conuenient Moreouer the contention with the Iewes was concerning the Lawe Paule than had rather by fighting with them hande to hande as I may saye wound them within their owne listes than by straing farder to shewe them a kinde of running awaye as though he distrusted his cause therefore hee abideth firmelye in the disputation of the Lawe Secondarily they obiect Obiection that ther was onely a question aboute ceremonies moued the which we graunt also Why than saye they should Paule passe ouer from the particular cause to the vniuersall Answere This was the onely occation of the error of Origen and Hierom for they thought it conuenient that Paule seing the false Apostles contended about ceremonies onely should apprehend or take hold of no more than they spake of But they coÌ„sidered not that this was the very cause why he did so sharply contend with them for that that doctrine did drawe a longer traine than at the first sight it did shewe for it woulde not haue bene so greeuous to Paule to haue had ceremonies obserued as to haue the confidence and glory of saluation ascribed vnto works as whan we contend about the forbidding of eating fleshe except vpon certen dayes we do not respect so much howe great a matter it is to forbid the eating of fleshe as wee are carefull concerning the snare of the conscience Therefore Paule doth not stray beside the cause or matter when as he frameth his disputation of the whole Lawe although the false Apostles did onely contende about Ceremonies for therefore did they vrge Ceremonyes that men should seeke saluation in the keeping of the Law because forsooth they fayned it to bee a meritorious worshipping or seruice wherefore Paule doeth not lay against them the Lawe morall but the onelye grace of Christ Neyther is the whole Epistle spente in this vniuersall contention for he commeth at length to Ceremonies by name but because this was a principall Knot and Doubte Whether righteousnesse happened vnto vs by Fayth or by workes it behooued that it should first be dispatched The Papistes at these dayes because it greeueth them if we wring out of them that men are iustified by fayth only do hardly graunt morall things to be comprehended vnder the workes of the Law yea many of them obiecting the glose of Hierome thinke they haue handled the matter very handsomly but the texte will euidently shewe that he speaketh of the morall law also But by the faith He doth not meane ceremonies only or any maner workes not to suffice except the helpe of fayth be ioyned but vnto the negatiue proposition he doth counterset the exclusiue as if he should say Not by workes but by the onely fayth of Christ Otherwise it were an vnapt sentence cleane came from his purpose for the false Apostles did not refuse christ nor yet faith but they required that ceremonyes should be ioyned with theÌ„ If Paul would haue allowed such a maner of ioining there had bene a full agreement betweene theÌ„ and than Paule had in vain troubled the Church with so hateful a contention Let this than remain determined that in this place there is an exclusiue proposition That we are not iustified otherwise than by faith or That we are not iustified but by faith vnto the which this is equiualent We are iustified by faith only Wherby it appeareth how childishly the Papistes at these dayes doe dote brawling with vs aboute the worde Onely as though it were oures but forsooth the Papistes Diuinitie was vnknowne to Paule they saye a man is iustifyed by faith but they place part of the iustifiing in works Paule was ignoraunt of such halfe iustifying for whan hee teacheth that we are righteous through faith because wee cannot be so by works he taketh it as a thing graunted which is also true that we are capable of Christs righteousnesse no otherwise than if we be in our owne righteousnesse pore and needy Therfore eyther nothing or all oughte to bee ascribed to fayth or workes As touching the word righteousnesse or iustifying and in what maner fayth is the cause thereof afterwarde shall bee seene All flesh shall not be iustified Hee hath afore cited the conscience of Peter and of other to be witnesse nowe he doeth more confyrme it by pronouncing that it is so that is Not one mortall man shall obtaine righteousnesse by the workes of the law This is the foundation of free righteousnesse when we are made naked and bare of our own righteousnesse Finallye in denying any mortal man to be iustified is as much as if he should say that all men are shut out from the righteousnesse of the law nor that it can be that any man should attayne therevnto 17 Farthermore if we seeking to be iustified in Christ are our selues found also sinners is Christ therfore the minister of sinne God forbid 18 For if I build those thinges agayne whiche I haue destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser 19 For I by the law am dead to the lawe that I might liue to God with Christ I am crucified 20 And I liue noâ— any more but Christ liueth in mee in as much as I liue now in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God which hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me 21 I cast not away the grace of God for if righteousnesse be by the Lawe than Christe hath dyed * Gratis in vayne for nothing 17 If we seeking He returneth his talke now to the Galathians lest any man shoulde ioyne this sentence with the former as though it were a part of the communication hadde with Peter for to what ende shoulde these thinges neede for Peter Although this bee nothing or a very little to the matter therfore let euery man choose whether of them he list Furthermore some read it affirmatiuely among whome is Chrisostome and they make this the sence If we seeking to be iustified in Christ are not yet fullye iust but are as yet vncleane neyther yet Christ doth suffice vs vnto righteousnesse it followeth that Christ is the minister of doctrine which leaueth men in sinne as though hauing propounded this absurditie Paule should accuse of blasphemie those who doe attribute parte of iustification to the law But because the word absit which is God forbid doth by and by follow which Paule is not accustomed to vse but after interrogations or questions I suppose it is rather spoken to remoue the absurditie which seemed to followe of it According to his custome than by asking the question he vseth the figure Occupatio as in the person of his aduersaries If sayeth he the righteousnesse of fayâ—h doe bring this that we whiche be Iewes and sanctified from our mothers wombe should be deemed guiltie and polluted shall we saye that Christe is the authour of sinne as he which maketh the power of sinne to flourish in his Thereof sprang this doubt for that hee had sayde that the Iewes by beleuing in Christ had giuen ouer the
