Galatians 3:11–12

The meaning. By the law] that is, the law not onely ceremoniall, but also iudiciall and morall. Indeede the occasion of Pauls disputation in this place, is taken from Circumcision, pertaining to the ceremoniall law: but he inlarges his disputation, from one part to the whole law. For they which thought Ceremonies necessarie to iustification, would much more thinke morall duties necessarie. And that Paul speakes here of the morall, it appeares by the 10. verse, where he alleadgeth a sentence that specially appertaines to the morall law: Cursedis euery one, &c. Againe, the law may be considered, two waies, in the iustification of a sinner: first, as it iustifieth without Christ. Secondly, as it iustifieth with Christ: and both waies it is excluded from iustification, and here specially in the second regard. For the intent of the Galatians was, to ioyne Christ and the law, in the worke of our iustification.

Before God] that is, in the iudgement of God, before whose iudgement seat we must all appeare, and be iudged.

The iust shall liue by faith.] The scope of these words is this. The Iewes were oppressed by the Babylonians, and it was further told them by the Prophet, that they should be ledde into captiuitie, by the saide Babylonians. Now in this distresse of theirs, the Lord sets downe the dutie of the faithfull Iewes, namely, that they must stay themselues by their faith in the Messias, and consequently, that they shall haue safetie in this life in the middest of all dangers, and in the ende haue eternall life. And Paul applies this text to his purpose, thus. Life eternall comes by faith: and therefore true righteousnesse before God is by faith. For righteousnes is the foundation of life eternall: and therefore it is called iustification of life. Rom. 5. 17.

The law is not of faith] The meaning of these words must be gathered, by the opposition in the latter part of the verse: but he that doth these things shall liue in them. And the meaning is this. The law doth not prescribe faith in the Messias: neither doth it promise life to him that beleeueth in the Messias, but to him that doth the things contained in the law.

In these wordes, Paul addes a new argument to the former, thus. Iustice is by faith: the law is not of faith: therefore the law is not our iustice. Or again, thus. He that is iustified, is iustified by faith: the law iustifies no man by faith: therefore the law doth not iustifie. The conclusion is first, in the 11. verse. The proposition is expressed, and confirmed by the testimonie of the Prophet Habacuk. The assumption is in the 12. verse.

The vse. Whē Paul saith, No mā is iustified by the law in the sight of God: he makes a double iustification: one, before God: the other, before mē. Iustification before God is, when God reputes a man iust, & that onely for the merit, and obedience of Christ. Iustification before men, is, when such as professe faith in Christ, are reputed iust of men. By this distinction, Paul who saith, that a man is iustified by faith without workes, Rom. 3. 28. and Iames, who saith, that Abraham was iustified by faith, and workes, Iam. 2. 24. are reconciled: for Paul speakes of iustification before God, as he himselfe expressely testifieth, Rom. 4. 2. and S. Iames speakes of iustification before men, which is not onely by the profession of faith, but also by workes.

In the same sort, there is a double Election. One speciall, whereby God knowes who are his. The other, is more generall, whereby we repute all men to be Elect, that professe faith in Christ, leauing secret iudgements to God. Thus Paul writes to the Ephesians, Philippians, &c. as Elect. And the Ministers of the word, are to speake to their congregations, as to the Elect people of God.

In the same manner, there is a double sanctification: one before God, in truth, Eph. 4. 28. the other before men, in the iudgement of charitie. Thus men are said, to tread vnder foote the blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified. Hebr. 10. 29. Thus all that are of right to be baptised, are holy and regenerate: not in the iudgement of certentie, which is Gods; but in the iudgement of charitie, which is mans: secrets alwaies reserued to God.

Againe, when Paul saith, in the sight of God, he giues vs to vnderstand, that there is an vniuersall iudgement of God, before whome we must all appeare, and be iudged. And when Paul saith in the time present, that God iustifieth (though not by workes) he signifies, that this iudgement is alreadie begunne vpon vs, euen in this life. This must teach vs, to walke in godly and holy conuersation, in the feare of God: and to watch and pray, that we may be found worthie, to stand before God. Malefactours, when they are going to iudgement, and when they see the Iudge set: lay aside skorning, and bethinke themselues what to say, or doe. Now we are these malefactours: and we know that God hath alreadie begunne to giue iudgement of vs: and therefore we must prepare our selues to make a good reckoning.

