Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 2 · Verse extract 19 – Verse extract 19
Verſe. 19. For I through the lavv am deade to the lavv, that I might liue vntounto God.
Paules maner of ſpeach vnknovvne to mans reaſon.Theſe are maruelous words and vnknowne kindes of ſpeach, which mans reaſon can in no wiſe vnderſtand. And although they be but few, yet are they vttered with greate zeale and vehemencie of ſpirite, and as it were in greate diſpleaſure. As if he ſhould ſay: why doe ye boaſt ſo much of the law? wherof in this caſe I will be ignoraunt. But if ye will needes hauehave the law, I alſo hauehave the law. Wherfore, as though he were moued through indignation of the holy Ghoſt,Paule calleth grace the lavv he calleth grace it ſelfe the law, geuing a new name to the effect and working of grace, in contempt of the law of Moſes and the falſe Apoſtles, which contended that the law was neceſſary to iuſtification:Phraſes of ſpeach onelyonly proper to the ſcripture. The lavve againſt the lavv. and ſo he ſetteth the law againſt the law. And this is a ſweete kind of ſpeach and full of conſolation, when in the ſcriptures, and ſpecially in Paule, the law is ſet againſt the law, ſinne againſt ſinne, death againſt death, captiuitie againſt captiuitie, hell againſt hell, the altar againſt the altar, the lambe againſt the lambe, the paſſeouer againſt the paſſeouer.
In the .8. to the Romaines it is ſayd: For ſinne he condemned ſinne. Pſal. 68. and Epheſ. 4. He hath led captiuitie captiue. Hoſee. 13. Pſal. 68.19. Epheſ 4.8. Hoſ. 13.14.O death I vvill be thy death, O hel I vvill be thy deſtruction. So he ſaith here, that through the lawe he is dead to the lawe. As if he ſayd: The lawe of Moſes accuſeth and condemneth me: but againſt that accuſing and condemning lawe, I hauehave an other lawe,1. Cor. 15.55. which is grace and libertie. This lawe accuſeth the accuſing law, and condemneth the condemning law. So death killeth death: but this killing death is life it ſelfe. But it is called the death of death by abundance of ſpirite,Death againſt death. or vehement indignation againſt death. So righteouſnes boroweth the name of ſin, becauſe it condemneth ſin, & this cōdemning of ſin is true righteouſnes.
And here Paule ſemeth to be an heretike:Paules hereſy. yea of all heretikes the greateſt, & his hereſie is ſtraunge and monſtrous. For he ſayth, that he being dead to the lavv, liueth to God. He that is dead to the lavve, liueth to God.The falſe apoſtles taught this doctrine: Except thou liue to the lawe, thou art dead to God: that is to ſay, vnleſſe thou liue after the lawe, thou art dead before God. But Paule ſayeth quite contrary: If thou be not dead to the law, thou canſt not liue to God.The doctrine of the papiſts. The doctrine of our aduerſaries at this day is like to the doctrine of the falſe apoſtles of that time. If thou wilt liue to God (ſay they) liue to the law or after the law. But contrariwiſe we ſay: If thou wilt liue to God, thou muſt be vtterly dead to the law. Mans reaſon and wiſedom vnderſtandeth not this doctrine: therefore it teacheth alwayes ye contrary: that is: If thou wilt liue vntounto God, thou muſt kepe the law: for it is wryten: Do this and thou shalt liue. A ſpeciall principle amongſt the diuines.And this is a ſpeciall principle amongſt all Diuines: he that liueth after the law, liueth vntounto God. Paule ſayth the contrary: that is, we can not liue vntounto God vnleſſe we be throughly dead to the law. Wherfore we muſt mount vp to this heauenly altitude, that we may be aſſured that we are far aboue the law, yea that we are vtterly dead vntounto the law. Now if we be dead vntounto the law, then hath the law no power ouer vsus, as alſo it hath no power ouer Chriſt, who hath deliuered vsus from the ſame, that we might liue vntounto God. All theſe things tende to this ende, to proue that we are not iuſtified by the lawe, but by faith onelyonly in Ieſus Chriſt.
