Fourth. ‘There is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sinned not’ (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46).
Although the words before are large, these seem far larger: there is not a man, not a just man, not a just man upon the earth, that does good and sinned not. Now, if no good man, if no good man upon earth does good and sin not; then no good man upon earth can set himself by his own actions justified in the sight of God, for he has sin mixed with his good. How then shall a bad man, any bad man, the best bad man upon earth, think to set himself by his best things just in the sight of God? And if the tree makes the fruit either good or evil, then a bad tree—and a bad man is a bad tree—can bring forth no good fruit, how then shall such a one do that that shall ‘cleanse him from his sin,’ and set him as ‘spotless before the face of God?’ (Matt 7:16).
Fifth. ‘Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness,’ &c. (Isa 46:12–13).
1. This call is general, and so proves, whatever men think of themselves, that in the judgment of God, there is none at all righteous. Men, as men, are far from being so. 2. This general offer of righteousness, of the righteousness of God, declares that it is in vain for men to think to be set just and righteous before God by any other means. 3. It is also insinuated, that for him who thinks himself the worst, God has prepared righteousness, and therefore would not have him despair of life if he sees himself as far from righteousness. From all these scriptures, therefore, it is manifest, ‘that men must be justified from the curse of the law, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’
Sixth. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and
I will give you rest’ (Matt 11:28).
Here we have a laboring people, a people laboring for life; but by all their labor, you see, they cannot ease themselves; their burden still remains upon them; they yet are heavily laden. The load here is, doubtless, the guilt of sin, such as David had when he said that, by reason thereof, he was not able to look up (Psa 38:3-5). Hence, you have an experiment set before you of those who are trying what they can do for life; but behold, the more they stir, the more they sink under the weight of the burden that lies upon them. And the conclusion—to wit, Christ’s call to them to come to him for rest—declares that, in his judgment, rest was not to be had elsewhere. And I think, one may with as much safety adhere to Christ’s judgment as to any man’s alive; therefore,’men’must be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’
Seventh. ‘There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, and they together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one (Rom 3:10–12).
These words have respect to a righteousness which is justified by the law, and they conclude that none by his own performances is righteous with such a righteousness; and it is concluded from five reasons—1. Because they are not good; for a man must be good before he doth good, and perfectly good before he doth good and sinned not. 2. Because they understand not. How then should they do good? for a man must know before he does, else how should he divert himself to do? 3. Because they want a heart; they seek not after God according to the way of his own appointment. 4. They are all gone out of the way; how then can they walk therein? 5. They have become unprofitable. What worth or value then can there be in any of their doings? These are the reasons by which he proves that there is ‘none righteous, no, not one.’ And the reasons are weighty, for by them he proves the tree is not good; how then can it yield good fruit?
Now, as he concludes from these five reasons that not one indeed is righteous, so he concludes by five more that none can do good to make him so—1. For that, internally, they are as open sepulchers, full of dead men’s bones. Their minds and consciences are defiled; how then can sweet and good proceed from there? (v 13). 2. Their throat is filled with this stink; all their vocal duties therefore smell thereof. 3. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; how then can there be found one word that should please God? 4. Their tongue, which should present their praise to God, has been used to work deceit; how then, until it is made a new one, should it speak in righteousness? 5. The poison of asps is under their lips; therefore, whatever comes from them must be polluted (Rom 3:11–14; Matt 23:27; Titus 1:15; Jer 44:17, 17:9). Thus, you see, he sets forth their internal part, which is a true report, To be sure it is, it is impossible that any good should so much as be framed in such an inward part, or come clean out of such a throat, by such a tongue, through such lips as these.
And yet, this is not all. He also proves, for five reasons more, that it is not possible they should do good—1. ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood’ (Rom 3:15). This implies an inclination, an inward inclination to evil courses; a quickness of motion to do evil, but a backwardness to do good. 2. ‘Destruction and misery are in their ways’ (v16). Take ‘ways’ for their ‘doings,’ and in the best of them destruction lurks, and misery yet follows them at the heels. 3. ‘The way of peace have they not known’; that is far above their sight (v 17). Therefore, the labor of these foolish ones will weary every one of them because they know not the way that goes to the city (Eccl 10:15). 4. ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’ (v 18). How then can they do anything with that godly reverence of his holy Majesty that is and must be essential to every good work? for to do things, but not in God’s fear, to what will it amount? will it be available? 5. All this while they are under a law that calls for works that are perfectly good; that will accept of none but what are perfectly good; and that will certainly condemn them because they neither are nor can be perfectly good. ‘For what things soever the law saith, it saith it to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God’ (v 19)..
Apprehended 