Here we hold that the Law was given by God, first, to restrain
sin by threats and the dread of punishment, and by the promise
and offer of grace and benefit. But all this miscarried on
account of the wickedness which sin has wrought in man. For
thereby a part [some] were rendered worse, those, namely, who
are hostile to [hate] the Law, because it forbids what they
like to do, and enjoins what they do not like to do.
Therefore, wherever they can escape [if they were not
restrained by] punishment, they [would] do more against the
Law than before. These, then, are the rude and wicked
[unbridled and secure] men, who do evil wherever they [notice
that they] have the opportunity.
The rest become blind and arrogant [are smitten with arrogance
and blindness], and [insolently] conceive the opinion that
they observe and can observe the Law by their own powers, as
has been said above concerning the scholastic theologians;
thence come the hypocrites and [self-righteous or] false
saints.
But the chief office or force of the Law is that it reveal
original sin with all its fruits, and show man how very low
his nature has fallen, and has become [fundamentally and]
utterly corrupted; as the Law must tell man that he has no God
nor regards [cares for] God, and worships other gods, a matter
which before and without the Law he would not have believed.
In this way he becomes terrified, is humbled, desponds,
despairs, and anxiously desires aid, but sees no escape; he
begins to be an enemy of [enraged at] God, and to murmur, etc.
This is what Paul says, Rom. 4, 15: The Law worketh wrath. And
Rom. 5, 20: Sin is increased by the Law. [The Law entered that
the offense might abound.]