Galatians 3:2–3

The sense of the words. When Paul saith, this would I learne of you, he meets with the conceit of the Galatians, who thought themselues wise: and the effect of his speech is this: I haue called you fooles: but it may be, that you thinke your selues wise, and me foolish: well, let it be so: then with all your wisdome teach me, and let me learne but one thing: and that is, by what meanes ye receiued the Spirit. Touching the phrase, Receiued ye the Spirit, three things must be obserued. The first, that the Spirit sometimes signifies the essentiall spirit of the Father and the Sonne, as 1. Cor. 12. 4. There is a diuersitie of gifts, but one spirit. Sometimes againe, it signifies the effects, operations, or gifts of the spirit, as namely when flesh and spirit are opposed; as in this text. And further, when it signifies gifts, yet then the presence of the spirit is not excluded, 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 argument, 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 the multitude among vs, place their religion, in comming to the Church, in outward hearing, in receiuing the sacrament, in some kind of formall praying. These things may not be condemned, but the power and life of religion lies not in these things. Wherefore we must not stand vpon outward & painted shewes: but looke what thou art betweene God, and thy selfe; that onely art thou in religion. Thou praiest in the church: but thou maist deceiue the world in this. Tell me, dost thou pray at home? dost thou pray in thine owne heart vnto God, by the spirit of praier? then thou praiest indeede. If thou canst approoue thy heart vnto God for any act of religion, then is it done indeede, els not. Remember this.

Furthermore, Paul here teacheth that our after proceedings in religion, must be answerable to our first beginnings in the spirit. And hence we may be aduertised of many things. First, here we must take notice of the follie of Popish religion. For it beginnes in Gods mercie, and the merit of Christ: and it ends in our merits and satisfactions. Secondly, we must take notice of the common sinne of our times. For in the practise of our religion we are deceiued. We are not now that which we haue bin twentie or thirtie yeares agoe. For now we see the world abounds with Atheists, Epicures, libertines, worldlings, newters, that are of no religion: and sundrie that haue heretofore shewed some forwardnes, beginne to faulter, and stagger, and to looke an other way. This is not to begin and ende in the spirit: but to end in the flesh. We are betime to amend this fault, least if our former zeale be turned to present lukewarmes, God in in his anger spue vs out.

Yong men must here be aduertised as they grow in yeares and stature, so to grow vp in good things, that both the first beginning, and the after proceedings may be in the spirit. Thus did Christ increase in grace, as he increased in stature.

Lastly, aged persons that haue begunne in the spirit, must looke that they grow vp in the graces of the spirit more then others, that they may end in the spirit. It is said of the angel of Thiatira, that his loue, seruice, and workes, were moe at the last, then at the first, Reu. 2. 19. the same should be saide of all aged persons. They which are planted in the house of God, bring forth fruit in their old age. Psal. 91. 16. It is the commendation of the old man, that by reason of his manifold experience, he knowes the father more then others. 1. Ioh. 2. 14. It is the praise of Anna, that shee continually serued God in fasting and praier beeing 80. yeares old. When the outward man decaies, the inward man should be renewed. I speake all this the rather, because aged persons are much wanting in this dutie. For none commonly are so ignorant in the things of God as they: they begin in the spirit, but the affections of their hearts vsually end in the loue of this present world. But they must be warned, that as they goe before others in age, so must they also exceede in the graces of the spirit. We vse to say of children, God make them good old men: and it is well said. An old man is to be regarded: but specially, a Good old man, who is more to be respected then twentie of younger yeares. Now aged persons when they grow in age, and not in the spirit, they loose their honour, for age is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of righteousnes. Prov. 16. 31. Let them therefore pray with Dauid, Forsake me not, O Lord, in mine old age. Psal. 71. 9.