Galatians 6:3

In this verse the Apostle remooues an impediment, which hindereth most from performing the former dutie, of bearing other mens burdens, and that is, a vaine conceit, and imagination they haue of their owne excellencie, farre aboue their brethren: in thinking themselues too good to doe any dutie or service vnto them, to be their packehorses to beare their burdens. This vaine imagination and swelling conceipt (which puffeth vp the most) the Apostle laboureth to purge in this place, when he saith, He that seemeth to himselfe, &c. where by the way we may obserue the method of the Apostle, first, to giue rules of direction; after, to remooue impediments which may hinder our obedience. 2. We see here the force of the word, which searcheth the secrets of the heart, Ebr. 4. 12. in that it casteth downe the imaginations, and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God: and bringeth into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ, 2. Cor. 10. 4. In the words we may obserue these foure things: 1. That men are nothing of themselues. 2. That thought they be nothing, yet they seeme to themselues to be somewhat, and that of themselues. 3. That in so doing they deceiue themselues. 4. The remedies against the ouerweening of our selues.

For the first: it may be demanded howe it can be truely said, that men are of themselues meere nothing? Is he nothing that is created after the image of God, in holinesse and righteousnes? Are Princes and Potentates nothing that are called Gods in scripture? Are they nothing that Prophecie, and worke miracles? Answ. Paul speaketh not of the gifts of God, bestowed vpon men, but of the men themselues: and of them, not as they were in the state of innocencie before the fall, but as they are nowe in the state of corruption & Apostasie, or in the state of grace, as they are considered of, in, and by themselues. Thus euen spirituall men, are nothing of themselues: (for of them especially the Apostle speaketh, as it may appeare out of the first verse.)

For first, all are by nature the children of wrath, and firebrands of hell. 2. the gifts of God bestowed vpon vs whether of nature or of grace, are not ours, but Gods, the giuer of them. Therefore no man may arrogate more vnto himselfe, then another in regard of them, seeing all of vs are but stewards, and the things we haue are but talents, left vs to imploy to our masters aduantage. If thou hast receiued them (saith Paul) why boastest thou thy selfe, as though thou hadst not receiued them? 3. Be it that a man be in Christ and sanctified, yet he hath no greater right to the merits of Christ, nor greater part in them, then he which is lesse sanctified: for though sanctification hath degrees, and a certaine latitude, yet iustification hath none. So that a mā is in trueth nothing of himselfe. 1. Because he hath his beeing and beginning of nothing, and tendeth of his owne nature to corruption, and nothing. 2. In that he is not that which he imagineth 〈Greek〉. Damaseenus. himselfe to be. 3. Though he haue some gifts and graces of God, yet is he nothing, because he is farre short of that which he ought to be. 1. Cor. 8. 2. Vpon these considerations Abraham acknowledgeth himselfe to be but dust and ashes, Gen. 18. 27. Dauid comparing himselfe with the magnificence of Saul, saith, What am I, or, what is my fathers house? 1. Sam. 18. 18. Nay whether we consider man absolutely in himselfe, or relatiuely in respect of other creatures, as those glorious bodies, the sunne, moone, starres, we may say with the Prophet Dauid, Lord what is man, that thou art mindefull of him, or the sonne of man, that thou regardest him? Psal. 8. 4.

Paul confesseth himselfe to be nothing, in, of, or by himselfe: but by the grace of God (saith he) I am that I am, 1. Cor. 15. 10. And againe, I was nothing inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles, although I am nothing. 2. Cor. 12. 11. The Apostle affirmeth of euery man, which thinketh he knoweth some thing, that he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. 1. Cor. 8. 2. and of many, that they are puffed vp and know nothing. 1. Tim. 6. 4. For a swelling conceit, and emptines, vsually goe together.

