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
which there is a sorrow for vnbeleefe a will and defire to beleeue in Christ with care to vse good meanes and to increase in faith Strong faith is that which preuailes against doubting and it is a full perswasion or resolution of the loue and mercie of God in Christ. This second degree of faith follows iustification vpon the obseruation and experience of the prouidence and goodnes of God but the first degree of speciall faith before named for order goes before iustification and for time is together with it The second question is when faith beginnes first to breede in the heart Ans. When a man beginnes to be touched in his conscience for his sinnes and vpon feeling of his owne spirituall pouertie earnestly hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnes aboue all things in the world Christ saith I will giue to him that thirsteth of the well of the water of life freely Reuel 21. 6. This promise declares that in thirsting there is a measure of faith To eate and drinke Christ the bread and water of life is to beleeue in him and to hunger and thirst hauing as it were a spirituall appetite to Christ is the next steppe to this eating and drinking Therefore this must be remembred that professours of the Gospel yea teachers of the same that want this sense of their vnworthines and this thirsting are farre wide what gifts soeuer they haue For they are not yet come to the first steppe of true faith The third question is how faith in Christ is reuealed in the heart Ans. It is not faith to conceiue in minde a bare perswasion that Christ is my Sauiour and thereupon to thinke to be saued But faith in Christ is conceiued in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance When I see mine owne sinnes and Gods anger against me for them by the law when I see mine owne guiltines I draw my selfe into the presence of God making confession of mine offences and praier for the pardon of them and in this praier I striue against mine vnbeleefe I will desire and endeauour to assent to the promise of God touching forgiuenes and withall I purpose with my selfe to sinne no more This is my daily practise and thus is faith truly conceiued and confirmed Againe faith is conceiued in the vse of holy meanes namely the Preaching of the word and Sacraments For in hearing receiuing the Lords Supper to meditate vpon the promise of mercie and in meditation to applie the said promise to my selfe is the right way to conceiue true faith Therefore it must be remembred that faith conceiued without the exercises of inuocation and repentance or conceiued without the vse of the word and Sacraments as commonly it is is not true faith but an Imagination or fiction of the braine which will faile in the ende The third point to be considered is the signe or the outward meanes of Adoption and that is Baptisme It may be demanded how Baptisme can be a marke or signe of the child of God considering all sorts of men are partakers of it Ans. Baptisme alone is no marke of Gods child but baptisme ioyned with faith for so must the text be conceiued All ye Galatians that beleeue are baptised into Christ. For Paul had said immediatly before Ye are the sounes of God by faith Againe the Scripture speaking of baptisme comprehends both the outward and the inward baptisme which is the inward baptisme of the spirit Math. 3. 11. and 1. Pet. 3. 21. And thus is baptisme alwaies an infallible marke of the child of God It may further be demanded what are the markes of the inward baptisme Ans. The new birth whereby a man is washed and cleansed by the spirit of God hath three speciall markes The first is the spirit of grace and supplications Zach. 12. 10. that is the spirit of regeneration causing men to turne to God and withall to make instant praier and supplication for mercie and forgiuenes of sins past The second is to heare obay the voice of god in all things Ioh. 8. 47. 10. 27. The third is not to sin that is not to liue in in the practise of any sinne after this new birth is begunne 1. Ioh. 3. He that is borne of God doth not commit sinne He may faile in this or that speach and doe amisse in this or that action but after his calling and conuersion the tenour and course of his life shall be according to the commandements of God And this is a speciall marke to discerne the inward baptisme Some alleadged that hauing long agoe beene baptised with water yet they feele not the inward baptisme and therefore they feare that they are not the children of God Ans. If there be in thee a sorrow for thy corruptions and sinnes past if thou hast a purpose to sinne no more if thou auoidest the occasions of sinne and fearest to offend if hauing sinned thou liest not in thy sinne but recouerest thy selfe by new repentance thou art verily borne of God and baptised with the baptisme of the holy Ghost Others alleadge that although they haue bin baptised yet they feare they haue no faith and therefore they thinke they are not the children of God Ans. If there be in thee a sorrow for thine vnbeleefe a will and desire to beleeue and a care to increase in faith by the vse of good meanes there is a measure of true faith in thee and by it thou maist assure thy selfe that thou art the child of God Others againe alleadge that they haue long made praier vnto God and that according to his will and yet their praiers haue not bin heard and therefore they often doubt they are not Gods children Ans. If thou canst pray though thy praier be not heard according to thy desire content thy selfe For the praier of the heart is the marke of the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 16. 26. And by it thou maist know that thou art the child of God Thus then we see what is the infallible marke of the child of God namely baptisme ioyned with true faith in Christ or the outward baptisme ioyned with the inward baptisme of the spirit The vse Many auouch the present Church of Rome to be the true Church of God and that because they say in it there is true baptisme which is a marke of the church of God But they are deceiued for baptisme in the church of Rome is seuered from true faith or from the Apostolike doctrine and the outward baptisme is seuered from the inward baptisme For they of that Church ouerturne iustification by the meere mercie of God which is the principall part of the inward baptisme Againe the ten Tribes retained circumcision after their Apostasie yet for all that condemned to be no people of God Ose. 1. 9. The light in the lanthorne pertaines not to the lanthorne but to the passengers in the streete euen so the Confession of faith in the Symboll of the Apostles and
no sinners Secondly they are conceiued in the minde according to the reuealed will of God Rom. 8. 27. 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Thirdly they are diuine and spirituall touching things which concerne the kingdome of God Rom. 8. 5. Desires thus qualified haue the force of a loud crie in the eares of God Psal. 10. 17. God heareth the desire of the poore Psal. 38. 9. All my desires are before thee Psal. 145. 19. He fulfilleth the desire of them that feare of him Isa. 64. 24. Before they crie I will answer that is so soone as a desire of my helpe is conceiued and before it be vttered I will answer That the desires of our hearts are cries it is by meanes of the intercession of Christ. This Intercession is not a vocall but a vertuall praier in that the Sonne of God presents his manhood and his merits before the father in heauen willing as God and desiring as man that the father should accept the said merits for vs. Now this will and desire of the Sonne is of great force with the father It is a Crie in which the father is well pleased and by it the desires of our hearts are Cries in the eares of God Of these desires there be two speciall examples in the scriptures The first is when we are touched in our hearts for our sinnes to flie to the throne of grace and to desire reconciliation with God in Christ. When Dauid did but desire the pardon of his sinnes and therefore purposed in his heart to humble himselfe he receiued pardon Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confesse my wickednes against my selfe vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne When the prodigall sonne conceiued a desire to be reconciled to his father with a purpose to confesse his offence before he had vttered his desire he is receiued to mercie Luk. 15. 21. The second example is a desire of Gods presence and protection in common iudgements When Moses stoode at the redde sea in great danger hauing the sea before him and Pharaohs charriots behind him no doubt he lifted vp his heart vnto God but we read not of any thing that he said and yet the Lord saith Why criest thou to me Exod. 14. 15. When Iehosaphat was in great distresse by reason of the armie of the Ammonites confounded in himselfe he saith O Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20. 12. and hereupon he obtained deliuerance The vse By this we learne to lay aside formall praying and lippe labour and to learne to lift vp our hearts to God in heauenly sighs and desires for that is indeede to pray It is the very first thing that the child of God doth inwardly to sigh and desire reconciliation with God in Christ and he which cannot doe this is not as yet borne of God Againe many are cast downe in themselues because they see their mindes full of ignorance their wills full of rebellion and subiect to many temptations and they find little goodnes in themselues but they must be comforted by this if they can but groane and sigh vnto God in their hearts for mercie and forgiuenes they haue the spirit of God crying in them Abba and they haue receiued the first fruits of the spirit The desires and cries of our hearts are fruits of the Intercession or crie of the Sonne of God in heauen for vs. Others are grieued because they haue praied long and they find not the fruit of their praiers but if they can pray sighing and groaning in their hearts for grace and mercie let them be content for it is the spirit of grace and praier that makes them sigh and groane And euery sigh of a contrite heart hath a loud crie in the eares of God It falls out often that men in extremitie of danger confounded in themselues know not what in the world to say or doe Ezechias in his sicknes could not say any thing but chatter in his throat and mourne like a doue Isa. 38. 14. Some lie vnder the sword of the enemie others in a tempest are cast ouer shipboard into the sea Now this must be their comfort if they can lift vp their hearts vnto God if they can but sigh groane for his presence and assistance the Lord will heare the petitions of their hearts for the inward sobbes groanes and sighs of repentant sinners are loud and strong cries in the eares of god the father The third point is That the crie of the spirit is directed to God because it makes vs crie Abba father Here first obserue that Praier to Saints and Angels is carnall praier For the praier which is caused by the spirit is direct to the father And good reason for it is the propertie of God to heare the crie of the heart Rom. 8. 27. Some say that the Saints in heauen are with God and that in him they see the desires of our hearts but it is false which they say For the Scripture saith that God alone searcheth the heart 1. king 8. 39. None knowes what is in man but God and the spirit of man 1. Cor. 2. 11. Though Abraham had the sight of God yet is it said Thou art our father and Abraham knowes vs not Isa. 64. 16. And for this cause Inuocation of Saints whether it be called Latria or Dulia is flat idolatrie Againe Praier is to be made to God as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word that is to God who is the father of Christ and in him our father who also sends his spirit into our hearts crying Abba It is an heathenish practise which is also the practise of many among vs to pray to an absolute God that is to God out of the Father Sonne and holy spirit Thirdly here we see that true and spirituall Inuocation of God is a marke of the Church of God because it is a fruit of the spirit of God in them that are the children of God And by this the people of God are noted Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. and on the contrarie it is the marke of an Atheist not to pray Psal. 14. 4. The last point is the manner of directing our cries to God First of all they are to be directed to him with reuerence as beeing present with vs for to crie Abba is not to speake words into the aire but to direct our hearts to one that is present with vs in all dutifull and childlike manner Thus did Dauid Psal. 119. 58. and Paul Eph. 3. 14. Secondly our cries are to be directed to God with subiection to his will Read the example of Christ Mark 14. 36. and of Dauid 2. Sam. 15. 26. This condemnes the practise of many men Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous but without subiection to God for he would not liue the life of the righteous And many among vs haue often good motions and desires in their minds but there is no soundnes in them
fruits of the spirit the hatred of our owne sinne the purpose of not sinning the feare of God and such like we must content our selues and waite for the fruition of further grace till the life to come Thirdly we must become waiters for the mercie of God and for life euerlasting Gen. 49. 18. Iud. v. â—1 For this cause we must doe as they doe which waite attend for some great benefit we must daily stand with our supplications knocking at the mercie gate to the death and we must daily prepare our selues against the day of death and it must be welcome vnto vs for then is the ende of all our waiting and attending The third point is by what are we to waite Paul saith We waite by faith Hence it followes that faith brings with it a speciall certentie of the mercie of God and of life euerlasting For men vse not to waite for the things whereof they are vncerten Waiting presupposeth certentie The Papists therefore that make speciall hope should also make speciall faith The last point is where is this waiting Paul saith in spirit Here obserue that all the exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit God must be worshipped in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. Rom. 1. 9. The heart must be rent and not the garment Ioâ—l 2. The inward motions of the spirit are of themselues the worship of God whereas our words and deedes are not simply but so farforth as they are founded in the renewed motions of the heart Men in our daies thinke they doe God high seruice if they come to Church heare Gods word and say some few praiers Indeede these things are not to be condemned yet are they not sufficient vnlesse withall we bring vnto God a renewed spirit indued with faith hope â—oue In the 6. verse Paul propounds three conclusions The first is this that externall and bodely priuiledges are of no vse and moment in the kingdome of Christ. Paul saith 1. Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little and that godlines is profitable for all things It was a great priuiledge to be familiarly acquainted with Christ and to haue eaten and drunke with him yet is it of no vse in the kingdome of Christ. For of such Christ saith Luk. 13. 26. Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie It was a great priuiledge to be allied to Christ in respect of blood yet in the kingdome of Christ it is of no vse and therefore Christ saith He that doth the will of my father is my brother sister and mother Mark 3. 33. To conceiue and beare Christ was a great honour to the virgin Marie yet was shee not by this meanes a member of the kingdome of Christ but by her faith in him And if shee had not borne him in her heart as well as shee bare him in her wombe shee had not bin saued To prophecie or preach and that in the name of Christ is a great dignitie and yet many hauing this prerogatiue shall be condemned Matth. 7. 22. It may be alleadged that some outward exercises as baptisme and the Lords supper are of great vse in the Church of Christ. I answer the outward baptisme is nothing without the inward Not the washing of the flesh but the stipulation of a good conscience saueth 1. Pet. 3. 18. Circumcision is profitable if thou keepe the law Rom. 2. 35. By this we are taught not to esteeme of mens religion by their riches and externall dignities For the fashion of the world is if a man haue riches and honour to commend him for a wise vertuous and godly man This is foolishly to haue faith in respect of persons Iam. 2. 1. Secondly by this we are taught to moderate our affections in respect of all outward things neither sorrowing too much for them nor ioying too much in them 1. Cor. 7. 30. The second conclusion Faith is of great vse and acceptation in the kingdome of Christ. By it first our persons and then our actions please God and without it nothing pleaseth God It is the first and the greatest honour we can doe to God to giue credence to his word and from this flowes all other obedience to all other commandements Hence we learne First that we must labour to conceiue faith a right in our hearts by the vse of the right meanes the word praier sacraments as also in and by the exercises of spirituall inuocation and repentance This beeing done we must rest vpon the bare word and testimonie of God without and against sense and feeling and quiet our hearts therein both in life and death Secondly faith in Christ must raigne and beare sway in our hearts and haue the command ouer reason will affection lust And by it whatsoeuer we doe or suffer specially the maine actions of our liues are to be ordered and disposed Lastly it is a thing to be bewailed that the common faith of our daies is but a Ceremoniall faith conceiued without the ordinarie meanes and seuered from the exercises of inuocation and repentance The third conclusion is that true faith workes by loue Hence the Papists gather that loue is the forme and life of faith not because it makes faith to be faith but because it makes it to be a true faith a good faith a liuely faith But this their doctrine is false and erronious For faith is the cause of loue and loue is the fruit of faith 1. Tim. 1. 5. Loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained Now euery cause as it is a cause hath his force and efficacie in it selfe and receiues no force or efficacie from his effect Secondly true faith is liuely and effectuall in it selfe and hath a peculiar forme of his owne and that is a certen power to apprehend Christ in the promise For in faith there are two things knowledge and apprehension which some call application or speciall affiance which affiance because the Papists cut off they are constrained to make a supplie by loue Thirdly the operation of faith according to the doctrine of the Papist is to Prepare and dispose a sinner to his future iustification Now if this operation be from loue then loue is before iustification and that cannot be because as they teach iustification stands in loue Loue therfore is not the forme of faith They alleadge for themselues this very text in hand where it is said faith worketh by loue or as they translate it faith is acted and mooued by loue Ans. The meaning of the text is that faith is effectuall in it selfe and that it shewes and puts forth his efficacie by loue as by the fruit thereof And it cannot hence be gathered that faith is acted and mooued by loue as by a formall cause Againe they alleadge Iam. 2. 26. As the bodie is dead without the spirit so is faith without workes Ans. 1. The soule of man is not the forme of his bodie but of the whole man 2. Spirit may as well signifie breath or
