Martin Luther on Galatians 3:23

Verſe. 23. But beforeFaith vvas the full reuelation of thīgs that vvere h[illegible: 1 letter]d vnder the lavve. faith came. He proceedeth in declaring the profite & neceſſitie of ye law. He ſaid before ye the law was added for tranſgreſſions: Not yt it was the principall purpoſe of God to make a law yt ſhould bring death & dānation, as he ſaith. Rom. 7. VVas that vvhich vvas good (ſaith he) made death vnto me? Rom. 7.13. God forbid For ye law is a word yt ſheweth life & driueth mē vnto it. Therfore it is not only geuen as a miniſter of death,The vſe of the lavve. but ye principal vſe & end therof is to reueile death, yt ſo it might be ſeene & knowen how horrible ſinne is. Notwtſtanding it doth not ſo reueile death as though it tended to no other end but to kill & deſtroy.VVhy the lavv reuealeth ſinne. But to this end it reuealeth death, yt when men are terrified, caſt downe, & humbled, they ſhould feare God. And this doth ye. 20. chap. of Erodus declare. Feare not (ſaith Moſes) For God is come to proue you & that his feare may be before you that ye ſinne not. The office therfore of ye law is to kill,Exod. 29.20. & yet ſo, yt God may reuiue & quickē againe. The law then is not geuē only to kil: but becauſe mā is proud & dreameth yt he is wiſe, righteous and holy, therfore it is neceſſary he ſhould be humbled by the law, that ſo this beaſte the opinion of righteouſnes I ſay, might be ſlaine: for otherwiſe men can not obtaine life.God vſeth the effect of the lavve, that is to ſay, death, to life. The opiniō of a mans ovvne righteouſnes, confidence & holines, is ſlain by the lavv. Albeit then yt the law killeth, yet God vſeth this effect of the law, this death, I meane, to a good vſe, yt is to ſay, euen to life. For God ſeeing yt this vniuerſall plague of the whole world: to wit, mās opinion of his owne righteouſnes, his hypocriſie, & cōfidence in his owne holines could not be beatē downe by any other meanes, he would yt it ſhould be ſlaine by the law: not for euer, but yt, when it is once ſlaine, mā might be raiſed vppe againe aboue and beyond the lawe, and there might heare this voice: Feare not: I haue not geuen the lawe, and killed thee by the lawe, to this ende that thou ſhouldeſt abide in this death: but that thou ſhouldeſt feare me, and liue. For the preſuming of good workes and righteouſnes ſtandeth not with the feare of God: And where the feare of God is not, there cā be no thirſting for grace or life. God muſt therefore haue a ſtrong hammer or a mightie maul, to breake the rockes, and a hote burning fire in the middes of heauen to ouerthrowe the mountaines: that is to ſay, to deſtroy this furious and obſtinate beaſt, (this preſumption I ſay) that when a man by this bruſing and breaking is brought to nothīg, he ſhould deſpaire of his owne ſtrēgth, righteouſnes, and holines, and being thus throughly terrified, ſhould thirſt after mercy and remiſſion of ſinnes.

Ver. 23. But before Faith came, vve vvere vnder the lavv, shut vppe vnto the Faith vvhich should aftervvardes be reuealed. That is to ſay, before the time of the Goſpell and grace came, the office of the law was, that we ſhould be ſhutte vppe and kept vnder the ſame, as it were in priſon. This is a goodly and a fitte ſimilitude, ſhewing the effect of the law, and how righteous it maketh men: therefore it is diligently to be weyed.This ſimilitude of the priſon shevveth the effect of the lavve. No theefe, no murtherer, no adulterer, or other malefactour loueth the chaines and fetters, the darke and lothſome priſon wherin he lieth faſt boūd: but rather, if he could, he would breake and beate in to pouder the priſon, with his irons and fetters. In deede whiles he is in priſon he refraineth from doing of euill: but not of a good will or for