Chapter 5
figure of the rejection of all such. Behold here the voice of God casting down from heaven the greatest part of the earth, the Turk, the Jew, the obstinate papist, with the stepmother, the Romish church.
31 Then brethren, we are not children of the servant, but of the free woman.
The conclusion of the whole argument following directly from the twenty-seventh verse. If we be children of the promise, then are we children of the free woman and not of the bondwoman, and consequently we are justified and saved without the works of the law, by the mere grace of God, causing us by faith to rest on the promise of God, whose substance and foundation is Christ.
Chapter 5 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
These words are a repetition of the principal conclusion of the whole epistle. Which was on this manner. I, Paul, am called to teach, and my doctrine is true. Therefore you did evil to depart from it, and your duty was to have stood unto it.
Further, they are collected and inferred upon the conclusion of the last argument used in the last chapter, thus. You are children of the free woman. And therefore thou art free. And therefore you should hold fast your liberty.
In these words, two main points of doctrine are propounded. The first is that by nature we are all entangled with the yoke of bondage.
For the better conceiving of this, I will handle three points: the nature of this bondage, the sign of it, and the use.
Touching the nature of it. Our spiritual bondage stands in three things. The first is bondage under sin, which Paul teaches when he says, "I am carnal sold under sin" (Rom. 7:14). Here remember that by sin is meant original sin, which has two parts: guiltiness in the first offence of Adam, which is imputed to all mankind; and the disposition of all the powers of the soul to all manner of evil whatsoever. And this rebellious disposition is like a leprosy infecting the whole man. And it reigns like a tyrant over the soul of man by tempting, enticing, and drawing him from one actual sin to another, so as he can do nothing but sin (James 1:14).
The second thing is obligation or subjection to all punishment both temporal and eternal. And it has three parts. The first is bondage under Satan, who keeps unrepentant sinners "in his snare according to his own will" (2 Tim. 2:26); he rules in their hearts like a god (2
Cor. 4:4), and has power to blind them and to harden their hearts, till he have brought them to eternal death (Heb. 2:14). The second is bondage under an evil conscience, which sits in the hearts of offenders as an accuser and a terrible judge and lies like a wild beast at a man's door, ready ever and anon to pluck out his throat (Gen.
4:7). The third is bondage under the wrath of God and the fear of eternal death (Heb. 2:15).
The third part of this bondage is the obligation of the ceremonial law.
It pertains not to all mankind, but only concerns the Jews, to whom it was a yoke of bondage (Acts 15).
The sign of this bondage, whereby it may be discerned, is to keep a course or practice in sinning. "He that commits sin is a servant of sin" (John 8:34); or again, a life led according to the custom and fashion of this world (Eph. 2:2) in the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eye (which is covetousness), or in the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
The Use. We must learn to see, feel, acknowledge, and bewail this bondage in ourselves. Deliverance belongs only to such captives as know themselves to be captives (Luke 4:18) and labor under this bondage (Matt. 11:28). Thus did Paul when he says, "I am sold under sin," and, "O miserable man, who shall deliver me from this body of death?" To feel this bondage is a step out of it. And not to feel it is to be plunged into it.
Secondly, we must pray earnestly for deliverance. The dumb creatures sigh and travail till they be delivered from their bondage.
Much more then must we do it (Rom. 8:22).
Thirdly, we must learn to detest whatsoever is of ourselves because it wholly tends to bondage.
Lastly, we must be content with any affliction that God lays on us, though it be lingering sickness, poverty, imprisonment, banishment.
For God might worthily lay on us all shame and confusion because we are by nature slaves of sin and Satan.
The second main doctrine is that by grace there is a liberty pertaining to the people of God. Here I consider four things. First, what this liberty is. Secondly, the author of it. Thirdly, the persons to whom it belongs. Fourthly, our duty touching this liberty.
For the first, Christian liberty is called, "the good," or commodity of Christians (Rom. 14:16).
It is a spiritual right or condition, lost by Adam, and restored by Christ. I say, spiritual, because it pertains to the conscience. The use indeed of our liberty is in outward things, as meat, drink, apparel, etc., but the liberty itself is in the conscience. And thus it differs from civil liberty, which stands in the moving of the body, in the choice of bodily actions, and in the free use of our goods.
Christian liberty has two parts: a deliverance from misery and freedom in good things. Deliverance has four parts. The first is a deliverance from the curse of the law for the breach thereof. "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ" (Rom. 8:1). And this comes to pass because there is a translation made of the curse from our persons to the person of Christ (Gal. 3:13).
The second deliverance is from the obligation of the law, whereby it binds us to bring perfect righteousness in our own persons for the attainment of everlasting life, according to the tenor thereof, "Do this, and live." And this deliverance is procured because there is a translation made of the fulfilling of the law from our persons to the person of our Savior Christ.
From these two deliverances arises the pacification of the conscience, partly for our justification, and partly for our conversation.
