Exposition of the Shorter Catechism, Question 82
Of keeping the Law.
Quest. 82. IS any man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God?
A. No meer man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the Commandments of God, but doth dayly break them in Thought, Word, and Deed.
Q. 1. Wherein doth th… perfect keeping of Gods Law consist?
A. It consists in the perfect and constant conformity of the internal and external Actions of Heart and Life, to every Command of God, Gal. 3.10. —Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to do them. Matth. 22.37, 38, 39. Iesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great Commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self.
Q. 2. But if a man commit no external act against the Law, may he not be said perfectly to keep it, although in mind or thought he should transgress?
A. No, for an inward motion of sin in the Heart, that never breaks forth into act, is a violation of the Law, and brings the Soul under the curse of it, Matth. 5.21, 22. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and wh…soever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment, But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with h…s brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, &c. And ver. 27, 28. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Q. 3. May not a man keep the Law, if he keep some of its Commands, though he cannot keep every one of them punctually?
A. No he cannot; for the transgression of any one Command in the least degree, is a breach of all, and brings the curse of the whole upon a Mans Soul, Iam. 2.10. For who soever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Q. 4. Was the Law never kept by any since it was made?
A. Yes, Adam in his innocent state kept it, for he was made upright, Eccles. 7.29. God made man upright, &c. And Christ perfectly kept it, Matth. 5.17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Q. 5. What's the first Reason why no meer man in this life can fulfil and keep the law of God perfectly?
A. It is because the Law of God is perfect, and the best of Men in this life are imperfect, Psal. 19.7. The law of the Lord is perfect, &c. Eccles. 7.20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Q. 6. But may not Men perfectly keep it, when regenerate, and born of God?
A. No, because even in the regenerate there is a Law of Sin which wars against the Law of God, Gal. 5.17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, &c. Rom. 7.22, 23. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, &c. And though they are said not to sin, 1 Iohn 3.9. (Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, &c.) that is not to be taken absolutely; but comparatively, as they once did, and others still do.
Q. 7. But did not Christ command the young man to keep the Law?
A. 'Tis true that Christ did put the young man upon this task, Matth. 19.17. —If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments: But it was not on a supposition that he was able to do it, but to convince him of the impossibility of Justification that way.
Q. 8. But doth not the Apostle say that the righteousness of the la… is fulfilled in Believers?
A. 'Tis true that the Apostle doth say so, Rom. 8.4. but the meaning is not, that we fulfil it in our own persons by our compleat obedience to it, but it is fulfilled in us by our union with Christ, who perfectly kept it; and that Righteousness of the Law which is in Christ, becomes ours by Gods imputation of it to us, Rom. 4.23, 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him, that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead.
Q 9. What is the first Inference from hence?
A. That Justification by our own Works is utterly impossible to the holiest of Men, Gal. 2.16. —For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Psal. 130.3. If thou Lord, shouldst mark iniquities: O Lord, who shall stand?
Q. 10. What's the second Inference from hence?
A. Hence we learn what an infinite Mercy it is, that God sent Jesus Christ made under the Law, Gal. 4.4, 5. But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law, &c. To do that for us we could never do for our selves, Rom. 8.3, 4. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak th…ough the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
Q. 11. What's the third Inference from hence?
A. That the dreadful Curse must needs lye on all Unbelievers that are out of Christ, Iohn 3.36. —He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. And seek their Justification by the deeds of the Law, Gal. 3.10. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse, &c.
Q. 12. What's the fourth Inference from hence?
A. What a deluge of sin and misery brake in upon the whole World by the fall of Adam, and all his Posterity being by him plunged under both, Rom. 5.12. Wherefore, as by one man si… entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Q. 13. What's the fifth Inference from hence?
A. That the Popish Doctrines of Merits, and Works of Supererogation are false and groundless Doctrines, springing out of the ignorance aud pride of mans heart.
Q. 14. What's the last Inference from hence?
A. That all Gods people should sigh under their unhappy necessity of sinning, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! And long to be with Christ in the perfect state, Hebr. 12.23. —And to the spirits of just men made perfect.