Martin Luther on Galatians 3:17

Verſe. 17. And this I ſay, that the lavv vvhich vvas. 430. yeares after, can not diſanull the couenaunte that vvas confirmed before of God in reſpect of Chriſt, that it should make the promiſe of none effect. Here the Iewes might obiect,An obiectiō of the Ievves. that God was not onely content to geue promiſes to Abraham, but alſo after. 430. yeares he made the law. God therefore miſtruſting his owne promiſes, as vnſufficient to iuſtifie, added thereto a better thinge: that is to ſay, the law, to the end that when the ſame, as a better ſucceſſor, was come, not the idle but the doers of the law might be made righteous thereby. The law therefore which followed the promiſe, did abrogate the promiſe. Such euaſions and ſtarting holes the Iewes ſeeke out. To this cauillation Paule aunſwereth very well and to the purpoſe, and ſtrongly confu[illegible: 1 letter]eth the ſame.Paule confuteth the obiection of the Ievves. The law (ſaith he) was geuen 430. yeares after the promiſe was made: In thy Seede &c. and it could not make the promiſe voide and vnprofitable. For the promiſe is the Teſtament of God, confirmed by God himſelfe in Chriſt ſo many yeares before the law. Now, that which God once hath promiſed and confirmed, he calleth not backe againe, but it remaineth ratified and ſure for euer. VVhy the lavv is added to the promiſe.Why then was the law added? In deede it was deliuered ſo many ages after to the poſteritie of Abraham, not to ye end he might through it obtaine the Bleſſing (for it is the office of the law to bring mē vnder the Curſe, and not to bleſſe): but that there might be in the world a certaine people, which might haue the word and teſtimonie of Chriſt, out of the which, Chriſt alſo according to the fleſh, might be borne: And that men being kept and ſhut vp vnder the lawe, might ſigh and grone for their deliueraunce through ye Seede of Abraham, which is Chriſt: which onely ſhould and could bleſſe, that is to ſay, deliuer all nations from ſinne and euerlaſting death. Moreouer, the ceremonies commaū ded in the lawe, did foreſhadowe Chriſt. Wherefore the promiſe was not aboliſhed either by the law, or by the ceremonies of the law: but rather by the ſame, as by certaine ſeales, it was for a time confirmed, vntill the letters themſelues or the writing of the Teſtament (to wit,The letters he calleth the vvritten vvill or Teſtament. the promiſe) might be opened and by the preaching of the Goſpell might be ſpread abroad among all nations. The promiſe is confirmed by the lavve: therefore not abolished.But let vs ſuffer the law and the promiſe to encounter together, and then ſhall we ſee which of them is the ſtronger: that is to ſay, whether the promiſe be able to aboliſh the lawe, or the lawe the promiſe. If the law aboliſh the promiſe, then it followeth, that we by our works make God a lier and his promiſe of none effect. For if the law doe iuſtifie vs and deliver vs from ſinne and death, and conſequently our workes and our owne ſtrength performing the lawe, then the promiſe made to Abraham is vtterly voide and vnprofitable, and ſo conſequently God is a lier and a diſſembler.VVhat diſcommoditie should follovve if the lavve should abolish the promiſe. For when he which promiſeth will not performe his promiſe, but maketh it of none effect, what doth he els but ſhew himſelfe to be a lier and a diſſembler? But it is impoſſible that the lawe ſhould make God a lier, or that our workes ſhould make the promiſe void, nay rather it muſt needes be firme & ſtable for euer (for God promiſeth not in vaine) although we were able to keepe and fulfil the lawe. And let vs admitte that all men were as holy as Angels, ſo that they ſhould not neede the promiſe (which notwithſtanding is impoſſible): yet muſt we thinke that the ſame promiſe abideth moſt ſure and certaine: or elſe God ſhould be found a lier, which either hath promiſed in vaine, or elſe wil not or can not performe his promiſes. Therfore, like as the promiſe was before the lawe, ſo is it farre more excellent then the lawe. And God did excellently well in that he gaue the promiſe ſo long before the law. Which he did of purpoſe and to this ende,The lavv doth not abrogate the promiſe, but Faith laying hold vpon the promiſe, doth abrogate the lavv. that it ſhould not be ſayd, that righteouſnes was geuen through the lawe, and not through the promiſe. For if he would that we ſhould haue ben iuſtified by the lawe, then would he haue geuen the law. 430. yeares before the promiſe, or elſe together with the promiſe. But nowe at the firſt he ſpeaketh not a worde as concerning the lawe, but at the length after 430. yeares he geueth the lawe. In the meane while, all that time he ſpeaketh onely of his promiſes. Therfore the Bleſſing and free gift of righteouſnes came before the lawe through the promiſe: The promiſe therfore is farre more excellent then the lawe. And ſo the law doth not aboliſh the promiſe, but Faith in the promiſe (whereby the beleuers euen before Chriſtes time were ſaued) which is now publiſhed by the Goſpell throughout the whole world, deſtroyeth the law, ſo that it can not encreaſe ſinne any more, terrifie ſinners, or bring them into deſperation, laying hold vpon the promiſe through Faith. And in this alſo lieth a certaine vehemencie ſpecially to be noted, that he expreſſely ſetteth downe the number of .430. yeares. As if he would ſay: Cōſider with your ſelues how long it was betwene the promiſe geuen, and the lawe. It is plaine that Abraham receaued the promiſe a long time before the lawe. For the lawe was geuen to the people of Iſrael .430. yeares after. And this is an inuincible argument gathered and grounded vpon a certaine time. And he ſpeaketh not here of the lawe in generall, but onely of the written lawe.The vvritten lavve. As if he would ſay: God could not then haue regarde to the Ceremonies and workes of the law, and geue righteouſnes to the obſeruers thereof. For as yet the lawe was not geuen, which commaundeth ceremonies, requireth workes, and promiſeth life to thoſe that obſerue them, ſaying: The man that shall doe theſe things, shall liue in them. And although it promiſe ſuch things, yet it foloweth not therfore that we obtaine theſe promiſes: For it ſayeth plainly: The mā that shal do theſe things, &c. Now, it is certaine that no man can doe them. Moreouer, Paule ſayth that the lawe can not aboliſh the promiſe: therefore that promiſe made vnto Abraham .430. yeares before the law, remaineth firme and conſtant. And that the matter may be better vnderſtand, I will declare the ſame by a ſimilitude.A Similitude. If a rich man, not conſtrained, but of his owne good will, ſhould adopte one to be his ſonne, whom he knoweth not, and to whom he oweth nothing, and ſhould appoynt him to be the heire of all his lands and goods, & certaine yeres after that he hath beſtowed this benefite vpon him, he ſhould lay vpon him a law to do this or that: he cā not now ſay that he hath deſerued this benefite by his owne workes, ſeeing that many yeres before, he aſking nothing, had receaued the ſame freely and of mere fauour: So, God could not reſpect our workes and deſertes going before righteouſnes: for the promiſe and the gift of the holy Ghoſt was .430. yeares before the lawe. Hereby it appeareth that Abraham obteined not righteouſnes before God through the lawe.Abrahā vvas not made righteous by the lavve, for vvhen he liued, ther vvas no lavve. For there was yet no law. If there were yet no lawe, then was there neither worke nor merite. What then? Nothing elſe but the mere promiſe. This promiſe Abraham beleued, and it was counted to him for righteouſnes. By the ſelfe ſame meanes then that the father obteined this promiſe, the children doe alſo obteine it and holde it. So ſay we alſo at this day: Our ſinnes were purged by the death of Chriſt aboue a thouſand and fiue hundreth yeres agoe, when there were yet no religious Orders, no Canon or rule of Penance, no merites of congruence and worthines. We can not nowe therfore begin to aboliſh the ſame by our owne workes and merites. VVhat maner of arguments Paule vſeth.Thus Paule gathereth arguments of ſimilitudes, of a certaine time, and of perſons, ſo ſure & ſtrong on euery ſide that no man can deny them. Let vs therfore arme and fortifie our conſciences with ſuch like arguments: For it helpeth vs excedingly, to haue them alwayes ready in tentations. For they lead vs from the lawe and workes, to the promiſe and to faith: from wrath to grace: from ſinne to righteouſnes, and from death to life. Therfore theſe two things (as I doe often repeate): to witte, the lawe and the promiſe muſt be diligently diſtinguiſhed. For in time,The lavv and the promiſe muſt be diſtinguished. in place, and in perſon, and generally in all other circumſtances they are ſeparate as farre aſunder as heauen and earth, the beginning of the world and the later ende. In deede they are neare neighbours, for they are ioyned together in one man or in one ſoule: but in the inward affection & as touching their office, they ought to be ſeparate farre aſonder: ſo that the lawe may haue dominion ouer the fleſh, and the promiſe may ſweetely and comfortably raigne in the conſcience. When thou haſt thus appoynted vnto them both their own proper place, then thou walkeſt ſafely betwene them both in the heauen of the promiſe, and in the earth of the lawe.Both the lavv and the promiſe muſt haue their ovvne proper places appoynted vnto them. In ſpirite thou walkeſt in the Paradiſe of grace and peace: In the fleſh thou walkeſt in the earth of workes and of the croſſe. And nowe the troubles which the fleſh is compelled to beare, ſhall not be hard vnto thee, becauſe of the ſweetenes of the promiſe, which comforteth and reioyceth the hart excedingly. But now, if thou confound and mingle theſe two together,VVhat incommodities follovve of the mingling of the lavve and the promiſe together. and place the lawe in the conſcience, and the promiſe of libertie in the fleſh, then thou makeſt a confuſion, (ſuch as was in Poperie): ſo that thou ſhalt not knowe what the lawe, what the promiſe, what ſinne, or what righteouſnes is. Wherfore if thou wilt diuide the worde of truth aright, thou muſt put a great difference betwene the promiſe and the lawe as touching the inward affections and whole practiſe of life.The promiſe muſt not be confounded vvith the lavve. It is not for naught that Paule proſecuteth this argument ſo diligently. For he foreſawe in ſpirite that this miſchiefe ſhould creepe into the Church, that the word of God ſhould be confounded: that is to ſay, that the promiſe ſhould be mingled with the lawe, and ſo the promiſe ſhould be vtterly loſt. For when the promiſe is mingled with the lawe, it is nowe made nothing elſe but the very lawe. Therefore accuſtome thy ſelfe to ſeparate the promiſe and the law aſunder, euen in reſpect of time, that when the lawe cometh and accuſeth thy conſcience, thou mayeſt ſay: Lady lawe, thou comeſt not in ſeaſon, for thou comeſt to ſoone. Tarry yet vntil .430. yeres be expired, and when they are paſt, then come and ſpare not. But if thou come then, yet ſhalt thou come to late. For then hath the promiſe preuented thee .430. yeres: to the which I aſſent and ſweetely repoſe my ſelfe in the ſame. Therefore I haue nothing to doe with thee: I heare thee not. For nowe I liue with the beleuing Abraham: or rather ſince Chriſte is nowe reuealed and geuen vnto me, I liue in him: who is my righteouſnes, who alſo hath aboliſhed thee, O lawe. And thus let Chriſte be alwayes before thine eyes, as a certaine Summarie of all argumēts for the defence of Faith, againſt the righteouſnes of the fleſh, againſt the lawe, and againſt all workes and merites what ſo euer. Hetherto I haue reherſed almoſt all, but ſpecially the principall arguments which the Apoſtle Paule handleth in this Epiſtle for the confirmation of this Doctrine of Iuſtification. Among which,The argument touching the promiſe. the argument as touching the promiſe made vnto Abraham and to the other Fathers, is the waightieſt and of greateſt efficacie: which Paule doth chiefly proſecute both here and in the Epiſtle to the Romaines: the wordes wherof he diligently wayeth: and moreouer intreateth both of the times and perſons. Alſo he ſtandeth vpon this worde Seede, applying the ſame vnto Chriſte. Finally, he declareth by the contrary what the lawe worketh:The office of the lavve. namely that it holdeth men vnder the Curſe. And thus he fortifieth the Article of Chriſtian righteouſnes wt ſtrong and mighty arguments. On the other ſide, he ouerthroweth the arguments of the falſe apoſtles which they vſed in defence of the righteouſnes of the lawe, and he turneth them vpon their owne heades: That is to ſay, wheras they contended that righteouſnes and life is obtained by the lawe, Paule ſheweth that they worke nothing but malediction and death in vs. Ye contend (ſayth he) that the law is neceſſary to ſaluation. Haue ye not read, that it ſayeth: He that shall doe theſe things shall liue in them? Galat. 3.1[illegible: 1 letter]. Galat. 3.10. Now, who is he that doth performe or accompliſh them? No man liuing. Therfore, as many as are of the vvorkes of the lavve are vnder the Curſe. 1. Cor. 15.56. And againe, in another place: The ſting of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the lavve. Now followeth the concluſion of all theſe arguments.