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The Mystery and Marrow of the Bible

Francis Roberts (1609-1675) · 2,925,582 words · 13003 min

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Originally, by reason of the Corruption of Nature. True; yet the Apostle reacheth farther, saying, By the offense of one (or, by one offense ) judgment came upon all men unto condemnation. Therefore by Adams one offense, all men are condemned: and that before they actually Sin, or are originally unclean. How can this be, but in reference to the Covenant, wherein Adam and all his posterity, were one party, as God the other? 2. By the Analogy Or Proportion of God's dealing in all other Covenants. His usual course is to take in Head and members, Root and branches. As, Christ the last Adam and his posterity; Noah, and his family, Abraham, David Israel, and their Seed, and their Seeds Seed. In like manner here God deals with Adam and his Posterity Proportionably; God took them all into Covenant with Adam the Common Head, and Root of them all.

APHORISM IV.

THe Covenant which God made with the First Adam and his Posterity before the Fall, hath upon several respects divers Names or Denominations put upon it; but for the Nature of it, It is God's gracious Agreement with Adam, and with his Posterity, in him, To give them Eternal life and happiness, upon condition of Perfect and Personal obedience. For opening the Names and Nature of this Covenant particularly, consider;

I. The Names or Denominations which learned men attribute to this Covenant, are divers, and that upon divers Notions and Considerations. As, 1. A Covenant of Amity, or Friendship. Because the parties to this Covenant, God and Adam with his Posterity, were in perfect Amity, when this Covenant was made: there was no Enmity or Discord at all betwixt them. Adam (as Tertullian expresseth it) was innocent, a most near friend to God, and inhabitant of Paradise, 2. A Covenant of Nature. Because founded upon Creation, and the integrity of man's Nature; and requiring only a natural righteousness. 3. A Covenant of Life. In respect of that happy Life which God implicitly promised to Adam therein. For, under the threatening of death, expressed in case of disobedience, The Promise of life is implied in case of obedience. 4. A Legal Covenant, or Covenant of Works, In respect of Adams Restipulation of Exact obedience required of God; Legal works in all points perfect being the Condition of this Covenant. This last denomination, unto me seems fittest, for Reasons formerly mentioned.

II. The Nature of this Covenant is in this Description represented by 1. The Author; 2. Parties; 3. Form; and 4. Matter of it.

1. The Author of it, is God. Adam even in innocence stood not upon Equal terms with God, but infinitely below him, as a Creature below his Creator. Therefore it concerned him, not to Capitulate or indent with God about the Covenant, but humbly and thankfully to accept what Covenant the righteous God would impose. Now God became the Author of this Covenant of works with Adam two ways, viz. 1. By giving Adam the substance, Law and Rule of this Covenant, both Inwardly, and Outwardly. Inwardly, in his engraving the Substance of the Moral-law upon his heart: Some dim Characters whereof remain still even upon the hearts of Pagans that have not God's written Law. Outwardly, in that Express Positive Law about the Tree of Knowledge, forbidding to eat thereof under penalty of present Death: but implicitly promising life in case of not eating, in case of obedience: This former was the General Rule for his direction in obedience: This Latter was the special Touchstone for Exploration & Detection of his Obedience. 2. By annexing two Tokens or Sacramental Signs to this Covenant, viz. The Tree of Life, To assure Adam of the certainty of life promised, in Case of perfect Obedience: And the Tree of Knowledge, to assure him of the Certainty of Death, in case of Disobedience. Learned men are of opinion, that these two trees were Sacramental Trees.

2. The Parties to this Covenant of works, are God, and Adam together with Adams Posterity in him. God, As a Creator, well-pleased with Adam, Covenants with Adam as his Creature, fashioned according to his own image, and perfectly upright without all spot of Sin. In this Notion, they were Parties to this Covenant of works; but in a far other notion afterwards to the Covenant of Faith.

3. The Form of this Covenant consists in the Agreement betwixt God and Adam; viz. That Adam in his own Person should yield perfect and perpetual obedience unto God, and Particularly should discover his obedience in forbearing to eat of the tree of Knowledge: and in so doing he should live happily, otherwise die presently. This the sum of the Agreement. God propounds it; Annexes two Sacramental Trees for confirming it: Adam Accepts it.

Now that God should engage himself by Promise and Covenant to give Adam Life in case of obedience, and should also annex two Signs or Tokens to this Covenant: These were Acts of mere favor and Grace from God. Adam could in no respect challenge or expect the one or the other, though he had been never so obedient. Hence it may well be styled God's Gracious Agreement with Adam.

4. The Matter of this Covenant was principally twofold. viz. 1. The blessing Promised, and curse threatened on God's part. 2. The Duty Restipulated on Adams part.

(1) The Blessing promised and Curse threatened, is the matter of the Covenant on God's Part, For, in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Contrariwise he implied; Till the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely live. For clearing this, divers Doubts or Questions hereunto appertaining, are to be resolved. As; 1. What Life Adam had in his innocence? 2. What Life it was which God farther Promised him, upon his persisting in obedience? 3. What death it was which God threatened in case of Disobedience? 4. How God's threatening of Death was fulfilled, Seeing Adam did not die in the self-same day; that he did eat of the tree of Knowledge, but lived 930 years after?

Quest. 1. What life it was which Adam Enioyed in innocence? Answ. It is not here the Question; whether Adam's Life in Innocency was Natural, or Supernatural? And I suppose it will easily be Granted, That, as God's Law written in Adams heart, as the Rule of his life, was Natural: And as God's Image, wherein Adam was Created, As the Principle of his obedience and of his living to God, was Natural: and as everything in Adams primitive Created state was Natural: So his life that he lived in innocence with God & to God, was Natural. But the Question here is; whether Adam had a Mortal or Immortal life in Innocency? If Mortal; How could it be rendered immortal? If Immortal: Then the Promise of life seems needless.

For resolution herein, Consider; (As learned men well observe.) A thing may be said to be Immortal several ways. 1. When it is simply, absolutely and every way incorruptible: having no possible cause of corruption, Inward or Outward. Thus, God only hath immortality. 2. When it hath, by reason of the Perfection of its Nature, no inward matter or caus of corruption, though it may be destroyed from without; as from God. Thus Angels and Souls of men are Immortal. And so Adams soul had an immortal life in innocence; yea and every man's soul even since the fall remains still immortal in this Sense. 3. When it is in its own Nature corruptible; but yet, by the power, or Grace, or Justice of God, is preserved that it neither is nor can be corrupted. Thus the Spiritualized Bodies of the Saints in Heaven; The bodies of Reprobates in Hell; The New Heavens and New Earth, &c. shall be Immortal. 4. When it hath a power not to die, from some gift of the Creator, or from some other supposition: yet in its own Nature it is Corruptible. Thus, Adam was immortal in innocence; not by an inability of Dying, but by an ability of not dying. Which ability of not dying, Adam and his posterity should still have retained, according to God's Covenant and Promise if he had not fallen: And God's power, grace and justice would have preserved him still in this immortal life, upon supposition of his perfect obedience. Adam then before the Fall had an immortal life; His Soul being inwardly, and in itself immortal: and his body being (though inwardly and in itself corruptible, yet) outwardly and from God rendered incorruptible. It had a remote capacity of dying: and yet an immediate ability of not dying: So that; Adam in innocence had a possibility of not dying, if he sinned not: Saints in glory shall have an impossibility of both sinning and of dying. And though before the Fall Adam had a Mortality, or remote capacity of dying: yet since the fall both he, and all his, have an actual necessity of dying.

Quest. 2. What life it was which God further promised Adam▪ upon his persisting in Obedience? Answ. 1. It seems clear, that not only a temporary life, only for some limited time, was promised Adam; but even an Eternal life, without end, in case of perfect obedience. Forasmuch as not only Temporal, but also Eternal Death was threatened to Adam, and inflicted on his Posterity, for disobedience. 2. But whether Adam should have enjoyed this Eternal life still in the Earthly Paradise, or should after some certain time have been translated and taken up to the Heavenly Paradise: that is by some Disputed. Yet, ( 1 ) Seeing Scripture is silent touching any such Translation, and ( 2 ) Seeing the giving of the Heavenly Paradise is the Prerogative of Christ the Last Adam, the Heavenly Adam, as the Earthly Paradise came by the First and the Earthly Adam; it would argue too much temerity to determine upon it. This is certain, His everlasting life would have been a most sweet and happy life with God.

Quest. 3. What death it was which God threatened Adam in case of disobedience? Answ. Whatsoever comes under the Name and Notion of Death, was threatened to Adam, in that phrase, Thou shalt surely die; or in dying thou shalt die as the Hebrew Phrase affords it. And the doubling of the Hebrew word seems to imply thus much, As some learned Hebrews are of opinion. Now Death is the Privation of Life: and this, by Separation of that which lives, from the Principle or Fountain of its living. Life consists in union: Death in dis-union, or Separation. This, the Nature of death in general. Hence particularly there is a manifold Death. I. A Death temporal, viz. A Death for a time only. 1. Of the soul, when by sin its separated from God, from his image, and from the Life of God. Dead in trespasses and sins. — She that liveth in pleasure, is Dead while she liveth. — Let the dead bury their dead. 2. Of the Body, ( 1 ) When its separated from the Soul by Natures dissolution. And this, the most common acceptation of Death. Thus, Lazarus is Dead. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets. ( 2 ) When it is gradually in any measure disposed or prepared for such a Separation, by afflictions, pains, diseases, infirmities, &c. Hence such afflictions, &c. are called Death, because they are Death's Harbingers, and steps thereto. As not the running out of the last sand, but also of all that went before, empties the Hour-glass: not the last stroke, but also the fore-going blows, fell the tree.— Take from me this Death only. — There is Death in the Pot. — I dy daily. — In deaths often. II. A Death eternal of both body and soul, when by damnation particular or universal they shall be separated from the glorious fruition of God and his favor for evermore. This is called the second Death, Everlasting Punishment, &c. These are several sorts of Death mentioned in Scripture. Now all these were Threatned to Adam in case of disobedience. viz.

Death Eternal both of Body and Soul. For, 1. Death Eternal is the most full adequate proportionable wages of sin, as the Apostle intimates in opposing there eternal life to Death. And the due wages of sin was threatened to Adam. 2. The Threatning limits not Death; therefore no death can be excluded, consequently not eternal Death. 3. Guilt of Eternal Death and Condemnation comes upon all Adams posterity by his fall, as the Apostle intimates; and the Actual execution of it shall come upon Reprobates, as Christ implies: therefore in the threatening God intended Eternal Death.

Temporal Death of the Soul in Sin. For Sin in its own Nature alienates and separates from God and his favor, which is the Spiritual Death of the Soul, for so long time, till the Soul be reconciled to God.

Temporal Death of the Body, in separation of it from the Soul, was also threatened to Adam in a special manner. For, 1. Death and Dying, in their most usual and proper acceptation import the dissolution of Soul and Body: and the most usual and proper Sense of the words should here especially be taken. 2. The Sentence of Corporal Death was denounced by God upon Adam after his Fall. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground: For out of it wast thou taken; For dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. Therefore Death corporal was threatened to Adam before the Fall. 3. The Apostle doth partly interpret this Death inflicted upon all men for Adam's sin, to be the Death of the Body. For all men do not dy Eternally.

Finally, under the name of Death, were threatened to Adam, all manner of Evils and afflictions, whether in the Soul, as grief, fear, horror, &c. Or in the Body, hunger, thirst, pains, diseases, &c. Even all in-lets, Preparatories and Harbingers of Death. For, 1. All these are as so many Gradual and Partial Deaths. Hence Scripture often calls them by the name of Death. 2. In inflicting the Death threatened upon Adam and Eve, and their posterity, God lays on them these afflictions, of sorrow, sweating, toil, &c. therefore in threatening Death, he intended all such afflictions. By all this it appears it was no small matter that God threatened to Adam under the Name of Death, in case of his Disobedience.

Quest. 4. But How was God's Threatning truly fulfi •… ed, Seeing Adam in the day that he did eat of the forbidden Tree, did not dy: but lived many hundreds of years after? Gen 5. 5. Answ. For clearing of this doubt, I. Some say, That Adam dying within a thousand years after his Fall, died the same day he fell: because with the Lord a thousand years are but as one day, and one day as a thousand years. But this is rejected, as too much forced. In Historical Books, as this of Genesis, the word [ Day ] being always taken in its proper Signification. And this is a very needless shift. II. Some of the Hebrews were of Opinion, That this Speech of God was not Peremptorily Definitive and determinatory, but only Minatory, like that pronounced against the Ninevites. And that Adam repenting, he did not presently dy, as otherwise he would have done. But Adam presently repented not till God extorted it from him: but rather did excuse and extenuate his fault. And though Adam repented, yet he died, and that presently, in some sense, as after will appear. This therefore satisfies not. III. Some refer this word [ in the day ] in the Threatning, to Adams Eating, not to his Dying: and take those words absolutely, [ Thou shalt surely dy. ] As if God had intimated, There was no day, no time excepted, but if they did eat any day whatsoever, They should dy; but he tells them not when they shall so die. But this Resolution seems too dilute, more witty then solid, and too much to force the text. IIII. Others joining the Circumstance of the Day with the Threatning of Death, conceive that in the self-same day that Adam Sinned, he did dy the Death; And that the threatening was presently fulfilled upon his sinning. And this, as it is the commonest, so it is the best Resolution. But let us see how Adam died, in the same day wherein he sinned. 1. In his Soul he was presently separated from God by sin, and died Spiritually. Sin, in the inward Nature of it, carries death in it. Dead in trespasses and sins. Adam had no sooner sinned, but he was dead in sin: being immediately deprived of the Image of God, of the Favor of God, and of Communion with God, which was the life of his Soul. 2. In his Body he died also in the same day wherein he sinned. But how? Not Actually; For God intending to make of one blood, all Nations of men, did respite the actual execution of bodily Death on Adam, till he had a considerable posterity. But in his body he died the same day, ( 1 ) In respect of the Guilt of Death Corporal; He according to his desert, was presently condemned, and under Sentence of Death, though reprieved for a time. Now we count a condemned man, a dead man. ( 2 ) In respect of the inevitable Necessity of Death Corporal, which he contracted upon himself. He became presently Mortal: though he did not presently dy. He that before his fall had an ability of not dying, after his fall brought upon himself an impossibility of not dying. Hence Jerome commends Symmachus his version, who instead of [ Thou shalt dy, ] renders it, [ Thou shalt be mortal: ] as Rivet observes. So then Adam in Paradise before his Fall, had a Posse non mori, an ability of not dying: After the Fall, a non posse non mori, an impossibility of not dying: In heaven he shall have, a non posse mori, An impossibility of dying anymore. (3) In respect of the Experimental beginnings, Symptoms, Signs, and Harbingers of Death Corporal. Adam presently begun to feel, heat, cold, weariness, &c. His natural heat and radical moisture began to consume one another, and so went on, till the accomplishment of Death. So that as a wounded man cries out, I am a dead man: so Adam, beginning to be wounded with afflictions, might cry out, I am a dead man. 3. In both his Soul and Body, Adam was presently liable to eternal death, the proper wages of Sin, & under the arrest of God's wrath & Curse.

