Galatians 6:15

Here the Apostle prooues his former assertion, v. 14. that he neither did, nor ought to glorie in any thing, saue in the crosse of Christ, because nothing is of any account in the kingdome of God, but a newe creature. And this he prooues by the remoouall of all those things that are either opposite to, or diuers from a newe creature, signified by circumcision and vncircumcision. And withall he laies downe two conclusions. The first is, that in Christ Iesus, that is, in the kingdome of grace, neither circumcision, nor vncircumcision are any thing, that is, are neither acceptable to God, nor auaileable to saluation: Vnder these two, synecdochically comprehending all outward priuiledges, and prerogatiues, dignities and regalities, or whatsoeuer can be named: vnder circumcision comprising the preheminence of the Iewe, and the profit of circumcision, which was much euery way. Rom. 3. 1. seeing that to them appertained the adoption, and the glory, and the couenants, and the giuing of the Lawe, and the seruice of God, and the promises. Rom. 9. 4. Vnder circumcision containing the Gentiles, with all their wealth, wisdome A un strength, lawes, pollicie, and whatsoeuer is of high account, and glorious in the eies of the world. All which he exclude; and accounts as nothing in respect of regeneration. For that which is highly accounted of among men, is abomination in the sight of God. Luk. 16. 15. Therefore wisedome, wealth, nobility, strength, are nothing. 1. Cor. 1. 26. Outward callings, as to be King or Kaesar, Prophet or Apostle. Outward actions of fasting, almes, praier. Nay, kindred and alliance, as to be mother or brother of Christ, is nothing: for if the blessed virgine had not borne Christ in her heart, as she did in her wombe, she should neuer haue beene saued. Luk. 11. 27, 28. & if his kinsmen had not beene his brethren by spirituall adoption, as well as by naturall propagation, they should haue had no inheritance in the kingdome of God. Mark. 3. 33, 35. Nay, the outward element of baptisme, without the inward grace, is of no force; for it is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh (that is acceptable to God) but the stipulation of a good conscience, which maketh requests vnto God. 1. Pet. 3. 21. and if the communicant at the Lords table, doe not eate panem Dominū as well as panem Domini (as Augustine speaketh) that is, if he doe not receiue Christ spiritually by the hand of his faith, as he doth corporally receiue the element by his bodely hand, he receiueth vnworthily, and so eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement. 1. Cor. 11. 39. Now the reason why these outward things are nothing availeable, is, because the things that are accounted of with God, are spirituall and eternall, not tempōrall and carnall, as these are: which as they shall vtterly cease in the kingdome of glory, Matth. 22. 30. (for then Christ will put downe all rule, authoritie, and power. 1. Cor 15. 24.) so are they not of any moment or account in the kingdome of grace, as Paul teacheth. 2. Cor. 5. 16. Gal. 3. 28. Coloss. 3. 11. It may be said, these priuiledges and outward things, as Prince, and people; Master, and seruant: bond, and free, &c. haue place in the kingdome of grace, seeing Christianity doth not abolish nature, nor ciuill pollicy. To which I answer, that man must be considered two waies, in respectof the outward, or inward man. Consider him as he is a member, in ciuill society, as of the family, church, or commonwealth: there are sundry differences of persons, as bond, free; magistrate, subiect; poore, rich: &c. in which sense the Apost. exhortation taketh place, wiues, submit your selues to your husbands. Coloss. 3. 18. children, obey your parents, v. 20. seruants, be obedient to your masters. v. 22. But if man be considered in respect of his spirituall estate, as he is a member of the inuisible, or catholique church, vnder spirituall gouernement, consisting in righteousnes, peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost. Rom. 14. 17. there is no distinction of calling, condition, or sexe; for we are all on in Christ. Gal. 3. 28. or Christ is all and in all things. Coloss. 3. 11. in that though we be many, yet are we but one body in Christ. Rom. 12. 5. seeing we are quickned with one spirit. Eph. 4. 4. The Popish opinion therefore which teacheth that there be some outward callings and actions which commend vs to God, as to lead a single life, to fast, to vow voluntary pouerty, to performe regular obedience, to professe monkery, to be buried in a friers cowle, or to abstaine from these and these meates, is here condemned, when Paul saith, that outward priuiledges will not serue the turne, and that meate commendeth vs not to God 1. Cor. 8. 8.

