Chapter 3
—and not by works of the law done by strength of nature, but by works of grace.
Chapter 3 1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? To whom Jesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified.
That we may see how this chapter depends on the former, we must repeat the principal argument of the epistle. If I was called of God and my doctrine be true, then you should not have revolted to another gospel. But I was called of God, and my doctrine is true.
Therefore you should not have revolted to another gospel.
The first part of the minor, that Paul was called of God, was handled in the first and second chapters. The second part—that his doctrine is true—is handled in the third, fourth, and fifth, and is propounded in this verse. Moreover, the conclusion of the argument set down (Gal.
1:6) is here again repeated, namely, that the Galatians should not have revolted to another gospel. And withal Paul here notes the causes of their revolt. And they are two. One is folly: "O foolish
Galatians." The other is the deceit of false teachers—"who hath bewitched you?"
Whereas Paul says, "O foolish Galatians," that we mistake not his example, three questions may be demanded. The first is, in what respect he gives this hard judgment against them? Answer. Three
things are subjected to judgment: the doctrines of men, the lives of men, and the persons of men. Doctrines are to be judged by the word, and the lives of men. Yet ordinarily, the persons of men are not to be judged. For the saying is true that "three things are not subject to judgment: the counsels of God, the Scriptures, and the persons of men." And in this place Paul gives judgment, not against the Galatians themselves or against their persons, but against their new conceived doctrine and against their practice in revolting.
The second question is, whether this judgment be righteous and true judgment? Answer. It is, because it is upon good ground. For first of all, Paul gives this censure by virtue of his calling—because his office was to reprove and correct vice (Titus 1:9; 2:15). Secondly, it was in truth. For indeed they overturned the passion of Christ. And therefore he could not call them less than fools. Thirdly, this judgment was given in love. For Paul intended and desired nothing in this speech but their good and amendment. Upon like grounds,
Isaiah calls the Israelites "people of Sodom and Gomorrah" (Isa. 1).
Christ calls the two disciples "foolish, and slow of heart to believe"
(Luke 24:25). Paul calls the Cretans "liars and slow bellies" (Titus 1:12). But Matthew 5:22 may be objected, where he is said to be in danger of a council, that says, "Thou fool." Answer. The place is to be understood of them that charge men with folly with a mind to reproach them and in way of revenge, which Paul in this place does not.
The third question is, whether we may use like judgment against men? Answer. Upon like grounds we may, if we have a warrant and calling from God so to do. For all judgment is God's (Rom. 14:10), if this judgment be in truth—if it be in charity, for the amendment of the parties, and for good of others. Otherwise, if these grounds fail us, we may not give judgment against any man, but must follow the
judgment of charity which thinks no evil, hopes the best, and construes all things in the best part (1 Cor. 13).
To come to the second cause, Paul says, "Who hath bewitched you?"—that is, who has deceived you, as if you were bewitched by some enchantments. Here Paul takes it for a confessed truth that there is witchcraft and witches. And that we may the better conceive his meaning, two questions are to be propounded. The first is, what is the witchcraft here meant? Answer. It is a satanical operation, whereby the senses of men are deluded. For the devil can by certain means delude and corrupt the fantasy or the imagination and cause men to think that of themselves which is otherwise. There is a disease called lycanthropia, in which, the brain being distempered, men think themselves to be wolves and carry themselves as wolves.
And in this disease the devil has a great stroke. Again, the devil can delude the outward senses, as the hearing and the sight. Thus James and Jambres turned their rods into serpents before Pharaoh, and brought frogs, by deceiving the eye, and not in truth (Ex. 7–8). Thus the witch of Endor made a counterfeit of Samuel to rise out of the earth (1 Sam. 28).
