Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 3 · Verse extract 24
Verſe. 24. VVherefore the lavve vvas our Scholemaſter to bring v… to Chriſte.
Here againe he ioyneth the lawe and the Goſpell together, (which are ſeparate ſo farre aſunder) as touching the affections and inward man, when he ſayeth: The lawe is a Scholemaſter to Chriſt. This ſimilitude alſo of the Scholemaſter is worthy to be noted.The ſimilitude of the Schoole maſter vvorthy to be noted. Although a Scholemaſter be very profitable and neceſſary to enſtruct and to bring vppe children, yet ſhewe me one childe or ſcholer which loueth his maſter. We may eaſily coniecture what affection the Iewes bare to their Moiſes, and how zelouſly they performed that which he commaunded. In deede ſuch was their louelove and obedience towards him,Exod. 17.4. that eueryevery hower (as the Storie teſtifieth) they would with all their hearts hauehave ſtoned him to death. It is not poſſible therefore that the ſcholer ſhould louelove his maſter.The ſcholer can not louelove his maſter. For howe can he louelove him which keepeth him in priſon, that is to ſay, which ſuffereth him not to doe that which gladly he would? And if he doe any thing againſt his commaundement, by and by he is rebuked and chaſtiſed, yea and is conſtrained moreouer to kiſſe the rodde when he is beaten. Is not this (I pray you) a goodly righteouſnes and obedience of the ſcholer, that he obeyeth his maſter ſo ſeuerely threatning and ſo ſharply correcting him, and kiſſeth the rodde? But doth he this with a good wil? As ſoone as his maſter hath turned his backe, he breaketh the rodde or caſteth it into the fire. And if he had any power ouer his maſter, he would not ſuffer him ſelfe to be beaten of his maſter: but rather he would beat him. And yet notwtſtanding the ſcholemaſter is very neceſſary for the child to enſtruct and to chaſtiſe him: otherwiſe the childe without this diſcipline, enſtruction, and good education ſhould be vtterly loſt.
The ſcholemaſter therfore is appoynted for the child to teach him, to bring him vp,VVhie a Scholemaſter is apoynted for a childe. & to kepe him as it were in priſon. But to what ende, or how long? Is it to the ende, that this ſtreit and ſharpe dealing of the ſcholemaſter ſhould alwayes cōtinue? or that the child ſhould remaine in continuall bōdage? Not ſo, but onelyonly for a time, that this obedience, this priſon and correction might turne to the profit of the child, that in time he might be heire and Prince. For it is not the fathers will, that his ſonne ſhould be alwayes ſubiect to the ſcholemaſter, and alwayes beaten with roddes: but that by this inſtruction and diſcipline he may be made able and meete to be his fathers ſucceſſour.
Euen ſo the law (ſayth Paule) is nothing elſe but a Scholemaſter: not for euer, but vntill it hauehave brought vsus to Chriſt:The lavve is a Scholemaſter to Chriſt. Galat. 4.19. Galat. 4.2…. Galat. 4.…3. as in other wordes he ſayd alſo before. The lavve vvas geuen for tranſgreſſions vntill the bleſſed Seede should come. Alſo, the ſcripture hath shut all vnderunder ſin. &c. Againe: vve vvere kept vnderunder & shut vp vntounto faith vvhichwhich should after be reuealed. Wherefore the lawe is not onelyonly a Scholemaſter, but it is a Scholemaſter to bring vsus vntounto Chriſt. For what a Scholemaſter were he which would alwaies torment & beat the child,VVhat Scholemaſters there vvere in times paſt. & teach him nothing at all? And yet ſuch Scholemaſters there were in time paſt: when Scholes were nothing elſe but a priſon and a very hell, the Scholemaſters cruell tyrannes and very butchers. The childrē were alwayes beaten: they learned wt continuall paine and trauell, & yet few of thē came to any proofe. The law is not ſuch a Scholemaſter. For it doth not onelyonly terrifie & torment (as the fooliſh Scholemaſter beateth his ſcholers & teacheth them nothing): but with his roddes he driueth vsus vntounto Chriſt: like as a good Scholemaſter enſtructeth & exerciſeth his ſcholers in reading and wryting, to the ende they may come to the knowledge of good letters & other profitable things, that afterwardes they may hauehave a delite in doing of that, which before when they were conſtrained thervnto, they did againſt their willes.
By this goodly ſimilitude Paule ſheweth what is the true vſe of the lawe, namely, that it iuſtifieth not hypocrites, for they remaine wtout Chriſt in their preſumption & ſecuritie: And contrariwiſe yt it leaueth not in death & damnation thoſe that are of a contrite heart (ſo that they vſe it as Paul teacheth): but driueth them vntounto Chriſt. But they which in theſe terrours continue ſtill in their weaknes, & doe not apprehend Chriſt by faith, do fall at length into deſperatiō. Paule therfore in this allegorie of the Scholemaſter,The true vſe of the lavv ſet out in the allegorie of the Scholemaſter. moſt liuely expreſſeth the true vſe of ye law. For like as ye Scholemaſter reproueth his ſcholers, he greeueth them & maketh thē heauy, & yet not to the end that this bondage ſhould alwayes continue, but that it ſhould ceaſe when the children are well brought vppe and enſtructed accordingly, & that afterwards wtout any cōſtraint of the Scholemaſter they ſhould cherefully enioy their libertie & their fathers goods: euen ſo they which are vexed & oppreſſed wt the law, doe know that theſe terrours and vexations ſhall not alwayes continue: but that therby they are prepared to come vntounto Chriſt which is to be reuealed, and to receaue the libertie of the ſpirite. &c.