Commentary on Galatians

To this purpose serveth that place in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians, concerning the covered face of Moses, where Paul, out of the history of the thirty-fourth chapter of Exodus, sheweth that the cliildren of Israe]^ not only did not know, but also could not abide the true and spiritual use of the law; first, for that they could not look unto the end of the law, (saith Paul) because of the veil Avhich Moses put upon his face. Again, they could not look upon the face of Moses, being Jbare and uncovered, for the glory of his countenance. For when Moses went about to talk with them, he covered his face with a veil, without which they could not bear his talk; that is, they could not hear Moses himself, their mediator, unless he had set another mediator between, that is to say, the veil. How, then, should they hear the voice of God, or of an angel, when they could not hear the voice of Moses, being but a man, vea, and also their mediator, except his face had been covered? Therefore, except the blessed seed come to raise up and comfort him which hath heard the law, he perishcth through desperation, in detesting of the law, in hating and blaspheming of God, and daily more and more offending against God. For this fear and confusion of conscience which the law bringeth, the deeper it pierceth, and the longer it continueth, the more it increaseth hatred and blasphemy against God.

This history therefore teacheth what is the power of free-will. The people are stricken with fear, they tremble, and they fly back. Where is now free-will? Where is now that good-will, that good intent, that right judgment of reason, which the Papists do so much brag of? What availeth free-will here in these sanctified and holy men? It can say nothing. It blindeth their reason; it perverteth their will: It receiveth not, it saluteth not, it embracetL not, with joy, the Lord coming, with thundering, lightning, and fire unto the mount Sinai: It cannot hear the voice of the Lord: but contrariwise, it saith, "let not the Lord speak unto us, lest we die." We see then what the strength and power of free-will is in the children of Israel, who, though they were cleansed and sanctified, could not abide the hearing of one syllable or letter of the law. Therefore these high commendations, which the Papists give to their free-will, are nothing else but mere toys and doting dreams.

Verse 20. Now, a mediator is not a mediator of one. Here he compareth these two mediators together, and that with a marvellous brevity: yet so, notwithstanding, that he satisfieth the attentive reader, who, because this word mediator is general, by-and-by understandeth that Paul speaketh of the mediator generally, and not of Moses only. "A mediator," saith he, "is not a mediator of one only." But this word necessarily cemprehendeth two, that is to say, him that is offended and him that is the offender: of whom, the one hath need of intercession, and the other needeth none. Wherefore a mediator is not of one, but of two, and of such two as be at variance between themselves. So Moses, by a general definition, is a mediator, because h?- doth the oflSce of a mediator between the law and the people, which cannot ahide the tnie and spiritual use of the law. The law therefore mnst have a new face, and his voice must be changed: that is to say, the voice of the law must be made spiritual, or the law must be made lively in the inward affection, and must put on a vizor or a veil, that it may noAv become more tolerable, so that the people maybe able to hear itby the voice of Moses.

Now, the laAV being thus covered, speaketh no more in his majesty, but by the mouth of Moses. After this manner it doth not his office any more: that is, it terrifieth not the conscience. And this is the cause that they do neither understand nor regard it: by means whereof they become secure, negligent, and presumptuous hypocrites. And yet, notwithstanding, the one of these two must needs be done: to wit, that either the law must be without his use, and covered with a veil (but then, as I have said, it maketh hypocrites) or else it must be in his true use without the veil, and then it killeth. For man's heart cannot abide the law in his true use without the veil. It behoveth thee, therefore, if thou look to the end of the law without the veil, either to lay hold on that blessed seed by faith; that is to say, thou must look beyond the end of the law unto Christ, which is the accomplishment of the law, which may say unto thee, The law hath terrified thee enough, be of good comfort, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee, (whereof I will speak more anon;) or else surely thou must have Moses for thy mediator, with his veil.

For this cause Paul saith, " A mediator is not a mediator of one." For it could not be that Moses should be a mediator of God alone, for God needeth no mediatoi*. And again, he is not a mediator of the people only, but he doth the office of a media tor between God and the people, which were at variance with God. For it is the office of a mediator to pacify the party that is offended, and to reconcile unto him the party that is the offender. Notwithstanding Moses is such a mediator (as I have said) as doth nothing else but change the voice of the law, and maketh it tolerable, so that the people may abide the hearing thereof, but he giveth no power to accomplish the same. To conclude, he is a mediator of the veil, and therefore he giveth no power to perform the law, but only in the veil. Therefore his disciples, in that he is a mediator of the veil, must always be hypocrites.

But what should have come to pass, think ye, if the law had been given without Moses, either else before or after Moses, and that there had been no mediator, and, moreover, that the people should neither have been suffered to fly, nor to have a mediator? Here the people, being beaten down with intolerable fear, should either have perished forthwith, or if they should have escaped, there must needs have come some other mediator, which should have set himself between the law and the people, to the end that both the people might be preserved, and the law remain in his force, and also an atonement might be made between the law and the people. Indeed, Moses cometh in the meantime, and is made a mediator; he putteth on a reil and covereth his face; but he cannot deliver men's conscierces from the anguish and terror which the law bringeth. Therefore, when the poor sinner, at the hour of death, or in the conflict of conscience, feeieth the wrath and judgment of God for sin, which the law reyealeth and increaseth, here, to keep him from desperation, setting Moses aside with his law, he must have a mediator which may say unto him. Although thou be a sinner, yet shalt thou remain; that is, thou shalt not die, although the law, with his wrath and malediction, do still remain.

This mediator is Jesus Christ, which changeth not the voice of the law, nor hideth the same with a veil, as Moses did, nor leadeth me out of the sight of the law; but he setteth himself against the wrath of the law and taketh it away, and satisfieth the law in his own body by himself And by the gospel he saith unto me, " Indeed the law threateneth unto thee the Avrath of God and eternal death; but be not afraid: fly not away, but stand fast. I supply and perform all things for thee; I satisfy the law for thee." This is a mediator which far excelleth Moses, who setteth himself between God being offended, and the offonder. The intercession of Moses here profiteth nothing: he hath done his office, and he with his veil is now vanished away. Here the miserable sinner being utterly desperate, or a man now approaching unto death, and God being ofi'ended, do encounter together. Therefore there must come a far other mediator than Moses, which may satisfy the law, take away the wrath thereof, and may reconcile unto God which is angry, that poor sinner, miserable and guilty of eternal death. - Of this mediator Paul speaketh briefly when he saith, "a mediator is not a mediator of one." For this word mediator properly signifieth such a one as doth the office of a mediator between the party that is off'ended and the off"ender. We are the offendders; God, with his law, is he which is offended: And the offence is such, that God cannot pardon it, neither can we satisfy for the same. Therefore, between God (who of himself is but one) and us, there is wonderful discord. Moreover, God cannot revoke his law, but he will have it observed and kept. And we, which have transgressed the law, cannot fly from the presence of God. Christ therefore hath set himself a mediator between two which are quite contrary, and separate asunder with ah infinite and everlasting separation, and hath reconciled them together. And how hath he done this? " He hath put away (as Paul saith in another place) the hand-writing which was against us, which by ordinances (that is, by the law) was contrary unto us, and he hath taken it and fastened it to the cross, and hath spoiled principalities and powers, and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed over them by himself" Therefore he Ls not a mediator of one, but of two, utterly disagreeing between themselves.

This is also a place fiill of power and efficacy to confound the righteousness of the law, and to teach us, that, in the matter of justification, it ought to be utterly removed out of our sight. Also this word [mediator] ministereth sufficient matter to prove that the law justifieth not: for else what need should we have of a mediator? Seeing then that man's nature cannot abide the hearing of the law, much less is it able to accomplish the law, or to agree with the law.

This doctrine (which I do so often repeat, and not without tediousness do still beat into your heads) is the true doctrine of tlie law, which every Christian ought with all diligence to learn, that he may be able truly to define what the law is, what is the true use and office, what are the limits, what is the poAver, the time, and the end thereof. For it hath an effect clean contrary to the judgment of all men, which have this pestilent and pernicious opinion naturally rooted in them, that the law justifieth. Therefore I fear lest this doctrine will be defaced and darkened again, when Ave are dead. For the world must be replenished Avith horrible darkness and errors, before the latter day come.

Whoso, therefore, is able to understand this, let him understand it, that the law, in true Christian divinity, and in his true and proper definition, doth not justify, but hath quite a contrary effect. For it sheweth and revealeth unto us om-selves; it setteth God before us in his anger; it revealeth God's Avrath; it terrifieth us; and it doth not only reveal sin, but also mightily increaseth sin, so that where sin was before but little, noAV by the law, which bringeth the same to light, it becometh exceeding sinful: so that a man now beginneth to hate the law and fly from it, and with a perfect hatred to abhor God, the maker of the laAv. This is not to be justified by the law (and that reason itself is compelled to grant) but to commit a double sin against the law: first, not orJy to have a Avill so disagreeing from the law that thou canst not hear it, but also to do contrary to that which it commandeth: and secondly, so to hate it that thou wouldst wish it were abolished, together with God himself, who is the author thereof, and absolutely good.

Now, Avhat greater blasphemy, what sin more horrible can be imagined than to hate God, to abhor his law, and not to suff'er the hearing thereof, which notwithstanding is good and holy? For the history doth plainly Avitness that the people of Israel refused to hear that excellent laAv, those holy and most gracious words, namely, " I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods, &c. SheAving mercy to thoixsands, &c. Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may go Avell Avith thee, and that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth, &:c." (Exod. XX. 2. Deut. iv. 40.) and that they had need of a mediator. They could not abide this most excellent, perfect, and divine wisdom, this most gracious, sweet, and comfortable doctrine. " Let not the Lord speak unto us," say they, " lest we die. Speak thou unto us," &c. Doubtless, it is a marvellous thing that a man cannot hear that which is his whole felicity, namely, that he hath a God, yea, and a merciful God, which will shew mercy unto him in many thousands of generations, &c. And moreover that he cannot abide that which is his chief safety and defence, namely, " Thou shalt not kill; tliou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal." For by these words the Lord hath defended and fortified the life of man, his wife, his children, and his goods, as it were, with a wall, against the force and violence of the wicked.