righteouſnes ſake: but becauſe the priſon reſtreineth him that he can not doe it. And nowe being faſt fettred he hateth not his theft and his murther: (yea he is ſory with all his heart that he can not robbe and ſteale, cutte and ſlay) but he hateth the priſon, and if he could eſcape, he would robbe and kill as he did before. The lawe shutteth men vnder ſinne two wayes, Ciuily and Spiritually. Such is the force of the lawe and the righteouſnes that cometh of the lawe,VVhat the righteouſnes of the lavv is. compelling vs to be outwardly good when it threatneth death or any other puniſhment to the tranſgreſſours thereof. Here we obey the law in deede, but for feare of puniſhment: that is, vnwillingly and with great indignation. But what righteouſnes is this, when we abſteine from doing euill for feare of puniſhment? Wherefore, this righteouſnes of works is in deede nothing elſe,The righteouſnes of vvorkes. but to loue ſinne & to hate righteouſnes, to deteſt God with his lawe, and to loue and reuerence that which is moſt horrible and abhominable? For looke howe hartely the theefe loueth the priſon and hateth his theft: ſo gladly doe we obey the lawe in accompliſhing that which it commaundeth, and auoiding that which it forbiddeth. Notwithſtanding, this fruite and this profite the lawe bringeth,The profite of the lavve. although mens hartes remaine neuer ſo wicked, that firſt outwardly and ciuily after a ſort it reſtraineth theeues, murtherers, and other malefactours. For if they did not ſee and vnderſtand, that ſinne is puniſhed in this life by impriſonment, by the galowes, by the ſword and ſuch like, and after this life with eternall damnation and hell fire: no Magiſtrate ſhould be able to bridle the fury and rage of men by any lawes, bondes or chaines.The Ciuill vſe of the lavve. But the threatnings of the lawe ſtrike a terrour in to the hartes of the wicked, whereby they are brideled after a ſort, that they runne not headlong, as otherwiſe they would doe, into all kindes of wickednes. Notwithſtanding they would rather that there were no law, no puniſhment, no hell, and finally no God. If God had not an hell, or did not puniſh the wicked, he ſhould be loued and praiſed of all men. But becauſe he puniſheth the wicked, and all are wicked: therefore in as much as they are ſhut vnder the lawe, they can doe no otherwiſe but mortally hate and blaſpheme God. Furthermore, the lawe ſhutteth men vnder ſinne,The lavv a ſpirituall priſon. not onely Ciuily, but alſo Spiritually: that is to ſay, the lawe is alſo a ſpirituall priſon, and a very hell. For when it reuealeth ſinne, threatneth death, and the eternall wrath of God, a man can not auoide it, nor finde any comfort. For it is not in the power of man to ſhake of theſe horrible terrours which the lawe ſtirreth vppe in the conſcience, or any other anguiſh or bitternes of ſpirite.The lamentatable complaints of the Sainctes. Pſal. 6.5. Hereof come theſe lamentable complaints of the Saincts, which are euery where in the Pſalmes: In hell vvho shall confeſſe thee? &c. For then is a man ſhut vppe in priſon: out of the which he can not eſcape, nor ſeeth howe he may be deliuered out of theſe bondes, that is to ſay, theſe horrible terrours. Thus the law is a priſon both Ciuily and Spiritually.The lavve is a priſon both Ciuily and Spiritually. For firſt it reſtreineth and ſhutteth vppe the wicked, that they runne not headlong according to their owne luſt, into all kindes of miſcheefe. Againe, it ſheweth vnto vs ſpiritually our ſinne, terrifieth and humbleth vs, that when we are ſo terrified and humbled, we may learne to knowe our owne miſerie and condemnation. And this is the true and the proper vſe of the lawe, ſo that it be not perpetuall. For this ſhutting and holding vnder the lawe, muſt endure no