of the Apostles 2. Tim. 3. 14. Hence it appeares to be a fault in sundrie priuate persons when they read the Scriptures to gather priuate opinions to broch them to the world This practise hath beene the foundation of heresies and schismes in the Church Secondly Paul writes with consent that he might the better mooue and perswade the Galatians to receiue his doctrine which he is nowe to deliuer Hence it appeares that the Consent of Pastors and people is of great excellencie For the better conceiuing of it and the meaning of the text I will handle three points The first is what is the force of consent wherein stands it and where it is nowe to be found For the first Consent is of force to prepare the heart and to mooue it to beleeue as Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospell except the authoritie of the Church had mooued me And this is all it can doe For it is the word that is the obiect and the cause of our faith the word it selfe workes in vs that faith whereby it is beleeued And Paul in this place vseth consent not to worke a faith in the Galatians but onely to stirre vp a liking of his doctrine Two errors of the Church of Rome must here be auoided One that Consent is a certaine marke of the Church It is false for Consent may be among the wicked in the kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 13. 16. In the kingdome of darkenesse all is in peace Againe dissention may be among the godly as betweene Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter in the church of Corinth there were schismes 1. Cor. 11. Consent therefore simply vnles it be ioyned with true faith and true doctrine is not of force to declare vnto vs the true Church The second errour is that the catholike consent of beleeuers in pointes of religion is the true and liuely scripture and that â—he written word is but a dead letter to it and to be iudged by it for his sense and meaning But all is contrary For the written word is the first perfect pattern of the mind and will of God and the inward consent in the hartes of men is but a rude and imperfect extract and draught of it The second point is wherein standes this consent it must haue his foundation in Christ thence flow to the members as the oile from Aarons head to his garments Psal. 133. and it standes in three things consent in one faith and doctrine consent in affection whereby men be of one hart Act. 2. 47. consent in speach 1. Cor. 1. 10. The third point is where it is now to be found The Papists say that they haue true and perfect consent among themselues and that fathers and Councells be on their side and that we haue no consent among our selues I answer first that they haue not the coÌ„sent which they pretend for the proper points of Popery were not known to the apostles nor to the Apostolicall churches but were taken vp in the ages following by little and litle Secondly such doctrines as the papists make articles of faith are but opinions and coniectures in the fathers and Councles Thirdly the things which the Papists hold are the same peraduenture in name but they are not the same indeede with that which the fathers hold neither are they holden in the same manner as for example the purgatory which the fathers hold is a thing far different from the purgatory of the papists and so all the rest Of consent they may bragge but they cannot shew it As for our selues we all consent in the foundation of religion There is difference about the descent of Christ into hell The thing we all hold namely a descent the difference is in the manner whether it be vertually or locally There is difference about the paines of Christ in his agony and passion yet all acknowledge the infinite merit and efficacy of the death of Christ. There is difference about the gouernement of the visible church on earth For the substance of gouernemant all agree but for the manner of execution and administration they doe not That Christ is present in the Eucharist that his body and blood is there to be eaten and drunken all our churches agree and the difference is only touching the manner of his presence namely whether it be spirituall or locall And this is the mercy of God that in all our differences the foundation of religon is not rased Let vs pray for the continuance and increase of this consent Thus much of the persons that write now follow the churches to which the Epistle is sent to the churches of Galatia At this time the Galatians had made a reuolte and were fallen from iustification by the obedience of Christ so as Paul was affraid of them Chap. 4. and yet he called them churches still vsing great meekenes moderatioÌ„ His example must we follow in giuing iudgement of churches of our time And that we may the better doe this and the better releeue our consciences marke three rules The first is that we must rightly consider of the faultes of churches Some are faultes in manners some in doctrine If the faults of the Church be in manners and these faults appeare both in the liues of ministers and people so long as true religion is taught it is a church so to be esteemed and the ministers must be heard Math. 23. 1. Yet may we seperate from the priuat company of bad men in the church 1. Cor. 5. 11. and if it be in our liberty and choise ioyne to churches better ordered If the errour be in doctrine we must first consider whether the whole church erre or some few therein If the errour be in some and not in all it remaines a church still as Corinth did where some denied the resurrection because a church is named of the better part Secondly we must consider whether the church erre in the foundation or no. If the errour or errours be beside the foundation of religion Paul hath giuen the sentence that they which build vpon the foundation haie and stubble of erronious opinion may be saued 1. Cor. 3. 15. Thirdly inquiry must be made whether the church erre of humane frailty or of obstinacie If it erre of frailty though the error be in the foundation yet it is stil a church as appears by the example of the GalatiaÌ„s Yet if a church shall erre in the foundation openly and obstinately it seperates from Christ and ceaseth to be a church and we may seperate froÌ„ it may giue iudgement that it is no church When the Iewes resisted the preaching of Paul and had nothing to say but to raile Paul then seperated the Church of Ephesus and Rome from them Act. 19. 8. 28. 28. It may here be demaunded why Paul writes to the Galatians as brethren and calls them Churches seeing they haue erred in the foundation and are as he saith vers 6. remooued to another
concerning faith and good life is inseperably annexed to his person and in it are we to rest The principall voice of the iudge and the definitiue sentence is the written word And the office of the Church is no more but to gather declare testifie and pronounce this sentence It is obiected that when a question is propounded the scripture cannot speake nor Christ in the Scripture but the Church onely I answer againe that God ascribes to the written word a voice or speech Rom. 3. 19. and the scripture speakes sufficiently to the resoluing of any mans conscience in all matters pertayning to saluation Again they alleadge that the Church is before the scripture and therfore it beeing most auncient must be the Iudge I answer that the Church was before the writing of the word but not before the word which is written For the church presupposeth faith and faith presupposeth a word of God Vpon this our doctrine they further vpbraid vs that we wil be tried by nothing but by the scriptures euen as the malefactour that will not be tried by the Quest but by the euidence I answer for the satisfying of our aduersaries we submit our selues to the triall of the Church and Councels so be it the three cautions before remēbred be duly obserued specially that all things be iudged and tried by the written word and by reasons gathered thence Againe the Papists hence gather that the scriptures are to be approoued by the Church Ans. Thus much we graunt yet so as we hold that the principal approbatiō of the word wherby we are mooued to beleeue and obey is in the word frō the word and not from the church For the scripture hath his euidence within itselfe which is sufficient to make vs beleeue the word to be the word though the Church should say nothing The third point is concerning the persons with whome Paul conferred namely with them that were the cheife that is with them that were in price and account as Peter Iames c. Here we see what is the honour and worshippe that is due to excellent men namely a pretious and reuerend estimation Thus the name of Dauid was in price in Israel for his vertues 1. Sam. 18. last And thus with the Papists are we content to honour the Saints Again here the Papists gather that they are hereticks that after Pauls example will not go vp to Rome to Peter and his successour to haue their doctrine and religion tried and examined I answer first we are content to be tried by the writings of Peter Iames Iohn Paul c. And this is the commandement of God in doubtfull cases To the Law and the testimonie Isai 8. Secondly I answer that we haue a commandement not to goe vp to Rome at this day to haue our religion tried Reuel 18. Come out of Babylon my people Thirdly I answer that the Bishop of Rome is Peters successour not in teaching but in denying Christ. And the learned Papists confesse that for this succession they haue but a humane faith grounded vpon humane historie The fourth point is the Ende of the conference Least I should runne that is least I should preach or had preached in vaine These words of Paul are not simply to be taken For the Ministerie of man and euery sermon brings forth the fruite which God hath appointed And whether it be vnto the hearers the sauour of life or the sauour of death it is alwaies a sweet sauour vnto God The words therefore carrie this meaning Least my preaching should be of lesse vse and profit or againe least I should preach in vaine in respect of that good which is looked for at the hands of an Apostle And this Paul speakes because a rumor went abroad that his doctrine in many things was contrarie to the other Apostles And by this meanes many were kept from receiuing the Gospell and the faith of weake beleeuers was quenched Now then the ende of the conference was to stay this false report that the Ministerie of Paul might haue passage and that with greater profit Hence the Papists gather that the doctrine of Paul was vncerten and vnprofitable till it was approoued by Peter I answer that Paul sought the approbation of his doctrine at the hands of Peter and the rest not because it was vncerten and vnprofitable but because it was slaundered and the slaunder was that he taught otherwise then Peter did Nowe to cut off this slander he vseth meanes to manifest his consent with Peter and therefore seekes approbation at his hand Againe when Paul saith Least I should runne in vaine he giues vs to vnderstand that the Ministerie of the word is not a worke of ease or pleasure but a labour nay a continued labour like to the running in a race It were therefore to be wished that ministers of the Gospel would so labour and walke in this calling that they might be able to say with Paul I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course c. 2. Tim. 4. Thirdly hence it appeares that all beleeuers should haue a certen knowledge of their faith and religion The procuring of this was the thing that Paul aimed at in this conference with the Apostles at Ierusalem We must not be as children carried away with euery winde of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Gods word requires faith in vs and faith presupposeth certen knowledge The first and second commandements require that we knowe God and his will distinguish him from false gods and his worshippe from false worshippe Here comes the fault of our times to be considered most men among vs doe not knowe their religion neither can they distinguish it from errour and false religion A foule negligence We take paines to learne trades and occupations that we may haue wherewith to preserue this temporall life what a shame then is it that we learne not better to know the doctrine of true religion whereby our soules are to be saued Lastly here we learne that the office of the Minister is not onely to teach and preach but also to studie and take care howe by preaching he may doe the most good 3. But neither yet Titus which was with me though he were a Grecian was compelled to be circumcised After the Conference followes the Approbation which was giuen to Paul It stands in foure things The first that the Apostles did not compell Titus to be circumcised v. 3. The second that they added nothing to his doctrine v. 6. The third that they gaue him the hands of fellowship v. 7. The laste that at his departure they required of him nothing but the giuing of Almes v. 16. For the first the words And Titus was not compelled to be circumcised carrie this sense I for my part was readie to circumcise Titus if there had beene a meete occasion false brethren would haue imposed a necessitie vpon vs then I and Titus refused and the Apostles did not vrge me to circumcise him Here it may
but included The second is that here the Spirit signifies the spirit of adoption Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 16. The third is that to receiue the spirit is not barely to receiue the gifts of the spirit as we are said to haue the sunne in the house when we receiue the beames of the bodie of the sunne beeing in heauen but in this receiuing there are two things One is that the spirit is present in vs the other that the same spirit testifieth his presence by his speciall opera tion and gifts of grace Paul saith Eph. 4. 30. Greeue not the spirit Which is not meant of gifts but of the very person of the spirit And it must be remembred that the effects and gifts of the spirit presuppose the presence of the spirit By workes of the Law we are to vnderstand the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law By the hearing of faith is meant the doctrine of the Gospel hearing beeing put for the thing heard namely preaching and faith for the doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ crucified For faith signifies not onely the gift whereby we beleeue but also that which is beleeued In the third verse spirit signifies the operation of the spirit whereby the inward man is renewed and made like to God or againe the Exercises of the inward man and flesh signifies outward things or actions that properly pertaine to the outward man as circumcision and such like Thus 2. Cor. 5. 17. flesh and the new creature are opposed And Paul saith Rom. 9. 29. He is a Iew that is a lew within in the spirit hauing the circumcision of the heart To begunne in the spirit is to beginne in godlines and religion inwardly in the exercises of the renewed heart The Resolution In these words is contained the first argu ment whereby Paul prooues the truth of his doctrine It is framed thus If ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine my doctrine is true and ye foolish that adde vnto it iustification by the workes of the law but ye receiued the spirit by my doctrine therefore it is true and ye deale foolishly that haue added to it iustification by workes The maior or first proposition is not expressed but the proofe thereof in the third verse thus it is a point of extreame follie when ye haue begun in the spirit to end in the flesh therfore it is folly in you hauing receiued the spirit by my doctrine to adde any thing vnto it of your owne The vse When Paul saith Let me learne one thing of you he notes the fault of the Galatians and of sundrie others who when they haue attained to a certaine measure of knowledge in Gods word are presently puffed vp with pride and often thinke themselues wiser then their teachers This was the fault of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8. 10. and of sundrie in our daies who separate wholly from all our congregations presuming to know that which they neuer learned of their teachers That this ouerweening pride may not take place we must ioyne the knowledge of our selues with the knowledge of Gods word and mixe our knowledge with loue For loue edesies and bare knowledge swells the heart Againe here when it is said Receiued ye the spirit that is ye did not receiue the spirit by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Here I say we see the difference betweene the law and the Gospel The law doth not minister the spirit vnto vs for it onely shewes our disease and giues vs no remedie The Gospel ministreth the spirit For it shewes what we are to doe and withall the spirit is giuen to make vs doe that which we are inioyned in the Gospel Here also we learne that the preaching of the Gospel is necessarie for all men because it is the Instrument of God to conferre the spirit Whole Peter was yet speaking the spirit of God fell vpon the Gentiles Act. 10. 44. Paul saith his ministerie is the ministerie of the spirit 2. Cor. 4. 5. sauing the ministers and others 1. Tim. 4. 16. And the most learned haue neede of this ordinance of God For suppose they haue knowledge sufficient yet haue they neede of the spirit of God to guide and gouerne them Further let it be obserued what is the scope of all our hearing and teaching namely that we may receiue the spirit of God without which spirit we can doe nothing Moreouer Paul here sets downe an infallible argument whereby we may be assured that the Scripture is the word of God For the scriptures in their right vse which is in reading hearing meditation haue the diuine and supernaturall operation of the spirit ioyned with them to comfort in all distresses and in the very pang of death and to conuert the heart of man making him in respect of righteousnes and holines like vnto God This priuiledge haue the Scriptures Isa. 59. 21. and no word els Lastly let vs here obserue the certen marke of true religion and that is that the preaching thereof conferres the spirit of adoption This doth not the pretended catholike Religion of the Papists it doth not conferre vnto men the spirit to assure them that they are the children of God because it teacheth that we are to be in suspence of our saluation Againe by teaching humane satisfactions merits it ministreth the spirit of pride and presumption as also the spirit of crueltie not of meekenes for they of that religion commonly delight in blood and there haue bin no warres or seditions or rebellions in Europe for many ages but they of the Romish religion haue bin at one ende of them When Paul saith v. 3. Beganne ye in the spirit c. he teacheth a diuine instruction that true godlines and Religion stands in the spirit that is the grace of the heart or in the exercises of the inner man whether we respect the beginning the middle or the accomplishment thereof The kings daughter is all glorious within Psal. 45. 13. True worshippers worship God in the spirit Ioh. 4. 25. Rom. 1. 12. He is a Iew that is a Iew not without but within in the spirit in the circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. 29. Gods seruice and kingdome stands in iustice peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. He that is in Christ must not know him in any carnall respects but be a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 17. Baptisme is not the washing of the spots of the flesh but the promise that a good conscience makes to God By this doctrine we see the fault of the world which for the most part placeth religion in ceremoniall performance of some outward duties The Iewe vsed to come to God with sacrifices and to draw neere to him with his lippe his heart beeing farre from God The Papist hath turned the Apostolike and Catholike religion into a masse of ceremonies borrowed partly from the Iewes and partly from the Gentiles And
