Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 3 · Verse extract 19
Verſe. 19. It vvas added becauſe of tranſgreſsions.
As things are diuers and diſtinct:As all things are diſtinct, ſo are the vſes of things. ſo the vſes thereof are diuers and diſtinct: Therfore they may not be confoūded. For if they be, there muſt needes be a confuſion of the things alſo. A woman may not weare a mans apparel, nor a man a womans attire. Let a man doe the works that belong to a man, and a woman the works that belong to a womā. Let eueryevery man doe that, which his vocation and office requireth. Let Paſtors and Preachers teach the worde of God purely. Let Magiſtrates gouerne their ſubiectes, & let ſubiects obey their Magiſtrates. Let eueryevery thing ſerue in his due place and order.EueryEvery creature ſerueth in his order and place. Let the Sunne ſhine by day, the Moone and the Starres by night: let the ſea geue fiſhes, the earth graine, the woodes wilde beaſtes and trees. &c. In like maner let not the lawe vſurpe the office and vſe of an other: that is to ſay, of Iuſtification: but let it leaue this onelyonly to grace, to the promiſe, and to Faith. What is then the office of the lawe? Tranſgreſſion, or elſe (as he ſayth in another place), The lavve entred in, that ſinne should abound. The office of the lavve. Rom. 5.20A goodly office forſoth. The lavve (ſayth he) vvas added for tranſgreſsions: that is to ſay, it was added beſides and after the promiſe, vntil Chriſt the Seede ſhould come vntounto whom it was promiſed.
Of the double vſe of the lawe.
Here ye muſt vnderſtand that there is a double vſe of the law.The vſe of politike lavves. One is Ciuill: For God hath ordained Ciuil lawes, yea all lawes to puniſh tranſgreſſions. EueryEvery lawe then is geuen to reſtraine ſinne.An obiection. If it reſtraine ſinne, then it maketh men righteous. No, nothing leſſe. For in that I doe not kill, I doe not commit adulterie, I doe not ſteale,All lavves are geuen to bridle tranſgreſſions. or in that I abſtaine from other ſinnes, I doe it not willingly or for the louelove of vertue, but I feare the priſon, the ſword, and the hangman. Theſe do bridle and reſtraine me that I ſinne not, as bondes & chaines reſtraine a Lion or a Beare, that he teare and deuoure not eueryevery thing that he meeteth. Therfore the reſtraining from ſinne is not righteouſnes, but rather a ſignificatiō of vnrighteouſnes. For as a madde or a wild beaſt is bound leſt he ſhould deſtroy eueryevery thing that he meeteth: euen ſo the lawe doth bridle a madde and furious man, that he ſinne not after his owne luſt. This reſtrainte ſheweth plainly enough yt they which hauehave neede of ye law (as al they hauehave which are without Chriſt) are not righteous, but rather wicked & mad men, whom it is neceſſary by ye bonds & priſō of ye law ſo to bridle yt they ſinne not. Therfore ye law iuſtifieth not.
The firſt vſe then of the law is, to bridle the wicked. For the Deuil raigneth throughout the whole world,The povver of the Deuil. and enforceth men to all kindes of horrible wickednes. Therefore God hath ordained Magiſtrates, parentes,God hath ordayned Magiſtrates, parents, lavves, &c. that ſinnes might be brideled. Miniſters, lawes, bonds, and all ciuill ordinaunces, that if they can doe no more, yet at ye leaſt they may binde the Deuils hands, yt he rage not in his bondſlaues after his owne luſt. Like as therfore they that are poſſeſſed, in whom the Deuill mightely raigneth, are kept in bondes and chaines leſt they ſhould hurte other: euen ſo in the worlde, which is poſſeſſed of the Deuill and caried headlong into all kindes of wickednes, the Magiſtrate is preſent with his bondes and chaines: yt is to ſay, with his lawes, binding his handes and feete that he runne not headlong into all miſchiefe. And if he ſuffer not him ſelfe to be brideled after this ſorte, then he loſeth his head. This ciuill reſtrainte is very neceſſary and appointed of God, as wel for publike peace, as alſo for the preſeruation of all thinges, but ſpecially leſt the courſe of the Goſpell ſhoulde be hindered by the tumultes and ſeditions of wicked, outragious & proud mē. But Paule entreateth not here of this ciuil vſe and office of the law. It is in deede very neceſſary, but it iuſtifieth not. For as a poſſeſſed or madde man is not therefore free from the ſnares of the Deuill or well in his minde, becauſe he hath his handes and his feete bound and can do no hurt: euen ſo the world, although it be brideled by the law from outward wickednes and miſchiefe, yet is it not therefore righteous, but ſtill continueth wicked: yea this reſtrainte ſheweth plainely that the world is wicked and outragious, ſtirred vp and enforced to all wickednes by his Prince the Deuill: for otherwiſe it neede not to be brideled by lawes that it ſhould not ſinne.
The ſpirituall vſe of the lavvAn other vſe of the law is diuine and ſpirituall, which is (as Paule ſaith) to encreaſe tranſgreſſions: that is to ſay, to reueale vntounto a man his ſinne, his blindnes, his miſery, his impietie, ignoraunce, hatred and contempt of God, death, hel, the iudgment and deſerued wrath of God. Of this vſe the Apoſtle entreateth notably in the. 7. to the Romaines. This is altogether vnknowne to hypocrites,The ſpirituall vſe of the lavv vnknovven to reaſon. to the popiſh Sophiſters and Scholediuines, and to all that walke in the opinion of the righteouſnes of the law, or of their owne righteouſnes. But to the ende that God might bridle and beate downe this monſter and this madde beaſte (I meane the preſumption of mans owne righteouſnes and religion) which naturally maketh mē proud, and puffeth them vppe in ſuch ſort, that they thinke them ſelues thereby to pleaſe God highly: it behoued him to ſend ſome*Hercules vvas a mighty Champion, vvhichwhich ſtevve the great monſter Hydra (as the Poetes faine) vvhichwhich had a hundred neckes vvith ſerpēts heads. Hercules which might ſet vppon this monſter with all force and courage to ouerthrowe him, and vtterly to deſtroy him: that is to ſay, he was conſtrained to geue a lawe in Mount Sina, with ſo great Maieſtie and with ſo terrible a ſhewe, that the whole multitude was aſtoniſhed. Exod. 19. & 20.
This, as it is the proper and the principall vſe of the lawe: ſo is it very profitable and alſo moſt neceſſary. For if any be not a murtherer, an adulterer, a theefe, and outwardly refraine from ſinne, as the Phariſey did which is mentioned in the Goſpell, he would ſweare (becauſe he is poſſeſſed with the Deuill) that he is righteous, and therefore he conceaueth an opinion of righteouſnes, and preſumeth of his good workes and merites. Such a one God can not otherwiſe mollifie and humble, that he may acknowledge his miſerie and damnation,Hypocrites are feated and humbled by the lavve. but by the lawe. For that is the hammer of death, the thundring of hell, and lightning of Gods wrath, that beateth to pouder the obſtinate and ſenſeles hypocrites. Wherefore this is the proper and true vſe of the lawe, by lightning, by tempeſt & by the ſound of the trumpe (as in the Mount Sina) to terrifie, and by thundering to beate downe and rent in peeces this beaſt which is called the opinion of righteouſnes.Ierem. 13.…. The opinion of righteouſnes hovv pernicious it is. Therefore ſayeth God by Ieremie his Prophet: My vvorde is a hammer breaking rockes. For as long as the opinion of righteouſnes abideth in man, ſo long there abideth alſo in him incomprehenſible pride, preſumption, ſecuritie, hatred of God, contempt of grace and merciemercy, ignorance of the promiſes, and of Chriſte. The preaching of free remiſſion of ſinnes through Chriſt, can not enter in to the heart of ſuch a one, neither can he feele any taſte or ſauour thereof. For that mightie rocke and adamant wall: to witte, the opinion of righteouſnes, wherwith the heart is enuironed, doth reſiſt it.
As therefore the opinion of righteouſnes is a great and an horrible monſter, a rebellious, obſtinate, and ſtiffenecked beaſt:The opinion of righteouſnes an horrible monſter. ſo for the deſtroying and ouerthrowing thereof, God hath neede of a mightie hammer, that is to ſay, the lawe: which then is in his proper vſe and office when it accuſeth and diſcouereth ſinne after this ſort: Beholde, thou haſt tranſgreſſed all the commaundementes of God. &c: and ſo it ſtriketh a terrour into the conſcience, ſo that it feeleth God to be offended and angrie in deede, and it ſelfe to be giltie of eternall death. Here the pore afflicted ſinner feeleth the intolerable burden of the lawe, and is beaten downe euen to deſperation, ſo that now being oppreſſed with great anguiſh and terrour, he deſireth death, or elſe ſeeketh to deſtroy him ſelfe.The proper office of the lavve. Wherefore the lawe is that hammer, that fier, that mightie ſtrong winde, and that terrible earthquake renting the mountaines, & breaking the rocks, that is to ſay, the proud and obſtinate hypocrites. Elias, 3. Reg. 19.11.12.13.not being able to abide theſe terrours of the law, which by theſe things are ſignified, couered his head with his mantell. Notwithſtanding when that tempeſt ceaſed, of which he was a beholder, there came a ſoft and a gracious wind, in the which the Lord was. But it behoued that the tempeſt of fire, of winde, and the earthquake ſhould paſſe, before the Lord ſhould reueale him ſelfe in that gracious winde.
This terrible ſhewe and maieſtie wherin God gaue his lawe in Mount Sina, did repreſent the vſe of the lawe. There was in the people of Iſrael which came out of Egypt, a ſingular holines. They gloried and ſaid:Exod. 19.20. VVe are the people of God: vve vvil doe all thoſe things vvhichwhich the Lord our God hath commaunded. Moreouer, Moiſes did ſanctifie the people, and badde them waſh their garments, refraine frō their wiues, and prepare them ſelues againſt the third day. There was not one of them but he was full of holine… The third day Moiſes bringeth the people out of their tentes to t… t… …rtaine into the ſight of the Lord, that they might heare his voice. W… …owed then? When the children of Iſraell did ſee the horrible ſhew of the Mount ſmoking and burning,The children of Iſrael could not abide the voice of God ſpeaking out of the fire. the blacke cloudes and the lightnings flaſhing vppe and downe in this horrible darknes, & heard the ſound of the trūpet blowing long, and waxing lowder and lowder: and moreouer when they heard the thundrings and lightnings, they were afraid, and ſtanding a farre of,Exod. 20.19. Deut. 5.24.18.16. they ſay vntounto Moiſes: VVe vvill doe all things vvillingly, ſo that the Lord ſpeake not vntounto vsus, leſt that vve die, and this great fier conſume vsus. Teach thou vsus and vve vvill hearken vntounto thee. I pray you, what did their purifying, their holines, their white garmentes, and refraining from their wiues profite them? Nothing at all. There was not one of them that could abide this preſence of the Lord in his Maieſtie and glory: but all being amazed and ſhaken with terrour, fledde backe as if they had bene driuen by the Deuill.D…uter. 4.24. For God is a cō ſuming fier:The lavv hath ſtill the ſame office, that it had vvhen it vvas geuen in Mount Sina. in whoſe ſight no fleſh is able to ſtand.
The law of God therfore hath properly and peculiarly that office which it had then in Mount Sina, when it was firſt geuen, and was firſt heard of them that were waſhed, righteous, purified and chaſt: and yet notwithſtanding it brought that holy people into ſuch a knowledge of their owne miſery, that they were throwne downe euen to death and deſperation. No puritie nor holines could then helpe them: but there was in them ſuch a feeling of their owne vncleanes, vnworthines & ſin, and of the iudgement and wrath of God, that they fled from the ſight of the Lord, and could not abide to heare his voice. VVhat flesh vvas there euer (ſayd they) that heard the voice of the liuing God ſpeaking out of the middes of the fier, and yet liued? The Ievves vvere afraide at the voyce of the lavv. Deut. 5.26. Deut. 4.24.This day hauehave vve ſeene that God talketh vvith man, and yet he liueth. They ſpeake nowe farre otherwiſe then they did a litle before when they ſaid: We are the holy people of God, whom the Lord hath choſen for his owne peculiar people before all the nations vppon yt earth. We will doe all things which the Lord hath ſpoken.The ſame hapneth to hypocrites, & ſuch as put righteouſnes in vvorks, that happened to the Ievves ſtanding at Mount Sina So it hapneth at length to all Iuſticiaries, who being drunken wt the opinion of their owne righteouſnes, doe thinke when they are out of tentation, that they are beloued of God, and yt God regardeth their vowes, their faſtings, their prayers, & their wilworks, and yt for the ſame he muſt geue vntounto them a ſinguler crowne in heauen. But when that thundring, lightning, fier, and that hammer which breaketh in peeces the rockes, that is to ſay, the law of God, commeth ſuddenly vponupon them, reuealing vntounto them their ſinne, the wrath & iudgement of God: then the ſelfe ſame thing hapneth vntounto them which hapned to the Iewes ſtanding at the foote of Mount Sina.
