contention Phil. 1. 15. others make marchandise of the word It is an excellent thing to imbrace the Gospel and yet many men doe it amisse for feare or for honour or for profit or for other sinister respect and not for the Gospels sake This temporall life is an excellent thing yet few there are that know the ende of this life For men commonly spend not their time to seeke the kingdome of heauen and to serue God in seruing of men but with all their might they aime at honours profits pleasures and thus they liue amisse not for the honour of God but for themselues This must teach vs not onely to doe good but to doe it well and to propound good ends to our selues and to seeke to be vpright in the statutes of God Psal. 119. 80. To this ende three things must be done First we must set before vs the will and commandement of God and this must mooue vs to doe the good we doe Secondly the outward action must be conformable to the inward motions of the inward man and they must both goe together Thirdly we must directly intend to obay God in the things we doe and to approoue our hearts and doings to him In that the false Apostles are saide to be ielous or zealous we see how nature can counterfeit 〈◊〉 grace of God and that which the child of God doth by 〈◊〉 that the naturall man can doe by nature Thus Pharao fa 〈…〉 repentance Exod. 9. 27. and Ahab that sold himselfe to worke wickednes 1. king 21. 27. and Iudas in the midst of his despaire is said to repent Matt. 27. 1. Daily experience shewes the like in such persons who in their extremitie with teares vse to bewaile their liues past and with many vowes and protestations promise amendment and yet afterward when they are on foote againe they returne to their old bias In a word there is nothing that the godly man doth by the spirit of God spiritually but an hypocrite may doe the like carnally Nature can play the part of the ape in imitating good things Therefore it stands vs in hand to praie and examine our hearts least we be deceiued in our selues For there may lie a depth of deceit and falshood lurking in the heart And that we be not deceiued two things must be obserued One is that we must cherish in our hearts an vniuersall hatred of all and euery sinne first in our selues and then in others The second is that we must be changed and renewed in our minds consciences and affections Thirdly here we see the propertie of enuie and Ambition in these false teachers Paul must be excluded from the loue of the Galatians that they alone may be loued Thus Iosua would haue excluded Eldad and Medad from prophesying and he would haue Moses to be the onely prophet but Moses saith I would to God all the people could prophecie Num. 11. 29. Iohns disciples would haue excluded Christ baptising but Iohn saith He must increase and I must decrease Ioh. 3. 30. The disciples of Christ would haue excluded one that cast out deuills in the name of Christ but did not follow him and Christ forbad them Luk. 9. 49. Lastly we here see the propertie of deceiuers is to make a diuision betweene the Pastors and the people Beside the former pretended ielousie there is a good ielousie which the Apostle takes to himselfe and els where he calls it the ielousie of God 2. Cor. 11. 2. This ielousie presupposeth the office of the Apostles and all Ministers which stands in three things The first is to become suters to the Church or to the soules of men in the name of Christ and to make the offer or motion in his name of a spirituall marriage and this is done in the ministerie and dispensation of the Gospel The second is to make the Contract betweene mens soules and Christ. Now to the making of a contract the consent of both the parties at the least is required Christ giues his consent in the word Ose 2. 20. and we giue our consent to him and choose him for our head when we turne to God and beleeue in Christ. And the ministerie of the word serues to signifie the will of Christ vnto vs and to stirre vp our hearts to an holy consent The third is after the contract to preserue them in true faith and good life that they may be fit to be presented to Christ in the day of iudgement and so be married to him eternally for then and not before is the marriage of the lambe These duties are all noted by Paul when he saith that he prepared the Corinthians that he might present them as a pure virgin vnto Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. And because this charge and office is laid vpon the Apostles and Ministers therefore they are said to be ielous This Ielousie stands in three things The first is to loue the Church indeede and truth for Christs sake The second is to feare least by reason of weaknes and by meanes of the temptations of the deuill the Church and they that beleeue should fall away from Christ. The third is after the fall of the church to be angrie with holy anger and indignation for Christs sake Thus Moses was ielous when the Israelites worshipped the golden calfe and Elias with like zealessue the priests of Baal Thus is Paul said to be ielous in this place and Act. 14. If the Apostle be thus ielous how much more then is Christ himselfe ielous who hath espoused himselfe to his Church This plainly shewes that he cannot brooke either Partner or deputie And therefore his sacrifice on the crosse must stand without the sacrifice of the masse his intercession without the intercession of Saints his merits without the merit of workes his satisfaction without any satisfaction of ours He will haue the heart alone and all the heart or nothing and he will not giue any part of his honour to any other This Ielousie in the Ministers must teach all faithfull seruants of God that they keepe themselues as pure virgins for Christ and set their hearts on nothing in the world but on him Therefore they must hunger after Christ they must account all things dongue for him they must haue their conuersation in heauen with him and loue his comming vnto thē by death Psal. 45. 10. Contrariwise they that set their hearts on any other thing beside him are said to goe a whoring from him and therefore they are accursed Psal. 73. 27. Thus many Protestants doe in their practise whatsoeuer they professe Thus doth the Church of Rome both in word and deede For beside Christ shee hath many other louers and shee goes a whoring after them when shee worships Angels and Saints the images of God and Christ with religious worship Againe by this we are put in minde to yeeld an vniuersall subiection to Christ for this is the dutie of the espoused wife to her husband Lastly that good things
it pertaines to the conscience The vse indeede of our libertie is in outward things as meate drinke apparell c. but the libertie it selfe is in the conscience And thus it differs from ciuill libertie which stands in the moouing of the bodie in the choise of bodily actions and in the free vse of our goods Christian libertie hath two parts a Deliuerance from miserie and Freedome in good things Deliuerance hath foure parts The first is a Deliuerance from the curse of the law for the breach thereof Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. And this comes to passe because there is a translation made of the curse from our persons to the person of Christ. Gal. 3. 13. The second deliuerance is from the obligation of the law whereby it binds vs to bring perfect righteousnes in our owne persons for the attainment of euerlasting life according to the tenour thereof Doe this and liue And this deliuerance is procured because there is a translation made of the fulfilling of the law from our persons to the person of our Sauiour Christ. From these two deliuerances ariseth the Pacification of the conscience partly for our Iustification and partly for our conuersation Touching iustification A sinner in his humiliation and conuersion hath by this doctrine a Libertie without respect to his owne workes or to his owne fulfilling of the law to rest on the meere mercie of God for the forgiuenes of his sinnes and the saluation of his soule and to appeale from the throne of diuine iustice to the throne of grace and to oppose the merit of Christ against the wrath and iudgement of God And this hath bin alwaies the helpe of the godly in their distresse Read 2. Chron. 33. 12. Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Psal. 32. 31. 130. 143. Consider the example of the Publican and the Prodigall sonne who condemne themselues and make their appeale to the court of mercie and grace Here some man may say how shall I know that I am freed from the rigour of the law and from the curse thereof Ans. Thou must first set thy selfe at the barre of Gods iudgement and there must thou arraigne accuse and condemne thy selfe this done thou must vse thy libertie and make thine appeale to Gods mercie and grace for pardon by asking seeking knocking and thus at length shalt thou be resolued touching thy deliuerance Moreouer touching conuersation our consciences are setled thus In that we are freed from the Rigour of the law God in mercie accepts the will and indeauour to beleeue repent and obay for faith repentance and obedience He spares them that feare him as a father spares his child when he indeauours to doe that which he can Mal. 3. 17. The law requires perfect obedience at our hands yet God of his mercie lookes more at the will to obay then the perfection of obedience This must be a stay to our mindes when we see more corruption then grace in our selues and our obedience tainted with many spots of disobedience The third Deliuerance is from the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law of Moses Col. 2. 16. And hence ariseth an other deliuerance from the bondage of humane Traditions as Paul saith If yee be dead with Christ from the Elements of the world why are ye burdened with traditions Col. 2. 20. The fourth Deliuerance is from vnder the tyrannie and dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 14. Let not sinne haue dominion ouer you For ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace In the first tonuersion of a sinner Originall sinne receiues his deadly wound and the dominion thereof is diminished according to the measure of grace receiued The second part of Christian libertie is a Freedome in good things and it is fourefold The first is a freedome in the voluntarie seruice of God Luk. 1. 74. We are deliuered from our enemies that we may serue God in righteousnes and holines before him all the daies of our liues without feare Paul saith that the law is not giuen to the righteous man 1. Tim. 1. 9. because he is a law to himselfe and freely does good duties as if there were no law to bind him The cause of this freedome is the Gift and donation of the free spirit of God Therefore Dauid praies Stablish me with thy free spirit Psal. 5. 1. And Paul saith Where the spirit is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. 17. And The spirit of life which is in Christ is a Law to vs and frees vs from the power of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. It may be obiected that this freedome in the voluntarie seruice of God is bondage For Christ saith Matth. 11. 29. Take my yoke vpon you And we are as straightly bound to the obedience of the law of God as Adam was by creation nay more straightly by reason of our redemption by Christ. Ans. The more we are bound to obedience the freer we are because the seruice of God is not bondage but perfect libertie The second freedome is in the free vse of all the creatures of God Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure Rom. 14. 14. And the reason is because the dominion ouer the creatures lost by Adam is restored by Christ. 1. Cor. 3. 22. And hence it is that Paul calls the forbidding of marriage and of meates with obligation of conscience a doctrine of deuills 1. Tim. 4. 1. The third freedome is a Libertie to come vnto God the father in the name of Christ and in praier to be heard Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12. Whereas according to our naturall condition our sinnes are a wall of partition betweene vs and God and cause vs to flie from the presence of God and though we crie vnto God and fill heauen and earth with our cries so long as we are in our sinnes we are not heard of him The fourth freedome is a Libertie to enter into heauen in the day of our death Christ by his blood hauing made a way Heb. 10. 19. Thus we see what Christian libertie is The vse followes The Anabaptists gather hence that among Christians there must be Magistrates they must haue power to make lawes beside the lawes of God but this power they haue not because Christians haue a free vse of all the creatures of God by Christian libertie Ans. We must distinguish betweene the libertie it selfe and the vse of it And the Magistrates authoritie deales not with the libertie which is in the conscience but with the vse of it and he doth neither diminish nor abolish the vse of any of the creatures but restraines the abuse and moderates the ouer common vse for the common good Thus Magistracie and Christian libertie may stand together and the rather because libertie is in conscience and the Magistrates authoritie pertaines to the bodie Here is further comfort for all the godly for euen by Christian libertie their consciences are exempted from the power of all creatures men and Angels 1. Cor. 7.
