The Law

 No man can be justified by the law, because the law condemns every sin, and every sinner for every sin. The law of God is so strict, that it condemns every sin. Now, that which condemns, cannot justify: for these two are contrary, "As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse," (Gal. 3:10). The apostle Paul was a bold divine; he spoke the truth of God boldly, and cared not what men thought of it. Had the apostle said, "As many as break the law, are under the curse," we would have thought that pretty tolerable; but saith he, "As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse." Why so? Because their works are not perfect; for it is written, saith the apostle, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." The law curseth every one that cannot fulfil it; if a man could fulfil the whole law of God, and transgress but in one point, yet that one sin would be condemned by the law, and the sinner for it.

 No man can be justified by the works of the law, because every man is a sinner: "What things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may become guilty before God: therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God; for by the law is the knowledge of sin," (Rom. 3:19, 20) The question that the apostle is there upon, is on this point, that is so great a point in the Christian religion, How shall a sinner be justified before God? It is not how a holy man may be justified;— it is not how a man that never sinned may be justified; but it is, How shall a sinner be justified? A man that is flesh be justified? Now, saith the apostle, there is no flesh justified in the sight of God.

. The law knows no mercy. Mercy and grace belong to another court than the law: "The law came by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," (John 1:17). Condemnation for sin belongs to the law, but justification from sin belongs to the gospel. The law hath nothing to do with the one, and the gospel hath nothing to do with the other. The law hath nothing to do to condemn them that the gospel absolves. But you will say, "Is not this a great fault in the law, that it cannot justify a man?" The apostle speaks some way like this in Heb. 7:18, 19; though I do believe that the apostle there rather means the Old Testament dispensation, than this law, in its more general comprehensive sense, that I am now speaking of: "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh to God." This is a common thought arising in the hearts of men, "Is it not a fault in the law, that it cannot justify a man? Is it not a fault that the law can send men to hell, but not bring them to heaven?" I answer, No: It is the excellency of the law; not its fault, but its glory; for let us consider a little what the law doth about righteousness.

 The law discloses and reveals a perfect righteousness; there is no surer, no better rule of righteousness in this world, than the holy law of God: therefore, when our Lord is dealing with a poor carnal legalist, a puffed-up young man, that came to him, in great haste, with great zeal, running to him like a man that would be in heaven before any body else, "Good master, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Saith our Lord, "You know, no man can come to heaven, but he that is perfectly righteous; now the only rule of perfect righteousness is the law of God; and seeing thou art in the vein for doing," "keep the commandments." The poor man, not knowing his own heart, nor the breadth of God's law, replies, "All these things have I kept from my youth up." Saith our Lord, "I will prove thee a breaker of the law, and a gross one too;" "Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; and follow me, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven." Not that a title to eternal life comes to any man by giving his estate to the poor; but our Lord hereby reveals the rottenness of the poor self-justified man's heart, that the man quickly, before all the company, revealed that his estate was more valuable to him than eternal life. Our Lord would have him give an evident proof, that his heart was disengaged from the world, and then follow him, and he should be saved; but he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions, (Matt. 19:16), There is a perfect rule of righteousness in the law of God, for the most perfect creature that ever was: for sinless Adam in his state of innocency. "The law of God is perfect:" so it is often called in the word of God.