Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 4 · Verse extract 12 – Verse extract 12
Verſe. 12. Be ye as I: for I am euen as you.
Hetherto Paule hath ben occupied wholy in teaching, and being moued with this great enormitie and wicked reuolting of the Galathians, he was vehemētly incenſed againſt them, and chid them bitterly, calling them fooles, bewitched, not beleuing the truth, crucifiers of Chriſt, &c. Now, the greater part of his Epiſtle being finiſhed,The Apoſtle novv ſpeketh them faire, vvhom before he did ſharply chide. he beginneth to perceiue that he had handled them too ſharply. Therefore being carefull leſt he ſhould doe more hurt then good through his ſeueritie, he ſheweth that this his ſharpe chiding proceded of a fatherly affection and a true Apoſtolical heart: And ſo he amplifieth the matter with ſweete and gentle wordes, to the ende that if he had offended any (as no dout there were many offended) by theſe ſweete & louing words he might winne them againe.
And here by his owne example he admoniſheth all Paſtours and Miniſters, that they ought to beare a fatherly and motherly affection:A right patern of a godly paſtour. not towardes rauening wolues, but towardes the poore ſheepe, miſerably ſeduced and going aſtray, patiently bearing with their faultes and infirmities,Galath. 6.1. inſtructing and reſtoring them wt the ſpirite of mekenes: For they can not be brought into the right way againe by any other meanes: and by ouer ſharpe reprouing and rebuking they are prouoked to anger, or elſe to deſperation, but not to repentaunce. And here is to be noted by the way, that ſuch is the nature and frute of true and ſound doctrine, that when it is well taught and well vnderſtand,The frute of ſoūd doctrine. it ioyneth mens hearts together with a ſinguler concord: but when men reiect godly and ſincere doctrine, and embrace errors, this vnitie and concord is ſoone broken.The agrement of mindes is broken by vvicked doctrine. Therfore as ſoone as thou ſeeſt thy brethern ſeduced by vaine and fantaſticall ſpirites, to fall from the article of Iuſtification, thou ſhalt perceiue that by and by they wil purſue the faithfull with bitter hatred, whom before they moſt tenderly loued.
This we find to be true at this day in our falſe brethern and other Sectaries, who at the beginning of the reformation of the Goſpell, were glad to heare vsus, and redde our Bookes with great zeale and affection. They acknowledged the grace of the holy Ghoſt in vsus, and reuerenced vsus for the ſame as the miniſters of God. Some of them alſo liued familiarly with vsus for a time, and behaued them ſelues very modeſtly and ſoberly.They vvhichwhich fall frō ſound doctrine, become vvorſe thē they vver before. But when they were departed from vsus and peruerted by the wicked doctrine of the Sectaries, they ſhewed them ſelues more bitter enemies to our doctrine & our name then any other. I doe much and often maruell whervpon they ſhould conceiue ſuch a deadly hatred againſt vsus, whom they before ſo dearly and ſo tenderly loued: For we offended them not in any thing, nor gaue them any occaſion to hate vsus. Yea they are conſtrained to confeſſe yt we deſire nothing more then that the glory of God may be aduaunced, the benefite of Chriſte truely knowne, and the truth of the Goſpel purely taught: which God hath now againe in theſe later dayes reueiled by vsus vntounto this vnthankfull world: which thing ſhould rather prouoke them to louelove vsus then to hate vsus. I maruel therfore not without cauſe, wherof this chaunge cometh. Verely there is no other cauſe, but that they hauehave gotten vntounto them ſelues new maſters & harkened to new teachers, whoſe poyſon hath ſo infected thē, that now of very frends they are become our mortall enemies.The conditiō of the Apoſtles. And I ſee the condition of the Apoſtles & all other faithful miniſters to be ſuch, that their diſciples and hearers being once infected with the errours of the falſe Apoſtles and heretikes, hauehave & doe ſet them ſelues againſt them, and become their enemies. There were very fewe amongſt the Galathians which continued in the ſound doctrine of the Apoſtle: All the reſt being ſeduced by the falſe apoſtles, did not acknowledge Paule for their paſtour and teacher any more: yea there was nothing more odious vntounto them then the name and doctrine of Paule. And I feare me that this Epiſtle brought very few of them backe againe from their errour.
