that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed An obiection might be made against the former conclusion thus But the most excellent among the Apostles Iames Peter Iohn by your leaue teach an other gospel then that which Paul had preached To this obiection he makes answer in this verse negatiuely that whosoeuer teacheth another Gospell is accursed whatsoeuer he be In this answer three things are to be considered a sinne the punishment thereof and a supposition seruing to amplifie the sinne The sinne is to preach in the cause of our iustification any other thing beside that or diuers to that which Paul taught the Galatians though it be not contrarie Thus much the very words import and the same wordes are againe vsed in the next verse And Paul bids Timothie auoid them that teach otherwise that is any diuers doctrine as necessarie to saluation beside that which he taught 1. Tim. 6. 3. And the reason of this sinne is because God hath giuen this commandement We may not depart from his word to the right hand or to the left neither may we adde thereto or take therfrom Iosu. 1. v. 7. 8. Deut. 4. 12. Before I gather any doctrine hence this ground is to be laid downe that Paul preached all the counsell of God Act. 20. 27. And that which he preached beeing necessarie to saluation he wrote or some other of the Apostles Ioh. 20. 31. This beeing graunted which is a certen trueth two maine conclusions followe One that the Scriptures alone by themselues without any other word are aboundantly sufficient to saluation whether we regard doctrines of faith or manners For he that deliuers any doctrine out of them and beside them as necessarie to be beleeued is accursed The second conclusion is that vnwritten Traditions if they be tendered to vs as a part of Gods word and as necessarie to saluation they are abominations because they are doctrines beside the Gospell that Paul preached And the Romane religion goes to the ground because it is founded on Tradition out of and beside the written word Learned Papists to helpe themselues make a double answer One is that they are accursed which preach otherwise then Paul preached and not they which preach otherwise then he writ But it is false which they say for that which he preached he writte Augustine hauing relation to the text in hand saith that he is accursed which preacheth any thing beside that which we haue receiued in the legall and Euangelicall scriptures Againe he saith that he must not teach any more or any other thing then that which is in the Apostle whose words he must expound The second answer is that to preach otherwise is to preach contrary Because as they say precepts and doctrines may be deliuered if they be diuerse and not contrary As the Gospell of Iohn and the Apocalyps were written after this epistle to the Galatians which are diuers to it though not contrarie the like they say of the canons of councells and that Paul Rom. 16. 18. put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beside for contrarie I answer thus The proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated beside or otherwise signifieth thus much properly and we are not to depart from the proper signification of the words vnlesse we be forced by the text And the place in the Romans in his proper and full sense must be turned thus Obserue the authors of effences besides the doctrine which ye haue learned And Pauls minde is that they should be obserued that teach any other diuers or distinct doctrine though it be not directly contrarie The Gospell of Iohn and the Apocalyps written afterward propound not any diuers doctrine pertaining to the saluation of the soule but one and the same in substance with that which Paul wrote The Canons of Councels are traditions touching order and comelinesse they prescribe not any thing as necessarie to iustification and saluation Againe the Embassadour that speakes any thing beside his commission is as well in fault as he that speakes the cōtrarie though not so much The second point is the punishment Let him be accursed Here are three things to be considered The first what is it to be accursed Ans. God hath giuen to the Church the power of building and it hath 4. degrees Admonition Suspencion from the Sacraments Excommunication Anathema And this last is a censure or iudgement of the Church whereby it pronounceth a man seuered from Christ and adiuged to eternall perdition Rom. 9. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 22. And he is here said to be accursed that stands subiect to this censure The second part is who are to be accursed Answer Hainous offendours and desperate persons of whose amendment there is no hope And therefore this iudg ment is seldome pronounced vpon any We finde but one example in the newe Testament Paul accursed Alexander the Copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. And the Church afterward accursed Iulian the Emperour Other examples we finde not any The third point howe the Church should accurse any man and in what order Answer In this action there be foure iudgements The first is Gods which is giuen in heauen whereby he doeth accurse obstinate and notorious offendours The second iudgement pertaines to the Church vpon earth which pronounceth them accursed whome god accurseth It may be said howe comes the Church to knowe the iudgement of God whereby he accurseth Answer The word sets downe the condition of them that are accursed and experience and obseruation findes out the persons to whome these conditions are incident The third iudgement is giuen in heauen whereby God ratifies and approoues the iudgement of the Church according to that whatsoeuer ye binde on earth shall be bound in heauen The last iudgement pertaines to euery priuate person who holds him in execration whome God hath accursed and the Church hath pronounced so to be If he heare not the Church the Church pronounceth him to be as a Publican and heathen then saith Christ let him be a Publican to thee Thus must the text be vnderstood Hence we we are taught to be carefull in preseruing the puritie of the Gospell because the corrupters thereof are to be accursed as the damned spirits Hence againe it appeareth that the Church in accursing doth but exercise a Ministerie which is to publish and testifie who are accursed of God Lastly hence we learne that priuate persons must seldome vse cursing because God must first accurse and the Church publish the sentence of God before we may with good conscience vtter the same They therefore which in a rage accurse themselues others deale wickedly We are called ordinarily to blessing not to cursing The third point is the fupposition of things impossible on this manner Put the case that I Paul or any other of the Apostles should
temple And thus hoping that these respects may entreate for a friendly acceptance at thy hands and that thou wilt afforde mee thy good word for my good will and a fauorable construction for my paines I commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection vnfainedly wishing to thee as to my selfe the mercie of God in Christ Iesus August 10. Thine in the Lord Iesus R. C. Faults escaped in some copies are thus to be corrected Pag. lin Fault correct 25 30 building binding 70 28 degree decree 86 27 Christin Christian ibidem  refuse refused 105 4 Prov. 14. 24. 136 3 seach search 153 4 7 47 164 25 begunne beginne 176 24 happily haply 241 5 reuealed conceiued 360 33 it is 402 1 come came 440 16 maginations imaginatioÌ„s 461 29 foole foote 469 23 notes motes 472 38 Recidauation RecidiuatioÌ„ 473 7 the thiefe thiefe 478 30 Quaerenda Quâ—rendo 480 17 Supposes Supposals 482 25 perfunctorie defunctorie 482 37 thâ— the 490 38 heard hard 505 36 thought though 556 23 equall equall 559 26 our an 585 8 see seeing 612 3 Peter Peters 647 14 o other In the Epistle to the Reader for hath read haue CHAP. 1 THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL TO THE GALATIANS The Argument TWo things are generally to be considered the occasion of this Epistle and the Scope The occasion that mooued Paul to write this Epistle was because certen false-Apostles slaundered him both in respect of his calling as also in respect of his doctrine teaching that he was no Apostle and that his doctrine was false And by this means they seduced the Churches of Galatia perswading them that iustification and saluation was partly by Christ and partly by the Lawe The Scope of the Epistle is in three things First the Apostle defends his calling in the first and second chapters Secondly he defends the truth of his doctrine teaching iustification by Christ alone And vpon this occasion he handles the greatest question in the world Namely what is that Justice whereby a sinner stands righteous before God in the 3. and 4. and in the beginning of the fift Thirdly he prescribes rules of good life in the fift and sixt chapters 1. Paul an Apostle not of men nor by man but by Iesus Christ and God the father who raised him from the dead THe Epistle hath 3. parts a Preface an Instruction and the Conclusion The preface is in the fiue first verses and it hath two parts an inscription and a Salutation The inscription sets downe the persons that write the Epistle and the persons to whome it is sent The persons that write are two Paul the Brethren Paul is mentioned in the first verse In which in comely and decent manner he commende himselfe to the Galatians by his office and function as Apostle that is one called to be a planter and founder of the Church of the newe Testament among the nations And because the title of an Apostle in generall signification may agree to all teachers therefore he goes further and sets downe the cause of his Apostleship And first he remooues the false causes in these words not of men that is not called by men as by Authors of my calling or not called by the authoritie of men And in this Paul opposeth himselse to the false-apostles who were called notby God but by men Againe he saith not by man that is not called of God in and by the ministerie of any meere man And in this Paul opposeth himselfe to all ordinarie ministers of the Gospell whatsoeuer who are called of God by man This done he propounds the true cause and author of his Apostleshippe of whome he was called immediately Against this it may be obiected that Paul was ordained to be an Apostle by the imposition of haÌ„ds of the Church of Antioch I answer that this imposition was rather a confirmation then a calling Secondly they of Antioch had not imposed hands on Paul but that they were commanded by the spirit of God Further Paul addes that he was called by Christ and God the father for three causes The first was to signifie the consent of will in the father and Christ. The second was to teach vs howe we are to conceiue of God namely that he is the Father and Iesus Christ and the Holy Ghost for the Godhead may not be conceiued out of the trinitie of persons The third is because the father is the fountaine of all good things that come to vs by Christ. Lastly he sets downe the effect or action of the Father who raised him from the dead and that for two causes One was to prooue Christ to be the naturall sonne of God for he professed himselfe to be so and that was one cause why he was crucified and put to death Nowe when he was dead if he had not bin the sonne of God indeede he had neuer risen againe but had perished in death And in that the father raised him againe to life he gaue testimonie that he was his own naturall sonne And therefore Paul saith that Christ was declared to be the sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead and he applies the words of the Psalme thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee to the time of Christs resurrection Againe Paul mentions the resurrection of Christ to note the time of his owne calling for though the rest of the Apostley were called when Christ was in the estate of humiliation yet Paul was called afterwards when Christ was entred into his kingdome and sate at the right hand of his father The vse First whereas Paul in the very fore front of his Epistle beginnes with his owne calling I gather that euery minister of the Gospell ought to haue a good and lawefull calling A man cannot preach vnlesse he be sent Christ tooke not vnto him the office of a Mediatour till he was called and sent of the Father Therefore the opinion of the Anabaptist is foolish and phantasticall who thinke that euery man may preach that will without any speciall calling They alleadge that the house of Stephanas ordaine themselues to the Ministerie of the Saints Answer the meaning of the place is not that they called themselues but that they set themselues apart to the ministerie of the Saints in the purpose and resolution of their owne hearts Againe they alleadge that all Christians in the newe Testament are Kings and Priests and the office of the priest is to teach I answer all are priests in that they are to offer themselues in sacrifice to God and to teach priuately within their places and callings as the master his seruants the father his children c and to make a confession of their faith when they are called so to doe Thirdly they alleadge that the power of the keies is giuen to the Church I answer it is indeed yet so as the vse and administration thereof belongs to the Ministers alone in the
teach otherwise then I haue taught you neither I nor they must be beleeued but be accursed Againe put the case that an angell from heauen should come and preach otherwise then Paul preached to the Galatians who must be beleeued Paul or the Angel the answer is not the Angell but Paul and the angel must be accursed And the reason is because Paul in preaching and writing did represent the authoritie of God and God puts his owne authoritie into the word which he vttered and he was assisted by the extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of Gods spirit From this supposition sundrie things may be learned The first that the word preached and written by Paul is as certen as if it had bin written by God himselfe immediately It may be obiected that Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 12. To the remnant I speake not the Lord. I answer Paul saith I not the Lord not because he was deceiued in his aduise for he spake by the spirit of God c. 7. v. 40. but because he gaue counsell in a case of marriage whereof the Lord had made no expresse lawe The meaning then is this I speake by collection from the lawe of God and not the Lord by any particular and expresse lawe Secondly it appeares hence that the articles of faith or the doctrine of the Gospell is in excellencie and authoritie aboue all men and angeis And hence it followes that the Church and Councels cannot authorize the word of God in the minde conscience of any man For the inferiour and dependent authoritie addes nothing to that which is the principall and superior authoritie Therefore the opinion of the Papist is false that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God but by the testimony of the Church as though the letter of a Prince could not be knowne to be so without the testimonie of the subiects The principall authoritie is sufficient in it selfe to authorize it selfe without externall testimonie Thirdly since the daies of the Apostles sundrie doctrines haue bin receiued and beleeued touching intercession of Saints praier to the dead and for the dead Purgatorie and such like and these doctrines haue bin confirmed by sundrie revelations And here we learne what to iudge both of the doctrines and of the reuelations namely that they are accursed because the doctrines are beside the written word and the reuelations tend to ratifie and confirme them Lastly hence we learne what to thinke of the writings of Papists and Schoolemen whereof some are called Seraphicall cherubicall or Angelicall doctors They broch and maintaine sundrie things beside that which the Apostles preached wrote as iustification by workes and a mixture of the lawe and the Gospell they giue too little to grace and too much to mans will In this regard Paul hath giuen the sentence that they are accursed For this cause students of diuinitie are warily to read them with praier that they be not led into temptation and they are to vse them onely in the last place And they are greatly to be blamed that preferre them almost aboue all writers they shewe that they haue little loue of the Gospell in their hearts 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed In these words Paul repeates againe that which he said before and the repetition is not in vaine but for three weightie causes the first is to signifie that he had spoken not rashly but aduisedly whatsoeuer he had said before the second is that the point deliuered is an infallible truth of God the third is to put the Galatians and vs in minde that we are to obserue and remember that which he hath said as the foundation of our religion namely that the doctrine of the Apostles is the onely infallible truth of God against which we may not listen to Fathers Councels or to the very Angels of God If this had bin remembred and obserued the Gospel had continued in his puritie after the daies of the Apostles In this verse one thing is to be obserued Before Paul saide they are accursed which teach otherwise then he had taught here he saith they are accursed which teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued Whereby it appeares that as Paul preached the Gospel of Christ so the Galatians receiued it And they receiued it first in that they had care to know it secondly in that they gaue the assent of faith vnto it as to a truth against which the very Angels could take no exception And for this also are the Thessalonians commended that the Gospel was to them in power and much assurance The great fault of our times is that where as the Gospel is preached it is not accordingly receiued Many haue no care to know it and they which know it giue not vnto it the assent of faith but onely hold it in opinion And this is the cause that there is so small fruit of the Gospel This sinne will at length haue his punishment The places that are not seasoned by the waters of the Sanctuarie are turned to saltpits Ezech. 47. v. 11. 10 For now whether preach I men or God or seeke I to please men for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ. The interrogations in this place doe I preach and doe I please are in stead of earnest negations I doe not preach I doe not please And when he saith doe I now preach men or God his meaning is this Heretofore I haue preached the Traditions of men but now beeing an Apostle I preach not the doctrine of men but of God And when he saith doe I seeke to please men his meaning is this I doe not make this the scope of my mini sterie to frame and temper my doctrine so as it may be sutable and pleasing to the affections of men For otherwise we are to please men in that which is good and for their good 1. Cor. 10. 33. Rom. 15. 2. This verse containes a double reason of his former speach and of the repitition thereof The first is this Though heretofore I taught the Traditions of men yet now I teach the word not of men but of God and therefore I accurse them that teach otherwise The second is framed thus If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of God but I am the seruant of God therefore I seeke not to please men but if neede shal be I will denounce curses against them Here first we see the proper matter of the Ministerie which is not the word or doctrine of man but of God By this the Ministers of the Gospel are taught to handle their doctrine with modestie and humilitie without ostentation with reuerence and with a consideration of the maiestie of God whose the doctrine is which they vtter that God may be glorified 1. Pet. 4. 11. Secondly the hearers in hearing are to know that they haue to
