Exposition of Galatians — John Prime

Exposition of Galatians · John Prime

CHAP. II.

1 THEN 14 yeares after, I went vp againe to Ieruſalem with Barnabas, & I tooke with me Titus alſo.

2 I went vp by reuelation, and declared vntounto them that Goſpel which I preach among the Gentiles, but particularlie to them that were the chiefe, leaſt by any meanes I ſhould run or had run in vaine.

3 But neither yet Titus which was with me, though he were a Graecian, was compelled to be circumciſed.

4 To witte for the falſe brethren which were craftilie ſent in, and crept in priuilie to ſpie out our libertie, which wee hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus, that they might bring vsus into bondage.

5 To whom wee gaue not place by ſubiection for an houre, that the truth of the Goſpel might continue with you.

IN theſe lines are ſette forth, 1. the circumſtances of Pauls ſecond viage to Ieruſalem, 2. his conference there, 3. and howe ſtoutlie and wiſely hee demeaned him-ſelfe, vponupon occaſion offered by certaine falſe brethren.

1 In the circumſtances, 1. he ſheweth vponupon what inducement he vndertooke the iourney, viz. vponupon no priuate fancy, but by euident reuelation. 2. Then hee went not ſecretly and by ſtelth, but with Barnabas, and hee tooke with him Titus alſo. So went hee with good companie, and as it were the curtaines of the *Exod. 26.5.tabernacle twiſted and knit togither, or *Ezech. 1.16.Ezechiels wheeles, one in another (I meane) arme in arme, in perfect amitie, great frindſhip and mutual comfort, and that vnderunder ſufficient witnes. Peters reſidēce in Rome 25. years impoſſible.3. Another circumſtance is of the time, then 14 years after, which being wel loked into doth plainly argue the impoſſibility of Peters being, or (as they ſpeake) of Peters ſitting (forſooth) ſo long at Rome, quite contrarie to the nature of his apoſtolike office, 25. years togither. For without al controuerſie & contradiction Peter liued not aboue 40. years after our Sauiors paſſion, & if at the leaſt he were 18. yeares at Ieruſalem, when Paul who doubtles was called *Acts. 9.3.after our Sauiours aſcenſion, came thither, & found him there, how poſſibly could hee reſt firſt at Antioch 7. yeares, and then at Rome 25? For 18. & 7. and 25, make more than 40. It cannot bee. Theſe were the circumſtances.

2 In Pauls conference, 1. the matter he conferred of may bee conſidered. 2. the perſons with whom hee conferred, and the ende of his conference. 1. Touching the matter which he declared vntounto them, more in place conuenient. Why, I pray you, was Paul in doubt of the goodnes of his cauſe, of the certaintie of his doctrine, of the aſſurednes of his doing, that at the length hee bethought himſelfe of this conference? Did hee put his doctrine in *Rhem. Teſt. Pag. 499.trial now, and to the approbation of others as the Papiſts imagine? The whole drift and tenor of his ſpeach is to the contrarie. He was called negatiuely not of men nor by men: affirmatiuely by Chriſt, and by Chriſt alone, by an Heauenlie viſion, by a celeſtiall reuelation. Three yeares were betweene his firſt calling, and before his firſt iourneying to Ieruſalem, and fourteen before this his ſecond iourney. Shotte he al this while at random, ventured hee without a warrant, or knew he not what hee did, & delt he at aduentures? No, by no meanes, no. This conference was no dubious or diſputable communication too and fro, pro and con: houering vp and downe vncertainly: *foreign.he opened his doctrine, he declared and ſhewed it to them, how Chriſt was the accompliſhment of the Law, and aboliſhment of former ceremonies, and that the partition wal was taken downe, and that the Gentiles were to hauehave a common entrance with others into the knowledge of Chriſt. This was the matter of his conference and communication. 2. The perſons with whom he conferred, were the chiefe. 1. If there were mo chiefe than one, then was not one & namely Peter not chiefe of al. 2. He conferred with the chiefe. For why? To conferre with the foote when a man may hauehave conference with the head were no wiſdome. 3. he conferred particularly, or priuatly. Wherein neither he diſdained them, nor they him, though they there were the chiefe. But for that, *foreign.he priuatlie and as it were a part did communicate his cauſe, may be obſerued a general caution that would bee ſeene vntounto, which is, Priuate conference.that to make a matter publickely controuerſed and in common demurred, when priuat notice can doe that is to be done, and remedy the whole, were great folly and litle diſcretion. Paul as he was paineful in vndertaking this iourney, ſo was he warie and careful in collating the matter with the chiefe and that in priuate maner.

Learne, my brethren, learn this wiſe and worthy leſſon. If any thing fall out in the variance of cauſes, and varieties of iudgementes, firſt to confer, and then conueniently and in due ſort to go *Matt. 18.15.to thy brother ſecretly, to deale with thy equals reuerently, much more with thy betters, and with men in place, and placed in authoritie, dutifully, and as thou ſhouldeſt; yea, if thy cauſe bee *Iudae Epiſt. verſ. 9.good as was Pauls, and therefore much rather in cauſes vncertaine. There is moſt eaſe in ſo doing, and leſſe ſhame in the eies of thoſe who are enemies, and gladly behold the troubleſome conferences of vsus, whom yet otherwiſe they knowe to be the verie children of God, but that men are men, and hauehave their imperfections, and that the ſoundeſt body ſometimes ſendeth foorth an angry whelck, which is made much more the worſe for ſcratching (I ſay) much more the worſe, both for the inwarde paine, and alſo to the outwarde ſhew of the beholders.

In the 2. book and of Samuel the firſt chapter Dauid being certified of Sauls death amongſt other lamentations in moſt lamentable manner breaketh forth into theſe words: *2 Sam. 1.20.Tel it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreetes of Askelon, leaſt the daughters of the Philiſtines reioice, leaſt the children of the vncircumciſed triumph. Gath and Askelon were of the chiefe cities of the vncircumciſed, who were Gods enimies. Dauid wiſheth that Sauls death might bee concealed from them if it were any way poſſible, and it greeued Dauid the more, that moſt gladded and reioiced them that were Gods enemies. With like affection (brethren) it were to bee wiſhed that imperfections either were not at all, or at the leaſtwiſe becauſe offences muſt bee, that they were not growen to that groth and bignes, that they may be diſcerned among the enemies of vsus and of our God. For a priuate conference and a quiet compoſition were far better.

3 My third note was why Paul went again to Ieruſalem, prouoked by reuelatiō: but to what end? To the end that hee neither might hereafter run, neither that his running (for he calleth the execution of his office no idle *Matt. 20.6.ſtanding, but a labourſome running) that his running in former time alſo might not be in vaine. Paul had an eye to the fruit of his labour and to the end of his function.

In vaine diverſly taken.But was it poſſible, that Paul whom God ſet a work, ſhould worke in vaine? In vaine is here that, which did not anſwere to the Apoſtles wiſh, when his purpoſed entent took not effect. Which the rather came to paſſe, becauſe of ſlaunders raiſed vp, that Paul forſooth varied from the chiefe Apoſtles, that hee impeached the dignitie expreſly of circumciſion, and that he generally ſought the aboliſhment of ancient receaued rites and ceremonies ordained by God himſelfe: which when weake mindes heard, they were ſoone enueigled with entiſing woords, and Pauls preaching became in vaine to them, and vntounto them vnprofitable.

Wherefore to declare that the reſt of the Apoſtles with him and hee with them were of one vniforme iudgement, he taketh ſufficient witnes, vndertaketh the iourney, conferreth his doings, to the end to ſtop the mouthes of cauillers, and to the farther confirmation of the infirmer ſort, that his running might not be in vaine to them ward. For doubtles otherwiſe diuine operations & ſeruices according to Gods ſecret purpoſe, they neuer are, nor can be in vain. Which way ſoeuer his two edged ſword ſtriketh, it ſtriketh to the glory of God whoſe ſword it is. Humane labors many times looſe their ende, and miſſe the marke: with *Eſay. 55.10.God it is not ſo.

If thou ſowe thy field, ouer-much moyſture rotteth, cold killeth and heart parcheth and marreth all. But, the ſpirituall ſeede of the worde whether it take roote or no, or how-ſoeuer it ſpring vp, whether it reſt or not reſt in the hartes of the hearers, in reſpect of Gods glory whoſe husband-men wee are, or in regarde of the certaine *2 Tim. 4.8.Crowne repoſed, and of the rewarde prefixed, which God will aſſuredly render to all his faithfull ſeruantes, it is neuer, it cannot bee in vaine.

In vaine they heare who heare with an euill or a itching eare, but the preacher after his dutifull paines at the *Matt. 20.8.euening of the day and end of harueſt, though the ſheaues, though the people will not bee gathered, hee ſhall receiue his penny neuertheleſſe. The laborers paine is neuer the leſſe, though the euent be not aunſwerable.The blacke Aethiop goeth into hath and commeth out as blacke as he went in, notwithſtanding the keeper of the bath hath his fees as well for the Aethiop, as for the fayreſt. But here Paul reſpecteth onelyonly the profit of his auditorie, and ſpeaketh not of the purpoſe of God either in rewarding himſelfe, or reuenging them.

3 My laſt obſeruation out of the former verſes was to marke, how wiſely Paul dealeth, how ſtoutly and vponupon what occaſion. Certaine falſe brethren were craftilie ſent, and priuily crept in, as fine intelligencers and vnderunder-mining pioners of Chriſtian liberty. But Paul wiſelie diſcerneth, and couragiouſly reſiſteth them, and ſuffereth not Titus to be circumciſed for al that, neither would hee yeelde ſo much as a foote of ground vntounto them, neither in an inch of trueth, nor for a moment of time. For a litle yeelding in ſo great matters is not a litle.

There is difference between a neceſſary contention, and a deſire of contending.But, the controuerſie was but a quarell of ceremonies, and what neede ſo much a-doo then? Had it not beene better to hauehave beene quiet? To hauehave ſlept in a hole skinne? And to hauehave redeemed peace, though it were with loſſe? nay verily, the loſſe of liberty, of trueth and verity is more than may be eaſily borne, or quietly digeſted, and the root of true peace is the bond of peace. And he, Who is the trueth, he is our peace alſo, *Eph. 2.14.which hath made both one, viz. by taking away quite the partition of ceremonies. And therefore the reteining of theſe ceremonies, either in whole or in part is a very breach of perfect peace, and a bringing in of an heauy yoak, & a Iewiſh ſeruility. Wherefore no marueil if Paul were earneſt.

