Galatians 5:1

CHAP. V.

THese words, are repetition of the principall Conclusion of the whole Epistle. Which was on this manner: I Paul am called to teach, and my doctrine is true: therefore ye did euill to depart from it, and your dutie was to haue stood vnto it.

Further, they are collected and inferred vpon the conclusion of the last argument vsed in the last chapter, thus: Ye are children of the freewoman: and therefore ye are free: and therefore ye should hold fast your libertie.

In the words, two maine points of doctrine are propounded. The first is, that by nature we are all intangled with the yoke of bondage. For the better conceiuing of this, I will handle three points, the nature of this bondage, the signe of it, and the vse.

Touching the nature of it. Our spirituall bondage stands in three things. The first, is bondage vnder sinne, which Paul teacheth when he saith, I am carnall sold vnder sinne. Rom. 7. 14. Here remember, that by sinne, is meant Originall sinne, which hath two parts: Guiltines in the first offence of Adam, which is imputed to all mankind; and the disposition of all the powers of the soule to all manner of euill whatsoeuer. And this rebellious disposition is like a leprosie infecting the whole man: and it raignes like a tyrant ouer the soule of man, by tempting, intising, and drawing him from one actuall sinne to another, so as he can doe nothing but sinne. Iam. 1. 14.

The second thing, is obligation or subiection to all punishment both temporall and eternall. And it hath three parts. The first is, Bondage vnder Satan, who keepes vnrepentant sinners in his snare according to his owne will, 2. Tim. 2. 26. he rules in their hearts like a God, 2. Cor. 4. 4. and hath power to blinde them, and to harden their hearts, till he haue brought them to eternall death. Heb. 2. 14. The second is, bondage vnder an euill conscience, which sits in the hearts of offendours as an accuser and a terrible iudge, and lies like a wild beast at a mans dore, readie euer and anon to plucke out his throat. Gen. 4. 7. The third is, bondage vnder the wrath of God, and the feare of eternall death. Heb. 2. 15.

The third part of this bondage, is the obligation to the ceremoniall law. It pertaines not to all mankind, but onely concernes the Iewes, to whome it was a yoke of bondage. Act. 15.

The signe of this bondage, whereby it may be discerned, is to keepe a course or practise in sinning. Ioh. 8. 34. He that commits sinne, is a seruant of sinne: or againe, a life led according to the custome and fashion of this world in the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eye, (which is couetousnes,) or in the pride of life. Eph. 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 2. 16.

The vse. We must learne to see, feele, acknowledge, and bewaile this bondage in our selues. Deliuerance belongs onely to such captiues, as know themselues to be captiues, Luk. 4. 18. and labour vnder this bondage, Matth. 11. 28. Thus did Paul when he saith, I am sold vnder sinne: and, O miserable man, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death. To feele this bondage, is a steppe out of it: and not to feele it, is to be plunged into it.

Secondly, we must pray earnestly for deliuerance. The dumme creatures sigh and trauell till they be deliuered from their bondage: much more then must we doe it. Rom. 8. 22.

Thirdly, we must learne to detest whatsoeuer is of our selues: because it wholly tends to bondage.

Lastly, we must be content with any affliction that God laies on vs, though it be lingring sicknes, pouertie, imprisonment, banishment. For God might worthely lay on vs all shame and confusion: because we are by nature slaues of sinne and Satan.

The second maine doctrine is, that by grace there is a libertie pertaining to the people of God. Here I consider foure things: 1. what this libertie is. 2. the author of it. 3. the persons to whome it belongs. 4. our dutie touching this libertie.

For the first: Christian libertie is called, the Good, or commoditie of Christians. Rom. 14. 16.

It is a spirituall Right or condition, lost by Adam, and restored by Christ. I say spirituall, because it pertaines to the conscience. The vse indeede of our libertie is in outward things, as meate, drinke, apparell, &c. but the libertie it selfe is in the conscience. And thus it differs from ciuill libertie, which stands in the moouing of the bodie, in the choise of bodily actions, and in the free vse of our goods.

Christian libertie hath two parts, a Deliuerance from miserie, and Freedome in good things.

Deliuerance hath foure parts. The first, is a Deliuerance from the curse of the law for the breach thereof. Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. And this comes to passe: because there is a translation made of the curse from our persons to the person of Christ. Gal. 3. 13.

The second deliuerance is from the obligation of the law whereby it binds vs to bring perfect righteousnes in our owne persons for the attainment of euerlasting life, according to the tenour thereof, Doe this, and liue. And this deliuerance is procured, because there is a translation made of the fulfilling of the law from our persons to the person of our Sauiour Christ.

From these two deliuerances ariseth the Pacification of the conscience, partly for our Iustification, and partly for our conuersation.

Touching iustification: A sinner in his humiliation and conuersion hath by this doctrine a Libertie without respect to his owne workes, or to his owne fulfilling of the law, to rest on the meere mercie of God for the forgiuenes of his sinnes, and the saluation of his soule, and to appeale from the throne of diuine iustice, to the throne of grace, and to oppose the merit of Christ against the wrath and iudgement of God. And this hath bin alwaies the helpe of the godly in their distresse. Read 2. Chron. 33. 12. Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Psal. 32. 31. 130. 143. Consider the example of the Publican, and the Prodigall sonne, who condemne themselues, and make their appeale to the court of mercie and grace.

Here some man may say, how shall I know that I am freed from the rigour of the law, and from the curse thereof? Ans. Thou must first set thy selfe at the barre of Gods iudgement: and there must thou arraigne, accuse, and condemne thy selfe: this done, thou must vse thy libertie, and make thine appeale to Gods mercie and grace for pardon, by asking, seeking, knocking: and thus at length shalt thou be resolued touching thy deliuerance.

Moreouer, touching conuersation, our consciences are setled thus: In that we are freed from the Rigour of the law, God in mercie accepts the will and indeauour to beleeue, repent, and obay, for faith, repentance, and obedience. He spares them that feare him, as a father spares his child when he indeauours to doe that which he can. Mal. 3. 17. The law requires perfect obedience at our hands: yet God of his mercie lookes more at the will to obay, then the perfection of obedience. This must be a stay to our mindes, when we see more corruption, then grace in our selues, and our obedience tainted with many spots of disobedience.

The third Deliuerance, is from the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law of Moses. Col. 2. 16. And hence ariseth an other deliuerance from the bondage of humane Traditions, as Paul saith, If yee be dead with Christ from the Elements of the world, why are ye burdened with traditions? Col. 2. 20.

The fourth Deliuerance, is from vnder the tyrannie and dominion of sinne. Rom. 6. 14. Let not sinne haue dominion ouer you. For ye are not vnder the law, but vnder grace. In the first tonuersion of a sinner, Originall sinne receiues his deadly wound, and the dominion thereof is diminished according to the measure of grace receiued.

The second part of Christian libertie, is a Freedome in good things: and it is fourefold. The first, is a freedome in the voluntarie seruice of God. Luk. 1. 74. We are deliuered from our enemies, that we may serue God in righteousnes and holines before him all the daies of our liues without feare. Paul saith, that the law is not giuen to the righteous man, 1. Tim. 1. 9. because he is a law to himselfe, and freely does good duties, as if there were no law to bind him. The cause of this freedome, is the Gift and donation of the free spirit of God. Therefore Dauid praies, Stablish me with thy free spirit. Psal. 5. 1. And Paul saith, Where the spirit is, there is libertie. 2. Cor. 3. 17. And, The spirit of life which is in Christ (is a Law to vs, and) frees vs from the power of sinne, and death. Rom. 8. 2.

It may be obiected, that this freedome in the voluntarie seruice of God, is bondage. For Christ saith, Matth. 11. 29. Take my yoke vpon you. And we are as straightly bound to the obedience of the law of God, as Adam was by creation, nay more straightly, by reason of our redemption by Christ. Ans. The more we are bound to obedience, the freer we are: because the seruice of God is not bondage, but perfect libertie.

The second freedome, is in the free vse of all the creatures of God. Tit. 1. 15. To the pure, all things are pure. Rom. 14. 14. And the reason is, because the dominion ouer the creatures; lost by Adam, is restored by Christ. 1. Cor. 3. 22. And hence it is, that Paul calls the forbidding of marriage, and of meates, with obligation of conscience, a doctrine of deuills. 1. Tim. 4. 1.

The third freedome, is a Libertie to come vnto God the father in the name of Christ, and in praier to be heard. Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12. Whereas according to our naturall condition, our sinnes are a wall of partition betweene vs and God, and cause vs to flie from the presence of God: and though we crie vnto God, and fill heauen and earth with our cries, so long as we are in our sinnes, we are not heard of him.

The fourth freedome, is a Libertie to enter into heauen in the day of our death: Christ by his blood hauing made a way. Heb. 10. 19.

Thus we see what Christian libertie is. The vse followes. The Anabaptists gather hence, that among Christians there must be Magistrates, they must haue power to make lawes beside the lawes of God: but this power they haue not, because Christians haue a free vse of all the creatures of God by Christian libertie. Ans. We must distinguish betweene the libertie it selfe, and the vse of it. And the Magistrates authoritie deales not with the libertie which is in the conscience, but with the vse of it: and he doth neither diminish nor abolish the vse of any of the creatures, but restraines the abuse, and moderates the ouer common vse for the common good. Thus Magistracie and Christian libertie may stand together: and the rather, because libertie is in conscience, and the Magistrates authoritie pertaines to the bodie.

Here is further, comfort for all the godly: for euen by Christian libertie, their consciences are exempted from the power of all creatures, men, and Angels. 1. Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a prise, be not seruants of men, that is, let not your hearts and consciences stand in subiection to the will of any man. Here then falls to the ground the Opinion of the Papists, namely, that the lawes and Traditions of the Church bind conscience as truly and certenly as the word of God. This doctrine is not of God, because it is against Christian libertie.

Obiect. I. Rom. 13. 5. Be subiect to the higher powers for conscience. Ans. Conscience here is not in respect of the lawes of the Magistrate, but in respect of the law of God, that binds vs in conscience to obay the law of the Magistrate.

Obiect. II. Heb. 13. 17. Obay them that haue the ouersight of you, and be subiect. Ans. We must be subiect to them: because as Ministers of God, they deliuer the word of God in the name of God vnto vs, and that word binds conscience. Againe, the lawes which they make touching order and comelines in the seruice of God, are to be obaied for the auoiding of scandall and contempt.

Obiect. III. A thing indifferent vpon the commandement of the Magistrate, becomes necessarie. Ans. It is true. But it must be obserued, that necessitie is twofold, Externall, internall. And the law of the Magistrate makes a thing indifferent to be necessarie onely in respect of externall necessitie, for the auoiding of the contempt of authoritie, and for the auoiding of scandall. Otherwise the thing in it selfe is not necessarie, but remaines still indifferent, and may be vsed or not vsed, if contempt and scandall be auoided. The Apostles made a law that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and blood, and things offered to Idols, Act. 15. 28. yet Paul saith afterward to the Corinthians, All things are lawfull, 1. Cor. 10. 23. and whatsoeuer is sold in the shambles eate, and make no question for conscience sake, v. 25. because their intent was not, that the law should simply binde, but onely in the case of offence: and therefore where there was no offence to be seared, they leaue all men to their libertie.

Againe, here is an other comfort to all that beleeue in Christ, that nothing can hurt them, and that no euill can befall them, Psal. 91. v. 10. nay all things shall in the ende turne to their good, though in reason and sense, they seeme hurtfull. To beleeue this one thing, is a ground of all true comfort.

The consideration of this benefit of Christian libertie, teacheth three duties. The first is, from our hearts, to imbrace, loue, and maintaine Christian religion: because it is the meanes of this libertie. The second is, carefully to search the scriptures: for they are as it were the Charter in which our liberties are contained. Thirdly, our Christian libertie puts vs in minde to become vnfained seruants of God in the duties of faith, repentance, newe obedience. Rom. 6. 22. For this seruice is our libertie.

The second point is, touching the Author of this libertie, in these words, wherewith Christ hath made vs free. Christ then is the worker of this libertie. Ioh. 8. 36. he dissolues the works of the deuill. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. he binds the strong man and casts him out of his hold. Matth. 12. 29.

He procures this libertie by two meanes, by his merit, and by the efficacie of his spirit. The merit of his death, procures deliuerance from death, and it purchaseth a right to life euerlasting. The efficacie of his spirit assures vs of our adoption, and withall abates by little and little the strength and power of sinne. The vse. Hence we learne the greatnes and grieuousnes of our spirituall bondage, because there was none that could deliuer vs from it, but Christ by his death and passion. Hence therefore we are to take occasion to acknowledge and bewaile this our most miserable condition in our selues.

