Galatians 3:1

CHAP. III.

THat we may see how this chapter depends on the former, we must repeat the principall argument of the Epistle: If I was called of God, & my doctrine be true, then ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel: but I was called of God, and my doctrine is true: therefore ye should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel.

The first part of the minor, that Paul was called of God, was handled in the first and second chapters. The second part: that his doctrine is true, is handled in the third, fourth, and fifth: and is propounded in this verse. Moreouer, the Conclusion of the argument set downe Chap. 1. v. 6. is here againe repeated, namely, that the Galatians should not haue reuolted to an other Gospel. And withall Paul here notes the causes of their Reuolt: and they are two. One, is follie, O foolish Galatians. The other is, the deceit of false teachers, who hath bewitched you?

Whereas Paul saith, O foolish Galatians, that we mistake not his example; three questions may be demanded. The first is, In what respect he giues this hard iudgement against them? Ans. Three things are subiected to Iudgement, the doctrines of men, the liues of men, and the persons of men. Doctrines are to be iudged by the word, and the liues of men: yet ordinarily, the persons of men are not to be iudged. For the saying is true, that three things are not subiect to iudgement: the Counsels of God, the Scriptures, and the persons of men. And in this place Paul giues iudgement, not against the Galatians themselues, or against their persons, but against their new conceiued doctrin, and against their practise in Reuolting.

The second question is, whether this iudgement be righteous and true iudgement? Ans. It is: because it is vpon good ground. For first of all, Paul giues this censure, by vertue of his calling: because his office was to reprooue and correct vice. Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Secondly, it was in truth. For indeede they ouerturned the passion of Christ: and therefore he could not call them lesse then fooles. Thirdly, this iudgement was giuen in loue. For Paul intended, and desired nothing in this speach, but their good and amendment. Vpon like grounds Isai calls the Israelites, people of Sodome and Gomorrha, Isa. 1. Christ calls the two disciples, foolish, and slow of heart to beleeue, Luk. 24. 25. Paul calls the Cretians lyers and slow bellies, Tit. 1. 12. But Matth. 5. 22. may be obiected, where he is said to be in danger of a Councill, that saith, Thou foole. Ans. The place is to be vnderstood of them that charge men with follie, with a mind to reproch them, and in way of reuenge: which, Paul in this place doth not.

The third question is, whether we may vse like iudgement against men? Ans. Vpon like grounds we may, if we haue a warrant, and calling from God so to doe. For all iudgement is Gods Rom. 14. 10. if this iudgement be in truth: if it be in charitie, for the amendment of the parties, and for the good of others. Otherwise, if these grounds faile vs, we may not giue iudgement against any man, but must follow the iudgement of charitie which thinks no euill, hopes the best, and construes all things in the best part. 1. Cor. 13.

To come to the second cause, Paul saith, Who hath bewitched you? that is, who hath deceiued you, as if ye were bewitched by some inchantments. Here Paul takes it for a confessed truth, that there is witchcraft, and witches. And that we may the better conceiue his meaning, two questions are to be propounded. The first is, what is the witchcraft here meant? Ans. It is a Satanicall operation, whereby the senses of men are deluded. For the deuill can by certaine meanes, delude and corrupt the phantasie, or the imagination; and cause men to thinke that of themselues, which is otherwise. There is a disease called Lycanthropia, in which, the braine beeing distempered, men thinke themselues to be wolues, and carrie themselues as wolues. And in this disease the deuill hath a great stroke. Againe, the deuill can delude the outward senses, as the hearing, and the sight. Thus Iannes and Iambres turned their roddes into serpents, before Pharaoh, and brought frogges, by deceiuing the eye, and not in truth, Exod. 7. and 8. Thus the witch of Endor made a counterfeit of Samuel to rise out of the earth. 1. Sam. 28.