Thus of the Blessing Promised, and Curse threatened, the Matter of the Covenant of works on God's part.

(2.) The Duty restipulated▪ the Matter of the Covenant on Adams part, was Perfect and Perpetual Personal Obedience. For clearing of this, two Questions are to be resolved. 1. How it may appear That such obedience was required of Adam, and restipulated. 2. What was the Law Rule or Measure of Adams Obedience?

Quest. 1. How it may appear, that God required of Adam in this Covenant such Perfect and Perpetual Personal obedience, and that Adam restipulated such obedience? Answ. That Perfect and Perpetual Personal Obedience was required by God, and restipulated on Adams part, is evident divers ways. As 1. From the Manner of God's threatening. He threatens present Death upon the least single Act of Adams Personal disobedience: In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Consequently God Covenanted with Adam for such Personal Obedience, as should be both Perfect and constant. The least Act of disobedience destroys both the perfection and constancy of Obedience. 2. From the Nature of the Covenant of works, which requires all exactness of personal obedience both for kind, degree and duration, under a Curse. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. Here's Obedience, Personal Obedience, Perfect Obedience, and Perpetual Obedience required by the Legal Covenant of works. And the Law was never given as a Covenant of works, but only to Adam in innocence. 3. From God's process in judgment with Adam and his Posterity upon one Act of Disobedience. He brought the threatened Death upon them, as hath been explained. Which God would not have done, had he not Covenanted with Adam, for perfect and perpetual Personal Obedience. 4. From God's mysterious method in Repairing the First Adams Breach of the Covenant of works through disobedience: by the Last Adams exact fulfilling and satisfying of the Covenant of works through obedience. Now the last Adam Jesus Christ God-man exactly fulfilled and satisfied the Covenant of works through obedience, Passively, and Actively. Passively, whilst Christ, as our Surety, humbled himself and became obedient to the Death, even the Death upon the Cross; and so became a Curse for us, to redeem us from the Curse of the Law, or Covenant of works, by satisfying Divine justice to the full for our Breach of Covenant in Adam. Actively, whilst Christ as our Mediator actually kept and fulfilled the whole Law, or Covenant of works in every kind, degree, and circumstance of Duty for us, who of ourselves are no way able to keep it. That so the whole obedience and righteousness of Christ may be through faith imputed to us: that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit So then, the Covenant of works must be fulfilled and made good. The first Adam could not do it, because he had broken it: the Last Adam is therefore brought in, to fulfil all righteousness, and satisfy for all our unrighteousness. If then the Breach of the Covenant was made up again by the Last Adams Perfect and Constant personal obedience: sure that breach was made by the First Adams failing in such Obedience. Therefore Perfect and Constant personal obedience was required of the First Adam therein.

Quest. 2 What was the Law Rule or Measure of Adams Obedience? Answ. The Law or Rule for Adams Obedience was 1. More Generally the whole Covenant of works. 2. More Particularly the two sorts of Laws Comprehended in the Covenant of works, viz. I. The Moral Law written in Adams heart. For, why was it written there, but to be an inward Rule and Principle of his Obedience? And that it was written in Adams heart before the fall, is evident, because even Pagans which have not the written Law, yet have the work of the Law written in their hearts, doing by Nature the things contained in the Law, after the fall. II. The positive Law of not eating of the tree of Knowledge under pain of Death. I call it A Positive Law, because it merely depended upon the will of the imposer: the not eating of that Tree was not engraven in Nature, but merely imposed at the pleasure of the Law-giver. The subjectmatter of the Law, viz. The Eating or not Eating of the tree of Knowledge, was not bad or good in itself, more then of other Trees; but only in respect of God's Prohibition, it became bad and unlawful to eat of it. This Positive Law some call a Symbolical Precept, because Adams Obedience thereto was to have been a Symbol or outward Testimony of his Obedience and service to God; His Homage-penny, &c. Some call it A Precept of Exploration, because it was given as a Special Law for Trial & discovery of Adams Obedience. Doubt. 1. But why is this forbidden Tree called The Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil? Answ. This Tree was so called, I. Not from any inward virtue in it, to confer the use of Reason to our first Parents, who are imagined to be created like Infants without the use of Reason, as some Hebrews think; but erroneously. For, 1. Why should God prescribe to them such a Law with a Capital penalty, who had not the use of Reason? 2. Adam had such use of Reason, that upon the first sight he could Name the creatures according to their Natures. And understoood that the woman, brought to him was bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, &c. II. Not from any effect or physical efficacy of it, for increasing of Knowledge either by working it immediately upon the Soul: or immediately upon the animal spirits, refreshing and awaking them, and so mediately upon the soul: As some think, but falsely. For, 1. The Material fruit could not immediately act upon the immaterial Soul, to improve knowledge. 2. All the Trees of the Garden tended to refresh and enliven the Spirits, being good for food: and upon that account should all of them be called Trees of Knowledge. 3. Could this •… ree have increased Adams Knowledge, can it be imagined God would have forbid him a Tree so advantageous, and envied him so much good? 4. Then Adams eating of that Tree was not such an Aggravation of his Sin, The matter of the Prohibition being not small, as Learned writers unanimously judge, and aggravate his sin thereby; but great, and that Tree of more Consequence then all the other Trees of the Garden for improvement of Knowledge, and Consequently Adams strength in Abstinence from it must needs be the more. III. Nor Finally was this Tree called The Tree of Knowledge from the Serpents Suggestion in his Temptation,— ye shall be as God's knowing good and evil, as Popish writers fancy. For, can we probably imagine, that God would denominate this the Tree of Knowledge from the devils impudent Lye in the Serpent? IV. But it was called The Tree of Knowledge, That is, of Experimental Knowledge, by way of Prolepsis, from the Event that would ensue upon eating thereon. For then Adam should experimentally know, to his sorrow, from how much good he had lapsed, and how much evil he had contracted upon himself. As its usual in Scripture by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation to give denominations unto things. And this the best, and most received opinion about this Denomination. Doubt. 2. But why did God besides the Natural Law engraven in Adams heart, impose this Positive Law, forbidding that which was not in itself morally and intrinsically evil? Ans. The Lord seems to have done this, 1. For the more clear discovery of his own absolute power and dominion over man. Whilst God commands or forbids things which in themselves are consonant or dissonant to human Reason, as good or bad: God's supremacy over man is not so evident, such commands leaning and being founded upon man's Reason and Conscience. But when God commands or forbids, that which in its own Nature is morally neither good nor bad, but only becomes good or bad from the mere will of God commanding or forbidding, nor can any other reason thereof be given but God's will and pleasure; then the absolute supremacy and sovereignty of God is notably manifested, As in this Positive Law. 2. For the more evident Trial and manifestation of Mans subjection and obedience to God. For this is pure obedience and subjection indeed, when a man is subject and obedient merely to the will of the Law-giver, though the matter required or forbidden, be in itself neither morally good nor evil. I like Augustine's illustration well; If a man be charged not to touch a poisonous herb, because it will be hurtful to him that toucheth it; or not to touch another man's money, because it will be evil to the owner; This is no such trial of obedience, because the evil of the thing forbidden restrains, and not only the authority of him that commands or forbids. But when a man forbears, what is forbidden: which had it not been forbidden, he needed not at all to have forborne. God therefore forbids a tree in itself lawful and good for food, thereby to try how purely Adam would obey his mere command, without any other motive or consideration. It was expedient Adam should know himself to be under God. And (as the same Augustine ) how shall he be under God, if not under his command? 3. For the Greater Aggravation of Adams sin, in case he should disobey. Partly, in that, if he offended, he should offend in so small a matter and so easy to be observed, especially God having granted him liberty to eat of all the trees in the Garden besides. Partly, in that he by disobeying should so directly reject God's dominion and authority, by doing that which merely was to be forborne, because God had forbidden it. Which were mere disobedience, mere rebellion against God's Dominion. Hence the Apostle charges Disobedience upon Adam as his proper sin, Rom. 5. 19.

APHORISM V.

WHen God Entred into this Covenant of Works with the first Adam, he was completely able in his own Person to keep this Covenant in every point. Herein God required nothing, but Adam was able to perform it: God forbad nothing, but Adam was able to forbear it.

I. That Adam had Compleat ability to keep this Covenant of Works, is evident; 1. From removal of all causes of disability from Adam at that time. Then there was nothing in Adam that might impede or disable Adam, from complete keeping the Covenant of works. The only disabling impediment, is sin. The only Cause why Adams posterity since the fall cannot keep the Covenant of works; nor Consequently be justified thereby, is their sin. The law is weak through the flesh. Now Adam had no sin in him at all, neither Original nor Actual, when God entered into Covenant with him. Sin entered after, by his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit: And with Sin, Shame and Death, the inseparable attendants upon sin. 2. From Position and Presence of all necessary and sufficient Causes of Ability in Adam: At that time Adam had; ( •… ) The perfection of God's image in him. God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, wherein this image consisted, I now dispute not. But this is clear, Adam was made upright. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iashar, there rendered [ upright ] signifies one Right, Equal, and who bends to neither part: As Mercerus hath observed. So that Adam was even, equal, declining to no part or extreme: thus he was created. Hence he had all necessary inward ability to perform God's will. A Knowing mind, a pure Conscience, An obedient and dutiful will, A loving heart, A tractable and obsequious body, All upright. ( 2 ) The Inscription of God's Covenant in his heart, the Moral Law, This he had engraven upon his heart, (as formerly was shown) ( 3 ) The Expression of the Positive Law, about the Tree of Knowledge. This was made known to him by word of Mouth. Hence Adam had a perfect Rule both Inward and Outward for steering his Obedience. Adam therefore having so Perfect a Principle, and so exact a Rule for Obedience, must needs be completely able to fulfil this Covenant of works with God. 3. From absurdities that otherwise upon denial of Adams ability would ensue. For ( 1 ) Then God should have required impossibilities of Adam. ( 2 ) Then the Penalty of Death in case of disobedience, should have been unjust: because God never gave Adam complete ability for Obedience.

II. Hence these things result by way of Corollary,

1. That, Adam before he brake this Covenant of works, neither had, nor needed a Mediator of Reconciliation. He needed not the Mediation of Jesus Christ the second or last Adam; Either for Satisfaction, for he had no way sinned: Or for Intercession, for Adam wanted nothing, and was completely acceptable to God in his person: Or for Imputation of Christ's righteousness and obedience to him, for Adam was perfectly upright and obedient in himself. O what a difference betwixt Adam then, and Adams posterity now! He needed no Christ, we need nothing more, &c. Ob. But the Tree of Life seems to be a Type of Christ, especially if we consider that passage in the Revelation. Answ. The Tree of Life in Eden was Sacramental, but not Typical. Sacramental, to assure Adam of the continuance of his life, if he had continued his obedience and eaten thereof: but not Typical, to set out a Mediator. That Passage in the Revelation alludes to this Tree of Life in Eden: An Allusion is one thing, An interpretation another. And some have turned it into an Allegory, interpreting Paradise to be the Church: The four Rivers therein, the four Gospels: The Fruit-Trees, the Saints: Their fruits, good-works: The Tree of Life, The Holy of Holyes, Even Christ: The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, The Proper Freedom of Will. This is devised wittily, not solidly.

2. That, Adam, before breach of Covenant, as he neither had, nor needed a Mediator, so he neither had, nor needed Faith in a Mediator. Adam had a Faith in God, whereby he was able, Both to believe whatsoever God revealed, and to depend upon God and his promises, as also to perform in love whatsoever God prescribed. And so in Adam's Faith, there was a remote Capacity of believing any particular Revelation God should make touching a Mediator, but no particular acting of Faith on a Mediator. Adam's Faith under the Covenant of works, differs much from ours under the Covenant of Faith. 1. In respect of their Rise and manner of Conveyance. Adam's Faith was naturally implanted in him by God, ours supernaturally. 2. In respect of their foundation wherein they lean. Adam's Faith leaned on the Title of perfect, upright Nature: ours upon the faithful and free Promises of God in Christ. 3. In respect of their Fruit. Adams Faith produced a changeable righteousness in himself a mutable person: ours an unchangeable righteousness from Christ and the Spirit which are unchangeable. 4. In respect of their Actings. Adams Faith acted towards God without any Consideration of a Mediator: ours acteth towards God by Christ the Mediator. 5. In respect of their associates, or Companions. Faith in Adam was without Repentance, because he was sinless: Faith in us is always accompanied with repentance, because we are sinful.

3. That, Adams Breach of Covenant is without all Excuse. Adam was fully able to keep Covenant: Therefore Adam is left without all Apology for his breach of Covenant. He must needs justify God, and condemn himself under severest penalties for breach of Covenant: for God gave him power Compleatly to keep it. And what is here said of Adam, is to be understood also of all Adam's Posterity in him.

APHORISM VI. This Covenant of works Adam utterly brake, by disobedience.

For clearing of this, Consider 1. That Adam thus brake the Covenant of works. 2. How Adam broke this Covenant. 3. When and how soon he brake it. 4. How grievous and heinous this Breach. 5. Corollaryes.

I. That Adam utterly brake the Covenant of works by disobedience, is evident. 1. By Scripture-Testimonies, both of Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament, is the Narration of this Covenant-breach, How the woman seduced by the Devil in the Serpent, did eat of the Tree of Knowledge, and how she gave unto Adam her hus •… and, and he did eat. And what sad effects followed thereupon to them both; viz. Shame; Fear; Hiding themselves from God; Translation of their fault, the man to his wife, and She to the Serpent; Enmity betwixt the seed of the woman and Serpent; The multiplication of the woman's sorrows, and aggravation of her subjection to her husband; The curse upon the earth; The toil, sorrows, and Mortality of Adam; The Expulsion of Adam out of Eden; And the effectual abstention of Adam, by Cherubims and a flaming sword turning every way, from the Tree of life. In the New Testament is an Explication of Adam's breach of Covenant, how all his Posterity sinned and broke Covenant in him. By one man sin entered into the world,—in whom all have sinned. — By one man's disobedience many were made sinners. And this breach of Covenant is set forth by divers Denominations, viz. Sin; Adam's Transgression; The offense of one; One man's disobedience: all tending to describe the Nature of it. 2. By the sad Experience which all Adams Posterity have had of the woeful effect of Adam's breach of Covenant to this day: All being thereby involved in Sin, Death, and Condemnation. Therefore All Adams ordinary Seed, were in Covenant with him, Broke Covenant in him, and smart under Covenant-breach by him. 3. By the Manner of God's Administration. After Adams Disobedience God utterly laid aside the Covenant of works, and never set it on foot more: but instead thereof advanced The Covenant of Faith in Christ the second Adam. Thereby notifying to us that, the Covenant of works was utterly broken and dissolved by the First Adam's sin.

II. How Adam brake this Covenant of works? Answ. I. Adam brake the Covenant of works by Eating of the Tree of Knowledge, contrary to God's Positive Symbolical Precept imposed upon Adam for Trial of his Obedience. This Act of Adam did complete his Fall, and Covenant-breach. II. This Covenant-breach was brought on, not all at once, but by certain steps and degrees. 1. The woman hearkens to the Serpent, that is, to the Devil in the Serpent, Tempting. 2. She Mis-reports God's command, Partly, Adding thereto; neither shall ye touch it. For God had not forbidden the Touching of it, but only the eating of it. Partly, Taking thence from, detracting from the fidelity of it. For what God spoke peremptorily, In the day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die: she alleges doubtfully, lest peradventure ye die; as the Hebrew phrase properly Signifies. 3. She so far credits the Serpent, as to behold, or eye the Tree of Knowledge with desire and affectation: Conceiving the Tree to be 1. Good for Food; 2. Pleasant to the eye, 3. And desirable to make one wise. As John ranks all that is in and of the world, and not of the Father, under these three heads, The lust of the Flesh, the lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life. 4. She took of the fruit of the Tree and did Eat. 5. She gave unto her husband, and he did eat. Hence we may understand that of the Apostle, Adam was not deceived, (that is, not by the Serpent) but the woman being deceived was in the Transgression (that is, was first in the Transgression before Adam. ) This sin was brought upon Adam by degrees. ( 1 ) Suggestion: ( 2 ) Aversion from Good. ( 3 ) Delightful Inclination to Evil. ( 4 ) to Execution or acting of Sin inclined and Consented to. ( 5 ) Propagation or Derivation of sin to others. Thus Adam sinned, and brake Covenant with God. III. The Causes of Adam's sin and Covenant-breach, thus brought to pass, were divers. The Instrumental Cause Remote, was the Serpent, and the Devil in him: Immediate, was the woman, Adam's wife. The Efficient Cause of Adam's sin, is hard to be found out. Properly Adams sin had no Efficient Cause at all, but rather a Deficient Cause. God neither Directly nor indirectly could be any Cause of it at all: For, God made man upright, and God, as he cannot be tempted with evil, so he tempteth no man to evil. But Adam being created mutable, though upright: and having a Will flexible to good or to evil, and not being confirmed and stablished immovably in Good, but left to his own power and liberty, (for God was not bound to confirm, and uphold him,) he declined unto evil, and became like the beasts that perish.

III. When, and how soon Adam brake this Covenant of works? Answ. In the History of Adams Fall, the Circumstance of time is not expressly described: and other Scriptures are very silent. Hence, They that have written about this Question, both Jewish Doctors, Ancient Fathers, School-men and Modern Authors, have been of divers opinions herein, and somewhat unsatisfied. Omitting the diversity of others Opinions, I shall briefly declare herein what to me seems most probable and Consentaneous to Scripture without prejudice to others judgments.

1. It is Evident that Adam continued in Paradise in his Concreated integrity for a certain Considerable Season, before he fell. For, before the Fal, 1. Adam gave names to all living Creatures which God brought before him. 2. The Woman was made of one of Adam's ribs, taken out of his side, Adam▪ meanwhile being cast into a deep sleep. 3. God brought the Woman to Adam, gave her to him to wife, and Adam so accepted her. 4. God blessed them with the blessing of Fruitfulness, and Dominion over the Earth, and over all the Creatures therein. 5. God gave them every herb and every fruit-bearing Tree for food. 6. Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden to dress it, and to keep it. 7. God permitting them to eat of all the other Trees of the Garden, Gave command under pain of present Death not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. All this was orderly done before Adams Fall. And all this required some considerable time.

2. It is not likely that Adam continued any long time in his innocence before his Fall. For, 1. Then, Adam in all probability would have Eaten of the Tree of Life, and have been confirmed in life against falling, as that phrase intimateth, Gen. 3. 23. which he did not. 2. Then, probably Eve should have conceived a pure and spotless seed from Adam. The blessing of Generation and Fruitfulness being already bestowed upon them: and no Curse of barrenness inflicted. That was the Fruit of the Fall. And Consequently such Seed should not have been begotten in Adams own likeness, sinful. 3. After the Historical Narration of these seven Particulars forementioned (which would not require any long time to be effected in) presently the story of Adams Fall is related, which seems to intimate, that the Fall was not long after Adam's creation. Hence Calvin modestly, As I have not what to assert touching the time, so I think it may be gathered from Moses his Narration, that they did not long retain the integrity which they had; for as soon as he had spoke of their Creation, without mention of any other thing, he passeth to their Defection, &c. And Augustine thinks the Transgression presently followed the Creation.

3. It is Probable, That Adam continued in Paradise neither years, months, weeks, nor days: but sinned and lost Paradise in the self-same day in which he was created. That he was Created and Corrupted; formed and deformed; made and mar'd; alive and dead; an inhabitant in, and an exile from Paradise, in one and the self-same day. For, 1. There is nothing in the Text intimating that Adam stood longer then that one day in which he was created: but rather that he fell on the same day. We find not that he kept one Sabbath in Paradise. We find that Adam and his wife were created on the sixth day, after the Beast of the Earth, Cattle and creeping things had been on the same day created. So that Adam was not created in the beginning of the sixth day. And those seven Particular occurrence ensuing Adams Creation, which were forementioned, might all of them easily be dispatched in a few hours of the same sixth day. Besides, the Serpents Temptation and seducing of the woman, The woman's eating of the Tree of Knowledge, and giving thereof to her husband, Their shame upon their fall, and sewing fig-leaves to cover their shame, might all without difficulty be effected on the same day. And after this the very next thing mentioned, is the voice of God (whereby Adam was called to account for his sin) walking in the Garden in the cool of the day. Hebr. in the wind of the Day. Jerome renders it, In the wind after mid-day. The Greek, In the Evening. Chrysostom, Afternoon, Irenaeus, In the Eventide. Hence, saith Calvin, that Opinion hath prevailed, That Adam sinned about Noon, and was brought into judgment for it about Sun-set. Now its very observable that This is the first Evening mentioned after Adam's Creation, and the Covenant made with him. And the phrase of God's voice walking in the Garden in the Cool of the day, seems so to be brought in, the Context being well considered, as if it related to the close of the day of Adams Creation. 2. When the Serpent began to Tempt the woman, The words of the Serpent and woman to one another are such, and in the future tenses, as they imply that as yet Adam and his wife had not eaten of any Tree at all in the Garden. And it is very improbable they would have continue •… a whole Day in the Garden, in the midst of all that delicious fruit, and not have eaten of some. And if of any, then of that which was most excellent and desirable, The Tree of Life. But they tasted not of the Tree of Life, for then they had been confirmed in eternal life; and had not fallen. Therefore eating of none at all, they seem not to have continued one day in their innocent state. 3. Christ saith The Devil was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth.—A liar, and the father of it. A murderer of whom? Of our first parents and their Posterity. From what beginning? Not from the beginning of the worlds Creation, which at the least was six days before Adam was murdered by him: but from the beginning of Mans Creation and being, which most properly and precisely implies the sixth day wherein man was made. Then it was that the devil deceived our first parents by Lying, and Murdered them. Consequently they fell the first day of their Creation. 4. Christ the second Adam, incarnate in fullness of time, was put to Death for man's sin on the sixth day of the week, which was the Preparation before the Passover or Sabbath. He was crucified about the sixth hour, that is, our twelve of the clock; and he yielded up the Ghost about the ninth hour, that is, about our three of the clock afternoon. Probably therefore the First Adam ( the figure of him that was to come, and that in respect of this point) fell into his Sin on the sixth day in the afternoon. And so God's Threatning to Adam In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, was most notably fulfilled in Adams Surety Christ, then dying corporally, and tasting of the second Death remarkably, for sin. 5. That passage of the Psalmist is observable to this Purpose. viz. Adam being in Honor, lodged-not-a-night, but is likened to beasts that are silenced. That which in our Translation is [ Man ] in the Hebrew is [ Adam ] And Ainsworth saith well, This may be minded both for the first man Adam, who Continued not in his dignity, and so for all his children. And the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bal-jalin ] which we render, [ abideth-not, ] most Properly signifieth, [ Lodgeth-not-a-night ] as in Gen. 28. 11. Exod. 23. 18. & 34. 25. Deut. 16. 4. 2 Sam. 17. 8. & 19: 8. Psal. 30. 5. Josh. 8. 9. And this the learned in the Hebrew tongue acknowledge. Though therefore I will not restrain the sense of this place only to the first Adam, but extend it also to his posterity for denoting the mutability and momentariness of their honor: yet it seems singularly to point out Adams sudden fall from the top-excellency of his dignity, not enjoying it one night. 6. Learned men both Antient and Modern have much inclined upon former Considerations to this Opinion of Adams fall in the same day he was framed. Augustine thinks Adam stood only six hours, as Calvin and Mercerus vouch him. Iedudus inclines to Adams fall in the Afternoon. And the Annotations there upon Irenaeus allege Cyril, Epiphanius, Diodorus Tresensis, and others, who held that Adam was cast out of Paradise in the same day in which he was Created. Rachi saith, That Adam and Eve rebelled about the tenth hour, that is, two hours before Sun-set: as Lud. de Dieu hath noted. Latter writers also hold, that in one and the same day Adam was Formed and Deformed: As that accurate H. Broughton in his Concent of Scripture shows upon divers grounds; As also in his General view of Scriptures, (for that Book published again with enlargements by Tho. Hayne, was at first Penned by H. Broughton, as one of his Hearers informed me, and as the Book itself seems plainly to witness.) And as that learned M r . G. Walker in his Doctrine of the Sabbath, insisting in Broughtons steps, more fully declares.

Hence then 1. Adam kept not one Sabbath in Paradise, nor did he see one Sabbath in his innocence. 2. The happiness of Adam and of all his posterity, whilst it was in their own keeping, and bottomed upon mutable Nature, though upright, stood upon a very tickle foundation. Its well for Christians that now their happiness is in Christ's keeping, not in their own: grounded not upon mutable Nature, but immutable Grace. 3. Mans Corruption is almost as ancient as Mans Creation. How soon was God dishonored: and how long hath God been provoked by mankind! 4. Adams sin must needs be the Greater, that he so speedily forgot and forfeited all God's greatest favors. 5. Satan is deservedly branded for A Murderer from the beginning, and styled that old Serpent the Devil: His subtlety deceiving, and his cruelty murdering mankind from the the first day of their Being.

IV. How grievous and Haynous was Adams Breach of Covenant? Answ. Adams Sin and breach of Covenant with God was heinous beyond our expression or Conception. Who can sufficiently Enumerate or aggravate the Aggravations thereof? Some few exaggerations I shall touch upon. viz. in respect of the 1. Person who sinned. 2. Condition and state, wherein. 3. Place, where. 4. Time, when. 5. Law, against which. 6. Objects, against whom. 7. The many and great evils of sin and punishment attending upon Adams sin.

1. The person who sinned, was Adam. Not an ordinary, but an extraordinary Person: Consequently his, not an ordinary but an extraordinary sin. For, 1. Adam was an innocent Person, without all sin, perfect and upright in the image of God without any defect. Therefore his mind was most clear, bright, and apprehensive, to have detected the darkness and evil both of Sin and of the Temptation thereunto. His conscience also was pure and active, under God, to warn him against sin, and all occasions thereof. His will free, and able to have withstood all sin, and all seducements thereunto, most easily. Never mere man since Adam, had such perfection of mind, Conscience, will, and of the whole man: being habitually prone to no evil, but propense to all good. Now that Adam every way able not to sin, should have this mind blinded, this Conscience corrupted, this free-will enslaved by •… in: how grievous was his sinning! He sinned Knowingly, he sinned willingly; therefore he sinned more heinously. Sin the more willingly it is admitted, the more wickedly it is committed. No wonder if a carnal man, who hath nothing but sin in him, can act nothing but sin; or if a Christian, that hath much Corruption mingled with his Grace, mix also infirmities with best performances: but for Adam to sin, who had no sinful inclination in him, how strange is it and inexcusable! 2. Adam was a public person, a complexive person; all mankind were in him, and all in Covenant with God with him. He standing, all stood: he falling, all fell. Never man, by one sin, made so many sinners. By one sin, he made himself and all his posterity sinners from the beginning to the end of the world. Hence learned Augustine well observes, that though some other sins, as the unpardonable sin against the Holy-Ghost, may be greater then this sin of Adam, Intensively; yet Adams sin is the very greatest and most grievous sin in the world, extensively considered.

2. The condition and state wherein he sinned, was most happy. For, God's image, was his beauty▪ God's Covenant of works, his charter for Eternal life: All God's Creatures on Earth, his servants and under his Dominion: The whole Earth, his Possession: Paradise, his Habitation: All the fruits of Paradise, except of the Tree of Knowledge, his food: And familiar Communion with God there, the Paradise of Paradise. In a word, so blisful his Condition, as the absence of all evil, and presence of all good, could render it. We may therefore with the Psalmist burst out into Admiration; Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels; and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion •… ver the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet. Elegantly Augustine delineates Adams Paradise-felicity; Man in Paradise lived as he lifted, as long as he willed what God had commanded: he lived enjoying God, from whom most good he was good. He lived without any penury, having power so to live perpetually. Meat was at hand, left he should hunger: drink, lest he should thirst: The Tree of Life, lest age should dissolve him: No corruption in his body, or out of his body, brought any trouble to any of his senses. No disease within, no blow was feared from without. In his flesh greatest soundness: in his spirit entire calmness. As in Paradise was neither Heat nor Cold: so in its inhabitant there was no offense to his good will, by desire or fear. There was nothing at all grievous, nothing vainly joyous: true joy was perpetuated from God, towards whom love did flame out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. And a faithful conjugal society from an honest love, An harmonious vigilancy of mind and body, and an unlaborious custody of the Command, &c. Thus and thus happy was Adams state, in which he sinned. Therefore he offended against all God's benefits wherewith he had loaded him: against all the bonds of love, wherewith▪ God had obliged him: against all the dignities and Privileges wherewith God had crowned him, when he broke God's Command in such Condition. The greater God's lovingkindness to Adam: the deeper Adams unkindness to God. Did God's favors to David so aggravate David's sin? And God's mercies to Israel so heighten Israel's offenses? how much more did God's superabounding blessings to Adam, beyond measure exaggerate Adams disobedience? Hear O heavens, and give Ear O Earth! God on every side surrounded Adam with happiness: And this Adam rebelled against the Lord.

3. The place where Adam sinned, was Paradise▪ A place most unfit for sinning in. There God familiarly conversed with Adam: To sin there, was to sin in the presence of God. There God entered into the Covenant of works with Adam: To sin there, was to be extremely unmindful of, and unfaithful in God's Covenant. There was the Tree of Life, to confirm him in Obedience, and the Tree of Knowledge to caution him against disobedience: To Sin there, was to sin against God's Antidotes and Preservatives. There grew every Tree pleasant to the sight, and good for food, all pointing at their maker, and inciting Adam to admire his wisdom, adore his power, and extol his goodness; To sin there, was to sin against multitudes of mercies. All the Trees and fruits of Paradise would aggravate that ingratitude. In a word, Paradise was a place wherein was no sin, nor sorrow: Therefore to sin there, was to pollute Paradise, and to transform the Eden of pleasure into an Achor of trouble and Perplexity.

4. The Time when Adam sinned, was quickly after his Cre •… tion. Probably he was corrupted, (as I have shown) the self-same day he was Created. What? was Adam Created such a complete soldier, and armed so perfectly with God's image, that he had power to conquer all his spiritual Enemies, and that continually: and is he utterly foiled at the very first on •… et? was he made so skillful a Pilot, able to cross all Seas of danger in safety: and is he shipwrecked in the very harbor? was he able to Persevere forever in obedience: and is he turned aside the very first day to disobedience? was he created, and corrupted: formed, and deformed: Alive, and dead: blessed, and cursed: Happy, and miserable: God's freeman, and Satan's bond-man: The child of God, and the child of the devil: &c. all in one day? This renders Adams sin exceeding grievous. If this aggravated Israel's sin, that after God's Covenant renewed in Mount Sinai, They turned aside quickly out of the way which God Commanded them: much more must it aggravate Adams sin that he turned aside more quickly from God's way: they being corrupt, Adam innocent; They being of themselves unable to persevere, Adam fully able; They turning aside after almost forty days, Adam the very first day.

5. The Law against which Adam sinned, was such, that it notably greatened Adams sin. And the LORD God Commanded the man, saying, of every Tree Of the Garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the Day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Here Consider, 1. The greatness of the Law-giver, The LORD God. He who created Adam, and all the world by his word: whose dominion is absolute. Of whom alone Adam had his being, well-being and whole dependence. Was it a small thing to sin against so great a God? 2. The meanness of him on whom the Law was imposed. The man. Our first parent, A finite creature: in his original despicable dust and ashes. Adam, Red-earth. And shall dust and ashes rebel against the command of the mighty God? 3. The weight and importance of the Command. It was of greatest importance and concernment, both as an Original Covenant, and as an Original Law. ( 1 ) As an Original Covenant. This (though it had not the name, yet) had the Nature of a Covenant: As hath been shown. It was a Covenant of works. The first Covenant that ever was in the world. Wherein God and All mankind in Adam were parties. To sin against this Command then, was to break Covenant, and to make himself and all mankind as Covenant-breakers guilty of Death. ( 2 ) As an Original Law. For, as Tertullian well observes, This Law being given, all Laws were given, which were afterwards published by Moses. That is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy sou •… : and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, &c. For it was an Original Law which was given to Adam and Eve in Paradise, as it were The Womb of all God's Precepts. If they had loved the Lord their God, they had not done against his Precept: if they had loved their neighbor and themselves, they had not believed the Serpents persuasion, nor had committed murder against themselves, by falling from immortality, &c. Now to transgress a law of such Consequence, which was God's Faederal Law with mankind; And so Comprehensive a Law containing as it were all other Laws in its fruitful womb, must needs be the deeper transgression. 4. The Penalty of the Breach of this law was dreadful, viz. Present Death; and that both Spiritual, Corporal, and Eternal, as hath been explained. Death (said the Heathen) is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of Terribles the most terrible. Death, (saith the Scripture) is the King of Terrors: And therefore (as Augustine well noteth) how great an evil was this, to sin against such a Terrifying punishment! 5. The Promise implied consequently to the keeping of this law, was most sweet and desirable. viz. Perpetual life; and that in Paradise, or in a Paradise-Condition; or in Heaven which is best of all. Who would not have obeyed to the utmost ability for the eternizing of such a life? life is most precious All that a man hath will he give for his life. And eternal life in Paradise, would have been a double life: the life of life. Oh how deeply did Adam & we in him fin against our own life, by violating this law of life! And its most unnatural to sin against a man's own life. 6. Finally, Consider with what great Ease and Facility Adam, and we in him, might have kept this Command. Might not Adam easily have forborne one Tree, when all other Trees in Eden besides were allowed him? And the more easy it was to keep it, the more heinous it was to break it. Augustine said excellently, This of not eating one sort of meat, when of others there was such plenty, was so light a precept for observance, so short for remembrance, (especially where concupiscence did not as yet resist the will, which afterwards ensued as a punishment,) that it was with so much greater injustice violated, by how much more easy observance it might have been performed. And yet elsewhere more Excellently; The forsaker of eternal life, if grace had not delivered, was damned with eternal Death. If any think this judgment to be too much or unjust, surely he knows not how to measure, how great the iniquity was in sinning, where there was so great facility of not sinning. For as Abraham's obedience was deservedly proclaimed great, because the thing commanded was most difficult, to kill his son: so in Paradise the disobedience was so much greater, because that which was commanded was of no difficulty. And as the obedience of the second man was therein the more honorable, in that he was obedient even to death; so the disobedience of the first man was therein the more detestable, in that he became disobedient even to death.

6. The Objects against whom Adam sinned, do also render Adams sin more grievous. He sinned against God, Himself, and All Mankind. 1. Against God, rebelliously breaking his Command, perfidiously violating his Covenant, ingratefully rendering Evil unto God for all the multitudes of Blessings shown upon him, and most abominably believing the lying Suggestions of Satan the Father of Lyes, rather then the infallible word of the God of Truth, the God that cannot lie, Either in his Promise or Threatning. Now thus to sin against God, is to sin against an infinite Majesty, against an infinite glory. And what finite creature can sufficiently comprehend, how infinitely it aggravates Sin, to sin against such infiniteness! 2. Against himself. Adam sinned against himself many ways; viz. Against his Soul, in disrobing it of God's image in which it was created, and defiling it with Satan's image wherewith it was corrupted. Against his body; in embasing it in the Service of Sin and Satan, that should have been only employed in uprightness and purity: in clothing it with confusion and shame, that before was adorned with nothing but beauty and honor: and in exposing it to Sorrows, wearisomeness, toylsomness, and thousands of infirmities and miseries, which before was utterly unacquainted with all misery and sorrow. Against his Person, in involving himself in Mortality and Death, in depriving himself of all his Paradise-felicities, of his Primitive integrity, of his dominion over the Creatures, and of his Communion with the blessed God transcending all. Against his Name, filling it with ignominy and reproach, that was crowned with glory and honor: for sin is a reproach to any people, most of all to him that was totally free from sin, and fully able so to keep himself free. Finally, Against his Outward Estate, in forfeiting both Paradise and all the possessions, comforts and Privileges which he had on Earth, and bringing a Curse and a bondage of Corruption upon the whole Creature, under which it even groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Thus Adam sinned against himself in respect of Soul, Body, Person, Name, and State: How unnatural, horrid and cruel was it for Adam so to sin against himself! 3. Against all Mankind, Even his whole ordinary Posterity from the beginning to the End of the world, who all were stained in him, in respect of Soul, Body, Person, Name and State, as Adam was. At once all mankind were polluted and defiled by sin: spoiled and robbed of all their happiness: plunged and drowned in all sorts of misery: murdered and swallowed up of death. Extensively considered, there was never such a sin, such a Contagion, such a spoil, such a Murder since the world stood; nor can be till the Worlds end.

7. The Manifold and great Evils both of Sin and Punishment Attending upon Adam's eating of the Tree of Knowledge, Extremely aggravate his sin, and manifest it to be out of measure sinful.

(1.) Evd of sin attending upon Adam's Eating of this forbidden Tree, is manifold. Especially it is Antecedent, Concomitant, or Consequent thereunto. I. Antecedent Evds of sin, repugnant, Partly to the Moral Law, written in Adam's heart; Partly to the Positive Law, given for his Trial: gradually foregoing his and Eves eating of the forbidden fruit, were divers. viz. 1. Idleness. In that the woman seems not to be so diligently employed about the dressing and keeping of the Garden, in assistance of her husband as she ought, according to God's appointment: when Satan came to tempt. Idleness is a Temptation to Satan to tempt us; where as it is the Devils work to tempt others, its the idle-man's business to tempt the Devil. 2. Presumptuous Curiosity, or Curious Presumption. In that the woman, being the weaker vessel, durst entertain so dangerous a conflict with the Serpent, in her husbands absence. For, its most likely that at the beginning of the Serpents onset, Adam was at some distance from Eve: And the subtle Serpent took that advantage. 3. Inconsiderateness, and heedless forgetfulness of God's most strict command, which appears in her mis-recital of it two ways. Partly, In adding to it, Neither shall ye touch it: whereas the Command only forbad the Eating, not at all the touching of the Tree of Knowledge. Partly by Detracting from it. For God said, In the day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die. i. e. thou shalt surely die, and that presently ipso facto. But she omits both the Peremptoriness of the threatening, and saith, lest ye die; or, lest perhaps ye die, as the Hebrew word intimates. What God threatened peremptorily, she recites with a perhaps or a peradventure: And she also omits the present suddenness of death threatened in the day of Sinning, For in the day that thou eatest thereof, &c. And by this forgetful mis-recital of God's Command, She gives Satan advantage against herself both to persuade her they should not dy, and to accuse God of a kind of envy at their happiness. 4. Unhelief towards God. In that she did not so fully as she ought credit God's peremptory Threatning of Death Expressed, in case of disobedience: nor his Contrary Promise of Life implied, in case of obedience. 5. Rash and headlong Credulity of the Serpent, and of Satan in him; though he both contradicted God's Command, and accused God of Envy at their happy state, and falsely suggested that by Eating they should become as God's, knowing good and evil. How abominable and idolatrous to believe Satan the Father of Lyes: before the God of Truth, who cannot lie! 6. Discontenting dislike with their present Condition wherein God had so happily set them. 7. Ambitious proud aspiring above their pitch to be as God's knowing good and evil. 8. Inordinate affection and evil concupiscence. In desiring an object unlawful, the fruit prohibited. 9. Irregularity of will. In choosing rather to hearken to the Serpents Suggestion, then to God's Command. 10. Lust of the eyes. In that she fixed a Longing look upon the forbidden fruit; and by looking on it▪ liked it, and designed to eat it. 11. Incontinence of hands. In that she refrains not from taking the forbidden fruit. 12. Intemperance of taste and Palate; In that she Eats the fruit, taken; and so her Sin was completed and finished. II. Concomitant Evils of Sin, accompanying the Eating of the forbidden fruit, are also divers. viz. 1. Eves Tempting her husband, both by word and Action, to Eat of the Tree of Knowledge: Thereby, with herself undoing her husband, to whom she was given for a meet help. 2. Adams inconsiderate hearkening to the voice of his wife, who was made for him: rather then to the voice of God, for whom himself was made. 3. Deep ingratitude against God, who had crowned Adam with so many and excellent Privileges in Paradise. Ingratum dixeris, omnia dixeris. What worse then to be challenged for Ingratitude? How was God displeased with Hezekiah, Judah, and Jerusalem, for not rendering again according to the benefits done unto him? But Adam had benefits done to him, incomparably transcending those of Hezekiah: yet he so far from rendering according to the benefit done to him, that he rendered evil for good which is the worst point of ingratitude. To render good for good, is man-like: To render good for evil, is God-like; But to render evil for good, is Devil-like. 4. Direct disobedience to God's express Command. And its no small crime to be disobedient: as we may see in the Aggravations of King Saul's disobedience. Disobedience, is a rejecting of the word of the LORD, yea it is Stubborness, which is as iniquity and Idolatry: yea it is rebellion, which is as the Sin of witch-craft. 5. Covenant-breaking with God most perfidiously, being able to keep it. 6 Woful Apostasy, from a sin-less and happy state, to a sinful and miserable Condition: from God blessed forever, and his blisful service, to the Devil damned forever, and his cursed slavery. None of the sons of men ever Apostatized from such Eminency, to such Extremity. III. Consequent Evils of Sin, ensuing upon the Eating of the forbidden fruit; were finally various and grievous. As, 1. An evil Conscience filled with guilt, and filling them with shame and terror in respect of God. 2. Flight from God and his presence, which before were so sweet and comfortable. 3. Hypocrisy in hiding their nakedness with figleaves, and in extenuating their sin by translating it from themselves, the man to the woman, and the woman to the Serpent. 4. Most cruel Murder both of themselves, and of all mankind at once, both in body and soul from the beginning to the end of the world; and of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in some respect also. Themselves they murdered actually, in themselves all mankind virtually and interpretatively, and Jesus Christ himself the Lord of glory Occasionally; The first Adams sin occasioning the second Adams Death. There was never such an heinous horrid cruel murder as this committed in the world by any of the sons of men. 5. The universal Corruption of the whole Nature of Man-kind. Whereby Every person descending from Adam by ordinary propagation, is in soul and body utterly unable, indisposed, yea opposite to all spiritual good: and totally evil, and only inclined to evil, and that continually. Which Corruption of Nature is Commonly called Original Sin, As being the Original spawn and spring-head of All Actual sins: and it is propagated by natural generation from our first parents to all their ordinary posterity. 6. All the Actual sins that have been, are, or shall be in this world from the First Adams fall, till the Second Adams coming to judgment; together with all the Kinds, Degrees, sinful Circumstances and horrid Aggravations thereof, which are utterly beyond man's numbering, measuring or comprehending: All these have taken their rise from Adams disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit. For, All Actual sins flow immediately from Original: and Original sin from Adams sin. Hence is that school-distinction of Original sin, into Original Sin Originated, and Original Sin Originating. That, is the Corruption of Nature, the immediate Original of all Actuals; This, is Adams sin, the immediate Original of the Corruption of Nature. Never Sin in this world had such a black train of innumerable and intolerable sins following it at the heels, as this sin of Adam had. They seem to parallel the stars of Heaven, the sands of the Sea shore, the dust of the Earth, the grass-piles upon the ground, and the motes in Sun, for multitude. Oh how grievous was Adams sin, that was attended with such Antecedent, Concomitant, and Consequent Evils of sin! An horrid Hydra of many monstrous heads. A complexive, complicated sin indeed. Hereat Heaven and Earth might stand astonished. O ye holy Angels, how were ye offended, to see Adam and all the Elect in him (of whom ye had such special charge, Psal. 91. 11, 12. Heb. 1. 14.) so quickly transformed into such transgressors! O ye celestial Lights, Sun, Moon and Stars, did not ye blush, and veil your brightest faces with Sables, beholding Adam such a Sinner? O ye fowls of the air, and ye beasts of the Field, were not ye filled with horror, when man, your earthly Lord, disrobed himself of his Honor by disobedience, and became like the beasts that perish, Psal. 49. 12. O ye streams of Paradise, were not ye congealed within your banks, when such a deluge of sin overflowed mankind? O ye Tres of Eden, did not ye sweat out your moisture: and ye pleasant fruits of the Garden, did not ye all presently fade and fall to the Earth, when Adam the dresser of the Garden, by disobedient tasting of the Tree of Knowledge, fell so foully from uprightness to unrighteousness, Eccles. 7. 29. from God to the Devil, from heaven to hell? Surely the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now under the tedious bondage of this corruption, most earnestly longing for complete deliverance, Rom. 8. 19, 23.

