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
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
ignorance of the one and hinder the malice of the other and so to profitte the most beside the meaning he hath briefly drawne out such doctrines as naturally arise from the text shewing withall how they ought to be applied for confutation correction instruction consolation Which he hath donne with such dexteritie artificially matching together two things heretofore insociable Breuitie and Perspicuitie that the like I take it hath not beene performed heretofore by any Expositer vpon this Epistle which we may well call the key of the new Testament in that it handleth the waightiest points of doctrine whether we consider the necessarie knowledge thereof or the controuersies of these times Therefore Luther after he had once publikely expounded it toke in hand againe and interpreted it the second time beginning as himselfe saith where he ended according to the saying of Syracides When a man hath donne what he can he must beginne againe Which Commentarie seeing it hath found such good intertainement amongst vs beeing but a forrainer and hauing lost much of his strength and taken winde by changing from language to language as wine from one vessell to another I doubt not but this beeing a free-denizen will find the like fauour and acceptance therather if it will please your Honour to vouchsafe it your countenance To whose protection and patronage I here commend it as S. Luke did his Histories to the most noble Theophylus desiring hereby to testifie my humble dutie vnto your Honor and my thankfulnes to God for the riches of his grace bestowed vpon you in my sterie of the Gospell for your zeale of gods glory your loue of the truth and of all those that vnfainedly embrace the truth And thus fearing to hinder the course of your more serious cogitations actions I humbly take may leaue Desyring the Lord who hath promised to honour those that honour him that as he hath made you Honourable in your noble progenitors so he would make you thrise Honourable in your future successors and long continue you a notable instrument vnder his Highnes of the peace and welfare of your country as hetherto he hath done accomplishing all your desires for present prosperitie and future felicitie From Emanuell colledge in Cambridge August 10. 1604. Your Honours most humbly deuoted RAFE CVDWORTH TO THE COVRteous Reader I Here offer to thy view gentle Reader a Comment and a Supplement the Comment begunne by an excellent workeman and drawne in excellent proportion in all points suting to the analogie of faith and the doctrine of the Orthodoxe Fathers of the Church beeing the substance of his three yeares Lectures vpon the Lords day If his former workes either of Positiue Diuinitie in sundrie of his Treatises or Controuersall Diuinitie in his Reformed Catholike or Case-Diuinitie in his Cases of Conscience haue ministred any comfort vnto thee or giuen thee content I doubt not but these Commentaries will abundantly satisfie thy expectation For to omit the varietie of matter as also the breuitie and admirable perspicuitie in regard of the manner beeing the chiefest commendation of Oecumenius or any Interpreter in them as in a mirrour thou maist more clearely see his knowledge in the mysterie of Christ and his dexteritie in exemplifying that by practise which he had formerly taught by precept theÌ„ in any of his writings besides as hauing a double eminencie aboue the rest First in that they were penned the last of all his workes beeing come to ripenes of iudgement and that vpon mature deliberation after his Sermons as his manner was Secondly in that they were written with his owne hand whereas all his other writings except some short Treatises were taken by some diligent auditors and perused by himselfe Herein resembling the Epistle it selfe which was written with Pauls owne hand all the rest except that short one to Philemon by his â—â—ribes And as they doe exceede his other Writings so I might say perhaps more truly then discreetly that they surpasse in this kinde all the moderne writers that haue gone before them so that he which will vouchsafe to read them shall not greatly neede nor desire any other Interpreter vpon this Scripture the which I speake not as esteeming of Antiquitie no better worth then to be put vnder a bushell that Noueltie might be set vpon the candlesticke but for that I see not but that Iohn Baptist the last of all the Prophets was as goodly a burning and shining candle as any of the rest and that he pointed forth Christ more distinctly then the rest But I hope I shall not neede to vse many words in commendation either of the worke or of the Author beeing so well knowne and sufficiently commended by others for soundnes of doctrine and integritie of life which whilst he was liuing did parallel each other his doctrine beeing a patterne of his life and his life a counterpaine of his doctrine And now beeing dead his sauorie-writings which he hath left behind him breathing forth as it were the sweete smell of a sanctified spirit like a field which the Lord hath blessed hath got him a name neuer to be forgotten which giueth him after his death a second life I am further to aduertise thee good Reader that there were some places in the originall copie to which the Author would no doubt haue giuen some reuiew and correction if God had drawne out the line of his life but a little longer which I haue filed and polished according to my poore skill though very sparingly in such places onely as were obscure or had any phrase of doubtfull construction or otherwise seemed to be mistaken pointing and interlining the rest to fit it for the Presse It may be my vnskilfull handling of them hath depriued them of their due lustre yet sure I am it hath giuen them no tincture Touching the Supplement it was my purpose at the first to have made a supplie of that which was wanting out of the Authors owne writings as it hath beene done in Aquinas Summes and others but afterwardes perceiuing that his workes alreadie extant would not affoard me sufficient matter to furnish out that argument I was inforced to take an other course and to make a supplie with courser stuffe of mine owne as I could Which if it shall seeme not to sure the former in all points I shall desire thee to consider that it is not so easie a matter for Asâ—lepiodorus accustomed to draw with a cole or chaulke only to finish a picture he 〈…〉 nne by Apelles with so curious a pensill and that it is an argument wherein I confesse I haue not beene so much conuersant as perhaps in some other neither chosen out of purpose to make ostentation of witt reading or inuention but left as a necessary task to be performed by some for the perfecting of the worke and the good of the Church if this poore mite may conferre any thing to the Treasurie of the Lords
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-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
teach otherwise then I haue taught you neither I nor they must be beleeued but be accursed Againe put the case that an angell from heauen should come and preach otherwise then Paul preached to the Galatians who must be beleeued Paul or the Angel the answer is not the Angell but Paul and the angel must be accursed And the reason is because Paul in preaching and writing did represent the authoritie of God and God puts his owne authoritie into the word which he vttered and he was assisted by the extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of Gods spirit From this supposition sundrie things may be learned The first that the word preached and written by Paul is as certen as if it had bin written by God himselfe immediately It may be obiected that Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 12. To the remnant I speake not the Lord. I answer Paul saith I not the Lord not because he was deceiued in his aduise for he spake by the spirit of God c. 7. v. 40. but because he gaue counsell in a case of marriage whereof the Lord had made no expresse lawe The meaning then is this I speake by collection from the lawe of God and not the Lord by any particular and expresse lawe Secondly it appeares hence that the articles of faith or the doctrine of the Gospell is in excellencie and authoritie aboue all men and angeis And hence it followes that the Church and Councels cannot authorize the word of God in the minde conscience of any man For the inferiour and dependent authoritie addes nothing to that which is the principall and superior authoritie Therefore the opinion of the Papist is false that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God but by the testimony of the Church as though the letter of a Prince could not be knowne to be so without the testimonie of the subiects The principall authoritie is sufficient in it selfe to authorize it selfe without externall testimonie Thirdly since the daies of the Apostles sundrie doctrines haue bin receiued and beleeued touching intercession of Saints praier to the dead and for the dead Purgatorie and such like and these doctrines haue bin confirmed by sundrie revelations And here we learne what to iudge both of the doctrines and of the reuelations namely that they are accursed because the doctrines are beside the written word and the reuelations tend to ratifie and confirme them Lastly hence we learne what to thinke of the writings of Papists and Schoolemen whereof some are called Seraphicall cherubicall or Angelicall doctors They broch and maintaine sundrie things beside that which the Apostles preached wrote as iustification by workes and a mixture of the lawe and the Gospell they giue too little to grace and too much to mans will In this regard Paul hath giuen the sentence that they are accursed For this cause students of diuinitie are warily to read them with praier that they be not led into temptation and they are to vse them onely in the last place And they are greatly to be blamed that preferre them almost aboue all writers they shewe that they haue little loue of the Gospell in their hearts 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed In these words Paul repeates againe that which he said before and the repetition is not in vaine but for three weightie causes the first is to signifie that he had spoken not rashly but aduisedly whatsoeuer he had said before the second is that the point deliuered is an infallible truth of God the third is to put the Galatians and vs in minde that we are to obserue and remember that which he hath said as the foundation of our religion namely that the doctrine of the Apostles is the onely infallible truth of God against which we may not listen to Fathers Councels or to the very Angels of God If this had bin remembred and obserued the Gospel had continued in his puritie after the daies of the Apostles In this verse one thing is to be obserued Before Paul saide they are accursed which teach otherwise then he had taught here he saith they are accursed which teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued Whereby it appeares that as Paul preached the Gospel of Christ so the Galatians receiued it And they receiued it first in that they had care to know it secondly in that they gaue the assent of faith vnto it as to a truth against which the very Angels could take no exception And for this also are the Thessalonians commended that the Gospel was to them in power and much assurance The great fault of our times is that where as the Gospel is preached it is not accordingly receiued Many haue no care to know it and they which know it giue not vnto it the assent of faith but onely hold it in opinion And this is the cause that there is so small fruit of the Gospel This sinne will at length haue his punishment The places that are not seasoned by the waters of the Sanctuarie are turned to saltpits Ezech. 47. v. 11. 10 For now whether preach I men or God or seeke I to please men for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The interrogations in this place doe I preach and doe I please are in stead of earnest negations I doe not preach I doe not please And when he saith doe I now preach men or God his meaning is this Heretofore I haue preached the Traditions of men but now beeing an Apostle I preach not the doctrine of men but of God And when he saith doe I seeke to please men his meaning is this I doe not make this the scope of my mini sterie to frame and temper my doctrine so as it may be sutable and pleasing to the affections of men For otherwise we are to please men in that which is good and for their good 1. Cor. 10. 33. Rom. 15. 2. This verse containes a double reason of his former speach and of the repitition thereof The first is this Though heretofore I taught the Traditions of men yet now I teach the word not of men but of God and therefore I accurse them that teach otherwise The second is framed thus If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of God but I am the seruant of God therefore I seeke not to please men but if neede shal be I will denounce curses against them Here first we see the proper matter of the Ministerie which is not the word or doctrine of man but of God By this the Ministers of the Gospel are taught to handle their doctrine with modestie and humilitie without ostentation with reuerence and with a consideration of the maiestie of God whose the doctrine is which they vtter that God may be glorified 1. Pet. 4. 11. Secondly the hearers in hearing are to know that they haue to
