at Athens and they giue this reason of it because after the sending of Timothie to Thessalonica Paul and he meete not at Athens againe but at Corinth And Baronius affirmeth that it seemes to haue beene written presently after that Sylas and Timotheus came to him to Corinth out of Macedonia by comparing Act. 18. 5. with 1. Thess. 3. 6. Annal. tom 1. pag. 457. l. 1. And Emmanâ—â—i Sa doth censure the Syriacke postscript which saith it was sent from Athens by Timothie seeing that Timothie was then absent The like they affirme in the argument of the second Epistle for albeit the Greeke postscript hath it that it was written from Athens yet they rather thinke it was written from Corinth where Paul aboad a yeare and sixe moneths Act. 18. 11. because the title is like vnto the first Epistle Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus c. And Baronius saith that it should be written from Athens impossibile est affirmare because it was written soone after the former as may appeare by the inscription Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus they continuing together but the former was written from Corinth as hath bin prooued and therefore the latter specially considering that Paul went thence from Athens and aboad at Corinth a yeare and a halfe and returned not backe againe to Athens but went to Ephesus Annal. tom 1. pag. 457. l. 2â— Adde hereunto that whereas the postscript of the 1. to Timothie saith it was written from Lâ—odicea the chiefe Citie of Phrigia Pacaciana the Rhemists notwithstanding in the argumenâ— affirme that it is vncerten where it was written though it be commonly said to haue beene written at Lâ—odicca yet it seemeth to be otherwise because it is like he was neuer there as may be gathered by the Epistle to the Colossians which was written at Rome in his last trouble a little before his death for Coloss. 2. 1. Paul seemes to insinuate that he was neuer at that Laodicea of Phrigia neare to Colossos and Hierapolis and that they neuer saw his person Besides neither Plâ—nie who writ after Paul nor any other ancient classique author doth make mention of Phrigia Pacaciana so that it seemeth to haue beene so called long after Pauls discease the first mention that is made of it as some haue obserued beeing in the acts of the 5. Synode of Constantinop Baronius is of opinion that it was written from Macedonia Tom. 1. pag. 564. grounding his coniecture vpon 1. Tim. 1. 3. as I besought thee to abide at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia so doe The same doth Athanasius affirme in his Synopsis and Theodoret in his preface vpon that Epistle Againe the subscription of the 2. to Timothie that it was written from Rome vnto Timothie the first Bishop elected of the church of Ephesus cannot well stand as some thinke with that of S. Paul 2. Timothie 4. 5. Doe the worke of an Euangâ—list seeing that Euangelists were not tied to personall residencie to abide in one place as Bishops and pasters are but were to goe from place to place to confirme the Churches planted by the Apostles But the discussing of this argument whether Timothie were an Euangelist properly so called and whether the same man could not be an Euangelist and a bishop requireth a longer discourse then can be affoarded to this short treatise Lastly the postscript of the Epistle to Tâ—tus saith it was written from Nicopolis of Macedonia the deuisers of which assertion ground their opinion vpon Titus 3. 12. where Paul saith beâ—iligent to come to me to Nicopolis for I haue determined there to winter mistaking the text for he saith not be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis for I haue determined here to winter as beeing there alreadie but I haue determined there to winter By which it is plaine that when Paul wrote to Titus he was not at Nicopolis as the postscript affirmeth and so we see the text which they alleadge for them maketh most against them And this is the iudgement reason of Baronius Annal. tom 1. pag. 575. l. 33. Antuerp howsoeuer Claudius Espencaus shifts his fingers of it and passes it ouer in silence Thus much concerning Subscriptions a word or two touching Inscriptions or titles prefixed before Epistles That these be no part of scripture written by the Apostles but added to the Epistles by some others it may appeare by these reasons First generally if titles were canonicall as well as the epistles themselues the Fathers would neuer haue doubted as they did whether Paul were the author of the epistle to the Ebrewes or not seeing in all copies saue one as Beza hath obserued it beareth his name but some of them ascribe it to Barnabas as Tertullian others to Luke as Jerome witnesseth others to Clement Oecumenius infitleth it only thus The epistle to the Ebrewes without adding the name of Paul or any other as the penner of it and so Hentenius a papist doth translate it out of Occumenius Secondly some epistles as those seuen written by Iames Peter Iohn Iude haue vnfit titles prefixed before them in that they are called sometime Canonicall specially of the Latine church and sometime Catholick chiefly of the Greek church neither of which were euer giuen them by any Apostle or Apostolique writer For first touching the title Canonicall it may seeme strange that this inscription should euer haue been appropriated vnto them which is common with them to the whole word of God as though in them were contained a more perfect and absolute rule of doctrine and manners of things to be beleeued and practised then in the other bookes of holy writ considering that sundrie Diuines albeit erroniously I confesse haue beene so farre from giuing vnto them this preheminence aboue the rest of the bookes of Scripture that they haue altogether reiected them as no part of Canonicall Scripture by name the epistle of Iames the 2. of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn and that of Iude of all which it was doubted in auncient time as we see in Eusebius and the Syrian church receiueth them not to this day as beeing not in the Syriacke translation and Caietan a popish writer and the Lutherans at this present reiect them as may appeare by their writings Secondly that this inscription was added to these Epistles without sufficient ground and warrant of reason may appeare in that no reason can be giuen why these seuen should be called Canonicall rather then the Epistles of S. Paul or that to the Ebrewes whosoeuer was the penner thereof For whereas the ordinarie Glosse saith they are called Canonicall because they were receiued into the Canon with the other epistles by that reason they should be no more Canonicall then the rest nay not of that authenticall at least of that vndoubted authoritie the rest are of seeing they hardly obtained to be registred in the Canon with the rest as Canonicall Lastly this title was neuer giuen to these Epistles by the Greek church which was more auncient
dispēsation of the word Secondly whereas Paul saith not of men but of Christ I gather that euery lawefull calling is of God and not of men as authors thereof and that the Right to call belongs to God The father thrusts forth labourers into the vineyard the sonne giues Pastors and teachers the Holy Ghost makes ouerseers It may be alleadged that the Church hath authoritie to call and ordaine ministers I answer that the Churches authoritie is no more but a ministerie or seruice whereby it doeth testifie declare and approoue whome God hath called Thirdly whereas Paul thus proclaimes his calling Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ I gather that the callings of the Ministers of the Gospell must be manifest to their owne consciences and the consciences of their hearers And that for diuers weightie causes First they are imbassadours instruments and the mouth of God and for this cause they are to speake in the name of God and this they cannot doe vnlesse they knowe themselues to be called Secondly that the calling of the Ministerie may tend to edification there is required the assistance of Gods spirit in the teacher the protection of him and his ministerie the effectuall operation of the spirit in the hearts of the hearers And he that wants the assurance of his calling cannot pray to God in faith for these things neither can he apply the promises of God to himselfe Thirdly the knowledge of our callings breeds conscience of our duties diligence and the feare of god Lastly knowledge of our callings in the consciences of the hearers breeds a reuerence in their hearts and obedience to the ministerie of the word Vpon this some may demaund howe they may knowe that they are called of God to the ministerie of the word Answer they may knowe it if they finde three things in themselues the first is the testimonie of their consciences that they entred not for praise honour lucre but in the feare of god with a desire to glorifie him and to edifie the Church The second is a facultie to doe that to which they haue a desire and will In this facultie are two things knowledge of God and his waies and aptnesse to deliuer that which they knowe The third is the Ordination of the Church which approoues and giues testimonie of their will and abilitie He that hath these things is certainely called of God Nowe put the case a man wants the first of these three because he entred with euill conscience beeing carried with ambitious and couetous desires then I answer that his calling still in respect of the Churh is good and lawefull and when he repents of his bad conscience it is also accepted of God The fourth point to be obserued is that Paul makes three kinds of callings in the Church One is when men are called by men and not by God and thus are all false teachers called The second is when men are called of God by the ministerie of men thus are all ordinarie ministers of the word called The third is when men are called not by men but by Christ immediately And Paul here signifieth that he himselfe and the rest of the Apostles were called according to this third way And in this respect he puts a difference betweene the Apostles and all the Ministers of the newe Testament For in that they were called immediately they were also taught by immediate inspiration and also aided by the infallible assistance of Gods spirit And of all this they had promises Math. 10. 19. 20. Luc. 10. 16. Hence we may gather the certenty of our religion The essentiall note of the Church is faith faith stands in relation to the word of God and the word of God is no word vnto vs vnlesse we knowe it to be so and we knowe it to be so because it was written by the Apostles who in preaching and writing could not erre Secondly hence I gather that the doctrine of the Apostles it the immediate word of God because it was giuen by inspiration both for matter and words whereas the doctrine of the Church in sermons and the decrees of councels is both the word of God and the word of man The word of God as it agrees with the writings of the Apostles Prophets the word of man as it is defectiue and as it is propounded in tearmes deuised by man It may be obiected that Paul spake some things of himselfe and not from the Lord 1. Cor. 7. 12. Not the Lord but I. Answer the meaning is not the Lord by any expresse commaundement but I by collection and interpretation of Scripture and that by the assistance of Gods spirit v. 40. Seeing then the writings of the Apostles are the immediate and meere word of God they must be obeyed as if they had beene written without man by the finger of God Lastly seeing it is the propertie of an Apostle to be called immediatly by Iesus Christ hence it follows that the authority office and function of Apostles ceased with them and did not passe by succession to any other Therefore it is a falshood that the Pope of Rome succeedes Peter in Apostolicall authoritie and in the infallible assistance of the spirit when he is in his consistorie And where paul saith he was called by Iesus Christ and not by man that is meere man he giues a pregnant testimonie that Christ is both God and man And whereas Paul was called by Christ raised from the dead hence I gather the dignitie of the Apostle Paul aboue all other Apostles in that he was called after the resurrection of Christ when he was entred into his kingdome The Text. 2. And all the brethren that are with me to the Churches of Galatia The Exposition By brethren we are to vnderstand such as seperated themselues from the Pagans and receiued the faith of Christ 1. Cor. 5. 11. And here more specially such as taught and professed the faith that is both pastors and people whether of Antioche as some thinke or of Rome as others And Paul writes his Epistle as well in their names as in his owne and with their consent for two causes One was that he might not be thought to deliuer any priuate doctrine deuised of his owne head And this care he had alwaies and therefore taught nothing but that which was in the writings of Moses and the Prophets Act. 26. 22. And this was the care of Christ who saith My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Joh. 7. 16. And at this daie this must be the care of the Ministers of the Gospell to deliuer nothing of their owne First therefore their doctrines must be founded in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and secondly that they may be sure of this they must haue the consent of the true Church specially of such as haue beene the Restorers of the gospell in this last age This rule Paul giues Timothie to continue in the things which he had learned of Paul and the rest
God are imperfect in this life and therefore they are ioyned with many frailties and actions of faith are mixed with sundrie defects and sinnes Now then we are to be exhorted to make a conscience of lying and to speake the trueth from our hearts And there be many reasons to induce vs to the practise of this dutie First it is Gods commandement Iam. 3. 14. Secondly lying is a conformitie to the deuill and by truth we are made conformable to God who is truth it selfe Thirdly we are sanctified by the word of truth Ioh. 17. 17. and guided by the spirit of truth and therefore we are to detest lying and deceit Fourthly truth is a fruit of Gods spirit Gal. 5. and a marke of Gods child Psal. 32. v. 2. he hath the pardon of his sinnes in whose spirit there is no guile and Psal. 15. 2. he shall rest in the mountaine of God who speakes the truth from his heart Lastly destruction is the lyers reward Psal. 5. 6. God will destroy them that speake lies and they must haue their portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reuel 22. 15 Thus much of the answer to the obiection now followes the confirmation by oath before God Here it may be demanded how these words can be a forme of swearing Ans. In an oath there be foure things The first is an Asseveration of the truth The second is Cenfession whereby the partie that is to sweare acknowledgeth the power presence and wisdome of God in searching the heart and that he is both witnes iudge of all our doings The third is Invocation of God that he would be a witnesse with vs and to vs that we speake the truth The last is Imprecation that God would be a iudge to take reuenge vpon vs if we lie Now then the forme of an oath is a certen forme of wordes in which not all but some of the principall parts of an oath are expressed and the rest concealed and yet to be vnderstood Ierem. 4. 2. there is the forme of an oath The Lord liueth and here onely confession is expressed The forme of swearing I call God to witnesse to my soule 2. Cor. 1. 23. expresseth the third part namely inuocation The words Ruth 2. 17. The Lord doe thus and thus vnto me is an Imprecation The common forme The Lord thee helpe through Iesus Christ is partly praier and partly imprecation And the forme in this place is directly a confession that God is present to witnes and iudge the truth Thus commonly in all formes of oaths one part is expressed and the rest are infolded Here first we learne that the forme of an oath is to be plaine and direct in the name of God and not indirect or oblique in the name of the creatures Gods name concealed And it is the flat commandement of God Math. 5. 34. It is alleadged that Paul 1. Cor. 15. 31. sweares by his reioycing in Christ. I answer the words of Paul by my reioycing are not an oath but an obtestation for the meaning of his wordes is this that his sorrowes and afflictions which he indured for Christ would testifie if they could speake that he died daily Thus Moses called heauen and earth to witnes without swearing for in an oath the thing by which he sweares is made not onely witnes but also iudge Neuerthelesse it is not vnlawfull to name the creatures in the forme of an oath if they be considered as pledges presented vnto God that he should punish vs in them if we lie Thus Paul sweareth I call God to witnes to or vpon my soule Here they are to be blamed whose common fwearing is by the creatures as by their faith by their troth by the Masse Marie by this bread by this drinke c. Secondly here we learne to vse an oath onely in the case of extremitie namely when a necessarie truth is to be confirmed whē this cannot be don by any reason or proofe to be foūd among men vpon earth then may we flie vnto heauen for proofe and make God our witnes Thus Paul confirmes his owne calling when all other proofes failed And it must further be obserued that in extremities he vseth an oath but seldome This seemes to condemne their wickednes that crie at euery word in their common talke before God before God Thirdly before we sweare we are to vse great meditation consideration and preparation and therefore Paul in swearing vseth a word of attention and saith Behold I speake it before God This condemnes the rash and customable swearing of men in their common talke who also in that they commonly and rashly sweare commonly forsweare themselues In that Paul confirmes his writings by oath it appeares that they are of God For if he had sworne falsly God would haue taken reuenge vpon him and his writings before this which he hath not done Whereas Paul saith Before God I speake it he teacheth vs after his owne example to bring our selues into the presence of God to walke before him as Enoch did Gen. 5. 22. and as Abraham was commanded Gen. 17. 1. and to doe whatsoeuer we doe as in the sight and presence of God and to be afraid to sinne because of his presence This is the true feare of God and this is the right practise of religion 21 After that I went into the coasts of Syria and Cilicia and I was vnknowne by face to the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ. 22. But they had heard onely some say He which persequuted vs in times past now preacheth the faith which before he destroied 23 And they glorified God in me Here Paul answers an other obiection which may be framed thus Though Paul learned not the Gospel of the Apostles at Ierusalem yet might he happily learne it of them in other Churches of Iudea To this Paul answers three things The first is that he went from Ierusalem into Syria and Cilicia The second that he was not knowne in person to the Churches of Iudea but onely by hearsay and he sets downe the report that went of him The third is that the Churches of Iudea did not disgrace and slander him but they glorified God for him Of these in order For the first that Paul went from Ierusalem straight into Syria and Cilicia the regions of the Gentiles there be two causes One because Paul was ordained specially to be the Apostle of the Gentiles Act. 9. 15. Rom. 15. 16. The second because Cilicia was his owne countrey for he was borne in Tarsus a towne in Cilicia and his loue to his countrey no doubt was great For in the like case he could haue wished himselfe to be accursed for his countrimen the Iewes From this first answer I gather two things First if any Apostle aboue the rest be the Pastour and vniuersall Bishop of the Church ouer the whole world it is Paul and not Peter because he specially was ordained to teach and conuert the nations The second is
A COMMENTARIE OR Exposition vpon the fiue first Chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians penned by the godly learned and Judiciall Diuine M. W. PERKINS Now published for the benefit of the Church and continued with a Supplement vpon the sixt Chapter by RAFE CVDWORTH Bachelour of Diuinitie ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1604. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable right vertuous and most truly religious Lord ROBERT Lord RICHE Baron of Leeze c. Grace and peace THE holy Scriptures Right Honourable giuen by diuine inspiration and penned by the holy men of God Prophets Apostles and Apostolike writers not by priuate motion but as they were guided by the holy Ghost are not onely commended by God and left vnto the Church as a pretious depositum carefully to be kept in their integritie for which cause the Church is called the ground and pillar of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. nor to be defended onely by the sword of the Magistrate against Heretikes Schismatikes and men of scandalous life in which respect he is called and that truly Custos vtriusque tabula But also to be the piller and foundation whereon to rest our faith the touch-stone of truth the shoppe of remedies for all spirituall maladies an anker in the blasts of Temptation and waues of affliction a two edged sword to foyle and put to flight our spirituall enemies the onely Oracle to which we must haue recourse and whereat we are to enquire the will of God In a word the bread and water of life whereon our soules are to feede vnto eternall life Therefore we are commanded to search the Scriptures as for siluer and to seeke in them as for treasures to read in them continually to meditate of them day and night to vse them as bracelets vpon our armes and frontlets betweene our eyes to teach them to our posteritie and to talke of them when we are in our houses and when we walke by the way when we lie downe and when we rise vp And great reason there is of this commandement seeing that as an ancient writer saith Quicquid in cis docetur veritas est quicquid praecipitur bonitas est quicquid promittitur foelicitas est that is Whatsoeuer is taught in them is truth it selfe whatsoeuer is commanded is goodnes it selfe whatsoeuer is promised is happines it selfe They beeing of such perfection that nothing may be added vnto them nor any thing taken from them of such infallible certentie that heauen and earth shall sooner passe away then one title fall to the ground so pleasant and delightfull that they exceede the honie and the honie combe and so profitable that no treasures may be compared vnto them seeing they are able to make vs wiser then our enemies then the aged then our teachers to make vs wise vnto saluation to giue vs an inheritance among them that are sanctified nay able to saue our soules Which beeing so I cannot sufficiently wonder that any calling themselues Christians should make lesse account of the booke of God then the Romanes in old time did of their twelue Tables and other Heathens of their Rituall bookes or then the Iewes at this day doe of their Talmud the Turkes of their Alcoran the Aethiopians of their Abetelis especially that those which professe themselues Diuines should so distast the holy Scripture that leauing it the cleare fountaine of the water of life they should betake themselues to the troubled streames of mens deuises and digge vnto themselues pittes which will hold no water Wherein the Schoolemen I meane the Sententiaries the Summists and Quodlibetaries are chiefly if not onely to be censured who setting aside the Scriptures haue vanished away in vaine speculations in their Questions vpon Lombard the Master of the Sentences and vpon Thomas their new Master So that had it not beene for some fewe Glosses which notwithstanding like the glosse of Orleans doe often corrupt the text Nicolaus de Lyra Hugo de S. Charo and Peter Comestor whom I should haue named first beeing so good a text man that as his name importeth he did eate vp the text as the poore mans horse dranke vp the moone we should not haue had among such a multitude of writers one poore comment vpon the Bible for diuers hundred yeares And no maruaile seeing it is an ordinarie thing for young nouices in Popish Vniuersities and I would it were but there onely not to lay the foundation of their studie in Diuinitie vpon the rocke but vpon the waters that is not vpon the Scripture but vpon Aquinas or some such Summist and to reade the Scripture no further then they giue them light for the vnderstanding of their Schoole-Doctours Witnesse one of their owne writers who testifieth of himselfe that he had studied Schole-diuinitie and the Canon Law for the space of 16. yeares and yet neuer so much as saluted either the Scriptures or the Fathers Which course they take either because they presume to vnderstand aboue that which is writtē cōtrarie to the cōmandemēt of the Apostle Rom. 12. 3. or for that they iudge the Scriptures too simple and shallow for them to wade in as not affording them sufficient matter for their witts to worke vpon Not considering that whilst they contemne the simplicitie of the Scriptures looke beyond the Moone in the meane time with Thales they fall into the ditch and that whilst they striue with the winges of their wit to soare aboue the cloudes of other mens conceyts they sincke into a Sea of absurdities and errors Nor yet remembring that the Scripture hath great maiestie ioyned with simplicitie and as great difficultie mixed with plainnes and facilitie and therefore not vnfitly resembled by S. Gregorie to the main Ocean in which the lamb may wade the Elephant may swim For the spirit of God hath in wonderfull wisdom so tempered the Scriptures that they are both obscure perspicuous in some places like a clasped or sealed booke Isay 29. 11. in other places like a booke that is opened Apoc. 5. 5. beeing both easie difficult Easie in that the enterance into the word giueth light and vnderstanding so the simple Psal. 119. 130. Difficult in that some things are hard to be vnderstood 2. Pet. 3. 16. and hard to be interpreted Ebr. 5. 11. Easie to inuite vs to reade and learne thē Difficult to exercise vs lest we should cōtemne them From the easie and plaine places are gathered principles of religion both articles of faith rules of good life which we call Catechismes The difficult places require interpretation the Cōmentaries of the learned Both which are necessarie in the church of God Catechismes haue a necessarie vse both in regard of the simple who are to be fed with milke beeing but babes in Christ and of the learned who are strong men
