speakes after the manner of men is a principle of law or a conclusion of the light of nature namely that a Couenant or testament confirmed may not be abrogated Paul saith it is the propertie of them that are of reprobate mindes to be truce-breakers Rom. 1. 30. Hence sundrie questions may be resolued The first is whether Legacies giuen to the maintenance of the Masse may be applied to the maintenance of the true worship of God Ans. The testator in the giuing of such Legacies hath a double intention one is general and that is to preserue the worship of God the other is special and that is to preserue the idolatrie of the Masse In this he erreth and therefore his will may be changed For testaments vnlawfully made may be abrogated In the generall he erred not and therefore the goods may lawfully be applied to the maintenance of the true worship of God But it may be saide that the next heires may recall them when the Masse is abolished I answer no. Because they may still be applied to the publike good of the Church The affection of the dead was good in this case though there iudgement was naught and therefore regard is to be had of their affection and intent The second question is whether we are to keepe couenant with heretikes and enemies Ans. Yea for the principle A couenant confirmed may not be abrogated is the conclusion of nature which binds all men without exception at all times if the couenant be lawfull The third question is what if damages and losses follow vpon the couenant made and confirmed must it then be obserued Ans. Of couenants some are single that is bare promises not confirmed by oath and some againe are with oath Againe some couenants are meere ciuill beeing made of man to man and some are more then ciuill beeing made of man to God as contracts of marriage Now if couenants be single couenants and meerely ciuill then may they be changed by the makers or by their successours if hurts and losses arise Yet if couenants be confirmed by oath and if they be made to God they may not be changed so long as they are lawfull though great losses insue Read the example of Iosua Ios. 9. 18. A good man sweareth and changeth not though he lose thereby Psal. 15. 4. The fourth question is whether a contract may not be dissolued when one of the parties hath a disease contagious in deadly manner and incurable Ans. If such a disease follow the contract the marriage not consummate we may presume that God doth dissolue the contract And the couenant dissolued by God we may without daunger hold to be abrogated The last question is whether the Church of Rome hath not dealt wickedly in altering the last testament of Christ when it ministreth the Lords supper vnder one kind Ans. They sinne against the light of nature which teacheth vs not to abrogate the testaments of men much lesse the testament of God It is alleadged that we receiue whole Christ vnder one kind Ans. True indeede But we must consider the end of the sacraments is to signifie and represent perfect nourishment in and by Christ now perfect nourishment is not in bread alone but in bread and wine and by them both ioyned together is signified that Christ is the bread and the water of life now to abolish the cuppe is to abolish the principall vse of the sacrament and to lessen our comfort In the 16. verse Paul saith the promises were made to Abraham in the plurall number because they were sometime made to Abraham sometime to his seede and sometime to both and they were often repeated to Abraham and therefore are called promises though in substance they are but one The seede of Abraham here mentioned is the seede not of the flesh but of the promise Rom. 9. 7. and this seede is first Christ Iesus and then all that beleeue in Christ. For all these are giuen to Abraham as children by the promise and Election of God Moreouer this seede is not many as Paul obserueth but one that is one in number It is obiected that the word seede is a name collectiue and signifies the whole posteritie of Abraham Ans. It doth sometime but not alwaies for Eue saith of Seth God hath giuen me an other seede Gen. 4. 25. that is an other sonne Lastly it is said that this one particular seede of Abraham is Christ Iesus Here by the name Christ first and principally the Mediatour is meant and then secondly all Iewes and Gentiles beleeuing that are set and grasted into Christ by their faith For Paul saith Rom. 9. 8. that the children of God or the children of the promise are the seede of Abraham againe Gal. 3. 29. They which are of Christ are the seede of Abraham And the name Christ signifies not onely the head or Mediatour God and man but also the Church gathered partly of Iewes and partly of Gentiles The bodie saith Paul is one but the members are many euen so is Christ 1. Cor. 11. 12. that is the Church of Christ. Againe I beare in my bodie the remainders of the sufferings of Christ Col. 1. 24. and the Church is called the complement of Christ. Eph. 1. 23. It may be obiected that by this means the seede of Abraham is many and not one because Christ and all beleeuers are the seede Ans. They are all one in respect of one and the same blessing of God which is first giuen to Christ and by Christ to all that beleeue in him All are one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. and he gathers things in heauen and earth into one head Eph. 1. 10. It is here to be obserued that the promises made to Abraham are first made to Christ and then in Christ to all that beleeue in him be they Iewes or Gentiles This Conclusion is of great vse First by it we learne the difference of the promises of the Law and the Gospel The promises of the law are directed and made to the person of euery man particularly the promises of the Gospel are first directed and made to Christ and then by consequent to them that are by faith ingrafted into Christ. Secondly by this we learne to acknowledge the communion that is betweene Christ and vs. Christ as Mediatour is first of all elected and we in him Christ is first iustified that is acquit of our sinnes and we iustified in him he is heire of the world and we heires in him he died vpon the crosse not as a priuate person but as a publike person representing all the Elect and all the Elect died in him and with him In the same manner they rise with him to life and sit at the right hand of God with him in glorie Thirdly here we see the ground of the Certentie of perseuerance of all them that are the true children of God For the office of Christ to which he is set a part is to receiue the promise of God
seemes there was more time betweene the promise and the law Ans. The meaning of Moses in this place is thus much that the dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelt as pilgrims was for the space of 430 yeares and that in â—art of this time they dwelt in Egypt as strangers The words may thus be translated The dwelling or Peregrination of the children of Israel in which they dwelt in Egrpt was 430 yeares And this peregrination beginnes in the calling of Abraham and endes at the giuing of the law In Pauls example we see what it is to search the Scriptures not onely to consider the scope of whole bookes and the parts thereof but to ponder and waigh euery sentence and euery part of euery sentence and euery circumstance of time place person This is the right forme of the studie of diuinitie to be vsed of the sonnes of the Prophets The second reason vsed by Paul is in the 18. v. it may be framed thus If the law abolish the promise then the inheritance must come by the law but that cannot be He prooues it thus If the inheritance of life eternall be by the law it is no more by the promise but it is by the promise because God gaue it vnto Abraham freely by promise therefore it comes not by the law The opposition betweene the law and the promise shewes that Paul in this Epistle speakes not onely of the ceremoniall but also of the morall For the greatest opposition is betweene the morall law and the free promise of God Let vs againe marke here the difference betweene the law and the Gospel The law promiseth life but to the worker for his works or vpon condition of obedience The Gospel called by Paul the promise offers and giues life freely without the condition of any worke and requires nothing but the receiuing of that which is offered It may be obiected that the Gospel promiseth life vpon the condition of our faith Ans. The Gospel hath in it no morall condition of any thing to be done of vs. Indeede faith is mentioned after the forme and manner of a condition but in truth it is the free gift of God as well as life eternall and it is to be considered not as a worke done of vs but as an instrument to receiue things promised This difference of the law and the Gospel must be kept as a treasure for it is the ground of many worthie conclusions in true religion And the ignorance of this point in the Church of Rome hath bin the decay of religion specially in the article of Iustification Thirdly we must here obserue the opposition betweene the Law and the free promise of God in iustification of a sinner For if life come by the law it comes not by the promise saith Paul And Rom. 4. 