are of minde that all Iudiciall lawes are abrogated and some are of contrarie mind that all Commonwealths are to be gouerned by them But they are both deceiued and the meane betweene both is the truth Know then that of Iudiciall lawes of Moses some are abrogated some are not Such lawes as are meerely Iudiciall that is iudiciall and not morall and doe particularly concerne the nation of the Iewes the land of Canaan the times before Christ the things of the old Testament are abrogated Of this kind is the law that commands the brother to raise vp seede to his brother Deut. 25. 5. The law of Tenths is partly ceremoniall and partly iudiciall and specially concernes the land of Canaan For as countries are richer or poorer then Canaan so must their allowance to the Ministerie be more or lesse The seuenths the eights the ninths the eleuenths the twelfths and not the tenths And the allowance of Tenths stands not in force in this other Commonwealths by the Iudiciall law of God but by positiue laws of countries For if it did then Ministers should not meddle with their Tenths either for the gathering or for the disposing of them but they should be brought into storehouses by certaine ouerseers and they should dispose of them according to the neede of euery Minister 2. Chron. 31. Malac. 3. The law that the theefe must either restore fourefold or be a bondman concernes Canaan and those countries In Europe specially in the Northerne and Westerne parts a straighter law is required For the people are much giuen to idlenes and consequently to robbing and they are of fierce disposition and therefore with theft ioyne violence and disturbance of the common peace And for this cause excepting in some cases theft is punished with death And this must not seeme hard For euen the Iewes when the theft was aggrauated with other circumstances might punish it with death 2. Sam. 12. 6. And it is in the power of the Magistrate when sinnes are increased to increase the punishment Now Iudiciall lawes that are in foundation and substance morall are not abrogated but are perpetuall For the better discerning of them I giue two notes The first is this If a Iudiciall law serue directly and immediatly to guard and fense any one of the ten Commandements in the maine scope and ende thereof it is morall in equitie and perpetuall because the end and vse of it is perpetuall I will giue sundrie examples It is the law of God that he of the Israelites that shall intise them to goe and worship other gods shall be put to death Deut. 13. 6. This law serues to maintaine and vphold the first commandement the ende whereof is to inioyne vs to take the true God for our God and this ende is most necessarie both for Gods glorie and for the saluation of men and therefore whatsoeuer thing or person ouerturneth or abolisheth this ende it must be cut off from the societie of men Here note by the way that they which haue bin borne baptised and brought vp among vs and yet afterward become Masse-priests and seeke malitiously and obstinately without ceasing to seduce our people deserue in this respect to be put to death Example 2. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Exod. 22. 18. This law againe is a fense to the first commandement For Witches renounce God and humane societie and therefore are worthely cut off though they doe no hurt euen because they make a league with the deuill Example 3. He that blasphemeth the name of God shall be put to death Leuit. 24. 16. Vnderstand this law of manifest and notorious blasphemies that pearce through God as the words import and then it is a maine fense to the third commandement For Gods name may in no wise be abused and troad vnder foote and therefore blasphemers pearcing God are to be cut off This is the very law of Nature as appeares by Nabuchadnezzar who gaue in commandement to his people that whosoeuer blasphemed the name of the true God should be put to death Dan. 3. 29. Here note that manifest and conuicted Atheists if they be put to death haue but their deserts Example 4. He that curseth father or mother shall die the death Leuit. 4. 9. This law is a necessarie fense to the fifth commandement and vpholds the honour that is due to parents Examples 5. He that smites a man that he die shal die the death Exod. 21. 12. To this law there is no exception made but one and that is when a man is killed at vnawares And it is for his equitie perpetuall For it is a maine and direct fense to the sixth commandement Consider an other reason Num. 35. 33. The whole land saith the Lord shall be defiled with blood till his blood be shed that killeth a man Example 6. The adulterer the adulteresse shal both be put to death Leuit. 20. This Iudiciall serues to vphold and maintaine chastitie which is the ende of the seuenth commandement Marke withall the reasons Leuit. 20. 22 23. Least the land spne you out and for these things that is for suffering this and other sinnes vnpunished the Gentiles were cast out It may be said that Christ did not condemne the woman to death which was taken in adulterie Ans. He came to be a Mediatour and not a Iudge or Magistrate It is alleadged that Dauid was not put to death for adulterie Ans. He was the highest in the kingdome there was none to iudge him Againe it may be saide that if adulterie be death then innumerable persons must die Ans. We must doe that which we finde to be the will of God and the euents of things must be left to God The second note whereby we may discerne a iudiciall law to be morall for his equitie is this If it follow necessarily and immediatly from the light principles and conclusions of nature For example Deut. 22. 5. The man shall not put on the things that appertaine to the woman nor the woman the things that appertaine to the man This law is more then Iudiciall for it is a Rule of common honestie practised in those countries by the light of nature where the written law was neuer knowne And things good and honest which nature teacheth are morall and must be done This is Pauls rule Doth not nature teach this 1. Cor. 11. 14. This I speake not to censure and condemne the lawes of this or any other commonwealth but onely to shew how farre Iudiciall lawes haue moralitie in them and stand in force The third question is what is our guide now in the time of the new Testament seeing the Regiment and law of Moses is abrogated Ans. The outward guide is the Doctrine of the morall law and of the Gospel It is therefore called the rodde and the staffe of God Psal. 23. and the rodde of his mouth Isa. 11. 4. The inward guide is the spirit of God writing the lawes of God in our hearts and
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
me doth it Here marke Paul calls concupiscence in himselfe after regeneration sinne and that properly because he saith it is the same that maketh men to sinne And Col. 3. 5. he saith Mortifie your earthly members and among the rest he nameth euill concupiscence And to the Ephesians 4. 22. Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mindes Therefore after baptisme some portions remaine still of the old man or of originall sinne S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues Answer is made that this is spoken of veniall or small sinnes but how can they be small sinnes that are to be washed away with the blood of Christ as he saith v. 7. And if these words be spoken of infants as they are then must Concupiscence be a sinne in them for they haue no actuall sinnes Lastly Christ saith Ioh. 13. 10. He that is all washed must haue his feete that is his carnall affections washed Here obserue two things One that defilements of sinne remaine in them that are washed The second that they are after the first washing to be done away by Christ and not by the acts of our pennance The grounds of Popish doctrine in this point are two The first is this They make three degrees of Concupiscence The first is the pronesse in the flesh to rebell against the law of the minde or the proâ—esse to euill The second stands in the first motions to sinne which goe before consent of will The third stands in acts of lust ioyned with consent of will This third they say is forbidden in the moral law which forbids and condemnes voluntarie concupiscence and the two first are not Because as they speake concupiscence it selfe with the first motions are not in mans power and therefore they are rather to be tearmed defects or infirmities then sinnes and that men are no more to be blamed for them then for the diseases of their bodies Ans. The doctrine is false for it is an euident truth that Concupiscence with the first motions thereof to euill is condemned in the Morall law It is a Principle in expounding the law where any actuall sinne is forbidden there all causes occasions furtherances thereof are likewise forbidden Therefore considering actuall concupiscence ioyned with consent is forbidden in the law Originall concupiscence with the first motions thereof beeing causes of the former are likewise forbidden And Paul saith he had not knowne Lust to be sinne vnlesse the law had said Thou shalt not lust Rom. 7. 7. Now he was a Doctor of the law and knew that lust with consent was a sinne for thus much the light of nature teacheth therfore the law speakes of an higher degree of lust namely of lust going before consent The second ground is this When sinne is remitted it doth not make men guiltie but ceaseth to be a fault Originall sinne therefore ceaseth to be sinne after baptisme Ans. Though actuall guilt be taken away yet potentiall guilt remaineth namely an aptnes in Originall sinne to make men guiltie and though it be not the fault of this or that person yet it is a fault in nature or as it is considered in it selfe The vse If Originall sinne remaine after baptisme to the death then we must humble our selues and vse to the very death the plea of mercie and pardon denying our selues and resting on Christ. Againe if persons baptised be sinners to the death it may be demaunded what difference there is betweene the godly and vngodly Ans. In them that are regenerate there is a sorrow for their inward corruptions and for their sinnes past with a detestation of them and withall there is a Purpose in them to sinne no more and with this purpose there is ioyned an endeauour to please God in all his commandements so as if they doe sinne they can say with good conscience that they sinned against their purpose and resolution This cannot the vngodly man doe The third point is how baptisme conferres grace Ans. It conferres grace because it is a meanes to giue and exhibit to the beleeuing minde Christ with his benefits and this it doth by his signification For it serues as a particular and infallible certificate to assure the partie baptised of the forgiuenes of his sinnes and of his eternall saluation And whereas the Minister in the name of God applies the promise of mercie to him that is baptised it is indeede as much as if God should haue made a particular promise to him In this regard baptisme may well be said to conferre grace as the Kings letters are said to saue the life of the malefactour when they doe but signifie to him and others that the kings pleasure is to shew fauour Againe baptisme may be saide to conferre grace because the outward washing of the bodie is a token or Pledge of the grace of God and by this pledge faith is confirmed which is an instrument to apprehend or receiue the grace of God And this confirmation is made by a kind of reasoning in the minde on this manner He that vseth the signe aright shall receiue the thing signified I saith the partie baptised beeing of yeares vse the signe aright in faith and repentance therefore I shall receiue the thing signified remission of sinnes and life euerlasting A king saith to his subiect He that brings the head of such a traytour shall haue a thousand poundes Well the head of the foresaid traytour is cut off and he that hath the head may say Here is a thousand pounds or this will bring me a thousand pounds because it is vnto him as a pledge vpon the kings word of the reward of a thousand pounds And so is the washing in baptisme an infallible pledge to him that beleeues of the pardon of his sinnes Thus doe the sacraments conferre grace and no otherwise One reason for many may be this The word of God confirs grace for it is the power of God to saluation to them that beleeue and this it doth by signifying the will of God by the eare to the mind now euery sacrament is the word of God made visible to the eye the sacrament therefore confirs grace by vertue of his signification and by reason it is a pledge by the appointment of God of his mercie and goodnes It may be said a sacrament is not only a signe and a seale but also an instrument to conuay the grace of God to vs. Answer It is not an instrument hauing the grace of God tyed vnto it or shut vp in it but an instrument to which grace is present by assistance in the right vse thereof because in with the right vse of the sacrament God conferres grace and thus is it an instrument and no otherwise that is a morall and not a physicall instrument The doctrine of the Papist is that the sacrament conferres grace by the worke done that is that the outward action of the Minister conferres grace by his owne force when
The condition of faithfull Ministers is to be full of troubles 647. 28 In what case a Minister in his preaching may vse Philosophie testimonie of Prophane writers and quotations of Fathers 541. 25 Ministers that labour in the word may lawfully take wages though they haue sufficient of their owne 543. 18. Abuse of the Ministers prooued to be the abuse of God 548. 11 Of Professours deriding defrauding Ministers of the word 549. 1. Why Ministers are not to sell the preaching of the word 437. 26. What they are to aime at in their preachings and what not 537. 20 A Minister is to teach his Auditors onely the word of God and why 540. 23. whether Ministers are to be maintained by common contribution and liberalitie of the people or not 533. 37 That it is more conuenient for Ministers to be maintained by set stipends arising from goods proper to the Church then by voluntarie contribution sundrie reasons 534. 17 obiection That the Ministers place is an easie office answered 535. 1 what a Minister is 171. 20 the Deuill cannot worke a true Miracle 171. 33 how Mocking is persecution 362. 9 the Modestie of Paul 19. 34 the practise of the godly to Mourne for other mens sinnes 337. 27 Obiections in defence of Murther remooued 437. 7 N The kinds of Nakednes 266. 28 Nature doth counterfeit grace and how 330. 28 A naturall man can doe the workes of the morall law yet in him they are sinnes 224. 25 Nature and Person distinguished 279. 32. what Nature is ibid. Naturall and carnall men are of two sorts 463. 13 Necessitie is twofold 369. 35 how we must loue our Neighbours 328. 6. what the loue of our Neighbour is vide Loue. how the whole law is fulfilled in the loue of our Neighbour 405. 15 who is our Neighbour 405. 27 In some cases we must loue our Neighbour more then our selues 405. 34. Of the loue of our Neighbour vide Loue. The new Creature or new man old man what it is 637. 1 The vses of this that we are new creatures in Christ. 638. 23 Greater power required in the regeneratioÌ„ of man then in the creation of the world 639. 3 how men are Nothing of theÌ„selues vide Men. O Foure things in an Oath 65. 15 The forme of an oath is to be plaine and direct in the name of God and not of creatures 65. 35 An Oath is to be vsed onely in the case of extremitie 66. 13 Obseruation of daies and times 314 4. The Gospell must be preached though all men be offended 396. 15. Men haue an ouerweening of themselues naturally 507. 8 The cause of it 508. 10 Such notably deceiue themselues 508. 30. It is the poison of loue 510. 25 Whether a man may not iudge himselfe to haue a greater measure of gifts then they that haue lesse 510 38. The remedies of this euill 511. 36 Outward priuiledges or dignities are of no moment in the kingdome of Christ. 382. 1. 24 P How a pacification is to be made in religion 338. 29 Papists teach and maintaine the worship of false Gods 305. 1. c. Papists and we differ not about circumstances 376. 15 Mo pacification with the Papists for religion but ciuill societie 408. 25. Papists teach Idolatrie foure waies vide Idolatrie Papists vrge their owne ceremonies more strictly then Gods truth 617. 28. Papists like to the false teachers in Pauls time in making things which be signes of saluation meritorious causes of it 618. 4 The Popes Prelats of Rome like to false teachers in compelling men to obserue that which they themselues will not obserue 518. 23. The Popish Church like to false teachers in pretending religion and conscience for their ease and cloaking of their impietie 624. 3 It is shewed in two particulars especially ibid. In pardon there be foure degrees 70. 28. Parents sustaine a double person 115. 12. Of Parents authoritie ouer their children vide children Parents truly punished in their childrens punishment notwithstanding it is not felt by them whereof be foure reasons 522. 14 Foure Principall duties to be performed by the people to the pastors and what they be 531 34 Pastors are to haue not only countenance but maintenance of the people 532. 6 Whether pastors are to be maintained by coÌ„tributioÌ„ or not 533. 37 Reasons to prooue that it is more conuenient for ministers to liue vpon set stipends then voluntarie contribution 534. 17 Obiections that the Pastors office is an easie office vide Ministers We must patiently tary for the reaping of our heauenly reward vrged from Gods patience towards vs. 582. 37 Gods patience waiting for the amendment of our liues set dowe by sundry degrees 583. 20 Mischeifes into which we runne vnto vnlesse we patiently expect god for our reward 584. 22 Reasons why Paul did write the epistle to the Galatians with his owne hand 607. 38 Paul subscribed all his epistles with his owne hand 608. 16 Pauls coÌ„uersion how wrought 50. What was gods preuenting grace in Pauls conuersion 50. 10 Whether Paul was an agent or Patient in his conuersion 51. 26 Whether violence was offered to his will in conuersion 52. 2 The dignitie of Paul aboue the other Apostles 5. 28 Two causes why Paul writes his epistles in the name and with the consent of the brethren 6. 4 The true signe of euery of Pauls epistles discouered and the false remooued 608. 27. 609. 20 Why Paul would not take wages of the church of Corinth and some others foure reasons 536. 25 Peace outward or inward 644. 12 Peace with the creatures which be of foure sorts ibid. 14 Peace of conscience double with god with our selues ibid. 33 Peace with our selues threefould ibid. 34. Of peace of conscience ibid. 35 What peace is and what be the parts of it 10. 16 Peace without grace is no peace 12. 6. How we must haue peace with all men 408. 17 Peace is threefould 408. 35 Three rules for the maintaining of Church peace 408. 36 For the inforcing of the duties of peace there be seuen speciall reasons 410. 35 What peace is for the maintenaunce whereof obserued two rules 444. 34. 37. The people punished for Achans sinne how it may stand 526. 15 There is a double perfection 188. 36. Hatred of Gods grace in men is the beginning of al persecution 362. 12. Persecution what 42. 30 Of the wicked persecuting the good 361. 33. Perseuerance crowneth all our good workes 585. 31 Person and nature distinguished 279. 32. What a person is 279. 33 Of Peters supremacie 94. 11 Pharisisme what it is and the principall doctrine thereof 41. 17 Philosophie not condemned 434. 21. The errors of Philosophie 4â—4 26 There is lawfull pilgrimage 59. 32 Popish pilgrimage condemned for two causes 59. 39 Polygamie not approoued but tolerated for two reasons 342. 9 Reasons for Polygamie answered 342. 29. What poore to be releiued 98. 17 Pastors care of the poore wherein it consists 98. 25 Postscripts no part
that of Paul because there is but one but it is an inuention of the brame of man But there be some that is but I plainely perceiue the cause of your reuolt that some trouble you and seeke to ouerthrowe the Gospell of Christ. In these words two points are to be considered The first is the manner which Paul vseth in reproouing the Galatians He tenders their good and saluation and seeks by all meanes their recouerie And therefore in his reproofe he doth two things First he reprooues them with meekenesse and tendernesse of heart following his owne rule Gal. 6. 1. for he might iustly haue said ye may be ashamed that ye are remooued to another Gospell but he saith onely I maruell that is I was well perswaded of you and I hoped for better things but I am deceiued I wonder at it Secondly he frames his reproofe with great warinesse circumspection for he saith not ye of your selues doe remooue to another Gospell but ye are remooued and thus he blames them but in part and laies the principall blame on others Againe he saith not ye were remooued but in the time present ye are remooued that is ye are in the acte of Reuolting and haue not as yet altogither reuolted And hereby he puts them in minde that although they be in a fault yet there is nothing done which may not easily be vndone According to his example we are in all Reproofes to shewe loue and to keepe loue to shewe loue to the partie reprooued and to frame our reproofe so as we may keepe his loue The second point is the fault reprooued and that is the Reuolt of the Galatians which was a departure from the calling whereby they were called to the grace of Christ. If it be demaÌ„ded what kind of Reuolt this was I answer there be two kinds of reuolt particular and generall Particular when men professe the name of Christ and yet depart from the faith in some principall points thereof Of this kinde was the Apostacie of the tenne tribes and such is the Apostacie of the Romane Church A generall reuolt is when men wholly forsake the faith name of Christ. Thus doe the Iewes and Turkes at this day Againe a reuolte is sometime of weakenesse and humane frailtie and sometime of obstinacie Nowe the reuolt of the Galatians was onely particular in the point of iustification and of weakenesse and not of obstinacie and this Paul signifies when he saith they were carried by others Of this Reuoâ—t 4. things are to be considered The time so soone from whome or what from the doctrine of Paul consequently the grace of Christ. To what to another Gospell By meanes of whome but some trouble you c. Touching the time it was short They were soone carried away This shewes the lightnesse and inconstancie of mans nature specially in matter of religion While Moses tarried in the mount Aaron and the people set vp a golden calfe and departed from God Osea saith The righteousnesse of the Israelites was like the morning dewe which the rising of the sunne consumeth chap. 6. 4. Iohn was a burning light the Iewes reioyced in this light that is well but marke what is added for an houre or moment Iohn 5. 35. They which cried Osanna to the sonne of Dauid shortly after cried Crucifie him crucifie him The crosse and persecution will make men call the Gospell in question if not forsake it Luk. 8. 13. The multitude of people among vs are like waxe and are fit to take the stampe and impression of any religion and it is the law of the land that makes the most imbrace the Gospell not conscience That we may constantly perseuere in the profession of the true faith both in life and death first we must receiue the Gospell simply for it selfe because it is the Gospell of Christ and not for any other by-respect Secondly we must be mortified and renewed in the spirit of our mindes and suffer no by-corners in our hearts where secret vnbeleefe secret hypocrisie and spirituall pride may lurke and lie hid from the eies of men Heb. 3. 12. Thirdly we must not onely be hearers of the word but also doers of it in the principall duties to be practised of faith conuersion and newe obedience To come to the second point when Paul saith the Galatians were remooued from him that called them that is himselfe he shewes Christian modestie because speaking things praise-worthie of himselfe he speaks in the third person from him that hath called c. The like he doeth 2. Cor. 12. I knowe a man taken vp into the third heauen that is himselfe And Iohn saith the disciple that leaned on the breast of Christ whome Christ loued asked whome he meant Ioh. 13. 23. After this practise we are to giue praise to God and to his instruments but neither to praise nor dispraise our selues This is Christian ciuilitie to be ioyned with our faith Secondly when he saith who hath called you in the grace of Christ we learne that the scope of the Gospel is to bring men to the grace of Christ. To this very ende God hath vouchsafed vs in England the Gospel more then fourtie yeares And therefore our words and deedes and liues should be seasoned with grace and sauour of it and shew forth the grace of God Secondly we owe vnto God great thankfulnes and we can neuer be sufficiently thankefull for this benefit that God calls vs to his grace But it is otherwise the sunne is a goodly creature yet because we see it daily it is not regarded and so it is with the grace of God Thirdly the Galatians are remooued not onely from the doctrine of Paul but also from the grace of God And the reason is because they ioyned the workes of the law with Christ and his grace in the cause of their iustification and saluation Here it must be obserued that they which make an vnion of grace and workes in the cause of iustification are separated from the grace of God Grace admits no partner or fellow Grace must be freely giuen euery way or it is no way grace Hence it followes that the present Church of Rome is departed from the grace of God because it makes a concurrence of grace and workes in the iustification of a sinner before God and we may not make any reconciliation with that Church in religion because it is become an enemie of the grace of God The third point is To what thing the Galatians reuolt to another Gospel that is to a better gospel then that which Paul taught compounded of Christ and the workes of the law And this forged gospel the false apostles taught and the Galatians quickly receiued Here we see the curious nicenes and daintines of mans nature that cannot be content with the good things of God vnlesse they be framed to our minds and if they please vs for a while they doe not please vs long but we must haue new
be demanded howe this text can well stand with Act. 16. v. 3. for there Paul circumciseth Timothie a Grecian and here he refuseth to circumcise Titus though he were a Grecian I answer thus Circumcision was at this time a thing indifferent From the first institution to the comming and specially to the death of Christ it was a thing commanded a Sacrament and a part of Gods worship Againe after the planting of the Church of the newe testament it was vtterly abolished and a thing in respect of vse vtterly vnlawfull In the middle time that is while the Gospel was in publishing to the world and the Church of the newe Testament was yet in founding it was a ceremonie free or indifferent It may be obiected that the whole Ceremoniall law was abolished in the death of Christ I answer it was so and circumcision was abolished in respect of faith and conscience yet so as the vse therof was left to the libertie of the people of God for a while Circumcision at this time was as a corps that is dead yet vnburied and onely laid out and so it must remaine for a time that it may be buried with honour It may againe be obiected that baptisme was come in the roome of circumcision and that therefore circumcision was but an idle and emptie ceremonie I answer it was not vsed as a Sacrament at this time or as a part of Gods worship or as a matter of necessitie but onely as a free ceremonie and that onely then when it tended to the edification of men Beeing then a thing indifferent it might as occasion serued be vsed or not vsed Therefore Paul condescending to the weaknes of the beleeuing Iewes circumcised Timothie and that he might not offend the godly and hinder Christian libertie he refused to circumcise Titus Here a great question is answered whether we may vse things indifferent as oft as we will and howe we will The answer is No. Things are not called indifferent because we may vse them indifferently or not vse them when we will and how we will but because in themselues or in their owne nature they are neither good nor euill and we may vse them well or ill we may againe not vse them well or euill Furthermore there be two things which restraine the vse of things indifferent the lawe of charitie and the lawes of men The lawe of charitie is this Things indifferent in the case of scandall cease to be indifferent and are as things morall that is either forbidden or commanded Paul saith if to eate flesh be to the offence of his brother he will eate no flesh while the world stands 1. Cor. 8. 13. And though he circumcised Timothie yet would he not circumcise Titus least he should offend the godly and by his example hurt Christian libertie Likewise the good lawes of men whether ciuill or Ecclesiasticall tending to the common good and seruing for edification restraine the vse of things indifferent so that they which shall doe otherwise then these lawes command with a contemptuous or disloyall minde are guiltie before God yet here two cautions must be remembred One that the lawes of men doe not chaunge the nature of things indifferent for it is the propertie of God by willing this or that to make it good or euill Neither doe they take away the vse of things indifferent For libertie graunted by a soueraigne power cannot be reuersed by an inferiour power Therefore humane lawes doe no more but temper and moderate the ouer common vse of things indifferent The second caution is That when the ende of a law ceaseth when there is no contempt of the authoritie that made the law when no offence is giuen a thing indifferent remaines in his free vse without sinne or breach of conscience Againe here we learne that a thing indifferent when it is made necessarie to saluation as Circumcision was is not to be vsed This conclusion serues to ouerthrow the Popish religion For it stands in the obseruation of things indifferent as meates drinkes apparell times c. And the vsing or the not vsing of them is made necessarie euen in regard of mans saluation For the abstinence from things that are by nature indifferent is made a part of Gods worship and meritorious of eternall life For example to marrie or not to marrie is for nature a thing indifferent and therefore when abstinence from marriage is made necessarie as it is in diuers orders of men and women the nature of the thing is changed which God hath left free and it is a doctrine of deuills which is taught Here againe we learne to make difference of persons Some are weake some are obstinate Weake ones are such as hauing turned vnto God and carrying in their hearts a purpose in all things to please God neuerthelesse doe sundrie things amisse vpon simple ignorance or badde custome till they be better informed Of these Paul saith that he became all to all that he might saue some 1. Cor. 9. 22. and for their sakes he condescended to circumcise Timothie And if we that haue scarce a drop of mercie in vs must thus beare with them that are weake much more will God doe it who is mercie it selfe The good shepheard brings home the stray sheepe vpon his shoulders he carries his lambs in his bosome Isa. 40. 11. He will not quench the smoaking flaxe Isa. 42. he spares them that feare him as a father spares his child Malach. 3. 17. This beeing alwaies remembred that weake ones truly turne to God and carrie in their hearts an honest purpose not to sinne against his lawes at any time wittingly and willingly Obstinate persons are such as professe the faith and yet hold and practise bad things of wilfull ignorance and of malice These persons are not to be borne with nor to be respected and in respect of them Paul would not circumcise Titus Lastly in that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised it may be demanded whether Recusants may be compelled to the exercises of religion I answer yea for exercises of religion are not things indifferent as Circumcision was Iosias made a couenant with the Lord and he caused all his subiects to stand to it 2. Chron. 34. 32. The king at the marriage feast of his sonne saith of the guests Compell them to enter in Luk. 14. 23. It is obiected that men may not be compelled to beleeue I answer it is the commandement of God prooue the spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. and this commandement pertaines to all persons Therfore though men may not be compelled to beleeue yet may they be compelled to come to the congregation to heare our sermons and therein the reasons and grounds of our doctrine that they may trie what is the truth and cleaue vnto it For this is their dutie 4 For all the false brethren that crept in who came in priuily to spie out our liberite which we haue in Christ Iesus that they might bring vs into
by workes of mercie Tit. 2. 5. It may be obiected that there is a Cooperation of works and faith I am 2. 21. I answer that this Cooperation is not in the act of iustification nor in the worke of our saluation but in the manifestation of the truth and sinceritie of our faith without hypocrisie And for the declaration and approbation of this faith and workes ioyntly concurre Here then we see it is a pestilent and damnable doctrine of the Papists when they teach iustification by the workes of the law Let vs here be warned to take heede of it The fourth point is the Meritorious cause of our iustification and that is Christ. Here it may be demanded what is that thing in Christ by and for which we are iustified I answer the Obedience of Christ Rom. 5. 19. And it stands in two things his Passion in life and death and his Fulfilling of the law ioyned therewith For by faith the law is established Rom. 3. 31. Christ was sent in the similitude of sinnefull flesh that the rigour of the law might be fulfilled in vs Rom. 8. 4. and Christ is the perfection of the law for righteousnes to all that beleeue Rom. 10. 4. He that doth not fulfill all things contained in the Law is accursed Gal. 3. 10. Seeing therefore we cannot performe the things contained therein by our selues we must performe them in the person of our Mediatour who hath satisfied for the threatnings of the law by his passion and hath fulfilled the precepts of the law by his obedience in all duties of loue to God and man We owe to God a double debt One is that we are to fulfill the law euery moment from our first beginning both in regard of puritie of nature and puritie of action And this debt was laid vpon vs in the creation and is exacted of vs in the law of God The second debt is a satisfaction for the breach of the law For this double debt Christ is be become our Suretie and God accepts his obedience for vs it beeing a full satisfaction according to the tenour of the law For the better conceiuing of this obedience foure questions may be demanded The first is when this obedience beginnes and ends Ans. Satisfactorie obedience performed by Christ beginnes in his incarnation ends in his death Christ saith Ioh. 4. 34. It is my meate to doe my fathers will and to finish his worke But when was it indeede finished A little before his passion he said Ioh. 17. 4. I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe Againe in the surrendring of his soule he saith It is finished Ioh. 19. 30. S. Paul saith Christ was obedient to the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 8. The triumph of Christ beganne vpon the crosse Col. 2. 15. and he could not triumph before he had made a full and perfect satisfaction for vs. When Christ had procured deliuerance from hell and Right to life euerlasting he there made a perfect satisfaction for vs to the iustice of God And this he did in his death vpon the crosse For by the death of the Mediatour we receiue the promise of euerlasting inheritance Heb. 9. 15. and with one oblation vpon the crosse he perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. and they cannot be perfected without the perfect obedience of Christ. Christ rose from death and ascended into heauen in our roome and stead and this he could neuer haue done vnlesse he had made a perfect satisfaction in death Here it may be asked If satisfactorie obedience end in the death of Christ to what vse serue the resurrection and ascension of Christ and his fitting at the right hand of the father Ans. They serue also for our iustification but after an other sort For they serue to applie communicate to vs and to put vs in possession of the benefits which Christ hath procured for vs and purchased by his death S. Paul saith He asâ—â—nded to giue gifts 〈◊〉 and to fill all things Eph. 4. 8. 10. And Christ saith When I am exalted I will draw all men to me Ioh. 12. 32. And he liues for euer to make intercessionâ— for vs. Heb. 5. 27. The second question is how Christ could obey beeing God and satisfie for vs beeing man Ans. Christ must be considered not meerely as God or as man but as God-man or Man god For the Godhead doth not redeeme vs without the manhood nor the manhood without the Godhead Neuerthelesse Christ as God and man may both obey and satisfie For as there are in Christ two natures so there are two distinct operations of the said natures And as the said natures vnited make one Christ so the operations of the natures concurring and beeing vnited in one make the compound worke of a Mediatour Therefore the Obedience of Christ beeing the worke of a Mediatour hath in it the operations of both natures The practise exercise or exequution of obedience is from the manhood therfore it is said that Christ bare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the crosse 1. Pet. 2. 24. that he suffered in the flesh 1. Pet. 4. 1. that he made a liuing way by the vaile of his flesh Heb. 10. 20. that we are reconciled in the bodie of his flesh Coloss. 1. 22. Obedience iâ— properly a subiection of the will in reasonable creatures to the will of God now the will of the Godhead of Christ admits no subiection to the will of God because the the will of the Godhead or of God is one and the same in all the persons Christ therefore yeeldes subiection onely in respect of the will of the manhoode in which he performes obedience Moreouer the operation of the Godhead is to make the saide Obedience meritorious and satisfactorie for all that shall beleeue In this respect Paul saith God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 18. and that God shedde his blood Act. 20. 28. namely in that nature which the sonne of God assumed Hence ariseth the value price and dignitie of the obedience of Christ. The third question is how the Obedience of Christ should be made ours Ans. By the freedonation of God For Christ is really giuen vnto vs in the word and sacraments and consequently the obedience of Christ is made ours euen as when a peece of ground is made ours the commoditie thereof is ours also The fourth question is how the obedience of Christ should be our iustice Ans. It is not our iustice in naturall manner for then it should be in vs but by a diuine and supernaturall manner namely by Gods Acceptation in that he accounts it ours euen as truly as if it were in vs. And because God accepts it for ours it is ours indeede for his willing and approouing of any thing is the doing of it and he calls the things that are not as if they were Thus we see what the Obedience of Christ is And here two errours must be auoided The
one is of some Protestants lesse dangerous yet an vntruth namely that we are iustified onely by the Passion of Christ. But if this were so we should be iustified without fulfilling the law for as I haue said we owe to God a double debt one by creation namely the fulfilling of the law in all things from our first beginning the second since the Fall of Adam namely a satisfaction for the breach of the law Now the Passion of Christ is a paiment of the second debt but not of the first whereas both must be answered For Cursed is he that doth not continue in all things written in the law to doe them The passion of Christ procureth deliuerance from hell but alone by it selfe considered it doth not purchase a right to eternall life Obiect I. Christ fulfilled the law for himselfe therefore his passion alone serues for our iustification Ans. Christ as man fulfilled the law for himselfe that he might be in both natures an holy high Priest and so continue Neuertheles as Mediatour God and man he became subiect to the law in this regard he did not fulfill the law for himselfe neither was he boūd so to doe Obiect II. That which Christ did we are not bound to doe but Christ say some fulfilled the law for vs therefore we are not bound to fulfill the law Ans. That which Christ did we are not bound to doe for the same ende and in the same manner Now he fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for vs and so doe not we fulfill the law but onely in way of thankfulnes for our redemption Obiect III. The law doth exact both obedience and the penaltie also Ans. In the estate of innocencie the law threatned the penaltie and it onely exacted obedience Since the fall it exacteth both obedience and the punishment The threatning of the law exacts the punishment the precepts exact obediēce Obiect IU Hebr. 10. 19. By the blood of Christ we haue entrance into the Holy place Ans. By the blood of Christ we are to vnderstand the Passion and the passion may not be seuered from actiue and voluntarie obedience For Christ in suffering obaied and in obeying suffered And as Chrysostome saith the Passion is a kind of action Christ in the oblation of himselfe did not onely offer to God his passion but also praiers which are no passions Heb. 5. 7. The second errour is of the Papists who teach that the thing by which and for which a sinner is formally iustified is remission of sinnes with inherent justice infused by the holy Ghost But this cannot be For inherent iustice and iustification are made distinct gifts of God Paul saith Christ is made vnto vs of God wisdome iustice sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 3. Againe But ye are washed ye are iustified and sanctified 1. Cor. 6. 11. Secondly the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified is reuealed without the law Rom. 3. 21. Now inherent iustice or the habit of charitie is reuealed by the law and the obedience of Christ is the onely iustice reuealed without the law For it is a iustice imputed that the law neuer knew and in this obedience Christ performed the law and more too For he died for his enemies and so loued his neighbour more then himselfe Thirdly God is not onely a iustifier but also iust in iustifying Rom. 3. 26. because he iustifieth none but such as bring vnto a him a true and perfect iustice either in themselues or in their Mediatour Prou 17. 15. Now this inward and inherent iustice is not such For it is imperfect because it is increased as they teach by a second iustification and it is in this life mixed with the corruption of the flesh Fourthly the righteousnes of a good conscience is an excellent grace and gift of God but by it we are not iustified 1. Cor. 4. 4. Lastly a close errour is to be noted in this Popish doctrine of iustification For in Popish learning Remission of sinnes is not onely an abolishing of the guilt and the punishment but also of the corruption of sinne so as the partie pardoned and iustified hath nothing in him that as they say God may iustly hate And yet Paul iustified and regenerate saith otherwise of himselfe that sinne dwelleth in him and that the law of sinne rebells in him against the law of his minde and leads him captiue to sinne Rom. 7. The vse of the doctrine First in that we are iustified by an obedience out of our selues we are taught vtterly to denie our selues and to goe out of our selues as hauing nothing in vs whereby we may be saued Here is the foundation of the abnegation of our selues Secondly the obedience of Christ must be vnto vs the foundation of our obedience for he performed all righteousnes for vs that we might be seruants not of sinne but seruants of righteousnes in all duties of obedience And in his obedience we must not onely respect the merit thereof but also his holy example in loue mercie meekenes patience c. and after it are we to fashion our liues Thirdly the obedience of Christ must be the foundation of our comfort In all daungers and temptations we that beleeue are to oppose the obedience of Christ against the fierce wrath of God against hell death and condemnation Certen beasts when they are pursued flie the next way to their dennes where they hold themselues euen to death Christ in respect of his obedience is our hiding place Rom. 3. 26. he is set forth unto the world as a Propitiatorie For as the Propitiatorie couered the Arke and the decasogue so he couereth our sinnes and he hides our bodies soules from the furious indignation and vengeance of God Let vs therefore by our faith flie to this our hiding place in the storme and tempest of Gods wrath and let vs there liue and die Fourthly this Obedience is the foundation of our happines For true happines is to be eased of our sinnes Psal. 32. 1. and this ease we haue from Christ Math. 11. 28. Lastly the consideration of this obedience is the foundation of our thankfulnes to God For if we beleeue that Christ suffered and fulfilled the law for vs we are worse then beasts if we doe not euery way shew our selues thankfull for this mercie The fifth point to be considered is the meanes of iustification namely the Faith of Christ. Of which I consider 3. things The first what faith is The Papists define iustifying faith to be a gift of God whereby we beleeue the articles of faith to be true and the whole word of God But thit faith the deuills hanc Here they alleadge that Abraham was the father of all the faithfull and that his faith was nothing els but a perswasion that he was able to giue him a child in his old age Ans. First the obiect of Abrahams faith was double one lesse-principall that he should haue ishew in his old age the second more
