent among our selues I answer first that they haue not the coÌ„sent which they pretend for the proper points of Popery were not known to the apostles nor to the Apostolicall churches but were taken vp in the ages following by little and litle Secondly such doctrines as the papists make articles of faith are but opinions and coniectures in the fathers and Councles Thirdly the things which the Papists hold are the same peraduenture in name but they are not the same indeede with that which the fathers hold neither are they holden in the same manner as for example the purgatory which the fathers hold is a thing far different from the purgatory of the papists and so all the rest Of consent they may bragge but they cannot shew it As for our selues we all consent in the foundation of religion There is difference about the descent of Christ into hell The thing we all hold namely a descent the difference is in the manner whether it be vertually or locally There is difference about the paines of Christ in his agony and passion yet all acknowledge the infinite merit and efficacy of the death of Christ. There is difference about the gouernement of the visible church on earth For the substance of gouernemant all agree but for the manner of execution and administration they doe not That Christ is present in the Eucharist that his body and blood is there to be eaten and drunken all our churches agree and the difference is only touching the manner of his presence namely whether it be spirituall or locall And this is the mercy of God that in all our differences the foundation of religon is not rased Let vs pray for the continuance and increase of this consent Thus much of the persons that write now follow the churches to which the Epistle is sent to the churches of Galatia At this time the Galatians had made a reuolte and were fallen from iustification by the obedience of Christ so as Paul was affraid of them Chap. 4. and yet he called them churches still vsing great meekenes moderatioÌ„ His example must we follow in giuing iudgement of churches of our time And that we may the better doe this and the better releeue our consciences marke three rules The first is that we must rightly consider of the faultes of churches Some are faultes in manners some in doctrine If the faults of the Church be in manners and these faults appeare both in the liues of ministers and people so long as true religion is taught it is a church so to be esteemed and the ministers must be heard Math. 23. 1. Yet may we seperate from the priuat company of bad men in the church 1. Cor. 5. 11. and if it be in our liberty and choise ioyne to churches better ordered If the errour be in doctrine we must first consider whether the whole church erre or some few therein If the errour be in some and not in all it remaines a church still as Corinth did where some denied the resurrection because a church is named of the better part Secondly we must consider whether the church erre in the foundation or no. If the errour or errours be beside the foundation of religion Paul hath giuen the sentence that they which build vpon the foundation haie and stubble of erronious opinion may be saued 1. Cor. 3. 15. Thirdly inquiry must be made whether the church erre of humane frailty or of obstinacie If it erre of frailty though the error be in the foundation yet it is stil a church as appears by the example of the GalatiaÌ„s Yet if a church shall erre in the foundation openly and obstinately it seperates from Christ and ceaseth to be a church and we may seperate froÌ„ it may giue iudgement that it is no church When the Iewes resisted the preaching of Paul and had nothing to say but to raile Paul then seperated the Church of Ephesus and Rome from them Act. 19. 8. 28. 28. It may here be demaunded why Paul writes to the Galatians as brethren and calls them Churches seeing they haue erred in the foundation and are as he saith vers 6. remooued to another
for grace and peace The reason true happinesse which all men desire consists in peace and is founded in grace they are said to be happie blessed that mourne suffer persecution for iustice sake Mat. 5. because in the middest of their sorrows miseries they haue the fauour of God the peace of good conscience Thirdly in that grace peace are ioyned we learn that peace without grace is no peace There is no peace to the wicked saith my god Isai. 57. last They which make a couenāt with hel death are soonest destroyed Isai. 28. 18. Laughter saith Salomon is madnes namely when it is seuered from grace and peace When men say peace peace then comes destruction 1. Thess. 5. The prosperitie of the men of this world ends in perdition read Ps. 73. Paul saith not simply that Grace and peace comes frō God but from God the father and from Iesus Christ that he may teach vs rightly to acknowledge and worship God For God is to be acknowledged and worshipped in the father in Christ in the holy spirit It was the fault of the Pagans and it is the fault of sundrie Christians to worship an absolute God without the father and without Christ. This fault must be amended for it turnes God to an Idol Againe when Paul saith that grace proceeds first from the father and secondly from Iesus Christ he sets downe the Order which God obserueth in the communication of grace peace The father is the fountaine of grace and giues it from none but from himselfe Christ againe is as it were a conduit or pipe to conuaie grace from the father to vs. Of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. In him we are complete Col. 2. Election Iustification Saluation and all is done in and by Christ. 2. Tim. 1. 9. The vse I. Let them that trauell vnder the burden of a bad conscience and a bad life come to Christ by turning from their sinnes and by beleeuing in him and they shall obtaine grace finde rest to their soules II. In our miseries our hearts may not be troubled ouermuch but we must alwaies moderate our sorrowes For if we beleeue in Christ we shall alwaies haue grace and peace Read Ioh. 14. 27. III. We must moderate our cares for this life For if we trusting in Christ haue grace and peace we shall want nothing read Psal. 4. v. 6. 7. Iesus Christ that giues grace and peace is called Our Lord for two causes One is to teach vs to acknowledge Christ aright and that is as well to acknowledge him to be our Lord as wel as our Sauiour He is a Priest to procure life a prophet to teach the way of life a Lord to command them to walke in the way of life The fault of our times All men professe Christ yet many allowe of no Christ but of their owne deuising namely a Christ that must be a Sauiour to deliuer them from hell but not a Lord to commaund them that they cannot brooke The second cause why Christ is called our Lord is to signifie the persons to whome grace and peace belong and they are such as acknowledge Christ for their Lord and yeild subiection to him in heart and life They finde rest to their soules that take vp the yoke of Christ in newe obedience and the patient bearing of the Crosse Math. 11. v. 29. 4. Who gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this present euill world according to the will of God our father 5. To whome be glorie for euer and euer Amen In these words the second argument is propounded whereby Christ is described namely the effect of Christ which is that he gaue himselfe And he is said to giue himselfe for two causes First because he presented himselfe as a price and sacrifice for sinne to God the Father Math. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 6. The second because he did publikely propound and set forth himselfe to the world as a sacrifice and price of redemption Rom. 3. 25. Ioh. 3. 14. and Act. 4. 12. In this giuing there are fiue things to be cōsidered The first the giuer Christ the second the thing giuen and that is Christ himselfe The third is the ende of his giuing for sinne that is that he might make satisfaction for our sinnes The fourth is another end of his giuing that he might deliuer vs out of this present euil world Here the present world signifies the corrupt estate of mē that liue according to the lusts of their own hearts 1. Ioh. 2. 16. And men are here said to be deliuered takē out of the world when they are seuered from the condition of sinnfull men by sanctification and newnes of life and by diuine protection whereby they are preserued from euill after they are sanctified Tit. 2. 14. and Ioh. 17. 15. And this deliuerance is not in this life in respect of place but in respect of qualitie The fifth thing is the cause that mooued Christ to giue himselfe and that is the will of God In the 5. verse there is set downe a corollarie or conclusion which containes the praise of God The vse followes Whereas Christ is the giuer of himselfe hence it followes that his death and sacrifice was voluntarie And this he shewed in two things When he was to be attached he fledde not but went to a garden in the mount as his custome was which was knowne to Iudas Ioh. 18. 2. And in the very separation of bodie and soule he cried with a loud and strong voice which argued that he was Lord of death died because his will was to die This must be remembred For otherwise his death had not beene a satisfaction for sinne In that Christ gaue himselfe to be a sacrifice we learne many things First that the worke of redemption exceedes the worke of creation For in the creation Christ gaue the creatures to man in the redemption he gaue himselfe and that as a sacrifice Secondly in that he gaue himselfe it appeares that he gaue neither angel nor meere man nor any thing out of himselfe and that all merits of life and satisfactions for sinne are to be reduced to the person of Christ and consequently that there be no humane satisfactions for sinne nor meritorious workes done by vs because they pertaine not to the person of Christ but to our persons and they were neuer offered of Christ vnto God as merits and satisfactions because he gaue nothing but himselfe and the things which appertained vnto his owne person Thirdly in that Christ giues himselfe we must take and receiue him with hungering hearts Nay he is to suffer violence of vs and the violent are to take him to themselues Lastly in that he giues himselfe to vs we againe must giue our bodies and soules vnto him in way of thankefulnes and dedicate all that we haue or can doe to the good of men The creatures at our tables
teach otherwise then I haue taught you neither I nor they must be beleeued but be accursed Againe put the case that an angell from heauen should come and preach otherwise then Paul preached to the Galatians who must be beleeued Paul or the Angel the answer is not the Angell but Paul and the angel must be accursed And the reason is because Paul in preaching and writing did represent the authoritie of God and God puts his owne authoritie into the word which he vttered and he was assisted by the extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of Gods spirit From this supposition sundrie things may be learned The first that the word preached and written by Paul is as certen as if it had bin written by God himselfe immediately It may be obiected that Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 12. To the remnant I speake not the Lord. I answer Paul saith I not the Lord not because he was deceiued in his aduise for he spake by the spirit of God c. 7. v. 40. but because he gaue counsell in a case of marriage whereof the Lord had made no expresse lawe The meaning then is this I speake by collection from the lawe of God and not the Lord by any particular and expresse lawe Secondly it appeares hence that the articles of faith or the doctrine of the Gospell is in excellencie and authoritie aboue all men and angeis And hence it followes that the Church and Councels cannot authorize the word of God in the minde conscience of any man For the inferiour and dependent authoritie addes nothing to that which is the principall and superior authoritie Therefore the opinion of the Papist is false that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God but by the testimony of the Church as though the letter of a Prince could not be knowne to be so without the testimonie of the subiects The principall authoritie is sufficient in it selfe to authorize it selfe without externall testimonie Thirdly since the daies of the Apostles sundrie doctrines haue bin receiued and beleeued touching intercession of Saints praier to the dead and for the dead Purgatorie and such like and these doctrines haue bin confirmed by sundrie revelations And here we learne what to iudge both of the doctrines and of the reuelations namely that they are accursed because the doctrines are beside the written word and the reuelations tend to ratifie and confirme them Lastly hence we learne what to thinke of the writings of Papists and Schoolemen whereof some are called Seraphicall cherubicall or Angelicall doctors They broch and maintaine sundrie things beside that which the Apostles preached wrote as iustification by workes and a mixture of the lawe and the Gospell they giue too little to grace and too much to mans will In this regard Paul hath giuen the sentence that they are accursed For this cause students of diuinitie are warily to read them with praier that they be not led into temptation and they are to vse them onely in the last place And they are greatly to be blamed that preferre them almost aboue all writers they shewe that they haue little loue of the Gospell in their hearts 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed In these words Paul repeates againe that which he said before and the repetition is not in vaine but for three weightie causes the first is to signifie that he had spoken not rashly but aduisedly whatsoeuer he had said before the second is that the point deliuered is an infallible truth of God the third is to put the Galatians and vs in minde that we are to obserue and remember that which he hath said as the foundation of our religion namely that the doctrine of the Apostles is the onely infallible truth of God against which we may not listen to Fathers Councels or to the very Angels of God If this had bin remembred and obserued the Gospel had continued in his puritie after the daies of the Apostles In this verse one thing is to be obserued Before Paul saide they are accursed which teach otherwise then he had taught here he saith they are accursed which teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued Whereby it appeares that as Paul preached the Gospel of Christ so the Galatians receiued it And they receiued it first in that they had care to know it secondly in that they gaue the assent of faith vnto it as to a truth against which the very Angels could take no exception And for this also are the Thessalonians commended that the Gospel was to them in power and much assurance The great fault of our times is that where as the Gospel is preached it is not accordingly receiued Many haue no care to know it and they which know it giue not vnto it the assent of faith but onely hold it in opinion And this is the cause that there is so small fruit of the Gospel This sinne will at length haue his punishment The places that are not seasoned by the waters of the Sanctuarie are turned to saltpits Ezech. 47. v. 11. 10 For now whether preach I men or God or seeke I to please men for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The interrogations in this place doe I preach and doe I please are in stead of earnest negations I doe not preach I doe not please And when he saith doe I now preach men or God his meaning is this Heretofore I haue preached the Traditions of men but now beeing an Apostle I preach not the doctrine of men but of God And when he saith doe I seeke to please men his meaning is this I doe not make this the scope of my mini sterie to frame and temper my doctrine so as it may be sutable and pleasing to the affections of men For otherwise we are to please men in that which is good and for their good 1. Cor. 10. 33. Rom. 15. 2. This verse containes a double reason of his former speach and of the repitition thereof The first is this Though heretofore I taught the Traditions of men yet now I teach the word not of men but of God and therefore I accurse them that teach otherwise The second is framed thus If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of God but I am the seruant of God therefore I seeke not to please men but if neede shal be I will denounce curses against them Here first we see the proper matter of the Ministerie which is not the word or doctrine of man but of God By this the Ministers of the Gospel are taught to handle their doctrine with modestie and humilitie without ostentation with reuerence and with a consideration of the maiestie of God whose the doctrine is which they vtter that God may be glorified 1. Pet. 4. 11. Secondly the hearers in hearing are to know that they haue to
deale with God and that they are to receiue the doctrine taught not as the word of man but as the very word of God as the Thessalonians did 1. Thess. 2. 13. The want of this consideration is the cause that some contemne the ministerie of the word and others are not touched and mooued in hearing Againe here is set downe the right manner of dispensing the word which must not be for the pleasing of men but of God Hence it appeares that Ministers of the Gospel must not be men-plea 〈…〉 nor applie and fashion their doctrine to the affections humours and dispositions of men but keepe a good conscience and doe their office The Lord tells Ieremie he must not turne to the people but the people must turne to him Ierem. 15. 19. Thus God shal be with them and they shal bring forth much fruit And the people must know it to be a good thing for them not to be pleased alwaies by their Ministers The ministerie of the word must be as a sacrificing knife to kill and mortifie the old Adam in vs that we may liue vnto God A sicke man must not alwaies haue his minde but he must often be crossed and restrained of his desire and so must we that are sicke in our soules in respect of our sinnes It is a fault therefore of men that desire to be pleased to haue matters smoothed ouer of their teachers This is Dauids balme which he wisheth may neuer be wanting to his head Psal. 141. 5. The ende of this verse sets downe a memorable sentence That if we seeke to please men we cannot be the seruants of God Hence I gather that our nature is full of rebellion and enmitie against God because they which please men cannot please God Againe here is set downe what is the hurt that comes by pride and ambition It keepes men that they cannot be the seruants of Christ. Ye beleeue not saith Christ because ye seeke glorie one of another Ioh. 5. 44. Ambition so fills the minde with vanitie and the heart with worldly desires that it cannot thinke or desire to please God Wherefore he that would be a faithfull Minister of the Gospel must denie the pride of his heart and be emptied of ambition and set himselfe wholly to seeke the glorie of God in his calling And generally he that would be a faithfull seruant of Christ must set God before him as a Iudge and consider that he hath to deale with God and he must turne his minde and senses from the world and all things therein to God and seeke aboue all things to approoue his thoughts desires affections and all his doings vnto him Lastly the profession of the seruant of God is here to be obserued in the example of Paul who saith Doe I now preach men and doe I yet please men as if he had said I haue done thus and thus I haue preached the Traditions of man heretofore and I haue pleased man in persequnting the Church of God but I doe not so still neither will I. And he that can say the like with good conscience I haue sinned thus and thus heretofore but now I doe not neither will I sinne as I haue done is indeede the seruant of God v. 11. Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached by me was not after man The meaning is this that it may the better appeare that I haue iustly accursed them which teach any other Gospel and iustly reprooued you for receiuing it I giue you to vnderstand that the Gospel which I preached was not after man that is not deuised by man or preached of me by mans authoritie but it was from God and preached by the authoritie of God And this sense appeares by v. 10 and 12. In these words is laid downe the reason of the conclusion or the assumption of the principall argument which was on this manner If I be called to teach and that immediatly of God and my doctrine be true then ye ought not to haue reuolted from the Gospel which I preached but I was called to teach immediatly of God and my doctrine is true The first part of this assumption is here set downe and handled to the ende of the second chapter and the conclusion as we haue heard was set downe in the premises Hence two maine points of doctrine that are of great consequent may be gathered The first is this It is a thing most necessarie that men should be assured and certified that the doctrine of the Gospel and the Scripture is not of man but of God This is the first thing which Paul stands vpon in this Epistle It may be demanded how this assurance may be obtained I answer thus For the setling of our consciences that Scripture is the word of God there be two testimonies One is the Euidence of Gods spirit imprinted and expressed in the Scriptures and this is an excellencie of the word of God aboue all words and writings of men and Angels and containes 13. points The first is the puritie of the law of Moses whereas the lawes of men haue their imperfections The second i◠that the Scripture setteth downe the true cause of all miserie namely sinne and the perfect remedie namely the death of Christ. The third is the Antiquitie of Scripture in that it fets downe an historie from the beginning of the world The 4. is prophecies of things in sundrie bookes of Scripture which none could possibly foretell but God The 5. is the confirmation of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles by miracles that is works done aboue and contrarie to the strength of nature which none can doe but God The 6. is the consent of all the scripture with themselues whereas the writings of men are often at iarre with themselues The 7. is the confession of enemies as namely of heretickes who in oppugning of scriptures alleadge scriptures and thereby confesse the trueth thereof The 8. is an vnspeakable detestation that Sathan and all wicked men beare to the doctrine of scripture The 9. is the protection and preseruation of it from the beginning to this houre by a speciall prouidence of God The 10. is the constant confession of Martyrs that haue shedde their blood for the Gospell of Christ. The 11. is that fearefull punishments and iudgements haue befallen them that haue oppugned the word of God The 12. is holinesse of them that professe the Gospell The last is the effect and operation of the word for it is an instrument of God in the right vse whereof we receiue the testimonie of the spirit of our adoption and are conuerted vnto God And yet neuerthelesse the word which conuerteth is contrarie to the wicked nature of man The second testimonie is from the Prophets and Apostles who were Embassadours of God extraordinarily to represent his authoritie vnto his Church and the pen-men of the holy Ghost to set downe the true and proper word of God And the Apostles aboue
