to be vndoubtedly accursed if they teach any thing contrarie vnto the first Gospell For the voice of the Gospell once sent forth shall not be called backe againe til the day of iudgment Verse 9. As vve said before so say vve novv againe if any man preach vnto you othervvise then that you haue receaued let him be accursed He repeteth the selfe same thing onely chaunging the persons Before he cursed him selfe his brethren and an Angell from heauen Here if there be any saith he besides vs which preach vnto you any other Gospell then that ye haue receaued of vs let them also be accursed Therefore he plainly excommunicateth and curseth all teachers in generall him selfe his brethren an Angell moreouer all others whatsoeuer namely all those false teachers his aduersaries Here appeareth an exceeding greate feruencie of spirite in the Apostle that dare curse all teachers thorow out the whole world and in heauen which peruert his Gospel teach any other For all men must either beleue that Gospel that Paule preached or els they must be accursed and condemned O would to God this terrible sentence of the Apostle might strike a feare into their harts that seeke to peruert the Gospel of Paule of which sorte at this day the more it is to be lamented the world is full The chaunging of persons is here to be marked For Paule speaketh otherwise in his first cursing then he doth in this second In the first he saith If vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you any other Gospell then that vve haue preached vnto you In the second then that you haue receaued And this he doth of purpose lest the Galathians should say We o Paule do not peruert the gospell that thou hast preached vnto vs we vnderstood thee not rightly but the teachers that came after thee haue declared vnto vs the true meaning therof This saith he wil I in no case admitte They ought to adde nothing neither to correct it but that which you heard of me is the sincere word of God let this onely remaine Neither doe I desire my selfe to be an other maner of teacher then I was nor you other disciples Wherefore if ye heare any man bringing any other Gospel then that ye haue heard of me or bragging that he will deliuer better things then ye haue receaued of me let him and his disciples be both accursed The first two chapters in a maner containe nothing els but defences of his doctrine and confutations of errours For in the ende of the second chapter at the last he beginneth to handle the article of iustification Notwithstanding this sentence of Paule ought to admonish vs that so many as thinke the Pope to be the iudge of holy scripture are accursed Which thinge the Popes Scholemen haue wickedly taught standing vpon this ground The church hath allowed foure Gospels onely therefore there are but foure For if it had allowed more ther had ben more Now seeing the Church might receaue and allowe such and so many Gospels as it would therefore the Church is aboue the Gospell A goodly argument forsoth I approue the scrpture Ergo I am aboue the scripture Iohn Baptist acknowledgeth and confesseth Christ and pointeth to him with his finger therfore he is aboue Christ The Church approueth the Christian faith and doctrine therefore the Church is aboue them For the ouerthrowing of this their wicked and blasphemous doctrine against God thou hast here a plaine text like a thunderbolt wherein Paule subiecteth both him selfe and an Angell from heauen and Doctours vpon earth and all other teachers and maisters whatsoeuer vnder the authoritie of the scripture For they ought not to be maisters iudges or arbiters but onely witnesses disciples and confessours of the Church whether it be the Pope Luther Augustine Paule or an Angell from heauen Neither ought any doctrine to be taught or heard in the Church besides the word of God that is to say the holy scripture Otherwise accursed be both the teachers and hearers together with their doctrine Verse 10. For novve preach I mans doctrine or Gods These words are spoken with the same vehemencie that the former were As if he would say Am I Paule so vnknowen amongest you which haue preached so openly in your churches Are my bitter conflicts and so many sharpe battails against the Iewes yet vnknowne vnto you It appeareth I thinke sufficiently vnto you by my preaching by so many and great afflictions which I haue suffered whether I serue men or God. For all men see that by this my preaching I haue not onely stirred vp persecution against me in euery place but haue also procured the cruell hatred both of mine owne nation and of all other men I shew therefore plainely enough that I seeke not by my preaching the fauour or liking of men but to set forth the goodnes and glory of God. Neither doe we be it spoken without bragge seeke the fauour of men by our doctrine For we teach that all men are wicked by nature and the children of wrath We condenme mans freewill his strength wisedome and righteousnes and all religion of our deuising And to be shorte we say that there is nothing in vs that is able to deserue grace and the forgeuenes of sinnes but we preach that we obtaine this grace by the free mercy of God onely for Christes sake For so the heauens shevv forth the glory of God and his vvorkes condemning all men generally with their works This certes is not to preach for the fauour of men and of the world For the world can abide nothing lesse then to heare his wisedome righteousnes religion and power condemned And to speake against those mighty and glorious gifts of the world is not to flatter the world but rather to procure hatred and indignation of the world For if we speake against men or against any such things as pertaine to their glory it can not be but that cruell hatred persecutions excommunications murthers and condemnations therevpon must needes follow If then saith Paule they see other matters why see they not this also that I teach the things that are of God not of men that is to say that I seeke no mans fauour by my doctrine but I set out Gods mercie offred vnto vs in Christ For if I sought the fauour of men I would not condenme their workes Now for as much as I condemne mens workes that is to say because I shew Gods iudgement out of his word whereof I am a Minister against all men how that they are sinners vnrighteous wicked children of wrath bondslaues of the deuill and damned and that they are not made righteous by works or by circumcision but by grace onely and faith in Christ therfore I procure vnto my selfe the deadly hatred of men For they cā abide nothing lesse than to be taken for such maner of men nay rather they would be
and a defence of his doctrine to the ende of the second chapter This he vrgeth this he standeth vpon with an oth confirmeth it that he learned not his gospel of any man but receaued the same by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And in that he sweareth he is constrained so to do that the Galathians may beleue him and also that they should geue no eare to that false Apostles whō he reproueth as liers because they had said that he learned receaued his gospel of the Apostles Where he sayth that his gospell is not after man he meaneth not that his gospell is not earthly for that is manifest of it selfe and the false apostles bragged also that their doctrine was not earthly but heauenly but he meaneth that he learned not his gospel by the ministerie of men or receiued it by any earthly meanes as we all learne it either by the ministery of men or els receaue it by some earthly meanes some by hearing some by reading and some by writing but he receaued the same onely by the reuelation of Iesus Christ If any man list to make any other distinction I am not against it The Apostle sheweth here by the way that Christ is not onely man but that he is both very God and very man whan he sayth that he receaued not his gospell by man. Now Paule receaued his gospell in the way as he was going to Damascus where Christ appeared vnto him and talked with him Afterwardes also he talked with him in the temple at Ierusalem but he receaued his gospel vpon the way as Luke reciteth the storie in the .9 of the Actes Arise sayth Christ and goe into the Citie and it shall be told thee vvhat thou must doe He doth not bid him goe into the citie that he might learne the gospel of Ananias but Ananias was bid to goe and baptise him to lay his hands vpon him to commit the ministerie of the word vnto him and to commend him vnto the Church and not to teach him the Gospel which he had receaued afore as he glorieth in this place by the onely reuelation of Iesus Christ And this Ananias himselfe confesseth saying Brother Saule the Lord vvhich appeared to thee in the vvay hath sent me that thou mightest receaue thy sight Therfore he receaued not his doctrine of Ananias but being already called lightned and taught of Christ in the way he was sent to Ananias that he might also haue the testimonie of men that he was called of God to preach the gospell of Christ This Paule was constrained to recite to put away the sclaunder of the false Apostles who laboured to bring him into hatred among the Galathians saying that Paule was inferiour to the rest of the Apostles schollers who had receaued of the Apostles that which they taught and kept whose conuersation also they had seene a long time and that Paule him selfe had also receaued the same things of them although he did now deny it Why then would they rather obey an inferiour and despise the authoritie of the Apostles themselues who were not onely the fore elders and teachers of the Galathians but also of al the Churches through out the whole world This argument which the false Apostles grounded vpon the authority of the Apostles was strong mighty wherby the Galathians were sodenly ouerthrowne especially in this matter I would neuer haue beleued had I not ben taught bp these exāples of the Churches of Galatia of the Corinthians others that they which had receaued the word of God in the beginning with such ioy among whom were many notable men could so quickly be ouerthrowne Oh good God what horrible and infinite mischeefes may one onely argument easily bring which so pearceth a mans conscience when God