Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 5 · Verse extract 12
Verſe. 12. VVould to God they vvere cutte of that doe diſquiet you.
Is this the part of an Apoſtle, not onelyonly to denounce the falſe apoſtles to be troublers,Paul vvisheth that the falſe apoſtles vvere cutte of. to condemne them and to deliuer them to Sathan, but alſo to wiſh that they might be vtterly rooted out and peariſh? And what is this elſe but plaine curſing? Paule (as I ſuppoſe) alludeth here to circumciſion. As if he would ſay: They compell you to cutte of the foreſakin of your fleſh: but I would that they themſelues might be vtterly cutte off by the roote.
Here riſeth a queſtion: whether it be lawfull for Chriſtians to curſe? Why not? howbeit not alwayes, nor for eueryevery cauſe.VVhether it be lavvful for Chriſtians to curſe. But when the matter is come to this poynt, that Gods word muſt be euill ſpoken of and his doctrine blaſphemed, and ſo conſequently God him ſelfe, then muſt we turne this ſentence and ſay: Bleſſed be God and his word, and what ſo euer is without God and his word, accurſed be it: yea though it be an Apoſtle or an Angell from heauen. So he ſayd before in the firſt Chapter:Galath. 1.3.4. Although vve or an Angell from heauen preach othervviſe vntounto you, then that vvhichwhich vve hauehave preached, let him be accurſed.
Hereby it may appeare how great a matter Paule made of a litle leauen, which for the ſame durſt curſe the falſe apoſtles, who in outward appearance were men of great authoritie and holines. Let not vsus therefore make litle account of the leauen of doctrine: For although it be neuer ſo litle, yet if it be neglected, it will be the cauſe that by litle and litle the truth and our ſaluation ſhall be loſt, and God himſelfe be denied. For when the word is corrupted, and God denied and blaſphemed (which muſt needes folow if the word be corrupted) there remaineth no hope of ſaluation. But for our partes, if we be curſed, railed vppon and ſlaine, there is yet one that can raiſe vsus vppe againe, and deliuer vsus from the curſe, death and hell.
Wherefore lette vsus learne to aduaunce and extoll the Maieſtie & authoritie of Gods word.The Maieſtie of Gods vvord is highly to be aduaunced. For it is no ſmall trifle (as brainſicke heades ſurmiſe at this day): but eueryevery title thereof is greater then heauen and earth. Wherefore in this reſpect we hauehave no regard of Chriſtian charitie or concord, but we ſitte as it were on the iudgement ſeat, that is to ſay: we curſe and condemne all men, which in the leaſt poynt deface or corrupt the Maieſtie of Gods word: For a litle leauen maketh ſovver the vvhole lumpe. But if they leaue vsus Gods word entire and ſound, we are not onelyonly ready to keepe charitie and peace with them: but alſo we offer our ſelues to be their ſeruauntes, and to doe for them what ſo euer we are able: If not, lette them periſh and be caſt downe into hell: and not onelyonly they, but euen the whole world alſo: ſo that God and his pure word doe remaine. For as long as he remaineth, life, ſaluation, and the faithfull ſhall alſo remaine.
Paule therefore doth well in curſing thoſe troublers of the Galathians, and in pronouncing ſentence againſt them, to witte, that they are accurſed with all that they teach and doe: and in wiſhing that they might be cutte of, eſpecially that they might be roted out of the church of God, that is, that god ſhould not gouerne nor proſper their doctrine nor their doings. And this malediction procedeth from the holy ghoſt. As Peter alſo in the .8. of the Actes curſeth Simon the Sorcerer: Thy money and thou perish together. Actes. ….20.21.And the holy Scripture oftentimes vſeth curſing, againſt ſuch troublers of mens conſciences, and chiefly in the Pſalmes:Pſal. 54.5. Pſal. 55.15. as Pſal. 55. Let death come vponupon them: let them goe *As Corah, Dathan, and Abiron.quicke into the pitte of corruption. Alſo, Let ſinners be turned dovvne into hell, and all they that forget God.
Hitherto Paule hath fortified the place of Iuſtification with ſtrong and mightie arguments. Moreouer, to the ende he might omit nothing, here and there he hath intermingled chidings, praiſings, exhortations, threatnings and ſuch like. In the ende he addeth alſo his owne example,Paules example in ſuffering. namely that he ſuffereth perſecution for this doctrine, thereby admoniſhing all the Faithfull, not to be offended nor diſmayed when they ſhall ſee ſuch vprours, Sectes and offences raiſed vppe in the time of the Goſpell: but rather to reioyce & be glad. For the more the world rageth againſt the Goſpell, the more the Goſpel proſpereth and goeth happely forwardes.
This conſolation ought at this day to encourage vsus: for it is certaine that the world hateth & perſecuteth vsus for none other cauſe, but for that we profeſſe the truth of the Goſpell.VVhat the vvorld condemneth in godly teachers. It doth not accuſe vsus for theft, murder, whoredom and ſuch like: but it deteſteth and abhorreth vsus becauſe we teach Chriſte faithfully and purely, and geue not ouer the defence of the truth. Therfore we may be out of all doubt, that this our doctrine is holy and of God, becauſe the world hateth it ſo bitterly: For otherwiſe there is no doctrine ſo wicked, ſo fooliſh and pernicious, which the world doth not gladly admitte, embrace and defend: and moreouer it reuerently entertaineth, cheriſheth and flattereth the profeſſours thereof, and doth all that may be done for them. OnelyOnly the true doctrine of the Goſpell, life and ſaluation, and the miniſters therof, it vtterly abhorreth, and worketh all the ſpite that may be deuiſed againſt them. It is therfore an euident token that the world is ſo cruelly bent againſt vsus for no other thing, but onelyonly becauſe it hateth the word. Wherfore when our aduerſaries charge vsus, that ther riſeth nothing of this doctrine but warres, ſeditions, offences, Sectes and other ſuch infinite enormities: let vsus anſwere: Bleſſed be yt day wherin we may ſee theſe things.An obiection. But the whole world is in an vprour. And wel done: For if ye world were not ſo troubled: if the Deuil did not rage and ſtirre vp ſuch broiles, we ſhould not hauehave the pure doctrine of of the Goſpel which can not be preached but theſe broyles & tormoiles muſt nedes folowe. Therefore that which ye count to be a great euill, we take to be a ſpeciall happines.
The Doctrine of good workes.
Now folow exhortations and precepts of life & good works. For it is the cuſtome of the Apoſtles, after they hauehave taught Faith,The Apoſtles after the doctrine of faith, adde precepts of good life. and in ſtructed mens conſciences, to adde preceptes of good works, wherby they exhort yt faithfull to exerciſe ye dueties of charitie one towards an other. And reaſon it ſelfe after a ſort teacheth and vnderſtandeth this part of doctrine: but as touching the doctrine of Faith, it knoweth nothing at all therof. To ye end therfore that it might appeare that Chriſtian doctrine doth not deſtroy good workes, or fight againſt ciuill ordinaunces: the Apoſtle alſo exhorteth vsus to exerciſe our ſelues in good workes and in an honeſt outward conuerſation, and to keepe charitie and concord one with an other. The world can not therefore iuſtly accuſe the Chriſtians that they deſtroy good works, that they are troublers of ye publike peace, ciuile honeſtie, &c: for they teach good works and all other vertues better then all the Philoſophers & Magiſtrates of the world, becauſe they adioyne Faith with their doings.