is this Commonly men liue as it were without the lawe and thinke it sufficient if they doe not grossely offend not considering that the lawe of God is a lawe to our thoughtes and affections and all the circumstances of our actions That we may hereafter make good proceedings in our religion we must remember 3. caueats One that we must indeuour to see and feele in our selues the smalenes of our faith repentance feare of God c. And the great masse of corruptions that is in vs. Thus with the beggar we shall be alwaies peecing and mending our garment The second that as trauellers we must forget things past and goe on to doe more good Psal 3. 14. The third that we must set before vs the crowne of eternall glorie seeke to apprehend it 1. Tim. 6. 11. thus did Moses Heb. 11. In Pauls profiting two things must be considered the measure and the thing in which he profited The measure in that he profited aboue many others Hence we learne that in matters of religion there should be an holy Emulation and contention among vs and our fault is that we contend who shall haue the most riches and honour or goe in the finest apparell and striue not to goe one beyond another in good things Againe Pauls modestie must here be obserued He doth not say that he profited more then all but more then many and he saith not more then his superiors but more then his equalls for time and he saith not more then all the world but more then they of his owne nation This modestie of his must be learned of vs for it is the ornament of our faith and therefore must be ioyned with our faith The matter or the thing in which Paul profited is that he was aboundantly zealous for the traditions of the fathers Here I consider three points I. What zeale is Answ. It is a certen feruencie of spirit arising of a mixture of loue and anger causing men earnestly to maintaine the worship of God and all things pertaining thereto and moouing them to griefe and anger when God is any way dishonoured II. For what is Paul zealous Answer For the outward obseruation of the law and withall for Pharisicall vnwritten Traditions which therefore he cals the Traditions of his fathers III. What is the fault of his zeale for he condemnes it in himselfe Answer He had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For his zeale was against the word in that it tended to maintaine vnwritten Traditions and iustification by the workes of the lawe out of Christ Rom. 10. 2. Hence we learne sundrie things For that which Paul did in his religion are we to doe in the profession of the Gospell First we are to addict and set our selues earnestly to maintaine the trueth and the practise of the Gospel Christ was euen consumed with the zeale of Gods house Ioh. 2. The angell of the Church of Laodicea is blamed because he is neither hotte nor cold Rev. 3. He is accursed of God that doeth the worke of God negligently Ierem. 48. Secondly we are to be angrie in our selues and grieued when God is dishonoured and his word disobeyed When the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe Moses in holy anger brust the tables of stone Dauid wept and Paul was humbled for the sinnes of other men Psal. 119. 136. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Thirdly we are here taught not to giue libertie to the best of our naturall affections as to zeale but to mortifie them and to rule them by the word Numb 15. 39. otherwise they will cause vs to runne out of order like wild beasts as here we see in Paul Lastly let it be obserued that Paul here condemnes zeale for the maintenance of vnwritten Traditions And let the Papists consider this 15. But when it pleased God which had seperated me from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace 16. To reueale his sonne in me or to me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediately I communicated not with flesh and blood 17. Neither came I to Hierusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and turned againe to Damascus Paul before prooued that he learned not the Gospell of any man before his conuersion here he further prooues that he learned it of no man after his conuersion And the substance of his reason is this because immediately vpon his conuersion he conferred with no man but went and preached in Arabia and Damascus In the words I consider foure things First the causes of Pauls conuersion And here he sets down three degrees of causes depending one vpon another The first is the good pleasure of God whereby he doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen earth in these words when it pleased The second is his seperation from the wombe which is an acte of Gods counsell whereby he sets men apart to be members of Christ and to be his seruants in this or that office This separation is said to be from the wombe not because it began then for it was appointed by God before all times euen from eternitie as all his counsels are But the H. Ghost hereby signifies that all our goodnesse and all our dexteritie to this or that office is meerely from God because we are sanctified dedicated and set apart in the Counsell of God from all eternitie and therefore from the wombe or from our first conception and beginning The third cause is vocation by grace the accomplishment of both the former in the time which God hath appointed The second thing is the manner of forme of Pauls vocation in these words to reueale his sonne to me The third is the end of his vocation to preach Christ among the Gentiles The last is his obedience to the calling of God in the 16. and 17. verses To begin with the efficient causes of Pauls conuersion here we see the order and dependance of causes in the conuersion and saluation of euery sinner The beginning of our saluation is in the good pleasure of God then followes separation or election to eternall life then vocation by the word and spirit then obedience to the calling of god after obedience euerlasting life This order Paul here sets down and the consideratiō of it is of great vse Hence it appeares to be a doctrine erronious which beginnes our saluation in the preuision of mans faith and good workes For in Paul order workes haue the last place And it must be Gods pleasure that man shall doe a good worke before he can doe it And if seperation to eternall life should be according to faith or workes then we should make seperation of our selues as well as God And vocation is not for workes but that we might doe good workes Eph. 1. 4. Secondly by this order it appeares that the saluation of them that beleeue is more sure then the whole frame of heauen and earth because it is founded in the vocation of God which is
went thither to be instructed To this he answers three things that he went thither three yeares after his conuersion and not before that he went to visit Peter that he abode there fifteene daies For the first where he saith he preached 3. yeares in Arabia and Damascus and then after went to Hierusalem and abode there fifteene daies for some speciall causes we see Paul is readie and able to make a good account of the spending of his time both for daies and yeares And good reason for time is pretious and great care ought to be had of the expending of it After Pauls example we must so liue that we may be able to giue a good account of the spending of our daies That this may be done we must learne to number our daies and to redeeme the time To number our daies is to consider the shortnesse of our liues and that we are euery day subiect to death and withall seriously to bethinke our selues of the causer of this our condition namely our sinnes both originall and actuall When this twofold consideration takes place we then beginne to number our daies The numbring of our time and the parts thereof brings vs to the redeeming of it To redeeme our time is to take time while time serues specially for spirituall vses and for the amendement of our liues When time is thus numbred and redeemed then shall the good account be made before God and men Wherefore miserable is the case of them that spend their daies in idlenes in riot and sporting in chambering and wantonnesse For they neither number time nor redeeme it and therefore they are farre from any good account The second point is that Paul goes vp to Hierusalem to visit Peter that is to see him to be acquainted with him to talke and conferre with him Hence it appeares that there is a lawefull kind of peregrination or pilgrimage in that Paul iourneies frō Arabia to Ierusalem to see Peter Thus the Queene of Saba went vp to Ierusalem to heare the wisdome of Salomon The lawe of God was that all the males in Israel should thrise in the yeare goe vp to the place which god had appointed Deut. 16. This law was practised by Elkana Anna 1. Sam. 1. by Ioseph and Marie by the Steward of Candaces queene of Ethiopia Act. 8. Neuerthelesse Popish pilgrimage is vtterly to be condemned for two causes One is because it is made a part of Gods worship whereas nowe in the newe testament all religious distinction of places is abolished 1. Tim. 2. 8. Lift vp pure hands in euery place vnto God Some alleadge that vows which were not commanded were neuerthelesse parts of Gods worship among the Iewes I answer though men were not commāded to vowe yet the matter and forme of vowes was commanded And in that God commanded the manner of vowing he allowed the acte of vowe-making let the Papists shew the like allowance for their pilgrimage The second reason is because popish pilgrimage is not to liuing men but to the Reliques and images of dead men which kind of peregrination was neuer vsed in the world till after the Apostles daies For pilgrimage to reliques came in 300. yeares after Christ and pilgrimage to Images after 600. yeares In that Paul goes about to visit Peter the Papists gather the Primacie of Peter ouer all the Apostles but falsely For this visitation argues reuerence and reuerence is giuen not onely to superious but also to equalls Againe primacie is twofold Primacie of order and Primacie of power Primacie of order was due vnto Peter in that he was first called to be an Apostle and he was in the faith before Paul And in this regard he was reuerēced of him The third point is that Paul abides with Peter at Ierusalem and that fifteene daies His abode with Peter was in token of mutuall consent and fellowship Like should be the consent of the Ministers of the Gospell For their office is to publish and perswade peace betweene God and men to which they are vnfit that cannot maintaine peace among themselues And all beleeuers should be of one minde speaking and thinking the same things and this cannot be vnlesse there be a consent of them that are guides This consent therefore is to be maintained and greatly to be praied for And when there cannot be consent of iudgement by reason of humane frailtie yet so long as the foundation is maintained there must be consent in affection And iniuries offered may not dissolue this bond Though the Church of Ierusalem suspected Paul and would not at the first acknowledge him for a Disciple Act. 9. 26. yet did he for his part accept of their loue and fellowship Whereas he addes that his abode with Peter was but for 15. daies hereby he signifies that he learned not the Gospell of him for it could not be learned in so short a space neither could Paul by the teaching of any man become an Apostle in so little time 19 And none other of the Apostles sawe I saue Iames the Lords brother It might happily be obiected against the former verse that Paul might be taught of some other Apostle beside Peter and that at Ierusalem to this he answers two things One that there was none of the Apostles at Ierusalem but Iames beside Peter before named the second that he did but see Iames. Here I gather that if there be any mother church in the world it is rather Ierusalem then Rome because the Gospel was first preached there went thence into the whole world and Ierusalem was for a time guided by two of the cheefe Apostles Iames and Peter In that Iames is called our Lords brother three things may be demanded One which Iames this was Answer It was Iames the sonne of Alpheus for he liued 14. yeares after this Gal. 2. 9. whereas Iames the sonne of Zebedeus liued not so long because he was put to death by Herod The second thing is how Iames should be the Lords brother Answer In scripture children of the same wombe are brethren men of the same bloud are brethren as Abram and Lot Gen. 13. 8. Men of the same countrie are brethren thus Sauls countrimen are called his brethren 1. Chron. 12. 2. And Iames is called our Lordes brother not beacuse he was of the same wombe but because he was of the same bloud or kindred for Elie had two daughters Marie espoused to Ioseph Marie Cleophas who afterward was maried to Alpheus of whome came Iames here mentioned Iames therefore was the cosin-german of Christ. Therefore Heluideus failed when he went about to insringe the perpetuall virginitie of the virgin Marie out of this place as if she had more sonnes beside Christ. The third thing is what benefit Iames had by beeing the Lords brother Answer He is here called the Lords brother only for distinctions sake in respect of the other Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and this brother-hood doth not make him the better Apostle or
bondage 5 To whome we gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you Paul had said before that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised now he addes For all the false brethren that is though the false brethren did what they could to the contrarie Here then Paul sets downe who were the cause that Titus was not circumcised namely certaine persons at Ierusalem and them he sets forth by two properties they are false brethren and they crept into the Church Touching the first by it we learne that the Church of God vpon earth euen when it is at the best hath wicked men and hypocrites in it In Adams family there is Cain in the Arke there is Cham in Christs family or schoole there is Iudas In the Church of Ierusalem planted and gouerned by the chiefe Apostles there be false brethren The true sheepe be often without and wolues within Therefore we may not so much as dreame of a perfection of the Church of God vpon earth so long as wicked men be mixed with true beleeuers Againe these aduersaries of Paul are called false brethren because they ioyned Circumcision with Christ as a necessarie cause of iustification and saluation Hence it followes that the Church of Rome is a false Church because it ioynes workes with Christ in the case of our iustification and that as meritorious causes Their second propertie is that they crept into the Church which I conceiue on this manner The Church of God is as a sheepefold or house Ioh. 10. 1. Christ is the onely dore Now Pastours that teach Christ aright are saide to enter in by this dore they which teach any other way of saluation are said to clime in an other way and they which teach Christ ioyning some other thing with him in the cause of saluation are said to Creepe in because in appearance they maintaine Christ and yet because they adde something to Christ they neither enter nor continue in the true Church with any good warrant from God In this they are like the serpent Liuing creatures were all placed in Eden and Man was placed in the garden of Eden called Paradise and so were not beasts How then comes the serpent in why in all likelihood it crept in And so doe false brethren into the Church Hence I gather that false brethren are not true and liuely members of the visible Church though they be members in appearance For if they were in their right place they should not be said to creepe in The true members of the Church creepe not into the mysticall bodie but are built and set vpon the foundation by God It may be alleadged that they are baptised and thereby made members of the Church I answer that faith makes vs members of Christ and consequently of the true Church and baptisme doth but seale our insition into Christ and serues as a meanes of Admission into the outward societie of the congregation and the outward washing doth not make any man a member of Christ. Againe it followes hence that false brethren are not members of the Catholike church For the visible church is part of the Catholike and therefore they which are not reall members of the true visible church are not members of the Catholike Againe in that false brethren creepe into the congregation hence it appeares that no man can set downe the precise time when errours had their beginning For the authors thereof enter in secretly not obserued of men The enuious man sowes his tares when men be asleepe Math. 13. It sufficeth therefore if we can shew them to be errours by the word though we cannot designe the set time when they began The time when a shippe sinketh we often obserue but the time when it first drew water we doe not Let the Papists thinke vpon this Paul hauing thus declared who were the causes that Titus was not circumcised goes on and shewes how they were causes The effect and summe of his declaration is this They vrged the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law as necessarie and hereupon we resused to circumcise Titus First therefore Paul sets downe how they vrged circumcision and that by three degrees First they come in priuily Secondly they spie out their libertie Thirdly they labour to bring them into bondage Againe Paul sets downe the manner of their refusall in three things We gaue not place for an houre We gaue not place by subiection We gaue no place that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you The first degree or steppe in their vrging of circumcision was that They came in priuily that is they ioyned themselues in fellowship with the Apostles in shew pretended the furtherance of the Gospel yet indeed meant nothing lesse though their fraud wickednes was not perceiued Here then the foūdation they lay of all their naughtie dealing is their dissēbling which Paul here notes condemns On the contrarie our dutie is to be indeed that which we professe our selues to be to professe no more outwardly then we are inwardly and to approue our hearts to god for that which we professe before mē The second steppe or degree is that they spie out the libertie vvhich Paul and the rest had by Christ that is they conferre with the Apostles and inquire of them what libertie they haue by Christ in respect of the Ceremoniall lawe of God and this they doe not of a minde desirous to learne but for aduantage sake There be two kinds of spying one lawefull the other vnlawefull Lawefull as when in iust and lawefull warre we inquire into the counsells and doings of our enemtes Numb 13. 1. Vnlawefull when men prie into any thing or matter to finde a fault Thus hypocrites spie faults in the persons and liues of men that they may haue somwhat whereby to disgrace them Math. 7. 4. Thus Atheists prie into the scriptures that they may confute them Thus sundrie hearers come to sermōs that they may carpe Thus our enemies inquire into our religion that they may finde as they suppose exceptions vntruthes and contradictions And in the Church of Ierusalem false brethren inquire how farre Christian liberty extends that they may ouerthrow it This kind of spying is a common fault we must take heede of it and apply the eie of our minde to a better vse First we are to be spies in respect of our owne sinnes and corruptions to spie them out Lam. 3. 40. Let us search our waies and inquire and turne againe to the Lord. Again we are to plaie the spies in respect of our spirituall enemies that we may finde out the temptations of the flesh the world and the deuill Thirdly we must be as spies in searching of the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. that we may vnderstand the words of the lawe of God and find comfort to our soules The third and last degree of vrging is that the false brethren seeke to bring the Apostles in bondage
in these words Warning onely that we should remember the poore In them three points are to be considered The first that the Church of Ierusalem is in extreame pouertie And the causes of it may be two The first because the poorer sort receiued the Gospel thus it was in Corinth 1. Cor. 1 26. Not many wise according to the flesh not many mightie not many noble The like we in experience at this day the poorer sort among vs doe more heartily receiue it then they of the richer sort By this we are taught that we may not fixe our loue and our confidence vpon riches they that buie must be as though they bought not and they that possesse as though they possessed not Because riches steale away the heart The second cause of their pouertie was that they were depriued of their riches for the profession of the name of Christ. 1. Thess. 2. 14. Heb. 10. 34. Here we are taught to sit downe and to recken what the profession of Christ will cost vs to the vttermost and we must put this in our account that we must be readie and willing to part with the deerest things in the world for the name of Christ. And this reckning and resolution must we daily carrie about with vs. The second point is Why the Church of Ierusalem must be releeued by the Gentiles considering by Gods law Deut. 15. 11. euery place must releeue his owne poore Ans. We are first of all debters to our owne poore and they must first be releeued this done in the case of extreame necessitie we are debters to the poore a thousand miles off And in this case did the Apostles craue releefe of the Gentiles for them of Ierusalem The third point is that the Apostles themselues are carefull for the gathering of releefe Hence we learne that it is the office of Pastours and teachers not only to preach and dispence the word but also to haue care of the poore and this care is to be shewed in exhortation counsell ouersight As for the administration and execution of matters belonging to the poore it belongs to others If the Apostles at any time gathered carried and dispensed releefe it was because the Church was not yet founded and planted and therefore there was no other to doe it Now I come to the practise of Paul in these words Which thing also I was diligent to doe it Here first let vs marke that Paul who had spoiled and made hauocke of the Church of Ierusalem now gathers releefe and as we say begges for it and no doubt the rather that he may make some recompence for the wrong he had done By his example we are taught to make Satisfaction for all iniuries and hurts done to others and that to the vttermost He that steales according to the qualitie of his theft must restore either twofold or fourefold Exod. 22. 7. he that maimes a man must pay for his healing and for his resting that is for the losse of his labour Exod. 21. 19. Daniel saith to Nabuchadnezzar O King breake off thy sinnes with almes deedes Dan. 4. 24. that is whereas thou hast bin giuen to crueltie and oppression cease to doe so any more and make some recompence by giuing of almes Dauid saith it is the propertie of a wicked man to borrow and not to repay Psal. 37. 21. Satisfaction recompence and restitution is the way to life by the appointment of God Ezech. 18. 7. and 33. 15. If thou restore the pledge and repay that which thou hast robbed thou shalt liue and not die The Lord saith Are the treasures of wickednes yet in the house of the wicked and he addes that he will not iustifie the false ballance Mich. 6. 10 11. Zacheus in his conuersion for known wrongs restores fourefold and for his vnknown wrongs he giues halfe his goods to the poore Luk. 19. 7. Let vsurers ingrossers and all that oppresse or deale deceitfully remember this and begin to make conscience of this du ty of Satisfaction or restitution And that it may the better be practised I will further set downe fiue points The first is who must satisfie and restore Ans. He that is the cause of any wrong or losse to others and all they that are accessarie Men may be accessarie many waies by commaundement by counsell by consent by partnership by receiuing by silence when a man ought to speake by not hindring when he ought to hinder by not manifesting that which we ought to manifest The second is To whom must restitution be made Ans. To him that is wronged and beares the losse if the partie be knowne and aliue if he be dead to his heires if all be dead to the poore If the person wronged be not knowne to vs as often it falls out then restitution is to be made to the Church or commonwealth and restitution is to be turned into Almes for the poore Dan. 4. 24. Moreouer if both the giuing and the receiuing of a thing be vnlawfull as in bribes and Simoniacall gifts restitution is not to be made to the giuer but as before it is to be applied to common vse specially to releefe The third point is What must be restored Ans. The things which are of vsvniustly receiued or deteined either known to vs or vnknowne If they be knowne they are in their owne kind to be restored or in value Exod. 21. 19. If the partie who is to restore be in extreame pouertie and haue not wherewith to make recompence he must doe that which he can that is he must shew a readie and willing minde and this is done by confession and by crauing of pardon If goods to be restored be for their value and quātitie vnknowne then restitution must be made according to the iudgement and discretion of them that are wise The fourth point is touching the time when Ans. In respect of preparation of mind we must presently satisfie yet not in respect of execution For the Act of restitution may be deferred if there be ignorance of the right or ignorance of the fact if the restorer be in extreame neede if vpon present restitution life goods or good name be indangered The last point is in what order and manner Restitution is to be made Ans. Things certen must first be restored and things vncerten after Among things certen that is which certenly belongs vnto an other things bought and not deliuered are to be restored and Deposita things committed to our trust If things to be restored for their value and qualitie be vncerten the order is this Restitution must be made according to the discretion of wise men in some part and for the rest pardon to be craued Againe in restitution warines is to be vsed least by supplying the losses of other men we make to our selues the losse of good name Againe in Pauls practise we see an earnest care and diligence to prouide for the poore And his diligence is further expressed Rō 15. 25 28.
