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
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
Gospel which is to repent and beleeue in Christ. Secondly by offering to him the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting when he beleeued The second part of instruction is a reall and liuely teaching when God made Paul in his heart to answer the calling according to that Psalme 27. v. 5. When thou saidst seeke ye my face mine heart answered I will seeke thy face O Lord. And in Zacharie 13. 9. He shall say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is our God This is a spirituall Eccho that is made in the heart The sound of Gods word goes through the world and the hearts of men which be as Rocks and stones make answer And this worke of God that makes man yeild to the calling of God is in scripture a kind of diuine teaching thus the father is said to teach the sonne by drawing Ioh. 6. 44. And God is said to teach vs his waies when he guids vs by his spirit in the land of righteousnesse Psal. 143. That this reall and heauenly kind of teaching may take place God by his grace puts a kind of softnesse into the heart whereby it is made subiect and obedient to the word And it hath two parts One is an acknowledgement by faith that the sonne is our redeemer The second is regeneration which is the putting off the old man and the putting on of the newe which to doe by the vertue of Christ is to learne Christ. Eph. 4. 20. 23. Thus then God reueales the sonne to Paul by preparing him and making him teachable by propoūding the doctrine of saluation to him and by causing him inwardly to beleeue it and to obey it And thus we see the manner of the calling and conuersion of Paul For the better cleering of this doctrine fiue questions are to be answered The first is what was the preuenting grace in the conuersion of Paul Answer Schoolemen and Papists generally teach that it was the inspiration of good motions and desires into the heart of Paul But it is false which they teach for the heart is vncapable of any good desire or purpose till it be regenerate The trueth is this that the preuenting grace in the first conuersion is the grace of regeneration and secondly the inspiration of good desires and motions When Christ preuents Lazarus that he may reuiue againe he first puts a soule into him and then he calls vnto him and saith Come forth Lazarus because he was dead in like manner we are dead in sinne and therefore regeneration which is the soule of our soules must be put into vs before any inspiration of heauenly motions can take place Yet after we are once borne anew good motions and desires put into our hearts may be the preuenting grace for the doing of sundrie good workers The second question is whether the will of Paul were an agent or cause in the effecting of his first conuersion Answer No scripture makes two sorts of conuersion one Passiue when man is conuerted by god In this man is but a subiect to receiue the impression of grace and no agent at all For in the creating setting or imprinting of righteousnesse and holinesse in the heart Will can doe nothing The second conuersion is Actiue whereby man beeing conuerted by God doth further turne conuert himselfe to God in all his thoughts wordes and deeds This conuersion is not onely of grace nor onely of will but partly of grace and partly of will yet so as grace is the principall agent and will but the instrument of grace For beeing first turned by grace we then can mooue and turne our selues And thus there is a cooperation of mans will with Gods grace And Austen said truely He that made thee without thee doeth not saue thee without thee The third question is whether God did offer any violence to Pauls minde and will in his conuersion Ansvver There is a double violence or Coaction One which doth abolish all consent of will and this he vsed not The other draws out a consent from the will by causing it of an vnwilling will to become willing This coaction or violence God offered to Paul and in this sense they which come to Christ are said to be drawne Ioh. 6. 45. The fourth question is wherein standes the efficacie of the preuenting grace whereby Paul was effectually conuerted Answ. The Councell of Trent and sundrie Papists incline to this opinion to thinke that it stands in the euent in that the will of man applies it selfe to the grace which God offereth But then the efficacie of grace must be from mans will and then man hath something whereof to boast and he is to thanke himselfe for the grace of God Other Papists place the efficacie of grace in the congruitie or aptnesse of motions or heauenly perswasiōs presented to the mind of the mā that is to be cōuerted But this opinion also is deuoid of trueth For there is no efficacie in any motions or perswasions till there be a change and newe creation of the will The true answer is this Outward meanes are effectuall because they are ioyned with the inward operation of the spirit Inward grace is effectuall because God addes to the first grace the second grace For hauing giuen the power to beleeue and repent he giues also the will and the deede and then faith and repentance must needs followe And herein stands the efficacie of the first grace that God addes vnto it and workes the will and the deede Phil. 2. 13. The last question is whether it was in the power of Pauls will to resist the calling or the grace of God Answ. The will for his condition is apt to resist grace neuer the lesse if we consider the efficacie of Gods grace and the will of God he could not resist the calling of God Euery one that hath heard and learned of the father comes to Christ Ioh. 6. 45. Gods will determines and limits the will of man and mans will is an instrument to effect the will of god It may be here demanded howe the efficacie of grace may stand with the libertie of mans will if it haue not libertie to accept or refuse the grace of God Ans. Libertie and freedome of will in God is perfect libertie nowe God cannot will either good or euill but onely that which is good And mans will the neerer it comes to this will of God the greater libertie hath it Therefore to wil that onely which is good so it be freely without compulsion is true libertie to be able to will that which is euill and to resist the calling of God is not libertie but impotencie And he that can onely will that which is good doth more freely will good and hath more libertie then he that can will either good or euill The vse Ministers of the Gospell must learne Christ as Paul learned him They may not content themselues with that teaching which they find in schooles but they must
obedience is that Paul did not communicate with men that is conferre and consult with them touching his doctrine and calling And this he amplifies by a comparison thus He did not consult with any man no not the Apostles of Hierusalem And he addes a reason of his doing because they were but flesh and blood in respect of God and indeede it is vnmeete to consult with men touching the matters of God Hence I gather that Gods word whether preached or written doth not depend on the authoritie of any man no not on the authoritie of the Apostles themselues it is sufficient to authorize it selfe Christ receiues not the testimonie of man Iohn 5. 34. And it is an errour to thinke that the Church doth authorize the word and religion in the consciences of men For the Church it selfe is founded on the word The Church cannot consist without faith nor faith without the word Secondly hence I gather that there is no consultation or deliberation to be vsed at any time touching the holding or not holding of our religion He that will followe Christ may not put his hand to the plough and then looke backe againe to his friends to see what they will say Luke 9 61. He that would be wise must denie his owne wisdome and become a foole 1. Cor. 3. 18. The three children would not consult touching the worshipping of the image but said be it knowne to thee O king that we will not worship thy gods Dan. 3. When the iudge gaue Cyprian the martyr leaue to deliberate a while whether he would denie his religion he answered that in diuine matters deliberation is not to be vsed By this I gather that the Schoolemen haue done euill which haue turned all diuinitie into Questions and haue made of the articles of our faith a questionarie diuinitie Secondly by this we are taught that in the day of triall we may not consult of the change of religion but we must be resolute and tread vnder foote the perswasions of flesh and blood Thirdly our obedience to God must be without consultation We must first trie what is the will of God and then absolutely put it in exequution leauing the issue to God Abram is called of god to forsake his countrie kindred Gen. 12. he derectly then giues attendance to the commandement and goes as it were blind fold he knowes not whither God promised him a childe in his old age he beleeues God without any reasoning or disputing the case with himselfe too or fro Rom 4. 20. But the common manner is though we knowe the will of God to dispute the case and to consult with our friends and to practise according to carnall counsell Eue listens to the counsell of Satan and neglects Gods commandement Saul beeing forbidden to offer Sacrifice in Gilgal till Samuel came to doe it consults with himselfe whether he may doe it or no and followes his owne reason against Gods commandement and lost his kingdome for it And this kind of deliberation whereby mē consult what is to be done is the cause of the manifold rebellions of men in the world In that man is tearmed here flesh and blood we are taught not to put confidence in man we are taught to humble our selues before God we are taught euery day to prepare our selues against the day of death and the day of iudgement yea to account euery new day as the day of death because we are but flesh and blood The third point is where Paul first preached namely in Arabia and Damascus Arabia is a region of the world where Mount Sina standes and where the children of Israel wandered 40. yeares The inhabitants thereof were of two forts some more ciuill and some barbarous Ciuill as the Israelites Amalechites Madianites c. Yet were they professed enemies of the people of God Barbarous as the Easterne part of Arabia to ward Babylon For the inhabitants dwelt in Tents and liued like wilde and sauage men by robbing and stealing and consequently by killing Isai. 13. 20. Ierem. 3. 2. Here we see Pauls estate and condition when he first begins the exequution of his Apostolicall function God then laies vpon him a sharpe and waightie triall For he goes alone into Arabia and he must become a teacher to his owne professed enemies yea to a sauage generation of whose conuersion he had no hope in mans reason And this hath bin an vsuall dealing of God with his owne seruants When Moses was called to deliuer the Israelites and was in the way the Lord for a defect in his family comes against him to destroy him Exod. 4. 