sought in a good manner The right manner of seeking the praise of men is this A man must in this life passe through three iudgements the iudgement of God of his owne conscience and of his neighbour and the order of going through them is in the first place he must seeke for the iudgement and approbation of God in the next his owne and in the last his neighbours Nowe the vaine-glorious man takes another course first and principally ayming at the glorie and good liking of man hauing small or no regard of the two other II. Excuse There is a good boasting which Dauid vsed and that we may lawfully vse Psal. 7. 8. Ans. Boasting is either lawfull or vnlawfull Lawfull boasting is in the Lord when beeing vrged and compelled we confesse the good things that are in vs to Gods glorie Of this read at large 2. Cor. 11. Vnlawfull is when men ascribe the gifts that they haue of God vnto themselues or hauing gifts do arrogate more vnto themselues then indeed they haue or in a word doe so esteeme of their gifts as if they had not receiued them from God And this is a damnable boasting III. Excuse Gods blessings we may seeke for and what are glorie and honour but the blessings and gifts of God Ans. There are two degrees of honour The first is the honour that euery man hath in his place and calling For euery calling ordained by God hath a glory annexed vnto it which beeing the gift of God it may be both sought for and enioyed The other degree is that which is aboue a mans place and calling and that ought not to be sought for Euery person must content himselfe with the honour which is sorted vnto his calling Neuerthelesse if God giue greater honour he may accept it but where God giues it not there it must not be desired It remaineth therefore that vaine-glorie is a branch of pride wherein men principally referre all there studies counsels indeauours and gifts to the honouring and aduancing of themselues The next point to be considered is why he admonisheth the Galatians of vaine-glorie Answ. The Galatians were men of vnderstanding and knowledge and were adorned with many excellent gifts Now they that haue receiued good gifts of god many times are most vaine-glorious 2. Cor. 12. 7. Math. 6. 5. And whereas all other vices feed vpon that which is euill this vice of vaine-glorie feeds vpon good things For a man sometimes will be proud euen because he is not proud A third point to be considered is where vaine-glorie is to be found Ans. It is no rare matter for it is a common vice and spreads it selfe farre and wide Some there are which neuer lift vp heart nor hand unto God at home and yet the same persons in the publike assemblies wil make as though they praied with great deuotion And what is the reason hereof but this that they are carried with a spirit of pride and arrogancie seeking the commendation of men that behold them rather then to approoue their hearts and consciences vnto God Of another sort are those that haue beene old and ancient hearers of the word who notwithstanding doe little or not at all profit either in knowledge or in good life and the cause is not in the Gospel or in the dispensers of it but in themselues because they receiue not the Gospel for it selfe but for the praise and commēdation of men and for the credit account they are in by reason of Christian profession The last thing is the remedie of pride and vaine-glorie which is the rather to be thought vpon because it is a great impediment of Christian loue This remedie consists partly in meditation and partly in practise Remedies in meditation are these 1. God resisteth all proud persons and giues grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5. 5. the reason is because the vain-glorious man seeking himselfe and not god robbes God of his honour Thus the proud Pharisie exalting himselfe aboue the poore Publican went away lesse iustified that is not approoued of God as the Publican was 2. It is the worke of the deuill to puffe vp the mind with selfe-liking and conceit that thereby he may worke mans perdition Gen. 3. 5. But God worketh contrarily for he therefore abaseth men that he might in his good time the more exalt them 3. There is no religion in that heart that is wholly bent to seeke the praise of men Ioh. 5. 44. And the man that desires to be talked of and admired by others doeth thereby in effect giue notice vnto all the world that his heart is not sound in the sight of God Remedies consisting in practise are first an indeauour to acknowledge the great Maiestie of God and withall our own basenesse and vilenesse before him 2. We ought to ascribe all good things we haue or can doe to God alone and nothing to our selues For in all that befall vs God is the principall agent our selues are but tooles and instruments in his hand by right therefore the commendation belonges vnto him and not to vs. 3. In all actions and duties of religion first we must indeauour to approue our selues to God and the next place is to be giuen to man not contrariwise 4. when we are reviled we must rest content whē we are praised to our faces or otherwise we must take heed For then Satan standes at our right hand to puffe vs vp and consequently to ouerthrowe vs. It is a a true saying that Temptations on the right hand are far more dangerous then those on the left In the fift place Pauls reason to disswarde from this sinne is taken from two euill fruits of it Contention and Enuie prouoking one another envying one another Men that are ambitious if they be crossed in their courses grow contentious if they prosper in the world then are they enuyed by others Read for this purpose the historie of Samuel and Saul 1. Sam. 15. Seeing then vaine-glorie hath so badde fruites issuing from it it must teach vs to abhorre and detest it with all our hearts and on the contrarie to seeke by all meanes possible to preserue and maintaine loue in the whole course of our liues FINIS THE SVPPLEMENT OR CONTINVATION OF the Commentarie vpon the sixt Chapter ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1604. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir BASSINGBVRNE GAVDY Knight RIght Worsh. hauing beene licensed some yeare agoe according to the auncient laudable custome of the Uniuersitie to interpret S. Pauls Epistles and then earnestly intreated by M. Perkins his Executor and others his friends which had some interest in me to supplie that which was defectiue in his Commentarie vpon the Galatians ouercome at the last by their importunitie I vndertooke the busines making triall of my simple facultie in this short Chapter which I haue here according to my poore talent finished Yet not daring to publish
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
pray for this gift at Gods hand For power to suffer is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. and we must obserue the commandement of God not to feare the terrours of men Reu. 2. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 14. And for this cause we must as Peter saith sanctifie God in our hearts beeing assured by our faith of the presence protection and prouidence of God When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things he shewes that we must endure manifold miseries in this life Iacob said to Pharao his daies were few and euill Many are the afflictions of the righteous Psal. 34. 20. Christ saith Take vp thy crosse euery day Luk. 9. 23. and thereby he signifies that euery new day that comes ouer our heads we must looke for a new crosse And for this cause it is not enough to be patient for a fit but we must shew all patience and long suffering and that with ioyfulnes Col. 1. 11. When Paul saith Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine he signifies that our sufferings are of great vse vnlesse our sinnes be the hindrance It may then be demanded what is the vse of our sufferings The Papists answer that in our baptisme or first conuersion Christ sufferings doe all abolish the whole fault and punishment but if we sinne after our conuersion then they say Christs sufferings abolish the fault and the eternall punishment and our owne sufferings abolish the temporall punishment But this doctrine leslens and obscures the mercie of God and it must be obserued that Paul holds all their sufferings to be in vaine that seeke remission of sinnes or iustification in any thing out of Christ. Now we for our parts make fiue other vses of our sufferings First they serue for triall of men that it may appeare what is hidden in their hearts Deut. 8. 2. Secondly they serue for the correction of things amisse in vs. 1. Cor. 11. 23. Thirdly they serue as documents and warnings to others specially in publike persons thus Dauid suffers many things after repentance for his murther and adulterie Fourthly they are markes of adoption if we be content to obey God in them Heb. 12. 7. Lastly they are the troaden and beaten way to the kingdom of heauen Act. 14. 23. When Paul saith If they be in vaine we are to obserue his moderation He reprooues and terrifies the Galatians yet so as he is carefull to preserue the hope of mercie in them and the hope of their amendment in himselfe The like hath bin the practise of the Prophets Ionas preacheth yet fourtie daies and Niniuie shall be destroied but withall he addes It may be the Lord will repent and turne from his fierce wrath Ion. 3. 9. Peter saith to Simon Magus Thou art in the gall of bitternes but withall he addes Pray God that the thought of thy heart may be forgiuen thee Act. 8. 21. See the like Ioel 2. 14. and Amos 5. 15. And thus are Ministers of the Gospel to delay and qualifie their reproofes and censures 5 He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith These words are a repetition of the second verse whence the exposition must be fetched The words and worketh miracles among you are added and they carrie this meaning That God gaue to the Galatians not onely the spirit of adoption but also other extraordinarie gifts of the spirit as to speake with strange tongues to cure diseases and such like Repetitions in Scripture are not idle but of great vse and signifie vnto vs the necessitie of the thing repeated and the infallible certentie of it The substance therefore of this verse must carefully be remembred and that is this Ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and of God The argument is of great vse For by it we come to an infallible assurance of the Certentie of the Scriptures and of true religion deriued thence The Galatians are now reuolted from Pauls doctrine and they erre in the foundation and yet Paul saith in the time present He that ministreth the spirit vnto you Hence it appeares that falls of infirmitie in the child of God doe not vtterly extinguish the spirit but onely grieue or make sadde the spirit Againe Paul here teacheth that God is the onely and proper author of miracles For he that ministreth the spirit worketh miracles namely God A miracle is a worke aboue the strength of natureâ— therefore it can be effected of none but the author of nature It may be obiected the Apostles Prophets and others had a gift to worke miracles Iosua commanded the sunne to stand Ios. 10. 12. and Elias commanded fire to come downe from heauen 2. king 1. Ans. God neuer gaue to any man power to worke and effect a miracle either mediately or immediately The gift was the faith of miracles The faith was grounded vpon reuelation and the reuelation was that God himselfe would worke such or such a miracle when they praied commanded or imposed hands Men therefore properly are but the mouth of God and messengers to signifie what he will doe Againe it may be obiected that the deuill can worke miracles Ans. He can worke a wonder or things extraordinarie in respect of the ordinarie course of nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen and he caused vlcers to arise in the bodie of Iob and that true vlcers And this he did by the force of nature better knowne to him then all the world But as for a true miracle that exceedes the strength of nature he cannot possibly doe it no not Christ himselfe as man though he be exalted aboue all men and angels By this we see that they are deceiued who thinke that the deuill can make raine thunder and lightning Indeede when the matter of raine and thunder is prepared by God he can hasten it and make it more terrible but raine and thunder he cannot make for that is indeede as much as any miracle Againe it is a falsehood to thinke that Alchimists are able to turne baser mettals into gold For it is a worke of creation to turne a creature of one kind into a creature of an other kind It is also as foolish to imagine that witches by the power of the deuill are able to turne themselues into catts and other creatures None can doe this but God that made the creature Here againe we see the vse of miracles that is to confirme doctrine in the Apostolike Churches That their vse is further to confirme doctrine euen at this day it cannot be prooued Lastly here in the Galatians we see what an easie thing it is to fall from God from our faith and allegiance to him They were taught by Paul they had receiued the spirit of adoption they were enabled to worke miracles and yet for all this they fall away to an other Gospel They must be a looking glasse to vs. In peace we
because a secret Atheisme makes them say in their hearts There is no Christ there is no curse that was indured by Christ. Clense your hearts of this hidden Atheisme and looke that inwardly in your spirits you die vnto your sinnes and liue to God In that Christ was obedient to his Father in bearing the curse of the law we are taught in all things to subiect our selues to the will of God Our obedience must not onely be in doing this or that but also in suffering the miseries â—â—d on us to the death this is the best obedience of all and the truest marke of Gods child to obey in our sufferings Moreouer that Christ was accursed it is confirmed by the sentence and decree of God Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree Deut. 21. 23. The ground of this sentence is the sinne of the malefactour for whome God curseth he curseth for his offence And here it may be demanded why he that is stoned to death is not likewise accursed Ans. He also is accursed but there are speciall reasons why the man hanged on the tree is cursed First among the Iewes they which were hanged were most grieuous malefactours as blasphemers and idolatours and there punishment was accordingly most grieuous Secondly hanging as among all nations so among the Iewes was a most odious and infamous death Thirdly God did foresee that the Messias should die on the crosse and therefore he accursed this kind of death If it be saide that there was no fault or offence in Christ and therefore he could not be accursed I answer that he became sinne for vs in that our sinne was applied and imputed to him It may be further obiected that the theefe which repented was not accursed though he were hanged on the tree Ans. As a theefe he was accursed as he was a theefe and repented the curse was remooued For the law in the curses thereof giues place to the Gospel iudgement yeelds to mercie and the Gospel puts an exception to the law The vse If the malefactour hanged be accursed and defile the earth how vile and accursed is the liuing malefactour the blasphemer adulterer murtherer c. who hath entred no degree of punishment Let this be considered to terrifie offenders Againe let vs consider the scope of this law Because he that hangs on the tree is accursed therefore saith the law of God he must be taken downe and buried Marke the equity of this law and that is that things euill and accursed are to be remooued from the eye and sense of man This charge the Lord giues of lesse matters namely of sights vndecent and vnseemely Deut. 23. 15. Againe we are commanded not so much as to name fornication vncleannes couetousnes resting foolish talking c. Eph. 5. 3. Here we are to be put in minde that the Plaies commonly in vse ate to be banished out of all Christian societies For they doe nothing els but reuiue and represent the vile and wicked fashions of the world and the misdemeanour of men which are things accursed and therefore to be buried and not once to be spoken of Againe all euill in our example whether in word or in deede must be buried as much as may be for it defileth and is accursed Here it may be demanded how this law of God he is accursed therefore let him be taken downe and buried standes with the order vsed in this and other countries in which men are hanged in chaines for the terrour of the world Ans. Iudiciall lawes if they haue in them morall equitie and serue directly to fense in the precepts of the Decalogue are perpetuall and bind all men els not As for the iudiciall determinations of this or that manner of punishment they concerne vs not but God hath left euery nation free though not in respect of punishment yet in respect of the manner and order thereof The third point whereby our redemption is described is the ende thereof that the blessing of Abraham that is righteousnes and life euerlasting may come vpon the Gentiles Here two things are to be considered The first is whence comes the benediction of Abraham Ans. From the cursed death of Christ. For thus are the words He was made a curse for vs that the bâ—â—ediction of Abraham might come on the Gentiles Marke here how God workes one contrerie by the other In the creation he made something not of something but of nothing he called light out of darknes he kills and then makes aliue Hos. 6. he sends men to heauen by the gates of hell he gaue sight by a temper of spittle and clay a fit meanes to put out sight In the worke of our redemption he giues life not by life but by death and the blessing by the curse This shewes the wisdome and power of God and it teacheth vs in the worke of our conuersion and saluation not to goe by sense and feeling because God can and doth worke one contrarie in and by the other The second point is where this benediction of Abraham is to be found Ans. The text say It is extant in Christ Iesus who is as it were the storehouse of Gods blessing and the dispenser of it to all nations In him are hid all treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. God and the Lambe are all things to all the Elect in the kingdome of heauen Reu. 21. Here we see the right way to become rich and that is aboue all things to seeke to be true and liuely members of Christ for if he be ours we can want nothing Rom. 8. 32. Matth. 6. 33. Psal. 34. 10. This is a most sure way to procure vnto vs all good things that he sees to be necessarie for vs. For Christ is the storehouse of the benediction of Abraham Againe this must teach them that beleeue in Christ to be content in any estate be it better or worse for true riches is the blessing of God and this blessing is in Christ. This is the truth if we could discerne of things that differ Thirdly in our pouertie and in the middest of all our wants and losses we must comfort our selues For though we leese neuer so much yet we retaine the principall and that is Christ who is the benediction of Abraham The fourth point is an other end of our Redemption That we might receiue the promise of the spirit by faith For the better vnderstanding of this foure questions may be demanded The first is what is meant by the promise Ans. The promise of God made in the old Testament that he would powre out his spirit vpon all flesh Isa. 44. 3. and Ioel 2. 28. And h 〈…〉 saide that this promise is fulfilled to the nations wheÌ„ they beleeue Marke here how the promises of God lie as void dead and of none effect till the particular time of their accomplishment God promiseth Iacob that his posteritie shall be a great nation after 430 yeares for which time they remaine
