meditation of the worde And when we haue striuen neuer so much yet shall we haue enough to keepe vs occupied For we haue to doe with no small enemies but strong and mighty and such as are in continuall warre against vs namely our owne flesh all the daungers of the world the law sinne death the wrath and iudgement of God and the Deuill himselfe who neuer ceaseth to tempt vs inwardly by his fierie darts outwardly by his false Apostles to the ende that he may ouerthrow if not all yet the most part of vs. This argument therefore of the false apostles had a goodly shew and seemed to be very strong Which also at this day moueth many namely that the Apostles the holy fathers and their successours haue so taught that the Church so thinketh and beleeueth Moreouer that it is impossible that Christ should suffer his Church so long time to erre Art thou alone say they wiser then so many holy men wiser then the whole church After this maner the deuil being chaunged into an Angell of light setteth vpon vs craftely at this day by certaine pestiferous hypocrites who say We passe not for the Pope nor for the Bishops those great persecutors and contemners of Gods word we abhorre also the hypocrisie deceitfulnes of Monkes such like but we would haue the aucthoritie of holy Church to remaine vntouched The Church hath thus beleeued and taught this long time So haue all the Doctours of the primatiue Church holy men more auncient and better learned then thou Who art thou that darest dissent from all these and bring vnto vs a contrary doctrine When Satan reasoneth thus conspiring with the flesh and reason then is thy conscience terrified and vtterly despaireth vnlesse thou constantly retourne to thy selfe againe and say Whether it be Cyprian Ambrose Augustine either S. Peter Paule or Iohn yea or an Angell from heauen that teacheth otherwise yet this I know assuredly that I teach not the things of men but of God that is to say I attribute all things to God alone and nothing to man. When I first tooke vpon me the defence of the Gospell I remember that Doctor Staupitius a worthy man sayd thus vnto me This liketh me well that this doctrine which thou preachest yeldeth glory and all things else vnto God alone and nothing vnto man for vnto God there can not be attributed too much glory goodnes mercie c. This saying did then greatly comfort and confirme me And true it is that the doctrine of the Gospell taketh from men all glory wisedom righteousnes c. and geueth them to the creatour alone who made all things of nothing We may also more safely attribute too much vnto God then to man For in this case I may say boldly Be it so that the Church Augustine and other Doctours also Peter and Apollo yea euen an Angell from heauen teach a contrary doctrine yet my doctrine is such that it setteth forth and preacheth the grace and glory of God alone and in the matter of saluation it condemneth the righteousnes and wisedom of all men In this case I can not offend because I geue both to God and man that which properly and truely belongeth vnto them both But thou wilt say The Church is holy The Fathers are holy It is true notwithstanding albeit the church be holy yet is it compelled to pray forgeue vs our trespasses So though the fathers be holy yet are they saued through the forgeuenes of sinnes Therfore neither am I to be beleued nor the Church nor the Fathers nor the Apostles no nor an Angell from heauen if we teach any thing against the word of God but let the vvord of God abide for euer For else this argument of the false Apostles had mightely preuailed against Paules doctrine For in deede it was a great matter a great matter I say to set before the Galathians the whole Church with all the companie of the Apostles against Paule alone but lately sprong vp and of small authoritie This was therefore a strong argument and concluded mightely For no man sayth willingly that the Church erreth and yet it is necessary to say that it erreth if it teache any thing besides or against Gods worde Peter the cheefe of the Apostles taught both in life and doctrine besides Gods word therfore he erred and was deceaued Neither did Paule dissemble that errour although it seemed to be but a light fault because he sawe it would turne to the hurt of the whole Church but vvithstoode him euen to his face because he vvalked not after the truth of the Gospell Therefore neither is the Church nor Peter nor the Apostles nor Angels from heauen to be heard vnlesse they bring and teach the pure word of God. This argument euen at this day is not a little preiudiciall to our cause For if we may neither beleeue the Pope nor the Fathers nor Luther nor any other except they teach vs the pure word of God whom shall we then beleeue Who in the meane while shall certefie our consciences which part teacheth the pure word of God we or our aduersaries For they bragge that they also haue the pure worde of God and teach it Againe we beleue not the Papistes because they teach not the word of God neither can they teach it Contrariwise they hate vs most bitterly and persecute vs as most pestilent heretikes and seducers of the people What is to be done in this case Shall it be lawfull for euery fantasticall spirite to teach what him selfe listeth seeing the world can neither heare nor abide our doctrine For although we glory with Paule that we teach the pure Gospell of Christ vnto which not onely the Emperour Pope and the whole world ought to geue credite but also ought gladly and thankfully to receaue and embrace it yea and diligently to prouide that it be taught in euery place and if any should teach the contrary were he the Pope an Apostle or an Angell from heauen to holde him accurssed together with his Gospell yet for all that we profite nothing but are compelled to heare that this our glorying is not onely vaine rash and arrogant but also Deuilish and full of blasphemie But if we abase our selues and geue place to the rage of our aduersaries then both the Papists and Anabaptists waxe proud The Anabaptists wil vaunt the they bring and teach vs some straunge thing which the world neuer heard of before The Papistes will set vp againe and stablishe their olde abhominations Let euery man therfore take hede that he be most sure of his calling and doctrine that he may boldly say with Paule Although vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you othervvise then that vvhich vve haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Verse 13. For you haue heard of my conuersation in times past in the Ievvish religion hovv thar I persecuted the Church of God
had not preuailed herein he could neuer haue stopped the mouthes of the false apostles For thus they would haue obiected agaīst him We are as good as Paule we are the disciples of the Apostles as well as he Moreouer he is but one alone and we are many therfore we excell him both in authoritie and in number also Here Paule was constrained to boast to affirme and sweare that he learned not his gospell of any man neither receaued it of the Apostles themselues For his ministerie was here in great daunger and al the churches likewise which had vsed him as their cheefe pastor and teacher The necessitie therfore of his Ministerie and of all the Churches required that with a necessary and holy pride he should vaunt of his vocation and of the reuelation of the Gospell made open vnto him by Christ that their consciences might be thorowly perswaded that his doctrine was the true word of god Here had Paule a waightie matter in hand namely that all the Churches in Galatia might be kept in sound doctrine and to be short the matter was concerning life death euerlasting For if the pure and certaine word of God be once taken away there remaineth no more consolation life or saluation The cause therfore why he reciteth these things is to retaine the Churches still in true doctrine and not to maintaine his own glorie as Porphirie and Iulian doe falsly sclaunder him His purpose is then to shew by this historie that he receaued his gospel of no man Againe that he preached for a certaine time namely the space of three or foure yeares the selfe same Gospel that the Apostles had preached by reuelation from God both in Damascus and Arabia before he had seene any of the Apostles Verse 20. And novve the things vvhich I vvrite vnto you he hold I vvitnes before God I lie not Wherefore addeth he an oth Because he reporteth an history he is constrained to sweare to the ende that the churches might beleue him and also that the false Apostles should not say who knoweth whether Paule speaketh the truth or no Here you see that Paule the elect vessel of God was in so great contempt among his owne Galathians to whom he had preached that it was necessary for him to sweare that he spake the truth If this happened then to the Apostles to haue so mighty aduersaries that they durst despise them and accuse them of lying what maruell is it if the like at this day happen vnto vs which in no respect are worthy to be compared with the Apostles He sweareth therfore in a matter as it seemeth of no weight that he speaketh the truth namely that he taryed not with Peter to learne of him but onely to see him but if you way the matter diligently it is very weighty and of greate importance as may appeare by that is said afore In like maner we sweare after the example of Paule God knovveth that vve lie not c. Verse 21. After that I vvent into the coastes of Syria and Cilicia Syria and Cilicia are countreys neare situate together This is it that he still goeth about to perswade that as well before he had seene the Apostles as after he was alwaies a teacher of the Gospell and that he receaued it by the reuelation of Christ and was neuer any disciple of the Apostels Verse 22 23. For I vvas vnknovven by face vnto the churches of Iudea vvhich vvere in Christ But they heard onely some say he vvhich persecuted in times past novv preacheth the faith vvhich before he destroied And they glorified God. This he addeth for the sequele and continuance of the history that after he had seene Peter he went into Syria and Cilicia and there preached and so preached that he wonne the testimony of all the churches in Iudea As though he would say I appeale to the testimony of all the churches yea euen of those which are in Iudea For the churches doe witnesse not onely in Damascus Arabia Syria and Cilicia but also in Iudea that I haue preached the same faith which I once withstoode and persecuted And they glorifie God in me not because I taught that circumcision and the law of Moses ought to be kept but for the preaching of faith and for the edifying of the churches by my ministery in the Gospell Ye therefore haue the testimony not onely of the people of Damascus and of Arabia but also of the whole Catholike or vniuersall church in Iudea The second Chapter Verse 1. Then fourtene yeares after I vvent vp to Ierusalem PAVLE taught that the Gentiles were iustified by faith onely without the works of the law This doctrine when he had published abroad among the Gentiles he commeth to Antioch and declareth to the Disciples what he had done Then they which had bene trained vp in the old customes of the law rose against Paule with great indignation for that he preached to the Gentiles libertie from the bondage of the law Wherevpon followed greate dissention which afterwards stirred vp new troubles Paule and Barnabas stoode strongly to the truth and testified saying wheresoeuer we preached among the Gentiles the holy Ghost came and fell vpon those which heard the word and this was done through out all the churches of the Gentiles But we preached not circumcision neither did we require the keping of the law but we preached onely faith in Iesus Christ and at this preaching of faith God gaue to the hearers the holy Ghost The holy Ghost therefore doth approue the Faith of the Gentiles without the law and Circumcision For if the preaching of the Gospell and faith of the Gentiles in Christ had not pleased him he had not come downe in a visible shape vpon the vncircumcised which heard the word Seing then by the only hearing of faith he came downe vpon them it is certaine that the holy ghost by this signe hath approued the faith of the Gentiles For it doth not appeare that this was euer done before at the preaching of the law Then the Ievves and many of the Phariseis which did beleue and notwithstanding bare yet a greate zeale to the law earnestly striuing to maintaine the glory thereof sette themselues fiercely against Paule who affirmed that the Gentiles were iustified by faith onely without the works of the lawe contending that the lawe ought to be kept and that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised for otherwise they could not be saued And no maruell for the very name of the lawe of God is holy dreadfull The heathen man which neuer knew any thing of the law of God if he heare any man say This doctrine is the law of God doubtles he is moued How thē could it be but that the Ievves must nedes be moued vehemently contend for the maintenāce of the law of God which euen from their infancie had bene nusled and trained vp therein We see at this day how obstinate the
were in the middes of the Apostles and all the faithfull where this question was so vehemently debated was not yet constrained to be circumcised This victorie Paule carieth away sayth that in this conference it was decided by the consent of all the Apostles the whole Church also approuing the same that Titus should not be circumcised This is a strong argument and maketh very much against the false apostles And with this argument Neither vvas Titus compelled to be circumcised Paule was able to represse and mightely conuince all his aduersaries As if he should say Why doth these counterfait apostles so falsely report of me saying that I am compelled to keepe circumcision by the commaundement of the Apostles seeing I haue the witnes of all the faithfull in Ierusalem and moreouer of all the Apostles them selues that by my pursute and trauaile the contrary was there determined and that I did not onely there preuaile that Titus should not be circumcised but that the Apostles did also approue and ratifie the same Your counterfet apostles therfore do lie deadly which sclaūder me vnder the name of the Apostles and therby deceaue you for I haue the Apostles and all the faithfull not against me but with me And this I proue by the example of Titus Notwithstanding Paule as I haue often sayd did not condemne circumcision as an vnprofitable thing nor constrained any man therevnto For it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to be circumcised or vncircumcised as it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to eate or drinke For vvhether thou eate or eate not thou art neither better nor vvorse But if any mā should adde therto either sinne or righteousnes and say If thou eate thou sinnest if thou abstaine thou art righteous he should shew him selfe both foolish and wicked Therfore to ioyne ceremonies with sinne or righteousnes is great impietie As the Pope doth who in his forme of excommunication threatneth to all those that doe not obey the law of the Bishop of Rome Gods great curse and indignation and so maketh all his lawes necessary to saluation Wherefore the Deuil him selfe speaketh in the person of the Pope in all the Popes decrees For if saluation cōsisteth in keping of the Popes lawes what neede haue we of Christ to be our iustifier and Sauiour Vers 4.5 For all the false brethern that crept in vvho came in priuely to espie out our liberty vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesus that they might bring vs into bōdage To vvhom vve gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospell might continue vvith you Here Paule sheweth the cause why he went vp to Ierusalem and there conferred his gospell with the other Apostles and why he would not circumcise Titus Not that he might be the more certaine or confirmed in the gospell by the Apostles for he nothing doubted thereof but that the truth of the gospell might continue in the Churches of the Galathians and in all the Churches of the Gentiles We see then that this busines of Paule was no light matter Nowe where he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell he sheweth that there be two gospels a true and a false gospell Indeede the gospell of it selfe is simple true and sincere but by the malice of Satans ministers it is corrupt and defaced Therfore where he saith The truth of the gospel he would haue vs to vnderstād also the contrary As if he would say The false apostles do also preach a faith a gospel but they are both false Therfore haue I set my selfe so constantly against them and in that I would not geue place vnto them I haue brought to passe that the truth of the gospell continueth with you So the Pope and the Anabaptists doe bragge at this day that they teach the Gospell faith in Christ True it is but with such frute as the false apostles once did whom Paule calleth before in the first chapter troublers of the church and subuerters of the gospell of Christ On the other side he sayth that he teacheth the truth of the gospell As if he should say Those things which the false apostles teach bragge they neuer so much that they teach the truth are nothing else but starke lies So all Heretikes pretend the name of God of Christ and of the Church Also they pretend that they will not teach errours or lies but most certaine truth and the pure Gospell of Christ Now the truth of the gospell is that our righteousnes cometh by Faith only without the workes of the law The corruption or falshode of the Gospell is that we are iustified by Faith but not without the workes of the lawe With the like condition the false apostles also preached the Gospel Euen so doe our Papists and craftie Sophisters at this day For they say that we must beleue in Christ and that Faith is the foundation of our saluation but it iustifieth not except it be furnished with charitie This is not the truth of the Gospell but falshode and dissimulation But the true Gospell in deede is that works or charitie are not the ornament or perfection of faith but that faith of it selfe is Gods gift and Gods worke in our hearts which therefore iustifieth vs because it apprehendeth Christ our redemer Mans reason hath the law for his obiect thus thinking with it selfe This I haue done this I haue not done But faith being in her owne proper office hath no other obiect but Iesus Christ the sonne of god deliuered to death for the sinnes of the whole world It loketh not to charitie It sayeth not what haue I done what haue I offended what haue I deserued but what hath Christ done what hath he deserued Here the truth of the gospel answereth thee he hath redemed thee from thy sinne from the Deuil from eternall death Faith therefore acknowledgeth that in this one person Iesus Christ it hath forgeuenes of sinnes and eternall life He that turneth his eyes away from this obiect hath not true Faith but a fantasie and a vaine opinion and turneth his eyes from the promise to the law which terrifieth and driueth to desperation Wherfore those things which the Sophisters Scholemen haue taught cōcerning the iustifying faith being furnished with charitie are no thing else but mere dreames For that faith which apprehēdeth Christ the sonne of God is furnished with him is the same faith that iustifieth and not that faith which includeth charitie For a true a stedfast faith must lay hold vpon nothing else but Christ alone and in the afflictions and terrours of conscience it hath nothing else to leane vnto but this Diamond Christ Iesus Wherfore he that apprehendeth Christ by faith although he be neuer so much terrified with the law pressed downe with the weight of his sinnes yet may he be bold to glory that he is righteous How or by what meanes Euen by that
brethren were crept in to espie out their liberty and would haue constrained Paule to circumcise Titus Paule perceauing this constraint and necessity would geue no place no not for one hower but strongly resisted them And therefore he saith Neither Titus vvhich vvas vvith me being a Gentile vvas compelled to be circumcised If they had required this in the way of brotherly charitie doubtles he would not haue denied it But seīg they would haue done it as a necessary thing and that by compulsion to the ill example of others to the ouerthrowing of the Gospell and to bring mens consciences into bondage therefore he setteth himselfe mightely against them and preuailed so that Titus was not circumcised It may seeme to be but a small matter to be or not to be circumcised But when a man hath an affiance in keping or is in feare for not keping of it here God is denied Christ is reiected the grace and all the promises of God are refused But if circumcision be kept without this addition there is no daunger If the Pope would in this sort require of vs the keping of his traditions as bare ceremonies it should not be greuous vnto vs to kepe them forasmuch as we also doe vse ceremonies but to binde mens consciences to these ceremonies and to make of them an high and acceptable seruice vnto God yea and moreouer to adde that life and saluation or death and euerlasting damnation consisteth in the obseruation hereof is a deuilish superstition and full of blasphemie Who so will not crie out against this accursed be he Verse 6.7 And of them vvhich seemed to be great I vvas not taught vvhat they vvere in times past it is no matter to me c. This is a vehement and a stout confutation For he geueth not to the true Apostles themselues any glorious title but as it were abasing their dignitie he saith vvhich seemed to be great that is which were in authoritie vpon whom the determination of all matters depēded Notwithstanding the authoritie of the Apostles was in deede very greate in all the churches And Paule also did not seeke any whit to diminish their authoritie but he thus contemptuously aunswereth the false Apostles which set the authoritie dignitie of the Apostles against Paule in all the churches that therby they might weaken his authority bring his whole ministery into contempt This Paule might not suffer To the end therfore that the truth of the Gospell and liberty of conscience in Christ might continue among the Galathians and in all the churches of the Gentiles he aunswereth stoutly to the false Apostles that he passed not how greate the Apostles were or what they had bene in time past and wheras they alleadged the authority of the name of the Apostles against him it toucheth him nothing at all He confesseth that the Apostles are in deede somewhat and that their authority is to be reuerenced Notwithstanding his Gospell and ministery ought not to be ouerthrowne for the name or title of any whatsoeuer be he an Apostle or an Angeil from heauen And this was one of the greatest arguments that the false Apostles vsed against Paule The Apostles said they were familiarly conuersant with Christ for the space of three yeares They heard and saw all his preachings and miracles Moreouer they themselues preached wrought miracles whiles Christ was yet liuing in the world whom Paule neuer saw in the flesh as touching his conuersion it was long after the glorification of Christ Wherefore they should now consider which of these they ought more to beleue Paule which was but one and alone and also but a disciple yea and one of the last of all or the cheifest and most excellent Apostles which long before Paule were sent confirmed by Christ himselfe To this Paule aunswereth what of all this This argument concludeth nothing Let the Apostles be neuer so greate yea let them be Angels from heauen it is no matter to me The question is not here cōcerning the excellency of the Apostles but concerning the word of God and the truth of the Gospell Herein consisteth all the weight of the matter that the Gospell may be preserued pure and vncorrupt which also aboue all things ought to be preferred Therefore how greate Peter and the other Apostles haue bene what greate miracles they haue wrought it is no matter to me This is it that I onely seeke euen that the truth of the Gospell may continue among you This seemeth to be but a slender aunswere of Paule when of purpose he so contemneth the authoritie of the Apostles which the false Apostles alledged against him and geueth no other solution to their mighty argument then this it is no matter to me Notwithstanding he addeth a reason of the confutation Verse 6. God accepteth no mans person This place he alledgeth out of Moses who vseth the same not once but many times Thou shalt not accept in iudgemēt the persō of the rich man or of the pore And this is a principle of diuinitie God is no acceptor of persons With the which saying he stoppeth the mouthes of the false apostles As though he would say Ye set those against me which seeme to be somewhat but God careth not for such outward things He regardeth not the office of Apostleship It is not the dignity or authority of mē the he loketh vpon And in tokē hereof he suffered Iudas one of the chiefest Apostles Saul one of the greatest kings yea the first of all to fall away to be damned Ismaell also Esau he refused being both first born So shal you find throughout al the whole scripture that god oftētimes reiected those which in outward shew were very good holy mē And in these exāples God semeth sometimes to be cruel but it was most necessary that such feareful exāples should be shewed also be writē For this vice is naturally grafted in vs that we highly esteeme that persons and outward appearance of men and more regard the same then the word of god Contrariwise God will haue vs to fixe our eies and to rest wholy vpon the word it selfe he will not haue vs to reuerence and adore the Apostleship in the persons of Peter and Paule but Christ speaking in them and the word which they bring and preache vnto vs. This the naturall man can not see but the spirituall man onely discerneth the person from the word the veile of God from God himselfe Now this veile of God is euery creature Moreouer God here in this life dealeth not with face to face but couered and shadowed from vs that is as Paul saith in an other place vve se him novv as it vvere through a glasse and darkely Therefore we can not be without veiles in this life But wisedom is here required which can discerne the veile from God himselfe and this wisedom the world hath not The couetous man hearing
As though he would say I did not so conferre with the Apostles that they taught me any thing For what should they teach me since Christ by his reuelation had before sufficiently taught me all things moreouer since I haue now preached the Gospell the space of eightene yeares among the Gentiles Christ hath wrought so many miracles by me wherby he hath confirmed my doctrine Wherfore it was but a conference and no disputation Wherein I learned nothing neither did I recāt nor yet defend my cause but only declared what things I had done to witte that I had preached to the Gentiles faith onely in Christ without the lawe and that by this preaching of faith the holy Ghost came downe vpon the Gentiles which immediatly spake with diuers tongues Which thinge when the Apostles heard they witnessed that I had taught the truth Wherfore the false Apostles doe me greate wrong which peruert and turne all these things cleane contrary Now if Paule would geue no place to the false Apostles which set the authoritie of the true Apostles against him much lesse ought we to geue place to our aduersaries which haue nothing els to bragge of but the authoritie of their Idol the Pope I know that the godly ought to be humble but against the Pope I will and I ought to be proude with an holy pride and say Thou Pope I wil not be subiect vnto thee I will not take thee for my master for I am sure that my doctrine is true and godly But the Pope will not heare this doctrine Nay he would force vs to obey his lawes and his decrees and if we will not he will by and by excommunicate curse and condemne vs as heretikes Such pride therfore against the Pope is most necessary And if we should not so be proude vtterly condemne in the holy Ghost both him withal his doctrine the deuil the father of lies speaking in him we should neuer be able to defend this article of the righteousnes of faith We doe not then contemne the authoritie of the Pope because we would beare rule ouer him neither doe we goe about to exalt our selues aboue all souereigne power since it is euident that we teach all men to humble and submit thēselues to the higher powers ordained of God but this is it that we onely seke that the glory of God may be maintained and the righteousnes of faith may be kept pure and sound Wherefore if the Pope will graunt vnto vs that God alone by his meere grace through Christ doth iustifie sumers we will not onely carry him in our hands but will also kisse his feete But since we can not obtaine this we againe in God are proude against him aboue measure will geue no place no not one hears breadth to all the Angels in heauen not to Peter not to Paule not to an hundreth Emperours not to a thousand Popes nor to the whole world Be it farre from vs that we should here humble ourselues since they would take from vs our glory euen God himselfe that hath created vs and geuen vs all things and Iesus Christ who hath redemed vs with his bloud Let this be then the conclusion of altogether that we will suffer our goods to be taken away our name our life and all that we haue but the Gospell our faith Iesus Christ we will neuer suffer to be wrested from vs And cursed be that humilitie which here abaseth and submitteth it selfe Nay rather let euery Christian man here be proude and spare not except he will deny Christ Wherefore God assisting me my forehead shal be more hard then all mens foreheads Here I take vpon me this title according to the prouerbe I geue place to none Yea I am glad euen withal my hart in this poynt to be called rebellious and obstinate And here I confesse that I am and euer will be stout and sterne and will not one inch geue place to any creature Charitie geueth place for it suffereth all things beleueth all things hopeth all things endureth all things But faith geueth no place yea it can suffer nothing according to this aūcient verse Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus That is mans good name his faith and his eie will not be dalied withall Wherfore a Christian as touching his faith can neuer be to proude nor to stout neither must he relent or geue place no not the breadth of one hear For faith maketh a man here like vnto God but God suffereth nothing he geueth place to none for he is immutable So is faith immutable and therfore may suffer nothing geue place to no man But as touching charitie let a Christian man yeld and suffer all things for therin he is but a man. Vers 7.8 But contrarivvise vvhen they savve that the Gospell ouer vncircūcision vvas committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer circumcision vvas vnto Peter for he that vvas mighty by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision vvas also mighty by me tovvards the Gentiles With these words Paule mightely confuteth the false Apostles For here he chalengeth to himselfe the same authoritie which the false Apostles attributed to the true Apostles And he vseth here a figure which is called an Inuersion returning their argument against themselues The false Apostles saith he doe alledge against me the authoritie of the greate Apostles to maintaine their cause But I contrariwise doe alledge the same against them for my defence for the Apostles are on my side Wherefore O my Galathians beleue not these counterfet apostles which bragge so much of the authoritie of the Apostles against me For the Apostles when they saw the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision to be committed to me and knew of the grace that to me was geuen gaue to me and Barnabas the right hands of felowship approuing my ministerie and geuing thankes vnto God for the gift which I had receiued Thus he retourneth the argument of the false apostles vpon them selues And here is also in these wordes an ardent vehemencie and more contained in matter then in wordes is able to be expressed This seemeth to be a hard text where Paule sayth that the gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto him ouer the circumcision vnto Peter when notwithstanding Paule almost euery where preached to the Iewes in their Sinagoges and Peter likewise to the Gentiles There are examples testimonies of both in the Acts. Peter conuerted the Centurian with his familie which was a Gentile He wrote also to the Gentiles as his first epistle testifieth Paule preaching Christ among the Gentiles entreth notwithstanding into the Sinagoges of the Iewes and there preacheth the gospel And our Sauiour Christ in Mathevv and Marke commaundeth his apostles to goe throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature Paule likewise sayth The gospel preached to euery creature vvhich is vnder heauen Why then doth he
circūcised after the law of Moses thou cāst not be saued Also to eate meates prohibited in the law is not euill but this shrinking and dissimulation of Peter is euill For it might be said Peter abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law wherfore if thou doest not likewise abstaine thou canst not be saued This Paule might in no wise dissemble for the truth of the Gospell was here in daunger To the end therefore that this truth might continue sound and vncorrupt he resisted Peter to his face And here we must make a distinction For meates may be refused two maner of waies First for christian charities sake And herein ther is no daunger for to beare with the infirmitie of my brother it is good So Paule himselfe both did and taught Secondly by abstaining from them to obtaine righteousnes and for not abstaining to sinne and to be be damned Here accursed be charitie with all the seruice and works of charitie whatsoeuer For thus to refraine frō meates is to deny Christ to tread his bloud vnder our feete to blaspheme the holy Ghost and to despise all holy things Wherefore if we must lose the one let vs rather lose man our frend and brother then God our father For if we lose god our father man our frend and brother can not continue Ierome who neither vnderstood this place nor the whole epistle besides thinketh this to be but a fained reprehension of Paule therfore he excuseth Peters fall saying that it was done by ignorance But Peter offended through dissimulation and therby he had established the necessity of the law he had constrained both Gentiles Iewes to reuolt from the truth of the Gospell he had giuen them greate occasion to forsake Christ to despise grace to returne to the Iewish religion to beare all the burdens of the law if Paule had not reproued him by that meanes reuoked the gentiles Iewes which were offēded through this example of Peter to the liberty which is in Christ Iesus to the truth of the gospel Wherfore if a man would here set forth and amplifie Peters offence it should appeare to be very greate and yet was it not done by malice or ignorance but by occasion and feare only Thus we see what ruines may come by one mans fal and offence if it be not well seene to and corrected in time Wherfore we may not trifle with this article of iustification neither is it without good cause that we do so often and so diligently put you in minde therof And it is much to be marueled that Peter being such an excellent Apostle should thus do who before in the Councel of Ierusalem stood in a maner alone in the defence of this article preuailed therin namely that saluation cometh by faith without the law He that before did so constantly defend the truth liberty of the gospell now by his fall in abstaining from meates forbidden in the law is not only the cause of greate offence but also offendeth against his owne decree Wherfore let him which thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall No man would thinke what daūgers perils do ensue of traditions ceremonies which not withstanding we can not want What is more necessary then the law the works therof and yet there is great daunger lest by the same men be brought to the denial of Christ For of the law often times cometh a trust affiance in works where that is there can be no affiance in Christ Christ therfore is soone denied sone lost as we may see by this example of Peter who knew this article of iustification better then we do yet how easily did he geue occasion of such an horrible ruine that all the Gentiles should therby haue falne away from the preaching of Paule by this meanes should haue lost the gospell Christ himselfe And all this should haue bene done vnder a holy pretence For they might haue said Paule hetherto thou hast taught vs that we must be iustified by grace without the law Thou seest now that Peter doth the contrary for he abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law hereby he teacheth vs that we can not be saued except we receaue circumcision obserue the lawe Verse 13. And the other Ievves dissembled likevvise vvith him in so much that Barnabas vvas brought into their dissimulation also Here ye may plainly see that Paule chargeth Peter with dissimulation If Peter dissembled then did he certainly know what was the truth and what was not He that dissembleth sinneth not of ignorance but deceaueth by a colour which he knoweth himselfe to be false And other saith he dissembled likevvise vvith Peter in so much that Barnabas also who was Paules companion had now a long time preached among the Gentiles faith in Christ without the law together with Paule vvas brought into their dissimulation Ye haue here then Peters offence plainly described to be meere dissimulation which afterwards had ben an occasion of the ruine of the Gospel then newly receaued if Paule had not resisted him And this is a wonderfull matter that God preserued the church being yet but yong and the Gospell it selfe by one onely person Paule alone standeth to the truth for he had lost Barnabas his companion Peter was against him So sometime one man is able to doe more in a Councell then the whole Councell besides Which thing the Papistes thēselues do witnes And for example they alledge Paphnutius who withstoode the whole Councell of Nice which was the best of all that were after the Councell of the Apostles at Ierusalem preuailed against it This I say to the end that we should diligently learne the article of Iustification and make a plaine difference betwene the lawe and the Gospell and that in this matter we should doe nothing by dissimulation or geue place to any man if we will retaine the truth of the gospell and faith sound and vncorrupt which as I haue sayd are soone hurt Wherefore in this case away with reason which is an enemie to Faith which also in tentations of sinne and death leaneth not to the righteousnes of Faith for thereof it is vtterly ignoraunt but to her owne righteousnes or at least to the righteousnes of the law Now as soone as the law and reason ioyne together faith loseth her virginitie for nothing more strongly fighteth against faith then the lawe and reason And these two enemies can not be conquered but with great labour and difficultie which we must conquere notwithstanding if we will be saued Wherefore when thy conscience is terrified with the lawe and wrestleth with the iudgement of God aske counsell neither of reason nor of the lawe but rest onely vpon grace and the word of consolation and so stand herein as if thou haddest neuer heard any thing of the law but ascend vp to the glasse
of faith where neither the law nor reason do shine but onely the light of Faith which assureth vs that we are saued by Christ alone without any law Thus the gospell leadeth vs beyond and aboue the light of the law and reason into the inward and deepe secretes of Faith where the lawe and reason haue nothing to doe Notwithstāding we must hearken also vnto the law but in place and time Moises whiles he was in the mountaine where he talked with God face to face had no law made no law ministred no law but when he was come downe from the mountaine he was a lawgeuer and gouerned the people by the law So the conscience must be free frō the law but the body must be obedient vnto the law Hereby it appeareth that Paule reproued Peter for no light matter but for the chiefest article of all Christian doctrine which by Peters dissimulation was in great daunger For Barnabas and the other Iewes dissembled togither with him which did all offend not through ignorance or malice but for feare of the Iewes wherby their hearts were so blinded that they did not see their sinne And certainly it is much to be maruelled that such excellent men as Peter Barnabas and others should so sodenly and so lightly fall especially in that thing which they knew to be well done had also before taught vnto others It is a perilous thing therefore to trust to our owne strength be we neuer so holy neuer so well learned and although we thinke our selues neuer so sure of that we know For in that wherof we thinke our selues most sure we may erre and fall bring our selues and other into great daunger Let vs therefore diligently and with all humilitie employ our selues in the studie of the holy scriptures and let vs heartely pray that we neuer lose the truth of the gospell Thus we see then that we are nothing with all our giftes be they neuer so great except God assist vs When he leaueth vs to our selues our wisedom and knowledge is nothing For in the houre of tentation it may suddenly come to passe that by the subteltie of the Deuil all the comfortable places of the scripture shal be taken out of our sight and such places onely as containe threatnings shal be set before our eies shal oppresse vtterly confound vs Let vs learne therfore that if God withdraw his hand we may soone be ouerthrowne Neither let any man vaunt and glory of his owne righteousnes wisedome and other gifts but let him humble himselfe and pray with the Apostle Lord encrease our faith Verse 14. But vvhen I savv that they vvent not the right vvay to the truth of the Gospell This is a wonderfull example of such excellent men and pillers of the church There is none but Paule that hath his eies open and seeth the offence of Peter Barnabas and the other Iewes which dissembled with Peter On the other side they doe not see their owne offence nay they rather thinke that they doe well in bearing with the infirmitie of the weake Iewes Wherefore it was very necessary that Paule should reproue their offence and not dissemble it and therefore he accuseth Peter Barnabas and other that they went not the right way to the truth of the Gospell that is to say they swarued from the truth of the Gospell It is a greate matter that Peter should be accused of Paule as one that was falne from the truth of the Gospell He could not be more greuously reprehended Yet he suffered it patiently and no doubt but he gladly acknowledged his offence I sayde before that many haue the Gospell but not the truth of the Gospell So Paule saith here that Peter Barnabas and other of the Ievves vvent not the right vvay to the truthe of the Gospell that is to say they had the Gospell but they walked not vprightly according to the Gospell For albeit they preached the Gospell yet through their dissimulation which could not stand with the truth of the Gospell they established the law but the establishing of the law is the abolishing of the Gospell Who so then can rightly iudge betwene the lawe and the Gospell let him thanke God and know that he is a right Diuine In the time of tentation I confesse that I my selfe doe not know how to doe it as I ought Now the way to discerne the one from the other is to place the Gospell in heauen and the lawe on the earth to call the righteousnes of the Gospell heauenly and the righteousnes of the law earthly and to put as greate difference betwene the righteousnes of the gospell and of the law as God hath made betwene heauen and earth betwene light and darknesse betweene daye and night Lette the one be as the light and the day and the other as the darkenes and the night And would to God we could yet further separate the one from the other Wherefore if the question be concerning the matter of faith or conscience let vs vtterly exclude the law and leaue it on the earth but if we haue to doe with works then let vs lighten the lanterne of works and of the righteousnes of the law So let the Sunne the inestimable light of the Gospell and grace shine in the day and the lanterne of the law in the night Wherefore if thy conscience be terrified with the sense and feeling of sinne thinke thus with thy selfe Thou art now remaining vpō earth there let the Asse labour and trauel there let him serue and carry the burthen that is laid vpon him that is to say let the body with his members be subiect to the law But when thou mountest vp into heauen then leaue the Asse with his burthen on the earth for the conscience hath nothing to doe with the law or works or with the earthly righteousnes So doth the Asse remaine in the valley but the cōscience ascendeth with Isaac into the mountaine knowing nothing at all of the law or workes thereof but onely looking to the remission of sinnes and pure righteousnes offered and freely geuen vnto vs in Christ Contrariwise in ciuill policy obedience to the law must be seuerely required There nothing must be knowne as concerning the Gospell conscience grace remission of sinnes heauēly righteousnes or Christ himselfe but Moses onely with the law and the works thereof If we marke well this distinction neither the one nor the other shall passe his bounds but the law shall abide without heauen that is without the heart and conscience and contrariwise the libertie of the Gospell shall abide without the earth that is to say without the body and members thereof Now therfore as soone as the law and sinne come into heauen that is into the conscience let them by and by be cast out For the conscience being feared with the terrour of the wrath and iudgement of God ought to know nothing of the