scripture namely the Scripture before named the written law in the bookes of the old Testament And further by the law we must vnderstand God in the law Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded all vnder vnbeleefe Concluded The law is compared to a Iudge or sergeant sinne to a prison And the law is said to conclude or inclose men vnder sinne because it doth to the full accuse and conuince vs of sin so as our mouthes are stopped and we haue no way to escape All All men that came of Adam by generation with all that comes from them their thoughts desires wordes and deedes The promise The thing promised which is Remission of sinne and life euerlasting By the faith of Christ That is the faith whereof Christ is both the author and matter This is added to signifie vnto vs who are true beleeuers namely they which are beleeuers by the faith of Christ. Against this text of Paul blind reason mooueth many questions as namely why God created man and then suffered him to fall why God did not restraine the fall of Adam to his person but suffers it to inlarge it selfe to all mankind so as all be shut vp vnder sinne why the promise is not giuen to all but onely to beleeuers But there are two speciall grounds vpon which we are to stay our minds The first is that God hath an absolute soueraigntie and lordship ouer all his creatures We may not therefore dispute the case with God Rom. 9. 20. He may doe with his owne what he will Math. 20. 15. The second is that the waies and iudgements of God are a gulfe into which the more we search the more we plunge our selues because they are vnsearchable Rom. 11. 33. Marke the phrase of Paul the Scripture concludes all vnder smne if it conclude or shut vp then it determines what is sinne what not And if this be so then it may also determine what is true and what is false and so be truly tearmed a Iudge of controuersies in religion If it shut vp sinners vnder their sinne then also it shuts them that erre vnder their errour for errours be sinnes and fruits of the flesh It is said blasphemously that if the Scripture be a Iudge it is but a dumme Iudge and I say againe that offenders may plead for themselues on this sort that the law is but a dumme Iudge when it condemnes them and shuts them vnder sinne but they shall finde it hath a loud voice in their consciences when they read it seriously and examine themselues by it euen so the Scripture speakes sufficiently for the determination of truth and falshood in matters of saluation when it is searched with care and humilitie When Paul saith We are all shut vp vnder sinne he puts vs in minde of our most miserable condition that we are captiues of sinne and Satan inclosed in our sinnes as in a prison like imprisoned malefactours that waite daily for the comming of the Iudge and stand in continuall feare of execution And seeing our condition is such we must labour to see and feele by experience this our spirituall bondage that we may say with Paul We are sold vnder sinne and that we know there is no goodnes dwelling in our flesh Rom. 7. 14. 18. This is one of the first lessons that we must take out in the schoole of Christ. Againe if we seriously bethinke our selues that we are captiues of sinne and worthie of death it will make vs with contentation of minde to beare the miseries of this life sicknes pouertie reproch banishment c. considering they come farre short of that we haue deserued who are no better then slaues of sinne and Satan Whereas Paul saith that all men with all that proceeds from them is shut vnder sinne he teacheth that all actions of men vnregenerate are sinnes The wisdome of the flesh that is the wisest cogitations counsells inclinations of the flesh are enmitie vnto God Rom. 8. 5. To the vncleane all things are vncleane Tit. 1. 15. An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7. It may be obiected that naturall men may doe the workes of the morall law as to giue almes and such like Rom. 2. 14. Ans. Sinnes be of two sorts One is when any thing is done slat against the commandement of God The second is when the act or worke is done which the law prescribes yet not in the same manner which the law prescribes in faith in obedience to the glorie of God In this second regard morall works performed by naturall men are sinnes indeede Hence it followes that Libertie of will in the doing of that which is truly good is lost by the fall of Adam and that man cannot by the strength of naturall will helped by grace applie himselfe to the calling of God Whereas Paul saith that the promise is giuen to beleeuers it is manifest that the promise is not vniuersall in respect of all mākind but only indefinite and vniuersall in respect of beleeuers Wherfore their doctrine is not sound that teach the Redemption wrought by Christ to be as generall as the sinne of Adam Indeede if we regard the value and sufficiencie of the death of Christ it is so but if we respect the Communication and donation of this benefit it is not For though all be shut vnder sinne yet the promise is onely giuen to them that beleeue It is obiected that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 19. Ans. The text in hand shewes that by the world we are to vnderstād all beleeuers through the whole world And whereas Paul saith God shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie vpon all Rom. 11. 32. his meaning is here set downe that he shut both Iewes and Gentiles vnder vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie vpon all that beleeue both of Iewes and Gentiles Marke further the ende of the law is conuiction and the ende of our conuiction is that the promise of mercie may be giuen to them that beleeue Here is notable comfort with incouragement to all good duties Doth the law as it were in the name of God arrest thee doth it accuse and conuince thee of manifold sinnes doth it arraigne thee at the barre of Gods iudgement and fill thy soule with terrour dost thou by the testimonies of the law and thine owne conscience see and feele thy selfe to be a most miserable and wretched sinner well It may be thou thinkest that all this is a preparation to thy damnatiō but it is not For it is cōtrariwise a preparation to thy saluation For the law with a loud voice in thy heart proclaimes thee a sinner and threatens thee with perdition but the end of all this is that Iesus Christ may become a Sauiour vnto thee so be it thou wilt come vnto him and beleeue in him For he saues no sheepe but the lost sheepe and he calls not iust men but sinners to repentance Let vs therefore with all our
Th. 2. 2. he had besought them they would not be troubled by spirit nor by word nor by letter as though it came from him And here he shews how they may know whether the Epistle be his or not if it haue this signe it is mine els it is counterfait for this note or marke is to be found in all and euery one of my Epistles Now these words which is a Signe in euery Epistle cannot be meant as some are of opinion of the former words onely viz. The salutation of me Paul with mine owne hand First because he saith it is a signe in euery Epistle whereas it is onely to be found 1. Corinth 16. 21. Galat. 6. 11. Coloss. 4. 18. 2. Thess. 3. 17. Philem. v. 19. and not in any other of his Epistles Secondly the words so I write should be false if they be referred onely to the former wordes because that manner of salutation is not to be found in euery Epistle as I haue alreadie shewed And except they be referred to the words following the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. they haue either none or a very hard construction Thirdly if Pauls salutation which he affirmeth to be a certaine note of his Epistle be vnderstood of these words The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. it agreeth vnto all as Anselme confesseth whereas beeing meant of the former words onely it doeth not agree to all but to a fewe and yet Paul makes it a generall infallible note and signe of euery Epistle Besides Ambrose and Primasius in their commentaries vpon the place as also the Author of the Commentaries which goeth vnder Ieroms name affirme the signe whereby we may know Pauls Epistles from counterfeit and forged Epistles to consist in these words the grace of our Lord c Chrysost. and Theodoret likewise say that Paul calleth the salutation a benediction or blessing which is in the end of the Epistle and a little after Hence we learne that he was accustomed to write these words The grace c. instead of adiewe or farewell vnto thē And Haimo long after expounds these words so I write howe saith he euen thus as it followeth The grace of our Lord c. I graunt it is probable that Paul writ his owne name in the ende of euery Epistle whether in the Greeke tongue and in the Hebrewe characters as Haimo affirmeth I leaue it as vncertaine and that by the salutation or signe of his Epistle his name written with his owne hand is in part to be vnderstood yet it is not onely nor principally meant The certen signe therefore of his Epistles is beside the subscription of his owne name the farewell that he giues them in these words The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all or the like to the same effect I say to the same effect because these very formall wordes are not to be found in euery of Pauls Epistles Therefore Caietan is far wide who taketh the entire and formall salutation as it is literally set downe 2. Thess. 3. 17. to be a note that the Epistle is his so that if it want any one word either the Epistle is not Pauls or there is some defect in the text for hereupon he concludes that the Epistle to the Coloss. onely hath something wanting in the farewell or salutation because it is said Grace be with you and not the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you as it is in all his other Epistles But first it is an vntrueth for they are not onely wanting in the Epistle to the Colossians but also in the 1. to Timothie and in that to Titus where it is only said Grace be with thee Grace be with you all Secondly it is a flat mistaking of the text for Pauls meaning was not in euery Epistle to tie himselfe precisely to so many words and syllables but to commend them to the grace of Christ sometime making expresse mention of Christ sometime concealing his name yet so as that it is alway vnderstood though not expressed 12. As many as make a faire shew in the flesh compell you to be circumcised only because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. From hence to the ende is laid down the second part of the conclusion which I call a Recapitulation wherein the Apostle doeth very artificially as Orators are accustomed repeat those things which he would haue specially to be remembred the maine points handled in the Epistle First that neither circumcision is necessarie to iustification nor the ceremoniall lawe to saluation Secondly that the false Apostles vrging the obseruation of the lawe as a thing necessarie to saluation sought not herein Gods glorie or the edification of their hearers but their owne ease and freedome from the crosse and persecution Thirdly that Christ crucified is the onely thing that iustifies a sinner without the workes of the Lawe Fourthly that true religion standeth not in outward things but in the renouation of the inward man In this verse and the next following Paul describes the false Apostles by fiue properties three whereof are laid downe in this verse The first is that they make a faire shewe The second that they compell men to the obseruing of their deuised religion The third the ende and scope they aime at that they may alway be in the sunne-shine liuing at ease and hauing the world at will onely because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. First the Apostle saith that they make a faire shew in the flesh which is taken diuersly for it signifieth sundrie things First to make an outward glorious shew according to the flesh as that they were true Israelites of the seed of Abraham c. Of which boasting Paul speakes 2. Cor. 11. 18. Seeing that many glorie after the flesh I will glorie also They are Israelites so am I they are the seed of Abraham so am I. Secondly to please the Israelites which are after the flesh and to approoue themselues vnto them which held the keeping of the ceremoniall lawe Thirdly to vaunt themselues to the Iewes and them of the circumcision of the Galatians whome they had circumcised in the flesh as beeing made proselytes and wenne to their profession by their meanes Lastly to pretend great zeale and religion in outward obseruing of the lawe standing in carnall rites and bodily exercises as circumcision meates purification and the like which carnall rites the Apostle opposeth to spirituall worship Rom. 12. 1. and to the newe creature v. 16. of this chap. and bodely exercise which profiteth little to true pietie and the sincere practise thereof which is profitable for all things 1. Tim. 4. 8. The words may be taken in all these acceptions though princspally in the last Here we haue a notable propertie of false teachers which is to set a faire face vpon the matter to carrie all before them with a smooth countenance and in outward
appearance to excell For as Satan though a blacke deuill an angel of darkenes doth change himselfe into a white deuill as though he were an angel of light so that a man can hardly distinguish his wicked suggestions from the good motions of the spirit of God and therefore may say as Ioshua said to the angel art thou on our side or on our aduersaries Ioshua 5. 13. So his instruments transform themselues as though they were the Apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 11. 13 15. In the old Testament false prophets were accustomed outwardly to conforme themselues to the habite and attire of the holy men of God in wearing a rough garment as Elias and the rest of the prophets did Zach. 13. 4. Vnder the newe Testament in the time of Christ the Pharises in hypocrisie vnder a shewe of long praier deuoured widdowes houses Matth. 23. 14. In the Apostles time false teachers with their wil worship as touch not taste not handle not which had a shewe of wisdome in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde and not sparing of the bodie did vndermine the religion of God Coloss. 2. 21 22 23. And after that in the primatiue Church the heretickes called Catharists vnder a shewe of holinesse fasting praier c. did sowe most damnable heresies in the Church And as in former times the Iewes vnder the glorious titles of the children of Abraham the schollers of Moses the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord made many proselytes by deceiuing the soules of the simple So at this day vnder the glorious titles of the Church of Councels fathers antiquitie consent vniuersalitie the pretented Romane Catholikes haue ensnared many a simple soule and no maruaile considering that these are the times of which Christ foretold that false prophets should deceiue if it were possible the very elect Matth. 24. 24. And of which Saint Paul prophecied that Antichrist should come through the efficacie of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiue ablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish 2. Thess. 2. 9 10. And all this is done by outward shewes and semblances which our Sauiour Christ tearmeth sheepes cloathing and it stands in these foure particulars First in great swelling titles as the onely true Catholike Church the Vicar of Christ the Oecumennicall Bishop most profound illuminate Angelicall Seraphicall Doctors Iesuits the onely true followers of the doctrine and example of Iesus c. Secondly in pretended zeale and deuotion whereby they would perswade that their religion is the onely true religion all others which swarue from it are nothing but false and fabulous and this they doe three waies First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by hauing God alwaies in their mouthes crying in hypocrisie with the false prophets Lord Lord Matth. 7. 22. Or as the Iesuiticall faction doe Iesu Maria. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with enticing words consisting in probable reasons and persuasiue arguments Coloss. 2. 4. Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with faire and flattering words to deceiue the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. By which three meanes the Iesuites haue preuailed much in Princes courts in these latter daies Apoc. 16. 14. Thirdly in the glorious outside of holinesse of life and conuersation in not sparing the bodie by whipping of themselues as Baals priests lanced themselues till the blood gushed out 1. King 18. 28. in strict fasts canonicall houres hard fare badde lodging course apparrell and such like Lastly in rare and excellent gifts of prophecy tongues eloquence miracles c. And thus they make Pauls shew of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3. 5. to be Peter cloake of wickednesse 1. Pet. 2. 16. so that as the Deuill with faire words put Eue into a fooles paradise till at length he had driuen her out of the terrestriall Paradise and made her also hazard the celestiall So his ministers false teachers by faire and flattering speeches deceiue the minds of the simple and cause them to fall from their owne stabilitie By this we may see how hypocrites and false teachers stand especially vpon outward things as externall rites and ceremonies which are but deuices and doctrines of men Matth. 15. 9. The Pharisies made much adoe about washing the outside of the cuppe and of the platter when as the inside was full of rapine and all vncleannes Matth. 23. 25. very curious about washing of their hands before meate Mark 7. 3. and yet carelesse to wash their hearts froÌ„ wickednes Ier. 4. 14. precise in small matters as in tything of mint annise and cummine but profane in the practise of the waightier things of the law as iudgement mercie and fidelitie Matth. 23. 23. whited tombes faire without and filthie within v. 27. Thus the Popish worship consisteth especially in outward things which may please the senses of carnall men as in vocall and instrumental Musicke to please the eare censings and perfumes to delight the smell guilding and painting with other sights and spectacles to affect the eye And at this day in the Masse which they account the very marrow of their Mattins there is nothing but dumme shews histrionicall gestures and tricks fitter to mocke apes withall then to edifie the people For whereas in former time they were wont to say Let vs goe heare a Masse now the common saying in Italie is this Let vs goe see a Masse Let vs therefore trie the spirits before we trust them and especially in matters of religion follow Christs precept not to iudge by the outward appearance Ioh. 7. 24. But to iudge of Prophets by the fruit of their doctrine Matth. 7. 16. and of their doctrine by the touch-stone of the word Isa. 8. 20. so that though the Deuill transforme himselfe into an angel of light nay though an angel from heauen preach any other thing beside that we haue receiued from Christ we must hold him accursed and in so doing we shall follow Christ his practise who was prudent in the feare of the Lord and did not iudge by the sight of his eyes nor reprooue by the hearing of his eares Isa. 11. 3. The second note and marke of these false teachers is that they compell men to be circumcised The word compell hath great emphasis for it signifieth that they did not conuince the iudgement or perswade the will and affection of the Galatians but enforced them against their wills for though circumcision be nothing of it selfe as Paul saith yet to be compelled to receiue circumcision and to place iustification in the vse of it sinne in the neglect of it is the readie way to ouerturne Christ the foundation of our saluation Gal. 5. 4. Here suodrie questions are to be answered First it may be demanded whether it be lawfull to compell men to embrace religion as the false Apostles compelled the Galatians to circumcisioÌ„ Ans. The Magistrate may ought to compell obstinate Recusants to professe true religion for he is â—â—stos vtriusque