the question he woulde sodaynlye cutte off the occasion of doubt or else the wordes Euen as are referred only to that which is next afore that is to saye that by the hearing of fayth lhey had the ministration of the Spirite and of vertues as if he would say that there shined in the grace giuen vnto them a similitude or likenesse with Abraham Beleeued God With this Testimonie hee proueth as well in this place as in the fourth Chapter to the Romaynes that men are iustified by fayth because Fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse Fyrste brieflye is to be vnderstanded what Fayth in this place meaneth with Paule secondlye what righteousnesse thyrdlye why fayth is deemed the cause of iustification Fayth is not taken for euerye perswasion which men may haue of the truth of God for be it that Caine had a hundred tymes beleeued God when he tolde him he would punishe him he hadde not bene the nere to obtayne righteousnesse Abraham therefore was iustified by beleeuing because whereas he had of God a promise of his fatherly goodnesse he did certaynely and surely embrace the same than Fayth in this place hath a relation and respecte vnto suche a worde of GOD as men hauing it in possession may rest in it and sticke fast to it As touching the worde Righteousnesse the manner of speaking of Moses is to be marked for whereas he sayth It was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse because he beleeued hee declareth thereby that he is righteous that is so taken with GOD. And whereas men haue not righteteousnesse layde vp in themselues they obtayne the same by imputation because GOD doth impute Fayth vnto them for righteousnesse Wee are sayde than to bee iustifyed by Faith not because fayth doth poure into vs an habite or qualitie but because we are accepted before GOD. And why is there so great honour attributed to faith that it is called the cause of our righteousnesse Firste wee must knowe that it is the instrumentall cause onely for to speake properly our righteousnesse is nothing else but a free accepting of GOD in which lieth the foundation of our saluation but because the Lorde in giuing vnto vs a Testimonie of his loue and grace thorowe the Gospell doeth communicate vnto vs that righteousnesse which I haue spoken off therefore we take holde of it by fayth Therefore when we attribute mans iustification vnto fayth wee dispute not of the principall cause but we note onelye the manner whereby men come to true righteousnesse For this righteousnesse is the meere gifte of God and not a qualitye whiche sticketh or is in man but is possessed onely by Fayth neyther yet that by the deserte or merite of Fayth that it should be as a due rewarde but because we receaue by Fayth that which GOD of his owne accorde and good will doth giue therefore all these speeches are of like force That we are iustified by the grace of God That Christe is our righteousnesse That the mercye of GOD is the cause of our righteousnesse That righteousnesse is gotten vnto vs by the death and resurrection of Christ That righteousnesse is giuen vnto vs by the Gospell That we obtayne righteousnesse by Fayth Whereby it appeareth howe childishlye they erre whiche woulde make these propositions agree together Wee are iustified by Fayth and Workes both for hee that is iust by Fayth he being bare and voyde of his owne righteousnesse resteth in the onlye grace of GOD. And this is the reason why Paule to the Romaynes doth conclude that Abraham is destytute of Glorye before GOD because hee hath obtained righteousnesse by Fayth Rom. 4.2 for it is not sayde that Fayth was imputed vnto him for parte of righteousnesse but for righteousnesse simplye without more wordes therefore Fayth was vnto him in the whole for righteousnesse Fynallye Fayth beholdeth nothing beside the mercye of GOD and Christ deade and raysed agayne Therefore all merite of workes is shutte out from the cause of iustification when as all is assigned to fayth For fayth for that it contayneth in it selfe the free goodnesse of God Christ with all his good things the testimony and witnesse of our adoption whiche is giuen in the Gospell is vtterly opposite and set against the law the merits of workes and the worthinesse of men for whereas the Sophisters doe thinke that it is only set agaynst ceremonies the order of the disputation or reasoning shall by and by with small adoe thorowly reproue them We must therefore beare in mind that they that are iust by fayth are iust without themselues that is in Christ whereby also the foolishe cauillation of some which dally with Paule is confuted because say they Moses calleth righteousnesse goodnesse or honesty and so it signifieth nothing else but Abraham was accounted a good man because he beleeued God Such frantike sprites doth Sathan at these dayes rayse vp to ouerthrow the certayntie of the Scripture with crooked slaunders as it were with mynes But Paule who knew that Moses in that place taught not children grammar but that he spake of the iudgement of God did not without cause take the worde Righteousnesse after the maner of a Diuine for we are not deemed righteous before GOD after the like reason wherewith we haue prayse of goodnesse before men but when we bring perfecte obedience of the Lawe For righteousnesse is opposite or sette againste the breaking of the Lawe yea euen in the least iote or tittle but because we haue not it I meane righteousnesse of our selues God doth freelye giue it vnto vs. Obiection But here the Iewes shake vp Paule for that he hath wrongfully wrested Moses wordes to serue his owne turne for Moses there in that place doth not entreate of Christe or of the life euerlasting but maketh mention onely of the earthye promise The Papistes also are not farre off from the Iewes for albeit they dare not reproche Paule yet they do altogether ouerturne Paules intent and purpose Answere I aunswere Paule taketh it for a thing graunted as an vndoubted Principle among Christians that whatsoeuer promises the Lorde gaue vnto Abraham they did appertayne or depend on that firste promise I am thy God Genesis 17.1 Thy rewarde is exreeding greate Gen. 15.1 And in thy seede shal all nations be blessed Gen. 22.17 18. And therfore whē Abraham heard this Thy seed shal be as the sande of the sea c. he stayed not in that word but rather he included it in the grace of adoption as the part in the whole moreouer whatsoeuer promise was giuen he did not otherwise receiue the same than as a testimonye of the fatherly grace of God that thereby hee mighte take sure confidence of saluation For euen in this doe the Children of God differ from the vnbeleeuers for that they in deede haue the vse of God his benefites together with the children of God but yet like beastes they regarde not that which is higher but as for God his Children because