The second question is, if this witchcraft be an operation of Satan, how men should be said to do it? For Paul says, who or what man has bewitched you. Answer. Men do it by league and confederacy with the devil. The enchanter charms by joining societies (Ps. 58:5). The devil seeks whom he may devour. And therefore, where he finds a fit person to work upon, he insinuates and offers himself. And after men be in league with him, he has a word and sacraments for them, as God has. And he requires faith, as God does. And look as thieves, some lie in the way, [and] some in the wood. And they in the way
(when a booty comes) give a watch word to the rest, and then all are at hand together. Even so when men in league with the devil use
charms, imprecations, curses, prayers, superstitious invocations, according to his appointment, and other satanical ceremonies, a watch word is likewise given unto him, and he is straight at hand to do the intended feat. Thus, and no otherwise, are men said to bewitch or delude the eye.
That which Paul says to the Galatians, if he were now living among us, he would likewise say to us, "O foolish nation, who hath bewitched you?" We are wise in matters of the world; but in matters concerning the kingdom of heaven, the most of us are fools, besotted and bewitched with worldly cares and pleasures, without sense in matters of religion, like a piece of wax without all form—fit to take the form and print of any religion. And we must take heed, lest this our foolishness and intoxication of our senses lead us headlong to perdition. And therefore we must learn the way of life in humility
(Ps. 25:9). We must obey it, and in obedience we shall learn it (John 7:17). We must as heartily love the word of God, as in mind we conceive it, lest by not loving of it, we be "given up to strong illusions to believe lies" (2 Thess. 2:10–11). Lastly, we must pray to God to be taught and guided by His word and Spirit in things pertaining to everlasting life.
To proceed further, the delusion or bewitching of the Galatians is set forth by two arguments. The first is the end, in these words: "that ye should not obey the truth." Before I come to the consideration of these words, a doubt must be resolved. For some man may say that this epistle is corrupted because these words are wanting in sundry translations and editions of the Bible. And Jerome says that they were not found in the copies of the Bible in his days. Answer. In the editions and translations of the Bible, there are sundry differences and diversities of readings. And these differences are not the fault of the Scripture, but of the men which used to write out the Bible. For
the Bible heretofore was spread abroad, not by printing, but by writing. Again, though in the books of the Bible there be sundry varieties of reading, yet the providence of God has so watched over the Bible that the sense thereof remains entire, sound, and incorrupt, specially in the grounds of religion. And not the words principally, but the sense is the Scripture. And that which I say appears in this text. For whether these words be left in, or put out, the sense of the verse is one and the same.
These words, "that ye should not obey the truth," are meant of the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). And the obedience of faith is propounded unto us without adding, detracting, or changing. And this the Galatians did not. For they added justification by works to the doctrine of Paul touching justification by faith alone. By which addition they depraved the truth and showed that indeed they believed not the truth. Here let us observe the scope of all the malice of the devil, and that is to hinder or overthrow our faith. The first thing the devil aimed at in our first parents was to overthrow their faith and to cause them to doubt of the truth of God's word. The first temptation wherewith our Savior Christ was assaulted was against His faith as He was man: If Thou be the Son of God, Thou canst cause these stones in Thy hunger to be made bread. But Thou canst not cause these stones to be made bread. Therefore Thou art not the Son of God.6 The devil desired to sift out all the faith of the apostles and to leave them nothing but the chaff of unbelief (Luke 22). The devil blinds the eyes of men "that the light of the gospel of Jesus
Christ may not shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4). This must teach us that we must not only hold and know the true religion for the time, but also build ourselves upon our faith (Jude 20), and be rooted and established upon our faith and religion (Col. 1:23), and the rather, because it has been the manner of this nation wickedly to change religion with the times. And that we may indeed be rooted upon our
religion, we must not boast of the greatness and strength of our faith, but rather labor to see in ourselves a sea of unbelief, heartily to bewail it, and to strive to believe, and so to go on from faith to faith.
The "truth" here mentioned is the heavenly doctrine of the gospel, so called for two causes. First, because it is an absolute truth without error. It is a principle not to be called in question that the apostles and prophets in writing and preaching could not err. It may be said, they were men as we are, and therefore subject to err and be deceived in judgment. Answer. Judgment is twofold. One, conceived by the discourse of natural reason; the other, conceived by the apprehension of things revealed by God. In the first, the apostles and prophets might err and be deceived, as Nathan and Peter were. In the second, they could not, because it was framed in them by the inspiration and instinct of the Holy Ghost. And therefore, they never erred, either in preaching or writing. The second cause why the gospel is called "the truth" is because it is a most worthy truth, namely, the truth which is according to godliness (Titus 1). It may be said, what is the truth? And how shall we know it, considering there be so many dissensions? Answer. First, make yourself fit to know, and then shall you know the truth. And you shall be fitted to know the truth if you first of all give yourself to obey it. Read the golden text: "Obey, and ye shall know" (John 7:17).
