Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 3 · Verse extract 3 – Verse extract 4
Verſe. 3. Are ye ſo foolish, that after ye hauehave begone in the ſpirite, ye vvould novv finish or be made perfect by the flesh?
This argument being concluded, how that the holy ghoſt cometh not by the workes of the lawe, but through the preaching of faith: he beginneth here to exhort the Galathians, and to terrifie them from a double daunger and incommoditie. The firſt is: Are ye ſo foolish that after ye hauehave begone in the ſpirite, ye vvould novv ende in the flesh? The other followeth: HaueHave ye ſuffred ſo great things in vaine? As if he ſaid:To begin in the ſpirite. Ye began in the ſpirite: that is, your religion was excellently well begone. As alſo a litle after he ſaith: Ye ranne vvel, &c. But what hauehave ye gotten therby? Forſoth ye will nowe ende in the fleſh, yea rather ye are ended in the fleſh.
Paule here ſetteth the ſpirite againſt the fleſh. He calleth not the fleſh (as before I hauehave ſaid) luſt, beaſtly paſſions, or ſenſual appetites: for he intreateth not here of luſt or of other fleſhly deſires: but of forgeuenes of ſinnes, of iuſtifying the conſcience, of obteining righteouſnes before God, of deliueraunce from the lawe, ſinne, and death: and yet notwithſtanding he ſayth here, that they, forſaking the ſpirite, doe now ende in the fleſh.VVhat flesh ſignifieth in this place. Fleſh therfore is here taken for the very righteouſnes and wiſedome of the fleſh and the iudgement of reaſon, which goeth about to be made righteous by the law. Whatſoeuer then is beſt and moſt excellent in man (as the wiſedome of reaſon, yea, and ye righteouſnes of the law it ſelfe) the ſame here Paule calleth fleſh.
And this place muſt be well weyed and conſidered, becauſe of the ſlaunderous and cauilling Papiſts, which wreſt the ſame againſt vsus, ſaying that we in Poperie began in the ſpirite, but now, hauing maried wiues, we ende in the fleſh. As though a ſingle life, or not to hauehave a wife were a ſpirituall life: and as though it nothing hindred their ſpirituall life, if a man not contented with one whore, hauehave many. They are mad men, not vnderſtanding what the ſpirite, or what the fleſh is. The ſpirite is whatſoeuer is done in vsus through the ſpirite: The fleſh,The ſpirite. The flesh. whatſoeuer is done in vsus according to the fleſh without the ſpirite. Wherfore all the dueties of a Chriſtian man, as to louelove his wife, to bring vp his children, to gouerne his familie, and ſuch like,VVhat the papiſtes call vvorldly and carnall. which vntounto them are worldly and carnal, are the frutes of the ſpirite. Theſe blinde buzzardes can not diſcerne the things, which are the good creatures of God, from vices.
Here alſo is to be noted, that the Apoſtle ſayth, the Galathians did begin in the ſpirite. He ſhould here hauehave added actiuely: Nunc carne conſummatis? that now ye ende in the fleſh? But he doth not ſo: but ſayth paſſiuely, carne conſummamini: that ye ende, yea, or rather are ended in the fleſh? The righteouſnes of the law which Paule here calleth the fleſh, is ſo farre of from iuſtifying, that they which after the receauing of the holy ghoſt through the hearing of faith, fall backe againe vntounto it, are ended in it, that is to ſay, are vtterly deſtroyed. Therfore who ſo euer teach that the lawe ought to be fulfilled to this ende, that men might be iuſtified thereby, whiles they goe about to quiet their conſciences, they hurt them, & whiles they would iuſtifie them, they condemne them.
Paule euermore by the way hath a glaunce at theſe falſe apoſtles, for they ſtil vrged the law, ſaying: Faith onelyonly in Chriſt taketh not away ſinne, pacifieth not the wrath of God, iuſtifieth not: Therfore if ye will obtaine theſe benefites, ye muſt not onelyonly beleeue in Chriſt: but therwith ye muſt alſo keepe the law, be circumciſed, keepe the feaſtes, ſacrifices. &c. Thus doing ye ſhall be free from ſinne, from the wrath of God, from euerlaſting death: yea rather (ſayth Paule) by the ſelfe ſame things ye eſtabliſh vnrighteouſnes, ye prouoke ye wrath of God, ye adde ſinne to ſinne, ye quench the ſpirite, ye fall away from grace, and vtterly reiect the ſame, and ye together with your diſciples doe ende in ye fleſh. This is the firſt daūger, from ye which he terrifieth the Galathians, leſt if they ſeeke to be iuſtified by the lawe, they loſe the ſpirite, and forgoe their good beginnings for a wretched ende.