longer, but vntill Faith come: and when Faith cometh, then muſt this ſpirituall priſon haue his ende. The lavv and the Goſpell, as touching the invvard affections, nearely ioyned together.Here againe we ſee, that, although the lawe and the Goſpell be ſeparate farre aſunder, yet as touching the inward affections, they are very nerely ioyned the one to the other. This Paule ſheweth when he ſayeth: VVe vvere kept vnder the lavv, and shutte vppe vnto the Faith vvhich should be reuealed vnto vs. Wherefore it is not enough that we are ſhutte vnder the lawe: for if nothing elſe ſhould follow, we ſhould be driuen to deſperatiō and die in our ſinnes.The shutting vp vnder the lavv, muſt not be continuall. But Paule addeth moreouer, that we are ſhutte vppe and kept vnder a Scholemaiſter (which is the lawe): not for euer, but to bring vs vnto Chriſt who is the ende of the lawe. Therefore this terrifying, this humbling and this ſhutting vppe muſt not alwayes continue: but onely vntill Faith be reuealed: that is, it ſhall ſo long continue as ſhall be for our profite and our ſaluation: So that when we are caſt downe and humbled by the lawe, then grace, remiſſion of ſinnes, deliueraunce from the lawe, ſinne and death may become ſweete vnto vs: which are not obteined by workes, but are receaued by Faith alone. He which in time of tentation can ioyne theſe two things together ſo repugnant and contrary: that is to ſay, which when he is throughly terrified and caſt downe by the lawe,VVho vſeth the lavv rightly. doth knowe that the ende of the lawe, and the beginning of grace or of Faith which is to be reuealed, is nowe come, vſeth the lawe rightly. All the wicked are vtterly ignoraunt of this knowledge and this cunning. Caine knewe it not when he was ſhutte vppe in the priſon of the lawe: that is, he felt no terrour,Caine being shut vp in the priſon of the lavv, and abiding there, deſpaired. Geneſ. 4.9. although he had nowe killed his brother: but diſſembled the matter craftely, and thought that God was ignoraunt thereof. Am I my brothers keeper, ſayth he? But when he heard this word: VVhat haſt thou done? Behold the voice of the bloud of thy brother crieth vnto me from the earth, he began to feele this priſon in deede. What did he then? He remained ſtill ſhutte vppe in priſon. He ioyned not the Goſpell with the lawe, Verſe. 13. but ſayd: My punishment is greater then I can beare. He onely reſpected the priſon, not conſidering that his ſinne was reuealed vnto him to this ende, that he ſhould flie vnto God for mercy and pardon. Therefore he deſpaired and denied God. He beleeued not that he was ſhutte vppe to this end, that grace and Faith might be reuealed vnto him: but onely that he ſhould ſtill remaine in the priſon of the lawe. Theſe words: to be kept vnder, and to be shut vppe, VVhat theſe vvordes import, to be kept vnder the lavve. are not vaine and vnprofitable, but true and of great importaunce. This keeping vnder and this priſon ſignifieth the true and ſpirituall terrours, wherby the conſcience is ſo ſhutte vppe, that in the wide world it can finde no place where it may be in ſafetie. Yea as long as theſe terrours endure, the conſcience feeleth ſuch anguiſh and ſorrowe, that it thinketh heauen and earth, yea if they were ten times more wide and large then they are, to be ſtraiter and narrower then a mouſe hole. Here is a man vtterly deſtitute of all wiſedome, ſtrength, righteouſnes, counſell and ſuccour. For the conſcience is a maruelous tender thing,Conſcience. and therfore when it is ſo ſhutte vppe vnder the priſon of the lawe, it ſeeth no way howe to gette out: and this ſtreitnes ſeemeth daily ſo to encreaſe, as though it would neuer haue an ende. For then doth it feele the wrath of God which is infinite and ineſtimable, whoſe hand he can not eſcape, as the Pſalme. 