where it is said that he ministred to the Saints at Ierusalem and withall that he gaue himselfe no rest in this dutie till he had sealed this fruit vnto them that is till he saw it done according to his desire His example must be followed of vs. It is not enough for vs to giue good words and to wish well but we must in our places and callings doe our endeauour that releefe may euen be sealed to our poore And there be many reasons to mooue vs. First let vs consider that the charge was very great to maintaine the altar of the Lord in the old Testament with sheepe and oxen and offerings of all kinds and now in the new Testament the poore come in the roome of the Altar Secondly the poore represent the person of Christ and in them he comes vnto vs and saith J am hungrie I am sicke I am naked I am harbourlesse therfore looke what we would doe to Christ the same must we doe to them Thirdly the poore haue title and interest to part of our goods for God is the Lord of them and we are but stewards to dispose and vse them according to his appointment And his will is that part of our goods be giuen for the releefe of the poore If this be not done we are theeues in respect of the goods we possesse Lastly mercie or the bowels of compassion in vs is a pledge or an impression of the mercie that is in God towards vs and by it we may knowe or feele in our selues that mercie belongs vnto vs. Thus we see what is our dutie nowe let vs consider what is our fault Not to blame any person or persons it is our common fault that we are backeward and slacke in this dutie And the cause is that we doe not heartily giue our selues to Christ and this makes vs to be so slacke in giuing our goods to the poore 2. Cor. 9. 5. Againe we commonly liue as it were without a law We doe not with Dauid set the laws of God before vs Psal. 119. v. 168. Neither doe we apply our hearts to his statutes v. 112. For then would we with Dauid make haste to keepe the commandements of God v. 60. Specially this great commandement of releefe and the rather because the obseruing of it is the inriching of vs all Lastly let vs marke that Paul beeing warned of the Apostles was diligent to doe that whereof he was warned The like must we doe It is not sufficient to heare but beside this there must be in vs a care and diligence to doe and practise that which we heare For this is to build vpon the rocke And it is a common fault to heare much and doe little Ezech. 33. 24. v. 11. And when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to his face for he was to be blamed In these words Paul propounds the second answer which he makes to the obiection mentioned in the beginning of the chap. to this effect Though the church glorifie God for thee yet wil not the Apostles do it because thou art contrary to thē Here Paul answers that there was indeed a dissention between him and Peter when he withstood Peter to his face at Antioch but the fault was not his but Peters who was wholly to be blamed For the better vnderstanding of these words three points are to be handled The first is who was resisted The answer is Peter the Apostle For the intent of this chapter is to shewe what agreement there was betweene Paul and the rest of the Apostles And there was no Apostle of this name but one Therefore they among the Auncient are greatly deceiued who thinke that the Apostle Peter was not reprooued but some other of that name The second point is who resisted Answer Paul and that not for shewe and fashion but in truth and good earnest And this appeares because in the words following he sets downe a waightie and vrgent cause of his reproofe Therefore Ierom and others are deceiued who thinke that Paul reprooued Peter in shewe and appearance and not in good earnest The third point is what was Pauls minde and meaning in resisting of Peter Answer To doe his office The kingdom of God and all things pertaining thereto must haue free passage without resistance The second petition is Thy kingdome come Iohn the baptist preached thus Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight Mar. 1. Saint Paul saith Praie that the word of God may haue free passage and be glorified 2. Thess. 3. 1. Contrariwise such things as hinder the kingdom of God must be withstood Therefore Peter saith Resist your aduersarie the deuill strong in faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. And thus men that are instruments of euill are to be withstood And here Paul by an holy reproofe withstands Peter for his bad example In Paul here first we may behold an example of true vertue in that he resists euill to the vttermost of his power following his owne rule Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather reprooue them Eph. 5. 11. In like manner must euery one of vs resist euill first in himselfe and then in them that appertaine to him Therefore Paul saith to all Put on the armour of God that ye may resist Eph. 6. 13. Here 2 things may be demāded first what must we resist Paul answers again Principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses that is the deuill and all his angels It may be said we haue no dealing with them for they vse not to appeare vnto vs. Ans. That the deuill comes not vnto vs visibly but in the persons of euill men and in the badde examples of all men This made Christ say to Peter Math. 16. 23. Come behind me Satan for thou art an offence vnto me when Peter would haue disswaded him from going to Ierusalem Again it may be said In what things must we resist them Paul answereth In heauenly things v. 12. that is in things which pertaine to Gods kingdome and concerne either the saluation of our soules or the worship of God For the deuill seeketh by all manner of euils to hinder these good things Moreouer this dutie of resisting euill is so necessarie that we must resist sinne if neede be to the very shedding of our blood Heb. 12. 4. Againe we haue in Paul an example of bouldnes and libertie in reproouing of sinne This was a thing commanded to the Prophets and Apostles Isai 58. 1. Crie and spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression Ierem. 1. 17. Trusse vp thy loines arise and speake vnto them all that I commaund thee be not afraid of their faces left I destroy thee before them Like libertie may the ministers of the word vse obseruing Pauls rule 2. Tim. 1. 7. God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and
goe together For good counsell beats downe wickednes and bad example sets it vp againe Thus beleeuers in Christ are great offenders when reformed religion and vnreformed life are ioyned together as often they are For then vnreformed life builds the kingdome of sinne which Christ hath destroied Further we are here taught to be constant in that which is good Tit. 1. 9. and to hold fast the Gospel which we professe We haue put vnder foote the Popish religion for this many yeares our dutie is to be constant herein and no way to build either in word or deede that which we haue to the vttermost of our power destroied 19 For I through the law am dead to the law that I may liue vnto God In these words Paul sets downe a second reason to prooue Christ to be no minister of sinne in abolishing the iustice of the law And the reason is framed thus We Iewes iustified by Christ are dead to the law not to liue as we list but to liue to the honour of God Therefore Christ in taking away the iustice of the law is not the minister of sinne Here three points are propounded the first is that the person iustified is dead to the law the second that he is dead to the law by the law the third that he is dead that he may liue vnto God For the better vnderstanding of the first point we must seach what is meant by dying to the law Here the law is compared to an hard and cruell master and we to slaues or bondmen who so long as they are aliue they are vnder the dominion and at the command of their masters yet when they are dead they are free from that bondage and their masters haue no more to doe with them Here then to be dead to the law is to be free from the dominion of the law And we are free in foure respects First in respect of the accusing and damnatorie sentence of the law Rom. 8. 1. Secondly in respect of the power of the law whereby as an occasion it prouoketh and stirreth vp the corruption of the heart in the vnregenerate Rom. 7. 8. Thirdly in respect of the Rigour of the law whereby it exacteth most perfect obedience for our iustification Thus Paul here saith that he is dead to the law Lastly in respect of the obligation of the conscience to the obseruation of Ceremonies Col. 2. 20. Thus are all persons iustified by the faith of Christ free from the law Hence we learne that the Papists erre and are deceiued when they teach that the Law and the Gospel are one for substance of doctrine For then they which are iustified by Christ should not onely be dead to the law but also to the Gospel Now the Scripture saith not that persons iustified are dead to the Gospel They erre againe in that they teach that persons iustified by the merit of the death of Christ are further to be iustified by the workes of the law For he that is iustified by Christ is dead to the law but if we be iustified by workes then are we by Christ made aliue to the law Thirdly here we see how long the dominion of the law continueth and when it endeth The law raignes ouer all men without exception till they be iustified When they once beginne to beleeue in Christ and to amend their liues then the dominion of the law ceaseth and they then are no more vnder the law but vnder grace Here all such persons as liue in the securitie and hardnes of their hearts are to be admonished to repent of their sinnes and to beginne to turne vnto God For they must know that they liue vnder a most hard and cruell master that will doe nothing but accuse terrifie condemne them and cause them to runne headlong to vtter desperation And if they die beeing vnder the law they must looke for nothing but death and destruction without mercie For the law is merâ—ilesse This consideration serueth notably to awake them that are dead in their sinnes Againe all such as with true and honest hearts haue begunne to repent and beleeue let them be of good comfort For they are not vnder the dominion of the law but they are dead to the law and vnder grace hauing a Lord who is also their mercifull Sauiour who will giue them protection against the terrours of the law and spare them as a father spares his child that serues him and not breake them though they be but as weake and bruised reedes and as smoaking flaxe The second point is touching the meanes of our death to the law and that is the Law Here some by the law vnderstand the law of faith that is the Gospel Rom. 3. 27. And they make this to be the meaning of the words By the law of Christ that is by the Gospel I am dead to the Law of Moses But this sense though it be a truth yet will it not stand in this place For it is the question whether by the gospel we be freed from the law Now Paul a learned disputer would not bring the question to prooue it selfe Therefore I take the true meaning of the words to be this By the law of Moses I am dead to the law of Moses It may be demanded how this can be considering the law is the cause of no good thing in vs For it is the ministerie of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 8. 7. 9. Againe that which the law cannot reueale it cannot worke but the law neither can nor doth reueale faith in Christ the death to the law nor repentance c. therefore the law is no cause to worke them It may peraduenture be said that the law workes repentance and sorrow for sinne I answer there is a double Repentance One Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when men haue a sight of their sinnes and withall are grieued for the punishment thereof This repentance is wrought by the ministerie of the law it was in Iudas and it is no grace of God but of it selfe it is the way to hell Euangelicall Repentance is when beeing turned by grace we turne our selues to God This repentance is a gift of grace and is not wrought by the law but by the ministerie of the Gospel Again there is a Legall sorrow which is a sorrow for sinne in respect of the punishment this is no grace and it is wrought by the law Euangelicall sorrow is sorrow for sinne because it is sinne This indeede is a grace of God but it is not wrought by the law but by the preaching of mercy and reconciliation and it followes in vs vpon the apprehension of Gods mercie by faith The law then beeing the cause of no good thing in vs it may be demanded I say how we should be dead to the law by the law Ans. Though the law be not a cause of this death to the law and so to sinne yet it is an occasion thereof For it accuseth and
the world be worse then the life of a beast Againe in these words who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me the nature and propertie of iustifying faith is set down which is to Applie the loue of God and the merit of the passion of Christ vnto our selues And therefore the Papists are deceiued who say that hope applieth and not faith It may be alleadged that Paul speakes these words priuately of himselfe Ans. He speakes them in the name of all beleeuers Iewes and Gentiles For as we may see in the former verses that which concerned Peter and the rest of Christian Iewes he applies to himselfe least his speech should seeme odious Againe it may be obiected that all beleeuers cannot say thus Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Ans. If the minde be fixed on Christ and there be also a will and indeauour to beleeue and apprehend Christ there is faith indeede For God accepts the true and earnest will to beleeue for faith We are not saued for the perfection of our faith but for the perfection of the obedience of Christ which faith apprehendeth The Israelites which looked vpon the brasen serpent with one eye or with a squint-eye with halfe an eye or dimme sight were healed not for the goodnes of their sight but for the promise of God The poore in spirit are blessed Now they are poore in spirit who finde themselues emptie of all goodnes emptie of true faith full of vnbeleefe and vnfainedly desire to beleeue So then if we greeue because we cannot beleeue as we should and earnestly desire to beleeue God accepts vs for beleeuers Againe in these words who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me S. Paul sets downe the reason or argument which faith vseth in the minde regenerate to mooue men to liue to God And the reason is framed thus Christ loueth thee and hath giuen himselfe for thee therefore see thou liue to God Read the like Rom. 12. 1. and 2. 4. and Psal. 116. 12. By this we are to take occasion to consider and to bewaile the hardnes of our hearts who doe not relent from our euill waies and turne vnto God vpon the consideration of his loue in Christ. The waters of the Sanctuarie haue long flowed vnto vs but they haue not sweetned vs and made vs sauerie therefore it is to be feared least our habitations be at length turned to places of nettles and saltpits Eze. 7. 11. 21 I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died without cause The meaning Grace in Scriptures signifieth two things the free fauour of God and the gifts of God in vs. And where the holy Ghost intreates of iustification grace in the first sense signifies the good will and fauour of God pardoning sinnes and accepting vs to life euerlasting for the merit of Christ. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Eph. 2. 8. And in this sense is the word vsed in this place And when Paul saith I doe not abrogate the grace of God his meaning is I doe not make void or frustrate the grace of God in respect of my selfe or in respect of other beleeuers by teaching the iustification of a sinner by saith alone He addes If righteousnes be by the law that is if a sinner be iustified by his owne obedience in performing the law then Christ died without cause The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely translated without cause hath a double signification One is when it signifies as much as without price or merit Math. 10. 8. Ye haue receiued freely giue freely The second is when it signifies rashly without iust or sufficient cause as Psal. 69. 4. Mine enemies hate me freely as the Seuentie translate that is wrongfully or without iust cause Thus here is Christ said to die freely that is in vaine or without cause because if we be iustified by obedience to the law then Christ died in vaine to make any satisfaction to the law for vs. These words are an answer to an obiection The obiection is this If thou teach that a sinner is iustified onely by his faith in Christ then thou abolishest the grace of God The answer is negatiue I doe not by this doctrine abrogate the grace of God And there is a reason also of this answer If we be iustified by our owne fulfilling of the law then Christ died in vaine to fulfill the law for vs. The vse First let vs marke that Paul saith he doth not abrogate the grace of God and why because he will suffer nothing in the cause of our iustification to be ioyned with the obedience of the death of Christ. And hence we learne what is the nature of grace It must stand wholly and intirely in it selfe Gods grace cannot stand with mans merit Grace is no grace vnlesse it be freely giuen euery way Rom. 4. 4. To him that worketh the wages is giuen not of grace but of desert Rom. 11. 6. If election be of grace then not of workes els is grace no grace Grace and works of grace in the causing of iustification can no more stand together then fire and water By this we are admonished to be nothing in our selues and to ascribe all that we are or can doe to the grace of God Againe here we see our dutie and that is to be carefull not to abrogate the grace of God vnto our selues But how is that done Ans. We must strippe and emptie our selues of all righteousnesse and goodnesse of our owne euen to the death and withall hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnes Math. 5. 6. Luk. 1. 35. Thirdly Paul here sets downe a notable ground of true religion That the death of Christ is made voide if any thing be ioyned with it in the worke of our iustification as a meanes to satisfie Gods iustice and to merit the fauour of God Therefore the doctrine of iustification by workes is a manifest errour For if we be iustified by the workes of the law then the iudgement of the holy Ghost is that Christ died without cause Againe the doctrine of humane satisfactions is a deuice of mans braine For if we satisfie for our selues then did Christ by death satisfie in vaine Thirdly it is a false and wicked though a colourable inuention to say that Christ by his death merited that we should merit by our workes For if we merit by workes Christ died in vaine to merit by his owne death This is the sentence of God who cannot erre Lastly here we see the Church of Rome erreth in the foundation of true religion because it ioyneth the merit of mans workes and the merit of the death of Christ in the iustification of a sinner And therefore we may not so much as dreame of any reconciliation to be made with that religion for light and darknes cannot be reconciled nor fire and water Here the Papists answer that Paul in this text speakes against them that looked to be iustified by
a double iustification one before God the other before mē Iustification before God is when God reputes a man iust that onely for the merit and obedience of Christ. Iustification before men is when such as professe faith in Christ are reputed iust of men By this distinction Paul who saith that a man is iustified by faith without workes Rom. 3. 28. and Iames who saith that Abraham was iustified by faith and workes Iam. 2. 24. are reconciled for Paul speakes of iustification before God as he himselfe expressely testifieth Rom. 4. 2. and S. Iames speakes of iustification before men which is not onely by the profession of faith but also by workes In the same sort there is a double Election One speciall whereby God knowes who are his The other is more generall whereby we repute all men to be Elect that professe faith in Christ leauing secret iudgements to God Thus Paul writes to the Ephesians Philippians c. as Elect. And the Ministers of the word are to speake to their congregations as to the Elect people of God In the same manner there is a double sanctification one before God in truth Eph. 4. 28. the other before men in the iudgement of charitie Thus men are said to tread vnder foote the blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified Hebr. 10. 29. Thus all that are of right to be baptised are holy and regenerate not in the iudgement of certentie which is Gods but in the iudgement of charitie which is mans secrets alwaies reserued to God Againe when Paul saith in the sight of God he giues vs to vnderstand that there is an vniuersall iudgement of God before whome we must all appeare and be iudged And when Paul saith in the time present that God iustifieth though not by workes he signifies that this iudgement is alreadie begunne vpon vs euen in this life This must teach vs to walke in godly and holy conuersation in the feare of God and to watch and pray that we may be found worthie to stand before God Malefactours when they are going to iudgement and when they see the Iudge set lay aside skorning and bethinke themselues what to say or doe Now we are these malefactours and we know that God hath alreadie begunne to giue iudgement of vs and therefore we must prepare our selues to make a good reckoning In the testimonie of the Prophet our dutie is set downe and that is that we must in this world liue by faith That we may liue by faith we must doe two things One is to choose the true God for our God the second is in our hearts to cleaue vnto him and that according to his word First therefore we must cleaue fast to his commandements by entring into the way of his precepts and by walking in them For this cause we must haue alwaies about vs the eye of knowledge to direct our steps in the wayes of God that we euer keepe our selues in our callings that is the dutie we owe to God and man Secondly while we stand in the waies of God we shall be assailed with many Temptations on the right hand and on the left therefore we must further cleaue to the promises of God beleeuing his presence protection and assistance in all temptations and daungers And this our faith must be as it were a hand to stay vs. Here two caueats must be remembred One that we must not prescribe vnto God the manner of his assistance but leaue it with other circumstances of time and place to God The second is when all earthly things faile vs we must rest vpon the bare word of God and beleeue the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting This is to liue by faith And this dutie must be practised when we are in the field to fight for our countrey when we lie on our death beddes and when we are in any danger Marke further Paul saith the iust man liues by faith he therefore that is iustified continues to be iustified by his faith and therfore the second iustification that is said to be by our works is a meere fiction And in that none liues by faith but he that is a iust man we see that true faith is alwaies ioyned with the Purpose of not sinning or with the iustice of good conscience and where they are seuered there is no more but a meere pretence of faith When Paul saith the Law is not of faith he sets downe the maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospel The law promiseth life to him that performs perfect obedience that for his works The Gospel promiseth life to him that doth nothing in the cause of his saluation but only beleeues in Christ and it promiseth saluation to him that beleeueth yet not for his faith or for any worke els but for the merit of Christ. The law thē requires doing to saluation and the Gospel beleeuing and nothing els Obiect I. The Gospel requires repentance and the practise of it Ans. Indeede the law doth not teach true repentance neither is it any cause of it but onely an occasion The Gospel onely prescribes repentance and the practise thereof yet onely as it is a fruit of our faith and as it is the way to saluation in which we are to walke and no otherwise Obiect II. The law requires and commands faith Ans. The law requires faith in God which is to put our affiance in him But the Gospel requires faith in Christ the Mediatour Godman and this faith the law neuer knew Obiect III. In the Gospel there are promises of life vpon condition of our obedience Rom. 8. 13. Jf by the spirit ye mortifie the deedes of the flesh ye shall liue 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull to forgiue them Ans. The promises of the Gospel are not made to the worke but to the worker and to the worker not for his work but for Christs sake according to his worke As for example promise of life is made not to the worke of mortification but to him that mortifieth his flesh and that not for his mortification but because he is in Christ and his mortification is the token or euidence thereof And therefore it must be remembred that all promises of the Gospel that mention works include in them Reconciliation with God in Christ. Obiect IV. Faith is a vertue and to beleeue is a worke therefore one worke is commanded in the Gospel and is also necessarie to saluation Ans. The Gospel considers not faith as a vertue or worke but as an instrument or hand to apprehend Christ. For faith doth not cause effect or procure our iustification and saluation but as the beggers hand it receiues them beeing wholly wrought and giuen of God This distinction of the law and the Gospel must be obserued carefully For by it we see that the Church of Rome hath erroniously confounded the law and the Gospel for this many hundred yeares The law of Moses say they
whereof he declared and made manifest in the flesh after his resurrection Thus was he made Lord by declaring himselfe to be so indeede Rom. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 3. 16. Thus we see how God sent forth his sonne the vse follows This act of God in sending declares his infinite loue for this sending was for their sakes that were the enemies of God And it further signifies vnto vs the most free loue of God For nothing in vs mooued him to send but his owne goodnes This loue of God must mooue vs to loue God againe and to be thankfull The sonne of God takes not to himselfe the office of a Mediatour but he is called and sent forth of the father whereby two things are signified one that the office of a Mediatour was appointed of the father the other that the Sonne was designed to this office in the eternall counsell of the blessed Trinitie And so that we may please God in our callings and places we must haue a double assurance in our consciences one that the offices and callings which we performe are good pleasing vnto God the second that we are designed and called of God to the said offices and callings By this must we stay our minds in all our miseries The sonne is sent forth that is he comes from his father laies aside his maiestie and takes on him the condition of a seruant The same minde must be in vs to humble and abase our selues before God to thinke better of others then of our selues to be content with our condition to be well pleased when we are despised and contemned because we are worthie of it This is to conforme our selues to Christ. That the sonne of God himselfe must be sent forth from the bosome of his father this shewes the greatnes of our sinne and miserie which was the occasion of this sending And this must teach vs with bitternes to hate and detest our sinnes which fetched the sonne of God from heauen and to humble our selues with Dauid euen to the deepes and thence to pray to God for his mercie Psal. 130. 1. The second point namely the Incarnation of the sonne is expressed in these words Made of a woman that is made man or made flesh of a woman The Word was made flesh Ioh. 1. 14. Here three questions are to be handled The first is why the Sonne was made flesh Ans. There be two speciall causes hereof First the order of diuine iustice requires that Gods wrath should be appeased and a satisfaction made in the same nature in which his maiestie was offended Now the offence was in mans nature and therefore in it must satisfaction to God be performed Secondly the Mediatour betweene God and man must be both for nature and condition in the meane betweene God and man that is both God and man and thus the sonne of God is a perfect Mediatour The second question is how farre forth the sonne of God was made flesh I answer three things The first that he tooke vnto him the whole and perfect nature of man in respect of essence namely the intire substance of a reasonable soule and humane bodie Here remember that quantitie that is length breadth and thicknes is not an accident which may passe and repasse but it is of the substance of euery bodie therefore of the bodie of Christ. And for this cause it is impossible that the bodie of Christ in his quantitie beeing foure or fiue foote in length should be included in the compasse of a peece of bread that is but two or three inches in quantitie The second is that the sonne of God â—ooke vnto him the properties of mans nature the powers of life sense motion the facultie of reason will and affection The third is that he tooke to him the infirmities and miseries of mans nature Here two caueats must be remembred The first that he tooke to him onely such infirmities as are meere infirmities and no sinnes For example vpon the words of Christ Let this cuppe passe Matth. 26. some say that their was obliuion in Christ but this may not be said For obliuion is a sinne namely a forgetting of that which a man ought to remember there may be in Christ or other men a suspending of the Memorie by some externall and violent cause without obliuion The second caueat is that the sonne of God tooke to him the infirmities which pertaine to the nature of man and not such as pertaine to the persons of men as dropsies gouts consumptions and such like For he tooke not the person of any man but the nature of all men with all the appurtenances thereof except sinne The third question is How was he made flesh Ans. The flesh or manhood of Christ was first framed then sanctified and then vnâ—ted to the godhead of the sonne And thus was he made man Remember here that the forming of the flesh of Christ the sanctifying of it and the personall Vnion are all together for time and I distinguish them in this sort onely for doctrines sake In the framing of the manhood I consider the matter and the manner The matter was the substance of the Virgin signified in these words Made of a woman By this Christ is distinguished from all men in the world from Adam because he was neither of man nor woman but of â—edde clay From Eue because shee was made of man and not of woman From all that come of Adam and Eue for they are both of man and woman whereas Christ is of woman and not of man Againe Paul addes these words made of a woman to note the accomplishment of the promise the seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents head Gen. 3. 15. The manner of framing is expressed when Paul saith made not begotten of a woman The manhood then of Christ was framed without naturall generation by an extraordinarie worke of the holy Ghost Here a doubt is answered Some man may say if he were made of a woman he comes of Adam and consequently he is a sinner Ans. The order set downe by God with Adam in the creation is that whatsoeuer he looseth all his posteritie shall loose that comes of him by generation Vpon this order all that are begotten of Adam with the nature of man receiue the sinne and corruption of nature And so should Christ haue done if he had descended of Adam by generation But considering his flesh was made of the substance of a woman and not begotten of any man therefore he takes the nature of man and not the corruption of nature The sanctifying of the manhood of Christ is a worke of diuine power whereby at the time of the framing thereof it was filled with the gifts of the holy Ghost aboue measure that he mightin both natures be a perfect Sauiour Here obserue that Christ by the actions of his life did not merit for himselfe glorie and eternall happines because he was most worthie of all glorie and honour
c. In these words the Apostle sets forth the greatnesse of the Apostasie of the Galatians by the effect thereof which was to cause him to feare least he had bestowed labour in vaine amōg them First the occasion of the words must be considered and that is expressed in the former words ye obserue daies and moneths And hereupon he saith J am in feare of you And thus Paul teacheth that workes set vp as causes of saluation with Christ make void the Ministerie and grace of God It may be said this is meant of ceremoniall workes and so it is true I answer it is indeed spoken of ceremoniall workes but it must be inlarged to all workes without exception For Paul saith c. 5. v. 3. If ye be circumcised ye are bound to fulfill the whole lawe Hence then it followes that the doctrine of iustification by workes is an errour in the foundation and beeing distinctly and obstinately maintained there is no hope of saluation Againe here we see the fidelitie of the Apostle Paul and it stands in two things the first is his painefull and wearisome labour to gaine the Galatians to God The second is his care that the foresaid labour be not in vaine And in this example of his we learne three things The first that they which are or desire to be dispensers of the word must doe it not for the bellie or for lucres sake or for the praise of men but simply for this ende that they may gaine soules to God The Scribe that would haue followed Christ for gaine was repelled with this answer that Christ had not so much as a place where to lay his head Math. 8. 20. and to preach for by-respects is to make a marchandise of the word of God 2. Cor. 2. 17. The second is that ministers after the example of Paul must be labourers indeed 1. Cor. 3. 9. and workemen 2. Tim. 2. 15. And they must shewe themselues to be so by their care and industrie in winning soules to God And it is not sufficient now and then to make a discourse vpon a text Thirdly Ministers of the word must be watchmen Ezech. 3. 14 and Heb. 13. 17. their office is not onely to gaine and call men to God but also to preserue and keepe them in Christ which are alreadie called Thirdly here we see the condition of the Church of Galatia and of all other visible Churches vpon earth that they are subiect to Apostasie It may be said how can this be considering true beleeuers cannot fall away Ans. In the visible church on earth there are foure kinds of beleeuers The first are they which heare the word without zeale and they are like the stony ground The second are they which heare knowe and approoue the word The third are they which heare knowe and approoue the word and haue a taste of the power thereof and accordingly yeeld some outward obedience The fourth are they which heare knowe approoue and keepe the word in that they beleeue it and are turned into the obedience of it The three first may fall quite away the fourth cannot And by this meanes it comes to passe that visible Churches vpon earth may fall away because of them that professe the faith three to one may vtterly fall away The vse This must teach vs that are members of the visible Church to feare and to suspect our selues and not to content our selues because we haue some good things in vs but we must labour to be sealed vp to the daie of our redemption and to lay vp a good foundation against the time to come 1. Tim. 6. 18. By seeking to haue in vs such good things as are proper to the Elect as vnfained faith in Christ and conuersion to God from all our sinnes It may be demanded how Pauls labour should be in vaine Ans. It was in vaine in respect of his owne desire and affection to saue all the Galatians secondly it was in vaine in respect of the whole bodie of that Church wherof many were hypocrits It was not in vaine in respect of the elect nor in respect of the counsell of God Isa. 55. 11. Againe it may be demanded what must be done when the labours of our callings are in vaine Ans. We must follow the calling and commandement of God whether we haue good successe or no and whatsoeuer come of it Paul feares least his labour is in vaine and yet he still labours When Peter had laboured all night and caught nothing he saith at the commandement of Christ In thy word will I cast out my net Luk. 5. And thus to doe whatsoeuer follows is true wisedome and the feare of God For it must suffice vs that the worke we take in hand is pleasing vnto God And though it be in vaine in respect of men it is not so before God Isa 49. 4. and 2. Cor. 2. 18. This must euery man remember in his place and calling for the establishing of his minde against all euents V. 12. Be you as I for I am euen as you I beseech you brethren ye haue not hurt me at all The words in this verse to the 16. verse are an answer to an obiection The obiection is this we see now by these sharpe reproofes that Paul hath changed his minde toward vs and that he hath turned his loue into hatred The answer is be as I I am as you the speech is very effectuall and significant and it is like the common prouerb Amicus alter ego alter idem that is a mans friend is all one with himselfe The sense of the words is Be as I looke that your minds be not estranged from me but tender me euen as your own selues for I Paul am the same that euer I was I respect and tender you euen as mine own selfe And least the Galatians should say see ye not how Paul commands imperiously be ye as I therefore he addes I beseech you brethren I command you not In the next words he addes a reason of his answer thus Hatred presupposeth a hurt or wrong to be done ye haue done me no hurt or wrong therefore ye may not thinke that I hate you When Paul saith be as I I am as you we learne that there must be a speciall and mutuall loue betweene the teachers and the people Paul saith that he did inlarge his heart for the Corinthians and he requires the like of them 2. Cor. 6. 11. 13. Teachers must shewe their loue by tendering the saluation of the people by all meanes euen as their own soules Paul could haue found in his heart to haue beene accursed for his countrimen the Iewes Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 He desired that he might be offered vp as a drinke offering vpon the sacrifice of the faith of the Philippians Phil. 2. 18. When the Israelites had sinned Moses stands in the breach as it were in the face of the Canon betweene the wrath of God and them by his praier to stay the iudgement of
God Psal. 106. 23. Againe the people must shew their loue to their teachers first by praying for them as for themselues Rom. 15. 30. secondly by hauing in singular price the worke of the Ministery 1. Thess. 5. 13. and that is by wholsome doctrine to repaire the image of God and to erect the kingdome of God in the hearts of men When this thing is loued and desired then are Ministers loued This mutuall loue is of great vse it incourageth people to obay and the Preachers of the word to labour in teaching When Paul saith I beseech you brethren he shewes what moderation is to be vsed in all reproofes He tells the Galatians his minde plainly to the full and withall he indeauours to shew his owne loue to them and to keepe theirs It may be asked how Paul can say Ye haue done me no hurt at all For when a beleeuer in Corinth committed incest Paul tooke it for a wrong to himselfe 2. Cor. 2. 10. And no doubt to call the doctrine of the Apostle into question was a great wrong vnto him I answer the wrong was no wrong in his estimation and affection who was content to put vp and to forgiue the wrong Here we see the meeknes of Paul in that he quietly beares the crosses and wrongs laid vpon him The like was in Moses who 40. yeares together indured the bad manners of the Israelites Act. 13. 18. but the perfect example of this vertue is in Christ who saued thē that crucified him We likewise are to exercise our selues in this vertue And that we may indeede so doe we must first of all haue a sense of our spirituall pouertie and a faith in the mercie presence and protection of God Againe marke the minde of the Apostle that he may winne soules to God he is content to suffer any wrong The Priests and Iesuits among vs in England are content to venter life and limme that they may win Proselytes to the Church of Rome much more then must the true Ministers of the Gospel be content with any condition so they may gaine men to God In this case hurts and abuses must be no hurts nor abuses 13 And ye know how through the infirmitie of the flesh I preached the Gospel vnto you at the first 14 And the triall of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but receiued me as an Angel of God yea as Christ Iesus 15 What then was your felicitie for I beare you record that if it had beene possible you would haue plucked out your eyes to haue giuen them to me 16 Am I therefore become your enemie because I tell you the truth The answer to the Obiection in the former verse was this Be as J I am as you And the reason was this hatred presupposeth an offence ye haue done me no offence or hurt therefore ye may not thinke that I hate you The minor is in the 12. v. the conclusion in the 16. v. Againe the minor ye haue done me no hurt is confirmed in the 13 14 15. verses The summe of the Argument is this Though my outward condition was subiect to contempt yet did the Galatians shew loue and reuerence to me therefore ye did me no hurt Againe Paul sets forth both the parts of his argument And first of all he describes his owne condition by three things that he preached in weaknesse of the flesh that he preached the first that he preached hauing the triall of himselfe in his owne flesh Secondly the loue and reuerence of the Galatians is set out by three signes or effects they despised him not they receiued him as an Angel or as Christ himselfe they would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good The first thing in Pauls condition is that he published the Gospel in the infirmitie of his flesh that is in a meane and base estate without the shew of humane wisdome and authority and subiect to many miseries In this sense Paul opposeth infirmitie to the excellencie of humane wisdome 1. Cor. 2. 1. 3. and vnder it he comprehends all the calamities and troubles that befell him 2. Cor. 12. 10. This was the condition of the rest of the Apostles For they were but fishers and preached the word in their fisherlike simplicitie Nay this was the condition of Christ himselfe For he hid the maiestie of his godhead vnder the vaile of his flesh and his outward man was subiect to reproch and contempt Isa. 53. 3. And this is the Order of God The word must be dispensed in the infirmitie of mans flesh for sundrie causes First that we might not exalt our teachers aboue their condition who are no more but instruments of grace When the men of Derbe and Listra would haue offered sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas Paul forbids them saying that they were men subiect to the same passions with themselues Act. 14. 15. The second cause that we might ascribe the whole worke of our conuersion not to men but to God alone 2. Cor. 4. 7. The third is that God might by this meanes confound the wisdom of the world and cause men that would be wise to become fooles that they might be wise 1. Cor. 3. 18. The last is that we might be assured that the doctrine of the Apostles is of God because it preuailes in the world without the strength and pollicie of man And as the word is preached in weaknes so it is beleeued of men and the grace of God is conferred to vs and continued in vs in the weaknes of the flesh Gods loue is shedde abroad in the hearts of men but when euen then when we are in the midst of manifold afflictions Rom. 5. 2. 5. Paul beares about him the mortification of our Lord Iesus not for his damnation but that the life of God might be manifest in his mortall flesh 2. Cor. 4. 10. And he saith plainly that the grace of God is made perfect through weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. By this we are taught a high point in religion and that is not onely to be content with the miseries and troubles of this life but to reioyce therein because when we are weakest we are strongest and when we thinke our selues forsaken of God in the time of distresse we are not forsaken indeede but haue his speciall fauour and protection 2. Cor. 12. 10. Let this be thought vpon for the works of God in the cause of mans saluation are in and by their contraries This is the manner of Gods dealing The second thing is that Paul preached the Gospel to the Galatians at the first as it were breaking the I se where none had preached before In this he claimes his priuiledge that he was to be esteemed as a master-builder that laid the foundation of the Church of Galatia and withall he giues a close item to the false Apostles who did not plant Churches but onely corrupt them after they were planted Againe Paul here notes the condition of
