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 lives and walks 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 endeavors 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 is pleased with us, it will be when he finds us in that righteousness that is of his own appointing.
Six things that incline the heart to seek the law for life.
To conclude. Notwithstanding all that hath or can be said, six things 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 find upon the doctrine of the law (Exo 20:1). God indeed spoke 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 spoke 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 afterward he left and rejected because he had found a better way. The life that he once lived, it was by the law; but afterward, 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 found in the law, yet seeing grace and mercy is not there, let neither the name of God nor that majesty that thou found 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, understanding and conscience must need to be in danger of being bound by the law. Man is a law unto himself, and showed 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 is 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 is 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 is 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. 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. Therefore, heed that thy conscience is not entangled by the law (Rom 9:31,32).
