Commentary on Galatians 1-5, Chapter 6 (5 of 5)

Commentary on Galatians 1-5 · Chapter 6 (5 of 5)

p. 614Obiect. III. The Magistrate by compelling Recusants to the outward profession of religion, maketh them to play the hypocrites, to counterfai…, and dissemble. Ans. The Magistrate in executing the lawes, hath no such intent, but onelyonly that they might heare the word, beleeue it, and be saued. Againe, 15Protestant recusants in other countries, are not allowed by Papists, to alleadge their conscience for their refusall, but are compelled either to conforme themselues, or to vndergoe cruell torments: no more may such pretence of conscience excuse the Papists, or other heretikes, but that they should receiue 20the same measure which they mete to others.

II. Quest. How can it be truly said, that the false Apostles compelled men to receiue circumcision, seeing Titus was not compelled to be circumcised? Gal. 2. 3. Ans. That place maketh nothing against the text in hand: the meaning is, that Paul for 25his part was readie to hauehave circumcised Titus (as he did Timothie, Act. 16. 3.) rather then offend the weake brethren. But when it came to this point, that they would needes vrge circumcision, as a thing necessarie to saluation, Paul refused to do it, for all the false brethren that crept in, v. 4. that is, notwithstanding 30they laboured by all meanes to bring it in vse againe. Neither did the Apostles vrge it, or require it, as a thing necessarie to saluation.

III. It may be demaunded, whether that circumcision beeing so vehemently vrged by the false Apostles, might not 35hauehave beene vsed. Answ. It might not. For albeit it be in it selfe a thing indifferent, and so it skilleth not, whether a man be circumcized or not, (as Paul saith) Circumcision is nothing, and vncircumcision is nothing: yet beeing vrged as a matter o… absolute necessitie, as without which men could not be saued. Act. 15. p. 6171. it ought not to be vsed. The like may be said of all indifferent things, if they be made essentiall p…rts of Gods worship, or necessarie to saluation; as the vse of meates and drinkes, obseruing of times and seasons, wearing this or that habit, or attire: forbidding of mariage to some orders of mē. For when things indifferent are made necessarie, the nature of them is changed. 5VponUpon this ground Ezekiah brake in peeces the brasen serpent, when the Israelites began to worship it, 2. King. 18. 4.

First, let vsus obserue, out of these words, they compell you to be circumcised, that Paul doeth not only vse Christian pollicie, but dealeth very rhetorically, excusing the Galatians, as though 10they were constrained against their wills, to doe as they did: & laying all the blame vponupon the false Apostles: and so doth closely alienate their affection from these seducers▪ who would hauehave them circumcised, either by voluntary submission, or by violent compulsion: the like godly pollicie we ought to vse in dealing 15against heretikes, and false teachers, that the peoples mindes may be estranged from them, & take no louelove of their doctrine, nor liking of their persons.

Here we hauehave a second note of false teachers, which is, not 20onelyonly to retaine ceremonies themselues, but to vrge them vponupon others, and constraine men to the obseruing of them: for they were more earnest and forward in vrging circumcision (their owne deuise) then the keeping of the morrall lawe: and so are all seducers. The Pharises did vrge their owne ceremonies, 25as washing before meate, washing of pottes, cuppes, and beddes, &c. more then the commandement of God. And the Papists vrge the Len… fast more strictly, thē fasting from finne, which is the onelyonly true fast. Isay. 58. 6. And their owne stories doe shewe that men hauehave beene more seuerely punished, for 30eating flesh vponupon good friday, then for commi…ing of simple fornication, or following of strange flesh. They stand more in vrging the outward worshipping of an image, or a peece of bread, then the inward spirituall worship. And as they hauehave made the Saints daies, equall with the Sabboth daies, so hauehave 35they made the prophanation of them an equall sinne, and hauehave punished it with equall punishment.

It is further to be obserued, howe they abuse circumcision, for whereas by Gods ordinance it was but a seale of the righteousnesse of faith. Rom. 4. 11. they peruerting the end of it, make it p. 618a meritorious cause of saluation; and therefore compell men to be circumcised: it is Gods worke, they make it their owne worke, yea such a worke as by which they hope to be saued. And this their dealing, may fitly be paralleled by the Popish practise at this day, in making baptisme which is but a signe and seale of 5grace, to be the proper, immediate, and physicall cause of conferring grace, by the worke wrought. Almes, praier, and fasting (which are but signes and testimonies of iustification) to be causes thereof. Nay their owne deuises, of confession, satisfaction, supererogation, to be meritorious causes of iustification, & 10saluation.

Lastly, see here howe the peruersenesse of the corrupt heart of man, doth thwart the ordinance of God. As long as circumcision was commaunded by God. most abhorred it; for the heathen testifie so much, that the Iewes were odious for it. But 15Apolla Iudaeusnowe beeing abolished, they take it vp againe; receiue it, and vrge it as a thing necessarie to be obserued vponupon paine of damnation. Whereas if God should enioyne it againe, they would (no doubt) account it as heauie yoke, which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare. This improuing of that which 20God cōmands, & approuing that which he forbids, argues the great corruption of the heart, and that the wisedome of the flesh is not onelyonly an enemie, but euen flat enmitie against God, Rom. 8. 7. It must therefore teach vsus to captiuate our reason, and to subiect our wills to the will of God in all things.

The third propertie of these false Apostles is, the teaching of circumcision, that is, of false doctrine; because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ, that is, for preaching the true doctrine of the Gospel, concerning Christ crucified. It may be demanded whether it was necessarie that those which 30taught not circumcision, but spake against it, should be persecuted? To which I answer, that it was necessarie, according as Paul affirmeth, Gal. 5. 11. If I teach circumcision, why doe J yet suffer persecution? The reason was this. The Romane Emperour had giuen libertie to the Iewes to liue according to their 35owne lawes, and that without molestation or disturbance, in all places of the Romane Emperie, so that if a Iewe became a Christian, he had the priuiledge of a Iewe, so long as he kept Hieron in Comment. in hauehave locum.the ceremoniall lawe, and taught no departing from Moses: whereas they which taught, that ceremonies were abrogated, p. 619and that men were iustified onelyonly by faith in Christ, wanted this priuiledge, and so were persecuted of no men more then of the Iewes, either by themselues, or by incensing others against them. 1. Thess. 2. 15. 16. The false Apostles therefore to auoide persecution, coyned a newe Gospel; in matter of saluation, ioyning Christ and Moses, iustification by faith, and by 5workes. So that here we hauehave another character and marke of false teachers, which is, to labour by all meanes to enioy the world, and to eschewe the crosse, and rather then they wil suffer persecution, to make a hotch-potch of religion, as we may see, not onelyonly by this particular, but by the course of the historie 10of the Church, and in latter times, by the Interim vnderunder Charles the fift, and the sixe articles vnderunder Henrie the eight: by our mediators and reconciliators, who either (as it is said of old Consiliator) labour to accord fire and water: or else like hucksters mixe wine and water for their owne aduantage: and by 15all neuters and mungrils in religion, who houer in the winde, because they would stand sure for all assaies, or winne the fauour of great men, that they might not stand in the way of their preferment, This is the sinne of the multitude among vsus, who 20desire to hauehave Christ, but they will none of his crosse: they would be with him vponupon mount Tabor, but not not vpō mount Caluarie, crowned with glorie, but not crowned with thornes.

Further, we may hence gather an essentiall difference of true and false teachers: the one seekes the good of the Church, the other seeks thēselfe: the one the glorie of God, the other their 25owne glorie. It is obserued by Popish priests and others, that though the Iesuits pretend, they doe all things in ordine ad Deum yet they intend themselues doing all things in ordine ad seipsos… it beeing the marke they shoote at in all their Machiavellian 30plottes and pollicies, that they may hauehave cum digmeate ocium, a Lordly command, and a lasie life.

Againe, here we see that the louelove of the trueth, and of the world, the feare of the face of man, and the feare of God can neuer stand together. As also howe dangerous a thing it is to 35be addicted to the louelove of the world: for it hath beene alwaies the cause of reuolt, in that men neuer imbraced religion so, as that they could be contented to suffer persecution for the profession of it, nor lay downe their liues in the maintenance thereof. Matth. 13. 21. As soone as tribulation or persecution commeth. p. 620by and by they are offended. Whereas we ought to hauehave the same minde that Paul had, who knowing that bonds and imprisonment aboad him, yet passed not for them, neither was his life deare vntounto him, Act. 20. 23. and was not onelyonly readie to be bound, but to die also, for the name of the Lord Iesus. Act. 21. 513. The reasons which should make vsus willing to take vp our crosse and follow Christ, are these. First, it is a great mercy and fauour of God, that we are accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his sake. Act. 5. 41. The Apostles departed from the counsell, reioycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer rebuke 10for his name. Secondly, it is a meanes (by the mercifull promise of God,) to procure and obtaine the blessings of this life. Mar. 10. 30. Thirdly, it hath blessednes annexed to it, with a promise of assistance and helpe of Gods spirit, 1. Pet. 4. 11. If ye berailed on for the name of Christ, blessed are ye, for the spirit of glorie and 15of God resteth vponupon you, which on their part is euill spoken of, but on your part is glorified. Lastly, the ende of the crosse, is glorie vnspeakable, If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him. Rom. 8. 17.

Further, whereas Saint Paul linketh together persecution, 20and the preaching of the crosse, we may see that the profession of the Gospel, and persecution, doe either goe hand in hand, or doe follow one another inseperably; for as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus, must suffer persecution. 2. Tim. 3. 12. Moses is said to hauehave chosen rather to suffer affliction with the people of 25God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season. Heb. 11. 25. Where we see that affliction is the lette and portion of the godly. The reason hereof is two-fold. The malice of the Deuil who is alway nibbling at the heele, Gen. 3. 15. And the hatred of the malignant Church (the deuils seede) euer maligning the 30Church and people of God. The deuill maketh warre with the remnant of the womans seede, which keepe the commandement of God, and hauehave the testimonie of Iesus. Apoc. 12. 17. The malignant Church persecuteth the Church of God, as we may see in their types, namely, in Caine hating and persecuting 35Abel; Ismael, Isaac. Esau, Iacob. Which they did onelyonly because they saw their owne workes to be euill, and theirs to be good. 1. Ioh. 3. 12. And if it be demaunded, why those that preach the word plainely and powerfully to the consciences of men, in euidence of the spirit; are so extreamely hated and maligned? Ans. It is p. 621for no other thing, but euen for the workes sake, for which they ought to be reuerenced, 1. Thess. 5. 13. and because they prophecie not good vntounto them, but euill, 1. King. 22. 8. that is, preach not pleasing things, by sowing pillowes vnderunder their elbowes, and lulling them asleepe in the bedde of securitie, but denounce the 5iudgements of God against them, and so disquiet and trouble their guiltie consciences. And what (I beseech you) is the reason why those that make conscience of sinne, are so maligned of the wicked world, and branded with the blacke names of Puritans, and Precisians, but this, which our Sauiour Christ giueth, 10Ioh. 15. 19. Because they are not of the world, therefore the world hateth them? Now all this commeth to passe, by reason of that enmitie which God hath put betwixt the woman, and the serpent; his seede, and her seede. Gen. 3. 15.

