Exposition of Galatians, Exposition · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1 O FOOLISH Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the trueth, to whome Ieſus Chriſt before was deſcribed in your ſight, and among you crucified?
2 This only would I learne of you, Receaued ye the ſpirit by the workes of the Law, or by hearing of faith?
3 Are yee ſo fooliſh, that after ye hauehave begun in the ſpirit, ye would now end in the fleſh?
4 HaueHave yee ſuffered many things in vaine? If yet in vaine.
5 He therefore, that miniſtreth to you the ſpirite, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it through the workes of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?
O YEE fooliſh, bewitched, and diſobedient or incredulous Galathians. Theſe are vehement ſpeeches. But this vehemency proceeded of great zeale, and this zeale for them was grounded vppon many reaſons: 1. Chriſt was deſcribed before their face, and crucified in their ſight. 2. They had receiued the ſpirit, and the graces of the holie Ghoſt; not by the deeds of the Law, for they were Gentils, but by the Ghoſpel preached vntounto them. And the Law in compariſon is fleſh and groſſe, the Ghoſpel is ſpirituall. Should they beginne with the better, and relaps to the worſe? Be entred and beginne in the ſpirit, and end, and be finiſhed, and ſeeke to be perfected in the fleſh? 3. They had endured many an hard brunt, for the Ghoſpell, and ſhould they nowe fruſtrate all their ſufferings? 4. Hee that miniſtred vntounto them, and confirmed his miniſtery with miracles, that is, Paul, had not ſo taught them the Ghoſpel. Theſe reſpects made him vehement and very earneſt. In the whole, I beholde foure principall matters. 1. The procliuity and readineſſe of man to be ſeduced. 2. The duty of the preacher in ſuch a caſe. 3. The condicion of the Lawe. 4. The dignity of the Ghoſpell.
Mans nature is fooliſh and froward, prone to euil, and obſtinate in ſinne.1 Man by nature hath a vagary diſpoſition, drawen from his mothers wombe. Euen as birds are caught with a whiſſell, and fiſh with a bait, ſo open but a gap, he (a diſorderly thing) will deſire no more. Once perſwade man that the euill hee doeth is good, ſet but a gloſſe vponupon the errors wherein he delighted, and hee is caried with full ſailes. And a foole will be a foole, and think himſelfe marueilous wiſe.
Euil entents are neuer without faire pretenſes.Sathan hath gay helpes and ſhewes to further this folly, The Oſtrige hath as many feathers as the Hauke. Theſe Galathians were not only inwardly fooles, but externally bewitched. There is a bodily, and there is a ſpirituall bewitching. Of the former more in the fifth Chapter following. The ſpiritual bewitching, is ment here. they ſay, children are ſooneſt bewitched; we aer ouerchildiſh in Gods matters, and therefore the ſooner deceiued, eſpecially if the deceiuer bee his crafts-maſter. A fine flatterer wilbee more in the bookes of a foole; than a perfect friend. To the weake eie the cleareſt and the trueſt light is moſt offenſiue, & to the ſick of an ague, the beſt drinke is worſt: and as to children, and vntounto weomen with-childe vntimely fruite, or vnholſome foode ſeemeth better, than better meate, ſo wee ſee it in Adam, and in Adams children being in an ague and diſtempred with his fall, & (as it were) with-child with their own fancies: affection miſleadeth them, and folly maketh vsus prone to eueryevery inconuenience, and in this ſiniſter conceit, and ouer-weening were the Galathians deceiued. And it being put in their heads that Gods Lawe would doe very wel with Chriſts Ghoſpell, and that woorkes iointly with faith would the rather iuſtifie & ſaue, than faith in Chriſt alone, they were caried headlong into that moſt pernicious error, & ſo become, 1. fools in their vnderſtanding, 2. Bewitched in opinion, 3. And diſobedient to the faith, cleane contrary to their education and training vp, contrary to their owne conuerſation in the Goſpel, contrary to their former ſufferings not at al, for the Law, but only for the faith in Chriſt alone. Was this no folly?
They whoe had indured many ſtormes and dangers eueryevery way only for Chriſt, thus wilfully at the hauen where they ſhould ariue, to caſt away themſelues? Except they were bewitched and out of their wittes, they could not posſibly bee ſo, ſo diſobedient, to fall from their ſpirituall comfort, and to become as groſſe as the old Iewes for their ceremonies, & worſe than the Iewes as to dreame that any workes could ſaue, either without or yet with Chriſt, as to that purpoſe.
Workes are duties to be doone, but when wee hauehave doone al, it is Chriſt that ſaueth: and workes do not iuſtifie. That is a fleſhly, a groſſe & a fooliſh imagination. There is no ſpirit, no ſpiritual wiſedome in it, and marke, marke with an attentiue eare, and with an intentiue eie what Saint Paul auerreth and ſaith, that they were fooles not to end as they beganne, beginning as they did, in Chriſt.
The diuiſion of A firſt and A ſecond iuſtification is a fooles deuiſe in Saint Pauls iudgement.Our Papiſts tell vsus of a firſt Iuſtification and of a ſecond Iuſtification; the firſt free in Chriſt, the ſecond merited by workes. Paul telleth them they are fooles, they muſt end as they began if they wil be ſaued. Chriſt only ſaueth, onelyonly iuſtifieth, when? At firſt. And why not at laſt? Will ye beginne with Chriſt, and end in your ſelues? The author and finiſher of our ſaluation is our Sauiour, and the end is greater than the entrance, and hee that giueth vsus grace to bee iuſtified in this world, hee only giueth vsus alſo the glory of our ſaluation in the world to come. Are ye bewitched, and will yee bee fooles, charme the charmer neuer ſo cunningly?
Paul giueth vsus a faire preſident and pattern to woorke by, both, 1. In the manner of his dealing with the Galathians, 2. And alſo in his Doctrine he treated to them. 1. A leperous tongue, a fluxe of a foule mouth muſt bee ſtopped, a rauing Dogge muſt be more than muſled, the Or that goreth all that commeth in his way muſt be killed.
I deny not ſtrong wine is good, but leaſt it fume in the head, delay it with water, it will bee better. Zeale is requiſite, and he that hateth a realous Preacher, is an enemy to his ſoule, & a frind to his ſinnes: but zeale tempered with charity and diſcretion is the true zeale, a *A fire of Iuniper coales, is foreign, a zeale vngratefull, and not to be liked.ſcalding zeale and a ſcorching heate is not the fiar that worketh effectually, and ſeparateth things of disſimular and diuers natures, and vniteth men of ſimilar and like condicion, rightly and truely together: I graunt if Paul had beene a cold froſt, hee might hauehave let all alone, and ſuffer to freeſe together Lawe & Ghoſpell, Moſes and Chriſt, faith and workes, the fleſh and the ſpirite, as wee ſee in the *A cold reproofe is vnprofitable and rather freeſeth men in the dregs of ſinne, than otherwiſe.froſt ſtickes and ſtones and myre & ſuch like matters of different & diſlike natures to ſtick & freeze togither. No, Paul was zealous to barke againſt ſin, and withal, diſcreet, to do it with intent to recal ſinners, to win, and not to ſting their perſons.
The Maſtiffe is not driuen away with a fragment, nor errors with fawning looks & flattering wordes. If a man touch a nettle criſily it ſtingeth the ſooner. Paul taketh them vp in termes as before, ô ye fooliſh, &c. Yet with a meaning to amend them, & not with a trumping mind, which is too too bad in any caſe in any man to be-foole men as many doe, and which is condemned by our *Mat. 5.Sauiour.
The purpoſe of the reprouer doth make much in the manner of reprouing.The end in our actions doth diſtinguiſh our doings, and the purpoſe in our wordes doth put & make the difference in our ſayings. Saint Pauls drift was to reforme them, to reſtore them, to recall and reclaime them to their firſt eſtate, he was the ſalt of the earth to ſeaſon them with ſharpnes, and not the gall of the earth to greeue them with bitter ſpeech. And demanding whether all their former pains and his preaching ſhould thus come iuſt to nothing, and be in vaine, he qualifieth diſcreetly, and with a good affectionate correction that ſaying with this addition (If yet in vain.) He ſeeth the worſt, which was very bad, & therefore reproueth them worthily: notwithſtanding declaring his intent, & harts deſire, hee hopeth the beſt, and wiſheth that his labour and their good beginnings might not be as water ſpilt to no purpoſe, and to no profite: but all in vaine.