of sinne And by this power Christ is said to liue in them that beleeue The third is the Resurrection of the dead bodie to euerlasting glorie in the day of iudgement Rom. 8. 11. Thus then the meaning of the words is euident that Christ as a roote or head liues in them that are vnited to him and that by the operation of his spirit causing them to die vnto their sinnes and to liue vnto God And againe it must be remembred that Paul speakes this not priuately of himselfe but generally in the name of all beleeuers For he saith 2. Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates The vse Hence it followes that they which are true beleeuers cannot make a practise of sinne and againe that they sinne not with the full consent or swinge of their wills Because Christ liues in them and restraines the will in part When they sinne therefore they sinne not of malice but of ignorance or infirmitie Secondly the true beleeuer cannot wholly fall away from grace because the life of Christ cannot be abolished As Christ died but once and for euer after liues to God so they that are in Christ die once to sinne and liue eternally to God Rom. 6. 10. The vertue and power of God that was shewed in raising Christ to life is likewise shewed in quickning them that doe beleeue Eph. 1. 19. He therfore that is made aliue to God dies no more but remaines aliue as Christ doth Thirdly they which are true beleeuers are a free and voluntarie people obeying God as if there were no law to compell them For they haue Christ to liue in them Read Psal. 110. 2. The spirit of life that is in Christ is also in them and that is their law Rom. 8. 2. It is the propertie of the child of God to obey God as it is the nature and qualitie of the fire to burne when matter is put to it It may here be demanded how we may know that Christ liues in vs Ans. By the spirit of God 1. Ioh. 3. 24. And the spirit is knowne by the motions and operations thereof The first whereof is a Purpose to obey God according to all his commandements that concerne vs with an inclination of our hearts to the said commandements Paul saith he was sold vnder sinne and yet withall he addes that he delighted in the law of God according to the inward man Rom. 7. 23. He that loues God and keepes his commaundements hath the father and the sonne dwelling in him Ioh. 14. 23. Let this be obserued Pharaoh when Gods hand was vpon him confessed he was a sinner and his people and requested Moses and Aaron to let the people goe But after God had withdrawne his hand he returned to his old course The like doe sicke men they make promise to amend their liues and they request their friends to pray for them but when they are recouered they forget all their faire promises The reason is this There is conscience in them and by it they know themselues to be miserable sinners but they want this purpose to obey God and the inclination to his laws and therefore indeede they hate not their sinnes but rather the commandement of God The second operation and signe of the spirit is a mind and disposition like to the mind and disposition of Christ which is to doe the will of God to seeke his glorie and to applie himselfe to the good of men in all duties of loue The third and last to omit many is to loue Christ for himselfe and to loue them that loue Christ and that because they loue Christ. This is a true signe that we haue passed from death to life 1. Ioh. 3. 14. It may here be said how can Christ be said to liue in vs considering we are laden with afflictions and miseries Where Christ liues there is no miserie Ans. In the middest of all miseries the life of Christ doth most appeare Where naturall life decaies there spirituall life takes place 2. Cor. 4. 10. I beare in my bodie the mortification of our Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus may be made manifest in me Gods power is made manifest in weaknes 2. Cor. 12. Againe it may be said if Christ liued in vs we should not feele so many corruptions as we doe Ans. The life of Christ is conueyed vnto vs by little and little God hauing wounded and slaine vs first bindes vs vp then he revives vs and the third day he raiseth vs vp Hos. 6. 1. Againe nature feeles not nature nor corruption feeles corruption but grace therefore it is the life of Christ in vs that makes vs feele the masse and bodie of corruption Furthermore here we are to take notice of the common sinne of our daies Men will not suffer Christ to liue in them and to rule ouer them It is reputed a small matter but it is a grieuous offence The Gentiles say Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. Psal. 2. 2. And it is was the sinne of the Iewes to say We will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs Luc. 19. 14. And therefore Christ saith bring them hither and slay them before me Lastly here we learne our dutie and that is so to liue that we may be able to say with good conscience that Christ liues in vs we must seeke his kingdome aboue all things and take his yoke on vs. It will be said what must we doe that Christ may liue in vs Ans. We must vse the meanes appointed meditation of the word prayer sacraments and withall we must spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood Ioh. 6. 57. And that we may eate him we must haue a stomacke in our soules like the stomacke of our bodies and we must hunger and thirst after Christ and therefore we must feele our owne sinnes and our spirituall pouertie and haue an earnest lust and appetite after Christ as after meat and drinke When Sisera was pursued by the armie of the Israelites he cried to Iael and said Giue me drinke I die for thirst Iudg. 4. 19. euen so we beeing pursued by the sentence of the law by the terrours of hell death and condemnation must flie to the throne of grace and crie out saying Giue me of the tree of life giue me of the water of life I perish for thirst Then shall our wretched soules be quickned and reuiued to euerlasting life Math. 5. 6. Rev. 21. 6. In the fourth place here is set downe the Meanes of spirituall life in these words And in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And that the doctrine may the better appeare I will stand a while to shew the meaning of them By flesh is ment the mortall bodie or the fraile condition of this temporall life Heb. 5. 7. and 1. Pet. 4. 2. And
the naturall obseruation of the law without the death of Christ. But it is false which they say For Paul here speakes against Christian Iewes who ioyned the law and the Gospel and looked to be iustified both by Christ and by the works of the law and not by workes of the law done by strength of nature but by works of grace CHAP. III. 1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight and among you crucified THat we may see how this chapter depends on the former we must repeat the principall argument of the Epistle If I was called of God my doctrine be true then ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel but I was called of God and my doctrine is true therefore ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel The first part of the minor that Paul was called of God was handled in the first and second chapters The second part that his doctrine is true is handled in the third fourth and fifth and is propounded in this verse Moreouer the Conclusion of the argument set downe Chap. 1. v. 6. is here againe repeated namely that the Galatians should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel And withall Paul here notes the causes of their Reuolt and they are two One is follie O foolish Galatians The other is the deceit of false teachers who hath bewitched you Whereas Paul saith O foolish Galatians that we mistake not his example three questions may be demanded The first is In what respect he giues this hard iudgement against them Ans. Three things are subiected to Iudgement the doctrines of men the liues of men and the persons of men Doctrines are to be iudged by the word and the liues of men yet ordinarily the persons of men are not to be iudged For the saying is true that three things are not subiect to iudgement the Counsels of God the Scriptures and the persons of men And in this place Paul giues iudgement not against the Galatians themselues or against their persons but against their new conceiued doctrin and against their practise in Reuolting The second question is whether this iudgement be righteous and true iudgement Ans. It is because it is vpon good ground For first of all Paul giues this censure by vertue of his calling because his office was to reprooue and correct vice Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Secondly it was in truth For indeede they ouerturned the passion of Christ and therefore he could not call them lesse then fooles Thirdly this iudgement was giuen in loue For Paul intended and desired nothing in this speach but their good and amendment Vpon like grounds Isai calls the Israelites people of Sodome and Gomorrha Isa. 1. Christ calls the two disciples foolish and slow of heart to beleeue Luk. 24. 25. Paul calls the Cretians lyers and slow bellies Tit. 1. 12. But Matth. 5. 22. may be obiected where he is said to be in danger of a Councill that saith Thou foole Ans. The place is to be vnderstood of them that charge men with follie with a mind to reproch them and in way of reuenge which Paul in this place doth not The third question is whether we may vse like iudgement against men Ans. Vpon like grounds we may if we haue a warrant and calling from God so to doe For all iudgement is Gods Rom. 14. 10. if this iudgement be in truth if it be in charitie for the amendment of the parties and for the good of others Otherwise if these grounds faile vs we may not giue iudgement against any man but must follow the iudgement of charitie which thinks no euill hopes the best and construes all things in the best part 1. Cor. 13. To come to the second cause Paul saith Who hath bewitched you that is who hath deceiued you as if ye were bewitched by some inchantments Here Paul takes it for a confessed truth that there is witchcraft and witches And that we may the better conceiue his meaning two questions are to be propounded The first is what is the witchcraft here meant Ans. It is a Satanicall operation whereby the senses of men are deluded For the deuill can by certaine meanes delude and corrupt the phantasie or the imagination and cause men to thinke that of themselues which is otherwise There is a disease called Lycanthropia in which the braine beeing distempered men thinke themselues to be wolues and carrie themselues as wolues And in this disease the deuill hath a great stroke Againe the deuill can delude the outward senses as the hearing and the sight Thus Iannes and Iambres turned their roddes into serpents before Pharaoh and brought frogges by deceiuing the eye and not in truth Exod. 7. and 8. Thus the witch of Endor made a counterfeit of Samuel to rise out of the earth 1. Sam. 28. The second question is if this witchcraft be an operation of Satan howmen should be said to doe it for Paul saith who or what man hath bewitched you Ans. Men doe it by league and confederacie with the deuill The inchanter charmes by ioyning societies Psal. 58. 5. The deuill seekes whome he may deuoure and therefore where he finds a fit person to worke vpon he infinuates and offers himselfe And after men be in league with him he hath a word and sacraments for them as God hath and he requireth faith as God doth And looke as theeues some lie in the way some in the wood and they in the way when a bootie comes giue a watchword to the rest and then all are at hand together Euen so when men in league with the deuill vse charmes imprecations curses praises superstitious inuocations according to his appointment and other Satanicall ceremonies a watchword is likewise giuen vnto him and he is straight at hand to doe the intended feate Thus and no otherwise are men said to bewitch or delude the eye That which Paul saith to the Galatians if he were now liuing among vs he would likewise say to vs O foolish nation who hath bewitched you We are wise in matters of the world but in matters concerning the kingdome of heauen the most of vs are fooles besotted and bewitched with worldly eares and pleasures without sense in matters of religion like a peece of waxe without all forme fit to take the forme and print of any religion And we must take heede least this our foolishnes and intoxication of our senses lead vs headlong to perdition And therefore we must learne the way of life in humilitie Psal. 25. 9. We must obey it and in obedience we shall learne it Ioh. 7. 17. We must as heartily loue the word of God as in minde we conceiue it least by not louing of it we be giuen vp to strong illusions to beleeue lies 2. Thess. 2. 10. Lastly we must pray to God to be taught and guided by his word and spirit in things pertaining to
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
2. 6. This beeing so our dutie is to guard and inclose our selues specially our hearts Prov. 4. 23. and all the senses and powers of our soules Psal. 141. 3. by the wholesome precepts and counsells of God Considering we lie open to so many enemies we should continually be armed and fensed from the head to the foote Eph. 6. 13. otherwise we shall vpon euery occasion be ouerturned To come to the 24. v. the Iewes might happily say seeing we are thus kept and shut vp by the law what meanes haue we of comfort and of saluation The answer is made the law is further our schoolemaster Here by schoolemaster vnderstand one that teacheth little children or Petits the first rudiments or elements A. B. C. And the law is a schoolemaster to Christ for two causes One because it points out and shadowes forth vnto vs Christ by bodily rudiments of ceremonies and sacrifices The second is because the law specially the morall law vrgeth and compelleth men to goe to Christ. For it shewes vs our sinnes and that without remedie it shewes vs the damnation that is due vnto vs and by this meanes it makes vs dispaire of saluation in respect of our selues and thus it inforceth vs to seeke for helpe out of our selues in Christ. The law is then our schoolemaster not by plaine teaching but by stripes and correction In this verse Paul sets downe the manner and way of our saluation which is on this manner first the law prepares vs by humbling vs then comes the Gospel and it stirres vp faith And faith wrought in the heart apprehends Christ for iustification sanctification and glorification Paul sets this forth by a fit similitude They that would be the seruants and children of God must come into the schoole of God and be taught of him In this schoole are two formes and two masters In the first forme the teacher and master is the law And he teacheth men to know their sinnes and their deserued damnation and he causeth vs to despaire of our saluation in respect of our selues And when men haue bin well schooled by the law and are brought to acknowledge their sinnes and that they are slaues of sinne and Satan then must they be taken vp to an higher forme and be taught by an other schoolemaster which is Faith or the Gospel The lesson of the Gospel is that men after they are humbled must flie to the throne of grace beleeue in Christ and with all their hearts turne vnto God that they may be iustified and glorified When we haue by the teaching of this second master learned this good lesson we are become children and seruants of God By this then it is manifest that there are two sorts of badde schollers in the schoole of Christ among vs. One sort are they which come to the Lords table and yet learne nothing either from the law or from the Gospel but content themselues with the teaching of nature The second sort are they which learne something but in preposterous manner For they haue learned that mercie and saluation comes by Christ and with this they content themselues not suffering themselues first of all to be schooled by the law till they despaire in respect of themselues nor to be schooled of the Gospel till they beleeue in Christ and repent of their sinnes In a word he is a good scholler in the schoole of Christ that first learnes by the law to humble himselfe and to goe out of himselfe and beeing humbled subiects his heart to the voice and precept of the Gospel which biddes vs beleeue in Christ turne to God and testifie our faith by new obedience In the second part of the comparison 25. v. Paul sets downe one point that at the comming of the faith the Iewes were freeed from the dominion of the law of Moses and consequently that the said law was abrogated The lawgiuer that is the expounder of Moses law was to last but till the comming of Shilo Gen. 49. 10. The law of commandements standing in ordinances was abrogated by the flesh of Christ. Eph. 2. 15. And the change of the priesthood brought the change of the law Hebr. 7. 12. For the better cleering of this point three questions are to be demanded The first is when was the policie regiment or law of Moses abrogated Ans. At the comming of the faith or when the Gospel first beganne to be published to the world which was at the Ascension of Christ. And he in his death cancelled the ceremoniall law and tooke it out of the way Col. 2. 14. When the old Testament ended and the new began then was the abrogation of the law now the ending of the old Testament and the beginning of the new was in the Resurrection of Christ. For then was the beginning of the new world as it were The second question is How farre forth the law is abrogated Ans. The law is threefold Morall Ceremoniall Iudiciall Morall is the law of God concerning manners or duties to God and man Now the morall law is abrogated in respect of the Church and them that beleeue three waies First in respect of iustification and this Paul prooues at large in this epistle Secondly in respect of the malediction or curse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Rom. 8. 1. Thirdly in respect of rigour For in them that are in Christ God accepts the indeauour to obay for obedience it selfe Neuerthelesse the law as it is the Rule of good life is vnchangeable and admits no abrogation And Christ in this regard did by his death establish it Rom. 3. 31. The Ceremoniall law is that which prescribed rites and gestures in the worship of God in the time of the old testament Ceremonies are either of figure and signification or of order The first are abrogated at the comming of Christ who was the accomplishment of them all Col. 2. 17. The second beeing ceremonies of particular order to the times of the old and new Testament concerne not vs. For example In the commandement of the Sabbath some things are morall some ceremoniall some iudiciall That in one day of seuen there should be an holy rest it is morall Rest vpon the seuenth day from the creation is Ceremoniall in respect of order Strictnes of rest from all labour is ceremoniall in respect of the signification of rest from sinne and rest in heauen Therefore the particular day of rest and the manner of rest is abrogated and Christ by his owne example and by the example of the Apostles examples not beeing contradicted in Scripture appointed the eight day or the day of Christs resurrection to be the Sabbath of the new Testament Iudiciall lawes are such as concerne inheritances lands bargaines controuersies causes criminall and they pertaine to the regiment of the Commonwealth If the Commonwealth of the Iewes were now standing they should be gouerned by these lawes For to them were they giuen The case is not like with vs. Some