The second generall thing to be obserued in the words, is this, That it is naturall for men to thinke too well of themselues, to magnifie themselues aboue others in their conceits, and in a manner to deifie themselues: and to nullifie others in comparison of themselues: and this ouerweening of a mans selfe, is a branch of pride. For a man looking vpon himselfe through the spectacles of selfe-loue, doth thinke euery small gift of God, which he seeth to be in himselfe, to be farre greater then in truth it is: imagining meere shadowes, to be substances; or molehills, to be as bigge as mountaines. For as a man that is in loue, doth thinke the blemishes and deformities in his loue, to be ornaments, which make her more beautifull: So those which with Narcissus are in loue with themselues, and dote vpon their own gifts; iudge the vices which they see to be in themselues, to be vertues. Simon Magus though a wicked wretch, a limme of the Deuill, a sorcerer, &c. yet had this conceit of himselfe, and gaue it out also, that he was some great man. Act. 8. 9. to wit, the great power of God. v. 10. The Church of Laodicea, thought shee was rich, and increased with goods, and had neede of nothing: whereas shee was wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blind, and naked. Apoc. 3. 17. And so the skarlet strūpet thought her selfe a Queene, and that shee was out of all daunger of downefall, when shee was alreadie fallen. Apoc. 18. 2, 7. Yea this corruption is so naturall, that euen the regenerate themselues, who are in part sanctified, are tainted therewith: and generally, they that haue receiued greater gifts of knowledge, of sanctification, &c. are most ready to ouerweene their owne gifts, except God giue them grace to resist this temptation: for knowledge puffeth vp. 1. Cor. 8. 1. The Apostles themselues contended which of them should seeme to be the greatest. Luk. 22. 24. Yea in all ages there haue beene some in the Church ouerweening themselues, as in Christs time the Iustitiarie Pharisies: after them, the Catharists, or Puritanes, who both proudly and odiously called themselues by that name, thinking themselues without sinne: the Donatists, that they were a Church without spot or wrinkle: the Iovinianists, that a man cannot sinne after the lauer of regeneration. The Pelagians, that the life of a iust man in this world, hath no sinne in it at all: and of later times the Semi-Pelagian heretike, who will be something of himselfe, and will haue some stroke in his first conuersion, & wil concur with Christ in the worke of Iustificatiō. It will be said, Papists ascribe all the praise to God. Ans. So did the Pharisie, Luk. 18. 11. and yet a wicked Iusticiarie for all that. Now all this ariseth from sundrie causes: the first is, the bitter roote of pride, that was in our first parents, when as they affected a higher place, in desiring (through discontment of their owne estate) to deifie themselues, and become equall to the highest Maiestie, in knowing good and euill.

The second is, the ouermuch considering the good things we haue; as when the Pharisie considered that he gaue tithe of all that he possessed, that he fasted twise a weeke, that he was not thus and thus, as other men. Luk. 18.

The third is, the comparing of our selues with the infirmities that we see to be in others: the Pharisie was puffed vp, by comparing himselfe with extortioners, vniust men, adulterers, and with the Publican.

The fourth is, the false flattering, and applause of men, which sooth vs vp in our humours, in perswading vs to be that which in truth we are not, as the people flattered Herod, when they gaue a shout, and said, The voice of God, and not of man. Act. 12. 22.

The third point is, that they which thus ouerweene their gifts, in thinking themselues somewhat when they are nothing, doe notably deceiue themselues: as those that thinke they haue the substance, when they haue but the shadow, as those that dream they are Kings or Princes, being in truth but base persōs: or to vse the Prophets similitude, Esa. 29. 8. Like as an hungrie man dreameth & behold he eateth, & when he awaketh his soule is emptie: or like as a thirstie man dreameth and loe he is drinking, and when he awaketh behold he is faint, and his soule longeth. Men are deceiued two waies, either by others, or by themselues: by others, as by flatterers, they are deceiued occasionally; by themselues, causally, or properly. For he that doth iudge himselfe to be that which indeede he is not, he may happely please himselfe, but he doeth but please himselfe in an errour: for in trueth he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination: 〈Greek〉 the Apostle Iames saith, If any man seeme (specially to himselfe) to be religious, and yet refraineth not his tongue, he 〈Greek〉 deceiueth his owne heart, his religion is vaine, Iam. 1. 26. So likewise, they that are only hearers of the word (& therfore thinke that all is wel enough with thē, though they be not doers therof) deceiue their owne selues, Iam. 1. 22. And verely this corruption 〈Greek〉 is so great, that as men can be content to be deluded by flatterers, and clawebackes, which please them in their itching humours: so they willingly suffer thēselues to be deceiued, euē by themselues, to the ende that they may appeare to others, to be that which in trueth they are not: that so they may aduauce and magnifie themselues in the accounpt of the world. For as Alexander the great, beeing in India, caused his souldiers, to make and leaue behind them bittes and horse shoes, of Plutarch. in Alexandro. an extraordinarie greatnesse; hudge speares, massie shields, big helmets, long swords, and other furniture for horse and man, fitting rather Hippocentaurs, or Giants, then men of ordinarie stature; and all to the ende, it might be said in future time, that Alexander was a mightie Monarch indeed: So many there be, who (setting the faire side outward) make goodly glorious shewes in the eies of men; and so would haue other to thinke of them accordingly, (farre aboue their desert,) that posteritie might iudge them to be that which indeed they are not: and so with Alexander in deceiuing others, they wittingly deceiue themselues. Which spirituall guile of deceiuing our selues in matters touching our saluation, is most dangerous, when men delude themselues, in perswading themselues falsely, that they know sufficient, that God is to be loued aboue all, our neighbour as our selues (which is as much as all the preachers in the earth can say:) that they beleeue; when in stead of faith, there is nothing but damnable pride, and presumption: that they repent, when it is nothing but deceitfull counterfeiting, and hypocrisie. Besides the danger, consider the indignitie of it: men can abide nothing lesse, then to be deceiued and circumvented by others; and yet, behold, they are deluders and deceiuers of themselues: and that which doth more aggrauate the indignitie of it, in such things as ought to be best knowne and most familiar vnto them, wherein it is a shame they should be deceiued, vz. in the knowledge of themselues, and that which is yet more, in a matter of greatest moment, in the saluation of their soules. What maruaile therefore is it, that men should be deceiued by the seducer of all seducers, the deuill, who are so easily deceiued of themselues, or rather willing to deceiue themselues.