The second question is, if this witchcraft be an operation of Satan, howmen should be said to doe it? for Paul saith, who, or what man hath bewitched you? Ans. Men doe it by league, and confederacie with the deuill. The inchanter charmes by ioyning societies. Psal. 58. 5. The deuill seekes whome he may deuoure: and therefore, where he finds a fit person to worke vpon, he infinuates and offers himselfe. And after men be in league with him, he hath a word and sacraments for them, as God hath: and he requireth faith, as God doth. And looke as theeues, some lie in the way, some in the wood: and they in the way (when a bootie comes) giue a watchword to the rest, and then all are at hand together: Euen so when men in league with the deuill vse charmes, imprecations, curses, praises, superstitious inuocations, according to his appointment, and other Satanicall ceremonies, a watchword is likewise giuen vnto him, and he is straight at hand to doe the intended feate. Thus, and no otherwise, are men said to bewitch, or delude the eye.

That which Paul saith to the Galatians, if he were now liuing among vs, he would likewise say to vs, O foolish nation, who hath bewitched you? We are wise in matters of the world: but in matters concerning the kingdome of heauen, the most of vs are fooles, besotted, and bewitched with worldly eares, and pleasures, without sense in matters of religion, like a peece of waxe without all forme: fit to take the forme and print of any religion. And we must take heede, least this our foolishnes, and intoxication of our senses, lead vs headlong to perdition. And therefore we must learne the way of life in humilitie. Psal. 25. 9. We must obey it, and in obedience we shall learne it. Ioh. 7. 17. We must as heartily loue the word of God, as in minde we conceiue it; least by not louing of it we be giuen vp to strong illusions to beleeue lies. 2. Thess. 2. 10. Lastly, we must pray to God to be taught and guided by his word and spirit, in things pertaining to euerlasting life.

To proceede further, the delusion or bewitching of the Galatians, is set forth by two arguments. The first is, the ende, in these words, that ye should not obey the truth. Before I come to the consideration of these words, a doubt must be resolued. For some man may say, that this Epistle is corrupted: because these words are wanting in sundrie translations, and editions of the Bible: and Ierome saith, that they were not found in the copies of the bible in his daies. Ans. In the Editions and translations of the bible, there are sundrie differences, and diuersities of readings: and these differences are not the fault of the Scripture, but of the men which vsed to write out the bible: for the bible heretofore was spread abroad, not by printing, but by writing. Againe, though in the bookes of the bible there be sundrie varieties of reading, yet the prouidence of God hath so watched ouer the Bible, that the sense thereof remaineth intire, sound, and incorrupt, specially in the grounds of religion. And not the words principally, but the sense is the Scripture. And that which I say appeareth in this text: for whether these words be left in, or put out, the sense of the verse, is one and the same.

These words, that ye should not obey the truth, are meant of the obedience of faith. Rom. 1. 5, and 16. 28. And the obedience of faith is propounded vnto vs without adding, detracting, or changing. And this the Galatians did not: for they added iustification by workes, to the doctrine of Paul, touching iustification by faith alone: by which addition they depraued the truth, and shewed that indeede they beleeued not the truth. Here let vs obserue the scope of all the malice of the deuill: and that is, to hinder, or ouerthrow our faith. The first thing the deuill aimed at in our first parents, was to ouerthrow their faith, and to cause them to doubt of the truth of Gods word. The first temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted, was against his faith, as he was man: If thou be the sonne of God thou canst cause these stones in thy hunger to be made bread: but thou canst not cause these stones to be made bread: therefore thou art not the child of God. The deuill desired to sift out all the faith of the Apostles, and to leaue in them nothing but the chaffe of vnbeleefe. Luk. 22. The deuill blindes the eyes of men that the light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ may not shine vnto them. 2. Cor. 4. 4. This must teach vs, that we must not onely hold and know the true religion for the time, but also build our selues vpon our faith, Iud. v. 20. and be rooted and stablished vpon our faith and religion, Col. 1. 23. and the rather, because it hath bin the manner of this nation, wickedly to change religion with the times. And that we may indeede be rooted vpon our religion, we must not boast of the greatnes and strength of our faith, but rather labour to see in our selues a sea of vnbeleefe: heartily to bewaile it, and to striue to beleeue, and so to goe on from faith, to faith.