of this world in ciuill societie the second is the regiment or the kingdome of heauen which stands in iustice peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost In the first estate there are sundrie differences of persons that beleeue some fathers and mothers some children some masters and seruants some magistrates and subiects In the second estate there are no outward differences of men but all are members of Christ and all one in him Thus must the text be vnderstood Obiect II. Beleeuers are gouerned by Gods spirit and therefore outward gouernment by magistrates is needlesse Answ. In the visible Church hypocrites are mingled with true beleeuers and they are not gouerned by Gods spirit but by the spirit of the deuill and therefore in respect of them ciuill authoritie is requisite Againe true beleeuers are but in part gouerned by the spirit for the time of this life And for this cause ciuill gouernment is requisite for the ordering of the outward man and for the protection of the Church Obiect III. They that are in Christ are freed from sinne and consequently from subiection which followes vpon sinne Answ. Subiection is either politique or seruile Politicke is when men are subiect for their own good and this was before the fall yeilded by Eve to Adam Seruile subiection when they are subiect for the good of their masters and this onely comes of sinne Againe subiection with ioy was before the fall subiection ioyned with paine and miserie followes vpon sinne Gen. 3. 16. The second question is whether bondage in which some are Lords others bond-men or slaues may stand with Christian religion Answ. It may in the countries where it is established by positiue lawes if it be vsed with mercie and moderation Righteons Abraham had in his owne house bondslaues Gen. 17. 13. God did permit the Iewes to buy the children of the Canaanites Leuit. 25. 45. Paul saith If any man be calied beeing a seruant or bondman let him not care for it 1. Cor. 7. 21. Obiect I. Be not seruants of men 1. Cor. 7. 23. Ans. That is in respect of conscience the subiection whereof must be reserued to God Obiect II. Christians haue libertie by Christ and where libertie is there may be no bondage Answ. Christians obtaine by Christ spirituall libertie in this life and bodily libertie in the life to come Obiect III. Bondage is against the lawe of nature Answ. Against the law of pure nature created in innocencie not against the lawe of corrupt nature the fruite whereof is bondage Obiect IU All are one in Christ therefore the difference of bond men and free-men must cease Ans. All are one in respect of the inward man or in respect of faith and fellowship with Christ but all are not one in respect of the outward man and in regard of ciuill order The sense then of the text is this There are distinctions of men in respect of nation some Iewes some Gentiles in respect of condition some bonde some free some rich some poore some in authoritie some in subiection c. in respect of sexe some men some women yet in Christ Iesus all are euen as one man The vse By this text we may expound another 1. Tim. 2. God would haue all men to be saued that is not all particular persons vpon earth but all kinds For here Paul saith all are one in Christ that is men of all nations of all conditions and of all sexes Againe the name Jewe apposed to Gentiles signifies not onely men of the tribe of Iuda but all circumcized persons of all tribes Rom. 2. 28. and thus it is all one with an Israelite And thus we see howe to expound the place of scripture 2. Chron. 21. 2. where Iehosaphat king of Iuda is called king of Israel The words Iuda and Israel are sometime opposed Iuda signifying the kingdome of the two tribes Iuda and Beniamin and Israel signifying the 10. tribes Sometimes againe they are Synonima and are put one for another as Psalm 114. 1 2. and in this text And Iuda at this time was indeed the true Israel of God and Iehosaphat without any fault in the text as some suppose is truely called king of Israel Thirdly they which are of great byrth and of heigh condicion must be pnt in mind not to be heigh minded nor to dispise them that are of lowe degree for all are one in Christ the obscure and base person hath as good part in Christ as the greatest men that be Therefore we may not swell in pride for outward things The king must not lift vp his hart against his brethren Deut. 17. 20. rich men saith Paul must not be high minded 1. Tim. 6. 17. Iob would not despise the cause of his handmaid Iob. 31. 13. Naaman a great man respected the counsell of his seruants 2. King 5. 13. Fourthly all beleeuers must be on hart and mind 1. Cor. 1. 10. In the kingdome of Christ the wolfe and the lamb dwell together Isai. 11. 6. And good reason for all are on in Christ. And we haue great cause to be humbled when schismes coutentions and differences arise in points of religion For that shewes that hypocrites are mingled with true beleeuers and that we are but in part as yet vnited to Christ. Lastly hence we learne not to hate any man but alwaies to carrie in mind a purpose to doe good to all by thought word and deed and to doe good to men in respect of their names their goods their liues And this wholy mind and purpose must alwaies beare sway in vs. there is no hurt in the mount of the Lord. Isai 1â— 9. Men turne their swords speares into mattocks sithes that are of the kingdom of Christ. Isai 2. 4. because they are one with Christ by the bond of on spirit v. 29. And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires by promise Before Paul had taught v. 7. 8. 9. that all beleeuing gentiles were the children of Abraham and not the Iewes only Here he returnes to the same point againe and prooues it by a new Argument thus Christ is the seed of Abraham v. 16. and all gentiles beleeuing in Christ are parts of him and one with him therefore they also are children of Abraham and heires of all the blessings of God The intent of Paul in these words is to establish and confirme an argument which before he had vrged in this chapter against patrons of workes in the case of our iustification it may be framed thus As Abraham was iustified so are all they that beleeue in Christ instified for they are Abrâ—â—ams children and succeed him v. 29. but Abraham was iustified by faith without workes therefore all beleeuers in Christ are so iustified Let the Argument be obserued for it makes against the Papist who if he studie till his head and heartake shall neuer answer it In this verse Paul sets down the fruit and banefit that comes by the gift of adoption to
them that beleeue And that is to be children of Abraham and heires of all the blessings of God And therefore learne here one golden lesson namely that the basest person that is if he beleeue in Christ is in the place of Abraham and succeeds him in the inheritance of the kingdom of heauen Some man may say O this is excellent comfort if I might know that I were in the case of Abraham Answ. Thou maist know it certenly if thou wilt doe as Abraham did namely follow the calling of God and obey the Gospel that is subiect thy heart to the commandements of God which bidde thee repent and beleeue in Christ for then all the good things reuealed in the Gospel shall be thine The vse Beleeuers in this world must be content with any estate that God shall lay vpon them For they are heires with Abraham of heà uen and earth In this regard Abraham was content to forsake his countrie and his fathers house and as a pilgrime to dwell in tents to the death Heb. 11. 8 9. Secondly they that beleeue in Christ must moderate their worldly cares and not liue as drudges of the world For they are heires of God and haue a title or right to all good things promised in the couenant Therefore they shall neuer want any good thing that is needfull for them He that hath made them heires will carefully prouide for them Therefore our care must be to doe the duties that belong vnto vs and all other cares we must cast vpon God They in this world that are borne to land and liuing are content to liue sparingly and oftentimes very barely with a little vpon hope of further inlargement after the decease of some friends Lastly our speciall care must be for heauen For the things of this world are but trifles in respect The citie of God in heauen is thy portion or childs part Seeke for the assurance of that aboue all things Thus did Abraham Heb. 11. 15 16. CHAP. IIII. 1 And I say that the heire as long as he is a child differeth nothing frō a seruant though he be Lord of all 2 But is vnder tutors gouernors till the time appointed of the father 3 Euen so we when we were children were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world 4 But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the law 5 That he might redeeme them that were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonns 6 And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba father 7 Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne and if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Christ. THese words depend on the former chapter as an answer to an obiection which may be framed on this manner Paul thou saiest that the Iewes before Christ were vnder the law as vnder a schoolemaster c. 3. v. 24. and that we are free from the same schoolemaster v. 25. beeing children of God and heires by Christ v. 29 but we for our parts thinke our selues seruants vnder the law as well as the ancient Iewes and that they are as well children of God as we To this obiection Paul makes answer in these 7. verses as the very first words import And I say that is whatsoeuer you suppose I say thus And then he propounds the reason of his answer which may be framed thus If the time of our bondage be ended and the full time of our libertie come then are we sonnes and not seruants but the time of our bondage is ended and the full time of our libertie is come therefore we are not seruants but sonnes The maior is omitted because it is manifest The minor is in the sixe first verses the conclusion is expressed in the 7. verse Againe the minor the time of our bondage is ended and the time of our libertie is come is first of all declared by a similitude and then confirmed The similitude is borrowed from the Ciuill law and it may be framed thus Heires in their minoritie liue in subiection to Tutors and gouernours but when they are of riper yeares at the appointment of their parents they are at their owne libertie Euen so the people of God before Christ were in their infancie vnder the law as vnder a Tutor but when the fulnes of time was come which God had appointed they entred into the fruition of their libertie The first part of the similitude is expressed in the 2. first verses and the second in the 3. and 4. Againe the minor is confirmed by two reasons The first is this Your libertie is procured by Christ therefore the time of your libertie is come This reason is in the 4. and 5. verses The second reason is taken from the signe You haue receiued the spirit of adoption therefore the time of your libertie is come v. 6. Of these points in order First where he signifies that the father hath authoritie to dispose of his child This is the law of nature and the law of nations Paul saith Col. 3. 20. that children must obay their parents in all things When the deuill had obtained libertie to afflict Iob in all things that belonged to him saue his person he destroied his children Iob 1. 12. 18. And this shewes that the children in respect of their bodies are the goods of their parents In this respect the Iewes were permitted to sell their children Exod. 21. 7. And so sacred a thing was the authoritie of the parent that he which rebelliously despised the same was put to death Deu. 21. 21. This authoritie shewes it selfe specially in two things in the marriage and in the calling of the child In the marriage of the child the parent is the principall agent and the disposer thereof Deuter. 7. 3. Exod. 34. 16. 1. Cor. 7. 38. Where obserue that the commandement touching the marriage of the child is giuen not to the child but to the parent and the parent hath authoritie by the saide commaundement to giue and bestow his child and to take wiues to his sonnes Thus Abraham tooke a wife for Isaac and Isaac suffered himselfe to be disposed at the appointment of his father For a more full declaration of this authoritie I propound these three questions The first is whether the father may command his childe to marrie Ans. Presuppose two things one that the commandement is without compulsion the second that the father knowes what is for the good of the child then I answer that he may command his child to marrie and to marrie a person thus or thus qualified Thus Isaac commanded Iacob to marrie in the house of Laban Gen. 28. 1 2. and Iacob obaied Now whether a father may command his child to marrie this or that person I doubt and therefore suspend The second question is whether parents may make voide the contract secretly
at the very first moment of his conception Againe obserue that Christ in his manhood increased in grace as in age and stature Luk. 2. And this increase was without all imperfection for in his infancie Christ receiued a full measure of grace fit for that age when he was twelue yeares old he receiued a further measure fit for that age and so when he was thirtie yeares old And thus increase of grace and the perfection thereof stand both together And this increase is not onely in respect of experience and the manifestation of Grace before God and men but also in respect of the habit or gift though the Schooles for 400. yeares haue taught the contrarie euer since the daies of Lumbard The third thing is the Vniting of flesh to the Godhead of the Sonne and that is done when the sonne of God makes the flesh or nature of man a part of himselfe and communicates vnto it his owne subsistance The like example to this is not to be found againe in the world yet haue we some resemblance of this mysterie in the plant called Misselto which hath no roote of his owne but growes in a tree of an other kinde and thence receiues his sappe And so the manhood of the sonne hath no personalitie or personall subsistance but is receiued into the Vnitie of the second person and is sustained of it It must here be obserued that there is a difference betweene the manhood of Christ and all other men Peter is a person subsisting of himselfe and so is Paul and euery particular man but so is not the manhood of Christ and therefore it is to be tearmed a nature and not a person And it is no disgrace but an exaltation to the nature of man that is subsists by the vncreated subsistance of the second person It may be obiected that all beleeuers are ioyned to the sonne of God as well as the flesh of Christ I answer they are so but in an other kind and in a lower degree by communication of grace and not by communication of personall subsistance Thus we see how the sonne was made flesh the vse follows Hence we learne to vse all meanes that we may become newe creatures and be borne of God God becomes man that we men might be partakers of the diuine nature Christ is made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh by his incarnation that we might be made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh by regeneration The sonne of God was made the sonne of man that we which are the sonnes of men might be made the sonnes of God To be made flesh is the abasement of the sonne in this abasement he goes on till he become euen as a worme of the earth Psal. 22. 7. so must we abase our selues till we be anihillated and brought to nothing then shall we be like to Christ and filled with the good things of God Our sinnes are a wall of partition betweene God and vs so as we are farre from God and God from vs Isa 59. 2. and this partition is of our own making and by this means we haue no accesse to God of our selues though we pray vnto him and fill heauen and earth with our crie Now the sonne of God made man is Immanuel that is God with vs Isai 7. 14. and his incarnation is a meanes whereby we haue accesse to god and he is nere vnto vs when we pray vnto him in trueth 2. Chron. 15. 2. This must teach vs to drawe nere to God in the hearing and obeying of his word in praier and in the vse of the holy Sacraments If this be not done great is our wickednesse and great shall be the punishment Iob. 21. 14. Psal. 73. 27. The incarnation of Christ is the foundation of all our comfort and all good things which we inioy By it God comforts Adam The seed of the woman shall brnise the serpents head Iacob is comforted by the vision of a ladder reaching from heauen to earth and this ladder is the sonne of God made man Ioh. 1. 51. Iob comforts himselfe in this that his Redeemer of his own flesh as the word signifieth liueth Iob. 19. 25. In the old testament they which sought vnto God came to the Arke or Propitiatorie and there were they heard and receiued the blessings of God Now Christ God and man is in stead of the Arke Rom. 3. 25. and therefore we must come to him if we would receiue any good thing of God The godhead is the fountaine of all good things and the flesh or manhood is a pipe or conduit to conuaie the same vnto vs. If we would then receiue true comfort we must hunger and thirst in our hearts after Christ and by our faith eate his flesh and drinke his blood Ioh. 6. 54. 56. The third point or degree is the subiection of the sonne of God to the lawe expressed in these words made vnder the lawe Here two questions are to be answered The first is who is made subiect to the law I answer the sonne of God And this may not seeme strange that he which is Lord of the law should be subiect to the law for he must be considered as he is our pledge and suretie Heb. 7. 22. and as one that standes in our place roome and stead and before God represents the person of all the elect and in this respect is he subiect to the lawe not by nature but by voluntarie abasement and condition of will The second question is how the sonne of God was subiect to the lawe Answ. By a twofold obedience namely by the obedience of his passion and by his obedience in fulfilling the lawe The obedience of his passion stands before God as a satisfaction for the breach of the law In it consider two things the foundation of the passion and the passion it selfe The foūdation is that the sonne of God was made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. 21 that is all the sinnes of all the Elect were imputed to him and he in our roome and place was recounted a sinner The passion it selfe is the curse of the law laid on the sonne of God namely the first death and the paines of the second death which is in effect and substance the paines of hell as I haue shewed in the 3. chap. v. 13. of this Epistle By the second Obedience in fulfilling the lawe the sonne of God performed for vs all things contained therein that we might haue right to life euerlasting and that according to the tenour of the law Leuit. 18. 5. Doe all these things and liue Of this obedience 2. questions are demanded The first is whether it be necessarie for the iustification of a sinner Answ. It is The summe of the lawe is Loue God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe Now euery iot and title of the lawe must necessarily be fulfilled Math. 5. 18. Much more then the summe and substance of the lawe And
