Not unsinning obedience
Now this covenant does not say to sinful man, Perform unsinning obedience and live. If this were the term, he would have no more benefit by all which Christ has done and suffered for him than if he were required, in order to life, to ascend into heaven and bring Christ down from above, or to descend into the deep, into the invisible world, and bring Christ up from the dead. It does not require any impossibility to be done. Although to mere man what it requires would be impossible, it is not impossible to man assisted by the Spirit of God. To require an impossibility would only be to mock human weakness.
Indeed, strictly speaking, the covenant of grace does not require us to do anything at all, as absolutely and indispensably necessary in order to our justification, but only to believe in him who, for the sake of his Son, and the propitiation which he has made, justifies the ungodly who does not work, and imputes his faith to him for righteousness. Even so Abraham believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith, that he might be the father of all who believe, that righteousness might be imputed to them also. Romans 4:11.
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it, that is, faith, was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed. To us faith shall be imputed for righteousness. It shall stand in the stead of perfect obedience, in order to our acceptance with God, if we believe on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered to death for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification: for the assurance of the remission of our sins, and of a second life to come to those who believe. Romans 4:23-25.
1771 text
8. Now this covenant saith not to sinful man “Perform unsinning obedience and live.” If this were the term, he would have no more benefit by all which Christ hath done and suffered for him, than if he was required, in order to life, to ascend into heaven and bring down Christ from above: or to descend into the deep, into the invisible world, and bring up Christ from the dead. It doth not require any impossibility to be done; (altho’ to mere man, what it requires would be impossible; but not, to man assisted by the Spirit of God:) this were only, to mock human weakness. Indeed, strictly speaking, the covenant of grace doth not require us, to do any thing at all, as absolutely and indispensably necessary in order to our justification: but only, to believe in him, who, for the sake of his Son, and the propitiation which he hath made, justifieth the ungodly that worketh not, and imputes his faith to him for righteousness. Even so Abraham believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith――that he might be the father of all them that believe――that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it (i. e. faith) was imputed to him. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed (to whom faith shall be imputed for righteousness, shall stand in the stead of perfect obedience, in order to our acceptance with God) if we believe on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: who was delivered to death for our offences, and was raised again for our justification: “For the assurance of the remission of our sins, and of a second life to come to them that believe.”
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 6 in the 1771 Works. Romans 10:5-8.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.