that no man might have anything to lay to the charge of the Lord for
His condemning of them that do transgress against the same. You know
that if a man should be had before an officer or judge, and there be
condemned, and yet by no law, he that condemns him might be very well
reprehended or reproved for passing the judgment; yea, the party
himself might have better ground to plead for his liberty than the
other to plead for the condemning of him; but this shall not be so in
the judgment-day, but contrariwise; for then every man shall be forced
to lay his hand on his mouth, and hold his tongue at the judgment of
God when it is passed upon them; therefore saith the Apostle, “What
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law”;
that is, all the commands, all the cursings and threatenings that are
spoken by it, are spoken, saith he, “that every mouth may be stopped”;
mark, I beseech you, “it saith,” saith he, “that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom 3:19). So
that now, in case any in the judgment-day should object against the
judgment of God, as those in the 25th of Matthew do, saying, Lord, when
saw we Thee thus and thus? and why dost Thou pass such a sad sentence
of condemnation upon us? surely this is injustice, and not equity: now
for the preventing of this the law was given; ay, and that it might
prevent thee to purpose, God gave it betimes, before either thy first
father had sinned, or thou wast born. So that again, if there should be
these objections offered against the proceedings of the Lord in justice
and judgment, saying, Lord, why am I thus condemned, I did not know it
was sin? Now against these two was the law given and that betimes, so
that both these are answered. If the first come in and say, Why am I
judged? why am I damned? then will the law come in, even all the Ten
Commandments, with every one of their cries against thy soul; the First
saying, He hath sinned against Me, damn him; the Second saying also, He
hath transgressed against Me, damn him; the Third also saying the same,
together with the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth;
even all of them will discharge themselves against thy soul if thou die
under the first covenant, saying, He or they have transgressed against
us, damn them, damn them: and I tell thee also, that these ten great
guns, the Ten Commandments, will, with discharging themselves in
justice against thy soul, so rattle in thy conscience, that thou wilt
in spite of thy teeth be immediately put to silence, and have thy mouth
stopped. And let me tell thee further, that if thou shalt appear before
God to have the Ten Commandments discharge themselves against thee,
thou hadst better be tied to a tree, and have ten, yea, ten thousand of
the biggest pieces of ordnance in the world to be shot off against
thee; for these could go no further but only to kill the body; but
they, both body and soul, to be tormented in Hell with the devil to all
eternity.
Third, Again; if the second thing should be objected, saying, But Lord,
I did not think this had been sin, or the other had been sin, for
nobody told me so; then also will the giving of the law take off that,
saying, Nay, But I was given to thy father Adam before he had sinned,
or before thou wast born, and have ever since been in thy soul to
convince thee of thy sins, and to control thee for doing the thing that
was not right. Did not I secretly tell thee at such a time, in such a
place, when thou wast doing of such a thing, with such an one, or when
thou was all alone, that this was a sin, and that God did forbid it,
therefore if thou didst commit it, God would be displeased with thee
for it: and when thou was thinking to do such a thing at such a time,
did not I say, Forbear, do not so? God will smite thee, and punish thee
for it if thou dost do it. And besides, God did so order it that you
had me in your houses, in your Bibles, and also you could speak and
talk of me; thus pleading the truth, thou shalt be forced to confess it
is so; nay, it shall be so in some sort with the very Gentiles and
barbarous people that fall far short of that light we have in these
parts of the world; for, saith the Apostle, “The Gentiles which have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these,
having not the law,” that is, not written as we have, yet they “are a
law unto themselves: which show the works of the law written in their
hearts” (Rom 2:14,15). That is, they have the law of works in them by
nature, and therefore they shall be left without excuse; for their own
consciences shall stand up for the truth of this where he saith, “Their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile
accusing or else excusing one another.” Ay, but when? Why, “in the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my
Gospel” (Rom 2:15,16). So this, I say, is another end for which the
Lord did give the law—namely, that God might pass a sentence in
righteousness, without being charged with any injustice by those that
shall fall under it in the judgment.