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
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
concerning faith and good life is inseperably annexed to his person and in it are we to rest The principall voice of the iudge and the definitiue sentence is the written word And the office of the Church is no more but to gather declare testifie and pronounce this sentence It is obiected that when a question is propounded the scripture cannot speake nor Christ in the Scripture but the Church onely I answer againe that God ascribes to the written word a voice or speech Rom. 3. 19. and the scripture speakes sufficiently to the resoluing of any mans conscience in all matters pertayning to saluation Again they alleadge that the Church is before the scripture and therfore it beeing most auncient must be the Iudge I answer that the Church was before the writing of the word but not before the word which is written For the church presupposeth faith and faith presupposeth a word of God Vpon this our doctrine they further vpbraid vs that we wil be tried by nothing but by the scriptures euen as the malefactour that will not be tried by the Quest but by the euidence I answer for the satisfying of our aduersaries we submit our selues to the triall of the Church and Councels so be it the three cautions before remēbred be duly obserued specially that all things be iudged and tried by the written word and by reasons gathered thence Againe the Papists hence gather that the scriptures are to be approoued by the Church Ans. Thus much we graunt yet so as we hold that the principal approbatiō of the word wherby we are mooued to beleeue and obey is in the word frō the word and not from the church For the scripture hath his euidence within itselfe which is sufficient to make vs beleeue the word to be the word though the Church should say nothing The third point is concerning the persons with whome Paul conferred namely with them that were the cheife that is with them that were in price and account as Peter Iames c. Here we see what is the honour and worshippe that is due to excellent men namely a pretious and reuerend estimation Thus the name of Dauid was in price in Israel for his vertues 1. Sam. 18. last And thus with the Papists are we content to honour the Saints Again here the Papists gather that they are hereticks that after Pauls example will not go vp to Rome to Peter and his successour to haue their doctrine and religion tried and examined I answer first we are content to be tried by the writings of Peter Iames Iohn Paul c. And this is the commandement of God in doubtfull cases To the Law and the testimonie Isai 8. Secondly I answer that we haue a commandement not to goe vp to Rome at this day to haue our religion tried Reuel 18. Come out of Babylon my people Thirdly I answer that the Bishop of Rome is Peters successour not in teaching but in denying Christ. And the learned Papists confesse that for this succession they haue but a humane faith grounded vpon humane historie The fourth point is the Ende of the conference Least I should runne that is least I should preach or had preached in vaine These words of Paul are not simply to be taken For the Ministerie of man and euery sermon brings forth the fruite which God hath appointed And whether it be vnto the hearers the sauour of life or the sauour of death it is alwaies a sweet sauour vnto God The words therefore carrie this meaning Least my preaching should be of lesse vse and profit or againe least I should preach in vaine in respect of that good which is looked for at the hands of an Apostle And this Paul speakes because a rumor went abroad that his doctrine in many things was contrarie to the other Apostles And by this meanes many were kept from receiuing the Gospell and the faith of weake beleeuers was quenched Now then the ende of the conference was to stay this false report that the Ministerie of Paul might haue passage and that with greater profit Hence the Papists gather that the doctrine of Paul was vncerten and vnprofitable till it was approoued by Peter I answer that Paul sought the approbation of his doctrine at the hands of Peter and the rest not because it was vncerten and vnprofitable but because it was slaundered and the slaunder was that he taught otherwise then Peter did Nowe to cut off this slander he vseth meanes to manifest his consent with Peter and therefore seekes approbation at his hand Againe when Paul saith Least I should runne in vaine he giues vs to vnderstand that the Ministerie of the word is not a worke of ease or pleasure but a labour nay a continued labour like to the running in a race It were therefore to be wished that ministers of the Gospel would so labour and walke in this calling that they might be able to say with Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course c. 2. Tim. 4. Thirdly hence it appeares that all beleeuers should haue a certen knowledge of their faith and religion The procuring of this was the thing that Paul aimed at in this conference with the Apostles at Ierusalem We must not be as children carried away with euery winde of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Gods word requires faith in vs and faith presupposeth certen knowledge The first and second commandements require that we knowe God and his will distinguish him from false gods and his worshippe from false worshippe Here comes the fault of our times to be considered most men among vs doe not knowe their religion neither can they distinguish it from errour and false religion A foule negligence We take paines to learne trades and occupations that we may haue wherewith to preserue this temporall life what a shame then is it that we learne not better to know the doctrine of true religion whereby our soules are to be saued Lastly here we learne that the office of the Minister is not onely to teach and preach but also to studie and take care howe by preaching he may doe the most good 3. But neither yet Titus which was with me though he were a Grecian was compelled to be circumcised After the Conference followes the Approbation which was giuen to Paul It stands in foure things The first that the Apostles did not compell Titus to be circumcised v. 3. The second that they added nothing to his doctrine v. 6. The third that they gaue him the hands of fellowship v. 7. The laste that at his departure they required of him nothing but the giuing of Almes v. 16. For the first the words And Titus was not compelled to be circumcised carrie this sense I for my part was readie to circumcise Titus if there had beene a meete occasion false brethren would haue imposed a necessitie vpon vs then I and Titus refused and the Apostles did not vrge me to circumcise him Here it may
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
pray for this gift at Gods hand For power to suffer is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. and we must obserue the commandement of God not to feare the terrours of men Reu. 2. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 14. And for this cause we must as Peter saith sanctifie God in our hearts beeing assured by our faith of the presence protection and prouidence of God When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things he shewes that we must endure manifold miseries in this life Iacob said to Pharao his daies were few and euill Many are the afflictions of the righteous Psal. 34. 20. Christ saith Take vp thy crosse euery day Luk. 9. 23. and thereby he signifies that euery new day that comes ouer our heads we must looke for a new crosse And for this cause it is not enough to be patient for a fit but we must shew all patience and long suffering and that with ioyfulnes Col. 1. 11. When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine he signifies that our sufferings are of great vse vnlesse our sinnes be the hindrance It may then be demanded what is the vse of our sufferings The Papists answer that in our baptisme or first conuersion Christ sufferings doe all abolish the whole fault and punishment but if we sinne after our conuersion then they say Christs sufferings abolish the fault and the eternall punishment and our owne sufferings abolish the temporall punishment But this doctrine leslens and obscures the mercie of God and it must be obserued that Paul holds all their sufferings to be in vaine that seeke remission of sinnes or iustification in any thing out of Christ. Now we for our parts make fiue other vses of our sufferings First they serue for triall of men that it may appeare what is hidden in their hearts Deut. 8. 2. Secondly they serue for the correction of things amisse in vs. 1. Cor. 11. 23. Thirdly they serue as documents and warnings to others specially in publike persons thus Dauid suffers many things after repentance for his murther and adulterie Fourthly they are markes of adoption if we be content to obey God in them Heb. 12. 7. Lastly they are the troaden and beaten way to the kingdom of heauen Act. 14. 23. When Paul saith If they be in vaine we are to obserue his moderation He reprooues and terrifies the Galatians yet so as he is carefull to preserue the hope of mercie in them and the hope of their amendment in himselfe The like hath bin the practise of the Prophets Ionas preacheth yet fourtie daies and Niniuie shall be destroied but withall he addes It may be the Lord will repent and turne from his fierce wrath Ion. 3. 9. Peter saith to Simon Magus Thou art in the gall of bitternes but withall he addes Pray God that the thought of thy heart may be forgiuen thee Act. 8. 21. See the like Ioel 2. 14. and Amos 5. 15. And thus are Ministers of the Gospel to delay and qualifie their reproofes and censures 5 He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith These words are a repetition of the second verse whence the exposition must be fetched The words and worketh miracles among you are added and they carrie this meaning That God gaue to the Galatians not onely the spirit of adoption but also other extraordinarie gifts of the spirit as to speake with strange tongues to cure diseases and such like Repetitions in Scripture are not idle but of great vse and signifie vnto vs the necessitie of the thing repeated and the infallible certentie of it The substance therefore of this verse must carefully be remembred and that is this Ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and of God The argument is of great vse For by it we come to an infallible assurance of the Certentie of the Scriptures and of true religion deriued thence The Galatians are now reuolted from Pauls doctrine and they erre in the foundation and yet Paul saith in the time present He that ministreth the spirit vnto you Hence it appeares that falls of infirmitie in the child of God doe not vtterly extinguish the spirit but onely grieue or make sadde the spirit Againe Paul here teacheth that God is the onely and proper author of miracles For he that ministreth the spirit worketh miracles namely God A miracle is a worke aboue the strength of natureâ— therefore it can be effected of none but the author of nature It may be obiected the Apostles Prophets and others had a gift to worke miracles Iosua commanded the sunne to stand Ios. 10. 12. and Elias commanded fire to come downe from heauen 2. king 1. Ans. God neuer gaue to any man power to worke and effect a miracle either mediately or immediately The gift was the faith of miracles The faith was grounded vpon reuelation and the reuelation was that God himselfe would worke such or such a miracle when they praied commanded or imposed hands Men therefore properly are but the mouth of God and messengers to signifie what he will doe Againe it may be obiected that the deuill can worke miracles Ans. He can worke a wonder or things extraordinarie in respect of the ordinarie course of nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen and he caused vlcers to arise in the bodie of Iob and that true vlcers And this he did by the force of nature better knowne to him then all the world But as for a true miracle that exceedes the strength of nature he cannot possibly doe it no not Christ himselfe as man though he be exalted aboue all men and angels By this we see that they are deceiued who thinke that the deuill can make raine thunder and lightning Indeede when the matter of raine and thunder is prepared by God he can hasten it and make it more terrible but raine and thunder he cannot make for that is indeede as much as any miracle Againe it is a falsehood to thinke that Alchimists are able to turne baser mettals into gold For it is a worke of creation to turne a creature of one kind into a creature of an other kind It is also as foolish to imagine that witches by the power of the deuill are able to turne themselues into catts and other creatures None can doe this but God that made the creature Here againe we see the vse of miracles that is to confirme doctrine in the Apostolike Churches That their vse is further to confirme doctrine euen at this day it cannot be prooued Lastly here in the Galatians we see what an easie thing it is to fall from God from our faith and allegiance to him They were taught by Paul they had receiued the spirit of adoption they were enabled to worke miracles and yet for all this they fall away to an other Gospel They must be a looking glasse to vs. In peace we
