id exactions of obedience, all come to this one great design, not that
we set about such a walking to please God, or do something to pacify him,
but that we being concluded under sin and wrath on the one hand, and an
impossibility to save ourselves on the other hand, Gal. iii. 22, Rom. v.
20, 21, may be pursued unto Jesus Christ for righteousness and life, who
is both able to save us and ready to welcome us. Therefore, the Gospel
opens the door of salvation in Christ, the law is behind us with fire and
sword, and destruction pursuing us, and all for this end, that sinners may
come to him and have life. Thus the law is made the pedagogue of the soul
to lead to Christ, Christ is behind us, cursing, condemning, threatening
us, and he is before with stretched out arms ready to receive us, bless
us, and save us, inviting, promising, exhorting to have life. Christ is on
Mount Sinai, delivering the law with thunders, Acts vii. 38, and he is on
the Mount Zion in the calm voice, he is both upon the mountain of cursings
and blessings, and on both doing the part of a mediator, Gal. iii. 10, 20.
It is love that is in his heart which made him first cover his countenance
with frowns and threats; and it is love that again displays itself in his
smiling countenance. Thus souls are enclosed with love pursuing and love
receiving, and thus the law, which seems most contrary to the Gospel,
testifies of Christ. It gives him this testimony, that except Salvation be
in him, it is nowhere else. The law says, "It is not in me, seek it not in
obedience, I can do nothing but destroy you, if you abide under my
jurisdiction." The ceremonies and sacrifices say, "If you can behold the
end of this ministry,--if a veil be not upon your hearts, as it was upon
Moses' face, (2 Cor. iii. 13) you may see where it is, it is not in your
obedience, but in the death and suffering of the Son of God whom we
represent." Then the Gospel takes all these coverings and veils away and
gives a plain and open testimony of him "There is no name under heaven to
be saved by, but Christ's." The Old Testament spake by figures and signs,
as dumb men do but the New speaks in plain words and with open face. Now I
say, for all this that there is no salvation but in him, yet many
souls--not only those who live in their gross sins and have no form of
godliness, but even the better sort of people that have some "knowledge"
and civility and a kind of "zeal for God,"--yet they do not "com