When the patient is paſt hope, the Phyſician wil neuer tarry: but while hee applieth Phyſicke, the ſicke man may recouer. The Galathians were farre gone, euen like ſicke-men when they katch after motes in the aire, which is a very euil ſigne: ſo they catching after ceremonies, thinges which now were leſſe worth than motes, their caſe was hard. Howbeit Paul in tender louelove, diſcreet zeal, & charitable hope, leaueth them not in their extremities. And deſireth to ranſom and redeeme if it were but a tip of an eare, or a top of a toe out of the iawes of their cruel deceauers.
2 The doctrine hee taught them is euident, what it was by their default. For if they defaulted by adiecting to the Goſpel, which could ſuffer no addition, then the ſimplicity of the Goſpel was the ſingle truth which they diſobeied, ô ye fooliſh Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the truth? Therefore he taught them the truth. He taught them neither wine, nor weomen, I meane, neither the fancies of mans braine, nor the luſts of mans hart, but the truth of God, which was the verity of the Goſpel, which alſo was the truth in regarde of former figures and types. Ioh. 1.17.The Lawe was giuen by Moſes: but grace and truth came by Ieſus Chriſt. Wherefore it was a vanity to preach other things, and a vae and a vengeance hung ouer their heads that durſt venter farder, or would not go ſo far, as not to betake them to their vnderunder-taken taske of preaching the Goſpel.
To preach and ſpeake is one thing, and to preach the Goſpel is another thing. Except the Trumpet be blowen with the breath of the Lord, it giueth an vncertaine ſound or a falſe alarum. The ſum of the Goſpel is Chriſt, and him crucified. Paul painted this doctrine among the Galathians, and Chriſt was euen crucified by him among them. Yet he was not one of them that put Chriſt to death, neither died our Sauior in Galatia, but in mount Caluery in Iury. Paul painted out Chriſt, not with th… …encil, but … is ſaid (Sed carmina maior imago) So Pauls preaching, & Pauls writing was Pauls painting.And he painted Chriſt among them, yet was he no image-maker, no Painter, no Goold-ſmith to make Crucifixes, no Carpenter to frame Roods, this was a verbal Painting, but yet a liuely deſcription of Chriſt, & that according to our ſauiours own preſcript direction. Go & preach. Not goe & paint me out.
The contents of the Goſpel ſummarily cited, and ſpeciallie reckoned vp.As in one woorde ſummarily the argument of the Goſpell is Chriſt, ſo (in ſome fewe woordes to ſaie a little more amply) the Goſpell containeth the glad yeare, the acceptable time, the ioyfull tidinges, that is, the birth, the life, the death of chriſt Ieſus. The myſtery of his incarnation, the innocency of his life, the agony of his death. The grace of his woordes, the power of his woorking, the merit of his croſſe, his mighty reſurrection, his glorious aſcenſion, his ſeſſion at the right hand with the father. The glory of Iſrael, the ioy of the Gentiles, the Sauiour of the woorld. The promiſed ſeede, the expectation of the faithful. The anoynted of God to be the Prophet of truth, the ſacrifice for ſinne, and the king of his chooſen. 3. My third note, If we looke to the Law, we ſhal find the firſt draft of this painting, to bee a groſſe, a fleſhly, a rawer kinde of knowledge fit for ſuch a people, til the fulneſſe of time when nowe God would not diſtill by droppes as before, but poure downe in plenteous ſort his ſpirite vponupon al fleſhe. 4. Wherein was, and is my fourth note of the prerogatiue and dignity of the goſpel.
But reuert wee to my ſecond note, whereon I reſt for this preſent: this goſpel, and thoſe thinges in the Goſpell and many moe of like nature, and of like ineſtimable price were the matter of Pauls preaching, and that as by one man came death and a paſſibility of and a pronenes to corruption in a guilt both of the firſt and ſecond death: ſo by one, and therefore by nothing elſe came very life, euen life euerlaſting, and not as our aduerſaries ſay, a new ability forſooth to liue, ſo that wee our ſelues will purchaſe ſaluation by woorking and deſertes of our owne. Paul did not ſo teach Chriſt.
Num. 21.As the children of Iſraell iourneyed towarde the promiſed Land, many of them waxed weary, wayward, and wanton, and their ſoule lothed the bread of heauen as a weariſh and a wateriſh foode without relliſh, they murmured againſt God and againſt Moiſes. Wherefore the Lord ſent fierie ſtinging Serpentes among them, and had not Moiſes prayed, and had not the Lord taken compasſion on them by a brazen Serpent to bee erected whereon they ſhoulde looke that they might bee recured, there was no remedy but death.
Appliably to ſpeake (for this ſtory was but a figure of Chriſt.) The brazen ſerpent a tipe of Chriſt vponupon his croſſe.In the wildernes of this world what Dragon more fierſe than ſinne? What Serpent ſo fieris as Sathan? Who ſo is ſtrung hereby, is enflamed to death in euerlaſting flames. Notwithſtanding it hath pleaſed God to preſcribe a perfect and a ſoueraigne help.
That Serpent was erected, ſo was Chriſt exalted on the croſſe, hee was crucified on the tree. And ſtil is (as it were) crucified before our eies by preaching him crucified: and in the beholding thereof is health and ſaluation. And wee may ſate in faith, that *Luk. 2.30.Simeon ſaid, when hee ſawe our Sauiour in the fleſh: Mine eyes hauehave ſeene and doe ſee my ſaluation. So effectually the preacher painteth foorth Chriſt in precious colours. And when I heare what he preacheth, by hearing commeth my faith, and my faith is fixed in Chriſt who is onelyonly and alone preached, to be A IESVS, to bee that Serpent, and to bee A SAVIOVR. This was the duetie, which Paul diſcharged. And euen as the *Mat. 2.9.Star that ſtoode right ouer the place where Chriſt was borne, ſo Paul perpendicularly and directly ſtandeth vponupon Chriſt, vponupon his natiuity, and vponupon the reſt of his life, but the *The chiefeſt argument of al our ſermons, is, Chriſt Ieſus on his croſſe.death of the croſſe was a chiefe action ſignificantly ſhewing what we eternally deſerued, and ſhould hauehave felt, if hee had not died. And therefore he painted that out moſt. Gen. 30.37And as Iacob when hee would hauehave the Ewes to yeene ſpeckled Lambs, ſtript wands & made and laid them of a party colour before the eies of the Ewes when they came to the watering trowes where they vſually were wont to engender, that they might conceaue and bring foorth accordinglie: Chriſt is our ſauiour, workes are but the dueties of Chriſtian men ſaued by Chriſt, and no ſauiours of themſelues.euen ſo when men come to the wateringes of life, when you repaire to our Lectures, Readinges and Sermons, THE CHIEFE CONCEAT we wold imprint in your mindes is Chriſt, and Chriſt as your onelyonly Sauiour, and your Chriſtian woorkes we teach not as Sauiours, but as fruites and ſignes of a ſaued people. So we preach, and ſo we teach, and ſo did Paul and all the Apoſtles and Scriptures before vsus.
The imitation of Paul in the matter of his teaching is neceſſary and pertinent to all, but Paul putteth them alſo in minde that he wrought miracles amongeſt them which was proper to that time. The motiue from miracles.And therefore we maruel to heare our aduerſaries to make anie motion and demaund for miracles, ſpecially in the waine of the woorld. For wil you heare?
Miracles are not all true, which you obtrude, nor to a good end. Many are but pipt nuts, illuſions either of falſe men, or of lying ſpirits, as that images ſhould light their owne candles, that the Roode of Naples ſhoulde giuegive the Schoole-men high thankes for deuiſing and diſtinguiſhing how they ſhould bee proportionably and duely worſhipped, a very gewgaw in diuinitie, and as true a miracle, and to as good a purpoſe, as are the reſt of your Legendary woonders.
Againe, Miracles are not for all men. *Mat. 12.A frowarde and a peruerſe Nation asketh for ſignes. Signes and Miracles are for *1 Cor. 14.infidels, and not for beleeuers.
Ezechias in his ſicknes, & Gedeon as it were in his nonage asked and had ſignes. But theſe were either willed ſo to doe, or extraordinarilie moued thereunto.
True, wee muſt neither aske ſignes vnoffered at all, nor refuſe them if they bee offered of God. But doe they forgette that they are Chriſtians? This motiue doeth argue them of incredulitie. Paul commeth not now againe to the Galathians with new ſignes and miracles, hee onelyonly remembreth them what hee did at firſt. Young plantes newly planted may bee watered. But Chriſtianitie is nowe of a good grouth. The watering by Miracles, and by extraordinarie meanes hath ceaſed ordinarily to bee, long ſince. The waies to know the truth, & true profeſſors, are no bipathes now.
I doe but reaſon: he that can and liſt to reade a moſt famous place for this queſtion, let him reſort to Chryſoſtom eueryevery where, but ſpeciallie homil. 49. In Matth. And likewiſe to Auſten, De vnitate Eccl. cap. 19. To whom alſo he ſeemeth a prodigious wonder, that ſeeketh wonders to confirme his faith *Aug. de ciuit. Dei lib. 22. c. 8. The truth of doctrine doth diſtinguiſh miracles, but miracles muſt not carie vsus from true doctrine.yet. (At theſe daies.)
And I pray you (yee Miracle-mongers) what will yee doe with your Miracles? Suppoſe yee could work wonders. For the time and queſtions ſake be it graunted you. What then? You by your Miracles would admixt your viid ſweat to our Sauiours ſacred bloode, your pilgrimages, your wil-ſeruice, your woorkes, your deedes, your pretenſed deſertes, your wicked liues to his precious death. Is this the Goſpell? Could Saint Pauls Miracles confirme the ſimplicitie of beleeuing ſtedfaſtly in Chriſt, and ſhal your miracles (think you) force vsus to a compound obiect and marke for our faith to looke on?
Whether God ſpeak, or howſoeuer he worke, hee is neuer contrarie to himſelfe, and therefore your Miracles that thus croſſe his woorde, they are not of God, wee cannot follow you by them, we care neither for you nor for them in that reſpect. Signes though true, yet without the woord are litle, but *Deut. 13.miracles thwarting his word are lies or monſters, and wee abhor them. And talke you at pleaſure of beleeuing by your miracles. If you beleeue not the Scriptures, you will not beleeue if an Angell ſhould come from heauen, or a *Luk. 16.31.dead man from his graue. Hee that refuſeth ordinary foode in Canaan, hee that will not bee inſtructed by the woorde taught by Preachers in Schooles and Vniuerſities, and in other places, but firſt learned by long endeuour, great labour and ſtudy, if hee were extraordinarily fedde with manna immediatlie from heauen, hee woulde grudge and murmur and repine no leſſe, there is no queſtion.
To conclude al that I hauehave ſaid, is: that 1. miracles are neither al good, 2. nor for all perſons, 3. nor for al times. 4. wee hauehave the olde miracles, with the trueth, and we neede no new. 5. you falſely and profanely pretend newe, to ouerthrow the olde. And ſo much for the motiue of miracles, making moſt and altogither againſt your ſelues.
6 Euen as Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſnes.
7 Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the ſame are the children of Abraham.
8 For the Scripture foreſeeing, that God would iuſtifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before hand the Goſpel to Abraham ſaying, In thy ſeede ſhal all the Gentils be bleſſed.
9 So then they which be of faith are bleſſed with faithful Abraham.
The falſe Apoſtles, & Phariſaical enchanters oppoſed two maine helps, as they dreamt, greatly furthering their commixing of Chriſt with Moſes: To wit. 1. the priuilege of the fleſh, 2. and the worthines of their works.
Paul refuſeth both. And to make the matter more manifeſt and plaine, 1. firſt of al hee depainteth out the cauſe liuely before their eies by the faireſt and moſt famous example of auncient memory, namely of Abraham. Abraham beleeued, and it was imputed vntounto him for righteouſnes. Abraham did as many good woorks, as the beſt. But he beleeued not in his works, but in God the woorker of his ſaluation.
Abrahams faith manifoldly proued to the vtmoſt.This beleefe brought him from Caldea, from his fathers houſe, from his natiue countrie and dear kindred. In this beleefe he came into Canaan, & not reſted there, but walked through it, and beeing conſtrained by famine, went into Egypt: and thorough beleefe by occaſion of grombling and churliſh ſeruants hee ſuſtained the departure of Loth, euen the loſſe and cutting off as it were his right arme, as likewiſe he tolerated, as hee might, the ſtrife and brables of Sara and Agar in his owne bozom. And for a great time the barrennes of Sara whom he moſt loued was no doubt a worme and a griefe of al griefes at his hart, but by faith he ouercame ſuch naturall paſſions, and when God willed him to number the ſtarres if he could, and ſaid, Euen ſo ſhal thy feede be, Abraham beleeued, and it was imputed vntounto him for righteouſneſſe, in that hee truſted in the promiſe and beleeued vnderunder hope againſt hope (in mans eye) but he beleeued ſtrongly and conſtantly, he ſtaggered not at the matter, neither conſidered his owne deade bodie, nor his wiues dead wombe, being moſt aſſured that hee that is almighty, might, and that God, who had ſpoken the word, would doe it indeede. Rom. 3.3.And therefore (ſaith Paul to the Romans) it was imputed to him for righteouſnes.
And yet farther when this promiſe was perfourmed to proue Abrahams beleefe, and to ſet it on the tenters, and to try whether it would hold out or no, and whether it were a firme, a true faith and a ſure, God willeth Abraham that he ſhould offer and ſacrifice vp his onelyonly ſonne which was now newe borne vntounto him, according to the promiſe.
Abraham the next *Gen. 22.3.morning without farther delay prepareth al thinges, and taketh the paines to go a iourney, and vndertaketh readily to ſacrifice his Sonne in a mountaine ſome waie diſtant off.
What? Was Abraham the man who is termed foreign? Was he without fatherly kindneſſe? Were the bowels of naturall compaſſion eſtranged from him! Was hee crueller than Dragons, and worſe than the Oſtrige, that but *Iob. 39.18.forgetteth hir kind? Or would God depriue him of wiſdom, & deuoid him of common vnderſtanding? What God entended (viz. to proue Abraham) was ſaid before.
When Iepthe was to ſacrifice his daughter, and as ſome think, not to kil her, yet he Iepthe.rent his clothes, and was ſore troubled. Ieremie.When Ieremie ſaw what befel the people whom he neuer begate, notwithſtanding his belly, his belly, his inwarde partes throbbed and yairned, and his eies were ful of tears. Dauid.DauidWhen was enformed of Abſolons death, he blubbreth and crieth: Abſolon, Abſolon, O my ſonne Abſolon. Yet was Abſolon an vngracious imp, and a rebellious child.
Iſaack, Iſaack, O my ſonne Iſaack. Why doth not Abraham vtter ſome ſuch tender words? For the Father to kill his owne and onelyonly Sonne, in the fathers extreme age, and in the childes entrance into the woorld, and with his owne hand, and without all reaſon apparent to the woorld, is more than euer was read or heard of beſides. He *Gen. 23.2.lamented greatly for the death of his wife Sara, Iſaackes mother, and doth hee ſeeme to laffe at, or to be ſo careles for the murder of his and her ſon? Or did he not louelove him for ſome ſecret reſpect?
LoueLove him? He loued Iſaack moſt dearely, as appeareth by his will and *Gen. 25.5.teſtament, hee loued him as the laſt pleadge of his and Saraes old age, as the comfort and ioy of his heart, as the delight of his eies, as the very light and life of his life, and as the gift of God to be the Original of him that ſhould come after, whoſe daies afore hand *Iohan. 8.56. Where God is the commander there is no reaſoning about the commandement.hee ſaw, and in whom he knewe all nations ſhould be bleſſed, and yet becauſe God had commaunded, without farther inquirie of the cauſes of Gods mandat, he yeeldeth ful obedience, being certainly confident in his olde and conſtant faith, that God for al this would bee as good as his woorde, and that if neede were, out of the very cinders and aſhes of Iſaack he could raiſe vp a new Iſaack, as it were a Phoenix as good as the firſt. For he that gaue him one Iſaack beſide the poſſibilitie of nature, could giuegive him another beyond the probability of mans coniecture, and therefore he ment euen with a good wil to giuegive Iſaack to God whoſe hee was, and willingly acknowledging that all was Gods, he doth as he doth in a firme faith and a ſound beliefe. And thereby Abrahams faith was the better prooued, and gods promiſe neuer the leſſe eſtabliſhed, by whoſe prouidence Iſaack was deliuered, and a Ram ſubſtituted, and this is to be knowen for euer, what God requireth of man, namely a thorough, and reſolute truſt in him, and in nothing beſide him.
Abrahams Faith is not only his ſpecial Faith, but a principal patterne to al the faithful.For the caſe is a document to the woorld, and not onelyonly a priuat matter, and a ſingular occurrent, I meane for the imitation of Abrahams great faith. And therefore he is called the father of the faithful, and an enſample of faith. Now to come to Saint Pauls purpoſe.
As the father obtained righteouſnes ſo do his children, as the roote liueth ſo doe the braunches. The way to heauen is one and the ſame that it was, and is alike to all that was to him. Abraham became a father of many nations. But was this ſpoken becauſe hee begate them? No. Abrahams fatherhood is not from his fleſh, but according to his faith.For why is it ſayd OF MANY, but becauſe there were moe to enioy the bleſſing, than euer came lineally from his loynes? Abrahams fatherhoode is ſpiritual. If it were a fleſhly prerogatiue, why ſhould not Iſmael make claime as wel as Iſaack, Eſau as Iacob, Saul as Dauid? &c. The Gentils receauing in beleefe the promiſed bleſſing, are made the children of Abraham not deſcending from his raines, but indued with his faith and beliefe. This is clearly Pauls doctrine. Then if the fleſh cannot help, can yet the works of the Lawe? No neither.
10 For as many as are of the woorks of the Law, are vnderunder the curſe: for it is written, Curſed is euerie man that continueth not in all thinges, which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them.
11 And that no man is iuſtified by the Law in the ſight of God, it is euident.
2 The cunning fine falſe fellowes in their ſecond helpe ſtoode much vponupon the worthynes of working according to the Law. You muſt and do know, what I tel you.
The parts of the Law are *Viz. to be conſidered in this caſe, and therefore I ſpeak not of the Iudicials.two. 1. either ceremonials, 2. or morals. The ceremonials conſiſt in types and ſhadowes, the morals in workes and deedes. Of the former ſort wee hauehave ſpoken, and muſt treat again more in the fourth chapter.
The moral Law is flat contrary to the nature of faith (verſ. 9.) They that are of faith are bleſſed. And as many as are vnderunder the Law, are vnderunder the curſe. *The Law and Faith flat oppoſite and contrarie.Wet & dry, heat and cold, fier and water, light and darknes, heauen and hel are not more contrary than bleſſing and curſing. The ſame ſpring cannot ſend foorth bleſſing and curſing, ſweete and ſower water. If it curſe, how can it bleſſe? And if it bleſſe not, how can it iuſtifie? But by the Lawe commeth a curſe and malediction, I ſay by the Law morall, by the Lawe of deedes. Curſed is hee that continueth not in all thinges, which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them. Among the number (of al things) I think the moral law is comprehended. (Which are written) I gheſſe, the morall Law is written in the booke of Deutronomie, and in the Tables of the *Exod. 20.Decalog as well as the ceremonial and which are written (TO DOE THEM,) and I take it (DOING) belongeth moſt properly to the Law moral, which is of deedes.
Ye papiſtes would blind vsus in the day of light, and make vsus beleeue Saint Paul ſpeaketh of the ceremoniall Lawe which curſeth and cannot bee borne, and cannot iuſtifie. But not of the Lawe morall, not of the iuſtice of the Law, which your Rabbi Vega and graund interpreter of your Tridentine conuent ſaith: *Vega. de Iuſt. lib. 14. c. 24. Paulus nunquam opponit.Paul neuer oppoſed to the Law of faith. If he neuer toldly before, this is a maſter-ly, and a ly with a witneſſe. Bleſſed are they that are vnderunder faith.).(.curſed are they that are vnderunder the Law. If curſing and blesſing be contrary, then is the Law and faith contrary, & I ſay again this repugnancy is chiefly betwixt faith and the morall Law. For therefore is the ceremonial Law in one reſpect contrary to faith, becauſe it bindeth man to the perfect obſeruation of the morals vnderunder paine of a curſe, which is a dangerous Doctrine, an abſurde opinion, and an imposſible aduenture. For Paul laieth it downe that no man is iuſtified by the Lawe, &c. Hee meaneth not onelyonly the Iewes, who ſomewhat, or among the Iewes he meaneth not only the Prieſts and Leuits and the like, who were moſt occupied in the ceremonies: but NO MAN, no not anie man where euer vnderunder the cope of heauen can bee iuſtified by the Law moral. For he meaneth that which hee thinketh might extend to any, which in his owne iudgement was not the ceremoniall, but yet by name alſo afterward, 4. Chap. the ceremoniall rite of circumciſion is reiected euen therefore, becauſe it was a couenant and inducement, and as I may ſo ſpeak, a briſſel to drawe in the yoke of the morals in the cauſes of iuſtifying, which Paul could not brooke.
So that this controuerſie of iuſtification is no new queſtion. The falſe Apoſtles were predeceſſors to the Papiſts in the chiefeſt ground of their intolerable pride of woorkes. Mary if mans workes were perfect, then the caſe were altered. And then man ſhould not be man, or the woorkes of man ſhould be perfecter than man the worker, and ſo God ſhould accept the woorke before the workdoer. But god reſpecteth firſt *Gen. 4.4.Abels perſon, & thē his work. And if the perſon be imperfect, the works cannot be perfect. And therefore mans imperfit works cānot claim by the law which requireth perfection which is far frō man ſince his fall.
The Law requireth al or none in the queſtion of iuſtifieng.The Law is not contēt with a good entrance, and a reaſonable continuance, but curſed is hee that continueth not (without interruption) in al that was written. Pharao with much adoe granted leaue vntounto Moſes to goe aſide a litle & Sacrifice. But Moſes would not accept thereof, becauſe God had commaunded him otherwiſe. And hee would not go but according to the forme preſcribed with male and female, with young and oulde, with their children & ſeruants, with their cattle & al, euē with al or with none: he would not, he durſt not leaue one houffe behind. Exod. 10.26. Iam. 3.2. The diſtinction of venial ſin is a vaine conceat.Sēblably the Law will hauehave all or none. Yet in many things wee offend al, & that not ſleightly, or venially after a Popiſh fancy, for he that offendeth in one, offē deth in all, in offending him that will hauehave all or none. And the breach of all I trow is mortal ſinne accuſing and accurſing all, and how then call you theſe prety pety venial ſins? Or how can the Law accru as cauſe of iuſtifieng, wherein ſhould & doth conſiſt euerlaſting bliſſe, whereas it layeth an heauy curſe vponupon all that leane therunto? Durgus. fo. 298.The Scottiſh Ieſuit ſaith, Moſes Law extendeth not to the leaſt pointes of the Lawe, but note: That where God commandeth, a hide, a heare, or a houffe is not to be omitted.
Other of the papiſts fondly reſtraine the worde (All) to al that go to worke only with natural faculties, and who exclude and ſhut out grace quite in offending, or els in dooing the Lawe. If this were the Galathians opinion, let the Lawe alſo winne the goal, and weare the garland. Let Papiſtes be beeleeued, and let Maſter Stapleton bee credited. No. The falſe Apoſtles in wordes and in their doctrine, euen as the Papiſts, they taught the grace of God, & annexed the Goſpell of Chriſt, & then callenged the name of Apoſtolicke teachers (though they were falſe Apoſtles in ſo doing) yea ſo far foorth, that they were reputed men linckt in and ioyned with Peter, who neuer was imagined to teach the Lawe vtterly ſecluding faith. Wherefore that is but a friuolous conceit: and therefore verily, verily if wee ſtand to bee iuſtified by the Law in what ſtate ſoeuer, the nature of the Law accurſeth, & therefore I pray you recognize your *De vniu. Iuſt. doct. lib. 6. c. 13interpretation, Maſter Stapleton, and I truſt euen as the country fellow, the more he told his geeſe, the fewer hee found them: ſo the oftner yee looke vponupon your Imaginations, the woorſe ye will like it.
But Saint Paul leaueth not the Galathians thus. If blesſing, if happineſſe, if iuſtification, if ſaluation, if life euerlaſting, (for all theſe diuers wordes in ſound, are one and the ſame in ſenſe and meaning) if theſe come not from the Law, whence come they then? Paul ſheweth.
11 For the iuſt ſhall liue by faith.
12 And the Law is not of faith, but the man that ſhal doe thoſe things, ſhal liue in them.
13 Chriſt hath redeemed vsus from the curſe of the Lawe, being made a curſe for vsus. For it is written: Curſed is eueryevery one that hangeth on tree.
14 That the bleſſing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Chriſt Ieſus, that wee might receaue the promiſe of the ſpirit through faith.
Diuerſe words may inculcat one and the ſame thing after a various manner of ſpeaking.Whereas Iuſtification cōmeth, 1. Not by the priuilege of Abrahams fleſhe, 2. Nor by dignity of workes, becauſe of the woorkers imperfection and the exact perfectnes required in the Lawe, Paul directeth three diſtinct waies, yet al of them meeting and agreeing in the end, and indeede not the waies but the woordes are diuerſe, whereby our iuſtification is vttered to be attained.
We are not iuſtified by Lawe. Whence then? 1. Firſt by faith. 2. Thē by chriſt crucified. 3. And laſtly by the promiſe of the ſpirit, and theſe three are but one. Liuing, redemption and blesſing in ſenſe is one. So liuing by faith in Chriſt, redemption purchaſed by Chriſt, and the ſpirituall promiſe of Chriſt hath not a diuerſe meaning, whereby we liue and are ſaued. For my faith is in chriſt, the promiſe was of Chriſt, and Chriſt is the perfection and performance thereof in the daies of his fleſh, and vponupon his Croſſe. But conſider we apart the variety and ſo the vehemency of the Apoſtles woordes thus varied.
Faith inſtifieth.1 The firſt ſpeech is, that the iuſt ſhal liue by faith. This was prooued, and ſufficiently proued before by the example and faith of Abraham. But abundant proofes for the foundation of chriſtian faith are not ſuperfluous, and muſt not bee tedious to eares and minds erected and ſettled to heare and marke the euidences of their ſaluation.
The Prophet Abacuc ſaith Habak. 2.4.that the iuſt ſhall liue by faith. In the end of the firſt, and in the beginning of the ſecond chapter of his propheſie, the Iewes appeere to hauehave bin in a pitiful caſe. Their enimies were no ſmall enimies. The Chaldaeans were a terrible and a feareful people, a bitter and a furious nation, wel manned, and horſes as fierſe as woolues, ſwifter than the Leopards, and of flight like the eagle haſting after her meate.
Theſe Chaldeans moleſted the Iews on eueryevery ſide, ſpoiled them as the Eaſt-wind the fruit, deuoured them as the great fiſh deuoureth the ſmal, yea they caught the Iews as it were fiſh into their nets, and *Proſperitie, & prouender in an exceſſiue meaſure marreth man & beaſt.they tooke them as faſt as they could caſt in and pul vp, and thereby they grew fat, and their portion was great and plenteous. And thereupon they wared in louelove of their own might, and wanton again with their proſperous ſucceſſe. They Sacrificed to their nets, they burnt incenſe to their yarn, they were glad in hart, ſtroked their own heads that could deuiſe, and kiſſed their own handes that had compaſſed ſo great matters.
The Iewes in this hard caſe what ſhould they doe? Round about, whereſoeuer they looked, they ſaw preſent danger, and no posſible helpe, or hope in man. Notwithſtanding God doth denounce that the pride of the preſumptuous that truſted in themſelues, ſhould come to nothing, and the iuſt ſhould liue by his faith, and his people for all this, becauſe they truſted in God, they were iuſt (euen as the Caldeans were therefore vniuſt becauſe they cruſted in themſelues) and the Iewes as they were iuſt, ſo ſhould they liue in god, in whom they truſted, euen by their faith. And therefore their iuſtification with God was their faith, and truſt in God, and in God alone, moſt then, when all helpes els failed, as appeareth in their greateſt extremities.
Workes are imperfect.Imperfect deedes were no deſerts, and could not helpe out of bodily calamities, much-leſſe in caſes of ſaluation euerlaſting, and the iuſt man beleeueth not in himſelfe, much-leſſe in his workes, his faith goeth out of himſelfe and reſteth in God through Chriſt, in whom amongſt a million or a myriad of Caldeans, in the midſt of all fierſe and falſe Catholiques, our faith in Chriſt ſhall neuer faile. We are iuſtified in Chriſt, wee are ſaued by Chriſt, we liue by Chriſt.
And thus is onelyonly faith in him, oppoſed & ſet againſt all the meritricious or meritorious putatiue deſerts of fraile and ſinful fleſh ſuppoſed to be anſwerable to the law, which can neuer bee: for if the Iewes could hauehave doone the Lawe, they might hauehave claimed of God their deliuerance for their good workes. For he that doth the things of the Law ſhal liue in them. No they needed, and ſo do all, an other redeemer which muſt ſaue them & all out of the hands of the Law and from our breaches thereof, and the Caldeans rage is but a phillip or a flea-biting to the curſe of the Lawe.
(Chriſt redeemeth:) is the only comfort of a conſcience, that hath a ſenſe of ſin and any taſt of true conſolation.2 The redemption from this curſe is Chriſt on his Croſſe, hanged on tree. The Iew ſtumbleth at this faith, and the Gentile ſcorneth this Doctrine: but the godly ſaith in hart, that which Ignatius vttered in wordes: My louelove is crucified. The obiect of my faith, the ground of my hope, the marke, the matter of my truſt and confidence, my delight, my louelove, my life, the cauſe of life euerlaſting, my ful redemption, and perfect ſaluation, my Ieſus was Crucified, and endured the curſe for my ſake.
This was no ſlender puniſhment, nor ſmall paine, and were it the griefe but of a bodily torment, it were grieuous: but our redemption was not in reſpect of the paine of the body onelyonly, or of the ſorrowes of the ſoule onelyonly, but in regarde of the ſinnes of both, and that not for one man, but for the ſinnes of the worlde.
The penitent ſinner.The better to conceiue the force of this deſerued paine, and the effect of ſinne, ſee it in a repentant ſinner: he ſtandeth farre off, he beateth on his thigh, knocketh on his breſt, hangeth downe head, watereth his eies with teares, and wearieth his heart with ſighes, and findeth no reſt in his ſoule for ſorrow of ſinnes, neither ſhould he euer finde reſt at all, were it not for this redemption which is in Chriſt. The ſtate of a forlorne caſt-away.For the reprobate who hath no part in this ſaluation, howe many bees hath hee in his head, how many pegs in his hart, how many very helles in his ſoul, how many trayterous thoughts that trouble him euerlaſtingly? Euen ſuch is the force of ſinne, where ſinners are left to themſelues.
But Chriſt our bleſſed Sauiour hath taken that vponupon him, that we could not beare, and hath endured the curſe of the Law, not for the ſinnes of one man, or in one kinde, but for the ſinnes of all the worlde Sufficiently, and for al the ſinnes of al ſortes in all his choſen Effectually, to their ful and finall redemption.
If now there be any that can chalenge any part of this ranſome, let him commenſe his action againſt our Sauiour that hath taken, and againſt Paul that hath preſcribed & giuen him the whole glory of mans redemption, as who only ſuſtained (being not onelyonly man, but God and man) the inſupportable waight of ſinne, in ſatisfieng for ſinne, in pacifieng the Father, in anſwering his iuſtice, in enduring the curſe and malediction of the Law.
From what things we are redeemed.O my brethren, let Papiſts ride vponupon a reed, or catch hold on a ragge of a tottered good woorke, this, and only this is our redemption which hath redeemed vsus from the intolerable yoke, the importable burden, and the inſufferable curſe of the Lawe, from that ſeruile feare, and legall terror which the Lawe induceth, wherein Auſtins ſhort and ſweet difference (being well vnderſtood) betwixt the Law and the Goſpell appeareth, which he deliuered to be in two wordes: FEARE and LOVE. Wee louelove good woorkes vnderunder the Goſpell, according to the rule of the Law, but we fear not the curſe of the Law, wanting that perfection which in right it requireth, for wee are redeemed and ranſomed, our debt is paid, and our curſe was aboliſhed when our Sauiour was crucified. Wee louelove him, and in louelove we liue well. but in caſe eſpecially of life euerlaſting, wee leane to no other redemption, than to his Croſſe, for ſo we liue, as we louelove, and ſo we louelove as we beleeue, and ſo wee beleeue as we know, and we know in part: Ergo we beleeue, we louelove, we liue, but in part as wee ſhould. And a partial perfection, a maimed imperfect performance of the Law, alas what can it do? It is imperfect, ſo that ſtill, and euer when wee hauehave doone what we can, we hauehave doone but that was but due, & therefore not deſeruing, for due is duty and debt, and no deſert. Nay we cannot do ſo much as we ſhould, or if wee could do all, yet wee were vnprofitable. And therefore this is our refuge, and only reſolution to cleaue to remisſion of, and vntounto the redemption from our ſins. And with what face can one and the ſame mouth craue his pardon, and challenge his guerdon? Beleeue in Chriſt, and truſt in merits? Once againe: this is the trueth we holde, and the truſt we hauehave, Chriſt is our redemption.