The law then can do nothing, saving that by his light it lighteneth the conscience, that it may know sin, death, the judgment, and the wrath of God. Before the law come, I am secure; I feel no sin. But when the law cometh, sin, death, and hell, are revealed unto me. This is not to be made righteous, but guilty, and the enemy of God, to be condemned to death and hell-fire. The principal point therefore of the law in true Christian divinity is to make men not better, but worse; that is to say, it sheweth unto them their sin, that by the knowledge thereof, they may be humbled, terrified, bruised, and broken, and by this means may be driven to seek comfort, and so to come to that blessed seed.

God offendeth no man, and therefore needeth no mediator. But we offend God, and therefore we have need of a mediator; not Moses, but Christ, which speaketh far better things for us, &c. Hitherto he hath continued in his digression; now he rotumeth to his piu'pose.

Paul said before that the law justifieth not. Shall we then take away the law? No, not so. For it bringeth with it a certain commodity. What is that? It bringeth men unto the knowledge of themselves. It discovereth and increaseth sin, &c. Here now ariseth another objection: If the law do nothing else but make men worse, in shewing unto them their sin, then is it contrary to the promises of God. For it seemeth that God is but only provoked to anger and off'ended through the law, and therefore he regardeth not, nor performeth his promises. We Jews have thought the contrary; to wit, that we are restrained and bridled by this external discipline, to the end that God, being provoked thereby, might hasten the performing of his promise, and that by this discipline we might deserve the promise.

Paul answereth: It is nothing so. But contrariwise, if ye have regard to the law the promise is ra her hindered; for natural reason offendeth God, which so faithfully promiseth, while it will not hear his good and holy law. For it saith, "Let not the Lord speak unto us," &c. How can it be, then, that God should perform his promise unto those, which not oidy receive not his law and his discipline, but also with a mortal hatred do shun it, and fly from it? Here, therefore, as I said, riseth this objection: " Is the law against the promise of God?" This objection Paul toucheth by the way, and briefly answcrcth, saying.

Why so?^ First, for that God maketh no promise unto us because of our worthiness, our merits, our good works: but for his own goodness and mercy sake in Christ. He saith not to Abraham, All nations shall he blessed in thee, because thou hast kept the law. But wiien he was uncircumcised, had no law, and was yet an idolater, he said unto him: "Go out of thine own land, &c. I will be thy protector, &c. — Also: "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed." (Gen. xii. 1. xv. 1. xxii. 18.) These are absolute and mere promises, which God freely giveth unto Abraham, without any condition, or respect of works, either going before, or coming after.

This maketh especially against the Jews, which think that the promises of God are hindered because of their sins. " God,'* (saith Paul) " doth not slack his promises because of our sins, or hasten the same for our righteousness and merits. He re gardeth neither the one nor the other." "Wherefore, although we become more sinful, and are brought into greater contempt and hatred of God by means of the law, yet, notwithstanding, God is not moved thereby to differ his promise. For his promise doth not stand upon our weakness, but upon his biily goodness and mgfcy." Therefore, where the Jews say, "The Messias is not yet come, because our sins do hinder his coming," it is a detestable dream. As though God should become unrighteous because of our sins, or made a liar because we are liars. He abideth always just and true: his truth therefore is the only cause that he accomplisheth and performeth his promise.

Moreover, although the law do reveal and increase sin, yet is it not against the promises of God; yea, rather, it confirmeth the

Eromises; for as concerning his proper work and end, it umbleth and prepareth a man (so that he use it rightly) to sigh and seek for mercy. For when sin is revealed to a man, and so increased by the law, then he beginneth to perceive the wickedness and hatred of man's heart against the law, and against God himself, the author of the law. Then he feeleth, indeed, that not only he loveth not God, but also hateth and blasphemeth God, who is full of goodness and mercy, and his law which is just and holy. Then is he constrained to confess that there is no good thing in him. And thus, when he is thrown down and humbled by the law, he acknowledgeth himself to be most miserable and damnable. When the law, therefore, constraineth a man so to acknowledge his own corruption, and to confess his sin from the bottom of his heart, then it hath done his office truly, and his time is accomplished and ended: and now is the time of grace, that the blessed seed may come to raise up and comfort him that is so cast down and humbled by the law.

After this manner the law is not against the promises of God. For, first, the promise hangeth not upon the law, but upon the truth and mercy of God only and alone. Secondly, when the law is in his chief end and office, it humbleth a man, and in humbling him, it maketh him to sigh and groan, and to seek the hand and aid of the mediator, and maketh his grace and his mercy exceeding sweet and comfortable^ (as is said, "thy mercy is sweet," Ps. cix.) and his gift precious and inestimable. And by this means it prepareth us, and maketh us apt to apprehend and to receive Christ. For, as the poet saith, Dulcia non meruit, qui non gustavit amara: that is,

Whoso liath not tasted the things that are bitter, Is not worthy to taste the things that are sweeter.

There is a common proverb, that hunger is the best 0001*. Like as, therefore, the dry earth coveteth the rain, even so the law maketh troubled and afflicted soids to thirst after Christ. To such, Christ savoureth sweetly: to them, he is nothing else but joy, consolation, and life. And there beginneth Christ and his benefit rightly to be known.

This is, then, the principal use of the law: namely, when a man can so use it, that it may humble him and make him thirst after Christ. And, indeed, Christ requireth thirsty souls, whom he most lovingly and graciously allureth and calleth unto him, when he saith, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." (Matt. xi. 28.) He delighteth therefore to water these dry grounds. He poureth not his waters upon fat and rank grounds, or such as are not dry and covet no water. His benefits are inestimable, and therefore he giveth them to none but unto such as have need of them, and earnestly desire them. He preacheth glad tidings to the poor, he giveth drink to the thirsty. " If any thirst," (saith St. John) "let him come unto me," &c. " He healeth the broken hearted," &c. (John vii. 37. Psal. cxlvii. 3.) That is, he comforteth those that are bruised and afflicted by the law. Therefore the law is not against the promises of God.

Vbrse 21. For if there had been a law given which bringeth life, sureljr righteousness should have been by the law.

By these words Paul signifieth, that no law of itself is able to quicken or give life, but only killeth. Therefore such works as are done, not only according to the laws and traditions of the Pope, but also according to the very law of God, do notjustif/ a man before God, but make him a sinner: they do not pacify the wrath of God, but thev kindle it: they obtain not righteousness, but they hinder it: they quicken not, but they kill and destroy. Therefore, when he saith, " If a law had been given which could have brought life," &c. he teacheth plainly that the law of itself justifieth not, but that it hath a clean contrary effect.

Although these words of Paul be plain enough, yet are they obscure and utterly unknown to the Papists. For if they did understand them indeed, they would not so magnify their fi-ee will, their own natural strength, the keeping of the counsels, the works of supererogation, &c. But, lest they should seem to be manifestly wicked, and plain infidels, in denying the words of the apostle of Christ so impudently, they have this pestilent gloss always ready, (whereby they pervert the places of Paul concerning the law, which revealeth sin and engendereth wrath, that is to say, the ten commandments,) that Paul speaketh only of the ceremonial, and not of the moral law. But Paul speaketh plainly when he saith, " if a law had been given," &c.; and he excepteth no law. Wherefore, this gloss of the Papists is not worth a rush; for the laws of the ceremonies were as well commanded of God, and as strictly kept, as the moral laws. The Jews also kept circumcision as precisely as they did the sabbath day; it is evident enough, therefore, that Paul speaketh of the whole law.

These words of the apostle are sung and said in the Papacy, and in all their churches; and yet, notwithstanding, they both teach and live quite contrary. Paul saith simply that no law was given to quicken and to bring life: but the Papists teach the contrary, and affirm that many and infinite laws are given to quicken and to bring life. Although they say not this in plain words, yet, in very deed, such is their opinion, as their monkish religion doth plainly witness, besides many other laws and traditions of men, their works and merits before grace and after, and innumerable wicked ceremonies and false worshippings, which they have devised of their own heads, and those only have they preached, treading the gospel under their feet, and assuredly promising grace, remission of sins, and life everlasting, to all such as should keep and accomplish the same. This, I say, cannot be denied; for their books which are yet extant, give certain testimony thereof.

But contrariwise, we affirm with Paul that there is no law, whether it be man's law or God's law, that giveth life. Tlierefore we put as great a difference between the law and righteousness, as is between life and death, between heaven and hell. And the cause that moveth us so to affirm, is that plain and evident place of Paul, where he saith, that the law is not given to justify, to give life, and to save, but only to kill and to destroy, contrary to the opinion of all men: for naturally they can judge no otherwise of the law, but that it is given to work righteousness, and to give life and salvation.

This difference of the offices of the law and of the gospel, keepeth all Christian doctrine in his true and proper use. Also it maketh a faithfid man judge over all kinds of life, over the laAvs and decrees of all men, and over all doctrine whatsoever, and it giveth them power to try all manner of spirits. On the other side, the Papists, because they confound and mingle the law and the gospel together, can teach no certainty touching faith, works, the states and conditions of life, nor of the difference of spirits.

Now, therefore, after that Paul hath prosecuted his confutations and arguments sufficiently, and in good order, he teacheth that the law (if ye consider his true and perfect use) is nothing else but as a certain schoolmaster to lead us unto righteousness. For it humbleth men, it prepareth and maketh them apt to riiceive the righteousness of Christ, when it doth his own proper work and office, that is, when it maketh them guilty, terrifieth and bringeth them to the knowledge of sin, wrath, death, and hell. For Avhen it hath done this, the opinion of man's own righteousness and holiness vanisheth away, and Christ with his benefits beginneth to wax SAveet unto him. Wherefore the law is not against the promises of God, but rather confirm eth them. True it is, that it doth not accomplish the promise, nor bring righteousness: notwithstanding it humbleth us with his exercise and office, and so maketh us more thirsty, and more apt to receive the benefit of Christ. Therefore, saith he, if any law had been given which might have brought righteousness, and through righteousness life, (for no man can obtain life, except first he be righteous,) then, indeed, righteousness should come by the law. Moreover, if there were any state of life, any work, any religion, whereby a man might obtain remission of sins, righteousness, and life, then should these things indeed justify and give life. But this is impossible: for

Verse 22. The scripture hath concluded all men under sin. Where? First, in the promises themselves, as touching Christ, as Genesis iii. " the seed of the woman shall break the head of the serpent." And Gen. xxii. " in thy seed," &c. Wheresoever, then, is any promise in the scriptures made unto the fathers concerning Christ, there the blessing is promised, that is, righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. Therefore, by the contrary it is evident that they which must receive the blessing are subject to the curse, that is to say, sin and eternal death: for else to what end was the blessing promised?

