appearance of humilitie Col. 2. 23. And the true worshippers of God in the new Testament worship him in spirit and trueth Ioh. 4. v. 24 The fulnesse of time or the full time is that time in which the captiuitie of the Church endeth and her libertie begins This time was ended 4000. yeares from the creation and it is called a full time because it was designed and appointed by the will prouidence of the heauenly father For he is Lord of time and all seasons are in his hand and his will or prouidence makes times fit or vnfit Marke then that is the onely full and fit time for the inioying of any blessing of God which he by his prouidence appointeth This must teach vs when by praier we aske any good thing at Gods hand not to prescribe any time vnto God but to leaue it to his prouidence Againe if thou liue in any miserie waite on the Lord and be content For that is the fit best time of thy deliueraÌ„ce which God hath appointed Lastly thou must be admonished to pray to god for grace and mercie and to turne to him this daie before to morrowe For this is the time which God hath appointed for these duties this is the day of grace and therefore the onely fit time Heb. 3. 7. Psal. 32. 6. Thus much of the similitude nowe I come to the first reason whereby Paul confirmes his maine argument Christ hath purchased and procured your libertie therefore the time therof is come and past For the better clearing of this reason Paul sets downe the waie and order which was vsed in procuring this libertie And it containes fiue degrees The first is the sending of the sonne the second his incarnation the third his subiection to the law the fourth our redemption from the laws the fift the fruition of our adoption v. 4. 5. The first the sending of the sonne is in these words In the fulnesse of time God sent forth his sonne That we may attaine to the sense of this great Mysterie sixe questions are to be propounded The first is what is meant by God Answ. The father the first person Eph. 1. 3. Blessed he God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1. 3. and Ioh. 20. 17. And he is called God not because he partakes more of the godhead then the sonne or the h. Ghost but because he is the first in order of the three diuine persons and he is the beginning of the sonne and the H. ghost and hath no beginning of his own person because he doth not receiue the godhead by communication from any other In this respect he is called God more commonly then the sonne or the holy Ghost The second question is How the father sends the sonne Answ. By his counsell and eternall decree whereby the sonne was designed to the office of a Mediatour and consequently to become man Act. 2. 23. And thus is he said to be sealed of the father Ioh. 6. 27. and to be sanctified and sent into the world Ioh. 10. 36. And therefore this sending implies no alteration or change of place The third question is whether the sonne was sent with his owne consent or no Ans. Yea the decree of the father is the decree of the sonne and the holy Ghost because as they are all one in nature so are they all one in will All the persons then haue a stroke in this sending yet for orders false the father is said to send because he is first The fourth question is how the father can send the sonne considering they are both one Ans. In the doctrine touching the Trinitie Nature and person must be distinguished Nâ—ture is a substance common to many as the Godhead A person is that which subsisteth of it selfe and hath a proper manner of subsisting as the father begetting the sonne begotten the H. Ghost proceeding Now the father and the sonne are one indeed for nature or godhead but they are not one for person Nay thus they are really distinct The father is not the sonne nor the sonne the father And thus doth the father send the son The fift question is why the sonne is so called Ans. Because he was begotten of the father by a perfect and eternall generation not to be vttered of man or conceiued And we must be warned not to conceiue it in any carnall or humane manner For an earthly father is in time before his sonne and the sonne after but God the father and the sonne are coeternall and not one before or after the other for time An earthly father is forth of the sonne and the sonne forth of the father but God the father is in the sonne and the sonne in the father An earthly child is from his father by propagation but the sonne is from the heauenly father not by propagation but by communication of substance Lastly the heauenly father begettes the sonne by communication of his whole substance and so doth no earthly father The last question is whether the Sonne be God For it is here said God sent his Sonne Ans. He is God For he that is sent forth from God was before he was sent forth And the sonne is said to be sent forth because he was with God the father before all worlds Ioh. 1. 1. and because he came from the bosome of his father v. 18. Obiect I. The sonne is sent of the father and he that is sent is inferiour to the father and he that is inferiour to God is not God Ans. Two equalls by common consent may send each other and therefore sending alwaies implies not inequalitie Againe inferioritie is of two sorts inferioritie of nature and inferioritie of condition The first doth not befall Christ because for nature he is one and the same with the father The second agrees vnto him because of his owne voluntarie accord he abased himselfe and tooke vpon him the shape of a man Phil. 2. 5. Obiect II. God hath his beginning of none the sonne hath his beginning of the father therefore he is not God Ans. The sonne in respect of his person is of the father but in respect of his godhead he is of none The sonne of God considered as he is a sonne is of the father God of very God But considered as he is God he is God of himselfe because the godhead of the sonne is not begotten more then the Godhead of the father Obiect III. The sonne was made Lord in time Act. 2. 36. therefore no God Ans. Christ as he is the sonne of God was not made Lord in time but is by nature an eternall Lord as the father And he is said to be made Lord in respect of his condition as he is God-man and that in time in respect of both his natures In respect of his manhood because it is receiued into the vnitie of the second person and exalted to the right hand of God in heauen In respect of his Godhead the maiestie and Lordship
for vs and to applie it vnto vs. And this worke is done by Christ without impediment and without repentance on his part The seale and foundation of our saluation is this that God accepts and knowes vs for his 2. Tim. 2. 19. and that which concernes vs is that we must worship God in spirit and truth and depart from iniquitie Lastly here is comfort against the consideration of our vnworthines Thou saiest thou art vnworthie of the mercie of God and therefore hast no hope And I say againe dost thou truly exercise thy selfe in the spirituall exercises of faith inuocation repentance be not discouraged thou must not receiue the promise immediately of God but Christ must doe it for thee Though thou be vnworthie yet there is dignitie and worthines sufficient in him If thou say that thou must at the least receiue the promise at the hand of Christ. I adde further that he will not quench the flaxe that doth but smoake neither will he breake the bruised reede He accepts the weake apprehension if it be in truth And our saluation stands in this not that we know and apprehend him but that he knowes apprehends vs first of all v. 17. This I say In the former verses Paul hath laid downe two grounds one is that testaments of men confirmed may not be abrogated the other that the promises were made to Abraham and his seede which is Christ. Now what of all this may some man say Paul therefore addes these words This I say that is the scope and intent of all my speech is to shew that the couenant or testament confirmed by God cannot be abrogated and secondly if it might so be yet that the law could not abrogate the testament because it was giuen 430 yeares after the confirmation of the saide testament And because it might be doubtfull what Paul meanes when he saith the couenant confirmed cannot be abrogated he explanes himselfe in the ende of the verse by saying the promise cannot be made of no effect It is here to be obserued that Paul saith the promise made to Abraham is a couenant or testament It is a Couenant or compact because God for his part promiseth remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and requireth faith on our part In respect of this mutuall obligation it hath in it the forme of a couenant It is also a Will or Testament in two respects First because the promise is confirmed by the death of the mediatour Heb. 9. 15. Secondly the things promised as remission of sinnes and life euerlasting are giuen after the manner of legacies that is freely without our desert or procurement In this we see the great goodnes of God who vouchsafeth to name them in his testament that haue made couenant with the deuill and are children of wrath by nature as we all are Again in that the promise is a testament remission of sinnes and life euerlasting is a Legacie and for the obtainment of thē we must bring nothing vnto God but hunger and thirst after them and make suit vnto God for them by asking seeking knocking Thus are all Legacies obtained there is no more required on our part but to receiue and accept them And though we be neuer so vnworthie in our selues yet shall it suffice for the hauing of the blessing of God if our names be found in the Testament of God Againe Paul saith that the promise made to Abraham is a couenant confirmed of God It may be demanded by what meanes it was confirmed Ans. By oath Heb. 6. 17. Againe it may be demanded to whome it was confirmed Ans. To Abraham as beeing the father of all the faithfull and then to his seede that is first to the Mediatour Christ and consequently to euery beleeuer whether Iew or Gentile For Abraham in the first making and in the confirmation thereof must be considered as a publike person representing all the faithfull Here againe we see Gods goodnes We are bound simply to beleeue his bare word yet in regard of our weaknes he is content to ratifie his promise by oath that there might be no occasion of vnbeleefe Againe here we are admonished to rest by faith on the promise of God as Abraham did when there is no hope Some may say I could doe so if God would speake to me as he did to Abraham I answer againe when God spake to Abraham in him he spake to all his seede and therefore to thee whosoeuer thou art that beleeuest in Christ. And hence we are to gather sure hope of life euerlasting For in the person of Abraham God hath spoken to vs he hath made promise of blessing to vs he hath made couenant with vs and he hath sworne vnto vs. What can we more require of him what better ground of true comfort Hebr. 6. 17. 18. Lastly in that God thus confirmes vnto vs the promise of life euerlasting it must incourage vs to all diligence in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may attaine to the condition of Abraham and it must arme vs to all patience in bearing the miseries calamites that fall out in the strait way to eternal life Further Paul saith that the promise is a couenant confirmed that in respect of Christ because he is the scope foundation of all the promises of God partly by merit and partly by efficacie By merit because he hath procured by his death and passion remission of sinnes and life euerlasting By his efficacie because he seales vp vnto vs in our consciences remission of sinnes and withall restores in vs the image of God The vse If Christ be the ground of the promise then is he the ground and fountaine of all the blessings of God And for this cause the right way to obtaine any blessing of God is first to receiue the promise and in the promise Christ and Christ beeing ours in him and from him we shall receiue all things necessarie The second answer of Paul to the former obiection is that if the promise made to Abraham might be disanulled yet the law could not doe it And he giues a double reason The first is drawne from the circumstance of time Because the promise or couenant was made with Abraham and continued by God 430 yeares before the law was giuen therefore saith Paul the law was not giuen to disanull the promise Against this reason it may be obiected that Abrahams seed was but 400 yeares in a strange land Gen. 15. 13. Ans. Moses speakes of the time that was from the beginning of Abrahams seede or from the birth of Isaac to the giuing of the law and Paul here speakes of the time that was betweene the giuing of the promise to Abraham and the giuing of the law and that was 10 yeares before the birth of Isaac Againe it may be obiected that the Israelites were in Egypt 430 yeares Fxod 12. 40. The dwelling of the children of Israel while they dwelled in Egypt was 430 yeares Therefore it