is the time when in these words then after fourteene yeares Here two questions are to be demaunded The first is of which of his iourneies must this be vnderstood for he made fiue iournies to Ierusalem The first from Arabia the second when he and Barnabas were sent by the Church of the Gentiles to carrie almes to Ierusalem the third when he went to the Councell at Ierusalem the fourth when he went vp for the keeping of his vowe the last is mentioned Act. 19. 21. Answ. These words are not spoken of the first for that was but three yeares after his conuersion neither can they well be vnderstood of the second because Paul then was sent by the Church and therefore he went not by reuelation And they cannot well be vnderstood of the third for then Paul would here haue mentioned the Councell of Ierusalem whereof he was a principall member specially seeing he hath occasion so to doe and it serued much for his purpose The fourth fifth iourneys were after a longer time then fourteene yeares It is likely therefore that this iourney here mentioned and described by Paul is none of the fiue mentioned by Luke but some other The second question is When these fourteene yeares must beginne Ans. It is vncerten Some thinke they must beginne at his conuersion some three yeares after when Paul went first to Ierusalem and either may be a truth None must here take offeÌ„ce For though circumstances of time and place beeing things of lesse moment cannot alwaies be certenly gathered yet histories for their substance and doctrines pertaining to saluation are plainly set downe And here we are put in minde to be content to be ignorant in some things because the spirit of God hath more darkly expressed them or againe because we cannot by reason of our blindnes gather them The third point is concerning the companions of Paul in this iourney namely Barnabas and Titus And Paul takes them with him that they might be witnesses to the Iewes of the doctrine he taught among the Gentiles and againe to the Gentiles of the consent that was betweene him and the rest of the Apostles For the law of God is that euery matter shall be established by the testimonie of two or three witnesses Hence we learne that if a question arise of the doctrine which is deliuered in the publike Ministerie then the hearers that are able to iudge must be witnesses and the triall is to be made by them Thus saith Christ in the like case Why aske ye me aske them that heard me Ioh. 18. 21. Therefore great care and circumspection is to be had of things publikely deliuered Againe whereas Paul makes Barnabas a Iew and Titus a Gentile his companions we are taught to imbrace with a brotherly loue not onely the men of our owne countrey but also such as be of other nations specially if they beleeue For then they are all children of one father and pertaine all to one familie and there is no difference of nations now It is a fault therefore that men of one nation carrie in their hearts a generall dislike and hatred oftentimes of them with whome they deale and conuerse and that because they are of such or such countries The fourth point is the cause of his iourney in these words and I went by reuelation Here we are taught that for the iournies we make we are to haue some good and sufficient warrant though not a reuelation yet a commandement or that which counteruailes a commandement as when we trauaile by vertue of our callings When Noe had made the Arke he enters into it at Gods commandement he abides in it and when the earth was in part dried he presumes not to goe out till the Lord bad him Here three sorts of men are to be blamed Pilgrimes that trauell to Ierusalem or other countries in way of merit or religion For they haue no warrant Secondly trauellers that goe from countrey to countrey and out of the precincts of the Church vpon vaine curiositie to see fashions Such when they trauell from their own countries yet they trauell not from their vices but rather goe deeper into them and come home againe with many bad and corrupt fashions The last are beggers Rogues that passe from place to place that they may'l ue in idlenes vpoÌ„ the sweat of other mens brows Thus much of the iourney now followes the Conference in these words and I communicated c. Here generally I gather that Conferences both priuate and publike are laudible and to be maintained specially when they tend to the maintenance of vniâ—ie and consent in doctrine The Papists blame vs Protestants for condemning Conferences as they say and Councells But they doe vs wrong Indeede the Councell of Trent we reiect and condemne For in it against all equitie the Pope was both partie and iudge In it there was no libertie to make triall of truth For nothing was propounded but by the liking and consent of the Pope Againe the whole Councell consisted of such as were of the Italian faction whose faith was pinned on the Popes sleeue Neuerthelesse we allow all Christian Councells lawfully gathered and we desire there might be a Generall Councell for the triall of truth and for the staying of vnsetled minds these three caueats beeing remembred One that the Councell be gathered by Christian Princes to whom the right of calling a Councell belongs The other that the Pope be no iudge but a partie The third that Christ in his word be the iudge and that the Delegates in the Councell be but as witnesses determining all things by the written word In this conference we are first to consider the manner of conferring which was vsed Paul saith he communicated with them that is he laid downe vnto them and expounded the Gospel which he preached and this he did priuatly that is with the Apostles one by one in plaine and familiar manner as one friend doth with an other Therefore for the maintaining of this conference there was no assembly made neither was there any disputation held Onely Paul declares his doctrine and they giue assent Hence it appeares that Paul doth not submit the truth of his doctrine to triall For he was resolued of it and he accursed him that taught otherwise but his intent was to seeke the approbation of the Apostles that he might stop the mouth of his aduersaries The second point is the matter of the conference and that is the Gospel which Paul preached Here the Papist gathereth that the Church is the iudge in all questions pertaining to religion and the word because it is here the thing that is iudged I answer first that they gather amisse For Paul doeth not here submit the Gospel which he preached to the iudgement of the Church of Ierusalem And it is false which they teach for the soueraigne Iudge of all questions and controuersies in religion is Christ alone The power to determine and resolue in cases
not the Papist which addes tradition to the scripture And for affection we suffer our selues to be limited by the doctrine of repentance and new obedience Secondly I answer that the church of Rome vseth false meanes of Limitation For it teacheth that for opinion we must captiuate our senses to the determination of the church by beleeuing as the church beleeueth though it be not knowne what the church beleeueth And it limits affection by auricular confession and by canonicall satisfactions meere inuentions of men The fourth motiue The Romane religion drawes the multitude Ans. It drawes them indeede because it is a naturall religion but it doth not turne them from darknes to light from death to life Secōdly I answer that Antichrist in his comming shall draw the multitude 2. Thess. 2. 9. The fift motiue There were neuer but two alterations of religion One in the daies of Elias the other in the daies of Iohn the Baptist. Ans. I will shew a third Paul saith that before the ende there shall be a departure 2. Thess. 2. and this departure is generall in all nations Reuel 13. 16. and after a thousand yeares there shall be the first resurrection Reuel 20. 5. and this resurrection is the reuiuing and the restoring of the Gospel after long ignorance and superstition The sixt motiue The church of Rome hath a Iudge to ende controuersies we haue none Ans. Christ is our Iudge and the scripture is the voice of this iudge determining all things pertaining to saluation fully and plainly to the contentation of any conscience The seauenth motiue The Romane religion is sutable to ancient Tradition Ans. It is contrarie For it abolisheth the second commandement touching Images and the tenth touching lust And it ouerturneth sundrie Articles of faith For it abolisheth one of the natures of Christ by the reall presence and his three offices by ioyning partners and associates with him To these seauen I adde three other The eight motiue then is this Our Ministers they say tooke vnto themselues new callings and consequently that we are but schismatikes Ans. The offices of the first restorers of the Gospel were ordinarie and their vocation to the said offices was ordinary for they were all either Priests or Schoole doctors It may be saide that they departed from their callings I answer they departed onely from the common abuse of their callings which they restored to their right vse The ninth motiue The church of Rome hath true baptisme and therefore it is a true church Ans. Baptisme in the Papacie pertaines not to it but to another hidden church in the middest of the Papacie as the light in the lanthorne pertaines not to it but to the passenger Secondly though the church of Rome hold the outward baptisme yet doth it ouerturne the inward which stands in the iustification of a sinner by imputation of the obedience of Christ. Thirdly baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel is no marke of a church Circumcision was vsed in Samaria and yet they were no people of God Hos. 1. 9. The tenth motiue The church of Rome hath antiquitie and succession from the Apostles Ans. They are no markes of the church vnlesse they be ioyned with propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine The kingdome of darknes hath also antiquitie succession vniuersalitie and vnitie Now then we are to hold the church of Rome as a stepmother nay as a professed harlot shee is no mother of ours For the Lord saith Come out of her my people Reuel 18. Let vs therefore come to the true answer The catholike Church our Mother is to be sought for and to be found in the true visible churches the certen markes whereof are three The preaching of the word of God out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles with obedience Ioh. 10. 28. Eph. 2. 20. True inuocation of God the father in the onely name of Christ by the assistance of the spirit Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. the right vse of the sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper Math 28. 18. And by these shall we finde the true Church of God in England Ireland Scotland Germanie France c. Againe in that the Church is called our Mother the Papist gathereth that her commandements must be obaied Prov. 1. 8. and therefore in their Catechismes beside the commandements of God they propound the commandements of the Church But I answer that the precepts of the father and the mother must be one and then the mother must be obaied The Church is called the mother of vs all that is of all true beleeuers Hence it follows that wicked men are not members of the catholike Church as Popish doctors erroniously teach for then the church shall be a mother not onely to the children of God but also to the children of the deuill Lastly in that the church is our Mother we are taught that we must despise our first birth and seeke to be borne againe vnto God and sucke the brest of our mother feeding on the milke of the word Psal. 45. 11. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Thus to be borne a member of the new Ierusalem is a great priuiledge Psal. 87. 5. Reuel 3. 12. 27 For it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest no childrē breake forth and crie thou that trauelest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband These words are the testimonie of the Prophet Isa c. 54. 1. and they are brought to prooue that which Paul said in the former verse that the Catholike Church is the Mother of vs all that is not onely of the Iewes but also of all beleeuing Gentiles In the words I consider the preface to the Testimonie and the testimonie it selfe The preface It is written where two points are to be considered The first is who saith Jt is written Ans. The Apostle Paul whose authoritie was diuine and infallible because he was led into all truth by the spirit of God so as he could not erre in deliuering doctrine to the church And yet for all this he followes the rule of the written word And his manner was so to doe Act. 26. 22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome which takes to it selfe an absolute power of iudgement in all matters without and beside the scripture yea a power to iudge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense thereof without the helpe of scripture vpon a supposed infallible assistance of the spirit The second point is In what question saith Paul It is written Ans. In a controuersie betweene him and the false Apostles touching the iustification of a sinner This shewes that the scripture it selfe is the meanes to determine and decide controuersies There was for this purpose in the old Testament the liuely voice of God vttered in the Oracle at the Mercie seat but in the new Testament there is no such voice of God but the written word is in stead thereof to the ende of the world And therefore
are two graces required vnto it helping grace and Exciting grace Helping grace preserues and confirmes the first and initiall repentance Exciting grace giues the will and the deede And without these graces the child of God if he fall cannot repent and recouer himselfe They therefore are deceiued who thinke that they may haue repentance at command and that they may repent when they will It may be demanded why Paul vseth mild tearmes and doth not excommunicate the Galatians Ans. So long as men are curable meanes must be vsed to recouer them The sheepe or oxe that goes astray must be brought home againe Exod. 23. 4. much more thy neighbour Christ himselfe brings home againe the lost sheepe and so must euery shepheard Ezech. 34. 4. Now the Galatians were in all likelihood persons curable and therefore not to be cut off For the Censure of Excommunication pertaines to them alone of whose recouerie there is no hope Some there be that mislike the Preaching vsed in these daies because we vse not seueritie and personall reproofes after the manner of Iohn Baptist. But these men are deceiued We haue not the like calling that he had nor like gifts neither are we in the like times For Iohn the Baptist was in the very time of the change betweene the old and the new Testament Christ did not follow him in the same manner of teaching neither doth the Apostle in this place when he saith of the Galatians in Apostasie that he hoped better things of them In the last place the commination which the Apostle vseth is to be obserued that troublers of the Church shall beare their iudgement Hence I gather 1. That God watcheth ouer his Church with a speciall prouidence We in England haue found this by experience and we are to be thankfull for it 2. That the doctrine of the Apostles is of infallible certentie because the oppugners of it are plagued by the iust iudgement of God 3. On the contrarie our dutie is to pray for the good estate of the Church of God and for the kingdomes where the Church is planted and for the continuance of the Gospel specially in England For what will all the things we haue doe vs good if we be forth of Gods kingdome and lose our soules 11 And brethren if I yet preach Circumcision why doe I yet suffer persecution Then is the scandall of the crosse abolished 12 Would to God they were cut off that trouble you The sense Yet preach now while I am an Apostle Here Paul takes it for graunted that when he was a Pharisie he taught and maintained Circumcision but he denies that he euer taught it after his conuersion in his Apostleship The crosse the Gospel which is a doctrine teaching deliuerance from hell and life euerlasting to be obtained by the death and passion of Christ crucified 1. Cor. 1. 18 23. More plainly the words are thus much in effect It is reported that I Paul an Apostle preach circumcision but the truth is there is no such matter For if I taught circumcision the Iewes maintainers of circumcision would not persecute me as they doe neither would they take offence at the preaching of Christ crucified if I ioyned circumcision with Christ. The drift Paul here answers a new obiection which is on this manner There is no cause Paul why thou shouldest thus reprooue vs for thou thy selfe art a teacher of circumcision To this Paul makes a double answer First he denies the report and prooues his deniall by a double reason one is because the Iewes still persecuted him the other is because they tooke offence still at his preaching of Christ crucified Secondly Paul answers by pronouncing a curse vpon the false Apostles The vse In the wordes I consider two things the report giuen forth of Paul and his Apologie The report was that Paul preached circumcision In this we see what is the condition of the Ministers of the word namely to be subiect to slander and defamation not onely in respect of their liues but also in respect of their Ministerie and doctrine as if they were heretikes Thus the Papists at this day reproch the Ministerie of the Church of England charging it with sundrie foule heresies And many among vs spare not to charge it with the heresie of Puritanisme And I doubt not to auouch it that some are condemned for hereâ—â—kes in the historie of the Church who if all were knowne should be found to be good seruants of God 1. This verifies the saying of Ecclesiastes c. 8. v. 14. There are righteous men to whome it befalls according to the worke of the wicked 2. Ministers must hence be put in minde to vse circumspection both for the matter and the manner of their Preaching 3. Beeing defamed and that wrongfully they must hence take occasion to be more carefull to please God as Dauid did in the like case Psal. 119. 69. But how came this report of Paul Ans. Sometime he tollerated circumcision as a thing indifferent for a time and hereupon circumcised Timothie And vpon this occasion a report is raised that Paul preached circumcision In this we see the fashion of the world which is to raise fames reports and slanders of all persons specially vpon Magistrates and Ministers and that vpon euery light and vniust occasion But good men will take no such occasions of raising reports Psal. 15. 3. But how did Paul take this report Ans. He did not requite euill for euill as the manner of men is but he returnes loue and goodnes for euill and for this cause no doubt of purpose he beginnes his speech on this manner Brethren if I yet preach Circumcision The Apologie and defence followes And first he denies the report And this is because for his preaching he is persecuted of the Iewes Here obserue that they which are called to teach must preach the Gospel what trouble or danger soeuer follow as Paul did It may be demanded whether a Minister may not in teaching conceale any part of the truth at any time without sinne Ans. In the case of Confession when a man is called to giue an account of his faith no truth no not the least truth may be concealed Againe when the soules of men are to be releeued and saued all concealements are damnable Yet in the planting or in the restoring of the Church doctrines most necessarie may be concealed Paul was about two yeares at Ephesus and spake nothing against Diana but in generall tearmes If he had he had planted no Church at Ephesus Againe when people be vncapable of doctrine it may be coÌ„cealed till they be prepared for it Christ told his disciples that he had many things to tell them which they could not then learne Some beleeuers must haue no strong meate but milke onely Thirdly when the teaching of a lesser truth hinders the teaching of a fundamentall truth the lesser truth may be concealed that the fundamentall truth may be taught and take place Here we
