Galatians 6:5

Here Paul laies downe a second reason of his assertion, in the former verse, why euery man ought to prooue his owne worke, rather then to be curious in searching into the liues, and skanning the actions of other men, because euery man shall beare his own burde, which is all one with that Gal. 5. 10. to beare a mans owne iudgement: and that Rom. 14. 12. to giue an account to God for himselfe. It is a prouerbiall speech, the meaning wherof is expressed by the like. Ier. 31. 30. Euery man that eateth the sower grape, his teeth shall be set one edge. And by that which is common amongst vs, Euery vessel shall stand vpon it owne bottome: that is, euery man shall beare the punishment of his owne sinne. For as the Indian is not therefore white, because the Morian is more blacke, or as the sand-blind is not therefore sharpe sighted, because some other is stone blinde. So no man is therefore acquit of his sinnes, because others are greater sinners: or exempt from punishment, because others shall vndergoe a deeper condemnation. Therefore considering that euery man must beare the guilt and punishment of his owne sin, he ought more narrowly to looke to himselfe, then to others; and to be a more seuere censurer of himselfe, then of another.

For the better vnderstanding of the words, sundrie questions are to be discussed.

First, it may be demaunded, howe euery man should beare his own burden, seeing we are commanded to beare one anothers burdens? Ans. There are two sorts of burdens. The first is, of giuing an account to God: thus euery man shall beare his Onus rationis ••dden •ae•onus inf••mitatis participandae. August. contra •cript. Petil. lib. 3. Beda & Lumbard i• hunc •ocum Hugo d• S. Victor. in 〈◊〉. qu•st. 58. owne burden, for euery man must giue an account for himselfe vnto God, Rom. 14. 12. The second is, of bearing one anothers infirmities, of which Paul speakes, vers. 2. In this sense a man is not to beare his owne burden: but euery man his brothers. For the Apostle (to crosse the opinion of those which thought a man was polluted with other mens sinnes,) saith, Euery man shall beare his owne burden. And to meete with the carelesnesse of others, who respect themselues alone, neuer minding the good of their brethren: he saith, Beare ye one anothers burdens.

II. Obiect. By bearing of our owne burdens, is vnderstood giuing an account for our selues vnto God. Nowe euery man is not to giue account for himself alone, but for those also that are cōmitted to his charge, as the father for his child, the master for his seruant, the magistrate for the subiect, the sheapheard for the sheepe, Ezek. 34. His blood will I require at thy hand. Hebr. 13. 17. They watch ouer your soules, as they that must giue account. Answ. Gouernour: and superiours, are not to giue account for the sinnes of those that are committed vnto them: but for the sinnes which themselues commit, in not looking vnto them, not admonishing them, not restraining them, not taking condigne punishment of them for their offences. This is plainly taught, Ezek. 33. 8, 9. If thou doest not admonish the wicked of his way, he shall die for his iniquitie, but his blood will I require at thy hand. Neuerthelesse, if thou warne the wicked of his way, to turn from it, if he doe not turne from his way, he shall die for his iniquity, but thou hast deliuered thy soule.

III. Obiect. Infants which haue not sinned after the manner of the transgression of Adam, doe beare the burden of Adams sinne: therefore all doe not beare their own burden. Ans. First, the words are properly to be vnderstood of personall, or actuall sinnes, which are proper to euery man in particular, and not of originall sinne, or the sinne of our nature, which is common to all mankind, beeing propagated together with nature. Secondly, I answer, that Adams sinne, was our sinne: and therefore seeing infants partake with him in the sinne, it is iust with God, they should partake with him in the punishment, and so beare their owne burden. For albeit the transgression of Adam was his actuall and personall sinne: yet it is our originall sinne, or the sinne of our nature: seeing it is ours by imputation, and propagation of nature together with corruption. For as Leui was in the loynes of Abraham, when Melchizedech met him, and payed tithes in Abraham, Hebr. 7. 9, 10. So, all mankind was in the loynes of Adam when he sinned, as the branches are in the roote, or in the seede. And therefore In se••inali principio. when he sinned, we also sinned, as the Apostle saith, Jn whome all sinned, Rom. 5. 12. For so the words are in the originall, and 〈Greek〉. not as it is commonly translated, for as much as all men haue sinned.