withdraweth his grace that in one moment he loseth altogether By this craftie pretence then the false Apostles deceaued the Galathians being not fully stablished and grounded but as yet weake in the Faith. Moreouer the matter of iustification is brickle not of it selfe for of it selfe it is most sure and certaine but in respect of vs Whereof I my selfe haue good experience For I know in what houres of darknes I sometimes wrastle I know how often sodenly I lose the beames of the gospell and grace as being shadowed from me with thicke and darke cloudes Briefly I know in what a slippery place euen such also do stand as are well exercised and seeme to haue sure footing in matters of faith We haue good experience of this matter For we are able to teach it vnto others and this is a sure token that we vnderstand it But when in the very conflict we should vse the gospell which is the word of grace consolation and life there doth the law the worde of wrath heauines and death preuent the gospell and beginneth to rage and the terrours which it raiseth vp in the conscience are no lesse then was that horrible shew in the mount Synai So that euen one place out of the scripture containing some threatning of the law drowneth and beareth downe all consolations besides and so shaketh all our inward powers that it maketh vs to forget Iustification Grace Christ the gospell and altogether Therfore in respect of vs it is a very brickle matter because we are brickle Againe we haue against vs euē the one halfe of our selues that is to say reason all the powers therof Besides all this the flesh resisteth the spirite which can not beleeue assuredly that the promises of God are true It fighteth therfore against the spirite and as Paule sayth it holdeth the spirite captiue so that it can not beleeue so stedfastly as it would Wherefore we teach continually that the knowledge of Christ and of Faith is no worke of man but simplie the gift of God who as he createth Faith so doth he kepe it in vs And euen as he first geueth Faith vnto vs through the word so afterwardes he exerciseth encreaseth strengtheneth maketh perfect the same in vs by the word Therfore the greatest seruice that a man can doe vnto God the very Sabboth of Sabboths is to exercise him selfe in true godlines diligently to read and to heare the word Contrariwise there is nothing more daūgerous then to be wery of the word He therfore that is so cold that he thinketh him selfe to know enough and beginneth by litle and litle to lothe the word that mā hath lost Christ and the gospel and that which he thinketh him self to know he attaineth onely by bare speculation And he is like vnto a man as S. Iames sayth VVho beholding his face in a glasse goeth his vvay and by and by forgetteth vvhat his countenaunce vvas Wherefore let euery faithfull man laboure and striue with all diligence to learne and to keepe this doctrine And to that ende let him vse humble and hearty prayer with continuall studie and
meditation of the worde And when we haue striuen neuer so much yet shall we haue enough to keepe vs occupied For we haue to doe with no small enemies but strong and mighty and such as are in continuall warre against vs namely our owne flesh all the daungers of the world the law sinne death the wrath and iudgement of God and the Deuill himselfe who neuer ceaseth to tempt vs inwardly by his fierie darts outwardly by his false Apostles to the ende that he may ouerthrow if not all yet the most part of vs. This argument therefore of the false apostles had a goodly shew and seemed to be very strong Which also at this day moueth many namely that the Apostles the holy fathers and their successours haue so taught that the Church so thinketh and beleeueth Moreouer that it is impossible that Christ should suffer his Church so long time to erre Art thou alone say they wiser then so many holy men wiser then the whole church After this maner the deuil being chaunged into an Angell of light setteth vpon vs craftely at this day by certaine pestiferous hypocrites who say We passe not for the Pope nor for the Bishops those great persecutors and contemners of Gods word we abhorre also the hypocrisie deceitfulnes of Monkes such like but we would haue the aucthoritie of holy Church to remaine vntouched The Church hath thus beleeued and taught this long time So haue all the Doctours of the primatiue Church holy men more auncient and better learned then thou Who art thou that darest dissent from all these and bring vnto vs a contrary doctrine When Satan reasoneth thus conspiring with the flesh and reason then is thy conscience terrified and vtterly despaireth vnlesse thou constantly retourne to thy selfe againe and say Whether it be Cyprian Ambrose Augustine either S. Peter Paule or Iohn yea or an Angell from heauen that teacheth otherwise yet this I know assuredly that I teach not the things of men but of God that is to say I attribute all things to God alone and nothing to man. When I first tooke vpon me the defence of the Gospell I remember that Doctor Staupitius a worthy man sayd thus vnto me This liketh me well that this doctrine which thou preachest yeldeth glory and all things else vnto God alone and nothing vnto man for vnto God there can not be attributed too much glory goodnes mercie c. This saying did then greatly comfort and confirme me And true it is that the doctrine of the Gospell taketh from men all glory wisedom righteousnes c. and geueth them to the creatour alone who made all things of nothing We may also more safely attribute too much vnto God then to man For in this case I may say boldly Be it so that the Church Augustine and other Doctours also Peter and Apollo yea euen an Angell from heauen teach a contrary doctrine yet my doctrine is such that it setteth forth and preacheth the grace and glory of God alone and in the matter of saluation it condemneth the righteousnes and wisedom of all men In this case I can not offend because I geue both to God and man that which properly and truely belongeth vnto them both But thou wilt say The Church is holy The Fathers are holy It is true notwithstanding albeit the church be holy yet is it compelled to pray forgeue vs our trespasses So though the fathers be holy yet are they saued through the forgeuenes of sinnes Therfore neither am I to be beleued nor the Church nor the Fathers nor the Apostles no nor an Angell from heauen if we teach any thing against the word of God but let the vvord of God abide for euer For else this argument of the false Apostles had mightely preuailed against Paules doctrine For in deede it was a great matter a great matter I say to set before the Galathians the whole Church with all the companie of the Apostles against Paule alone but lately sprong vp and of small authoritie This was therefore a strong argument and concluded mightely For no man sayth willingly that the Church erreth and yet it is necessary to say that it erreth if it teache any thing besides or against Gods worde Peter the cheefe of the Apostles taught both in life and doctrine besides Gods word therfore he erred and was deceaued Neither did Paule dissemble that errour although it seemed to be but a light fault because he sawe it would turne to the hurt of the whole Church but vvithstoode him euen to his face because he vvalked not after the truth of the Gospell Therefore neither is the Church nor Peter nor the Apostles nor Angels from heauen to be heard vnlesse they bring and teach the pure word of God. This argument euen at this day is not a little preiudiciall to our cause For if we may neither beleeue the Pope nor the Fathers nor Luther nor any other except they teach vs the pure word of God whom shall we then beleeue Who in the meane while shall certefie our consciences which part teacheth the pure word of God we or our aduersaries For they bragge that they also haue the pure worde of God and teach it Againe we beleue not the Papistes because they teach not the word of God neither can they teach it Contrariwise they hate vs most bitterly and persecute vs as most pestilent heretikes and seducers of the people What is to be done in this case Shall it be lawfull for euery fantasticall spirite to teach what him selfe listeth seeing the world can neither heare nor abide our doctrine For although we glory with Paule that we teach the pure Gospell of Christ vnto which not onely the Emperour Pope and the whole world ought to geue credite but also ought gladly and thankfully to receaue and embrace it yea and diligently to prouide that it be taught in euery place and if any should teach the contrary were he the Pope an Apostle or an Angell from heauen to holde him accurssed together with his Gospell yet for all that we profite nothing but are compelled to heare that this our glorying is not onely vaine rash and arrogant but also Deuilish and full of blasphemie But if we abase our selues and geue place to the rage of our aduersaries then both the Papists and Anabaptists waxe proud The Anabaptists wil vaunt the they bring and teach vs some straunge thing which the world neuer heard of before The Papistes will set vp againe and stablishe their olde abhominations Let euery man therfore take hede that he be most sure of his calling and doctrine that he may boldly say with Paule Although vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you othervvise then that vvhich vve haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Verse 13. For you haue heard of my conuersation in times past in the Ievvish religion hovv thar I persecuted the Church of God
