Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 1 · Verse extract 10 – Verse extract 10
Verſe. 10. For novve preach I mans doctrine or Gods?
Theſe words are ſpoken with the ſame vehemencie that the former were. As if he would ſay: Am I Paule ſo vnknowen amongeſt you, which hauehave preached ſo openly in your churches? Are my bitter conflicts and ſo many ſharpe battails againſt the Iewes, yet vnknowne vntounto you? It appeareth, I thinke, ſufficiently vntounto you by my preaching, by ſo many and great afflictions which I hauehave ſuffered, whether I ſerue men or God. VVhat revvard Paule receaued for his paines taking. VVhat the miniſters of God ought to ſeeke.For all men ſee that by this my preaching I hauehave not onelyonly ſtirred vp perſecution againſt me in eueryevery place, but hauehave alſo procured the cruell hatred both of mine owne nation and of all other men. I ſhew therefore plainely enough that I ſeeke not by my preaching the fauour or liking of men, but to ſet forth the goodnes and glory of God.
Neither doe we (be it ſpoken without bragge) ſeeke the fauour of men by our doctrine.Epheſ. 2.3. For we teach that all men are wicked by nature, and the children of wrath. We condenme mans freewill,The ſumme and effect of the doctrine of the Goſpel. his ſtrength, wiſedome and righteouſnes, and all religion of our deuiſing. And to be ſhorte, we ſay that there is nothing in vsus that is able to deſerue grace and the forgeuenes of ſinnes: but we preach, that we obtaine this grace by the free mercy of God onelyonly for Chriſtes ſake.Pſal. 19.… For ſo the heauens shevv forth the glory of God and his vvorkes, condemning all men generally with their works. This certes is not to preach for the fauour of men and of the world. For the world can abide nothing leſſe then to heare his wiſedome, righteouſnes, religion, and power condemned. And to ſpeake againſt thoſe mighty and glorious gifts of the world, is not to flatter the world, but rather to procure hatred and indignation of the world. For if we ſpeake againſt men or againſt any ſuch things as pertaine to their glory, it can not be, but that cruell hatred, perſecutions, excommunications, murthers and condemnations therevpon muſt needes follow,
If then (ſaith Paule) they ſee other matters, why ſee they not this alſo, that I teach the things yt are of God & not of men? that is to ſay:To teach the things that are of God, yt I ſeeke no mans fauour by my doctrine, but I ſet out Gods merciemercy offred vntounto vsus in Chriſt. For if I ſought the fauour of men, I would not condenme their workes. Now for as much as I condemne mens workes, that is to ſay, becauſe I ſhew Gods iudgement out of his word (whereof I am a Miniſter) againſt all men, how that they are ſinners, vnrighteous, wicked, children of wrath, bondſlaues of the deuill and damned, and that they are not made righteous by works, or by circumciſion, but by grace onelyonly and faith in Chriſt: therfore I procure vntounto my ſelfe the deadly hatred of men. For they cā abide nothing leſſe, than to be taken for ſuch maner of men: nay rather they would be praiſed for wiſe, righteous, and holy. Wherfore this witneſſeth ſufficiently, that I teach not mans doctrine. After the ſame maner Chriſt ſpeaketh alſo in the ſeuenth of Iohn:Iohn. 7.7. VVhy the vvorld hateth Chriſt. Iohn. 3.19. The vvorld can not hate you, but me it hateth, becauſe I teſtifie of it that the vvorkes thereof are euill. And in the third of Iohn: This is condemnation, that light is come into the vvorld, and men loued darknes more then light, becauſe rheir vvorkes vvere euill.
Nowe, that I teach the things which are of God (ſaith the Apoſtle) hereby it may ſufficiently appeare, that I preach the grace, goodnes & glory of God alone. Moreouer, he that ſpeaketh (as Chriſt ſaith) thoſe things which his Lord and maiſter hath commaunded him, and glorifieth not him ſelfe, but him whoſe meſſenger he is, bringeth and teacheth the true woorde of God. But I teache thoſe things onelyonly which are commaunded me from aboue: neither glorifie I my ſelfe, but him that ſent me.Signes that teſtifie Paules doctrine to be true. Beſides that, I ſtirre vp againſt my ſelfe the wrath and indignation both of the Iewes and Gentiles: Therefore my doctrine is true, pure, certaine and of God, neither can there be any other, (much leſſe then, any better) then this my doctrine is. Wherfore whatſoeuer doctrine els teacheth not as mine doth, that all men are ſinners and are iuſtified by faith only in Chriſt, muſt needes be falſe, wicked, blaſphemous, accurſed and deuilliſh: and ſuch alſo are all they which either teach it or receaue it.
So we with Paule both boldly and aſſuredly doe pronounce all ſuch doctrine to be accurſed and abhominable, as diſſenteth from ours. For in deede we ſeke not by our preaching the praiſe of men or the fauour of Princes or Biſhops, but the fauour of God alone, whoſe onelyonly grace and mercy we preach, deſpiſing and treading vnderunder our feete whatſoeuer is of our ſelues. Whoſoeuer he be then which ſhall teach any other goſpell, or that which is contrary to ours, let vsus be bold to ſay that he is ſent of the Deuill, and hold him accurſed.