In the testimonie of the Prophet our dutie is set downe, and that is, that we must in this world liue by faith. That we may liue by faith, we must doe two things. One is, to choose the true God for our God: the second is, in our hearts to cleaue vnto him, and that according to his word. First therefore, we must cleaue fast to his commandements, by entring into the way of his precepts, and by walking in them. For this cause we must haue alwaies about vs the eye of knowledge, to direct our steps in the wayes of God, that we euer keepe our selues in our callings, that is the dutie we owe to God and man. Secondly, while we stand in the waies of God, we shall be assailed with many Temptations on the right hand, and on the left: therefore we must further cleaue to the promises of God: beleeuing his presence, protection, and assistance, in all temptations and daungers. And this our faith must be as it were a hand to stay vs. Here two caueats must be remembred. One, that we must not prescribe vnto God the manner of his assistance: but leaue it, with other circumstances of time, and place, to God. The second is, when all earthly things faile vs, we must rest vpon the bare word of God, and beleeue the promise of remission of sinnes, and life euerlasting. This is to liue by faith. And this dutie must be practised, when we are in the field to fight for our countrey: when we lie on our death beddes: and when we are in any danger.

Marke further, Paul saith, the iust man liues by faith: he therefore that is iustified continues to be iustified by his faith: and therfore the second iustification, that is said to be by our works, is a meere fiction. And in that none liues by faith, but he that is a iust man, we see that true faith is alwaies ioyned with the Purpose of not sinning, or with the iustice of good conscience: and where they are seuered, there is no more but a meere pretence of faith.

When Paul saith [the Law is not of faith] he sets downe the maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospel. The law promiseth life, to him that performs perfect obedience, & that for his works. The Gospel promiseth life, to him that doth nothing in the cause of his saluation, but only beleeues in Christ: and it promiseth saluation to him that beleeueth, yet not for his faith, or for any worke els, but for the merit of Christ. The law thē requires doing to saluation, and the Gospel beleeuing, and nothing els.

Obiect. I. The Gospel requires repentance, and the practise of it. Ans. Indeede the law doth not teach true repentance; neither is it any cause of it, but onely an occasion. The Gospel onely prescribes repentance, and the practise thereof: yet onely as it is a fruit of our faith, and as it is the way to saluation in which we are to walke, and no otherwise.

Obiect. II. The law requires and commands faith. Ans. The law requires faith in God, which is to put our affiance in him. But the Gospel requires faith in Christ, the Mediatour, Godman: and this faith the law neuer knew.

Obiect. III. In the Gospel there are promises of life, vpon condition of our obedience. Rom. 8. 13. Jf by the spirit ye mortifie the deedes of the flesh, ye shall liue. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we confesse our sinnes, God is faithfull to forgiue them. Ans. The promises of the Gospel are not made to the worke, but to the worker: and to the worker not for his work: but for Christs sake, according to his worke. As for example: promise of life is made not to the worke of mortification, but to him that mortifieth his flesh, and that not for his mortification, but because he is in Christ, and his mortification is the token or euidence thereof. And therefore it must be remembred, that all promises of the Gospel that mention works, include in them Reconciliation with God in Christ.

Obiect. IV. Faith is a vertue, and to beleeue is a worke: therefore one worke is commanded in the Gospel, and is also necessarie to saluation. Ans. The Gospel considers not faith as a vertue, or worke, but as an instrument, or hand, to apprehend Christ. For faith doth not cause, effect, or procure our iustification and saluation, but as the beggers hand, it receiues them, beeing wholly wrought and giuen of God.

This distinction of the law and the Gospel, must be obserued carefully. For by it we see that the Church of Rome hath erroniously confounded the law and the Gospel, for this many hundred yeares. The law of Moses (say they) written in tables of stone, is the law: the same law of Moses, written in the hearts of men by the holy Ghost, is the Gospel. But I say againe, that the law written in our hearts, is still the law of Moses. And this ouersight in mistaking the distinction of the Law and the Gospel, is and hath bin, the ruine of the gospel.

We must here further obserue, that o Cr•dere. Fac〈…〉. beleeuing, and doing, are opposed, in the article of our iustification. In our good conuersation they agree: faith goes before, and doing followes: but in the worke of our iustification, they are as fire and water. Hence I gather, that to the iustification of a sinner, there is required a speciall and an applying faith, for generall faith is numbred among the works of the law: and the deuills haue it. This kind of beleeuing therefore, and doing, are not opposite. Againe, hence I gather, that works of faith and grace, are quite excluded from iustification; because the opposition doth not stand betweene beleeuing, and the works of nature: but simply, betweene beleeuing, and doing.

Lastly, it may be demaunded, why the Lord saith, He that doth the things of the law shall liue; considering no man since the fall, can doe the things of the law? Ans. The Lord since mans fall, repeates the law in his old tenour, not to mocke men, but for other waightie causes. The first is, to teach vs that the law is of a constant, and vnchangeable nature. The second is, to aduertise vs, of our weaknes, and to shew vs, what we cannot doe. The third is, to put vs in minde, that we must still humble our selues vnder the hand of God, after we haue begunne by grace to obey the law; because euen then we come farre short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands.