Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 6
The ſixth Chapter.
*After the cō mon diuiſion this is the .25. verſe of the former chapter.If vve liue in the ſpirite, let vsus alſo vvalke in the ſpirite.
THE Apoſtle reckened before amongſt the workes of the fleſh hereſie and enuie, and pronounced ſentence againſt thoſe which are enuious, and which are authors of Sectes, that they ſhould not inherite the kingdom of God. And now, as if he had forgotten that which he ſayd a litle before, he againe reproueth thoſe which prouoke and enuie one an other. Why doth he ſo? was it not ſufficient to hauehave done it once? In deede he doth it of purpoſe: for he taketh occaſion here to inueigh againſt that execrable vice of vaineglory,Vaineglory a deteſtable vice, and moſt pernicious to the church of God. Tit. 1.7. which was the cauſe of the troubles that were in all the churches of Galatia, and hath bene alwayes moſt pernicious and hurtful to the whole Church of Chriſte. Therefore in his Epiſtle to Titus he would not yt a proud mā ſhould be ordained a Biſhop. For Pride (as Auguſtine truly ſaith) is the mother of all hereſies, or rather the headſpring of all ſinne and confuſion: Which thing all hiſtories as well holy as prophane doe witneſſe.
Hovv great a miſchefe vain glory is.Now, vainglory or arrogancie hath alwayes ben a common poyſon in the world, which the very Heathen Poetes and Hyſtorigraphers hauehave alwayes vehemently reproued. There is no village wherin there is not ſome one or other to be found, that would be counted wiſer, and be more eſtemed then all then reſt. But they are chiefly infected wt this diſeaſe which ſtand vponupon their reputatiō for learning and wiſedom. In this caſe no mā wil yeld to an other, according to this ſaying: Ye ſhall not lightly finde a man that vvill yeelde vntounto others the praiſe of vvitte and ſkill: Ouide. Horace.For it is a goodly thing to ſee men poynt at one, and ſay: this is he. But it is not ſo hurtful in priuate perſons, no nor in any kind of magiſtrate, as it is in them that hauehave any charge in the church. Albeit in ciuile gouernment (ſpecially if it be in great perſonages) it is not onelyonly a cauſe of troubles and ruines of common weales, but alſo of the troubles and alteration of kingdoms and Empires: Which thing the hyſtories both of ye Scripture and prophane wryters doe witneſſe.
But when this poyſon creepeth into the Church or ſpirituall kingdom, it can not be expreſſed how hurtfull it is. For there is no contention as touching learning, witte, beautie, riches, kingdoms, Empires and ſuch like: but as touching ſaluation or damnation, eternall life or eternall death. Therfore Paul earneſtly exhorteth the miniſters of the word to flie this vice, ſaying: If vve liue in the ſpirit, &c. As if he ſhould ſay: If it be true that we liue in the ſpirite, let vsus alſo procede and walke in the ſpirit. For where the ſpirite is, it reneweth men, and worketh in them new motions: that is to ſay, wheras they were before vaineglorious, wrathfull and enuious, it maketh them now humble, gentle and patient. Such men ſeeke not their owne glory, but the glory of God:Rom. 12.10. they doe not prouoke or enuie one an other, but geue place one to an other, & in geuing honour preuēt one an other. Contrariwiſe they yt be deſirous of glory & enuie one an other, may boſt yt they hauehave the ſpirite and liue after the ſpirite: but they deceaue themſelues, they folow the fleſh and doe the workes thereof, and they hauehave their iudgement already, that they ſhall not inherite the kingdom of God.
