Chapter 5: Verses 7–12
Chapter 5: Verses 7–12 7 Ye did run well: who did let you, that ye should not obey the truth?
The Meaning. "Ye did run well"—in these words, Paul alludes to the games of running used among the heathen. And he compares the word and precepts of God to a way or race; believers, to runners; life eternal, to the price; God, to the umpire or judge; the lookers on are men and angels, good and bad; and the exercise of religion is the running in this race (read of this, 1 Cor. 9:24; Phil. 3:13–14).
"Who"—the interrogation has in it the force of a reproof or complaint. And the sense is this. They did evil which turned you forth of the way, and you have done evil that you obeyed not the truth. The like is, "Why do the heathen rage?" (Ps. 2:1), that is, it is great wickedness for them to rage.
"Let"—stop, intercept your course, turn you out of the way.
"That you should not obey"—that you should not give credence to the doctrine of Paul and obey it.
The Scope. These words are a repetition of the principal conclusion of the whole epistle. And this repetition is not in vain. For it serves to bring the Galatians to a consideration of their offence and to amendment of life. Hence I observe that the often and serious consideration of our sins and lives past is a means to work in us a detestation of our sins and a reformation of life. Thus David says that upon consideration of his ways, "He turned his feet to God's commandments" (Ps. 119:59). And the cause why there is so little
amendment among us is because we never so much as think what we have done.
In these words, Paul sets down there duties of Christian people. The first is that they must be runners in the race of God. Indeed the Sabbath of the Jews figured a rest, which is contrary to running. But this rest is from sin, and not from good duties. This duty of running teaches us four things. The first is that we must make haste without delay to keep the commandments of God, specially the commandments of faith, repentance, new obedience (Ps. 119:32, 60).
Contrariwise it is a great fault for youth and others to defer amendment till old age, or till the last and deadly sickness. For that is the time to end our running and not to begin.
The second is that we are to increase and profit in all good duties, specially in knowledge, faith, repentance. But we in this age do otherwise. For either we stand at a stay or go back, and very few of us do proceed forward in good duties. And there are two causes of this.
One is blindness of mind, which makes us that we see not how little our faith and repentance is, and how great is the mass of our corruption. The second is our unbelief in the article of life everlasting.
The third duty is that we must neither look to the right or left hand, or look to things behind us to set our affection on them; but we must press on forward to the prize of eternal life (Phil. 3:14; Luke 9:62).
Here comes a common fault to be considered. We in respect of profession go forward. Yet we look back in our course and mind earthly things.
Lastly, we must not be moved with the speeches of men which are given of us either to or fro. They are lookers on and must have their
speeches, and our care must be not to heed them, but to look to our course.
The second duty of Christian people is that they must not only be runners, but they must run well. And that is done by believing and by obeying the true religion, or, as Paul says, by "having faith and good conscience" (1 Tim. 1:19). These are as it were the two feet by which we run to life everlasting. Under faith we are to comprehend the true acknowledgement of God, affiance in Him, and invocation, etc.
Under good conscience is comprised the purpose of not sinning, and the care to obey God in all His commandments. To apply this to ourselves: Runners we are. But alas, few of us are good runners. We have one good foot, and that is our faith or religion, which is sound and good. But we halt on the other foot. Our care to keep conscience is not suitable to our religion. And three things cause a lameness or feebleness in this foot: the lust of the eye, that is covetousness; the lust of the flesh; and pride of life.
The third duty is that we must run the race from the beginning to the end and finish our course so as we may apprehend life everlasting (1
Tim. 6:11–12; 2 Tim. 4:7; 1 Cor. 9:24). And for this cause we must cherish in our hearts a love and fervent desire of eternal life, and by this means we shall be drawn on through all miseries, and overpass them to the end. Secondly, we must hold and maintain a constant and daily purpose of not sinning. And where we are the weakest, there must our resolution be the strongest. And thus shall we be constant to the death.
8 It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you.
The Meaning. This opinion of justification by the works of the law is not from God, who has called you from bondage to liberty.
The Scope. Paul here meets with a conceit of the Galatians, which was this. Why do you so often and so sharply reprove us? For we hold nothing against conscience, but are persuaded of the thing which we say. To this Paul answers here. This persuasion is not of God because it is against the calling of God, for He calls you to liberty. And this your opinion draws you into bondage.
