Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 4 · Verse extract 6
Verſe. 6. And becauſe you are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the ſpirite of his ſonne into your hearts.
The holy Ghoſt is ſent tvvo maner of vvayes. Math. 3.16. Actes. 2.3.The holy ghoſt is ſent two maner of wayes. In ye primatiue church he was ſent in a manifeſt & viſible appearāce. So he came vponupon Chriſt at Iordane, in the likenes of a Doue: and in the likenes of fire vponupon the Apoſtles and other beleuers. And this was the firſt ſending of the holy Ghoſt: which was neceſſary in the primatiue church, for it was expedient that it ſhould be eſtabliſhed by manifeſt myracles becauſe of the vnbeleuers,1. Cor. 14.22. as Paule witneſſeth. 1. Cor. 14. Straunge tongues (ſayth he) be for a ſigne and a token, not to them that beleue, but to them that beleue not. But after that the Church was gathered together and cō firmed wt thoſe myracles, it was not neceſſary that this viſible ſending of the holy Ghoſt ſhould continue any longer.
Secondly the holy Ghoſt is ſent by the word into the hearts of the beleuers, as here it is ſayd: God ſent the ſpirite of his ſonne. &c. This ſending is wtout any viſible appearance: to witte, when by ye hearing of the externall word, we receaue an inward feruencie and light, wherby we are chaunged & become new creatures: wherby alſo we receaue a new iudgement, a new feeling, & a new mouing. This chaūge & this new iudgemēt is no worke of reaſon, or of the power of mā, but is the gift & operation of the holy Ghoſt,Actes. 15.5. which commeth wt the word preached, which purifieth our hearts by faith, and bringeth forth in vsus ſpirituall motions. Therefore there is a great difference betwixt vsus & thoſe which wt force & ſubteltie perſecute ye doctrine of the goſpell. For we by the grace of God can certainly iudge by the word, of the will of God towardes vsus: alſo of all lawes and doctrines, of our owne life and of the life of others. Contrariwiſe the Papiſts and Sectaries can not certainly iudge of any thing: For they corrupt, they perſecute and blaſpheme the word. Now, without the word a man can geue no certaine iudgement of any thing.
And although it appeare not before the world,Signes of renevving of the mind in the Godly. that we be renewed in ſpirit and hauehave the holy Ghoſt, yet notwtſtanding our iudgemēt, our ſpeech & our confeſſion do declare ſufficiently that the holy Ghoſt with his giftes is in vsus. For before we could iudge rightly of nothing. We ſpake not as now we doe. We confeſſed not yt all our works were ſinne and damnable,Chriſte our onelyonly merite of congruence and vvorthines, both before grace and after. that Chriſte was our onelyonly merite both before grace & after, as now we doe in the true knowledge and light of the Goſpell. Wherefore let this trouble vsus nothing at all, that the world (whoſe workes we teſtifie to be euill) iudgeth vsus to be moſt pernicious heretikes and ſeditious perſons, deſtroyers of religion, and troublers of ye common peace, poſſeſſed of the Deuill ſpeaking in vsus and gouerning all our actions.1. Cor. 1.1…. Againſt this peruerſe and wicked iudgement of the world, let this teſtimonie of our conſcience be ſufficient, wherby we aſſuredly know that it is the gift of God,Philip. 1.29. that we doe not onelyonly beleue in Ieſus Chriſt, but that we alſo openly preach and confeſſe him before the world. As we beleue wt our heart, ſo do we ſpeake with our mouth. according to ye ſaying of ye Pſalm: I beleued & therfore hauehave I ſpoken.Pſal. 116.10.
Moreouer, we exerciſe our ſelues in the feare of God, and auoide ſinne as much as we may. If we ſinne, we ſinne not of purpoſe, but of ignorance, and we are ſory for it. We may ſlippe, for the Deuill lieth in wait for vsus both day and night. Alſo,The remnants of ſinne in the Sainctes. the remnantes of ſinne cleaue yet faſt in our fleſh: therefore as touching the fleſh we are ſinners, yea after that we hauehave receaued the holy Ghoſt. And there is no great difference betwixt a Chriſtian and a ciuill honeſt man.Smal differēce in outvvard shevv betvvene a chriſtian, and a mā that is but outvvardly and ciuily righteous. For the workes of a Chriſtian in outward ſhew are but baſe and ſimple. He doth his duetie according to his vocation, he guideth his familie, he tilleth the ground, he geueth counſell, he aideth and ſuccoureth his neighbour. Theſe workes the carnall man doth not much eſteme, but thinketh them to be common to all men, and ſuch as the heathen may alſo doe.1. Cor. 2.14. For the world vnderſtandeth not the things which are of the ſpirite of God, and therefore it iudgeth peruerſly of the workes of the godly. But the monſtrous ſuperſtition of hypocrites and their will workes they hauehave in great admiration. They count them holy works, & ſpare no charges in maintaining the ſame. Contrariwiſe the workes of the faithfull (which although in outward appearance they ſeeme to be but vile & nothing worth, yet are they good works in dede, and accepted of God becauſe they are done in Faith, with a cherefull heart, and wt obedience and thankfulnes towards God), theſe works, I ſay, they do not onelyonly not acknowledge to be good works, but alſo they deſpiſe and condemne them as moſt wicked and abhominable. The world therfore beleueth nothing leſſe then that we hauehave yt holy Ghoſt. Notwtſtanding in the time of tribulation or of the croſſe, and of the cō feſſion of our faith (which is yt proper & principall worke of thoſe that beleue) when we muſt either forſake wife, children, goodes and life, or elſe deny Chriſt, then it appeareth yt we make confeſſion of our Faith, that we confeſſe Chriſt and his word by the power of the holy Ghoſt.
We ought not therfore to dout whether the holy Ghoſt dwelleth in vsus or not:1. Cor. ….16. but to be aſſuredly perſwaded that we are the temple of ye holy Ghoſt, as Paule ſayth. For if any man feele in himſelfe a louelove towardes the word of God, & willingly heareth, talketh, wryteth & thinketh of Chriſte,Signes of the preſence of the holy Ghoſt. let that man know that this is not the worke of mans will or reaſon, but the gift of the holy Ghoſt: For it is impoſſible that theſe things ſhould be done wtout the holy Ghoſt. Contrariwiſe, where hatred and contempt of the word is, there the Deuill the God of this world raigneth,1. Cor. 4.4. blinding mens heartes, and holding them captiue, that the Goſpell the glory of Chriſte ſhould not ſhine vntounto them. Which thing we ſee at this day in the moſt part of the commō people, which hauehave no louelove to the word, but preſumpteouſly contemne it as though it pertained nothing at all vntounto them. But who ſo euer doe feele any louelove or deſire to the word, let them acknowledge with thākfulnes, that this affection is powred into them by the holy Ghoſt. For we are not borne with this affection and deſire, neither can we be taught by any lawes how we may obtaine it: but this chaunge is plainly and ſimply the worke of the right hand of the moſt higheſt. Therfore when we willingly and gladly heare the word preached concerning Chriſte the ſonne of God, who for vsus was made mā and became ſubiect to the law, to deliuer vsus from the malediction of the law, hell, death & damnation: then let vsus aſſure our ſelues that God by and with this preaching ſendeth the holy Ghoſt into our hearts. Wherfore it is very expedient for the Godly to know, that they hauehave the holy Ghoſt.
This I ſay, to confute that pernicious doctrine of the Papiſts,The doctrine of the Sophiſters, teaching that no man could knovv vvhether he vvere in the fauour of God or no. which taught that no man can certainly know (although his life be neuer ſo vpright & blameles) whether he be in the fauour of God or no. And this ſentence commonly receaued, was a ſpeciall principle and article of Faith in the whole Papacie, wherby they vtterly defaced the doctrine of Faith, tormented mens conſciences, baniſhed Chriſt quite out of the Church, darkened and denied all the benefites of the holy Ghoſt, aboliſhed the whole worſhip of God, ſet vp Idolatrie, cōtempt of God, and blaſphemie againſt God in mens heartes. For he that doubteth of Gods good will towards him, and doth not aſſure him ſelfe that he is in the fauour of God, this man can not beleue that he hath forgeuenes of his ſinnes, that God careth for him, or that he ſhall be ſaued.
Auguſtine ſayth very well and godly, that eueryevery man ſeeth moſt certainely his owne Faith, if he hauehave Faith. This doe they deny. God forbid (ſay they) that I ſhould aſſure my ſelfe that I am vnderunder grace, that I am holy, and that I hauehave the holy Ghoſt, yea although I liue godly and doe all good workes. Ye which are yong, and are not infected with this pernicious opinion (whervpon the whole kingdom of the Pope is groūded) take heede & flie from it as from a moſt daungerous plague. We that are old men hauehave ben trained vp in this errour euen from our youth, and hauehave ben ſo nuſled therein, that it hath taken deepe roote in our hearts.VVe muſt aſſure our ſelues that vve are vnderunder grace. Rom. 8.9. Therefore it is to vsus no leſſe labour to vnlearne and forget the ſame, then to learne and lay hold vponupon true Faith. But we muſt be aſſured & out of dout that we are vnderunder grace, yt we pleaſe God for Chriſtes ſake, and that we hauehave the holy Ghoſt: For if any mā hauehave not the ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his.
Wherfore, whether thou be a Miniſter of Gods word or a Magiſtrate in the common wealth, thou muſt aſſuredly thinke that thy office pleaſeth God: but this canſt thou neuer doe vnleſſe thou hauehave the holy Ghoſt. But thou wilt ſay, I doubt not but that my office pleaſeth God becauſe it is Gods ordinaunce, but I doubt of mine owne perſon whether it pleaſe God or no. Here thou muſt reſort to the word of God, which teacheth and aſſureth vsus, that, not onelyonly the office of the perſon, but alſo the perſon it ſelf pleaſeth God. For the perſon is baptiſed, beleueth in Chriſt, is purged in his bloud from all his ſinnes, liueth in the communion and felowſhip of his Church: Moreouer he doth not onelyonly louelove the pure doctrine of the word, but alſo he is glad and greatly reioyceth when he ſeeth it aduaunced, and the nomber of the faithfull encreaſed. Cōtrariwiſe he deteſteth the Pope & all Sectaries wt their wicked doctrine, according to that ſaying of the Pſalme: I hate them that imagine euill things, Pſal. 119.115.but thy lavve doe I louelove.
We ought therefore to be ſurely perſwaded, that not onelyonly our office, but alſo our perſon pleaſeth God: Yea whatſoeuer it ſayth, doth, or thinketh particularly, the ſame pleaſeth God, not for our owne ſakes, but for Chriſtes ſake, who was made vnderunder the law for vsus. Now, we are ſure that Chriſte pleaſeth God, that he is holy. &c. For as much then as Chriſte pleaſeth God and we are in him, we alſo pleaſe God and are holy.Grace is more ſtrong and mighty then ſinne. And although ſinne doe ſtill remaine in our fleſh, and we alſo daily fall and offend, yet grace is more aboundant and ſtronger then ſinne. The mercy and truth of the Lord raigneth ouer vsus for euer. Wherfore ſinne cā not terrifie vsus and make vsus doutfull of the grace of God which is in vsus. For Chriſte that moſt mighty Giaunt hath quite aboliſhed the law, condemned ſinne, vāquiſhed death and all euils.Rom. 1.34. So long as he is at ye right hand of God, making interceſſion for vsus, we can not doubt of the grace and fauour of God towardes vsus.
Moreouer, God hath alſo ſent the ſpirite of his ſonne into our hearts, as Paule here ſayth. But Chriſte is moſt certaine in his ſpirite that he pleaſeth God. &c: therefore we alſo hauing the ſame ſpirite of Chriſte, muſt be aſſured that we are vnderunder grace for his ſake that is moſt aſſured. This I hauehave ſayd concerning the inward teſtimonie, wherby a Chriſtian mans heart ought to be fully perſwaded that he is vnderunder grace & hath the holy Ghoſt. Now, ye outward ſignes (as before I hauehave ſaid) are, gladly to heare of Chriſt, to preach & teach Chriſt, to render thanks vntounto him, to praiſe him, to confeſſe him, yea wt the loſſe of goodes and life: Moreouer, to doe our duetie according to our vocatiō as we are able: to do it (I ſay) in faith, ioy. &c: Not to delite in ſinne, nor to thruſt our ſelues into an other mans vocation, but to attend vponupon our owne, to helpe our needy brother, to comfort the heauy harted. &c. By theſe ſignes, as by certein effects & cōſequēts, we are fully aſſured & confirmed, that we are in Gods fauour. The wicked alſo do imagine that they hauehave the ſame ſignes, but they hauehave nothing leſſe. Hereby we may plainly ſee that the Pope with his doctrine doth nothing elſe, but trouble and torment mens conſciences, & at length driueth them to deſperation: For he not onelyonly teacheth, but alſo cōmaundeth men to dout. Therfore,Pſal. 5.9. Pſal. 10.7. according to ye Pſalme: There is no truth or certaintie in his mouth: And in an other place: vnderunder his tōge is iniquitie & miſcheefe,
Here we may ſee what great infirmitie is yet in the Faith of the Godly. For if we could be fully perſwaded that we are vnderunder grace,VVeaknes of Faith in the godly. that our ſinnes are forgeuen, that we hauehave the ſpirit of Chriſt, that we are the children of God: then doubtles we ſhould be ioyfull, and thankfull to God for this ineſtimable gift. But becauſe we feele cōtrary motions, that is to ſay, feare, doutfulnes, anguiſh and heuines of heart, & ſuch like, therfore we can not aſſure our ſelues hereof: yea our conſcience iudgeth it a great preſumption and pride to chalenge this glory. Wherfore, if we will vnderſtand this thing rightly and as we ſhould doe, we muſt put it in practiſe: for without experience and practiſe it can neuer be learned.
Wherfore let eueryevery man ſo practiſe with him ſelfe, that his conſcience may be fully aſſured that he is vnderunder grace, and that his perſon and his workes doe pleaſe God. And if he feele in himſelfe any wauering or douting, let him exerciſe his Faith and wraſtle againſt this douting, and let him endeuour to attaine more certaintie, ſo that he may be able to ſay: I know that I am accepted,The full aſſurāce of Faith. Galath. 4.4. and that I hauehave the holy Ghoſt: not for mine owne worthines, my worke, my merite, but for Chriſtes ſake, who of his ineſtimable louelove towardes vsus, made him ſelf thrall and ſubiect to the lawe, & tooke away the ſinnes of the world. In him do I beleue. If I be a ſinner & erre, he is righteous and can not erre. Moreouer, I gladly heare, read, ſing & wryte of him, and I deſire nothing more then that his Goſpel may be knowne to the whole world, and that many may be conuerted vntounto him.
Theſe things doe plainly witneſſe that the holy Ghoſt is preſent with vsus & in vsus. For ſuch things are not wrought in the heart by mans ſtrength, nor gotten by his induſtrie, exerciſe or trauell, but are obtained by Chriſt alone, who firſt maketh vsus righteous by the knowledge of him in his holy Goſpel, and afterwardes he createth a new heart in vsus, bringeth forth new motions, & geueth vntounto vsus that aſſurance wherby we are perſwaded that we pleaſe the father for his ſake:Eſay. 53.11. Pſal. 51.10. Alſo he geueth vsus a true iudgement whereby we proue & trie thoſe things which before we knew not, or elſe altogether deſpiſed. It behoueth vsus therefore to wraſtle againſt this douting, yt we may daily ouercome it more and more, & attaine to a full perſwaſion & certainty of Gods fauour towardes vsus, rooting out of our heartes this curſed opinion, that a man ought to dout of ye grace & fauour of God: which hath infected ye whole world. For if we dout whether we be vnderunder grace, & whether we pleaſe God for Chriſtes ſake or not, we deny that Chriſte hath redemed vsus, we deny ſimply all his benefits. Ye yt are yong mē may eaſily apprehēd this pure doctrine of the Goſpel, and abādon this pernicious opinion, becauſe ye are not yet poyſoned therwith.