Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 3 · Verse extract 19
Ver. 19. Vntil the ſeede came vntounto the vvhichwhich the promiſe vvas made.
Paule maketh not the lawe perpetuall, but he ſayeth that it was geuen and added to the promiſes for tranſgreſſions: that is to ſay, to reſtraine them ciuily, but ſpecially to reueale and to encreaſe them ſpiritually, and that not continually, but for a time. Here it is neceſſary to know how long the power and the tyrānie of the law ought to endure, which diſcouereth ſinne, ſheweth vntounto vsus what we are, and reuealeth the wrath of God. They whoſe hartes are touched with an inward feeling of theſe matters, ſhould ſuddenly periſh if they ſhould not receaue comfort. Therefore if the dayes of the lawe ſhould not be ſhortned, no man ſhould be ſaued. A time therfore muſt be ſet, and bounds limited to the lawe, beyond the which it may not raigne. How long then ought ye dominion of the lawe to endure? Vntill the Seede come: to witte, that Seede of which it is wrytten:Hovve long the dominion of the lavve endureth. In thy Seede shall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. The tyrannie of the lawe then muſt ſo long continue, vntill the fulnes of time, and that Seede of the Bleſſing come: Not to the ende that ye law ſhould bring this Seede or geue righteouſnes, but that it ſhould ciuily reſtraine the rebellious and obſtinate, and ſhut thē vppe as it were in a priſon and then ſpiritually ſhould reproue them of ſinne, humble them & terrifie them, and when they are thus humbled & beaten downe, it ſhould cōſtraine them to riſe vp to that bleſſed Seede.
We may vnderſtand the continuance of the law both according to the letter,The lavve according to the letter, endured vntill Chriſt, and there ceaſed. Mat. 11.12.13. and alſo ſpiritually. According to the letter thus: that the lawe continued vntill the time of grace. The lavve and the Prophetes (ſayth Chriſt) propheſied vntill Iohn. From the time of Iohn vntill this day, the kingdome of heauen ſuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. In this time Chriſt was baptiſed and begā to preach. At what time alſo, after the letter, the law, and all the ceremonies of Moiſes ceaſed.
Spiritually the lawe may be thus vnderſtand, that it ought not to raigne in the conſcience any longer then to the appoynted time of this bleſſed Seede.Hovve long the lavve muſt raigne in the conſcience. Whē the law ſheweth vntounto me my ſinne, terrifieth me and reuealeth the wrath and iudgement of God, ſo that I begin to tremble and to deſpaire, there hath the lawe his boundes, his time and his ende limited, ſo yt he now ceaſeth to exerciſe his tyranny any more. For then he hath done his office ſufficiently, he hath reuealed ye wrathe of God, and terrified enough. Here we muſt ſay: Nowe leaue of lawe, thou haſt done enough: thou haſt terrified and tormented me enough. All thy floudes hauehave runne ouer me, Pſal. 42.7. Pſal. 69.2. Pſal. 26.9. Pſal. 6….17.and thy terrours hauehave troubled me. Lord turne not avvay thy face in thy vvrath from thy ſeruaunt: Rebuke me not I beſeeche thee, in thine anger. &c. When theſe terrours and troubles come, then is the time and the hower of the Bleſſed Seede come. Let the lawe then geue place, which in deede is added to reueale and to encreaſe tranſgreſſions, and yet no longer, but vntill that bleſſed Seede be come. When that is come, then let the law leaue of to reueale ſinne and to terrifie any more: and let him deliuer vp his kingdome to an other: that is to ſay, to the bleſſed Seede, which is Chriſt: who hath gracious lippes, wherwith he accuſeth and terrifieth not, but ſpeaketh of farre better things then doth the lawe, namely of grace, peace, forgeuenes of ſinnes, victorie ouer ſinne, death, the Deuill and damnation, gotten by his death and paſſion vntounto all beleuers.
Paule therfore ſheweth by theſe words:The continuaunce of the lavv, literally & ſpiritually. Vntill the Seede should come, vntounto whom the Bleſſing was promiſed, howe long the lawe ſhould endure literally and ſpiritually. After the letter it ceaſed after the bleſſed Seede came in to the world, taking vponupon him our fleſh, geuing the holy Ghoſt, and wryting a newe lawe in our hearts. But the ſpirituall time of the lawe doth not ende at once, but continueth rooted in the conſcience. Therfore it is a hard matter for a man which is exerciſed with the ſpirituall vſe of the lawe, to ſee the ende of the lawe. For in theſe terrours and feeling of ſinne the minde can not conceaue this hope, that God is mercifull, and that he will forgeue ſinnes for Chriſtes ſake: but it iudgeth only that God is angrie with ſinners,The terrours of the lavve are driuen avvay by faith. Math. 18.20. and that he accuſeth and condemneth them. If faith come not here to raiſe vppe againe the pore afflicted conſcience, or elſe (according to that ſaying of Chriſt: vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name &c.) there be ſome faithfull brother at hand that may comfort him by the worde of God which is ſo oppreſſed and beaten downe by the lawe, deſperation and death muſt needes folow. Therfore it is a perillous thing for a man to be alone.Eccleſ. 4.10. VVoe be to him that is alone (ſayth the Preacher) for vvhen he falleth, he hath none to raiſe him vp. Wherefore they that ordeined that curſed Monkiſh and ſolitarie life,The ſolitarie or Monkish life hath hurt many. gaue occaſion to many thouſandes to deſpaire. If a man ſhould ſeparate him ſelfe frō the company of other for a day or two to be occupied in prayer (as we read of Chriſt, that ſometime he went a ſide alone into the Mount, and by night continued in prayer) there were no daunger therein.Math. 26.39. Luke. 23.41. Iohn. 17.1. But when they conſtrained men continually to liue a ſolitarie life, it was a deuice of the Deuil him ſelf. For when a man is tempted and is alone, he is not able to reiſe vppe him ſelfe, no not in the leaſt tentation that can be.