VeR. 19.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27, 439
and doth not make void God's riglit ; as a creditor doth not lose his right by the debtor's inability to pay him. If a man bind himself and his heirs to pay such a sum of money, and he will vainly spend his patrimony, and so render himself unable to pay it, he and his heirs are still liable to a process as long as the debt remaineth unpaid or unremitted. We and all ours are bound to perfect obedience for the future, and to make satisfaction for sin past, which we, that are poor creatures, sold under sin, are never able to do. Therefore this covenant doth absolutely put us into such a state as that there is no remedy for us but by flying to Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, This covenant is that which natural conscience worketh on, and seemeth most so to do ; so that when we urge men with this cov(i- nant, we do but beat them with their own weapons. When the covenant of works was made with Adam, all mankind were then in his loins ; it w'as made with him in their name ; and therefore men by nature do still retain a deep impression of this covenant, as appeareth in that as soon as conscience is awakened, it judgeth men according to this covenant ; as Eom. i. 32, the apostle speaks of the heathens, * Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.' The benumbed consciences of heathens, when they came to themselves, they were afraid of judgment according to the tenor of this covenant ; and the same is seen in the endeavour of a natural conscience to do something that may make a show of good works, and a tolerable plea by this covenant ; as in that pharisee's plea, Luke xviii. 11, 12, 'I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican/ Christ speaks it of those that trusted in their own righteousness ; the pharisee brings a little trash, a few inconsiderable things, ' I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess ; ' and this is his righteousness. Again, that natural conscience works towards this covenant seems plain by the strange affectation of the righteousness of works wh'.ch is in all men's hearts, and unwillingness to hear of any other : Eom. x. 3, ' They being igno- rant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.' A man would fain have a personal inherent righteousness in himself ; he is loath to be beholden to any other ; he would patch up any righteousness of his own, and is prone to trust in it ; a proud creature will not submit. Nay, even the regenerate, God's own children, though they are well instructed in the righteousness of faith, and sufficiently see the impossibility of a righteousness of works, though they have been under brokenness of heart, yet they are ever lingering after this covenant, with a natural desire of it, and to rest in their own duties ; and that was the reason of that expression of Luther, Every one of us hath a pope in his own belly ; something that pleads there for the merit of works.
Fourtldy, This is the most ready way to convince a justiciary, and to prepare men for Christ by a sight and sense of their own sin and misery and impotency by this covenant ; and this for several reasons —
Reason 1. Because every man is apt to flatter himself with a spurious covenant of works of his own making, which is the main let and hind- rance to keep him from Christ and salvation. There is a twofold
440 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. III.
covenant of works — one genuine and true, and of God's own institution ; another apocryphal and feigned, a bastard covenant of works, and of man's invention ; namely, that which a creature unable to perform the duty of the law, or to get from under the curse thereof, frameth out of his own brain, as by doing something in order to our acceptation with God, though not doing all that is required ; and to make recompense for the defects in the weighty things by abounding in externals. There is a covenant man makes of himself, by a short exposition of the law, that he may liave a large opinion of his own righteousness. It is not for the interest of their quiet and peace that the ell should be longer than the cloth, therefore, because they know they are not able to stand by the true genuine covenant of God's making, they make a covenant of their own, that so a blameless conformity to the outward letter of the law may make a recompense for their other defects, abounding in human inventions and observances of vain rites, as if this would inake them acceptable with God. This is the great thing which keeps him off from submitting to the gospel way of faith and repentance, and humbling himself before the Lord.
Reason 2. It must needs be a powerful instrument to prepare men for Christ, because this covenant shuts up a sinner without any hope of relief, unless Christ and grace open the door to him. There are three places of scripture which speak fully to this purpose : Kom. iii. 19, ' That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God ; ' viroSLKO'g rS 0ew, liable to his process and wrath, nothing to say for themselves, no plea to make by the first covenant : Rom. xi. 32, speaking of the Jews, he saith, ' For God hath concluded them all in unbelief.' By this covenant they are as it were shut up in prison, with no way to escape unless grace and mercy open the door. So Gal. iii. 22, ' The scripture ' (that is, the law covenant) hath con- cluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.' This covenant accusing, convincing, and condemning all mankind for sin, it doth as it were shut them up under the fearful curse, as a malefactor is shut up in prison ; so that a man is forced to lay aside all confidence of any righteousness in himself, and fly for refuge to the promises ; and to the righteousness of Christ. Let us see how this covenant shuts men up, and inevitably concludes them lost and undone. If this could be powerfully and thoroughly done, the work of conversion would not be at such a stand. Though all men be in such a cursed condition, yet it is a matter of no small difficulty to convince men of it, or to affect their hearts sensibly with it. Therefore if there were any way to shut them up without all hope, where there is not the least wicket or door open for escape from deserved wrath, then the work would powerfully go on, and they would be neces- sitated to fly to Christ. Let us see then how this law shuts men up, because the duty of it is impossible, and the penalty intolerable.