Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 1 · Verse extract 4
Verſe. 4. VVhichWhich gaue himſelfe for our ſinnes.
Paule in a maner in eueryevery word handleth the argumēt of this Epiſtle. He hath nothing in his mouth but chriſt, & therfore in eueryevery word ther is a feruencie of ſpirite and life. And marke how well & to the purpoſe he ſpeaketh. He ſayth not, which hath receaued our works at our hāds, nor, which hath receaued the ſacrifices of Moiſes law, worſhippings, religions, Maſſes, vowes, and pilgrimages: But hath geuen. What? not golde nor ſiluer, nor beaſtes, nor paſchall lambes, nor an angel, but him ſelfe. VVhichWhich hath geuen himſelf.For what? Not for a crowne, not for a kingdome, not for our holines or righteouſnes, but for our ſinnes. Theſe words are very thū der claps from heauen againſt all kindes of righteouſnes: like as is alſo this ſentence of Iohn:Iohn. 1.36. Behold the lambe of God that taketh avvay the ſinnes of the vvorld. Therfore we muſt with diligent attention marke eueryevery word of Paule, and not ſlenderly conſider them or lightly paſſe them ouer: for they are full of conſolation, and confirme fearfull conſciences exceedingly.
But how may we obtaine remiſſion of our ſinnes? Paule anſwereth, that the man which is called Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God hath geuē him ſelfe for them. Theſe are excellēt & moſt comfortable words, & are promiſes of the olde law, that our ſinnes are taken away by none other meane, then by the ſonne of God deliuered vntounto death. With ſuch gunnes and ſuch artillarie muſt the Papacie be deſtroyed, and all the all the religions of the heathen, all works, all merits and all ſuperſtitious ceremonies. For if our ſinnes may be taken away by our owne works, merites and ſatiſfactions, what needed the ſonne of God to be giuen for them? But ſeeing he was giuen for them, it followeth, that we can not doe them away by our owne works.
Againe, by this ſentence it is declared, that our ſinnes are ſo great, ſo infinite and inuincible, that it is impoſſible for the whole world to ſatiſfie for one of them: and ſurely the greatnes of the raunſome (namely Chriſt the ſonne of God, who gaue himſelfe for our ſinnes) declareth ſufficiently, that we can neither ſatiſfie for ſinne, nor hauehave dominion ouer it. The force and power of ſinne is ſet forth and amplified by theſe words excedingly: vvhichwhich gaue himſelf for our ſinnes. The greatnes of ſin is to be vveied by the greatnes of the price.Therfore here is to be marked the infinite greatnes of the price beſtowed for it, and then will it appeare euidently, that the power of it is ſo great, that by no meanes it could be put away, but that the ſonne of God muſt needes be geuen for it. He that conſidereth theſe things well, vnderſtandeth that this one word Sinne, comprehendeth Gods euerlaſting wrath, & the whole kingdome of Sathan, and that it is a thing more horrible then can be expreſſed: which oughte to moue vsus, and make vsus affraide in deede. But we are careleſſe, yea we make lighte of ſinne and a matter of nothing: which although it bring with it the ſting and remorſe of conſcience, yet notwithſtanding we thinke it not to be of ſuch weight and force but that by ſome litle worke or merite we may put it away.
This ſentence therefore witneſſeth, that all men are ſeruaunts and bondſlaues of ſinne,Rom. 17 14. & (as Paule ſaith in an other place) are ſould vnderunder ſinne. And againe,Sinne a puiſāt tiraunt holding all men captiues. that ſinne is a moſt cruell & mighty tiraunt ouer all men: which can not be vanquiſhed by the power of any creatures, whether they be Angels or men, but by the ſoueraine and infinite power of Ieſus Chriſt, who hath geuen him ſelfe for the ſame.
Furthermore, this ſentence ſetteth out to the conſciences of all men which are terrified with the greatnes of their ſinnes, a ſingular comfort. For albeit ſinne be neuer ſo inuincible a tyraunt: yet notwithſtanding foraſmuch as Chriſt hath ouercome it through his death, it can not hurt thē that beleue in him. Moreouer, if we arme our ſelues with this beliefe, and cleaue with all our harts vntounto this man Ieſus Chriſt,The iudgemēt of the Godly. then is light opened and a ſounde iudgement geuen vntounto vsus, ſo as we may moſt certainly and freely iudge of all kindes of life. For when we heare that ſinne is ſuch an inuincible Tyraunt, thus incontinent by a a neceſſary conſequence we inferre: Then what do the Papiſts, Monkes, Nunnes, Prieſts, Mahometiſts, Anabaptiſts, and al ſuch as truſt in their workes, which will aboliſh and ouercome ſinne by their owne traditions, workes preparatiue, ſatiſfactions. &c? Here forthwith we iudge all thoſe ſectes to be wicked and pernicious: wherby the glory of God and of Chriſt is not onelyonly defaced, but alſo vtterly taken away, and our owne aduaunced and eſtabliſhed,
But wey diligently eueryevery word of Paule, and ſpecially marke well this pronoune Our. A great vehemencie alvvayes to be marked in pronovvnes.For the effect of altogether conſiſteth in the well applying of the pronownes, which we finde very oftē in ye ſcriptures. Wherin alſo there is euer ſome vehemencie and power. Thou wilt eaſely ſay and beleue that Chriſt the ſonne of God was geuen for the ſinnes of Peter, of Paule, and of other Sainctes, whom we accompt to hauehave bene worthy of this grace. But it is a very hard thing that thou which iudgeſt thy ſelfe vnworthy of this grace, ſhouldeſt from thy hart ſay and beleue, that Chriſt was geuen for thine inuincible, infinite, and horrible ſinnes. Therfore in generall and without the pronowne it is an eaſie matter to magnifie and amplifie the benefite of Chriſt, namely that Chriſt was geuen for ſinnes: but for other mens ſinnes which are worthy. But when it commeth to the putting too of this pronowne Our, there our weake nature and reaſon ſtarteth backe, and dare not come neere vntounto God, nor promiſe to her ſelfe that ſo great a treaſure ſhould be freely geuen vntounto her: and therfore ſhe will not hauehave to doe with God except firſt ſhe be pure and without ſinne. Wherfore although ſhe read or heare this ſentence: vvhichwhich gaue himſelfe for our ſinnes, or ſuch like, yet doth ſhe not apply this pronowne Our to her ſelfe, but vntounto others which are worthy & holy. And as for her ſelfe, ſhe will tary till ſhe be made worthy by her owne workes?
Mans reaſon doth extenuate and leſſen ſinne.This then is nothing elſe, but that mans reaſon faine would that ſinne were of no greater force and power, thē ſhe her ſelfe dreameth it to be. Hereof it commeth that the hypocrites being ignorāt of Chriſt, although they feele the remorſe of ſinne, do thinke notwithſtāding that they ſhalbe able eaſely to put it away by their good works & merits,The hypocrits vvould that theſe vvordes vvere rather ſpoken to shevv the humilitie of Paul then the greatnes of our ſinnes: for that they can not heare. & ſecretly in their harts they wiſh that theſe words: vvhichwhich gaue himſelf for our ſinnes, were but as words ſpoken in humilitie, and would hauehave their ſinnes not to be true & very ſinnes in deede, but light & ſmall matters. To be ſhort, mans reaſon would faine bring and preſent vntounto God a fained and a counterfet ſinner, which is nothing afraid, nor hath any feeling of ſinne. It would bring him that is whole, and not him that hath neede of a Phiſician, and when it feeleth no ſinne, then would it beleeue that Chriſt was geuen for our ſinnes.
The whole world is thus affected, & ſpecially they that would be counted more holy and religious then others, as Monkes,The picture of the Iuſticiaries and meritmongers. and all Iuſticiaries. Theſe confeſſe with their mouth that they are ſinners, and they confeſſe alſo that they commit ſinnes daily, howbeit not ſo great & many, but that they are able to put them away by their owne works: yea and beſides all this, they will bring their righteouſnes and deſerts to Chriſtes iudgement ſeat, and demaund the recompēce of eternal life for them at the iudges hand. In the meane while notwithſtanding, (as they pretend great humilitie) becauſe they wil not vaunt themſelues to be vtterly voide of ſinne, they faine certaine ſinnes, that for the forgeuenes therof, they may with great deuotion pray with the publican,Luke. 1….11. God be mercifull vntounto me a ſinner. VntoUnto them theſe words of S. Paule: for our ſinnes, ſeme to be but light & trifeling: Therfore they neither vnderſtand them, nor in temptation when they feele ſinne in deede, can they take any cōfort of them, but they are compelled flatly to deſpaire.
This is then the cheefe knowledge & true wiſedom of Chriſtians,The cheefe vviſedom of Chriſtians. to count theſe wordes of Paule, that Chriſt was deliuered to death, not for our righteouſnes or holines, but for our ſinnes (which are very ſinnes in dede, great, many, yea infinite and inuincible) to be moſt true, effectual, & of great importaūce. Therfore thinke them not to be ſmal, & ſuch as may be done away by thine owne works: neither yet deſpair thou for the greatnes of them if thou feele thy ſelfe oppreſſed therwith either in life or death: but learne here of Paule to beleue ye Chriſt was geuen, not for fained or counterfait ſinnes, nor yet for ſmall ſinnes, but for great & huge ſinnes: not for one or two, but for all: not for vāquiſhed ſinnes (for no man, no nor Angell is able to ouercome the leaſt ſinne that is) but for inuincible ſinnes. And except thou be found in the nūber of thoſe that ſay: Our ſinnes, that is, which hauehave this doctrine of faith, & teach, heare, learne, louelove, & beleue the ſame, ther is no ſaluatiō for thee.
Labour therfore diligently that, not onelyonly out of the time of tentation, but alſo in the daunger and conflict of death, when thy conſcience is thorowly afraide with the remembraunce of thy ſinnes paſt, and the Deuill aſſaileth thee with great violence, going about to ouerwhelme thee with heapes, floudes and whole ſeas of ſinnes, to terrifie thee, to draw thee from Chriſt, and to driue thee to deſpaire: that then I ſay, thou maiſt be able to ſay wt ſure confidence: Chriſt ye ſonne of god was geuē, not for ye righteous & holy, but for ye vnrighteous & ſinners. If I were righteous and had no ſinne, I ſhould hauehave no neede of Chriſt to be my reconciler. Why then, O thou peuiſh holy Satan, wilt thou make me to be holy and to ſeke righteouſnes in my ſelfe, when in very deede I hauehave nothing in me but ſinnes, and moſt greuous ſinnes? not fained or trifeling ſinnes,Sinnes againſt the firſt table. but ſuch as are againſt the firſt table: to wit, great infidelitie, douting, deſpaire, contempt of God, hatred, ignoraunce, and blaſpheming of God, vnthankfulnes, abuſing of Gods name, neglecting, lothing and deſpiſing the word of god, and ſuch like: And moreouer theſe carnall ſinnes againſt the ſecond Table: as not to yelde honour to my parents, not to obey the magiſtrates, to couet an other mans goods, his wife, and ſuch like: howbeit that theſe be light faults in reſpect of thoſe former ſinnes. And admit that I hauehave not cōmitted murther, whoredom, theft, and ſuch other ſinnes againſt the ſecond table in fact: yet I hauehave committed them in hart, and therfore I am a tranſgreſſour of al Gods commaundements, and the multitude of my ſinnes is ſo great, that they cā not be numbred: For I hauehave ſinned aboue the number of the ſands of the ſea.
Satan is vvōt to chaūge our righteouſnes into ſinnes.Beſides this, ſatan is ſuch a cunning iuggler, yt he can make of my righteouſnes and good workes, great ſinnes. Forſomuch then as my ſinnes are ſo waightie, ſo infinite, ſo horrible and inuincible, and that my righteouſnes doth nothing further me, but rather hinder me before God: therfore Chriſt the ſonne of God was geuen to death for them, to put them away, and to ſaue me and all men which beleue. Herein then conſiſteth the effect of eternall ſaluation, namely in taking theſe words to be effectuall, true, & of great importaunce. I ſay not this for naught, for I hauehave oftentimes proued by experience, and I daily finde what an hard matter it is to beleue (eſpecially in the conflict of conſcience) that Chriſt was geuen, not for the holy, righteous, worthy, & ſuch as were his frends, but for wicked ſinners, vnworthy, and his enemies, which hauehave deſerued Gods wrath and euerlaſting death.
Let vsus therfore arme our harts wt theſe & ſuch like ſentēces of ye holy ſcipture, yt we may be able to anſwer ye deuil (accuſing vsus & ſaying: thou art a ſinner & therfore thou art dāned) in this ſort. Becauſe thou ſaiſt I am a ſinner, therfore wil I be righteous & ſaued. Nay (ſaith the deuil) thou ſhalt be dāned. No (ſay I) for I flie vntounto Chriſt, vvho hath geuen himſelf for my ſinnes. Hovv vve muſt anſvver the deuil, reaſoning vvith vsus.Therfore ſatā thou ſhalt nothing preuail agaīſt me in yt thou goſt about to terrifie me in ſetting forth ye greatnes of my ſinnes, & ſo to bring me into heauines, diſtruſt, deſpair, hatred, cōtempt and blaſpheming of God: yea rather by this, that thou ſayſt I am a ſinner, thou geueſt me armour & weapon againſt thy ſelfe, that with thine owne ſword I may cut thy throte, and tread the vnderunder my feete: for Chriſt died for ſinners. Moreouer thou thy ſelfe preacheſt vntounto me the glory of God.Io. 5.24. Io. 11.25. 1 Io. 4.9. For thou putteſt me in minde of Gods fatherly louelove towards me wretched and damned ſinner, vvho ſo loued the vvorld that he gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that vvhoſoeuer beleueth in him might not perish but hauehave euerlaſting life. Alſo as oft as thou obiecteſt that I am a ſinner, ſo often thou calleſt to my remembraūce the benefit of Chriſt my redemer, vponupon whoſe ſhoulders, and not vponupon mine, lie all my ſinnes: For the Lord hath laied all our iniquitie vponupon him. Eſaias. 53.6.Againe: For the tranſgreſſion of his people vvas he ſmitten. Eſaias. 53.8.Wherefore when thou obiecteſt that I am a ſinner, thou doeſt not terrifie me, but comfort me aboue meaſure.
Who ſo knoweth this one point of cunning well, ſhall eaſely auoide all the engins and ſnares of the Deuill, who by putting man in minde of his ſinnes, driueth him to deſpaire and deſtroieth him, vnleſſe he wt ſtand him with this cunning, and with this heauenly wiſedome: wherby onelyonly ſinne, death and the Deuill are ouercome. But the man that putteth not away the remembraunce of his ſinne, but keepeth it ſtil and tormenteth him ſelf with his owne cogitations, thinking either to help him ſelfe by his owne ſtrength and policie, or to tarry the time till his conſcience may be quieted, falleth into Sathans ſnares and miſerably afflicteth him ſelfe, and at length is ouercome with the continuance of the tentation: For the Deuill will neuer ceaſe to accuſe his conſcience.
Againſt this tentation we muſt vſe the words of Paule, The proper and true definition of Chriſt.in the which he geueth a very good and a true definition of Chriſt in this maner: Chriſt is the ſonne of God and of the virgine, deliuered and put to death for our ſinnes. Here if the Deuill aledge any other definition of Chriſt, ſay thou: The definition and the thing defined are falſe: therefore I will not receaue this definition. I ſpeake not this without cauſe: For I know what moueth me to be ſo earneſt that we ſhould learne to define Chriſt out of the words of Paule. For in deede Chriſt is no cruel exactor, but a forgeuer of the ſinnes of the whole world. Wherefore if thou be a ſinner (as in deede we are all) ſet not Chriſt downe vponupon the raigne bowe as a iudge (for ſo ſhalt thou be terrified and deſpaire of his mercy): but take hold of his true definition, namely that Chriſt ye ſonne of God and of the virgine, is a perſon, not that terrifieth, not that afflicteth, not that condemneth vsus of ſinne, not that demaundeth an account of vsus for our life euill paſſed: but gaue him ſelfe for our ſinnes,Galat. 1.4. Ebr. 10.10. Coloſ. 2.14. and with one oblation hath put away the ſinnes of the whole world, hath nailed them to the croſſe, and put them cleane out by him ſelfe.
Let eueryevery man learne to apply this pronovvne our to him ſelfe.Learne this definition diligently, and eſpecially ſo exerciſe this pronoune our, that this one ſillable being beleued, may ſwallow vp all thy ſinnes: that is to ſay, yt thou maiſt know aſſuredly that Chriſt hath takē away the ſinnes, not of certaine men only, but alſo of thee, yea & of ye whole world. Thē let not thy ſinnes be ſinnes only, but euen thy own ſinnes: That is to witte, beleeue thou that Chriſt was not onelyonly geuen for other mens ſinnes, but alſo for thine. Hold this faſt & ſuffer not thy ſelfe by any meanes to be drawne away frō this moſt ſweete definition of Chriſt,The true picture of Chriſt. which reioyceth euē the very angels in heauen: that is to ſay, that Chriſt according to his proper and true definition, is no Moſes, no lawgeuer, no tyraunt, but a Mediator for ſinnes, a free geuer of grace, righteouſnes and life: who gaue him ſelfe, not for our merits, holines, righteouſnes & godly life, but for our ſinnes. In deede Chriſt is an enterpreter of the law, but that is not his proper and principall office.