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
the couenant of Grace and therefore we must acknowledge the father to be our father the Son to be our Redeemer the holy Ghost to be our comforter and seeke to grow in the knowledge and experience of this It may be demanded whether baptisme may not be administred in the name of Christ alone or in the name of God without mention of the persons in the Godhead Ans. No. For the true forme of baptisme is here prescribed If it be said that Peter biddes them of Ierusalem repent and be baptized into the name of Christ. Act. 2. 38. I answer that Peters intent in that place is to set downe not the forme of baptisme but the ende and scope thereof which is that we may attaine to true fellowship with Christ. The fourth point is concerning the endes of baptisme which are foure The first is that baptisme serues to be a pledge vnto vs in respect of our weaknes of all the graces and mercies of God and specially of our vnion with Christ of remission of sinnes and of mortification Secondly it serues to be a signe of Christian profession before the world and therefore it is called the stipulation or interrogation of a good conscience 1. Pet. 3. 21. Thirdly it serues to be a meanes of our first entrance or admission into the visible Church Lastly it is a meanes of vnitie Read Eph. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 12. 13. The fifth point concernes the Efficacie of baptisme Of which there be foure necessarie questions The first is whether the Efficacie of baptisme extend it selfe to all sinnes and to the whole life of man For answer I will set downe what we teach and what the Papists We teach that the vse of baptisme inlargeth it selfe to the whole life of man and that it takes away all sinnes past present and to come one caution remembred that the partie baptised stand to the order of baptisme which is to turne vnto God and to beleeue in Christ and so to continue by a continuall renouation of faith and repentance as occasion shall be offered Reasons may be these First the scripture speakes of them that had long before bin baptised and that in the time present baptisme saueth 1. Pet. 3. 21. and ye are buried by baptisme into the death of Christ. Rom. 6. 4. And in the future tense it is saide he that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued And Paul saith that the Church is cleansed with the washing of water that it may be presented glorious and without spot vnto God Eph. 5. 26. And all this shewes that baptisme hath the same efficacie after which it had before the administration thereof Secondly the couenant of grace is euerlasting Isa. 54. 10. Hos. 2. 19. and the couenant is the foundation or substance of baptisme therefore baptisme is not to be tied to any time but it must haue his force so long as the couenant is of force And this appeares by the example of the Galatians who are now fallen away to an other gospel after their baptisme and yet are instructed and directed by their baptisme Lastly it hath bin the doctrine of the ancient Church that all sinnes are done away by baptisme euen sinnes to come The doctrine of the Papists is that baptisme takes away all sinnes that goe before the administration thereof and that sinnes after baptisme are not taken away by baptisme but by the Sacrament of pennance But the doctrine is erronious as may appeare by the arguments which they vse Argum. first Circumcision had no vse after the administration thereof for the abolishing of sinne Therefore neither hath baptisme Ans. Circumcision had And this appeares because the Prophets put the Iewes in minde of their circumcision when they fell away from God bidding them to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts Ier. 4. 4. Arg. 2. The Apostles vsed to call them that sinned after baptisme to confession of sinne and to repentance or pennance Act. 8. 21. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Ans. This makes for vs for in so doing they bring men to their baptisme and to the order set downe there which is that the partie baptised must first of all turne to God and beleeue in Christ and there is no new order set downe afterward but onely a renewing of this first baptismall order both in the Ministerie of the word and in the supper of the Lord. And whereas they make a distinction of pennance the vertue and pennance the sacrament placing the vertue before and after baptisme and the sacrament onely after for this they haue no word of God Arg. 3. If a man be inlightned that is baptised and then fall againe he cannot be renewed by repentance which is in baptisme Hebr. 6. 6. Ans. The text speakes not of them that fall after baptisme but of them that fall away by an vniuersall Apostasie denying Christ. For it is said v. 7. that they crucifie Christ againe that is crucifie Christ crucified and so make a mocke of him and tread vnder foote the blood of Christ. Hebr. 10. 29. Againe the text speakes not particularly of repentance in baptisme but of all repentance whatsoeuer yea of repentance after baptisme For there is no place for repentance where Christ is renounced Arg. 4. Pennance as Hierome saith is a second table after a shipwracke Ans. Repentance indeede is a second table or bord whereby a sinner fallen from his baptisme returnes againe to it and so comes to the hauen of euerlasting happines Thus then we see that baptisme is the true sacrament of repentance for repentance pertaines to the inward baptisme The vse If baptisme serue for the whole life of man then if thou be in any miserie or distresse haue recourse to thy baptisme and there shalt thou finde thy comfort namely that God is thy God if thou truly turne and beleeue in him Secondly remember euery day the obligation of homage wherewith thou hast bound thy selfe to God specially in thy temptations remember it and see thou stand to it and make it good The second question is whether baptisme abolish Originall sinne or no The answer of the Papist is that it doth so as in the partie baptised there remaineth nothing that God may iustly hate and therefore he saith that Originall sinne after baptisme ceaseth to be sinne properly We teach and are to hold that the perfect and intire baptisme in which the outward and inward baptisme are ioyned together abolisheth the punishment of sinne and the guilt that is the obligation to punishment and the fault yet not simply but in two respects first in respect of imputation because God doth not impute Originall sinne to them that are in Christ secondly in respect of dominion because Originall sinne raigneth not in them that are regenerate Neuerthelesse after baptisme it remaines in thē that are baptised and is still and that properly sinne Paul saith Rom. 7. 20. If I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in
parents are likewise to be baptised The grounds of their baptisme are these First the commandement of God Matth. 28. 18. Baptize all nations c. in which wordes the baptisme of infants is prescribed For the Apostles by vertue of this commission baptised whole families Act. 16. 31. and 38. Againe circumcision of Infants was commanded by God Gen. 17. 14. and Baptisme in the new Testament succeedes in the roome of Circumcision Col. 2. 11. therefore baptisme of infants is likewise commanded The second ground is this Infants of beleeuing parents are in the couenant of grace for this is the tenour of the couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Gen. 17. 7. It may be said that this promise was made in this sort onely to Abraham because he was to be the father of the faithfull Ans. It pertaines to all beleeuing parents Exod 20. God promiseth to shew mercie to thousands of them that loue him Act. 2. 39. Peter saith to the Iewes that heard him preach The promises belong to you and to your children Paul saith If the parents beleeue the children are holy 1. Cor. 7. 14. If holy then are they in the Couenant now they are holy because we are in the iudgement of Christian charitie to esteeme them all as regenerate and sanctified secret iudgements in the meane season left to God Now then because infants are in the couenant they are to be baptised For this is the reason of S. Peter To whome the promises belong to them belongeth baptisme but to you and your children belong the promises therefore you and your children are to be baptised Act. 2. 38 39. It may be obiected that we cannot tell whether infants be indeede the children of God or no and if they be not children of God we may not baptize them Answer The same may be said of men of yeares for we knowe not whether they be indeede the children of And therefore we may by the like reason exclude them from all sacraments Againe we are to presume in all likelihood that infants of beleeuing parents are the children of God because in their conception and birth God begins to manifest his election shewing himselfe a God not onely to the parents but also to their seed Secondly it is obiected that infants haue no faith and consequently that baptisme is vnprofitable vnto them Ans. Some thinke they haue faith as they haue regeneration that is the inclination or seede of faith Others say that the faith of the parents is also the faith of their children because the parents by their faith receiue the promise of God both for themselues their children And thus to be borne in the Church of beleeuing parents is in stead of the profession of faith To this second opinion I rather incline because it is the auncient and receiued doctrine of the Church Thirdly it is alleadged that infants know not what is done when they are baptized Ans. For all this baptisme hath his vse in them for it is a seale of the couenant and a meanes to admit them into the fellowship of the visible Church whereof for right they are members A father makes a Purchasse for himselfe and his children at the time of the sealing the children know not what is done and yet the purchasse is not made in vaine for them It may be demanded whether the children of Turkes and Iewes are to be baptized Answ. No because the parents are forth of the couenant Secondly it is demanded whether the children of professed Papists are to be baptized Answ. The parents are persons baptized in the name of the father sonne and holy Ghost And though the Papacie be not the church of God yet is the church of God hidden in the papacie and to be gathered out of it and for this cause baptisme remaines still in the Church of Rome For this cause I thinke that infants of professed Papists may be baptized two cautions obserued the first that the foresaid parents desire this baptisme the second that there be sureties which promise the education of the child in the true faith Thirdly it may be demanded whether the children of wicked Christians that is of such as hold in