Touching justification, a sinner in his humiliation and conversion has by this doctrine a liberty without respect to his own works or to his own fulfilling of the law to rest on the mere mercy of God for the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation of his soul, and to appeal from the throne of divine justice to the throne of grace, and to oppose the merit of Christ against the wrath and judgment of God.
And this has always been the help of the godly in their distress (read 2 Chron. 33:12; Ezra 9; Dan. 9; Pss. 32; 51; 130; 143). Consider the
example of the publican and the prodigal son who condemn themselves and make their appeal to the court of mercy and grace.
Here some man may say, how shall I know that I am freed from the rigor of the law and from the curse thereof? Answer. You must first set yourself at the bar of God's judgment. And there must you arraign, accuse, and condemn yourself. This done, you must use your liberty and make your appeal to God's mercy and grace for pardon by asking, seeking, knocking. And thus at length shall you be resolved touching your deliverance.
Moreover, touching conversation, our consciences are settled thus.
In that we are freed from the rigor of the law, God in mercy accepts the will and endeavor to believe, repent, and obey, for faith, repentance, and obedience. He spares them that fear Him, as a father spares his child when he endeavors to do that which he can (Mal.
3:17). The law requires perfect obedience at our hands. Yet God of His mercy looks more at the will to obey than the perfection of obedience. This must be a stay to our minds when we see more corruption than grace in ourselves and our obedience tainted with many spots of disobedience.
The third deliverance is from the observation of the ceremonial law of Moses (Col. 2:16). And hence arises another deliverance from the bondage of human tradition, as Paul says, "If ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the world, why are ye burdened with traditions?" (Col. 2:20).
The fourth deliverance is from under the tyranny and dominion of sin. "Let not sin have dominion over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). In the first conversion of the sinner, original sin receives his deadly wound, and the dominion thereof is diminished according to the measure of grace received.
The second part of Christian liberty is a freedom in good things. And it is fourfold. The first is a freedom in the voluntary service of God.
"We are delivered from our enemies, that we may serve God in righteousness and holiness before him all the days of our lives without fear" (Luke 1:74). Paul says that "the law is not given to the righteous man" (1 Tim. 1:9), because he is a law to himself and freely does good duties as if there were no law to bind him. The cause of this freedom is the gift and donation of the free Spirit of God.
Therefore David prays, "Establish me with thy free Spirit" (Ps. 51).
And Paul says, "Where the Spirit is, there is liberty" (2 Cor. 3:17).
And, "The Spirit of life which is in Christ" (is a law to us, and) "frees us from the power of sin, and death" (Rom. 8:2).
It may be objected that this freedom in the voluntary service of God is bondage. For Christ says, "Take my yoke upon you" (Matt. 11:29).
And we are as straitly bound to the obedience of the law of God, as Adam was by creation; nay more straitly, by reason of our redemption by Christ. Answer. The more we are bound to obedience, the freer we are because the service of God is not bondage, but perfect liberty.
The second freedom is in the free use of all the creatures of God (Rom. 14:14). "To the pure, all things are pure" (Titus 1:15). And the reason is because the dominion over the creatures lost by Adam is restored by Christ (1 Cor. 3:22). And hence it is that Paul calls the forbidding of marriage and of meats, with obligation of conscience,
"a doctrine of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1).
The third freedom is a liberty to come unto God the Father in the name of Christ, and in prayer to be heard (Rom. 5:2; Eph. 3:12).
Whereas according to our natural condition, our sins are a wall of partition between us and God and cause us to fly from the presence
of God. And though we cry unto God and fill heaven and earth with our cries, so long as we are in our sins, we are not heard of Him.
The fourth freedom is a liberty to enter into heaven in the day of our death, Christ by His blood having made a way (Heb. 10:19).
Thus we see what Christian liberty is. The use follows. The Anabaptists gather hence that among Christians there must be no magistrates; they must have power to make laws besides the laws of God. But this power they have not, because Christians have a free use of all the creatures of God by Christian liberty. Answer. We must distinguish between the liberty itself and the use of it. And the magistrates' authority deals not with the liberty which is in the conscience, but with the use of it. And he does neither diminish nor abolish the use of any of the creatures, but restrains the abuse and moderates the over common use for the common good. Thus magistracy and Christian liberty may stand together, and the rather, because liberty is in the conscience, and the magistrates' authority pertains to the body.
Here is further comfort for all the godly. For even by Christian liberty, their consciences are exempted from the power of all creatures, men, and angels. "Ye are bought with a price, be not servants of men" (1 Cor. 7:23), that is, let not your hearts and consciences stand in subjection to the will of any man. Here then falls to the ground the opinion of the papists, namely, that the laws and traditions of the church bind conscience as truly and certainly as the Word of God. This doctrine is not of God because it is against Christian liberty.
Objection I. "Be subject to the higher powers for conscience" (Rom.
13:5). Answer. Conscience here is not in respect of the laws of the
magistrate, but in respect of the law of God that bind us in conscience to obey the law of the magistrate.
Objection II. "Obey them that have the oversight of you, and be subject" (Heb. 13:17). Answer. We must be subject to them because as ministers of God they deliver the word of God in the name of God unto us, and that word binds conscience. Again, the laws which they make touching order and comeliness in the service of God are to be obeyed for the avoiding of scandal and contempt.
Objection III. A thing indifferent upon the commandment of the magistrate becomes necessary. Answer. It is true. But it must be observed that necessity is two-fold: external, internal. And the law of the magistrate makes a thing indifferent to be necessary only in respect of external necessity, for the avoiding of the contempt of authority and for the avoiding of scandal. Otherwise the thing in itself is not necessary, but remains still indifferent and may be used or not used if contempt and scandal be avoided. The apostles made a law that the Gentiles should abstain from strangled and blood and things offered to idols (Acts 15:28–29). Yet Paul says afterward to the Corinthians, "All things are lawful" (1 Cor. 10:23), and,
"Whatsoever is sold in the shambles eat, and make no question for conscience sake" (v. 25) because their intent was not that the law should simply bind, but only in the case of offence. And therefore where there was no offence to be feared, they leave all men to their liberty.
Again, here is another comfort to all that believe in Christ, that nothing can hurt them, and that no evil can befall them (Ps. 91:10).
Nay all things shall in the end turn to their good, though in reason and sense they seem hurtful. To believe this one thing is a ground of all true comfort.
The consideration of this benefit of Christian liberty teaches three duties. The first is from our hearts to embrace, love, and maintain
Christian religion because it is the means of this liberty. The second is carefully to search the Scriptures. For they are as it were the Charter in which our liberties are contained. Thirdly, our Christian liberty puts us in mind to become unfeigned servants of God in the duties of faith, repentance, new obedience. For this service is our liberty (Rom. 6:22).
The second point is touching the author of this liberty, in these words: "Wherewith Christ hath made us free." Christ then is the worker of this liberty (John 8:36). He dissolves the works of the devil
(1 John 3:8). He binds the strong man and casts him out of his hold (Matt. 12:29).
He procures this liberty by two means: by His merit and by the efficacy of His Spirit. The merit of His death procures deliverance from death, and it purchases a right to life everlasting. The efficacy of His Spirit assures us of our adoption and withal abates by little and little the strength and power of sin.
The Use. Hence we learn the greatness and grievousness of our spiritual bondage, because there was none that could deliver us from it but Christ by His death and passion. Hence therefore we are to take occasion to acknowledge and bewail this our most miserable condition in ourselves.
Secondly, the price that was paid for the procurement of our liberty, namely, the precious blood of the immaculate lamb of God, shows that the liberty itself is a thing most precious and excellent and so to be esteemed.
Thirdly, for this liberty we are to give all praise and thanks to God.
Thus did Paul at the remembrance of it (Rom. 7:25; 1 Cor. 15:57).
And not to be thankful is a height of wickedness.
The third point is concerning the persons to whom this liberty belongs, and they are noted in these words: "Stand ye fast; he hath made us free," whereby Paul signifies himself and the Galatians that believed in Christ. Believers then are the persons to whom this liberty belongs (John 1:12; 1 Tim. 4:3). And true believers are thus to be discerned. They use the ordinary means of grace and salvation, the word and sacraments. In the use of the means, they exercise themselves in the spiritual exercises of invocation and repentance.
And in these exercises they bewail their unbelief, and strive by all means to believe in Christ. As for them that conceive a persuasion of God's mercy without the means of salvation and without the exercises of invocation and repentance, they are not true believers but hypocrites.
When Paul says, "Christ hath made us free," that is, me Paul, and you the Galatians, he teaches that every believer must by his faith apply unto himself the benefit of Christian liberty. But to do this well is a matter of great difficulty. The papists in their writings report our doctrine to be this: That a man must conceive a persuasion that he is in the favor of God, the adopted child of God, and that upon this persuasion he has the pardon of his sins and the benefit of Christian liberty. But they abuse us in this, as in many other things. For we teach that the application of Christ and His benefits is to be made by certain degrees. The first is to use the means of salvation, prayer, sacraments. The second is to consider and to grow to some feeling of our spiritual bondage. The third is to will and desire to believe in Christ and to testify this desire by asking, seeking, knocking. The fourth is a certain persuasion or a certainty conceived in mind of the
mercy of God by means of the former desire, according to the promise of God, "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." The fifth is an experience of the goodness of God after long use of the means of salvation, and then upon this experience follows the full persuasion of mercy and forgiveness.
The fourth point concerns the office of believers, and that is to stand fast in their Christian liberty and in the doctrine of the gospel which reveals this liberty. And by this we in England are admonished to stand fast to the religion which is now by law established among us and not to return under the yoke of popish bondage. For the popish religion is flat against Christian liberty, two ways. For our liberty which we have in Christ frees us from the law three ways: in respect of condemnation, in respect of compulsion to obedience, and in respect of justification (as Paul shows at large in this epistle). And yet the popish doctrine is that we are to be justified by the works of the law. Again, Christian liberty frees our consciences from the traditions of men (Col. 2:20), and yet the popish religion binds us in conscience to the traditions of men—nay, it is nothing else but a heap of traditions.
Here two things are to be considered: the manner of standing and the time. The manner is signified in the very words. For "to stand fast" is to hold and maintain our liberty with courage and constancy, whatsoever comes of it, as the soldier keeps his standing, though it cost him his life. We are ready to defend the liberty of our country even with the hazard of our lives. Much more then are we to defend
Christian liberty with the loss of all that we enjoy. Sin must be resisted even unto blood (Heb. 12:4). If men be fearful, they must pray to God for the spirit of boldness and courage. And if God vouchsafe not this gift when opportunity is offered, they may withdraw themselves, and by flying, preserve their liberty.
The time of standing is "the evil day," that is, the day of trial (Eph.
6:13). And then to stand fast is a matter of great difficulty. And for this cause we are beforehand to prepare ourselves by observing these rules following. First, we must labor that religion be not only in mind and memory, but also be rooted in the affection of our hearts, so as we love it, rejoice in it, and esteem it above all things. Secondly, we must not only be hearers of the word of God, but also doers of it in the exercises of faith, repentance, new obedience. Thirdly, we must join with our religion, the soundness of good conscience. For if conscience fail, we cannot be sound in our religion. Lastly, we must pray to God with all manner of prayer and supplication for all things needful (Eph. 6:18).
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
These words are a reason of the former conclusion, thus. If you be circumcised and go back from your Christian profession, Christ shall profit you nothing. Therefore stand fast.
In the words, I consider a sentence and the proof of it. The sentence, "If ye be circumcised, etc." The proof, "I Paul say unto you." For the better understanding of the sentence, circumcision must here be considered according to the circumstance of time, three ways. Before Christ it was a sacrament and a seal of the righteousness of faith
(Rom. 4:11). After the death of Christ till the destruction of the temple it was a dead ceremony, yet sometime used as a thing indifferent. After the destruction of the temple, when the church of the New Testament was planted among the Gentiles, it was a deadly ceremony and ceased to be indifferent. And in this last respect Paul says, "If ye be circumcised, etc." Again, circumcision must be considered according to the opinion which the false apostles had of
it. Now they put their confidence in it and made it a meritorious cause of their salvation, and joined it with Christ. The words therefore carry this sense. If you will be circumcised with this opinion, that circumcision shall be unto you a meritorious cause of your salvation, "Christ shall profit you nothing." The Use. Hence it follows, that the doctrine of justification by works is an error overturning the foundation of religion, which whosoever obstinately maintains cannot be saved. It will be said, this is true of ceremonial works, but not of moral works. Answer. Yea even of moral. For that which Paul says here of circumcision, he speaks generally of the whole law, "Ye are abolished from Christ, whosoever are justified by the law" (v. 4). And circumcision must be considered as an obligation to the obedience of the whole law. Again, it may be said, this is true of the works of nature, but not of works of grace. Answer. Yea, even of works of grace, for the Galatians were regenerate, and therefore looked not to be justified and saved by the works of nature, but by works of grace.
Secondly, hence we gather that to add anything to the passion as a meritorious cause of our justification and salvation is to make Christ unprofitable. For He must be a perfect savior, or no savior. He admits neither partner nor deputy in the work of our redemption.
And the grace of God admits no mixture or composition with anything that is of us. Grace is no grace unless it be freely given every way. Therefore the popish religion is a damnable religion because with the merit and satisfaction of Christ, it joins human merits and satisfactions in the case of our justification. It may be alleged that the popish religion maintains all the articles concerning Christ, as we do.
Answer. It does so in word. But withal it adds to the foresaid articles the doctrine of human merits and satisfactions, which make void the death of Christ. Again, papists allege that it is the glory of Christ that He merits for us, and withal makes us to merit for ourselves, as it is
the glory of an emperor to make other kings under him. Answer. It is not the glory of the emperor to make kings as partners with him in his kingdom. And works set up as meritorious causes of salvation dishonor Christ, for they make Him unprofitable, as Paul here teaches.
Popish religion therefore is in no wise in any place to be tolerated where it may be abolished. But it is to be wished that it were banished from town and country. And students are to be warned with great circumspection to read popish writers. For no good can be looked for of that religion that makes Christ unprofitable.
Lastly, we are here taught to content ourselves with Christ alone and with His works, merits, and satisfactions. For "in Him we are complete" (Col. 2:10).
The confirmation of the sentence follows, "I Paul say it"—therefore it is so. This kind of reasoning may not seem strange. For the apostles in writing and preaching had the divine and infallible assistance of the Spirit so as they could not err. This must be held as a principle in religion, and being denied, there is no certainty of the Bible.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is bound to keep the whole law.
4 Ye are abolished from Christ, whosoever are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.
The Meaning. Paul says, "I testify again," because he has spoken thus much in effect before (Gal. 3:10).
"That is circumcised"—who is of opinion of the false apostles that will be circumcised and look for justification thereby.
"Bound to the whole law"—that is, to the whole ceremonial law, to the judicial law, and to the whole moral law. And further, bound in respect of justification and life to do all things in the law. For he that will be justified by one act of the law is bound to perform the rest for his justification.
"Abolished from Christ"—that is, Christ is become an idle and empty Christ unto you.
"Whosoever are justified by the law"—that is, are of opinion that they are to be justified by the works of the law. For indeed a sinner cannot be justified by the law, but only in his own false opinion.
"Grace"—that is, the love and favor of God.
The Resolution. The third verse is a confirmation of the reason in the second verse, and it may be framed thus. He which is bound to keep the whole law has no part in Christ. He which is circumcised is bound to keep the whole law. Therefore he which is circumcised has no part in Christ. The fourth verse is a repetition of the second verse, with a declaration thereof. For he shows what he means by circumcision, namely, justification by circumcision and consequently by the whole law. And therefore when he had said, "If ye be circumcised," he changes his speech, saying, "Whosoever is justified by the law." Again, lest men might think it a small matter to be abolished from Christ, he shows that it is indeed to fall from grace.
The Use. These verses are as it were a thunderbolt against all popery.
And first of all, I urge the argument of Paul against the popish church and against the popish religion. If you be justified by the law, thou art abolished from Christ and fallen from grace. Answer is made that the words are to be understood of such works of the law as are from nature and go before faith, and not of such works as are from
grace and follow faith. For such works (they say) are from Christ, and stand with Him. I answer, the words of Paul are to be understood of all works of the law, whether they be from nature or from grace. For this epistle of Paul was written about five years after the conversion of the Galatians. Therefore they were and had been long regenerate persons. Now men regenerate look not to be justified by works of nature, but by good works which are works of grace. And Paul says we are not saved by works which God has ordained that we should walk in (Eph. 2:9–10). And these are the best works that are or can be. Again, "Of his mercy he saved us, and not of works of righteousness" (Titus 3:5).
By this text we further see that we and the papists differ not about circumstances, unless grace and Christ be circumstances. Again, we see that the Church of Rome is indeed no church, because by maintaining justification by works, it is abolished from Christ and fallen from grace.
Again, I urge Paul's argument against them on this manner. He which is debtor to the whole law has no part in Christ. He which is justified by works is debtor to the whole law. Therefore he which is justified by works has no part in Christ. Let them answer, if they can.
I turn the same argument another way, thus. He which is justified by works is bound to keep the whole law. But no man can keep the whole law. Therefore no man can be justified by works.
They answer to the minor by making a double fulfilling of the law, one for this life, the other for the life to come; and both in their kind perfect. The fulfilling of the law for the time of this life (they say) it is to love God above all creatures in truth. And that he which does thus much fulfills the law and is no offender. Hereupon they infer that works may be answerable to the law and be opposed to the judgment
of God. And for this doctrine, they allege St. Augustine. I answer again, that Paul in this place takes it for a certified truth that no man can fulfill the law. And he urges it as a great inconvenience that any should be bound to keep the whole law. And before he has said, "He which is of the works of the law is cursed" (Gal. 3:10), which could not be, if there were a fulfilling of the law for the time of this life. As for Augustine, it is true he makes two fulfillings of the law, and one of them for the time of this life. But this he says is imperfect. And this imperfection he makes to be a sin, whereas the papists of our time teach that men may fulfill the law for the time of this life without sin.
Where Paul says, "If ye be circumcised," mark how the false apostles abuse circumcision. It is by divine institution a seal of the righteousness of faith, and they make it a meritorious cause of salvation. It is indeed rather God's work than our work. And they make it their own work, and that meritorious before God. Like do the papists at this day. Baptism is a sign and seal of God's mercy by divine institution. And they turn it into a physical cause which contains and confers grace. In like sort they turn the works of the Spirit, alms, prayer, fasting, contrition—yea their own traditions, confession, satisfaction, and such like—into meritorious causes of justification and life. And this is the fashion of deceivers, to retain the names of holy things, but not to retain the right use of them.
As here we see circumcision was an obligation to the keeping of the whole law in the Old Testament. So is baptism in the new, an obligation or bond whereby we have bound ourselves to live according to all the laws of God (Matt. 28:19–20). This discovers the atheism and unbelief of persons in these our days. For few there be that think upon and perform this obligation.
We are further to observe the condition of the law. It is wholly copulative. All the parts of it are linked one to another. He that is bound to one commandment is bound to all. He that keeps one indeed keeps all. He that breaks one, in respect of the disposition of his heart, is a breaker of all (James 2:10). He that makes no conscience to keep some one commandment, if occasion be offered, will break any. Hence it follows that true regeneration is that which is a reformation and change according to the whole law of God and contains in it the seeds of all good duties. Christ says, "He that is washed is all clean" (John 13:10). Josiah turned to God according to the whole law. Zechariah and Elizabeth "walked in all the commandments of God, without reproof" (Luke 1). David says he
"shall not be confounded, when he hath respect to all the commandments of God" (Ps. 119:6). On the contrary, he which has many excellent things in him, if he live in the manifest breach of some one commandment, is sound in none, nay indeed he is guilty of all. Herod did many good things, and yet all was nothing because he lived in incest (Mark 6:20). The devil is able to bring a man to perdition as well by one sin as by many.
Whereas Paul says, "If ye be justified by the law, ye are abolished from Christ," first I gather that the law and the gospel are not one in substance of doctrine, as the papists teach. For they say the gospel is nothing but the law made more perfect and plain. Which if it were true, a man might be justified both by Christ and the law, which Paul says cannot be. Secondly, I gather hence that it is a mere device of man's wit to say that Christ by His death and passion merited, that we should merit by our own works our justification and salvation.
For if this were true, that the merit of our works were the fruit of Christ's passion, Paul would not have said that justification by the law should abolish Christ unto us. For the cause and the effect both stand together. Whereas Christ's merit and the merit of our works
agree even as fire and water. And no marvel. For the reason why Christ merits is the personal union of the Godhead with the manhood. Which union, because it is not to be found in any mere man, neither is there any true and proper merit to be found.
Whereas Paul says, "Ye are fallen from grace," some gather that the children of God may fall quite from the favor of God. Answer. Men are said to be under grace two ways. First, in the judgment of infallibility. And thus only the elect are under the grace of God.
Secondly, in the judgment of Christian charity. And thus all that profess Christ (though indeed hypocrites) are under the grace of God. And in this sense Paul says that the whole church of Galatia is under the grace of God. And they are said to "fall from grace" not because all were indeed under the favor of God and at length cast out of it. But because God makes it manifest to men that they were never in the favor of God. Thus Christ's enemies are said "to be blotted out of the book of life" (Ps. 69:28) when God makes it manifest that their names were never written there. Secondly, I answer that Paul speaks not this absolutely, but upon condition: "if ye will be justified by the law." And therefore he says that he is persuaded better things of them (v. 10).
Lastly, here we see it is false that every man shall be saved by his religion. For he that is abolished from Christ is quite out of the favor of God. And therefore no religion, but that which is truly Christian, saves.
5 For we in the spirit by faith, wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision availeth anything, but faith which worketh by love.
The Meaning. "We"—I, Paul, the rest of the apostles, and all other Christian churches. "In spirit"—that is, in the powers of the soul sanctified and renewed. In this sense Paul says that the true circumcision is that which is in the heart, in spirit (Rom. 2:29), and Christ says that "true worship of God is in spirit" (John 4:24). And that "spirit" is here taken in this sense: It is manifest because it is opposed to circumcision which is in the flesh.
"By faith we wait"—faith apprehends the promise and thereby brings forth hope. And faith by means of hope makes them that believe to wait. "Hope of righteousness"—that is, salvation or life eternal, which is the fruit of righteousness (Titus 2:13); or again, righteousness hoped for. Righteousness indeed is imputed to them that believe, and that in this life, yet the fruition and the full revelation thereof is reserved to the life to come when Christ our righteousness shall appear and when the effect of righteousness, namely sanctification, shall be accomplished in us (Rom. 8:23; 1 John 3:2).
The sense then is this. All the apostles and Christian churches with one consent in spirit, by means of their faith, wait for the full revelation of their imputed righteousness and for everlasting life.
Whereas the false apostles place their righteousness in the circumcision of the flesh and look to have the fruition of it in this life.
Verse 6. "In Christ"—that is, in the church, kingdom, or religion of Christ. "If any be in Christ," that is, if any be a Christian, "he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17).
"Uncircumcision"—that is, the condition and works of men uncircumcised.
"Availeth anything"—is of no use, respect, or acceptation with God.
"Faith working"—faith effectual in duties of love.
The Resolution. These words contain a second reason where Paul confirms the former conclusion, and it may be framed thus. That thing which makes us wait for the hope of righteousness, that justifies. Not circumcision, but faith makes us wait for the hope of righteousness. Therefore not circumcision but faith justifies. The proposition is omitted. The minor is in the fifth verse. And it is confirmed by two arguments. The first is the consent of all churches:
"we wait." The second is taken from the property of faith in the sixth verse, thus. It is faith and not circumcision that avails before God.
Therefore faith and not circumcision makes us wait.
Again, in these two verses, Paul meets with an objection, which may be framed thus. If you abolish circumcision and the ceremonial law, you abolish the exercises of religion. The answer is: Instead of them, we have other exercises in our spirit, namely, the inward exercises of faith, hope, and love. The Use. In the fifth verse, four things are to be considered. The first is, who waits? Paul says, "We wait." Before he has justified his doctrine by the Scriptures, now he adds the consent of the churches. Here then we see what is the office of all faithful dispensers of the word, namely, to declare such doctrines as are founded in the Scriptures and approved by the consent of the true church of God. Paul, an apostle that could not err, respected consent, much more are all ordinary ministers to do it.
Again, it is the office of all Christian people to maintain and defend all such doctrines and opinions as are founded in the Scriptures and ratified by the consent of the true churches of God, and no other.
This to do is to walk in the way of unity and peace, and to do otherwise is to walk in the way of schism and heresy.
The second point is, what is waited for? Paul says the revelation of "righteousness" and eternal salvation. Here I observe that there is no
justification by the observation of the law. And I prove it thus. The righteousness whereby a sinner is justified is apprehended by faith and expected by hope. But if righteousness were by the law, men should have the fruition of their righteousness in this life, and consequently the hope thereof should cease.
Secondly, here is comfort for the godly. They complain of the want of sanctification. But they are to know that in this life they shall never feel righteousness as they feel sin. Here they must hunger and thirst after righteousness, living in some want of it. If we have the first fruits of the Spirit, the hatred of our own sin, the purpose of not sinning, the fear of God, and such like, we must content ourselves and wait for the fruition of further grace till the life to come.
Thirdly, we must become waiters for the mercy of God and for life everlasting (Gen. 49:18; Jude 21). For this cause we must do as they which wait and attend for some great benefit. We must daily stand with our supplications, knocking at the mercy gate to the death. And we must daily prepare ourselves against the day of death, and it must be welcome unto us, for then is the end of all our waiting and attending.
The third point is, by what are we to wait? Paul says, "We wait by faith." Hence it follows that faith brings with it a special certainty of the mercy of God and of life everlasting. For men use not to wait for the things whereof they are uncertain. Waiting presupposes certainty. The papists therefore that make special hope should also make special faith.
The last point is, where is this waiting? Paul says, "in spirit." Here observe that all the exercises of Christian religion are to be in the spirit. God must be worshiped in spirit (John 4:24; Rom. 1:9). The heart must be rent, and not the garment (Joel 2). The inward
motions of the spirit are of themselves the worship of God, whereas our words and deeds are not simply, but so far forth as they are founded in the renewed motions of the heart. Men in our days think they do God high service, if they come to church, hear God's word, and say some few prayers. Indeed these things are not to be condemned. Yet are they not sufficient, unless withal we bring unto
God a renewed spirit endued with faith, hope, love.
In the sixth verse, Paul propounds three conclusions. The first is this: that external and bodily privileges are of no use and moment in the kingdom of Christ. Paul says, "Bodily exercise profiteth little," and that "godliness is profitable for all things" (1 Tim. 4:8). It was a great privilege to be familiarly acquainted with Christ and to have eaten and drunk with Him. Yet is it of no use in the kingdom of Christ. For of such Christ says, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity" (Luke
13:26–27). It was a great privilege to be allied to Christ in respect of blood, yet in the kingdom of Christ, it is of no use. And therefore
Christ says, "He that doth the will of my Father, is my brother, sister, and mother" (Mark 3:35). To conceive and bear Christ was a great honor to the virgin Mary. Yet was she not by this means a member of the kingdom of Christ, but by her faith in Him. And if she had not borne Him in her heart, as well as she bare Him in her womb, she had not been saved. To prophesy or preach, and that in the name of Christ, is a great dignity. And yet many having this prerogative shall be condemned (Matt. 7:22–23). It may be alleged that some outward exercises, as baptism and the Lord's Supper, are of great use in the church of Christ. I answer, the outward baptism is nothing without the inward. "Not the washing of the flesh, but the stipulation of a good conscience saveth" (1 Peter 3:21); "Circumcision is profitable, if thou keep the law" (Rom. 2:25).
By this we are taught not to esteem of men's religion by their riches and external dignities. For the fashion of the world is, if a man have riches and honor, to commend him for a wise, virtuous, and godly man. This is foolishly "to have faith in respect of persons" (James
2:1).
Secondly, by this we are taught to moderate our affections in respect of all outward things, neither sorrowing too much for them, nor joying too much in them (1 Cor. 7:30).
The second conclusion. Faith is of great use and acceptation in the kingdom of Christ. By it first our persons and then our actions please
God, and without it nothing pleases God. It is the first and the greatest honor we can do to God, to give credence to His word, and from this flows all other obedience to all other commandments.
Hence we learn:
First, that we must labor to conceive faith aright in our hearts by the use of the right means, the word, prayer, sacraments, as also in and by the exercises of spiritual invocation and repentance. This being done, we must rest upon the bare word and testimony of God, without and against sense and feeling: and quiet our hearts therein, both in life and death.
Secondly, faith in Christ must reign and bear sway in our hearts and have the command over reason, will, affection, lust. And by it whatsoever we do or suffer, specially the main actions of our lives, are to be ordered and disposed.
Lastly, it is a thing to be bewailed that the common faith of our days is but a ceremonial faith, conceived without the ordinary means and severed from the exercises of invocation and repentance.
The third conclusion is that true faith works by love. Hence the papists gather that love is the form and life of faith, not because it makes faith to be faith, but because it makes it to be a true faith, a good faith, a lively faith. But this their doctrine is false and erroneous. For faith is the cause of love, and love is the fruit of faith.
"Love out of a pure heart, good conscience, and faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5). Now every cause as it is a cause has his force and efficacy in itself, and receives no force or efficacy from his effect. Secondly, true faith is lively and effectual in itself and has a peculiar form of his own, and that is a certain power to apprehend Christ in the promise.
For in faith, there are two things: knowledge and apprehension, which some call application, or special affiance, which affiance because the papists cut off, they are constrained to make a supply by love. Thirdly, the operation of faith (according to the doctrine of the papists) is to prepare and dispose a sinner to his future justification.
Now, if this operation be from love, then love is before justification.
And that cannot be, because (as they teach) justification stands in love. Love therefore is not the form of faith. They allege for themselves this very text in hand, where it is said, "Faith worketh by love." Or (as they translate it), "Faith is acted and moved by love."
Answer. The meaning of the text is that faith is effectual in itself. And that it shows and puts forth his efficacy by love, as by the fruit thereof. And it cannot hence be gathered that faith is acted and moved by love, as by a formal cause.
Again, they allege, "As the body is dead without the spirit; so is faith without works" (James 2:26). Answer. 1. The soul of man is not the form of his body, but of the whole man. 2. "Spirit" may as well signify breath or breathing as the soul. And so it carries a fit sense. For as the body without breath is dead, and it shows itself to be alive by breathing, so faith that is without works is dead, and it shows itself to be alive by works. 3. There is a false composition of the words to be
considered: "Faith that is without works is dead" is true; but to say, "Faith is dead without works" (as though works gave life to faith) is false, and not the meaning of St. James, but the former only.
Again, the papists hence gather that faith and love are joint causes in the justification of a sinner, and that faith works love in justifying men before God. But this interpretation is against the whole scope of this epistle, in which Paul proves that there is no justification by the law (5:4), and therefore no justification by love. Again, Paul says that "righteousness is revealed without the law" (Rom. 3:21), and therefore without love. And again, that we are "made the righteousness of Christ," as Christ is "made our sin" (2 Cor. 5:21), namely, by imputation, and therefore not by infusion of love.
Thirdly, faith justifies by apprehending Christ in the promise, and therefore not by love. The consequent I prove thus. Faith and love are two hands of our soul. Faith is a hand that lays hold of Christ, and it does (as it were) pull Him and His benefits into our souls. But love is a hand of another kind, for it serves not to receive in, but to give out the good it has and to communicate itself unto others.
Therefore faith cannot justify by love. Lastly, love in order of nature follows justification, and therefore it does not justify. For first of all faith lays hold on Christ. Then follows justification. Upon justification follows sanctification, and love is a part of sanctification.
They urge for themselves the words of Paul, that "faith works by love." Answer. Paul does not show in this verse what justifies, but what are the exercises of godliness in which Christians must be occupied. And he does not show how faith justifies, but how it may be discerned to be true faith, namely, by love.
Secondly, they object that faith and love are always joined and therefore jointly work in justification. Answer. They are joined in one
person or subject. And they are joined in the exercise of Christian life. But they are not joined in the article of justification.
Thirdly, they urge the second chapter of St. James, where it is said that a man is justified not only by faith, but also by works (James
2:24). Answer. "Faith" in St. James is put for a historical knowledge of religion, or for the bare confession and profession of faith. Again, justification is twofold: one of the person, the other of the faith of the person. Justification of the person is when a sinner is absolved of his sins and accepted to life everlasting for the merit of Christ.
Justification of the faith of the person is when faith is approved and found to be true faith, and a believer justifies himself to be a true believer. Of this second justification speaks St. James; and it is not only by faith, but also by works.
Lastly, it may be objected that love is of no use, if it do not justify.
Answer. Justification and sanctification are two distinct benefits (1 Cor. 1:30; 6:11). Justification ministers unto us deliverance from hell and a right to life everlasting. Sanctification is a fruit of the former, and serves to make us thankful to God for our justification. And love serves for the same use, because it is a special part of sanctification.
Thus much of the depravation of the text by the papists. Hence further I gather that many falsely in these last days boast of faith because it is not joined with profiting in knowledge, with the true conversion unto God, with fruits of love to God and man. Whereas all true faith is fruitful in good works.