And here Paule ſpeaketh not of the ceremoniall lawe onelyonly, (as before we hauehave declared more at large) but of the whole law, whether it be ceremoniall or morall: which to a Chriſtian is vtterly abrogate,That the lavv is abrogated. for he is dead vntounto it. Not that the lawe is vtterly taken away: nay it remaineth, liueth, and raigneth ſtill in the wicked. But a godly man is dead vntounto the lawe, like as he is dead vntounto ſinne, the Deuill, death and hell: which notwithſtanding doe ſtill remaine, and the world with all the wicked ſhall ſtill abide in them. Wherfore when the Papiſt vnderſtandeth that the ceremoniall lawe onelyonly is aboliſhed, vnderſtand thou that Paule and eueryevery Chriſtian is dead to the whole lawe, and yet the lawe remaineth ſtill.
Chriſt free frō the graue.As for example: Chriſt riſing from death is free from the graue, and yet the graue remaineth ſtil. Peter is deliuered from the priſon, the ſicke of the palſey from his bed, the yong mā from his coffen, the maiden from her couch, and yet the priſon, the bed, the coffen, the couch doe remaine ſtill. Euen ſo the lawe is aboliſhed when I am not ſubiect vntounto it, the law is dead when I am dead vntounto it, & yet it remaineth ſtill. But becauſe I die vntounto it by an other law, it dieth alſo vntounto me: As the graue of Chriſt, the priſon of Peter, the couch of the maiden. &c. do ſtill remaine, and yet Chriſt by his reſurrection dieth to the graue, Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the priſon, and the maid through life is deliuered from the couch.
I am dead to the lavv.Wherfore theſe words: I am dead to the lavv, are very effectuall. For he ſayeth not: I am free from the law for a time, or I am Lord of the lawe: but ſimplie, I am dead to the lawe, that is to ſay, I hauehave nothing to do wt the law. Paule could hauehave vttred nothīg more effectually againſt iuſtification of the law, then to ſay: I am dead to ye law, that is, I care nothing at all for the law: therfore I am not iuſtified by it.
VVhat it is to die to the lavve.Now, to die to the law, is, not to be bound to the law, but to be free from the law & not to know it. Therfore let him that will liue to God, endeuour that he may be found wtout the law, & let him come out of the graue with Chriſt. The ſouldiers were aſtoniſhed whē Chriſt was riſen out of the graue: and they alſo which ſaw the maiden raiſed vp from death to life, were amazed. So mans reaſon and wiſedom is aſtoniſhed and becometh fooliſh when it heareth yt we are not iuſtified, except we be dead to the law: for it is not able to reach vntounto this myſterie. But we know yt when we apprehend Chriſt by faith inwardly in conſcience, we enter into a certain new law, which ſwaloweth vp the old law that held vsus captiues. As the graue in which Chriſt lay dead, after that he was riſen againe, was voide and emptie, and Chriſt vaniſhed away: ſo when I beleue in Chriſt, I riſe againe with him, and die to my graue, that is to ſay, the lawe, which held me captiue: So that now the law is voide, and I am eſcaped out of my priſon and graue, that is to ſay, the lawe. Wherefore the lawe hath no right to accuſe me, or to hold me any longer, for I am riſen againe.
It is neceſſary yt mens conſciences ſhould be diligently inſtructed, that they may wel vnderſtand the difference betwene yt righteouſnes of the law & grace. The righteouſnes of grace or the libertie of cōſcience doth in no wiſe pertaine to the fleſh. For the fleſh may not be at liberty,The flesh is ſubiect to the lavve, but not to the conſcience. but muſt remaine in the graue, the priſon, the couch: it muſt be in ſubiection to the law, and exerciſed by the Egyptians. But the chriſtian cō ſcience muſt be dead to the law, that is to ſay, free from the law, & muſt hauehave nothing at all to doe with it. It is good to know this: for it helpeth very much to the comforting of poore afflicted conſciences. Wherfore when you ſee a man terrified and caſt downe with the ſenſe and feeling of his ſinne, ſay vntounto him: Brother, thou doeſt not rightly diſtinguiſh. Thou placeſt the lawe in thy conſcience, which ſhould be placed in the fleſh. Awake, ariſe vp, and remember that thou muſt beleue in Chriſt the conquerour of the lawe and ſinne. With this faith thou ſhalt mount vp aboue and beyond the lawe into that heauen of grace where is no law nor ſinne. And albeit the law & ſinne doe ſtill remaine, yet they pertaine nothing to thee: for thou art dead to the lawe and ſinne.