workes and to approoue them How we are to prooue our workes by taking triall and examination of them I haue already shewed in the former verse But we are further to approoue them to God according to Pauls commandement study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God 2. Tim. 2. 15. and his practise in coueting alway to be acceptable vnto him 2. Cor. 5. 9. This approouing of our works is a soueraigne remedie against ouerweening of our selues for he that alwaise stands vpon his tryall and Gods approbation cannot be puffed vp with self loue of himselfe or selfe-liking of his own works but rather humbled with the consideratiō of Gods absolute iustice and his owne imperfections and so stirred vp with greater diligence to worke out his saluation with feare and trembling Nowe we shall approoue our workes vnto God if we obserue these three things First that all our actions specially in the worship and seruice of God be grounded vpon the will word of God not vpon wil-worship or humane inuentiōs otherwise it will be said Who required these things at your hands Secondly that we performe all our actions sincerely and vprightly as in the presence of God with an honest heart and a good conscience as Abimelech protesteth of himselfe Gen. 20. 5. and Hezekiah Isay 38. 3. and Paul Act. 23 1. Thirdly that they alway tend to a good end as the glorie of God Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10 30. and the good of our brethren Let all things be done to edification 1. Cor. 14 26. It may here be demaunded whether we may not approoue our selues and our actions to men To which I answer that we may ought For although we may not be men-pleasers that is such as frame and temper our actions and our speeches so as they may alway be pleasing to the corrupt humours and wicked affections of men for then we were not the seruants of God Gal. 1. 10. Yet we are to please them in that which is good to edification Rom. 15. 2. 1. Cor. 10. 33. And Christ cōmandeth that our light should so shine before men that they may see our good works And Paul biddeth vs to procure honest things in the sight of all men And whatsoeuer things are true and honest and iust and pure whatsoeuer appertaine to loue and are of good report we must thinke on them and practise them Phil. 4. 8. Yet we must seeke for the approbation of men with these cautions First we must so seeke for the approbation of men as that we do not seeke it nor rest in it alone but withall seek to be approoued of God For he that praiseth himselfe and so consequently he that is praised of others is not approoued but he whōe the Lord praiseth 2. Cor. 10. 18. How can ye beleeue saith our Sauiour Christ which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Ioh. 5. 44. Secondly we must seeke for the approbation of God in the first place and in the second place to be approoued of men as Christ did for he grew in fauour first with God and after with men Luk. 2. 52. and the Elders who by faith obtained a good report Hebr. 11. 2. read Rom. 14. 18. Thirdly we must neuer looke for the approbation of the multitude or acclamation of the most for that cannot be done without ambition and vaine glorie in seeking popular applause Woe be to you when all men speake well of you Luk. 6. 26. Thus Christ saith He sought not praise of mē For those that are addicted to popular applause and are ouer curious of their credit immoderately seeking to get and keepe a good name with all sorts of men while they seeke for fame they loose a good name in seeking fame from the wicked which is but a shadow and loosing a good name in the opinion of the godly which is the substance Fourthly we must so farre seeke for the approbation of the wicked that we minister no not the least occasion of offence vnto them 1. Cor. 10. 32. Giue no offence neither to the Iew nor to the Gentile but to conuict their consciences and to stoppe their mouths by our godly vnblameable conuersatiō which may be a preparatiue for them against the day of their visitation 1. Pet. 2. 12. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Fiftly in doing our duties we must not respect the iudgement of the world neither fearing the faces nor the censures of men This was Pauls practise 1. Cor. 4. 3. I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement we must goe through good report and euill report 2. Cor. 6. 8. Lastly we must seeke to be approoued of men not so much in regard of our selues as that by this meanes Gods glorie may be more and more aduanced for our light must so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen Matth. 5. 16. If we obserue these sixe cautions we may with good conscience seeke to get a good name which will be vnto vs as a pretious oyntment refreshing vs with the comfort of a godly life Prou. 22. 1. Eccles. 7. 3. Thus much of the Remedie The reason followeth And then shall he haue whereof to reioyce in himselfe and not in another The wordes translated to reioyce signifie to glorie which is more then to reioyce There is a double ground of glorying one out of a mans selfe another in himselfe Out of himselfe in God alone Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches But let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me Ier. 9. 23 24. 1. Cor. 1. 31. In himselfe in the comfortable testimonie of a good conscience Our glorying is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenes we haue had our conuersation in the world 2. Cor. 1. 12. The one is glorying before God the other before men The one of iustification the other of holy conuersation for time past and constant resolution for time to come The one in the testimonie of our conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. the other in the testimonie of Gods spirit witnessing to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 16. The first is not meant in this place but onely the second For no flesh can glorie in his presence 1. Cor. 1. 29. It will be said This glorying in a mans selfe is vaine glorie and a branch of pride Ans. It differs from vaine glorie first in the foundation for vaine glorie hath for his ground our owne vertues and gifts considered as comming from our selues
vanitie of their minde almost for three thousand yeares together Act. 14. 16. Now if God be so patient in expecting our amendement from day to day from yeare to yeare we ought to be patient in expecting the accomplishment of his promises day after day and yeare after yeare as we are commanded Habac. 2. 3. Though the vision tarie yet wait for it for it shall surely come and shall not stay and though it be long before we reape any fruit of our labours yet let vs with patience expect it for in due season we shall reape if we faint not For if God wait vpon vs not for his owne good but for ours what a shame is it that we will not waite vpon him in tarrying his good leisure for our owne good The dumme and sâ—nsles creatures may set vs to schoole in this point for they expect with a feruent desire to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 19 20. and as the word signifieth they expect with a longing desire euen with thrusting forth their heads as the poore prisoner that is condemned doth who eftsoones putteth forth his head out of the window in a continuall earnest expectation of the gratious pardon of the Prince It is our parts therefore to waite as Dauid did who saith of himselfe Psal. 69. 3. I am wearie of my crying my eyes faile me whilst I waite for my God For if we giue ouer our patient expecting and faint in our minds seeking to anticipate this DVE TIME this period which God hath prefixed in his vnchangeable will more immutable then the lawes of the Medes and Persians a thousand to one but we runne for helpe either to the witch of Endor as Saul did 2. Sam. 28. or to the wizzard of Pethor as Balack did Numb 22. or to the sorcerer and figure-flinger of Babel as Nebuchadnetzer did Ezek. 21. 21. or if all these faile as commonly they doe we either breake out into open blasphemie as the king of Israel did 2. King 6. 33. Behold this euill commeth of the Lord should I attend on the Lord any longer or in the depth of discontent we play the desperate part of Razez and lay violent hands vpon our selues 2. Macchab. 14. 41. The third thing to be considered is the condition required on our part that we may reape in due time set downe in these words if we faint not The wordes in the originall are thus we shall reape in due time not fainting which may be and are of â—some taken in a double sense either as a promise or as a condition As a promise thus If we be not wearie of well doing we shall reape in due season without all fainting and wearines either to the bodie or minde that is we shall reape with all ioy and comfort as it is Psal. 126. 5 6. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy and they that went weeping and caried pretious seede shall come againe with ioy and bring their sheaues with them As a condition that if we continue constant in well doing to the end without fainting we shall reape in the time that God hath appointed and in this sense it is to be taken in this text to wit conditionally as it is well translated if we faint not We are further to consider that there is a double fainting one of the bodie another of the minde The bodily fainting which commeth by labour and toyling is not here meant seeit doeth nothing impeach the goodnesse of the worke it is an argument rather of the soundnesse and sinceritie thereof but the spirituall fainting is that which is to be seared because it maketh our labour all in vaine And this spirituall fainting is two fold the first is the slaking and remitting some what of our course and this hath and doeth befall the Saints of God as we may see in the example of the Church of Ephesus which left her first loue Apoc. 2. 4. Yea all the saints of God haue their turbida intervalla troubled and distempered fits sometime in the full sometime in the wane sometime zealous and forward in the seruice of God sometime againe heauie and backeward c. The second is such a fainting languishing that we cleane giue ouer our course of which Paul speakes 2. Cor. 4. 16. therfore we faint not but though our outward men perish yet the inward man is renewed daily And the author to the Hebrewes we must consider Christ who endured such speaking against of sinners least we should be wearied and faint in our soules Heb. 12. 3. And againe ver 5. Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint wheÌ„ thou art rebuked of him This fainting is meant in this place Whereas Saint Paul saith we shall reape if we faint not he signifieth that we must perseuere and continue to the ende otherwise we cannot looke to reape the haruest of eternall happinesse It is nothing but constancy and continuing in well doing that doeth crowne all our good works Be constant saith our Sauiour Christ to the church of Smyrna Apo. 2. 10. and I will giue thee the crowne of life Ierome saith It is the propertie of true vertue not to beginne well but to ende well Paul blameth these Galatians for beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh and Christ shewes what a shame it is to him that beginneth to build and cannot finish it it is as good neuer a whit as neuer the better nay his condition is better that never began then that of Iudas whose end was worse then his beginning Leuit. 3. 9. the taile of the sacrifice was commanded to be offered vpon the altar by which was signified that in euery good worke we must not onely begin but continue in it to the end and sacrifice the ende of it to God as well as the beginning otherwise we loose our labour and misse our reward therefore Saint Iohn biddeth vs looke to our selues that we loose not the things which we haue done but that we may receiue a full reward 2. Ioh. v. 8. The labourers in the vineyard came at sundry times some in the morning others at the third others at the sixt and ninth others at the twelfth houre of the day yet none receiued the labourers wages but those that continued in the worke to the ende Matth. 20. God is Alpha and Omega and therfore requireth a good ende as well as a good beginning and it is our dutie not onely to obey the commandement of Christ venite ad me come vnto me Matth. 11. 28 but that also manete in me abide in me Ioh. 15. 4. for he onely that continueth to the ende shall be saued Matth. 24. 13. Further whereas the Apostle saith we shall reape if we faint not It may be demanded whether the Saints doe so faint at any time that they finally fall away To which demaund I answer in a word that they doe not