Here I admoniſh all ſuch as feare God, and ſpecially ſuch as ſhal become teachers of others hereafter, that they diligently learne out of Paule to vnderſtand the true and proper vſe of the law: which (I feare) after our time wil be troden vnderunder foote, & vtterly aboliſhed by the enemies of the truth. For euen now whiles we are yet liuing, and employ all our diligence to ſet forth the office and vſe both of the lawe and the Goſpel, notwtſtanding there be very few,Very fevve vnderſtande the proper vſe of the lavve. yea euen among thoſe which will be counted Chriſtians, and make a profeſſion of the Goſpel wt vsus, that vnderſtand theſe things rightly, & as they ſhould doe. What think ye then ſhall come to paſſe when we are dead and gone? I ſpeake nothing of the Anabaptiſts, of the new Arrians, and ſuch other vaine ſpirites, who are no leſſe ignorant of theſe matters, then are the Papiſts, although they talke neuer ſo much to the contrary. For they are reuolted from the pure doctrine of the Goſpell, to lawes and traditions, and therfore they teach not Chriſt. They bragge and they ſweare that they ſeeke nothing elſe but the glory of Chriſte and the ſaluation of their brethern, and that they teach the word of God purely: but in very deede they corrupt it and wreſt it to an other ſenſe, ſo that they make it too ſound according to their owne imagination. Therfore, vnderunder the name of Chriſte, they teach nothing elſe but their owne dreames, and vnderunder the name of the goſpell, ceremonies and lawes. They are like therfore vntounto themſelues, and ſo they ſtill continue: that is to ſay, Monks, workers of the lawe, and teachers of ceremonies, ſauing that they deuiſe newe names and newe workes.
It is a matter of great importāce to vnderſtand the proper vſe of the lavv.It is not then a matter of ſmall importance to vnderſtand rightly what the law is, and what is the true vſe and office therof. Now, for as much as we teach theſe things both diligently and faithfully, we doe therby plainly teſtifie yt we reiect not the law and works, as our aduerſaries doe falſely accuſe vsus: but we do altogether ſtabliſh the law, and require the works therof: and we ſay yt the law is good and profitable, but in his owne proper vſe: which is firſt to bridle ciuill tranſgreſſiōs, and then to reueile and to encreaſe ſpiritual tranſgreſſions. Wherfore the law is alſo a light,The light of the lavv. which ſheweth & reueileth, not ye grace of God, not righteouſnes and life: but ſinne, death, the wrath and iudgement of God. For, as in the Mount Sina the thundring, lightning, the thicke & darke cloud, the hill ſmoking & flaming, & all that terrible ſhew did not reioyce nor quicken the children of Iſraell, but terrified and aſtoniſhed them, and ſhewed howe vnhable they were, with all their puritie and holines, to abide the Maieſtie of God ſpeaking to them out of ye cloud: euen ſo the law,The lavv in his true vſe terrefieth. when it is in his true vſe, doth nothing elſe but reueale ſinne, engender wrath, accuſe and terrifie men, ſo that it bringeth them to the very brinke of deſperation. This is the proper vſe of the lawe, and here it hath an end, and it ought to goe no further.
The light of the Goſpell.Contrariwiſe, the Goſpel is a light which lightneth, quickneth, comforteth & raiſeth vp fearful conſciences. For it ſheweth yt God for Chriſtes ſake is merciful vntounto ſinners, yea & to ſuch as are moſt vnworthy, if they beleue yt by his death they are deliuered frō the Curſe, yt is to ſay, from ſinne and euerlaſting death: and yt through his victorie the Bleſſing is freely geuen vntounto them:The proper vſe and office of the Goſpel. that is to ſay, grace, forgeuenes of ſinnes, righteouſnes & euerlaſting life. Thus, putting a difference betwene ye law & the Goſpel, we geue to them both their owne proper vſe & office. Of this differēce betwene the law & the goſpel there is nothīg to be found in the bokes of ye Monks, Canoniſts, Scholemen, no nor in the bokes of the auncient fathers. Auguſtine did ſomewhat vnderſtand this difference and ſhewed it. Ierome and others knew it not. Briefly, there was wonderfull ſilence many yeres as touching this difference in all Schooles and Churches. And this thing brought mens conſciences into great daunger.The doctrine of faith can not remaine ſound, vnleſſe the lavve be rightly diſcerned from the Goſpell. For vnleſſe the goſpell be plainly diſcerned frō the lawe, the true Chriſtian doctrine can not be kept ſound and vncorrupt. Contrariwiſe, if this difference be well knowne, then is alſo the true meane of iuſtification knowne, and then is it an eaſie matter to diſcerne faith from workes, Chriſt from Moſes and all politike workes. For all things without Chriſte are the miniſters of death for the puniſhment of the wicked. Therefore Paule aunſwereth to this queſtion after this maner: