Two Treatises on Death and Judgment, Treatise · Section 5
SECT. V.
Uſe 3.
FROM the Enmity of Death we may further learn that Man hath now a need of Grace for ſuch exceeding difficulties which were not before him in his ſtate of innocency. Though Adam was able to have obeyed perfectly, without ſin, and had Grace ſufficient to have upheld him, and conquered temptations, if he had done his part, which by that Grace he might have done; yet whether that Grace was ſufficient to the works that we are called to, is a doubt that many have been much troubled with. It is certain that he was able to have done any thing that was ſuitable to his preſent ſtate, if it were commanded him: And it is certain, that much that is now our duty, would have been unſuitable to his ſtate. But whether it belonged to his perfection, to be able and fit for ſuch duties (that were then unſuitable to him) on ſuppoſition they had been ſuitable and duties, this is the difficulty: which ſome make uſe of to prove that ſuch works cannot now be required of us, without ſuitable help, becauſe we loſt no ſuch grace in Adam. But this need not trouble us: For 1, Though Adam was put on no ſuch difficulty in particular, as to encounter death; yet the perfect obedience to the whole Law, required a great degree of internal Habitual holineſs: and to determine the caſe, Whether our particular difficulties, or his ſinleſs perfect obedience, required greater ſtrength and help, is a matter of more difficulty then uſe. For 2. It is but about the Degrees of Holineſs in him and us, and not about the Kind, that the difficulty lyeth. For it is the ſame End that he was created for and diſpoſed to by Nature, and that we are redeemed for and diſpoſed to ſupernaturally.
But yet it is worthy our obſervation, what a difficulty ſin hath caſt before us in the way of life, which Adam was unacquainted with: that ſo we may ſee the nature of our works, and the excellency of the Redeemers grace. Adam was but to ſeek the continuance of his life, and a tranſlation to Glory, without the terrors of interpoſing death: He was never called to prepare to die; nor to think of the ſtate of a ſeparated Soul; nor to mind, and love, and ſeek a glory to which there is no (ordinary) paſſage but by death. This is the difficulty that ſin hath cauſed, againſt which we have need of the ſpecial aſſiſtance, of the example, and doctrine, and promſe, and Spirit of the Redeemer. Adam was never put to ſtudy how to get over this dreadful gulf. The threatning of death was to raiſe ſuch a fear in him as was neceſſary to prevent it: But thoſe fears did rather hold him cloſer to the way of life, then ſtand between him and life to his diſcouragement. But we have a death to fear that muſt be ſuffered, that cannot be avoided. The ſtrange condition of a ſeparated ſoul (ſo unlike to its ſtate while reſident in the body) doth require in us, a ſpecial Faith to apprehend it, and a ſpecial revelation to diſcover it. To deſire, and love, and long for, and labour after ſuch a time as this, when one part of us muſt lie rotting in the grave, and the ſeparated Soul muſt be with Chriſt alone till the Reſurrection, and to believe and hope for that Reſurrection, and to deny our ſelves, and forſake all the world, and lay down our lives when Chriſt requireth it, by the power of this faith and hope; this is a work that innocent Adam never knew: This is the high employment of a Chriſtian. To have our hearts and converſations in Heaven, (Matth. 6. 21. Phil. 3. 20) when Death muſt firſt diſſolve us, before we can poſſeſs it, here is the noble work of faith.