Man’s Inability to Keep the Moral Law
Quest. LXXXII. IS any man able perfectly to keep the commandmejits of God?
Aws. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them, in thought, word, and deed.
James iii. 2., “In many things we offend ail.” Man in his primitive state of innocency “‘hs endowed with ability to keep the wlioie moral law; Adam had rectitude of mind, sanctity of will, perfection of power; Adam had the copy of God’s law written on his heart; no sooner did God command, but he did obey; as the key is suited to all the wards in the lock, and can open them, so Adam had a power suited to all God’s commands, and could obey them. Adam’s obedience did exactly run parallel with the moral law, as a well-made dial goes exactly with the sun. Man in innoence was like a well-tuned organ, he did sweetly tune to the will of God; he was adorned with holiness as the angels, but not confirmed in holiness as the angels; Adam was holy but mutable; he fell from his purity, and we with him. Sin cut the lock of original righteousness where our strength lay; sin hath brought such a languor and faintness into our souls, and hath so weakened us, that we shall never recover our full strength till we put on immortality. The thing I am now to demonstrate, is, that we cannot yield perfect obedience to the moral law: “In many things we offend all.”
lst. The case of an unregenerate man is such, that he cannot perfectly obey all God’s
commands; he may as well touch the stars, or span the ocean, as yield exact obedience to the law. A person unregenerate cannot act spiritually, — he cannot pray in the Holy Ghost, — he cannot live by faith, — he cannot do duty out of love to duty, — and if he cannot do duty spiritually, then much less perfectly. Now, that a natural man cannot yield perlect obedience to the moral law, is evident: I. Because he is spiritually dead, Eph. ii. 1. And being so, how can he keep the commandments of God perfectly? A dead man is not fit for action. A sinner hath the symptoms of death upon him: (I.) He liatli no sense; a dead man hath no sense; lu hath no sense of the evil of sin, of God’s holiness and veracity; therefore he is said to be without feeling, Eph. iv. 19. (2.) He hath no strength, Rom. V. 6. What strength hath a dead man? A natural man hath no strength to deny himself, to resist temptation; he is dead, and can a dead man fulfil the moral law? — 2. A natural man cannot perfectly keep all God’s commandments because he is so interlarded with sin; he is born in sin, Ps. li. 5. Job xv, 16., “Which drinketh iniquity like water.” All the imaginations of his thoughts are evil, and only evil. Gen. vi. 4. Now the least evil thought is a breach of the royal law; and, if there be defection, there cannot be perfection. And, as a natural man hath no power to keep the moral law, so he hath no will. He is not only dead, but worse than dead; a dead man doth no hurt, but there is a life of resistance against God goes along
MAN’S INABILITY TO KEEP THE MORAL LAW.
with tlic dcatli of sin. A natural man not only cannot keep the law tliroutrli weakness, but lie breaks it throufrli wilfulness, Jcr. xliv. 17., “We will do whatsoever goetb forth out of our mouth, to burn incense to tlic queen of heaven.”
2d. As the unrogencrate cannot keep the moral law perfectly, so neither the regenerate: Eccl. vii. 20., “There is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not;” nay, that “sins not in doing good.” There is that in the best actions of a righteous man that is damnable, if God should weigh him in the balance of justice. Alas, how are his duties fly-blown! He cannot pray without wandering, nor believe without doubting: Rom. vii. 18., “To will is present with me, but how to perform I find not.” In the Greek it is, “How to do it thoroughly I find not.” Paul, thotigh a saint of the first magnitude, was better at willing than at performing. Mary asked where they had laid Christ: she had a mind to have carried him away, but she wanted strength: so the regenerate have a will to obey God’s law perfectly, but they want strength; their obedience is weak, and sickly; the mark they are to shoot at, is perfection of holiness; but though they take a right aim, yet do what they can, they shoot short: Rom. vii. 19., “The good that I would, I do not.” A Christian, while he is serving God, is hindered; like a ferry-man, that plies the oar, and rows hard, but a gust of wind carries him back again: so saith Paul, “The good that I would, I do not,” — I am driven back by temptation. Now, if there be any failure in our obedience, we cannot make a perfect commentary vipon God’s law; no Christian alive can write a copy of holiness without blotting. The Virgin Mary’s obedience was not perfect, she needed Christ’s blood to wash her tears. Aaron was to make atonement A)r the altar, Exod. xxix. 37., to shew that the most holy offering hath defilement in it, and needs atonement to be made for it.
