he gospel. Paul makes
the commandment to contradict them, and agree with the gospel, and to be
so far from disagreeing with it, that it hath a great affinity with it as
the mean to the end as that which is unperfect, without its own complement
and perfection. Faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, quieting a
man's conscience, is the very intent of the law, and the command was never
given since Adam, to justify men by obedience to it, but to pursue men
after Christ. And to satisfy you more fully, and clear it up he says,
though the end of the command be not to justify, but to pursue a man from
it to Christ, yet the command suffers no prejudice by this means, but
rather is established by faith, the end of it, because this faith
persuades the heart, and makes a man obey out of love to God, whereas
before it should never have gotten any obedience, while men sought
salvation by it.

You see then, there is an admirable harmony and consent between these
things that are set at variance, both in the opinion and practice of the
times. For what seems more contrary than the cursing commanding law, and
the absolving promising gospel? Yet here they are agreed. Doth not justice
go cross to mercy in the ordinary notion? Yet here there is a friendly
subordination of justice to mercy, of the law to the gospel. Behold how
faith is environed with the law, commanding and cursing on the one hand,
and obedience to the command on the other hand, how faith is the middle
party. A good conscience could never meet with the command since Adam's
fall. A pure heart, and the obedience of love, had casten out(461) with
the command, but here is the union, the meeting of old friends. Faith is
the mediator, as it were, and the gospel comes between them, and so they
dare meet again. Christ Jesus, who is our peace to make two one, comes in
the middle, and takes away the difference. The law never meets with an
obedient servant, or friend, till it meet first with Christ. It can find
none righteous in all the world, none upright. Here you have the law's
command and curse reconciled with the gospel's promise, and absolution
reconciled with new obedience unto the command, the command leading to
Christ, and Christ leading the man just back again to the command, the
command serving Christ's design, and Christ serving the command. And this
is the round that the believer shall go about in, until sin shall be no
more. He shall be put over from one hand to another,