Further obserue, that proud conceited persons, such as haue an ouerweening of themselues and their gifts, and of all men thinke fowle scorne to be deceiued, euen they are easiliest deceiued, yea and that of themselues: for so the Apostle saith, He that thinketh that he is somewhat, &c. deceiueth himselfe in his imagination.

Againe, marke hence, that no men, be their gifts neuer so rare, their callings neuer so high, their places neuer so great, are to good to beare other mens burdens; for they that thinke themselues to be somewhat, some great men, that is, too good to put vnder their shoulders to beare the frailties, and infirmities of their brethren, doe nothing herein but deceiue themselues. Princes and Potentates of the earth are prophecied by Esay, chap. 49. vers. 23. to be nourcing fathers, and nourcing mothers vnto the Church, not onely by nourishing and defending it, (as the nource her child) but also by bearing with the frailties and wants which are therein.

Lastly, consider that this selfe-conceitednesse, and ouerweening of a mans selfe, is the very bane and poyson of loue; for it maketh proude men thinke themselues too good to become packe-horses, or drudges to beare other mens burdens, to become seruiceable vnto them in any dutie of loue, or to tollerate their frailties, or to yeelde of their right, or to suffer iniuries at their hands, or to put vp any little indignitie, without stomacke and discontent: because they imagine themselues euery way better then their brethren, and therefore ought to be tollerated, but not so bound to tollerate and beare with others; So that where selfe-loue is, there is no true brotherly loue; It was well said of the Poet, Non benè conveniunt, &c. maiestas & amor. It may may be said, may not he that is priuie to his owne vertues, in conscience of his owne worth, iudge himselfe to be somewhat, that is, to be that which indeed he is, or to haue a greater measure of knowledge, grace, and other gifts, then they that haue lesse?

Answ. He may. For humilitie is not sottish: the master in humilitie cannot thinke his scholler more learned then himselfe, except he shall thinke against his conscience. For that saying, Let euery man thinke better of another, then of himselfe, must be restrained onely to equalls, and not extended to superiours Phil. 2. 3. in regard of their inferiours. Secondly, I answer, that the Apostle in that place, speaketh not of the giftes and graces bestowed vpon men, but of the persons themselues, and of them, not so much as they are in the account of men, as in the account of God. For he saith not, Let euery man thinke another more learned, wise, discreete, sober, then himselfe (for so he may thinke against his conscience) but Let euery man thinke another (that is, any other that is his brother in the Lord) better then himselfe, to wit, before God. And this euery man may doe with good conscience; for albeit another shall outwardly seeme more ignorant, negligent, backward, in matters of religion then himself, yet for any thing he knoweth, he may be higher in the fauour of God, then he. And therefore though a man erre in thinking of another, better then of himselfe, yet he shall not doe any thing against his conscience. Thus the Publican accounted the proud Pharisie better then himselfe. For he held him as iust, himselfe not worthie to looke vp to heauen: yet herein he sinned not, nay he is commended for it, though he erred in his iudgement of the Pharisie. And so if the Pharisie had reputed the Publican better then himselfe, that is, higher in Gods fauour then himselfe, he had not sinned, nor done against his conscience. For though he might iudge himselfe more iust then the Publican, in regard of his life past, yet for his present estate before God he could not. Though Dauid knew in the particular quarrell betwixt Saul and him, that Saul was vniust, and he innocent, yet if he should haue thought better of Saul in generall, then of himselfe, he should but haue done his dutie.

The fourth and last point, containeth the remedies of this euill, which are the rather to be considered, because it is a great sinne, one of those seuen which the Lord doth most of all detest, Prou. 6. 17. a dangerous sinne, hauing a heauie woe attending vpon it, Woe to them that are prudent in their owne eyes. Isa. 5. 21. a sinne almost incurable, Seest thou a man that is wise in his owne eyes? there is more hope of a feele then of him. Prou. 26. 12. therefore the remedies are more carefully to be known, and applied. The remedies are specially fiue.

The first is, to looke our selues in the glasse of the Law, which will shew what we are without flatterie, or partialitie: & by it we shall see nothing in our selues but the vgly shape of Satan, cleane defacing the image of God, and that in vs there dwelleth no good thing (as Paul saith of himselfe, Rom. 7. 18.) that there is nothing but vanitie in our mindes, rebellion in our wills, a confused ataxie in all our affections, transgression in our liues. The viewing of our hearts and liues in the Law, and the considering of our wretched estate, in that we are vnder the fearefull curse, which is a thunderbolt annexed to euery breach thereof, will driue vs out of all conceit of our selues, from our selfe-loue, and selfe-liking: nay, it will make vs goe out of our selues, not onely to denie our selues, as Christs commands, but euen to abhorre our selues, repenting in dust and ashes, as Iob did, chap. 42. 6. causing vs to become flat nothing in our selues, that we may be something in Christ, as Paul saith, 1. Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceiue himselfe: If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world, let him be a foole, that he may be wise.

Secondly, when we feele our selues to be tickled with the itching humour of selfe-loue, and selfe-liking, arising from our hidden corruption, either in regard of outward gifts, or inward graces: we must make our owne euills, sinnes, blemishes, imperfections (for there is no man but hath one or other) a soueraigne remedie against it, and so (as it were) driue away one poison with another. As to call to minde some great deformitie that is in our bodies, some great infirmitie that is in our minde, some crosse or miserie in our outwarde estate, some vile and abominable sinne which we haue committed, and the horrible punishment, to the which we are lyable by reason thereof: and no doubt but the serious consideration of these, or any of these, wil be auaileable, to nippe pride in the bud, & kill the serpent in the shell: and in so doing we shall with the Peacocke, now and then cast our eyes downeward, to our feete, the fowlest and vgliest things we haue: and not alway stand in admiration of our gay feathers, & glorious traine.

Thirdly, we must consider that the things for which we looke so high, and swell so in our owne conceits, are not our owne: but lent vs for a time. For what is there, that thou hast not receiued? whether in gifts of bodie, or graces of minde? nay whether thou speake of soule, or bodie it selfe? and if thou hast receiued it, why boastest thou thy selfe as though thou haddest not receiued it? what vanitie is it, for a man to be proud of another mans garment? or for a woman to boast of her borrowed haire? The wicked persecutors of the Church are reprooued for sacrificing to their nets, and burning incense to their yarne. Hab. 1. 16. Further, we must consider we haue not onely receiued them; but that we haue so receiued them, as that they are not our owne, with which we may doe what we list, but talents lent vs for a time, and left with vs to employ, ouer which we are but stewards and bayliffes, not lords or masters, and that we must be countable for the smallest gift, euen the least farthing: how we haue got it, kept it, bestowed it: the time will come when it shall be saide vnto thee, Giue an account of thy stewardship. Luk. 16. 2. Therefore we ought not so much to be puffed vp with the greatnes of our talents, as to be humbled with the consideration of the strict reckning that God will require at our hands, seeing that of him, to whome much is committed, much shall be required.

Fourthly, to the end we may auoid this ouerweening of our selues, let vs compare our selues with the maiestie of God, in whose sight, we are but as silly wormes, crawling vpon the ground; nay in comparison of whome, we are lesse then nothing, and vanitie it selfe. Consider, that to him euery knee doeth Phil. 2. 10. bowe, of things in heauen, in earth, and vnder the earth, and thou wilt not be so conceited of thy selfe, that a sillie man doth crouch vnto thee; that to him euery tongue doth confesse, and sing v. 11. his praises, the blessed angels crying continually Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabboth, heauen and earth are full of thy glorie: and then a short blast of winde, or popular applause, shall not so easily puffe thee vp, like an emptie bladder, or carrie thee away, as it did Herod, Act. 12. But to omit this odious comparison, betwixt a fraile mortall man, and the glorious euerliuing God (there beeing no comparison betwixt finit and infinit) let vs neuer compare our selues with our inferiours, but with our superiours and betters, who are eminently aboue vs, in euery gift and blessing of God, in regard of whose honours and preferments we are but base and contemptible: in regard of whose knowledge, we are but children, and know nothing: in regard of whose riches, we are but beggars, and haue nothing. For as Dauid, when he beheld the wonderfull frame of the heauens, those glorious creatures, the sunne, the moone, and the starres, by and by made this vse of it to himselfe, to consider his owne vilenes in regard of them, What is man that thou are mindfull of him? or the sonne of man, that thou Psal. 8. 4. visitest him? So when we compare our selues with others, that are as farre aboue vs, as the heauens are aboue the earth, whose gifts and graces doe as farre excell ours, as the bright sunneshine the dimme candle light: we cannot chuse, but be abashed, and confounded in our selues; acknowledging, that there is no such cause why we should so magnifie our selues aboue others, and nullifie others in comparison of our selues.