For what reaſon, that becauſe ſome wily and wilfull men, brethren in name, but falſe indeede, and therefore no brethren, nay what if very brethren ſhould hap to linke and knit, and band themſelues and runne all in one as it were a ſhole of fiſh, being caried and driuen in heapes vponupon an opinion, what reaſon that the trueth of God ſhould yeeld, & that the Lord himſelf ſhould ſtoupe, rather than men ſhould be at variance, ſome holding with, and many times, many ſiding and ſorting them-ſelues againſt a good cauſe? Pauls doing is a better preſident. But ſuch wiſedome, courage & conſtancy are not eueryevery where found, and not alwaies there perfourmed where they are much expected and greatly required.

Of all things, a buſie waſpe, and a quarelling or ſtubborne curſt nature is woorſt. But if the cauſe be Gods, if thy calling and giftes be according, there is no *Eccl. 4.28.relenting at al, no ſtarting backe, no ſhutting neck out of the coller in ſuch caſes, in caſes whereunto a man is expreſly & duly enabled, warranted & commanded. Zeale without diſcretion is naught, diſcretiō without zeal is nothing worth.Wherefore, 1. zeal without wiſedome is neuer good. 2. And yet, what is wiſedome without zeal? 3. But zeal and diſcretion ſeemely vnited in one (as it was in our Apoſtle) is as the throne of wiſe Solomon, and as the ſtrong *1 King. 10.20.Lions at the ſtaies and aſcending vp vntounto his throne.

6 By them which ſeemed to be ſomwhat [I was not taught] (whatſoeuer they were in time paſt, it maketh no matter to mee. God accepteth no mans perſon) the chiefe added nothing to me.

7 But contrariwiſe, when they ſawe that the Goſpel ouer the vncircumciſion was committed vntounto me, as the Goſpell ouer the Circumciſion was vntounto Peter,

8 For he that was mightie by Peter in the Apoſtleſhip ouer the circumciſion, was alſo mightie by me toward the Gentiles.

9 And when Iames and Cephas, & Iohn knewe of the grace that was giuen vntounto mee, which are counted to bee pillars, they gaue to mee and to Barnabas the right handes of fellowſhip, that we ſhould preach vntounto the Gentiles, and they vntounto circumciſion.

10 Warning, only that we ſhould remember the poore: which alſo I was diligent to do.

Paul in his conference gaue no place to the chiefe, and the chiefe brethren gaue nothing to Paul by waie of authorizing his perſon, or adding to his doctrine. 1. and hee ſheweth why it ſhould be ſo, 2. and withall declareth the chiefe Apoſtles due conſenting vntounto him, 3. and onelyonly requeſting him to hauehave a careful eye to the poore, which Paul reſpected and did ful diligently.

The motiue of Antiquity.Among the argumentes the falſe Apoſtles vſed againſt Paul, a maine matter was made, and drawen from Antiquity, that the other Apoſtles were ancienter than Paul, and therefore queſtionles to be preferred.

Truly, perſonal preferment was not the mark Paul ſhot at. For he could be euer, and was often wel content in all things to giuegive and yeeld ſo far foorth as might ſtand with the glory of Chriſt. But in this ceremonious quarel oppoſed againſt the trueth of Chriſt, and Chriſtian libertie, as before hee defied an Angell, if to that end he ſhould come from heauen, ſo now he declareth that the name of Antiquitie in the Apoſtles might not cary him away nor driue him aſide.

They were his auncients. What mattereth that to me, ſaith he? And indeede it skilleth litle. There is no preſcription againſt the Prince, and why ſhould there be any againſt the trueth, be it later or ſooner in whomeſoeuer? This or that time, paſt or preſent, or future and to come is not in the nature of trueth; neither are matters of faith meaſured by yeares, nor is any point of religion liable to be decided by continuance pretended.

Iob. 32.Elihu ſaid well: There is a ſpirit in man, but the inſpiration of the Almightie giueth vnderſtanding. As if he had ſaid: man is made not onlie of a body, but of a bodie and a ſoule, and that ſoule is a reaſonable ſpirit, and that ſpirite in proceſſe of yeares and tract of time gathereth politique experience, as it were a ſtone that hath been long pitcht in one place gathereth much moſſe. But all that experience is but moſſy, terrene and earthly; true wiſdome is from aboue, from the Father of lights and God of knowledge, reueiled in his Son, which illuminateth eueryevery man not onelyonly comming into the worlde, but either entering into, or els continuing priuatly or publiquely in the houſe of his church. And therfore Elihu reformeth his thoughts & voucheth, that he was miſ-conceited when he thought that it was the length of daies ſhould ſpeake, and that the multitude of yeares ſhould teach wiſedome.

But yet of old and ſtil many men embrace rather Elihu his firſt opinion concerning age and antiquity, than his later iudgement, afterwarde wel rectified and truly reformed. So an old prophet ſoone deceaued the young Prophet, whom neither the threats, nor entreaty of *1. King. 12.a king could moue at al. So *Ioſh. 9.old ſhewes, olde battles, findes bread, torne ſackes, tottered rags, like rotten relickes with profered ſeruice (ſeruus ſeruorum) and pretence of comming from far, deceaued Ioſue, becauſe hee rather reſpected ſuch trinkets, and conſulted not with the Lord.

Our aduerſaries knowe how humane affections leane this way, and therefore they beare the poore people in hand that theirs is the old religion, and ours is an yeſterdaies bird: but with the like trueth and with the ſame ſpirite the Iewes ſaid our ſauiours doctrine was new, the Apoſtles preaching new wine, and the falſe Apoſtles here obiect that Saint Paul was an vpſtart, and deuoid of Apoſtolick warrant.

Sooner or later called, it skilleth not, old or new if true, it forceth little. If the name of new were alwaies naught, why would Chriſt cal his louely commandement *Iohan. 13.34.a new commanded? If the name of old were alwaies good, why did S. Paul cōmand & aduiſe the Corinthians that the *1 Cor. 5.7old leuen, the inceſtuous perſon be purged out? If you wil recourſe to the firſt heade of all in this queſtion, it were another matter. For God is for euer, and before Sathan and Sathans fal, the Lawe was firſt giuen, and then enſued the tranſgreſſion: firſt the husbandman ſowed his ground, and afterward the enimie came & ſowed tares. And which is to be obſerued, there was no long time betweene. For Sathan took the next oportunitie of ignorance and ſecuritie, euen the next night, as it were, when the ground was yet new turned and trimmed for ſeede, the enemie ſparſt ſome of his tares in the fielde and Church of God. And then while truth and error were yet but greene in the blade, the difference was not ſo eaſily diſcerned, *Mat. 13.25.til the growth was greater.

And, as it is this in the cauſe of truth compared with error, ſo is it in the profeſſors and Doctors of trueth compared among themſelues, the firſt teacher is not alwaies beſt, for then the vſher muſt needes bee better than the ſchoolemaiſter, and the country ſchoolemaiſter, than the vniuerſitie Reader.

Peter and Andrewe, Iames and Iohn and others were called before Paul. Hee asketh what was that to him? There was no difference or preſtancy therin. He had antiquity enough, that had Chriſt for his author. So that in all materiall reſpects if they were Apoſtles, ſo was Paul. Nay *1 Cor. 15.10. 2 Cor. 11.23.hee laboured more than al they. And a great deale of labour in a ſhorter time, is more worth than leſſe labour in a longer ſpace.

And as it is this in teachers, ſo generally may it bee, and ſometime is (my brethren) among the reſt of beleauers: one beleeueth ſooner, & another later. God can teach him in one daie, as much as thou haſt learned in tenne before. An olde and an humble graie whiteheadead Latimer or Whitehead (to mention theſe two onelyonly in ſteede of manie) is a venerable ſpectacle and a reuerend ſight, but a conuerted ſoule ſaued out of the fier, and thus to become a preacher of the Goſpel, is a moſt admirable mirror in mine eyes. And yet thus can the ſpirite of Chriſt blow and purifie and woorke euen thus mightily where and vponupon whom it wil and therefore it was not preiudicial at al to Paul that hee was no ſooner called, that was ſo effectually called in the end.

Iames and Iohn, Andrew and Peter becauſe of their calling before Paul, were growen in good credit. True. And therefore Paul telleth them that notwithſtanding that, God doth not accept mens perſons and external credit. God can and doth raiſe vp inſtrumentes of his glory in latter daies ſome paſſing and exceeding many of former tymes. Wherefore Paul with great right and reaſon ſetteth it down, that he borowed not his light of others who were before him, but aſcribeth al to God almightie, whom he ſheweth to be no reſpecter of perſons.

How God accepteth, and accepteth not of perſons.Yet herein may ariſe ſome queſtion. For doth not God accept perſons? Who then ſhal be accepted, if he accept none? That, that wee are, we are by grace, by fauor, and by acceptation. Then certainly he accepteth ſome. He accepted Iacob when hee reiected the elder Brother Eſau. Yea, whom hee accepteth not, he doth reiect. Therefore in this ſenſe it is true, he accepteth perſons, to wit according to his good will, purpoſe, choiſe and pleaſure.

But for any thing acruing to man, or riſing in him, externally by meane of ordinary circumſtances, God is not reſpectiuely partial, to prefer one perſon before another, the rich before the poore, Peter before Paul, for that cauſe and therefore, becauſe Peter was firſt called, & becauſe many had a better opinion of the one, than of the other. And this is Saint Pauls meaning in theſe words: God is no accepter of perſons.

2 In the ſecond point, I obſerued a declaration of the Apoſtles friendly and full conſenting to Paul. As there was great reaſon why hee ſhould ſtand vponupon the authoritie he had receaued of God: ſo when the Apoſtles ſaw 1. His commiſſion in the Goſpel, and 2. the grace of God in him among the Gentiles, they ſtrait ioyned mutually togither in one ſocietie. Wherein you marke plainly 1. the euidence of Pauls authoritie. 2. the limits of his charge. 3. and their equality and aſſociation among themſelues. Triall and prouing goeth before conſenting.1. They firſt ſaw and knew ſo much before they yeelded. The eye commonly is a true informer of true knowlege, when they ſaw, they knew. But ſeeing & knowing here may be alone, the outward ſenſe for the inward vnderſtanding, but til they knewe, they did not ioyne. Ioſ. 9.14.The Gibionits deceaued Ioſue, becauſe Ioſue was ouer-credulous, but they vponupon thorough triall found Pauls euidence good and found. 1 Tim. 2.7.2. the limits and bounds of his calling reached vntounto the vtmoſt partes, and as it were to the hems and skirts of al the woorld, and namely and chiefly to the Gentiles. Chiefly to them, not folely among them, for he had a harty conſideration and deſire for *Rom. 10.1.Iſrael alſo. But the Iewes were rather Peters charge, and the Gentiles were chiefly committed to Paul, and the Iewes more chiefly to Peter. Wherefore the papacy that claimeth from Peter, may better ſeeke a chiefly among the Iewes, than among vsus the Gentiles. 3. And this was concluded among them that neither ſhould more than was conuenient, put ſickle in the others harueſt, and that all ſhould in their lot labour, and he rein they agreed, and they which were reputed pillars gaue to Paul and Barnabas their right hands vponupon it.

