2. Of these it was that he so affectionately speaks, in the beginning of this chapter. _My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness_ (of the justification that flows from his mere grace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son of his love, through the redemption which is in Jesus) _and seeking to establish their own righteousness_, (their own holiness, antecedent to faith in _him that justifieth the ungodly_, as the ground of their pardon and acceptance) _have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God_, and consequently seek death in the error of their life. 3. They were ignorant, that _Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth_, that by the oblation of himself once offered, he had put an end to the first law or covenant (which indeed was not given by God to _Moses_, but to _Adam_ in his state of innocence) the strict tenor whereof, without any abatement was, “Do this and live:” And at the same time purchased for us that better covenant, “Believe and live;” believe and thou shalt be saved; now saved both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence, from the wages of it. 4. And how many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are called by the name of Christ? How many who have now a _zeal for God_, yet have it not _according to knowledge_: but are still _seeking to establish their own righteousness_, as the ground of their pardon and acceptance; and therefore vehemently refuse, to _submit themselves unto the righteousness of God_? Surely my heart’s desire, and prayer to God for you, brethren, is, that ye may be saved. And in order to remove this grand stumbling-block out of your way, I will endeavour to shew, first, What _the righteousness_ is, _which is of the law_, and what _the righteousness which is of faith_; Secondly, The folly of trusting in _the righteousness of the law_, and the wisdom of _submitting to that which is of faith_. I. 1. And, first, _The righteousness which is of the law, saith, the man which doth these things, shall live by them_. Constantly and perfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt live for ever. This law or covenant (usually called, the covenant of _works_) given by God to man in paradise, required an obedience, perfect in all its parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the condition of his eternal continuance, in the holiness and happiness wherein he was created.