Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians

And here Paul seemeth to be an heretic:¹ yea of all heretics the greatest, & his heresy is strange and monstrous. For he saith, that he being dead to the law, liveth to God. ²The false apostles taught this doctrine: Except thou live to the law, thou art dead to God: that is to say, unless thou live after the law, thou art dead before God. But Paul sayeth quite contrary: If thou be not dead to the law, thou canst not live to God.³ The doctrine of our adversaries at this day is like to the doctrine of the false apostles of that time. If thou wilt live to God (say they) live to the law or after the law. But contrariwise we say: If thou wilt live to God, thou must be utterly dead to the law. Mans reason and wisdom understandeth not this doctrine: therefore it teacheth always the contrary: that is: If thou wilt live unto God, thou must keep the law: for it is written: Do this and thou shalt live. ⁴And this is a special principle amongst all Divines: he that liveth after the law, liveth unto God. Paul saith the contrary: that is, we can not live unto God unless we be throughly dead to the law. Wherefore we must mount up to this heavenly altitude, that we may be assured that we are far above the law, yea that we are utterly dead unto the law. Now if we be dead unto the law, then hath the law no power over us, as also it hath no power over Christ, who hath delivered us from the same, that we might live unto God. All these things tend to this end, to prove that we are not justified by the law, but by faith only in Jesus Christ.

And here Paule semeth to be an heretike:¹ yea of all heretikes the greatest, & his heresie is straunge and monstrous. For he sayth, that he being dead to the lavv, liueth to God. ²The false apostles taught this doctrine: Except thou liue to the lawe, thou art dead to God: that is to say, vnlesse thou liue after the lawe, thou art dead before God. But Paule sayeth quite contrary: If thou be not dead to the law, thou canst not liue to God.