Fourth, A fourth end why the Lord did give the law it was, because they
that die out of Jesus Christ might not only have their mouths stopped,
but also that their persons “might become guilty before God” (Rom
3:19). And indeed this will be the ground of silencing, as I said
before, they finding themselves guilty, their consciences backing the
truth of the judgment of God passed upon them, “they shall become
guilty”—that is, they shall be fit vessels for the wrath of God to be
poured out into, being filled with guilt by reason of transgressions
against the commandments; thus, therefore, shall the parties under the
first covenant be “fitted to destruction” (Rom 9:22) even as wood or
straw, being well dried, is fitted for the fire; and the law was added
and given, and speaks to this very end, that sins might be shown,
mouths might be stopped from quarreling, and that “all the world,”
mark, “the world may become guilty before God,” and so be in justice
for ever and ever overthrown because of their sins.
And this will be so for these reasons—
1. Because God hath a time to magnify His justice and holiness, as well
as to show His forbearance and mercy. We read in Scripture that His
eyes are too pure to behold iniquity, and then we shall find it true
(Hab 1:13). We read in Scripture that He will magnify the law, and make
it honourable, and then He will do it indeed. Now, because the Lord
doth not strike so soon as He is provoked by sin, therefore poor souls
will not know nor regard the justice of God, neither do they consider
the time in which it must be advanced, which will be when men drop
under the wrath of God as fast as hail in a mighty storm (2 Peter 3:9;
Psa 50:21,22). Now, therefore, look to it all you that count the
long-suffering and forbearance of God slackness; and because for the
present He keepeth silence, therefore to think that He is like unto
yourselves. No, no; but know that God hath His set time for every
purpose of His, and in its time it shall be advanced most marvelously,
to the everlasting astonishment and overthrow of that soul that shall
be dealt withal by justice and the law. O! how will God advance His
justice! O! how will God advance His holiness! First, by showing men
that He in justice cannot, will not regard them, because they have
sinned; and, secondly, in that His holiness will not give way for such
unclean wretches to abide in His sight, His eyes are so pure.
2. Because God will make it appear that He will be as good as His Word
to sinners. Sinners must not look to escape always, though they may
escape awhile, yet they shall not go far all adoe unpunished; no, but
they shall have their due to a farthing, when every threatening and
curse shall be accomplished and fulfilled on the head of the
transgressor. Friend, there is never an idle word that thou speakest
but God will account with thee for it; there is never a lie thou
tellest, but God will reckon with thee for it; nay, there shall not
pass so much as one passage in all thy lifetime but God, the righteous
God, will have it in the trial by His law, if thou die under it, in the
judgment-day.
[WHO THEY ARE THAT ARE UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS.]
THIRD. But you will say—“But who are those that are thus under the
law?”
Answ. Those that are under the law may be branched out into three ranks
of men; either, first, such as are grossly profane, or such as are more
refined; which may be two ways, some in a lower sort, and some in a
more eminent way.
First, Then they are under the law as a Covenant of Works who are open
profane, and ungodly wretches, such as delight not only in sin, but
also make their boast of the same, and brag at the thoughts of
committing of it. Now, as for such as these are, there is a Scripture
in the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy Chapter 1, verses 9, 10, which
is a notable one to this purpose, “The law,” saith he, “is not made for
a righteous man,” not as it is a Covenant of Works, “but for the”
unrighteous or “lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for
sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers
of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile
themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars,” look to it,
liars, “for perjured persons, and,” in a word, “if there be any other
thing that is not according to sound doctrine.” These are one sort of
people that are under the law, and so under the curse of the same,
whose due is to drink up the brimful cup of God’s eternal vengeance,
and therefore I beseech you not to deceive yourselves; for “know ye not
that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers
of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1
Cor 6:9,10). Poor souls, you think that you may have your sins, your
lusts, and pleasures, and yet you shall do pretty well, and be let to
go free in the judgment-day; but see what God saith of such in
Deuteronomy 29:19, 20—which shall “bless himself in his heart, saying,
I shall have peace,” I shall be saved, I shall do as well as others, in
the day when God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ; but, saith God,
I will not spare them, no, but My anger and My jealousy shall smoke
against them. How far? Even to the executing all the curses that are
written in the Law of God upon them. Nay, saith God, I will be even
with them, “for I will blot out their names from under Heaven.” And
indeed it must of necessity be so, because such souls are unbelievers,
in their sins, and under the law, which cannot, will not, show any
mercy on them; for it is not the administration of mercy and life, but
the administration of death and destruction, as you have it (2 Cor
3:7,9); and all those, every one of them, that are open profane, and
scandalous wretches are under it, and have been so ever since they came
into the world to this day; and they will for certain live and die
under the same dispensation, and then be damned to all eternity, if
they be not converted from under that covenant into and under the
Covenant of Grace, of which I shall speak in its place; and yet for all
this, how brag and crank 6 are our poor wantons and wicked ones in this
day of forbearance! as if God would never have a reckoning with them,
as if there was no law to condemn them, as if there was no hellfire to
put them into. But O how will they be deceived when they shall see
Christ sitting upon the judgment-seat, having laid aside his priestly
and prophetical office, and appearing only as a judge to the wicked?
when they shall see all the records of Heaven unfolded and laid open;
when they shall see each man his name in the Book of Life, and in the
book of the law; when they shall see God in His majesty, Christ in His
majesty, the saints in their dignity, but themselves in their impurity.
What will they say then? whither will they fly then? where will they
leave their glory? O sad state! (Isa 10:3).
Second. They are under the law also who do not only so break and
disobey the law, but follow after the law as hard as ever they can,
seeking justification thereby—that is, though a man should abstain from
the sins against the law, and labour to fulfill the law, and give up
himself to the law, yet if he look no further than the law he is still
under the law, and for all his obedience to the law, the righteous Law
of God, he shall be destroyed by that law. Friend, you must not
understand that none but profane persons are under the law; no, but you
must understand that a man may be turned from a vain, loose, open,
profane conversation and sinning against the law, to a holy, righteous,
religious life, and yet be in the same state, under the same law, and
as sure to be damned as the other that are more profane and loose. And
though you may say this is very strange, yet I shall both say it and
prove it to be true. Read with understanding that Scripture in Romans
9:30-31, where the Apostle, speaking of the very thing, saith, “But
Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness”; mark, that
followed after the law of righteousness; they notwithstanding their
earnest pursuit, or hunting after the law of righteousness, “hath not
attained to the law of righteousness.” It signifies thus much to us,
that let a man be never so earnest, so fervent, so restless, so
serious, so ready, so apt and willing to follow the law and the
righteousness thereof, if he be under that covenant, he is gone, he is
lost, he is deprived of eternal life, because he is not under the
ministration of life if he die there. Read also that Scripture,
Galatians 3:10, which saith, “For as many as are of the works of the
law are under the curse”; mark, they that are of the works of the law.
Now, for to be of the works of the law, it is to be of the works of the
righteousness thereof—that is, to abstain from sins against the law,
and to do the commands thereof as near as ever they can for their
lives, or with all the might they have: and therefore I beseech you to
consider it, for men’s being ignorant of this is the cause why so many
go on supposing they have a share in Christ, because they are reformed,
and abstain from the sins against the law, who, when all comes to all,
will be damned notwithstanding, because they are not brought out from
under the Covenant of Works, and put under the Covenant of Grace.
Object. “But can you in very deed make these things manifestly evident
from the Word of God? Methinks to reason thus is very strange, that a
man should labour to walk up according to the Law of God as much as
ever he can, and yet that man notwithstanding this, should be still
under the curse. Pray clear it.”
Answ. Truly this doth seem very strange, I do know full well, to the
natural man, to him that is yet in his unbelief, because he goeth by
beguiled reason; but for my part, I do know it is so, and shall labour
also to convince thee of the truth of the same.
1. Then, the law is thus strict and severe, that if a man do sin but
once against it, he, I say, is gone for ever by the law, living and
dying under that covenant. If you would be satisfied as touching the
truth of this, do but read Galatians 3:10, where it saith “Cursed is
every one,” that is, not a man shall miss by that covenant, “that
continueth not in all,” mark, in all “things which are written in the
book of the law to do them.” (1.) Pray mark, here is a curse, in the
first place, if all things written in the book of the law be not done,
and that, continually too—that is, without any failing or one slip, as
I said before. Now there is never a one in the world but before they
did begin to yield obedience to the least command, they in their own
persons did sin against it by breaking of it. The Apostle, methinks, is
very notable for the clearing of this in Romans 3:5. In the one he
endeavours for to prove that all had transgressed in the first Adam as
he stood a common person, representing both himself and us in his
standing and falling. “Wherefore,” saith he, “as by one man sin entered
into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,”
mark that; but why? “for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). That is,
forasmuch as all naturally are guilty of original sin, the sin that was
committed by us in Adam; so this is one cause why none can be justified
by their obedience to the law, because they have in the first place
broken it in their first parents. But, (2.) in case this should be
opposed and rejected by quarrelsome persons, though there be no ground
for it, Paul hath another argument to back his doctrine, saying, For we
have proved (already) that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin.
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” “They are all
gone out of the way, they are together,” mark, together, “become
unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” “Their
throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit,
the poison of asps is under their lips.” Their “mouths are full of
cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood.” In a
word, “Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace
have they not known.” Now then, saith he, having proved these things so
clearly, the conclusion of the whole is this, “That what things soever
the law saith,” in both showing of sin, and cursing for the same, “it
saith” all “to them who are under the law that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom 3:10,19).
So that here, I say, lieth the ground of our not being justified by the
law, even because, in the first place, we have sinned against it; for
know this for certain, that if the law doth take the least advantage of
thee by thy sinning against it, all that ever thou shalt afterwards
hear from it is nothing but Curse, curse, curse him, “for not
continuing in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them.”
2. Thou canst not be saved by the righteous Law of God, the first
covenant, because that, together with this thy miserable state, by
original and actual sins, before thou didst follow the law, since thy
turning to the law thou hast committed several sins against the law—“In
many things we offend all.” So that now thy righteousness to the law
being mixed with sometimes the lust of concupiscence, fornication,
covetousness, pride, heart-risings against God, coldness of affection
towards Him, backwardness to good duties, speaking idle words, having
of strife in your hearts, and such like; I say, these things being
thus, the righteousness of the law is become too weak through this our
flesh (Rom 8:3), and so, notwithstanding all our obedience to the law,
we are yet through our weakness under the curse of the law; for, as I
said before, the law is so holy, so just, and so good, that it cannot
allow that any failing or slip should be done by them that look for
life by the same. “Cursed is every one that continuteth not in
everything” (Gal 3:10). And this Paul knew full well, which made him
throw away all his righteousness. But you will say, that was his own.
Answ. But it was even that which while he calls it his own, he also
calls it the righteousness of the law (Phil 3:7-10) and to account it
but dung, but as dirt on his shoes, and that, that he might be found in
Christ, and so be saved by Him “without the deeds of the law” (Rom
3:28). But,
3. Set the case, the righteousness of the law which thou hast was pure
and perfect, without the least flaw or fault, without the least mixture
of the least sinful thought, yet this would fall far short of
presenting of thee blameless in the sight of God. And that I prove by
these arguments—(1.) The first argument is, that that which is not
Christ cannot redeem souls from the curse, it cannot completely present
them before the Lord; now the law is not Christ; therefore the moral
law cannot, by all our obedience to it, deliver us from the curse that
is due to us (Acts 4:12). (2.) The second argument is, that that
righteousness that is not the righteousness of faith, that is, by
believing in Jesus Christ, cannot please God; now the righteousness of
the law as a Covenant of Works is not the righteousness of faith;
therefore the righteousness of the law as acted by us, being under that
covenant, cannot please God. The first is proved in Hebrews 11:6, “But
without faith it is impossible to please Him”; mark, it is impossible.
The second thus, “The law is not of faith” (Gal 3:12; Rom 10:5,6),
compared with Galatians 3:11. “But that no man is justified by the law
in the sight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith.
And the law is not of faith.”
But for the better understanding of those that are weak of
apprehension, I shall prove it thus—1. The soul that hath eternal life,
he must have it by right of purchase or redemption (Heb 9:12; Eph 1:7).
2. This purchase of redemption must be through the blood of Christ. “We
have redemption through His blood.” “Without shedding of blood is no
remission.” Now the law is not in a capacity to die, and so to redeem
sinners by the purchase of blood, which satisfaction justice calls for.
Read the same Scriptures (Heb 9:22). Justice calls for satisfaction,
because thou hast transgressed and sinned against it, and that must
have satisfaction; therefore all that ever thou canst do cannot bring
in redemption, though thou follow the law up the to the nail-head, as I
may say, because all this is not shedding of blood; for believe it, and
know it for certain, that though thou hadst sinned but one sin before
thou didst turn to the law, that one sin will murder thy soul, if it be
not washed away by blood, even by the precious blood of Jesus Christ,
that was shed when He did hang upon the cross on Mount Calvary.
Object. But you will say, “Methinks, that giving of ourselves up to
live a righteous life should make God like the better of us, and so let
us be saved by Christ, because we are so willing to obey His law.”
Answ. The motive that moveth God to have mercy upon sinners is not
because they are willing to follow the law, but because He is willing
to save them. “Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprighteous of
thine heart dost thou go to possess their land” (Deu 9:4-6). Now
understand this: if thy will to do righteousness was the first moving
cause why God had mercy on thee through Christ, then it must not be
freely by grace—I say, freely. But the Lord loves thee and saves thee
upon free terms, having nothing beforehand to make Him accept of thy
soul, but only the blood of Christ; therefore to allow of such a
principle it is to allow that grace is to be obtained by the works of
the law, which is as gross darkness as lies in the darkest dungeon in
Popery, and is also directly opposite to Scripture—For we are
“justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in
Christ”; not through the good that is in our selves, or done by us, no,
“but by faith, without”—mark that—“without the deeds of the law” (Rom
3:24-28). Again, “Not of works, least any man should boast” (Eph 2:9).
No, no, saith he, “Not according to our works,” or righteousness, “but
according to His own purpose”; mark “according to His own purpose and
grace, which was” a free gift, “given us in Christ Jesus,” not lately,
but “before the world began” (2 Tim 1:9).
Object. But you will say, “Then why did God give the law, if we cannot
have salvation by following of it?”
Answ. I told you before that the law was given for these following
reasons—1. That thou mightest be convinced by it of thy sins, and that
thy sins might indeed appear very sinful unto thee, which is done by
the law these ways—(1.) By showing of thee what a holy God He is that
did give the law; and, (2.) By showing thee thy vileness and
wickedness, in that thou, contrary to this holy God, hast transgressed
against and broken this His holy Law; therefore, saith Paul, “the law
entered, that the offence might abound,” that is, by showing the
creature the holiness of God, and also its own vileness (Rom 5:20). 2.
That thou mayest know that God will not damn thee for nothing in the
judgment-day. 3. Because He would have no quarreling at His just
condemning of them at that day. 4. Because He will make thee to know
that He is a holy God and pure.
WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN TO THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.
[FOURTH] Quest. “But seeing you have spoken thus far, I wish you would
do so much as to show in some particulars, both what men have done, and
how far they have gone, and what they have received, being yet under
this covenant, which you call the ministration of condemnation.”