Galatians 4:19–20

Paul hath said before, that his iealousie ouer the Galatians was good: because it was in a good cause, and it was constant, not only in his presence, but euen in his absence: and this he declares here by two signes: his loue now in his absence, in the 19. verse, and his desire in the second verse.

The word, ὠδίνω, translated, I trauel in birth, signifies not only, the trauel of the woman at the birth of the child, but also the painefull bearing thereof, before the birth. And the words haue this sense, O ye Galatians, once heretofore I bare and brought you forth, when I first preached Christ vnto you: and because now ye are reuolted from my doctrine, I am constrained once againe to beare you, and to trauell with you in my Ministerie, till by the operation of the Holy Ghost, the right knowledge, and the true image of Christ defaced by the false Apostles, be once againe reformed and restored.

In these words (my little children) Paul takes to him the condition of a mother, and he signifies his most tender and motherly affection to the Galatians. It is the fashion of mothers, when their children prosper and doe well, to reioyce, when they are sicke, or die, to mourne exceedingly, and to be mooued with pitie and compassion. The Galatians deserued no loue at Pauls hand: for their Apostasie was very foule: yet because there were some good things remaining in them, and there was hope of recouerie, he inlargeth his bowels towards them, and shewes his loue with compassion. If this be the case with Paul, then great is the loue and compassion of God to his children. If the child be sicke, and froward, the mother doth not cast it forth of the dores, but shee tenders it, and carefully lookes vnto it: much more then will the Lord haue pittie and compassion. Here then a maine comfort is to be remembred: if we be of the number of them that beleeue in Christ, haung vice, & hauing a care to please God, our weakenesses and falls of weakenesse, doe not abolish the mercie of God, but are occasions to illustrate the same. The weekenesse of the chide stirs vp compassion in the mother: and Dauid saith, as a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him: and marke the reason: for he knowes our frame, & that we are but dust. Psal. 103. 14.

When Paul saith, I trauell, he signifies the measure of his Ministeriall paines, that they were as the trauell of a woman with child: and this he shewes plainely in the particulars, 2. Cor. 11. 23. Elias, that was sent in his time to restore religion, was at length so wearied in this businesse, that he desired the Lord to take him out of the world, 1. King. 19. 4. The paines of the prophet Isai, made him crie, My leannes, my leannes; & Ieremie cries, my bellie my bellie: signifying that his griefes and his paines in the Ministerie, were as the paine of the Colicke. By this we see, that they haue much to answer for before God, that are in this calling, and yet take little or no paines therein. And that they which take the most paines, come farre short of their dutie.

Againe, when he saith, I trauell, he signifies the dignitie of the ministerie, that it is an instrument appointed of God for the worke of regeneration: for Paul compares himselfe to a woman in trauell, and the worke of his ministerie, to the trauell it selfe, whereby children are borne to God. This serues very well to stoppe their mouthes, that condemne the vocall and externall ministerie.

When he saith, I trauell againe, he teacheth, that if men fall after their first initiall repentance, there is still a possibilitie of mercie, and place for a second repentance. We must forgiue till seaventie seauen times, Mat. 18. 22. Much more will god doe it. The parable of the prodigall son shewes, that they which fall frō God after their calling and first conuersion, may againe by newe repentance be recouered.

An obiection: Pauls second trauell presupposeth a second regeneration in the Galatians: and if they are borne againe the second time, then in their Apostasie they fell wholly from god. Answ. When Paul saith, J trauell againe, he doth not presuppose any second spirituall generation: for the child of God is but once begotten to the Lord, and Paul here calls the Galatians; little children, because euen in the time of their fall, the seede of God still remained in their hearts. And because the image of Christ was againe to be reformed and restored in the Galatians, in this respect he saith, I trauell againe of you.

The end of Pauls ministerie is expressed in the words, till Christ be formed in you: that is, till (as it were) the counterfeit or image of Christ be stamped and imprinted in your hearts. This image hath two parts. The first is, a Right knowledge of Christ in respect of his natures and offices, as they are set forth in the word. This knowledge was defaced in the Galatians, when they ioyned workes with Christ: for then they made him to be an imperfect Sauiour. The second part of this image, is a Conformitie with Christ, Rom. 8. 29. It is twofold, conformitie in qualitie, and conformitie in practise.

Conformitie in qualitie is againe twofold. The first is a Conformitie to the death of Christ, when the vertue thereof works in vs a death of sinne, and when we suffer as Christ suffered, in silence, contentation, obedience, subiecting our selues to the will of God. The second is, a conformitie to the resurrection or life of Christ, and that is, when we liue not onely a naturall, but also a spirituall life, which is, to submit our selues to be ruled by the word and spirit of Christ.

Conformitie in practise is, when we carrie ourselues as Prophets in the confession of the name of Christ, in teaching, exhorting, and admonishing one another: as Priests to offer our bodies and soules in sacrifice to God: as spiritual kings, bearing sway ouer the lusts and corruptions of our own hearts. And thus is Christ to be framed in the hearts of men.

The vse. Here we see, the end of all preaching, is to make sinnefull men to become new creatures, like vnto Christ: this is the drift of the ministerie: and the doctrine that tends to this purpose, is sound and wholesome.

Againe, here we see, that in the new Testament, there is but one rule and order for all men, and that is the rule of Christ, Take vp thy crosse and follow me: and for this cause the Ministerie serues to frame Christ in the hearts of all beleeuers: Therefore the seuerall rules and orders of Monkes and Friars in the Church of Rome, are meere superstitions.

Furthermore, Paul here makes two degrees of Gods children; one is, when they are begotten of God, and Christ is formed in them. The second is, when they are begotten of God, yet so, as they are as yet vnformed. Such were the Apostles when they confessed Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God, Math. 16. for then they knewe not the article of Christs death, resurrection, ascension, at that time, nor the manner of his kingdome. Of this sort was Rahab, when shee receiued the spies, Heb. 11. for then shee was not informed in the religion of the Iewes, but only acknowledged the God of Israel to be the true God, and had a resolution to ioyne her selfe to the people of God. Of this sort were the Corinthians at the first. For they were carnall more then spirituall, euen babes in Christ, 1. Cor. 3. 3. This must teach vs, where we see any good thing in men, to cherish it. For though as yet they be not Christians formed, yet they may be Christians in forming.

When Paul saith, vntill Christ be formed, he shewes that the conuersion of a sinner is not wrought in one moment, but by little and little, in processe of time. In the generation of infants, first the braine, heart, and liuer are framed: then the bones, veines, arteries, nerues, membranes: and after this, flesh is added. And the infant first begins to liue the life of a plant, by growing and nourishing: then it liues the life of a beast, by sense and motion: and thirdly, the life of a man, by the vse of reason. Euen so God outwardly preuents vs with his word, and inwardly he puts into vs knowledge of his wil, with the beginnings or seeds of faith and repentance, as it were a braine and a heart: from these beginnings of faith and repentance, arise heauenly desires: from these desires follows asking, seeking, knocking: and thus the beginnings of faith are increased, and men goe on from grace to grace, till they be tall men in Christ. And for this cause, we must with constancy vse the good means, in hearing, reading, praying.

Lastly, we are all here put in minde to studie, and to vse all good meanes, that we may be like to Christ, specially in the disposition of the inward man. There is a spirituall madnesse in the mindes of many men: they thinke of nothing but of the fashion of their apparell, and of the trimming of their bodies: but let vs thinke how to imprint the gratious image of Christ in our hearts: thus shall we be louely, and haue fauour in the eyes of God.

Thus much of Pauls loue: now follows his desire in the 20. verse. In which I consider three things: the desire it selfe, I would J were with you now: the ende of his desire, that I might change my voice: the occasion thereof, for I am in doubt of you.

When Paul saith, I would I were with you now, he shewes, that the presence of Pastours with their people, is a thing most necessarie. And there are two reasons thereof. One is, to preuent spirituall daungers, which are manifold and continuall, in that the deuill seekes continually whome he may deuoure: and we fight against principalities and powers in heauenly things. In this respect Pastours are called watchmen, and ouerseers. Secondly, the presence of Pastours with their people, serues to redresse things amisse, and to recouer them that be in Apostasie: as Paul saith in this place. Therefore it were to be wished that this mind of Paul were in all Pastours, that with one consent they might say to their people, I would I were with you now:

In the words, [that I might change my voice] Paul continues the allusion (which he made in the former verse) to a woman with child: and hereby he signifies two things. The first is, that he will leaue further disputing with the Galatians, and fall to lamenting and crying, as mothers doe in the time of their trauell, by reason of their paine. This is to change the voice. It was the manner of Paul to abase himselfe, and to mourne for the sinnes of others, 2. Cor. 12. 24. and he reprooues the Corinthians that they were puffed vp, and did not mourne for the incestuous person. Like was the practise of Dauid, Psal. 119. 136. of Lot. 2. Pet. 2. 7. of Ieremie, Lam. 2. 11. of the friends of Iob, Iob 2. last. of the godly in the daies of Ezechiel. c. 9. 4. of Christ in respect of Ierusalem, Luk. 19. 41. And it hath bin alwaies the practise of holy men, when there was no other helpe, with tears to commend the case to God.

