Westminster Annotations, Galatians 2
ANNOTATIONS ON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE Apostle to the GALATIANS.
CHAP. 1.
Vers. 1. NOt of men, neither by man] Or, from men. Not of men: not by the Apostles, as Matthias was made an apostle; nor by the suffrages of any particular Church, as Barnabas and Silas; nor by any man, that is, any mortall man, or any meere man; but by Christ God and man, after his resurrection. This description the Apostle addeth of purpose to maintain his Apostolicall calling, and authoritie, against the slanders of the false Apostles, who gave out that he was not lawfully called to the Apostleship. For there are two sorts of lawfull callings to the Ministery of the word: ordinarie and extraordinarie: the ordinarie being indeed of God; but yet by men following therein the order of God, and such is the calling of the ordinarie Ministers of the word: and other calling there is without humane meanes, of and by God; or the Lord Christ himselfe; and such was the calling of the Prophets in the Old Testament, and the Apostles in the New. This calling is extraordinarie, and ever accompanied with the gifts of infallibilitie, or never erring in doctrine, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Joh. 16. 13. Now that the Apostle Paul had such an extraordiinary calling is clearely proved, and the manner thereof described, Act. 9.
but by Jesus Christ] Christ no doubt is man, but he is God also, and head of the Church, and in this respect exempted out of the ordinary number of men: the Apostles meaning is, that no meere man whosoever was the authour, meanes, or instrument of his calling to be an Apostle; and therefore it is not onelyonly lawful, but altogether divine and equall to that of the rest of the Apostles; which the Apostle urgeth, to stop the mouthes of the false Apostles that vilifed his ministery in comparison of others, to the end that they might introduce the necessitie of the Mosicall ceremonies, which the Apostles made use of among the Jewish novices, but Paul had quite casheried amongst the Gentiles.
V. 4. Who gave himself for our sinnes] Gave himself to death to expiate our sinnes by his most precious blood.
deliver us from] Gr. take us out.
present evill world] Out of that most corrupt state which is without Christ, Joh. 17. 15.
V. 5. for ever and ever] Gr. for, or to worlds of worlds.
V. 6. removed] He useth the passive voyce to cast the fault upon the false Apostles, and the Present Tence, foreign, to give them to understand, that it was not already done, but in doing.
from him that called you] Either from God who of his great mercy called you inwardly to the knowledge of his free grace in Christ; or from me who called you outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel to the grace of Christ.
V. 7. pervert the Gospel of Christ] For there is nothing more contrary to free justification by faith, which is the summe and main scope of the Gospel, then to maintain justification by the Mosaicall rites or the works of the Law.
V. 8. though we, or an angel from heaven] Or, if we. This is an impossible case, but the Apostle by propounding it, most confidently averreth the cetainty of the curse that shall come upon those that preach any other Gospel. See the like forme, John 8. 55. if I should say I know him not, I shall be a lyer; and 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3.
other Gospel unto you, &c.] Adding of his own invenon any thing unto the substance of the doctrine, any Article of faith, or sacrament; which was the practise of the false apostles, teaching, that we must be justified, not by faith alone, but by Mosaicall rites also, and the works of the law. And it is worthy the observing, that the Apostle saith not, If we or an Angel from heaven preach unto you any Gospel contrary to that which we have preached; but, foreign, beside that, or other then that we have preached whereby he insinuates, saith Chrysostome and Oecumenius, that it is an accused thing to make any the least addition to the doctrine of the Gospel Revel. 22. 19.
then that] Gr. beside that.
V. 9. then that] Gr beside that.
V. 10. perswade men, or God] or, make faith to men, or, seeke to endeare our selves to men; or, plead my cause before men. That is, do I perswade you to obey men, or God? or, do I study to please, or seek to approve my self and my ministery to men, or to God? for so the word foreign sometimes signifieth; as in that proverbiall verse, foreign.
for if I yet pleased men] If I should yet seek to please men, as I did when I was zealous of the traditions of my fathers, and persecuted the Church of God extremely, to gain the more favour of mine own Nation, I should not be a true servant of Christ, but dissemble with God and the world.
V. 12. revelation of Jesus Christ] Whehter this revelation was when he journied to Damascus and was smitten to the ground, and there shone round about him a light from heaven, and Christ spake unto him, Acts 9. 5. as Saint Jerome conceiveth; or when he was rapt up into Paradise, 2 Cornith. 12. 4. as Aquinas imagineth, it cannot be certainly defined; onelyonly this is certain, that Saint Paul had the knowledge of the Gospel by immediate revelation from Christ.
beyond measure, &c.] See Acts 9. 1.
V. 14. above many mine equals in mine own Nation] Gr. equals in years.
traditions of my fathers] Either he meaneth the Pharisaicall traditions, for he was a Pharisee, and the sonne of a Pharisee: Or, he may understand by traditions such ordinances as his fathers received from God himself: but with this erroneous opinion of the Pharisees, that he might be justified before God for those legall observations. This Text seemeth to be parallel to Phil. 3. 6. Concerning zeal. persecuting the Church, touching the righteousnesse which is in the law, blamelesse.
V. 15. separated me from my mothers womb] He speaketh of Gods everlasting predestination, whereby he appointed him to bean Apostle; whereof he maketh three degrees, The everlasting counsell of God, his appointing from his Mothers wombe, and his actuall calling. See Rom. 1. 1.
V. 16. I might preach him, &c.] See Ephes. 3. 8.
I conferred not with flesh and blood] Or, consulted. This may seem contrary to that which himself saith, Chap. 2. 2. I communicated the Gospel with them at Jerusalem. But the reconciliation is easie; here he denieth that the consulted with flesh and blood, that is, with any man living, namely, whether he were rightly instructed in the Gospel, or whether he ought to preach it; for of this he neither did nor could make question of Christ: but there he affirmeth, that he communicated with the Apostles at Jerusalem, not to learne any thing from them, for that he expresly denies Vers. 6. but to receive a testimony from them of his consent with them in the doctrine he had preached in Arabia and Syria; for he had preached the Gospel before he conferred with them.
V. 18. I went up] or, I returned.
to see Peter] Gr. Tec. to enquire of Cephas. The Greek word foreign, signifieth more then to see or visue, namely, as Hesychius explains the word, foreign, to enquire into, to take speciall notice of, and acquaint himself with Peter and his proceedings.
V. 19. other of the Apostles saw I none.] Because it might be objected, that indeed he was called of Christ in the way, but afterwards was instructed by the Apostles and others, and so was not of the number of them that were to be credited without exception: Saint Paul answereth, that he began straightway after his calling to preach the Gospel at Damascus, and in Arabia, and was not from that time at Jerusalem, but onelyonly fifteen dayes, where he saw only Peter and James; and after he began to teach in Syria and Cilicia, with the consent and approbation of the Churches of the Jews, who knew him onelyonly by name, so far off was it that he was there instructed by them.
V. 22. And was] Or, But was.
V. 24. And they glorified God in me] They glorified Christ who spake in me; or they glorified God for me, they blessed his Name for my conversion; or as the Greek Stholiast, they praised God in me: not this or that Teacher, but God himself, who alone was my Teacher.
CHAP. II.
Vers. 2. I Went up by revelation] Gr. according to revelation. He was not sent for by the Apostles to Jerusalem, there to give an account of his preaching; but the Spirit by speciall revelation moved him, that by conferring with the Apostles themselves, and knowing their resolution in the main point then in difference concerning the observation of legall Rites, he might stop the mouths of the false Apostles, who gave out that he taught divers doctrines from them, and consequently that the faithfull were rather to follow them then him, they being more, and he but one; they conversing with Christ himself, and called to the Apostleship before his Ascension, Saint Paul after.
communicated unto] Gr. consulted with. Ch. 1. 16.
privately] Or, severally.
bad run in vain] By the metaphor of running, he setteth forth his alacritie, earnessnesse and diligence; like to theirs who prove masteries, and run in a race for a rich prize. (1 Cor. 9. 26. 2. Tim. 4. 7.) Now in those that run in a race, two things are considerable, their labour and swiftnesse in running, and the end for which they run; to wit, the gaining the prize; which if they misse, they run in vain. This Prize he accounted the fruit of his preaching, which had been little or none among the Jewes, who were zealous of the Mosaicall Rites, if by his communicating with the chief Apostles he had not taken away that rub which was cast in his way, that his preaching and practise was dissonant from theirs: although the Apostle nothing doubted of the certainty of his doctrine, yet because there were certain reports cast abroad of him, that he was of another opinion then the rest of the Apostles were, which thing might have hindered the course of his Ministery, and in some places quite stop'd it, he took this journey to Jerusalem, to remove that obstacle.
V. 4. which we have in Christ Jesus] Freedome from the curse of the morall Law, and the burden of the ceremoniall, which we have in Christ, that is, in Christianitie, or purchased by Christ, who in the fulnesse of time was made of a woman, and made under the Law, to redeeme them that are under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. Chap. 5. 1.
V. 5. gave place, &c.] We give no way to those craftie companions, who by deceipt and counterfeit holinesse crept in among the faithfull, who came to espie our libertie, that thereby they might ensnare and enthrall us: to these we gave no respit not for an houre, to lay their traps for us, nor in any thing yeelded unto them, to betray our Christian libertie.
with you] Gr. to.
God accepteth no mans person] See Rom. 2. 12.
seemed to be some what] Gr. are of reputation.
V. 7. the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me] That is I had commission to preach to the Gentiles who were uncircumcised, as Peter to the Jews: which commissions were not yet so restrictive, but that Saint Peter preached to the Gentiles, and Saint Paul to the Jews, as it may be clearely proved out of the Acts of the Apostles; but the Gospel of circumcision is said here to be committed to Saint Peter, and of uncircumcision unto Paul; because Peter was first and chiefly sent to preach to the Jews, and Saint Paul to the Gentiles, and God most blessed Saint Peters labour among the Jews, and Saint Pauls among the Gentiles.
V. 8. was mighty in me towards the Gentiles] Gr. wrought in me. Word for wrod, wrought effectually: and this efficacy shewed it self in three things especially; the great number of converts, the power of miracles, and the extraordinary gift of the holy Ghost bestowed upon the faithfull by the means of his ministery.
V. 9. who seemed to be pillars] Or, were counted. Whom alone, and only these men counted for pillars of the Church, to support it, and the doctrine of faith, by whose authoritie if my preaching were not upheld, it must fall to ground. Occumenius out of Euscibus his first book of Ecclesiasticall Story, and Clemens Alexandrinus writeth, that this Cephas mentioned with James and John, was not Peter the Apostle, but one of the 70 disciples of that name: but S. Jerome in his Comment in epist. and Greg. Hom. 18. upon Ezekicl, refute this opinion, and it may easily be disproved out of this Text, for it is not likely, that the Apostle would have ranked any of the 70 disciples with James and John, two of the chiefe Apostles and pillars of the Church; neither would the false Apostles have opposed the authoritie of one of the 70 disciples against Saint Paul, whom they could not deny to be an Apostle. Besides, to take away all ambiguitie, the Apostle verse 11. calleth him Peter.
V. 10. should remember the poore] That is, to make Collections in the Churches of the Gentiles for the Saints of Jerusalem; which Saint Paul did most willingly and effectually, as appears out of the 1 Cor. 16. & 2 Cor. 8. 9.
forward to do] Gr. diligent, or carefull.
V. 11. Peter] Gr. Tec. Cephas.
I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed] Gr. condemned. Some interpret, foreign, in outward appearance and in shew: for they cnoceive that Peter and Paul were not in earnest, but the one reproved the other before the multitude, and the other replyed not at all though he could justly, that by the reproofe of the one, and silence of the other, both Jews and Gentiles there present, might learn that the Judaicall rites were not to be eagerly retained, but by degrees to be relinquished, and as it were honourably to be interred; This was the opinion of S. Jerome (who is as hot with S. Austine about this quarrell of the Apostle, or rather hotter then the Apostles themselves.) And of the Greeke Fathers, whom he alledgeth for himself. Their chiefe reason was this, that if Saint Paul had reproved Peter in earnest for his complying at this time with the Jews, he had reproved him for that of which himself was guiltie. For he as he professeth, that to the Jews he became a Jew, that he might winne the Jews, so by the advice of james and the Elders, Acts 21. 24. he shaed his head, and purified himself with foure other men that had a vow on them. But S. Austine affirmeth most truly, that Saint Paul reproved Saint Peter in earnest. For the Text saith, which is part of the Canonicall Scripture, and therefore infallible, that Saint Peter was faultie and to be blamed. His fault was, as is afterwards expressed, dissimulation, and halting between two opinions; before the Jews came from James, he freely conversed with the Gentiles, and did eat of meats prohibited by the Law of Moses: but after these came, for feare of displeasing them, in the lawfull use of his Christian libertie, he withdraweth himself from them, and giveth a great scandall to the Gentiles, and a blow to Saint Pauls preaching, who had taught that those legall ceremonies were now abolished, and all Christians freed from that yoke. What Saint Paul did was of another nature by the advice of James, to refute a false slander cast upon him, when there was no Gentiles by, to be scandalized thereat.
V. 13. dissembled likewise with him] Gr. joyned in hypocrisie with.
dissimulation] Gr. hypocrisie.
V. 14. walked not uprightly] Gr. with a right foot. Word for word, the Originall signifieth, to walke with a right foot, which he opposeth to halting and dissembling.
truth of the gospel] He calleth the truth of the Gospel, bot the sincere doctrine it selfe, and also the use of the same, which we call practise.
If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles] He meaneth not that Saint Peter lived dissolutely after the manner of the Gentiles, as those whom the zealous Father reprehending saith, Gentes agimus sub nomine Christi; But that like the converts among the Gentiles, he used his Christian libertie, in eating all sorts of meats, without putting a difference between cleane and uncleane.
why compellest thou the Gentiles] Gr. Tec. how is it that thou compellest.
V. 15. not sinners of the Gentiles] Sinners estranged from the covenant of grace, destitute of the Rule of the Law, men in a deplorate and desperate estate, such as the Jews accounted all the Gentiles and Paynims to be in, Eph. 2. 12. and yet themselves could not be justified by the Law, which they of all other might have made the least claime unto.
