the multitude among vs place their religion in comming to the Church in outward hearing in receiuing the sacrament in some kind of formall praying These things may not be condemned but the power and life of religion lies not in these things Wherefore we must not stand vpon outward painted shewes but looke what thou art betweene God and thy selfe that onely art thou in religion Thou praiest in the church but thou maist deceiue the world in this Tell me dost thou pray at home dost thou pray in thine owne heart vnto God by the spirit of praier then thou praiest indeede If thou canst approoue thy heart vnto God for any act of religion then is it done indeede els not Remember this Furthermore Paul here teacheth that our after proceedings in religion must be answerable to our first beginnings in the spirit And hence we may be aduertised of many things First here we must take notice of the follie of Popish religion For it beginnes in Gods mercie and the merit of Christ and it ends in our merits and satisfactions Secondly we must take notice of the common sinne of our times For in the practise of our religion we are deceiued We are not now that which we haue bin twentie or thirtie yeares agoe For now we see the world abounds with Atheists Epicures libertines worldlings newters that are of no religion and sundrie that haue heretofore shewed some forwardnes beginne to faulter and stagger and to looke an other way This is not to begin and ende in the spirit but to end in the flesh We are betime to amend this fault least if our former zeale be turned to present lukewarmes God in in his anger spue vs out Yong men must here be aduertised as they grow in yeares and stature so to grow vp in good things that both the first beginning and the after proceedings may be in the spirit Thus did Christ increase in grace as he increased in stature Lastly aged persons that haue begunne in the spirit must looke that they grow vp in the graces of the spirit more then others that they may end in the spirit It is said of the angel of Thiatira that his loue seruice and workes were moe at the last then at the first Reu. 2. 19. the same should be saide of all aged persons They which are planted in the house of God bring forth fruit in their old age Psal. 91. 16. It is the commendation of the old man that by reason of his manifold experience he knowes the father more then others 1. Ioh. 2. 14. It is the praise of Anna that shee continually serued God in fasting and praier beeing 80. yeares old When the outward man decaies the inward man should be renewed I speake all this the rather because aged persons are much wanting in this dutie For none commonly are so ignorant in the things of God as they they begin in the spirit but the affections of their hearts vsually end in the loue of this present world But they must be warned that as they goe before others in age so must they also exceede in the graces of the spirit We vse to say of children God make them good old men and it is well said An old man is to be regarded but specially a Good old man who is more to be respected then twentie of younger yeares Now aged persons when they grow in age and not in the spirit they loose their honour for age is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of righteousnes Prov. 16. 31. Let them therefore pray with Dauid Forsake me not O Lord in mine old age Psal. 71. 9. 4. Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine if so be it be euen in vaine The interrogation haue ye is as much as ye haue Because the question in this place counteruailes a speech affirmatiue And the wordes carrie this sense Ye haue professed the Gospel and ye haue suffered many afflictions for the same but now haue ye reuolted from the Gospel and therefore all your former sufferings are void or in vaine The words if they be in vaine are a limitation or qualification of that which was saide before and they carrie this sense Whereas I haue said that your sufferings are in vaine I speake it not simply but with some hope of your repentance which if it be then that which would be in vaine shall not be in vaine In this verse Paul sets downe a second reason to prooue the proposition of his first argument on this manner If ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine then is my doctrine true and ye fooles in reuolting from it For by this meanes the things which you suffered well ye now suffer in vaine The vse When Paul saith Haue ye suffered c. he signifies vnto vs the estate and condition of all beleeuers in this life that they must be bearers and sufferers The reason To this are we called 1. Pet. 2. 21. for we are called to resigne all reuenge to God and therefore of our selues to be bearers and sufferers Math. 5. 39. Resist not euill And we are called to imitate the passion of Christ who suffered beeing innocent and beeing reuiled reuiled not againe Moreouer it is for our good that we should beare and suffer 1. Pet. 1. 6. and Psal. 119. 71. It may be demanded What if my cause be good must I then suffer Ans. Yea. The better thy cause is the better are thy sufferings they are blessed that suffer for righteousnes Paul commends himselfe by the multitude of his sufferings 2. Cor. 11. 13. Againe it may be demanded how long we must suffer Ans. Euen to the shedding of our blood if it be for the resisting of sinne Heb. 12. 4. Lastly it may be saide how shall we be able to doe this Ans. God is faithfull and will not lay on vs more then we shall be able to beare 1. Cor. 10. 3. By this we are admonished not to make a reckoning in this world of pleasure and delight as though the Gospel were a Gospel of ease and as we vse to say a gospel made of veluet but euery one of vs must take vp his owne crosse Luk. 9. 23. If thou wilt be my disciple denie thy selfe take vp thy crosse that is the particular affliction and miserie which God laies on thee Againe if in this world we must be sufferers by condition then in dissentions and differences we may neither giue nor take the chalenge but must be content to beare and put vp wrongs and abuses Lastly in these daies of our peace we must looke for daies of triall and affliction For as yet we haue suffered little for the name of Christ. The haruest of the Lord hath bin among vs more then fourtie yeares therefore no doubt the time of threshing fanning and grinding comes on that as the Martyr said we may be good bread to the Lord. And that we may be able to suffer for the name of God we must