The second thing whereby the delusion of the Galatians is expressed is the sign thereof, in these words: "to whom Jesus Christ was described," etc.—that is, to whom I have preached the doctrine of salvation by Christ in lively and evident manner, even as if Christ had been painted before your eyes and had been crucified in or among you. And this is a manifest token that the Galatians were deluded, because they could not acknowledge the truth when it was set forth unto them (as it were) in orient colors. And where Paul says that
"Christ was before described," I refer it to the time before their revolt.
Here first, we are to observe the properties of the ministry of the word. The first, that it must be plain, perspicuous, and evident, as if the doctrine were pictured and painted out before the eyes of men.
Therefore the Church of Rome deals wickedly in keeping the Scriptures in an unknown tongue. For this is to cover that from the people, which is to be painted before the eyes of their minds. Again, that kind of preaching is to be blamed in which there is used a mixed kind of variety of languages before the unlearned. For this is a sign to the unbelievers (1 Cor. 14:22). And in this kind of preaching we do not paint Christ, but we paint out our own selves. It is a by-word among us: "It was a very plain sermon." And I say again, the plainer, the better.
The second property of the ministry of the word is that it must be powerful and lively in operation, and as it were crucifying Christ within us, and causing us to feel the virtue of His passion. The word preached must pierce into the heart like a two-edged sword (Heb.
4:12). True prophecy judges men, discovers the things of the heart, and causes men to say: "The Lord is within you" (1 Cor. 14:25). The scepter of Christ whereby He smites the nations is in His mouth (Isa.
11:4), that is, in the ministry of the word (Jer. 15:19). And it is the same ministry which shakes heaven and earth (Hag. 2:5–6). By this it appears that to take a text, and to make a discourse upon something in the said text, showing much invention of wit and much reading and human learning, is not to preach Christ in a lively manner. It will be said: what then? I answer with Paul, "Who is sufficient" either for the speaking or doing of "these things?"10 Yet something may be shown. Know therefore that the effectual and powerful preaching of the word stands in three things. The first is
true and proper interpretation of the Scripture, and that by itself. For Scripture is both the gloss and the text. The second is savory and wholesome doctrine, gathered out of the Scriptures truly expounded.
The third is the application of the said doctrine, either to the information of the judgment or to the reformation of the life. This is the preaching that is of power. Let all the sons of the prophets think upon these things and study to be doers of them.
Furthermore, two questions are here resolved. The first is, whether images be necessary in the congregations of the people of God?
Answer. There are Christian images and pictures, and they are very necessary. And these images are sermons of Christ and the right administration of the sacraments. For in them Christ is described and painted out unto us. As for the painted and carved images of the papists, we utterly detest them as idols. They allege that they are laymen's books, but Habakkuk says, "they are doctors of lies" (Hab.
2:18). And where the lively preaching of the word is, there is no need of them. And therefore images were not established in churches in these West parts till after seven hundred years. As long as the church had golden teachers, there were no wooden images; but when golden teachers did degenerate and become wooden teachers, then came both golden and wooden images. It is further said, why may we not paint Christ in our churches with colors, as with words in sermons?
Answer. The one the Lord allows, namely, the description of Christ in speech. But the carving or painting of images in churches, and that for religious use, He condemns (Ex. 20:4–6).
The second question is, whether there be now in the church of God any sacrifice or oblation of Christ? Answer. There is after a sort. For there is a lively representation of the passion of Christ in the preaching of the word and in the administration of the Lord's
Supper, as if Christ were yet in crucifying, and as though His blood
were now distilling from His hands and sides. As for the sacrifice of the Mass, it is an abomination and a mere mockery, for there the priest when he says, "Accept these gifts," etc., is become a mediator between Christ and God. And the body and blood of Christ is offered in an unbloody manner—that is, blood is offered without blood. And the priest, when he has offered Christ, eats up all that he has offered.
Yet for this damnable oblation many stand. And the reason is because they are bewitched and enchanted with pretended shows of fathers, councils, antiquity, succession, etc.
Lastly, here we learn what is the duty of all believers, namely, to behold Christ crucified: "O daughters of Zion, behold your king"
(Song 3:11). But where must we behold Him? Not in roods and crucifixes after the popish manner; but we must look on Him as He propounds Himself unto us in the word and sacraments. For thus is
He the true object of our faith. And how must we behold Him? By the eye of faith, which makes us both see Him and feel Him (as it were) crucified in us. Here note that implicit faith (which is to believe as the church believes) is a blind faith. For by it we cannot contemplate and behold Christ. And the common fault is here to be noted whereby men neglect and pass by this contemplation of Christ. There is among us the evil eye13 that devours all it sees. There is the adulterous eye. But where is the eye of faith to behold Christ? Where is the force of this eye to be seen which makes the thing which it beholds to be ours, and us like unto it? We love to trick and paint our bodies, and some to set fine complexions on their faces (and therefore complexions at this day are made a kind of merchandise), but away with such vanities.15 If you love to be painted, I will tell you what you shall do. The office of the ministers is to describe and paint our Christ unto us. Let them paint Christ crucified in the heart, and set up His image there, and then shall you have a favorable complexion in the eye both of God and man.
That this contemplation of Christ by faith may take more place and be the better practiced, consider the use of it. First, by beholding
Christ crucified, we see our misery and wickedness. For our sins are the swords and spears which have crucified Him (Zech. 12:10).
Secondly, this sight brings us true and lively comfort. For beholding Christ crucified, we see paradise as it were in the midst of hell. We see the handwriting against us canceled (Col. 2:14). We see the remission of our sins written with the heart blood of Christ and sealed with the same. Thirdly, this sight of Christ makes a universal change of us. The chameleon takes to it the colors of the things which it sees and are near unto it. And the believing heart takes to it the disposition and mind that was in Christ crucified by viewing and beholding of Christ. This sight makes us mourn and bleed in our hearts for our offences when we consider that Christ was crucified for them. And it makes us love Christ, when we consider the love of God in Christ crucified.
Lastly, this thing must be a terror to all the ungodly. For they have no care to behold Christ, but by their lewd lives they crucify Him. And for this cause in the day of judgment they shall see with heavy hearts
Christ to be their judge whom they have pierced (Rev. 1:7). Better therefore it is now in the day of grace to behold Him with the eye of faith to our comfort, than now to despise Him and then to behold
Him to our everlasting shame with the eye of confusion.
2 This only would I learn of you, received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish, that after ye have begun in the Spirit, ye would now be made perfect by the flesh?
The sense of the words. When Paul says, "This would I learn of you," he meets with the conceit of the Galatians who thought themselves
wise. And the effect of his speech is this: I have called you fools, but it may be that you think yourselves wise, and me foolish. Well, let it be so. Then with all your wisdom teach me, and let me learn but one thing, and that is, by what means you received the Spirit. Touching the phrase "received ye the Spirit," three things must be observed.
The first, that the Spirit sometimes signifies the essential Spirit of the Father and the Son, as, "There is a diversity of gifts, but one Spirit" (1
Cor. 12:4). Sometimes again, it signifies the effects, operations, or gifts of the Spirit, as namely when flesh and Spirit are opposed, as in this text. And further, when it signifies gifts, yet then the presence of the Spirit is not excluded, but included. The second is that here "the Spirit" signifies the Spirit of adoption (Eph. 1:13; Rom. 8:15). The third is that to receive the Spirit is not barely to receive the gifts of the Spirit (as we are said to have the sun in the house when we receive the beams of the body of the sun being in heaven), but in this receiving, there are two things. One is that the Spirit is present in us; the other, that the same Spirit testifies His presence by His special operation and gifts of grace. Paul says, "Grieve not the Spirit" (Eph.
