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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09383	A commentarie or exposition, vpon the fiue first chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians: penned by the godly, learned, and iudiciall diuine, Mr. W. Perkins. Now published for the benefit of the Church, and continued with a supplement vpon the sixt chapter, by Rafe Cudworth Bachelour of Diuinitie	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Cudworth, Ralph, 1617-1688.	1604 (1604)	STC 19680; ESTC S114465	595,047	756

goe together For good counsell beats downe wickednes and bad example sets it vp againe Thus beleeuers in Christ are great offenders when reformed religion and vnreformed life are ioyned together as often they are For then vnreformed life builds the kingdome of sinne which Christ hath destroied Further we are here taught to be constant in that which is good Tit. 1. 9. and to hold fast the Gospel which we professe We haue put vnder foote the Popish religion for this many yeares our dutie is to be constant herein and no way to build either in word or deede that which we haue to the vttermost of our power destroied 19 For I through the law am dead to the law that I may liue vnto God In these words Paul sets downe a second reason to prooue Christ to be no minister of sinne in abolishing the iustice of the law And the reason is framed thus We Iewes iustified by Christ are dead to the law not to liue as we list but to liue to the honour of God Therefore Christ in taking away the iustice of the law is not the minister of sinne Here three points are propounded the first is that the person iustified is dead to the law the second that he is dead to the law by the law the third that he is dead that he may liue vnto God For the better vnderstanding of the first point we must seach what is meant by dying to the law Here the law is compared to an hard and cruell master and we to slaues or bondmen who so long as they are aliue they are vnder the dominion and at the command of their masters yet when they are dead they are free from that bondage and their masters haue no more to doe with them Here then to be dead to the law is to be free from the dominion of the law And we are free in foure respects First in respect of the accusing and damnatorie sentence of the law Rom. 8. 1. Secondly in respect of the power of the law whereby as an occasion it prouoketh and stirreth vp the corruption of the heart in the vnregenerate Rom. 7. 8. Thirdly in respect of the Rigour of the law whereby it exacteth most perfect obedience for our iustification Thus Paul here saith that he is dead to the law Lastly in respect of the obligation of the conscience to the obseruation of Ceremonies Col. 2. 20. Thus are all persons iustified by the faith of Christ free from the law Hence we learne that the Papists erre and are deceiued when they teach that the Law and the Gospel are one for substance of doctrine For then they which are iustified by Christ should not onely be dead to the law but also to the Gospel Now the Scripture saith not that persons iustified are dead to the Gospel They erre againe in that they teach that persons iustified by the merit of the death of Christ are further to be iustified by the workes of the law For he that is iustified by Christ is dead to the law but if we be iustified by workes then are we by Christ made aliue to the law Thirdly here we see how long the dominion of the law continueth and when it endeth The law raignes ouer all men without exception till they be iustified When they once beginne to beleeue in Christ and to amend their liues then the dominion of the law ceaseth and they then are no more vnder the law but vnder grace Here all such persons as liue in the securitie and hardnes of their hearts are to be admonished to repent of their sinnes and to beginne to turne vnto God For they must know that they liue vnder a most hard and cruell master that will doe nothing but accuse terrifie condemne them and cause them to runne headlong to vtter desperation And if they die beeing vnder the law they must looke for nothing but death and destruction without mercie For the law is mer●ilesse This consideration serueth notably to awake them that are dead in their sinnes Againe all such as with true and honest hearts haue begunne to repent and beleeue let them be of good comfort For they are not vnder the dominion of the law but they are dead to the law and vnder grace hauing a Lord who is also their mercifull Sauiour who will giue them protection against the terrours of the law and spare them as a father spares his child that serues him and not breake them though they be but as weake and bruised reedes and as smoaking flaxe The second point is touching the meanes of our death to the law and that is the Law Here some by the law vnderstand the law of faith that is the Gospel Rom. 3. 27. And they make this to be the meaning of the words By the law of Christ that is by the Gospel I am dead to the Law of Moses But this sense though it be a truth yet will it not stand in this place For it is the question whether by the gospel we be freed from the law Now Paul a learned disputer would not bring the question to prooue it selfe Therefore I take the true meaning of the words to be this By the law of Moses I am dead to the law of Moses It may be demanded how this can be considering the law is the cause of no good thing in vs For it is the ministerie of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 8. 