The truth here mentioned, is the heauenly doctrine of the Gospel: so called for two causes. First, because it is an absolute truth without errour. It is a principle not to be called in question, that the Apostles and Prophets, in writing and preaching, could not erre. It may be said, they were men, as we are: and therefore subiect to erre, and be deceiued in iudgement. Ans. Iudgement is twofold. One, conceiued by the discourse of naturall reason: the other, conceiued by the apprehension of things reuealed by God. In the first, the Apostles and Prophets might erre, and be deceiued; as Nathan and Peter were. In the second, they could not: because it was framed in them, by the inspiration, and instinct of the holy Ghost. And therefore, they neuer erred, either in preaching or writing. The second cause why the Gospel is called the truth, is, because it is a most worthie truth, namely, the truth which is according to godlines, Tit. 1. It may be said, what is the truth? and how shall we know it, considering there be so many dissentions? Ans. First, make thy selfe fit to know, and then shalt thou know the truth. And thou shalt be fitted to know the truth, if thou first of all giue thy selfe to obey it. Read the golden text, Ioh. 7. v. 17. Obey, and ye shall know.

The second thing, whereby the delusion of the Galatians is expressed, is the signe thereof, in these words, to whome Iesus Christ was described, &c. that is, to whome I haue preached the doctrine of saluation by Christ, in liuely and euident manner, euen as if Christ had bin painted before your eyes, and had bin crucified, in, or among you. And this is a manifest token that the Galatians were deluded, because they could not acknowledge the truth, whē it was set forth vnto them, (as it were) in orient colours. And where Paul saith, that Christ was before described, I referre it to the time before their reuolt.

Here first, we are to obserue, the properties of the Ministerie of the word. The first, that it must be plaine, perspicuous, and euident, as if the doctrine were pictured, and painted out before the eyes of men. Therefore the Church of Rome deales wickedly, in keeping the Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue. For this is to couer that from the people, which is to be painted before the eyes of their minds. Againe, that kind of preaching is to be blamed, in which there is vsed, a mixed kind of varietie of languages, before the vnlearned. For this is a signe to vnbeleeuers. 1. Cor. 14. 22. And in this kind of preaching we doe not paint Christ, but we paint out our owne selues. It is a by-word among vs: It was a very plaine sermon. And I say againe, the plainer, the better.

The second propertie of the Ministerie of the word, is, that it must be powerfull and liuely in operation, and as it were crucifying Christ within vs, and causing vs to feele the vertue of his passion. The word preached must pearce into the heart, like a two edged sword, Hebr. 4. 12. true prophecie iudgeth men, discouereth the things of the heart, and causeth men to to say, The Lord is within you, 1. Cor. 14. 25. The scepter of Christ whereby he smiteth the nations, is in his mouth, Isa. 11. 4. that is, in the Ministerie of the word. Ier. 15. 19. And it is the same Ministerie, which shaketh heauen and earth. Agg. 2. 5. By this it appeaeeth, that to take a text, and to make a discourse vpon something in the said text, shewing much inuention of wit, and much reading, and humane learning, is not to preach Christ in a liuely manner. It will be said: what then? I answer with Paul, who is sufficient either for the speaking or doing of these things? yet something may be shewed. Know therefore that the effectuall and powerful preaching of the word, stands in three things. The first is, true and proper interpretation of the Scripture, and that by it selfe: for Scripture, is both the glosse, and the text. The second is, sauorie and wholesome do ctrine, gathered out of the Scriptures truly expounded. The third is, the Application of the said doctrine, either to the information of the iudgement, or to the reformation of the life. This is the preaching that is of power. Let all the sonnes of the Prophets thinke vpon these things, and studie to be doers of them.

Furthermore, two questions are here resolued. The first is, whether Images be necessarie in the congregations of the people of God? Ans. There are Christian Images, and Pictures, and they are very necessarie. And these Images, are Sermons of Christ, and the Right administration of the sacraments. For in them Christ is described and painted out vnto vs. As for the painted and carued images of the Papists, we vtterly detest them, as Idols. They alleadge, that they are lay-mens bookes: but Habakuk saith, they are doctours of lies, Hab. 2. 18. And where the liuely preaching of the word is, there is no neede of them. And therefore Images were not established in Churches in these West parts, till after 700. yeares. As long as the church had golden teachers, there were no wooden images: but when golden teachers did degenerate, and become wooden teachers, then came both golden and wooden Images. It is further said, why may not we paint Christ in our churches with colours, as with wordes in sermons? Ans. The one, the Lord alloweth, namely, the description of Christ in speach. But the caruing or painting of images in churches, and that for religious vse, he condemneth. Exod. 20. 6.

The second question is, Whether there be now in the church of God, any sacrifice or oblation of Christ? Ans. There is after a sort. For there is a liuely representation of the passion of Christ, in the Preaching of the word, and in the administration of the Lords supper, as if Christ were yet in crucifying, and as though his blood were now distilling from his hands, & sides. As for the sacrifice of the Masse, it is an abomination, and a meere mockerie. For there the Priest, when he saith, Accept these gifts, &c. is become a Mediatour, betweene Christ and God: and the bodie and blood of Christ is offered in an vnbloodie manner; that is, blood is offered without blood: and the Priest, when he hath offered Christ, eates vp all that he hath offered. Yet for this damnable oblation many stand: and the reason is; because they are bewitched, and inchanted with pretended shewes of Fathers, Councells, Antiquitie, Succession, &c.

Lastly, here we learne, what is the dutie of all beleeuers; namely, to behold Christ crucified. Cant. 3. 11. O daughters of Sion, behold your king. But where must we behold him? Not in Roodes, and Crucifixes, after the Popish manner; but we must looke on him, as he propounds himselfe vnto vs in the word, and sacraments. For thus is he the true obiect of our faith. And how must we behold him? by the eye of faith, which makes vs both see him, & feele him, (as it were) crucified in vs. Here note, that implicit faith, (which is to beleeue as the Church beleeues,) is a blind faith: for by it we cannot contemplate and behold Christ. And the common fault is here to be noted, whereby men neglect and passe by this contemplation of Christ. There is among vs the euill eye that deuoureth all it seeth: there is the adulterous eye: but where is the eye of faith to behold Christ? where is the force of this eye to be seēe which maketh the thing which it beholdeth to be ours, and vs like vnto it? We loue to tricke and paint our bodies, and some to set fine complexions on their faces (and therefore complexions at this day are made a kind of marchandise) but away with such vanities. If ye loue to be painted: I will tell you what ye shall doe. The office of the Ministers is to describe, and paint out Christ vnto vs: let them paint Christ crucified in the heart, and set vp his image there, and then shalt thou haue a fauourable complexion in the eye both of God, and man.

That this contemplation of Christ by faith, may take more place, and be the better practised, consider the vse of it. First, by beholding Christ crucified, we see our miserie and wickednes. For our sinnes are the swords, and speares which haue crucified him. Zach. 12. 10. Secondly, this sight brings vs true and liuely comfort: for beholding Christ crucified, we see Paradise as it were in the midst of hell: we see the handwriting against vs, cancelled, Coloss. 2. 14. we see the remission of our sinnes, written with the heart blood of Christ, and sealed with the same. Thirdly, this sight of Christ makes a vniuersall chaunge of vs. The Camelion takes to it the colours of the things which it seeth, and are neere vnto it: and the beleeuing heart takes to, it the disposition, and minde that was in Christ crucified, by viewing, and beholding of Christ. This sight makes vs mourne and bleede in our hearts for our offences, when we consider, that Christ was crucified for them: and it makes vs loue Christ, when we consider the loue of God in Christ crucified.

Lastly, this thing must be a terrour to all the vngodly. For they haue no care to behold Christ, but by their leud liues they crucifie him: and for this cause in the day of iudgement, they shall see with heauie hearts, Christ to be their iudge whome they haue pearced. Reuel. 1. 7. Better therefore it is, now in the day of grace to behold him with the eye of faith to our comfort, then now to despise him, and then to behold him to our euerlasting shame, with the eye of confusion.