Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 1 · Verse extract 6 – Verse extract 6
Ʋerſe. 6. That ſo ſoone.
Ye ſee how Paule himſelfe complaineth, that to fall and to erre in the faith, is an eaſy matter. In reſpect whereof he warneth the Chriſtiās in an other place, that he vvhichwhich ſtandeth, 1 Cor. 10.12.should take hede that he fall nor. And we daily proue by experience, howe hardly the minde of man conceaueth and kepeth a ſure and ſtedfaſt faith:VVhat an hard thing it is to plant a church. Alſo with what greate difficultie a perfect people is gotten to the Lord. A man may labour halfe a ſcore yeares ere he ſhall gette ſome litle church to be righly and religiouſly ordred, and when it is ſo ordred, there creepith in ſome madde braine, yea and a very vnlearned idiote, which knoweth nothing but to ſpeake ſclaunderouſly againſt the ſincere preachers of the word, and he in one moment ouerthroweth all. Whom would not this wicked dealing moue?
We by the grace of of God hauehave gotten here at VVitenberge the forme of a Chriſtian church. The word among vsus is purely taught, the ſacraments are rightly vſed, exhortations and praiers are made alſo for all eſtates, and to be briefe, all things goe forward prouſperouſly. This moſt happy courſe of the goſpell ſome madde head would ſoone ſtoppe, and in one moment would ouerturne all that we in many yeres with greate labour hauehave builded.That vvhichwhich in long time of godly preachers if builded, vp of one vvicked teachers is quickly deſtroied. Euen ſo it befell to Paule the electe veſſell of Chriſt. He had wonne the churches of Galatia with greate care and trauel, which the falſe Apoſtles in a ſhort time after his departure ouerthrew, as this and diuers other of his Epiſtles doe witneſſe. So greate is the weakenes and wreatchednes of this preſent life: and we ſo walke in the middeſt of Satans ſnares, that one fantaſticall head may deſtroy and vtterly ouerthrow in a ſhort ſpace, al that which many true miniſters, labouring night and day, hauehave builded vp many yeares before. This we learne at this day by experience, to our great greife, and yet we can not remedie this enormitie.
The Church is a moſt tender thing.Seeing then that the church is ſo ſofte and ſo tender a thinge, and is ſo ſoone ouerthrowne, men muſt watch cherefully againſt theſe fantaſticall ſpirites: who when they hauehave heard a few Sermons or hauehave read a fewe leaues in the holy ſcriptures,He ſpeaketh of the Anabaptiſtes. by and by they make themſelues maiſters and controulers of all learners and teachers, contrary to the authoritie of all men. Many ſuch alſo thou maieſt finde at this day among handicrafts men, bold and malapert fellowes, who hauing bene tried by no temptations,The right picture of fantaſticall ſpirites. hauehave neuer learned to feare God, nor hauehave had any taſte or feeling of grace. Theſe, for that they are void of ye holy Ghoſt, teach what liketh them ſelues, & ſuch things as are plauſible to the common people. Then the vnſkilfull multitude, longing to heare newes, doe by and by ioine them ſelues vntounto them: yea and many alſo which thinke themſelues well ſeene in the doctrine of faith, and after a ſort hauehave bene tried with temptations, are ſeduced by them.
Sith Paule therefore by his owne experience may teach vsus, that congregations which are wonne by exceeding greate labour,The churches are ouerthrovvne vvhile the teachers ſleepe. 1. Peter. 5.8. Math. 13.25. are eaſily and ſoone ouerthrowne, we ought with ſingular care to watch againſt the Deuil raunging eueryevery where, leſt he come while we ſleepe, and ſow tares among the wheate: for though the ſhepardes be neuer ſo watchfull and diligent, yet is the Chriſtian flocke in daunger of Sathan. For Paule (as I ſaid) with ſingular ſtudie and diligence had planted churches in Galathia, and yet he had ſcarſly ſet his foote (as they ſay) out of the dore, but by and by the falſe Apoſtles ouerthrew ſome, whoſe fall afterward was the cauſe of greate ruines in the churches of Galatia. This ſo ſodaine and ſo greate a loſſe, no doubt was more bitter vntounto the Apoſtle then death. Therefore let vsus watch diligently, firſt eueryevery one for him ſelfe, ſecondly all Teachers, not onelyonly for them ſelues, but alſo for the whole church, that we enter not into temptation.
Ʋerſe. 6. Ye are remoued avvay.
Here once againe he vſeth not a ſharpe, but a moſt gentle word. He ſayeth not. I maruell that ye ſlide ſo ſoone backe: that ye are ſo diſobedient, light, inconſtant and vnthankfull: but that ye are ſo ſoone remoued away. As if he would ſay: Ye are altogether patients or ſufferers. For ye hauehave done no harme, but ye hauehave ſuffered and receaued harme. To the intent therefore that he might call backe againe thoſe backeſliders, he rather accuſeth thoſe that did remoue, then thoſe that were remoued, and yet very modeſtly he blameth them alſo when he complaineth that they were remoued. As if he would ſay: Albeit I embrace you with a fatherly affection, and know that ye are deceaued, not by your owne fault, but by the fault of theſe falſe Apoſtles, yet notwithſtanding I would hauehave wiſhed, that ye had growne vp a litle more in the ſtrength of ſound doctrine. Ye tooke not hold enough vponupon the word, ye rooted not your ſelues depe enough in it, and that is the cauſe that at ſo light a blaſt of winde, ye are carried away and remoued.Vvhat Hierom vvould that Paule should meane by calling them Galathians. Ierome thinketh that Paule ment to enterprete the name of the Galathians by alluding to the Hebrew word Galath, which is as much to ſay, as, falne or caried away. As though he would ſay: Ye are right Galathians both in name and in dede, that is to ſay, falne, or remoued away. Some thinke that we Germans are deſcended of the Galathians. Neither is this diuination perhaps vntrue.The diſpoſitiō of the Germaines. For we Germans are not much vnlike to them in nature. And I my ſelfe alſo am conſtrained to wiſh to my cuntreimen more ſtedfaſtnes and conſtancie. For in all things that we doe, at the firſt brunt we be very hotte: but when that heate of our firſt affections is alaied, anone we become more ſlacke, and looke with what raſhnes we beginne things, with the ſame we geue them ouer and vtterly reiect them.
This may vvel be ſaid of vsus English men, for our heat is ſone cooled, and that may appeare by our cold proceedings at this day.At the firſt when the light of the goſpel, after ſo great darknes of mens traditions began to appeare, many were zelouſly bent to godlines: they heard Sermons greedely, & had the miniſters of Gods word in reuerence. But now when the doctrine of pietie and godlines is happely reformed, with ſo great encreaſe of Gods word, many which before ſeemed earneſt diſciples, become contemners and very enemies. Who not onelyonly caſt of the ſtudie and zeale of Gods word, and deſpiſe the miniſters therof, but alſo hate all good learning, and become plaine hogs and bellie Gods, worthy doutles to be compared vntounto thoſe fooliſh and inconſtant Galathians.