IV. 1. It remains only, to shew, in the fourth and last place, the uses of the law. And the first use of it without question is, to convince the world of sin. This is indeed the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost: who can work it without any means at all, or by whatever means it pleaseth him, however insufficient in themselves, or even improper to produce such an effect. And accordingly some there are whose hearts have been broken in pieces in a moment, either in sickness or in health, without any visible cause, or any outward means whatever. And others (one in an age) have been awakened to a sense of the _wrath of God abiding on_ them, by hearing, that _God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself_. But it is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God, to convict sinners by the law. It is this, which being set home on the conscience, generally breaketh the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of _the word of God_, which is ζῶν καὶ ἐνεργής, _quick and powerful_, full of life and energy, _and sharper than any two-edged sword_. This in the hand of God and of those whom he hath sent, _pierces_ through all the folds of a deceitful heart, and _divides asunder even the soul and spirit_, yea, as it were, the very _joints and marrow_. By this is the sinner discovered to himself. All his fig-leaves are torn away, and he sees that he is _wretched and poor and miserable and blind and naked_. The law flashes conviction on every side. He feels himself a mere sinner. He has nothing to pay. His _mouth is stopt_, and he stands _guilty before God_.
2. To slay the sinner is then the first use of the law; to destroy the life and strength wherein he trusts, and convince him that he is dead while he liveth; not only under the sentence of death, but actually dead unto God, void of all spiritual life, _dead in trespasses and sins_. The second use of it is, to bring him unto life, unto Christ, that he may live. ’Tis true, in performing both these offices, it acts the part of a severe school-master. It drives us by force, rather than draws us by love. And yet love is the spring of all. It is the spirit of love, which by this painful means, tears away our confidence in the flesh, which leaves us no broken reed whereon to trust, and so constrains the sinner stript of all, to cry out in the bitterness of his soul, or groan in the depth of his heart,
“I give up every plea beside Lord, I am damn’d――but thou hast died.”
3. The third use of the law is, to keep us alive. It is the grand means whereby the blessed Spirit prepares the believer for larger communications of the life of God.
I am afraid this great and important truth is little understood, not only by the world, but even by many whom God hath taken out of the world, who are real children of God by faith. Many of these lay it down as an unquestioned truth, that when we come to Christ, we have done with the law; and that in _this_ sense, _Christ is the end of the law, to every one that believeth. The end of the law._ So he is, _for righteousness_, for justification _to every one that believeth_. Herein the law is at an end. It justifies none; but only brings them to Christ. Who is also in another respect, _the end_ or scope _of the_ law, the point at which it continually aims. But when it has brought us to him, it has yet a farther office, namely, to keep us with him. For it is continually exciting all believers, the more they see of its height and depth and length and breadth, to exhort one another so much the more,
“Closer and closer let us cleave To his belov’d embrace: Expect his fulness to receive, And grace to answer grace.”
4. *Allowing then that every believer has done with the law, as it means the _Jewish_ ceremonial law, or the entire _Mosaic_ dispensation (for these _Christ hath taken out of the way_) yea, allowing we have done with the moral law, as a means of procuring our justification (for we are _justified freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus_). Yet in another sense, we have not done with this law. For it is still of unspeakable use, first, in convincing us of the sin that yet remains both in our hearts and lives, and thereby keeping us close to Christ, that his blood may cleanse us every moment; secondly, in deriving strength from our head into his living members, whereby he impowers them to do what his law commands; and thirdly, in confirming our hope of whatsoever it commands, and we have not yet attained, of receiving grace upon grace, till we are in actual possession of the fulness of his promises.