(2) Evil of punishment ensuing upon Adams disobedience was also various and grievous. And this both in respect of himself, of his wife, and of all their common posterity. As, 1. The obliteration and defacing of God's image. God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. No sooner did Adam sin, but he blotted out of his soul thereby the beauteous image of God, and thereon Satan stamped his own odious image instead thereof: So that naturally all are the children of the Devil. 2. Shame. Before they finned, Adam and his wife (though naked ) were not ashamed. But as soon as they had defiled themselves with sin, they were covered with shame: and they sewed figleaves together, and made themselves aprons, to hide their shame. Shame attends upon sin, as inseparably as the shadow upon the Body. 3. Horrour of a guilty self-accusing and self-condemning Conscience. Therefore after their fall, they presently were afraid at the presence of God; and hid themselves, because they were naked. And being examined of God, they confess not, but excuse their sin; As Augustine notes; Did Adam say I have sinned? No; his pride had the deformity of Confusion, not the humility of Confession. 4. Inability to stand in judgment, when God arraigned them at his bar. And therefore both of them labor to excuse and translate their fault: Adam to his wife, and she to the Serpent. It is the misery of unrighteous persons, that they are not able to stand, but fall in judgment. 5. The Peculiar Punishments of the female Sex. The Hebrews observe, as Mercerus noteth, five Degrees of Eves sin: and answerably five degrees of her, and women's Punishment. She sinned, ( 1. ) By entertaining the Serpents Temptation, believing him rather then God, contrary to God. ( 2 ) By being lifted up with ambitious desire to be as God. ( 3 ) By beholding the Tree of knowledge with a longing look. ( 4 ) By taking and eating of it. ( 5 ) By giving also to her husband, so that he did eat. So she and women in her, were punished five ways: viz. ( 1 ) By their many Sorrows in general. ( 2 ) By their sorrows in Conception. ( 3 ) By their sorrows and pains in bringing forth of children. ( 4 ) By their ardent desires after their husbands notwithstanding. ( 5 ) By their subjection to their husbands. But the Text seems to refer the Punishments of the female sex to two Heads; viz. Multiplied sorrows, and Aggravated subjection, ( 1 ) Multiplied sorrows: Partly, In the woman's Conceiving with child. Wherein understand all her sorrows, during the time she is with child, till she be delivered: viz. Her weakness and nauseousness of stomach, rejection of food, distempered appetite after unwholesome and unfit nourishment, weakness, dullness, wearisomeness, frowardness, longings, faintings, swounings, and much sickliness, with manifold fears. Partly, in the woman's bringing forth of children, which usually is with such exquisite pains and sharp tortures, as that Scripture is wont thereby to represent The churches extreme afflictions; The pangs of Death; The terrors of the day of judgment; and the very torments of Hell; the same word for substance being used to signify all these. And sometimes these pains of child-bearing prove mortal. Now under Bringing forth, we may understand also the Bringing up of children, as the phrase is elsewhere used. And in both, what multitudes of cares, fears, griefs, watchings, toilsome troubles, torments, vexations, &c. flow in upon them! (2) An aggravated subjection to their husbands; Their desire must be subject to their husbands, and they must rule over them. By the law of Nature and Creation, the woman being made after and for the man, was to be subject unto man, though they had never sinned. But that subjection would have been sweet, pleasant and delightful; and the husbands Rule loving, as over a Second-self: whereas now since the fall, the husbands Rule over his wife seems to be somewhat augmented, and her subjection is become painful, tedious, irksome, and grievous to her. These the Punishments peculiar to women-kind. 6. God's curse upon the Earth. By Earth, seems to be implied, the whole visible world, made for man's use and Comfort: in the Curse whereof, man (whose subsistence was to be on and from the earth) is cursed and punished. By God's Curse, the Earth, and visible world proportionally, are smitten with Barrenness, Toilsomeness, and vanity. ( 1 ) With Barrenness; Partly in not yielding their strength of influence and fruitfulness, as before the fall they did abundantly and freely. Partly in bringing forth weeds, thorns and thistles, instead of good fruits; which before the fall it did not bring forth. ( 2 ) With Toylsomeness. The Curse and barrenness of the Earth being in toylsomeness and laborious wearisome travel with the Earth, to improve it unto fruitfulness. All things are full of labor, man cannot utter it. ( 3 ) With vanity. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. All sublunaries are vanity; Partly in respect of their Emptiness. There's no satisfaction in any sublunary enjoyment. The eye is not satisfied with seeing: nor the ear filled with hearing. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; This is also vanity. Partly in respect of their Perishableness. Of old hath God laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea all of them shall wax old like a garment: as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. Hence Paul saith, That the Creation is made subject to vanity, —and is under the bondage of Corruption, as it were waiting for a state of glorious liberty. Therefore the whole Creation groaneth, and travelleth in pain together until now. And Peter tells us expressly, That in the day of the Lord, The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up.—Nevertheless we look for New Heavens and New Earth. Oh, man's sin hath in a sort so deeply stained the beauty and glory of this visible world, that the old universal deluge of waters could not wash it, but the fire of the last day must purify it. Heaven and Earth groa •… and travel-in-pangs under the Curse of man's sin: and shall not man much more groan and be in pain for his own sin? This is the curse upon the Creature. 7. God's actual dooming of Adam, and of mankind in him, To an ignonimious Provision, Miserable life, and Certain Death after all. ( 1 ) His ignonimious Provision of Sustenance: In that he must eat the herb of the field. Before the fall he had for food the liberal and delicate fruits of Eden: but since, his allowance was both shorter, and courser. As he made himself like the beasts that perish: so he must as well as the beasts eat the herb of the field, a more ignoble nourishment. ( 2 ) His miserable life: in regard of the Continual Sorrows, and laborious painful wearisome toil in providing food and other necessaries all the days of his life. In sorrow shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.—In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground. Hence man is necessitated, To rise up early, to set up late, to eat the bread of sorrows. This sweat the Hebrews refer to the many laborious works and ways of preparing bread; As manuring the ground, Plowing it, Sowing it, Harrowing it, Breaking the clods, Weeding the Corn, Reaping it, In-gathering it, Thrashing it, Winnowing it, Grinding it, Dressing it, Kneading it, Baking it in the Oven. O how many toilsome tyring employments is man Obnoxious to in providing food and raiment for himself and family! ( 3 ) His certain Death as the Period of all.— Till thou return unto the ground: for out of it wast thou taken: for Dust thou art, and unto Dust thou shalt return. Here man is not only sentenced to Death, but also to the Grave. Under which understand, all Sicknesses, Diseases, Causes, Occasions, Harbingers or inlets to Death, as harmful influence of the Heavens, infectiousness of the air, unwholsomeness of the Earth, &c. 8. Expulsion of man out of Paradise, and Guarding it and the Tree of life, with Cherubims and a flaming sword turning every way, to keep the way of the Tree of life: That Adam might not fondly delude himself with vain hopes of life by the Sacrament of the Covenant of works, when he had broken the Covenant itself. These, these were the woeful Evils of Punishment, that like a Torrent burst in upon our First Parents presently upon their fall, and in them upon all mankind. To speak nothing of the miseries of man in this world in respect of his Goods, Relations, Name, Body and Soul, which are innumerable: Nor of his endless Calamities in the world to come, which (without Christ) are inevitable and intolerable.

Hitherto hath been evidenced at large, 1. That Adam brake the Covenant of works. 2. How Adam brake this Covenant by disobedience. 3. When and how soon he brake it. 4. How grievous and heinous this his Breach of Covenant was. Now in the last place, 5. Certain Corollaries, flowing from all are to be Considered.

V. Corollaries, resulting from this Aphorism, and the Explanation of it, are divers. As, 1. Hence; Not only Adam, but all mankind in Adam were Covenant-Breakers with God. It hath formerly been cleared, tha •… not only Adam but all his Posterity were Parties to this Covenant with God: Consequently, in Adams Covenant-breaking, they all became Covenant-breakers with God. Its dangerous to be Covenant-breakers with man: dreadful to be Covenant-breakers with God. Here seriously consider, 1. That Covenant-keeping is most acceptable to God. For, 1▪ God commands us to keep Covenant with himself. 2. God's Promises are to them that keep Covenant with him. To David, that if his children would keep his Covenant, they should sit upon his Throne for evermore. To all the Godly, That the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him; and his righteousness unto children's children: To such as keep his Covenant, and to those that remember his Commandments to do them. 3. Covenant-keeping makes us like God, and notably resemble him, who is the faithful God, which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him, and keep his Commandments to a thousand generations. And the more we resemble God, the more acceptable we are unto God. 4. Covenant-keeping with God, obtains rich recompense from God. Levi, for observing God's word and keeping his Covenant, is stablished and accepted in his office, and divinely blessed. Yea All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies. II. That contrariwise Covenant-breaking is most abominable to God. For 1. Covenant-breaking is ranked by the Holy Ghost amongst the worst of Sins, & Covenant-breakers among the vilest of Sinners. And God cannot abide that such should any way so much as profess, name, or meddle with his Covenant. 2. Covenant-breaking is Exposed to many Threatenings. 3. Covenant-breaking pulls down upon men's heads many severe and heavy Judgments. How was Israel plagued, for dealing falsely in God's Covenant, again and again? yea How hath God taken vengeance even upon them that have broke their Covenants with men! Joshua and Israel made a Covenant with the Gibeonites, that they should live peaceably with them: King Saul contrary thereunto slew some of them; whereupon the Philistines slew him and his sons, and many of the Israelites; and the whole land was plagued with a three years famine, till seven of Saul's sons were hanged at the request of the Gibeonites. Zedekiah brake Covenant with Nebuchadnezzar, and God delivered him into the hands of his Enemies, who slew his sons before his eyes, and then put out his eyes. Now if they that brake Covenant with man are thus plagued: where shall they appear that have broke Covenant with the living God, and that in Paradise?

2. Hence, Adam's first Sin, his Covenant-breaking Sin, and ours in him, was not small, but extremely sinful. The Act of eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, seems to be a small matter: whereupon some have seemed to excuse and extenuate his sin. But how ignorantly, how inconsiderately! Can that sin be small, thats clothed with such and so many unparalleled Aggravations, as have been already unfolded?

3. Hence The Covenant of Works being broken by the first Adam, and by all mankind in him: He and all his Posterity lie woefully involved under the Curse and Penalty of it, even Death itself. This Corollary is of great Importance, and most seriously to be considered. For opening of it, Note 1. Why Adam and all his Posterity, upon breach of the Covenant of works lie involved under the Curse and Penalty of it, Death. 2. What Death it is under which they lie involved, and How they are so involved. 3. What are the Aggravations of this their sad condition under Death for sin.

(1) Adam and all his Posterity upon breach of the Covenant of works lie involved under the Curse and Penalty of it, Death itself. 1. Because God in making Covenant with Adam and his Posterity threatened present and certain Death, in Case of breach thereof by disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit. The Covenant therefore being broken, it concerned God in point both of Justice and Truth, wherein he is incomparable, to inflict upon them the punishment threatened. Otherwise God had not been True and Just in his words and ways. 2. Because Death is the Proper wages of Sin, and eternal Death the most adequate and proportionable recompense thereof. Hence the Apostle saith By one man sin entered into the world, and Death by Sin: and so death passed upon all men by that one man, in whom all have sinned. And again, By the offense of one, judgment came upon all men •… o Condemnation. 3. Because God made his Covenant not only with Adam, but with all his Posterity in him, as hath been already shown: and therefore when Adam fell from his integrity, he fell not alone, nor brought the Curse and Penalty of the Covenant upon himself alone, but all his ordinary Posterity fell in him, were involved under the Penalty of Death with him. 4. Because The Covenant of Works in the Nature of it, under pain of the Curse and Death, requires perfect and perpetual Personal obedience: According to that of the Apostle, As many as are of the works of the Law, are under the Curse, (presupposing man's Fall, and consequently his inability to keep it): For it is written, Cursed is everyone that that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. The Covenant of works therefore affords no mercy to the Transgressors thereof: but inflicts Death and the Curse for the least delinquency. For whosoever shall keeep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

(2) What Death it is under which Adam and all his Posterity lie involved: and how they are so involved under Death, though Adam did not presently die; hath before been declared. Only here I add, touching Corporal Death, That we may consider three things, viz. The Commination, Sentence, and execution of it. 1. The Commination or Threatning of Death Corporal, as well as Spiritual or Eternal, in case of disobedience, was Propounded to Adam in innocence, to keep him in due obedience. 2. The Sentence of Corporal Death was pronounced upon Adam presently upon his disobedience in the same Day that he did eat of the forbidden fruit, in these words; Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. So that Adam was now as A condemned malefactor: Dead in Law, Civilly Dead; to be executed at the Judges pleasure. 3. The Execution of Corporal Death upon Adam and his Posterity was respited a while. The Death of Adam, and so of the Fathers before the Flood was respited for about 900 years: so long God reprieved them in the First world, from Adam to Noah. In the second world from Noah to Abraham, Mans Life, or man's Reprieve from death, is shortened half in half, and brought to about 450. years. In the third world, from Abraham to Moses, Mans Life was contracted to 100 and some odd years. Yea Moses himself saith, The days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow: for it is soon cut off and we fly away. To this short scantling of 70 or 80 years, are our lives reduced, few reach to 100. Thus the Sentence of Death Corporal is executed upon all mankind, by degrees, to this day, and so will be to the end of the world.