Now,Vaineglory a common vice in the church. Math. 9.…8. 2 Cor. 11 15. as nothing is more daūgerous to the Church then this execrable vice, ſo is there nothing more common: For when God ſendeth forth labourers into his harueſt, by and by Sathā raiſeth vp his miniſters alſo, who wil in no caſe be coūted inferiour to thoſe yt are rightly called. Here ſtraightwayes riſeth diſſenſion. The wicked wil not yeld one heares breadth to ye godly: For they dreame that they farre paſſe them in witte, in learning, in godlines, in ſpirite and other vertues. Much leſſe ought the godly to yelde to the wicked, leſt the doctrine of Faith come in danger. Moreouer, ſuch is the nature of the miniſters of Sathan,The nature of falſe teachers. that they can make a goodly ſhew that they are very charitable, humble, louers of concord, and are indued with other fruits of the ſpirit: alſo they proteſt yt they ſeeke nothing elſe but the glory of God & the ſaluation of mens ſoules: and yet are they ful of vainglory, doing all things for none other ende but to get praiſe and eſtimation among men. To be ſhort, they thinke that gaine is godlines,1. Timo. ….…. …. ….…0. Rom 10 1…. and that the miniſterie of the word is deliuered vntounto them that they may get fame and eſtimation therby. Wherfore they can not but be authors of diſſenſion and Sectes.
Foraſmuch then as the vaineglory of the falſe apoſtles was the cauſe that ye Churches of Galatia were troubled and forſooke Paule, therefore in this Chapter ſpecially his purpoſe was to ſuppreſſe that execrable vice: yea this miſcheefe gaue the Apoſtle occaſion to wryte this whole Epiſtle. And if he had not ſo done, all his trauell beſtowed in preaching of the Goſpell among the Galathians had bene ſpent in vaine. For in his abſence ye falſe apoſtles,The authoritie of the falſe apoſtles. which were men in outward ſhew of great authority, raigned in Galatia: who beſides yt they would ſeeme to ſeeke the glory of Chriſte and the ſaluation of the Galathians, pretended alſo that they had bene conuerſant with the Apoſtles, & that they folowed their footeſteppes,The falſe apoſtles deſpiſed Paule. ſaying that Paule had not ſeene Chriſte in the fleſh, nor had bene conuerſant with the reſt of the Apoſtles, & therfore they made no accoūt of him, but reiected his doctrine, & boaſted their owne to be true & ſincere. Thus they troubled ye Galathians and raiſed Sectes among them, ſo that they prouoked and enuied one an other: which was a ſure token, that neither the teachers nor hearers liued and walked after the ſpirit, but folowed the fleſh and fulfilled the workes thereof: and ſo conſequently loſt the true doctrine, Faith, Chriſt, and all the giftes of the holy Ghoſt, and were now become worſe then the Heathen.
Notwithſtanding he doth not onelyonly inueigh againſt the falſe apoſtles which in his time troubled the Churches of Galatia, but alſo he foreſaw in ſpirite, that there ſhould be an infinite numbre of ſuch euen to the worlds end; which being infected with this pernicious vice, ſhould thruſt them ſelues into the Church, boaſting of the ſpirite and heauenly doctrine, and vnderunder this pretence ſhould quite ouerthrow the true doctrine and Faith.Such as thruſt them ſelues into the miniſterie. Many ſuch hauehave we alſo ſeene in theſe our dayes, who hauehave thruſt them ſelues into the kingdom of the ſpirit: that is to ſay, into the Miniſtery of the word, & by this hypocriſie they hauehave purchaſed vntounto thē ſelues fame & eſtimation that they were great doctours & pillers of the Goſpel, & ſuch as liued in the ſpirite, and walked according to the ſame. But becauſe their glory conſiſted in mennes mouthes and not in God,The ende of vaineglorious teachers. therefore it could not be firme and ſtable, but according to Paules propheſie, it turned to their owne confuſion, and theyr ende was deſtruction.Phil. 3.19. Pſal. 1.4.5. For the vvicked shall not ſtand in iudgement, but shall be taken avvay like chaffe, and ſcattered abrode vvith the vvinde.
