Chapter II: The evil of legalism.
The evil of legalism.
Nom. But, sir, if seeking justification by the works of the law be an error, yet it seems, that, by Luther's own confession, it is but an error on the right hand.
Evan. But yet I tell you, it is such an error, that, by the apostle Paul's own confession, so far forth as any man is guilty of it, he makes his services his saviours, and rejects the grace of God, and makes the death of Christ of none effect, and perverts the Lord's intention, both in giving the law and in giving the gospel; and keeps himself under the curse of the law, and makes himself the son of a bond-woman, a servant, yea, and a slave, and hinders himself in the course of well-doing, (Gal 5:4, 3:19, 1:7, 3:10, 4:25, 5:7, 2:11); and in short, he goes about an impossible thing, and so loses all his labour.
Nom. Why then, sir, it would seem that all my seeking to please God by my good works, all my strict walking according to the law, and all my honest course of life, has rather done me hurt than good?
Evan. The apostle says, that "without faith it is impossible to please God," (Heb 11:6); that is, says Calvin, [Institut. p. 370,] "Whatsoever a man thinketh, purposeth, or doeth, before he be reconciled to God by faith in Christ, it is accursed, and not only of no value to righteousness, but of certain deserving to damnation." So that, says Luther, on Galatians, p. 63. "Whosoever goeth about to please God with works going before faith, goeth about to please God with sin; which is nothing else but to heap sin upon sin, to mock God, and to provoke him to wrath. Nay, [says the same Luther, on the Galatians, p. 23,] if thou be without Christ, thy wisdom is double foolishness, thy righteousness is double sin and iniquity." And, therefore, though you have walked very strictly according to the law, and led an honest life, yet if you have rested and put confidence therein, and so come short of Christ, then hath it indeed rather done you hurt than good. For, says a godly writer, a virtuous life, according to the light of nature, turneth a man further off from God, if he add not thereto the effectual working of his Spirit. And, says Luther, "they which have respect only to an honest life, it were better for them to be adulterers and adulteresses, and to wallow in the mire." [149] And surely for this cause it is that our Saviour tells the strict Scribes and Pharisees, who sought justification by works, and rejected Christ, that "publicans and harlots should enter into the kingdom of God before them," (Matt 21:31). And for this cause it was that I said, For aught I know, my neighbour Neophytus might be in Christ before you.
Nom. But how can that be, when, as you know, he hath confessed that he is ignorant and full of corruption, and comes far short of me in gifts and graces?
Evan. Because, as the Pharisee had more to do before he could come at Christ than the publican had, so I conceive you have more to do than he hath.
Nom. Why, sir, I pray you, what have I to do, or what would you advise me to do? for truly I would be contented to be ruled by you.
Evan. Why, that which you have to do, before you can come to Christ, is to undo all that ever you have done already; that is to say, whereas you have endeavoured to travel toward heaven by the way of the covenant of works, and so have gone a wrong way; you must go quite back again all the way you have gone, before you can tread one step in the right way. And whereas you have attempted to build up the ruins of old Adam, and that upon yourself, and so, like a foolish builder, to build a tottering house upon the sands,--you must throw down and utterly demolish all that building, and not leave a stone upon a stone, before you can begin to build anew. And whereas you have conceived that there is some sufficiency in yourself, to help to justify and save yourself, you must conclude, that in that case there is not only in you an insufficiency, but also a non-sufficiency: [150] yea and that sufficiency that seemed to be in you, to be your loss. In plain terms, you must deny yourself, as our Saviour says, (Matt 16:24), that is, "you must utterly renounce all that ever you are, and all that ever you have done"; all your knowledge and gifts; all your hearing, reading, praying, fasting, weeping, and mourning; all your wandering in the way of works, and strict walking, must fall to the ground in a moment: briefly, whatsoever you have counted gain to you in the case of justification, you must now, with the apostle Paul, (Phil 3:7-9), "count loss for Christ," and judge it to be "dung, that you may win Christ, and be found in him, not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."