Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 3 · Verse extract 21
Verſe. 21. For if there had ben a lavv geuen vvhichwhich bringeth life, ſurely righteouſnes should hauehave ben by the lavve.
By theſe wordes Paule ſignifieth that no lawe of it ſelfe is able to quicken or geue life,The lavve quickneth not but killeth. but onelyonly killeth. Therfore ſuch works as are done, not onelyonly according to the lawes and traditions of the Pope, but alſo according to ye very law of God, doe not iuſtifie a man before God, but make him a ſinner: they doe not pacifie the wrath of God, but they kindle it: they obtaine not righteouſnes, but they hinder it: they quicken not, but they terrifie. Therfore, when he ſayeth: If a lavv had ben geuen vvhichwhich could hauehave brought life &c. he teacheth plainly that the lawe of it ſelfe iuſtifieth not: but that it hath a cleane contrary effect.
Although theſe words of Paule be plaine enough, yet are they obſcure and vtterly vnknowne to the Papiſts. For if they did vnderſtand them in deede, they would not ſo magnifie their freewill, their owne naturall ſtrength, the keping of the*The Papiſtes diuide the goſpel in to precepts and Coū ſels: to the precepts men are bounde (ſay they) but not to the Counſels. Counſels, the works of ſupererogation &c. But left they ſhould ſeeme to be manifeſtly wicked, & plaine Infidels in denying the words of the Apoſtle of Chriſt ſo impudently, they hauehave this peſtilent gloſe alwayes ready (wherby they peruert the places of Paule concerning the lawe which reuealeth ſinne and engendreth wrath, that is to ſay the .x. commaūdemēts) that Paule ſpeaketh onelyonly of the ceremoniall and not of the morall law. But Paule ſpeaketh plainly when he ſayth: If a lavve had ben geuen. &c. and he excepteth no lawe. Wherfore this gloſe of the Papiſts is not worth a ruſh. For the lawes of the ceremonies were as well commaunded of God, and as ſtreitly kept as the morall lawes. The Iewes alſo kept circumciſion as preciſely as they did the Sabboth day. It is euident enough therfore that Paule ſpeaketh of the whole lawe.
Theſe words of the Apoſtle are ſong & ſaid in the Papacie and in all their churches, and yet notwithſtanding they both teach and liue quite contrary.Paul teacheth that no lavve vvas geuen to bring life, but the Pope teacheth quite contrary. Paule ſayth ſimplie that no law was geuen to quicken and to bring life: but the Papiſtes teach that many lawes are geuen to bring life. Although they ſay not this in plaine words, yet in very deede ſuch is their opinion, as their Monkery doth plainely witnes, beſides many lawes and traditions of men, their workes and merites before grace and after, and innumerable wicked ceremonies and falſe worſhippings, which they hauehave deuiſed of their owne heads, and thoſe onelyonly hauehave they preached, treading the Goſpell vnderunder their feete and aſſuredly promiſing grace, remiſſion of ſinnes, and life euerlaſting to all ſuch as ſhould kepe & obſerue the ſame. This that I ſay cā not be denied: for their bokes which are yet extāt, geue certaine teſtimony therof.
But contrariwiſe we affirme wt Paule yt there is no law, whether it be mans law or Gods law, yt geueth life. Therfore we put as great a difference betwene the law & righteouſnes, as is betwene life & death, betwene heauen & hell. And the cauſe ye moueth vsus ſo to affirme, is that plaine & euident place of Paule: where he ſayth, yt the law is not geuen to iuſtifie, to geue life, and to ſaue, but onelyonly to kil & to deſtroy, cōtrary to the opinion of all men:The iudgemēt of men naturally as touching the lavve. for naturally they can iudge no otherwiſe of ye law, but yt it is geuen to work righteouſnes, & to geue life & ſaluation.
This difference of the offices of the law and the goſpel, kepeth all Chriſtian doctrine in his true & proper vſe. Alſo it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kindes of life, ouer the lawes & decrees of all men,VVhat profite cometh by knovving the difference betvvene the lavve and the Goſpell. and ouer all doctrine whatſoeuer, and it geueth them power to trie all maner of ſpirites. On the other ſide the Papiſts, becauſe they confoūd & mingle the law & the goſpel together, cā teach no certainty touching faith, works, ye ſtates & conditiōs of life, nor of the difference of ſpirits.
Now therfore, after that Paule hath proſecuted his confutations and arguments ſufficiently and in good order, he teacheth, that ye lawe (if ye conſider his true and perfect vſe) is nothing elſe but as a certaine Scholemaſter to lead vsus vntounto righteouſnes. For it hūbleth men,The true and perfect vſe of the lavve. & maketh them apt to receaue ye righteouſnes of Chriſt whē it doth his own proper worke and office, that is, when it maketh them giltie, terrifieth and bringeth them to the knowledge of ſinne, wrath, death and hell. For when it hath done this, the opinion of mans owne righteouſnes & holines vaniſheth away, and Chriſte with his benefites beginneth to waxe ſweete vntounto him. Wherefore the law is not againſt the promiſes of God, but rather confirmeth them. True it is, that it doth not accompliſh the promiſe, nor bring righteouſnes: notwithſtanding it humbleth vsus with his exerciſe and office, and ſo maketh vsus more thrifty, and more apte to receaue the benefite of Chriſt. Therefore (ſaith he) if any lawe had bene geuen which might hauehave brought righteouſnes, and through righteouſnes life (for no man can obtaine life except firſt he be righteous) then in deede righteouſnes ſhould come by the law. Moreouer, if there were any ſtate of life, any worke, any religion, whereby a man might obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes, righteouſnes and life, then ſhould theſe thinges in deede iuſtifie and geue life: but this is impoſſible: for,