Church Postil (sermons on the Gospel & Epistle lessons)

aticl before the Gospel was preached, ihroiigli which chiiclreii exist, uotliiiig but the hxw was preached, which uiakes nothing- but servants through its works. Tiie Gospel being preached now, we have no need for the servant-maker, the law;; all who Avei^ ])reviously servants like-Cain, through tlie law and its works, become pious and hapi>y, through faith, without Avorks. Eor tliis reason, to say, sei vant« no longer exist, but children, is <'qmvaleiit to saying that no servile doctrine is to be preached and inculcated now; so that we may become, children, not servants. TJiat is, nothing but faith and the Gospel are to be preached and to be our doctrine. This im])arts the Spirit, teaches us to coniide in God, and to serve our iiei^hbor. In this wav all the law is fulfilled.

Thus he calls the Galatians away irom the teachers who had led theiii back again to the law and its v\ orks; like the Pox)e with his foolish laws, Ihrough bishops, lu'iests, and monks, has now, yes long- since, misled the ])eople, and exterminated the Christain faith; — a thing which was foretold in the Scriptures concerning- tli at.Inti-christ. For this reason, whoever desires to be saved, should shun him and all his adherents, and all ecclesiastical orders, as he Avould Lucifer's ^>wu. servants and apostles.

Bat before faith came, we were keyt imdcr the law, shot up unto the faith vhich should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore the law was onr schoolnaster to brin^ us unto Christ, that we Might be Justified by faith.

But after that faith is come, we are oo longer under a school-master.

For ye are the children of €od by faith la Christ Jesus.

For ag many of you as have been bap-

, tized into Christ, have put on Christ. I There is neither Jew nor Greek, there I is neither bond nor free, there is neither. male nor female: for ye are all one in! Christ Jesus.

j And If ye be Christ's, thrn arc ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the! promise.

TiiivS, too, is really a Pauline epistle concerning- faith, written iu opposition to works, and, from the epistle next preceding, is easy to be understood. V\ hat is said there iu reference to the servant, should be undcj— stood here, also, in refeience to the piipii. For, these two illustrations, St. Paul introduces to teach us what th e 1 a w does, a nd wl i at i t profits. VV'c must, therefore, speak again of the law and its works; Aiz., that these works are twofold: some are extorted by punishment, or excited by the expectation of reward or gain 5 others are done freely and spontaneously, witliout the fear of punishment and the expectation of reward, from jmre kindness, and a desire for that which is good. The Jirst are the works of serv^its and pupils; the second are the works of a ciiild and of free heirs.

For a youth under a tutor, Cioea not what he desires, but, through tear of the rod, does what his nmster desires; and, whilst under the control of his master, no one can know his rea.1 character. But if he Avere free, his true character would appear; he would manifest the disposition of his imture, and the works Avlrich he Avould do, would be his own. The works, therefore, which he must perfoini through such lestraint and coercion, are not really ids own A\'orks, but rather tlie works of the tutor who extorts and forces them iiom him. For, were he not under the control of the tutor, he would not do any of these works, but the reverse.

In this plain, but well adapted example, St. Paul presents the i)rovince of the law, and the power of free will or nature together, so cleaily that they could not be more clearly i\\\\^-

trated; and from this every one may learn the meaniiio', end, and operation of tlie law, as well as the power and conduct of nature.

For, in this youtli we perceive a twofoUl elfect: first, through this fear and constraint of his tutor, he is preserved from many evils into wliicli he v.'ouhl other \vise fall, and indulge in a wicked and licentious life, becoming entirely dissolute; secondly, his heart is IXWed with more hatred towards his tutor Avho curbs his will; and his condition is as follows: the greater his external restraint from evil, the greater his internal hatred towards the one who restrains him; so that as, on the one hand, sin decreases externally, on the other, it increases internall^^ This we perceive also in ex})Orience, that j^ouths who are most strenuously reared, are, when free, much worse than those Avhose rearing has not been so rigid. Ho impossible is it to help nature with commandments and punishments. Something cise is required.