require to all manner of burdens and daungers of this present life because he knoweth that this is the will of God that this obedience is acceptable vnto him Thus farre as concerning the argument of this Epistle which S. Paule hath taken in hand to entreate of taking occasion of false teachers which had darkened this righteousnes of faithe amongst the Galathians against whom he commendeth his authority and office The first Chapter Verse 1. Paule an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the father vvhich hath raised him from the dead NOwe that we haue declared the argument and summe of this Epistle to the Galathians we thinke it good before we come to the matter it selfe to shewe what was the occasion that S. Paule wrote this Epistle He had planted among the Galathians the pure doctrine of the gospell and the righteousnesse of faith but by and by after his departure there crept in certaine false teachers which ouerthrew all that he had planted and rightly taught among them For the Deuill can no otherwise doe but furiously impugne this doctrine with all force and subteltie neuer resteth whilest he seeth one sparke therof remaining We also for this onely cause that we preach the gospel do suffer of the world the deuill his ministers bothe on the left hand and on the right all the mischeefe that they can worke against vs. For the gospell is such a doctrine as teacheth a farre higher matter then is the wisedome righteousnes and religion of the world that is to say free remission of sinnes through Christ c. It leaueth these things in their degree to be as they are and commendeth them as the good creatures of god But the world preferreth these creatures before the creator and moreouer by them would put away sinne be deliuered from death deserue euerlasting life This doth the gospel condemne Contrariwise the world can not suffer those things to be condemned which it most esteemeth and best liketh of and therfore it chargeth the gospel that it is a seditious doctrine and full of errors and that it ouerthroweth common wealthes countreis dominions kingdomes and Empires and therfore offendeth both against God the Emperour abolishâ—â—h lawes corrupteth good manners and setteth all men at libertie to doe what they list Wherfore the world in his moste feruent zeale and high seruice of God as to him it seemeth persecuteth this doctrine and abhoreth the teachers and professors therof as the greatest plague that can be in the whole earth Moreouer by the preaching of this doctrine the deuill is ouerthrowne his kingdome is destroyed the lawe sinne and death wherwith as most mightie and inuincible tyraunts he hath brought all maÌ„kinde in subiection vnder his tyrannie are wrested out of his handes Brefely his prisoners are translated out of the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of light libertie Should the deuill suffer all this Should not the father of lies employ all his force and subtile policies to darkeÌ„ to corrupt and vtterly to roote out this doctrine of saluation and euerlasting life In deede S. Paule coÌ„plaineth in this and all other his Epistles that euen in his time the deuill shewed him selfe a cuÌ„ning workeman in this businesse We thought good to shewe heere by the way that the gospell is such a doctrine as condemneth all manner of righteousnes and preacheth the onely righteousnes of Christ and to them that embrace the same it bringeth peace of conscience and all good thinges and yet notwithstanding the world hateth and persecuteth it most bitterly I said that the occasion why S. Paule wrote this Epistle was for that by and by after his departure false teachers had destroyed those thinges among the Galathians which he with long and greate trauel had builded And these false Apostles being of the circumcision secte of the Phariseis were men of great estimation and authoritie which bragged among the people that they were of that holy chosen stock of the Iewes that they were Israelites of the seede of Abraham that they had the promises and the fathers and finally that they were the ministers of Christ and the Apostles schollers with whom they had bene conuersant had seene their miracles and perhaps had also wrought some signes or miracles them selues For Christ witnesseth that the wicked also doe worke miracles Moreouer these false Apostles by all the crafty meanes they could deuise defaced the authority of S. Paule saying Why doe ye so highly esteeme of Paule why haue ye him in so great reuerence Forsoth he was but the last of all that were conuerted vnto Christ But we are the disciples of the Apostles were familiarly conuersant with them We haue seene Christ working miracles heard him preache Paule came after vs and is inferior vnto vs and it is not possible that God should suffer vs to erre which are of his holy people the ministers of Christ and haue receaued the holy Ghost Again we are many and Paule is but one and alone who neither was conuersant with the Apostles nor hath seene Christ yea he persecuted the church of Christ a great while Would God thinke ye for Paules sake onely suffer so many churches to be deceaued When men hauing such authoritie come into any countrey or citie by and by the people haue them in greate admiration and vnder this coulour of godlines religion they doe not onely deceaue the simple but also the learned yea and those also which seeme to be somewhat confirmed in the faith especially when they bragge as these did that they are the ofspring of the Patriarks the ministers of Christ the Apostles scollers c. Euen so the Pope at this day when he hath no authoritie of the scripture to defend him selfe withal vseth this one argument contenually against vs The church the church Thinkest thou that God is so offended that for a few heretikes of Luthers secte he will cast of his whole church Thinkest thou that he would leaue his church in error so many huÌ„dreth yeres And this conclusion he chiefly standeth vpon that the church can not be ouerthrowne Now like as many are moued with this argument at this day so in Paules time these false Apostles through greate bragging and setting forth of their owne praises blinded the eies of the Galathians so that Paule lost his authoritie among them his doctrine was brought into suspition Against this vaine bragging and boasting of the false Apostles Paule with greate constancie boldnes setteth his apostolical authority highly coÌ„mending his vocation defending his ministery And although elswhere he neuer doth the like he will not geue place to any no not to the apostles them selues much lesse to any of their schollers And to abate their pharisaical pride and shameles boldnes he maketh mention of the history done in Antiochia where he withstode Peter himselfe Besides this
not regarding the offence that might rise therof he saith plainly in the text that he was bold to accuse reproue euē Peter him self the chiefe of the Apostles who had seene Christ and had bene most familiarly conuersant with him I am an Apostle saith he and such a one as passe not what others are yea I was not afraid to chide the very piller of all the rest of the Apostles And to conclude in the first two chapters he doth in a manner nothing els but sette out his vocation his office and his gospell affirming that it was not of men and that he had not receaued it by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Also that if he yea or an Angell from heauen should bring any other gospel then that which he had preached he should be holden accursed The certaintie of calling But what meaneth Paule by this his boasting I aunswere This common place serueth to this end that euery minister of Gods word should be sure of his calling that before God and man he may with a bold conscience glory herein that he preacheth the gospell as one that is called and sent Euen as the Embassadour of a King glorieth and vaunteth in this that he commeth not as a priuate person but as the Kings Embassadour and because of this dignitie that he is the Kings Embassadour he is honored and set in the highest place Which honour should not be geuen vnto him if he came as a priuate person Wherefore let the preacher of the gospell be certaine that his calling is from god And it is expedient that according to the example of Paule he should magnifie this his calling to the end that he may winne credite and authoritie among the people like as the Kings Embassadour magnifieth his office and calling And thus to glory is not a vain but a necessary kinde of glorying because he glorieth not in him selfe but in the King which hath sent him whose authoritie he desireth to be honoured and magnified Likewise when Paule so highly commendeth his calling he seeketh not his owne praise but with a necessary and holy pride he magnifieth his ministery As to the Rom. 11. he sayth For as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I will magnifie mine office that is to say I will that men receaue me not as Paule of Tharsus but as Paule the Apostle or Embassadour of Iesus Christ And this he doth of necessitie to maintaine his authoritie that the people in hearing this might be more attent and willing to geue eare vnto him For they heare not onely Paule but in Paule Christ himselfe and God the father sending him out in his message whose authoritie and maiestie like as men ought religiously to honour so ought they with greate reuerence to receaue and to heare his messengers bringing his word and message This is a notable place therefore wherein Paule so glorieth and boasteth as touching his vocation that he despiseth all others If any mā after the manner of the world should despise all others in respect of him selfe attribute al vnto him self alone he should not only shew him self a very foole but also greuously offend But this maner of boasting is necessary and pertaineth not to the glory of Paule but to the glory of God whereby is offered vnto him the sacrifice of praise and thankesgeuing For by this boasting the name the grace the mercy of God is made knowne vnto the world Thus then he beginneth this Epistle Verse 1. Paule an Apostle not of men c. Here in the very beginning he toucheth those false teachers which boasted them selues to be the disciples of the Apostles and to be sent of them but despised Paule as one that was neither the Apostles scholler nor sent of any to preach the gospell but came in some other way and of his owne head thrust him selfe into that office Against those Paule defendeth his calling saying My calling seemeth base to your preachers But whosoeuer they be which haue come vnto you are sent either of men or by man that is to say they haue entred either of them selues being not called or els called by others But my calling is neither of men nor by man but it is aboue all maner of calling that can be done by the Apostles for it is by Iesus Christ and by God the father c. Where he saith of men I meane such as cal thrust in themselues when neither God nor man calleth nor sendeth them but they runne speake of them selues As at this day certaine fantastical spirits which either creepe in corners and seeke places where they may powre out their poyson and come not into publike congregations or els they go thither wher the gospel is plāted already These I cal such as are sent of men But where he saith by man vnderstand such as haue a diuine calling but yet by man as by meanes God calleth then two maner of wayes by meanes and without meanes He calleth vs to the ministery of his worde at this day not immediatly by him selfe but by other meanes that is to say by man But the Apostles were called immediatly of Christ him selfe as the Prophets in the old time were called of God himselfe Therefore when Paule saith Not of men neither by man he beateth downe the false Apostles As though he would say Albeit those vipers bragge neuer so much what can they bragge more then that they are either come from men that is to say of them selues with out any calling or by man that is to say sent of others I passe not vpon any of these things neither ought you to regard them As for me I am called and sent neither of men nor by man but without meanes that is to witte by Iesus Christ him selfe and my calling is like in all points to the calling of the Apostles and I am in deede an Apostle Paule therefore handleth this place of the calling of the Apostles effectually And elswher he seperateth the degree of Apostleship from others as in the first to the Corinth cap. 12. and in the fourth to the Ephesians where he saith And God hath ordained some in the Churche as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly teachers c. setting Apostles in the first place so that they be properly called Apostles which are sent immediatly of God him selfe without any other ordinary meanes So Mathias was called onely of god For when the other Apostles had appoynted two they durst not choose the one nor the other but they cast lots prayed that God would shew which of them he would haue For seing he should be an Apostle it behoued that he should be called of God. So was Paule called to be the Apostle of the Gentiles Hereof the Apostles also are called Sainctes For they are sure of their calling and doctrine and haue continued faithfull in their office and none of
extremely and vvasted it And profited in the Ievvish religion aboue many of my companions of mine ovvne nation This place hath in it no singuler doctrine Notwithstāding Paule alledgeth here his owne example saying I haue defended the obseruations of the Phariseis and the law more constantly then ye and all your false teachers Wherfore if the righteousnes of the law had bene any thing worth I had not turned backe from it in the keping wherof notwithstanding before I knew Christ I did so exercise my selfe and so profite therin that I excelled many of my companions of mine owne nation Moreouer I was so zelous in defence of the same that I persecuted the church of God extremely wasted it For hauing receaued authoritie of the high priests I put many in prison whē they should be put to death I pronounced the sentēce and punishing them thorow out all the Sinagoges I compelled them to blaspheme was so exceding mad vpon them that I persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities Verse 14. And vvas much more zelous of the traditiōs of my fathers He calleth not here the Pharisaicall or humane traditions the traditions of his fathers for here he treateth not of the Pharisaicall traditions but of a farre higher matter and therefore he calleth euen that holy law of Moises his fathers traditions that is to say receaued and left as an inheritaunce from the fathers For these sayth he vvhē I vvas in the Ievvish religion I vvas very zelous He speaketh after the same maner to the Philippians As concerning the lavv sayth he I vvas a Pharisee cōcerning zeale I persecuted the church and as concerning the righteousnes of the lavv I vvas vnrebukeable As though he would say Here I may glory and may cōpare with the whole nation of the Iewes yea euen with the best and the holiest of all those which are of the Circumcision Let them shew me if they can a more zelous and earnest defender of Moises law then I haue bene This thing O ye Galathians ought to haue perswaded you not to beleue these seducers deceauers which magnify the righteousnes of the law as a matter of great importaunce when as if there were any cause to glory in the righteousnes of the law I haue more cause to glory then any other In like maner say I of my selfe that before I was lightned with the knowledge of the gospel I was as zelous for the papistical lawes and traditions of the fathers as euer any was most earnestly maintaining defending them as holy and necessary to saluation Moreouer I did my endeuour to obserue kepe them my selfe as much as was possible for me to do punishing my pore body with fasting watching praying other exercises more thē all they which at this day do so bitterly hate and persecute me because now I take frō them the glory of iustifying For I was so diligent and superstitious in the obseruation hereof that I laid more vpon my body then without daunger of health it was able to beare I honoured the Pope of mere conscience vnfainedly not seking after prebēds promotions liuings but whatsoeuer I did I did it with a single hart of a good zeale for the glory of god But those things which then were gainfull vnto me now with Paule I count to be but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my lord But our aduersaries as idle bellies tried with no tentations beleue not that I and many others haue endured such things I speake of such as with great desire sought for peace quietnes of conscience which notwithstanding in so great darknes it was not possible for them to finde Vers 15.16.17 But vvhen it had pleased God vvhich had separated me from my mothers vvombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne in me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediately I communicated not vvith flesh and bloud Neither came I againe to Ierusalem to them vvhich vvere Apostles before me but I vvent into Arabia and turned againe vnto Damascus This is the first iourney of Paule And here he witnesseth that straight way after he was called by the grace of God to preach Christ among the Gentiles he went into Arabia without the aduise of any mā to that vvorke whervnto he was called And this place witnesseth by vvhom he was taught by what meanes he came to the knowledge of the Gospell and to his Apostleship VVhen it pleased God saith he As if he would say I haue not deserued it because I was zealous for the lawe of God without iudgement nay rather this foolish and wicked zeale stirred me vp that God so permitting I fell hedlong into more abhominable and outragious sinnes I persecuted the church of God I was an enemy of Christ I blasphemed his Gospell and to conclude I was the author of sheding much innocent bloud This was my desert In the middest of this cruell rage I was called to so great inestimable grace What was it because of this outragious cruelty No forsoth But the aboundant grace of God who calleth and sheweth mercy to whom he will pardoned and forgaue me all these blasphemies and for these my horrible sinnes which then I thought to be perfect righteousnes an acceptable seruice vnto God he gaue vnto me his grace the knowledge of his truth and called me to be an Apostle We also are come at this day to the knowledge of grace by the self same merits I crucified Christ daily in my monkesh life and blasphemed God through my false faith wherin I then continually liued Outwardly I was not as other men extorcioners vniust whoremongers but I kept chastitie pouerty and obedience Moreouer I was farre from the cares of this present life I was onely geuen to fasting watching praying saying of Masse and such like Notwithstāding in the meane time I fostred vnder this cloked holines and trust in mine owne righteousnes continuall mistrust doubtfulnes feare hatred and blasphemy against god And this my righteousnes was nothing els but a stinking puddle and a pleasant kingdome of the Deuil For Sathan loueth such Saincts and accomteth them for his deare darlings who destroy their owne bodies and soules and depriue themselues of all the blessings of Gods gifts In the meane time notwithstanding wickednes blindnes contempt of God ignorance of the gospel prophanation of the sacraments blaspheming and treading of Christ vnder foote and abuse of all the benefits and gifts of God raigne in them at the full To conclude such Saincts are the bondslaues of Sathan and therefore are driuen to speake thinke and doe whatsoeuer he will although outwardly they seeme to excell all others in good works in holines and streitnes of life Such were we vnder the Popedome verely no lesse if not more contumelious and blasphemous against Christ and his Gospell then Paule himself and especially I for I did