Gospel I answer he could doe no otherwise If a priuate man shall erre he must first be admonished and then the Church must be told of it If he heare not the Church then iudgement may be giuen that he is a Publican and not before much more then if the Church shall erre there must first be an examination of the errour and them sufficient conviction and after conuiction followes the censure vpon the Church and iudgement then may be giuen and not before And Paul had nowe onely begun in this Epistle to admonish the Church of Galatia Great therefore is the rashnes and want of moderation in many that haue beene of vs that condemne our Church for no Church without sufficient conuiction going before If they say that we haue beene admonished by bookes published I say againe there be grosser faults in some of those books then any of the faults that they reprooue in the Church of England and therefore the bookes are not fit to conuince specially a Church And though Paul call the Galatians Churches of God yet may we not hence gather that the Church of Rome is a church of God The name it may haue but it doeth in trueth openly obstinately oppugne the manifest principles of Christian religion If any demaunde what these Churches of Galatia are I answer that they were a people of Asia the lesse and though they were famous Churches in the daies of the Apostle yet now the countrie is vnder the dominion of the Turke This shewes what God might haue done to vs in England long agoe for the contempt of the Gospell This againe shewes what desolation will befall vs vnlesse we repent and bring forth better fruits of the Gospell 3. Grace be with you and peace from God the father from our Lord Iesus Christ. 4. Who gaue Here is laid downe the second part of the Preface which is the Salutation propounded in the forme of a praier Grace and peace c. Grace here mentioned is not any gift in man but grace is Gods and in God And it signifies his gratious fauour and good will whereby he is well pleased with his elect in and for Christ. Thus Paul distinguisheth the grace of God from the gift that is by grace Rom. 5. v. 15. and sets grace before the gift as the cause of it Here comes the errour of the Papists to be confuted which teacheth that the grace which makes vs gratefull to God is the infused gift of holinesse and charitie whereas indeed we are not first sanctified and then please god but first we please God by grace in Christ and then vpon this we are sanctified and indued with charitie Peace is a gift not in God but in vs and it hath three parts The first is peace of conscience which is a quietnesse and tranquilitie of minde arising of a sense and apprehension of reconciliation with God Rom. 5. v. 1. The second is peace with the creatures and it hath fiue branches The first is peace with angels for man is redeemed by Christ and by meanes of this redemption sinfull man is reconciled to good Angels Coloss. 1. 20. The second is peace with the godly who are all made of one heart and mind Isai. 11. 9. The third is peace with our selues and that is a conformitie of the will affections and inclinations of mans nature to the renewed minde The fourth is peace in respect of our enemies For the decree of God is Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Againe all things turne to the good of them that loue God The fift is peace with the beasts of the field God makes a couenant with them for his people Ose. 2. 18. The creatures desire waite for the deliuerance of Gods children Rom. 8. They that trust in God shall walke vpon the Lyon and the Bafiliske Psal. 91. The third part of peace is prosperitie and good successe whatsoeuer the righteous man doth it prospers And all things prospered in the house of Potipher when Ioseph was his steward because he feared God Gen. 39. 1 2. To proceed Paul sets downe the causes of grace and peace and they are two God the father and Iesus Christ. And here it must be remembred that the father and Christ as they are one God they are but one cause and yet in regard of the manner of working they are two distinct causes For the father giues grace from none but himselfe by the sonne and Christ procures grace and peace and he giues it vnto men from thefather Furthermore Christ is described by his propertie Our Lord and by his effects in the next verse The vse Whereas Paul beginnes his praier with grace we learne that Grace in God is the first cause and beginning of all good things in vs. Election is of grace Rom. 11. v. 5. Vocation to saluation is of Grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. Faith is of grace Phil. 1. 29. Iustification is freely by Grace Rom. 3. 24. Loue is by grace 1. Ioh. 4. 9. Euery good inclination is of grace Phil. 2. 13. Euery good worke is of grace Ezech. 36. 27. Eph. 2. 10. Life euerlasting is of grace Rom. 6. 23. To auoide any euill is the least good and euery good is of God It may be said that will in man is the cause and beginning of some good things Answer In the creating or imprinting of the first grace in the heart will is no cause at all but a subiect to receiue the grace giuen After the first grace is giuen will is an Agent in the receiuing of the second grace and in the doing of any good worke Yet this must be remembred that when will is an agent it is no more but an instrument of grace and grace in God is properly the first middle and last cause of grace in vs and of euery good acte Hence it followes that there be not any meritorious workes that serue to prepare men to their iustification and that the Cooperation of mans will with grace in the acte of conuersion whereby we are conuerted of God is but a fiction of the braine of man Lastly this doctrine is the foundation of humilitie for it teacheth vs to ascribe all to grace and nothing to our selues Secondly we learne that the cheife good things to be sought for are the fauour of God in Christ and the peace of a good conscience Consider the example of Dauid Psal. 4. v. 7. Psal. 73. v. 24 25. and of Paul who accounted all things dung for grace and peace in Christ. And the peace of good conscience is as a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ. Phil. 4. 7. The fault of most men is They spend their daies and their strength in seeking riches honours pleasures and they thinke not on grace and peace After the manner of beasts they vse the blessings of god but they looke not at the cause namely the grace of God Our dutie Aboue all things to seeke
any occasion were offeâ—ed it is to be feared that many of vs would be easily mooued to returne to our old prophanenesse and to the superstition of poperie But for the staying and the better establishing of our mindes let vs alwaies remember that they shall perish who withdraw themselues from their faith profession and obedience which they owe vnto God Heb. 10. 38. Psal. 73. 27. Againe here it must be obserued that Paul in describing the sinne expresseth two actions his eating with the Gentiles and his seperation from them the first good and the latter euill The beginning of his action was good but the end of it was naught The reason is this the man regenerate is partly flesh and partly spirit and hereupon it is that when we will that which is good we cannot accomplish it and euill is present with vs. The child of God is like a lame man that goes the right way but yet halts at euery step AbrahaÌ„ Sara desire ishue that is from the spirit but they desire ishue by Agar their handmaid that is from the flesh Rebecca seekes the blessing for Iacob that is a worke of the spirit but shee seekes it by lying that is from the flesh Peter eates with the Gentiles that is from Christian libertie he after seperates himselfe that is from corruption Thus we see that the best workes are imperfect mixed with corruption and that for the best workes we must humble our selues and seeke pardon not in respect of the goodnesse of the worke but in respect of the defect thereof It may be demanded how the acte of Peter should be a sin considering he did onely abstaine from certaine meates that he might auoide the offence of certen Iewes Answer The fact of Peter considered by it selfe is not a sinne for Paul did the like in playing the Iewe but the circumstances make it a sinne For first of all Peter doth not onely abstaine from meates forbidden by the ceremoniall lawe but also he withdrawes himselfe from the companie of the Gentiles and keepes company apart with the Iewes Secondly he abstaines not among the Iewes at Ierusalem but at â—nâ—â—â—ch among the Gentiles where a little before he had openly done the contrarie in vsing his Christian libertie Thirdly he vsed this abstinence when certen Iewes câ—m from Ierusalem to search out the libertie of the Gentiles Fourthly while Peter seekes to auoid the small offence of some Iewes he incurres a greater offence of all the Gentiles Lastly this acte of Peter did tend to the ouerthrowing of Pauls Ministerie and the suppressing of the truth of the Gospel Thus then the act of Peter becomes vnlawfull that was otherwise lawefull beeing simply considered by it selfe Here it may be demanded what Peter should haue done Ans. He shoul haue openly withstood the Iewes that came from Ierusalem as Paul withstood them that vrged the circumcision of Titus Or againe before he had plaid the Iew he should haue aduertised the Gentiles that for a time he was to yeeld to the infirmitie of some Iewes In Peters example we are taught that we must not offend God though all the world be offended Lesse offences must giue place when the great offence is at hand that is when god is dishonoured and the very least part of his trueth is suppressed The third point to be conâ—idered is the cause of the sinne of Peter and that was the feare of the offence of the Iewes Here two questions are to be handled The first how Peters feare should be a sinne Ans. There is a naturall feare created by God and placed in the heart of man This feare of it selfe is good Neuerthelesse by the corruption of nature it becomes euill And it is made euill two waies One is when men feare without cause as when the disciples feare Christ walking vpon the sea and feare drowning when Christ was in the ship with theÌ„ The other is wheÌ„ there is no measure in feare As wheÌ„ men so feare the creature that they neglect their dutie to God This was Peters feare and it was a sinne in him For God is to be feared simply because he is Lord of bodie and soule and can destroy both and he is to be feared for himselfe whereas euery creature is to be feared in part onely and for God Rom. 13. 3. 4. By this we are taught daily to inure our selues in our hearts to feare God aboue all things The second question is how Peter could haue the feare of God considering he feared men more then God at the least in this one action Ans. There are three kinds of feare One is without all sinne this was in Adam and in Christ. The second is altogether sinnefull in the wicked and vngodly because it is seuered from faith and obedience as when there is a feare of men without the feare of God The third is a mixed feare in them that are regenerate in whome the feare of God is ioyned with the corrupt feare of man And in this mixture otherwhiles the one preuailes otherwhiles the other And this feare was in Peter in whome at this time the carnall feare of man preuailed against the true feare of God Paul notes feare to be the cause of Peters sinne that he may thereby signifie vnto vs what kind of sinne it was namely a sinne not of malice but of infirmitie A sinne of infirmitie is when there is a purpose in the heart not to sinne and yet for all this the sinne is committed by reason the will is ouercarried by temptation or by violence of affection as by feare anger lust Thus Peter sinned And let it be remembred that to sinne of infirmitie iâ— properly incident to such as be regenerate as Peter was Euery wicked man makes his sinne his infirmitie fornication is the infirmitie of the â—ornicatour drunkennes the infirmitie of the drunkard c. but it is false which they say For they sinne with all their hearts when they sinne The fourth and last point is the Effect of Peters sinne in drawing the Iewes and Barnabas to the like dissimulation Here we see the contagion of euill example And hence we learne that Minisâ—ers of the word must of necessitie ioyne with good doctrine the Example of good life For first of all it is the expâ—esâ—e commandement of God 1. Pet. 5. 3. Be patternes of the flocke 1. Tim. 4. 12. Be an ensample in word conuersion loue spirit faith puritie Phil. 4. 8. What ye haue seene in me that doe Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works SecoÌ„dly practise in the Minister is a part of his teaching For the multitude doe not maâ—ke so much what men say as what men doe Herod did many things not because Iohn the Baptist was a good Minister but because he was a good man Mark 6. 20. Thirdly Ministers haue not the presence protection of God vnlesse their liues be vertuous and godly If thou turne thou shalt
hearts come vnto Christ and beleeue in him and that by the faith of Christ that is with a faith ioyned with hope loue and new obedience Then shall the promise of pardon and life euerlasting be giuen to vs. Vpon this ground persons in despaire and grieuous offenders may see a plaine way to helpe and succour themselues For the worke of the law concluding vs vnder sinne by the mercie of God tends to our saluation if we will vse the good meanes Lastly Paul saith the promise is made not to euery one that beleeueth according to any faith of his owne but to them that are true beleeuers by the faith of Christ. Therefore euery man shall not be saued in his owne faith and religion but onely they that are of the faith of Christ. 23 For before faith came we were kept vnder the law and shut vp vnto the faith which should afterward be reuealed 24 Wherefore the law was our schoole-master to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith 23 But after that faith is come we are no more vnder the schoole-master Paul in the 19. v. had said that the law was for transgressions till the seede come to which the promise was made And here he makes a more large declaration of his owne meaning The summe of all that he faith may be reduced to a comparison of things vnlike on this manner Before the comming of faith we were vnder the dominion of Moses law but after faith was come we were free The first part of the comparison is amplified by a double fimilitude the law was a Guard vnto vs v. 23. and the law was our schoolemaster v. 24. the second part of the comparison is in the 25. v. Faith That is the Gospel or the doctrine of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ exhibited in the flesh We We Iewes I Paul a Iew and the rest of that nation Law That is the whole Oeconomie policie and Regiment of Moses by lawes partly morall partly Ceremoniall and partly Iudiciall Kept Compassed or guarded Because the lawe before Christ was to the Iewes as a guard of armed men to inclose and keepe them that they should not depart from God and from their allegiance to him vnto the sinnes idolatries and superstitions of the Gentiles Vnto the faith That is till the faith come Afterward reuealed From the creation to the law the Church of God was in one familie and the rest of the world beside was no people of God From the law till Christ the Church of God was inclosed in the nation of the Iewes and all the world beside no Church or people of God And this distinction of a people and no people stoode some time after the comming of Christ. Math. 10. 