Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 4 · Verse extract 8-9 – Verse extract 9
Verſ. 8.9. But euen then vvhen ye knevv not God, ye did ſeruice vntounto them vvhichwhich by nature vvere no Gods. But novve ſeing ye knovv God, yea rather are knovvn of God: hovv turne you againe vntounto impotent and beggerly rudiments, vvherevnto ye vvill be in bondage againe.
This is the concluſion of Paules diſputation. From this place vntounto the end of the Epiſtle he doth not much diſpute, but onelyonly geueth precepts as touching maners. Notwithſtanding he firſt reproueth the Galathians, being ſore diſpleaſed that this diuine and heauenly doctrine ſhould be ſo ſuddenly and ſo eaſily remoued out of their heartes. As if he would ſay: Ye hauehave teachers which will bring you backe againe into the bondage of the law. This did not I: but by my doctrine I called you out of darknes & of the ignorance of God, into a wōderful light and knowledge of him.1. Pet. 1.9. I brought you out of bōdage, and ſet you in the freedom of the ſonnes of God, not by preaching vntounto you the workes of the lawe, or the merites of men, but the grace and righteouſnes of God, and the geuing of heauenly & eternal bleſſings through Chriſt. Now, ſeeing this is true, why doe ye ſo ſoone forſake the light and returne to darknes? Why doe ye ſuffer your ſelues ſo eaſily to be brought from grace vntounto the law, from freedom to bondage?
Here againe we ſee (as before I hauehave ſayd) that to fall in Faith is an eaſie matter,To ſlide in Faith, is an eaſie thing. as the example of the Galathians witneſſeth. The example of the Anabaptiſts, Libertines, and ſuch other heretikes witneſſeth the ſame alſo at this day. We for our part doe ſet forth the doctrine of Faith with continuall trauell, by preaching, by reading and by wryting: we purely and plainly diſtinguiſh the Goſpell from the law,The ſleightes of the deuil to bring men frō Faith to the lavve. and yet doe we litle preuaile. This cometh of the Deuill, who goeth about by all ſubtile meanes to ſeduce men and to hold them in errour: he can abide nothing leſſe then the true knowledge of grace and Faith in Chriſt. Therfore, to the end he may take Chriſt cleane out of ſight, he ſetteth before them other ſhewes, wherewith he ſo deceaueth them that by litle and litle he leadeth them from Faith and the knowledge of grace, to the diſputation of the lawe. When he hath brought this about, then is Chriſte taken away. It is not without cauſe therefore that Paule ſpeaketh ſo much and ſo often of Chriſte, and that he goeth about ſo purely to ſet forth the doctrine of Faith: wherevnto he attributeth righteouſnes onelyonly and alone, & taketh it from the law, declaring that the lawe hath a cleane contrary effect: that is, to engender wrath, to encreaſe ſinne &c. For he would gladly perſwade vsus, that we ſhould not ſuffer Chriſte to be plucked out of our heart: that the ſpouſe ſhould not ſuffer her huſband to depart out of her armes, but ſhould alwayes embrace him and cleaue faſt vntounto him, who being preſent there is no daunger: yea there is the Faithfull groning, fatherly good will, adoption and inheritaunce.
But why ſayeth Paule that the Galathians turned backe againe to weake and beggerly rudiments or ceremonies, that is to ſay,VVhy Paule ſayth that the Galathians returned back to vveake and beggerly elements. to the law, wheras they neuer had the law: for they were Gentiles (notwithſtanding he wrote theſe things to ye Iewes alſo, as afterwardes we wil declare): or why ſpeaketh he not rather after this maner? Once vvhen ye knevve not God, ye did ſeruice vntounto them vvhichwhich by nature vvere no gods: but now, ſeing ye know God, why turne ye back again, forſaking the true God, to worſhip Idols? Doth Paule take it to be all one thing, to fall from the promiſe to the law, frō faith to works: and to do ſeruice vntounto Gods which by nature are no Gods? I anſwer: Whoſoeuer is falne from the article of iuſtification, is ignorant of God & an Idolater. Therfore it is all one thing whether he afterwards turne againe to the law, or to the worſhipping of Idols: it is all one, whether he be called a Monke, a Turke, a Iew or an Anabaptiſt. For whē this article is taken away, there remaineth nothing elſe but errour, hypocriſie, impietie and idolatry, how much ſo euer it ſeeme in outward appearance to be the very truth, the true ſeruice of God, and true holines. &c.