The bleſſing commeth by promiſe.3 The blesſing of Abraham then commeth vntounto many promiſed by God in Chriſt, & receiued by faith. For the promiſe of the ſpirit, the ſpiritual promiſe requireth no humane fleſhly helpe, but a firme faith altogither relying vponupon the goodneſſe of the promiſer. So that iuſtification, bliſſe and the heauenly inheritance commeth by promiſe, and if by promiſe, then not by the Law, verſe 18. This our aduerſaries ſee well inough, and yet againſt the heare, Rhemiſh teſt. pag. 430.I feare me, againſt their own conſcience they raue and raile at this truth, and call the woordes of the holy Ghoſt, A friuolous & a falſe euaſion of heretickes. Becauſe wee ſay That heauen is our reward not due to woorkes, (not due to the Law) but to the promiſe of God. Is this a friuolous or a falſe, or an euidētly falſe euaſion? Or is it a ſhift or an euaſion of hereticks? Verily if this be hereſie, we worſhip our God and receiue his free promiſe according to the way which you call hereſie. But in calling vsus heretickes, you terme Saint Paul an hereticke, you charge the holy Ghoſt with hereſie. And no maruel. *Old ignorant Prieſtes ſay: that S. Pole was a Sainct, but Paul was an heretique.Your olde Prieſtes were woont like bolde blind-baiards to vouch vponupon their prieſthood that Paul was an hereticke. Yea euen the old famous Fugger was content at length that Geſner ſhuld teach his children ſome peece of the Teſtament, but in any caſe they ſhould not bee trained vp in any of Pauls Epiſtles. For doubtles Paul was a very Proteſtant, a perfect profeſſor of the truth, which pardoners, maſſe-prieſts, and merit-mongers cried out againſt.
In the queſtion of Saluation, Paul ſtandeth euer vponupon Grace, Mercye, Fauour, Gift, Faith, and the promiſe, &c. And if by theſe, and namely, If by promiſe, then not by the Lawe, verſ. 18. But theſe words ſauour of hereſie, belike; ô come not neere them, leaſt they infect, and make thee an hereticke, like vntounto Paul.
Nay, my Brethren, imbrace them, and bind them vp as a treaſure, and beare in thy breſt, laie them to thy heart as the onelyonly treacle of thy ſoule againſt the daie of temptation, and the aſſault of the cruel find.
The promiſe riſeth from the goodnes of him, who promiſed, not from the deſerts of men to whom God made his promiſe.Thy woorkes when thou waſt not, coulde not prouoke God to promiſe a due ſtipend vntounto them as deſeruing, when they were not: but his promiſe was as iſhuing out of himſelfe, and therefore free and gracious, and ſo not meritted and deſerued. And if this be hereſie, by this hereſie we liue, and in this hereſie wee truſt to ende our daies, hoping after this immortality to enioy that free promiſed inheritance through Ieſus Chriſt our Sauiour.
15 Brethren, (I ſpeake according to man) though it bee but a mans teſtament, when it is confirmed, no man doth abrogate or addeth thereto.
There are three principal matters handled by our Apoſtle in the reſidue of this chapter. 1. Firſt, that inuiolably the promiſe was ſo to be receiued, as it was deliuered. 2. Then in whom the promiſe was made. 3. Thirdly when and at what time it was ſolemnly ordained.
For the due reſpect of the promiſe to bee in ſenſe ſo conſtered, as it was ment by the intendment of the promiſer, without adding or alteration, the Apoſtle condeſcendeth to the capacity of a common example in mans ordinarie experience. I ſpeake according to man. After the manner of men, taking the beſt way to be vnderſtood. The plaineſt teacher is the beſt teacher.Wher, by the waie I note: that the plaineſt waie of teathing is beſt. Not to fetch and skir about without diſtinct proofes in doctrine, and fit application.
Vain affectation in preaching.As the ignorant looſe talker is no preacher, ſo the curious Corinthian Orator is no right inſtructer. Colours of vaine affectation, minſing of phraſes, brauery of ſpeech, pruning eueryevery ſyllable as the Doue her feathers, is not worth a feather. Saint Paul ſpeaketh not to ſhewe himſelfe in the wiſedom of words. Apollo in the Acts is reported to be eloquent, but withal his might was out of the Scriptures. Lime is white and faire, but ſtone and ſand, firme and ſtrong downe-right preceptes doe better in the building vp of a good vnderſtanding. Spiders webbes and curioſities are little woorth, plaine parables, eaſie ſimilitudes, moſt familiar, and beſt knowen are euer beſt.
God that made the preachers toong could hauehave made it as woonderfully glorious as man could wiſh, but he will not hauehave his Ghoſpell ſo vttered, his Chriſt ſo preached, our faith ſo inſtructed, his truth ſo taught. Hee commandeth the conſcience, he ſeeketh not to pleaſe the itching eare. The curious eare is not the good eare.And by ſuch intiſing wordes the ſimplicity of the Goſpell leeſeth hir proper effect. For the Lorde dealeth with you as with his children, and you muſt attentiuely liſten what hee commandeth you by vsus, and not reſpect the frame of our ſentences, or the conueiance of a Rhetorical grace of vtterance.
Curioſiry in the Countrie.O Lord, Oxford ſhould not, neither doth it ſin ſo deeply in this ſinne, as doth the country. Young men, comming latelier from their ſecular ſtudies, and labours in humane learninges, come vntounto you, God be thanked for them, and a while retaine ſome more remnantes and ſpoiles of Egypt than either their elders doe, or themſelues will afterward, being farther enriched by longer trauel and exerciſe in the booke of God: and will you make and force their enſamples euen againſt their wils to preiudice a daiely or a weekely endeuour in a diſcreete, a diſtinct, and in a carefull and moſt plaine manner of deliuery? You may not. De conducendo loquitur iam Rhetore Thule. The countrie now can brooke nothing but a flaring, gaudy gariſh eloquence falſely ſo called. When ſaint Paul ſpeaketh after the manner of men, hee meaneth not thereby to tickle the eares of vaine men, but to affect their heartes, and to enſtruct their ſoules, and the rather by this his plainnes. And that is eloquence indeede.
He that hath wealth and wit withal, wil neuer bee without his wil & Teſtament made while he is in perfect health.Now to the Apoſtles purpoſe, his plaine proofe is a comparatiue proofe drawen from the teſtamentes of men, which men of olde were euer willing to make, being far vnlike our vnwiſe worldlinges now adaies, that either dare not for feare, leaſt a wiſe and aduiſed making of a wil ſhoulde cauſe them to die the ſooner, forſooth; or elſe for priuate reſpects they care not like infidels, if their friendes and familes goe togither by the eares, and fight for their goods after their diſceaſe, as it were Dogs for a bone. Whom becauſe the examples of Abraham, Iacob, Ioſeph, Moſes, and of many others cannot moue, yet mee thinketh, they ſhould bee as careful as was Achitophel, firſt to put their houſe in order before they put their foote into the graue. Who ſo liſteth to ſee a large ſcholerly reckoning in this caſe, Iohn Wolphius is as plentifull as anie I hauehave ſeene for this matter in his Commentaries on the ſecond of Kinges.
Corrupters of Testaments.Now once againe for the Apoſtles reaſon, hee argueth thus: If a man make a wil and teſtament if ſhould bee inuiolable, and it is a villanie to corrupt a mans teſtament. Looke to it you which bee witneſſes in wils. But what is man to God? Betweene the Maieſty of the Almighty God, and the ſtate of man, there is no ratable reſpect. But if a man make a wil, it muſt not be altered in part, nor abrogated in whole. See it in a caſe: If I bee the adopted ſonne of a man, onelyonly vponupon condicion that I accept thereof. And when I hauehave made acceptance, maie others, pretending neerenes of kinne, or vponupon what pretence ſoeuer elſe, annex other condicions of their owne deuiſing? By no meanes ſo.
If men deale, or ſhoulde deale thus with men, maie man deale worſe with God? Ier. 35.14.The children of Recab obeyed their father, and dwelt in tentes, and drank not wine becauſe their father commanded them ſo. The Lordes promiſes of grace and fauour whereby we are his adopted children, are his couenants, his wil, his teſtament. The ſeed of woman ſhal bruſe the ſerpents head. This promiſe was firſt made in paradiſe, but becauſe it was more ſolemnly ratified with Abraham, that in his ſeed al nations ſhould be bleſſed, the Apoſtle cited the promiſe confirmed with Abraham. And this was gods couenant, his promiſe, his teſtament to bee laied vp and kept vnuiolable in the Arke of eueryevery good conſcience, and to diſpoſe otherwiſe of this his Teſtament, than it pleaſed him the maker of the wil, is to deſpice the teſtator, albeit thou deale therein vponupon neuer ſo good a mind. Gods doing needeth not mandeuiſings.For what I pray are mens minds to gods wil, our dregs to his wine, our deuiſes to his promiſes, our Codicils (as it were) to his perfect Teſtament?
The Painter expoſeth his workmanſhip to the viewe and correction of wiſe and skilful ſightes, becauſe many eies may ſee more than one. It is not ſo with the onelyonly wiſe God, he needeth not our counſels either for his owne glorie, or for mans behoofe. Wherefore what neede the addition of the Lawe to bee mingled with his free promiſe? Why rather ſubmit we not our ſelues to his wil, and our wils to his woorde, and bleſſed couenant and teſtament? Why ſubſcribe we not to his only mercy rather than to a counterfait will pretending his mercy, but not onelyonly mercy wherein his wil was ordained? For the better clearing of this point, harken farther what Paul ſaith.
16 Now to Abraham and his ſeede were the promiſes made. He ſaith not, and to the ſeed as of many, but, And to thy ſeede, as of one which is Chriſt.
17 And this I ſay, that the couenant that was confirmed afore of god in reſpect of chriſt, the Law was foure hundred and thirty yeares after, cannot diſanul that it ſhuld make the promiſe of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance [be] of the Lawe, [it is] no more by the promiſe, but God gaue it freely vntounto Abraham by promiſe.
The Phariſies thought that al in al was in Abrahams perſon, & in his poſterity after the fleſhe. Saint Paul ſheweth that the roote of the bleſſing was neither in him nor in his al along deſcending naturally, but IN A SEEDE, not in ſeedes, as in many, nor in any, but onelyonly in the promiſed ſeede, and this ſeede hee expreſſy meaneth to bee Chriſt: To thy ſeede as of one which is Chriſt: the ſeede of the woman, the ſeede of ſeedes, the ſpiritual Iſaack, the ſeede of Abraham, the author of life, the bound of al the promiſes which is Chriſt perfourmed. And ſuch as is the performance, ſuch was the promiſe. Saint Paul telleth vsus this ſeede was but one, for Chriſt is but one. Wherefore in the waie of ſaluation, wee repaire neither to Abraham, nor to Abrahams race, much leſſe to other men or meanes, but onelyonly to the promiſe, which had his accompliſhment fully and wholy in Chriſt.
In few, out of the former reſpectes I gather theſe ſhort inferences and concluſions: 1. The bleſſing is of promiſe, ergo free, and not of deedes foregoing or foreſeene. 2. The bleſſing was a free gift to Abraham, ergo moſt free. 3. The bleſſing was in one certaine ſeed, ergo not in many. 4. And in one alone, ergo not in any thing elſe, and this one was Chriſt accordingly perfourmed, as hee was firſt promiſed to bee the ſole and only Sauiour al-ſufficient of all that truſt in him to bee ſaued.
1 Yet ouer and aboue the former conſiderations, the obſeruation of the time when the promiſe was granted to Abraham maketh the matter quite out of doubt touching the freeneſſe of the promiſe.
This couenant of the promiſe was made, and a bargaine is a bargaine amongſt men, Gods promiſes are infallibly conſtant.but God is not as man that he can riſe and ſit, eb and flow, neither wil he repent, but where he promiſeth, and as hee freely promiſed, ſo will hee not after and change his promiſes.
This promiſe and couenant was made fourteene hundred and thirty yeares before the Lawe was made in mount Horeb. It was made, & ſhal it not ſtand? The Law moral giuen in the mountaine cannot be ioined with Chriſt.It was made ſo long before, and ſhal the Law (I ſay the Lawe not ceremoniall as the Papiſtes doe, but the Law of the two tables, and the ten commandementes made in mount Horeb:) Shal this Law comming ſo long after diſanull the Lordes former promiſe? God is not contrarie to himſelfe either in the eſſence and ſubſtance of his being, or in order or tenor of his doings and ſayinges. His promiſe is a promiſe, and as it was free at firſt in the promiſe, ſo is it free in the perfourmance, free then, and free now, and for euer free. For Gods after-doinges doe not thwart or contrarie his former deedes, which muſt needs be if Righteouſnes ſhould come by the Law.
19 Wherefore then [ſerued] the Law? It was added becauſe of tranſgreſſions, till the ſeede came, vntounto the which the promiſe was made: and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not of one; but God is one.
1 When the Lawe entred, and what that inferreth ferreth hath beene ſaid: Now ſee, 2. why it entred, and in whom it ended.
2 It entred becauſe of tranſgreſſions, to teach vsus our faultes, and ſo to traine vsus to Chriſt, in whom it ended. Yea when the Law was firſt made in great maieſty by the reaſon of the preſence of angels and other circumſtances of great reuerence, euē then it was ordained in the The variety of expoſitions vponupon this place is an endles laberinth. I hauehave ſhortly paraphraſed what I thinke.hands, and in ſtrength of a mediatour to follow. And a mediator is of things different in themſelues and contrary. Wherefore the Lawe and the promiſe are contrarie and not one, though God in geuing his Lawe, and in making the promiſe bee one. Yet becauſe the former reaſon might bee miſconſtred, as if Paul ſaide that in al reſpectes they were contrarie, he queſtioneth as followeth.
21 Is the Lawe then againſt the promiſe of God? God forbid: for if there had beene a Lawe giuen which could hauehave giuen life, ſurely righteouſnes ſhould hauehave beene by the Law.
22 But the Scripture hath concluded al vnderunder ſinne, that the promiſe by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be giuen to them that beleeue.
How the Law is contrary and not contrary to the promiſe.Theſe wordes (Is the Lawe then contrary to the promiſe? God forbid.) may ſeeme to reuoke what I ſaid right now. For I ſhewed that they were contrary, and I ſay they are contrary. But (my brethren) miſtake me not, but marke (I pray you) marke what I ſay, and how I vouch all that I ſay out of our Apoſtle: If there had beene a law which coulde hauehave giuen life, then what needed Chriſt? If the Scriptures had not concluded men vnderunder ſin, what had needed the promiſe? So that the Law fulfilled (if it could be) by men, is contrarie to the promiſed ſaluation by God. But when we looke into the glaſſe of the Law ſhewing our tranſgresſings, into the Scriptures concluding al, Rom. 3.9.euen A L, without exception of any, vnderunder ſin, the Lawe and Scriptures ſend vsus & ſchoole vsus to Chriſt, and ſo the Law being thus lawfully vſed is not contrary to the promiſe, God forbid, but a ſeruiceable helpe to driue vsus to Chriſt, in whom we finde that which the Law will neuer allow vsus.
If we ſeeke life in the Law, it is a killing letter; if ſaluation, it worketh condemnation; if righteouſneſſe, it concludeth all vnderunder ſinne; if reſt, it is a temporall ordinance and endured but till the ſeed came, & in the ſeede was made the free promiſe, and is obtained the perfect blesſing by faith in Chriſt of al that beleeue. The Law conſidered in it ſelf, what it workethThe Lawe cannot teach thus much, but he that looketh into the law, and ſeeth his ſinnes will ſeeke for helpe, I wis not in his deedes, or in the Lawe: Mat. 13.and when hee hath found it in the Goſpel, he will not leaue it for all the geld, Iewels and treaſures in the world.