in Christ that they may haue some rule whereby to trie the spirits consonant to the analogie of faith and the doctrine of the orthodoxe Fathers of the Church which Paul calleth the forme of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. and The forme of doctrine Rom. 6. 17. and a patterne of wholesome wordes 2. Tim. 1. 13. which formes of doctrine were in vse in the primatiue church in the Apostles daies as it is manifest Heb. 6. 1. where the Apostle sets downe the principall points of the Catechisme calling them the doctrine of the beginning of Christ. And after the Apostles we find that they were vsed by the learned Fathers both of the Greeke and Latine Church Clement Alex. had his Pedagogue Cyril of Ierusalem his Catechisme and Mystagog bookes Origen that famous Catechist his books of principles Theodoret his Epitome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius his Institutions Augustine his Enchiridion Hugo de S. Victore his books of the Sacraments or mysteries of christian religion And it were greatly to be wished that as in other reformed churches beyond the Sea they haue a set Catechisme which all men follow and in the church of Rome one approoued by the Councell of Trent so there were an vniforme Catechisme inioyned by publick authoritie to be vsed in all Families Schooles and Churches in this land that we might all with one mind and one mouth iudge and speake the same thing Now as Catechismes gathered out of plaine and easie places are necessarie for the simple so Commentaries are as necessarie for the vnderstanding of such places as are more abstruse and difficult Our Sauiour Christ the great Doctor of the Church hath by his owne practise giuen vs a president hereof in expounding the lawe Matth. 5. in expounding all hard parables to his disciples a part for the text saith that he vnfolded or expounded them vnto them Mark 4. 33. That he interpreted vnto them in all the scriptures the things which were written of him Luk. 24. 27. That he opened vnto them the scriptures v. 32. And they haue bin alwaies so accounted in the Church of God For the Iewes as we know had their Perâ—shim the Greeke church their Scholia the Latin Church their Glosses with other Paraphrases Expositions Neither was it euer called in question by any saue by the phantasticall Anabaptists who rest onely vpon immediate reuelations And some preiudicate Papists who hold the consent of all Catholikes to be the true Scripture both the glosse and the text the written word but inkie Diuinitie and a dead letter And certaine arrogant spirits who with Nestorius skorne to read any Interpreters But how Commentaries ought to be written it is not so easie to define there beeing such difference as well in regard of the manner of writing as of the measure For besides that the Popish writers make foure seuerall senses of the Scripture commending Ierome to excell in the Literall Origen in the Allegoricall Ambrose in the Anagogicall Chrysostome in the Tropologicall they haue aboue fiftie seuerall waies of expounding the Scripture as their owne writers doe record In the measure we finde some too tedious as the two Alphonsi Tostatus and Salmeron who vpon euery small occasion digresse from the text or rather take occasion to enter into infinite friuolous questions which breede strife rather then godly edifying which is by faith For there is not so short a Chapter in the Bible vpon which the former mooueth not aboue eight score questions whereupon his volumes growe to that bignesse that one contracting his Commentarie vpon S. Matth. and drawing it into an Epitome yet could not so abridge it but that it contained aboue a thowsand pages in folio in the largest volume smallest character The other is so short with his 12 volumes vpon the Euangelists that he might well haue contracted leaues into lines and lines into letters Which tedious discourses and impertinent excursions from the text serue for no other ende but to cast a mist before the eyes of the reader and drawe as it were the vaile of Moses ouer his face so that he cannot see the meaning of the holy Ghost Others on the contrarie are too short and compendious offending as much in breuitie as the former in prolixitie by name Emanuel Sa the Iesuit whose Commentaries vpon the Bible are shorter then the text it selfe like to those of Apollinaris of whome Ierom writeth that a man which readeth them would thinke he red Contents of chapters rather then Commentaries But as for the manner the literall sense which our author here followeth is the onely sense intended by the Spirit of God the Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall beeing but seuerall vses and applications thereof For the Scripture consisting in the sense not in the letters is profitable to teach and improoue as Paul saith whereas from the Allegoricall sense no necessary argument can be taken as their owne doctors confesse either to confirme or confute any point of doctrine therefore much lesse from the Tropologicall or Anagogicall And as for the measure in regard of breuitie or prolixity the golden meane hath alway beene iudged by the learned to be the best which is not onely to giue the bare meaning paraphrastically but to make collection of doctrine and application of vses yet breefly rather pointing at the cheife heads then dwelling long vpon any point Some are of opinion that a Commentor is onely to giue the literal sence of the place without making further vse of application or instruction To which I could easilie subscribe if all the Lords people could prophesie or if all were able to handle the word of God the sword of the spirit For as to an expert Musitian who is acquainted with the concords or rules of discant it is as good a direction to haue onely the ground as if he had euery point pricked out vnto him beeing inured to the diuision vpon euery point as it falleth out in the ground So to him that is acquaynted with the word of God a short and concise handling of the Scripture may be as good a direction as if euery point were discoursed at large But because all readers are not strong men in Christ some beeing but babes who must haue euery thing minced and cutt small vnto them before they can receiue it Neither all teachers expert prompt Scribes like to Ezra nor mightie in the Scripture as Apollos such as are able to diuide the word a right and applie it fitly as they ought Some beeing deceitfull worckmen peruerting it to their owne destruction in pressing the two dugges of the Scripture the Ould and New Testament that in steed of milck they sucke nothing but blood Others vnskilfull casting wild Colloquintida into the pott of the children of the prophets beeing too hastie to learne and too ignorant to know of them selues what they should haue gathered Therefore to help the
temple And thus hoping that these respects may entreate for a friendly acceptance at thy hands and that thou wilt afforde mee thy good word for my good will and a fauorable construction for my paines I commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection vnfainedly wishing to thee as to my selfe the mercie of God in Christ Iesus August 10. Thine in the Lord Iesus R. C. Faults escaped in some copies are thus to be corrected Pag. lin Fault correct 25 30 building binding 70 28 degree decree 86 27 Christin Christian ibidem  refuse refused 105 4 Prov. 14. 24. 136 3 seach search 153 4 7 47 164 25 begunne beginne 176 24 happily haply 241 5 reuealed conceiued 360 33 it is 402 1 come came 440 16 maginations imaginatioÌ„s 461 29 foole foote 469 23 notes motes 472 38 Recidauation RecidiuatioÌ„ 473 7 the thiefe thiefe 478 30 Quaerenda Quâ—rendo 480 17 Supposes Supposals 482 25 perfunctorie defunctorie 482 37 thâ— the 490 38 heard hard 505 36 thought though 556 23 equall equall 559 26 our an 585 8 see seeing 612 3 Peter Peters 647 14 o other In the Epistle to the Reader for hath read haue CHAP. 1 THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE GALATIANS The Argument TWo things are generally to be considered the occasion of this Epistle and the Scope The occasion that mooued Paul to write this Epistle was because certen false-false-Apostles slaundered him both in respect of his calling as also in respect of his doctrine teaching that he was no Apostle and that his doctrine was false And by this means they seduced the Churches of Galatia perswading them that iustification and saluation was partly by Christ and partly by the Lawe The Scope of the Epistle is in three things First the Apostle defends his calling in the first and second chapters Secondly he defends the truth of his doctrine teaching iustification by Christ alone And vpon this occasion he handles the greatest question in the world Namely what is that Justice whereby a sinner stands righteous before God in the 3. and 4. and in the beginning of the fift Thirdly he prescribes rules of good life in the fift and sixt chapters 1. Paul an Apostle not of men nor by man but by Iesus Christ and God the father who raised him from the dead THe Epistle hath 3. parts a Preface an Instruction and the Conclusion The preface is in the fiue first verses and it hath two parts an inscription and a Salutation The inscription sets downe the persons that write the Epistle and the persons to whome it is sent The persons that write are two Paul the Brethren Paul is mentioned in the first verse In which in comely and decent manner he commende himselfe to the Galatians by his office and function as Apostle that is one called to be a planter and founder of the Church of the newe Testament among the nations And because the title of an Apostle in generall signification may agree to all teachers therefore he goes further and sets downe the cause of his Apostleship And first he remooues the false causes in these words not of men that is not called by men as by Authors of my calling or not called by the authoritie of men And in this Paul opposeth himselse to the false-apostles who were called notby God but by men Againe he saith not by man that is not called of God in and by the ministerie of any meere man And in this Paul opposeth himselfe to all ordinarie ministers of the Gospell whatsoeuer who are called of God by man This done he propounds the true cause and author of his Apostleshippe of whome he was called immediately Against this it may be obiected that Paul was ordained to be an Apostle by the imposition of haÌ„ds of the Church of Antioch I answer that this imposition was rather a confirmation then a calling Secondly they of Antioch had not imposed hands on Paul but that they were commanded by the spirit of God Further Paul addes that he was called by Christ and God the father for three causes The first was to signifie the consent of will in the father and Christ. The second was to teach vs howe we are to conceiue of God namely that he is the Father and Iesus Christ and the Holy Ghost for the Godhead may not be conceiued out of the trinitie of persons The third is because the father is the fountaine of all good things that come to vs by Christ. Lastly he sets downe the effect or action of the Father who raised him from the dead and that for two causes One was to prooue Christ to be the naturall sonne of God for he professed himselfe to be so and that was one cause why he was crucified and put to death Nowe when he was dead if he had not bin the sonne of God indeede he had neuer risen againe but had perished in death And in that the father raised him againe to life he gaue testimonie that he was his own naturall sonne And therefore Paul saith that Christ was declared to be the sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead and he applies the words of the Psalme thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee to the time of Christs resurrection Againe Paul mentions the resurrection of Christ to note the time of his owne calling for though the rest of the Apostley were called when Christ was in the estate of humiliation yet Paul was called afterwards when Christ was entred into his kingdome and sate at the right hand of his father The vse First whereas Paul in the very fore front of his Epistle beginnes with his owne calling I gather that euery minister of the Gospell ought to haue a good and lawefull calling A man cannot preach vnlesse he be sent Christ tooke not vnto him the office of a Mediatour till he was called and sent of the Father Therefore the opinion of the Anabaptist is foolish and phantasticall who thinke that euery man may preach that will without any speciall calling They alleadge that the house of Stephanas ordaine themselues to the Ministerie of the Saints Answer the meaning of the place is not that they called themselues but that they set themselues apart to the ministerie of the Saints in the purpose and resolution of their owne hearts Againe they alleadge that all Christians in the newe Testament are Kings and Priests and the office of the priest is to teach I answer all are priests in that they are to offer themselues in sacrifice to God and to teach priuately within their places and callings as the master his seruants the father his children c and to make a confession of their faith when they are called so to doe Thirdly they alleadge that the power of the keies is giuen to the Church I answer it is indeed yet so as the vse and administration thereof belongs to the Ministers alone in the
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
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
the rest were eie-witnesses and eare-witnesses of the sayings and doings of Christ and in that they were guided by the infallible assistance of the spirit both in preaching and writing their Testimonie touching the things which they wrote must needes be authenticall If it be said that counterfeit writings may be published to the world vnder the name of the Apostles I answer if they were in the daies of the Apostles they by their authoritie cut them off and therefore Paul saith If any teach otherwise let him be accursed And they prouided that no counterfeits should be foisted vnder their names after their departure And hereupon Iohn the last of the Apostles concludes the new Testament with this clause If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Reu. 22. 18. If any demand of what value is the testimonie of the Church I answer consider the Church distinct from the Apostles and then the testimonie thereof is farre inferiour to the Apostolicall testification concerning the word of God For the Church is to be ruled by the testimonie of the Apostles in the written word and the sentence of the Church is not alwaies and altogether certen nor ioyned with that euidence of the spirit wherewith euery testimonie Apostolicall is accompanied Furthermore that we may be capable of these two testimonies and take the benefit thereof we our selues for our parts must yeilde subiection and obedience to the word of God In this our obedience shall we be assured that it is indeed of God as our Sauiour Christ saith Ioh. 7. v. 17. This doctrine touching the certentie of the word is of great vse For when the minde and conscience by meanes of the double testimonie before mentioned plainely apprehends it there is foundation laid of the feare of God and of iustifying faith before we be assured that the scripture is the word of God it is not possible that we should conceiue and hold a faith in the promises of God And the want of this certentie in many is an open gappe to heresie apostacie Atheisme and all iniquitie Secondly by this it appeares that the Church of Rome erreth grossely in teaching that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God without the testimonie of the Church in these latter times and that without it we could haue no certentie of religion whereas the testimonie of the spirit or the euidence thereof in scripture with the testimonie of the Apostles will doe the deede sufficiently though the Church should be silent The second maine point is That it is necessarie that men should be assured in their consciences that the calling and authoritie of their teachers is of God It may be demanded howe we in these daies should be assured hereof I answer thus a diuers consideration must be had of the first Ministers of the Gospel and of their successors Touching the first Ministers and planters of the Gospel within these 80. yeares We must consider that a calling is of two sorts Ordinarie and Extraordinarie Ordinarie is when God calls by the voices and consent of men following the laws of his word Extraordinarie is when God calls otherwise And this he doth 3. waies first by immediate voice Thus God called Abraham and Moses and thus were the Apostles called The second is by the message of a creature Thus Aaron and the tribe of Leui was called by Moses Elizeus by Elias Philip was called by an angel to baptize the Eunuch Act. 8. 26. The third is by instinct Thus Philip a deacon preached in Samaria Act. 8. 14. Thus the men of Cyprus and Cyrene preached among the Gentiles and the hand of God was with them though otherwise they were but priuate persons Act. 11. 19 20. Of this kind was the calling of the first preachers of the Gospel It may be obiected that they did not confirme their callings and doctrine by miracles which they should haue done if their callings had beene extraordinarie I answer they preached no new doctrine but the old auntient doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which they had heretofore confirmed by miracles Now old doctrine needes no newe miracles but new doctrine such as are the Popes decrees decretals Againe it may be alleadged that men may falsly pretend extraordinarie calling I answer if three rules be obserued they cannot The first is that extraordinarie neuer takes place but when there is no roome for ordinarie The second that they which plead a calling extraordinarily must be tried by the word both for doctrine and life for this is an infallible way to discouer false teachers Math. 7. 22. Deut. 13. 1. 5. Iohns authoritie is said to be from heauen because his baptisme that is his doctrine was so Luk. 20. 2. The third is that extraordinarie teachers in these last daies after they haue brought men to receiue the Gospel are to be ordained as other ordinarie ministers after the laws of gods word For they are not extraordinarie in respect of their doctrine which is the doctrine of the word nor in respect of their office or function in which regard they are Pastors teachers and not Apostles or Euangelists but their callings are extraordinarie in respect of the common abuse of the office of teaching and in respect of the common corruption of doctrine These 3. rules as caueats obserued we may easily perceiue who are called extraordinarily who not and they are all fully verified in the first preachers of the Gospell Thirdly it is obiected that they which are lawfully called are ordained by them whose auncetours haue bene successiuely ordained by the Apostles I answer Succession is threefold The first is of persons and doctrine joyntly together and this was in the Primitiue Church The second is of persons alone and this may be among infidels and heretikes The third is of doctrine alone And thus our Ministers succeede the Apostles And this is sufficient For this Rule must be remembred that the Power of the keyes that is of order and iurisdiction is tied by God and annexed in the new Testament to doctrine If in Turkie or America or els where the Gospel should be receiued of men by the counsell and perswasion of priuate persons they shall not neede to send into Europe for consecrated Ministers but they haue power to choose their owne Ministers from within themselues because where God giues the word he giues the power also Touching the Successours of the first preachers their calling was altogether ordinarie and they were ordained of their predecessours It is obiected that their callings are corrupt I answer thus All actions Ecclesiasticall that tende to binding or loosing appertaine properly to the person of Christ and men are but ministers and instruments thereof And therefore to call men to the ministerie and dispensation of the Gospel belongs to Christ who alone giueth the power the will the deede And the Church can doe no more but testifie