139. witneſſeth: Pſal. 139.7. VVhether shall I flie from thy preſence? &c. Like as therefore this worldly priſon or ſhutting vppe is a bodily affliction,VVhat the priſon is, Ciuily & Spiritually. and he that is ſo ſhutte vppe can haue no vſe of his bodye: euen ſo the trouble and anguiſh of minde is a ſpirituall priſon, and he that is ſhutte vppe in this priſon can not enioy the quietnes of heart and peace of conſcience. And yet is it not ſo for euer (as reaſon iudgeth when it feeleth this priſon): but vntill Faith be reuealed. The ſely conſcience therefore muſt be raiſed vppe and comforted after this ſort: Brother, thou art in deede ſhutte vppe:Hovv the pore Conſcience is to be comforted, that is shutte vp vnder the lavve. but perſwade thy ſelfe that this is not done to the ende that thou ſhouldeſt remaine in this priſon for euer. For it is wrytten, that vve are shutte vppe vnto the Faith that shall be reuealed. Thou art afflicted then in this priſon, not to thy deſtruction, but that thou maiſt be refreſhed by the bleſſed Seede. Thou art killed by the lawe,The lavve killeth, that vve may againe be quickened & reſtored to life. that through Chriſte thou maiſte be quickened againe and reſtored to life. Deſpaire not therefore, as Caine, Saule, and Iudas did, who being thus ſhutte vppe, looked no further but to their darke priſon, and there ſtill remained: therefore they deſpaired. But thou muſt take an other way in theſe terrours of conſcience then they did: that is, thou muſt knowe that it is well done, and good for thee to be ſo ſhut vppe, confounded, & brought to nothing. Vſe therfore this ſhutting vppe rightly and as thou ſhouldeſt do:The shutting vp vnder the lavv muſt be rightly vſed. that is, to the ende that when the law hath done his office, Faith may be reuealed. For God doth not therfore afflict thee, that thou ſhouldeſt ſtill remaine in this affliction. He wil not kill thee that thou ſhouldeſt abide in death.EZech. 33.11. I vvill not the death (ſayth he by ye Prophet) of a ſinner. &c. But he will afflict thee that ſo thou maiſt be humbled, and knowe that thou haſt neede of mercy, and the benefite of Chriſte. This holding in priſon then vnder the lawe, muſt not alwayes endure, but muſt onely continue to the cōming or reuealing of Faith: which this ſweete verſe of the Pſalme. 147. doth teach vs: The Lord deliteth in thoſe that feare him: Pſal. 147.11. that is to ſay, which are in priſon vnder the lawe. But by and by after he addeth: and in thoſe that attend vppon his mercy. Therfore we muſt ioyne theſe two things together, which are in deede as contrary the one to the other as may be.The afflicted, and ſuch as are in priſon vnder the lavv, vvaiting for mercy to be reueled, are deare vnto God. For what can be more contrary then to hate and abhorre the wrath of God: and againe to truſt in his goodnes & mercy? The one is hell, the other is heauē, and yet they muſt be nerely ioyned together in the heart. By ſpeculation and naked knowledge a man may eaſily ioyne them together: but by experience and inward practiſe ſo to doe, of all things it is the hardeſt: which I my ſelfe haue often proued by mine owne experience. Of this matter the Papiſtes and Sectaries know nothing at all. Therefore theſe wordes of Paule are to them obſcure and altogether vnknowne: And when the lawe reueileth vnto them their ſinne, accuſeth and terrifieth them, they can finde no counſell, no reſt, no helpe or ſuccour: but fall to deſperation, as Caine and Saule did. No man loueth the lavv, becauſe it is his priſon.Seeing the lawe therfore (as is ſayd) is our tormentour and our priſon, certaine it is that we can not loue it, but hate it. He therefore that ſayth he loueth the lawe, is a liar, and knoweth not what he ſayth. A theefe and a robber ſhould ſhewe him ſelfe to be ſtarke madde that would loue the priſon, the fetters and chaines. Seing thē the law ſhutteth vs vppe and holdeth vs in priſon, it can not be but we muſt needes be extreme enemies to the lawe. To conclude, ſo well we loue the lawe and the righteouſnes thereof, as a murtherer loueth the darke priſon, the ſtreit bondes and irons. How then ſhould the law iuſtifie vs?

Verſe. 23. And shut vp vnder the faith vvhich should after be reueiled. This Paule ſpeaketh in reſpect of the fulnes of the time wherin Chriſt came. But we muſt applie it, not onely to that time, but alſo to the inward man. For that which is done as an hyſtorie and according to the time wherin Chriſte came, aboliſhing the lawe and bringing libertie and eternall life to light, is alwayes done ſpiritually in euery Chriſtian: in whom is found continually, ſomewhile the time of the law, and ſomewhile the time of grace. For the Chriſtian man hath a body in whoſe members (as Paule ſayth in an other place) ſinne dwelleth and warreth. Nowe, I vnderſtand ſinne to be,Hovve the ſcripture defineth ſinne. not onely the deede or the worke, but alſo the roote and the tree, together with the fruites, as the Scripture vſeth to ſpeake of ſinne. Which is yet not onely rooted in the baptiſed fleſh of euery Chriſtian, but alſo is at deadly warre within it and holdeth it captiue: if not to geue conſent vnto it, or to accompliſh the worke, yet doth it force him mightely thervnto. For albeit a Chriſtian man doe not fall into outward and groſſe ſinnes,The tentation of the godly. as murther, adultery, theft, and ſuch like: yet is he not free from impatiencie, murmuring, hating and blaſpheming of God: which ſinnes to reaſon and the carnall man, are altogether vnknowne. Theſe ſinnes conſtraine him, yea ſore againſt his will, to deteſt the lawe:The tentation of euery age. they compell him to flie from the preſence of God, they compell him to hate and blaſpheme God. For as carnall luſt is ſtrong in a yong man, in a man of full age the deſire and loue of glory, and in an old man couetouſnes: euen ſo in a holy and a faithfull man impatiencie, murmuring, hatred, and blaſphemie againſt God doe mightely preuaile. Examples hereof there are many in the Pſalmes, in Iob, in Ieremie, and throughout the whole Scripture.Paule deſcribeth the ſpirituall vvarfare that is in the godly vvith very vehemēt & apt vvords. The time of the lavv in the Godly. Paule therfore deſcribing and ſetting forth this ſpirituall warfare, vſeth very behement words and fitte for the purpoſe, as of fighting, rebelling, holding, and leading captiue. &c. Both theſe times then (of the lawe and the Goſpell I meane) are in a Chriſtian, as touching the affections and inward man. The time of the lawe is when the lawe exerciſeth me, tormenteth me with heauines of heart, oppreſſeth me, bringeth me to the knowledge of ſinne, and encreaſeth the ſame. Here the law is in his true vſe and perfect worke: which a Chriſtian oftentimes feeleth as long as he liueth. So there was geuen vnto Paule a pricke in the flesh, 2 Cor. 12.7. (that is) the angell of Satan to buffet him. He would gladly haue felt euery moment the ioy of conſcience, theThis is the ſpirituall laughter vvhich Dauid ſpeaketh of Pſal. 126. ſaying: Then shall our mouth be filled vvith laughter. &c. laughter of the heart, and the ſweete taſt of eternall life. Againe, he would gladly haue ben deliuered from all trouble and anguiſh of ſpirite, and therefore he deſired that this tentation might be taken from him. Notwithſtanding this was not done, but the Lord ſayd vnto him: My grace is ſufficient for thee: For my povver is made perfect through vveaknes. 