IV. Obiect. In the second commandement, the Lord threateneth to visit the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children, to the third and fourth generation. Therefore they beare not their owne burden, but part of their parents burden: and parents doe not beare their owne whole and entire burden, but their children for them. Ans. The clause in the second commandement, of visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children, doeth not contradict that of Ezek. 18. 19. The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne; the same soule that sinneth, that shall die. For they are reconciled, v. 14, 17. If he (that is, a wicked man) begette a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doth the like—he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father, but shall surely liue. Therefore the threatning in the second commandement, is not to be vnderstood absolutely, as though God would alway plague the children for the fathers sinne, but conditionally, if they persist and continue in their sinnes, walking in their waies, and treading in their steps. And the same answer is giuen in the second commandement, that God will not visit the sinne of the fathers vpon the children, saue vpon those that hate him. It may be said, The sinnes of the parents are not vindicated vpon the children, because the punishment inflicted vpon their posteritie, is not felt of the parents. Ans. First, children are (as it were) a part of their parents, and therefore they beeing punished, their parents are punished with them. Secondly, it is a corrasiue and a torment to parents, to knowe that their children shall be seuerely punished and afflicted Thirdly, the punishment of posteritie hath a relation to the parent, seeing God hath threatened he will punish the children which walke in the wicked waies of their fore-fathers, that so he may testifie, how extreamly he abhorreth both their sinne, and the sinne of their progenitors. Fourthly, the parents sinne, is often a cause of the childrens sinne, seeing that God in his iust iudgement, curseth a wicked mans posterity, by leauing them to themselues, to blindenesse of minde, and hardnesse of heart, that so they may fulfill the measure of their fathers, as our Sauiour Christ speaketh, Matth. 23. 32. And by their owne sinnes, may iustly pull vpon them condigne punishment. Lastly, God doth more manifest his wrath against the sinne of the parent, by punishing the child.

Obiect. V. Numb. 25. 4. The chiefest of the Israelites were hanged vp before the Lord, for the fornication and idolstrie, of the people: therefore they did not beare the burden of their own sinne. Ans. They were punished for their owne sinne, for they consented to worship the idol, and commit folly with the daughters of Moab: or rather were principall ring-leaders, and first actors in this Commick-tragedie, as may appeare by the practise of Zimri Prince of the familie of the Simeonites, v. 6. in bringing Cosbie a Madianitish woman, into his tent, in the sight of Moses, and the whole congregation. Therefore because they did not hinder them from committing this fact, as they might, beeing in place of gouernment, but did partake with them in the sin they are first punished, & that more seuerely: for a thousand of them were hanged vp the same day, v. 4. the rest of the people, to the number of 23 thousand, were slain by the sword, at the commandement of God. v. 5. to which Paul had an eye, when he said, that there fell in one day 23 thousand. 1. Cor. 10. 8. meaning of the common sort, excluding those that were hanged vp: for in all there were 24 thousand. Num. 25. 9. Thus the contrarietie which seemes to be betwixt those two places, may be better accorded, then to say (as some doe) that the pen-men, or scribes, failed in copying out the bookes. Or (as others) that it was ἁμάρτημα μνημονικὸν in Paul: or as others, that Paul is not contrarie to Moses, seeing that if there were 24 thousand, (as Moses saith,) there were 23 thousand: for there is no reason why the Apostle should vse the lesse number rather then the greater, (except that which I haue said) considering the greater is as round a number as the lesse.

Obiect. VI. Dauid sinned in numbring the people, and they were punished for his sinne: Achan sinned, and the people fell slaine before the men of Ai: therefore euery man doth not beare his owne entire burden. The like may be said of the children of the Sodomits, and of the first borne of the Egyptians, who bare the burden of their parents sinne. Ans. The people were punished for their owne sinnes: and so was Dauid, albeit not in his owne, but in their persons: for God punished him in his kind, in destroying the people with that fearefull plague, in whose great multitude he had gloried so much. Indeede their punishment was occasioned by his sinne: but caused by their owne: for no man, though neuer so holy, is without sinne, and therefore none but deserue punishment: nay, it is Gods mercie, that we are not consumed. Lam. 3. 22.

