Galatians 6:4

Here the Apostle laieth downe another remedie against selfe-loue, and ouerweening of our selues, and it is the fift and the last of which I purpose to entreat, and it stands in proouing and examining of a mans owne worke by it selfe, without comparing it with an others mans worke, and withall in the approouing of it vnto God. Let euery man approoue his owne worke. And he giues two reasons, why euery man ought to approoue his owne workes vnto God, & to consider them absolutely in themselues, and not relatiuely in respect of others: the first reason is in this verse, then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe onely, and not in another: the second, in the next verse, for euery man shall beare his owne burden.

Touching the remedie. Let euery man prooue his owne worke. The word translated o 〈Greek〉. prooue, signifieth also to approoue, as Rom. 14. 22. Blessed is he that condemneth not in himselfe in the thing that he approoueth. 1. Cor. 16. 3. Whosoeuer ye shall approoue 〈Greek〉 or allow of by letters. And so the word is vsed in English, when 〈Greek〉 we say such a one is to prooue a will, that is, approoue it.

The word in this place (I take it) may be vnderstood in both senses, to prooue our workes and to approoue them. How we are to prooue our workes by taking triall and examination of them, I haue already shewed in the former verse. But we are further to approoue them to God according to Pauls commandement, study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God. 2. Tim. 2. 15. and his practise, in coueting alway to be acceptable vnto him. 2. Cor. 5. 9. This approouing of our works is a soueraigne remedie against ouerweening of our selues, for he that alwaise stands vpon his tryall, and Gods approbation, cannot be puffed vp with self loue of himselfe, or selfe-liking of his own works: but rather humbled with the consideratiō of Gods absolute iustice, and his owne imperfections, and so stirred vp with greater diligence to worke out his saluation with feare and trembling.

Nowe we shall approoue our workes vnto God, if we obserue these three things. First, that all our actions (specially in the worship and seruice of God) be grounded vpon the will & word of God; & not vpon wil-worship, or humane inuentiōs: otherwise it will be said, Who required these things at your hands?

Secondly, that we performe all our actions sincerely and vprightly, as in the presence of God, with an honest heart, and a good conscience: as Abimelech protesteth of himselfe, Gen. 20. 5. and Hezekiah, Isay, 38. 3. and Paul, Act. 23 1.

Thirdly, that they alway tend to a good end, as the glorie of God, Whether ye eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glorie of God. 1. Cor. 10 30. and the good of our brethren, Let all things be done to edification, 1. Cor. 14 26.

It may here be demaunded, whether we may not approoue our selues, and our actions to men? To which I answer that we may, & ought. For although we may not be men-pleasers, that is, such as frame and temper our actions, and our speeches, so, as they may alway be pleasing to the corrupt humours and wicked affections of men (for then we were not the seruants of God) Gal. 1. 10. Yet we are to please them in that which is good to edification, Rom. 15. 2. 1. Cor. 10. 33. And Christ cōmandeth that our light should so shine before men, that they may see our good works. And Paul biddeth vs to procure honest things in Math. 5. 16. the sight of all men. And whatsoeuer things are true, and honest, Rom. 12. 17. and iust, and pure; whatsoeuer appertaine to loue, and are of good report, we must thinke on them, and practise them, Phil. 4. 8. Yet we must seeke for the approbation of men, with these cautions.

First, we must so seeke for the approbation of men, as that we do not seeke it, nor rest in it alone, but withall seek to be approoued of God. For he that praiseth himselfe (and so consequently, he that is praised of others) is not approoued, but he whōe the Lord praiseth. 2. Cor. 10. 18. How can ye beleeue (saith our Sauiour Christ) which receiue honour one of another, and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone? Ioh. 5. 44.

Secondly, we must seeke for the approbation of God in the first place; and in the second place, to be approoued of men, as Christ did: for he grew in fauour first with God, and after with men. Luk. 2. 52. and the Elders, who by faith obtained a good report. Hebr. 11. 2. read Rom. 14. 18.

Thirdly, we must neuer looke for the approbation of the multitude, or acclamation of the most: for that cannot be done without ambition, and vaine glorie, in seeking popular applause: Woe be to you, when all men speake well of you. Luk. 6. 26. Thus Christ saith, He sought not praise of mē. For those that are addicted to popular applause, and are ouer curious of their Ioh. 5. 41. credit, immoderately seeking to get and keepe a good name with all sorts of men, while they seeke for fame they loose a good name, in seeking fame from the wicked, which is but a shadow, and loosing a good name in the opinion of the godly, which is the substance.

Fourthly, we must so farre seeke for the approbation of the wicked, that we minister, no not the least occasion of offence vnto them. 1. Cor. 10. 32. Giue no offence, neither to the Iew, nor to the Gentile. but to conuict their consciences, and to stoppe their mouths by our godly & vnblameable conuersatiō, which may be a preparatiue for them against the day of their visitation. 1. Pet. 2. 12. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speake euill of you, as of euill doers, may by your good workes which they shall see, glorifie God in the day of the visitation.

Fiftly, in doing our duties, we must not respect the iudgement of the world, neither fearing the faces, nor the censures of men. This was Pauls practise. 1. Cor. 4. 3. I passe very little to be iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: we must goe through good report, and euill report. 2. Cor. 6. 8.

Lastly, we must seeke to be approoued of men, not so much in regard of our selues, as that, by this meanes Gods glorie may be more and more aduanced: for our light must so shine before men, that they may see our good workes, and glorifie our father, which is in heauen. Matth. 5. 16. If we obserue these sixe cautions, we may with good conscience seeke to get a good name, which will be vnto vs as a pretious oyntment, refreshing vs with the comfort of a godly life. Prou. 22. 1. Eccles. 7. 3.