7. 9. Againe that which the law cannot reueale it cannot worke but the law neither can nor doth reueale faith in Christ the death to the law nor repentance c. therefore the law is no cause to worke them It may peraduenture be said that the law workes repentance and sorrow for sinne I answer there is a double Repentance One Legall the other Euangelicall Legall is when men haue a sight of their sinnes and withall are grieued for the punishment thereof This repentance is wrought by the ministerie of the law it was in Iudas and it is no grace of God but of it selfe it is the way to hell Euangelicall Repentance is when beeing turned by grace we turne our selues to God This repentance is a gift of grace and is not wrought by the law but by the ministerie of the Gospel Again there is a Legall sorrow which is a sorrow for sinne in respect of the punishment this is no grace and it is wrought by the law Euangelicall sorrow is sorrow for sinne because it is sinne This indeede is a grace of God but it is not wrought by the law but by the preaching of mercy and reconciliation and it followes in vs vpon the apprehension of Gods mercie by faith The law then beeing the cause of no good thing in vs it may be demanded I say how we should be dead to the law by the law Ans. Though the law be not a cause of this death to the law and so to sinne yet it is an occasion thereof For it accuseth and

person for his good wishing him well both temporally the reputation of his name and eternally the saluation of his soule and that we consider our selues herein how that we may easily be ouertaken as he was These cautions obserued the inferiour may reprooue his superiour as 2 King 5. 13. VII Euery reproofe must be fitted to the qualitie and condition of him whome we reprooue and to the nature of the offence for which he is reprooued we shall fit the reproofe to the person reprooued if we consider that a man may reprooue another foure waies First by friendly admonition and thus one equall is to reprooue another Secondly by reuerent and submisse exhortation thus the yonger must reprooue the elder the inferiour their superiours It is Gods commandement that we should not rebuke an elder but exhort him as a father 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 1. And thus Kings and great Potentates are to be reprooued they beeing patres Patriae That saying of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath place in this case Thirdly by sharpe reprehension thus elders or superiours are to reprooue their inferiours specially if the fact be notorious scandalous or dangerous Paul commandeth Titus that he should rebuke the Cretian● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharpely that they might be sound in the faith Tit. 1. 13. Fourthly by due chas●isment and correction thus the superiours must reprooue their inferiours ouer whome they are set as the father the child the master the seruant the magistrate the subiect c. and thus the inferiour cannot reprooue his superiour nor one equall another though he doe it with neuer so great mildnes Secondly we shall fit our reproofe to the offence committed if in spirituall wisdome and discretion we put a difference betwixt sinne and sinne as the Apostle teacheth vs Iud. v. 22 23. Haue compassion on some in putting difference and other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire Sinnes committed of humane frailtie or through ignorance must be distinguished from those of malice of pride and presumption both must be reprooued yet after a different manner for the one must be wonne with gentlenes the other with sharpnes the one with lenitie the other with seueritie to the one we must come with the pleasant pipe of Christ to the other with the lamentation of John Baptist. To the one in the spirit of Elias to the other in the spirit of Moses When gentle admonition would take no place Christ thundreth out threats against Corazin and Bethsaida And Paul threatens seueritie when lenitie will doe no good 2. Cor. 13. VIII Euery reproofe must be administred in fitte time when we may doe the most good therefore if in wisdome we shall foresee fitter opportunitie to winne our brother we are to take that time and to omit the present not to tell him of his fault beeing drunke or in the heat of his passion but after when he commeth to himselfe as Abigail dealt with Nabal 1. Sam. 25. For the commandement of God touching reproofe beeing affirmatiue bindeth not to all times but onely to that which in spirituall discretion we shall iudge the fittest both to reclaime him and saue his credit Salomon saith that a word spoken in due time is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer Prou. 25. 11. Now if this be true of a word spokē in due time it is much more true of a reproofe deliuered in due season There is a time for all things Eccles. 3. 1. And surely if euery thing that commeth to passe in the world haue his set time and opportunitie reproofe must needes haue his time and season IX Secret sinnes knowne onely to thee or to a few must be reprooued secretly betwixt thee and the partie alone they must not be divulged but concealed in loue which couereth a multitude of sinnes For if thou hast offended or if thy brother hath ought against thee goe thy way and be reconciled to thy brother Matth. 