The reaſon is,God is knovven by Chriſte onelyonly. Iohn. 1.18. becauſe God will or can be knowen no otherwiſe then by Chriſt, according to that ſaying of Iohn. 1: The onelyonly begotten Sonne vvhichwhich is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him. He is the Seede promiſed vntounto Abraham, in whom God hath eſtabliſhed all his promiſes. Wherfore Chriſt is the onelyonly meane and, as ye would ſay, the glaſſe by the which we ſee God, that is to ſay, we know his will. For in Chriſt we ſee that God is not a cruell exactour or a iudge, but a moſt fauourable, louing and merciful Father, who to the ende he might bleſſe vsus, that is to ſay, deliuer vsus from the lawe, ſinne, death and all euils, and might endue vsus with grace, righteouſnes and euerlaſting life, ſpared not his owne Sonne,Rom. 8.32. The true knovvledge of God. but gaue him for vsus all. &c. This is a true knowledge of God, and a diuine perſwaſion, which deceaueth vsus not, but painteth out God vntounto vsus liuely.
He that is falne from this knowledge, muſt nedes conceiue this fantaſie in his heart: I will ſet vp ſuch a ſeruice of God: I will enter into ſuch an order: I will chooſe this or that worke, and ſo will I ſerue God, and I doute not but God will accepte this, and reward me wyth euerlaſting life for the ſame. For he is mercifull and liberal, geuing all good things euen to the vnworthy and vnthankfull: much more will he geue vntounto me grace and euerlaſting life for my great and manifold good deedes and merites. This is the higheſt wiſedom,The higheſt vviſedom of reaſon. righteouſnes and religion that reaſon can iudge of: which is common to all nations, to the Papiſts, Iewes, Turkes, heretikes &c. They can goe no higher then that Phariſey did, of whom mention is made in the Goſpell.Luke. 15.11.12. They hauehave no knowledge of the Chriſtian righteouſnes,1. Cor. 1.14. Rom. 3.11. or of the righteouſnes of Faith. For the naturall man perceaueth not the myſteries of God. Alſo: There is none that vnderſtā deth, there is none that ſeeketh after God. &c. Therefore there is no difference at all betwene a Papiſt,There is no difference betvvene the Turks, Ievves and Papiſts. a Iewe, a Turke and an heretike. In dede there is a difference of the perſons, the places, rites, religiōs, workes and worſhippings: notwithſtanding there is all one and the ſame reaſon, the ſame heart, opinion, and cogitation in them all. For the Turke thinketh the ſelfe ſame thing that the Charterhouſe monke doth: namely, if I doe this or that worke, God will be mercifull vntounto me: if I doe it not, he wil be angry. There is no meane betwene mans working and the knowledge of Chriſt. If this knowledge be darkened or defaced, it is all one whether thou be a Monke, a Turke, a Iew. &c.
Wherfore it is an extreme madnes that the Papiſts and Turks do ſo ſtriue among themſelues about the religion and ſeruice of God, contending that both of them hauehave the true religion and true worſhip of God. And the Monkes themſelues agree not together. For one of them wil be accounted more holy then an other for certaine fooliſh outward ceremonies, and yet in their hearts the opinion of them all is ſo like, tha… one egge is not more like to an other. For this is the imagination of thē all:The imagination of all the meritmongers alike. If I doe this worke, God wil hauehave mercy vponupon me: if I doe it not he will be angry. And therefore eueryevery man that reuolteth from the knowledge of Chriſt, muſt needes fall into Idolatry, and conceaue ſuch an imagination of God as is not agreable to his nature. As the Charterhouſe Mōke for the obſeruing of his Rule, the Turke for the keping of his Alcoran, hath this affiance, that he pleaſeth God and ſhall receaue a reward of him for his labour.