A Commentarie of M. J. Caluine vpon the Epistle to the Galathians And translated into English by R. V. Pray for the peace of Hierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Psal 122.6 AT LONDON Jmprinted by Thomas Purfoote and are to be solde at his shop ouer agaynst S. Sepulchres Church 1581. ¶ To the right Reuerend Father Iohn my Lorde the Bishop of London R. V. wisheth health of soule and body together with happie successe in setting forth the glory of God c. IT is not long sithens right Reuerend Father that J purposed the Dedication of a sermon of M. Iuel by me translatd out of the Latine vnto your Honour which for the brefenesse and smalnesse of the volume thereof J passed vndedicated for a season notwithstanding the worthie matter therein conteyned might sufficiently commend it as a thing of very great importaunce And nowe hauing translated also this commentarie of that learned man and godly Father I. Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Galathians I thought it my duetie especially in that I take my selfe to be bounde to render an account of my studie in parte vnto your Honour ioyning the same together with the Sermon afore specified to dedicate both at once vnto your Lordship desiring that you will vouchsafe to accept of them with such an affection as the authoures of both J meane Juel and Caluine haue both for their godlinesse in life excellēcie in knowledge and painfulnesse in vtteringe the truth full well deserued whereof I make in doubtes And therfore without troubling your Lordship any furder with more circumstaunces being otherwise occupied in waightie and great matters J commend the same together with your affaires to the defence and protection of the moste highest who euer preserue your Honour The first of August 1581. Your moste bounder R. V. The Argument vpon the Epistle to the Galathians by M. Iohn Caluine IT is sufficiently knowne what part of Asia the Galathians inhabited and with what limits their Countrey was bounded but whence they had their beginning appeareth not so well among Writers All agree that they were Gaules and therof they were named Gaulegrecians But out of what part of Gaule or Fraunce they came they doe not so well agree Strabo thought that the Tectosages came out of Gaule Narbon and that the other were Celtae vvhome all for the moste part haue followed But vvheras Plinius reckoneth the Ambiani vvith t e Tectosagi and beside that by the consent of all that they had the Tolistobogi to their fellowes vvho dwelt vpon the borders of the Rhine it semeth to me more likelye that they vvere the Belgae inhabiting the farmost coast of the Rhine toward the Brittaine Sea For the Tolistobogi held that portion in vvhich nowe the Cleueners and Brabanders do inhabite But hereof sprong the error in my opinion that whereas some band of the Tectosages hadde made an inroade into Gaule Narbon they retained their name called the Region which they by force possessed by it And this doth Ausonius shew where he sayth Euen so far as to the Teutosagi who at the first were called Belgae For he both calleth them Belgae testifieth that in the beginning they vvere called Teutosagi who afterward were named Tectosagi And whereas Caesar doth place the Tectosagi in the wood called Hercinia I vnderstād that to be done by going out of their own country thither and by the story you may also gather it But as touching the originall of the Nation more thā sufficient hath ben spoken as in regard of the present place The Galathians which held that portion of Asia which toke the nam of thē as they wer deuided into 3. principal peoples namly the Tectosages Tolistobogi the Trocmi so also saith Plinie they had three principal Cities They flourished with so greate force once among their weake neighboures that a great part of the lesser Asia vvas tributarie to them at length their Countreyes vertue wearing out they gaue themselues to delicacie and excesse So vvith no great adoe they were ouercome in battayle and subdewed by Cneus Manlius the Romane Consul in Saint Paule his tyme they were vnder the Romanes Furthermore whereas he had purely and faithfully instructed them in the Gospel there came while he was away the false Apostles who corrupted the true seede of the Word with false and corrupt Doctrines For they taught that the obseruing of ceremonies was as yet necessarie It might seeme a thing of light account in shewe but Paule contendeth about it as a principall poynt of the christian faith and not without a cause for it is no smal euill to smother the brightnesse of the Gospell to lay a snare vpon the consciences to take awaye the difference of the old and new Testament he did see besides this that vnto these erroures there was ioyned also a wicked and hurtfull opinion of deseruing righteousnesse This is the cause why he striueth with suche vehemencye and contention that we also being admonished how waightye and serious a matter is here handled maye be the more attentiue to reade it If a man estimate the cause by the Commentaries of Origen or Ierome he shall wonder that Paule was so greatly moued for certaine outward customes but whosoeuer shall looke vpon the beginning it selfe shall confesse that they were matters not vnmeete to be so sharpely contended about For in that the Galathians by ouer swift credite nay rather by lightnesse and folly suffered themselues to be lead away from the truth therefore he reprehendeth them the more sharply for I am not of their opinion which suppose that they were the hardlyer handled for because of the dulnesse of their witte The Ephesians and Colossians were assayed also and if they had so lightly yielded to their deceites thinke we that Paule would haue dealte any more mildely with them The nature of the people then moued him not thus franklye to chide them but it was rather the hatefulnesse of the matter that enforced him Now that we vnderstande the cause why he wrote this Epistle let vs come to the order of the handling thereof He contendeth in the two firste chapters about the authoritie of his Apostleship sauing that by occasion about the end of the second chapter he entreth into the principall state of the matter that is to say into the question of the iustification of man wherof neuerthelesse at the last in the thirde chapter he openlye frameth a full disputation Although he seeme to intreate of many thinges in these two Chapters yet this one thing he indeauoureth to proue himselfe equall with the highest Apostles and that he lacketh nothing but that he maye bee reckoned an Apostle in like degree of honour as they But it is worth the while to know why hee tooke so great pains about the triall of his estimation for so that Christ raigne and that the puritie of doctrine remaine sound what skilleth it whether he be aboue Peter or lesse then Peter or
