Martin Luther on Galatians 3:21

Verſe. 21. Is the lavv then againſt the promiſe of God? Paule ſaid before that the law iuſtifieth not. Shall we then take away the law? No, not ſo. For it bringeth with it a certaine commoditie. What is that? It bringeth men vnto the knowledge of themſelues: it diſcouereth and encreaſeth ſinne &c. Here now riſeth an other obiection. If the lawe doe nothing els but make men worſe in ſhewing vnto them their ſinne, then is it contrary to the promiſes of God. For it ſeemeth that God is but onely prouoked to anger and offended through the law,The iudgemēt of the Ievves and of all others as touching the lavv and therefore he regardeth not nor performeth his promiſes. We Iewes haue thought the contrary: to witte, that we are reſtrained and bridled by this externall diſcipline, to the ende that God being prouoked therby, might haſtē the performing of his promiſe, and that by this diſcipline we might deſerue the promiſe. Paule aunſwereth: It is nothing ſo. But contrariwiſe, if ye haue regard to the law,Reaſon can not abide to heare the good lavv of God. the promiſe is rather hindered. For natural reaſon offendeth God which ſo faithfully promiſeth, whiles it will not heare his good and holy lawe. For it ſayth: Let not the Lorde ſpeake vnto vs &c. How can it be then that God ſhould performe his promiſe vnto thoſe, which, not onely receaue not his law and his diſcipline, but alſo wt a mortal hatred do ſhunne it & flie from it? Here therfore (as I ſaid) riſeth this obiection: Then ye law ſemeth to hinder ye promiſes of God. This obiection Paule toucheth by ye way & briefely aūſwereth, ſaying:

Verſe. 21. God forbid. God maketh not the promiſe becauſe of our vvorthines, but for his ovvne mercies ſake.Why ſo? Firſt for that God doth not make any promiſe vnto vs becauſe of our worthines, our merits, our good works: but that he doth, is of his meere goodnes and ineſtimable mercy in Chriſt. He ſaith not to Abraham: All nations ſhalbe bleſſed in thee becauſe thou haſt kept the law: but (as it is written in the .24. chap. of Ioſua) when he was yet vncircumciſed, had no law, & was yet an idolater, he ſaid vnto him: Goe out of thine ovvne land &c. I vvill be thy protectour &c. Alſo: In thy Seede shall all nations be bleſſed. Ioſua. 24.2.3. Geneſ. 12.1.2. The promiſes of God are abſolute, & not made in reſpect of our vvorthines. The promiſes of God are not hindered becauſe of our ſinnes. 2. Pet. 3.9. Theſe are abſolute & meere promiſes: which God freely geueth vnto Abraham, without any condition or reſpect of workes either going before or comming after. This is ſpecially againſt the Iewes, which thinke that the promiſes of God are hindered becauſe of their ſinnes. God (ſaith Paule) doth not ſlacke his promiſes becauſe of our ſinnes, or haſten the ſame for our righteouſnes and merites: he regardeth neither the one nor the other. Wherefore, although we be worſe and more ſinnefull, and brought into a greater contempte and hatred of God by meanes of the lawes, yet notwithſtanding God is not moued therby to differre his promiſe. For his promiſe doth not ſtande vpon our worthines, but vpon his onely goodnes and mercy. Therefore, where the Iewes ſay: The Meſſias is not yet come, becauſe our ſinnes doe hinder his cōming, it is a deteſtable lie.A Diuelish dreame of the Ievves. As though God ſhould become vnrighteous becauſe of our ſinnes, or made a lier becauſe we are liers. He abideth alwaies iuſt and true: his truth therefore is the onely cauſe that he accompliſheth and performeth his promiſe. Moreouer, although the law doe reueile and encreaſe ſinne, yet is it not againſt the promiſes of God, yea rather it confirmeth the promiſes.The lavve is not againſt the promiſes of God. For as concerning his proper worke and ende, it humbleth and prepareth a man (ſo that he vſe it rightly) to ſigh and ſeeke for mercy. For when ſinne is reueiled to a man and ſo encreaſed by the law, then he beginneth to perceaue the wickednes and hatred of mans hearte againſt the law, and againſt God him ſelfe the authour of the law. Then he feeleth in deede that, not only he loueth not God, but alſo hateth and blaſphemeth God who is full of goodnes & mercy, and his lawe which is iuſt and holy. Then is he