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
the secrets of our hearts to God Whereas Paul saith that a Mediatour is not of one but a third betweene two at the least it may be demaunded how Christ can be mediatour betweene man and God considering he is God Ans. Though Father Sonne and holy Spirit be one and the same in respect of Godhead yet are they distinct in respect of person or in respect of the manner of subsisting so as the Father is the father not the Sonne or holy Ghost the Sonne the sonne and not the Father or the H. Ghost the holy Ghost the holy Ghost and not the father or the sonne The sonne then and the father beeing persons really distinct the sonne may be and is Mediatour first of all in respect of order to the father and in him to the sonne and the holy Ghost For the three persons beeing of one nature and will when the father is appeased in him also the sonne and the holy Ghost are appeased Thus Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father It may be said that Christ cannot be Mediatour to himselfe Ans. In Christ consider his nature and his Office By nature he is the sonne of God by office he is Mediatour and thus he is God-man or Man-god and as Mediatour by voluntarie dispensation he is inferiour to himselfe as he is the essentiall sonne of God And in the same manner Christ as God-man is Mediatour to himselfe as he is the sonne of God For as he is the sonne of God he is the partie offended as he is Mediatour God-man he is the partie that makes reconciliation Lastly the propertie of God must be obserued that he is vnchangeable Iam. 1. 17. Mal. 3. 16. It may be obiected that God is saide in Scripture to repent Ans. God is said to repent not because he changeth either nature or will but because he changeth his actions of mercie and loue into effects of anger after the manner of men Againe it may be obiected that God changed the law and abolished ceremonies Ans. This God did by an vnchangeable decree before all worlds and so the change is in the law and not in God For God can decree to change this or that without change The vse Gods vnchangeablenes is the foundation of our comfort Saint Paul saith If we loue God we are knowne of him 1. Cor. 8. 3. Now the first we may certenly finde in our selues namely the loue of God and Christ and for the second God is vnchangeable For they which are once knowne of God are euer knowne of him and that euen then when they feele nothing but Gods anger Againe we are put in minde to be vnchangeable in good things as in faith hope loue good counsells honest promises and such like specially in the maintenance of true religion For we ought to be like vnto God It is the poesie of our grations Queene Semper eadem Alwaies one and the same no doubt in good things specially in the religion established among vs. The same must be the minde of all good subiects and all good people 1. Cor. 15. 58. 21 Is the law then against the promise of God God forbid for if there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the law 22 But the Scripture hath included all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue In these words Paul propounds and answers an other obiection in number the fourth The occasion of the obiection is taken out of the former words in which Paul saith the law is for transgressions It may be framed on this manner If the law serue to conuince and condemne vs of sinne it serues not to giue life but to kill and so it is contrarie to the promise which giuethlife The answer is made negatiuely God forbid And a double reason is rendered of the deniall The first is this If the law could giue life it should also giue iustice or iustifie and so it should be contrarie to the promise because then there should be two contrarie waies of iustification one by faith alone the other by faith with workes Therefore in that it kills and condemnes it is not contrarie to the promise The second reason is in the 22. verse Things subordinate whereof one serues for the other are not contrarie the law and the promise are subordinate for the law prepares the way for the accomplishing of the promise in that it shuts all vnder sinne that the promise may be giuen to them that beleeue in Christ. The vse In that Paul reiects the blasphemous obiection with God forbid we are taught to auoid things said or done to the dishonour of God with loathing and detestation When it was related to Ahab and Iezabel that Naboth had blasphemed God they beeing idolaters solemnise a fast pretending danger by the sinne 1. King 21. 12. Caiphas supposing that Christ had blasphemed rent his garments Math. 26. When Iob did but suspect his children of blaspheming God he called them and sanctified them Iob 1. 5. It is the fault of our daies that many blaspheme by cursing swearing c. without feare and many doe it as many dissolute souldiers in a brauerie and hearers thereof for the most part are nothing mooued thereat so ordinarie is the offence This shewes the wickednes of our times In the first reason Paul deliuers a notable conclusion namely that the thing which is the meanes to procure life vnto vs is also the meanes of our iustice or iustification before God And good reason For iustice causeth life and that which giueth life first of all giueth iustice Hence it followes that workes cannot meritoriously deserue eternall life For if life be by the workes of the law then iustice also but that cannot be for we must first of all be iustified before we can doe a good worke Let the Papists consider this Againe they which teach that faith is alone in iustification and that both faith and workes concurre as causes of saluation are deceiued For by the former conclusion of Paul if workes be causes of saluation then must they also haue a stroake in our iustification which they haue not And therefore they are the way of our saluation but not any cause at all Lastly here we see that many among vs doe not hold Christ or beleeue in him aright for their iustification because they hold him without change of heart and life For by Pauls conclusion whome Christ quickneth them he iustifieth and whome he doth not quicken them he doth not iustifie Examine thy selfe then if Christ haue sanctified and renewed thy heart thou art iustified if thy heart be yet vnsanctified and thy life vnreformed deceiue not thy selfe with fond imaginations thou art not yet iustified The 22. verse followeth containing the second reason And first let vs consider the meaning of the words The Scripture the words are in the Originall thus That
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
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
because they are not ioyned with a change and conuersion of heart and life Thirdly our desires are to be directed vnto God with importunitie and instancie For the spirit makes vs crie Abba Father that is My father and thy father God requires this importunitie of vs. Luk. 18. 1. It is practised by Dauid Psal. 69. 4. by the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. We must doe as Iacob did wrastle with God and giue him no rest till he fulfil the desires of our hearts and giue vs the blessing And our constant desires and groanes to heauen for mercie shall neuer be in vaine For if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs indeede 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Verse 7. These words are the conclusion of the former doctrine of Paul The time of our libertie is come in that your libertie is procured and purchased by Christ and ye haue receiued the spirit of sonnes crying Abba therefore ye are not seruants to the lawe but sonnes of God And from this conclusion Paul deriues a second which is the summe and substance of the whole disputation from the beginning of the third chapter to this place namely that they which are sonnes are also heires not by the lawe and the works thereof but by Christ. This verse is a repetition of the 26. 29. verses of the third chapter therfore I will not stand any lōger in the hādling of it One thing is to be obserued namely the change of the number Paul said before ye are sonnes here he saith thou art a sonne And this he doth to teach vs that they which turne to God beleeue in Christ must be assured that they are the sonnes and heires of God Paul hath set downe immediately before the infallible signe whereby a man may knowe himselfe to be the childe of God therefore in the next words he saith therefore thou art the sonne of God Saint Iohn saith these things we write vnto you that beleeue that ye may know that ye haue life euer lasting 1. Ioh. 5. 13. Thus must euery beleeuer apply the Gospell and the benefits thereof to himselfe The meditation of this point serues greatly to sweeten all crosses vnto vs for if we know that we be Gods children that is comfort enough and we may then assure our selues that in euery crosse God comes vnto vs as a father Again this meditation works a contentation in euery losse For if thou be the childe of god thou canst haue no great losse For all things are thine thou Christs and Christ Gods 1. Cor. 3. 22. Lastly this meditation must stirre vp in vs a care to lead a heauenly and spirituall life 1. Ioh. 3. 3. that we may be like our eldest brother Christ Iesus v. 8. But euen then when yee knew not God ye did seruice vnto them which by nature are not Gods v. 9. But nowe seeing ye know God or rather are known of God how turne ye againe vnto impotent and beggarly rudiments whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage againe v. 10. Yee obserue daies and moneths and times and yeares v. 11. I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed labour on you in vaine Here Paul returnes againe to the principall conclusion of the whole Epistle which is on this manner If I Paul be called to teach and my doctrine be true ye haue done euill to reuolt from it to another Gospel but I am called to teach and my doctrine is true this Paul prooued in the first second and third chapters Therefore ye haue done euill to reuolt from my doctrine This conclusion he propounded before and here againe he repeates it and withall amplifies it two waies First by setting downe the particular matter of the reuolt and Apostacie of the Galatians v. 9 10. ye returne to impotent rudiments ye obserue daies and times Secondly he sets downe the greatnesse of their reuolt first by comparison thus Once ye serued false gods but there is some excuse of that offence because ye did not know God but that ye haue returned to the Rudiments of the world there is no excuse of it for ye then knewe god or rather were known of god Againe he sets forth the greatnesse of their reuolt by the effect v. 11. It makes me feare least I haue lost my labour among you Here Paul sets downe a threefold estate of the Galatians their estate in Gentilisme before their conuersion their estate in their conuersion and their estate in the Apostasie Their estate in Gentilisme stands in two things Ignorance of God then ye knew not God Idolatrie or superstition ye serued them which are not Gods by nature Touching their ignorance of God it may be demaunded how they can be said not to know God whereas Paul saith that which may be known of God is made manifest vnto the Gentiles Rom. 1. 20. and that God did not leaue himselfe without witnesse Act. 14. 17. Answ. Knowledge of God is twofold Naturall or reuealed knowledge Naturall is that which all men haue in their minds by the light of nature which also they may gather by the view and obseruation of the creatures This knowledge hath two properties The first it is imperfect because by it we know some fewe and generall things of God as namely that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped c. In this respect this knowledge is like the ruines of a princely pallace Againe it is weake because it serues onely to cut off excuse and it is not sufficient to direct vs in the worship of God Nay when by it we beginne to set downe the worship of God we then runne headlong into superstition and vanitie Reuealed knowledge is that which is set downe in the written word whereby we may knowe what God is in himselfe and what he is to vs namely a father in Christ giuing pardon of sinne and life euerlasting This knowledge the Gentiles altogether want nay by reason of the blindenes and impotencie of their minds they iudge it foolishnesse Thus then in effect though the Gentiles by nature know some things of God yet doe they not knowe God as he will be known of vs. Againe it may be demaunded whether this ignorance be a sinne in the Galatians Answ. Yea. For all men are bound to know God by the first commandement And this ignorance is a want of the image of God in the minde Col. 3. 10. And euery defect of the image of God is a branch of originali sinne And vengeance is the punishment of this sinne 2. Thess. 1. 8. It may be obiected that Paul here excuseth the Galatians by their ignorance Answ. It excuseth à tanto non à toto that is the degree and measure of the sinne and not the sinne it selfe Luk. 12. 48. Againe it may be said that this their ignorance is inuincible because as the Gentiles doe not know God so they cannot know him Ans. That they cannot know him it is not Gods
ouer vs. Thus Dauid knew God when he saide that he numbred his flittings and put his teares into his bottle Psal. 56. 8. Thirdly we must know God in respect of his will in all things to be done and to be suffered and this is the right knowledge of God to haue regard to his will Rom. 12. 2. Eph 5. 17. Dauid saith All thy lawes are before me 2. Sam. 22. 23. And when Shemei reuiled he spake thus He raileth because God biddes him raile 2. Sam. 6. 10. Lastly we must know and acknowledge God in the power which he shewed in the death and resurrection of Christ. Read and consider Eph. 1. 17. where Paul placeth the knowledge of God in two things in the knowledge of the riches of eternall life and in an experimentall knowledge of the vertue of the resurrection of Christ in our selues The third propertie is that this knowledge must be an effectuall and liuely knowledge working in vs new affections and inclinations He that saith he knowes God and keepes not his commandements makes him a liar 1. Ioh. 2. 4. and 3. 6. Tit. 2. last The vse Seeing the conuersion of a sinner stands in this spirituall knowledge of God we must be stirred vp to seeke to know God according as he will be knowne of vs. We desire to serue God and we cannot serue him vnlesse we know him nay so long as we know him not we doe nothing but serue the false gods of our owne hearts Againe we desire life eternall and this is life in right manner to acknowledge God Ioh. 17. 3. And the whol matter of our boasting must be the knowledge of God Ierem. 9. 24. God himselfe ministreth vnto me a further Argument to mooue you to this desire namely by the moouing of the earth yesterday For though Philosophers ascribe all to nature yet the truth is that the trembling and shogging of the earth is a signe of the great and extraordinarie anger of God The cause of this anger is that we know not God neither doe we for the most part care to know him We haue had the Gospel long but we bring forth but small fruits For this cause the earth in his trembling doth as it were groane to be disburdened of so rebellious a nation and it doth aster a sort craue leaue of God that it may deuoure a sinnefull people as it once deuoured Dathā and the companie of Abiram Now our dutie is in this iudgement of God to acknowledge his maiestie his anger and his iustice and with feare and trembling to humble our selues for our sinnes past thereby to preuent his anger to come The earth a bruite and dumme creature in his kinde is become a preacher vnto vs and his trembling must teach vs to tremble in our hearts and to sinne no more Againe if we must know God we must remember God and Christ and as we must know God so must we remember him Now we must not knowe Christ according to the flesh 2. Cor. 5. 17. and therefore we may not remember Christ according to the flesh that is in any worldly and carnall manner This therefore is not to keepe a Memorie of Christ to spend twelue daies in reuell and riot in masking and mumming in carding and dicing as many doe this is rather to burie the memorie of Christ and to doe homage to the god of pleasure Of them that saide Let vs eate drinke and sleepe Paul faith thus Awake and doe righteously for some of you doe not know God 1. Cor. 15. 34. Paul saith further But rather ye are knowne of God The knowledge whereby God knowes men stands in two things his Election of them to his speciall loue 2. Tim. 1. 19. and the Execution of Election whereby he makes men his peculiar people by calling iustifying and sanctifying of them Tit. 2. v. 14. Hence obserue first that Gods Election is the roote of all the gifts of God in vs. We know God because he first knows vs. Paul saith that we were elected that we might be holy Eph. 1. 4. Therefore we are not elected as some teach either for our faith or according to our faith but to our faith that is Elected that we might beleeue Secondly hence we learne that we can neither thinke will or doe that which is good vnlesse God preuent vs with his grace God must first vouchsafe to acknowledge vs before we can acknowledge him Ioh. 10. 14. Preuenting grace is twofold The first and the second The first when God in our first conuersion takes away the stonie heart and puts a fleshie heart in the roome The second is after we are regenerate for then God still preuents vs with good motions and desires Of both read Ezech. 36. 26. Some teach that if we doe that which we can God will giue vs his grace but this is false for then we should preuent God Thirdly by this we see that the workes of grace in God imprint their image in the hearts of them that belong to God And this is worth the marking There is a knowledge in God whereby he knowes who are his and this knowledge brings forth an other knowledge in vs whereby we know God for our God There is an Election in God which workes in the Elect an other Election whereby they choose God for their God The loue whereby God loues vs workes in vs an other loue whereby we loue God 1. Ioh. 4. 19. Christ first apprehends vs and this apprehension of his workes in vs the apprehension of faith wherby we lay hold vpon him Phil. 3. 12. When Christ makes intercession for vs in heauen there is another intercession wrought in our hearts by the spirit whereby we crie Abbafather Rom. 8. 26. The death of Christ hath a vertue in it to worke in vs the death of sinne Thus doth the spirit of God seale vs to the day of our redemption By this may we know that we belong to God if we finde any impression of the grace of God in vs. The sunne by his light shines vpon vs and by the same light we view and behold the sunne Lastly here is the foundation of true comfort Our faith doth not saue vs because it is a perfect vertue but because it apprehends a perfect obiect namely the perfect obedience of Christ. So then if our faith erre not in his obiect but be rightly fixed on the true causes of our saluation though it be but a weake faith and doe no more but cause vs to will desire and indeauour to apprehend Christ it is true faith and iustifieth the weakenesse of it shall not hinder our saluation which stāds not in this that we knowe God but in this that God knowes vs whose knowledge is perfect and cannot faile Againe our saluation stands not in our apprehension of Christ but in Christs apprehending of vs. Phil. 3. 12. This knowledge of God whereby he knowes vs hath two properties First it is speciall whereby he knowes all the elect euen