Secondly, the scripture shutteth men under sin, and under the curse, especially by the law, because it is his peculiar office to reveal sin and engender wrath, as we have declared throughout this epistle, but chiefly by this sentence of Paul: " Whosoever are of the works of the law, are under the curse:" (Gal. iii. 10.) Also by that place which the apostle allegeth out of the twenty-seventh chapter of Deuteronomy: " cursed is every one that abideth not in all the words of this law to do them," &c. For these sentences in plain words do shut under sin and under the curse, not only those which sin manifestly against the law, or do not outwardly accomplish the law; but also those which are under the law, and Avith all endeavovu* go about to perform the same; and such were the Jews, as before I have said. Much more, then, doth the same place of Paul shut up under sin and under the curse, all monks, friars, hermits, Carthusians, and such-like, with their professions, rules, and religions, to the which they attributed such holiness, that when a man had once made a vow of his profession, if he died by-and-by, they dreamed that he went straight to heaven. But here ye hear plainly that the scripture shutteth all under sin. Therefore, neither the vow nor the religion of the Carthusian, be it never so angelical, is righteousness before God: for the scripture hath shut all under sin, all are accursed and damned. Who pronouncetli this sentence? the scripture. And where? First, by this promise, "the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head;" " in thee shall be blessed," &c. and such-like places: moreover, by the Avhole law, Avhereof the principal office is to make men guilty of sin. Therefore, no monk, no Carthusian, no Celestine, bruiseth the serpent's head, but they abide bruised and broken under the head of the serpent, that is, under the power of the devil. Who Avill believe this?

Briefly, whatsoever is without Clwist and his promise, whether it be the law of God or the law of man, the ceremonial or the moral law, without all exception, is shut under sin: for the scripture shutteth all under sin. Now, he that saith " all," excepteth nothing. Therefore we conclude, Avith Paul, that the policies and laws of all nations, be they never so good and necessary, with all ceremonies and religions, without faith in Christ, are and abide imder sin, death, and eternal damnation, except faith in Jesus Christ go withal, or rather before, as followeth in the text. Of this matter we have spoken largely before.

Wherefore this is a true proposition: Only faith justifieth, Avithout works, (which, notwithstanding, our adversaries can by no means abide:) for Paul here strongly concludeth that the law doth not quicken or give life, because it is not given to that end. If^ then, the laAv do not justify and give life, much less do works justify. For Avhen Paul saith that the laAv giveth not life, his meaning is, that Avorks also do not give life. For it is more to say that the law quickeneth and giveth life, than to say that AVorks do quicken and give life. If, then, the laAv itself, being fulfilled, (although it be impossible that it should be accomplished,) do not justify, much less do Avorks justify. I conclude therefore that faith only justifieth and bringeth life, without works. Paul cannot sufter this addition: faith joiiied Avith Avorks justifieth; but he proceedeth simply by the negative, (Rom. iii.) as he doth also before m the second chapter: "therefore by the works of the law (saithhe) shall no flesh be justified." And again in this place: " the law is not given to bring life."

Verse 22. That the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to tliem that believe.

He said before, that the scripture hath shut all under sin. What! for ever? No; but until the promise should be given. Now, the promise is the inheritance itself, or the blessing promised to Abraham; to wit, the deliverance from the law, sin, death, and the devil, and a free giving of grace, righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. This promise, saith he, is not obtained by any merit, by any law, or by any work, but it is given. To whom? To those that believe. In whom? In Jesus Christ, who is the blessed seed, which hath redeemed all believers from the curse, that they might receive the blessing. These words be not obscure, but plain enough: notwithstanding we must mark them diligently, and weigh well the force and weight thereof. For if all be shut under sin, it followeth that all nations are accursed and are destitute of the grace of God: also that they are under the wrath of God, and the power of the devil, and that no man can be delivered from them by any other means than by faith in Jesus Christ. With these words, therefore, Paul inveigheth mightily against the fantastical opinions of the Papists and all justiciaries touching the law and works, when he saith, " that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to all believers."

Now, how we should answer to those sentences which speak of works and rewards, I have sufficiently declared before. And the matter requireth not now, that we should speak any thing of works. For we have not here taken in hand to entreat of works, but of justification; to wit, that it is not obtained by the law and works, since all things are shut under sin and under the curse: but by faith in Christ. When we are out of the matter of justification, we cannot sufficiently praise and magnify those works which are commanded of God. For who can sufficiently commend and set forth the profit and fruit of only one work, which a Christian doth through faith and in faith? Indeed it is more precious than heaven or earth. The whole world, therefore, is not able to give a worthy recompence to such a good work. Yea, the world hath not the grace to magnify the holy works of the faithful as they are worthy, and much less to reward them: for it seeth them not, or if it do, it esteemeth them not as good works, but as most wicked and detestable crimes, and riddeth the world of those which are the doers thereof, as most pestilent plagues to mankind.

So Christ, the Saviour of the world, for a recompence of his incomprehensible and inestimable benefits, was put to the most ignominious death of the cross. The apostles also, hringing' tlie word of grace and eternal life into the world, were counted tlie off-scouring and outcasts of the whole world. This is the goodlyreward which the world giveth for so gi'eat and unspeakahle benefits. But works done without faith, although they have never so goodly a shew of holiness, are under the curse. Wherefore, so far off it is, that the doers thereof should deserve grace, righteousness, and eternal life, that rather they heap sin upon sin. After this manner the Pope, that child of perdition, and all that follow him, do work. So work all merit-mongers and heretics which are fallen from the faith.

Verse 23. But before failli came. He proceedeth in declaring the profit and necessity of the law. He said before, that the law Avas added for transgressions: not that it was the principal purpose of God to make a law that should bring death and damnation, as he saith, Ilom. vii. "Was that which was good," saith he, " made death unto me? God forbid." For the law is a word that sheweth life, and driveth men unto it. Therefore, it is not only given as a minister of death, but the principal use and end thereof is to reveal death, that so it might be seen and known how horrible sin is. Notwithstanding, it doth not so reveal death, as though it tended to no other end but to kill and to destroy; but to this end it revealeth death, that v/hen men are terrified, cast down, and hiunbled, they should fear God. And this doth the twentieth chapter of Exodus declare: " Fear not," (saith Moses) " for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not," (Exod. xx. 20.) The office, therefore, of the law is to kill, and yet so that God may revive and quicken again. The law, then, is not given only to kill: but because man is proud, and dreameth that he is wise, righteous, and holy therefore it is necessary he should be humbled by the law, that so this beast, the opinion of righteousness, I say, might be slain: for otherwise no man can obtain life.

Albeit then that the law killeth, yet God useth this effect of the law, this death, I mean, to a good end; that is, to bring life. For God, seeing that this universal plague of the whole world, to wit, man's opinion of his own righteousness, his hypocrisy, and confidence in his own holiness, could not be beaten down by any other means, he Avould that it should be slain by the law: not for ever; but that, when it is once slain, man might be taised up again, above and beyond the law, and there might hear this voice, Fear not: I have not given the law, and killed thee by the law, that thou shouldst abide in this death; but that thou shouldst feai me and live. For the presuming of good works and righteousness standeth not with the fear of God; and where the fear of God is not, there can be no thirsting for grace or life. God must therefore have a strong hammer, or a mighty maul, to break the rocks, and a hot burnhig fire in the midst of heaven to overthrow the mountains; that is to say, to destroy this furious and obstinate beast, (this presumption, I say;) that when a man, by this bruising and breaking-, is brought to nothing, he should despair of his own strength, righteousness, and holiness; and being thus thoroughly terrified, should thirst after mercy and remission of sins.

Veree 23. But before faith came, we were under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

This is to say, before the time of the gospel and grace came, the office of the law was, that we should be shut up, and kept under the same, as it were in prison. This is a goodly and a fit similitude, shewing the effect of the law, and how righteous it maketh men; therefore it is diligently to be weighed. No thief, no murderer, no adulterer, or other malefactor, loveth the chains and fetters, the dark and loathsome prison wherein he lieth fast bound; but rather, if he could, he would beat and break into poAvder the prison, with his irons and fetters. Indeed, while he is in prison, he refraineth from doing of evil; but not of a good will, or for righteousness' sake, but because the prison restraiueth him, that he cannot do it: and now, being fast fettered, he hateth not his theft and his murder, (yea, he is sorry, with all his heart, that he cannot rob and steal, cut and tslay,) but he liateth the prison, and, if he could escape, he Would rob and kill, as he did before.

Such is the force of the law, and the righteousness that cometh of the law, compelling us to be outwardly good, Avhen it threateneth death, or any other punishment, to the transgressors thereof. Here we obey the law, indeed, but for fear of punishment; that is, unwillingly, and with great indignation. But what righteousness is this, when we abstain from evil, for fear of punishment? Wherefore, this righteousness of works is indeed nothing else but to love sin and to hate righteousness, to detest God with his law, and to love and reverence that which is most horrible and abominable. For look, how heartily the thief loveth the prison and hateth his theft; so gladly do we obey the laAv, in accomplishing that which it commandeth, and avoiding that which it forbiddeth.

Notwithstanding, this fi'uit and this profit the law bringeth, although men's hearts remain never so wicked: that, first, outwardly and civilly, after a sort, it restraineth thieves, murderers, and other malefactors; for, if they did not see and understand that sin is punished in this life, by imprisonment, by the gallows, by the sword, and such-like, and after this life with eternal damnatioD and hell-fire, no magistrate should be able to bridla the fury and rage of men by any laws, bonds, or chains. — Bu* the threatenings of the law strike a terror into the hearts of the wicked, whereby they are bridled after a sort, that they run not headlong, as otherwise they would do, into all kinds of wickedness. Notwithstanding, they Avould rather that there were no law, no pimishraent, no hell, and, finally, no God. If God had no hell, or did not punish the wicked, he should be loved and praised of men. But, because he punisheth the wicked, and all are wicked; therefore, inasmuch as they are shut under the law they can do no otherwise but mortally hate and blaspheme Gou.

Furthermore, the law shutteth men imder sin, not only civilly, but also spiritually; that is to say, the law is also a spiritual prison, and a very hell. For when it revealeth sin, threateneth death, and the eternal wrath of God, a man cannot avoid it, nor find any comfort. For it is not in the poAver of man to shake oiF these horrible terrors which the law stirreth up in the conscience, or any other anguish or bitterness of spirit. Hereof come those lamentable complaints of the saints, which are every where in the Psalms: "In hell, who shall confess thee," &c.? Ps. vi. 5. For then is a man shut up in prison; out of the which he cannot escape, nor seeth hoAV he may be delivered out of these bonds, that is to say, these horrible terrors.

Thus the law is a prison, both civilly and spiritually. For, first, it restraineth and shutteth up the wicked, that they run not headlong, according to their own lust, into all kinds of mischief. Again, it sheweth unto us spiritually our sin, terrifieth and humbleth us, that, when wc are so terrified and humbled, we may learn to know our own misery and condemnation. And this is the true and proper use of the law, so that it be not perpetual. For this shutting up and holding under the law, must endure no longer, but until faith come; and when faith cometh, then must this spiritual prison have his end.

Here again we sec, that although the law and the gospel be separate far asunder, yet, as touching the inward affections, they are very nearly joined the one to the other. This Paul sheweth when he saith, "we were kept under the law, and shut iip unto the faith which should be revealed unto us." Wherefore it is not enough that we are shut under the law: for if nothing else should follow, we should be driven to desperation, and die in our sins. But Paul addeth, moreover, that we are shut up, and kept under a schoolmaster (which is the law) not for ever, but to bring us unto Christ, who is the end of the law. Therefore, this terrifying, this humbling, and this shutting up must not always continue, but only until faith be revealed; that is, it shall so long contiime, as shall be for our profit and our salvation: so that when we are cast down and humbled by the law, then grace, remission of sins, deliverance from the law, sin, and death, may become sweet unto us: Avhich are not obtained by works, but are received by faith alone.

He which, in time of temptation, can join these two things together, so repugnant and contrary; that is iso say, which, when he is thoroughly terrified and cast down by the law, doth know that the end of the law, and the beginning of grace, or of faith to be revealed, is now come, useth the law rightly. AH the wicked are utterly ignorant of this knowledge and this cunning. Cain knew it not, when he was shut up in the prison of the law; that is, he felt no terror, although he had nuw killed his brother; but dissembled the matter craftily, and tnought that God was ignorant thereof. "Am I my brother's keeper?" saith he: but when he heard this word: "What hast thou done? Behold, the voice of the blood of thy brother crieth unto me from the earth," (Gen. iv. 10.) he began to feel this prison indeed. What did he then? He remained still shut up in prison. He joined not the fospel with the law, but said: "My punishment is greater than can bear." Gen. iv. 13. He only respected the prison, not considering that his sin was revealed unto him to this end, that he should ifly unto God for mercy and pardon. Therefore he despaired and denied God. He believed not that he was shut up to this end, that grace and faith might be revealed unto him: but only that he should still remain in the prison of the law.

These words, "to be kept under, and to be shut up," are not vain and unprofitable, but most true, and of great importance. This keeping under, and this prison signifieth the true and spiritual terrors, whereby the conscience is so shut up, that in the wide world it can find no place where it may be in safety. Yea, as long as these terrors endure, the conscience feeleth such anguish and sorrow, that it thinketh heaven and earth, yea, if they were ten times more wide and large than they are, to be straiter and narrower than a mouse-hole. Here is a man utterly destitute of all wisdom, strength, righteousness, counsel, and succour. For the conscience is a marvellous tender thing, and therefore when it is so shut up under the prison of the law, it seeth no way how to get out; and this straitness seemeth daily so to increase, as though it would never have an end. For then doth it feel the wrath of God, which is infinite and inestimable, whose hand it cannot escape, as the 139th Psalm witnesseth: *' Whither shall I fly from thy presence," &c.

Like as therefore this worldly prison or shutting up is a bodily afiliction, and he that is so shut up can have no use of his body; even so the trouble and anguish of mind is a spiritual prison, and he that is shut up in this prison cannot enjoy quietness of heart and peace of conscience. And yet it is not so for ever, (as reason judgeth, when it feeleth this prison) but until faith bo revealed. The silly conscience, therefore, must be raised up, and comforted after this sort: Brother, thou art indeed shut up; but persuade thyself that this is not done to the end that thou ghouldst remain in this prison for ever. For it is written, "that we are shut up unto the faith which shall be revealed." Thou art then afflicted in this prison, not to thy destruction, but that thou mayest be refreshed by the blessed seed. Thou art killed by the law, that throug-h Christ thou mayest be quickened again, and restored to life. Despair not, therefore, as Cain, Saul, and Judas did, who being thus shut up, looked no farther but to their dark prison, and there still remained: therefore they despaired. But thou must take another way in these terrors of conscience than they did; that is, thou must know that it is well done, and good for thee to be so shut up, confounded, and brought to nothing. Use, therefore, this shutting up rightly, and as thou shouldst do: that is, to the end that, when the law hath done his office, faith may be revealed. For God doth not therefore afflict thee, that thou shouldst still remain in this affliction. He will not kill thee, that thou shoiddst abide in death. "I will not the death of a sinner," &c. (saith he, by the prophet Ezekiel, chap, xxxiii. 11.) But he will afflict thee, that so thou mayest be humbled, and know that thou hast need of mercy, and the benefit of Christ.

This holding in prison, then, under the law, must not always endure, but must only continue to the coming or revealing of faith; which this sweet verse of the Psalm doth teach us: "the Lord delighteth in those that fear him:" (Psalm cxlvii. 11.) that is to say, which are in prison under the laAV. But by-andby after he addeth, "and in those that attend upon his mercy." Therefore, we must join these two things together, which, indeed, are as contrary the one to the other as may be. For what can be more contrary than to hate and abhor the wrath of God; and, again, to trust in his goodness and mercy? The one is hell, the other is heaven, and yet they must be nearly joined together in the heart. By speculation and naked knowledge a man may easily join them together; but by experience and inward practice so to do, of all things it is the hardest; which 1 myself have often proved by my own experience. Of this matter the Papists and sectaries know nothing at all. Therefore, these words of Paul are to them obscure and altogether unknown: and when the law revealeth unto them their sin, accuseth and terrifieth them, they can find no counsel, no rest, no help, or succour; but fall to desperation, as Cain and Saul did.

Seeing the law therefore (as is said) is our tormentor and our prison, certain it is that we cannot love it, but hate it. He, therefore, that saith he loveth the law, is a liar, and knoweth not what he saith. A thief and a robber should shew himself to be stark mad, that would love the prison, the fetters and clmins. Seeing, then, the law shutteth us up, and holdeth us in prison, it cannot be but we must needs be extreme enemies to the law. To conclude, so well we love the law and the righteousness thereof, as a murderer loveth the dark prison, the strait bonds and irons. How then should the law justify us?

Verse 23. And shut up under the faith which should after be revealed.

This Paul speaketh in respect of the fulness of the time wherein Christ came. But we must apply it, not only to that time, but also to the inward man; for that which is done is a history, and according to the time wherein Christ came, abolishing the law, and bringing liberty and eternal life to light, is always done spiritually in every Christian, in whom is found continually, some while the time of the law, and some while the time of grace. For the Christian man hath a body, in whose members (as Paul saith in another place) sin dwelleth and warreth. Now, I understand sin to be, not only the deed or the work, but also the root and the tree, together with the fruits, as the scripture useth to speak of sin; which is yet not only rooted in the baptized flesh of every Christian, but also is at deadly war within it, and holdeth it captive: if not to give consent, unto it, or to a<;complish the work, yet doth it force him mightily thereunto. For albeit a Christian man do not fall into outward and gross sins, as murder, adultery, theft, and such-like, yet is he not free from impatiency, murmuring, hating, and blaspheming of God; which sins, to reason and the carnal man, are altogether unknown. These things constrain him, yea, sore against his will, to detest the law; they compel him to fly from the presence of God; they compel him to hate and blaspheme God. For as carnal lust is strong in a young man, in a man of full age the desire and love of glory, and in an old man covetousness; even so in a holy and a faithful man impatience, murmuring, hatred, and blasphemy against God, do mightily prevail. Examples hereof there are many in the Psalms, in Job, in Jeremiah, and throughout the whole scripture. Paul, therefore, describing and setting forth this spiritual warfare, useth very vehement words, and fit for the purpose, as of fighting, rebelling, holding and leading captive, &c.

Both these times, then, (of the law and the gospel, I mean,) are in a Christian, as touching the affections and inward man. The time of the law is when the law exerciseth me, tormenteth me with heaviness of heart, oppresseth me, bringeth me to the knowledge of sin, and increaseth the same. Here the law is in his true use and perfect work: which a Christian oftentimes feeleth as long as he liveth. So there was given unto Paul a prick in the flesh, that is, "the angel of Satan, to buffet him," (2 Cor. xii. 7.) He would gladly have felt every moment the joy of conscience, the laughter of the heart, and the sweet taste of eternal life. Again, he would gladly have been delivered from all trouble and anguish of spirit, and therefore he desired that this temptation might be taken from him. Notwithstanding this was not done, but the Lord said unto him: " My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weakness." (2 Cor. xii. 9.) This battle doth every Christian feel. To speak of myself, there are many hours ii?:he which I chide and contend with God, and impatiently resist him. The wrath and judgment of God displeaseth me; and again, my impatience, my murmuring", and such-hke sins, do displease him. And this is the time of the law, under the which a Christian man continually liveth, as touching- the flesh. " For the flesh lusteth continually against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," (Gal. V. 17.) but in some more, and in some less.

