3 Grace be unto you and peace from God the father, and [from]
our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 Who gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this evil world according too the will of God our father.
5 To whom be glory for evermore, Amen. —
<480103>Galatians 1:3-5
THERE IS NO MAN but he desireth his own welfare, and we be inclined thereto by nature. Nevertheless we be very far overseen in that behalf, and know not which is the fountain from whence all welfare springeth, and much less what is the true cause of our happiness, namely that God loveth us, and that we be sure that he holdeth us for his children. For without that, all the prosperity of the world is nothing, nay rather it shall always turn to our harm, because that until such time as God receive us into his favor, we be all of us accursed, and the goods that we receive at his hand shall cost us right dearly: for they belong not to us, till we be of the
fellowship of his children. Therefore we must above all things seek to be in the favor of our God, and to be well assured in ourselves, that he admitteth us to be of his household and Church. And that is the cause why that after the Prophet hath rebuked men’s worldly desires, in that one would have abundance of wine, another abundance of corn, and every man hath an eye to his own case: it is said in the Psalm, (<190406>
Psalm 4:6) that nothing is better nor more to be desired, than that God should show us the light of his countenance: that is to say, than that we might take hold of his favor, not doubting but he will acknowledge us for his children, as I told you afore. And that also is the cause, why in <19A604>
Psalm 106:4, the Prophet craveth above all things, that God should be mindful of him with the favor that he beareth towards his people. He knew well enough that he wanted many things: and yet he overpassed all the rest, because his heart carried and haled [hauled] him the other way, namely [to desire] to be
comprehended in the number of God’s chosen, and therefore he saith purposely according to the Love which thou bearest towards thy people.
True it is that God giveth oftentimes some sign of his love to all men in general: but yet is all Adam’s offspring cut off from him, till we be grafted in again by Jesus Christ. Therefore there is one kind of love which God beareth towards all men, for that he hath created them after his own image, in which respect he maketh the Sun to shine upon all men, nourishing them and having a care of their life. But all this is nothing, in respect of the special goodness which he keepeth in store for his chosen, and for those that are of his flock: howbeit not for any worthiness which he findeth in them, but for because it pleaseth him to accept them for his own. And so ye see why Saint Paul in all his Epistles bringeth us back to the grace of God, and to the love which he beareth towards the faithful, saying, Grace and peace be unto you. Under the word Peace (as I have said heretofore) he comprehendeth all prosperity, as if he should beseech God to provide us of all things which he knoweth to be expedient for us, to pour out his Riches upon us, and to show himself so bountiful towards us, as we may have cause to magnify his goodness. Yet notwithstanding, forasmuch as all the goods of the world cannot but turn to our harm, until we be in God’s favor: therefore Saint Paul keepeth this order, of setting down continually God’s grace or free favor before the benefits which he bestoweth upon us.
Although then that we must desire God to make us feel his goodness in all things which he knoweth to be meet for us: yet must we not forget the principal point, that is to wit, that he should take us into his Church, and assure us in our hearts that he beareth us good will. When we once see that light, let it suffice us (as it is said in <190407>
Psalm 4:7) and let the same content us. But yet for all that although God give us leave to wish
whatsoever is good for us: yet must we bridle ourselves in such wise, that if he list [wish] to smite us with many miseries, we nevertheless must make such account of his favor, as to content ourselves with that alone, though all the rest be taken quit and clean from us. I have told you already, that although we lived at our ease in all pleasures and delights, yet should we be unhappy, until such time as we be fully assured in our consciences, that God loveth us, and that we be in his favor. Ye see then that we ought not to have a mind to any worldly goods, except God’s love go before them. But on the contrary part, if God love us, and yet in the meanwhile list [wish] to try our patience by suffering us to linger in this world, and
by putting us under many afflictions: we must still make such account of his favor, as to bear all things patiently, not withstanding that they seem to be utterly against us. And it standeth us so much the more on hand to bear this lesson in mind, because we see men wander away after their own lusts. For most men are become so brutish, that they desire nothing but to have the things that nature teacheth them to like of: They have no regard at all of God. One desires to eat, and another to drink, and the third to have apparel: and these are desires that hover in the air. But the point whereat we ought to begin, is to know that God is the founder of all our welfare, and that all the commodities which we have in this world, and all the aids which we have to help us with, are benefits proceeding from his hand.
Then if we cannot apply our desires unto God, it is too untoward, yea and too beastly a thing: and yet for all that, the most part of the world is at that point. There are othersome which seem to take a better way and rule:
but yet do they also pervert all. They desire God to send them the things which he knoweth to be good and profitable for them: but in the
meanwhile they look not to the fountain whereout of they should draw their first water, that is to wit, to be reconciled to God. For all is one with them so God spare them, and execute not his rigor towards them. As for his love or hatred, they pass not greatly for it, so he handle them after the desire and appetite of their flesh. Now although such manner of men do seek unto God, yet do they set the Cart before the horse. For they ought to set God’s love in the first and chiefest place, and then to come down to the great number of benefits which he bestoweth upon us, and whereby he witnesseth his goodness towards us. Albeit then that many men hold not themselves within the said measure, but make more unruly requests unto God than one man would do to another: so as one man craveth Riches, another Honor, and none is contented with that which God sendeth: yet notwithstanding, though men were well advised in their wishes, and precise in desiring nothing but that which they have need of, yet if they forget God’s favor, therein they show themselves not to have profited at all. Wherefore let us mark how it is not without cause, that Saint Paul hath here set down two things jointly together: that is to wit, that God must first receive us into his favor, so as we also may feel him to be truly our father, and to accept us as his children: and he thereupon afterward make us to prosper. Now, such manner of prosperity may (as I have said
already) be well wished for: but yet in the meanwhile the only goodness of
God must be our solace: and when we be put to the suffering of many miseries in this world, so as things fall not out as we would have them, yet must we be contented with this, that God accepteth us. And therewithal he setteth down the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, because it is not possible that God should favor us, but for his own son’s sake in whom is his whole delight, according as it is said, as well in the sixteenth chapter of Saint Matthew, as in the first to the Ephesians. (<490106>Ephesians 1:6) Then if we had nothing else to set before our eyes but the majesty of God, it would make us afraid, and we could not have any access unto him, because we be frail creatures, yea and altogether sinful, creeping here upon the earth, and deserving to be swallowed into the bottom of Hell.
Therefore it is very requisite that Christ should show himself unto us, and that we should look upon him, to taste what God’s love is, and to enjoy all the benefits which he bestoweth upon us: for they belong not to any other than to his own only Son, who is the heir of all things, as the Apostle speaketh of him in the first chapter to the Hebrews.
(<580102>Hebrews 1:2) Seeing then that all the good turns which God doeth
us, belong peculiarly to our Lord Jesus Christ: it behooveth us to communicate with him and to be made partakers of them by his means.
Therefore it is not without cause that Saint Paul saith here, from God the father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea and to the intent to give us the greater assurance that God will take us into his favor (if we seek him truly and unfeignedly [genuinely],) howbeit by the means of his only Son: he saith that Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins. Now it is certain that nothing putteth us out of God’s favor, but our own sinfulness. For we see that his mercy extendeth itself even to the Sparrows that fly in the air, and unto the brute beasts. For when as God bringeth forth grass in the
mountains, and maketh other fodder to grow for cattle: it is a token that he hath a care of them. And truly they be marks of his goodness, as it is said in the Psalms. (<19A414>
Psalm 104:14; <19E708>
Psalm 147:8) How then should he not love those whom he hath created after his own image, and which approach much nearer to him, and to his nature, that is to say, men:
God therefore in respect of his creating of us, receiveth and avoweth us for his own. But forsomuch as we be corrupted and our nature is become sinful, it causeth God to hate us and to take us for his enemies, so as there is as it were a deadly feud between him and us, till he have taken us again into his favor for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. Wherefore to the end we
may not have any cause to doubt of God’s love, Saint Paul doth here set down before us the Sacrifice whereby the remembrance of our
transgressions is blotted out, so that God having now forgotten all our wretchedness, beholdeth us as his own, and as those on whom he hath set his mark, and (to be short) as those whom he hath created to be his
children and heirs. And hereby we be warned, that there is none other means to pacify our consciences, and to make us able to call upon God in full liberty, but by applying to ourselves the sacrifice offered by our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein he hath made full satisfaction [for us], so that henceforth God receiveth us as his own children. And here first of all we see the force of the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that therein we find atonement between God and us, so that whereas we were erst [formerly] at odds with him, and he must needs have (as ye would say) abhorred us: now he vouchsafeth to take us into his favor. And why?
Because our Lord Jesus Christ hath made amends for all our faults and misdeeds, by the obedience which he yielded in his death and passion, insomuch that the sacrifice which he offered was a [full] satisfaction for [all] our sins, and his bloodshed became likewise our cleansing, and hath washed us clean from all the spots of our sins. Thus ye see how we may be sure that God receiveth us. And how may we have the boldness to call upon him and to resort unto him? Even by fastening our eyes upon the Sacrifice which our Lord Jesus Christ hath offered. For if we have not that, it is certain that we shall always be afraid, when we think upon the
majesty of God. For seeing we be wretched offenders, how should we not be afraid of our judge, who is armed to execute the vengeance that we deserve? Nevertheless forasmuch as our Lord Jesus Christ hath buried our faults, we may come unto God boldly and without any stop. Howbeit it behooveth us to mark therewithal, that the sacrifice whereby our Lord Jesus Christ hath reconciled us to God his father, is so sufficient, that it behooveth us to lay up all our trust therein, and not to seek any other means: according also as Saint Paul’s intent here, is to bring back the Galatians to the pure truth from the which they had been led away and seduced: not that they had utterly renounced Jesus Christ, but that they had intermingled the ceremonies of the Law, thereby to obtain forgiveness of sins, as who should say there needed other helps thereunto: according as in papistry it will well enough be granted, that Jesus Christ is the redeemer of the world, but yet therewithal every man seeketh to
compound [come to terms] with God, and to make amends by himself.
