Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 1 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 8
Vers. 10. For as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them.
HEre is a third Argument, to prove that we are justified by Faith, and not by Works; because they who seek to be justified by the works of the Law, are under the curse of God, and so not justified; which he proveth, because according to Scripture (Deut. 27. 26.) the Law pronounceth the curse upon every man, who fulfilleth not the whole Law in every tittle or jot of it: now he taketh it for granted that none fulfill the whole Law, and so doth leave unto them to gather that the Law doth fasten the curse upon all who seek Justification by it. Doct. 1. That Paul doth mean the Works not only of the Ceremonial Law, but also of the Moral, all alongs this dispute, while he excludeth Works from being the cause of Justification, appeareth from the Scripture here cited, which is verified mainly in the Moral Law, as it appeareth from these sins in particular, against which the Levites were to denounce the curse, all of them being transgressions of the Moral Law, Deut. 27. 15, 16, &c. to the end: For it is written, Cursed is every one. 2. Fallen man, is so far from attaining to a state of favour with God and happinesse here or hereafter, by any Works which he can do; that when he hath done the utmost, even of what his natural strength or renewed faculties of grace can reach, if he seek to be justified by it, he remaineth under God's curse and wrath, notwithstanding of all: for, the Apostle affirmeth universally of all, that are of the works of the Law, that is, who seek to be justified by works done in obedience to the Law, (for therein was the great controversie) that they are under the curse. 3. The cursed estate of man by nature through sin and misery, together with that impossibility he lyeth under, to be recovered from that wofull estate, and to regain a state of favour with God by any work of righteousnesse which he doth, is a thing known, not by the discoursing of natural reason, which, being blind in the things of God, cannot judge aright neither of its own misery, nor of the way of recovery from it, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The knowledge of those is borrowed from Scripture-light, whose sentence alone is to be stood to in this matter: hence Paul appealeth to Scripture for probation of what he hath herein affirmed; For it is written, saith he, Cursed is every one. 4. Every sin, even the least, as being a wrong done against God, (Iam. 2. 11.) who is infinit in all His Attributes (Job 11. 7, 8, 9.) and a transgression of His holy and righteous Law (1 Joh. 3. 4. Rom. 7. 12.) deserveth no lesse than that the curse of God should light upon the sinner; under which curse is comprehended all the miseries of this life (Lam. 3. 39.) death it self, (Rom. 6. 23-.) and the pains of Hell for ever, Mat. 25. 41, 46-. for, so the Scripture cited affirmeth, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, that is, who transgresseth in one thing. 5. There is no person whether rich or poor, noble or ignoble, learned or unlearned, whose sin deserveth not the forementioned curse: The consideration indeed of the person of some sinners, doth aggrege their sin beyond the sin of others, Rom. 2. 17. to 25▪ but no consideration of the person of any can so far extenuate his sin, as to make it not deserving of God's wrath and curse: for, saith he, Cursed is every one, without exception, who continueth not. 6. Not only sins of commission, or doing of that which the Law forbiddeth, but also sins of omission, or the leaving undone of what the Law commandeth, do deserve the curse: for, saith he, Cursed is every one, not only who doth what the Law forbiddeth, but who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them. 7. It is not the bare knowledge of our duty, nor yet a fair profession of love and respect to our duty so known, which cometh up to that exact righteousnesse, that the Law requireth under hazard of the curse; there must be practice also according to that knowledge: for, Cursed is every one who continueth not to do them. 8. This real obedience and practice that the Law of God requireth under hazard of the curse, is universal, extending it self to the conscience-making of all duties commanded, together with the way wherein they are commanded, Mat. 15. 8. and to the abstaining from all sins forbidden, together with their occasions, Job 31. 1. for, Cursed is every one who continueth not in All things, he saith not, in some things only. 9. This obedience required, is also constant, from the first minute of a man's life, to the hour of his death; so that though he should but once sin, he is under the curse; for, Cursed is every one who coutinueth not to do them. 10. It is altogether impossible for any one of fallen mankind, either of himself (Joh. 15. -5.) or, by any grace received in this life (1 Joh. 1. 8.) to keep the Law perfectly, or to attain to that exact measure of righteousnesse, that the Law requireth; which appeareth, not only from what the Law requireth, as it hath been formerly cleared, but also from this; Paul takes it here for a confessed and granted conclusion: for, if any could keep the Law, then every man who seeketh to be justified by the works of the Law, should not be cursed, providing they did what they could, as Paul here affirmeth, seing the Law doth curse none but those who do not keep the Law; For as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse: for it is written, &c. 11. Though every man doth break the Law, and so deserveth that curse, which is pronounced against sin by the Law; Yet all are not left to perish under this curse, some are delivered from it, to wit, those that are of Faith, or, who by Faith lay hold on Jesus Christ for righteousnesse, who was made a curse for them, ver. 13. such having fled from the sentence and curse of the Law, and laid hold on the Covenant of Grace revealed in the Gospel, shall be judged not by the Law, but the Gospel, which admitteth of the Righteousnesse of a Cautioner imputed (Philip. 3. 9.) instead of an exact personall righteousnesse, required by the Law: for, saith the Apostle, As many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse, and so, not they who are of Faith. 12. Those who do not betake themselves to the Covenant of Grace, must stand and fall according to the sentence of the Law, or Covenant of Works; and therefore seing the Law doth curse them (as not having come up to the exact righteousnesse required in it) cursed are they, and cursed shall they be: for, saith he, They who are of the Law, or, seek Justification by the Law, are cursed; because the Law seeketh more than they can perform.