V. 16. by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified] See Rom. 3. 20.
V. 17. But if while we seeke to be justified] Before he goeth any further, he meeteth with their objection, who abhorred the doctrine of free justification by faith; because say they men are by this means withdrawn from the study of good works, and in this sort they framed their objection. If sinners should be justified through Christ by faith without the law, Christ should seeme to approve sinners, and as it were exhort them thereunto by his ministery: Paul answereth, that this consequence is false, because Christ destroyeth sinne in all true beleevers. For therefore, saith he, doe men flee unto Christ through the terrour and feare of the law, that being quit from the curse of the law, they may be saved by him, and that he together with his justifying them, beginneth in them by little and little that strength and power of his, which destroyeth sin, to the end, that the old man being abolished by the virtue of Christs death, he may live in them, and they may consecrate themselves to God: therefore if any man give himself to sinne after he hath received the Gospel, let him not accuse Christ, nor the Gospel, but himself, for that he destroyeth the worke of God in himselfe.
by Christ] Gr in. See Rom. 3. 4.
V. 18. destroyed] Gr. have dissolved.
V. 19. through the law am dead] Or, by. Gr. was. The law which terrifieth the conscience, bringeth us to Christ, and he only causeth us to die to the law. Indeed, because that by making us righteous, he taketh away from us the terrour of conscience, and by sanctifying us, causeth a through mortifying of lust in us, that it cannot take such occasion to sinne by the restraint which the law maketh. See Rom. 7. 10, 11.
V. 20. I now live in the flesh] By living in the flesh, he understandeth not walking according to the flesh, or living in a carnall and flesly manner, but living in this fraile and mortall body.
gave himself for me] What he speaketh of himself, belongeth to all true beleevers; but he applyeth the benefit of Christs passon to himself in particular, as well to teach us speciall faith and affiance in Christ, as to enflame our love to him, to whom we are as much indebted, as if he had shed his blood for us aone and in particular.
V. 21. dead in vain] Although there be many uses and benefits of Christs death, besides our justification; yet the Apostles argument is very strong, that there would have been no necessitie for our salvation that Christ should have died, and by his blood expiated our sinnes, if men might have been justified by the works of the law, either ceremoniall or morall.
CHAP. III.
Vers. 1. VVHo hath bewitched you] The word in the Originall, foreign, is derived, foreign, burning wit the eye, signifying a kinde of witchcraft practised upon the eyes of young children and cattell, according to that of the Poet; Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos: and the meaning of the Apostle is, that as those witches, who cast venemous beames out of their eyes mischiefe children, and sucklings; so those false Teachers poysoned the tender faith of the Galatians: or as the devill by those witches put out the eyes of the body, so the evill spirit by those false teachers his instruments put out the eyes of their minde; Ʋt quomod tenera aetas noceri dicitur fascino, sic etiam Galatae in Christi side nuper nati & mutriti lacte veluti quo lam fascinante sint nociti & stomacho fidei nauseantes Spiritus sancti fidem evomuerant.
crucified among you] Christ was laid before you so notably and so plainly, that you had his lively image as it were represented before your eyes, as if he had been crucified in your sight: or Christ was crucified among you, that is, suffered much in his members persecuted among you. In which sense Christ speaking to Saint Paul said; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Acts 9. 5, 6. and to Saint Peter, a little before his death, I goe again to Rome to be crucified, as we read in the Ecclesiasticall Stories.
V. 2. received ye the spirit] Those spirituall graces and gifts, which were a seale as it were to the Galatians, that the Gospel that was preached unto them was true. But here it may be objected, that the Galatians received not the Spirit by faith, but faith by the Spirit. For faith is the gift of God, and a speciall worke of the Spirit in the heart. Hereunto it may be answred, that either the Apostle meaneth by the Spirit, the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, as the gift of tongues, and healing, which the Galatians received by Pauls preaching the Christian faith among them; or else he meaneth by the Spirit, the Spirit of comfort, and sanctification, which goeth not before, but followeth true faith; for being justified by faith we have peace with God, and feele the Spirit of comfort within us.
of faith] That is, the word and doctrin of faith, Rom. 10. 8.
V. 3. perfect by the flesh] By the flesh, he meaneth the ceremonies of the law, against which he setteth the Spirit, that is, the spirituall working of the Gospel. Heb. 7. 16. & 9 10.
V. 4. so many] Or, so great.
in vain] foreign, That is without any profit; So S. Basil useth the phrase, Hom. adv. Heb. foreign, O how many nights have you watched, how many dayes have you spent unprofitably!
V. 6. Even as Abraham beleeved God] See Gen. 15. 6.
accounted to him] Or, imputed.
for righteousnesse] Gr. to.
V. 8. In thee shall all nations be blessed] See Gen. 12. 3.
V. 9. with faithfull Abraham] Not by faithfull Abraham: to give us to understand, that the blessing cometh not from Abraham, but from him by whom Abraham and all his posteritie is blessed.
V. 10. are of the works of the law] They who are of the works of the law, that is, they which stand upon the works of the law for their justification, or which value their righteousnesse by the performance of the law are accursed, therefore they are blessed which are of faith, that is, they who have righteousnesse by faith.
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things] See Deut. 27. 26.
V. 11. The just shall live by faith] See Hab. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 10. 38.
the man that, &c.] See Levit. 18. 5.
V. 12. the law is not of faith] The Law promiseth life to all that keep it, and therefore if it be kept it justifieth and giveth life; but the Scripture attributing righteousnesse and life to faith, taketh it from the Law; seeing faith justifieth by imputation of anothers righteousnesse, and the Law by the performing of the work in our own person.
V. 13. hath releemed us from the curse of the law] In these words he preventeth an objection, How can they be blessed whom the Law pronounceth to be accursed? because Christ sustaineth the curse which the Law laid upon us, that we might be quit from it.
Cursel is every one, &c.] See Deut. 21. 23.
V. 15. covenant] Or, testament.
V. 16. And to seeds, as of many; but as of one] The word seed is sometimes taken for the whole posteritie, as Gen. 15. 18. Sometimes for a particular person descended from such a one, as Gen. 4. 25. and 21. 13. And here the Apostle sheweth that it must be taken in the second sense, teaching that Christ is that seed, asi it is afterwards expounded.
which is Christ] That is all his mysticall body, viz. the whole Church, having all their life and being from him, and also participating of the glory of his name: all which are as one seed consisting of Jews and Gentiles, 1 Cor. 12. 12. For it is the scope of the Apostle to prove the assurance of enternall life to all beleevers for Christs sake, according unto the promise made unto Abraham.
V. 17. which was foure hundred and thirtie yeers after] These yeers are to be reckoned from the promise first made to Abraham, which fell upon the 75. yeer of his age.
V. 19. Wherefore then serveth the law] If the inheritance be not by the law, then why was the law given after the promise was made? the Apostle answereth, to reprove and convince men ofsinne, and so to teach them to look unto Christ in whom at length that promise of saving all people together should be fulfilled, and not that the law was given to justifie men.
because of transgressions] To make them known, Rom. 3. 20. & 7. 7. and to convience men thereof; to discover the hamousnesse of sinne, and to seal the condemnation thereof, thus to drive men to seek for the remedie of grace in the promised Messaih.
till the seed should come] This use of the servile manuduction was to last during the churches infancie, and pronenesse to fall into sinne by infirmitie, or ignorance; but it was to be laid by and surcease at the coming of Chirst into the flesh, who collecting into one and the same body the whole Church of Jews and Gentiles together, supplying the same with the abundant grces of the Spirit in knowledge and vertue, hath made the same to be children of God, vers 26. wholly set and bent to love and obey him by the Spirit of adoption and grace, and not by the spirit of terrour as of old, Rom. 8. 15.
ordained by angels] God would shew in the very outward manner which he observed in giving the law, that thereby there was no accesse for man to his grace for obtaining life and the inheritance; and therefore he appeared there in such an extremitie of terrour, that upon the peoples request which was not able to endure those terrours it was needfull that Moses came between, who was as the mediatour of that communication, Exod. 20. 19. Heb. 12. 19. being therein the type of Christ the onelyonly Mediatour of propitaton, by whom we have accesse to God with confidence. Now although there is no mention made of the ministery of Angels by Moses in giving the Law, yet may it well be gathered from divers other Texts of Scriptures, as Act. 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2.
in the hand of a mediatour] Some by this Mediatour understand Moses, whom God did use as an interpreter between himself, and the people in giving the Law: others understand Christ himself by whom God led the people of Israel out of Egypt though the wildernesse, and spake to Moses on Mount Sinai, Act. 7. 38. 1 Tim. 2. 5.
V. 20. Now a mediatour is not a mediatour of one] Either the meaning is, a Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one partie, but betwixt two, and these disagreeing; this sheweth that at the giving of the Law there was a difference and a distnace between God and us, which difference grew from this, that we were transgressours of the Law: or the meaning is, a mediatour is not Mediatour of one Covenant onelyonly, but as well of the Covenant of grace as of the Covenant of works.
but God is one] In these words he taketh away in objection lest any man might say, that sometimes by consent of the parties which have made a Covenant something is added to the Covenant; or the former Covenants are broken: this, saith the Apostle, cometh not to passe in God, who is alwaies one and the self same, and like to himself, and hath the same scope and end in both his Covenants; for Christ is the end of the Law: or that God is still the same in holding a distance between himself and transgressours, if they seek to be justified by the Law.
V. 22. all under sinne] See Rom. 3. 9.
V. 24. Wherefore the law was our school-master] A means and instrument to rule and regulate our minds and actions agreeable to the infancie of the Church with a great deale of austeritie. The Jews under the law here are compared to children, and the faithfull under the Gospel to men of riper yeers that need no school-master; the school-master is the Law, both Morall and Ceremoniall. For the Morall Law leadeth unto Christ by convincing us of sinne, and denouncing the curse against it, shewing us thereby that if we desire to escape that cuse we must flie to Christ for refuge, who hath redeemed us both from sinne and curse; and the Ceremoniall Law also brings us unto Christ; because the same not onelyonly convinceth men of sinne, but also exhibiteth types and figures of Christ and his benefits; and teacheth that whatsoever was shadowed out by them, was truly to be found in Christ, Heb. 9. 10, 11.
V. 27. as many of you] See Rom. 6. 3.
as bave been baptized unto Christ] To all that are baptized in Christs Name with the inward baptisme as well as the outward Christ is effectually applied, even like a garment to the body, to communicate unto them his justice, life, right, and dignities: that as himself is the Sonne of God by nature, they shall be made his children by grace and adoption, and that without all distinction of either nation, state, or condition.
have put on Christ] As a spirituall garment wherewith our spirituall shame and nakednesse is covered, and we are adorned as with rich and comely apparell.
V. 28. for ye are all one in Christ Jesus] That is, countrey, sex, or nation makes no difference; but if we are true beleevers, we are in equall esteem with God; or we are all one in Christ, that is, we make all one mysticall body communicating with Christ as our head, and one with another as members.
CHAP. IIII.
Vers. 1. NOw I say] He declareth that by another similitude which he said before, concerning the schoolmaster: for he saith that the Law, that is, the whole government of Gods house according to the law, was as it were a kind of Tutorship, or office of an Over-seer appointed for a time, and that we should at length come to be at our own libertie, and live as children, not as servants. Moreover he sheweth by the way, that that governance of the Law was as it were an A. B. C. or Accdence in comparison of the doctrine of the Gospel.
V. 3. elements of the world] Or, rudiments. By the elemtns of the world he understandeth the corporall types and carnall Ceremonies of the Law, which are called elements, or rudiments; because that God by them instructed the Church as it were by rudiments, and afterwards powred out his holy Spirit most plentifull in the time of the Gospel.
V. 4. when the fulnesseof the time] The full grown age of the Church to be freed from under this warship; or when the time was fulfilled which God had appointed for to send his Sonne into the world.
God sent forth his Sonne] foreign, He sent out of himself, or his essence; or from heaven: for God would have that the eternall Sonne in his bosome by taking humane flesh should come out of him as it were, and mannifest himself unto the world; or issue forth out of the eternall palace of his glory, and in his own person upon earth fulfill the work of the redemption of mankind.
made of] Not born as other men, but made by the holy Ghost out of the flesh and bloud of the Virgin Mary, without the concurrence of man, Gen. 3. 15. Isa. 7. 14. Mic. 5. 3. Luk. 1. 31. and 2. 2.
a woman] The word foreign, is here taken, as often else-where in Scripture, for the name of the sex, and generally a maid that is marriageable is tearmed by the Greek foreign. So saith Procopius, foreign, and so the civil Lawyers, titulo de verb. signif. Mulieris appellatione etlam virgo viripotens continetur. This Text therefore maketh nothing for Helvidius, nor against the perpetuall virginitie of Mary.
made under the law] having taken upon him the forme of a servant, Phil. 2. 7. he made himself subject to the entire observation and satisfaction of the whole law: thereby to purchase to all beleevers the right and claime to eternall glory, and to deliver them not onelyonly from the malediction of the Law, but also from the burden of all the legall rites and ceremonies.
V. 5. under the law] That is, that were under the yoke of the ceremoniall law, and also under the curse of the morall; whereof he speaketh in the former Chapter.
the adoption of sonnes] Therefore was the Sonne of God sent to redeeme us, that he might purchase and gratiously communicate the right of Sonne-ship (which he hath by nature) to all the faithfull, 2 Cor. 6. 18. This adoption of the Sonne of God was from everlasting, but is revealed and shewed in the time appointed for it.
V. 6. And because ye are sonnes] He sheweth that we are in such sort free and set at libertie, that in the mean season we must be governed by the Spirit of Christ, which reigneth in our hearts, and teacheth us the true service of the Father; but this is not to serve, but rather to enjoy true libertie as becometh sonnes and heirs.
the Spirit of his Sonne] See, Rom. 8. 15. The holy Ghost is both of the Father and the Sonne: but there is a peculiar reason here why he is called the Spirit of his Sonne; to wit, because the holy Ghost sealeth up our adoption in Christ, and giveth us a full assurance of it.
V. 7. a servant] The word servant is not taken here for one that liveth in sinne, which is proper to infidels, but for one that is yet under the Ceremonies of the Law, which is proper to the Jew.
an heir of God] Some reade here by God, that is, by his grace and mercy; others, heir of God, because coheirs of Christ, who is the Son and Heir of God.
V. 9. turn ye again] Or, turn ye back.
to the weak and beggerly elements] Or, rudiments. The carnall Rites of the Mosaicall Law are called here weak and beggerly elements, being considered apart by themselves, without Christ; and for the Galatians to fall back from Christ to these Ceremonies, was nothing else but to cast away riches, and follow beggery.
V. 10. Ye observe dayes] Ye, following the doctrine of the false apostles, place holinesse and righteousnesse in the Mosaicall observations of dayes, the Jewish Sabbath returning every week; and moneths, that is, the Feasts of the new Moons; and times, that is, the solemne yearly feasts of the Passeover, the Pentecost, and Tabernacles; and years, that is, every fiftieth year, being the year of Jubile.
V. 12. be as I am] He mitigates and qualifies those things, wherein he might have seemed to have spoken too sharply, declaring his good-will towards them in such sort, that the Galatians could not but either be utterly desperate, when they read these things, or acknowledge their own lightnesse with tears, and desire pardon. Be you as I am, that is, take me for an example, who was once as zealous for those Legall Rites, as you are now; but now I count them, and all things else, but as dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. Phil. 3. 9.
V. 13. through the infirmity of the flesh] Either through the infirmitie of your flesh I preached unto you; that is, I condescended to your capacity, and preached such doctrine as you were able to bear away: or, through the infirmitie of my flesh, either being infirme in body, or much broken through manifold griefes and afflictions which I suffered among you. 1 Cor. 2. 3.
V. 14. And my temptation] That is, those daily troubles wherewith the Lord tried me amongst you. Acts 20. 19.
V. 15. Where is then the blessednesse] Or, what was then. What is become of the great applause which you gave me at my first preaching; counting your selves most happy in me your Apostle? or, what talk was there abroad in the world, how happy you thought your selves, and blessed the time God sent me amongst you?
V. 16. Am I therefore become your enemie, &c.] Sith all men naturally desire the truth, and love it, how comes to it passe that any man should be hated for speaking the truth? Saint Austine in his confessions yeeldeth a reason, by distinguishing of truth, Omnes amant veritatem lucentem, sed non redarguentem; all men love the truth, when that truth concerneth not themselves, they love truth shining, but not convincing; they love the truth when she discovereth her self; not when she discovereth themselves. Hence is that true proverbe, Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit. The beams of the Sunne, which refresh and clear a sound eye, offend a sore eye, urit enim fulgore suo.
V. 17. They zealously affect you] Or, they are jealous over you. He compareth the false teachers to jealous wooers, who can by no means endure any corrivall; therefore, saith the Apostle, they exclude you from me, and the true doctrine of saith, which I have delivered unto you, that you may be wholly theirs, and I have no part in you: they zealously affect you, but not well, because not to a good end, but to impropriate you to themselves, and make advantage of you.
exclude you] Or, exclude us.
V. 18. But it is good to be zealously affected alwayes] The faithfull are to be commended for their zealous affection, and entire love to their Pastours, especially if it be constant, and for the truths sake; but the Galatians have quite forgotten me, since my departure from you; Out of sight, out of minde.
V. 19. of whom I travail] Ye are my Children, whom with much pain and travail I brought forth before to Christ, but now ye have corrupted and defaced his image, and are fallen away from your former profession; and therefore I am now in labour with you, and travail with exceeding great pain the second time, till Christ be again perfectly formed in you, and you receive the right shape of Christians.
V. 20. change my voice] That is, either use other words among you, and turn my complaints into praises; or change my speech into groans, and my words into tears, to bewail your apostasie; and by those true ambassadours of my affection to perswade you to return to your former profession.
I stand in doubt of you] Or, I am perplexed for you. Gr. in you.
V. 23. born after the flesh] That is, born, as all men are, by the common course of nature; for Agar was young, and it ceased not to be with her after the manner of women; whereas the womb of Sara was dead, and so the birth of Isaac from her was, as the Apostle speaketh, a similitude of the resurrection, above the power and force of nature.
by promise] By virtue of the Promise which Abraham laid hold on for himself and his true seed: for otherwise Abraham and Sara were past begetting and bearing of children.
V. 24. Which things are an allegory] Which are indeed a true story of things past, but yet do signifie somewhat else besides, as being types and representations of spirituall things, as likewise was the Brasen Serpent, John 3. 14. the marriage of Adam and Eve, Ephes. 5. 32. the passing of the Israelites over the Red-sea, 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. and the deluge, 1 Pet. 3. 21.
for these are the two Covenants] Or, Testaments. That is, shew forth, point, and signifie, a sacramentall kinde of speech, like to that, Gen. 41. 26. and, Matth. 26. 26. The two Covenants are the old and the new; the old, of the Law, wherein promise is made, that those who perfectly keep the law shall thereby obtain salvation: and the new, of the Gospel, wherein eternall life is promised to sinners that repent and beleeve in Christ. Jerem. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8, 9.
which gendreth to bondage] Which bringeth forth children that are in bondage: for the law requireth a perfect obedience of men, or in case of failing, pronounceth a curse upon them; and of it self it is unable to free them from their naturall servitude, and much more unable to procure them the grace of God, and the inheritance of everlasting life.
V. 25. For this Agar is mount Sinai is Arabia] Either the meaning is, Agar is also called Sinai, a mount in Arabia, whither Agar fled with her sonne Ismael, being thrust out of Abrahams house, from whom the mount it self (as some affirme) was afterwards called Agar by the Arabians, and from thence they themselves are called Agarens, Psal. 83. 6. Or the meaning is, Agar is a figure or image of Sinai, and of the Covenant of the Law, which was proclaimed on it; as Agar was a stranger without the blessed Seed, so was Sinai is Arabia the land of the Ismaelites, who issued forth from Agar, without the limits of the land of promise.
and answereth to Jerusalem] Or, is in the same rank with Jerusalem. Some read bordereth upon Jerusalem; and Genebrard in his Comment upon the Psalms affirmeth, that there is a continuall tract from it to Jerusalem; perpetuo enim in dorso sese versus, Sionios montes exporrigit. But the Geographicall Tables shew no such thing: and as Bencius, a Sorbonick Doctour, acknowledgeth, Sinai is fall twenty dayes journey from Jerusalem. The better Translation therefore is, it answereth to Jerusalem, that is, in the allegorie and mysticall signification.
V. 26. But Jerusalem which is above] The true Christian Church, which seeketh her salvation, not by the first Covenant of the Law, but by the second, of the Gospell, which is said to be above, partly because it hath its originall from heaven, partly in respect of the part triumphant in heaven, partly in respect of the militant, which steers its course to heaven, Phil. 3. 20. and shall in the end be brought thither.
which is the mother of us all] As Sara was the mother of Isaac, the proper heir of his father Abraham, so is the Christian Church the mother of all the faithfull, who are heirs of the Kingdom of heaven, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.
V. 28. as Isaac was] Gr. according, or, after the manner of Isaac. Who was as the first begotten of the supernall Jerusalem, as Ismael was of the slavish Synagogue.
are the children of promise] See Rom. 9. 8.
V. 29. born after the Spirit] That is, by virtue of Gods promise, and after a supernaturall and spirituall manner, Sara conceiving in her old age rather by faith then by lust,
V. 30. Neverthelesse] Gr. But.
Cast out the bond-woman and her son] Gr. Tec. her self and her son. See Gen. 21. 10.
CHAP. V.
Vers. 1. STand fast, &c.] Gr. Tec. Christ hath made us free, stand therefore in that libertie, and.
and be not intangled] Gr. held, or kept in with. Tied or fastened therunto as it were with cords and ropes. A comparison taken from Oxen, who have the yoke bound fast to their hornes or neck, thereby to force them, subdue, and keep them in.
again with the yoke of bondage] It doth not appear that these Galatians had submitted themselves to the yoke of Moses before their conversion to Christ, and now after their falling away from Christ, had enslaved themselves the second time to those legall observations; but the meaning is, Before ye were subject and enslaved to your Idols, being redeemed from that slavery, do not enthrall your selves again to a new bondage of Ceremonies, take not upon you a new yoke, and so heavy a one, as neither we nor our fathers were able to bear, Acts 15. 10.
V. 3. I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised] See Acts 15. 1. If ye be circumcised, out of this perswasion, to be justified thereby, Christ shall profit you nothing; for justification by faith, and justification by the works of the Law cannot stand together; he instanceth particularly in Circumcision, because it was the ground of all the service of the Law, and chiefly urged by the false Apostles. It is true, Circumcision in another place is called the Seal of the righteousnesse of faith, but here we must have consideration of the circumstance of time, for now had Baptisme come in the place of Circumcision: and moreover, Paul reasoneth according to the opinion that his opposites (the false teachers) had of it, who made it a matter of salvation, and necessary means of justification.
V. 3. For] But, or, And.
is a debtor to do the whole law] Because he that observeth the Ceremoniall Law in one thing, is bound to observe it in all; and what a servitude were that? The reason is evidently drawne from the connexion which is between all the parts of the Ceremoniall Law, and the curse pronounced against all who fulfill not that whole law to a tittle.
V. 4. Christ is become of no effect unto you] Gr. Ye are made void, frustrate, or abolished from Christ.
are justified by the Law] That is, ye frustrate and make void your justification by Christ, who seek to be justified by the Law, for indeed no man is, or can be justified by the Law. See Rom. 3. 20.
ye are fallen from grace] That is, from the true doctrine of Christs free grace, for that cannot consist with justification by the works of the Law.
V. 6. For in Jesus Christ] Seeing in Christ we have spirituall circumcision, there is no need of carnall; they therefore who were circumcised before they beleeved, namely, such of the Jews as were called to the knowledge of the truth, gain nothing thereby, neither do the unbeleeving Gentiles lose by their uncircumcision. Chap. 6. 15.
but faith which worketh by love] The word in the Originall foreign, being in the Mean voice, may be taken either actively or passively; if passively, the meaning is, that saith is actuated, quickened and moved by love to do good works; if actively, then the meaning is, that it is not a dead and unworking saith that justifieth us, but a living and operative saith, according as Saint James teacheth us, Jam. 2. 26. and it must be a living saith by which the just shall live.
V. 7. Ye did run well] You were in the right way, and ye made so good progresse that ye out-stript many; and had ye not been stopt and hindered, would have obtained the prize, which is eternall life.
who did hinder you] Or, who did drive you back.
V. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump] See 1 Cor. 5. 6. He addeth this, that he may not seem to contend upon a trifle, warning them diligently by a similitude borrowed from leaven, (Mat. 13. 33) not to suffer the purity of the Apostolicall doctrine to be infected with the least corruption that may be. By a little leaven, as S. Jerome observeth, he understandeth either, an errour but in one point or two, which corrupteth the whole doctrine of Christianitie; as a small quantity of Ratsbane poisoneth the whole milk: or a few false teachers, or erroneous beleevers are able to infect a whole Church or Congregation.
V. 10. through] Gr. in.
but he that troubleth you, shall bear his judgement] He singleth out some one, who was the ring-leader of all the rest, and either threatneth to excommunicate him, by his Apostolicall Authoritie, or denounceth against him Gods fearfull judgement at the last day.
V. 11. why do I yet suffer persecution] He willeth them to consider, how that he seeketh not his own profit in this matter, seeing that he could eschew the hatred of men, if he would joyn Judaisme with Christianitie: for at this time the Christians were most persecuted by the Jews, whose hatred was not so exasperated against the Apostles for preaching Christ crucified, as for teaching, that the Law of Moses was abolished, for which they were most zealous.
Crosse] Gr. Tec. Crosse of Christ.
V. 12. cut off] He compareth those who corrupt the doctrine of Christ, and maliciously set themselves against his preaching, to rotten Members, which are to be cut off, lest the Gangren spread over the whole body: and he alludeth, as the Greek Scholiast noteth, to the practise of Circumcision, which is a cutting off of the foreskin of the flesh, and casting it away; wishing, that they themselves might suffer what they do, that is, be cut off as superfluous flesh.
V. 13. onelyonly use not libertie for an occasion to the flesh] Because men are very apt to abuse their libertie, and turne the grace of Christ into wantonnesse, he addeth here, as else-where, a wholesome caution, that Christian libertie is not a license to do what men list, but a freedome from the heavie yoke of the law, to the end that they may take upon them Christs easie yoke, and light burden, and more cheerefully serve him. Where the carnall Gospellers suck poyson, there the holy Ghost sets an antidote, as Luk. 1. 74. He hath redeemed his people, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life: and Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh, but after the Spirit▪ and Rom. 6. 1. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound; what then? shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound? God forbid: and Titus 2. 11. The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all, teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously in this present world.
V. 14. all the law is fulfilled in one word] Some restraine the word, all the law, to the second Table: others take it absolutely for the whole law; because none can love his neighbour a… himself, but he must needs love God: and the love of God and our neighbour, containes in it the whole law. Others understand the words thus, all the law, is fulfilled in this one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour; Rom. 13. 8. This precept is the complement of the whole law, that is, this precept added to the former Table, makes up the whole law. For so the Greek word, foreign is often taken.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self] See Lev. 19. 18. Matt. 22. 39. Rom. 13. 9.
V. 16. This] Gr. but.
Walk in the spirit] That is, dispose all your life and actions according to the instructions and motions of the holy Spirit, as well in the spirituall frame of Religion, proper and peculiar to the Gospel, as in all holinesse of life and conversation. Some by the Spirit, understand the rationall appetite, and by the flesh the sensitive, as Lyra: Some by the Spirit, understand the holy Ghost, and by flesh carnall concupiscence: as Theodoret and Occionenius. Others with more probabilitie affirme, that when Spirit and Flesh, are set in opposition one against the other, that by Spirit, is to be understood that part of man which is regenerated by the Spirit, and by the flesh the naturall corruption which cleaveth still unto the regenerate. See Rom. 8. 1.
ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh] Or, fulfill not.
V. 17. the flesh lusteth against the spirit] For the flesh dwelleth even in those that are regenerate; but the spirit reigneth in them, although not without great strife. S. Austine in his Exposition upon the Epistle to the Galatians, affirmeth that they are under the law, and not under grace, in whom the flesh so lusteth against the spirit, that they cannot do what they would: but in the 24. Chapter of his first book of Retractations, he correcteth his former opinion, acknowledging that these words of the Apostle are meant, even of them, who are in the state of grace; Quia & ipsi concupiscentias carnis habent contra quas spiritu concupisciunt, nolentes eas habere si possent & ideo non quaecun{que} volunt faciunt, qui volunt iis carere nec possunt; tunc autem eas non habebunt, quando nec corruptibilem carnem.
do the things that ye would] Gr. do not what ye would.
V. 19. Now the works of the flesh] He setteth out that particularly, which he spake before generally, reckoning up some chiefe effects of the flesh, and opposing them to the fruits of the Spirit, that no man may pretend ignorance.
V. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit] Therefore they are not the fruits of free-will, but so farre forth as our will is made free by grace. He saith not, the works of the Spirit, as before the works of the flesh, but the fruits of the Spirit, to teach us, that good works are not only the effects of Gods Spirit, but also that they are acceptable and pleasing unto him, like most sweet and wholesome fruits, Matth. 3. 8. Joh. 15. 8.
V. 23. against such there is no law] Such may be either referred to the fruits of the Spirit, or to the persons who bring forth such fruit, against men so qualified there is no law to condemn them: for the law of God, which is so severe and terrible to all men that are in the state of sinne, is not so for all that unto the children of God, that do not maliciously set themselves against it; neither are they lyable to the malediction thereof, they submitting themselves willingly to the same, as a gentle mistresse of their actions, and guide of their life and conversation.
V. 24. have crucified the flesh] We are not only to mortifie duplicate page duplicate page our fleshly members, but also our inward affections, and to do this out of a respect to Christs crosse, which is a speciall means to crucifie these our lusts, when we consider that sinne is so great and hainous an evill in the sight of God, that nothing but the blood of the Sonne of God could expiate it.
affections] Or, passions.
V. 25. If we live in the Spirit] Or, by. If we be indued with the quickening Spirit of God, which causeth us to die to sinne and live to God, let us shew it in our deeds by holinesse of life.
in the Spirit] Or, by.
V. 26. Let us not be desirous of vainglory] He addeth particular exhortations, according as he knew the Galatians subject to diverse vices, and first of all he warneth them to take heed of ambition, which vice hath alwayes two companions, backbiting, and envie, out of which two it cannot be, but many contentions must needs arise.
CHAP. VI.
Vers. 1. IF a man be overtaken in a fault] Or, although. Gr. taken before, or preoccupated. The word in the Originall, foreign, derived from foreign, and foreign, signifieth to be taken before he is aware, or to be presumed to be an offender, or taken before you, that is publiquely convicted of some fault or miscarriage: moderate and temper your reprehension of him with Christian meeknesse, according to that golden Rule of S. Austine; Salsedinem correptionis amor Christi temperet, & dilectionem proximi sal justitiae con…iat.
restore such an one] Gr. set him right, or in joynt again.
lest thou also be tempted] He toucheth the sore: for they commonly are most severe Judges, who forget their own infirmitie; and on the contrary, as S. Austine observeth; The true sense and feeling of the infirmities we are subject to our selves, makes us tender and compassionatly affected towards others; Nihil tam ad misericordiam inclinat quam proprii pericult cogitatio. And Virgil brings in Queen Dido for a patterne in this kinde, saying of her self: Non ignara mali miscris succurrere disco.
V. 2. Bear ye one anothers burdens] He sheweth that this is the end of reprehension to raise up our brother which is fallen, and not proudly to insult over him. To bear our brothers burden, is, to have compassion on our brothers failings, and infirmities, which lye upon him, as a heavie load and burden, to support him with comfort, and use the best means we can to ease and relieve him, and by discreet reprehension amend him.
and so fulfill the law of Christ] That of loving one another, Joh. 13. 34. Which Christ cals his new commandement. For although it were also prescribed by Moses, Levit. 19. 18. yet it is called Christs law, forasmuch as it is not fulfilled but by his Spirit, and for that Christ so particularly commendeth it to his Disciples, as well by precept, as by his own example.
V. 4. let every man prove his own work] Let every man seek to have commendation of his own life, by examining and reproving himself, and not by reprehending others. In these words, the Apostle taxeth that vice in the Galatians, which is too too common in most men; who are sharp-sighted, to espie small motes in other mens eyes, and cannot discern a beame in their own. Nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo; Sed praecedenti spectatur mantica tergo.
rejoycing] Gr. boasting.
V. 5. For every man shall bear his own burden] See 1 Cor. 3. 8. A reason, wherefore men ought to have the greatest eye upon themselves, is, because that every man shall be judged before God according to his own life, and not by comparing himself with other men S. Jerome upon this place noteth, that the Apostle in these words, obscurely intimateth, that whilest we live in this world, we may be helpt by the counsels, good advise, and prayers one of another; but after this life, we must stand or fall to our selves; no other can stead us by their prayers or otherwayes. Dum in praesenti seculo sumus, sive orationibus sive consiltis invicem posse nos coadjuvari, cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus, non Job, non Daniel, non Nohe rogare posse pro quoquam, sed unumquem{que} portare onus sinon. Which though it be a truth, and maketh much against Popist invocation of Saints, and prayers for the dead, yet it seemeth not to be the naturall interpretation of this Text; but rather that of S. Austine, De consen. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 30. Where reconciling the seeming contradiction between this first verse and the second, he saith, that the word burden is taken in a diferent sense; Alia sunt onera participandae infirmitatis, alia reddendae rationis Deo de actibus nostri. In the Originall, the words are different; in the second verse, it is foreign, in this foreign, there by burdens, are meant such sinnes and infirmities, wherewith our brother is aggrieved and burdened, but here by burden is meant the punishment of every mans own sinne.
V. 6. Let him, &c.] See 1 Cor. 9. 14.
that is taught in the word] Gr. catechised. See Rom. 2. 18. The word in the Originall is, foreign, a word derived from foreign, a sound, and signifieth to resound, or instruct others, viva voce, by word of mouth, by speech sounding to their eares, to teach familiarly, as when children are taught the principles of religion; and hence cometh our English word catechising. Howbeit, as the Greek Scholiast truly observeth, it is taken more generally for him that is any way taught and instructed; whether it be in the first principles, and rudiments, or points of greater difficultie; whether plainly and familiarly, as catechisers use to do; or more profoundly, as Doctors in the chaire.
communicate unto him that teacheth] Gr. catechiseth; or instructeth in the principles of faith. 1 Cor. 14. 9. Let him afford him comfortable maintenance according to his abilitie; he saith not, foreign, but foreign, contribute, but communicate unto him, as Oecumenius observeth, to signifie unto us, that the reliee of the Pastour is not an almes-deed, but a kind of commerce and exchange of spirituall things for carnall. For he that teacheth bestoweth on his flock spirituall treasures; and they who are taught of him give him part of their temporall goods, (1 Cor. 9. 11.) so there is a communication on both sides.
V. 7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked] He commendeth liberalitie both to their Pastours, and to the poore; and first he reproveth them for pretending this and that, and all because they would not help their neighbours, as though they could deceive God: afterward he compareth works of charitie to a spirituall sowing, which shall have a most plentifull harvest, and he compareth covetousnesse and niggardlinesse to a carnall sowing, whereof nothing can be gathered but such things as being unprofitable fade away and perish by and by.
V. 8. For he that soweth to his flesh] that is, to the commodities of this present life; he that seeketh after wealth or honour, & such things only wherby he may give satisfaction to his flesh, and enjoy carnall delights and pleasures, shall reap corruption; that is, a consumption in his estate, rottennesse in his bones, and eternall death. But he that soweth to the Spirit, that is, desireth encrease of spirituall graces, and by the grace of the Spirit distributeth liberally to the poore, and performeth all works of piety and charitie in this life, shall have a most plentifull harvest in the life to come, and reap a most plentifull crop.
V. 9. And let us not be weary in well-doing] See 2 Thess. 3. 13. He taxeth such as are liberall at the beginning, but continue not in well doing, because the harvest seemeth to be deferred very long, as though the seed-time and harvest were at one instant.
V. 10. houshold of faith] They who are bred up in the same Church, which is the House of God, they who are joyned with us in the profession of the self-same true religion, ought to be preferred before all other in our charitie: yet so notwithstanding that our liberalitie extend in some measure to all. Saint Augustine upon these words inferreth that all men are equally to be loved, and that we must with a like affection wish to all men eternall life, though we cannot performe to all the like offices of charitie. This seemeth to be repugnant to the doctrine of other Fathers, and the Schooles generally, who teach that we ought more to love those of our kinne then strangers, Christians then Infidels, right beleevers then heretiques, friends then enemies; but they quarrell with this religious Father without cause, for elsewhere he defineth all vertue to be ordo charitatis, an order of charitie, whereby we love first God, then our selves, after our neighbours, and them differently as we owe more obligation to them, or they better deserve of us: his meaning therefore in this place can be no other then this, that we ought to love all men pari dilectione, that is, with a like sinceritie of true love, though not a like ardencie of Christian affection; or that we ought to love all men alike as they are men, and desire truly their salvation, though as he speaketh, we neither can nor are bound to performe the same offices of charitie to all.
V. 11. how large a letter] The words in the Originall foreign, may signifie either with how great characters I have written unto you; or what a large letter I have writen unto you: those who follow the first Translation make this to be the sense, to disabuse and undeceive you I have made shift though I cannot write well, yet with mine own hand in great and ill shaped letters to give you an undoubted testimonie that I preach not circumcision; so Oecumenius. Others interpret the words thus, You see with what capitall letters I have written divers sentences in this epistle, that you might take speciall note of them; such letters Jerome in his Preface upon Job, calleth unciales literas; and the Poet grandes, Grandibus intumuli marmore caede notis. They who follow the latter Translation, make this construction of it: You see what paines I have taken for your satisfaction, to write to you a letter of a large size, and that with mine own hand; which I use not to do. It is true that the Apostle wrote larger letters then this, as namely to the Romanes, and to the Corinthians: but he wrote them not with his own hand, as he did this. For that to the Romanes was written by the hand of Tertius, Rom. 16. 22. And the Epistles to the Corinthians are supposed by the Learned to have been written by others; the first by the hand of sosthenes, the second by the hand of Timothie.
V. 12. make a fair shew in the flesh] Gr. good face. for fair countenance. A fair shew against the truth in keeping carnall rites and ceremonies; they urge circumcision upon you, not out of any affection and zeal that they bear to the Law; but onelyonly for this purpose, that they may purchase themselves favour among those of their own sort, and escape the malice and persecution of the Jews.
in the flesh] Or, in your flesh. In causing you to be circumcised.
for the crosse of Christ] For preaching the doctrine of Christ crucified.
V. 14. by whom the world is crucified, &c.] Or, whereby. S. Gregorie in the first of his Morals thus paraphraseth upon these words: Because neither Paul sought after the world, nor the world after him, he saith he is c…ucified to the world, and the world to him. Bernard in his sixt Sermon, de Quadragesima, conceiveth this to be the meaning: The world is crucified to me in my judgement and reputation thereof, and I am crucified to the world by an affection of compassion: Non incongrue potest intelligi crucifixum ci mundum reputatione, ipsum vero mundo crucifixum compassione. Others illustrate thus the words, All the honours, delights, and pomps which the world so much doteth upon, are as a crosse to me; and those things which the world esteems as crosses, I take delight in, and am fastened unto them. But the most naturall exposition seems to be this; God forbid that I should glory in any thing save the death and passion of my Saviour; by the power whereof I am not onelyonly dead, but even crucified to the world: so that I have neither love nor liking more to the world and the lusts thereof, then to a dead man hanging upon a Gibbet, or Crosse, which is not onelyonly a miserable, but an ignominious spectacle: on the other side, the world hath no more power on me to move me, then sensuall objects have to move or affect a dead man.
V. 15. availeth any thing] Gr. Tec. is any.
but a new creature] Georgius Syncellus writeth that these words of the Apostle are taken out of a Book intituled Apocalypsis Mosis, the Revelation of Moses; but the Book is Apocryphall, and it is more likely that the Authour of it bearing a false title is of latter date, and transcribed th…se words out of Saint Paul rather then that Saint Paul should borrow them from that book. For the meaning of them it is evidently this: That in attaining salvation by Christ, neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision is considerable, or available, but a new creature, a man renewed in the spirit of his mind, and reformed according to Christs Image, 2. Cor. 5. 17.
V. 16. upon the Israel of God] The true Israel circumcised in heart, and in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom. 2. 29.
V. 17. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus] The word in the Greek foreign, properly signifieth brands, that is, such marks as are burnt into a mans flesh; but here it is taken for all those stripes and wounds which the Apostle received for Christ, and his doctrines sake; and hereby he intimateth that he startled at no persecution; as his opposites the false Apostles did; and he opposeth his miseries and the marks of those stripes which he bare for Christs sake, against the scarre of the outward circumcision, as the true mark of his Apostleship: and the meaning of the whole verse seemeth to be this; I admonish all the faithfull to have this regard unto me, as not to adde affliction to my affliction, nor vex my spirit farther with oppositions and contradictions, I having already sustained and suffered so much for Christ, (2 Cor. 11. 23, &c.) whose marks I continually bear about me, and whereby I have sufficiently testified the Ioyaltie and faithfulnesse of my ministerie, 2 Cor. 6. 4, 5.
V. 18. with your spirit] With your minds and hearts; or, grace be with your spirit, that is, guide and direct your spirit, that you may discern the deceits of these false Apostles who indeavour to inthrall you to carnall rites; or because grace chiefly worketh upon the soul and is resident in it, he expresseth that part, but meaneth the whole, and it is as much as if he had said, Grace be with you. Fromn this prayer of the Apostle it seemeth the ancient Church in her Liturgie took that respond mentioned by Saint Chrysostome, in his Comment upon the tenth of Matthew, And to, or with thy spirit, foreign. When I say, peace unto you, and you answer, and to thy spirit; not with your voyce onelyonly, but with your heart: whence also in our Liturgie, transcribed for the most part out of the ancient Liturgies of the Church, after the Creed the Minister saith, The Lord be with you, and the people answer, And with thy spirit.