obedience is that Paul did not communicate with men that is conferre and consult with them touching his doctrine and calling And this he amplifies by a comparison thus He did not consult with any man no not the Apostles of Hierusalem And he addes a reason of his doing because they were but flesh and blood in respect of God and indeede it is vnmeete to consult with men touching the matters of God Hence I gather that Gods word whether preached or written doth not depend on the authoritie of any man no not on the authoritie of the Apostles themselues it is sufficient to authorize it selfe Christ receiues not the testimonie of man Iohn 5. 34. And it is an errour to thinke that the Church doth authorize the word and religion in the consciences of men For the Church it selfe is founded on the word The Church cannot consist without faith nor faith without the word Secondly hence I gather that there is no consultation or deliberation to be vsed at any time touching the holding or not holding of our religion He that will followe Christ may not put his hand to the plough and then looke backe againe to his friends to see what they will say Luke 9 61. He that would be wise must denie his owne wisdome and become a foole 1. Cor. 3. 18. The three children would not consult touching the worshipping of the image but said be it knowne to thee O king that we will not worship thy gods Dan. 3. When the iudge gaue Cyprian the martyr leaue to deliberate a while whether he would denie his religion he answered that in diuine matters deliberation is not to be vsed By this I gather that the Schoolemen haue done euill which haue turned all diuinitie into Questions and haue made of the articles of our faith a questionarie diuinitie Secondly by this we are taught that in the day of triall we may not consult of the change of religion but we must be resolute and tread vnder foote the perswasions of flesh and blood Thirdly our obedience to God must be without consultation We must first trie what is the will of God and then absolutely put it in exequution leauing the issue to God Abram is called of god to forsake his countrie kindred Gen. 12. he derectly then giues attendance to the commandement and goes as it were blind fold he knowes not whither God promised him a childe in his old age he beleeues God without any reasoning or disputing the case with himselfe too or fro Rom 4. 20. But the common manner is though we knowe the will of God to dispute the case and to consult with our friends and to practise according to carnall counsell Eue listens to the counsell of Satan and neglects Gods commandement Saul beeing forbidden to offer Sacrifice in Gilgal till Samuel came to doe it consults with himselfe whether he may doe it or no and followes his owne reason against Gods commandement and lost his kingdome for it And this kind of deliberation whereby mē consult what is to be done is the cause of the manifold rebellions of men in the world In that man is tearmed here flesh and blood we are taught not to put confidence in man we are taught to humble our selues before God we are taught euery day to prepare our selues against the day of death and the day of iudgement yea to account euery new day as the day of death because we are but flesh and blood The third point is where Paul first preached namely in Arabia and Damascus Arabia is a region of the world where Mount Sina standes and where the children of Israel wandered 40. yeares The inhabitants thereof were of two forts some more ciuill and some barbarous Ciuill as the Israelites Amalechites Madianites c. Yet were they professed enemies of the people of God Barbarous as the Easterne part of Arabia to ward Babylon For the inhabitants dwelt in Tents and liued like wilde and sauage men by robbing and stealing and consequently by killing Isai. 13. 20. Ierem. 3. 2. Here we see Pauls estate and condition when he first begins the exequution of his Apostolicall function God then laies vpon him a sharpe and waightie triall For he goes alone into Arabia and he must become a teacher to his owne professed enemies yea to a sauage generation of whose conuersion he had no hope in mans reason And this hath bin an vsuall dealing of God with his owne seruants When Moses was called to deliuer the Israelites and was in the way the Lord for a defect in his family comes against him to destroy him Exod. 4. 24. Da uid is annointed king of Israel and withall Saul is raised vp to persecute him and to hunt him as men hunt Partridges in the mountaines Ionas is called to preach to Niniue and withall God forsakes him and leaues him to himselfe so as he is cast into the sea and deuoured of a fish and after this beeing deliuered he must goe preach at Niniue When Christ was in his baptisme as it were inaugurated the Doctor of the Church presently after before he begun to preach he is carried into the wildernesse to be with wild beasts and to be tempted of the deuill Mar. 1. v. 12. And the reasons of this dealing of God are manifest by this meanes sinnefull men are made fit for the office of teaching For the saying is true Reading praier and temptation make a Diuine Againe by this meanes they are caused to depend on the prouidence and protection of God and they are made fit for the assistance and presence of Gods spirit who dwels onely with them that are of humble and contrite hearts Nowe then let not them that in any notable change of their liues finde notable temptations be discouraged for this is a condition that befalls them by a wise and speciall prouidence of God For it was the spirit of God that led Christ into the wildernesse to be tempted after his baptisme Againe here we are taught to acknowledge three things in God His power in that he sets vp his kingdome where it is most oppugned and raignes in the middest of his owne enemies namely the wicked and sauage Arabians according to that in the Psalme 110. v. 2. His goodnes in that he sends Paul to preach repentance to the people that are in the snare of the deuill at his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. His trueth in that he nowe fulfils things foretold by Dauid Psal. 72. 10. The kings of Sheba Saba shall bring gifts that is Ethiopians and Arabians 18. Then after three yeares I came againe to Ierusalem to visit Peter and abode with him fifteene daies Paul hauing prooued before that he learned not the Gospel of any man no not of the Apostles at Hierusalem goes about nowe to answer exceptions that might be made against his reason And first of all it might haue beene obiected that he was seene at Hierusalem sundrie times and therefore in all likelyhood
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
that Pauls often and daungerous iourneies must teach vs to attend on our callings with care and diligence and not to be dismaied with the troubles that shall befall vs. The second answer that Paul was knowne to the Christian Iewes not by face but by hearsay this may seeme strange considering Paul was at Ierusalem and trauailed through Iurie into Syria and Cilicia but it is the truth and the reason of it is plaine The office of an Apostle is not to build vpon the fouÌ„dation of an other or to succeede any man in his labours but to plant and found the Church of the new Testament where Christ had not bin preached or named Rom. 15. 20. In this the Apostles differ from all the Ministers of the new Testament whatsoeuer And this is the cause why Paul was not knowne to the Churches of Iudea And here we see that Succession which the Papists magnifie is not alwaies a note of the true Church and the true Ministerie For the ministerie of the Apostles and the Apostolicall Churches wanted it And this is for the greater commendation of them Againe it is said that Paul was not knowne to the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ. Where let it be obserued that 4. yeares after the ascension of Christ the Apostles had gathered and planted sundrie Christian Churches in Iudea This greatly commends the efficacie and power of the Gospel For hardnes of heart had ouerspread the nation of the Iewes and they had reiected and crucified the Lord of life And thus that is verified which Christ saith that his Disciples beleeuing in him should doe greater things then he had done Ioh. 14. 12. for he by preaching did not conuert multitudes of the Iewes and range them into Churches as the Apostles did Here againe we see that the Gospel by means of the corruption of man is an occasion of diuisions For after the gospel was preached by the Apostles there arose a diuision of Churches among the Iewes Some were Churches in Christ and some out of Christ namely the Synagogues which refused Christ. We may not therfore nowe a daies take offence if schismes and dissentions followe where the Gospel is preached it is not the fault of the Gospel it is the fault of men That Paul might the better shewe that he was known to the Churches of the Iewes onely by heare-say he expresses the report that went of him Hence I gather it is not vnlawfull to tell and heare reports or newes so be it they be not to the preiudice of the trueth of the glory of God and the good name of men Nay it is commendable to report and heare newes that concernes the increase of Gods kingdome and the conuersion of wicked men In the report two things areÌ„ set downe what Paul did He once persecuted vs and destroyed the faith what he now doth He preacheth the Gospel By this we see that verified which Isai foretold that the lyon the wolfe the lambe c. should peaceably liue togither Againe here we see that all things vpon earth are subiect to change and alteration so as it may be said heretefore it was thus and thus but nowe it is otherwise Therefore in miseries we may not be ouer-much grieued for they are changeable and in earthly things we may not reioyce ouer much because they are mutable and subiect to daily alterations Our speciall care must be to auoide eternall and vnchangeable euils as death and the cause of death namely sinne and to purchase to our selues the good things which are euerlasting namely the fauour of God and euerlasting life Furthermore the thing which Paul aimed at in persequuting the Church is to be considered and that was that he might destroy the faith By faith we are to vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel and with all the vertue or gift of faith whereby it is beleeued for the deuill his instruments seeke the ouerthrow of both Christ saith Satan desired to sift his Disciples that is to sift all their faith out of their hearts and to leaue nothing in theÌ„ but chaffe Luk. 22. 32. Here then it may be demanded whether faith may be lost specially in the children of God in the time of temptation and persecution I answer thus There be three degrees of faith The first consists in two things knowledge of the Gospel and Assent to the trueth of it This faith the deuils haue and it may be lost and beleeuers by this faith may quite fall away The second kind of faith containes knowledge assent a taste or ioy in the goodnesse of God a zeale to the word of God and apparent fruits of holinesse This faith also beeing better then the former may be lost in the daies of persecution and beleeuers by this faith may fall quite away Luk 8. 13. The third faith called the faith of the Elect containes three parts knowledge of the Gospel assent to the trueth of it and apprehension whereby we doe receiue and apply Christ with his benefits to our selues or the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting This faith may be greatly wasted for things appertaining to it may be lost as boldnesse to come vnto God the sense or feeling of spiritual ioy and such like Againe it may be buried for a time in the heart and not shew it selfe either by fruits or any profession and in respect of the measure of it it may be lessened and maimed and if we respect the nature of it it is as apt to be lost as any other grace of God for there is nothing by nature vnchangeable but God Neuerthelesse where this faith is in trueth it is neuer by affliction and temptation put out or exstingnished because God in mercie confirms it by newe grace Christ saith to Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luk. 22. 32. And this priuiledge haue all the godly for God promiseth that they shall not be tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. Indeede persecutors are said to destroy the faith because this is their intent and they indeauour to doe what they can but God preuents their desires by establishing true faith that it may not vtterly faile It may be obiected to the contrarie on this manner The child of God may faâ—l into persecution and denie Christ by this fall he is guiltie of a grieuous offence beeing guiltie he hath not pardon of his offence and beeing without pardon he is without faith Touching guiltinesse I answer thus The child of God when he falls is indeed guiltie but howe Guiltie in respect of himselfe or as much as in him lies because he hath done that which is worthy of death and he hath done all he can to make himselfe guiltie But he is not guiltie to condemnation because God on his part doeth not breake off the purpose of adoption and adiudge him to wrath Secondly touching the pardon of his offence I answer thus In pardon there be foure degrees the degree
is the time when in these words then after fourteene yeares Here two questions are to be demaunded The first is of which of his iourneies must this be vnderstood for he made fiue iournies to Ierusalem The first from Arabia the second when he and Barnabas were sent by the Church of the Gentiles to carrie almes to Ierusalem the third when he went to the Councell at Ierusalem the fourth when he went vp for the keeping of his vowe the last is mentioned Act. 19. 21. Answ. These words are not spoken of the first for that was but three yeares after his conuersion neither can they well be vnderstood of the second because Paul then was sent by the Church and therefore he went not by reuelation And they cannot well be vnderstood of the third for then Paul would here haue mentioned the Councell of Ierusalem whereof he was a principall member specially seeing he hath occasion so to doe and it serued much for his purpose The fourth fifth iourneys were after a longer time then fourteene yeares It is likely therefore that this iourney here mentioned and described by Paul is none of the fiue mentioned by Luke but some other The second question is When these fourteene yeares must beginne Ans. It is vncerten Some thinke they must beginne at his conuersion some three yeares after when Paul went first to Ierusalem and either may be a truth None must here take offeÌ„ce For though circumstances of time and place beeing things of lesse moment cannot alwaies be certenly gathered yet histories for their substance and doctrines pertaining to saluation are plainly set downe And here we are put in minde to be content to be ignorant in some things because the spirit of God hath more darkly expressed them or againe because we cannot by reason of our blindnes gather them The third point is concerning the companions of Paul in this iourney namely Barnabas and Titus And Paul takes them with him that they might be witnesses to the Iewes of the doctrine he taught among the Gentiles and againe to the Gentiles of the consent that was betweene him and the rest of the Apostles For the law of God is that euery matter shall be established by the testimonie of two or three witnesses Hence we learne that if a question arise of the doctrine which is deliuered in the publike Ministerie then the hearers that are able to iudge must be witnesses and the triall is to be made by them Thus saith Christ in the like case Why aske ye me aske them that heard me Ioh. 18. 21. Therefore great care and circumspection is to be had of things publikely deliuered Againe whereas Paul makes Barnabas a Iew and Titus a Gentile his companions we are taught to imbrace with a brotherly loue not onely the men of our owne countrey but also such as be of other nations specially if they beleeue For then they are all children of one father and pertaine all to one familie and there is no difference of nations now It is a fault therefore that men of one nation carrie in their hearts a generall dislike and hatred oftentimes of them with whome they deale and conuerse and that because they are of such or such countries The fourth point is the cause of his iourney in these words and I went by reuelation Here we are taught that for the iournies we make we are to haue some good and sufficient warrant though not a reuelation yet a commandement or that which counteruailes a commandement as when we trauaile by vertue of our callings When Noe had made the Arke he enters into it at Gods commandement he abides in it and when the earth was in part dried he presumes not to goe out till the Lord bad him Here three sorts of men are to be blamed Pilgrimes that trauell to Ierusalem or other countries in way of merit or religion For they haue no warrant Secondly trauellers that goe from countrey to countrey and out of the precincts of the Church vpon vaine curiositie to see fashions Such when they trauell from their own countries yet they trauell not from their vices but rather goe deeper into them and come home againe with many bad and corrupt fashions The last are beggers Rogues that passe from place to place that they may'l ue in idlenes vpoÌ„ the sweat of other mens brows Thus much of the iourney now followes the Conference in these words and I communicated c. Here generally I gather that Conferences both priuate and publike are laudible and to be maintained specially when they tend to the maintenance of vniâ—ie and consent in doctrine The Papists blame vs Protestants for condemning Conferences as they say and Councells But they doe vs wrong Indeede the Councell of Trent we reiect and condemne For in it against all equitie the Pope was both partie and iudge In it there was no libertie to make triall of truth For nothing was propounded but by the liking and consent of the Pope Againe the whole Councell consisted of such as were of the Italian faction whose faith was pinned on the Popes sleeue Neuerthelesse we allow all Christian Councells lawfully gathered and we desire there might be a Generall Councell for the triall of truth and for the staying of vnsetled minds these three caueats beeing remembred One that the Councell be gathered by Christian Princes to whom the right of calling a Councell belongs The other that the Pope be no iudge but a partie The third that Christ in his word be the iudge and that the Delegates in the Councell be but as witnesses determining all things by the written word In this conference we are first to consider the manner of conferring which was vsed Paul saith he communicated with them that is he laid downe vnto them and expounded the Gospel which he preached and this he did priuatly that is with the Apostles one by one in plaine and familiar manner as one friend doth with an other Therefore for the maintaining of this conference there was no assembly made neither was there any disputation held Onely Paul declares his doctrine and they giue assent Hence it appeares that Paul doth not submit the truth of his doctrine to triall For he was resolued of it and he accursed him that taught otherwise but his intent was to seeke the approbation of the Apostles that he might stop the mouth of his aduersaries The second point is the matter of the conference and that is the Gospel which Paul preached Here the Papist gathereth that the Church is the iudge in all questions pertaining to religion and the word because it is here the thing that is iudged I answer first that they gather amisse For Paul doeth not here submit the Gospel which he preached to the iudgement of the Church of Ierusalem And it is false which they teach for the soueraigne Iudge of all questions and controuersies in religion is Christ alone The power to determine and resolue in cases
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
hearts vpon the outward things of this world because God doth not respect vs for them But we are earnestly to seeke after the things that make vs accepted with God as true faith righteousnes and good conscience Rom. 14. 17. Againe superiours must be admonished to deale moderately with their inferiours Coloss. 2. 11. Againe inferiours are to comfort themselues if they be oppressed in that God the iudge of all accepts no persons Lastly here we learne that when we shall haue immediate fellowship with God in heauen all outward respect of persons shall cease God himselfe and the lamb Christ Iesus shall be all in all to the Elect. In the ende of the verse Paul addes for they communicated nothing to me but to the contrarie Rom. 1. 12. may be obiected Where Paul desires to come to Rome that he might be comforted by their mutuall faith both his and theirs Answ. Though the Apostles did communicate nothing to Paul in respect of doctrine or iudgement yet might they or the meanest beleeuers conferre something vnto him in respect of comfort or the confirmation of his faith and thus much he signifieth to the Romanes Here is a good item for them that come to no sermons because they can learne nothing Put the case they were as learned as the Apostles yet might they profit in hearing in respect of comfort of faith and good affection 7 But on the contrarie when they saw that the Gospel ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer the circumcision was to Peter 8 For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was also mightie by me toward the Gentiles 9 And when Iames and Cephas and Iohn knew the grace of God that was giuen to me which are accounted pillars they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hād of fellowship that we should preach to the Gentiles they vnto the Circumcision The wordes of more difficultie are thus to be explaned Contrariwise that is they did communicate nothing to me in way of correction but on the contrarie they gaue me the hand of fellowship Againe the words Circumcision and vncircumcision signifie the nation of the Iewes and the Gentiles the one circūcised the other vncircūcised And whē Paul saith that the grace of God was giuen to him he meanes specially the gift of an Apostle Rom. 1. 5. Lastly to giue the right hand of fellowshippe to Paul is to esteeme and acknowledge him for their collegue or fellowe Apostle by giuing the right hand in token thereof The contents of the words are these Here Paul sets downe the third signe of his approbation namely that the cheife Apostles acknowledged him for their fellow Apostle v. 9. Secondly he sets down the manner how the cheefe Apostles acknowledged this fellowship and that was by making a couenant with Paul that he should preach to the Gentiles and Peter to the Iewes Thirdly he sets down the impulsiue cause that mooued the Apostles to receiue Paul to their fellowship and that was the decree of God whereby he ordained that Paul should be the cheife Apostle to the Gentiles and Peter the cheife Apostle among the Iewes v. 7. Lastly he sets down the signes whereby the Apostles knew that Paul was ordained the Apostle of the Gentiles and they are two the grace of god giuen him and the power of his Ministerie among the Gentiles v. 8 9. Furthermore the things here contained are in a syllogisme disposed thus When the Apostles saw that I was ordained the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes they acknowledged me for their fellow Apostle and made a couenant with me that I should preach to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jewes But when I was with them at Ierusalem they saw that I was ordained the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes This minor is omitted yet the proofe thereof is set down thus For they saw the efficacie of my ministerie among the Gentiles and the grace of God that was with me Therefore they acknowledged me for their fellow Apostle c. The vse This text makes notably against the primacie of Peter First therefore let vs obserue the Ordinance of God here plainely expressed that Paul should be the cheife Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter the cheife Apostle of the Iewes And this may else where be gathered For the commission of the twelue Apostles ran thus that they must first preach to Ierusalem and Iudea then to Samaria and in the last place to the vttermost part of the earth Act. 1. 8. And Pauls commission was that he should first preach to the Gentiles and in the second place to the people of Israel Act. 9. 16. It may be obiected that the commission of all the Apostles was to goe into all the world and to preach to all men without exception Mar. 16. 15. Answer This power and libertie Christ gaue to all the Apostles and he did not take it away afterward neuerthelesse he ordered it by a second decree that Paul should specially haue care of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes And this the Lord did in great wisdome that confusion and discord might be auoided and a regard had of all prouinces through the world Hence it followes that the primacie of Peter ouer Iewes Gentiles is a supposed thing For the ordinance of God is that Peter shall be cheife ouer the Iewes and not ouer the Gentiles which were almost all the world beside And thus the supremacie of the Pope goes to the ground for if he hold of Peter and succeede him in authoritie and office as he pretends he must challenge a superioritie ouer the Iewes and he hath nothing to doe with vs. For Paul was cheife ouer the Gentiles and not Peter Secondly this Ordinance of God giues vs to vnderstand that the place Math. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. and I wil giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen doth not containe a promise made to Peter of a primacie ouer all the Apostles and ouer the Catholike church If Christ had meant any such thing in these words he would not haue assigned the Iewes to Peter and all the nations of the world beside to Paul Thus we see how this text for many hūdred yeares hath beene abused and is still at this day Thirdly it is false which the Papists teach that the place in S. Iohn Feede my lambes and feede my sheepe giues a primacie to Peter ouer the whole world For by the ordinance of God this feeding of lambes and sheep is limited to the nation of the Iewes Lastly whereas Eusebius saith in his Chronicle that Peter was Bishop of Rome and sate there 25. years it hath no likelihood of truth for then Peter liued in the breach of an expresse commandement of God for a long time because the Iewes were his speciall charge Againe it is to be obserued in this
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
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.