deale with God and that they are to receiue the doctrine taught not as the word of man but as the very word of God as the Thessalonians did 1. Thess. 2. 13. The want of this consideration is the cause that some contemne the ministerie of the word and others are not touched and mooued in hearing Againe here is set downe the right manner of dispensing the word which must not be for the pleasing of men but of God Hence it appeares that Ministers of the Gospel must not be men-plea 〈…〉 nor applie and fashion their doctrine to the affections humours and dispositions of men but keepe a good conscience and doe their office The Lord tells Ieremie he must not turne to the people but the people must turne to him Ierem. 15. 19. Thus God shal be with them and they shal bring forth much fruit And the people must know it to be a good thing for them not to be pleased alwaies by their Ministers The ministerie of the word must be as a sacrificing knife to kill and mortifie the old Adam in vs that we may liue vnto God A sicke man must not alwaies haue his minde but he must often be crossed and restrained of his desire and so must we that are sicke in our soules in respect of our sinnes It is a fault therefore of men that desire to be pleased to haue matters smoothed ouer of their teachers This is Dauids balme which he wisheth may neuer be wanting to his head Psal. 141. 5. The ende of this verse sets downe a memorable sentence That if we seeke to please men we cannot be the seruants of God Hence I gather that our nature is full of rebellion and enmitie against God because they which please men cannot please God Againe here is set downe what is the hurt that comes by pride and ambition It keepes men that they cannot be the seruants of Christ. Ye beleeue not saith Christ because ye seeke glorie one of another Ioh. 5. 44. Ambition so fills the minde with vanitie and the heart with worldly desires that it cannot thinke or desire to please God Wherefore he that would be a faithfull Minister of the Gospel must denie the pride of his heart and be emptied of ambition and set himselfe wholly to seeke the glorie of God in his calling And generally he that would be a faithfull seruant of Christ must set God before him as a Iudge and consider that he hath to deale with God and he must turne his minde and senses from the world and all things therein to God and seeke aboue all things to approoue his thoughts desires affections and all his doings vnto him Lastly the profession of the seruant of God is here to be obserued in the example of Paul who saith Doe I now preach men and doe I yet please men as if he had said I haue done thus and thus I haue preached the Traditions of man heretofore and I haue pleased man in persequnting the Church of God but I doe not so still neither will I. And he that can say the like with good conscience I haue sinned thus and thus heretofore but now I doe not neither will I sinne as I haue done is indeede the seruant of God v. 11. Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached by me was not after man The meaning is this that it may the better appeare that I haue iustly accursed them which teach any other Gospel and iustly reprooued you for receiuing it I giue you to vnderstand that the Gospel which I preached was not after man that is not deuised by man or preached of me by mans authoritie but it was from God and preached by the authoritie of God And this sense appeares by v. 10 and 12. In these words is laid downe the reason of the conclusion or the assumption of the principall argument which was on this manner If I be called to teach and that immediatly of God and my doctrine be true then ye ought not to haue reuolted from the Gospel which I preached but I was called to teach immediatly of God and my doctrine is true The first part of this assumption is here set downe and handled to the ende of the second chapter and the conclusion as we haue heard was set downe in the premises Hence two maine points of doctrine that are of great consequent may be gathered The first is this It is a thing most necessarie that men should be assured and certified that the doctrine of the Gospel and the Scripture is not of man but of God This is the first thing which Paul stands vpon in this Epistle It may be demanded how this assurance may be obtained I answer thus For the setling of our consciences that Scripture is the word of God there be two testimonies One is the Euidence of Gods spirit imprinted and expressed in the Scriptures and this is an excellencie of the word of God aboue all words and writings of men and Angels and containes 13. points The first is the puritie of the law of Moses whereas the lawes of men haue their imperfections The second i◠that the Scripture setteth downe the true cause of all miserie namely sinne and the perfect remedie namely the death of Christ. The third is the Antiquitie of Scripture in that it fets downe an historie from the beginning of the world The 4. is prophecies of things in sundrie bookes of Scripture which none could possibly foretell but God The 5. is the confirmation of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles by miracles that is works done aboue and contrarie to the strength of nature which none can doe but God The 6. is the consent of all the scripture with themselues whereas the writings of men are often at iarre with themselues The 7. is the confession of enemies as namely of heretickes who in oppugning of scriptures alleadge scriptures and thereby confesse the trueth thereof The 8. is an vnspeakable detestation that Sathan and all wicked men beare to the doctrine of scripture The 9. is the protection and preseruation of it from the beginning to this houre by a speciall prouidence of God The 10. is the constant confession of Martyrs that haue shedde their blood for the Gospell of Christ. The 11. is that fearefull punishments and iudgements haue befallen them that haue oppugned the word of God The 12. is holinesse of them that professe the Gospell The last is the effect and operation of the word for it is an instrument of God in the right vse whereof we receiue the testimonie of the spirit of our adoption and are conuerted vnto God And yet neuerthelesse the word which conuerteth is contrarie to the wicked nature of man The second testimonie is from the Prophets and Apostles who were Embassadours of God extraordinarily to represent his authoritie vnto his Church and the pen-men of the holy Ghost to set downe the true and proper word of God And the Apostles aboue
not communicate any thing to him either in doctrine or counsell The vse This verse serues to expound other places in S. Iohn Where Christ promiseth to giue his spirit to his Disciples to teach them all things Ioh. 14. 26. and to led them into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. Now these promises directly and properly concerne the Apostles and they are here verified in Paul Who was so farre forth taught by God and lead into all truth that the cheife Apostles could not teach or communicate any thing to him For all this though Paul and the rest were led into all truth that they could not erre yet were they not led into all holinesse of life that they could not sinne Paul saith to will is present with me but he addes that he cannot doe the good he would Christ saith to all the Apostles He that is washed and is all cleane must still haue his feete washed Ioh. 13. 10. Wherefore they are to be rebuked that thinke there must be no want at all in them that are Preachers of the Gospel and hereupon take occasion to despise their Ministerie if they can spie any thing amisse in their doings Vpon the same ground they might reiect the Ministerie of the Apostles For though they could not erre in preaching and writing and though they had no neede to be taught of any man yet were they not free from sinne in their liues and the chiefe of them sundrie times fayled Againe here we learne that there is a good and lawfull kind of boasting and that is when a man is disgraced and his disgrace is the dishonour of God and the disgrace of the Gospel This makes Paul here to say that he learned nothing of the chiefe Apostles For if he had said otherwise he should haue bin reputed to be no more but an ordinarie disciple and the doctrine which he taught before this conference should haue bin called in question For this cause he stands vpon it that they did not communicate any thing vnto him Vpon the like occasion he professeth that he will boast 2. Cor. 11. 16. Here the saying of Salomon may be obiected Let an other mans mouth praise thee and not thine owne Prou. 27. 2. I answer it sufficeth for the truth of sundrie prouerbs if they be commonly ordinarily and vsually true though they be not generally true Thus ordinarily men are not to praise themselues yet in a speciall and extraordinarie case it may be otherwise And the manner which Paul vseth in commending of himselfe is to be obserued First he doth it in great modestie because in speaking of himselfe he concealeth that part of the sentence which should haue serued to expresse his praise Secondly in praising of himselfe he is not carried with enuie but his care is to maintaine the good name of the rest of the Apostles when he saith What they haue bin it is no matter to me Here then we see that the Atheists doe Paul wrong who challenge him for pride and presumption as though he could not brooke an equall and withall skorned to learne of any Againe by Pauls example we are to take notice of a common sinne Mens hearts are so possessed with selfe-loue and they are so addicted to their owne praise that it is griefe to them to heare any praised beside thēselues whereas loue binds vs as well to take care for the good name of others as of our owne When Paul saith What they were in times past it matters not to me we learne that we are to esteeme of men not as they haue bin but as they are Peter Iames and Iohn though they had bin fishermen yet are they honoured of Paul as Apostles Therefore when men haue repented we may not vpbraid thē with their liues past Neither may we take occasion to contemne them that be in authoritie because we haue knowne what they haue bin heretofore but euery man is to be esteemed according to his calling and according to the grace of God giuen him Like is Gods mercifull dealing toward vs. For he accepts men not as they haue bin but as they are when they repent Therefore if Sathan shall at any time obiect thy life past say vnto him thus Tell me not what I haue bin but tell me what I am and what I will be This sufficeth when we repent God accepteth the person of no man By person is meant not the substance of a man or the man himselfe but the outward qualitie or condition of man as countrey sexe birth condition of life riches pouertie nobilitie wisdome learning c. And God is saide not to accept the person because he doth call men bestow his gifts and giue iudgement according to his owne wise and iust pleasure and not according to the outward appearance and condition of the person Read Iob. 34. 19. It may be obiected that God deales not equally with them that are equall because all men are equall in Adam and of them he chooseth some to eternall life and refuseth others I answer he is said to accept persons that deales vnequally with men beeing bound to deale equally now God is not thus bound because he is a soueraigne and absolute Lord ouer all his creatures and may doe with his owne what he will Math. 20. 16. Secondly it may be obiected that God had respect to Abel and his sacrifice Gen. 4. 4. Ans. The condition of man is twofold outward inward Outward standes in worldly and ciuill respects Inward standes in a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained For this onely was Abel respected Hebr. 11. 4. Though God accept not the outward person yet in euery nation he that feareth God is accepted of him Act. 10. 34. Thirdly it may be obiected that God iudgeth euery man according to his workes Ans. Though workes appeare outwardly yet the roote and ground of them is in the heart And the iudgement of God is according to them as they are fruits of the faith of the heart The vse All men are in this to be like vnto God their heauenly father not accepting persons in their dealings As Magistrates in the exequution of iustice Deut. 1. 17. Ministers in teaching and in the reproouing of sinne Mark 12. 14. and all beleeuers who are not to haue religion in acceptation of persons Iam. 12. 1. This acceptation is the ruine of societies And it is the common fault For vsually elections are made offices bestowed and iustice exequuted with partialitie and with blind respects to countrey kinred friendship money Secondly we are all taught to feare the iudgement of God and to prepare our selues with all diligence that we may be found worthie to stand before God in that great day For we must come naked before him and he will haue no respect to our birth our riches our learning Therefore it is good for vs now to put on Christ that in him we may be accepted For with him the father is well pleased Thirdly we may not set our
where it is said that he ministred to the Saints at Ierusalem and withall that he gaue himselfe no rest in this dutie till he had sealed this fruit vnto them that is till he saw it done according to his desire His example must be followed of vs. It is not enough for vs to giue good words and to wish well but we must in our places and callings doe our endeauour that releefe may euen be sealed to our poore And there be many reasons to mooue vs. First let vs consider that the charge was very great to maintaine the altar of the Lord in the old Testament with sheepe and oxen and offerings of all kinds and now in the new Testament the poore come in the roome of the Altar Secondly the poore represent the person of Christ and in them he comes vnto vs and saith J am hungrie I am sicke I am naked I am harbourlesse therfore looke what we would doe to Christ the same must we doe to them Thirdly the poore haue title and interest to part of our goods for God is the Lord of them and we are but stewards to dispose and vse them according to his appointment And his will is that part of our goods be giuen for the releefe of the poore If this be not done we are theeues in respect of the goods we possesse Lastly mercie or the bowels of compassion in vs is a pledge or an impression of the mercie that is in God towards vs and by it we may knowe or feele in our selues that mercie belongs vnto vs. Thus we see what is our dutie nowe let vs consider what is our fault Not to blame any person or persons it is our common fault that we are backeward and slacke in this dutie And the cause is that we doe not heartily giue our selues to Christ and this makes vs to be so slacke in giuing our goods to the poore 2. Cor. 9. 5. Againe we commonly liue as it were without a law We doe not with Dauid set the laws of God before vs Psal. 119. v. 168. Neither doe we apply our hearts to his statutes v. 112. For then would we with Dauid make haste to keepe the commandements of God v. 60. Specially this great commandement of releefe and the rather because the obseruing of it is the inriching of vs all Lastly let vs marke that Paul beeing warned of the Apostles was diligent to doe that whereof he was warned The like must we doe It is not sufficient to heare but beside this there must be in vs a care and diligence to doe and practise that which we heare For this is to build vpon the rocke And it is a common fault to heare much and doe little Ezech. 33. 24. v. 11. And when Peter was come to Antioch I withstood him to his face for he was to be blamed In these words Paul propounds the second answer which he makes to the obiection mentioned in the beginning of the chap. to this effect Though the church glorifie God for thee yet wil not the Apostles do it because thou art contrary to thē Here Paul answers that there was indeed a dissention between him and Peter when he withstood Peter to his face at Antioch but the fault was not his but Peters who was wholly to be blamed For the better vnderstanding of these words three points are to be handled The first is who was resisted The answer is Peter the Apostle For the intent of this chapter is to shewe what agreement there was betweene Paul and the rest of the Apostles And there was no Apostle of this name but one Therefore they among the Auncient are greatly deceiued who thinke that the Apostle Peter was not reprooued but some other of that name The second point is who resisted Answer Paul and that not for shewe and fashion but in truth and good earnest And this appeares because in the words following he sets downe a waightie and vrgent cause of his reproofe Therefore Ierom and others are deceiued who thinke that Paul reprooued Peter in shewe and appearance and not in good earnest The third point is what was Pauls minde and meaning in resisting of Peter Answer To doe his office The kingdom of God and all things pertaining thereto must haue free passage without resistance The second petition is Thy kingdome come Iohn the baptist preached thus Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight Mar. 1. Saint Paul saith Praie that the word of God may haue free passage and be glorified 2. Thess. 3. 1. Contrariwise such things as hinder the kingdom of God must be withstood Therefore Peter saith Resist your aduersarie the deuill strong in faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. And thus men that are instruments of euill are to be withstood And here Paul by an holy reproofe withstands Peter for his bad example In Paul here first we may behold an example of true vertue in that he resists euill to the vttermost of his power following his owne rule Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes but rather reprooue them Eph. 5. 11. In like manner must euery one of vs resist euill first in himselfe and then in them that appertaine to him Therefore Paul saith to all Put on the armour of God that ye may resist Eph. 6. 13. Here 2 things may be demāded first what must we resist Paul answers again Principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses that is the deuill and all his angels It may be said we haue no dealing with them for they vse not to appeare vnto vs. Ans. That the deuill comes not vnto vs visibly but in the persons of euill men and in the badde examples of all men This made Christ say to Peter Math. 16. 23. Come behind me Satan for thou art an offence vnto me when Peter would haue disswaded him from going to Ierusalem Again it may be said In what things must we resist them Paul answereth In heauenly things v. 12. that is in things which pertaine to Gods kingdome and concerne either the saluation of our soules or the worship of God For the deuill seeketh by all manner of euils to hinder these good things Moreouer this dutie of resisting euill is so necessarie that we must resist sinne if neede be to the very shedding of our blood Heb. 12. 4. Againe we haue in Paul an example of bouldnes and libertie in reproouing of sinne This was a thing commanded to the Prophets and Apostles Isai 58. 1. Crie and spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression Ierem. 1. 17. Trusse vp thy loines arise and speake vnto them all that I commaund thee be not afraid of their faces left I destroy thee before them Like libertie may the ministers of the word vse obseruing Pauls rule 2. Tim. 1. 7. God hath not giuen vs the spirit of feare but of power and