The condition of faithfull Ministers is to be full of troubles 647. 28 In what case a Minister in his preaching may vse Philosophie testimonie of Prophane writers and quotations of Fathers 541. 25 Ministers that labour in the word may lawfully take wages though they haue sufficient of their owne 543. 18. Abuse of the Ministers prooued to be the abuse of God 548. 11 Of Professours deriding defrauding Ministers of the word 549. 1. Why Ministers are not to sell the preaching of the word 437. 26. What they are to aime at in their preachings and what not 537. 20 A Minister is to teach his Auditors onely the word of God and why 540. 23. whether Ministers are to be maintained by common contribution and liberalitie of the people or not 533. 37 That it is more conuenient for Ministers to be maintained by set stipends arising from goods proper to the Church then by voluntarie contribution sundrie reasons 534. 17 obiection That the Ministers place is an easie office answered 535. 1 what a Minister is 171. 20 the Deuill cannot worke a true Miracle 171. 33 how Mocking is persecution 362. 9 the Modestie of Paul 19. 34 the practise of the godly to Mourne for other mens sinnes 337. 27 Obiections in defence of Murther remooued 437. 7 N The kinds of Nakednes 266. 28 Nature doth counterfeit grace and how 330. 28 A naturall man can doe the workes of the morall law yet in him they are sinnes 224. 25 Nature and Person distinguished 279. 32. what Nature is ibid. Naturall and carnall men are of two sorts 463. 13 Necessitie is twofold 369. 35 how we must loue our Neighbours 328. 6. what the loue of our Neighbour is vide Loue. how the whole law is fulfilled in the loue of our Neighbour 405. 15 who is our Neighbour 405. 27 In some cases we must loue our Neighbour more then our selues 405. 34. Of the loue of our Neighbour vide Loue. The new Creature or new man old man what it is 637. 1 The vses of this that we are new creatures in Christ. 638. 23 Greater power required in the regeneratioÌ„ of man then in the creation of the world 639. 3 how men are Nothing of theÌ„selues vide Men. O Foure things in an Oath 65. 15 The forme of an oath is to be plaine and direct in the name of God and not of creatures 65. 35 An Oath is to be vsed onely in the case of extremitie 66. 13 Obseruation of daies and times 314 4. The Gospell must be preached though all men be offended 396. 15. Men haue an ouerweening of themselues naturally 507. 8 The cause of it 508. 10 Such notably deceiue themselues 508. 30. It is the poison of loue 510. 25 Whether a man may not iudge himselfe to haue a greater measure of gifts then they that haue lesse 510 38. The remedies of this euill 511. 36 Outward priuiledges or dignities are of no moment in the kingdome of Christ. 382. 1. 24 P How a pacification is to be made in religion 338. 29 Papists teach and maintaine the worship of false Gods 305. 1. c. Papists and we differ not about circumstances 376. 15 Mo pacification with the Papists for religion but ciuill societie 408. 25. Papists teach Idolatrie foure waies vide Idolatrie Papists vrge their owne ceremonies more strictly then Gods truth 617. 28. Papists like to the false teachers in Pauls time in making things which be signes of saluation meritorious causes of it 618. 4 The Popes Prelats of Rome like to false teachers in compelling men to obserue that which they themselues will not obserue 518. 23. The Popish Church like to false teachers in pretending religion and conscience for their ease and cloaking of their impietie 624. 3 It is shewed in two particulars especially ibid. In pardon there be foure degrees 70. 28. Parents sustaine a double person 115. 12. Of Parents authoritie ouer their children vide children Parents truly punished in their childrens punishment notwithstanding it is not felt by them whereof be foure reasons 522. 14 Foure Principall duties to be performed by the people to the pastors and what they be 531 34 Pastors are to haue not only countenance but maintenance of the people 532. 6 Whether pastors are to be maintained by coÌ„tributioÌ„ or not 533. 37 Reasons to prooue that it is more conuenient for ministers to liue vpon set stipends then voluntarie contribution 534. 17 Obiections that the Pastors office is an easie office vide Ministers We must patiently tary for the reaping of our heauenly reward vrged from Gods patience towards vs. 582. 37 Gods patience waiting for the amendment of our liues set dowe by sundry degrees 583. 20 Mischeifes into which we runne vnto vnlesse we patiently expect god for our reward 584. 22 Reasons why Paul did write the epistle to the Galatians with his owne hand 607. 38 Paul subscribed all his epistles with his owne hand 608. 16 Pauls coÌ„uersion how wrought 50. What was gods preuenting grace in Pauls conuersion 50. 10 Whether Paul was an agent or Patient in his conuersion 51. 26 Whether violence was offered to his will in conuersion 52. 2 The dignitie of Paul aboue the other Apostles 5. 28 Two causes why Paul writes his epistles in the name and with the consent of the brethren 6. 4 The true signe of euery of Pauls epistles discouered and the false remooued 608. 27. 609. 20 Why Paul would not take wages of the church of Corinth and some others foure reasons 536. 25 Peace outward or inward 644. 12 Peace with the creatures which be of foure sorts ibid. 14 Peace of conscience double with god with our selues ibid. 33 Peace with our selues threefould ibid. 34. Of peace of conscience ibid. 35 What peace is and what be the parts of it 10. 16 Peace without grace is no peace 12. 6. How we must haue peace with all men 408. 17 Peace is threefould 408. 35 Three rules for the maintaining of Church peace 408. 36 For the inforcing of the duties of peace there be seuen speciall reasons 410. 35 What peace is for the maintenaunce whereof obserued two rules 444. 34. 37. The people punished for Achans sinne how it may stand 526. 15 There is a double perfection 188. 36. Hatred of Gods grace in men is the beginning of al persecution 362. 12. Persecution what 42. 30 Of the wicked persecuting the good 361. 33. Perseuerance crowneth all our good workes 585. 31 Person and nature distinguished 279. 32. What a person is 279. 33 Of Peters supremacie 94. 11 Pharisisme what it is and the principall doctrine thereof 41. 17 Philosophie not condemned 434. 21. The errors of Philosophie 4â—4 26 There is lawfull pilgrimage 59. 32 Popish pilgrimage condemned for two causes 59. 39 Polygamie not approoued but tolerated for two reasons 342. 9 Reasons for Polygamie answered 342. 29. What poore to be releiued 98. 17 Pastors care of the poore wherein it consists 98. 25 Postscripts no part
infirmitie is 108. 32. Sinnes be of two sorts 224. 27 Difference betweene the godly and vngodly in sinning 443. 3 Originall sinne hath two parts 365. 5. A common fashion to extenuate sinne 389. 56 We must resist euery particular sin 390. 25. It is the nature of sinne to set all things out of order 460. 4 God rewardeth sinnes in the same manner according to the nature of sinne 557. 558. Sinne driues men beside themselues 460. 8. Sinners must not delay their repentance ibid. 21 Sinnes committed after a mans conuersion are pardonable 462. 4. 5. In euery knowne sinne we are wrōged 473. 33 Sinne a burden to whome vide Burden Sinne a spirituall burden 528. 27 How we may be cased of the burden of sinne 529. 36 How sinne is finite and how infinite 554. 2 3 4. Solitarie and Monastick life against the light of nature 643. 13 Why the second person is called Sonne 280. 1 Whether the Sonne be God 280. 14. Two kinds of sorrow 137. 39 A point of great skill to bring a soule in order and frame againe 460. 29. Three things to be considered in the soule the substance the faculties and the qualities 637. 10 What is meant by vvhat soeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 10. Sowing what it signifies in the scripture 550. 20 Obiections against this prouerbiall speech whatsoeuer a man sowes that shall he reape 550. 551. The distinction of sowing to the flesh and to our flesh 553. 36 By sowing to the flesh what is ment 564. 1. 10. To sow to the spirit what it is ibid. 20. The Spirit hath fiue properties 418. 38. What is the spirit a treatise 411. 21. 35. All exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit 381. 29 The operation of the spirit is threefold 146. What the Spirit signifies 163. 35 what is meant by the giuing or sending of the spirit 204. 35 In what order the spirit is giuen 205. 3. we receiue the spirit for sixe endes ibid. 20. why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the sonne 293. 39 The manner how the holy Ghost is sent 294. 35 Foure works in the spirit in causing beleeuers to crie Abba father 295. 32. The spirit of grace in Christians is more excellent then that of creation in two respects 412. 27 Of the operation of the spirit 412. 39. The whole worke of the spirit may be reduced to factions 413. 8 The spirit makes vs change and renew our actions in three respects 413. 21. The lust of the spirit hath two actions 416. 32 The office of the spirit is first to regenerate secondly to guide the regenerate 421. 14. 16 In this guidance there are foure actions of the spirit ibid. Subiection to the worke of Gods spirit hath two parts 422. 1 The propertie of the workes of the spirit a treatise 442. 33 The efficacie of the spirit 443. 6 What it is to liue and walke in the spirit 452. 453 A signe whereby to know whether a man hath in his heart the spirit of God or no. 454 4 Spirituall men opposed to carnall are of two sorts 463. 24 Spirituall men are more fitte to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 31 Diuers good and euill things are tearmed by the name of spirit 466. 5. Two kinds of spyings 85. 6 Of standing fast in libertie the manner and time of it 372. 17 Two kinds of subiection 269. 11 Subiection to the spirit hath two parts vide Spirit Succession is of three sorts 35. 3 The successours of the first preachers had an ordinarie calling 35. 17. Fiue vses of our sufferings 170. 10 T A propertie of false teachers is to vrge earnestly their owne ceremonies vpon others 617. 20 A propertie of false teachers to teach false doctrine for auoiding of persecution 618. 26 The essentiall difference betweene true and false teachers 619. 24 Another propertie of false teachers to compell others to obserue that which they themselues will not obserue 622. 18 Another note of false teachers to pretend religion to cloake their wickednes 623. 36 The propertie of false teachers is to set a faire show vpon the matter 611. 14. Temperance what foure rules for the practising of it 448. 3 By what law Tēths are due 232. 3 10 Of what value the testimonie of the Church is 33. 4 There must be a christian toleration one of another for the maintenance of church peace 409. 16 In what it stands ibid. 17 To what end it serues 409. 32 Whether there may not be a tolleration for Popery 409. 37 Vnwritten Traditions tendered as a part of gods word are abominations 24. 29 The church is troubled three waies 391. 33. Reasons to mooue men to speake deale truly 447. 26 The time of all euents determined by God 49. 2 Due time how it may be vnderstood 582. 13 We must make a holy profitable vse of time 598. 1 We must redeeme the time lost in three respects ibid. 37 Obseruations of times which be forbidden 600. 6 The kindes of vnlawfull obseruation of time either Iewish or Heathnish and wherein they consist 600. 11 Lawfull obseruation of time twofold diuine or humane 601. 4 Humane obseruation of time threefold 601. 5 V What the desire of vaine glorie is 454. 33 Excuses hereof taken away ibid. 38 They that haue receiued good gifts of God are many times most vaineglorious 455. 38 Remedies of pride and vaineglorie 456. 20. What vncleanes is 425. 21 Of our vnion with Christ. 145. 23 264. 39. Substantiall and spirituall 264. 30 In what respect they are said to be one with Christ 265. 1 Vnitie is not an infallible inseperable marke of the church 407. 18 Though men were not commanded to vow yet the matter and forme of vowes was commanded 60. 5 W What wantonnes is 425. 28 Reasons both in general and speciall that make men wearie of well doing 576. 38 How farre forth the will worketh in the receiuing of grace 11. 16 The absolute will of God cannot be resisted 360. 36 The determination of mans will by the will of god doth not abolish all freedome of will 361. 4 Man hath no freedome of will in good duties before his conuersion 417. 13 What witchcrafteis a treatise of the ground and kindes of it 429. 16 What is a witch 430. 38 Signes that serue to discouer a witch 431. 29. False and vncertaine signes 342. 1 Wiues among the Iewes of two sorts 343. 23 The word is the cause and obiect of our faith 6. 32 The word of God is the matter of the ministerie and how it is to be taught heard 29. 30 35 It depends not vpon the authoritie of the church 56. 11 But vpon it selfe 77. 18 The word must be dispensed in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuerse causes vide preach Labourers in the word may lawfully take wages though they haue sufficient of their owne to maintaine themselues 543. 18 There be no meritorious workes to
things Our first parents not content with their first estate must needes be as God Nadab and Abihu offer sacrifice to God but the fire must be of their owne appointment King Achas will offer sacrifice to God but the altar must be like the altar at Damascus False-teachers beside the doctrine of the Apostles had profound learning of their owne The Iewes beside the written law of Moses must haue their Cabala containing as they supposed more mysticall and excellent doctrine The Papists beside the written word set vnwritten Tradition which they make equall with the Scripture We that professe the Gospel are not altogether free from this fault We like that Christ should be preached but sermons are not in common reputation learned neither doe they greatly please the most vnlesse they be garnished with skill of arts tongues and varietie of reading this curiousnes and discontentment the Lord condemnes when he forbids plowing with the oxe and the asse and the wearing of garments of linsi-wolsie And it is the worst kind of discontment that is in things pertaining to saluation It is called by Paul the itching of the care and it is incident to them that follow their owne lusts The remedie of this sinne is to learne the first lesson that is to be lear ned of them that are to be good schollers in the schoole of Christ and that is to feele our pouertie and in what extreame neede we stand of the death and passion of Christ and withall to hunger thirst after Christ as the bread and water of life Read Isa. 44. 3. Ioh. 7. 37. Psal. 25. 11. the example of Dauid Psal. 143. 6. When the heart and conscience hath experimentally learned this lesson and not the braine and tongue alone then shall men beginne to sauour the things of God and discerne of things that differ and put a difference betwene grace and workes mans word and Gods word and for the working of our saluation esteeme of mans workes and mans word as offols that are cast to dogges Paul addes which is not another Gospel that is though it be an other gospel in the reputation of false teachers yet indeede it is not an other but is a subuersion of the Gospel of Christ. Hēce I gather that there is but one Gospel one in number and no more For there is but one way of saluation by Christ whereby all the Elect are saued from the beginning of the world to the ende Act. 15. 11. 1. Cor. 10. 3. It may be demanded how they of the old Testament could be partakers of the bodie blood of Christ which then was not Answer The bodie and blood of Christ though then it was not subsisting in the world yet was it then present to all beleeuers two waies first by diuine acceptation because God did accept the incarnation and passion of Christ to come as if it had beene accomplished Secondly it was present to them by meanes of their faith which is a subsistance of things that are not seene and consequently it makes them present to the beleeuing heart Againe hence it appeares to be a falshood that Euery man may be saued in his owne religion so be it he hold there is a God and that he is a rewarder of them that come vnto him For there is but one Gospel and if the former opinion were true then so many opinions so many gospels Paul saith that the world by her wisdome could not know God in his wisdome and for this cause he ordained the preaching of the word to saue men 1. Cor. 1. 21. And though he that comes to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that come to him yet not euery one that beleeues generally that there is a God and that he is a rewarder of them that come to him comes to God for this the deuills beleeue The fourth point is concerning the Authors of this Reuolt and Paul chargeth them with two crimes The first is that they trouble the Galatians not onely because they make diuisions but because they trouble their consciences setled in the gospel of Christ. It may be alleadged that there be sundrie good things which trouble the conscience as the preaching of the law the censure of excommunication the authoritie of the magistrate in compelling Recusants to the congregation I answer these things indeede trouble the consciences of men but they are euill consciences and the ende of this trouble is that they may be reformed and made good But the crime wherewith the false-apostles are charged is that they trouble the consciences of the godly or the good consciences of men Here then is set downe a note whereby false and erroneous doctrines may be discerned namely that they serue onely to trouble and disquiet the good conscience And by this we see the Romane religion to be corrupt and vnsound for a great part of it tends this way Iustification by workes is a yoke that none could euer beare Act. 15. The vowe of single life is as a snare or as the noose in the halter to strangle the soule 1. Cor. 7. 34. So is the doctrine which teacheth that men after their conuersion must still remaine in suspence of their saluation and that pardon of sinne is necessarily annexed to confession in the eare to satisfaction for the temporall punishment of sinne in this life or in purgatory On the contrary the Gospell of Christ as here it appeares troubles not the good conscience but it brings peace and perfect ioy Iohn 15. 11. Rom. 15. 4. And the reason is plaine for it ministers a perfect remedy for euery sinne and comfort sufficient for euery distresse And this is a note whereby the gospell is discerned from all other doctrines whatsoeuer The second crime where with the false-apostles are charged is that they ouerthrow the gospell of Christ the reason of this charge must be considered They did not teach a doctrine flat contrary to the Gospell of Christ but they maintained it in word and put an addition to it of their owne out of the law namely instification and saluation by the workes thereof And by reason of this addition Paul giues the sentence that they peruer◠and turne vpside downe the Gospell of Christ. Vpon this ground it appeares that the Popish religion is a flat subuersion of the Gospell of Christ because it ioynes iustification by workes with free iustification by Christ. The excuse that the works that iustify are workes of grace and not of nature will not serue the turne For if Christ by his grace make workes to iustifie then is he not onely a sauiour but also an instrument to make vs sauiours of our selues he beeing the first and principall sauiour and we subordinate sauiours vnto him But if Christ haue a partner in the worke of iustification and saluation he i◠no perfect Christ. 8. But though we or an angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then
