Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 7 · Dialogue 8
DIAL. VIII.
Verse 12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and that commandement is holy, and iust, and good.
Tim.
VVHat is the Sum of these words?
Silas.
A conclusion of the things said before, cō Cum lex neque gignit peccatn̄, ncque mortem, sed peccatum inhabitans, sequitur eam non essedamnandamcluding the Law not to be the cause of sinne, by a reason fetched from the property of the Law, thus: The Law is good and holy, therefore cannot be the cause of sin. For howsoeuer it doth detect & shew sin, and doth irritate & encrease it in naturall men, yet the fault is not in the law which is iust, but in our selues which abuse it. Nowe, whatsoeuer is the cause of sinne, must needes bee it selfe sinfull and vniust. Therefore a Law iust and holy, cannot beget sinne which is filthy.
Tim.
What Law and commandement doth he meane heere in this Text?
Silas.
He meaneth the morall Law deliuered by Moses vntounto the people; and by commaundement must bee meant that commandement which forbiddeth Lust, and condemnes it as sinne. The reason why hee mentioneth both Lawe and Commaundement, is to shew that these properties heere named, do agree to the whole Law, & to euerie part of it. For, if the Law be holy, it doeth follow necessarily, that eueryevery commandement is so; and on the contrary, if any one commandement bee holie, iust, and good, the whole law must be so. The reason why he singled out that commandement which forbids Lust, is because it needed clearing. And heereunto our Apostle borroweth these properties of the Law from Psal. 19, 7, 8 9. where it is written, that the Law of God is vndefiled, his testimonies pure, his iudgements righteous, &c.
Tim.
What is meant heere by holy, and in what respect is the Law called holy?
Sil.
By holy is meant that which is pure and vndefiledHoly. seucred from all pollution of falshood, lies, sins, and errors.Lex sancta, iusta, bona ratione authoris, & doctrine, & effectorum. Paraeus. To which purpose it is likened to filuer tried in the fire seauen times, Psa. 12. 6. and to the light of the Sunne, Ps. 119. The respects for which it is called holy bee fiue. First God the author of the law, is most holy. Secondly, it was published by the ministry of the holy Angels. Thirdly, Moses the penman, and the Prophets the interpreters of it were holy. 4. The matter holy, to wit, all duties to God or man. And lastly, the end it aimes at, is to make aThis effect is in the life to come. people holy to God. Therefore it must needs be holy.
Tim.
In what sence and respect is the Law called Iust and Good?
Silas.
It is called Iust, first, because it is righteous, hauingIust. in it no wrong or iniquity. Secondly, it teacheth iust things. Thirdly, it proceedeth from a iust God. 4. It is able to iustifie such as perfectly keepe it. Fiftly, it iustly denounceth death to them that break it. Also, it is calledGood. good: First, because it liketh, alloweth, and beareth with no euil. Secondly, it she weth vsus eueryevery good way which we are to walk. And lastly, it hath promises of many good things, both temporal and eternal; for this life and for a better.
Tim.
How else can ye fit these properties to the Law?
Silas.
Thus: It is holy, because holinesse towards God is taught in the first Table of the Law; Iust, because Iustice towards our Neighbor is taught in the second Table; and because the good and perfect way is taught in both the Tables; as also, God the chiefe good, who and what he is, and what he willeth.
Tim.
What is the vse and profit wee are to make vntounto our selues, from these properties of the Law?
Sil.
Verie many and manyfold. First, it sharply reproueth them which thinke or speake reproachfullie of the Doctrine of Gods Law. Secondly, it doth admonish vsus with delight, reuerence, and louelove to thinke and speake, to reade and heare it, beeing so highly praised of Gods owne mouth. Thirdly, it prooues the Scripture of the Law to bee inspired of God, whose Image it beares being like himself, in his most glorious properties. Fourthly,Deut 4, 8, 5. it commendeth to vsus, the great merciemercy of God, & sets forth the great dignity of his people, in hauing a Law so holy and iust giuen vntounto them. Fiftly, it encourageth all Christians to be verie studious in the Lawe, to learne it, and carefully to practise it, being a rule so right & pure. Sixtly, it bewrayeth what a filthy and foule thing sinne is, that is contrary vntounto so holy a Law. Seauenthly, it informes all men, that they ought to beare with, and to brooke the seuere Discipline of the Law, because it is good and iust. Eightly, heereby all men must be warned to stand with Gods Law against their dearest lustes, to condemne whatsoeuer the Lawe condemneth, and to praise whatsoeuer the law praiseth. Ninthly, here is a paterne for Teachers, how to frame their Doctrine, to see that it be holy, iust, and good; aswel as for hearers how to frame their conuersation, to look to it, that it be such as the Law is; for till it be such, it is neuer holy & iust. Tenthly, that wee must hauehave in honour and estimation, not onelyonly the word of the Law, but euerie portion of it, it being throughout like it selfe. Lastly, we see here what to iudge of the Gospell, namely, that it is a Doctrine ful of goodnesse, Iustice, and holinesse, woorthy of all louelove and obedience. For if the Law be holy, sure the Gospel is no lesse. For it is from the same Authour, penned by as holy instrumentes and Secretaries, containing matter most Diuine and holy, euen redemption by Christ; and not onelyonly tending vntounto, but seruing to make vsus holy, effecting it in vsus; being the power of God to saluation, & so to Sanctification, which is one part of Saluation, as Iustification is the other, which wee attaine by the Gospell onelyonly, Rom. 1, 16, 17.