WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF
[FOURTH] Quest. "But seeing you have spoken thus far, I wish you would do so much as to show in some particulars, both what men have done, and how far they have gone, and what they have received, being yet under this covenant, which you call the ministration of condemnation."
Answ. This is a difficult question and needs to be warily, home, and soundly answered. The question consists of three particulars: What men have done; Second, How far men have gone; Third, What they have received, and yet to be under the law, or Covenant of Works, and so in a state of condemnation.
[First.] As for the first, I have spoken something in general to that already, but I shall speak more particularly for your better understanding.
1. A man hath and may be convinced and troubled for his sins, and yet be under this covenant, and that in a burdensome and dreadful manner, insomuch that he finds the weight of them to be intolerable and too heavy for him to bear, as it was with Cain, "My punishment," saith he, "is greater than I can bear" (Gen 4:13).
2. A man living thus under a sense of his sins may repent and be sorry for them, and yet be under this covenant, and yet be in a damned state. And when Judas saw what was done, he "repented" (Matt 27:3).
3. Men may not only be convinced and also repent for their sins, but they may also desire the prayers of the children of God for them too, and yet be under this covenant and curse, "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, in haste, and he said, I have sinned; entreat the LORD your God that He may take away from me this death" (Exo 10:16, 17).
4. A man may also humble himself for his offenses and disobedience against his God and yet be under this covenant (1 King 21:24-19).
5. A man may make restitution unto men for the offense he hath done unto them and yet be under this covenant.
6. A man may do much work for God in his generation, yet be under this first covenant, as Jehu did do that which God bid him (2 Kings 9:25, 26). And yet God threateneth even Jehu, because though he did do the thing that the Lord commanded him, yet he did it not from a correct principle; for had he, the Lord would not have said, "Yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu" (Hosea 1:4).
7. Men may hear and fear the servants of the Lord, and reverence them very highly; yea, and when they hear, they may not only hear, but hear and do, and that gladly too, not one or two things, but many; mark, many things gladly, and yet be lost, and yet be damned, "For Herod feared John," why? Not because he had any civil power over him, but because "he was a just man and a holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly" (Mark 6:20). It may be that thou thinkest that because thou hearest such and such, therefore thou art better than thy neighbors; but know for sure that thou mayest not only hear, but thou mayest hear and do, and that not with a backward will, but gladly—mark, "gladly"—and yet be Herod still, an enemy to the Lord Jesus still. Consider this, I pray you.
Second. But to the second thing, which is this, How far may such a one go? To what may such a one attain? Whither may he arrive under this covenant and yet be an undone man? answer—
1. Such a one may be received into fellowship with the saints, as they are in a visible way of walking one with another; they may walk hand in hand together, "The Kingdom of Heaven," that is, a visible company of professors of Christ, is likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom, "five of them were wise, and five were foolish" (Matt 25:1,2). These, in the first place, are called virgins—that is, such as are apparent from the pollutions of the world; secondly, they are said to go forth—that is, from the rudiments and traditions of men; thirdly, they do agree to take their lamps with them—that is, to profess themselves the servants of Jesus Christ, that wait upon Him, and for Him; and yet when He came, He found half of them, even the virgins, that had lamps, that also went forth from the pollutions of the world and the customs of men, to be such as lost their precious souls (verse 12) which they should not have done, had they been under the Covenant of Grace, and so not under the law.