5. Goe not into the waie of the Gentiles and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not After the ascension of Christ this distinction ended because the mysterie of mans redemption was then more plainly reuealed and it began then to be reuealed to the whole world Coloss. 1. 26 27. and Rom. 16. 25. Thus we see that the law serued for transgressions because it was to the Iewes as a Guard to keepe them in the compasse of their dutie that they fell not away to sundrie transgressions The vse This shewes the greatnes of our corruption and that the very frame of our heart is euill continually that the Lord must be faine to set his lawes about vs as a Guard of armed men to keepe vs that we sinne not Againe here we see the vse of Gods lawes which serue to preuent restraine and cut off sinne into which otherwise men would fall vnlesse they were compassed and guarded by laws Some obiect for freedome of will on this manner If the lawes of God cannot be kept they are in vaine but they are not in vaine therefore they may be kept Ans. The maior or first part of the reason is not true For there are other vses of the law of God then the keeping of them for they serue to restraine and preuent open offences and to keepe men in order at the least outwardly An other vse of the law of God was to conclude and shut vp the Iewes into the vnitie of one faith and religion For this cause the Iewes had but one temple one Mercie-seat one high Priest c. Hence it followes that in a godly and Christian Common-wealth where true religion is established there may be no tolleration of any other religion For that which is the end of Gods laws must also be the end of all good lawes in all Common-wealths and kingdomes namely to shut vp the people into the vnitie of one faith The Church of the Iewes is called a fountaine sealed a garden inclosed Cant. 4. 12. a vineyard hedged in Isa. 5. 5. Psal. 80. 13. And here we see what is the hedge or wall of this garden or vineyard namely the regiment or policie of Moses by a threefold kind of law This admonisheth vs to respect and with care to obserue good lawes because they are as it were hedges and fenses of all good societies and the breaking of them is the pulling downe of our fense Where Paul saith till the faith be reuealed Note that the faith or the Gospel was not reuealed to the world till the last age after the comming of Christ. It may be said it was alwaies reuealed to all men but not so cleerely as in these last daies Ans. It was not reuealed to all either darkly or cleerely before the comming of Christ. Act. 14. 16. God suffered the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies Eph. 2. 12. they were without God and without Christ. Rom. 15. 20. Paul preached where Christ was not so much as named Hence it followes that the Vocation of men to life euerlasting is not Vniuersall because Christ was neuer Vniuersally reuealed Neither is mans Redemption vniuersall in respect of the whole world For Redemption by Christ was not reuealed to all nations before the comming of Christ and a benefit to be apprehended by faith if it be vnknowne is no benefit Lastly it is erronious that some teach namely that grace supernaturall is vniuersall that is that the power to beleeue in Christ and the power to turne to God if men will is generally giuen to all But this cannot be because it is not giuen to all men so much as to heare of Christ and to know him Seeing faith is now come it may be demanded what is the Guard whereby we are kept now Ans. The precepts of the morall law The sayings of the wise are as nayles or stakes fastned to range men in the compasse of their owne duties Eccles. 12. 11. Againe the peace of God or the assurance of our reconciliation with God is a Guard to keepe our hearts and senses in Christ. Phil. 4. 7. If this will not doe the deede God hath in store his corrections and iudgements to be as an hedge to hemme vs in Hos.
by them guiding vs and beeing a law vnto vs. Rom. 8. 3. 14. Thirdly God by manifold afflictions nurtures and schooles vs partly to preuent sinnes to come and partly to humble vs for that which is past 1. Cor. 11. 32. Ier. 31. 18. The vse Seeing the law is abrogated as I haue said we must be a free and voluntarie people seruing God not of constraint but willingly as if there were no law to compell vs. All nations shall flow as waters to the mountaine of the Lord. Isa. 2. 2. Thy people shall come willingly in the day of assemblie Psal. 110. 3. In the daies of Iohn Baptist the kingdome of heauen suffered violence Ieremie saith they shall teach euery man his neighbour and his brother Ierem. 31. 31. because men shall learne freely without compulsion or calling vpon Here is the fault of our times Many say in heart to Christ Depart from vs we will none of thy waies and many againe are zealous for the things of this life but for duties pertaining to Gods worship and the saluation of their soules they are neither hot nor could This negligence and slacknes is full of danger and therefore with speede to be amended For cursed is he that doth the worke of God negligently and the Lord will spue out such persons 26 For ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus 27 For all ye that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ. 28 There is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Paul had said before v. 25. that the beleeuing Iewes after the publishing of the Gospel were no more vnder the law as vnder a schoolemaster In this 26. v. he renders a reason hereof and it may be framed on this manner If we Iewes were still vnder the law as vnder a schoolemaster then we should be still after the manner of seruants but we are not after the manner of seruants because we are children for euen ye Galatians and that all of you are children of God not by Circumcision or by the keeping of the law but by faith in Christ. Againe that they are children of God he prooues it thus Ye are baptised into Christ and in baptisme ye haue put on Christ in that ye are ioyned with him and haue fellowship with him who is the naturall sonne of God therefore ye are sonnes of God It may be saide All children of God all baptised all put on Christ how can this be seeing some are Iewes some Gentiles some bond some free some men some women The answer is made v. 27. there are differences of men indeede but in Christ all are as one In these words I consider two things The first is the benefit or gift bestowed on the Galatians which is sonne-ship Adoption or the condition of Gods children The second is the description of this benefit by foure arguments The first is by the circumstance of the persons ye all are children of God The second is the inward meanes namely faith in Christ Iesus The third is the outward meanes or the pledge of adoption ye are all baptised into Christ. The last is the foundation of adoption and that is to put on Christ or to be one with him For the better conceiuing of the benefit three questions may be mooued The first is whose sonnes the Galatians were Ans. The sonnes of God It may be saide how the sonnes of God I answer againe God is called a father in two respects first he is a father in respect of Christ the essentiall word and then God signifies the first person Againe God is called a father in respect of men Elect to saluation then the name God is put indefinitly and it comprehends not onely the first person but also the sonne and holy Ghost For all three doe equally regenerate them that are adopted And Paul saith of the Godhead indefinitly there is one God and father of all Eph. 4. 6. And when we pray saying Our father c. we inuocate not onely the first person but also the Sonne and holy Ghost And the sonne of God is expressely called the Father of eternitie in respect of vs Isa. 9. 6. and he is said to haue his seede Isa. 53. 11. The second question is in what respect are the Galatians the children of God Ans. A childe of God is two waies by nature by grace The childe of God by nature is Christ as he is the eternall sonne of God A child by grace is three waies By creation thus Adam before his fall and the good angels are the children of God Secondly by the personall vnion thus Christ as he is man is the child of God Thirdly by the grace of adoption thus are all true beleeuers and in this text the Galatians are saide to be the children of God In this grace of adoption there be two acts of God one is Acceptation whereby God accepts men for his children The other is Regeneration whereby men are borne of God when the Image of God is restored in them in righteousnes and true holines The third question is what is the excellencie of this benefit Ans. Great euery way Ioh. 1. 12. he which is the child of God is heire and fellowheire with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and that of the kingdome of heauen and of all things in heauen and earth 1. Cor. 3. 22. he hath title in this life and shall haue possession in the life to come Againe he that is Gods child hath the angels of God to tend on him and to minister vnto him for his good and saluation Heb. 1. 14. The first argument whereby the adoption of Gods children is set forth is concerning the persons to whome it belongs in these wordes All ye are the children of God So Paul saith all the Ephesians are Elect. Eph. 1. 3. And Peter calls all them to whome he writes 1. Pet. 1. 1. Elect and Iohn 1. epist. 3. the children of God And herein they follow the iudgement of charitie leauing all secret iudgements to God Here I obserue one thing that euery grieuous fall doth not abolish the fauour of God and extinguish the grace of regeneration For the Galatians erred in the foundation of religion and had fallen away to an other Gospel and yet Paul saith that they were for all this the children of God and not some but all of them This truth may be seene by experience The child of God before his fall hath a purpose not to sinne in the time of temptation when he is in falling he hath a strife after he is fallen he lieth not in his fall as wicked men doe but he recouereth himselfe by new repentance And this shews that the child of God by his fall doth not returne againe to the estate and condition of wicked men When S. Iohn saith he that is borne of God sinnes not his meaning is this he that is borne of God
appearance of humilitie Col. 2. 23. And the true worshippers of God in the new Testament worship him in spirit and trueth Ioh. 4. v. 24 The fulnesse of time or the full time is that time in which the captiuitie of the Church endeth and her libertie begins This time was ended 4000. yeares from the creation and it is called a full time because it was designed and appointed by the will prouidence of the heauenly father For he is Lord of time and all seasons are in his hand and his will or prouidence makes times fit or vnfit Marke then that is the onely full and fit time for the inioying of any blessing of God which he by his prouidence appointeth This must teach vs when by praier we aske any good thing at Gods hand not to prescribe any time vnto God but to leaue it to his prouidence Againe if thou liue in any miserie waite on the Lord and be content For that is the fit best time of thy deliueraÌ„ce which God hath appointed Lastly thou must be admonished to pray to god for grace and mercie and to turne to him this daie before to morrowe For this is the time which God hath appointed for these duties this is the day of grace and therefore the onely fit time Heb. 3. 7. Psal. 32. 6. Thus much of the similitude nowe I come to the first reason whereby Paul confirmes his maine argument Christ hath purchased and procured your libertie therefore the time therof is come and past For the better clearing of this reason Paul sets downe the waie and order which was vsed in procuring this libertie And it containes fiue degrees The first is the sending of the sonne the second his incarnation the third his subiection to the law the fourth our redemption from the laws the fift the fruition of our adoption v. 4. 5. The first the sending of the sonne is in these words In the fulnesse of time God sent forth his sonne That we may attaine to the sense of this great Mysterie sixe questions are to be propounded The first is what is meant by God Answ. The father the first person Eph. 1. 3. Blessed he God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1. 3. and Ioh. 20. 17. And he is called God not because he partakes more of the godhead then the sonne or the h. Ghost but because he is the first in order of the three diuine persons and he is the beginning of the sonne and the H. ghost and hath no beginning of his own person because he doth not receiue the godhead by communication from any other In this respect he is called God more commonly then the sonne or the holy Ghost The second question is How the father sends the sonne Answ. By his counsell and eternall decree whereby the sonne was designed to the office of a Mediatour and consequently to become man Act. 2. 23. And thus is he said to be sealed of the father Ioh. 6. 27. and to be sanctified and sent into the world Ioh. 10. 36. And therefore this sending implies no alteration or change of place The third question is whether the sonne was sent with his owne consent or no Ans. Yea the decree of the father is the decree of the sonne and the holy Ghost because as they are all one in nature so are they all one in will All the persons then haue a stroke in this sending yet for orders false the father is said to send because he is first The fourth question is how the father can send the sonne considering they are both one Ans. In the doctrine touching the Trinitie Nature and person must be distinguished Nâ—ture is a substance common to many as the Godhead A person is that which subsisteth of it selfe and hath a proper manner of subsisting as the father begetting the sonne begotten the H. Ghost proceeding Now the father and the sonne are one indeed for nature or godhead but they are not one for person Nay thus they are really distinct The father is not the sonne nor the sonne the father And thus doth the father send the son The fift question is why the sonne is so called Ans. Because he was begotten of the father by a perfect and eternall generation not to be vttered of man or conceiued And we must be warned not to conceiue it in any carnall or humane manner For an earthly father is in time before his sonne and the sonne after but God the father and the sonne are coeternall and not one before or after the other for time An earthly father is forth of the sonne and the sonne forth of the father but God the father is in the sonne and the sonne in the father An earthly child is from his father by propagation but the sonne is from the heauenly father not by propagation but by communication of substance Lastly the heauenly father begettes the sonne by communication of his whole substance and so doth no earthly father The last question is whether the Sonne be God For it is here said God sent his Sonne Ans. He is God For he that is sent forth from God was before he was sent forth And the sonne is said to be sent forth because he was with God the father before all worlds Ioh. 1. 1. and because he came from the bosome of his father v. 18. Obiect I. The sonne is sent of the father and he that is sent is inferiour to the father and he that is inferiour to God is not God Ans. Two equalls by common consent may send each other and therefore sending alwaies implies not inequalitie Againe inferioritie is of two sorts inferioritie of nature and inferioritie of condition The first doth not befall Christ because for nature he is one and the same with the father The second agrees vnto him because of his owne voluntarie accord he abased himselfe and tooke vpon him the shape of a man Phil. 2. 5. Obiect II. God hath his beginning of none the sonne hath his beginning of the father therefore he is not God Ans. The sonne in respect of his person is of the father but in respect of his godhead he is of none The sonne of God considered as he is a sonne is of the father God of very God But considered as he is God he is God of himselfe because the godhead of the sonne is not begotten more then the Godhead of the father Obiect III. The sonne was made Lord in time Act. 2. 36. therefore no God Ans. Christ as he is the sonne of God was not made Lord in time but is by nature an eternall Lord as the father And he is said to be made Lord in respect of his condition as he is God-man and that in time in respect of both his natures In respect of his manhood because it is receiued into the vnitie of the second person and exalted to the right hand of God in heauen In respect of his Godhead the maiestie and Lordship
teaching admonishing exhorting and by example of good life A particular calling whereby men are called to some estate of life in the familie Church or common wealth And according to the seuerall conditions of particular callings must euery man in his place doe the good he can The magistrate must vse his office first for the maintenance of the Gospell and then for the execution of iustice The minister must preach sound religion in loue of the soules of men The master of the familie must cause his househould to imbrace the Gospell and frequent the exercises of religion Lastly euery man that is in a trade or office must apply himselfe to the vttermost of his power to do all he can for the good of his countrie and he must so deale that he may be helpefull to all with whome he deales and hurtfull to none We are or should be trees of righteousnes our fruite must be meate for others and our leaues for medecines We must be as candles that spend themselues to giue light to others 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word which is this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Fulfilled comprised Rom. 13. 9. One word One precept for the H. G. calles precepts words It may be demanded how the whole law should be fulfilled in the loue of our neighbour Ans. The loue of God and the loue of our neighbour are ioyned together as the cause and the effect and the loue of God is practised in the loue of our neigbour For God that is inuisible will be loued in the person of our neighbour whome we see and with whome we conuerse And the first commandement of the law must be included in all the commandements following and thus the loue of God is presupposed in euery commandement of the second table he therefore that loues his neigbour loues God also Thou shalt loue vnderstand both the affection and the duties of loue Thy neighbour any one that is neare vnto vs in res 〈…〉 t of mans nature Isai. 58. 7. though he be our enemy yet i◠by any occasion he be offered vnto vs of God he is our neighbour As thy selfe these wordes signifie not the measure of our loue as though we should loue our selues in the first place and thē our neighbour in the second place for there are some cases in which we are to loue our neighbour more thē our selues As for example we are more to loue the soule of our brother then our temporall life and a good subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his owne life here then the H. G. signifies what must be the manner of our loue the word as signifies not quantitie but qualitie and that we are as truly and earnestly with loue to imbrace our neighbour as our selues The scope The words cōtaine a reason of the second Rule which may be framed thus to serue our neighbour in duties of loue is the keeping of the whole law therefore this seruice must carefully be performed The vse Here we see that the end of a mans life is to serue God in seruing of man for this is the summe of the whole law Seruants are commanded in seruing their masters to serue god and to do whatsoeuer they doe as vnto God Col. 3. 23. And so euery man in his place in dealing with men must so deale as if he were to deale with God himselfe Therefore most men prophane their liues when they make the scope and drift therof to be the getting of riches and honours And though they haue great charges that is no excuse for the principal end of our liuing here is to performe seruice to men and in this seruice to do homage to God for which homage God will giue the honour and riches which he sees to be conuenient for vs. Secondly here we may obserue what is true religion and godlines namely to loue and serue God in seruing of man He that saith he loues God and yet hates his brother is a lier 1. Ioh. 4. 20. And here it followes that to liue out of all societie of men though it be in praier and fasting after Monkish fashion is no state of perfection but mere superstition for that is true and perfect loue of God that is shewed in duties of loue and in the edification of our neighbour Againe the hypocrisie of sundrie Protestants is here discouered If they come to the Church and heare sermons frequent the Lords 〈◊〉 they thinke they may do afterward what they will and many such are frequenters of tauernes and alchouses and are giuen to riot and licenciousnes But it is not inough for thee to be holy in the Church thou maiest be a Saint in the Church and a Deuill at home True religion is that which shewes it selfe in thy priuate house priuate dealings and in the course of thine owne life such as thou art in thy particular calling such art thou indeed and truth what showes soeuer thou makest before men 15. If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another The sense If ye bite Here Paul alludes to the fashiō of wild beasts as lions wolues c. And by biting we are to vnderstand all iniuries in words as railing cursing slandering bacbiting c. Deuoure here Paul vnderstands all iniuries in deed or violence euen to the shedding of blood Take heed lest here Paul signifies that contentions dissentions breed the destruction and desolation of the Church The scope These wordes are a second reason of the second rule drawne from the dangerous effect of the contrarie thus Contentions breed the desolation of the Church therefore do seruice one to an other by loue The contents In the words Paul deliuers 3 things The first is that there were greeuous contentions in the Church of Galatia The like also were in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 3. The cause of the former contentions were differences in points of religion Some of the Galatians no doubt withstanding circumcision and the most of them standing for it For herevpon great were the dissentions of the Churches in Iudea Act. 15. 2. Obserue then that vnitie is not an infallible and an inseperable marke of the Church of God Vnitie may be out of the Church and dissention in the Church as here we see It may be obiected that there is peace in the kingdome of God and that there the wolfe and the lambe dwell together Isai. 11. Ans. This is but in part verified in the kingdome of grace vpon earth and it is fully accomplished in the kingdome of glorie in heauen Againe it may be alleaged that the Church is the companie of them that truly consent in one and the same faith Ans. That is properly meant of the Catholike Church but the case is otherwise in particular Churches where true beleeuers are mixed with hypocrites wherevpon ariseth much dissention And of true beleeuers some are more carnall then spirituall and
religion in the exercises of faith repentance new obedience Thus did Abraham Gen. 17. and Iosua c. 24. They that doe not first of all consent in Christ cannot consent among themselues Secondly it must be obserued that a familie is the schoole of God in which he will exercise our faith inuocation loue patience long-suffering c. And there is more vertue to be seene in the well ordering of a familie then in the pretended holines of Monkish cloisters Thus we see how we are to maintaine the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace For the better inforcing of this dutie Paul Eph. 4. 4. giues seauen reasons one bodie one spirit one hope of eternall life one Lord one faith one baptisme one father of all It may be said we are at peace what needes all this adoe Ans. The peace of many is peace in drunkennes called good fellowship peace in prophanes and wickednes This is the deuils peace where he beares the sway The peace of which I now speake is in the Lord and in the true worship of God of which read Isa. 2. where men are saide hand in hand to goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord that they may heare his will and ioyntly obay it 16. Then I say walke in the spirit and ye shall not fullfill the lust of the flesh The scope Here Paul returnes to the first rule v. 13. and shewes the waie how it is to be obserued thus If ye walke in the spirit ye shall not fullfill the lustes of the flesh and when the lusts of the flesh are not fulfilled there shall no occasion be giuen to the flesh by the vse of Christian libertie The words containe two parts a Rule walke in the spirit the benefit that comes by the rule ye shall not fullfill the lustes of the flesh In the rule I consider two things what is the spirit and what is walking The spirit is the gift of regeneration lost by Adam restored by Christ. I say it is a gift and this gift is termed by the name of the spirit because the spirit worketh it immediatly in vs from the father and the sonne Againe I say it is a gift of regeneration to make a distinctiō bewteene it ciuill vertue For there is a gift of regeneration which mortifies corruption and a gift of restraint which serues only to keepe in corruption Of this second kind are all ciuill vertues in naturall and heathen men and not of the first Ioseph is chast and so was Xenocrates Iosephs chastitie is a part of regeneration and proceedes from the spirt here mentioned but the chastitie of Xenocrates is not so proceeding only from the generall prouidence of God and not from the spirit of Sanctification The like I say of all other ciuill vertues More plainly The spirit is a Diuine nature qualitie or cōdition whereby we are made conformable to Christ in righteousnes and holines The spirit hath fiue properties The first that it is a rich and liberall grace of God For it containes in it the seede of all vertues and all necessarie graces of God because it comes in the roome of originall sinne which containes in it the seedes of all vices or sinnes The second is the largenes of it for this spirit is in all the powers of them that are regenerat that is in the mind conscience will affections and in the sensuall appetite 1. Thes 5. 23. And he that is sanctified in on part is sanctified in all Hence it followes that they which haue plentie of illumination without change of affection and life are indeed carnall and not spirituall The third propertie is sinceritie for the grace of God is without falsehood or guile Psal 32. 1. hence ariseth the difference betweene the Godly man and an hypocrite betweene the workes of nature and the workes of grace There are men that in distresse desire the assistance fauour of God and they do it without the spirit of God for they do it deceitfully desiring Gods fauour not for it selfe but in respect of some euill from which they would be deliuered as the Mariners in Ionas and Pharao did Againe there are men that mourne for their sinnes without the spirit of God For there is much falsehood in their mourning because they mourne for sinne in respect of the punishment thereof and not in respect of the offence of God Lastly there are that pretend a loue to God and yet want the spirit for they loue God in respect of his benefits as Saul loued God for a kingdome such loue is mercenarie a worke of nature whereas the loue which is from the spirit makes vs loue God for himselfe The fourth propertie is excellencie for the spirit of grace in Christians is more excellent then the grace of creation in two respects First in respect of the beginning thereof For the spirit is from Christ the second Adam both God and man the grace of creation should haue beene conuayed vnto vs from the first Adam but a meere man if he had stood Secondly in respect of constancie for God gaue to Adam the will to perseuere if he would he giueth further to beleeuers both the wll to perseuere and the deed The fifte propery is liuelines whereby the spirit is effectuall in operation Elihu saith that the spirit compelled him and was in him as a vessell of new wine which must haue a vent Iob 32. 