Thus much of the Remedie. The reason followeth, And then shall he haue whereof to reioyce in himselfe, and not in another. The wordes translated to o 〈Greek〉. reioyce, signifie, to glorie: which is more then to reioyce. There is a double ground of glorying: one, out of a mans selfe: another in himselfe. Out of himselfe, in God alone, Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glorie in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me. Ier. 9. 23, 24. 1. Cor. 1. 31. In himselfe, in the comfortable testimonie of a good conscience. Our glorying is this, the testimonie of our conscience, that in simplicitie, and godly purenes, we haue had our conuersation in the world. 2. Cor. 1. 12. The one, is glorying before God; the other, before men. The one, of iustification, the other, of holy conuersation for time past, and constant resolution for time to come. The one in the testimonie of our conscience, 2. Cor. 1. 12. the other, in the testimonie of Gods spirit, witnessing to our spirits, that we are the sonnes of God. Rom. 8. 16. The first is not meant in this place, but onely the second. For no flesh can glorie in his presence. 1. Cor. 1. 29.

It will be said, This glorying in a mans selfe, is vaine glorie, and a branch of pride. Ans. It differs from vaine glorie: first, in the foundation: for vaine glorie hath for his ground our owne vertues and gifts, considered as comming from our selues, and not from God: whereas this true glorying is grounded vpon them, as they are fruits of regeneration, proceeding from our iustification by Christ, and reconciliation with God. Secondly in the ende: Vaine glorie tendeth to the aduancing of our selues, in an opinion of our proper iustice, and desert. This true glorying aimeth at the glorie of God alone.

Obiect. Paul reprooues those that consider their owne gifts onely, neuer comparing themselues with others. 2. Cor. 10. 12. They vnderstand not that they measure themselues with themselues, and compare themselues with themselues. Therefore it seemes that a man, by comparing himselfe with others, may haue whereof to reioyce. Ans. He reprooues the false Apostles in that place for glorying in the gifts which they had, and the number of Proselytes which they had wonne, neuer comparing themselues with himselfe, or any other Apostle, which was the cause they were so puffed vp with pride. For to compare our selues with those that are eminently aboue vs, is a notable meanes to abate pride: as I haue alreadie shewed. Whereas the measuring of our selues by our selues, with our inferiours, is the onely way to encrease it. And this is it which the Apostle reprooues in this place.

Further, we may reioyce, or glorie in the testimonie of a good conscience, if we obserue these rules.

I. In our best desires, endeauours, actions, we must labour to feele our owne defects: that we doe not the good we should, nor in that manner we ought.

II. We must labour to haue euen our best workes, (our almes, praiers, &c.) couered with the righteousnes of Christ: for it is the sweete odour of his sacrifice, that doth perfume all our actions, that they may be acceptable to God, beeing offered with the praiers of the Saints vpon the golden altar. Reuel. 8. 3.

III. We must acknowledge all the good things we haue, the will and the worke, the purpose and the power, to proceed from God alone. Philip. 2. 13. Iam. 1. 17.

IIII. We must reioyce in them, not as causes, but as fruits of iustification: so that if the question be whether we be iustified by them, or not? we must renounce them, tread them vnder our feete, and account them as dongue, as Paul did. Philip. 3. 8.

Hence we learne sundrie things.

I. That if we would haue a light heart, and passe our time merrily with comfort & content, we must looke to approoue our hearts to God in all our actions.

II. It contutes the opinion of the multitude, who iudge those that make conscience of sinne, and lead a more strict life then the common sort, endeauouring with Paul to haue alwaies a cleare conscience toward God, and toward men, of all Act. 24. 26. others to lead a most melancholike, sadde, and vncomfortable life. For the truth is, this is the onely true ioy, all other ioy is but counterfeit in comparison: it is radicall, proceeding from the heart: the other but superficiall, from the teeth outward: it comforts a man in the midst of afflictions: whereas a man may haue the other, and yet in the midst of mirth his heart will be sorrowfull: this is permanent and during, the other transitorie and fading. It is like the ioy in haruest. Psal. 4. 7. and which they haue that diuide a spoyle. Esa. 9. 3. therefore Salomon saith, it is a continuall feast. Prou. 15. 15. and Peter calls it ioy vnspeakable, and glorious. 1. Pet. 1. 8.

III. This shewes, that there is much false ioy in the world, consisting wholly in honours, profits, pleasures: none of which haue their ground in a mans selfe: and therefore beeing out of a mans selfe, they are not true and durable, but false and vanishing ioyes. Now those which haue no comfort but out of themselues, are of foure sorts. First, such as reioyce and glorie in the opinion that the world hath of them, and not in the testimonie of their owne conscience. Secondly, such as reioyce not in their reconciliation with God, but in their blamelesse conuersation, in that they haue not beene open offenders, or men of scandalous life. Luk. 18. 11. Thirdly, such as reioyce in the vertues of their ancestors, as the Iewes bragged they were the seede of Abraham. Ioh. 8. 33. which vaine glorying of other mens vertues, Iohn Baptist reprooueth, when he saith, Thinke not to say with your selues, we haue Abraham for our father &c. Mat. 3. 9. Fourthly, such as reioyce & thinke themselues in a good case, because they see others worse then themselues: this is right the Pharisies ioy, O God I thanke thee, I am not thus, and thus, or like this Publican. Luk. 18. 11. This is it which the Apostle directly aimeth at in this place: when men thinke thēselues iust, because others are more wretched then themselues: and pure, because others are more defiled. Whereas other mens hainous sinnes shall not iustifie vs and our lesser sinnes, saue onely as Ierusalem iustified her sisters, Sodome, and Samaria. Ezek. 16. 51. But so a man may be iustified, and yet condēned.