of loue and of a sound minde Where he sets downe three caueats First that this libertie in reprouing is not the fruite of a bold and rash disposition but it is a fruit of Gods spirit and so to be acknowledged Read Mich. 3. 8. The secoÌ„d that the vse of this libertie is to be ordered by a sound mind whereby we are able to giue a good ac count of our reproofes both for the matter and manner of them The third is that all our admonitions must be seasoned and tempered with loue that they tend to the good and saluation of them that are reproued These caueats obserued libertie in reproouing shall neuer want his blessing Isai. 50. 7. Thirdly here is an example in Paul of an ingenious ho nest minde When he sees Peter doe amisse he reprooues him to his face Contrarie to this is the common practise in backbiting whispering tale-bearing whereby it comes to passe that when a man is in fault euery man knowes it saue he which is in fault This vice the lawe of God expressely forbids Leu. 19. 16. And it is the propertie of a good man not to take vp a false reporte Psal. 15. And Dauid reproues Soul because he did but lend the eare to tale bearers saying wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens wordes that say behould Dauid seeketh euill against thee 1. Sam. 24. 10. In Peter who when he was reproued made no reply we see an example of patience and humiltie whereby he humbled himselfe before the reprouer when he was conuicted of an offence The like was in Dauid when he said let the righteous smite mee Psal. 141. v. 5. Where as Paul saith that Peter was to be blamed or condemned not in respect of his person but of his example we see that excellent men euen the cheefe Apostles are subiect to erre and be deceiued It may be said howe then may we trust them in their writings I answer while they were in deliuering any thing to the Church whether it were by sermon or wri ting they were guided by the infallible assistance of the spirit and could not erre Otherwise they might erre when they were out of this worke in mind will affection or action Thus Ionas when he saw that Niniue was not destroyed was impotent in his anger Nathan was deceiued in giuing aduise to Dauid touching the building of the temple 2 Sam. 7. The Apostles at the ascension of Christ still dreamed of an earthly kingdome saying When wilt thou restore the kingdome to Israel Act. 1. And Peter beeing bidden to arise and eate of things forbidden by the ceremonial law said Not so Lord Act. 10. 1. 4. Thus then if Peter was subiect to errour the pretended successours of Peter namely the bishops of Rome cannot be free from errour It is alleadged that Peter erred in life and not in doctrine I answer it was so indeed yet did his bad example tend to the ruine of doctrine if it had not bin preuented Therefore the errour that was in acte if we respect the euent was in doctrine Againe I answer that an errour in action presupposeth an errour in minde or at the least some ignorance because the minde is the beginning of the thing done Thus all sinners are called ignorant persons Hebr. 5. 2. And it seemes that the errour of Peter was that of two euils it was the best to choose the lesse that is to choose rather to offend the Gentiles then the Iewes to whome he was an Apostle specially appointed Here againe we miserable wrethes are taught to watch and pray that God would not lead vs into temptation considering most excellent men are subiect to falling And men must be warned not to abuse Peters example in boulstering themselues in their naughtie waies by saying we are all sinners that the best man aliue is a sinner that the iust man falles seuen times a day For the place in the Prouerbs 14. 16. is spoken of affliction and not of sinne the iust man falls seuen times that is he falles into manifould perills And further we should not only consider the faults of iust men but also their conuersion and repentance And againe to sinne and to commit sinne are two diuers things Though the godly sinne yet doe they not keepe a course in sinning and goe on from sinne to sinne v. 12. For before certen came from Iames he ate with the gentiles but when they were come he withdrew himselfe fearing them that were of the circumcision 13. And other Iewes dissembled likewise with him in so much that Barnabas was brought into their dissimulation also The Apostle hath propounded his second answer in the former verse now he proceedes to make a declaration of it And first he sets downe the cause why Peter was reproued and the manner of reprofe The cause is the 12 and 13. verses namely Peters sinne And this sinne is set forth by foure things By the name of the sinne the matter of the sinne the cause of the sinne the effects of the sinne The name of the sinne is noted when Paul saith And other Iewes dissembled likewise with him v. 13. where I gather that Peters sinne was Simulation Simulation of it selfe is a thing indifferent and according to circumstances is either good or euill Lawfull simulation is when men conceit that which they may lawfully conceit and signifie something either by word or deede that is onely beside the truth and not contrarie to it This was the Simulation of Ioseph who carried himselfe as a stranger to his brethren in Egypt after he had examined them and knew who they were Gen. 42. This was the Simulation of Christ who when he was come to Emaus made as though he would haue gone further Luk. 24. 28. Thus Paul among the Iewes plaid the Iewe 1. Cor. 9. 20. Vnlawfull Simulation is that when something is signified or fained against the truth or to the preiudice of any Of this kind was the simulation of Peter which tended to the preiudice of the Gospel and to the offence of the Gentiles The second point is the matter of the sinne or the sinne it selfe which was on this manner First among the Gentiles at Antioch he vseth Christian libertie in eating things forbidden by the ceremoniall law yet after the comming of certen Iewes from Ierusâ—lem he seperates himselfe from the Gentiles and plaies the Iewe among the Iewes Like to this was the halting of the Israelites betweene God and Baal 1. King 18. 21. and the practise of sundrie men who are Protestants with vs and yet in other countries goe to Masse and the practise of our people who change their religion with the times Here we see the great weaknesse of Peter in that vpon a very little occasion and that presently falls away from his profession to his old course In him we may behold our owne weakenesse and consider what we are like to doe in like case We nowe professe the Gospell of Christ yet if
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
For Christ in his Sacrifice Satisfaction intercession merit admits no corriuall or associate All actions of his are perfect in their kind and neede no supplie This againe must teach vs to content our selues with Christ alone and not to set vp any thing with him or against him This is the safest and the surest course A certen Papist writeth to this effect that we Protestants in our iustification cleaue only to the bodie of the tree and that the Papists cleaue both to the bodie and the branches And I say againe it is the safest with both the hands to cleaue to the bodie of the tree and he that with one hand laies hold vpon the bodie of the tree and with the other staies himselfe vpon the branches â—in great danger of falling The second conclusion of Paul is that to set vp any thing out of Christ as a meritorious cause of saluation and to place our iustification in it either in whole or in part is indeede the seruice of Idols And the reason is plaine For this is to set vp something in the place and roome of Christ and men put a confidence in that which they make a cause of their owne saluation The doctrine then of Iustification by works is a doctrine that maintaines idolatrie for if they iustifie we may put our trust in them and if we put our confidence in them we make idols of them That works may merit at Gods hand they must not onely be sanctified but also deified The distinction vsed of the Papists of Latria and Dulia that is of worship and seruice falls to the ground They say they giue worship to God and seruice to Angels and Saints It is a toie For here Paul condemnes the very seruice to heathen gods and the seruice of the rudiments of the law is the Apostasie of the Galatians And to giue seruice or worshippe to any thing are all one The third conclusion of Paul is that they which haue giuen their names to God and Christ must not returne to any thing that they haue forsaken or ought to forsake He that puts his hand to the plough must not looke backe he that goes to the land of Canaan must not looke backe to Egypt We in England haue bin long deliuered from the superstition of Poperie and we must not so much as dreame of any returne It is a common fault among vs that in outward profession we cleaue to Christ yet in affection and practise we cleaue to the world and walke after the lusts of our owne hearts This is in shew to goe forward but in deede to turne backe againe But our dutie is in thought conscience will affection word and deede to go on forward and no way to goe backe Vers. 10. In the former verse Paul sets downe the Apostasie of the Galatians in generall tearmes saying How turne ye againe to the Elements of the world In the 10. verse he shewes what these Elements be Ye obserued daies and moneths and times and yeares By daies are meant Iewish Sabbaths by moneths the feasts obserued euery moneth in the day of the new moone By times some vnderstand the feast of the Passeouer the feast of Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacies But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies seasons or fit times for the doing of this or that busines So is it translated Act. 1. 7. It is not for you to know the times and seasons It was the manner of the Gentiles to make difference of times in respect of good or bad successe and that according to the signes of heauen And it is very likely that the Galatians obserued daies not onely in the Iewish but also in the heathenish manner By yeares are meant euery seuenth yeare and the Iubelie yeares which the Galatians obserued after the fashion of the Iewes Againe there is a fourefold kind of obseruation of daies one naturall the other ciuill the third Ecclesiasticall the fourth superstitious Naturall is when daies are obserued according to the course of the sunne moone Gen. 1. 14. thus day follows night and night followes day and euery yeare hath foure seasons spring sommer autumne winter And the obseruation of these times is according to the law of nature Ciuill obseruation is when set times are obserued for husbandrie in planting setting reaping sowing for houshold affaires and for the affaires of the commonwealth in keeping of faires and markets c. And thus to obserue daies is not vnlawfull Ecclesiasticall obseruation of times is when set daies are obserued for orders sake that men may come together to worship God these daies are either daies of thanksgiuing or daies of humiliation Of daies of thanksgiuing take the example of the Iewes Hest. 9. 26. who obserued yearely the feast of Purim for a memorie of their deliuerance In like manner they appointed and obserued the feast of Dedication and it seemes that Christ was present at Ierusalem as an obseruer of this feast Ioh. 10. 22. And thus for orders sake to obserue certaine daies of solemnitie is not forbidden Superstitious obseruation of daies is twofold Iewish or heathenish Iewish when set daies are obserued with an opinion that we are bound in conscience to obserue them and when the worship of God is placed in the obseruing of this or that time Heathenish when daies are obserued in respect of good or bad successe Now then to come to the point the intent of Paul is onely to condemne the Iewish manner of obseruing of daies in these words Ye obserue daies moneths yeares and the heathenish manner in these words ye obserue seasons Against this interpretation the place of Paul may be obiected Rom. 14. 6. He that obserues the day obserues it to the Lord. Ans. Indeede Paul in these words excuseth the Romanes that obserued daies and saith that their intention was to obserue them to the honour of God and this he saith because as yet they were not fully instructed touching Christian libertie but withall let it be remembred that in mild sort he notes this to be a fault in them when he saith that they were weake in faith Now the case was otherwise with the Galatians because they obserued daies after they had bin informed touching their libertie in Christ and withall they placed their saluation in part in the obseruation of daies and thus they mixed the Gospel with the law And therefore they were iustly to be blamed Againe it may be obiected that now in the time of the new Testament we in religious manner obserue the Lords day Ans. Some men both godly and learned are of opinion that the Lords day was appointed by the Apostles for orders sake and that it is in the libertie of the Church to appoint the Sabbath vpon any other day in the weeke because they say all daies without exception are equall and they adde further that when the publike worship of God is ended men may then returne to their labours or giue themselues to recreation
on the Lords day But this doctrine seemes not to stand with the fourth commandement It seemes to be a truth more probable that euery seauenth day in the weeke must be set a part in holy rest vnto God for this is the substance of the fourth commandement And it is also very probable that the Sabbath of the new Testament is limited and determined by our Sauiour Christ to the Lords day For Paul and the rest of the Apostles obserued the first day of the weeke for a Sabbath day Act. 20. 7. and he saith Whatsoeuer ye haue heard and what ye haue seene in me that doe Phil. 4. 9. Againe it was the decree or constitution of Paul that the collection for the poore should be the first day of the weeke at Corinth now this collection in the Primitiue Church followed preaching praier sacraments and it was the conclusion of all other exercises in the assemblie 1. Cor. 16. 2. And this first day of the weeke is called the Lords day Apoc. 1. 11. and it is so called because it was dedicated and consecrated to the honour of Christ our Lord. And who is the author of this Dedication but Christ himselfe the Lord of the Sabboth It is alleadged that the Sabbath and the commandement touching the Sabbath is Ceremoniall and vpon this ground they take libertie keep no Sabbath at all But the truth is that the commandement touching the Sabbath is not wholly Ceremoniall It may be the first words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it and the words In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. are spoken of the Iewes Sabbath but the wordes Sixe daies shalt thou labour and the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are morall and containe a perpetuall truth Therefore the words of Paul must be conceiued with an exception of the Sabbath day which is the seuenth day in euery weeke which day Christ hath limited by his Apostles to the Lords day The vse This text of Paul discouers vnto vs a great part of the superstition of the Popish Church in the obseruation of holy daies First beside the Lords day they appoint many other sabbaths whereas it is the priuiledge of God to appoint an ordinarie day of rest and to sanctifie it to his owne honour Secondly they bind mens consciences to the obseruation of their holy daies which Paul here forbids and Col. 2. 16. Thirdly they place the worship of God in the obseruation of their holy daies but God is worshipped in vaine by mens precepts Matth. 15. Fourthly they place a great holines in their festiuall daies more then in other daies Fiftly they dedicate many of their holy daies to the honour of Saints and Angels whereas the dedication of ordinarie and set daies is a part of diuine or religious worship Lastly their holy daies for number are more then the festiuall daies of the Iewes and thus they bring people into their old bondage nay to a greater bondage then euer the Iewes indured in respect of daies and times It may be said that the Church of the Protestants obserue holy daies Ans. Some Churches doe not because the Church in the Apostles daies had no holy day beside the Lords day and the 4. commandement inioynes the labour of sixe daies Indeede the Churches of England obserueth holy daies but the Popish superstition is cut off For we are not bound in conscience to the obseruation of these daies neither doe we place holines or the worship of God in them but we keepe them onely for orders sake that men may come to the Church to heare Gods word And though we retaine the names of Saints daies yet we giue no worship to saints but to God alone And such daies as contained nothing in them but superstition as the conception and assumption of the virgin Marie we haue cut off Thus doth the Church with vs obserue holy daies and no otherwise Indeede the ignorant multitude among vs faile greatly in the obseruing of daies For they greatly solemnise the time of the birth of Christ and then they keepe few or no markets but the Lords day is not accordingly respected and men will not be disswaded from following of faires on that day Againe to obserue daies of good bad successe according to the constellations of the heauens is an heathenish fashion to be auoided For it is here condemned in the Galatians Here therefore we must be put in minde not to obserue the planetarie houres for men suppose that the houres of the daie are ruled by the planets and hereupon that some houres are good and luckie as they say and some vnluckie that men are taken with planets and borne vnder vnluckie planets But these are heathenish conceits Neither must we respect our Horoscope or the time of our birth and the constellation of the heauens thē as though we could hereby know what should befall vs to the end of our daies And we must not put difference of daies as though some were luckie vnto vs and some vnluckie according to the course of the starres The like I saie of the Criticall daies that is the 7. and the 14. daie after that a man beginnes to be sicke For they are groūded vpon the aspects of the moone which are not to be regarded And the Climactericall years are not to be obserued as dangerous and dismall The obseruatiō of the signes is of the same nature For the 12. signes are nothing els but 12. parts of the first mooueable which is but a supposed heauen Therefore there is no danger in the thing but in our conceit We are to feare God and not to feare the starres neither are we to make differences of daies in respect of them as though the affaires we take in hand should prosper the better or the worse in respect of their different operation Gods commandement is Feare not the signes of heauen Ierem. 10. 2. And good reason For no man can by learning knowe the operation of the starrs because their lights and operations are all mixed togither in all places vpon earth and therefore no obseruation can be made of this or that starre more then of this or that hearbe when all hearbes are mixed and compounded togither Againe the operation of the starres is by their light and light hath no operation but in heat or cold moisture or drinesse In this respect though we may well obserue the full and the change of the moone it is foolishnesse to ascribe the regiment of our affaires to the starres they beeing matters contingent which depend on the will and pleasure of man Lastly it is a great ouersight to hold sundrie of the starres to be malignant and infortunate in respect of vs whereas they are the creatures of God and their light serues for the good of man In a word we are not to make difference of daies neither in respect of holines nor in respect of good or badde successe V. 11. I am afraid
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
