Galatians 1:12

The meaning is this. Paul here saith, he receiued not the Gospel of man: because he receiued not the office to teach and preach the Gospel from any meere man. For here he speakes of himselfe as he was an Apostle: and then an Apostle properly is said to receiue the Gospel, when he receiues not onely to know and beleeue it, but also to preach it. And he addes further, that he was not taught it, that is, that he learned the Gospel not by the teaching of any man, as formerly he learned the law at the feete of Gamaliel. The last words [but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ] carrie this sense; but I learned and receiued it of Christ, who taught me by reuelation. Further, Reuelation is twofold, one ordinarie, the other extraordinarie. Ordinarie is, when Christ teacheth men by the word preached, and by his spirit. In this sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of reuelation, Eph. 1. 17. Extraordinarie is, with the word preached, and that foure waies. First, by voice. Thus God taught Adam and the Patriarkes. The second, by dreames, when things reuealed were represented to the minde in sleepe. The third is vision, when things reuealed are represented to the outward senses of men beeing awake. The fourth is instinct, when God teacheth by inward motion and inspiration. Thus did God vsually teach the Prophets. 2. Pet. 1. 21. Now the reuelation which Paul had, was not ordinarie, but extraordinarie, and that partly by vision, partly by voice, and partly by instinct, Act. 9. & 22. It may here be demanded, where Christ was, whether on earth or in heauen, because Paul heard his voice, & saw him visibly. I answer, he was not on earth, but in heauen: and that Paul both saw, and heard him, it was by miracle; whereas Stephen in like manner saw Christ, he saw him not on earth, but standing at the right hand of God in heauen: for otherwise the opening of the heauens had bin a needles thing.

These wordes then are a confirmation of the former verse, on this manner. The authoritie whereby I teach, and the doctrine which I teach, I first receiued and learned it, not of man, but immediatly of Christ: therefore the Gospel which I preach is not humane, but diuine, and preached not by humane, but by diuine authoritie.

In the scope and sense of the words, many points of doctrine are contained. The first, that Christ is the great Prophet and Doctour of the Church, Math. 17. 6. Heare him. and 23. 8. One is your Doctour, namely Christ. And he is called the great shepheard of the sheepe, Hebr. 13. 20. His office is in three things. The first is, to manifest and reueale the will of the father touching the redemption of mankind, Ioh. 1. 18. & 8. 26. This he hath done from the beginning of the world (the father neuer speaking and appearing immediately but in the baptisme and transfiguration of Christ) and this he doth to Paul in this place. The second is, to institute the Ministerie of the word, and to call and send Ministers. As my father sent me, so send I you, Ioh. 20. 21. He it is that giues some to be Pastours, some to be teachers, Eph. 4. 11. And thus appoints Paul to be an Apostle. The third is, to teach the heart within, by illuminating the mind, and by working a faith of the doctrine which is taught. He openeth the vnderstandings of his Disciples that they may vnderstand the Scriptures, Luk. 24. 45. Thus here he inlightneth and teacheth Paul.

Furthermore, it must be obserued, that this office of teaching, is inseparably annexed to the person of Christ, and is by him accordingly exequuted euen after his ascension, as appeares in the conuersion of Paul. And therefore Isai saith, they shall be all taught of God, Isa. 54. 13. As for the Ministers of the Gospel, they in teaching are no more but instrumēts of Christ to vtter and pronounce the word to the eare: this is all they can doe. Therefore Paul saith, he that plants or waters is not any thing, but God that giueth the increase. The teacher then properly in the ministerie of the new Testament to the very ende of the world, is Christ himselfe. This must teach vs reuerence in hearing Gods word, and care with diligence in keeping of it. Hebr. 2. 1, 2, 3, &c. Secondly this teacheth vs, that they which imbrace not the Gospel among vs, are contemners of Christ, and shall indure eternall condemnation. Ioh. 3. 18. & Hebr. 12. 25. Thirdly, if we want vnderstanding, we must pray to Christ for it; and because we haue so excellent a teacher, we must pray vnto him that he would giue vnto vs hearing eares, that is, hearts tractable, and obedient to his word, that we may be fitte disciples for so worthie a master.

The second is, that there be two waies whereby Christ teacheth those that are to be teachers. One is immediate reuelation; the other, is ordinarie instruction in schooles by the means and ministerie of man. The like saith Amos, I was neither Prophet, nor sonne of a Prophet, but the Lord sent me to prophecie to Israel. Amos 7. 14.

The third point is, that They which are to be teachers must first be taught; and they must teach that which they haue first learned themselues. 2. Tim. 3. 14. Abide in the things which thou hast learned. Christ taught, that which he heard of the father; the Apostles that which they heard of Christ: ordinarie ministers that which they haue learned of the Apostles. This is the right Tradition: and if it be obserued without addition or detraction, the Gospel shall remaine in his integritie. Here our Auncetours are greatly to be blamed, who haue not contented themselues with that which they haue learned of the Apostles, but haue deliuered things of their owne which they were neuer taught. Hence sprang vnwritten traditions, and the corruption of religion. Againe, such are here to be blamed, that take vpon them to be teachers of the Gospel, and were neuer taught by reuelation, or by any ordinarie way. Thirdly, priuate persons are much more to be blamed, that broch and deliuer such doctrines, and opinions, as they themselues neuer learned by any ministery. For teachers themselues must first learne, and then teach.

The fourth point is, that they which are to be teachers are first to be taught, and that by men, where reuelation is wanting. This kind of teaching is the foundation of the schoole of the Prophets, and it hath bin from the beginning. The Patriarkes till Moses were Prophets in their families, & they taught not onely their families in generall, but also their first borne, that they might succeede as Prophets after them. There were 48. cities of the Leuites dispersed through all the tribes, where not onely the people were taught, but also schooles erected that they might be taught, which were to be Priests and Leuites, Num. 37. One citie among the rest is called Cireath sephar, Iosu. 15. 15. that is, the citie of bookes, or as we say, the Vniversitie. Samuel a yong man was sent to the Tabernacle in Shilo, to be taught, and trained vp of Eli the Priest. Samuel when he was iudge of Israel erected Colledges of Prophets, and ruled them himselfe. 1. Sam. 10. In the decaied estate of the ten tribes, Elias and Elizeus set vp schooles of the Prophets in Bethel, Carmel, &c. and the yong students were called the sonnes of the Prophets. 2. king. 2. 3. Christ himselfe beside the sermons made to the people, trained vp and taught himselfe, his 12. Apostles, and his 70. disciples. Paul commaunds Timothie to teach that which he had learned, to such as shal be fit to teach others, 2. Tim. 2. 2. Furthermore, this teaching is of great vse. For it serues to maintaine the true interpretation of scripture, the puritie of doctrine: and it is a meanes to continue the ministerie to the ende of the world. The meanest arte or trade that is, is not learned without great teaching: then much more teaching is required in diuinitie, which is the arte of all arts. The true interpretation of scripture, and the right cutting of the word, is a matter of great difficultie, and a matter (whatsoeuer men think) of the greatest learning in the world. Therefore it is necessarie, that teachers should first be taught, and learne aright the Gospel of Christ. Eleauen hundred yeares after Christ, men began to lay aside Moses, and the Prophets, and the writings of the new Testament, and to expound the writings of men, as the Sentences of Peter Lumbard. Hence ignorance, superstition, & idolatrie come headlong into the world. Seeing then the teaching of them that are to be teachers, is of such antiquitie, and vse, all men are to be exhorted, to put to their helping hands, that this thing may goe forward. Princes are to maintaine it, by their bountifulnesse, and authoritie, as they haue done, and doe still: and that which they doe, they must doe it more. Parents must dedicate the fittest of their children to the seruice of God, in the ministerie, and not to vse it in the last place for a shift, as they doe. For commonly, the eldest must be the heire, the next the lawyer, the youngest the diuine. Students must loue and affect this calling aboue all other. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Lastly, all men must make praier, that God would prosper and blesse all Schooles of learning, where this kind of teaching is in vse.

Here againe it appeares, that Christ is God, and more then a meere man, because he is opposed to man: and that Paul receiued authoritie, and the keies of the kingdome of heauen, immediately of Christ, as well as Peter.