now to worke well Loue God and thy neighbour call vpon God geue thanks vnto him praise him confesse him These are good workes in dede which flowe out of this faith and this chearefulnes conceaued in the heart for that we haue remission of sinnes freely by Christ Now what crosse or afflictiōs so euer do afterwardes ensue they are easily borne and chearfully suffered For the yoke that Christ layeth vpon vs is svvete and his burden is easie When sinne is pardoned and the conscience deliuered from the burden and sting of sinne then may a Christian beare all things easily Because he feeleth all things within sweete and comfortable therfore he doth and suffreth all things willingly But when a man walketh in his owne righteousnes what so euer he doth is greeuous and tedious vnto him because he doth it vnwillingly We therfore doe make this definition of a Christian man that he is a right christian to whom God imputeth not his sinne through faith in Christ This doctrine bringeth great consolation to poore afflicted consciences in serious and inward terrours It is not without good cause therefore that we doe so often repete and beat into your mindes the forgeuenes of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes for Christes sake also that a Christian hath nothing to doe with the law and sinne specially in the time of tentation For in that he is a Christian he is aboue the law and sinne For he hath Christ the Lord of the law present and inclosed in his heart as we haue said euen as a ring hath a Iewel or precious stone inclosed in it Therefore when the lawe accuseth and sinne terrifieth him he looketh vpon Christ and when he hath apprehended him by faith he hath present with him the conquerour of the law sinne death and the deuill who raigneth and ruleth ouer them so that they can not hurt him Wherfore a Christian man if ye define him rightly is free from all lawes and is not subiect vnto any creature either within or without In that he is a Christian I say and not in that he is a man or a woman that is to say in that he hath his conscience adorned and bewtified with this faith with this great and inestimable treasure or as Paule saith this vnspeakeable gifte which can not be magnified and praised enough for it maketh vs the children and heires of god And by this meanes a Christian is greater then the whole world For he hath such a gifte such a treasure in his heart that although it seemeth to be but litle yet notwithstanding the smalnes therof is greater then heauen and earth for Christ which is this gift and this treasure is greater then all things Whiles this doctrine pacifying and quieting the conscience abideth sound and vncorrupt Christians are made iudges ouer all kindes of doctrine and are Lords ouer the lawes of the whole world Then cā they certainly iudge that the Turke with his Alcoran is damned because he goeth not the right way that is he acknowledgeth not himselfe to be miserable and damnable nor apprehendeth Christ by faith for whose sake he might be assured that his sinnes are pardoned In like maner they boldly pronoūce sentence against the Pope that he is condemned with all his kingdome because he so walketh and so teacheth with all his religious rable of Sophisters and Scholemē that by the merite of congruence we must come to grace that afterwards by the merite of worthines we are receaued into heauen Here sayth the Christian this is not the right way to iustifie vs neither doth this way leade vs to heauen For I can not saith he by my works going before grace deserue grace nor by my works following grace deserue eternall life But to him that beleueth sinne is pardoned and righteousnes imputed This trust and this confidence maketh him the childe of God and heire of his kingdome For in hope he possesseth already euerlasting life assured vnto him by promise Through faith in Christ therefore all things are geuen vnto vs grace peace forgeuenes of sinnes saluation and euerlasting life and not for the merite of congruence and worthines Wherefore this doctrine of the Scholemen with their ceremonies Masses infinite foundations of the Papisticall kingdome are most abhominable blasphemies against God sacrileges and plaine denials of Christ as Peter hath foretold in these words Ther shal be saith he false teachers among you vvhich shall priuely bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that hath bought them c. As though he would say the Lord hath redemed and bought vs with his bloud that he might iustifie and saue vs this is the way of righteousnes and saluation But there shall come false teachers which denying the Lord shall blaspheme the way of truth of righteousnes and saluation they shall finde out new waies of falsehode and destruction and many shall follow their perdiction Peter throughout this whole chapter most liuely painteth out the Papacie which neglecting and despising the Gospell and faith in Christ hath taught the workes and traditions of men as the merite of congruence worthines the difference of daies meates vowes inuocation of Saincts pilgrimages purgatory such like In these fantasticall opinions the Papistes are so nusled that it is impossible for them to vnderstand one syllable of the gospel of faith or of Christ And this the thing it selfe doth well declare For they take that priuiledge vnto them selues which belongeth vnto Christ alone He onely forgeueth sinnes he onely geueth righteousnes and euerlasting life and they most impudently and wickedly doe vaunte that they are able to obtaine these things by their owne merits and worthines before and after grace Peter and the other Apostles call these damnable heresies and sects of perdition For by these meanes they deny Christ treade his bloud vnder their feete blaspheme the holy Ghost and despise the grace of God. Wherefore no man can sufficiently conceaue how horrible the idolatry of the Papistes is As inestimable as the gifte is which is offered vnto vs by Christ euen so and no lesse abhominable are these prophanations of the Papistes They ought not then to be lightly esteemed or forgotten but diligently wayed considered And this maketh also very much for the amplifying of the grace of God and benefite of Christ as by the contrarye For the more we know the prophanation of the papisticall Masse so much the more we doe abhorre and detest the same and embrace the true vse of the holy communion which the Pope hath taken away and hath made marchandise of it that being bought for money it might profite others For he saith that the Massing priest an apostata denying Christ blasphemīg the holy Ghost standing at the aultar doth a good work not only for him selfe but also for others both quicke deade and for the whole church and that onely by the worke wrought and by none
righteousnes should feare vs and make vs to abhorre it And here with this thunderbolt falleth downe all the orders of Monkes and Friers with all the rablement of such supersticious religion For who will not detest his owne vowes his cowle his shauen croune all mens traditions yea the very law of Moses also if he heare that for these things he reiecteth the grace of god and maketh the death of Christ vnprofitable The world hearing this doth not beleue that it is true It thinketh that such horrible wickednes can not enter into any mans heart that he should reiect the grace of God esteme the death of Christ as a thing of nought And yet this sinne commonly reigneth For whosoeuer seeketh righteousnes without Christ either by workes merites satisfactions afflictions or by the law reiecteth the grace of God and despiseth the death of Christ whatsoeuer he protesteth with his mouth to the contrary The third Chapter Verse 1. O foolish Galathians PAVLE here sheweth his Apostolicall care and feruent zeale which he beareth to the church so that in disputing and confuting he intermixeth sometimes gentle exhortations and sometimes he sharply chideth according to his owne rule geuē to Timothy Preach saith he the vvord be instant in season and out of season Improue rebuke exhort 2. Timot. 4. Here the simple reader haply may be deceaued if he be not circumspect to thinke that Paule in teaching keepeth no order at all And surely after the maner of the Rhetoricians he obserueth none but as concerning the spirite he vseth a goodly order Now after that he hath sufficiently proued and with two strong arguments confirmed this article that Christian righteousnes cometh not by keeping of the law but by faith in Christ and withall hath confuted the doctrine of the false Apostles in the middes of this discourse he turneth his talke to the Galathians and reproueth them saying O ye foolish Galathians c. As if he should say Alas from whence are ye falne O ye miserable Galathians I haue most carefully and diligently taught you the truth of the Gospell and ye also haue receaued the same of me with feruent zeale and greate diligence How then cometh it to passe that ye are so suddainly falne away from it who hath bewitched you He rebuketh the Galathians very sharply as it seemeth when he calleth them fooles bewitched and disobedient to the truth Now whether he did this of zeale or compassion I will not here contend both may be true A carnall man would interprete this to be a reuiling rather then a godly reprehension Did Paule then geue an euill example or was he spitefull against the churches of Galatia because he called them foolish and bewitched No not so For with a Christian zeale it is lawfull for an Apostle pastour or preacher sharply to reproue the people committed to his charge and such reprouings are both fatherly godly So parents of a fatherly and motherly affection do sharply reproue and rebuke their children which they would not beare if an other should doe it The Scholemaster sometimes is angry with his scholler he rebuketh him and beateth him with roddes all which he taketh in good parte and would not beare it at the handes of his equall The magistrate likewise is angry he reproueth and punisheth such as are vnder his charge And this discipline is not onely good but also very necessary without the which nothing can be well done Wherfore vnlesse the magistrate the minister the father and mother be angry and vse to reproue or rebuke when case requireth he is vnprofitable and neuer shall discharge his office rightly Wherfore sharpe chidings bitter words are as necessary in euery kind of life as any other vertue els Yet notwithstanding this anger must be so tempered that it procede not of any enuy or malice but onely of a fatherly affection and Christian zeale that is to say it ought not to be childish or womanlike seking reuenge but onely for the correcting of the faulte As the father correcteth not his childe with desire to reuenge but only that the childe therby may be the better And these kindes of anger are good and are called in the scripture ielousies or zeales For in chastising my brother my child my scholler or subiect in this sort I seeke not his destruction but his profite and welfare It may be then that Paule here rebuketh the Galathians either of a very zeale not to destroy them but by this meanes to reduce them into the way againe and to amend them or els of pitie and compassion as it were by way of complaint for that it greueth him that the Galathians should be so miserably seduced As if he should say I am sory and ashamed to heare of this your miserable case your wretched doings c. In like maner doe we also reproue the miserable not that we treade them downe or vpbraide them with their misery but as hauing compassion on them and seeking their amendment This I say lest any man should cauill that Paule railed vpon the churches contrary to the rule of the Gospell In like maner Christ rebuketh the phariseis calling them serpents the generation of vipers the children of the deuil But these are the rebukings of the holy Ghost They are fatherly and motherly and as the chidings of a faithfull frend As it is said also in the prouerbes Better are the vvoundes of a frend then the kisses of an enemy Thus one and the selfe same rebuke if it come out of the mouth of a father may be a great benefite but if it procede out of the mouth of our equall or enemy it is a spitefull reproch When two men doe both one thing in the one it is commendable and in the other it is cleane contrary When Christ and Paule doe reproue it is done with singular vertue and commendation but when a priuate man shall doe the like in him it is a greate vice Therfore one and the selfe same word in the mouth of Paule is a great vertue and a singular benefite but in the mouth of an other it is a shamefull reproch Here is a great vehemencie to be noted in this word Galathians For he calleth them not brethren as els where he is wont to doe but he calleth them by the name of their coūtrey And it should seeme that it was the naturall vice of that nation to be foolish like as it was the fault of the Cretenses to be liars As if he should say As ye are called euen so are ye in deed and so ye continue that is to say foolish Galathians and this ye proue euen now in this busines of the Gospell wherin notwithstāding ye ought to haue shewed your selues most wise but ye continue still in your old nature and shew your selues no changelings Thus Paule by way of correction putteth them in mind of their corrupt nature Moreouer we are here admonished
