so many as sin against the law—though that be true—but, ‘As many as are
of the works of the law.’ But what, then, are the works of the law? Not
whoredom, murder, theft, and the like; but works that are holy and
good, the works commanded in the ten commandments, as to love God,
abhor idols, reverence the name of God, keeping the Sabbath, honouring
thy parents, abstaining from adultery, murder, theft, false-witness,
and not to covet what is thy neighbour’s—these are the works of the
law. Now he, saith Paul, that is of these is under the curse of God.
But what is it then to be of these? Why, to be found in the practice of
them, and there resting; this is the man that is under the curse: not
because the works of the law are wicked in themselves, but because the
man that is in the practice of them comes short of answering the
exactness of them, and therefore dies for his imperfections (Rom 2:17).
2. The second scripture is that of the eleventh verse of the same
chapter, ‘But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God,
it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith.’
These words, ‘the just shall live by faith,’ are taken out of the Old
Testament, and are thrice used by this apostle in the New. (1.) To show
that nothing of the gospel can be apprehended but by faith: ‘For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.’ ‘As
it is written, The just shall live by faith’ (Rom 1:17). (2.) To show
that the way to have relief and succour under temptation is then to
live by faith: ‘Now the just shall live by faith’ (Heb 10:38) (3.) But
in this of the Galatians it is urged to show that how holy and just
soever men be in themselves, yet as such they are dead, and condemned
to death by the law before God. But that no man is justified by the
law, in the sight of God, is evident; for, ‘the just shall live by
faith.’
The word ‘just,’ therefore, in this place in special, respecteth a man
that is just, or that so esteems himself by the law, and is here
considered in a double capacity; first, what he is before men;
secondly, what he is before God. (1.) As he stands before men, he is
just by the law; as Paul before his conversion (Phil 3:4). (2.) As he
stands in the sight of God; so, without the faith of Christ, he cannot
be just, as is evident; for ‘the just shall live,’ not by his justice
or righteousness by the law.
This is the true intent of this place. Because they carry with them a
supposition that the just here intended may be excluded life, he
falling within the rejection asserted within the first part of the
verse. No man is just by the law in the sight of God; for ‘the just
shall live by faith’: his justice cannot make him live, he must live by
the faith of Christ.[24] Again, the words are a reason dissuasive,
urged to put a stop to those that are seeking life by the law; as if
the apostle had said, Ye Galatians! what are you doing? Would you be
saved by keeping the law? Would you stand just before God thereby? Do
you not hear the prophets, how they press faith in Jesus, and life by
faith in him? Come, I will reason with you, by way of supposition. Were
it granted that you all loved the law, yet that for life, will avail
you nothing; for, ‘the just shall live by faith.’
Were it granted that you kept the law, and that no man on earth could
accuse you; were you therefore just before God? No; neither can you
live by works before him; for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Why not
live before him? Because when we have done our best, and are applauded
of all the world for just, yet then God sees sin in our hearts: ‘He
putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his
sight’ (Job 15:15, 4:18). There is then a just man that perisheth in
his righteousness, if he want the faith of Christ, for that no man is
justified by the law, in the sight of God, is evident; for, ‘the just
shall live by faith’; and the law is not of faith.
3. The third Scripture is this—‘We who are Jews by nature, and not
sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the
works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified’ (Gal 2:15,16).
These words are the result of the experienced Christians in the
primitive times; yea, of those among them that had given up themselves
before to the law, to get life and heaven thereby; the result, I say,
of believing Jews—We who are Jews by nature. But how are they
distinguished from the Gentiles? Why, they are such that rest in the
law, and make their boast of God; that know his will, and approve the
things that are excellent; that are guides to the blind, and a light to
them that are in darkness; that are instructors of the foolish,
teachers of babes, and which have the form of knowledge, and of the
truth of the law (Rom 2:17-19). How far these attained we find by that
of the Pharisee—I pray, I fast, I give tithes of all (Luke 18:11,12);
and by the young man in the gospel—‘All these have I kept from my youth
up’; and by that of Paul—‘Touching the righteousness which is in the
law, blameless’ (Phil 3:6). This was the Jew by nature, to do and trust
in this.[25] Now these attaining afterwards the sound knowledge of sin,
the depravedness of nature, and the exactions of the law, fled from the
command of the law to the Lord Jesus for life. ‘We knowing’ is—We that
are taught of God, and that have found it by sad experience, we, even
we, have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. Surely, if
righteousness had come by the law, Paul and the Jews had found it, they
being by many privileges far better than the sinners of the Gentiles;
but these, when they received the word of the gospel, even these now
fly to Christ from the law, that they might be justified by the faith
of Christ, and not by the works of the law.
