Chapter 5: Verses 19–26
therefore God accepts the will and endeavor to obey for obedience.
And the consideration of God's merciful acceptation must stir us up to an earnest care and conscience of good duties.
Chapter 5: Verses 19–26 19 Moreover the works of the flesh are manifest, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditions, heresies, 21 Envy, murders, drunkenness, gluttony, and such like: whereof I tell you before (as I also have told you before) that they which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Paul before delivered his rule in general terms: "Give no occasion to the flesh," and, "Fulfill not the lusts of the flesh." Now he proceeds further in way of declaration to make a catalogue or rehearsal of the particular works of the flesh which were in use and known to the Galatians. And this he does for weighty cause. For we are full of blindness and see not our corruption. And we are full of hypocrisy and therefore ready to esteem ourselves spiritual when we are carnal.
And therefore this catalogue serves fitly as a table or glass to discover the corruption of man's heart by the fruits thereof.
After Paul's example, every man shall do well to make a catalogue of the sins of his whole life. By this means shall we better know ourselves and take a manifest view of our sinful condition.
In this catalogue, I consider three things: the condition of the works of the flesh; the kinds of them; and the punishment thereof. The
condition is that the works of the flesh are said to be "manifest," not only to God, but even to men that have the light of reason and natural conscience. Hence it follows that there is matter sufficient for the condemnation of them that never knew the gospel. For though the flesh itself be secret and hidden, yet the works of the flesh are manifest to the natural man. And this must further admonish us never to hide or excuse our sins, but freely to confess them before God and before men also when need requires. Whether we confess them or no, they are manifest. And the ingenuous confessing or uncovering of them is the way to cover them (Ps. 32:1, 4).
Touching the kinds or sorts of the works of the flesh, they are in number seventeen. And I may reduce them to four heads. The first sort are against chastity; the second, against religion; the third, against charity; the last, against temperance.
The works of the flesh against chastity are four, and they are placed in the first rank for just cause. For by them, men are brought to reprobate minds (Rom. 1:28) and to be without sense or feeling
(Eph. 4:19), and the body which should be the temple of the Holy Ghost is made a stable and a sty for the devil.
"Adultery"—it is the incontinency of persons married, or of persons whereof one at the least is married or betrothed. I say betrothed because one and the same punishment is designed to married and betrothed persons, and therefore the sin is alike in both.
If adultery, which is the breach of wedlock, be a work of the flesh, then damnable is the decretal of Pope Siricius that marriage itself was the pollution of the flesh. It may be objected that young widows by marrying "have damnation, and break the faith" of baptism (1
Tim. 5:12). Answer. They are not said to break the faith of baptism because they marry, but because they wax wanton against Christ, and
so marry—that is, cast off the reins of obedience by committing fornication, and then to cover their offence, they marry. This I take to be the right sense of that place.
Adultery is named in the first place, and that for special cause. For as it is a common, so it is also a great sin. For it is the breach of the covenant of marriage made in the presence of God and unto God.
And therefore it is called "the covenant of God" (Prov. 2:17). It is the punishment of idolatry (Rom. 1:24). It is a sin greater than theft
(Prov. 6:30–32). The committers of this sin cut off themselves from human society and become men of death and women of death according to God's law. And it will never be well with human society till adulterers be made felons, their lives taken from them, and their goods confiscate. Lastly, this sin brings the ruin of the families of adulterous persons. And it sets a fire in them that burns to destruction.
"Fornication"—it is the incontinency of single persons. Mark how it is made a manifest work of the flesh. Hence it follows that fornication is no light matter or a thing indifferent, as some have taught. It may be objected that it is numbered among things indifferent, for with strangled and blood is joined fornication (Acts 15:29). Answer. The Gentiles indeed esteemed it as a thing indifferent. And hereupon it may be, it is joined with things indifferent. But the judgment of the church was otherwise. And this opinion of the Gentiles is confuted by Paul (1 Cor. 6). Again, it may be objected that the Lord commanded the prophet Hosea to take unto him a harlot (Hosea 1:2). Answer. It was done in type or figure. And then the words of the Lord carry this sense, "Take unto thee a wife of fornications," that is, prophesy and publish that thou art like one that takes a wife of fornication. Again, if the thing were done indeed, yet did not the prophet take a harlot to
live in fornication with her, but at God's commandment to live with her according to God's ordinance, namely in marriage.
Again, hence I gather that there is no warrant for the toleration of fornication. For it is a foul and manifest work of the flesh.
Magistrates may "not do evil, that good may come thereof" (Rom.
3:8). Whosoever does evil must fear because the magistrate bears the sword to punish (Rom. 13:4). And the commandment of God was that "there must be no whore in Israel" (Deut. 23). Therefore the permission of the stews in Rome is without warrant, and the rather, because there the prohibition of marriage (in sundry orders of men) bears sway.
"Uncleanness"—the incontinency against nature, as incest, the sin of Sodom, and such like. Mark, where those sins were known, there they are named particularly by Paul, as among the Romans (Rom.
1:26–27) and to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:9–10), but where they were not known, as in Galatia, there they are only mentioned generally, lest by the naming of them, he should after a sort teach them.
"Wantonness"—that is, the open profession and ostentation of incontinency by unchaste words, wanton gestures, and wanton apparel. Hence it appears that we are to detest all signs of incontinency. And that we are to be chaste not only in deed, but also in our words, gestures, and behaviors.
The punishment of these sins is in verse 21 in these words: "They which do these things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God." And it must be remembered, that this threat or curse must be applied to every one of these sins particularly.
The Use. There are a number of men that live secretly in these sins, adultery, fornication, etc. And because they profess Christian
religion, and sometimes come to the church and to the Lord's Table, they think all is well, and they suppose there is no danger. Thus
"make they a covenant with hell and death" (Isa. 28). But they deceive themselves. For God is unchangeable, and all His threats shall be accomplished. And no adulterer, no fornicator, no unclean person shall enter into the kingdom of God, whatsoever men suppose or dream.
Secondly, by the consideration of this threat, we are admonished to flee adultery, fornication, wantonness, etc. They say, these are but tricks of youth. Belike then it is but a trick to lose the kingdom of heaven. Solomon says, "Blessed is the man that feareth," or, causes himself to fear (Prov. 28:14). Now that shall be done when we terrify ourselves from these offences by setting God's judgments before us.
Lastly, some men may say, what shall they do that are overtaken with these sins, if the doers thereof cannot enter into the kingdom of God?
Answer. Their case is dangerous. And there is but one way to help them in the world. And that is to cease from adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, and to do the contrary (Ps. 34:14). And this will do the deed. For the promise of God is, "He that confesseth his sins, and forsaketh them, shall have mercy" (Prov. 28:13). And this promise of God is not contrary to His threat. For so long as men are doers of these sins or of any one of them, they are out of God's kingdom. And when they cease to be doers of them and contrariwise exercise themselves in the works of charity, possessing their vessels, that is, their bodies, in sanctification and honor, the case is altered, and they must no more be reputed doers of these sins. For God accepts men not as they have been, but as they are.
In that these four sins, adultery, fornication, etc., are manifest "works of the flesh," we are taught three things. The first is that we
must stock up the root of these things, that is, mortify the passion of concupiscence (Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 4:5), which is nothing else but an inordinate inclination to these vices. And it is mortified in us if we learn to fear God in His word and in the commandment that forbids adultery. For the fear of God cleanses both heart and life. Joseph tempted by his mistress to folly, by this means eschewed the offence, saying, "Shall I do this, and sin against God?" Further, it must be remembered that without holiness no man can see God or have fellowship with Him (Heb. 12:14). And while the lust of concupiscence bears the sway, there is no holiness, and therefore no fellowship with God.
The second rule is that all occasions of these sins must be cut off, two specially: idleness, and the pampering of the body. For idleness, consider David, who when he was out of civil wars and free from banishment, at peace in his own house, his wandering affection carried him to commit adultery. And the Israelites, when they were stored and pampered with all the blessings of God, gave themselves to the committing of these offences (Jer. 5:7; 1 Cor. 10:7), and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezek. 16:49).
The third rule is that all signs of these vices must be avoided and detested, that is, any speech or action that may signify or give suspicion of an incontinent disposition, as light talk, wanton behavior, curiousness and excess in trimming of the body, suspected company, or company that may in likelihood be suspected. For it is
God's will that not only the vice itself, but also the appearance of every vice should be avoided (1 Thess. 5:22).
"Idolatry." The second sort of sins follow, which are against godliness. And they are three: "idolatry, witchcraft, heresy." Idolatry is the worship of idol gods. An idol is taken two ways. First of all, a
fiction or a thing merely devised is an idol. Again, when we conceive a thing that is otherwise than it is, it is an idol. So likewise idolatry is twofold. One is when something that is not God is set up in the room of God. And that is done three ways. One is when the Godhead is ascribed to a creature, as when it was said to Herod, "The voice of a god, and not of a man" (Acts 12:22). The second is when any property of the Godhead is ascribed to the creature. The third is when the affections of our hearts are given to the creature. Thus covetousness is called idolatry (Col. 3:5) because it makes men put their affiance in riches.
The second kind of idolatry is to worship the true God with devised worship, as namely with, in, and at images set up to the honor of God. This idolatry is forbidden in the second commandment, as Moses has expounded the law, "Thou sawest no image in the day that I appeared in Mount Sinai. Therefore thou shalt make no image," namely of God (Deut. 4:15–16). It is alleged that the commandment only forbids the making of the images of false gods. I answer, and of the true God also. Aaron's calf was an image of the true God (Ex.
32:5). And it must be observed that Jehu destroyed the idols of Baal (2 Kings 10:26) and withal remained still in the sin of Jeroboam (v.
31), which was to worship the calves in Dan and Bethel, which were images of Jehovah. And for this he is discommended.
The Use. By this we see that the Romish religion is a carnal religion.
For it teaches idolatry four ways. First, it enjoins men to give to the consecrated host the name and honor of God. And thus they set up unto themselves a breaden God made with man's hand—an idol as abominable as ever was among the Gentiles. Secondly, it teaches men to invocate angels and saints departed. And thereby it gives unto them the searching of the heart, the hearing and helping of all men at all times and places according to their several necessities.
And these things are the properties of the Godhead. And therefore, whether they call this invocation latria or dulia, it matters not. It is flat idolatry because the honor of God is given to the creature.
Thirdly, it teaches that we may put confidence in works, so it be done in sobriety. Lastly, it adores God in, at, and before images. And so it binds the presence, grace, and operation of God to them, without His word. Papists allege for themselves that they intend to worship none in images but the true God. I answer, it is nothing that they say. Not man's intention, but God's will makes God's worship. Let them show
God's will, if they can. If they cannot, then they must know that it is but an idol-god which they worship. For there is no such God in nature that will be worshiped in images, but an idol of their own brains. They allege again that God may as well be worshiped in images as a prince in the chair of estate. I answer, the reason is not like. The worship of images is religious, the reverence to the chair of estate is merely civil and in civil respect, and according to the prince's will, and so is not the bowing to images according to God's will. Let them prove it if they can. That God was worshiped before the ark, we approve of it. For it was His word and will. Let us hear the like word for images of God and Christ, and then we are ready to revoke the charge of idolatry.
Again, by this we see that many of us are very carnal. For though we detest outward idolatry, yet the inward idolatry of the heart abounds among us. For look where the heart is, there is the god. Now the hearts of men are upon the world and upon the riches and pleasures thereof. For them we take the most care, and in them we place our chief delight, whereas God in Christ should have all the affections of our hearts.
"Witchcraft." The word φαρμακεία properly signifies poisoning, but here it is fitly translated "witchcraft" because all poisoning is
comprehended under murder which follows. And the magicians of Egypt are called φαρμακοῖς in the translation of the Seventy (Ex. 7), as also the wise men (Dan. 2). Now if they had been but poisoners, they had not been fit for Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar's turn, neither would they have desired their presence and help.
Witchcraft signifies all curious arts wrought by the operation of the devil. For the better conceiving of it, I will consider two things: the ground thereof, and the kinds of witchcraft.
The ground is a league or compact with the devil. It is twofold: an express or open league and a secret league. The open league is when men invocate the devil in express words or otherwise make any manifest covenant with him. The secret league is when men use means which they know have no force but by the operation of the devil. And the very using of such means in earnest is an implicit covenanting with the devil. If by true faith we make a covenant with God, then a false faith in the use of satanical ceremonies makes a covenant with the devil. And without this, there is no practice of witchcraft.
There are three kinds of witchcraft. The first is superstitious divination, which serves to tell men their fortunes or to reveal secrets by the flying of fowls, by the entrails of beasts, by the observation of stars, by consulting with familiar spirits, and such like (Deut. 18:10–
11). The second is juggling, which is to work wonders or feats beyond the order of nature as did the magicians of Egypt. The third is charming or enchanting, which is by the pronouncing of words to procure speedy hurt or speedy help.
The Use. By this we see that we are a carnal people. For in the time of distress upon extremity, figure-casting and charming are overmuch used. And yet both of them are full of superstition and folly. For the
revealing of things to come is God's. And the stars are universal causes working upon all things alike. And therefore it is not possible by them to foretell events that are contingent or casual. And words have no force in them but to signify. And therefore when they are applied to cure diseases, they are abused to a wrong end and their operation is from the devil. And for this cause they are to be avoided of Christian people. It may be said, how may we discern of charms, that we may the better avoid them? Answer. Keep this rule in memory always. Such observations, of whose force and efficacy there is no reason or cause either in the thing done or in the institution of God, have their operation and efficacy from some compact and society with the devil. As for example, scratching of the suspected witch is said to be a means to cure witchcraft. But indeed it is a charm and a practice of witchcraft. For it has no such force from the institution of God because it is against the sixth commandment. And no natural reason can be rendered why drawing of blood should cure witchcraft. The action therefore is a sacrifice to the devil. And in way of recompense, the cure is done by him.
It may be said, what should we do in distress, if such helps may not be used? Answer. We are to use approved and ordinary means. And for the rest, namely the event, to leave it unto God, living by faith, and casting our care on God, and quieting our hearts in His will, whatsoever comes to pass. It is a want of faith thus to make haste for the delivery before the appointed time. And whereas it is thought that some persons have a gift of God by words presently to cure any disease, whereupon they are called wise or cunning men and women, it is false. It is no gift of God, but rather a curse that leaves them to be deluded by the devil, who is the worker of these cures, when satanical and superstitious means, and that in a false faith, are used.
For the better conceiving of the sin, it may be demanded, what is a witch? Answer. One that wittingly and willingly uses the assistance of the devil himself for the revealing of secrets, for the working of some mischief, or for the effecting of some strange cure. I say wittingly, to put a difference between witches and some superstitious persons who use charming, and by it do many cures, persuading themselves that the words which they use have force in them, or that God has given them a gift to do strange things. Such people in a natural honesty detest all known society with the devil; in that respect they are not the witches which the Scripture adjudges to death, yet are they at the next door to them. And therefore they are to be admonished by magistrates and ministers to relinquish their superstitious practices, and that upon a double ground. I. Nothing has efficacy but by the ordinance of God. And this efficacy was either put into the thing in the creation, or since by some new institution in the Word. And the efficacy of things that comes by any other means is by satanical operation. II. Charms, enchantments, and spells whatsoever have no force unless we believe that they can do us good.
Now this faith is false faith, and the service of the devil. For we must believe nothing, hope nothing, do nothing, without or against the word of God. If these two rules be observed, not only charming but all witchcraft shall be banished out of the world.
Again, it may be demanded, what are the signs that serve to discover a witch? Answer. This discovery is very hard. For witches do their feats in close manner, not only by foul and open cursing, but also by fair speaking and by praising of things. And hereupon we have a fashion in England, when we praise anything, with all to bless it (as to say, "It is a goodly child, God save it") that our speech may not be suspected of witchcraft. Nevertheless, there are five special things that serve to discover a witch. One is the free confession of the accused or suspected witch. The second is the confession of the
associates with the witch. The third is invocation of the devil. For that is to renounce baptism and to make a league with the devil. The fourth is evidence that the party has entertained a familiar spirit in the form or likeness of some visible creature. The fifth is evidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the devil. As for example, if the party show a man's face in a glass, though he profess angelical holiness, he is in league with the devil, by whose means the feat is wrought.
There are besides these, other signs, but they are either false or uncertain. A man is sick; he suspects that he is bewitched. He takes it on his death that such a party has bewitched him. All this is nothing but the suspicion of one man, and therefore no proof. Likewise the testimony of some wizard is but the testimony of one, and it is the devil's testimony and therefore not to be received. Again, neighbors fall out; threatenings are used in anger. Afterward the party threatened is either sick or he dies. Hereupon the party that used threatening words is accused of witchcraft. And this is the common course. But great circumspection must be used, for sickness and death may arise of any other causes. Lastly, marks in the bodies of men and women are uncertain signs of witches. All this I note the rather because if a judgment befall a man in his family, presently
(according to the common fashion) he says he is hurt by evil tongues, and challenges someone or other of witchcraft. Whereas his own ignorance, unbelief, contempt of God's word and sacraments, etc., are the only witches that hurt him and pull down God's judgments upon him.
"Heresies"—the word heresy generally signifies any opinion, either good or bad. More especially it signifies any error in religion. Thus ecclesiastical writers take it. For they condemn for heretics such as erred in smaller points, holding the foundation, as Vigilantius,
Novatus,50 etc. And the very opinion that there are antipodes was condemned for heresy, though it be a matter of small moment. Yet most properly, heresy may be thus defined. It is an error in the foundation of Christian religion, taught and defended with obstinacy.
Thus Paul says that "a heretic is perverted," that is, put beside the foundation, and "condemned of himself" in his sin, that is to say, he errs obstinately even against his own conscience (Titus 3:11).
I say that heresy is an error in religion to put a difference between an error in divinity and an error in philosophy, which is not termed heresy, and again, to put a difference between schism and heresy.
For heresy is in doctrine; schism, in manners, order, regiment.
Again, I say heresy is an error in the foundation of religion to distinguish it from errors that are in smaller points of divinity. Some teach that Abraham was born the 70th [year] of Terah; some, the 130th of Terah. Both cannot be true. Yet neither of them is heresy.
Some teach that Daniel's weeks begin straight after the return out of captivity. Others teach that they must begin eighty years after. Both cannot be true yet neither opinion is heresy. So there are sundry opinions touching Ophir, Tarshish (to which Jonah fled), and Decapolis in the Gospel. And all cannot be true. Yet they are not heresies, because they concern only times and places and other circumstances of the Bible. Lastly, I say that heresy is maintained with obstinacy to distinguish heresy and a single error. For there are three things in heresy: an error in the main doctrine, conviction of the party touching his error, and obstinacy after conviction.
The Use. In that heresy, an error in the mind or understanding, is made a work of the flesh, hence it follows that the word flesh signifies more than sensuality—namely, the corruption of the higher powers, even of the mind and conscience, though papists teach otherwise.
Again, if heresy be a work of the flesh, our duty is to detest and eschew heresies. And that we may forever preserve ourselves from them, three rules must be observed.
I. We must propound unto ourselves the right principles of religion.
For as every art has his confessed principles, so has divinity. The head and chief principle whereof is this: All Scripture of the prophets and apostles is given by inspiration of God. This is the foundation of all true faith. Here is the highest stay and stop. This principle is the demonstration of all doctrines and conclusions. And it has no principle above itself whereby it is to be confirmed. As for human reason, it is no principle of religion. For it is imperfect and erroneous and serves only to make men without excuse. Indeed in the mind of man there are certain natural conclusions, that there is a God, and that He is to be worshiped, etc.; but the certainty of these is in the written Word. We can by reason dispute of the creation of the world, but a full certainty we have not by reason, but by faith in the word
(Heb. 11:3). Again, the papists make the authority of the church a principle. For that is the first ground which they lay down, that we must captivate our senses to the authority of the church. But this is no principle in religion. For we cannot imagine a church without faith. And faith cannot be without the word of God. It may be said that Scripture is the sense of the written Word. And this sense must be from the church. Answer. Scripture itself is both the gloss and the text. Scripture is the best interpreter of itself. And the sense which is agreeable to the words of the text, to the scope of the place, to other circumstances, and to the analogy of faith, in the plainer places of Scripture is the proper and infallible sense of Scripture. Thus fetching the sense in Scripture from itself, we shall keep ourselves within the limits of Scripture, and in the matter of our salvation have certainty of faith which we shall never have if we listen to reason, tradition, and the authority of men.
II. Read the Scriptures and be a doer of them in the exercises of invocation, faith, repentance; then shall you never be a heretic. It is
God's promise, "If ye will obey, ye shall know whether my doctrine be of God, or no" (John 7:17). "The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that fear him" (Ps. 25:14). Mark them that make apostles and become papists. They are such as never had a mind to love and obey the religion in which they have been baptized and brought up.
III. "Let no man spoil you through philosophy" (Col. 2:8). Paul does not condemn the philosophy of the Gentiles, but he puts caveat that it be used with circumspection, as merchants use the sea, to wit, in eschewing rocks, and sands, and pirates. So students may use the philosophy of the Gentiles, but they must take heed lest their minds be corrupted with the errors thereof, which are to be considered.
Natural philosophy gives too much to nature or to second causes, and too little to God. It puts down principles flat against the word, as the eternity of the world and the mortality of the soul. Moral philosophy places happiness in civil virtue, out of Christ. It teaches that virtue is a mean or mediocrity of affection, whereas in true virtue there is not only a restraint or moderation of affections, but also the renovation of them by regeneration. It teaches that urbanity in jesting and frumping is a virtue. Paul says no (Eph. 5:4). It teaches that magnanimity, whereby a man thinks himself worthy of great honor, is a virtue. But it is contrary to Christian humility (Ps. 131:1–
2). Lastly, it teaches that man has a freedom of will in good actions.
Which doctrine applied by the schoolmen to matters of religion is false and erroneous.
The third head of sins are such as are against charity, and they are in number eight.
The first is "enmity." Of it I consider three things. The first is whether it be a sin, or no? For somewhat may be objected to the contrary.
Objection I. "Do I not hate them that hate thee?" (Ps. 139:21).
Answer. David here speaks of the hatred whereby he hated God's enemies, not in respect of their persons but in respect of their sins whereby they were enemies of God. And this hatred is commendable and not here to be understood.
Objection II. "He that will be a disciple of Christ must hate father and mother and his own soul" (Luke 14:26). Answer. This hatred is not simply commanded, but only in a certain respect, namely, as father and mother and a man's own soul are in comparison opposed to God and Christ, in regard of whom they are utterly to be despised.
Objection III. "God chose Jacob, and hated Esau" (Rom. 9). And we must be like unto God. Answer. We are to be like unto God in holiness and the duties thereof and not in the sovereignty and lordship over the creatures, whereby He either loves or hates them.
Objection IV. It is the universal nature of all creatures to flee their contrary. Therefore men may hate their enemies. Answer. Man and man are not contrary in nature or natural properties. But are all one flesh; the contrariety that is, is by reason of the corruption of nature.
