ROM. x. 5, 6, 7, 8.
_|Moses| describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise. Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down from above:
Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring Christ again from the dead.
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith, which we preach._
1. THE apostle does not here oppose the covenant given by _Moses_, to the covenant given by Christ. If we ever imagined this, it was for want of observing, that the latter, as well as the former part of these words, were spoken by _Moses_ himself, to the people of _Israel_, and that, concerning the covenant which then was. (_Deut._ xxx. 11, 12, 14.) But it is the covenant of _grace_, which God through Christ hath established with men in all ages, (as well before, and under the _Jewish_ dispensation, as since God was manifest in the flesh) which St. _Paul_ here opposes to the covenant of _works_, made with _Adam_ while in paradise; but commonly supposed to be the only covenant which God had made with man, particularly by those _Jews_ of whom the apostle writes.
2. Of these it was that he so affectionately speaks, in the beginning of this chapter. _My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness_ (of the justification that flows from his mere grace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son of his love, through the redemption which is in Jesus) _and seeking to establish their own righteousness_, (their own holiness, antecedent to faith in _him that justifieth the ungodly_, as the ground of their pardon and acceptance) _have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God_, and consequently seek death in the error of their life.
3. They were ignorant, that _Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth_, that by the oblation of himself once offered, he had put an end to the first law or covenant (which indeed was not given by God to _Moses_, but to _Adam_ in his state of innocence) the strict tenor whereof, without any abatement was, “Do this and live:” And at the same time purchased for us that better covenant, “Believe and live;” believe and thou shalt be saved; now saved both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence, from the wages of it.
4. And how many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are called by the name of Christ? How many who have now a _zeal for God_, yet have it not _according to knowledge_: but are still _seeking to establish their own righteousness_, as the ground of their pardon and acceptance; and therefore vehemently refuse, to _submit themselves unto the righteousness of God_? Surely my heart’s desire, and prayer to God for you, brethren, is, that ye may be saved. And in order to remove this grand stumbling-block out of your way, I will endeavour to shew, first, What _the righteousness_ is, _which is of the law_, and what _the righteousness which is of faith_; Secondly, The folly of trusting in _the righteousness of the law_, and the wisdom of _submitting to that which is of faith_.
I. 1. And, first, _The righteousness which is of the law, saith, the man which doth these things, shall live by them_. Constantly and perfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt live for ever. This law or covenant (usually called, the covenant of _works_) given by God to man in paradise, required an obedience, perfect in all its parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the condition of his eternal continuance, in the holiness and happiness wherein he was created.
2. It required, that man should fulfil all righteousness, inward and outward, negative and positive: that he should not only abstain from every idle word, and avoid every evil work, but should keep every affection, every desire, every thought in obedience to the will of God. That he should continue holy, as he which had created him was holy, both in heart and in all manner of conversation: that he should be pure in heart, even as God is pure; perfect as his Father in heaven was perfect: that he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength: that he should love every soul which God had made, even as God had loved him: that by this universal benevolence, he should _dwell in God_ (who is love) _and God in him_: that he should serve the Lord his God with all his strength, and in all things singly aim at his glory.