Here we see the cause of men's declining from God and His word and that is this. Men deny credence to God's word and listen to plausible persuasions, and so fall away. Thus Eve fell in the estate of innocence by listening to the false persuasions of the devil. The papists nuzzle themselves in their superstitions by a presumption that the church cannot err and that God will not leave His church destitute of the assistance of His Spirit. Our common people bolster themselves in their blind ways by a presumption that God is all of mercy and that if they do their true intent, fear God, say their prayers, deal justly, and do as they would be done unto, they shall certainly be saved.
Tradesmen often use many practices of fraud and injustice, and that upon a persuasion that they have a charge and family which must be maintained. If men nowadays will not blaspheme, drink, and riot as others do, they shall be charged with preciseness. And that comes upon a persuasion that it suffices to avoid the outward and notorious crimes which are mentioned and condemned in the law. Thus the whole world is missed by blind persuasions.
Secondly, hence we learn to close up our eyes (as it were) and absolutely to follow the calling of God and to subject all the powers of our souls unto it. Thus did Abraham when he was called to go he knew not whither, and Paul without using consultation went and preached in Arabia at the calling of Christ.
Thirdly, Paul here sets down a note to discern of false doctrines and opinions in religion. If they be suitable to the calling of God, they are good. If they be against the calling of God, they are naught. This is
Paul's rule. God calls us to liberty. Therefore the doctrine of justification by the works of the law is naught. For it draws us into bondage. In like sort God calls us to free justification. And therefore the doctrine of human satisfactions and of the merit of works is naught. Again, God calls us to an utter denial of ourselves. And therefore the popish doctrine of preparation and of freedom of will in the conversion of a sinner is naught.
Lastly, it is to be observed that Paul says in the time present, "Of him that calleth you"—for hence it appears that God continues to call the Galatians even after their fall in which they fell away to another gospel, and as much as in them lay abolished themselves from Christ.
This shows God's patience, and that there is a possibility of mercy after great and grievous falls.
It may be said, how long does God continue to call men unto Him?
Answer. So long as He vouchsafes them the benefit of the public ministry. Thus then more than forty years has God called us in England. And for this cause, it is our part to pray to God for hearing ears, to be pierced in our hearts. And we must answer the calling of God, at the least in the desires and groans of our hearts (Ps. 27:8).
And lastly, we must in life and conversation be suitable to the calling of God.
9 A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump.
The Sense. As a little leaven, leavens and savors the whole lump of dough, even so, one error or point of corrupt doctrine corrupts the whole body of Christian religion because all the points of religion are
linked and compounded together, so as if one be corrupt, the rest cannot remain sound and incorrupt.
The Scope. The objection of the Galatians is, put case that we err in joining circumcision and Christ. Yet there is no cause why you should so sharply reprove us. For it is no great error to join works and Christ in the cause of our justification. Paul answers to this objection by a proverb, saying that a little leaven of false doctrine corrupts the whole body of religion. And one error, though it seem to be of small moment at the first, may at length bring with it the corruption and depravation of many other points.
The Use. In the example of the Galatians, we see what is the common fashion of men, namely, to extenuate their faults and to make small matters of great offences. The Pharisees taught that sundry of God's commandments were small and little commandments (Matt. 5:19).
To them that make no conscience of sin, great sins are little sins, and little sins are no sins. Pride is cleanliness; covetousness is nothing but worldliness; drunkenness, good fellowship; fornication, a trick of youth. Thus men put vizards upon their ugly sins. The politician that is of no religion says that we and the papists differ not in substance, but in small circumstances; and that if they err, it is but in small points. But on the contrary, we are to esteem every sin for a great sin, to humble ourselves for the least sins, and to bring ourselves in subjection to God in the least of our actions. Here we are taught by all means to maintain the purity of sound religion, whatsoever befall us. And for this cause we are to resist and withstand every erroneous opinion that shall be broached. For it is the policy of the devil by foisting in some one error, to deprave and confound the whole body of truth. It may be said, how may we discern error from sound doctrine, considering oftentimes they are like as leaven is like dough?
Answer. Leaven is discerned from dough not by color but by taste.