And albeit all the infants perished in the Deluge, and in the ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha, which could neither imitate, nor approoue the actions of their forefathers: yet their death was deserued. For though infants be truly called innocents, in regard of actuall sinne: yet they are not innocents in regard of originall: for from the wombe they carrie a woluish nature, which prepares them to the spoile, though they neuer did hurt: the Scorpion hath his sting within him, though he doe not alway strike: and though a Serpent may be handled whilst the cold hath benummed him; yet when he is warmed, he will hisse out his venomous poison. Mans practise doth cleare God of vniustice in this behalfe, in killing the young cubbes, as well as the old foxe: the wolues whelps, as well as the damme. Albeit if we speake of their finall estate, and come to particulars, we are to leaue secret iudgements to God. The example of Achan is more difficult, seeing that for his sinne, 36 of the people were slaine, Iosh. 7. 5. and his whole familie rooted out, v. 25. who were not consenting to his fact, nor guiltie of his sinne. Yet something may probably be said in this case. First, that they were guiltie of this his sinne in part, in not punishing theft so seuerely as they ought to haue done, which was a meanes to embolden Achan to steale the execrable thing. Secondly, that priuate good must yeeld to the publike; as the life of euery particular person to the generall good of the whole Commonwealth: thus souldiours in the warres, redeem the publike peace by the losse of their own liues: now the manifestation of the glorie, of the wisdome, power, and iustice of God, is the publike good of the whole Church: therefore mens priuate good, euen their liues, must giue place to it: especially considering he neuer inflicts temporall punishment for the publike good, but he respects therein the priuate good of his Elect, whome he corrects in iudgement, not in furie. Thirdly, howsoeuer Achan did beare the burden of his owne sinne; this iudgement might be inflicted vpon them for their good: for temporall punishment, yea death it selfe, is sometimes inflicted for the good of those that are punished, as we see in the children of the Sodomits, many whereof (no doubt) were taken away in mercie, lest malice should haue changed and corrupted their minds: and sometime for the terrour of others, to be a warning peece to make them take heede; and sometime for both: as it may be it was in this particular. Fourthly, sinne committed by a particular man, that is a member of a politike bodie; doth after a sort belong to the whole bodie: thus the Lord saith, that blood defileth the land, which cānot be clēsed of the blood that was shedde therein, but by the blood of him that shedde it. Numb. 35. 33. And thus Achans sinne, though not knowne to the people, made the whole armie guiltie before God, till he was put to death. Iosh. 7. 11, 12. Lastly, if the tithing of an armie, for the offence of some fewe, haue beene thought lawfull Decima•io •x•rci••s. and iust: why should the death of 36 men seeme vniust for the sin of Achan, especially considering it was to make the people more prouident to preuent and take heede of the like euill? If these reasons satisfie not, yet let vs rest in this, that Gods iudgements are often secret, but alway iust. See August. lib. quaest. in Iosh. q. 8. and Calvin in 7. cap. Iosh.

Obiect. UII. If euery man must beare his owne burden, Dauid shall as well beare the burden of his murthering Vrias, by the sword of the children of Ammon, as Saul the murthering of himselfe with his owne sword, Peter his denying Christ, as Iudas his betraying him, &c. Ans. By the sentence of the Law, euery one is to beare his owne burden, and to satisfie for his owne sinne, in his owne person: but the Gospel, (the second part of Gods word,) makes an exception: which is, that they which haue their sinnes set vpon Christs reckening, shall not giue account for them againe: and those that haue the burden of them laide vpon his shoulders (who hath borne our sinnes in his bodie vpon the crosse, 1. Pet. 2. 23.) shall not beare the burden of them themselues at the last iudgement. Therefore true beleeuers, which haue Christ their suretie, satisfying the rigour of Gods iustice for them, shall not answer or satisfie forthē themselues: for they are freed by him from a threefold burden. First, frō the burden of ceremonies (& so consequently of humane lawes and ordinances) which were a yoke (as Peter saith) which neither we, nor our fathers, were able to beare. Act. 15. Secondly, from the burden of miseries, and crosses, which befall men in this life. He doth ease vs of this burden, by his word and spirit, either in remoouing them away, Psal. 81. 7. or in giuing strength and patience to beare them, 2. Cor. 12. 9. or in mitigating & proportionating them to our strength. 1. Cor. 10. 13. Thirdly, from the burden of sinne, as well originall, as actuall, in beeing made sinne, that is, accounted a sinner, and 2. Cor. 5. made a sacrifice for sinne, for vs: as also by easing them that are heauie laden, in pacifying the perplexed conscience. Matth. 11. 28. It will be said, if Christ beare the burden of our sinnes, euery man shall not beare his owne burden. Ans. Both be true, and may well stand together: for Legally, euery man is to beare his owne burden, the Law requiring personall obedience, or satisfaction, or both. Euangelically, Christ our suretie doth beare the burden of them, and satisfie the iustice of God for them. 1. Pet. 2. 23.