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
If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ First I gather that the Law and the Gospel are not one in substance of doctrine as the Papists teach for they say the Gospel is nothing but the law made more perfect and plaine which if it were true a man might be iustified both by Christ and the law which Paul saith cannot be Secondly I gather hence that it is a meere deuice of mans wit to say that Christ by his death and passion merited that we should merit by our owne workes our iustification and saluation For if this were true that the merit of our workes were the fruit of Christs passion Paul would not haue said that iustification by the law should abolish Christ vnto vs. For the cause and the effect both stand together whereas Christs merit and the merit of our works agree euen as fire and water And no maruell For the reason why Christ meriteth is the Personall vnion of the Godhead with the manhood which vnion because it is not to be found in any meere man neither is there any true and proper merit to be found Whereas Paul saith Ye are fallen from grace some gather that the children of God may fall quite from the fauour of God Ans. Men are said to be vnder grace two waies First in the iudgement of infallibilitie and thus onely the Elect are vnder the grace of God Secondly in the iudgement of Christian charitie and thus all that professe Christ though indeede hypocrites are vnder the grace of God And in this sense Paul saith that the whole Church of Galatia is vnder the grace of God And they are said to fall from grace not because all were indeede vnder the fauour of God and at length cast out of it but because God makes it manifest to men that they were neuer in the fauour of God Thus Christs enemies are said â—o be blotted out of the booke of lifâ— Psal. 69. 28. when God makes it manifest that their names were neuer written there Secondly I answer that Paul speakes this not absolutely but vpon condition If ye will be iustified by the law And therefore v. 10. he saith that he is perswaded better things of them Lastly here we see it is false that euery man shall be saued by his religion for he that is abolished from Christ is quite out of the â—auour of God And therefore no religion but that which is truly Christian saueth 5 For we in the spirit by faith waite for the hope of righteousnes 6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue The meaning We I Paul the rest of the Apostles and all other Christian churches In spirit that is in the powers of the soule sanctified and renewed In this sense Paul saith that the true circumcision is that which is in the heart in spirit Rom. 2. 29. and Christ saith that true worship of God is in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And that spirit is here taken in this sense it is manifest because it is opposed to circumcision which is in the flesh By faith we wait Faith apprehends the promise and thereby brings forth hope and faith by meanes of hope makes them that beleeue to waite Hope of righteousnes that is saluation or life eternall which is the fruit of righteousnes Tit. 2. 13. or againe righteousnes hoped for Righteousnes indeede is imputed to them that beleeue and that in this life yet the fruition and the full reuelation thereof is reserued to the life to come when Christ our righteousnes shall appeare and when the effect of righteousnes namely sanctification shall be accomplished in vs. Rom. 8. 23. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. The sense then is this All the Apostles and Christian churches with one consent in spirit by meanes of their faith waite for the full reuelation of their imputed righteousnes and for euerlasting life whereas the false Apostles place their righteousnes in circumcision of the flesh and looke to haue the fruition of it in this life v. 6. In Christ that is in the Church kingdome or religion of Christ. 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any be in Christ that is if any be a Christian he is a new creature Vncircumcision that is the condition and workes of men vncircumcised Auaileth any thing is of no vse respect or acceptation with God Faith working faith effectuall in duties of loue The resolution These wordes containe a second reason where Paul confirmes the former conclusion and it may be framed thus That thing which makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes that iustifies not circumcision but faith makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes therefore not circumcision but faith iustifies The proposition is omitted the minor is in the 5. verse And it is confirmed by two arguments The first is the consent of all Churches We waite The second is taken from the propertie of faith in the sixt verse thus It is faith and not circumcision that auailes before God therefore faith and not circumcision makes vs waite Againe in these two verses Paul meetes with an Obiection which may be framed thus If ye abolish circumcision and the ceremoniall law ye abolish the exercises of religion The answer is in stead of them we haue other exercises in our spirit namely the inward exercises of faith hope and loue The vse In the 5. verse foure things are to be considered The first is who waites Paul saith we waite Before he hath iustified his doctrine by the Scriptures now he addes the consent of the Churches Here then we see what is the office of all faithfull dispensers of the word namely to declare such doctrines as are founded in Scriptures and approoued by the consent of the true Church of God Paul an Apostle that could not erre respected consent much more are all ordinarie Ministers to doe it Againe it is the office of all Christian people to maintaine and defend all such doctrines and opinions as are founded in the Scriptures and ratified by the consent of the true churches of God and no other This to doe is to walke in the way of vnitie and peace and to doe otherwise is to walke in the way of schisme and heresie The second point is what is waited for Paul saith the reuelation of righteousnes and eternall saluation Here I obserue that there is no iustification by the obseruation of the law and I prooue it thus The righteousnes whereby a sinner is iustified is apprehended by faith and expected by hope but if righteousnes were by the law men should haue the fruition of their righteousnes in this life and consequently the hope thereof should cease Secondly here is comfort for the godly They complaine of the want of sanctification but they are to know that in this life they shall neuer feele righteousnes as they feele sinne here they must hunger and thirst after righteousnes liuing in some want of it If we haue the first
the price of eternall life Phil. 3. 13. Luk. 9. 62. Here comes a common fault to be considered we in respect of profession goe forward yet we looke backe in our course and minde earthly things Lastly we must not be mooued with the speaches of men which are giuen of vs either to or fro They are lookers on and must haue their speaches and our care must be not to heede them but to looke to our course The second dutie of Christian people is that they must not onely be runners but they must runne well And that is done by beleeuing and by obaying the true religion or as Paul saith by hauing faith and good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 18. These are as it were the two feete by which we runne to life euerlasting Vnder faith we are to comprehend the true acknowledgement of God affiance in him and inuocation c. Vnder good conscience is comprised the purpose of not sinning and the care to obay God in all his commandements To applie this to our selues runners we are but alas few of vs are good runners We haue one good foote and that is our faith or religion which is sound and good but we halt on the other foote our care to keepe conscience is not sutable to our religion And three things cause a lamenes or feeblenes in this foote the lust of the eye that is couetousnes the lust of the flesh and pride of life The third dutie is that we must runne the race from the beginning to the ende and finish our course so as we may apprehend life euerlasting 1. Tim. 6. 11. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 9. 24. And for this cause we must cherish in our hearts a loue and feruent desire of eternall life and by this meanes we shall be drawne on through all miseries and ouerpasse them to the ende Secondly we must hold and maintaine a constant and daily purpose of not sinning And where we are the weakest there must our resolution be the strongest And thus shall we be constant to the death 8 It is not the perswasion of him that calleth you The meaning This opinion of iustification by the workes of the law is not from God who hath called you from bondage to libertie The scope Paul here meetes with a conceit of the Galatians which was this Why dost thou so often and so sharpely reprooue vs for we hould nothing against conscience but are perswaded of the thing which we say To this Paul answers here this perswasion is not of God because it is against the calling of God for he calles you to libertie and this your opinion drawes you into bondage Here we see the cause of mens declining from God and his worde and that is this Men denie credence to Gods word listen to plausible perswasions and so fall awaie Thus Eue fell in the estate of innocencie by listning to the false perswasions of the deuill The Papists â—usle themselues in their superstitions by a presumption that the Church cannot erre and that god wil not leaue his church destitute of the assistaÌ„ce of his spirit Our common people boulster themselues in their blind waies by a presumption that God is all of mercy and that if they doe their true intent serue God say their praiers deale iustly and doe as they would be done vnto they shall certenly be saued Tradesmen often vse many practises of fraud and iniustice and that vpon a perswasion that they haue a charge and family which must be maintained If men now a daies will not blaspheme drinke and riot as others doe they shall be charged with precisenes and that comes vpon a perswasion that it sufficeth to auoid the outward and notorious crimes which are mentioned and condemned in the law Thus the whole world is misled by blind perswasions Secondly hence we learne to close vp our eyes as it were and absolutely to follow the calling of god to subiect all the powers of our soules vnto it Thus did Abraham when he was called to go he knew not whether and Paul without vsing consultation went and preached in Arabia at the calling of Christ. Thirdly Paul here sets downe a note to discerne of false doctrines and opinions in religion If they be sutable to the calling of God they are good if they be against the calling of God they are naught This is Pauls rule God calles vs to libertie therefore the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law is naught for it drawes vs into bondage In like â—ort God calles vs to free iustification and therefore the doctrine of humane satisfactions and of the merit of workes is naught Againe God calls vs to an vtter deniall of our selues and therefore the Popish doctrine of preparation and of freedome of will in the conuersion of a sinner is naught Lastly it is to be obserued that Paul saith in the time present of him that calleth you for hence it appeares that God continues to call the Galatians euen after their fall in which they fell away to an other Gospel and as much as in them lay abolished themselues from Christ. This shews Gods patience and that there is a possibilitie of mercie after great and grieuous falls It may be saide how long doth God continue to call men vnto him Ans. So long as he vouchsafeth them the benefit of the publike Ministerie Thus then more then fourtie yeares hath God called vs in England And for this cause it is our part to pray to God for hearing eares to be pearced in our hearts and we must answer the calling of God Psal. 27. 8. at the least in the desires and groanes of our hearts And lastly we must in life and conuersation be sutable to the calling of God 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe The sense As a little leauen leaueneth and fauoreth the whole lumpe of dow euen so one errour or point of corrupt doctrine corrupteth the whole bodie of Christian religion because all the points of religion are linked and compounded together so as if one be corrupt the rest cannot remaine â—ound and incorrupt The scope The obiection of the Galatians is Put case that we erre in ioyning Circumcision and Christ yet there is no cause why thou shouldest â—o sharpely reprooue vs for it is no great errour to ioyne workes and Christ in the cause of our Iustification Paul answers to this obiection by a prouerbe saying that a little leauen of false doctrine corrupts the whole bodie of religion and one errour though it seeme to be of small moment at the first may at length bring with it the corruption and deprauation of many other points The vse In the example of the Galatians we see what is the common fashion of men namely to extenuate their faults and to make small matters of great offences The Phariâ—ies taught that sundrie of Gods commandements were small and little commandements Matth. 5. 19. To them that make no conscience of sinne great
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
good but partly euill for such as the cause is such is the effect now the minde and will of man are the cause of his workes and the mind is partly carnall and partly spirituall so also is the will and therefore the workes that proceede from them are partly spirituall in part carnall Vpon this ground it followes that all the workes of regenerate men are sinfull and in the rigour of iustice deserue damnation Obiect Sinne is the transgression of the law good workes are no transgression of the law therefore good workes are no sinnes I answer to the minor The transgression of the law is twofold One which is directly against the law both for matter and manner the second is when that is done which the law requires but not in that manner it should be done And thus good workes become sinfull The dutie which the law requires is done but it is not done perfectly as it ough to be done by reason of the flesh Secondly it is alleaged that good workes are from the spirit of God and that nothing proceeding from the spirit of God is sinne Ans. Things proceeding from the spirit of God alone or from the spirit immediatly are no sinnes now good workes proceed not only from the spirit but also from the mind and will of man as instruments of the spirit And when an effect proceedes from sundrie causes that are subordinate it takes vnto it the nature of the second cause hereupon workes are â—â—rtly spirituall and partly carnall as the minde and will of the doer is Thirdly it is alleged that good works please God and that things pleasing God are no sinnes Ans. They please God because the doer is in Christ and so pleaseth God Againe they please not God before or without pardon for they are accepted because God approoues his owne worke in vs pardons the defect thereof Lastly some obiect on this manner No sinnes are to be done good workes are sinnes there-therefore not to be done Ans. They are not simply sinnes but onely by accident For as God commands them they are good and as godly men doe them they are good in part Now the reason holds onely thus That which is sinne so farre forth as it is a sinne or if it be simplie a sinne is not to be done Now then vpon this doctrine it followes that there is no iustification by workes nor no fulfilling of the law for the time of this life Thirdly hence it follows that the grace of God for the time of this life is mixed with his contrarie the corruption of the flesh This mixture the godly feele in themselues to the great griefe of their hearts When they would beleeue their mindes are oppressed with vnbeleefe They see more ignorance in themselues then light of knowledge There are a number amongst vs that say they know as much as all the world can teach them that they doe perfectly beleeue in Christ and euer did that they loue God with all their hearts and did neuer so much as doubt of the mercie of God But these men are voide of the grace of God they are like emptie barrells that make a great sound they neuer knew what is meant by the combate of the flesh and spirit Fourthly we are here to be admonished in all duties of religion to vse industrie and paines by willing striuing and indeuouring to the vttermost to doe that which we ought to doe We must vse asking seeking knocking Matth. 7. 7. we must with Paul vse wrastling in our praiers to God Rom. 15. 30. They that would haue knowledge in the booke of God must doe more then heare a Sermon they must striue against their ignorance and blindnes and laboriously exercise their senses in the discerning of good and euill They that would beleeue must striue against their naturall vnbeleefe and indeauour to beleeue Blessed saith Salomon Prou. 28. is the man that feareth himselfe or inures himselfe to feare Paul saith of himselfe that he laboured and tooke paines to keepe a good conscience Act. 24. 16. Lastly by reason of this combate we are put in minde to vse sobrietie and watchfulnesse ouer our owne corruptions with much and instant praier least we fall into temptation Matth. 26. 41. We should practise these more then we doe for beside the enemies without we haue an enemie within that seekes our perdition 18 And if ye be led by the spirit ye are not vnder the law In the 13. verse Paul propounds a maine rule of good life Giue no occasion to the flesh and for the better keeping of this he giues a second rule v. 16. Walke in the spirit Of this second rule he giues two reasons The first is taken from the contrarietie of the flesh and the spirit v. 17. The second is in these words they that walke according to the spirit are freed from the curse of the law In these words Paul sets downe three things The first is the office of the spirit which is first of all to regenerate and renew all the powers of the soule and secondly to guide and conduct them that are regenerate Psal. 143. 10. In this guidance or conduction there are foure actions of the spirit The first is Preseruation whereby the holy Ghost maintaines the gift of regeneration in them that are regenerate The second is Cooperation whereby the will of God as the first cause workes together with the regenerate will of man as the second cause And without this Cooperation mans will brings forth no good action no more then the tree which is apt to bring forth fruit yeeldes fruit indeede till it haue the presence and cooperation of the Sunne and that in the season of the yeare The third is direction whereby the spirit of God ordereth and establisheth the minde will and affections in good duties 2. Thess. 3. 5. The last is Excitation whereby the spirit stirres and still mooues the will and minde after they are regenerate because for the time of this life the grace of God is hindred and oppressed by the flesh Hereupon after regeneration there must still be new inclining Psal. 119. 36. new drawing Cant. 1. 3. new working of the will and the deede Phil. 2. 13. Hence it follows that beside the antecedent and first grace there is necessarie a subsequent or second grace For we doe not that good which we can doe vnles God by a second grace make vs doe it as he made vs able to doe it by the first grace The second thing is the Office of all true beleeuers and that is to resigne theÌ„selues in subiection to the worke of Gods spirit Now Gods spirit workes in and by the word of God And hereupon this Subiection hath two parts The first is to make triall inquirie and examination what is the good will of God in euery thing Rom. 12. 2. Thus did Dauid Psal. 119. 94. I am thine saue me for I seeke thy commandements The second part is to denie our selues
the most of vs are barren trees that beare no fruit but the bad fruits of the flesh and therefore we may iustly feare the curse that God laid vpon the figgetree Luk. 13. 7. and looke euery day to be stocked vp Matth. 3. 16. Againe good workes are made acceptable to God euen by his grace and therefore they are called the fruits of the spirit and hence it is that they are acceptable to God Rom. 15. 16. We that are by nature wild branches must be taken out of old Adam and set into Christ and after our inscition draw a new sappe and life from Christ namely his spirit and then our actions shall be fruits of the spirit and consequently acceptable to God Lastly hence it followes that free will of it selfe is like a dead or rotten peece of wood and that it beares no fruit but as it is quickned by the spirit Ioh. 15. 5. Thus much of the propertie now follow the kindes of the workes of the spirit Loue It may be demaunded how it is a fruit of the spirit Ans. First the spirit of God workes faith then regeneration then loue 1. Tim. 1. 5. Loue follows faith because we must know first that we are loued of God before we can loue God 1. Ioh. 4. 19. And loue follows regeneration because till the will and affections be changed there is no place for loue The Papists then erre who teach that the first act of loue that is the inclination to loue God and man aright is in nature and that the second act namely the exercise of loue is from the spirit Againe they erre in that they teach that Charitie or loue is the formall righteousnes of a Christian. For it is a fruit that follows regeneration The loue here mentioned is either of God or of man The loue of God is an holy affection whereby we loue God in Christ for himselfe There are three speciall signes whereby it is discerned I. a desire of fellowship with God and Christ and the holy spirit and therefore to be much and frequent in the vse of the word and praier because in the word God speaks to vs and in praier we speake to him II. To loue the word of God aboue all earthly treasure and to tread our owne wills vnder foote and to desire that Gods wil may be preferred in all things 1. Ioh. 2. 5. There are many houses among vs where the cards and tables are walking but the Bible is seldome or neuer seene And this argues the want of loue III. The loue of them that loue God and Christ. The loue of our neighbour is to loue him simply in and for the Lord and for no other by-respect The signe of this loue is to loue not in word but indeede And this is to loue indeede to shew loue and to do good when we are wronged and abused to them that wrong vs and abuse vs. Ioy Ioy is twofold ioy of glorie after this life and the ioy of grace in this life and it stands in three things The first is to reioyce in the true acknowledgement of God that he is our god and reconciled to vs in Christ. The second is to reioyce in the worke of our regeneration The third is to reioyce in the hope of eternall glorie This ioy of grace hath a double fruit First it moderates all our sorrows and makes vs reioyce in the middest of our afflictions 1. Thess. 5. 16. Secondly it causeth men to reioyce at the good of their neighbours Rom. 12. 15. And this ioy is here meant specially For ioy is here opposed to enuie and emulations This fruit shewes that we are most of vs bad trees For the ioyes of the world be for the most part in iniquitie and in the workes of the flesh And it is our common sinne not to reioice but to pine away with griefe as Cain did when we see Gods blessing vpon our brother Peace It is a care and desire to maintaine concord as much as may be if it lie in vs. Rom. 12. 18. It is an excellent vertue For the kingddome of God stands partly in peace Rom. 14. 17. For the maintenance of peace obserue two rules I. Neither take offence nor giue offence Abraham chose rather to lose his right then to offend Lot Gen. 13. and so did Christ. Matth. 17. 27. II. Seeke to edifie one another either doe good or take good Rom. 14. 19. Long-suffering is to moderate our anger and desire of reuenge when many and great wrongs are done to vs. It is an excellent fruit but it takes very hardly in these parts For our manner is a word and a blow a word and a stabb a word and a writte Set and sow this plant in the forrowes of your hearts that the weede of reuenge ouergrow it not vse these remedies I. Gods commandement forbids rash anger Iam. 1. 19. for it is a degree of murder II. The example of God who is slow to anger and of Christ who is meeke and lowly Math. 11. III. All wrongs done to vs by men come by Gods prouidence to which we are to subiect our selues IV. The goodnesse of God who forgiues more to vs then we can forgiue V. There is danger of Gods anger For vnlesse we forgiue we are not forgiuen And we craue forgiuenesse as we forgiue VI. It is the dutie of loue to suffer and beare 1. Cor. 13. VII It is a point of iniustice to reuenge our selues for then we take to our selues the honour of God and against all equitie we are both the parties and iudge and witnesse and all VIII We are often ignorant of the mindes of men in their actions and of the true circumstances thereof and so may easily be deceiued Obiect I. Anger is a sudden affection therefore it cannot be ruled Ans. Meanes are to be vsed before hand when we are quiet then shall we better restraine it Obiect II. It is hard for flesh and blood to doe this Ans. We are more then flesh and blood For we haue the spirit of God els we are but hypocrites Gentlenesse Gentlenesse is to giue good speech and to shew good countenances euen to them that wrong vs and abuse vs without any minde or desire to reuenge Rom. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 32. The curtesie of the world in the cappe and the knee and all the complements of humanitie is commonly seuered from good affection and it is often the maske of enmitie and therefore it is but a worke of the flesh Right curtesie is with an honest heart to blesse when we are wronged Goodnesse It is a vertue whereby we communicate to others the good things that are in vs for their good and benefit It is prescribed by Paul in other tearmes when he saith Communicating to the necessities of the Saints Rom. 12. 13. Question I. What are we to communicate Answ. The gifts of our minde our temporall goods yea our liues too if neede be 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Question II. Why
they are here reprooued that haue many good gifts of God in them and yet neuer proceede to a thorow reformation For they vse to cherish in themselues naughtie affections and damnable lusts There is some one sweete sinne or other that they cannot abide to crucifie III. They also are to be blamed that cannot abide to heare their owne particular sinnes to be noted and reprooued They are vncrucified and vnmortified persons And the word of God is the sword of the spirit that serues to kill and destroy the flesh IV. In afflictions be content and quiet For we ought to crucifie the affections and lusts of our flesh and because we faile in this dutie therefore God himselfe takes the worke in hand and he will crucifie our corruption by his chastisements Further of this dutie of crucifying the flesh there are three points to be considered I. The time when this action must beginne namely in our baptisme or first conuersion Therefore Paul saith they that are Christs haue crucified c. II. What must be crucified Ans. The whole flesh with euery inordinate affection and lust This makes against them that flie and detest some fewe sinnes and runne headlong into others III. What is crucifying Ans. In it are two things the restraint of the exercise of sinne which is in part in ciuill men and the killing of Originall corruption in all the parts and branches thereof And that is done when we doe not onely mourne for our corruptions but also hate and detest them in our selues 25. If we liue in the Spirit let vs also walke in the Spirit In these words is cōtained the last reason of the rule of good life before mentioned in the 16. verse For the vnderstanding whereof two things are to be considered what it is to liue in the Spirit and what to walke in the Spirit Touching the first Life is twofold created or vncreated Vncreated life is the life of God Created is that which pertaineth to the creature And this is either naturall or spirituall Naturall life is led by naturall causes and meanes as by meate drinke cloathing breathing such like Spirituall life is by and from the Spirit Of this there be two degrees The first is when the Spirit of God takes vp his habitation in man and withall gouerneth all the powers of his soule by putting into the minde a new light of knowledge into the will and affections newe motions and inclinations whereby they are made conformable to the will of God The second degree of spirituall life is when the spirit dwelleth in man and gouerneth the powers of the soule and further doth sustaine the bodie immediately without naturall means 1. Cor. 15. 44. It riseth againe a spirituall bodie that is a body liuing in the second degree of spirituall life not beeing sustained by meanes but immediately by the eternall sustentation of the spirit The first of these degrees is in this life the second after this life in and after the last iudgement when body and soule shall be reunited And of the former this place is to be vnderstood To walke in the Spirit is first to sauour the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. 7. And that is to minde wish like desire and affect them or in a word to subiect a mans selfe to the law of God in all the powers and faculties of the soule For the things reuealed in the Lawe are the things of the spirit which spirit must at no hand be seuered from the word Secondly to walke in the path way of righteousnesse without offence either of God or man Psal. 143. 10. Thirdly to walke not stragglingly but orderly by rule by line and by measure For so much the word walke importeth in the originall as if Paul should haue said Let vs whilest we liue in this world not onely indeauour to doe some one or some fewe good actions but in the course of our liues and callings order our selues according to the rule and line of the word of God The vse This text in the first place cuts off the shiftes and excuses of sundrie persons in these daies who professe themselues to be the children of God and yet for their liues are much to be blamed because they lead them not according to the Spirit but according to the flesh And these persons whatsoeuer they say doe indeed and in truth deceiue themselues and are quite destitute of Gods Spirit For if they liued in the Spirit they would also walke in the Spirit It is not an idle spirit in any but it will shew and manifest it selfe in a holy and orderly conuersation You will say If such persons haue not the Spirit of god what other Spirit haue they Ans. If there life be naught they haue an vncleane Spirit dwelling in them and the god of this world hath blinded their eies and makes them that they cannot see the right way wherein they should walke 1. Cor. 4. 4. Againe we learne from hence a true and a pregnant signe whereby to discerne whether any man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no The life of a man will discouer and proclaime to all the world before God men and angels what himselfe is If a man in the course of his life and calling be godly and vertuous leading his life according to the will word of God in an honest and carefull indeauour though he faile in some particulars what euer the world thinkes of him he is the man that is indued with the Spirit of God Lastly this teacheth what is the office of all Christian people namely to walke in the Spirit that is to frame and order the whole course and tenour of their liues according to the line square of Gods word and Spirit A motiue to which dutie may be that fearefull threat pronounced vpon those that turne aside and walke in their owne crooked waies Psal. 125. 5. 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glorie prouoking one another enuying one another The scope From this 26. verse to the 11. verse of the chapter following S. Paul handles the second Rule which he had propounded in the 13. verse of this chapter By loue serue one another In the handling whereof he first laboureth to take away the impediments of Loue and then he sets downe the māner how the rule is to be obserued This 26. verse is a rule the ende whereof is to remooue the impediments of loue In this verse foure points are especially to be considered First what the desire of vaine-glorie is Answ. It is a branch of pride which makes men to referre all they haue or can doe to their owne priuate glorie and aduancement For better vnderstanding whereof consider a little the excuses that men haue for the defence or excuse of this sinne I. Excuse Vaine-glorie in effect is no more but the seeking of mens approbation which may lawfully be done Answ. To seeke the approbatiō of men is no fault so that it be
