as not concerning them, yet fuch courfes will prove but folly in the end: for albeit they thought these teftimonies concerned them not, yet that availed not, for the law did indeed fpeak to them, and they were guilty before God, notwithstanding they did dream the contrary. IV. Whatever purposes be handled in the word of the Lord, and whatever truths be there delivered, or whatever way they be propofed, yet we ought to look upon the whole as a law, having a binding power to regulate our practice, and to direct us in point of faith and doctrine: For here the whole Old Teftament is called a law; and here the prophet Ifaiah (and confequently all the reft of the prophets) is termed the law, and the Pfalms alfo; fo John x. 34. and xv. 25. fo the historical part hath that name, Gal. iv. 22. and the law of Mofes hath ftill that name. V. So ftrong is the force of pride and felf-love, where it gets vent, that it will make a man that is full thereof go over the belly of his own light, to lay down grounds whereupon to build his foolish hopes, and whereby to answer what might be produced for their conviction and recovery for albeit they had this objection, that thefe teftimonies touched not their cafe, yet they could not deny, if they I would fpeak according to their own light, that the law fpake to them; and therefore fays Paul, We know, and fo took it as a maxim that they could not get denied, that what things foever the law fays, it fays to fuch as are under the law. VI. As the law of the Lord hath a commanding power over all unto whom it is given and prefcribed; fo hath it a fpeaking voice to reprove, accufe, threaten and condemn all contraveeners; for thus this law is faid to speak (viz. by convincing them of fn, and judgment for fin, as the fcope of the forecited teftimonies evidenceth) to all that are in it, or under it; and there is Rone that need plead exemption, or imagine freedom therefrom, VII. When men once give way to vain thoughts, and will not impartially examine and pafs fentence upon their condition, or estate before God, but will lay it down for a conclufion, that their eftate is good enough, tho' it be not fo; then their falfe hearts, fet on work by Satan, will furnith them with abundance of falfe grounds whereupon to build their empty hopes, feeing that is all they defire; and they will have enough of fuch stuff furnished. them, whereby to maintain their righteoufnefs, fo as their voluble tongues will be as fluent, as if they were as many mighty rufhing waters; fuch will not be foon nonpluís'd; as is clear by this metaphor of damming up their mouths, and hedging them up, which fuppofeth how violent thefe were in their defence, and how fertile their invention was to find out apologies and defences for themselves.. VIII. The law, thoroughly ftudied, and particularly applied, and mens actions and natures duly examined thereby, is fufficient to beat down all folks proud thoughts of themselves, and take from them all excufes and tergiverfations, whereby they labour to fhun any thorough conviction of their own unrighteoufnefs, and loft condition: and when the doctrine of the law is brought home to folks confciences by the Spirit, it will lay their boafting of their own righteoufncfs, and cause them lay their hands upon their mouths, and cry, guilty: fo the right way to convince folk of their natural condition, is to hold forth the law, for it is by the law, and what it fays, that mouths are ftoped, and all found! out to be guilty. IX. To be guilty, and fo liable to God's curfe, is not the condition of a few only, but even the natural condition of all, be they privileged outwardly, or not: it is the common cafe and condition of all ranks, qualities and conditions of people, of whatfoever language, nation or kindred they be; the whole mafs of mankind is guilty, and lying under the curfe, fince. Adam, X. Howbeit many may find shifts to deceive themselves, and others like themfelves, and fo have nothing to fay in defence of their own righteousness, and wili neither believe themselves, nor let others fay, that they are in nature, or under God's curse, but still give out themselves to be in a better condition than indeed they are in; yet when the caufe comes before God, who fearches the heart, they will then be found to be what they are: and therefore he fays, before God. Adam, the root of mankind, violated the is meant, obedience to the whole law covenant of life: for here Paul afferts it of God, whether ceremonial or moral, as a truth, that all mouths are ftoped, and written or unwritten; for hitherto hath fo have nothing to apologize for them- he ipoken of the tranfgreffors of the mofelves that will have weight, and all the ral law, and not of the ceremonial only; world is guilty. and he hath alfo fpoken of the Gentiles who never knew the ceremonial law, and if he did not mean the moral law, his argument would be fallacious; for fo he thould fpeak of the moral law in the premises, and of the ceremonial (which is distinct) in the conclufion, which were a falfe way of arguing. And, moreover, he must mean the fame law whereof he made mention, verfe 19. for by whatfoever law it is that mens mouths are ftoped, .and they declared guilty, by that fame law, or obedience thereto, none can be justified. Neither is it the ceremonial law, properly, which convinceth of fin, fave only fecondarily; but of fuch a law doth he here fpeak, by which is the knowledge and coaviction of fin, properly. And lastly, the ceremonial law points out God's righteEre begineth the third part of this oufnefs, even Chrift, who is our righteoufchapter; wherein the apoftle is nefs, and is the end of the law for righteprofecuting the farther probation of his oufnefs; now the apoftle meaneth fuch a former thefis, and for that caufe pro-law here as doth not hold forth this righduceth feveral other arguments, to the end. VERSE 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there fhali no flesh be justified in his fight: for by the law is the knowledge of fin. But before he proceeds to any new