brethren were crept in to espie out their liberty and would haue constrained Paule to circumcise Titus Paule perceauing this constraint and necessity would geue no place no not for one hower but strongly resisted them And therefore he saith Neither Titus vvhich vvas vvith me being a Gentile vvas compelled to be circumcised If they had required this in the way of brotherly charitie doubtles he would not haue denied it But seīg they would haue done it as a necessary thing and that by compulsion to the ill example of others to the ouerthrowing of the Gospell and to bring mens consciences into bondage therefore he setteth himselfe mightely against them and preuailed so that Titus was not circumcised It may seeme to be but a small matter to be or not to be circumcised But when a man hath an affiance in keping or is in feare for not keping of it here God is denied Christ is reiected the grace and all the promises of God are refused But if circumcision be kept without this addition there is no daunger If the Pope would in this sort require of vs the keping of his traditions as bare ceremonies it should not be greuous vnto vs to kepe them forasmuch as we also doe vse ceremonies but to binde mens consciences to these ceremonies and to make of them an high and acceptable seruice vnto God yea and moreouer to adde that life and saluation or death and euerlasting damnation consisteth in the obseruation hereof is a deuilish superstition and full of blasphemie Who so will not crie out against this accursed be he Verse 6.7 And of them vvhich seemed to be great I vvas not taught vvhat they vvere in times past it is no matter to me c. This is a vehement and a stout confutation For he geueth not to the true Apostles themselues any glorious title but as it were abasing their dignitie he saith vvhich seemed to be great that is which were in authoritie vpon whom the determination of all matters depēded Notwithstanding the authoritie of the Apostles was in deede very greate in all the churches And Paule also did not seeke any whit to diminish their authoritie but he thus contemptuously aunswereth the false Apostles which set the authoritie dignitie of the Apostles against Paule in all the churches that therby they might weaken his authority bring his whole ministery into contempt This Paule might not suffer To the end therfore that the truth of the Gospell and liberty of conscience in Christ might continue among the Galathians and in all the churches of the Gentiles he aunswereth stoutly to the false Apostles that he passed not how greate the Apostles were or what they had bene in time past and wheras they alleadged the authority of the name of the Apostles against him it toucheth him nothing at all He confesseth that the Apostles are in deede somewhat and that their authority is to be reuerenced Notwithstanding his Gospell and ministery ought not to be ouerthrowne for the name or title of any whatsoeuer be he an Apostle or an Angeil from heauen And this was one of the greatest arguments that the false Apostles vsed against Paule The Apostles said they were familiarly conuersant with Christ for the space of three yeares They heard and saw all his preachings and miracles Moreouer they themselues preached wrought miracles whiles Christ was yet liuing in the world whom Paule neuer saw in the flesh as touching his conuersion it was long after the glorification of Christ Wherefore they should now consider which of these they ought more to beleue Paule which was but one and alone and also but a disciple yea and one of the last of all or the cheifest and most excellent Apostles which long before Paule were sent confirmed by Christ himselfe To this Paule aunswereth what of all this This argument concludeth nothing Let the Apostles be neuer so greate yea let them be Angels from heauen it is no matter to me The question is not here cōcerning the excellency of the Apostles but concerning the word of God and the truth of the Gospell Herein consisteth all the weight of the matter that the Gospell may be preserued pure and vncorrupt which also aboue all things ought to be preferred Therefore how greate Peter and the other Apostles haue bene what greate miracles they haue wrought it is no matter to me This is it that I onely seeke euen that the truth of the Gospell may continue among you This seemeth to be but a slender aunswere of Paule when of purpose he so contemneth the authoritie of the Apostles which the false Apostles alledged against him and geueth no other solution to their mighty argument then this it is no matter to me Notwithstanding he addeth a reason of the confutation Verse 6. God accepteth no mans person This place he alledgeth out of Moses who vseth the same not once but many times Thou shalt not accept in iudgemēt the persō of the rich man or of the pore And this is a principle of diuinitie God is no acceptor of persons With the which saying he stoppeth the mouthes of the false apostles As though he would say Ye set those against me which seeme to be somewhat but God careth not for such outward things He regardeth not the office of Apostleship It is not the dignity or authority of mē the he loketh vpon And in tokē hereof he suffered Iudas one of the chiefest Apostles Saul one of the greatest kings yea the first of all to fall away to be damned Ismaell also Esau he refused being both first born So shal you find throughout al the whole scripture that god oftētimes reiected those which in outward shew were very good holy mē And in these exāples God semeth sometimes to be cruel but it was most necessary that such feareful exāples should be shewed also be writē For this vice is naturally grafted in vs that we highly esteeme that persons and outward appearance of men and more regard the same then the word of god Contrariwise God will haue vs to fixe our eies and to rest wholy vpon the word it selfe he will not haue vs to reuerence and adore the Apostleship in the persons of Peter and Paule but Christ speaking in them and the word which they bring and preache vnto vs. This the naturall man can not see but the spirituall man onely discerneth the person from the word the veile of God from God himselfe Now this veile of God is euery creature Moreouer God here in this life dealeth not with face to face but couered and shadowed from vs that is as Paul saith in an other place vve se him novv as it vvere through a glasse and darkely Therefore we can not be without veiles in this life But wisedom is here required which can discerne the veile from God himselfe and this wisedom the world hath not The couetous man hearing
that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that procedeth out of the mouth of God eateth the bread but he seeth not God in the bread for he beholdeth the veile onely and outward shew So he doth with gold and other creatures trusting to them so long as he hath them but when they leaue him he despaireth And thus he honoureth not the creator but the creatures not God but his owne belly This I speake least any man should thinke that Paule vtterly condemneth these outward veiles or persons For he sayth not that there ought to be no person but that ther is no respect of persons with god There must be persons and outward veiles God hath geuen them and they are his good creatures but we must put no trust in them All the matter is in the right vsing of things not in the things thēselues as before I haue sayd There is no fault in circumcision or vncircumcision for circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but in the vse therof To put righteousnes in the one and vnrighteousnes in the other that vse is damnable and ought to be taken away which being remoued circumcision and vncircumcision are things tolerable So the Prince the magistrate the preacher the scholemaster the scholer the father the mother the children the master the seruaūt are persons and outward veiles which God will haue vs to acknowledge loue and reuerence as his creatures which also must needes be had in this life but he wil not haue vs so to reuerence them or trust vnto them that we forget him And to the end that we should not too much magnifie the outward persons or put any trust in them God leaueth in them offences and sinnes yea great and foule sinnes to teach vs what difference there is betwene the person and God him self Dauid that good king because he should not seeme to be a person vpon whom men should trust fel into horrible sinnes adulterie and murther Peter that excellent Apostle denied Christ These and such like examples wherof the scripture is full ought to warne vs that we repose not our trust in the person outward veile nor thinke that when we haue the outward shewes shadowes we haue al things As it is in Poperie where they iudge all things according to the outward veile and therefore all Poperie is nothing else but a meere respecting of persons and outward shewes God hath geuen his creatures to our vse and to doe vs seruice and not as Idols that we should do seruice vnto them Let vs then vse bread wine apparell possessions gold siluer and all other creatures but let vs not trust or glory in them for we must trust and glory in God alone He onely is to be loued he only is to be feared and honored Paule calleth here the person of man the Apostleship or office of the Apostles which wrought many and greate miracles taught and conuerted many to the faith and were also familiar with Christ Briefly this word person comprehendeth the whole outward conuersation of the Apostles which was holy and their authoritie which was great Notwithstanding sayth he God esteemeth not these things Not that he esteemeth them not at all but in the matter of iustification he regardeth them not be they neuer so great and so glorious For we must diligently marke this distinction that in matters of diuinitie we must speake farre otherwise then in matters of policy In matters of policy as I haue sayd God will haue vs to honour and reuerence these outward veiles or persons as his instruments by whom he gouerneth and preserueth the world But when the question is touching religion conscience the feare of God faith and the seruice of God we must not feare these outward persons we must put no affiance in them loke for no comfort from them or hope for deliuerance by them either corporally or spiritually For this cause God will haue no respect of persons in iudgement for iudgement is a diuine thing Wherefore I ought neither to feare the iudge nor trust to the iudge but my feare trust ought to be in God alone who is the true iudge The ciuill iudge or magistrate I ought in deede to reuerence for Gods cause whose minister he is but my conscience may not stay or trust vpon his iustice equitie or be feared through his vniust dealing or tyranny whereby I might fal into any offence against God either in lying in bearing false witnesse or denying the truth c. Otherwise I will reuerence and honour the magistrate with all my heart So I would also honour the Pope and loue his person if he would leaue my conscience free and not compell me to sinne against god But he will so be feared and adored as can not be done without offence to the maiestie of god Here since we must needes lose the one let vs lose the person and sticke to god We could