Even so they which are spiritual and have the gift of discerning, directed by the analogy of faith, discern truth from falsehood. For whatsoever is against one article of faith or against any of the commandments of the Decalogue is not sound doctrine, but leaven.
Again, that which is said of false doctrine may be said proportionally of bad manners. Here therefore we must be put in mind of three duties. The first, to resist and withstand every particular sin. For even one sin is able to defile the whole life of man. One fly is sufficient to mar a whole box of sweet ointment. One offence in our first parents brought corruption upon them and all mankind, yea upon heaven and earth. He that makes no conscience of some one sin is guilty of the whole law (James 2).
Secondly, we must do our endeavor to the uttermost to cut off every bad example in the societies of men. For one bad example is sufficient to corrupt a whole family, a whole town, a whole country.
The example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth. Therefore Paul says, "Purge out the old leaven" (1 Cor. 5:6).
The law of God is that blasphemers, murderers, adulterers, etc., shall be put to death. The reason is that evil may be taken out of Israel, that is, the evil of wicked example, which being suffered, spreads abroad, and does much hurt. The barren fig tree must be cut down, lest it make the whole ground barren (Luke 13:6–9).
Thirdly, we are to withstand and cut off the first beginnings and the occasions of every sin. We say of arrand thieves that first they begin to practice their wickedness in pins and points. For this cause, idleness, fullness of bread in excessive eating, drinking, and swilling,17 riot, and vanity in apparel are to be suppressed in every society as the breeders of many vices.
On the contrary, as one point of evil doctrine brings with it many other, so any one little grace of God brings many other with it. "The entrance into God's word gives light" (Ps. 119:130). In this respect
Christ says, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, hid in three pecks of meal" (Matt. 13:33), because God's kingdom is set up in the heart at the first upon very small beginnings. This must teach us to use the means of our salvation and not to be discouraged, though we have in us but some small beginnings of God's grace.
10 I have an affiance in you in the Lord, that ye will be no otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you, shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
The Sense. "In the Lord"—by the gracious assistance of God, who no doubt will give a blessing to my ministry.
"No otherwise minded"—that is, think no otherwise than you have done, and ought to think; and think no otherwise than I have taught you.
"He that troubleth you"—the church is troubled three ways: 1. By false doctrine. Thus Ahab troubled Israel (1 Kings 18:18), and the false apostles trouble Galatia. 2. By wicked example. Thus Achan troubled Israel (Josh. 7:25). 3. By force and cruelty. Thus tyrants and persecutors trouble the church.
"Shall bear"—shall have his due and deferred punishment, partly in this life and partly in eternal death. See this verified in the end of the book of English martyrs, in the desperate, horrible, and stinking ends of persecutors. But yet this threat must be understood with the exception of repentance.
The Scope. The words are an answer to an objection which may be framed thus. It seems by your former proverb of leaven that you hold us to be a people corrupted and unsavory unto God. To this Paul answers by a distinction. I hope better things of you. But the false apostles for troubling the church shall surely be punished.
The Use. When Paul says, "I have an affiance in you," he teaches in his own example that we are to hope the best of men so long as they are curable. It may be said, they that hope the best are sometimes deceived. Answer. They are only deceived in their judgment, and that in things whereof they have no certain knowledge, and they are not deceived in practice. For it is a duty of love to hope the best. And they which use[d] to suspect the worse are oftener deceived. Again, it may be said that we must judge of things as they are indeed. Answer.
Judgment of things and judgment of persons must be distinguished.
Of things, upright judgment is to judge of them as they are, and if they be doubtful, to suspend. Now our judgment of the persons of men must be to take things in the better part as much as possibly may be. Lastly, it may be alleged that "we must love our neighbor as ourselves," and that we despair in respect of ourselves. Answer. We are to despair in respect of ourselves because we are privy to our own estate. But we are not privy to the estate of any other man. And therefore we are to hope the best of them. This shows the fault of our times. If any professing the gospel fall upon frailty, there are numbers of men that will make no bones of it to condemn them to the pit of hell for hypocrites. But such persons are not carried by the spirit of Paul, who hopes the best of them that fall.
Again, here we see how we are to put affiance in men. We are to put affiance in God for all things whatsoever, whether concerning body or soul. But our affiance in men must be only for such things as they are able to perform. Secondly, we must put affiance in God
absolutely for Himself, and therefore we say, "I believe in God," etc., but all our affiance in men whatsoever must be "in the Lord."