is this Commonly men liue as it were without the lawe and thinke it sufficient if they doe not grossely offend not considering that the lawe of God is a lawe to our thoughtes and affections and all the circumstances of our actions That we may hereafter make good proceedings in our religion we must remember 3. caueats One that we must indeuour to see and feele in our selues the smalenes of our faith repentance feare of God c. And the great masse of corruptions that is in vs. Thus with the beggar we shall be alwaies peecing and mending our garment The second that as trauellers we must forget things past and goe on to doe more good Psal 3. 14. The third that we must set before vs the crowne of eternall glorie seeke to apprehend it 1. Tim. 6. 11. thus did Moses Heb. 11. In Pauls profiting two things must be considered the measure and the thing in which he profited The measure in that he profited aboue many others Hence we learne that in matters of religion there should be an holy Emulation and contention among vs and our fault is that we contend who shall haue the most riches and honour or goe in the finest apparell and striue not to goe one beyond another in good things Againe Pauls modestie must here be obserued He doth not say that he profited more then all but more then many and he saith not more then his superiors but more then his equalls for time and he saith not more then all the world but more then they of his owne nation This modestie of his must be learned of vs for it is the ornament of our faith and therefore must be ioyned with our faith The matter or the thing in which Paul profited is that he was aboundantly zealous for the traditions of the fathers Here I consider three points I. What zeale is Answ. It is a certen feruencie of spirit arising of a mixture of loue and anger causing men earnestly to maintaine the worship of God and all things pertaining thereto and moouing them to griefe and anger when God is any way dishonoured II. For what is Paul zealous Answer For the outward obseruation of the law and withall for Pharisicall vnwritten Traditions which therefore he cals the Traditions of his fathers III. What is the fault of his zeale for he condemnes it in himselfe Answer He had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For his zeale was against the word in that it tended to maintaine vnwritten Traditions and iustification by the workes of the lawe out of Christ Rom. 10. 2. Hence we learne sundrie things For that which Paul did in his religion are we to doe in the profession of the Gospell First we are to addict and set our selues earnestly to maintaine the trueth and the practise of the Gospel Christ was euen consumed with the zeale of Gods house Ioh. 2. The angell of the Church of Laodicea is blamed because he is neither hotte nor cold Rev. 3. He is accursed of God that doeth the worke of God negligently Ierem. 48. Secondly we are to be angrie in our selues and grieued when God is dishonoured and his word disobeyed When the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe Moses in holy anger brust the tables of stone Dauid wept and Paul was humbled for the sinnes of other men Psal. 119. 136. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Thirdly we are here taught not to giue libertie to the best of our naturall affections as to zeale but to mortifie them and to rule them by the word Numb 15. 39. otherwise they will cause vs to runne out of order like wild beasts as here we see in Paul Lastly let it be obserued that Paul here condemnes zeale for the maintenance of vnwritten Traditions And let the Papists consider this 15. But when it pleased God which had seperated me from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace 16. To reueale his sonne in me or to me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediately I communicated not with flesh and blood 17. Neither came I to Hierusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and turned againe to Damascus Paul before prooued that he learned not the Gospell of any man before his conuersion here he further prooues that he learned it of no man after his conuersion And the substance of his reason is this because immediately vpon his conuersion he conferred with no man but went and preached in Arabia and Damascus In the words I consider foure things First the causes of Pauls conuersion And here he sets down three degrees of causes depending one vpon another The first is the good pleasure of God whereby he doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen earth in these words when it pleased The second is his seperation from the wombe which is an acte of Gods counsell whereby he sets men apart to be members of Christ and to be his seruants in this or that office This separation is said to be from the wombe not because it began then for it was appointed by God before all times euen from eternitie as all his counsels are But the H. Ghost hereby signifies that all our goodnesse and all our dexteritie to this or that office is meerely from God because we are sanctified dedicated and set apart in the Counsell of God from all eternitie and therefore from the wombe or from our first conception and beginning The third cause is vocation by grace the accomplishment of both the former in the time which God hath appointed The second thing is the manner of forme of Pauls vocation in these words to reueale his sonne to me The third is the end of his vocation to preach Christ among the Gentiles The last is his obedience to the calling of God in the 16. and 17. verses To begin with the efficient causes of Pauls conuersion here we see the order and dependance of causes in the conuersion and saluation of euery sinner The beginning of our saluation is in the good pleasure of God then followes separation or election to eternall life then vocation by the word and spirit then obedience to the calling of god after obedience euerlasting life This order Paul here sets down and the consideratiō of it is of great vse Hence it appeares to be a doctrine erronious which beginnes our saluation in the preuision of mans faith and good workes For in Paul order workes haue the last place And it must be Gods pleasure that man shall doe a good worke before he can doe it And if seperation to eternall life should be according to faith or workes then we should make seperation of our selues as well as God And vocation is not for workes but that we might doe good workes Eph. 1. 4. Secondly by this order it appeares that the saluation of them that beleeue is more sure then the whole frame of heauen and earth because it is founded in the vocation of God which is
the word stands in three things The first is true and proper interpretation of the Scripture and that by it selfe for Scripture is both the glosse and the text The second is sauorie and wholesome do ctrine gathered out of the Scriptures truly expounded The third is the Application of the said doctrine either to the information of the iudgement or to the reformation of the life This is the preaching that is of power Let all the sonnes of the Prophets thinke vpon these things and studie to be doers of them Furthermore two questions are here resolued The first is whether Images be necessarie in the congregations of the people of God Ans. There are Christian Images and Pictures and they are very necessarie And these Images are Sermons of Christ and the Right administration of the sacraments For in them Christ is described and painted out vnto vs. As for the painted and carued images of the Papists we vtterly detest them as Idols They alleadge that they are lay-mens bookes but Habakuk saith they are doctours of lies Hab. 2. 18. And where the liuely preaching of the word is there is no neede of them And therefore Images were not established in Churches in these West parts till after 700. yeares As long as the church had golden teachers there were no wooden images but when golden teachers did degenerate and become wooden teachers then came both golden and wooden Images It is further said why may not we paint Christ in our churches with colours as with wordes in sermons Ans. The one the Lord alloweth namely the description of Christ in speach But the caruing or painting of images in churches and that for religious vse he condemneth Exod. 20. 