Use. Hence we learne, first, that no man can pay a ransome for his brother, or redeeme his soule from death, or satisfie the iustice of God for his sinne, seeing that euery man by the tenour of the Law, is to beare his owne burden: and by the Gospel, none can be our suretie but Christ.

Secondly, here we see the nature of sinne, that it is a burden to the soule: for it is heauier then the grauell of the earth, and the sand of the sea. It is a burden to the wicked Angels, for it waighed them frō the highest heauen, and made them fall like thunderbolts into the lowest hell. To man: for as Dauid saith, it is like a grieuous burden, too heauie for him to beare. Psal. 38. 4. To God: for the hypocriticall and ceremoniall seruice of the Iewes, was such a burden vnto him, that he was wearie to beare it. Isa. 1. 14. Behold, I am pressed vnder you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues. Amos 2. 13. To the creatures, who groane vnder this burden, beeing by mans sinne subiect to vanitie, and corruption. Rom. 8. 20, 21. Hence it followeth then, that those which feele not the waight & burden of their sinnes, are dead being aliue, as Paul speaks in another case. 1. Tim. 5. 6.

Thirdly, we are not to wonder, that sinne beeing so heauie a burden, should be made so light a matter, by carnall men: for it is a spirituall burden, and therefore no maruell, though it be not felt of them that are all flesh, and no spirit.

Fourthly, this shewes that the more a man doth feele the burden of his sinnes, the greater measure of grace and spirituall life he hath: and the lesse he feeleth it, the more he is to suspect himselfe, that the graces of God doe wane, and decay in him. For corruption is not felt by corruption, but by grace: & therfore the more a man doth feele the burden of his owne corruptions, the more grace he hath.

Fiftly, by this we see, that the greatest part of the world are dead in their sinnes, in that they haue no sense nor feeling of this heauie burden. There is indeede great crying out of the stone in the reynes, because it is felt to be a great torment to the bodie: but there is little or no complaining, of the stone in the heart, because men want spirituall life, and sense to discerne it. All men can take pittie vpon a beast, if he lie vnder his burden, and will be readie to helpe him vp againe. But all haue not the like sight and sense of the spirituall burden of sinne, not sympathy of the miserie of their brethren, groaning vnder it.

Sixtly, whereas Paul saith, Euery man must beare his owne burden, he meeteth with the prophanenesse and Atheisme of our time, when men make a mocke at the day of iudgement, & the strict account that euery man is to giue for himselfe. The Iewes were woont to ieast at the threatnings of God, denounced by the Prophets, and to call the visions of the Prophets, onus Iehouae, the burden of the Lord, in a merriment, vsing it as a by-word. Ierem. 23. 34, 36, 38. Thereby signifying that the threats of God, were but vaine bugs, or scarre-crowes, which might perhaps terrifie children, but could not hart them. The like prophanenesse, infidelitie, atheisme, hath crept into the mindes of many, who otherwise professe the Gospel, which they testifie by their speeches, in saying, they are sure, sinne is nothing so ougly, hell is not halfe so hotte, nor the deuill halfe so blacke, as preachers say they are: or if they be, they are sure they shall not goe loaden alone, with the burden of their sinns, but shall haue cōpany, & shall perhaps abide the brunt as well as their fellows. But alas, they know not that the burdē of sinne is intollerable, that it will eternally presse thē down to the gulfe of hell, & that they shall neuer be able to be ridde or eased of it.

Seuenthly, we are here admonished to take heede of euery sinne, for there is no sinne so small but hath his waight, and such a waight, as will presse downe to the bottomlesse pit, Ro. 6. 23. And though some be greater then others, and sinke a mā deeper into condemnation, yet many small sinnes will as easily condemne, as a few great. Like as sands, though but small in quantitie, yet beeing many in number, will as soone sinke the ship, as if it were laden with the greatest burden.

Eightly, seeing the guilt and punishment of sinne, is so heauie a burden, we are to ease and disburden our selues thereof. And that we may doe this, we must labour to feele the intollerable waight of it, pressing, and oppressing the conscience. Therefore as those who in their sleepe are troubled with the Ephialtes or mare, feeling (as it were) a great mountaine lying vpon them, and pressing them down, would giue all the world the waight might be remooued. So we feeling the waight and burden of our sinnes, are to labour to be disburdened and eased thereof: & this we shall doe by our repentāce toward God, and faith in Christ. Math. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie, and laden, and I will ease you.