are not initiated in the new covenant, yet to have a power of their own to fulfil the command of the one or the other ; which God neither giveth nor is obliged to give. Nor is it necessary to prove that the command is equal and holy; for, as was observed, God giveth us no command for holiness and obedience but in, with, and by virtue of some covenant. And there is no more required to prove them to be just and equal, but that they are easy unto them who walk with God in that covenant whereunto they do belong, and that that performance of them shall be accepted which they have power for. If any will sinfully cast away their covenant interest and privilege, as we all did that of our original creation, we must thank ourselves if we have not power to answer its commands. Nor doth it belong unto the equity of the commands of the new covenant that those who are not yet made partakers of it by grace should have power to fulfil them. Nay, if they had so, and should do so accordingly (were any such thing possible), it would not avail them : for being supposed not as yet to belong unto the new covenant, they must belong unto the old; and the performance of the commands of the new covenant, in the way and manner which are required therein, would not avail them who are really under the rule and law of the old, which admits of nothing short of absolute perfection. But " what the law speaks, it speaks unto them that are under the law ;" and what the gospel speaks, it speaks unto them " who are not under the law, but under grace." And the formal transition of men from one of these states unto another is by an act of God's grace, wherein themselves are merely passive, as hath elsewhere been demonstrated. See Col. i. 13. This is that which I do intend : God at first made a covenant with mankind, the first covenant, the covenant of works. Herein he gave them commands for holy obedience. These commands were not only possible unto them, both for matter and manner, by virtue of that strength and power which was concreated with them, but easy and pleasant, every way suited unto their good and satisfaction in that state and condition. This rendered their obedience equal, just, reasonable, and aggravated their sin with the guilt of the most hor- rible folly and ingratitude. When by the fall this covenant was broken, we lost therewith all power and ability to comply with its com- mands in holy obedience. Hereupon the "law" continued " holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good," as our apostle speaks, Rom. vii. 1 2 ; for what should make it otherwise, seeing there was no change in it by sin, nor did God require more or harder things of us than before? But to us it became impossible, for we had lost the strength by which alone we were enabled to observe it; and so "the commandment, which was ordained to life, we find to be unto death," verse 10. Towards all, therefore, that remain in that
CHAP. III.] THE COMMANDS OF GOD. 619
state we say, " The commandment is still just and holy, but it is neither easy nor possible." Hereon God brings in the covenant of grace by Christ, and renews therein the commands for holy obedi- ence, as was before declared. And here it is that men trouble them- selves and others about the power, ability, and free-will that men have as yet under the first covenant, and the impotence that ensued on the transgression of it to fulfil the condition of the new covenant, and yield the obedience required in it; for this is the place where men make their great contests about the power of free-will and the possibility of God's command. Let them but grant that it is the mere work of God's sovereign and almighty grace effectually to in- state men in the new covenant, and we shall contend with them or against them, that by virtue thereof they have such spiritual strength and grace administered unto them as render all the commands of it to be not only possible but easy also, yea, pleasant, and every way suited unto the principle of a holy life, wherewith they are endued And this we make an argument for the necessity of holiness. The argument we have under consideration is that whereby we j)rove the necessity of holiness with respect unto God's command requiring it, because it is a fruit of infinite wisdom and goodness. It is so in an especial manner as it belongs unto the new covenant. And, there- fore, by our disobedience or living in sin, unto the contempt of God's authority we add that of his wisdom and goodness also. Now, that it is so a fruit of them appears, in the first place, from hence, that it is proportioned unto the strength and ability which we have to obey. Hence obedience in holiness becomes equal, easy, and pleasant unto all believers who sincerely attend unto it; and this fully evinceth the necessity of it, from the folly and ingratitude of the contrary. That these things, and in them the force of the present argument, may the better be apprehended, I shall dispose them into the ensu- ing observations: —