If the like caſe ſhould happen vntounto vsus: that is to ſay, if in our abſence our Church ſhould be ſeduced by fantaſticall heads, & we ſhould wryte hither, not one or two, but many Epiſtles: we ſhould preuaile litle or nothing at all. Our men (a few onelyonly excepted of the ſtronger ſort) would vſe themſelues no otherwiſe towardes vsus, then they doe at this day which are ſeduced by the Sectaries: who would ſooner worſhip the Pope, then they would obey our admonitions or approue our doctrine. No man ſhall perſwade them that they, reiecting Chriſt, doe returne againe to weake and beggerly elementes, & to thoſe which by nature are no Gods. They can abide nothing leſſe, then to heare that their teachers by whom they are ſeduced, are ouerthrowers of ye Goſpell of Chriſt, and troublers of mens conſciences. The Lutherans (ſay they) are not onelyonly wiſe, they alone doe not preach Chriſte, they alone hauehave not the holy Ghoſt, the gift of propheſie, and the true vnderſtanding of the Scriptures.The Anabaptiſts bragge altogether of the ſpirite, of illuminations & reuelatiōs. Our teachers are in nothing inferiour vntounto them: yea in many things they excell them, becauſe they folowe the ſpirite and teach ſpirituall things. Contrariwiſe they neuer yet taſted what true Diuinitie ment, but ſticke in the letter, and therefore they teach nothing but the Catechiſme, Faith, and charity. &c. Wherfore,Falling from Faith is eaſie. like as to fall in Faith is an eaſie matter (as I am wont to ſay) ſo is it moſt perillous: to witte, euen from the high heauen into the deepe pitte of hell. It is not ſuch as properly foloweth the nature of man, as murther, adultery and ſuch like, but deuiliſh & the proper worke of the deuil. For they which ſo fal, cā not be eaſily recouered again, but moſt cōmonly they continue peruerſe & obſtinate in their errour. Therfore ye later ende of thoſe men is worſe then the beginning: As our Sauiour Chriſt witneſſeth when he ſayth: The vncleane ſpirit being caſt out of his houſe, when he returneth he entreth in againe not alone, but taketh vntounto him ſeuen ſpirits worſe then himſelfe, and there dwelleth. &c.
Paule therefore perceauing through the reuelation of the holy Ghoſt, that it was to be feared leſt the mindes of the Galathians, whō of a godly zeale he had called foliſh and bewitched. &c. ſhould rather by this ſharpe chiding be more ſtirred vppe againſt him then amended, (eſpecially ſince he now knew that ye falſe apoſtles were among them, who would expoūd this ſharpe chiding which proceded from a fatherly affection to the worſt, and would crie out: Now, Paule which ſome of you ſo greatly praiſe, ſheweth what he is, and with what ſpirit he is led: when he was wt you he would ſeme to be vntounto you a father, but his letters ſhew in his abſence that he is a tyranne. &c.) therefore he is ſo troubled through a godly care & fatherly affection, that he can not well tell how and what to wryte to them. For it is a dangerous thing for a man to defend his cauſe with thoſe which are abſent and hauehave now begun to hate him, who alſo be perſwaded by others that his cauſe is not good. Therfore being in great perplexitie, he ſayth a litle after:Galath. 4.20. I am troubled and at my wittes ende for your cauſe: that is, I know not what to doe, or how to deale with you.
Verſe. 12. Be ye as I am, for I am as ye are.
Theſe wordes are to be vnderſtand, not of doctrine, but of affections. Therefore the meaning is not: Be ye as I am: that is to ſay,He mitigateth his former sharpe chiding. thinke of doctrine as I doe: but beare ſuch an affection towardes me as I doe towardes you. As though he would ſay: Perhappes I hauehave too ſharply chidden you, but pardon this my ſharpnes, and iudge not my heart by my wordes, but my wordes by the affection of my heart. My wordes ſeme rough and my chaſtiſement ſharpe, but my heart is louing and fatherly. Therfore (O my Galathians) take this my chiding with ſuch a minde as I beare towards you: For the matter required that I ſhould ſhew my ſelfe ſo ſharpe and ſeuere towardes you.
Euen ſo may we alſo ſay of our ſelues. Our correction is ſeuere, and our maner of wryt…ng ſharpe and vehement: but certainly there is no bitternes in our heart, no enuie, no deſire of reuenge againſt our aduerſaries: but there is in vsus a godly carefulnes and ſorrow of ſpirit. We doe not ſo hate ye Pope and other erroneous ſpirites, that we wiſh any euil vntounto them, or deſire their deſtruction: but rather we deſire that they may returne againe to the right way, and be ſaued together with vsus.The Maſter. The Scholemaſter chaſtiſeth his ſcholer, not to hurt him, but to reforme him. The rodde is ſharpe, but correction is neceſſary for the childe, and the heart of him that correcteth, louing and frendly. So the father chaſtiſeth his ſonne,The Father. not to deſtroy him, but to reforme & amend him.Chaſtiſement neceſſary and profitable. Stripes are ſharpe and greuous to ye childe, but the fathers heart is louing and kinde: And vnleſſe he loued his childe, he would not chaſtiſe him, but caſt him of, deſpaire of his welfare, and ſuffer him to periſh. This correction therfore which he geueth to his childe, is a token of a fatherly affection, and is profitable for the childe. Euen ſo, O my Galathians, thinke ye likewiſe of my dealing towards you: then will ye not iudge my chiding to be ſharpe and bitter, but profitable for you. Chaſtiſement for the preſent time ſeemeth not to be ioyous, Heb. 12.11.but greuous: but aftervvards it bringeth the quiet frute of righteouſnes vntounto them vvhichwhich are exerciſed thereby. Let the ſame affection therfore be in you towardes me, which I hauehave towardes you. I beare a louing heart towards you: the ſame I deſire againe of you.
Thus he ſpeaketh them faire, and with this faire ſpeech he ſtill continueth, that he might pacifie their mindes which were ſtirred vp againſt him by his ſharpe chiding. Notwithſtanding he reuoketh not his ſeuere wordes. In deede he confeſſeth that they were ſharpe and bitter: but neceſſitie (ſayth he) compelled me to reprehend you ſomewhat ſharply & ſeuerely: but that which I did, proceded of a ſincere & louing heart towards you.The Phiſitian. The Phiſitian geueth a bitter potion to his patient, not to hurt him, but to cure him. If then the bitternes of the medicine which is geuen to the ſicke body is not to be imputed to the Phiſitian, but to the medicine and the maladie: iudge ye alſo in like maner of my ſeuere and ſharpe reprehenſion.
Verſe. 12.
Brethern, I beſeech you: ye hauehave not hurt me at all.
Is this to beſeech the Galathians, when he calleth them bewitched, diſobedient to the truth, and crucifiers of Chriſte? It ſeemeth rather to be a great rebuke. But contrariwiſe Paule ſayeth, that it is no rebuke but an earneſt beſeeching: and in deede ſo is it.The ſtripes of a friend, are better then the kiſſes of an enemie. And it is as much as if he ſayd: I confeſſe that I hauehave chidden you ſomewhat bitterly, but take it in good part, and then ſhall ye finde this my chiding, to be no chiding, but a praying and a beſeeching. If a father likewiſe doe ſharply correct his ſonne, it is as much as if he ſayde: My ſonne I pray thee be a good childe. &c. It ſeemeth in deede to be a correction, but if ye reſpect the fathers heart, it is a gentle & an earneſt beſeching.
Verſe. 12.
Ye hauehave not hurt me at all.
As if he ſayd: Why ſhould I be angrie with you, or of a malicious minde ſpeake euill of you, ſeing ye hauehave nothing offended me?An obiection. Why then ſayeſt thou that we are peruerted, that we hauehave forſaken thy doctrine, that we are fooliſh, bewitched? &c. Theſe things do witneſſe that we hauehave offended thee. He āſwereth: Ye hauehave not offended me, but your ſelues: and therefore I am thus troubled, not for mine owne cauſe, but for the louelove I beare vntounto you. Thinke not therfore that my chiding did procede of malice, or any euill affection. For I take God to witnes, ye hauehave done me no wrong, but contrariwiſe ye hauehave beſtowed great benefites vponupon me.
Thus ſpeaking them faire, he prepareth their mindes to ſuffer his fatherly chaſtiſements wt a childely affection. And this is to tēper wormewode or a bitter potion with honie and ſuger, to make it ſweete againe. So parentes ſpeake their children faire when they hauehave well beaten them, geuing them apples, peares and other like things, whereby the children know that their parentes louelove them and ſeeke to doe them good, how ſharpe ſo euer their correction doth appeare.