should haue done workes of supererogation more then the lawe requires in louing their neighbours more then themselues Rom. 9. 1. And if it were a rule it were but a leaden and false rule for we are in some cases bound to loue our neighbour more then our selues especially if he be a greater instrument of Gods glorie in procuring the good of the Church or common wealth as to loue our godly king more then our selues and preferre his safetie and life before our own as the Israelites did Dauids Thou art worth ten thousand of vs 2. Sam. 18. 3. for â—s is a note of similitude and not of equalitie signifying that as we loue our selues heartily and earnestly and inwardly wishing all good to our selues with the like sinceretie of affection we should loue our brethren So that Christ hath added nothing to the lawe in commanding to loue one another as he loued vs. Others say it is called a newe-commandement because it ought to be kept with as great a care and diligence as though it were newe and had beene now first giuen for newe lawes we know are commonly precisely kept at the first but after a while they begin to be neglected and men doe as it were antiquate them accounting them as though they were not Others by a new commandement vnderstand another diuers or different commandement for Christ in the beginning of the Chapter had giuen them a commandement to flie pride to be humble to liue at peace and concord one with anther and then he saith But I giue you a newe commandement i. 〈◊〉 coÌ„mandement differing froÌ„ the former that ye loue one another The word Newe is often taken in scripture in this sense as Exo. 1. 8. There arose vp a new king which knew not Ioseph that is as the 70 interpreters and S. Luke Act. 7. 18. translate it another king Mar. 16. 17. they shall speake with new tongues that is other diuerâ— or different languages from their vsuall tongue for the meaning is not that they inuented a new language which was neuer spoken before but that they spake in a language diuers from that which they vsed before for so it is said Act. 2. 4. They beganne to speake with other tongues Thus our Sauiour Christ telleth his Apostles that he will not drinke any more of the fruite of the vine till he drinke it nâ—we with them in the kingdome of God Matth. 26. 29. Where by newe wine he meaneth not the liquour or iuyce of the grape to preserue animall life but another different drinke wherewith he would entertaine all that were inuited and came vnto his table But these expositions are not so fitte I take it therefore to be called a newe commaundement either in respect of Christ or of vs in respect of Christ two waies 1. Because he renued it not onely by freeing it from the false glosses and interpretations of the Scribes and Pharises the Iewish Rabbins but also in fulfilling it most perfectly whereas it was obliterated and almost antiquated by the great corruption of man for none did euer so perfectly obserue and keepe the lawe as he did Therefore in regard of the newe manner of fulfilling it it is called a newe commaundement 2. Because he abrogating the ceremoniall lawe and many iudicials onely renued this precept of the morall lawe in commanding it as his lawe to the Church Ioh. 15. This is my commandement that ye loue one another as if he should say Though I haue abrogated the ceremoniall lawe and antiquated the iudiciall yet this commandement shal neuer be abrogated and this I commend vnto you againe and againe as my commmandement which aboue all others I would haue you carefully to obserue as that whereby ye shall be knowne to be my Disciples In regard of vs it is called a newe commaundement and that in two respects 1. Because it beeing defaced and almost cleane blotted out of the minde of man by originall sinne is renued againe in the hearts of beleeuers by the powerfull operation of the spirit of God both in their minds and affections In their mindes because they are daiely inlightened with the true knowledge thereof in beeing taught whome they ought to loue viz. not only their friends but euen their enemies with what kind of loue to wit with a â—eruent loue not in word or tongue onely but in deed and trueth and that with free sincere and constant loue in their wills and affections in that they are perswaded by the inward working of the spirit to loue and are inclined thereto being renued by grace 2. Because it doth after a peculiar manner belong vnto vs who are vnder the New Testament in the kingdome of grace seeing that this commandement onely is renued by Christ as his owne proper commandement many others being abrogated as also because it is daily written by the spirit of Christ after a newe manner in the hearts of newe conuerts so that they haue not onely a newe that is a true knowledge thereof but also a newe that is a true sense and feeling of the power of it in their hearts in that they are become newe creatures in Christ Iesus For in him all olde things passe away all things become new 2. Cor. 4 For to them the lawe is no killing letter written in tables of stone but a quickening spirit as beeing written in the fleshly tables of their hearts This seemeth to be the true full and proper meaning of these places for thâ—s S. Iohn 1. Epist. 2. 8. doeth expound it when he saith that it is true in him and in you in the sense before specified both in regard of Christ and the beleeuers in Christ. III. Quest. Seeing the commaundement of louing our brethren is called the law of Christ and a new commandement is not the Gospel a new Law Ans. In no wise for albeit the Law and the Gospel agree in sundrie things as first in the Author God beeing the author of them both of the Gospel Rom. 1. 1. of the Law Rom. 7. 22. Secondly in that both of them were preached knowne and vnderstood in both Testaments the lawe beeing written in the heart of man in the creation the Gospel preached to our first parents in Paradise immediately after the fall and repeated againe and againe to the Patriarkes and prophets from time to time Thirdly in the gerall matter and end of them both in that both the law and the gospel require righteousnesse in him that would come to â—â—se eternall Fourthly in this that they confirme and establish one another in that the lawe commanding iustice and iustifying none shewes that a man is iustified by the free gift and grace of God and that Christ is the end of the law to euery one that beleeueth In that the Gospel iustifieth not by workes but by faith and yet so as that we doe not by our faith abrogate the lawe or make it of none effect but rather establish it and that in
two respects 1. Because by faith we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ and so in him who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs we fulfill it and so establish it 2. because hauing our hearts purified by faith we liue no more according to the flesh but according to the spirit and so by inchoaâ—e obedience we fulfill the law Lastly in the end in that both the lawe and the gospel tend directly to the manifestation of the glorie of God Yet they differ in 5. things First in the manner of reuealing the lawe before the fall was perfectly known by nature and since the falliâ— part Rom. 2. 15. The Gospel is not known by nature neither was it euer written in mans heart before or after the fall as Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. 9. Those things which the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him therefore the Gospel is called a mysterie Rom. 16. v. 25 26. First because the doctrine of the Gospel was made knowne to men and angels by the reuelation of God Eph. 3. 5. 9. Secondly because there is required a special reuelation worke of gods spirit before a man can yeeld assent vnto it Therefore Paul saith We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. Secondly in the subiect or doctrine it selfe and that in two respects First the Law preacheth nothing but absolute iustice to the transgressours thereof the Gospel sheweth how iustice is qualified with mercie from all things from which ye could not be absolued by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Act. 13. 39. Secondly the Law teacheth what manner of men we ought to be and what we ought to doe that we may come to eternall life but shewes not howe we may becom such indeed the Gospel teacheth that by faith in Christ we may be such as the Law requires God hath made him to be sinnâ— for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly in the obiect The law is giuen to the vniâ—st lawles vngodly prophane 1. Tim. 1. 9 10. that it may shew them their sinnes and the punishment thereby deserued and so may accuse and condemne them the Gospel is to be published and dispensed onely to the penitent which are contrite and broken in heart mourne for their sinnes Math. 11. Esay 57. Luk. 4. IIII. The law promiseth eternall life vpon condition of works Doe this and liue If thou wiâ—â— enter into life keepe the commandements The Gospel promiseth eternall life freely without any condition of works Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue V. In the effects The Law is no instrumentall cause of faith repentance or any sauing grace it is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3. 7. causing wrath Rom. 3. 15. But the Gospel causeth life it is the grace of God which bringeth saluation Tit. 2. 11. for this cause Paul calleth the Law a dead or killing letter the Gospel a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly it may be demaÌ„ded whether any maÌ„ be able to fulfil the Law considering that Paul biddeth vs beare one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Ans. No meere man can perfectly fulfill the Law in this life This conclusion S. Paul prooueth in sundrie of his Epistles specially by these arguments First by the great and generall deprauation of nature which remaineth in part euen in the regenerate stayning their best actions and making them like a menstruous cloath confessing withall that his best workes are not answerable to the law by reason of the remainders of originall corruption Rom. 7. Now perfect fulfilling of the law cannot stand with corruption of nature and transgression in life For a corrupt fountaine cannot send forth sweete waters neither can a corrupt tree beare good fruit Saint Iames saith He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all and the Scripture pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all things written in the bookâ— of the law to doe them Popish Doctours answer first that originall corruption which they call the fewell of sinne and the first motions to euill preuenting all consent of will are indeede in the regenerate but they are no sinnes properly But it is false which they teach For euery transgression of the law is a sinne as S. Iohn defines it 1. Ioh. 3. 4. but these are transgressions of the tenth commandement for it either forbiddeth these first motions whether they be primò primae or secundò primae as Schoolemen speake or it forbid doth nothing but the motioÌ„s which are with coÌ„sent of wil which were forbidden in the former commandements and so in effect there are but nine commandements the tenth forbidding no speciall sinne Againe Paul teacheth that these motions preuenting all consent of will are formally opposed to the Law I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde Secondly they answer that Paul Rom. 7. speakes not of himselfe but in the person of the vnregenerate according to the opinion of S. Augustine Ans. Augustine indeede was once of that iudgement but he after retracted that opinion as it is manifest out of his booke of Retractations and the 6. booke against Iulian the Pelagian and that for these reasons First because Paul saith To will is present with me and I doe not the good I would and J delight in the law of God concerning the inward man all which are proper to the regenerate and cannot be affirmed of the wicked Secondly because he makes mention of the inward man which is all one with the new man or the new creature which agreeth onely to the regenerate Thirdly because he saith he is ledde captiue to sinne v. 23. whereas the wicked are not drawne to sinne by force against their wills but runne riot of their owne accord into all wickednes as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8. 6. Lastly in that he cries out in a sense and sorrow for his sinnes O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death v. 24. which can not be the voice of the vnregenerate for they feele not the burden of their sinne nor desire to be eased of it but take delight and pleasure in it His second reason is this such as our knowledge is such is our loue of God and man but our knowledge is onely in part therefore our loue is but in part and so consequently our obedience is but in part therfore there is no perfect fulfilling of
insatiable and therefore it is euill spent that is bestowed vpon them some of them need not and therfore we neede not to giue and why doe not those that are needie follow Pauls example who laboured with his hands and got his liuing by making of tents because he would not be chargeable vnto any or why doe they not lead a single life as in former times they did that so they may be lesse burdensome to the Church and more beneficial to their brethren Besides all this God hath promised he will be the portion and inheritance of the Leuites and therefore we neede not be so hastie to share with them in all our goods To these and all other vaine and friuolous excuses of the same kind made by worldlings of corrupted minds the Apostle answereth in these words Be not deceiued God is not mocked as if he should say I know right well you are very cunning in seeking out shifts and pretending reasons to excuse your faults and to exempt your selues from the preformance of the former duty and so to couer the cursed couetuousnes of your harts with colorable excuses But be not deceiued brethren they are but figg leaues you do but danse in a nette you cannot bleare the all-seeing eyes of God howsoeuer these reasons may perswade you go for currant with men yet they are but counterfaite in gods ostimate with whome you haue to deale who is not mocked nor cannot be deceiued nor will not be deluded with such vaine excuses therefore take heed lest in going about to deceiue them you deceiue your selues for looke how you deale with them God will deale with you with what measure you mete vnto them the same he will measure to you againe for as you sovve so shall you reape So that in these words the Apostle doth summarily comprise these three things First a disswasion from this their vaine reasoning and wicked practise laid downe by way of preuention Be not deceiued Secondly a reason of the dehortation shewing that these their excuses are but friuolous and vaine God is not mocked Thirdly a confirmation or proofe of his former reason for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall be reape The disswasion is laid downe in these words Be not deceiued The like phrase of speech we haue in sundry other places as in that aduertisement which Hezekiah giueth the Leuites 2. Chron. 29. 11. Now my sonnes be not deceiued And Paul the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6. 9. be not deceiued neither fornicators c. 1. Cor. 15. 33. be not deceiued euill speeches corrupt good manners Now men erre and are deceiued sundry waies both in diuine and humane things which appertaine not to this place Touching the deceit here mentioned we are to know that a man may be deceiued and that by himselfe two waies First through ignorance in iudging that to be no finne which is a sinne as when a man is perswaded that God is to be worshipped in an image that when he persecutes the saints of God he doth God good seruice Secondly when men are so wickedly willfull that they wittingly deceiue themselues in thinking they can deceiue god himselfe and so cunningly handle the matter that he shall not know their words nor see their works nor vnderstand their thoughts that whether they do good or euill giue to the ministery or not liue according to the flesh or according to the spirit it is all one seeing he considereth it not and so promise to themselues impunity though they â—inne willingly as Eue did in putting a peraduenture where Gods threat was peremptorie Both these sorts of deceit are here vnderstood specially the latter Use. Hence we may obserue the deceitfulnes of sinne which maketh men thinke all is well with them and that there is no danger c. when the case is farre otherwise This shewes that the heart of man is deceitfull aboue measure as the Prophet saith who can finde it out or who can sound the depth of the deceit of his owne heart or who knows the infinite windings and turnings which are in this intricate Labyrinth Now this commeth to passe partly by reason of originall corruption which the Apostle saith is deceitfull Hebr. 3. 13. Take heede lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne partly by reason of long custome in sinne whereby the heart is inured to deceit Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile For from this double ground it commeth to passe that men are so wittie in defrauding the Ministers of their due in cutting them short of their allowance in embezeling and purloining from them what they can and so ingenious in inuenting probable reasons and plausible arguments to deceiue themselues withall in accounting all to be gained that is thus gotten This teacheth vs first of all to pray instantly that God would open our eyes that we may see our hidden corruptions and that he would annoint them with the eye-salue of his spirit that we may clearely see and rightly discerne of things that differ considering that sinne doth often apparell it selfe with the cloake of vertue Secondly we are to suspect our selues of our secret sinnes and to aggrauaâ—e our knowne sinnes by all circumstances seeing we may so easily deceiue our selues in flattering our selues to be cleare of this or that sinne or at least not to be so grieuous sinners as in truth we are Thirdly that it is the dutie of the Minister to warne the people to take heed that they be not deceiued as Paul doth Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things-commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Againe hence I gather that in the prime of the Church in the Apostles daies when the Church of the New Testament was but in founding the ministerie was in contempt and as it may appeare out of other places the ministers were not onely neglected or contemned but reuiled persecuted accounted as the fiâ—th of the world and the of-skouring of all things 2. Cor. 4. 13. or where they were better intreated they were but abused scorned reputed brain sicke fellowes as the Prophet was 2 King 9. 1â— and Paul Act. 26. 24. This hath beene and is the account which the world maketh of the ministers of God which must be so farre from discouraging vs that it should minister rather matter of ioy vnto vs in that we are conformable by this meanes to Christ our head who was not onely neglected of all not hauing where to rest his head Luk. 9. 58. but laughed to skorne accounted a pot-companion a drunkard and a glutton a sorcerer one that had a deuill and was madde Ioh. 10. 20. For if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. Thus much of the dehortation the reason followes to be considered in the second place in these wordes God is not mocked where the Apostle shewes that their excuses are but vaine
all not to be wearie or to persist continue but we must proceede on from strength to strength and bring forth more fruite in our age Psal. 92. 14. as the Church of Thiaiyra whose workes were more at the last then at the first for which shee is worthely praised by our Sauiour Christ Reuel 2. 19. It was the motto of Charles the fift Plus vltra and it ought to be euery Christiās motto to striue to perfectiō as the Apostle exhorts vs To be steadfast immoneable and not to make stay there but to be aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. 58. And that we may doe this indeed we must set this downe as a certaine conclusion that we will not recoile nor giue backe come what will come and withall we must labour to quicken our dull and drowsie spirits to girde vp the loynes of our mindes to strengthen our weake hands and our feeble knees by publike and priuate exercises of reading praier meditation conference c. Thus much of the rule nowe followeth the reason of the rule or the motiue to incourage vs to the performance of this dutie for in due season we shall reape if we faint not as if he should say more fully thus Let vs be assured of this that continuing and increasing in well doing our labour is not lost nor spent in vaine 1. Cor. 15. 58. for though we imagine that we labour in vaine and spend our strength in vaine as the Prophet speaketh yet our worke is with the Lord and our labour with our God Esay 49. 4. And albeit we may seeme to our selues and others to cast away our goods in beeing beneficiall vnto some and as the wiseman speaketh to sowe vpon the waters yet after many daies we shall finde them againe Eccles 11. 1. In the motiue there be three things contained First the reason it selfe which is a promise of reward We shall reape Secondly the circumstance of time when this haruest shall be reaped we shall reape in due season Thirdly the condition that is required on our parts that we may reape if we faint not Of these in order and first of the reason or promise it selfe Whereas the Apostle to the ende we may not be wearie of a good course doth encourage vs to proceed on by setting before our eies the promised reward I gather that we may encourage animate and excite our selues to the performance of all good duties by the consideration of the heauenly haruest which we are to reape and the crowne of glorie we are to receiue after this life as the husbandman doeth sowe in hope that he shall reape and though seed time be painefull and chargeable vnto him yet he giueth not ouer for all that but comforteth himselfe with the expectation of the haruest which will fully quite his cost and recompence his labour That this is a truth it may appeare by sundrie arguments by precept by promise by practise by reasō For precept It is the cōmandemēt of Christ we should make vs friends of vnrighteous māmon or of the riches of iniquitie that when we shall want they may receiue vs into euerlasting Tabernacles Luk. 16. 9. For promise besides this place which is very pregnant to the purpose Paul exhorts seruants that whatsoeuer they doe they would doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord they shall receiue the reward of inheritance Coloss. 3. 23 24. And generally what good thing soeuer a man doth the same shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free Eph. 6. 8. He that forsakes father and mother c. for Christs sake shall receiue a 100. fold more in this life and in the world to come life euerlasting Math. 19. 29. These and the like promises were to no purpose if it were not lawfull for vs to looke to the reward if we might not by considering of it incite and stirre vp our selues to greater alacritie in the course of Christianitie in making vs more seruent and frequent in the duties of pietie Thirdly it may be prooued by the practise of the saints of God Abraham was contented to forsake his natiue countrie at the commaund of God and to dwell in a strange land yea and that in tents because he looked for a cittie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God Ebr. 11. v. 9. 10. Moses esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt because he had respect vnto the recompence of reward v. 26. Christ whose example is without all exception beeing exemplum indeficiens as the Schoole-men speake did sweeten the bitternes of the crosse with the consideration of the glorie which a little after he was to inioy for so the Apostle saith that for the ioy that was set before him he endured the crosse despised the shame Ebr. 12. 2. The Colossians are commended by the Apostle for that they continued and increased in faith to God and loue to mā for the hopes sake that was laid vp for them in heauen Coloss. 1. 5. And Paul shewes this to haue beene the practise and to be the dutie of all the saints of God so to runne that they may obtaine 1. Cor. 9. 24. Lastly it may be prooued by reason For first that which is the end of our actions ought to be considered of vs as a means to stirre vs vp to the attaining of this ende therefore seeing the ende of our faith and hope is eternall life Rom. 6. 22. Ye haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life 1. Pet. 1. 9. Receiuing the reward of your faith the saluation of your soules Therefore we may nay we ought to cast our eies vpon it to direct all our actions for the attaining of it Secondly if the labourer worke not in regard of the common good onely but also with respect of his wages he that runneth a race to attaine the garland if the husbandmen set and sow plant and plowe in hope to reape a haruest to receiue some fruite of his labours It is lawfull for Christians also to doe good in regard of eternall reward for that is the Apostles reason 1. Cor. 9. 25. They that trie masteries abstaine from all things that they may obtaine a corruptible crowne but we for an vncorruptible It is Saint Iames his reason Iam. 5. 7 8. as the husbandman waiteth for the pretious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine So must we be patient and settle our hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neare and he will recompence euery man according to his workes Thirdly if it be lawfull for a man to abstaine from sinne for feare of eternall punishment and torment in hell as we know it is Matth. 10. 28. then it is lawfull to doe good in hope of eternall reward It will be saide that it is the propertie of a
nay they cannot totally and finally fall from grace For first if any thing should make them fall away it is sinne but they cannot sinne because the seede of regeneration and grace remaineth in them 1. Ioh. 3. 9. And though the Church sleepe yet her heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. And if any thing make them faint it is affliction and persecution but these and all other crosses worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. And therefore these are no hinderances but furtherances rather to their saluation Secondly they are built and founded vpon the promise of God I will put my spirit into their hearts so that they shall not depart from me Ierem. 32. 40. Therefore Christ doth so preserue them by his power preuent them by his grace guard and guide them by his spirit that they shall neuer fall away and that none shall plucke them out of his hand Ioh. 10. I adde further that they are built vpon the trueth and fidelitie of his promise God is faithfull and wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. Thirdly vpon the praier of Christ who praied that they might be kept from euill Ioh. 17. 15. that they might be one in the Trinitie as he in the father and the father in him v. 21. that they may be with him and see his glorie v. 24. Now Christ was alway heard in that which he praied for Ioh. 11. 42. Lastly vpon the life of Christ which is communicated to all his liuing members Gal. 2. v. 20. When Christ which is their life shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glorie Coloss. 3. 4. Quest. If they cannot altogether faint and fall away why doth the holy Ghost make a doubt of it as though they might Ans. It is the will of God to mooue vs to perseuerance and to stirre vp our dulnesse by such speeches that we should not be wanting to our our selues in the vse of the meanes 10. While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith In these words the Apostle doeth iterate the conclusion propounded in the sixt verse as also in the ninth verse immediately going before that we should doe the good we can while we haue time and withall he doeth illustrate it both by the obiect to whome we must doe good and by the circumstance of time howe long we must continue therein And herein he answereth a secret demande which might be made vpon the former rule for whereas it might be thought that the Gentiles which professe not the same religion with vs were to be neglected or at least not so respected as we reade Act. 6. v. 1. the Gretians were neglected of the Ebrewes in their daily ministerie the Apostle answereth that we must not restraine our bouÌ„tie and goodnesse onely to those that are of the same religion with vs but enlarge it vnto all We must doe good vnto all men but specially to them of the houshold of faith In the words we may consider three things First the dutie it selfe Let vs doe good Secondly the obiect or persons to whome we must doe good which is laid downe comparatiuâ—ly we must doe good to all but specially to those that are of the houshold of faith Thirdly the circumstance of time when and how long we are to doe good whilest we haue time of these in order and first of the dutie This generall dutie of doing good is recommended vnto vs by sundrie arguments The first may be taken from the maine ende and scope of a mans life in this world which as Paul signifieth in this place is nothing else but to doe good and this doing of good standeth in three things the first concerneth God in praysing magnifying and adoring his holy name Dauid had an eie to this ende when he desired to liue for no other ende but that he might praise God O let my soule liue and it shall praise thee The second concerneth our selues in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by making our calling and election sure by good 2. Pet. 1. 10. This ende of a mans life Salomon intimateth when he saith Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man Eccles. 12. v. 13. The third concerneth our brethren in doing good vnto them so farre forth as possibly we can in the compasse of our calling for it is the ende of euery mans calling in seruing of men to serue God and this is that which Paul vrgeth in this place to be beneficiall vnto all The second may be taken from the example of God himselfe We must doe good to them that hate vs that we may be the children of our heauenly father Matth. 5. v. 44 45. For we are more conformeble vnto God in doing good vnto others it beeing an essentiall propertie in God to doe good to euery man seeing that euery creature doth drinke or at least taste of the sweet cuppe of Gods goodnesse Psal. 145. v. 9. then in receiuing good from them for he receiueth nothing from vs as Dauid saith My goodnesse reacheth not to thee Psal. 16. v. 2. To the exaÌ„ple of God we may add the exaÌ„ple of godly kings The cheifest praise and commendation of Hezekiah and Iosiah is noted by their goodnesse Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his GOODNESSE they are written 2. Chron. 32. 32. Concerning the rest of the acts of Iosiah his GOODNESSE doing as it was written in the Lawe of the Lord beholde they are written 2. Chron. 25. 26 27. And this excellent name of goodnesse or bountifulnesse was as it may seeme by the Lawe of nations ascribed to Princes and Potentates in that it best beseemed them as in name so in the vertue it selfe to expresse the diuine nature of God by and therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is bountifull benefactors or gratious Lords Luk. 23. 25. The third is drawne from testimonie diuine and humane Our Sauiour Christ saith It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Act. 20. 3. that is to doe good rather then to receiue good Nazianzen saith that a man doth resemble good in no propertie so much as in doing good And the heathen Orator Demosthenes could say that doing of good and speaking the truth makes vs most like to God himselfe But to consider this more particularly Goodnes is threefold Preseruing Vniting Communicating in all which particulars we are to practise this dutie And first for the preseruing goodnes we must doe good not onely to our selues but to others also in labouring to keepe and preserue them from the contagion of finne from falling from grace or backsliding from their holy profession by all good meanes as
life or in respect of the intention of our loue in hauing a greater desire of the good of some then of othersome and thus we are not bound to loue or to doe good to all alike For as S. Barnard saith Meliori maior affectus indigentiori maior effectus tribuendus This doctrine inuested with the former examples may shame the base seruile and beggerly liberalitie of the common sort of men which professe the Gospel whose hands are tied to their purses and their hearts locked to their chests who are so extremely miserable that they neither doe good to others nor yet to themselues Secondly it condemneth them which are so vnnaturall that they forget all dutie to their kinred and acquaintance in the flesh Thirdly those who will doe good to none but to those that haue done good to them this is right the Pharisies righteousnes to loue our friends and hate our enemies the goodnes of the Publican to lend to those of whom they look for the like Lastly those who are so full of the poison of malice and reuenge that beeing once incensed they can neuer be appeased till they crie quittance with those that offend them The third thing to be considered in the words is the circumstance of time we must doe good to all while we haue time Here sundrie points are to be obserued I. If we must doe good while we haue time we must make a holy and profitable vse of our time the rarest iewell and greatest of all earthly treasures because time will not alway last and therefore we must take time while it is time seeing time and tide will tarie for no man Let vs consider what a shame it is that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then we who professe our selues to be children of light The mariner or sea-faring man who obserues wind and weather taketh the oportunitie of the time the trauailer or way-faring man takes day before him and trauaileth while it is light The smith striketh the yron while it is hot for when it is cold it is too late to strike The Lawyer taketh his time to wit the Terme time for the intertaining of his clients and following of his suits for when the Terme is ended his time is gone Now it is alway Terme-time with Christians euery present day euen this present time is their Terme-time therefore if we will not shew our selues more carelesse negligent nay more absurdly foolish or desperatly madde then all men we must take the opportunitie that is offered to do good and vse the pretious time which God in mercie affordeth vs to his glorie our comfort and the good of others Time and opportunitie of doing good is hieroglyphically resembled by the head of a man that hath locks of haire before which a man may take hold of but hath none behind whereby is signified that when opportunitie is past there is no possibilitie left to doe good We must not therefore let slippe any good occasion but take hold of it at the first when it is offered Hence it is that the Apostle Ebâ— 3. 13. biddeth vs exhort one another daily while it is called to day And the wise man Prou. 3. 28. Say not to thy neighbour goe and come againe and to morrow will I giue thee if thou now haue it For he may die and so cannot come againe or by thy delaying of him may be discouraged from comming or thou maist be hardened against him or maist with the rich man in the Gospel be suddenly taken away from thy riches or thy riches taken from thee Our Sauiour biddeth vs walke in the light while we haue light Ioh. 12. 35. II. If we must doe good while we haue time we must obserue the Apostles golden rule Eph. 5. 16. Redeeme the time which is nothing els but so to employ it and vse the benefit of it as that we suffer it not to slippe away from vs without fruit or profit either for sloth and idlenes or by reason of vaine and transitorie pleasures or other occasions of this life but to gaine that time we formerly lost by negligence with double diligence yea to redeeme it with the losse of our ease our pleasures our profits And we shall the better practise this dutie if we consider that time is short pretious irrevocable it is short and therefore to be guided by diligence it is pretious and therfore to be redeemed by an high estimate and account of it in not beeing too lauish of it in bestowing it vpon our friends not vpon our enemies in placing it as a Iewell in our golden age and wearing it in our newe garments the robes of Christ his righteousnes and not as a pearle in a swines snowt in the rotten ragges of sinne and wickednes Lastly it is irreuocable and therefore it is to be redeemed by taking the opportunitie thereof III. Paul commaunding vs to doe good while we haue time would haue vs know times and seasons to obserue the shortnes of time to number our daies that we may applie our hearts to wisdome The not knowing and obseruing of time is a sinne much inueighed against by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 16. 3. O hypocrites you can discerne the face of the skie and can ye not discerne the signes of the times Luk. 12. 56. why discerne ye not this time the Lord doth preferre the very bruit beasts before his people because they know their appointed times and seasons whereas his people knew not the time of mercie and grace which was offered vnto them Euen the storke in the ayre knoweth her appointed times the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. Ier. 8. 7. And Christ threatneth Ierusalem that one stone should not be left vpon another because they knew not the time of their visitation Luk. 19. 44. And verily of all follies and ignorances this is the greatest not to know the day of our visitation the acceptable time the day of saluation when God offereth mercie by rising earely and calling vs by the ministerie of his word and stretching out his hands all the day long Rom. 10. v. 21. For if he stand at the doore of our hearts and knocke by the sound of his word outwardly by the motion of his spirit inwardly by his threatnings by his promises by his iudgements by his mercies by his tolerance and long suffering and yet for all that we will not open nor listen vnto him we shall stand with the fiue foolish virgins and knock at his mercie gate and say Lord Lord open vnto vs when it will be too late when heauen shall be shut against vs. Matth. 25. 11 12. For for this cause among others they are called foolish virgins because they considered not the time of the bridegroomes comming Here it will be saide obseruing of time is forbidden Gal. 4. 10. Ye obserue daies and
