Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 2 · Verse extract 3
Verſe. 3. But neither yet Titus vvhichwhich vvas vvith me, though he vvere a Grecian, vvas compelled to be circumciſed.
This word, vvas compelled, ſufficiently declareth what the cōference and concluſion was:VVhat vvas decreed in this conference. to wit, that the Gentiles ſhould not be conſtrained to be circumciſed, but that circumciſion ſhould be permitted to ye Gentiles for a time: not as neceſſary to righteouſnes, but for a reuerence to the forefathers: alſo for charities ſake towardes the weake (leſt they ſhould be offended) vntil they were grown vp more ſtrong in faith: For it might hauehave ſeemed ſtraunge and vnſeemely vponupon a ſudden to forſake the lawe and traditions of the fathers, which had bene geuen to this people from God with ſo great glory.
Paule then did not reiect circumciſion as a damnable thing, neither did he by word or deede enforce the Iewes to forſake it. For in the .1. Cor. 7. he ſayth: If any man be called being circumciſed, Hovv Paule refuſed circumciſion. 1. Cor. 7.18.let him not adde vncircumciſion. But he reiected circumciſion as a thing not neceſſary to righteouſnes, ſeing the fathers themſelues were not iuſtified therby, but it was vntounto thē as a ſigne onelyonly or a ſeale of righteouſnes, wherby they teſtified and exerciſed their faith. Notwithſtāding the beleuing Iewes which were yet weake, & bare a zeale to the law, hearing that circumciſion was not neceſſary to righteouſnes, could vnderſtand this no otherwiſe, but yt it was altogither vnprofitable and damnable. And this fond opiniō of the weake Iewes yt falſe apoſtles did encreaſe, to the end that the hearts of the people being ſtirred vp againſt Paule, by this occaſiō, they might throughly diſcredite his doctrine.Hovv vve teach faſting and other Chriſtian exerciſes novv a dayes. So we at this day do not reiect faſting & other good exerciſes as dānable things: but we teach yt by theſe exerciſes we do not obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes. When the people heare this, by & by they iudge vsus to ſpeake againſt good workes. The Papiſts alſo do confirme & encreaſe this opinion in their preachings & wrytings. But they lie, & doe vsus great wrong. For many yeres paſt there hath ben none that hath more truely and faithfully taught concerning good workes, then we doe at this day.
Paule then did not ſo cōdemne circumciſion, as though it were ſinne to receaue it or kepe it:VVhat vvas determined in that meting of the Apoſtles. for ſo the Iewes would hauehave ben highly offended: but it was decided in this conference and Councel, that it was not neceſſary to iuſtification, & therfore not to be forced vponupon the Gentiles. So this moderation was found, that for the reuerence of the fathers, and charitie towardes the weake in faith, the Iewes ſhould kepe the law and circumciſion ſtill for a time, notwithſtanding they ſhould not therby ſeke to be iuſtified: And alſo that the Gentiles ſhould not be burdened therwith, both becauſe it would hauehave bene to them a very ſtraūge thing, and alſo a burden vntolerable: Actes. 15.…0.briefly that none ſhould be conſtrained to be circumciſed, or any reſtrained from circumciſion.
Paule therfore compelled none yt would be circumciſed, to remaine vncircūciſed, ſo yt he knew circūciſion not to be neceſſary to iuſtificatiō. This cōſtraint would Paule take away. Therfore he ſuffred ye Iewes to kepe ye law, ſo yt they did it wt a free conſcience. For he had euer taught, as wel the Iewes as the Gentiles, yt in conſcience they ought to be free frō the law & circumciſion: like as all the Patriarks & all the faithfull in ye old Teſtament were free in cōſcience & iuſtified by faith, & not by ye law or circumciſion. And in dede Paule might hauehave ſuffred Titus to be circumciſed:VVhy Paule vvould not ſuffer Titus to be circumciſed. but becauſe he ſaw that they would compell him thervnto, he would not. For if they had preuailed therein, by and by they would hauehave gathered that it had bene neceſſary to iuſtification, & ſo through this ſufferance they would hauehave triumphed againſt Paule.
Now, as the falſe apoſtles would not leaue circumciſion & the obſeruation of the law indifferent, but required the ſame as neceſſary to ſaluation: ſo at this day our aduerſaries doe obſtinately contend that mens traditions cā not be omitted without peril of ſaluation. And thus of an example of charitie, they make an example of faith, whē notwithſtanding there is but one example of faith, which is to beleue in Ieſus Chriſt: And this, as it is alone neceſſary to ſaluation, ſo doth it alſo indifferently pertaine to all men. Notwithſtāding the aduerſaries would rather worſhip the Deuill ten times in ſtead of God,The obſtinate aduerſaries defend their vvicked blaſphemies by tyrannie and violence. then they would ſuffer this. Therfore they are daily hardned more and more, and ſeeke to eſtabliſh their impieties and blaſphemies againſt God, defending the ſame by force and tyrannie, and will not agree or conſent vntounto vsus in any poynt. But what then? Let vsus go on boldly in the name of the Lord of hoſtes, and for all this, let vsus not ceaſe to ſet forth the glory of Ieſus Chriſt: and let vsus fight valiantly againſt the kingdom of Antichriſt by the word and by prayer,Math. 6.9.10. that the name of God alone may be ſanctified, that his kingdom may come, and that his vvill may be done. And that this may ſpedely come to paſſe, we deſire euen from the bottome of our heartes and ſay, Amen, Amen.
The victorie of Paule againſt the falſ Apoſtles.This triumph of Paule therfore was very glorious: namely, that Titus which was a Gentile, although he were in the middes of the Apoſtles and all the faithfull where this queſtion was ſo vehemently debated, was not yet conſtrained to be circumciſed. This victorie Paule carieth away, & ſayth that in this conference it was decided by the conſent of all the Apoſtles, the whole Church alſo approuing the ſame, that Titus ſhould not be circumciſed. This is a ſtrong argument, and maketh very much againſt the falſe apoſtles. And with this argument: Neither vvas Titus compelled to be circumciſed, Paule was able to repreſſe and mightely conuince all his aduerſaries. As if he ſhould ſay: Why doth theſe counterfait apoſtles ſo falſely report of me, ſaying, that I am compelled to keepe circumciſion by the commaundement of the Apoſtles, ſeeing I hauehave the witnes of all the faithfull in Ieruſalem, and moreouer of all the Apoſtles them ſelues, that by my purſute and trauaile the contrary was there determined: and that I did not onelyonly there preuaile that Titus ſhould not be circumciſed, but that the Apoſtles did alſo approue and ratifie the ſame. Your counterfet apoſtles therfore do lie deadly, which ſclaūder me vnderunder the name of the Apoſtles, and therby deceaue you: for I hauehave the Apoſtles and all the faithfull, not againſt me, but with me. And this I proue by the example of Titus.
Notwithſtanding, Paule (as I hauehave often ſayd) did not condemne circumciſion as an vnprofitable thing, nor conſtrained any man therevnto. For it is neither ſinne nor righteouſnes to be circumciſed or vncircumciſed, as it is neither ſinne nor righteouſnes to eate or drinke. For vvhether thou eate or eate not, thou art neither better nor vvorſe. 1. Cor. 8.8.But if any mā ſhould adde therto either ſinne or righteouſnes, and ſay: If thou eate thou ſinneſt, if thou abſtaine thou art righteous, he ſhould ſhew him ſelfe both fooliſh and wicked.The Pope putteth righteouſnes in the keping of his traditiōs, and damnation in breaking of them. Therfore to ioyne ceremonies with ſinne or righteouſnes, is great impietie: As the Pope doth, who in his forme of excommunication, threatneth to all thoſe that doe not obey the law of the Biſhop of Rome, Gods great curſe and indignation, and ſo maketh all his lawes neceſſary to ſaluation. Wherefore the Deuil him ſelfe ſpeaketh in the perſon of the Pope, & in all the Popes decrees. For if ſaluation cōſiſteth in keping of the Popes lawes, what neede hauehave we of Chriſt to be our iuſtifier and Sauiour?