Now the Galatians had already been imbued with the like error. For this cause Saint Paul showeth them, that sins are none otherwise wiped out, than by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the intent that our faith may rest wholly there. Therefore if we will be, partakers of so great a benefit, we must give over all our vain hopes, and all the illusions that the Devil putteth in our mind, when he turneth us aside from our Lord Jesus Christ and from his only grace, by making us to believe that we can come unto God if we bring some amends with us. To be short, until such time as we be sure that there is none other washing wherewith to scour out the spots of our iniquities, but the blood which our Lord Jesus Christ hath shed, and wherewith we be rinsed through the holy ghost: it is certain that we can never come freely unto God, nor rest upon his favor and love, but shall ever be wandering in our own imaginations: and that shall be a due payment for our misbelief, in that we have not yielded our Lord Jesus Christ the honor that he deserved. Thus ye see in effect what we have to bear in mind here, where Saint Paul setteth the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ before us, telling us that that is the thing wherein we shall find the amends of all our faults, so as they shall not be called
anymore to account before God. And he saith purposely that Jesus Christ gave himself, to the end we should the more boldly take hold of his Love.
For we see here, that when our Lord Jesus Christ did put forth himself to make atonement between God and us, he spared not his own body and soul, insomuch that he endured extreme anguish in his soul, as he that was our borrow in the same, and bear the wrath of God in our behalf. And in his body also he endured all reproach and shame, and therewithal also the horriblest torments that could be devised: and all this (as I said afore) showeth right well, that the love which he bear us was inestimable, sith [since] he forgot himself after that sort for our sakes. But yet
notwithstanding, herewithal Saint Paul bringeth us always back to the will of God, to show that when our Lord Jesus Christ did in that wise perform all that belonged to our salvation, it was no lett but that God in the
meanwhile uttered his mercy in the same, according as it is said in another text, (<430316>
John 3:16) that God so loved the world, that he spared not his only son, but delivered him to death for us. To the intent therefore that we should not think that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to pacify God his father, was after such a sort that he persuaded him to alter his
purpose, (as men are inclined to such gross and earthly imaginations:) Saint Paul (to show us that God was not reconciled unto us after the manner of men) telleth us expressly that the cause why Jesus Christ was delivered for our sins, was for that God had so ordained it. For if a man be angry with his child, some other man may step in, to appease his wrath, and such a one shall supply the room of a third party. But the case stood not so with our Lord Jesus Christ when he offered himself in Sacrifice to do away all our sins, and to make us way unto God from whom we were shut out before. He came not as one that stepped in of his own head, and as though God had not meddled with the matter. How then? God (as hath been touched not long since) did both hate us and love us before the reconciliation [was made.] And why loved he us? Because we be his creatures. And again, although he saw we were so wretched, and utterly forlorn and damned folk by reason of sin: yet notwithstanding he had pity upon us, and would not have mankind to perish utterly. Thus ye see how God loved us, notwithstanding that in the person of Adam we were fallen away from him and utterly corrupted. Therewithal he did also hate us, even because he is the wellspring of all righteousness. Therefore he
abhorred the naughtiness that was in us by reason whereof there needed an atonement to be made in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the sacrifice which he offered. But yet must not that benefit be fathered upon any other than God. Ye see then how it was God’s doing to send his only son, and to give him over unto death for us. And why? To the end that all hatred between him and us should be done away. This in effect is the thing that ought to be understood of Saint Paul’s words, when he saith that Jesus Christ gave himself to the death for our sins, and yet
notwithstanding that the same came not to pass without the will of God, who had determined the same aforehand in his own everlasting purpose.
Here first of all we have to magnify the mercy that was showed us, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if God had [but] proclaimed a pardon, and told us that he would take us to mercy though we were unworthy of it: that had been very much, yea and it had been impossible for us to magnify such a gracious goodness as it deserveth. But seeing he hath lent us such a gauge of his love as his own son, and giveth himself to us in his person, [thereby] showing himself to be our father: it so far passeth all that we have said, that if all our wits were employed to wondering at such a goodness, yet should we never come to the fullness