14. If they which are of the law are heires the promise is of none effect By this we see the Church of Rome ouerturnes and abrogates the free promise of God For they of that Church teach that the first iustification is by meere mercie and that the second is by the workes of the law But the law and the promise cannot be mixed together more then fire and water the law ioyned with the free promise disanulls the said promise Lastly in that Paul saith God gaue and freely bestowed the inheritance by the promise it must be considered that this Giuing is no priuate but a publike donation For Abraham must be considered as a publike person and that which was giuen to him was in him giuen to all that should beleeue as he did Art thou then a true beleeuer doest thou truly turne vnto God here is thy comfort the inheritance of eternall life is as surely thine as it was Abrahams when he beleeued For thou art partaker of the same promise with him and when God gaue him life he gaue thee also life in him Againe persons backward and carelesse must be stirred vp with all diligence to vse all good meanes that they may beleeue truly in Christ and truly turne to God For so soone as they beginne to beleeue and to turne vnto God they are entred into the condition of Abraham and if they continue they shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen and after this life they shall rest in the bosome of Abraham For that which was done to Abraham shall be done to all that walke in his steppes 19 Wherefore then serues the law it was added because of transgressions vntill the seede was come to which the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour 20 Now a Mediatour is not of one but God is one Paul hath prooued before that the law doth not abolish the promise his last reason was because then the inheritance should be by the law which cannot be Against this reason in the 19 and 20 verses there is an obiection made and answered The obiection is this If life and iustice come not by the law the law then is in vaine And this obiection is expressed by way of interrogation Wherefore then serues the law The answer is in the next words It is added for transgressions that is for the reuealing of sinne and the punishment thereof and for the conuincing of men touching their sinnes Rom. 3. 19 20. Moreouer Paul sets downe the time or continuance of this vse of the law when he saith till the seede came to which the promise was made that is till Christ come and accomplish the worke of mans redemption Here two questions may be demanded The first is whether the law serue to reueale sinne after the coÌ„ming of Christ For Paul saith it is added for transgressions till Christ. Ans. The law serues to reueale sinne euen to the end of the world yet in respect of the legall or Mosaicall manner of reuealing sinne it is added but till Christ. For the law before Christ did conuince men of sinne not onely by precepts and threatnings but also by Rites and Ceremonies For Iewish washings and sacrifices were reall confessions of sinne And they were an handwriting against vs as Paul saith And this manner of reuealing sinne ended in the death of Christ. Col. 2. 14. Againe the Ministerie of condemnation which was in force till Christ at his comming is turned into the Ministerie of the spirit and of grace 2. Cor. 3. 11. For vnder the law there was pleÌ„tifull reuelation of sinne with darke and small reuelation of grace but at the comming of Christ men saw heauen opened and there was a plentifull reuelation of sinne with a more pleÌ„tifull reuelation of grace and mercie And in this respect also the law is said to be till Christ. The second question is whether the seede of Abraham were before Christ or no Ans. All that followed the steppes of Abrahams faith before Christ were his seede Yet were they not that seede that is the principall seede who is Christ who is the seede
our selues on Christ by faith Fourthly the law was written in tables of stone the Gospel in the fleshie tables of our heart Ier. 31. 33. 2. Cor. 3. 3. Fiftly the law was in nature by creation the Gospel is aboue nature and was reuealed after the fall Sixtly the law hath Moses for the mediatour Deut. 5. 27. but Christ is the mediatour of the new testament Heb. 8. 6. Lastly the law was dedicated by the blood of beasts Exod. 24. 5. the new Test by the blood of Christ. Heb. 9. 12. Here then falls to the ground a maine pillar in Popish religion which is that the law of Moses and the Gospel are all one law for substance and that the difference lies in this that the law of Moses is darke and imperfect and the Gospel or the law of Christ more perfect because he hath as they say added Counsells to precepts Againe the law they say without the spirit is the law properly and with the spirit it is the Gospel But all this is false which they teach For the two Testaments the law and the Gospel are two in nature substance or kind and the difference lies not in the presence or absence of the spirit And whereas the Papists make two iustifications the first meerely by grace the second by workes besides the two Testaments they must establish a third Testament compounded of both and it must be partly legall and partly Euangelicall otherwise the twofold iustification cannot stand For the law propounds onely one way of iustification and the Gospel a second The doctrine therefore that propounds both is compounded of both God did not approoue the polygamie of Abraham yet doth he vse it to signifie the greatest mysterie of our religion Here we see a great point of the diuine prouidence of God who ordereth and vseth well the things which he doth not approoue This is the foundation of our patience and a meanes of true comfort Ioseph thus comforts himselfe and his brethren that God ordered and disposed their bad enterprise to his and their good Gen. 45. 6 7. Here againe Paul sets downe two properties of the Testament of workes or of the law The first is that it came from mount Sina And here lies the difference betweene the law and the Gospel the law is from Sina the gospel from Sion or Ierusalem For there it was first to be preached and thence conueied to all nations Mich. 4. 1. Ezech. 47. 1. The second propertie of the law is that it gendreth to bondage because it maketh them bond men that looke to be saued and iustified thereby And this it doth by reuealing sinne and the punishment thereof which is euerlasting death and by conuincing all men of their sinnes and of their deserued condemnation In this respect it is called the ministerie of death 2. Cor. 3. 6. and Paul saith that after he knew his sins by the lawe he died and the lawe was the meanes of death vnto him Rom. 7. 10. Here is another difference between the law and the Gospel The lawe genders to bondage the Gospell genders to life For it is an instrument of the spirit for the beginning and confirming of our regeneration and saluation and so is not the law which is no cause but only an occasion of the grace of God in vs. Where as Ierusalem that now is is said to be in bondage as Sina and Hagar It is to be obserued that there is no Church in the world nor people which is not subiect to Apostasie For God had made great and large promises to Ierusalem Psal. 122. and 132. and yet for all this Ierusalem by refusing Christ and by establishing the iustice of the lawe is comne into bondage and depriues herselfe of the inheritance of eternall life Therefore it is a falshood which the Papists teach that the infallible assistance of the spirit is tyed to the Chaire and Consistorie of the Pope so as he and consequently the Church of Rome cannot erre Here againe we see what may be the future condition of England For it may be said of it hereafter England that now is is not that which it hath bin namely a maintainer of the Gospell of Christ. Therefore we must not be high minded but feare and now take heed of the first beginning of apostasie The holy Ghost Heb. 3. 12 13. set down the degrees thereof and they are fiue in number The first is the deceit of sinne the second is the hardening of the heart after men are deceiued by sinne the third is an euill heart which growes vpon hardnesse of heart the fourth is vnbeleefe whereby the word of God is called in question and the trueth thereof and after vnbeleefe followes a departure from God and Christ. That this may not be we must carefully avoid all the deceits of sinne as namely couetousnes ambition lust c. Againe as Agar figures the lawe so doth Ismael all iusticiaries that looke to be saued by the law Here then we see the condition of the world the greatest part whereof are Ismalites For the Turke and the Iewe looke at this day to be faued by their workes The Papist ascribes his conuersion not wholly to grace but partely to grace and partly to nature or the strength of mans will helped by grace And thus are they borne after the flesh as Ismael was And our common people though in shew they professe reformed religion yet indeed a great part of them are Ismaelites For they looke to be saued by their good seruing of God and by their good deeds and they little thinke on Christ and his merits And thus they depriue themselues of all title to eternall life Therefore it stands them in hand to condemne nature and the strength thereof and to renounce their owne workes and to rest onely on the promise of mercie for eternall saluation thus shall they be the children of the promise and heires of God Lastly in that Ierusalem is in bondage like Agar or mount Sina we see how vaine are the pilgrimages to the holy land how needlesse were the warres made for the recouery thereof 26. But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Here Paul shewes what is figured by Sara namely the new Ierusalem which is the Catholike Church Heb. 12. 22 23. Reuel 21. 2. And it is here so tearmed because Ierusalem was a type thereof in sixe respects First God chose Ierusalem aboue all other places to dwell in Psal. 132. 13. And the Catholike Church is the companie of predestinate chosen to be a particular people to God Secondly Ierusalem is a citie compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of loue and order among the citizens Psal. 122. 3. In like sort the members of the Catholike Church are linked togither by the bond of one spirit Thirdly in Ierusalem was the sanctuarie a place of Gods presence and of his worship where also the promise of the seed of the woman was preserued