4:30). Which is not meant of gifts, but of the very person of the Spirit. And it must be remembered that the effects and gifts of the Spirit presuppose the presence of the Spirit. By "works of the law," we are to understand the doctrine of justification by the works of the law. By "the hearing of faith" is meant the doctrine of the gospel— hearing being put for the thing heard, namely, preaching; and faith, for the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ crucified. For faith signifies not only the gift whereby we believe, but also that which is believed.
In the third verse, "Spirit" signifies the operation of the Spirit, whereby the inward man is renewed and made like to God; or, again, the exercises of the inward man. And "flesh" signifies outward things or actions that properly pertain to the outward man, as circumcision
and such like. Thus "flesh" and the "new creature" are opposed (2 Cor. 5:16–17). And Paul says, "He is a Jew, that is a Jew within, in the Spirit, having the circumcision of the heart" (Rom. 2:29). "To begin in the Spirit" is to begin in godliness and religion, inwardly in the exercises of the renewed heart.
The Resolution. In these words is contained the first argument, whereby Paul proves the truth of his doctrine. It is framed thus. If you received the Spirit by my doctrine, my doctrine is true, and you foolish that add unto it justification by the works of the law. But you received the Spirit by my doctrine. Therefore it is true, and you deal foolishly that have added to it justification by works.
The major or first proposition is not expressed, but the proof thereof in the third verse, thus. It is a point of extreme folly when you have begun in the Spirit, to end in the flesh. Therefore it is folly in you having received the Spirit by my doctrine to add anything unto it of your own.
The Use. When Paul says, "Let me learn one thing of you," he notes the fault of the Galatians and of sundry others who, when they have attained to a certain measure of knowledge in God's word, are presently puffed up with pride and often think themselves wiser than their teachers. This was the fault of the Corinthians (1 Cor. 8:1) and of sundry in our days who separate wholly from all our congregations, presuming to know that which they never learned of their teachers. That this overweening pride may not take place, we must join the knowledge of ourselves with the knowledge of God's word, and mix our knowledge with love. For "love edifies," and "bare knowledge swells the heart."
Again, here, when it is said, "Received ye the Spirit?"—that is, you did not receive the Spirit by the works of the law, but by the hearing
of faith. Here, I say, we see the difference between the law and the gospel. The law does not minister the Spirit unto us. For it only shows our disease and gives us no remedy. The gospel ministers the Spirit. For it shows what we are to do, and withal the Spirit is given to make us do that which we are enjoined in the gospel.
Here also we learn that the preaching of the gospel is necessary for all men because it is the instrument of God to confer the Spirit.
"While Peter was yet speaking, the Spirit of God fell upon the Gentiles" (Acts 10:44). Paul says his ministry is the ministry of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:8), saving the ministers and others (1 Tim. 4:16). And the most learned have need of this ordinance of God. For suppose they have knowledge sufficient, yet have they need of the Spirit of God to guide and govern them.
Further, let it be observed, what is the scope of all our hearing and teaching, namely, that we may receive the Spirit of God—without which Spirit, we can do nothing.
Moreover, Paul here sets down an infallible argument, whereby we may be assured that the Scripture is the Word of God. For the Scriptures in their right use (which is in reading, hearing, meditation) have the divine and supernatural operation of the Spirit joined with them to comfort in all distresses and in the very pang of death, and to convert the heart of man, making him in respect of righteousness and holiness like unto God. This privilege have the Scriptures (Isa. 59:21), and no word else.
Lastly, let us here observe the certain mark of true religion. And that is that the preaching thereof confers the Spirit of adoption. This does not the pretended catholic religion of the papists. It does not confer unto men the Spirit to assure them that they are the children of God, because it teaches that we are to be in suspense of our salvation.
Again, by teaching human satisfactions and merits, it ministers the spirit of pride and presumption, as also the spirit of cruelty and not of meekness. For they of that religion commonly delight in blood.