When Paul says that he had "affiance of them in the Lord," he shows that renewed repentance is the gift of God. And there are two graces required unto it: helping grace and exciting grace. Helping grace preserves and confirms the first and initial repentance. Exciting grace gives the will and the deed. And without these graces the child of God, if he fall, cannot repent and recover himself. They therefore are deceived who think that they may have repentance at command, and that they may repent when they will.
It may be demanded, why Paul uses mild terms and does not excommunicate the Galatians? Answer. So long as men are curable, means must be used to recover them. The sheep or ox that goes astray must be brought home again (Ex. 23:4); much more your neighbor. Christ Himself brings home again the lost sheep, and so must every shepherd (Ezek. 34:4). Now the Galatians were in all likelihood persons curable, and therefore not to be cut off. For the censure of excommunication pertains to them alone of whose recovery there is no hope.
Some there be that mislike the preaching used in these days, because we use not severity and personal reproofs after the manner of John
Baptist. But these men are deceived. We have not the like calling that he had, nor like gifts. Neither are we in the like times. For John the Baptist was in the very time of the change between the Old and the New Testament. Christ did not follow him in the same manner of teaching, neither does the apostle in this place when he says of the Galatians in apostasy that he hoped better things of them.
In the last place, the commination which the apostle uses is to be observed, that troublers of the church shall bear their judgment.
Hence I gather:
1. That God watches over His church with a special providence. We in England have found this by experience. And we are to be thankful for it.
2. That the doctrine of the apostles is of infallible certainty because the oppugners of it are plagued by the just judgment of God.
3. On the contrary, our duty is to pray for the good estate of the church of God, and for the kingdoms where the church is planted, and for the continuance of the gospel, specially in England. For what will all the things we have do us good, if we be forth of God's kingdom, and lose our souls?
11 And brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the scandal of the cross abolished.
12 Would to God they were cut off that trouble you.
The Sense. "Yet preach"—now while I am apostle. Here Paul takes it for granted that when he was a Pharisee, he taught and maintained circumcision. But he denies that he ever taught it after his conversion in his apostleship. "The cross"—the gospel, which is a doctrine teaching deliverance from hell and life everlasting, to be obtained by the death and passion of Christ crucified (1 Cor. 1:18, 23).
More plainly, the words are thus much in effect. It is reported that I Paul, an apostle, preach circumcision. But the truth is there is no such matter. For if I taught circumcision, the Jews, maintainers of circumcision, would not persecute me as they do. Neither would they take offence at the preaching of Christ crucified if I joined circumcision with Christ.
The Drift. Paul here answers a new objection which is on this manner. There is no cause, Paul, why you should thus reprove us.
For you yourself are a teacher of circumcision. To this Paul makes a double answer. First, he denies the report and proves his denial by a double reason. One is because the Jews still persecuted him; the other is because they took offence still at his preaching of Christ crucified. Secondly, Paul answers by pronouncing a curse upon the false apostles.
The Use. In the words I consider two things: the report given forth of Paul and his apology. The report was that Paul preached circumcision. In this we see what is the condition of the ministers of the word, namely, to be subject to slander and defamation, not only in respect of their lives, but also in respect of their ministry and doctrine, as if they were heretics. Thus the papists at this day reproach the ministry of the Church of England, charging it with sundry foul heresies. And many among us spare not to charge it with the heresy of Puritanism. And I doubt not to avouch it, that some are condemned for heretics in the history of the church, who (if all were known) should be found to be good servants of God.
1. This verifies the saying of Ecclesiastes 8:14, "There are righteous men to whom it befalls according to the work of the wicked."
2. Ministers must hence be put in mind to use circumspection both for the matter and the manner of their preaching.
3. Being defamed, and that wrongfully, they must hence take occasion to be more careful to please God, as David did in the like case (Ps. 119:69).
But how came this report of Paul? Answer. Sometime he tolerated circumcision, as a thing indifferent for a time, and hereupon
circumcised Timothy. And upon this occasion a report is raised that Paul preached circumcision. In this we see the fashion of the world which is to raise fames, reports, and slanders of all persons, specially upon magistrates and ministers, and that upon every light and unjust occasion. But good men will take no such occasions of raising reports
(Ps. 15:3).