6. The second question is Whether there be now in the church of God any sacrifice or oblation of Christ Ans. There is after a sort For there is a liuely representation of the passion of Christ in the Preaching of the word and in the administration of the Lords supper as if Christ were yet in crucifying and as though his blood were now distilling from his hands sides As for the sacrifice of the Masse it is an abomination and a meere mockerie For there the Priest when he saith Accept these gifts c. is become a Mediatour betweene Christ and God and the bodie and blood of Christ is offered in an vnbloodie manner that is blood is offered without blood and the Priest when he hath offered Christ eates vp all that he hath offered Yet for this damnable oblation many stand and the reason is because they are bewitched and inchanted with pretended shewes of Fathers Councells Antiquitie Succession c. Lastly here we learne what is the dutie of all beleeuers namely to behold Christ crucified Cant. 3. 11. O daughters of Sion behold your king But where must we behold him Not in Roodes and Crucifixes after the Popish manner but we must looke on him as he propounds himselfe vnto vs in the word and sacraments For thus is he the true obiect of our faith And how must we behold him by the eye of faith which makes vs both see him feele him as it were crucified in vs. Here note that implicit faith which is to beleeue as the Church beleeues is a blind faith for by it we cannot contemplate and behold Christ. And the common fault is here to be noted whereby men neglect and passe by this contemplation of Christ. There is among vs the euill eye that deuoureth all it seeth there is the adulterous eye but where is the eye of faith to behold Christ where is the force of this eye to be seēe which maketh the thing which it beholdeth to be ours and vs like vnto it We loue to tricke and paint our bodies and some to set fine complexions on their faces and therefore complexions at this day are made a kind of marchandise but away with such vanities If ye loue to be painted I will tell you what ye shall doe The office of the Ministers is to describe and paint out Christ vnto vs let them paint Christ crucified in the heart and set vp his image there and then shalt thou haue a fauourable complexion in the eye both of God and man That this contemplation of Christ by faith may take more place and be the better practised consider the vse of it First by beholding Christ crucified we see our miserie and wickednes For our sinnes are the swords and speares which haue crucified him Zach. 12. 10. Secondly this sight brings vs true and liuely comfort for beholding Christ crucified we see Paradise as it were in the midst of hell we see the handwriting against vs cancelled Coloss. 2. 14. we see the remission of our sinnes written with the heart blood of Christ and sealed with the same Thirdly this sight of Christ makes a vniuersall chaunge of vs. The Camelion takes to it the colours of the things which it seeth and are neere vnto it and the beleeuing heart takes to it the disposition and minde that was in Christ crucified by viewing and beholding of Christ. This sight makes vs mourne and bleede in our hearts for our offences when we consider that Christ was crucified for them and it makes vs loue Christ when we consider the loue of God in Christ crucified Lastly this thing must be a terrour to all the vngodly For they haue no care to behold Christ but by their leud liues they crucifie him and for this cause in the day of iudgement they shall see with heauie hearts Christ to be their iudge whome they haue pearced Reuel 1. 7. Better therefore it is now in the day of grace to behold him with the eye of faith to our comfort then now to despise him and then to behold him to our euerlasting shame with the eye of confusion 2 This onely would I learne of you Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith 3 Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begunne in the spirit ye would now be made perfect by the flesh The sense of the words When Paul saith this would I learne of you he meets with the conceit of the Galatians who thought themselues wise and the effect of his speech is this I haue called you fooles but it may be that you thinke your selues wise and me foolish well let it be so then with all your wisdome teach me and let me learne but one thing and that is by what meanes ye receiued the Spirit Touching the phrase Receiued ye the Spirit three things must be obserued The first that the Spirit sometimes signifies the essentiall spirit of the Father and the Sonne as 1. Cor. 12. 4. There is a diuersitie of gifts but one spirit Sometimes againe it signifies the effects operations or gifts of the spirit as namely when flesh and spirit are opposed as in this text And further when it signifies gifts yet then the presence of the spirit is not excluded
but included The second is that here the Spirit signifies the spirit of adoption Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 16. The third is that to receiue the spirit is not barely to receiue the gifts of the spirit as we are said to haue the sunne in the house when we receiue the beames of the bodie of the sunne beeing in heauen but in this receiuing there are two things One is that the spirit is present in vs the other that the same spirit testifieth his presence by his speciall opera tion and gifts of grace Paul saith Eph. 4. 30. Greeue not the spirit Which is not meant of gifts but of the very person of the spirit And it must be remembred that the effects and gifts of the spirit presuppose the presence of the spirit By workes of the Law we are to vnderstand the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law By the hearing of faith is meant the doctrine of the Gospel hearing beeing put for the thing heard namely preaching and faith for the doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ crucified For faith signifies not onely the gift whereby we beleeue but also that which is beleeued In the third verse spirit signifies the operation of the spirit whereby the inward man is renewed and made like to God or againe the Exercises of the inward man and flesh signifies outward things or actions that properly pertaine to the outward man as circumcision and such like Thus 2. Cor. 5. 17. flesh and the new creature are opposed And Paul saith Rom. 9. 29. He is a Iew that is a lew within in the spirit hauing the circumcision of the heart To begunne in the spirit is to beginne in godlines and religion inwardly in the exercises of the renewed heart The Resolution In these words is contained the first argu ment whereby Paul prooues the truth of his doctrine It is framed thus If ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine my doctrine is true and ye foolish that adde vnto it iustification by the workes of the law but ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and ye deale foolishly that haue added to it iustification by workes The maior or first proposition is not expressed but the proofe thereof in the third verse thus it is a point of extreame follie when ye haue begun in the spirit to end in the flesh therfore it is folly in you hauing receiued the spirit by my doctrine to adde any thing vnto it of your owne The vse When Paul saith Let me learne one thing of you he notes the fault of the Galatians and of sundrie others who when they haue attained to a certaine measure of knowledge in Gods word are presently puffed vp with pride and often thinke themselues wiser then their teachers This was the fault of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8. 