God are imperfect in this life and therefore they are ioyned with many frailties and actions of faith are mixed with sundrie defects and sinnes Now then we are to be exhorted to make a conscience of lying and to speake the trueth from our hearts And there be many reasons to induce vs to the practise of this dutie First it is Gods commandement Iam. 3. 14. Secondly lying is a conformitie to the deuill and by truth we are made conformable to God who is truth it selfe Thirdly we are sanctified by the word of truth Ioh. 17. 17. and guided by the spirit of truth and therefore we are to detest lying and deceit Fourthly truth is a fruit of Gods spirit Gal. 5. and a marke of Gods child Psal. 32. v. 2. he hath the pardon of his sinnes in whose spirit there is no guile and Psal. 15. 2. he shall rest in the mountaine of God who speakes the truth from his heart Lastly destruction is the lyers reward Psal. 5. 6. God will destroy them that speake lies and they must haue their portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reuel 22. 15 Thus much of the answer to the obiection now followes the confirmation by oath before God Here it may be demanded how these words can be a forme of swearing Ans. In an oath there be foure things The first is an Asseveration of the truth The second is Cenfession whereby the partie that is to sweare acknowledgeth the power presence and wisdome of God in searching the heart and that he is both witnes iudge of all our doings The third is Invocation of God that he would be a witnesse with vs and to vs that we speake the truth The last is Imprecation that God would be a iudge to take reuenge vpon vs if we lie Now then the forme of an oath is a certen forme of wordes in which not all but some of the principall parts of an oath are expressed and the rest concealed and yet to be vnderstood Ierem. 4. 2. there is the forme of an oath The Lord liueth and here onely confession is expressed The forme of swearing I call God to witnesse to my soule 2. Cor. 1. 23. expresseth the third part namely inuocation The words Ruth 2. 17. The Lord doe thus and thus vnto me is an Imprecation The common forme The Lord thee helpe through Iesus Christ is partly praier and partly imprecation And the forme in this place is directly a confession that God is present to witnes and iudge the truth Thus commonly in all formes of oaths one part is expressed and the rest are infolded Here first we learne that the forme of an oath is to be plaine and direct in the name of God and not indirect or oblique in the name of the creatures Gods name concealed And it is the flat commandement of God Math. 5. 34. It is alleadged that Paul 1. Cor. 15. 31. sweares by his reioycing in Christ. I answer the words of Paul by my reioycing are not an oath but an obtestation for the meaning of his wordes is this that his sorrowes and afflictions which he indured for Christ would testifie if they could speake that he died daily Thus Moses called heauen and earth to witnes without swearing for in an oath the thing by which he sweares is made not onely witnes but also iudge Neuerthelesse it is not vnlawfull to name the creatures in the forme of an oath if they be considered as pledges presented vnto God that he should punish vs in them if we lie Thus Paul sweareth I call God to witnes to or vpon my soule Here they are to be blamed whose common fwearing is by the creatures as by their faith by their troth by the Masse Marie by this bread by this drinke c. Secondly here we learne to vse an oath onely in the case of extremitie namely when a necessarie truth is to be confirmed whē this cannot be don by any reason or proofe to be foūd among men vpon earth then may we flie vnto heauen for proofe and make God our witnes Thus Paul confirmes his owne calling when all other proofes failed And it must further be obserued that in extremities he vseth an oath but seldome This seemes to condemne their wickednes that crie at euery word in their common talke before God before God Thirdly before we sweare we are to vse great meditation consideration and preparation and therefore Paul in swearing vseth a word of attention and saith Behold I speake it before God This condemnes the rash and customable swearing of men in their common talke who also in that they commonly and rashly sweare commonly forsweare themselues In that Paul confirmes his writings by oath it appeares that they are of God For if he had sworne falsly God would haue taken reuenge vpon him and his writings before this which he hath not done Whereas Paul saith Before God I speake it he teacheth vs after his owne example to bring our selues into the presence of God to walke before him as Enoch did Gen. 5. 22. and as Abraham was commanded Gen. 17. 1. and to doe whatsoeuer we doe as in the sight and presence of God and to be afraid to sinne because of his presence This is the true feare of God and this is the right practise of religion 21 After that I went into the coasts of Syria and Cilicia and I was vnknowne by face to the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ. 22. But they had heard onely some say He which persequuted vs in times past now preacheth the faith which before he destroied 23 And they glorified God in me Here Paul answers an other obiection which may be framed thus Though Paul learned not the Gospel of the Apostles at Ierusalem yet might he happily learne it of them in other Churches of Iudea To this Paul answers three things The first is that he went from Ierusalem into Syria and Cilicia The second that he was not knowne in person to the Churches of Iudea but onely by hearsay and he sets downe the report that went of him The third is that the Churches of Iudea did not disgrace and slander him but they glorified God for him Of these in order For the first that Paul went from Ierusalem straight into Syria and Cilicia the regions of the Gentiles there be two causes One because Paul was ordained specially to be the Apostle of the Gentiles Act. 9. 15. Rom. 15. 16. The second because Cilicia was his owne countrey for he was borne in Tarsus a towne in Cilicia and his loue to his countrey no doubt was great For in the like case he could haue wished himselfe to be accursed for his countrimen the Iewes From this first answer I gather two things First if any Apostle aboue the rest be the Pastour and vniuersall Bishop of the Church ouer the whole world it is Paul and not Peter because he specially was ordained to teach and conuert the nations The second is
not communicate any thing to him either in doctrine or counsell The vse This verse serues to expound other places in S. Iohn Where Christ promiseth to giue his spirit to his Disciples to teach them all things Ioh. 14. 26. and to led them into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. Now these promises directly and properly concerne the Apostles and they are here verified in Paul Who was so farre forth taught by God and lead into all truth that the cheife Apostles could not teach or communicate any thing to him For all this though Paul and the rest were led into all truth that they could not erre yet were they not led into all holinesse of life that they could not sinne Paul saith to will is present with me but he addes that he cannot doe the good he would Christ saith to all the Apostles He that is washed and is all cleane must still haue his feete washed Ioh. 13. 10. Wherefore they are to be rebuked that thinke there must be no want at all in them that are Preachers of the Gospel and hereupon take occasion to despise their Ministerie if they can spie any thing amisse in their doings Vpon the same ground they might reiect the Ministerie of the Apostles For though they could not erre in preaching and writing and though they had no neede to be taught of any man yet were they not free from sinne in their liues and the chiefe of them sundrie times fayled Againe here we learne that there is a good and lawfull kind of boasting and that is when a man is disgraced and his disgrace is the dishonour of God and the disgrace of the Gospel This makes Paul here to say that he learned nothing of the chiefe Apostles For if he had said otherwise he should haue bin reputed to be no more but an ordinarie disciple and the doctrine which he taught before this conference should haue bin called in question For this cause he stands vpon it that they did not communicate any thing vnto him Vpon the like occasion he professeth that he will boast 2. Cor. 11. 16. Here the saying of Salomon may be obiected Let an other mans mouth praise thee and not thine owne Prou. 27. 2. I answer it sufficeth for the truth of sundrie prouerbs if they be commonly ordinarily and vsually true though they be not generally true Thus ordinarily men are not to praise themselues yet in a speciall and extraordinarie case it may be otherwise And the manner which Paul vseth in commending of himselfe is to be obserued First he doth it in great modestie because in speaking of himselfe he concealeth that part of the sentence which should haue serued to expresse his praise Secondly in praising of himselfe he is not carried with enuie but his care is to maintaine the good name of the rest of the Apostles when he saith What they haue bin it is no matter to me Here then we see that the Atheists doe Paul wrong who challenge him for pride and presumption as though he could not brooke an equall and withall skorned to learne of any Againe by Pauls example we are to take notice of a common sinne Mens hearts are so possessed with selfe-loue and they are so addicted to their owne praise that it is griefe to them to heare any praised beside thēselues whereas loue binds vs as well to take care for the good name of others as of our owne When Paul saith What they were in times past it matters not to me we learne that we are to esteeme of men not as they haue bin but as they are Peter Iames and Iohn though they had bin fishermen yet are they honoured of Paul as Apostles Therefore when men haue repented we may not vpbraid thē with their liues past Neither may we take occasion to contemne them that be in authoritie because we haue knowne what they haue bin heretofore but euery man is to be esteemed according to his calling and according to the grace of God giuen him Like is Gods mercifull dealing toward vs. For he accepts men not as they haue bin but as they are when they repent Therefore if Sathan shall at any time obiect thy life past say vnto him thus Tell me not what I haue bin but tell me what I am and what I will be This sufficeth when we repent God accepteth the person of no man By person is meant not the substance of a man or the man himselfe but the outward qualitie or condition of man as countrey sexe birth condition of life riches pouertie nobilitie wisdome learning c. And God is saide not to accept the person because he doth call men bestow his gifts and giue iudgement according to his owne wise and iust pleasure and not according to the outward appearance and condition of the person Read Iob. 34. 19. It may be obiected that God deales not equally with them that are equall because all men are equall in Adam and of them he chooseth some to eternall life and refuseth others I answer he is said to accept persons that deales vnequally with men beeing bound to deale equally now God is not thus bound because he is a soueraigne and absolute Lord ouer all his creatures and may doe with his owne what he will Math. 20. 16. Secondly it may be obiected that God had respect to Abel and his sacrifice Gen. 4. 4. Ans. The condition of man is twofold outward inward Outward standes in worldly and ciuill respects Inward standes in a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained For this onely was Abel respected Hebr. 11. 4. Though God accept not the outward person yet in euery nation he that feareth God is accepted of him Act. 10. 34. Thirdly it may be obiected that God iudgeth euery man according to his workes Ans. Though workes appeare outwardly yet the roote and ground of them is in the heart And the iudgement of God is according to them as they are fruits of the faith of the heart The vse All men are in this to be like vnto God their heauenly father not accepting persons in their dealings As Magistrates in the exequution of iustice Deut. 1. 17. Ministers in teaching and in the reproouing of sinne Mark 12. 14. and all beleeuers who are not to haue religion in acceptation of persons Iam. 12. 1. This acceptation is the ruine of societies And it is the common fault For vsually elections are made offices bestowed and iustice exequuted with partialitie and with blind respects to countrey kinred friendship money Secondly we are all taught to feare the iudgement of God and to prepare our selues with all diligence that we may be found worthie to stand before God in that great day For we must come naked before him and he will haue no respect to our birth our riches our learning Therefore it is good for vs now to put on Christ that in him we may be accepted For with him the father is well pleased Thirdly we may not set our