The time of grace is, when the heart is raised up again by the promise of the free mercy of God, and salth, " Why art thou heavy, O my soul, and why dost thou trouble me?" (Psal. xliii. 5.) Dost thou see nothing but the law, sin, terror, heaviness, desperation, death, hell, and the devil? Is there not also firace, remission of sins, righteousness, consolation, joy, peace, ife, heaven, Christ, and God? Trouble me no more, O my soul. What is the law, what is sin, what are all evils in comparison of these things? Trust in God, who hath not spared his own dear Son, but hath given him to the death of the cross for thy sins. This is then to be shut up under the law after the flesh; not for ever, but till Christ be revealed. Therefore, when thou art beaten down, tormented, and afflicted by the law, then say: Lady Law, thou art not alone, neither art thou all things; but, besides thee, there are yet other things much greater and better than thou art; namely, grace, faith, and blessing. This grace, this faith, and this blessing, do not accuse me, terrify me, condemn me; but they comfort me, they bid me trust in the Lord, and promise unto me victory and salvation in Christ. There is no cause, therefore, why I should despair.

He that is skilful in this art and this cunning, may indeed be called a right divine. The fantastical spirits and their disciples at this day, which continually brag of the spirit, do persuade themselves that they are very expert and cunning therein. But I, and such as I am, have scarcely learned the first principles thereof. It is learned, indeed; but, so long as the flesh and sin do endure, it can never be perfectly learned, and as it should be. So, then, a Christian is divided into two times. In that he is flesh, he is under the law; in that he is spirit, he is under grace. Concupiscence, covetousness, ambition, and pride, do always cleave to the flesh; also, ignorance, contempt of God, impatience, murmuring and grudging against God, because he hindereth and breaketh off our counsels, our devices, and enterprises, and because he speedily punisheth not such as are wicked, rebellious, and contemptuous persons, &c. Such manner of sins are rooted in the flesh of the faithful. Wherefore, if thou behold nothing but the flesh, thou shalt abide always under the time of the law. But these days must be shortened, or else no flesh should be saved. The law must have his time appointed, wherein it must have his end. The time of the law, therefore, is not perpetual, but hath his end, which end is Jesus Christ. But the time of grace is eternal. For " Christ being once dead, dieth no more." (Rom. vi. 9.) He is eternal: therefore the time of g-race is also eternal.

Such notable sentences in Paul, we may not lightly pass over, as the Papists and sectaries are wont to do; for they contain words of life, Avhich do wonderfully comfort and confirm afflicted consciences, and they which know and understand them well, can judge of faith: they can discern a true fear from a false fear; they can judge of all inward afi^ctions of the heart, and discern all spirits. The fear of God is a holy and a precious thing, but it must not always continue. Indeed it ought to be always in a Christian, because sin is always in him; but it must not be alone, for then is it the fear of Cain, Saul, and Judas, that is to say, a servile and a desperate fear. A Christian, therefore, must vanquish fear, by faith in the word of grace; he must turn away his eyes from the time of the law, and look mito Christ and unto faith which is to be revealed. Here beginneth fear to be sweet unto us, and maketh us to delight in God. For if a man do only behold the law and sin, setting faith aside, he shall never be able to put away fear, but shall at length fall to desperation.

Thus doth Paul very well distinguish the time of the law and grace. Let us also learn rightly to distinguish the time of them both, not in words, but in the inward affections: which is a very hard matter. For albeit these two things are separate far asunder, yet are they most nearly joined together in one heart. Nothing is joined more nearly together than fear and trust, than the law and the gospel, than sin and grace; for they are so united together, that the one is swallowed up of the other. Wherefore, there is no conjunction like imto this.

At this place, " Wherefore then serveth the law?" Paul beginneth to dispute of the law; also of the use and the abuse thereof; taking occasion of that wliich before he had affirmed, that the faithful do obtain righteousness by grace only, and by the promise, and not by the law. Upon that disputation rose this question: Wherefore then serveth the law? For reason, hearing that righteousness or the blessing is obtained by grace and by the promise, by-and-by inferreth: then the law profiteth nothing. Wherefore the doctrine of the law must be diligently considered, that we may know what and how we ought to judge thereof, lest that either we reject the same altogether, as the fantastical spirits do (which in the year 1525, stirring up the rustical people to sedition, said, that the liberty of the gospel giveth freedom to all men from all manner of laws:) or else lest we should attribute the force of justification to the law. For both sorts do offend against the law; the one on the right hand, which will be justified by the law, and the other on the left hand, which will be clean delivered from the law. We must therefore keep the highway, so that we neither reject the?aw, nor attribute more unto it than we ought to do.

That which I have before so often repeated, concerning both the uses of the law, namely, the civil and the spiritual use, do sufficiently declare that the law is not given for the righteous; but (as Paul saith in another place) for the unrighteous and rebellious. Now, of the unrighteous there are two sorts, that is to say, they Avhich are to be justified, and they which are not to be justified. They which are not to be justified must be bridled by the civil use of the law: for they must be bound with the bonds of the law, as savage and untamed beasts are bound with cords and chains. This use of the law hath no end: and of this Paul here speaketh nothing. But they that are to be justified, are exercised with the spiritual use of the law for a time; for it doth not always continue, as the civil use of the law doth, but it looketh to faith which is to be revealed, and when Christ cometh it shall have its end. Hereby we may plainly see that all the sentences wherein Paul entreateth of the spiritual use of the law, must be understood of those which are to be justified, and not of those which are justified already. For they which are justified already, inasmuch as they abide in Christ, are far above all law. The law then must be laid upon those that are to be justified, that they may be shut up in the prison thereof, until the rigliteousness of faith come: not that they attain this righteousness through the law (for that were not to use the law rightly, but to abuse it:) but that when they are cast down and humbled by the law, they should fly unto Christ, " who is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth." (Rom. x. 4.)

Now, the abusers of the law are, first of all, the justiciaries and hypocrites, which dream that men are justified by the law. For that use of the law doth not exercise and drive a man to faith which is to be revealed, but it maketh careless and arrogant hypocrites, swelling and presuming of the righteousness of the law, and hindereth the righteousness of faith. Secondly, they abuse the law, which will utterly exempt a Christian man from the law, as the brainsick Anabaptists went about to do: which was the occasion that they raised up that sedition of the rustical people. Of this sort there are very many also at this day which profess the gospel with us; who being delivered from the tyranny of the Pope by the doctrine of the gospel, do dream that the Christian liberty is a dissolute and a carnal liberty to do whatsoever they list. These (as Peter saith, 1 Pet. ii. 16.) have the liberty of the spu-it as a cloak of maliciousness, through which the name of God and the gospel of Christ is slandered every where, and therefore they shall once siiffer worthy punishment for this their ungodliness. Thirdly, such do also abuse the law, who feeling the terrors thereof, do not understand that such terrors ought no longer to continue, but unto Christ. This abuse in them is the cause that they fall to desperation; as in thft hypocrites it is the cause of arrogancy and presumption.

and magnified as it is worthy, namely, that when the conscience shut Tip wider the law despaireth not, hut heing- instructed by the Avisdom of the Holy Ghost, concludeth with itself after this sort: 1 am indeed shut up as a prisoner under the law, hut not for ever; yea, this shutting up shall turn to my great profit. How so? Because that I, being thus shut up, shall be driven to sigh and seek the hand of a helper, &c. After this manner the law is an enforcer, which by compulsion bringeth the hungry unto Christ, that he may satisfy them with his good things. Wherefore the true office of the law is to shew unto us our sins, to make us guilty, to hmnble us, to kill us, and to bring us down to hell, and finally, to take from us all help, all succour, all comfort; but yet altogether to this end, that we may be justified, exalted, quickened to life, carried up into heaven, and obtain all good things. Therefore it doth not only kill, but it killeth that we may live.

Here again he joineth the law and the gospel together (which are separate so far asunder) as touching the atfections and inward man, when he saith. The law is a schoolmaster to Christ. This similitude also of the schoolmaster is worthy to be noted. Although a schoolmaster be very profitable and necessary to instruct and to bring up children, yet shew me one child or scholar which loveth his master. W^hat love and obedience the Jews shewed unto their Moses, it appeareth in that every hour (as the history witnesseth) they would with all their hearts have stoned him to death, (Exod. xvii. 4,) It is not possible, therefore, that the scholar should love his master; for how can he love him which keepeth him in prison, that is to say, which suffereth him not to do that which gladly he would? And if he do any thing against his commandment, by-and-by he is rebuked and chastised, yea, and is constrained, moreover, to kiss the rod when he is beaten. Is not this (I pray you) a goodly righteousness and obedience of the scholar, that he obeyeth his master so severely threatening and so sharply correcting him, and kisseth the rod? But doth he this with a good wUl? As soon as his master hath turned his back, he breaketh the rod, or casteth it into the fire. And if he had any power over his master, he would not suffer himself to be beaten of him, but rather he would beat him; and yet, notwithstanding, the schoolmaster is very necessai'y for the child, to instruct and to chastise him: otherwise the child, Avithout his discipline, instruction, and good education, should be utterly lost.

The schoolmaster, therefore, is appointed for the child to teRch him, to bring him up, and to keep him, as it were, in prison. But to what end, or how long? Is it to the end that this strait and sharp dealing of the schoolmaster should always continue, or that the child should remain in continual bondage? Not so.

tout only for a time, that this obedience, this prison and correction might turn to the profit of the child, that when the time cometh he might be his father's heir; for it is not the father's will that his son should be always subject to the schoolmaster, and always beaten with rods: but that by his instruction and discipline he might be made able and meet to be his father's successor.

