Chapter 3: Verses 6–14
Chapter 3: Verses 6–14 6 As Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness:
7 Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, are the children of Abraham.
The words, "even as Abraham," etc., have reference to that which went before, on this manner. You Galatians received the Spirit by my doctrine. And my doctrine was the preaching of justification by faith without works, which doctrine is like and suitable to the example of Abraham, who "believed God, and it was imputed for justice."
Here Paul sets down the second argument whereby he proves the truth of his doctrine. And it is framed thus. As Abraham was justified, so are the children of Abraham. Abraham was justified by justice imputed and apprehended by faith (v. 6). Therefore the children of Abraham are thus justified. This conclusion is the principal question. It is not here expressed, but in the room thereof a declaration is made who are the true children of God, namely, they that are of Abraham, in respect of faith.
That which is here said of Abraham is a main ground concerning the justification of a sinner in the books of the Old and New Testament.
Therefore I will more carefully search the true interpretation of it.
Some expound the word thus. Abraham believed God, and the world reputed him for a good and virtuous man. But if this be the right sense, then Paul is deceived, who brings this text to prove the justification of Abraham, not only before men, but also before God.
Now virtue and goodness which is in estimation among men is not sufficient to acquit and justify us before God.
The second exposition is of the papists, who by faith here understand a general faith, whereby the articles of faith are believed. And by imputation they understand reputation, whereby a thing is esteemed as it is indeed. And they teach that faith is reputed for righteousness, because (say they) faith formed with charity is indeed the justice whereby a sinner is justified before God. But this exposition has his
[its] defects and errors. For first of all, charity is not the form or life of faith, but the fruit and effect of it. "The end of teaching is love out of a pure heart, good conscience, and faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5). It is objected that "as the body is dead without the soul, so is faith without works" (James 2:26), and therefore that works are the life of faith. Answer. St. James by faith understands a pretended faith, or the profession of faith, as appears by the words, "though a man say he hath faith" (v. 14), and "show me thy faith" (v. 18). Now of this profession of faith, works are the life.
Secondly, this exposition makes faith, or the act of believing, to be our whole and entire justice before God. Whereas indeed if it be justice, it is but one part thereof. And in the act of believing, love cannot be included.
Thirdly, faith joined with charity is not the justice whereby a sinner is justified. For our faith and love are both imperfect. And faith is imputed for righteousness without works (Rom. 4:6), and therefore without charity. For this is charity, to keep the commandments of God (John 15:10). Paul says that the righteousness whereby we are justified is "by" or "through faith" (Phil. 3:9), and therefore our justice and our faith are two different things.
The third exposition is also from the papists, that faith is reputed for righteousness because it is reputed to be a sufficient means to prepare men to their justification. But this cannot be the sense of this place. For this was spoken of Abraham after he was justified, and therefore needed no preparation to justification.
Let us now come to the true sense of the words. In them I consider two things: Abraham's faith, in these words, "Abraham believed
God"; and the fruit of his faith, in these words, "and it was imputed to him for righteousness." Touching his faith, I consider three things.
The first is the occasion, which was on this manner. After the conquest of the heathen kings, Abraham was still in some fear. In this regard the Lord comforts him. "I am thy buckler, and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen. 15:1). But to this Abraham replies, "I want issue." And the Lord answers, "I will make thy seed as the stars of heaven" (Gen. 15:5). Now then, look as God renews and enlarges
His promise to Abraham, so Abraham renews his faith. And hereupon Moses and Paul say, "Abraham believed God." God does not now enlarge His promises to us, as to Abraham; nevertheless, the promises recorded in the Bible are renewed to us partly by preaching and partly by the use of the sacraments. And we accordingly are to renew our faith, specially in the time of fear and danger.
The second thing is the object or matter of his faith, and that is the multiplication of his posterity. It may be said, how could Abraham be justified by such a faith? Answer. The promise of the multiplication of his seed was a dependent of a more principal promise, "I am thy
God all-sufficient" (Gen. 17:1), and "I am thy exceeding great reward"
(Gen. 15:1). In this carnal seed, Abraham specially respected (by the eye of faith) the blessed seed of the woman.27 He therefore believed the promise of a seed as it was a pledge unto him of a thing more principal, namely, the favor of God, and as it was a means to effect
the incarnation of the Son of God. In his example, we are taught how we are to respect and use earthly things. We are to respect them as pledges of God's favor and to use them as means to further us to Christ and to the attainment of our salvation.
The third point is the property of Abraham's faith, which was a faith against hope. For he believed the promise of a seed when his body was half dead, and Sarai was barren. In like sort we keeping true religion and good conscience must in all our temptations, crosses, miseries, infirmities, against reason, sense, and feeling believe the promise of remission of sins and life everlasting.
In the effect and fruit of Abraham's faith three things must be considered. The first is what is meant by imputation. To impute properly is a speech borrowed from merchants. And it signifies to reckon, or to keep a reckoning of expenses and receipts. Thus Paul says, "If he have done thee any wrong, impute it to me" (Philemon
18)—that is, set it on my reckoning. And this word is here applied to the judgment of God because He is our sovereign Lord, and we are
His debtors. And He does adjudge unto men for their sins either pardon or punishment.
Imputation in God is twofold: one legal; the other, evangelical. Legal is when God wills and adjudges the reward to him that fulfills the law. Thus Paul says that "the wages are imputed to him that worketh" and that "of debt" (Rom. 4:4). Evangelical imputation is when God accepts the satisfaction of Christ our surety as a payment for our sins. In this sense is the word "impute" taken ten times in this fourth chapter to the Romans, and in the same it is used in this place.
The second point is, what is imputed? "And it was imputed," that is, faith. Faith here must be considered two ways: first, as a quality in itself; and thus it is imperfect, and consequently cannot be imputed
to us for our justification. Again, faith must be considered as an instrument or hand holding and receiving Christ. And in this regard believing is put for the thing believed. And thus must this text be understood. "It was imputed to him"—that is, the thing which his faith believed was imputed to him by God. For the act of believing is not our justice, as I have showed.
The third point is, what is meant by "righteousness"? Answer. That which is called in Scripture the justice of God, which is sufficient to acquit a sinner at the bar of God's judgment. Thus then the sense is manifest. Abraham believed the promise of God, specially touching the blessed seed. And that which he believed, namely, the obedience of the mediator (the blessed seed) was accepted of God as his obedience for his justification.
It is objected that the obedience of Christ is to be imputed to none but to Christ, who was the doer of it. Answer. It is to be imputed, that is, ascribed to Him as to the author thereof. And withal because He did perform it in our room and stead, and that for us, it is to be imputed to us.
Secondly, it is objected that the works are also imputed as well as faith. "Phinehas executed judgment, and it was imputed to him for righteousness" (Ps. 106:30–31). Answer. There is justice of the person and justice of the act. Justice of the person is that which makes the person of man just. Justice of the act is that which makes the act of the person of man just, and not the person itself. Now the psalm speaks only of the justice of Phinehas's action. And the meaning of the words is this: that God reputed his action as a just action, whereas men might haply condemn it. This place therefore proves not that works are imputed for the justification of any man.
Thirdly, it is objected, that imputed justice was never known in the church, till fifteen hundred years after Christ. Answer. It is false.