5. 23 24. If he haue trespassed against thee or thou hast ought against him goe and tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone Matth. 18. 15. And albeit Salomon say That open rebuke is better then secret loue Prou. 27. 5. yet it makes nothing against this rule for he vnderstandeth not that reproofe which is vttered before witnesses but that priuate reproofe which is giuen to his face and not behind his backe betwixt thē two alone But open sins are to be reprooued openly 1. Tim. 5. 20. Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare Which text of Scripture must rightly be conceiued for it is not a generall commandement giuen to all as some haue thought in alleadging it to prooue that they may lawfully reprooue open swearers and offenders and that openly but it is a special cōmandement giuen to the Pastors or gouernours of the Church that they should reprooue those elders and so consequently all such as were conuicted of any crime by witnesses and that before all men that is before the whole Church and not before all men in euery place and assemblie where they offend For we haue no warrant in Scripture so to doe Secondly this open disgracefull rebuking of men will rather harden them in their sinnes then any way reclaime them from sinne Augustine saith well Prae pudore incipiet defendere peccatum suum quem vis correctiorem facis peiorem Thirdly they might as well say a man is to be reprooued for euery sinne and that openly before all men as for open sinnes because Paul saith not Them that sinne openly rebuke before all men but them that sinne rebuke openly Fourthly the wordes depend vpon the former verse where it is said Receiue not an accusation against an Elder vnder two or three witnesses and then it followes Those that sinne rebuke openly that is those elders that sinne and haue beene first priuatly admonished and after that before witnesses if they be accused by two or three witnesses then reprooue them openly before all men that is before the whole Church X. We must carefully obserue the order set downe by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 18. 15. First we must trie whether by priuate reproofe our brother will be reclaimed or no● if he be we must proceede no further for then we haue attained the maine end of all reproo●es If he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother If not we must take one or two which may witnesse the fact and that for sund●ie causes the first is giuen by Saint Hierom vpon the place That they may witnesse that to be a sinne for which he is reprooued and that he is worthily reprooued for the same The second is laid down by Saint August Epist. 109. to conuince the partie offending of the act cōmitted if he should iterate the same againe The third by Chrysostome Hom. 6. in Matth. to witnesse that he which reprooues hath discharged his dutie and done what in him lay to win his brother If he be reclaimed at

talents left vs to imploy to our masters aduantage If thou hast receiued them saith Paul why boastest thou thy selfe as though thou hadst not receiued them 3. Be it that a man be in Christ and sanctified yet he hath no greater right to the merits of Christ nor greater part in them then he which is lesse sanctified for though sanctification hath degrees and a certaine latitude yet iustification hath none So that a mā is in trueth nothing of himselfe 1. Because he hath his beeing and beginning of nothing and tendeth of his owne nature to corruption and nothing 2. In that he is not that which he imagineth himselfe to be 3. Though he haue some gifts and graces of God yet is he nothing because he is farre short of that which he ought to be 1. Cor. 8. 2. Vpon these considerations Abraham acknowledgeth himselfe to be but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Dauid comparing himselfe with the magnificence of Saul saith What am I or what is my fathers house 1. Sam. 18. 18. Nay whether we consider man absolutely in himselfe or relatiuely in respect of other creatures as those glorious bodies the sunne moone starres we may say with the Prophet Dauid Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou regardest him Psal. 8. 4. Paul confesseth himselfe to be nothing in of or by himselfe but by the grace of God saith he I am that I am 1. Cor. 15. 10. And againe I was nothing inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles although I am nothing 2. Cor. 12. 11. The Apostle affirmeth of euery man which thinketh he knoweth some thing that he knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1. Cor. 8. 2. and of many that they are puffed vp and know nothing 1. Tim. 6. 4. For a swelling conceit and emptines vsually goe together The second generall thing to be obserued in the words is this That it is naturall for men to thinke too well of themselues to magnifie themselues aboue others in their conceits and in a manner to deifie themselues and to nullifie others in comparison of themselues and this ouerweening of a mans selfe is a branch of pride For a man looking vpon himselfe through the spectacles of selfe-loue doth thinke euery small gift of God which he seeth to be in himselfe to be farre greater then in truth it is imagining meere shadowes to be substances or molehills to be as bigge as mountaines For as a man that is in loue doth thinke the blemishes and deformities in his loue to be ornaments which make her more beautifull So those which with Narcissus are in loue with themselues and do●e vpon their own gifts iudge the vices which they see to be in themselues to be vertues Simon Magus though a wicked wretch a limme of the Deuill a sorcerer c. yet had this conceit of himselfe and gaue it out also that he was some great man Act. 8. 