iudgement true religion and denie it in their liues may be baptized Ans. They may for all without exceptiō that were borne of circumcized lews whereof many were wicked were circumcised And we must not onely regard the next parents but also the auncestours of whome it is said If the roote be holy the branches are holy Rom. 11. Vpon this ground children borne in fornication may be baptized so be it there be some to answer for them beside the parents And there is no reason that the wickednesse of the parent should preiudice the childe in things pertaining to life eternall Lastly it may be demanded whether the children of parents excommunicate may be baptized Answ. Yea if there be any beside the parents to answer for the child For the parents after excommunication remaine still for Right members of the Church hauing still a right to the kingdome of heauen out of which they are not cast absolutely but with condition vnlesse they repent and in part that is in respect of communion or vse of their libertie but not in respect of right or title euen as a freeman of a corporation imprisoned remaines a freeman though for the time he hath no vse of his libertie The third Circumstance concernes the time Here one question may be mooued How oft baptisme is to be administred Answ. but once for the efficacie of baptisme extends it selfe to the whole life of man and we are but once borne againe and once ingrafted into Christ. Here let it be obserued that the gift of regeneration is neuer vtterly extinguished for if a man be the second time borne againe he must be baptized againe and againe because baptisme is the sacrament of insition It may be said that a man may remain stil ingrafted into Christ by his own wickednesse make himselfe a dead member I answer that all the members of the mysticall bodie of Christ are liuing mēbers The spirituall temple is made of liuing stones 1. Pet. 2. 5. And marke what Paul saith all the bodie of Christ increaseth with the increasing of God Col. 2. 19. and Eph. 2. 21. Beleeuers are of the bone and flesh of Christ nowe there is no part of the bone and flesh of Christ that dieth The last Circumstance is touching the place that is the publike assemblie or congregation of the people of God Because baptisme is a part of the publike Ministerie and a dependance vpon the preaching of the word of God Secondly the whole congregation is to make profit by the enarration of the institution of baptisme and lastly the said congregation is by praier to present the infant baptized vnto God and to intreat for the saluation thereof the praier of many beeing most effectuall The eight and last point followes concerning the vse
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
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
23. Ye are bought with a prise be not seruants of men that is let not your hearts and consciences stand in subiection to the will of any man Here then falls to the ground the Opinion of the Papists namely that the lawes and Traditions of the Church bind conscience as truly and certenly as the word of God This doctrine is not of God because it is against Christian libertie Obiect I. Rom. 13. 5. Be subiect to the higher powers for conscience Ans. Conscience here is not in respect of the lawes of the Magistrate but in respect of the law of God that binds vs in conscience to obay the law of the Magistrate Obiect II. Heb. 13. 17. Obay them that haue the ouersight of you and be subiect Ans. We must be subiect to them because as Ministers of God they deliuer the word of God in the name of God vnto vs and that word binds conscience Againe the lawes which they make touching order and comelines in the seruice of God are to be obaied for the auoiding of scandall and contempt Obiect III. A thing indifferent vpon the commandement of the Magistrate becomes necessarie Ans. It is true But it must be obserued that necessitie is twofold Externall internall And the law of the Magistrate makes a thing indifferent to be necessarie onely in respect of externall necessitie for the auoiding of the contempt of authoritie and for the auoiding of scandall Otherwise the thing in it selfe is not necessarie but remaines still indifferent and may be vsed or not vsed if contempt and scandall be auoided The Apostles made a law that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and blood and things offered to Idols Act. 15. 28. yet Paul saith afterward to the Corinthians All things are lawfull 1. Cor. 10. 23. and whatsoeuer is sold in the shambles eate and make no question for conscience sake v. 25. because their intent was not that the law should simply binde but onely in the case of offence and therefore where there was no offence to be seared they leaue all men to their libertie Againe here is an other comfort to all that beleeue in Christ that nothing can hurt them and that no euill can befall them Psal. 91. v. 10. nay all things shall in the ende turne to their good though in reason and sense they seeme hurtfull To beleeue this one thing is a ground of all true comfort The consideration of this benefit of Christian libertie teacheth three duties The first is from our hearts to imbrace loue and maintaine Christian religion because it is the meanes of this libertie The second is carefully to search the scriptures for they are as it were the Charter in which our liberties are contained Thirdly our Christian libertie puts vs in minde to become vnfained seruants of God in the duties of faith repentance newe obedience Rom. 6. 22. For this seruice is our libertie The second point is touching the Author of this libertie in these words wherewith Christ hath made vs free Christ then is the worker of this libertie Ioh. 8. 36. he dissolues the works of the deuill 1. Ioh. 3. 8. he binds the strong man and casts him out of his hold Matth. 12. 29. He procures this libertie by two meanes by his merit and by the efficacie of his spirit The merit of his death procures deliuerance from death and it purchaseth a right to life euerlasting The efficacie of his spirit assures vs of our adoption and withall abates by little and little the strength and power of sinne The vse Hence we learne the greatnes and grieuousnes of our spirituall bondage because there was none that could deliuer vs from it but Christ by his death and passion Hence therefore we are to take occasion to acknowledge and bewaile this our most miserable condition in our selues Secondly the prise that was paid for the procurement of our libertie namely the pretious blood of the immaculate lambe of God shewes that the libertie it selfe is a thing most pretious and excellent and so to be esteemed Thirdly for this libertie we are to giue all praise and thanks to God This did Paul at the remembrance of it Rom. 7. 25. 1. Cor. 15. 57. And not to be thankfull is an height of wickednesse The third point is concerning the persons to whome this libertie belongs and they are noted in these wordes Stand ye fast he hath made vs free Whereby Paul signifies himselfe and the Galatians that beleeued in Christ. Beleeuers then are the persons to whome this libertie belongs Ioh. 1. 12. 1. Tim. 4. 3. And true beleeuers are thus to be discerned They vse the ordinatiemeanes of grace and saluation the word sacraments in the vse of the meanes they exercise themselues in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance and in these exercises they bewaile their vnbeleefe and striue by all meanes to beleeue in Christ. As for them that conceiue a perswasion of Gods mercie without the meanes of saluation and without the exercises of inuocation and repentance they are not true beleeuers but hypocrites When Paul saith Christ hath made vs free that is me Paul and you the Galatians he teacheth that euery beleeuer must by his faith applie vnto himselfe the benefit of Christian libertie But to doe this well is a matter of great difficultie The Papists in their writings report our doctrine to be this that a man must conceiue a perswasion that he is in the fauour of God the adopted child of God and that vpon this perswasion he hath the pardon of his sinnes and the benefit of Christian libertie But they abuse vs in this as in many other things For we teach that the Application of Christ and his benefits is to be made by certaine degrees The first is to vse the meanes of saluation the word praier sacraments the second is to consider and to grow to some feeling of our spirituall bondage the third is to will and desire to beleeue in Christ and to testifie this desire by asking seeking knocking the fourth is a certen perswasion or a certentie conceiued in minde of the mercie of God by meanes of the former desire according to the promise of God Aske and it shall be giuen vnto you The fifth is an experience of the goodnes of God after long vse of the meanes of saluation and then vpon this experience followes the full perswasion of mercie and forgiuenes The fourth point concernes the office of beleeuers and that is to stand fast in their Christian libertie and in the doctrine of the Gospel which reueales this libertie And by this we in England are admonished to stand fast to the religion which is now by law established amōg vs not to returne vnder the yoke of Popish bondage For the Popish religion is flat against Christian libertie two waies For our libertie which we haue in Christ frees vs from the law three waies in respect of condemnation in respect of compulsion to obedience and
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
see the fidelitie of Paul if he had sought himselfe his honour profit or pleasure he would not haue taught any doctrine that should haue caused persecution The like minde must be in all teachers nay in all beleeuers who are to receiue the Gospel for it selfe without respect to honour profit or pleasure Paul addes further in way of defence that the scandall of the crosse was not abolished Hence it followes that the Gospel must be preached though all men be offended God must not be displeased though all men be displeased Act. 5. 29. Indeede Christ pronounceth 〈◊〉 woe against them by whome offences come but that is meant of offences giuen and not of offences taken of which Christ hath an other rule Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they are the blind leaders of the blind Againe by the offence of the Iewes we see the mind of men who cannot be content with the death and passion of Christ vnlesse they may adde workes or something els of their owne for their iustification and saluation Thus doe the Papists at this day and the like doe many of the ignorant people among vs that will be saued by their good dealing and their good seruing of God Touching the imprecation in the 12. verse three questions are to be propounded The first is whether Paul did well thus to curse his enemies I answer yea for first we must put a difference betweene the priuate cause of man and the cause of God Now Paul accurseth the false Apostles not in respect of his owne cause but in respect of the cause of God and not as his owne enemies but as the enemies of God Secondly we must distinguish the persons of euill men Some are curable and some againe are incurable of whose saluation there is no hope Now Paul directs his imprecation against persons incurable And he knew them to be incurable by some extraordinarie inspiration or instinct as the Prophets and the rest of the Apostles did in sundrie cases and hereupon he curseth sometime euen particular persons as Alexander the copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. Thirdly we must distinguish the affections of men Some are carnall as rash anger hatred desire of reuenge c. some againe are more spirituall and diuine as a zeale of Gods glorie and of the sâ—â—tie of Gods church Now Paul in pronouncing the curse is not carried with a carnall affection but with a pure zeale of Gods glorie and with the same spirit by which he penned this Epistle The second question is whether we may not curse our enemies as Paul did Ans. No for we haue not the like spirit to discerne the persons of men what they are and our zeale of Gods glorie is mixed with many corrupt affections and therefore to be suspected We in our ordinary dealings haue an other rule to follow Matth. 5. blesse and curse not If we dare goe beyond the limitts of this rule we must heare the speach of Christ ye know not of what spirit ye are Luc. 9. 55. The third question is how we should vse the imprecations that are in the psalmes of Dauid as Psal. 109. and in other places of scripture Ans. they are to be directed generally against the kingdome of the deuill and they are further to be vsed as Prophecies of the holy ghost comforting his Church and procuring a finall sentence vpon the enemies of God The word which is translated disquiet is to be considered for it signifies to put men out of their estate and to driue them out of house and home as enemies doe when they sacke and spoile a towne By this we se that the doctrine of iustification by workes or by the law is a doctrine full of danger and peril because it puts men out of their estate in Christ and berâ—aues them of their saluation in heauen Therefore let all men flie from the religion of the Papist as if they would flie from an armie of Spaniards or Turkes Contrariwise they that would prouide well for themselues and their posteritie and plant themselues in a good estate must take this course They must coÌ„sider that there is a citie of God in heauen the gates and suburbes whereof be vpon earth in the assemblies of the Church that this citie hath many roomes and habitations many liberties that the law wherby this citie is ruled is the whole word of God specially the doctrine of the Gospell In this citie is all happines and out of it there is nothing but woe and misery Enter therfore into the suburbes of this citie of God as ye professe the Gospell so subiect your mindes and consciences and all your affections to it and be doers of it in the exercise of faith repentance new obedience Thus shall you haue a good estate in Christ ioyfull habitation in heauen 13. For brethren ye haue bin called to libertie only vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another The first part of the Epistle touching the faith of the Galatians is ended and here beginnes the second part touching good life and it continues from this verse to the 11. verse of the sixt chapter In it Paul doth 2. things first he propounds the summe of his doctrine then after makes a particular declaration of it The summe of all is propounded in this 13. v. in which Paul first setts downe the ground of all good duties and then 2. maine rules of good life The ground is in these wordes brethren ye haue bin called to libertie And it must be noted that as these wordes are the foundation of that which followes so are they also the reason of that which goes before and therefore Paul saith for brethren c. The 2. rules are in the words following One in these vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh the other in these doe seruice one to another by loue In the ground of all good duties namely the calling to libertie 4. things are to be considered 1. who calls 2. who are called 3. what is the calling of God 4. why it is here mentioned by Paul To the first who calles I answer God the father in Christ by the spirit for he is absolute Lord of all his creatures therfore he may call out of the kingdome of darknes into his owne kingdome whome he will And it is God alone that calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. The second is who are called Ans. All they that any waie answer the calling of God for Paul saith indifferently of all the Galatians that they were called Now men answer the calling of God some in profession some in heart some in both And all these are said to be called yet with some difference The calling of God is directed first of all and principally to the Elect and then in the second place it pertaines to them which are not Elect because they are mixed in societie with the Elect. And hence
it shewes the way and meanes of attaining saluation Lastly the word of life Act. 5. 20. because it doth not only shew the narrow way that leadeth to eternall life but is in it selfe a liuely word and mightie in operation Heb. 4. 12. For as the powerfull word of God in the beginning did giue beeing to things that were not so the Gospel being the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth doth make new creatures by the immortall seede of the word Make him that taught him q. d. catechized him Yet as before it must be taken generally for any kind of teaching or instruction for so the word is vsed else where in scripture as Luk. 1. 4. Act. 18. 25. Rom. 2. 18. 1. Cor. 14. 19. so that this text giueth vs no iust occasion to speake of the originall manner vse and profit of catechizing Partaker of his goods By goods he vnderstandeth foode rayment lodging bookes and other necessaries without the which a minister of the word cannot followe his calling for Paul calleth these goods according to the common opinion which so iudgeth of them Luk. 12. 19. Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares Luk. 19. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things Make them partaker That is communicate affoard giue vnto them these temporall things seeing they giue you spirituall Of all his goods Not in giuing all away but imparting to their teachers what they stand in neede of accounting nothing to deare for them The Papists vpon this ground take tithe of all as the Priests did in the Leuiticall lawe wheras Paul speaks nothing of tithes There are foure principall duties which the people are to performe to their Pastor three of them are recorded else where in Scripture The first is to heare them as Embassadours sent of God with reuerence The second is to obey them and submit themselues vnto them in the Lord. The third to loue and honour them for the worke sake The fourth the Apostle speakes of in this place to giue them not onely countenance but also maintenance The reasons of this rule are many and waightie We are bound euen by the bond of nature to maintaine our parents if they be in want because they maintained vs and gaue vnto vs our beeing Paul saith It is an honest thing and acceptable before God for children to recompence their parents and progenitors 1 Tim. 5. 4. Nowe if this be so men are bound by the same right to maintaine their spirituall fathers in Christ that haue begotten them a new by the preaching of the word as Paul saith He trauelled in paine of the Galatians till Christ was formed in them Gal. 4. and that he begat Onesimus in his bonds Philem v. 10. And 1. Cor. 4. 15. In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the gospel Hence Paul commendeth the Galatians Gal. 4. 15. for that if it had beene possible they would haue plucked out their cies and haue giuen them him And surely we owe vnto our spirituall parents and fathers in Christ not onely this temporall trash but euen our selues as Paul saith to Philem. v. 19. Aibeit I doe not say vnto thee that thou owest vnto me euen thine owne selfe II. It is a law of nations and a conclusion grounded vpon common equitie that those that watch labour and spend thēselues as a candle to giue light to others and that for the common good of all should be maintained of the common stocke by all And the Lord chargeth all the twelue tribes euen all Israel Deut. 12. 19. Beware that thou for sakest not the Levite so long as thou liuest on the earth III. Euery trade calling and condition of life is able to maintaine them that liue therein as experience shewes therefore we may not thinke that the ministerie beeing the highest calling should be so base or barren as that it cannot competenly maintaine them that attend thereupon IV. The ministers are the Lords souldiers his captaines and standard-bearers and therefore are not to goe a warfare at their owne coste the Lords labourers in his vineyard and therefore are worthie of their wages and ought to eate of the fruit of the vineyard the Lords shepheards set ouer the flocke of Christ to feede his sheepe and therefore ought to eate of the milke of the flocke And seeing it was forbidden that no man should muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the come shall we thinke that God would haue those that thresh in his floore and separate the wheat from the chaffe the pretious from the vile to be muzzeled or not to liue vpon their labours for they are worthie double honour that is all honour reuerence helpe and furtherance which labour in the word and doctrine 1. Tim. 5. 17. V. The Ministers are to giue themselues wholly to reading exhortation doctrine and to continue therein 2. Tim. 4. 13 15 16. they are wholly to deuote themselues to the building of the Church and to the fighting of the Lords battells and therefore not to be entangled with the cares of this life 2. Tim. 2. 4. therefore they are to haue their pay and their allowance that so they may attend vpon their callings without distraction VI. It is the ordinance of God as Paul saith 1. Cor. 9. 14. that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel therefore those that doe not their endeauour and inlarge not their liberalitie to vphold and maintaine the Ministerie in good estate they withstand as much as in them lieth the ordinance of God besides they wast and make hauocke of the Church of God and are guiltie of the blood of all that perish for want of instruction I adde further it is the will of God that the Ministers which labour in the word and doctrine should be plentifully and liberally prouided for yet with moderation that they draw not all mens wealth into their purses as the Pope and Church of Rome haue done into their coffers of whome it is truly verified Religio peperit divitias sed filia devoravit matrem which I prooue from the Leuiticall law for the whole land of promise beeing no bigger in compasse then Wales or the fourth part of England yet yeelded vnto the Leuites at the appointment of God besides the share which they had out of the sacrifices besides tenths first fruits c. 48 Cities with their suburbs It may here be demaunded whether the Ministers of the word are now to be maintained by common contribution and liberalitie of the people or not Ans. We must consider that if the Ministers be sufficiently prouided for by set stipends as by some foundation or by the reuenewes of the Church men are not bound to contribute vnto them and make them partakers of all their goods although in regard of thankfulnes they owe vnto them euen themselues as Paul telleth Philemon but onely such as haue not else
be vnderstood simply but comparatiuely and synecdochically Comparatiuely that there shall be farre greater knowledge vnder the new Testament then was vnder the old Isa. 11. 9. The Apostle saith not that there shall be no teaching at all for Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets others Pastors and teachers for the work of the ministerie and the edification of the bodie of Christ. Eph 4. 11 12. But that there shall be no neede of this kind of teaching to catechize them in the first rudiments as to teach them what God is Synecdochically not of perfect and absolute knowledge for we all know but in part 2. Cor. 13. 12. But of initiate or inchoate knowledge which shall be consummate in the life to come Further vpon this distinction it followeth that hearers are not to intermeddle with the publike duties of the ministerie for euery man is to abide in the calling wherein God hath placed him and therein to liue contented 1. Cor. 7. For no man may take vnto himselfe this honour but he that is called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4 For albeit it be true which Ambrose writeth that in the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel founding of the church of the New Testament all Christians did teach and baptize indifferently yet afterward when the Churches were founded it was not lawfull neither is it now And though there be neither male nor female in Christ but we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. namely in receiuing of the Gospel yet in dispensing of it there is great difference it beeing vnlawefull for a woman to preach or publikely to teach I permit not a woman to teach 1. Tim. 2. 12. Let women keepe silence in the Churches for it is not permitted vnto them to speake 1. Cor. 14. 34. Apoc 2. 20. This coudemneth the fantasticall opinion of the Anabaptists that all men may speake publikely without any difference according to the instinct of the spirit and measure of his gifts Againe when Paul saith He that is taught in the word c. him that taught him in the word c. he shewes what the dutie of the minister is that lookes to liue by his ministerie namely not to feed his auditorie with Philosophie or fables or lying Legends nor to preach Poeticall fictions Thalmudicall dreames Schoolemens quiddities Popish decrees or humane constitutions oâ— to tickle the itching eares of his auditory with the fine ringing sentences of the Fathers â—or what is the chaâ—â—e to the wheate But he must preach the word of God for there is no word nor writing in the world besides that hath a promise to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. able to make men wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. to giue an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Act. 20. To be liuely mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sword entring through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit the ioynts and the marrow and to be a discerner of the thoughâ—s and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. 