23 But before faith came we were kept vnderunder the Lawe, as vnderunder a gariſon, and ſhut vp vntounto that faith which ſhould afterward bee reuealed.
24 Wherefore the Lawe was our ſchoolemaſter to Chriſt, that we might be made righteous by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, wee are no longer vnderunder a ſchoole-maſter.
The lawfull vſe of the Law was, & ſome-way to ſome may be in caſes, to be by reſemblance, 1. A priſon, 2. A ſchoole-maſter, 3. A tutor. A priſon for the guiltie, a ſchoole-maſter for the vnskilful, A tutor as it were to the ward and pupil. For this third ſimilitude, wee will debate more in the beginning of the next Chapter.
The Law a priſon.1 For the firſt ſimilitude of the three, no doubt they which were in priſon, and felt what it was to be in priſon, and what it was to be deliuered, longed to be deliuered. And when the deliuerance came, which was Chriſt, the keeper yeelded vp his keies, the doore of the priſon was opened, and the priſoners ſet at that good liberty which wee call, and is a Chriſtian liberty, no carnall ſecurity.
The Law a ſchoolemaſter.2 The Law alſo was a ſchoole-maſter, and that in two reſpects: either becauſe of their ceremonies, or els for their morals. The ceremonies kept the Iewes in on eueryevery ſide, and ſequeſtred them from other people: the decalog and morall Law followeth them hard and driueth them and vsus all to confeſſe our weakeneſſe, and ſo ſchooleth vsus to craue aide of Chriſt, becauſe it was vtterly imposſible to reach home, and to attaine vntounto the hauen of bleſſedneſſe by the Law, and ſo the Lawe in this meaning becommeth deſeruice-able to force vsus to Chriſt, and being nowe in Chriſt, our dutifull obedience proceedeth of faith and truſt in his mercy, not vponupon a performance of his Lawe, which if we could and did performe, Chriſt might be excluded. For why came Chriſt, but to free vsus from the priſon, and to take vsus out of the hand of our former ſchoolemaſter? Theſe ſimilitudes are pregnant and plaine to this ſenſe, and to this ſenſe only Paul doth apply them.
26 For ye are all the ſonnes of God by faith in Chriſt Ieſus.
27 For yee that are baptized into Chriſt, hauehave put on Chriſt.
28 There is neither Iew, nor Graecian, there is neither bond, nor free: there is neither male, nor female, for ye are all one in Chriſt Ieſus.
29 And if yee bee Chriſts, then are ye Abrahams ſeede, and heires by promiſe.
And when we are once preferred vntounto, and receiued of Chriſt, 1. We are the ſonnes of God in Chriſt, 2. Wee are baptized into Chriſt, 3. Wee hauehave put on Chriſt. Here is no mention of the Law, here is no difference of peoples, Iew or Graecian, no diſtinction in condition, bond or free: no reſpect of ſex, male, or female. All are one in chriſt. and if we be Chriſts, it followeth by neceſſary ſequele that we are Abrahams ſeede, and heires of the promiſe without the Law now, as well as hee was, long before the Law was made.
O Chriſtian man, what art thou? Know thy calling and conſider the bleſſed ſtate of Chriſtian profesſion: thou art the ſonne of God, but by what meanes? Through faith. In whome, and by whoſe merit? In Chriſt.
Chriſtian Baptiſme diſproueth iuſtification by the Law.As many things demonſtrate this truth, ſo in the Church doth baptizme being receaued of all ſorts and ſexes generally moſt euidently declare the ſame.
The bath of thy regeneratiō doth tel thee who art baptized into Chriſt, that thou thereby haſt an entrance into his family, and canſt not ſerue anie maſter but him.
And as when men enter into a Bathe, they put off all their apparell before they enter: ſo all elſe, Law and nature, workes of either, and al muſt be put off, that chriſt may be put on. Reuel. 12.1.Veſtis virum indicat. It thou bee a Chriſtian, thou art onelyonly cladde with Chriſt. The whole Church in the reuelation walketh and treadeth all mutable thinges vnderunder her feete, and ſhe is attired onelyonly with the Sonne of righteouſneſſe, with the cloth of his ſpinning, and which was made of that wol that he the innocent and immaculate Lambe of God did beare.
The motiue of being of the religion they were baptiſed in.Many among you ſay they wil be of the religion they were baptized in. And ſo wee deſire them to bee, and not in part, but euen altogether of the ſame religion they were baptized into. For wil ye liue as yee beleeue? But wil you beleeue as you were baptized? We require no more.
The ſubſtance of Baptiſme preſerued in the mids of Popery.By the ſpeciall prouidence of God aminds the contentions not onelyonly of old in the Church of Corinth the very forme of Baptizme was retained, but alſo in later times of greateſt corruption the ſubſtance of Baptizme was preſerued. I ſpeake not of ſpetle in the childs mouth, of ſalt in the water, or oyle in his breſt, of the Prieſts breathings, and ſuch like impertinent ſuperſtitions. But for the forme and ſubſtance of Baptiſme, it was preſerued, and therein yee were baptiſed into Chriſt and hauehave put on Chriſt, if yee bee Chriſtes. And now deare brethren and Chriſtians, be of this religion on Gods name, and in Gods behalfe I hartily pray you, which if you wil be ſeriouſly and entirely and as you ſhould, the Dagon of al Popery wil fal and break to fitters before this Arke, and then you ſhal be indeede as you are or would be in name, true Chriſtians, right Catholiques, the very ſeede of Abraham and heires of the promiſe, made in that one ſeede, by whom and in whom all happines doth come and conſiſt.
And it woulde bee noted diſtinctly heere in the laſt verſe of this chapter, which was touched before, that all who beleeue are called the ſeede and right poſteritie of Abraham, but yet that there was, and is but one ſeed, which is Chriſt, by whom his whole ſeede and race els are bleſſed according to the faith.
How man is made bleſſed in the ſeede of man.And albeit it ſeeme in the eie of a reaſoning head, a very harde and impoſſible thing, that bleſſing ſhould come at all by the ſeede of any man, yet this is a caſe beyond the reach of reaſon, and rules of nature. By nature, who can ſay my hart is cleane, much leſſe the ſeede, and that in ſuch an effect as to clenſe others? And yet by that one ſeede is ment the perſon of Chriſt, and by Abrahams ſeede is generally ment the whole race of beleeuers, yet with al the very matter of propagation is thereby inferred and therefore named. Luck. 1.And our Sauiour was the very ſeede of the woman, the ſeed of Abrahā, & & the frute of the virgins womb, perfect man, & yet far from ſin. How may this be? How? What if I cā not tel how in reaſon, a ſtone ſhoulde bee cut of the mountaine without handes, howe the drie and deade ſtocke of Ieſſy ſhould ſpring and fructifie, how a virgine ſhould conceaue and beare a child, and yet remaine a virgine? Theſe are articles of faith, and not of ſenſe, nor of reaſon.
Mans corruption is and was in his qualities, and not in his ſubſtance.This is ſure, the ſeede of man, and man in his ſubſtance was not corrupted with Adams fall, for then Chriſt taking the ſubſtance of our nature ſhoulde hauehave beene ſinfull in nature, but hee was like and of the ſame ſubſtance, yet was there this difference onelyonly of his being farre from ſinne in the qualities of man in ſinning, and all this well was and might bee, becauſe hee was not ſimply man of the ſeede of man, but God manifeſted in the fleſh, and Marie his Mother conceauing him, ſhe beeing ouer-ſhadowed by the holy Ghoſt. The powerful vertue whereof doth ſanctifie yea many a man in good part euen in this woorld. And as after our diſſolution from this world immediatly our ſoules, and our bodies at the reſurrection generally in the twinckling of an eye, and moment of time ſhalbee purified before they enter that place, whereinto Reuel. 21.27.No impure thing can enter: So great reaſon that the cauſe of our entrance into Heauen ſhould bee, as no doubt hee was, deuoid of ſinne, a moſt bleſſed ſeede, though a ſeede, yet a ſeede blesſing and imparting of his bleſſedneſſe, whereby wee are heires and coheires with him, and by him of euerlaſting bliſſe. And this is the myſterie of piety, The incarnation of Chriſt, a matter to bee beleeued, and not to bee argued or talked of, but with dewe aw, and that out of the expreſſe Scriptures, for our greater comfort and conſtancy in beleeuing. (*⁎*)