Even so the law (saith Paul) is nothing else but a schoolmaster: not for ever, but until it have brought us to Christ: as in other words he said also before: "The law was given for transgressions until the blessed seed shovdd come." Also, " the scripture hath shut all under sin," &c. Again: " We were kept under, and shut up unto faith which should after be revealed." Wherefore the law is not only a schoolmaster, but it is a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. For what a schoolmaster were he which would always torment and beat the child, and teach him nothing at all? And yet such schoolmasters there were, in time past, when schools were nothing else but a prison and a very hell, and the schoolmasters cruel tyrants and very butchers. The children were always beaten; they learned with continual pain and travail, and yet few of them came to any proof. The law is not such a schoolmaster. For it doth not only terrify and torment (as the foolish schoolmaster beateth his scholars and teacheth them nothing;) but with his rods he driveth us unto Christ: like as a good schoolmaster instructeth and exerciseth his scholars in reading and writing, to the end that they may come to the knowledge of good letters and other profitable things, that afterwards they may have a delight in doing of that, which before, when they were constrained thereunto, they did against their wills.

By this goodly similitude Paul sheweth what is the true use of the law, namely, that it justifieth not hypocrites, for they remain without Christ in their presumption and security: and contrariwise, that it leaveth not in death and damnation those that are of a contrite heart {so that they use it as Paul teacheth) but driveth them unto Christ. But they which in these terrors continue still in their wickedness, and do not apprehend Christ by faith, do fall at length into desperation. Paul, therefore, in this allegory of the schoolmaster, most lively expresseth the true use of the law. For like as the schoolmaster reproveth his scholars, he gi'ieveth them, and maketh them heavy, and yet not to the end that this bondage sliould always continue, but that it should cease when the children are well brought up and instructed accordingly, and that afterwards, without any constraint of the schoolmaster, they should cheerfully enjoy their liberty and their fathers'goods: even so they which are vexed and oppressed with the law, do know that these terrors and vexations shall not always continue, but that thereby they are prepared to come unto Christ, which is to be revealed, and to receive the liberty of the spirit, &c.

The law is not a schoolmastei* to bring- us unto another lawgiver which requireth good works, but unto Christ our justifier and Saviour, that by faith in him we might be justified, and not by works. But when a man feeleth the force and strength of the law, he doth not understand nor believe this; therefore he saitli: I have lived wickedly, for I have transgressed all the commandments of God, and therefore I am guilty of eternal death. If God would prolong my life certain years, or at least certain months, I would amend my life and live holily hereafter. Here, of the true use of the law he maketh an abuse. Reason being overtaken in these terrors and straits, is bold to promise unto God the fulfilling of all the works of the whole law. And hereof came so many sects, and swarms of monks and religious hypocrites, so many ceremonies, and so many works, devised to deserve grace and remission of sins. And they which devised these things, thought that the law was a schoolmaster to lead them, not unto Christ, but to a new law, or unto Christ as a lawgiver, and not as one that hath abolished the law.

But the true use of the law is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sin, and humbled, that so I may come unto Christ, and may be jiistitied by faith. But faith is neither law nor work, but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ, "Avho is the end of the law,"(Rom.x.) And how? Not that he hath abolished the old law and given a new: or that he is a judge which must be pacified by works, as the Papists have taug'ht; but he is the end of the law to all those that believe: that is to say, every one that believeth in him is righteous, and the law shall never accuse him. The law then is good, holy, and just, so that a man use it as he should do. Now, they that abuse the law are, first, the hypocrites which attribute unto the law a power to justify: and, secondly, they which do despair, not knowing that the law is a schoohuaster to lead men unto Christ: that is to say, that the law humbleth them, not to their destruction, but to their salvation. For God woundeth that he may heal again: he killeth that he may quicken again.

Now, Paid, as before I have said, speaketh of those which are to be justified, and not of those which are justified already. Therefore, when thou goest about to reason as concerning the law, thou must take the matter of the law, or that whereupon the law worketh, namely, the sinner and the wicked person, whom the law justitieth not, but setteth sin before his eyes, casteth him doAvn, and bringeth him to the knowledge of himself: It sheweth unto him hell, the wrath, and the judgment of God. This is indeed the proper oifice of the law. Then followeth the use of this office: to wit, that the sinner may know that the law doth not reveal unto him his sin, and tlnis humbleth him, to the end he should despair: but that by this accusing and bruising, it may drive him unto Christ the Saviour and comforter. When this is done, he is no longer under the schoolmaster. And this use is very necessary. For seeing the whole world is overwhelmed with sin, it h£.th need of this ministry of the law, that sin may be revealed, otherwise no man should ever attain to righteousness, as before we have largely declared. But what worketh the law in them that are already justified by Christ? Paul answereth by these words, Avhich are, as it were, an addition to that which goeth before:

Yersb 25. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a Bchooluiaster.

That is to say, we are free from the law, from the prison, and from our schoolmaster; for Avhen faith is revealed, the law terrilieth and tormenteth us no more. Paul here speaketh of faith as it was preached and published to the world by Clirist in the time before appointed. For Christ, taking upon him our flesh, came once into the world: he abolished the law with all his effects, and delivered from eternal death all those which receive his benefit by faith. If, therefore, ye look unto Christ, and that which he hath done, there is now no law. For he, comings in the time appointed, took away the law. Now, since the law is gone, we are not kept under the tyranny thereof any more; but we live in joy and safety under Chi'ist, who now sweetly reigneth in us by his spirit. Now, where the Lord reigneth, there is liberty. Wherefore, if Ave could perfectly apprehend Christ, which hath abolished the law by his death, and hath reconciled us unto his Father, that schoolmaster should have no power over us at all. But the law of the members, rebelling against the law of the mind, letteth us, that we cannot perfectly lay hold upon Christ. The lack, therefore, is not in Christ, but in us, which have not yet put off this flesh, to which sin continually cleaveth, as long as we live. Wherefore, as touching ourselves, we are partly free from the law, and partly under the law. According to the spirit, we serve with Paul, the " law of God: but according to the flesh, the law of sin," (Rom. vii.)

Hereof it foUoweth, that, as touching the conscience, we are fully delivered from the law, and therefore that schoolmaster must not rule in it; that is, he must not afilict it with his terrors, threatenings, and captivity. And albeit it go about so to do never so much, yet is not the conscience moved therewith. For it hath Christ crucified before her eyes, who hath removed all the ofiicesof the laAv out of the conscience, "putting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us," &c. (Col. ii.) Therefore, even as a virgin knoweth no man, so the conscience must not only be ignorant of the law, but also it must be utterly dead unto the law, and the law likewise unto the conscience. This is not done by any Avorks, or by the righteousness of the law, but by faith, Avhich apprehendeth and layeth hold upon Christ.

Notwithstanding- sin cleaveth still in the flesh, as touching the effect thereof, which oftentimes accuseth and troubleth the conscience. So long, then, as the flesh doth remain, so long this schoolmaster the law doth also remain, which many times terriiieth the conscience, and maketh it heavy by revealing of sin and threatening of death. Yet is it raised up again by the daily coming of Christ, who, as he came once into the world, in the time before appo'jited, to redeem us fi'om the hard and sharp servitude of our schoolmaster; even so he cometh daily unto us spiritually, to the end that we may increase in faith, and in the knowledge of him; that the conscience may apprehend him more fully and perfectly from day to day; and that the law of the flesh and of sin, with the terror of death and all evils that the law bringeth with it, may be daily diminished in us more and more. As long then as we live in the flesh, which is not without sin, the law oftentimes returneth and doth his office, in one more, and in another less, as their faith is strong or weak, and yet not to their destruction, but to their salvation. For this is the exercise of the law in the saints, namely, the continual mortification of the flesh, of reason, and of our own strength, and the daily renewing of our inward man, as it is said in 2 Cor. iv.

We receive, then, the first fruits of the spirit. The leaven is hid in the mass of the dough; but all the dough is not yet leavened: no, it is yet but only begun to be leavened. If I behold the leaven, I see nothing else but pure leaven; but if I behold the whole mass, I see that it is not all pm'e leaven. That is to say, if I behold Christ, I am altogether pure and holy, knowing nothing at all of the law; for Christ is my leaven: but if I behold my own flesh, I feel in myself covetousness, lust, anger, pride, and arrogance; also, the fear of death, heaviness, hatred, murmuring, and impatience against God. The more these sins are in me, the more is Christ absent from me; or if he be present, he is felt but a little. Here have we need of a schoolmaster, to exercise and vex this strong ass, the flesh, that by this exercise sins may be diminished, and a way prepared unto Christ. For as Christ came once corporally, at the time appointed, abolished the whole law, vanquished sin, destroyed death and hell; even so he cometh spiritually, without ceasing, and daily quencheth and killeth these sins in us.

This I say, that thou mayest be able to answer, if any shall thus object: Christ came into the world, and at once took away all our sins, and cleansed us by his blood: what need we, then, to hear the gospel, or to receive the sacraments? True it is, that inasmuch as thou beholdest Christ, the law and sin are quite abolished. But Christ is not yet come unto thee; or if he be come, yet notwithstanding there are remnants of sin in thee; thou art not yet thoroughly leavened; for where concupiscence, heaviness of spirit, and fear of death is, there is yet also the law aud sin. Christ is not yet thoroughly come: but when he cometh indeed, he driveth away fear and heaviness, and bringeth peace and quietness of conscience. So far forth, then, as I do apprehend Christ by faith, so much is the law aboHshed unto me. But my flesh, the world, and the devil, do hinder faith in me, that it cannot be perfect. Right gladly I wovild that that little light of faith which is in my heart, were spread throughout all my body, and all the members thereof; but it is not done; it is not by-and-by spread, but only beginneth to be spread. In the mean season this is our consolation, that we who have the first fruits of the spirit, do now begin to be leavened; but we sball be thoroughly leavened, when this body of sin is dissolved, and we shall rise new creatures wholly, together with Christ.

Albeit then that Christ be one and the same yesterday, today, and shall be for ever, ( Heb. xiii. 8,) and albeit that all the faithful which were before Christ, had the gospel and faith; yet notwithstanding Christ came once in the time before determined. Faith also came once when the apostles preached and published the gospel throughout the world. Moreover, Christ Cometh also spiritually every day. Faith likewise cometh daily by the word of the gospel. Now, when faith is come, the schoolmaster is constrained to give place, with his heavy and grievous office. Christ cometh also spiritually, when we still more and more do know and understand those things which by him are given unto us, and increase in grace and in the knowledge of him, 2 Pet. iii.

