Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 5 · Verse extract 9 – Verse extract 10
Verſe. 9. A litle leauen doth leauen the vvhole lumpe.
This whole Epiſtle ſufficiently witneſſeth how Paule was greeued with the fall of the Galathians, and how often he beat into their heades (ſometime chiding and ſometime entreating them) the exceding great & horrible enormities that ſhould enſue vpō this their fall, vnleſſe they repented. This fatherly and Apoſtolicall care and admonition of Paule moued ſome of them nothing at all: For many of them acknowledged Paule no more for their teacher, but preferred the falſe apoſtles farre aboue him: of whom they thought them ſelues to hauehave receaued the true doctrine, and not of Paule. The falſe apoſtles miſreported Paule to the churches.Moreouer the falſe apoſtles, no doubt, ſclaundered Paule among the Galathians, ſaying that he was an obſtinate and a contentious fellow, which for a light matter would breake the vnitie of the churches, and for no other cauſe but that he alone would be counted wiſe and be magnified of them. Through this falſe accuſation they made Paule very odious vntounto many.
Some other which had not yet vtterly forſakē his doctrine, thought that there was no daunger in diſſenting a litle from him in the doctrine of iuſtification & Faith. Wherfore, when they heard that Paule made ſo hainous a matter of that which ſeemed vntounto them to be but light and of ſmall importance, then maruelled, and thus they thought with themſelues: Be it ſo that we hauehave ſwarned ſomething from the doctrine of Paule, and that there hath bene ſome fault in vsus: yet that being but a ſmall matter, he ought to winke thereat, or at leaſt not to vehemently to amplifie it, leſt by the occaſion thereof the concord of the Churches ſhould be broken. Wherevnto he anſwereth with this ſentence: A litle leuen leueneth, [or maketh ſovver] the vvhole lumpe of dough. And this is a caueat or an admonition which Paule ſtādeth much vppon. And we alſo ought greatly to eſteme the ſame at this day. For our aduerſaries in like maner obiect againſt vsus that we are contentious, obſtinate, and intractable in defending our doctrine, and euen in matters of no great importance. But theſe are the craftie fetches of the Deuill, whereby he goeth about vtterly to ouerthrow our doctrine. To this we anſwer therefore with Paule, that a litle leuen maketh ſovver the vvhole lumpe.
In Philoſophie a ſmall fault in the beginning is a great and a foule fault in the ende. So in Diuinitie one litle errour ouerthroweth the whole doctrine.Doctrine and life muſt be ſeparate farre a ſunder. Wherefore we muſt ſeparate life and doctrine farre aſunder. The doctrine is not ours, but Gods, whoſe miniſters onelyonly we are called: therefore we may not chaunge or diminiſh one tittle therof. The life is ours: therefore as touching that, we are ready to doe,The doctrine of Faith. to ſuffer, to forgeue, &c. what ſo euer our aduerſaries ſhall require of vsus, ſo that Faith and doctrine may remaine ſound and vncorrupt: of the which we ſay alwayes with Paule: A litle leuen leueneth, &c.
A ſmall mote in the eye hurteth the eye. And our Sauiour Chriſt ſayeth:Luke. 11.34. The light of the body is the eye: therefore vvhen thine eye is ſingle, then is thy vvhole body light: but if thine eye be euill, then thy body is darke. Luke. 11.36.Againe. If thy body shall hauehave no part darke, then shall all be light. By this allegorie Chriſte ſignifieth, that the eye, that is to ſay, the doctrine ought to be moſt ſimple, cleare and ſincere,Iam. 2.10. hauing in it no darknes, no cloud. &c. And Iames the Apoſtle ſayth: He that faileth in one poynt is giltie of all. This place therfore maketh very much for vsus againſt theſe cauillers which ſay that we breake charitie, to the great hurt and damage of the churches. But we proteſt that we deſire nothing more then to be at vnitie with all men: ſo that they leaue vntounto vsus the doctrine of Faith entire and vncorrupt: to the which all things ought to geue place, be it charitie, an Apoſtle, or an angell from heauen.
Let vsus ſuffer them therfore to extoll charity and concord as much as they liſt:Charitie ſuffereth all thīgs, but Faith ſuffreth nothing 1. Cor. 13.…. but on the other ſide lette vsus magnifie the maieſtie of the word and Faith. Charitie may be neglected in time and place without any daunger: but ſo can not the word and Faith be. Charitie ſuffereth all things, geueth place to all men. Contrariwiſe, Faith ſuffereth nothing, geueth place to no man. Charitie in geuing place, in beleuing,Charitie may be deceaued, but faith cannot. in geuing and forgeuing is oftentimes deceaued, and yet notwithſtanding being ſo deceaued, it ſuffereth no loſſe which is to be called true loſſe in deede: that is to ſay, it loſeth not Chriſte: Therefore it is not offended, but continueth ſtill conſtant in well doing, yea euen towards the vnthankfull and vnworthy. Contrariwiſe in the matter of Faith and ſaluation, when men teach lies and errours vnderunder the colour of the truth and ſeduce many, here hath charitie no place:VVhen vve muſt exerciſe charitie and vvhen not. For here we loſe not any benefite beſtowed vppon the vnthankfull, but we loſe the word, Faith, Chriſte, and euerlaſting life. Let it not moue vsus therfore that they vrge ſo much the keping of charitie and concord: For who ſo loueth not God & his word, it is no matter what or how much he loueth.
Paule therfore, by this ſentence admoniſheth, as well teachers as hearers, to take heede that they eſteme not the doctrine of Faith as a light matter, wherwt they may dally at their pleſure. It is as a bright ſunne beame comming downe from heauen, which lightneth, directeth and guideth vsus. Now, like as the world with all the wiſedom and power thereof is not able to ſtoppe or turne away the beames of ye ſunne comming downe from heauen directly vntounto the earth: euen ſo can there nothing be added to the doctrine of Faith, or taken from it: for that is an vtter defacing and ouerthrowing of the whole.
Verſe. 10. I hauehave truſt in you through the Lord.
As if he would ſay: I hauehave taught, admoniſhed, and reproued you enough, ſo that ye would hearken vntounto me. Notwithſtanding I hope wel of you in the Lord. Here riſeth a queſtion, whether Paule doth wel whē he ſayth he hath a good hope or truſt of the Galathians, ſeing the holy Scripture forbiddeth any truſt to be put in men. Both Faith and charitie hauehave their truſt and beleefe,VVhether vve may truſt vntounto men? but after diuers ſorts by reaſon of the diuerſitie of their obiectes. Faith truſteth in God, and therfore it can not be deceaued: charitie beleueth man and therefore it is often deceaued. Now, this Faith that ſpringeth of charitie is ſo neceſſary to this preſent life, that without it life can not continue in the world. For if one man ſhould not beleue & truſt an other, what life ſhould we liue vponupon earth? The true Chriſtians doe ſooner beleue and geue credite through charitie, then the childrē of this world doe. For faith towards men is a fruite of ye ſpirit, or of chriſtian Faith in the godly. Herevpon Paule had a truſt of yt Galathians, yea though they were falne frō his doctrine: but yet through ye Lord. As if he ſhould ſay: I truſt vntounto you ſo farre forth, as the Lord is in you, & ye in him: that is to ſay, ſo farre forth as ye abide in the truth. From which if you fall away, ſeduced by the miniſters of Sathan, I will not truſt vntounto you any more. Thus it is lawfull for the godly to truſt and beleue men.
Verſe. 10. That ye vvill be none othervviſe minded.
To witte, concerning doctrine & Faith, then I hauehave taught you, & ye hauehave learned of me: That is to ſay, I hauehave a good hope & truſt of you, yt ye will not receaue any other doctrine which ſhalbe contrary to mine.
Verſe. 10. But he that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation, vvhatſoeuer he be.
By this ſentence Paule, as it were a iudge ſitting vponupon the iudgement ſeat, cōdemneth the falſe apoſtles, calling them by a very odious name,VVicked teachers are troublers of mens conſciences. troublers of the Galathians: whom they eſtemed to be very godly men, and farre better teachers then Paule. And withall he goeth about to terrifie the Galathians with this horrible ſentence: whereby he ſo boldly condemneth the falſe apoſtles, to the ende that they ſhould flie their falſe doctrine as a moſt daungerous plague. As if he ſhould ſay: What meane ye to geue eare to thoſe peſtilent felowes, which teach you not, but onelyonly trouble you. The doctrine that they deliuer vntounto you is nothing elſe but a trouble vntounto your conſciences. Wherefore how great ſo euer they be, they ſhall beare their condemnation.
Now, a man may vnderſtand by theſe words: VVhoſoeuer he be, that the falſe apoſtles in outward appearance were very good and holy men.The aucthoritie of the falſe apoſtles. And peraduenture there was amongſt them ſome notable diſciple of the Apoſtles of great name and aucthoritie. For it is not without cauſe that he vſeth ſuch vehemēt & pithie words. He ſpeaketh after the ſame maner alſo in the firſt Chapter, ſaying: If vve or an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you othervviſe then vve hauehave preached vntounto you, let him be accurſed. Galath. 1.8.….And it is not to be doubted but that many were offended with this vehemencie of the Apoſtle, thinking thus with them ſelues: Wherfore doth Paule breake charitie? why is he ſo obſtinate in ſo ſmall a matter? why doth he ſo raſhly pronounce ſentence of eternall damnation againſt thoſe that are miniſters as well as he? He paſſeth nothing of all this: but procedeth on ſtill, and boldly curſeth and condemneth all thoſe that peruert the doctrine of faith, be they neuer ſo highly eſtemed, ſeeme they neuer ſo holy and learned.
Wherefore (as I geue often warning) we muſt diligently diſcerne betwene doctrine and life. Doctrine is heauen, life is the earth.The differēce betvvixt doctrine & life. In life is ſinne, errour, vncleanes and miſerie, mingled with vineger, as the prouerbe ſayth. There let charitie winke, forbeare, be beguiled, beleue, hope, and ſuffer all things: there let forgeuenes of ſinnes preuaile as much as may be, ſo that ſinne and errour be not defended and maintained. But in doctrine like as there is no errour, ſo hath it no neede of pardon.No errour in the doctrine of Faith. Wherfore there is no compariſon betwene doctrine and life. One litle poynt of doctrine is of more valew, then heauen and earth: and therefore we can not abide to hauehave the leaſt iote thereof to be corrupted. But we can very well wincke at the offences and errours of life. For we alſo doe daily erre in life and conuerſation, yea all the ſainctes erre: and this doe they earneſtly confeſſe in the Lordes prayer, and in the Crede. But our doctrine, bleſſed be God, is pure: we hauehave all the articles of our Faith grounded vppon the holy Scripture. Thoſe the Deuill would gladly corrupt and ouerthrow. Therefore he aſſaileth vsus ſo craftely with this goodly argument, that we ought not to breake charitie and the vnitie of the churches.