Verſe. 4. HaueHave ye ſuffered ſo many things in vaine?
The other daunger and incommoditie is this: HaueHave ye ſuffred ſo many things in vaine? As though he would ſay: Conſider not onelyonly howe well ye began, and howe miſerablie ye hauehave forſaken your good beginnings, and your courſe well begone: moreouer, that not onelyonly ye hauehave loſt the firſt fruites of the ſpirite, being fallen againe into the miniſterie of ſinne and death, and into a dolefull and a miſerable bondage of the lawe: but conſider this alſo, that ye hauehave ſuffered muche for the Goſpels ſake, and for the name of Chriſte: to witte, the ſpoiling of your goodes, railings and reproches, daungers both of bodies and liues. &c. All things were in a happie courſe and great towardnes with you. Ye taught purely, ye liued holily, and ye endured many euils conſtantly for the name of Chriſte. But nowe all is loſt, as well doctrine as faith, as well doing as ſuffering, as well the ſpirite as the fruites thereof.
Hereby it appeareth ſufficiently what inconuenience the righteouſnes of the lawe and mans owne righteouſnes bringeth:VVhat inconueniences mās ovvne righteouſnes, or the righteouſnes of the lavv doe bring. to witte, that they which truſt in it, doe loſe at once vnſpeakeable benefites. Nowe, what a miſerable thing is it, ſo ſodenly to loſe ſuch ineſtimable glory and aſſuraunce of conſcience towardes God? alſo to endure ſo many great and greeuous afflictions, as loſſe of goods, wife, children, body, and life, and yet notwithſtanding to ſuſtaine all theſe things in vaine? And out of theſe two places, much matter may be gathered to ſet forth and amplifie at large the goodly commendation of the lawe and mans owne righteouſnes, if a man would ſtand vponupon eueryevery parcell by it ſelfe, and declare what ſpirite it was wherwith they began: what, how great, and how many the afflictions were which they endured for Chriſtes ſake. But no eloquence can ſufficiently ſet forth theſe matters. For they are ineſtimable things wherof Paule here entreateth: to wit the glory of God, victory ouer the world, the fleſh and the deuill, righteouſnes and euerlaſting life: and on the other ſide, ſinne, deſperation, eternall death, and hell. And yet notwithſtanding in a moment we loſe all theſe incomparable gifts, and procure vntounto our ſelues theſe horrible and endles miſeries, and al by falſe teachers, when they leade vsus away frō the truth of ye goſpel vntounto falſe doctrine. And this not only they doe eaſily bring to paſſe, but alſo vnderunder the ſhew of great holines.
Verſe. 4. If notvvithſtanding it be in vaine.
This he addeth as a correction: wherby he mitigateth the reprehenſion that goeth before, which was ſomewhat ſharpe. And this he doth as an Apoſtle, leſt he ſhould terrifie the Galathians too much. Although he chide them, yet notwithſtanding he alwayes doth it in ſuch ſorte, that he poureth in ſweete oyle withall, leſt he ſhould driue them to deſperation.
He ſaith therfore: If notvvithſtanding it be in vaine. As if he would ſay: yet I doe not take away all hope from you: but if ye would ſo end in the fleſh, that is to ſay, follow the righteouſnes of the lawe and forſake the ſpirite, as ye hauehave begone: then knowe ye, that all your glory and affiaunce which ye hauehave in God, is in vaine, and all your afflictions are vnprofitable. In deede I muſt needes ſpeake ſomwhat more roughly vntounto you in this matter: I muſt be more feruent in the defence therof, and more ſharpe in chiding of you, eſpecially the matter being ſo waightie, and conſtraining me thervnto, left ye ſhould thinke it to be but a trifle to caſt away the doctrine of Paule, and receaue an other. Notwithſtanding, I will not vtterly diſcourage you, ſo that ye repent and amende. For ſickely and ſcabbed children may not be caſt away, but muſt be holpen and ſeene to more carefully then they which are in health. So that Paule here like a cunning Phiſician, layeth all the fault in a manner, vponupon the falſe Apoſtles, the authors and onelyonly cauſe of this deadly diſeaſe. Contrariwiſe he entreateth the Galathians very gently, to the ende that by this his mildnes he might heale them, and reſtore them againe. We therfore by the example of Paule, ought in like manner to reprehend the weake, and ſo to heale and remoue their diſeaſe, that in the meane time we leaue not of to cheriſh and comfort them, leſt if we handle them too ſharply, they fall into deſperation.