is our soueraigne Lord and we are his debters and he doth adiudge vnto men for their sinnes either pardon or punishment Imputation in God is twofold one Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when God willeth and adiudgeth the reward to him that fulfilleth the law Thus Paul saith Rom. 4. 5. that the wages is imputed to him that worketh and that of debt Euangelicall imputation is when God accepts the satisfaction of Christ our suretie as a paiment for our sinnes In this sense is the word Impute taken ten times in the 4. chap. to the Rom. and in the fame is it vsed in this place The second point is what is imputed And it was imputed that is faith Faith here must be considered two waies first as a qualitie in it selfe and thus it is imperfect and consequently cannot be imputed to vs for our instification Againe faith must be considered as an instrument or hand holding and receiuing Christ and in this regard beleeuing is put for the thing beleeued And thus must this text be vnderstood It was imputed to him that is the thing which his faith beleeued was imputed to him by God for the act of beleeuing is not our iustice as I haue shewed The third point is what is meant by righteousnes Ans. That which is called in Scripture the Iustice of God which is sufficient to acquit a sinner at the barre of Gods iudgement Thus then the sense is manifest Abraham beleeued the promise of God specially touching the blessed seede and that which he beleeued namely the obedience of the Mediatour the blessed seede was accepted of God as his obedience for his iustification It is obiected that the obedience of Christ is to be imputed to none but to Christ who was the doer of it Ans. It is to be imputed that is ascribed to him as to the author thereof and withall because he did performe it in our roome and stead and that for vs it is to be imputed to vs. Secondly it is obiected that works are also imputed as well as faith Psal. 106. 31. Phinees exequuted iudgement and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Ans. There is iustice of the person and iustice of the act Iustice of the person is that which makes the person of man iust Iustice of the act is that which makes the act of the person iust and not the person it selfe Now the Psalme speakes onely of the iustice of Phinees action and the meaning of the words is this that God reputed his action as a iust action whereas men might happily condemne it This place therefore prooues not that workes are imputed for the iustification of any man Thirdly it is obiected that imputed iustice was neuer known in the Church till 1500 yeares after Christ. Ans. It is false Bernard saith expressely Death is put to flight by the death of Christ and the iustice of Christ is imputed to vs and againe the satisfaction of Christ is imputed to vs. Againe sundrie of the Fathers as Augustine Hierome Chrysostome Theodoret Anselme entreating vpon the text of Paul 2. Cor. 5. 21. auouch that the iustice whereby we are iustified is not in vs but in Christ. And it is a receiued doctrine with them that a sinner is iustified by faith alone now faith alone presupposeth an imputation of iustice The vse Hence it followes that there is no merit of mans works either in the beginning or in the accomplishment of our iustification For faith is imputed for iustice to him that beleeueth and worketh not Rom. 4. 5. Againe by this we see there is but one iustification and that the second by workes whereby a man of a good man is made better is a meere fiction For iust Abraham is not iustified by his good workes wherewith he abounded but after his first iustification faith still is imputed to him for righteousnes Thirdly here we see what is that very thing whereby we are to appeare iust before God and to be saued and that is the Obedience of Christ imputed to vs of God and apprehended by our faith Lastly here we see our dutie God sits as a Iudge ouer vs he takes a reckening of vs for all our doings the law is an hand-writing against vs to some he imputes their sinnes to some he remits them We therefore must come into the presence of God plead guiltie and acknowledge our selues to be as bankrupts and intreat him to graunt pardon to vs and to accept the satisfaction of Christ for vs then will God not impute our sinnes but the obedience of Christ for our iustification and accept him as our suretie in life and death The declaration of the conclusion followes in the 9. verse and it shewes who are the true children of Abraham The meaning of the words must first be considered To be of faith is to be of Abrahams faith Rom. 4. 16. And to be of Abrahams faith is to beleeue and applie the promise of righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ as Abraham did and to rest in it for our iustification and saluation v. 10. they are said to be of works who doe the works of the law and looke to be iustified thereby therefore they are of faith who beleeue in Christ looke to be saued and iustified thereby And they which thus beleeue with Abraham are said to be his children It may be demanded how Ans. Children of Abraham are of two sorts some by nature some by grace By nature are they which are of Abraham by the flesh or naturall generation as Ismael was By grace all beleeuers are children of Abraham and that three waies First by Imitation in that Abraham is set forth vnto vs as a patterne in the steppes of whose faith all true beleeuers walke Rom. 4. 12. Secondly beleeuers are children of Abraham by succession in that they succeede him in the inheritance of the same blessing Thirdly they are children to him by a kind of spirituall generation For Abraham by beleeuing the promise of a seede did after a sort beget them Indeede properly the promise and Election of God makes them children and Abraham by his faith beleeuing the foresaid promise receiues them of God as his children In this regard beleeuers are called children of the promise Rom. 9. 8. and the seede that is of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4. 16. Now then the meaning of the text is that beleeuers though vncircumcised are the children of Abraham It may be said what priuiledge is this Ans. Great for the children of Abraham are children of the couenant Act. 3. 25. and children of God Rom. 9. 8. The vse In this verse Paul sets downe one thing namely the true marke of the child of Abraham and that is to be of the faith of Abrahā Here then marke first of all the Iewes though descending of Isaac are no children of Abraham because they follow not the faith of Abraham Secondly the Turks are no children though they plead descent from Agar sometimes and
and the markes of true religion which for his substance was known not onely to the Apostles but also to the Prophets and Patriarks So ancient is the true way of life and the doctrine of iustification by faith without workes Papists plead antiquitie for their religion but in vaine for the proper points and heads of their religion were taken vp since the daies of Christ some 200 yeares after some 400. some 600. some 800. some a thousand and some 1400 yeares after The third point is the speach or testimonie it selfe In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed In thee that is in thy seede Christ Gen. 22. 18. who is in thy loynes into whome the Gentiles are ingrafted by faith and consequently into thee For they are the seede of Christ Isa. 53. 10. who is the seede of Abraham Againe here it is said All the Gentilis but Gen. 17. 4. Abraham is called the father not of all but of many nations Ans He is the father of many in respect of his fleshs and he is a father of all the Gentiles in regard of his faith Againe it is vsuall in scripture to put the word All for many Rom. 5. 15. 18. And the benediction here mentioned comprehends all the spirituall graces of God as vocation iustification glorification Eph. 1. v. 3. The vse In that the Lord saith All the nations shall be blessed in Abraham hence I gather that the nation of the Iewes shal be called and conuerted to the participation of this blessing when and how God knowes but that it shall be done before the ende of the world we know For if all nations shall be called then the Iewes Againe that which was foretold to Abraham is verefied in our eyes For this our English nation and many other nations are at this day blessed in this seede of Abraham Vpon the consideration of this we are admonished of many things First we are to giue to God great thankes and praise that we are borne in these daies For many Prophets and great Kings desired to see that which we see and could not obtaine it Secondly we must euery one of vs in our hearts amend and turne to God and vnfainedly beleeue in Christ that we may now in the acceptable day be partakers of the promised blessing The Lord saith Gen. 22. 18. In thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed or blesse themselues because they shall vse all good meanes that they may be filled with the blessings of God Thirdly we must blesse all doe good to all and hurt none for we are heyres of blessings 1. Pet. 3. 8. Lastly we must here marke our comfort if we truly turne to God and beleeue in the holy seede of Abraham all things shall goe well with vs God shall blesse them that blesse vs and curse them that curse vs. Gen. 12. 