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.
5. How clearly does this agree with the experience of every true believer! While he cries out, O what love have I unto thy law! All the day long is my study in it; he sees daily in that divine mirror, more and more of his own sinfulness. He sees more and more clearly, that he is still a sinner in all things; that neither his heart nor his ways are right before God. And that every moment sends him to Christ. This shews him the meaning of what is written, Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, Holiness to the Lord. And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead (the type of our great highpriest) that Aaron may bear the iniquities of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hollow, in all their holy gifts: (so far are our prayers or holy things from atoning for the rest of our sin!) And it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. Exod. xxviii. 36, 38.
6. To explain this by a single instance. The law says, Thou shalt not kill, and hereby (as our Lord teaches) forbids not only outward acts, but every unkind word or thought. Now the more I look into this perfect law, the more I feel how far I come short of it: and the more I feel this, the more I feel my need of his blood to atone for all my sin: and of his Spirit to purify my heart, and make me perfect and entire, lacking nothing.
7. *Therefore I cannot spare the law one moment, no more than I can spare Christ: Seeing I now want it as much, to keep me to Christ, as I ever wanted it to bring me to him. Otherwise, this evil heart of unbelief would immediately depart from the living God. Indeed each is continually sending me to the other, the law to Christ, and Christ to the law. On the one hand, the height and depth of the law constrain me to fly to the love of God in Christ. On the other, the love of God in Christ, endears the law to me above gold or precious stones: seeing I know every part of it, is a gracious promise, which my Lord will fulfil in its season.