19. Of the operation of the spirit I deliuer three things The first that the spirit workes in and by the word of God which therefore is called the Ministerie of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 6. The second that the spirit worketh by certaine degrees The first degree and the very first beginning of his diuine operation is to make vs feele in what great neede we stand of Christ to desire to be recōciled and turned vnto God This is the first motion of the spirit in vs and they which want this haue nothing as yet of the grace of God in them The third that the whole worke of the spirit may be reduced to three actions The first is to cast downe euery thing in vs that exalts it selfe against God 2. Cor. 10. as namely to beat downe erronious reason and rebellious affection and to put a man out of heart with his chiefe deligtes and with his owne selfe The second action is to kindle in our hearts a care and desire of reconciliation with God in Christ hence the spirit is called the spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12. The third action is to write the law in our hearts and that is done by putting a new light of knowledge into the minde and new inclinations into the will and affections Thus much of the Spirit Walking in the spirit is to Order our liues according to the direction and motion of the spirit For as the spirit renewes our nature within so it makes vs to change and renew our actions in three respects First it makes
disciples for Primacie Luk. 22. or when contention is without forgiuing forbearing or suffering and that in trifling matters 1. Cor. 6. 7. Contention likewise is faultie in respect of manner when men wilfully defend their owne priuate causes no regard had whether they be right or wrong true or false and by this meanes they often oppugne truth or iustice or both Of this kind are the warres of the Rebell in Ireland the warres of the Spanyard in the low Countries and the suits of many quarrelsome and contentious persons among vs. The vse Doe nothing by contention Phil. 2. 3. And therefore we must forgiue put vp as much as may be and yeelde of our right Seditions The originall word signifies such dissentions in which men separate one from another and that is done two waies either by schisme in the Church or by faction in the Commonwealth Question Why are not we schismatiks in England Scotland Germanie considering we haue dissented and separated our selues from the Church of Rome Ans. We indeede haue separated our selues but they of the Church of Rome are schismatikes because the cause of our separation is in them namely their Idolatrie and their manifold heresies The case is the like A man threatens death to his wife hereupon shee separates Yet not shee but he makes the separation because the cause of separation and the fault is in him For the auoiding of schisme and sedition remember two rules I. So long as a Church or people doe not separate from Christ we may not separate from them II. Prou. 24. 21. Feare the King and meddle not with them that varie that is make alterations against the lawes of God and the King Indeede subiects may signifie what is good for the slate and what is amisse but to make any alteration in the estate either ciuill or Ecclesiasticall belongs to the supreame Magistrate Ennie It is a compound of carnall griefe and hatred For it makes men grieue and repine at the good things of others and to hate the good things themselues Thus the high Priests of Enuie hated Christ and all his most excellent sayings and doings Matth. 27. 18. At this day they which haue any good things in them are commonly condemned for hypocrites and their religion for hypocrisie All this is but the censure of Enuie The vse That we may depart from Enuie we must loue them that feare God and loue the gifts and graces of God wheresoeuer they be euen in our enemies Murthers Obiect I. A plant liues a beast liues and man liues the cropping of a plant and the killing of a beast is no sinne why is it then a sinne to kill a man Ans. God hath giuen libertie for the two first and hath restrained vs in the latter Againe the life of a plant is but the vigour in the iuice and the life of a beast is but the vigour in the blood Gen. 9. 4. but the life of man is a spirit and spirituall substance Thirdly man is of the same flesh with man and so is neither plant nor beast Obiect II. The Magistrate kills without sinne Ans. The killing which is in the name of God by publike reuenge is not murther And Paul onely condemnes that killing when men take the sword and vpon their owne wills slay and kill by priuate reuenge Obiect III. Sampson is saide to kill himselfe Iudg. 16. 30. and he sinned not in so doing Ans. Sampson was a Iudge in Israel and tooke publike reuenge of his enemies and in this reuenge he hazzarded his life and lost his life Though he died in the execution yet his intent was not to kill himselfe but onely to take reuenge Secondly his example is speciall For he was in his death a figure of Christ. The words Matt. 2. he shall be called a Nazarite are first spoken of Sampson and then applied to Christ in whome was verified that which Sampson figured For as Sampson conquered his enemies more in his death then in his life euen so did Christ. Obiect IU For the auoiding of some great danger or some great sinne as the deniall of Christ in persecution men may make away themselues so said the Donatists Ans. Death is no remedie in this case but faith in the promise of God which is that he will giue an issue in euery temptation 1. Cor. 10. 13. The vse Seeing murther is a worke of the flesh our dutie is by all meanes to preserue both our owne and our neighbours liues Life is a treasure For by it we haue time and libertie to glorifie God to doe good to our neighbours and to saue our owne soules The sinnes of the fourth sort are against temperance they are two drunkennesse gluttonie For the better conceiuing of the nature of these sinnes we are first of all to consider the right manner and measure of eating and drinking of which I deliuer two rules I. We may vse meate and drinke not onely for necessitie but also for delight Psal. 104. 15. II. That measure of meate and drinke which in our experience makes vs fit both in bodie and minde for the seruice of God and for the duties of our callings that measure I say is fit convenient and lawfull This is a confessed principle in the light of nature Drunkennesse then is when men drinke either in wine or strong drinke beyond this measure so as there followes an intoxication of the powers of the soule And in the sinne there are two things excessiue drinking and the distempering of the powers of the soule Gluttonie is when men in eating goe beyond the measure before prescribed This gluttonie is that which now a daies is called reuelling rioting swaggering And it is fitly ioyned with drunkennes For there are men that vse to drinke exceedingly and will not be drunke and for all this they are not free from blame because they drinke out of measure To be giuen to drinking and to loue to sit by the cuppe when there is no drunkennesse is a sinne 1. Tim. 3. 3. These sinnes are said to be rise among vs. The manner of many is to meete together and to fill themselues with wine or strong drinke while their skinnes will hold Afterward they giue themselues to dicing carding dauncing singing of ribauld songs and thus they passe the day the night the weeke the yeare But we must be put in minde to detest and to flie these vices Inducements to this dutie are many I. Gods commandement Keep not companie with drunkards and gluttonous persons Prou. 23. 20. Be not drunke with wine in which is excesse Eph. 5. 18. II. The punishment of drunkennes is plague pestilence famine captiuitie Isai 5. 11 12 13. III. The example of the bruite beast that in eating drinking keepes measure and takes no more then will suffice nature The horse and the asse may be schoolemasters to many of vs. IV. If we cannot forsake a cup of wine or beere which is not needfull for vs we shall neuer be able
1. Cor. 5. 11. and that we should withdraw our selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately 2. Thess. 3. 6. Ans. Pauls practise is not contrarie to Christs precept He purposed indeede to excommunicate the incestuous person if he persisted in his sinne yet marke how in the name and by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 5. 4. in which words the forme of proceeding against him is limited and that according to Christs institution Matth. 18. the name and power of Christ signifying the word and institution of Christ. 2. Paul doth plainly expound himselfe in other places what his practise was in that behalfe as 2. Cor. 13. 1 2. where he signifieth that he did not excommunicate vncleane persons fornicators wantonnes mentioned chap. 12. 21. before the third admonition making his third comming vnto them in stead of three admonitions or witnesses against them It will be saide that Paul threatneth when he commeth he will not spare the rest 2. Cor. 13. 2. therefore it seemeth he was resolued to excommunicate them without any former proceeding against them Ans. When Paul saith I write to them which haue sinned and to all others that if I come againe I will not spare By all others he meaneth not some which he purposed to excommunicate without former admonition for in writing this Epistle to them he admonisheth them all to repent least when he came he should vse seueritie but those which liued securely in the open breach of the law to whome he threatned to come with a rodde if they did not amend 1. Cor. 4. 21. and when he now againe admonisheth threatning that if he come the third time he will not spare Besides this Paul should be vnconstant and vnlike himselfe if he should admonish vncleane persons fornicatours wantons and that three times before excommunication and should at the first excommunicate certen others without any precedent admonition 3. The word there vsed signifieth reproofe in word as it is taken Luk. 17. If thy brother sinne against thee rebuke him therefore the reproofe by many or of many mentioned 2. Cor. 2. 6. may signifie as well the graue serious and effectuall reproofe of the Church by which the incestuous person was reclaimed from his sinne and so preuented the thunderbolt of excommunication as the reall election out of the Church and those words v. 10. if you forgiue any thing may as well signifie receiuing into fauour and familiaritie before excommunication vpon his repentance as restitution after excommunication 4. Be it grounted he were indeede excommunicate as it is most probable he was yet hence it cannot be inferred that they did proceede against him without precedent admonition The Scripture is silent in this point Therefore the reason is not good It is not recorded therefore it was not practised 5. Though the Apostle command we should haue no familiaritie with inordinate liuers 2. Thess. 3. 6. but that we withdraw our selues from them yet he addes withall that if there were any amongst them that would not obey his sayings they should note him by a letter v. 14. and he expressely commandeth that they should admonish the inordinate 1. Thess. 5. 14. for that was his practise as it may appeare 2. Thess. 3. Those that are such that is inordinate liuers we exhort coÌ„mand by our lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnes and eate their own bread III. Who are to reprooue It is dutie which concerneth all men our Sauiour Christ saith If thy brother sinne against thee reprooue him and the commandement is generall Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt rebuke him plainely now all Christians are brethreÌ„ as I haue shewed therefore all men are bound to reprooue their brethren as occasion shall serue Secondly all Christians are members of the same bodie whereof Christ is the head therefore they are to helpe and further one another as members of the naturall bodie doe and this is done by admonition and reprehension Thirdly the bond of charitie tâ—â—th all men to helpe their brethren in what they can for their good and therefore if neede be to reprooue them And albeit some may seeme to be vnfitte or vnworthie reproouers of others beeing tainted with as great or greater sinnes themselues and so cannot cast out motes out of other mens eyes they hauing beames in their owne yet we must know that sinne freeth none from this dutie indeede none ought to reprooue either with scandall to others or with hurt and hinderance of him that is reprooued yet no man is exempted from this dutie For euery man ought to be cleare and blameles specially of open crimes that so he may more freely and fruitfully reprooue his neighbour but though he be not yet he remaineth still bound to the performance of this dutie Our Sauiour saith not that he which hath a beame in his eye is therefore freed from pulling forth the mote out of his brothers eye but first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see to pull out the mote out of thy brothers eye They therefore are seuerely to be censured nay deepely to be condemned who say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper as though it concerned them not a whit whether he sinke or swimme as though euery man were to looke to himselfe alone for his owne behoofe and benefit and not vpon the things of his brethren for their good or as though God had not made euery man a guardian to his brother The dimme candle light of corrupt nature condemneth these men which teacheth that he which may saue and doth not doth in effect as much as kill or destroy The dutie therefore lieth vpon all but chiefely vpon the Pastours and Ministers of the word for they are to inquire into the liues of men specially of those that are committed and commended to their charge for which cause they are called the Lords ouerseers or watchmen Ezech. 33. and 34. And if they doe not strengthen the weake heale the sicke bind vp the broken bring againe that which was driuen away nor seeke that which is lost c. he will require his sheepe at their hands Ezech. 34. v. 4. 10. Paul inioynes the Pastours of the Church of Ephesus that they should take heede to themselues and to the flocks whereof the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers Act. 20. 28. and he commandeth Timothie that he should be instant in season and out of season that he should improoue rebuke exhors with all long-suffering and doctrine 2. Tim. 4. 2. and Titus that he rebuke and exhort with all authoritie Tit. 2. 15. Further it is to be obserued that though all men are bound to reprooue their neighbours if they offend yet in fiue cases they are not bound I. If a man be ignorant of the offence For a man that reprooueth another must be certen of the fault otherwise he doth purchase to himselfe a blot and priuate