The ſame iudgement remaineth for all ſuch as in preaching the Goſpell ſeeke their owne profite and not the glory of Ieſus Chriſte. For the Goſpell is not deliuered vntounto vsus that we ſhould thereby ſeeke our owne praiſe and glory,VVhat vve ought to ſeke in the goſpell. or that the people ſhould honour and magnifie vsus which are the Miniſters therof: but to the end that the benefite and glory of Chriſte might be preached and publiſhed, and that the father might be glorified in his mercy offred vntounto vsus in Chriſt his ſōne,Rom. 1.32. whom he deliuered for vsus all and with him hath geuen vsus all things. Wherfore the Goſpel is a doctrine wherin we ought to ſeeke nothing leſſe than our owne glory. It ſetteth forth vntounto vsus heauenly and eternall things: which are not our owne, which we hauehave neither done nor deſerued: but it offereth the ſame vntounto vsus, to vsus (I ſay) which are vnworthy, and that through the meere goodnes and grace of God. Why ſhould we then ſeeke praiſe and glory therby? He therfore that ſeeketh his owne glory in the Goſpell, ſpeaketh of him ſelfe: And he that ſpeaketh of him ſelfe is a lier and there is vnrighteouſnes in him.Iohn. 7.1…. Contrariwiſe he that ſeeketh the glory of him that ſent him is true, and there is no vnrighteouſnes in him. Iohn. 7.
Paule therfore geueth earneſt charge to all the miniſters of the word, ſaying: If vve liue in the ſpirite, let vsus vvalke in the ſpirite, that is to ſay:VVhat it is to vvalke in the ſpirite. Let vsus abide in the doctrine of ye truth which hath ben taught vntounto vsus in brotherly louelove and ſpirituall concord: let vsus preach Chriſte and the glory of God in ſimplicitie of heart, and let vsus confeſſe that we hauehave receaued all things of him: let vsus not thinke more of our ſelues than of others: let vsus raiſe vp no Sectes. For this is not to walke rightly, but rather to raunge out of the way, and to ſette vp a new and a peruerſe way of walking.
Hereby we may vnderſtand that God of his ſpeciall grace maketh the teachers of the Goſpell ſubiect to the croſſe and to all kindes of afflictions for the ſaluation of them ſelues and of the people:VVhy God layeth the croſſe vponupon the preachers of the goſpel. for otherwiſe they could by no meanes repreſſe and beate downe this beaſt which is called vaineglory. For if no perſecution, no croſſe or reproch followed the doctrine of the Goſpell, but onelyonly praiſe, reputation and glory amongſt men: then would all the profeſſors thereof be infected and periſh through the poyſon of vainglory. Ierome ſayth that he had ſeene many which could ſuffer great inconueniences in theyr body and goodes, but none that could deſpiſe their owne praiſes. For it is almoſt impoſſible for a mā not to be puffed vp whē he heareth any thing ſpoken in the praiſe of his owne vertues. Paule notwithſtanding that he had the ſpirite of Chriſte, ſayth that there was geuen vntounto him the meſſenger of Sathan to buffette him, becauſe he ſhould not be exalted out of meaſure through the greatnes of his reuelations. Therfore Auguſtine ſayeth very well: If a miniſter of the word be praiſed, he is in daunger. If a brother deſpiſe or diſpraiſe him he is alſo in daunger. He that heareth a preacher of the word, ought to reuerence him for the wordes ſake: but if he be proud therof he is in daunger. Contrariwiſe if he be deſpiſed, he is out of daunger: but ſo is not he which deſpiſeth him.
Wherfore we muſt honour our great benefite, that is,Rom. 14.16. that is, of the preaching of the word and receauing of the Sacraments. We muſt alſo reuerence one an other according to that ſaying:Rom. 12.10. In geuing honour one to an other, &c. But wherſoeuer this is done,VVhen men be praiſed, the flesh vvaxeth proud. by and by the fleſh is tickled with vaineglory and waxeth proud. For there is none (no not among the godly) which would not rather be praiſed than diſpraiſed, except perhaps ſome be ſo well ſtabliſhed in this behalfe, that he will be moued neither with praiſes nor reproches: As that woman ſayde of Dauid. 2. Sam. 14. My Lord the king is like an angel of God, 2. Sam. 14.17vvhichwhich vvill neither be moued vvith bleſſing nor curſſing. Likewiſe Paule ſayth: by honour and dishonour, by euill report and good report, &c. 2. Cor. 6.8,Such mē as be neither puffed vp with praiſe, nor throwne downe with diſpraiſe, but endeuour ſimplie to ſet forth ye benefite & glory of Chriſt, & to ſeeke the ſaluation of ſoules, do walke orderly. Contrariwiſe they which waxe proud in hearing of their owne praiſes,VVho vvalke in order, and vvho do not. not ſeking ye glory of Chriſt but their owne: alſo they which being moued wt reproches & ſclaunders doe forſake the miniſtery of the word, walke not orderly.
Wherfore let eueryevery one ſee yt he walke orderly, and ſpecially ſuch as boaſt of the ſpirite. If thou be praiſed, know that it is not thou that is praiſed,Galath. 1.5. but Chriſt, to whō all praiſe & honour is due. For in that thou teacheſt ye word purely & liueſt godly, theſe are not thine own gifts, but the gifts of God: therfore thou art not praiſed but God in thee. When thou doſt acknowledge this, thou wilt walke orderly, & not be puft vp wt vainglory (for what haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued?) but wilt cōfeſſe that thou haſt receaued the ſame of God,1. Cor. 4.7. and wilt not be moued with iniuries, reproches, or perſecution to forſake thy calling.
God therfore of his ſpeciall grace at this day couereth our glory with infamie, reproch, mortall hatred, cruel perſecution, railing & curſing of ye whole world:Priuie & open enemies of the Goſpell. alſo wt the contempt & ingratitude euen of thoſe among whō we liue, as wel ye common ſort as alſo ye citizens, gentlemē and noble men (whoſe enimitie, hatred & perſecution againſt ye goſpel, like as it is priuie & inward, ſo is it more dāgerous then the crueltie & outragious dealings of our open enemies) yt we ſhuld not waxe proud of ye gifts of God in vsus. This milſtone muſt be hāged about our necke, yt we be not infected wt that peſtilent poyſon of vainglory. Some there be of our ſide which louelove & reuerēce vsus for ye miniſtery of the word: but where there is one that reuerenceth vsus, there be on ye other ſide an hundreth that hate & perſecute vsus. Theſe ſpiteful dealīgs therfore, & theſe perſecutions of our enemies, this great cōtempt and ingratitude, this cruell and priuie hatred of them among whom we liue, are ſuch pleaſant ſights and make vsus ſo mery, that we eaſily for get vainglory.
Wherfore, reioyſing in ye Lord who is our glory, we remaine in order.VVe muſt not be proud of our ſpirituall giftes. Luke. 12.4…. Epheſ. 4.12. Thoſe gifts which we hauehave, we acknowledge to be ye gifts of God & not our owne, geuen for ye edifying of ye body of Chriſt: Therfore we be not proud of thē. For we know that more is required of thē to whō much is cōmitted, then of thē which hauehave receiued but litle. Moreouer we know yt there is no reſpect of perſons before God.Actes 10.34. Therfore a pore artificer faithfully vſing the gift which God hath geuen him, pleaſeth God no leſſe than a preacher of the word: for he ſerueth God in ye ſame faith and with the ſame ſpirit. Wherfore we ought no leſſe to regard ye meaneſt Chriſtians, than they regard vsus. And by this meanes ſhall we continue free from the poyſon of vainglory, and walke in the ſpirit.