Such a God as after this ſort forgeueth ſinnes and iuſtifieth ſinners,All meritmongers honour a God vvhichwhich by nature is no God. can no where be found, and therefore this is but a vaine imagination, a dreame, and an Idoll of the heart. For God hath not promiſed that he will ſaue and iuſtifie men for the religions, obſeruations, ceremonies, and ordinaunces deuiſed by men: yea God abhorreth nothing more (as the whole Scripture witneſſeth) then ſuch willworks, ſuch ſeruice, rites and ceremonies:God abhorreth vvil vvorshippings and vvorkes de… ſed by man. for the which alſo he ouerthroweth whole kingdoms and Empires. Therfore, as many as truſt to their owne ſtrength and righteouſnes, doe ſerue a God, but ſuch a God as they them ſelues hauehave deuiſed, and not the true God in deede. For the true God ſpeaketh thus: No righteouſnes, wiſedom,Doctrine concerning the true God. nor religiō pleaſeth me, but that onelyonly whereby the Father is glorified through the Sonne. Whoſoeuer apprehendeth this Sonne, and me, and my promiſe in him by Faith, to him I am a God, to him I am a Father, him do I accept, iuſtifie and ſaue. All other abide vnderunder wrath, becauſe they worſhip that thing which by nature is no God.
Whoſoeuer forſaketh this doctrine,To vvhat euils they be ſubiect, vvhichwhich deſtroy the doctrine of faith. muſt needes fall into the ignorance of God: he vnderſtandeth not what the true Chriſtian righteouſnes, wiſedom, and ſeruice of God is: he is an Idolater abiding vnderunder the law, ſinne, death, and the power of the Deuill, and all things that he doth, are accurſed and condemned. Therefore the Anabaptiſt imagining with him ſelfe that he pleaſeth God if he be rebaptiſed, if he forſake his houſe, wife and children, if he mortifie his fleſh and ſuffer much aduerſity, and at length death it ſelfe, yet there is not one droppe of the knowledge of Chriſte in him, but ſecluding Chriſt, he dreameth altogether of his owne workes, of the forſaking of his goodes, of his affliction and mortification, and now differeth nothing frō the Turke, Iewe, or Papiſt in ſpirite or in heart, but onelyonly in the outward appearance, workes and ceremonies which he hath choſen to him ſelfe. The ſame confidence in workes, hauehave all the Monkes and other religious orders: notwithſtanding in their apparell and other outward things there is a difference.
There are at this day very many like vntounto theſe, which notwithſtanding would be counted among the true profeſſors and teachers of the Goſpell, and as touching the words, they teach that men are deliuered from their ſinnes by the death of Chriſt. But becauſe they teach faith in ſuch ſort, that they attribute more to charitie then to faith, they highly diſhonour Chriſte and wickedly peruert his word. For they dreame yt God regardeth & accepteth vsus for our charities ſake, wherby we being reconciled to God, doe louelove God and our neighbour. If this be true, then hauehave we no neede of Chriſt at all. Such men ſerue not the true God, but an Idol of their owne heart, which they themſelues hauehave deuiſed. For the true God doth not regard or accept vsus for our charitie, vertues, or newnes of life, but for Chriſtes ſake. &c.