Bernard says expressly, "Death is put to flight by the death of Christ, and the justice of Christ is imputed to us"; and again, "The satisfaction of Christ is imputed to us." Again, sundry of the fathers, as Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Anselm, entreating upon the text of Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:21, avouch that the justice whereby we are justified is not in us but in Christ. And it is a received doctrine with them that a sinner is justified by faith alone. Now faith alone presupposes an imputation of justice.
The Use. Hence it follows that there is no merit of man's works, either in the beginning or in the accomplishment of our justification.
For faith is imputed for justice to him that believes and works not (Rom. 4:5).
Again, by this we see there is but one justification, and that the second by works, whereby a man of a good man is made better, is a mere fiction. For just Abraham is not justified by his good works wherewith he abounded; but after his first justification, faith still is imputed to him for righteousness.
Thirdly, here we see what is that very thing whereby we are to appear just before God and to be saved, and that is the obedience of Christ, imputed to us of God and apprehended by our faith.
Lastly, here we see our duty. God sits as a judge over us. He takes a reckoning of us for all our doings. The law is a handwriting against us. To some He imputes their sins; to some He remits them. We therefore must come into the presence of God, plead guilty, and acknowledge ourselves to be as bankrupts, and entreat Him to grant pardon to us, and to accept the satisfaction of Christ for us. Then will
God not impute our sins, but the obedience of Christ for our justification, and accept Him as our surety in life and death.
The declaration of the conclusion follows in the ninth verse, and it shows who are the children of Abraham. The meaning of the words must first be considered. "To be of faith" is to be of Abraham's faith
(Rom. 4:16). And to be of Abraham's faith is to believe and apply the promise of righteousness and life everlasting by Christ as Abraham did, and to rest in it for our justification and salvation. They are said
"to be of works" (v. 10) who do the works of the law and look to be justified thereby. Therefore, they are of faith who believe in Christ and look to be saved and justified thereby.
And they which thus believe with Abraham are said to be "his children." It may be demanded, how? Answer. Children of Abraham are of two sorts: some by nature; some by grace. By nature are they which are of Abraham by the flesh, or natural generation, as Ishmael was. By grace, all believers are children of Abraham, and that three ways. First, by imitation, in that Abraham is set forth unto us as a pattern, in the steps of whose faith all true believers walk (Rom.
4:12). Secondly, believers are children of Abraham by succession in that they succeed in the inheritance of the same blessing. Thirdly, they are children to him by a kind of spiritual generation. For Abraham by believing the promise of a seed did after a sort beget them. Indeed properly the promise and election of God makes them children. And Abraham by his faith believing the foresaid promise receives them of God as his children. In this regard believers are called "children of the promise" and the "seed" (Rom. 9:8), that is,
"of the faith of Abraham" (Rom. 4:16). Now then the meaning of the text is that believers, though uncircumcised, are the children of Abraham. It may be said, what privilege is this? Answer. Great, for
the children of Abraham are children of the covenant (Acts 3:25) and children of God (Rom. 9:8).
The Use. In this verse, Paul sets down one thing, namely, the true mark of the child of Abraham, and that is to be of the faith of Abraham. Here then mark first of all the Jews, though descending of Isaac, are no children of Abraham because they follow not the faith of Abraham. Secondly, the Turks are no children, though they plead descent from Hagar sometimes, and sometimes from Sarah, terming themselves Hagarenes and Saracens. For they tread under foot the faith of Abraham. Thirdly, the papist will nothing help himself by the plea of antiquity, succession, and universal consent, except he can show some good evidence that he is of the faith of Abraham, which he cannot. For this faith he has corrupted, as I have shown. Lastly, our profession of Abraham's faith, partly in teaching and partly in hearing and in the use of the sacraments is not sufficient to prove us the children for Abraham. For "not everyone that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
Therefore we must labor to be in deed and in truth of the faith of Abraham and to walk in the steps of his faith. And to this end, we must do three things. First, we must have knowledge of the main and principal promise, touching the blessing of God in Christ, and of all other promises depending on the principal. And we must know the scope and tenor of them that we be not deceived. Secondly, we must with Abraham believe the power and truth of God in the accomplishing of the said promises, or in the working of our vocation, justification, sanctification, glorification (Rom. 4:21).
Thirdly, we must by faith obey God in all things, shutting our eyes and suffering ourselves (as it were) to be led blindfold by the word of God. Thus did Abraham in all things, even in actions against nature
(Heb. 11:8). But this practice is rare among us. For there are three
things which prevail much among us: the love of the worldly honor, the love of pleasures, and the love of riches. And where these bear a sway, there faith takes no place. It will be said that faith is much professed. Answer. Faith was never more professed, yet there was never less true faith. For the common faith of men is a false faith. For in some, it is conceived without the means of the word, prayer, sacraments. And in others, it is severed from the purpose of not sinning. Now faith conceived without the true means, and faith joined with the purpose to live as we list, is nothing but presumption.
And surely, this is the faith, though not of all, yet of the most.
Moreover, that which Paul has said of the children of Abraham he proves by the testimony of the Galatians, in these words, "Know ye therefore," or, "Ye know." That is, upon the saying of Moses in the former verse, you yourselves know this to be a truth, which I said.
Mark here, Paul requires such a measure of knowledge in believers that they must be able to judge of the gathering of this or that doctrine out of this or that place of Scripture. This shows the contempt of knowledge in these our days to be great. For most men reject the preaching of the gospel and content themselves with the teaching and schooling of nature.
8 For the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the gospel unto
Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.
9 So then, they which are of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Against the argument in the two former verses, a doubt or exception might be moved, on this manner. We grant that they which are of the faith of Abraham are justified as he was, so they be Jews and not Gentiles. Now this doubt, exception, or objection, Paul removes in
these verses thus. When God said to Abraham, "In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed," he signified the justification even of the Gentiles by faith. Therefore all that are of faith, even the Gentiles, are blessed of God as Abraham was.
In the eighth verse, I consider three things: the occasion of the speech of God to Abraham, namely, God's foreknowledge; the manner of His speech, the preaching of the gospel to Abraham; and the testimony itself, "In thee," etc.
Touching the occasion, first, it may be demanded whether this foreknowledge in God be a bare foreknowledge severed from the will of God, or no. Answer. No. God's foreknowledge is in all things joined with His decree or will. If God should foresee things to come, and in no sort will or nil them, there should be an idle providence.
"Christ was delivered by the will and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). And the Jews for their parts "did nothing" in the crucifying of Christ "but that which the hand, and counsel of God had determined to be done" (Acts 4:28). Neither is God by this doctrine made the author of sin. For sin comes to pass not from the will of God but according to His will in that He foresees evil and withal wills not to hinder the being of it, and evil, not hindered, comes to pass.
Again, it may be demanded in what order the foreknowledge of God stands to His will. Answer. The foreknowledge of things that may possibly come to pass goes before His will. The foreknowledge of things that shall certainly come to pass follows the will and decree of God. For things come not to pass because they are foreseen; but because they are to come to pass, according to the will of God, therefore they are foreseen. Now then because foreknowledge in God is joined with His will, and is always a consequent of it, it is often put for the counsel, will, and decree of God, as in this place.
In this text, two things are to be considered of God's foreknowledge.