3. The ninth verse is the conclusion of Pauls answer and it is in effect and substance one and the same with v. 7. and it signifieth that all men that be of Abrahams faith though otherwise forrainers and Gentiles to Abraham shall be partakers of the same blessing of God with him It may be said How shall we haue the same blessing when we haue not the like faith Ans. god respects not the greatnes of our faith so much as the truth of it And if faith erre not in his obiect that is if we make Christ crucified our Redeemer and ioyne nothing to him if there be further a will to beleeue and to apprehend Christ with care and constancie to increase in faith and a purpose not to sinne God will accept this true and honest will for the deede 10 For as many as be of the works of the law are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euery one that continues not in all things written in the Law to doe them In these wordes Paul sets downe a second reason whereby he prooues that not onely the Iewes but also the Gentiles are blessed as Abraham was by faith And the reason is drawne from the contraries thus They that are of workes that is that looke to be iustified by workes are vnder the curse Therefore they that are of faith are blessed or iustified with Abraham Moreouer Paul addes the proofe of this second reason in the next words and it is framed thus They which fulfill not the law are cursed they which are of works fulfill not the law therefore they are accursed Whereas Paul saith that they are vnder the curse that will be of workes we see the whole world almost walkes in the way of perdition it is a conclusion of nature that we must be saued and iustified by our works The young Prince in the Gospel said Good master what must I doe to be saued The Iewes would not be subiect to the iustice of God but they estâ—blished their owne righteousnes of the law Rom. 10. 3. Our common people and they that should be wise say they looke to be saued by faith but indeede they turne their faith to workes For what is their faith surely nothing els as they say but their good meaning or their good dealing or their good seruing of God Hence againe it followes that the Papacie or Popish reli gion is the way to perdition in that it prescribeth and teacheth iustification by workes On the contrarie our religion is the safest and surest from daunger because it teacheth the free iustificatioÌ„ of a sinner by the blood of Christ. And this makes the Papists in the day of death to renounce iustification by their workes Steuen Gardiner a bloodie persecutor beeing on his death bed told of free iustification by the blood of Christ said You may tell this to me but doe not open this gappe to the people One of late in a publike execution of iustice said he would die a Catholike and withall he added that he looked to be saued onely by the passion of Christ. In the proofe of the reason three things are to be considered What the curse is who are cursed and when The curse is eternall woe and miserie and it is either in this life in the end of this life or in the life to come The curse in this life is either within man or without him The curse within man is manifold In the minde there is ignorance of God of our selues of true happines and of the means to attaine to it Againe there is a great difficultie with much paine to learne and retaine things to be learned and retained And this is a curse of God vpon our minds In the conscience there are manifold accusations terrours and feares arising vpon euery occasion and they are flashings as it were of the fire of hell vnlesse they be quenched in this life by the blood of Christ. In the will there in an inclination to all manner of sinnes without exception Againe there is hardnes of heart whereby the will of man is vnpliable to that which is good vnlesse
written in tables of stone is the law the same law of Moses written in the hearts of men by the holy Ghost is the Gospel But I say againe that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And this ouersight in mistaking the distinction of the Law and the Gospel is and hath bin the ruine of the gospel We must here further obserue that beleeuing and doing are opposed in the article of our iustification In our good conuersation they agree faith goes before and doing followes but in the worke of our iustification they are as fire and water Hence I gather that to the iustification of a sinner there is required a speciall and an applying faith for generall faith is numbred among the works of the law and the deuills haue it This kind of beleeuing therefore and doing are not opposite Againe hence I gather that works of faith and grace are quite excluded from iustification because the opposition doth not stand betweene beleeuing and the works of nature but simply betweene beleeuing and doing Lastly it may be demaunded why the Lord saith He that doth the things of the law shall liue considering no man since the fall can doe the things of the law Ans. The Lord since mans fall repeates the law in his old tenour not to mocke men but for other waightie causes The first is to teach vs that the law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature The second is to aduertise vs of our weaknes and to shew vs what we cannot doe The third is to put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curfe for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Paul hauing prooued the truth of his doctrine by sundrie arguments in the former part of this chapter he here answereth an obiection the occasion whereof is from the 10. verse It may be framed on this manner If they be accused that continue not in all things written in the law to doe them then all men are accursed and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham as you haue said Answer is here made that to them that beleeue there is full redemption from the curse of the law And Paul for the better inlightning of his answer here makes a description of our redemption by foure arguments The first is the author Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law The second is the forme or manner of our Redemption in these words When he was made a curse for vs. And this forme is further declared by the signe in these words for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree The third argument is in the end in these words that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles The last is also an other ende that we might receiue the promise of the spirit Touching the Author in these words Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law sundrie things may be learned First of all comparing these words with the 10. verse or comparing the answer and the obiection together we see and are to obserue that the threatnings of the law are to be vnderstood with an exception from the Gospel All are cursed saith the law that doe not continue to doe all things written therein Except they haue pardon and be redeemed by Christ saith the Gospel And thus are all curses of the law to be conceiued with a limitation or qualification from the Gospel Againe in that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law here is our comfort that neither hell nor death nor SataÌ„ hath any right or power ouer vs so be it we do vnfainedly beleeue in Christ. For we are bought with a price And for this cause we must be admonished not to feare any euill ouermuch as the reuilings and curses of euill tongues withcraft the plague pestilence famine the sword or death For the curse which makes all these and many other things hurtfull vnto vs is remooued from them that are in Christ. And therefore all immoderate feare should be restrained Thirdly our dutie is to glorifie God and Christ who hath redeemed vs and that both in bodie and soule The redeemed must liue according to the will of their redeemer 1. Cor. 6. 20. This is all the thankfulnes that we can shew to our Redeemer for his mercie Lastly here an obiection made by some may be answered If say they we were redeemed by Christ beeing captiues to the deuill the price of our Redemption was paid to him and not to God Ans. We were captiues properly to the iustice of God in the law to the order whereof we stand subiect and by this meanes we are captiues to the curse of the law and consequently to the deuill who is the minister of God for the Execution of the said curse And beeing captiues to the deuill no otherwise then as he is the minister of God for the infâ—â—cting of punishment the price must not be paid to him but to God who is the principall and hath a soueraigntie ouer him and vs. I come now to the forme of our Redemption Who was made a curse for vs. For the better vnderstanding of these words foure points are to be handled The first is what is this curse Ans. A double death the first of the bodie the second of the soule The first is the separation of the bodie and soule The second is the separation of the whole man from God not in respect of his vniuersall power and presence for the very damned haue their moouing and beeing from him but in respect of his fauour and speciall loue whereby God ceaseth to be their God And this is death indeede whereof the first is but a shadow and this is the curse of the law The second point is How Christ was a curse or accursed who is the fountaine of blessednes Ans. He is not so by nature for he is the naturall sonne of God nor by his owne fault for he is the vnspotted lambe of God but by voluntarie dispensation and therefore Paul saith he was made a curse And he was made a curse first because he was set a part in the eternall counsell of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to be our redeemer and consequently to be a curse In this regard the father is said to haue sealed him Ioh. 6. 27. and he is said againe to be prcordained before all worlds 1. Pet. 1. 20. and giuen according to the counsell and foreknowledge of God Act. 3. 22. Secondly he was made a curse
in thrall bondage but the very night after the former time was expired nothing no not the raging sea could stoppe their deliuerance Exod. 12. 41. God promised deliuerance after 70 yeares captiuitie to the Israelites in Babylon When this time was expired Daniel praied and at the very beginning of his supplications the decree of God for deliuerance came forth Dan. 9. 23. The vision of God saith the Prophet is for an appointed time Hab. 2. 1. and so is the promise This must teach vs to be content if after much praying we finde not the fruit of our praiers because there is an appointed time for the accomplishing of them In this respect Dauid saith that his eyes failed and he was hoarse in praying Psal. 69. 4. The second question is what is meant by the giuing or sending of the spirit Ans. Without any alteration or change of place it signifies two things The first is Order betweene the persons whereby the Father and the Sonne worke mediately by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost immediatly from them The second is that the Spirit doth manifest his presence by diuine effects in vs. In this respect he is saide to be sent or giuen of the Father and the Sonne The third point is In what order is the spirit giuen For it seemes that we first of our selues beleeue and then receiue the spirit Ans. Men are saide to receiue the spirit when they receiue some new gift of the spirit or the increase of some old gift Ioh. 20. 22. Againe to speake properly faith and the receiuing of the spirit are for time both together For first of all we heare the promise of God then we beginne to meditate and to applie the saide promise to our selues to striue against doubting and to desire to beleeue and in doing of all this we receiue the spirit To beleeue is the first grace in vs that concernes our saluation and when we beginne to beleeue we beginne to receiue the spirit and when we first receiue Gods spirit we beginne to beleeue And thus by our faith receiue we the spirit and thus also the spirit dwells in vs by faith Eph. 3. 17. And we must not imagine that we may or can beleeue of our selues without the operation of the spirit The fourth point is for what ende we receiue the spirit Ans. For sixe For illumination of our mindes 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Cor. 2. 12. for regeneration whereby the Image of God is restored in vs Ioh. 3. for the gouernment of our counsells wills affections actions Isa. 11. 1. Rom 8. 14. for the effecting of that coniunction whereby we are vnited to Christ our head 1. Cor. 6. 17. for consolation Rom. 8. 16. lastly for confirmation in our faith and euery good dutie 2. Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13. This receiuing of the spirit is one speciall ende of our redemption and therefore it is most necessarie for vs to haue the spirit of God dwelling in vs. If we haue not the spirit we are not Christs and without it we can doe nothing We must for this cause doe such things whereby we may obtaine and receiue a plentifull measure of Gods spirit Repent saith Peter and ye shall receiue the holy Ghost Againe we must carefully retaine and preserue the grace of the spirit in vs by meditation in the word of God by earnest and frequent praier by auoiding all such acts in word or deede that may make a breath in conscience for whatsoeuer offends conscience quenches the spirit Lastly by sauouring the things of the spirit Rom. 8. 5. that is by thinking on things spirituall by affecting of them and delighting in them 15 Brethren I speake as men doe though it be but a mans couenant when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate it or adde any thing thereto 16 Now to Abraham and his seede were the promises made He saith not and to the seedes as of many but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ. 17 And this I say that the law which was 430 yeares after cannot disanull the couenant that was before confirmed of God in respect of Christ that it should make the promise of none effect 17 For if the inheritance be of the law it is no more by promise but God gaue it vnto Abraham by promise In these words Paul meetes with a second Exception or obiection made against that which he here principally stands vpon namely that the blessing of Abraham is conuaied to the Gentiles and that by Christ. The obiection may be framed thus The promise made to Abraham cannot now pertaine to the Gentiles because the law was added to it and by the law it is abrogated and therefore the Gentiles are to be iustified and faued by the obseruation of the law To this obiection Paul makes a double answer One is that the promise cannot be abrogated the second that if it might be abrogated yet the law cannot doe it The first he confirmes on this manner The Testament of God confirmed cannot be abrogated The promises made to Abraham and his seede which is Christ are his Testament confirmed Therefore they cannot be abrogated The proposition is expressed in the 17. verse and is confirmed by comparison thus The testament of man after it is confirmed may not be abrogated much lesse the testament of God v. 15. The minor is propounded in the 16. and 17. verses Now I come to speake of the words as they lie Brethreu Paul had before called them fooles and that iustly because they fell from the doctrine which he taught them to an other Gospel And yet here he calls them brethren And hence let vs learne that in diuision of iudgement and opinion there must be no diuision but vnitie of affection It is and hath bin alwaies the plague of the Church that diuision of heart and affection there takes place where any diuision is in iudgement though men erre of infirmitie This cuill causeth more to be condemned for heretikes then indeede ought to be it maketh schismes where none should be it maketh dissentions to be incurable which otherwise might be cut off And therefore if dissentions in iudgement arise we must remember to suppresse enuie hatred pride selfe loue and let Christian loue beare sway Againe here we see it is lawfull to speake in Sermons as men doe so it be done after the example of Paul with these cautions First it must be done sparingly and soberly without ostentation Secondly it must be done vpon a iust cause as when the sayings of men serue to conuince the hearers and that in their consciences Thirdly a difference must be made betweene the word of man and the word of God least in adding one to the other the word of God loose his grace and excellencie Lastly Gods word onely must be the foundation of the doctrine which is taught and the word of man is to be added in respect of our infirmitie to giue light or to conuince That which Paul
for vs and to applie it vnto vs. And this worke is done by Christ without impediment and without repentance on his part The seale and foundation of our saluation is this that God accepts and knowes vs for his 2. Tim. 2. 19. and that which concernes vs is that we must worship God in spirit and truth and depart from iniquitie Lastly here is comfort against the consideration of our vnworthines Thou saiest thou art vnworthie of the mercie of God and therefore hast no hope And I say againe dost thou truly exercise thy selfe in the spirituall exercises of faith inuocation repentance be not discouraged thou must not receiue the promise immediately of God but Christ must doe it for thee Though thou be vnworthie yet there is dignitie and worthines sufficient in him If thou say that thou must at the least receiue the promise at the hand of Christ. I adde further that he will not quench the flaxe that doth but smoake neither will he breake the bruised reede He accepts the weake apprehension if it be in truth And our saluation stands in this not that we know and apprehend him but that he knowes apprehends vs first of all v. 17. This I say In the former verses Paul hath laid downe two grounds one is that testaments of men confirmed may not be abrogated the other that the promises were made to Abraham and his seede which is Christ. Now what of all this may some man say Paul therefore addes these words This I say that is the scope and intent of all my speech is to shew that the couenant or testament confirmed by God cannot be abrogated and secondly if it might so be yet that the law could not abrogate the testament because it was giuen 430 yeares after the confirmation of the saide testament And because it might be doubtfull what Paul meanes when he saith the couenant confirmed cannot be abrogated he explanes himselfe in the ende of the verse by saying the promise cannot be made of no effect It is here to be obserued that Paul saith the promise made to Abraham is a couenant or testament It is a Couenant or compact because God for his part promiseth remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and requireth faith on our part In respect of this mutuall obligation it hath in it the forme of a couenant It is also a Will or Testament in two respects First because the promise is confirmed by the death of the mediatour Heb. 9. 15. Secondly the things promised as remission of sinnes and life euerlasting are giuen after the manner of legacies that is freely without our desert or procurement In this we see the great goodnes of God who vouchsafeth to name them in his testament that haue made couenant with the deuill and are children of wrath by nature as we all are Again in that the promise is a testament remission of sinnes and life euerlasting is a Legacie and for the obtainment of thē we must bring nothing vnto God but hunger and thirst after them and make suit vnto God for them by asking seeking knocking Thus are all Legacies obtained there is no more required on our part but to receiue and accept them And though we be neuer so vnworthie in our selues yet shall it suffice for the hauing of the blessing of God if our names be found in the Testament of God Againe Paul saith that the promise made to Abraham is a couenant confirmed of God It may be demanded by what meanes it was confirmed Ans. By oath Heb. 6. 