If sorrow for other mens offences make Paul change his voice, much more are men to doe it for their owne. Peter, in his repentance left his presumptuous speaking, and fell to bitter and secret teares: and so did the woman that stood at the feete of Christ weeping, and washed his feete with her teares, Luk. 7. 38. The like ought we to doe for our offences and sinnes. The earth-quake this winter past, must stirre vs vp to this dutie. For it is a matter full of terrour, 1. Sam. 14. 15. and the sicknesse which hath taken hold of thousands as a gentle warning must be respected. And it must be considered, that the changes of the great world bring with them like changes in the little world, that is, in the bodies of men.

Againe, to change the voice, is to conferre with the Galatians, and vpon conference to temper his voice to their manners and condition, as nources stammer and lispe with children. For some are with pitie to be recouered: and some with terrour. Iud. 22. 23. Hence I gather,

That the Conference of Pastours and people, is a thing very necessarie. Paul here ascribes more to it then to his Epistle. It is the life of preaching. For by it the teachers know better what to teach, and the people better to conceiue things that are taught. Here then we see a common fault. Men are content to heare, but they will not conferre with their teachers: and in the time of sicknesse, the first person that is conferred with, is the Physitian: and the Minister is last sent for: whereas on the contrarie, the cure of the soule is the cure of the bodie. Iob 33. 23. 25.

Againe, here is set downe the way to attaine all good learning: and that is, that learners be present with their teachers: and the teachers againe temper their voices to the capacitie of the learners. Thus Samuel was with Eli at the dore of the Tabernacle: thus Christ was in the Temple among the doctours hearing them and asking them questions. Luk. 2. 44.

Thirdly, Paul here sets downe the way to make a pacification for religion in these last daies: and the way is, that the Pastours of the Church be assembled together by the authoritie of Princes: and beeing assembled, they temper their voices one to another according to the written word. Thus may they that lic now vnder the Apostasie of Antichrist, be recouered, Act. 15. 6. And the promise of God is, that when two or three come together in his name, he will be with them. Matth. 18.

Lastly, the Ministers (as here we see) are to temper their gifts and speach to the condition of their hearers. The Corinthians were babes in Christ, and Paul feedes them with milke. 1. Cor. 3. 3. to the Iew he became a Iew, to the Gentile a Gentile, that he might winne some. 1. Cor. 9. 18. For this cause it were to be wished, that Catechising were more vsed then it is of our Ministers. For our people are for the most part rude and vncatechised: and therefore they profit little or nothing by sermons. A sermon to such persons is like a great loafe set before a child. And it is no disgrace for learned Ministers, in plaine and familiar manner to catechise: for this is to lay the foundation, without which all labour in building is in vaine. Againe, our ignorant people should be content euen in their old age to learne the catechisme: for by reason of their ignorance, they lie as a pray to the Atheist and Papist: and in much hearing, they learne little; because they know not the grounds of doctrine that are vsually in all sermons. And it is a fault in many that they loue to heare sermons, which are beyond their reach, in which they stand and wonder at the Preacher: and plaine preaching is little respected of such.

The occasion of Pauls desire is in these words, I doubt of you, or thus, I am in perplexitie for you: and this Paul speakes as a mother in some dangerous extremitie, in the time of her trauel; as Rachel was in the birth of Benjamin, Gen. 35. And the words carrie this sense, I am troubled for your recouerie; and I feare it will neuer be.

Here we learne, how daungerous a thing it is to fall from grace, though it be but in part. For a man cannot recouer himselfe when he will. We doe not the good we can, vnlesse God make vs doe it. Ezech. 36. 27. Cant. 1. 4. Ier. 31. 29. Therefore it is an Errour to thinke that we may repent and turne to God when we will, as many suppose. And this must be a warning vnto vs to preserue the good things that God hath put into vs, and not to quench the spirit.

And though Paul doubt of the recouerie of the Galatians, yet he spares not to send his Epistle to them, and to vse meanes. And thus in desperate cases, we must vse the best meanes and leaue the successe to God. Thus the Israelites when there was no other helpe, went into the sea, as into their death bedde, or graue, by faith staying themselues on the promise of god. Heb. 11. 29. 2. Chron. 20. 12.

That which Paul here saith, may be saide of many among vs in whome Christ is not yet framed, whether we respect knowledge, or good life: for they giue iust occasion of doubting whether they will euer turne to God or no.