12. and that can make the man of God absolute to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 17. but onely this word giuen by diuine inspiration It beeing not onely the seed by which we are begotten and borne anew but the food by which we are nourished both milke for the babe that is a nouice in religion and strong meate for him that is of yeares and therefore beeing perfect nourishment the bread of life for him that is hungrie and the water of life for him that is thirstie what needes there any more Besides no word nor writing hath the propertie of fire saue onely the word of God to dispell the darknes of ignorance by enlightening the minde with the sauing knowledge of the truth and to hâ—at yea to enflame the affection with a zeale of Gods glorie by burning vp the corruption of nature Againe Diuinitie is the mistâ—is all liberall arts tongues historie c. are but handmaids to attend vpon her now when the mistris is speaking it is good manners for the maide to hold her peace To this word alone the Prophets were tied by their commission What I shall command thee that shalt thou say And the Apostles You shal teach what I haue coÌ„manded you Christ himselfe taught nothing but that which he had heard receiued of his father Ioh. 8. 28. Paul deliuers nothing but that which he receiued of Christ 1. Cor. 11. 23. and taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets had written Act. 26. 22. Paul commaÌ„ds Timothie to charge the Pastours of Ephesus that they teach no diuers doctrine either for matter or manner for substance or circumstance Yet here we must take heede of extremities for in some cases it is lawfull in preaching to vse Philosophie the testimonie of prophane writers and quotations of Fathers I. When we haue to deale with heathen men who will not be so easily mooued with the authoritie of the Scriptures we may conuict them by the testimonie of their owne writers as Paul did the Athenians Epicures and Stoikes by the testimonie of Aratus Act. 17. 28. and the Cretians by the testimonie of Epimenides Tit. 1. 12. II. In preaching to a mixt congregation where some are infected with Poperie or some other heresie and will not receiue the doctrine deliuered nor yeeld vnto the truth except it haue the consent of the fathers of the Church III. In handling of some controuersall point of diuinitie shewing that the doctrine we teach is no new doctrine but that which was taught in the Primitiue Church especially in speaking to the weake who haue not as yet left their old superstition wherein they were nuzzeled IIII. To cut off the calumniations of the malitious aduersaries who must needes haue their mouthes stopped by some other meanes then by the Scriptures V. In the necessarie vnfolding of the meaning of certaine places of Scripture which without Philosophie cannot be conceiued In such a case we may vse humanitie in descending to the reach and capacitie of the auditorie and so teach heauenly things by earthly things as our Sauiour Christ taught regeneration by the similitude of the winde Ioh. 3. Yet all these must be vsed first sparingly secondly when there is iust cause thirdly without ostentatioÌ„ fourthly deliuering nothing to the people the ground whereof is not in the word This shewes that the maine scope of the ministerie is to preach the word purely and to applie it powerfully to the consciences of men and it condemnes all deceitfull handling of the word and all huckster-like dealing in mingling wine and water together wheat and chaffe gold and drosse in peruerting it with aguish and sottish conceits in wresting it with allegories tropologies and anagogies and in wringing the text till they make it bleede and so as an ancient writer saith presse the two dugges of the Scriptures the old and new Testament that in stead of milke they drinke
appearance to excell For as Satan though a blacke deuill an angel of darkenes doth change himselfe into a white deuill as though he were an angel of light so that a man can hardly distinguish his wicked suggestions from the good motions of the spirit of God and therefore may say as Ioshua said to the angel art thou on our side or on our aduersaries Ioshua 5. 13. So his instruments transform themselues as though they were the Apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 11. 13 15. In the old Testament false prophets were accustomed outwardly to conforme themselues to the habite and attire of the holy men of God in wearing a rough garment as Elias and the rest of the prophets did Zach. 13. 4. Vnder the newe Testament in the time of Christ the Pharises in hypocrisie vnder a shewe of long praier deuoured widdowes houses Matth. 23. 14. In the Apostles time false teachers with their wil worship as touch not taste not handle not which had a shewe of wisdome in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde and not sparing of the bodie did vndermine the religion of God Coloss. 2. 21 22 23. And after that in the primatiue Church the heretickes called Catharists vnder a shewe of holinesse fasting praier c. did sowe most damnable heresies in the Church And as in former times the Iewes vnder the glorious titles of the children of Abraham the schollers of Moses the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord made many proselytes by deceiuing the soules of the simple So at this day vnder the glorious titles of the Church of Councels fathers antiquitie consent vniuersalitie the pretented Romane Catholikes haue ensnared many a simple soule and no maruaile considering that these are the times of which Christ foretold that false prophets should deceiue if it were possible the very elect Matth. 24. 24. And of which Saint Paul prophecied that Antichrist should come through the efficacie of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiue ablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish 2. Thess. 2. 9 10. And all this is done by outward shewes and semblances which our Sauiour Christ tearmeth sheepes cloathing and it stands in these foure particulars First in great swelling titles as the onely true Catholike Church the Vicar of Christ the Oecumennicall Bishop most profound illuminate Angelicall Seraphicall Doctors Iesuits the onely true followers of the doctrine and example of Iesus c. Secondly in pretended zeale and deuotion whereby they would perswade that their religion is the onely true religion all others which swarue from it are nothing but false and fabulous and this they doe three waies First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by hauing God alwaies in their mouthes crying in hypocrisie with the false prophets Lord Lord Matth. 7. 22. Or as the Iesuiticall faction doe Iesu Maria. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with enticing words consisting in probable reasons and persuasiue arguments Coloss. 2. 4. Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with faire and flattering words to deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. By which three meanes the Iesuites haue preuailed much in Princes courts in these latter daies Apoc. 16. 14. Thirdly in the glorious outside of holinesse of life and conuersation in not sparing the bodie by whipping of themselues as Baals priests lanced themselues till the blood gushed out 1. King 18. 28. in strict fasts canonicall houres hard fare badde lodging course apparrell and such like Lastly in rare and excellent gifts of prophecy tongues eloquence miracles c. And thus they make Pauls shew of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3. 5. to be Peter cloake of wickednesse 1. Pet. 2. 16. so that as the Deuill with faire words put Eue into a fooles paradise till at length he had driuen her out of the terrestriall Paradise and made her also hazard the celestiall So his ministers false teachers by faire and flattering speeches deceiue the minds of the simple and cause them to fall from their owne stabilitie By this we may see how hypocrites and false teachers stand especially vpon outward things as externall rites and ceremonies which are but deuices and doctrines of men Matth. 15. 9. The Pharisies made much adoe about washing the outside of the cuppe and of the platter when as the inside was full of rapine and all vncleannes Matth. 23. 25. very curious about washing of their hands before meate Mark 7. 3. and yet carelesse to wash their hearts froÌ„ wickednes Ier. 4. 14. precise in small matters as in tything of mint annise and cummine but profane in the practise of the waightier things of the law as iudgement mercie and fidelitie Matth. 23. 23. whited tombes faire without and filthie within v. 27. Thus the Popish worship consisteth especially in outward things which may please the senses of carnall men as in vocall and instrumental Musicke to please the eare censings and perfumes to delight the smell guilding and painting with other sights and spectacles to affect the eye And at this day in the Masse which they account the very marrow of their Mattins there is nothing but dumme shews histrionicall gestures and tricks fitter to mocke apes withall then to edifie the people For whereas in former time they were wont to say Let vs goe heare a Masse now the common saying in Italie is this Let vs goe see a Masse Let vs therefore trie the spirits before we trust them and especially in matters of religion follow Christs precept not to iudge by the outward appearance Ioh. 7. 24. But to iudge of Prophets by the fruit of their doctrine Matth. 7. 16. and of their doctrine by the touch-stone of the word Isa. 8. 20. so that though the Deuill transforme himselfe into an angel of light nay though an angel from heauen preach any other thing beside that we haue receiued from Christ we must hold him accursed and in so doing we shall follow Christ his practise who was prudent in the feare of the Lord and did not iudge by the sight of his eyes nor reprooue by the hearing of his eares Isa. 11. 3. The second note and marke of these false teachers is that they compell men to be circumcised The word compell hath great emphasis for it signifieth that they did not conuince the iudgement or perswade the will and affection of the Galatians but enforced them against their wills for though circumcision be nothing of it selfe as Paul saith yet to be compelled to receiue circumcision and to place iustification in the vse of it sinne in the neglect of it is the readie way to ouerturne Christ the foundation of our saluation Gal. 5. 4. Here suodrie questions are to be answered First it may be demanded whether it be lawfull to compell men to embrace religion as the false Apostles compelled the Galatians to circumcisioÌ„ Ans. The Magistrate may ought to compell obstinate Recusants to professe true religion for he is â—â—stos vtriusque