by workes of mercie Tit. 2. 5. It may be obiected that there is a Cooperation of works and faith I am 2. 21. I answer that this Cooperation is not in the act of iustification nor in the worke of our saluation but in the manifestation of the truth and sinceritie of our faith without hypocrisie And for the declaration and approbation of this faith and workes ioyntly concurre Here then we see it is a pestilent and damnable doctrine of the Papists when they teach iustification by the workes of the law Let vs here be warned to take heede of it The fourth point is the Meritorious cause of our iustification and that is Christ. Here it may be demanded what is that thing in Christ by and for which we are iustified I answer the Obedience of Christ Rom. 5. 19. And it stands in two things his Passion in life and death and his Fulfilling of the law ioyned therewith For by faith the law is established Rom. 3. 31. Christ was sent in the similitude of sinnefull flesh that the rigour of the law might be fulfilled in vs Rom. 8. 4. and Christ is the perfection of the law for righteousnes to all that beleeue Rom. 10. 4. He that doth not fulfill all things contained in the Law is accursed Gal. 3. 10. Seeing therefore we cannot performe the things contained therein by our selues we must performe them in the person of our Mediatour who hath satisfied for the threatnings of the law by his passion and hath fulfilled the precepts of the law by his obedience in all duties of loue to God and man We owe to God a double debt One is that we are to fulfill the law euery moment from our first beginning both in regard of puritie of nature and puritie of action And this debt was laid vpon vs in the creation and is exacted of vs in the law of God The second debt is a satisfaction for the breach of the law For this double debt Christ is be become our Suretie and God accepts his obedience for vs it beeing a full satisfaction according to the tenour of the law For the better conceiuing of this obedience foure questions may be demanded The first is when this obedience beginnes and ends Ans. Satisfactorie obedience performed by Christ beginnes in his incarnation ends in his death Christ saith Ioh. 4. 34. It is my meate to doe my fathers will and to finish his worke But when was it indeede finished A little before his passion he said Ioh. 17. 4. I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe Againe in the surrendring of his soule he saith It is finished Ioh. 19. 30. S. Paul saith Christ was obedient to the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 8. The triumph of Christ beganne vpon the crosse Col. 2. 15. and he could not triumph before he had made a full and perfect satisfaction for vs. When Christ had procured deliuerance from hell and Right to life euerlasting he there made a perfect satisfaction for vs to the iustice of God And this he did in his death vpon the crosse For by the death of the Mediatour we receiue the promise of euerlasting inheritance Heb. 9. 15. and with one oblation vpon the crosse he perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. and they cannot be perfected without the perfect obedience of Christ. Christ rose from death and ascended into heauen in our roome and stead and this he could neuer haue done vnlesse he had made a perfect satisfaction in death Here it may be asked If satisfactorie obedience end in the death of Christ to what vse serue the resurrection and ascension of Christ and his fitting at the right hand of the father Ans. They serue also for our iustification but after an other sort For they serue to applie communicate to vs and to put vs in possession of the benefits which Christ hath procured for vs and purchased by his death S. Paul saith He asâ—â—nded to giue gifts 〈◊〉 and to fill all things Eph. 4. 8. 10. And Christ saith When I am exalted I will draw all men to me Ioh. 12. 32. And he liues for euer to make intercessionâ— for vs. Heb. 5. 27. The second question is how Christ could obey beeing God and satisfie for vs beeing man Ans. Christ must be considered not meerely as God or as man but as God-man or Man god For the Godhead doth not redeeme vs without the manhood nor the manhood without the Godhead Neuerthelesse Christ as God and man may both obey and satisfie For as there are in Christ two natures so there are two distinct operations of the said natures And as the said natures vnited make one Christ so the operations of the natures concurring and beeing vnited in one make the compound worke of a Mediatour Therefore the Obedience of Christ beeing the worke of a Mediatour hath in it the operations of both natures The practise exercise or exequution of obedience is from the manhood therfore it is said that Christ bare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the crosse 1. Pet. 2. 24. that he suffered in the flesh 1. Pet. 4. 1. that he made a liuing way by the vaile of his flesh Heb. 10. 20. that we are reconciled in the bodie of his flesh Coloss. 1. 22. Obedience iâ— properly a subiection of the will in reasonable creatures to the will of God now the will of the Godhead of Christ admits no subiection to the will of God because the the will of the Godhead or of God is one and the same in all the persons Christ therefore yeeldes subiection onely in respect of the will of the manhoode in which he performes obedience Moreouer the operation of the Godhead is to make the saide Obedience meritorious and satisfactorie for all that shall beleeue In this respect Paul saith God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 18. and that God shedde his blood Act. 20. 28. namely in that nature which the sonne of God assumed Hence ariseth the value price and dignitie of the obedience of Christ. The third question is how the Obedience of Christ should be made ours Ans. By the freedonation of God For Christ is really giuen vnto vs in the word and sacraments and consequently the obedience of Christ is made ours euen as when a peece of ground is made ours the commoditie thereof is ours also The fourth question is how the obedience of Christ should be our iustice Ans. It is not our iustice in naturall manner for then it should be in vs but by a diuine and supernaturall manner namely by Gods Acceptation in that he accounts it ours euen as truly as if it were in vs. And because God accepts it for ours it is ours indeede for his willing and approouing of any thing is the doing of it and he calls the things that are not as if they were Thus we see what the Obedience of Christ is And here two errours must be auoided The
the naturall obseruation of the law without the death of Christ. But it is false which they say For Paul here speakes against Christian Iewes who ioyned the law and the Gospel and looked to be iustified both by Christ and by the works of the law and not by workes of the law done by strength of nature but by works of grace CHAP. III. 1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight and among you crucified THat we may see how this chapter depends on the former we must repeat the principall argument of the Epistle If I was called of God my doctrine be true then ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel but I was called of God and my doctrine is true therefore ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel The first part of the minor that Paul was called of God was handled in the first and second chapters The second part that his doctrine is true is handled in the third fourth and fifth and is propounded in this verse Moreouer the Conclusion of the argument set downe Chap. 1. v. 6. is here againe repeated namely that the Galatians should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel And withall Paul here notes the causes of their Reuolt and they are two One is follie O foolish Galatians The other is the deceit of false teachers who hath bewitched you Whereas Paul saith O foolish Galatians that we mistake not his example three questions may be demanded The first is In what respect he giues this hard iudgement against them Ans. Three things are subiected to Iudgement the doctrines of men the liues of men and the persons of men Doctrines are to be iudged by the word and the liues of men yet ordinarily the persons of men are not to be iudged For the saying is true that three things are not subiect to iudgement the Counsels of God the Scriptures and the persons of men And in this place Paul giues iudgement not against the Galatians themselues or against their persons but against their new conceiued doctrin and against their practise in Reuolting The second question is whether this iudgement be righteous and true iudgement Ans. It is because it is vpon good ground For first of all Paul giues this censure by vertue of his calling because his office was to reprooue and correct vice Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Secondly it was in truth For indeede they ouerturned the passion of Christ and therefore he could not call them lesse then fooles Thirdly this iudgement was giuen in loue For Paul intended and desired nothing in this speach but their good and amendment Vpon like grounds Isai calls the Israelites people of Sodome and Gomorrha Isa. 1. Christ calls the two disciples foolish and slow of heart to beleeue Luk. 24. 25. Paul calls the Cretians lyers and slow bellies Tit. 1. 12. But Matth. 5. 22. may be obiected where he is said to be in danger of a Councill that saith Thou foole Ans. The place is to be vnderstood of them that charge men with follie with a mind to reproch them and in way of reuenge which Paul in this place doth not The third question is whether we may vse like iudgement against men Ans. Vpon like grounds we may if we haue a warrant and calling from God so to doe For all iudgement is Gods Rom. 14. 10. if this iudgement be in truth if it be in charitie for the amendment of the parties and for the good of others Otherwise if these grounds faile vs we may not giue iudgement against any man but must follow the iudgement of charitie which thinks no euill hopes the best and construes all things in the best part 1. Cor. 13. To come to the second cause Paul saith Who hath bewitched you that is who hath deceiued you as if ye were bewitched by some inchantments Here Paul takes it for a confessed truth that there is witchcraft and witches And that we may the better conceiue his meaning two questions are to be propounded The first is what is the witchcraft here meant Ans. It is a Satanicall operation whereby the senses of men are deluded For the deuill can by certaine meanes delude and corrupt the phantasie or the imagination and cause men to thinke that of themselues which is otherwise There is a disease called Lycanthropia in which the braine beeing distempered men thinke themselues to be wolues and carrie themselues as wolues And in this disease the deuill hath a great stroke Againe the deuill can delude the outward senses as the hearing and the sight Thus Iannes and Iambres turned their roddes into serpents before Pharaoh and brought frogges by deceiuing the eye and not in truth Exod. 7. and 8. Thus the witch of Endor made a counterfeit of Samuel to rise out of the earth 1. Sam. 28. The second question is if this witchcraft be an operation of Satan howmen should be said to doe it for Paul saith who or what man hath bewitched you Ans. Men doe it by league and confederacie with the deuill The inchanter charmes by ioyning societies Psal. 58. 5. The deuill seekes whome he may deuoure and therefore where he finds a fit person to worke vpon he infinuates and offers himselfe And after men be in league with him he hath a word and sacraments for them as God hath and he requireth faith as God doth And looke as theeues some lie in the way some in the wood and they in the way when a bootie comes giue a watchword to the rest and then all are at hand together Euen so when men in league with the deuill vse charmes imprecations curses praises superstitious inuocations according to his appointment and other Satanicall ceremonies a watchword is likewise giuen vnto him and he is straight at hand to doe the intended feate Thus and no otherwise are men said to bewitch or delude the eye That which Paul saith to the Galatians if he were now liuing among vs he would likewise say to vs O foolish nation who hath bewitched you We are wise in matters of the world but in matters concerning the kingdome of heauen the most of vs are fooles besotted and bewitched with worldly eares and pleasures without sense in matters of religion like a peece of waxe without all forme fit to take the forme and print of any religion And we must take heede least this our foolishnes and intoxication of our senses lead vs headlong to perdition And therefore we must learne the way of life in humilitie Psal. 25. 9. We must obey it and in obedience we shall learne it Ioh. 7. 17. We must as heartily loue the word of God as in minde we conceiue it least by not louing of it we be giuen vp to strong illusions to beleeue lies 2. Thess. 2. 10. Lastly we must pray to God to be taught and guided by his word and spirit in things pertaining to
euerlasting life To proceede further the delusion or bewitching of the Galatians is set forth by two arguments The first is the ende in these words that ye should not obey the truth Before I come to the consideration of these words a doubt must be resolued For some man may say that this Epistle is corrupted because these words are wanting in sundrie translations and editions of the Bible and Ierome saith that they were not found in the copies of the bible in his daies Ans. In the Editions and translations of the bible there are sundrie differences and diuersities of readings and these differences are not the fault of the Scripture but of the men which vsed to write out the bible for the bible heretofore was spread abroad not by printing but by writing Againe though in the bookes of the bible there be sundrie varieties of reading yet the prouidence of God hath so watched ouer the Bible that the sense thereof remaineth intire sound and incorrupt specially in the grounds of religion And not the words principally but the sense is the Scripture And that which I say appeareth in this text for whether these words be left in or put out the sense of the verse is one and the same These words that ye should not obey the truth are meant of the obedience of faith Rom. 1. 5 and 16. 28. And the obedience of faith is propounded vnto vs without adding detracting or changing And this the Galatians did not for they added iustification by workes to the doctrine of Paul touching iustification by faith alone by which addition they depraued the truth and shewed that indeede they beleeued not the truth Here let vs obserue the scope of all the malice of the deuill and that is to hinder or ouerthrow our faith The first thing the deuill aimed at in our first parents was to ouerthrow their faith and to cause them to doubt of the truth of Gods word The first temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted was against his faith as he was man If thou be the sonne of God thou canst cause these stones in thy hunger to be made bread but thou canst not cause these stones to be made bread therefore thou art not the child of God The deuill desired to sift out all the faith of the Apostles and to leaue in them nothing but the chaffe of vnbeleefe Luk. 22. The deuill blindes the eyes of men that the light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ may not shine vnto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. This must teach vs that we must not onely hold and know the true religion for the time but also build our selues vpon our faith Iud. v. 20. and be rooted and stablished vpon our faith and religion Col. 1. 23. and the rather because it hath bin the manner of this nation wickedly to change religion with the times And that we may indeede be rooted vpon our religion we must not boast of the greatnes and strength of our faith but rather labour to see in our selues a sea of vnbeleefe heartily to bewaile it and to striue to beleeue and so to goe on from faith to faith The truth here mentioned is the heauenly doctrine of the Gospel so called for two causes First because it is an absolute truth without errour It is a principle not to be called in question that the Apostles and Prophets in writing and preaching could not erre It may be said they were men as we are and therefore subiect to erre and be deceiued in iudgement Ans. Iudgement is twofold One conceiued by the discourse of naturall reason the other conceiued by the apprehension of things reuealed by God In the first the Apostles and Prophets might erre and be deceiued as Nathan and Peter were In the second they could not because it was framed in them by the inspiration and instinct of the holy Ghost And therefore they neuer erred either in preaching or writing The second cause why the Gospel is called the truth is because it is a most worthie truth namely the truth which is according to godlines Tit. 1. It may be said what is the truth and how shall we know it considering there be so many dissentions Ans. First make thy selfe fit to know and then shalt thou know the truth And thou shalt be fitted to know the truth if thou first of all giue thy selfe to obey it Read the golden text Ioh. 7. v. 17. Obey and ye shall know The second thing whereby the delusion of the Galatians is expressed is the signe thereof in these words to whome Iesus Christ was described c. that is to whome I haue preached the doctrine of saluation by Christ in liuely and euident manner euen as if Christ had bin painted before your eyes and had bin crucified in or among you And this is a manifest token that the Galatians were deluded because they could not acknowledge the truth whē it was set forth vnto them as it were in orient colours And where Paul saith that Christ was before described I referre it to the time before their reuolt Here first we are to obserue the properties of the Ministerie of the word The first that it must be plaine perspicuous and euident as if the doctrine were pictured and painted out before the eyes of men Therefore the Church of Rome deales wickedly in keeping the Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue For this is to couer that from the people which is to be painted before the eyes of their minds Againe that kind of preaching is to be blamed in which there is vsed a mixed kind of varietie of languages before the vnlearned For this is a signe to vnbeleeuers 1. Cor. 14. 22. And in this kind of preaching we doe not paint Christ but we paint out our owne selues It is a by-word among vs It was a very plaine sermon And I say againe the plainer the better The second propertie of the Ministerie of the word is that it must be powerfull and liuely in operation and as it were crucifying Christ within vs and causing vs to feele the vertue of his passion The word preached must pearce into the heart like a two edged sword Hebr. 4. 12. true prophecie iudgeth men discouereth the things of the heart and causeth men to to say The Lord is within you 1. Cor. 14. 25. The scepter of Christ whereby he smiteth the nations is in his mouth Isa. 11. 4. that is in the Ministerie of the word Ier. 15. 19. And it is the same Ministerie which shaketh heauen and earth Agg. 2. 5. By this it appeaeeth that to take a text and to make a discourse vpon something in the said text shewing much inuention of wit and much reading and humane learning is not to preach Christ in a liuely manner It will be said what then I answer with Paul who is sufficient either for the speaking or doing of these things yet something may be shewed Know therefore that the effectuall and powerful preaching of
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