Againe, neither this nor the like places Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. do any thing fauour the Anabaptisticall fancy, of bringing in an anarchie, that is, an ataxy into Christian society; by taking away christian magistrates, and distinction betwixt masster and seruant: for by the same reyson we may confound the sexe of man and woman, for Paul saith, there is neither male nor femalle, but we are all on in Christ, the meaning thereof is this, that although in respect of our inward or spirituall estate before God, there be no such difference: yet that hindreth not but there may be in respect of our outward estate.

Further, we learne from hence, that no man is to thinke highly of himselfe in regard of outward priuiledges, as birth, honour, welth, fauour, nor to glory in them. Ier. 9. 23. rich men must not be high minded. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Nay, the King may not lift vp his mind aboue his brethren. Deut. 17. 20. Pauls example is notable, who accounted all the priuiledges which he had before his conuersion, whilst he was a Iew, (as that he was a citizen of Rome, a Pharise, a great Rabbin, instructed by Gamaliel, of the tribe of Beniamin, circumcised the 8. day &c.) and after his conuersion beeing a christian (as that he was an Apostle, taken vp into the 3. heauen &c.) to be as nothing or worse then nothing, euen as losse or dunge in respect of beeing a new creature in Christ, that is, in respect of iustification, and sanctification. And therefore we may not set our minds to much vpon outward things, as riches, honours, pleasures seeing they are not auaylable to saluation.

Besids, this teacheth all those that are but in meane and base estate, to be content: for outward priuiledges auaile nothing: outward wants and miseries, hinder nothing. If a man be rich, he is nothing the nearer, and if he be poore, he is not a whitt the further off: it is the pouerty of the spirit, which makes a man rich in grace: for though the poore man be the rich mans flaue, yet he is the sonne of God, and fellow heyre with Christ: and though the rich man be the poore mans master, yet he is the seruant of Christ, as Paul saith he that is called beeing a seruant is Gods free man: and he that is called beeing free, is Christ seruant. 1. Cor. 7. 22.

Lastly, this crosseth the opinion of the multitude, who think that if a man be increased in riches, graced with fauour, aduanced with honour, that he is a godly, wise, religious man; and that religion which he professeth, is the truth. This is nothing els but to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons. Iam. 2. 1.

The second conclusion is, that the new creature is the onely thing that is acceptable to God. Circumcision, &c. auaileth nothing, but a new creature. By the new creature, the Apostle vnderstandeth the image of God, or renouation of the whole man, both in the spirits of our minds, and in the affections of our hearts, which is also called the new man. We shall the better conceiue it by the contrarie, namely, by the old man; which is want of knowledge in the minde, and delight in ignorance: want of subiection and conformitie in the will, and rebellion withall: want of holines in the affections, and pronenes to euill. The new man then, is the restoring of all these defects. For the vnderstanding hereof, consider, that there are three things in the soule. The substance of the soule: the faculties, or powers of the soule: and the qualities of these faculties. Now neither the substance nor faculties are lost by the fall, but onely the qualities of the faculties: as when an instrument is out of tune, the fault is not in the substance of the instrument, nor in the sound, but in the disproportion, or iarre in the sound: therefore the qualities onely are renewed by grace. These qualities or habits, are either in the Vnderstanding: or will and affections. The qualitie in the vnderstanding, is knowledge. Coloss. 3. 10. Ye haue put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him. In the will and affections, they are principally two, righteousnes, and holines, both which are in truth and synceritie, without all hypocrisie. Eph. 4. 24. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnes, and true holines: where holines, and righteousnes, are opposed to concupiscences, and lusts of the old man: Truth (which hath relation to both) to spiritual guile, and dissimulation: so that each of these qualities, haue two parts, a want of the contrarie euill, and a positiue qualitie or habit of goodnes. Holines respecteth god, and containeth all duties of pietie, contained in the first table: Righteousnes, respects man, and the creatures, and compriseth all the duties enioyned in the second table. Truth respecteth the manner how both the former are to be practised, viz. with an vpright and sincere heart, free from all hypocrisie and deceit. These three making a perfect harmonie in all the faculties of the soule: Holines performing all the duties of pietie: righteousnes the duties of humanitie: truth seasoning both the former with sinceritie.