The second point is, what is this enmity? Answer. It is a perverse disposition of mind whereby men remember injuries, discourtesies, and unkindnesses, and carry about them a purpose and desire to requite like for like, when time and place shall serve. Thus did Esau hate Jacob (Gen. 27:41); and Absalom, his brother Amnon (2 Sam.
13).
The third point, where is this enmity? Answer. Everywhere among us. For we daily see person divided against person, family against family, and corporation against corporation. This shows that we are carnal and that God's kingdom takes no place among us as it should.
For in it the lamb and the wolf quietly dwell together (Isa. 11). The remedy of this enmity is that all be of one mind, desire, and affection in the receiving and furthering of the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 1:10). If in the main point there be a concord, in lesser matters the agreement will be easy.
"Debate"—it is a contention in words, whereby men strive who shall show most courage, who shall get the victory, and who shall carry away the last word, no respect had of equity or truth. In this respect,
"crying" or lifting up the voice in reasoning is condemned (Eph.
4:31).
"Emulations"—there is a good emulation, and that is when men strive to be like to them that excel in virtue, or to go beyond them.
And it is commanded by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 14:12). Beside this, there is a carnal emulation, whereby men that excel in anything grieve that any should be equal to them or go beyond them.
The Use. If to grieve at another man's excellency be a work of the flesh, then it is our duty to rejoice in the excellency of others. Thus did Moses when Eldad and Medad prophesied (Num. 11:29). And John the Baptist, when Christ increased, and he decreased (John
3:29–30). And Paul gave thanks as well for the graces bestowed on the churches, as for gifts bestowed on himself.
"Anger"—of it I consider three points. The first is, whether there be any lawful anger? Answer. Yea. Christ (in whom there was no sin) was angry (Mark 3:5). When there is a just cause of anger, then is
anger just. When there is a manifest offence of God, there is a just cause of anger. Therefore anger is then just.
The second is, when is anger a sin? Answer. When men are hasty to be angry (Eccl. 7:9) and are offended at everything that goes against their minds. Or again, having a just cause to be angry, yet they keep no measure in their anger.
The third point is the remedy. And that is here set down. Hastiness is a work of the flesh or of corrupt nature and it bars men from the kingdom of heaven. And therefore it is to be avoided.
"Contention"—there are sundry kinds of lawful contention, as contention with the enemy in just war; contention at the bar with an adversary in a just cause; contention in disputation with a heretic; contention in school disputation for exercise and trial sake.
Contention is carnal and sinful in respect of matter and manner. In matter, when men contend for things for which they should not contend, as the disciples for primacy (Luke 22), or when contention is without forgiving, forbearing or suffering, and that in trifling matters (1 Cor. 6:7). Contention likewise is faulty in respect of manner when men willfully defend their own private causes, no regard had whether they be right or wrong, true or false. And by this means they often oppugn truth, or justice, or both. Of this kind are the wars of the rebel in Ireland, the wars of the Spaniard in the Low
Countries, and the suits of many quarrelsome and contentious persons among us.
The Use. "Do nothing by contention" (Phil. 2:3). And therefore we must forgive, put up, as much as may be, and yield of our right.
"Seditions"—the original word signifies such dissensions in which men separate one from another. And that is done two ways: either by schism in the church, or by faction in the commonwealth.
Question. Why are not we schismatics in England, Scotland, Germany, considering we have dissented and separated ourselves from the Church of Rome? Answer. We indeed have separated ourselves, but they of the Church of Rome are schismatics, because the cause of our separation is in them—namely, their idolatry and their manifold heresies. The case is the like: A man threatens death to his wife. Hereupon she separates. Yet not she but he makes the separation, because the cause of separation and the fault is in him.
For the avoiding of schism and sedition, remember two rules. I. So long as a church or people do not separate from Christ, we may not separate from them. II. "Fear the King, and meddle not with them that vary" (Prov. 24:21), that is, make alterations against the laws of God and the king. Indeed, subjects may signify what is good for the state, and what is amiss. But to make any alterations in the estate, either civil or ecclesiastical, belongs to the supreme magistrate.
"Envy"—it is a compound of carnal grief and hatred. For it makes men grieve and repine at the good things of others, and to hate the good things themselves. Thus the high priests of envy hated Christ and all His most excellent sayings and doings (Matt. 27:18). At this day, they which have any good things in them are commonly condemned for hypocrites and their religion for hypocrisy. All this is but the censure of envy.
The Use. That we may depart from envy, we must love them that fear God and love the gifts and graces of God whosesoever they be—even in our enemies.
"Murders." Objection I. A plant lives; a beast lives; and man lives.
The cropping of a plant and the killing of a beast is no sin. Why is it then a sin to kill a man? Answer. God has given liberty for the two first and has restrained us in the latter. Again, the life of a plant is but the vigor in the juice, and the life of a beast is but the vigor in the blood (Gen. 9:4), but the life of man is a spirit and spiritual substance. Thirdly, man is of the same flesh with man, and so is neither plant, nor beast.
Objection II. The magistrate kills without sin. Answer. The killing which is in the name of God by public revenge is not murder. And Paul only condemns that killing when men take the sword and upon their own wills slay and kill by private revenge.
Objection III. Samson is said to kill himself (Judg. 16:30), and he sinned not in so doing. Answer. Samson was a judge in Israel and took public revenge of his enemies. And in this revenge he hazarded his life and lost his life. Though he died in the execution, yet his intent was not to kill himself, but only to take revenge. Secondly, his example is special. For he was in his death a figure of Christ. The words, "He shall be called a Nazarite," are first spoken of Samson, and then applied to Christ (Matt. 2) in whom was verified that which Samson figured. For as Samson conquered his enemies more in his death than in his life, even so did Christ.
Objection IV. For the avoiding of some great danger or some great sin as the denial of Christ in persecution, men may make away themselves. So said the Donatists. Answer. Death is no remedy in this case, but faith in the promise of God, which is that He will give an issue in every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13).
The Use. Seeing murder is a work of the flesh. Our duty is by all means to prefer both our own and our neighbors' lives. Life is a
treasure. For by it we have time and liberty to glorify God, to do good to our neighbors, and to save our own souls.
The sins of the fourth sort are against temperance. And they are two:
"drunkenness, gluttony." For the better conceiving of the nature of these sins, we are first of all to consider the right manner and measure of eating and drinking, of which I deliver two rules. I. We may use meat and drink, not only for necessity, but also for delight
(Ps. 104:15). II. That measure of meat and drink which in our experience makes us fit both in body and mind for the service of God and for the duties of our callings, that measure (I say) is fit, convenient, and lawful. This is a confessed principle in the light of nature.
Drunkenness is when men drink, either in wine or strong drink, beyond this measure, so as there follows an intoxication of the powers of the soul. And in the sin there are two things: excessive drinking and the distempering of the powers of the soul.
Gluttony is when men in eating go beyond the measure before prescribed. This gluttony is that which nowadays is called reveling, rioting, swaggering. And it is fitly joined with drunkenness. For there are men that used to drink exceedingly and will not be drunk. And for all this, they are not free from blame because they drink out of measure. To be given to drinking and to love to sit by the cup when there is no drunkenness is a sin (1 Tim. 3:3).
These sins are said to be rife among us. The manner of many is to meet together and to fill themselves with wine or strong drink, while their skins will hold. Afterward, they give themselves to dicing, carding, dancing, singing of ribald songs. And thus they pass the day, the night, the week, the year.
But we must be put in mind to detest and to flee these vices.
Inducements to this duty are many.
I. God's commandment. "Keep not company with drunkards and gluttonous persons" (Prov. 23:20). "Be not drunk with wine, in which is excess" (Eph. 5:18).