is the time when in these words then after fourteene yeares Here two questions are to be demaunded The first is of which of his iourneies must this be vnderstood for he made fiue iournies to Ierusalem The first from Arabia the second when he and Barnabas were sent by the Church of the Gentiles to carrie almes to Ierusalem the third when he went to the Councell at Ierusalem the fourth when he went vp for the keeping of his vowe the last is mentioned Act. 19. 21. Answ. These words are not spoken of the first for that was but three yeares after his conuersion neither can they well be vnderstood of the second because Paul then was sent by the Church and therefore he went not by reuelation And they cannot well be vnderstood of the third for then Paul would here haue mentioned the Councell of Ierusalem whereof he was a principall member specially seeing he hath occasion so to doe and it serued much for his purpose The fourth fifth iourneys were after a longer time then fourteene yeares It is likely therefore that this iourney here mentioned and described by Paul is none of the fiue mentioned by Luke but some other The second question is When these fourteene yeares must beginne Ans. It is vncerten Some thinke they must beginne at his conuersion some three yeares after when Paul went first to Ierusalem and either may be a truth None must here take offeÌ„ce For though circumstances of time and place beeing things of lesse moment cannot alwaies be certenly gathered yet histories for their substance and doctrines pertaining to saluation are plainly set downe And here we are put in minde to be content to be ignorant in some things because the spirit of God hath more darkly expressed them or againe because we cannot by reason of our blindnes gather them The third point is concerning the companions of Paul in this iourney namely Barnabas and Titus And Paul takes them with him that they might be witnesses to the Iewes of the doctrine he taught among the Gentiles and againe to the Gentiles of the consent that was betweene him and the rest of the Apostles For the law of God is that euery matter shall be established by the testimonie of two or three witnesses Hence we learne that if a question arise of the doctrine which is deliuered in the publike Ministerie then the hearers that are able to iudge must be witnesses and the triall is to be made by them Thus saith Christ in the like case Why aske ye me aske them that heard me Ioh. 18. 21. Therefore great care and circumspection is to be had of things publikely deliuered Againe whereas Paul makes Barnabas a Iew and Titus a Gentile his companions we are taught to imbrace with a brotherly loue not onely the men of our owne countrey but also such as be of other nations specially if they beleeue For then they are all children of one father and pertaine all to one familie and there is no difference of nations now It is a fault therefore that men of one nation carrie in their hearts a generall dislike and hatred oftentimes of them with whome they deale and conuerse and that because they are of such or such countries The fourth point is the cause of his iourney in these words and I went by reuelation Here we are taught that for the iournies we make we are to haue some good and sufficient warrant though not a reuelation yet a commandement or that which counteruailes a commandement as when we trauaile by vertue of our callings When Noe had made the Arke he enters into it at Gods commandement he abides in it and when the earth was in part dried he presumes not to goe out till the Lord bad him Here three sorts of men are to be blamed Pilgrimes that trauell to Ierusalem or other countries in way of merit or religion For they haue no warrant Secondly trauellers that goe from countrey to countrey and out of the precincts of the Church vpon vaine curiositie to see fashions Such when they trauell from their own countries yet they trauell not from their vices but rather goe deeper into them and come home againe with many bad and corrupt fashions The last are beggers Rogues that passe from place to place that they may'l ue in idlenes vpoÌ„ the sweat of other mens brows Thus much of the iourney now followes the Conference in these words and I communicated c. Here generally I gather that Conferences both priuate and publike are laudible and to be maintained specially when they tend to the maintenance of vniâ—ie and consent in doctrine The Papists blame vs Protestants for condemning Conferences as they say and Councells But they doe vs wrong Indeede the Councell of Trent we reiect and condemne For in it against all equitie the Pope was both partie and iudge In it there was no libertie to make triall of truth For nothing was propounded but by the liking and consent of the Pope Againe the whole Councell consisted of such as were of the Italian faction whose faith was pinned on the Popes sleeue Neuerthelesse we allow all Christian Councells lawfully gathered and we desire there might be a Generall Councell for the triall of truth and for the staying of vnsetled minds these three caueats beeing remembred One that the Councell be gathered by Christian Princes to whom the right of calling a Councell belongs The other that the Pope be no iudge but a partie The third that Christ in his word be the iudge and that the Delegates in the Councell be but as witnesses determining all things by the written word In this conference we are first to consider the manner of conferring which was vsed Paul saith he communicated with them that is he laid downe vnto them and expounded the Gospel which he preached and this he did priuatly that is with the Apostles one by one in plaine and familiar manner as one friend doth with an other Therefore for the maintaining of this conference there was no assembly made neither was there any disputation held Onely Paul declares his doctrine and they giue assent Hence it appeares that Paul doth not submit the truth of his doctrine to triall For he was resolued of it and he accursed him that taught otherwise but his intent was to seeke the approbation of the Apostles that he might stop the mouth of his aduersaries The second point is the matter of the conference and that is the Gospel which Paul preached Here the Papist gathereth that the Church is the iudge in all questions pertaining to religion and the word because it is here the thing that is iudged I answer first that they gather amisse For Paul doeth not here submit the Gospel which he preached to the iudgement of the Church of Ierusalem And it is false which they teach for the soueraigne Iudge of all questions and controuersies in religion is Christ alone The power to determine and resolue in cases
fault but the fault of their first parents and consequently their fault and this ignorance spreads it selfe ouer all mankinde as a punishment of the first offence The third point is that this ignorance is a great and grieuous sinne for here Paul makes it the mother of superstition and Idolatrie This must teach vs all to detest this ignorance of God and his will and to seeke by all meanes to knowe God God hath a controuersie with men because they knowe him not Hose 4. 1. 6. Againe this serues to warne all Ministers of the word to be carefull to roote out ignorance out of the minds of the people and to plant the knowledge of God And by this we see it is false which the Papist teacheth that Ignorance is the mother of deuotion The second sinne of the Galatians is that they serued them which are not gods by nature that is false gods not gods indeede but gods in opinion It may be obiected that the wisest of the Gentiles worshipped the true God creator of heauen and earth Answ. False gods are set vp two waies The first is when that which is not God is placed and worshipped in the roome of the true God as when the sonne moone and starres are worshipped c. and this is the grossest kind of idolatrie The second is when men acknowledge the true God but doe not conceiue him as he will be conceiued as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word In this respect the Ephesians are said to be without God Eph. 3. 12. and the Samaritanes to worship they knew not what Ioh. 4. 22. For they conceiued the true God in a false manner because they conceiued him forth of the father sonne and holy Ghost and therefore they set vp a false god vnto themselues False worship giuen to God presupposeth a false opinion of God and a false opinion of God sets vp an idol or false god in the roome of the true God For it is not sufficient to conceiue some true things of God but we must precisely conceiue him as he hath reuealed himselfe without addition or detraction And thus did the wisest of the Galatians worshippe false gods This Idolatrie is a common sinne and bred as it were in the bone The Turkes at this daie worshippe a false and fained God For they conceiue and worship a God creatour of heauen and earth that is neither father sonne nor holy Ghost and the Iewes worship God out of Christ and so a fained god For he which hath not the sonne hath not the father 1. Ioh. 2. Likewise the religion of the Papist teacheth and maintaineth the worship of false gods For it giues to Angels and Saints a facultie or power to know the desires of our hearts to heare and helpe vs in all places at all times and hereupon praier is made to them but all this is indeede the prerogatiue and priuiledge of the true God and in as much as it is giuen to Angels and Saints departed they are set vp in the roome of the true God Againe that religion teacheth men to worship God in at and before images And this worship presupposeth an Opinion or imagination that there is a God that will be present to heare and helpe vs in at and before images now this God is a God deuised by the braine of man Papists alleadge that their intention is to worship the true God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And I say againe that the true God hath reuealed his will that he doth detest this manner of worship and therefore the worship is directed either to the images themselues or to the God deuised in the braine Thirdly they of the Popish religion worship a fained Christ of their owne deuising namely a Christ that sits at the right hand of the father in heauen and is withall in the hands of euery Priest after the words of consecration And they worship a God set vp by themselues namely a God that will be appeased by humane satisfactions and at whose hands a sinnefull man may merit euerlasting life that is to say a God all of mercie and little or no iustice Though our religion teach no Idolatrie yet certen it is that many among vs practise a spirituall idolatrie in their hearts For looke what a man loues most and cares most for and delites most in that is his God some therefore haue their riches for their God some their pleasures some their beastly lusts For where the heart is there is thy God Againe the ignorant multitude worship a God of their owne coyning which is a God made all of mercie and no iustice For they perswade themselues that there is mercie with God though they repent not but goe on in their sinnes whereas the true God is infinite not onely in mercie but also in iustice Exod. 34. That this sinne of Idolatrie may be rooted out of the minds of men there must be first an Illumination of the minde with the knowledge of the true God and his will and there must also be a renouation of the heart and affections that they set not vp something els in the roome of God The estate of the Galatians after their conuersion is in these words Ye knowe God or rather are known of God The knowledge whereby men know God is either litterall knowledge or spirituall knowledge Litterall is when the doctrine of God and his will is known without reformation of life Spirituall knowledge is when the minde is inlightened by the spirit of God with the knowledge of God by the word and according to the word so as thereupon men are transformed into the image of God 2. Cor. 3. 18. And this kind of knowledge is here meant when Paul saith Ye know God The foundation of this knowledgae is that God is to be knowne in Christ for in him God hath manifested his infinite wisdome iustice mercie Therefore is he called the ingranen image of the person of the father Heb. 1. 2. and Paul saith that we haue the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 3. 6. The properties of this knowledge are three The first is that it must be a Speciall knowledge whereby we must acknowledge God to be our God in Christ. The first commandement of the law requires that we take the true God for our God The commandement of Christ is Beleeue the Gospel Now the stipulation of the couenant of grace which also is the substāce of the gospel is this I am thy God Ier. 31 33. this therefore must we beleeue And to this knowledge is the promise of life euer lasting annexed Ioh. 17. 3. Isa. 53. 11. The second propertie is that this knowledge must not be confused but distinct First we must acknowledge the true God in respect of his presence with vs in all places Thus Moses is saide to know the inuisible Hebr. 11. 27. Secondly we must know and acknowledge God in respect of his particular prouidence
till the comming of the Messias and now the Catholike Church is in the roome of the sanctuarie in it must we seeke the presence of God and the word of life therefore it is called the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Fourthly in Ierusalem was the throne of Dauid Psal. 122. 5. and in the Catholike Church is the throne or scepter of Christ figured by the kingdome of Dauid Reu. 3. 7. Fiftly the commendation of a cittie as Ierusalem is the subiection obedience of the citizens now in the Catholike Church all beleeuers are citizens Eph. 2. 19. and they yeild voluntarie obedience and subiection to Christ their king Psal. 110. 2. Isai 2. 5. Lastly as in Ierusalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a register so the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life Reu. 20. 15. Hebr. 12. 23. Againe the Catholike Church dwelling here belowe is said to be aboue in heauen for two causes First in respect of her beginning which is from the Election and grace of God and from Christ the Mediatour of whose flesh and bone we are that beleeue Eph. 5. 30. The iustice whereby we are iustified is in Christ our holinesse and life flowes from the holinesse and life of Christ as from a roote Secondly the Church is said to be aboue because it dwels by faith in heauen with Christ for the propertie of faith is to make vs present after a sort when we are absent Heb. 11. 2. The vse This beeing so we are admonished to liue in this world as Pilgrimes and strangers 1. Pet. 2. 11. and therefore we must not set our loue vpon any earthly thing but our mindes must be vpon the countrie to which we are trauelling And whatsoeuer is an hinderance to vs in our iourney we must cast it from vs that we may goe lightly and if we haue any wrongs done vs either in goods or good name we must the rather be content because we are out of our countrie in a strange place and hereupon we must take occasion to make haste to our iourneys end that is to our own citie and last abode Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11. 13 15. Secondly we must carrie our selues as Burgesses of heauen Phil. 3. 20. And this we shall do by minding seeking affecting of heauenly things by speaking the language of Canaan which is to inuocate and praise the name of God Lastly by leading a spirituall life that may beseeme the citizens of heauen Many faile in this point when they come to the Lords table they professe themselues to be citizens of the citie of God but in their common dealings in the world they play the starke rebels against God and his word and liue according to the lusts of their blinde and vnrepentant hearts Thirdly when Paul saith that Ierusalem which is aboue is free c. he shewes that the Catholike Church is one in number no more Cant. 6. 8. My doue is aboue and the onely daughter of her mother Ioh. 10. 16. One sheepefold There be many members but one bodie 1. Cor. 12. 12. Fourthly hence we gather that the Catholike Church is invisible For the companie of them that dwell in heauen by their faith cannot be discerned by the eie Iohn saw the heauenly Ierusalem descending from heauen yet not with the bodily eye but in spirit Reuel 21. 