This teacheth vsus, first, that we should suspect our selues, that 15our hearts are not found, nor our practise sincere, when all men speake well of vsus: for true profession is alwaies accompanied with persecution. Woe be to you, when all men speake well of you. Luk. 6. 26.

Secondly, that we must not be discouraged in our profession, 20though there be neuer so many that make opposition, or so mightie that raise persecution against vsus. Though they tell vsus as they did Paul, Act. 28. 22. Concerning this sect, we know that eueryevery where it is spoken against: or take vsus vp with Nicodemus, Ioh. 7. 52. Art thou also of Galile? search and 25looke, for out of Galile ariseth no Prophet. In these blasts and stormes of temptatiōs, we ought to make that saying of Christ our anker hold, Blessed is he that is not offended in me. Mat. 11. 6.

Lastly, that we thinke it not strange when we finde affliction, or meete with persecution. 1. Pet. 4. 12, 13.

13 For they which are circumcised, keepe not the Law, but desire to hauehave you circumcised, that they 35might glorie in your flesh.

Here the Apostle preuenteth and obiection, which might be made against his former conclusion. v. 12. For it might be said, Paul did them wrong in standering them, to vrge circumcision p. 622onelyonly because they would auoid persecution, when as they did it, as zealous obseruers of the Law. To this he answereth negatiuely, that whatsoeuer they did pretend, they intended no such thing. And he prooueth his former assertion, by two arguments, and withall describeth the false Apostles by two other 5properties. His first reason may be framed thus: If they did vrge circumcision as beeing zealous of the Law, and hauing conscience of the obseruing thereof, they would keepe it themselues, as well as compell others to the keeping of it. But they keepe it not themselues. Therefore they vrge it not in conscience 10to hauehave it obeied, but for some sinister ende. The second reason is this. They that propound no other end to themselues in vrging of circumcision, but vaunting and boasting in the flesh: they seeke not the obseruation of the Law: But these seducers, vrge circumcision, and other ceremonies, that they 15might glorie in the flesh: Therefore they seeke not the obseruation of the law. So that here we hauehave two other properties of false teachers. The first is, to compell men to the obseruing of that, which they will not obserue themselues. For thus these seducers vrged the ceremoniall law. Resembling herein the Scribes, 20and Pharisies, who bound heauie burdens and grieuous to be borne, and laid them on mens shoulders, whereas they themselues would not mooue them with one of their fingers. Matth. 23. 4. The Popes, and Prelates of the Romish Church, are notorious in this kind, in vrging men to make conscience of that, which they themselues 25will not keepe, to practise that which they will not performe, and to beleeue that, which they count false, and fabulous. For first, they strictly require regular obedience to be performed of their nouices, and others, to their generals or gouernours, specially to the Vicar of Christ, and See of Rome; 30whereas they will not be subiect to the higher powers as they ought, Rom. 13. 1. nor obedient to gouernours, as it is required, 1. Pet. 2. 13, 14. Nay, their practise is notorious in these foure particulars. First, in freeing children from obedience to their parents. Secondly, in exempting their shauelings from 35subiection to the ciuill Magistrate. Thirdly, in freeing subiects from their oath of allegeance to their Soueraignes. And lastly, by aduancing that man of sinne aboue all that is called God, or worshipped, and giuing him power to depose Princes, to dispose of crownes and kingdomes, and to impose lawes which p. 623shall properly bind the conscience; yea to tread Kings and Emperours vnderunder his feete, and cause them like vassalls to hold his stirrop. Againe, they compell others to fast, especially in Lent, when as they in the meane time feast; their fast beeing to eate fast, and drinke fast, in mortifying the flesh with their Indian capons, and peacocks, and that vponupon good friday; whereas to 5eate white-meates vponupon that day, should be in others a mortall sinne. Further, they beare the poore people in hand that Indulgences are meanes to remit sinnes; and that those that are excommunicated by the Pope are in a damnable estate: whereas 10many of them, account Popes bulls to be but bullae, meere trifles, and such as buy them, starke tooles; witnesse the speech of the Duke of Ualence, bastard to Pope Alexander the sixt, who hauing lost certaine thousand crownes at a throw at the dice; Tush (said he) these are but the sinnes of the Germans. And that of Charles the fift (though a fauourer and maintainer 15of the Romane religion) who, beeing menaced by Pope Paulus the third, with excommunication, if he would not yeeld vp Playsance into his hands, let him vnderstand by his Embassadour, that he would thunder at S. Angelo with his canons and 02artillerie, if he would needes be thundering out his excommunications. Lastly, they vrge confession of Purgatorie, almost as an article of faith, whereas some of them are so farre from beleeuing it, as that they thinke there is neither heauen, nor hell, witnesse the speech of Pope Leo the tenth, to Cardinall Bembu…: 25O Bembus, what riches hauehave we gotten by this fine fable of Iesiu O Bembe, quartum nobis profuit fabula illa de Christo?Christ? By this we are contrarily admonished, to practise that we professe: the Ministers of the word, especially, ought verba vertere in opera, (as Ierome speaketh) that is, to turne words into works, that their liues may be reall Sermons to the 30people: for otherwise they pull downe with one hand, as fast as they build with another. Let vsus consider how Peters badde example, is saide to hauehave compelled the Gentiles to liue as the Iewes. Gal. 2. 14. For actions abide, and are of force, when words passe as the winde.

Moreouer, vponupon this dependeth another propertie of seducers, which is, to set a faire glosse vponupon the matter, and to wake the world beleeue, they doe these and these things, for such and such endes (as these false teachers did, pretending religion and conscience, but intending freedome from the crosse, and their p. 624owne vaine glorie) whereas they meane nothing lesse: like Herod, who made shew of worshipping Christ, when his purpose was to hauehave destroied him. Matth. 2. This propertie and practise is, and hath beene vsuall, specially in the Church of Rome. For generally, they would hauehave the world beleeue, that the Popes triple crowne, & Hierarchie of that Sea, is for the maintenance 5and defence of the Gospel: whereas all the world knowes, it is onelyonly to keepe their kitchins hot, to vphold their Persian pompe, and ambitious tyrannie. Particularly, there be two politicke practises of theirs, which prooue the point in 10hand. First, it is well knowne, that Popes hauehave neuer ceased from time to time, to sollicite the Princes of Europe, to maintaine the holy warre (as they call it) pretending the recouerie of the holy land, out of the hands of the Turkes, and Sarracins: when as (at least in the beginning) they intended nothing lesse, 15but that by this meanes they might set the East and West together by the eares, whilst they plaied their parts at home in Italie. The second, is their Shrift, or auricular Confession, which they practise for this end (as they say) that they may pacifie distressed Consciences, by absoluing them of their sinnes: when as the truth is, they first brought it into the Church, and doe 20still continue it, in a politicke respect, as beeing the onelyonly way in the world, to know all the secret purposes plots, pollicies, and practises, that are either in Church, or Commonwealth.

We are therefore here admonished to take heed of dissembling, 25in making Christianitie a cloake of impietie, or to pretend one thing, and intend another, like the heart pointing vpward, and poising downeward; for that will be a farre fowler soloecisme thē that which the heathen cōmitted with his hād, in pointing to heauen, whē he spake of the earth. But let vsus alway 30labour for sinceritie, to be at least that which we pretend to be, or rather like Salomons temple, whose windowes were larger within then without, and not like the glow-worme, making a faire glittering shewe of that which we hauehave not.

v. 14. But God forbidde that I 35should glory, saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the p. 625world is crucified to me, and I vntounto the world.

In these words Paul comes to the Reddition of the dissimilitude betwixt him and the false Apostles, his glorying and 5theirs. In them we may consider two generall points. First, wherein he would not glory in nothing, saue in, &c. Secondly, the thing wherein he would glorie, In the crosse of Christ, whereof he renders a reason in the words following, taken from the effects which the crosse wrought in him, For, by it, the world 10was crucified to him, and he vntounto the world.

For the first: To glorie, implies three things. First, to reioice, exult, and triumph in a mans selfe, in regard of some good thing, or some supposed good. Secondly, to bewray this great exultation, by speech, or action, or both. Thirdly, by boasting 15of it, to looke for praise and applause of men; which glorying (according to the nature of the obiect, and the ende) is either good or euill. For if it hauehave a right obiect, namely, the crosse of Christ: and a right ende, the glorie of God, it is good; otherwise it is euill: such as was this glorying of the false Apostles, and all other 20carnall glorying, which is not in the Lord: for it is nothing els but vain glorie. Vain I say, first, in regard of the things wherin men glorie, which are either such as are not, as when man boasteth of that which he hath not, but would seeme to hauehave: or such as he hath not of himselfe. 1. Cor. 4. 7. or such as hauehave 25no continuace, but are transitorie and fading, as all earthly things are, seeing man himselfe is but as grasse, and all the glorie of man, but as the floure of the field. Isay. 40. 6. Secondly, it is vaine in regard of man, from whome we looke for glorie, and 30admiration, seeing his iudgement is erroneous. Thirdly, in regard of the ende, in not referring it to the maine and proper ende, the glorie of God, and the good of his Church. The Prophet reduceth all those things, wherein we ought not to glorie, to three heads: wisedome, strength, riches: all which we hauehave receiued, & thereof ought not to boast of them, as though 35Ier. …. 23.we had not receiued them. In particular, wisedome is not to be glorified in, seeing it is very defectiue, whether we speake of speculatiue wisedome, standing in contemplation, or practical, consisting in action: For in artes and sciences, as also in the secrets p. 626of nature, our ignorance is greater then our knowledge. He that knowes not that be knowes nothing in these things, let him read the booke of Iob, chap. 28. and 37, and 38. And as for wisedome in diuine things, We knowe nothing as we ought to knowe. 1. Cor. 8. 2. for we know but in part, and see but as in a glasse, darkely. 1. Cor. 13. 12. And as for practicall wisdome, standing 5in pollicie, it is not demonstratiue, but meerely coniecturall, & therefore we cannot build vponupon it, considering in it there is the concurrence of so many causes that are casuall, and of so many mindes which are mutable. Salomon the great polititian had 10experience hereof; for he thought that by ioining affinitie with his neighbour Princes round about him, & taking their daughters to be his wiues, he should establish his own house, strengthen his kingdome, and drawe the Heathenish Idolatours to the worship of the true God. But all things fell out contrarie to 15this his plot and proiect: for it was so farre from winning others to imbrace true religion, as that it drewe him to idolatrie: and so farre from stablishing his house, or strengthening his kingdome, as that it was the cause of the rending of the one, and the ruinating of the other. Constantine the great, was perswaded 20that by building the citie Constantinople in the confines of Europe and Asia, and there placing one of his sonnes, as his Lieutenant to keepe his court, he should fortifie his Empire, as with a wall of brasse: But he was deceiued, for the building of new Rome, was the decay of the olde, and the diuiding 25of the Empire was the destruction thereof: So that it is truely said, pollicie is often the ouerthrowe of politie.

Nowe if wisedome may not be gloried in, much lesse may strength, seeing that wisedome is better then strength, Eccles. 9. 16. seeing that the greatest strength of man, is not comparable 30to that of Behemoth. Iob. 40. and other bruite beasts: seeing it is but the strength of flesh: seeing no power, nor might, can deliuer from wrath in the day of wrath. Of all the puissant Princes, and plotting polititians, the Psalmist saith, They are so vaine, that if they be laid vponupon the ballance, euen vanitie it 35selfe will waigh them downe, Psal. 62. 9.

And as for riches, besides that they make vsus neuer a whitte the better, (nay oftentimes much worse) they are also vncerten. Salomon saith, they make themselues wings like an Eagle, and flie away. Pro. 23. 5. They may not vnfitly be compared to Ionas p. 627his gourd, which flourished in the morning, yeelding him content & delight, but shortly after (to his great griefe,) it was stricken by a worme, and withered away. The like may be said of honours, and pleasures. For what more vaine then to glorie in honour, which is not in a mans power, seeing as the Philosopher teacheth, Honour is not in him that is honoured, but in him 5that honoureth: and therefore Courtiers are compared to counters, Ethic. l…. c. 5.which stand sometime for pounds, sometime for pence, beeing now aduanced, now debased, according to the pleasure of the Prince. Haman to day highly honoured in the court at 10Shushan, the next day hanged vponupon a tree. To omit the examples …h 7.of Iob, and Nebuchodonosar, (in whome we may see the mutabilitie of worldly dignitie.) Consider it in the glasse of these examples. First of Geliner a puissant Prince of the Vandals, Procopius.who was brought so lowe, that he was enforced to request 15his friend to send him a loafe of bread, a sponge, and a harpe: a loafe, to slake his hunger: a sponge, to drie vp his teares: a harpe, to solace him in his miserie. Of Bellisarius, (for prowes & honour, the only man then liuing,) who came to that miserable estate, that hauing his eies put out, he was led in a string to beg 20by the high way side, crying, Date obolum Bellisario. And of the victorious Emperour Henrie the fourth, who had fought 52. pitched fields; and yet was driuen to that exigent, as that he became a suter for a poore Prebend in the Church of Spira, to maintaine himselfe in his olde age. And as for worldly pleasures, 25least cause is there that any man should glorie in them, seing they are more vanishing then the former: seeing they are common to vsus with bruite beasts: seeing they are mingled with much griefe and vexation, for in the midst of laughter, the heart is sorrowfull. Prou. 14. 13. And lastly, seeing they leaue a sting 30behinde them, for the ende of pleasure is nothing but paine, as Salomon saith, The ende of reioycing is mourning. For feasting & Prou. 14. 13.Prov 14:13banquetting are often turned into surfetting & vomiting: drinkings into palsies: lusts into goutes, &c. And if pleasures were but onelyonly painefull, the matter were the lesse; but they are also 35sinnefull. Ebr. 11. 25. and therefore in no wise to be gloried in.

By this we see that Paul had iust cause in this earnest manner, to say, God forbidde I should glorie saue in the crosse of Christ considering that this boasting in outward things, is not onelyonly a fault of vanitie, but also of impietie, as may appeare by these p. 628reasons. I. God hath expressely forbidden it. Ier. 9. 23. Gal. 5. 26. II. He hath alwaie seuerely punished it, as in Dauid, for numbring the people in a vaine-glorious minde. 2. Sam. 24. In Ezekias, for shewing his treasures in a brauery to the Embassadours of the king of Babel. Isay. 39. In Herod, for ascribing to himselfe the glorie proper to God alone, Act. 12. III. The 5Saints of God hauehave alway abhorred it, as Paul doth in this place, and 2. Cor. 11. 30. If I must needs glorie, I will glory in neine infirmities, as if he should say, I will be farre from carnall boasting. IV. The heathen by the light of nature hauehave condemned 10it: the Gretian Orator calls it an odious, and burdensome foreign. Demost de Coro….thing. And the Romane Orator prooues it be most true by his own practise, making his words which flowed from his mouth as sweete as hony, to taste as bitter as wormewood, by interlacing his owne praises.

Obiect. I. Paul gloried in something besides the crosse of Christ, when he said, It were better for him to die, then that any should make his glorying vaine. 1. Cor. 9. 15. Answ. Paul in glorying doeth distinguish his calling, from his person; Of such a one I wil boast, of my selfe I wil not boast, & I was nothing inferior 20to the very cheife Apostles, although I am nothing. 2. Cor. 12. 5. 11. Of his person or personall gifts he boasteth not: but onelyonly of his Apostolicall calling, and his faithfull discharge thereof, to the end he may stoppe the mouthes of the false Apostles. Thus to confesse the good things we hauehave to the glorie of God, beeing 25vrged thereunto, is lawfull boasting, nay it is sometime necessarie, making much for the maintenance of the Gospell, as Pauls boasting made much for the good of the Church of Corinth. Againe, there is a twofold lawfull boasting, one before God, another before men. Rom. 4. 2. Of the former the 30Apostle speakes in this verse: of the latter in the 2. Cor. 12. He gloried not in the testimony of a good conscience, before god, but onelyonly before men. Before God he glorified in nothing, but in the sauing knowledge of Christ, and him crucified. And whereas it may besaide, that this his boasting in regard of the 35false Apostles, as also his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience. 2. Cor. 1. 12. and in his infirmities, 2. Cor. 11. 30. were not in the crosse of Christ. I answer, they were: for his glorying ouer the false Apostles, in teaching freely, was in the good and prosperous successe of the Gospel, which is the doctrine p. 629of the crosse, and his glorying in the testimonie of his conscience; in that it was washed by the blood of the crosse, as Paul speakes, Coloss. 1. 20. In his afflictions, in that they were the afflictions of Christ, and he by them made conformable to him.

But it will be said, that he gloried in his reuelations, in his 5paines and trauell, in preaching the Gospel, and in the multitude of Churches which he had planted. Ans. First, he did it beeing vrged thereunto; secondly, he did it to defend his calling, and the credit of the Gospel: and therefore this boasting 10was not vnlawfull; nay it was necessarie, and in the Lord. For when we are compelled, we may confesse the good things we hauehave, if we doe it sparingly, and for the edification of others, that they may be bettered by our example: and that they seeing our good workes, may glorifie God our heauenly father. 15Matth. 5. 16.

Here we see what glorying is Vnlawfull; namely, when men ascribe vntounto themselues either that which they hauehave not, or more then they hauehave, or as proceeding from themselues, their wisdome, strength, industrie, in sacrificing to their owne netts, 20and burning incense to their owne yearne, Habac. 1. 16. or in boasting of them without necessarie cause, either for their owne vaine glorie, as Nebuchodonosor did, Dan. 4. or not for Gods glorie, as Herod did, Act. 12. And if this glorying be so greata sinne, surely boasting in wickednes (as Doeg did, Psal. 2552. 1.) must needes be most damnable: as when the greatest swearers and swaggerers, count themselues the best companions: the greatest Idolaters, and superstitious persons, most religious: the greatest oppressours, surfeters, drunkards, fighters, most valiane and couragious, &c. Now this may be done three 30waies, either ignorātly as whē Paul gloried in his cruel persecuting of the Saints before his cōuersion, Act. 26. 11. or presumptuously, when men glorie in wickednes, notwithstanding they be perswaded in conscience, that it is euill: and then it is the sinne of Sodom. Isa. 3. 9. or malitiously, to despite God, and 35then it is the sinne against the holy Ghost.

The second point to be considered in the words, is, the thing wherein he will glorie, called here the Crosse of Christ: Sane in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. The words in the originall translated saue, are exceptiue: as if he should say, I will glorie in p. 630foreign.nothing except in the crosse of Christ: and exclusiue, onelyonly in the crosse of Christ, and in nothing els. Albeit they are sometime aduersatiue, as Gal. 2. 16. and Apoc. 21. 27. There shall enter into it no vncleane thing, foreign, but they that are written, &c. where the words are not exclusiue: (for then it would follow 5that some which worke abomination, should enter into heauen:) but aduersatiue, as Matth. 12. 4. and Luk. 4. 20. which may serue (by the way) to cleare the text, Ioh. 17. 12. Those thou gauest me hauehave I kept, and none of them is lost, but the child of perdition: that is, but the child of perdition is lost. For the words, 10foreign.foreign, (as I take it) are not so well translated by the exceptiue coniunction nisi, as by the aduersatiue sed: seeing here is no exceptiō made of Iudas, as though he had beene giuen to Christ, & afterward had fallen away: which exposition must needes be made, if the words be read, nisi filius perditionis.

Further, by the Crosse of Christ, the Apostle vnderstandeth synecdochically, the all sufficient, expiatorie, and satisfactorie sacrifice of Christ vponupon the crosse, with the whole work of our redemption: in the sauing knowledge where of he professeth he will glorie, and boast. For Christ is made vntounto vsus wisdome, 20righteousnes—that as it is written, He that glorieth, should …. Cor. 1. 30, 31.glorie in the Lord: euen to make boast of him all the day long, as the Psalmist speaketh. And the reason why Paul professeth that he will glorie onelyonly in the Crosse of Christ, is, because Christ crucified is the treasurie, and storehouse of the Church: 25seeing that in him are hid, not onelyonly the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, Coloss. 2. 3. but of bountie and grace, Ioh. 1. 16. and of all spirituall blessings. Eph. 1. 3. For first, by Christ crucified, we hauehave reconciliation with God, remission of sinns, & acceptation to eternall life. Secondly, we hauehave the peace of 30God which passeth all vnderstanding, peace with God, with Angels, with men, with our selues, with the creatures. Thirdly, we recouer the right and title which we had in the creation to all the creatures and blessings of God. 1. Cor. 3. 22. Fourthly, all afflictions and iudgements, cease to be curses and punishments 35and become either trialls, or corrections. Lastly, death it selfe, is no death, but a sleepe: for all that die in the Lord, are said to sleepe, and to rest vponupon their beddes. Isa. 57. 2. Indeede, if we looke vponupon death through the glasse of the Law, it is the very downefall to eternall destruction: but if we consider it as p. 631it is changed by the death of Christ, it is but a passage from this trans…torie life, to eternall life. Christ by his death hath taken away sinne, the sting of death: so that though it seaze vponupon vsus, yet (hauing lost it sting) it cannot hurt vsus. So that in a word, in Christ crucified, are all things that a man can glorie of. If we would glorie in knowledge, and wisdome; He is the wisdome 5of the father, seeing that all treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid in him: and therefore Paul desired to know nothing among the Corinthians, but (brist and him crucified. 1. Cor. 2. 2. for this knowledge is eternall life. Ioh, 17. 3. If in the louelove and fauour of great men: by him we are highly aduanced into the 10louelove & fauour of god. Eph. 1. 6. If in honors & riches; by him we are made Kings and Priests. Apoc. 1. 6. If in libertie; by him we are deliuered from the hands of our enemies, Sinne, Satan, &c. Luk. 1. 74. If in pleasures, comfort, and content: he is our felicitie, in him we are cōplete, Coloss. 2. By him we hauehave right 15to those things which eye hath not seene, eare hath not heard, neither can the heart of man conceiue. It may be said, why doth Paul glorie in the ignominious death of Christ, rather then in his glorious resurrection, triumphant ascension, and imperiall iurisdiction 20now sitting at the right hand of the Father? Ans. These are not excluded, but included in the Crosse: yet he nameth the crosse rather then them. First of all, to shew that vponupon the crosse, Christ did fully finish the worke of our redemption: for beeing now readie to giuegive vp the ghost, he said, It is finished. 25Ioh. 19. 30. this made Paul to desire to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. 1. Cor. 2. For in his humiliation stāds our exaltation; in his weaknes, stands our strength; in his ignominie, our glorie: in his death, out life. Secondly, to shew that he was not ashamed of the crosse of Christ, though neuer 30so ignominious in the eyes of the world. It had beene no great thing for Paul to hauehave gloried in the resurrection, ascension, wisdome, power, maiestie of Christ, wherein the world can and doth glorie. But to glorie in the shamefull, contempuble, August de verb Apost. Se…m. 20.accursed death of the crosse was a matter of great difficultie, 35and the worke of faith, iudging that which the world counts ignominious, to be most glorious: that which the learned Philosophers counted foolishnes, to be the wisdome of God. 1. Cor. 1. 24.

The Popish sort abuse this text two waies. First, in applying p. 632it to the transient crosse. Secondly, to the permanent or materiall crosse. To the transient crosse., in that they glorie in it: First, as hauing a vertue in it, (when it is made in the ayre,) to driue away Deuills. Secondly, beeing made in the forehead to be as an amulet against charmes, blastings, and other such like casualties. To the materiall crosse, when they adorne it 5with golde and iewells, and so cause it to be carried in great pompe before them. When the Crucigeri weare it in their hats in a white, redde, or greene colour. When they put their confidence in it, and pray vntounto it, Holy Crosse, saue vsus. This is Popish 10and carnall glorying in the crosse; and not spirituall, in the death of Christ vponupon the crosse, of which onelyonly the Apostle speakes in this place.

The reason why he would glorie in nothing but in the crosse of Christ, followeth to be considered, in these words, By 15which the world is crucified to me, and I vntounto the world. It is taken from a double effect, which Christ, or the crosse of Christ, wrought in him: (for the words, foreign, by which, may be referred to either indifferently.) The first, to be crucified to the world: the second, the world to be crucified to him. By the world, we are not 20to vnderstand the frame of heauen and earth, not the creatures, nor mankind: but honour riches, pleasures, fauour, wisdome, glorie and whatsoeuer is opposed to the kingdome of Christ, and the new creature. To be crucified to the world, is to be dead vntounto it, to despise and contemne it, to count all the glorie of it 25to be no better then dongue, in respect of Christ and his righteousnes, as Paul did, Phil. 3. 8. The world is said to be crucified to vsus, when it hates and persecutes vsus, and accounts vsus the filth & the off-scouring of all things. 1. Cor 4. 13. Yet here obserue that we are crucified to the world, and the world to vsus, by the 30vertue of the death of Christ, after a different manner. We are crucified to the world, properly by the spirit of Christ, weaning our affections from the louelove of this world. The world is cruci fied to vsus, by the death of Christ, improperly, and by accident, in that we are made such as the world cannot but hate and persecute: for seeing we are made new creatures, and chosen out 35of the world, therefore the world hateth vsus. Ioh. 15. 19.

Here we see who those are that can truly glory in the crosse of Christ, namely those that are dead to the world, & the world to them: such as feele the power of the spirit of Christ crucifying p. 633the flesh in them, with the affections and lusts. Others can no more glory of the crosse of Christ, then he that glories of the victorie which his Prince hath gottē ouer his enemies, himselfe in the meane time beeing a vassall, and slaue vntounto them.

Secondly, that it is not sufficient for a Christian, that the world is crucified to him, except he also be crucified to the 5world, neither louing the world, nor the things in the world.

Thirdly, that to be crucified to the world, is not to professe monasticall life, and to be shut vp in a Monastery: but to renounc… the world, and the corruptions that are therein, both in 10affection of hart, and practise of life.

Fourthly, we are taught to carrie our selues to the world, as crucified and dead men, not to louelove nor like it, to seeke or affect it, but to renounce and forsake it, with all the vanities, delights, and pleasures thereof: and to be as dead men to our own wicked wils, and to our carnall reason, letting them lie dead in 15vsus, and suffering our selues to be ruled, ordered, and guided by the spirit of God: making his will our will, his word our wisedome.

Fiftly, by this we may examine our hearts, for if we hauehave 20our affections glued to the world, and set vponupon the honours, pleasures, profits, and preferments thereof, we are worldlings indeed: for they that are Christs are crucisied with Christ. Gal. 2. 20. and hauehave crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Gal. 5. 24. and therefore must needs be crucified to the 25world. A man that is hanged vponupon a gybbet, ceaseth from his thefts and murders: So all that are indeed crucified with Christ to the world, cease from their old offences. For as the Apostle reasoneth, if we be risen with Christ, we ought to seeke the things that are aboue, & not the things that are vponupon the earth. 30Col. 3. 1, 2. So if we be dead with Christ from the vanities of the world, we ought as dead men to abstaine from all worldly lusts, which fight against the soule. 1. Pet 2. 11.

v. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither circumcifiō availeth any thing, 35nor vncircumcision, but a new creature.

p. 634Here the Apostle prooues his former assertion, v. 14. that he neither did, nor ought to glorie in any thing, saue in the crosse of Christ, because nothing is of any account in the kingdome of God, but a newe creature. And this he prooues by the remoouall of all those things that are either opposite to, 5or diuers from a newe creature, signified by circumcision and vncircumcision. And withall he laies downe two conclusions. The first is, that in Christ Iesus, that is, in the kingdome of grace, neither circumcision, nor vncircumcision are any thing, that is, are neither acceptable to God, nor auaileable to saluation▪ VnderUnder 10these two, synecdochically comprehending all outward priuiledges, and prerogatiues, dignities and regalities, or whatsoeuer can be named: vnderunder circumcision comprising the preheminence of the Iewe, and the profit of circumcision, which was much eueryevery way. Rom. 3. 1. seeing that to them appertained the 15adoption, and the glory, and the couenants, and the giuing of the Lawe, and the seruice of God, and the promises. Rom. 9. 4. VnderUnder circumcision containing the Gentiles, with all their wealth, wisdome A unstrength, lawes, pollicie, and whatsoeuer is of high account, and glorious in the eies of the world. All which he exclude; 20and accounts as nothing in respect of regeneration. For that which is highly accounted of among men, is abomination in the sight of God. Luk. 16. 15. Therefore wisedome, wealth, nobility, strength, are nothing. 1. Cor. 1. 26. Outward callings, as to be King or Kaesar, Prophet or Apostle. Outward actions of fasting, 25almes, praier. Nay, kindred and alliance, as to be mother or brother of Christ, is nothing: for if the blessed virgine had not borne Christ in her heart, as she did in her wombe, she should neuer hauehave beene saued. Luk. 11. 27, 28. & if his kinsmen had not beene his brethren by spirituall adoption, as well 30as by naturall propagation, they should hauehave had no inheritance in the kingdome of God. Mark. 3. 33, 35. Nay, the outward element of baptisme, without the inward grace, is of no force; for it is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh (that is acceptable to God) but the stipulation of a good conscience, 35which maketh requests vntounto God. 1. Pet. 3. 21. and if the communicant at the Lords table, doe not eate panem Dominū as well as panem Domini (as Augustine speaketh) that is, if he doe not receiue Christ spiritually by the hand of his faith, as he doth corporally receiue the element by his bodely hand, he receiueth p. 635vnworthily, and so eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement. 1. Cor. 11. 39. Now the reason why these outward things are nothing availeable, is, because the things that are accounted of with God, are spirituall and eternall, not tempōrall and carnall, as these are: which as they shall vtterly cease in the kingdome of glory, Matth. 22. 30. (for then Christ will put downe all rule, authoritie, 5and power. 1. Cor 15. 24.) so are they not of any moment or account in the kingdome of grace, as Paul teacheth. 2. Cor. 5. 16. Gal. 3. 28. Coloss. 3. 11. It may be said, these priuiledges and outward things, as Prince, and people; Master, and feruant: 10bond, and free, &c. hauehave place in the kingdome of grace, seeing Christianity doth not abolish nature, nor ciuill pollicy. To which I answer, that man must be considered two waies, in respectof the outward, or inward man. Consider him as he is a member, in ciuill society, as of the family, church, or commonwealth: 15there are sundry differences of persons, as bond, free; magistrate, subiect; poore, rich: &c. in which sense the Apost. exhortation taketh place, wiues, submit your selues to your husband…. Coloss. 3. 18. children, obey your parents, v. 20. seruants, be obedient to your masters. v. 22. But if man be considered in respect 02of his spirituall estate, as he is a member of the inuisible, or catholique church, vnderunder spirituall gouernement, consisting in righteousnes, peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost. Rom. 14. 17. there is no distinction of calling, condition, or sexe; for we are all on in Christ. Gal. 3. 28. or Christ is all and in all 25things. Coloss. 3. 11. in that though we be many, yet are we but one body in Christ. Rom. 12. 5. seeing we are quickned with one spirit. Eph. 4. 4. The Popish opinion therefore which teacheth that there be some outward callings and actions which commend vsus to God, as to lead a single life, to fast, 30to vow voluntary pouerty, to performe regular obedience, to professe monkery, to be buried in a friers cowle, or to abstaine from these and these meates, is here condemned, when Paul saith, that outward priuiledges will not serue the turne, and that meate commendeth vsus not to God 1. Cor. 8. 8.

Againe, neither this nor the like places Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. do any thing fauour the Anabaptisticall fancy, of bringing in an anarchie, that is, an ataxy into Christian society; by taking away christian magistrates, and distinction betwixt masster and seruant: for by the same reyson we may consound the p. 636sexe of man and woman, for Paul saith, there is neither male nor femalle, but we are all on in Christ, the meaning thereof is this, that although in respect of our inward or spirituall estate before God, there be no such difference: yet that hindreth not but there may be in respect of our outward estate.

Further, we learne from hence, that no man is to thinke highly of himselfe in regard of outward priuiledges, as birth, honour, welth, fauour, nor to glory in them. Ier. 9. 23. rich men must not be high minded. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Nay, the King may not lift vp his mind aboue his brethren. Deut. 17. 20. 10Pauls example is notable, who accounted all the priuiledges which he had before his conuersion, whilst he was a Iew, (as that he was a citizen of Rome, a Pharise, a great Rabbin, instructed by Gamaliel, of the tribe of Beniamin, circum cised the 8. day &c.) and after his conuersion beeing a christian (as that 15he was an Apostle, taken vp into the 3. heauen &c.) to be as nothing or worse then nothing, euen as losse or dunge in respect of beeing a new creature in Christ, that is, in respect of iustification, and sanctification. And therefore we may not set our minds to much vponupon outward things, as riches, honours, pleasures 20seeing they are not …ylable to saluation.

Besids, this teacheth all those that are but in meane and base estate, to be content: for outward priuiledges auaile nothing: outward wants and miseries, hinder nothing. If a man be rich, he is nothing the ne…rer, and if he be poore, he is not a whitt 25the further off: it is the pouerty of the spirit, which makes a man rich in grace: for though the poore man be the rich mans flaue, yet he is the sonne of God, and sellow heyre with Christ: and though the rich man be the poore mans master, yet he is the seruant of Christ, as Paul saith he that is called beeing a seruant 30is Gods free man: and he that is called beeing free, is Christ seruant. 1. Cor. 7. 22.

Lastly, this crosseth the opinion of the multitude, who think that if a man be increased in riches, graced with fauour, aduanced with honour, that he is a godly, wise, religious man; and 35that religion which he professeth, is the truth. This is nothing els but to hauehave the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons. Iam. 2. 1.

The second conclusion is, that the new creature is the onelyonly thing that is acceptable to God. Circumcision, &c. …aileth nothing, p. 637but a new creature. By the new creature, the Apostle vnderstandeth the image of God, or renouation of the whole man, both in the spirits of our minds, and in the affections of our hearts, which is also called the new man. We shall the better conceiue it by the contrarie, namely, by the old man; which is 5want of knowledge in the minde, and delight in ignorance: want of subiection and conformitie in the will, and rebellion withall: want of holines in the affections, and pronenes to euill. The new man then, is the restoring of all these defects. For the vnderstanding hereof, consider, that there are three things 10in the soule. The substance of the soule: the faculties, or powers of the soule: and the qualities of these faculties. Now neither the substance nor faculties are lost by the fall, but onelyonly the qualities of the faculties: as when an instrument is out of tune, the fault is not in the substance of the instrument, nor in 15the sound, but in the disproportion, or iarre in the sound: therefore the qualities onelyonly are renewed by grace. These qualities or habits, are either in the Vnderstanding: or will and affections. The qualitie in the vnderstanding, is knowledge. Coloss. 3. 10. Ye hauehave put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after 20the image of him that created him. In the will and affections, they are principally two, righteousnes, and holines, both which are in truth and synceritie, without all hypocrisie. Eph. 4. 24. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnes, and true holines: where holines, and righteousnes, are opposed to concupiscences, 25and lusts of the old man: Truth (which hath relation to both) to spiritual guile, and dissimulation: so that each of these qualities, hauehave two parts, a want of the contrarie euill, and a positiue qualitie or habit of goodnes. Holines respecteth god, and containeth all duties of pietie, contained in the first table: 30Righteousnes, respects man, and the creatures, and compriseth all the duties enioyned in the second table. Truth respecteth the manner how both the former are to be practised, viz. with an vpright and sincere heart, free from all hypocrifie and deceit. These three making a perfect harmonie in all the faculties 35of the soule: Holines performing all the duties of pietie: righteousnes the duties of humanitie: truth seasoning both the former with sinceritie.

But (may some say) how is the new creature opposed to all externall things, or said to be of any force in the kingdome of p. 638Christ, seeing it is not auaileable to iustifie a man before God' beeing stained with manifold imperfections? For answer whereof, we are to know, that outward things are sometime opposed to Christ, and his righteousnes, as Coloss. 3. 11. There is neither Iew, nor Grecian, circumcision nor vncircumcision, &c. but Christ is all, and in all things. sometime to faith, as Gal. 5. 6. Neither 5circumcision auaileth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by louelove. sometime to the new creature or sanctification, as in this place, and 2. Cor. 7. 29. Circumcision is nothing, &c. but the keeping of the commandements of God. But the sense 10is all one, for they are opposed to Christ, as to the matter of our iustification: to faith as to the instrument apprehending it: to the new creature, as to the signe of them both.

Further, whereas both here, and 2. Cor. 5. 17. the image of god is called a new creature, (or as it is in the original [foreign] 15a new creation) the meaning is not, that either the substance, or faculties of the soule are created a new; but that the worke of regeneration is wholly to be ascribed to God alone, (not as though we were stocks or stones without life or motion) but because God doth create these new qualities in vsus, quickning 20vsus when we were dead in sinne, and working in vsus both the will, and the deede. Philip. 2. 13.

If regeneration then be a new creation, it must needes follow, that before our conuersion we were not onelyonly dead, but euen flat nothing, in godlines, and grace. By which we see what 25to iudge of the Semi-pelagian heresie, which teacheth, that a man by an internum principium, may dispose himselfe to will that which is truly good: and that man is not starke dead in sinne, but onelyonly sicke or wounded and halfe dead, as the man which fell among theeues, Luk. 10. or as a prisoner that is shackled 30and manackled, who can walke of himselfe, if his fetters be taken from him: so we (if Christ loose the chaines of our sinnes) hauehave power of our selues to mooue our selues. Which doctrine we know is most iniu…ious to the merciemercy of God, and most derogatorie to the merits of Christ, seeing it makes him in the 35worke of our saluation, to be but causa removens prohibens, which (as Logicians teach) is but causa sine quâ non, which in truth is no cause at all. So that they make themselues their own Sauiours, and Christ to be but an instrument whereby they saue themselues: for if he doe but remooue the impediment, they without any more adoe, are able to mooue and act themselues. p. 639When as the conuersion of a sinner is as great a worke as the creation of heauen and earth: for Paul calleth it here a new creation. Nay, here is a greater power required (if I may so speake) then that whereby the world was created. For though an infinite power be required as well to the creating of the great world, as the recreating or regenerating of the lesse 5world, as our Sauiour Christ signifies, Mark. 2. 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sicke of the palsie, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, or to say, Arise, take vp thy bed and walke? yet the holy Ghost seemeth, of the two, to make it more difficult, to create a new hart, then a new world, in that speaking of the creation of the world, 10he saith it was made by the word of God, By the word of the Lord were the heauens made. Psal. 33. 6. or by his fingers, when I consider the heauens, the workes of thy fingers. Psal. 8. 3. or by his handes. Psalm. 102. 25. The heauens are the workes of thy hands. But the redemption of man, and the conuersion of a 15finner, is said to be wrought by the arme of God. Marie in her Magnificat, saith, He hath shewed strength with his arme. Luk. 2. 51. nay, he was faine to set his side to it, and it made him shed many a teare, and sweat as it were drops of blood, trickling downe to the ground. Luk. 22. 44. Before our conuersion, we are like 20the drie bones, Ezek. 37. for as when the winde of God came vponupon them, bone came to bone, and were ioyned with sinews, and couered with flesh, and had their senses restored: so when the spirit of God, like the fauonian winde, bloweth vponupon vsus, it reuiueth vsus againe; giuing vsus a new life, new senses, a new 25heart, new wills, and affections: for all old things passe away, and all things become new. 2. Cor. 5. 17. For it openeth the eyes of our vnderstanding, making vsus discerne of things that differ. Eph. 1. 18. Philip. 1. 10. it boareth a new eare of obedience in vsus, 30Psal. 40. 6. and giueth vsus a new tast, not to sauour the things of the flesh, but of the spirit. Rom. 8. 5.

Further, this serues to detect the naturall Poperie of the multitude, and of our owne hearts, when we perswade our selues (though falsely) that though we goe on in our sinnes, yet 35that we can repent when we list. When as the Prophet saith, O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himselfe: and Paul saith, Ierem, 10. 23. Qui dabit poenitenti veniā, non dabit peccanti poenitentiam.that it is as great a worke to create a new heart, as to create a new world: for regeneration is a new creation. 2. Cor. 5. 17. Augustine saith well, He that will grant pardon to him that repents, p. 640will not alway giuegive repentance to him that sinnes.

Againe, in the sense that Paul calleth the image of God, a new creature, or the new man, and corruption the old man: we graunt, that our religion is new, and Popish religion is old. For as the new men, is the restored image of God, in which Adam was first created, though afterwards defaced by his owne inuentions: 5Eccles. 7. 31. So our religion is the restored or reformed doctrine first taught by the Apostles, which afterward was corrupted by mens deuices. Albeit, in Tertullians sense, ours is the old religion, and theirs the new: as the image of God is the 10Quod antiquiss…mum, id verissimum.old man, and corruption the new.

Vse. If we be not changed in our liues, but remyane old Adams still, euen the same men we were before, in minding, willing, affecting earthly things, and fashioning our selues to the guise of the world; we are no new creatures, though we promise 15and protest neuer so much: we are but hypoc…tes, deceauing others, and our selues also. For where this new creature is, there is a change in all the faculties and powers of soule and body: the mind is not set vponupon the world, but mindeth heauenly things: the will, affections, and conuersation of the whole 20man, is in heauen. Philip. 3. 20. For the spirit of regeneration is like the leauen which a woman tooke and bid in 3. pecks of meale till all was leauened: for after the same manner, by a secret operation it altereth the mind, will, affections. If any be in Christ (saith the Apostle) he is a new creature, old things are 25passed away, behold, all things are become newe. If therefore we a. Cor. 5. 17.be new creatures, why lead we not a new life? if we be changed in affection, why are we not changed in conuersation?

But by this we may perceiue that all which are christians in profession, are not christians in conuersation: all that are washed 30with the outward Element of water, are not washed with the inward baptisme, the lauer of regeneratiō: as first, those that are as good fellowes (that is, as badde) as euer they were before, and make no consciēce of sinne. Secondly, such as are no more but ciuill honest men, like those honest women which raysed 35persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Act. 13. 50. Thirdly, worldly wise men which sauour of nothing but the world. Lastly, such as hauehave some louelove and liking of the word, and are in some sort outwardly conformable thereunto, hauing some legall sorrow for sinne p. 641arising from legall terrors: but hauehave no thorowe change nor renouation.

Lastly, we may not maruell if the world hate & maligne those that are new-creatures: seeing they neither mind nor affect the same things. For there can be no true louelove, where there is contrarietie of iudgements, wills, affections, which hath beene, is, 5and wil be, betwixt those that are borne of the flesh, and those that are borne of God. Gen. 3. 15.

v. 16. And as many as walke according to this rule, peace shall 10be vponupon them, and mercy, and vponupon the Israel of God.

Here Paul commends this glorying in the crosse of Christ, 15and studie of pietie, in becomming a new creature, as the onelyonly rule of faith and manners, which all teachers and heare…s, were to obserue, and follow: Enforcing the keeping and obseruing of this double dutie, by the fruit and benefit that comes 20thereby, specified here by peace and mercy. In the words two things are generally to be considered: First, the duty of walking, in these words, As many as walke according to this rule: Secondly, the reason of motiue to the practize thereof, in these, Peace shall be vponupon them and mercy: which is amplified by 25the generalitie thereof, that is, shall light vponupon as many as walke according thereto, and vponupon the Israel of God. The dutie is, that we walke according to this canon, or rule: the ooforeign.word translated walke, signifieth not simply to walke, but to walke warily and circumspectly (as it is expounded Eph. 5. 15.) or to walke by 30rule, in order, and measure, without treading aside, but making straight steps to our feete. Hebr. 12. 13. Pauls rule which we must walke by, is faith in Christ, called here glorying in the crosse of Christ: & repentance towards God: called regeneration or the new creature: which is rightly called a …le of 35faith, and manners, of things to be beleeued, and practised, because by it all doctrines and actions, are to be examined: nay, the Scripture is therefore called Canonicall, because it se…tes downe an exposition of this rule: there beeing nothing from the first chap. in Gen. to the last words in the Apoeal. which p. 642aimeth not at one of these two, either repentance towars God or faith in Christ

Here all ministers are taught what rule to follow in preaching the word, or building the church of God, namely faith, & repentance, the doctrine of the crosse, and conuersion, or the new creature. And all …earers according to what rule to order 5their liues and actions. For this metaphor of walking, and that by a rule or line, shewes that we are trauellers or pilgrimmes, that this world is a strange countrey, that we are to goe to another, that the world is an endles labyrinth, in which we shall 10for euer lose our selues, except we be guided by this rule.

And here we see that there is a certen rule for the regulating of all things apertaning to faith and manners, though we cannot apply it nor vse it as we should: The fault is in vsus, not in the rule.

Whereas Paul saith as many as walke according to this rule, he shews that Christians hauehave but on onelyonly rule which they are to follow, and according to which they must frame their liues; for the Apostle exhortes vsus that we all proceede by on rule. Phil. 3. 16. Therefore the Papists doe notoriously offend not only 20in wresting, preuerting, and breaking this rule, but in making other new Lesbian rules, which they prescribe as necessarie to be followed: as the rule of S. Francis, of S. Dominick. S. Austen. S. Ierome &c. holding on mans baptisme better then another, on mans profession holier then another, on mans rule 25perfecter then another: following any rule rather then Christs, and so diuide his sea…les coate. And that these sundry rules of Monks are vaine and wicked, it may appeare, First, because they agree not with this rule of Paul, they beeing many, it but on: it directing and leading to Christ, they leading to by paths, 30obscuring the merit of Christ, and prescribing many things partly friuolous, partly impious, contrary to faith and good life. Secondly, in that they agree not among themselues; eueryevery sect hauing his own proper orders, and contending their owne to be better, holier, perfecter then the rest. Thirdly, in that they 35diuide into diuerse sects those that ought to be all on in Christ, for which cause Paul calles the Corinthians carnall, in houlding some of Paul, others of Apollos, 1. Cor. 3. 4. For how can they be spirituall, who in speech, action, habitte and attire, profession and conuersation, professe nothing but shisme and p. 643dissention? Ierome against the Luciferians saith, Sieubi audieris …os qui dicuntur Christi, non a Domino lesu Christ…, sed à quoquam alio nuncupari, puta Marciònitas, Valentinianos, Montenses, Campates, scito non …cclesiam Christi, sed Antichristi esse Synagogam. that is, whersoeuer thou shalt heare those that are called Christians not to hauehave their name from our Lord Iesus Christ, but from some 5other, as Marcionites, Valentinians, Montenses, Campates, knowe thus much, that they are not the church of Christ, but the Synagogue of Antichrist. Nay further, solitary life in leauing the society of men, and sequest…ing themselues from all company, which is 10the grownd, and generall practize of Monkish E…emites (for Coenobites to speake p…operly are no Monks as the word teacheth) is against the very light of nature it selfe. First, because it is naturall for men to liue together; nay it is the ground of the family, the church, and common-wealth. There was neuer 15nation so barbarous or sauage but endeauoured to liue together by associating themselues, in cities, townes, villages, caues, woods, tents, or some other way, according to the custome of the countrey: which generall practise of all, argues the impression of nature in all. Secondly, speach is giuen men 20for this end that they might conuerse together: for it were little or nothing auaileable if men should liue alone, and conuerse withnone. Thirdly, sundry vertues bestowed vponupon men, as iustice, fortitude, louelove, and frendship, should be giuen in vaine, if men should liue solitary, sequestred from all company. 25Fourthly, mans imbecillity argues thus much; for whereas all other creatures are armed by nature, as the Bull with hornes, the Boare with tuskes: other with teeth, fethers, swiftnes &c. man is borne feeble and naked, not able to prouide or defend himselfe, but only by helpe of others, which is an argument 30that he is borne to liue in ciuill society, and to be holpen by others. Lastly, man is borne to doe good to himselfe and others, in some estate and calling, 1. Cor. 7. But he that liueth alone can doe no good to others, nor receiue good from them: For whereas they plead for themselues, that they leaue their particular 35callings, and betake themselus to Armetages, that so they may renounce the world. I answer, that to renounce the world is not to leaue their places and callings, whereunto God hath caled them, but to renounce the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2. Pet. 1. 4. These and the like reasons made the p. 644Philosopher to say, that he which left the societie of men and Aristot. P…li…. …b. …. …p. a.betooke himselfe to a solitary life, was either a God, or a beast.

By this we may see what Lesbian rules they follow: and how that which they account the highest degree of perfection, is in truth the depth of abomination: that it hath beene the cause of much wickednes, as of idlenes, hypocrisie, whoredome, so domitry, 5besides the cruell murthering of many poore innocents. Therefore let neither their hypocrisie, nor the churches pretended authoritie, nor the long receiued custom, any thing mooue vsus, but that leauing them, we follow the rule of Paul in this 10place: for they that walke according to it, peace shall be vponupon them and merciemercy. By peace, we are to vnderstand outward peace, as prosperitie, and good successe in all things we goe about. For whatsoeuer they doe, shall prosper. Psal. 1. 3. And peace with the creatures; as first with the good Angels, Colos…. 1. 20. who 15are ministring spirits, sent forth to minister, for their sakes that shal be heires of saluation, Ebr. 1. 14. pitching their tents about them, Psal. 34. 7. and bearing them in their hands as the nourse her child. Psal. 91. 12. Secondly, with the godly. The Prophet saith that in the kingdome of Christ, the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe, 20the leopard shall lie with the kidde, &c. that is, men of fierce, sauage, Isa 11. 6.Isa 11:6and woluish natures, shal be so changed by grace, as that they shall liue peaceably and louingly together. Thirdly, with the wicked their enemies, partly because they seeke to liue in peace, as Dauid saith of himselfe, I labour for peace, Psal. 120. 7. 25partly because God so inclines their hearts, as that they are peaceable. Lastly, with the beast of the field, and all the creatures. The Lord promiseth to make a couenant with the wild beasts, and foules of the heauen, in behalfe of his people, that they may sleepe safely. Hos. 2. 18. But the peace which is principally 30meant in this place, is peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding. Phil. 4. 7. Which is peace with God, beeing reconciled and at one with him. Rom. 5. 1. Beeing iustified by faith, we hauehave peace with God. And peace with our selues, which is three fold, as it is opposed to a threefold dissention in man. 35The first is, when the will and affections renewed by grace, are obedient to the minde enlightened by the spirit, and at peace therewith: opposed to the dissention that is betwixt rebellious affections, and naturall reason. The second is, when grace (though strongly assailed) giueth corruption the foile, whereupon p. 645followeth the calming and quieting of the mind, opposed to the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit. The third is, when the conscience perswaded of remission of sinnes, and reconciliation with God, ceaseth to accuse and terrifie, and beginnes to excuse, and comfort vsus: opposed to the conflicts that a distressed conscience hath with legall terrours, and the anger 5of God. By mercy (which is the cause of this peace) are vnderstood, all spirituall blessings, which flow vntounto vsus from the louelove, and fauour of God in Christ, as remission of sinnes, iustification, sanctification, and eternall life it selfe. The words foreign, 10vponupon them, hauehave great emphasis, signifying, that these blessings come downe from heauen, and light vponupon them that follow this rule, and that they cannot he hindered by the mallice of men.

Let the Pope then anathematize, curse, and excommunicate vsus, both Prince and people, because we tread not in the 15steps of his faith, but of the faith of our father Abraham, and walke not according to his rule, but according to this rule of the Apostle: for we need not feare his thunderbolts, nor curses, seeing the causelesse curse shall neuer come. Pro. 26. 2. for what 20though he curse, if God doe blesse? It was the thing that comforted Dauid beeing cursed of his enemies, in that though they did curse, yet God would blesse. Psal. 109. 28. and let vsus comfort our selues in this, that he will curse them that curse his people. Gen. 12. 3.

Againe, if peace and mercy shall be vponupon them that walke according to this rule, then wrath and indignation shall light vponupon those that follow any other rule, or deuise any other way, or set downe any other meanes of saluation besides, or contrary to this. False therefore is the opinion of Pucksius, that if a 30man lead an outward ciuil life, he may be saued in any religion, the Iewe in his Iudaisme, the Turke in his Mahometisme, the Heathen in his Paganisme. For they that walke not in this way, according to this rule, doe but weary themselues in endlesse Labyrinths: and so walking without line or rule in their crooked 35wayes, shall be led with workers of iniquitie, whenas peace shall be vponupon Israel. Psal. 125. 5. Other vses are made of mercy and peace, Pag. 11. and 12. to which places I referre the reader.

The Apostle addeth, that peace and mercy shal be vponupon all them that walke according to this rule, and vponupon the Israel of God. There is a doble Israell mentioned by Paul. Israell according to the flesh. 1. Cor. 10. 18. and the Israell of God: as there is a twofold Iewe, one outward, in the flesh: another inward, in the spirit. Rom. 2. 28, 29. By the Israell of God, the Apostle meaneth all such as are like to Nathaniell, who was a true Israelite, in whome there was no guile. Ioh. 1. 47. whether they be 5the faithfull Gentiles, or beleeuing Iewes. And he makes mention of the Israell of God, partly by reason of the aduersaries, who bragged so much of their father Abraham, and that they were the only true Israelites, and yet were noe Israelites because they troade not in the steps of the faith of Abraham: partly for 10the weake conuerts, who thought it a hard thing to be seuered from the society of those, to whome the promises were made: partly for vsus Gentiles, that we might know that all are not Israell, which are of Israell. Rom. 9. 6. but that all they which are of 15faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham. Gal. 3. 9. seeing that God is no accepter of persons Act. 10. 34.

v. 17. From hence forth let no man put me to busines: for I beare 20in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus.

Here the Apostle laies downe his last admonition, preuenting 25an obiection that might be made by the false Apostles, or the Galatians. For whereas it might be said, that Paul sought himselfe, and the world, shunned persecution, and therefore ioyned circumcision to Christ to please the Iewes, and followed not his owne rule v. 16. he takes away this obiection with 30great authoritie, when he saith, from hence forth let no man put me to busines, And withall he addes a reason of it, for I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus: as if he should saie, The bonds, the imprisonments, the stripes, wounds, and scarres in my bodie, doe sufficiently testifie my fidelitie in my ministerie, 35for if I had preached circumcision I should not hauehave suffered persecution. The words may be and are taken in a doble sense. First thus, The false Apost. and you Galatians (by their instigation) hauehave beene troblesome vntounto me, by false accusations and scanderous imputations, as that I taught circumcision and p. 647the obseruatiō of the ceremoniall Lawe as a thing necessarie to saluation, and so you hauehave made a reuolt from my doctrine, & by that meanes hauehave dobled and tripled my labour and paines among you: But from hence forth cease to be troblesome vntounto me, you may take experiment and proofe from me; the marks that I beare in my body doe sufficiently witnesse and seale the 5truth of my doctrine, and my fidelitie in myne Apostleship, as also whose disciple I am, Moses or Christs, and what rule I follow, Iudaisme or Christianisme. Secondly, they cary this sense, I hauehave sayd, that they which walke according to this rule, in 10glorying onelyonly in the crosse of Christ, peace shall be vponupon them, and mercy, and vponupon the Israel of God; And I say againe and againe, that we ought to striue and contend for it, to obserue & keepe it, as a thing most necessarie to saluation: foreign, as for othings not necessary to saluation, as circumcision &c. Let no 15man troble me in the execution of mine Apostolicall function, or hinder the course of the Gospell, by vrging any other doctrine or ceremony contrary or diuerse from this, as necessary to saluation: This one thing is necessarie, other things are needles and fruitles in comparison, therefore neither I, nor the church 20of God ought to be trobled with them. This latter sense I take to be more ageeable to the text. Some make the sense to be this, I hauehave had many trobles and conflicts; and hauehave many markes and scarres in my body inflicted by persecutours: therfore be no more troblesome vntounto me: for it were to much to 25add wormewood to my gale, affliction to affliction. Here we se the condition of the Apostle, and the estate of all faithfull ministers; that it is full of troble and molestations. For as they are accounted men of turbulent spirits, disquieters of the state, as Elias was 1. King. 21. and Ieremie, chap. 15. 18. and Paul, 30Act. 16. 20. & 21. 28. So they are most trobled with factious opposers and false teachers, who labour to bring into the church things partly needles and superfluous, partly hurtfull & pernicious. Thus the false Apost. trobled the pastors and church of Galatia. Gal. 5. 10. and the churches of Antiochia, 35Syria, Cilicia, Act, 15. 24.

Secondly, consider how that the most and greatest trobles of the church hauehave beene for matter… not of substance, but of circumstance, partly not necessarie, partly contrarie to the rule: which notwithstanding hauehave bee vrged with fire and fagot, as p. 648things most necessarie.

Lastly, he that stands forth for the defence of Gods truth (as Paul did, and all Ministers ought to doe) must let goe all circumstances, and looke to the substance. Not with Martha to Luk. 10. 41.Luke 10:41trouble himselfe about many needelesse things, when as one 5thing onelyonly is necessarie.

The reason followeth in these words: For I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus.

The word in the Originall translated markes, doth properly foreign. vide Lip…ium de militia Romana, lib. 1. dialogo. 9.signifie prints with a hot yron. But it is here vsed generally 10to signifie, any blemish, skarre, or marke whatsoeuer, whether such as was wont to be set vponupon seruants bought with money (which among the Iewes was a hole in the eare pearced with a naule. Exod. 21. 6. Deut. 15. 17.) or vponupon slaues taken in the warres, as the Samians set vponupon an Athenian captiue the signe 15of an owle: and the Athenians vponupon a Samian the signe of a shippe. Or vponupon malefactours, as a hole in the eare, an F in the forehead, a brand in the hand. Or such a marke, as some thinke, was set vponupon Cain. Gen. 4. 15. or the marke of God. Ezek. 9. 4. or of the beast. Apoc. 16. ….

The markes of Christ are of two sorts, either inward and inuisible: or outward and visible. The inuisible markes are two. The first, is Gods eternall Election, which is called Gods seale or marke. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this seale, The Lord knoweth who are his. All the Elect are 25marked with this marke, Apoc. 7. and by it Christ knoweth and acknowledgeth them for his sheepe. Ioh. 10. The second, is regeneration, or the imprinting of the defaced image of God in the soule. By this marke (which is the true indel…ble character, neuer to be blotted out) are all beleeuers sealed. 2. Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 301. 13. These inward inuisible markes of Election and Regeneration, are in the soule, and therefore not here meant: for he speakes of bodily markes, I beare in my bodie the markes.... The outward visible marks are twofold: Typicall, or Reall. Typicall, as circumcision, which was a marke set in the foreskin of 35the flesh. Rom. 4. 11. The blood of the Paschal lambe, wherewith the houses of the Israelites were marked, when the first borne of the Aegyptians were slaine by the destroying Angel. And Baptisme is of the same kind: for by Baptisme Christians are distinguished from Iewes, Turkes, Infidells whatsoeuer p. 649Reall markes of Christ, are either in his naturall, or in his mysticall bodie. In his naturall bodie, the wounds which were giuen him in his hands, feete, and sides; which he shewed to his Disciples after his resurrection. Ioh. 20. 27. which whether they be now to be seene in his glorified bodie (as some affirme) or abolished (as others,) I leaue to the Reader, as a thing vncerten, and 5meerely coniecturall, seeing there is nothing in Scripture either for it, or against it, that doth necessarily conclude it. But of these markes, the Apostle speaketh not in this place. The markes in his mysticall bodie, are those, which are in his members, as wounds, skarres, whippings, maimednes, &c. of which 10we read 2. Cor. 4. 10. EueryEvery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus. and 2. Cor. 11. 24, 25. Fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one: I was thrise beaten with roddes, once stoned, &c. And these the Apostle here calleth the marks of Christ, 15because they are inflicted for the profession of Christ, and the Gospel: as the wounds and skarres of a souldier may be called his Princes woundes and skarres, because they are had in his cause and quarrell. Now those in his naturall bodie differ from these in his mysticall: First, in that they are meritorious, for by 20his stripes we are healed, 1. Pet. 2. 24. These in his mysticall body are glorious in the sight of god (as the death of his Saints is;) yet not meritorious. Secondly, those in his naturall bodie, were prophecied of before in particular. Psal. 22. 16. They pearced my hands and my feete. These in his mysticall bodie onelyonly in generall, 25that we should be conformable vntounto him.

In this place Paul speaketh of the latter onelyonly, which were in his owne person; and this he doth, not to put any merit in thē, as (S. Francis did) but to testifie himself to be a faithfull seruant of Christ. And he further meeteth with the false Apostles, who 30would needes hauehave had the Galatians circumcised, that so they might glorie in the flesh, as hauing se… the marke of circumcision in the foreskin of their flesh. As if he should say, I set not markes in other mens flesh, to glorie of them, as the false Apostles doe; but I beare about in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus, these are the signes of mine Apostleship, and arguments 35of fidelitie in my Ministerie, which I set not in other mens flesh, but hauehave in mine owne.

Here we see what we are to thinke, and what vse we are to make of the wounds, ska…res, and blemishes, that are in any of p. 650the Saints for the profession of the Gospel, and maintenance of the truth. First, that they are the sufferings, wounds, and marks of Christ himselfe (as Paul tearmeth them here, and Coloss. 1. 24.) seeing they are the wounds of the members of that bodie, wherof he is the head. Secondly, they hauehave this vse, to conuince the consciences of persecutors, and wicked men, that they are 5the seruants of Christ, which suffer thus for righteousnes sake, for which cause they are here mentioned by Paul. Thus he prooues himselfe to be a member of Christ by the afflictions which he suffered for his sake. 2. Cor. 12. Thirdly, if men be constant in their profession, namely in faith and obedience, 10they are banners of victorie. Therefore no man ought to be ashamed of them, no more then souldiers of their wounds and skarres: but rather in a holy manner to glorie of them as Paul did. For as it is a glorie to a souldier to hauehave receiued many wounds, and to hauehave many skarres, in a good cause, in his Princes 15quarrell, and for the desence of his countrey: So it is a glorie for a Christian souldier to hauehave the markes of the Lord Iesus in his bodie, as of wounds, scourges, bonds, imprisonment, for the profession of the truth. Therfore Constantine the great, 20(as the Ecclesiasticall historie records) kissed the holes of the eyes of certaine Bishops, (which had them put out by the Arrians, for the constant profession of the faith of Christ) reuerencing the vertue of the holy Ghost which shined in them.

This makes nothing for the fratres flagellantes, who glorie 25in the markes which they make in their flesh, by whipping of themselues. For first, it is not the punishment (as Cyprian saith) but the cause that makes a Martyr. Secondly, the marks which men set vponupon themselues contrarie to the Law, Leuit. 19. 28. are not the markes of the Lord Iesus: but those onelyonly which are 30set vponupon them by others, for the profession of the truth. Thirdly, this whipping and afflicting of themselues, beeing but willworship, in not sparing of the bodie, Coloss. 2. 23. is no better accepted of God, thē the superstitious practise of Baals priests, lancing themselues with kniues, till the blood gushed out. 1. 35King. 18. 28.

Againe, if this be the glorie of a seruant of Christ, and a note of constant profession, what shall we say of them who hauehave not onelyonly their consciences seared with a hot yron, but by drinking, whoring, rioting, &c. get the markes of Bacchus and Venus p. 651in their bodies? For if these be the markes of Christ, those must needes be the marks of Satan.

Lastly, hence we are taught a speciall dutie, and that is, to suffer bodily affliction in the profession of the truth: & though bonds and imprisonment abide vsus in all places, not to passe for them, so that we may fulfill our course with ioy, according to 5Pauls example, both here, and Act. 20. 24. as also his commandement to Timothie, Suffer affliction as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. 2. Tim. 2. 3. The reasons are these. First, by suffering bodely affliction, we are made conformable vntounto Christ, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Coloss. 1. 24. 10Secondly, they teach vsus to hauehave a sympathie and fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren, to remember those that are in bonds, as though we were bound with them, and those that are in affliction, as though we also were afflicted in the bodie. Ebr. 13. 3. Thirdly, our patient induring of affliction, doth not 15onelyonly serue as a president and example to others to suffer patiently, but also is a notable meanes to confirme them in the truth. 2. Cor. 1. 6. Philip. 1. 14. Lastly, they serue to scoure vsus that are earthly vessels, from the rust and filth of sinne, that cleaues so fast vntounto our nature.

18. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, be with your spirit, Amen.

Here, the Apostle concludes his epistle with his vsuall farewell commending the Galatians to the grace of God, & wishing vntounto them all things appertaining to spirituall life & godlines. 301. Pet. 1. 3. which he signifieth here by grace. There is a twofold grace mentioned in Scripture, Grace which makes a man gratious or acceptable to God, gratia gratum faciens: and grace which is freely giuen, gratia gratis data. Gratia gratum faciens, is the fauour and louelove of God, whereby he is well pleased 35with his elect in Christ, and this grace is in God himselfe, and noe qualitie infused or inherent in vsus: and it is truly called the first grace, as beeing the cause of all other subsequent graces. Gratia gratis data, is the free gift of God bestowed vponupon men, whether naturall, or supernaturall: naturall eyther in the p. 652state of innocencie, before the fall, as originall iustice, &c. or in the state of Apostasie, since the fall, as the gift of illumination. Ioh. 1. 9. and such like: Supernatural, eyther common gifts, as the gift of miracles, prophecying, tongues &c. or sauing graces, as the grace of election, effectuall vocation, iustification, 5adoption, glorification, &c. all which are called the second grace, because they flow from the first, as the streame from the fountaine. Thus Paul distinguisheth them, Rom. 5. 15. calling the former the grace of God, the latter the gift by grace. Nowe grace in this place is not to be restrained onelyonly to the benefit of 10our redemption, as it is, 2. Cor. 13. 13. where the grace of Christ is distinguished from the louelove of God, and communion of the H. Ghost: but to be vnderstood of the fauour & louelove of God, which is the first grace: and of the sauing grace of regeneration, which is the second grace, or the gift by grace. And it 15is called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, first, because he is the fountaine of it. Ioh. 1. 16. of his fullnes all we hauehave receiued, and grace for grace. Secondly, because he is the conduit or pipe, by which it is conuaied vntounto vsus. Ioh. 1. 17. Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ: for he is our propitiator by whome alone 20we receiue grace, that is, the fauour of God, and reconciliation: for grace, that is, for the fauour and louelove which God the father bare vntounto his sonne; we beeing accepted of God, and beloued in his beloued. Eph. 1. 6. Christ is further called [our Lord] in fiue respects. First, by right of creation. Ioh. 1. 3. All things were made 25by him. Secondly, by right of inheritance. Hebr. 1. 2. He is made hoyre of all things. Psal. 2. 8. I will giuegive thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the endes of the earth for thy possession. Thirdly, by right of redemption. 1. Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, which is neither siluer, nor gold, but the pretious blood of 30Christ. 1. Pet. 1. 18, 19. and this he performed by a double right, namely, by right of proprietie, as a King redeemes his subiects, the master his seruants: or by right of affinitie, as the father may redeeme the sonne, one brother an other, and one kinsman an other. Fourthly, by right of conquest. Luk. 11. 21. When a strong 35man armed keepeth his palace, &c. but when a stronger then he commeth vponupon him, and ouercommeth him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and diuideth the spoile. Lastly, by right of contract and marriage. Hos. 2. 16. Thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt not call me Baali. and v. 19. I will marrie thee vntounto me for euer p. 653in righteousnes, iudgement, mercy, and compassion, I will marrie the vntounto me in faithfulnes, and thou shalt know the Lord.

The Apostle proceeds and saith, the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits. For the better vnderstanding of which phrase, we are to know, that Man consisteth of two essentiall 5parts, of soule, and bodie. Eccles. 12. 7. Dust (that is, the bodie) returnes to the earth, whence it was taken: and the spirit returns to God that gaue it. Albeit the Apostle els where deuideth man into three parts, spirit, soule, and bodie, when he praieth 1. Thess. 5. 23.1 Thess 5:23for the Thessalonians, that their whole spirit, and soule, and body, 10may be kept blameles, vntounto the comming of Christ. Where he subdiuideth the soule into two parts, into reason or vnderstanding, which he calleth the spirit: will, or affection, which he tearmeth (by the common name agreeing to both) the soule: God hauing giuen reason to see, and will to seeke, after that 15which is good: that reason hauing eyes might guide the will that is blinde, and goe before, that it might follow. So that the spirit and soule are not two seuerall substances, but one and the same (euen as the bodie and the flesh are one bodie) and yet are they distinguished for doctrine sake. Heb. 4 12. the word 20of God is said to enter through, euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit. and Eph. 4. 17. 18. the Apostle distinguisheth the soule into three Faculties, the mind, cogitation, heart: foreign.when he saith the Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minds, and had their cogitations darkened, because of the hardnes of 25their hearts: by minde, meaning the hegemonicall part or vnderstanding: by cogitation, the inward senses, as memorie, phantasie, &c. and by heart, the affections.

Now by spirit in this place, is not ment the vnderstanding alone, or the soule alone, but by a synechdoche the whole man is 30vnderstood, albeit the soule principally be ment, because it is the proper subiect of grace: for grace beeing a spirituall thing Mens …, is … qu….is placed immediately and properly in the spirit, or mind of man; and in the bodie accidentally, where it doth bewray it selfe by outward actions. Secondly, for that, as the seate of grace 35is in the mind; so the sense and apprehension of it is there likewise, & not in the bodie. Thirdly, as Theophilact saith, Non ait vobiscum, quid ita? abigens eos à rebus hisce, arguens que non à lege bos spiritum, sed à gratia accepisse. So that, it is all one, as if he should hauehave said, the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all, as it p. 654is Philip. 4. 23. and 2. Thess. 3. 18. as it may appeare by the like: for that farewell which Paul giues Timothie in his latter Epistle, The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirit, 2. Tim. 4. 22. is all one with that in his former, Grace be with thee. 1. Tim. 6. 21. And that salutation Philem. 15. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit, is all one with that Coloss. 4. 18. Grace 5be with you.

Hence that phrase and forme of speech in our English Liturgie, or Common praier booke, (though misliked by some, and cauilled at by others) hath his warrant and ground, when 10the Minister saith, The Lord be with you; and the people answer, And with thy spirit, wishing the same to him, that he to them, that God would be with his spirit, that is, with him.

Againe, marke how the Apostle as he did beginne with grace, chap. 1. 3. so he doth ende with grace, to teach vsus first of 15all, that our saluation is placed in it alone, for the beginning, the progresse, and the accomplishment thereof: for election is of grace, Rom. 11. 5. and vocation is of grace, 2. Tim. 1. 9. and iustification, Rom. 3. 24. and glorification. Rom. 6. 23. Secondly, that Christ is to hauehave all the glorie of this grace, whereby 20we are so highly aduanced into the fauour of God, both for the beginning, continuance, and ending, without ascribing any part thereof to our selues, or any other creature. Thirdly, that all our salutations, and greetings, our adieues, and fare-wells, ought to be grounded in the grace of Christ, otherwise they are 25but carnall: and therefore the Apostle biddeth the Christians to salute one another in a holy kisse, or (as Peter speakes) with the kisse of louelove. 1. Pet. 5. 14.Rom. 1…. 16.Rom 1:16

This confutes the Popish Doctors, who doe not onelyonly ascribe the beginning of their saluation to themselues, in coworking 30with God in their first conuersion: but also the ende and accomplishment of it, by workes of condignitie, which (as they say) are meritorious of eternall life.

Further, obserue, with what emphasis the Apostle concludes his Epistle: First opposing Christ the Lord of the house, to 35Moses who was but a seruant in the house. Secondly, the grace H…b. 3. 5, ….of Christ to inherent iustice, and merits of workes. Thirdly, the spirit, in which he would hauehave grace to be seated, to the flesh, in which the Apostles gloried so much. Lastly, brotherly vnitie one with another, implied in the word brethren, to the p. 655proud and lordly carriage of the false Apostles ouer them.