God Rom. 8.31 whereof foloweth that his death is a satisfaction for sinnes That he might take vs. Hee also declareth the end of our Redemption that Christe hath gayned vs vnto hym by hys death to bee hys owne That cōmeth to passe when we are separated from the world for as long as we are of the world we partayne not to Christ This word World is taken here for the corruptiō that is in the world as 1. Io. 5.19 where it is sayd That the whole world is layd in wickednes and in many other places It is otherwise taken in the Gospel whereas Christ sayth I pray not that thou take thē out of the world but that thou keepe them frō euill Io. 17.15 for there he signifieth the present life What then is the World in this place Men separated from the kingdome of God and the grace of Christe For a man as long as he liueth to himselfe is totally damned The World then Regeneration are thinges opposite or contrary as also Nature and Grace the Flesh and the Spirite And therefore they that are borne of the Worlde haue nothing but sinne and wyckednes not by creation but by corruption Christe then hath died for our sinnes that he might redeeme or separate vs from the World Wicked He addeth this epithete or title to shew that he speaketh of the corruption or wyckednes that commeth of sinne and not of the creature of God or of corporall life And yet wyth this one woorde as with the stroke of a thunderbolt he hurleth downe all the pryde of man For he witnesseth that without the renewing which is by the Grace of Christe there is nothing in vs but meere wyckednesse For we are of the World and vntill Chryste take vs out of it the World raigneth in vs and we liue vnto it Howe much soeuer then menne please themselues they are but mischeuous and wicked with all their iolittye Vnto themselues they seeme not suche but let it suffice vs that the Lord doeth so speake it by the mouth of Paule According to the will Hee sheweth the first spring of grace to be the purpose of God for so God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne Io. 3.16 But it is to be noted that Paule is accustomed to set the purpose of God agaynst all desertes or merites of men So Wyll signifieth here in this place that whyche commonly they call the Good Pleasure The sence than is That Christ suffered for vs not because we were worthy or because wee brought any thing whyche myght prouoke hym but because the Counsell of God was so Of God and our father is as muche as if it had been saide of God which is our father 5. Vnto whome be glory He brasteth forth into sodaine thanks giuing to quicken their minds to consider this inestimable benefite of God to that end that they may shew themselues afterward more apt to learne Although it bee also a generall exhortation that as often as that mercy of God commeth in minde strayghtway it should prouoke vs to glorifie hym 6 I wonder that you are so sone carried ouer frō Christ which hath called you in grace vnto another Gospell 7 Whiche is no other thing but that there are some which trouble you and are willing to ouerthrowe the Gospell of Christ 8 But although we or an Angell from heauen preach a Gospell vnto you beside that Gospell which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed 9 As we haue sayd afore now also say I againe If any shall preach a Gospell vnto you beside that which you haue receiued let him be accursed 6. I wonder that He beginneth with chiding which chiding is somewhat more gentle than they deserued but his vehement chiding he had rather bestowe vpon the false Apostles as we shal see He reprehendeth them for theyr shrinking away not from his doctrine only but from Christ For they might not otherwise hold Christe than to acknowledge vs by his benefite to be set at liberty from the bondage of the Law but the necessity which the false Apostles did put in ceremonies was vtterly contrary and so they were caried ouer from Christe not because they did altogether cast away Christianitie but because in suche corruption there was only left vnto thē a counterfeite Christ So at these dayes the Papistes because they will haue a halfe Christ and a torne Christ haue no Christ and therefore they are caried ouer from Christ for they are full of superstitious which are directly contrary wyth the nature of Christ This must be dilligently marked That we are caried ouer frō Christ when we fal vnto those thinges which are contrary to his office for light cannot be mingled with darkenes After the same reason is it that hee calleth it another gospell that is contrary to the true gospell yet the false apostles did professe themselues to preach the gospell of Christ but whereas they did mingle their fayned deuises wherewith they destroye the principall force of the Gospell therefore they had a false a corrupt and a counterfeyte gospell He vseth the word of the present time as though their fall were now in the doing as though he should say I say not that ye are already carried ouer for then it were more hard for you to returne into the way but now whilest you are yet in the middest of your course drawe backe your feet rather than go forward Some reade From him that hath called you in the grace of Christ meaning of the father but the reading which I followe is more playn In that he saith that they were called of Christ by grace it serueth to vpbrayde theyr vnthankfulnesse To fall from the Sonne of God of it selfe is euill wycked but to fall from hyme when hee hath called vs freely to saluation is much more hatefull for his goodnesse towards vs augmenteth the greatnesse of our wyckednes if we be vnthankefull Soone He augmenteth the foulenes of their inconstancye There is no time fit to fall from Chryste but so much the more are the Galathians to be dyspraysed in that they were led away euen so soone as Paule was departed from them Therefore as before he amplified their vnthankfulnes in respect of their free calling so now he doth augment their lightnes by the circumstaunce of tyme. 7. Which is not another thing Some do thus expound it seing there is not another gospell as though it were a kind of correctiō least any man shold thinke there were more gospels I as touching the exposition of the words take it more simply for he speaketh contemptuously of the doctrine of the false Apostles that it is onely a matter of troubles and destruction as though he should say What bring these men What cause haue they to gaynsay the doctrine by me taught Forsooth they trouble you and ouerthrowe the Gospell and nought els doe they The sense notwithstanding commeth to one poynt for I graunt that by this kinde
