Galatians 5

Galatians 5:1

AGain] as the Jewes were formerly, Romans 8:15.

Galatians 5:2

Circumcised] as a thing which ought of necessitie to be done, and that is a part of man righteousnesse, and necessary to salvation, according to the false Apostles meaning, Acts 15:1. For otherwise circumcision mgiht be used as an outward and indifferent thing through wisdom and charitie to gain the Jewes, and cut off the scandall which offendéd their weaknesse,Acts 16:3. Christ] for mans righteousnesse before God ought to be be either all by workes, or all by Christ; and these two meanes cannot be mixed: see upon Galatians 2:21. and therefore he that attributeth one part to workes doth wholly renounce Christ, and to be saved he bindes himselfe to fulfill the whole Law, which being impossible for man to do, all his endeavours are not onely unprofitable but also very hurtfull.

Galatians 5:4

Christ is] the Greek terme seemes to signifie, you are as dead members upon which by reason of your wickednesse and incapacitie Christ worketh no more Are justified] namely, that pretend and believe to be partly justified before God by the Law Fromgrace] from Gods grace, which before you made profession of accepting in Christ.

Galatians 5:5

For we] that is to say, you separate your selves from Christ, withdrawing your selves from the common meaning and belief of the Church, whose whole hope is to be absolved at the last judgement, and enter into everlasting life by the meanes of One onely Jesus Christ Through the spirit] namely, taught and inspired by the holy Ghost, or following the spirituall meanes which the Gospell propounds in Christ, and in his Spirit, and not the carnall and elementall ones of the ceremonies of the Law, Hebrews 9:10.

Galatians 5:6

Which worketh] namely, which is a true and lively faith, and sheweth it selfe to be such by the fruits of a new life, comprehended under the love of God, and of ones neighbour, Romans 13:8. of which faith is the root, because it joyning a man with Christ, drawes his Spirit from him, and tha Spirit is the soveraigne cause of all good workes. See Iohn 15. 4, 5. Iam. 2. 17, 26.

Galatians 5:7

Did run] you were in a good way of faith, and were gone happily forward towards the marke of your heavenly calling. See Philippians 3:14.

Galatians 5:8

Of him] namely, of God.

Galatians 5:9

Leaven] that is to say, a little false doctrine, Matth. 16. 12. doth easily corrupt the good minde of a man in the rest, or a small number of heretickes may infect the whole Church.

Galatians 5:10

Through the Lord] namely, through his grace and power No otherwise] than I have at other times taught you, and now confirmed unto you in this Epistle.

Galatians 5:11

And I] for a personall proof of this truth consider, that if I would retain the Mosaicall ceremonies, I might avoid the persecutions of my nation, which are raised against me onely for that cause, and therefore seeing I do refuse to do it, you may conclude, that my conscience (which may serve for example and rule to your consciences) doth not consent to it. See 1 Corinthians 15:30. The offence] namely, the occasion of the persecutions which do so much offend and alienate the world from the Gospell, is cut off, seeing they are at this time stirred up onely by the Jewes through a false zeal to their ceremonies, see Galatians 6:12. Philippians 3:18.

Galatians 5:12

Cut off] wholly separated and banished out of the communion of the Church, in the bodie of which they are like unto so many plagues and cankers.

Galatians 5:13

For brethren] the reason of this my desire is, because that they remaining amongst you disguised in sheepes clothing do hinder the course of your vocation, burthening you with the observances of such things as are contrary to Euangelicall libertie, by which the holy Ghost carrieth Believers couragiously on to their supernall end To the flesh] namely, licentiously to satisfie your fleshly and vicious appetites under pretence that those ancient forbidding Lawes are disannulled By love, the Italian, for charitie] have a care you do not offend the weak brethren in indifferent things, using your libertie undiscreetly, and unbridledly, Romans 14:13; Romans 14:15; Romans 14:20. 1 Cor. 6. 12. and 8. 9. and 10. 24, 32.

Galatians 5:14

The Law] from which though Christ have taken away the power of judging the faithfull before God, yet it is left unto them for a perpetuall rule of true obedience and conformitie to the will of God their father.

Galatians 5:15

Ye bite.] he hath a relation to the controversies which were bred amongst Christians concerning the Jewish ceremonies, maintained with great instance by some, and by other some violently rejected, Romans 14:13, 1 Tim. 1. 4. and 6. 4, 5. 2 Timothy 2:25. Ti. 3. 9. One of another] namely, that in stead of receiving the Jewish ceremonies, for fear of being persecuted by the Jewes you do not upon the same occasion ruine one another without any persecution.

Galatians 5:16

Walke in] Order your whole life and actions according to the instructions and motions of the holy Ghost, as well in the spirituall forme of Religion which is proper to the Gospell as in holinesse of life Not fulfill] that is to say, withstand the reliques of the old man, and the naturall cor〈…〉tion which yet remaineth in you, Romans 7:18. 〈◊〉 3.

Galatians 5:17

Tor the] he gives a reason for what he had said, that following the spirit, one ought to renounce the flesh, namely, because they are two beginnings and motions which are directly contrary in their qualities and actions So that ye] the Italian, that you may not do whatsoever you will] I speak this concerning the strife between the flesh and the spirit which is in every believer, to the end that under pretence of Euangelicall libertie, or of the presence of the spirit, you do not take leave to do whatsoever you please, seeing that there may be some motion of the flesh therein which is contrary to the motion of Gods Spirit. It may also be translated, so that you do not the things that you would; as much as to say, so that you are hindered from doing good in that perfection as you desire, Romans 7:15; Romans 7:19.

Galatians 5:18

Under the Law] namely, under the servile and scrupulous pedagogie of the ceremoniall Law, nor yet under the morall Law, which doth severely command and inexorably condemne, but under that milde and most effectuall conduct of the holy Ghost working in you.

Galatians 5:20

Heresies, the Italian, Sects,] or heresies which are also effects of the corruption of sin as well in the affected ignorance of the understanding, as in the perversenesse of the will fixed upon its own opinions, lover of singularities and vainglorie, rebellious against the truth, failing in charitie, &c.

Galatians 5:23

Against such, the Italian, against such things] that is to say, the Law of God that is so harsh and terrible to all men that are in the state of sin, is not so to Gods children, who do no more fight against it of pure malice, nor are not fought against by the curse of it, but do voluntarily submit themselves to it, and it through the spirit of grace becomes to them a milde mistresse of their actions and guide of their life, and is no longer an inexorable forme of judgement against their persons.

Galatians 5:24

And they] though the root of the foresaid vices be also in believers, and in the members of Christ yet by his spirit, Romans 8:13. and by imitating his crosse, Romans 6:6, they mortifie it, suppresse the endeavours, and smother the effects of it, Romans 6:12.

Galatians 5:25

In the spirit] being by it regenerated into a new life.

Galatians 5:26

Provoking] spighting, and purposely doing acts of offence and prouocation against other men.