Gods Church or kingdome in which first comes the husbandman and sowes good seede and then after comes the deuill with his tares Matth. 13. 24. and all this is euident in the Church of Galatia first planted by Paul and then seduced by false teachers The third thing is that Paul preached bearing about him the triall of God This triall is a worke of God whereby he discouers vnto vs and to the world either the grace or the corruption of our hearts Thus God tried Abraham Hebr. 11. 17. the Israelites Deut. 6. 1. and Ezechias 2. Chron. 32. 31. and Paulin this place The vse We must not thinke it strange when we are afflicted any way Nay we must looke for trialls and be content when they come 1. Pet. 4. 12. Iam. 1. 2. We are either gold in deede or gold in shew if in deede we must be cast into the furnace that we may be purged if we be gold in appearance we must againe into the furnace that we may be knowne what we are The best vine in the vinyard must be lopped and cut with the pruning knife that it may beare the more fruit Ioh. 15. Againe we must take heede least there be any hidden corruptions raigning in our hearts and we must labour to be indeede that which we appeare to be For we must be tried by God and then that which now lies hidde shall be discouered to our shame Lastly we must looke to it that there be soundnes of grace in vs that we may be able to beare the trialls of God and shew forth some measure of faith potience obedience The first signe of Reuerence in the Galatians is that they did not despise Paul in his base condition This is a matter of commendation in them and it is to be followed of vs. And he is a blessed man that is not offended at Christ Math. 11. 6. The second signe of reuerence is that they receiued Paul as an angel of God or as Christ Iesus Here first we must distinguish betweene Pauls person and his doctrine or ministerie And he is said to be receiued as an angel or as Christ because his doctrine was receiued euen as if an angel or Christ had deliuered it Secondly we must put a difference betweene an Apostle and all ordinarie pastours and teachers And to be receiued as an angel or as Christ properly and simply concerns Paul and the rest of the Apostles For to them it was said it is not you that speake but the spirit of the father in you Math. 10. 20. Againe he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10. 16. The Apostles were called of God immediately taught and inspired immediately and immediately gouerned by the spirit both in preaching and writing so as they could not erre in the things which they deliuered to the Church and therefore they were to be heard euen as Christ himselfe As for other ordinarie teachers they are in part and in the second place to be heard as angels and as Christ so farre forth as they follow the doctrine of the Apostles Thus are they also called the angels of the couenant Math. 2. 7. And Embassadours in the stead of Christ 2. Cor. 5. 21. Here Paul notably expresseth the Authoritie and honour of an Apostle which is to be heard euen as Christ himselfe because in preaching he is the mouth and in writing the hand of God This authoritie is to be maintained and the consideration of it is of great vse The Papists say we know the scripture to be the word of God by the testimonie of the Church but indeede the principall meanes whereby we are assured touching the truth of Scripture is that the books of scripture were penned by men whose writings and sayings we are to receiue euen as from Christ himselfe because they had either Propheticall or Apostolicall authoritie and were immediately taught and inspired in writing and all this may be discerned by the matter for me and circumstances of the foresaid books Secondly they are to be blamed that call the Pope the spouse of the Church and Christ by annointment as Bernard did for thus is he more then an Apostle Thirdly here we see the goodnesse of God that doth not speake to vs in his maiestie but appoints men in his stead who are his embassadours to beseech vs to be reconciled to him Fourthly there must be fidelitie in teachers because they stand in teaching in the stead of Christ and therefore must onely deliuer that which they knowe to be the will of Christ. Fiftly They must haue a speciall care of holinesse of life because they speake in the name and roome of God Read Leuit. 10. 2. Sixtly the people are to heare their teachers with all reuerence euen as if they would heare the very angels of God or Christ himselfe Seauenthly the comfort of the Ministerie is as sure and certen as if an angel came downe from heauen or Christ himselfe to comfort vs so be it we doe indeed truely turne to God and repent Vers. 15. What was your felicitie that is you esteemed it to be your felicitie that you receiued me and my doctrine Ye would haue plucked out your eies and haue giuen them to me a prouerbiall speech signifying the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul so as nothing which they had could be to deare for him If it had bin possible this he saith because no mā can pluck out his eie to doe another man good or thus no man can possibly giue his eie and the sight thereof to another In these words Paul sets downe the third signe of the loue and reuerence which the Galatians shewed to him and that is that they thought themselues happie by reason of Pauls Ministerie and would haue parted with their owne eies for his good Hence we learne that there is a felicitie after the time of this life and that is to receiue and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell So saith Christ else where Luk. 8. 21. and 11. 18. Math. 7. 26. True happinesse stands in our reconciliation with God in Christ. And this reconciliation is offered and giuen vs on gods part by his word and promise and it is receiued of vs when we turne to God and by faith rest on the said promise To be in Gods kingdome is happinesse and this is the kingdome of God when we resigne our selues in subiection to his will and word The preaching of the word is the key of this kingdome Matth. 16. 19. and when it is receiued into our hearts by faith heauen is set open vnto vs euen in this life Ioh. 1. 51. The Philosophers therefore haue erred that place our happinesse in honours riches pleasures or in ciuill vertue Secondly our common people are deceiued who thinke because they deale truely and iustly before men that they are in as good a case as they that heare all the sermons in the world as though true happinesse stood in ciuill conuersation
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
contention Phil. 1. 15. others make marchandise of the word It is an excellent thing to imbrace the Gospel and yet many men doe it amisse for feare or for honour or for profit or for other sinister respect and not for the Gospels sake This temporall life is an excellent thing yet few there are that know the ende of this life For men commonly spend not their time to seeke the kingdome of heauen and to serue God in seruing of men but with all their might they aime at honours profits pleasures and thus they liue amisse not for the honour of God but for themselues This must teach vs not onely to doe good but to doe it well and to propound good ends to our selues and to seeke to be vpright in the statutes of God Psal. 119. 80. To this ende three things must be done First we must set before vs the will and commandement of God and this must mooue vs to doe the good we doe Secondly the outward action must be conformable to the inward motions of the inward man and they must both goe together Thirdly we must directly intend to obay God in the things we doe and to approoue our hearts and doings to him In that the false Apostles are saide to be ielous or zealous we see how nature can counterfeit 〈◊〉 grace of God and that which the child of God doth by 〈◊〉 that the naturall man can doe by nature Thus Pharao fa 〈…〉 repentance Exod. 9. 27. and Ahab that sold himselfe to worke wickednes 1. king 21. 27. and Iudas in the midst of his despaire is said to repent Matt. 27. 1. Daily experience shewes the like in such persons who in their extremitie with teares vse to bewaile their liues past and with many vowes and protestations promise amendment and yet afterward when they are on foote againe they returne to their old bias In a word there is nothing that the godly man doth by the spirit of God spiritually but an hypocrite may doe the like carnally Nature can play the part of the ape in imitating good things Therefore it stands vs in hand to praie and examine our hearts least we be deceiued in our selues For there may lie a depth of deceit and falshood lurking in the heart And that we be not deceiued two things must be obserued One is that we must cherish in our hearts an vniuersall hatred of all and euery sinne first in our selues and then in others The second is that we must be changed and renewed in our minds consciences and affections Thirdly here we see the propertie of enuie and Ambition in these false teachers Paul must be excluded from the loue of the Galatians that they alone may be loued Thus Iosua would haue excluded Eldad and Medad from prophesying and he would haue Moses to be the onely prophet but Moses saith I would to God all the people could prophecie Num. 11. 29. Iohns disciples would haue excluded Christ baptising but Iohn saith He must increase and I must decrease Ioh. 3. 30. The disciples of Christ would haue excluded one that cast out deuills in the name of Christ but did not follow him and Christ forbad them Luk. 9. 49. Lastly we here see the propertie of deceiuers is to make a diuision betweene the Pastors and the people Beside the former pretended ielousie there is a good ielousie which the Apostle takes to himselfe and els where he calls it the ielousie of God 2. Cor. 11. 2. This ielousie presupposeth the office of the Apostles and all Ministers which stands in three things The first is to become suters to the Church or to the soules of men in the name of Christ and to make the offer or motion in his name of a spirituall marriage and this is done in the ministerie and dispensation of the Gospel The second is to make the Contract betweene mens soules and Christ. Now to the making of a contract the consent of both the parties at the least is required Christ giues his consent in the word Ose 2. 20. and we giue our consent to him and choose him for our head when we turne to God and beleeue in Christ. And the ministerie of the word serues to signifie the will of Christ vnto vs and to stirre vp our hearts to an holy consent The third is after the contract to preserue them in true faith and good life that they may be fit to be presented to Christ in the day of iudgement and so be married to him eternally for then and not before is the marriage of the lambe These duties are all noted by Paul when he saith that he prepared the Corinthians that he might present them as a pure virgin vnto Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. And because this charge and office is laid vpon the Apostles and Ministers therefore they are said to be ielous This Ielousie stands in three things The first is to loue the Church indeede and truth for Christs sake The second is to feare least by reason of weaknes and by meanes of the temptations of the deuill the Church and they that beleeue should fall away from Christ. The third is after the fall of the church to be angrie with holy anger and indignation for Christs sake Thus Moses was ielous when the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe and Elias with like zealessue the priests of Baal Thus is Paul said to be ielous in this place and Act. 14. If the Apostle be thus ielous how much more then is Christ himselfe ielous who hath espoused himselfe to his Church This plainly shewes that he cannot brooke either Partner or deputie And therefore his sacrifice on the crosse must stand without the sacrifice of the masse his intercession without the intercession of Saints his merits without the merit of workes his satisfaction without any satisfaction of ours He will haue the heart alone and all the heart or nothing and he will not giue any part of his honour to any other This Ielousie in the Ministers must teach all faithfull seruants of God that they keepe themselues as pure virgins for Christ and set their hearts on nothing in the world but on him Therefore they must hunger after Christ they must account all things dongue for him they must haue their conuersation in heauen with him and loue his comming vnto thē by death Psal. 45. 10. Contrariwise they that set their hearts on any other thing beside him are said to goe a whoring from him and therefore they are accursed Psal. 73. 27. Thus many Protestants doe in their practise whatsoeuer they professe Thus doth the Church of Rome both in word and deede For beside Christ shee hath many other louers and shee goes a whoring after them when shee worships Angels and Saints the images of God and Christ with religious worship Againe by this we are put in minde to yeeld an vniuersall subiection to Christ for this is the dutie of the espoused wife to her husband Lastly that good things
till the comming of the Messias and now the Catholike Church is in the roome of the sanctuarie in it must we seeke the presence of God and the word of life therefore it is called the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Fourthly in Ierusalem was the throne of Dauid Psal. 122. 5. and in the Catholike Church is the throne or scepter of Christ figured by the kingdome of Dauid Reu. 3. 7. Fiftly the commendation of a cittie as Ierusalem is the subiection obedience of the citizens now in the Catholike Church all beleeuers are citizens Eph. 2. 19. and they yeild voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their king Psal. 110. 2. Isai 2. 5. Lastly as in Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register so the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Reu. 20. 15. Hebr. 12. 23. Againe the Catholike Church dwelling here belowe is said to be aboue in heauen for two causes First in respect of her beginning which is from the Election and grace of God and from Christ the Mediatour of whose flesh and bone we are that beleeue Eph. 5. 30. The iustice whereby we are iustified is in Christ our holinesse and life flowes from the holinesse and life of Christ as from a roote Secondly the Church is said to be aboue because it dwels by faith in heauen with Christ for the propertie of faith is to make vs present after a sort when we are absent Heb. 11. 2. The vse This beeing so we are admonished to liue in this world as Pilgrimes and strangers 1. Pet. 2. 11. and therefore we must not set our loue vpon any earthly thing but our mindes must be vpon the countrie to which we are trauelling And whatsoeuer is an hinderance to vs in our iourney we must cast it from vs that we may goe lightly and if we haue any wrongs done vs either in goods or good name we must the rather be content because we are out of our countrie in a strange place and hereupon we must take occasion to make haste to our iourneys end that is to our own citie and last abode Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11. 13 15. Secondly we must carrie our selues as Burgesses of heauen Phil. 3. 20. And this we shall do by minding seeking affecting of heauenly things by speaking the language of Canaan which is to inuocate and praise the name of God Lastly by leading a spirituall life that may beseeme the citizens of heauen Many faile in this point when they come to the Lords table they professe themselues to be citizens of the citie of God but in their common dealings in the world they play the starke rebels against God and his word and liue according to the lusts of their blinde and vnrepentant hearts Thirdly when Paul saith that Ierusalem which is aboue is free c. he shewes that the Catholike Church is one in number no more Cant. 6. 8. My doue is aboue and the onely daughter of her mother Ioh. 10. 16. One sheepefold There be many members but one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 12. Fourthly hence we gather that the Catholike Church is invisible For the companie of them that dwell in heauen by their faith cannot be discerned by the eie Iohn saw the heauenly Ierusalem descending from heauen yet not with the bodily eye but in spirit Reuel 21. 10. The things which make the Catholike Church to be the Church namely election vocation iustification glorification are inuisible The papist therfore erreth when he teacheth that the Catholike Church is a visible companie vnder one Pastour namely the Pope And the places which they bring to prooue the visibilitie of the vniuersall Church concerne either particular churches or the churches which were in the daies of the Apostles or againe they speake of the inward glorie and beautie of the Church Free that is redeemed from the bondage of death and sin and so from the curse of the lawe Of this freedome I will speak more afterward The mother of vs all shee is called a mother because the word of God is committed to the keeping of the Church which word is seed 1. Pet. 1. 23. and milke 1. Cor. 3. 2. and strong meat Heb. 5. 14. And the church as a mother which by the ministery of the said word brings forth children to God after they are borne brought forth shee feeds them with milke out of her owne breasts which are the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament Here a great question is to be propounded namely where we shall find this our Mother For it is the dutie of all children to haue recourse vnto their mother and to liue vnder her wing The aduocates of the Popish Church Priests and Iesuits say we must be reconciled to the Church and See of Rome if we would be of the Catholike church To this purpose they vse many motiues I will here propound seauen of them because heretofore they haue bin scattered abroad among vs. The first motiue The Church of Rome hath meanes of sure and certen interpretation tradition councels fathers we haue nothing but the priuate interpretation of Luther Melancthon Caluin c. Answ. Scripture is both the glosse and the text And the principall meanes of the interpretation of scripture is scripture it selfe And it is a means when places of scripture are expounded by the Analogie of faith by the words scope and circumstances of the place And the interpretation which is sutable to all these is sure certen and publike for it is the interpretation of God Contrariwise the interpretation which is not agreeable to these though it be from Church Fathers and Councells is vncerten and it is priuate interpretation Now this kind of interpretation we allow and therefore it is false that we haue onely priuate interpretations and that all the interpretations of the Church of Rome are publike Secondly I answer that we are able to iustifie our Interpretations of Scripture for the maine points of religion by the consent of Fathers and Councells as well as they of the church of Rome The second motiue We haue no diuine and infallible authoritie to rest on in matter of religion but they of the church of Rome haue Ans. In the Canonicall scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there is diuine and infallible authoritie for they are now in the new Testament in stead of the liuely voice of God And this authoritie we in our Church acknowledge Secondly I answer that the church hath no diuine and infallible authoritie distinct from the authoritie of scriptures as the Papists teach but onely a Ministerie which is to speake in the name of God according to the written word The third motiue We haue no limitations of opinion and affection but they of the church of Rome haue I answer first we suffer our selues to be limited for opinion by the Analogie of faith and by the written word and so doth
not the Papist which addes tradition to the scripture And for affection we suffer our selues to be limited by the doctrine of repentance and new obedience Secondly I answer that the church of Rome vseth false meanes of Limitation For it teacheth that for opinion we must captiuate our senses to the determination of the church by beleeuing as the church beleeueth though it be not knowne what the church beleeueth And it limits affection by auricular confession and by canonicall satisfactions meere inuentions of men The fourth motiue The Romane religion drawes the multitude Ans. It drawes them indeede because it is a naturall religion but it doth not turne them from darknes to light from death to life Secōdly I answer that Antichrist in his comming shall draw the multitude 2. Thess. 2. 9. The fift motiue There were neuer but two alterations of religion One in the daies of Elias the other in the daies of Iohn the Baptist. Ans. I will shew a third Paul saith that before the ende there shall be a departure 2. Thess. 2. and this departure is generall in all nations Reuel 13. 16. and after a thousand yeares there shall be the first resurrection Reuel 20. 5. and this resurrection is the reuiuing and the restoring of the Gospel after long ignorance and superstition The sixt motiue The church of Rome hath a Iudge to ende controuersies we haue none Ans. Christ is our Iudge and the scripture is the voice of this iudge determining all things pertaining to saluation fully and plainly to the contentation of any conscience The seauenth motiue The Romane religion is sutable to ancient Tradition Ans. It is contrarie For it abolisheth the second commandement touching Images and the tenth touching lust And it ouerturneth sundrie Articles of faith For it abolisheth one of the natures of Christ by the reall presence and his three offices by ioyning partners and associates with him To these seauen I adde three other The eight motiue then is this Our Ministers they say tooke vnto themselues new callings and consequently that we are but schismatikes Ans. The offices of the first restorers of the Gospel were ordinarie and their vocation to the said offices was ordinary for they were all either Priests or Schoole doctors It may be saide that they departed from their callings I answer they departed onely from the common abuse of their callings which they restored to their right vse The ninth motiue The church of Rome hath true baptisme and therefore it is a true church Ans. Baptisme in the Papacie pertaines not to it but to another hidden church in the middest of the Papacie as the light in the lanthorne pertaines not to it but to the passenger Secondly though the church of Rome hold the outward baptisme yet doth it ouerturne the inward which stands in the iustification of a sinner by imputation of the obedience of Christ. Thirdly baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel is no marke of a church Circumcision was vsed in Samaria and yet they were no people of God Hos. 1. 9. The tenth motiue The church of Rome hath antiquitie and succession from the Apostles Ans. They are no markes of the church vnlesse they be ioyned with propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine The kingdome of darknes hath also antiquitie succession vniuersalitie and vnitie Now then we are to hold the church of Rome as a stepmother nay as a professed harlot shee is no mother of ours For the Lord saith Come out of her my people Reuel 18. Let vs therefore come to the true answer The catholike Church our Mother is to be sought for and to be found in the true visible churches the certen markes whereof are three The preaching of the word of God out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with obedience Ioh. 10. 28. Eph. 2. 20. True inuocation of God the father in the onely name of Christ by the assistance of the spirit Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. the right vse of the sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper Math 28. 18. And by these shall we finde the true Church of God in England Ireland Scotland Germanie France c. Againe in that the Church is called our Mother the Papist gathereth that her commandements must be obaied Prov. 1. 8. and therefore in their Catechismes beside the commandements of God they propound the commandements of the Church But I answer that the precepts of the father and the mother must be one and then the mother must be obaied The Church is called the mother of vs all that is of all true beleeuers Hence it follows that wicked men are not members of the catholike Church as Popish doctors erroniously teach for then the church shall be a mother not onely to the children of God but also to the children of the deuill Lastly in that the church is our Mother we are taught that we must despise our first birth and seeke to be borne againe vnto God and sucke the brest of our mother feeding on the milke of the word Psal. 45. 11. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Thus to be borne a member of the new Ierusalem is a great priuiledge Psal. 87. 5. Reuel 3. 12. 27 For it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no childrē breake forth and crie thou that trauelest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband These words are the testimonie of the Prophet Isa c. 54. 1. and they are brought to prooue that which Paul said in the former verse that the Catholike Church is the Mother of vs all that is not onely of the Iewes but also of all beleeuing Gentiles In the words I consider the preface to the Testimonie and the testimonie it selfe The preface It is written where two points are to be considered The first is who saith Jt is written Ans. The Apostle Paul whose authoritie was diuine and infallible because he was led into all truth by the spirit of God so as he could not erre in deliuering doctrine to the church And yet for all this he followes the rule of the written word And his manner was so to doe Act. 26. 22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome which takes to it selfe an absolute power of iudgement in all matters without and beside the scripture yea a power to iudge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense thereof without the helpe of scripture vpon a supposed infallible assistance of the spirit The second point is In what question saith Paul It is written Ans. In a controuersie betweene him and the false Apostles touching the iustification of a sinner This shewes that the scripture it selfe is the meanes to determine and decide controuersies There was for this purpose in the old Testament the liuely voice of God vttered in the Oracle at the Mercie seat but in the new Testament there is no such voice of God but the written word is in stead thereof to the ende of the world And therefore
If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ First I gather that the Law and the Gospel are not one in substance of doctrine as the Papists teach for they say the Gospel is nothing but the law made more perfect and plaine which if it were true a man might be iustified both by Christ and the law which Paul saith cannot be Secondly I gather hence that it is a meere deuice of mans wit to say that Christ by his death and passion merited that we should merit by our owne workes our iustification and saluation For if this were true that the merit of our workes were the fruit of Christs passion Paul would not haue said that iustification by the law should abolish Christ vnto vs. For the cause and the effect both stand together whereas Christs merit and the merit of our works agree euen as fire and water And no maruell For the reason why Christ meriteth is the Personall vnion of the Godhead with the manhood which vnion because it is not to be found in any meere man neither is there any true and proper merit to be found Whereas Paul saith Ye are fallen from grace some gather that the children of God may fall quite from the fauour of God Ans. Men are said to be vnder grace two waies First in the iudgement of infallibilitie and thus onely the Elect are vnder the grace of God Secondly in the iudgement of Christian charitie and thus all that professe Christ though indeede hypocrites are vnder the grace of God And in this sense Paul saith that the whole Church of Galatia is vnder the grace of God And they are said to fall from grace not because all were indeede vnder the fauour of God and at length cast out of it but because God makes it manifest to men that they were neuer in the fauour of God Thus Christs enemies are said â—o be blotted out of the booke of lifâ— Psal. 69. 28. when God makes it manifest that their names were neuer written there Secondly I answer that Paul speakes this not absolutely but vpon condition If ye will be iustified by the law And therefore v. 10. he saith that he is perswaded better things of them Lastly here we see it is false that euery man shall be saued by his religion for he that is abolished from Christ is quite out of the â—auour of God And therefore no religion but that which is truly Christian saueth 5 For we in the spirit by faith waite for the hope of righteousnes 6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue The meaning We I Paul the rest of the Apostles and all other Christian churches In spirit that is in the powers of the soule sanctified and renewed In this sense Paul saith that the true circumcision is that which is in the heart in spirit Rom. 2. 29. and Christ saith that true worship of God is in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And that spirit is here taken in this sense it is manifest because it is opposed to circumcision which is in the flesh By faith we wait Faith apprehends the promise and thereby brings forth hope and faith by meanes of hope makes them that beleeue to waite Hope of righteousnes that is saluation or life eternall which is the fruit of righteousnes Tit. 2. 13. or againe righteousnes hoped for Righteousnes indeede is imputed to them that beleeue and that in this life yet the fruition and the full reuelation thereof is reserued to the life to come when Christ our righteousnes shall appeare and when the effect of righteousnes namely sanctification shall be accomplished in vs. Rom. 8. 23. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. The sense then is this All the Apostles and Christian churches with one consent in spirit by meanes of their faith waite for the full reuelation of their imputed righteousnes and for euerlasting life whereas the false Apostles place their righteousnes in circumcision of the flesh and looke to haue the fruition of it in this life v. 6. In Christ that is in the Church kingdome or religion of Christ. 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any be in Christ that is if any be a Christian he is a new creature Vncircumcision that is the condition and workes of men vncircumcised Auaileth any thing is of no vse respect or acceptation with God Faith working faith effectuall in duties of loue The resolution These wordes containe a second reason where Paul confirmes the former conclusion and it may be framed thus That thing which makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes that iustifies not circumcision but faith makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes therefore not circumcision but faith iustifies The proposition is omitted the minor is in the 5. verse And it is confirmed by two arguments The first is the consent of all Churches We waite The second is taken from the propertie of faith in the sixt verse thus It is faith and not circumcision that auailes before God therefore faith and not circumcision makes vs waite Againe in these two verses Paul meetes with an Obiection which may be framed thus If ye abolish circumcision and the ceremoniall law ye abolish the exercises of religion The answer is in stead of them we haue other exercises in our spirit namely the inward exercises of faith hope and loue The vse In the 5. verse foure things are to be considered The first is who waites Paul saith we waite Before he hath iustified his doctrine by the Scriptures now he addes the consent of the Churches Here then we see what is the office of all faithfull dispensers of the word namely to declare such doctrines as are founded in Scriptures and approoued by the consent of the true Church of God Paul an Apostle that could not erre respected consent much more are all ordinarie Ministers to doe it Againe it is the office of all Christian people to maintaine and defend all such doctrines and opinions as are founded in the Scriptures and ratified by the consent of the true churches of God and no other This to doe is to walke in the way of vnitie and peace and to doe otherwise is to walke in the way of schisme and heresie The second point is what is waited for Paul saith the reuelation of righteousnes and eternall saluation Here I obserue that there is no iustification by the obseruation of the law and I prooue it thus The righteousnes whereby a sinner is iustified is apprehended by faith and expected by hope but if righteousnes were by the law men should haue the fruition of their righteousnes in this life and consequently the hope thereof should cease Secondly here is comfort for the godly They complaine of the want of sanctification but they are to know that in this life they shall neuer feele righteousnes as they feele sinne here they must hunger and thirst after righteousnes liuing in some want of it If we haue the first
sinnes are little sinnes and little sinnes are no sinnes Pride is cleanlines couetousnes is nothing but worldlines drunkennes good fellowship fornication a tricke of youth Thus men put visards vpon their vgly sinnes The Polititian that is of no religion saith that we and the Papists differ not in substance but in small circumstances and that if they erre it is but in small points But on the contrarie we are to esteeme euery sinne for a great sinne to humble our selues for the least sinnes and to bring our selues in subiection to God in the least of our actions Here we are taught by all meanes to maintaine the puritie of sound religion whatsoeuer befall vs. And for this cause we are to resist and withstand euery erronious opinion that shall be broched For it is the pollicie of the deuill by foisting in some one errour to depraue and confound the whole bodie of truth It may be saide how may we discerne errour from sound doctrine considering oftentimes they are like as leauen is like dowe Ans. Leauen is discerned from dow not by colour but by tast euen so they which are spirituall and haue the gift of discerning directed by the analogie of faith discerne truth from falshood For whatsoeuer is against one Article of faith or against any of the commandements of the decalogue is not sound doctrine but leauen Againe that which is said of false doctrine may be said proportionally of bad manners Here therefore we must be put in minde of three duties The first to resist and withstand euery particular sinne For euen one sinne is able to defile the whole life of man One flie is sufficient to marre a whole boxe of sweete ointment One offence in our first parents brought corruption vpon them and all mankind yea vpon heauen and earth He that makes no conscience of some one sinne is guiltie of the whole law Iam. 2. Secondly we must doe our indeauour to the vttermost to cut off euery bad example in the societies of men For one bad example is sufficient to corrupt a whole familie a whole town a whole countrie The example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth Therefore Paul saith Purge out the old leauen 1. Cor. 5. 6. The law of God is that blasphemers murderers adulterers c. shall be put to death the reason is that euill may he taken away out of Israel that is the euill of wicked example which beeing suffered spreads abroad and doth much hurt The barren figge tree must be cut downe least it make the whole ground barren Luk. 13. 7. Thirdly we are to withstand and cut off the first beginnings and the occasions of euery sinne We say of arrand theeues that first they beginne to practise their wickednes in pinnes and points For this cause idlenes fulnesse of bread in excessiue eating drinking and swilling â—iot and vanitie in apparrell are to be suppressed in euery societie as the breeders of many vâ—ces On the contrarie as one point of euill doctrine brings with it many other so any one little grace of God brings many other with it The entrance into Gods word giues light Psal. 119. 130. In this respect Christ saith The kingdome of heauen is like leauen hidde in three peckes of meale because Gods kingdome is set vp in the heart at the first vpon very small beginnings Matth. 13. 33. This must teach vs to vse the meanes of our saluation and not to be discouraged though we haue in vs but some small beginnings of Gods grace 10 I haue an affiance in you in the Lord that ye will be no otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall beare his iudgement whosoeuer he be The sense In the Lord by the gratious assistance of God who no doubt will giue a blessing to my Ministerie No otherwise minded that is thinke no otherwise then ye haue done and ought to thinke and thinke no otherwise then I haue taught you He that troubleth you the Church is troubled three waies 1. by false doctrine Thus Ahab troubled Israel 1. king 18. 18. and the false Apostles trouble Galatia 2. By wicked example thus Aâ—han troubled Israel Ios. 7. 25. 3. By force and crueltie thus tyrants and persecutors trouble the Church Shall be are shall haue his due and deserued punishment partly in this life and partly in eternall death See this verified in the ende of the booke of English Martyrs in the desperate horrible and stinking endes of persecutors But yet this threat must be vnderstood with the Exception of repentance The scope The wordes are an Answer to an Obiection which may be framed thus It seemes by your former prouerb of leauen that you hold us to be a people corrupted and vnsauorie vnto God To this Paul answers by a distinction I hope better things of you but the false Apostles for troubling the Church shall surely be punished The vse When Paul saith I haue an aâ—â—iance in you he teacheth in his own example that we are to hope the best of men so long as they are curable It may be saide they that hope the best are sometimes deceiued Ans. They are onely deceiued in their iudgement and that in things whereof they haue no certen knowledge and they are not deceiued in practise For it is a dutie of loue to hope the best And they which vse to suspect the worse are oftner deceiued Againe it may be saide that we must iudge of things as they are indeede Ans. Iudgement of things and iudgement of persons must be distinguished Of things vpright iudgement is to iudge of them as they are and if they be doubtâ—ull to suspend Now our iudgement of the persons of men must be to take things in the better part as much as possibly may be Lastly it may be alleadged that we must loue our neighbour as our selues and that we despaire in respect of our selues Ans. We are to despaire in respect of our selues because we are priuie to our owne estate but we are not priuie to the estate of any other man and therefore we are to hope the best of them This shewes the fault of our times if any professing the Gospel fall vpon frailtie there are numbers of men that will make no bones of it to condemne them to the pit of hel for hypocrites but such persons are not carried by the spirit of Paul who hopes the best of them that fall Againe here we see how we are to put affiance in men We are to put affiance in God for all things whatsoeuer whether concerning bodie or soule but our affiance in men must be onely for such things as they are able to performe Secondly we must put affiance in God absolutely for himselfe and therefore we say I beleeue in God c. but all our affiance in men whatsoeuer must be in the Lord. When Paul saith that he had affiance of them in the Lord he shewes that renewed repentance is the gift of God And there
are two graces required vnto it helping grace and Exciting grace Helping grace preserues and confirmes the first and initiall repentance Exciting grace giues the will and the deede And without these graces the child of God if he fall cannot repent and recouer himselfe They therefore are deceiued who thinke that they may haue repentance at command and that they may repent when they will It may be demanded why Paul vseth mild tearmes and doth not excommunicate the Galatians Ans. So long as men are curable meanes must be vsed to recouer them The sheepe or oxe that goes astray must be brought home againe Exod. 23. 4. much more thy neighbour Christ himselfe brings home againe the lost sheepe and so must euery shepheard Ezech. 34. 4. Now the Galatians were in all likelihood persons curable and therefore not to be cut off For the Censure of Excommunication pertaines to them alone of whose recouerie there is no hope Some there be that mislike the Preaching vsed in these daies because we vse not seueritie and personall reproofes after the manner of Iohn Baptist. But these men are deceiued We haue not the like calling that he had nor like gifts neither are we in the like times For Iohn the Baptist was in the very time of the change betweene the old and the new Testament Christ did not follow him in the same manner of teaching neither doth the Apostle in this place when he saith of the Galatians in Apostasie that he hoped better things of them In the last place the commination which the Apostle vseth is to be obserued that troublers of the Church shall beare their iudgement Hence I gather 1. That God watcheth ouer his Church with a speciall prouidence We in England haue found this by experience and we are to be thankfull for it 2. That the doctrine of the Apostles is of infallible certentie because the oppugners of it are plagued by the iust iudgement of God 3. On the contrarie our dutie is to pray for the good estate of the Church of God and for the kingdomes where the Church is planted and for the continuance of the Gospel specially in England For what will all the things we haue doe vs good if we be forth of Gods kingdome and lose our soules 11 And brethren if I yet preach Circumcision why doe I yet suffer persecution Then is the scandall of the crosse abolished 12 Would to God they were cut off that trouble you The sense Yet preach now while I am an Apostle Here Paul takes it for graunted that when he was a Pharisie he taught and maintained Circumcision but he denies that he euer taught it after his conuersion in his Apostleship The crosse the Gospel which is a doctrine teaching deliuerance from hell and life euerlasting to be obtained by the death and passion of Christ crucified 1. Cor. 1. 18 23. More plainly the words are thus much in effect It is reported that I Paul an Apostle preach circumcision but the truth is there is no such matter For if I taught circumcision the Iewes maintainers of circumcision would not persecute me as they doe neither would they take offence at the preaching of Christ crucified if I ioyned circumcision with Christ. The drift Paul here answers a new obiection which is on this manner There is no cause Paul why thou shouldest thus reprooue vs for thou thy selfe art a teacher of circumcision To this Paul makes a double answer First he denies the report and prooues his deniall by a double reason one is because the Iewes still persecuted him the other is because they tooke offence still at his preaching of Christ crucified Secondly Paul answers by pronouncing a curse vpon the false Apostles The vse In the wordes I consider two things the report giuen forth of Paul and his Apologie The report was that Paul preached circumcision In this we see what is the condition of the Ministers of the word namely to be subiect to slander and defamation not onely in respect of their liues but also in respect of their Ministerie and doctrine as if they were heretikes Thus the Papists at this day reproch the Ministerie of the Church of England charging it with sundrie foule heresies And many among vs spare not to charge it with the heresie of Puritanisme And I doubt not to auouch it that some are condemned for hereâ—â—kes in the historie of the Church who if all were knowne should be found to be good seruants of God 1. This verifies the saying of Ecclesiastes c. 8. v. 14. There are righteous men to whome it befalls according to the worke of the wicked 2. Ministers must hence be put in minde to vse circumspection both for the matter and the manner of their Preaching 3. Beeing defamed and that wrongfully they must hence take occasion to be more carefull to please God as Dauid did in the like case Psal. 119. 69. But how came this report of Paul Ans. Sometime he tollerated circumcision as a thing indifferent for a time and hereupon circumcised Timothie And vpon this occasion a report is raised that Paul preached circumcision In this we see the fashion of the world which is to raise fames reports and slanders of all persons specially vpon Magistrates and Ministers and that vpon euery light and vniust occasion But good men will take no such occasions of raising reports Psal. 15. 3. But how did Paul take this report Ans. He did not requite euill for euill as the manner of men is but he returnes loue and goodnes for euill and for this cause no doubt of purpose he beginnes his speech on this manner Brethren if I yet preach Circumcision The Apologie and defence followes And first he denies the report And this is because for his preaching he is persecuted of the Iewes Here obserue that they which are called to teach must preach the Gospel what trouble or danger soeuer follow as Paul did It may be demanded whether a Minister may not in teaching conceale any part of the truth at any time without sinne Ans. In the case of Confession when a man is called to giue an account of his faith no truth no not the least truth may be concealed Againe when the soules of men are to be releeued and saued all concealements are damnable Yet in the planting or in the restoring of the Church doctrines most necessarie may be concealed Paul was about two yeares at Ephesus and spake nothing against Diana but in generall tearmes If he had he had planted no Church at Ephesus Againe when people be vncapable of doctrine it may be coÌ„cealed till they be prepared for it Christ told his disciples that he had many things to tell them which they could not then learne Some beleeuers must haue no strong meate but milke onely Thirdly when the teaching of a lesser truth hinders the teaching of a fundamentall truth the lesser truth may be concealed that the fundamentall truth may be taught and take place Here we
that is another cause of dissention 1. Corint 3. 3. The second point concernes the qualitie of these dissentioÌ„s When Paul saith if ye bite and deuoure c. he signifies that they were fierce and violent And such commonly are dissentions for religion as appeares by the persecution in Queene Maries daies the heate whereof nothing could slake but mans blood Againe he signifies in these very wordes that they were bruâ—ish and beastlike more beseeming wolues lions dogges then men This must teach vs to detest railing cursing euill speaking fighting vnles it be in the case of necessarie defence for by these actions we degenerate to the condition of beastes and repell from vs the worke of grace for Christ of lions wolfes beares hath made vs his sheepe and lambes Isai. 11. The third point is touching the effect of contention that is the ruine desolation of the Church The diuision of the members among themselues is the dissolutioÌ„ of the whole bodie Differences in points of religion breed doubting doubting hinders faith and inuocation and the free course of the Gospell and where these be hindred the Church goes to decay And by reason of the dissentions that be in these last daies many liue as Atheistes and will be of no religion By this we are to be admonished to studie and to vse all meanes to maintaine Christian peace and concord Eph. 4. 3. To this end we must remember one generall rule Rom. 12. 18. haue peace with all men And withall we must obserue the cautions which Paul addes one is if it may be with good conscience for there are some with whome there is no peace vnles we sooth them in their vices or denie our religion either in whole or in part The second is If it lie in you for sometime men are accused and must of necessitie defend themselues These two cautions obserued peace must be had with all men It may theÌ„ be demanded why do not the Protestans make a Pacification with the Papists Ans. we are content so to do in respect of ciuill societie but not in respect of religion We haue a commandement to the contrarie Reuel 18. 4. come out of Babylon my people and touch no vnclean thing where a pacification is made both the partes must yeeld somewhat but we may not yeeld in any point of our religion to the Papists In an Instrument of musick the stringes out of tune are set vp or set downe to the rest and the strings that are in tune are not stirred Euen so the Papists are to turne to vs we are not to turne to them our religion beeing the doctrine of the prophets Apostles Peace is three-fould Church peace Ciuill peace Houshould peace All these are to be maintained Touching Church peace I giue 3 rules The first is that for the ending of differences in religion there must be conferences in a free or christian councell the spirits of the prophets is subiect to the prophet 1. Cor. 14. â—2 when there arose differences in the Churches of Iudea the Apostles and elders came together to inquire of the matter Act. 15. 6. And this is a thing much to be desired in these daies specially in these Westerne partes of the world It may be demanded why did not the Protestants ioyne with the Papists at the councell of Trent Ans. from the first session it was more then 6 yeares before any safe conduct was giuen to the Protestants and at their appearing in the councell exception was taken against their letters and they dismissed And when they appeared the second time vpon new safe conduct the councell was the next day reiorned for 2 yeares And when safe conduct was giuen the 3 time the Protestant princes refused to send their diuines because they had bin twice mocked Moreouer the councell was not a free councell because the Pope himselfe was both partie and iudge The second rule There must be a christian toleration one of an other Eph. 4. 2. here that we mistake not I propound 2 questions One is in what must there be a toleration Ans. A toleration presupposeth an errour or defect in our brother An errour is either in iudgement or manners An error in iudgment is either in the foundation of religion or beside the foundation in lighter matters if the errour be in the foundation there is no toleration of it If it be in some lesser matter a toleration is to be vsed according to the rule of the Apostle if ye be otherwise minded God will reueile it Phil. 3. 15. when others see not that which we see we must not preseÌ„tly coÌ„demne them but tolerat their ignorance till God reueile his truth vnto them Againe errors in manners be of 2 sortes some without offence as hastines frowardnes vaine gloriousnes c. these we must tolerate Pro. 19. 11. and others with open offence and such admit no toleration 1. Cor. 5. 11. The second question is to what ende must we tolerate the infirmities and ignorances of our brethren Ans. Toleration must tend to the good and edification of men Rom. 15. 2. We must not so tolerate as that we approoue of the least vice or betray the least part of Gods truth It may here be demanded whether there may not be a toleration for Poperie Ans. No. The toleration of two religions in one kingdome is the ouerthrow of peace Againe Poperie is a religion both hereticall and schismaticall It may be said that faith and conscience is free I answer though faith in the heart and conscience in it selfe be free in respect of mans authoritie yet is not the publishing of faith and the profession of conscience free in like sort but it stands subiect to the power of the Magistrate The third rule Euery man in his place specially teachers must set themselues to build the Church Iud. v. 20. Eph. 4. 12. Indeede the truth is to be defended but marke how The truth must be confessed when time and occasion serues without opposition this done all contentions laid aside we must set our selues to build the Church And the rather Ministers of Gods word in England must remember this because while we are striuing among our selues in sundrie points of difference the Papist our common enemie gets ground Touching ciuill peace it must be remembred that the peace and good estate of Ierusalem stood in this that it was made the seate of Gods sanctuarie and the throne of iustice Psal. 122. When the Arke was in the house of Obed-Edom all things prospered with him Now in the new Testament the preaching of the Gospel inuocation of Gods name with the vse of the Sacraments come in the roome of the Sanctuarie Ciuill peace then is maintained when men yeeld subiection to the Gospel of Christ which brings peace to all that receiue it Touching houshold peace I giue two rules One is that gouernours of families must vrge and compell all vnder them to admit at the least outwardly the practise of
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
talents left vs to imploy to our masters aduantage If thou hast receiued them saith Paul why boastest thou thy selfe as though thou hadst not receiued them 3. Be it that a man be in Christ and sanctified yet he hath no greater right to the merits of Christ nor greater part in them then he which is lesse sanctified for though sanctification hath degrees and a certaine latitude yet iustification hath none So that a maÌ„ is in trueth nothing of himselfe 1. Because he hath his beeing and beginning of nothing and tendeth of his owne nature to corruption and nothing 2. In that he is not that which he imagineth himselfe to be 3. Though he haue some gifts and graces of God yet is he nothing because he is farre short of that which he ought to be 1. Cor. 8. 2. Vpon these considerations Abraham acknowledgeth himselfe to be but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Dauid comparing himselfe with the magnificence of Saul saith What am I or what is my fathers house 1. Sam. 18. 18. Nay whether we consider man absolutely in himselfe or relatiuely in respect of other creatures as those glorious bodies the sunne moone starres we may say with the Prophet Dauid Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou regardest him Psal. 8. 4. Paul confesseth himselfe to be nothing in of or by himselfe but by the grace of God saith he I am that I am 1. Cor. 15. 10. And againe I was nothing inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles although I am nothing 2. Cor. 12. 11. The Apostle affirmeth of euery man which thinketh he knoweth some thing that he knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1. Cor. 8. 2. and of many that they are puffed vp and know nothing 1. Tim. 6. 4. For a swelling conceit and emptines vsually goe together The second generall thing to be obserued in the words is this That it is naturall for men to thinke too well of themselues to magnifie themselues aboue others in their conceits and in a manner to deifie themselues and to nullifie others in comparison of themselues and this ouerweening of a mans selfe is a branch of pride For a man looking vpon himselfe through the spectacles of selfe-loue doth thinke euery small gift of God which he seeth to be in himselfe to be farre greater then in truth it is imagining meere shadowes to be substances or molehills to be as bigge as mountaines For as a man that is in loue doth thinke the blemishes and deformities in his loue to be ornaments which make her more beautifull So those which with Narcissus are in loue with themselues and doâ—e vpon their own gifts iudge the vices which they see to be in themselues to be vertues Simon Magus though a wicked wretch a limme of the Deuill a sorcerer c. yet had this conceit of himselfe and gaue it out also that he was some great man Act. 8. 9. to wit the great power of God v. 10. The Church of Laodicea thought shee was rich and increased with goods and had neede of nothing whereas shee was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Apoc. 3. 17. And so the skarlet struÌ„pet thought her selfe a Queene and that shee was out of all daunger of downefall when shee was alreadie fallen Apoc. 18. 2 7. Yea this corruption is so naturall that euen the regenerate themselues who are in part sanctified are tainted therewith and generally they that haue receiued greater gifts of knowledge of sanctification c. are most ready to ouerweene their owne gifts except God giue them grace to resist this temptation for knowledge puffeth vp 1. Cor. 8. 1. The Apostles themselues contended which of them should seeme to be the greatest Luk. 22. 24. Yea in all ages there haue beene some in the Church ouerweening themselues as in Christs time the Iustitiarie Pharisies after them the Catharists or Puritanes who both proudly and odiously called themselues by that name thinking themselues without sinne the Donatists that they were a Church without spot or wrinkle the Iovinianists that a man cannot sinne after the lauer of regeneration The Pelagians that the life of a iust man in this world hath no sinne in it at all and of later times the Semi-Pelagian heretike who will be something of himselfe and will haue some stroke in his first conuersion wil concur with Christ in the worke of IustificatioÌ„ It will be said Papists ascribe all the praise to God Ans. So did the Pharisie Luk. 18. 11. and yet a wicked Iusticiarie for all that Now all this ariseth from sundrie causes the first is the bitter roote of pride that was in our first parents when as they affected a higher place in desiring through discontment of their owne estate to deifie themselues and become equall to the highest Maiestie in knowing good and euill The second is the ouermuch considering the good things we haue as when the Pharisie considered that he gaue tithe of all that he possessed that he fasted twise a weeke that he was not thus and thus as other men Luk. 18. The third is the comparing of our selues with the infirmities that we see to be in others the Pharisie was puffed vp by comparing himselfe with extortioners vniust men adulterers and with the Publican The fourth is the false flattering and applause of men which sooth vs vp in our humours in perswading vs to be that which in truth we are not as the people flattered Herod when they gaue a shout and said The voice of God and not of man Act. 12. 22. The third point is that they which thus ouerweene their gifts in thinking themselues somewhat when they are nothing doe notably deceiue themselues as those that thinke they haue the substance when they haue but the shadow as those that dream they are Kings or Princes being in truth but base persoÌ„s or to vse the Prophets similitude Esa. 29. 8. Like as an hungrie man dreameth behold he eateth when he awaketh his soule is emptie or like as a thirstie man dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold he is faint and his soule longeth Men are deceiued two waies either by others or by themselues by others as by flatterers they are deceiued occasionally by themselues causally or properly For he that doth iudge himselfe to be that which indeede he is not he may happely please himselfe but he doeth but please himselfe in an errour for in trueth he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination the Apostle Iames saith If any man seeme specially to himselfe to be religious and yet refraineth not his tongue he deceiueth his owne heart his religion is vaine Iam. 1. 26. So likewise they that are only hearers of the word therfore thinke that all is wel enough with theÌ„ though they be not doers therof deceiue their owne selues Iam. 1. 22. And verely this corruption is so great that as men can
insatiable and therefore it is euill spent that is bestowed vpon them some of them need not and therfore we neede not to giue and why doe not those that are needie follow Pauls example who laboured with his hands and got his liuing by making of tents because he would not be chargeable vnto any or why doe they not lead a single life as in former times they did that so they may be lesse burdensome to the Church and more beneficial to their brethren Besides all this God hath promised he will be the portion and inheritance of the Leuites and therefore we neede not be so hastie to share with them in all our goods To these and all other vaine and friuolous excuses of the same kind made by worldlings of corrupted minds the Apostle answereth in these words Be not deceiued God is not mocked as if he should say I know right well you are very cunning in seeking out shifts and pretending reasons to excuse your faults and to exempt your selues from the preformance of the former duty and so to couer the cursed couetuousnes of your harts with colorable excuses But be not deceiued brethren they are but figg leaues you do but danse in a nette you cannot bleare the all-seeing eyes of God howsoeuer these reasons may perswade you go for currant with men yet they are but counterfaite in gods ostimate with whome you haue to deale who is not mocked nor cannot be deceiued nor will not be deluded with such vaine excuses therefore take heed lest in going about to deceiue them you deceiue your selues for looke how you deale with them God will deale with you with what measure you mete vnto them the same he will measure to you againe for as you sovve so shall you reape So that in these words the Apostle doth summarily comprise these three things First a disswasion from this their vaine reasoning and wicked practise laid downe by way of preuention Be not deceiued Secondly a reason of the dehortation shewing that these their excuses are but friuolous and vaine God is not mocked Thirdly a confirmation or proofe of his former reason for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall be reape The disswasion is laid downe in these words Be not deceiued The like phrase of speech we haue in sundry other places as in that aduertisement which Hezekiah giueth the Leuites 2. Chron. 29. 11. Now my sonnes be not deceiued And Paul the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6. 9. be not deceiued neither fornicators c. 1. Cor. 15. 33. be not deceiued euill speeches corrupt good manners Now men erre and are deceiued sundry waies both in diuine and humane things which appertaine not to this place Touching the deceit here mentioned we are to know that a man may be deceiued and that by himselfe two waies First through ignorance in iudging that to be no finne which is a sinne as when a man is perswaded that God is to be worshipped in an image that when he persecutes the saints of God he doth God good seruice Secondly when men are so wickedly willfull that they wittingly deceiue themselues in thinking they can deceiue god himselfe and so cunningly handle the matter that he shall not know their words nor see their works nor vnderstand their thoughts that whether they do good or euill giue to the ministery or not liue according to the flesh or according to the spirit it is all one seeing he considereth it not and so promise to themselues impunity though they â—inne willingly as Eue did in putting a peraduenture where Gods threat was peremptorie Both these sorts of deceit are here vnderstood specially the latter Use. Hence we may obserue the deceitfulnes of sinne which maketh men thinke all is well with them and that there is no danger c. when the case is farre otherwise This shewes that the heart of man is deceitfull aboue measure as the Prophet saith who can finde it out or who can sound the depth of the deceit of his owne heart or who knows the infinite windings and turnings which are in this intricate Labyrinth Now this commeth to passe partly by reason of originall corruption which the Apostle saith is deceitfull Hebr. 3. 13. Take heede lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne partly by reason of long custome in sinne whereby the heart is inured to deceit Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile For from this double ground it commeth to passe that men are so wittie in defrauding the Ministers of their due in cutting them short of their allowance in embezeling and purloining from them what they can and so ingenious in inuenting probable reasons and plausible arguments to deceiue themselues withall in accounting all to be gained that is thus gotten This teacheth vs first of all to pray instantly that God would open our eyes that we may see our hidden corruptions and that he would annoint them with the eye-salue of his spirit that we may clearely see and rightly discerne of things that differ considering that sinne doth often apparell it selfe with the cloake of vertue Secondly we are to suspect our selues of our secret sinnes and to aggrauaâ—e our knowne sinnes by all circumstances seeing we may so easily deceiue our selues in flattering our selues to be cleare of this or that sinne or at least not to be so grieuous sinners as in truth we are Thirdly that it is the dutie of the Minister to warne the people to take heed that they be not deceiued as Paul doth Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things-commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Againe hence I gather that in the prime of the Church in the Apostles daies when the Church of the New Testament was but in founding the ministerie was in contempt and as it may appeare out of other places the ministers were not onely neglected or contemned but reuiled persecuted accounted as the fiâ—th of the world and the of-skouring of all things 2. Cor. 4. 13. or where they were better intreated they were but abused scorned reputed brain sicke fellowes as the Prophet was 2 King 9. 1â— and Paul Act. 26. 24. This hath beene and is the account which the world maketh of the ministers of God which must be so farre from discouraging vs that it should minister rather matter of ioy vnto vs in that we are conformable by this meanes to Christ our head who was not onely neglected of all not hauing where to rest his head Luk. 9. 58. but laughed to skorne accounted a pot-companion a drunkard and a glutton a sorcerer one that had a deuill and was madde Ioh. 10. 20. For if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. Thus much of the dehortation the reason followes to be considered in the second place in these wordes God is not mocked where the Apostle shewes that their excuses are but vaine
boasteth not but onely of his Apostolicall calling and his faithfull discharge thereof to the end he may stoppe the mouthes of the false Apostles Thus to confesse the good things we haue to the glorie of God beeing vrged thereunto is lawfull boasting nay it is sometime necessarie making much for the maintenance of the Gospell as Pauls boasting made much for the good of the Church of Corinth Againe there is a twofold lawfull boasting one before God another before men Rom. 4. 2. Of the former the Apostle speakes in this verse of the latter in the 2. Cor. 12. He gloried not in the testimony of a good conscience before god but onely before men Before God he glorified in nothing but in the sauing knowledge of Christ and him crucified And whereas it may besaide that this his boasting in regard of the false Apostles as also his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. and in his infirmities 2. Cor. 11. 30. were not in the crosse of Christ. I answer they were for his glorying ouer the false Apostles in teaching freely was in the good and prosperous successe of the Gospel which is the doctrine of the crosse and his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience in that it was washed by the blood of the crosse as Paul speakes Coloss. 1. 20. In his afflictions in that they were the afflictions of Christ and he by them made conformable to him But it will be said that he gloried in his reuelations in his paines and trauell in preaching the Gospel and in the multitude of Churches which he had planted Ans. First he did it beeing vrged thereunto secondly he did it to defend his calling and the credit of the Gospel and therefore this boasting was not vnlawfull nay it was necessarie and in the Lord. For when we are compelled we may confesse the good things we haue if we doe it sparingly and for the edification of others that they may be bettered by our example and that they seeing our good workes may glorifie God our heauenly father Matth. 5. 16. Here we see what glorying is Vnlawfull namely when men ascribe vnto themselues either that which they haue not or more then they haue or as proceeding from themselues their wisdome strength industrie in sacrificing to their owne netts and burning incense to their owne yearne Habac. 1. 16. or in boasting of them without necessarie cause either for their owne vaine glorie as Nebuchodonosor did Dan. 4. or not for Gods glorie as Herod did Act. 12. And if this glorying be so greata sinne surely boasting in wickednes as Doeg did Psal. 52. 1. must needes be most damnable as when the greatest swearers and swaggerers count themselues the best companions the greatest Idolaters and superstitious persons most religious the greatest oppressours surfeters drunkards fighters most valiane and couragious c. Now this may be done three waies either ignoraÌ„tly as wheÌ„ Paul gloried in his cruel persecuting of the Saints before his coÌ„uersion Act. 26. 11. or presumptuously when men glorie in wickednes notwithstanding they be perswaded in conscience that it is euill and then it is the sinne of Sodom Isa. 3. 9. or malitiously to despite God and then it is the sinne against the holy Ghost The second point to be considered in the words is the thing wherein he will glorie called here the Crosse of Christ Sane in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. The words in the originall translated saue are exceptiue as if he should say I will glorie in nothing except in the crosse of Christ and exclusiue onely in the crosse of Christ and in nothing els Albeit they are sometime aduersatiue as Gal. 2. 16. and Apoc. 21. 27. There shall enter into it no vncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they that are written c. where the words are not exclusiue for then it would follow that some which worke abomination should enter into heauen but aduersatiue as Matth. 12. 4. and Luk. 4. 20. which may serue by the way to cleare the text Ioh. 17. 12. Those thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is lost but the child of perdition that is but the child of perdition is lost For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I take it are not so well translated by the exceptiue coniunction nisi as by the aduersatiue sed seeing here is no exceptioÌ„ made of Iudas as though he had beene giuen to Christ afterward had fallen away which exposition must needes be made if the words be read nisi filius perditionis Further by the Crosse of Christ the Apostle vnderstandeth synecdochically the all sufficient expiatorie and satisfactorie sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse with the whole work of our redemption in the sauing knowledge where of he professeth he will glorie and boast For Christ is made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes that as it is written He that glorieth should glorie in the Lord euen to make boast of him all the day long as the Psalmist speaketh And the reason why Paul professeth that he will glorie onely in the Crosse of Christ is because Christ crucified is the treasurie and storehouse of the Church seeing that in him are hid not onely the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 3. but of bountie and grace Ioh. 1. 16. and of all spirituall blessings Eph. 1. 3. For first by Christ crucified we haue reconciliation with God remission of sinns acceptation to eternall life Secondly we haue the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding peace with God with Angels with men with our selues with the creatures Thirdly we recouer the right and title which we had in the creation to all the creatures and blessings of God 1. Cor. 3. 22. Fourthly all afflictions and iudgements cease to be curses and punishments and become either trialls or corrections Lastly death it selfe is no death but a sleepe for all that die in the Lord are said to sleepe and to rest vpon their beddes Isa. 57. 2. Indeede if we looke vpon death through the glasse of the Law it is the very downefall to eternall destruction but if we consider it as it is changed by the death of Christ it is but a passage from this transâ—torie life to eternall life Christ by his death hath taken away sinne the sting of death so that though it seaze vpon vs yet hauing lost it sting it cannot hurt vs. So that in a word in Christ crucified are all things that a man can glorie of If we would glorie in knowledge and wisdome He is the wisdome of the father seeing that all treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid in him and therefore Paul desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but brist and him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. for this knowledge is eternall life Ioh 17. 3. If in the loue and fauour of great men by him we are highly aduanced into the loue fauour of god Eph. 1. 6. If in
