THE Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter exhorting the Galathians to the spirite of lenitie , that rather they shoulde admonish a brother by infirmitie falling , then rashly to condemne him for an Atheist or a reprobate : which hee prooueth by foure arguments .

First , because they should consider themselues how weake they were of themselues , least the Lorde also giue them ouer to bee tempted .

Secondly , because in so doing they did fulfill the lawe , euen the lawe of loue , which charitably commandeth them to thinke of their brethren .

Thirdly , because it would make them haue a fond conceit of themselues , to thinke better of themselues than indeed they were .

The fourth and the principall reason is laide downe in these short words ; For euerie man shal beare his owne burthen : and therefore be courteous , mild , and gentle . A doctrine so necessary , that without it the man of God can neuer bee made perfect , nor euer come to the wished hauen , but perish in the midst of the sea by bloisterous and most troublesome tempests . And as it is impossible to walke without a legge , or to bee valiant in war without armour or weapons : so he that is not furnished with this doctrine , let him neuer flatter himselfe , for he will but proue a dastard in the field , and fall downe before his enemies to his own vtter ouerthrow in helfire for euer . But I thinke it better for you and me , and more profitable to set downe the principles , whereof I intend now to speake , which are two .

First I will prooue vnto you that euerie one hath a burthen : Secondly , that euery one must beare his owne burthen .

For the first it were a large theame to handle and many volumes might bee spent in writing of it : you know that all we which bee the sons of Adam are sinners , and this sin is a burthen ,

The latter proposition may be prooued by many places : as is Esay the first ; Onus Moab ; the burthen of Moab : and what is it but the sinne of Moab ? Iudas his sinne was such a burthen , so heauie that hee could not beare it , but most desperately by hanging himselfe , was the cause of the shortening of his daies . The like is prooued by that diuelish image of sin Caine , whose sinne was so greeuous , that one day scarce was he able to beare it . Which thing the blinde Philosophers did know and well perceiue : as Cato ; Nemo sine crimine viuit : None liues without a fault . No man is without this burthen ( as Iuuenal saith ) Nemo sapit omnibus horis . This is proued also in Gen. 6.5 . When the Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great vpon the earth , and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his hart were onely euill continually . With this agreeth the saying of Dauid ; There is none that doth good no not one , for they are corrupt , and become abhominable in their doings . So that ( as Augustine saith ) the wise man is without his works , and the yoong man without obedience . We haue a figure in Rhetorike , called histeron proteron , and yet no figure now a dayes , because it is the truth it selfe . The shippe which by violence of the waues is tossed hither and thither , and staggereth , as the Prophet saith , like a drunken man by contrarie winds , by reason wherof the shippe it selfe is turned vp side downe , and the men that were in it , in the seas most pittifully ouerwhelmed . The shippe of the worlde by the waues of wickednesse is turned vp side downe ; the heauen that was aboue , is now below , and the earth which was belowe , is now aboue ; wisedome is follie , and follie is wisdome ; Loue , which was a couer for sinne , and as strong as the graue , is now as weake as water , and bewrayeth all sinne ; Charitie , which was hot amongst men , is now quite frozen vp for want of heate ; fleshly heartes become flintie , and as hard as steele ; yea true religion , and vndefiled before God , is counterfaite religion , and goes for no currant money with some in England : so that either wee haue good heads to walke with our feet vpwards , or else we can but looke for a sodaine destruction , as the Sodomites , who were so drunken with sinne , that they coulde not tell where they were , but you knowe their punishment , a most iust iudgement , and I pray God that it light not on vs for our sins heere in England like vnto Sodome , yea worse than Gomorrha , who for our pride haue deserued the lowest place in hell , and for our couetousnes to bee punished with penurie , as was the riche man in the Gospell .

