not as a private person, but as the king's ambassador; and because of this dignity, that he is the king's ambassador, he is honoured and set in the highest place; which honour should not be given unto him if he came as a private person. Wherefore, let the preacher of the gospel be certain that his calling is from God. And it is expedient, that, according to the example of Paul, he should magnify this his calling, to the end that he may win credit and authority among the people, like as the king's ambassador magnifieth his office and calling. And thus to glory is not vain, but a kind of necessary kind of glorying, because he glorieth not in himself, but in the king which hath sent him, whose authority he desireth to be honoured and magnified.

Likewise, when Paul so highly commendeth his calling, he seeketh not his own praise, but with a necessary and a holy pride he magnifieth his ministry; as to the Romans xi. he saith: Forasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I will magnify mine office: that is to say, I will that men receive me, not as Paul of Tarsus, but as Paul the apostle or ambassador of Jesus Christ. And this he doth of necessity, to maintain his authority, that the people, in hearing this, might be more attent and willing to give ear unto him. For they hear not only Paul, but in Paul, Christ himself, and God the Father, sending him out in his message: Whose authority and majesty, like as men ought religiously to honour, so ought they with great reverence to receive and to hear his messengers bringing his word and

message.

This is a notable place, therefore, wherein Paul so glorieth and boasteth as touching his vocation, that he despiseth all others. If any man, after the manner of the world, should despise all others in respect of himself, and attribute all unto himself alone, he should not only shew himself a very fool, but also grievously offend. But this manner of boasting is necessary, and pertaineth not to the glory of Paul, but to the glory of God, whereby is offered unto him the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. For by this boasting, the name, the grace, and the mercy of God, is made known unto the world. Thus, therefore, he beginneth his epistle.

VERSE 1. Paul, an apostle, not of men, &c.

Here, in the very beginning, he toucheth those false teachers which boasted themselves to be the disciples of the apostles, and to be sent of them, but despised Paul, as one that was neither the apostles' scholar, nor sent of any to preach the gospel, but came in some other way, and of his own hand thrust himself into that office. Against those Paul defendeth his calling, saying, My calling seemeth base to your preachers: but whosoever they be which are come unto you, are sent either of men, or by man that is to say, they have entered either of themselves, being not

called, or else called by others. But my calling is not of men, nor by man, but it is above all manner of calling that can be made by the apostles, "for it is by Jesus Christ, and by God the Father," &c.

But

Where he saith of men, I mean such as call and thrust in themselves, when neither God nor man calleth or sendeth them, but they run and speak themselves; as at this day certain fantastical spirits do, which either lurk in corners, and seek places where they may pour out their poison, and come into the public congregations, or else they resort thither, where the gospel is planted already. These I call such as are sent of men. where he saith, by man, I understand such as have a divine calling, but yet by man as by means. God calleth them two manner of ways: by means, and without means. He calleth them to the ministry of his word at this day, not immediately by himself, but by other means; that is to say, by man. But the apostles were called immediately of Christ himself, "as the prophets in the old time were called of God himself." Therefore, when Paul saith, "not of men, neither by men," he beateth down the false apostles; as though he would say, although those vipers brag never so much, what can they brag more than that they are either come from men, that is to say, of themselves without any calling, or by man, that is to say, sent of others? I pass not upon any of these things, neither ought you to regard them. As for me, I am called and sent neither of men, nor by man, but without means, that is to wit, by Jesus Christ himself, and my calling is like in all points the calling of the apostles, and I am indeed an apostle. Paul, therefore, handleth this place, of the calling of the apostles, effectually. And elsewhere, he separateth the degree of apostleship from others, as in the first to the Corinthians, chap. xii. and in the fourth to the Ephesians, where he saith, "And God hath ordained some in the church; as, first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers," &c. setting apostles in the first place: so that they be properly called apostles, "which are sent immediately of God himself," without any other ordi

nary means.

So Matthias was called only of God, (Acts i. 23-25,) for when the other apostles had appointed two, they durst not choose the one nor the other, but they cast lots, and prayed that God would shew which of them he would have. For, seeing he should be an apostle, it behoved that he should be called of God. So was Paul called to be the apostle of the Gentiles, (Acts ix. 15.) Hereof the apostles also are called saints; for they are sure of their calling and doctrine, and have continued faithful in their office, and none of them became a cast-away saving Judas, because their calling is holy, (Matt. xxvi. 15.)

This is the first assault that Paul maketh against the false apostles, which ran when no man sent them. Calling, therefore,

is not to be despised; for it is not enough for a man to have the word and pure doctrine, but also he must be assured of his calling; and he that entereth without this assurance, entereth to no other end but to kill and destroy. For God never prospereth the labour of those that are not called. "And although they teach some good and profitable matters, yet they edify not. So, our fantastical spirits at this day, have the words of faith in their mouths, but yet they yield no fruit, but their chief end and purpose is to draw men to their false and perverse opinions." They that have a certain and holy calling,-must sustain many and great conflicts, as they must do whose doctrine is pure and sound, that they may constantly abide in their lawful calling, against the infinite and continual assaults of the devil, and rage of the world. "Here, what should he do whose calling is uncertain, and doctrine corrupt?"

This is therefore our comfort which are in the ministry of the word, "that we have an office which is heavenly and holy," to the which we being lawfully called, do triumph against all the gates of hell. On the other side, it is a horrible thing when the conscience saith, "This thou hast done without any lawful calling." Here such terror "shaketh a man's mind which is not called, that he would wish he had never heard the word which he teacheth:" for, by his disobedience, he maketh all his works evil, were they never so good, insomuch, "that even his greatest works and labours become his greatest sins."