9. to wit the great power of God v. 10. The Church of Laodicea thought shee was rich and increased with goods and had neede of nothing whereas shee was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Apoc. 3. 17. And so the skarlet strūpet thought her selfe a Queene and that shee was out of all daunger of downefall when shee was alreadie fallen Apoc. 18. 2 7. Yea this corruption is so naturall that euen the regenerate themselues who are in part sanctified are tainted therewith and generally they that haue receiued greater gifts of knowledge of sanctification c. are most ready to ouerweene their owne gifts except God giue them grace to resist this temptation for knowledge puffeth vp 1. Cor. 8. 1. The Apostles themselues contended which of them should seeme to be the greatest Luk. 22. 24. Yea in all ages there haue beene some in the Church ouerweening themselues as in Christs time the Iustitiarie Pharisies after them the Catharists or Puritanes who both proudly and odiously called themselues by that name thinking themselues without sinne the Donatists that they were a Church without spot or wrinkle the Iovinianists that a man cannot sinne after the lauer of regeneration The Pelagians that the life of a iust man in this world hath no sinne in it at all and of later times the Semi-Pelagian heretike who will be something of himselfe and will haue some stroke in his first conuersion wil concur with Christ in the worke of Iustificatiō It will be said Papists ascribe all the praise to God Ans. So did the Pharisie Luk. 18. 11. and yet a wicked Iusticiarie for all that Now all this ariseth from sundrie causes the first is the bitter roote of pride that was in our first parents when as they affected a higher place in desiring through discontment of their owne estate to deifie themselues and become equall to the highest Maiestie in knowing good and euill The second is the ouermuch considering the good things we haue as when the Pharisie considered that he gaue tithe of all that he possessed that he fasted twise a weeke that he was not thus and thus as other men Luk. 18. The third is the comparing of our selues with the infirmities that we see to be in others the Pharisie was puffed vp by comparing himselfe with extortioners vniust men adulterers and with the Publican The fourth is the false flattering and applause of men which sooth vs vp in our humours in perswading vs to be that which in truth we are not as the people flattered Herod when they gaue a shout and said The voice of God and not of man Act. 12. 22. The third point is that they which thus ouerweene their gifts in thinking themselues somewhat when they are nothing doe notably deceiue themselues as those that thinke they haue the substance when they haue but the shadow as those that dream they are Kings or Princes being in truth but base persōs or to vse the Prophets similitude Esa. 29. 8. Like as an hungrie man dreameth behold he eateth when he awaketh his soule is emptie or like as a thirstie man dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold he is faint and his soule longeth Men are deceiued two waies either by others or by themselues by others as by flatterers they are deceiued occasionally by themselues causally or properly For he that doth iudge himselfe to be that which indeede he is not he may happely please himselfe but he doeth but please himselfe in an errour for in trueth he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination the Apostle Iames saith If any man seeme specially to himselfe to be religious and yet refraineth not his tongue he deceiueth his owne heart his religion is vaine Iam. 1. 26. So likewise they that are only hearers of the word therfore thinke that all is wel enough with thē though they be not doers therof deceiue their owne selues Iam. 1. 22. And verely this corruption is so great that as men can

neighbour let my wife grind vnto another man and let other men bow downe vpon her Iob 31. 10 11. Use. First here we see the iustice of God in awarding the last sentence nay his bountie and seueritie his bountie in recompencing men aboue their deserts his seueritie in punishing sinners according to their deserts For as he will denie any thing in iustice that denied to Diues a droppe of water to coole his tongue Luk. 16. 24. 25. so he will recompence any thing in mercie that will recompence a cuppe of cold water Math. 10. 42. This integritie in iudgement without partialitie is signified by the white throne Reu. 20. 11. and it serues as a patterne and example for all Iudges and Magistrats to follow in laying iudgement to the rule and righteousnes to the ballance Esa. 28. 