II. The punishment of drunkenness is plague, pestilence, famine, captivity (Isa. 5:11–13).
III. The example of the brute beast that in eating and drinking keeps measure and takes no more than will suffice nature. The horse and the ass may be schoolmasters to many of us.
IV. If we cannot forsake a cup of wine or beer which is not needful for us, we shall never be able to forsake wife and children, house and land for Christ's sake. If we have not the command of ourselves in a trifle, we may never hope for it in weighty matters.
V. There are dangerous effects of drunkenness. First, it destroys the body, for it enflames the blood with an unnatural heat. And this unnatural heat engenders unnatural thirst, which engenders immoderate drinking, whence comes dropsy, consumptions, all cold diseases, and death. Secondly, it hurts the mind. For the spirits of the heart and brain (being the immediate instruments of the soul) are by drinking distempered and enflamed. And hereupon arise wicked imaginations and disordered affections. And thus the devil in the room of God's image sets up his own image and makes the mind a shop of all wickedness. Thirdly, the vile imaginations and affections that are in men when they are drunk remain still in men when they are sober, so as being sober they are drunk in affection.
In favor of drunkenness, it is alleged that Noah's drunkenness is remembered in Scripture, but nowhere condemned. Answer. While
Moses sets down the foul effects that followed Noah's drunkenness, he does indeed condemn it. Secondly, his example is noted in Scripture as a warning to all ages following. Thirdly, his sin may be lessened, though not excused, because he had no experience of wine.
Objection II. Joseph and his brothers did drink and "were drunk together" (Gen. 43:34). Answer. The meaning of the text is that they drank liberally, or that they drank of the best together. For the word shakar signifies not only to be drunk in drinking, but also to drink liberally, or to drink of the best drink (Hag. 1:6).
Objection III. Learned physicians, as Rasis, Avicenna, and others teach that it is greatly for health to be drunk once or twice in a month. Answer. As learned as they teach the contrary. And we may not do any evil or sin against God for any good to ourselves.
Objection IV. It is said to be neighborhood and good fellowship.
Answer. It is drunken fellowship. The right fellowship is in the doctrine of the apostles, prayer, sacraments, and the works of mercy.
Thus much of the works of the flesh. Now follows the punishment of them, of which I consider three things. First, a premonition in these words: "whereof I tell you before, as I also have told you before."
Secondly, the designment of the punishment in these words: "shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Thirdly, the designment of the persons, in these words: "they which do such things."
In the premonition is set down the office of all ministers. And that is, often to forewarn the people of the future judgments of God for their sins (Mic. 3:8; Isa. 58:1). And this may easily be done. For they may
know the sins of men by experience and the judgments of God due to every sin they may find in the Word of God.
Again, all people are warned by this often to meditate of the future judgments of God. Thus did David (Ps. 119:120) and Paul, who, knowing the terror of the Lord, was moved to do his duty (2 Cor.
5:11). The old world never so much as dreamed of God's judgments before they came upon them, and so they perished (Matt. 24:39).
The punishment of these sins is "not to inherit God's kingdom."
God's kingdom sometime signifies the regiment of God whereby He rules all things in heaven and earth. More specially, it signifies a state or condition in heaven whereby God and Christ is all things to all the elect (1 Cor. 15:28). And thus it is taken in this place. And an entrance or beginning to this happy estate is in this life, when men in their consciences and lives are ruled by God's word and Spirit. It must here further be observed that not to enjoy the kingdom of God is to be in torment in hell, because there are no more but two estates after this life. And therefore to be out of heaven is to be in hell.
The Use. I. This must teach us above all things to seek God's kingdom and to establish it in our hearts. And that we shall do, if we know the will of God and yield subjection to it in the duties of repentance, new obedience, etc.
II. The kingdom of God comes by inheritance. Therefore there is no merit of good works.
The persons which are punished are such as are doers and practicers of the works of the flesh. Mark the words, not such as have been doers, but such as are doers. The word signifies a present and a continued act of doing amiss.
The Use. Hence is the difference between the godly man and the ungodly. The godly man falls into the works of the flesh, and, being admonished thereof, he repents and recovers himself. He does not stand in the way of sinners, though sometime he enter into it (Ps.
1:1). The ungodly man, when he falls, he lies still in his sin and heaps sin upon sin and makes a practice of evil.
Warning I. They which are privy to themselves of any of the former works of the flesh must bewail their offences and utterly forsake them. For if we be found doers of any one work of the flesh, there is no hope of salvation.
Warning II. They which have turned unto God from the works of the flesh must be constant and take heed of going back, lest they lose the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
For the better observing and the more easy understanding of the rule in the sixteenth verse, "Walk in the Spirit," Paul here sets down a catalogue of the works of the Spirit. In the catalogue I consider three things: the property of the works of the Spirit, in these words, "the fruit of the Spirit"; the kinds of works, and they are nine; the benefit that comes by them, in these words, "against such there is no law."
"The fruit of the Spirit"—it is the property of the works of God's Spirit in us to be called "the fruits of the Spirit." And by this, much is signified—namely, that the church is the garden of God (Song 4:16); that teachers are planters and setters (1 Cor. 3:7); that believers are trees of righteousness (Isa. 61:3); that the Spirit of God is the sap and
life of them. And good works and virtues are the fruits which they bear.
In that the works of the Spirit are called "fruits" thereof, hence it follows that there are no true virtues and good affections without the grace of regeneration. The virtues of the heathen, how excellent soever they seemed to be, were but shadows of virtue and served only to restrain the outward man, and no further.
Again, here we see the efficacy of the Spirit, which makes men fruitful or bearing trees of righteousness (Ps. 1:3), yea, trees that bear fruit in their old age (Ps. 92:14). Here we have cause to cast down ourselves. For the most of us are barren trees that bear no fruit but the bad fruits of the flesh. And therefore we may justly fear the curse that God laid upon the fig tree (Luke 13:7), and look every day to be stocked up (Matt. 3:10).
Again, good works are made acceptable to God even by His grace, and therefore they are called "the fruits of the Spirit." And hence it is that they are acceptable to God (Rom. 15:16). We that are by nature wild branches must be taken out of old Adam and set into Christ.
And after our insition draw a new sap and life from Christ, namely, His Spirit, and then our actions shall be fruits of the Spirit, and consequently acceptable to God.
Lastly, hence it follows that free will of itself is like a dead or rotten piece of wood, and that it bears no fruit but as it is quickened by the Spirit (John 15:5).
Thus much of the property. Now follow the kinds of the works of the Spirit.
"Love"—it may be demanded, how it is a fruit of the Spirit? Answer.
First, the Spirit of God works faith, then regeneration, then love (1 Tim. 1:5). Love follows faith because we must know first that we are loved of God before that we love God (1 John 4:19). And love follows regeneration because till the will and the affections be changed, there is no place for love. The papists then err who teach that the first act of love, that is, the inclination to love God and man aright, is in nature, and that the second act, namely, the exercise of love, is from the Spirit. Again, they err in that they teach that charity or love is the formal righteousness of a Christian. For it is a fruit that follows regeneration.
The love here mentioned is either of God or of man. The love of God is a holy affection whereby we love God in Christ for Himself. There are three special signs whereby it is discerned. I. A desire of fellowship with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit, and therefore to be much and frequent in the use of the Word and prayer. Because in the Word, God speaks to us; and in prayer, we speak to Him. II. To love the Word of God above all earthly treasure, and to tread our own wills underfoot, and to desire that God's will may be preferred in all things (1 John 2:5). There are many houses among us, where the cards and tables are walking, but the Bible is seldom or never seen.
And this argues the want of love. III. The love of them that love God and Christ.
The love of our neighbor is to love him simply, in and for the Lord, and for no other by-respect. The sign of this love is to love not "in word," but "in deed." And this is to love indeed, to show love and to do good (when we are wronged and abused) to them that wrong us and abuse us.
"Joy"—joy is twofold: joy of glory after this life, and the joy of grace in this life. And it stands in three things. The first is to rejoice in the true acknowledgement of God, that He is our God and reconciled to us in Christ. The second is to rejoice in the work of our regeneration.
The third is to rejoice in the hope of eternal glory.
The joy of grace has a double fruit. First, it moderates all our sorrows which makes us rejoice in the midst of our afflictions (1 Thess. 5:16).
Secondly, it causes men to rejoice at the good of their neighbors (Rom. 12:15). And this joy is here meant specially. For joy is here opposed to envy and emulation.
This fruit shows that we are most of us bad trees. For the joys of the world be for the most part in iniquity and in the works of the flesh.
And it is our common sin not to rejoice but to pine away with grief, as Cain did when we see God's blessing upon our brother.
"Peace"—it is a care and desire to maintain concord, as much as may be, if it lie in us (Rom. 12:18). It is an excellent virtue. For the kingdom of God stands partly in peace (Rom. 14:17). For the maintenance of peace, observe two rules. I. Neither take offence, nor give offence. Abraham chose rather to lose his right than to offend
Lot (Gen. 13), and so did Christ (Matt. 17:27). II. Seek to edify one another, either do good, or take good (Rom. 14:19).
"Longsuffering" is to moderate our anger and desire of revenge when many and great wrongs are done to us. It is an excellent fruit, but it takes very hardly in these parts. For our manner is "a word and a blow; a word and a stab; a word and a writ."
Set and sow this plant in the furrows of your hearts, and that the weed of revenge overgrow it not, use these remedies. I. God's commandment forbids rash anger (James 1:19), for it is a degree of
murder. II. The example of God, who is slow to anger, and of Christ, who is meek and lowly (Matt. 11). III. All wrongs done to us by men come by God's providence to which we are to subject ourselves. IV.
The goodness of God, who forgives more to us than we can forgive. V.
There is danger of God's anger. For unless we forgive, we are not forgiven. And we crave forgiveness, as we forgive. VI. It is the duty of love to suffer and bear (1 Cor. 13). VII. It is a point of injustice to revenge ourselves, for then we take to ourselves the honor of God, and against all equity we are both the parties, and judge, and witness and all. VIII. We are often ignorant of the minds of men, in their actions, and of the true circumstances thereof, and so may easily be deceived.
Objection I. Anger is a sudden affection. Therefore it cannot be ruled.
Answer. Means are to be used beforehand when we are quiet. Then shall we better restrain it.
Objection II. It is hard for flesh and blood to do this. Answer. We are more than flesh and blood. For we have the Spirit of God, else we are but hypocrites.
"Gentleness"—gentleness is to give good speech and to show good countenances, even to them that wrong us and abuse us, without any mind or desire to revenge (Rom. 12:14; Eph. 4:32).
The courtesy of the world in the cap and the knee and all the compliments of humanity is commonly severed from good affection.
And it is often the mask of enmity. And therefore it is but a work of the flesh. Right courtesy is with an honest heart to bless when we are wronged.
"Goodness"—it is virtue, whereby we communicate to others the good things that are in us for their good and benefit. It is prescribed
by Paul in other terms, when he says, "Communicating to the necessity of the saints" (Rom. 12:13).
Question I. What are we to communicate? Answer. The gifts of our mind, our temporal goods, yea our lives too, if need be (1 John 3:16).
Question II. Why are we so to do? Answer. We are members all of one body, and we are members one of another (Eph. 4:25). And it is
God's pleasure that men shall be instruments of good mutually one to another.
Goodness respects either the body or the mind. Goodness concerning the body has many actions—as to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to harbor the harborless, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick and them that are in prison (Matt. 25:35–36), to bury the dead
(2 Sam. 2:5). Lastly, to lend freely and liberally to such as be decayed and impoverished (Deut. 15:7).
Goodness concerning the soul is to endeavor, partly by counsel and partly by example, to gain the soul of our neighbor to God. And it stands in four actions: to admonish the unruly, to comfort the distressed, to bear with them that are weak, and to be patient towards all (1 Thess. 5:14).
Goodness is hard to be found in these days among men. The common practice is according to the common proverb, "Every man for himself, and God for us all." The study of men is how to gather goods, honors, riches for themselves and for their children. And the common good is not aimed at. Good orders hardly take place, as namely, the order for the poor, and the reason is the want of goodness in us. If any profess any show of goodness more than the rest, they are sure to be despised and reproached at every hand, and this shows that there is little goodness among men.
"Faith"—first, we are here to understand faith towards God, which is to believe the remission of our sins and our reconciliation with God in Christ.
This faith is common to all among us. Yet is it but a false, dead, and ceremonial faith in many men. Reason I. Faith comes by the hearing of the word of God preached (Rom. 10:14), but this faith in many is conceived without preaching. For they say, they believe their salvation by Christ, and withal they live in the perpetual neglect or contempt of the public ministry. II. True faith is joined always with the exercises of invocation and repentance. Yet in many among us, this faith is without any conversion or change of heart and life. And therefore it is but a dead faith. III. True faith is mixed with contrary unbelief, so as they that believe feel in themselves a want of faith and much unbelief. But there are many among us that say they perfectly believe and that they never so much as doubted in all their lives. Now such a faith is a vain persuasion. IV. Many that boast of their faith in Christ want faith in the providence of God touching food and raiment. And that is manifest because they use any unlawful means to help themselves. Now if their faith fail them in a smaller point, it cannot be found in the greatest of all.
Secondly, by faith is meant faith towards men, and that stands in two things. One is to speak the truth from the heart. The other is to be faithful and just in the keeping of our honest promise and word.
This faith is a rare virtue in these days. For the common fashion of them that live by bargaining is to use glossing, facing, soothing, lying, dissembling, and all manner of shifts. And with many it is a confessed principle that "there is no living in the world, unless we lie and dissemble." They that deal with chapmen shall hardly know what is truth, they have so many words and so many shifts. In this respect,
Christians come short of the Turks, who are said to be equal, open, and plain dealing men, without fraud or deceit.
Our care therefore must be to cherish and maintain among us the virtue of faith and truth. Reasons. I. God's commandment, "Put away lying, and let every man speak the truth to his neighbor" (Eph. 4:25).
II. By truth we are like to God, whose ways are all truth, who hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:17), whose Spirit is the Spirit of truth. III. Liars bear the image of the devil. He is the father of lies (John 8:44). So oft then as you lie, you make your tongue the instrument of the devil. IV.
Eternal punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev. 22:15). Here mark that liars are entertained at the same table with murderers and thieves. And the liar never goes unpunished
(Prov. 19:5). V. To speak the truth from the heart is a mark of God's child (Ps. 15:2). And he whose faith fails towards men shall much more fail towards God.
"Meekness"—the same in effect with longsuffering. The difference is that meekness is more general, and longsuffering is the highest degree of meekness.
"Temperance"—it is the moderation of lust and appetite in the use of the gifts and creatures of God. For the better practicing of this virtue, remember these four rules.
I. We must use moderation in meats and drinks. This moderation is to eat and drink with perpetual abstinence. And abstinence is to take less than that which nature desires, and not more. And that measure of meat and drink which serves to refresh nature and to make us fit for the service of God and man is allowed us of God, and no more.
II. We must use moderation in our apparel. And that is to apparel ourselves according to our sex, according to the received fashion of
our country, according to our place and degree, and according to our ability. Here the common fault is to be out of all order. For none almost know any measure. Every mean person nowadays will be a gentleman or gentlewoman.
III. We must use moderation in getting of goods. And that is to rest content if we have food and raiment for ourselves, and them that belong unto us (1 Tim. 6:8). Here is our stint; we may not desire to be rich (v. 9). The king himself must not multiply his gold and silver
(Deut. 17:17), and yet has he more need of gold and silver than any private man.