But how did Paul take this report? Answer. He did not requite evil for evil (as the manner of men is), but he returns love and goodness for evil. And for this cause (no doubt of purpose) he begins his speech on this manner: "Brethren, if I yet preach circumcision."
The apology and defense follows. And first he denies the report. And this is because for his preaching he is persecuted of the Jews. Here observe that they which are called to teach must preach the gospel what trouble or danger soever follow, as Paul did. It may be demanded, whether a minister may not in teaching conceal any part of the truth at any time without sin? Answer. In the case of confession when a man is called to give an account of his faith, no truth, no not the least truth may be concealed. Again, when the souls of men are to be relieved and saved, all concealments are damnable.
Yet in the planting or in the restoring of the church, doctrines most necessary may be concealed. Paul was about two years at Ephesus and spoke nothing against Diana, but in general terms. If he had, he had planted no church at Ephesus. Again, when people be incapable of doctrine, it may be concealed till they be prepared for it. Christ told His disciples that "he had many things to tell them, which they could not then learn." Some believers must have no strange meat, but milk only. Thirdly, when the teaching of a lesser truth hinders the teaching of a fundamental truth, the lesser truth may be concealed that the fundamental truth may be taught and take place.
Here we see the fidelity of Paul. If he had sought himself, his honor, profit, or pleasure, he would not have taught any doctrine that should have caused persecution. The like mind must be in all teachers, nay in all believers, who are to receive the gospel for itself, without respect to honor, profit, or pleasure.
Paul adds further in way of defense that the scandal of the cross was not abolished. Hence it follows that the gospel must be preached, though all men be offended. God must not be displeased, though all men be displeased (Acts 5:29). Indeed Christ pronounces a woe against them by whom offences come. But that is meant of offences given, and not of offences taken, of which Christ has another rule,
"Let them alone, they are the blind leaders of the blind" (Matt.
15:14).
Again, by the offence of the Jews, we see the mind of men, who cannot be content with the death and passion of Christ unless they may add works or something else of their own for their justification and salvation. Thus do the papists at this day. And the like do many of the ignorant people among us that will be saved by their good dealing and their good serving of God.
Touching the imprecation in the twelfth verse, three questions are to be propounded. The first is, whether Paul did well thus to curse his enemies? I answer, yea. For first we must put a difference between the private cause of man and the cause of God. Now Paul accurses the false apostles, not in respect of his own cause, but in respect of the cause of God, and not as his own enemies, but as the enemy of God. Secondly, we must distinguish the persons of evil men. Some are curable, and some again are incurable, of whose salvation there is no hope. Now Paul directs his imprecation against persons incurable.
And he knew them to be incurable by some extraordinary inspiration
or instinct (as the prophets and the rest of the apostles did in sundry cases), and hereupon he curses sometime even particular persons, as Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim. 4:14). Thirdly, we must distinguish the affections of men. Some are carnal, as rash anger, hatred, desire of revenge, etc.; some again are more spiritual and divine, as a zeal of God's glory and of the safety of God's church. Now
Paul in pronouncing the curse is not carried with a carnal affection, but with a pure zeal of God's glory and with the same Spirit by which he penned this epistle.
The second question is, whether we may not curse our enemies as Paul did? Answer. No. For we have not the like Spirit to discern the persons of men what they are. And our zeal of God's glory is mixed with many corrupt affections and therefore to be suspected. We in our ordinary dealings have another rule to follow: "Bless and curse not" (Matt. 5). If we dare go beyond the limits of this rule, we must hear the speech of Christ, "Ye know not of what spirit ye are" (Luke
9:55).
The third question is, how we should use the imprecations that are in the psalms of David, as Psalm 109, and in other places of Scripture?
Answer. They are to be directed generally against the kingdom of the devil. And they are further to be used as prophecies of the Holy
Ghost comforting His church and procuring a final sentence upon the enemies of God.
The word which is translated "disquiet" is to be considered. For it signifies to put men out of their estate and to drive them out of house and home, as enemies do when they sack and spoil a town.
By this we see that the doctrine of salvation by works or by the law is a doctrine full of danger and peril because it puts men out of their estate in Christ and bereaves them of their salvation in heaven.