Quest. 1. But if a man hath no power fo keep the whole moral lair, that why doth God require that of man which he is not able to perform? How .doth this stand with his justice?
Ans, Though man hath lof;t his power of
obeying, God hath not lost his right of commanding. If a master intrusts a servant with money to lay out, and the servant spends it dissolutely, may not the master justly demand this money? God gave us a ])ower to keep the moral law; we, by tanijtering with sin, lost it: but may not (lod still call for perfect obedience.’’ Or, in case of default, justly punish us?
Quest. 2. But why doth God suffer such an imjMjtency to lie vpcm man that he cannot perfectly keep the law?
Ans. The Lord doth it, 1. To humble us. Man is a self-exalting creature; and, if he hath but any thing of worth, he is ready tt) be puffed up; but when he comes to see his deficiencies and failings, and how far short be comes of the holiness and perfection God’s law requires, this is a means to pull down his plumes of pride, and lay them in the dust; he weeps over his impotency, — he blusheth over his leprous spots, — he saith, as Job, “I abhor myself in dust and ashes.” — 2. God lets this impotency and infirmness be upon us, that we may have recourse to Christ, to obtain ])ardon for our defects, and to sprinkle our best duties with his blood. AVhen a man sees himself indebted, he owes perfect obedience to the law, but he hath nothing to pay; this mtdtes him flee to Christ to be his friend, and answer all the demands and challenges of the law, and set him free in the court of j ustice.
Use 1>^. Is matter of humiliation for our fall in Adam. In the state of innocency we were perfectly holy; our minds were crowned with knowledge, and our wills, as a queen, did sway the scejitrc of liberty; but now we may say, as Lam. v. 16., “The crown is fallen from our head.” We liavc lost that power which was inherent in us. “WHien we look back to our j)rin)itivc glory when we shone as earthly angels, we may take up Job’s words, chap. xxix. 2.,” O that I were as in months past!’’ O that it were with us as at first, when there was no stain upon our virgin nature, when there was a perfect harmony between God’s law and man’s will! But, alas! how the scene is altered; our strength is gone from us, — we tread awry every st(pj), — we come below every precept,- our dwarfishncss will not reach the sublimity of God’s law, — we fail in our obedience, — and, while we fail, we forfeit. This may put us in close mourninjy, and spring a leak of sorrow in all our souls.
Use 2(1. Of Confutation. 1. It confutes the Anninians, who cry up the power of the will; they hold they have a will to save themselves, but by nature, we not only want strength, Rom.. 9., but we want will to that which is good. The will is not only full of impotency, but obstinacy, Ps. lxxxi. 11., “Israel would none of me.” The will hangs forth a flag of defiance against God. Such as speak of the sovereign power of the will, forget Phil. ii. 13., “It is God that workoth in you both to will and to do.” If the jjower be in the will of man, then what netds (Jod work in us to will? If the air can enlighten itself, what needs the sun to shin<’? Such as talk of the power of nature, and the ability they liHve to save themselves, liiey disparage Christ’s merits. I may say, as Gal. v. 4., “Christ is become of no effect to them.” This I affirm, such as advance the power of their will in matters of salvation, without the medicinal grace of Christ, do absolutely jmt themselves under the covenant of works. And now I would ask them, can they perfectly keep the moral law? Malum oritur ex quulibet defectu. If there be but the least defect in their obedience, they are gone; for one sinful thought, the law of God curseth them, and the justice of God arraigns them. Confounded be their pride, who cry up the power of nature, as if, by their own inherent abilities, they could rear up a building, the top whereof should reach to heaven!
2. It confutes a sort of people that brag of perfection, and according to that principle, they can keep all God’s commandments perfectly. I would ask these, has there at no time a vain thoujiht come into their minds? If there has, then they are are not perfect. The ^•irgin Mary was not perfect; though her womb was pure, (being overshadowed with the Holy Ghost) yet her soul was not perfect; Christ doth tacitly imply a failing in her, Luke ii. 49. And, are they more perfect than the blessed Virgin was? Such as hold perfection,
need not confess sin. David confessed sin, Ps. xxxii. 5., and Paul confessed sin, Rom. vii. 25.; but they are got beyond David and Paul; they are perfect, — they never transgress, — -“nnd where there is no transgression, what needs confession? — 2c//y, If they are perfect they need not ask pardon; they can pay God’s justice what they owe; therefore what need they pray, “Forgive us our debts?” Oh that the devil should rock men so fast asleep as to make them dream of perfection! And whereas they bring that, Phil. iii. 15., “Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded.” Answer, perfection there, is meant of sincerity. God is best able to interpret his own word. He calls sincerity, perfection; Job i. 8., “A perfect and an upright man.” But who is exactly perfect? A man full (»f diseases mav as well say he is healthful, as a man full of sin say he is perfect!
Use Sd. To regenerate persons. Though you fail in your obedience, and cannot keep the moral law exactly, yet be not discouraged.
Quest. flTiat comfort may be given to a regenerate person under the failures and imperfections of his obedience?
Ans. 1. That a believer is not under the covenant of works, but under the covenant of grace. The covenant of works, requires perfect, personal, perpetual obedience; but in the covenant of grace, God will make some abatements, he will accept of less than he required in the covenant of works.
(1.) In the covenant of works God required perfection of degrees, — in the covevenant of grace, he accepts perfection of parts: there he required perfect working, — here he accepts sincere believing; in the covenant of works, God required us to live without sin, — in the covenant of grace, God accepts of our combat with sin.
(2.) Though a Christian cannot, in his own person, perform all God’s commandments, vet Christ, as his surety, and in his stead, hath fulfilled the law for him, and God accepts of Christ’s obedience, which is perfect, to satisfy for that obedience which is imperfect. Christ being made a curse for believers, all the curses of the law have their sting pulled out.
(3.) Though a Christian cannot keep the
ALL SINS NOT EQUALLY HEINOUS.
commands of God to satisfaction, yet he may to approbation.
Quest. How is that?
Ans. 1. He gives his full assent and consent to the law of God: Rom. vii. 12., “The law is holy and just;’’ there was as- i gent in the judgment; Rom. vii. 16., “I consent to the law;” there was consent in the will. I
A. 2. A Christian mourns that he cannot keep the commandments fully; when he fails, he weeps; he is not angry with the law because it is so strict, but he is angry with himself because he is so deficient.
A. 3. He takes a sweet complacential delight in the law: Rom. vii. 22., “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” Or. [Synedomai,’] ‘I take pleasure in it.’ Ps. cxix. 9T., “O how love I thy law!” Though a Christian cannot keep God’s law, yet he loves his law; though he cannot serve God perfectly, yet he serves him willingly.
A. 4. It is his cordial desire to walk in all God’s commands, Ps. cxix. 5., “O that nay ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” Though his strength fails, yet his pulse beats.
A. 5. He doth really endeavour to obey God’s law perfectly; and wherein he comes short he runs to Christ’s blood to make supply for his defects. This cordial desire, and real endeavour, God esteems as perfect obedience, 2 Cor. viii. 12., “If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted.” “Let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice,” Cant. ii. 14. Though the prayers of the righteous are mixed with sin, yet God sees they would pray better; God picks out the weeds from the flowers; he sees the faith and winks at the failing. The saint’s obedience, though he falls short of legal perfection, yet having sincerity in it, and Christ’s merits mixed with it, finds gracious acceptance. When the Lord sees endeavours after perfect obedience, this he takes well at our hands; as a father that receives a letter from his child, though there be blots in the letter, and false spellings, yet the father takes all in good part. O what blottings are there in our holy things! but God is pleased to take all in good part. Saith God, “It is my child, and he would do better if he could; I will accept it.”