10. and of sundrie in our daies who separate wholly from all our congregations presuming to know that which they neuer learned of their teachers That this ouerweening pride may not take place we must ioyne the knowledge of our selues with the knowledge of Gods word and mixe our knowledge with loue For loue edesies and bare knowledge swells the heart Againe here when it is said Receiued ye the spirit that is ye did not receiue the spirit by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Here I say we see the difference betweene the law and the Gospel The law doth not minister the spirit vnto vs for it onely shewes our disease and giues vs no remedie The Gospel ministreth the spirit For it shewes what we are to doe and withall the spirit is giuen to make vs doe that which we are inioyned in the Gospel Here also we learne that the preaching of the Gospel is necessarie for all men because it is the Instrument of God to conferre the spirit Whole Peter was yet speaking the spirit of God fell vpon the Gentiles Act. 10. 44. Paul saith his ministerie is the ministerie of the spirit 2. Cor. 4. 5. sauing the ministers and others 1. Tim. 4. 16. And the most learned haue neede of this ordinance of God For suppose they haue knowledge sufficient yet haue they neede of the spirit of God to guide and gouerne them Further let it be obserued what is the scope of all our hearing and teaching namely that we may receiue the spirit of God without which spirit we can doe nothing Moreouer Paul here sets downe an infallible argument whereby we may be assured that the Scripture is the word of God For the scriptures in their right vse which is in reading hearing meditation haue the diuine and supernaturall operation of the spirit ioyned with them to comfort in all distresses and in the very pang of death and to conuert the heart of man making him in respect of righteousnes and holines like vnto God This priuiledge haue the Scriptures Isa. 59. 21. and no word els Lastly let vs here obserue the certen marke of true religion and that is that the preaching thereof conferres the spirit of adoption This doth not the pretended catholike Religion of the Papists it doth not conferre vnto men the spirit to assure them that they are the children of God because it teacheth that we are to be in suspence of our saluation Againe by teaching humane satisfactions merits it ministreth the spirit of pride and presumption as also the spirit of crueltie not of meekenes for they of that religion commonly delight in blood and there haue bin no warres or seditions or rebellions in Europe for many ages but they of the Romish religion haue bin at one ende of them When Paul saith v. 3. Beganne ye in the spirit c. he teacheth a diuine instruction that true godlines and Religion stands in the spirit that is the grace of the heart or in the exercises of the inner man whether we respect the beginning the middle or the accomplishment thereof The kings daughter is all glorious within Psal. 45. 13. True worshippers worship God in the spirit Ioh. 4. 25. Rom. 1. 12. He is a Iew that is a Iew not without but within in the spirit in the circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. 29. Gods seruice and kingdome stands in iustice peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. He that is in Christ must not know him in any carnall respects but be a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 17. Baptisme is not the washing of the spots of the flesh but the promise that a good conscience makes to God By this doctrine we see the fault of the world which for the most part placeth religion in ceremoniall performance of some outward duties The Iewe vsed to come to God with sacrifices and to draw neere to him with his lippe his heart beeing farre from God The Papist hath turned the Apostolike and Catholike religion into a masse of ceremonies borrowed partly from the Iewes and partly from the Gentiles And
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
see the fidelitie of Paul if he had sought himselfe his honour profit or pleasure he would not haue taught any doctrine that should haue caused persecution The like minde must be in all teachers nay in all beleeuers who are to receiue the Gospel for it selfe without respect to honour profit or pleasure Paul addes further in way of defence that the scandall of the crosse was not abolished Hence it followes that the Gospel must be preached though all men be offended God must not be displeased though all men be displeased Act. 5. 29. Indeede Christ pronounceth 〈◊〉 woe against them by whome offences come but that is meant of offences giuen and not of offences taken of which Christ hath an other rule Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they are the blind leaders of the blind Againe by the offence of the Iewes we see the mind of men who cannot be content with the death and passion of Christ vnlesse they may adde workes or something els of their owne for their iustification and saluation Thus doe the Papists at this day and the like doe many of the ignorant people among vs that will be saued by their good dealing and their good seruing of God Touching the imprecation in the 12. verse three questions are to be propounded The first is whether Paul did well thus to curse his enemies I answer yea for first we must put a difference betweene the priuate cause of man and the cause of God Now Paul accurseth the false Apostles not in respect of his owne cause but in respect of the cause of God and not as his owne enemies but as the enemies of God Secondly we must distinguish the persons of euill men Some are curable and some againe are incurable of whose saluation there is no hope Now Paul directs his imprecation against persons incurable And he knew them to be incurable by some extraordinarie inspiration or instinct as the Prophets and the rest of the Apostles did in sundrie cases and hereupon he curseth sometime euen particular persons as Alexander the copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. Thirdly we must distinguish the affections of men Some are carnall as rash anger hatred desire of reuenge c. some againe are more spirituall and diuine as a zeale of Gods glorie and of the sâ—â—tie of Gods church Now Paul in pronouncing the curse is not carried with a carnall affection but with a pure zeale of Gods glorie and with the same spirit by which he penned this Epistle The second question is whether we may not curse our enemies as Paul did Ans. No for we haue not the like spirit to discerne the persons of men what they are and our zeale of Gods glorie is mixed with many corrupt affections and therefore to be suspected We in our ordinary dealings haue an other rule to follow Matth. 5. blesse and curse not If we dare goe beyond the limitts of this rule we must heare the speach of Christ ye know not of what spirit ye are Luc. 9. 