that is to binde them to a necessarie obseruation of the ceremoniall lawe Here let vs marke the practise and pollicie of the deuill Libertie from sinne death and the ceremoniall lawe is the treasure of the Church and therefore the deuill seekes to ouerthrow it by holding men in bondage vnder abolished ceremonies Thus at this day they of the popish Church are in bondage vnder an heape of humane traditions beeing indeede a yoake farre heauier then that of the ceremoniall-lawe Againe when men professe the name of Christ the deuill is content with it and he indeauours with all his might euery where to hold them vnder the bondage of sinne and to hold them in his snare at his will Thus vnder the name of Christianitie there be swarmes of Atheists Epicures Libertines worldlings and prophane persons At this time according to auncient custome we celebrate the memoriall of the birth of Christ and yet no time so full of disorder as this For the most that professe Christ take and challenge to themselues a licentious libertie to liue and doe as they list and this kind of libertie is flat bondage But they that are seruants of Christ indeed should take heede of this bondag◠For beeing free from sinne they should be seruants of nothing but righteousnesse Rom. 6. 18. They that be of a corporation stand for their liberties what a shame then is it that men should loue bondage and neglect the spirituall libertie which they haue by Christ. Thus we see howe the false brethren vrged circumcision now let vs come to Pauls refusall The first point is that they would not giue place for an houre It seemes they were requested to vse circumcision but once but they would not yeeld so much as once because their acte would haue tended to the preiudice of Christian liberty in all places Here we learne that we may not vse the least ceremonie that is in the case of confession before our aduersaries that is when they seeke to oppresse the trueth by face or by fraud and make ceremonies signes and tokens of the confession of any vntrueth Iulian the Emperour sitting in a chaire of estate gaue gold to his souldiers one by one withal cōmāding to cast of frākincense so much as a graine into the fire that lay vpon an heathenish altar before him Nowe Christ in souldiers refuse to do it and they which had not refused afterward recalled their acte and willingly suffered death Againe here we learne that we are not to yeeld from the least part of the trueth of the Gospel that God hath reuealed to vs. This truth is more pretious then the whole world beside and heauen and earth shall rather passe then the least tittle of it shall not be accomplished The commission of the Apostles was to teach them to doe all things which God had commanded Therefore the vnion or mixture of our religion with the popish religion is but a dreame of vnwise Politickes for in this mixture we must yeeld and they must yeeld something but we may not yeeld a iot of the truth reuealed to vs. There is no fellowship of light with darkenesse 1. Cor. 6. Colacinthus a naughtie pot hearbe marred a whole pot of pottage 2. King 4. 40. Christ saith in the like case of the Pharisies Let them alone they are the blinde leaders of the blind Math. 15. 14. We may yeeld in things indifferent but not in points of religion In matters of this world we may be indifferent and of neither side but in matters of God we may not There is no halting betweene two religions The second point is they gaue not place by way of subiection The reason is the Apostles were of highest authoritie simply to be beleeued in their doctrine And they had extraordinarie authoritie to punish them that rebelliously withstood them Act. 5. 5. 10. Act. 13. 20. 2. Cor. 10. 6. For this cause they were not to stand subiect to the iudgement and censure of any man They willingly suffered their doctrine to be tried yet were they not bound to subiection as other ministers of the new testament are 1. Cor. 14. 32. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. It may be said if they would not giue place by subiection howe then gaue they place Answer There is two kinds of yeelding one by tolleration without approbation the other by subiection which is the greatest approbation that can be By the first it may be Paul was content to giue place but not by the second Here we see howe we are to yeeld to the corruptions of the times in which we liue whether they be in manners or in doctrine We are to giue place by meeke and patient bearing of that which we cannot mende but we are not to giue place by subiection The third point is the ende of Pauls refusall That the truth of the Gospell might continue that is that the Gospel might be preserued in puritie and integritie in all things And by this Paul giues vs to vnderstand that if circumcision be made a necessarie cause of iustification and saluation the truth of the Gospel doeth not continue Here let vs obserue that when iustification or saluation is ascribed to workes or Sacraments the truth of the Gospell giues place and falshood comes in the roome Wherefore the religion of the Church of Rome is a meere deprauation of the Gospel for it makes workes to be the meritorious causes of iustification saluation Nay which is more it teacheth men to worship a peece of bread and to invocate dead men and to kneele downe to stockes and stones 6 And of them that seemed to be great what they were in times past it makes no matter to me God accepteth no mans person for they that are the cheife did not communicate any thing to me Here Paul laies downe the second signe of his approbation namely that in conference he learned nothing of the cheife Apostles And this he expresseth in the first words in which the concealement which he vseth is to be obserued For hauing begun a sentence he breakes it off in the middle and conceales the latter part and leaues it to be supplied by the reader thus Of them that seemed to be great I was not taught or I learned nothing The like forme of speaking is vsed 1. Chron. 4. 10. Where Iabez saith If the Lord blesse me and be with me concealing the end of his sentence I will be thankefull thus and thus In the roome of this concealement Paul puts an answer to an obiection For some man might take exception against his former speech thus Thou callest the Apostles Great but thou speakest fainedly for thou knowest they were but poore fishermen To this he makes answer thus What they were once it makes no matter to me Then he renders a reason of his answer God accepts no mans person This done he proceeds and renders a reason of his first speech he learned nothing of the cheefe Apostles because they did
which there is a sorrow for vnbeleefe a will and defire to beleeue in Christ with care to vse good meanes and to increase in faith Strong faith is that which preuailes against doubting and it is a full perswasion or resolution of the loue and mercie of God in Christ. This second degree of faith follows iustification vpon the obseruation and experience of the prouidence and goodnes of God but the first degree of speciall faith before named for order goes before iustification and for time is together with it The second question is when faith beginnes first to breede in the heart Ans. When a man beginnes to be touched in his conscience for his sinnes and vpon feeling of his owne spirituall pouertie earnestly hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnes aboue all things in the world Christ saith I will giue to him that thirsteth of the well of the water of life freely Reuel 21. 6. This promise declares that in thirsting there is a measure of faith To eate and drinke Christ the bread and water of life is to beleeue in him and to hunger and thirst hauing as it were a spirituall appetite to Christ is the next steppe to this eating and drinking Therefore this must be remembred that professours of the Gospel yea teachers of the same that want this sense of their vnworthines and this thirsting are farre wide what gifts soeuer they haue For they are not yet come to the first steppe of true faith The third question is how faith in Christ is reuealed in the heart Ans. It is not faith to conceiue in minde a bare perswasion that Christ is my Sauiour and thereupon to thinke to be saued But faith in Christ is conceiued in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance When I see mine owne sinnes and Gods anger against me for them by the law when I see mine owne guiltines I draw my selfe into the presence of God making confession of mine offences and praier for the pardon of them and in this praier I striue against mine vnbeleefe I will desire and endeauour to assent to the promise of God touching forgiuenes and withall I purpose with my selfe to sinne no more This is my daily practise and thus is faith truly conceiued and confirmed Againe faith is conceiued in the vse of holy meanes namely the Preaching of the word and Sacraments For in hearing receiuing the Lords Supper to meditate vpon the promise of mercie and in meditation to applie the said promise to my selfe is the right way to conceiue true faith Therefore it must be remembred that faith conceiued without the exercises of inuocation and repentance or conceiued without the vse of the word and Sacraments as commonly it is is not true faith but an Imagination or fiction of the braine which will faile in the ende The third point to be considered is the signe or the outward meanes of Adoption and that is Baptisme It may be demanded how Baptisme can be a marke or signe of the child of God considering all sorts of men are partakers of it Ans. Baptisme alone is no marke of Gods child but baptisme ioyned with faith for so must the text be conceiued All ye Galatians that beleeue are baptised into Christ. For Paul had said immediatly before Ye are the sounes of God by faith Againe the Scripture speaking of baptisme comprehends both the outward and the inward baptisme which is the inward baptisme of the spirit Math. 3. 11. and 1. Pet. 3. 21. And thus is baptisme alwaies an infallible marke of the child of God It may further be demanded what are the markes of the inward baptisme Ans. The new birth whereby a man is washed and cleansed by the spirit of God hath three speciall markes The first is the spirit of grace and supplications Zach. 12. 10. that is the spirit of regeneration causing men to turne to God and withall to make instant praier and supplication for mercie and forgiuenes of sins past The second is to heare obay the voice of god in all things Ioh. 8. 47. 10. 27. The third is not to sin that is not to liue in in the practise of any sinne after this new birth is begunne 1. Ioh. 3. He that is borne of God doth not commit sinne He may faile in this or that speach and doe amisse in this or that action but after his calling and conuersion the tenour and course of his life shall be according to the commandements of God And this is a speciall marke to discerne the inward baptisme Some alleadged that hauing long agoe beene baptised with water yet they feele not the inward baptisme and therefore they feare that they are not the children of God Ans. If there be in thee a sorrow for thy corruptions and sinnes past if thou hast a purpose to sinne no more if thou auoidest the occasions of sinne and fearest to offend if hauing sinned thou liest not in thy sinne but recouerest thy selfe by new repentance thou art verily borne of God and baptised with the baptisme of the holy Ghost Others alleadge that although they haue bin baptised yet they feare they haue no faith and therefore they thinke they are not the children of God Ans. If there be in thee a sorrow for thine vnbeleefe a will and desire to beleeue and a care to increase in faith by the vse of good meanes there is a measure of true faith in thee and by it thou maist assure thy selfe that thou art the child of God Others againe alleadge that they haue long made praier vnto God and that according to his will and yet their praiers haue not bin heard and therefore they often doubt they are not Gods children Ans. If thou canst pray though thy praier be not heard according to thy desire content thy selfe For the praier of the heart is the marke of the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 16. 26. And by it thou maist know that thou art the child of God Thus then we see what is the infallible marke of the child of God namely baptisme ioyned with true faith in Christ or the outward baptisme ioyned with the inward baptisme of the spirit The vse Many auouch the present Church of Rome to be the true Church of God and that because they say in it there is true baptisme which is a marke of the church of God But they are deceiued for baptisme in the church of Rome is seuered from true faith or from the Apostolike doctrine and the outward baptisme is seuered from the inward baptisme For they of that Church ouerturne iustification by the meere mercie of God which is the principall part of the inward baptisme Againe the ten Tribes retained circumcision after their Apostasie yet for all that condemned to be no people of God Ose. 1. 9. The light in the lanthorne pertaines not to the lanthorne but to the passengers in the streete euen so the Confession of faith in the Symboll of the Apostles and
baptisme that are retained in the Papacie pertaine not to the Papacie but to another hidden Church which by these and other meanes is gathered out of the middest of Romish Babylon And therefore baptisme is rather a signe of this then of the Romish Church Againe we must be warned to take heede that we deceiue not our selues thinking it a sufficient matter that we haue bin baptised For except Christ inwardly wash vs by his spirit we haue no part in him Ioh. 13. 8. Circumcision saith Paul auaileth not vnles thou be a doer of the law Ro. 2. 25. Baptisme indeed saueth 1. Pet. 3. 21. but that is not the baptisme of water but the stipulation of a good conscience by the resurrection of Christ. The outward baptisme without the inward is not the marke of Gods child but the marke of the foole that makes a vow and afterward breakes it Eccles. 5. 3. Moreouer baptisme is not onely a signe of our adoption but also a seale thereof and a meanes to conuaie it vnto vs and for the better vnderstanding of this point and for a further clearing of the 27. verse I will speake of the whole nature of baptisme That which is to be deliuered I reduce to eight heads I. the name of baptisme and the phrases II. the matter III. the forme IV. the ende V. the efficacie of baptisme VI. the necessitie thereof VII the circumstances VIII the vse Touching the name Baptisme is taken sixe waies First it signifies the superstitious washings of the Pharisies who bouÌ„d themselues to the baptismes or washings of cuppes and potts Mar. 7. 4. Second 〈…〉 it signifies the washings appointed by God in the Ceremoniall law Hebr. 9. 10. Thirdly it signifies that washing by water which serues to seale the couenant of the new Testament Math. 28. 19. Fourthly it signifies by a metaphor any grieuous crosse or calamitie Thus the passion of Christ is called his baptisme Luk. 12. 50. Fiftly it signifies the bestowing of extraordinarie gifts of the holy Ghost and that by imposition of hands of the Apostles Act. 1. 5. and 11. 16. Lastly it signifies the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie Thus Apollos is saide to teach the way of the Lord knowing nothing but the baptisme that is the doctrine of Iohn Act. 18. 25. In the third sense is baptisme taken in this place when Paul saith Ye are all baptised into Christ. The phrases vsed in Scripture of baptisme are strange in reason and therefore they are to be explaned Here it is said Ye that are baptised into Christ put on Christ. The reason of this speach is threefold The first is this the washing of the bodie with water is an outward signe to represent to our eies and minde the inward washing and our vnion or coniunction with Christ therefore they that are baptised are said to put on Christ. The second reason is because the washing by water seales vnto vs our inward ingrafting into Christ for as certenly as the bodie is washed with water so certenly are they that beleeue ingrafted into Christ. The third reason of the speach is because baptisme is after a sort an instrument whereby our insition into Christ and fellowship with him is effected For in the right and lawfull vse of baptisme God according to his owne promise ingrafts them into Christ that beleeue and the inward washing is conferred with the outward washing For these causes they that are washed with water in baptisme are said to put on Christ. In the same manner must other phrases be vnderstood as when it is said that baptisme saueth 1. Pet. 3. 21. that men must be baptised for the remission of sinnes Act. 22. 6. that we are buried by baptisme into the death of Christ. Rom. 6. 3. The second point concernes the Matter of baptisme Here I consider three things the signe the thing signified the Analogie of both The signe is partly the element of water Act. 8. 36. and partly the Rite by diuine institution appertaining to the element which is the sacramentall vse of it in washing of the bodie and these two water and externall washing of the bodie are the full and complete signe of baptis 〈…〉 e. Here a question may be made Whether washing of the bodie in baptisme must be by dipping or by sprinkling Ans. In hot countries and in the baptisme of men of yeares dipping was vsed and that by the Apostl 〈…〉 and to this Paul alludes Rom. 6. 3. and dipping doth more fully represent our spirituall washing then sprinkling Neuerthelesse in cold couÌ„tries and in the baptisme of infants new borne sprinkling is to be vsed and not dipping in respect of their health and life For the Rule is Necessitie and charitie dispense with the Ceremoniall law Vpon this ground Dauid did eate the shewbread circumcision was not alwaies the eight day as appeares by the Israe lites in the wildernes and for the same cause in these countries dipping may be omitted though otherwise a sacramentall rite And it must be remembred that baptising signifies not onely that washing which is by diuing of the bodie but also that which is by sprinkling The thing signified or the substance of baptisme is Christ himselfe our Mediatour as he gaue himselfe to wash cleanse vs. Thus Paul saith that he cleanseâ—th his Church by the washing of water Eph. 5. 6. The Analogie or proportion of both is on this manner Water resembles Christ crucified with all his merits S. Iohn saith The blood of Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that is the merit and efficacie of Christ crucified freeth vs from our sinnes and from the guilt and punishment thereof Externall washing of the bodie resembles inward washing by the spirit which stands in iustification and sanctification 1. Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 5. The dipping of the bodie signifies mortification or fellowship with Christ in his death the staying vnder the water signifies the buriall of sinne and the comming out of the water the resurrection from sinne to newnes of life Rom. 6. 3 4. The third point concernes the Forme of baptisme Math. 28. 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. I explaine the words thus Marke first it is faide Teach them that is make them my disciples by calling them to beleeue and to repent Here we are to consider the Order which god obserues in making with man the couenant in baptisme First of all he calls men by his word and commands theÌ„ to beleeue and repent when they beginne to beleeue and repent then in the second place God makes his promise of mercie and forgiuenes and thirdly he seales his promise by baptisme This diuine Order Christ signifieth when he saith make them disciples and 〈…〉 as alwaies obserued of God Before he made any couenant with Abraham and before he sealed it by Circumcision he saith to him Walke before me and be vpright Gen. 17. 1. and of his seede he saith they must-first doe