Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 4 · Verse extract 1-2 – Verse extract 3
Verſe. 1. This I ſay that the heire as long as he is a childe, differeth nothing from a ſeruaunt, though he be Lord of all:
Verſe. 2. But is vnderunder tutours and gouernours, vntill the time appoynted of the Father.
YE ſee with what vehement affection Paule goeth about to call backe the Galathians,The argument vvhervvith Paule fortifieth his matter. & what ſtrong arguments he vſeth in debating that matter, gathering ſimilitudes of experience, of the example of Abraham, of the teſtimonies of the Scripture, and of the time: ſo that often times he ſemeth to renew the whole matter againe. For before he had in a maner finiſhed the diſputation concerning iuſtification, concluding that a man is iuſtified before God by faith only and alone. But becauſe he calleth alſo to remembraunce this politicall example of the little heire, he bringeth the ſame alſo for the confirmation of his matter. Thus trying eueryevery way, he lyeth in waite with a certaine holy ſubtiltie to take the Galathiās vnwares. For the ignorāt people are ſooner perſwaded with ſimilitudes and examples, then with deepe and ſubtill diſputations. They will rather behold an Image well painted then a booke well written. Paule therfore now, after that he hath brought the ſimilitude of a mans teſtament, of the priſon, and of the ſcholemaiſter, vſeth alſo this ſimilitude of an heyre (which is familiar and wel known to al men) to moue and to perſwade them. And ſurely it is a very profitable thing to be furniſhed with ſimilitudes and examples: which not onelyonly Paul, but alſo the Prophets, & Chriſt himſelfe alſo did often vſe.
Ye ſee (ſaith he) that it is ordeined by the ciuile lawes, that an heyre, albeit he be the Lorde of all his fathers goodes, differeth not from a ſeruaunt. In deede he hath an aſſured hope of the inheritaunce: but before he come to his yeares, his tutors holde hym in ſubiection, lyke as the Scholemaiſter doth his ſcholer.A young heir differeth nothing from a ſeruaunt. They committe not vntounto hym the ordering of his owne goodes, but conſtrayne hym to ſerue, ſo that he is kepte and mainteined with his owne goodes lyke a ſeruaunte. Therefore ſo long as this bondage endureth, that is, ſo long as he is vnderunder tutors and gouernours, he differeth nothyng from a ſeruaūt. And this ſubiection and ſeruitude is very profitable for him: for otherwiſe through folly he would ſoone waſt all his goodes. This captiuitie endureth not alwaies, but hath a certaine time limited and appoynted by the father wherin it muſt ende.
Verſe. 3. So alſo vve as long as vve vvere children, vvere in bōdage vnderunder the rudiments of the vvorld.
In like maner when we were litle children we were heires, hauing the promiſe of the inheritaunce to come, which ſhould be geuen vntounto vsus by the ſeede of Abraham, that is to ſay, by Chriſte, in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed. But becauſe the fulnes of time was not yet come, Moiſes our tutour, gouerner and ſchoolemaſter came, holding vsus in captiuitie with our handes bound, ſo that we could beare no rule, nor poſſeſſe our inheritaunce. In the meane time notwithſtanding, like as an heire is nouriſhed & mainteined in hope of libertie to come: euen ſo Moiſes did nouriſh vsus with the hope of the promiſe to be reuealed in the time appoynted: to witte, whē Chriſt ſhould come, who by his comming ſhould put an ende to the time of the lawe, and begin the time of grace.
The time of the lavve is finished.Nowe the time of the law endeth two maner of wayes: Firſt (as I ſayde) by the comming of Chriſte in the fleſh at the time appoynted of his father. But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come, God ſent forth his ſonne, Galath. 4.4.5.made of a vvoman and made vnderunder the lavve, that he might redeme them vvhichwhich vvere vnderunder the lavve. &c. He entred into the holy ſanctuarie once through his bloud, Heb. 9.12.and obtained eternall redemption for vsus. Moreouer, the ſame Chriſte who came once in the time appoynted,The comming of Chriſt vntounto vsus in ſpirite. Heb. 10.14. commeth alſo vntounto vsus daily and hourely in ſpirite. In deede once with his owne bloud he redemed and ſanctified all: but becauſe we are not yet perfectly pure (for the remnaunts of ſinne doe yet cleane in our fleſh,Galath. 5.17. which ſtriueth againſt the ſpirite) therefore daily he commeth vntounto vsus ſpiritually and continually more and more accompliſheth the appoynted time of his father, abrogating and aboliſhing the lawe.
