V. The more poor fouls be convinced of their fhort-coming and tranfgreffing of the holy law of God, and have their fins born in upon their confciences, they are not the farther off from Christ, but rather in a fairer way to him, if they wilfully mifTN carry not; for even in this refpect Chrift is the end of the law: for the moral law was fo fharply and ftrictly, preffed upon the Jews, to the end that, being convinced of their guilt, they might run with greater hafte in to Chrift, and lay hold on him. VERSE 5. For Mofes defcribeth the righ teoufnefs which is of the law, That the man which doth thofe things, fhall live by them. VI. Whatever courfe a humbled, felfcondemned finner can take for relief, when fin ftareth him in the face, and is born home upon his confcience, there is no peace to be had with God, till Chrift be clofed with, and laid hold on; no juftification but in him; no abfolution but thro' him; no righteoufnefs but from him: Chrift is the end of the law for righteoufnefs. All the Jews their runing to the ceremonial law, when found guilty of the breach of the moral, would never procure a righteoufnefs to them, but Chrift was the end of the ceremonial law for righteoufnefs. VII. There is no way for a poor foul to be exonered of fin and guilt, but by flying in to Chrift; faith is the only way how Chrift's righteousness is made over to us, and has been the way in all ages: even the Jews, for all their care of obeying the ceremonial law, were neceffitated to betake themselves to Jefus Chrift by faith; fo Chrift is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that believeth. the laft verfe there was two main things afferted; first, that the law under which the Jews lived, pointed at Chrift, and in him alone righteoufnefs was to be had thro' faith; and next, that there is no exception of perfons in this matter, but whofoever believeth, be he Jew or be he Gentile, he is cloathed with this righteouf nefs. The first of thefe he confirmeth, unto the 11th verfe, proving, 1. that righ teoufnefs was not to be had by the works of the law, verfe 5.; and, 2. that it was only to be had by faith in Christ, to ver. 11. And by this means he further confirmeth, that the Jews were ignorant, and carried with a blind zeal; for they fought after the righteoufnefs of the law, which was impoffible, and knew not the righteousness of faith, which was poffible, and far more easy. In this 5th verfe he brings in Mofes defcribing the righteousness which is of the law, and fo cites Lev. xviii. 5. to this purpofe: If no body can perfectly keep the law, and do thefe things which are commanded therein, then no body can get life by the righteousness of the law: But fo it is that no man can perfectly. fully and finally keep all the law; Therefore, &c. The minor he takes for granted, and was clear enough as touching the Jews, who VIII. How guilty foever a poor foul be made fo much ufe of the ceremonies and in its own eyes, yet there is a poffibility daily facrifices, which they needed not to of a remedy; and whatever finners they have done if they were not guilty of the have been, if now they will fly in to breach of the moral law. The major he Chrift, and lay hold on him by faith, they confirmeth by Mofes's words, faying, Mofhall certainly be cloathed with the righ-fes defcribing the righteoufnefs which is of teoufnefs of Chrift: Chrift is the end of the law, That the man which doth thefe the law---to every one that believeth, Gen- things fhall live by them. tiles as well as Jews; those who had not the ceremonial law, as well as thefe who had it. OBSERVATIONS. I. Altho' the covenant which God made with the Jews at Mount Sinai, by Motes as as mediator, was a covenant of grace, and fo the doctrine of Mofes, for the most part, was to point out this covenant; yet fometimes he laid before them the covenant of works, and fo preached and published the law, ftrictly taken, in oppofition to Chrift, and abftracted from the promife of a cautioner: thus Mofes defcribeth the righteousness of the law, where the law is taken ftrictly for the covenant of works: See Gal. iii. 18. II. Tho' we are not now to expect everlafting happiness by the covenant of works; yet it is not unneceffary, but useful for us, to have the tenor thereof laid forth unto us; that, feeing our hazardous condition by fuch a covenant, we may hafte the fafter in to the covenant of grace: for tho' the people of Ifrael were not under a covenant of works, as the only way to for any man breathing, to fulfil the conditions of the covenant of works, we must of neceffity take another way of attaining to happiness, than our own righteoufnets and doings: for this caufe doth he bring in this defcription of the righteousness of the law, faying, The man that doth thefe things fhall live by them. VERSES 6. 7. 8. But the righteoufnefs which is of faith, fpeaketh on this wife, Say not in thine heart, Who shall afcend into heaven? (that is to bring Chrift down from above) Or, Who shall defcend into the deep? (that is to bring up Chrift again from the dead) But what faith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith which we preach. life, yet is the nature thereof feveral times Having in the preceding verfe fhewn, the righteoufnefs of the law, &c. III. In the covenant of works, or of life, there being no mediator, or cautioner, coming in between God and Adam, man was to give obedience in his own ftrength, which was connatural; he was to ftand upon his own legs, and was not to go out of himself for a righteoufnefs: it is thus defcribed, The man that doth these things. IV. As this covenant required perfonal obedience; fo did it require perfect and perpetual obedience; he was not to break in the leaft jot at no time: The man that doth these things; the covenant faid, Do this and live. V. That which the Lord promifed in the covenant of works, upon condition of perfect and perfonal obedience, was not an animal life in paradife, or the continuance of his eftate in paradife; but every thing which conduceth to make a man truly happy, is comprehended under life, and fo it takes in the happinefs both of foul and body: The man that doth these things fhall live thereby. VI. It being now altogether impoffible out of Mofes, that it was impoffible to get righteoufnefs by the covenant of works, or the law ftrictly taken, as a covenant of life; he cometh now to fhew, how far easier it is to get righteousness by faith: and in fpeaking to this, he makes ufe of a paffage of Mofes, Deut. xxx. 11. 12. 13. 14. which he commenteth and paraphrafeth upon, and fo explicateth it; and thereby taxeth the Jews further of their ignorance of this righteousness of God, which even Mofes, with whofe doctrine they pretended to be very well acquainted, spoke of; and of their folly in feeking to eftablish their own righteoufnefs, which was a thing impoffible, and neglecting the righteoufnefs of God, which was more eafy. The apoftle doth not cite this paffage word by word, but citeth it fo as paraphrafing upon it, and explaineth Mofes's meaning. Mofes, tho' he spoke much of the law, yet he was a minifter of the covenant of grace; and in feveral places, particularly in that Deut. xxx. cited, holdeth forth the fame: for we are there to underftand, by the command which he com manded manded them, not the law ftrictly taken, | in Chrift, (for he is not speaking of faith but his whole doctrine; and his whole doctrine being to point forth the only way of holiness and happinefs, comprehendeth both faith and repentance: the law ftrictly taken, cannot be there understood; for it will never be obferved whether it be far off or near hand, known or unknown, all is a matter, this covenant will never be kept. It is never in our heart, nor will be till faith be had, and then it will be in the heart but imperfectly. So then, Mofes, in that chapter, being commending the goodnets of God towards them, in that he was at fo much pains to make the way to life plain and eafy to them, is pointing forth the gospel, tho' darkly, according to the difpenfations of thefe times, wherein the gofpel was vailed under types, ceremonies, and legal expreffions; (for it has reference unto the whole doctrine of Mofes, wherein the will of God was revealed concerning the means of falvation, viz. faith in the Meffiah, and new obedience) For, 1. The law, as we faid, is not plain and eafy, that they might hear it and do it, nor is it in their mouths, nor in their hearts. 2. He makes mention there of feveral other gofpel truths and promifes; as that, verfe 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcife thine heart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God, &c. compared with Jer. xxxi. 33. and xxxii. 40 as alfo, that concerning their reftoring unto their own land, which is to be fulfilled in the latter times, for it has not yet been fully made good. His fcope then in thefe words, is to fhew, out of Mofes, how it is most easy to attain to righteoufnefs by faith; and he gives fome grounds for this. So then, paraphrafing upon Mofes, he brings in the righteoutnets of faith fpeaking by a figure, and fo points to Mofes's words: for he faith, The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wife; that is, the fcripture treating of this righteouincis, which is to be had only by faith as our righteoufnefs, but of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, opposed to that of the law, apprehended by faith) fpeaketh on this wife; and it is as clear and fure, as if you would imagine the righteousness of faith to be speaking this itfelf. Now, what fays it? It faith, Say not in thine heart, Whe hall afcend into heaven? Or, Who bull defcend into the deep; that is, thou needst not now be fo anxious about the way of falvation, thou needit not now cry, Who will go up to heaven, to learn us the way? Or, Who will go to hell, or the deep, to guide us by it? Who will find out a way for us to get righteoufnefs, either in hea ven or earth? Folks need not now be at fo much pains: And why to? Because, to fay, Who shall afcend into heaven, were, to bring Chrift down from above: and to fay, Who hail defcend into the deep, were, to bring up Chrift again from the dead; that is, folk need not now be fo anxious about the way to win to heaven, and to escape hell; for the bufinefs is done to their hand, Chrift Jefus is both dead and rifen again; and therefore, it any fhould now cry out, Who fhall afcend into heaven? that is as much as to fay, that Chrift is not yet come down thence, and fo, that he has not as yet fuffered for our fins: and if they should cry out, Who fhall defcend into the deep? it is as much as to fay, that Chrift is not yet rifen from the dead: fo that Chrift's death and refurrection being fure and certain, faith, has a fure ground to fallen on, and needs not go either one where or other to feek righteoufnefs, feeing in Chrift's 'death and refurrection it is only to be had; and faith has no more to do, but to look out to Chrift for all, and in him there is a folution of all doubts and fcruples, for a confcience puzzled with the matter. What faith it then? It fays then, verfe 8. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith which we preach; that is, the true way to life is nigh at hand, revealed by God in his his word; fo that there is no more now to do, but to receive this word in thy heart, and to profefs it in thy life: and left any fhould think, that that word was the word of the law. because of this Mofes fpeaketh; | therefore he explaineth Mofes's meaning, and fheweth, what that word was, viz. the word of faith which we preach; that is, the free promife which faith lays hold on, the gofpel which begeteth faith, and is gripped by faith, and requireth faith as the condition, which we hold forth and preach to people. The fum whereof is, That Chrift is dead, and rifen again, and fo has acquired a complete righteoufnefs, which we hold forth unto all who will receive the fame, and fubmit to it by faith. OBSERVATIONS. I. As the right taking up of the nature of the covenant of works, under which we are by nature, and by which alone we are naturally defirous to feek after life, should fcar us from looking to that covenant, or from expecting any good thereby; fo fhould it alfo lerve to commend the covenant of grace, and the way of falvation thereby, and make our hearts fall in love therewith: therefore are thefe two covenants put together here, and compared together, that the Jews might fall out of concet with the one, and in love with the other; But the righteoufnefs which is of faith, &c. II. Carnal zeal may fo bemift and blindfold people, that through prejudice, they may mistake and be ignorant of moft neceffary truths, even though they be held forth unto them, and, as it were, among their very hands for the Jews were ignorant of this righteoufnefs of faith, altho' Mofes, with whofe doctrine they pretend ed great acquaintance, had fpoken of it: Therefore doth the apofile make ufe of that place of Deuteronomy, The righte oufness which is of faith speaketh on this wife, Say not in thine heart, &c. III. To' the way of falvation thro' faith in Chrift, be a myftery, now at length fince Christ is come, clearly unfolded and revealed; fo that in refpect of the clear manifeftation thereof unto us now, it may be faid to have been hid before, as we fee, Eph. iii. 5. Col. i. 26.; yet it is the fame old way witneffed by all the prophets, Acts x. 43. and by which all who are arrived, have gone; it was even held forth by Mofes, tho' darkly, as to a people under tutory, Gal. iv. 1. 2. 3.: The righteoufness which is of faith Speaketh on this wife, Say not in thine heart, &c. John v. 46. For had ye believed Mofes, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me; tho' the law was his main theme, John i. 17. IV. It cannot but be a great aggravation of our ignorance now in the days of the gofpel, in which the light fhineth fo clearly, that even in the noon-tide of the day, wherein the fun fhineth brighteft, we should notwithstanding, be utter ftrangers unto this way of falvation through Jefus Chrift and his righteoufnefs; feeing the fmall dim light which the Jews had from the law and doctrine of Mofes, is made use of to aggravate their ignorance of this way of righteousness thro' faith: It Speaketh on this wife, Say not in thine heart, &c. V. When folks miltake God's way, and thro' prejudice caft at it; they ordinarily fall upon a way more coftly, and every way more difadvantageous and unprofitable, fo as they spend their money for that which profiteth not: the Jews mistook God's way to heaven, and fell about the way of works, by which they were at much pains and labour, and yet it was impoffible for them to get 1 fe: But the righteousness which is of faith Speaketh on this wife. VI. Though, if we confider man in his natural ftate, it be as impoffible for man to perform the conditions of the new covenant, as it is to fulfil the law, or perform the conditions of the old covenant; yet if we confider the frame and draught of the two covenants, the fecond covenant being altogether of free grace, were n nothing is required but what is promifed, is altogether a fafer and easier covenant, | way: The righteousness which is of faith, than that covenant of works, which tho' will not fuffer us to tay, IV bo shall afcend made out of free grace, yet was drawn up into heaven, &c. This cleareth all doubts, according to ftrict juftice, promifing, nor and is fufficient to drive the bottom out of allowing no furniture, but what was con- them. natural unto Adam: therefore fays he, But the righteousness which is of faith, Speaketh on this wife. VII. Tho' the way to life, thro' the righteousness of the law, be that which naturally people, being proud and unwilling to bow to God and his righteoufnefs, love beft, and fet about with greatest feriousness; yet it is a way which will never fatisfy a fcrupulous awakened confcience, nor loose their doubts, but ftill leave them in hesitation and perplexity, and put them ftill to cry out, What fhall we do to be faved? Who fhall go up to heaven for us? And who shall defcend into the deep for us? It is only the righteoufnefs of faith which puts us from faying, Who fhall afcend into heaven? The righteousness which is of faith, and not the righteoufnefs which is of the law, fpeaketh thus, Say not in thine heart, Who shall afcend, &c. VIII. All the righteoufnefs which man could attain by the covenant of works, was a righteousness performed and acquired by himself in obeying the law, and is therefore called, the righteousness of the law; but the righteoufnefs which we attain to by the covenant of grace, is a righteoufnefs acquired by another, and which we obtain by flying out of ourselves, and laying hold on our Mediator by faith; and is therefore called, The righteoufnefs of faith, becaufe faith in the Meffiah is required to the attaining of it. IX. The only way for a poor foul to be rid of all its doubts and fcruples, anent the way of attaining the crown, and efcaping the damnation of hell, is to betake itfelf unto the new and better covenant, and run out of itself, unto Jefus Chrift offered in the covenant, and accept of righteousness in him upon the terms offered; no peace or tranquility to a foul but in this X. The only ground upon which all perplexing thoughts which may trouble a poor foul in reference to its falvation may be removed, is Chrift's humiliation and exaltation, his laying down his life a facrifice to fatisfy juftice, and his rifing up as a conqueror, overcoming him that had the power of death, and triumphing over death itself; we need not now be based, who shall go up to heaven to feek out a way for us, for Chrift is come from that place already; nor need we anxiously afk, Who shall defcend into the deep? for Chrift has been there already, and is come up again. The righteousness which is of faith will not fuffer us to fay, Who fhall afcend up into hea ven? for that were to bring Chrift thence; nor who shall defcend into the deep? for that were to bring up Christ again. And the only thing which foftereth perplexing doubts is, the lofing fight of, and ignorance of the fweet fruits that flow from Chrift's dying and rifing again. From verfe 8. OBSERVE, I. Minifters may and ought to use fuch a way of exhorting and dealing with people, as may be moft rouzing and upftiring; people being ordinarily carelefs and indifferent hearers even of truths of great concernment: therefore doth the apostle propofe this bufinefs dialogue-ways, But what faith it? The word is nigh thee, &c. II. It is the commendation of the way of faith, and of the new covenant of grace that it brings falvation home to folks doors, that they may embrace it with both heart' and mouth: The word is nigh thee, even in thy heart, and mouth. III. As the gofpel makes the way of falvation eafy, and brings pardon and life to our very doors; fo it makes falvation fure and unquestionable in itself; and be lievers |