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Ecc_7:20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Ver. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth.] No, this is reserved for the state of perfection in heaven, where are "the spirits of just men made perfect." {Heb_12:23} It was the cavil wherewith the Pelagians troubled St Augustine, whether it were impossible that by the absolute power of God a just man might not live on earth without sin? {a} But what have we to do here with the absolute power of God? His revealed will is, "That there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not"; nay, that sinneth not, even in his doing of good. Our righteousness, while we are on earth, is mixed, as light and darkness, dimness at least, in a painted glass dyed with some obscure and dim colour; it is transparent and giveth good, but not clear and pure light. It is a witty observation of a late learned divine, {b} that the present tense in grammar is accompanied with the imperfect, the future with the preter-pluperfect tense; and that such is the condition of our present and future holiness. Our future is more than perfect, our present is imperfect indeed, but yet true holiness and happiness. {See Trapp on "Pro_20:9"}
{a} Aug., De Peccator. Meritis, lib. ii. cap. 7.
{b} Dr Stoughton, on Php_3:20.