55. The third question is how we should vse the imprecations that are in the psalmes of Dauid as Psal. 109. and in other places of scripture Ans. they are to be directed generally against the kingdome of the deuill and they are further to be vsed as Prophecies of the holy ghost comforting his Church and procuring a finall sentence vpon the enemies of God The word which is translated disquiet is to be considered for it signifies to put men out of their estate and to driue them out of house and home as enemies doe when they sacke and spoile a towne By this we se that the doctrine of iustification by workes or by the law is a doctrine full of danger and peril because it puts men out of their estate in Christ and berâ—aues them of their saluation in heauen Therefore let all men flie from the religion of the Papist as if they would flie from an armie of Spaniards or Turkes Contrariwise they that would prouide well for themselues and their posteritie and plant themselues in a good estate must take this course They must coÌ„sider that there is a citie of God in heauen the gates and suburbes whereof be vpon earth in the assemblies of the Church that this citie hath many roomes and habitations many liberties that the law wherby this citie is ruled is the whole word of God specially the doctrine of the Gospell In this citie is all happines and out of it there is nothing but woe and misery Enter therfore into the suburbes of this citie of God as ye professe the Gospell so subiect your mindes and consciences and all your affections to it and be doers of it in the exercise of faith repentance new obedience Thus shall you haue a good estate in Christ ioyfull habitation in heauen 13. For brethren ye haue bin called to libertie only vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another The first part of the Epistle touching the faith of the Galatians is ended and here beginnes the second part touching good life and it continues from this verse to the 11. verse of the sixt chapter In it Paul doth 2. things first he propounds the summe of his doctrine then after makes a particular declaration of it The summe of all is propounded in this 13. v. in which Paul first setts downe the ground of all good duties and then 2. maine rules of good life The ground is in these wordes brethren ye haue bin called to libertie And it must be noted that as these wordes are the foundation of that which followes so are they also the reason of that which goes before and therefore Paul saith for brethren c. The 2. rules are in the words following One in these vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh the other in these doe seruice one to another by loue In the ground of all good duties namely the calling to libertie 4. things are to be considered 1. who calls 2. who are called 3. what is the calling of God 4. why it is here mentioned by Paul To the first who calles I answer God the father in Christ by the spirit for he is absolute Lord of all his creatures therfore he may call out of the kingdome of darknes into his owne kingdome whome he will And it is God alone that calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. The second is who are called Ans. All they that any waie answer the calling of God for Paul saith indifferently of all the Galatians that they were called Now men answer the calling of God some in profession some in heart some in both And all these are said to be called yet with some difference The calling of God is directed first of all and principally to the Elect and then in the second place it pertaines to them which are not Elect because they are mixed in societie with the Elect. And hence
feete lest that which is halting be turned out of the way Hebr. 12. 13. For as those that wrastle and tâ—e masteries looke warily to themselues lest they be supplanted by their aduersaries so ought we much more considering we wrastle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers Eph. 6. 12. Againe whereas it is said if a man he ouertaken by any sinne he teacheth that no man is exempted from falling or being ouertaken and supplanted by sinne for he speakes indefinitely if a man as S. Iohn doth if any man sinne we haue an aduocate 1. Ioh. 2. 1. This makes against the Catharists or Puritanes who auouch they neither haue sinne nor can sinne because they be trees of righteousnes and a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit Further hence I gather that pardon and restitution is not to be denied to them that fall after their conuersion as though there were no place for repentance or hope of saluation For Paul would haue such to be restored as are ouertaken by any sinne except they be incorrigible and incurable Therefore the Nouatians doe erre in teaching that sinnes committed after a mans conuersion are vnpardonable coÌ„sidering there is hope in store for great and hainous sinners For though a man in persecution denie Christ and renounce his religion yet he may be restored and repent as Peter did Luk. 22. 32. for that saying of Christ Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I denie before my father which is in heauen Matth. 10. 33. is meant onely of a totall and finall deniall Though a man be a grieuous Idolater a forcerer and giuen to witchcraft yet he may be restored and find mercie as Manasses did 2. Chron. 33. Though a man be defiled and polluted with sinnes against nature yet he may be clensed and washed from them Some among the Corinthians were fornicators adulterers wantons buggerers but yet were washed sanctified iustified 1. Cor. 6. 9. 11. It may be saide that it is impossible that they which once haue beene inlightned and tasted of the heauenly gift c. if they fall away should be renued againe by repentance Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Ans. That text is to be vnderstood of a vniuersall totall and finall Apostasie And that text Hebr. 10. 26. If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne is to be vnderstood of a wilfull and malitious renouncing of the knowne truth as the circumstances of the place and collation of it with others doe manifestly euict Againe if all sinne committed voluntarily and willingly were simply inexpiable euery mans case were damnable And though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie willingly as Aristotle takes it Eth. l. 3. c. 2. yet sometime it signifieth spitefully and malitiously as it is vsed by the Seuentie Exod. 21. 13 14. Obiect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or delicta may be restored not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or peccata Ans. They are vsed indifferently one for the other as might be shewed if it were needfull But it is a confessed truth auouched by Anselme and others vpon this text Lastly whereas the Apostle speaketh indefinitly if any man be nertaken restore him I gather that the gifts and graces of God bestowed vpon vs ought to be vsed in restoring those that are fallen without respect of persons for herein spirituall men are debters to the wise and foolish as the Apostle saith of himselfe Rom. 1. 14. The third thing to be considered is the persons that are to restore their brethren laid downe in these words yee that are spirituall Spirituall men are opposed to carnall as 1. Cor. 3. 1. I could not speake vnto you brethren as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall and to naturall men 1. Cor. 2. 14 15. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God but he that is spirituall discerneth all things Now carnall and naturall men are of two sorts either they are such as are altogether fleshly destitute of grace and godlines beeing in their pure or rather corrupt naturalls of whome S. Paul saith They that are of the flesh sauour the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. and verse the 8. They that are in the flesh caÌ„not please God Or such as are regenerate yet are weak as being but babes in Christ the flesh being far stronger in theÌ„ then the spirit such were most in the Church of Corinth for Paul saith he could not speake vnto them as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall 1. Cor. 3. 1. for yet ye are carnall for when there is among you enuying are ye not carnall vers 4. So spirituall men opposed to carnall are of two sorts First those that haue receiued the spirit of regeneration doe begin to sauour the things of the spirit Rom. 8. Secondly those that haue receiued a greater portion of the spirit and a greater measure of spirituall graces of whome Paul speakes 1. Cor. 14. 37. If any man thinke himselfe to be a prophet or spirituall Of the latter the words are to be vnderstood by theÌ„ he meaneth those whome he called perfect men Philip. 3. 13. Ebr. 5. 4 Now spirituall men are more fit to restore those that are fallen then any other First because they are lesse tainted with sinne then others and so may more freely reprooue Secondly because they haue more knowledge and loue both knowing how to restore and willing to doe it with greater compassion and fellow feeling He that must speak in season a word to the wearie must haue a tongue of the learned Isay 50. 4. When Peter is conuerted he must strengthen his brethren Luk. 22. 32. Hence it followes the more excellent giftes any man hath receiued the more he is bound to be seruiceable vnto others For if spirituall men must restore them that are fallen the more a man is indued with spirituall graces the more he ought to restore For the Apostle saith As euery man hath receiued a gift so let him minister it vnto others 1. Pet. 4. 10. This duty was practised by our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 13. 12. And it meetes with the sinne of many who hauing receiued great gifts and graces of the spirit are so farre from restoring those that sin against them that they scorne and disdaine to speake vnto theÌ„ for if they be at variance with any the common saying is I am as good a man as he why should I goe to him let him come to me c. These men are farre vnlike Abraham who though he exceeded Lot as wel in outward gifts as inward graces yet stood not vpon his priuiledge but was the first man in making the league of vnitie Gen. 13. 8. Further in that spirituall men must restore their brethren we learne that we haue not the gifts of God bestowed vpon vs for our selues alone but for the good of others the possession of them belongs to vs the vse of them to
therefore no man ought to be wearie of well doing It consisteth of two parts of a rule or precept in the former part of the verse Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing and a reason of the rule or a motiue to incite vs to the performance thereof in the latter part for in due season we shall reape if we faint not In the rule the Apostle speakes that plainely which in the former verses he had deliuered more obscurely for here he expounds himselfe what he meant by sowing to the spirit namely doing of good or as it is in the next verse doeing of good vnto all which may also appeare by that which followeth we shall reape if we faint not that is we shall reape the fruit of that which we haue sowne to the spirit if we faint not therefore to sow to the spirit is nothing els but to doe good Now by well doing the Apostle meaneth not onely the outward worke whereby our neighbour is furthered helped relieued but the doing of it also in a good manner and to a good ende so as it may be a good worke indeede not onely profitable to our neighbours and comfortable to our selues but acceptable to God This is a most necessarie precept for most men are soone wearie of a good course like to these Galatians who beganne in the spirit but beeing wearie of that walke turned aside and made an ende in the flesh Gal. 3. 3. Like Ephraim and Iudah whose goodnes was as a morning cloud and as the morning dowe which vanisheth away Hos. 6. 4. This wearisomnes in well doing hath seased vpon the most euen vpon all drowsie professours which are the greatest part as may appeare by this in that some if they be held but a quarter of an houre too long or aboue their ordinarie time are extreamely wearie of hearing the word And as for duties of mercie and liberalitie putting vp iniuries and tolerating wrongs they are readie to make an ende as soone as they begin And as for Prayer and thanksgiuing and other parts of the worship of God most men say in their hearts with the old Iewes what profit is it that we keepe his commandements and that we walke humbly before the Lord of hosts Malach. 3. 14. nay they count it a wearines vnto them and snuffe thereat Malach. 1. 13. Hence it is that the Holy Ghost is so frequent in stirring vs vp to the performance of all good duties with alacritie and chearefulnes and so often in rousing vs from that drowsines and deadnes wherewith we are ouerwhelmed Luk. 18. 1. Our Sauiour Christ propounds a parable to this ende to teach vs that we ought alwaies to pray and not to waxe faint Eph. 3. 13. I desire saith Paul that ye faint not at my tribulations 2. Thess. 3. 13. And ye brethren be not wearie in well doing And so in this place Let vs not therefore be wearie of well doing Nowe the reasons which make men so wearie of wel doing are in generall these three First the strength of the flesh which euen in the regenerate is like the great gyant Goliah in comparison of poore Dauid Secondly the weakenesse of the spirit and spirituall graces Thirdly the outward occurrences and impediments of this life In speciall they be these First men by nature are wolues one to another Esay 11. v. 6. and so they continue til this woluish nature be mortified and renued by grace beeing so farre from helping furthering releeuing tollerating one another or performing any other dutie of loue that contrarily they are readie to bite and deuoure one another Gal. 5. 15. Secondly oftentimes it commeth to passe that other mens coldnesse doth coole our zeale their backewardnesse slacketh our forwardnesse Thirdly many thinke it a disgrace and disparagement vnto them to stoope so lowe as to become seruiceable vnto their inferiours Fourthly there are many things which discourage vs from well doing either the partie is vnknowne vnto vs as Dauid was to Naball for which cause he would not releiue him in his necessitie or eise seemeth vnworthy of our helpe being such as through rior harlots lewd company hath brought himselfe to miserie and beggerie Or such as reward vs euill for good hatred for our good will or such as are querulous alwaies complaining though neuer so well dealt withall all which make men cold in the duties of loue Fiftly some there be which faine dangers and cast perils which hinder them from doing the good they should The slothfull person saith a lyon is in the way c. Lastly the manifold occasions and affaires of this life doe so distract the minde as that a man is soone wearied yea in the best things Besides many see no reason why they should spend themselues in doing good vnto others Now to all these obstacles and pul-backs we are to oppose the Apostles precept Let vs not be wearie of well doing For verely if the consideration of these small occasions and rubbes that lie in our way daunt and dismay vs and so stoppe our course we shall neuer be plentifull in good workes we may happly put our hand to the plowe but a thousand to one we shall looke backe againe with Lots wife cast a long looke toward Sodom and with the Israelites in our hearts turne againe into Egypt For as he that obserueth the winde shall not sowe and as he that regardeth the cloudes shall neuer reape Eccles. 