10. The things which make the Catholike Church to be the Church namely election vocation iustification glorification are inuisible The papist therfore erreth when he teacheth that the Catholike Church is a visible companie vnder one Pastour namely the Pope And the places which they bring to prooue the visibilitie of the vniuersall Church concerne either particular churches or the churches which were in the daies of the Apostles or againe they speake of the inward glorie and beautie of the Church Free that is redeemed from the bondage of death and sin and so from the curse of the lawe Of this freedome I will speak more afterward The mother of vs all shee is called a mother because the word of God is committed to the keeping of the Church which word is seed 1. Pet. 1. 23. and milke 1. Cor. 3. 2. and strong meat Heb. 5. 14. And the church as a mother which by the ministery of the said word brings forth children to God after they are borne brought forth shee feeds them with milke out of her owne breasts which are the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament Here a great question is to be propounded namely where we shall find this our Mother For it is the dutie of all children to haue recourse vnto their mother and to liue vnder her wing The aduocates of the Popish Church Priests and Iesuits say we must be reconciled to the Church and See of Rome if we would be of the Catholike church To this purpose they vse many motiues I will here propound seauen of them because heretofore they haue bin scattered abroad among vs. The first motiue The Church of Rome hath meanes of sure and certen interpretation tradition councels fathers we haue nothing but the priuate interpretation of Luther Melancthon Caluin c. Answ. Scripture is both the glosse and the text And the principall meanes of the interpretation of scripture is scripture it selfe And it is a means when places of scripture are expounded by the Analogie of faith by the words scope and circumstances of the place And the interpretation which is sutable to all these is sure certen and publike for it is the interpretation of God Contrariwise the interpretation which is not agreeable to these though it be from Church Fathers and Councells is vncerten and it is priuate interpretation Now this kind of interpretation we allow and therefore it is false that we haue onely priuate interpretations and that all the interpretations of the Church of Rome are publike Secondly I answer that we are able to iustifie our Interpretations of Scripture for the maine points of religion by the consent of Fathers and Councells as well as they of the church of Rome The second motiue We haue no diuine and infallible authoritie to rest on in matter of religion but they of the church of Rome haue Ans. In the Canonicall scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles there is diuine and infallible authoritie for they are now in the new Testament in stead of the liuely voice of God And this authoritie we in our Church acknowledge Secondly I answer that the church hath no diuine and infallible authoritie distinct from the authoritie of scriptures as the Papists teach but onely a Ministerie which is to speake in the name of God according to the written word The third motiue We haue no limitations of opinion and affection but they of the church of Rome haue I answer first we suffer our selues to be limited for opinion by the Analogie of faith and by the written word and so doth
Paul saith It is written In the testimonie I consider three things the condition of two Churches the change of the condition the ioy that is vpon the change The condition of the Church of the new Testament in these words Barren that bearest no children thou that trauelest not the desolate Barren The Christian Church is so called because by the vertue and strength of nature it beares no children to God no more then Sara did to Abraham Ioh. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 3. 7. Secondly it is so called in respect of the beginning thereof when the Iewish church was yet standing till the spirit of God was powred forth vpon all flesh after the ascension of Christ and before this the number of them which were conuerted to God was very small and therefore Christ himselfe complained that he spent his strength in vaine Isai 49. 1. Thirdly it is so called in respect of the latter times of the church in which Christ shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth Luk. 18. 8. Further that the church is barren it is declared by the signe because she neither brings forth child nor beares Desolate that is without husband in appearance by reason of the crosse and affliction and without children because at the first the christian church was constrained to hide herselfe in the wildernesse Reuel 12. 14. It may be demanded howe the catholike church should be desolate Answ. The estate of the church is twofold inward or outward The inward estate stands in the true knowledge of God in Christ in comfort touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in the hearing of our praiers in protection and deliuerance from all spirituall enemies in the gifts of the spirit faith hope loue c. In respect of this estate the church is all glorious within and neuer desolate Psal. 45. 13. The outward estate of the Catholike church stands in visible assemblies in the publike Ministerie of the word and sacraments in a gouernment according to the word of God In respect of this second estate the Church may be in desolation This was the condition of the Church in paradise vpon the fall of our first parents of the Israelites at Mount Horeb when they worshipped the golden calfe and in the daies of Elias Rom. 11. 3. and afterward 2. Chron. 15. 3. When Christ suffered the sheapheard was smitten and the sheepe were scattered After Christs ascension all the earth worshipped the beast Reu 13. 12. Hence it followes that the Catholike church is not a visible estate or companie of men vnder one visible head because in respect of her outward estate shee may be for a time in desolation And as this is the estate of the church so is it also of the meÌ„bers thereof They shall be hated of all men Luk. 21. 17. Men shall thinke they doe God good seruice when they kill them Ioh. 16. 2. And Christ himselfe was a man without forme or beautie Isai. 53. 2. Hauing an husband in these wordes the condition of the Iewish church is set forth that shee is married or espoused to God who is her husband Ezech. 16. 8 9. Ose. 2. 19. The like may be said of any other church and namely of the church of England The vse This must teach vs to dedicate our bodies and soules to God and Christ and to giue the maine affections of our hearts vnto him as our loue and our ioy c. Secondly we must adorne and trimme our selues with grace that we may please our husband Psal. 45. 12. Thirdly we must be the glory of Christ as the wife is to her husband 1. Cor. 11. 7. and that is by subiecting our selues to Christ and his lawes Againe if we beâ—roath our selues to Christ indeed we may assure our selues that Christ is our Christ and that he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs and consequently that he will sanctifie vs Ezech. 16. 9. protect vs as an husband doeth his wife Gen. 20. 16. and indowe vs with all things needfull for this life and the life to come Ezech. 16. 10 11. The second point is the change of the church of the newe Testament because shee shall cease to be barren and bring forth many children This is the promise of God and hereupon Paul concludes that the church is a mother of all beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles Obserue that the promise of God is of infinite vertue in his time and place In the beginning God said let there be this or that and it was so Of like vertue is Gods promise if we can waite his leisure God promised that after 430. yeares the Israelites should be deliuered out of Egypt presently when the time was expired nothing could hinder the promise Read Exod. 12. 41. Therefore our dutie is to rest on Gods promises in all times both in life and death The third point is the ioy vpon the change Reioyce Here are two things to be considered The first who must reioyce Answ. The church Gods kingdome is the place of ioy Rom. 14. 17. Reioycing belongs to the people of God Psal. 68. 3. 106. 5. The musicke of the Temple was typicall and figured the ioy of the Catholike Church where is the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall The second point is in what must the church reioyce Ans. In the redemption of Christ and the fruit thereof the conuersion of sinners to god For the prophet had shewed at large the passion and sufferings of Christ Isai 53. and hereupon he saith Reioyce thou barren The Israelites were commanded to feast and to be merrie before the Lord Leuit. 23. 40. 1. Chron. 29. 32. that is before the Lords Arke which was the pledge of his presence Now this Arke was a figure of Christ and the myrth before the Arke signified that the foundation of all our ioy lies in our Reconciliation with God in Christ. The angels in heauen greatly reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner and at the returne of the prodigall sonne the fat calfe is killed The vse It is false that religion breeds Melancholie and cuts of all mirth It doeth not abolish mirth but rectifie it nay it brings men to true and perfect ioy Our first and principall ioy must be that we are in Gods fauour reconciled to God by Christ Luk. 10. 20. In Dauid the head of his ioy was the good estate of the church Psal. 137 6. And all other pettie ioyes must flow from this and be sutable to it Breake forth this signifies that the church vpon earth is as it were pent in with present greife Our ioy in this life is mixed with sorrow The paschall lambe was eaten with sowre hearbes to signifie that we feele no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ till we feele the smart of our sinnes We here must reioyce in trembling Psal. 2. 11. Ioy is sowne for them that are vpright in heart Psal. 97. 12. Crie in our earthly ioyes we must be moderate and sparing we must not eate to much hony
If ye be iustified by the law ye are abolished from Christ First I gather that the Law and the Gospel are not one in substance of doctrine as the Papists teach for they say the Gospel is nothing but the law made more perfect and plaine which if it were true a man might be iustified both by Christ and the law which Paul saith cannot be Secondly I gather hence that it is a meere deuice of mans wit to say that Christ by his death and passion merited that we should merit by our owne workes our iustification and saluation For if this were true that the merit of our workes were the fruit of Christs passion Paul would not haue said that iustification by the law should abolish Christ vnto vs. For the cause and the effect both stand together whereas Christs merit and the merit of our works agree euen as fire and water And no maruell For the reason why Christ meriteth is the Personall vnion of the Godhead with the manhood which vnion because it is not to be found in any meere man neither is there any true and proper merit to be found Whereas Paul saith Ye are fallen from grace some gather that the children of God may fall quite from the fauour of God Ans. Men are said to be vnder grace two waies First in the iudgement of infallibilitie and thus onely the Elect are vnder the grace of God Secondly in the iudgement of Christian charitie and thus all that professe Christ though indeede hypocrites are vnder the grace of God And in this sense Paul saith that the whole Church of Galatia is vnder the grace of God And they are said to fall from grace not because all were indeede vnder the fauour of God and at length cast out of it but because God makes it manifest to men that they were neuer in the fauour of God Thus Christs enemies are said â—o be blotted out of the booke of lifâ— Psal. 69. 28. when God makes it manifest that their names were neuer written there Secondly I answer that Paul speakes this not absolutely but vpon condition If ye will be iustified by the law And therefore v. 10. he saith that he is perswaded better things of them Lastly here we see it is false that euery man shall be saued by his religion for he that is abolished from Christ is quite out of the â—auour of God And therefore no religion but that which is truly Christian saueth 5 For we in the spirit by faith waite for the hope of righteousnes 6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue The meaning We I Paul the rest of the Apostles and all other Christian churches In spirit that is in the powers of the soule sanctified and renewed In this sense Paul saith that the true circumcision is that which is in the heart in spirit Rom. 2. 29. and Christ saith that true worship of God is in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And that spirit is here taken in this sense it is manifest because it is opposed to circumcision which is in the flesh By faith we wait Faith apprehends the promise and thereby brings forth hope and faith by meanes of hope makes them that beleeue to waite Hope of righteousnes that is saluation or life eternall which is the fruit of righteousnes Tit. 2. 13. or againe righteousnes hoped for Righteousnes indeede is imputed to them that beleeue and that in this life yet the fruition and the full reuelation thereof is reserued to the life to come when Christ our righteousnes shall appeare and when the effect of righteousnes namely sanctification shall be accomplished in vs. Rom. 8. 23. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. The sense then is this All the Apostles and Christian churches with one consent in spirit by meanes of their faith waite for the full reuelation of their imputed righteousnes and for euerlasting life whereas the false Apostles place their righteousnes in circumcision of the flesh and looke to haue the fruition of it in this life v. 6. In Christ that is in the Church kingdome or religion of Christ. 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any be in Christ that is if any be a Christian he is a new creature Vncircumcision that is the condition and workes of men vncircumcised Auaileth any thing is of no vse respect or acceptation with God Faith working faith effectuall in duties of loue The resolution These wordes containe a second reason where Paul confirmes the former conclusion and it may be framed thus That thing which makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes that iustifies not circumcision but faith makes vs waite for the hope of righteousnes therefore not circumcision but faith iustifies The proposition is omitted the minor is in the 5. verse And it is confirmed by two arguments The first is the consent of all Churches We waite The second is taken from the propertie of faith in the sixt verse thus It is faith and not circumcision that auailes before God therefore faith and not circumcision makes vs waite Againe in these two verses Paul meetes with an Obiection which may be framed thus If ye abolish circumcision and the ceremoniall law ye abolish the exercises of religion The answer is in stead of them we haue other exercises in our spirit namely the inward exercises of faith hope and loue The vse In the 5. verse foure things are to be considered The first is who waites Paul saith we waite Before he hath iustified his doctrine by the Scriptures now he addes the consent of the Churches Here then we see what is the office of all faithfull dispensers of the word namely to declare such doctrines as are founded in Scriptures and approoued by the consent of the true Church of God Paul an Apostle that could not erre respected consent much more are all ordinarie Ministers to doe it Againe it is the office of all Christian people to maintaine and defend all such doctrines and opinions as are founded in the Scriptures and ratified by the consent of the true churches of God and no other This to doe is to walke in the way of vnitie and peace and to doe otherwise is to walke in the way of schisme and heresie The second point is what is waited for Paul saith the reuelation of righteousnes and eternall saluation Here I obserue that there is no iustification by the obseruation of the law and I prooue it thus The righteousnes whereby a sinner is iustified is apprehended by faith and expected by hope but if righteousnes were by the law men should haue the fruition of their righteousnes in this life and consequently the hope thereof should cease Secondly here is comfort for the godly They complaine of the want of sanctification but they are to know that in this life they shall neuer feele righteousnes as they feele sinne here they must hunger and thirst after righteousnes liuing in some want of it If we haue the first