be content to be deluded by flatterers and clawebackes which please them in their itching humours so they willingly suffer thēselues to be deceiued euē by themselues to the ende that they may appeare to others to be that which in trueth they are not that so they may aduauce and magnifie themselues in the accounpt of the world For as Alexander the great beeing in India caused his souldiers to make and leaue behind them bittes and horse shoes of an extraordinarie greatnesse hudge speares massie shields big helmets long swords and other furniture for horse and man fitting rather Hippocentaurs or Giants then men of ordinarie stature and all to the ende it might be said in future time that Alexander was a mightie Monarch indeed So many there be who setting the faire side outward make goodly glorious shewes in the eies of men and so would haue other to thinke of them accordingly farre aboue their desert that posteritie might iudge them to be that which indeed they are not and so with Alexander in deceiuing others they wittingly deceiue themselues Which spirituall guile of deceiuing our selues in matters touching our saluation is most dangerous when men delude themselues in perswading themselues falsely that they know sufficient that God is to be loued aboue all our neighbour as our selues which is as much as all the preachers in the earth can say that they beleeue when in stead of faith there is nothing but damnable pride and presumption that they repent when it is nothing but deceitfull counterfeiting and hypocrisie Besides the danger consider the indignitie of it men can abide nothing lesse then to be deceiued and circumvented by others and yet behold they are deluders and deceiuers of themselues and that which doth more aggrauate the indignitie of it in such things as ought to be best knowne and most familiar vnto them wherein it is a shame they should be deceiued vz. in the knowledge of themselues and that which is yet more in a matter of greatest moment in the saluation of their soules What maruaile therefore is it that men should be deceiued by the seducer of all seducers the deuill who are so easily deceiued of themselues or rather willing to deceiue themselues Further obserue that proud conceited persons such as haue an ouerweening of themselues and their gifts and of all men thinke fowle scorne to be deceiued euen they are easiliest deceiued yea and that of themselues for so the Apostle saith He that thinketh that he is somewhat c. deceiueth himselfe in his imagination Againe marke hence that no men be their gifts neuer so rare their callings neuer so high their places neuer so great are to good to beare other mens burdens for they that thinke themselues to be somewhat some great men that is too good to put vnder their shoulders to beare the frailties and infirmities of their brethren doe nothing herein but deceiue themselues Princes and Potentates of the earth are prophecied by Esay chap. 49. vers 23. to be nourcing fathers and nourcing mothers vnto the Church not onely by nourishing and defending it as the nource her child but also by bearing with the frailties and wants which are therein Lastly consider that this selfe-conceitednesse and ouerweening of a mans selfe is the very bane and poyson of loue for it maketh proude men thinke themselues too good to become packe-horses or drudges to beare other mens burdens to become seruiceable vnto them in any dutie of loue or to tollerate their frailties or to yeelde of their right or to suffer iniuries at their hands or to put vp any little indignitie without stomacke and discontent because they imagine themselues euery way better then their brethren and therefore ought to be tollerated but not so bound to tollerate and beare with others So that where selfe-loue is there is no true brotherly loue It was well said of the Poet Non benè conveniunt c. maiestas amor It may may be said may not he that is priuie to his owne vertues in conscience of his owne worth iudge himselfe to be somewhat that is to be that which indeed he is or to haue a greater measure of knowledge grace and other gifts then they that haue lesse Answ. He may For humilitie is not sottish the master in humilitie cannot thinke his scholler more learned then himselfe except he shall thinke against his conscience For that saying Let euery man thinke better of another then of himselfe must be restrained onely to equalls and not extended to superiours in regard of their inferiours Secondly I answer that the Apostle in that place speaketh not of the giftes and graces bestowed vpon men but of the persons themselues and of them not so much as they are in the account of men as in the account of God For he saith not Let euery man thinke another more learned wise discreete sober then himselfe for so he may thinke against his conscience but Let euery man thinke another that is any other that is his brother in the Lord better then himselfe to wit before God And this euery man may doe with good conscience for albeit another shall outwardly seeme more ignorant negligent backward in matters of religion then himself yet for any thing he knoweth he may be higher in the fauour of God then he And therefore though a man erre in thinking of another better then of himselfe yet he shall not doe any thing against his conscience Thus the Publican accounted the proud Pharisie better then himselfe For he held him as iust himselfe not worthie to looke vp to heauen yet herein he sinned not nay he is commended for it though he erred in his iudgement of the Pharisie And so if the Pharisie had reputed the Publican better then himselfe that is higher in Gods fauour then himselfe he had not sinned nor done against his conscience For though he might iudge himselfe more iust then the Publican in regard of his life past yet for his present estate before God he could not Though Dauid knew in the particular quarrell betwixt Saul and him that Saul was vniust and he innocent yet if he should haue thought better of Saul in generall then of himselfe he should but haue done his dutie The fourth and last point containeth the remedies of this euill which are the rather to be considered because it is a great sinne one of those seuen which the Lord doth most of all detest Prou. 6. 17. a dangerous sinne hauing a heauie woe attending vpon it Woe to them that are prudent in their owne eyes Isa. 5. 21. a sinne almost incurable Seest thou a man that is wise in his owne eyes there is more hope of a feele then of him Prou. 26. 12. therefore the remedies are more carefully to be known and applied The remedies are specially fiue The first is to looke our selues in the glasse of the Law which will shew what we are without flatterie or partialitie by it
it shewes the way and meanes of attaining saluation Lastly the word of life Act. 5. 20. because it doth not only shew the narrow way that leadeth to eternall life but is in it selfe a liuely word and mightie in operation Heb. 4. 12. For as the powerfull word of God in the beginning did giue beeing to things that were not so the Gospel being the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth doth make new creatures by the immortall seede of the word Make him that taught him q. d. catechized him Yet as before it must be taken generally for any kind of teaching or instruction for so the word is vsed else where in scripture as Luk. 1. 4. Act. 18. 25. Rom. 2. 18. 1. Cor. 14. 19. so that this text giueth vs no iust occasion to speake of the originall manner vse and profit of catechizing Partaker of his goods By goods he vnderstandeth foode rayment lodging bookes and other necessaries without the which a minister of the word cannot followe his calling for Paul calleth these goods according to the common opinion which so iudgeth of them Luk. 12. 19. Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares Luk. 19. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things Make them partaker That is communicate affoard giue vnto them these temporall things seeing they giue you spirituall Of all his goods Not in giuing all away but imparting to their teachers what they stand in neede of accounting nothing to deare for them The Papists vpon this ground take tithe of all as the Priests did in the Leuiticall lawe wheras Paul speaks nothing of tithes There are foure principall duties which the people are to performe to their Pastor three of them are recorded else where in Scripture The first is to heare them as Embassadours sent of God with reuerence The second is to obey them and submit themselues vnto them in the Lord. The third to loue and honour them for the worke sake The fourth the Apostle speakes of in this place to giue them not onely countenance but also maintenance The reasons of this rule are many and waightie We are bound euen by the bond of nature to maintaine our parents if they be in want because they maintained vs and gaue vnto vs our beeing Paul saith It is an honest thing and acceptable before God for children to recompence their parents and progenitors 1 Tim. 5. 4. Nowe if this be so men are bound by the same right to maintaine their spirituall fathers in Christ that haue begotten them a new by the preaching of the word as Paul saith He trauelled in paine of the Galatians till Christ was formed in them Gal. 4. and that he begat Onesimus in his bonds Philem v. 10. And 1. Cor. 4. 15. In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the gospel Hence Paul commendeth the Galatians Gal. 4. 15. for that if it had beene possible they would haue plucked out their cies and haue giuen them him And surely we owe vnto our spirituall parents and fathers in Christ not onely this temporall trash but euen our selues as Paul saith to Philem. v. 19. Aibeit I doe not say vnto thee that thou owest vnto me euen thine owne selfe II. It is a law of nations and a conclusion grounded vpon common equitie that those that watch labour and spend thēselues as a candle to giue light to others and that for the common good of all should be maintained of the common stocke by all And the Lord chargeth all the twelue tribes euen all Israel Deut. 12. 19. Beware that thou for sakest not the Levite so long as thou liuest on the earth III. Euery trade calling and condition of life is able to maintaine them that liue therein as experience shewes therefore we may not thinke that the ministerie beeing the highest calling should be so base or barren as that it cannot competenly maintaine them that attend thereupon IV. The ministers are the Lords souldiers his captaines and standard-bearers and therefore are not to goe a warfare at their owne coste the Lords labourers in his vineyard and therefore are worthie of their wages and ought to eate of the fruit of the vineyard the Lords shepheards set ouer the flocke of Christ to feede his sheepe and therefore ought to eate of the milke of the flocke And seeing it was forbidden that no man should muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the come shall we thinke that God would haue those that thresh in his floore and separate the wheat from the chaffe the pretious from the vile to be muzzeled or not to liue vpon their labours for they are worthie double honour that is all honour reuerence helpe and furtherance which labour in the word and doctrine 1. Tim. 5. 17. V. The Ministers are to giue themselues wholly to reading exhortation doctrine and to continue therein 2. Tim. 4. 13 15 16. they are wholly to deuote themselues to the building of the Church and to the fighting of the Lords battells and therefore not to be entangled with the cares of this life 2. Tim. 2. 4. therefore they are to haue their pay and their allowance that so they may attend vpon their callings without distraction VI. It is the ordinance of God as Paul saith 1. Cor. 9. 14. that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel therefore those that doe not their endeauour and inlarge not their liberalitie to vphold and maintaine the Ministerie in good estate they withstand as much as in them lieth the ordinance of God besides they wast and make hauocke of the Church of God and are guiltie of the blood of all that perish for want of instruction I adde further it is the will of God that the Ministers which labour in the word and doctrine should be plentifully and liberally prouided for yet with moderation that they draw not all mens wealth into their purses as the Pope and Church of Rome haue done into their coffers of whome it is truly verified Religio peperit divitias sed filia devoravit matrem which I prooue from the Leuiticall law for the whole land of promise beeing no bigger in compasse then Wales or the fourth part of England yet yeelded vnto the Leuites at the appointment of God besides the share which they had out of the sacrifices besides tenths first fruits c. 48 Cities with their suburbs It may here be demaunded whether the Ministers of the word are now to be maintained by common contribution and liberalitie of the people or not Ans. We must consider that if the Ministers be sufficiently prouided for by set stipends as by some foundation or by the reuenewes of the Church men are not bound to contribute vnto them and make them partakers of all their goods although in regard of thankfulnes they owe vnto them euen themselues as Paul telleth Philemon but onely such as haue not else