1. Cor. 12.7.8.9. This battaile doth euery Chriſtian feele. To ſpeake of my ſelfe, there are many howers in the which I chide and contend with God, and impatiently reſiſt him. The wrath and iudgement of God diſpleaſeth me: and againe, my impaciencie, my murmuring, and ſuch like ſinnes doe diſpleaſe him. And this is the time of the lawe, vnder the which a Chriſtian man continually liueth as touching the fleſh.Galath. 5.17. For the flesh luſteth continually againſt the ſpirite, and the ſpirite againſt the flesh: but in ſome more, and in ſome leſſe. The time of grace.The time of grace is when the heart is raiſed vppe againe by the promiſe of the free mercy of God, and ſayeth: VVhy art thou heauie O my ſoule, Pſal. 4[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter].11. and vvhy doeſt thou trouble me? Doeſt thou ſee nothing but the lawe, ſinne, terrour, heauines, deſperation, death, hell and the Deuill? Is there not alſo grace, remiſſion of ſinnes, righteouſnes, conſolation, ioy, peace, life, heauen, Chriſte and God? Trouble me no more, O my ſoule. What is the lawe, what is ſinne, what are all euils in compariſon of theſe things? Truſt in God, who hath not ſpared his owne deare ſonne, but hath geuen him to the death of the croſſe for thy ſinnes. This is then to be ſhutte vppe vnder the lawe after the fleſh: not for euer, but till Chriſte be reuealed. Therefore when thou art beaten downe,The true vſe of the lavve is to shut vs vp till Chriſt be reuealed. 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 then thou art, namely grace, faith, and bleſſing. This grace, this faith and this bleſſing doe not accuſe me, terrifie me, condemne me: but they comfort me, they bid me truſt in the Lord, and promiſe vnto me victorie and ſaluation in Chriſte. There is no cauſe therfore why I ſhould deſpaire. He that is ſkilfull in this arte and this cunning, may in deede be called a right Diuine.VVho is a right diuine. The fantaſticall ſpirites & their diſciples at this day, which continually bragge of the ſpirite, do perſwade them ſelues that they are very expert and cunning herein. But I and ſuch as I am haue ſcarſely learned the firſt principles therof. It is learned in deede, but ſo long as the fleſh and ſinne doe endure, it can neuer be perfectly learned,A godly man is partly vnder the lavve, and partly vnder grace. and as it ſhould be. So then a Chriſtian is diuided into two times. In that he is fleſh, he is vnder the lawe: In that he is ſpirite he is vnder grace. Concupiſcence, couetouſnes, ambition and pride doe alwayes cleaue to the fleſh: alſo ignoraunce, contempt of God, impatiencie, murmuring and grudging againſt God, becauſe he hindereth and breaketh of our counſelles, our deuiſes and enterpriſes, and becauſe he ſpeedely puniſheth not ſuch as are wicked, rebellious, and contemptuous perſons. &c. Such kinde of ſinnes are rooted in the fleſh of the Faithfull. Wherefore if thou behold nothing but the fleſh, thou ſhalt abide alwayes vnder the time of the lawe. But theſe dayes muſt be ſhortened, or elſe no fleſh ſhould be ſaued. The lawe muſt haue his time appoynted wherein it muſt haue his ende. The time of the lawe therefore is not perpetuall, but hath his ende,Rom. 5.6. Rom. 6.9.10. The time of grace is eternall. which ende is Ieſus Chriſt. But the time of grace is eternall. For Chriſt being once dead, dieth no more. He is eternall: therefore the time of grace is alſo eternall. We may not lightly paſſe ouer ſuch notable ſentences as theſe which are in Paule, as the Papiſtes and Sectaries are wont to doe. For they containe woordes of life, which doe wonderfully comfort and confirme afflicted conſciences: And they which know and vnderſtand them well, can iudge of Faith: they can diſcerne a true feare from a falſe feare:Feare may no[illegible: 1 letter] alvvayes continue, but fear ioyned vvith Faith muſt be alvvayes in a Chriſtian. Hovve feare