fruits of the spirit the hatred of our owne sinne the purpose of not sinning the feare of God and such like we must content our selues and waite for the fruition of further grace till the life to come Thirdly we must become waiters for the mercie of God and for life euerlasting Gen. 49. 18. Iud. v. â—1 For this cause we must doe as they doe which waite attend for some great benefit we must daily stand with our supplications knocking at the mercie gate to the death and we must daily prepare our selues against the day of death and it must be welcome vnto vs for then is the ende of all our waiting and attending The third point is by what are we to waite Paul saith We waite by faith Hence it followes that faith brings with it a speciall certentie of the mercie of God and of life euerlasting For men vse not to waite for the things whereof they are vncerten Waiting presupposeth certentie The Papists therefore that make speciall hope should also make speciall faith The last point is where is this waiting Paul saith in spirit Here obserue that all the exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit God must be worshipped in spirit Ioh. 4. 24. Rom. 1. 9. The heart must be rent and not the garment Ioâ—l 2. The inward motions of the spirit are of themselues the worship of God whereas our words and deedes are not simply but so farforth as they are founded in the renewed motions of the heart Men in our daies thinke they doe God high seruice if they come to Church heare Gods word and say some few praiers Indeede these things are not to be condemned yet are they not sufficient vnlesse withall we bring vnto God a renewed spirit indued with faith hope â—oue In the 6. verse Paul propounds three conclusions The first is this that externall and bodely priuiledges are of no vse and moment in the kingdome of Christ. Paul saith 1. Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little and that godlines is profitable for all things It was a great priuiledge to be familiarly acquainted with Christ and to haue eaten and drunke with him yet is it of no vse in the kingdome of Christ. For of such Christ saith Luk. 13. 26. Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie It was a great priuiledge to be allied to Christ in respect of blood yet in the kingdome of Christ it is of no vse and therefore Christ saith He that doth the will of my father is my brother sister and mother Mark 3. 33. To conceiue and beare Christ was a great honour to the virgin Marie yet was shee not by this meanes a member of the kingdome of Christ but by her faith in him And if shee had not borne him in her heart as well as shee bare him in her wombe shee had not bin saued To prophecie or preach and that in the name of Christ is a great dignitie and yet many hauing this prerogatiue shall be condemned Matth. 7. 22. It may be alleadged that some outward exercises as baptisme and the Lords supper are of great vse in the Church of Christ. I answer the outward baptisme is nothing without the inward Not the washing of the flesh but the stipulation of a good conscience saueth 1. Pet. 3. 18. Circumcision is profitable if thou keepe the law Rom. 2. 35. By this we are taught not to esteeme of mens religion by their riches and externall dignities For the fashion of the world is if a man haue riches and honour to commend him for a wise vertuous and godly man This is foolishly to haue faith in respect of persons Iam. 2. 1. Secondly by this we are taught to moderate our affections in respect of all outward things neither sorrowing too much for them nor ioying too much in them 1. Cor. 7. 30. The second conclusion Faith is of great vse and acceptation in the kingdome of Christ. By it first our persons and then our actions please God and without it nothing pleaseth God It is the first and the greatest honour we can doe to God to giue credence to his word and from this flowes all other obedience to all other commandements Hence we learne First that we must labour to conceiue faith a right in our hearts by the vse of the right meanes the word praier sacraments as also in and by the exercises of spirituall inuocation and repentance This beeing done we must rest vpon the bare word and testimonie of God without and against sense and feeling and quiet our hearts therein both in life and death Secondly faith in Christ must raigne and beare sway in our hearts and haue the command ouer reason will affection lust And by it whatsoeuer we doe or suffer specially the maine actions of our liues are to be ordered and disposed Lastly it is a thing to be bewailed that the common faith of our daies is but a Ceremoniall faith conceiued without the ordinarie meanes and seuered from the exercises of inuocation and repentance The third conclusion is that true faith workes by loue Hence the Papists gather that loue is the forme and life of faith not because it makes faith to be faith but because it makes it to be a true faith a good faith a liuely faith But this their doctrine is false and erronious For faith is the cause of loue and loue is the fruit of faith 1. Tim. 1. 5. Loue out of a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained Now euery cause as it is a cause hath his force and efficacie in it selfe and receiues no force or efficacie from his effect Secondly true faith is liuely and effectuall in it selfe and hath a peculiar forme of his owne and that is a certen power to apprehend Christ in the promise For in faith there are two things knowledge and apprehension which some call application or speciall affiance which affiance because the Papists cut off they are constrained to make a supplie by loue Thirdly the operation of faith according to the doctrine of the Papist is to Prepare and dispose a sinner to his future iustification Now if this operation be from loue then loue is before iustification and that cannot be because as they teach iustification stands in loue Loue therfore is not the forme of faith They alleadge for themselues this very text in hand where it is said faith worketh by loue or as they translate it faith is acted and mooued by loue Ans. The meaning of the text is that faith is effectuall in it selfe and that it shewes and puts forth his efficacie by loue as by the fruit thereof And it cannot hence be gathered that faith is acted and mooued by loue as by a formall cause Againe they alleadge Iam. 2. 26. As the bodie is dead without the spirit so is faith without workes Ans. 1. The soule of man is not the forme of his bodie but of the whole man 2. Spirit may as well signifie breath or
the price of eternall life Phil. 3. 13. Luk. 9. 62. Here comes a common fault to be considered we in respect of profession goe forward yet we looke backe in our course and minde earthly things Lastly we must not be mooued with the speaches of men which are giuen of vs either to or fro They are lookers on and must haue their speaches and our care must be not to heede them but to looke to our course The second dutie of Christian people is that they must not onely be runners but they must runne well And that is done by beleeuing and by obaying the true religion or as Paul saith by hauing faith and good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 18. These are as it were the two feete by which we runne to life euerlasting Vnder faith we are to comprehend the true acknowledgement of God affiance in him and inuocation c. Vnder good conscience is comprised the purpose of not sinning and the care to obay God in all his commandements To applie this to our selues runners we are but alas few of vs are good runners We haue one good foote and that is our faith or religion which is sound and good but we halt on the other foote our care to keepe conscience is not sutable to our religion And three things cause a lamenes or feeblenes in this foote the lust of the eye that is couetousnes the lust of the flesh and pride of life The third dutie is that we must runne the race from the beginning to the ende and finish our course so as we may apprehend life euerlasting 1. Tim. 6. 11. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 9. 24. And for this cause we must cherish in our hearts a loue and feruent desire of eternall life and by this meanes we shall be drawne on through all miseries and ouerpasse them to the ende Secondly we must hold and maintaine a constant and daily purpose of not sinning And where we are the weakest there must our resolution be the strongest And thus shall we be constant to the death 8 It is not the perswasion of him that calleth you The meaning This opinion of iustification by the workes of the law is not from God who hath called you from bondage to libertie The scope Paul here meetes with a conceit of the Galatians which was this Why dost thou so often and so sharpely reprooue vs for we hould nothing against conscience but are perswaded of the thing which we say To this Paul answers here this perswasion is not of God because it is against the calling of God for he calles you to libertie and this your opinion drawes you into bondage Here we see the cause of mens declining from God and his worde and that is this Men denie credence to Gods word listen to plausible perswasions and so fall awaie Thus Eue fell in the estate of innocencie by listning to the false perswasions of the deuill The Papists â—usle themselues in their superstitions by a presumption that the Church cannot erre and that god wil not leaue his church destitute of the assistaÌ„ce of his spirit Our common people boulster themselues in their blind waies by a presumption that God is all of mercy and that if they doe their true intent serue God say their praiers deale iustly and doe as they would be done vnto they shall certenly be saued Tradesmen often vse many practises of fraud and iniustice and that vpon a perswasion that they haue a charge and family which must be maintained If men now a daies will not blaspheme drinke and riot as others doe they shall be charged with precisenes and that comes vpon a perswasion that it sufficeth to auoid the outward and notorious crimes which are mentioned and condemned in the law Thus the whole world is misled by blind perswasions Secondly hence we learne to close vp our eyes as it were and absolutely to follow the calling of god to subiect all the powers of our soules vnto it Thus did Abraham when he was called to go he knew not whether and Paul without vsing consultation went and preached in Arabia at the calling of Christ. Thirdly Paul here sets downe a note to discerne of false doctrines and opinions in religion If they be sutable to the calling of God they are good if they be against the calling of God they are naught This is Pauls rule God calles vs to libertie therefore the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law is naught for it drawes vs into bondage In like â—ort God calles vs to free iustification and therefore the doctrine of humane satisfactions and of the merit of workes is naught Againe God calls vs to an vtter deniall of our selues and therefore the Popish doctrine of preparation and of freedome of will in the conuersion of a sinner is naught Lastly it is to be obserued that Paul saith in the time present of him that calleth you for hence it appeares that God continues to call the Galatians euen after their fall in which they fell away to an other Gospel and as much as in them lay abolished themselues from Christ. This shews Gods patience and that there is a possibilitie of mercie after great and grieuous falls It may be saide how long doth God continue to call men vnto him Ans. So long as he vouchsafeth them the benefit of the publike Ministerie Thus then more then fourtie yeares hath God called vs in England And for this cause it is our part to pray to God for hearing eares to be pearced in our hearts and we must answer the calling of God Psal. 27. 8. at the least in the desires and groanes of our hearts And lastly we must in life and conuersation be sutable to the calling of God 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe The sense As a little leauen leaueneth and fauoreth the whole lumpe of dow euen so one errour or point of corrupt doctrine corrupteth the whole bodie of Christian religion because all the points of religion are linked and compounded together so as if one be corrupt the rest cannot remaine â—ound and incorrupt The scope The obiection of the Galatians is Put case that we erre in ioyning Circumcision and Christ yet there is no cause why thou shouldest â—o sharpely reprooue vs for it is no great errour to ioyne workes and Christ in the cause of our Iustification Paul answers to this obiection by a prouerbe saying that a little leauen of false doctrine corrupts the whole bodie of religion and one errour though it seeme to be of small moment at the first may at length bring with it the corruption and deprauation of many other points The vse In the example of the Galatians we see what is the common fashion of men namely to extenuate their faults and to make small matters of great offences The Phariâ—ies taught that sundrie of Gods commandements were small and little commandements Matth. 5. 19. To them that make no conscience of sinne great
death yet would a Christian man abstaine from these things because he knowes that they displease Christ and he is gouerned with another spirit to which they are contrarie Also these words are a reason of v. 16. There is no law against them that doe these things therefore walke in the spirit 24 For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The scope In these words Paul prooues that which he said immediatly before namely that there is no law against spirituall men And of this he giues a double reason One is spirituall men are Christs therefore there is no law against them The second is this that is crucified in spirituall men which the law condemneth namely the flesh with the affections and lusts therefore there is no law to condemne the spirituall man In the words I consider three points The first is What is a Christian Ans. A Christian is one that is Christs saith Paul And he is Christs fiue waies I. by the right of creation And so are all men II. by right of redemption 1. Cor. 6. 19. III. by the free gift and donation of God the father Ioh. 17. 11. this donation is begunne in the eternall Election of God and it is accomplished in our effectuall vocation IV. by propagation For all true beleeuers spring out of the blood of Christ and are of his bone and of his flesh as Eue was of the bone and flesh of Adam V. by our donation in baptisme in which we consecrate our selues to God and to Christ. The vse This must teach vs to resigne our selues to Christ and to suffer him to raigne in our hearts and to take the yoke of the Gospel vpon vs. But alas it is farre otherwise with many of vs. For some liue in the transgression of the very law of nature so farre are they from obseruing the Gospel Others thinke it sufficient to follow the teaching of nature If they worship God in some generall manner if they liue peaceably and hurt no man and meane well as they say then all is well and the doing of further duties is reputed curious precisenes And such persons vsually reduce religion to the practise of nature They will be saued by faith but their faith is nothing els but fidelitie They say they worship God but this worship is nothing els but their good meaning and their good dealing These men are content that Christ shall be theirs but they will not be Christs and suffer him to haue a Lordship ouer them II. If thou be Christs then commend thy soule and life and all that thou hast into the hands of Christ. This was the practise of Dauid Psal. 22. of Christ vpon the crosse of Paul 2. Tim. 1. 12. And this practise is the onely way to obtaine safetie and protection For Christ no doubt will keepe his owne III. Comfort If thou be Christs he will care for thee and nothing shall be wanting vnto thee that is for thy good Ioh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 33. Therefore remember this lesson Neuer grieue ouermuch neuer care ouermuch neuer reioyce ouermuch in the things of this world If thou werest at thine own disposing and finding it were somewhat but there is one that cares for thee namely Christ. The second point to be considered is what is the flesh Ans. It is the corruption of the whole nature of man For the right conceiuing of this we must make a distinction of three things Mans nature the faculties of nature and the corruption of both which corruption hath two parts the losse of the image of God and a pronnes to all wickednes Moreouer this distinction must be without separation of nature from faculties or of corruption from either so as we may say truly that the nature and the powers of the soule of man are corrupted In the flesh are two things Affections and Lusts. By affections vnderstand inordinate affections which shew themselues and beare sway in carnall men as anger in Cain loue of pleasures more then of God in the men of the last times 2. Tim. 3. 3. immoderate sorrow in Ahab when he could not obtaine Naboths vineyard 1. King 21. 4. Lusts are inordinate and infatiable desires after the things of this world as riches honours pleasures c. of this sort are couetousnes gluttonie pride the lust of the flesh c. The vse By this we see what a Carnall man is namely one that is carried away with some inordinate affection or some inordinate lust Herod did many good things at the aduise and motion of Iohn Baptist whome he reuerenced yet was he a carnall man For he was possessed with an inordinate loue of his brothers wife Iudas a disciple of Christ yet a carnall man because he was carried away with the inordinate lust of couetousnes The third point is touching the office of a Christian man And that is to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts For the better conceiuing of this Crucifying must be distinguished It is either the action of Christ or our action Crucifying which is the action of Christ is threefold The first is vpon the crosse where Christ stood in our roome and bare the burden of our sinnes and made an Expiation of them In this respect we are said to be crucified with him Gal. 2. 19. The second is in vs when Christ conuaies the vertue of his death into the hearts of them that are ioyned to him for the causing and effecting of the death of sinne The third is in baptisme whereby Christ seales the two former to them that beleeue Rom. 6. 6. The crucifying which is our action is nothing els but the Imitation of Christ crucified on this manner He was first attached so must we bring our selues into the presence of God He was arraigned so must we set our selues at the barre of Gods iudgement He was accused so must we indite and accuse our selues of our owne sinnes at the barre of Gods iudgement He was condemned and so must we iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord. After iudgement we must proceede to execution of the flesh and that is to vse meanes to crucifie it and they are three The first is by faith to applie to our selues Christ crucified and that is to beleeue not onely that Christ was crucified for vs but that we also were crucified with him Where this faith is sinne shall no more haue domion The second is to beate downe the flesh by the sword of the spirit and that is done by a serious application of the commandements and the threatnings of God to our seuerall affections and lusts The third is to flie the occasions of euery sinne and to cut off the first beginnings of euill The vse This doctrine serues to condemne the drowsie Protestants of our time who professe Christ without making any change in life and conuersation For they are Saints in the Church but in their common dealings they are as worldlings II. Secondly
because God is not mocked nor will not be deluded with such pretenses First here the Apostles dealing is worthy to be obserued in that reproouing them which neglected their dutie to the ministers of the word he bringeth in God himselfe taking the matter into his owne hand making the ministers quarrell his owne quarrell and this he doth to the end we might see whom we haue to deale withall and whom we do abuse when we abuse the ministers of the word to witt that we abuse not man but God For albeit it be true of all and euery sinne which Dauid confesseth of his owne particular murther and adultery that it is against God yea against him alone Psal. 51. 4. yet in these and such like cases which tend to the vndermining of his Church and the decay of his religion and worship he taketh himselfe more directly aimed at and more nearely touched When the Israelites refused to haue Samuell and his sonnes to rule ouer them the Lord saith They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not raigne ouer them 1. Sam. 8. 7. When the Leuites were defrauded of their due the Lord by his prophet telleth the people Ye haue spoiled me in tithes offerings Mal. 3. 8. So in this place when the Galatians did wrongfully withhold and keepe backe that competent allowance that was due to their teachers he telleth them that it was a sinne tending against God who is not nor will not nor cannot be mocked for what wrong soeuer is done to the messenger that is sent the same is done to his Lord that sent him whatsoeuer disgrace or indignitie is offered an Embassadour the same redounds to the Prince whose Embassadour he is This ought to be a Caueat vnto vs to take heed howe we contemne or neglect the ministers of God seeing whatsoeuer wrong is done them Christ takes it as done to himselfe Matth. 25. 45. Act. 9. 4. This lets vs see the hainous sinnes of many that professe the Gospel specially in this kind who now at this day if euer are ingenious in defrauding and eloquent in declaiming against the ministers of the word in laughing them to skorne as they did our Sauiour Christ Mark 5. 40. and abusing them in tearmes and taunts calling them bald priests as young children called Elizeus balde pale no doubt following the example of their parents of whome they learned it ascend thou balde pate ascend thou balde pate 2. King 2. 23. that they are too full of the spirit as they derided the Apostles in saying they were full of newe wine Act. 2. 13. in making them their table talke making songs of them as the drunkards did of Dauid and Ieremie In scourging them with the whippe of the tongue as the Stoicks called Paul a babbler Act. 17. 18. and Festus a madde man Act. 26. Nowe in that they thus scornefully abuse his ministers and so indignely and disdainefully intreat his messengers and Embassadours what doe they els but abuse Christ Iesus himselfe and through their sides wound and crucifie him againe When Sanacherib King of Ashur reuiled Ierusalem Hezekiah the king what saies the Lord O virgin daughter of Sion he hath despised thee and laughed thee to skorne O daughter of Ierusalem he hath shaken his head at thee Whome hast thou railedon and blasphemed and against whome hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted vp thine eies on high euen against the holy one of Israel Esay 37. v. 22 23. The vse Hēce we learne that God hath an exact knowledge of all our actions cannot be deluded Prou. 15. 11. Hell and destruction are before him how much more c. Psal. 11. 4. His eies consider his eie liddes trie the children of men Psal. 139. v. 2. He knowes our thoughts long before they be Hebr. 4. 12. All things are naked and bate in his sight Reason it selfe shewes that he which made the cie cannot but see he that made the heart and minde cannot but vnderstand the frame motion thereof Psal. 94. v. 9. 10. c. II. This shewes the madnesse of those which say God heareth not seeth not vnderstandeth not or which say in their hearts How should he heare is their knowledge in the most high or can he see through the thicke cloud III. Hence we are taught in our praiers to power forth our hearts before the Lord without concealing so much as the least sinne seeing we may easily delude men and deceiue our selues but God we cannot deceiue IV. It ought to be a bridle to vs to curbe and keepe in our corruptions considering his eies pierce the darknesse the most secret and hidden places yea euen the secret closets and cabinets of our hearts Thus much of the reason I proceed to the confirmation or proofe of his reason in these words For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape Where the Apostle prooues that God will not be mocked with vaine excuses seeing he will render to euery man according to his workes which is signified by this allegoricall speech of sowing and reaping so often vsed in Scripture as 5. Cor. 9. 11. 2. Cor. 9. 6. in which places labour and cost in doing good and being beneficiall specially to the ministers of the word is compared to seed the workers to seeds-men the ministers to whome this benefit is conferred to the tilled ground the gaine that accrewes vnto them thereby to the haruest wherewith God will reward them and that according to their workes in the generall day of retribution This metaphor of sowing doeth elsewhere signifie all the morall actions of a mans life whether they be good or euill Of good actions Salomon saith He that soweth righteousnesse hath a sure recompence Prou. 11. 18. Of euill actions he saith He that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction Prou. 22. 8. But here Paul restraines it to those good workes of liberalitie which are performed in the maintenance of the ministerie And he calleth that which is bestowed vpon the ministers of the word seede which beeing sowne doeth recompence the cost thirtie sixtie an hundred fold that so they might not think their labor lost nor their cost bestowed in vaine seeing they were to receiue that which they laid forth with aduantage But here it may be said This prouerbiall sentence is not alwaie true for sometime men sowe much gather but litle Deut. 28. 38. Agg. 1. 6. nay sometime they sowe and reape not Mich. 6. 15. Againe experience shewes that that which is sowen may degenerate into another kind Ans. It is not necessarie that prouerbiall sentences should be true at all times and in euery particular if they be true for the most part or in that for which they are brought it is sufficient as that Matth. 13. 57. a prophet is not accepted in his owne countrie is for the most part true though not alwaies So whatsoeuer a man soweth the same commonly and vsually he doeth reape But it
attire forbidding of mariage to some orders of meÌ„ For when things indifferent are made necessarie the nature of them is changed Vpon this ground Ezekiah brake in peeces the brasen serpent when the Israelites began to worship it 2. King 18. 4. First let vs obserue out of these words they compell you to be circumcised that Paul doeth not only vse Christian pollicie but dealeth very rhetorically excusing the Galatians as though they were constrained against their wills to doe as they did laying all the blame vpon the false Apostles and so doth closely alienate their affection from these seducers who would haue them circumcised either by voluntary submission or by violent compulsion the like godly pollicie we ought to vse in dealing against heretikes and false teachers that the peoples mindes may be estranged from them take no loue of their doctrine nor liking of their persons Here we haue a second note of false teachers which is not onely to retaine ceremonies themselues but to vrge them vpon others and constraine men to the obseruing of them for they were more earnest and forward in vrging circumcision their owne deuise then the keeping of the morrall lawe and so are all seducers The Pharises did vrge their owne ceremonies as washing before meate washing of pottes cuppes and beddes c. more then the commandement of God And the Papists vrge the Lenâ— fast more strictly theÌ„ fasting from finne which is the onely true fast Isay. 58. 6. And their owne stories doe shewe that men haue beene more seuerely punished for eating flesh vpon good friday then for commiâ—â—ing of simple fornication or following of strange flesh They stand more in vrging the outward worshipping of an image or a peece of bread then the inward spirituall worship And as they haue made the Saints daies equall with the Sabboth daies so haue they made the prophanation of them an equall sinne and haue punished it with equall punishment It is further to be obserued howe they abuse circumcision for whereas by Gods ordinance it was but a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 11. they peruerting the end of it make it a meritorious cause of saluation and therefore compell men to be circumcised it is Gods worke they make it their owne worke yea such a worke as by which they hope to be saued And this their dealing may fitly be paralleled by the Popish practise at this day in making baptisme which is but a signe and seale of grace to be the proper immediate and physicall cause of conferring grace by the worke wrought Almes praier and fasting which are but signes and testimonies of iustification to be causes thereof Nay their owne deuises of confession satisfaction supererogation to be meritorious causes of iustification saluation Lastly see here howe the peruersenesse of the corrupt heart of man doth thwart the ordinance of God As long as circumcision was commaunded by God most abhorred it for the heathen testifie so much that the Iewes were odious for it But nowe beeing abolished they take it vp againe receiue it and vrge it as a thing necessarie to be obserued vpon paine of damnation Whereas if God should enioyne it againe they would no doubt account it as heauie yoke which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare This improuing of that which God coÌ„mands approuing that which he forbids argues the great corruption of the heart and that the wisedome of the flesh is not onely an enemie but euen flat enmitie against God Rom. 8. 7. It must therefore teach vs to captiuate our reason and to subiect our wills to the will of God in all things The third propertie of these false Apostles is the teaching of circumcision that is of false doctrine because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ that is for preaching the true doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ crucified It may be demanded whether it was necessarie that those which taught not circumcision but spake against it should be persecuted To which I answer that it was necessarie according as Paul affirmeth Gal. 5. 11. If I teach circumcision why doe J yet suffer persecution The reason was this The Romane Emperour had giuen libertie to the Iewes to liue according to their owne lawes and that without molestation or disturbance in all places of the Romane Emperie so that if a Iewe became a Christian he had the priuiledge of a Iewe so long as he kept the ceremoniall lawe and taught no departing from Moses whereas they which taught that ceremonies were abrogated and that men were iustified onely by faith in Christ wanted this priuiledge and so were persecuted of no men more then of the Iewes either by themselues or by incensing others against them 1. Thess. 2. 15. 16. The false Apostles therefore to auoide persecution coyned a newe Gospel in matter of saluation ioyning Christ and Moses iustification by faith and by workes So that here we haue another character and marke of false teachers which is to labour by all meanes to enioy the world and to eschewe the crosse and rather then they wil suffer persecution to make a hotch-potch of religion as we may see not onely by this particular but by the course of the historie of the Church and in latter times by the Interim vnder Charles the fift and the sixe articles vnder Henrie the eight by our mediators and reconciliators who either as it is said of old Consiliator labour to accord fire and water or else like hucksters mixe wine and water for their owne aduantage and by all neuters and mungrils in religion who houer in the winde because they would stand sure for all assaies or winne the fauour of great men that they might not stand in the way of their preferment This is the sinne of the multitude among vs who desire to haue Christ but they will none of his crosse they would be with him vpon mount Tabor but not not vpoÌ„ mount Caluarie crowned with glorie but not crowned with thornes Further we may hence gather an essentiall difference of true and false teachers the one seekes the good of the Church the other seeks theÌ„selfe the one the glorie of God the other their owne glorie It is obserued by Popish priests and others that though the Iesuits pretend they doe all things in ordine ad Deum yet they intend themselues doing all things in ordine ad seipsosâ— it beeing the marke they shoote at in all their Machiavellian plottes and pollicies that they may haue cum digmeate ocium a Lordly command and a lasie life Againe here we see that the loue of the trueth and of the world the feare of the face of man and the feare of God can neuer stand together As also howe dangerous a thing it is to be addicted to the loue of the world for it hath beene alwaies the cause of reuolt in that men neuer imbraced religion so as that they could be contented
First in freeing children from obedience to their parents Secondly in exempting their shauelings from subiection to the ciuill Magistrate Thirdly in freeing subiects from their oath of allegeance to their Soueraignes And lastly by aduancing that man of sinne aboue all that is called God or worshipped and giuing him power to depose Princes to dispose of crownes and kingdomes and to impose lawes which shall properly bind the conscience yea to tread Kings and Emperours vnder his feete and cause them like vassalls to hold his stirrop Againe they compell others to fast especially in Lent when as they in the meane time feast their fast beeing to eate fast and drinke fast in mortifying the flesh with their Indian capons and peacocks and that vpon good friday whereas to eate white-meates vpon that day should be in others a mortall sinne Further they beare the poore people in hand that Indulgences are meanes to remit sinnes and that those that are excommunicated by the Pope are in a damnable estate whereas many of them account Popes bulls to be but bullae meere trifles and such as buy them starke tooles witnesse the speech of the Duke of Ualence bastard to Pope Alexander the sixt who hauing lost certaine thousand crownes at a throw at the dice Tush said he these are but the sinnes of the Germans And that of Charles the fift though a fauourer and maintainer of the Romane religion who beeing menaced by Pope Paulus the third with excommunication if he would not yeeld vp Playsance into his hands let him vnderstand by his Embassadour that he would thunder at S. Angelo with his canons and artillerie if he would needes be thundering out his excommunications Lastly they vrge confession of Purgatorie almost as an article of faith whereas some of them are so farre from beleeuing it as that they thinke there is neither heauen nor hell witnesse the speech of Pope Leo the tenth to Cardinall Bembu◠O Bembus what riches haue we gotten by this fine fable of Iesiu Christ By this we are contrarily admonished to practise that we professe the Ministers of the word especially ought verba vertere in opera as Ierome speaketh that is to turne words into works that their liues may be reall Sermons to the people for otherwise they pull downe with one hand as fast as they build with another Let vs consider how Peters badde example is saide to haue compelled the Gentiles to liue as the Iewes Gal. 2. 14. For actions abide and are of force when words passe as the winde Moreouer vpon this dependeth another propertie of seducers which is to set a faire glosse vpon the matter and to wake the world beleeue they doe these and these things for such and such endes as these false teachers did pretending religion and conscience but intending freedome from the crosse and their owne vaine glorie whereas they meane nothing lesse like Herod who made shew of worshipping Christ when his purpose was to haue destroied him Matth. 2. This propertie and practise is and hath beene vsuall specially in the Church of Rome For generally they would haue the world beleeue that the Popes triple crowne Hierarchie of that Sea is for the maintenance and defence of the Gospel whereas all the world knowes it is onely to keepe their kitchins hot to vphold their Persian pompe and ambitious tyrannie Particularly there be two politicke practises of theirs which prooue the point in hand First it is well knowne that Popes haue neuer ceased from time to time to sollicite the Princes of Europe to maintaine the holy warre as they call it pretending the recouerie of the holy land out of the hands of the Turkes and Sarracins when as at least in the beginning they intended nothing lesse but that by this meanes they might set the East and West together by the eares whilst they plaied their parts at home in Italie The second is their Shrift or auricular Confession which they practise for this end as they say that they may pacifie distressed Consciences by absoluing them of their sinnes when as the truth is they first brought it into the Church and doe still continue it in a politicke respect as beeing the onely way in the world to know all the secret purposes plots pollicies and practises that are either in Church or Commonwealth We are therefore here admonished to take heed of dissembling in making Christianitie a cloake of impietie or to pretend one thing and intend another like the heart pointing vpward and poising downeward for that will be a farre fowler soloecisme thē that which the heathen cōmitted with his hād in pointing to heauen whē he spake of the earth But let vs alway labour for sinceritie to be at least that which we pretend to be or rather like Salomons temple whose windowes were larger within then without and not like the glow-worme making a faire glittering shewe of that which we haue not v. 14. But God forbidde that I should glory saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I vnto the world In these words Paul comes to the Reddition of the dissimilitude betwixt him and the false Apostles his glorying and theirs In them we may consider two generall points First wherein he would not glory in nothing saue in c. Secondly the thing wherein he would glorie In the crosse of Christ whereof he renders a reason in the words following taken from the effects which the crosse wrought in him For by it the world was crucified to him and he vnto the world For the first To glorie implies three things First to reioice exult and triumph in a mans selfe in regard of some good thing or some supposed good Secondly to bewray this great exultation by speech or action or both Thirdly by boasting of it to looke for praise and applause of men which glorying according to the nature of the obiect and the ende is either good or euill For if it haue a right obiect namely the crosse of Christ and a right ende the glorie of God it is good otherwise it is euill such as was this glorying of the false Apostles and all other carnall glorying which is not in the Lord for it is nothing els but vain glorie Vain I say first in regard of the things wherin men glorie which are either such as are not as when man boasteth of that which he hath not but would seeme to haue or such as he hath not of himselfe 1. Cor. 4. 7. or such as haue no continuace but are transitorie and fading as all earthly things are seeing man himselfe is but as grasse and all the glorie of man but as the floure of the field Isay. 40. 6. Secondly it is vaine in regard of man from whome we looke for glorie and admiration seeing his iudgement is erroneous Thirdly in regard of the ende in not referring it to the maine and proper ende the glorie of God and the good of