are now constant but if triall shall come our frailtie shall appeare That our frailtie and weaknes may not be hurtfull to vs we must remember two rules One is not to haue a conceit of any thing in vs but to hold our faith and religion in feare as in the presence of God Rom. 11. 20. the second to take heede that there be not in vs an euill corrupt and dissembling heart For if our heart be naught our faith cannot be good Heb. 4. 12. 6 As Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes 7 Knowye therefore that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham The words Euen as Abraham c. haue reference to that which went before on this manner Ye Galatians receiued the spirit by my doctrine and my doctrine was the preaching of iustification of faith without workes which doctrine is like and sutable to the example of Abraham who beleeued God and it was imputed for iustice Here Paul sets downe the second argument whereby he prooues the truth of his doctrine And it is framed thus As Abraham was iustified so are the children of Abraham Abraham was iustified by iustice imputed and apprehended by faith vers 6. Therefore the children of Abraham are thus iustified This conclusion is the principall question it is not here expressed but in the roome thereof a declaration is made who are the true children of God namely they that are of Abraham in respect of faith That which is saide here of Abraham is a maine ground concerning the iustification of a sinner in the bookes of the old and new Testament therefore I will more carefully search the true interpretation of it Some expound the words thus Abraham beleeued God and the world reputed him for a good and vertuous man But if this be the right sense then Paul is deceiued who brings this text to prooue the iustification of Abraham not onely before men but also before God Now vertue and goodnes which is in estimation among men is not sufficient to acquit and iustifie vs before God The second exposition is of the Papists who by faith here vnderstand a generall faith whereby the articles of faith are beleeued And by imputation they vnderstand reputation wher by a thing is esteemed as it is indeede And they teach that faith is reputed for righteousnes because say they faith formed with charitie is indeede the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified before God But this Exposition hath his defects and errours For first of all Charitie is not the forme or life of faith but the fruit and effect of it 1. Tim. 1. 5. The ende of teaching is loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained It is obiected that as the bodie is dead without the soule so is faith without workes Iam. 2. 26. and therefore that workes are the life of faith Ans. S. Iames by faith vnderstands a pretended faith or the Profession of faith as appeares by the words v. 14. though a man say he hath faith and v. 18. shew me thy faith Now of this profession of faith workes are the life Secondly this exposition makes faith or the act of beleeuing to be our whole and intire iustice before God whereas indeede if it be iustice it is but one part thereof And in the act of beleeuing loue cannot be included Thirdly faith ioyned with charitie is not the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified For our faith and loue are both imperfect and faith is imputed for righteousnes without workes Rom. 4. 6. and therefore without charitie For this is charitie to keepe the commandements of God Ioh. 15. 10. Paul saith that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified is by or through faith Phil. 3. 9. and therefore our iustice and our faith are two distinct things The third exposition is also from the Papists that faith is reputed for righteousnes because it is reputed to be a sufficient meanes to prepare men to their iustification but this cannot be the sense of this place For this was spoken of Abraham after he was iustified and therefore needed no preparation to iustification Let vs now come to the true sense of the wordes In them I consider two things Abrahams faith in these words Abraham beleeued God and the fruit of his faith in these words and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Touching his faith I consider three things The first is the occasion which was on this manner After the conquest of the heathen kings Abraham was still in some feare in this regard the Lord comforts him Gen. 15. 1. I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward But to this Abraham replies I want issue and the Lord answers I will make thy seede as the starres of heauen Gen. 15. 5. Now then looke as God renewes and inlarges his promise to Abraham so Abraham renewes his faith and hereupon Moses and Paul say Abraham beleeued God God doth not now inlarge his promises to vs as to Abraham neuerthelesse the promises recorded in the bible are renewed to vs partly by preaching and partly by the vse of the sacraments and we accordingly are to renew our faith specially in the time of feare and danger The second thing is the obiect or matter of his faith and that is the multiplication of his posteritie It may be said how could Abraham be iustified by such a faith Ans. The promise of the multiplication of his seede was a dependant of a more principall promise I am thy God all-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. and I am thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 11. In this carnall seede Abraham specially respected by the eye of faith the blessed seede of the woman He therefore beleeued the promise of a seede as it was a pledge vnto him of a thing more principall namely the fauour of God and as it was a meanes to effect the incarnation of the sonne of God In his example we are taught how we are to respect and vse earthly things we are to respect them as pledges of Gods fauour and to vse them as meanes to further vs to Christ and to the attainment of our saluation The third point is the propertie of Abrahams faith which was a faith against hope For he beleeued the promise of a seede when his bodie was halfe dead and Sarai was barren In like sort we keeping true religion and good conscience must in all our temptations crosses miseries infirmities against reason sense and feeling beleeue the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting In the effect and fruit of Abrahams faith three things must be considered The first is what is meant by Imputation To impute properly is a speach borrowed from marchants and it signifies to recken or to keepe a reckening of expenses and receipts Thus Paul saith Philem. 18. If he haue done thee any wrong impute it to me that is set it on my reckening And this word is here applied to the Iudgement of God Because he
sometime from Sara tearming themselues Agarens and Saracens For they tread vnder foote the faith of Abraham Thirdly the Papist will nothing helpe himselfe by the plea of Antiquitie Succession and vniuersall consent except he can shew some good euidence that he is of the faith of Abraham which he cannot For this faith he hath corrupted as I haue shewed Lastly our profession of Abrahams faith partly in teaching and partly in hearing and in the vse of the sacraments is not sufficient to prooue vs the children of Abraham For not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Math. 7. 22. Therefore we must labour to be indeede and in truth of the faith of Abraham and to walke in the steppes of his faith And to this end we must do three things First we must haue knowledge of the maine and principall promise touching the blessing of God in Christ and of all other promises depending on the principall and we must know the scope and tenour of them that we be not deceiued Secondly we must with Abraham beleeue the power and truth of God in the accomplishing of the said promises or in the working of our vocation iustification sanctification glorification Rom. 4. 21. Thirdly we must by faith obey God in all things shutting our eyes and suffering our selues as it were to be led blindfold by the word of God Thus did Abraham in all things euen in actions against nature Hebr. 11. 8. But this practise is rare among vs. For there are three things which preuaile much among vs the loue of worldly honour the loue of pleasures and the loue of riches and where these beare a sway there faith takes no place It will be said that faith is much professed Ans. Faith was neuer more professed yet there was neuer lesse true faith For the common faith of men is a false faith For in some it is conceiued without the meanes of the word praier sacraments and in others it is seuered from the Purpose of not sinning Now faith conceiued without the true meanes and faith ioyned with the purpose to liue as we list is nothing but presumption And surely this is the faith though not of all yet of the most Moreouer that which Paul hath said of the children of Abraham he prooues by the testimonie of the Galatians in these words Know ye therefore or ye know that is vpon the saying of Moses in the former verse ye your selues know this to be a truth which I said Marke here Paul requires such a measure of knowledge in beleeuers that they must be able to iudge of the gathering of this or that doctrine out of this or that place of Scripture This shewes the contempt of knowledge in these our daies to be great for most men reiect the preaching of the Gospel and content themselues with the teaching and schooling of nature 8 For the Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospel vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed 9 So then they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Against the argument in the two former verses a doubt or exception might be mooued on this manner We graunt that they which are of the faith of Abraham are iustified as he was so they be Iewes and not Gentiles Now this doubt exception or obiection Paul remooues in these verses thus Whē God said to Abraham In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed he signified the iustification euen of the Gentiles by faith therefore all that are of faith euen the Gentiles are blessed of God as Abraham was In the 8. verse I consider three things the occasion of the speach of God to Abraham namely Gods foreknowledge the manner of his speach the preaching of the Gospel to Abraham and the testimonie it selfe In thee c. Touching the occasion first it may be demanded whether this foreknowledge in God be a bare foreknowledge seuered from the will of God or no Ans. No Gods foreknowledge is in all things ioyned with his decree or will If God should foresee things to come and in no sort will or nill them there should be an idle prouidence Christ was deliuered by the will and foreknowledge of God Act. 2. 23. and the Iewes for their parts did nothing in the crucifying of Christ but that which the hand and counsell of God had determined to be done Act. 4. 28. Neither is God by this doctrine made the author of sinne For sinne comes to passe not from the will of God but according to his will in that he foresees euill and withall wills not to hinder the beeing of it and euill not hindred comes to passe Againe it may be demanded In what order the foreknowledge of God stands to his will Ans. The foreknowledge of things that may possibly come to passe goes before his will the foreknowledge of things that shall certenly come to passe followes the will and decree of God For things come not to passe because they are foreseene but because they are to come to passe according to the will of God therefore they are foreseene Now then because foreknowledge in God is ioyned with his will and is alwaies a consequent of it it is often put for the counsell will and decree of God as in this place In this text two things are to be considered of Gods foreknowledge The first is who or what foresees Answer is here made The Scripture foresees that is God foresees and the Scripture records things foreseene by him Hence it appeares that the writings of Moses are the word of God For they foretell things to come 2000 yeares after as the calling and benediction of the Gentiles in the seede of Abraham In the same regard the writings of Paul are the word of God For there he reueales and sets down in writing more then 2000 years after what was the intention of God when he said to Abraham In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed The second point is what is foreseene Answer is made that God iustifieth the Gentiles that is God will as certēly iustifie them in time to come as if he had then done it when he spake the words Some teach that the Predestination of God is his decree in which he purposeth to redeeme and iustifie all men of all ages and times so be it they will beleeue But I finde no such decree in the word Here we see Gods decree is onely to iustifie all the Gentiles in the last age of the world And thus the text of Paul must be vnderstood God would haue all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2. namely all men or all the Gentiles in the last age of the world and not all the Gentiles of all ages and times In the next place the manner of the speech and testimonie of God must be considered in that he is said to preach the Gospel to Abraham Here marke the Antiquitie of the Gospel
know God onely in part therefore we loue in part and consequently we doe not fulfill the law Againe the Scripture puts all men euen the regenerate vnder the name of sinners to the very death Isa. 64. 4. All our righteousnes is as a defiled cloth Prou. 20. 9. Who can say my heart is cleane Iob cannot answer God for one of a thousand Iob. 9. The righteous man shall pray for the pardon of his sinnes in a time when he may be heard Psal. 32. 6. If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Ioh. 1. 9. The Papists say that all these places are meant of veniall sinnes Ans. There are no veniall sinnes which in their owne nature are not against the law of God but only beside it The stipend of euery sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. If we were perfectly sanctified and consequently fulfillers of the law in this life then Christ should not be a Sauiour but an Instrument of God to make vs our owne Sauiours And to say this is blasphemie Lastly that which man could doe by creation so much the law requires at our hand but man by creation could loue God with all the powers of his soule and with all the strength of all the powers which now since the fall no man can doe It remaines then for an infallible conclusion that it is impossible for any man in the time of this life to fulfill the law The vse This point serues notably to condemne the follie of the world The Israelites say at Mount Sinai that they will doe all things which the Lord shall command them Exod. 19. 8. The young Prince said that he had kept all the commandements from his youth Mark 10. 20. Our common people say that they can loue God with all their hearts and their neighbours as thēselues Secondly this doctrine serues to confute sundrie Errours of the Papists who blasphemously teach that a man after justification may fulfill the law in this life that a man may for a time be without all sinne that works of the regenerate are perfect and may be opposed to the iudgement of God that men may supererrogate and doe more then the law requires The groūd of all these conclusions is this They say there is a double degree of fulfilling the law The first is in this life and that is to loue God truly aboue all creatures and to loue our neighbour as our selues in truth The second is to loue God with all the powers of the soule and with all the strength of all the powers and this measure of fulfilling the law is reserued to the life to come I will briefly consider the reasons and the ground of this blasphemous doctrine Obiect I. God promifeth the Israelites that he will circumcise their hearts that they may loue him with all their hearts with all their soules and with all their strength Deut. 30. 6. And thus Iosua turned to God with all his heart with all his soule and with all his strength according to all the law of Moses 2. king 23. 25. Ans. The phrase with all thy heart is taken in a double signification Sometime it is opposed to a double heart and then it signifies a true and vpright heart without guile or dissimulation Thus they of Zebulon are saide not to fight with a double heart 1. Chron. 12. 33. but with a perfect heart v. 38. Where marke the opposition of an whole or perfect heart to a double heart In this sense are the places before named to be vnderstood Neuerthelesse the whole heart soule and strength in the summe of the morall law signifies all powers of the soule and all the strength of all the powers Thus doth Paul Rom. 7. expound the law when he faith the law is spirituall and by the prohibition of lust giues the meaning of the whole law For concupiscence or lust comprehends the first thoughts or motions Obiect II. Noah is saide to be iust and perfect Gen. 6. and God commands Abraham to walke before him and to be perfect Gen. 17. 1. Paul saith Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Phil. 3. 15. Answ. There is a double perfection perfection of parts and perfection of degrees Perfection of parts is when a man hath in him after he is regenerate the beginnings of all vertnes and the seedes of all graces by which he endeauours to obey God in all his lawes and commandements Perfection of degrees is when the law is fulfilled both in matter and manner according to the rigour of the law Now the former places speake onely of the perfection of parts and that is such a perfection in which we are to acknowledge our imperfection and it is no more but a true and generall indeauour to obey God Isa. 38. 1. Obiect III. Sundrie holy men are saide to fulfill the law Dauid turned from nothing that God commanded him all the daies of his life saue in the matter of Vriah 1. king 15. 5. Zacharie and Elizabeth walked in all the commandements of God and that without reproofe before God Luk. 1. 6. Ans. There are two kinds of fulfilling the law one Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when men doe all things required in the law and that by themselues and in themselues Thus none euer fulfilled the law but Christ and Adam before his fall The Euangelicall manner of fulfilling the law is to beleeue in Christ who fulfilled the law for vs and withall to indeauour in the whole man to obey God in all his precepts And this indeauour ioyned with the Purpose of not sinning is called the righteousnes of Good conscience and though it be not really a fulfilling of the law yet it is accepted of God as a fulfilling of the law in all thē that are in Christ. For God accepts the indeanour to obey for perfect obedience Thus Dauid Zacharie Elizabeth and others are said to fulfill the law Obiect IIII. We pray that we may fulfill the law when we say Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Ans. We pray not that we may fulfill the law in this but that we may striue as much as may be to attaine to the fulfilling of the law That is the scope of the petition We desire not to be equall to the Angels and Saints but onely to imitate them more and more and to be like to them Obiect V. Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me therefore say they in will the law may be kept though the flesh relent Ans. When Paul saith that to will was present he doth not signifie that he could perfectly will that which is good For his will beeing partly renewed and partly vnrenewed the good which he willed he partly nilled and the euill which he nilled he partly willed Obiect UI. Christ tooke out flesh that the righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in vs. Rom. 8. 4. Ans. The righteousnes of the law is fulfilled in vs not because we doe all things required
written in tables of stone is the law the same law of Moses written in the hearts of men by the holy Ghost is the Gospel But I say againe that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And this ouersight in mistaking the distinction of the Law and the Gospel is and hath bin the ruine of the gospel We must here further obserue that beleeuing and doing are opposed in the article of our iustification In our good conuersation they agree faith goes before and doing followes but in the worke of our iustification they are as fire and water Hence I gather that to the iustification of a sinner there is required a speciall and an applying faith for generall faith is numbred among the works of the law and the deuills haue it This kind of beleeuing therefore and doing are not opposite Againe hence I gather that works of faith and grace are quite excluded from iustification because the opposition doth not stand betweene beleeuing and the works of nature but simply betweene beleeuing and doing Lastly it may be demaunded why the Lord saith He that doth the things of the law shall liue considering no man since the fall can doe the things of the law Ans. The Lord since mans fall repeates the law in his old tenour not to mocke men but for other waightie causes The first is to teach vs that the law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature The second is to aduertise vs of our weaknes and to shew vs what we cannot doe The third is to put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curfe for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Paul hauing prooued the truth of his doctrine by sundrie arguments in the former part of this chapter he here answereth an obiection the occasion whereof is from the 10. verse It may be framed on this manner If they be accused that continue not in all things written in the law to doe them then all men are accursed and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham as you haue said Answer is here made that to them that beleeue there is full redemption from the curse of the law And Paul for the better inlightning of his answer here makes a description of our redemption by foure arguments The first is the author Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law The second is the forme or manner of our Redemption in these words When he was made a curse for vs. And this forme is further declared by the signe in these words for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree The third argument is in the end in these words that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles The last is also an other ende that we might receiue the promise of the spirit Touching the Author in these words Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law sundrie things may be learned First of all comparing these words with the 10. verse or comparing the answer and the obiection together we see and are to obserue that the threatnings of the law are to be vnderstood with an exception from the Gospel All are cursed saith the law that doe not continue to doe all things written therein Except they haue pardon and be redeemed by Christ saith the Gospel And thus are all curses of the law to be conceiued with a limitation or qualification from the Gospel Againe in that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law here is our comfort that neither hell nor death nor SataÌ„ hath any right or power ouer vs so be it we do vnfainedly beleeue in Christ. For we are bought with a price And for this cause we must be admonished not to feare any euill ouermuch as the reuilings and curses of euill tongues withcraft the plague pestilence famine the sword or death For the curse which makes all these and many other things hurtfull vnto vs is remooued from them that are in Christ. And therefore all immoderate feare should be restrained Thirdly our dutie is to glorifie God and Christ who hath redeemed vs and that both in bodie and soule The redeemed must liue according to the will of their redeemer 1. Cor. 6. 20. This is all the thankfulnes that we can shew to our Redeemer for his mercie Lastly here an obiection made by some may be answered If say they we were redeemed by Christ beeing captiues to the deuill the price of our Redemption was paid to him and not to God Ans. We were captiues properly to the iustice of God in the law to the order whereof we stand subiect and by this meanes we are captiues to the curse of the law and consequently to the deuill who is the minister of God for the Execution of the said curse And beeing captiues to the deuill no otherwise then as he is the minister of God for the infâ—â—cting of punishment the price must not be paid to him but to God who is the principall and hath a soueraigntie ouer him and vs. I come now to the forme of our Redemption Who was made a curse for vs. For the better vnderstanding of these words foure points are to be handled The first is what is this curse Ans. A double death the first of the bodie the second of the soule The first is the separation of the bodie and soule The second is the separation of the whole man from God not in respect of his vniuersall power and presence for the very damned haue their moouing and beeing from him but in respect of his fauour and speciall loue whereby God ceaseth to be their God And this is death indeede whereof the first is but a shadow and this is the curse of the law The second point is How Christ was a curse or accursed who is the fountaine of blessednes Ans. He is not so by nature for he is the naturall sonne of God nor by his owne fault for he is the vnspotted lambe of God but by voluntarie dispensation and therefore Paul saith he was made a curse And he was made a curse first because he was set a part in the eternall counsell of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to be our redeemer and consequently to be a curse In this regard the father is said to haue sealed him Ioh. 6. 27. and he is said againe to be prcordained before all worlds 1. Pet. 1. 20. and giuen according to the counsell and foreknowledge of God Act. 3. 22. Secondly he was made a curse
