STaCTION II. 115 Our Lord therefore gives an answer exactly accordingto the question, What good thing shall I do for eternal life? saitli the enquirer. Keep the commandments, saith our Lord. When the young man proposes his question about final happiness in the terms and languageof the covenant of works, our Lord gives an answer in the same language : " If thou wilt obtain life by doing works, these are the workswhich thou must do, even the works of the moral law." II. I suppose Jesus Christ, the chief minister of the cove- nant of grace would not give this direction to obtain the salvation and benefits thereof, because it is the most direct answer which a preacher of the covenant of works could give to this same en- quiry ; If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. And this is very different from the terms of justification and salvation by the gospel, which exclude the works of the law, as the way to pardon and justification, and refer us to faith in Jesus Christ. See Gal. iii. 11, 12. Rom. x. 5, 6, already cited. Is it not most expressly asserted, that by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified? Rom. iii. 19, 20. Are not these works perpetually ex- cluded by the blessed apostle, whensoever he is describing the mere method of grace and salvation, or the means for a sinner to obtain his acceptance with God unto eternal life ? See Rom. iv. 4. To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt : But to him that worketh not, but believeth on hint that justifieth the ungodly, that is, the man who has no works of righteousnesss answerable to . any law, his faith is counted for righteousness; Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by thefaith of Christ, 8jc. See Gal. iii. 8 -12. And it is plain, that it is not merely the law of leviticalcere- monies that the apostle speaks of, when he excludes the works of it from our justification, for it is also that law which is written by nature in the hearts and consciences of the Gen- tiles ; Rom. ii. 14, 15. It is the law that forbids stealing and adultery ; Rom. ii. 21, 22. The law that forbids covet- ing ; Rom. vii. 6, 7. even this very law, and those command- ments which our Saviour makes mention of in my text. It is by the works of this law no flesh shall be justified, no man shall be saved, or obtain eternal happiness; Rom. iii. 20. Now can we suppose that Christ, the great messenger of God to sinful man, and the prophet of the gospel or covenant of grace, would give the very same advice and direction to a sinner how to obtain salvation, which a preacher of the law, or a zealot for the covenant of works, would give to one who thought himself righteous, and never confessed him- self a sinner, but enquired about obtaining life by his good works ? U 2
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