Men may be subdued by the power of the law, and compelled to habituate themselves unto a strict course of duty, and being advan- taged therein by a sedate natural constitution, desire of applause, self-righteousness, or superstition, may make a great appearance of holiness; but if the principle of what they do be only the com- mands of the law, they never tread one true step in the paths of it.
2. The end why these commands require all the duties of lioli- ness of us is, that they may be our righteousness before God, or that we may he justified therel)y: for " Moses describeth the righteous- ness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall
CHAP. III.] THE COMMANDS OF GOD. 60 7
live by them," Rom. x. 5; that is, it requires of us all duties of obedience unto this end, that we may have justification and eternal life by them. But neither on this account can any such argument be taken as those we inquire into; for by the deeds of the law no man can be justified: " If thou, LoED, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" Ps. cxxx. 3. So prays David, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified," Ps. cxliii. 2; E,om. iii. 20; Gal. ii. 16. And if none can attain the end of the command, as in this sense they cannot, what argument can we take from thence to prevail with them unto obedi- ence? Whosoever, therefore, presseth men unto holiness merely on the commands of the law, and for the ends of it, doth but put them upon tormenting disquietments and deceive their souls. However, men are indispensably obliged hereby, and those must eternally perish for want of what the law so requires who do not or will not by faith comply with the only remedy and provision that God hath made in this case. And for this reason we are necessitated to deny a possi- bility of salvation unto all to whom the gospel is not preached, as well as unto those by whom it is refused ; for they are left unto this law, whose precepts they cannot answer, and whose end they cannot attain.
It is otherwise on both these accounts with the commands of God for holiness under the new covenant, or in the gospel ; for, —
] . Although God in them requireth universal holiness of us, yet he doth not do it in that strict and rigorous way as by the law, so as that if we fail in any thing, either as to the matter or manner of its performance, in the substance of it or as to the degrees of its per- fection, that thereon both that and all we do besides should be re- jected. But he doth it with a contemperation oi grace and mercy, , so as that if there be a universal sincerity, in a respect unto all his commands, he both pardoneth many sins, and accepts of what we do, though it come short of legal perfection ; both on the account of the m.ediation of Christ. Yet this hindereth not but that the law or com- mand of the gospel doth still require universal holiness of us, and jDerfection therein, which we are to do our utmost endeavour to com- ply withal, though we have a relief provided in sincerity on the one hand and mercy on the other; for the commands of the gospel do still declare what God approves and what he doth condemn, — which is no less than all holiness on the one hand and all sin on the other, — as exactly and extensively as under the law : for this the very nature of God requireth, and the gospel is not the ministry of sin, so as to give an allowance or indulgence unto the least, although in it par- don be provided for a multitude of sins by Jesus Christ. The obli- gation on us unto holiness is equal unto what it was under the
608 HOLINESS NECESSARY FROM [BOOK V.
law, though a rehef be provided where unavoidably we come short of it. There is, therefore, nothing more certain than that there is no relaxation given us as unto any duty of holiness by the gospel, nor any indulgence unto the least sin. But yet, upon the supposition of the acceptance of sincerity, and a perfection of parts instead of de- grees, with the mercy provided for our failings and sins, there is an arg-ument to be taken from the command of it unto an indispensable necessity of holiness, including in it the highest encouragement to endeavour after it; for, together with the command, there is also grace administered, enabling us unto that obedience which God will accept. Nothing, therefore, can void or evacuate the power of this command and argument from it but a stubborn contempt of God, arising from the love of sin.
2. The commands of the gospel do not require holiness and the duties of righteousness of us to the same end as the commands of the laiu did, — namely, that thereby we might he justified in the sight of God; for whereas God now accepts from us a holiness short of that which the law required, if he did it still for the same end, it would reflect dishonour upon his own righteousness and the holiness of the gospel. For, —