How Miniſters are wel reſembled to the pillars in a building.It were not amuſe ouer and aboue to note how the Apoſtles, and after them the miniſters of Gods Church may be called, and ſhould be reputed, and he indeed the pillars of their congregations. The ſtaie of an houſe are the pillars thereof, euen as the ſtrength of mans body, are his hones. And ſuch ſhould men of our vocation be, the wals and watchmen of a cuy, the beautie, the ſtrength, the defence, 2 King. 2.12.the horſe and chariot of Iſrael, as was Elias. Of old ſuch were the olde Patriarches and Prophets, afterwarde ſuch were the Apoſtles and Euangeliſts, and ſuch are now good Biſhops and vigilant Paſtors and Teachers till the comming of Chriſt, whom in the meane while he *Epheſ. 4.11.gaue to his Church for the gathering togither of his Saintes, for the worke of the miniſtery, for the building vp of his bodie.

Iudg. 16.29.It is ſtoried of Sampſon, that hee tooke the midle pillars of the Philiſtines temple, and pulled them both downe at once. Theſe pillars are ſtronger than ſo. They ſhal not faile, they cannot fal. God that hewed them out, wil hold them vp, and who ſhal pul them downe? Iob. 1.19.The wind out of the wildernes ouer-turned Iobs houſe. It is not ſo with Gods houſe, it is founded on a rocke, and fixed on ſure pillars, and theſe pillars are fixed, Sampſons ſtrength wil not, and Sathans cannot pul them downe.

Fugitiues and lookers-back from the plough they once laid their hands vntounto.For if al theſe pillars yeelde, the whole edifice followeth after. When but a miniſter ſhrinketh, the faith of many is much weakned. But (dearly beloued) be not deceaued. Al ſhould be pillars firme and ſtrong, that ſeeme to bee: ſome ſeeme and bee as they ſeeme, ſome onelyonly ſeeme to bee, and bee not indeede. And what if ſome ſuch hauehave defected? What if ſome certaine hauehave gone out of the dore, that came in at the window? What if certaine that were among vsus, but neuer of vsus, Acts. 1.25.hauehave gone into their own place, and ſhewed themſelues, as Iudas among the Apoſtles? What if certaine hauehave with-drawen their ſhoulders from Gods labour, and being but greene timber, and that not of the Lordes hewing, hauehave ſhrunck away, miſliking this great duety yet good ſeruice of ours in humility to ſupport and ſtand vnderunder others to doe them good? Nay what if ſome in ſteede of holding vp, hale and pul downe? Certainly the iudgementes of God are iuſt, and will be hard and heauy toward al theſe in that daie. And yet for al this the Lords houſe ſhal ſtil ſtand vponupon hir pillars, vponupon ſuch pillars as are of imputrible wood, of wood that wil not rotte, well ſeaſoned by the Lord, and therefore cannot faile, but ſhal endure vntounto the end.

3 The laſt point was the Apoſtles petition to Paul to remember the poore, which hee not ſuperficially or ſleightly, but with earneſt endeuour performed. Wherein I note, 1. both the caſe of Chriſtians, 2. and the care of the Apoſtles to ſupply their neede. 1. So *The ſtate of the beſt, in this world is manie times worſt.was it euer, Pharao was at his eaſe, and Iſrael at his taske. Lazarus lieth without doores, the Rich man goeth gayly and fareth deliciouſly eueryevery day. So our Sauiour was borne in a ſtable, and layd in a cratch exiled in his infancy, and in the whole race of his life had not where to reſt his head. Thus it was of old, & thus it wil bee for the moſt part euer. 2. But yet ſo much the rather, becauſe Pharao oppreſſeth, the world neglecteth, and Herod perſecuteth, becauſe pouertie moſt aboundeth commonly where men are beſt, becauſe others care not at al for vsus, therefore the Apoſtles did, and we muſt care the more one for another: Care for the needy very requiſit, but ſeldom vndertaken.Remember the poore.

Gen. 37.In Ioſephs dreame the leane cow did eat vp the fat, but it is now no dreame the fatte cow deuoureth the lean, the ful eare eateth vp the poorer corne, the rich man waxeth richer and richer without end and remorſe, and who remembreth or once thinketh of the poore, Phil. 4.18.as if the ſacrifice of almes were an out-worne ceremonie, and out of date?

For doctrinal pointes, they adde nothing to Paul but onelyonly put him in mind of this merciful remembrance. And bleſſed is he, *Pſa. 41.1.qui intelligit ſuper egenum, Who conſidereth the needy.

Chryſoſtom Tom. 5.worthily miſtiketh too much curioſity in beſtowing thy almes, but yet there is a diligence and an intelligence therein. For ſome make a trade of begging as friarly mendicantes and voluntarie rogues. Wherefore bleſſed is he who wiſely conſidereth the diſtreſſed: Ioſeph in the priſon, Lazar in the hoſpital, the fatherles, the widowe, the ſtranger, the needy houſekeeper that hath a poore honeſt wife and many ſmal children lying and liuing vponupon his handes and his onelie handy labour.

But you wil queſtion with me, what had Paul to doe with the prouiding for the poore? In aſſuming certaine officers to ſee to the poore, they left not off to be as careful for the poore, as conueniently they might.He was no Deacon, he was an Apoſtle. And the Apoſtles had giuen ouer that function, as appeareth in the Acts, Cap. 6. verſ. 2.

What they gaue ouer, they had before. For no mā can giuegive ouer that he neuer had. And therfore I am of opinion that the care for the poore is no diſparagement (as I may ſo call it) to the nature of the Apoſtleſhip. Whereas the Apoſtles once were lawfully carefull both for preaching, and alſo for the poore, and now againe the Apoſtles expreſly requeſt Paul to bee mindful of the poore, which I interpret to be, not onelie by exhortation in the poores behalfe, but by conuenient procuration of reaſonable meanes. I miſlike that hande that thinketh to hold and gripe ouer-much, and to deale in moe matters than it can wel ſpan or comprehend: & yet I like not that opinion which is, that becauſe a man cannot perfectly vſe any one talent well, therefore hauing moe talents giuen him, he ſhall imploy but one. Wherefore I ſay as ſaied the Apoſtles, O Paul thou Apoſtle, whereuer thou goeſt, ſo it be no hinderaunce to thy proper function, as ſometime it maie bee none, remember the poore. Much more (thou Preacher) whereuer thou art fixed, remember the poore. Caſt thy bread vponupon theſe waters, hide thy gift in the fertile ground of the poore mans bozem, thou canſt not effer thy ſacrifice vppon a better altar. O remember the poore by al good meanes in theſe dear and hard harted times.

11 And when Peter was come to Antiochia, I withſtoode him to his face: for hee was to be blamed.

12 For before that certaine came from Iames, he did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he with-drew and ſeparated himſelfe, fearing them of the circumciſion.

13 And the other Iewes plaied the hypocrites likewiſe with him, in ſo much that Barnabas was led away with them by that their hypocriſie.

14 But when I ſawe, that they went not the right way to the trueth of the Goſpell, I ſaid vntounto Peter before al: If thou being a Iewe liueſt as the Gentiles, and not like the Iewes, why conſtraineſt thou the Gentiles to doe like the Iewes?

Hitherto we hauehave looked into the cauſes and conſequences of Pauls iourney the ſecond time to Ieruſalem, and of his conference with Peter and with others there. Here we are to beholde Pauls conflict at Antioch with Peter alone, but yet openly in the ſight of al: wherein we ſee, 1. the boldnes of Paul reprehending, and 2. the fault and frailtie of Peter offending. I purpoſe in the whole to note, 1. the cauſe and deſert of this reprehenſion, and 2. the manner of Pauls vſage therein.

1 Touching the fault and cauſe deſeruing, it fell out thus, as the tert ſheweth plainely enough. Peter being at Antioch companied with the Gentils, frequented their tables, & did eate as they did. Great men ſinning cauſe many to ſinne with them.But when certaine came from Ieruſaſalem from Iames, Peter (belike no ſupreme terror of all the world) was in a feare of Iames his meſſengers, and began an other courſe, ſequeſtred himſelfe, drew backe, and tooke his diet a part. And as a great tree doth not fall, but manie litle boughes fall with it, ſo with Peter ſundrie flocked aſide, yea and Barnabas was caried away with the ſtreame.

And this was the cauſe, verily no ſmall cauſe of Pauls reprehending of Peter. For hereby the Iewes were enſnared, the Gentils amazed, Barnabas ſeduced, the trueth peruerted, Chriſtian liberty enthrauled, the veile which once was rent, was patched togither, and hung vp againe, and the partition wall that was taken downe, was built vp anew, and all now brought to this paſſe, as if the kingdome of Chriſt ſhould conſiſt in the difference of meates, and the vſe of ceremonies. And thoſe whome *Acts. 10.15.God had clenſed began to bee ſuſpected of pollution and vncleaneſſe, and al this by Peters tredding awry and not going with an vpright foote in the waies of the Goſpell. And was not this cauſe ſufficient ſoundly & roundly to take vp Peter?

2 The manner of Pauls reprehending was downe-right and plaine. For what els ſhould be doone in ſuch a caſe? How might he beſt reclaime the Iewes, reforme Barnabas, and comfort the Gentils? A *Publicke reproofe in caſes very neceſſarie.priuate dealing and a ſecret reproofe of Peters diſſembling & the Iewes backe-ſliding perchance had beene to litle effect, and when the fact was open, if the reproofe were but ſecret, what might the Gentils think? They ſawe the fault, they heare it not reprooued. And if otherwiſe Paul ſhould hauehave ſought priuately to confirme the Gentils, & Peter had not beene checked at all, it might hauehave beene a greater ſcruple than before. Wherefore publikely in the face and ſight of all (becauſe it was moſt requiſite ſo) Paul reprehendeth Peter openly in termes as you ſee.

And hee goeth directly to the roote of this offence, and firſt purgeth the hart and ſtomacke whence ſprang the fault. If thou) nay if it were mine owne cauſe, If we, whoſe education hath beene amongſt the Hebrues, hauehave forſaken thoſe rites, ſhall the Gentils by our example gather doubts of conſcience in the ceremonials? Neither thou, nor I, we ſeeke not ſo to bee iuſtified, and then what neede this halting and limping, this auck-ward treading in the waies of God? So earneſt was Paul, and reaſon good. A *Reue. 3.16.Laodician profeſſor, a luke-warme reprehenſion in cauſes of higheſt importance was neuer good.

Porphyries … pagans motiues.VponUpon this, and vponupon ſome ſuch like occaſion, the enimies of Chriſtianity, as namely Porphiry, an olde capital arch-enimy, argueth on this wiſe: Paul and Peter, doe you not ſee how they vary & iarre? Can they or either of them be in the right way? Paul reprehendeth Peter openly, ergo Paul was a peremptorie proude perſon. Peter diſſembleth, and cannot bee excuſed. Ergo both were in fault. For excuſe of them both our new *Rhemiſh. Teſt. Pag. 502.Rhemiſh Maſters tell vsus, that this is a ſchool point, and much debated between Saint Hierome and Saint Auguſtine, and they ſeeme to incline to Hieroms opinion, that this whole combate was a ſette thing agreed-vponupon betweene them, betweene Paul and Peter for a purpoſe.

Their ſchooles, and theſe wiſe men hauehave very euill luck. If there be an infirmity or fancy in any of the ancient Fathers, by and by they make that a ſchoole point, and as it were their Tenniſe Bal to play withall, and in the end they reſolue and conclude with the worſt part euer.

If any reaſonable indifferent man but looke into the text, hee will ſee plainly and ſay boldly it was no ſecret ſet mach nor pretended deuiſe. For Peter was blame-worthy, and both wherein, & alſo how he offended is largely deſcribed. And if we beleeue not Saint Pauls worde, yet wee cannot diſcredit his oth. Now the thinges I write, before God I ly not, Cap. 1.20.ſaith he. Neither was Paul any ſophiſt to dally in wordes, neither was hee a papiſt to diſpenſe with othes, neither yet a plaier of a counterfeit part, as it might be vponupon a ſtage.

Hierom for his fancy alleadgeth authorities and reaſon ſuch as he could. Aug. in Epiſt. 9. 11. 19.Saint Auguſtine anſwereth them both in ſumme & effect thus: firſt for his authorities they were not ſound, and that there were better authors againſt him than with him, and then were Hieromes authors neuer either ſo godly of life, or skilled in learning otherwiſe, yet it skilled not in controuerſies ſo greatly, as to ouer-beare a truth. For what man bringeth and teacheth except it be founded vponupon Scripture, or probably collected and gathered out of Scripture, it bindeth not the conſcience to beleue and imbrace that. Such ſoueraigne honor, and abſolute obedience is only du to the word of God, and to nothing els.

As for Hieroms reaſon, thus he reaſoned, but quite beſide reaſon, euen that it were better Paul ſhould yet herein write an vntrueth, than that Peter ſhould bee though to hauehave doone amiſſe. Yea? Saith Auguſtine, by the like vnreaſonable reaſon, were it better to diſcredit the book of Geneſis, than graunt that Noe the preacher of righteouſneſſe, or that Loth a righteous ſoule, ſhould offende, the one in drunckenneſſe, the other in drunckenneſſe and in inceſt too? &c.

No, no (my brethren) better all fleſh ſhould appeere to bee fleſhe, that is, fraile and ſinnefull, than that the leaſt iotte or pricke of Gods ſacred booke ſhould bee impeached. *Pſa. 116.11.Al men are liars, God onelyonly is holy in all his woorkes, and true in all his ſaiengs, both in foretelling future euents, and things to come, & in relating and regiſtring facts and deedes which hauehave bin paſt.

Neither take wee delight in the recitall of the ſinnes of men, neither can Porphiry take aduantage to diſcredit the trueth by a true report of an humane infirmity. The purpoſe of Paul herein is plain, and it was this: 1. That for his authority, it was from God. 2. For his doctrine, it was by reuelation, and not learned of Peter as it was obiected, which appeareth by his practize therein. 1. In Arabia. 2. In Ieruſalem once and again: 3. And laſtly in Antioch in ſuch ſort as we hauehave ſeene.

*The motiue of contention and of vnity.This vnreaſonable motiue of diſagreeing, & of the breach of vnity, our aduerſaries preſſe vsus with, euen as Porphiry oppoſed the Primatiue Church. But I aske them, and I require their anſwere: is contention and the breach of vnity euer the infallible badge of falſe profeſſors? I coulde except and giuegive inſtances many, but my meaning is not to caſt yncke vponupon the whiteſt lawne. I demaund is contention a certaine ſigne of a corruption? We contend with them, and they with vsus, as Agar moleſted Sara. What? Therefore are we and they both naught, becauſe either contend ech with other?

Gen. 32.24.In contending, I graunt, a man may ſpraine a vaine as Iacob in wreſtling, and as Luther ſaid, he that wreſtleth with a collier, albeit in the ſtrength of a clean cauſe, hee fal the collier, yet in falling him, he may ſoile himſelfe. And this may be ſomewhat ſometime to the profeſſor, but nothing to the profeſſion. Yea, though the light of trueth it ſelfe in ſtriuing with darcknes ſuffer ſome kinde of dimnes, yet muſt wee not therefore accuſe the light.

But, ſay they, when a profeſſor of one religion ſtriueth with a profeſſor of the ſame, then belike, the profeſſors are both naught, and their profeſſion not good. No forſooth. For ſo might wee condemne both Paul and Peter, both Auſtine and Hierom as you ſee, and many others. No doubt in ſome skirt or hem, in an out-part of a matter, where notwithſtāding alwaies the foundation is kept, the *1 Cor. 3.15.loſſe wil bee the leſſe: nay, euen in ſome materiall pointes diuerſe men hauehave thought diuerſly, and hauehave not beene ſo ſtrictlie dealt withal, nor ſtraight way condemned.

But can our Papiſts a little at their beſt leaſure from their buſie tracheries and rebellious enterpriſes againſt our Prince and peace, can they looke homeward and as it were by way of reflexion take view of themſelues? Verily there was neuer ſect ſo cut, neuer hereſie ſo diuided, neuer wood he wen into ſo many chips, as is popery mangled in it ſelfe, reſembling the verie thildren of Iſrael at the *Num. 20.13.waters of Merib and ſtrife, & much like the *Iug. 7.22.Madianits and Cadmies brood fighting and warring ech with other vntounto the death. And herein if one would follow William Rainoldes a late writer in his vaine, in collecting antilogies and contradictions of Papiſts, as hee would ſeeme to doe out of the profeſſors of truth, no time would ſerue. So endleſſe and infinite are the brables and brawles of Popery and Popiſh diuines, made vp altogither of vntempered morter: and hereof if any doubt, I dare, and doe make offer of plenary proofe, as about the authority of councels, about the autenticknes of the Hebrew Text, about original ſin, about inherent righteouſnes, and innumerable queſtions of greateſt moment.

In the meane time this may ſuffice briefely, but truely to ſignifie that Popery is diuided and at whot ſtrife and contention in it ſelfe, and therefore is, as themſelues doe argue againſt others, no true profesſion. And againe if vnity be a ſigne of the trueth, we (deerely beloued) we, wee hauehave the greateſt vnity that man hath euer knowen amongeſt men in any Realme.

Acceſſary matters hauehave diuers accidentes. Subſtantiall pointes of greateſt moment in our Church hauehave the faireſt vnity, & that more generally than hath beene ſeene in any age. In the *Exod. 26.20.booke of Exodus the two Cherubims in the one ſitteth oppoſite & cōtrary right againſt the other, but both of them looke into the propitiatory and mercy ſeate: altogither ſo, how euer men be affected in queſtions not of greateſt importance, yet all of vsus, all looke directly on the mercy of God, not one of vsus looketh either to the right hand or to the left, or backward on himſelfe, vponupon his own ſuppoſed purity of naturals, preparation in nature, liberty in willing, or merit in working, al of vsus ioyntly and only we fix our eies, and looke per rectam lineam vponupon that ſerpent that healeth vsus *Iohn. 3.15.all.

If, (as Aug. de ciuit. Dei lib. 18. c. 42.by ſome it is imagined) as the Septuagint interpreters were, ſo not ſeuenty but 70. times 70. of our learned men were ſeparatly ſeated in their ſeueral ſelles, and to ſet downe their iudgements in Cardinal and chiefeſt points of beleefe, I am aſſured of ſuch a perfect harmony in ſenſe of trueth, as if they ſhould all ſpeake with one toung, and write at once with one pen. So that, if neceſſarily euer vnity might demonſtrate the true way, we hauing ſo good an vnity, by conſequent we are in the trueth: and if diſſention inferre and proue error, our aduerſaries and their ſchool-brablers with their Friarly varieties, infinite ſectaries and opinatiue Doctors are heires apparant thereunto, notwithſtanding their motiues and demandes againſt vsus, and claimes for themſelues.

Now to come backe againe to our text, Paul reprehended and reprooued Peter, and that verily ſo, and yet we make it no Motiue to condemne Peter vtterly, but to commend Paul the more. Peter profited him nothing, but Paul benefited Peter in this iuſt reproofe. My diſtinct notes in and of them both are theſe: In Paul I obſerue, 1. The lawfulneſſe of his vocation as before, 2. The equality of his degree, 3. The thorough execution of his office to the ful without reſpects. In Peter, who was afeard of an arrowe without a head, fearing them who came from Iames, I marke, 1. The infirmity of man, 2. The weight of examples in great men, 3. The reforming of himſelfe.

But here as when a man hath cut an eele or a ſnake into twenty peeces, yet eueryevery peece wil ſtill wag: ſo our aduerſaries ſtil ſtriue and ſtruggle, and ſhift for life when they are in ſight paſt all hope, though their arguments and anſwers, reioinders and replies hauehave beene cut a-ſunder the very hart-ſtringes of them more than an hundred times: for they ſee, if Peter did erre, as no doubt he did heere in diſſembling, as *Mat. 26.70.els-where in denying our Sauiour Chriſt, then the Pope may er, & therefore they hauehave coined diuerſities of caſes wherein neither Peter did, nor the Pope may erre, and namely, how the Pope may erre *Rhemi. Teſt. Pa. 206. &. 502In conuerſation and manners, yet in faith definitiuely hee cannot erre. With whome a litle I ſhall reaſon and diſpute vponupon the occaſion offered, the rather becauſe this darnel hath taken root, and ſpred vp farre & wide in ſundry vnſound places.

*The Pope may er, and hath erved in his maners and conceits notoriouſly & that in matters of the Church faith publiquely, yea and that DEFINITIVELIE.To go by degrees in this queſtion: queſtionles the Pope hath monſterouſly erred, as Platina & the reſt of his own chroniclers, preachers and writers witneſſe, in conuerſation and manners, and in faith too. And no merueill. For ſuch as is our ſaith, ſuch are our manners, and ſaith Iames, ſuch as are our manners, ſuch is our ſaith. But euer a true faith in things to be beleeued, is the *Ioh. 8.39. Iam. 2.18.ſpring of woorking in eueryevery thing, and the lacke of faith is the want of woorkes. And the defect is firſt in faith, before it can be in the woorke. Their reply is, that Popes in deede priuately may erre in their own faith and manners, but not publikly as Popes indued with the ſpirit of God. But why tie you the ſpirit to your ſelues? We tell them that euen *Rom. 3.priuate men are led by the ſpirit, and ſo are as free from error as the beſt, & the beſt learned Popes. And where they reioine, that priuate men are not to define in matters of faith, we tell them againe, no more are Popes, nor yet Angels. The ground of faith is the word of God, and faith commeth by hearing of that worde. Wherein to make the Popes decretall Epiſtles equal with the word *Diſtinct. 19, in Canonicis.Gratian hath euidently falſified S. Auſten de doctrina Chriſtiana lib. 2. cap. 8. and this his abominable forgery, is in the very foundation of faith, and yet is Gratian allowed by the Pope, to wit, by Eugenius, as appeareth in the life of Gratian, prefixed before the Decrees, and therefore I may and do conclude that the Pope in ſight hath erred in the maine ground and foundation of our faith, in the verie allowing of Gratian. A publicke allowāce of a falſe ground of our faith is a publicke error in the faith.And I trow this his allowance was no priuate liking, but a publike allowing.

Farther we find that, Boniface the eight that For at his entrance, that Lion in his raigne, and Dog at his death, hath *Extra, de Maior. & obedient.DEFINED that it was (Omnino) eueryevery way neceſſary to ſaluation to be ſubiect to the Biſhop of Rome. Whereupon I reaſon thus: That which is eueryevery way neceſſary, was neuer vnneceſſary. But *Aenaeas Siluius epiſt. 288.Ante Nicenum Concilium, &c. Before the Councel of Nice, the Church of Rome was litle reſpected. Nay in the *Anno. 328.Nicene Councell, the Popes meſſengers ſate neither in the Firſt, Second, or Third place. And the Councell it ſelfe was called and ſummoned Iuſſu Imperatoris, at the Emperours commaundement. And therein Conſtantine who indicted the Councell tooke no more vponupon him than hee might and ought. Neither was he deligated thereunto by Biſhoppely power. For the *Euſeb. in vita Conſt. orat. 3.one and onelyonly God appointed him to that miniſtery. And what the Biſhoppes had ouerthrowne, Conſtantine renued and *Theod. lib. 1. cap. 14.built vp. I pray you where was then, and where was al this while that meere necesſity vntounto ſaluation to be in ſubiection to the Romane prelate?

Some good *Anno. 198.time before this, when Victor a Biſhop of Rome was tampering and ouer-buſily intermedling with other mens doings, he was vehemently reproued by *Euſeb. lib. 5.Ireny in France, and countermaunded by the Biſhoppes of Aſia, foreign they diſſwaded him as much as he would hauehave perſwaded others, wherein was no ſubiection, but a ſlat reſiſtance, euen as Paul reſiſted Peter. I could be large herein, but I referre them, who would ſee many good particulers in this caſe learnedly laid foorth, D. Bilſon.to D. BILSON againſt D. ALLEN and the Ieſuits, in his book entieled, A true difference betweene Chriſtian ſubiection, and vnchriſtian rebellion, Part. 1.

And, whereas ſome ſay, Victors reproofe was in a matter but of diſcipline, verily diſcipline and direction in regiment is their God, and whereof they eſteem more than of heauen it ſelfe. Wherefore be it wherein it ſhalbe, therein certes they were not ſubiect to the Romiſh Biſhop. And a trueth in doctrine importeth vsus much more than a rite in diſcipline: therefore if they might reſiſt him in diſcipline, where was then that ſubiection eueryevery way neceſſary to ſaluation? And if hee might erre in diſcipline, much more may he erre in doctrine. For the deciſion of reaſonable orders, is farre eaſier, than doubts in doctrine. Therefore if the Pope may ſo ſoone ſtumble in the plain, hee may farre ſooner ouer-ſhout himſelfe in a ſuffer way.

Directly for the Popes erring in doctrine, *Lyra in …. Matth.Lyra is cleare and full: Many Popes hauehave bin found to hauehave bin Apoſtataes. Many, and not a few onelyonly, hauehave bin certainly found, not probably thought to hauehave beene Apoſtataes. It is no fable, no forgery, they hauehave bin found, & conuinced ſo to hauehave bin. But Apoſtaſie is a forſaking of the faith: and eueryevery Apoſtata is alwaies an eager perſecutor of his former faith. And therefore the Pope may be not only a decider of error, but a perſecutor of the faith.

If they aske me what be in ſpeciall the Popes errors, I tel them, he erreth, in hiding the candel of the Scriptures vnderunder the buſhell of a ſtrange language, in praying ignorantly without vnderſtanding, in not praying to God alone, in worſhipping Images, in mangling and deprauing the Sacraments, in preferring himſelfe before Gods worde, and aboue his Church, & in a thowſand mo. And, ſirs, why aske you me? Lyra ſaith your Popes hauehave bin Apoſtataes. You may not miſtruſt his report; he was a Friar, and therefore a credible witneſſe and not partially affected but to the Papacy, and therefore the more force-able againſt you, and the leſſe to be ſuſpected of you. You followe him, you *Harding detec. Pag. 256. Maſt. Harding counteth Lira a good interpreter of the Text, but a ſlender witnes to depoſe a trueth.gladly vſe him in the opening of a text, & in expoſition of Scriptures, why not a great deale rather in his depoſitions for antiquitie in a matter of ſtory? Or was his outward ſenſe corrupted, and his inward iudgement good? Could he not rightly diſcerne a fact in men, but rather a trueth in the text, and that about things depending on the text, as in queſtions of faith and Apoſtaſie from the faith? If there were any fault in Lyra, it ſeemeth to be rather for that in fauour to that ſee, he toucheth but in general, and treateth not the particularities of your Popes Apoſtaſies.

And yet while the monumēts of times & books of writers before Printing was inuented, were hardily copied out, and were few in number, ſoon loſt, and eaſily corrupted, and being in your own handes and handling, and your ſelues ready to make away the euidences which made moſt againſt your Pope, what marueil if Lyra, and Lyraes like be vſed, as *Acts. 5.2Ananias and Saphira vſed their goods, and ſo authors in ſteede of their whole and perfect workes brought to light by halfes, maimed and imperfect? And yet God hath ſo prouided that there ſhould be notwithſtanding ſome, and thoſe ſufficient witneſſes in popery to conuince their Popes of grieuous errors. But let vsus view their dealing a litle in this behalfe. But firſt be it remembred that Lyra ſaith, that manie Popes, though he name them not in ſpecial, that many Popes hauehave plaid the Apoſtataes from the faith, though particularly he citeth not wherein and in what points: yet this is ſufficient. For ther is no multitude without a number, no general number of Popes, without particular Popes. And it may be he ment the whole faith, and therefore doeth not put downe the ſpecialities. Nowe for farther proofe of their corruptions.

Pope *C. Laudabilem de conuerſione infidelium.Celeſtinus decreed an error flat againſt Saint Paul (that the crime of hereſie diſſolueth the band of marriage) in ſo much that Innocentius was faine to repeale the ſame, and decret the contrary. If they aske me now where is that decree? Truly I cannot tell what you hauehave doone with it. Since yee came to this fine ſhift, that the Pope could not, forſooth, erre, that paragraph could not be much ſeene abroade. The gloze ſaith it was among the Decretals. *Lib. 1. aduerſ. haereſes. cap. 4.Alphonſus de Caſtro ſawe it there in an ould booke, marry (ſirs) if you can vſe the definitions, decrees, and determinations of your Popes after this faſhion, and then come and require vsus to ſhew that your Pope hath decreed an error, & that not what we count an error, but what your ſelues would repute error as wel as we, truely we neede reply no farther, but that iniquity is ſpunne of a fine threed, and that this is the very myſtery of Antichriſt, and that hee departeth from the faith, and yet vnderunder a moſt preſumptuous pretence that … he cannot erre in faith.

When God was moſt ſerued almoſt alone locally in the territory of Iewry, they were perilous & lying words to affixe wiſedome, the word & the law to thē that viſibly occupied their callings in the Church of god. Ier. 18.And why is it not ſo much more now when whoſoeuer feareth God, Acts. 10.and therefore whereſoeuer god is feared, there, there is no ſuch reſpect of perſons, or places as ſometimes was.

For the very Church of Rome, by name Paul warneth to look to her duty, to ſee to her footing, and putteth downe the condition of her ſtanding: Rom. 11.20.and either in the one of the other, the warning or the condition doth argue, that they are not better than the naturall branches, but that their church may be cut off, if they grow wild: & if they could not grow wild, which is, if they could not er, what neede Paul warne them, or they care for his warning?

If it bee replied, that there may bee error in ſome members, but not in the head, which is the Pope, this will not ſerue, Rom. 1.7.for the Apoſtle writeth to all at Rome without exception, and where the text giueth no cauſe of diſtinguiſhing, why ſhould the gloze diſtinguiſh at all? And the errors which Rome is willed to take heede of, are worſe than ſome once defining of an error, for they may finally cut her off. And in the meane time let no man fear, that God wil lacke a Church, though Rome become apoſtata: that he wil want wine, if ſhe become vineger: that hee will not hauehave a Ieruſalem, though Rome bee made a den of Theeues, a neſt of vncleane birds, & worſe than Babylon it ſelfe. And how holdeth that argument: the Church ſhal not bee diuorſed, ergo not Rome? It will not follow. For Rome is not the whole Church. But ſhe perhaps is the firt place and the Hieruſalem of the Church, Briſt. replie to D. Fulke. Cap. 8. Par. 2.as Maiſter Briſtow beareth D. Fulke in hand, and for proofe thereof, hee referreth him to the Actes of the Apoſtles if hee hauehave anie inſight therein. Yes his inſight in the whole libraries of God and of men is well knowen at home and abroade, and that to your ſhame and griefe. And therefore yee neede not like Babiſh and *2 King. 2 23.Bethlemite skorning and mocking Boyes to fellowe Fulke him and flout him as you doe, but rather ſtand in aw of him, D. Fulkes books vnanſwered.whom ye dare not, certainly hauehave not aunſwered to his aunſwers to moſt of your books. Wel may you mock & moe at him whoſe haſt & pen of a ready writer, yet euer with great iudgement, you can not imitate. But now, at and without your requeſt (Maſter Briſtow) D. Fulke hath intentiuely reuiewed often eueryevery leafe and line in the Acts of the Apoſtles, & findeth you a lying reporter. And how could it be otherwiſe? For neither is Rome there termed the Churches Ieruſalem, neither doth the church nowe require a locall Ieruſalem in earth at all. Galath. 4.Whereof more hereafter vponupon fitter occaſion.