be content to suffer the dominion of the Pope but because he abuseth the same so tirannously against vs would compell vs to deny and blaspheme God him onely to acknowledge as our Lord master clogging our consciences spoiling vs of the feare trust which we should haue in God therfore we are compelled by the commaundement of God to resist the Pope for it is writen that vve must rather obey God then men Therfore without offēce of cōsciēce which is our singular cōfort we cōtemne the authority of the pope There is a vehemencie in this word God for in the cause of religion and the word of God there must be no respect of person but in matters of policy we must haue regard to the person otherwise there must needes follow a contempt of all reuerence and order In this world god will haue an order a reuerence and a difference of persons For els the childe the scholler the seruaunt the subiect would say I am a Christian as well as my father my scholemaster my master my Prince why then should I reuerēce him Before God there is no respect of persons neither of Grecian nor of Iewe but all are one in Christ although not so before the world Thus Paule dissolueth the argument of the false Apostles touching the authority of the Apostles saying that it is nothing to that purpose For the question is not here concerning the respect of persons but ther is a farre weightier matter in hand that is to say a diuine matter cōcerning God his word whether this word ought to be preferred before the Apostleship or no. Whereunto Paule aunswereth So that the truth of the gospel may continue so that the word of God and the righteousnes of faith may be kept pure and vncorrupt let the Apostleship goe let an Angell from heauen let Peter let Paule and altogether perish Verse 6. Neuerthelesse they that seemed to be the chiefe did communicate nothing vvith me
call himselfe the Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter with the other the Apostles of the circumcision This question is not hard Paule here hath respect vnto this that the other Apostles remained specially in Ierusalem vntil God called them vnto other places Thus stoode the matter then for the time that whiles the politicall state of the Iewes continued the Apostles still remained in Iudea but when the destruction of Ierusalem approched they were dispersed throughout the whole world But Paule as it is written in the Actes by a singular vocation was chosen to be the Apostle of the Gentiles and being sent out of Iudea he traueled through the countreys of the Gentiles Now were the Iewes dispersed almost throughout the whole world and dwelt here and there in cities and other places amongs the Gentiles Paule comming thether was wont as we read in the Actes to goe into the Sinagoges of the Iewes and by this occasion he first brought vnto them as the children of the kingdom this glad tidings that the promises made vnto the fathers were now accomplished by Iesus Christ When they would not heare this he turned to the Gentiles as Luke witnesseth where he bringeth in Paule thus boldly speaking against the Iewes It vvas necessary that vve should first preach the vvord of God vnto you but seing ye reiect it iudge your selues vnvvorthy of euerlastīg life loe vve turne to the Gentiles And in the Actes Be it knovvne therfore vnto you that this saluation of God is sent vnto the Gentiles and they shall heare it Wherefore Paule was sent specially vnto the Gentiles But because he was a detter vnto all and became all things vnto all mē therfore occasion being offered he went into the Sinagoges of the Iewes where not only the Iewes but also the Gentiles heard him preaching Christ Otherwhiles he preached publikely in the market place in houses and by the riuers sides He was specially then the Apostle of the Gentiles as Peter was of the Iewes who notwithstanding preached Christ to the Gentiles also when occasion was offered And here he calleth vncircumcision the Gentiles and circumcision the Iewes by a figure named Synecdoche which vnder part comprehēdeth the whole which figure is commonly vsed in the scripture The gospell then ouer vncircumcision is that which should be preached to the Gentiles This gospell he sayth was committed vnto him as the gospell ouer circumcision was vnto Peter For as Peter preached the gospell among the Iewes so did he among the Gentiles This he often repeteth that Peter Iames and Iohn which semed to be the pillers of the church taught him nothing nor committed vnto him the office of preaching the Gospell as hauing authoritie and rule ouer him But they them selues sayth he did see that the gospell was committed vnto me but not by Peter For as I did not receiue or learne my gospel of man so did I receiue no cōmaundement by man to preach the same but both the knowlege and the cōmaundement to preach it amōg the Gentiles I receiued immediatly from God like as the charge was geuen of God vnto Peter to preach the same among the Iewes This place witnesseth very plainly that the Apostles had like calling like charge and all one Gospell Peter preached no other Gospell then the rest of the Apostles did neither did he appoynt to others their charge and office but there was an equalitie among them all for they were all taught of God that is both their vocation and charge was wholy and immediatly from god There was none therefore greater then other none that had any prerogatiue aboue other And therefore where the Pope vaūteth that Peter was the chiefe of the Apostles that thereby he might confirme and stablish his vsurped primacie it is an impudent lie Verse 8. For he that vvas mightie by Peter This is a confutation of an other argument of the false apostles Why doe the false apostles boast sayth he that the Gospell of Peter was mightie that he conuerted many that he wrought many and great miracles raised vp the dead and with his shadow cured the sick I graunt all these things to be true but Peter receiued this power from heauen God gaue a vertue to his woorde that many did beleeue him and great miracles were wrought by him The same power had I also which I receiued not of Peter but the same God and the same spirite which was mightie in Peter was mightie in me also I had the same grace I taught many I wrought many miracles and through my shadow also I cured the sicke And this Luke testifieth in the .19 of the Actes in these wordes And God vvrought no small miracles by the handes of Paule so that from his body vvere brought napkins and handkercheefes and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirites vvent out of them Read more hereof in the .13.16.20.28 of the Actes To conclude Paule wil be counted in no poynt inferiour to the rest of the Apostles and herein he standeth with a godly and a holy pride For he was compelled of necessitie to take vpon him stoutly against Peter and the zeale of God constrained him to be proud whether he would or no. Certaine prophane spirites as Iulianus and Porphirius not considering this thought it to be but a carnall pride that caused Paule thus to doe such as at this day we see in the Pope and his generation But Paule had not here his owne busines in hand but a matter of Faith. Nowe as concerning Faith we ought to be inuincible and more harde if it might be then the Adamant stone But as touching charitie we ought to be soft and more flexible then the reede or leafe that is shaken with the winde and ready to yelde to euery thing Therefore the controuersie was not here touching the glorie of Paule but the glory of God the word of God the true worship of God true religion and the righteousnes of Faith to the ende that these things might still remaine pure and vncorrupt Verse 9. And vvhen Iames and Cephas and Iohn knevv of the grace that vvas geuen vnto me vvhich are counted to be pillers they gaue to me and to Barnabas the right hands of felovvship that vve should preach vnto the Gentiles and they vnto the circumcision That is to say when they heard that I had receaued my calling and charge from god to preach the gospel among the Gentiles that God had wrought so many miracles by me moreouer that so great a nomber of the Gentiles were come to the knowledge of Christ through my ministerie and that the Gentiles had receiued the holy Ghost without the law and circumcision by the onely preaching of faith they glorified God for this grace which was geuen vnto me He calleth grace here what so euer he had receaued of God to wit that of a persecuter and waster of the Church he
lawfull for the godly to trust and beleue men Verse 10. That ye vvill be none othervvise minded To witte concerning doctrine Faith then I haue taught you ye haue learned of me That is to say I haue a good hope trust of you that ye will not receaue any other doctrine which shal be contrary to mine Verse 10. But he that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation vvhatsoeuer he be By this sentence Paule as it were a iudge sitting vpon the iudgement seat coÌ„demneth the false apostles calling them by a very odious name troublers of the Galathians whom they estemed to be very godly men and farre better teachers then Paule And withall he goeth about to terrifie the Galathians with this horrible sentence whereby he so boldly condemneth the false apostles to the ende that they should flie their false doctrine as a most daungerous plague As if he should say What meane ye to geue eare to those pestilent felowes which teach you not but onely trouble you The doctrine that they deliuer vnto you is nothing else but a trouble vnto your consciences Wherefore how great so euer they be they shall beare their condemnation Now a man may vnderstand by these words VVhosoeuer he be that the false apostles in outward appearance were very good and holy men And peraduenture there was amongst them some notable disciple of the Apostles of great name and aucthoritie For it is not without cause that he vseth such vehemeÌ„t pithie words He speaketh after the same maner also in the first Chapter saying If vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you othervvise then vve haue preached vnto you let him be accursed And it is not to be doubted but that many were offended with this vehemencie