Thus too, as long as any one is in a state of nature, • and (h^stitute of gra(*e, he does not what he desires, bnt he must do what the lav\', his tutor, re(piires. And all nuist confess that, were it not for hell, anci the ])unishment of the law, no one would do good. Therefore, because such works are not the works of a free spirit, they are not his, but they are the works of the coercive and restraining law; so that the Apostle may well pronounce such works, not our works, but the idyrlss of the law, because that which we do contrary to our will, is not our work, but the work of liim who constrains us.

Tims, if some one would take my hand by force, and with it slay any one, or give alms to an indigent person, this work would not l)e miiu', altliough my haml did it, but that of him who forced it thereto; this work w(mld, therefore, neither injure nor inTielit me tho least. Thus, also, the works of the law make no one pious, notwithstanding they are done by us. Vov our will fTerforms thcMn merely through fear of the punishment of the Ui w J it would mwh vatUor <}^. otlner^ wise, if the coercive and menacing law did not constrain it; therefore, they are not our works. Now, every one must be saved through his own act.

If, moreover, any one, not through fear of punishment, as he might perhaps imagine, i^erforms such works, he does them, nevertheless, on account of the promises and allurements of the law. This is as bad and wrong in deed, or worse than the other; just as if heaven were not promised; as if it were known that all must be done gratuitously, it would not be done at all. These works are^ therefore, in like manner, not our own, but the works of the law and its allurements or incitations arising from the promise of favors and rewards. These works are more dangerous, and difficult to i)erceive, than the former, as they are more subtile and much more in conformity Avith free, spontaneous, genuine works.

l^ut in tribulation, they will appear in their true clmracter, when they arerejected, and a gratuitous x>ei'^ormance of them is required, uninfluenced by the pursuit of reward, alone to the honor of God and for the benefit of our neighbor; here nature lies prostrativ and impotent; here it will be found that she does im gooid work of her own, but merely extraneous works of the law; precisely as an irrational creature runs and labors, through fear of the lash, or for the sake of its food. How many i)ious people of honorable character, do you think, would now exist, if shame, punishment, hell, or heaven, were not before their eyes t Kot one. Good order is preserved through fear of x)unishment or the expectation of gain. Hence these are all false and deceptive works, as the Scripture declares: ''All men are liars and vain." Ps. 39, 7, Ps. 116, 11.

Thus, we perceive in all persons these two effects: First, by their tu tor, the law, they are secured against a shameful and dissolute course of conduct, and, kept in the discipline of these works of the law, they sustain an honorable life externally; secondly, in their hearts, they really become enemies to the law and its punishlAcntHj aud the more pressing tho

cbastisement, the greater their hatred. Who is not an enemy to death and hell 1 But what else is this, but to be an enemy to the law which imposes such chastisement V But what else is it, to be an enemy to the law, but to be an enemy to righteousness f But what else is it, to be an enemy to righteousness, but to be an enemy to (xod himself? Is it not concluded here, that we are not oidy unjust, but also hate righteousness, love sin, and are enemies to God, from our whole heart, no matter how beautiful and honorable our external conduct may aj)})ear in our works.

Now, indeed, Oml desires to be loved with the whole heart, as the commandment, Deut. 6, 5, reads: **Thou shnlt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,'' &c., and that all our good works should really be our own, and tliose of the tutor, the law, of death or hell, or of heaven; that is, tliat we should not i)erforni them through fear of death or hell, or for the sake of enjoying heaven, but through a free spirit, a desire and love for righteousness; for he that does a good work through fear of death or hell, does it not to the honor of God, but through fear of deatli and hell, and it is a work of death and hell; for these have extorted it from him, and on their account alone he does it, otherwise he would not have done it. He, theiefore, remains a servant and slave of death and hell, with all such works; but if he remains a servant of death and hell, he must also die and be condemned, and the proverb, '' He that fears hell, will go therein;" again, "Trembling will not deliver from death," applies to him.

But say you: "What will result from this? Who then can be saved? W^ho is without trembling and the fear of death and hell? Who does his works, or leads an honorable life, without such fear f" 1 answer: Aye! yv'ho then that is tilled with such fear and a hatred of God's law and righteousness, loves God? AThere then is nature f Where then is free will? Btill you will not believe how necessary the grace of God is; still you will not admit that the conduct of all men is sinful, false, and deceptive; still you cannot be persuaded that works do not nuike any one jnous.

Here you i^erceive indeed the necessity and advantage of the law, and God's design in it, namely, these two objects: first^ to pieserve discipline among us and to impel us to an honorable life externally, so that we may live among each other, and not devour one another; which would be the c^se, \sGve there no law, no fear, no punishment, as it was formerly among certain heathens. For these I'easons God did not abolish the secular sword, in the Xew Testament dispensation; nay, he established it, although he did not use it; and it m not ne(;essary for his followers, but, to constrain impertinent and dissolute conduct, and to enable i^ersons to live among each other in peace, to maintain themselves, and to rear their families. Otherwise, all countries would become dissolute, over-run with murderers and robbers; no woman or child would remain un violated; but by the sword and the law, they are preserved in, and impelled to, a quiet, peaceable, and honorable life. Through these, however, they do not become pious,— their heart is not ameliorated. Their hands oidy, art* constrained and bound, and thes** works, or this righteousness, are not their own, but those of the sword which extorts these works from them, and which through its x^tinishment and the fear which it inspires, produces these results in them.

Thus, too, God's law urges and impels us, through fear of death and hell, to forsake many evils, and, like a tutor, keeps us in an honorable life externally. But by this, before God, no one becomes i)ious Deiore uoci, — the heart still remains an enemy to this tutor, hates his chastisements, and would rather be free.

Secondly, God's design in the law^ is tlms to enable man, through it, to know himself; to perceive how fa\fw and unjust his heart is; how far h*» is still from God; how entirely im potent his nature is; to disdain tb* honesty of hi8 pwn conduct, and t» perceive that it is nothing in comparison to that which belongs to the fnltillinent of the law; autl thus to be huaibled j to come to the cross; to sigh after Christ; to long for his grace; to despair of himself; to x)lace all his consolation in Christ, who wili then give him another spirit, and so that he will no longer fear death and hell, iio longer look for life or heaven, being freely devoted to the law, will live in reference to it with a good, secure conscience, in the hour of death and during the whole course of his life, equally unintluenced by the fear o*f death and the hope of heaven, or of any thing else. For thus says tiie Epistle, lleb. 2, 15: '' And delivered them, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subjecjt to bondage." By this he shows clearly enough. Indeed, that vv^e must be without fear of deatli, and all who live in fear of death, are servants, and will not be saved. Now, neither nature nor law can liberate us from this fear, is'^ay, it increases that fear. C'hrist alone has liberated us from it: and if we believe in liim, he will give us that free, undaunted spirit which fears neither death nor lieil, which Ibves neither life nor heaven, but freely and joyfully serves God.

Hence, we perceive, first, how dangerous are the doetrines which, through commandments and laws, urge a person to believe tliat he must become pious through tlcese^ For in tills way he is only separated further from God, from Christ,, yea, from th^e law and all. righteousnesSo. These doctrines, thus- incul@ate<i, have no other effects, but that of rendering his conscience perpetually more feai'- ftil, timid, dispirited, and wretched, and of teaching him continually, to tear death and hell al^^ne, until ultimately his heart is fflled with nothing but despair, so that in any aspect he must be the niai-tyr of Mie devil.

Secondly, we see that there is a threetbld use of the law,, cm? that per^ sons act in a> threefold manner in reference to it. First, some disregard it wholly and entirely, and, in opposl- Jaoikto it, imi)udewtly lead-adissokisfe*' life. To these it is even as if it were not a law. Secondly, some, by mean* of the law, abstain from such a course of cx)nduct, and are kept in an honorable life; thus they live externally within the discipline of the law, but internally they are enemies to the tutor, — all their actions proceed from fear of death and hell. Hence,- tbe;f keep the law only externally; yea, tli*> law keeps tliem externally; inwardly they do not keep it, nor are they kept by it. Thirdly, others keep it outwardly and inwardly; these are the tables of Moses in whom they ar# WTitten outwardly and inwardly by the finger of God himself.

Now, as those of the fi.rst class are pious neither externally nor- internal^ ly; so those of the second, are pioin* only externally and not in their hearts. Bat those of the third, are* thoroughlv pious. In reference to this, St. Paul, 1 Tim. 1, 8, 9, says,: " But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully." How thei*; is it lawfully used? Answer: ^'The law is not made for the righteous man, but for the lawless." What is indicated by this? Nothing else but that whoever wishes to preach th« law rightfully, must observe thesothree distinctions: he must not by any means preach the law to the third; cla^s, as if they should become ])ious., through it; fortius were i)erversion.. But to the first class, it should b« preached. For these it is ijistituted. that they may foa?sake their dissolute life, and permit themselves to be pre served under the tutor. But it is not enough for them to be thus preserved, and kept by the law; they must learii in return, to keep the law. Hese, then, over and above the law, the* Gos^l^el must be piseaehed^ through which the grace of Christ, to keep the:- law, is given. Hence, there is quitt* a wide difference between observing or keeping the- law,, and being preserved or kept: by it. The first neither keep it, nov are- kept by. it;: the seconcif: at-e kept by it; the third keep it.

These three modes relative to theuse of the law, are prefii^ured througk; Mosesi. Flast,. -wlieru he broke tlui

tables, when the Jews worshiped the gohleii calf, Exod. 32, LO. The breaking of these tables and their not reaching the i^eople, point out the first class, who do Do»t receive the law at all, but break it. Secondly, when he brought other tables- which reached the people, but his^ face shoBe so bright, that Aaron and the i)eople of Israel, could not endure the brightaess and rays of his face; he had. to ^ang a veil over it, when he mshed to speak to them, >]xod. 34, 30, 33. This indicates the second class, wIlo receive tlje law, but keep it only extjeritally: interLiall^' it is too Imght for thein, and tliey are afraid of it.

Tlierefoi'e,. hypocrite*, make for themselves^ a- ^eil, as St. I^ml explains it, 2 Cor. 3, 13, 14, 15, wkicri-is the arrogaiK^e of their works and external rigliteoiisness; they will not kK>k the law riglit in the face, and perceive how futile sucli a righteousness is. Thus, as St. Paid says, '^Even unto this day, * * * the veil is u[)on. their lieart.

Tlius^.toOj. Mi>ses le^jis^. the people no further tlirrit tt>. the Jordan, and slays two kings only, Sihon and Og, and divides the land to only two tj^bes.and.a half of the race of Israel. By this^ i5> indicated tlie- lialt^rigliteousness, the little insignificant, outward righteousness. And yea, here, in the wilderness^ of Moab, Moses dies. No further can the law ajssist.

Joshua^comes afterwaads^^a:^! leads th(* whole multitude tlu'ough the Jordan dry, into the coiijitiy. Ilere there is no Moses, no law, bnt Joshua, Christ, who leads through; faith, and fulfills all that was coninianded by Moses. These are those to wlio4n no kvw is given, 3i5. SL Paul saysy and who become pious^ notthrougliiWrn^ks,. but through grace -^ that is, tlMMse wha do good, not tlumigh ct^n^traint ol"; tlie law. Here there is m> Moses.. From all this, St. Paul, T, thank, should be- easily, miderstood in. tMs Epistle; let- tas amr take- it imo^ com >4ideration..

" But before faith carue, we werekept nnder the law, shut; up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."

He does not saj;, before faitK came,.

we were pions and kept the law: but on the contrary, the law kept us, and under it, we were locked up and pre served, so that we might not rush boldly and independently to the com mission of our wickedness; yet thi# did not render us really pious. Thift locking-up and preservation however, were not designed to cause us to remain in this condition; but it wais directed to the faith which was after - wards to be revealed, so that it might liberate and make us free 5 not in or der to do evil, on account of whicli the law shut us up; but free in order to do. good to which the law imi)elle<l us. Tlirough this locking-up, wt^ should learn to desire his faith, and to x)erceive our evil-disposed nature; fta: this liberation is spiiitual, and liberates only the heart.

Thus if some one had you confine-d in a ])risoii, in which you were vei-y unwilling;^ to- remain, you might be release<l from it in two ways. First. physically, he miglit destroy the prison and make you personally free letting^ you go wherever you might desire. Secondly, he might render you, mentally free, by many bles&ingSvis^poir you in, this prisoB,. ligiiting it up and making- it roomy, ancL exceedingly pleasant, adoriiiii-g it- in the richest manner, so that no kingly palace, no kingdom, would be so desirable; and by so subduing and changing the disposition of your mind, that you would not for all the possessions of the world, be removed from it, but praji^ that it might be preserved, so that you nnght contimie in it j which woFiltl' no longjer be a prison to youi. but would' llave become a paradise.. Tell me, which liberation would be the better? Would not the latter be preferable? For^ by the former, you: w^ould remain; a beggar as before;.. but. here the disposition of your mind: would be:^ee,, and you would be in possession of all tha^t you miglit dosire. Behold! thus Ollrist has in like manner liberated us from the law spitittially.. Be did not abrogate and ' destroy tile law, but our heart, which! was before unwillingly und^r it, he so. cliangedj he did so much good; andj i^ndered the law bo lovely, thM tlj^^

hi?art delights and rejoieeli in nothing nmrci th^in in the hiw. It Avould not willingly have one tittle to fall from it. Now, as he in the prison renders for himself the prison narrow and oppressive, by his unAvillingness; so, too, we. are enemies to the law, and it is disagreeable to us, because, by it, in our unwillingness, we are shut up from evil, and are iuipelled to good.

In this manner, the Apostle beautifullj' comprises in these words, both the ti-uit and the use of the law. For, were I to ask: '' For what i)urpose is the law good f ' He answers: " It is true, it does not make tis pious, but it increases our sins, au<l iiu;ites our uatul'8 by it^ commands and i^rohibitions; yet it has two offices. First, it locks" us up and secures us, so that wte may not break out with violence, and falHnto the danger of an open, shameless life, as tliose do, who will not be locked up and secured by it; so that it is for this reason much better that there be a law, than that there be no law. For who could otherwise withstand the encroaclunents of others; Thus, too, St. Paul says, Kom. 13, 4, the secular sword is borne as a terror, not for the pious but for evil-doers.

Secondly, this locking- up conducts to a future faith, by its causing man to i)erceive his wickedness, and his distaste for that which is good, teaching him to knoAV himself, and humbly confess his evil nature, acknoAvledge its guilt, and desire the grace of God, which does not abrogate the laAV, — which he, indeed, sees to be right and good and holy, but produces another heart in him, which loves this very good and holy law. Behold! this is the true meaning and best use of the law. It is, therefore, truly necessary that the law exist, to bring man thus to know himself and to implore the grace of God.

Here a contention arises, however, between true and false saints. False saints will not use the law any further than according to the first mode. Through this locking- up and preservation, they presume themselveiS already pious; nor will they learn from it, to perceive their wicked nature.

They imagine that nature is good ift itself, and that they naturally, indeed^ can love the law. This, true saintn deny; nor, indeed, is it true. According with the M ord of God, the ex perience of every one declares other wise. And he that will not deny oi' dissemble, must confess that, naturally, he has no delight in the law of God, much less in the punislUnent of sins, in death and hell, presented by the law.

This great, this deep, and abominable filth of their hearts, they excuse^ and cover with the fig-leaves of their own works in the law — even as Adam and Eve covered their shame~~-bnt b^ this covering it became nothing bet^ ter in reality. Thus, too, by work* and self-justification in the law, n« one becomes better, but worse* On account of this filth, Christ rejected and dispersed the synagogues.

Thus it is clear, then, to whom Paul addresses these words; namely, to the self righteous, who wish to become pious through the law and its works, and consifler the first use of the law sufficient to render them pious. From this arises a class, who might be styled Absalom-ites. For, as Absalom remained hanging by his own head, between heaven and earth, in an oak tree, 2 Sam. 18, 0; so these also hang between heaven and earth. For, by this locking: up of the law, they do not touch the earth; that is, they do not what their evil natur«» ardently desires. On the other hand, whilst the law does not make their nature any better, but only irritates and provokes it, so that they become enemies to the law, they are not i)ious, and likewise do not attain heaven.

Even as Zechariah, 5, 9, saw two women who carried an epha bet^veeIi heaven and earth, to Babylon, and a woman sat in the vessel, who is called ImpietaH, unbelief or ungodliness. This A'essel or epha is the people of such holiness, vacillating between open vice and true piety. Therefore, Impietas, unbelief, is sitting in it. — The two women who carried it between heaven and earth, are fear and le ward; for, through the fearof puniskment, or the quest of reward, they ^ wll tlicir works. These two elevate, conduct, and keep them in their holiness; henee he also says these two Moiiieii hiul \\ings like a stork or a vulture.

Wiuo's, in the Scriptui'es, signify oral preaching', because speech flies ftind'iu()ves.swiftly. Xow^ these saints preach about nothin^4»' but fear and reward; they wish to make' people pious, merely through terror and allurenient; they only make thcni worse; so that they really beeohie greater eneniies to the law, in con^seguence of its terrors; and, on aceoiiiit of (its allureiiients, are only nioi-e desirous to accomplish their own designs, than they were before. Tlierefoi-e, these false saints are really nothing" else- but the wings of the stork or vulture, which devour the chickens, and ruuixler the:^ouls. J)Ut, the true saints renuiin not in the iuiddle between heaven and earth. They hear the terrors and enticenicnts of the law, too, iiuleed, but they perceive iu themselves that they regard the terror and enticement more than the law, and thus they see that, in truth, they are neither pure nor righteous; tliey fail down, confess, and exclaim, grace, grace. Lord God; to these Christ comes, and brings them true liberty through his Spirit, so that they be<'ome entirely heaverdy.

Behold, this is being' preserved and locked up under the law, unto the future faith. In this nmnner, prior to the faith, not only the Jews were locked up, but also those are locked up, who now and at any time, are endeavoring to become ])ious through the works, the threats, terrors, or rewards of the law. These, if not directed to the faith, oi* if the faith does not tinally come, and is not niade known to them, must render them worse, and they will ultimately fall into despair or obdurate presum[)tion, beyond the reach of help. So (hingerous is it, not to use the law ccn^- rectlv, so as to arrive at the faith by it.

*' Whercforo tho law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we iijight be justified by faith."

Observe what is said here: i^To one is justified by the law and its w^orks.

For, if we 'Could jbe justified liy the law, faith would be unnecessary', and that which St. Pa:ulsays here,-!-" We are justified by faith,'^^— woiild be false. In justification,(, faitlt and w orks e xclude eaeh other entii»ly. I f you ascribe justification- ito faith, you must not attribute it to works,4to the law, and nature. If you ascrile it U> w orks, you nuist^ not attribute it U) taith. The one must be tnieaiul the other false; both cannot be true at the same time. Hence, the poWer and virtue of the law must be n» other than that of making- sinners,* or of letting them remain vsinneis.« That which does not justify, ceTtainly makes sinners, or lets them remaiii sinners. I)ut, since the Uuv, moreover, is occupied with sins and sinners, it nuist do something more with them, than merely to let them remain sinners. What kind of au occupation would til at be, which lias nc> effect upou things, upon which it operates If

What\, then, can the law 'accouiidish, if it neither justifies rs, nor nudvcs us better, nor leaves us' where it finds us? Its i>rovince must be wonderful, as it neither justifies nor leaves the sinner where it fin^s him. It necessarily follows, therefoiie, that it must magnify the sins,. as St. Paul, Kom. 5, 20, says: "Moreover the law entered that the oifence might abound." This, as already said, occurs in consequence of its locking up the sinner, and of its preserving his hands from a life of open wickedness, ■ and of its awa'kening in his heart only a greater hatred and aversion to the law. Even as a pupil becomes mor(^ indignant, the more he is chastised, a!id the more his will is interdicted by his tutor; which hatred and aversion are nothing else than an in crease of his evil will, which was foybidden; and they would never have arisen, had his wiU not met with 0]>- position.