he had to liue in the world could not be plentifull in good workes thereby to giue sufficient testimonie of their vnfained faith yet God accepteth a man according to that which he hath and not according to that which he hath not accepting the will for the deede as he accepted the willingnes of Abraham to sacrifice his sonne as though he had sacrificed him indeede Gen. 22. VI. Obiect God doth not proportionate the reward to the worke because he doth reward works which are finite temporall with infinite and eternall punishment Ans. Sinne beeing considered in respect of the act as it is a transient action is finite But in a threefold confideration it is infinite First in respect of the obiect against whome it is committed for beeing the offence of an infinite Maiestie it doth deserue infinite punishment for if he that clippes the Kings coyne or defaceth the Kings armes or counterfaitetâ— the broad seale of England or the Princes priuie seale ought to die as a traytour because this disgrace tendeth to the person of the Prince much more ought he that violates the law of God die the first and second death seeing the breach thereof doth not onely tend to the defacing of his owne image in vs but to the person of God himselfe who in euery sinne is contemned and dishonoured Secondly sinne is infinite in respect of the subiect For seeing that the soule is immortall and that the guilt of sinne and the blot together doe staine the soule as the crimâ—in or skaâ—let die the silke or the wooll and can no more be seuered from the soule then spots from the Leopard it remaineth that sinne is infinite in durance and so deserueth eternall punishment Thirdly it is infinite in respect of the minde desire and intent of the sinner whose desire is still to walke on in his sinnes and except God should cut off the line of his life neuer to giue ouer sinning but to runne on in infinitum committing of sinne euen with greedinesse Thus hauing the meaning of the words let vs come to the doctrine and vse There be two principall reasons which hinder men from beeing beneficiall and liberall to the Ministerie The first is because they thinke all is lost that is bestowed that way The second is because they are afraid lest themselues should want To both which the Apostle makes answer in this place comparing our beneficence in the vpholding maintaining countenancing of the Ministerie to seede to teach vs that as the husbandman doth sow his corne in the ground neuer fearing the losse thereof but hoping for a greater increase not doubting his owne want but assuring himselfe of greater plentie So we in sowing the seedes of good works must neuer dreame of losse or cost considering the more we sowe the more we shall reape we must neuer feare want seeing we shall receiue an hundred fold Mark 10. 30. If men could be perswaded of this that the time of this life is the seede time that the last iudgement is the haruest and that as certenly as the husbandman which sowes his seede lookes for increase so we for our good workes a recompence to the full O how fruitfull should we be how plentifull how full of good works But the cursed roote of infidelitie which is in euery man by nature doth drie vp the sappe of all Gods graces in vs and make vs either bad or barren trees either to bring forth sowre fruits of sinne or no fruit at all but to become vnprofitable both to our selues and others For the reason why men are so cold in their liberalitie so fruitlesse so vnprofitable is because they doe not beleeue the promises of God that he is true of his word that whatsoeuer they giue to the poore or the Ministers of his word they lend vnto the Lord and whatsoeuer they lay out the Lord will restore to them againe Prou. 19. 17. For if they were as wel perswaded of a recompence at the last day as the husbandman is of a haruest they would be more frequent in duties of charitie and more plentifull in good workes then commonly they be Further let it be obserued that though these words be but generally expouÌ„ded in the verse folowing where the Apostle saith He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption â—e that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life euerlasting yet are they more particularly and distinctly set downe elswhere in Scripture as 2. Cor. 9 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally that is the haruest shall not onely be answerable to the seede and the reward to the worke but greater or lesse according to the quantitie and qualitie of the worke For euery man shall receiue his reward according to his proper labour 1. Cor. 3. 8. For the more the husbandman sowes the more he doth vsually reape except God blow vpon it in cursing the land as he did the Israelites who sowed much and gathered but little and the lesse he sows the lesse shall his croppe be Euen so the more plentifull we are in sowing the seedes of good workes the more we shall reape and the more sparing we are the lesse shall our haruest be Hence I gather First that there are seuerall degrees of punishmentsin Hell according to the greatnes and smalnes of sinnes for some sinnes are but as moâ—es others as beames Matth. 7. 4. some as gnats others as camells Matth. 23. 24. and therefore some shall be beaten with many stripes some with few and it shall be easier for them of Sodoâ— and Gomortha at the day of iudgement then for them of Capernaum Secondly that there are sundrie degrees of glorie and felicitie in heauen proportionall to mens works for all men doe not sow alike neither are their workes equall but haue sundâ—â—e degrees of goodnes in them and therefore there are answerable degrees of glorie wherewith they are to be crowned This truth is taught elsewhere more plainly as Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euermore Therefore as there is a greater brightnes in the starre then in the firmament so there shall be greater glorie in one then in another 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery man shall receiue his reward according to his owne labour therefore seeing all mens labours are not alike their reward shall not be alike This is further confirmed by the parable of the talents Luk. 19. where the master of the seruants doth proportionate his wages to their worke making him that had gained with his talent fiue talents ruler ouer fiue cities him that had gained teâ— ruler ouer tenne And whereas it may be said that all the labourers in the vineyard receiued an equall reward namely a pennie as well as those that wrought but an houre or those that bare the burden and heate of the
the instant or present time for we are vncertaine whether we shall liue till to morrow or no. Iam. 4. 14. Therfore looke what we would doe at the houre of death if we were now at the last gaspe panting for breath or if we did see Christ comming in the cloudes to iudgement the very same thing we ought to do euery day with like zeale and feruencie of sp 〈…〉 t to praise and magnifie the mercie and goodnesse of God with like feare and trembling to worke out our owne saluation and to seeke re conciliation with like loue and sinceritie of affection to be beneficiall vnto our brethren c. VI. This doctrine meeteth with all miserable minded meÌ„ who hauing great meanes and opportunitie of doing good yet let slippe or rather cut off all occasions that might induce them thereto who in a brutish minde like to the swâ—ne neuer doe good nor profit any till their dying day I speake not against the laudible custome of bequeathing goods to goâ—ly vses by a mans last will and testament but against those that doe little or no good all their life long till the houre of death Let these men consider that as the late repentance of malefactours a little before their death is commonly but a ceremoniall repentance so the funerall beneficence of those who giue little or nothing in all their life is vsually no free but a formall and extorted gift formall in doing as others do 〈…〉 torted in that it is giuen to stoppe the mouth of an accusing conscience The vitall beneficence is that which God accounteth of by so much to be preferred before the other but howe much it doeth more euidently declare a more liuely faith in the prouidence of God and a more vnfained loue of our brethren Againe they giue testimonie that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God Lastly they haue the benefit of poore mens praiers to whome they are beneficiall which otherwise they should want VII The circumstance of time hath here the force of an argument for it inforceth the exhortatioÌ„ much that we should doe all the good we can and take the benefit of the opportunitie because time will not alway last the holy Ghost in sundry places of scripture from the consideration of the shortnesse of our time enforceth the duties of faith repentance newe obedience as 1. Cor. 7. v. 29 30 31. And this I say brethren because the time is short hereafter that both they that haue wiues be as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioice as though they reioyced not Ebr. 3. v. 7 8. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts and v. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day The godly in all ages haue practised this dutie Peter knowing that the time was at hand that he was to lay downe his tabernacle stirres vp himselfe to greater diligence in his calling and saith I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things so long as I am in this tabernacle seeing I know the time is at hand that I must lay it down as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2. Pet. 1. 12 13 14. The Church praieth thus to God Teach vs to number our daies that is so to consider the shortnesse vncertaintie and vanitie of our life that we may apply our hearts to wisedome Psal. 90. 12. But wicked mens practise is cleane contrarie for they take occasion vpon the shortnesse of their time to liue as they list to take their pleasures and to followe the lusts of their hearts therfore they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe we shall die Esay 22. 13. Our life is short and tedious and our time is as a shaddowe that passeth away Come therefore and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present Wisd. 2. v. 1 5 6. And hence it is that some spend their time in eating and drinking and going gorgeously and faring delitiously euery day other in gaming carding dicing rioting revelling as the tearme is in swaggering wherin they followe their father the deuill who is therefore more full of wrath knowing that he hath but a short time Apoc. â—2 12. To these we may adde all such idle persons as followe no vocation or trade of life but day after day and yeare after yeare are still deuising new pastimes as they call them to trifle the time away These men hasten the iudgements of God and pull it vpon them before God inflict it It is a great iudgement of God for a man to be in that case that in the morning he shall say would God it were euening and in the euening would God it were morning Deut. 28. 67. In this case is euery idle loiterer who through idelenes is wearie of himselfe grieued the time passeth away so slowly and to these qui nihil agunt we may ioyne them qui male agunt and those also qui aliud agunt all which are condemned in this text against them Titus the heathen Emperour shall rise in iudgement and shall condemne them because he remembring on a time as he fate at supper that he had trifled away the day in doing nothing said Amici hodie diem perdidi Friends I haue lost this day II Ye see how large a letter I haue written vnto you with mine owne hand Here beginneth the Conclusion beeing the third generall part of this Epistle consisting of two parts an Insinuation in the II. verse a Recapitulation in the verses following He insinuateth himselfe into the minds of the Galatians by a twofold argument First from the largenes of his Epistle Ye see how large a letter I haue written secondly from the instrumentall cause in that he writ it with his owne hand where he giues authoritie to it and a kind of eminencie aboue his other letters And in both he commendeth his diligence loue and care which he had of them The word translated ye see is ambiguous and may be taken either as a commandement See how large a letter I haue written or as an assertion Ye see The like ambiguitie is in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. 5. and may be read either thus amongst whom you doe shine or see that you shine as starres It is not materiall In whether acception it be taken seeing the sense is all one The first argument to mooue the Galatians to attention and acceptation of Pauls paines and good affection is taken from the largenes of his Epistle The word in the Originall translated large is strangely wrested by sundrie interpreters without cause Hilarie referring it to the loftines of sentences Hyperius to the profunditie and depth of matter Ierome to the greatnes of the character Chrysostome and Theophylact to the badnes of his hand as not beeing able to write well Hâ—imo to the Hebrew character in which he wrote