17. Againe it may be demanded to whome it was confirmed Ans. To Abraham as beeing the father of all the faithfull and then to his seede that is first to the Mediatour Christ and consequently to euery beleeuer whether Iew or Gentile For Abraham in the first making and in the confirmation thereof must be considered as a publike person representing all the faithfull Here againe we see Gods goodnes We are bound simply to beleeue his bare word yet in regard of our weaknes he is content to ratifie his promise by oath that there might be no occasion of vnbeleefe Againe here we are admonished to rest by faith on the promise of God as Abraham did when there is no hope Some may say I could doe so if God would speake to me as he did to Abraham I answer againe when God spake to Abraham in him he spake to all his seede and therefore to thee whosoeuer thou art that beleeuest in Christ. And hence we are to gather sure hope of life euerlasting For in the person of Abraham God hath spoken to vs he hath made promise of blessing to vs he hath made couenant with vs and he hath sworne vnto vs. What can we more require of him what better ground of true comfort Hebr. 6. 17. 18. Lastly in that God thus confirmes vnto vs the promise of life euerlasting it must incourage vs to all diligence in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may attaine to the condition of Abraham and it must arme vs to all patience in bearing the miseries calamites that fall out in the strait way to eternal life Further Paul saith that the promise is a couenant confirmed that in respect of Christ because he is the scope foundation of all the promises of God partly by merit and partly by efficacie By merit because he hath procured by his death and passion remission of sinnes and life euerlasting By his efficacie because he seales vp vnto vs in our consciences remission of sinnes and withall restores in vs the image of God The vse If Christ be the ground of the promise then is he the ground and fountaine of all the blessings of God And for this cause the right way to obtaine any blessing of God is first to receiue the promise and in the promise Christ and Christ beeing ours in him and from him we shall receiue all things necessarie The second answer of Paul to the former obiection is that if the promise made to Abraham might be disanulled yet the law could not doe it And he giues a double reason The first is drawne from the circumstance of time Because the promise or couenant was made with Abraham and continued by God 430 yeares before the law was giuen therefore saith Paul the law was not giuen to disanull the promise Against this reason it may be obiected that Abrahams seed was but 400 yeares in a strange land Gen. 15. 13. Ans. Moses speakes of the time that was from the beginning of Abrahams seede or from the birth of Isaac to the giuing of the law and Paul here speakes of the time that was betweene the giuing of the promise to Abraham and the giuing of the law and that was 10 yeares before the birth of Isaac Againe it may be obiected that the Israelites were in Egypt 430 yeares Fxod 12. 40. The dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelled in Egypt was 430 yeares Therefore it
blessed in himselfe and giuing blessednes to all other And the beleeuers that were before Christ or after him are the â—eede of Abraham in respect they are set into Christ who is principally the seede mentioned in this text When Paul saith ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour he makes a declaration of that which he had saide before by an Euident signe on this manner That the law serues to discouer transgressions it appeares by this that the Iewes could not abide to receiue the law immediatly from God but it was deliuered by Angels and receiued by the hand of a Mediatour and this argues mans guiltines and his disagreement with God because a Mediatour is of two at the least and of two beeing at difference betweene themselues The law is said to be ordained or disposed by Angels because they were attendants on God in the Mount when the law was deliuered Secondly they were witnesses and approouers of the deliuerie Thirdly it may be the voice of God whereby the law was published in the hearing of all the Israelites was vttered and pronounced by the ministerie of Angels for the holy Ghost saith the word spoken by Angels was stedfast Hebr. 2. 2. that is the law It may be said all this prooues not that Angels ordained the law Ans. Often in Scripture the worke or action of the principall Agent is ascribed to the instrument or minister The Saints are saide to iudge the world 1. Cor. 6. whereas indeede they are no more but witnesses and approouers of this iudgement In the same manner Timothie is said to saue himselfe and others 1. Tim. 4. 16. The last trumpet is sounded by Angels Matth. 24. 31. and it is called the voice of an Archangel and the trumpe of God 1. Thess. 4. Moreouer Paul saith the law was deliuered by the hand of a Mediatour that is of Christ as some thinke but that cannot be for the hand of a Mediatour signifies the ministerie and seruice of a Mediatour and this seruice is inferiour to the seruice of Angels because the law was deliuered by Angels and receiued of them by a Mediatour Therefore the Mediatour here mentioned is Moses who stood betweene the people and God in the deliuerie of the law Deut. 5. 5. It may be obiected that there is but one Mediatour Christ 1. Tim. 2. 8. Ans. Mediatour of reconciliation is onely one and that is Christ and Moses is a Mediatour onely in the relating and reporting the law from God to the Israelites Paul addes that a Mediatour is not of one that is that euery Mediatour is of two at the least and of two at variance and disagreement And he saith further that God is one that is alwaies the same and like himselfe without change And the reason of the speach is this Paul hath taught that the law was giuen by a Mediatour and that this declared a difference betweene God and man Now it might be said where is the fault in this difference and who is the cause of it Paul saith not God but man because God is alwaies one and the same The vse In that the law is for transgressions we are taught to examine and search our hearts and liues by the law of God Zephan 2. 1. Fanne you O nation not worthie to be loued Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search our hearts and turne againe to the Lord. That we may the better examine our selues foure rules must be obserued The first when any one sinne is forbidden in any commandement of the law vnder it all sinnes of the same kind are forbidden all causes of them and all occasions The second a commandement negatiue includes the affirmatiue and binds vs not onely to abstaine from euill but also to doe the contrarie good The third is that euery commandement must be vnderstood with a curse annexed to it though the curse be not expressed The fourth is that we must especially examine our selues by the first and last commandements For the first forbids the first motions of our hearts against God and the last forbiddes the first motions of our hearts against our neighbour though there be no consent to doe the euill which we thinke Paul saith of himselfe that the commandement Thou shalt not lust was it that especially humbled him Rom. 7. According to these and other rules which now I omit we must with speciall care examine our selues The want of this dutie causeth men to rot away in their sinnes without remorse or true repentance and it is the cause that so many men profit so little in hearing the word preached because they know not what sinne meanes neither can they search aright their consciences and liues Moreouer after we haue begunne to practise this dutie we must often as occasion shall be giuen renue it to the end Consider Dauids example Psal. 119. 59. Where Paul saith that the law is added till Christ we see that the Legall ministerie of death is abolished now and that we are vnder the Ministerie of the spirit and life And for this cause we in these last daies that are Ministers of the word must preach the doctrine of saluation plainly to the very consciences of men 2. Cor. 4. 1. Againe the people of these daies ought to abound in knowledge and their obedience should be answerable to the measure of their knowledge And if after much preaching in these daies of light the Gospel be hid as it is to very many who remaine still in ignorance and disobedience it is a fearefull signe vnto them of their condemnation 2. Cor. 4. 4. In that the law of God was ordained or deliuered by Angels we are put in minde to reuerence it and to esteeme it as a treasure Secondly we are to feare to breake the least commandement of the law because the angels that were ordainers of the law doe no doubt obserue the keepers and the breakers of it and are readie prest to be witnesses and reuengers against them that offend Steuen vpbraids the Iewes that the law was giuen by the dispensation of Angels and yet they brake it Act. 7. 53. Thirdly if thou offend and breake the law repent with speede for that is the desire and ioy of Angels They that deliuered the law reioice to see the keeping of it Lastly if thou sinne and repent not looke for shame and confusion before God and his angels Because Moses was a mediatour to the Iewes Papists gather that therefore Angels and Saints may be mediatours Ans. It sollowes not Moses was ordained a mediatour so are not they Moses was present with the Iewes and had fellowship with them whose mediatour he was Saints are absent in heauen and Angels though they be about vs haue no fellowship with vs. Moses was mediatour but once and that onely in one thing Saints are made continuall mediatours Lastly Moses was mediatour in relating reporting the law from God to the people Saints and Angels are made mediatours to relate and report our praiers and