The first is, who or what foresees? Answer here is made: "the Scripture foresees"—that is, God foresees, and the Scripture records things foreseen by Him. Hence it appears that the writings of Moses are the Word of God. For they foretell things to come two thousand years after, as the calling and benediction of the Gentiles in the seed of Abraham. In the same regard the writings of Paul are the Word of God. For there he reveals and sets down in writing, more than two thousand years after, what was the intention of God when He said to Abraham, "In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed."
The second point is, what is foreseen? Answer is made: "that God justifieth the Gentiles," that is, God will as certainly justify them in time to come, as if He had then done it when He spoke these words.
Some teach that the predestination of God is His decree in which He purposes to redeem and justify all men of all ages and times, so be it they will believe. But I find no such decree in the Word. Here we see
God's decree is only to justify all Gentiles in the last age of the world.
And thus the text of Paul must be understood: "God would have all men to be saved" (1 Tim. 2), namely, all men, or all the Gentiles in the last age of the world, and not all the Gentiles of all ages and times.
In the next place, the manner of the speech and testimony of God must be considered, in that He is said "to preach the gospel to Abraham." Here mark the antiquity of the gospel and the marks of true religion, which for his [its] substance was known not only to the apostles, but also to the prophets and patriarchs. So ancient is the true way of life and the doctrine of justification by faith without works. Papists plead antiquity for their religion, but in vain. For the proper points and heads of their religion were taken up since the days of Christ; some, two hundred years after; some, four hundred;
some, six hundred; some, eight hundred; some, a thousand; and some, fourteen hundred years after.
The third point is the speech or testimony itself: "In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed." "In thee," that is, in your seed, Christ (Gen.
22:18), who is in your loins, into whom the Gentiles are engrafted by faith, and consequently into you. For they are the seed of Christ (Isa.
53:10) who is the seed of Abraham. Again, here it is said, "All the Gentiles"—but Abraham is called "the father" not "of all," but "of many nations" (Gen. 17:4). Answer. He is the father "of many" in respect of his flesh; and he is a father "of all" the Gentiles in regard of his faith. Again, it is usual in Scripture to put the word "all" for "many" (Rom. 5:15, 18). And the benediction here mentioned, comprehends all the spiritual graces of God, as vocation, justification, glorification (Eph. 1:3).
The Use. In that the Lord says, "All the nations shall be blessed in Abraham," hence I gather that the nation of the Jews shall be called and converted to the participation of this blessing. When and how,
God knows; but that it shall be done before the end of the world, we know. For if all nations shall be called, then the Jews.
Again, that which was foretold to Abraham is verified in our eyes. For this our English nation and many other nations are at this day blessed in this seed of Abraham. Upon the consideration of this, we are admonished of many things. First, we are to give to God great thanks and praise that we are born in these days. For many prophets and great kings desired to see that which we see and could not obtain it. Secondly, we must every one of us in our hearts amend and turn to God, and unfeignedly believe in Christ, that we may now in the acceptable day be partakers of the promised blessing. The Lord says,
"In thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed," or, "bless
themselves" (Gen. 22:18)—because they shall use all good means that they may be filled with the blessings of God. Thirdly, we must bless all, do good to all, and hurt to none. For "we are heirs of blessing" (1
Peter 3:9). Lastly, we must here mark our comfort. If we truly turn to God and believe in the holy seed of Abraham, all things shall go well with us. "God shall bless them that bless us, and curse them that curse us" (Gen. 12:3).
The ninth verse is the conclusion of Paul's answer. And it is in effect and substance one and the same with verse seven. And it signifies that all men that be of Abraham's faith (though otherwise foreigners and Gentiles to Abraham) shall be partakers of the same blessing of God with him. It may be said, how shall we have the same blessing, when we have not the like faith? Answer. God respects not the greatness of our faith, so much as the truth of it. And if faith err not in his [its] object—that is, if we make Christ crucified our Redeemer and join nothing to Him; if there be further a will to believe, and to apprehend Christ with care and constancy to increase in faith and a purpose not to sin—[then] God will accept this true and honest will for deed.
10 For as many as be of the works of the law, are under the curse. For it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the law, to do them.
In these words, Paul sets down a second reason whereby he proves that not only the Jews but also the Gentiles are blessed as Abraham was by faith. And the reason is drawn from the contraries, thus.
"They that are of works," that is, that look to be justified by works, are under the curse. Therefore, they that are of faith are blessed or justified with Abraham. Moreover, Paul adds the proof of this second reason in the next words, and it is framed thus. They which fulfill not
the law are cursed. They which are of works fulfill not the law.
Therefore they are accursed.
Whereas Paul says that "they are under the curse, that will be of works," we see the whole world almost walks in the way of perdition.
It is a conclusion of nature that we must be saved and justified by our works. The young prince in the Gospel said, "Good master, what must I do to be saved?"33 The Jews would not be subject to the justice of God, but they established their own righteousness of the law (Rom. 10:3). Our common people, and they that should be wise, say they look to be saved by faith, but indeed they turn their faith to works. For what is their faith? Surely nothing else (as they say) but their good meaning, or their good dealing, or their good serving of God.
Hence again it follows that the papacy or popish religion is the way to perdition, in that it prescribes and teaches justification by works. On the contrary, our religion is the safest and surest from danger because it teaches the free justification of a sinner by the blood of Christ. And this makes the papists in the day of death to renounce justification by their works. Stephen Gardiner, a bloody persecutor, being on his deathbed told of free justification by the blood of Christ, said, "You may tell this to me, but do not open this gap to the people." One of late in a public execution of justice said he would die a Catholic, and withal he added that he looked to be saved only by the passion of Christ.
In the proof of the reason, three things are to be considered: What the curse is? Who are cursed? And when?
The curse is eternal woe and misery. And it is either in this life, in the end of this life, or in the life to come.
The curse in this life is either within man, or without him. The curse within man is manifold. In the mind there is ignorance of God, of ourselves, of true happiness, and of the means to attain to it. Again, there is a great difficulty with much pain to learn and retain things to be learned and retained. And this is a curse of God upon our minds.
In the conscience there are manifold accusations, terrors and fears, arising upon every occasion, and they are flashings (as it were) of the fires of hell, unless they be quenched in this life by the blood of Christ. In the will there is an inclination to all manner of sins without exception. Again, there is hardness of heart, whereby the will of man is unpliable to that which is good, unless it be renewed. In the body there are more diseases than the physicians' books can express. And as many diseases as there be in us, so many fruits of sin there are
(John 5:14).
The curse without us is three-fold. The first is a spiritual bondage under the power of the devil, who by reason of sin, works in the hearts of unbelievers (Eph. 2:2) and has the power of death (Heb.
2:14).
The second is an enmity of all the creatures with man since the fall.
And this appears because when God receives us to be His people, He makes a covenant with all creatures in our behalf (Hos. 2:18).
The third contains all losses, calamities, miseries, in goods, friends, good name (read Deut. 28).
The curse in the end of this life is death, which is the separation of body and soul (Rom. 5:12), and death in his [its] own nature is a fearful curse and the very downfall to the pit of hell.
The curse after this life is the second death, which is separation of body and soul from God with a full apprehension of the wrath of
God. And if the pain of one tooth or finger be oftentimes so great that men rather desire to die than live, how great then shall the pain be when all the parts of body and soul shall be tormented? And the eternity of this death increases man's misery. If a man might suffer so many years as there are drops in the sea, and then have an end, it were some comfort; but when that time is expired, man is as far from the end of his woe, as ever he was.
Thus in sum and substance is the curse here mentioned. And it were to be wished that men would more think and speak of it than they do.
Then would there be more conscience of sin.
The next point is, who are cursed. Answer. "They which do not all things written in the law." Here is an item for them that will keep some commandments, but not all. Herod would do some things at the motion of John Baptist, but he would not leave his incestuous marriage with his brother's wife (Mark 6:20). There be at this day that are very forward in good things. Yet some of them will not leave their swearing, some their lying, some their uncleanness, some their usury. But God will not part stakes with man. He will have all or none. "He that breaks one commandment is guilty of all" (James 2).
And there is good reason that he which obeys should obey in all. For where God renews, He sanctifies throughout and fills them with the seed of all grace that they may perform obedience according to all the commandments of the law.
Again, he is cursed that does not all things which the law prescribes— or, if he do them, yet does not continue in all. So then he is cursed that breaks the law but once, and that only in one thought. For such a one does not continue in all things. Now then, O sinful man, what will you do to avoid the curse? For you have in thought, word, and deed broken the law. Do you think to appease the wrath of God with
gold and silver? The whole world and all things therein are the Lord's. And you may not think to hide or withdraw yourself from the presence of God. For all must come and appear before His tribunal seat in their own persons. Neither may we think to escape because
God is merciful. For He is as just as merciful. What will you then do to escape this horrible curse; when you have done all you can do, you can no way help or relieve yourself.
The only way of help is this. You must flee from this sentence of the law to the throne of grace for mercy, instantly asking, seeking, knocking at the gate of mercy for pardon of your sins. And that you may be encouraged to this duty, consider with me that at your first purpose to amend and to turn unto God, your sins are pardoned in heaven. David says, "I thought, I will confess my sins against myself, and thou forgavest me" (Ps. 32:5). Mark the speech, "I thought." The prodigal child upon his purpose to return to his father (before he had indeed humbled himself in word) was received to mercy (Luke 15).
When David said, "I have sinned," Nathan in the name of God said, "Thy sin is forgiven thee." It may be you will say, the curse is absolute. Answer. The threatening of the law must be understood with an exception which the gospel makes, on this manner. The law says, cursed is the transgressor; and the gospel says, except he repent. Jonah preached, yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed; yet withal he adds an exception: "It may be the Lord will repent of His fierce wrath" (Jonah 3:9). Again, you will say, my sins are very grievous, therefore I fear I shall not escape the curse.
Answer. Forgiveness is promised without any limitation to any number or kinds of sin (only the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted). Therefore, appeal with boldness in your heart to the throne of grace, entreat for forgiveness as for life and death, and you shall escape the curse.
The third point is, when is a sinner accursed? Answer. In present, in the time of this life. For the Lord says not, "He shall be accursed," but, "He is accursed." There be among us whom no sermons or exhortations will amend. And such persons think themselves without the reach of any danger. For they think the time is very long to the last judgment. But they are deceived touching themselves. For God with His own mouth has given the sentence that they are accursed; there remains nothing but the execution. The halter is already about their necks, and there remains nothing but the turning of the ladder.
Nay the execution is already in blindness of mind and hardness of heart. He that believes not is already condemned (John 3).
Lastly, a memorable conclusion of Paul is here to be observed. That it is impossible for any man within himself, for the time of this life, to fulfill the law of God. For Paul here takes it for a confessed and granted conclusion. Otherwise his argument will not hold, which must be framed on this manner. He which fulfills not the law is cursed. He which is of works fulfills not the law. Therefore he is accursed. I further prove it thus. If we could fulfill the law, we might be justified by the law. But no man can be justified by the law or by works. Therefore no man can fulfill the law. Again, Paul says that "the law was spiritual," requiring inward and spiritual obedience, and that "he was a carnal," and therefore not conformable to the law; that "he was sold under sin"; that "when he would do good, evil was present"; that "he carried about him the body of death" (Rom. 7:14,
21, 24). And all this he says of himself about twenty years after his own conversion. Such as our knowledge is, such is our love to God and man. Now we know God only in part. Therefore we love in part, and consequently we do not fulfill the law. Again, the Scripture puts all men, even the regenerate, under the name of sinners to the very death: "All our righteousness is as a defiled cloth" (Isa. 64:6). "Who can say, my heart is clean?" (Prov. 20:9). Job cannot answer God for
one of a thousand (Job 9:3). The righteous man shall pray for the pardon of his sins "in a time when he may be heard" (Ps. 32:6). "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" (1 John 1:8). The papists say that all these places are meant of venial sins. Answer.
There are no venial sins which in their own nature are not against the law of God, but only beside it. "The stipend of" every "sin is death"
(Rom. 6:23). If we were perfectly sanctified and consequently fulfillers of the law in this life, then Christ should not be a Savior but an instrument of God to make us our own saviors. And to say this is blasphemy. Lastly, that which man could do by creation, so much the law requires at our hands. But man by creation could love God with all the powers of his soul, and with all the strength of all his powers, which now (since the fall) no man can do. It remains then for an infallible conclusion that it is impossible for any man in the time of this life to fulfill the law.
The Use. This point serves notably to condemn the folly of the world.
The Israelites say at Mount Sinai that "they will do all things which the Lord shall command them" (Ex. 19:8). The young prince said that "he had kept all the commandments from his youth" (Mark 10:20).
Our common people say that "they can love God with all their hearts, and their neighbors as themselves."
Secondly, this doctrine serves to confute sundry errors of the papists, who blasphemously teach that a man after justification may fulfill the law in this life; that a man may for a time be without all sin; that works of the regenerate are perfect and may be opposed to the judgment of God; that men may supererogate and do more than the law requires. The ground of all these conclusions is this. They say there is a double degree of fulfilling the law. The first is in this life, and that is, to love God truly above all creatures and to love our neighbor as ourselves in truth. The second is to love God with all the
powers of the soul and with all the strength of all the powers. And this measure of fulfilling the law is reserved to the life to come. I will briefly consider the reasons and the ground of this blasphemous doctrine.
Objection I. God promises the Israelites that "he will circumcise their hearts, that they may love Him with all their hearts, with all their souls, and with all their strength" (Deut. 30:6). And thus Josiah
"turned to God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength, according to all the law of Moses" (2 Kings 23:25). Answer.
The phrase "with all thy heart" is taken in a double signification.
Sometimes it is opposed to a double heart, and then it signifies a true upright heart without guile or dissimulation. Thus they of Zebulon are said "not to fight with a double heart" (1 Chron. 12:33), but "with a perfect heart" (v. 38). Where, mark the opposition of a whole or perfect heart to a double heart. In this sense are the places before named to be understood. Nevertheless, the whole heart, soul, and strength in the sum of the moral law signifies all power of the soul and all the strength of all the powers. Thus does Paul expound the law when he says, "The law is spiritual" (Rom. 7), and by the prohibition of lust, gives the meaning of the whole law. For concupiscence, or lust, comprehends the first thoughts or motions.