24. Da uid is annointed king of Israel and withall Saul is raised vp to persecute him and to hunt him as men hunt Partridges in the mountaines Ionas is called to preach to Niniue and withall God forsakes him and leaues him to himselfe so as he is cast into the sea and deuoured of a fish and after this beeing deliuered he must goe preach at Niniue When Christ was in his baptisme as it were inaugurated the Doctor of the Church presently after before he begun to preach he is carried into the wildernesse to be with wild beasts and to be tempted of the deuill Mar. 1. v. 12. And the reasons of this dealing of God are manifest by this meanes sinnefull men are made fit for the office of teaching For the saying is true Reading praier and temptation make a Diuine Againe by this meanes they are caused to depend on the prouidence and protection of God and they are made fit for the assistance and presence of Gods spirit who dwels onely with them that are of humble and contrite hearts Nowe then let not them that in any notable change of their liues finde notable temptations be discouraged for this is a condition that befalls them by a wise and speciall prouidence of God For it was the spirit of God that led Christ into the wildernesse to be tempted after his baptisme Againe here we are taught to acknowledge three things in God His power in that he sets vp his kingdome where it is most oppugned and raignes in the middest of his owne enemies namely the wicked and sauage Arabians according to that in the Psalme 110. v. 2. His goodnes in that he sends Paul to preach repentance to the people that are in the snare of the deuill at his will 2. Tim. 2. 26. His trueth in that he nowe fulfils things foretold by Dauid Psal. 72. 10. The kings of Sheba Saba shall bring gifts that is Ethiopians and Arabians 18. Then after three yeares I came againe to Ierusalem to visit Peter and abode with him fifteene daies Paul hauing prooued before that he learned not the Gospel of any man no not of the Apostles at Hierusalem goes about nowe to answer exceptions that might be made against his reason And first of all it might haue beene obiected that he was seene at Hierusalem sundrie times and therefore in all likelyhood
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
is whence springs our adoption The answer is plaine in the words from the obedience of the sonne whereby he stood in subiection to the law Here the question of all questions is answered namely what is that thing by which and for which a sinner is iustified before God and saued Ans. The Obedience of the sonne of God made man and made vnder the law for vs. For this is it that frees vs from vnder the law and giues vs the Adoption of sonnes And this alone is it whereby we stand before the Tribunall seat of God which also we are to oppose to the iudgement of God to hell death and condemnation Therefore our common people erre that looke to be saued by their good deedes that is by their good meaning and dealing They thus tread the blood of Christ vnder their owne feete and become Iesuses or Sauiours to themselues Secondly they erre that teach iustification by the essentiall iustice of the Godhead of the sonne for that it is incommunicable and they which are iustified by it are also deified Thirdly the Papist erreth which teacheth iustification partly by remission of sinnes and partly by that which we call inward sanctification which is imperfect and mixed in this life with our corruption and therefore vnfit to absolue and acquit vs before God It may be said what must we doe that we may be iustified and saued by this Obedience of the Mediatour Answ. In the old Testament when a man had sinned he brought a sheepe or an oxe to the doore of the Tabernacle and when the Priest cut the throat of it the partie laid his hand vpon the head of it Exod. 29. 10. And hereby he signified that the beast had done no hurt and that he as a guiltie malefactour had deserued death Now all this was done in figure And it teacheth vs that we miserable sinners must come to God that we must bring our sacrifice with vs namely the lambe of God which is the sonne of God made man made vnder the law that we must present this lambe and the oblation thereof to the father for vs laying our hands on the head of it that is confessing ourguiltinesse and that we haue iustly deserued death and perdition from the presence of God In the last place we must intreat the Lord to accept the blood of the lamb for vs and the whole obedience of the Mediatour Thus shall we be iustified and saued Thou wilt say I will therefore doe this when I am dying I say againe let it be thy daily exercise to the very death Thou wast seauen yeares in learning of thy trade thinke not therfore in an houre or two to worke thy reconciliation with God If thou art many yeares in learning such things as are done by the strength of nature thinke not to attaine to things aboue nature when and howe thou wilt It is a rule receiued of all men that they must blesse themselues now the right way to blesse thy selfe is to plead-guiltie before God and to intreat him to accept the obedience of the Mediatour for thee Uers. 6. Sonnes that is such as inioy the libertie of sonnes Sent forth a speach borrowed from Embassadours which are sent forth with instructiōs what they shal say or do it signifies that the spirit reueales nothing but that which is the will of the father sonne Ioh. 16. 14. Crying making vs to crie Rom. 8. 26. For if the words be taken properly the spirit must pray to it selfe Abba the next word is the exposition Father The sense The father hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne vnto you this spirit sent forth dwels in your hearts dwelling in your hearts it makes you pray to God as to a father◠and all this it doth because you are indeed sonnes of God The scope The question is whether beleeuers of the newe Testament be seruants to the law or children Paul answers no and he giues two reasons The first was in the former verses the second in this And it is drawne from the signe thus Yee haue receiued the spirit crying Abba father therefore ye are sonnes indeede In the words I consider fiue things the person sent forth the spirit of the sonne the person sending God the manner of sending the place whither the spirit is sent your hearts the office of the spirit Crying Abba Of