may they that lic now vnder the Apostasie of Antichrist be recouered Act. 15. 6. And the promise of God is that when two or three come together in his name he will be with them Matth. 18. Lastly the Ministers as here we see are to temper their gifts and speach to the condition of their hearers The Corinthians were babes in Christ and Paul feedes them with milke 1. Cor. 3. 3. to the Iew he became a Iew to the Gentile a Gentile that he might winne some 1. Cor. 9. 18. For this cause it were to be wished that Catechising were more vsed then it is of our Ministers For our people are for the most part rude and vncatechised and therefore they profit little or nothing by sermons A sermon to such persons is like a great loafe set before a child And it is no disgrace for learned Ministers in plaine and familiar manner to catechise for this is to lay the foundation without which all labour in building is in vaine Againe our ignorant people should be content euen in their old age to learne the catechisme for by reason of their ignorance they lie as a pray to the Atheist and Papist and in much hearing they learne little because they know not the grounds of doctrine that are vsually in all sermons And it is a fault in many that they loue to heare sermons which are beyond their reach in which they stand and wonder at the Preacher and plaine preaching is little respected of such The occasion of Pauls desire is in these words I doubt of you or thus I am in perplexitie for you and this Paul speakes as a mother in some dangerous extremitie in the time of her trauel as Rachel was in the birth of Benjamin Gen. 35. And the words carrie this sense I am troubled for your recouerie and I feare it will neuer be Here we learne how daungerous a thing it is to fall from grace though it be but in part For a man cannot recouer himselfe when he will We doe not the good we can vnlesse God make vs doe it Ezech. 36. 27. Cant. 1. 4. Ier. 31. 29. Therefore it is an Errour to thinke that we may repent and turne to God when we will as many suppose And this must be a warning vnto vs to preserue the good things that God hath put into vs and not to quench the spirit And though Paul doubt of the recouerie of the Galatians yet he spares not to send his Epistle to them and to vse meanes And thus in desperate cases we must vse the best meanes and leaue the successe to God Thus the Israelites when there was no other helpe went into the sea as into their death bedde or graue by faith staying themselues on the promise of god Heb. 11. 29. 2. Chron. 20. 12. That which Paul here saith may be saide of many among vs in whome Christ is not yet framed whether we respect knowledge or good life for they giue iust occasion of doubting whether they will euer turne to God or no. 21 Tell me ye that will be vnder the law doe ye not heare the law 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one by a seruant and an other by a free-woman 23 But he which was of the seruant was borne after the flesh and he which was of the free-woman by promise From the 8. verse of this chapter to the 20. verse Paul hath handled the conclusion of the principall argument of this Epistle touching the Apostasie of the Galatians and here he returnes againe to his former doctrine touching the iustification of a sinner by faith without the workes of the law and he confirmes it by an other Argument the summe and substance whereof is this Your libertie from the law w 〈…〉 prefigured in the familie of Abraham therefore ye are not bondmen to the law but freemen The argument is at large propounded and it hath foure parts a preface in the 21. verse an historie of Abraham and his familie vers 22. 23. the Application of the historie from the 24. verse to the 30. the conclusion v. 31. And first of the Preface Law the word law in the first place is taken properly for the morall and Ceremoniall lawe of Moses and in the second place for the bookes of Moses and namely for the booke of Genesis And in this sense the word is taken when Christ is said to expound the law and the Prophets Luk. 24. And sometime it signifies all the bookes of the old testament Ioh. 15. 15. Vnder the law to be vnder the lawe is to hold our selues bound to the fulfilling of the lawe and to looke for life eternall thereby Doe ye not heare the law that is ye read and heare indeede but ye vnderstand not the scope and drift of that which you read In this preface first Paul meetes with the pride of mans nature whereby the Galatians went about to establish their owne righteousnesse by the lawe when he saith ye that will be vnder the lawe c. with this pride were the Iewes tainted Rom. 10. 3. and the young Prince that came to Christ and said Good master what must I doe to be saued And the Papists of our time who will not be subiect to the iustice of God but set vp their owne iustice in the keeping of the law The like doe the ignorant people among vs who hold that they are able to fulfill the law and that they are to be saued thereby And when they say they looke to be saued by their faith they vnder stand thereby their fidelitie that is their good dealing Againe Paul here notes the seruile disposition of men that loues rather to be in bondage vnder the law then to be in perfect libertie vnder the grace of God This we see in daily experience All professe Christ among vs yet is it euen a death to the most to forsake the bōdage of the flesh Christ we professe yet so as we take libertie to liue after the lustes of our owne hearts When Paul saith doe ye not heare the lawe he notes the cause of our spirituall pride and of the seruile disposition before named namely ignorance in mistaking and misconceiuing the true scope of the law for the Galatians did not consider that Christ was the scope of the lawe but they supposed that the very obseruation of the lawe euen since the fall of man did giue life and iustifie This ignorance was to the Iewes as a vaile before their eies in the reading of the lawe 2. Cor. 3. 14. And this ignorance hath blinded the Papist at this day for he supposeth that the Gospell is nothing els but the lawe of Moses that Christ indeed is but an instrument to make vs keepers of the lawe and consequently sauiours of our selues In the historie of Abraham I consider three things the facte of Abraham in taking two wiues the Euent vpon this fact he had two sonnes by them the condition of these
Sina came from mount Sina where the law was deliuered to the Israelites And gendreth to bondage that is it makes all them bondmen that looke to be iustified and saued by the works of the law For Agar or Sina here the translatours are deceiued supposing that mount Sina had two names Agar and Sina but this opinion of theirs hath no ground and the words are thus to be read Agar is Sina Here Agar signifies not so much the person of Abrahams handmaid as that which is said in the former historie of Agar For the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sina must be considered as a place where it pleased God to publish the law And the wordes thus considered haue this sense Agar is Sina that is Agar figures Sina two waies First in condition for as Agar was a bondwoman so Sina in respect of the law was a place of bondage and in this respect also it is called Sina of Arabia which was a desart out of the land of Canaan Secondly in effect for as Agar bare Ismael a bondman to Abraham so Sina or the law makes bondmen And it answereth Sina answereth to Ierusalem that is as Agar figures Sina so Agar figures Ierusalem and by this meanes Sina and Ierusalem are like and stand both in one order Now Agar figures Ierusalem two waies in condition and effect In condition for as Agar was a bondwoman so Ierusalem or the nation of the Iewes refusing Christ and looking to be saued by the law are in spirituall bondage In effect for as Agar brings forth Ismael a bondman so Ierusalem by teaching the law makes bondmen Therefore Paul saith in the last place of Ierusalem and shee is in bondage with her children The vse These things are said by allegorie Here the Papists make a double sense of scripture one literall the other spirituall Literall is twofold Proper when the words are taken in their proper signification Figuratiue when the holy Ghost signifies his meaning in borrowed tearmes Spirituall senses they make three One allegoricall when things in the old testament are applied to signifie things in the new testament The second is Tropologicall when scripture signifies something touching manners The third is Anagogicall when things are in scripture applied to signifie the estate of euerlasting life Thus Ierusalem properly is a citie by allegorie the Church of the new Testament in a tropologicall sense a state well ordered in an anagogicall sense the estate of eternall life These senses they vse to applie to most places of the Scripture specially to the historie But I say to the contrarie that there is but one full and intire sense of euery place of scripture and that is also the literall sense sometimes expressed in proper and sometimes in borrowed or figuratiue speaches To make many senses of scripture is to ouerturne all sense and to make nothing certen As for the three spirituall senses so called they are not senses but applications or vses of scripture It may be said that the historie of Abrahams familie here propounded hath beside his proper and literall sense a spiritual or mysticall sense I answer they are not two senses but two parts of one full intire sense For not onely the bare historie but also that which is therby signified is the ful sense of the h. G. Againe here we see the scripture is not onely penned in proper tearmes but also in sundrie diuine figures and allegories The song of Salomon is an Allegorie borrowed from the fellowshippe of man and wife to signifie the communion betweene Christ his Church so is the 45. psalme The booke of Daniel and the Reuelation is an allegoricall historie The Parables of the old and new Testaments are figures or allegories When Dauid saith Psal. 45. 