Galatians 6:13

Here the Apostle preuenteth and obiection, which might be made against his former conclusion. v. 12. For it might be said, Paul did them wrong in standering them, to vrge circumcision onely because they would auoid persecution, when as they did it, as zealous obseruers of the Law. To this he answereth negatiuely, that whatsoeuer they did pretend, they intended no such thing. And he prooueth his former assertion, by two arguments, and withall describeth the false Apostles by two other properties. His first reason may be framed thus: If they did vrge circumcision as beeing zealous of the Law, and hauing conscience of the obseruing thereof, they would keepe it themselues, as well as compell others to the keeping of it. But they keepe it not themselues. Therefore they vrge it not in conscience to haue it obeied, but for some sinister ende. The second reason is this. They that propound no other end to themselues in vrging of circumcision, but vaunting and boasting in the flesh: they seeke not the obseruation of the Law: But these seducers, vrge circumcision, and other ceremonies, that they might glorie in the flesh: Therefore they seeke not the obseruation of the law. So that here we haue two other properties of false teachers. The first is, to compell men to the obseruing of that, which they will not obserue themselues. For thus these seducers vrged the ceremoniall law. Resembling herein the Scribes, and Pharisies, who bound heauie burdens and grieuous to be borne, and laid them on mens shoulders, whereas they themselues would not mooue them with one of their fingers. Matth. 23. 4. The Popes, and Prelates of the Romish Church, are notorious in this kind, in vrging men to make conscience of that, which they themselues will not keepe, to practise that which they will not performe, and to beleeue that, which they count false, and fabulous. For first, they strictly require regular obedience to be performed of their nouices, and others, to their generals or gouernours, specially to the Vicar of Christ, and See of Rome; whereas they will not be subiect to the higher powers as they ought, Rom. 13. 1. nor obedient to gouernours, as it is required, 1. Pet. 2. 13, 14. Nay, their practise is notorious in these foure particulars. First, in freeing children from obedience to their parents. Secondly, in exempting their shauelings from subiection to the ciuill Magistrate. Thirdly, in freeing subiects from their oath of allegeance to their Soueraignes. And lastly, by aduancing that man of sinne aboue all that is called God, or worshipped, and giuing him power to depose Princes, to dispose of crownes and kingdomes, and to impose lawes which shall properly bind the conscience; yea to tread Kings and Emperours vnder his feete, and cause them like vassalls to hold his stirrop. Againe, they compell others to fast, especially in Lent, when as they in the meane time feast; their fast beeing to eate fast, and drinke fast, in mortifying the flesh with their Indian capons, and peacocks, and that vpon good friday; whereas to eate white-meates vpon that day, should be in others a mortall sinne. Further, they beare the poore people in hand that Indulgences are meanes to remit sinnes; and that those that are excommunicated by the Pope are in a damnable estate: whereas many of them, account Popes bulls to be but bullae, meere trifles, and such as buy them, starke tooles; witnesse the speech of the Duke of Ualence, bastard to Pope Alexander the sixt, who hauing lost certaine thousand crownes at a throw at the dice; Tush (said he) these are but the sinnes of the Germans. And that of Charles the fift (though a fauourer and maintainer of the Romane religion) who, beeing menaced by Pope Paulus the third, with excommunication, if he would not yeeld vp Playsance into his hands, let him vnderstand by his Embassadour, that he would thunder at S. Angelo with his canons and artillerie, if he would needes be thundering out his excommunications. Lastly, they vrge confession of Purgatorie, almost as an article of faith, whereas some of them are so farre from beleeuing it, as that they thinke there is neither heauen, nor hell, witnesse the speech of Pope Leo the tenth, to Cardinall Bembus: O Bembus, what riches haue we gotten by this fine fable of Iesiu O Bembe, quartum nobis profuit fabula illa de Christo? Christ? By this we are contrarily admonished, to practise that we professe: the Ministers of the word, especially, ought verba vertere in opera, (as Ierome speaketh) that is, to turne words into works, that their liues may be reall Sermons to the people: for otherwise they pull downe with one hand, as fast as they build with another. Let vs consider how Peters badde example, is saide to haue compelled the Gentiles to liue as the Iewes. Gal. 2. 14. For actions abide, and are of force, when words passe as the winde.

Moreouer, vpon this dependeth another propertie of seducers, which is, to set a faire glosse vpon the matter, and to wake the world beleeue, they doe these and these things, for such and such endes (as these false teachers did, pretending religion and conscience, but intending freedome from the crosse, and their owne vaine glorie) whereas they meane nothing lesse: like Herod, who made shew of worshipping Christ, when his purpose was to haue destroied him. Matth. 2. This propertie and practise is, and hath beene vsuall, specially in the Church of Rome. For generally, they would haue the world beleeue, that the Popes triple crowne, & Hierarchie of that Sea, is for the maintenance and defence of the Gospel: whereas all the world knowes, it is onely to keepe their kitchins hot, to vphold their Persian pompe, and ambitious tyrannie. Particularly, there be two politicke practises of theirs, which prooue the point in hand. First, it is well knowne, that Popes haue neuer ceased from time to time, to sollicite the Princes of Europe, to maintaine the holy warre (as they call it) pretending the recouerie of the holy land, out of the hands of the Turkes, and Sarracins: when as (at least in the beginning) they intended nothing lesse, but that by this meanes they might set the East and West together by the eares, whilst they plaied their parts at home in Italie. The second, is their Shrift, or auricular Confession, which they practise for this end (as they say) that they may pacifie distressed Consciences, by absoluing them of their sinnes: when as the truth is, they first brought it into the Church, and doe still continue it, in a politicke respect, as beeing the onely way in the world, to know all the secret purposes plots, pollicies, and practises, that are either in Church, or Commonwealth.

We are therefore here admonished to take heed of dissembling, in making Christianitie a cloake of impietie, or to pretend one thing, and intend another, like the heart pointing vpward, and poising downeward; for that will be a farre fowler soloecisme thē that which the heathen cōmitted with his hād, in pointing to heauen, whē he spake of the earth. But let vs alway labour for sinceritie, to be at least that which we pretend to be, or rather like Salomons temple, whose windowes were larger within then without, and not like the glow-worme, making a faire glittering shewe of that which we haue not.