Sect. 2. — Believers dead to the Law as the Covenant of Works.
Sect. 2. — Believers dead to the Law as the Covenant of Works.
Nom. But, sir, are you saying that all believers are dead to the law, and the law is dead to them?
Evan. Believe it. Just as the law is the Covenant of Works, all true believers are dead to it, and it is dead to them; for being incorporated into Christ, what the law or Covenant of Works did to him, it did the same to them. So that when Christ was hung on the cross, all believers, in a way, were hung there with him. And therefore the apostle Paul having said in Gal. 2.19, “through the law I am dead to the law,” adds in the next verse, “I am crucified with Christ.” The apostle brings these words as an argument to prove that he was dead to the law, for the law had crucified him with Christ. On this text, Luther on the Galatians (p. 81) says, “I likewise am crucified and dead to the law, in that I am crucified and dead with Christ.” And again, “believing in Christ, I am also crucified with Christ.”
In like manner, the apostle says to the believing Romans, “So you also, my brethren, are dead to the law by the body of Christ,” Rom. 7.4. Now, “the body of Christ” means the passion of Christ on the cross, or which is all the same, the sufferings of Christ in his human nature. Therefore, we may certainly conclude with godly Tyndale on this text, that all those are dead concerning the law, who are crucified with Christ by faith.
Nom. But, Let me ask you, sir, how do you prove that the law is dead to a believer?
Evan. Why, I think the apostle affirms it in Rom. 7.1-6.
Nom. Surely sir, you are mistaken; for I remember the words of the first verse are, “that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives;” and the words of the sixth verse are, “but now we are delivered from the law, that being dead in which we were held,” etc.
Evan. I know right well, that the words are rendered this way in our last translation. But the learned Tyndale renders it thus: “Do you not remember, brethren, that the law has dominion over a man as long as it endures?” And Bishop Hall paraphrases it thus, “Do you not know, brethren, that the Mosaic law has dominion over a man that is subject to it, so long as that law is in force?” So likewise Origen, Ambrose, and Erasmus all agree that by these words, while “he” or “it” lives, we are to understand, “as long as the law remains.” And Peter Martyr is of the opinion that these words, while “he” or “it” lives, are differently referred either to the law, or to the man; for he says, “the man is said to be dead,” verse 4, “and the law is said to be dead,” verse 6. Even so, because the word “he” or “it” mentioned in verse 1, signifies both sexes in the Greek, Chrysostom thinks that the death of both the law and the man is insinuated. And Theophylact, Erasmus, Bucer, and Calvin, all understand the sixth verse to mean the law being dead. And as the death of a believer to the law was accomplished by the death of Christ, so also was the law’s death to the believer. In his sermon about Christ crucified, Mr. Fox testifies saying, “Here we have two crucifixes on one cross: two of the most excellent potentates that ever were: the Son of God and the law of God, wrestling together about man’s salvation. Both are cast down and both are slain on one cross; however, not in the same way. First, the Son of God was cast down and took the fall, not for any weakness in himself, but he was content to take it for our victory.
By this fall, the law of God, in casting Christ down, was caught in its own trap; and so it was firmly nailed to the cross, hand and foot, as we read in Paul’s words,” Col. 2.14. And so Luther on the Galatians (p. 184) speaking to the same point, says, “This was an awful combat, where the law, being a creature, gave such an assault to his Creator, in practising his whole tyranny on the Son of God. Now therefore, because the law so horribly and cursedly sinned against its God, it is accused and arraigned; and as a thief and accursed murderer of the Son of God, it loses all its rights, and deserves to be condemned. The law, therefore, is bound, dead, and crucified to me. It is not only overcome, condemned, and slain to Christ, but also to me, by believing in him to whom God has freely given this victory.”
Now then, although according to the apostle’s intimation (Rom. 7 at the beginning) the Covenant of Works, and man by nature, are mutually engaged to each other so long as they both shall live; yet if the husband is free when the wife is dead, then much more when he is dead also.
Nom. But, sir, what are we to understand by this double death, or what does this freedom from the law consist in?
Evan. Death is nothing else but a dissolution, or an untying of a compound, or a separation between matter and form. Therefore, when the soul and body of man are separated, we say he is dead; so that by this double death, we are to understand nothing else, but that the bargain or covenant which was made between God and man at the beginning, is dissolved or untied; or that the matter and form of the Covenant of Works is separated as to a believer. So that the law of the Ten Commandments does not promise eternal life to a believer, nor does it threaten him with eternal death on condition of his obedience or disobedience to it: nor does a believer, as a believer, either hope for eternal life, or fear eternal death on any such terms. No; we may assure ourselves that “whatever the law says,” on any such terms, it “says to those who are under the law,” Rom. 3.19. But believers “are not under the law, but under grace,” Rom. 6.14. And so they have escaped eternal death and obtained eternal life, only by faith in Jesus Christ; “for by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses,” Acts 13.39.
— “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3.16.
And this is that Covenant of Grace which, as I told you, was made with the fathers by way of promise; only darkly so. Now, the fulness of time having come, it was more fully opened and promulgated.
Ant. Well, sir, you have made it evident and plain that Christ has delivered all believers from the law, as it is the Covenant of Works; and therefore they have nothing at all to do with it.
Evan. No, indeed: none of Christ’s are to have anything to do with the Covenant of Works, but Christ only. For although in making the Covenant of Works at first, God was one party, and man was another, yet in making it the second time, God was on both sides: God, simply considered in his essence, was the party opposed to man; and God, the second person, having taken it upon himself to be incarnate, and to work man’s redemption, was on man’s side, and takes part with man, that he may reconcile him to God by bearing man’s sins, and satisfying God’s justice for them. Christ paid God till he said he had enough — till God was fully satisfied, fully contented. Mat. 3.17, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Yes, God the Father was well pleased and fully satisfied from all eternity, by virtue of that covenant that was made between them. And thereupon all Christ’s people were given to him in their election. Eph. 1.4. “Yours they were,” says Christ, “and you gave them to me,” John 17.6.
And again, he says, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hands,” John 3.35; that is, he has entrusted him with the economic and actual administration of that power in the Church which originally belonged to himself. Hence it is that Christ also says, “The Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son,” John 5.22. So that the entire covenant which believers are to regard for life and salvation, is the free and gracious covenant that is between Christ (or God in Christ) and them. And in this covenant there is no condition or law to be performed on man’s part by himself; no, there is nothing more for him to do, than to know and believe that Christ has done all for him.
Therefore, my dear Neophytus, to direct my speech particularly to you (because I see you are heavy-hearted) I beseech you to be persuaded that here you are to work nothing, here you are to do nothing, here you are to render nothing to God, but only to receive the treasure which is Jesus Christ, and to apprehend him in your heart by faith, even though you are ever so great a sinner. And thus you shall obtain forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal happiness — not as an agent but as a patient; not by doing, but by receiving. Nothing here comes between but faith alone, apprehending Christ in the promise. This, then, is perfect righteousness: to hear nothing, to know nothing, to do nothing of the Law of Works, but only to know and believe that Jesus Christ has now gone to the Father — and he sits at his right hand, not as a judge, but he is made to you by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as Paul and Silas said to the jailor, I say to you, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved;” that is, be truly persuaded in your heart that Jesus Christ is yours; and that you shall have life and salvation by him; and that whatever Christ did for the redemption of mankind, he did it for you.