The olde ſtarting-hole from Chriſts praying for Peter, was perſonall and vponupon imminent future danger to Peter, and nothing els. Wherefore euen as hee that gathered Manna more than would ſuffice him, it *Exod. 16.20.putrified, and did him no pleaſure: ſo he that wil gather too much of a text, it can ſerue him to ſmall purpoſe. And generally our Sauiour prayed for the reſt of the Apoſtles, & by the like reaſon why ſhould not their ſucceſſors claime the like immunity of not erring? Nay, our Sauiour prayed for eueryevery beleeuer, Iohn. 17.20.and then by the ſame reaſon eueryevery priuate faithfull man is in as good caſe, as is the Pope.

As for the Popes DEFINITIONS in faith, I ſhewed before, and ſay againe (but that he taketh vponupon him to define, and becauſe that now is made the queſtion) that his Definitions are nothing, and nothing worth. We hauehave but one Defining-Maſter and *Iam. 4.12.Law-giuer, which can teach and controll the hart. Yea eueryevery ſere Chriſtian is to try other mens ſpirits, to try *1 Theſ. 5.21.all, and therefore alſo to trie and examine the Popes pretended Definitions. And what need they be tried, if they could not erre? If I were ſure this golde were pure and perfect and nothing but golde, what need the touchſtone? But becauſe the iudgements of men are vncertain, the ſpiritual man and child of God, iudgeth all thinges becauſe hee can, and trieth them, becauſe he muſt, & therein is iudged of *1 Cor. 2.15.none, nor preiudiced of any, and therefore not ouer-borne by the Pope, and therefore alſo not neceſſarilie ſubiect to his papall deciſions.

Which warrant of Pauls, cleane cam againſt the haire, the Pope applieth and appropriateth to himſelfe, and his Popely iudgement, making it a new neceſſary article of ſaluation to be ſubiect to him, becauſe he (if we beleeue him) is only that ſpirituall man Extr… de maio. & obdient.that iudgeth al, and is iudged of none, ſpecially being once in his conſiſtory, in his court, and in Councell houſe at Rome, though yet in trueth S. Paul wrate not that ſentence to the Romanes, but to the Saints of Achaia & Church of Corynth. Whereupon it may bee notwithſtanding a litle ſuſpected leaſt hee may miſſe the quiſhien in his definitions, that thus miſtaketh Scripture to proue his authority, and piereleſſe Soueraignty in his defining.

I know what wilbe and what hath beene anſwered lately in this behalfe: that the Pope may, by your leaue, euen in his conſiſtories and in his decrees faile in the allegation of Scriptures, but neuer in his purpoſe be alleageth them for. For no fig leafe is broad enough to couer the greatneſſe or groſſenes of his intolerable allegations, and yet albeit they faile in their proofes concluding, and in the *Stapl. de doctr. prin. li. 4. ca. 15.meanes of prouing, yet for the matter they would conclude, their concluſion is cock-ſure.

A very ſtrange caſe. Can a man erre in the meanes to the end, and not erre in the end it ſelfe? Can a man fail in his foundation, and wil not his building totter? Erre in his proofes, and obtaine his purpoſe? If the Pope can doe al this, I know not what he cannot do. No doubt he can ſet-forth at midnight and not wander in darkeneſſe. Nay, hee can wander in darkenes, and gad and magge quite out of his way, and ſtrait with a trice, when the matter commeth to bee ſhut vp with a definitiue ſentence, to a decretall or a reſcript iudicial, the man is at home, notwithſtanding all his former vagaries in the night before. Is not this good ſtuffe?

If I miſtake not, whether you reſcribe or ſubſcribe, there is ſmall difference, & a Popelike reſcript or ſubſcript is alike auaileable and autentique. Liberius.But Pope Lyberius ſubſcribed to Arrianiſme, the greateſt hereſie that euer was, and hee ſubſcribed as Pope, for otherwiſe Conſtantius would no more hauehave regarded his priuate ſubſcription, than a drop of water among a Sea of ſubſcriptions. Now how diſtinguiſh you? what help nowe?

Euen thus: As when we ſhew that Pope Honorius was a monothelite: that is to ſay, one that denied the two willes of both natures in our Sauiour, you anſwere, he was ſo in hart, but outwardly in his *Hard. detect. pag. 254.deciſions he was not ſo: ſo contrariwiſe you tell vsus, that Liberius ratified Arrianiſme by his *Idem. pa. 250.Subſcription and hand-writing, but this was not from his heart, but outwardly for feare.

Say you, for feare? What then? But I pray you, in the meane time were not theſe iolly-fellowes, and conſtant Popes? The one was rotten at the hart, and had a true hand. The other had an erring hand, but a true hart. And muſt the hand in the one excuſe the hart, and the hart in the other excuſe his hand? Alas poore ſoules in what caſe were they, that depended vponupon either hart or hand of ſuch Popes? Where was Peters faith that neuer faileth in his ſucceſſors? In the hart of an heretique? Or in the hand of an hireling? His ſucceſſors hart feared, his ſucceſſors hand erred, his ſucceſſors tongue conſenteth to error, and the terror of the Emperor and two yeares exile, or as *In catalog. Ec. ſcriptorum.Ierome writeth the Solicitation of Fortunatianus a Biſhop brought Liberius quite to an other bent. Fregit, it altered him quite and cleane.

Maſter Harding anſwereth, Detect. pag. 250. b.Alas this forced ſubſcription argueth the lacke of fortitude, but certanly it proueth not hereſie. For an hereticke ſubbornly defendeth his opinion.

He defined it. Whether he, and how he defended it, whether ſo or no, I care not, I cannot tell. He did define it, he did promulgate it by his ſubſcription ſo far forth, as his Popely approbation could ſtretch vntounto. This much I alleadge it for, and ſomuch it clearly proueth. And how could this ſorrie, fraile, and fearful reede confirme his brethren, who was ſo infirme and weake in himſelfe? And if his brethren, the Biſhoppes, Prieſtes, and Deacons neere Rome in Italy, and the Senate of his Councell ſhould hauehave holpen him, yet they did not, and if they did what they could, he was the more incurable, and then belike Chriſt prayed rather for them, than for the Pope. But I feare me the footemen fled where the horſemen fel, and the Lambs quaked, when the bel-wether ran away, and that the Biſhops more than yeelded, where the Pope ſubſcribed.

Notwithſtanding, what charter, priuiledge or promiſe hath the aſſembled conſiſtorie and ſynod of Rome for not erring more than hath any other? *Mat. 18.20.When two or three bee gathered togither (not at Rome, nor deſigned from Rome) the promiſe doth hold. And therefore the Romiſh aſſemblies are not freed ſpecially, but with the ſame conditions indifferent to others, though fewer in number, leſſe in ſhewe, and lighter in credit in the optnion of the woorld. For fewer than two or three, and withal to make a number, cannot be, and yet vntounto two or three gathered togither in the name of Chriſt, Chriſt made the promiſe of his preſence, and the asſiſtance of his ſpirit to comfort them in troubles and to inſtruct them in doubts, but this muſt bee alwaies vnderſtood to bee in a rateable meaſure according to the capacities of humane veſſels. For men are men euer, euen the beſt whether ſingle or aſſembled, and ſo where they hauehave to deale in Gods thinges they may admixe ſomewhat of their owne, and ſo alſo miſſe in the matters of their conſultation, and therefore councels great or leſſe are not euen meaſures to leuil or limit al his cauſes by.

EueryEvery man knoweth (ſaith Auſtine) Lib. 2. contrae Donatiſt. c. 3.that (of Councels) the prouinciall giuegive place to the general, & that the generall councels and plenary are often (not ſeldom) mended the former by the later. The place it ſelfe would be repaired vntounto, it is verie, very worth the reading, where there is ſet forth a plaine prerogatiue of the ſcriptures to be deuoid of error, by waie of oppoſition to other writings of Biſhops or Councels, prouincial or plenarie howſoeuer. My note out of Auſtine is, that if general Councels might be mended, they might and did erre. For faultes and errors are they, that are to be amended. For wee amend not that which is right, but that which is amiſſe. The ſame *Aug. contra Maximinum lib. 3. cap. 14.father writing againſt an Arrian, doth hee bring Scripture, or elſe the famous Councell of Nice, moſt famous in condemning Arrianiſme? Nay, erratis neſcientes ſcripturas. The cauſe of error is the ignorance of the ſcriptures. And therefore the reformation of that diſeaſe was to take awaie the cauſe. Auſtine therefore alleadgeth Scripture, and whereas the Arrian might after a ſort, and perchance did pretend the Councell of Ariminum for his opinion, Auſtine doth not call the councel Dete pa. 112. b.a ſchiſmatical and an heretical conuenticle, as Maiſter Harding doth, but goeth this waie to work: whereas the Nicene councell maketh for mee, and the Ariminum councell for thee (agnizing councel to be againſt councel) neither ought we to produce, either I the councel of Nice, or you the councel of Ariminum as preiudicial (either waie:) neither am I bound to the authority of this (the latter,) nor you to that (the former.)

Maiſter Harding to helpe for ward that which hee would ſaie, ſaith that Saint Auſten was content (onelyonly) to laie aſide his aduantage vponupon condition, and as it were vponupon *Ibidem.compoſition, and that this his preſent dooing was but for the preſent time and occaſion: and this hee prooueth becauſe Auſtine ſaith: Detect. pa. 113.I will not laie againſt thee the Nicene Councel, as who would ſay he could if he would. But he would not for the preſēt time. I WIL NOT.

Lord God, it is a world to ſee the wilfulnes of them that will not ſee. Auſtines woorde is not as Maiſter Harding forceth him to ſpeake, I WIL NOT of choiſe, but, I OVGHT not of duetie. True, he would doe, what hee did, but it was not in his onelyonly pleaſure ſo to doe for the time. For hee tooke the eaſieſt, the wiſeſt, the ſureſt, and the moſt neceſſarie waie. And why doth not Maiſter Harding engliſh (nec tu debes) thou wil not, as wel as (nec ego debeo) I will not?Sed nec ego Nicenum, nec tu DEBES, &c. Neither of both OVGHT to alleage, neither is either of vsus BOVND to councels, I to this, or thou to that, as it were with preiudice either to other. But let the combate be betweene matter and matter, cauſe and cauſe, reaſon and reaſon, by the authority of the ſcriptures, not by witneſſes of whom ſoeuer proper (to either) but common to both.

If Saint Auſtine deuolue all to an equal debating of thinges, and to the authoritie of the Scriptures, I ſee no reaſon we flie the Scriptures. If Auſtine neither would, as Maiſter Harding maketh him to ſpeak, nor ought as his own woorde is, to ſtand and to rely vponupon councels, as *Nec Ego, nec tu detineris. Neither part was bound to be ouerruled by generall Councels.bound to them, why ſhuld we? If Auſtine grant the Ariminum councell to be a generall councell, what is Maſter Hardings denial therof? Pigghius voucheth it was Vniuerſale Concilium hand dubio, there was no controuerſie but it was a general councel. *Aduerſus Luciferanos.Ierom calleth it the whole woorld, ſaying of this councell, that the whole woorlde when it perceaued how deceatfully it was ſeduced, it mourned to ſee it ſelfe become an Arrian (vnawares.) And therefore I maruel why Maiſter Harding ſhould cal it an heretical conuenticle in a corner of the woorld. And howebeit Arrianiſm were an hereſie of hereſies, yet they indirectly confirmed it, and being fraudulently circumuented when they ſawe the error, were verie ſorit for their offence which they had committed in the ſimplicitie of their conceat of vnderſtanding, that it would be no great matter to relent in a *foreign.word, and in fauour of a general peace.

If *Detect. Pag. 250 b.force could excuſe Liberius, ſimplicitie in theſe deſerueth ſofter words. But both by Liberius his *Yet Platina reporteth that it was vponupon reſpect of benefits and fauor.forced ſubſcription, and by this generall councels miſconſtruing, the capital hereſie of Arrianiſme was much confirmed. And therefore we were beſt, as Auſtine aduiſeth, to try our matters and cauſes at the touch-ſtone of the infallyble word of God, and not at the erryng determynations of Popes or Byſhops, eyther ſorted by them ſalues, or ſeated together, and that of late tymes not ſo much in a general, as in a Gehennal councell of Pragmaticall Machiuels, deuiſing howe they may coſen the woorld, and exyle the true and ryght profesſion of perfit chriſtianity: wherefore they muſt bee withſtood, with courage and boldnes in the ſight of all men as Paul reſiſted Peter. From whom notwithſtanding, verilie as from one man, and not as from a generall Councel of many, the Pope maketh this his imposſible and improbable claime of not erring, but how erroniouſly we hauehave declared. Hier. Ec. l. 6. c. 5And Pigghius ſayeth in the behalfe of the Pope, that there is not a woord in the ſcriptures properly for general councels.

15 Wee which are Iewes by nature, & not ſinners of the Gentiles,

16 Know, that a man is not iuſtified by the works of the Law, but by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, euen we hauehave beleeued in Ieſus Chriſt, that we might be iuſtified by the faith of Chriſt, & not by the works of the Law, becauſe by the works of the Law, no fleſh ſhalbe iuſtified.

Paul hauing iuſtified, and made good his authority by ſundry proofes, 1. By his immediate calling from God. 2. By his dutifull diligence therein. 3. By his equall conference with the cheefeſt pillars, 4. And laſtly by his iuſt reprouing Peter, though he went not with aſwift foote from the Goſpel, yet becauſe he went not with a right foote in it and toward it, now draweth happily, by this and ſuch like occaſion to the chiefeſt matter and argument handled in this Epiſtle, & ſheweth abundantly that no ceremonious rite, no nor yet (which God more reſpecteth) can the works of men, iuſtifie man. And this he declareth by his own example, & by the example of others like himſelfe. We, ſaith he, whome he deſcribeth, 1. by their cōdicion, 2. by their iudgemēt in chriſt.

1 By condicion (in a worde to ſay) they were Iewes, & by nature Iewes, that is ſo born, & ſo deſcended. Phil. c. 3.5.And elſwhere Paul ſaith of himſelfe that he was a Iew, an Hebrue, of the tribe of Beniamin, a zealous fellow once, and a follower of the Law. So were the Iews, ſo was he, & not ſinners of the Gentiles, ſinners both by nature, that is, by birth, and by their bringing vp, and ſo thought of by common reputation, and called by our ſauiour very *Matt. 15.26.Dogs. Where, by the way I marke two things, 1. the great goodnes of God towarde the Iewes, 2, and their infinit ingratitude towardes him. So that what euer they were by their default, yet by their condicion ſuch they were, & ſo were eſteemed of God, euen as his peculiar people, but with *Pſal. 147.20.other nations it was not ſo.

2 The Apoſtles and Diſciples ouer and beſides their condicion very good in former time, yet now altered to a better ſtate, were alſo of a right iudgment in chriſt, & they knew (we know) they knewe that the truckels & ſwathing clothes of old ceremonies were for them, but while they were childrē, whom God ſo tendered & kept for a time, & to that end that thoſe ceremonies might be meanes the rather to lead them to Chriſt, and not that they ſhould be iuſtified in them, or in any thing elſe that they did or could doe.

I cannot ſay, as our Sauiour ſaid to Nicodemus, *Iohn. 3.10.Are you Maſters in Iſrael, and know not theſe thinges? I know you know them: yet giuegive mee leaue a little that all may learne that which moſt of you know. Neither is there any knoweledge in al the woorld like to this. Wherefore the repetition thereof cannot be vngrateful.

An enquiry how man maie be Iuſtified before the iudgement ſeat of God.A time ſhal come, and a doome muſt be, and a day is a ppointed when all fleſh ſhall appeare and hold vp hand (as it were) & anſwere: guilty or not guilty, before the tribunal ſeat of God, that ſeeth the heart, and ſearcheth the raines. Heere in this plea of Iuſtice is required, thou bee neither acceſſory, nor principall to the leaſt breach of the Law, if thou wilt liue and be iuſtified, and be quit thereby. *Luk. 10.18.Hoc fac & viues. Doe this and liue. Doe not this, thou canſt not liue. Or doe what thou wilt if thou doſt not this, if thou doſt not the Law, only and wholy that, it wil be thy vndoing, thou canſt not liue, leaning to the Law, and meaning to be iuſtified thereby.

Iob. 9.28.At the very remembrance hereof holy Iob wil feare his workes, as nothing more, and Dauid in remorſe of his owne either ſecret ſinnes or open faults and in conſideration of the frailty of al fleſh trembleth and ſaieth: *Pſa. 130.3.If thou, ô Lord, marke what is done amiſſe, who ſhal abide it? Who ſhal ſtand in iudgement, and ſuſtaine thy wrath? Whereupon I reaſon and make this reckoning: If Iob the iuſt man feared, if Dauid a man according to Gods owne hart trembled at this triall, alas, what ſhal others doe? If the ſtrong ſoldier feare and flye, what ſhall become of the weake, the ſame, the blind? What ſhal become of the vtterly impotent? If the wind blowe away the ſolid wheat, where ſhal the chaffe reſt? O Lord who is he, or where is his dwelling, that we may goe to him, and common with him, and heare a man that can ſaie, and faie in truth, my hart is cleane? And if the heart be not cleane, how vncleane are the hands? If the ſpring be corrupt, how polluted are the riuers? Who in the woorld, who one can anſwere one for a thouſand? And hee that aunſwereth not all, aunſwereth not one. In manie things (ſaith Saint *Iam. 3.2.Iames) we offend al. And in including all, hee excludeth none, and the Scripture hath expreſly *Rom. 3.9. Galath. 3.22.concluded all vnderunder ſinne. If then all be concluded vnderunder ſinne, if al offend, and that in many thinges, and if hee that offendeth in any, offendeth in al, in what caſe are we al? How can we be iuſtified by the Law?

Theſe thinges touch vsus neerely, and concerne vsus much. What Vrim and Thummim may wee conſult in this caſe? Eſa. 46.Repaire wee to the Lord in the and ſix fourtith Chapter of Eſay, who reſolueth vsus on this wiſe: Heare me yee ſtubburne harted that are farre from Iuſtice. As if it were ſaid, if any of you preſume in pride, or precend in hypocriſie of much iuſtice, you are ouer-bold, you are deceaued, and you cannot deceaue God. It is a pride and a pretence of righteouſneſſe, from whence in verie deede you are farre wide. Heare mee, harken not to your ſelues, to your ſelfe-wit and ouer-weening. I will bring neere my righteouſneſſe, neither ſhall your iniquitie fruſtrate or make vaine my promiſes, or ſequeſter my purpoſed mercy from my elect amongſt you, and from my church vntounto whom I wil ſhew mercy. I wil giuegive my ſaluation in Sion and my glory in Iſrael.

Then I aske, wil Iſrael be glorified, wil Sion bee ſaued, will man bee iuſtified, will hypocriſie ſpeake truely, wil ſtubburne hearts bee mollified, and frowarde mindes rectified? Then harken what God ſaith: Glory, Saluation, Righteouſneſſe, and Iuſtification, the acceptation of vsus as iuſt, yea of vsus very impious and Atheiſts by nature, is Gods only grace and free gift. A vanting and a vilde ſpirite is onelyonly in man, who naturally hath but a ſorry, a naughty, and a ſleight conceat of the mercy of the father, and of the infinit merit of Chriſt his ſonne.

Come wee home to our Apoſtle: Wee knowe that man is not iuſtified by the woorkes of the Lawe, but by faith. It is not an opinion, Opinio eſt entis, & non entis. Opinion is of thinges that may be ſo, or may bee no. But wee know ſaieth Paul. And whereas there are but two waies to bee quit, either plea of our owne innocency, or help and truſt elſe-where to be iuſtified, wee muſt leane either to the one or to the other, either perfourning the Lawe which no man can, or embracing Chriſt, onelyonly relying in him by faith, by onelyonly faith in Chriſt. If it be quarreled why cannot man bee yet iuſtified by the Lawe, what ſhould bee the cauſe thereof? It is *An ineuitable reaſon why Man cannot poſſiblie iuſtified by the Law.aunſwered by Paul flat: al men are fleſh. But why cannot fleſh? Why? Al fleſh is fleſhly. al fleſhe is graſſe, euen the very grace thereof. And what is hey and ſtubble to ſaue a man? *Eſay. 4.6.And the grace thereof is but as the flower. Some flowres are green, yellow, red, ſtammel, purple, or white &c. Theſe are but gay coulers, and what are theſe before the face of the winde, in the heate of the Sunne, and in the ſight of God? Wherefore fleſh and bloode may not, cannot, dare not, ſhould not proſume to appeare, where it can ſtand, in iudgement, before the conſiſtory of our God, in the ſtrength of it ſelfe, and without our aduocate. Nay the heauens are not cleare in his eies, nor the very Angels, and celeſtiall ſpirites, much leſſe man, who dwelleth in an houſe of cley, and in a body ſubiect to the ſoile of ſinne, who drinketh in iniquity as a drie ground doth a rainey water. Wherefore by the *Workes are imperfect & being as perfect as they may be, they beno deſerts but dueties. Chriſt is our righteouſnes at the right hand of his father.woorkes of the Lawe perfourmed by man by his fleſhly arme and ſtrength wee euen the regenerate, wee bee not, we cannot bee iuſtified, Saint Paul knoweth and acknowledgeth that by faith in Chriſt, and that by Chriſt alone in whom wee beleeue, we bee pronounced in him to bee that wee are not, nor can bee of our ſelues, nor in our ſelues. So that heere is guilty and not guilty, righteous and not righteous. Not righteous but guilty, by the Lawe, by woorkes, by nature, and in our ſelues: but in Chriſt who is made our wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification and redemption we hauehave al that wee hauehave, and in him, who hath payd all for vsus, wee hauehave al and enough. And this knowledge, brethren, being thoroughly learned, perfectly beleeued, and fully ſetled in a ſanctified ſoule, moſt honoureth God, and comforteth man aboue al thinges that can be named.

17 If then while we ſeeke to be made righteous by chriſt, we our ſelues are found ſinners, is Chriſt therefore the Miniſter of ſinne? God forbid.

18 For if I builde againe the thinges, that I hauehave deſtroied, I make my ſelfe a treſpaſſer.

19 For I thorough the Lawe, am dead to the Lawe, that I might liue vntounto God.

20 I am crucified with Chriſt, but I liue, yet not I any more, but Chriſt liueth in mee, and in that that I nowe liue in the fleſhe, I liue by the faith in the ſonne of God, who hath loued mee, and giuen himſelfe for me.

20 I doe not abrogate the grace of God, for if righteouſneſſe come by the Lawe, then Chriſt died without a cauſe.

VponUpon the former matters premiſed, Paul may ſeeme to argue thus: if while wee ſeeking (which was graunted on eueryevery ſide) to bee made righteous by Chriſt, yet wee bee found notwithſtanding ſinners (by relying to the Lawe which the falſe Apoſtles woulde hauehave annexed) is Chriſt therefore become the Miniſter of ſinne, which muſt needes bee if he bee coupled with the Law? Phy, out vponupon …, it were moſt abſurd, it cannot be, and God forbid. Chriſt and the Law cannot make one fabricke or building.If any man ſhould build vp the Iericho, which hee had deſtroied and was accurſed, were hee not to bee accurſed? If Paul ſhoulde builde vp the Lawe, which accurſeth, though it were with the coupling of Chriſt, in the building, yet ſhould hee ſhewe himſelfe to bee a transgreſſor, in ſetting vp of the Lawe with Chriſt, which two to ſtand together were vtterly imposſible. For to that end entered Chriſt, that the Lawe might ceaſe. To that ende Paul exemplyfieng in himſelfe, voucheth, he was dead to the Lawe, and therefore had not to doe with the Lawe at all, was crucified with Chriſt and fixed to Chriſt, and vntounto Chriſt alone.

Iuſtification by acceptation or imputation excludeth not a meaſure of inherent ſanctification. And dying to the curſe of the Law, ſhutteth not out good liuing according to the rule of the Law.And yet leaſt Paul being dead from the Lawe and crucified with Chriſt, might ſeeme by this doctrine in himſelfe to bee an enſample of dying vntounto God, and liuing to the world. verſ. 20. hee ſaith, But I liue: and becauſe no man ſhould miſtake him, hee ſheweth 1. in what meaſure of goodnes he liueth, as he might, in the fleſh, and 2. withall ſheweth how it came to paſſe that in the fleſh he might liue, ſaying that he liueth by Chriſt and thorough faith in him. In him who hath loued me, and giuen himſelfe for me. Whereupon I note 1. the freeneſſe of the giuer, 2. the preciouſneſſe of the gift, 3. the certaintie in receauing, 4. and the neede of the receauer. 1. The freeneſſe of the giuer. For what is freer than gift? And then a gift proceeding of louelove? Which loued me. 2. For the preciouſnes of the gift, what can bee more precious than the Sonne of God, & the heire of al? Hee gaue himſelfe. 3. The certainty of receauing is vttered in the ſpecialitie of ſpeaking, for mee. But O bleſſed Paul, what meane theſe *Chriſt is not receaued in a general conceat, but by a ſpecial applying.encloſures? Why? Is Chriſt (thy) Chriſt? Is hee (thy) Sauiour? And is hee not rather the Sauiour of the world? That which is thine, is none of mine. Is it not ſo? In worldly thinges true, the right and propriety is in the true owner onelyonly, and in him alone, and in none other. In ſpirituall rightes it is not ſo altogether. Chriſt is the Chriſt of all in generall, and in ſpeciall too, yet not a diuided Chriſt, but whole and entire whoſoeuer hee is. In natural thinges ſee a reſemblance hereof: the Sunne in the aire is a generall light, in the eye a ſpeciall; and the ſound in the ayre a generall noyce, yet ſeerely diſcerned in the eare: ſo Chriſt is a general Sauiour of all that ſhall bee ſaued, but ſpecially is hee receaued, diſcerned, and applied by the eye of faieth, which faieth commeth by hearing him generally deliuered, but ſpecially applied. As take, eate, take, drinke, at the Lordes Supper, feede on him by thy faieth. And bleſſings ſo ſpeciallie and certainely taken hauehave euer a quicker taſt in the receauer, and prouoke thereby the more thankefulneſſe towarde the donor. 4. The neede of the receauer appeareth in this, *The price of the ranſom doth proue the neede of the party and the hainouſnes of his treſpas, who is to bee ranſommed.that if a leſſe ranſom, would hauehave doone the deed, ſo great a payment had not needed. But ſomuch it coſt to ſaue one Soule. And whereas hee ſaith, Chriſt gaue himſelfe (For me) it is plaine in how harde a caſe hee was before, that Chriſt muſt dy that wee may liue, or elſe wee dy, euen as the Ramme was Sacrificed, that Iſaake might bee ſaued. Wherefore of his perfect mercy and for our pure neede, Chriſt dyed for thee, for me, and for vsus al.

Why Chriſtians die, though Chriſt died for them.It is but an eaſie demaunde, and ſoone ſatisfied, why I muſt dye, though Chriſt died for mee. Yet God doubtleſſe requireth no double ſatisfaction, hee deſireth not to bee twiſe paied for one debt. Notwithſtanding, nothing is more certaine than that death is the common and vneuitable Lodge and Receptacle of the liuing. The Wiſeman ſhall dye as wel as ſhal the Foole. Dauid when he had *Acts. 13.36.ſerued his time, was repoſed to his Fathers, and the ſtatute is generall and cannot not be diſpenſed with, al muſt dye. By ſin *Rom. 5.12.came in death, and as ſinne is in al, ſo muſt all dy. If there had beene no ſinne, there ſhoulde hauehave beene no death nor diſſolution, no not of our mixt bodies, no more than there ſhall be of the very ſame bodies after their reſtitution & glorification. By ſinne death entered, and muſt goe ouer all. But the queſtion is, why wee dye, whom Chriſt hath deliuered both from ſinne the cauſe, and from death the conſequent of ſinne.

As we are deliuered from ſinne, not that it bee not, but that it ſting not: ſo are wee deliuered from death, not that it come not, but that it conquer not, that it lead vsus not in a triumph. ô death where is thy ſting? The ſting of death is ſinne, but ſinne is doone away, and therefore ô graue where is thy victory? Death is no Death to a good Chriſtian.Thou takeſt holde of vsus, not becauſe wee are ſtung to death, but becauſe of a natural necesſity indeede inducted thorough ſinne at firſt, yet for that the guilt of ſinne is taken away, death is no right death nowe, but a diſſolution, and a paſſage to a better life, and a very inſtrument, whereby mortality putteth on immortality, and whereby we liue for euer. And the aſſurance of our certaine departure hence, is hence-foorth a noble monument of the weight of ſinne, to weane vsus from ſinning, and to win vsus to Chriſt in perpetual thankefulnes, for that we are freed from the curſe of the Lawe, againſt ſinne, from the guilt of ſinne in it ſelfe, and from the danger of death for ſinning, and all this by his infinit deſert in dying for vsus, that otherwiſe ſhould hauehave died a death euerlaſting. This grace would not bee abrogated. I abrogate not the grace of God, this grace of his Goſpell.

Steuen Gardiner.Steuen Gardiner in King Edwards time whē he ſtood much, but falſly vponupon his innocency, and would not yeelde that hee had offended, yet at length, being asked whether he would accept the Kings pardon or no; nay ſaith he, I am learned enough not to refuſe the Kings pardon. In like manner men may dally and play, and vſe figge leaues at pleaſure, truly the greateſt wiſedome in the end will be to renounce all, and craue mercy, and ſtand vponupon pardon, and to truſt vntounto Chriſt, and onelyonly in him. Grace is reiected when works are annexed.And for a good fare-well and end of this Chapter, be it remembred and written in the hartes of humble men for euer, that wee after the example of our Apoſtle, we diſanull not, we reiect not, we fruſtrate not, we abrogate not, we throwe not away the grace of God, which neceſſarily enſueth by meaſhing or adnexing either the aſſociation of Ceremonies, or the obſeruation of the Lawe vntounto his free, and abſolutely free Grace, free in GOD though deſerued by Chriſt, our Ieſus and onelyonly Sauiour.

Exposition of Galatians, Exposition · Chapter 2

p. 33CHAP. II.

CHAP. II.