Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 10 · Dialogue 5
DIAL. V.
Verse 5 For Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the law, that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby.
Tim.
FRom what booke of Moses is this testimony fetched, and what is the summe of it?
Silas.
The testimony is fetched out of Leuiticus 18. verse 5. The summe where of is thus much, that whosoeuerSumme. perfectly keepeth the whole law, shall hauehave that righteousnesse, vntounto which as a due debt belongeth eternall life. So as heere in these wordes is a compact betweene God and man; God promiseth eternall life so as men do his starutes perfectly; this is the couenant of workes, made with Angels and men in their creation, and repeated in Scripture, to force vsus to Christ.
Tim.
To what purpose is this testimony cited?
Silas.
First, to prooue that there is a righteousnesse ofScope. workes, as well as of faith. Secondly, to proue that it is impossible for any meere man to hauehave this righteousnesse of workes; because the condition vppon which the righteousnesse of the law doeth depend, is not possible to bee fulfilled: which is this, (to doe the whole lawe in eueryevery poynt,) it being a thing which farre surpasseth the infirmity of mans nature; and therefore we may not seeke either righteousnesse or eternall life by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ Iesus.
Tim.
Now come to the wordes and tell vsus what is meant by [describeth?]
Silas.
Thus much, to set foorth a thing in so plaine andInterpret. cleere manner, as that it may be well perceiued and vnderstood, as a thing painted in liuely colours to be seene.
Tim.
What is meant by the [righteousnes of the law?]
Silas.
That …ousnesse which the lawe morall teacheth and describeth, which elsewhere is called our owne righteousnes, or the righteousnesse of woorkes; because it sticketh in our selues, and standeth in working after the law, and not in beleeuing the Gospell.
Tim.
What lesson are we to learne from the first part of this verse, being thus explained?
Sil.
That all such texts of Scripture as do teach workes1. Doctrine. and promise life vntounto them, they belong vntounto Moses; and are part of Moses law though they be written in the newe Testament; as namely those words of Christ to the young man, Math. 19. 17. If thou wili enter into life, keepe the commandements also Rom. 2. 6. 7. and 13. For the Gospell requirethReason. workes as truites of faith, not as merites of righteousnes and life.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this poynt?
Silas.
It helpeth vsus to distinguish betweene the sentencesVse. of the law and of the Gospell; for the Gospell doth often promise life eternall, and saluation to repentance and good works; but not as they are performance of the law, but as the tokens and fruites of a liuely faith, whereby the promise of eternall life is apprehended.
Tim.
Now go forwards and shew vsus what is meant by doing, [he that doth.]
Silas.
To [doe] signifies to keepe and performe exactlyInterpretation. and most perfectly, without any the least faylings at any time: for here the sentence is legall; but when the sentence is Euangelicall, then to doe signifies no more but to desire, to take care and to endeuour to doe what wee may, and what lies in vsus, as Iohn 13. 17. If ye knowe these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Tim.
What is meant in our text by [these things?]
Silas.
The statutes and lawes of God, as appeareth by the 5. verse of the 5. chap. of Leuit.
Tim.
Of what life doth this text speake?
Silas.
Not of a temporall life only, (as some vnderstand it,) but of eternall life also; which appeareth by comparing this place with Mat. 19. 17. For as the law threatneth death eternall to eueryevery transgressour; so it propoundeth life, both temporall and eternall, to the perfect keeping of it; vntounto which is required these three things. First, that all the statutes of the law of God be kept, the little as well as the great. Secondly, that they be kept with the whole heart, the whole minde, and the whole strength. Thirdly, that they be kept all our whole life long, vntil the last gasp and yeelding vp of the Ghost. Deut. 27. 26. Math. 22. 37. Gal. 3. 10.
Tim.
Tell vsus nowe what instructions wee are to learne from the latter part of this verse?
Silas.
First, that the righteousnesse of the law is a performance1. Doctrine. of perfect obedience. Secondly, that this2. Doctrine. perfect obediēce cannot be obtained of any man in this3. Doctrine. life. Thirdly, that no man must looke to hauehave eternall life by his workes of the Law: for it is written, hee that doth them shall liue thereby; but none doth them, therfore none shall liue by them. And note this, that righteousnesse and life are denied to come by the law, in respect of vsus who doe it not.
Tim.
But how may it be proued that there is none that doth the workes of the law perfectly?
Silas.
Vnregenerate men cannot doe them, for they are euill from their youth vp, Gen. 6, 5. and 8, 20. neither regenerate men can fully doe them, for in many things we sinne all, lames, 3, 2. 1. Iohn, 1, 8.
Tim.
If Gods law be not possible to be kept, then it shouldA doubt. seeme that the promise of life made vntounto it, is ridiculous and idle.
Silas.
Nay, not so, for it was once possible to obeySolution. perfectly in our creation. Secondly, the keeping of the law is possible to Christ, though it bee not to vsus, who yet hauehave title to eternall life by Christs fulfilling of it. Thirdly, the elect by grace in this life are made able in some measure ro keepe it, and shall be able to doe it perfectly in the life to come, when they shall louelove God and their neighbour, with all their heart.
Tim.
What vse is to bee made of these doctrines concerning our great vnablenesse to hauehave righteousnesse by the Law?
Silas.
First, it confuteth such as looke for eternallVse. life by the workes of the Law, which indeede can minister nothing but death to vsus, sithence wee cannot keepe it. For as it promiseth life to the dooers, so it threatneth death to him that failes but in one point; and what man liuing is he that sinneth not?
Secondly, it serueth to humble vsus, in as much as by our owne fault we are made vnable to doe the works of the law in that perfection that it requireth; for that it cannot giuegive vsus righteousnesse and life, it must bee imputedThe law hū-bleth vsus by shewing what we ought to hauehave, and yet hauehave it not by our owne default, also it prouoketh by prayer to secke it. to a weakenesse in our selues, and not to an insufficiency in the lawe, Rom. 8, 3. Thirdly, it sendeth all men, euen the best, out of themselues, and enforceth thē to goe to Christ for righteousnesse and life eternall, by beleeuing that he hath fulfilled the law for vsus, by his obedience and death; and this is indeed the right meditation of the doctrine of the lawe, when it schooleth and swindgeth a sinner vntounto Christ, to fetch from him alone righteousnesse and saluation. Now heereby shall wee know that the preaching of the righteousnesse of the law, hath driuen vsus to Christ: First, if we trust not to the workes of the law, to seeke life by the merite thereof in whole or in part. Secondly, if wee striue to order our workes according to the leuell of the law, making it the rule of our Christian life, still suing to Christ, for pardon of faults. Lastly, learne hence, that if the righteousnesse of the law hauing promise of life, do consist in doing thinges commanded, in all perfection; therefore Christ cannot be the end of the law for tighteousnes, vnlesse beside the passion of his death there be allowed vntounto beleeuers his actiue obedience and integrity of life, that in him wee may claime life, as well as escape death.