IV. There must be a moderation in the spending of our goods, contrary to the fashion of many that spend their substance in feasting and company and keep their wives and children bare at home.
"Against such there is no law"—here Paul sets down the benefit that comes by the former virtues. The words carry this sense. Against such virtues and against persons endued with such virtues, there is no law. And that for two causes. One, there is no law to condemn such. Secondly, there is no law to compel them to obey because they freely obey God as if there were no law.
Mark then the condition of spiritual men. They are a voluntary and free people, serving God freely without constraint. So as if Christ would not give unto them life everlasting, yet would they love Him and desire the advancement of His kingdom. On the contrary, if there were no hell, and God would not punish adultery, drunkenness, blasphemy, etc., with eternal death, yet would a Christian man abstain from these things because he knows that they displease
Christ, and he is governed with another Spirit to which they are contrary.
Also these words are a reason of verse 16: "There is no law against them that do these things," therefore, "Walk in the Spirit."
24 For they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
The Scope. In these words, Paul proves that which he said immediately before, namely, that there is no law against spiritual men. And of this he gives a double reason. One is, spiritual men are
Christ's. Therefore there is no law against them. The second is this.
That is crucified in spiritual men which the law condemns, namely, the flesh with the affections and lusts. Therefore there is no law to condemn the spiritual man.
In the words, I consider three points. The first is, what is a Christian?
Answer. A Christian is one that is Christ's (says Paul). And he is Christ's five ways. I. By the right of creation. And so are all men. II.
By right of redemption (1 Cor. 6:19–20). III. By the free gift and donation of God the Father (John 17:11). This donation is begun in the eternal election of God, and it is accomplished in our effectual vocation. IV. By propagation. For all true believers spring out of the blood of Christ and are of His bone and of His flesh, as Eve was of the bone and flesh of Adam. V. By our donation in baptism, in which we consecrate ourselves to God and to Christ.
The Use. This must teach us to resign ourselves to Christ and to suffer Him to reign in our hearts and to take the yoke of the gospel upon us. But alas, it is far otherwise with many of us. For some live in the transgression of the very law of nature, so far are they from observing the gospel. Others think it sufficient to follow the teaching of nature. If they worship God in some general manner, if they live peaceably and hurt no man and mean well (as they say), then all is well. And the doing of further duties is reputed curious preciseness.
And such persons usually reduce religion to the practice of nature.
They will be saved by faith. But their faith is nothing else but fidelity.
They say they worship God, but this worship is nothing else but their good meaning and their good dealing. These men are content that Christ shall be theirs. But they will not be Christ's and suffer Him to have a lordship over them.
II. If thou art Christ's, then commend your soul and life and all that you have into the hands of Christ. This was the practice of David (Ps.
22), of Christ upon the cross, of Paul (2 Tim. 1:12). And this practice is the only way to obtain safety and protection. For Christ no doubt will keep His own.
III. Comfort. If thou art Christ's, He will care for you, and nothing shall be wanting unto you that is for your good (John 17:24; Rom.
8:32). Therefore remember this lesson. Never grieve overmuch, never care overmuch, never rejoice overmuch in the things of this world. If you were at your own disposing and finding, it were somewhat. But there is one that cares for you, namely Christ.
The second point to be considered is, what is the flesh? Answer. It is the corruption of the whole nature of man. For the right conceiving of this, we must make a distinction of three things: man's nature; the faculties of nature; and the corruption of both, which corruption has two parts—the loss of the image of God and a proneness to all wickedness. Moreover, this distinction must be without separation of nature from faculties, or of corruption from either, so as we may say truly that the nature and the powers of the soul of man are corrupted.
In the flesh are two things: "affections" and "lusts." By affections understand inordinate affections, which show themselves and bear sway in carnal men, as anger in Cain, love of pleasures more than of
God in the men of the last times (2 Tim. 3:4), immoderate sorrow in Ahab when he could not obtain Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21:4).
Lusts are inordinate and insatiable desires after the things of this world, as riches, honors, pleasures, etc. Of this sort are covetousness, gluttony, pride, the lust of the flesh, etc.
The Use. By this we see what a carnal man is, namely, one that is carried away with some inordinate affection or some inordinate lust.
Herod did many good things at the advice and motion of John Baptist, whom he reverenced. Yet was he a carnal man. For he was possessed with an inordinate love of his brother's wife. Judas [was] a disciple of Christ, yet a carnal man because he was carried away with the inordinate lust of covetousness.
The third point is touching the office of a Christian man. And that is to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts. For the better conceiving of this, crucifying must be distinguished. It is either the action of Christ, or our action. Crucifying, which is the action of Christ, is threefold. The first is upon the cross, where Christ stood in our room and bare the burden of our sins and made an expiation of them. In this respect we are said to be crucified with Him (Gal. 2:19–
20). The second is in us, when Christ conveys the virtue of His death into the hearts of them that are joined to Him for the causing and effecting of the death of sin. The third is in baptism, whereby Christ seals the two former to them that believe (Rom. 6:6).
The crucifying which is our action is nothing else but the imitation of Christ crucified, on this manner. He was first attached. So must we bring ourselves into the presence of God. He was arraigned. So must we set ourselves at the bar of God's judgment. He was accused. So must we indict and accuse ourselves of our own sins at the bar of God's judgment. He was condemned. And so must we judge
ourselves, that we be not judged of the Lord. After judgment, we must proceed to execution of the flesh. And that is to use means to crucify it. And they are three. The first is by faith to apply to ourselves Christ crucified. And that is to believe, not only that Christ was crucified for us, but that we also were crucified with Him. Where this faith is, sin shall no more have dominion. The second is to beat down the flesh by the sword of the Spirit. And that is done by a serious application of the commandments and the threatenings of God to our several affections and lusts. The third is to flee the occasions of every sin and to cut off the first beginnings of evil.
The Use. This doctrine serves to condemn the drowsy Protestants of our time who profess Christ without making any change in life and conversation. For they are saints in the church, but in their common dealings they are as worldlings.
II. Secondly, they are here reproved that have many good gifts of God in them and yet never proceed to a thorough reformation. For they use to cherish in themselves naughty affections and damnable lusts.
There is some one sweet sin or other that they cannot abide to crucify.
III. They also are to be blamed that cannot abide to bear their own particular sins to be noted and reproved. They are uncrucified and unmortified persons. And the word of God is the sword of the Spirit that serves to kill and destroy the flesh.
IV. In affections be content and quiet. For we ought to crucify the affections and lusts of our flesh. And because we fail in this duty, therefore God Himself takes the work in hand. And He will crucify our corruption by His chastisements.
Further, of this duty of crucifying the flesh, there are three points to be considered. I. The time when this action must begin, namely, in our baptism or first conversion. Therefore Paul says, they that are
Christ's "have crucified, etc." II. What must be crucified? Answer.
The whole flesh with every inordinate affection and lust. This makes against them that flee and detest some few sins and run headlong into others. III. What is crucifying? Answer. In it are two things, the restraint of the exercise of sin (which is in part in civil men) and the killing of original corruption in all the parts and branches thereof.
And that is done when we do not only mourn for our corruptions, but also hate and detest them in ourselves.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
In these words is contained the last reason of the rule of good life before mentioned in the sixteenth verse. For the understanding whereof, two things are to be considered: what it is to live in the Spirit; and what to walk in the Spirit. Touching the first. Life is twofold: created or uncreated. Uncreated life is the life of God.
Created is that which pertains to the creature. And this is either natural or spiritual. Natural life is led by natural causes and means, as by meat, drink, clothing, breathing, etc. Spiritual life is by and from the Spirit. Of this there be two degrees. The first is when the Spirit of God takes up His habitation in man and withal governs all the powers of his soul by putting into the mind a new light of knowledge, into the will and affections new motions and inclinations whereby they are made conformable to the will of God. The second degree of spiritual life is when the Spirit dwells in man and governs the powers of the soul, and further does sustain the body immediately without natural means. "It riseth again a spiritual body"
(1 Cor. 15:44), that is, a body living in the second degree of spiritual life, not being sustained by means, but immediately by the eternal
sustentation of the Spirit. The first of these degrees is in this life; the second, after this life, in and after the last judgment, when body and soul shall be reunited. And of the former, this place is to be understood.
To walk in the Spirit is first to savor the things of the Spirit (Rom.
8:5, 7). And that is to mind, wish, like, desire, and affect them, or, in a word, to subject a man's self to the law of God in all the powers and faculties of the soul. For the things revealed in the law are the things of the Spirit, which Spirit must at no hand be severed from the word.
Secondly, to walk in the path of righteousness without offence either of God or man (Ps. 143:10). Thirdly, to walk not stragglingly, but orderly by rule, by line, and by measure. For so much the word
"walk" imports in the original, as if Paul should have said, "Let us (whilst we live in this world) not only endeavor to do some one or some few good actions, but in the course of our lives and callings order ourselves according to the rule and line of the Word of God."
The Use. This text in the first place cuts off the shifts and excuses of sundry persons in these days who profess themselves to be the children of God and yet for their lives are much to be blamed because they lead them not according to the Spirit, but according to the flesh.
And these persons, whatsoever they say, do indeed and in truth deceive themselves and are quite destitute of God's Spirit. For if they lived in the Spirit, they would also walk in the Spirit; it is not an idle
Spirit in any, but it will show and manifest itself in a holy and orderly conversation. You will say: If such persons have not the Spirit of God, what other spirit have they? Answer. If their life be naught, they have an unclean spirit dwelling in them. And the god of this world has blinded their eyes and makes them that they cannot see the right way wherein they should walk (2 Cor. 4:4).
Again, we learn from hence a true and pregnant sign whereby to discern, whether any man has in his heart the Spirit of God or no.
The life of a man will discover and proclaim to all the world, before God, men, and angels, what himself is. If a man in the course of his life and calling be godly and virtuous, leading his life according to the will and word of God, in an honest and careful endeavor, though he fail in some particulars, whatever the world thinks of him, he is the man that is endued with the Spirit of God.
Lastly, this teaches what is the office of all Christian people, namely, to "walk in the Spirit," that is, to frame and order the whole course and tenor of their lives according to the line and square of God's
Word and Spirit. A motive to which duty may be that fearful threat pronounced upon those that turn aside and walk in their own crooked ways (Ps. 125:5).
26 Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another.
The Scope. From this twenty-sixth verse to the eleventh verse of the chapter following, St. Paul handles the second rule which he had propounded in the thirteenth verse of this chapter: "By love serve one another." In the handling whereof, he first labors to take away the impediments of love, and then he sets down the manner how the rule is to be observed. This twenty-sixth verse is a rule, the end whereof is to remove the impediments of love.
In this verse four points are especially to be considered. First, what the desire of vain glory is? Answer. It is a branch of pride, which makes men to refer all they have or can do to their own private glory and advancement. For better understanding whereof, consider a little the excuses that men have for the defense or excuse of this sin.
Excuse I. Vain glory in effect is no more but the seeking of men's approbation, which may lawfully be done. Answer. To seek the approbation of men is no fault, so that it be sought in a good manner.
The right manner of seeking the praise of men is this. A man must in this life pass through three judgments: the judgment of God, of his own conscience, and of his neighbor. And the order of going through them is: in the first place, he must seek for the judgment and approbation of God; in the next, his own; and in the last, his neighbors. Now the vain-glorious man takes another course, first and principally aiming at the glory and good liking of man, having small or no regard of the two other.
Excuse II. There is a good boasting, which David used and that we may lawfully use (Ps. 7:8). Answer. Boasting is either lawful or unlawful. Lawful boasting is in the Lord, when, being urged and compelled, we confess the good things that are in us to God's glory.
Of this read at large 2 Corinthians 11. Unlawful is when men ascribe the gifts that they have of God unto themselves, or, having gifts, do arrogate more unto themselves than indeed they have, or, in a word, do so esteem of their gifts as if they had not received them from God.
And this is a damnable boasting.
Excuse III. God's blessings we may seek for. And what are glory and honor, but the blessings and gifts of God? Answer. There are two degrees of honor. The first is the honor that every man has in his place and calling. For every calling ordained by God has a glory annexed unto it, which being the gift of God, it may be both fought for and enjoyed. The other degree is that which is above a man's place and calling, and that ought not to be sought for. Every person must content himself with the honor which is sorted unto his calling.
Nevertheless, if God give greater honor, he may accept it; but where God gives it not, there it must not be desired. It remains therefore
that vain-glory is a branch of pride, wherein men principally refer all their studies, counsels, endeavors, and gifts to the honoring and advancing of themselves.
The next point to be considered is, why he admonishes the Galatians of vain glory? Answer. The Galatians were men of understanding and knowledge and were adorned with many excellent gifts. Now they that have received good gifts of God, many times are most vainglorious (2 Cor. 12:7; Matt. 6:5). And whereas all other vices feed upon that which is evil, this vice of vain glory feeds upon good things.
For a man sometimes will be proud, even because he is not proud.
A third point to be considered is, where vain glory is to be found?
Answer. It is no rare matter, but it is a common vice, and spreads itself far and wide. Some there are which never lift up heart nor hand unto God at home, and yet the same persons in the public assemblies will make as though they prayed with great devotion. And what is the reason hereof but this, that they are carried with a spirit of pride and arrogancy, seeking the commendation of men that behold them, rather than to approve their hearts and consciences unto God. Of another sort are those that have been old and ancient hearers of the word who notwithstanding do little or not at all profit either in knowledge or good life. And the cause is not in the gospel or in the dispensers of it, but in themselves because they receive not the gospel for itself, but for the praise and commendation of men and for the credit and account they are in by reason of Christian profession.
The last thing is the remedy of pride and vain glory, which is the rather to be thought upon because it is a great impediment of Christian love. This remedy consists partly in meditation and partly in practice.
Remedies in meditation are these. 1. God resists all proud persons and gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). The reason is because the vain-glorious man, seeking himself and not God, robs God of His honor. Thus the proud Pharisee exalting himself above the poor publican went away less justified, that is, not approved of God, as the publican was. 2. It is the work of the devil to puff up the mind with self-liking and conceit, that thereby he may work man's perdition
(Gen. 3:5). But God works contrarily. For He therefore abases men that He might in His good time the more exalt them. 3. There is no religion in that heart that is wholly bent to seek the praise of men
(John 5:44). And the man that desires to be talked of and admired by others does thereby in effect give notice unto all the world that his heart is not sound in the sight of God.
Remedies consisting in practice are: 1. First, an endeavor to acknowledge the great majesty of God, and with all our own baseness and vileness before Him. 2. We ought to ascribe all good things we have or can do to God alone, and nothing to ourselves. For in all that befall us, God is the principal agent, ourselves are but tools and instruments in His hand; by right therefore the commendation belongs unto Him, and not to us. 3. In all actions and duties of religion, first we must endeavor to approve ourselves to God, and the next place is to be given to man, not contrariwise. 4. When we are reviled we must rest content; when we are praised to our faces or otherwise, we must take heed. For then Satan stands at our right hand to puff us up and consequently to overthrow us. It is a true saying, that temptations in the right hand are far more dangerous than those on the left. 5. In the fifth place, Paul's reason to dissuade from this sin is taken from two evil fruits of it, contention and envy,
"provoking one another, envying one another." Men that are ambitious, if they be crossed in their courses, grow contentious; if they prosper in the world, then are they envied by others. Read for