4. Ride on vpon the word of truth meeknes and iustice he describes a Princes charriot by allegorie The Guide is the word the horses that draw it are three Truth meekenes iustice And thus the throne of God is described by like allegorie Psal. 89. v. 14. the foundation of the throne are righteousnes and equitie the maine bearers to goe before the throne are mercie and truth It may be demanded when doth the scripture speake properly and when by figure Ans. If the proper signification of the words be against common reason or against the analogie of faith or against good manners they are not then to be taken properly but by figure The words of Christ Ioh. 15. 1. I am the true vine my father is an husband man If they be taken properly they are absurd in common reason therefore the words are figuratiue and the sense is this I am as the true vine and my father as an husbandman The wordes of Christ Take eate this is my body 1. Corinth 11. vers 24. taken properly are against the articles of faith He ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand of God And they are against the sixt commandement Thou shalt not kill And therefore they must be expounded by figure thus This bread is a signe of my bodie The like is to be said of other places they must be taken properly if it be possible if not by figure Here then they are to be blamed that make the vse of Rhetoricke in the Bible to be a meere fopperie For to this purpose there is a booke in English heretofore published As also they of the familie of loue are iustly to be condemned who in another extremitie turne all the Bible to an Allegorie yea euen that which is said of Adam and of Christ. They are two Testaments they are that is they signifie and so Agar is Sina a mountaine in Arabia that is signifies Sina Thus the Rocke in the wildernes is Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. that is figures Christ. Like to this is the Sacramentall phrase This is my bodie that is to say this bread signifies my bodie Great is the madnes of men that hence gather Transsubstantiation or the real conuersion of bread into the bodie of Christ. They might as well gather hence the conuersion of Agar into mount Sina The two Testaments are the Couenant of workes and the Couenant of grace one promising life eternall to him that doth all things contained in the law the other to him that turnes and beleeues in Christ. And it must be obserued that Paul saith they are two that is two in substance or kind And they are two sundrie waies The law or couenant of workes propounds the bare iustice of God without mercie the couenant of grace or the Gospel reueales both the iustice and mercie of God or the iustice of God giuing place to his mercie Secondly the law requires of vs inward and perfect righteousnes both for nature and action the Gospel propounds vnto vs an imputed iustice resient in the person of the Mediatour Thirdly the law promiseth life vpon condition of works the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and life euerlasting vpon condition that we rest
Th. 2. 2. he had besought them they would not be troubled by spirit nor by word nor by letter as though it came from him And here he shews how they may know whether the Epistle be his or not if it haue this signe it is mine els it is counterfait for this note or marke is to be found in all and euery one of my Epistles Now these words which is a Signe in euery Epistle cannot be meant as some are of opinion of the former words onely viz. The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hand First because he saith it is a signe in euery Epistle whereas it is onely to be found 1. Corinth 16. 21. Galat. 6. 11. Coloss. 4. 18. 2. Thess. 3. 17. Philem. v. 19. and not in any other of his Epistles Secondly the words so I write should be false if they be referred onely to the former wordes because that manner of salutation is not to be found in euery Epistle as I haue alreadie shewed And except they be referred to the words following the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. they haue either none or a very hard construction Thirdly if Pauls salutation which he affirmeth to be a certaine note of his Epistle be vnderstood of these words The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. it agreeth vnto all as Anselme confesseth whereas beeing meant of the former words onely it doeth not agree to all but to a fewe and yet Paul makes it a generall infallible note and signe of euery Epistle Besides Ambrose and Primasius in their commentaries vpon the place as also the Author of the Commentaries which goeth vnder Ieroms name affirme the signe whereby we may know Pauls Epistles from counterfeit and forged Epistles to consist in these words the grace of our Lord c Chrysost. and Theodoret likewise say that Paul calleth the salutation a benediction or blessing which is in the end of the Epistle and a little after Hence we learne that he was accustomed to write these words The grace c. instead of adiewe or farewell vnto thē And Haimo long after expounds these words so I write howe saith he euen thus as it followeth The grace of our Lord c. I graunt it is probable that Paul writ his owne name in the ende of euery Epistle whether in the Greeke tongue and in the Hebrewe characters as Haimo affirmeth I leaue it as vncertaine and that by the salutation or signe of his Epistle his name written with his owne hand is in part to be vnderstood yet it is not onely nor principally meant The certen signe therefore of his Epistles is beside the subscription of his owne name the farewell that he giues them in these words The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all or the like to the same effect I say to the same effect because these very formall wordes are not to be found in euery of Pauls Epistles Therefore Caietan is far wide who taketh the entire and formall salutation as it is literally set downe 2. Thess. 3. 17. to be a note that the Epistle is his so that if it want any one word either the Epistle is not Pauls or there is some defect in the text for hereupon he concludes that the Epistle to the Coloss. onely hath something wanting in the farewell or salutation because it is said Grace be with you and not the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you as it is in all his other Epistles But first it is an vntrueth for they are not onely wanting in the Epistle to the Colossians but also in the 1. to Timothie and in that to Titus where it is only said Grace be with thee Grace be with you all Secondly it is a flat mistaking of the text for Pauls meaning was not in euery Epistle to tie himselfe precisely to so many words and syllables but to commend them to the grace of Christ sometime making expresse mention of Christ sometime concealing his name yet so as that it is alway vnderstood though not expressed 12. As many as make a faire shew in the flesh compell you to be circumcised only because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. From hence to the ende is laid down the second part of the conclusion which I call a Recapitulation wherein the Apostle doeth very artificially as Orators are accustomed repeat those things which he would haue specially to be remembred the maine points handled in the Epistle First that neither circumcision is necessarie to iustification nor the ceremoniall lawe to saluation Secondly that the false Apostles vrging the obseruation of the lawe as a thing necessarie to saluation sought not herein Gods glorie or the edification of their hearers but their owne ease and freedome from the crosse and persecution Thirdly that Christ crucified is the onely thing that iustifies a sinner without the workes of the Lawe Fourthly that true religion standeth not in outward things but in the renouation of the inward man In this verse and the next following Paul describes the false Apostles by fiue properties three whereof are laid downe in this verse The first is that they make a faire shewe The second that they compell men to the obseruing of their deuised religion The third the ende and scope they aime at that they may alway be in the sunne-shine liuing at ease and hauing the world at will onely because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. First the Apostle saith that they make a faire shew in the flesh which is taken diuersly for it signifieth sundrie things First to make an outward glorious shew according to the flesh as that they were true Israelites of the seed of Abraham c. Of which boasting Paul speakes 2. Cor. 11. 18. Seeing that many glorie after the flesh I will glorie also They are Israelites so am I they are the seed of Abraham so am I. Secondly to please the Israelites which are after the flesh and to approoue themselues vnto them which held the keeping of the ceremoniall lawe Thirdly to vaunt themselues to the Iewes and them of the circumcision of the Galatians whome they had circumcised in the flesh as beeing made proselytes and wenne to their profession by their meanes Lastly to pretend great zeale and religion in outward obseruing of the lawe standing in carnall rites and bodily exercises as circumcision meates purification and the like which carnall rites the Apostle opposeth to spirituall worship Rom. 12. 1. and to the newe creature v. 16. of this chap. and bodely exercise which profiteth little to true pietie and the sincere practise thereof which is profitable for all things 1. Tim. 4. 8. The words may be taken in all these acceptions though princspally in the last Here we haue a notable propertie of false teachers which is to set a faire face vpon the matter to carrie all before them with a smooth countenance and in outward