But to come a little more nearely to the matter of my text : although these greeuous sinnes be a burthen to England , so that we had neede to wash our selues with Isope , that we might be whiter than snow , as the Prophet Dauid his request was , yet wee will leaue this , and come to more necessary matter . Salomon brings in a good conclusion . 1. Ecclesiastes , 2. Vanitie of vanities , all is vanitie , and what greater burthen is there than vanitie ? Yea , what profit hath a man of all his labour vnder the Sun ? one generation passeth , another succeedeth , and the earth remayneth , all things are troublesome and painefull , no man can vtter them . The eye is not satisfied with seeing , the eare is not filled with hearing , and this is a burthen : And to conclude ( sayth Salomon ) I haue seene all things vnder the Sun . But behold they are all vanitie and vexation of spirit , so that ye see the vanitie of this life is such a heauie and wearisome burthen , that a man almost can take no ioye in this world . But more particularly in these our dayes schisms and sects are great and heauy burthens , indeede it is necessarie that there should be such , but wo vnto that man by whom offences doe come .

By which things we may gather that these be the last times , and the dangerous daies , wherof our Sauiour Christ and his Apostle Paul prophecieth full truely , for the first we read in the 24. Mat. Many shal come in my name , I am christ will they say , and shall deceiue many . And in the 24. verse , false Christs , and false Prophets , and shall shew great signes & wonders , so that if it wer possible they should deceiue the verie elect . If any man then shall say vnto yon this is Christ , beleeue him not , for beholde I haue tolde you before : but consider I pray you the 3. chap. of the 2. Epistle to Timothie , where he dooth describe and set the sects in their colors : for men shall be louers of themselues . In the 2. verse without natural affection ; in the 3. Traitors ; in the 4. hauing a shew of godlines ; but haue denied the power thereof , in the 5. But in the next ver. are they most liuely pictured out , for of this sorte are they which creepe into houses , & lead captiue simple women laden with sins , and led with diuers lusts . In the 6. and in the 8 verse he compareth them to Iannes and I ambres , who refused Moses , but they shall preuaile no longer , for their madnes shall bee euident vnto all men , : and in the 10. verse he prescribes a way to trye their spirits , by the example of himselfe : but thou hast fully knowne my doctrine , manner of liuing purpose , faith long suffering , loue , patience . But indeede they sit in the chaire of Moses , as the Scribes and Pharisies did 24. Mat. All thinges therefore which they shall command you obserue and fulfil , but according to their workes do you not at all , for they say often and do not performe it . But to make any application of these I feare I should loose my labour , and sing to such an Adder as will neuer be charmed , though I sing neuer so sweetely : better is it therfore neuer to trouble my selfe at all , than to meddle with such a matter as can hardly be brought to passe , or to lay the ground worke before I cast account whether I be able to builde or no , lest that the ground worke being laid , , and I not able to finish it my selfe , become ridiculous vnto al , and that were a great burthen for me .

Now if a man will knowe certainely that hee hath a burthen , let him looke into the 7. of Ro. 7. Nay I knewe not sinne but by the Law , for I had not knowne lust , except the Lord had said , Thou shalt not lust . The knowledge therfore of our burthens cometh by the Lawe , not that we are vnder the Lawe , for now we are deliuered from the Law . But the knowledge of sinne only cometh by the Law , which is the onely office of the Law to driue a man to repentance .

Now that not only the children of disobedience haue a burthen , but also the elect children of God : it may appeare by the testimonie of Paul himselfe in the 17. and 18. verses . For I knowe that in me , that is , in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing for will is present with me , but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good : for I do not that good which I would do , but the euil which I would not do , that do I. And so he concludes that euen the contagion of sinne dwelleth in him , which is a grieuous and most hainous burthen .