muſt be vanquished. they can iudge of all inward affections of the heart, and diſcerne all ſpirites. The feare of God is an holy and a precious thing, but it muſt not alwayes continue. In deede it ought to be alwayes in a Chriſtian, becauſe ſinne is alwayes in him: but it muſt not be alone: for then is it the feare of Caine, Saule and Iudas, that is to ſay, a ſeruile and a deſperate feare. A Chriſtian therefore muſt vanquiſh feare by Faith in the word of grace: he muſt turne away his eyes from the time of the lawe, and looke vnto Chriſte and vnto Faith which is to be reuealed. Here beginneth feare to be ſweete vnto vs, and maketh vs to delite in God. For if a man doe onely beholde the lawe and ſinne, ſetting Faith aſide, he ſhall neuer be able to put away feare, but ſhall at length fall to deſperation. Thus doth Paule very well diſtinguiſh the time of the lawe and grace. Let vs alſo learne rightly to diſtinguiſh the time of them both, not in wordes, but in the inward affections: which is a very hard matter. For albeit theſe two things are ſeparate farre aſunder,Feare & Faith are ſeparated farre aſunder, and yet are ioyned together in one heart. yet are they moſt nerely ioyned together in one heart. Nothing is ioyned more nerely together then feare and truſt, then the lawe and the Goſpell, then ſinne and grace. For they are ſo vnited together, that the one is ſwalowed vppe of the other. Wherfore there is no coniunction like vnto this. At this place: Wherefore then ſerueth the lavve? Paule beginneth to diſpute of the lawe: alſo of the vſe and the abuſe thereof, taking occaſion of that which before he had affirmed,A reherſall of thoſe things vvherof he had ſpoken before. that the Faithfull doe obtaine righteouſnes by grace onely and by the promiſe, and not by the lawe. Vppon that diſputation roſe this queſtion: VVherefore then ſerueth the lavve? For reaſon hearing that righteouſnes or the Bleſſing is obtained by grace and by the promiſe, by and by inferreth: Then the lawe profiteth nothing. Wherefore the doctrine of the law muſt be diligently conſidered, that we may know what and howe we ought to iudge thereof, leſt that either we reiect the ſame altogether, as the fantaſticall ſpirits do, (which in the yeare a thouſand fiue hundred twentie and fiue, Touching this ſedition of the ruſticall people and the cauſe therof, read Sleidane. VVe muſt derogate nothing frō the lavve that is due to it, nor attribute more to it thē is meete. ſtirring vppe the ruſticall people to ſedition, ſayde, that the libertie of the Goſpell geueth freedom to all men from al maner of lawes): or elſe leſt we ſhould attribute the force of Iuſtification to the lawe. For both ſortes doe offend againſt the lawe: the one on the right hand, which will be iuſtified by the lawe, and the other on the left hand which will be cleane deliuered from the lawe. We muſt therefore keepe the high way, ſo that we neither reiect the lawe, nor attribute more vnto it then we ought to doe. That which I haue before ſo often repeted concerning both the vſes of the lawe, namely, the Ciuill and the Spirituall vſe, doe ſufficiently declare that the lawe is not geuen for the righteous: but (as Paule ſayeth in an other place) for the vnrighteous and rebellious. Now,Tvvo ſorts of the vnrighteous, they vvhich are to be iuſtified, & they vvhich are not to be iuſtified. of the vnrighteous there are two ſortes, that is to ſay, they which are to be iuſtified, and they which are not to be iuſtified. They that are not to be iuſtified muſt be bridled by the Ciuile vſe of the lawe: for they muſt be bound with the bondes of the lawe, as ſauage and vntamed beaſtes are bound with cordes and chaines. This vſe of the lawe hath no ende: and of this Paule here ſpeaketh nothing. But they that are to be