So he came alſo in ſpirite to the fathers of the old Teſtament before he appeared in fleſh. They had Chriſt in ſpirite. They beleued in Chriſte which ſhould be reuealed, as we beleue in Chriſte which is now reuealed, and were ſaued by him as we are, according to that ſaying:Heb. 13.…. Ieſus Chriſte is one yeſterday, and to day, and shall be the ſame for euer. Yeſterday, before the time of his comming in the fleſh. To day, when he was reuealed in the time before appoynted. Nowe and for euer he is one and the ſame Chriſte: for euen by him onelyonly and alone all the faithfull which either hauehave ben, be, or ſhall be, are deliuered from the law, iuſtified and ſaued.
In like maner vve alſo (ſayth he) vvhen vve vvere children, ſerued vnderunder the rudimentes of the vvorld, that is to ſay: the lawe had dominion ouer vsus, oppreſſed vsus and kept vsus in a ſtreite bondage, as ſeruaunts and captiues. For firſt it reſtrained carnall and rebellious perſons that they ſhould not runne headlong into all kindes of vice. For the lawe threatneth puniſhment to tranſgreſſours,The politike vſe of the lavve. which if they feared not, there is no miſchiefe which they would not commit: And ouer thoſe whom the law ſo bridleth, it ruleth & raigneth. Againe, it did accuſe vsus, terrifie vsus, kill vsus,The ſpirituall vſe of the lavv and condemne vsus ſpiritually and before God: and this was the principall dominion that the law had ouer vsus. Therfore like as an heire is ſubiect vntounto his tutours, is beaten, and is compelled to obey their lawes and diligently to execute their commaundementes: euen ſo mens conſciences, before Chriſte come, are oppreſſed with the ſharpe ſeruitude of the lawe: that is to ſay, they are accuſed, terrified, and condemned of the lawe. But this dominion, or rather this tyrannie of the lawe is not continuall, but muſt onelyonly endure vntill the time of grace. Wherefore the office of the lawe is to reproue and to encreaſe ſinnes, but to righteouſnes: to kill, but to life, For the lavve is a Schoolemaſter vntounto Chriſte. Galath. 3.….Like as therefore the tutours doe handle the heire being yet a childe, ſtreitly and hardly, rule him and commaund him as a ſeruaunt, and he againe is conſtrained to be ſubiect vntounto them: euen ſo the lawe accuſeth vsus, humbleth vsus, and bringeth vsus into bondage, that we may be the ſeruauntes of ſinne, death, and of the wrath of God, which is in deede a moſt miſerable kind of bondage. But as the power of the tutours, and the ſubiection and bondage of the litle heire is not continuall, but onelyonly endureth vntounto the time appoynted of the Father, which being ended, he needeth not to be gouerned by his tutours, nor remaineth vnderunder their ſubiection any more, but with libertie enioyeth the inheritaunce: euen ſo the lawe hath dominion ouer vsus, and we are conſtrained to be ſeruaunts and captiues vnderunder his gouernment, but not for euer. For this clauſe which foloweth muſt be added: vntill the appoynted time of the Father. For Chriſt which was promiſed, came and redemed vsus which were oppreſſed with the tyrannie of the lawe.
Contrariwiſe,To vvhom Chriſt commeth, and to vvhom he cō meth not. the comming of Chriſt profiteth not the careles hypocrites, the wicked contemners of God, nor ye deſperate which thinke that nothing elſe remaineth but the terrours of the lawe which they the rudiments of the world.The Emperors lavves. So the Emperours lawes be rudiments of ye world: for they intreat of worldly matters: that is to ſay, of things concerning this preſent life, as of goodes, poſſeſſions, enheritaunces, murders, adulteries, robberies, &c. Whereof ſpeaketh alſo the ſecond table of the commaundements.The lavves of the Pope. As for the Popes Canon lawes, and Decretals, which forbid mariage and meates, thoſe Paule in an other place calleth the doctrines of Deuils:1. Timot. 4.…. which are alſo rudiments of the world, but that they doe moſt wickedly bind mens conſciences to the obſeruation of outward things, contrary to the word of God and faith.
