Galatians 5:7

The meaning. Ye did runne well] In these words, Paul alludes to the games of running, vsed among the heathen. And he compares the word and precepts of God, to a way or race; beleeuers to runners, life eternall to the price, God to the vmpire or iudge, the lookers on, are men and Angels, good and badde, and the Exercise of religion, is the running in this race. Read of this, 1. Cor. 9. 24. Phil. 3. 13, 14.

Who] the interrogation hath in it the force of a reproofe, or complaint. And the sense is this: they did euill, which turned you forth of the way, and you haue done euill that you obaied not the truth. The like is, Psal. 2. 1. Why doe the heathen rage? that is, it is great wickednes for them to rage.

Let] stoppe, intercept your course, turne you out of the way.

That you should not obay] that you should not giue credence to the doctrine of Paul, and obay it.

The scope. These wordes, are a repetition of the principall conclusion of the whole Epistle. And this repetition is not in vaine. For it serues to bring the Galatians to a consideration of their offence, and to amendement of life. Hence I obserue, that the often and serious consideration of our sinnes and liues past, is a meanes to worke in vs a detestation of our sinnes, and a reformation of life. Thus Dauid saith, that vpon consideration of his waies, he turned his feete to Gods commandements. Psal. 119. 59. And the cause why there is so little amendement among vs, is, because we neuer so much as thinke what we haue done.

In these wordes, Paul sets downe three duties of Christian people. The first is, that they must be runners in the race of God. Indeede the Sabbath of the Iewes figured a rest which is contrarie to running: but this rest is from sinne, and not from good duties. This dutie of running teacheth vs foure things. The first is, that we must make hast without delay to keepe the commandements of God, specially the commandements of faith, repentance, new obedience. Psal. 119. 32, 60. Contrariwise it is a great fault for youth & others, to deferre amendement till old age, or till the last and deadly sicknes. For that is the time to ende our running, and not to beginne.

The second is, that we are to increase and profit in all good duties, specially in knowledge, faith, repentance. But we in this age doe otherwise. For either we stand at a staie, or goe backe, and very fewe of vs proceede forward in good duties. And there are two causes of this. One is blindnes of minde, which makes vs that we see not how little our faith and repentance is, and how great is the masse of our corruption: the second, is our vnbeleefe in the Article of life euerlasting.

The third dutie is, that we must neither looke to the right or left hand, or looke to things behind vs to set our affection on them, but we must presse on forward to the price of eternall life. Phil. 3. 13. Luk. 9. 62. Here comes a common fault to be considered: we, in respect of profession goe forward: yet we looke backe in our course, and minde earthly things.

Lastly, we must not be mooued with the speaches of men which are giuen of vs either to or fro. They are lookers on, and must haue their speaches, and our care must be not to heede them, but to looke to our course.

The second dutie of Christian people is, that they must not onely be runners, but they must runne well. And that is done by beleeuing, and by obaying the true religion, or as Paul saith, by hauing faith and good conscience. 1. Tim. 1. 18. These are as it were the two feete by which we runne to life euerlasting. Vnder faith we are to comprehend the true acknowledgement of God, affiance in him, and inuocation, &c. Vnder good conscience, is comprised the purpose of not sinning, and the care to obay God in all his commandements. To applie this to our selues: runners we are: but, alas, few of vs are good runners. We haue one good foote, and that is our faith or religion which is sound and good: but we halt on the other foote: our care to keepe conscience is not sutable to our religion. And three things cause a lamenes or feeblenes in this foote, the lust of the eye, that is couetousnes; the lust of the flesh, and pride of life.

The third dutie is, that we must runne the race from the beginning to the ende, and finish our course, so as we may apprehend life euerlasting. 1. Tim. 6. 11. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 9. 24. And for this cause we must cherish in our hearts a loue and feruent desire of eternall life, and by this meanes we shall be drawne on through all miseries, and ouerpasse them to the ende. Secondly, we must hold and maintaine a constant and daily purpose of not sinning. And where we are the weakest, there must our resolution be the strongest. And thus shall we be constant to the death.