Thirdly this doctrine serues to beate downe a point of naturall Atheisme in the heart of man which makes many thinke it a vaine thing to serue God and to heare his word Iob. 21. 15. Mala. 3. 14. Dauid was troubled with this corruption Psal. 73. 15. Many of them which professe the name of Christ will not be brought to keep the Sabbath daie and in their dealings they vse fraud and lying as other men doe and all is because they thinke they cannot liue by their religion Fourthly the onely way to establish a kingdome or common wealth is to plant the Gospell there for this makes an happie people And this is the maine cause of our happinesse and successe in this church and land And the obedience of the Gospel is it that makes euery man in his trade office and calling whatsoeuer it be to prosper Read Psal. 1. 3. 5. On the contrarie they are wretched and miserable that liue without the Gospell Prou. 29. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 3. 2. Tim. 3. 7. 6. To receiue the doctrine of the Apostles is an vnfallible marke of the Church of God For this is it that makes a people blessed and happie 7. We may not despise the preaching of the word 1. Thes. 5. 20. If we doe we despise our owne happinesse If it be said Preachers sometime are deceiued Answ. Marke the addition of Paul Prooue all things hold that which is good 2. Thess. 5. Touching the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul First it may be demanded what was the cause of it Answ. The very Ministerie of the Apostle whose office it was to make Disciples Math. 28. 19. and so to plant the Church of the new Testament And for this cause he had a priuiledge to preach the truth so as he could not erre in things which he deliuered to the church 2. He preached with authority as hauing power to correct rebellious offenders 2. Cor. 106. and 1. Cor. 4. 3. he preached with vnspeakeablle diligence Read Act. 20. 31. 4. He had a prerogatiue as the rest of the Apostles had after he had made disciples by imposition of hands to giue vnto them the extraordinary giftes of the Holy Ghost Act. 8. 17. And these are the meanes whereby this speciall loue was procured Secondly it may be demanded whether the Galatians did not more then keepe the law when they would haue plucked out their owne eyes and haue giuen them to Paul for thus they loue him more then their owne selues Ans. The commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth not prescribe that we must in the first place loue our selues and then in the second loue our neighbour but it setts downe the right manner of louing our neighbour and that is to loue him as hartely and vnfainedly as our owne selues The measure of loue is expressed when Christ saith we must loue on another as Christ loued vs. Ioh. 13. 34. There is a certen case in which we must consider our neighbour not only as a neighbour but also as a speciall instrument of God and thus are we in some respectes to loue and to preferre him before our selues Thus a subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his own life Thus Paul was content to be accursed for the Israelites Rom. 9. 1. And the Galatians would haue giuen their eies to Paul that was so worthy an instrument of the grace of God In their example we are taught to be willing to forsake the dearest things in the world for the Gospell of Christ euen our eies hands feete yea and our life Vers. 16. Because I tell you the trueth We must after Pauls example speake the truth to all men Eph. 4. 25. Am I therefore your enemie the conclusion of the Apostles argument Here we see a corruption of nature which makes vs that we cannot abide to heare the truth in things that are against vs. We hate them that speake the truth selfe loue makes vs conceiue the best things of our selues Here then learne 1. To search thy heart and life that thou maiest know the very worst by thy selfe If thou wilt not know it now thou shalt know it to thy shame in the day of iudgement 2. Be vile and base in thine owne opinion Iob. 34. last 17. They are iealous ouer you amisse yea they would exclude you that ye should altogether loue them 18 But it is good to loue earnestly alwaies in a good cause and not onely when I am present with you The word zeale hath many significations here it is fittely translated ielousie Ye are ielous hereby much is signified that there is a spirituall marriage betweene Christ and his Church that the Church is the Bride Christ the bridegroome or husband the Gospel an instrument drawne touching the marriage the sacraments as seales the graces of the spirit as loue-tokens the Ministers of Christ as friends of the bridegroome and suters for him In this respect they put on the affection of Christ and are zealous for him This Ielousie is twofold pretended ielousie and true ielousie Pretended ielousie is when men falsely pretend the loue of the Church for Christs sake Thus Paul saith They are ielous that is they pretend a loue vnto you for Christs sake but indeede they doe it amisse And the reason follows They would exclude you namely from louing of me Others read the wordes thus they would exclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs the difference in the Original is onely in one letter and the sense is the same that the false Apostles would exclude Paul from the loue of the Galatians that they onely might be honoured and loued Jt is good These words may be vnderstood either of the Galatians or of Paul I rather choose to applie them to Paul that for ielousie he may make an opposition betweene himselfe and the false teachers The sense is this that ielousie is a good thing if it be in a good cause that is if it be indeede for Christs sake and be alwaies the same And Paul addes further that this kind of ielousie is in himselfe because he is ielous ouer the Galatians not onely when he is present with them but also when he is absent and this he further confirmes in the two next verses The scope In these wordes Paul meetes with a conceit of the Galatians for they might happely say that their new Teachers loued them exceedingly and were zealous for their saluation Paul therefore answers by a comparison thus they are ielous ouer you but it is amisse nay ielousie for you is good The first part of the comparison is in the 17. verse the second in the 18. The vse When Paul saith that the false Apostles were ielous ouer the Galatians amisse he sets out the fashion of men in the world which is to doe things which are good in their kind but to doe them for wrong ends It is an excellent office to preach the word but some doe it of enuie and
in respect of iustification as Paul shewes at large in this Epistle and yet the Popish doctrine is that we are to be iustified by the workes of the law Againe Christian libertie frees our consciences from the Traditions of men Col. 2. 20. and yet the Popish religion bindes vs in conscience to the Traditions of men nay it is nothing els but an heape of traditions Here two things are to be considered the manner of standing and the time The manner is signified in the very words For to stand fast is to hold and maintaine our libertie with courage and constancie whatsoeuer comes of it as the soldier keepes his standing though it cost him his life We are readie to defend the libertie of our countrie euen with the hazard of our liues much more then are we to defend Christian libertie with the losse of all that we inioy sinne must be resisted euen vnto blood Hebr. 12. 4. If men be fearefull they must pray to God for the spirit of boldnes and courage and if God vouchsafe not this gift when opportunitie is offered they may withdraw themselues and by flying preserue their libertie The time of standing is the euill day that is the day of triall Eph. 6. 13. And then to stand fast is a matter of great difficultie And for this cause we are before hand to prepare our selues by obseruing these rules following First we must labour that religion be not onely in mind and memorie but also be rooted in the affection of our hearts so as we loue it reioyce in it and esteeme it aboue all things Secondly we must not onely be hearers of the word of God but also doers of it in the exercises of faith repentance new obedience Thirdly we must ioyne with our religion the soundnes of good conscience for if conscience faile we cannot be sound in our religion Lastly we must pray to God with all manner of praier and supplication for all things needefull Eph. 6. 18. 2 Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing These words are a reason of the former conclusion thus If ye be circumcised and goe backe from your Christian profession Christ shall profit you nothing therefore stand fast In the words I consider a sentence and the proofe of it The sentence If ye be circumcised c. the proofe J Paul say vnto you For the better vnderstanding of the sentence Circumcision must here be considered according to the circumstance of time three waies Before Christ it was a sacrament and a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 11. after the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple it was a dead ceremonie yet sometime vsed as a thing indifferent After the destruction of the Temple when the Church of the new Testament was planted among the Gentiles it was a deadly ceremonie and ceased to be indifferent and in this last respect Paul saith If ye be circumcised c. Againe circumcision must be considered according to the opinion which the false Apostles had of it now they put their confidence in it and made it a meritorious cause of their saluation and ioyned it with Christ. The words therefore carrie this sense If ye will be circumcised with this opinion that circumcision shall be vnto you a meritorious cause of your saluation Christ shall profit you nothing The vse Hence it followes that the doctrine of iustification by works is an errour ouerturning the foundation of religion which whosoeuer obstinately maintaineth cannot be saued It will be said this is true of ceremoniall works but not of morall works Ans. Yea euen of morall For that which Paul saith here of circumcision he speakes generally of the whole law vers 4. Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law And circumcision must be considered as an obligation to the obedience of the whole law Againe it may be said this is true of the works of nature but not of works of grace Ans. Yea euen of workes of grace for the Galatians were regenerate and therfore looked not to be iustified saued by the workes of nature but by workes of grace Secondly hence we gather that to adde any thing to the passion as a meritorious cause of our iustification and saluation is to make Christ vnprofitable For he must be a perfect Sauiour or no Sauiour he admits neither partner nor deputie in the worke of our redemption And the grace of God admits no mixture or composition with any thing that is of vs. Grace is no grace vnlesse it be freely giuen euery way Therefore the Popish religiō is a damnable religion because with the merit satisfactiō of Christ it ioyns humane merits satisfactions in the case of our iustification It may be alleadged that the Popish religion maintaines all the articles concerning Christ as we doe Ans. It doth so in word but withall it addes to the foresaid articles the doctrine of humane merits and satisfactions which make voide the death of Christ. Againe Papists alleadge that it is the glorie of Christ that he merits for vs and withall makes vs to merit for our selues as it is the glorie of an Emperour to make other kings vnder him Ans. It is not the glorie of the Emperour to make kings as partners with him in his kingdome And workes set vp as meritorious causes of saluation dishonour Christ for they make him vnprofitable as Paul here teacheth Popish religion therefore is in no wise in any place to be tollerated where it may be abolished but it is to be wished that it were banished forth of towne and countrey and students are to be warned with great circumspection to read Popish writers For no good can be looked for of that religion that makes Christ vnprofitable Lastly we are here taught to content our selues with Christ alone and with his works merits and satisfactions For in him we are complete Col. 2. 10. The confirmation of the sentence followeth I Paul say it therfore it is so This kind of reasoning may not seeme strange for the Apostles in writing and preaching had the diuine and infallible assistance of the spirit so as they could not erre This must be held as a Principle in religion and beeing denied there is no certentie of the Bible 3 For I testifie againe to euery man that is circumcised that he is bound to keepe the whole law 4 Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The meaning Paul saith I testifie againe because he hath spoken thus much in effect before Gal. 3. 10. That is circumcised who is of opinion of the false Apostles that will be circumcised and looke for iustification thereby Bound to the whole law that is to the whole ceremoniall law to the iudiciall law and to the whole morall law And further bound in respect of iustification and life to doe all things in the law For he that
teaching admonishing exhorting and by example of good life A particular calling whereby men are called to some estate of life in the familie Church or common wealth And according to the seuerall conditions of particular callings must euery man in his place doe the good he can The magistrate must vse his office first for the maintenance of the Gospell and then for the execution of iustice The minister must preach sound religion in loue of the soules of men The master of the familie must cause his househould to imbrace the Gospell and frequent the exercises of religion Lastly euery man that is in a trade or office must apply himselfe to the vttermost of his power to do all he can for the good of his countrie and he must so deale that he may be helpefull to all with whome he deales and hurtfull to none We are or should be trees of righteousnes our fruite must be meate for others and our leaues for medecines We must be as candles that spend themselues to giue light to others 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word which is this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Fulfilled comprised Rom. 13. 9. One word One precept for the H. G. calles precepts words It may be demanded how the whole law should be fulfilled in the loue of our neighbour Ans. The loue of God and the loue of our neighbour are ioyned together as the cause and the effect and the loue of God is practised in the loue of our neigbour For God that is inuisible will be loued in the person of our neighbour whome we see and with whome we conuerse And the first commandement of the law must be included in all the commandements following and thus the loue of God is presupposed in euery commandement of the second table he therefore that loues his neigbour loues God also Thou shalt loue vnderstand both the affection and the duties of loue Thy neighbour any one that is neare vnto vs in res 〈…〉 t of mans nature Isai. 58. 7. though he be our enemy yet i◠by any occasion he be offered vnto vs of God he is our neighbour As thy selfe these wordes signifie not the measure of our loue as though we should loue our selues in the first place and thē our neighbour in the second place for there are some cases in which we are to loue our neighbour more thē our selues As for example we are more to loue the soule of our brother then our temporall life and a good subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his owne life here then the H. G. signifies what must be the manner of our loue the word as signifies not quantitie but qualitie and that we are as truly and earnestly with loue to imbrace our neighbour as our selues The scope The words cōtaine a reason of the second Rule which may be framed thus to serue our neighbour in duties of loue is the keeping of the whole law therefore this seruice must carefully be performed The vse Here we see that the end of a mans life is to serue God in seruing of man for this is the summe of the whole law Seruants are commanded in seruing their masters to serue god and to do whatsoeuer they doe as vnto God Col. 3. 23. And so euery man in his place in dealing with men must so deale as if he were to deale with God himselfe Therefore most men prophane their liues when they make the scope and drift therof to be the getting of riches and honours And though they haue great charges that is no excuse for the principal end of our liuing here is to performe seruice to men and in this seruice to do homage to God for which homage God will giue the honour and riches which he sees to be conuenient for vs. Secondly here we may obserue what is true religion and godlines namely to loue and serue God in seruing of man He that saith he loues God and yet hates his brother is a lier 1. Ioh. 4. 20. And here it followes that to liue out of all societie of men though it be in praier and fasting after Monkish fashion is no state of perfection but mere superstition for that is true and perfect loue of God that is shewed in duties of loue and in the edification of our neighbour Againe the hypocrisie of sundrie Protestants is here discouered If they come to the Church and heare sermons frequent the Lords 〈◊〉 they thinke they may do afterward what they will and many such are frequenters of tauernes and alchouses and are giuen to riot and licenciousnes But it is not inough for thee to be holy in the Church thou maiest be a Saint in the Church and a Deuill at home True religion is that which shewes it selfe in thy priuate house priuate dealings and in the course of thine owne life such as thou art in thy particular calling such art thou indeed and truth what showes soeuer thou makest before men 15. If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another The sense If ye bite Here Paul alludes to the fashiō of wild beasts as lions wolues c. And by biting we are to vnderstand all iniuries in words as railing cursing slandering bacbiting c. Deuoure here Paul vnderstands all iniuries in deed or violence euen to the shedding of blood Take heed lest here Paul signifies that contentions dissentions breed the destruction and desolation of the Church The scope These wordes are a second reason of the second rule drawne from the dangerous effect of the contrarie thus Contentions breed the desolation of the Church therefore do seruice one to an other by loue The contents In the words Paul deliuers 3 things The first is that there were greeuous contentions in the Church of Galatia The like also were in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 3. The cause of the former contentions were differences in points of religion Some of the Galatians no doubt withstanding circumcision and the most of them standing for it For herevpon great were the dissentions of the Churches in Iudea Act. 15. 2. Obserue then that vnitie is not an infallible and an inseperable marke of the Church of God Vnitie may be out of the Church and dissention in the Church as here we see It may be obiected that there is peace in the kingdome of God and that there the wolfe and the lambe dwell together Isai. 11. Ans. This is but in part verified in the kingdome of grace vpon earth and it is fully accomplished in the kingdome of glorie in heauen Againe it may be alleaged that the Church is the companie of them that truly consent in one and the same faith Ans. That is properly meant of the Catholike Church but the case is otherwise in particular Churches where true beleeuers are mixed with hypocrites wherevpon ariseth much dissention And of true beleeuers some are more carnall then spirituall and
inuocate Angels and Saints departed and thereby it giues vnto them the searching of the heart the hearing and helping of all men at all times and places according to their seuerall necessities and these things are the properties of the Godhead and therefore whether they call this Inuocation Latria or Doulia it matters not it is flat idolatrie because the honour of God is giuen to the creature Thirdly it teacheth that we may put confidence in workes so it be done in sobrietie Lastly it adoreth God in at and before Images and so it bindes the presence grace and operation of God to them without his word Papists alleadge for themselues that they intend to worship none in images but the true God I answer it is nothing that they say Not mans intention but Gods will makes Gods worship Let them shew Gods will if they can If they cannot then they must know that it is but an Idol-god which they worship For there is no such God in nature that will be worshipped in Images but an Idol of their owne braines They alleadge againe that God may as well be worshipped in Images as a Prince in the chaire of Estate I answer the reason is not like The worship of Images is religious the reuerence to the chaire of Estate is meerely ciuill and in ciuill respect and according to the Princes will and so is not the bowing to Images according to Gods will Let them prooue it if they can That God was worshipped before the Arke we approoue of it For it was his word and will Let vs heare the like word for Images of God and Christ and then we are readie to reuoke the charge of Idolatrie Againe by this we see that many of vs are very carnall For though we detest outward Idolatrie yet the inward Idolatrie of the heart aboundes among vs. For looke where the heart is there is the God Now the hearts of men are vpon the world and vpon the riches and pleasures thereof For them we take the most care and in them we place our chiefe delight whereas God in Christ should haue all the affections of our hearts Witchcraft The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies poisoning but here it is fitly translated witchcraft because all poisoning is comprehended vnder murther which followeth And the Magitians of Egypt Exod. 7. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the translation of the Seauentie as also the wise men Dan. 2. Now if they had bin but poisoners they had not bin fit for Pharaos and Nabuchadnezars turne neither would they haue desired their presence and helpe Witchcraft signifies all curious arts wrought by the operation of the deuill For the better conceiuing of it I will consider two things The ground thereof and the kindes of witchcraft The ground is a League or Compact with the Deuill It is twofold an Expresse or open league and a secret league The open league is when men inuocate the Deuill in expresse words or otherwise make any manifest couenant with him The secret league is when men vse meanes which they know haue no force but by the operation of the deuill And the very vsing of such meanes in earnest is an implicit couenanting with the deuill If by true faith we make a couenant with God then a false faith in the vse of Satanicall ceremonies makes a couenant with the deuill And without this there is no practise of witchcraft There are three kinds of witchcraft The first is Superstitious diuination which serues to tell men their fortunes or to reueale secrets by the flying of foules by the intralls of beasts by the obseruation of starres by consulting with familiar spirits and such like Deut. 18. 11. The second is iuggling which is to worke wonders or feates beyond the order of nature as did the Magitians of Egypt The third is charming or inchanting which is by the pronouncing of wordes to procure speedie hurt or speedie helpe The vse By this we see that we are a carnall people For in the time of distresse vpon extremitie figure-casting and charming are ouermuch vsed And yet both of them are full of superstition and follie For the reuealing of things to come is Gods and the starres are vniuersall causes working vpon all things alike and therefore it is not possible by them to foretell euents that are contingent or casuall And words haue no force in them but to signifie And therefore when they are applied to cure diseases they are abused to a wrong ende and their operation is from the deuill And for this cause they are to be auoided of Christian people It may be said how may we discerne of charmes that we may the better auoid them Ans. Keepe this Rule in memorie alwaies Such obseruations of whose force and efficacie there is no reason or cause either in the thing done or in the institution of God haue their operation and efficacie from some compact and societie with the deuill As for example scratching of the suspected witch is saide to be a meanes to cure witchcraft but indeede it is a charme and a practise of witchcraft For it hath no such force from the Institution of God because it is against the sixt commandement and no natural reason can be rendred why drawing of blood should cure witchcraft The action therefore is a sacrifice to the deuill and in way of recompence the cure is done by him It may be said what should we doe in distresse if such helps may not be vsed Ans. We are to vse approoued and ordinarie meanes and for the rest namely the euent to leaue it vnto God liuing by faith and casting our care on God and quieting our hearts in his wil whatsoeuer comes to passe It is a want of faith thus to make hast for deliuerie before the appointed time And whereas it is thought that some persons haue a gift of God by words presently to cure any disease whereupon they are called wise or cunning men and women it is false it is no gift of God but rather a curse that leaues them to be deluded by the deuill who is the worker of these cures when Satanical and superstitious meanes and that in a false faith are vsed For the better conceiuing of the sinne it may be demanded what is a witch Answ. One that wittingly and willingly vseth the assistance of the deuill himselfe for the reuealing of secrets for the working of some mischiefe or for the effecting of some strange cure I say wittingly to put a difference betweene witches and some superstitious persons who vse charming and by it doe many cures perswading themselues that the wordes which they vse haue force in them or that God hath giuen them a gift to doe strange things Such people in a naturall honestie detest all knowne societie with the deuill in that respect they are not the witches which the Scripture adiudgeth to death yet are they at the next dore to them and therefore they are to
be admonished by Magistrates and Ministers to relinquish their superstitious practises and that vpon a double ground I. Nothing hath efficacie but by the Ordinance of God And this efficacie was either put into the thing in the creation or since by some new Institution in the word And the efficacie of things that comes by any other meanes is by Satanicall operation II. Charmes inchantments and spells whatsoeuer haue no force vnlesse we beleeue that they can doe vs good Now this faith is a false faith and the seruice of the deuill For we must beleeue nothing hope nothing doe nothing without or against the word of God If these two rules be obserued not onely charming but all witchcraft shall be banished out of the world Againe it may be demanded what are the signes that serue to discouer a witch Ans. This discouerie is very hard For witches doe their feates in close manner not onely by foule and open cursing but also by faire speaking and by praising of things And hereupon we haue a fashion in England when we praise any thing withall to blesse it as to say it is a goodly child God saue it that our speach may not be suspected of witchcraft Neuerthelesse there are fiue speciall things that serue to discouer a witch One is the free confession of the accused or suspected witch The second is the confession of the associats of the witch The third is Inuocation of the deuill For that is to renounce baptisme and to make a league with the deuill The fourth is Euidence that the partie hath intertained a familiar spirit in the forme or likenes of some visible creature The fifth is Euidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the deuill As for example if the partie shew a mans face in a glasse though he professe angelicall holines he is in league with the deuill by whose meanes the feate is wrought There are besides these other signes but they are either false or vncerten A man is sicke he suspects that he is bewitched he takes it on his death that such a partie hath bewitched him All this is nothing but the suspition of one man and therefore no proofe Likewise the testimonie of some wizzard is but the testimonie of one and it is the deuills testimonie and therefore not to be receiued Againe neighbours fall out threatnings are vsed in anger afterward the partie threatned is either sicke or he dies hereupon the partie that vsed threatning words is accused of witchcraft And this is the common course But great circumspection must be vsed for sicknesse and death may arise of any other causes Lastly markes in the bodies of men and women are vncerten signes of witches All this I note the rather because if a iudgement befall a man in his familie presently according to the common fashion he saith he is hurt by euill tongues and challengeth some one or other of witchcraft whereas his owne ignorance vnbeleefe contempt of Gods word and Sacraments c. are the onely witches that hurt him and pull downe Gods iudgements vpon him Heresies The word heresie generally signifies any opinion either good or bad More specially it signifies any errour in religion Thus Ecclesiasticall writers take it For they condemne for heretikes such as erred in smaller points holding the foundation as Vigilantius Novatus c. And the very Opinion that there are Antipodes was condemned for heresie though it be a matter of small moment Yet most properly Heresie may be thus defined It is an errour in the foundation of Christian religion taught and defended with obstinacie Thus Paul saith Tit. 3. 11. that an heretike is peruerted that is put beside the foundation and condemned of himselfe in his sinne that is to say he erres obstinatly euen against his owne conscience I say that heresie is an errour in religion to put a difference betweene an errour in Diuinitie and an errour in Philosophie which is not tearmed heresie and againe to put difference betweene schisme and heresie for heresie is in doctrine schisme in manners order regiment Againe I say heresie is an errour in the foundation of religion to distinguish it from errours that are in smaller points of Diuinitie Some teach that Abraham was borne the 70 of Terah some the 130 of Terah Both cannot be true yet neither of them are heresie Some teach that Daniels weekes begin straight after the returne out of captiuitie others teach that they must begin 80 yeares after both cannot be true yet neither opinion is heresie So there are sundrie opinions touching Ophir Tarshish to which Ionah fled Decapolis in the Gospel all cannot be true yet they are not heresies because they concerne onely times and places and other circumstances of the Bible Lastly I say that heresie is maintained with obstinacy to distinguish heresie a single error For there are three things in heresie an error in the maine doctrine conuiction of the partie touching his error and obstinacie after conuiction The vse In that heresie an error in the minde or vnderstanding is made a worke of the flesh hence it followes that the word flesh signifies more then sensualitie namely the corruption of the higher powers euen of the minde and conscience though Papists teach otherwise Againe if heresie be a worke of the flesh our dutie is to detest and eschew heresies And that we may for euer preserue our selues from them three rules must be obserued I. We must propound vnto our selues the right Principles of religion For as euery Art hath his confessed principles so hath Diuinitie The head and chiefe Principle whereof is this All Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles is giuen by inspiration of God This is the foundation of all true faith here is the highest stay and stoppe This principle is the demonstration of all doctrines and conclusions and it hath no principle aboue it selfe whereby it is to be confirmed As for humane reason it is no principle of religion For it is imperfect and erronious and serues onely to make men without excuse Indeede in the minde of man there are certaine naturall conclusions that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped c. but the certentie of these is in the written word We can by reason dispute of the creation of the world but a full certentie we haue not by reason but by faith in the word Hebr. 11. 3. Againe the Papist makes the authoritie of the Church a principle For that is the first ground which they lay downe that we must captiuate our senses to the authoritie of the Church But this is no principle in religion For we cannot imagine a Church without faith and faith cannot be without the word of God It may be saide that Scripture is the sense of the written word and this sense must be from the Church Ans. Scripture it selfe is both the glosse and the text Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe And
are we so to doe Answ. We are members all of one bodie and we are members one of another Eph. 4. 25. And it is Gods pleasure that men shall be instruments of good mutually one to another Goodnesse respects either the bodie or the minde Goodnesse concerning the bodie hath many actions as to feed the hungrie to giue drinke to the thirstie to harbour the harbourlesse to cloath the naked to visit the sicke and them that are in prison Math. 25. 35 36. to burie the dead 2. Sam. 2. 5. Lastly to lend freely and liberally to such as be decaied and impouerished Deut. 15. 7. Goodnesse concerning the soule is to indeauour partly by counsell partly by example to gaine the soule of our neighbour to God and it stands in foure actions to admonish the vnâ—uly to comfort the distressed to beare with them that are weake and to be patient towards all 1. Thess. 5. 14. Goodnes is hard to be found in these daies among men The common practise is according to the common prouerb Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all The studie of men is howe to gather goods honours riches for themselues and for their children and the common good is not aimed at Good orders hardly take place as namely the order for the poore and the reason is the want of goodnesse in vs. If any professe any shew of goodnesse more then the rest they are sure to be despised and reproched at euery hand and this shews that there is little goodnesse among men Faith First we are here to vnderstand faith towards God which is to beleeue the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God in Christ. This faith is common to all among vs yet is it but a false dead ceremoniall faith in many men Reason I Faith comes by the hearing of the word of God preached Rom. 10. 14. but this faith in many is conceiued without preaching for they say they beleeue their saluation by Christ and withall they liue in the perpetuall neglect or contempt of the publike Ministerie II. True faith is ioyned alwaies with the exercises of invocation and repentance yet in many among vs this faith is without any conuersion or change of heart and life and therefore it is but a dead faith III. True faith is mixed with contrarie vnbeleefe so as they that beleeue feele in themselues a want of faith and much vnbeleefe But there are many among vs that say they perfectly beleeue and that they neuer so much as doubted in all their liues Now such a faith is a vaine perswasion IV. Many that boast of their faith in Christ want faith in the prouidence of God touching food and raiment And that is manifest because they vse any vnlawfull meanes to helpe themselues now if their faith faile them in a smaller point it cannot be sound in the greatest of all Secondly by faith is meant faith towards men that stands in two things One is to speake the trueth from the heart the other is to be faithfull and iust in the keeping of our honest promise and word This faith is a rare vertue in these daies For the common fashion of them that liue by bargaining is to vse glosing facing soothing lying dissembling and all manner of shifts And with many it is a confessed principle that there is no liuing in the world vnlesse we lie and dissemble They that deale with chapmen shall heardly know what is trueth they haue so many wordes and so many shifts In this respect Christians come short of the Turkes who are said to be equall open and plaine dealing meÌ„ without fraud or deceipt Our care therfore must be to cherrish maintain amoÌ„g vs the vertue of faith and truth Reasons I. Gods commandement Put away lying and let euery man speake the truth to his neighbour Eph. 4 15. II. By truth we are like to God whose waies are all truth who hates a lying tongue Prou. 6. 17. whose spirit is the spirit of trueth III. Lyars beare the image of the deuill He is the father of lies Ioh. 8. 44. so oft then as thou liest thou makest thy tongue the instrument of the deuill IV. Eternall punishment in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reu. 22. 15. Here marke that liars are entertained at the same table with murderers and theeues and the liar neuer goes vnpunished Prou. 19. 5. V. To speake the trueth from the heart is a marke of Gods child Psal. 15. 2. And he whose faith failes towards men shall much more faile towards God Meekenes The same in effect with long suffering The difference is that meekenes is more generall and long-suffering is the highest degree of meekenesse Temperance It is the moderation of lust and appetite in the vse of the gifts and creatures of God For the better practising of this vertue remember these foure rules I. We must vse moderation in meats drinks This moderatioÌ„ is to eat and drinke with perpetuall abstinence And abstinence is to take lesse then that which nature desires and not more And that measure of meate and drinke which serues to refresh nature and to make vs fitte for the seruice of God and man is allowed vs of God and no more II. We must vse moderation in our apparell And that is to apparell ourselues according to our sexe according to the receiued fashion of our countrie according to our place and degree and according to our abilitie Here the common fault in to be out of all order for none almost know any measure Euery meane person now adaies will be a gentleman or gentlewoman III. We must vse moderation in getting of goods and that is to rest content if we haue food and raiment for our selues them that belong vnto vs. 1. Tim. 6 8. Here is our stint we may not desire to be rich v. 9. The king himselfe must not multiply his gold and siluer Deut. 17. 17. and yet hath he more neede of gold and siluer then any priuate man IV. There must be a moderation in the spending of our goods contrarie to the fashion of many that spend their substance in â—â—â—sting and company and keepe their wiues and children bare at home Against such there is no law Here Paul sets downe the benefit that comes by the former vertues The words carrie this sense Against such vertues and against persons indued with such vertues there is no law And that for two causes One there is no law to condemne such Secondly there is no lawe to compell them to obey because they freely obey God as if there were no law Marke then the condition of spirituall men They are a voluntarie free people seruing God freely without constraint So as if Christ would not giue vnto them life euerlasting yet would they loue him and desire the aduancement of his kingdome On the contrarie if there were no hell and God would not punish adulterie drunkennes blasphemie c. with eternall
sought in a good manner The right manner of seeking the praise of men is this A man must in this life passe through three iudgements the iudgement of God of his owne conscience and of his neighbour and the order of going through them is in the first place he must seeke for the iudgement and approbation of God in the next his owne and in the last his neighbours Nowe the vaine-glorious man takes another course first and principally ayming at the glorie and good liking of man hauing small or no regard of the two other II. Excuse There is a good boasting which Dauid vsed and that we may lawfully vse Psal. 7. 8. Ans. Boasting is either lawfull or vnlawfull Lawfull boasting is in the Lord when beeing vrged and compelled we confesse the good things that are in vs to Gods glorie Of this read at large 2. Cor. 11. Vnlawfull is when men ascribe the gifts that they haue of God vnto themselues or hauing gifts do arrogate more vnto themselues then indeed they haue or in a word doe so esteeme of their gifts as if they had not receiued them from God And this is a damnable boasting III. Excuse Gods blessings we may seeke for and what are glorie and honour but the blessings and gifts of God Ans. There are two degrees of honour The first is the honour that euery man hath in his place and calling For euery calling ordained by God hath a glory annexed vnto it which beeing the gift of God it may be both sought for and enioyed The other degree is that which is aboue a mans place and calling and that ought not to be sought for Euery person must content himselfe with the honour which is sorted vnto his calling Neuerthelesse if God giue greater honour he may accept it but where God giues it not there it must not be desired It remaineth therefore that vaine-glorie is a branch of pride wherein men principally referre all there studies counsels indeauours and gifts to the honouring and aduancing of themselues The next point to be considered is why he admonisheth the Galatians of vaine-glorie Answ. The Galatians were men of vnderstanding and knowledge and were adorned with many excellent gifts Now they that haue receiued good gifts of god many times are most vaine-glorious 2. Cor. 12. 7. Math. 6. 5. And whereas all other vices feed vpon that which is euill this vice of vaine-glorie feeds vpon good things For a man sometimes will be proud euen because he is not proud A third point to be considered is where vaine-glorie is to be found Ans. It is no rare matter for it is a common vice and spreads it selfe farre and wide Some there are which neuer lift vp heart nor hand unto God at home and yet the same persons in the publike assemblies wil make as though they praied with great deuotion And what is the reason hereof but this that they are carried with a spirit of pride and arrogancie seeking the commendation of men that behold them rather then to approoue their hearts and consciences vnto God Of another sort are those that haue beene old and ancient hearers of the word who notwithstanding doe little or not at all profit either in knowledge or in good life and the cause is not in the Gospel or in the dispensers of it but in themselues because they receiue not the Gospel for it selfe but for the praise and commēdation of men and for the credit account they are in by reason of Christian profession The last thing is the remedie of pride and vaine-glorie which is the rather to be thought vpon because it is a great impediment of Christian loue This remedie consists partly in meditation and partly in practise Remedies in meditation are these 1. God resisteth all proud persons and giues grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5. 5. the reason is because the vain-glorious man seeking himselfe and not god robbes God of his honour Thus the proud Pharisie exalting himselfe aboue the poore Publican went away lesse iustified that is not approoued of God as the Publican was 2. It is the worke of the deuill to puffe vp the mind with selfe-liking and conceit that thereby he may worke mans perdition Gen. 3. 5. But God worketh contrarily for he therefore abaseth men that he might in his good time the more exalt them 3. There is no religion in that heart that is wholly bent to seeke the praise of men Ioh. 5. 44. And the man that desires to be talked of and admired by others doeth thereby in effect giue notice vnto all the world that his heart is not sound in the sight of God Remedies consisting in practise are first an indeauour to acknowledge the great Maiestie of God and withall our own basenesse and vilenesse before him 2. We ought to ascribe all good things we haue or can doe to God alone and nothing to our selues For in all that befall vs God is the principall agent our selues are but tooles and instruments in his hand by right therefore the commendation belonges vnto him and not to vs. 3. In all actions and duties of religion first we must indeauour to approue our selues to God and the next place is to be giuen to man not contrariwise 4. when we are reviled we must rest content whē we are praised to our faces or otherwise we must take heed For then Satan standes at our right hand to puffe vs vp and consequently to ouerthrowe vs. It is a a true saying that Temptations on the right hand are far more dangerous then those on the left In the fift place Pauls reason to disswarde from this sinne is taken from two euill fruits of it Contention and Enuie prouoking one another envying one another Men that are ambitious if they be crossed in their courses grow contentious if they prosper in the world then are they enuyed by others Read for this purpose the historie of Samuel and Saul 1. Sam. 15. Seeing then vaine-glorie hath so badde fruites issuing from it it must teach vs to abhorre and detest it with all our hearts and on the contrarie to seeke by all meanes possible to preserue and maintaine loue in the whole course of our liues FINIS THE SVPPLEMENT OR CONTINVATION OF the Commentarie vpon the sixt Chapter ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1604. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir BASSINGBVRNE GAVDY Knight RIght Worsh. hauing beene licensed some yeare agoe according to the auncient laudable custome of the Uniuersitie to interpret S. Pauls Epistles and then earnestly intreated by M. Perkins his Executor and others his friends which had some interest in me to supplie that which was defectiue in his Commentarie vpon the Galatians ouercome at the last by their importunitie I vndertooke the busines making triall of my simple facultie in this short Chapter which I haue here according to my poore talent finished Yet not daring to publish
1. Cor. 5. 11. and that we should withdraw our selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately 2. Thess. 3. 6. Ans. Pauls practise is not contrarie to Christs precept He purposed indeede to excommunicate the incestuous person if he persisted in his sinne yet marke how in the name and by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 5. 4. in which words the forme of proceeding against him is limited and that according to Christs institution Matth. 18. the name and power of Christ signifying the word and institution of Christ. 2. Paul doth plainly expound himselfe in other places what his practise was in that behalfe as 2. Cor. 13. 1 2. where he signifieth that he did not excommunicate vncleane persons fornicators wantonnes mentioned chap. 12. 21. before the third admonition making his third comming vnto them in stead of three admonitions or witnesses against them It will be saide that Paul threatneth when he commeth he will not spare the rest 2. Cor. 13. 2. therefore it seemeth he was resolued to excommunicate them without any former proceeding against them Ans. When Paul saith I write to them which haue sinned and to all others that if I come againe I will not spare By all others he meaneth not some which he purposed to excommunicate without former admonition for in writing this Epistle to them he admonisheth them all to repent least when he came he should vse seueritie but those which liued securely in the open breach of the law to whome he threatned to come with a rodde if they did not amend 1. Cor. 4. 21. and when he now againe admonisheth threatning that if he come the third time he will not spare Besides this Paul should be vnconstant and vnlike himselfe if he should admonish vncleane persons fornicatours wantons and that three times before excommunication and should at the first excommunicate certen others without any precedent admonition 3. The word there vsed signifieth reproofe in word as it is taken Luk. 17. If thy brother sinne against thee rebuke him therefore the reproofe by many or of many mentioned 2. Cor. 2. 6. may signifie as well the graue serious and effectuall reproofe of the Church by which the incestuous person was reclaimed from his sinne and so preuented the thunderbolt of excommunication as the reall election out of the Church and those words v. 10. if you forgiue any thing may as well signifie receiuing into fauour and familiaritie before excommunication vpon his repentance as restitution after excommunication 4. Be it grounted he were indeede excommunicate as it is most probable he was yet hence it cannot be inferred that they did proceede against him without precedent admonition The Scripture is silent in this point Therefore the reason is not good It is not recorded therefore it was not practised 5. Though the Apostle command we should haue no familiaritie with inordinate liuers 2. Thess. 3. 6. but that we withdraw our selues from them yet he addes withall that if there were any amongst them that would not obey his sayings they should note him by a letter v. 14. and he expressely commandeth that they should admonish the inordinate 1. Thess. 5. 14. for that was his practise as it may appeare 2. Thess. 3. Those that are such that is inordinate liuers we exhort coÌ„mand by our lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnes and eate their own bread III. Who are to reprooue It is dutie which concerneth all men our Sauiour Christ saith If thy brother sinne against thee reprooue him and the commandement is generall Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt rebuke him plainely now all Christians are brethreÌ„ as I haue shewed therefore all men are bound to reprooue their brethren as occasion shall serue Secondly all Christians are members of the same bodie whereof Christ is the head therefore they are to helpe and further one another as members of the naturall bodie doe and this is done by admonition and reprehension Thirdly the bond of charitie tâ—â—th all men to helpe their brethren in what they can for their good and therefore if neede be to reprooue them And albeit some may seeme to be vnfitte or vnworthie reproouers of others beeing tainted with as great or greater sinnes themselues and so cannot cast out motes out of other mens eyes they hauing beames in their owne yet we must know that sinne freeth none from this dutie indeede none ought to reprooue either with scandall to others or with hurt and hinderance of him that is reprooued yet no man is exempted from this dutie For euery man ought to be cleare and blameles specially of open crimes that so he may more freely and fruitfully reprooue his neighbour but though he be not yet he remaineth still bound to the performance of this dutie Our Sauiour saith not that he which hath a beame in his eye is therefore freed from pulling forth the mote out of his brothers eye but first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see to pull out the mote out of thy brothers eye They therefore are seuerely to be censured nay deepely to be condemned who say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper as though it concerned them not a whit whether he sinke or swimme as though euery man were to looke to himselfe alone for his owne behoofe and benefit and not vpon the things of his brethren for their good or as though God had not made euery man a guardian to his brother The dimme candle light of corrupt nature condemneth these men which teacheth that he which may saue and doth not doth in effect as much as kill or destroy The dutie therefore lieth vpon all but chiefely vpon the Pastours and Ministers of the word for they are to inquire into the liues of men specially of those that are committed and commended to their charge for which cause they are called the Lords ouerseers or watchmen Ezech. 33. and 34. And if they doe not strengthen the weake heale the sicke bind vp the broken bring againe that which was driuen away nor seeke that which is lost c. he will require his sheepe at their hands Ezech. 34. v. 4. 10. Paul inioynes the Pastours of the Church of Ephesus that they should take heede to themselues and to the flocks whereof the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers Act. 20. 28. and he commandeth Timothie that he should be instant in season and out of season that he should improoue rebuke exhors with all long-suffering and doctrine 2. Tim. 4. 2. and Titus that he rebuke and exhort with all authoritie Tit. 2. 15. Further it is to be obserued that though all men are bound to reprooue their neighbours if they offend yet in fiue cases they are not bound I. If a man be ignorant of the offence For a man that reprooueth another must be certen of the fault otherwise he doth purchase to himselfe a blot and priuate
the instant or present time for we are vncertaine whether we shall liue till to morrow or no. Iam. 4. 14. Therfore looke what we would doe at the houre of death if we were now at the last gaspe panting for breath or if we did see Christ comming in the cloudes to iudgement the very same thing we ought to do euery day with like zeale and feruencie of sp 〈…〉 t to praise and magnifie the mercie and goodnesse of God with like feare and trembling to worke out our owne saluation and to seeke re conciliation with like loue and sinceritie of affection to be beneficiall vnto our brethren c. VI. This doctrine meeteth with all miserable minded meÌ„ who hauing great meanes and opportunitie of doing good yet let slippe or rather cut off all occasions that might induce them thereto who in a brutish minde like to the swâ—ne neuer doe good nor profit any till their dying day I speake not against the laudible custome of bequeathing goods to goâ—ly vses by a mans last will and testament but against those that doe little or no good all their life long till the houre of death Let these men consider that as the late repentance of malefactours a little before their death is commonly but a ceremoniall repentance so the funerall beneficence of those who giue little or nothing in all their life is vsually no free but a formall and extorted gift formall in doing as others do 〈…〉 torted in that it is giuen to stoppe the mouth of an accusing conscience The vitall beneficence is that which God accounteth of by so much to be preferred before the other but howe much it doeth more euidently declare a more liuely faith in the prouidence of God and a more vnfained loue of our brethren Againe they giue testimonie that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God Lastly they haue the benefit of poore mens praiers to whome they are beneficiall which otherwise they should want VII The circumstance of time hath here the force of an argument for it inforceth the exhortatioÌ„ much that we should doe all the good we can and take the benefit of the opportunitie because time will not alway last the holy Ghost in sundry places of scripture from the consideration of the shortnesse of our time enforceth the duties of faith repentance newe obedience as 1. Cor. 7. v. 29 30 31. And this I say brethren because the time is short hereafter that both they that haue wiues be as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioice as though they reioyced not Ebr. 3. v. 7 8. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts and v. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day The godly in all ages haue practised this dutie Peter knowing that the time was at hand that he was to lay downe his tabernacle stirres vp himselfe to greater diligence in his calling and saith I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things so long as I am in this tabernacle seeing I know the time is at hand that I must lay it down as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2. Pet. 1. 12 13 14. The Church praieth thus to God Teach vs to number our daies that is so to consider the shortnesse vncertaintie and vanitie of our life that we may apply our hearts to wisedome Psal. 90. 12. But wicked mens practise is cleane contrarie for they take occasion vpon the shortnesse of their time to liue as they list to take their pleasures and to followe the lusts of their hearts therfore they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe we shall die Esay 22. 13. Our life is short and tedious and our time is as a shaddowe that passeth away Come therefore and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present Wisd. 2. v. 1 5 6. And hence it is that some spend their time in eating and drinking and going gorgeously and faring delitiously euery day other in gaming carding dicing rioting revelling as the tearme is in swaggering wherin they followe their father the deuill who is therefore more full of wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Apoc. â—2 12. To these we may adde all such idle persons as followe no vocation or trade of life but day after day and yeare after yeare are still deuising new pastimes as they call them to trifle the time away These men hasten the iudgements of God and pull it vpon them before God inflict it It is a great iudgement of God for a man to be in that case that in the morning he shall say would God it were euening and in the euening would God it were morning Deut. 28. 67. In this case is euery idle loiterer who through idelenes is wearie of himselfe grieued the time passeth away so slowly and to these qui nihil agunt we may ioyne them qui male agunt and those also qui aliud agunt all which are condemned in this text against them Titus the heathen Emperour shall rise in iudgement and shall condemne them because he remembring on a time as he fate at supper that he had trifled away the day in doing nothing said Amici hodie diem perdidi Friends I haue lost this day II Ye see how large a letter I haue written vnto you with mine owne hand Here beginneth the Conclusion beeing the third generall part of this Epistle consisting of two parts an Insinuation in the II. verse a Recapitulation in the verses following He insinuateth himselfe into the minds of the Galatians by a twofold argument First from the largenes of his Epistle Ye see how large a letter I haue written secondly from the instrumentall cause in that he writ it with his owne hand where he giues authoritie to it and a kind of eminencie aboue his other letters And in both he commendeth his diligence loue and care which he had of them The word translated ye see is ambiguous and may be taken either as a commandement See how large a letter I haue written or as an assertion Ye see The like ambiguitie is in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. 5. and may be read either thus amongst whom you doe shine or see that you shine as starres It is not materiall In whether acception it be taken seeing the sense is all one The first argument to mooue the Galatians to attention and acceptation of Pauls paines and good affection is taken from the largenes of his Epistle The word in the Originall translated large is strangely wrested by sundrie interpreters without cause Hilarie referring it to the loftines of sentences Hyperius to the profunditie and depth of matter Ierome to the greatnes of the character Chrysostome and Theophylact to the badnes of his hand as not beeing able to write well Hâ—imo to the Hebrew character in which he wrote
whereas the word doth not onely signifie qualitie but as properly quantitie as Heb. 7. 4. Consider how great this man was And the word that answereth vnto it signifieth as well quantitie as qualitie Coloss. 2. 1. I would ye knew what great fight I haue Iam. 3. 5. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth The plaine and simple meaning therefore of Paul is this that he neuer wrote so long an Epistle with his owne hand vnto any Church as vnto them He writ indeede the Epistle to Philemon with his owne hand but that was short in comparison of this And he wrote larger Epistles to other Churches as to the Romans CorinthiaÌ„s c. but by his Scribes not with his owne hand Therefore seeing this is the longest and largest letter that euer Paul writ with his owne hand it ought to be more regarded and better accepted So that as his paines were greater in writing our diligence should be greater in reading and obseruing the same This shewes Pauls great care of the Churches not onely when he was present but when he was absent How painefull he was beeing among them to winne them to the Gospel how fearefull when he was absent from theÌ„ least their minds should be loauened by false teachers how faithfull both present and absent And it may serue as a president to all Pastours hauing cure of soules to vse the like diligence and conscience in their Ministerie that beeing absent in bodie from their charge vpon necessarie occasions as Paul was yet they would be present in spirit with them and present by their letters that so they may testifie to all the world that they haue a greater care of the flocke then of the fleece It further teacheth vs that if the Minister beeing carried with discreete zeale for the good of the Church goe further either in word or writing then he intended or is thought fit by some as it seemes Paul did in this place for what needes this large letter may some say a shorter would haue done as well that we are not to censure him or limite and prescribe him It had beene a great fault in the Galatians if they had found fault with Paul for this his large letter and in the Disciples Iewes if they should haue blamed his long Sermon which continued at one time from morning to night Act. 28. 23. at another time from the closing of the euening till midnight Act. 20. 7. And so it is in many hearers who are too curious and strictt in prescribing and limiting their teachers to the time longer then which they cannot patiently indure And in stinting them in vrging of this or that point in saying he missed his Rhetoricke his Epimone was to long he was ouerseene in dwelling so long vpon the point it had beene better a word and away c. His second argument is taken from the instrumentall cause that he wrote it with his owne hand Haimo saith it is the opinion of the Doctours that Paul wrote not this whole Epistle with his owne hand but onely from hence to the ende which opinion is confuted by the very text You see how large a letter I HAVE WRITTEN with mine owne hand speaking of the whole Epistle in the time past or if of any one part more then of another of the former part rather then of the latter Secondly his assertion is not true for if we except Ierome none of the Ancients as I take it are of that opinion Not Ambrose who saith Where the whole writing is his owne hand there can be no falshood Not Chrysostome who saith To the rest of his Epistles he did subscribe but this whole Epistle he writ himselfe Not Primasius vsing the word perscripsit that he writ it through with his owne hand Not Theodoret affirming that it seemes Paul writ the whole Epistle Not Theophylact who bringeth in Paul speaking to them in this manner I am enforced to write this Epistle vnto you with mine owne hand Not Occumenius who calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Epistle written with his owne hand Not Anselme who paraphrasing the text saith it is all one as if he had said This Epistle I writ with mine owne hand And a little before Not with the Scribes hand but with mine owne hand albeit Anselme cannot so preiudice his assertion who liued long after him Not the Author of the Commentarie vpon the Epistles ascribed to Ierome Tom. 9. for he vpon the 2. Thess. 3. 17. saith plainly With these words he subscribes all his Epistles excepting that to the Galatians which he writ from the beginning to the ende with his owne hand And vpon these very words which we now entreat of See how I am not afraid which of late time haue written with mine owne hand Where by the way we may obserue that Ierome is not the author of those Commentaries beeing so contrarie to himselfe This I confesse is a light matter and not to be stood vpon were it not that some are too hastie to swallow whatsoeuer comes in their way vnder the title of the Doctours It must therefore be a caueat vnto vs not to be too credulous in beleeuing euery one that shall auouch this or that to be the opinion of the Fathers no though it be affirmed by a Father especially by such a one as draweth neere the dregs as Haimo doth It is certen then that Paul writ this whole Epistle with his owne hand the reasons are these First that it might appeare vnder his hand that he was no changeling but the same man that he was before in that he did not preach circumcision or the obseruation of Iewish ceremonies as the false Apostles standered him Gal. 5. â—1 Secondly that this his letter was not counterfaited by another and sent in his name as the false Apostles might haue obiected and the Galatians suspected Thirdly that he might testifie his sincere loue towards them and how he did as it were trauaile in paine of them till Christ were formed in them shunning no labour that might further their saluation We may hence further obserue a threefold difference of the bookes of Scripture in the new Testament Some were neither written by an Apostle nor subscribed as the gospel of Marke and Luke Some subscribed but not written as the Epistle to the Romanes and others Some both written and subscribed as this Epistle and that to Philemon vers 19. I haue written it with mine owne hand J will recompense it Now that Paul subscribed euery Epistle with his owne hand he himselfe witnesseth 2. Thessalon 3. 17. The salutation of me Paul with mine own haÌ„d which is a signe in euery Epistle that it is mine not forged in my name by another so I write the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all In which place he warneth the Thessalonians againe of false teachers and forged letters for 2.
