Galatians 1:8–9

An obiection might be made against the former conclusion, thus: But the most excellent among the Apostles, Iames, Peter, Iohn (by your leaue) teach an other gospel then that which Paul had preached. To this obiection he makes answer in this verse negatiuely, that whosoeuer teacheth another Gospell is accursed, whatsoeuer he be. In this answer three things are to be considered: a sinne, the punishment thereof, and a supposition seruing to amplifie the sinne.

The sinne is to preach in the cause of our iustification, any other thing beside that or diuers to that which Paul taught the Galatians, though it be not contrarie. Thus much the very 〈Greek〉. words import: and the same wordes are againe vsed in the next verse. And Paul bids Timothie, auoid them that teach otherwise, that is, any diuers doctrine as necessarie to saluation, beside that which he taught. 1. Tim. 6. 3. And the reason of this sinne, is: because God hath giuen this commandement, We may not depart from his word, to the right hand or to the left; neither may we adde thereto, or take therfrom. Iosu. 1. v. 7. 8. Deut. 4. & 12. Before I gather any doctrine hence, this ground is to be laid downe, that Paul preached all the counsell of God, Act. 20. 27. And that which he preached, beeing necessarie to saluation, he wrote, or some other of the Apostles. Ioh. 20. 31. This beeing graunted (which is a certen trueth) two maine conclusions followe. One, that the Scriptures alone by themselues, without any other word, are aboundantly sufficient to saluation, whether we regard doctrines of faith, or manners. For he that deliuers any doctrine out of them, and beside them, as necessarie to be beleeued, is accursed.

The second conclusion, is, that vnwritten Traditions, if they be tendered to vs, as a part of Gods word, and as necessarie to saluation, they are abominations, because they are doctrines beside the Gospell that Paul preached. And the Romane religion goes to the ground: because it is founded on Tradition out of, and beside the written word. Learned Papists, to helpe themselues, make a double answer. One is, that they are accursed which preach otherwise then Paul preached, and not they which preach otherwise then he writ. But it is false which they say, for that which he preached, he writte. Augustine hauing relation to the text in hand saith, that he is accursed which preacheth any thing o Praeter quam Contra Petilian. l. 3 c. 6. beside that which we haue receiued in the legall and Euangelicall scriptures. Againe, he saith, that he must o Non aliud quid amp〈…〉us? not teach Debono viduitatis. c. 1. any more, or any other thing, then that which is in the Apostle, whose words he must expound.

The second answer is, that to preach otherwise, is to preach contrary. Because (as they say) precepts and doctrines, may be deliuered if they be diuerse, and not contrary. As the Gospell of Iohn, and the Apocalyps, were written after this epistle to the Galatians, which are diuers to it, though not contrarie: the like they say of the canons of councells: and that Paul, Rom. 16. 18. put [παρ’ ὃ] beside, for contrarie. I answer thus: The proposition (παρὰ) translated beside or otherwise, signifieth thus much properly: and we are not to depart from the proper signification of the words, vnlesse we be forced by the text. And the place in the Romans in his proper and full sense, must be turned thus: Obserue the authors of effences, besides the doctrine which ye haue learned. And Pauls minde, is, that they should be obserued, that teach any other diuers, or distinct doctrine, though it be not directly contrarie. The Gospell of Iohn and the Apocalyps, written afterward, propound not any diuers doctrine, pertaining to the saluation of the soule, but one and the same in substance, with that which Paul wrote. The Canons of Councels, are traditions touching order and comelinesse, & they prescribe not any thing, as necessarie to iustification, and saluation. Againe, the Embassadour that speakes any thing beside his commission, is as well in fault, as he that speakes the cōtrarie: though not so much.

The second point is, the punishment [Let him be accursed] Here are three things to be considered. The first, what is it to be accursed? Ans. God hath giuen to the Church, the power of building, and it hath 4. degrees, Admonition, Suspencion from the Sacraments, Excommunication, Anathema. And this last is a censure or iudgement of the Church, whereby it pronounceth a man seuered from Christ, and adiuged to eternall perdition, Rom. 9. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 22. And he is here said to be accursed, that stands subiect to this censure. The second part is, who are to be accursed? Answer. Hainous offendours, and desperate persons, of whose amendment, there is no hope. And therefore this iudgment is seldome pronounced vpon any. We finde but one example in the newe Testament: Paul accursed Alexander the Copper-smith, 2. Tim. 4. 14. And the Church afterward accursed Iulian the Emperour. Other examples we finde not any.

The third point, howe the Church should accurse any man, and in what order? Answer. In this action, there be foure iudgements. The first is Gods, which is giuen in heauen, whereby he doeth accurse obstinate and notorious offendours. The second iudgement, pertaines to the Church vpon earth, which pronounceth them accursed, whome god accurseth. It may be said, howe comes the Church to knowe the iudgement of God, whereby he accurseth? Answer. The word sets downe the condition of them, that are accursed; and experience, and obseruation findes out the persons, to whome these conditions are incident. The third iudgement is giuen in heauen, whereby God ratifies and approoues the iudgement of the Church, according to that, whatsoeuer ye binde on earth, shall be bound in heauen. The last iudgement, pertaines to euery priuate person, who holds him in execration, whome God hath accursed, and the Church hath pronounced so to be. If he heare not the Church, the Church pronounceth him to be as a Publican and heathen: & then (saith Christ) let him be a Publican to thee. Thus must the text be vnderstood.