that this is altogether the gifte of God and not gotten by our power that we are called to gouerne his Church Finally in that some do more subtilly dispute in the worde Seperated they do it without cause and out of season Neither is God sayd to seperate vs because he doth put into vs some habite or forme wherby we may differ from other but because he doth order vs by his counsell Although verily he had already manifestly inoughe attributed his calling to the grace fauour of God when he made the beginning thereof that voluntary separation from his mothers wombe yet agayne by name doth he expresse it partly that the cōmendation of the grace might take away al opniō of bosting partly that he might testifie his thankfulnes to God For he is accustomed willingly to do thus euen where he hath no controuersie with the false Apostles 16 To reueale his sonne If you reade To reueale his sonne by me it shal be the final cause of the Apostleship to make Christ manifest How by preaching him among the Gentiles that which the false Apostles laid to his charge as a fault But wheras in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take it to be an Hebrue phrase for mihi for with the Hebrues ב is often superfluous which is wel inough knowen to thē that are expert in the tong The sense then is that Christ was reuealed to Paul not that he alone should haue the fruition of the knowlege of him that he should keepe him close in his bosome but that he should preach him being by him knowen among the Gentiles Straightway I conferred not To confer With flesh and bloud is to take flesh and bloud to counsell And as touching the signification of these words his minde was simply to exclude all counsels of men for generally in this place he comprehendeth all men whatsoeuer wisdome or counsell they haue as by by will appeare by the text naye rather he doth by name shewe or note the Apostles that with that purpose that the immediate calling of God may more clearly appeare He therefore vsing only the authoritie of God being content therwith prepareth himselfe to the office of preaching 17 Neither returned I to Ierusalem It is an exposition also an amplification of the former sentence as if he should say I haue desired no man in the world to be mine autor no not euē the Apostles them selues They are therfore deceiued which say that the Apostles are not cōprehended vnder flesh and bloud because he doth name them now apart For he doth not adioyne any new or cōtrary thing but only doth expound more playnly that which was darkly spokē Neither is he therfore reprochful to the Apostles in such maner of appellation because to the end that he might shew him selfe not to haue bin moued by man it was needful for him to set thē opposite vnto god for cause of the forged braggings of lewd persons And wheras the creature is cōpared with God although it I meane the creature be pressed downe with low base titles it hath no wrong done to it But I went into Arabia Luke in his history of the Actes hath passed ouer these 3. yeres as neither also he doth reckē vp al other things colde therefore is their false surmise which seeke in this place some pretence of contrarietie But let the godly readers waye what a greeuous battell of temptation tooke hold of Paule immediatly after his first seruice while he was yet but a young souldier who the day before forhonors sake was sent with a goodly band to Damasco to day like a banished man is cōpelled to wander in a straunge countrie and yet for all that fainteth not 18 Three yeres The thirde yere at last after he exercised the office of an Apostle he went vp to Ierusalem therefore hee began not by the calling of man And neuerthelesse lest he should seeme to haue his considerations contrary frō others therfore to flie the sight of them he saith that he came for this purpose to see Peter therefore although he waited their authoritye in taking vpon him his office yet hee helde not his degree of Apostleship they being agaynst it but agreeing to it and allowing it and this is that which he intendeth that neither he was at anye time of contrary opinion to the other Apostles moreouer that he did well agree with them He noteth the short time that he spent there to shew that he came not thither to learn but only that they might common one with another To that ende belongeth that which he addeth that he saw no other because that he going somewhether else made his iorney that way only 19 But Iames. Who this Iames was we must see The olde writers for the most part do agree that it was one of the Disciples by surname Oblias and Iustus which ruled the Church of Ierusalem Although some think him the son of Ioseph by another wife some which is more like to be true think him cosine German to Christ of his mothers sister but seing he is reckoned among the Apostles I allow not the opiniō Neither is the excuse of Hierome of any force That this name is otherwhile set ouer from the xii vnto other seing that here he speaketh of the highest dignity we shal heare that the same Iames is a litte after accoūted amōg the principal pillers therfore it seemeth to me much more probable to be the son of Alphaeus of whome he speaketh As for the rest it is likely that they were then dispearsed through diuerse Countreyes for they rested not in one place idle Although Luke doe shew Act. 11.15 that he was brought by Barnabas to the Apostles yet that is not to be vnderstanded of the xii but of these two which then were alone at Ierusalem 20 Fathermore the things which I write vnto you This affirmatiō is extēded to the whole narratiō it sheweth how seriously Paule cōtēdeth about this matter in that he putteth to an oth the whiche it is not lawful to vse but in great causes those of much waight And it is no maruaile though he stay long in so greate a contention for wee saw afore what the deceauers didde goe about by taking awaye from him the name and honour of an Apostle But the fashions of swearing which the Sayntes vse must bee marked of vs that we may vnderstande that with an othe wee doe nothing else but call before the iudgement of God the fidelitie and truth of our sayinges and doinges the whiche when wee doe it needefull it is that religion the feare of God should gouerne 22 I was in face vnknowne This seemeth to be added that he might the more largely set out the mallice and ill will of his backbiters For if onely heresay did moue the iewish Churches to giue glory vnto God because he had so wonderfully wrought in Paule how detestable a thing