And he that saith he hath no burthen , dcceineth himselfe , and the trueh of God is not in him , as it is in the first Epistle of Iohn . 1. Chap. 8. ver. If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues , and trueth is not in vs . And in the 2 Chap. He declares the meanes how to be eased of our burthen . If any man sinne , wee haue an Aduocate with the Father , Iesus Christ , the iust , and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes , yet there is a difference between the sinning of the godly and the vngodly . Sinning of the godly said I , there be many partes of the scripture that seeme repugnaunt to this : As first a good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruite . Hee that committeth sinne is of the deuill , for euery one that is borne of God sinneth not , as the Apostle witnesseth : that which is borne of the spirit is spirite . Then how can the former stand for a trueth , that the children of God shoulde both sinne , and not sinne , haue a burthen , and haue none , when as we know euen by naturall reason , that two contraries cannot stand at one time in one subiect . Now in that the righteous do sinne it is plaine , There is none that doth good , no not one , the righteous sinneth seuen times a day : and many such places . The answeare is very easie , the righteous in deed do sinne , but not vnto death , because he is partely borne of God , and partly of a man , the first way he sinneth not , the second way hee sinneth . Nohah GOD his faithfull and obedient seruant although the Lord blessed him , saying to his seede , bring ye foorth fruite , and multiplie , growe plentifully in the earth , and encrease therin . 9. Gen. 7. & 9. verses . Behold I euen I establish my couenant with you and your seede after you . Yet this waye hee sinned not , but afterwardes it came to passe that he drunk of the wine , and was druncken , and vncouered himselfe in the middest of his Tent : see , that no soner he was come into the world but he was infected by it , and fell from God most ruenously , by which wee may gather , how slippery places we men of this worlde , stand in , so that it is impossible for vs to walke in it without danger of our liues . No maruaile therefore though we be as blind as beetles , that wee cannot see the sunne-shine of righteousnesse , though it shine neuer so bright in England . O great and heauie burthen , in one houre able to crush downe our shoulders , and to cast both body and soul into the lake of destruction : wee see therefore that Noah sinned not the first way , but as he was man the second way . Abraham , althogh he did forsake his owne countrey , and all his kindred , to goe to the land whereunto the Lord appointed him ; in which he sinned not because it was Gods commaundement , but hee lyed , Gen. 12.13 . in saying that his wife was his sister for feare of the Aegyptians : Say I pray thee , that thou art my sister , that I may fare well for thy sake , and that my life may be preserued by thee .

And this second way hee sinned , because his wife by this means was rauished by Pharao . Iacob the faithfull seruant of God , yet he deceiued his master in diuiding the flock . Gen. 30. the second way hee sinned . Dauid the annointed of God , yet notwithstanding hee committed incest with Vrias wife , and therefore it was a heauie burthen vnto him : Sod quid onus ? But what is the greatest burthen Euen the loue of Idols . And first men make this world an Idoll , especially wee of England , when wee like vnto Achabs wife are neuer content , though wee had neuer so much , yet still we desire more : and althogh ( as M. Caluin saith ) amongst men there bee such varietie of minds and desires , that as it is a world to see them : yet do all agree in this point most plainly , that with whole hart and mind they are occupied in the world , & the things therof : and surely his opinion is true and to be liked of all : for men nowadaies had rather eate the bread that perisheth , than drinke the water , whereof whosoeuer shall drinke , out of his belly shall spring riuers of waters of life : not of such waters as our Fathers drunke of in the rockes and died , but of the water of life , which neuer shall decay from all eternities , and yet man most senseles , had rather bee in bondage than in freedome , hee had rather drinke of the filthie puddles of Aegypt , to be fed with butter , beefe , vnions , or garlicke , than for to drinke of the water whose streames flow from Iacob his well , or from the riuer of Eden : or to be fedde with Manna from heauen .

Thus men become without vnderstanding , degenerating from reasonable creatures to sense lesse Idiots : and this is not the least burthen we haue to beare in England . The Ministers themselues haue their burthen ; Malumest nobis esse hîc : It is euill for vs to dwell here , for their portion is labour , a heauy yoke laid vpon the sons of Adam to humble them thereby . If labour then be necessarie for the Minister to feed the flocke , then also he must haue his tools to finish the work as well for the body as for the mind .

Now if the first sort which concerneth his body be wanting , which is sufficient maintenance , then what hope is there of the giftes of the mind . For ( as Aristotle affirmeth ) the minde doth followe the temperature of the body , and the body it selfe cannot last without nourishment : then what shal we thinke of those men that would destroy the foundation of our Colleges to increase their own possessions , which be the well springes of life to the whole land , confounding learning , & bringing in barbarisme , by making the wisedome of God inferiour to the wisedome of man ? The word of God ( say they ) is simple , and may be vnderstood without the Artes : which if it were true , doubtlesse the Lorde would neuer haue giuen commandement , that his Priests lips should containe knowledge , or that the worde of God should bee preached or that there should be any Ministerie at all , but these and such like be the illusions of sathan , to deceiue the people in these last times .

Now they which would haue done vs this harme , were not our open enemies , for then we could better haue espied them , and so eschewed their malice : but it was our owne freends and familiars with whome wee haue walked in the house of God together , who went out from vs , but were not of vs , that most cruelly are bent against vs , and like vnnaturall children destroy their owne deare mother , by whome they haue been broght vp , and cherished ; yet many of them wil cal for a learned ministerye : but can any gather grapes of thornes , or figs of thristles ? Can there bee any knowledge where there is no labour , or labour where there is no maintenance ? No surely : for who would labour to become poore and base , and destitute of all things ? or who would be a minister to haue the skin and the bone almost for apparell , so that he must take more care to preserue life , than to instruct his people : being other wise condemned of the most ? O what a wofull case is this ? we hang our Harps vpon the trees , and sit down by the waters of Babilon weeping , when we which are young schollers remember this Sion . And looke forth of our Studies with many salt teares , when we remember the vnmerciful dealing of these that with-holde our maintenaunce from vs . They may well bee compared to Pharaoh , for when the iudgement of God was great , and terrible in his land , that hee could not deny but it was the extraordinary worke of God , yet for all this his hart was so hardened , that he could not be content to let the people go and serue the Lord , but vpon this condition , that they should leaue their substaunce for him , and his posteritie : euen so the men of this worlde deale with the poote ministers of God : for thogh their consciences in keeping the maintenance of the Church , do accuse them : yet they are content to call for a learned ministry , but prouided still , they keepe their former possessions the spoile of the Church : No maruaile then if no residencye bee great in this land , when scarce two liuings wil find a man bread and apparel . Is there not greater fault in the gredie cormorants of this worlde , who are the causes of all suche mischiefe , than in those that for necessitie and conscience sake , are constrained to take them , and surely there be manye that crye against it , but with no ground : for God knowes the simplicitie of many hartes , that haue two liuinges . The Minister is said to be a feeder . 33. Ezechiel 1. and how can he feed others , when he can scarce feed himselfe ? How can his life and doctrine agree together ? when the cares of this worlde do choake his minde .

The children of Israel made Bricke by reason of their task-maisters a long time , & our Ministers are fain to become seruile : yea & as it were bond slaues , because their cruell task-maisters with-hold their right , their children crie in the streets being fatherlesse , what stonie heart will not bleed at this , and desire the Lord day and night till it be restored ? Which if it were , then all the outcries of our monstrous hypocrites , men that cary the outward forme of godlinesse , would soone cease , that we might all agree in the spirit of truth , which is the bond of peace : that England might flourish and bee brought to all the Nations of the earth , as the Sunne in perfect beautie : for want of discretion is the cause that hath caused so many libels to bee written against our auncient Fathers of the Church , who are indeede the reformers of such abuses , if euer they be reformed .

This want of learning and Iudgement , doth cause them to shoote at al aduenturs , and to discouer the shame of their parents , if by any meanes possibly they could : such gracelesse children are nourished & broght vp in the bosome of this Church , which except they be cut off betim , it wil be a destruction to the whole common welth , for a kingdome deuided against it selfe can not stand . Nay , if any house be against it selfe it can not endure .

If our realme be the one halfe papists , the other Brownests , how can the gospell take place in the hartes and conscience of men , But that destruction , calamitie , and miserie , should come vpon the whole body . They preache peace indeede with their mouthes , but they haue swordes in their handes and hartes . They are like vnto the graue , faire without , but within full of rottennesse , and corruption .