(3) The Aggravations of this sad Condition of Adam and his Posterity under the Penalty of the Covenant of works broken, are dreadful. For clearing hereof we are to consider Adam and his Posterity after breach of the Covenant of works, as in a fourfold estate, viz. As Covenantless; As Carnal; As Gracious; As Glorious. I. In a Covenantless estate, were Adam and all his Posterity in the interval, of space betwixt the breach of the Covenant of works and the Making known the Covenant of Faith in Christ. From the Fall, till the Promise of the Seed of the woman, Adam and all his Posterity were Covenantless, without all Covenant with God. They had not the Covenant of works, for that was Broken: Nor the Covenant of of Faith in Christ, for that was not yet revealed. Hence, In this Covenantless Condition, Adam and all his Posterity were involved under the penalty of Death, 1. Without all Remedy. For Christ, the only Remedy against Sin and Death, was not as yet Promised or Revealed at all. 2. Without all Hope. For whence could Adam have any Hope of life? Not from his own fulfilling of the Covenant of works, for that he had utterly broken: not from Faith in Christ fulfilling it for him, and satisfying for his breach thereof; for the Mystery of Christ, and of the Covenant of Faith in him, was not as yet made known to Adam; nor could such a Remedy ever have come into Adams thoughts. Therefore in this interval of time betwixt the Fall, and the Promise of Christ, Adam and all Mankind in him were in the most remediless hopeless darksom valley of the Shadow of Death, that ever was or shall be on Earth from the Creation, till the judgment Day. II. In a Carnal fleshly sinful State, are all Adams Posterity, by Nature, since the Fall and promise of Christ, From their Conception, till their Actual Receiving of Christ by Faith for Life. During this Carnal Condition Mankind are not so Remedilessly and Hopelessly miserable as in the former Covenantless State; Because Jesus Christ the Remedy against sin and Death, and the Fundamental Hope of life, is already Revealed to the world, which was not then: yet notwithstanding herein all mankind are woefully miserable in divers regards. 1. In that during this carnal State they are wholly under the Curse and Penalty of the Covenant of works, viz. Death. Every Carnal man is, Spiritually dead in Sin, yea death itself: Corporally dying every day, by gradual decays of Life; and by afflictions which are petty deaths: and as children of wrath every moment liable to eternal Death, being condemned already, and having the wrath of God abiding on them. 2. In that, during their carnal State, they are extremely insensible of this their dead and cursed Condition: and vainly flatter themselves therein with imaginations and dreams that they are alive and in a good spiritual Condition towards God. As the Pharisee, that went into the Temple to pray: Paul before Conviction and Conversion, and the Laodicean Angel. Now Physicians say, that they are more dangerously sick, that being diseased are insensible of their disease. They are double miserable, that being in their carnal Condition are not sensible of their misery, but rather count their misery happiness. 3. In that, during their carnal state, they are utterly unable to help themselves in any degree out of their miserable thralldom of Sin and Death, without God's Supernatural Grace. So that, in the first part of Conversion, viz. the infusing of Principles and Habits of Grace into the Heart, they are merely Passive. 4. Finally, In that, During their carnal Condition, They are not only extremely miserable, Senseless of their Misery, and in respect of themselves utterly Helpless under their misery, but also they are most prone to Neglect, despise and hate Jesus Christ the only Remedy. These are the Aggravations of a Carnal man's misery. III. In a gracious State are all they that are by effectual calling transplanted out of the first Adam into Jesus Christ the second Adam. During this their Gracious State, though they be not totally freed from Death, yet they are wholly delivered from the Curse of it, through Christ. From Death Eternal they are fully delivered, that (though they deserve it, yet) it shall never befall them. From Death Spiritual they are inchoatively and gradually delivered by the Power of the Spirit of Life in Christ: and shall be completely when neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing shall remain upon them. From Death Corporal, together with all the inlets and harbingers thereof, they are delivered in respect of the Sting, Terror, and Curse thereof, though not in respect of the state thereof. The Saints are afflicted and die as well as Carnal men: But to the Saints Afflictions and Death are not Enemies, but Friends; not Losses, but Gains; not Miseries, but Mercies; not Punishments, but fatherly Chastisements; not Curses, but blessings; whilst unto Carnal men they are altogether Contrary. IV. In a glorious state, are the spirits of just men made perfect, and shall be both spirits and bodies of all the Elect after the judgment day. And then no Sin, Death, Curse, Affliction, Sorrow, or any shadow thereof shall ever trouble them or come near them anymore to all eternity: but all shall be swallowed up in victory. And thus we are to conceive of the penalty of the Covenant of works, Death: and how Adam and all his Posterity are, by their first Sin, therein involved.

4. Hence, All Adams Posterity from the beginning to the end of the world, have great Cause deeply to lament and be humbled for Adams first Sin. For, Not only Adam, but all his posterity sinned in Adams first sin: That First Sin was extremely sinful: That First sin involved not only Adam but all his Posterity under the Curse and Penalty of Death. Was ever sin, all things considered, parallel to this sin? was ever sin such Matter of lamentation and Humiliation? If Adams Posterity had no other sin, Original or Actual, to Mourn for, but this one sin alone, they had cause enough to lament it while this world Continues, if it were possible, with Rivers of tears, and those tears of blood. How comes it to pass then that we can mourn for Actuals, and Originals; but mourn least of all, for Adams and our First Sin to be bewailed most of all! When we Mourn for Actuals, lets with David also mourn for Original Sin, The Nursery of Actuals: And when we mourn for them, lets Mourn likewise for Adams First Sin, the Mother of them all.

5. Hence, we may see How unsafe it is for mutable man to have his Life and Happiness in his own Keeping. Adam was made upright, and that in the Image of God, but Mutable. His Life and Happiness was put into his own Keeping, and depended upon his own personal performance of the Covenant of works, which he had full power to keep; but being left to the liberty of his own Will, Temptation alluring, how quickly did he and we in him lose all! How much better hath the Lord provided for his Elect in Christ the second Adam! Not they, but Christ is betrusted with their Life and Happiness. My sheep hear my voice (saith Christ) and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them Eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. They are kept-as-in-garrison by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation. 1. The love of God in Jesus Christ clasps and embraceth them inseparably: 2. The faithful Constancy of Christ retains them immoveably: 3. The incorruptible Seed of Christ's word and Grace abides in them, and makes them abide in Christ perpetually; and 4. The Omnipotent hand of God and Christ, who are stronger then all▪ protect, preserve and hold them inviolably. Therefore they can never totally nor finally fall.

6. Hence; Seeing Adam utterly brake the Covenant of works by disobedience, This Covenant-breach is absolutely irreparable by the First Adam, and by all his ordinary Posterity. It is so wide and desperate a breach, that its absolutely past all the power and skill of mere mankind, or Creature, to close up and repair the same. This is evident, 1. From the Nature and Tenor of the Covenant of works. It giveth life upon no other▪ Terms then upon Perfect and perpetual Personal Obedience: and inf •… icteth death upon the least failing in any one particular. This the tenor and current of the Covenant. Adam failed in one particular, not obeying the Symbolical Law about the Tree of Knowledge: By this one failing the Tenor of the Covenant is utterly overthrown: It being impossible that Adam should yield continual Obedience: his obedience being discontinued and broken off by his Disobedience. Therefore, As Virginity once lost, can never be recovered; so the Covenant of works once violated, can never be repaired. 2. From the requisits, Necessary to complete Repuration of the broken Covenant of works. There are three things principally requisite to such a Reparation; viz. Full Satisfaction of the breach Past. Full personal Conformity to the Covenant for Present. And complete fulfilling of the Covenant, for the Future. ( 1 ) There must be full Satisfaction of Divine Justice and Truth for the Breach of Covenant already Past, by undergoing the Death threatened, and deserved. Now no mere finite Creature is able to undergo death Corporal, Spiritual and Eternal, so as fully to satisfy God's infinite justice, but would be utterly and eternally lost and swallowed up therein. And infinite justice offended, requires infinite satisfaction, which finite Beings can never perform. ( 2 ) There must be a full Personal Conformity to the Covenant for the present. Otherwise it were absolutely impossible either Passively to Satisfie for breaches past, or Actively to keep the Covenant perfectly for time to come. Adam in integrity had not been able to keep the Covenant: had not his person then been fully conform to the Covenant. Now since Adams breach of the Covenant of works, Nor he nor any of his ordinary posterity are fully Conform to the Covenant, but naturally all are most contrary thereunto. ( 3 ) There must be, finally, a Compleat fulfilling of the Covenant of works for the future. But that none of the Ordinary posterity of lapsed Adam can perform, because The Scripture hath concluded all under sin. 3. From the utter inability of Adam and all mankind since the fall to fulfil the Covenant of works. All being dead in sin; without strength, and so the Law weak through the flesh; Enmity against God and the Law of God; and every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart being only▪ evil Continually.

7. Finally, Hence; The Covenant of works being utterly broken by Adams disobedience, Nor Adam nor Any of his Posterity, since the fall can ever be justified before God by the Covenant of works, or by the works of the Law. Why? 1. Because Adam, and all mankind in him, are under sin, by reason of Adams disobedience. And therefore being wholly unable to all good works, they cannot be justified by good-works. Yea are so far from any possibility of being Justified by good works: that, without pardoning mercy, they are liable to be condemned eternally for their sins. And this is the Apostles grand Argument against Justification by the works of the Law, where he purposely treats of this Subject of Justification, viz. Nor Jew nor Gentile can be justified by the works of the Law: because all of them are under sin. The Series of his Argumentation, See in Rom. 1. 17. to Rom. 3. 21. and observe it accurately, 2. Because, As by Adams disobedience all are concluded under sin: so by the law of works Comes the Knowledge of Sin. How? Chiefly two ways, viz. ( 1 ) Directly, By discovering what is sin, not only in Deeds and words, but in thoughts and imaginations. I had not known sin (saith Paul. ) but by the Law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not Covet. Hence Christ shows in his Commentary upon the Law, that the Law discovers and condemns, not only Outward gross sins of life, but also inward close sins of the Heart. ( 2 ) Indirectly and Occasionally, By irritating and provoking sin: through the prohibition and restraint of it, to appear more extremely sinful. As a fierce Torrent dam'd up, swells and rageth more furiously. So Paul; Sin taking occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence. For without the Law sin was dead. —Thus, Sin by the Commandment became exceeding sinful. Now the Covenant or law of works, thus bringing in the knowledge of Sin, since the Fall, and not the knowledge of any our righteousness at all, is altogether unable to justify us. Hence the Apostle thus concludes; Therefore by the deeds of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the Law is the Knowledge of sin. 3. Because, Since the Fall, The Law of works curseth and condemneth all for not continuing in Obedience: and therefore it can justify none. For as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the Curse: For it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them. Now the same Law cannot both bless and curse at once, both justify and condemn at once, all mankind.

APHORISM VII.

FInally, The breach of the Covenant of works by the Disobedience of the First Adam, did wonderfully make way for the establishment of the Covenant of Faith by the Obedience of the Second Adam. For, its very observable, That Adam had no sooner broke the Covenant of works: but presently on the selfsame-day, God promiseth Christ the Seed of the woman to heal this breach, and so sets on foot the Covenant of Faith in Christ. Adam, almost as soon as made, made haste to destroy mankind, by his Sin: God, almost as soon as they were ruined, made haste to save mankind by his Son. Here's no small mystery in this Divine dispensation. For unfolding it, Consider briefly these two Particulars, viz.

1. God before the foundation of the world, purposing to glorify himself more peculiarly, by mankind, Elected some out of mankind unto the adoption of children in Jesus Christ, according to the goodpleasure of his will.

2. God, in the beginning of the world, 1. Created man in his own image, wholly upright, but mutable. 2. Brings man into a Covenant of works with himself, Promising continuance of life upon condition of Continued obedience, but threatening present death to disobedience. 3. Leaves man to himself and permits him to fall from his integrity, by breaking this Covenant, into a miserable state of sin and death. And all this in order to the accomplishment and execution of his eternal Decree.

3. God takes occasion, upon man's miserable state of Sin and Death through breach of the Covenant of works, to open to him a door of hope for life and happiness in Christ Jesus, by the Covenant of Faith. The breach of the Covenant of works wonderfully making way for the Erecting of the Covenant of Faith: And this in divers respects: viz. 1. In respect of God; the breach of Covenant giving him the clearest and fittest opportunity in the world, of manifesting the infinite riches of his free grace, love, mercy, &c. in Jesus Christ to mankind now in deepest misery. Mans extremity is God's opportunity. Now was God's only time to exalt himself, and his Grace on high, when man had debased himself so low. In extremity of misery, to show Mercy, is double mercy. 2. In respect of man; the breach of Covenant bringing him into the greatest necessity of a Mediator of Divine Grace and pardoning mercy in him, and of a Covenant of faith revealing this Mediator and this Grace unto him. Till the fall, Adam needed neither Covenant of faith nor pardoning mercy, no Mediator: But after his fall he so needs them all, that without them he dies eternally. This extreme necessity and undone state of man, made excellent way for the replenishing bounty of God. When Pain is bitterest, ease is sweetest; When the heart is most sick, reviving Cordials are most welcome. 3. In respect of the Covenant of Faith itself; the breach of the Covenant of works represents to the Covenant-breaker nothing but Death: The Covenant of Faith is brought in, Proclaims a Reprieve, yea a free Pardon, in the Seed of the woman, Christ, to all that by faith will accept him. O sweet Covenant of Faith, that Opens a door of Hope and Mercy, even then when the broken Covenant of works knows no mercy! O blessed tidings, That an apostate Sinner may have an all-sufficient Savior! That the breach of the Covenant of works grounded on mutable Nature, should be repaired by the Covenant of Faith in Christ, founded upon immutable Grace!

Come, and see; See, and admire; Admire, and adore, The Severity, The Goodness, and The wisdom of God. 1. His Severity; in that Sin shall be rewarded with death, at least in the Sinners Surety and Mediator Promised. 2. His Goodness; in that the condemned Sinner shall be restored to life, by a Covenant of Reconciliation. 3. His Wisdom; in that he could Improve, Reduce and Dispose Mans sinful fall to so great advantage both for his own Glory, and Mans Good. Who, but the most high God, could have extracted such a reviving Medicine, out of such a deadly Poison: could have brought such clear light, out of such extreme darkness; such supernatural life, out of such preternatural Death; such celestial good, out of such infernal evil? As Augustine, excellently; The omnipotent God, who is chiefly Good, would by no means suffer any evil to be among his works, were he not so omnipotent and good, that he could bring good even out of evil. If the First Covenant had not been marred; the second and more excellent Covenant had not been made. If the first earthly Adam had not been ruined; the second heavenly Adam Christ had not been promised. If One sin in Adam had not been so grievous: God's superabounding grace in Christ had not appeared so glorious. Oh my happy fault, (said Augustine ) which while God is drawn by love to wipe away, that love of his also is opened unto me, desiring and Coveting it from my heart root! I could never so well have acknowledged his love, unless I had tried it in so great perils. Oh how happily did I fall, that after my fall did more happily rise again!

Hitherto of God's Covenant of works with and in the First Adam before the Fall. Next of God's Covenant of Faith with and in the Last Adam after the Fall.

CHAP. II. 2. Of God's COVENANT OF FAITH with the last Adam and his Seed after the fall; more Generally Considered.

T HE COVENANT of FAITH, That sweet and admirable mystery of Divine dispensation, comes next to be unfolded. Though usually it be called The Covenant of Grace; yet I choose rather to style it The COVENANT of FAITH; 1. Because, The Covenant of works, and the Covenant of Faith, are Denominations nearest to the Scriptures own Expressions, viz. The Law of works, and The Law of Faith. Rom. 3. 27. which for sense and substance, what are they else, but the Covenant of works, and the Covenant of Faith? 2. Because the distribution of God's Covenant into The Covenant of works and The Covenant of Faith, seems most proper: These being most distinct and opposite members; Works being the Condition of that, Faith the Condition of this Covenant, and both on man's part. 3. Because that Denomination of The Covenant of Grace, is rather Co-incident with the Covenant of works, which (as hath been shown) was a Covenant made with Adam of mere Grace and favor, as well as this; God being no way obliged, debt-bound or necessitated to either: This is noted once for all, that none be offended at the Phrase of The COVENANT of FAITH here used.

Now in the unfolding of this COVENANT of FAITH, I shall, for the greater perspicuity, Treat of it,

I. More Generally, Showing, 1. That The Covenant of Works being broken in the First Adam, The Lord pleased to Reveal a Covenant of Faith in Christ the Last Adam. 2. What this Covenant of Faith is. 3. How this Covenant of Faith is to be distinguished and distributed into its several sorts and branches.

II. More Particularly, descending to the Particular opening of it, in the several Periods of its Discovery, and Forms of its Administration.

APHORISM I.

THe COVENANT of WORKS being broken in the First Adam; The Lord God was pleased to Reveal A COVENANT of FAITH in Jesus Christ the Last Adam. For more clear unfolding hereof, these things are to be evidenced. viz. 1. That God upon Adams breach of the Covenant of works, revealed The Covenant of Faith. 2. When God Revealed this Covenant of Faith. 3. Why he Revealed the Covenant of Faith.

I. That, upon breach of the Covenant of Works in the First Adam, God was pleased to Reveal a Covenant of Faith in Jesus Christ; the Last Adam, will appear, by conferring some few Scriptures together. For,

1. One Scripture testifieth, that Jesus Christ is the Last Adam; The First man Adam was made a living Soul: The Last Adam was made a quickening Spirit. —Again, The first man is of the Ear •… h Earthy: The Second man is the Lord from Heaven. Here are two Adams opposite one to the other: and the Lord Christ is the Second or Last of these two Adams.

2. Another Scripture witnesseth, That the First Adam in respect of the effect of his disobedience, was the Figure or Type of him that was to come, viz. of Christ, in respect of the effect of his Obedidience. For, As by the First Adams Disobedience, all his posterity were brought into a state of Sin and Death; So by the Last Adams Obedience, all his Posterity (which are many, even all the Elect) shall be most freely Restored to a state of righteousness and eternal life. Hence its evident, That these two Adams in this parallel, stand in reference to their respective Posterities not only as two Roots whence their Posterities flow, but also as two Representatives, or two Universal and Public Persons representing their several Seeds. Adam represented and sustained the person of his Seed, all mankind; in his Disobedience all mankind disobeyed; in his Death for disobedience all mankind died also: In like manner Christ represented and sustained the person of his Seed, all the Elect; in his obedience all the Elect obeyed, and in his justification upon his Obedience all the Elect partake justification of Life. So then, The First Adam disobeyed; What? The Covenant of works; and so condemned all mankind: Christ the Last Adam obeyed: What? the same Covenant of works, the Law, and so saved all the Elect. How? According to the tenor of the Covenant of Faith: making him a representative Surety for all his Elect.

3. Finally another Scripture showeth, That all mankind being concluded under sin ( viz. by reason of Adams breach of the Covenant of works) they could not have life by the Law or Covenant of works, sin disabling them to keep it: and thereupon God hath given a Covenant of Faith in Christ, to them that believe, viz. to all his Elect, they alone being able truly to believe. If there had been a Law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, That the Promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Now lay all this together; 1. Jesus Christ is the Last Adam; 2. The First Adam having condemned all his Seed under sin and death by his disobedience, the Last Adam restores all his Elect unto justification of life by his obedience. 3. The Law being unable by reason of sin to give righteousness and life, The Covenant or Promise by Faith in Christ is given instead thereof; And it is clear, That the Covenant of works being broken by the first Adam, the Lord hath revealed a Covenant of Faith in Christ the last Adam.

II. When did God Reveal the COVENANT of FAITH in Christ the last Adam? Answ. God was pleased to Reveal the Covant of Faith in Christ, not only under the New Testament since Christ, but also under the Old Testament long before Christ. And that not only to the Jews about the time of their return from the Babylonish Captivity: but also to David long before that time: And to Moses and Israel at Sinai long before David's time: And to Abraham long before the days of Moses: And to Noah long before the days of Abraham: yea and to Adam himself long before the days of Noah. For, in the self-same day wherein Adam by disobedience broke the Covenant of works, in that very day, before God either drove the man out of Paradise, or pronounced Sentence upon him or the woman for their sin, even whilst he was passing Sentence upon the Serpent (which probably was not many hours after the Fall,) God revealed this Covenant of Faith in Christ, The seed of the woman, that should bruise the Serpents head. Notably to this effect said Jerome; Our God against all hope, almost against all faith, having out of the riches of his mercy found good in evil, begetting and confirming kindness in wrath, would have the Seed of sinning to pass on into the fruit of commiserating: and he who should have destroyed us for our transgression, promised to repair us for his own mercy And at that time wherein we deserved punishments, he shows matter of Salvation: That we might understand, how much he was able to perform▪ being un-offended, that would bestow so much while he was displeased. Therefore in the first man he presently promised us judiciary Help, He presently brought forth good things out of his good treasury, He presently published the mysteries unknown to Angels themselves, which was to be fulfilled in the last time; And unto the Adam on Earth, he promisedan Adam from Heaven. Thus he, elegantly.

III. Why did God Reveal The Covenant of Faith in Christ the last Adam, the Covenant of works being broke by the first Adam? Answ. We may Conceive that the Lord did this, 1. Out of mere Grace, Love and Mercy to Mankind. 2. That God's purpose according to Election might stand 3. That God's Covenant and Promise might be sure to all the Elect. 4 To advance the Glory of his Goodness and Severity in Jesus Christ.

1. Out of the superabounding riches of his mere Grace, Love and Mercy to mankind. These were the only inward Impulsives, or moving Causes, whereupon the Lord inclined to Reveal a Covenant of faith in Christ, after the Covenant of works was broken by Adam: and not anything at all in man. viz 1. His mere Grace or free favor to man in lapsed State. What the Apostle •… aith of God's Covenant and Promise to Abraham, It is of Faith, that it might be by Grace; holds also in all the periods and administrations of the Covenant of Faith; after Adams Fall. To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of Grace, but of debt▪ •… aith the Apostle. But lapsed man could not work, could not fulfill the works of the Law, and so have the reward of life, as a debt due by God's promise in the Covenant of works: therefore this Covenant of Faith God made with him of the riches of his mere Grace. 2. His mere love moved him to make this Covenant of Faith, and that not only without, but contrary to all grounds of Love in lapsed man. For man having broken the Covenant of works, became a most wretched Sinner. As a Sinner he had lost the image of God, and all his Beauty, Amiableness, Loveliness, &c. being wholly deformed, defiled and unlovely through the image of Satan. Therefore, As God singularly commended his love to us, in that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us: so he singularly commended the same Love to us, in that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ was freely Promised to us. 3. His mere mercy. By mercy God is disposed to favor his creatures in misery. Man having broken the Covenant of works, was a mere map of misery. And, all things considered, mankind was never so extremely and hopelesly miserable in this world since the Creation, as betwixt his breach of the Covenant of works, and God's Revealing of the Covenant of Faith. For at that time he had no foundation of hope, nor shadow thereof left him. He had no Covenant or Promise to lean upon: the Covenant of works being broken, and the Covenant of Faith not Revealed. He had no righteousness to depend upon: not his own, for he had lost it; not Christ's, for it was not yet made known. He had no attribute of God to comfort himself with: for he had made himself an utter enemy to God. No creature would relieve him: because no mere creature could reconcile him to God. Only Death was before him ready to swallow him up. Now in this utmost extremity of man's misery on earth, God proclaims A Covenant of Faith in Christ. Here was a miracle of Mercy indeed, Meer misery is embraced in the arms of mere mercy.

2. That God's gracious purpose according to Election might stand firm, and not be overthrown: All mankind, in Adams breach of the Covenant of works, being plunged into a state of sin and death, God revealed a Covenant of Faith for Recovery of his Elect among mankind out of that lost estate. Here note, 1. That, God hath elected or chosen some out of mankind, in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated them unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. These are called, vessels of mercy, afore prepared unto glory: all others, vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. These are called, Christ's sheep, given him of the Father: others, not of his sheep, but goats. 2. That, God's Counsel according to Election is most sure, unalterable, unchangeable. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And everyone that God Predestinateth, he glorifieth. 3. That, Adam's breach of the Covenant of works, involved all mankind, elect as well as reprobates, in a state of sin and death. By which state of sin and death, God's Election seems wholly to be crossed and overthrown. 4. That God's revealing his Covenant of Faith in Christ, for restoring his elect out of this lapsed state, removes that grand obstruction and impediment to the execution and fulfilling of God's Election. For, by this Covenant of Faith, The Predestinated in Christ, are called to him, that they may be justified and glorified by him, according to the Election.

3. That God's Covenant and Promise might be sure to all God's Elect. The Covenant of works, founded upon Adams perfect and perpetual personal obedience, though sure in respect of God, who cannot lie; yet was not sure in respect of Adam, who (though upright, ) was but a mutable Creature, and so utterly broke it. Therefore God revealed a Covenant of Faith, founded upon Christ and his perfect obedience, who is perfectly unchangeable, the same yesterday, and today, and forever: that so the Covenant might be inviolably sure to all that will believe in him. Hence the Apostle saith of the Promise of the inheritance to Abraham, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by Grace, to the end the Promise might be sure to all the seed.

4. Finally, The Covenant of works being broken by the first Adam, God Revealed the Covenant of Faith in Christ the last Adam, that thereby he might wonderfully advance the glory of his Goodness, and Severity, in Jesus Christ. 1. The glory of his Goodness towards his Elect. In devising life, for them when Dead: Righteousness, for them when Sinners: And a sure Covenant of Faith, for them when Covenant-breakers of the Covenant of works. Here's the valley of Achor, of Trouble; turned into a door of Hope: The midnight of misery, into the daybreak of mercy. Oh how glorious is this Divine goodness in the eyes of all the Elect! They shall ever extol, admire and adore it, both in this and the world to come. 2. The glory of his Severity, both to Satan, and to all Reprobates. (1.) To Satan, that old Serpent the Devil, God's Severity is published in the Covenant of faith, which brings tidings of Christ the Seed of the woman that should bruise the Serpents head, utterly conquer the Devil, and destroy his works. Satan in the Serpent had ruined man by the woman. And therefore God hath devised to ruin Satan, and the Serpent by the Promised seed of the woman. Man fell through Satan's Temptation from without himself, and found Mercy: Satan fell, having no temptation but from within himself, and being fallen, maliciously overthrows mankind, and therefore finds no mercy. Man is pushed down by Satan, and mercy promiseth him a Christ to save him: Satan pushed down himself and mankind with himself, and Severity threateneth him the same Christ to damn him. How severely! How mysteriously! (2.) To Reprobates, the Seed of the Serpent, God magnifies also his justice and Severity, by the Covenant of faith. For, this Covenant establisheth an enmity betwixt the Seed of the woman, Christ; and the Seed of the Serpent, reprobates. And shows that Christ shall bruise the head both of the Serpent, and of his Seed. O How terrible is this Severity! If Christ be an enemy to reprobates, who shall be their friend? If Christ bruise them, who shall heal them? If Christ damn them, who shall save them?

What this Covenant of faith in Christ the last Adam is: And how it is to be distributed: Shall be declared in the two next Aphorisms. Mean while consider these Corollaryes resulting from this Aphorism.

Corollaryes. Seeing upon Breach of the Covenant of works by the first Adam, God was pleased to reveal a Covenant of faith in Christ the last Adam: Hence note,

1. That, God's Covenant-Administrations are most wisely contrived for the greatest advantage of his own glory. God hath made all things for himself: and orders all things to himself. Especially his Covenant-administrations render him eminently glorious. He gives Adam a Covenant of works, which he was able to keep: and so glorifies his Goodness and Power. He leaves Adam to himself, being mutable, permitting him to Fall: and so glorifies his Freedom. Adam having broke the Covenant of works, He reveals a Covenant of Faith in Christ: and so glorifies his goodness and Severity, as hath been shown. He permits man to become a sinner: that he may proclaim Christ to be a Savior. He permits man to lose his own righteousness, which was mutable: that he may be clothed with God's righteousness which is immutable. He permits man to be involved in misery: that he may be embraced with the greater mercy. He permits man to be deceived by the Serpent: that the Seed of the woman may destroy the Serpent. He permits man to be wounded to the Death: that he may more illustriously discover the Necessity and Efficacy of Jesus Christ for Healing and for Life. He permits man to lose Eden: that in Christ he may gain Heaven. Thus the Almighty brings light out of darkness, strength out of weakness, gains out of losses, health out of sickness, victory out of Captivity, liberty out of bondage, happiness out of misery, life out of death, good out of evil, and Heaven out of Hell. Oh the dept •… of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How hath he out-shot Satan in his own bow! How hath he raised his glory over all, by that which seemed to debase his glory most of all!

2. That, God hath from the beginning been infinitely more careful of man's Happiness, then man of his own happiness. God makes man happy; placeth this happiness in his own keeping; gives him ability to keep it; and Covenanteth to continue it to him upon his perfect obedience: but man breaks the Covenant, and disrobes himself of all his happiness, regardless of his felicity. Hereupon God erects a Covenant of faith, Opens a door of hope touching a greater happiness, placeth it in Christ's keeping, offers it to all that will accept Christ by believing. Here's God's double care of man's happiness; that bestowed not a single care upon his own happiness. O how God thirsts after man's felicity! He is more willing to save man, then man is willing to be saved by him, otherwise man should never have been saved.

3. That, The Revelation of the mystery of the Gospel is of great Antiquity, having been even from the beginning of the world. They that think there is no Gospel, but in the New Testament; and that no Gospel was revealed, till Christ's Incarnation▪ do greatly err, because they know not the Scriptures, nor the Grace of God. For, what is the Gospel, But The glad tidings of God's gracious pleasure to save lapsed Sinners by 〈◊〉 Christ? This Gospel is preached by the Law and the Prophets. This Gospel was preached unto Abraham, 430. years before the Law was given: And to Adam presently after the Fall in the very beginning of the world in that Promise of the seed of the woman to bruise the Serpents head. And since that Promise; it is evident that the whole Scripture Scopes at the proclaiming and displaying of this Gospel in one respect or other.

4. That, All the Godly under the Old Testament from the Fa •… l of the first Adam till the incarnation of the last Adam, were saved in the selfsame way for substance, that the faithful are under the New Testament since Christ's coming in the flesh. For, They had for Substance the same Covenant of faith, that we; though more imperfectly and obscurely revealed. The same God: The same Mediator Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever; though then revealed under types, shadows and promises, now exhibited with open face: They had the same Spirit of Christ, that we: They lived by the same justifying faith, that we: The same Religion and Sacraments for Substance, that we: and expected the same glorious reward eternally in Heaven, that we expect. But here is the eminent difference, The Church and people of God under the Old Testament were in their spiritual Infancy, and as a child under age, were put under Tutors and Governors, viz. under a more servile manner of the Covenants administration: but now under the New Testament they are come to their Spiritual Maturity, like an heir come to age, and are spiritually a more free and willing p •… ople under a more free Covenant-dispensation.

5 That, God having revealed A Covenant of Faith, upon breach of the Covenant of Works, hath antiquated, and in some sort abolished the Covenant of Works. If in the same Covenant of Faith, God's erecting of a New Covenant, (new not for substance, but for Administration ) makes the former administration of the Covenant old: much more God's publishing of a New kind of Covenant, makes the former kind old. I say, God by setting up a Covenant of Faith, hath in some •… ort abolished the Covenant of works: viz. 1. In respect of affording Life, righteousness and Justification, as a Covenant. Thus it is abolished Generally unto all; for as much as no man since the fall can be justified by works, but only by Faith in Christ. 2. In respect of inflicting Condemnation for the breach of the Covenant of Works. So it is abolished to all true believers, that accept the Covenant of Faith and Christ therein: for there's no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Whether in other respects the Covenant of works be abolished; How far; How far not; and of what use it may still be in the Church of God: may be more opportunely considered in Treating of the Sinai-Covenant.

6. That, If any persons in the Church perish since Adams fall, under the Curse and Penalty of the Covenant of works, they perish because they accept not God's Covenant of Faith. For, the Covenant of works, being unable to give life to any after the fall, because none can keep it in their own persons: God hath published his Covenant of Faith, that they might have life in another; even in Jesus Christ, who should fully keep it. So that Faith in Christ according to the second Covenant, is a remedy against disobedience to the First Covenant. To all in the Church this Covenant of Faith is tendered. They therefore shall not so much be condemned for disobedience as for •… nbelief, the great Sin of Sins: and may thank themselves, not at all blame God, for their own destruction.

APHORISM II.

THe COVENANT of FAITH is God's Gratious Compact or Agreement with Jesus Christ the Last Adam, and in him with all his Seed, after the Fall; Touching their Recovery out of the state of Sin and Death, into a state of Righteousness and eternal life, by Christ, That in him the Lord may be their God, and they his people: They accepting Christ and these covenanted mercies by true Faith, and walking worthy of them according to the Gospel.

For plainness sake I express the Nature of the Covenant of Faith thus largely: and it may be farther opened and Confirmed, as followeth. In this description note, 1. The Genus, or General Nature of it. 2. The differentiam specificam, or special Difference of it.

I. The General Nature of the COVENANT of FAITH, is contained in these words; It is A Compact or Agreement. Herein generally all Covenants Divine and Human, and amongst Divine, both of Works and Faith do concur, That they are Compacts or Agreements. Of which hath been spoken sufficiently heretofore.

II. The Special Difference of this Covenant of Faith, distinguishing it not only from Covenants Human, but even from God's Covenant of works, formerly laid open, is comprised in the rest of the Description. And more particularly in the 1. Efficient. 2. Parties. 3. Matter. And, 4. Form of this Covenant. These shall be unfolded in 4. particular Sections. To which a fifth Section may be added, comprising certain Corollaries resulting from the whole.

SECTION I.

THe Efficient cause, or Author of the Covenant of Faith is God. It is God's Gracio •… s compact or Agreement. Here is to be shown; 1. That God is the Efficient cause of this Covenant of Faith. 2. How, and in what different notion God is the Author of it, so as he was not of the Covenant of works. 3. What impulsive or Mo •… ing Cause inclined God to Devise and set up this Covenant.

1. That, God is the Efficient Cause, or Author of this COVENANT of FAITH; is most clear. For, 1. The Scriptures speaking of this Covenant, and of the Gradual discoveries of it, do still ascribe it to God alone, as his Covenant, as devised and made by him with his people. 2. Only God could dispence with the penalty of that Covenant of Works, Death; which Adam, and in him all mankind had 〈◊〉 to themselves. And consequently none but God could erect the Covenant of Faith; which by way of Remedy against the breach of the Covenant of Works, both Relieves the Sinner that he should not be condemned, and provides for God's Justice, Truth and Glory, that they should not be impeached. 3. The Lord God, and he alone could devise and Contrive this Covenant of Faith: and having devised it, bring it into actual execution. All the Angels in Heaven, and men on Earth could not have inve •… ted the mystery of this Covenant: had not God, infinitely and unsearchably wise, invented it and revealed it to them. For, it is evident, that after God had revealed this Covenant in many degrees under the Old Testament, yet Angels themselves did not •… o fully understand it till the times of the New Testament, the manifold wisdom of God being made known by the Church unto Principalities and powers in heavenly places. And these are such abstruse things, that (as Peter intimateth) The Angels still desire to look and pry into, for further Satisfaction. And if Angels do not so fully comprehend the mysteries of this Covenant, being already Devised and Revealed: how much less can man fadom it? Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor have entered into the Heart of man; the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. And the love of Christ passeth Knowledge. Now if nor men, nor Angels can fully comprehend this mystery, much less could they have Contrived it, but least of all have brought it to Actual execution. How could they have brought the Son of God to be Mediator of this Covenant, & to that end to become man, to die, &c?

2. How and in what Sense, God is the Author of the Covenant of Faith. Answ. God was the Author of both Covenant of Works and of Faith: And herein they agree. But he is Author of these two Covenants in a far different Sense and Notion: and herein they disagree. Of the Covenant of Works God was Author, As a loving well-pleased Creator, dealing immediately without a Mediator with man his perfect and upright Creature: but of the Covenant of Faith God is Author as a most gracious and merciful Redeemer, dealing mediately in and by a Mediator Jesus Christ, with lapsed man, a miserable Sinner. Hence, The Covenant of Works is deservedly styled Faedus Amicitiae, A Covenant of Amity, or Friendship; because God and man, at the making thereof were upon terms of perfect friendship with each other: But the Covenant of Faith is called Faedus Reconciliationis; A Covenant of Reconcilement, because at making thereof, God and man were upon terms of enmity against each other by reason of the fall, and now to be Reconciled.

3. The Impulsive, or Moving Cause, inclining God to Contrive and Erect this Covenant of Faith; Nor was, nor could be anything at all in man, without God. Neither man's Merit, nor his Misery: neither man's Goodness nor his Badness could move God hereunto. Not Mans merit or goodness: for whilst man was. Innocent, he could Merit nothing from God, much less after he became Nocent and Sinful. Sinful man could merit nothing from God, but Death the due 〈◊〉 Sin. Nor Mans Misery or Badness; for then, why should not the misery and badness of lapsed Angels (which was as great as man's) have moved God to have Covenanted with Angels? What then? The only Moving Cause hereof, was in God himself. viz. The mere riches of his Free-Grace, and Compassionate yernings of his bowels of Mercies moved him. Hereupon the Spirit of God, by the virgin Mary and Zacharias, Speaking of the accomplishment of this Covenant of Faith to Abraham and his Seed, declares the rise and ground of this Covenant and Promise to have been Divine Mercy, and bowels of mercy of our God. And Moses having recited God's Covenant with Israel in Horeb, and the many Covenanted blessings bestowed upon them by God: he intimates that God's mere love, not anything at all in them, was the moving Cause of all. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were mo in number then any people (for ye were the fewest of any people) But because the LORD loved you.—Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, & he chose their Seed after them, even you above all people. Yea the Lord by Ezekiel, having respect to his Covenant with them in Horeb, tells them (under the Allegory of a new-born infant, wretched and un-pitied) that When their Navel was not cut, nor they washed with water, nor salted at all, nor swaddled at all, none eye pitying them, when God saw them cast out, loathed and polluted in their own blood, when they were utterly without merit or amiableness: even then God said unto them live, and their time was as the time of love, he spread his skirt over her, covered her nakedness, sware unto her, entered into a Covenant with her, and she became his. Now unto this Covenant nothing could move or incline God but riches of mere Grace. Finally, when God renewed his Covenant-Promises to the Jews in Babylon, he tells them plainly I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy names sake.—Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

SECTION II.

THe Parties to this Covenant of Faith are two. viz. 1. God, on the one hand: 2. Christ the Last Adam, and in him all his Seed, on the other hand. Here will arise farther difference between this and the Covenant of works, in regard of the Parties Covenanting. For,

God is here one Party to this Covenant, not as a Bountiful Creator, covenanting with his innocent and upright Creature, as in the Covenant of works; but as a most Merciful Restorer of his lapsed & miserable Creature. This is so clear, it needs no demonstration or illustration.

Christ the Last Adam, and in him all his Seed, are the other party. The First Adam, and in him his Seed or Posterity, were the Party with whom God Covenanted in the Covenant of works: but Christ the last Adam, and in him all his Seed, are the Party with whom God Covenanteth in the Covenant of Faith. This discovers a vast difference betwixt these Covenants. And this leads us to consider of an Excellent Mystery, and of singular importance for the Comfort of all believers; viz. How Christ the last Adam and his seed, are a joint-Party to this Covenant of Faith. Very few that Treat of the Covenant, speak to this point: and they that do speak of it, rather point at it obscurely, then handle it distinctly. That therefore we may have a more clear Notion and apprehension of this Mystery; Let us diligently Consider the Ensuing Parallel, betwixt God's dealing with the first Adam, and in him with his Seed, in the Covenant of Works: and his dealing with the Last Adam▪ Christ, and his Seed in the Covenant of Faith; together with the Grounds thereof. The Parallel stands chiefly in these four Branches, viz.

I. As the first man of the earth earthy, is called the First Adam: so the second man, Jesus Christ, The Lord from Heaven, is styled the last Adam. The First man Adam was made a Living Soul: The Last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.—The first man is of the Earth, Earthy: The Second man is the Lord from heaven. Christ is styled the Second man; not because he was the second man that was brought into the world; that was Cain: but because he was the Second public man, the root and Representative of his posterity, as the First man of his. And he is styled the last Adam, Partly because as there was no other such public person from the First Adam before Christ: so there should be no other such public person after Christ. Partly, because the First Adam was a figure or Type of Christ, and that in divers respects, as Paul shows to the Romans and Corinthians.

II. As the First Adam had his Natural Seed and Posterity, all Mankind: So the Last Adam Jesus Christ hath his Supernatural Seed, and Spiritual Posterity, all the Elect. ( 1 ) That the First Adam had all mankind for his Natural Seed, is evident; Partly, In that all mankind originally descended from him, God having made of one blood all Nations of men: yea even Eve herself being taken out of Adam. Partly, In that all mankind Sinned in him, and died in him, in his Fall. ( 2 ) That the last Adam also hath his supernatural Seed, and Spiritual Posterity, even all the Elect, is as Evident. For Isaiah prophesying of Christ's Passion, saith; It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin, he shall see his Seed. And David long before him prophesying of Christ's Kingdom and Dominion, said, A Seed shall serve him: It shall be accounted to the LORD for a generation. And again elsewhere; Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, thou hast the dew of thy youth. That is, Thy youth (thy young, or New-born people) shall be to thee as the morning dew, which falleth secretly and plentifully from heaven, and abundantly covereth the earth. So that, as the dew is born out of the cool morning air, as out of a womb, distilling thence in innumerable drops upon the Earth: so thine Elect shall be born unto thee, by the preaching of thy word and first approach of thy heavenly light, in innumerable armies. Now, who are this Seed of Christ? All those that the father hath given Christ by his Decree of Eternal Election, even all his Sheep given him by the father; for whom Christ the good shepherd laid down his life; who hear the Shepherds voice, and believe in him, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. These alone are Christ's Spiritual Seed; and that, 1. By Decree, being Elected in Christ: 2. By Generation, being begotten again by Christ the everlasting Father. viz. Meritoriously, by his Death, and Resurrection: Efficaciously, by his Word and Spirit. So that they become his Children, and are counted to him for a generation. 3. By conformity to Christ, as children to a Father. They bear his image, and go like him: especially, In Grace; In godly life; In sufferings; and In Glory. 4. By filial affection and service to him: as children love and serve their parents. And all Christ's Posterity shall be most cheerful volunteers herein. 5. By Participation with Christ in his Spirituals and Eternals. Men's posterity share with them in their states and inheritances: and Christ's Seed partake with him in his Spiritual Privileges and Eternal enjoyments.

III. As God made the Covenant of works with the First Adam, and in him (as hath been shown) with all his Natural Seed: So God made the COVENANT of FAITH with Christ the Last Adam, and in him with all his Supernatural Seed. And if God made the Covenant of Faith with Christ the Last Adam, and in him with all his Supernatural Seed; then, as God is one party to this Covenant, Christ his Seed must needs be the other. Let us see therefore how this may be cleared, That, God made the Covenant of Faith with Christ the Last Adam, and in him with all his Supernatural Seed. In this branch of the parallel consists the greatest difficulty: which may be facilitated by these Positions following. viz. 1. Christless persons are mere strangers to the Covenant of Faith, and to all the Promises thereof. 2. They that are Christ's have the Covenant of Faith, and all the Promises thereof as theirs. 3. They that are Christ's have the Covenant of Faith, and the Promises thereof theirs only in Christ. 4. God's Covenant of Faith and Promises thereof, are first made to Christ and then to his Seed, to them that are Christ's, in him.

(1) Christless Persons are mere strangers to God's Covenant of Faith and to all the Promises thereof. This may be proved divers ways; As, 1. From Testimony of Scripture. Paul describing to the Ephesians their Carnal state before they believed the Gospel, saith; At that time ye were without Christ; Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, and Strangers from the Covenants of Promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Mark the Connection and Consequence in these particulars. First they were without Christ. This the foundation of all their ensuing misery: Christ being (as Zanchi well notes) the gate and door to the possession of all good things, of the present and future life. Then they were Aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel. Having no union to Christ the Head, they consequently had no communion with the Church, his Mystical body. Thirdly, From both the former, They were Strangers from the Covenants of Promise. Why? Because Christ is the foundation of the Covenant and Promises: And his Church The pillar and ground of Truth, the Receptal and keeper of God's Covenants, wherein they were published and tendered. Therefore having no union to Christ, the Head; nor Communion with the Church, his body; they had no part in the Covenants o •… Promise, appertaining to both. Hence its evident, that Christless persons are Covenantless and Promiseless persons. 2. From the Nature of a Christless state. A Christless state, is a Condition of mere Sinfulness and utter Enmity against God, wholly under the Curse and wrath of God: and this without God's Remedy, Christ. And therefore it cannot stand with the Truth and exact Justice of God, to spare such persons from Death (much less to give them Life by Covenant or Promise) without full Satisfaction. So that Christless persons, as such, have neither Actual interest in God's Covenant of Faith and the Promises thereof: nor can make any good claim or Title thereunto: nor have any immediate Capacity thereof; wanting both Christ, the foundation of them; and Faith for Application of them. 3. From the Nature of the Covenant of Faith and of the Promises thereof. They are peculiar indications of God's fatherly love and favor to us in Christ. For, as Calvin well observeth, God is not a propitious father to us, but only in Christ: and his Promises are Testimonies of his paternal benevolence towards us: consequently they are fulfilled through him alone. The Promises, •… say, are Testimonies of Divine Grace: for though God be beneficent even to the unworthy, yet when Promises are added to his Benefits, it is a special reason that there he declares himself a Father. So here. Now God's fatherly Love, the Acts and Testification thereof, are peculiar to God's own people. Remember me O LORD (saith David) with the favor (or, favorable-acceptation) of thy people. That is with the special love and free favor wherewith God embraceth the Elect alone, above all other people. Therefore God's Covenant and Promises cannot belong to such as are without the bounds of God's peculiar fatherly love.

(2) They that are Christ's have the Covenant of Faith, and all the Promises thereof, as theirs. This is eivdent by divers Sctiptures. If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to the Promise. Then, The Promise of heirship, not of Canaan, but of this world, and of Heaven, is theirs, that are Christ's. Peter writing to them that had obtained like precious faith with the Apostles, saith; Exceeding great and precious Promises are given to us. Not to all; but to us, to the faithful. But Paul more fully; Godliness is profitable unto all things, having Promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. That is, All the Promises are peculiarly annexed to, and entailed upon Godliness: For there is no promise, but either of the life present or future.

(3) They that are Christ's have the Covenant of Faith, and Promises thereof theirs, only in Christ. Of the Covenant, as it was renewed to Abraham, Paul saith, that it was confirmed of God in Christ. How Confirmed in Christ? Answ. Divers ways; especially three ways (as Pareus well expounds it) viz. 1. In that, it should at last be ratified by the Death of Christ as Testator. Heb.