efficacie of the Spirite of whiche hath bene spoken in both Epistles to the Corinthes be present Therefore they whiche will duelye doe their Office in the Ministerie of the Gospell lette them learne not onely to speake and preache ofte but also to pierce into the consciences that Christ crucified may be perceyued and felt and his blood may distill or drop into them Where the Churche hath suche paynters it doth not any more neede deade Images of Woode and Stone it doth not require anye payntinges or pictures and then truelye firste of all among Christians were the Dores of Temples opened to Images and pictures when as partlye the Pastors were dombe and become meere Idols partly they spake a few wordes out of the Pulpit so coldely and slightlye that the force and efficacie of the Ministerie was vterly extinguished and put out 2 This onely will I know Now afresh he confirmeth his cause with reasons The firste reason is of their experience for he bringeth them in mynde what maner of beginning the Gospell had with them They receaued the Spirite as soone as they hearde the Gospell therefore they oughte to ascribe this goodnesse as taken from fayth and not from the Lawe Peter doth vse the same argument or reason when he excused himselfe before the bretheren that he baptised those that were vncircumcised And so doth Paule himself Barnabas in the disputation which they had at Ierusalem about this matter Act. 15.2.7 It is manifest than that they are vnthankfull which yeelde not to the doctrine by the benefite whereof they receaued the holye Ghost That he taketh from them the aunswere is a signe not of doubting but of greater confidence in the assuraunce of his cause for they were compelled to graunt it to be true being cōuicted by their own experience This Figure is Motonymya Faith in this place he figuratiuely calleth the gospel which else where he calleth the doctrine of faith Ro. 3.27 because that in that place is propoūded set forth vnto vs that meere fauor of God in Christ without desert of workes The spirite I take in this place for the Grace of regeneration which is common to all faithfull persons although if any had rather take it for the particuler gifts wherewith the Lord did than garnish the preaching of the Gospel it shal be free for them so to doe for al me Obiection If any wil obiect That the Spirite was not geuen to al after this faishon I answere Answere It suffiseth for Paules purpose or intention that the Galathians did know that with the doctrine of Paule ther appeared in their Church the vertue and strength of the holy Ghost and that the faithfull were endowed diuersly with the graces of the Spirite to their cōmon edification Obiection If againe it be obiected That those Graces were not certein and sure signes of adoption and therefore to auaile nothing to the present cause Answere I aunswere It is sufficient that the Lord confirmed the doctrine of Paule with the visible signs of his spirite But that former aunswere is the plainer that they were garnished with the common benefite of adoption before these deceiuers thrust in their additions And so also he speketh Ephe. 1.13 After you heard the true Gospell of God you were sealed with the spirite c. 3 Are ye so foolish that Here also it is doubtfull what hee vnderstandeth by the Spirite what by the flesh the Interpreters doe differ It seemeth to me that Paule alluded to that which he spake of the Spirite as if he should haue sayde Seing that the doctrine of the Gospell hath brought vnto you the holy Ghost your beginning than was spirituall but now you are fallen into the worst euen as they whiche from the Spirite fall into the flesh Therefore he vseth this worde Flesh eyther for extearne or outward thinges and those which are fraile and mortall such as ceremonyes are speciallye when they are seperated from Christ or else for dead and frayle doctrine for it is a foule thing that they which haue begun well should not go forwarde well 4 Haue you suffered so great things Another reason seeing that they haue suffered so many things in the behalfe of the Gospell that they should not loose it all now in a moment nay rather after the maner of vpbrayding them hee asketh if they will lose vnto themselues so many notable onsets whiche they haue sustayned for the fayth for except the right fayth had ben deliuered vnto them of Paule it was a poynt of rashnesse to suffer any thing for the defence of an ill cause but they had tryed that God was present with them in persecutions he doth therfore burthen the false Apostles with enuie who spoyled the Galathians of such precious ornamentes But to mittigate bitternesse he addeth If yet in vaine to correcte it whereby hee raiseth vp their myndes that they conceyuing the better hope might aspire to repentaunce For this is the ende of all chasteninges not to hurle men headlong into dispaire but to encourage them to doe better 5 He therefore that ministreth He speaketh not nowe of the grace of regeneration but of the other giftes of the spirite for the order it self doth shewe that it is a contrary reason from the former because he hath but another reason or argumente betweene them He warneth them than that all the giftes of the holy Ghost wherewith they excelled be fruites of the Gospell and the same that was preached among them with his mouth therefore they didde spoyle themselues of those giftes when as they left the Gospell and did flye to another kynde of Doctrine Agayne looke how much they esteemed those giftes so much also ought they to regarde with tooth and nayle to retayne the Gospell to those kinde of giftes he ioyneth vertues that is to say miracles 6 Euen as Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse 7 Know ye therefore that they whiche are of faith those are the sonnes of Abraham 8 For the scripture because it did foresee that God would iustifie the Gentils by faith did afore shewe glad Tidinges to Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed 9 Therfore they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham After that he hath giuen them the ouerthrowe by the things themselues and by experience he passeth to the Testimonies of the scripture First of all he bringeth the example of Abraham although at all times arguments taken from examples are not so firme neuerthelesse this is moste forcible be cause neyther in the thing nor yet in the person is there anye difference for there are not many wayes vnto righteousnesse and therefore is Abraham called the father of all the faythfull because he is a common example vnto them all naye rather in his person there is a generall rule howe to obtayne righteousnesse prescribed or set out vnto vs. 6 Euen as Here must be vnderstanded these wordes But rather for whan he had asked
iustifieth is alone but we affirme that it is alwayes ioyned with good works only we contend that it alone auaileth vnto iustification The Papistes themselues like Tormentoures doe teare and rente Fayth miserablye while sometime they make it vnshaped and without charitie and sometime shaped as for vs we holde that true faith cannot be plucked away from the Spirite of regeneration but when we speake of the cause of iustification than we shutte oute all workes As touching this presence place Paule doeth not reason whether charitie worketh with fayth to iustifie but onely sheweth what are now the true excercises of the faythfull least he shoulde seeme to make Christians idle and as it were like to blockes Therefore when you are in hand with the cause of iustification take heede you admitte not anye mention of charitie or of workes but firmelye holde fast that which shutteth them out In as much as Paule here doeth not entreate of iustification nor yet assigneth the prayse thereof to charitie in part we may thereby readilye conclude that by the same reason it should follow that Circumcision and ceremonies did iustifie in time past For as he commendeth faith with charitie in Iesus Christ so before the comming of Christ ceremonies were required But that was nothing to the deseruing of righteousnesse which the Papists also will confesse and therefore we must not thinke so of charitie neither 7 Ye did run wel who did hinder you that you should not obay the truth 8 The Perswasion is not of him who hath called you 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe 10 I am perswaded of you in the Lord that you will thinke no other thing he that troubleth you shall beare iudgement whosoeuer he be 11 And I Bretheren if as yet I preache Circumcision why as yet doe I suffer persecution the offence of the crosse is done away I would to GOD they also were cut away which trouble you 7 Ye did run well He doth of a sette purpose mingle the reproche of their present backsliding with the praise of their former course that being ashamed they maye the more willinglye returne into the way It is a token of wondering that he asketh them who led them away from the right course whereby hee may make them the more ashamed I thought good once againe to turne the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Obay rather than to Beleeue because now alreadie they had embraced the puritie of the Gospell and were caried away from obaying it 8 The perswasion is not of him He contended afore with reasons now at last he goeth to it by authoritie wheras he crieth vnto them that this perswasion came from some other place than from God For this admonitiō should not haue very much waight were it not vpholded by the authoritie of the person But Paule of his owne right mighte so boldlye speake to the Galathians for that hee was a Preacher vnto them of that calling that GOD called them with and therefore hee nameth not GOD but he signes him out by a Periprasis Periphrasis 〈◊〉 fight whē a thing is signified in many words that may be said in one as one that selleth raysons c. for a grocer as if he should saye God is not at controuersie with himselfe hee it is who called you into saluation by my preaching This newe perswasion then came from some other place Therefore if you will haue the calling of God ratified take heede you giue no eare vnto them who bring in amongst you new inuentions Although I confesse the greeke Participle be of the present tence yet because it is taken indifinitely it liked me to turne it thus Which hath called you for to take away doubtfulnesse in the meaning 9 A little leauen I referre it to the doctrine and not to the men for he aduiseth them how hurtfull a thing the corruption of doctrine is least they should not repute it as commonly men doe as a thing of no daunger or else of no great daunger For Sathan creepeth in with this vndermining so that he doth not openlye shake the whole doctrine but infecteth the purenesse thereof with false and forged opinions many because they consider not the greatnesse of the euill are lesse vehement in resisting the same therefore the Apostle here doth crie out that no iote of safetie doth remayne after that the truth of God is corrupted and he vseth the similitude of leauen which although it bee but a little doeth sende out it sharpenesse into the whole lumpe Therefore we must carefully beware that we suffer not any thing to be deuised and put to the pure doctrine of the Gospell 10 I am perswaded Hee doeth agayne turne all his sharpe speeche from the Galathians vnto the false Apostles hee sayeth they were the cause of the euill to them hee threatneth punishmente hee sheweth that hee hath good hope of the Galathians because they will returne readylye and easilye to agree to the truth And that giueth vs a courage when wee heare that wee are well hoped of for wee counte it a foule matter to deceyue the opynyon of them who iudge louingly and friendly of vs. And because it was the worke of GOD to bring the Galathians agayne to the pure Doctrine of fayth from whiche they hadde swarued hee sayeth he hopeth in the Lord whereby he monisheth them that returning or repentaunce is a heauenlye gifte that they also might aske the same of God He that troubleth you It is a confirmation of the sentence going afore because after a sort he layeth a great part of the blame vppon those deceiuers by whome the Galathians were beguiled for looke what reuengement hee denounceth agaynste them from the same for the moste parte doeth hee exempt the Galathians But whosoeuer they be that giue occasion of hurly bulyes to the Church whosoeuer breake the vnitie of fayth whosoeuer make concorde shake and decaye lette them heare and if they bee in their right wits let them shake for feare at this speeche for GOD by the mouth of Paule doeth pronounce that no suche Authoures of offences shall scape vnreuenged This peece Whosoeuer helde hath a force in it for in as muche as the false Apostles by theire greate wordes did terrifie the ignoraunte and vnlearned multitude it behoued Paule on the other side so loftily to extoll his doctrine that hee shoulde spare none whiche durste quetche agaynste him whatsoeuer tytle otherwise they were knowne by 11 And I bretheren An argumente drawne from the finall cause I mought sayth he auoyde the hatred of men daungers and persecutions if I woulde but onlye mingle ceremonies with Christ whereas therefore I contende so greatlye aboute this matter to maintayne the contrarye I doe it not for myne owne cause nor yet for myne owne profite But doeth it therefore followe that it is true whiche hee teacheth I aunswere that the right affection and pure conscience of the Teacher is of no small force to winne credite moreouer it is
