A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 13
CHAP. 13.
Of the parts of Gods Word, and of the Couenant of workes in generall.
The parts of Gods word, are the doctrine or Couenant of
Workes, called the Law, of which in
Generall.
Speciall.
Chap. 14.
Grace, called the Goſpel. Ch. 27.
GAL. chap. 3. verſ. 17. to the 25.
17. And this I ſay that the couenant that was confirmed before of God in Chriſt, the Law which was foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after, cannot diſanull, that it ſhould make the promiſe of none effect.
18. For if the inheritance be of the Law; it is no more of promiſe: but God gaue it to Abraham by promiſe.
19. Wherefore then ſerueth the Law? it was added becauſe of tranſgreſſions, till the ſeed ſhould come, to whom the promiſe was made, and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator.
20. Now a Mediator is not a Mediator of one, but God is one.
21. Is the Law then againſt the promiſes of God? God forbid: for if there had been a Law giuen which could hauehave giuen life, verily righteouſneſſe ſhould hauehave been by the Law.
22. But the Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder ſinne, that the promiſe by faith of Ieſus Chriſt, might be giuen to them that beleeue.
23. But before faith came, we were kept vnderunder the Law, ſhut vp vntounto the faith, which ſhould afterwards be reuealed.
24. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolemaster to bring vsus vntounto Chriſt, that we might be iuſtified by faith.
25. But after that faith is come, we are no longer vnderunder a Schoolemaſter.
Q. HItherto wee hauehave heard of the Doctrine of the Scriptures what they are, and what are the cauſes, properties, and effects of them; as being they, from whom onelyonly all Doctrine concerning our ſaluation, is to bee drawne and deriued: What are the parts of that Doctrine?
A. Either the doctrine of workes, commonly called the Law: or of Grace, called the Promiſe; and ſince the comming of Chriſt, the Goſpell, as appeareth by this Scripture.
Q. VVhat is the drift of this Scripture?
A. It ſheweth two waies of recouering happines; the one by the workes of the Law, the other by faith in the promiſe of grace: and that the Law is not that way, whereby we can receiue the Happineſſe we hauehave loſt.
Q. How is that ſhewed?
A. For that the promiſe of grace, whereby Abraham was iuſtified, was 430. yeeres before the Law; and therefore that the Law which commeth after, cannot make void the Couenant of Grace; which it ſhould doe, if a man were iuſtified by the Law.
Q. But it may be ſaid, that the Iuſtification by Workes of the Law, doth not make void the Promiſe of Grace, when as the matter is ſo handled, as Saluation commeth in part by the Workes of the Law.
A. Yes verily, it is made void notwithſtanding: for if Saluation were before the Law was, onelyonly by Grace; and now ſhould be by Works and Grace: then the promiſe giuen to Abraham, of Grace onelyonly, ſhould bee made void. And therefore the Apoſtle in the 18. verſe doth ſhew, that if it bee of the Law, it cannot bee by the promiſe of Grace. Yea the Law is ſo farre from bringing ſaluation, that through the corruption of our nature, it encreaſeth ſinne in vsus.
Then it ſhould ſeeme that there is no vſe of the Law, ſeeing it doth not iustifie vsus, either in all, or in part?
A. Not ſo: for it was giuen to ſhew and diſcouer ſinne, and in that regard to terrifie and affright vsus, and driue vsus from all confidence in our ſelues: as alſo to ſerue as a rule, whereby wee are to direct and amend our liues.
Q. How is that ſhewed?
A. 1. By the teſtimony of the Apoſtle, ſaying, that by the Law commeth the knowledge of ſinne. 2. By the Rom. 3. 20.manner of the giuing, which was with ſuch terror of thunder, lightnings, and ſmoke, and fearfull ſound of the trumpet, as the people could not abide the voice of God: but were faine to deſire that they might not heare the ſame, but that Moſes might bee a Mediator to receiue the Law from Gods mouth, and that they might receiue it from him.
Q. VVhat obſerue you from that?
A. That the Law is terrible vntounto vsus, by reaſon of the guilt of our ſins; and that it driueth vsus to ſeeke for a Mediator, which is Chriſt alone, who is heere figured in the Mediation of Moſes.
Q. If the promiſe of Grace take away ſinne, and the Law encreaſe ſinne; if it take away the conſcience of ſinne, and this doth cauſe a conſcience and remorſe of ſinne; it ſeemeth that the Law is contrary to the promiſe of Grace.
A. Not a whit: for the Law would alſo take away ſinne, and the conſcience of ſin, if any man were able perfectly to obſerue it; for the Law of it ſelfe cauſeth no ſinne, but onelyonly by accident, by reaſon of our corruption: Rom. 8. 3.otherwiſe it is a furtherance to the Saluation which is by Grace.
Q. Tell vsus then how the Law ſerueth, to the helping forward to the Iuſtification, which is by the free Grace of God?
A. The Law ſhutteth all men, & all that is of man, vnderunder Sinne: not to this end that they ſhould periſh, but contrariwiſe that they might bee ſaued, that beleeue.
Q. Make that more plaine.
A. The Apoſtle compareth the Law to a Iuſtice of Peace, or a Sergeant which arreſteth ſuch as tranſgreſſe Gal. 3. 23.the ſame, and laieth them in priſon; not that they ſhould periſh there, with hunger, cold, or other annoyances of the priſon: but that when they feele their miſerie, and diſcerne, that of themſelues, and by their owne deſerts they cannot get out of it, they ſhould thereby be moued the more earneſtly, to ſeeke after the free pardon and grace of the Prince. And therefore it is not contrary to the promiſe of grace, but a ſpeciall helpe towards the obtaining thereof.
Q. How is this further cleared.
A. By this, that the Apoſtle compareth the Law to Gal. 3. 23.a Garriſon, which is ſet in a towne, to keepe ſuch Inhabitants thereof in awe and ſeruitude, as hauehave not loyally-affected mindes to their Prince; to the end, that in time, they comming to a iuſt and dutifull obedience, may be freed from the awe and ſeruitude of the Garriſon.
Q How elſe?
A. It is compared to a Tutor, or Guardian. For as Gal. 3. 24.hee keepeth the child that is vnderunder age ſtraitly, by meanes whereof he hath a deſire to bee out of his nonage, and to enioy the liberty of a ſonne: ſo after the Gal. 4. 2.ſame manner, the Law, through the terrour and ſeueritie thereof, moueth vsus with the more ardent deſire to ſeeke after Chriſt. Moreouer, as a Tutor or Vſher directeth the ſteps of the child, and inſtructeth him in ſuch courſes of life, by which hee is afterwards to liue: ſo the Law, after it hath brought vsus to Chriſt, directeth vsus in the way wee hauehave to walke in this life, to life euerlaſting: ſo that it hath two notable and worthie effects; one as a ſpurre to chaſe vsus vntounto Chriſt, the other as a light to direct and teach vsus how to walke, when wee are come vntounto him. Laſtly, as a Tutor, it humbleth vsus, whiles by means therof we vnderſtand, how farre wee are from fulfilling the ſame; and conſequently, how vnable wee are by the workes of the Law, (which alone are good works) to free our ſelues from the curſe of the Law.