Verſe. 10. Or goe I about to pleaſe men?
That is, doe I ſerue men or God? He hath alwaies a glaunce at the falſe Apoſtles.Falſe Apoſtles ſeeke to pleaſe men. Theſe (ſaith he) muſt nedes ſeeke to pleaſe & to flatter men: for by this meanes they ſeeke, that they againe may glory in their fleſh. Moreouer, becauſe they will not beare the hatred and perſecution of men, they teach circumciſion, onelyonly to auoide the perſecution of the croſſe of Chriſt, as followeth in the 5 chapter.
So at this day you may finde many which labour to pleaſe men,Teachers of mens traditions doe pleaſe men. & to the end they may liue in peace and ſecuritie of the fleſh, they teach mans doctrine, that is to ſay, wicked things, or els they allow the blaſphemies and wicked iudgements of the aduerſaries, contrary to the word of God and againſt their owne conſcience, that they may keepe ſtil the fauour of Princes and Biſhops, and enioy their goods: But we, becauſe we endeuour to pleaſe God and not mē,The revvard of godly teachers. do ſtirre vp againſt vsus the malice of the Deuill and of hell it ſelfe: we beare the reproches and ſclaunders of the world, death, & al the miſchiefes that can be wrought againſt vsus.
So ſaith Paule here: I ſeeke not to pleaſe men, that they may praiſe my doctrine, and report me to be an excellent teacher, but I deſire only that my doctrine may pleaſe God: and by this meanes I make men my mortal enemies. Which thing I find by experience to be moſt true: for they requite me with infamy, ſclaunder, impriſonment and ſword. Contrariwiſe, the falſe Apoſtles teach the things that are of men, that is to ſay, ſuch things as be pleaſant and plauſible to mans reaſon, and that to the end they may liue in eaſe and purchaſe the fauour, good will and praiſe of the people. And ſuch men finde that they ſeeke for.The revvard of falſe and vngodly teachers. Mat. 6.2. For they are praiſed and magnified of men. So ſaith Chriſt alſo. Math. 6. That hypocrits do al things to be praiſed of mē. And in the. 5. of Iohn he ſharply reproueth ſuch: Hovv can ye beleue (ſaith he) vvhichwhich receaue honour one of an other, and ſeeke not the honour that commeth of God alone? Theſe things which Paule hath hitherto taught,Io. 5.44. are in a maner examples onelyonly. In the meane time notwithſtanding he is very earneſt eueryevery where, in prouing his doctrine to be ſincere and vnfained. Therefore he exhorteth the Galathians that they forſake it not for any other doctrine.
Verſe. 10. For if I should yet pleaſe men I vvere not the ſeruaunt of God?
All theſe things are to be referred to the whole office and miniſterie of Paule, to ſhew what a contrarietie there was betwene his conuerſation before in the Iewiſh law, and his conuerſation now vnderunder the goſpell. As if he would ſay: Doe ye thinke that I goe about ſtill to pleaſe men, as I did in times paſt? So he ſpeaketh afterwardes in the fifte chapter.Verſe. 11. If I yet preach Circumciſion, vvhy doe I ſuffer perſecution? As though he would ſay: Doe ye not ſee and heare of my daily conflictes, great perſecutions and afflictions? After I was conuerted & called to office of Apoſtleſhip, I neuer taught mans doctrine, neither ſought I to pleaſe men, but God onelyonly. That is to ſay: I ſeke not by my miniſterie & doctrine the praiſe and fauour of men, but of God.
Here againe is to be marked how maliciouſly and craftely the falſe apoſtles went about to bring Paule into hatred among the Galathians.Lies and ſclā ders deuiſed by the falſe Apoſtles againſt Paule. They picked out of his preachings & wrytings certaine cōtradictions (as our aduerſaries at this day do out of our bokes), & by this meanes they would hauehave cōuinced him yt he had taught cōtrary things. Wherfore they ſaid yt ther was no credit to be geuē vntounto him: but ye Circūciſiō and the law ought to be kept. Which thing he himſelf alſo by his example had allowed,Acts. 16.5. Acts. 18.13. Acts. 21.24. becauſe he had circumciſed Timothy according to the lawe, had purified him ſelfe with other foure men in the temple at Ieruſalem, & had ſhauen his head at Cenchrea. Theſe cauillers ſurmiſed that Paule was conſtrayned to doe theſe thinges by the commaundement and authority of the Apoſtles. Which notwtſtanding he had kept as indifferent, bearing with the infirmity of the weake brethern (which yet vnderſtode not the chriſtian liberty) leſt they ſhould be offended. To whoſe cauillations thus he aunſwereth: How true it is which the falſe apoſtles forge againſt me for the ouerthrowing of my goſpell, and ſetting vp of the law and Circumciſion againe, the matter it ſelfe ſufficiently declareth. For if I would preach the law and Circumciſion, and commend the ſtrength, power, and will of man, I ſhould not be ſo hated of them, but ſhould pleaſe them maruelouſly well.