Contrariwiſe the fantaſtical ſpirits, which ſeeke their owne glory,Vainglorious ſpirites. the fauour of men, the peace of the world, the eaſe of the fleſh, & not the glory of Chriſt, nor yet ye health of mens ſoules (although they proteſt yt they ſeeke nothing elſe) cā not chooſe but diſcouer thēſelues in commending their owne doctrine and induſtrie & diſpraiſing other mens, & all to get them a name & praiſe. Theſe vaineglorious ſpirites do not reioyce & glory in the Lord: but then do they glory, then are they ſtout and hardy when they are magnified of the people. Whoſe hearts they win by wonderfull ſleights & ſubtelties: for in their words, geſtures & wrytings they can coūterfet & diſſemble al things. But when they are not praiſed and commended of the people, then be they the moſt fearful men in ye world: for they hate & ſhunney croſſe of Chriſt and perſecution. On the contrary, when they are praiſe and magnified (as I ſayd) none are ſo ſtout, no Hector, no Achilles ſo bold and hardy as they.
Such a ſlie & crafty beaſt therfore is fleſh, that for no other cauſe it forſaketh his function, corrupteth true doctrine, and breaketh ye cōcord of the church, then only vponupon this curſed vainglory. Therfore it is not wtout cauſe that Paule ſo ſharply inueigheth againſt it both here and in other places,Galath. 4.17. as before in the .4. Chap. They are (ſayth he) ielous ouer you amiſſe: yea they vvould exclude you from me, that ye should altogether louelove them: that is to ſay, they would diſcredite me that they themſelues might be famous. They ſeke not Chriſtes glory and your ſaluation, but their owne glory, my reproch and your bondage.
Verſe. 26. Let vsus not be deſirous of vainglory.
Which is to glory, not in God (as I hauehave ſaid) but in lies, in the opinion, liking & eſtimatiō of the people. Here is no right foūdation of true glory, but a falſe foūdation, & therfore impoſſible long to ſtād. He that praiſeth a mā as he is a mā, is a lier: for there is nothing praiſe worthy in him, but all thīgs are worthy of cōdēnatiō.Rom. 3.25. Therfore as touchīg our perſon, this is our glory, yt all mē hauehave ſinned & are gilty of euerlaſting death before god. But ye caſe is otherwiſe whē our miniſtery is praiſed.The praiſe of the perſon & of the miniſterie. wherfore we muſt not only wiſh, but alſo to the vttermoſt of our power endeuour yt mē may magnify it & hauehave it in due reuerence: for this ſhal turne to their ſaluation. Paul warneth ye Rom. that they offend no mā:Rom. 14.16. to the end, ſayth he, that our cōmodity be not euil ſpoken of: And in an other place: that our miniſtery be not reprehēded. 2. Cor. 6.3.Therfore when our miniſtery is praiſed, we be not praiſed for our owne perſons ſake, but (as the Pſalme ſayth) we are praiſed in God and in his holy name.
Verſe. 26. Prouoking one an other, and enuying one an other.
The effect and fruite of vaineglory.Here he deſcribeth the effect and frute of vaineglory. He that teacheth any errour, or is an authour of any new doctrine, cā not but prouoke others: and when they doe not approue and receaue his doctrine, by and by he beginneth to hate them moſt bitterly. We ſee at this day with what deadly hatred the Sectaries are inflamed againſte vsus, becauſe we will not geue place to them and approue their errours. We did not firſt prouoke them, nor ſpredde abrode any wicked opinion in the world: but rebuking certaine abuſes in the church, and faithfully teaching the article of Iuſtification, hauehave walked in good order.Galath. 2.5. But they forſaking this article, hauehave taught many things contrary to the word of God. Here, becauſe we would not loſe ye truth of the Goſpell, we hauehave ſet our ſelues againſt them, and hauehave condemned their errours: which thing, becauſe they could not abide, they did not onelyonly prouoke vsus firſt without cauſe, but alſo doe ſtill moſt ſpitefully hate vsus, and that vponupon no other occaſion but onelyonly vppon vaineglory: for they would gladly deface vsus that they alone might rule and raigne: For they imagine that it is a great glory to profeſſe ye Goſpel, wheras in deede there is no greater ignominie in ye ſight of the world.