iuſtified, are exerciſed with this Spirituall vſe of the lawe for a time: for it doth not alwayes continue, as the Ciuill vſe of the lawe doth: but it looketh to Faith which is to be reuealed, and when Chriſte commeth it ſhall haue his ende. Hereby we may plainly ſee that all the ſentences wherin Paule entreateth of the ſpirituall vſe of the lawe,Hovve ſuch ſentēces muſt be vnderſtand vvherin Paule handleth the ſpirituall vſe of the lavve. muſt be vnderſtand of thoſe which are to be iuſtified, and not of thoſe which are iuſtified already. For they which are iuſtified already, in as much as they abide in Chriſte, are farre aboue all lawe. The lawe then muſt be layed vppon thoſe that are to be iuſtified, that they may be ſhutte vppe in the priſon thereof, vntill the righteouſnes of Faith come: Not that they obtaine this righteouſnes through the lawe (for that were not to vſe the lawe rightly, but to abuſe it): but that when they are caſt downe and humbled by the lawe, they ſhould flie vnto Chriſte,Rom. 10.4. vvho is the end of the lavve to righteouſnes, to euery one that beleueth. Now, firſt they which abuſe the law,VVho are abuſers of the lavve. are all the Iuſticiaries and hypocrites which dreame that men are iuſtified by the lawe. For that vſe of the lawe doth not exerciſe and driue a man to Faith which is to be reuealed, but it maketh full, careles, and arrogant hypocrites, ſwelling and preſuming of the righteouſnes of the lawe, and hindreth the righteouſnes of Faith. Secondly, they abuſe the lawe which will vtterly exempt a Chriſtian man from the law, as the brainſicke Anabaptiſtes went about to doe: which was the occaſion that they raiſed vppe that ſedition of the ruſticall people.He ſpeaketh of the peſtilēt Libertines that vvould haue no feare of God nor lavve, to bridle them from their ſinnes. 1. Pet. 2.16. Of this ſort there are very many alſo at this day which profeſſe the Goſpell with vs: who being deliuered from the tyrannie of the Pope by the doctrine of the Goſpell, doe dreame that the Chriſtian libertie is a diſſolute and a carnall libertie to doe what ſo euer they liſt. Theſe (as Peter ſayeth) haue the libertie of the ſpirite as a cloke of maliciouſnes, through which the name of God and the Goſpell of Chriſte is ſclaundered euery where, and therfore they ſhall once ſuffer worthy puniſhment for this their vngodlines. Thirdly, ſuch doe alſo abuſe the lawe, who feeling the terrours thereof, doe not vnderſtand that ſuch terrours ought no longer to continue, but vnto Chriſte. This abuſe in them is the cauſe that they fall to deſperation: as in the hypocrites it is the cauſe of arrogancie and preſumption. Contrariwiſe,The true vſe of the lavve can not be eſtemed as it is vvorthy. the true vſe of the lawe can neuer be eſtemed and magnified as it is worthy: namely, that when the conſcience ſhutte vp vnder the lawe, deſpaireth not, but being inſtructed by the wiſedom of the holy Ghoſt concludeth with it ſelfe after this ſort: I am in deede ſhut vppe as a priſoner vnder the lawe, but not for euer: yea this ſhutting vppe ſhall turne to my great profite. How ſo? Becauſe that I being thus ſhut vppe, ſhall be driuen to ſigh and ſeeke the hand of an helper. &c. After this maner the lawe is as an enforcer, which by compulſion bringeth the hungrie vnto Chriſte,The true office of the lavve. that he may ſatiſfie them with his good things. Wherefore the true office of the lawe is to ſhew vnto vs our ſinnes, to make vs giltie, to humble vs, to kill vs, and to bring vs downe to hell, and finally to take from vs all helpe, all ſuccour, all cōfort: but yet altogether to this end, that we may be iuſtified, exalted, quickned to life, caried vppe into heauen, and obtaine all good things. Therfore it doth not onely kill, but it killeth that we may liue.