This is eaſily ſayd: but bleſſed is he which knoweth howe to lay ſure hold on theſe things in time of diſtreſſe, that is, which can ſay, when ſinne ouerwayeth him, and the law accuſeth him: what is this to me, O lawe, that thou accuſeſt me, and ſayeſt yt I hauehave committed many ſinnes? In deede I graunt that I hauehave committed many ſinnes, yea and yet ſtil I doe commit ſinnes daily without number. This toucheth me nothing: I am now deafe, and can not heare: therefore thou talkeſt to me in vaine, for I am dead vntounto thee. But if thou wilt needes diſpute with me as touching my ſinnes, get thee to the fleſh and members, my ſeruaunts: teach them, exerciſe and crucifie them. But trouble not me Conſcience, which am a Ladie and a Queene, and hauehave nothing to doe with thee: for I am dead to thee, and now I liue to Chriſt,The cōſcience anſvvering to the accuſatiō of the lavve. with whom I am vnderunder an other lawe, to witte, the lawe of grace, which ruleth ouer ſinne and the lawe. By what meanes? By faith in Chriſt, as Paule declareth hereafter.
But this ſemeth a ſtraunge and a wonderfull definition, that to liue to the lawe is to die to God: and to die to the lawe, is to liue to God. Theſe two propoſitions are cleane contrary to reaſon, and therefore no craftie Sophiſter or lawworker can vnderſtand them. But learne thou the true vnderſtanding thereof. He that liueth to the lawe, that is, ſeketh to be iuſtified by the workes of the lawe, is and remaineth a ſinner: therfore he is dead & condemned. For ye law can not iuſtifie and ſaue him, but accuſeth, terrifieth, & killeth him. Therfore to liue vntounto the law, is to die vntounto God: and contrariwiſe, to die to the law is to liue vntounto God. Wherefore if thou wilt liue vntounto God, thou muſt die to the lawe: but if thou wilt liue to the lawe, thou ſhalt die to God. Now,To liue vntounto God. to liue vntounto God, is to be iuſtified by grace or by faith for Chriſtes ſake, without the lawe and workes.
This is then the proper and true definition of a Chriſtian, that he is the childe of grace and remiſſion of ſinnes,VVho is a Chriſtian. becauſe he is vnderunder no lawe, but is aboue the lawe, ſinne, death, and hell. And euen as Chriſt is free from the graue, and Peter from the priſon, ſo is a Chriſtian free from the lawe. And ſuch a reſpect there is betwene the iuſtified conſcience and the lawe, as is betwene Chriſt raiſed vp from the graue, and the graue: and as is betwene Peter deliuered from the priſon, and the priſon. And like as Chriſt by his death and reſurrection is dead to the graue, ſo that it hath now no power ouer him, nor is able any lōger to holde him, but the ſtone being rolled away, the ſeales broken, and the kepers aſtoniſhed, he riſeth againe and goeth away without any let: and as Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the priſon, & goeth whether he will: euen ſo the conſcience by grace is deliuered from the law. So is eueryevery one that is borne of the ſpirite. But the fleſh knoweth not from whence this cometh, nor whether it goeth, for it can not iudge but after the lawe. But on the contrary, the ſpirite ſayeth: let the law accuſe me, let ſinne and death terrifie me neuer ſo much, yet I doe not therfore deſpaire: for I hauehave the lawe againſt the lawe, ſinne againſt ſinne, and death againſt death.
Therefore when I feele the remorſe and ſting of conſcience for ſinne, I behold that braſen ſerpent Chriſt hanging vppon the croſſe. There I finde an other ſinne againſt my ſinne which accuſeth and deuoureth me. Now this other ſinne, namely in the fleſh of Chriſt, which taketh away the ſinnes of the world, is almightie: it condemneth and ſwaloweth vp my ſinne. So my ſinne is condemned by ſinne, that is, by Chriſt crucified:1. Cor. ….21. vvho is made ſinne for vsus, that vve might be made the righteouſnes of God through him. In like maner I finde death in my fleſh, which afflicteth and killeth me: but I hauehave in me a contrary death,Death againſt death. which is the death: for this death crucifieth and ſwaloweth vp my death.
Theſe things be not done by the lawe or workes, but by Chriſt crucified: vppon whoſe ſhoulders lie all the euils of mankinde, the lawe, ſinne, death, the Deuill, and hell: and all theſe doe die in him, for by his death he hath killed them. But we muſt receaue this benefite of Chriſt with a ſure faith. For like as neither the lawe nor any worke thereof is offered vntounto vsus, but Chriſt alone: ſo nothing is required of vsus but Faith alone, whereby we apprehend Chriſt, and beleue that our ſinnes and our death are condemned and aboliſhed in the ſinne and death of Chriſt.
Thus hauehave we alwayes moſt certaine and ſure arguments, which neceſſarily conclude that iuſtification cometh by faith alone.The lavve maketh vsus not righteous, but faith onelyonly. For how ſhould the lawe and workes auaile to iuſtification, ſeeing that Paule is ſo earneſt both againſt the lawe and workes, and ſayeth plainely that we muſt be dead to the lawe, if we will liue to God. But if we be dead to the lawe, and the lawe be dead to vsus, then hath it nothing to doe with vsus. How then ſhould it auaile any thing at all to our iuſtification? Wherefore we muſt needes ſay, that we be iuſtified by grace alone, or by faith alone in Chriſt, without the lawe and workes.
This the blinde Sophiſters doe not vnderſtand, and therefore they dreame that Faith iuſtifieth not except it doe the workes of charitie. By this meanes Faith which beleueth in Chriſt becometh vnprofitable and of none effect: for the vertue of iuſtifying is taken from it except it be furniſhed with charitie. But let vsus nowe ſet aparte the lawe and charitie vntil an other time, & let vsus reſt onelyonly vponupon the poynt of this preſent matter: which is this,The very poynt of all this matter. that Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God died vponupon the croſſe, did beare in his body my ſinnes, the lawe, death, the Deuill and hell. Theſe inuincible enemies and tyrannes doe oppreſſe, vexe, and trouble me, and therefore I am carefull howe I may be deliuered out of their handes, iuſtified and ſaued. Here I finde neither lawe, worke nor charitie which is able to deliuer me from their tyrannie. There is none but the Lord Ieſus onelyonly and alone, which taketh away the lawe, killeth and deſtroyeth my death in his body, and by this meanes ſpoyleth hell, iudgeth, and crucifieth the Deuill, and throweth him downe into hell. To be briefe, all the enemies which did before torment and oppreſſe me, Chriſt Ieſus hath brought to naught: Hath ſpoyled them, and made a shevv of them openly, Coloſſ. 2.15.triumphing by him ſelfe ouer them, in ſuch ſort that they can nowe rule and raigne no more ouer me, but are conſtrained to obey me.
By this we may plainely ſee,In the matter of iuſtificatiō there is nothing for vsus to doe, but to heare vvhat Chriſt hath done for vsus, & to apprehend the ſame by faith. that there is nothing here for vsus to doe. OnelyOnly it belongeth vntounto vsus, to heare that theſe things hauehave bene wrought and done in this ſort, and by faith to apprehend the ſame. And this is the true formed and furniſhed faith in dede. Now, when I hauehave thus apprehended Chriſt by faith, and through him am dead to the lawe, iuſtified from ſinne, deliuered from death, the deuill, and hell, then I doe good works, I louelove God, I geue thankes to him, I exerciſe charitie towardes my neighbour.Good vvorks. But this charitie or workes folowing do neither forme nor adorne my faith, but my faith formeth and adorneth charitie. This is our diuinitie: which ſeemeth ſtraunge and maruelous, or rather fooliſh to carnall reaſon: to witte, that I am not onelyonly blinde and deafe to the lawe, yea deliuered and freed from the law, but alſo wholy dead vntounto the ſame.
This ſentence vvell vnderſtand in the time of trouble, maketh a man ſtrong againſt all tentations.This ſentence of Paule: Through the lavv I am dead to the lavv, is full of conſolation. Which, if it may enter into a man in due ſeaſon, & take ſure hold in his heart with good vnderſtanding, it may ſo worke that it will make him able to ſtand againſt all daungers of death, and all terrours of conſcience and ſinne, although they aſſaile him, accuſe him, and would driue him to deſperation neuer ſo much. True it is that eueryevery man is tempted: if not in his life, yet at his death. There, when the law accuſeth him and ſheweth vntounto him his ſinnes, his cōſcience by and by ſaith:A ſpeeche or Dialoge betvvene the lavv and conſcience. Thou haſt ſinned. If then thou take good hold of yt which Paule here teacheth, thou wilt anſwere: I graunt I hauehave ſinned. Then will God puniſh thee. Nay, he will not ſo doe. Why, doth not the lawe of God ſo ſay? I hauehave nothing to doe with that lawe. Why ſo? Becauſe I hauehave an other lawe which ſtriketh this lawe dumme,The lavve of libertie. that is to ſay, libertie.A conſolation againſt the terrours of the lavv. &c. What libertie is that? The libertie of Chriſt, for by Chriſt I am vtterly freed from the lawe. Therfore that lawe which is & remaineth a law to the wicked, is to me libertie, and bindeth that law which would condemne me: And by this meanes that lawe which would bind me and hold me captiue, is now faſt bound it ſelfe, and holden captiue by grace and libertie, which is now my lawe: which ſayth to that accuſing law:The binding lavv through Chriſt, is boūd it ſelfe. Thou ſhalt not hold this man bound & captiue, for he is mine: but I wil hold thee in captiuitie, and bind thy hands that thou ſhalt not hurt him, for he liueth now vntounto Chriſt, and is dead vntounto thee.
This to do, is to daſh out the teeth of the lawe, to wraſt his ſting and all his weapons from him, and to ſpoile him of all his force. And yet the ſame law notwithſtanding continueth and remaineth ſtil to the wicked and vnbeleuers: And to vsus alſo that be weake, ſo farre forth as we lacke faith, it continueth yet ſtill in his force: here it hath his edge & teeth. But if I do beleue in Chriſt, although ſinne driue me neuer ſo much to deſpaire, yet ſtaying vpō this libertie which I hauehave in Chriſt, I confeſſe that I hauehave ſinned:Sinne condē ned, and condemning. but my ſinne which is a cōdemned ſinne, is in Chriſt which is a condemning ſinne. Now this condemning ſinne is ſtronger then that which is condemned: for it is iuſtifying grace, righteouſnes, life & ſaluation. Thus when I feele the terrour of death, I ſay: Thou haſt nothing to doe with me O death,Death killed, and death killing. for I hauehave an other death which killeth thee my death, & that death which killeth, is ſtronger then that which is killed.
Thus a faithfull man by faith onelyonly in Chriſt, may raiſe vppe him ſelfe, and conceaue ſuch ſure and ſound conſolation, that he ſhall not neede to feare the deuill, ſinne, death, or any euils. And although the Deuill ſet vponupon him with all might and maine, and goe about with all the terrours of the world to oppreſſe him,As Satan is to others ouer vvhō he hath dominion, ſo is Chriſt to Sathan vvhom he holdeth boūd, that he can not hurt vsus farther, thē he geueth him leaue. 1. Iohn. 5.4.5. yet he conceaueth good hope euen in the middes therof, and thus he ſayth: Sir Deuill, I feare not thy threatninges & terrours, for ther is one whoſe name is Ieſus Chriſt, in whom I beleue: he hath aboliſhed the law, condemned ſinne, vanquiſhed death and deſtroyed hell: and he is thy Tormentor O Satan, for he hath boūd thee, and holdeth thee captiue, to the end that thou ſhouldeſt no more hurt me, or any that beleueth in him. This faith the Deuill can not ouercome, but is ouercome of it. For this is the victorie (ſayth S. Iohn) that ouercometh the vvorld, euen our faith. Who is it that ouercometh the world, but he which beleueth that Ieſus is the ſonne of God?
Paule therfore through a vehement zeale and indignatiō of ſpirit, calleth grace it ſelfe the lawe,VVhy Paule calleth grace the lavve. which notwithſtanding is an exceding & ineſtimable libertie of grace which we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſu. Moreouer he geueth this opprobrious name vntounto the law for our conſolation, to let vsus vnderſtand that there is a new name geuen vntounto it: to witte, that it is not now aliue any more, but dead and condemned. And here (which is a pleaſant ſight to behold) he bringeth forthe the lawe, and ſetteth it before vsus as a theefe and a robber, which is already condemned and adiudged to death. For he deſcribeth it as it were a priſoner hauing both handes and feete faſt bound,The lavve bound and condemned cannot accuſe vsus. and all his power taken away, ſo that it can not exerciſe his tyrannie, that is to ſay, it can not accuſe and condemne any more: And with this moſt pleaſaunt ſight he maketh it odious and contemptible to the conſcience: ſo that now he which beleueth in Chriſt dare boldly and with a holy pride triumph ouer the lawe after this maner. I am a ſinner:A holy pride. If thou canſt doe any thing againſt me, O lawe, nowe doe thy worſt. So farre of is it then that the law is now terrible vntounto him which doth beleue.