Verse 26. For ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Paul, as a true and an excellent teacher of faith, hath ahvays these words in his mouth, " by faith, in faith, of faith," which is in Christ Jesus. He saith not, ye are the children of God, because ye are circumcised, because ye have heard the law, and have done the works thereof, (as the Jews do imagine, and the false apostles teach,) but by faith in Jesus Christ. The law, then, maketh us not children of God, and much less men's traditions. It cannot beget us into a new nature, or a new birth: but it setteth before us the old birth, whereby we were born to the kingdom of the devil; and so it prepareth us to a new birth, which is by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by the law, as Paul plainly witnesseth: " For ye are all the sons of God by faith," &c. As if he said, Albeit ye be tormented, humbled, and killed by the law, yet hath not the law made you righteous, or made you the children of God: this is the work of faith alone. What faith? Faith in Christ. Faith, therefore, in Christ, maketh us the children of God, and not the law. The same thing Avitnesseth also St. John — " He gave power to as many as believed in him, to be the children of God," (John i. 12. Rom. viii. 16, 17.) What tongue, either of men or angels, can sufficiently extol an<^ magnify the great mercy of God towards us, that we, which are miserable sinners, and by nature the children of wrath^ should be called to his grace and glory, to be made the children and heirs of God, fellow-heirs with the Son of God, and lords over heaven and earth, and that by the only means of our faith which is in Christ Jesus.

To put on Christ is taken two manner of ways: according to the law, and according to the gospel. According to the law, as it is said in the 13th chapter to the Romans: "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ:" that is, follow the example and virtues of Christ. Do that which he did, and suffer that which he suffered. And in 1 Pet. ii. " Christ hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps." Now, we see in Christ a singular patience, an inestimable mildness and love, and a wonderful modesty in all things. This goodly apparel we must put on, that is to say, follow these virtues.

But the putting on of Christ, according to the gospel, consisteth not in imitation, but in a new birth and a new creation: that is to say, in putting on Christ's innocency, his righteousness, his wisdom, his power, his saving health, his life, and his spirit. We are clothed with the leather coat of Adam, which is a mortal garment, and a garment of sin; that is to say, we are all subject unto sin, all sold under sin. There is in us horrible blindness, ignorance, contempt and hatred of God: moreover, evil concupiscence, uncleanness, covetousness, &c. This garment, that is to say, this corrupt and sinful nature, we received fi'om Adam, which Paid is wont to call "the old man." This old man must be put off, with all his works, (Eph. iv. Cor. i.) that of the children of Adam we may be made the children of God. This is not done by changing of a garment, or by any laws or works, but by a new birth, and by the renewing of the inward man, which is done in baptism, as Paul saith: "AH ye that are baptized, have put on Christ." Also: "According to his mercy hath ho saved us by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Tit. iii.) For, besides that they which are baptized are regenerate and renewed by the Holy Ghost to a heavenly righteousness and to eternal life, there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame; there rise in them new and holy affections, as the fear of God, true faith and assured hope, &c.; there beginneth in them also a new will. And this is to put on Christ truly, and according to the gospel. Therefore, the righteousness of the law, or of our o^vn woi'ks, is not given unto us in baptism; but Christ himself is our garment. Now, Christ is no law, no lawgiver, no work; but a divine and an inestimable ^ift, whom God hath given unto us, that he might be our justiher, our saviour, and our redeemer. Wherefore, to be apparelled with Christ according to the gospel, is not to be apparelled with the law nor with works, but with an incomparable gift; that is to say, with remission of sins,

This is diligently to be noted, because of the fond and fantastical spirits, Avhich go about to deface the majesty of baptism, and speak wickedly of it. Paul, contrariwise, commendeth and setteth it forth with honourable titles, calling it " the washing of the new birth, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Tit. iii.) And here also he saith, that all they which are baptized, have put on Chi'ist. As if he said. Ye are carried out of the law hito a new birth, which is wrought in baptism. Therefore }'e are not now any longer under the law, but ye are clothed Avith a new garment; to wit, with the righteousness of Christ. Wherefore baptism is a thing of great force and efficacy. Now, when we are apparelled with Christ, as with the robe of righteousness and our salvation, then we must put on Christ also as the apparel of imitation and example. These things I have handled more largely in another place, therefore I here briefly pass them over.

Vf,rse 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian, there is neither bond nor free, <here is neither male nor female; for ye are all'one in Christ Jesus.

Here might be added moreover many more names of persons and offices which are ordained of God, as these: there is neither magistrate nor subject, neither teacher nor hearer, neither schoolmaster nor scholar, neither master nor servant, neither mistress nor maid, &:c. for in Christ Jesus all states, yea, even such as are ordained of God, are nothing. Indeed, the male, the female, the bond., the free, the Jew, the Gentile, the prince, the subject, are the good creatures of God: but in Christ, that is, in the matter of salvation, they are nothing, with all their wisdom, righteousness, religion, and power.

Wherefore, with these words, " There is neither Jew," &c. Paul mightily abolisheth the law. For here, that is, when a man is renewed by baptism, and hath put on Christ, there is neither Jew nor Grecian, &c. The apostle speaketh not here of the Jew according to his nature and substance; but he calleth him a Jew which is the disciple of Moses, is subject to the law, is circumcised, and with all his endeavour keepeth the ceremonies commanded in the law. Wlien Christ is put on, saith he, there is neither Jew nor circumcision, nor ceremony of the law any more; for Christ hath abolished all the laws of Moses that ever were. Wherefore, the conscience believing in Christ must be so surely persuaded that the law is abolished, with all his terrors and threatenings, that it should be utterly ignorant whether there were ever any Moses, any law, or any Jew. For Christ and Moses can in no wise agree. Moses came with the law, with many works, and with many ceremonies; but Christ came without any law, without any exacting of works, giving grace and righteousness, &c. For "the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John i. 17.)

Moreover, when he saith, "nor Grecian," he also rejecteth and condemneth the wisdom and righteousness of the Gentiles; for among the Gentiles there were many notable men, as Xenophon, Themistocles, Marcus Fabius, Attilius Regulus, Cicero, Fomponius Atticus, and many others, which being endued with singular virtues, governed commonwealths excellently, and did many worthy acts for the preservation thereof: and yet all these were nothing before God, Avith their wisdom, their power, their notable acts, their excellent virtues, laws, religions, and ceremonies; for we must not think that the Gentiles did contemn all honesty and religion. Yea, all nations of all ages dispersed throughout the world had their laws, religions, and ceremonies, without the which it is not possible that mankind should be governed. All righteousness, therefore, concerning either the government of families, or commonwealths, or divine matters, (as was the righteousness of the law,) with all the obedience, execution, and holiness thereof, be it never so perfect, is nothing worth before God. What then? The garment of Christ which we put on in baptism.

So, if the servant do his duty, obey his master, serve in his vocation never so diligently and faithfiilly; if he that is at liberty he in authority and govern the commonwealth, or guide his own family, honestly and with praise; if the man do that pertaineth to the man in marrying a wife, in governing his family, in obeying the magistrate, in behaving himself decently towards all men; if the woman live chastely, obey her husband, see well to her household, bring up her children godly, (wliich are indeed excellent gifts and holy works,) yet are all these nothing in comparison of that righteousness which is before God. To be brief, all the laws, ceremonies, religions, righteousness, and works in the whole world, yea, of the Jews themselves, which were the first that had the kingdom and priesthood ordained and appointed of God, with theii' holy laws, religions, ceremonies, and worshippings, all these (I say) take not away sin, deliver not from death, nor purchase life.

Therefore your false apostles do subtilly seduce you, (O, ye Galatians,) when they teach you that the law is necessary to salvation; and by this means they spoil you of that excellent glory of your new birth and your adoption, and call you back to your old birth, and to the most miserable servitude of the law, making you, of the free children of God, bond-children of the law, whilst they will have a diiference of persons according to the law. Indeed there is a difference of persons in the law, and in the world, and there it ought to be; but not before God. "All have sinned, and are destitute of the glory of God." {Rom. iii. 23.) Let the Jews, therefore, the Gentiles, and the whole world, keep silence in the presence of God. God, hath, indeed.

many ordinances, laws, degrees, and kinds of life, but all these help nothing to deserve grace, and obtain eternal life. So many as are justified, therefore, are justified, not by the observation of man's law, or God's law, but by Christ alone, who hath abolished all laws. Him alone doth the gospel set forth unto us for a pacifier of God's wrath by the shedding of his own blood, and a Saviour: and without faith in him, neither shall the Jew be saved by the law, nor the monk by his order, nor the Grecian by his wisdom, nor the magistrate or master by his upright government, nor the servant by his obedience.

These are excellent words. In the world, and according to the flesh, there is a great difference and inequality of persons, and the same must be diligently observed. For if the woman would be the man, if the son would be the father, the servant would be the master, the subject would be the magistrate, there should be nothing else but a confusion of all estates and of all things. Contrariwise, in Christ there is no law, no difference of persons; there is neither Jew nor Grecian, but all are one; for there is but one body, one spirit, one hope of vocati(Tn; there is but one gospel, "one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, one Christ and Lord of all." (Eph. iv. 4—6.) We have the same Christ, I, thou, and all the faithful, which Peter, Paul, and all the saints had. Here, therefore, the conscience knoweth nothing of the law, but hath Christ only before her eyes; therefore, Paul is always wont to add this clause, "In Christ Jesus;" who, if he be taken out of our sight, then coraeth anguish and terror.

The popish school-divines do dream that faith is a quality cleaving in the heart, without Christ. This is a devilish error. But Christ should be so set forth, that thou shouldst see nothing besides him, and shouldst think that nothing can be more near unto thee, or more present within thy heart than he is. For he sitteth not idly in heaven, but is present with us, working and living in us; as he saith before, in the second chapter, "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." And here likewise: "Ye have put on Christ." Faitli, therefore, is a certain, stedfast beholding, which looketh upon nothing else but Christ, the conqueror of sin and death, and the giver of righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. This is the cause that Paul nameth and setteth forth Jesus Christ so often in his epistles, yea, almost in every verse. But he setteth liim forth by the word: for otherwise he cannot be comprehended than by the word.