Thus, before the introduction of the law, man, or his evil nature, sins merely of himself, without thinking of the law. But, after the law is introduced, and constrains and threatens him, then his nature is irritated and becomes averse to the law, and E2 t begins not only to love sin, but also jfco bate righteousness. Behold, this 18 the province of the law in the sinner^ and with sins, "fhis, St. Paul oalte increasing sins by the law, much less that anj^ one should be justified by it. But happy is he that perceives imd understands this; for the selfrighteous do not understand it at all; they attribute no such wickedness or hatred of the law to nature; they find much good in, it. Hence they understand not a syllable in St. Paul, who Bever speaks otherwise of the law; and if we would truly confess it, we find it thus in our hearts. -;^, He also says, "unto Christ," or "until Christ," is the law our schoolmaster,.so that no one may embrace any other faith than that in Christ. The jaw impels us to Abraham's seed, Christ, on whom all saints from the beginning have believed; as is stated in tiie preceding Epistle. Therefore it is not enough for the Jews and iTurks, to believe in God who created heaven and earth: he that does not believe in Christ does likewise not believe in God. And were it even true that Christ is not God, (which is impossible,) yet those who do not be- {ieve in Christ, do not believe in God; for God has promised his grace in Abraham's seed. I^ow, this seed is Christ, as the Jews, the Turks, and all the world acknowledge. He, therefore, that does not believe Christ, does also not believe the jw'omises of God; therefore he also does not believe in that God who created heaven and earth; since no other God has given the x)romise to Abraham, and since in no other seed of Abraham's name, but in that of Christ alone, are the blessing and faith gone forth and preached, in all the world.

Out of Christ, therefore, there is no blessing nor justification, in view either of the law, or of any belief. God will keep his promise made to Abraham, to bless all the world in his seed, and not in that of any other; he will, therefore, not establish the new and peculiar faith of any one, and yield pr recall his i)romise. Therefore, faith in Christ justifies, as Paul, Pom. XQj 4, says: ^^ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to erery one ^ that believeth." What does this imply? Nothing else but that all those who believe in Christ, are justified^ and receive his spint and grac& through faith. Here will be the endi of the law, because they are no longer under the law; and this is the ultimate meaning of the law, as f<)Wows:

" But after that faith is come, we are uo longer under a schoolmaster."

Although, from the preceding, it is easy enough to understand what is meant by being under the law or under a tutor; yet, since this doctrine and expression have gone entirely owt of use, enough cannot be said abonjt it. To be under a tutor or the law, is, briefly, to be a dissembler, to do^ many good works, and yet, not to be pious; to lead a good life, and nevep to be righteous; ever to teach and to preach, and never to learn or understand anything. The reason is, bes cause all these are of such a character as not to do good from a free will and tlirough love, or without fear of punishment or pursuit of reward. Therefore, they are servants, driven by the law, and the law ever continues to rule and to drive them, and thus they ever remain its debtors and subjects..

For the law demands a joyful, free^ and cheerful will. This they have not; nor can they have it of themselves: faith in Christ alone produce* it. Wherever this exists, there the law ceases its demands, it is satisfied^ an<l fulfilled. The pupil is now able to accomplish what his tutor required kim to do and know; he therefore dismisses him and demands nothing more; and is no longer his tutor, but^ his good friend and companion.