The lavve of Moiſes geueth onelyonly vvorldly things.Wherfore the law of Moiſes geueth nothing but worldly things, that is to ſay, it doth but onelyonly ſhew ciuily and ſpiritually the euils that be in the world. Notwithſtanding, if it be in his true vſe, it driueth the conſcience by his terrours to ſeeke and thirſt after the promiſe of God,By the cōfort of the holy Ghoſt vve are deliuered frō the terrours of the lavve. and to looke vntounto Chriſt. But that thou maiſt ſo doe, thou haſt neede of the aide and aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt, which may ſay in thy heart: It is not the will of God, that after the law hath done his office in thee, thou ſhouldeſt onelyonly be terrified & killed: but that when thou art brought by the lawe to the knowledge of thy miſery and damnation, thou ſhouldeſt not deſpaire but beleue in Chriſt: vvho is the end of the lavve to righteouſnes, Rom. 10.4.to eueryevery one that beleueth. Here is no worldly thing done, but here all worldly matters and all lawes ceaſe, and heauenly things begin now to appeare. Therefore ſo long as we be vnderunder the rudiments of the world:Rom. 3.20. Rom. 4.15. that is to ſay, vnderunder the lawe, which geueth not onelyonly righteouſnes and peace of conſcience, but reuealeth and increaſeth ſinnes and engendreth wrath, we be ſeruaunts, thrall and ſubiect to the lawe, although we hauehave the promiſe of the Bleſſing to come.Deut. 6.5. In deede the law ſayth: Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God: but that I may be able ſo to do, or to apprehēd Chriſt, this can not the lawe geue.
VVherfore Paule abaſeth the lavve.I ſpeake not this to the ende that the lawe ſhould be deſpiſed, neither doth Paule ſo meane, but it ought to be had in great eſtimation. But becauſe Paule is here in the matter of Iuſtificatiō, it was neceſſary that he ſhould ſpeake of the law as of a thing very contemptible and odious. For Iuſtification is a farre other maner of thing then the lawe is.VVhen vve feele the terrours of conſcience, the lavve muſt be abaſed, and the promiſe magnified. We can not ſpeake baſely and contemptuouſly enough of the lawe when we are in this matter. When the conſcience therefore is in the conflict, then ſhould ſhe thinke vppon nothing, know nothing at all but Chriſte onelyonly and alone. Then ſhould ſhe remoue the lawe vtterly out of her ſight, and embrace nothing but the promiſe concerning Chriſt. To ſay this, it is an eaſie matter: but in time of tentation when the conſcience wreſtleth in the preſence of God, to doe it in deede, of all things it is the hardeſt: to witte, that when the lawe accuſeth thee, terrifieth thee, reuealeth vntounto thee thy ſinne, threatneth to thee the wrath of God & eternall death, yt then (I ſay) thou ſhouldeſt hauehave ſuch ſtrēgth of faith in Chriſt as if there had neuer ben any law or any ſinne, but only Chriſt, mere grace, and redemption: or that thou ſhouldeſt then be able to ſay: O law, I will not heare thee, for thou haſt a ſtāmering & a ſlow tounge: moreouer, the fulnes of time is now come,He alluded to the ſlovv tounge and ſtammering ſpeech of Moſes. Rom. 4.18. and therefore I am free, and wil not ſuffer thy tyrannie any longer. Here a man may ſee how hard a matter it is to ſeparate the lawe from grace: Againe, how diuine and heauenly a thing it is to hope here euē againſt hope, and how true this propoſition of Paule is, that we are iuſtified by Faith alone.