11. 4. So he that regardeth the ingratitude of some the euill example of others the manifold distractions and occurrences of this life and shall cast perils in carnall wisdome of this and that trouble or inconuenience that may ensue shall neuer doe his dutie as he ought And assuredly he that fainteth in a good course and giueth it ouer before he come to the ende is like vnto the slothfull husbandman who hauing plowed and tilled and in part sowed his ground giueth ouer before he haue finished it and so either the parching heate doth wither it or the nipping colde doth kill it or the foules of the aire deuoure it Now most men are sicke of this disease which shewes the greatnes of our corruptions and that the best Christians haue a huge masse or lumpe of sinne in them and but a sparke of grace in that they are seldome or neuer wearie in scraping together of riches in following their pleasures in pursuing honours and hunting after preferments and yet are quickly wearie in duties of pietie iustice and mercie albeit they haue an vnspeakable reward annexed vnto them Well whatsoeuer the corrupt practises of men be let vs learne our dutie to goe forward without wearinesse nay to do good with chearefulnesse as Paul saith of himselfe Philip. 3. forgetting that which is behind and indeauouring himselfe to that which is before Let vs consider that it is the propertie of a liberall minde to deuise of liberall things and to continue his liberality Esay 32. 8. Neither is this
vanitie of their minde almost for three thousand yeares together Act. 14. 16. Now if God be so patient in expecting our amendement from day to day from yeare to yeare we ought to be patient in expecting the accomplishment of his promises day after day and yeare after yeare as we are commanded Habac. 2. 3. Though the vision tarie yet wait for it for it shall surely come and shall not stay and though it be long before we reape any fruit of our labours yet let vs with patience expect it for in due season we shall reape if we faint not For if God wait vpon vs not for his owne good but for ours what a shame is it that we will not waite vpon him in tarrying his good leisure for our owne good The dumme and sâ—nsles creatures may set vs to schoole in this point for they expect with a feruent desire to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 19 20. and as the word signifieth they expect with a longing desire euen with thrusting forth their heads as the poore prisoner that is condemned doth who eftsoones putteth forth his head out of the window in a continuall earnest expectation of the gratious pardon of the Prince It is our parts therefore to waite as Dauid did who saith of himselfe Psal. 69. 3. I am wearie of my crying my eyes faile me whilst I waite for my God For if we giue ouer our patient expecting and faint in our minds seeking to anticipate this DVE TIME this period which God hath prefixed in his vnchangeable will more immutable then the lawes of the Medes and Persians a thousand to one but we runne for helpe either to the witch of Endor as Saul did 2. Sam. 28. or to the wizzard of Pethor as Balack did Numb 22. or to the sorcerer and figure-flinger of Babel as Nebuchadnetzer did Ezek. 21. 21. or if all these faile as commonly they doe we either breake out into open blasphemie as the king of Israel did 2. King 6. 33. Behold this euill commeth of the Lord should I attend on the Lord any longer or in the depth of discontent we play the desperate part of Razez and lay violent hands vpon our selues 2. Macchab. 14. 41. The third thing to be considered is the condition required on our part that we may reape in due time set downe in these words if we faint not The wordes in the originall are thus we shall reape in due time not fainting which may be and are of â—some taken in a double sense either as a promise or as a condition As a promise thus If we be not wearie of well doing we shall reape in due season without all fainting and wearines either to the bodie or minde that is we shall reape with all ioy and comfort as it is Psal. 126. 5 6. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy and they that went weeping and caried pretious seede shall come againe with ioy and bring their sheaues with them As a condition that if we continue constant in well doing to the end without fainting we shall reape in the time that God hath appointed and in this sense it is to be taken in this text to wit conditionally as it is well translated if we faint not We are further to consider that there is a double fainting one of the bodie another of the minde The bodily fainting which commeth by labour and toyling is not here meant seeit doeth nothing impeach the goodnesse of the worke it is an argument rather of the soundnesse and sinceritie thereof but the spirituall fainting is that which is to be seared because it maketh our labour all in vaine And this spirituall fainting is two fold the first is the slaking and remitting some what of our course and this hath and doeth befall the Saints of God as we may see in the example of the Church of Ephesus which left her first loue Apoc. 2. 4. Yea all the saints of God haue their turbida intervalla troubled and distempered fits sometime in the full sometime in the wane sometime zealous and forward in the seruice of God sometime againe heauie and backeward c. The second is such a fainting languishing that we cleane giue ouer our course of which Paul speakes 2. Cor. 4. 16. therfore we faint not but though our outward men perish yet the inward man is renewed daily And the author to the Hebrewes we must consider Christ who endured such speaking against of sinners least we should be wearied and faint in our soules Heb. 12. 3. And againe ver 5. Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint wheÌ„ thou art rebuked of him This fainting is meant in this place Whereas Saint Paul saith we shall reape if we faint not he signifieth that we must perseuere and continue to the ende otherwise we cannot looke to reape the haruest of eternall happinesse It is nothing but constancy and continuing in well doing that doeth crowne all our good works Be constant saith our Sauiour Christ to the church of Smyrna Apo. 2. 10. and I will giue thee the crowne of life Ierome saith It is the propertie of true vertue not to beginne well but to ende well Paul blameth these Galatians for beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh and Christ shewes what a shame it is to him that beginneth to build and cannot finish it it is as good neuer a whit as neuer the better nay his condition is better that never began then that of Iudas whose end was worse then his beginning Leuit. 3. 9. the taile of the sacrifice was commanded to be offered vpon the altar by which was signified that in euery good worke we must not onely begin but continue in it to the end and sacrifice the ende of it to God as well as the beginning otherwise we loose our labour and misse our reward therefore Saint Iohn biddeth vs looke to our selues that we loose not the things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward 2. Ioh. v. 8. The labourers in the vineyard came at sundry times some in the morning others at the third others at the sixt and ninth others at the twelfth houre of the day yet none receiued the labourers wages but those that continued in the worke to the ende Matth. 20. God is Alpha and Omega and therfore requireth a good ende as well as a good beginning and it is our dutie not onely to obey the commandement of Christ venite ad me come vnto me Matth. 11. 28 but that also manete in me abide in me Ioh. 15. 4. for he onely that continueth to the ende shall be saued Matth. 24. 13. Further whereas the Apostle saith we shall reape if we faint not It may be demanded whether the Saints doe so faint at any time that they finally fall away To which demaund I answer in a word that they doe not