it cannot be fulfilled by vs beeing sinners therefore there must needs be a translation of the lawe from our persons to the person of the Mediatour who is to accomplish euery iot of the law for vs. Againe He that doth not all things contained in the law is cursed Gal. 3. 13. He therefore that would eschewe the curse of the law and come to life euerlasting must by himselfe accomplish all things contained in the law and if this cannot be done the law and all the contents thereof must needs be accomplished in the person of the Mediatour otherwise the curse cannot be auoided Lastly we owe vnto God a double debt or tribute The first is homage or subiection to be performed with all the powers of the soule with all the strength of all the powers and that from the first conception The second is a satisfactiō by death for the breach of the law And the lawe is the bond that binds vs to the paiment of this double debt And till the iustice of God in the law be answered to the full this bond cannot be cancelled Therefore the sonne of God the Mediatour must not onely die for vs but also performe homage for vs to God according to the tenour of the law Therefore he saith that he must performe all righteousnesse Math. 3. 15. And Paul that Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse Rom. 10. 4. It is alleadged that Christ as man fulfilled the lawe for himselfe and therefore not for vs. Ans. The flesh or manhood of Christ considered by it selfe apart from the godhead of the sonne is a creature that owes homage vnto God Yet if it be considered as it is receiued into the vnitie of the second person and is become a part thereof it is exempted from the common condition of all other men and is not bound to performe subiection as all men are For if the sonne of man be Lord of the Sabboth then also is he Lord of the whole law And Paul here saith that the sonne of God is not borne but made vnder the lawe Againe it is alleadged that the blood of Christ taketh away all sinne 1. Ioh. 1. 7. and when all sinne is taken away the law is fulfilled and the person iustified Ans. When S. Iohn saith the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sin he excludes the blood of beasts and all meritorious means of saluation in man out of Christ he excludes not the obedience which the Mediatour yeelded to the father in all his sufferings Againe it is not true that a sinner is iustified when all sinne is abolished vnlesse iustice be added For iustification is an alteration of a sinner from one cōtrarie to another from euill to good from life to death and therefore sinne must depart and iustice come in the roome thereof That a darke house may be inlightned darkenes must first be abolished and light must come in the stead thereof And that a man may be iustified sinne must be couered and righteousnesse imputed The second question is how the sonne of God performed this obedience Ans. He was obedient to his father to the death and that according to all the duties of loue in the first table for the second table he loued his enemie as himselfe because he gaue his life for man Marke then he did all things contained in the lawe and more too in respect of the duties of the second Table For the lawe binds vs to loue our neighbours as our selues and not more then our selues This obedience therefore is truely to be tearmed a worke of supererogation and there is none in the world beside The vse That the sonne of God was conformable to the law it argues the goodnesse perfection and excellencie thereof Here againe marke the difference between the man Christ and all other men He was not borne subiect to the lawe but made subiect not subiect by nature but by will and by voluntarie abasement All other men are subiect not by will but by nature not made but borne subiect Therefore Paul saith the Gentiles doe by nature the things of the lawe The remainders of the law since the fall are naturall in all men therfore the whole lawe was naturall before the fall Man was at the first created in righteousnes and holinesse Eph. 4. 24. and therefore in a perfect subiection and conformitie to the lawe It is a naturall propertie of a reasonable creature to doe homage to the creator It is an error then in the papist to teach that the Image of God in our first parents was supernaturall The fourth point or degree is the Redemption of man frō vnder the law in these words that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law Here fiue things are to be considered The first is what is meant by beeing vnder the law Ans. The lawe must be cōsidered two waies first as the Rule of life Thus angels are vnder the lawe and Adam before his fall and the saints nowe in heauen And none yeeld more subiection to the lawe then they and this subiection is their libertie Againe the lawe must be considered as a grieuous yoke which none can beare It is a yoke three waies first because it did bind the Church of the olde testament to the obseruation of many and that very costly ceremonies for the maintenance of the altar at Hierusalem was a matter of great charges Secondly it is a yoke because it binds euery offendour to euerlasting death Gen. 2. 17. Gal 3. 13. Thirdly it is a yoke as it increaseth sinne and as it is the strength of it 1. Cor. 15. 56. Rom. 5. 20. and 7 8. And it increaseth sinne not as a cause but as an occasion For the wicked nature of man is the more to doe a thing the more he is forbidden The Israelites are bidden to goe on to Canaan then they like Egypt well They are forbidden to goe to Canaan and cōmanded to stay in the wildernesse but then they will needs go to Canaan Circumcision commanded was lothed of all nations when it was abolished then men of sundrie nations imbraced it as needefull to saluation To be vnder the law then is to be in subiection to it as it is a burden and yoke in the three former respects specially to be subiect to the curse of the law The second point is who are vnder the law Ans. The Iewes before the comming of Christ were vnder the law in respect of Ceremonies and all men naturally are vnder the law in respect of the malediction and curse therof all beeing borne children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Here comes a lamentable matter to be considered Very few in respect know themselues to be in bondage to the curse of the law For they thinke it an easie matter to obserue the law and it is vsed for a forme of praier whereby men vse to blesse themselues morning and euening Learne therefore this one lesson that thou art by nature in
thy selfe vnder the curse of the law and for thine offences by it bound ouer to euerlasting death If thou should est be proclaimed an Outlaw or a writ of rebellion should be serued on thee it would make thee at thy wits ende Now behold the law proclaimes thee a traytour and rebell against God through heauen and earth The law shuts heauen against thee it sets hell and death wide open for thee and it armes all the creatures of God against thee Therefore it stands thee in hand to looke about thee and to flie from the sentence of the lawe to the throne of grace for mercie and forgiuenes It hath bin the fashion of all holy men to acquaint themselues with this one lesson that they were by nature vnder the law specially then when they were to humble themselues in the presence of God Daniel in his praier ascribes shame and confusion to himselfe Dan. 9. according to the voice and crie of the law and the prodigall sonne confesseth that he had sinned against his father and against heauen and that he was vnworthy to be accounted a child of God according to the law iudging and condemning himselfe The third point is what is the price wherby men are bought or redeemed from vnder the law Ans. The obedience of the Sonne whereby he stood in subiection to the law for vs as Paul signifies in the words immediatly going before It may be said how can the obedience of one man be a price of redemption for an other I answer we must consider Christ not as a meere man but as God-man and by this meanes his Obedience is of infinit merit and efficacie Againe we must consider him not as a priuate but as a publike person representing all the Elect in his obedience to his father And by this meanes his Obedience ferues for all that beleeue in him Againe it may be alledged that the law saith Thou shalt loue thou shalt not lust c. And the soule that sinnes that soule shall die Ezech. 18. 20. And a man shall not redeeme the life of his brother Psal. 49. 7. Ans. The law requires that euery man performe obedience and make satisfaction in his owne person and the law knows no other obedience But this must be considered that the law is but one part of the reuealed will of God and that the Gospel is an other distinct part reuealing more then the law euer knew And the Gospel teacheth a Translation of the law in respect of obedience from our persons to the person of the Mediatour and thereby it addes an Exception to the law The fourth point is who are partakers of this Redemption Ans. They which see and feele and bewaile their condition that they are vnder the law and flie from the sentence thereof to the throne of grace for mercie Christ came to saue sinners Matth. 9. that is such as are conuicted by the law and know themselues to be sinners He offers ease to them that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. 28. He preacheth deliuerance to captiues Luk. 4. 18. Here we are to bewaile the miserie of our people that know not themselues to be vnder the law nay they loue and delight to be vnder it For they alleadge for themselues that they say their praiers duly and truly that they meane well to God-ward and deale truly with men and therfore they thinke God will haue mercy on them and haue them excused for all their offences The last point is what benefits arise of this deliuerance from vnder the law Ans. They which turne to God and beleeue in Christ reape foure benefits hereby The first is that no sinne shall haue dominion ouer them Rom. 6. 14. Here marke by the way that they which are in Christ cannot wholly fall from grace For they which wholly fall away are vnder the dominion of sinne The second is that God will accept the indeauour to obay for obedience because they are freed from the rigour of the law Read Malac. 3. 17. The third is that they haue libertie to liue and serue God without feare of damnation or any other euill Luk. 1. 74. The last is that afflictions cease to be curses and are turned to blessings and for this cause they are delaied and qualified for the good of them which are afflicted Psal. 89. 32. J will correct them that offend with a rodde but I will not take my mercie from them Prou. 3. 11. Grieue not for the correction of the Lord for he loueth whome he correcteth Ierem. 10. 24. Correct vs in iudgement and powre forth thy wrath vpon the nations that haue not knowne thee This must teach men that professe or teach Christ not to be discouraged when they are abused railed on slaundered or cursed For if they be from vnder the law and so from vnder the sting of a guiltie conscience nothing shall hurt them They must be content for a while to suffer the snatches and bitings of the deuill for in the ende his head shall be bruised in peeces To ende this point it may be said if we that beleeue be not vnder the law then we may liue and die as we list Ans. We are free from the law as a yoke but not free from it as it is the rule of obedience and good life And because we are freed from the bondage of the law therefore we must be a law to our selues we must be voluntaries Psal. 110. 4. without constraint freely yeelding subiection to the will of God and not for feare of hell and the last iudgement The third and last degree is the Fruition of adoption in these words that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Here two questions are to be considered The first is How the Church of the new Testament is saide to receiue the adoption which was before receiued in the old Testament Ans. In scripture a thing is often said to be done when it is done more fully and plentifully Christ tells Nathanael that he shall see heauen open Ioh. 1. 51. that is more plainly opened For it was not shut in the old Testament And the holy Ghost was not yet Ioh. 7. 39. that is in the full measure And the way into the Holiest was not open while the Tabernacle was standing Hebr. 9. 8. that is plainly made manifest And in this place Beleeuers of the new Testament receiue the Adoption because they receiue it in a more full and plentifull manner in that the spirit of children is powred forth vpon them in larger measure whether we regard Illumination or the gifts of regeneration This must teach vs that liue in these latter daies to put on the condition of sonnes and daughters of God in reuerence obedience and thankefulnes Butalas among the multitude it is farre otherwise For the most liue euen as Atheists in ignorance according to the lusts of their owne hearts The faith and repentance which they professe is but Ceremoniall faith and Repentance The second question
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
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
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
in respect of iustification as Paul shewes at large in this Epistle and yet the Popish doctrine is that we are to be iustified by the workes of the law Againe Christian libertie frees our consciences from the Traditions of men Col. 2. 20. and yet the Popish religion bindes vs in conscience to the Traditions of men nay it is nothing els but an heape of traditions Here two things are to be considered the manner of standing and the time The manner is signified in the very words For to stand fast is to hold and maintaine our libertie with courage and constancie whatsoeuer comes of it as the soldier keepes his standing though it cost him his life We are readie to defend the libertie of our countrie euen with the hazard of our liues much more then are we to defend Christian libertie with the losse of all that we inioy sinne must be resisted euen vnto blood Hebr. 12. 4. If men be fearefull they must pray to God for the spirit of boldnes and courage and if God vouchsafe not this gift when opportunitie is offered they may withdraw themselues and by flying preserue their libertie The time of standing is the euill day that is the day of triall Eph. 6. 13. And then to stand fast is a matter of great difficultie And for this cause we are before hand to prepare our selues by obseruing these rules following First we must labour that religion be not onely in mind and memorie but also be rooted in the affection of our hearts so as we loue it reioyce in it and esteeme it aboue all things Secondly we must not onely be hearers of the word of God but also doers of it in the exercises of faith repentance new obedience Thirdly we must ioyne with our religion the soundnes of good conscience for if conscience faile we cannot be sound in our religion Lastly we must pray to God with all manner of praier and supplication for all things needefull Eph. 6. 18. 2 Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing These words are a reason of the former conclusion thus If ye be circumcised and goe backe from your Christian profession Christ shall profit you nothing therefore stand fast In the words I consider a sentence and the proofe of it The sentence If ye be circumcised c. the proofe J Paul say vnto you For the better vnderstanding of the sentence Circumcision must here be considered according to the circumstance of time three waies Before Christ it was a sacrament and a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 11. after the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple it was a dead ceremonie yet sometime vsed as a thing indifferent After the destruction of the Temple when the Church of the new Testament was planted among the Gentiles it was a deadly ceremonie and ceased to be indifferent and in this last respect Paul saith If ye be circumcised c. Againe circumcision must be considered according to the opinion which the false Apostles had of it now they put their confidence in it and made it a meritorious cause of their saluation and ioyned it with Christ. The words therefore carrie this sense If ye will be circumcised with this opinion that circumcision shall be vnto you a meritorious cause of your saluation Christ shall profit you nothing The vse Hence it followes that the doctrine of iustification by works is an errour ouerturning the foundation of religion which whosoeuer obstinately maintaineth cannot be saued It will be said this is true of ceremoniall works but not of morall works Ans. Yea euen of morall For that which Paul saith here of circumcision he speakes generally of the whole law vers 4. Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law And circumcision must be considered as an obligation to the obedience of the whole law Againe it may be said this is true of the works of nature but not of works of grace Ans. Yea euen of workes of grace for the Galatians were regenerate and therfore looked not to be iustified saued by the workes of nature but by workes of grace Secondly hence we gather that to adde any thing to the passion as a meritorious cause of our iustification and saluation is to make Christ vnprofitable For he must be a perfect Sauiour or no Sauiour he admits neither partner nor deputie in the worke of our redemption And the grace of God admits no mixture or composition with any thing that is of vs. Grace is no grace vnlesse it be freely giuen euery way Therefore the Popish religiō is a damnable religion because with the merit satisfactiō of Christ it ioyns humane merits satisfactions in the case of our iustification It may be alleadged that the Popish religion maintaines all the articles concerning Christ as we doe Ans. It doth so in word but withall it addes to the foresaid articles the doctrine of humane merits and satisfactions which make voide the death of Christ. Againe Papists alleadge that it is the glorie of Christ that he merits for vs and withall makes vs to merit for our selues as it is the glorie of an Emperour to make other kings vnder him Ans. It is not the glorie of the Emperour to make kings as partners with him in his kingdome And workes set vp as meritorious causes of saluation dishonour Christ for they make him vnprofitable as Paul here teacheth Popish religion therefore is in no wise in any place to be tollerated where it may be abolished but it is to be wished that it were banished forth of towne and countrey and students are to be warned with great circumspection to read Popish writers For no good can be looked for of that religion that makes Christ vnprofitable Lastly we are here taught to content our selues with Christ alone and with his works merits and satisfactions For in him we are complete Col. 2. 10. The confirmation of the sentence followeth I Paul say it therfore it is so This kind of reasoning may not seeme strange for the Apostles in writing and preaching had the diuine and infallible assistance of the spirit so as they could not erre This must be held as a Principle in religion and beeing denied there is no certentie of the Bible 3 For I testifie againe to euery man that is circumcised that he is bound to keepe the whole law 4 Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The meaning Paul saith I testifie againe because he hath spoken thus much in effect before Gal. 3. 10. That is circumcised who is of opinion of the false Apostles that will be circumcised and looke for iustification thereby Bound to the whole law that is to the whole ceremoniall law to the iudiciall law and to the whole morall law And further bound in respect of iustification and life to doe all things in the law For he that
will be iustified by one act of the law is bound to performe the rest for his iustification Abolished from Christ that is Christ is become an idle and emptie Christ vnto you Whosoeuer are iustified by the law that is are of opinion that they are to be iustified by the workes of the law For indeede a sinner cannot be iustified by the law but onely in his owne false opinion Grace that is the loue and fauour of God The resolution The third verse is a confirmation of the reason in the second verse and it may be framed thus He which is bound to keepe the whole law hath no part in Christ he which is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law therefore he which is circumcised hath no part in Christ. The 4. verse is a repetition of the second verse with a declaration therof for he shewes what he meanes by circumcision namely iustification by circumcision and consequently by the whole law And therefore when he had said If ye be circumcised he changeth his speach saying Whosoeuer is iustified by the law Againe least men might thinke it a small matter to be abolished from Christ he shewes that it is indeede to fall from grace The vse These verses are as it were a thunderbolt against all Poperie And first of all I vrge the argument of Paul against the Popish Church and against the Popish religion If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ and fallen from Christ. Answer is made that the words are to be vnderstood of such workes of the law as are from nature and goe before faith and not of such workes as are from grace and follow faith for such workes they say are from Christ and stand with him I answer the words of Paul are to be vnderstood of all workes of the law whether they be from nature or from grace For this Epistle of Paul was written about sixe yeares after the conuersion of the Galatians therefore they were and had bin long regenerate persons now men regenerate looke not to be iustified by works of nature but by good workes which are workes of grace And Paul saith Eph. 2. 10. We are not saued by workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in and these are the best workes that are or can be Againe Tit. 3. 5. Of his mercie he saued vs and not of workes of righteousnes By this text we further see that we and the Papists differ not about circumstances vnlesse Grace and Christ be circumstances Againe we see that the Church of Rome is indeede no Church because by maintaining iustification by works it is abolished from Christ and fallen from grace Againe I vrge Pauls argument against them on this manner He which is debter to the whole law hath no part in Christ he which is iustified by workes is debter to the whole law therefore he which is iustified by workes hath no part in Christ Let them answer if they can I turne the same argument another way thus He which is iustified by workes is bound to keepe the whole law but no man can keepe the whole law therefore no man can be iustified by workes They answer to the minor by making a double fulfilling of the law one for this life the other for the life to come and both in their kind perfect The fulfilling of the law for the time of this life they say it is to loue God aboue all creatues in truth and that he which doth thus much fulfills the law and is no offender Hereupon they inferre that works may be answerable to the law and be opposed to the iudgement of God And for this doctrine they alleadge S. Augustine I answer againe that Paul in this place takes it for a confessed truth that no man can fulfill the law and he vrgeth it as a great inconuenience that any man should be bound to keepe the whole law And before he hath said He which is of the workes of the law is cursed Gal. 3. 10. which could not be if there were a fulfilling of the law for the time of this life As for Augustine it is true he makes two fulfillings of the law and one of them for the time of this life but this he saith is imperfect and this imperfection he makes to be a sinne whereas the Papists of our time teach that men may fulfill the law for the time of this life without sinne Where Paul saith If ye be circumcised marke how the false Apostles abuse circumcision It is by diuine institution a seale of the righteousnes of faith and they make it a meritorious cause of saluation It is indeede rather Gods worke then our worke and they make it their owne worke and that meritorious before God Like doe the Papists at this day Baptisme is a signe and seale of Gods mercie by diuine institution and they turne it into a physicall cause which containes and conferres grace In like sort they turne the workes of the spirit almes praier fasting contrition yea their owne traditions confession satisfaction and such like into meritorious causes of iustification and life And this is the fashion of deceiuers to retaine the names of holy things but not to retaine the right vse of them As here we see Circumcision was an obligation to the keeping of the whole law in the old Testament so is baptisme in the new an obligation or bond whereby we haue bound our selues to liue according to all the lawes of God Matth. 28. 19 20. This discouers the Atheisme and vnbeleefe of persons baptised in these our daies for few there be that thinke vpon and performe this obligation We are further to obserue the condition of the law It is wholly copulatiue All the parts of it are linked one to another He that is bound to one commandement is bound to all he that keepes one indeede keepes all he that breakes one in respect of the disposition of his heart is a breaker of all Iam. 2. 10. he that makes no conscience to keepe some one commandement if occasion be offered will breake any Hence it followes that true regeneration is that which is a reformation and change according to the whole law of God and containes in it the seedes of all good duties Christ saith He that is washed is all cleane Ioh. 13. 10. Iosias turned to God according to the whole law Zacharie and Elizabeth walke in all the commandements of God without reproofe Luk. 1. Dauid saith He shall not be confounded when he hath respect to all the commandements of God Psal. 119. 6. On the contrarie he which hath many excellent things in him if he liue in the manifest breach of some one commandement is sound in none nay indeede he is guiltie of all Herod did many good things and yet all was nothing because he liued in incest Mark 6. 20. The deuill is able to bring a man to perdition as well by one sinne as by many Whereas Paul saith
to this end we must obserue 5. rules The first that the creatures of God must be sanctified by the word and praier 1 Tim. 4. the word must shew vs what we may doe and praier obtaines the doing of it The 2 rule we must be circumspect lest we sinne in the vse of the creatures In this respect Iob sends for his children after they had feasted together he sanctifies them Iob. 1. 5. The 3 rule we must vse the gifts of God with thankesgiuing Rom. 14. 6. Commonly in these daies there is no feasting or reioycing vnles all memorie of god be buried for that is said to breed melancholy The 4 rule We must suffer our selues to be limited and moderated in the vse of our libertie partly by the law of the magistrate partly by the law of charitie in the case of offēce I say in the vse because liberty it selfe is inwardly in the conscience and the vse of it is often in the outward action and therefore vnder the order of humane law The 5 rule Our liberty must be vsed for right ends as namely the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. the preseruation of nature not the pampering of the flesh Rom. 13. 13. the good of our neighbour Rom. 12. 13. Make conscience to obserue this rule and the rather because the holie and spirituall vse of Christian libertie is a signe token that thou art in the kingdome of God a true member thereof as on the contrarie the abuse of Gods blessings shewes thee to be still in the kingdome of darknes When men fell things of great worth for a little value and then afterward giue themselues to rioting and spending we commonly say that they are theeues and no right owners of the goods which they solde The like may be said of them that abuse spirituall libertie that they are but vsurpers and no right owners of it Lastly it must be obserued that this rule hath 2. branches The first is that we must not minister to the flesh any occasion of sinning The second is that we must giue no occasion of sinning by meanes of Christian libertie The second maine rule followes Serue one an other by loue For the right cōceauing of it I will propound three questions The first is why is this rule propounded in this place Ans. It sets downe the end of all Apostolike doctrine as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1. 5. the end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart good conscience faith vnfained Here men commonly vnderstand by the commandement the morall law That is indeed a truth but it is not the meaning of the place In the third verse Paul sets downe a commandement or denunciation to Timothie that he and the Pastors of Ephesus teach no other doctrine but the doctrine of the Apostles then in the 5 verse he propounds the summe and substance or end of the foresaid commandement in the 18 verse after a long antapodaton he inioynes Timothie to obserue it carefully So then the end of al sound doctrine is loue out of a pure heart and all our Preaching must tend to this The second question is what is the loue of our neighbour specified in this rule Ans. It is an affection renewed whereby we are mooued to wish well to our neighbour in the Lord. I say an affection to consute Lombard who saith that loue is not an habit in vs as other vertues are but the H. Ghost I saie it is an affection renued to consute the Papist who teacheth that we haue the true loue of God our neighbour by nature and that we want nothing but the second acte or the exercise of loue which they saie is from grace Further I adde that loue inclines vs to wish well to our neighbour for this is the formall and proper effect of loue and all this is done when we thinke well speake and doe well and that in respect not only of the bodie but also in respect of the soule of our neighbour Lastly I say that loue to our neighbour must be in the Lord. Because we are to loue him in respect that he is a creature of God and beares his image and not in respect of honour profit or pleasure which we receiue from him Loue for such ends is selfeloue The third question is what is the vse of loue Ans. It serues to make vs seruiceable to our neighbour Loue seekes not her owne things 1. Cor. 13. Christ was seruant to his enemies in bearing their sinnes vpon the crosse Paul that was free from all became a seruant to all to win some 1. Cor. 9. 19. To Christ we are to doe seruice and he hath put our neighbour in his stead so as that which is done to our neighbour shall be done to him our neighbour therefore must be serued of vs. And this is not against our libertie For we are free inwardly in conscience yet in the outward vse of our libertie we must be seruāts to mē The vse If we examine our liuer by this rule we shall find that there is very litle power of religion among men There are six sortes of men that liue in the breach of this rule The first are vsurers who lend for aduantage when they should lend freely to them that are in need these serue themselues and make a pray of all The second sort are ingrossers who gather in cōmodities to inrich themselues The third sort are idle per sons of what degree soeuer that spend their time in eating drinking sleeping gaming such are but vnprofitable burdens of the earth To this sort I referre beggars and vagabonds The fourth sort are Riotous persons that vse to goe from alehouse to alehouse from tauerne to tauerne and mispend that whereby they should maintaine their families and be seruiceable to their countrie The fift sort are Tradesmen who in their dealings vse lying dissembling fraud iniustice They seeke nothing but their priuate aduantage And this kind of men abounds in the world The last sort are drowsie and carnall Protestants who only seeke the things of this world and neuer so much as giue good example to seruants or children or any good counsell Beside all this it is the common fault of the world for men to serue themselues according to the common saying euery man for himselfe and God for vs all And the best men that are if they examine themselues shall find that they faile many waies and come short in the duties of loue to men with whome they liue This beeing so we are to acknowledge before God this maine offence of ours and to intreat for the pardon of it for Christes sake And euer hereafter to change our liues and to reforme them according to this rule And that is done on this manner Euery man hath or ought to haue 2 callings a general a particular The general is wherby we are called to be Christians In this calling we are to do good to all men by
vs put a further beginning to our actions then nature can afford causing vs to doe them in faith whereby we beleeue that our persons please God in Christ that our worke to be done pleaseth God that the defect of the worke is pardoned Secondly the spirit makes vs doe our actions in a new manner namely in obedience to the written word Thirdly it makes vs put a new end to our actions that is to intend and desire to honour God in the things that we doe For example A man is wronged by his neighbour and nature tells him that he must requite euill with euill yet he resolues to doe otherwise for saith he God in Christ hath forgiuen me many sinnes therefore must I forgiue my neighbour And he remembreth that vengeance is Gods and that he is taught so to aske pardon as he forgiueth others And hereupon he sets himselfe to requite euill with goodnesse This is to liue in the spirit The vse By this rule we see that most of vs faile in our duties For many of vs professing Christ liue not according to the lawes of nature in our common dealings We minde earthly things and therefore we are carnall It is a principle with many that if we keepe the Church obserue the Queenes laws which are indeed to be obserued and auoid open and grosse sinnes we do all that God requires at our hāds Hereupon to walke in the spirit is thought to be a worke of precisenes more then needes And they which deeme it to be a worke of precisenes walke not in the spirit And indeede they which haue receiued the greatest measure of the spirit must say with Paul that they are carnall sould vnder sinne Rom. 7. 14. Secondly this rule telleth vs that we must become spirituall men such as make conscience of euery sinne and doe things lawfull in spirituall manner in faith and obedience and not as carnall men doe them carnally It may be saide that Ministers of the word must be spirituall men I answer if thou whatsoeuer thou art be not spirituall thou hast no part in Christ. Rom. 8. And the rather thou must be spirituall because a naturall man may doe the outward duties of religion in a carnall sort Thirdly we must not iudge any mans estate before God by any one or some few actions either good or badde but by his walking or by the course of his life which if it be carnall it shewes the partie to be carnall if it be spirituall it shewes him to be spirituall The benefit that ariseth by the keeping of the rule followes in these words Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Flesh the corruption of nature the roote of all sinnes Lusts inordinate motions in the minde will and affections Thus largely is lust taken in the tenth Commandement which condemneth the first motions to euill Fulfill fulfilling is not a simple doing of euill but the accomplishing of lust with loue pleasure and full consent of will as also perseuerance in euill by adding sinne to sinne A question How farre doth the child of God proceede in the lust of the flesh Answ. He is assaulted by the lusts of the flesh but he doth not accomplish them More plainly there are fiue degrees of lust Suggestion delight consent the acte perseuerance in the acte Suggestion and delight whereby the minde is drawne away are incident to the child of God Consent is not ordinarily and if at any time the child of God consent to the lusts of his flesh it is but in part and against his purpose because he is ouercarried Likewise the acte or execution of lust is not ordinarily and vsually in the child of God if at any time he fall he may say with Paul I doe that which I hate Lastly perseuerance in euill doth not befall the child of God because vpon his fall he recouers himselfe by new repentance In this sense S. Iohn saith He that is borne of God sinnes not 1. Ioh. 3. 9. The vse Hence it followes that the lust of the flesh is in the child of God to the death and consequently they doe not fulfill the law neither can they be iustified thereby as Popish doctrine is Secondly our dutie is not to accomplish the lusts of the flesh but to resist them to the vttermost Rom. 13. 14. Thirdly here is comfort for the seruants of God Some man may say I am vexed and turmoiled with wicked thoughts and desires so as I feare I am not Gods child I answer againe for all this despaire not For if thou hate and detest the lusts that are in thee if thou resist them and wage battell against them if beeing ouertaken at any time thou recouer they selfe by new repentance they shall neuer be laid to thy charge to condemnation Rom. 8. 1. It is here made a prerogatiue of Gods child when the lusts of the flesh are in him not to accomplish them or to liue in subiection to them 17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and they are contrarie one to another so that ye cannot doe the things which ye would These wordes are a reason of the former verse thus If ye walke in the spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh and spirit beeing contrarie mutually refist and withstand one another so as ye can neither doe the good not the euill which ye would Paul here sets forth a spirituall combate of which sixe things are to be considered The first is concerning the parties by whome the combat is made namely the flesh and the spirit The flesh signifies the corruption of the whole nature of man and the spirit is the gift of regeneration as hath beene shewed It may be demanded how these twaine beeing but qualities can be said to fight together Ans. The flesh and the spirit are mixed together in the whole man regenerate and in all the powers of the soule of man Fire and water are said to be mixed in compound bodies light and darknes are mixed in the aire at the dawning of the day In a vessell of luke warme water heat and cold are mixed together we cannot saie that the water is in one parte hott and in another cold but the whole quantitie of water is hott in parte and cold in parte Euen so the man regenerate is not in one part flesh in another part spirit but the whole mind is partly flesh and partly spirit and so are the will and affections through out partly spirituall and partly carnall Now vpon this mixture it comes to passe that the powers of the soule are carried and disposed diuerse waies and hereupon followes the combat The second point concernes the meanes whereby this combate is made and that is a two sold Concupiscence expressed in these words the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The lust of the flesh shewes it selfe in two actions The first is to defile 〈◊〉
the sense which is agreeable to the words of the text to the scope of the place to other circumstances and to the analogie of faith in the plainer places of Scripture is the proper and infallible sense of Scripture Thus fetching the sense of Scripture from it selfe we shall keepe our selues within the limits of Scripture and in the matter of our saluation haue certentie of faith which we shall neuer haue if we listen to reason tradition and the authoritie of men II. Read the Scriptures be a doer of them in the exercises of inuocation faith repentance then shalt thou neuer be a heretike It is Gods promise Ioh. 7. 17. If ye will obay ye shall know whether my doctrine be of God or no. Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him Marke them that make Apostasie and become Papists they are such as neuer had a minde to loue and obay the religion in which they haue bin baptized and brought vp III. Col. 2. 8. Let no man spoile you through Philosophie Paul doth not condemne the Philosophie of the Gentiles but he puts a caueat that it be vsed with circumspection as Marchants vse the sea to wit in eschewing rockes and sands and pirats So students may vse the Philosophie of the Gentiles but they must take heede lest their mindes be corrupted with the errors thereof which are to be considered Naturall Philosophie giues too much to nature or to second causes and too little to God It puts downe principles flat against the word as the eternitie of the world and the mortalitie of the soule Morall Philosophie placeth happinesse in ciuill vertue out of Christ it teacheth that vertue is a meane or mediocritie of affection whereas in true vertue there is not onely a restraint or moderation of affections but also the renouation of them by regeneration It teacheth that Vrbanitie in iesting frumping is a vertue Paul saith no Eph. 5. 4. It teacheth that Magnanimitie whereby a man thinkes himselfe worthie of great honour is a vertue but it is contrarie to Christian humilitie Psal. 131. 1 2. Lastly it teacheth that man hath a freedome of will in good actions which doctrine applied by the Schoolemen to matters of religion is false and erronious The third head of sinnes are such as are against Charitie and they are in number eight The first is Enmitie of it I consider three things The first is whether it be a sinne or no for somewhat may be obiected to the contrarie Obiect I. Psal. 139. 21. Doe not I hate them that hate thee Ans. Dauid here speakes of the hatred whereby he hated Gods enemies not in respect of their persons but in respect of their sinnes whereby they were enemies of God And this hatred is commendable and not here to be vnderstood Obiect II. Luk. 14. 26. He that will be a disciple of Christ must hate father and mother and his owne soule Ans. This hatred is not simply commanded but only in a certaine respect namely as father and mother and a mans owne soule are in comparison opposed to God and Christ in regard of whome they are vtterly to be despised Obiect III. Rom. 9. God chose Iacob and hated Esau and we must be like vnto God Ans. We are to be like vnto God in holines and the duties thereof and not in the soueraigntie and Lordship ouer the creatures whereby he either loues or hates them Obiect IV. It is the vniuersall nature of all creatures to flie their contrarie therefore men may hate their enemies Ans. Man and man are not contrarie in nature or naturall properties but are all one flesh the contrarietie that is is by reason of the corruption of nature The second point is what is this Enmitie Ans. It is a peruerse disposition of minde whereby men remember iniuries discourtesies and vnkindnesses and carrie about them a purpose and desire to requite like for like when time and place shall serue Thus did Esau hate Iacob Gen. 27. 41. and Absolom his brother Amnon 2. Sam. 13. The third point where is this Enmitie Ans. Euery where among vs. For we daily see person diuided against person familie against familie and Corporation against Corporation This shewes that we are carnall and that Gods kingdome takes no place among vs as it should For in it the lambe and the wolfe quietly dwell together Isa. 11. The remedie of this Enmitie is That all be of one mind desire and affection in the receiuing and furthering of the Gospel of Christ. 1. Cor. 1. 11. If in the maine point there be a concord in leffer matters the agreement will be easie Debate It is a contention in words whereby men striue who shall shew most courage who shall get the victorie and who shall carrie away the last word no respect had of equitie or truth In this respect crying or lifting vp the voice in reasoning is condemned Eph. 4. 31. Emulations There is a good emulation and that is when men striue to be like to them that excell in vertue or to goe beyond them And it is commanded by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 14. 12. and it were to be wished that it were more common then it is Beside this there is a carnall emulation whereby men that excell in any thing grieue that any should be equall to them or goe beyond them The vse If to grieue at another mans Excellencie be a worke of the flesh then it is our dutie to reioyce in the excellencie of others Thus did Moses when Eldad and Medad prophecied Numb 11. 29. And Iohn the Baptist when Christ increased and he decreased Ioh. 3. 29 30. And Paul gaue thankes as well for the graces bestowed on the Churches as for gifts bestowed on himselfe Anger Of it I consider three points The first is whether there be any lawfull anger Aus Yea. Christ in whome was no sinne was angrie Mark 3. 5. When there is a iust cause of anger then is anger iust When there is a manifest offence of God there is a iust cause of anger therefore anger is then iust The second is when is anger a sinne Ans. When men are hastie to be angrie Eccles. 7. 11. and are offended at euery thing that goes against their mindes Or againe hauing a iust cause to be angrie yet they keepe no measure in their anger The third point is the Remedie And that is here set downe Hastines is a worke of the flesh or of corrupt nature and it barres men from the kingdome of heauen and therefore it is to be auoided Contention There are sundrie kinds of lawfull contention as contention with the enemie in iust warre contention at the barre with an aduersarie in a iust cause contention in disputation with an heretike contention in Schoole disputation for exercise and trialls sake Contention is carnall and finnefull in respect of matter and manner In matter when men contend for things for which they should not contend as the
death yet would a Christian man abstaine from these things because he knowes that they displease Christ and he is gouerned with another spirit to which they are contrarie Also these words are a reason of v. 16. There is no law against them that doe these things therefore walke in the spirit 24 For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The scope In these words Paul prooues that which he said immediatly before namely that there is no law against spirituall men And of this he giues a double reason One is spirituall men are Christs therefore there is no law against them The second is this that is crucified in spirituall men which the law condemneth namely the flesh with the affections and lusts therefore there is no law to condemne the spirituall man In the words I consider three points The first is What is a Christian Ans. A Christian is one that is Christs saith Paul And he is Christs fiue waies I. by the right of creation And so are all men II. by right of redemption 1. Cor. 6. 19. III. by the free gift and donation of God the father Ioh. 17. 11. this donation is begunne in the eternall Election of God and it is accomplished in our effectuall vocation IV. by propagation For all true beleeuers spring out of the blood of Christ and are of his bone and of his flesh as Eue was of the bone and flesh of Adam V. by our donation in baptisme in which we consecrate our selues to God and to Christ. The vse This must teach vs to resigne our selues to Christ and to suffer him to raigne in our hearts and to take the yoke of the Gospel vpon vs. But alas it is farre otherwise with many of vs. For some liue in the transgression of the very law of nature so farre are they from obseruing the Gospel Others thinke it sufficient to follow the teaching of nature If they worship God in some generall manner if they liue peaceably and hurt no man and meane well as they say then all is well and the doing of further duties is reputed curious precisenes And such persons vsually reduce religion to the practise of nature They will be saued by faith but their faith is nothing els but fidelitie They say they worship God but this worship is nothing els but their good meaning and their good dealing These men are content that Christ shall be theirs but they will not be Christs and suffer him to haue a Lordship ouer them II. If thou be Christs then commend thy soule and life and all that thou hast into the hands of Christ. This was the practise of Dauid Psal. 22. of Christ vpon the crosse of Paul 2. Tim. 1. 12. And this practise is the onely way to obtaine safetie and protection For Christ no doubt will keepe his owne III. Comfort If thou be Christs he will care for thee and nothing shall be wanting vnto thee that is for thy good Ioh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 33. Therefore remember this lesson Neuer grieue ouermuch neuer care ouermuch neuer reioyce ouermuch in the things of this world If thou werest at thine own disposing and finding it were somewhat but there is one that cares for thee namely Christ. The second point to be considered is what is the flesh Ans. It is the corruption of the whole nature of man For the right conceiuing of this we must make a distinction of three things Mans nature the faculties of nature and the corruption of both which corruption hath two parts the losse of the image of God and a pronnes to all wickednes Moreouer this distinction must be without separation of nature from faculties or of corruption from either so as we may say truly that the nature and the powers of the soule of man are corrupted In the flesh are two things Affections and Lusts. By affections vnderstand inordinate affections which shew themselues and beare sway in carnall men as anger in Cain loue of pleasures more then of God in the men of the last times 2. Tim. 3. 3. immoderate sorrow in Ahab when he could not obtaine Naboths vineyard 1. King 21. 4. Lusts are inordinate and infatiable desires after the things of this world as riches honours pleasures c. of this sort are couetousnes gluttonie pride the lust of the flesh c. The vse By this we see what a Carnall man is namely one that is carried away with some inordinate affection or some inordinate lust Herod did many good things at the aduise and motion of Iohn Baptist whome he reuerenced yet was he a carnall man For he was possessed with an inordinate loue of his brothers wife Iudas a disciple of Christ yet a carnall man because he was carried away with the inordinate lust of couetousnes The third point is touching the office of a Christian man And that is to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts For the better conceiuing of this Crucifying must be distinguished It is either the action of Christ or our action Crucifying which is the action of Christ is threefold The first is vpon the crosse where Christ stood in our roome and bare the burden of our sinnes and made an Expiation of them In this respect we are said to be crucified with him Gal. 2. 19. The second is in vs when Christ conuaies the vertue of his death into the hearts of them that are ioyned to him for the causing and effecting of the death of sinne The third is in baptisme whereby Christ seales the two former to them that beleeue Rom. 6. 6. The crucifying which is our action is nothing els but the Imitation of Christ crucified on this manner He was first attached so must we bring our selues into the presence of God He was arraigned so must we set our selues at the barre of Gods iudgement He was accused so must we indite and accuse our selues of our owne sinnes at the barre of Gods iudgement He was condemned and so must we iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord. After iudgement we must proceede to execution of the flesh and that is to vse meanes to crucifie it and they are three The first is by faith to applie to our selues Christ crucified and that is to beleeue not onely that Christ was crucified for vs but that we also were crucified with him Where this faith is sinne shall no more haue domion The second is to beate downe the flesh by the sword of the spirit and that is done by a serious application of the commandements and the threatnings of God to our seuerall affections and lusts The third is to flie the occasions of euery sinne and to cut off the first beginnings of euill The vse This doctrine serues to condemne the drowsie Protestants of our time who professe Christ without making any change in life and conuersation For they are Saints in the Church but in their common dealings they are as worldlings II. Secondly
properties of loue reckned vp by S. Paul 1. Cor. 13. this is not the least that it suffereth all things v. 7. that is all such things as may be borne and suffered with good conscience for the good of our brother For looke as a louer doth suffer all things in regard of his loue in three respects First in vndergoing any labour that may be for her good as Hercules did for the loue of Omphale Secondly in bearing patiently all hard measure that is offered him for her sake as Iacob did for the loue of Rachel Thirdly in induring any thing that is imposed vpon him and putting vp what wrong soeuer is done vnto him by her as Sampson did for the loue of Dalilah So Christian charitie causeth vs to suffer all things First pro fratribus to indure any labour cost or trauell for their good Secondly propter fratres to beare all afflictions for their sakes as Paul saith he did for the Church 2. Tim. 2. 10. Thirdly à fratribus to beare wrongs and put vp iniuries at their hands as he did beeing shamefully entreated at Philippi stoned scourged c. This must be considered of vs all but specially of such as wil giue a man as good as he bringeth who are but a word and a blow a lie and a stab a word a writ such as cannot beare coales as they say nor brook any little wrōg nor endure any small frailtie in their brethren These men must remēber that in bearing coales that is in suffering and forbearing they heape vp coales of fire vpon their heads as Paul speaketh Rom. 12. 20. as also that God doth beare with them in greater matters euen when they wound him with their oathes Leuit. 24. 11. and giue him the lie thorough vnbeleefe 1. Ioh. 5. 10. as he bare the manners of the Israelites in the wildernes That Christ whose example we are to follow hath borne our infirmities Esa. 53. and doth ease them that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. 28. and therefore we treading in his steppes must forbeare one another and forgiue one another if any man haue a quarrell against another euen as Christ forgaue vs. Coloss. 3. 13. Thus if when we see any sinne in our brother we reclaime him from it by reproofes exhortations admonitions we are Gods instruments to saue a soule from death and so doe couer a multitude of sinnes euen before God Iam. 5. 20. And if when we perceiue common frailties in our brethren we shal not stand too much vpō our right but shall yeeld vnto them in bearing forbearing and forgiuing we shall couer a multitude of sinnes before men 1. Pet. 4. 8. Thus much touching the rule Now I proceede to the reason whereby the Apostle vrgeth the practise of this precept in these words And so fulfill the law of Christ. The reason standeth thus That which is the fulfilling of the law of Christ must be practised of vs but the bearing of one anothers burdens is the fulfilling of the law of Christ therefore we ought to beare one anothers burdens For the clearing of this text sundrie things are to be considered I. It may be demanded what the Apostle vnderstandeth by the law of Christ Ans. Nothing els but the doctrine precept or commaedement of Christ enioyning the loue of our brethren Ioh. 13. 34 35. A new commandement giue I vnto you that ye loue one another as I haue loued you c. And it is all one as if he had saide Beare ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the commandement of Christ who hath after a speciall manner commanded the loue of your brethren Now the Apostle rather vseth the word Law then Commandement because he would make a clearer antithesis betwixt the law of Christ and the law of Moses so vehemently vrged by the false Apostles as if he should haue said You Galatians are taught to obserue the Law of Moses circumcision daies and times moneths and yeares and so ye doe indeede Well if ye will needes be obseruing of Lawes here is a law for you to obserue beare with the frailties one of another and so you shal fulfill the most excellent law that euer was the law of Christ which is necessarie to be kept whereas the keeping of the Ceremoniall law is but in vaine II. Quest. Why doth Paul call the loue of our brethren the law of Christ rather then the law of nature or the law of God or the law of Moses seeing it was written in the minde of man in the creation was giuen by God himselfe in Mount Sinai was written by Moses the reliques whereof are yet remaining in the minde of man Ans. It is so called because it is a new commandement giuen by Christ himselfe after a speciall manner But it is hereupon further demanded why this commandement of louing our brethren should be called a new commandement To which some make answer that it is so called onely because it shewes a new manner of louing our brethren after the example of Christ as he hath loued vs. Now this manner of louing our brethren as Chrysostome expounds it is this that as Christ loued vs freely not mooued by any amiable thing in vs nor for any profit that should redound vnto himselfe thereby so we should freely loue one another not for any benefit receiued or expected But as Cyril of Alexand. vpon Iohn expounds it it stands in this that as Christ loued vs more then himselfe so we should loue our brethren more then our selues But this cannot be the meaning For S. Iohn in his 1. Epist. 2. and Epist. 2. repeating this new commandement saith onely this is a new commandement that ye loue one another and neuer addes as Christ loued vs the which he should haue done if these wordes as I haue loued you be an essentiall part of the new commandement which he enioyneth vs to obserue Besides our Sauiour himselfe saith a little after By this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another not adding as I haue loued you therefore the new commandement is laid downe in these words Loue one another not respecting those that follow as a modification or limitation as I haue loued you Besides this exposition takes it for granted that the morall lawe Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe is a certaine rule by which we are to square our loue vz. that we must begin at our selues look how much we loue our selues so much we ought to loue our neighbor no more that therfore Christ shold giue a newe commandement of greater perfection then that in the lawe to wit that we loue one another as he loued vs that is more then our selues But this is a flat mistaking of the scripture for the commandement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe is no exact rule whereby we are to trie and examine our loue as the Popish doctors and some others teach For then Paul and diuers of the Saints of God
two respects 1. Because by faith we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ and so in him who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs we fulfill it and so establish it 2. because hauing our hearts purified by faith we liue no more according to the flesh but according to the spirit and so by inchoaâ—e obedience we fulfill the law Lastly in the end in that both the lawe and the gospel tend directly to the manifestation of the glorie of God Yet they differ in 5. things First in the manner of reuealing the lawe before the fall was perfectly known by nature and since the falliâ— part Rom. 2. 15. The Gospel is not known by nature neither was it euer written in mans heart before or after the fall as Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. 9. Those things which the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him therefore the Gospel is called a mysterie Rom. 16. v. 25 26. First because the doctrine of the Gospel was made knowne to men and angels by the reuelation of God Eph. 3. 5. 9. Secondly because there is required a special reuelation worke of gods spirit before a man can yeeld assent vnto it Therefore Paul saith We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. Secondly in the subiect or doctrine it selfe and that in two respects First the Law preacheth nothing but absolute iustice to the transgressours thereof the Gospel sheweth how iustice is qualified with mercie from all things from which ye could not be absolued by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Act. 13. 39. Secondly the Law teacheth what manner of men we ought to be and what we ought to doe that we may come to eternall life but shewes not howe we may becom such indeed the Gospel teacheth that by faith in Christ we may be such as the Law requires God hath made him to be sinnâ— for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly in the obiect The law is giuen to the vniâ—st lawles vngodly prophane 1. Tim. 1. 9 10. that it may shew them their sinnes and the punishment thereby deserued and so may accuse and condemne them the Gospel is to be published and dispensed onely to the penitent which are contrite and broken in heart mourne for their sinnes Math. 11. Esay 57. Luk. 4. IIII. The law promiseth eternall life vpon condition of works Doe this and liue If thou wiâ—â— enter into life keepe the commandements The Gospel promiseth eternall life freely without any condition of works Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue V. In the effects The Law is no instrumentall cause of faith repentance or any sauing grace it is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3. 7. causing wrath Rom. 3. 15. But the Gospel causeth life it is the grace of God which bringeth saluation Tit. 2. 11. for this cause Paul calleth the Law a dead or killing letter the Gospel a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly it may be demaÌ„ded whether any maÌ„ be able to fulfil the Law considering that Paul biddeth vs beare one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Ans. No meere man can perfectly fulfill the Law in this life This conclusion S. Paul prooueth in sundrie of his Epistles specially by these arguments First by the great and generall deprauation of nature which remaineth in part euen in the regenerate stayning their best actions and making them like a menstruous cloath confessing withall that his best workes are not answerable to the law by reason of the remainders of originall corruption Rom. 7. Now perfect fulfilling of the law cannot stand with corruption of nature and transgression in life For a corrupt fountaine cannot send forth sweete waters neither can a corrupt tree beare good fruit Saint Iames saith He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all and the Scripture pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all things written in the bookâ— of the law to doe them Popish Doctours answer first that originall corruption which they call the fewell of sinne and the first motions to euill preuenting all consent of will are indeede in the regenerate but they are no sinnes properly But it is false which they teach For euery transgression of the law is a sinne as S. Iohn defines it 1. Ioh. 3. 4. but these are transgressions of the tenth commandement for it either forbiddeth these first motions whether they be primò primae or secundò primae as Schoolemen speake or it forbid doth nothing but the motioÌ„s which are with coÌ„sent of wil which were forbidden in the former commandements and so in effect there are but nine commandements the tenth forbidding no speciall sinne Againe Paul teacheth that these motions preuenting all consent of will are formally opposed to the Law I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde Secondly they answer that Paul Rom. 7. speakes not of himselfe but in the person of the vnregenerate according to the opinion of S. Augustine Ans. Augustine indeede was once of that iudgement but he after retracted that opinion as it is manifest out of his booke of Retractations and the 6. booke against Iulian the Pelagian and that for these reasons First because Paul saith To will is present with me and I doe not the good I would and J delight in the law of God concerning the inward man all which are proper to the regenerate and cannot be affirmed of the wicked Secondly because he makes mention of the inward man which is all one with the new man or the new creature which agreeth onely to the regenerate Thirdly because he saith he is ledde captiue to sinne v. 23. whereas the wicked are not drawne to sinne by force against their wills but runne riot of their owne accord into all wickednes as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8. 6. Lastly in that he cries out in a sense and sorrow for his sinnes O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death v. 24. which can not be the voice of the vnregenerate for they feele not the burden of their sinne nor desire to be eased of it but take delight and pleasure in it His second reason is this such as our knowledge is such is our loue of God and man but our knowledge is onely in part therefore our loue is but in part and so consequently our obedience is but in part therfore there is no perfect fulfilling of
the law The aduocates of the Romish Church answer that our knowledge loue and obedience are perfect for the condition and estate of this life as we are viatores which is sufficient though they be not perfect for the condition of the life to come when we shall be comprehensores which is not required at our hands in this life for they make a double perfect fulfilling of the law one for the tearme of this life which is to loue God aboue all things and our neighbour as our selues The other after this life and that is to loue God with all the soule with all the powers and faculties of the soule and with all the strength and vigor of all these powers And this distinction they make to be the ground of their opinion touching the fulfilling of the law and iustification by workes c. But it is a sandie foundation and therefore that which is built vpon it cannot stand For besides that it is a fond and friuolous distinction forged by the Schoolemen without warrant of Scripture or consent of Antiquitie it is manifestly false For there is one onely rule of righteousnes and not two one onely generall sentence of the Lawe more vnchangeable then the lawes of the Medes Persians euen as vnchangeable as God himselfe which is that He which continueth not in all things written in the Law to doe them is accursed So that he which loueth not God with all his soule minde and might with all his valdè suo that is with all the faculties of his soule and all the powers of all these faculties and that in this life is accursed And it is absurd which they teach that a man is not bound for the tearme of this life thus to loue God but onely in the life to come For looke what man could doe by creation in the state of innocencie the same and so much the Law requires at his hands in the state of Apostasie But Adam by creation could loue God with all his soule with all the faculties of his soule and all the powers of all these faculties therefore the same perfect absolute and entire obedience is now required at his hands For the sentence of the law Cursed is he that continueth not in all things c. is not onely giuen to men glorified but to those that are in the state of grace And S. Paul doth so apply this sentence to men euen in this life t 〈…〉 he pronounceth all that are of the workes of the law to be vnder the curse Againe if this were so the Iewes had no cause to feare the seueritie and strictnes of the law as they did when they said If we heare the voice of the Lord any more we shall die considering they were able to keepe and fulfill it according to this Popish opinion Neither would God haue promised them a Messias or Mediatour to redeeme them from the curse of the law but would rather haue comforted them in that their so great feare and astonishment by giuing them to vnderstand that they were not bound to the full and perfect fulfilling of the law for the time of this life Besides the patheticall exclamation of Paul O miserable man that I am c. Rom. 7. 24. and that saying of Peter in calling the Law a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare Act. 15. should be childish and ridiculous if that which is impossible in the law as Paul speakes did not appertaine vnto vs. The third argument If a man could fulfill the Law he should not stand in neede of a Mediatour For if righteousnes be by the Law Christ died in vaine Gal. 2. 21. It is answered that Christ died in vaine if men by the strength of nature could fulfill the Law but the fulfilling of the Law is by grace and so his death is not in vaine for by vertue of the obedience of Christ we are enabled to fulfill the Law But this were to make Christ no Sauiour but onely an instrument whereby we fulfill the Law and are our owne Sauiours whereas the Scripture saith that he is made vnto vs righteousnes 1. Corinth 1. 30. not that we are made righteousnesse by him That we are made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Corinth 5. 21. not by him as an instrument That we are complete in him Coloss. 2. 10. and not complete of our selues by him Lastly the Scripture shutteth vp all men vnder sinne euen the most sanctified Prou. 20. 9. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Iob confesseth he cannot answer one of a thousand Iob 9. 3. and Dauid saith If thou Lord shalt marke what is done amisse who can abide it Psal. 130. 3. and Paul saith of himselfe that he found no meanes to performe that which is good Rom. 7. 18. He saith further that it is impossible to be kept by reason of originall corruption Rom. 8. 3. It is answered that all these places and examples must be vnderstood of veniall sinnes which make men sinners indeede yet are not against but beside the law and therefore though a man commit them yet he may fulfill the law for all that Ans. the coÌ„mon receiued opinion in Schooles that some sinnes are mortall others veniall of their owne nature is a witlesse distinction For if all sinnes deserue death as Paul teacheth Rom. 6. 23. either veniall sinnes are no sinnes or they must needes deserue death Moses saith that he that abideth not in all things written in this Law is accursed Deuter. 27. 26. where the wordes this Law may not be restrained onely to the Catalogue of great and hainous sinnes which are there reckened vp but extended to all sinnes as Paul applies it Gal. 3. 10. pronouncing him accursed that continueth not in all things written in the lawe not this law So that euery sinne euen the least sinne in thought makes a man subiect to the curse and so in rigour of diuine iustice deserues eternall death And it is but a poore shift to say that some sinnes are against the Lawe as all mortall sinnes and others besides the Lawe as veniall For the doing of that which God forbiddeth is a sinne not beside but against the Lawe But idle words iesting and gibing c. which the Popish Doctours account veniall sinnes are expressely forbidden in the word Matth. 12. 36. Of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account at the day of iudgement And Paul forbiddeth all foolish talking and â—esting as things vncomely Eph. 5. 4. Therefore they are not beside but flatte against the lawe Secondly they answer that these places and the like are to be vnderstood of seuerall workes and actions of the Saints whereof some were good as Dauids sparing of Saul c. some euill as his adulterie murther and numbering of the people and not of the same particular workes Answ. It is false For Paul speaking of the same indiuiduall worke saith that it is partly good and partly euill I finde
