Galatians 5:15

The sense. If ye bite] Here Paul alludes to the fashiō of wild beasts, as lions, wolues, &c. And by biting we are to vnderstand all iniuries in words, as railing, cursing, slandering, bacbiting, &c. Deuoure] here Paul vnderstands all iniuries in deed, or violence, euen to the shedding of blood. Take heed lest] here Paul signifies, that contentions & dissentions, breed the destruction and desolation of the Church.

The scope. These wordes are a second reason of the second rule drawne from the dangerous effect of the contrarie, thus. Contentions breed the desolation of the Church: therefore do seruice one to an other by loue.

The contents, In the words Paul deliuers 3 things. The first is, that there were greeuous contentions in the Church of Galatia. The like also were in the Church of Corinth. 1. Cor. 3. The cause of the former contentions were differences in points of religion. Some of the Galatians (no doubt) withstanding circumcision, and the most of them standing for it. For herevpon great were the dissentions of the Churches in Iudea. Act. 15. 2. Obserue then, that vnitie is not an infallible and an inseperable marke of the Church of God. Vnitie may be out of the Church, and dissention in the Church, as here we see. It may be obiected that there is peace in the kingdome of God, and that there the wolfe and the lambe dwell together. Isai. 11. Ans. This is but in part verified in the kingdome of grace vpon earth: and it is fully accomplished in the kingdome of glorie in heauen. Againe, it may be alleaged, that the Church is the companie of them that truly consent in one and the same faith. Ans. That is properly meant of the Catholike Church: but the case is otherwise in particular. Churches, where true beleeuers are mixed with hypocrites, wherevpon ariseth much dissention. And of true beleeuers, some are more carnall then spirituall: and that is another cause of dissention. 1. Corint. 3. 3.

The second point, concernes the qualitie of these dissentiōs, When Paul saith, if ye bite and deuoure &c. he signifies that they were fierce, and violent. And such commonly are dissentions for religion, as appeares by the persecution in Queene Maries daies, the heate whereof nothing could slake but mans blood. Againe, he signifies in these very wordes, that they were brutish, and beastlike, more beseeming wolues, lions, dogges, then men. This must teach vs to detest railing, cursing, euill speaking, fighting, vnles it be in the case of necessarie defence, for by these actions we degenerate to the condition of beastes, and repell from vs the worke of grace: for Christ of lions, wolfes, beares, hath made vs his sheepe and lambes. Isai. 11.

The third point is touching the effect of contention, & that is the ruine & desolation of the Church. The diuision of the members among themselues is the dissolutiō of the whole bodie. Differences in points of religion, breed doubting: doubting hinders faith and inuocation, and the free course of the Gospell: and where these be hindred, the Church goes to decay. And by reason of the dissentions that be in these last daies, many liue as Atheistes, and will be of no religion.

By this we are to be admonished to studie and to vse all meanes to maintaine Christian peace and concord. Eph. 4. 3. To this end we must remember one generall rule. Rom. 12. 18. haue peace with all men. And withall we must obserue the cautions which Paul addes; one is, if it may be with good conscience, for there are some, with whome there is no peace, vnles we sooth them in their vices, or denie our religion, either in whole or in part. The second is, If it lie in you, for sometime men are accused, and must of necessitie defend themselues. These two cautions obserued, peace must be had with all men.

It may thē be demanded, why do not the Protestans make a Pacification with the Papists? Ans. we are content so to do in respect of ciuill societie, but not in respect of religion. We haue a commandement to the contrarie. Reuel. 18. 4. come out of Babylon my people, and touch no vnclean thing. where a pacification is made, both the partes must yeeld somewhat: but we may not yeeld in any point of our religion, to the Papists. In an Instrument of musick, the stringes out of tune are set vp, or set downe, to the rest: and the strings that are in tune are not stirred: Euen so the Papists are to turne to vs, we are not to turne to them: our religion beeing the doctrine of the prophets, & Apostles.

Peace is three-fould, Church peace, Ciuill peace, Houshould peace. All these are to be maintained. Touching Church peace I giue 3 rules. The first is, that for the ending of differences in religion there must be conferences in a free or christian councell, the spirits of the prophets, is subiect to the prophet. 1. Cor. 14. 32. when there arose differences in the Churches of Iudea, the Apostles and elders came together to inquire of the matter. Act. 15. 6. And this is a thing much to be desired in these daies, specially in these Westerne partes of the world. It may be demanded, why did not the Protestants ioyne with the Papists at the councell of Trent? Ans. from the first session it was more then 6 yeares before any safe conduct was giuen to the Protestants: and at their appearing in the councell, exception was taken against their letters, and they dismissed. And when they appeared the second time vpon new safe conduct, the councell was the next day reiorned for 2 yeares, And when safe conduct was giuen the 3 time, the Protestant princes refused to send their diuines: because they had bin twice mocked. Moreouer the councell was not a free councell: because the Pope himselfe was both partie, and iudge.

The second rule. There must be a christian toleration one of an other Eph. 4. 2. here that we mistake not, I propound 2 questions. One is, in what must there be a toleration? Ans. A toleration presupposeth an errour or defect in our brother. An errour is either in iudgement, or manners. An error in iudgment, is either in the foundation of religion, or beside the foundation, in lighter matters: if the errour be in the foundation, there is no toleration of it. If it be in some lesser matter, a toleration is to be vsed according to the rule of the Apostle, if ye be otherwise minded God will reueile it. Phil. 3. 15. when others see not that which we see, we must not presētly cōdemne them, but tolerat their ignorance, till God reueile his truth vnto them. Againe, errors in manners, be of 2 sortes, some without offence, as hastines, frowardnes, vaine gloriousnes &c. these we must tolerate. Pro. 19. 11. and others with open offence, and such admit no toleration. 1. Cor. 5. 11.

The second question is, to what ende must we tolerate the infirmities and ignorances of our brethren? Ans. Toleration must tend to the good and edification of men. Rom. 15. 2. We must not so tolerate as that we approoue of the least vice, or betray the least part of Gods truth.

It may here be demanded, whether there may not be a toleration for Poperie? Ans. No. The toleration of two religions in one kingdome, is the ouerthrow of peace. Againe, Poperie is a religion both hereticall and schismaticall. It may be said, that faith and conscience is free. I answer, though faith in the heart and conscience in it selfe be free in respect of mans authoritie: yet is not the publishing of faith and the profession of conscience free in like sort, but it stands subiect to the power of the Magistrate.

The third rule. Euery man in his place, specially teachers must set themselues to build the Church. Iud. v. 20. Eph. 4. 12. Indeede the truth is to be defended: but marke how. The truth must be confessed, when time and occasion serues, without opposition: this done all contentions laid aside, we must set our selues to build the Church. And the rather Ministers of Gods word in England must remember this: because while we are striuing among our selues in sundrie points of difference, the Papist our common enemie, gets ground.

Touching ciuill peace, it must be remembred, that the peace and good estate of Ierusalem stood in this, that it was made the seate of Gods sanctuarie, and the throne of iustice. Psal. 122. When the Arke was in the house of Obed-Edom, all things prospered with him. Now in the new Testament the preaching of the Gospel, inuocation of Gods name, with the vse of the Sacraments, come in the roome of the Sanctuarie. Ciuill peace then is maintained, when men yeeld subiection to the Gospel of Christ, which brings peace to all that receiue it.

Touching houshold peace, I giue two rules. One is, that gouernours of families must vrge and compell all vnder them to admit, (at the least outwardly,) the practise of religion in the exercises of faith, repentance, new obedience. Thus did Abraham, Gen. 17. and Iosua, c. 24. They that doe not first of all consent in Christ, cannot consent among themselues. Secondly, it must be obserued, that a familie is the schoole of God, in which he will exercise our faith, inuocation, loue, patience, long-suffering, &c. And there is more vertue to be seene in the well ordering of a familie, then in the pretended holines of Monkish cloisters.

Thus we see how we are to maintaine the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For the better inforcing of this dutie, Paul Eph. 4. 4. giues seauen reasons: one bodie, one spirit, one hope of eternall life, one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, one father of all. It may be said, we are at peace, what needes all this adoe? Ans. The peace of many is peace in drunkennes, (called good fellowship,) peace in prophanes, and wickednes. This is the deuils peace, where he beares the sway. The peace of which I now speake, is in the Lord, and in the true worship of God: of which read Isa. 2. where men are saide hand in hand to goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord, that they may heare his will, and ioyntly obay it.