To whom be glory for euer This bewitching and sorcerie then is nothing else but a plaine illusion of the Deuill printing in the hearte a false opinion of Christ and against Christ and he that is deluded with this opinion is bewitched They therfore that haue this opinion that they are iustified by the workes of the lawe or traditions of men are bewitched for this opinion is against faith and against Christ Paule vseth this word bevvitching in contempt of the false Apostles which so vehemently vrged the doctrine of the lawe and workes As if he should say what a deuelish bewitching is this For as the senses are peruerted by bodely witchcrafte so are the mindes of men also deluded by this spirituall with craft Verse 1. That ye should not obey the truth The Galathians at the first did gladly heare and obey the truth Therfore where he sayth VVho hath bevvitched you he sheweth that they were bewitched by these false apostles and were fallen away from that truth which they before did obey But this seemeth yet a more bitter and vehement kinde of speech when he sayeth that they doe not beleeue the truth For he signifieth by these wordes that they are bewitched and that he would deliuer them from this witcherie and yet they will not acknowledge nor receaue this benefite For it is certaine that he did not reduce all from the errour of the false Apostles vnto the truth but that many of them remained yet still bewitched Therfore he vseth these sharpe and vehement wordes VVho hath bevvitched you As if he would say Ye are so deluded and bewitched that nowe ye can not obey the truth I feare lest many of you are vtterly lost and so falne away that ye will neuer returne againe to the truthe Here haue ye yet an other goodly commendation of the lawe and mans owne righteousnes that it so bewitcheth men that they can not obey the truth Hereof the Apostles and the fathers of the primitiue Church did oftentimes make mention There is a sinne vnto death for vvhich I say thou shouldest not pray 1. Iohn 5. And againe It is impossible that they vvhich vvere once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and vvere made pertakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good vvorde of God and of the povvers of the vvorld to come if they fall avvay should be renued againe by repentaunce c. Heb. 6. These wordes sound at the first as if some Nouatian had spoken them But the Apostles were constrained to speake after this maner because of the Heretikes And yet notwithstanding they did not hereby denie but that they which were fallen might returne againe to the fellowship of the faithfull After the same manner must we also speake at this day because of the authors and maisters of errours sectes that such shall neuer retourne to the truth Notwithstanding some there are which doe retourne but such as are not greatly bewitched or strongly deluded But the captaines and the authors of this sorcerie doe neuer retourne For to them we may well attribute this title which Paule here geueth vnto them that they can not heare nor abide the truth but studie rather how they may resist it Verse 1. To vvhom Iesus Christ before vvas described in your sight It was bitterly spoken where he said before that they were so bewitched that they could not obey the truth But it is more bitterly said when he addeth that Christ was so liuely described before them that they might handle him with their handes and yet they would not obey the truth Thus he conuinceth them euen by their owne experience As though he would say Ye are so bewitched and deluded with the deuillish opinions of the false apostles that now ye will not obey the truth And wheras I haue with great trauel and diligence set forth Christ plainly before your eyes yet doth this profit you nothing at al. In these wordes he hath respect to the former arguments wherby he proued that to those that will be iustified by the lawe Christe is but the minister of sinne that such doe reiect the grace of God and that to them Christ died in vaine Which arguments he had before more vehemently prosecuted and more largely amplified in their presence as if a painter had purtred Christ Iesus before their eies Now being absent he putteth them in minde of the same things saying To vvhom Iesus Christ vvas described in your sight As if he said There is no painter that with his colours can so liuely set out Christ vnto you as I haue painted him out by my preaching and yet notwithstāding ye still remaine most miserably bewitched Verse 1. And vvas among you crucified What did I then paint out Euen Christ him selfe How was that done In this sort that he is crucified in you or among you He vseth here very rough and sharpe wordes Before he said that they sought righteousnes by the lawe reiected the grace of God and that to them Christ died in vaine Now he addeth moreouer that they crucifie Christ who before liued raigned in them As if he should say Ye haue now not onely reiected the grace of God not onely to you Christ died in vaine but also he is most shamefully crucified among you After the same maner he speaketh Heb. 6. Crucifying to them selues againe the sonne of God and making a mocke of him c. If a mā do but heare the name of a Monke of his shauen croune of his cowle of his rule it should make him to tremble howe much so euer the Papists doe adore these abominations and bragge that they are perfect religion and holines as I and others did iudge of them before God reuealed his Gospell vnto vs for we were brought vp in the traditions of men which darkened Christ and made him vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs when he heareth Paule say as here he doth that euen they which seeke to be iustified by the lawe of God be not onely deniers and murtherers of Christ but also they doe most wickedly crucifie him againe Nowe if they be crucifiers of Christ which seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the law of God and the works therof what are they I pray you which seeke saluation and eternall life by the dregges and filthie dunge of mans righteousnes and by the doctrine of Deuils But who could euer beleeue or thinke that it was so horrible and so abhominable a sinne to be made a religious man for so they call thē namely to be made a Massing priest a Monke a Frier a Nunne Doutles no man Yea they them selues say moreouer that Monkerie is a new baptisme Can there be any thing more horrible then that the kingdome of the Papists is the kingdome of such as spitefully spitte in the face of Christ the sonne of God and crucifie him againe For in deede they crucifie him a fresh who
still an eye to moe workes and so by heaping vppe of workes he goeth about to appease the wrath of God and to iustifie him selfe vntill he be driuen to vtter desperation Wherfore whosoeuer falleth frō Faith and foloweth the law is like to Esopes dogge which forgoeth the flesh and snatcheth at the shadow Wherfore it is impossible that such as seeke righteousnes saluation by the lawe wherevnto men are naturally enclined should euer finde quietnes and peace of conscience yea they doe nothing else but heape lawes vpon lawes whereby they torment both themselues and others and afflict mens consciences so miserably that through extreme anguish of heart many die before their time For one lawe alwayes bringeth forth ten moe and so they encrease without number and without ende Now who would haue thought that the Galathians which had learned so sound and so pure a doctrine of such an excellent Apostle and teacher could be so suddenly ledde away from the same and vtterly peruerted by the false Apostles It is not without cause that I repete this so often that to fall away from the truth of the Gospel is an easie matter The reason is because men doe not sufficiently consider no not the very faithfull what an excellent and a precious treasure the true knowledge of Christ is Therefore they doe not labour so diligently so carefully as they should doe to obtaine to retaine the same Moreouer the greater part of those that heare the word are exercised with no crosse or affliction they wrastle not against sinne death the Deuill but liue in securitie without any conflict Such men because they are not proued and tried with tentations and therefore are not armed with the word of God against the subtilties of the Deuill neuer feele the vse and power of the word In dede whilest they are among faithfull ministers and preachers they cā folow their words say as they say perswading themselues that they perfectly vnderstand the matter of iustification But whē they are gone wolues in sheepes clothing are come in their place it hapneth vnto them as it did to the Galathians that is to say they are suddenly seduced easily turned backe to weake and beggerly rudiments Paule hath here his peculier maner of speech which the other Apostles did not vse For there was none of them besides Paule that gaue such names to the lawe to witte that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment that is to say vtterly vnprofitable to righteousnes And surely I durst not haue geuen such termes vnto the lawe but should haue thought it great blasphemy against God if Paule had not so done before But of this I haue entreated more largely before where I shewed when the lawe is weake and beggerly and when it is most strong and rich c. Now if the law of God be weake and vnprofitable to Iustification much more are the lawes and decrees of the Pope weake and vnprofitable to Iustification Therefore we geue sentence against the ordinaunces lawes and decrees of the Pope with such boldnes assurance as Paule did against the law of God that they are not onely weake and beggerly rudiments and vtterly vnprofitable to righteousnes but also execrable accursed deuilish dānable for they blaspheme grace they ouerthrow the Gospel abolish faith take away Christ c. For as much then as the Pope requireth that we should kepe his lawes as necessary to saluation he is very Antichrist and the Vicar of Sathā And as many as cleaue vnto him cōfirme his abhominatiōs blasphemies or kepe them to this ende that therby they may merite the forgeuenes of their sinnes are the seruaunts of Antichrist of the Deuil Now such hath the doctrine of the Papisticall church ben of a lōg time that these lawes ought to be kept as necessary to saluatiō Thus the Pope sitteth in the temple of God vaunting him selfe to be God he setteth him selfe against God and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or worshipped c And mens consciences more feared reuerenced the lawes and ordinaunces of the Pope then the word of God his ordinaūces By this meanes he was made the Lord of heauen of earth and of hell and bare a triple crowne vpon his head The Cardinals also Bishops his creatures were made Kings Princes of the world And therfore if he did not burden mens consciences with his lawes he could not long maintaine his terrible power his dignitie and his riches but his whole kingdom would quickly fall This place which Paule here handleth is weightie and of great importance and therefore the more diligently to be marked to witte that they which fall from grace to the law doe vtterly lose the knowledge of the truth they see not their owne sinnes they neither know God nor the Deuill nor them selues and moreouer they vnderstand not the force and vse of the lawe although they bragge neuer so much that they keepe and obserue the same For without the knowledge of grace that is to say without the Gospell of Christ it is impossible for a man to geue this definition of the lawe that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment and vnprofitable to righteousnes But he rather iudgeth quite contrary of the law to witte that it is not onely necessary to saluation but also that it strengthneth such as are weake and enricheth such as are poore and beggerly that is to say that such as obey and obserue the same shall be able to merite righteousnes and euerlasting saluation If this opinion remaine the promise of God is denied Christe is taken away lying impietie and idolatrie is established Now the Pope with all his Bishops his Schooles and whole Sinagoge taught that his lawes are necessary to saluation Therfore he was a teacher of weake and beggerly elements wherwith he made the Church of Christ thorow out the whole world most weake beggerly that is to say he burdened and miserably tormented the Church with his wicked lawes defacing Christ and burying his Gospell Verse 9. VVhervnto ye vvill be in bondage againe This he addeth to declare that he speaketh of proud and presumpteous hypocrites which seeke to be iustified by the law as I haue shewed before For otherwise he calleth the law holy and good As 1. Timot 1. VVe knovv that the lavv is good if it be rightly vsed to witte ciuily to bridle euill doers and spiritually to encrease transgressions But whosoeuer obserueth the lawe to obtaine righteousnes before God maketh the lawe which is good damnable and hurtfull vnto him selfe He reproueth the Galathians therefore because they would be in bondage to the lawe againe which doth not take away sinne but encreaseth sinne For whilest a sinner being weake and poore of himself seeketh to be iustified by the lawe he findeth nothing in it but weakenes and pouertie it selfe And
contemptible as Paule was among the Galathians as here he witnesseth of him selfe and to receaue him as an angel from heauen and to geue him such honour as if he had bene Christ Iesus him selfe and not to be offended with his afflictions being so great and so many Wherefore by these wordes he highly commendeth the vertue of the Galathians which he sayeth he will kepe in perpetuall remembraunce and so much estemeth the same that he desireth it may be knowne vnto all men Notwithstanding in setting forth so highly their benefites and praises he sheweth couertly how entirely they loued him before the comming of the false apostles and therwithall he moueth them to continue as they began and to embrace hym with no lesse loue and reuerence then they did before And hereby it may also appeare that the false apostles had greater aucthoritie amōg the Galathians then Paule himselfe For the Galathians being moued with their authoritie preferred them farre aboue Paule whom before they so dearly loued and receaued as an angell of god c. Verse 15. VVhat vvas then your felicitie As if he would say How happie were ye counted how much were ye then praised and commended The like maner of speech we haue in the song of the virgin Marie All generations shall call me blessed And these words VVhat vvas then your felicitie containe in them a certeine vehemēcie As if he would say ye were not only blessed but in all things most blessed highly cōmēded Thus he goeth about to qualifie mitigate his bitter potion that is to say his sharpe chiding fearing lest the Galathians should be offended therwith especially knowing that the false apostles would sclaūder him and most spitefully interprete his wordes For this is the qualitie and nature of these Vipers that they will sclaunder maliciously peruert those words which procede from a simple and sincere heart and wrest them cleane contrary to the true sense and meaning thereof They are maruelous cunning workemen in this matter farre passing all the witte and eloquence of all the Rhetoricians in the world For they are ledde with a wicked spirite which so bewitcheth them that they being enflamed with a diuelish rage against the Faithfull can no otherwise doe but maliciously interprete and wickedly peruert their wordes and wrytings Therefore they are like vnto the spider which sucketh venome out of sweete and pleasant flowers and this procedeth not of the flowers but of their owne venemous nature which turneth that into poyson which of it selfe is good and holesome Paule therefore by these milde and sweet wordes goeth about to preuent the false apostles to the ende they should haue no occasion to sclaunder and peruert his wordes after this maner Paule handleth you very vngentely he calleth you foolish bewitched and disobecient to the truth which is a sure token that he seeketh not your saluation but accounteth you as damned and reiected from Christe Ver. 15. For I beare you record that if it had bene possible ye vvould haue plucked out your ovvne eyes and haue geuen them to me He praiseth the Galathians aboue measure Ye did not onely entreat me sayth he most curteously and with all reuerence receauing me as an angell of God c but also if necessitie had required ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and geuen them to me yea ye would haue bestowed your liues for me And in dede the Galathians bestowed their liues for him For in that they receaued and mainteined Paule whom the world accounted most execrable and accursed they turned vpon their owne heades as receauers mainteiners of Paule the cruell hatred and indignation of all the Iewes and Gentiles So also at this day the name of Luther is most odious to that world He that praiseth me sinneth worse then any idolater blasphemer periurer whoremonger adulterer murtherer or theefe It must needes be therfore that the Galathians were wel established in the doctrine faith of Christ seeing that they with so great daūger of their liues receaued maintained Paule which was hated throughout all the world For else they would neuer haue sustained the cruel hatred of the whole world Vers 16. Am I therfore becōe your enemy because I tel you the truth Here he sheweth the reason why he speaketh the Galathians so faire For he suspecteth that they take him for their enemie because he had reproued them so sharply I pray you sayth he set apart these rebukes and separate them from doctrine and ye shal finde that my purpose was not to rebuke you but to teach you the truth In deede I confesse that my Epistle is sharpe and seuere but by this seueritie I goe about to call you backe againe to the truth of the Gospel from the which ye are falne and to kepe you in the same therfore applie this sharpnes this bitter potiō not to your persons but to your disease And iudge me not to be your enemy in rebuking you so sharply but rather thinke that I am your father For vnlesse I loued you dearly as my children and knew also that I am beloued of you I would not haue reproued you so sharply It is the part of a frend freely to admonish his frend if he doe amisse and when he is so admonished if he be wise he is not angry with the other which hath so frendly admonished him and tolde him the truth but geueth him thanks It is commonly seene in the world that truth bringeth hatred and that he is accounted an enemie which speaketh the truth But amongst frendes it is not so much lesse amongst Christians Seing therefore I haue reprehended you of mere loue to the ende ye might abide in the truth ye ought not to be offended with me nor lose the truth or thinke me your enemie because of my fatherly reprehension All these things are spoken of Paule to confirme that which he sayd before Be ye as I am Ye haue not hurt me c. Verse 17. They are ielous ouer you amisse c. He reproueth here the flattery of the false apostles For Satan is wont by his ministers through wonderfull subtiltie craftie sleightes to begile the simple As Paule sayth Rom. 16. VVith faire speech and flattering they deceaue the hearts of the simple For first of all they make great protestations that they seeke nothing else but the aduaūcement of Gods glory and moreouer that they are moued by the spirite because the miserable people are neglected or else because the truth is not purely taught of others to teach the infallible truth that by this meanes the elect may be deliuered from errour and may come to the true light knowledge of the truth Moreouer they promise vndouted saluation to those that receaue their doctrine If vigilant and faithfull pastors doe not withstand these rauening wolues they will doe great harme to the church vnder this pretēce of godlines vnder this sheepes clothing
comfort the weake with sweete louing wordes as occasion should require Verse 20. For I am troubled for you That is to say I am so troubled in my spirite that I know not how by letters to behaue my selfe towardes you Here is a liuely description of the true affections of an Apostle He omitteth nothing he chideth the Galathians he entreateth them he speaketh them faire he highly commendeth their Faith labouring by all meanes to bring them backe againe to the truth of the Gospell and to deliuer them out of the snares of the false apostles These are vehement words proceding from a heart stirred vppe and enflamed with a hot burning zeale and therfore ought diligently to be considered Verse 21. Tell me ye that vvill be vnder the lavve doe ye not heare the lavve Here would Paule haue closed vp his Epistle for he desired not to wryte any more but rather to be present with the Galathians and to speake vnto them him selfe But he being in great perplexitie and very carefull for this matter taketh by the way this allegorie which then came into his minde For the people are greatly delighted with allegories and similitudes and therfore Christe himselfe oftentimes vseth them For they are as it were certaine pictures which set forth things as if they were painted before the eyes of the simple and therefore they moue and perswade very much especially the simple and ignorant First therfore he stirreth vp the Galathians with words and wrytings Secondly he painteth out the matter it selfe before theyr eyes with this goodly allegorie Now Paule was a maruelous cunning workman in handling of allegories For he is wont to applie them to the doctrine of Faith to grace and to Christ and not to the law and the workes therof as Origen and Hierom doe who are worthely reprehended for that they turned the plaine sentences of the Scripture where allegories haue no place into vnfitte and foolish allegories Therfore to vse allegories it is oftentimes a very daungerous thing For vnlesse a man haue the perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine he can not vse allegories rightly and as he should doe But why doth Paule call the booke of Genesis out of the which he aleageth the hystorie of Ismael and of Isaack the lawe seeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law and specially that place which he aledgeth speaketh not of any law but onely containeth a plaine hystorie of Abrahams two children Paule is wont to call the first booke of Moses the lawe after the maner of the Iewes which although it cōtaine no law besides the law of circumcision but the principall doctrine therof is concerning Faith and that the Patriarkes pleased God because of their Faith yet the Iewes notwithstanding onely because of the law of circumcision which is there contained called the booke of Genesis the lawe as well as the other bookes of Moses So did Paule him selfe also being a iewe And Christ vnder the title of the lawe comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moses but also the Psalmes Iohn 15. But it is that the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich is vvrytten in their lavve They hated me vvithout a cause Vers 22.23 For it is vvrytten that Abraham had tvvo sonnes one by a seruaunt and one by a free vvoman But he vvhich vvas of the seruaunt vvas borne after the flesh and he vvhich vvas of the free vvoman vvas borne after the spirite As if he sayd Ye forsake grace Faith and Christe and turne backe againe to the lawe ye will be vnder the lawe and become wise through it Therefore I will talke with you of the lawe I pray you then consider the lawe diligently Ye shall finde that Abraham had two sonnes Ismael by Agar and Isaack by Sara They were both the true sonnes of Abraham Ismael was as well the true sonne of Abraham as Isaack was for both came of one father of one flesh and of one Seede What was then the difference This maketh not the difference sayeth Paule that the mother of one was free and the other bond albeit it pertaineth to the allegorie but that Ismael which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh that is to say without the promise and the word of God. But Isaack was not onely borne of the freewoman but also according to the promise What thē Yet was Isaack notwithstanding as well borne of the seede of Abraham as Ismael was I graunt that they were both the children of one father and yet notwithstanding there is a difference For although Isaack were borne of the flesh yet the promise went before None obserued this difference but onely Paule which he gathered out of the text of Genesis after this maner In that Agar conceaued and brought forth Ismael there was no word of God that foreshewed that thys should come to passe but by the permission of Sara Abraham went in to his seruaunt Agar whom Sara being barren had geuen to wife to Abraham as is sayd in the booke of Genesis For Sara had heard that Abraham by the promise of God should haue seede of his body and she hoped that she should be the mother of this seede But when she had waited now for the promise many yeares with great anguish of spirite and sawe that the matter was so long differred she was out of hope This holy woman therefore geueth place for the honour of her husband and resigneth her right to an other that is to say to her maide Notwithstanding she suffreth not her husband to marrie an other wife out of his house but she geueth vnto him in mariage her seruaunt to the ende that she might be builded by her For so sayeth the hystorie Genes 16. Novv Sara Abrahams vvife bare him no children and she had a maid an Egyptian Agar by name And Sara said vnto Abraham Behold novv the Lord hath restrained me frō childe bearing I pray thee goe in to my maide it may be that I shall be builded by her This was a great humilitie of Sara who so abased her self tooke in good part this tentation trial of her faith For thus she thought God is no lier that which he hath promised to my husband he will surely performe But peraduenture God will not that I shall be the mother of that Seede It shall not greeue me that Agar should haue this honour vnto whom let my Lord enter for I may peraduenture be builded by her Ismael therefore is borne without the word and promise at the onely request of Sara For there is no word of God which commaunded Abraham thus to doe or promised vnto him a sonne but al this is done at aduenture which the wordes doe also declare It may be sayeth she that I shall be builded by her Seeing therfore there was no word of God spoken to Abraham before as there was when Sara should bring forth
Also they know that they haue an euerlastīg righteousnes which they wait for through hope as a certaine and sure possession laid vp for them in heauen euen when they feele the horrible terrours of sinne and death Moreouer that they are then Lordes of all things when they are most destitute of all things according to that saying hauing nothing and yet possessing all things This sayeth the Scripture is to conceaue comfort through hope But this cunning is not learned without great and often tentations Verse 6. For in Iesus Christe neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but Faith vvhich vvorketh by loue That is to say Faith which is not fained nor hypocritical but true and liuely This is that faith which exerciseth requireth good works through loue It is as much to say as He that will be a true Christian in deede or one of Christes kingdom must be a true beleuer Now he beleueth not truely if workes of charitie folow not his Faith. So on both hands as well on the right hand as on the left he shutteth hypocrites out of Christes kingdom On the left hand he shutteth out the Iewes and all such as will worke their owne saluation saying In Christ neither circumcision that is to say no works no seruice no worshipping no kinde of life in the world but faith without any trust in works or merites auaileth before god On the right hand he shutteth out all slouthfull and idle persons which say if faith iustifie without works then let vs worke nothing but let vs onely beleue and doe what we list Not so ye enemies of grace Paule sayeth otherwise And although it be true that onely faith iustifieth yet he speaketh here of Faith in an other respect that is to say that after it hath iustified it is not idle but occupied and exercised in working through loue Paule therfore in this place setteth forth the whole life of a Christian man namely that inwardly it consisteth in faith towards God and outwardly in charitie and good works towardes our neighbour So that a man is a perfect Christ an inwardly through faith before God who hath no neede of our workes and outwardly before men to whom our Faith profiteth nothing but our charitie or our works Therfore when we haue heard or vnderstād of this forme of Christian life to witte that it is faith and charitie as I haue sayd it is not yet declared what Faith or what charitie is for this is an other question For as touching faith or the inward nature force and vse of Faith he hath spoken before Where he shewed that it is our righteousnes or rather our iustification before god Here he ioyneth it with charitie and workes that is to say he speaketh of the externall office thereof which is to stirre vs vp to doe good workes and to bring forth in vs the frutes of charitie to the profite of our neighbour Verse 7. Ye did runne vvell vvho did let you that ye did not obey the truth These are plaine wordes Paule affirmeth that he teacheth them the truth and the selfe same thing that he taught them before and that they ranne well so long as they obeyed the truth that is they beleued and liued rightly but now they did not so since they were misled by the false apostles Moreouer he vseth here a new kinde of speech in calling the Christian life a course or a race For among the Hebrues to runne or to walke signifieth as much as to liue or to be conuersant The teachers doe runne when they teach purely and the hearers or learners doe runne when they receaue the word with ioy and when the frutes of the spirite doe folow Which thing was done as long as Paule was present as he witnessed before in the third and fourth chap. And here he sayeth Ye did runne vvell that is to say all things went forward well and happely among you ye liued very well ye went on the right way to euerlasting life which the word of God promised you c. These wordes Ye did runne vvell containe in them a singuler comfort This tentation oftentimes exerciseth the godly that their life seemeth vnto them to be rather a certaine slow creeping then a running But if they abide in sound doctrine and walke in the spirite lette this nothing trouble them thoughe their doings seeme to goe slowly forward or rather to creepe God iudgeth farre otherwise For that which seemeth vnto vs to be very slow scarsely to creepe runneth swiftly in Gods sight Againe that which is to vs nothing els but sorrow mourning and death is before God ioy mirth true happines Therfore Christ sayth Blessed are ye that mourne vveepe for ye shal receaue cōfort ye shall laugh c. All things shall turne to the best to them which beleue in the sonne of God be it sorrow or be it death it selfe Therefore they be true runners in deede and whatsoeuer they doe it runneth well goeth happely forward by the furtherance of Gods spirite which can not skill of slow procedings Verse 7. VVho did let you that you did not obey the truth They are hindred in this course which fall away from Faith and grace to the lawe and workes as it hapned to the Galathians being misled and seduced by the false apostles whom he couertly reprehendeth with these wordes vvho did let you that ye did not obey the truth In like maner he sayd before in the third Chap. vvho hath bevvitched you that ye should not obey the truth And here Paule sheweth by the way that men are so strongly bewitched with false doctrine that they embrace lies heresies in the sted of the truth and spirituall doctrine And on the other side they say and sweare that the sound doctrine which before they loued is erroneous that their errour is sound doctrine maintaining and defending the same with all their power Euen so the false apostles brought the Galathians which ranne well at the beginning into this opinion to beleue that they erred and went very slowly forward when Paule was their teacher But afterwardes they being seduced by the false apostles and falling cleane away from the truth were so strongly bewitched with their false perswasion that they thought them selues to be in an happie state and that they ranne very well The same hapneth at this day to such as are seduced by the Sectaries and fantasticall spirits Therfore I am wont to say that falling in doctrine cometh not of man but of the Deuil and is most perillous to witte euen from the high heauen to the bottom of hell For they that continue in errour are so farre of from acknowledging their sinne that they maintaine the same to be high righteousnes Wherfore it is vnpossible for them to obtaine pardon Verse 8. It is not the persvvasion of him that calleth you This is a great consolation and a singulare doctrine whereby
Deuil and the Deuil likewise sheweth him selfe in the likenes of God And God will be knowen vnder the similitude of the Deuill and will haue the Deuil knowen vnder the likenes of God. The crosse immediatly foloweth the doctrine of the word according to that saying Psal. 116 I beleued and therfore haue I spoken and I vvas sore troubled Now the crosse of the Christians is persecution with reproch and ignominie and without any compassion and therfore it is very offensiue First they suffer as the vilest people in the world so did the Prophet Esay foreshew euen of Christ himself cap. 53. He vvas reputed amōgst the vvicked Moreouer murtherers and theues haue their punishments qualified and men haue compassion on them Here is no offence or sclaunder ioyned with the punishment Cōtrariwise like as the world iudgeth the Christiās to be of all other mē the most pestilent pernicious so doth it thinke that no torments are sufficient to punish them for their hainous offences Neither is it moued with any compassion towardes them but putteth them to the most opprobrious and shamefull kinds of death that can be And it thinketh that it gaineth hereby a double commodity For first it imagineth that it doth high seruice vnto God in killing of them secondly that the cōmon peace and tranquillitie is restored and stablishing by taking away such noisome plagues Therfore the death and crosse of the Faithfull is full of offences But let not this reprochfull dealing sayeth Paule and the continuance of Christes crosse and offence therof moue you but rather let it confirme you For as long as the crosse endureth it shall goe well with the Gospell In like maner Christe also comforteth his disciples in the .5 of Math. Blessed are ye sayeth he vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsely say all maner of euill against you for my names sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your revvard in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhich vvere before you The church cā not suffer this reioysing to be wrested frō her Wherfore I would not wish to be at concord with the Pope the bishops the princes and the Sectaries vnlesse they would consent vnto our doctrine For such concorde were a certaine token that we had lost the true doctrine To be short as long as the church teacheth the Gospell it must suffer persecution For the Gospell setteth forth the mercy and glory of God It discloseth the malice and sleightes of the Deuill painting him out in his right coulours and plucking from him the counterfet visour of Gods Maiestie wherby he deceaueth the whole world that is to say it sheweth that all worshippings religious Orders inuented by men and traditions concerning single life meates and such other things wherby men thinke to deserue forgeuenes of sinnes euerlasting life are wicked things and deuelish doctrine There is nothing then that more stirreth vppe the Deuill than the preaching of the Gospell For that plucketh from him the dissembled vizour of God and bewrayeth him to be as he is in deede that is to say the Deuil not god Wherfore it can not be but that as long as the Gospell flourisheth the crosse and the offence thereof must needes folow it or else truely the Deuill is not rightly touched but slenderly tickled But if he be rightly hitte in deede he resteth not but beginneth horribly to rage and to raise vp troubles euery where If Christians then will hold the word of life let them not be afraid or offended when they see that the Deuill is broken lose and rageth euery where that all the world is on an vprour that tyrannes exercise their crueltie and heresies spring vppe but lette them assure them selues that these are signes not of terrour but of ioy as Christe himselfe expoundeth them saying Reioyce and be glad c. God forbid therefore that the offence of the crosse should be taken away Which thing should come to passe if we should preach that which the Prince of this world and his members would gladly heare that is to say the righteousnes of workes Then should we haue a gentle Deuil a fauourable world a gracious Pope and mercifull Princes But because we set forth the benefites and glory of Christe they persecute and spoile vs both of our goodes and liues Verse 12. VVould to God they vvere cutte of that doe disquiet you Is this the part of an Apostle not onely to denounce the false apostles to be troublers to condemne them and to deliuer them to Sathan but also to wish that they might be vtterly rooted out and pearish And what is this else but plaine cursing Paule as I suppose alludeth here to circumcision As if he would say They compell you to cutte of the foresakin of your flesh but I would that they themselues might be vtterly cutte off by the roote Here riseth a question whether it be lawfull for Christians to curse Why not howbeit not alwayes nor for euery cause But when the matter is come to this poynt that Gods word must be euill spoken of and his doctrine blasphemed and so consequently God him selfe then must we turne this sentence and say Blessed be God and his word and what so euer is without God and his word accursed be it yea though it be an Apostle or an Angell from heauen So he sayd before in the first Chapter Although vve or an Angell from heauen preach othervvise vnto you then that vvhich vve haue preached let him be accursed Hereby it may appeare how great a matter Paule made of a litle leauen which for the same durst curse the false apostles who in outward appearance were men of great authoritie and holines Let not vs therefore make litle account of the leauen of doctrine For although it be neuer so litle yet if it be neglected it will be the cause that by litle and litle the truth and our saluation shall be lost and God himselfe be denied For when the word is corrupted and God denied and blasphemed which must needes folow if the word be corrupted there remaineth no hope of saluation But for our partes if we be cursed railed vppon and slaine there is yet one that can raise vs vppe againe and deliuer vs from the curse death and hell Wherefore lette vs learne to aduaunce and extoll the Maiestie authoritie of Gods word For it is no small trifle as brainsicke heades surmise at this day but euery title thereof is greater then heauen and earth Wherefore in this respect we haue no regard of Christian charitie or concord but we sitte as it were on the iudgement seat that is to say we curse and condemne all men which in the least poynt deface or corrupt the Maiestie of Gods word For a litle leauen maketh sovver the vvhole lumpe But if they leaue vs Gods word entire and sound we are not onely ready to keepe charitie
game and therefore they goe about especially the Gentlemen to make their pastours subiect vnto them like seruaunts and slaues And if we had not so godly a Prince and one that so loueth the truth they had ere this time driuen vs out of the countrey When the pastours aske their dutie or complaine that they suffer penurie they cry out the priestes be couetous they would haue plentie no man is able to satisfie their vnsatiable couetousnes if they were true Gospellers they should haue nothing of their owne but as poore men ought to folow poore Christ to suffer all aduersities c. Paule horribly threatneth here such tyrannes such mockers of God who so carelesly proudly doe scorne the miserable preachers and yet will seeme to be Gospellers and not to be mockers of God but to worshippe him very deuoutly Be not deceiued sayth he God is not mocked that is to say he doth not suffer him selfe to be mocked in his ministers For he sayeth He that despiseth you despiseth me Also he sayeth vnto Samuel They haue not cast thee avvay but me Therfore O ye mockers although God differre his punishment for a season yet when he seeth time he will finde you out and will punish this contempt of his word bitter hatred which ye beare against his ministers Therfore ye deceiue not God but your selues and ye shall not laugh at God but he will laugh at you Psalme 2. But our proud Gentlemen citizens and common people are nothing at all moued with this dreadfull threatning Neuertheles they shall feele when death approcheth whether they haue mocked thēselues or vs nay rather not vs but God himselfe as Paule saith here In the meane time because they proudly despise our admonitiōs with an intollerable pride we speake these things to our cōfort to the ende we may know that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrōg for patience is euer innocēt harmles Moreouer God will not suffer his ministers to starue for honger but euen when the rich men suffer scarsitie and honger he wil feede them and in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough Verse 7. For vvhatsoeuer a man sovveth that shall he reape All these things tende to this purpose that ministers should be nourished and maintained For my part I doe not gladly interprete such sentences for they seeme to commend vs and so they doe in dede Moreouer if a mā stand much in repeting such things to his hearers it hath some shew of couetousnes Notwithstanding men must be admonished hereof that they may know that they ought to yelde vnto their pastours both reuerence and a necessary liuing Our Sauiour Christe teacheth the same thing in the .10 of Luke Eating and drinking such things as they haue for the labourer is vvorthy of his revvard And Paule sayth in an other place Doe ye not knovv that they vvhich sacrifice in the tēple liue of the sacrifices that they vvhich serue at the altare are partakers of the altare euē so hath the lord ordained that they vvhich preach the gospel should liue of the Gospel It is good that we also which are in the ministerie should know these things lest for our labour we might with euill cōscience receaue the stipend which is geuen vnto vs of that Popes goods And although such goodes were heaped together by mere fraud disceit yet notwithstanding God spoyling the Egyptians that is to say the Papistes of their goods turneth them here amongst vs to a good and holy vse not when noble men and gentlemen spoile them and abuse them but when they which sette forth Gods glory and bring vppe youth vertuously are maintained therewith Let vs know then that we may with good conscience since God hath ordained and commaūded that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell vse those things that are geuen vs of the Church goodes for the necessary sustentation of our life to the ende we may attend vpon our office the better Let no man therefore make any scrupule hereof as though it were not lawfull for him to vse such goodes Verse 8. For he that sovveth in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that sovveth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlasting life He addeth a similitude and an allegorie And this generall sentence of sowing he applieth to the particular matter of nourishing and maintaining the ministers of the word saying He that sovveth in the spirite that is to say he that chearisheth the teachers of Gods word doth a spirituall worke and shall reape euerlasting life Here riseth a question whether we deserue eternall life by good works for so Paule seemeth to auouch in this place As touching such sentences which speake of workes and the reward of them we haue treated very largely before in the .5 chapter And very necessary it is after the example of Paule to exhort the faithfull to good workes that is to say to exercise their faith by good workes For if they folow not faith it is a manifest token that their Faith is no true faith Therefore the Apostle sayth He that sovveth in the flesh some vnderstand it in his owne flesh that is to say he that geueth nothing to the ministers of Gods word but onely feedeth and careth for him selfe which is the counsell of the flesh that man shall of the flesh reape corruption not onely in this present life but also in the life to come For the goods of the wicked shall wast away and they them selues also at length shall shamefully perish The Apostle would faine stirre vp his hearers to be liberall and beneficiall towards their pastours and preachers But what a misery is it that the peruersenes and ingratitude of men should be so great that the churches should neede this admonition The Encratites abused this place for the confirmation of their wicked opinion against mariage expounding it after this maner He that soweth in the flesh shall reape corruption that is to say he that marieth a wife shall be damned Ergo a wife is a damnable thing and mariage is euill for as much as there is in it a sowing in the flesh These beastes were so destitute of all iudgement that they perceiued not whereabout the Apostle went I speake this to the ende ye may see how easily the Deuill by his ministers can turne away the heartes of the simple from the truth Germanie shall shortly haue an infinite number of such beastes yea and already hath very many For on the one side it persecuteth and killeth the godly ministers and on the other side it neglecteth and despiseth them and suffereth them to liue in great penurie Let vs arme our selues against these and such like errours and let vs learne to know the true meaning of the Scriptures For Paule speaketh not here of matrimonie but of nourishing the ministers of the church which euery mā
SpeculatioÌ„ is a naked knovvledge vvithout practise Iam. 1.23.24 The doctrine of true godlines is kept by prayer and earnest studie of the vvorde The enemies of the godly The reason vvhich at this day is vsed against vs and preuaileth vvith many The Deuils argument Doctour Staupitius a fauourer of Luthers doctrine vvheÌ„ he began to preach The doctrine of the gospell attributeth all things vnto God and nothing to man. Mat. 1 1â— Neither Angels nor Apostles or any other to be beleued if they teach any thing against the vvord of God. The errour of Peter Galat. 2.11 A chefe argument against vs. A preacher must be sure of his calling and doctrine Galat. 1.8 The zeale of Paule Actes 8.1 Actes 9.12 Actes 16.4 Rom. 9.3 VVhat Paule calleth the traditions of the fathers Phil. 3.5 Phil. 3. â— The first iourney of Paule Paules merite or desert By vvhat deserts vve attaine to grace VVhat maner of Saincts the Deuill loueth Iohn Hus. Publicans and sinners are farre better then merit-mongers Our desert The Papistes a bloudy generation By vvhat deserts vve attaine grace 2 Pet. 1. â— Mat. 12.45 The deserts of S. Paule Paules doctrine The definition of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.30 The craftie Sophists haue turned the Gospell into the lavve of loue and Christ into Moses Heb. 10.10 The Gospell is not learned by any studie of man but is taught from aboue of God. Acts. 9.4 Paule is the Apostle of the Gentiles Ro. 15.15.16.17 Paules diuinitie The office of Paule to the Gentiles The confutation of the argument of the false Apostles Paule became all things to all men 1. Cor. 9.20 VVhy Paule glorieth so much that he hath not learned his gospel of any man. Paule svveareth The testimony of all the churches in Iudea for Paule Paules doctrine Contention of such as vvere turned from the Ievves against Paule Acts. 15.89 The declaration of Paule and Barnabas as touching those things vvhich vvere done among the Gentiles VVhat they aunsvvere to Paule in this disputation vvhich are so earnest for the lavve They that vvere conuerted from among the Ievves hardly forsooke the lavve Custome is a double nature God alvvayes beareth vvith the infirmities of his people 1 Reg. 8.21 Exod. 34.6.7 VVhat they had to say for themselues that resisted Paule Paule taketh vnto him vvitnesses Barnabas and Titus Barnabas Not as hauing any soueraintie othervvise then an Euangelist or chiefe of the eldershippe of the churches 1 Tit. 1.5 Paule so defendeth the gospel that he vvill haue all things geue place vnto it Actes 13 3â— The question that vvas haÌ„dled in the meting of the Apostles * The practise of the church in the time of the Apostles as touching Synodes and conferences teach vs novv to vse the same vvhen vve haue any controuersie VVhy Paule sayth lest I had run in vaine VVhat vvas decreed in this conference Hovv Paule refused circumcision 1. Cor. 7.18 Hovv vve teach fasting and other Christian exercises novv a dayes VVhat vvas determined in that meting of the Apostles Actes 15. â—0 VVhy Paule vvould not suffer Titus to be circumcised The obstinate aduersaries defend their vvicked blasphemies by tyrannie and violence Math. 6.9.10 The victorie of Paule against the fals Apostles 1. Cor. 8.8 The Pope putteth righteousnes in the keping of his traditioÌ„s and damnation in breaking of them The gospell of the false apostles The gospell of the Pope and other heretikes the Anabaptistes Verse 7. Of preachers vvhich preach Christ corruptly The truth of the gospell vvhat it is The corruptioÌ„ of the gospell The doctrine of the Papistes concerning faith The obiect of reason The obiect of faith is the thing vvhervnto the eie of faith loketh vvhich is Christ Faith adorned vvith charity True faith Sleights practised of the false apostles against Paule * These be the corruptions vvhich Luther here sayth that he tolerateth more then he ought to do but the safest vvay is quite to reiect them The Popes thunderbolts It is a point of true godlines to be stout against the merit-mongers for keping our Christian liberty VVhen faith is sound all things are safe The holy obstinacie and stoutnes of the Godly The doctrine of the lavv The doctrine of the Gospel Galat. 2.3 They are to be restrained to such as serue to edification or els vve ought to leaue them VVhy Paule geueth not vnto the apostles any glorious title The argument of the false Apostles against Paule The vvord of God to be preferred before all titles and persons vvhatsoeuer God respecteth no mans person Deut. 10.17 2 Chron. 19.7 Rom. 2.11 Eccles 35.16 Acts. 10.34 Ephes 6.9 Colos 3.26 Iudas Saule Ismaell Esau MaÌ„ regardeth the person Euery creature of God may be called the veile of God because God is as it vvere couered and shadovved vnder it * 1. Cor. 13.12 Deut. 5.10 Mat. 4.4 MaÌ„ trusteth to the veiles of God and not to God himselfe The outvvard veiles are Gods good creatures but vve must not trust in them vvhich is vvicked God suffreth his deare sainctes to fal into great vices that vve shuld not cleaue to their persons * 2. Sam. 11.4.17 * Mat. 26.69 Marke 14.66 Luke 22.55 Iohn 18.25 Men are but men Paule calleth the Apostleship the person of man. The outvvard person is not to be looked vpon in iudgement Deut. 1. VVhat can the Pope othervvise do being Antichrist but take vpon him dominion such as Gods vvord neuer allovved of Marke vvhat seruitude Luther vvas coÌ„tent to endure so that he and others might enioy the liberty of conscience Acts. 4.19 The dominion of the Pope intolerable Rom. â— 9.10 VVhat Paule did in that conference The holy pride of the godly against the Pope VVhyâ—e the godly are proude against the Pope * The Pope is no povver ordeined of God. This is impossible for Antechrist the soÌ„ne of perdition to acknovvledge 1 Cor. 13.7 Loue suffereth all things but faith can beare nothing 2 Pet. 1.4 To Peter is coÌ„mitted the Gospell ouer circumcision and to Paule ouer vncircuÌ„cision Actes 10.17 1. Peter 1.1 Actes 9.20 Mat. 23.9.10 Marc. 16.15 Coloss 1.5.6 Actes 13.1.2 Peter the Apostle of the Ievves and Paule of the Gentiles Actes 9.20 Paule preached also to the Ievves Act. 13.45.46 Math. 10.6 Actes 28 2â— Rom. 1.14 VncircuÌ„cisioÌ„ Circumcision Paule receaueth not his gospel of the other Apostles The Apostles calling equall Equalitie among the Apostles Actes 15.14 The Gospell of Peter mightie Actes 19.11.12 The stoutnes of Paul is not carnall VVhat Paule calleth grace in this place Peter alovveth the ministerie of Paul. Paule and the other Apostles taught all one gospell A good minister must be carefull for the poore Esay 61.1 Math. 11.1 Luke 4.16 The vvorld is forvvard to geue for the maintenaunce of vngodlines but it careth not for Gods ministers Math. 25 3â— The maiestie of this article of iustificatioÌ„ Mar. 10.39 Math. 16.25 It behoueth vs to be obstinate in Gods matter A Christian vvill openly reproue vices in his brother The Prophets and Apostles
they had plāted Rudiments or elements are called the prīciples and first beginning of any thing and so the lavve is but as an A. B.C in respect of the Gospel Rom 4.15 VVhen the lavv is vveake and beggerly and vvhen it is strong and mightie Rom. 10.2.3 VVhen the lavve is a vveake and beggerly rudiment The more a man seeketh to be iustified by the lavve the more he is drovvned in sinnes Ephes 2.3 Actes 15 1◠Luke 5.43 Of the vvomā vvhich vvas diseased vvith the bloudie issue The consciēce is neuer quieted through vvorkes VVhat profite Monks haue by their religion Luke 18.13 A liuely description of al the religious hypocrites in the kingdom of Antichrist The Fable is this that a dogge svvimming ouer the vvater vvith a pece of flesh in his mouth let the flesh goe and snatched at the shadovve vvhich appeared in the vvater Falling avvay from the Gospell is very easie They that are not tried vvith afflictions and tentations neuer feele the povver of the vvord of god Math. 7.15 Paules maner of speech If the lavve of God be vveak and not able to obtaine righteousnes much more the Popes traditions 1 Thes 2. ◠The Popes triple crovvn To fall from the grace of God. VVhat iudgemēt they geue of the lavve that knovv not Christe The thundrings of Luther against the Pope and his lavves 1. Timot. 1. ◠Galath 3.19 1. Timot. c. 7. The doctrine of the false apostles The holy dayes of the Ievves Galath 5.2 Coloss 2.16 Luke 17.20 The fatherly affection of Paul tovvards the Galathiās VVhat this vvord to labour i◠vaine importeth The Apostle novv speketh them faire vvhom before he did sharply chide A right patern of a godly pastour Galath 6.1 The frute of soūd doctrine The agrement of mindes is broken by vvicked doctrine They vvhich fall frō sound doctrine become vvorse thē they vver before The conditiō of the Apostles The Anabaptists bragge altogether of the spirite of illuminations reuelatiōs Falling from Faith is easie Galath 4.20 He mitigateth his former sharpe chiding The Master The Father Chastisement necessary and profitable Heb. 12.11 The Phisitian The stripes of a friend are better then the kisses of an enemie An obiection He praiseth the Galathiās because they vvere not offended vvith his vveaknes The commendation of the Galathians VVhat the infirmitie of the flesh is after Ieromes opinion The iudgemēt of the fathers vvhen the church vvas in prosperitie Marke that vvhen the church began to grovve in honour and vvealth of the vvorld it decreased in vertue knovvledge and other spirituall giftes vvhich before it possessed VVho they are that best vnderstād the Scriptures VVhat the vveaknes of the flesh is vvhich Paule speaketh of 2. Corin. 12.9.10 2. Cor. 11.23.24.25 2. Cor. 12.9.10 2. Cor. 2.14 The povver of the spirite in Paule Math. 11.6 Psal. 21.7 The spirituall tentations of Paule 2. Cor. 12.7 2. Cor. 7.5 The sorovv of spirite in the Apostles Philip. 2.27 Iohn 17. ◠Luke 4.32 Psal. 22.6.15 The praise of the Galathians Luke 1.48 Heretikes vvrest things that are spoken vvell to an euill meaning The name of Luther odious Truth procureth hatred Rom. 16.18 1. Timot. 2.4 Math. 7.15 Paule ansvvereth here to an obiection that might be made against him Zeale 2. Reg. 19 1◠The simple are deceaued by the pretence and fained zeale of heretikes A good zeale an euill zeale The zeale of the false apostles Math. 7.15 Many euils folovved Paules doctrine notvvithstanding that it vvas godly and holy Actes 24.5 Actes 16.20.21 The Ievves imputed all euils to the doctrine of the Apostles Actes 5.29 Rom. 9.3 The Apostles vvere the beholders of great euils not vvithout their great griefe The consolation of Paule Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.23 Math. 11.6 Math. 15.14 All the troubles vvhich are at this day the vvorld layeth vnto Luthers charge Offence tak◠Math. 15.14 Actes 4.31 Acts. 2.21.36 Actes 2.36 Actes 4.12 The cōplaints of the aduersaries against the doctrine of the gospell Iohn 11.48 The Papistes iustifie their ovvne horrible sinnes and condemne our good deedes Math. 15.14 Apoc. 22.11 1. Thes 1.8 The Deuil defaceth the gospell vvith infinite offences Luke 11.21.22 Iob. 40.16 1. Pet. 5.8 Zelous spirits vvithous knovvledge are the authors of Sectes Iohn 8.44 Math. 7.15 The zeale of the spirit and the zeale of the flesh A liuely picture of a faith full pastor The Apostles are parents The forme of a Christian minde and hovv it is gotten 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 3.3 The forme of Christe Galath ◠13 Coloss 3.10 VVho be like to God. Ephes 4.24 Philip. 2 5◠An Epistle or letter is a dead messenger The true affections of an Apostle The vse of allegories and similitudes Hovv Paule handleth allegories Origen and Hierom. VVhy Paule calleth the booke of Genesis the lavv Iohn 15.25 Psal 35.19 Abrahams tvvo sonnes Ismael vvas a sonne after the flesh and Isaack after the promise An obiection The ansvver Both Isaack Ismael vvere the children of one father Genes 16.2 Sara had hard the promise of God as cōcerning the sede but she vvaiteth not gods appoynted time Sara resigneth vp her right Gen. 16.1.2 c. The humilitie of Sara Ismael the sonne of Abraham accordīg to the flesh * That is sayd to be done at aduenture or by chaunce vvhereof man knovveth not the cause although vnto God it be foreknovvne and appoynted Rom. 9.8 Abraham hath tvvo sortes of children VVho be the true sonnes of Abraham Note this cōcerning the mother Genes 17.19 The mother the sonne are expresly named An allegorie is that vvherby one thing is spoken and an other thīg is meant VVhat accoūt is to be made of allegories * They are called tvvo couenaunts one of the olde another of the nevv testamēt although in very deede they are not tvvo but are so called in respect of the times Abraham is a figure of God. Tvvo sortes of people Tvvo testaments Sina Agar Hermon Agar brought forth a sonne not an heire but a seruaūt Sina brought vnto God a sonne but a carnal people Psal. 147.19 The people of the lavve Rom. 10.5 The promises of the lavve the gospell The promises of God in the lavv are conditionall Deut. 26.1 c. Hovv the Ievves toke the promises of God. The Ievves persecuted the Prophets The lavv bringeth forth bondmen or bondseruaūts The lavv maketh not heires neither doth it iustify The earthly Ierusalem perteineth to Agar That vvhich vvas ordained in Sina vvas kept in Ierusalem It is not for euery man to dally vvith allegories Tvvo Ierusalems an heauenly and an earthly Sara the heauenly Ierusalem The earthly Ierusalem destroyed The citie of the lavv The earthly Ierusalem in bondage Ierusalem had a corporall kingdom for a time VVho are the citizens of the church Aboue The church triumphant militant Philip. 3.20 Ephes 1.3 The earthly and heauenly blessing The heauenly blessing The interpretation of the Monkes The foure senses of the scripture according to the Papistes