Galatians 4:27

These words are the testimonie of the Prophet Isa, c. 54. 1. and they are brought to prooue that which Paul said in the former verse, that the Catholike Church is the Mother of vs all, that is, not onely of the Iewes, but also of all beleeuing Gentiles.

In the words, I consider the preface to the Testimonie, and the testimonie it selfe. The preface, It is written: where two points are to be considered. The first is, who saith, Jt is written? Ans. The Apostle Paul, whose authoritie was diuine, and infallible, because he was led into all truth by the spirit of God, so as he could not erre in deliuering doctrine to the church. And yet for all this he followes the rule of the written word. And his manner was so to doe. Act. 26. 22. This shewes the shamelesse impudencie of the church of Rome, which takes to it selfe an absolute power of iudgement in all matters, without, and beside the scripture, yea a power to iudge of the scripture it selfe and of the sense thereof, without the helpe of scripture, vpon a supposed infallible assistance of the spirit.

The second point is, In what question saith Paul, It is written? Ans. In a controuersie betweene him and the false Apostles, touching the iustification of a sinner. This shewes that the scripture it selfe is the meanes to determine and decide controuersies. There was for this purpose in the old Testament, the liuely voice of God vttered in the Oracle at the Mercie seat: but in the new Testament there is no such voice of God, but the written word is in stead thereof, to the ende of the world. And therefore Paul saith, It is written.

In the testimonie, I consider three things, the condition of two Churches, the change of the condition, the ioy that is vpon the change.

The condition of the Church of the new Testament, in these words, Barren that bearest no children: thou that trauelest not: the desolate.

Barren] The Christian Church is so called, because by the vertue and strength of nature, it beares no children to God, no more then Sara did to Abraham, Ioh. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 3. 7. Secondly, it is so called in respect of the beginning thereof, when the Iewish church was yet standing, till the spirit of God was powred forth vpon all flesh, after the ascension of Christ: and before this, the number of them which were conuerted to God, was very small: and therefore Christ himselfe complained that he spent his strength in vaine, Isai, 49. 1. Thirdly, it is so called in respect of the latter times of the church, in which Christ shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth, Luk. 18. 8. Further that the church is barren, it is declared by the signe, because she neither brings forth child, nor beares.

Desolate] that is, without husband in appearance, by reason of the crosse and affliction, and without children: because at the first the christian church was constrained to hide herselfe in the wildernesse. Reuel. 12. 14. It may be demanded howe the catholike church should be desolate? Answ. The estate of the church is twofold: inward, or outward. The inward estate stands in the true knowledge of God in Christ, in comfort touching remission of sinnes, and life euerlasting, in the hearing of our praiers, in protection and deliuerance from all spirituall enemies, in the gifts of the spirit, faith, hope, loue, &c. In respect of this estate, the church is all glorious within, and neuer desolate. Psal. 45. 13. The outward estate of the Catholike church, stands in visible assemblies, in the publike Ministerie of the word, and sacraments, in a gouernment according to the word of God. In respect of this second estate, the Church may be in desolation. This was the condition of the Church in paradise vpon the fall of our first parents, of the Israelites at Mount Horeb, when they worshipped the golden calfe, and in the daies of Elias, Rom. 11. 3. and afterward, 2. Chron. 15. 3. When Christ suffered the sheapheard was smitten, and the sheepe were scattered. After Christs ascension all the earth worshipped the beast, Reu 13. 12.

Hence it followes, that the Catholike church is not a visible estate or companie of men vnder one visible head: because in respect of her outward estate shee may be for a time in desolation. And as this is the estate of the church, so is it also of the mēbers thereof. They shall be hated of all men, Luk. 21. 17. Men shall thinke they doe God good seruice, when they kill them. Ioh. 16. 2. And Christ himselfe was a man without forme, or beautie. Isai. 53. 2.

Hauing an husband] in these wordes the condition of the Iewish church is set forth, that shee is married or espoused to God, who is her husband. Ezech. 16. 8, 9. Ose. 2. 19. The like may be said of any other church, and namely of the church of England. The vse.

This must teach vs, to dedicate our bodies and soules to God and Christ, and to giue the maine affections of our hearts vnto him, as our loue, and our ioy, &c.

Secondly, we must adorne and trimme our selues with grace, that we may please our husband. Psal. 45. 12.

Thirdly, we must be the glory of Christ, as the wife is to her husband, 1. Cor. 11. 7. and that is by subiecting our selues to Christ, and his lawes.

Againe, if we betroath our selues to Christ indeed, we may assure our selues that Christ is our Christ, and that he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs: and consequently, that he will sanctifie vs, Ezech. 16. 9. protect vs as an husband doeth his wife, Gen. 20. 16. and indowe vs with all things needfull for this life, and the life to come, Ezech. 16. 10, 11.

The second point is the change of the church of the newe Testament, because shee shall cease to be barren, and bring forth many children. This is the promise of God: and hereupon Paul concludes, that the church is a mother of all beleeuers, both Iewes and Gentiles. Obserue, that the promise of God is of infinite vertue in his time and place. In the beginning God said, let there be this or that, and it was so. Of like vertue is Gods promise, if we can waite his leisure. God promised that after 430. yeares, the Israelites should be deliuered out of Egypt, presently when the time was expired, nothing could hinder the promise. Read Exod. 12. 41. Therefore our dutie is, to rest on Gods promises in all times, both in life and death.

The third point is the ioy vpon the change. Reioyce. Here are two things to be considered. The first, who must reioyce? Answ. The church. Gods kingdome is the place of ioy. Rom. 14. 17. Reioycing belongs to the people of God, Psal. 68. 3. & 106. 5. The musicke of the Temple was typicall, and figured the ioy of the Catholike Church, where is the assurance of remission of sinnes, and life eternall.

The second point is, in what must the church reioyce? Ans. In the redemption of Christ and the fruit thereof, the conuersion of sinners to god. For the prophet had shewed at large the passion and sufferings of Christ: Isai, 53. and hereupon he saith, Reioyce thou barren. The Israelites were commanded to feast and to be merrie before the Lord, Leuit. 23. 40. 1. Chron. 29. 32. that is, before the Lords Arke, which was the pledge of his presence. Now this Arke was a figure of Christ: and the myrth before the Arke, signified, that the foundation of all our ioy, lies in our Reconciliation with God in Christ. The angels in heauen greatly reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner: and at the returne of the prodigall sonne, the fat calfe is killed.

The vse. It is false that religion breeds Melancholie, and cuts of all mirth. It doeth not abolish mirth, but rectifie it: nay it brings men to true and perfect ioy.

Our first and principall ioy must be, that we are in Gods fauour, reconciled to God by Christ, Luk. 10. 20. In Dauid, the head of his ioy, was the good estate of the church, Psal. 137 6. And all other pettie ioyes must flow from this, and be sutable to it.

Breake forth] this signifies, that the church vpon earth is (as it were) pent in, with present greife. Our ioy in this life is mixed with sorrow. The paschall lambe was eaten with sowre hearbes, to signifie, that we feele no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ, till we feele the smart of our sinnes. We here must reioyce in trembling, Psal. 2. 11. Ioy is sowne for them that are vpright in heart, Psal. 97. 12.

Crie] in our earthly ioyes, we must be moderate and sparing: we must not eate to much hony least we surfet. Yet in spirituall ioyes the measure is to reioice without measure, if we be rauished with ioy in Christ, that we crie againe, it is the best of all.