Objection II. Noah is said to "be just and perfect" (Gen. 6), and God commands Abraham to "walk before him, and to be perfect" (Gen.
17:1). Paul says, "Let as many as be perfect, be thus minded" (Phil.
3:15). Answer. There is a double perfection: perfection of parts, and perfection of degrees. Perfection of parts is when a man has in him, after he is regenerate, the beginnings of all virtues and the seeds of all graces by which he endeavors to obey God in all His laws and commandments. Perfection of degrees is when the law is fulfilled both in matter and manner, according to the rigor of the law. Now
the former places speak only of the perfection of parts. And that is such a perfection in which we are to acknowledge our imperfection, and it is no more but a true and general endeavor to obey God (Isa.
38:3).
Objection III. Sundry holy men are said to fulfill the law: "David turned from nothing that God commanded him all the days of his life, save in the matter of Uriah" (1 Kings 15:5). "Zachary and Elisabeth walked in all the commandments of God, and that without reproof before God" (Luke 1:6). Answer. There are two kinds of fulfilling the law: one legal; the other evangelical. Legal is when men do all things required in the law, and that by themselves and in themselves. Thus none ever fulfilled the law, but Christ, and Adam before his fall. The evangelical manner of fulfilling the law is to believe in Christ who fulfilled the law for us, and withal to endeavor in the whole man to obey God in all His precepts. And this endeavor joined with the purpose of not sinning is called the righteousness of good conscience, and, though it be not really a fulfilling of the law, yet it is accepted of God as a fulfilling of the law in all them that are in Christ. For God accepts the endeavor to obey for perfect obedience. Thus David, Zacharias, Elizabeth, and other are said to fulfill the law.
Objection IV. We pray that we may fulfill the law, when we say, "Let thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Answer. We pray not that we may fulfill the law in this, but that we may strive as much as may be to attain to the fulfilling of the law. That is the scope of the petition. We desire not to be equal to the angels and saints, but only to imitate them more and more and to be like to them.
Objection V. "To will is present with me" (Rom. 7:18); therefore, (say they) in will the law may be kept, though the flesh relent. Answer.
When Paul says that "to will was present," he does not signify that he could perfectly will that which is good. For his will being partly renewed and partly unrenewed, the good which he willed, he partly nilled; and the evil which he nilled, he partly willed.
Objection VI. Christ took our flesh "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Rom. 8:4). Answer. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, not because we do all things required in the law, but because we have faith in us, and by that faith we apprehend the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law.
Objection VII. "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:8). And the regenerate love their neighbors. Answer. If we could love our neighbor as ourselves perfectly, we should then fulfill the whole law.
But our love is imperfect.
Objection VIII. "He that is born of God sins not" (1 John 3); he that sins not, fulfills the law. Answer. "He that is born of God sins not," that is, he does not commit sin, or make a practice of sin. He may fall of frailty, yet then he recovers himself and does not keep a course in sinning. This is the meaning of St. John.
Objection IX. "The commandments of God are not grievous" (1 John 5). Answer. They are not grievous three ways: first, in respect of remission, because they that believe in Christ have the transgression of the law pardoned. Secondly, in respect of imputation, because
Christ's obedience in fulfilling the law is imputed to every believer.
Thirdly in respect of inchoation. For they that believe receive the Spirit of God whereby they are enabled to endeavor themselves to obey God in all His commandments. Otherwise in respect of our own personal obedience, they are a yoke that no man can bear.
Objection X. "The works of God are perfect" (Deut. 32:4). Good works are works of God. Therefore they are perfect. Answer. Works that are merely works of God, which He works by Himself and not by man, they are all perfect. And thus must the text in Moses be understood. Now good works are works of God in us. And withal they are our works, having their beginning in the mind and will of man.
And hence they are defiled. For when the first and second cause concur in a work, the said work takes unto it the condition of the second cause. Water pure in the fountain is defiled when it passes by the filthy channel.
Objection XI. If God have given us an impossible law, He is more cruel than any tyrant. Answer. When God first gave the law, He also gave power to fulfill the law. If the law be impossible, it is not God's fault, but man's, who by his own fault has lost this power of keeping the law.
The ground before named of the double fulfilling of the law, one for this life, the other for the life to come, is false. For there is only one general and unchangeable sentence of the law, "Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the law to do them."
I now come to other uses of the former conclusion. If the law be impossible, then must we seek for the fulfilling of it forth of ourselves in Christ, "who is the end of the law for righteousness, to them that believe."42 Hence it follows necessarily that our justification must be by the imputation or application of Christ's justice unto us.
Because we cannot fulfill the law, we must make it a glass to see our impotency and what we cannot do. And it must be our schoolmaster to drive us to Christ. And by our impotency we must take occasion to make prayer to God for His Spirit to enable us to obey the laws of God. Thus come we to be doers of the law, and no otherwise.
Again, it may be demanded (considering we cannot fulfill the law), how our works can please God? Answer. In every good work, there is something that is God's and something that is ours alone. The defect of the work is ours alone, and that is pardoned to the believer. That which is good in the work is from God, and that He approves as being His own. And thus every good work is said to please God.
Lastly, after that we have begun to please God in obedience to His laws, considering we fulfill them not, all boasting of our goodness must be laid aside, and we must humble ourselves under the hand of God even to the death. Read the practice of David (Pss. 143:2; 130:3; see Job 9:2).
11 And that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is manifest. For the just liveth by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but he that shall do these things, shall live in them.
The Meaning. "By the law," that is, the law not only ceremonial, but also judicial and moral. Indeed the occasion of Paul's disputation in this place is taken from circumcision, pertaining to the ceremonial law; but he enlarges his disputation from one part to the whole law.
For they which thought ceremonies necessary to justification, would much more think moral duties necessary. And that Paul speaks here of the moral, it appears by the tenth verse, where he alleges a sentence that specially appertains to the moral law: "Cursed is every one," etc. Again, the law may be considered two ways in the justification of a sinner. First, as it justifies without Christ. Secondly, as it justifies with Christ. And both ways it is excluded from justification, and here specially in the second regard. For the intent of the Galatians was to join Christ and the law in the work of our justification.
"Before God," that is, in the judgment of God, before whose judgment seat we must all appear and be judged.
"The just shall live by faith." The scope of these words is this. The Jews were oppressed by the Babylonians, and it was further told them by the prophet that they should be led into captivity by the said
Babylonians. Now in this distress of theirs, the Lord sets down the duty of the faithful Jews, namely, that they must stay themselves by their faith in the Messiah, and consequently, that they shall have safety in this life in the midst of all dangers, and in the end have eternal life. And Paul applies this text to his purpose, thus. Life eternal comes by faith. And therefore true righteousness before God is by faith. For righteousness is the foundation of life eternal. And therefore it is called "justification 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 shall do these things shall live in them." And the meaning is this. The law does not prescribe faith in the Messiah; neither does it promise life to him that believes in the Messiah, but to him that does the things contained in the law.
In these words, Paul adds a new argument to the former, thus.
Justice is by faith. The law is not of faith. Therefore the law is not our justice. Or again, thus. He that is justified is justified by faith. The law justifies no man by faith. Therefore the law does not justify. The conclusion is first in the eleventh verse. The proposition is expressed and confirmed by the testimony of the prophet Habakkuk. The assumption is in the twelfth verse.
The Use. When Paul says, "No man is justified by the law in the sight of God," he makes a double justification. One, before God; the other, before men. Justification before God is when God reputes a man just,
and that only for the merit and obedience of Christ. Justification before men is when such as profess faith in Christ are reputed just of men. By this distinction, Paul who says that "a man is justified by faith without works" (Rom. 3:28), and James who says that Abraham was justified by faith and works (James 2:24) are reconciled. For Paul speaks of justification before God, as he himself expressly testifies (Rom. 4:2); and St. James speaks of justification before men, which is not only by the profession of faith, but also by works.
In the same sort, there is a double election. One special, whereby "God knows who are his." The other is more general, whereby we repute all men to be elect that profess faith in Christ, leaving secret judgments to God. Thus Paul writes to the Ephesians, Philippians, etc., as elect. And the ministers of the word are to speak 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. 4:24); the other before men, in the judgment of charity. Thus men are said to "tread under foot the blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified" (Heb. 10:29). Thus all that are of right to be baptized are holy and regenerate, not in the judgment of certainty, which is God's; but in the judgment of charity, which is man's—secrets always reserved to God.
Again, when Paul says, "in the sight of God," he gives us to understand that there is a universal judgment of God before whom we must all appear and be judged. And when Paul says in the time present that "God justifieth" (though not by works), he signifies that this judgment is already begun upon us, even in this life. This must teach us to walk in godly and holy conversation, in the fear of God, and to watch and pray that we may be found worthy to stand before God. Malefactors, when they are going to judgment and when they
see the judge sit, lay aside scorning and bethink themselves what to say or do. Now we are these malefactors, and we know that God has already begun to give judgment of us. And therefore we must prepare ourselves to make a good reckoning.
In the testimony of the prophet our duty is set down, and that is that we must in this world live by faith. That we may live by faith, we must do two things. One is to choose the true God for our God. The second is in our hearts to cleave unto Him, and that according to His word. First therefore, we must cleave fast to His commandments by entering into the way of His precepts and by walking in them. For this cause we must have always about us the eye of knowledge to direct our steps in the ways of God, that we ever keep ourselves in our callings, that is, the duty we owe to God and man. Secondly, while we stand in the ways of God, we shall be assailed with many temptations on the right hand and on the left. Therefore we must further cleave to the promises of God, believing His presence, protection, and assistance in all temptations and dangers. And this our faith must be as it were a hand to stay us. Here two caveats must be remembered. One, that we must not prescribe unto God the manner of His assistance, but leave it with other circumstances of time and place to God. The second is, when all earthly things fail us, we must rest upon the bare word of God and believe the promise of remission of sins and life everlasting. This is to live by faith. And this duty must be practiced when we are in the field to fight for our country, when we lie on our deathbeds, and when we are in any danger.
Mark further, Paul says, "The just man lives by faith." He therefore that is justified continues to be justified by his faith. And therefore the second justification that is said to be by our works is a mere fiction. And in that none lives by faith, but he that is a just man, we
see that true faith is always joined with the purpose of not sinning or with the justice of good conscience. And where they are severed, there is no more but a mere pretense of faith.
When Paul says, "The law is not of faith," he sets down the main difference between the law and the gospel. The law promises life to him that performs perfect obedience, and that for his works. The gospel promises life to him that does nothing in the cause of his salvation, but only believes in Christ. And it promises salvation to him that believes, yet not for his faith, or for any works else, but for the merit of Christ. The law then requires doing to salvation; and the gospel, believing, and nothing else.
Objection I. The gospel requires repentance and the practice of it.
Answer. Indeed the law does not teach true repentance, neither is it any cause of it, but only an occasion. The gospel only prescribes repentance and the practice thereof, yet only as it is a fruit of our faith, and as it is the way to salvation in which we are to walk, and no otherwise.
Objection II. The law requires and commands faith. Answer. The law requires faith in God, which is to put our affiance in Him. But the gospel requires faith in Christ, the mediator, God-man. And this faith the law never knew.
Objection III. In the gospel there are promises of life upon condition of our obedience. "If by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live" (Rom. 8:13). "If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive them" (1 John 1:9). Answer. The promises of the gospel are not made to the work, but to the worker, and to the worker not for his work, but for Christ's sake, according to His work. As for example, promise of life is made not to the work of mortification, but to him that mortifies his flesh, and that not for his mortification, but
because he is in Christ, and his mortification is the token or evidence thereof. And therefore it must be remembered that all promises of the gospel that mention works include in them reconciliation with God in Christ.
Objection IV. Faith is a virtue, and to believe is a work. Therefore one work is commanded in the gospel and is also necessary to salvation.
Answer. The gospel considers not faith as a virtue or work, but as an instrument or hand to apprehend Christ. For faith does not cause, effect, or procure our justification and salvation, but, as the beggar's hand, it receives them, being wholly wrought and given of God.
This distinction of the law and the gospel must be observed carefully.
For by it we see that the Church of Rome has erroneously confounded the law and the gospel for this many hundred years. 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 again that the law written in our hearts is still the law of Moses. And this oversight in mistaking the distinction of the law and the gospel is and has been the ruin of the gospel.
We must here further observe that believing and doing are opposed in the article of our justification. In our good conversation they agree. Faith goes before, and doing follows. But in the work of our justification, they are as fire and water. Hence I gather that to the justification of a sinner, there is required a special and an applying faith, for general faith is numbered among the works of the law, and the devils have it. This kind of believing therefore and doing are not opposite. Again, hence I gather that works of faith and grace are quite excluded from justification because the opposition does not stand between believing and the works of nature, but simply between believing and doing.
Lastly, it may be demanded, why the Lord says, "He that doeth the things of the law shall live," considering no man since the fall can do the things of the law? Answer. The Lord since man's fall repeats the law in his [its] old tenor, not to mock men, but for other weighty causes. The first is to teach us that the law is of a constant and unchangeable nature. The second is to advertise us of our weakness and to show us what we cannot do. The third is to put us in mind that we must still humble ourselves under the hand of God, after we have begun by grace to obey the law, because even then we come far short in doing the things which the law requires at our hands.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, when He was made a curse for us: (for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree).
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
Paul having proved the truth of his doctrine by sundry arguments in the former part of this chapter, he here answers an objection, the occasion whereof is from the tenth verse. It may be framed on this manner. If they be accursed that continue not in all things written in the law to do them, then all men are accursed, and the Gentiles are not partakers of the blessing of Abraham (as you have said). Answer is here made that to them that believe there is full redemption from the curse of the law. And Paul for the better enlightening of his answer here makes a description of our redemption by four arguments. The first is the author: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." The second is the form or manner of our redemption, in these words: "when he was made a curse for us." And this form is further declared by the sign, in these words: "for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree." The third argument is the end, in these words: "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles." The last is also another end: "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
Touching the author, in these words, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law," sundry things may be learned. First of all, comparing these words with the tenth verse, or comparing the answer and the objection together, we see and are to observe that the threatenings of the law are to be understood with an exception from the gospel. All are cursed, says the law, that do not continue to do all things written therein, except they have pardon, and be redeemed by Christ, says the gospel. And thus are all curses of the law to be conceived with a limitation or qualification from the gospel.
