Sidenote: Rom. iv. 15.
1. GREATLY, it would seem, have you been moved by the lesson from the
Apostle, having heard read to-day, _Because the Law worketh wrath; for
where no law is, there is no transgression_. And therefore you have
thought fit to ask why the Law was promulgated, if it profited nothing,
nay rather, by working wrath and bringing in transgression, was
injurious.
Sidenote: Ib. ii. 14.
2. And indeed, according to the tenor of your question, it is certain
that the Law, which was given by Moses, was not necessary. For had men
been able to keep the natural Law, which our God and Maker implanted
in the breast of each, there would have been no need of the Law, which,
_written on tables of stone_, tended rather to entangle and fetter
the infirmity of human nature, than to set at large and liberate it.
Now that there is _a natural Law written in our hearts_ the Apostle
also teaches us, when he writes, that for the most part _the Gentiles,
which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law,
and, though they have not read the Law, have yet the works of the Law
written in their hearts_.
Sidenote: Rom. ii. 15.
3. This law therefore is not written but innate; not acquired by
reading, but flowing as from a natural fountain, it springs up in each
breast, and men’s minds drink it in. This Law we ought to have kept
even from fear of a future judgment, a witness whereof we have in our
conscience, which shews itself in those silent thoughts we have towards
God, and whereby either our sin is reproved or our innocence justified.
And thus that which has ever been manifest to the Lord, will be clearly
revealed in the day of judgment, when those secrets of the heart, which
were thought to be concealed, will be called into account. Now the
discovery of these things, these secrets, I mean, would do no harm,
if the natural Law still remained in the human breast; for it is holy,
free from craft or guile, the companion of justice, free from iniquity.
4. Moreover let us interrogate the age of childhood, let us consider
whether any crime can be found therein, avarice, ambition, guile, rage,
or insolence. It claims nothing for its own, assumes no honours to
itself, never prefers itself to others, neither wishes or knows how
to avenge itself. Its pure and simple mind cannot even comprehend the
meaning of insolence.
Sidenote: Gen. iii. 6.
Sidenote: Rom. vii. 8.
Sidenote: S. John xv. 22.
5. Adam broke this Law, seeking to assume to himself that which
he had not received, that thus he might become as it were his own
maker and creator, and arrogate to himself divine honour. Thus by
his disobedience he incurred guilt, and through arrogance fell into
transgression. Had he not thus violated his allegiance, but been
obedient to the commands of heaven, he would have preserved to
his posterity the prerogative of nature and the innocence which he
possessed at his birth. Wherefore as by disobedience the authority of
the Law of Nature was corrupted and blotted out, the written law was
found necessary; in order that man, having lost all, might at least
regain a part; attaining by instruction to the knowledge of that which
he had received at his birth, but had subsequently lost. Moreover,
since the cause of his fall was pride, and pride arose from the dignity
of innocence, it was needful that some law should be passed which
should subdue and subject him to God. For without the Law he was
ignorant of sin, and thus his guilt was less because he knew it not.
Wherefore also the Lord says, _If I had not come and spoken to them
they had not had sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin_.
Sidenote: Rom. iii. 19.
6. The Law then was published, first to take away all excuse lest man
should say, I knew not sin, because I received no rule what to avoid.
And next that _all the world might become guilty[289] before God_ by
the confession of sin. For it made all subject; in that it was not only
given to the Jews but also called the Gentiles; for proselytes from the
Gentiles were associated with them. Nor can he seem to be excepted, who
after being called was found wanting, for the Law also bound those whom
she called. And thus the fault of all worked subjection, subjection
humility, humility obedience. And thus as pride had drawn after it
transgression, so on the other hand, transgression produced obedience.
And thus the written Law, which seemed superfluous, was rendered
necessary, redeeming sin by sin.
Sidenote: Rom. v. 20.
7. But again, lest anyone should be deterred, and say that an increase
of sin was caused by the Law, and that the Law not only did not profit
but was even injurious, he has a consolation for his solicitude,
because although _by the Law sin abounded, grace did much more abound_.
And now let us consider the meaning of this.
Sidenote: Ib. vii. 7.
Sidenote: Ps. cxix. 71.
Sidenote: Rom. v. 19.
8. Sin abounded by the Law because _by the Law is the knowledge
of sin_, and thus it began to be injurious to me to know that which
through infirmity I could not avoid; it is good to foreknow in order
to avoid, but if I cannot avoid, to have known was injurious. Thus
the effect of the Law was changed to me into its opposite, yet by the
very increase of sin it became useful to me, because I was humbled.
Wherefore David also said, _It is good for me that I have been humbled_.
For by my humiliation I have broken those bonds of that ancient
transgression, whereby Adam and Eve had bound the whole line of their
posterity. Hence too the Lord came in obedience that He might loose
the knot of disobedience and of man’s transgression. And so, as by
disobedience sin entered, so by obedience sin was remitted. Wherefore
the Apostle also says, _For as by one man’s disobedience many were made
sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous_.
9. Here is one reason the Law on the one hand was superfluous and yet
became necessary. It was ♦superfluous herein, that it would not have
been needed could we have kept the natural Law, but as we kept it not,
the law of Moses became needful for us, to the intent that it might
teach us obedience and loose that knot of Adam’s transgression which
has fettered his whole posterity. Guilt indeed was increased by the
Law, but pride, the author of this guilt, was overthrown by it, and
this was profitable to me, for pride discovered the guilt, and this
guilt brought grace.
Sidenote: Rom. iii. 19.
10. Hear another reason. At first Moses’ Law was not needed; it
was introduced subsequently, and this appears to intimate that this
introduction was in a sense clandestine and not of an ordinary kind,
seeing that it succeeded in the place of the natural Law. Had this
maintained its place, the written Law would never have entered in; but
the natural Law being excluded by transgression and almost blotted out
of the human breast, pride reigned, and disobedience spread itself; and
then this Law succeeded, that by its written precepts it might cite us
before it, and _every mouth be stopped, and all the world become guilty
before God_. Now the world becomes guilty before God by the Law, in
that all are made amenable to its prescripts, but no man is justified
by its works. And since by the Law comes the knowledge of sin, but not
the remission of guilt, the Law, which has made all sinners, would seem
to have been injurious.
Sidenote: Col. ii. 14.
Sidenote: Rom. v. 20.
Sidenote: S. John i. 29.
Sidenote: Rom. iv. 7.
11. But when the Lord Jesus came, He forgave all men that sin which
none could escape, and _blotted out the handwriting against us_ by
the shedding of His own Blood. This then is the Apostle’s meaning; sin
abounded by the Law, but grace abounded by Jesus; for after that the
whole world became guilty, He took away the sin of the whole world, as
John bore witness, saying: _Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the world_. Wherefore let no man glory in works, for by his
works no man shall be justified, for he that is just hath a free gift,
for he is justified by the Bath. It is faith then which delivers by the
blood of Christ, for _Blessed is the man to whom sin is remitted, and
pardon granted_.
Farewell, my son; love me, for I also love you.