17. that is in hearing causes indifferently and determining equally examining them as it were by line and square as the mason or carpenter doth his worke The Grecians placed Iustice betwixt Leo and Libra thereby signifying that there must not onely be courage in executing but also indifferencie in determining The Egyptians expresse the same by the hieroglyphicall figure of a man without hands winking with his eyes whereby is meant our vncorrupt Iudge who hath no hands to receiue bribes nor eyes to behold the person of the poore or respect the person of the rich And before our tribunalls we commonly haue the picture of a man holding a ballance in one hand and a sword in the other signifying by the ballance iust iudgement by the sword execution of iudgement For as the balance putteth no difference betweene gold and lead but giueth an equall or vnequall poise to them both not giuing a greater waight to the gold for the excellencie of the mettall because it is gold nor a lesse to the lead for the basenes of it because it is lead So they were with an euen hand to way the poore mans cause as well as the rich But it is most notably set out by the throne of the house of Dauid mentioned Psal. 122. 5. which was placed in the gate of the citie towardes the sunne rising in the gate to signifie that all which came in and out by the gate of the citie might indifferently be heard the poore as well as the rich and might haue accesse and regresse too and from the iudgement seate Towards the rising of the sunne in token that their iudgement should be as cleare from corruption as the sunne is cleare in his chiefest brightnes Secondly this confutes the common opinion of the Schoolmen who as they truly affirme that God rewardeth his Elect supra meritum aboue their desert so they erroniously teach that he punisheth the reprobate citra condignum lesse then they haue deserued For God powreth vpon the wicked after this life the full violls of his wrath punishing them in the rigour of his iustice without all mercie not onely according to their works in regard of the nature and qualitie but in respect of the measure and quantitie Lastly this doctrine seriously considered and thought vpon that we shall drinke such as we brew reape such as we sow and that men shall haue degrees of felicitie or miserie answerable to their workes answerable to the kind of their worke to the quantitie and qualitie thereof will make vs more carefull to auoid sinne and to be more plentifull in good workes then if with the Papists we should teach iustification by workes Againe in that euery one shall reape as he soweth that is shall be rewarded not according to the fruit and successe of his labour but according to his labour be it more or lesse better or worse it serues first of all to comfort the ministers of the word which are set ouer a blinde ignorant people who are alwaie learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the 〈…〉 th they must not be discouraged thogh after long teaching there be little knowledge or amendment after much paines 〈◊〉 little profiting but rather a coldnesse a backewardnesse a decl●ning in all sorts and degrees They must remember that if their Gospell beeing deliuered with such simpheitie with such assidu●tie with such euidence and demonstration of the spirit be h●d at is hid to them that perish in whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of the infidells that the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine vnto them 2. Cor. 4. 3 4. Besides let them consider that though they seeme to labour in vaine to spend their strength in vaine and that their words take no more effect then if they were spoken in the winde yet that their iudgement is with the Lord and their worke with their God Isa. 49. 4. remembring that God wil giue to euery man according to his worke according to the kind the quantitie the qualitie thereof and not according to the fruit or successe of his worke It may serue also as a cordiall to euery man that is painfull faithful in his calling thogh neuer so base seruile as to a shepheard which watcheth his flock or a poore drudge that attēds vpon his masters busines he is to cōfort himselfe with this that though he see no great good that comes by his labour and trauel yet if he be obediēt to him that is his master according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenes of heart seruing God and whatsoeuer he doth doing it heartily as to the Lord and not to men let him know and assure himsel●e that of the Lord he shall receiue the reward of inheritance Coloss. 3. 22 23 24. And the promise is more generall Eph. 6. 5. Know ye that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth the same shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free It serueth further as a comfort against inequallitie whereas the wicked flourish in all manner of prosperitie and the godly lie in contempt and miserie for the time shall come when euery one shall reape euen as he hath sowne When God will punish the sinnes of the reprobate with eternall torment according to their deserts and crowne the good workes of his seruants with an eternall waight of glorie aboue their desert for pietie shall not alway goe vnrewarded neither shall impietie alway goe vnpunished for as the Psalmist saith The patient abiding of the righteous shall not perish for euer And againe doubtles there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth Againe this condemneth the damnable opinion of Atheists who thinke all things come to passe by nature or fortune and that doomes day is but a dreame and that sticke not to say It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commādements and that we haue walked humbly before the Lord of boasts as though good workes should neuer be rewarded nor sinne punished albeit the Lord hath said Behold