3. These were the things which the righteousness of the law required, that he who did them might live thereby. But it farther required, that this entire obedience to God, this inward and outward holiness, this conformity both of heart and life to his will, should be perfect in _degree_. No abatement, no allowance could possibly be made, for falling short in any degree, as to any jot or ♦tittle, either of the outward or the inward law. If every commandment relating to outward things was obeyed, yet that was not sufficient, unless every one was obeyed with all the strength, in the highest measure, and most perfect manner. Nor did it answer the demand of this covenant, to love God with every power and faculty, unless he were loved with the full capacity of each, with the whole possibility of the soul.
4. One thing more was indispensably required by the righteousness of the law, namely, that this universal obedience, this perfect holiness both of heart and life, should be perfectly uninterrupted also, should continue without any intermission, from the moment wherein God created man, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, until the days of his trial should be ended, and he should be confirmed in life everlasting.
5. The righteousness then which is of the law, speaketh on this wise. “Thou, O man of God, stand fast in love, in the image of God wherein thou art made. If thou wilt remain in life, keep the commandments, which are now written in thy heart. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Love as thyself every soul that he hath made. Desire nothing but God. Aim at God in every thought, in every word and work. Swerve not in one motion of body or soul, from him thy mark and the prize of thy high calling. And let all that is in thee praise his holy name, every power and faculty of thy soul, in every kind, in every degree, and at every moment of thine existence. _This do, and thou shalt live_: thy light shall shine, thy love shall flame more and more, till thou art received up into the house of God in the heavens, to reign with him for ever and ever.”
6. _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 down Christ from above_ (as tho’ it were some impossible task, which God required thee previously to perform, in order to thine acceptance:) _or, who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring up Christ from the dead_; (as tho’ that were still remaining to be done, for the sake of which thou wert to be accepted.) _But what saith it? The word_ (according to the tenor of which, thou mayst now be accepted as an heir of life eternal) _is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith, which we preach_: the new covenant which God hath now established with sinful man, through Christ Jesus.
7. _By the righteousness which is of faith_, is meant, that condition of justification (and in consequence of present and final salvation, if we endure therein unto the end) which was given by God to _fallen man_, through the merits and mediation of his only begotten Son. This was in part revealed to _Adam_ soon after his fall, being contained in the original promise, made to him and his seed, concerning the seed of the woman, who should _bruise the_ serpent’s _head_.[17] It was a little more clearly revealed to _Abraham_, by the angel of God from heaven, saying, _By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed_.[18] It was yet more fully made known to _Moses_, to _David_, and to the prophets that followed: and through them, to many of the people of God, in their respective generations. But still the bulk even of these were ignorant of it; and very few understood it clearly. Still _life and immortality_ were not so _brought to light_ to the _Jews_ of old, as they are now unto us _by the gospel_.