In this manner, faith liberates u* from the law, not x^hysicallj', so that we move in one direction and the law in another, and are so separated as ■ no longer to be under it; but so that ' its demands are satisfied through us; so that \\(d know and have what it desired us to know and have; namely, the Holy Spirit, who causes us to love the law. For, it did not desire works, nor would it be satisfied with them. It desired us to love it, and to satisfy it with love. Without love it would

'Hot release us, nor be remunerated; ■Hiid destitute of love, with all our irdrks^ we must tbus remain its debtors, and our conscience have no peace for it; it chastises us. continually, as sinners and transgreissors, and it threatens us with death and hell, until Christ come and give us his Spirit and love, through faith preached in the Gospel. Here, we are freed from the law, so that it no longer demands, no longer ehastiises, letting the conscience rest; no more terrifying with death and hell, but has become our kind friend »nd companion.

Now, as the withdrawal of the tutor from the pupil^ is not such as would be effected by his death or departure; but it is a withdrawal of his controlling influence, be«ause an effect has been produced in the pupil, by which he is enabled to accomplish what the father desired him to accomplish through the tutor; so, too, the law withdraws from us, not by ceasing to exist, or by being abrogated, but spiritually, because a change has l)een brought about in us, and we have what God desired \i» to have through the law.

Therefore, I have said tfeat this, figtire concerning the pupil and tut««, is a beautiful, brilliant illustration, by which we may property understand the law, and grace in us. For, tbe iirst use of the law, in which it locks up, and produces external piety, is so deeply established, and enforced by all teachers and writers, and conforms, besides, so nearly with human nature, that it is very difficult to understand its second use, in whic];i it magnifies sins internally; hence, I may well compare it to a pair of scales, of which one scale is empty and the other is full.

In this manner, the law,, when it causes external piety, increases sin internally; it imposes as much ii«ternally, through hatred and unwilliagness, as it removes externally, in works, and much more; so that Bt. Paul, Tlom. 7, 23y says, that, through the law sin becomes exceedingly siiiful, — beyond nteasure. All of whiclb the exi)erience of every one must confess.

'•• For ye are all tbe cbildreo of God by faith in Christ JeSus.**

Whoever is uis^r the law, and. works unc?heerfu1ly, is a servant, as the preceding Epistle declares; but, whoever has faith, and works cheerfully, is a child; for he has received the Spirit of Got* through Christ. But the Apostle refers to Christ, and indicates such a faith as believes and abides in Jesus Christ j so that no other faith is sufficient send right, let a person believe in Ged as he will.

There are some, e^!>ecially amonjr say: **The forgiveness of sins and) justification depend wholly an^ entirely upon the di^febB lEQ^tttatiion of grace; that is, on Ctod^ sioigutation ^ so that it is suffici^at. Moz to whom God imputes sins^ or deesrnot imputethem, is thereby justified, or not justified from sin, as Ps. 82, 2, and Eom^ 4, 7, 8, as they imagine, read,, wltereit is said; "Blessed is the mam t-owhom the Lord will not impute' aia.'^

Were this tnie, the whole ISew Testament would be vain and fistsle;^- Christ would have labored foolishly and uselessly, in siiffering f#r sin;— aiid God himself would hav(ii^p«Tfbrmed a mere mockery and deception without any need; because he might well ha\'e forgiven, and w^t impurtetJ sins, without the suftferiB»«^ of Christ j and thus, too, another faith, iiKleed, besides that in Chri'St, might have" justified and saved: viz., that which ^Yould have relied on such graciou* roercy of God, that sins would not be? imputed.

Contrary to this abominable, dreadful opinion and error, the holy Ai)ostleis accustomed always to refer to. faith in Jesus Christ, and mentions' Jesias Christ so frequently that it i» astonishing to an individual who i* iinaequainted with this important matter. Indeed, every second word,. ^as it is said.) in the Epistles of St. Paul, is Jesus Christ; and these pagan d(x;tors have so maliciously extlr])ated and silenced it for us,, by their abomiimble and hellish dreams of such p€rrer»k)n^

Likewise, our learned doctors, therefore, in the universities,, no loiiger kfiiow what Cbrist is,, or the im-