the first the spirit of the sonne it is who is sent forth He is so called first because he proceeds by communication of substance or godhead not onely from the father but also from the sonne Secondly because in his manhood he is annointed and filled with the Holy Ghost aboue measure thirdly because by his death he hath merited the giuing and sending of the Holy Ghost vnto vs. Moreouer the spirit of the sonne is here described First he is a person subsisting of himselfe in that he is said to be sent forth secondly he is a diuine person and no creature because he dwels in the hearts of all beleeuers thirdly he proceeds from the father and the sonne from the father because he is sent of him from the sonne because he is the spirit of the sonne The vse By this we learne that the Intercession of Christ is of force with God For he praied for the sending of the spirit and it is accomplished Read Ioh. 14. 16. And it is a superfluous doctrine to teach the Reall presence of the flesh of Christ in the Sacrament For Christ is departed from vs in respect of his manhood because the spirit is sent Ioh. 16. 7. Thirdly that which the spirit inwardly teacheth is the same with that which the sonne hath reuealed by the Ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles because the spirit is the spirit of the sonne Read Ioh. 16. 14. Doctrines then concerning saluation that are beside or contrarie to the Scriptures as a great part of the Romish religion is are not reuealed by the spirit of God but are the fictions of the deuill The person sending is God that is the father in these words God sent forth the spirit of his sonne Where marke the distinction of the persons in Trinitie There is the father the sonne the spirit of the sonne And here remember that this action of sending forth argues not superioritie in the person sending nor inferioritie in the person sent for equals may send each other by common consent but it argues Order and a distinction of persons in respect of their beginning For the father is of none the sonne is of the father and the Holy Ghost is of both and hence it is that he is sent of both The manner of this sending forth was on this sort We may not imagine that in this sending there was any change of place for the Holy Ghost is euery where But he is said to be sent forth when he manifests his presence by his diuine operation or by speciall supernaturall gifts in the hearts of beleeuers as by the
Thirdly this doctrine serues to beate downe a point of naturall Atheisme in the heart of man which makes many thinke it a vaine thing to serue God and to heare his word Iob. 21. 15. Mala. 3. 14. Dauid was troubled with this corruption Psal. 73. 15. Many of them which professe the name of Christ will not be brought to keep the Sabbath daie and in their dealings they vse fraud and lying as other men doe and all is because they thinke they cannot liue by their religion Fourthly the onely way to establish a kingdome or common wealth is to plant the Gospell there for this makes an happie people And this is the maine cause of our happinesse and successe in this church and land And the obedience of the Gospel is it that makes euery man in his trade office and calling whatsoeuer it be to prosper Read Psal. 1. 3. 5. On the contrarie they are wretched and miserable that liue without the Gospell Prou. 29. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 3. 2. Tim. 3. 7. 6. To receiue the doctrine of the Apostles is an vnfallible marke of the Church of God For this is it that makes a people blessed and happie 7. We may not despise the preaching of the word 1. Thes. 5. 20. If we doe we despise our owne happinesse If it be said Preachers sometime are deceiued Answ. Marke the addition of Paul Prooue all things hold that which is good 2. Thess. 5. Touching the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul First it may be demanded what was the cause of it Answ. The very Ministerie of the Apostle whose office it was to make Disciples Math. 28. 19. and so to plant the Church of the new Testament And for this cause he had a priuiledge to preach the truth so as he could not erre in things which he deliuered to the church 2. He preached with authority as hauing power to correct rebellious offenders 2. Cor. 106. and 1. Cor. 4. 3. he preached with vnspeakeablle diligence Read Act. 20. 31. 4. He had a prerogatiue as the rest of the Apostles had after he had made disciples by imposition of hands to giue vnto them the extraordinary giftes of the Holy Ghost Act. 8. 17. And these are the meanes whereby this speciall loue was procured Secondly it may be demanded whether the Galatians did not more then keepe the law when they would haue plucked out their owne eyes and haue giuen them to Paul for thus they loue him more then their owne selues Ans. The commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth not prescribe that we must in the first place loue our selues and then in the second loue our neighbour but it setts downe the right manner of louing our neighbour and that is to loue him as hartely and vnfainedly as our owne selues The measure of loue is expressed when Christ saith we must loue on another as Christ loued vs. Ioh. 13. 34. There is a certen case in which we must consider our neighbour not only as a neighbour but also as a speciall instrument of God and thus are we in some respectes to loue and to preferre him before our selues Thus a subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his own life Thus Paul was content to be accursed for the Israelites Rom. 9. 1. And the Galatians would haue giuen their eies to Paul that was so worthy an instrument of the grace of God In their example we are taught to be willing to forsake the dearest things in the world for the Gospell of Christ euen our eies hands feete yea and our life Vers. 16. Because I tell you the trueth We must after Pauls example speake the truth to all men Eph. 4. 25. Am I therefore your enemie the conclusion of the Apostles argument Here we see a corruption of nature which makes vs that we cannot abide to heare the truth in things that are against vs. We hate them that speake the truth selfe loue makes vs conceiue the best things of our selues Here then learne 1. To search thy heart and life that thou maiest know the very worst by thy selfe If thou wilt not know it now thou shalt know it to thy shame in the day of iudgement 2. Be vile and base in thine owne opinion Iob. 34. last 17. They are iealous ouer you amisse yea they would exclude you that ye should altogether loue them 18 But it is good to loue earnestly alwaies in a good cause and not onely when I am present with you The word zeale hath many significations here it is fittely translated ielousie Ye are ielous hereby much is signified that there is a spirituall marriage betweene Christ and his Church that the Church is the Bride Christ the bridegroome or husband the Gospel an instrument drawne touching the marriage the sacraments as seales the graces of the spirit as loue-tokens the Ministers of Christ as friends of the bridegroome and suters for him In this respect they put on the affection of Christ and are zealous for him This Ielousie is twofold pretended ielousie and true ielousie Pretended ielousie is when men falsely pretend the loue of the Church for Christs sake Thus Paul saith They are ielous that is they pretend a loue vnto you for Christs sake but indeede they doe it amisse And the reason follows They would exclude you namely from louing of me Others read the wordes thus they would exclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs the difference in the Original is onely in one letter and the sense is the same that the false Apostles would exclude Paul from the loue of the Galatians that they onely might be honoured and loued Jt is good These words may be vnderstood either of the Galatians or of Paul I rather choose to applie them to Paul that for ielousie he may make an opposition betweene himselfe and the false teachers The sense is this that ielousie is a good thing if it be in a good cause that is if it be indeede for Christs sake and be alwaies the same And Paul addes further that this kind of ielousie is in himselfe because he is ielous ouer the Galatians not onely when he is present with them but also when he is absent and this he further confirmes in the two next verses The scope In these wordes Paul meetes with a conceit of the Galatians for they might happely say that their new Teachers loued them exceedingly and were zealous for their saluation Paul therefore answers by a comparison thus they are ielous ouer you but it is amisse nay ielousie for you is good The first part of the comparison is in the 17. verse the second in the 18. The vse When Paul saith that the false Apostles were ielous ouer the Galatians amisse he sets out the fashion of men in the world which is to doe things which are good in their kind but to doe them for wrong ends It is an excellent office to preach the word but some doe it of enuie and
not the Papist which addes tradition to the scripture And for affection we suffer our selues to be limited by the doctrine of repentance and new obedience Secondly I answer that the church of Rome vseth false meanes of Limitation For it teacheth that for opinion we must captiuate our senses to the determination of the church by beleeuing as the church beleeueth though it be not knowne what the church beleeueth And it limits affection by auricular confession and by canonicall satisfactions meere inuentions of men The fourth motiue The Romane religion drawes the multitude Ans. It drawes them indeede because it is a naturall religion but it doth not turne them from darknes to light from death to life Secōdly I answer that Antichrist in his comming shall draw the multitude 2. Thess. 2. 9. The fift motiue There were neuer but two alterations of religion One in the daies of Elias the other in the daies of Iohn the Baptist. Ans. I will shew a third Paul saith that before the ende there shall be a departure 2. Thess. 2. and this departure is generall in all nations Reuel 13. 16. and after a thousand yeares there shall be the first resurrection Reuel 20. 5. and this resurrection is the reuiuing and the restoring of the Gospel after long ignorance and superstition The sixt motiue The church of Rome hath a Iudge to ende controuersies we haue none Ans. Christ is our Iudge and the scripture is the voice of this iudge determining all things pertaining to saluation fully and plainly to the contentation of any conscience The seauenth motiue The Romane religion is sutable to ancient Tradition Ans. It is contrarie For it abolisheth the second commandement touching Images and the tenth touching lust And it ouerturneth sundrie Articles of faith For it abolisheth one of the natures of Christ by the reall presence and his three offices by ioyning partners and associates with him To these seauen I adde three other The eight motiue then is this Our Ministers they say tooke vnto themselues new callings and consequently that we are but schismatikes Ans. The offices of the first restorers of the Gospel were ordinarie and their vocation to the said offices was ordinary for they were all either Priests or Schoole doctors It may be saide that they departed from their callings I answer they departed onely from the common abuse of their callings which they restored to their right vse The ninth motiue The church of Rome hath true baptisme and therefore it is a true church Ans. Baptisme in the Papacie pertaines not to it but to another hidden church in the middest of the Papacie as the light in the lanthorne pertaines not to it but to the passenger Secondly though the church of Rome hold the outward baptisme yet doth it ouerturne the inward which stands in the iustification of a sinner by imputation of the obedience of Christ. Thirdly baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel is no marke of a church Circumcision was vsed in Samaria and yet they were no people of God Hos. 1. 