Learne here therfore, to ſpeake of the law as contēptuouſly as thou cāſt in the matter of Iuſtificatiō, by the example of the Apoſtle, which calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world, pernicious traditions,VVhat names Paule geueth to the lavv. 1 Cor. 15.56. the ſtrength of ſinne, the miniſterie of death. &c. For if thou ſuffer the lawe to beare rule in thy conſcience when thou ſtandeſt before God wreſtling againſt ſinne and death, then is the lawe in deede nothing elſe but a ſinke of all euils, hereſies and blaſphemies: for it doth nothing but encreaſe ſinne, accuſe and terrifie the conſcience, threaten death, and ſet forth God as an angry iudge, which reiecteth and condemneth ſinners. Here therefore, if thou be wiſe, baniſh this ſtutting and ſtammering Moiſes farre from thee, with his lawe, and in any wiſe let not his terrours and threatnings moue thee. Here let him be vtterly ſuſpected vntounto thee as an heretike, as an excommunicate and condemned perſon, worſe then the Pope and the Deuill him ſelfe, and therfore not to be heard or obeyed in any caſe.
But out of the matter of Iuſtification we ought with Paule to thinke reuerently of the law, to commend it highly, to call it holy,The commendation of the lavv. Rom. 7.12.14. The lavve is good, and the lavv is euill, righteous, good, ſpirituall and diuine. Out of the caſe of conſcience we ſhould make a God of it, but in the caſe of conſcience it is a very deuill. For in the leaſt temptation that can be, it is not able to raiſe vppe & to comfort the conſcience: but it doth cleane contrary: it terrifieth, it, oppreſſeth it with heauines, and plucketh it from the aſſurance of righteouſnes, of life, and of all goodnes. Herevppon Paule a litle after, calleth it vveake & beggerly rudiments. Galat. 4.3.Wherfore let vsus not ſuffer ye lawe in any caſe to beare rule in our conſcience, eſpecially ſeing it coſt Chriſte ſo great a price to deliuer the conſcience from the tyrannie of the lawe. For he was made a Curſe for vsus, that he might deliuer vsus from the Curſe of the lawe. Let the godly learne therfore that the law and Chriſt are two contrary things,The lavve and Chriſte are tvvo, vvhichwhich can not ſtand together. Eſay. 28.20. whereof the one can not abide the other. For whē Chriſt is preſent, the law may in no caſe rule, but muſt depart out of the conſcience, and leaue the bed (which is ſo ſtreit that it can not hold two, as Eſay ſayth) and geue place onelyonly to Chriſt. Let him onelyonly raigne in righteouſnes, in peace, in ioy and life, that the cō ſcience may ſleepe and repoſe it ſelfe ioyfully in Chriſte without any feeling of the law, ſinne, and death.
Paule here of purpoſe vſeth this figuratiue ſpeech, Elements of the vvorld: VVhy Paule calleth the lavv the elements of the vvorld. 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9.whereby (as I ſayd) he doth much abaſe and diminiſh the glory and authoritie of the lawe, to ſtirre vsus vppe. For he that readeth Paule attentiuely, when he heareth that he calleth the lawe the miniſterie of death, the letter that killeth, &c. by & by he thinketh thus with him ſelfe: why doth he geue ſuch odious, and (as it appeareth to reaſon) blaſphemous termes to the lawe, which is a diuine doctrine reuealed from heauen? To this Paule aunſwereth, that the law is both holy,Rom. 7.12.14. 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9. The lavve is holy and righteous, and yet is it the adminiſtration of death. iuſt, and good: and alſo the miniſterie of ſinne and death, but in diuers reſpectes. Before Chriſte it is holy: after Chriſte it is death. Therefore when Chriſte is come, we ought to know nothing at all of the lawe, vnleſſe it be in this reſpect, that it hath power and dominion ouer the fleſh, to bridle it and to keepe it vnderunder. Here is a conflict betwene the law and the fleſh (to whom the yoke of the lawe is hard and greuous) as long as we liue.
OnelyOnly Paule among all the Apoſtles, calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world,Galath. 3.5.9. 1. Cor. 15.56. 2. Cor. 3.6. weake and beggerly elements, the ſtrength of ſinne, the letter that killeth, &c. The other Apoſtles ſpake not ſo of the law. Whoſoeuer then will be a right ſcholer in Chriſtes ſchoole, let him marke diligently this maner of ſpeech vſed of the Apoſtle.Paules maner of ſpeaking muſt be marked. Actes. 9.15. Chriſte calleth him an elect veſſell, and therefore gaue vntounto him an exquiſite vtterance, and a ſinguler kinde of ſpeech aboue all the reſt of the Apoſtles, that he as an elect veſſel might faithfully lay the foundations of the article of Iuſtification, and clearely ſet forth the ſame.