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And this is the property of those which are infected with this poison of vain-glory, that they have no regard whether their works, that is to say, their ministry, be pure, simple, and faithful, or not; but this they only seek that they may have the praise of the people. So the false apostles, when they saw that Paul preached the gospel purely to the Galatians, and that they could not bring any better doctrine, they began to find fault at those things which he had godly and faithfully taught, and to prefer their own doctrine before the doctrine of Paul, and by this subtlety they won the favour of the Galatians, and brought Paul into hatred among them. Therefore the proud and vainglorious do join these three vices together. First, they are greedy of glory; secondly, they are marvellous witty and wily in finding fault with other men's doings and sayings, thereby to purchase the love, the well-liking, and praise of the people; and, thirdly, when they have once gotten a name, (though it be by other men's travail,) they become so stout and full of stomach, that they dare venture upon all things. Therefore they are pernicious and pestilent fellows, whom I hate even with my very heart; for they seek their own, and not that which is of Jesus Christ, &c. (Phil. ii. 21.)

Against such Paul speaketh here; as if he should say: Such vain-glorious spirits do their work, that is to say, they teach the gospel, to this end that they may win praise and estimation among men; that is, that they may be counted excellent doctors, with whom Paul and others might not be compared. And when they have gotten this estimation, then begin they to reprehend the sayings and doings of other men, and highly commend their own; and by this subtlety they bewitch the minds of the people, who, because they have itching ears, are not only delighted with new opinions, but also rejoice to see those teachers which they had afore, to be abased and defaced by these new upstarts and glorious heads, and all because they are come to a fulness and loathing of the word.

Thus it ought not to be, saith he, but let every man be faithful in his office. Let him not seek his own glory, nor depend upon the praise and commendation of the people, but let his only care be to do his work truly, that is, let him teach the gospel purely; and if his work be sincere and sound, let him assure himself that he shall lack no praise either before God or among the godly. In the mean space, if he be not commended of the unthankful world, let this nothing move him; for he knoweth that the end of his ministry is, not that he, but that Christ should be glorified thereby. Wherefore, being furnished with the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, let him say, I began not to teach the gospel to the end that the world should magnify me, and therefore I will not shrink from that which I have begun, if the world hate, slander, or persecute me. He that is such a one, teacheth the word

and attendeth upon his office faithfully, without any worldly respect, that is, without regard of glory or gain, without the strength, wisdom, or authority of any man. He leaneth not to the praise of other men, for he hath it in himself.

Wherefore, he that truly and faithfully executeth his office, careth not what the world speak of him: He careth not whether the world praise or dispraise him, but he hath praise in himself, which is the testimony of his conscience, and praise or glory in God. He may therefore say with Paul, This is our rejoicing, this is our praise and glory, even the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity before God, and not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. This glory is uncorrupt and steadfast; for it dependeth not on other men's judgments, but of our own conscience, which beareth us witness that we have taught the word purely, ministered the sacraments rightly, and have done all things well, and therefore it cannot be defaced or taken from us.

The other glory which these proud spirits do seek, is uncertain and most perilous, for that they have it not in themselves, but it consisteth in the mouth and opinion of the people; therefore can they not have the testimony of their own conscience, that they have done all things with simplicity and sincerity, for the advancing of the glory of God only, and the salvation of souls. For this is it which they seek, that they may be counted famous through the work and labour of their preaching, and be praised of men. They have therefore a glory, a trust, and a testimony, but before men, not in themselves, nor before God. The godly do not desire glory after this manner. If Paul had had his praise before men, and not in himself, he should have been compelled to despair when he saw many cities, countries, and all Asia fall from him; when he saw so many offences and slanders, and so many heresies to follow his preaching. Christ, when he was alone, that is, when he was not only sought for by the Jews to be put to death, but also was forsaken of his disciples, was not yet alone, but the Father was with him, for he had glory and rejoicing in himself, (John xvi. 32.)

So at this day, if our trust, our glory and rejoicing did depend upon the judgment and favour of men, we should die with very anguish and sorrow of heart. For so far off is it that the Papists, sectaries, and the whole world do judge us worthy of any reverence or praise, that they hate and persecute us most bitterly; yea, they would gladly overthrow our ministry, and root out our doctrine for ever. We have therefore nothing before men but reproach; but we rejoice and we glory in the Lord, and therefore we attend upon our office cheerfully and faithfully, which we know is acceptable to him. Thus doing, we care not whether our work do please or displease the devil, whether the world love us, or hate us. For we, knowing our

work to be well done, and having a good conscience before God, go forward by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, &c. (2 Cor. vi. 8.) This, saith Paul, is to have rejoicing or glory in thyself.

And this admonition is very necessary against that execrable vice of vain-glory. The gospel is a doctrine, which both of itself, and also by the malice of the devil, bringeth with it the cross and persecution. Therefore, Paul is wont to call it the word of the cross and of offence. It hath not always steadfast and constant disciples. Many there be that to-day make profession thereof and embrace it, which to-morrow, being offended with the cross, will fall from it, and deny it. They, therefore, that teach the gospel, to the end that they may obtain the favour and praise of men, must needs perish, and their glory be turned to shame, when the people cease to reverence and magnify them. Wherefore, let all pastors and ministers of the word learn to have glory and rejoicing in themselves, and not in the mouth of other men. If there be any that praise them, as the godly are wont to do, ("by evil report and good report," saith Paul,) yet let them receive this glory but as a shadow of true glory; and let them think the substance of glory to be indeed the testimony of their own conscience. He that doth so, proveth his own work, that is, he regardeth not his own glory, but his only care is to do his office faithfully; that is to say, to teach the gospel purely, and to shew the true use of the sacraments. When he thus proveth his own work, he hath glory and rejoicing in himself, which no man can take from him; for he hath it surely planted and grounded in his own heart, and not in other men's mouths, whom Satan can very easily turn away, and can make that mouth now full of cursing, which a little before was full of blessing.

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Therefore, saith Paul, if ye be desirous of vain-glory, seek it where it should be sought, not in the mouth of other men, but in your own heart; which ye then do, when ye execute your office truly and faithfully. So shall it come to pass, that besides the glory which ye have in yourselves, ye shall have praise and commendation also before men. But if ye glory in other men, and not in yourselves, that shame and confusion which have in yourselves, shall not be without reproach and confusion also before men. This have we seen in certain fantastical spirits in these our days, which proved not their work; that is, they did not seek only to preach the gospel purely and simply, but misused it, to gain praise among men, contrary to the second commandment. Therefore, after their inward confusion, there followed also an outward confusion and shame among men, according to that saying, "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain," (Exod. xx. 7.) And again, "They which despise me, shall be despised," (1 Sam. ii. 30.)

Contrariwise, if we seek first the glory of God, by the ministry of the word, then surely our glory will follow, according to that saying, "Him that honoureth me, I will glorify." To conclude, let every man prove his work; that is, let him do his endeavour that his ministry may be faithful; for this above all things is required in the ministers of the word, (1 Cor. iv.) As if he should say, let every man endeavour purely and faithfully to teach the word, and let him have an eye to nothing else but the glory of God, and the salvation of souls; then shall his work be faithful and sound; then shall he have glory and rejoicing in his own conscience, so that he may boldly say, this my doctrine and ministry pleaseth God. And this is, indeed, an excellent glory.

This sentence may also be well applied to those works which are done of the faithful in every state of life. As if a magistrate, a householder, a servant, a schoolmaster, a scholar, abide in his vocation, and do his duty therein faithfully, not troubling himself with those works which pertain not to his vocation, he may glory and rejoice in himself; for he may say, I have done the works of my vocation appointed unto me by God, with such faithfulness and diligence as I was able. Therefore I know that this work being done in faith and obedience to God, pleaseth God. If other speak evil of it, I pass little thereof. For there be always some which despise and slander the doctrine and life of the godly; but God hath threatened to destroy all lying lips and slanderous tongues. Therefore, whilst such men do greedily seek after vain-glory, and with lies and slanders go about to deface the godly, it happeneth to them as Paul saith, "Whose glory is their shame," (Phil. iii. 19.) And in another place, "Their foolishness shall be known to all men," (2 Tim. iii. 9.) By whom? Even by God the righteous judge, who as he will utter their false accusations and slanders, so will he reveal the righteousness of the godly like the noon-day, as it is said, Psalm xxxvii.

This clause," in himself," (to touch this also by the way) must so be understood that God be not excluded: That is, that every man may know, in what godly state of life soever he be, that his work is a divine work; for it is a work of his vocation, having the commandment of God.

VERSE 5. For every man shall bear his own burden.

This is, as it were, the reason or confirmation of the former sentence, lest any man should lean to other men's judgment in praising and commending of him. As if he said: It is extreme madness for thee to seek glory in another, and not in thyself; for in the agony of death, and in the last judgment, it shall nothing profit thee that other men have praised thee; for other men shall not bear thy burden; but thou shalt stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shalt bear thy burden alone. There

thy praisers shall nothing help thee. For when we die, these praises shall cease. And in that day, when the Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts, the witness of thine own conscience shall stand either with thee or against thee, (Rom. ii. 15.) Against thee, if thou glory in other men; with thee, if thou have it in thyself, that is to say, if thy conscience bear thee witness that thou hast done thy duty in the ministry of the word, or otherwise according to thy calling, sincerely and faithfully, having respect to the glory of God only, and the salvation of souls. And these words, "Every man shall bear his own judgment," are very vehement, and ought so to terrify us, that we should not be desirous of vain-glory.

And this moreover is to be noted, that we are not here in the matter of justification, where nothing availeth but mere grace and forgiveness of sins, which is received by faith alone; where all our works also, yea, even our best works, and such as are done according to God's calling, have need of forgiveness of sins; but this is another case. He treateth not here of the remission of sins, but compareth true works and hypocritical works together. These things, therefore, ought thus to be taken, that although the work or ministry of a godly pastor is not so perfect but that he have need of forgiveness of sins, yet in itself it is good and perfect, in comparison of the ministry of the vain-glorious man.

So our ministry is good and sound, because we seek thereby the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. But the ministry of the fantastical heads is not so, for they seek their own praise. Albeit, therefore, that no works can quiet the conscience before God; yet is it necessary that we should persuade ourselves that we have done our work uprightly, truly, and according to God's calling; that is, that we have not corrupted the word of God, but have taught it purely and faithfully. This testimony of conscience we have need of, that we have done our duty uprightly in our function and calling, and led our life accordingly. So far ought we then to glory, as touching our works, as we know them to be commanded of God, and that they please him; for every one in the last judgment shall bear his own burden, and therefore other men's praises shall there nothing help or profit him.

Hitherto he hath spoken against that most pestilent vice, vain-glory; for the suppressing whereof, no man is so strong, but that he hath need of continual prayer. For what man, almost even among the godly, is not delighted with his own praises? Only the Holy Ghost can preserve us, that we be not infected with this vice.

VERSE 6. Let him that is taught in the word, make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods,

Here he preacheth to the disciples or hearers of the word, commanding them to bestow all good things upon those which