^ Aug. Retract., lib, ii. cap. 45 ; et Epist. 102 adEvodium ; et Epist. 29 ad Hieron.
214 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. II. 10.
heathens may have a cooler hell. (3.) You cannot apply it to them whose care of obedience is universal, though the success be not answerable : Ps. cxix. G, ' Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments ; ' not when I have observed, but when I have respect. Gracious hearts look to all, when they cannot accomplish all ; and upon every known defect and failing they humble themselves, and seek mercy. It doth not exclude them, for then it would exclude all. But when men allow and please themselves in a partial obedience, without fore-care, present-striving, and after-grief, they come under the terror of this sentence, God will dispense with none that can dispense with themselves in any known failing. (4.) You must not urge this sentence to the exclusion of the comforts of the gospel, and the hopes that we have by the grace of God in Christ : for this sentence in itself is legal, the very rigour of the law, and such sayings brook the exceptions of repentance and free grace : for the rigour of the law can only take place on those that are under the bond of it, and are not freed by Christ. That this is the voice of the law is plain, because it consenteth with that sum and tenor of it which is laid down Deut. xxvii. 26, ' Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of this law to do them.' If they failed but in a cir- cumstance, in a ceremony, they were under the power of the curse. So the apostle urgeth it, Gal. iii. 10, ' As many as are under the works of the law, are under the curse ; for cursed is he that continueth not in all things to do them.' Now Clirist hath redeemed all those that have in- terest in him from this curse, by being (as the apostle saith there, ver. lo) ' made a curse for us ;' so that there is a remedy in Christ, of which we are possessed by faith and repentance. And let it not seem strange to any that I say the sentence is legal, for many of that nature are here and there intermixed and scattered throughout the gospel, because they are of excellent use and service for gospel ends and purposes : as to convince hypocrites, whose obedience is always partial ; to drive men to the grace revealed in the gospel ; and for the guidance and rule of Christians, that they may know the whole will of God. For though we are freed from the rigour of the law, yet we ought to look to the whole rule, and, as much as in us lietli, to strive, /a?) irraieiv iv ei/t, not to offend in one point and tittle, not to rest in their imperfec- tions, but to strive against them. Christ hath again revived this strictness : Mat. v. 19, ' Whosoever shall break one of these command- ments, and teach men to do so, shall be least in the kingdom of God ;' that is, shall not be owned for a gospel minister. Christ is chary of his least saints and least commandments. Though there be a pardon, of course, for infirmities and lailings, yet Christ hath not abated any- thing of the strictness of the law. The Pharisees thought that some commandments were little and arbitrary; and therefore the lawyer came to Christ : Mat. xxii. 3G, ' Master, which is the great command- ment in the law?' It is true, some duties are more excellent; but the question was propounded according the mind of the Pharisees, who accounted outward devotionary acts most singular, and their own traditions weighty things ; now he comcth to sec if Christ liked the distribution. (5.) You must not urge this sentence to pervert the order of the commandments ; as if a man, in comraitting theft, com-
JaS. II. 10.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 215
mitted adultery ; and in committing adultery, he committed murder. It is notable the apostle doth not say, ' He transgresseth all,' but ' he is guilty of all' The precepts are not to be taken disjunctim, but conjunctim and compleiive ; not severally, but altogether, as they make one entire law and rule of righteousness, the contempt reflect- ing upon the whole law when it is wilfully violated in one part ; as he that wrongeth one member, wrongeth the whole man or body of which it is a part. The text being vindicated, I shall sum up the whole verse into one observation, which is : —
Ohs. That voluntary and allowed neglects of any part of the law make us guilty of the violation of the whole law. Many reasons might be urged to mollify the seeming asperity and rigour of the point ; as partly because the contempt of the same authority is mani- fested in the breach of one as well as of all : all the commands are equal in regard of God ; they are all ratified by the same authority, which man contemneth when he maketh his own will the measure of obedience ; and partly because the same curse is deserved, which, when neglects are voluntary, taketh place ; partly because the law is but one copulation, like a chain which is dissolved by the loosening of one link ; partly because all sin proceedeth from the same corruption : the least sin is contrary to love, as well as the least drop of water to fire ;^ partly because amongst men it is counted equal : one condition not observed forfeiteth the whole lease ; and partly because one sin- cere duty hath much promised to it, and therefore one sin hath its proportionable guilt. True love is called a ' fulfilling of the wholo law,' Eom. xiii. 8. And, in God's account, he that sincerely repenteth of one sin, repenteth of all. And so, on the contrary, one allowed sin is virtually a violation of the whole law ; and, therefore, when some went to gather manna on the Sabbath day, God said, Exod. xvi. 28, ' How long will ye refuse to keep my commandments and my laws ? ' implying that in the breach of that one they had broken all.