Matthew Poole and continuators on Galatians 3:19

19 Wherefore then serveth the law ? it was added because of transgressions , till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made u, and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator .

Some might say, to what purpose was the Law given, as if there could be no use of it unless it were available to Justification.

It was (saith the Apostle) given after the promise, not to supply something wanting as to Justification, to prescribe some works that must be added; but either to restrain sin, 1 Tim. 1.9. or to shew and discover sin, to make men see that they stood in need of Christ, vid. Rom. 7.13.

Till Christ the promised Seed should come, who Rom. 10.4. is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth; upon whose coming the Law contained in Ordinances ceased. That Christ is here to be understood by the Seed, is plain by the addition, to whom the promise was made. Some here understand by the Seed, Christ and the Church, (which both make up Christ mystical;) and interpret this Text by Eph. 2.14. till the Jews and Gentiles should be both made one.

This Law (he saith) was ordained by Angels, that when Luke, Acts 7.38. speaks of the Law as published by one Angel. The Apostle, Heb. 2.2. calls it, the word sp[illegible: 1 letter]ken by Angels. We read of no Angels, Exod. 19. chap. 20. nor of any of the Saints; yet Deut. 33.2. Moses saith God came from Sinai, with Ten Thousand Saints. The Law was given either by the Ministry of an Angel, or by God attended with Angels.

In the hand, that is, (say some) under the Power of Christ the Mediator; but by the Mediator is rather to be understood Moses, which agreeth with Deut. 5.5. where Moses telleth the Iews, that he stood betwixt the Lord and them at that time, to shew them the word of the Lord, Nor is Christ any where called the Mediator of the Old, but of the New Testament, Heb. 8.6. and 12.24.

Marginal references: Joh. 15.22. Rom. 4.15. & 5.20. & 7.8.; Act. 7.53.; Joh. 1.17. 1 Tim. 2.5.