argument, having now infifted long upon his firft, he lays down the thefis in plain terms, viz. That by the works of the law, no flesh Shall be justified before God: and this he fet eth down by way of a conclufion following from what he had been saying formerly, in profecution of this fecond argument, which we fhewed, chap. i. 18. might be this; If any body could be juftified by the law, then either the Jews or Gentiles fhould be juftified by the law; this is clear, feeing there is not a third: But neither Jews nor Gentiles can be fo justified, and this he hath hitherto fufficiently proved; and hence now concludeth, that by the deeds of the law no flesh fhould be juftified, &c. Where, by deeds of the law, 7 teoufnefs, as is clear in the following verfe. An the the apoftle addeth, before God; that is, in his judgment, as oppofed to man's judgment, at whofe bar men may be juftified, Rom. iv. 2. for that may pafs as current before men, which cannot endure God's ftricteft judgment, that vain hypocrites may not think to deceive God as they do men, feeing in God's eyes the heavens are not clean, Job iv. 18. and xv. 15. and xxv. 5. and he fearcheth the heart. By being julified he means, not having righteouf. nefs infufed, for then there would be no fenfe in the words, nor truth either; to fenfe in the words, nor truth either; to fay, that by the works of the law no man fhall have inherent righteoufnefs before God; but fuch an act whereby we have our fins pardoned, are acquitted and abfolved fron fin and death, and declared righteous in God's fight; and thus the word is taken, Job ix. 20. Rom. viii. 33. 34. Gal. iv. 16. 17. and iii. 8. Prov. xvii. 15. for the apoftle is about to fhew, how poor finful flesh, now lying under guilt, and liable to death, may win free, and be abfolved, and looked upon as juft before God. Befide this conclufion, there is an argument in the verse, to enforce it; which may either be looked upon as a new argument, or as the laft fumed up in fhort: however it is this, If by the law be the knowledge of fin, then by the deeds of the law no flesh fhall be juftified before God: this is clear, for he fpeaketh of fuch a knowledge as convinceth, and makes us guilty before God, and fo holds forth God's wrath and curfe: but fo it is, that by the law is the knowledge of fin; where, by the law he means both the law of nature, and the written law, and all law, feeing it hath no article added in the original; and this law discovers the least and most obfcure fin, especially the written law difCovereth concupifcence, and fuch like; and the very original and foul fountain of every vice, both as to want of our original understanding in our judgments, and rectitude in our wills and affections, and to the having of contrary habits; fo that we cannot be justified by the deeds of that law, which difcovereth fo much guilt, deferving condemnation. OBSERVATIONS. 1. Though man by the guilt of Adam hath utterly loft that righteoufnefs, in which once he was created, and whereby. he looked like God, this being a part of the image of God, Eph. iv. 24. and now is become altogether unrighteous, and of himself utterly incapable of ever appearin ing before the Judge as righteous; yet God hath found out a way, and there is a poffibility how, the unrighteous may appear righteous; and there is fuch a glori ous privilege as justification attainable, and the apoftle is here proving the right way of attaining to it. II. Man would ftill be at a way of his own, whereby to attain unto this privilege of juftification, Luke xviii. and such a high account have they of their actions, and religious performances, (not knowing, or. not confidering, what a juft God they have to do with, what a pure law they will be tried by one day, what a lump of corruptions fticks to every thing they do, fo that of all their actions there fhall not one be found able to abide a trial, when it is examined according to its principal motive and end) that they cannot be gotten convinced of an impoffibility of ever being juftified by themselves as it is hard to get fome convinced of this in opinion, fo it is harder to get more convinced of it in practice: therefore it must be concluded, and again concluded, and proven, and proven over again. III. The best way to get fouls convinced of a neceffity of following the right way, of juftification without themselves, is, to convince them once of their natural condition, how they stand guilty before God. If fouls would ftudy this well, and be thoroughly convinced thereof, they would more heartily close with this doctrine, that by the works of the law, no flesh should be justified juftified before God; and therefore Paul takes this courfe, if you look the verfe preceding. IV. It is a matter of great confequence, as being a fundamental point, and a thing abfolutely neceffary, to be clear in the right way of our juftification before God, and therefore a concerning point, to be well ftudied, and accordingly practifed by all; therefore doth the apostle infift fo much upon it, as being the marrow of doctrinal practical divinity. V. It is now a concluded truth, and fhould be entertained without any farther fcruple or difpute, that by the deeds of the law, which requireth abfolute and univerfal perfection, and curfeth every man by nature for the leaft breach thereof, Deut. xxvii. 26. and will not defcend from its perfect exactness, no man breathing fall be justified, feeing the Spirit of the Lord, by the apostle, hath now concluded it from unaniwerable arguments. VI. Man is fo far (now fince the fall, whatever he was before) from having any ground in himself whereupon to expect juftification, that, on the contrary, he is nothing but a lump and mafs of base, finful, corruptible, and corrupted flesh; and were this well confidered, it might lay our boafting, that all our excellent and glorious title is to be called flesh. VII. Much of our ignorance of our finful condition, of the finful nature of many of our actions, of the vilenefs and abo : them of their folly in expecting juftification by the deeds of that law; for this is the force of the argument, for by the law is the knowledge of fin; and fo by it we are accufed and condemned. IX. Seeing man's heart is but deceitful, and ready to blefs himself in an evil course; and the judgment of all men, who can but obferve the outfide, is fallible and uncertain, and it is God who fearcheth the hearts and the reins, and it is at his bar alone where we muft appear, and by his judgment must we ftand or fall; therefore we fhould be labouring and studying most earneftly, how we may pafs current before him therefore it is added, in his fight. And were the contrariety which is betwixt God and man better confidered, how he is a God of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity, and man is but a piece of base corruption and finful flesh, we would not think fo much of our own righteousness as we do; therefore are no flesh, and before him, (which hath a great emphasis). put in oppofition. VERSES 21. 22. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifefted, being witneffed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteoufnefs of God which is by faith of Jefus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. minablefs of fin, and of the juft and dread-Ere is a principal argument against ful defert thereof, floweth from our being ftrangers to the law and much humble and diligent study of the law, would help us to discover many latent corruptions, and to be better acquainted with the stratagems of fin, and the dangerous fnares we are drawn into thereby; for, by the law is the knowledge of fin. VIII. The law's difcovering man's corruptions and short-comings, and their hazard, thro' the curfe which is annexed to every breach, may abundantly convince juftification by works; whereby, at length, he fheweth the right way of juftification: and, withal, coucheth in a comparifon betwixt the open and plain exhibition of Christ now under the gofpel, with the way how he was held forth of old, viz. by types, facrifices, and prophecies. The argument may be in this or the like form: If the only way by which poor finners muft ftand juftified before God, be a way which the law hath no hand in the manifeftation of, nor is helped any eth, that this righteoufnefs is none of our own inventing, but it is the righteouf nefs of God, and a righteousness which is given, imputed, and made over unto, and put upon believers; and believers of whatfoever nation, kindred, or language they be of, Gentiles as well as Jews; it is beftowed upon, and imputed unto all them that believe: And the way and means how this gift becometh believers's, and they have intereft therein, and are cloathed therewith, is, by faith of Jefus Chrift. And this way of believing in Chrift, and reft any jot by thofe works which the law requireth, then we cannot be juftified by the law. This is clear; for fure were we juftified by the law, the works done in obedience to the law would avail, and the law would clear the way of juftification to us, without feeking to any other: Bur fo it is that the only way by which poor finners muft ftand juftified before God, is a way which the law doth not manifeft, nor help forward; Therefore, &c. This propofition he proves thus: 1, That way which God hath invented, and which he will be pleafed with, whereby finners mufting upon him, is the only way, and an exftand juftified before him, is the only way: But fo it is that that way is not held forth by the law; Therefore, &c. And 2dly, thus, That way of juftification which both Mofes in the law, and the prophets, bare witness unto, is the only true way: But the way which they bore witnefs unto was without the law; Therefore, &c. Afterward, in the 22d verfe, he cleareth what that only way is. So then in fhort the meaning of the apostle is this; Now, in the days of the gofpel, wherein Chrift is held forth in a more clear and full manner than he was under the law, that righteousness by which we must ftand juftified, which is a righteoufnefs of God's own invention and gift, and a righteoufnefs which he will only reft fatisfied with, is revealed, and clearly publithed, and no more lying hid under promifes and legal fhadows, but really and openly exhibited now, when the fulness of time is come, Gal. iv. 4. and that without the law, which doth not speak on it of fet purpose, but preffeth obedience, whether it be moral or natural, (for of this law alone he speaks) and yet this is no novelty, or a way that was never heard of before, but a way which Mofes (whofe writings are here meant by the law, as Luke ii. 2 3. and x. 16. Acts xxiv. 14) and all the prophets affented unto, and bare witnefs of. In the next verfe he farther explains what this way of juftification is, and thew cellent way too; and therefore once fignifying it, will not fuffice; fo doth he fay unto all, and again upon all them that believe, that this comfortable doctrine unto the Gentiles might be the better believed, and the pride of the Jews the more laid, who' thought none would have been justified but they. HENCE LEARN, I. Man will not come cleanly over to Chrift, and abfolutely renounce all hopes and expectations of relief through his own fkill and ability, until the force of need drive him, and he fee he must either do that or die: therefore the most fafe and hopeful way of gaining fouls to Chrift, is to hew down all their carnal pillars, and folidly hunt them out of all their holes; and, in particular, to clear the utter impoffibility of their ever getting relief by their own doings. This is clear in. Paul's method, he firft cuts off all their vain conceits of themselves, and fheweth the impoffibility of being juftified by works, and then pointeth forth Chrift: he clears the ground before he lays the walls. II. Minifters, and fuch as deal with. confciences, fhould not rest upon a bare difcovery of folks danger, but fhould alfo point out the way to life; they should not think it enough to loofe their grips of that which is wrong, but alfo they thould fasten them to that which is right: it were good to |