Sermons on Galatians, Argument
The Argument of Saint Paules Epiſtle to the Galathians:
IT is wel inough knowne in what part of the leſſer Aſia the Galathians dwelt, and how farre their Countrey reached, but as concerning their originall, and the place from whence they came first, the auncient Authors are not all of one mind. They all agree that they were Galles, yea and thereof they bare their name: for they were called Galgreekes, of a word compounded of Gal and Greeke▪ But the thing that hangeth in doubt, is out of which quarter of Galland they came. The Geographer Strabo thinketh that thoſe Galles whiche were called Tectoſages, came out of the Countrey of Prouince, and otherſome ſay they came out of Gall Celtike, which is the commoner opinion▪ Howbeeit for as much as Plinie maketh the people of Amiens to be next neighbours to the Tectoſages: and all Authors wel-neare agreee that the Toliſtobogians were their companions which dwelled about the Rhyne: I take it to be most likely that they were of Gall Belgike which is the loweſt Countrey vponupon the riuer of Rhyne towards the English Sea. For the Toliſtobogians hilde the Countrey that is nowe called Cleuelande and Brabant. The common errrour (in mine opinion) grew vponupon this, that a companie of the Tectoſages being caſt vponupon the Countrey of Prouince, tooke poſſeſsion of it, and reteyning ſtill their olde name, conueyed ouer the ſame to the Countrey which they had conquered. And that is the thing which Auſonius the Poet of Burdeaux meeneth when he ſayeth, vntoo the Tectoſages, which were first named Belgians. For hee called them Belgians, and dooth vsus to vnderſtande that they were earſt named …toſages in ſted of Tectoſages. VVheras Caeſar placeth them in the black Foreſt, which in thoſe dayes was called Hercinia, or Hertſwald: I beleeue it happened by ſhifting of places, bycauſe they were retired thither out of their owne Countrey: which thing may be gathered by Caeſars owne ſaying, where he maketh mention of them. But we hauehave ſpoken ynough of their originall for this time. Plinie reporteth of the Galathians which dwelt in that part of Aſia, which was called after their name, that lyke as they were deuided into three principall peoples, that is too witte, the Tectoſages, Toliſtobogians, and Tro… mannes: ſo alſo they had three head Cities. Now for as much as they were there among neighbours of ſmall proweſſe, and nothing well trayned too the warres: they ſpedde their buſineſſe ſo well in times past, that the greater part of the leſſer Aſia became tributarie too them. But in the ende they grewe out of kinde, and by little and little lost their courage, giuing themſelues ouer to pleaſures and wantonneſſe. By meanes whereof Cneus Manlius the Romane Conſull vanquiſhed them in battell without any great adoo, and ſubdued them too the Empyre, vnderunder the whiche they were in the time of Saint Paule. Nowe although he had taught them the Goſpell faithfully: yet crept there in falſe Apostles in his abſence, which corrupted his good ſeede by their falſe and wicked doctrine: for they taught that the keeping of Ceremonies was ſtill neceſſarie. It might hauehave ſeemed at the first bluſhe too hauehave beene a matter of no greate importance: but Saint Paule debateth of it heere as of the cheefe article of the Christen fayth. And good reaſon, for it is no ſmall miſcheefe, when the light of the Goſpell is quenched, when mennes conſciences are clogged, and when all difference is taken away betweene the olde and newe Testament. Furthermore, he ſawe there was a wicked and miſcheeuous opinion interlaced with thoſe errours: whiche was, that menne maye deſerue or earne rightuouſneſſe: and that is the cauſe why hee contendeth with ſo great vehemencie and force. VVherefore ſeeing wee bee warned what will followe vppon the matter that is treated of heere: let vsus reade it with diligence. If a man ſhoulde iudge the cace by the Commentaries of Saint Ierome and Origen: hee woulde maruell why Saint Paule was ſo whote for any outwarde Ceremonies. But if a man looke too the welſpring, hee ſhall finde that the things were well worthie too bee handled ſo ſharpely. And for as much as the Galathians ſuffered themſelues too bee turned out of the right way through ouergreat ſimplicitie or light beleefe, or rather through inconſtancie and fondneſſe: therefore dooth hee rebuke them the more ſharpely. For I am not of their minde which thinke that Saint Paules rough handling of them, was bicauſe they were naturally dull witted, and hard of vnderstanding. The Epheſians and Colloſsians had beene tempted as well as they. Now if they had lightly giuen place too the trumperie of the falſe Teachers, as the Galathians did, thinke wee that Sainct Paule woulde hauehave ſpared them? Then was it not the peoples nature that made him ſo bolde as too be in thatchafe with them, but rather the vnwoothineſſe of the matter compelled hym too doo ſo▪ Nowe that wee vnderstande the cauſe why thys Epistle was written, let vsus come too the order and maner of proceeding whiche hee keepeth in it.
In the two firſt Chapters, hee indeuereth to mainteyne the authoritie of his Apostleſhippe, ſauing that towardes the ende of the ſeconde Chapter, hee entereth by occaſion intoo the cheefe poynt, that is too witte intoo the question of Iustification, howbeeit that the peculiar place where hee handeleth that matter of ſette purpoſe too the full, is the thirde Chapter. And although that in thoſe twoo Chapters, hee ſeeme too treate of many things, yet his drift is but too proue himſelfe equall with the greatest Apoſtles, and that there is not any default in his owne perſone why hee ſhoulde not bee taken for an Apostle, and bee as highly eſteemed as the rest. Neuertheleſſe it is good too vnderstande too what purpoſe hee laboureth ſo muche too mainteyne his owne reputation. For what matter makes it whither hee bee greater or leſſer than Peter, or whither there bee no oddes at all betwixte them: prouided that Ieſus Christ reigne, and that his doctrine abide pure and vncorrupted? Seeing that all other must bee diminiſhed too the ende that onelyonly Ieſus Christ may growe: it is in vaine to ſtriue … the prerogatiues of men. Furthermore it may alſo be demaunded, why hee compareth himſelfe with the rest of the Apostles? For what oddes was there betwixte Petr, Iames, and Iohn? VVhat needed it then to ſet one agaynst another after that maner, where ther was ſo good vnitie and agreement? I anſwer, that the falſe Apoſtles which had abuſed the Galathians, had ſhrowded themſelues vnderunder the names of the Apostles, as though they had bin of their ſending, to the intent to be the better welcom, and to worke their matters the eaſlyer. It was a trim way too winde themſelues in, and too purchace authoritie, to make them beleeue that they repreſented the Apostles, and that the Apostles ſpake as you woulde ſay, by their mouth. And in ſo doing they defaced the name, power and authoritie of the Apostle Saint Paule. For they alledged that hee had not bin choſen by our Lorde for one of the twelue, nor bin acknowledged for ſuch a one by the rest of the Apostles, and that hee had not receyued his doctrine, not onelyonly not of Ieſus Christ himſelfe, but alſo not of any of his Apostles. By this meanes not onelyonly Sainct Paules authoritie was diminiſhed, but alſo he himſelf eſteemed much inferiour to them, as one that was no better than one of the common ſort. If the matter had touched no more but their perſones: it had bin al one with Saint Paule to hauehave bin counted among the leaſt diſciples. But ſeeing that the doctrine was by that meanes diſcredited: he ought not to hold his peace, but rather to crie out agaynſt it. L… what the wilineſſe of Satan is: when he dares not aſſayle the doctrine openly, hee laboureth too deface the Maieſtie of it by ouerthwart wayes. Therefore let vsus remember that the truth of the Goſpell was aſſayled in Sainct Paules perſone. For if hee had ſuffered himſelfe to hauehave bin bereft of the honour of Apostleship, it had followed that he had thitherto taken more vponupon him than became him: and ſo, that falſe bragging of his ſhoulde alſo hauehave made him to bee ſuſpected in all other things. Againe, vppon that verie poynt depended the authoritie of his doctrine, for ſo much as it had not bin receyued as a thing proceeding frō an Apoſtle of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, but as from ſome common diſciple. On the otherſide it had bin darkened and defaced by the brightneſſe of the names of great perſones. For the falſe Apostles glorying of the tytles of Peter, Iames, a…d Iohn, tooke Apostolicall authoritie too themſelues alſo. Now… if Saint Paule had not withſtoode ſuch boaſting earnestly and …t…utly: it had bin a yeelding vntounto vntruth, and a ſuffering of Gods truth to bee oppreſſed in his perſone. Therefore hee ſtryueth in good earnest to ſhewe both the one and the other: that is too witte, that the Lorde had ordeyned him to be an Apostle, and alſo that he was not inferior to any of the others, but had the like dignitie and authoritie that the reſt had, according to the name which he bare as well as they▪ He might well hauehave denied that thoſe Gallants were ſent of Peter and his fellowes, or that they had any charge or commiſsion from them. But this defence is of farre greater weight, when he ſayeth that he him ſelfe is of as greate authoritie as the verie Apoſtles. For if he had ſpoken any lowlier, it would hauehave ſeemed that he had not bin well aſſured of his cace. Ieruſalem was at that time▪ the moother of all Churches, bicauſe the Goſpell flowed from thence intoo all the world, and it was as the chiefe ſeate of Chriſtes kingdome. All they that came from thence too other Churches, were honorably receiued, and good reaſon. Howbeeit there were a number which were puffed vp with pride bicauſe they had beene familiar with the Apostles, or at leastwiſe had beene trayned vp in their ſchoole: and therefore they could away with nothing which they had not ſeene at Ieruſalem. All other maner of dealings which had not bin vſed there, they not onelyonly reiected, but alſo boldly condemned. Such waywardneſſe and pe…uiſhneſſe is a daungerous plague, when wee will needes hauehave the cuſtome of any one Churche too bee receiued for an vniuerſall Lawe. And that proceedeth of an vnaduiſed zele, when wee bee ſo affectioned to ſome maiſter or place, that without any iudgement we will bind all men to that one mannes minde, or all places too the ordinances of that onelyonly on…place, as to a common rule. Soothly there is alwaies ambition mingled▪ with that maner of dealing, or to ſpeake more rightly, ſuche ouer great waywardneſſe is alwaies full of vainglorie. But too returne too theſe falſe Apoſtles, if their fooliſh fondneſſe had led them no further than onelyonly to aſſay too bring in the vſe of the Ceremonies eueryevery where, which they had ſeene kept at Ieruſalem: they had done ill inough already: For there was no reaſon why they ſhould of a cuſtome make by and by a common rule. But there was yet a further miſchief: namely their wicked and harmefull doctrine, whereby they ment too bind mennes conſciences, and to ground rightuouſneſſe in the keeping of Ceremonies. Nowe wee vnderſtand why S. Paule ſpeaketh ſo earneſtly in defence of his Apoſtleſhip, and wherefore he ſetteth himſelf againſt the other Apoſtles.
He purſueth that matter till towardes the latter end of the ſecond chapter, where he openeth a gap to treate of his peculiar matter: that is to wit, that wee be iuſtified freely before God, and not by the workes of the Lawe. For the reaſon wherevpon he groundeth himſelf, is this: If the Ceremonies bee not able too iustifie a man, then is not the keeping of them neceſſarie. Howbeeit, he treateth not only of Ceremonies, but of workes in generall: for otherwiſe it were but a very colde diſcourſe. If any man thinke that this is a drawing aloofe from the matter: Let him conſider twoo things. Firſt that the queſtion coulde not otherwiſe bee reſolued than by taking that generall principle, that we be iuſtified freely by the only grace of God: which principle excludeth not onelyonly Ceremonies, but alſo all other woorkes. And ſecondly that S. Paule ſtoode not ſo much vponupon the Ceremonies themſelues, as vponupon the wicked opinion that folowed them: that is too wit, of purchacing ſaluation by woorkes. Therefore let vsus marke that the holy Apostle dealeth not impertinētly, in beginning his matter ſo farre off, but that it ſtoode him on hand too touche the welſpring of the whole matter, to the end that the readers might vnderſtand, that the thing whiche he dealeth with heere is no trifle, but of moſt importance aboue all others: too wit, by what meane wee obteyne ſaluation. They then doo miſtake their marke, which imagine that the Apoſtle ſtandeth vponupon the particular point of Ceremonies: for that could not be well delt with alone by it ſelf. VVee hauehave a like example in the fifth of the Actes. There fell a contention and debate about Ceremonies, too wit, whither▪ they were needefull to bee kept or no. For the reſoluing of this queſtion, the Apostles ſet downe the vntolerableneſſe of the yoke of the Lawe, and the free forgiuing of ſinnes. To what purpoſe doo they that? For it ſeemeth too be an impertinent digreſsion, and that they leape out of the propounded matter without reaſon. But it is not ſo: For the particular errour could not be liuely diſproued, but by taking a generall propoſition. As for example: if it behoued mee too reaſon in defence of the eating of fleſh: I ſhould not onelyonly make mention of meates, but I ſhould alſo arme my ſelf with the generall doctrine, and ſhew whither mennes traditions ought to binde mennes conſciences: and by and by I would take this ground. That there is but one Lawegiuer which hath power too ſaue and too destroy. To bee ſhort S. Paule conueyeth his argument heere from the generall to the particular negatiuely, which is a very ordinarie maner of reaſoning, & moſt agreeable to nature that can bee. Furthermore if we go to the bodie of the Epiſtle, woe ſhall ſee by what textes and reaſons he proueth this ſentence, that we be iustified by the onelyonly grace of Chriſt. This matter he handleth too the end of the third Chapter.
In the beginning of the fourth, he treateth of the right vſe of Ceremonies, and wherfore they were ordeyned: and there he ſheweth alſo that they be aboliſhed. For it behoued him too preuent this abſurditie which would hauehave run by & by in eueryevery mans head, To what purpoſe then were the Ceremonies ordeyned? VVere they vtterly needeleſſe? did the fathers loſe their labour in keeping them? Hee diſpatcheth both the one and the other in fewe woordes, ſaying that they were not ſuperfluous in their time, but that they be now aboliſhed by the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, bicauſe he is the very truth and ende of them. And therefore he ſheweth that we muſt reſt vponupon him. Alſo in that place he ſheweth wherein our ſtate differeth from the ſtate of the fathers. VVherevpon it followeth that the doctrine of the falſe Apoſtles is lewde and daungerous, bicauſe it darkeneth the brightneſſe of the Goſpell with the old for worne ſhadowes. He intermedleth certaine exhortations with his doctrine, too moue mennes affections: and towardes the end of the Chapter he beautifieth his diſcourſe with a goodly Allegorie.
In the fifth Chapter he exhorteth them too keepe the freedome purchaced by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, too the ende they ſhould not yeeld their conſciences in bondage too mennes traditions: Neuertheleſſe he therewithall admoniſheth them alſo wherein that freedome conſiſteth, and which is the true and right vſe of it. And too the ſame ende he ſheweth whiche bee the true exerciſes of chriſtenfolke, too the intent they ſhould not loſe their time in muſing vppon Ceremonies, and in the meane while leaue the chiefe things vndone.
FINIS.