charity whereas the law cōsisteth of ii tables of which the first is a doctrine cōcerning the worshipping of God the dutyes of godlynesse the later is a doctrine of loue or charity for it is an absurditie to make of the part the whole Som in expounding this place wynd away on this fashion saying that no other thing is taught in the firste table but that we should loue God with all our hart But Paul doth playnely speake of charitie toward our neighbours than must we seeke another solution that is stronger I graunt that pietie toward God standeth before loue toward our neighbors and that therefore the obseruing or keeping of the first table is of more waight in the sight of God than of the later But piety or godlinesse is a thing hidden from the sence or vnderstanding of men as God himselfe is inuisible and though ceremonyes were ordayned to testifie the same I meane godlynesse yet were they no sure proofes thereof for often it happeneth that none are more stout and busie obseruers of ceremonies than bee hypocrites God therefore will take a triall of our affection toward him by our loue toward our brethren whiche hee setteth downe vnto vs one toward another And this is the reason why loue is called the fulfilling of the law not only in this place but also Ro. 13.8 not because it excelleth the worshipping of God but for that it is a confirmatiō therof I sayd euē now that God is inuisible but he manifesteth himself vnto vs in our bretherē and requireth in the person of them that whiche is due to himselfe Loue therefore toward men riseth not but of the feare and loue of God Therefore it is no maruaile if the effect contayn by the figure Synecdoche vnder it the cause whereof it is a signe He shall goe to worke disorderly whatsoeuer he bee that seperateth the loue of God from the loue of men Thou shalt loue thy neighbour For he that shall loue muste yeelde vnto euery one his right he will do wrong to no man he will hurt no man hee will doe good to all as much as lyeth in his power for what else is spoken off in all the seconde Table and this reason also doth Paule bring out in the Epistle to the Romaines Finally vnder the name of Neighbour are all men contayned for the nature that is common both to pore and riche doth ioyne vs and maketh vs one as Esay warneth Cha 58.7 Despise not thine owne flesh But specially the Image of God ought to be a most holy bande of knitting vs together and therfore in this case there is no difference of friend and foe neyther maye the vngratiousnesse of men wipe out the lawe of nature This parcell As thy selfe meaneth thus much As euerye man is bent by the affection of the flesh to loue himselfe so is commended vnto vs by God the loue toward our neighbours They ouerthrow the wordes of the Lord but expound them not who gather thereof as all the Sorbonistes doe that the loue of our selues ought to be alway first in order because the thing ruled ought to be inferiour to that which ruleth or is the rule They are Asses and haue not a crumme of charitie for if the loue of our selues were a rule it would follow that it were right and holy and allowed before God but neuer shal we loue our neighboures sincerely and according to the minde of the Lorde vntill we haue amended and corrected that same loue of our selues for the affections are contrary and disagreeing when as the loue of our selues engendreth as well the neglecting as the contemning of others engendreth crueltie is the Fountaine and well-spring of couetousnesse rapines deceites and of all suche lyke mischiefes enforceth vs to impaciencie and armeth vs with the desire of reuenge Therefore the Lord requireth this that it may be chaunged into loue 15 If you bite and deuoure A man maye coniecture as well by the thing it selfe as also by the wordes that the Galathians striued and were at odddes among themselues for that they did disagree in doctrine hee nowe declareth by the ende of such dealing how deadly an euill strife is in the Church Moreouer it is very like that the Lorde by false doctrines hadde reuenged their ambition loftinesse and other their vices as hee is accustomed and also testifieth by Moses Deut. 13. ver 2. By bytinges and deuouring he meaneth in my iudgemente both hatefull slaunders accusations taunts and suche like brawles and also iniuries and wrongs done by fraude or violence What is the ende hereof at the length consuming or deuouring saith he but yet it is the propertie of charitie that one of vs should defend and preserue another I wold to god this would alwaies come into our mind as ofte as the diuell doeth procure vs vnto contentions namely that no other thing can come of the inward dissentions of the members but a destruction and consumption of the whole bodye And what a wretched and mad thing is it that we who are members of one body do willingly and of our own accord conspire one of vs to destroy another I saye then walke in the Spirite The remedie followeth the ruine of the Church is no small euill we must therefore dilligently preuent it as oft as it is at hande But what is the meane or the waye forsooth if the flesh haue not dominion in vs but that wee giue our selues to be gouerned of the spirite of God And hee doth withall shew that the Galathians are carnall and voyd of God his spirite for that they led such a life as became not christians for wherof came it that one of them wounded another but because they were ledde after the lust of the fleshe This than hee sayth is a token that they walke not after the Spirite You must marke the worde Fulfill whereby hee meaneth that the children of God although they be as yet endaungered vnto vices as long as they are oppressed with the burthen of the flesh yet are they not vtterly addicted vnto them or in bondage to them but doe indeauour to resist and fight agaynst them neyther is the spirituall man free from the desires of the flesh but that he is often prouoked of them but he doth not yeeld that he maye suffer them to raigne which to doe is to fulfill them Looke vpon the eight to the Romaynes 17 The flesh couereth against He putteth thē in minde of the difficulty to the end they may know that they cannot spiritually ouercome without contending the difficultie riseth hereof that our disposition resisteth the spirite For vnder the name of Flesh I haue sayd in the Epistle to the Romanes that there is meant the nature of man for where as the Sophisters restraine it to the inferiour sences as they call them it is refelled by many places and the contrarye taketh awaye all the doubte For the Spirite signifieth a refourmed nature or the grace of regeneration