Hence we we are taught, to be carefull in preseruing the puritie of the Gospell: because the corrupters thereof, are to be accursed as the damned spirits. Hence againe it appeareth, that the Church in accursing, doth but exercise a Ministerie, which is, to publish and testifie, who are accursed of God. Lastly, hence we learne, that priuate persons must seldome vse cursing: because God must first accurse, and the Church publish the sentence of God; before we may with good conscience vtter the same. They therefore, which in a rage accurse themselues, & others, deale wickedly. We are called ordinarily to blessing, & not to cursing.

The third point is, the fupposition of things impossible, on this manner. Put the case, that I Paul, or any other of the Apostles, should teach otherwise then I haue taught you: neither I nor they must be beleeued, but be accursed. Againe, put the case, that an angell from heauen should come and preach, otherwise then Paul preached to the Galatians, who must be beleeued? Paul, or the Angel? the answer is, not the Angell, but Paul: and the angel must be accursed. And the reason is, because Paul in preaching and writing, did represent the authoritie of God, and God puts his owne authoritie into the word which he vttered: and he was assisted by the extraordinarie, immediate, and infallible assistance of Gods spirit. From this supposition, sundrie things may be learned. The first, that the word preached and written by Paul, is as certen, as if it had bin written by God himselfe, immediately. It may be obiected, that Paul saith, 1. Cor. 7. 12. To the remnant, I speake, not the Lord. I answer, Paul saith, I, not the Lord, not because he was deceiued in his aduise, for he spake by the spirit of God, c. 7. v. 40. but because he gaue counsell in a case of marriage, whereof the Lord had made no expresse lawe. The meaning then is this, I speake by collection from the lawe of God, and not the Lord, by any particular and expresse lawe.

Secondly it appeares hence, that the articles of faith, or the doctrine of the Gospell, is in excellencie and authoritie, aboue all men and angels. And hence it followes, that the Church and Councels, cannot authorize the word of God, in the minde & conscience of any man. For the inferiour, and dependent authoritie, addes nothing to that which is the principall, and superior authoritie. Therefore, the opinion of the Papist is false, that we cannot knowe the scripture to be the word of God, but by the testimony of the Church: as though the letter of a Prince, could not be knowne to be so, without the testimonie of the subiects. The principall authoritie is sufficient in it selfe, to authorize it selfe, without externall testimonie.

Thirdly, since the daies of the Apostles, sundrie doctrines haue bin receiued and beleeued, touching intercession of Saints, praier to the dead, and for the dead, Purgatorie, and such like: and these doctrines haue bin confirmed by sundrie revelations. And here we learne, what to iudge both of the doctrines, and of the reuelations; namely, that they are accursed: because the doctrines are beside the written word, and the reuelations tend to ratifie and confirme them.

Lastly, hence we learne, what to thinke of the writings of Papists, and Schoolemen, whereof some are called, Seraphicall, cherubicall, or Angelicall doctors. They broch, and maintaine sundrie things, beside that which the Apostles preached, & wrote; as iustification by workes, and a mixture of the lawe and the Gospell: they giue too little to grace, and too much to mans will. In this regard, Paul hath giuen the sentence, that they are accursed. For this cause, students of diuinitie, are warily to read them with praier, that they be not led into temptation, and they are to vse them onely in the last place. And they are greatly to be blamed, that preferre them almost aboue all writers: they shewe that they haue little loue of the Gospell in their hearts.

In these words Paul repeates againe that which he said before: and the repetition is not in vaine, but for three weightie causes; the first is, to signifie that he had spoken not rashly, but aduisedly, whatsoeuer he had said before: the second is, that the point deliuered, is an infallible truth of God: the third is, to put the Galatians and vs in minde, that we are to obserue and remember that which he hath said, as the foundation of our religion, namely, that the doctrine of the Apostles is the onely infallible truth of God, against which we may not listen to Fathers, Councels, or to the very Angels of God. If this had bin remembred and obserued, the Gospel had continued in his puritie after the daies of the Apostles.

In this verse one thing is to be obserued. Before Paul saide, they are accursed which teach otherwise then he had taught: here he saith, they are accursed which teach otherwise then the Galatians had receiued. Whereby it appeares, that as Paul preached the Gospel of Christ, so the Galatians receiued it. And they receiued it, first in that they, had care to know it, secondly in that they gaue the assent of faith vnto it, as to a truth: against which the very Angels could take no exception. And for this also are the Thessalonians commended that the Gospel was to them in power and much assurance. The great fault of our times is, that where as the Gospel is preached, it is not accordingly receiued. Many haue no care to know it: and they which know it, giue not vnto it the assent of faith, but onely hold it in opinion. And this is the cause that there is so small fruit of the Gospel. This sinne will at length haue his punishment. The places that are not seasoned by the waters of the Sanctuarie, are turned to saltpits. Ezech. 47. v. 11.