whereas the word doth not onely signifie qualitie but as properly quantitie as Heb. 7. 4. Consider how great this man was And the word that answereth vnto it signifieth as well quantitie as qualitie Coloss. 2. 1. I would ye knew what great fight I haue Iam. 3. 5. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth The plaine and simple meaning therefore of Paul is this that he neuer wrote so long an Epistle with his owne hand vnto any Church as vnto them He writ indeede the Epistle to Philemon with his owne hand but that was short in comparison of this And he wrote larger Epistles to other Churches as to the Romans CorinthiaÌ„s c. but by his Scribes not with his owne hand Therefore seeing this is the longest and largest letter that euer Paul writ with his owne hand it ought to be more regarded and better accepted So that as his paines were greater in writing our diligence should be greater in reading and obseruing the same This shewes Pauls great care of the Churches not onely when he was present but when he was absent How painefull he was beeing among them to winne them to the Gospel how fearefull when he was absent from theÌ„ least their minds should be loauened by false teachers how faithfull both present and absent And it may serue as a president to all Pastours hauing cure of soules to vse the like diligence and conscience in their Ministerie that beeing absent in bodie from their charge vpon necessarie occasions as Paul was yet they would be present in spirit with them and present by their letters that so they may testifie to all the world that they haue a greater care of the flocke then of the fleece It further teacheth vs that if the Minister beeing carried with discreete zeale for the good of the Church goe further either in word or writing then he intended or is thought fit by some as it seemes Paul did in this place for what needes this large letter may some say a shorter would haue done as well that we are not to censure him or limite and prescribe him It had beene a great fault in the Galatians if they had found fault with Paul for this his large letter and in the Disciples Iewes if they should haue blamed his long Sermon which continued at one time from morning to night Act. 28. 23. at another time from the closing of the euening till midnight Act. 20. 7. And so it is in many hearers who are too curious and strictt in prescribing and limiting their teachers to the time longer then which they cannot patiently indure And in stinting them in vrging of this or that point in saying he missed his Rhetoricke his Epimone was to long he was ouerseene in dwelling so long vpon the point it had beene better a word and away c. His second argument is taken from the instrumentall cause that he wrote it with his owne hand Haimo saith it is the opinion of the Doctours that Paul wrote not this whole Epistle with his owne hand but onely from hence to the ende which opinion is confuted by the very text You see how large a letter I HAVE WRITTEN with mine owne hand speaking of the whole Epistle in the time past or if of any one part more then of another of the former part rather then of the latter Secondly his assertion is not true for if we except Ierome none of the Ancients as I take it are of that opinion Not Ambrose who saith Where the whole writing is his owne hand there can be no falshood Not Chrysostome who saith To the rest of his Epistles he did subscribe but this whole Epistle he writ himselfe Not Primasius vsing the word perscripsit that he writ it through with his owne hand Not Theodoret affirming that it seemes Paul writ the whole Epistle Not Theophylact who bringeth in Paul speaking to them in this manner I am enforced to write this Epistle vnto you with mine owne hand Not Occumenius who calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Epistle written with his owne hand Not Anselme who paraphrasing the text saith it is all one as if he had said This Epistle I writ with mine owne hand And a little before Not with the Scribes hand but with mine owne hand albeit Anselme cannot so preiudice his assertion who liued long after him Not the Author of the Commentarie vpon the Epistles ascribed to Ierome Tom. 9. for he vpon the 2. Thess. 3. 17. saith plainly With these words he subscribes all his Epistles excepting that to the Galatians which he writ from the beginning to the ende with his owne hand And vpon these very words which we now entreat of See how I am not afraid which of late time haue written with mine owne hand Where by the way we may obserue that Ierome is not the author of those Commentaries beeing so contrarie to himselfe This I confesse is a light matter and not to be stood vpon were it not that some are too hastie to swallow whatsoeuer comes in their way vnder the title of the Doctours It must therefore be a caueat vnto vs not to be too credulous in beleeuing euery one that shall auouch this or that to be the opinion of the Fathers no though it be affirmed by a Father especially by such a one as draweth neere the dregs as Haimo doth It is certen then that Paul writ this whole Epistle with his owne hand the reasons are these First that it might appeare vnder his hand that he was no changeling but the same man that he was before in that he did not preach circumcision or the obseruation of Iewish ceremonies as the false Apostles standered him Gal. 5. â—1 Secondly that this his letter was not counterfaited by another and sent in his name as the false Apostles might haue obiected and the Galatians suspected Thirdly that he might testifie his sincere loue towards them and how he did as it were trauaile in paine of them till Christ were formed in them shunning no labour that might further their saluation We may hence further obserue a threefold difference of the bookes of Scripture in the new Testament Some were neither written by an Apostle nor subscribed as the gospel of Marke and Luke Some subscribed but not written as the Epistle to the Romanes and others Some both written and subscribed as this Epistle and that to Philemon vers 19. I haue written it with mine owne hand J will recompense it Now that Paul subscribed euery Epistle with his owne hand he himselfe witnesseth 2. Thessalon 3. 17. The salutation of me Paul with mine own haÌ„d which is a signe in euery Epistle that it is mine not forged in my name by another so I write the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all In which place he warneth the Thessalonians againe of false teachers and forged letters for 2.