with a hot yron but by drinking whoring rioting c. get the markes of Bacchus and Venus in their bodies For if these be the markes of Christ those must needes be the marks of Satan Lastly hence we are taught a speciall dutie and that is to suffer bodily affliction in the profession of the truth though bonds and imprisonment abide vs in all places not to passe for them so that we may fulfill our course with ioy according to Pauls example both here and Act. 20. 24. as also his commandement to Timothie Suffer affliction as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. 2. Tim. 2. 3. The reasons are these First by suffering bodely affliction we are made conformable vnto Christ and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Coloss. 1. 24. Secondly they teach vs to haue a sympathie and fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren to remember those that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and those that are in affliction as though we also were afflicted in the bodie Ebr 13. 3. Thirdly our patient induring of affliction doth not onely serue as a president and example to others to suffer patiently but also is a notable meanes to confirme them in the truth 2. Cor. 1. 6. Philip. 1. 14. Lastly they serue to scoure vs that are earthly vessels from the rust and filth of sinne that cleaues so fast vnto our nature 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Here the Apostle concludes his epistle with his vsuall farewell commending the Galatians to the grace of God wishing vnto them all things appertaining to spirituall life godlines 1. Pet. 1. 3. which he signifieth here by grace There is a twofold grace mentioned in Scripture Grace which makes a man gratious or acceptable to God gratia gratum faciens and grace which is freely giuen gratia gratis data Gratia gratum faciens is the fauour and loue of God whereby he is well pleased with his elect in Christ and this grace is in God himselfe and noe qualitie infused or inherent in vs and it is truly called the first grace as beeing the cause of all other subsequent graces Gratia gratis data is the free gift of God bestowed vpon men whether naturall or supernaturall naturall eyther in the state of innocencie before the fall as originall iustice c. or in the state of Apostasie since the fall as the gift of illumination Ioh. 1. 9. and such like Supernatural eyther common gifts as the gift of miracles prophecying tongues c. or sauing graces as the grace of election effectuall vocation iustification adoption glorification c. all which are called the second grace because they flow from the first as the streame from the fountaine Thus Paul distinguisheth them Rom. 5. 15. calling the former the grace of God the latter the gift by grace Nowe grace in this place is not to be restrained onely to the benefit of our redemption as it is 2. Cor. 13. 13. where the grace of Christ is distinguished from the loue of God and communion of the H. Ghost but to be vnderstood of the fauour loue of God which is the first grace and of the sauing grace of regeneration which is the second grace or the gift by grace And it is called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ first because he is the fountaine of it Ioh. 1. 16. of his fullnes all we haue receiued and grace for grace Secondly because he is the conduit or pipe by which it is conuaied vnto vs. Ioh. 1. 17. Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ for he is our propitiator by whome alone we receiue grace that is the fauour of God and reconciliation for grace that is for the fauour and loue which God the father bare vnto his sonne we beeing accepted of God and beloued in his beloued Eph. 1. 6. Christ is further called our Lord in fiue respects First by right of creation Ioh. 1. 3. All things were made by him Secondly by right of inheritance Hebr. 1. 2. He is made hoyre of all things Psal. 2. 8. I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the endes of the earth for thy possession Thirdly by right of redemption 1. Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price which is neither siluer nor gold but the pretious blood of Christ. 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. and this he performed by a double right namely by right of proprietie as a King redeemes his subiects the master his seruants or by right of affinitie as the father may redeeme the sonne one brother an other and one kinsman an other Fourthly by right of conquest Luk. 11. 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace c. but when a stronger then he commeth vpon him and ouercommeth him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuideth the spoile Lastly by right of contract and marriage Hos. 2. 16. Thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt not call me Baali and v. 19. I will marrie thee vnto me for euer in righteousnes iudgement mercy and compassion I will marrie the vnto me in faithfulnes and thou shalt know the Lord. The Apostle proceeds and saith the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits For the better vnderstanding of which phrase we are to know that Man consisteth of two essentiall parts of soule and bodie Eccles. 12. 7. Dust that is the bodie returnes to the earth whence it was taken and the spirit returns to God that gaue it Albeit the Apostle els where deuideth man into three parts spirit soule and bodie when he praieth for the Thessalonians that their whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blameles vnto the comming of Christ. Where he subdiuideth the soule into two parts into reason or vnderstanding which he calleth the spirit will or affection which he tearmeth by the common name agreeing to both the soule God hauing giuen reason to see and will to seeke after that which is good that reason hauing eyes might guide the will that is blinde and goe before that it might follow So that the spirit and soule are not two seuerall substances but one and the same euen as the bodie and the flesh are one bodie and yet are they distinguished for doctrine sake Heb. 4 12. the word of God is said to enter through euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit and Eph. 4. 17. 18. the Apostle distinguisheth the soule into three Faculties the mind cogitation heart when he saith the Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minds and had their cogitations darkened because of the hardnes of their hearts by minde meaning the hegemonicall part or vnderstanding by cogitation the inward senses as memorie phantasie c. and by heart the affections Now by spirit in this place is not ment the vnderstanding alone or the soule alone but by a synechdoche the whole man is
vnderstood albeit the soule principally be ment because it is the proper subiect of grace for grace beeing a spirituall thing is placed immediately and properly in the spirit or mind of man and in the bodie accidentally where it doth bewray it selfe by outward actions Secondly for that as the seate of grace is in the mind so the sense and apprehension of it is there likewise not in the bodie Thirdly as Theophilact saith Non ait vobiscum quid ita abigens eos à rebus hisce arguensque non à lege bos spiritum sed à gratia accepisse So that it is all one as if he should haue said the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all as it is Philip. 4. 23. and 2. Thess. 3. 18. as it may appeare by the like for that farewell which Paul giues Timothie in his latter Epistle The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirit 2. Tim. 4. 22. is all one with that in his former Grace be with thee 1. Tim. 6. 21. And that salutation Philem. 15. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit is all one with that Coloss. 4. 18. Grace be with you Hence that phrase and forme of speech in our English Liturgie or Common praier booke though misliked by some and cauilled at by others hath his warrant and ground when the Minister saith The Lord be with you and the people answer And with thy spirit wishing the same to him that he to them that God would be with his spirit that is with him Againe marke how the Apostle as he did beginne with grace chap. 1. 3. so he doth ende with grace to teach vs first of all that our saluation is placed in it alone for the beginning the progresse and the accomplishment thereof for election is of grace Rom. 11. 5. and vocation is of grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. and iustification Rom. 3. 24. and glorification Rom. 6. 23. Secondly that Christ is to haue all the glorie of this grace whereby we are so highly aduanced into the fauour of God both for the beginning continuance and ending without ascribing any part thereof to our selues or any other creature Thirdly that all our salutations and greetings our adieues and fare-wells ought to be grounded in the grace of Christ otherwise they are but carnall and therefore the Apostle biddeth the Christians to salute one another in a holy kisse or as Peter speakes with the kisse of loue 1. Pet. 5. 14. This confutes the Popish Doctors who doe not onely ascribe the beginning of their saluation to themselues in co-working with God in their first conuersion but also the ende and accomplishment of it by workes of condignitie which as they say are meritorious of eternall life Further obserue with what emphasis the Apostle concludes his Epistle First opposing Christ the Lord of the house to Moses who was but a seruant in the house Secondly the grace of Christ to inherent iustice and merits of workes Thirdly the spirit in which he would haue grace to be seated to the flesh in which the Apostles gloried so much Lastly brotherly vnitie one with another implied in the word brethren to the proud and lordly carriage of the false Apostles ouer them The Conclusion In the ende of all it is added in the Greeke and Siriacke copies that this Epistle was written to the Galatians from Rome Which post-script seemes to be erroneous and false for first there is not a tittle in the whole Epistle that giueth the least inkling that it should haue beene written from Rome whereas in all the rest which are written from thence Paul makes mention of his bonds and imprisonment Secondly the varietie of copies argues the vncertentie of it seeing in some copies it is said to haue been sent from Ephesus as Caietan and Hyperius affirme in their Commentaries vpon this place Thirdly Baronius if his authoritie be of any waight in this case affirmeth that it is not likely or credible that it was written from thence But be it graunted that this post-script were true indeede yet it is no part of Canonicall Scripture as not beeing written by the Apostle but added afterwards by the Scribes which copied out the Epistles Neither is this onely true of post-scripts but also of Inscriptions or Titles prefixed before Epistles they are no part of holy writ This may easily be prooued in particular for first touching Post-scripts the Greeke copies agree in this that the first Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi and sent by Stephanas Fortunatus Achaicus and Timotheus when as it is certen it was written from Ephesus For first chap. 16. 5. he saith He will come to them when he shall go through Macedonia Therefore Paul was not then at Philippi a chiefe citie in Macedonia Secondly in the 19 of the same chapter he saith All the Churches of Asia salute you which shewes plainly that when Paul writ this Epistle he was at Ephesus in Asia not at Philippi in Europe Thirdly v. 8. he saith he will abide at Ephesus till Pentecost therefore he was not then at Philippi Fourthly that it was written before the tumult in Ephesus raised by Demetrius and his complices and so consequently before his comming to Philippi as also that it was sent by Timotheus and Erastus it is manifest v. 10. of that chapter beeing compared with Act. 19. v. 21 22. Lastly the Syriacke translatour agreeth with me in affirming that it was written from Ephesus and so doth Baromius Annal. tom 1. pag. 494. l. 39. Againe the post-script of the 2. to the Corinthians hath it was written from Philippi of Macedonia and sent by Titus and Luke whereas the Rhemists if we may giue any credit to their testimonie who elsewhere make titles part of the Canonicall scripture say it was written at Troas as it is thought And Baron annal â—om 1. pag. 590. l. 51. Antuerp thinkes it was written at Nicopoli vpon this occasion that in his former Epistle from Ephesus promising to come vnto theÌ„ as he passed through Macedonia coÌ„ming not 1. Cor. 16. he doth in this excuse himselfe 2. Cor. 15 16 17. compared with the 2. Cor. 7. 5. Neither is it a good reason to prooue that Titus carried this Epistle as it is in the postscript because Paul saith he sent Titus to them and another with him 2. Cor. 8. 18 22. and 12. 18. for Paul speakes of Titus his comming vnto theÌ„ before that time neither may it be thought that Tâ—tus was sent the second time vnto them considering that departing from Macedonia and taking Titus with him he left him in Creete See Cesar Baron annal tom 1. Antuerp p. 591. l. 40. Besides the Rhemists controll the subscription of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians which hath it thus The first Epistle to the Thessalonians written from Athens For in their preface they are bold to affirme that it seemeth rather to haue bin written at Corinth then
infirmitie is 108. 32. Sinnes be of two sorts 224. 27 Difference betweene the godly and vngodly in sinning 443. 3 Originall sinne hath two parts 365. 5. A common fashion to extenuate sinne 389. 56 We must resist euery particular sin 390. 25. It is the nature of sinne to set all things out of order 460. 4 God rewardeth sinnes in the same manner according to the nature of sinne 557. 558. Sinne driues men beside themselues 460. 8. Sinners must not delay their repentance ibid. 21 Sinnes committed after a mans conuersion are pardonable 462. 4. 5. In euery knowne sinne we are wrōged 473. 33 Sinne a burden to whome vide Burden Sinne a spirituall burden 528. 27 How we may be cased of the burden of sinne 529. 36 How sinne is finite and how infinite 554. 2 3 4. Solitarie and Monastick life against the light of nature 643. 13 Why the second person is called Sonne 280. 1 Whether the Sonne be God 280. 14. Two kinds of sorrow 137. 39 A point of great skill to bring a soule in order and frame againe 460. 29. Three things to be considered in the soule the substance the faculties and the qualities 637. 10 What is meant by vvhat soeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 10. Sowing what it signifies in the scripture 550. 20 Obiections against this prouerbiall speech whatsoeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 551. The distinction of sowing to the flesh and to our flesh 553. 36 By sowing to the flesh what is ment 564. 1. 10. To sow to the spirit what it is ibid. 20. The Spirit hath fiue properties 418. 38. What is the spirit a treatise 411. 21. 35. All exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit 381. 29 The operation of the spirit is threefold 146. What the Spirit signifies 163. 35 what is meant by the giuing or sending of the spirit 204. 35 In what order the spirit is giuen 205. 3. we receiue the spirit for sixe endes ibid. 20. why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the sonne 293. 39 The manner how the holy Ghost is sent 294. 35 Foure works in the spirit in causing beleeuers to crie Abba father 295. 32. The spirit of grace in Christians is more excellent then that of creation in two respects 412. 27 Of the operation of the spirit 412. 39. The whole worke of the spirit may be reduced to factions 413. 8 The spirit makes vs change and renew our actions in three respects 413. 21. The lust of the spirit hath two actions 416. 32 The office of the spirit is first to regenerate secondly to guide the regenerate 421. 14. 16 In this guidance there are foure actions of the spirit ibid. Subiection to the worke of Gods spirit hath two parts 422. 1 The propertie of the workes of the spirit a treatise 442. 33 The efficacie of the spirit 443. 6 What it is to liue and walke in the spirit 452. 453 A signe whereby to know whether a man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no. 454 4 Spirituall men opposed to carnall are of two sorts 463. 24 Spirituall men are more fitte to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 31 Diuers good and euill things are tearmed by the name of spirit 466. 5. Two kinds of spyings 85. 6 Of standing fast in libertie the manner and time of it 372. 17 Two kinds of subiection 269. 11 Subiection to the spirit hath two parts vide Spirit Succession is of three sorts 35. 3 The successours of the first preachers had an ordinarie calling 35. 17. Fiue vses of our sufferings 170. 10 T A propertie of false teachers is to vrge earnestly their owne ceremonies vpon others 617. 20 A propertie of false teachers to teach false doctrine for auoiding of persecution 618. 26 The essentiall difference betweene true and false teachers 619. 24 Another propertie of false teachers to compell others to obserue that which they themselues will not obserue 622. 18 Another note of false teachers to pretend religion to cloake their wickednes 623. 36 The propertie of false teachers is to set a faire show vpon the matter 611. 14. Temperance what foure rules for the practising of it 448. 3 By what law Tēths are due 232. 3 10 Of what value the testimonie of the Church is 33. 4 There must be a christian toleration one of another for the maintenance of church peace 409. 16 In what it stands ibid. 17 To what end it serues 409. 32 Whether there may not be a tolleration for Popery 409. 37 Vnwritten Traditions tendered as a part of gods word are abominations 24. 29 The church is troubled three waies 391. 33. Reasons to mooue men to speake deale truly 447. 26 The time of all euents determined by God 49. 2 Due time how it may be vnderstood 582. 13 We must make a holy profitable vse of time 598. 1 We must redeeme the time lost in three respects ibid. 37 Obseruations of times which be forbidden 600. 6 The kindes of vnlawfull obseruation of time either Iewish or Heathnish and wherein they consist 600. 11 Lawfull obseruation of time twofold diuine or humane 601. 4 Humane obseruation of time threefold 601. 5 V What the desire of vaine glorie is 454. 33 Excuses hereof taken away ibid. 38 They that haue receiued good gifts of God are many times most vaineglorious 455. 38 Remedies of pride and vaineglorie 456. 20. What vncleanes is 425. 21 Of our vnion with Christ. 145. 23 264. 39. Substantiall and spirituall 264. 30 In what respect they are said to be one with Christ 265. 1 Vnitie is not an infallible inseperable marke of the church 407. 18 Though men were not commanded to vow yet the matter and forme of vowes was commanded 60. 5 W What wantonnes is 425. 28 Reasons both in general and speciall that make men wearie of well doing 576. 38 How farre forth the will worketh in the receiuing of grace 11. 16 The absolute will of God cannot be resisted 360. 36 The determination of mans will by the will of god doth not abolish all freedome of will 361. 4 Man hath no freedome of will in good duties before his conuersion 417. 13 What witchcrafteis a treatise of the ground and kindes of it 429. 16 What is a witch 430. 38 Signes that serue to discouer a witch 431. 29. False and vncertaine signes 342. 1 Wiues among the Iewes of two sorts 343. 23 The word is the cause and obiect of our faith 6. 32 The word of God is the matter of the ministerie and how it is to be taught heard 29. 30 35 It depends not vpon the authoritie of the church 56. 11 But vpon it selfe 77. 18 The word must be dispensed in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuerse causes vide preach Labourers in the word may lawfully take wages though they haue sufficient of their owne to maintaine themselues 543. 18 There be no meritorious workes to