Galatians 6

Galatians 6:1

IF a man be overtaken in a fault] Or, although. Gr. taken before, or preoccupated. The word in the Originall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth to be taken before he is aware, or to be presumed to be an offender, or taken before you, that is publiquely convicted of some fault or miscarriage: moderate and temper your reprehension of him with Christian meeknesse, according to that golden Rule of S. Austine; Salsedinem correptionis amor Christi temperet, & dilectionem proximi sal justitiae coniat.

restore such an one] Gr. set him right, or in joynt again.

lest thou also be tempted] He toucheth the sore: for they commonly are most severe Judges, who forget their own infirmitie; and on the contrary, as S. Austine observeth; The true sense and feeling of the infirmities we are subject to our selves, makes us tender and compassionatly affected towards others; Nihil tam ad misericordiam inclinat quam proprii pericult cogitatio. And Virgil brings in Queen Dido for a patterne in this kinde, saying of her self: Non ignara mali miscris succurrere disco.

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one anothers burdens] He sheweth that this is the end of reprehension to raise up our brother which is fallen, and not proudly to insult over him. To bear our brothers burden, is, to have compassion on our brothers failings, and infirmities, which lye upon him, as a heavie load and burden, to support him with comfort, and use the best means we can to ease and relieve him, and by discreet reprehension amend him.

and so fulfill the law of Christ] That of loving one another, John 13:34. Which Christ cals his new commandement. For although it were also prescribed by Moses, Leviticus 19:18. yet it is called Christs law, forasmuch as it is not fulfilled but by his Spirit, and for that Christ so particularly commendeth it to his Disciples, as well by precept, as by his own example.

Galatians 6:4

let every man prove his own work] Let every man seek to have commendation of his own life, by examining and reproving himself, and not by reprehending others. In these words, the Apostle taxeth that vice in the Galatians, which is too too common in most men; who are sharp-sighted, to espie small motes in other mens eyes, and cannot discern a beame in their own. Nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo; Sed praecedenti spectatur mantica tergo.

rejoycing] Gr. boasting.

Galatians 6:5

For every man shall bear his own burden] See 1 Corinthians 3:8. A reason, wherefore men ought to have the greatest eye upon themselves, is, because that every man shall be judged before God according to his own life, and not by comparing himself with other men S. Jerome upon this place noteth, that the Apostle in these words, obscurely intimateth, that whilest we live in this world, we may be helpt by the counsels, good advise, and prayers one of another; but after this life, we must stand or fall to our selves; no other can stead us by their prayers or otherwayes. Dum in praesenti seculo sumus, sive orationibus sive consiltis invicem posse nos coadjuvari, cum autem ante tribunal Christi venerimus, non Job, non Daniel, non Nohe rogare posse pro quoquam, sed unumquem(que portare onus sinon.) Which though it be a truth, and maketh much against Popist invocation of Saints, and prayers for the dead, yet it seemeth not to be the naturall interpretation of this Text; but rather that of S. Austine, De consen. Evang. lib. 2. cap. 30.

Where reconciling the seeming contradiction between this first verse and the second, he saith, that the word burden is taken in a diferent sense; Alia sunt onera participandae infirmitatis, alia reddendae rationis Deo de actibus nostri. In the Originall, the words are different; in the second verse, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there by burdens, are meant such sinnes and infirmities, wherewith our brother is aggrieved and burdened, but here by burden is meant the punishment of every mans own sinne.

Galatians 6:6

Let him, &c.] See 1 Corinthians 9:14.

that is taught in the word] Gr. catechised. See Romans 2:18. The word in the Originall is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a word derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a sound, and signifieth to resound, or instruct others, viva voce, by word of mouth, by speech sounding to their eares, to teach familiarly, as when children are taught the principles of religion; and hence cometh our English word catechising. Howbeit, as the Greek Scholiast truly observeth, it is taken more generally for him that is any way taught and instructed; whether it be in the first principles, and rudiments, or points of greater difficultie; whether plainly and familiarly, as catechisers use to do; or more profoundly, as Doctors in the chaire.

communicate unto him that teacheth] Gr. catechiseth; or instructeth in the principles of faith. 1 Corinthians 14:9. Let him afford him comfortable maintenance according to his abilitie; he saith not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, contribute, but communicate unto him, as Oecumenius observeth, to signifie unto us, that the reliee of the Pastour is not an almes-deed, but a kind of commerce and exchange of spirituall things for carnall. For he that teacheth bestoweth on his flock spirituall treasures; and they who are taught of him give him part of their temporall goods, (1 Corinthians 9:11.) so there is a communication on both sides.

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived; God is not mocked] He commendeth liberalitie both to their Pastours, and to the poore; and first he reproveth them for pretending this and that, and all because they would not help their neighbours, as though they could deceive God: afterward he compareth works of charitie to a spirituall sowing, which shall have a most plentifull harvest, and he compareth covetousnesse and niggardlinesse to a carnall sowing, whereof nothing can be gathered but such things as being unprofitable fade away and perish by and by.

Galatians 6:8

For he that soweth to his flesh] that is, to the commodities of this present life; he that seeketh after wealth or honour, & such things only wherby he may give satisfaction to his flesh, and enjoy carnall delights and pleasures, shall reap corruption; that is, a consumption in his estate, rottennesse in his bones, and eternall death. But he that soweth to the Spirit, that is, desireth encrease of spirituall graces, and by the grace of the Spirit distributeth liberally to the poore, and performeth all works of piety and charitie in this life, shall have a most plentifull harvest in the life to come, and reap a most plentifull crop.

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well-doing] See 2 Thess. 3. 13. He taxeth such as are liberall at the beginning, but continue not in well doing, because the harvest seemeth to be deferred very long, as though the seed-time and harvest were at one instant.

Galatians 6:10

houshold of faith] They who are bred up in the same Church, which is the House of God, they who are joyned with us in the profession of the self-same true religion, ought to be preferred before all other in our charitie: yet so notwithstanding that our liberalitie extend in some measure to all. Saint Augustine upon these words inferreth that all men are equally to be loved, and that we must with a like affection wish to all men eternall life, though we cannot performe to all the like offices of charitie. This seemeth to be repugnant to the doctrine of other Fathers, and the Schooles generally, who teach that we ought more to love those of our kinne then strangers, Christians then Infidels, right beleevers then heretiques, friends then enemies; but they quarrell with this religious Father without cause, for elsewhere he defineth all vertue to be ordo charitatis, an order of charitie, whereby we love first God, then our selves, after our neighbours, and them differently as we owe more obligation to them, or they better deserve of us: his meaning therefore in this place can be no other then this, that we ought to love all men pari dilectione, that is, with a like sinceritie of true love, though not a like ardencie of Christian affection; or that we ought to love all men alike as they are men, and desire truly their salvation, though as he speaketh, we neither can nor are bound to performe the same offices of charitie to all.

Galatians 6:11

how large a letter] The words in the Originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, may signifie either with how great characters I have written unto you; or what a large letter I have writen unto you: those who follow the first Translation make this to be the sense, to disabuse and undeceive you I have made shift though I cannot write well, yet with mine own hand in great and ill shaped letters to give you an undoubted testimonie that I preach not circumcision; so Oecumenius. Others interpret the words thus, You see with what capitall letters I have written divers sentences in this epistle, that you might take speciall note of them; such letters Jerome in his Preface upon Job, calleth unciales literas; and the Poet grandes, Grandibus intumuli marmore caede notis. They who follow the latter Translation, make this construction of it: You see what paines I have taken for your satisfaction, to write to you a letter of a large size, and that with mine own hand; which I use not to do. It is true that the Apostle wrote larger letters then this, as namely to the Romanes, and to the Corinthians: but he wrote them not with his own hand, as he did this. For that to the Romanes was written by the hand of Tertius, Romans 16:22. And the Epistles to the Corinthians are supposed by the Learned to have been written by others; the first by the hand of sosthenes, the second by the hand of Timothie.

Galatians 6:12

make a fair shew in the flesh] Gr. good face. for fair countenance. A fair shew against the truth in keeping carnall rites and ceremonies; they urge circumcision upon you, not out of any affection and zeal that they bear to the Law; but onely for this purpose, that they may purchase themselves favour among those of their own sort, and escape the malice and persecution of the Jews.

in the flesh] Or, in your flesh. In causing you to be circumcised.

for the crosse of Christ] For preaching the doctrine of Christ crucified.

Galatians 6:14

by whom the world is crucified, &c.] Or, whereby. S. Gregorie in the first of his Morals thus paraphraseth upon these words: Because neither Paul sought after the world, nor the world after him, he saith he is cucified to the world, and the world to him. Bernard in his sixt Sermon, de Quadragesima, conceiveth this to be the meaning: The world is crucified to me in my judgement and reputation thereof, and I am crucified to the world by an affection of compassion: Non incongrue potest intelligi crucifixum ci mundum reputatione, ipsum vero mundo crucifixum compassione. Others illustrate thus the words, All the honours, delights, and pomps which the world so much doteth upon, are as a crosse to me; and those things which the world esteems as crosses, I take delight in, and am fastened unto them. But the most naturall exposition seems to be this; God forbid that I should glory in any thing save the death and passion of my Saviour; by the power whereof I am not onely dead, but even crucified to the world: so that I have neither love nor liking more to the world and the lusts thereof, then to a dead man hanging upon a Gibbet, or Crosse, which is not onely a miserable, but an ignominious spectacle: on the other side, the world hath no more power on me to move me, then sensuall objects have to move or affect a dead man.

Galatians 6:15

availeth any thing] Gr. Tec. is any.

but a new creature] Georgius Syncellus writeth that these words of the Apostle are taken out of a Book intituled Apocalypsis Mosis, the Revelation of Moses; but the Book is Apocryphall, and it is more likely that the Authour of it bearing a false title is of latter date, and transcribed thse words out of Saint Paul rather then that Saint Paul should borrow them from that book. For the meaning of them it is evidently this: That in attaining salvation by Christ, neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision is considerable, or available, but a new creature, a man renewed in the spirit of his mind, and reformed according to Christs Image, 2. Cor. 5. 17.

Galatians 6:16

upon the Israel of God] The true Israel circumcised in heart, and in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God, Romans 2:29.

Galatians 6:17

I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus] The word in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, properly signifieth brands, that is, such marks as are burnt into a mans flesh; but here it is taken for all those stripes and wounds which the Apostle received for Christ, and his doctrines sake; and hereby he intimateth that he startled at no persecution; as his opposites the false Apostles did; and he opposeth his miseries and the marks of those stripes which he bare for Christs sake, against the scarre of the outward circumcision, as the true mark of his Apostleship: and the meaning of the whole verse seemeth to be this; I admonish all the faithfull to have this regard unto me, as not to adde affliction to my affliction, nor vex my spirit farther with oppositions and contradictions, I having already sustained and suffered so much for Christ, (2 Cor. 11. 23, &c.) whose marks I continually bear about me, and whereby I have sufficiently testified the Ioyaltie and faithfulnesse of my ministerie, 2 Cor. 6. 4, 5.

Galatians 6:18

with your spirit] With your minds and hearts; or, grace be with your spirit, that is, guide and direct your spirit, that you may discern the deceits of these false Apostles who indeavour to inthrall you to carnall rites; or because grace chiefly worketh upon the soul and is resident in it, he expresseth that part, but meaneth the whole, and it is as much as if he had said, Grace be with you. Fromn this prayer of the Apostle it seemeth the ancient Church in her Liturgie took that respond mentioned by Saint Chrysostome, in his Comment upon the tenth of Matthew, And to, or with thy spirit,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. When I say, peace unto you, and you answer, and to thy spirit; not with your voyce onely, but with your heart: whence also in our Liturgie, transcribed for the most part out of the ancient Liturgies of the Church, after the Creed the Minister saith, The Lord be with you, and the people answer, And with thy spirit.