Again, in that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, here is our comfort, that neither hell, nor death, nor Satan has any right or power over us, so be it we do unfeignedly believe in Christ. "For we are bought with a price." And for this cause, we must be admonished not to fear any evil overmuch, as the reviling and curses of evil tongues, witchcraft, the plague, pestilence, famine, the sword, or death. For the curse which makes all these and many other things hurtful unto us is removed from them that are in Christ. And therefore all immoderate fear should be restrained.
Thirdly, our duty is to glorify God and Christ who has redeemed us, and that both in body and soul. The redeemed must live according to the will of their redeemer (1 Cor. 6:20). This is all the thankfulness that we can show to our redeemer for His mercy.
Lastly, here an objection made by some may be answered. If (say they) we were redeemed by Christ, being captives to the devil, the price of our redemption was paid to him and not to God. Answer. We
were captives properly to the justice of God in the law, to the order whereof we stand subject. And by this means we are captives to the curse of the law, and consequently to the devil who is the minister of God for the execution of the said curse. And being captives to the devil, no otherwise than as he is the minister of God for the inflicting of punishment, the price must not be paid to him but to God who is the principal and has a sovereignty over him and us.
I come now to the form of our redemption: "who was made a curse for us." For the better understanding of these words, four points are to be handled. The first is, what is this curse? Answer. A double death: the first of the body; the second of the soul. The first is the separation of the body and soul. The second is the separation of the whole man from God, not in respect of His universal power and presence (for the very damned have their moving and being from Him), but in respect of His favor and special love, whereby God ceases to be their God. And this is death indeed, whereof the first is but a shadow. And this is the curse of the law.
The second point is, how Christ was a curse, or accursed, who is the fountain of blessedness? Answer. He is not so by nature. For He is the natural Son of God. Not by His own fault, for He is the unspotted lamb of God. But by voluntary dispensation, and therefore Paul says,
"He was made a curse." And He was made a curse, first, because He was set apart in the eternal counsel of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost to be our redeemer and consequently to be a curse. In this regard, the Father is said to have "sealed" Him (John 6:27), and He is said again to be "preordained before all worlds" (1 Peter 1:20) and given "according to the counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts
2:23). Secondly, He was made a curse in that He was in time consecrated to be our mediator and so a curse. And this consecration was first in His baptism, in which He put upon Him our guilt, as we
put off the same in ours; and, secondly, on the cross and passion, in which He took unto Him the punishment of our sin. And thus was
He made a curse. It may be objected that He is the Son of God, and therefore no curse. Answer. Christ must be considered as the Son of God, and again as our pledge and surety (Heb. 7:22). In the first respect He was not accursed, but in the second.
The third point is, in what nature was Christ accursed? Answer.
Whole Christ God-man, or man-God, was accursed. For "the Lord of life" (says Paul) "was crucified," and consequently accursed (1 Cor.
2:8). Yet this limitation must be added, that the curse was not upon the Godhead of Christ, but only in His flesh or manhood. For "he suffered" (says Peter) "in the flesh" (1 Peter 4:1). Moreover, the soul of Christ was the more principal seat of the curse, as it was the principal seat of sin. Therefore the prophet says, "He made his soul an offering for sin" (Isa. 53:10), and Christ said, "My soul is heavy to the death."
The fourth point is, how far forth Christ was accursed? Answer. In the first death there are two degrees, separation of the body and soul, and the putrefaction of the body separated. And Christ entered only into the first, and not into the second. For His body being dead endured no corruption. Again, in the second death there are two degrees. The first is a separation from God in sense and seeing. And the second is an absolute separation from God. Into this second degree of death, Christ entered not, because He said in the middle of His passion, "My God, My God." And this absolute separation could not be without the dissolution of the personal union. Into the first degree of the second death, He entered—namely, into the apprehension and feeling of the wrath and indignation of God due to man's sin. And this appears by His bloody sweat of thick and clotted blood; by His complaint that He was forsaken; by His fears and
sorrows in the time of death, in which He comes short of sundry martyrs, unless we acknowledge that He endured further pains of death than ever they did; by His condition, in that He takes upon Him the condition of the first Adam, who upon his fall was to endure the first and second death.
Here two questions are to be demanded. The first, how and in what manner Christ suffered the wrath of God? Answer. He endured it willingly of His own accord. He did not only in the mind see it before His eyes, but also He felt it. It was laid and imposed on Him, and He encountered with it, but it had no dominion or lordship over Him
(Acts 2:24). The second is, how much He suffered of the wrath of God? Answer. The punishment He suffered was in value and measure answerable to all the sins of all the elect past, present, and to come—the Godhead supporting the manhood that it might be able to bear and overcome the whole burden of the wrath of God. If it be said that a creature cannot have an infinite apprehension of the wrath of God, I answer: It suffices that God laid infinite wrath upon Him, and that He apprehended it according to the condition of a creature. For in so doing, He encountered with the whole wrath of God. One man in a breach or at a bridge may stand against a whole army and bear the brunt of it. Why may not then the manhood of Christ supported by the Godhead bear the stress of the whole wrath of God? Against this doctrine, sundry things may be objected.
Objection I. The Scripture ascribes all to the blood of Christ, and therefore to the death of the body. Answer. By blood is meant a bloody death. By the bloody death, the death of the cross. By the death of the cross, a death accursed, or the death of the body joined with the malediction of the law.
Objection II. The suffering of the anger of God was not figured in sacraments or sacrifices. Answer. The beast, whereof the burnt offering was made, was first tied to the horns of the altar. His blood then was shed. And, lastly, he was all burnt upon the altar unto God.
And hereby was figured the fiery wrath of God.
Objection III. Temporal death, or the curse for half a day, cannot countervail eternal death. Answer. Yes, in Christ. For if man could suffer and overcome punishment in measure infinite, he should not suffer eternally, but this no man nor angel can do. And therefore man must suffer punishment for measure finite, for time infinite, because the punishment must be answerable to God, whose majesty is infinite. Now Christ being God and man, suffered punishment indeed infinite. And therefore it was not necessary that he should endure it eternally. Again, here the dignity of the person helps, for in that the Son of God suffered the curse of the law for half a day, it is more than if all men had suffered eternal death. Therefore the death of Christ in respect of the measure of the punishment, as also in respect of the value and dignity thereof, countervails death everlasting.
Objection IV. It is hard to say that Christ suffered the pains of hell.
Answer. The Latin translation (commonly received) has as much that "he could not be holden of the sorrows of hell" (Acts 2:24). And there is no offence to say He suffered the pains of hell, so far forth as this suffering may stand with the purity of His manhood and with the truth of the personal union.
The Use. Friars teach that if Christ had pricked His finger and let fall but one drop of blood, it had been sufficient to redeem all the world.
But they dream. For Paul says, "He was made the curse of the law, to
redeem us." This had been a needless work, if a prick in the finger, or any punishment without death, would have done the deed.
That Christ became a curse for us, it shows the greatness and horribleness of our sins; it shows the grievous hardness of our hearts that never almost mourn for them. It shows the unspeakable love and mercy of God, for which we are to be thankful forever, and that all manner of ways.
In that the Son of God became a curse for our sins, we are put in mind to see, acknowledge, and consider them, and withal to bewail them, and to humble ourselves for them, and to detest them more and more unto the very death. For what is more worthy of hatred than that which causes the Son of God to be accursed? They which believe that Christ by being a curse has redeemed them from the curse of the law do in truth die unto all their sins and live unto God.
Many indeed professing Christ make no change of life at all. And the reason is because a secret atheism makes them say in their hearts,
"There is no Christ; there is no curse that was endured by Christ."
Cleanse your hearts of this hidden atheism, and look that inwardly in your spirits you die unto your sins and live to God.
In that Christ was obedient to His Father in bearing the curse of the law, we are taught in all things to subject ourselves to the will of God.
Our obedience must not only be in doing this or that, but also in suffering the miseries laid on us to the death. This is the best obedience of all and the truest mark of God's child, to obey in our sufferings.
Moreover, that Christ was accursed, it is confirmed by the sentence and decree of God: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree"
(Deut. 21:23). The ground of this sentence is the sin of the malefactor —for whom God curses, He curses for his offence. And here it may be
demanded, why he that is stoned to death is not likewise accursed?
Answer. He also is accursed, but there are special reasons why the man hanged on the tree is cursed. First, among the Jews, they which were hanged were most grievous malefactors, as blasphemers and idolaters. And their punishment was accordingly most grievous.
Secondly, hanging (as among all nations, so among the Jews) was a most odious and infamous death. Thirdly, God did foresee that the Messiah should die on the cross, and therefore He accursed this kind of death. If it be said that there was no fault or offence in Christ, and therefore He could not be accursed, I answer that He became sin for us in that our sin was applied and imputed to Him. It may be further objected that the thief which repented was not accursed, though he were hanged on the tree. Answer. As a thief, he was accursed; as he was a thief and repented, the curse was removed. For the law in the curses thereof gives place to the gospel. Judgment yields to mercy.
And the gospel puts an exception to the law.
The Use. If the malefactor hanged be accursed and defile the earth, how vile and accursed is the living malefactor, the blasphemer, adulterer, murderer, etc., who has entered no degree of punishment?
Let this be considered to terrify offenders.
Again, let us consider the scope of this law. Because he that hangs on the tree is accursed, therefore says the law of God, "He must be taken down, and buried." Mark the equity of the law, and that is, that things evil and accursed are to be removed from the eye and sense of man. This charge the Lord gives of less matters, namely, of sights indecent and unseemly (Deut. 23:14). Again, we are commanded not so much as to name fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, jesting, foolish talking, etc. (Eph. 5:3). Here we are to be put in mind that the plays (commonly in use) are to be banished out of all Christian societies. For they do nothing else but revive and represent the vile
and wicked fashions of the world and the misdemeanor of men, which are things accursed, and therefore to be buried and not once to be spoken of. Again, all evil in our example, whether in word or in deed, must be buried as much as may be. For it defiles and is accursed.
Here it may be demanded, how this law of God ("He is accursed, therefore let him be taken down, and buried") stands with the order used in this and other countries in which men are hanged in chains for the terror of the world? Answer. Judicial laws, if they have in them moral equity and serve directly to fence in the precepts of the Decalogue, are perpetual and bind all men, else not. As for the judicial determinations of this or that manner of punishment, they concern us not; but God has left every nation free, though not in respect of punishment, yet in respect of the manner and order thereof.
The third point, whereby our redemption is described, is the end thereof: "that the blessing of Abraham," that is, righteousness and life everlasting, "may come upon the Gentiles." Here two things are to be considered. The first is, whence comes the benediction of Abraham? Answer. From the cursed death of Christ. For thus are the words, "He was made a curse for us, that the benediction of Abraham might come on the Gentiles." Mark here how God works one contrary by the other. In the creation, He made something, not of something, but of nothing. He called light out of darkness. He kills, and then makes alive (Hos. 6). He sends men to heaven by the gates of hell. He gave sight by a temper of spittle and clay, a fit means to put out light.
In the work of our redemption He gives life not by life but by death, and the blessing by the curse. This shows the wisdom and power of God. And it teaches us in the work of our conversion and salvation
not to go by sense and feeling because God can and does work one contrary in and by the other.
The second point is where this benediction of Abraham is to be found. Answer. The text says it is extant "in Christ Jesus," who is as it were the storehouse of God's blessing, and the dispenser of it to all nations. In Him are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col.
2). God and the Lamb are all things to all the elect in the kingdom of heaven (Rev. 21). Here we see the right way to become rich. And that is, above all things to seek to be true and lively members of Christ.
For if He be ours, we can want nothing (Rom. 8:32; Matt. 6:33; Ps.
34:10). This is a most sure way to procure unto us all good things that He sees to be necessary for us. For Christ is the storehouse of the benediction of Abraham. Again, this must teach them that believe in Christ to be content in any estate, be it better or worse, for true riches is the blessing of God; and this blessing is in Christ. This is the truth, if we could discern of things that differ. Thirdly, in our poverty, and in the midst of all our wants and losses, we must comfort ourselves. For though we lose ever so much, yet we retain the principal, and that is Christ who is the benediction of Abraham.
The fourth point is another end of our redemption: "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith." For the better understanding of this, four questions may be demanded. The first is, what is meant by the promise? Answer. The promise of God made in the Old Testament that He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh
(Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28). And here it is said that this promise is fulfilled to the nations when they believe. Mark here how the promises of God lie as void, dead, and of none effect till the particular time of their accomplishment. God promises Abraham that his posterity shall be a great nation after 430 years, for which time they remain in thrall and bondage; but the very night after the former time was expired,
nothing, no not the raging sea could stop their deliverance (Ex.
12:41). God promises deliverance after seventy years captivity to the Israelites in Babylon. When this time was expired, Daniel prayed, and at the very beginning of his supplications, the decree of God for deliverance came forth (Dan. 9:23). "The vision of God" (says the prophet) "is for the appointed time" (Hab. 2:3), and so is the promise. This must teach us to be content, if after much praying, we find not the fruit of our prayers, because there is an appointed time for the accomplishing of them. In this respect David says that "his eyes failed," and "he was hoarse in praying" (Ps. 69:3).
The second question is, what is meant by the giving or sending of the Spirit? Answer. Without any alteration or change of place, it signifies two things. The first is order between the persons, whereby the Father and Son work mediately by the Holy Ghost, and the Holy
Ghost immediately from them. The second is that the Spirit does manifest His presence by divine effects in us. In this respect He is said to be sent or given of the Father and the Son.
The third point is, in what order is the Spirit given? For it seems that we first of ourselves believe, and then receive the Spirit? Answer.
Men are said to receive the Spirit when they receive some new gift of the Spirit, or the increase of some old gift (John 20:22). Again, to speak properly, faith and the receiving of the Spirit are for a time both together. For first of all, we hear the promise of God; then we begin to meditate and to apply the said promise to ourselves, to strive against doubting, and to desire to believe. And in doing of all this, we receive the Spirit. To believe is the first grace in us that concerns our salvation. And when we begin to believe, we begin to receive the Spirit. And when we first receive God's Spirit, we begin to believe. And thus by our faith receive we the Spirit. And thus also the Spirit dwells in us by faith (Eph. 3:17). And we must not imagine that