Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 5 · Verse extract 15
Verſe. 15. If ye bite and deuoure one an other, take heede leſt ye be conſumed one of an other.
By theſe wordes Paule witneſſeth that if the foundation, that is to ſay, if Faith in Chriſt be ouerthrowne by wicked teachers, no peace or concord cā remaine in the church either in doctrine or life: but there muſt needes be diuers opinions and diſſenſions from time to time both in doctrine and life, wherby it commeth to paſſe that one biteth and deuoureth an other, that is to ſay, one iudgeth and condemneth an other, vntill at length they be conſumed. Hereof not onelyonly the Scripture, but alſo the examples of all times beare witnes. After that Aphrike was peruerted by the Manichees, by and by folowed the Donatiſtes, who alſo diſagreeing among them ſelues, were diuided into three ſundry Sectes. And how many Sectes hauehave we at this day ſpringing vppe one after an other? One Sect bringeth forth an other, and one condemneth an other. Thus, when the vnitie of the ſpirite is broken, it is vnpoſſible that there ſhould be any concord either in doctrine or life, but daily new errours muſt nedes ſpring vp wtout meaſure and wtout end.
Paule therefore teacheth that ſuch occaſions of diſcord are to be auoided, and he ſheweth how they may be auoided. This (ſayth he) is ye way to vnitie and concord: Let eueryevery man doe his duetie in that kinde of life which God hath called him vntounto: Let him not lift vp himſelfe aboue others, nor finde fault at other mens workes,The vvay hovv to kepe concord. and commend his owne, but let eueryevery one ſerue an other through louelove. This is a true and a ſimple doctrine touching good works. This do not they teach which hauehave made ſhipwracke of faith & hauehave conceaued fantaſticall opinions concerning Faith & good workes: but diſagreeing among them ſelues as touching the doctrine of Faith and workes, they bite and deuoure, that is to ſay, they accuſe & condemne one an other, as Paule here ſayth of the Galathians. If ye bite and deuoure one an other, take heede leſt ye be conſumed one of an other. As if he would ſay: doe not accuſe and condemne one an other for circumciſion, for obſeruing of holy dayes or other ceremonies, but rather geue your ſelues to ſerue and helpe one an other through charitie: Or elſe if ye continue in biting & deuouring one an other, take heede that ye be not conſumed, that is to ſay, that ye periſh not vtterly, yea and that bodely, which cōmōly hapneth, eſpecially to the authors of Sects, as it did to Arrius & others,The ende of the authors of vvicked opinions. and to certaine alſo in our time. For he that hath laid his foūdation on the ſand, and buildeth hay, ſtubble and ſuch like, muſt needes fall & be conſumed: for all thoſe things are ordained for the fire. I will not ſay that after ſuch bitings & deuourings, the ruine & deſtructiō, not of one citie, but of whole countreys & kingdoms are wont to folow. Now the Apoſtle ſheweth what it is to ſerue one an other through louelove.
It is a hard & a dangerous matter to teach that we are made righteous by faith without works, & yet to require workes withall. Here, except the miniſters of Chriſte be faithfull & wiſe diſpoſers of the myſteries of God, rightly diuiding the word of truth: faith & workes are by and by confounded. Both theſe doctrines, as well of faith as of works, muſt be diligētly taught and vrged: and yet ſo, that both may remaine wt in their bounds. Otherwiſe,Hovv the doctrine of faith and of vvorks is to be taught. if they teach works only (as they do in the Popes kingdom) then is faith loſt. If faith onelyonly be taught, then carnall men by and by dreame that workes be not needefull.
The Apoſtle began a litle before, to exhort men to good workes, and to teach that the whole lawe was fulfilled in one word, namely: Thou shalt louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Here will ſome man ſay:An obiection. Paule thorowout his whole Epiſtle taketh away righteouſnes from the law: for ſayeth he, By the vvorks of the lavv shall no flesh be iuſtified: Alſo, As many as are vnderunder the vvorks of the lavv, Galat. 2.16. Galat. 3.10.are vnderunder the curſe. But now, whē he ſayth that ye whole law is fulfilled in one word, he ſeemeth to hauehave forgotten the matter whereof he hath entreated in all this Epiſtle, and to be of a quite contrary opinion: to witte, that they which doe the works of charitie, fulfill the law and be righteous. To this obiection he anſwereth after this maner.