But they make this obiection. Yet notwithſtāding the Scripture cōmaundeth yt we ſhould louelove God wt all our heart &c. It is true. But it foloweth not, yt becauſe God cōmaūdeth vsus, therfore we do it. If we did louelove God wt all our heart. &c. then, no dout we ſhould be iuſtified, & liue through this obedience,Rom. 1….5. as it is wrytten: He that shal doe theſe things shall liue in them. But the Goſpel ſayth: Thou doeſt not theſe things: therfore thou ſhalt not liue in them. For this ſentence: Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God, &c. requireth a perfect obedience, a perfect feare, truſt, & louelove towards God. Theſe things men neither doe nor can performe in this corrupt nature. Therfore this law: Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God. &c. iuſtifieth not, but accuſeth & condemneth all men, according to that ſaying:Rom. 4.15. Rom. 1….4. The lavv cauſeth vvrath. &c. Contrariwiſe, Chriſt is the finishing & accomplishing of the lavv to righteouſnes, to eueryevery one that beleueth. Of this we hauehave ſpoken largely before.
In like maner the Iewe keping the law with this opinion, that he by this obediēce wil pleaſe God, ſerueth not the true God, but is an Idolater,God is not knovvne and the Bleſſing geuē through the lavv, but by the goſpel. Geneſ. 22.18. worſhipping a dreame & an idoll of his owne heart, which is no where to be found. For ye God of his fathers, whom he ſaith he worſhippeth, promiſed to Abraham a Seede, thorough ye which all nations ſhould be bleſſed. Therfore God is knowen & the Bleſſing is geuē, not by the lawe, but by the Goſpel of Chriſt. Although Paule ſpeake theſe words: Thē vvhē ye knevv not God, ye did ſeruice &c. properly & prī cipally to the Galathians, which were Gentiles: yet notwtſtanding by ye ſame words he alſo toucheth ye Iewes, who though they had reiected their Idols outwardly, yet in their hearts they worſhipped them more then did the Gentiles,Rom. 2.…2. The Gentiles Idolatry vvas groſe. Cōtrarivviſe the Ievves Idolatry vvas outvvardly holy, and therefore more hurtfull. as it is ſayd. Rom. 2. Thou abhorreſt Idols, & committeſt ſacriledge. The Gētiles were not the people of God, they had not his word, and therfore their Idolatrie was groſſe. But the Idolatrous Iewes cloked their Idolatrie with ye name and word of God (as all Iuſticiaries which ſeeke righteouſnes by workes, are wont to doe) and ſo wt this outward ſhew of holines they deceiued many. Therfore Idolatrie the more holy and ſpirituall it is, the more hurtfull it is.
But how may theſe two contrary ſayings which ye Apoſtle here ſetteth downe, be recōciled together? Ye knevv not God: & ye vvorshipped God. I anſwer: All mē naturally hauehave this general knowledge, yt there is a God,Rom. 1.19.20. according to ye ſaying. Ro. 1. Foraſmuch as that vvhichwhich may be knovvn of god, vvas manifeſt in thē. For God was made manifeſt vntounto thē, in that ye inuiſible things of him did appeare by ye creation of the world. Moreouer ye ceremonies & religiōs which were, & alwaies remained among al nations, ſufficiently witneſſe yt all men hauehave had a certain general knowledge of God. But whether they had it by nature or by the tradition of their forefathers, I wil not here diſpute.