conſtrained to cōfeſſe that there is no good thing in him. And thus, when he is throwne downe and humbled by the lawe, he acknowledgeth him ſelfe to be moſt miſerable and damnable. When the law therfore conſtraineth a man ſo to acknowledge his owne corruption, and to confeſſe his ſinne from the bottome of his heart, then hath it done his office truely,VVhen the office and time of the lavve is accomplished and his time is accompliſhed and ended. And nowe is the time of grace, that the bleſſed Seede may come to raiſe vppe and to comfort him that is ſo caſt downe and humbled by the lawe. After this manner the law is not againſt the promiſes of God. For firſt the promiſe hangeth not vpon the lawe, but vpon the truth and mercy of God only and alone. Secondly when the law is in his chiefe end and office, it humbleth a man, and in humbling him it maketh him to ſigh and grone, and to ſeeke the hand and aide of the Mediatour, and maketh his grace and his mercy exceeding ſweete & comfortable (as is ſaide Pſalm. 109. Thy mercy is ſvveete ) and his gifte precious and ineſtimable.Pſal. 109.2[illegible: 1 letter]. And by this meanes it prepareth vs and maketh vs apte to apprehende and to receaue Chriſte. For as the Poete ſayeth: Dulcia non meruit qui non guſtauit amara: that is, He that hath not taſted the things that are bitter, Is not vvorthie to taſte the things that are ſvveeter. Hunger is the beſt Cooke.The lavv maketh troubled and afflicted ſoules to thirſt for Chriſt. Therefore like as the drie earth doth couet the raine, euen ſo the lawe maketh troubled and afflicted ſoules to thirſt after Chriſte. To ſuch Chriſte ſauoureth ſweetely: to them he is nothing els but ioy, conſolation and life. And there beginneth Chriſt and his benefite rightly to be knowne. This is then the principall vſe of the law: namely, when a man can ſo vſe it, that it may humble him & make him to thirſt after Chriſt. And in deede Chriſt requireth thirſty ſoules, whom he moſt louingly and graciouſly allureth and calleth vnto him when he ſaith: Math. 11 28. Vpon vvhom Chriſt beſtovveth his benefites. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loden and I vvill refresh you. He deliteth therefore to water theſe dry groundes. He powreth not his waters vpon fatte and rancke groundes, or ſuch as are not dry and couet no water.Math. 11.5. His good things are ineſtimable, and therefore he geueth them to none but vnto ſuch as haue neede of them, and feeling the greate neede they haue thereof, doe earneſtly deſire them. He preacheth glad tidings to the poore: he geueth drinke to the thirſtie. If any thirſt (ſaith Iohn) Let him come vnto me &c. He healeth the broken harted &c. that is,Iohn. 7.37.38. Deut. 18.15. he comforteth thoſe that are bruſed and afflicted by the law. Therefore the law is not againſt the promiſes of God.

Verſe. 21. For if there had ben a lavv geuen vvhich bringeth life, ſurely righteouſnes should haue ben by the lavve. By theſe wordes Paule ſignifieth that no lawe of it ſelfe is able to quicken or geue life,The lavve quickneth not but killeth. but onely killeth. Therfore ſuch works as are done, not onely according to the lawes and traditions of the Pope, but alſo according to ye very law of God, doe not iuſtifie a man before God, but make him a ſinner: they doe not pacifie the wrath of God, but they kindle it: they obtaine not righteouſnes, but they hinder it: they quicken not, but they terrifie. Therfore, when he ſayeth: If a lavv had ben geuen vvhich could haue brought life &c. he teacheth plainly that the lawe of it ſelfe iuſtifieth not: but that it hath a cleane contrary effect. Although theſe words of Paule be plaine enough, yet are they obſcure and vtterly vnknowne to the Papiſts. For if they did vnderſtand them in deede, they would not ſo magnifie their freewill, their owne naturall ſtrength, the keping of theThe Papiſtes diuide the goſpel in to precepts and Coū ſels: to the precepts men are bounde (ſay they) but not to the Counſels. Counſels, the works of ſupererogation &c. But left they ſhould ſeeme to be manifeſtly wicked, & plaine Infidels in denying the words of the Apoſtle of Chriſt ſo impudently, they haue this peſtilent gloſe alwayes ready (wherby they peruert the places of Paule concerning