This was notably and lively represented by the brazen serpent, which is a figure of Christ. Moses commanded the Jews which were stung of serpents in the desart, to do nothing else but stedfastly behold the brazen serpent, and not to turn away their eyes. They that did so, were healed only by that stedfast and constant beholding of the serpent. (Numb. xxi. 6, 7, 8.) But, contrariwise, they died which obeyed not the commandment of Moses, but looked upon their wounds and not upon the serpent. So, if I would find comfort when my conscience is afflicted, or when I am at the point of death, I must do nothing but apprehend Clu'ist by faith, and say: I believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who suffered, was crucified, and died for me, &c. in whose wounds and in whose death I see my sin, and in liis resm'rection victory over sin, death, and the devil, also righteousness and eternal life. Besides him I see nothing, I hear nothing. This is true faith concerning Christ, and in Christ, whereby "we are made members of his body, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. In him, therefore, we live, we move, and we have our being." (Eph. v. 30. Acts xvii. 28.) Christ and our faith must be thoroughly joined together. We must be in heaven, and Christ must live and work in us. Now, he liveth and worketh in us, not by specidation and naked knowledge, but in deed, and by a true and a substantial presence.

Verse 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham s seed, and heirs by the promise.

That is to say, if ye believe, and be baptized into Christ; if ye believe, I say, that he is that promised seed of Abraham which brought the blessing to all the Gentiles, then are ye the children of Abraham, not by nature, but by adoption; for the scripture attributeth unto him, not only the children of the flesh, but also of adoption and of the promise, and foresheweth that they shall receive the inheritance, and the other shall be cast out of the hoxise. So Paid, in few words, translateth the whole glory of Libanus, that is to say, of the nations of the Jews, unto the desart, that is, unto the Gentiles. And this place comprehendeth a singular consolation: to wit, that the Gentiles are the children of Abraham, and consequently the people of God; But they are the children of Abraham, not by carnal generation, but by the promise. The kingdom of heaven, then, life, and the eternal inheritance, belongeth to the Gentiles. And this the scripture signified long before, when it saith: "I have made thee a father of many nations." (Gen. xvii. 5.) Again, "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed." (Gen. xxii. 18.) Now, therefore, because we which are Gentiles do believe, and by faith do receive the blessing promised to Abraham, and exhibited by Christ, therefore the scripture calleth us the children and heirs of Abraham, not after the flesh, but after the promise. So that promise, " In thy seed," &c. belongeth also to all the Gentiles, and according to this promise Christ is become ours.

Indeed, the promise was made only to the Jews, and not to us that are Gentiles. (Psal. cxlvii.) " He sheweth his word unto Jacob, &c. He hath not dealt so with every nation," &cc. Notwithstanding, that which was promised cometh unto us by faith, by the which o ily we apprehend the promise of God. Albeit, then, that the promise be not made unto us, yet is it made as touching- us and for us: for we are named in the promise: " In thy seed shall all nations be blessed;" for the promise sheweth plainly that Abraham shoidd be the father, not only of the Jewish nation, but of many nations, and that he should be the heir, not of one kingdom, but of all the world, (Rom. iv.) So the glory of the whole kingdom of Christ is translated unto us. Wherefore all laws are utterly abolished in the heart and conscience of a Chinstian: notwithstanding they remain without, still in the flesh. And hereof we have spoken largely before.

Verse I. This I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, diifcreth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Verse 2. But is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the

Yk see Avith what vehement affection Paul goeth about to call back the Galatians, and what strong arguments he useth in debating the matter, gathering similitudes of experience of the example of Abraham, of the testimonies of the scripture, and of the time, so that oftentimes he seemeth to renew the whole matter again; for before, he had, in a manner, finished the disputation concerning justification, concluding that a man is justified before God by faith only and alone. But, because he calleth also to remembrance this political example of the little heir, he bringetlithe same also for the confirmation of his matter; thus trying every Avay, he lieth in wait, with a certain holy subtlety, to take the Galatians unawares; for the ignorant people are sooner persuaded Avith similitudes and examples, than with deep and subtle disputations. They will rather behold an image well painted, than a book well written. Paul therefore now, after that he hath brought the similitude of a man's testament, of the person of the schoolmaster, useth also this similitude of an heir, (which is familiar and well known to all men,) to move and to persuade them. And, sm'ely, it is a very profitable thing to be furnished with similitudes and examples, which not only Paul, but also the prophets, and Christ himself also did often use.

Ye see, saith he, that it is ordained by the civil laws, that an heir, albeit he be the lord of all his father's goods, differeth not from a servant. Indeed, he hath an assured hope of the inheritance: but before he come to his years, his tutors hold him in subjection, like as the schoolmaster doth his scholai*. They commit not unto him the ordering of his own goods, but constrain him to serve, so that he is kept and maintained with his own goods like a servant. Therefore, as long as this bondage endureth, that is, so long as he is under tutors and governors, he differeth nothing from a servant. And this subjection and servitude is very profitable for him; for otherwise, through folly, he woidd soon waste all his goods. This captivity endureth not always, but hath a certain time limited and appointed by the father, Avherein it must end.

Ybksb 3. So also we, as long as we were children, weie in bondage under the rudiments of the world.

In like manner, when we were little children, we were heirs, having the promise of the inheritance to come, which should be given unto us by the seed of Abraham, that is to say, by Christ, in whom all nations should be blessed. But because the fiduess of time was not yet come, Moses, our tutor, governor, and schoolmaster, came, holding us in captivity, with our hands bound, so that we could bear no rule, nor possess our inheritance. In the mean time, notwithstanding,like as an heir is nourished and maintained in hope of liberty to come, even so Moses did nourish us with the hope of the promise to be revealed hi the time appointed; to wit, when Christ should come, who, by his coming, shovdd put an end to the time of the law, and begin the time of grace.

Now the time of the law endeth two manner of Avays: first, (as I said) by the coming of Christ in the flesh, at the time appointed of his Father. " But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law, that he might redeem them Avhich were under the law," &c. (Gal. iv. 4, 5.) "He entered into the holy sanctuary once through his blood, and obtained eternal redemption for us." (Heb. ix. 12.) Moreover, the same Christ, who came once in the time appointed, cometh also unto us daily and hourly in spirit. Indeed, once with his own blood he redeemed and sanctified all; but because we are not yet perfectly pui-e (for the remnants of sin do yet cleave to our flesh, Avhich striveth against the spirit, (Heb. x. 14. Gal. v. 17.) therefore daily he cometh unto us spiritually, and continually more and more accomplisheth the appointed time of his Father, abrogating and abolishing the law.

So he came also in spirit to the fathers of the Old Testament, before he appeared in the flesh. They had Christ in spirit. They believed in Christ Avhich should be revealed, as we believe in Christ which is now revealed, and were saved by him, as we are, according to that saying: "Jesus Christ is one, yesterday, and to-day, and shall be the same for ever." Yesterday, before the time of his^ coming in the flesh; to-day, Avhen he was revealed in the time before appointed; now and for ever he is one and the same Christ. For even by him only, and alone, all the faithful which either have been, be, or shall be, are delivered from the law, justified, and saved.

dren, served under the rudiments of the world;" that is to say, the law had dominion over us, oppressed us, and kept us in a strait bondage, as servants and captives. For, first, it restrained carnal and rebellious persons, that they shoidd not run headlong into all kinds of ^dce. For the law threateneth punishment to transgressors; which if they feared not, there is no mischief which they Avould not commit; and over those whom the law so bridleth, it rideth and reigneth. Again, it did accuse us, terrify us, kill us, and condemn us spiritually and before God: and this was the principal dominion that the law had over us. Therefore, like as an heir is subject mito his tutors, is beaten, and is compelled to obey their laws, and dihgently to execute their commandments: cren so, men's consciences, before Clu'ist come, are oppressed with the shai-p servitude of the law; that is to say, they are accused, terrified, and condemned of the law. But this dominion, or rather this tyranny of the law is not continual, but must only endure until the time of grace. "Wherefore the office of the law is to reprove and increase sins, not to bring righteousness; to kill, not to bring life. For "the law is a schoolmaster unto Christ." (Gal. iii. 20.) Like as therefore the tutors do handle the heir, being yet a child, straitly and hardly, rule him and command him as a servant, and he again is constrained to be subject unto them: even so the law accuseth us, humbleth us, and bringeth us into bondage, that we may be the servants of sin, death, and of the wrath of God, which is indeed a most miserable kind of bondage. But as the power of the tutors, and the subjection and bondage of the little heu* is not continual, but only endureth unto the time appointed of the father, which, being ended, he needeth not to be governed by his tutors, nor remaineth under their subjection any more, but with liberty enjoyeth the inheritance: even so the law hath dominion over us, and we are constrained to be servants and captives under his government, but not for ever; for this clause which foUoweth must be added: "Until the time appointed of the Father." For Christ, which was promised, came and redeemed us which were oppressed with the tyranny of the law.

Contrariwise, the coming of Christ profiteth not the careless hypocrites, the wicked contemners of God, nor the desperate, which think that nothing else remaineth but the terrors of the law which they feel. His coming only profiteth those which are tormented and terrified with the law for a time; that is to say, such as despair not in those great and inward terrors which the laAv stirreth up, but with a sure trust come unto Christ the throne of grace, which hath redeemed them from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them, and so obtain mercy and find grace. (Heb. iv. 16. Gal. iii. 13.)

There is a certain vehemency, therefore, in this word, "we did serve." As if he would say: our conscience was subject to the law, which holding us as bondslaves and captives, like as a tyrant holdeth his prisoners, whipped us, and with aU his power exercised his tyranny upon us; that is to say, it brought unto us a terror and a heaviness of spirit, it made us to tremble and ready to despair, threatening unto us everlasting death and damnation. This spiritual bondage and slavery of the law is most sharp and bitter, and yet (as I have said) it is not continual, but endureth so long as we are children; that is, as long as Clu*ist is absent. Whilst he is absent, we are servants, shut under the law, destitute of grace, faith, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghost.