Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 5 · Verse extract 11
Verſe. 11. And brethern, if I yet preach circumciſion, vvhy doe I yet ſuffer perſecution? Then is the ſclaunder of the croſſe abolished.
Paule labouring by all meanes poſſible to call the Galathians backe againe, reaſoneth now by his owne example.Actes 13.50. Actes. 17.4. I hauehave procured to my ſelfe (ſayeth he) the hatred and perſecution of the Prieſtes and Elders, and of my whole nation, becauſe I take away righteouſnes frō circumciſion: which if I would attribute vntounto it, the Iewes would not onelyonly ceaſe to perſecute me, but alſo would louelove and highly commend me. But now, becauſe I preach the Goſpel of Chriſt & the righteouſnes of Faith, aboliſhing the law & circumciſion, therfore I ſuffer perſecution.The falſe apoſtles enemies of the croſſe of Chriſt. Contrariwiſe the falſe apoſtles, to auoide the croſſe, and this deadly hatred of the Iew…ſh nation, doe preach circumciſion: and by this meanes they obtaine and reteine the fauour of the Iewes: as he ſayeth in the .6. Chapt. folowing:Gal. 6.12. They compell you to be circumciſed, &c. Moreouer, they would gladly bring to paſſe, yt there ſhould be no diſſention, but peace and concord betwene the Gentiles and the Iewes.The doctrine of Faith. But that is impoſſible to be done without the loſſe of the doctrine of Faith, which is the doctrine of the croſſe and full of offences. Wherefore when he ſayeth: If I yet preach circumciſion, vvhy doe I yet ſuffer perſecution? Then is the ſclaunder of the croſſe abolished: he meaneth that it were a great abſurditie and inconuenience if the offence of the croſſe ſhould ceaſe. After the ſame maner he ſpeaketh.1. Cor. 1.17. 2. Pet. 1.11. 1. Cor. 1. Chriſte ſent me to preach the Goſpell, not vvith vviſedom of vvordes, leſt the croſſe of Chriſt should be made of none effect. As if he ſayd: I would not that the offence and croſſe of Chriſte ſhould be aboliſhed.
Here may ſome man ſay: The Chriſtians then are madde men to caſt them ſelues into daunger of their owne accord: For what doe they elſe by preaching and confeſſing the truth, but procure vntounto them ſelues the hatred and enimitie of the whole world, and raiſe offences? This (ſayth Paule) doth nothing at all offend or trouble me, but maketh me more bolde,The church is in beſt caſe & moſt flouri…heth vnderunder the croſſe. and cauſeth me to hope wel of the happie ſucceſſe and increaſe of the church, which flouriſheth and groweth vnderunder the croſſe: For it behoueth that Chriſte the head and ſpouſe of the Church ſhould raigne in the middes of all his enemies. Pſal. 110. On the contrary part, when the croſſe is aboliſhed, & the rage of tyrannes & heretikes ceaſeth on yt one ſide, and offences on the other ſide, & all things are in peace, the Deuill keping the entrie of the houſe: this is a ſure token that the pure doctrine of Gods word is taken away.
Bernard conſidering this thing, ſayeth that the Church is then in beſt ſtate, when Sathan aſſaileth it on eueryevery ſide, as well by ſubtill ſleights as by violence: and cōtrariwiſe yt it is then in worſt caſe when it is moſt at eaſe. And he aledgeth very well and to yt purpoſe that ſentence of Ezechias in his ſong:Eſay. 3….17. Behold, for felicitie I had bitter greefe, applying it to the church, liuing in eaſe and quietnes. Wherfore Paul taketh it for a moſt certaine ſigne that it is not the Goſpel, if it be preached in peace. Contrariwiſe ye world taketh it for a moſt certaine ſigne that the Goſpell is hereticall and ſeditious doctrine, becauſe it ſeeth great vprours, tumults, offences and ſectes, and ſuch like to folow the preaching therof.*He meaneth that God ſomtimes in punishing shevveth him ſelfe as though it vvere not he but Satan: and contrarivviſe Satan, vvhen he flattereth, shevveth him ſelf as though he vvere God and not Satan. Thus God ſometimes ſheweth him ſelfe in the ſimilitude of the Deuil, and the Deuil likewiſe ſheweth him ſelfe in the likenes of God: And God will be knowen vnderunder the ſimilitude of the Deuill, and will hauehave the Deuil knowen vnderunder the likenes of God.