the lawe which reuealeth ſinne and engendreth wrath, that is to ſay the .x. commaūdemēts) that Paule ſpeaketh onely of the ceremoniall and not of the morall law. But Paule ſpeaketh plainly when he ſayth: If a lavve had ben geuen. &c. and he excepteth no lawe. Wherfore this gloſe of the Papiſts is not worth a ruſh. For the lawes of the ceremonies were as well commaunded of God, and as ſtreitly kept as the morall lawes. The Iewes alſo kept circumciſion as preciſely as they did the Sabboth day. It is euident enough therfore that Paule ſpeaketh of the whole lawe. Theſe words of the Apoſtle are ſong & ſaid in the Papacie and in all their churches, and yet notwithſtanding they both teach and liue quite contrary.Paul teacheth that no lavve vvas geuen to bring life, but the Pope teacheth quite contrary. Paule ſayth ſimplie that no law was geuen to quicken and to bring life: but the Papiſtes teach that many lawes are geuen to bring life. Although they ſay not this in plaine words, yet in very deede ſuch is their opinion, as their Monkery doth plainely witnes, beſides many lawes and traditions of men, their workes and merites before grace and after, and innumerable wicked ceremonies and falſe worſhippings, which they haue deuiſed of their owne heads, and thoſe onely haue they preached, treading the Goſpell vnder their feete and aſſuredly promiſing grace, remiſſion of ſinnes, and life euerlaſting to all ſuch as ſhould kepe & obſerue the ſame. This that I ſay cā not be denied: for their bokes which are yet extāt, geue certaine teſtimony therof. But contrariwiſe we affirme wt Paule yt there is no law, whether it be mans law or Gods law, yt geueth life. Therfore we put as great a difference betwene the law & righteouſnes, as is betwene life & death, betwene heauen & hell. And the cauſe ye moueth vs ſo to affirme, is that plaine & euident place of Paule: where he ſayth, yt the law is not geuen to iuſtifie, to geue life, and to ſaue, but onely to kil & to deſtroy, cōtrary to the opinion of all men:The iudgemēt of men naturally as touching the lavve. for naturally they can iudge no otherwiſe of ye law, but yt it is geuen to work righteouſnes, & to geue life & ſaluation. This difference of the offices of the law and the goſpel, kepeth all Chriſtian doctrine in his true & proper vſe. Alſo it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kindes of life, ouer the lawes & decrees of all men,VVhat profite cometh by knovving the difference betvvene the lavve and the Goſpell. and ouer all doctrine whatſoeuer, and it geueth them power to trie all maner of ſpirites. On the other ſide the Papiſts, becauſe they confoūd & mingle the law & the goſpel together, cā teach no certainty touching faith, works, ye ſtates & conditiōs of life, nor of the difference of ſpirits. Now therfore, after that Paule hath proſecuted his confutations and arguments ſufficiently and in good order, he teacheth, that ye lawe (if ye conſider his true and perfect vſe) is nothing elſe but as a certaine Scholemaſter to lead vs vnto righteouſnes. For it hūbleth men,The true and perfect vſe of the lavve. & maketh them apt to receaue ye righteouſnes of Chriſt whē it doth his own proper worke and office, that is, when it maketh them giltie, terrifieth and bringeth them to the knowledge of ſinne, wrath, death and hell. For when it hath done this, the opinion of mans owne righteouſnes & holines vaniſheth away, and Chriſte with his benefites beginneth to waxe ſweete vnto him. Wherefore the law is not againſt the promiſes of God, but rather confirmeth them. True it is, that it doth not accompliſh the promiſe, nor bring righteouſnes: notwithſtanding it humbleth vs with his exerciſe and office, and ſo maketh vs more thrifty, and more apte to receaue the benefite of Chriſt. Therefore (ſaith he) if any lawe had bene geuen which might haue brought righteouſnes, and through righteouſnes life (for no man can obtaine life except firſt he be righteous) then in deede righteouſnes ſhould come by the law. Moreouer, if there were any ſtate of life, any worke, any religion, whereby a man might obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes, righteouſnes and life, then ſhould theſe thinges in deede iuſtifie and geue life: but this is impoſſible: for,