9. The tenth motiue The church of Rome hath antiquitie and succession from the Apostles Ans. They are no markes of the church vnlesse they be ioyned with propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine The kingdome of darknes hath also antiquitie succession vniuersalitie and vnitie Now then we are to hold the church of Rome as a stepmother nay as a professed harlot shee is no mother of ours For the Lord saith Come out of her my people Reuel 18. Let vs therefore come to the true answer The catholike Church our Mother is to be sought for and to be found in the true visible churches the certen markes whereof are three The preaching of the word of God out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with obedience Ioh. 10. 28. Eph. 2. 20. True inuocation of God the father in the onely name of Christ by the assistance of the spirit Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. the right vse of the sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper Math 28. 18. And by these shall we finde the true Church of God in England Ireland Scotland Germanie France c. Againe in that the Church is called our Mother the Papist gathereth that her commandements must be obaied Prov. 1. 8. and therefore in their Catechismes beside the commandements of God they propound the commandements of the Church But I answer that the precepts of the father and the mother must be one and then the mother must be obaied The Church is called the mother of vs all that is of all true beleeuers Hence it follows that wicked men are not members of the catholike Church as Popish doctors erroniously teach for then the church shall be a mother not onely to the children of God but also to the children of the deuill Lastly in that the church is our Mother we are taught that we must despise our first birth and seeke to be borne againe vnto God and sucke the brest of our mother feeding on the milke of the word Psal. 45. 11. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Thus to be borne a member of the new Ierusalem is a great priuiledge Psal. 87. 5. Reuel 3. 12. 27 For it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no childrē breake forth and crie thou that trauelest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband These words are the testimonie of the Prophet Isa c. 54. 1. and they are brought to prooue that which Paul said in the former verse that the Catholike Church is the Mother of vs all that is not onely of the Iewes but also of all beleeuing Gentiles In the words I consider the preface to the Testimonie and the testimonie it selfe The preface It is written where two points are to be considered The first is who saith Jt is written Ans. The Apostle Paul whose authoritie was diuine and infallible because he was led into all truth by the spirit of God so as he could not erre in deliuering doctrine to the church And yet for all this he followes the rule of the written word And his manner was so to doe Act. 26. 22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome which takes to it selfe an absolute power of iudgement in all matters without and beside the scripture yea a power to iudge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense thereof without the helpe of scripture vpon a supposed infallible assistance of the spirit The second point is In what question saith Paul It is written Ans. In a controuersie betweene him and the false Apostles touching the iustification of a sinner This shewes that the scripture it selfe is the meanes to determine and decide controuersies There was for this purpose in the old Testament the liuely voice of God vttered in the Oracle at the Mercie seat but in the new Testament there is no such voice of God but the written word is in stead thereof to the ende of the world And therefore
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
religion in the exercises of faith repentance new obedience Thus did Abraham Gen. 17. and Iosua c. 24. They that doe not first of all consent in Christ cannot consent among themselues Secondly it must be obserued that a familie is the schoole of God in which he will exercise our faith inuocation loue patience long-suffering c. And there is more vertue to be seene in the well ordering of a familie then in the pretended holines of Monkish cloisters Thus we see how we are to maintaine the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace For the better inforcing of this dutie Paul Eph. 4. 4. giues seauen reasons one bodie one spirit one hope of eternall life one Lord one faith one baptisme one father of all It may be said we are at peace what needes all this adoe Ans. The peace of many is peace in drunkennes called good fellowship peace in prophanes and wickednes This is the deuils peace where he beares the sway The peace of which I now speake is in the Lord and in the true worship of God of which read Isa. 2. where men are saide hand in hand to goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord that they may heare his will and ioyntly obay it 16. Then I say walke in the spirit and ye shall not fullfill the lust of the flesh The scope Here Paul returnes to the first rule v. 13. and shewes the waie how it is to be obserued thus If ye walke in the spirit ye shall not fullfill the lustes of the flesh and when the lusts of the flesh are not fulfilled there shall no occasion be giuen to the flesh by the vse of Christian libertie The words containe two parts a Rule walke in the spirit the benefit that comes by the rule ye shall not fullfill the lustes of the flesh In the rule I consider two things what is the spirit and what is walking The spirit is the gift of regeneration lost by Adam restored by Christ. I say it is a gift and this gift is termed by the name of the spirit because the spirit worketh it immediatly in vs from the father and the sonne Againe I say it is a gift of regeneration to make a distinctiō bewteene it ciuill vertue For there is a gift of regeneration which mortifies corruption and a gift of restraint which serues only to keepe in corruption Of this second kind are all ciuill vertues in naturall and heathen men and not of the first Ioseph is chast and so was Xenocrates Iosephs chastitie is a part of regeneration and proceedes from the spirt here mentioned but the chastitie of Xenocrates is not so proceeding only from the generall prouidence of God and not from the spirit of Sanctification The like I say of all other ciuill vertues More plainly The spirit is a Diuine nature qualitie or cōdition whereby we are made conformable to Christ in righteousnes and holines The spirit hath fiue properties The first that it is a rich and liberall grace of God For it containes in it the seede of all vertues and all necessarie graces of God because it comes in the roome of originall sinne which containes in it the seedes of all vices or sinnes The second is the largenes of it for this spirit is in all the powers of them that are regenerat that is in the mind conscience will affections and in the sensuall appetite 1. Thes 5. 23. And he that is sanctified in on part is sanctified in all Hence it followes that they which haue plentie of illumination without change of affection and life are indeed carnall and not spirituall The third propertie is sinceritie for the grace of God is without falsehood or guile Psal 32. 1. hence ariseth the difference betweene the Godly man and an hypocrite betweene the workes of nature and the workes of grace There are men that in distresse desire the assistance fauour of God and they do it without the spirit of God for they do it deceitfully desiring Gods fauour not for it selfe but in respect of some euill from which they would be deliuered as the Mariners in Ionas and Pharao did Againe there are men that mourne for their sinnes without the spirit of God For there is much falsehood in their mourning because they mourne for sinne in respect of the punishment thereof and not in respect of the offence of God Lastly there are that pretend a loue to God and yet want the spirit for they loue God in respect of his benefits as Saul loued God for a kingdome such loue is mercenarie a worke of nature whereas the loue which is from the spirit makes vs loue God for himselfe The fourth propertie is excellencie for the spirit of grace in Christians is more excellent then the grace of creation in two respects First in respect of the beginning thereof For the spirit is from Christ the second Adam both God and man the grace of creation should haue beene conuayed vnto vs from the first Adam but a meere man if he had stood Secondly in respect of constancie for God gaue to Adam the will to perseuere if he would he giueth further to beleeuers both the wll to perseuere and the deed The fifte propery is liuelines whereby the spirit is effectuall in operation Elihu saith that the spirit compelled him and was in him as a vessell of new wine which must haue a vent Iob 32. 19. Of the operation of the spirit I deliuer three things The first that the spirit workes in and by the word of God which therefore is called the Ministerie of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 6. The second that the spirit worketh by certaine degrees The first degree and the very first beginning of his diuine operation is to make vs feele in what great neede we stand of Christ to desire to be recōciled and turned vnto God This is the first motion of the spirit in vs and they which want this haue nothing as yet of the grace of God in them The third that the whole worke of the spirit may be reduced to three actions The first is to cast downe euery thing in vs that exalts it selfe against God 2. Cor. 10. as namely to beat downe erronious reason and rebellious affection and to put a man out of heart with his chiefe deligtes and with his owne selfe The second action is to kindle in our hearts a care and desire of reconciliation with God in Christ hence the spirit is called the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12. The third action is to write the law in our hearts and that is done by putting a new light of knowledge into the minde and new inclinations into the will and affections Thus much of the Spirit Walking in the spirit is to Order our liues according to the direction and motion of the spirit For as the spirit renewes our nature within so it makes vs to change and renew our actions in three respects First it makes
gift of illumination faith regeneration life sense and motion are the gifts of the spirit and so are ciuill vertues but the sending of the spirit is onely in respect of such gifts as are bestowed in the Church in the receiuing of which the spirit is acknowledged The place or mansion of the spirit is the heart that is the minde will and affection The heart is the very sinke of sinne yet that doth the spirit choose for his abode Hence we learne 1. That the beginning of our newe birth is in the heart when a newe light is put into the minde a newe and heauenly disposition into the will and affection 2. The most principall part of our change or renouation is in the heart where the spirit abides The end of all teaching is loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. 3. The beginning and principall part of Gods worship is in the heart He that serues God in the righteonsnesse of his heart in peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost is accepted Rom. 14. 17. 4. In our hearts no wicked or carnall thought will desire or lust must raigne but onely Gods word and spirit For thy heart is the house where the spirit dwels and he must be Lord of his owne house 5. Aboue all things keepe watch and warde about thy heart and fill it with all good cogitations desires that it may be a fit place of intertainment for the spirit who is as it were an Embassadour sent from the great God vnto thee The last thing is the office of the spirit which is to make beleeuers Crie Abba Here I consider 4. things 1. The meanes whereby this Crie is caused 2. The nature of it 3. To whome it is directed 4. The manner of direction For the first in the effecting or causing of this Crie there are 4. workes of the spirit The first is Conuiction when a man in his iudgement and conscience is conuicted that the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles are indeed the word of God To this purpose there are many arguments which nowe I omit This conuiction is a common worke of the spirit yet necessarie because much Atheisme lies lurking in our hearts which makes vs call into question euery part of the word of God The second worke is Subiection whereby a man conuicted that the scripture and euery part of it is the word of God subiects himselfe in his heart to the commandement of God which bids him turne to God and beleeue in Christ. And this second is a worke of the spirit of grace proper to the elect The third is the Certificate or testimonie of the spirit which is a diuine manner of reasoning framed in the mindes of them that beleeue and repent on this manner He that beleeues and repents is Gods child Thus saith the Gospel But I beleeue in Christ and repent at the least I subiect my will to the commandement which biddes me repent and beleeue I detest mine vnbeleefe and all my sinnes and desire the Lord to increase my faith Therefore I am the child of God This is the practicall syllogisme of the H. Ghost It is the testimonie of the spirit that we are the sonnes of God it is the earnest of the spirit and the seale whereby we are sealed to the day of our redemption and it containes the certentie ofspeciall faith The fourth thing that followes vpon this Testimonie is Peace of conscience Ioy and affiance in God And from this affiance comes the crying here mentioned whereby euery true beleeuer with open throat as it were cries vnto god the father This doctrine is of great worth it is the hinge vpon which the gate of heauen turnes and therefore to be remembred The vse By this we see a manifest errour in the Popish religion which teacheth that we can haue no other certenty of our saluation in this life but that which is probable or coniecturall that is a certentie ioyned with feare suspicion and some doubting Certentie in respect of God that promiseth feare doubting in respect of our owne indisposition But this doctrine is false For they which are Gods children receiue the spirit crying Abba and this crying argues affiance or confidence in God By faith we haue confidence in God and entrance with boldnesse Eph. 3. 11. and boldnesse is opposite to feare and excludes doubting in respect of our selues Againe by this doctrine we see it is ordinarie and possible for all that beleeue and repent to be certainly assured that they are the children of God For if they haue the spirit of God crying in them as all Gods childrē haue they cannot but perceiue this crie and withall they haue the testimonie of the spirit in them which is the ground of this crie Rom. 8. 16. And seeing this is so we must be admonished to vse all meanes that we may be assured that we are the children of God 2. Pet. 1. Giue all diligence to make your Election sure Paul bids rich men lay vp a good foundation against the time to come 1. Tim. 6. 18. And this foundation must be laide not in heauen but in the conscience God of his mercie hath made a couenant or bargaine with vs that beleeue and repent in this bargaine he hath promised to vs pardon of our sinnes and life euerlasting let vs then neuer be at rest till we haue receiued earnest from the hand of God and haue his promise sealed vnto vs by the spirit in our hearts You will say what shall I doe to be assured that I am Gods child Ans. Thou must examine thy selfe of two things The first is whether thou art conuicted in thy iudgement that the Scripture is indeede the word of God if thou art not yet conuicted then inquire and vse meanes that thou maist indeed be conuicted otherwise all is in vaine Secondly inquire whether thou dost indeed and in good earnest submit and subiect thy will to the cōmandement of God which bids thee beleeue in Christ and turne vnto God For if thou canst say that thou dost will to beleeue and will to repent if thou shew this will indeede in the vse of good meanes if thou condemne and detest thy vnbeleefe and all other thy sinnes thou hast receiued the earnest of the spirit and thou art indeede the child of God And this assurance shall be vnto thee of great vse For it will make thee reioyce in afflictions and it will worke patience experience hope Rom. 5. 5. It will make thee despise this world it will take away the feare of death and kindle in thy heart a desire to be with Christ. Touching the nature of this crie it stands in the desires and groanes of the heart directed vnto God And these desires may be distinguished from all carnall desires by three properties First of all they are in the hearts of them that are turned to God or at the least beginne to turne vnto him For God heareth