And there have been no wars, or seditions, or rebellions in Europe, for many ages, but they of the Romish religion have been at one end of them.
When Paul says, "Began ye in the Spirit" (v. 3), he teaches a divine instruction that true godliness and religion stands in the Spirit, that is, the grace of the heart, or in the exercises of the inner man, whether we respect the beginning, the middle, or the accomplishment thereof. "The king's daughter is all glorious within"
(Ps. 45:13). True worshippers worship God in the spirit (John 4:24; Rom. 1:9). "He is a Jew, that is a Jew" not without, but "within in the Spirit, in the circumcision of the heart" (Rom. 2:29). God's service and "kingdom stands in justice, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17). "He that is in Christ" must not know Him in any carnal respects, but be "a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal.
6:15). Baptism is not the washing of the spots of the flesh, but the promise that a good conscience makes to God. By this doctrine we see the fault of the world which for the most part places religion in ceremonial performances of some outward duties. The Jew used to come to God with sacrifices and to draw near to Him with his lip, his heart being far from God. The papist has turned the apostolic and catholic religion into a mass of ceremonies, borrowed partly from the Jews and partly from the Gentiles. And the multitude among us place their religion in coming to the church, in outward hearing, in receiving the sacrament, in some kind of formal praying. These things may not be condemned, but the power and life of religion lies not in these things. Wherefore we must not stand upon outward and painted shows, but look what thou art between God and yourself; that only are you in religion. You pray in the church, but you may
deceive the world in this. Tell me, do you pray at home? Do you pray in your own heart unto God by the Spirit of prayer? Then you pray indeed. If you can approve your heart unto God for any act of religion, then it is done indeed, else not. Remember this.
Furthermore, Paul here teaches that our after proceedings in religion must be answerable to our first beginnings in the Spirit. And hence we may be advertised of many things. First, here we must take note of the folly of popish religion. For it begins in God's mercy and the merit of Christ. And it ends in our merits and satisfactions. Secondly, we must take notice of the common sin of our times. For in the practice of our religion we are deceived. We are not now that which we have been twenty or thirty years ago. For now we see the world abounds with atheists, Epicures, libertines, worldlings, Neuters that are of no religion. And sundry that have heretofore shown some forwardness, begin to falter, and stagger, and to look another way.
This is not to begin and end in the Spirit, but to end in the flesh. We are betimes to amend this fault, lest if our former zeal be turned to present lukewarmness, God in His anger spew us out.
Young men must here be advertised as they grow in years and stature so to grow up in good things, that both the first beginning and the after proceedings may be in the Spirit. Thus did Christ increase in grace as He increased in stature.
Lastly, aged persons that have begun in the Spirit must look that they grow up in the graces of the Spirit more than others that they may end in the Spirit. It is said of the angel of Thyatira that "his love, service, and works, were more at the last than at the first" (Rev.
2:19); the same should be said of all aged persons. They which are planted in the house of God "bring forth fruit in their old age" (Ps.
92:14). It is the commendation of the old man, that by reason of his
manifold experience, he knows the Father more than others (1 John 2:14). It is the praise of Anna, that she continually served God in fasting and prayer, being eighty years old. When the outward man decays, the inward man should be renewed. I speak all this the rather because aged persons are much wanting in this duty. For none commonly are so ignorant in the things of God as they. They begin in the Spirit, but the affections of their hearts usually end in the love of this present world. But they must be warned that as they go before others in age, so must they also exceed in the graces of the Spirit. We use to say of children, "God make them good old men," and it is well said. An old man is to be regarded, but specially a good old man, who is more to be respected than twenty of younger years. Now aged persons when they grow in age and not in the Spirit, they lose their honor, for "age is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness" (Prov. 16:31). Let them therefore pray with David,
"Forsake me not, O Lord, in mine old age" (Ps. 71:9).
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If so be it be even in vain.
The interrogation, "Have ye?," is as much as, "Ye have," because the question in this place countervails a speech affirmative. And the words carry this sense. You have professed the gospel, and you have suffered many afflictions for the same; but now have you revolted from the gospel, and therefore all your former sufferings are void or in vain.
