to be led to Christ. The law, even as a
covenant of works, is of perpetual use to a believer, because it lays a
blessed necessity upon him to abide with Christ. It is a guard put before
the door, to keep him, as it was a schoolmaster to bring him to Christ,
and makes a man subordinate to the gospel as a mean to the end, and so it
ought to be used. So then it is against the truth [to say] that the
Israelites were under the law, and not Christians. The law came not to be
a mean of life and righteousness unto them, but that the offence might
abound, that so grace might superabound. The law was not intended, but
Christ was intended, and this end they could not fix their eyes upon, by
reason of the hardness of their hearts. It is also false, that Christian
believers are wholly exeemed(473) from the command and law. No, he hath
use of all that leads to Jesus Christ, and the law itself becomes gospel
under that notion. The command stands in its integrity, that he may be
convinced of shortcoming and inability, and so may believe in Christ. The
curse also stands, and condemns him for new sins, that he may believe in
Christ, who justifies the ungodly. Again, it is not truth, that the law
is no mean of conversion, though not in its own virtue and power, but as
it is delivered in a Mediator's hand, and applied by the Spirit of grace
and the gospel.

Use VI: We exhort you not to disappoint God of his end, and if he hath
given the law for this end, never rest till ye be at the end. Let the law
enter into you once, or enter ye into it. Ye cannot come to Jesus unless
it lead you. Let it enter into your consciences, with God's power and
authority as his law, and examine yourselves by it, else ye shall never
believe in Christ. 2. Accept all the challenges of the law, let it enter
till your mouth be stopped. Read your obligation well, that ye may see how
much ye owe. 3. Let faith be the issue and result of all the applications
of the law to yourselves. Ye go in the law's hand to Christ, but sit not
down with it, or else you will not go free till ye have paid the last
farthing. Make faith in Christ the end of the curse condemning you, that
he may absolve you, the end of the command, commanding, that he may give
strength and fulfil in you the righteousness of the law. God never sent a
condition to you, but that you may believe, and be established. 4. Let it
be your exercise to travel between an impossible command, and Christ Jesus
by faith