We see then how good and necessary this boasting and glorifying of our ministry is. In times past, when I was but a young divine, methought Paul did unwisely in glorying so oft of his calling, in his epistles; but I did not understand his purpose; for I knew not that the ministry of God's word was so weighty a matter. I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith and a true conscience indeed, "for that there was then no certainty taught either in the schools or churches, but all was full of the sophistical subtleties of the schoolmen;" and therefore no man was able to understand the dignity and power of this holy and spiritual boasting of the true and lawful calling, which serveth first to the glory of God, and secondly to the advancing of our office, and moreover, "to the salvation of ourselves and of the people. For, by this our boasting, we seek not estimation in the world, or praise among men, or money, or pleasures, or favour, of the world; but forasmuch as we be in a divine calling, and in the work of God, and the people have great need to be assured of our calling, that they may know our words to be the word of God, therefore we proudly vaunt and boast of it." It is not then a vain, but a most holy pride against the devil and the world, and humility before God.

VERSE 1. And by God the Father, which hath raised him from the dead. Paul is so inflamed here with zeal, that he cannot tarry till he come to the matter itself, but forthwith, in the very title, he bursteth out and uttereth what he hath in his heart. His intent in this epistle is, to treat of the righteousness that cometh by faith, and to defend the same: again, to beat down the law, and the righteousness that cometh by works. Of such cogitations he is full, and out of this wonderful and exceeding great abundance of the excellent wisdom and knowledge of Christ in his heart, his mouth speaketh. This flame, this great burning fire of his heart, cannot be hid, nor suffer him to hold his tongue; and therefore, he thought it not enough to say, "that he was an apostle sent by Jesus Christ," but also added, "by God the Father, which hath raised him up from the dead."

But it seemeth here, that the adding of these words, "And by God the Father," &c. is not necessary. But because (as I said) Paul speaketh out of the abundance of his heart, his mind burneth with desire to set forth, even in the very entry of his epistle, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to preach the righteousness of God," which is called the resurrection of the dead." Christ who liveth, and is risen again, speaketh out of him, and moveth him thus to speak; therefore, not without cause, he addeth, "that he is also an apostle, by God the Father, who hath raised up Jesus Christ from the dead." As if he should say, I have to deal with Satan, and with those vipers, the instruments of Satan, which go about to spoil me of the righteousness of Christ, who was raised up by God the Father from the dead; by the which alone we are made righteous, by the which we also shall be raised up at the last day from death to everlasting life. "But they that in such sort go about to overthrow the righteousness of Christ, do resist the Father and the Son, and the work of them both."

Thus Paul, even at the first entrance, bursteth out into the whole matter whereof he intreateth in this epistle. For (as I said) he "treateth of the resurrection of Christ," who rose again to make us righteous, and in so doing, he hath overcome the law, sin, death, hell, and all evils, (Rom. iv. 24, 25.) Christ's victory, then, is the overcoming of the law, of sin, our flesh, the world, the devil, death, hell, and all evils: And this his victory he hath given unto us. "Although, then, that these tyrants, and these enemies of ours, do accuse us, and make us afraid, yet can they not drive us to despair, nor condemn us;" for Christ, whom God the Father hath raised up from the dead, "is our righteousness and victory, (1 Cor. xv. 57.) therefore, thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen.

But mark how fitly, and to the purpose, Pul here speaketh.

He saith not, by God which hath made Heaven and earth, which is Lord of angels, which commanded Abraham to go out of his own country, which sent Moses to Pharaoh the king, which brought Israel out of Egypt, (as the false apostles did, who boasted of the God of their fathers, the Creator, Maintainer, and Preserver of all things, working wonders among his people:) but Paul had another thing in his heart, namely, "the righte ousness of Christ," and therefore he speaketh words that make much for this his purpose, saying: "I am an apostle, neither of men, nor by men, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who hath raised him up from the dead." Ye see, then, with what fervency of spirit Paul is led in this matter, which he goeth about to establish and maintain against the whole kingdom of hell, the power and wisdom of the world, and against the devil and his apostles.

VERSE 2. And all the brethren with me.

This maketh much for the stopping of the mouths of these false apostles; for all his arguments tend to the advancing and magnifying of his ministry, and contrariwise, to the discrediting of theirs; as if he should thus say: "Although it be enough, that I, through a divine calling, am sent as an apostle by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, which hath raised him up from the dead; yet, lest I should be alone, I add over and besides (which is more than needeth) all the brethren, which are not apostles, but fellow soldiers: they write this epistle as well as I, and bear witness with me that my doctrine is true and godly." Wherefore, we be sure that Christ is present with us, and that he teacheth and speaketh in the midst of us, and in our church. As for the false apostles, if they be any thing, they be but sent either of men, or by men; but I am sent of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, who is our life and resurrection, (John xi. 25.) My other brethren are sent from God, howbeit by man, that is, to wit, by me. Therefore, lest they might say that I only set myself proudly against them, I have my brethren with me, all of one mind, as faithful witnesses, which think, write, and teach the self-same thing that I do.

VERSE 2. Unto the churches of Galatia,

Paul had preached the gospel throughout all Galatia, and albeit he had not wholly converted it unto Christ, yet he had many churches in it, into the which the false apostles, Satan's ministers, had crept. So likewise at this day, the fantastical anabaptists come not to those places where the adversaries of the gospel bear rule; but where Christians and good men are which love the gospel. With such they wind in themselves even in the dominions of tyrants and persecutors of the gospel: where they, creeping into houses under crafty pretence, pour out their poison