principall that the Messias his Redeemer should descend of his loines And this was the thing which his faith in the promise of God specially aimed at I answer againe that Abraham beleeued not onely the power of God Rom. 4. 21. but also his will which he had reuealed in the promise In thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Secondly it is alleadged that Christ in the curing of certaine blind men required no more but that they should beleeue his power Math. 9. 28. I answer that the ende of the miracles of Christ was to confirme the certentie of doctrine specially touching his natures and offices And therefore a generall faith touching the diuine power or Godhead of Christ was sufficient for the obtaining of a miraculous cure Thirdly they obiect that saluation is promised to generall faith Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued That Peters faith was generall Math. 16. 10. Thou art Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God That the Eunuchs faith was of the same kind Act. 8. 37. I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God Ans. It is a common rule in scripture that words signifying knowledge signifie also the motions and good affections of the heart Psal. 1. The Lord knowes the way of the righteous that is knowes and approoues it 2. Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knowes who are his that is he knoweth and chooseth them Ioh. 17. 2. This is eternall life to know thee the onely God that is to know and acknowledge thee for our God If this be true in wordes of knowledge then much more wordes of beleeuing signifie the good motions and the affiance of the heart Thus to beleeue Christ to be the sonne of God in the places before named is to beleeue that he is God and withall to fixe our affiance on him otherwise the deuills beleeue thus much When Thomas had put his finger in the side of Christ he saide My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. 28. And to this speech of his Christ faith Thou hast seene and beleeued This then is true faith not onely to beleeue that Christ is God but also that he is our God Iustifying faith in true manner is defined thus It is a gift whereby we apprehend Christ and his benefits Ioh. 1. 12. to beleeue in Christ and to receiue Christ are put both for one Ioh. 6. faith is the mouth of the soule whereby we eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood Ioh. 17. 8. To receiue the word of Christ to acknowledge it and to beleeue it are put all for one Paul saith that the Gentiles did apprehend the iustice which is by faith Rom. 9. 30. Againe that we receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Gel. 3. 14. This apprehension stands in two things The first is to know Christ as he propounds himselfe in the word and sacraments The second is To applie him and his benefits vnto our selues This application is made by a supernaturall act of the vnderstanding when we beleeue that Christ with his benefits is really ours It may be obiected that faith is a certen confidence whereby we beleeue in Christ and so it is described euen in this text Ans. I. Faith and confidence properly are distinct gifts of God and confidence is the effect or fruit of faith For Paul saith that we haue entrance to God with confidence by faith Eph. 3. 12. And reason declares as much for a man can not put his confidence in Christ till he be assured that Christ with his benefits are his We doe not rest on his goodnes of whose loue we doubt Secondly I answer that confidence beeing a most notable effect of faith is often in scripture put for faith and faith is described by it as it is in this place and yet for nature they are not one but must be distinguished Furthermore the grounds of apprehension must be considered For speciall faith must haue a speciall and infallible ground The grounds are three The first is this In the Gospel God hath propounded generall promises of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ and withall he hath giuen a commandement to apply the said promises to our selues 1. Ioh. 3. 23. This is the commandement of God that ye beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and we cannot beleeue in Christ till we beleeue Christ to be our Christ. Now then a generall promise with a commandement to applie the same to our selues is in effect as much as a speciall promise The second ground is this Rom. 8. 16. The spirit of God testifieth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God In this testimonie foure things must be obserued The first that it is sufficient to certifie and assure vs of our saluation For if the testimonie of two or three witnesses establish a truth among men then much more the testimonie of God The second is that this testimonie may be certenly knowne els it is no testimonie vnto vs. The third is that this testimonie is found and perceiued in the vse of the word praier sacraments The last 〈◊〉 that it is especially giuen and felt in the time of great danger and affliction For when by reason of miserie and trouble we know not to pray as we ought then the spirit makes request for vs with groanes that cannot be vttered Rom. 8. 26. And in afflictions Paul saith the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts Now then if God giue to them that turne vnto him a testimonie that they are the children of God they for their parts are by speciall faith to beleeue it The third ground is this A speciall faith may be gathered partly vpon things generally reuealed in the word of God and partly vpon sense obseruation and experience the same things beeing reuealed generally in the word and particularly by experience Vpon this ground may we truly conclude the forgiuenes of our sinnes the saluation of our soules on this manner He which beleeueth hath the forgiuenes of his sinnes but I beleeue in Christ saith he which beleeueth therefore my sinnes are forgiuen me The maior or first part is expressed in the Word the minor or second part is found true by experience and by the testimonie of the conscience which is a certen Testimonie For Paul saith This is my reioycing the testimonie of my conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. And the conclusion is the conclusion of speciall faith If this be not a good and sufficient ground there is almost no speciall faith in the world Lastly we are to consider the degrees of Apprehension and they are two there is a weake apprehension and there is a strong apprehension is there is a weake and a strong faith The weake faith and apprehension is when we endeauour to apprehend This endeauour is when we bewaile our vnbeleefe striue against our manifold doubtings
but included The second is that here the Spirit signifies the spirit of adoption Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 16. The third is that to receiue the spirit is not barely to receiue the gifts of the spirit as we are said to haue the sunne in the house when we receiue the beames of the bodie of the sunne beeing in heauen but in this receiuing there are two things One is that the spirit is present in vs the other that the same spirit testifieth his presence by his speciall opera tion and gifts of grace Paul saith Eph. 4. 30. Greeue not the spirit Which is not meant of gifts but of the very person of the spirit And it must be remembred that the effects and gifts of the spirit presuppose the presence of the spirit By workes of the Law we are to vnderstand the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law By the hearing of faith is meant the doctrine of the Gospel hearing beeing put for the thing heard namely preaching and faith for the doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ crucified For faith signifies not onely the gift whereby we beleeue but also that which is beleeued In the third verse spirit signifies the operation of the spirit whereby the inward man is renewed and made like to God or againe the Exercises of the inward man and flesh signifies outward things or actions that properly pertaine to the outward man as circumcision and such like Thus 2. Cor. 5. 17. flesh and the new creature are opposed And Paul saith Rom. 9. 29. He is a Iew that is a lew within in the spirit hauing the circumcision of the heart To begunne in the spirit is to beginne in godlines and religion inwardly in the exercises of the renewed heart The Resolution In these words is contained the first argu ment whereby Paul prooues the truth of his doctrine It is framed thus If ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine my doctrine is true and ye foolish that adde vnto it iustification by the workes of the law but ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and ye deale foolishly that haue added to it iustification by workes The maior or first proposition is not expressed but the proofe thereof in the third verse thus it is a point of extreame follie when ye haue begun in the spirit to end in the flesh therfore it is folly in you hauing receiued the spirit by my doctrine to adde any thing vnto it of your owne The vse When Paul saith Let me learne one thing of you he notes the fault of the Galatians and of sundrie others who when they haue attained to a certaine measure of knowledge in Gods word are presently puffed vp with pride and often thinke themselues wiser then their teachers This was the fault of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8. 10. and of sundrie in our daies who separate wholly from all our congregations presuming to know that which they neuer learned of their teachers That this ouerweening pride may not take place we must ioyne the knowledge of our selues with the knowledge of Gods word and mixe our knowledge with loue For loue edesies and bare knowledge swells the heart Againe here when it is said Receiued ye the spirit that is ye did not receiue the spirit by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Here I say we see the difference betweene the law and the Gospel The law doth not minister the spirit vnto vs for it onely shewes our disease and giues vs no remedie The Gospel ministreth the spirit For it shewes what we are to doe and withall the spirit is giuen to make vs doe that which we are inioyned in the Gospel Here also we learne that the preaching of the Gospel is necessarie for all men because it is the Instrument of God to conferre the spirit Whole Peter was yet speaking the spirit of God fell vpon the Gentiles Act. 10. 44. Paul saith his ministerie is the ministerie of the spirit 2. Cor. 4. 5. sauing the ministers and others 1. Tim. 4. 16. And the most learned haue neede of this ordinance of God For suppose they haue knowledge sufficient yet haue they neede of the spirit of God to guide and gouerne them Further let it be obserued what is the scope of all our hearing and teaching namely that we may receiue the spirit of God without which spirit we can doe nothing Moreouer Paul here sets downe an infallible argument whereby we may be assured that the Scripture is the word of God For the scriptures in their right vse which is in reading hearing meditation haue the diuine and supernaturall operation of the spirit ioyned with them to comfort in all distresses and in the very pang of death and to conuert the heart of man making him in respect of righteousnes and holines like vnto God This priuiledge haue the Scriptures Isa. 59. 21. and no word els Lastly let vs here obserue the certen marke of true religion and that is that the preaching thereof conferres the spirit of adoption This doth not the pretended catholike Religion of the Papists it doth not conferre vnto men the spirit to assure them that they are the children of God because it teacheth that we are to be in suspence of our saluation Againe by teaching humane satisfactions merits it ministreth the spirit of pride and presumption as also the spirit of crueltie not of meekenes for they of that religion commonly delight in blood and there haue bin no warres or seditions or rebellions in Europe for many ages but they of the Romish religion haue bin at one ende of them When Paul saith v. 3. Beganne ye in the spirit c. he teacheth a diuine instruction that true godlines and Religion stands in the spirit that is the grace of the heart or in the exercises of the inner man whether we respect the beginning the middle or the accomplishment thereof The kings daughter is all glorious within Psal. 45. 13. True worshippers worship God in the spirit Ioh. 4. 25. Rom. 1. 12. He is a Iew that is a Iew not without but within in the spirit in the circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. 29. Gods seruice and kingdome stands in iustice peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. He that is in Christ must not know him in any carnall respects but be a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 17. Baptisme is not the washing of the spots of the flesh but the promise that a good conscience makes to God By this doctrine we see the fault of the world which for the most part placeth religion in ceremoniall performance of some outward duties The Iewe vsed to come to God with sacrifices and to draw neere to him with his lippe his heart beeing farre from God The Papist hath turned the Apostolike and Catholike religion into a masse of ceremonies borrowed partly from the Iewes and partly from the Gentiles And
are now constant but if triall shall come our frailtie shall appeare That our frailtie and weaknes may not be hurtfull to vs we must remember two rules One is not to haue a conceit of any thing in vs but to hold our faith and religion in feare as in the presence of God Rom. 11. 20. the second to take heede that there be not in vs an euill corrupt and dissembling heart For if our heart be naught our faith cannot be good Heb. 4. 12. 6 As Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes 7 Knowye therefore that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham The words Euen as Abraham c. haue reference to that which went before on this manner Ye Galatians receiued the spirit by my doctrine and my doctrine was the preaching of iustification of faith without workes which doctrine is like and sutable to the example of Abraham who beleeued God and it was imputed for iustice Here Paul sets downe the second argument whereby he prooues the truth of his doctrine And it is framed thus As Abraham was iustified so are the children of Abraham Abraham was iustified by iustice imputed and apprehended by faith vers 6. Therefore the children of Abraham are thus iustified This conclusion is the principall question it is not here expressed but in the roome thereof a declaration is made who are the true children of God namely they that are of Abraham in respect of faith That which is saide here of Abraham is a maine ground concerning the iustification of a sinner in the bookes of the old and new Testament therefore I will more carefully search the true interpretation of it Some expound the words thus Abraham beleeued God and the world reputed him for a good and vertuous man But if this be the right sense then Paul is deceiued who brings this text to prooue the iustification of Abraham not onely before men but also before God Now vertue and goodnes which is in estimation among men is not sufficient to acquit and iustifie vs before God The second exposition is of the Papists who by faith here vnderstand a generall faith whereby the articles of faith are beleeued And by imputation they vnderstand reputation wher by a thing is esteemed as it is indeede And they teach that faith is reputed for righteousnes because say they faith formed with charitie is indeede the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified before God But this Exposition hath his defects and errours For first of all Charitie is not the forme or life of faith but the fruit and effect of it 1. Tim. 1. 5. The ende of teaching is loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained It is obiected that as the bodie is dead without the soule so is faith without workes Iam. 2. 26. and therefore that workes are the life of faith Ans. S. Iames by faith vnderstands a pretended faith or the Profession of faith as appeares by the words v. 14. though a man say he hath faith and v. 18. shew me thy faith Now of this profession of faith workes are the life Secondly this exposition makes faith or the act of beleeuing to be our whole and intire iustice before God whereas indeede if it be iustice it is but one part thereof And in the act of beleeuing loue cannot be included Thirdly faith ioyned with charitie is not the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified For our faith and loue are both imperfect and faith is imputed for righteousnes without workes Rom. 4. 6. and therefore without charitie For this is charitie to keepe the commandements of God Ioh. 15. 10. Paul saith that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified is by or through faith Phil. 3. 9. and therefore our iustice and our faith are two distinct things The third exposition is also from the Papists that faith is reputed for righteousnes because it is reputed to be a sufficient meanes to prepare men to their iustification but this cannot be the sense of this place For this was spoken of Abraham after he was iustified and therefore needed no preparation to iustification Let vs now come to the true sense of the wordes In them I consider two things Abrahams faith in these words Abraham beleeued God and the fruit of his faith in these words and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Touching his faith I consider three things The first is the occasion which was on this manner After the conquest of the heathen kings Abraham was still in some feare in this regard the Lord comforts him Gen. 15. 1. I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward But to this Abraham replies I want issue and the Lord answers I will make thy seede as the starres of heauen Gen. 15. 5. Now then looke as God renewes and inlarges his promise to Abraham so Abraham renewes his faith and hereupon Moses and Paul say Abraham beleeued God God doth not now inlarge his promises to vs as to Abraham neuerthelesse the promises recorded in the bible are renewed to vs partly by preaching and partly by the vse of the sacraments and we accordingly are to renew our faith specially in the time of feare and danger The second thing is the obiect or matter of his faith and that is the multiplication of his posteritie It may be said how could Abraham be iustified by such a faith Ans. The promise of the multiplication of his seede was a dependant of a more principall promise I am thy God all-sufficient Gen. 17. 1. and I am thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 11. In this carnall seede Abraham specially respected by the eye of faith the blessed seede of the woman He therefore beleeued the promise of a seede as it was a pledge vnto him of a thing more principall namely the fauour of God and as it was a meanes to effect the incarnation of the sonne of God In his example we are taught how we are to respect and vse earthly things we are to respect them as pledges of Gods fauour and to vse them as meanes to further vs to Christ and to the attainment of our saluation The third point is the propertie of Abrahams faith which was a faith against hope For he beleeued the promise of a seede when his bodie was halfe dead and Sarai was barren In like sort we keeping true religion and good conscience must in all our temptations crosses miseries infirmities against reason sense and feeling beleeue the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting In the effect and fruit of Abrahams faith three things must be considered The first is what is meant by Imputation To impute properly is a speach borrowed from marchants and it signifies to recken or to keepe a reckening of expenses and receipts Thus Paul saith Philem. 18. If he haue done thee any wrong impute it to me that is set it on my reckening And this word is here applied to the Iudgement of God Because he
written in tables of stone is the law the same law of Moses written in the hearts of men by the holy Ghost is the Gospel But I say againe that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses And this ouersight in mistaking the distinction of the Law and the Gospel is and hath bin the ruine of the gospel We must here further obserue that beleeuing and doing are opposed in the article of our iustification In our good conuersation they agree faith goes before and doing followes but in the worke of our iustification they are as fire and water Hence I gather that to the iustification of a sinner there is required a speciall and an applying faith for generall faith is numbred among the works of the law and the deuills haue it This kind of beleeuing therefore and doing are not opposite Againe hence I gather that works of faith and grace are quite excluded from iustification because the opposition doth not stand betweene beleeuing and the works of nature but simply betweene beleeuing and doing Lastly it may be demaunded why the Lord saith He that doth the things of the law shall liue considering no man since the fall can doe the things of the law Ans. The Lord since mans fall repeates the law in his old tenour not to mocke men but for other waightie causes The first is to teach vs that the law is of a constant and vnchangeable nature The second is to aduertise vs of our weaknes and to shew vs what we cannot doe The third is to put vs in minde that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God after we haue begunne by grace to obey the law because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curfe for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Paul hauing prooued the truth of his doctrine by sundrie arguments in the former part of this chapter he here answereth an obiection the occasion whereof is from the 10. verse It may be framed on this manner If they be accused that continue not in all things written in the law to doe them then all men are accursed and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham as you haue said Answer is here made that to them that beleeue there is full redemption from the curse of the law And Paul for the better inlightning of his answer here makes a description of our redemption by foure arguments The first is the author Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law The second is the forme or manner of our Redemption in these words When he was made a curse for vs. And this forme is further declared by the signe in these words for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree The third argument is in the end in these words that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles The last is also an other ende that we might receiue the promise of the spirit Touching the Author in these words Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law sundrie things may be learned First of all comparing these words with the 10. verse or comparing the answer and the obiection together we see and are to obserue that the threatnings of the law are to be vnderstood with an exception from the Gospel All are cursed saith the law that doe not continue to doe all things written therein Except they haue pardon and be redeemed by Christ saith the Gospel And thus are all curses of the law to be conceiued with a limitation or qualification from the Gospel Againe in that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law here is our comfort that neither hell nor death nor SataÌ„ hath any right or power ouer vs so be it we do vnfainedly beleeue in Christ. For we are bought with a price And for this cause we must be admonished not to feare any euill ouermuch as the reuilings and curses of euill tongues withcraft the plague pestilence famine the sword or death For the curse which makes all these and many other things hurtfull vnto vs is remooued from them that are in Christ. And therefore all immoderate feare should be restrained Thirdly our dutie is to glorifie God and Christ who hath redeemed vs and that both in bodie and soule The redeemed must liue according to the will of their redeemer 1. Cor. 6. 