Secondly, the prise that was paid for the procurement of our libertie, namely, the pretious blood of the immaculate lambe of God, shewes that the libertie it selfe is a thing most pretious and excellent, and so to be esteemed.

Thirdly, for this libertie we are to giue all praise and thanks to God. This did Paul at the remembrance of it. Rom. 7. 25. 1. Cor. 15. 57. And not to be thankfull is an height of wickednesse.

The third point is, concerning the persons to whome this libertie belongs; and they are noted in these wordes, Stand ye fast; he hath made vs free. Whereby Paul signifies himselfe and the Galatians that beleeued in Christ. Beleeuers then are the persons to whome this libertie belongs. Ioh. 1. 12. 1. Tim. 4. 3. And true beleeuers are thus to be discerned. They vse the ordinatiemeanes of grace and saluation, the word, & sacraments: in the vse of the meanes, they exercise themselues in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance: and in these exercises they bewaile their vnbeleefe, and striue by all meanes to beleeue in Christ. As for them that conceiue a perswasion of Gods mercie without the meanes of saluation, and without the exercises of inuocation and repentance, they are not true beleeuers but hypocrites.

When Paul saith, Christ hath made vs free, that is, me Paul, and you the Galatians, he teacheth that euery beleeuer must by his faith applie vnto himselfe the benefit of Christian libertie. But to doe this well, is a matter of great difficultie. The Papists in their writings report our doctrine to be this: that a man must conceiue a perswasion that he is in the fauour of God the adopted child of God: and that vpon this perswasion he hath the pardon of his sinnes, and the benefit of Christian libertie. But they abuse vs in this as in many other things. For we teach, that the Application of Christ and his benefits, is to be made by certaine degrees. The first is, to vse the meanes of saluation, the word, praier, sacraments: the second is, to consider and to grow to some feeling of our spirituall bondage: the third is, to will and desire to beleeue in Christ, and to testifie this desire by asking, seeking, knocking: the fourth is, a certen perswasion, or a certentie conceiued in minde of the mercie of God by meanes of the former desire according to the promise of God, Aske, and it shall be giuen vnto you. The fifth is, an experience of the goodnes of God after long vse of the meanes of saluation, and then vpon this experience followes the full perswasion of mercie and forgiuenes.

The fourth point, concernes the office of beleeuers, and that is, to stand fast in their Christian libertie, and in the doctrine of the Gospel, which reueales this libertie. And by this, we in England are admonished to stand fast to the religion which is now by law established amōg vs, & not to returne vnder the yoke of Popish bondage. For the Popish religion is flat against Christian libertie, two waies. For our libertie which we haue in Christ, frees vs from the law three waies, in respect of condemnation, in respect of compulsion to obedience, and in respect of iustification, (as Paul shewes at large in this Epistle:) and yet the Popish doctrine is, that we are to be iustified by the workes of the law. Againe, Christian libertie frees our consciences from the Traditions of men, Col. 2. 20. and yet the Popish religion bindes vs in conscience to the Traditions of men: nay, it is nothing els but an heape of traditions.

Here two things are to be considered, the manner of standing, and the time. The manner, is signified in the very words. For to stand fast, is to hold and maintaine our libertie with courage and constancie, whatsoeuer comes of it, as the soldier keepes his standing, though it cost him his life. We are readie to defend the libertie of our countrie euen with the hazard of our liues: much more then are we to defend Christian libertie with the losse of all that we inioy: sinne must be resisted euen vnto blood. Hebr. 12. 4. If men be fearefull, they must pray to God for the spirit of boldnes and courage: and if God vouchsafe not this gift when opportunitie is offered, they may withdraw themselues, and by flying preserue their libertie.

The time of standing, is the euill day, that is, the day of triall. Eph. 6. 13. And then to stand fast, is a matter of great difficultie. And for this cause we are before hand to prepare our selues by obseruing these rules following. First, we must labour that religion be not onely in mind, and memorie, but also be rooted in the affection of our hearts, so as we loue it, reioyce in it, and esteeme it aboue all things. Secondly, we must not onely be hearers of the word of God, but also doers of it in the exercises of faith, repentance, new obedience. Thirdly, we must ioyne with our religion, the soundnes of good conscience: for if conscience faile, we cannot be sound in our religion. Lastly, we must pray to God with all manner of praier and supplication for all things needefull. Eph. 6. 18.