flesh and had their senses restored so when the spirit of God like the fauonian winde bloweth vpon vs it reuiueth vs againe giuing vs a new life new senses a new heart new wills and affections for all old things passe away and all things become new 2. Cor. 5. 17. For it openeth the eyes of our vnderstanding making vs discerne of things that differ Eph 1. 18. Philip. 1. 10. it boareth a new eare of obedience in vs Psal. 40. 6. and giueth vs a new tast not to sauour the things of the flesh but of the spirit Rom. 8. 5. Further this serues to detect the naturall Poperie of the multitude and of our owne hearts when we perswade our selues though falsely that though we goe on in our sinnes yet that we can repent when we list When as the Prophet saith O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe and Paul saith that it is as great a worke to create a new heart as to create a new world for regeneration is a new creation 2. Cor. 5. 17. Augustine saith well He that will grant pardon to him that repents will not alway giue repentance to him that sinnes Againe in the sense that Paul calleth the image of God a new creature or the new man and corruption the old man we graunt that our religion is new and Popish religion is old For as the new men is the restored image of God in which Adam was first created though afterwards defaced by his owne inuentions Eccles. 7. 31. So our religion is the restored or reformed doctrine first taught by the Apostles which afterward was corrupted by mens deuices Albeit in Tertullians sense ours is the old religion and theirs the new as the image of God is the old man and corruption the new Vse If we be not changed in our liues but remyane old Adams still euen the same men we were before in minding willing affecting earthly things and fashioning our selues to the guise of the world we are no new creatures though we promise and protest neuer so much we are but hypocâ—â—tes deceauing others and our selues also For where this new creature is there is a change in all the faculties and powers of soule and body the mind is not set vpon the world but mindeth heauenly things the will affections and conuersation of the whole man is in heauen Philip. 3. 20. For the spirit of regeneration is like the leauen which a woman tooke and bid in 3. pecks of meale till all was leauened for after the same manner by a secret operation it altereth the mind will affections If any be in Christ saith the Apostle he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become newe If therefore we be new creatures why lead we not a new life if we be changed in affection why are we not changed in conuersation But by this we may perceiue that all which are christians in profession are not christians in conuersation all that are washed with the outward Element of water are not washed with the inward baptisme the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ as first those that are as good fellowes that is as badde as euer they were before and make no conscieÌ„ce of sinne Secondly such as are no more but ciuill honest men like those honest women which raysed persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts Act. 13. 50. Thirdly worldly wise men which sauour of nothing but the world Lastly such as haue some loue and liking of the word and are in some sort outwardly conformable thereunto hauing some legall sorrow for sinne arising from legall terrors but haue no thorowe change nor renouation Lastly we may not maruell if the world hate maligne those that are new-creatures seeing they neither mind nor affect the same things For there can be no true loue where there is contrarietie of iudgements wills affections which hath beene is and wil be betwixt those that are borne of the flesh and those that are borne of God Gen. 3. 15. v. 16. And as many as walke according to this rule peace shall be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God Here Paul commends this glorying in the crosse of Christ and studie of pietie in becomming a new creature as the onely rule of faith and manners which all teachers and heareâ—s were to obserue and follow Enforcing the keeping and obseruing of this double dutie by the fruit and benefit that comes thereby specified here by peace and mercy In the words two things are generally to be considered First the duty of walking in these words As many as walke according to this rule Secondly the reason of motiue to the practize thereof in these Peace shall be vpon them and mercy which is amplified by the generalitie thereof that is shall light vpon as many as walke according thereto and vpon the Israel of God The dutie is that we walke according to this canon or rule the word translated walke signifieth not simply to walke but to walke warily and circumspectly as it is expounded Eph. 5. 15. or to walke by rule in order and measure without treading aside but making straight steps to our feete Hebr. 12. 13. Pauls rule which we must walke by is faith in Christ called here glorying in the crosse of Christ repentance towards God called regeneration or the new creature which is rightly called a â—â—le of faith and manners of things to be beleeued and practised because by it all doctrines and actions are to be examined nay the Scripture is therefore called Canonicall because it seâ—tes downe an exposition of this rule there beeing nothing from the first chap. in Gen. to the last words in the Apoeal which aimeth not at one of these two either repentance towars God or faith in Christ Here all ministers are taught what rule to follow in preaching the word or building the church of God namely faith repentance the doctrine of the crosse and conuersion or the new creature And all â—earers according to what rule to order their liues and actions For this metaphor of walking and that by a rule or line shewes that we are trauellers or pilgrimmes that this world is a strange countrey that we are to goe to another that the world is an endles labyrinth in which we shall for euer lose our selues except we be guided by this rule And here we see that there is a certen rule for the regulating of all things apertaning to faith and manners though we cannot apply it nor vse it as we should The fault is in vs not in the rule Whereas Paul saith as many as walke according to this rule he shews that Christians haue but on onely rule which they are to follow and according to which they must frame their liues for the Apostle exhortes vs that we all proceede by on rule Phil. 3. 16. Therefore the Papists doe notoriously offend not only in
publish and declare whome God calleth by Examination of parties for life and doctrine by Election and by ordination This is for substance all that the Church can doe and all this is allowed and prescribed by the lawes of this Church and land And therefore our callings for their substance are diuine whatsoeuer defects there be otherwise This assurance that our callings are of God is of great vse It makes the Minister to make a conscience of his dutie it is his comfort in trouble Isa. 49. 2. 2. Cor. 2. 15. And to the hearers it is a meanes of great reuerence and obedience 12 For neither receiued I it of man neither was I taught it but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ. The meaning is this Paul here saith he receiued not the Gospel of man because he receiued not the office to teach and preach the Gospel from any meere man For here he speakes of himselfe as he was an Apostle and then an Apostle properly is said to receiue the Gospel when he receiues not onely to know and beleeue it but also to preach it And he addes further that he was not taught it that is that he learned the Gospel not by the teaching of any man as formerly he learned the law at the feete of Gamaliel The last words but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ carrie this sense but I learned and receiued it of Christ who taught me by reuelation Further Reuelation is twofold one ordinarie the other extraordinarie Ordinarie is when Christ teacheth men by the word preached and by his spirit In this sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of reuelation Eph. 1. 17. Extraordinarie is with the word preached and that foure waies First by voice Thus God taught Adam and the Patriarkes The second by dreames when things reuealed were represented to the minde in sleepe The third is vision when things reuealed are represented to the outward senses of men beeing awake The fourth is instinct when God teacheth by inward motion and inspiration Thus did God vsually teach the Prophets 2. Pet. 1. 21. Now the reuelation which Paul had was not ordinarie but extraordinarie and that partly by vision partly by voice and partly by instinct Act. 9. 22. It may here be demanded where Christ was whether on earth or in heauen because Paul heard his voice saw him visibly I answer he was not on earth but in heauen and that Paul both saw and heard him it was by miracle whereas Stephen in like manner saw Christ he saw him not on earth but standing at the right hand of God in heauen for otherwise the opening of the heauens had bin a needles thing These wordes then are a confirmation of the former verse on this manner The authoritie whereby I teach and the doctrine which I teach I first receiued and learned it not of man but immediatly of Christ therefore the Gospel which I preach is not humane but diuine and preached not by humane but by diuine authoritie In the scope and sense of the words many points of doctrine are contained The first that Christ is the great Prophet and Doctour of the Church Math. 17. 6. Heare him and 23. 8. One is your Doctour namely Christ. And he is called the great shepheard of the sheepe Hebr. 13. 20. His office is in three things The first is to manifest and reueale the will of the father touching the redemption of mankind Ioh. 1. 18. 8. 26. This he hath done from the beginning of the world the father neuer speaking and appearing immediately but in the baptisme and transfiguration of Christ and this he doth to Paul in this place The second is to institute the Ministerie of the word and to call and send Ministers As my father sent me so send I you Ioh. 20. 21. He it is that giues some to be Pastours some to be teachers Eph. 4. 11. And thus appoints Paul to be an Apostle The third is to teach the heart within by illuminating the mind and by working a faith of the doctrine which is taught He openeth the vnderstandings of his Disciples that they may vnderstand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. Thus here he inlightneth and teacheth Paul Furthermore it must be obserued that this office of teaching is inseparably annexed to the person of Christ and is by him accordingly exequuted euen after his ascension as appeares in the conuersion of Paul And therefore Isai saith they shall be all taught of God Isa. 54. 13. As for the Ministers of the Gospel they in teaching are no more but instrumēts of Christ to vtter and pronounce the word to the eare this is all they can doe Therefore Paul saith he that plants or waters is not any thing but God that giueth the increase The teacher then properly in the ministerie of the new Testament to the very ende of the world is Christ himselfe This must teach vs reuerence in hearing Gods word and care with diligence in keeping of it Hebr. 2. 1 2 3 c. Secondly this teacheth vs that they which imbrace not the Gospel among vs are contemners of Christ and shall indure eternall condemnation Ioh. 3. 18. Hebr. 12. 25. Thirdly if we want vnderstanding we must pray to Christ for it and because we haue so excellent a teacher we must pray vnto him that he would giue vnto vs hearing eares that is hearts tractable and obedient to his word that we may be fitte disciples for so worthie a master The second is that there be two waies whereby Christ teacheth those that are to be teachers One is immediate reuelation the other is ordinarie instruction in schooles by the means and ministerie of man The like saith Amos I was neither Prophet nor sonne of a Prophet but the Lord sent me to prophecie to Israel Amos 7. 14. The third point is that They which are to be teachers must first be taught and they must teach that which they haue first learned themselues 2. Tim. 3. 14. Abide in the things which thou hast learned Christ taught that which he heard of the father the Apostles that which they heard of Christ ordinarie ministers that which they haue learned of the Apostles This is the right Tradition and if it be obserued without addition or detraction the Gospel shall remaine in his integritie Here our Auncetours are greatly to be blamed who haue not contented themselues with that which they haue learned of the Apostles but haue deliuered things of their owne which they were neuer taught Hence sprang vnwritten traditions and the corruption of religion Againe such are here to be blamed that take vpon them to be teachers of the Gospel and were neuer taught by reuelation or by any ordinarie way Thirdly priuate persons are much more to be blamed that broch and deliuer such doctrines and opinions as they themselues neuer learned by any ministery For teachers themselues must first learne and then teach The fourth point is that they which are to be teachers