first cause of all good things in vs. 11. 7 Grace and peace are the cheife good things to be sought for 11. 30 Gods order in the communication of grace peace 12. 21 Grace and works cannot stand together in iustificatioâ— 20. 18 Wherein standes the efficacy of preuenting grace 52. 10 Whether it can be resisted 52. 30 How efficacie of grace and libertie of will stand together 52. 37 Grace in Scripture signifieth two things 153. 10 Preuenting grace is two fould 308. 24. The works of grace in God Imprint their Image in the hearts of them that belong to God 308. 32 Falling from grace though but in part is dangerous 339. 23 The hatred of Gods grace in man is the beginning of all persecution 362. 21. What is our Guide now in the new Testament the lawe beeing abrogated 234. 22 Men are said to be vnder grace two waies 318. 28 One little grace of God brings many other with it 391. 11 Beside the antecedent and first grace there is necessarie a subsequent or second grace 421. 34 Grace mentioned in the Scripture twofold 651. 33 Gratia gratum faciens and gratia gratis data ibid. 34 Gratia gratum faciens naturall or supernaturall ibid. 40. 652. 1 Why the fauour and loue of God is called the Grace of Christ 652. 15. The soule the proper subiect of Grace 652. 32 H Hatred whether a sinne or not 435. 4. What it is 435. 27 What a right heart is 111. â—7 What a humble and honest heart is 111. 18. Mans heart peruerse to Gods ordinance 618. 12 What Heresie is 432. 12. 18 Difference betweene heresie and schisme 432. 36 Difference betweene heresie and a simple error 433. 9 Three things in heresie ibid. 10 Three rules to preserue our selues from heresies 433. 20 There are two degrees of honour 455. 22. I Idolatrie committed two waies 304. 16. That Idolatrie may be rooted out of the mind what is to be done 305. 37. What Idolatrie is 427. 22 An Idol and Idolatrie taken two waies 427. 22 the Romish religion teacheth Idolatrie foure waies 428. 9 their Arguments answered ibid. 24 Iealousie twofold 329. 16 Good Iealousie stands in 3 things 331. 26. 332. 6. What the name of Iew signifieth opposed to Gentiles 270. 13 Of the distinction of Iewes Gentiles the cause of it 114. 3 Wherein it stands 114. 16 How long it endured ibid. 31 The nation of the Iewes shall be called and conuerted before the ende of the world but when or how God knowes 182. 2 Ierusalem a type of the catholike church in sixe respects 350. 21 Whether Ignorance be a sinne in those that want the word of God 303. 25. the Image of God standes in two things 335. 13 Whether Images be necessarie in the congregation of the people of God 161. 10 Immoderate vse of Gods gifts is 3 waies 400. 27 Imposition of hands by the church of Antioch vpon Paul no calling but a confirmation of his calling 2. 13. Imputation what 175. 18 Imputation twofold 175. 25. Things indifferent not to be vsed as oft as we liste and how we will 80. 22. Two things restraine the vse of theÌ„ indifferent 80. 29 A thing indifferent when it is made necessarie to saluation is not to be vsed 8115. Infantes how they are to be tearmed innocents and how not 525. 39 Infantes haue no good workes 553 8. Infantes to be iudged not by the booke of Conscience but by the booke of life 553. 10 Inscriptions no part of Scripture 658. What the Intercession of Christ is 298. 7. Certain Interpretation of Scripture where to be found 352. 33 Ioy is twofould 444. 17 Ioy of grace in this life standes in three things and hath a double fruit 444. 18. 23 Paul made fiue Iourneyes to Ierusalem 74. 2 We are to haue some warrant for our Iournies where three sortes of meÌ„ are to be blamed 75. 15. 20 Israel twofould 646. 1 Israell of God what ibid. 4 Israel of God why mentioned ibid. 6. Iudisme what it is 41. 12 What it is to Iudaise 112. 3 Iudge the best of others three obiectioÌ„s mooued answered 392 10. In giuing Iudgment of Churches three rules to be marked 8. 15 Three things are subiect to Iudgement 156. 3 Iudgement is twofould 159. 25 The dutie of ministers often to forewarne the people and the dutie of the people often to meditate of Gods iudgements 441. 10. 15. Iugling a kind of witchcraft 429. 35. What the word iustice signifies 116. 8. The subiect of iustification 117. 10 False causes of iustification ibid. 35 What is that thing in Christ by and for which we are Iustified 118. 32. We are not Iustified onely by the passion of Christ. 121. 10 The meanes of iustification 123. 30. Faith alone Iustifieth 129. 17 Iustice twofould of the person and of the act 176. 18 The danger of the doctrine of Iustification by workes 397. 29 Iustification is twofould of the person of the faith of the person 385. 5 Arguments against Iustification by works 375. 3 Faith and loue no ioynt causes in Iustification 384. 10 384. 10. Whosoeuer obstinately maintaineth the doctrine of iustification by workes cannot be saued 373. 30 Obiections remooued ibid. The kindes of iustification 131. 8 The practise of them that are iustified 131. 36 But one Iustification 177. 1 Papists in the day of death renounce Iustification by workes 183. 34 There is a Iustification before God and a Iustification before men 193. 3. We are Iustified not only by the death but also by the obedience of Christ. 286. 18 No Iustification by workes 419. 9. 420. 6. The twofould popish Iustification confuted 348. 12 K Kingdome of God what 42. 25 Gods kingdome what it signifieth 441. 22. Knowledge of the true God stands in two points 248. 20 Knowledge of god is 2. fould 303. 5 Knowledge whereby men know God is either litterall or spirituall 306. 4. The properties of spirituall are thâ—â—e 306. 18. The Knowledge whereby God Knowes men standes in 2. things 308. 10. and it hath two properties 309. 24 L The distinction of Latria and Dulia friuolous 313. 6 We are free from the Law in foure respects 136. 10 The maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospell 194. 36. 214. 17. Why the lawe is vrged though we cannot keepe it 196. 16 The difference of the promises of the Law and the Gospell 210. 17 Impossible for any man in the time of this life to fulfill the Law 186. 35. Obections remooued c. ibid. 11 There are two kindes of fulfilling the Law 189. 11 The Lawe is not greuous three waies vide commandements The difference of the promises of the Law and the Gospell 210. 17 How the Law reuealed sinne before Christ and after 216. 14. The vse of Gods Lawes 227. 23 The Lawe is a Schoolemaster to Christ in two respects 229. 10 When the Lawe of Moses was abrogated 230. 19 How farr forth the Lawe is abrogated 230. 38 What is the Morall Ceremoniall
of canonicall Scripture 655. 20 Reasons why we must prouide for the poore 100. 35 The Gospell must be preached though all men be offended 396. 15. Preaching containes foure ministeriall actions 54. 17 Effectuall and powerfull preaching of the word stands in two things 160. 39. Preaching must be plaine 160. 11 Necessarie for all men 165. 20 The word must be dispenced in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuers causes 323. 7 The benefits of preaching 326. 27 Prayer to Saints and Angels is carnall prayer 299. 29 Pray onely to God ibid. 300. 14 The right manner of seeking the praise of men 455. 1 Primacie is 2 of order of power 60. 18. Authoritie of the Church no principle 433. 39. Externall and bodily priueledges are of no moment in the kingdome of Christ. 382. 1 Gods promises lie as voide till the particular time of their accomplishment 204. 20 The promise made to Abraham is a couenant or testament and how 211. 30. Christ is the foundation of all the promises of god partly by merit partly by efficacie 313. 2 Why beleeuers are called children of promise 360. 8 Prouerbiall sentences are not at all times true in euery particular 550. 36. Gods prouidence vseth euill things well 348. 22 Subiectiō to punishment hath three parts 365. 13 There are seuerall degrees of punishments in hell 555. 556 R The workes of redemption exceed the works of creation 14. 19 Of the redemption of man from vnder the law 288. 19. c. Christ the onely redeemer 311. 9 Three markes of regeneration 241. 40. The gift of regeneration is neuer vtterlie extinguished 262. 29 What true regeneration is 377. 35 The workes of the regenerate are mixed with sinne and in the rigour of iustice deserue damnation obiections remooued 419. 9. 15. Of the reioycing of the Church vide Church Two groundes of reioycing vide glorying Reioyce signifying to glorie 517. 11 Obiection against reioicing in ones selfe vide glorying VVhat rules are to be obserued in the reioycing in the testimonie of a good conscience vide glorying False reioycing wherein it confisteth 519. 13 Reioycers are of foure sorts 519. 16 To reioyce in a mans selfe what 517. 18. The cheife principle in religion what 433. 24 Whether it be lawfull to compell men to imbrace religion 614. 5. The Magistrate may compell obstinate recusants to professe true religion ibid. 8. Obiections to the contrarie answered ibid. 25 Pauls manner in reproouing 18. 8 Libertie in reproouing with three caueats 103. 13 Why we vse not in preaching personall reproofes as Iohn Baptist did 393. 16 The manner of reproofe vide Restore He that is iniuried is fitter to reprooue him that offered the iniurie then any other 474. 39 Reproofes must not be deferred 460. 22. No wonder that sinners be loth to be reprooued 460. 37 A treatise of Christian reproofe 469. 31. Who are to be reprooued ib. 35 Reproofe belongs not to those that are out of the visible Church 470. The greatest Princes are subiect to reproofe 471. 15 Onely open skorners and persecuters of the word are not to be reprooued 472. 10 Men are to be reprooued for any sinne knowne ibid. 10 And for wrongs offered vs. 474. 20 Obiection against reproofes answered 47◠12 Who are reprooued 477. 1. 37. In fiue cases we are not bound to reprooue others offending 478. 13. In what manner are men to be reprooued set downe in ten rules 579. 37. The bitternesse of reproofe is to be allaied foure waies 483. 17 A man may reproue another foure waies 484. 8 In fitting our reproofe to the offence committed we must put a difference betwixt sinne finne 484. 28. In three cases we are not priuatly to reprooue but publikely to detect offenders 487. 15 The Pastour ought to be resident with his Hocke for two causes 337. 10. Restitution vide Satisfaction As oftē as our brother falls we must restore him 461. 5 Who are to be restored ibid. 17 Spirituall men are more for to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 3 The manner how we must restore 464. 28. Reuelation is of two sortes 36. 11. Extraordinarie reuelation is foure waies 36. 15 The reuelation which Paul had is extraordinarie 36. 22 Reuolt what and the kindes thereof 18. 29 Remedies against reuenge 445. 8 Reward is double of honour and of debt 569. 37 Reward presupposeth not alwaies debt 571. 14 God giueth rewardes foure waies 571. 29. The phrases of speech of rewarding double or seuen fold what they signifie in the Scripture 552. 31. Pauls rule what it is 641. 33 The Papists rules Lesbian rules 642. 20. Monkish rules vaine and wicked 642. 28. We must be runners in the race of God 386. 19 We must runne well and to the end 387. 7. 22. S Of the institution of the Sabbath 315. 9 20. Sacraments conferre not grace by the worke wrought 254. 21 whether there be now in the church of God any sacrifice or oblation of Christ 161. 29 Whether the Saints may fall away totally and finally 586. 20 There is but one way of saluation 22. 5. Preuision of faith and good workes no cause of saluation 47. 20 The saluation of beleeuers is most sure 47. 27 The manner and way of our saluation 229. 21 The sanctification of the name of God hath two parts 72. 10 There is a double sanctification 193. 21. Satisfaction must be made for wrongs done 98. 39 Who must satisfie 99. 21 To whome 99. 28 What 99. 38 When 100. 9 In what order and manner 100. 15. Schisme and heresie differ vide Heresie The Papists schismatikes and not we 437. 21 For the auoiding of schisme and sedition two rules ibid. 29 Slanders vse to be raised vpon euery light and vniust occasion 395. 18. Scripture is both the glosse and the text 352. 36. 434. 3 Scripture hath sundrie senses according to the Papists 345. 35 When the Scriptures speakes figuratiuely and when properly 346. 30. The Scriptures by themselues are sufficient to saluation 24. 24 The Scriptures are as certen as if they had beene written by God 27. 5. The authoritie of the Scripture dependes not vpon the testimonie of the Church 27. 20 It is necessarie that men should be assured that the Scriptures are of God 31. 30 The testimonies whereby this assurance may be obtained 31. 35 In Scriptures there is diuine and infallible authoritie 353. 15. The meanes to decide controuersies 356. 29 Bookes of Scripture in the new testament haue a threefold difference 608. 9 Bookes of Scripture why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Kethubim by the Iewes 659. 25 The Scriptures why called Canonicall 641. 38 Seditions what 435. 15 The separation of Paul from the wombe what it is 46. 35 To make a faire shewe in the flesh signifieth foure things 610. 33 Simulation what and the sorts 105. 36. Sinne where it takes place giues a man no rest till it hath brought him to a height of wickednes 43. 39. What a sinne of
infirmitie is 108. 32. Sinnes be of two sorts 224. 27 Difference betweene the godly and vngodly in sinning 443. 3 Originall sinne hath two parts 365. 5. A common fashion to extenuate sinne 389. 56 We must resist euery particular sin 390. 25. It is the nature of sinne to set all things out of order 460. 4 God rewardeth sinnes in the same manner according to the nature of sinne 557. 558. Sinne driues men beside themselues 460. 8. Sinners must not delay their repentance ibid. 21 Sinnes committed after a mans conuersion are pardonable 462. 4. 5. In euery knowne sinne we are wrōged 473. 33 Sinne a burden to whome vide Burden Sinne a spirituall burden 528. 27 How we may be cased of the burden of sinne 529. 36 How sinne is finite and how infinite 554. 2 3 4. Solitarie and Monastick life against the light of nature 643. 13 Why the second person is called Sonne 280. 1 Whether the Sonne be God 280. 14. Two kinds of sorrow 137. 39 A point of great skill to bring a soule in order and frame againe 460. 29. Three things to be considered in the soule the substance the faculties and the qualities 637. 10 What is meant by vvhat soeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 10. Sowing what it signifies in the scripture 550. 20 Obiections against this prouerbiall speech whatsoeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 551. The distinction of sowing to the flesh and to our flesh 553. 36 By sowing to the flesh what is ment 564. 1. 10. To sow to the spirit what it is ibid. 20. The Spirit hath fiue properties 418. 38. What is the spirit a treatise 411. 21. 35. All exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit 381. 29 The operation of the spirit is threefold 146. What the Spirit signifies 163. 35 what is meant by the giuing or sending of the spirit 204. 35 In what order the spirit is giuen 205. 3. we receiue the spirit for sixe endes ibid. 20. why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the sonne 293. 39 The manner how the holy Ghost is sent 294. 35 Foure works in the spirit in causing beleeuers to crie Abba father 295. 32. The spirit of grace in Christians is more excellent then that of creation in two respects 412. 27 Of the operation of the spirit 412. 39. The whole worke of the spirit may be reduced to factions 413. 8 The spirit makes vs change and renew our actions in three respects 413. 21. The lust of the spirit hath two actions 416. 32 The office of the spirit is first to regenerate secondly to guide the regenerate 421. 14. 16 In this guidance there are foure actions of the spirit ibid. Subiection to the worke of Gods spirit hath two parts 422. 1 The propertie of the workes of the spirit a treatise 442. 33 The efficacie of the spirit 443. 6 What it is to liue and walke in the spirit 452. 453 A signe whereby to know whether a man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no. 454 4 Spirituall men opposed to carnall are of two sorts 463. 24 Spirituall men are more fitte to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 31 Diuers good and euill things are tearmed by the name of spirit 466. 5. Two kinds of spyings 85. 6 Of standing fast in libertie the manner and time of it 372. 17 Two kinds of subiection 269. 11 Subiection to the spirit hath two parts vide Spirit Succession is of three sorts 35. 3 The successours of the first preachers had an ordinarie calling 35. 17. Fiue vses of our sufferings 170. 10 T A propertie of false teachers is to vrge earnestly their owne ceremonies vpon others 617. 20 A propertie of false teachers to teach false doctrine for auoiding of persecution 618. 26 The essentiall difference betweene true and false teachers 619. 24 Another propertie of false teachers to compell others to obserue that which they themselues will not obserue 622. 18 Another note of false teachers to pretend religion to cloake their wickednes 623. 36 The propertie of false teachers is to set a faire show vpon the matter 611. 14. Temperance what foure rules for the practising of it 448. 3 By what law Tēths are due 232. 3 10 Of what value the testimonie of the Church is 33. 4 There must be a christian toleration one of another for the maintenance of church peace 409. 16 In what it stands ibid. 17 To what end it serues 409. 32 Whether there may not be a tolleration for Popery 409. 37 Vnwritten Traditions tendered as a part of gods word are abominations 24. 29 The church is troubled three waies 391. 33. Reasons to mooue men to speake deale truly 447. 26 The time of all euents determined by God 49. 2 Due time how it may be vnderstood 582. 13 We must make a holy profitable vse of time 598. 1 We must redeeme the time lost in three respects ibid. 37 Obseruations of times which be forbidden 600. 6 The kindes of vnlawfull obseruation of time either Iewish or Heathnish and wherein they consist 600. 11 Lawfull obseruation of time twofold diuine or humane 601. 4 Humane obseruation of time threefold 601. 5 V What the desire of vaine glorie is 454. 33 Excuses hereof taken away ibid. 38 They that haue receiued good gifts of God are many times most vaineglorious 455. 38 Remedies of pride and vaineglorie 456. 20. What vncleanes is 425. 21 Of our vnion with Christ. 145. 23 264. 39. Substantiall and spirituall 264. 30 In what respect they are said to be one with Christ 265. 1 Vnitie is not an infallible inseperable marke of the church 407. 18 Though men were not commanded to vow yet the matter and forme of vowes was commanded 60. 5 W What wantonnes is 425. 28 Reasons both in general and speciall that make men wearie of well doing 576. 38 How farre forth the will worketh in the receiuing of grace 11. 16 The absolute will of God cannot be resisted 360. 36 The determination of mans will by the will of god doth not abolish all freedome of will 361. 4 Man hath no freedome of will in good duties before his conuersion 417. 13 What witchcrafteis a treatise of the ground and kindes of it 429. 16 What is a witch 430. 38 Signes that serue to discouer a witch 431. 29. False and vncertaine signes 342. 1 Wiues among the Iewes of two sorts 343. 23 The word is the cause and obiect of our faith 6. 32 The word of God is the matter of the ministerie and how it is to be taught heard 29. 30 35 It depends not vpon the authoritie of the church 56. 11 But vpon it selfe 77. 18 The word must be dispensed in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuerse causes vide preach Labourers in the word may lawfully take wages though they haue sufficient of their owne to maintaine themselues 543. 18 There be no meritorious workes to
text that Iames Peter Iohn are made equall all being pillars and Iames is first named and that not without cause For not Peter but Iames was the President of the councell of Ierusalem because he spake the last and concluded all Act. 15. 13. Therefore the first naming of Peter in other places of scripture is no sufficient proofe of his supremacie Thirdly Peter here is said to make a couenant with Paul that he shall be the Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes But if Peter had bin head of the Church for 14 yeares togither and had but known the primacie which the Papists giue to him he would not haue consented to this order It is alleadged that Paul was the cheife Apostle ouer the Gentiles in respect of paines and labour and not in respect of iurisdiction I answer this distinction hath no ground in the word of God Againe Paul was an Apostle and vsed his Apostolicall authoritie ouer the Gentiles and there is no Ecclesiasticall person that is or can be aboue an Apostle For he was simply to be beleeued in preaching and writing and had extraordinarie power giuen him by God to punish them that rebelled Againe Paul here saith that the Gospel was committed to him and Peter that is that they were put in trust with it Hence we learne 3. things The first that the Gospel is not ours but gods and that men are but the keepers of it For this we are to praise God The second is that the ministers of the word are to keep and maintaine the truth of it with all faithfulnesse and good conscience and further to apply it to the best vse and to the greatest good of men For this charge lies vpon them that are put in trust The third is that the Gospel is a speciall treasure For this we in England are to giue vnto God all thankfulnes specially by bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel In this dutie the most of vs come short and therfore we may iustly feare least God take from vs the gospel of life and giue it to a nation that will bring forth the fruit of it Moreouer in that Paul saith that God was mightie by him and Peter to the Iewes and Gentiles we are to consider the efficacie of the Ministerie Of it three cautions are to be obserued The first that grace or power to regenerate is not included in the word preached as vertue to heale in a medicine Paul saith He that planteth and he that watereth is not any thing 1. Cor. 3. 7. To regenerate is the proper worke of God not agreeing to angels no not to the flesh of Christ exalted aboue men and angels For the vertue to renew or regenerate is not in it as in a subiect but in the godhead of the sonne The second caution is that grace is not inseparably annexed and tyed to the word preached for to some it is the sauour of death to death The third is that the preaching of the word is an externall instrument of faith and regeneration and the proper effect of it is to declare or signifie And it is an instrument because when the ministers of the word doe by it signifie and declare what is to be done and what is the will of God the spirit of God inwardly inlightens the minde and inclines the heart to beleeue and obey Hence we learne that it is a magicall fiction to suppose that fiue words For this is my bodie should transubstantiate the bread into the bodie of Christ. Secondly we learne that the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato by the worke done For the word and Sacraments are both of one nature Sacraments beeing a visible word Now the word the preaching of it doth not conferre grace but onely declare what God will conferre Thirdly by this it appeares that charmes or spels haue not force in them to cure diseases and to worke wonders but by satanicall operation For the best word of all euen the word preached hath it not Lastly we are here to be put in mind that we loose no time in hearing of the word for it is a meanes whereby we are clensed and renewed Euery branch that bringeth forth fruit God purgeth it by his word and other meanes that it may bring forth more fruite Ioh. 15. It is a thing to be obserued that the Apostles at Ierusalem acknowledged Paul to be an Apostle because he had the gift of an Apostle and because his ministerie was powerfull amōg the Gentiles Therefore they which haue the gift of teaching by whome also God is powerfull in the conuersion of sinners are Ministers certenly called of God Let them thinke on this that vtterly condemne the ministerie of the Church of England For many teachers among vs can shew both the gift of teaching and the power or efficacy of their ministery It is worth the marking also that the Apostles are called Pillars Here we see what is the charge of the ministers of the word namely to sustaine and to vphold the Church by doctrine praier counsel good life Elizeus is called of Ioas The charrets and horsemen of Israel 2. King 13. 4. And the Church of God vpon earth is called the Pillar and ground of trueth in respect of the Ministerie of the word 1. Tim. 3. 15. Againe in that all ministers in their places according to the measure of gifts receiued are pillars they are admonished hereby to be constant in the truth against all enemies whatsoeuer It is the praise of Iohn the Baptist that he was not as a reed shaken of the winde Math. 11. 7. All beleeuers are to stand fast in temptation against their spirituall enemies Eph. 6. 13. and this they shall the better doe if they be directed by the good example of their teachers Thirdly in that Ministers are pillars we are taught to cleaue vnto them and their ministerie at all times in life and death For we are liuing stones in the temple of God Christ is our foundation and they be pillars to hold vs vp and therefore not to be forsaken Deut. 12. 19. Furthermore Paul at this time was not accounted a pillar for he saith thus Iames Cephas Iohn are accounted pillars as who should say I am accounted none Thus Paul goes through good report and euill report and is content to be contemned Lastly the example of concord among the Apostles is to be obserued in that they giue the right hands of fellowship one to an other 10 Warning onely that we should remember the poore which thing also I was diligent to doe In these words Paul sets downe the fourth and last signe of his approbation at Ierusalem on this manner At my departing the Apostles warned me to remember the poore and of no other thing did they giue me warning therefore there was a full and perfect consent betweene vs. In the wordes two things are set downe the Apostolicall warning and the practise of it by Paul The warning