WHAT IT IS TO BE UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS.
SECOND. A second thing to be spoken to is this: to show what it is to be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works, to which I shall speak, and that this—
To be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works is to be bound, upon pain of eternal damnation, to fulfill, and that completely and continually, every particular point of the Ten Commandments, by doing them—Do this, and then thou shalt live; otherwise, "cursed is every one that continues not in all," in every particular thing or "things which are written in the book for the law to do them" (Gal 3:10). That man that is under the first covenant stands thus, and only therefore, as he is under that covenant or law. Through ignorance of the nature of that Covenant of Works, the law they are under, poor souls do not think their state to be half so bad as it is when, alas! There is none in the world besides themselves in such a sad condition, for they do not understand these things. He that is under the law, as it is a Covenant of Works, is like the man that is bound by the law of his king, upon pain of banishment, or of being hanged, drawn, and quartered, not to transgress any of the commandments of the king; so here, they that are under the Covenant of Works, they are bound, upon pain of eternal banishment and condemnation, to keep within the compass of the law of the God of Heaven. In this case, the Covenant of Works may be compared to the laws of the Medes and Persians, which, once made, cannot be altered. Daniel 6:8. You find that when there was a law made and given forth that none should ask a petition of any, God or man, but of the king only; this law is established by the king (verse 9). Daniel breaking of it, let all do whatever they can, Daniel must go into the lions' den (verse 16). So here, I say, there being a law given, and sealed with the Truth and the Word of God,—how that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Eze 18:4). Whosoever doth abide under this covenant, and dieth under the same, they must and shall go into the lion's den; yea, worse than that, for they shall be thrown into Hell, to the very devils.
But to speak in a few particulars for thy better understanding herein, know,
First, that the Law of God, or Covenant of Works, doth not contain itself in one particular branch of the law but doth extend itself into many, even into all the Ten Commandments, and those ten into very many more, as might be shown; so that the danger doth not lie in the breaking of one or two of these ten only, but it doth lie even in the transgression of any one of them. As you know, if a king should give forth ten particular commands to be obeyed by his subjects upon pain of death, now if any man doth transgress against any one of these ten, he doth commit treason, as if he had broken them all, and lieth liable to have the sentence of the law as indeed passed on him as if he had broken every particular of them.
Second. Again, you know the laws given forth by the king, which if a man keeps and obeys for a long time, yet if at last he slips and breaks those laws, he is apprehended and condemned by that law. These things are clear as touching the Law of God, as it is a Covenant of Works. If a man doth fulfill nine of the Commandments, and yet breaketh but one, that being broken will as surely destroy him and shut him out from the joys of Heaven as if he had actually transgressed against them all; for indeed, in effect, so he hath. There is a notable Scripture for this in the Epistle of James, Second Chapter, at the tenth verse, that runs thus:—"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all,"—that is, he hath in effect broken them all and shall have the voice of them all cry out against him. And it must need to be so, saith James, because "He that said," or that law which said, "Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law" (Verse 11). As thus, it may be thou didst never make to thyself a god of stone or wood, or at least not to worship them so greatly and so openly as the heathen do, yet if thou hast stolen, born false witness, or lusted after a woman in thy heart (Matt 5:28) thou hast transgressed the law, and must for sure, living and dying under that covenant, perish forever by the law; for the law hath resolved on that before-hand, saying, "Cursed is every one that continue not in ALL things"; mark, I pray you, "in all things"; that is the Word, and that seals the doctrine.
Third. Again, though a man doth not covet, steal, murder, worship gods of wood and stone, etc., if he does take the Lord's name in vain, he is forever gone, living and dying under that covenant. "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain"; there is the command. But what if we do? Then he saith, "the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." No; though thou live as holy as ever thou canst, and walk as circumspectly as ever any did, yet if thou dost take the Lord's name in vain, thou art gone by that covenant: "For I will not," mark "I will not," let him be in never so much danger, "I will not hold him guiltless that taketh My name in vain" (Exo 20:7). And so likewise for any other of the ten, do but break them, and thy state is irrecoverable if thou live and die under that covenant.
