A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 31
Verſe 31. Doe we then make the Law of none effect through faith? God forbid: yea we establiſh the Law.
DOe we then aboliſh the law by faith? God forbid, &c.] The words hauehave in them a preoccupation, of what might be obiected againſt the former doctrine, excluding workes of the Law, by auouching iuſtification through faith onelyonly.
Obiect. If we be iuſtified by faith onelyonly, it ſhould ſeeme the Law is vtterly aboliſhed. Anſ Firſt, the conſequent is denied and reiected vvith Apoſtolicall horrour, God forbid. Secondly, the contrarie is auouched: as if hee ſhould ſay, we are ſo farre from antiquating the law, by doctrine of faith, that wee rather eſtabliſh it. By faith vnderſtand doctrine of faith, or teaching that we are iuſtified by faith.
Whence then, wee hauehave theſe two concluſions; firſt, that the doctrine of iuſtification by faith, aboliſheth not the Law.
Secondly, that ſame doctrine ſtabliſheth the Law.
Now for the firſt of theſe, the explanation is not all out ſo difficult; for what though by teaching faith, wee make the law vneffectuall to iuſtification? followeth it thence, that it is in eueryevery reſpect aboliſhed, and to all purpoſes vneffectuall? There are ſundrie other ends of the law, for which it ought to ſtand in vſe in the Church of GOD: As firſt, to bring vsus to knowledge of ſinneaRom. 3. & 5.: ſecondly, to be a rule of lifebMath. 5.: thirdly, to be meane of continuall humiliation, and ſundry the like.
But how by this doctrine wee eſtabliſh the Law, requires more diligent inquiſition. Varietie of interpretations, I am loath to cloy the Reader withall; yet ſome few of the moſt probable, it vvill not be impertinent to propound. Some thus; faith ſtabliſheth the Law, as it is a rule of life: vvhile it workes by louelove, which is the fulfilling of the Law. But the queſtion is as I take it, how the Apoſtle teaching that wee are iuſtified by faith, doth in ſo teaching, ſtabliſh the Law? Doe we aboliſh the Law? and wee stabliſh the Law: viz. wee that teach a man to be iuſtified by faith, euen whiles wee ſo teach, or by this very doctrine, ſtabliſh the Law.
I therefore iudge with the beſt moderne interpreters,Paraeus & Beza. that the Law is thus farre eſtabliſhed by the doctrine of faith; that the righteouſneſſe, which it requireth, quod ad materiam, is not aboliſhed; but rather ſtabliſhed. In as much as vvhat it requires, Doe this and liue, wee hauehave it in Chriſt by beleeuing. Faith finding in him, what man cannot finde in himſelfe, the perfect obedience which the Law enioyneth.
And if any ſay, then belike we are iuſtified by righteouſneſſe of the Law. Anſ. It implies no abſurdity to ſpeake ſo in a ſenſe. For according to iudgement of beſt Diuines, Legall and Euangelicall righteouſneſſe differ, not in matter, but efficiente & modo: wee hauehave the ſame righteouſneſſe vvhichwhich the Law requires; but yet in other manner, then the Law required it: the Law required it of our owne performance; the Goſpell teacheth, it ſufficeth to righteouſneſſe, that it be for vsus performed by our Mediatour Chriſt Ieſus, and apprehended of vsus by faith.
And if this be Pauls meaning, then I hope it followes; that Chriſts actiue obedience enters our iuſtification.
And then, there is ſome end of imputation; that it may become ours. And this I am ſure is the olde way, and as I yet iudge, the good way: in it I finde as much reſt to my ſoule, as in that other compendium ſome hauehave framed.
In this point ſo weighty, I will be glad to learne; but can ſcarce be perſwaded; the truth hath hitherto lien hid, from ſo many of Gods Saints, ſo purpoſely conuerſant in this queſtion. And though I am not ſo Popiſh, as to meaſure truth by multitude, yet ſure me thinks, where other things are equall, as learning▪ induſtry; ſincerity, prayer to God for reuelation; I had rather impute errour to one then many.
Their cut, they ſay, is ſhorter into Gods kingdome; ours, I thinke, ſafer; and howſoeuer our circumference ſeeme larger, yet our center we are ſure, is Chriſt. At que hic baculum fixi: though ſtill I profeſſe with Augustine; Augustin. de Trinit. lib. 1.Non p…gebit me, ſicubi haſito, quaerere: nec pu…ebit, ſicubi err…, diſcere. It ſhall neuer gre ue me, where I doubt, to enquire: nor ſhame me, where I erre, to learne and be better enformed.
FINIS.