To conclude this. If righteous men, through the knowledge of the
gospel, are made to leave the law of God, as despairing of life
thereby, surely righteousness is not to be found in the law; I mean
that which can justify thee before God from the curse who livest and
walkest in the law. I shall, therefore, end this second reason with
what I have said before—‘Men must be justified from the curse in the
sight of God while sinful in themselves.’
The Third Reason.—Another reason why not one under heaven can be
justified by the law, or by his own personal performances to it, is,
because since sin was in the world, God hath rejected the law and the
works thereof for life (Rom 7:10).
It is true, before man had sinned, it was ordained to be unto life; but
since, and because of sin, the God of love gave the word of grace. Take
the law, then, as God hath established it; to wit, to condemn all flesh
(Gal 3:21); and then there is room for the promise and the law, the one
to kill, the other to heal; and so the law is not against the promises;
but make the law a justifier, and faith is made void, and the promise
is made of none effect (Rom 4:14); and the everlasting gospel, by so
doing, thou endeavourest to root out of the world. Methinks, since it
hath pleased God to reject the law and the righteousness thereof for
life, such dust and ashes as we are should strive to consent to his
holy will, especially when in the room of this [covenant] of works
there is established a better covenant, and that upon better promises.
The Lord hath rejected the law, for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof; for, finding fault with them of the law, ‘The days come, saith
the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel,’
&c. (Heb 8:8). Give God leave to find fault with us, and to condemn our
personal performances to death, as to our justification before him
thereby; let him do it, I say; and the rather, because he doth by the
gospel present us with a better. And certainly, if ever he be pleased
with us, it will be when he findeth us in that righteousness that is of
his own appointing.
[Six things that incline the heart to seek to the law for life.]
To conclude. Notwithstanding all that hath or can be said, there are
six things that have great power with the heart to bend it to seek life
before God by the law; of all which I would caution that soul to
beware, that would have happiness in another world.
First. Take heed thou be not made to seek to the law for life, because
of that name and majesty of God which thou findest upon the doctrine of
the law (Exo 20:1). God indeed spake all the words of the law, and
delivered them in that dread and majesty to men that shook the hearts
of all that heard it. Now this is of great authority with some, even to
seek for life and bliss by the law. ‘We know,’ said some, ‘that God
spake to Moses’ (John 9:29). And Saul rejected Christ even of zeal
towards God (Acts 22:3). What zeal? Zeal towards God according to the
law, which afterwards he left and rejected, because he had found out a
better way. The life that he once lived, it was by the law; but
afterwards, saith he, ‘The life which I now live,’ it is by faith, ‘by
the faith of Jesus Christ’ (Gal 2:20). So that though the law was the
appointment of God, and had also his name and majesty upon it, yet now
he will not live by the law. Indeed, God is in the law, but yet only as
just and holy, not as gracious and merciful; so he is only in Jesus
Christ. ‘The law,’ the word of justice, ‘was given by Moses, but grace
and truth came by Jesus Christ’ (John 1:17). Wherefore, whatever of God
thou findest in the law, yet seeing grace and mercy is not there, let
neither the name of God, nor that majesty that thou findest of him in
the law, prevail with thee to seek life by all the holy commandments of
the law.