Thirdly this doctrine serues to beate downe a point of naturall Atheisme in the heart of man which makes many thinke it a vaine thing to serue God and to heare his word Iob. 21. 15. Mala. 3. 14. Dauid was troubled with this corruption Psal. 73. 15. Many of them which professe the name of Christ will not be brought to keep the Sabbath daie and in their dealings they vse fraud and lying as other men doe and all is because they thinke they cannot liue by their religion Fourthly the onely way to establish a kingdome or common wealth is to plant the Gospell there for this makes an happie people And this is the maine cause of our happinesse and successe in this church and land And the obedience of the Gospel is it that makes euery man in his trade office and calling whatsoeuer it be to prosper Read Psal. 1. 3. 5. On the contrarie they are wretched and miserable that liue without the Gospell Prou. 29. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 3. 2. Tim. 3. 7. 6. To receiue the doctrine of the Apostles is an vnfallible marke of the Church of God For this is it that makes a people blessed and happie 7. We may not despise the preaching of the word 1. Thes. 5. 20. If we doe we despise our owne happinesse If it be said Preachers sometime are deceiued Answ. Marke the addition of Paul Prooue all things hold that which is good 2. Thess. 5. Touching the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul First it may be demanded what was the cause of it Answ. The very Ministerie of the Apostle whose office it was to make Disciples Math. 28. 19. and so to plant the Church of the new Testament And for this cause he had a priuiledge to preach the truth so as he could not erre in things which he deliuered to the church 2. He preached with authority as hauing power to correct rebellious offenders 2. Cor. 106. and 1. Cor. 4. 3. he preached with vnspeakeablle diligence Read Act. 20. 31. 4. He had a prerogatiue as the rest of the Apostles had after he had made disciples by imposition of hands to giue vnto them the extraordinary giftes of the Holy Ghost Act. 8. 17. And these are the meanes whereby this speciall loue was procured Secondly it may be demanded whether the Galatians did not more then keepe the law when they would haue plucked out their owne eyes and haue giuen them to Paul for thus they loue him more then their owne selues Ans. The commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth not prescribe that we must in the first place loue our selues and then in the second loue our neighbour but it setts downe the right manner of louing our neighbour and that is to loue him as hartely and vnfainedly as our owne selues The measure of loue is expressed when Christ saith we must loue on another as Christ loued vs. Ioh. 13. 34. There is a certen case in which we must consider our neighbour not only as a neighbour but also as a speciall instrument of God and thus are we in some respectes to loue and to preferre him before our selues Thus a subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his own life Thus Paul was content to be accursed for the Israelites Rom. 9. 1. And the Galatians would haue giuen their eies to Paul that was so worthy an instrument of the grace of God In their example we are taught to be willing to forsake the dearest things in the world for the Gospell of Christ euen our eies hands feete yea and our life Vers. 16. Because I tell you the trueth We must after Pauls example speake the truth to all men Eph. 4. 25. Am I therefore your enemie the conclusion of the Apostles argument Here we see a corruption of nature which makes vs that we cannot abide to heare the truth in things that are against vs. We hate them that speake the truth selfe loue makes vs conceiue the best things of our selues Here then learne 1. To search thy heart and life that thou maiest know the very worst by thy selfe If thou wilt not know it now thou shalt know it to thy shame in the day of iudgement 2. Be vile and base in thine owne opinion Iob. 34. last 17. They are iealous ouer you amisse yea they would exclude you that ye should altogether loue them 18 But it is good to loue earnestly alwaies in a good cause and not onely when I am present with you The word zeale hath many significations here it is fittely translated ielousie Ye are ielous hereby much is signified that there is a spirituall marriage betweene Christ and his Church that the Church is the Bride Christ the bridegroome or husband the Gospel an instrument drawne touching the marriage the sacraments as seales the graces of the spirit as loue-tokens the Ministers of Christ as friends of the bridegroome and suters for him In this respect they put on the affection of Christ and are zealous for him This Ielousie is twofold pretended ielousie and true ielousie Pretended ielousie is when men falsely pretend the loue of the Church for Christs sake Thus Paul saith They are ielous that is they pretend a loue vnto you for Christs sake but indeede they doe it amisse And the reason follows They would exclude you namely from louing of me Others read the wordes thus they would exclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vs the difference in the Original is onely in one letter and the sense is the same that the false Apostles would exclude Paul from the loue of the Galatians that they onely might be honoured and loued Jt is good These words may be vnderstood either of the Galatians or of Paul I rather choose to applie them to Paul that for ielousie he may make an opposition betweene himselfe and the false teachers The sense is this that ielousie is a good thing if it be in a good cause that is if it be indeede for Christs sake and be alwaies the same And Paul addes further that this kind of ielousie is in himselfe because he is ielous ouer the Galatians not onely when he is present with them but also when he is absent and this he further confirmes in the two next verses The scope In these wordes Paul meetes with a conceit of the Galatians for they might happely say that their new Teachers loued them exceedingly and were zealous for their saluation Paul therefore answers by a comparison thus they are ielous ouer you but it is amisse nay ielousie for you is good The first part of the comparison is in the 17. verse the second in the 18. The vse When Paul saith that the false Apostles were ielous ouer the Galatians amisse he sets out the fashion of men in the world which is to doe things which are good in their kind but to doe them for wrong ends It is an excellent office to preach the word but some doe it of enuie and
contention Phil. 1. 15. others make marchandise of the word It is an excellent thing to imbrace the Gospel and yet many men doe it amisse for feare or for honour or for profit or for other sinister respect and not for the Gospels sake This temporall life is an excellent thing yet few there are that know the ende of this life For men commonly spend not their time to seeke the kingdome of heauen and to serue God in seruing of men but with all their might they aime at honours profits pleasures and thus they liue amisse not for the honour of God but for themselues This must teach vs not onely to doe good but to doe it well and to propound good ends to our selues and to seeke to be vpright in the statutes of God Psal. 119. 80. To this ende three things must be done First we must set before vs the will and commandement of God and this must mooue vs to doe the good we doe Secondly the outward action must be conformable to the inward motions of the inward man and they must both goe together Thirdly we must directly intend to obay God in the things we doe and to approoue our hearts and doings to him In that the false Apostles are saide to be ielous or zealous we see how nature can counterfeit 〈◊〉 grace of God and that which the child of God doth by 〈◊〉 that the naturall man can doe by nature Thus Pharao fa 〈…〉 repentance Exod. 9. 27. and Ahab that sold himselfe to worke wickednes 1. king 21. 27. and Iudas in the midst of his despaire is said to repent Matt. 27. 1. Daily experience shewes the like in such persons who in their extremitie with teares vse to bewaile their liues past and with many vowes and protestations promise amendment and yet afterward when they are on foote againe they returne to their old bias In a word there is nothing that the godly man doth by the spirit of God spiritually but an hypocrite may doe the like carnally Nature can play the part of the ape in imitating good things Therefore it stands vs in hand to praie and examine our hearts least we be deceiued in our selues For there may lie a depth of deceit and falshood lurking in the heart And that we be not deceiued two things must be obserued One is that we must cherish in our hearts an vniuersall hatred of all and euery sinne first in our selues and then in others The second is that we must be changed and renewed in our minds consciences and affections Thirdly here we see the propertie of enuie and Ambition in these false teachers Paul must be excluded from the loue of the Galatians that they alone may be loued Thus Iosua would haue excluded Eldad and Medad from prophesying and he would haue Moses to be the onely prophet but Moses saith I would to God all the people could prophecie Num. 11. 29. Iohns disciples would haue excluded Christ baptising but Iohn saith He must increase and I must decrease Ioh. 3. 30. The disciples of Christ would haue excluded one that cast out deuills in the name of Christ but did not follow him and Christ forbad them Luk. 9. 49. Lastly we here see the propertie of deceiuers is to make a diuision betweene the Pastors and the people Beside the former pretended ielousie there is a good ielousie which the Apostle takes to himselfe and els where he calls it the ielousie of God 2. Cor. 11. 2. This ielousie presupposeth the office of the Apostles and all Ministers which stands in three things The first is to become suters to the Church or to the soules of men in the name of Christ and to make the offer or motion in his name of a spirituall marriage and this is done in the ministerie and dispensation of the Gospel The second is to make the Contract betweene mens soules and Christ. Now to the making of a contract the consent of both the parties at the least is required Christ giues his consent in the word Ose 2. 20. and we giue our consent to him and choose him for our head when we turne to God and beleeue in Christ. And the ministerie of the word serues to signifie the will of Christ vnto vs and to stirre vp our hearts to an holy consent The third is after the contract to preserue them in true faith and good life that they may be fit to be presented to Christ in the day of iudgement and so be married to him eternally for then and not before is the marriage of the lambe These duties are all noted by Paul when he saith that he prepared the Corinthians that he might present them as a pure virgin vnto Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. And because this charge and office is laid vpon the Apostles and Ministers therefore they are said to be ielous This Ielousie stands in three things The first is to loue the Church indeede and truth for Christs sake The second is to feare least by reason of weaknes and by meanes of the temptations of the deuill the Church and they that beleeue should fall away from Christ. The third is after the fall of the church to be angrie with holy anger and indignation for Christs sake Thus Moses was ielous when the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe and Elias with like zealessue the priests of Baal Thus is Paul said to be ielous in this place and Act. 14. If the Apostle be thus ielous how much more then is Christ himselfe ielous who hath espoused himselfe to his Church This plainly shewes that he cannot brooke either Partner or deputie And therefore his sacrifice on the crosse must stand without the sacrifice of the masse his intercession without the intercession of Saints his merits without the merit of workes his satisfaction without any satisfaction of ours He will haue the heart alone and all the heart or nothing and he will not giue any part of his honour to any other This Ielousie in the Ministers must teach all faithfull seruants of God that they keepe themselues as pure virgins for Christ and set their hearts on nothing in the world but on him Therefore they must hunger after Christ they must account all things dongue for him they must haue their conuersation in heauen with him and loue his comming vnto thē by death Psal. 45. 10. Contrariwise they that set their hearts on any other thing beside him are said to goe a whoring from him and therefore they are accursed Psal. 73. 27. Thus many Protestants doe in their practise whatsoeuer they professe Thus doth the Church of Rome both in word and deede For beside Christ shee hath many other louers and shee goes a whoring after them when shee worships Angels and Saints the images of God and Christ with religious worship Againe by this we are put in minde to yeeld an vniuersall subiection to Christ for this is the dutie of the espoused wife to her husband Lastly that good things
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
breathing as the soule And so it carries a fit sense For as the bodie without breath is dead and it shewes it selfe to be aliue by breathing so faith that is without workes is dead and it shewes it selfe to be aliue by workes 3. There is a false composition of the wordes to be considered faith that is without workes is dead is true but to say faith is dead without workes as though workes gaue life to faith is false and not the meaning of S. Iames but the former onely Againe the Papists hence gather that faith and loue are ioynt causes in the iustification of a sinner and that faith worketh loue in iustifying men before God But this Interpretation is against the whole scope of this Epistle in which Paul prooues that there is no iustification by the law c. 5. v. 4. and therefore no iustification by loue Againe Paul saith Rom. 3. 21. that righteousnes is reuealed without the law and therefore without loue And againe that we are made the righteousnes of Christ as Christ is made our sinne namely by imputation and therefore not by infusion of loue 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly faith iustifies by apprehending Christ in the promise and therefore not by loue The consequent I prooue thus Faith and loue are two hands of our soule Faith is an hand that laies hold of Christ and it doth as it were pull him and his benefits into our soules But loue is an hand of another kind for it serues not to receiue in but to giue out the good it hath and to communicate it selfe vnto others Therefore faith cannot iustifie by loue Lastly loue in order of nature followes iustification and therefore it doth not iustifie For first of all faith laies hold on Christ then followes iustification vpon iustification follows sanctification and loue is a part of sanctification They vrge for themselues the words of Paul that faith works by loue Ans. Paul doth not shew in this verse what iustifieth but what are the exercises of Godlines in which Christians must be occupied And he doth not shew how faith iustifieth but how it may be discerned to be true faith namely by loue Secondly they obiect that faith and loue are alwaies ioyned and therefore ioyntly worke in iustification Ans. They are ioyned in one person or subiect and they are ioyned in the exercise of Christian life but they are not ioyned in the article of iustification Thirdly they vrge the 2. of S. Iames where it is saide that a man is iustified not onely by faith but also by works v. 24. Ans. Faith in S. Iames is put for an historicall knowledge of religion or for the bare confession and profession of faith Againe iustification is twofold one of the person the other of the faith of the person Iustification of the person is when a sinner is absolued of his sinnes and accepted to life euerlasting for the merit of Christ. Iustification of the faith of the person is when faith is approoued and found to be true faith and a beleeuer iustifies himselfe to be a true beleeuer Of this second iustification speakes S. Iames and it is not onely by faith but also by workes Lastly it may be obiected that loue is of no vse if it doe not iustifie Ans. Iustification and sanctification are two distinct benefits 1. Cor. 1. 30. and 6. 11. Iustification ministers vnto vs deliuerance from hell and a right to life euerlasting Sanctification is a fruit of the former and serues to make vs thankefull to God for our iustification and loue serues for the same vse because it is a speciall part of Sanctification Thus much of the deprauation of the text by the Papists Hence further I gather that many falsely in these last daies boast of faith because it is not ioyned with profiting in knowledge with true conuersion vnto God with fruits of loue to God and man whereas all true faith is fruitefull in good workes 7 Ye did runne well who did letyou that ye should not obay the truth The meaning Ye did runne well In these words Paul alludes to the games of running vsed among the heathen And he compares the word and precepts of God to a way or race beleeuers to runners life eternall to the price God to the vmpire or iudge the lookers on are men and Angels good and badde and the Exercise of religion is the running in this race Read of this 1. Cor. 9. 24. Phil. 3. 13 14. Who the interrogation hath in it the force of a reproofe or complaint And the sense is this they did euill which turned you forth of the way and you haue done euill that you obaied not the truth The like is Psal. 2. 1. Why doe the heathen rage that is it is great wickednes for them to rage Let stoppe intercept your course turne you out of the way That you should not obay that you should not giue credence to the doctrine of Paul and obay it The scope These wordes are a repetition of the principall conclusion of the whole Epistle And this repetition is not in vaine For it serues to bring the Galatians to a consideration of their offence and to amendement of life Hence I obserue that the often and serious consideration of our sinnes and liues past is a meanes to worke in vs a detestation of our sinnes and a reformation of life Thus Dauid saith that vpon consideration of his waies he turned his feete to Gods commandements Psal. 119. 59. And the cause why there is so little amendement among vs is because we neuer so much as thinke what we haue done In these wordes Paul sets downe three duties of Christian people The first is that they must be runners in the race of God Indeede the Sabbath of the Iewes figured a rest which is contrarie to running but this rest is from sinne and not from good duties This dutie of running teacheth vs foure things The first is that we must make hast without delay to keepe the commandements of God specially the commandements of faith repentance new obedience Psal. 119. 32 60. Contrariwise it is a great fault for youth others to deferre amendement till old age or till the last and deadly sicknes For that is the time to ende our running and not to beginne The second is that we are to increase and profit in all good duties specially in knowledge faith repentance But we in this age doe otherwise For either we stand at a staie or goe backe and very fewe of vs proceede forward in good duties And there are two causes of this One is blindnes of minde which makes vs that we see not how little our faith and repentance is and how great is the masse of our corruption the second is our vnbeleefe in the Article of life euerlasting The third dutie is that we must neither looke to the right or left hand or looke to things behind vs to set our affection on them but we must presse on forward to