Since Chriſt is riſen from death, why ſhould he nowe feare the graue? Since Peter is deliuered from the priſon, why ſhould he now feare it? When the maiden was at the point of death, then might ſhe in deede feare the bedde: but being now reiſed vp, why ſhould ſhe feare it? In like maner, why ſhould a Chriſtian which enioyeth and poſſeſſeth Chriſt by faith, feare the law? True it is that he feeleth the terrours of the law, but he is not ouercome of them: but ſtaying vponupon the libertie which he hath in Chriſt, he ſaith: I heare thee murmuring O law, that thou wouldeſt accuſe and condemne me: but this troubleth me nothing at all. Thou art to me as the graue was vntounto Chriſt. For I ſee that thou art faſt bound hand and foote: and this hath my lawe done.Hovv he calleth libertie the lavv. What law is that? libertie, which is called the law, not becauſe it bindeth me, but becauſe it bindeth my law. The law of the ten commaundements did bind me. But againſt that law I hauehave an other law, euen the law of grace:The lavv of grace binding the lavv of the ten commaū dements. which notwithſtanding is to me no law, neither doth it bind me, but ſetteth me at liberty. And this is a law againſt that accuſing and condemning law: which law it ſo bindeth, that it hath no power to hurt me any more. So againſt my death which bindeth me, I hauehave an other death,Death killed by death: that is the death vvhichwhich vvas due to me, is killed by Chriſtes death that is to ſay, life, which quickneth me in Chriſt: and this death looſeth and freeth me from the bondes of my death, and with the ſame bondes bindeth my death. So death which bound me, is now faſt bound, which killed me, is now killed by death, that is to ſay, by life it ſelfe.
Thus Chriſt with moſt ſweete names is called my law, my ſinne, my death,The ſvveete and comfortable names of Chriſt. againſt the law, againſt ſinne, againſt death: wheras in very deede he is nothing els but meere libertie, righteouſnes, life and euerlaſting ſaluation. And for this cauſe he is made the law of the law, the ſinne of ſinne, the death of death, that he might redeme me from the curſe of the law, iuſtifie me and quicken me. So then, whiles Chriſt is the lawe, he is alſo libertie, whiles he is ſinne he is righteouſnes, and whiles he is death he is life. For in that he ſuffered the law to accuſe him, ſinne to condemne him and death to deuoure him, he aboliſhed the law, he condemned ſinne, he deſtroied death, he iuſtified and ſaued me. So is Chriſt the poiſon of the law,Chriſt a poyſon againſt death. ſinne, and death, and the remedy for the obtaining of libertie, righteouſnes, and euerlaſting life.
This maner of ſpeach which Paule here vſeth and is proper vntounto him alone,The lavv of the mind ſette againſt the lavv of the members. is full of conſolation. Likewiſe in the .7. chapter to the Romaines he ſetteth the law of the ſpirite againſt the law of the mēbers, And becauſe this is a ſtraunge and a maruelous manner of ſpeaking, therfore it entreth more eaſily into the mind and ſticketh faſter in the memorie. Moreouer, when he ſaith: I through the lavv am dead to the lavv, it ſoundeth more ſwetely then if he ſhould ſay: I through libertie am dead to the law. For he ſetteth before vsus as it were a certaine picture: as if the law were fighting againſt the law. As though he ſhould ſay: O law, if thou canſt accuſe me, terrifie me, and bind me, I will ſet aboue and againſt thee an other law, that is to ſay, an other tormentor, which ſhall accuſe thee, bind thee and triumph ouer thee. Whē thou art thus bound and ſuppreſſed, then am I at libertie. So then grace is a law, not to me, for it bindeth me not, but to my law: which this law ſo bindeth that it can not hurt me any more.
Thus Paule goeth about to draw vsus wholy from the beholding of the law, ſinne, death, & all other euils, and to bring vsus vntounto Chriſt,A moſt ioyfull combat. that there we might behold this ioyfull conflict: to witte, the law fighting againſt the law, that it may be to me libertie: ſinne againſt ſinne, that it may be to me righteouſnes: death againſt death, that I may obtaine life: Chriſt fighting againſt the Deuill, that I may be the child of God: and deſtroying hell that I may enioy the kingdome of heauen.
Verſe. 19. That I might liue vntounto God.
That is to ſay, that I might liue before God. Ye ſee then that there is no life vnleſſe ye be without the law, yea vnleſſe ye be vtterly dead vntounto the law, I meane in conſcience. Notwithſtanding in the meane ſeaſon (as I hauehave often ſaid) ſo long as the body liueth,The flesh ſubiect to the lavv, but not the conſcience. the fleſh muſt be exerciſed with lawes and vexed with exactions and penalties of lawes, as were the Egyptians. But the inward man not ſubiect to the law, but deliuered and freed from it, is a liuely, iuſt, and holy perſon, not of himſelfe, but in Chriſt, becauſe he beleueth in him, as foloweth.