Achan sinned and the people fell slaine before the men of Ai therefore euery man doth not beare his owne entire burden The like may be said of the children of the Sodomits and of the first borne of the Egyptians who bare the burden of their parents sinne Ans. The people were punished for their owne sinnes and so was Dauid albeit not in his owne but in their persons for God punished him in his kind in destroying the people with that fearefull plague in whose great multitude he had gloried so much Indeede their punishment was occasioned by his sinne but caused by their owne for no man though neuer so holy is without sinne and therefore none but deserue punishment nay it is Gods mercie that we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. And albeit all the infants perished in the Deluge and in the ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha which could neither imitate nor approoue the actions of their forefathers yet their death was deserued For though infants be truly called innocâ—â—ts in regard of actuall sinne yet they are not innocents in regard of originall for from the wombe they carrie a woluish nature which prepares them to the spoile though they neuer did hurt the Scorpion hath his sting within him though he doe not alway strike and though a Serpent may be handled whilst the cold â—ath benummed him yet when he is warmed he will hisse out his venomous poison Mans practise doth cleare God of vniustice in this behalfe in killing the young cubbes as well as the old foxe the wolues whelps as well as the damme Albeit if we speake of their finall estate and come to particulars we are to leaue secret iudgements to God The example of Achan is more difficult seeing that for his sinne 36 of the people were slaine Iosh. 7. 5. and his whole familie rooted out v. 25. who were not consenting to his fact nor guiltie of his sinne Yet something may probably be said in this case First that they were guiltie of this his sinne in part in not punishing theft so seuerely as they ought to haue done which was a meanes to embolden Achan to steale the execrable thing Secondly that priuate good must yeeld to the publike as the life of euery particular person to the generall good of the whole Commonwealth thus souldiours in the warres redeem the publike peace by the losse of their own liues now the manifestation of the glorie of the wisdome power and iustice of God is the publike good of the whole Church therefore mens priuate good euen their liues must giue place to it especially considering he neuer inflicts temporall punishment for the publike good but he respects therein the priuate good of his Elect whome he corrects in iudgement not in â—urie Thirdly howsoeuer Achan did beare the burden of his owne sinne this iudgement might be inflicted vpon them for their good for temporall punishment yea death it selfe is sometimes inflicted for the good of those that are punished as we see in the children of the Sodomits many whereof no doubt were taken away in mercie lest malice should haue changed and corrupted their minds and sometime for the terrour of others to be a warning peece to make them take heede and sometime for both as it may be it was in this particular Fourthly sinne committed by a particular man that is a member of a politike bodie doth after a sort belong to the whole bodie thus the Lord saith that blood defileth the land which caÌ„not be cleÌ„sed of the blood that was shedde therein but by the blood of him that shedde it Numb 35. 33. And thus Achans sinne though not knowne to the people made the whole armie guiltie before God till he was put to death Iosh. 7. 11 12. Lastly if the tithing of an armie for the offence of some fewe haue beene thought lawfull and iust why should the death of 36 men seeme vniust for the sin of Achan especially considering it was to make the people more prouident to preuent and take heede of the like euill If these reasons satisfie not yet let vs rest in this that Gods iudgements are often secret but alway iust See August lib. quaest in Iosh. q. 8. and Calvin in 7. cap. â—osh Obiect UII If euery man must beare his owne burden Dauid shall as well beare the burden of his murthering Vrias by the sword of the children of Ammon as Saul the murthering of himselfe with his owne sword Peter his denying Christ as Iudas his betraying him c. Ans. By the sentence of the Law euery one is to beare his owne burden and to satisfie for his owne sinne in his owne person but the Gospel the second part of Gods word makes an exception which is that they which haue their sinnes set vpon Christs reckening shall not giue account for them againe and those that haue the burden of them laide vpon his shoulders who hath borne our sinnes in his bodie vpon the crosse 1. Pet. 2. 23. shall not beare the burden of them themselues at the last iudgement Therefore true beleeuers which haue Christ their suretie satisfying the rigour of Gods iustice for them shall not answer or satisfie fortheÌ„ themselues for they are freed by him from a threefold burden First froÌ„ the burden of ceremonies so consequently of humane lawes and ordinances which were a yoke as Peter saith which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare Act. 15. Secondly from the burden of miseries and crosses which befall men in this life He doth ease vs of this burden by his word and spirit either in remoouing them away Psal. 81. 7. or in giuing strength and patience to beare them 2. Cor. 12. 9. or in mitigating proportionating them to our strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. Thirdly from the burden of sinne as well originall as actuall in beeing made sinne that is accounted a sinner and made a sacrifice for sinne for vs as also by easing them that are heauie laden in pacifying the perplexed conscience Matth. 11. 28. It will be said if Christ beare the burden of our sinnes euery man shall not beare his owne burden Ans. Both be true and may well stand together for Legally euery man is to beare his owne burden the Law requiring personall obedience or satisfaction or both Euangelically Christ our suretie doth beare the burden of them and satisfie the iustice of God for them 1. Pet. 2. 23. Use. Hence we learne first that no man can pay a ransome for his brother or redeeme his soule from death or satisfie the iustice of God for his sinne seeing that euery man by the tenour of the Law is to beare his owne burden and by the Gospel none can be our suretie but Christ. Secondly here we see the nature of sinne that it is a burden to the soule for it is heauier then the grauell of the earth and the sand of the sea It is a burden to the wicked Angels for it waighed them froÌ„ the
nothing but blood This teacheth the hearers likewise to rest contented with the bare word without hungring after new doctrines as the Athenians after newes or beeing drawne away from the simplicitie that is in Christ by the subtiltie of seducers or by deuises and quiddities of mans braine Let those therefore which loath Manna long for Quailes remember that if God giue them their desire he will also giue them their desert Let them take heede lest he punish them with a famine not of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word Amos 8. 11. And let those that haue itching eares in heaping vp to themselues a multitude of teachers take heede also that they haue not tingling eares when they shall heare of the iudgements of God for the contempt of his word Further whereas Paul saith He that teacheth is to be maintained it is a good Item for all idle drones that will not labour and all dumme dogges that cannot barke they may not expect the maintenance which is due vnto the Ministers for it is ge nerally true of all men and much more true of the Minister that he which will not labour must not eate And great reason it is that he which looketh for his hire should doe his worke he that would liue of the sacrifice should minister at the altar he that lookes to be fedde with corporall bread should breake vnto his hearers the bread of life he that would reape carnall things should sow spirituall things he that would not haue his mouth muzzeled should thresh out the corne he that would drinke of the wine should plant the grape he that lookes for milke should feede the flocke that is he that will liue of the Gospel should teach the Gospel It is a maxime not onely of the Canon law but grounded vpon the law of nature that beneficium postulat officium a benefit requireth a dutie or more plainly a benefice requireth an office and diligence in the office They therefore that câ—re not so much for the feeding of the sheepe as for the feeding of themselues and feare not so much the losse of the flocke as the losse of the fleece doe not onely violate the law of God but euen the law of nations and the law of nature Againe hence I gather that those that labour in the word and doctrine may lawfully take wages albeit they haue sufficient of their owne to maintaine themselues it is the very equitie of this text For if they that are instructed in the word are to make those that instructed them partakers of their goods then it is lawfull for them which instruct and teach to receiue something in recompence of their labour seeing that the labourer is worthie of his wages Yet this one caueat must be remembred that if receiuing of wages be a hindrance to the Gospel as it would haue beene in Paul it is not lawfull for we may not so vse our libertie as that we thereby hinder the free course of the Gospel We may here further perceiue the great want of deuotion which is in most men of these daies For as the crie of the poore in the streetes and at our dores is an argument that there is no mercie no bowells of pitie and compassion So in that there are so many needie poore wandring Leuites which would gladly serue for a morsell of bread or a sute of raiment it is a pregnant proofe there is very small deuotion in men for the maintenance of religion especially in those which are so straight laced and short sleeued in bestowing any thing for the good of the Ministerie and yet in keeping of houndes and hawkes and worse matters in maintaining players iesters fooles and such like are very lauish and profuse to their great cost This hath beene the practise of the world and the contemptible estate of the Ministerie in former times Foure hundred false prophets were richly prouided for at Iezabels table 1. King 18. 19. whereas the true Prophets of God in the meane time were faine to hide their heads hauing scarse bread and water and that not without daunger Well her practise shall condemne a number of professours nay our forefathers zeale and forwardnes notwithstanding they liued in blindnes shall condemne our coldnes in this behalfe what speake I of our forefathers euen the stones in the ruinated Abbies and other religious houses shall rise vp in iudgement against vs for those places could maintaine thirtie or fourtie idle bellies which did nothing but nuzzle men in superstitious idolatrie whereas now the same place will not competently maintaine one or two to instruct them in the way to eternall life And no maruaile for we take from the Church as fast as they gaue to it In old time they were wont to say What shall we giue the man of God 1. Sam. 9. but now with the sacrilegious Church-robbers they say Come and let vs take the houses of God in possession Psal. 83. 12. The Iewes were exceeding forward and liberall in their contribution to the Tabernacle some brought gold others siluer silke pretious stone the meaner sort rammes skinnes goats haire c. so that more theÌ„ enough was offered by theÌ„ in such sort that Moses was forced to cause a proclamation to be made to stay the people from offering Exod. 36. 5. 6. This their example in beeing so forward to contribute to the materiall Temple shall condemne our backwardnes in conferring so little to the Ministers who are the liuing temples of God and to the ministerie which is in the place of the altar for looke by how much God hath diminished the cost of the altar and the charges of the ceremoniall worship vnder the old Testament by so much more doth he require the Ministerie to be maintained and spirituall worship furthered in the New Lastly if they that doe not put too their helping hand to vphold the Ministerie are to be condemned what condemnation trow we theÌ„ belongs to sacrilegious persons that robbe the Church of her reuenewes and deuoure holy things 7 Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape Here the Apostle preuenteth sundrie secret obiections against the former precept v. 6. For the Galatians might plead for themselues in this manner Whereas thou enioynest vs to make those which instructed vs in the word partakers of all our goods alas we cannot doe it It is an vnreasonable thing thou exactest of vs for as for some of vs we haue a great familie and charge to looke vnto wife and children to prouide for and for them we must prouide otherwise we dente the faith and are worse then infidells 1. Tim. 5. 8. others are poore and needie fitter a great deale to receiue then to giue and those that can giue are not so to giue that others may be eased and they theÌ„selues pinched 2. Cor. 8. 13. And as for the Ministers themselues many of them are couetous and
nay they cannot totally and finally fall from grace For first if any thing should make them fall away it is sinne but they cannot sinne because the seede of regeneration and grace remaineth in them 1. Ioh. 3. 9. And though the Church sleepe yet her heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. And if any thing make them faint it is affliction and persecution but these and all other crosses worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. And therefore these are no hinderances but furtherances rather to their saluation Secondly they are built and founded vpon the promise of God I will put my spirit into their hearts so that they shall not depart from me Ierem. 32. 40. Therefore Christ doth so preserue them by his power preuent them by his grace guard and guide them by his spirit that they shall neuer fall away and that none shall plucke them out of his hand Ioh. 10. I adde further that they are built vpon the trueth and fidelitie of his promise God is faithfull and wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. Thirdly vpon the praier of Christ who praied that they might be kept from euill Ioh. 17. 15. that they might be one in the Trinitie as he in the father and the father in him v. 21. that they may be with him and see his glorie v. 24. Now Christ was alway heard in that which he praied for Ioh. 11. 42. Lastly vpon the life of Christ which is communicated to all his liuing members Gal. 2. v. 20. When Christ which is their life shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glorie Coloss. 3. 4. Quest. If they cannot altogether faint and fall away why doth the holy Ghost make a doubt of it as though they might Ans. It is the will of God to mooue vs to perseuerance and to stirre vp our dulnesse by such speeches that we should not be wanting to our our selues in the vse of the meanes 10. While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith In these words the Apostle doeth iterate the conclusion propounded in the sixt verse as also in the ninth verse immediately going before that we should doe the good we can while we haue time and withall he doeth illustrate it both by the obiect to whome we must doe good and by the circumstance of time howe long we must continue therein And herein he answereth a secret demande which might be made vpon the former rule for whereas it might be thought that the Gentiles which professe not the same religion with vs were to be neglected or at least not so respected as we reade Act. 6. v. 1. the Gretians were neglected of the Ebrewes in their daily ministerie the Apostle answereth that we must not restraine our bouÌ„tie and goodnesse onely to those that are of the same religion with vs but enlarge it vnto all We must doe good vnto all men but specially to them of the houshold of faith In the words we may consider three things First the dutie it selfe Let vs doe good Secondly the obiect or persons to whome we must doe good which is laid downe comparatiuâ—ly we must doe good to all but specially to those that are of the houshold of faith Thirdly the circumstance of time when and how long we are to doe good whilest we haue time of these in order and first of the dutie This generall dutie of doing good is recommended vnto vs by sundrie arguments The first may be taken from the maine ende and scope of a mans life in this world which as Paul signifieth in this place is nothing else but to doe good and this doing of good standeth in three things the first concerneth God in praysing magnifying and adoring his holy name Dauid had an eie to this ende when he desired to liue for no other ende but that he might praise God O let my soule liue and it shall praise thee The second concerneth our selues in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by making our calling and election sure by good 2. Pet. 1. 10. This ende of a mans life Salomon intimateth when he saith Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man Eccles. 12. v. 13. The third concerneth our brethren in doing good vnto them so farre forth as possibly we can in the compasse of our calling for it is the ende of euery mans calling in seruing of men to serue God and this is that which Paul vrgeth in this place to be beneficiall vnto all The second may be taken from the example of God himselfe We must doe good to them that hate vs that we may be the children of our heauenly father Matth. 5. v. 44 45. For we are more conformeble vnto God in doing good vnto others it beeing an essentiall propertie in God to doe good to euery man seeing that euery creature doth drinke or at least taste of the sweet cuppe of Gods goodnesse Psal. 145. v. 9. then in receiuing good from them for he receiueth nothing from vs as Dauid saith My goodnesse reacheth not to thee Psal. 16. v. 2. To the exaÌ„ple of God we may add the exaÌ„ple of godly kings The cheifest praise and commendation of Hezekiah and Iosiah is noted by their goodnesse Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his GOODNESSE they are written 2. Chron. 32. 32. Concerning the rest of the acts of Iosiah his GOODNESSE doing as it was written in the Lawe of the Lord beholde they are written 2. Chron. 25. 26 27. And this excellent name of goodnesse or bountifulnesse was as it may seeme by the Lawe of nations ascribed to Princes and Potentates in that it best beseemed them as in name so in the vertue it selfe to expresse the diuine nature of God by and therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is bountifull benefactors or gratious Lords Luk. 23. 25. The third is drawne from testimonie diuine and humane Our Sauiour Christ saith It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Act. 20. 3. that is to doe good rather then to receiue good Nazianzen saith that a man doth resemble good in no propertie so much as in doing good And the heathen Orator Demosthenes could say that doing of good and speaking the truth makes vs most like to God himselfe But to consider this more particularly Goodnes is threefold Preseruing Vniting Communicating in all which particulars we are to practise this dutie And first for the preseruing goodnes we must doe good not onely to our selues but to others also in labouring to keepe and preserue them from the contagion of finne from falling from grace or backsliding from their holy profession by all good meanes as
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