Theſe things, as touching the words, we know wel enough and cā talke of them: but in practiſe and in the conflict, when the deuill goeth about to deface Chriſt, & to plucke the word of grace out of our hartes, we finde that we doe not yet know them well and as we ſhould doe. He that at that time could define Chriſt truly, and could magnifie him and behold him as his moſt ſweete Sauiour and high Prieſt, and not as a ſtraite Iudge, this man had ouercome all euils, and were already in ye kingdome of heauen. But this to doe in the conflict, is of all things the moſt hardeſt. I ſpeake this by experience: for I know the Deuils ſubtilties, who at that time not onelyonly goeth about to feare vsus with the terrour of the lawe, yea and alſo of a little mote maketh many beames, that is to ſay, of that which is no ſinne he maketh a very hell (for he is maruelous craftie both in aggrauating ſinne, and in puffing vp the cō ſcience euen in good works): but alſo is wont to feare vsus with the very perſon of the Mediatour: into the which he tranſformeth him ſelfe, and laying before vsus ſome place of the ſcripture or ſome ſaying of Chriſt, ſuddenly he ſtriketh our harts, and ſheweth him ſelfe vntounto vsus in ſuch ſort as if he were Chriſt in deede, leauing vsus ſticking ſo faſt in that cogitation, yt our conſcience would ſweare it were the ſame Chriſt whoſe ſaying he alledged. Moreouer ſuch is the ſubtilty of this enemy, that he will not ſette before vsus Chriſt entierly and wholy, but a peece of Chriſt onelyonly,VVhat ſnares Sathan layeth for vsus. namely that he is the ſoone of God, and man borne of the virgin: and by and by he patcheth therto ſome other thing: that is to ſay, ſome ſaying of Chriſt wherwith he terrifieth the impenitent ſinners, ſuch as that is in the 13. of Luke: Except ye repent ye shall all likevviſe perish: And ſo corrupting the true definition of Chriſt with his poiſon, he bringeth to paſſe that albeit we beleue him to be Chriſt the true Mediatour, yet in very deede our troubled conſcience feeleth and iudgeth him to be a tiraunt and a iudge. Thus we being deceaued by Sathan, doe eaſily loſe that ſweete ſight of our high Prieſt and ſauiour Chriſt: which being once loſt, we ſhunne him no leſſe then the deuill him ſelfe.
And this is the cauſe why I doe ſo earneſtly call vponupon you, to learne the true and proper definition of Chriſt out of theſe words of Paule: vvhichwhich gaue him ſelfe for our ſinnes, This ſentence is diligently to be vrged: vvhichwhich gaue him ſelfe for vsus.If he gaue him ſelfe to death for oure ſinnes, then vndoubtedly he is no tiraunt or iudge, which will condemne vsus for our ſinnes: He is no caſter downe of the afflicted, but a raiſer vp of thoſe that are fallen, a mercifull releuer and comforter of ye heauy and broken harted. Els ſhould Paule lie in ſaying, vvhichwhich gaue him ſelfe for our ſinnes. If I define Chriſt thus, I define him rightly, and take hold of the true Chriſt and poſſeſſe him in deede. Alſo I lette paſſe the curious ſpeculations touching the diuine maieſtie, and I ſtay my ſelfe in the humanitie of Chriſt, and ſo I learne truly to know the will of God. Here is then no feare, but altogether ſweetnes, ioy, peace of conſcience and ſuch like. And herewtall a light alſo is opened, which ſheweth me the true knowledge of God, of my ſelfe, of all creatures, and of all the iniquitie of the Deuils kingdome. We teach no newe thing, but we repeate and eſtabliſh olde things, which the apoſtles & all godly teachers hauehave taught before vsus. And would to God we could ſo teach & eſtabliſh them, that we might not only hauehave them in our mouth, but alſo well grounded in the bottome of our harte, and eſpecially that we might be able to vſe them in the agony and conflicte of death.