But here ſome wil obiect againe. If all mē knew God, wherfore thē doth Paul ſay, that ye Galathians knew not God before ye preaching of the Goſpel? I anſwer: There is a double knowledge of God:A generall & particular knovvledge of God. general & perticuler. All men hauehave ye generall knowledge, namely, that there is a God, that he created heauen & earth, that he is iuſt, that he puniſheth ye wicked. But what god thīketh of vsus, what his wil is towards vsus, what he wil geue & do to the end we may be deliuered from ſinne & death and be ſaued (which is the true knowledge of God in dede) this they know not. As it may be yt I know ſome man by ſight, whō yet in dede I know not thorowly, becauſe I vnderſtand not what affection he beareth towards me. So mē know naturally yt there is a god, but what his wil is, or what is not his will, they doe not know. For it is wrytten:Rom. 3.11. Iohn. 1.18. There is none that vnderſtādeth God. And in an other place: No mā hath ſene God: that is to ſay, no man hath knowen what is ye will of God. Now,No man hath ſene God. what doth it auaile thee if thou know yt there is a God, & yet art ignorāt what is his will towards thee? Here ſome thinke one thing, & ſome an other. The Iewes imagine this to be ye will of God, if they worſhip him according to the rule of Moſes lawe:The diuers opinions of men concerning the vvill of God. Rom. 1.22. the Turke if he obſerue his Alcoran: the Monke if he kepe his order and performe his vowes. But all theſe are deceaued, and become vaine in their owne cogitations, as Paule ſayeth Rom. 1. not knowing what pleaſeth or diſpleaſeth God: therfore in ſteed of the true and naturall God, they worſhip the dreames and imaginations of their owne heart.
This is it that Paul meaneth whē he ſaith: vvhē ye knevv not God: that is, when ye knew not the wil of God, ye ſerued thoſe which by nature were no gods: that is to ſay, ye ſerued ye dreames & imaginatiōs of your owne heart, wherby ye imagined wtout the word, ye God was to be worſhipped wt this or that worke, wt this or that rite or ceremonie. For vponupon this propoſition, which all men doe naturally hold,VVhence idolatrie came. namely that there is a God, hath ſprong all Idolatrie, which wtout yt knowledge of the Diuinitie could neuer hauehave come into the world. But becauſe men had this naturall knowledge of God, they conceaued vaine and wicked imaginations of God wtout & againſt the word, which they eſteemed and maintained as the very truth it ſelfe, and ſo dreamed that God is ſuch a one as by nature he is not.The opinion of the Monke, as touching Gods vvill. So the Mōke imagineth him to be ſuch a God as forgeueth ſinnes, geueth grace and euerlaſting life for the keping of his Rule. This God is no where to be foūd: therfore he ſerueth not the true God, but that which by nature is no God: to witte, the imagination and Idoll of his owne heart: that is to ſay, his owne falſe and vaine opinion of God, which he dreameth to be an vndoubted truth. Now, reaſon it ſelfe will enforce vsus to confeſſe that mans opinion is no God.VVorshippers of God vvithout his vvord. Therfore who ſo euer wil worſhip God wtout this word, ſerueth not the true God (as Paule ſayth): but that which by nature is no God.
Therfore whether ye call rudiments here the lawe of Moiſes, or elſe the traditions of the Gentiles (albeit he ſpeaketh here properly and principally of the rudiments of Moiſes) there is no great difference. For he that falleth from grace to the law, falleth with no leſſe daunger then he that falleth from grace to Idolatrie. For wtout Chriſt there is nothing elſe but mere Idolatrie,VVithout Chriſte all vvorshippīgs and all lavves are Idolatrie. an Idoll and falſe imagination of God, whether it be called Moiſes law, or the Popes ordinance, or the Turks Alcoran, &c. Therfore he ſayth wt a certaine admiration:
Verſe. 9. But novv ſeing ye knovv God.
As though he would ſay: This is a maruelous thing, that ye knowing God by the preaching of Faith, doe ſo ſuddainly reuolt from the true knowledge of his will (wherein I thought ye were ſo ſurely eſtabliſhed, that I feared nothing leſſe then that ye ſhould ſo eaſily be ouerthrowne) doe now againe by the inſtigation of the falſe Apoſtles, returne to the weake and beggerly ceremonies, which ye would ſerue againe afreſh. Ye heard before by my preaching, that this is the will of God,The vvill of God. to bleſſe all nations: not by circumciſion or by the obſeruation of the law, but by Chriſte promiſed to Abraham. They that beleue in him ſhall be bleſſed with faithfull Abraham: they are the ſonnes and heires of God.Galath. 3.9. Galath. 4.7. Thus (I ſay) hauehave ye knowen God.