sinnes are little sinnes and little sinnes are no sinnes Pride is cleanlines couetousnes is nothing but worldlines drunkennes good fellowship fornication a tricke of youth Thus men put visards vpon their vgly sinnes The Polititian that is of no religion saith that we and the Papists differ not in substance but in small circumstances and that if they erre it is but in small points But on the contrarie we are to esteeme euery sinne for a great sinne to humble our selues for the least sinnes and to bring our selues in subiection to God in the least of our actions Here we are taught by all meanes to maintaine the puritie of sound religion whatsoeuer befall vs. And for this cause we are to resist and withstand euery erronious opinion that shall be broched For it is the pollicie of the deuill by foisting in some one errour to depraue and confound the whole bodie of truth It may be saide how may we discerne errour from sound doctrine considering oftentimes they are like as leauen is like dowe Ans. Leauen is discerned from dow not by colour but by tast euen so they which are spirituall and haue the gift of discerning directed by the analogie of faith discerne truth from falshood For whatsoeuer is against one Article of faith or against any of the commandements of the decalogue is not sound doctrine but leauen Againe that which is said of false doctrine may be said proportionally of bad manners Here therefore we must be put in minde of three duties The first to resist and withstand euery particular sinne For euen one sinne is able to defile the whole life of man One flie is sufficient to marre a whole boxe of sweete ointment One offence in our first parents brought corruption vpon them and all mankind yea vpon heauen and earth He that makes no conscience of some one sinne is guiltie of the whole law Iam. 2. Secondly we must doe our indeauour to the vttermost to cut off euery bad example in the societies of men For one bad example is sufficient to corrupt a whole familie a whole town a whole countrie The example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth Therefore Paul saith Purge out the old leauen 1. Cor. 5. 6. The law of God is that blasphemers murderers adulterers c. shall be put to death the reason is that euill may he taken away out of Israel that is the euill of wicked example which beeing suffered spreads abroad and doth much hurt The barren figge tree must be cut downe least it make the whole ground barren Luk. 13. 7. Thirdly we are to withstand and cut off the first beginnings and the occasions of euery sinne We say of arrand theeues that first they beginne to practise their wickednes in pinnes and points For this cause idlenes fulnesse of bread in excessiue eating drinking and swilling â—iot and vanitie in apparrell are to be suppressed in euery societie as the breeders of many vâ—ces On the contrarie as one point of euill doctrine brings with it many other so any one little grace of God brings many other with it The entrance into Gods word giues light Psal. 119. 130. In this respect Christ saith The kingdome of heauen is like leauen hidde in three peckes of meale because Gods kingdome is set vp in the heart at the first vpon very small beginnings Matth. 13. 33. This must teach vs to vse the meanes of our saluation and not to be discouraged though we haue in vs but some small beginnings of Gods grace 10 I haue an affiance in you in the Lord that ye will be no otherwise minded but he that troubleth you shall beare his iudgement whosoeuer he be The sense In the Lord by the gratious assistance of God who no doubt will giue a blessing to my Ministerie No otherwise minded that is thinke no otherwise then ye haue done and ought to thinke and thinke no otherwise then I haue taught you He that troubleth you the Church is troubled three waies 1. by false doctrine Thus Ahab troubled Israel 1. king 18. 18. and the false Apostles trouble Galatia 2. By wicked example thus Aâ—han troubled Israel Ios. 7. 25. 3. By force and crueltie thus tyrants and persecutors trouble the Church Shall be are shall haue his due and deserued punishment partly in this life and partly in eternall death See this verified in the ende of the booke of English Martyrs in the desperate horrible and stinking endes of persecutors But yet this threat must be vnderstood with the Exception of repentance The scope The wordes are an Answer to an Obiection which may be framed thus It seemes by your former prouerb of leauen that you hold us to be a people corrupted and vnsauorie vnto God To this Paul answers by a distinction I hope better things of you but the false Apostles for troubling the Church shall surely be punished The vse When Paul saith I haue an aâ—â—iance in you he teacheth in his own example that we are to hope the best of men so long as they are curable It may be saide they that hope the best are sometimes deceiued Ans. They are onely deceiued in their iudgement and that in things whereof they haue no certen knowledge and they are not deceiued in practise For it is a dutie of loue to hope the best And they which vse to suspect the worse are oftner deceiued Againe it may be saide that we must iudge of things as they are indeede Ans. Iudgement of things and iudgement of persons must be distinguished Of things vpright iudgement is to iudge of them as they are and if they be doubtâ—ull to suspend Now our iudgement of the persons of men must be to take things in the better part as much as possibly may be Lastly it may be alleadged that we must loue our neighbour as our selues and that we despaire in respect of our selues Ans. We are to despaire in respect of our selues because we are priuie to our owne estate but we are not priuie to the estate of any other man and therefore we are to hope the best of them This shewes the fault of our times if any professing the Gospel fall vpon frailtie there are numbers of men that will make no bones of it to condemne them to the pit of hel for hypocrites but such persons are not carried by the spirit of Paul who hopes the best of them that fall Againe here we see how we are to put affiance in men We are to put affiance in God for all things whatsoeuer whether concerning bodie or soule but our affiance in men must be onely for such things as they are able to performe Secondly we must put affiance in God absolutely for himselfe and therefore we say I beleeue in God c. but all our affiance in men whatsoeuer must be in the Lord. When Paul saith that he had affiance of them in the Lord he shewes that renewed repentance is the gift of God And there
to this end we must obserue 5. rules The first that the creatures of God must be sanctified by the word and praier 1 Tim. 4. the word must shew vs what we may doe and praier obtaines the doing of it The 2 rule we must be circumspect lest we sinne in the vse of the creatures In this respect Iob sends for his children after they had feasted together he sanctifies them Iob. 1. 5. The 3 rule we must vse the gifts of God with thankesgiuing Rom. 14. 6. Commonly in these daies there is no feasting or reioycing vnles all memorie of god be buried for that is said to breed melancholy The 4 rule We must suffer our selues to be limited and moderated in the vse of our libertie partly by the law of the magistrate partly by the law of charitie in the case of offēce I say in the vse because liberty it selfe is inwardly in the conscience and the vse of it is often in the outward action and therefore vnder the order of humane law The 5 rule Our liberty must be vsed for right ends as namely the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. the preseruation of nature not the pampering of the flesh Rom. 13. 13. the good of our neighbour Rom. 12. 13. Make conscience to obserue this rule and the rather because the holie and spirituall vse of Christian libertie is a signe token that thou art in the kingdome of God a true member thereof as on the contrarie the abuse of Gods blessings shewes thee to be still in the kingdome of darknes When men fell things of great worth for a little value and then afterward giue themselues to rioting and spending we commonly say that they are theeues and no right owners of the goods which they solde The like may be said of them that abuse spirituall libertie that they are but vsurpers and no right owners of it Lastly it must be obserued that this rule hath 2. branches The first is that we must not minister to the flesh any occasion of sinning The second is that we must giue no occasion of sinning by meanes of Christian libertie The second maine rule followes Serue one an other by loue For the right cōceauing of it I will propound three questions The first is why is this rule propounded in this place Ans. It sets downe the end of all Apostolike doctrine as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1. 5. the end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart good conscience faith vnfained Here men commonly vnderstand by the commandement the morall law That is indeed a truth but it is not the meaning of the place In the third verse Paul sets downe a commandement or denunciation to Timothie that he and the Pastors of Ephesus teach no other doctrine but the doctrine of the Apostles then in the 5 verse he propounds the summe and substance or end of the foresaid commandement in the 18 verse after a long antapodaton he inioynes Timothie to obserue it carefully So then the end of al sound doctrine is loue out of a pure heart and all our Preaching must tend to this The second question is what is the loue of our neighbour specified in this rule Ans. It is an affection renewed whereby we are mooued to wish well to our neighbour in the Lord. I say an affection to consute Lombard who saith that loue is not an habit in vs as other vertues are but the H. Ghost I saie it is an affection renued to consute the Papist who teacheth that we haue the true loue of God our neighbour by nature and that we want nothing but the second acte or the exercise of loue which they saie is from grace Further I adde that loue inclines vs to wish well to our neighbour for this is the formall and proper effect of loue and all this is done when we thinke well speake and doe well and that in respect not only of the bodie but also in respect of the soule of our neighbour Lastly I say that loue to our neighbour must be in the Lord. Because we are to loue him in respect that he is a creature of God and beares his image and not in respect of honour profit or pleasure which we receiue from him Loue for such ends is selfeloue The third question is what is the vse of loue Ans. It serues to make vs seruiceable to our neighbour Loue seekes not her owne things 1. Cor. 13. Christ was seruant to his enemies in bearing their sinnes vpon the crosse Paul that was free from all became a seruant to all to win some 1. Cor. 9. 19. To Christ we are to doe seruice and he hath put our neighbour in his stead so as that which is done to our neighbour shall be done to him our neighbour therefore must be serued of vs. And this is not against our libertie For we are free inwardly in conscience yet in the outward vse of our libertie we must be seruāts to mē The vse If we examine our liuer by this rule we shall find that there is very litle power of religion among men There are six sortes of men that liue in the breach of this rule The first are vsurers who lend for aduantage when they should lend freely to them that are in need these serue themselues and make a pray of all The second sort are ingrossers who gather in cōmodities to inrich themselues The third sort are idle per sons of what degree soeuer that spend their time in eating drinking sleeping gaming such are but vnprofitable burdens of the earth To this sort I referre beggars and vagabonds The fourth sort are Riotous persons that vse to goe from alehouse to alehouse from tauerne to tauerne and mispend that whereby they should maintaine their families and be seruiceable to their countrie The fift sort are Tradesmen who in their dealings vse lying dissembling fraud iniustice They seeke nothing but their priuate aduantage And this kind of men abounds in the world The last sort are drowsie and carnall Protestants who only seeke the things of this world and neuer so much as giue good example to seruants or children or any good counsell Beside all this it is the common fault of the world for men to serue themselues according to the common saying euery man for himselfe and God for vs all And the best men that are if they examine themselues shall find that they faile many waies and come short in the duties of loue to men with whome they liue This beeing so we are to acknowledge before God this maine offence of ours and to intreat for the pardon of it for Christes sake And euer hereafter to change our liues and to reforme them according to this rule And that is done on this manner Euery man hath or ought to haue 2 callings a general a particular The general is wherby we are called to be Christians In this calling we are to do good to all men by
that is another cause of dissention 1. Corint 3. 3. The second point concernes the qualitie of these dissentioÌ„s When Paul saith if ye bite and deuoure c. he signifies that they were fierce and violent And such commonly are dissentions for religion as appeares by the persecution in Queene Maries daies the heate whereof nothing could slake but mans blood Againe he signifies in these very wordes that they were bruâ—ish and beastlike more beseeming wolues lions dogges then men This must teach vs to detest railing cursing euill speaking fighting vnles it be in the case of necessarie defence for by these actions we degenerate to the condition of beastes and repell from vs the worke of grace for Christ of lions wolfes beares hath made vs his sheepe and lambes Isai. 11. The third point is touching the effect of contention that is the ruine desolation of the Church The diuision of the members among themselues is the dissolutioÌ„ of the whole bodie Differences in points of religion breed doubting doubting hinders faith and inuocation and the free course of the Gospell and where these be hindred the Church goes to decay And by reason of the dissentions that be in these last daies many liue as Atheistes and will be of no religion By this we are to be admonished to studie and to vse all meanes to maintaine Christian peace and concord Eph. 4. 3. To this end we must remember one generall rule Rom. 12. 18. haue peace with all men And withall we must obserue the cautions which Paul addes one is if it may be with good conscience for there are some with whome there is no peace vnles we sooth them in their vices or denie our religion either in whole or in part The second is If it lie in you for sometime men are accused and must of necessitie defend themselues These two cautions obserued peace must be had with all men It may theÌ„ be demanded why do not the Protestans make a Pacification with the Papists Ans. we are content so to do in respect of ciuill societie but not in respect of religion We haue a commandement to the contrarie Reuel 18. 4. come out of Babylon my people and touch no vnclean thing where a pacification is made both the partes must yeeld somewhat but we may not yeeld in any point of our religion to the Papists In an Instrument of musick the stringes out of tune are set vp or set downe to the rest and the strings that are in tune are not stirred Euen so the Papists are to turne to vs we are not to turne to them our religion beeing the doctrine of the prophets Apostles Peace is three-fould Church peace Ciuill peace Houshould peace All these are to be maintained Touching Church peace I giue 3 rules The first is that for the ending of differences in religion there must be conferences in a free or christian councell the spirits of the prophets is subiect to the prophet 1. Cor. 14. â—2 when there arose differences in the Churches of Iudea the Apostles and elders came together to inquire of the matter Act. 15. 6. And this is a thing much to be desired in these daies specially in these Westerne partes of the world It may be demanded why did not the Protestants ioyne with the Papists at the councell of Trent Ans. from the first session it was more then 6 yeares before any safe conduct was giuen to the Protestants and at their appearing in the councell exception was taken against their letters and they dismissed And when they appeared the second time vpon new safe conduct the councell was the next day reiorned for 2 yeares And when safe conduct was giuen the 3 time the Protestant princes refused to send their diuines because they had bin twice mocked Moreouer the councell was not a free councell because the Pope himselfe was both partie and iudge The second rule There must be a christian toleration one of an other Eph. 4. 2. here that we mistake not I propound 2 questions One is in what must there be a toleration Ans. A toleration presupposeth an errour or defect in our brother An errour is either in iudgement or manners An error in iudgment is either in the foundation of religion or beside the foundation in lighter matters if the errour be in the foundation there is no toleration of it If it be in some lesser matter a toleration is to be vsed according to the rule of the Apostle if ye be otherwise minded God will reueile it Phil. 3. 15. when others see not that which we see we must not preseÌ„tly coÌ„demne them but tolerat their ignorance till God reueile his truth vnto them Againe errors in manners be of 2 sortes some without offence as hastines frowardnes vaine gloriousnes c. these we must tolerate Pro. 19. 11. and others with open offence and such admit no toleration 1. Cor. 5. 11. The second question is to what ende must we tolerate the infirmities and ignorances of our brethren Ans. Toleration must tend to the good and edification of men Rom. 15. 2. We must not so tolerate as that we approoue of the least vice or betray the least part of Gods truth It may here be demanded whether there may not be a toleration for Poperie Ans. No. The toleration of two religions in one kingdome is the ouerthrow of peace Againe Poperie is a religion both hereticall and schismaticall It may be said that faith and conscience is free I answer though faith in the heart and conscience in it selfe be free in respect of mans authoritie yet is not the publishing of faith and the profession of conscience free in like sort but it stands subiect to the power of the Magistrate The third rule Euery man in his place specially teachers must set themselues to build the Church Iud. v. 20. Eph. 4. 12. Indeede the truth is to be defended but marke how The truth must be confessed when time and occasion serues without opposition this done all contentions laid aside we must set our selues to build the Church And the rather Ministers of Gods word in England must remember this because while we are striuing among our selues in sundrie points of difference the Papist our common enemie gets ground Touching ciuill peace it must be remembred that the peace and good estate of Ierusalem stood in this that it was made the seate of Gods sanctuarie and the throne of iustice Psal. 122. When the Arke was in the house of Obed-Edom all things prospered with him Now in the new Testament the preaching of the Gospel inuocation of Gods name with the vse of the Sacraments come in the roome of the Sanctuarie Ciuill peace then is maintained when men yeeld subiection to the Gospel of Christ which brings peace to all that receiue it Touching houshold peace I giue two rules One is that gouernours of families must vrge and compell all vnder them to admit at the least outwardly the practise of
be vnderstood simply but comparatiuely and synecdochically Comparatiuely that there shall be farre greater knowledge vnder the new Testament then was vnder the old Isa. 11. 9. The Apostle saith not that there shall be no teaching at all for Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets others Pastors and teachers for the work of the ministerie and the edification of the bodie of Christ. Eph 4. 11 12. But that there shall be no neede of this kind of teaching to catechize them in the first rudiments as to teach them what God is Synecdochically not of perfect and absolute knowledge for we all know but in part 2. Cor. 13. 12. But of initiate or inchoate knowledge which shall be consummate in the life to come Further vpon this distinction it followeth that hearers are not to intermeddle with the publike duties of the ministerie for euery man is to abide in the calling wherein God hath placed him and therein to liue contented 1. Cor. 7. For no man may take vnto himselfe this honour but he that is called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4 For albeit it be true which Ambrose writeth that in the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel founding of the church of the New Testament all Christians did teach and baptize indifferently yet afterward when the Churches were founded it was not lawfull neither is it now And though there be neither male nor female in Christ but we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. namely in receiuing of the Gospel yet in dispensing of it there is great difference it beeing vnlawefull for a woman to preach or publikely to teach I permit not a woman to teach 1. Tim. 2. 12. Let women keepe silence in the Churches for it is not permitted vnto them to speake 1. Cor. 14. 34. Apoc 2. 20. This coudemneth the fantasticall opinion of the Anabaptists that all men may speake publikely without any difference according to the instinct of the spirit and measure of his gifts Againe when Paul saith He that is taught in the word c. him that taught him in the word c. he shewes what the dutie of the minister is that lookes to liue by his ministerie namely not to feed his auditorie with Philosophie or fables or lying Legends nor to preach Poeticall fictions Thalmudicall dreames Schoolemens quiddities Popish decrees or humane constitutions oâ— to tickle the itching eares of his auditory with the fine ringing sentences of the Fathers â—or what is the chaâ—â—e to the wheate But he must preach the word of God for there is no word nor writing in the world besides that hath a promise to be the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. able to make men wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15. to giue an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Act. 20. To be liuely mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sword entring through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit the ioynts and the marrow and to be a discerner of the thoughâ—s and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. 12. and that can make the man of God absolute to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. 17. but onely this word giuen by diuine inspiration It beeing not onely the seed by which we are begotten and borne anew but the food by which we are nourished both milke for the babe that is a nouice in religion and strong meate for him that is of yeares and therefore beeing perfect nourishment the bread of life for him that is hungrie and the water of life for him that is thirstie what needes there any more Besides no word nor writing hath the propertie of fire saue onely the word of God to dispell the darknes of ignorance by enlightening the minde with the sauing knowledge of the truth and to hâ—at yea to enflame the affection with a zeale of Gods glorie by burning vp the corruption of nature Againe Diuinitie is the mistâ—is all liberall arts tongues historie c. are but handmaids to attend vpon her now when the mistris is speaking it is good manners for the maide to hold her peace To this word alone the Prophets were tied by their commission What I shall command thee that shalt thou say And the Apostles You shal teach what I haue coÌ„manded you Christ himselfe taught nothing but that which he had heard receiued of his father Ioh. 8. 28. Paul deliuers nothing but that which he receiued of Christ 1. Cor. 11. 23. and taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets had written Act. 26. 22. Paul commaÌ„ds Timothie to charge the Pastours of Ephesus that they teach no diuers doctrine either for matter or manner for substance or circumstance Yet here we must take heede of extremities for in some cases it is lawfull in preaching to vse Philosophie the testimonie of prophane writers and quotations of Fathers I. When we haue to deale with heathen men who will not be so easily mooued with the authoritie of the Scriptures we may conuict them by the testimonie of their owne writers as Paul did the Athenians Epicures and Stoikes by the testimonie of Aratus Act. 17. 28. and the Cretians by the testimonie of Epimenides Tit. 1. 12. II. In preaching to a mixt congregation where some are infected with Poperie or some other heresie and will not receiue the doctrine deliuered nor yeeld vnto the truth except it haue the consent of the fathers of the Church III. In handling of some controuersall point of diuinitie shewing that the doctrine we teach is no new doctrine but that which was taught in the Primitiue Church especially in speaking to the weake who haue not as yet left their old superstition wherein they were nuzzeled IIII. To cut off the calumniations of the malitious aduersaries who must needes haue their mouthes stopped by some other meanes then by the Scriptures V. In the necessarie vnfolding of the meaning of certaine places of Scripture which without Philosophie cannot be conceiued In such a case we may vse humanitie in descending to the reach and capacitie of the auditorie and so teach heauenly things by earthly things as our Sauiour Christ taught regeneration by the similitude of the winde Ioh. 3. Yet all these must be vsed first sparingly secondly when there is iust cause thirdly without ostentatioÌ„ fourthly deliuering nothing to the people the ground whereof is not in the word This shewes that the maine scope of the ministerie is to preach the word purely and to applie it powerfully to the consciences of men and it condemnes all deceitfull handling of the word and all huckster-like dealing in mingling wine and water together wheat and chaffe gold and drosse in peruerting it with aguish and sottish conceits in wresting it with allegories tropologies and anagogies and in wringing the text till they make it bleede and so as an ancient writer saith presse the two dugges of the Scriptures the old and new Testament that in stead of milke they drinke
come downe from heauen and light vpon them that follow this rule and that they cannot he hindered by the mallice of men Let the Pope then anathematize curse and excommunicate vs both Prince and people because we tread not in the steps of his faith but of the faith of our father Abraham and walke not according to his rule but according to this rule of the Apostle for we need not feare his thunderbolts nor curses seeing the causelesse curse shall neuer come Pro. 26. 2. for what though he curse if God doe blesse It was the thing that comforted Dauid beeing cursed of his enemies in that though they did curse yet God would blesse Psal. 109. 28. and let vs comfort our selues in this that he will curse them that curse his people Gen. 12. 3. Againe if peace and mercy shall be vpon them that walke according to this rule then wrath and indignation shall light vpon those that follow any other rule or deuise any other way or set downe any other meanes of saluation besides or contrary to this False therefore is the opinion of Pucksius that if a man lead an outward ciuil life he may be saued in any religion the Iewe in his Iudaisme the Turke in his Mahometisme the Heathen in his Paganisme For they that walke not in this way according to this rule doe but weary themselues in endlesse Labyrinths and so walking without line or rule in their crooked wayes shall be led with workers of iniquitie whenas peace shall be vpon Israel Psal. 125. 5. Other vses are made of mercy and peace Pag. 11. and 12. to which places I referre the reader The Apostle addeth that peace and mercy shal be vpon all them that walke according to this rule and vpon the Israel of God There is a doble Israell mentioned by Paul Israell according to the flesh 1. Cor. 10. 18. and the Israell of God as there is a twofold Iewe one outward in the flesh another inward in the spirit Rom. 2. 28 29. By the Israell of God the Apostle meaneth all such as are like to Nathaniell who was a true Israelite in whome there was no guile Ioh. 1. 47. whether they be the faithfull Gentiles or beleeuing Iewes And he makes mention of the Israell of God partly by reason of the aduersaries who bragged so much of their father Abraham and that they were the only true Israelites and yet were noe Israelites because they troade not in the steps of the faith of Abraham partly for the weake conuerts who thought it a hard thing to be seuered from the society of those to whome the promises were made partly for vs Gentiles that we might know that all are not Israell which are of Israell Rom. 9. 6. but that all they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 9. seeing that God is no accepter of persons Act. 10. 34. v. 17. From hence forth let no man put me to busines for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus Here the Apostle laies downe his last admonition preuenting an obiection that might be made by the false Apostles or the Galatians For whereas it might be said that Paul sought himselfe and the world shunned persecution and therefore ioyned circumcision to Christ to please the Iewes and followed not his owne rule v. 16. he takes away this obiection with great authoritie when he saith from hence forth let no man put me to busines And withall he addes a reason of it for I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus as if he should saie The bonds the imprisonments the stripes wounds and scarres in my bodie doe sufficiently testifie my fidelitie in my ministerie for if I had preached circumcision I should not haue suffered persecution The words may be and are taken in a doble sense First thus The false Apost and you Galatians by their instigation haue beene troblesome vnto me by false accusations and scanderous imputations as that I taught circumcision and the obseruatiō of the ceremoniall Lawe as a thing necessarie to saluation and so you haue made a reuolt from my doctrine by that meanes haue dobled and tripled my labour and paines among you But from hence forth cease to be troblesome vnto me you may take experiment and proofe from me the marks that I beare in my body doe sufficiently witnesse and seale the truth of my doctrine and my fidelitie in myne Apostleship as also whose disciple I am Moses or Christs and what rule I follow Iudaisme or Christianisme Secondly they cary this sense I haue sayd that they which walke according to this rule in glorying onely in the crosse of Christ peace shall be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God And I say againe and againe that we ought to striue and contend for it to obserue keepe it as a thing most necessarie to saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for othings not necessary to saluation as circumcision c. Let no man troble me in the execution of mine Apostolicall function or hinder the course of the Gospell by vrging any other doctrine or ceremony contrary or diuerse from this as necessary to saluation This one thing is necessarie other things are needles and fruitles in comparison therefore neither I nor the church of God ought to be trobled with them This latter sense I take to be more ageeable to the text Some make the sense to be this I haue had many trobles and conflicts and haue many markes and scarres in my body inflicted by persecutours therfore be no more troblesome vnto me for it were to much to add wormewood to my gale affliction to affliction Here we se the condition of the Apostle and the estate of all faithfull ministers that it is full of troble and molestations For as they are accounted men of turbulent spirits disquieters of the state as Elias was 1. King 21. and Ieremie chap. 15. 18. and Paul Act. 16. 20. 21. 28. So they are most trobled with factious opposers and false teachers who labour to bring into the church things partly needles and superfluous partly hurtfull pernicious Thus the false Apost trobled the pastors and church of Galatia Gal. 5. 10. and the churches of Antiochia Syria Cilicia Act 15. 24. Secondly consider how that the most and greatest trobles of the church haue beene for matter◠not of substance but of circumstance partly not necessarie partly contrarie to the rule which notwithstanding haue bee vrged with fire and fagot as things most necessarie Lastly he that stands forth for the defence of Gods truth as Paul did and all Ministers ought to doe must let goe all circumstances and looke to the substance Not with Martha to trouble himselfe about many needelesse things when as one thing onely is necessarie The reason followeth in these words For I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus The word in the Originall translated markes doth properly
see the fidelitie of Paul if he had sought himselfe his honour profit or pleasure he would not haue taught any doctrine that should haue caused persecution The like minde must be in all teachers nay in all beleeuers who are to receiue the Gospel for it selfe without respect to honour profit or pleasure Paul addes further in way of defence that the scandall of the crosse was not abolished Hence it followes that the Gospel must be preached though all men be offended God must not be displeased though all men be displeased Act. 5. 29. Indeede Christ pronounceth 〈◊〉 woe against them by whome offences come but that is meant of offences giuen and not of offences taken of which Christ hath an other rule Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they are the blind leaders of the blind Againe by the offence of the Iewes we see the mind of men who cannot be content with the death and passion of Christ vnlesse they may adde workes or something els of their owne for their iustification and saluation Thus doe the Papists at this day and the like doe many of the ignorant people among vs that will be saued by their good dealing and their good seruing of God Touching the imprecation in the 12. verse three questions are to be propounded The first is whether Paul did well thus to curse his enemies I answer yea for first we must put a difference betweene the priuate cause of man and the cause of God Now Paul accurseth the false Apostles not in respect of his owne cause but in respect of the cause of God and not as his owne enemies but as the enemies of God Secondly we must distinguish the persons of euill men Some are curable and some againe are incurable of whose saluation there is no hope Now Paul directs his imprecation against persons incurable And he knew them to be incurable by some extraordinarie inspiration or instinct as the Prophets and the rest of the Apostles did in sundrie cases and hereupon he curseth sometime euen particular persons as Alexander the copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. Thirdly we must distinguish the affections of men Some are carnall as rash anger hatred desire of reuenge c. some againe are more spirituall and diuine as a zeale of Gods glorie and of the sâ—â—tie of Gods church Now Paul in pronouncing the curse is not carried with a carnall affection but with a pure zeale of Gods glorie and with the same spirit by which he penned this Epistle The second question is whether we may not curse our enemies as Paul did Ans. No for we haue not the like spirit to discerne the persons of men what they are and our zeale of Gods glorie is mixed with many corrupt affections and therefore to be suspected We in our ordinary dealings haue an other rule to follow Matth. 5. blesse and curse not If we dare goe beyond the limitts of this rule we must heare the speach of Christ ye know not of what spirit ye are Luc. 9. 55. The third question is how we should vse the imprecations that are in the psalmes of Dauid as Psal. 109. and in other places of scripture Ans. they are to be directed generally against the kingdome of the deuill and they are further to be vsed as Prophecies of the holy ghost comforting his Church and procuring a finall sentence vpon the enemies of God The word which is translated disquiet is to be considered for it signifies to put men out of their estate and to driue them out of house and home as enemies doe when they sacke and spoile a towne By this we se that the doctrine of iustification by workes or by the law is a doctrine full of danger and peril because it puts men out of their estate in Christ and berâ—aues them of their saluation in heauen Therefore let all men flie from the religion of the Papist as if they would flie from an armie of Spaniards or Turkes Contrariwise they that would prouide well for themselues and their posteritie and plant themselues in a good estate must take this course They must coÌ„sider that there is a citie of God in heauen the gates and suburbes whereof be vpon earth in the assemblies of the Church that this citie hath many roomes and habitations many liberties that the law wherby this citie is ruled is the whole word of God specially the doctrine of the Gospell In this citie is all happines and out of it there is nothing but woe and misery Enter therfore into the suburbes of this citie of God as ye professe the Gospell so subiect your mindes and consciences and all your affections to it and be doers of it in the exercise of faith repentance new obedience Thus shall you haue a good estate in Christ ioyfull habitation in heauen 13. For brethren ye haue bin called to libertie only vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another The first part of the Epistle touching the faith of the Galatians is ended and here beginnes the second part touching good life and it continues from this verse to the 11. verse of the sixt chapter In it Paul doth 2. things first he propounds the summe of his doctrine then after makes a particular declaration of it The summe of all is propounded in this 13. v. in which Paul first setts downe the ground of all good duties and then 2. maine rules of good life The ground is in these wordes brethren ye haue bin called to libertie And it must be noted that as these wordes are the foundation of that which followes so are they also the reason of that which goes before and therefore Paul saith for brethren c. The 2. rules are in the words following One in these vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh the other in these doe seruice one to another by loue In the ground of all good duties namely the calling to libertie 4. things are to be considered 1. who calls 2. who are called 3. what is the calling of God 4. why it is here mentioned by Paul To the first who calles I answer God the father in Christ by the spirit for he is absolute Lord of all his creatures therfore he may call out of the kingdome of darknes into his owne kingdome whome he will And it is God alone that calleth the things that are not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. The second is who are called Ans. All they that any waie answer the calling of God for Paul saith indifferently of all the Galatians that they were called Now men answer the calling of God some in profession some in heart some in both And all these are said to be called yet with some difference The calling of God is directed first of all and principally to the Elect and then in the second place it pertaines to them which are not Elect because they are mixed in societie with the Elect. And hence