But (may some say) how is the new creature opposed to all externall things, or said to be of any force in the kingdome of Christ, seeing it is not auaileable to iustifie a man before God’ beeing stained with manifold imperfections? For answer whereof, we are to know, that outward things are sometime opposed to Christ, and his righteousnes, as Coloss. 3. 11. There is neither Iew, nor Grecian, circumcision nor vncircumcision, &c. but Christ is all, and in all things. sometime to faith, as Gal. 5. 6. Neither circumcision auaileth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by loue. sometime to the new creature or sanctification, as in this place, and 2. Cor. 7. 29. Circumcision is nothing, &c. but the keeping of the commandements of God. But the sense is all one, for they are opposed to Christ, as to the matter of our iustification: to faith as to the instrument apprehending it: to the new creature, as to the signe of them both.

Further, whereas both here, and 2. Cor. 5. 17. the image of god is called a new creature, (or as it is in the original [καινὴ κτίσις] a new creation) the meaning is not, that either the substance, or faculties of the soule are created a new; but that the worke of regeneration is wholly to be ascribed to God alone, (not as though we were stocks or stones without life or motion) but because God doth create these new qualities in vs, quickning vs when we were dead in sinne, and working in vs both the will, and the deede. Philip. 2. 13.

If regeneration then be a new creation, it must needes follow, that before our conuersion we were not onely dead, but euen flat nothing, in godlines, and grace. By which we see what to iudge of the Semi-pelagian heresie, which teacheth, that a man by an internum principium, may dispose himselfe to will that which is truly good: and that man is not starke dead in sinne, but onely sicke or wounded and halfe dead, as the man which fell among theeues, Luk. 10. or as a prisoner that is shackled and manackled, who can walke of himselfe, if his fetters be taken from him: so we (if Christ loose the chaines of our sinnes) haue power of our selues to mooue our selues. Which doctrine we know is most iniurious to the mercie of God, and most derogatorie to the merits of Christ, seeing it makes him in the worke of our saluation, to be but causa removens prohibens, which (as Logicians teach) is but causa sine quâ non, which in truth is no cause at all. So that they make themselues their own Sauiours, and Christ to be but an instrument whereby they saue themselues: for if he doe but remooue the impediment, they without any more adoe, are able to mooue and act themselues. When as the conuersion of a sinner is as great a worke as the creation of heauen and earth: for Paul calleth it here a new creation. Nay, here is a greater power required (if I may so speake) then that whereby the world was created. For though an infinite power be required as well to the creating of the great world, as the recreating or regenerating of the lesse world, as our Sauiour Christ signifies, Mark. 2. 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sicke of the palsie, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, or to say, Arise, take vp thy bed and walke? yet the holy Ghost seemeth, of the two, to make it more difficult, to create a new hart, then a new world, in that speaking of the creation of the world, he saith it was made by the word of God, By the word of the Lord were the heauens made. Psal. 33. 6. or by his fingers, when I consider the heauens, the workes of thy fingers. Psal. 8. 3. or by his handes. Psalm. 102. 25. The heauens are the workes of thy hands. But the redemption of man, and the conuersion of a sinner, is said to be wrought by the arme of God. Marie in her Magnificat, saith, He hath shewed strength with his arme. Luk. 2. 51. nay, he was faine to set his side to it, and it made him shed many a teare, and sweat as it were drops of blood, trickling downe to the ground. Luk. 22. 44. Before our conuersion, we are like the drie bones, Ezek. 37. for as when the winde of God came vpon them, bone came to bone, and were ioyned with sinews, and couered with flesh, and had their senses restored: so when the spirit of God, like the fauonian winde, bloweth vpon vs, it reuiueth vs againe; giuing vs a new life, new senses, a new heart, new wills, and affections: for all old things passe away, and all things become new. 2. Cor. 5. 17. For it openeth the eyes of our vnderstanding, making vs discerne of things that differ. Eph. 1. 18. Philip. 1. 10. it boareth a new eare of obedience in vs, Psal. 40. 6. and giueth vs a new tast, not to sauour the things of the flesh, but of the spirit. Rom. 8. 5.

Further, this serues to detect the naturall Poperie of the multitude, and of our owne hearts, when we perswade our selues (though falsely) that though we goe on in our sinnes, yet that we can repent when we list. When as the Prophet saith, O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himselfe: and Paul saith, Ierem, 10. 23. Qui dabit poenitenti veniā, non dabit peccanti poenitentiam. that it is as great a worke to create a new heart, as to create a new world: for regeneration is a new creation. 2. Cor. 5. 17. Augustine saith well, He that will grant pardon to him that repents, will not alway giue repentance to him that sinnes.

Againe, in the sense that Paul calleth the image of God, a new creature, or the new man, and corruption the old man: we graunt, that our religion is new, and Popish religion is old. For as the new men, is the restored image of God, in which Adam was first created, though afterwards defaced by his owne inuentions: Eccles. 7. 31. So our religion is the restored or reformed doctrine first taught by the Apostles, which afterward was corrupted by mens deuices. Albeit, in Tertullians sense, ours is the old religion, and theirs the new: as the image of God is the Quod antiquiss•mum, id verissimum. old man, and corruption the new.

Vse. If we be not changed in our liues, but remyane old Adams still, euen the same men we were before, in minding, willing, affecting earthly things, and fashioning our selues to the guise of the world; we are no new creatures, though we promise and protest neuer so much: we are but hypocrites, deceauing others, and our selues also. For where this new creature is, there is a change in all the faculties and powers of soule and body: the mind is not set vpon the world, but mindeth heauenly things: the will, affections, and conuersation of the whole man, is in heauen. Philip. 3. 20. For the spirit of regeneration is like the leauen which a woman tooke and bid in 3. pecks of meale till all was leauened: for after the same manner, by a secret operation it altereth the mind, will, affections. If any be in Christ (saith the Apostle) he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become newe. If therefore we a. Cor. 5. 17. be new creatures, why lead we not a new life? if we be changed in affection, why are we not changed in conuersation?

But by this we may perceiue that all which are christians in profession, are not christians in conuersation: all that are washed with the outward Element of water, are not washed with the inward baptisme, the lauer of regeneratiō: as first, those that are as good fellowes (that is, as badde) as euer they were before, and make no consciēce of sinne. Secondly, such as are no more but ciuill honest men, like those honest women which raysed persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Act. 13. 50. Thirdly, worldly wise men which sauour of nothing but the world. Lastly, such as haue some loue and liking of the word, and are in some sort outwardly conformable thereunto, hauing some legall sorrow for sinne arising from legall terrors: but haue no thorowe change nor renouation.

Lastly, we may not maruell if the world hate & maligne those that are new-creatures: seeing they neither mind nor affect the same things. For there can be no true loue, where there is contrarietie of iudgements, wills, affections, which hath beene, is, and wil be, betwixt those that are borne of the flesh, and those that are borne of God. Gen. 3. 15.