20. This is all the thankfulnes that we can shew to our Redeemer for his mercie Lastly here an obiection made by some may be answered If say they we were redeemed by Christ beeing captiues to the deuill the price of our Redemption was paid to him and not to God Ans. We were captiues properly to the iustice of God in the law to the order whereof we stand subiect and by this meanes we are captiues to the curse of the law and consequently to the deuill who is the minister of God for the Execution of the said curse And beeing captiues to the deuill no otherwise then as he is the minister of God for the infâ—â—cting of punishment the price must not be paid to him but to God who is the principall and hath a soueraigntie ouer him and vs. I come now to the forme of our Redemption Who was made a curse for vs. For the better vnderstanding of these words foure points are to be handled The first is what is this curse Ans. A double death the first of the bodie the second of the soule The first is the separation of the bodie and soule The second is the separation of the whole man from God not in respect of his vniuersall power and presence for the very damned haue their moouing and beeing from him but in respect of his fauour and speciall loue whereby God ceaseth to be their God And this is death indeede whereof the first is but a shadow and this is the curse of the law The second point is How Christ was a curse or accursed who is the fountaine of blessednes Ans. He is not so by nature for he is the naturall sonne of God nor by his owne fault for he is the vnspotted lambe of God but by voluntarie dispensation and therefore Paul saith he was made a curse And he was made a curse first because he was set a part in the eternall counsell of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost to be our redeemer and consequently to be a curse In this regard the father is said to haue sealed him Ioh. 6. 27. and he is said againe to be prcordained before all worlds 1. Pet. 1. 20. and giuen according to the counsell and foreknowledge of God Act. 3. 22. Secondly he was made a curse
are we so to doe Answ. We are members all of one bodie and we are members one of another Eph. 4. 25. And it is Gods pleasure that men shall be instruments of good mutually one to another Goodnesse respects either the bodie or the minde Goodnesse concerning the bodie hath many actions as to feed the hungrie to giue drinke to the thirstie to harbour the harbourlesse to cloath the naked to visit the sicke and them that are in prison Math. 25. 35 36. to burie the dead 2. Sam. 2. 5. Lastly to lend freely and liberally to such as be decaied and impouerished Deut. 15. 7. Goodnesse concerning the soule is to indeauour partly by counsell partly by example to gaine the soule of our neighbour to God and it stands in foure actions to admonish the vnâ—uly to comfort the distressed to beare with them that are weake and to be patient towards all 1. Thess. 5. 14. Goodnes is hard to be found in these daies among men The common practise is according to the common prouerb Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all The studie of men is howe to gather goods honours riches for themselues and for their children and the common good is not aimed at Good orders hardly take place as namely the order for the poore and the reason is the want of goodnesse in vs. If any professe any shew of goodnesse more then the rest they are sure to be despised and reproched at euery hand and this shews that there is little goodnesse among men Faith First we are here to vnderstand faith towards God which is to beleeue the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God in Christ. This faith is common to all among vs yet is it but a false dead ceremoniall faith in many men Reason I Faith comes by the hearing of the word of God preached Rom. 10. 14. but this faith in many is conceiued without preaching for they say they beleeue their saluation by Christ and withall they liue in the perpetuall neglect or contempt of the publike Ministerie II. True faith is ioyned alwaies with the exercises of invocation and repentance yet in many among vs this faith is without any conuersion or change of heart and life and therefore it is but a dead faith III. True faith is mixed with contrarie vnbeleefe so as they that beleeue feele in themselues a want of faith and much vnbeleefe But there are many among vs that say they perfectly beleeue and that they neuer so much as doubted in all their liues Now such a faith is a vaine perswasion IV. Many that boast of their faith in Christ want faith in the prouidence of God touching food and raiment And that is manifest because they vse any vnlawfull meanes to helpe themselues now if their faith faile them in a smaller point it cannot be sound in the greatest of all Secondly by faith is meant faith towards men that stands in two things One is to speake the trueth from the heart the other is to be faithfull and iust in the keeping of our honest promise and word This faith is a rare vertue in these daies For the common fashion of them that liue by bargaining is to vse glosing facing soothing lying dissembling and all manner of shifts And with many it is a confessed principle that there is no liuing in the world vnlesse we lie and dissemble They that deale with chapmen shall heardly know what is trueth they haue so many wordes and so many shifts In this respect Christians come short of the Turkes who are said to be equall open and plaine dealing meÌ„ without fraud or deceipt Our care therfore must be to cherrish maintain amoÌ„g vs the vertue of faith and truth Reasons I. Gods commandement Put away lying and let euery man speake the truth to his neighbour Eph. 4 15. II. By truth we are like to God whose waies are all truth who hates a lying tongue Prou. 6. 17. whose spirit is the spirit of trueth III. Lyars beare the image of the deuill He is the father of lies Ioh. 8. 44. so oft then as thou liest thou makest thy tongue the instrument of the deuill IV. Eternall punishment in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reu. 22. 15. Here marke that liars are entertained at the same table with murderers and theeues and the liar neuer goes vnpunished Prou. 19. 5. V. To speake the trueth from the heart is a marke of Gods child Psal. 15. 2. And he whose faith failes towards men shall much more faile towards God Meekenes The same in effect with long suffering The difference is that meekenes is more generall and long-suffering is the highest degree of meekenesse Temperance It is the moderation of lust and appetite in the vse of the gifts and creatures of God For the better practising of this vertue remember these foure rules I. We must vse moderation in meats drinks This moderatioÌ„ is to eat and drinke with perpetuall abstinence And abstinence is to take lesse then that which nature desires and not more And that measure of meate and drinke which serues to refresh nature and to make vs fitte for the seruice of God and man is allowed vs of God and no more II. We must vse moderation in our apparell And that is to apparell ourselues according to our sexe according to the receiued fashion of our countrie according to our place and degree and according to our abilitie Here the common fault in to be out of all order for none almost know any measure Euery meane person now adaies will be a gentleman or gentlewoman III. We must vse moderation in getting of goods and that is to rest content if we haue food and raiment for our selues them that belong vnto vs. 1. Tim. 6 8. Here is our stint we may not desire to be rich v. 9. The king himselfe must not multiply his gold and siluer Deut. 17. 17. and yet hath he more neede of gold and siluer then any priuate man IV. There must be a moderation in the spending of our goods contrarie to the fashion of many that spend their substance in â—â—â—sting and company and keepe their wiues and children bare at home Against such there is no law Here Paul sets downe the benefit that comes by the former vertues The words carrie this sense Against such vertues and against persons indued with such vertues there is no law And that for two causes One there is no law to condemne such Secondly there is no lawe to compell them to obey because they freely obey God as if there were no law Marke then the condition of spirituall men They are a voluntarie free people seruing God freely without constraint So as if Christ would not giue vnto them life euerlasting yet would they loue him and desire the aduancement of his kingdome On the contrarie if there were no hell and God would not punish adulterie drunkennes blasphemie c. with eternall
they are here reprooued that haue many good gifts of God in them and yet neuer proceede to a thorow reformation For they vse to cherish in themselues naughtie affections and damnable lusts There is some one sweete sinne or other that they cannot abide to crucifie III. They also are to be blamed that cannot abide to heare their owne particular sinnes to be noted and reprooued They are vncrucified and vnmortified persons And the word of God is the sword of the spirit that serues to kill and destroy the flesh IV. In afflictions be content and quiet For we ought to crucifie the affections and lusts of our flesh and because we faile in this dutie therefore God himselfe takes the worke in hand and he will crucifie our corruption by his chastisements Further of this dutie of crucifying the flesh there are three points to be considered I. The time when this action must beginne namely in our baptisme or first conuersion Therefore Paul saith they that are Christs haue crucified c. II. What must be crucified Ans. The whole flesh with euery inordinate affection and lust This makes against them that flie and detest some fewe sinnes and runne headlong into others III. What is crucifying Ans. In it are two things the restraint of the exercise of sinne which is in part in ciuill men and the killing of Originall corruption in all the parts and branches thereof And that is done when we doe not onely mourne for our corruptions but also hate and detest them in our selues 25. If we liue in the Spirit let vs also walke in the Spirit In these words is cōtained the last reason of the rule of good life before mentioned in the 16. verse For the vnderstanding whereof two things are to be considered what it is to liue in the Spirit and what to walke in the Spirit Touching the first Life is twofold created or vncreated Vncreated life is the life of God Created is that which pertaineth to the creature And this is either naturall or spirituall Naturall life is led by naturall causes and meanes as by meate drinke cloathing breathing such like Spirituall life is by and from the Spirit Of this there be two degrees The first is when the Spirit of God takes vp his habitation in man and withall gouerneth all the powers of his soule by putting into the minde a new light of knowledge into the will and affections newe motions and inclinations whereby they are made conformable to the will of God The second degree of spirituall life is when the spirit dwelleth in man and gouerneth the powers of the soule and further doth sustaine the bodie immediately without naturall means 1. Cor. 15. 44. It riseth againe a spirituall bodie that is a body liuing in the second degree of spirituall life not beeing sustained by meanes but immediately by the eternall sustentation of the spirit The first of these degrees is in this life the second after this life in and after the last iudgement when body and soule shall be reunited And of the former this place is to be vnderstood To walke in the Spirit is first to sauour the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. 7. And that is to minde wish like desire and affect them or in a word to subiect a mans selfe to the law of God in all the powers and faculties of the soule For the things reuealed in the Lawe are the things of the spirit which spirit must at no hand be seuered from the word Secondly to walke in the path way of righteousnesse without offence either of God or man Psal. 143. 10. Thirdly to walke not stragglingly but orderly by rule by line and by measure For so much the word walke importeth in the originall as if Paul should haue said Let vs whilest we liue in this world not onely indeauour to doe some one or some fewe good actions but in the course of our liues and callings order our selues according to the rule and line of the word of God The vse This text in the first place cuts off the shiftes and excuses of sundrie persons in these daies who professe themselues to be the children of God and yet for their liues are much to be blamed because they lead them not according to the Spirit but according to the flesh And these persons whatsoeuer they say doe indeed and in truth deceiue themselues and are quite destitute of Gods Spirit For if they liued in the Spirit they would also walke in the Spirit It is not an idle spirit in any but it will shew and manifest it selfe in a holy and orderly conuersation You will say If such persons haue not the Spirit of god what other Spirit haue they Ans. If there life be naught they haue an vncleane Spirit dwelling in them and the god of this world hath blinded their eies and makes them that they cannot see the right way wherein they should walke 1. Cor. 4. 4. Againe we learne from hence a true and a pregnant signe whereby to discerne whether any man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no The life of a man will discouer and proclaime to all the world before God men and angels what himselfe is If a man in the course of his life and calling be godly and vertuous leading his life according to the will word of God in an honest and carefull indeauour though he faile in some particulars what euer the world thinkes of him he is the man that is indued with the Spirit of God Lastly this teacheth what is the office of all Christian people namely to walke in the Spirit that is to frame and order the whole course and tenour of their liues according to the line square of Gods word and Spirit A motiue to which dutie may be that fearefull threat pronounced vpon those that turne aside and walke in their owne crooked waies Psal. 125. 5. 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glorie prouoking one another enuying one another The scope From this 26. verse to the 11. verse of the chapter following S. Paul handles the second Rule which he had propounded in the 13. verse of this chapter By loue serue one another In the handling whereof he first laboureth to take away the impediments of Loue and then he sets downe the māner how the rule is to be obserued This 26. verse is a rule the ende whereof is to remooue the impediments of loue In this verse foure points are especially to be considered First what the desire of vaine-glorie is Answ. It is a branch of pride which makes men to referre all they haue or can doe to their owne priuate glorie and aduancement For better vnderstanding whereof consider a little the excuses that men haue for the defence or excuse of this sinne I. Excuse Vaine-glorie in effect is no more but the seeking of mens approbation which may lawfully be done Answ. To seeke the approbatiō of men is no fault so that it be
it to the view of the world without prâ—mising somewhat in way of excuse for my boldnes For if Hirtius or as others thinke Oppius beeing importuned by his friend to continue the Commentaries which Caesar left vnfinished durst not presume to make a Supplie without making first an Apologie for himselfe for attempting to take in hand so great a taske seeming therein to compare with him who was incomparable Iust cause haue I to excuse my selfe for this my bold attempt in vndertaking to equall him who in the iudgement of all saue such as esteeme of Writers by tale and not by touch is so substantiall concise exact methodicall that as it is said of Caesar he hath discouraged wise men from writing But seeing J doe not in the vaine confidence of mine owne sufficiency or exactnes of the worke proclaime a chalenge to all mens censures nor yet take vpon me as some haue don in other writers so to carry the Author along that the Reader shall not perceiue but that he is still reading him nor know where he endeth or where I beginne for that beeing impossible to attaine were follie to attempt but oenly to finish that which otherwise should haue bin imperfect to satisfie the request of my frieÌ„ds to helpe forward the Lords building though not as a master builder with hewen stones or polished Saphirs yet as a seruer and vnderlabourer as it were with a handfull of rubbish I hope I shall obtaine at least this fauourable construction to be thought as farre from vanitie herein as my conscience doth witnesse with me I did it in simplicitie and without affectation of singularitie And if it were no presumption in Gillebertus to finish Bernards Sermons vpon the Canticles nor in Clichtoveus to supplie foure bookes which were wanting in Cyrils Commentaries vpon Iohn nor in Wolfius Reuterus and other moderne writers to continue the Commentaries of Martyr Zanchius c. but rather workes worthie great commendation and deseruing well of the Church of God I trust it wiil not be imputed to me as a vice which in others is accounted as a vertue Further if I shall seeme to any with the vnskilfull limmer to haue ioyned humano capiti cervicem equinaÌ„ in that I exceede as much the other part in prolixitie as come short of it in dexteritie I hope I shall the more easily obtaine pardon considering it was my first draught not hauing taken pensill in hand before and seeing the worke which I was to finish was caput Veneris the faire face of Uenâ—â—s I chose rather because I could not hit of the iust proportion which J aimed at to exceede measure a little then to be defectiue thinking thereby to sute them the better seeing beautie or fairenes to speake more properly consists only in greatnes as the Philosopher saith And some perhaps may think that it falleth out well in that I haue giuen it more bodie because it had lesse spirit But what others thinke or say for as in other things so in this lookers on will haue their words it skilleth not so I may haue the approbation of the godly and well affected Reader especially your Worshipfull â—â—tronage to whome I humbly commend it as the first fruits of my labours a simple floure growing in a schollars garden desiring it may be suffered to grow either in the shadow or sunneshine of your protection that so of the godly it may be better accepted and of the caterpiller the lesse touched those I meane which will correct the Uerbe before they vnderstand the Nowne condemning that which they ought rather to commend at least which they cannot amend Uouchsafe therefore Right Worsh. to receiue this poore present as a pledge of my vnfained loue and humble dutie and a testimonie of my thankefulnes to God for his manifold graces of prudence iustice sobrietie meekenes humilitie liberalitie bestowed vpon you especially your loue of his truth and continuall meditation in his word which was the thing that mooued me all by-respects sâ—t aside to offer this Commentarie to your view and to haue it graced with your countenance that by this meanes I might the more stirre vp and kindle if it were possible your loue and liking of the word by adding fewel to the fire and oyle to the flame It is recorded of Theodosius the second that he writ the New Testament ouer with his owne hand and of Alphonsus King of Spayne and Naples that he read the Bible 14 times ouer with the ordinarie Glosse the best helpe he had in those daies And J doubt not but that you will peruse this exposition at your leisure and still continue to reade the holy Scripture as hetherto you haue done and so be answerable to that which is voiced of you and to that extraordinarie commendation which your faithfull Pastour hath often giuen of your diligence and dexteritie in that behalfe Now let me adde this one thing that though there be not the like efficacie in a dead letter that is in a liuely voice yet the bare reading of the Scripture is of great and singular vse which may appeare by this that it is so often commanded by preâ—â—pt so highly commended by the practise of the Saints and so straightly forbidden as by cruel Antiochus so by the Romane Antichrist neither dare I denie but that God hath and doth vse it not onely as a meanes of edification but also of working the conuersion of many of his seruants as Augustine confesseth of himselfe that he was conuerted by reading that place in Paul Rom. 13. 14. conuerted I say not as a heretike onely which is reclaimed from his erronious opinions but as a lost sheepe which is reduced and brought home from the errour of his way Notwithstanding in reading the Scripture to goe alone is not so safe a guide therefore is necessarie as the Eunuch confesseth which may be as the Mercurialis statua to point a man to the right way And this guide is either the outward or the inward guide the outward guide I speake of reading onely is a Commentarie especially such a one as a sanctified spirit hath much breathed vpon seeing it is the best learning the Theorick of him which is skilfull in the Practicke The inward guide is the spirit of Reuelation which dwelleth onely in a humble docible and obedient heart which whosoeuer bringeth hath apromise that he shall know the truth Ioh. 7. 17. and vnderstand the secrets of God Psal. 25. 14. and without which the Scriptures are but as a Riddle or a clasped booke For the full and perfect knowledge of the word consisteth as Epiphanius saith in vnderstanding and feeling that is not in bare speculation onely swimming in the braine but in a sensible sauing knowledge sinking into the affections of the heart and by this latter the comfortable meaning of the Scripture is better vnderstood then by all the speculations of the most curious Skepâ—â—kes as
nay they cannot totally and finally fall from grace For first if any thing should make them fall away it is sinne but they cannot sinne because the seede of regeneration and grace remaineth in them 1. Ioh. 3. 9. And though the Church sleepe yet her heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. And if any thing make them faint it is affliction and persecution but these and all other crosses worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. And therefore these are no hinderances but furtherances rather to their saluation Secondly they are built and founded vpon the promise of God I will put my spirit into their hearts so that they shall not depart from me Ierem. 32. 40. Therefore Christ doth so preserue them by his power preuent them by his grace guard and guide them by his spirit that they shall neuer fall away and that none shall plucke them out of his hand Ioh. 10. I adde further that they are built vpon the trueth and fidelitie of his promise God is faithfull and wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. Thirdly vpon the praier of Christ who praied that they might be kept from euill Ioh. 17. 15. that they might be one in the Trinitie as he in the father and the father in him v. 21. that they may be with him and see his glorie v. 24. Now Christ was alway heard in that which he praied for Ioh. 11. 42. Lastly vpon the life of Christ which is communicated to all his liuing members Gal. 2. v. 20. When Christ which is their life shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glorie Coloss. 3. 4. Quest. If they cannot altogether faint and fall away why doth the holy Ghost make a doubt of it as though they might Ans. It is the will of God to mooue vs to perseuerance and to stirre vp our dulnesse by such speeches that we should not be wanting to our our selues in the vse of the meanes 10. While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith In these words the Apostle doeth iterate the conclusion propounded in the sixt verse as also in the ninth verse immediately going before that we should doe the good we can while we haue time and withall he doeth illustrate it both by the obiect to whome we must doe good and by the circumstance of time howe long we must continue therein And herein he answereth a secret demande which might be made vpon the former rule for whereas it might be thought that the Gentiles which professe not the same religion with vs were to be neglected or at least not so respected as we reade Act. 6. v. 1. the Gretians were neglected of the Ebrewes in their daily ministerie the Apostle answereth that we must not restraine our bouÌ„tie and goodnesse onely to those that are of the same religion with vs but enlarge it vnto all We must doe good vnto all men but specially to them of the houshold of faith In the words we may consider three things First the dutie it selfe Let vs doe good Secondly the obiect or persons to whome we must doe good which is laid downe comparatiuâ—ly we must doe good to all but specially to those that are of the houshold of faith Thirdly the circumstance of time when and how long we are to doe good whilest we haue time of these in order and first of the dutie This generall dutie of doing good is recommended vnto vs by sundrie arguments The first may be taken from the maine ende and scope of a mans life in this world which as Paul signifieth in this place is nothing else but to doe good and this doing of good standeth in three things the first concerneth God in praysing magnifying and adoring his holy name Dauid had an eie to this ende when he desired to liue for no other ende but that he might praise God O let my soule liue and it shall praise thee The second concerneth our selues in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by making our calling and election sure by good 2. Pet. 1. 10. This ende of a mans life Salomon intimateth when he saith Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of man Eccles. 12. v. 13. The third concerneth our brethren in doing good vnto them so farre forth as possibly we can in the compasse of our calling for it is the ende of euery mans calling in seruing of men to serue God and this is that which Paul vrgeth in this place to be beneficiall vnto all The second may be taken from the example of God himselfe We must doe good to them that hate vs that we may be the children of our heauenly father Matth. 5. v. 44 45. For we are more conformeble vnto God in doing good vnto others it beeing an essentiall propertie in God to doe good to euery man seeing that euery creature doth drinke or at least taste of the sweet cuppe of Gods goodnesse Psal. 145. v. 9. then in receiuing good from them for he receiueth nothing from vs as Dauid saith My goodnesse reacheth not to thee Psal. 16. v. 2. To the exaÌ„ple of God we may add the exaÌ„ple of godly kings The cheifest praise and commendation of Hezekiah and Iosiah is noted by their goodnesse Concerning the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his GOODNESSE they are written 2. Chron. 32. 32. Concerning the rest of the acts of Iosiah his GOODNESSE doing as it was written in the Lawe of the Lord beholde they are written 2. Chron. 25. 26 27. And this excellent name of goodnesse or bountifulnesse was as it may seeme by the Lawe of nations ascribed to Princes and Potentates in that it best beseemed them as in name so in the vertue it selfe to expresse the diuine nature of God by and therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is bountifull benefactors or gratious Lords Luk. 23. 25. The third is drawne from testimonie diuine and humane Our Sauiour Christ saith It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Act. 20. 3. that is to doe good rather then to receiue good Nazianzen saith that a man doth resemble good in no propertie so much as in doing good And the heathen Orator Demosthenes could say that doing of good and speaking the truth makes vs most like to God himselfe But to consider this more particularly Goodnes is threefold Preseruing Vniting Communicating in all which particulars we are to practise this dutie And first for the preseruing goodnes we must doe good not onely to our selues but to others also in labouring to keepe and preserue them from the contagion of finne from falling from grace or backsliding from their holy profession by all good meanes as
tabulae and therefore is to haue care that true religion be professed and the contemners thereof punished An example hereof we haue in good King Iosiah who caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin that is all his subiects to stand to the couenant which he made with the Lord nay which is more he compelled all that were found in Ierusalem to serue the Lord their God 2. Chron. 24. 32 33. among which multitude many there were no doubt which did like better of Idolatrie then of Gods worship as the word compelled doth import The King that made that great supper commanded his seruants to coÌ„pell the guests to come in vnto him Luk. 14. 23. whence Augustine gathereth that it is the Magistrates dutie to compell recusants schismatikes heretikes and such like to the hearing and professing of the word But here three things are commonly obiected against this doctrine Obiect I. To compell men to embrace true religion is to make them goe against their conscience which the Magistrate ought not to doe as some Papists haue asfirmed that they would not for tenne thousand worlds compell a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie because he should be damned for swearing against his conscience although the thing were neuer so true Ans. I. If it were so hainous a sinne to compell any to embrace true religion because it is against their conscience why doe Popish Prelates and Magistrates compell Protestants and that by exquisite torments to reconcile themselues to the Church of Rome to sweare obedience to the Pope to acknowledge TraÌ„substantiation and to heare Masse which they know are directly against their conscience II. If they will not compell men to doe any thing though neuer so good or godly because it is against their conscience why should they not be as scrupulous in restraining them from doing that which is vnlawfull because they are perswaded in conscience they ought to doe it For if they compell men to omit that which they beleeue to be good because they know it to be euill as their owne practise prooueth in that they will not suffer Protestants to pray publikely in a knowne tongue nor receiue the Sacrament in both kinds c. why doe they not compell them also to doe that which they know to be good though they thinke it to be euill III. The Magistrate is to compell men to embrace true religion or to punish them for their obstinacie in not harkening to the word because he is to vse the meanes to reclaime them and to winne them to a loue and liking of the truth Now so long as they are vrged to heare the word there is hope they may be wonne againe and experience shewes as Augustine testifieth of the Donatists that they which did professe religion at the first meerely by compulsion may afterwards by the mercie of God professe it onely for deuoâ—ion And what though some come not to learne but to carpe and cauill yet God may cast the nette of his mercie so farre ouer them that contrarie to their purpose they may be caught IIII. If the Magistrate who may compell them and so reclaime them doe suffer them to continue in their errours or heresies without controlment he is guiltie of their sinne but by compelling them he hath discharged his dutie for albeit they beeing compelled doe dissemble and play the hypocrites doe lie and forsweare themselues that is not the Magistrates sinne who intendeth nothing but their conuersion and saluation it is their owne proper and personall sinne Obiect II. Men ought to be perswaded to embrace religion and induced to beleeue but not compelled for the will can not be compelled Ans. True it is the will cannot be compelled and as true is it likewise that the Magistrate doth not compell any to beleeue for when a man doth beleeue and from his heart embrace true religion he doth it willingly notwithstanding meanes are to be vsed to make them willing that are vnwilling and the meanes is to compell them to come to our assemblies to heare the word and to learne the grounds of true religion for it is Gods commandement men should prooue the spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. that so they may know the truth and cleaue vnto it Augustine saith fitly and finely to this purpose Quod autem vobis videtur invites ad veritatem non esse cogendâ—â— erratis nescientes Scripturas neque virtutem Dei qui eos volentes facit dum coguntur inviti Secondly when Papists receiue the Sacrament sweare allegeance to their Prince present themselues in our congregations who knowes that they doe these things against their conscience nay rather we ought in charitie to thinke that they are perswaded in conscience they may doe them when by oath and protestation they confesse so much But be it they did all in hypocrisie shall the execution of godly lawes therefore cease because hypocrites will not obey but in dissimulation Obiect III. The Magistrate by compelling Recusants to the outward profession of religion maketh them to play the hypocrites to counterfaiâ— and dissemble Ans. The Magistrate in executing the lawes hath no such intent but onely that they might heare the word beleeue it and be saued Againe Protestant recusants in other countries are not allowed by Papists to alleadge their conscience for their refusall but are compelled either to conforme themselues or to vndergoe cruell torments no more may such pretence of conscience excuse the Papists or other heretikes but that they should receiue the same measure which they mete to others II. Quest. How can it be truly said that the false Apostles compelled men to receiue circumcision seeing Titus was not compelled to be circumcised Gal. 2. 3. Ans. That place maketh nothing against the text in hand the meaning is that Paul for his part was readie to haue circumcised Titus as he did Timothie Act. 16. 3. rather then offend the weake brethren But when it came to this point that they would needes vrge circumcision as a thing necessarie to saluation Paul refused to do it for all the false brethren that crept in v. 4. that is notwithstanding they laboured by all meanes to bring it in vse againe Neither did the Apostles vrge it or require it as a thing necessarie to saluation III. It may be demaunded whether that circumcision beeing so vehemently vrged by the false Apostles might not haue beene vsed Answ. It might not For albeit it be in it selfe a thing indifferent and so it skilleth not whether a man be circumcized or not as Paul saith Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing yet beeing vrged as a matter oâ— absolute necessitie as without which men could not be saued Act. 15. 1. it ought not to be vsed The like may be said of all indifferent things if they be made essentiall pâ—rts of Gods worship or necessarie to saluation as the vse of meates and drinkes obseruing of times and seasons wearing this or that habit or
the naturall obseruation of the law without the death of Christ. But it is false which they say For Paul here speakes against Christian Iewes who ioyned the law and the Gospel and looked to be iustified both by Christ and by the works of the law and not by workes of the law done by strength of nature but by works of grace CHAP. III. 1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight and among you crucified THat we may see how this chapter depends on the former we must repeat the principall argument of the Epistle If I was called of God my doctrine be true then ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel but I was called of God and my doctrine is true therefore ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel The first part of the minor that Paul was called of God was handled in the first and second chapters The second part that his doctrine is true is handled in the third fourth and fifth and is propounded in this verse Moreouer the Conclusion of the argument set downe Chap. 1. v. 6. is here againe repeated namely that the Galatians should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel And withall Paul here notes the causes of their Reuolt and they are two One is follie O foolish Galatians The other is the deceit of false teachers who hath bewitched you Whereas Paul saith O foolish Galatians that we mistake not his example three questions may be demanded The first is In what respect he giues this hard iudgement against them Ans. Three things are subiected to Iudgement the doctrines of men the liues of men and the persons of men Doctrines are to be iudged by the word and the liues of men yet ordinarily the persons of men are not to be iudged For the saying is true that three things are not subiect to iudgement the Counsels of God the Scriptures and the persons of men And in this place Paul giues iudgement not against the Galatians themselues or against their persons but against their new conceiued doctrin and against their practise in Reuolting The second question is whether this iudgement be righteous and true iudgement Ans. It is because it is vpon good ground For first of all Paul giues this censure by vertue of his calling because his office was to reprooue and correct vice Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Secondly it was in truth For indeede they ouerturned the passion of Christ and therefore he could not call them lesse then fooles Thirdly this iudgement was giuen in loue For Paul intended and desired nothing in this speach but their good and amendment Vpon like grounds Isai calls the Israelites people of Sodome and Gomorrha Isa. 1. Christ calls the two disciples foolish and slow of heart to beleeue Luk. 24. 25. Paul calls the Cretians lyers and slow bellies Tit. 1. 12. But Matth. 5. 22. may be obiected where he is said to be in danger of a Councill that saith Thou foole Ans. The place is to be vnderstood of them that charge men with follie with a mind to reproch them and in way of reuenge which Paul in this place doth not The third question is whether we may vse like iudgement against men Ans. Vpon like grounds we may if we haue a warrant and calling from God so to doe For all iudgement is Gods Rom. 14. 10. if this iudgement be in truth if it be in charitie for the amendment of the parties and for the good of others Otherwise if these grounds faile vs we may not giue iudgement against any man but must follow the iudgement of charitie which thinks no euill hopes the best and construes all things in the best part 1. Cor. 13. To come to the second cause Paul saith Who hath bewitched you that is who hath deceiued you as if ye were bewitched by some inchantments Here Paul takes it for a confessed truth that there is witchcraft and witches And that we may the better conceiue his meaning two questions are to be propounded The first is what is the witchcraft here meant Ans. It is a Satanicall operation whereby the senses of men are deluded For the deuill can by certaine meanes delude and corrupt the phantasie or the imagination and cause men to thinke that of themselues which is otherwise There is a disease called Lycanthropia in which the braine beeing distempered men thinke themselues to be wolues and carrie themselues as wolues And in this disease the deuill hath a great stroke Againe the deuill can delude the outward senses as the hearing and the sight Thus Iannes and Iambres turned their roddes into serpents before Pharaoh and brought frogges by deceiuing the eye and not in truth Exod. 7. and 8. Thus the witch of Endor made a counterfeit of Samuel to rise out of the earth 1. Sam. 28. The second question is if this witchcraft be an operation of Satan howmen should be said to doe it for Paul saith who or what man hath bewitched you Ans. Men doe it by league and confederacie with the deuill The inchanter charmes by ioyning societies Psal. 58. 5. The deuill seekes whome he may deuoure and therefore where he finds a fit person to worke vpon he infinuates and offers himselfe And after men be in league with him he hath a word and sacraments for them as God hath and he requireth faith as God doth And looke as theeues some lie in the way some in the wood and they in the way when a bootie comes giue a watchword to the rest and then all are at hand together Euen so when men in league with the deuill vse charmes imprecations curses praises superstitious inuocations according to his appointment and other Satanicall ceremonies a watchword is likewise giuen vnto him and he is straight at hand to doe the intended feate Thus and no otherwise are men said to bewitch or delude the eye That which Paul saith to the Galatians if he were now liuing among vs he would likewise say to vs O foolish nation who hath bewitched you We are wise in matters of the world but in matters concerning the kingdome of heauen the most of vs are fooles besotted and bewitched with worldly eares and pleasures without sense in matters of religion like a peece of waxe without all forme fit to take the forme and print of any religion And we must take heede least this our foolishnes and intoxication of our senses lead vs headlong to perdition And therefore we must learne the way of life in humilitie Psal. 25. 9. We must obey it and in obedience we shall learne it Ioh. 7. 17. We must as heartily loue the word of God as in minde we conceiue it least by not louing of it we be giuen vp to strong illusions to beleeue lies 2. Thess. 2. 10. Lastly we must pray to God to be taught and guided by his word and spirit in things pertaining to
euerlasting life To proceede further the delusion or bewitching of the Galatians is set forth by two arguments The first is the ende in these words that ye should not obey the truth Before I come to the consideration of these words a doubt must be resolued For some man may say that this Epistle is corrupted because these words are wanting in sundrie translations and editions of the Bible and Ierome saith that they were not found in the copies of the bible in his daies Ans. In the Editions and translations of the bible there are sundrie differences and diuersities of readings and these differences are not the fault of the Scripture but of the men which vsed to write out the bible for the bible heretofore was spread abroad not by printing but by writing Againe though in the bookes of the bible there be sundrie varieties of reading yet the prouidence of God hath so watched ouer the Bible that the sense thereof remaineth intire sound and incorrupt specially in the grounds of religion And not the words principally but the sense is the Scripture And that which I say appeareth in this text for whether these words be left in or put out the sense of the verse is one and the same These words that ye should not obey the truth are meant of the obedience of faith Rom. 1. 5 and 16. 28. And the obedience of faith is propounded vnto vs without adding detracting or changing And this the Galatians did not for they added iustification by workes to the doctrine of Paul touching iustification by faith alone by which addition they depraued the truth and shewed that indeede they beleeued not the truth Here let vs obserue the scope of all the malice of the deuill and that is to hinder or ouerthrow our faith The first thing the deuill aimed at in our first parents was to ouerthrow their faith and to cause them to doubt of the truth of Gods word The first temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted was against his faith as he was man If thou be the sonne of God thou canst cause these stones in thy hunger to be made bread but thou canst not cause these stones to be made bread therefore thou art not the child of God The deuill desired to sift out all the faith of the Apostles and to leaue in them nothing but the chaffe of vnbeleefe Luk. 22. The deuill blindes the eyes of men that the light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ may not shine vnto them 2. Cor. 4. 4. This must teach vs that we must not onely hold and know the true religion for the time but also build our selues vpon our faith Iud. v. 20. and be rooted and stablished vpon our faith and religion Col. 1. 23. and the rather because it hath bin the manner of this nation wickedly to change religion with the times And that we may indeede be rooted vpon our religion we must not boast of the greatnes and strength of our faith but rather labour to see in our selues a sea of vnbeleefe heartily to bewaile it and to striue to beleeue and so to goe on from faith to faith The truth here mentioned is the heauenly doctrine of the Gospel so called for two causes First because it is an absolute truth without errour It is a principle not to be called in question that the Apostles and Prophets in writing and preaching could not erre It may be said they were men as we are and therefore subiect to erre and be deceiued in iudgement Ans. Iudgement is twofold One conceiued by the discourse of naturall reason the other conceiued by the apprehension of things reuealed by God In the first the Apostles and Prophets might erre and be deceiued as Nathan and Peter were In the second they could not because it was framed in them by the inspiration and instinct of the holy Ghost And therefore they neuer erred either in preaching or writing The second cause why the Gospel is called the truth is because it is a most worthie truth namely the truth which is according to godlines Tit. 1. It may be said what is the truth and how shall we know it considering there be so many dissentions Ans. First make thy selfe fit to know and then shalt thou know the truth And thou shalt be fitted to know the truth if thou first of all giue thy selfe to obey it Read the golden text Ioh. 7. v. 17. Obey and ye shall know The second thing whereby the delusion of the Galatians is expressed is the signe thereof in these words to whome Iesus Christ was described c. that is to whome I haue preached the doctrine of saluation by Christ in liuely and euident manner euen as if Christ had bin painted before your eyes and had bin crucified in or among you And this is a manifest token that the Galatians were deluded because they could not acknowledge the truth whē it was set forth vnto them as it were in orient colours And where Paul saith that Christ was before described I referre it to the time before their reuolt Here first we are to obserue the properties of the Ministerie of the word The first that it must be plaine perspicuous and euident as if the doctrine were pictured and painted out before the eyes of men Therefore the Church of Rome deales wickedly in keeping the Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue For this is to couer that from the people which is to be painted before the eyes of their minds Againe that kind of preaching is to be blamed in which there is vsed a mixed kind of varietie of languages before the vnlearned For this is a signe to vnbeleeuers 1. Cor. 14. 22. And in this kind of preaching we doe not paint Christ but we paint out our owne selues It is a by-word among vs It was a very plaine sermon And I say againe the plainer the better The second propertie of the Ministerie of the word is that it must be powerfull and liuely in operation and as it were crucifying Christ within vs and causing vs to feele the vertue of his passion The word preached must pearce into the heart like a two edged sword Hebr. 4. 12. true prophecie iudgeth men discouereth the things of the heart and causeth men to to say The Lord is within you 1. Cor. 14. 25. The scepter of Christ whereby he smiteth the nations is in his mouth Isa. 11. 4. that is in the Ministerie of the word Ier. 15. 19. And it is the same Ministerie which shaketh heauen and earth Agg. 2. 5. By this it appeaeeth that to take a text and to make a discourse vpon something in the said text shewing much inuention of wit and much reading and humane learning is not to preach Christ in a liuely manner It will be said what then I answer with Paul who is sufficient either for the speaking or doing of these things yet something may be shewed Know therefore that the effectuall and powerful preaching of