Second. Take heed that the law, by taking hold on thy conscience, doth
not make thee seek life by the law (Rom 2:13-15). The heart of man is
the seat of the law. This being so, the understanding and conscience
must needs be in danger of being bound by the law. Man is a law unto
himself, and showeth that the works of the law are written in his
heart. Now, the law being thus nearly related to man, it easily takes
hold of the understanding and conscience; by which hold, if it be not
quickly broken off by the promise and grace of the gospel, it is
captivated to the works of the law; for conscience is such a thing,
that if it once be possessed with a doctrine, yea, though but with the
doctrine of an idol, it will cleave so fast thereto that nothing but a
hand from heaven can loosen it; and if it be not loosed, no gospel can
be there embraced (1 Cor 8:7). Conscience is Little-ease, if men resist
it, whether it be rightly or wrongly informed.[26] How fast, then, will
it hold when it knows it cleaves to the law of God! Upon this account,
the condition of the unbeliever is most miserable; for not having faith
in the gospel of grace, through which is tendered the forgiveness of
sins, they, like men a-drowning, hold fast that they have found; which
being the law of God, they follow it; but because righteousness flies
from them, they at last are found only accursed and condemned to hell
by the law. Take heed, therefore, that thy conscience be not entangled
by the law (Rom 9:31,32).
Third. Take heed of fleshly wisdom. Reasoning suiteth much with the
law. ‘I thought verily that I ought to do many things against the name
of Jesus,’ and so to have sought for life by the law; my reason told me
so. For thus will reason say: Here is a righteous law, the rule of life
and death; besides, what can be better than to love God, and my
neighbour as myself? Again; God hath thus commanded, and his commands
are just and good; therefore, doubtless, life must come by the law.
Further, to love God and keep the law are better than to sin and break
it; and seeing men lost heaven by sin, how should they get it again but
by working righteousness? Besides, God is righteous, and will therefore
bless the righteous. O the holiness of the law! It mightily swayeth
with reason when a man addicteth himself to religion; the light of
nature teacheth that sin is not the way to heaven; and seeing no word
doth more condemn sin than the words of the ten commandments, it must
needs be, therefore, the most perfect rule for holiness; wherefore,
saith reason, the safest way to life and glory is to keep myself close
to the law. But a little here to correct. Though the law indeed be
holy, yet the mistake as to the matter in hand is as wide as the east
from the west; for therefore the law can do thee no good, because it is
holy and just; for what can he that hath sinned expect from a law that
is holy and just? Nought but condemnation. Let them lean to it while
they will, ‘there is one that accuseth you,’ saith Christ, ‘even Moses,
in whom you trust’ (John 5:45).
Fourth. Man’s ignorance of the gospel suiteth well with the doctrine of
the law; they, through their being ignorant of God’s righteousness,
fall in love with that (Rom 10:1-4). Yea, they do not only suit, but,
when joined in act, the one strengtheneth the other; that is, the law
strengtheneth our blindness, and bindeth the veil more fast about the
face of our souls. The law suiteth much our blindness of mind; for
until this day remains the veil untaken away in the reading of the Old
Testament; especially in the reading of that which was written and
engraven on stones; to wit, the ten commandments, that perfect rule for
holiness; which veil was done away in Christ (2 Cor 3:15,16). But ‘even
to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is over their hearts’; they
are blinded by the duties enjoined by the law from the sight and hopes
of forgiveness of sins by grace. ‘Nevertheless when IT,’ the heart,
‘shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.’ The law, then,
doth veil the heart from Christ, and holds the man so down to doing and
working for the kingdom of heaven, that he quite forgets the
forgiveness of sins by mercy through Christ. Now this veiling or
blinding by the law is occasioned—
1. By reason of the contrariety of doctrine that is in the law to that
which was in the gospel. The law requireth obedience to all its demands
upon pain of everlasting burnings; the gospel promiseth forgiveness of
sins to him that worketh not, but believeth. Now the heart cannot
receive both these doctrines; it must either let go doing or believing.