come downe from heauen and light vpon them that follow this rule and that they cannot he hindered by the mallice of men Let the Pope then anathematize curse and excommunicate vs both Prince and people because we tread not in the steps of his faith but of the faith of our father Abraham and walke not according to his rule but according to this rule of the Apostle for we need not feare his thunderbolts nor curses seeing the causelesse curse shall neuer come Pro. 26. 2. for what though he curse if God doe blesse It was the thing that comforted Dauid beeing cursed of his enemies in that though they did curse yet God would blesse Psal. 109. 28. and let vs comfort our selues in this that he will curse them that curse his people Gen. 12. 3. Againe if peace and mercy shall be vpon them that walke according to this rule then wrath and indignation shall light vpon those that follow any other rule or deuise any other way or set downe any other meanes of saluation besides or contrary to this False therefore is the opinion of Pucksius that if a man lead an outward ciuil life he may be saued in any religion the Iewe in his Iudaisme the Turke in his Mahometisme the Heathen in his Paganisme For they that walke not in this way according to this rule doe but weary themselues in endlesse Labyrinths and so walking without line or rule in their crooked wayes shall be led with workers of iniquitie whenas peace shall be vpon Israel Psal. 125. 5. Other vses are made of mercy and peace Pag. 11. and 12. to which places I referre the reader The Apostle addeth that peace and mercy shal be vpon all them that walke according to this rule and vpon the Israel of God There is a doble Israell mentioned by Paul Israell according to the flesh 1. Cor. 10. 18. and the Israell of God as there is a twofold Iewe one outward in the flesh another inward in the spirit Rom. 2. 28 29. By the Israell of God the Apostle meaneth all such as are like to Nathaniell who was a true Israelite in whome there was no guile Ioh. 1. 47. whether they be the faithfull Gentiles or beleeuing Iewes And he makes mention of the Israell of God partly by reason of the aduersaries who bragged so much of their father Abraham and that they were the only true Israelites and yet were noe Israelites because they troade not in the steps of the faith of Abraham partly for the weake conuerts who thought it a hard thing to be seuered from the society of those to whome the promises were made partly for vs Gentiles that we might know that all are not Israell which are of Israell Rom. 9. 6. but that all they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 9. seeing that God is no accepter of persons Act. 10. 34. v. 17. From hence forth let no man put me to busines for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus Here the Apostle laies downe his last admonition preuenting an obiection that might be made by the false Apostles or the Galatians For whereas it might be said that Paul sought himselfe and the world shunned persecution and therefore ioyned circumcision to Christ to please the Iewes and followed not his owne rule v. 16. he takes away this obiection with great authoritie when he saith from hence forth let no man put me to busines And withall he addes a reason of it for I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus as if he should saie The bonds the imprisonments the stripes wounds and scarres in my bodie doe sufficiently testifie my fidelitie in my ministerie for if I had preached circumcision I should not haue suffered persecution The words may be and are taken in a doble sense First thus The false Apost and you Galatians by their instigation haue beene troblesome vnto me by false accusations and scanderous imputations as that I taught circumcision and the obseruatiō of the ceremoniall Lawe as a thing necessarie to saluation and so you haue made a reuolt from my doctrine by that meanes haue dobled and tripled my labour and paines among you But from hence forth cease to be troblesome vnto me you may take experiment and proofe from me the marks that I beare in my body doe sufficiently witnesse and seale the truth of my doctrine and my fidelitie in myne Apostleship as also whose disciple I am Moses or Christs and what rule I follow Iudaisme or Christianisme Secondly they cary this sense I haue sayd that they which walke according to this rule in glorying onely in the crosse of Christ peace shall be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God And I say againe and againe that we ought to striue and contend for it to obserue keepe it as a thing most necessarie to saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for othings not necessary to saluation as circumcision c. Let no man troble me in the execution of mine Apostolicall function or hinder the course of the Gospell by vrging any other doctrine or ceremony contrary or diuerse from this as necessary to saluation This one thing is necessarie other things are needles and fruitles in comparison therefore neither I nor the church of God ought to be trobled with them This latter sense I take to be more ageeable to the text Some make the sense to be this I haue had many trobles and conflicts and haue many markes and scarres in my body inflicted by persecutours therfore be no more troblesome vnto me for it were to much to add wormewood to my gale affliction to affliction Here we se the condition of the Apostle and the estate of all faithfull ministers that it is full of troble and molestations For as they are accounted men of turbulent spirits disquieters of the state as Elias was 1. King 21. and Ieremie chap. 15. 18. and Paul Act. 16. 20. 21. 28. So they are most trobled with factious opposers and false teachers who labour to bring into the church things partly needles and superfluous partly hurtfull pernicious Thus the false Apost trobled the pastors and church of Galatia Gal. 5. 10. and the churches of Antiochia Syria Cilicia Act 15. 24. Secondly consider how that the most and greatest trobles of the church haue beene for matter◠not of substance but of circumstance partly not necessarie partly contrarie to the rule which notwithstanding haue bee vrged with fire and fagot as things most necessarie Lastly he that stands forth for the defence of Gods truth as Paul did and all Ministers ought to doe must let goe all circumstances and looke to the substance Not with Martha to trouble himselfe about many needelesse things when as one thing onely is necessarie The reason followeth in these words For I beare in my bodie the markes of the Lord Iesus The word in the Originall translated markes doth properly
of canonicall Scripture 655. 20 Reasons why we must prouide for the poore 100. 35 The Gospell must be preached though all men be offended 396. 15. Preaching containes foure ministeriall actions 54. 17 Effectuall and powerfull preaching of the word stands in two things 160. 39. Preaching must be plaine 160. 11 Necessarie for all men 165. 20 The word must be dispenced in the infirmitie of mans flesh for diuers causes 323. 7 The benefits of preaching 326. 27 Prayer to Saints and Angels is carnall prayer 299. 29 Pray onely to God ibid. 300. 14 The right manner of seeking the praise of men 455. 1 Primacie is 2 of order of power 60. 18. Authoritie of the Church no principle 433. 39. Externall and bodily priueledges are of no moment in the kingdome of Christ. 382. 1 Gods promises lie as voide till the particular time of their accomplishment 204. 20 The promise made to Abraham is a couenant or testament and how 211. 30. Christ is the foundation of all the promises of god partly by merit partly by efficacie 313. 2 Why beleeuers are called children of promise 360. 8 Prouerbiall sentences are not at all times true in euery particular 550. 36. Gods prouidence vseth euill things well 348. 22 Subiectiō to punishment hath three parts 365. 13 There are seuerall degrees of punishments in hell 555. 556 R The workes of redemption exceed the works of creation 14. 19 Of the redemption of man from vnder the law 288. 19. c. Christ the onely redeemer 311. 9 Three markes of regeneration 241. 40. The gift of regeneration is neuer vtterlie extinguished 262. 29 What true regeneration is 377. 35 The workes of the regenerate are mixed with sinne and in the rigour of iustice deserue damnation obiections remooued 419. 9. 15. Of the reioycing of the Church vide Church Two groundes of reioycing vide glorying Reioyce signifying to glorie 517. 11 Obiection against reioicing in ones selfe vide glorying VVhat rules are to be obserued in the reioycing in the testimonie of a good conscience vide glorying False reioycing wherein it confisteth 519. 13 Reioycers are of foure sorts 519. 16 To reioyce in a mans selfe what 517. 18. The cheife principle in religion what 433. 24 Whether it be lawfull to compell men to imbrace religion 614. 5. The Magistrate may compell obstinate recusants to professe true religion ibid. 8. Obiections to the contrarie answered ibid. 25 Pauls manner in reproouing 18. 8 Libertie in reproouing with three caueats 103. 13 Why we vse not in preaching personall reproofes as Iohn Baptist did 393. 16 The manner of reproofe vide Restore He that is iniuried is fitter to reprooue him that offered the iniurie then any other 474. 39 Reproofes must not be deferred 460. 22. No wonder that sinners be loth to be reprooued 460. 37 A treatise of Christian reproofe 469. 31. Who are to be reprooued ib. 35 Reproofe belongs not to those that are out of the visible Church 470. The greatest Princes are subiect to reproofe 471. 15 Onely open skorners and persecuters of the word are not to be reprooued 472. 10 Men are to be reprooued for any sinne knowne ibid. 10 And for wrongs offered vs. 474. 20 Obiection against reproofes answered 47◠12 Who are reprooued 477. 1. 37. In fiue cases we are not bound to reprooue others offending 478. 13. In what manner are men to be reprooued set downe in ten rules 579. 37. The bitternesse of reproofe is to be allaied foure waies 483. 17 A man may reproue another foure waies 484. 8 In fitting our reproofe to the offence committed we must put a difference betwixt sinne finne 484. 28. In three cases we are not priuatly to reprooue but publikely to detect offenders 487. 15 The Pastour ought to be resident with his Hocke for two causes 337. 10. Restitution vide Satisfaction As oftē as our brother falls we must restore him 461. 5 Who are to be restored ibid. 17 Spirituall men are more for to restore those that are fallen then any other 463. 3 The manner how we must restore 464. 28. Reuelation is of two sortes 36. 11. Extraordinarie reuelation is foure waies 36. 15 The reuelation which Paul had is extraordinarie 36. 22 Reuolt what and the kindes thereof 18. 29 Remedies against reuenge 445. 8 Reward is double of honour and of debt 569. 37 Reward presupposeth not alwaies debt 571. 14 God giueth rewardes foure waies 571. 29. The phrases of speech of rewarding double or seuen fold what they signifie in the Scripture 552. 31. Pauls rule what it is 641. 33 The Papists rules Lesbian rules 642. 20. Monkish rules vaine and wicked 642. 28. We must be runners in the race of God 386. 19 We must runne well and to the end 387. 7. 22. S Of the institution of the Sabbath 315. 9 20. Sacraments conferre not grace by the worke wrought 254. 21 whether there be now in the church of God any sacrifice or oblation of Christ 161. 29 Whether the Saints may fall away totally and finally 586. 20 There is but one way of saluation 22. 5. Preuision of faith and good workes no cause of saluation 47. 20 The saluation of beleeuers is most sure 47. 27 The manner and way of our saluation 229. 21 The sanctification of the name of God hath two parts 72. 10 There is a double sanctification 193. 21. Satisfaction must be made for wrongs done 98. 39 Who must satisfie 99. 21 To whome 99. 28 What 99. 38 When 100. 9 In what order and manner 100. 15. Schisme and heresie differ vide Heresie The Papists schismatikes and not we 437. 21 For the auoiding of schisme and sedition two rules ibid. 29 Slanders vse to be raised vpon euery light and vniust occasion 395. 18. Scripture is both the glosse and the text 352. 36. 434. 3 Scripture hath sundrie senses according to the Papists 345. 35 When the Scriptures speakes figuratiuely and when properly 346. 30. The Scriptures by themselues are sufficient to saluation 24. 24 The Scriptures are as certen as if they had beene written by God 27. 5. The authoritie of the Scripture dependes not vpon the testimonie of the Church 27. 20 It is necessarie that men should be assured that the Scriptures are of God 31. 30 The testimonies whereby this assurance may be obtained 31. 35 In Scriptures there is diuine and infallible authoritie 353. 15. The meanes to decide controuersies 356. 29 Bookes of Scripture in the new testament haue a threefold difference 608. 9 Bookes of Scripture why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Kethubim by the Iewes 659. 25 The Scriptures why called Canonicall 641. 38 Seditions what 435. 15 The separation of Paul from the wombe what it is 46. 35 To make a faire shewe in the flesh signifieth foure things 610. 33 Simulation what and the sorts 105. 36. Sinne where it takes place giues a man no rest till it hath brought him to a height of wickednes 43. 39. What a sinne of
tabulae and therefore is to haue care that true religion be professed and the contemners thereof punished An example hereof we haue in good King Iosiah who caused all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin that is all his subiects to stand to the couenant which he made with the Lord nay which is more he compelled all that were found in Ierusalem to serue the Lord their God 2. Chron. 24. 32 33. among which multitude many there were no doubt which did like better of Idolatrie then of Gods worship as the word compelled doth import The King that made that great supper commanded his seruants to coÌ„pell the guests to come in vnto him Luk. 14. 23. whence Augustine gathereth that it is the Magistrates dutie to compell recusants schismatikes heretikes and such like to the hearing and professing of the word But here three things are commonly obiected against this doctrine Obiect I. To compell men to embrace true religion is to make them goe against their conscience which the Magistrate ought not to doe as some Papists haue asfirmed that they would not for tenne thousand worlds compell a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie because he should be damned for swearing against his conscience although the thing were neuer so true Ans. I. If it were so hainous a sinne to compell any to embrace true religion because it is against their conscience why doe Popish Prelates and Magistrates compell Protestants and that by exquisite torments to reconcile themselues to the Church of Rome to sweare obedience to the Pope to acknowledge TraÌ„substantiation and to heare Masse which they know are directly against their conscience II. If they will not compell men to doe any thing though neuer so good or godly because it is against their conscience why should they not be as scrupulous in restraining them from doing that which is vnlawfull because they are perswaded in conscience they ought to doe it For if they compell men to omit that which they beleeue to be good because they know it to be euill as their owne practise prooueth in that they will not suffer Protestants to pray publikely in a knowne tongue nor receiue the Sacrament in both kinds c. why doe they not compell them also to doe that which they know to be good though they thinke it to be euill III. The Magistrate is to compell men to embrace true religion or to punish them for their obstinacie in not harkening to the word because he is to vse the meanes to reclaime them and to winne them to a loue and liking of the truth Now so long as they are vrged to heare the word there is hope they may be wonne againe and experience shewes as Augustine testifieth of the Donatists that they which did professe religion at the first meerely by compulsion may afterwards by the mercie of God professe it onely for deuoâ—ion And what though some come not to learne but to carpe and cauill yet God may cast the nette of his mercie so farre ouer them that contrarie to their purpose they may be caught IIII. If the Magistrate who may compell them and so reclaime them doe suffer them to continue in their errours or heresies without controlment he is guiltie of their sinne but by compelling them he hath discharged his dutie for albeit they beeing compelled doe dissemble and play the hypocrites doe lie and forsweare themselues that is not the Magistrates sinne who intendeth nothing but their conuersion and saluation it is their owne proper and personall sinne Obiect II. Men ought to be perswaded to embrace religion and induced to beleeue but not compelled for the will can not be compelled Ans. True it is the will cannot be compelled and as true is it likewise that the Magistrate doth not compell any to beleeue for when a man doth beleeue and from his heart embrace true religion he doth it willingly notwithstanding meanes are to be vsed to make them willing that are vnwilling and the meanes is to compell them to come to our assemblies to heare the word and to learne the grounds of true religion for it is Gods commandement men should prooue the spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. that so they may know the truth and cleaue vnto it Augustine saith fitly and finely to this purpose Quod autem vobis videtur invites ad veritatem non esse cogendâ—â— erratis nescientes Scripturas neque virtutem Dei qui eos volentes facit dum coguntur inviti Secondly when Papists receiue the Sacrament sweare allegeance to their Prince present themselues in our congregations who knowes that they doe these things against their conscience nay rather we ought in charitie to thinke that they are perswaded in conscience they may doe them when by oath and protestation they confesse so much But be it they did all in hypocrisie shall the execution of godly lawes therefore cease because hypocrites will not obey but in dissimulation Obiect III. The Magistrate by compelling Recusants to the outward profession of religion maketh them to play the hypocrites to counterfaiâ— and dissemble Ans. The Magistrate in executing the lawes hath no such intent but onely that they might heare the word beleeue it and be saued Againe Protestant recusants in other countries are not allowed by Papists to alleadge their conscience for their refusall but are compelled either to conforme themselues or to vndergoe cruell torments no more may such pretence of conscience excuse the Papists or other heretikes but that they should receiue the same measure which they mete to others II. Quest. How can it be truly said that the false Apostles compelled men to receiue circumcision seeing Titus was not compelled to be circumcised Gal. 2. 3. Ans. That place maketh nothing against the text in hand the meaning is that Paul for his part was readie to haue circumcised Titus as he did Timothie Act. 16. 3. rather then offend the weake brethren But when it came to this point that they would needes vrge circumcision as a thing necessarie to saluation Paul refused to do it for all the false brethren that crept in v. 4. that is notwithstanding they laboured by all meanes to bring it in vse againe Neither did the Apostles vrge it or require it as a thing necessarie to saluation III. It may be demaunded whether that circumcision beeing so vehemently vrged by the false Apostles might not haue beene vsed Answ. It might not For albeit it be in it selfe a thing indifferent and so it skilleth not whether a man be circumcized or not as Paul saith Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing yet beeing vrged as a matter oâ— absolute necessitie as without which men could not be saued Act. 15. 1. it ought not to be vsed The like may be said of all indifferent things if they be made essentiall pâ—rts of Gods worship or necessarie to saluation as the vse of meates and drinkes obseruing of times and seasons wearing this or that habit or