V. THE LAW.

Its nature and effects.

The law is the chief and most pure resemblance of the justice and holiness of the heavenly Majesty, and doth hold forth to all men the sharpness and keenness of his wrath.

This is the rule and line and plummet whereby every act of every man shall be measured; and he whose righteousness is not found every way answerable to this law, which all will fall short of but they that have the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ, he must perish.

The law is spiritual, I am carnal.  Therefore every requirement is rejected and rebelled against.  Strike a steel against a flint, and the fire flies about you.  Strike the law against a carnal heart, and sin appears, sin multiplies, sin rageth, sin is strengthened.

Sin seen in the glass of the law is a terrible thing; no man can behold it and live.  “When the commandment came, sin revived and I died;” when it came from God to my conscience, as managed by an almighty arm, then it slew me.  And now is the time to confess sin, because now a soul knows what it is, and sees what it is, both in the nature and consequence of it.

He that is under the law is under the edge of the axe.

The proper work of the law is to slay the soul, and leave it dead, in a helpless state.

The law has laid all men for dead as they come into the world; but all men do not see themselves dead, until they see the law that struck them dead striking in their souls and having struck them that fatal blow.  As a man that is fast asleep in a house, and that on fire about his ears, and he not knowing it because he is asleep; even so because poor souls are asleep in sin, though the wrath of God, the curse of his law, and the flames of hell have beset them round about, yet they do not believe it because they are asleep in sin.  Now, as he that is awakened and sees this, sees that through this he is a dead man, even so they that see their state by nature, being such a sad condition, do also see themselves by that law to be dead men naturally.

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.  For thus reason will say, Here is a righteous law, the rule of life and death; besides, what can be better than to love God, and my neighbor as myself?  Again, God has 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 addicts himself to religion.