of the Apostle thinking thus with them selues Wherfore doth Paule breake charitie why is he so obstinate in so small a matter why doth he so rashly pronounce sentence of eternall damnation against those that are ministers as well as he He passeth nothing of all this but procedeth on still and boldly curseth and condemneth all those that peruert the doctrine of faith be they neuer so highly estemed seeme they neuer so holy and learned Wherefore as I geue often warning we must diligently discerne betwene doctrine and life Doctrine is heauen life is the earth In life is sinne errour vncleanes and miserie mingled with vineger as the prouerbe sayth There let charitie winke forbeare be beguiled beleue hope and suffer all things there let forgeuenes of sinnes preuaile as much as may be so that sinne and errour be not defended and maintained But in doctrine like as there is no errour so hath it no neede of pardon Wherfore there is no comparison betwene doctrine and life One litle poynt of doctrine is of more valew then heauen and earth and therefore we can not abide to haue the least iote thereof to be corrupted But we can very well wincke at the offences and errours of life For we also doe daily erre in life and conuersation yea all the sainctes erre and this doe they earnestly confesse in the Lordes prayer and in the Crede But our doctrine blessed be God is pure we haue all the articles of our Faith grounded vppon the holy Scripture Those the Deuill would gladly corrupt and ouerthrow Therefore he assaileth vs so craftely with this goodly argument that we ought not to breake charitie and the vnitie of the churches Verse 11. And brethern if I yet preach circumcision vvhy doe I yet suffer persecution Then is the sclaunder of the crosse abolished Paule labouring by all meanes possible to call the Galathians backe againe reasoneth now by his owne example I haue procured to my selfe sayeth he the hatred and persecution of the Priestes and Elders and of my whole nation because I take away righteousnes froÌ„ circumcision which if I would attribute vnto it the Iewes would not onely cease to persecute me but also would loue and highly commend me But now because I preach the Gospel of Christ the righteousnes of Faith abolishing the law circumcision therfore I suffer persecution Contrariwise the false apostles to auoide the crosse and this deadly hatred of the Iewâ—sh nation doe preach circumcision and by this meanes they obtaine and reteine the fauour of the Iewes as he sayeth in the .6 Chapt. folowing They compell you to be circumcised c. Moreouer they would gladly bring to passe that there should be no dissention but peace and concord betwene the Gentiles and the Iewes But that is impossible to be done without the losse of the doctrine of Faith which is the doctrine of the crosse and full of offences Wherefore when he sayeth If I yet preach circumcision vvhy doe I yet suffer persecution Then is the sclaunder of the crosse abolished he meaneth that it were a great absurditie and inconuenience if the offence of the crosse should cease After the same maner he speaketh 1. Cor. 1. Christe sent me to preach the Gospell not vvith vvisedom of vvordes lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect As if he sayd I would not that the offence and crosse of Christe should be abolished Here may some man say The Christians then are madde men to cast them selues into daunger of their owne accord For what doe they else by preaching and confessing the truth but procure vnto them selues the hatred and enimitie of the whole world and raise offences This sayth Paule doth nothing at all offend or trouble me but maketh me more bolde and causeth me to hope wel of the happie successe and increase of the church which flourisheth and groweth vnder the crosse For it behoueth that Christe the head and spouse of the Church should raigne in the middes of all his enemies Psal. 110. On the contrary part when the crosse is abolished the rage of tyrannes heretikes ceaseth on that one side and offences on the other side all things are in peace the Deuill keping the entrie of the house this is a sure token that the pure doctrine of Gods word is taken away Bernard considering this thing sayeth that the Church is then in best state when Sathan assaileth it on euery side as well by subtill sleights as by violence and coÌ„trariwise that it is then in worst case when it is most at ease And he aledgeth very well and to that purpose that sentence of Ezechias in his song Behold for felicitie I had bitter greefe applying it to the church liuing in ease and quietnes Wherfore Paul taketh it for a most certaine signe that it is not the Gospel if it be preached in peace Contrariwise the world taketh it for a most certaine signe that the Gospell is hereticall and seditious doctrine because it seeth great vprours tumults offences and sectes and such like to folow the preaching therof Thus God sometimes sheweth him selfe in the similitude of the
Deuil and the Deuil likewise sheweth him selfe in the likenes of God And God will be knowen vnder the similitude of the Deuill and will haue the Deuil knowen vnder the likenes of God. The crosse immediatly foloweth the doctrine of the word according to that saying Psal. 116 I beleued and therfore haue I spoken and I vvas sore troubled Now the crosse of the Christians is persecution with reproch and ignominie and without any compassion and therfore it is very offensiue First they suffer as the vilest people in the world so did the Prophet Esay foreshew euen of Christ himself cap. 53. He vvas reputed amōgst the vvicked Moreouer murtherers and theues haue their punishments qualified and men haue compassion on them Here is no offence or sclaunder ioyned with the punishment Cōtrariwise like as the world iudgeth the Christiās to be of all other mē the most pestilent pernicious so doth it thinke that no torments are sufficient to punish them for their hainous offences Neither is it moued with any compassion towardes them but putteth them to the most opprobrious and shamefull kinds of death that can be And it thinketh that it gaineth hereby a double commodity For first it imagineth that it doth high seruice vnto God in killing of them secondly that the cōmon peace and tranquillitie is restored and stablishing by taking away such noisome plagues Therfore the death and crosse of the Faithfull is full of offences But let not this reprochfull dealing sayeth Paule and the continuance of Christes crosse and offence therof moue you but rather let it confirme you For as long as the crosse endureth it shall goe well with the Gospell In like maner Christe also comforteth his disciples in the .5 of Math. Blessed are ye sayeth he vvhen men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsely say all maner of euill against you for my names sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your revvard in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets vvhich vvere before you The church cā not suffer this reioysing to be wrested frō her Wherfore I would not wish to be at concord with the Pope the bishops the princes and the Sectaries vnlesse they would consent vnto our doctrine For such concorde were a certaine token that we had lost the true doctrine To be short as long as the church teacheth the Gospell it must suffer persecution For the Gospell setteth forth the mercy and glory of God It discloseth the malice and sleightes of the Deuill painting him out in his right coulours and plucking from him the counterfet visour of Gods Maiestie wherby he deceaueth the whole world that is to say it sheweth that all worshippings religious Orders inuented by men and traditions concerning single life meates and such other things wherby men thinke to deserue forgeuenes of sinnes euerlasting life are wicked things and deuelish doctrine There is nothing then that more stirreth vppe the Deuill than the preaching of the Gospell For that plucketh from him the dissembled vizour of God and bewrayeth him to be as he is in deede that is to say the Deuil not god Wherfore it can not be but that as long as the Gospell flourisheth the crosse and the offence thereof must needes folow it or else truely the Deuill is not rightly touched but slenderly tickled But if he be rightly hitte in deede he resteth not but beginneth horribly to rage and to raise vp troubles euery where If Christians then will hold the word of life let them not be afraid or offended when they see that the Deuill is broken lose and rageth euery where that all the world is on an vprour that tyrannes exercise their crueltie and heresies spring vppe but lette them assure them selues that these are signes not of terrour but of ioy as Christe himselfe expoundeth them saying Reioyce and be glad c. God forbid therefore that the offence of the crosse should be taken away Which thing should come to passe if we should preach that which the Prince of this world and his members would gladly heare that is to say the righteousnes of workes Then should we haue a gentle Deuil a fauourable world a gracious Pope and mercifull Princes But because we set forth the benefites and glory of Christe they persecute and spoile vs both of our goodes and liues Verse 12. VVould to God they vvere cutte of that doe disquiet you Is this the part of an Apostle not onely to denounce the false apostles to be troublers to condemne them and to deliuer them to Sathan but also to wish that they might be vtterly rooted out and pearish And what is this else but plaine cursing Paule as I suppose alludeth here to circumcision As if he would say They compell you to cutte of the foresakin of your flesh but I would that they themselues might be vtterly cutte off by the roote Here riseth a question whether it be lawfull for Christians to curse Why not howbeit not alwayes nor for euery cause But when the matter is come to this poynt that Gods word must be euill spoken of and his doctrine blasphemed and so consequently God him selfe then must we turne this sentence and say Blessed be God and his word and what so euer is without God and his word accursed be it yea though it be an Apostle or an Angell from heauen So he sayd before in the first Chapter Although vve or an Angell from heauen preach othervvise vnto you then that vvhich vve haue preached let him be accursed Hereby it may appeare how great a matter Paule made of a litle leauen which for the same durst curse the false apostles who in outward appearance were men of great authoritie and holines Let not vs therefore make litle account of the leauen of doctrine For although it be neuer so litle yet if it be neglected it will be the cause that by litle and litle the truth and our saluation shall be lost and God himselfe be denied For when the word is corrupted and God denied and blasphemed which must needes folow if the word be corrupted there remaineth no hope of saluation But for our partes if we be cursed railed vppon and slaine there is yet one that can raise vs vppe againe and deliuer vs from the curse death and hell Wherefore lette vs learne to aduaunce and extoll the Maiestie authoritie of Gods word For it is no small trifle as brainsicke heades surmise at this day but euery title thereof is greater then heauen and earth Wherefore in this respect we haue no regard of Christian charitie or concord but we sitte as it were on the iudgement seat that is to say we curse and condemne all men which in the least poynt deface or corrupt the Maiestie of Gods word For a litle leauen maketh sovver the vvhole lumpe But if they leaue vs Gods word entire and sound we are not onely ready to keepe charitie
vehemeÌ„t flames of carnall lust in Hierome The flesh is to be subdued not killed Ephes 5.29 1. Cor. 7.9 The godly feele the concupiscence or lust of the flesh Psal. 4.4 The faithfull haue flesh vvhich resisteth the spirite Rom. 7 1â— The godly feele the terrours and captiuitie of sinne The Monkes such other cloisterers neuer had experience of any spirituall tentations Christ our righteousnes Rom. 9.33 The outvvard righteousnes of the faithfull The godly feling the corruptions of the flesh must not despaire The battell of the flesh and the spirite in the godly To vvalke in the spirite Let all troubled consciences comfort them selues by this example of Martin Luther and say as he said Stanpitius a godly learned man of vvhom he made mention before A holy desperâ—tion â— Psal 143.2 Psal. 130. â— VVhat the godly must do vvhen they feele sinne The conflict battell of the flesh and the spirite in the children of God. Rom 1. â—8 A Christian a maruellous vvorkman Read more hereof before in the lease 246. and in the line 32. The children of God do fele the rebellion of the flesh against the spirite To vvhom God doth not impute sinne Rom. 14.23 The errour of the Sophisters or Scholemen The vvisedom of the godly The godly only feele sinne Rom. 1.14 Galath 5.24 Rom. 8.12 Sentence pronouÌ„ced agaiÌ„st such as obey the lusts of the flesh The true Sainctes of God. Psal. 32.5.6 Psal. 143. â— To be led by the spirite Galath 4.4 VVhat it is to be led by the spirite Hovv a troubled minde is to be comforted Novv the lusts of the flesh must be ouercome The great and vehement tentations of Luther Not to be vnder the lavve Math. 7.10 Hypocrites mingled amongst the godly Euery age of man hath his peculiar temptations * That is a secrete contempt of God vvherof Dauid speaketh Psal. 3.2 Some are exercised vvith greater tentations and some vvith lesse Luke 2.48 2. Cor. â— 5 Rom. 7 2â— VVhom the Stoickes couÌ„ted vvise meÌ„ VVho they be vvhich Christ and his Apostles cal saiÌ„cts VVho be true Sainctes The vveaknes of Faith. Al the faithful be Sainctes A holy life I beleue that there is a holy Church I do not see but I beleue Hypocriticall holines The church is holy The church prayeth that her sinnes maâ— be forgeuen To feele the vnclennes of the flesh is profitable To the godly those things vvhich are euil turne vnto good Christian doctrine raiseth vp and comforteth vveake and troubled consciences VVhat Paule meaneth by flesh Idolatrie or Idoll seruice Carthusians or charterhouse moâ—kâ— The false and true vvorshipping of God. Idolatrie is vnknovvne to the vvorld The Masse horrible idolatrie and blasphemie against Christ Flesh. The vvorkes of the flesh as the Papistes define them Reason estemeth idolatry and heresie for most excellent vertues VVitchcraft Idolatrie Iusticiaries or iustifiers of themselues The Pope an Archheretike No vnitie or concord in the Popish church Drunkards surfetters The most sobre and temperate are many times most assailed vvith tentations Hovv the burning heat of lustes may be quenched An horrible sentence pronounced by Paule The fruites of the spirite Rom. 12.10 The scripture exhorteth vs to reioyce in God. The ioy of the spirite LoÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce or perseuerance The gentlenes and mildnes of Christe Ex libro Clementis ad Iacobum fratrem Domini Chastitie The lavv is abolished to the beleuers in Christ VVhat it is to crucifie the fleâ—h The armour of God. * After the coÌ„mon diuision this is the .25 verse of the former chapter Vaineglory a detestable vice and most pernicious to the church of god Tit. 1.7 Hovv great a mischefe vain glory is Ouide Horace Rom. 12.10 Vaineglory a common vice in the church Math. 9. â—8 2 Cor. 11 15. The nature of false teachers 1. Timo. ◠◠〈◊〉 â— â—0 Rom 10 1â— The authoritie of the false apostles The false apostles despised Paule Such as thrust them selues into the ministerie The ende of vaineglorious teachers Phil. 3.19 Psal. 1.4.5 VVhat vve ought to seke in the gospell Rom. 1.32 Iohn 7 1â— VVhat it is to vvalke in the spirite VVhy God layeth the crosse vpon the preachers of the gospel Rom. 14.16 Rom. 12.10 VVhen men be praised the flesh vvaxeth proud 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Cor. 6.8 VVho vvalke in order and vvho do not Galath 1.5 1. Cor. 4.7 Priuie open enemies of the Gospell VVe must not be proud of our spirituall giftes Luke 12 4â— Ephes 4.12 Actes 10.34 Vainglorious spirites Galath 4.17 Rom. 3.25 The praise of the person of the ministerie Rom. 14.16 2. Cor. 6.3 The effect and fruite of vaineglory Galath 2.5 VVhat offences are to be forgeuen Leuit. 6.3 Gal. 2.20.3.16 Sathan lieth in vvait both against purity of doctrine life Hovv pastorâ— ought to deale vvith them that are fallen The Pope and his bishops are tormeÌ„tors of mens coÌ„sciences Sayings of Pope Gregorie 2. Thes 2.3 By vvhat meanes the Pope establisheth his tyrannie and povver Hovve they that are falne ought to be intreated The spirite of mekenes Ezech. 34.4 Ex libro de vitis patrum Math. 7.3 1. Cor. 10.12 2. Sam. â—1 Loue. 1. Cor. 13.4 Rom. 13.9 VVhose burdens are to be borne 1. Tim. 5.22 The authors of Sectes painted out iÌ„ their right colours Mat. 18.24 â—1 Deceauers of themselues Apoc. 3.17 Desire of vain-glory Vainglorious heades Three vices of the vaineglorious linked together Phil. 2.27 The people delited vvith nouelties He shall lacke no praise that preacheth the Gospel purely The ende of the ministerie of the vvord 2. Tim. 4.5 To haue praise in himselfe VVhat is the glory of heretikes The glory of the godly Iâ—hn 16.32 Phil. 4.4 The vvorld dishonoreth the godly ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 6.3 The Gospell is the vvord of the crosse and offence 1. Cor. 1.18 The disciples of the gospel VVhat it is for a man to proue his ovvne vvork Exod 20 7. 1. Sam. 2.30 1. Cor. 4.2 The vvorke of euery mans calling Phil. 3.19 2. Tim. 3.9 Psal. 37.6 In death and in the day of iudgement other mennes praises profit not Rom. 2.16 A comparison betvene good vvorkes and hypocriticall vvorke Vaineglory A commaundemeÌ„t for the nourishing of the ministers of the vvord of God. The ministers of SathaÌ„ haue pleÌ„tie but the ministers of Christe doe vvant Luke 2.7 Luke 9.58 Iohn 19. â— Cor. 8. 9. 1. Tim. 4.1 SathaÌ„ oppresseth the gospell tvvo vvaies Mâ—â—h 1.7 Fulnes of Gods vvord bringeth lothing 1. Cor. 9.11 The vvorld lodeth the ministers of Sathan vvith all vvorldly good things The punishment of vnthankfulnes In all good things Gentlemen citizens and husbandmen despisers of Gods ministers Luke 10. â—6 1. Sam. 8.7 Psal. 34.10 Psal. 37.19 Reuerence necessary liuing due to the ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 9.13.14 Exod. 3. â—â— VVhat it is to sovve in the spirite The heretikes called Encratites VVhose errour the Papistes haue reuiued as touching matrimonie and therfore they may cruely be called nevv Encratites VVe must doe good vvithout vveerines Iohn 9.4 Iohn 12.35 The houshold of faith The motherly affection of Paule Enormities in the false apostles Galath 1.8 Phil. 3.19 Gen. 17.10 14. Gen. 17 1â— Phil. 2.21 The lavv is not accomplished vvith outvvard vvorkes Rom. 14 2â— VVorks done vvithout faith are sinnes The peril that follovveth ambition and vaine glory * That is they do but kepe your flesh in a seruile and slauish exercise The glory of the Christians Actes 5.41 The faithfull suffer for Christe Math. 5.11.12 The glory of the vvorld The crosse of Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Col. 1.24 The afflictioÌ„s of the godly are the afflictioÌ„s of Christ Actes 9.4 Zach. 2.1 The feeling of the head is most sensible The crosse of the godly iâ— svveete 2. Cor 1.5 Psal. 44 22. Math. 11.30 To glory in the crosse of Christ Rom. 5.3 2. Cor. 7.5 1. Sam. 22.22 Zach. 2. â— Iohn 15.19 To be crucified to the vvorld The contrary iudgement of the faithful of the vvorld as concerning true doctrine 1. Cor. 2.13 1. Iohn 3.8 Iohn 8.44 The vvorld condemneth the life and doctrine of the godly Psal. 139.22 Ephes 6.16 2. Cor. 1â— â— ChristiaÌ„ righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. â— 1. Cor. 2.14 VVithout Christ there is no saluation Vncircumcision signifieth all the Gentiles Circumcision all the Ievves Lavves be good The vse of ceremonies and lavves 1. Cor. 14.40 Gal. 3.5 Eph. 4.24 A nevv creature Actes 15.9 The renevving of the members of the body folovv the renevving of the minde The Papists imagined God to be a marchaunt and to sell his grace for vvorkes and merites A right rule Eph. 4.24 The righteousnes of Monkes Peace Mercy Rom. 9.4.5 Rom. 9.7 8. Ephes 1.16 1. Cor. 4.9 1. Cor. 4.11.12.13 2. Cor. 6.4.5.6 2. Cor. 11 2â—.24.25 â—â— The markes vvhich vve beare at this day Ephes 6.16 Math. 26.41