The croſſe immediatly foloweth the doctrine of the word, according to that ſaying. Pſal. 116: I beleued and therfore hauehave I ſpoken: and I vvas ſore troubled. Now, the croſſe of the Chriſtians is perſecution with reproch and ignominie, and without any compaſſion, and therfore it is very offenſiue. Firſt they ſuffer as ye vileſt people in the world: & ſo did the Prophet Eſay foreſhew euen of Chriſt himſelf. cap. 53. He vvas reputed amōgſt the vvicked. Moreouer,Eſay. 53.12. murtherers and theues hauehave their puniſhments qualified, and men hauehave compaſſion on them. Here is no offence or ſclaunder ioyned with the puniſhment. Cō trariwiſe, like as the world iudgeth the Chriſtiās to be of all other mē the moſt peſtilent & pernicious, ſo doth it thinke that no torments are ſufficient to puniſh them for their hainous offences.The vvorld hath no pitie vpō the godly Neither is it moued with any compaſſion towardes them, but putteth them to the moſt opprobrious and ſhamefull kinds of death that can be. And it thinketh that it gaineth hereby a double commodity.Iohn 16.2.3. VVhat the vvorld loketh for by the death of the godly. For firſt it imagineth that it doth high ſeruice vntounto God in killing of them: ſecondly that the cō mon peace and tranquillitie is reſtored and ſtabliſhing by taking away ſuch noiſome plagues. Therfore the death and croſſe of the Faithfull is full of offences. But let not this reprochfull dealing (ſayeth Paule) and the continuance of Chriſtes croſſe and offence therof moue you: but rather let it confirme you. For as long as the croſſe endureth, it ſhall goe well with the Goſpell.
In like maner Chriſte alſo comforteth his diſciples in the .5. of Math.Math. 5.10. Marke. 9.10. Luke 14.34. Actes. 5.41. 1 Pet. 3.14. 1. Pet. 4.14. Bleſſed are ye (ſayeth he) vvhen men reuile you and perſecute you, and shall falſely ſay all maner of euill againſt you for my names ſake. Reioyce and be glad, for great is your revvard in heauen: For ſo perſecuted they the Prophets vvhichwhich vvere before you. The church cā not ſuffer this reioyſing to be wreſted frō her. Wherfore I would not wiſh to be at concord with the Pope, the biſhops,Luther vvil be at no vnitie vvith the enemies of the Goſpell. the princes and the Sectaries, vnleſſe they would conſent vntounto our doctrine. For ſuch concorde were a certaine token that we had loſt the true doctrine. To be ſhort, as long as the church teacheth the Goſpell, it muſt ſuffer perſecution. For the Goſpell ſetteth forth the mercy and glory of God:The Goſpell ſetteth forth the glory of God, and diſcloſeth the craftes of the Deuill. It diſcloſeth the malice and ſleightes of the Deuill, painting him out in his right coulours, and plucking from him the counterfet viſour of Gods Maieſtie, wherby he deceaueth the whole world: that is to ſay, it ſheweth that all worſhippings, religious Orders inuented by men, and traditions concerning ſingle life, meates, and ſuch other things, wherby men thinke to deſerue forgeuenes of ſinnes & euerlaſting life, are wicked things and deueliſh doctrine. There is nothing then that more ſtirreth vppe the Deuill, than the preaching of the Goſpell. For that plucketh from him the diſſembled vizour of God, and bewrayeth him to be as he is in deede, that is to ſay, the Deuil & not God. Wherfore it can not be, but that as long as the Goſpell flouriſheth, the croſſe and the offence thereof muſt needes folow it, or elſe truely the Deuill is not rightly touched, but ſlenderly tickled. But if he be rightly hitte in deede, he reſteth not, but beginneth horribly to rage, and to raiſe vp troubles eueryevery where.
If Chriſtians then will hold the word of life, let them not be afraid or offended when they ſee that the Deuill is broken loſe and rageth eueryevery where, that all the world is on an vprour, that tyrannes exerciſe their crueltie, and hereſies ſpring vppe: but lette them aſſure them ſelues,Math. 5.12. that theſe are ſignes, not of terrour, but of ioy, as Chriſte himſelfe expoundeth them, ſaying: Reioyce and be glad. &c. God forbid therefore that the offence of the croſſe ſhould be taken away. Which thing ſhould come to paſſe if we ſhould preach that which the Prince of this world and his members would gladly heare, that is to ſay, the righteouſnes of workes. Then ſhould we hauehave a gentle Deuil, a fauourable world, a gracious Pope, and mercifull Princes. But becauſe we ſet forth the benefites and glory of Chriſte, they perſecute and ſpoile vsus both of our goodes and liues.