The words, "if they be in vain," are a limitation or qualification of that which was said before. And they carry this sense. Whereas I have said that your sufferings are in vain, I speak it not simply, but with some hope of your repentance, which if it be, then that which would be in vain, shall not be in vain.
In this verse, Paul sets down a second reason to prove the proposition of his first argument, on this manner. If you received the Spirit by my doctrine, then is my doctrine true, and you fools in revolting from it. For by this means the things which you suffered well, you now suffer in vain.
The Use. When Paul says, "Have ye suffered," etc., he signifies unto us the estate and condition of all believers in this life, that they must be bearers and sufferers. The Reason. To this are we called (1 Peter
2:21), for we are called to resign all revenge to God, and therefore of ourselves to be bearers and sufferers. "Resist not evil" (Matt. 5:39).
And we are called to imitate the passion of Christ who suffered being innocent and, being reviled, reviled not again. Moreover, it is for our good that we should bear and suffer (1 Peter 1:6; Ps. 119:71). It may be demanded, what if my cause be good, must I then suffer? Answer.
Yea. The better your cause is, the better are your sufferings. "They are blessed that suffer for righteousness." Paul commends himself by the multitude of his sufferings (2 Cor. 11:23–29). Again, it may be demanded, how long we must suffer? Answer. Even to the shedding of our blood, if it be for the resisting of sin (Heb. 12:4). Lastly, it may be said, how shall we be able to do this? Answer. "God is faithful, and will not lay on us more than we shall be able to bear" (1 Cor. 10:13).
By this we are admonished not to make reckoning in this world of pleasures and delights as though the gospel were a gospel of ease, and as we use to say, "a gospel made of velvet"—but every one of us must take up his own cross. "If thou wilt be My disciple, deny thyself, take up thy cross" (Luke 9:23)—that is, the particular affliction and misery which God lays on you. Again, if in this world we must be sufferers by condition, then in dissensions and differences we may neither give nor take the challenge, but must be content to bear and put up wrongs and abuses. Lastly, in these days of our peace, we must look for days of trial and affliction. For as yet we have suffered
little for the name of Christ. The harvest of the Lord has been among us more than forty years. Therefore (no doubt) the time of threshing, fanning, and grinding comes on, that as the martyr said, we may be
"good bread to the Lord." And that we may be able to suffer for the name of God, we must pray for this gift at God's hand. For power to suffer is the gift of God (Phil. 1:29); and we must observe the commandment of God, "not to fear the terror of men" (1 Peter 3:14; cf. Rev. 2:10). And for this cause, "we must" (as Peter says) "sanctify
God in our hearts"—being assured by our faith of the presence, protection, and providence of God.
When Paul says, "Have ye suffered so many things?," he shows that we must endure manifold miseries in this life. Jacob said to Pharaoh
[that] his days were "few and evil." "Many are the afflictions of the righteous" (Ps. 34:19). Christ says, "Take up thy cross every day"
(Luke 9:23), and thereby He signifies, that every new day that comes over our heads, we must look for a new cross. And for this cause, it is not enough to be patient for a fit, but we must show all patience and longsuffering, and that with joyfulness (Col. 1:11).
When Paul says, "Have ye suffered so many things in vain?," he signifies that our sufferings are of great use, unless our sins be the hindrance. It may then be demanded, what is the use of our sufferings? The papists answer that in our baptism or first conversion Christ's sufferings do all, and abolish the whole fault and punishment. But if we sin after our conversion, then, say they,
Christ's sufferings abolish the fault and the eternal punishment, and our own sufferings abolish the temporal punishment. But this doctrine lessens and obscures the mercy of God. And it must be observed that Paul held all their sufferings to "be in vain" that seek remission of sins or justification in anything out of Christ.
Now we for our parts make five other uses of our sufferings. First, they serve for trial of men that it may appear what is hidden in their hearts (Deut. 8:2). Secondly, they serve for the correction of things amiss in us (1 Cor. 11:32). Thirdly, they serve as documents and warnings to others, specially in public persons. Thus David suffers many things after repentance for his murder and adultery. Fourthly, they are marks of adoption, if we be content to obey God in them
(Heb. 12:7). Lastly, they are the trodden and beaten way to the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22).
When Paul says, "If they be in vain," we are to observe his moderation. He reproves and terrifies the Galatians, yet so as he is careful to preserve the hope of mercy in them, and the hope of their amendment in himself. The like has been the practice of the prophets. Jonah preaches, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed," but withal he adds, "It may be the Lord will repent, and turn from his fierce wrath" (Jonah 3:9). Peter says to Simon Magus,
"Thou art in the gall of bitterness," but withal he adds, "Pray God that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee" (Acts 8:22–23; see the like, Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15). And thus are ministers of the gospel to delay and qualify their reproofs and censures.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
These words are a repetition of the second verse, whence the exposition must be fetched. The words, "and worketh miracles among you," are added. And they carry this meaning: that God gave to the Galatians not only the Spirit of adoption, but also other extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, as to speak with strange tongues, to cure diseases, and such like.
Repetitions in Scripture are not idle, but of great use, and signify unto us the necessity of the thing repeated and the infallible certainty of it. The substance therefore of this verse must carefully be remembered, and that this. You received the Spirit by my doctrine.
Therefore it is true and of God. The argument is of great use, for by it we come to an infallible assurance of the certainty of the Scriptures and of true religion derived thence.
The Galatians are now revolted from Paul's doctrine, and they err in the foundation. And yet Paul says in the time present, "He that ministereth the Spirit unto you." Hence it appears that falls of infirmity in the child of God do not utterly extinguish the Spirit, but only grieve or make sad the Spirit.
Again Paul here teaches that God is the only and proper author of miracles. For He that ministers the Spirit works miracles, namely
God. A miracle is a work above the strength of nature. Therefore it can be effected of none but the author of nature. It may be objected, the apostles, prophets, and others had a gift to work miracles. Joshua commanded the sun to stand (Josh. 10:12), and Elijah commanded fire to come down from heaven (2 Kings 1). Answer. God never gave to any man power to work and effect a miracle either mediately or immediately. The gift was the faith of miracles. The faith was grounded upon revelation. And the revelation was that God Himself would work such or such a miracle when they prayed, commanded, or imposed hands. Men therefore properly are but the mouth of God, and messengers to signify what He will do. Again, it may be objected that the devil can work miracles. Answer. He can work a wonder or things extraordinary in respect of the ordinary course of nature. Thus he caused fire to fall from heaven. And he caused ulcers to arise in the body of Job, and that true ulcers. And this he did by the force of nature, better known to him than all the world. But as for a true
miracle that exceeds the strength of nature, he cannot possibly do it —no not Christ Himself, as man, though He be exalted above all men and angels. By this we see that they are deceived who think that the devil can make rain, thunder, and lightning. Indeed when the matter of rain and thunder is prepared by God, he can hasten it, and make it more terrible; but rain and thunder he cannot make. For that is indeed as much as any miracle. Again, it is a falsehood to think that alchemists are able to turn baser metals into gold. For it is a work of creation to turn a creature of one kind into a creature of another kind. It is also as foolish to imagine that witches, by the power of the devil, are able to turn themselves into cats and other creatures. None can do this but God that made the creature.
Here again we see the use of miracles, that is, to confirm doctrine in the apostolic churches. That their use is further to confirm doctrine even at this day, it cannot be proved.
Lastly, here in the Galatians we see what an easy thing it is to fall from God, from our faith and allegiance to Him. They were taught by Paul. They had received the Spirit of adoption. They were enabled to work miracles. And yet for all this they fall away to another gospel.
They must be a looking glass to us. In peace we are now constant; but if trial shall come, our frailty shall appear. That our frailty and weakness may not be hurtful to us, we must remember two rules.
One is not to have a conceit of anything in us, but to hold our faith and religion in fear, as in the presence of God (Rom. 11:20). The second, to take heed that there be not in us an evil, corrupt, and dissembling heart. For if our heart be naught, our faith cannot be good (Heb. 3:12).