that when we know not what to doe by reason of the greatnes of our distresse we must then fixe our hearts on Christ without seperation He that climes vp a ladder or some steepe place the higher he goes the faster he holds 2. Chron. 20. 12. Iob. 13. 12. Hence is true comfort Psal. 27. 13. 17 And if while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ we our selues are found sinners is Christ the minister of sinne God forbid For the better vnderstanding of the latter part of this chapter it must be obserued that Paul directs his speach not onely to Peter but also to the Iewes that stood by beeing maintainers of iustification by the law Some thinke that in this verse Paul makes an obiection in the person of the false Apostles on this manner If we be iustified by Christ alone without the obseruation of the law then there is no difference betweene vs Iewes and the Gentiles but we are as deepe sinners as they and if this be so then Christ is the minister of sinne And then they say to this Paul answers God forbid But I somewhat doubt whether this be the sense of the words because Paul doth not make a direct confutation of this obiection in the words following Therefore I rather suppose that Paul continues his former speach euen to the ende of the chapter and that in these words he vseth a third reason to disswade Peter from haulting betweene the Iewes and Gentiles And the reason will the better appeare if we search the meaning of the words If while we be iustified by Christ that is by faith in Christ without the workes of the law We are found sinners that is found in our sinnes not fully iustified but are further to be iustified by the workes of the law Is Christ the Minister of sinne that is doth it not hence follow that Christ ministred vnto vs occasion of sinne in that he hath caused vs to renounce the iustice of the law God forbid that is ye doe all hold it with me as a blasphemie that Christ should be the minister of sinne The argument then is framed thus If beeing iustified by Christ we remaine sinners and are further to be iustified by the law then Christ is the minister of sinne but Christ is no minister of sinne therefore they which are iustified neede not further to be iustified by the law The vse First we learne hence that it is a blasphemie to make Christ the minister of sinne who is the minister of righteousnes yea iustice it selfe Isa. 53. 11. Dan. 9. 25. He brings euerlasting righteousnes Ioh. 1. He is the lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world Of this all the Prophets giue testimonie Act. 10. 43. Therefore Atheists are no better then deuills that recken him among the false Prophets of the world And many of them that professe Christ are greatly to be blamed that make Christ the greatest sinner in the world because Christ died for them therefore they prefume of mercie and take libertie to liue as they list Againe Paul here teacheth that they which are iustified by Christ are perfectly to be iustified and neede not further to be iustified by any thing out of Christ as by the workes of the law It may be obiected that they which are iustified feele themselues to be sinners Rom. 7. 14. Ans. The corruption of original sinne is in them that are iustified yet is it not imputed to them by God and withall it hath receiued his deadly wound by the death of Christ. Therefore they which are iustified are not reputed sinners before God Againe it may be obiected that they which are iustified must confesse themselues to be sinners to the very death Ans. Confession of sinne is not a cause but a way for the obtaining of pardon Prou. 28. 14. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. The vncouering of our sinnes is the way to couer them before God The sinnes therefore of men iustified vpon their humble and serious confession are not sinnes imputed but couered Vpon this doctrine it followes that there is not a second iustification by workes as the Papists teach For he that is iustified by Christ is fully iustified and neede not further be iustified by any thing out of Christ as by the law Againe the same persons teach that our sinnes are done away by the death of Christ and we iustified in our baptisme and that if we fall and sinne after baptisme we must doe workes of penance that we may satisfie Gods iustice and be further iustified by our works and sufferings But then by their leaues after we are iustified by Christ we are found sinners and we are further to be iustified by our owne workes Now this is the point which Paul here confuteth Againe by this doctrine we learne that Christ alone is by himselfe sufficient for our iustification In him saith Paul are we complete Col. 2. 14. He is a well of grace and life neuer dried vp Ioh. 4. 14. Thirdly we must content our selues with him alone and with his obedience for our iustification despising in respect of him all merits and satisfactions done by man Lastly here we see what must be the care of men in this world namely to seeke to be iustified by the faith of Christ. It was Pauls principall desire to be found in Christ hauing not his owne righteousnes but the righteousnes which is by the faith of Christ. Phil. 3. 10. The like desire should be in vs all 18 For if I build againe the things which I haue destroied I make my selfe a transgressour By things destroyed Paul meanes the workes or the iustice of the law as appeares by the next verse following where rendering a reason of this he saith by the law I am dead to the law These words depend on the former thus Paul had said before that Christ was not a minister of sinne vnto vs and here he prooues it thus He that builds the iustice of the law which he hath destroied is a minister of sinne or makes himselfe a sinner but the Iewes and Peter by his example build the iustice of the law which they haue destroied and so doth not Christ therefore the Iewes and Peter make themselues sinners and Christ doth not make vs sinners Here let vs obserue the modestie and meeknes of Paul The things which he speakes concerne Peter and the Iewes yet least he offend them he applies them to himselfe This care not to offend was in Christ who was rather willing to depart frō his right then to offend Matth. 17. 27. And Paul biddes vs please all men in that which is good Here againe it is Pauls doctrine that we make our selues offendours when we build that which we haue lawfully destroied Thus Teachers are great offenders when good doctrine is ioyned with bad conuersation For good doctrine destroies the kingdome of darknes and bad conuersation builds it vp againe Thus rulers are great offenders when good counsell and bad example
goe together For good counsell beats downe wickednes and bad example sets it vp againe Thus beleeuers in Christ are great offenders when reformed religion and vnreformed life are ioyned together as often they are For then vnreformed life builds the kingdome of sinne which Christ hath destroied Further we are here taught to be constant in that which is good Tit. 1. 9. and to hold fast the Gospel which we professe We haue put vnder foote the Popish religion for this many yeares our dutie is to be constant herein and no way to build either in word or deede that which we haue to the vttermost of our power destroied 19 For I through the law am dead to the law that I may liue vnto God In these words Paul sets downe a second reason to prooue Christ to be no minister of sinne in abolishing the iustice of the law And the reason is framed thus We Iewes iustified by Christ are dead to the law not to liue as we list but to liue to the honour of God Therefore Christ in taking away the iustice of the law is not the minister of sinne Here three points are propounded the first is that the person iustified is dead to the law the second that he is dead to the law by the law the third that he is dead that he may liue vnto God For the better vnderstanding of the first point we must seach what is meant by dying to the law Here the law is compared to an hard and cruell master and we to slaues or bondmen who so long as they are aliue they are vnder the dominion and at the command of their masters yet when they are dead they are free from that bondage and their masters haue no more to doe with them Here then to be dead to the law is to be free from the dominion of the law And we are free in foure respects First in respect of the accusing and damnatorie sentence of the law Rom. 8. 1. Secondly in respect of the power of the law whereby as an occasion it prouoketh and stirreth vp the corruption of the heart in the vnregenerate Rom. 7. 8. Thirdly in respect of the Rigour of the law whereby it exacteth most perfect obedience for our iustification Thus Paul here saith that he is dead to the law Lastly in respect of the obligation of the conscience to the obseruation of Ceremonies Col. 2. 20. Thus are all persons iustified by the faith of Christ free from the law Hence we learne that the Papists erre and are deceiued when they teach that the Law and the Gospel are one for substance of doctrine For then they which are iustified by Christ should not onely be dead to the law but also to the Gospel Now the Scripture saith not that persons iustified are dead to the Gospel They erre againe in that they teach that persons iustified by the merit of the death of Christ are further to be iustified by the workes of the law For he that is iustified by Christ is dead to the law but if we be iustified by workes then are we by Christ made aliue to the law Thirdly here we see how long the dominion of the law continueth and when it endeth The law raignes ouer all men without exception till they be iustified When they once beginne to beleeue in Christ and to amend their liues then the dominion of the law ceaseth and they then are no more vnder the law but vnder grace Here all such persons as liue in the securitie and hardnes of their hearts are to be admonished to repent of their sinnes and to beginne to turne vnto God For they must know that they liue vnder a most hard and cruell master that will doe nothing but accuse terrifie condemne them and cause them to runne headlong to vtter desperation And if they die beeing vnder the law they must looke for nothing but death and destruction without mercie For the law is merâ—ilesse This consideration serueth notably to awake them that are dead in their sinnes Againe all such as with true and honest hearts haue begunne to repent and beleeue let them be of good comfort For they are not vnder the dominion of the law but they are dead to the law and vnder grace hauing a Lord who is also their mercifull Sauiour who will giue them protection against the terrours of the law and spare them as a father spares his child that serues him and not breake them though they be but as weake and bruised reedes and as smoaking flaxe The second point is touching the meanes of our death to the law and that is the Law Here some by the law vnderstand the law of faith that is the Gospel Rom. 3. 27. And they make this to be the meaning of the words By the law of Christ that is by the Gospel I am dead to the Law of Moses But this sense though it be a truth yet will it not stand in this place For it is the question whether by the gospel we be freed from the law Now Paul a learned disputer would not bring the question to prooue it selfe Therefore I take the true meaning of the words to be this By the law of Moses I am dead to the law of Moses It may be demanded how this can be considering the law is the cause of no good thing in vs For it is the ministerie of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 8. 7. 9. Againe that which the law cannot reueale it cannot worke but the law neither can nor doth reueale faith in Christ the death to the law nor repentance c. therefore the law is no cause to worke them It may peraduenture be said that the law workes repentance and sorrow for sinne I answer there is a double Repentance One Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when men haue a sight of their sinnes and withall are grieued for the punishment thereof This repentance is wrought by the ministerie of the law it was in Iudas and it is no grace of God but of it selfe it is the way to hell Euangelicall Repentance is when beeing turned by grace we turne our selues to God This repentance is a gift of grace and is not wrought by the law but by the ministerie of the Gospel Again there is a Legall sorrow which is a sorrow for sinne in respect of the punishment this is no grace and it is wrought by the law Euangelicall sorrow is sorrow for sinne because it is sinne This indeede is a grace of God but it is not wrought by the law but by the preaching of mercy and reconciliation and it followes in vs vpon the apprehension of Gods mercie by faith The law then beeing the cause of no good thing in vs it may be demanded I say how we should be dead to the law by the law Ans. Though the law be not a cause of this death to the law and so to sinne yet it is an occasion thereof For it accuseth and
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
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