If it believe, it is dead to doing; if it be set to doing for life, it
is dead to believing.[27] Besides, he that shall think both to do and
believe for justification before God from the curse, he seeks for life
but as it were by the law, he seeks for life but as it were by Christ;
and he being not direct in either, shall for certain be forsaken of
either. Wherefore? Because he seeks it not by faith, but as it were by
the works of the law’ (Rom 9:32).
2. The law veils and blinds by that guilt and horror for sin that
seizeth the soul by the law; for guilt, when charged close upon the
conscience, is attended with such aggravations, and that with such
power and evidence, that the conscience cannot hear, nor see, nor feel
anything else but that. When David’s guilt for murder and blood did
roar by the law in his conscience, notwithstanding he knew much of the
grace of the gospel, he could hear nothing else but terror, the sound
of blood; the murder of Uriah was the only noise that he heard;
wherefore he crieth to God that he would make him hear the gospel.
‘Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast
broken may rejoice’ (Psa 51:8). And as he could not hear, so neither
could he see; the law had struck him deaf and blind. ‘I am,’ saith he,
‘not able to look up’; not up to Christ for mercy. As if David had
said, O Lord, the guilt of sin, which is by the law, makes such a noise
and horror in my conscience, that I can neither hear nor see the word
of peace unless it is spoken with a voice from heaven! The serpents
that bit the people in the days of old were types of guilt and sin (Num
21:6). Now, these were fiery serpents, and such as, I think, could fly
(Isa 14:29). Wherefore, in my judgment, they stung the people about
their faces, and so swelled up their eyes, which made it the more
difficult for them to look up to the brazen serpent, which was the type
of Christ (John 3:14). Just so doth sin by the law do now. It stings
the soul, the very face of the soul, which is the cause that looking up
to Jesus, or believing in him, is so difficult a task in time of terror
of conscience.[28]
3. This is not only so at present, but so long as guilt is on the
conscience, so long remains the blindness; for guilt standing before
the soul, the grace of God is intercepted, even as the sun is hid from
the sight of mine eyes by the cloud that cometh between. ‘My sin,’ said
David, ‘is ever before me,’ and so kept other things out of his sight;
sin, I say, when applied by the law (Psa 51:3). When the law came to
Paul, he remained without sight until the good man came unto him with
the word of forgiveness of sins (Acts 9).
4. Again; where the law comes with power, there it begetteth many
doubts against the grace of God; for it is only a revealer of sin, and
the ministration of death; that is, a doctrine that sheweth sin, and
condemneth for the same; hence, therefore, as was hinted before, the
law being the revealer of sin, where that is embraced, there sin must
needs be discovered and condemned, and the soul for the sake of that.
Further, it is not only a revealer of sin, but that which makes it
abound; so that the closer any man sticks to the law for life, the
faster sin doth cleave to him. ‘That law,’ saith Paul, ‘which was
ordained to be unto life, I found to be unto death,’ for by the law I
became a notorious sinner; I thought to have obtained life by obeying
the law, ‘but sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and
by it slew me’ (Rom 7:10-14). A strange way of deceivableness, and it
is hid from the most of men; but, as I have already told you, you see
how it comes to pass. (1.) Man by nature is carnal, and the law itself
is spiritual: now betwixt these two ariseth great difference; the law
is exceeding good, the heart exceeding bad; these two opposites,
therefore, the heart so abiding, can by no means agree. (2.) Therefore,
at every approach of the law to the heart with intent to impose duty,
or to condemn for the neglect thereof; at every such approach the heart
starteth back, especially when the law comes home indeed, and is heard
in his own language. This being thus, the conscience perceiving this is
a fault, begins to tremble at the sense of judgment; the law still
continueth to command to duty, and to condemn for the neglect thereof.
From this struggling of these two opposites ariseth, I say, those
doubts and fears that drive the heart into unbelief, and that make it
blind to the word of the gospel, that it can neither see nor understand
anything but that it is a sinner, and that the law must be fulfilled by
it, if ever it be saved.
[Fifth.] But again; another thing that hath great influence upon the
heart to make it lean to the law for life is, the false names that
Satan and his instruments have put upon it; such as these—to call the
law the gospel; conscience, the Spirit of Christ; works, faith; and the
like: with these, weak consciences have been mightily pestered; yea,
thousands deluded and destroyed. This was the way whereby the enemy
attempted to overthrow the church of Christ of old; as, namely, those
in Galatia and at Corinth, &c. (2 Cor 11:3,4,13,14). I say, by the
feigned notion that the law was the gospel, the Galatians were removed
from the gospel of Christ; and Satan, by appropriating to himself and
his ministers the names and titles of the ministers of the Lord Jesus,
prevailed with many at Corinth to forsake Paul and his doctrine. Where
the Lord Jesus hath been preached in truth, and something of his
doctrine known, it is not there so easy to turn people aside from the
sound of the promise of grace, unless it be by the noise and sound of a
gospel. Therefore, I say, the false apostles came thus among the
churches: ‘another gospel, another gospel’; which, in truth, saith
Paul, ‘is not another; but some would pervert the gospel of Christ,’
and thrust that out of doors, by gilding the law with that glorious
name (Gal 1:6-8).[29] So again, for the ministers of Satan, they must
be called the apostles of Christ, and ministers of righteousness; which
thing, I say, is of great force, especially being accompanied with so
holy and just a doctrine as the word of the law is; for what better to
the eye of reason than to love God above all, and our neighbour as
ourselves, which doctrine, being the scope of the ten words given on
Sinai, no man can contradict; for, in truth, they are holy and good.
But here is the poison; to set this law in the room of a mediator, as
those do that seek to stand just before God thereby; and then nothing
is so dishonourable to Christ, nor of so soul-destroying a nature as
the law; for that, thus placed, hath not only power when souls are
deluded, but power to delude, by its real holiness, the understanding,
conscience, and reason of a man; and by giving the soul a semblance of
heaven, to cause it to throw away Christ, grace, and faith. Wherefore
it behoveth all men to take heed of names, and of appearances of
holiness and goodness.
[Sixth.] Lastly, Satan will yet go further; he will make use of
something that may be at a distance from a moral precept, and therewith
bring souls under the law. Thus he did with some of old; he did not
make the Galatians fall from Christ by virtue of one of the ten words,
but by something that was aloof off; by circumcision, days, and months,
that were Levitical ceremonies; for he knows it is no matter, nor in
what Testament he found it, if he can therewith hide Christ from the
soul—‘Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ
shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law’ (Gal 5:2,3). Why
so, seeing circumcision is not one of the ten words [commandments]?
Why, because they did it in conscience to God, to stand just before him
thereby. Now here we may behold much cunning of the devil; he begins
with some at a distance from that law which curseth, and so by little
and little bringeth them under it; even as by circumcision the
Galatians were at length brought under the law that condemneth all men
to the wrath and judgment of God. I have often wondered when I have
read how God crieth out against the Jews, for observing his own
commandment (Isa 1:11-14). But I perceive by Paul that by these things
a man may reject and condemn the Lord Jesus; which those do, that for
life set up aught, whether moral or other institution, besides the
faith of Jesus. Let men therefore warily distinguish betwixt names and
things, betwixt statute and commandment, lest they by doing the one
transgress against the other (2 Cor 1:19,20). Study, therefore, the
nature and end of the law with the nature and end of the gospel; and if
thou canst keep them distinct in thy understanding and conscience,
neither names nor things, neither statutes nor commandments, can draw
thee from the faith of the gospel. And that thou mayest yet be helped
in this matter, I shall now come to speak to the second conclusion.
[THE SECOND POSITION.]
SECOND. THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD, WHILE
SINNERS IN THEMSELVES, BY NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONG AGO
PERFORMED BY, AND REMAINING WITH, THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
For the better prosecuting of this position I shall observe two
things—FIRST, That the righteousness by which we stand just before God,
from the curse, was performed by the person of Christ. SECOND, That
this righteousness is inherent only in him.
FIRST. As to the first of these, I shall be but brief. Now, that the
righteousness that justifieth us was performed long ago by the person
of Christ, besides what hath already been said, is further manifest
thus—