A Discourse of the Covenants, Chapter 2
Of God's Tranſactions with Adam. CHAP. II.
The Importance of this Enquiry, the method proceeded in ſtated. §. 1. The original ſtate of man; the Law that he was made under, both moral, and poſitive; the ſanction of this Law, and the Reward propoſed to him. §. 2. That he had a promiſe of Reward farther aſſerted and proved. §. 3. Some farther remarks upon this Tranſaction; Reward and Puniſhment not alike neceſſary; the ſanction of the Law by the Curſe moſt expreſly mentioned, and why it was ſo. §. 4. Adam a publick perſon, the conſequent hereof. §. 5. That Tranſaction with Adam of a foederal nature; proof that it was ſo. herein conſiſts the Myſtery thereof; §. 6. The general nature of this Covenant; Man left to the freedom of his own Will under it; his mutability, the original of Sin. §. 7. The ſin of our firſt Parents; ſome Remarks thereupon. §. 8. The ſtate and condition of Man fallen, deſcribed in ſeveral particulars; the death threatned in the ſanction of the Law was eternal death; two reaſons urged for the proof of it; §. 9. The Mercy of God to fallen Man; two things premiſed to the conſideration thereof, §. 10. God holds a treaty with man; the iſſue of it; A Promiſe of Redemption implyed in the commination of the Serpent; A reſtraint and modification of the Curſe enſuing thereon; this the occaſion of temporal Death; the inſtitution of Bloody Sacrifices; the Covenant of Grace not made with Adam as a publick perſon; §. 11. The ſtate and condition of Adam's Poſterity after the Fall, deſcribed in ſome particulars; §. 12.
§. 1. IN the former Chapter, I have briefly touched upon ſome things of a more general nature, which I thought needful to be premiſed to the handling of thoſe Particulars which are to follow; and now my work is to conſider the firſt ſtate of Man, an account of which is to be taken from the ſtate of Adam, in whom the world of Mankind was Epitomized, and in the Tranſactions of God with him, the Relation he had to God with the Event and Iſſue thereof, we are all moſt nearely concerned; for the right underſtanding of theſe things, is not only neceſſary in order to, but lies in the very Foundation of all uſeful Knowledg of our ſelves, and of the mind of God in all Revelations, that he hath in following Ages made of his Will and Counſel to the Children of Men, either before, or in the Law of Moſes, or by the word of the Goſpel. The ignorance of this that was in them, is apparently the reaſon of the Blindneſs, and miſerable Miſtakes of the wiſeſt Heathen Philoſophers, in a thouſand other things of the greateſt Importance; if a Man miſs the right account of this, he is certainly bewildred in all after ſearch for that Truth which it moſt concerns him to know; and therefore it behoves us with all diligence to obſerve what the Holy Ghoſt hath left upon Record for our Inſtruction in this matter: The Diſcourſe of which, may be reeferred to theſe three Heads.
1. The Condition of Adam before he ſinned.
2. His Sin, and the immediate Conſequents thereof. And,
3. How God dealt with him in his fallen State: of each I ſhall diſcourſe but very briefly: And firſt,
§. 2. Concerning the Condition of Man before his Fall, we may obſerve theſe things;
1. That God made him a reaſonable Creature, and indued him with original Righteouſneſs, which was a Perfection neceſſary for the enabling of him to anſwer the End of his Creation; and eminently in this reſpect, he is ſaid to be created in the Image of God, Gen. 1. 26, 27. and to be made upright, Eccle. 7. 29. which Ʋprightneſs or Rectitude of Nature did conſiſt in the perfect Harmony, of his Soul, with that Law of God which he was made under, and ſubjected to: which was,
1. An eternal Law, and invariable Rule of Righteouſneſs, whereby thoſe things that are agreeable to the Holineſs and Rectitude of the Divine Nature were required, and whatſoever is contrary thereto was prohibited; which Law was to Adam, internal and ſubjective only being communicated to him with his reaſonable Nature *Jus naturale eſt dictamen recte rationis, judicans actui alicus, ex ejus convenientiâ vel diſconvenientiâ cum ipſâ naturâ rationali ineſſe moralem turpitudinem, aut neceſſitatem moralem, & con… ab Authore Naturae, ipſo Deo, talem accum aut Vet… aut …. Grot. This … Philoſopher … eth it, was Nota Artificis operi ſuo impreſſa. And of ſome Dictates of the Law of Nature (as I remember) Cicero ſaith, that with reſpect to them, facti non docti, imbuti, non inſtructi ….and written in his heart, ſo as that he needed no external Revelation to perfect his Knowledg of it. And therefore in the Hiſtory of his Creation there is no other account given of it but what is … which … have … that he was made in the Image of God, which as the Apoſtle reacheth us doth conſiſt in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, Eph. 4. 24. The Sum of this Law was afterwards given in ten Words upon Mount Sinai; and yet more briefly by Chriſt, who reduceth it unto two great Commands reſpecting our Duty both to God, and our Neighbour, Mal. 22. 37-40. And this as a Law and Rule of Righteouſneſs is in its own Nature immutable and invariable, as is the Nature and will of God himſelf, whoſe Holineſs is ſtampt thereon, and repreſented thereby.
2. It pleaſed the … Majeſty of Heaven; to add into the eternal Law a …, wherein it charged Man not to … of the Fruit of one Tree in the midſt of the Garden of Eden, which Tree was called, The Tree of the Knowledge, of … and Evil, Gen. 2. 16, 17. chap. 3. 3. The … of this Fruit was not a thing evil in it ſelf, but … was made ſo by divine Prohibition; and therefore it was neceſſary that the Will of God concerning this, ſhould be expreſly ſignified and declared unto Man, who otherwiſe by the Light of Nature, had been no more directed to … from the Fruit of this Tree, then of any other in the Garden, nor indeed had he been under any Bond of Duty thereunto. But the Command being once given forth, this poſitive Law had its Foundations … laid in the Law of Nature, it being an … That it is a moſt righteous and reaſonable thing that Man ſhould obey God, and that the Will of the Creature ſhould ever be ſubject to the Will of the Creator. And therefore the Heart of an upright Man could not but naturally cloſe with, and ſubmit to the Will of God by any means made known unto him; and there can be no Tranſgreſſion of a poſitive Precept, without the Violation of that eternal Law that is written in his Heart.
Secondly, This Law was guarded by a Sanction, in the threatning of Death to the Tranſgreſſion thereof, Gen. 2. 17. which Commination is delivered in Terms denoting the utmoſt Miſery that can befall a reaſonable Creature, and the higheſt certainty of its befalling him in caſe of his Tranſgreſſion; In the day thou eateſt thereof (ſaith the Lord) in dying thou ſhalt dye. And this Sanction belonged not only to the poſitive Precept unto which it was expreſly annexed, but alſo to the Law of Nature, the Demerit of the Tranſgreſſion of which Law, is known to man by the ſame Light as the Law it ſelf is known to him; and this is made good by the experience of Mankind even in their fallen State, who do not only find ſome remaining Notions in themſelves of the difference of Good and Evil, and ſome ſenſe of their Duty to embrace the one, and eſchew the other, but alſo have a Conſcience of Puniſhment due to the Tranſgreſſion of theſe Dictates of their Reaſon: And theſe Notions are connatural to them, and therefore to be obſerved as well in thoſe that have not, as in thoſe that have the Light of a written Law to guide them; Rom. 1. 32. chap. 2. 15. And if it be thus with fallen Man, then much more, as the Law it ſelf, ſo alſo the Sanction thereof was perfectly and diſtinctly known unto Adam in his upright State, whoſe Conſcience was pure, and his Mind irradiated with a clear Light, as being perfectly free from thoſe dark Fumes of ſenſual Luſt wherewith the Reaſon and Judgment of his lapſed Offspring is darkned and perverted.
Thirdly, Adam was not only under a Commination of Death in caſe of Diſobedience, but had alſo the Promiſe of an eternal Reward, on condition of his perfect Obedience to theſe Laws; which Condition if he had fulfilled, the Reward had been due to him, by vertue of this Compact that it pleaſed God to condeſcend unto for the incouraging of Man's Obedience, and the manifeſtation of his own Bounty and Goodneſs.
§. 3. Now that ſuch a Promiſe of Reward, was given to Adam, and indeed implyed in the Commination of Death in caſe of Diſobedience, may be concluded;
1. From the State, and Capacity in which God ſet him; which was a ſtate of Tryal in a way to eternal Happineſs, under a Law of Works and exerciſe of Obedience; which we cannot conceive of, but as in order to ſome Reward and higheſt End, propoſed to him, and in this way attainable by him.
2. From the natural … of Men; to expect the Reward of … Bleſſedneſs, for their Obedience to the Law of God, and to ſtand before him upon … of a Covenant of Works, which muſt neceſſarily … Relation to God in ſuch a Covenant at … to which the Promiſe of ſuch a … did …long and the Knowledg of theſe Covenant-Terms communicated to him, together with the Law of his Creation.
3. From the Sacramental Ʋſe of that Tree in the Midſt of the Garden of Eden, which was called the Tree of Life, becauſe inſtitute of God for a Sign and Pledg of that eternal Life, which Adam ſhould have obtained by his own perſonal, and perfect Obedience to the Law of God, had he continued therein; and that this Tree was appointed by God unto ſuch an Uſe, and End, is collected,
1. From the Alluſion that Chriſt makes thereunto in the New Teſtament, …. 2. 7. where he promiſeth and eternal Reward, to him that overcometh, in there …, I will give him … of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God: The reaſon of which is taken from God's Appointment of this Tree to be an aſſurance of … Life to Adam upon the Terms and Condition of a Covenant of Works, and the Ana… of that Reward which Chriſt gives to his faithful ones upon Terms of another Covenant, which Analogy conſiſts in the general Nature of an eternal Reward promiſed, tho' there be not an Identity, or perfect Agreement in the Degree or particular Kind thereof: I will not pretend exactly to determine the Mode or Degree of that Bleſſedneſs which was ſet before Adam by the Covenant made with him, whether it was a Confirmation in his preſent State (which was very happy) or a Tranſlation to a better, when the Courſe of his Obedience in this, was run out; however it ſeems reaſonable to conclude that it was in ſome reſpects ſhort of that Glory we are called to by Jeſus Chriſt; but they both agree in the notion of an eternal, and in its kind, perfect Happineſs; and therefore the one is expreſſed by thoſe Terms that relate to a former Aſſurance of the other.
2. From the Method of God's dealing with Adam in reference to this Tree, after he had ſinned againſt him, and the Reaſon thereof aſſigned by God himſelf, Leſt he put forth his hand, and take alſo of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live for ever. You may read an account of the whole, Gen. 3. from Verſe 22th, to the End. We are not to ſuppoſe that Adam could indeed have obtained eternal Life, by eating of the Fruit of that Tree, after he had ſinned againſt God; but the whole Scheme of that Diſcourſe is Ironical; and as I take the foregoing Words *En … promiſſam!Behold the Man is become like one of us, to be an holy upbraiding of the Folly of Man in aſpiring to ſuch a State, by the Breach of God's Law, upon the Credit of the Devil's Suggeſtion; ſo I take theſe Words alſo to intimate a farther Deluſion that fallen Man was in danger of, by entertaining an Opinion (that vain Man is on any pretence ready to nouriſh in himſelf) of his being in a Capacity yet to recover his forfeited Happineſs this way, or by any other Work of his own; howbeit they teach us what was the Ʋſe and End that this Tree was at firſt deſigned to, as alſo that Adam was not ignorant thereof, tho' now he was to be taught the utter impoſſibility of obtaining Life by a broken Covenant, by the guarding, and prohibiting all acceſs to, that Tree, by the Cherubins flaming Sword, that turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life.
3. This alſo muſt not be forgotten, that as Moſes's Law did ſome way include the Covenant of Creation, and ſerve for a Memorial thereof (on which account all Mankind was concerned in its Curſe) it had not only the Sanction of a Curſe awfully denounced againſt the Diſobedient, but alſo a Promiſe of the Reward of Life to the Obedient; now as the Law of Moſes was the ſame as to the moral Precept, with the Law of Creation, ſo the Reward in this reſpect propoſed, was not a new Reward, but the ſame that by Compact had been due to Adam, in caſe of his perfect Obedience.
§. 4. From what hath been ſaid (I conceive) it is manifeſt, that Adam was ſet in his way but not actually brought to his eternal Reſt, in that State wherein he was created; being capable of, and made for, a greater Degree of Happineſs then he immediately enjoyed, which was ſet before him as the Reward of his Obedience by that Covenant wherein he was to walk with God; and of this Reward thus ſet before him, theſe things are farther to be obſerved;
1. That altho' the Law of his Creation was attended both with a promiſe of Reward, and a threatning of Puniſhment, yet the reaſon of both is not the ſame, nor alike neceſſary; for the Reward is of meer Soveraign Bounty, and Goodneſs, and therefore might have been either leſs or more, as it pleaſed God, or not propoſed at all, and yet no Injury done; but the Puniſhment threatned is a Debt to Juſtice, and reſults immediately from the nature of Sin with reference to God, without the Intevention of any Compact; it is due to the Tranſgreſſion of a Divine Law as ſuch, and therefore ſtill due to every Tranſgrſſion of it, even by thoſe that are already cut off from hope of Reward by former Breach of the Covenant; and as it may not be more then the Offence deſerves without Injury to Man, ſo neither may it be leſs, without a Diminution of the Glory of Juſtice, by the ſtrict Rule of which it is always meaſured: that Death therefore which was threatned in the Curſe, is in a ſtrict and proper Sence the wages of Sin; Rom. 6. 23.
2. In the Hiſtory of this Tranſaction, as left upon record by the Holy Ghoſt for our Inſtruction, we have a more particular and expreſs Mention made of the Curſe threatned, than of the Reward promiſed, and ſo a more diſtinct Notion of that conveyed to our Minds then of this, altho' we have reaſon to think both were known to Adam with equal clearneſs; and this may be, becauſe it more concerns us to be thro'ly humbled under a Senſe of the preſent Miſery of Mankind in their lapſed State, then curiouſly to enquire after the particular Mode, or Degree of that Bleſſedneſs which was once propoſed, but can never be obtained by us in the Intereſt of that Covenant, which firſt gave Man a Right thereunto.
§. 5. In this Tranſaction of God with Adam, he is not to be conſidered in a private Capacity, or as one concerned for himſelf alone; but God treated with him as the common Root and Repreſentative of all Mankind, that were to ſpring from him according to the ordinary courſe of Nature, and were then reckoned to be in him both as a natural, and Foederal Root; and therefore in his ſtanding all Mankind ſtood, and in his Fall, *Nos omnes eramus ille unus homo.they all ſinned, and fell in him, for by the Diſobedience of one many were made Sinners; Rom. 5. And in this reſpect he is ſaid to be the Type, and Chriſt the …, or, the Figure of him that was to come; becauſe as Adam's Sin is imputed to all that were in him, and ſo the Judgment is come upon all unto Condemnation, that were repreſented by him; ſo alſo the Obedience of Chriſt is imputed to all that are in him, and the free Gift redounds upon them, unto the Juſtification of Life, by vertue of their Union to, and Communion with him.
§. 6. From theſe things it is evident that God dealt with Adam not only upon Terms of a Law, but in a way of Covenant, and that this Tranſaction with him was of a Foederal Nature; and altho it be not in Scripture expreſly called a Covenant, yet it hath the expreſs Nature of a Covenant, and there is no reaſon for Ni…y about Terms; where the thing it ſelf, is ſufficiently revealed to us; there is no expreſs mention of a Covenant of Grace, before Abraham's time, and yet the thing is certain and clearly revealed in Scripture, that all who were ſaved before his time, were intereſted in ſuch a Covenant, and ſaved only by the Grace thereof. The Evidence of Adam's Covenant-Relation to God, may briefly be ſumm'd up thus,
1. It is probable, in that God ſet him, not only under the neceſſary Law of his Creation, but added thereunto a poſitive Law; which we may obſerve in all his After dealings with Men to be an adjunct of a Covenant Tranſaction. But hen,
2. It is certainly concluded from that Promiſe of Reward, and the Aſſurance thereof, that was given to Adam, which he could never have obtained, but by God's condeſcending to deal with him upon Terms of a Covenant.
3. It could only be upon the account of ſuch a Covenant, that his Poſterity ſhould be concerned as they were, in his ſtanding, or falling; let the firſt be denyed, and the latter is altogether unaccountable, for had he only been under a Law to God, his Sin had remained upon himſelf, and could not have redounded upon the whole World of Mankind, as now it doth by a juſt Imputation, no more then the Sin of any particular Perſon, can now be imputed to another Man that is not actually guilty thereof, at leaſt the Sins of immediate Parents unto their Children.
And herein lies the Myſtery of the firſt Tranſaction of God with Man, and of his Relation to God thereupon, which did not reſult immediately from the Law of his Creation, but from the Diſpoſition of a Covenant according to the Free, Soveraign, and wiſe Counſel of God's Will; and therefore tho' the Law of Creation be eaſily underſtood by Men, and there is little Controverſie about it amongſt thoſe that are not degenerate from all Principles of Reaſon and Humanity; yet the Covenant of Creation, the Intereſt of Adam's Poſterity with himſelf therein, and the Guilt of original Sin redounding upon them thereby, is not owned by the generality of Mankind, nor can be underſtood but by the Light of Divine Revelation; nor is the Heart of Man humbled unto a due Acknowledgment of it, by a clear and deep Conviction, but by a Work of the Holy Ghoſt. And while Men will meaſure this Counſel of God by their own narrow and dark Reaſon, and refuſe to ſubmit their Sentiments thereabout, to the Revelation of his Soveraign Pleaſure, his unaccountable Will, and Wiſdome, they muſt neceſſarily fall into grievous Miſtakes, and fill the World with fruitleſs Contentions thro' their darkening of Counſel, by words without Knowledg.
§. 7. This Covenant that God made with Adam, and all Mankind in him, as to the Terms and Condition of it (we ſee) was a Covenant of Works; with reſpect to immediate Priviledg and Relation, it was a Covenant of Friendſhip, and with regard to the Reward promiſed, it was a Covenant of rich Bounty and Goodneſs; but included not, nor intimated the leaſt Iota of pardoning Mercy; but as while the Law of it was perfectly obſerved it raiſed Man within a Degree of the Bleſſed Angels, ſo the Breach of that Law inevitably brought him under that Curſe which did ſink him to the Society of Apoſtate Devils, and left him under a Miſery like to theirs.
2. Under this Covenant Man was left to the Freedom of his own Will; It was in his own Power and Choice, either to obey, and be eternally happy, or to ſin and ſo expoſe himſelf to eternal Miſery; he was not ſo confirmed in Grace, as that he could not ſin and dye, but he was indued with that Power, and Rectitude of Nature, as that he might not have ſinned, nor ever dyed, tho' he had not a non poſſe peccare, and ſo a non poſſe mori; yet he had a poſſe non peccare, and ſo a poſſe non mori; he was a perfect tho' a mutable Creature, and had all poſſible advantage of moral … ſion to make him conſtant in his Obedience; he could not be without a clear Conviction of the greateſt Obligation thereunto, both in point of Duty and Gratitude, towards his Creator, and Covenant-God; he had preſent Happineſs, and future Hope in the way of his Duty; and fair warning of the Miſery that Sin would bring upon him, in the denouncing of that Curſe which was the Sanction of the Law given unto him; and yet when the time of Trial comes, all this prevails not againſt the Temptation, but his Mutability becomes the Original of that Original Sin, whereby himſelf, and in him the World of Mankind, were ruined and made miſerable.
§. 8. The next thing therefore to be enquired into is, The Sin of our firſt Parents, and then State and Condition thereupon.
As to the firſt, Their Tranſgreſſion was actually compleated, by eating of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil concerning which the Lord had commanded them that they ſhould not eat thereof; Gen. 3. 6. and with reſpect to this let it be obſerved,
1. That it was by the Breach of a poſitive Law that Mankind was loſt: This was the Door thro' which Sin, and all the Miſeries conſequent thereto, invaded, and by their Entrance ruined this lower World.
2. In that Man fell by the Tranſgreſſion of this Poſitive Precept, his Breach of Covenant with God was ſo much the more conſpicuous; inaſmuch as this Precept belonged not immediately, and neceſſarily to the law of his Creation, but was ſuperadded thereto, as a ſpecial Term and Condition of his Covenant-Relation.
3. The Breach of this poſitive Law doth ſuppoſe and neceſſarily infer, a Violation of the eternal Law of his Creation; this Tranſgreſſion was a total Apoſtacy from God, and in it all conceiveable Wickedneſs was included, even the luſt of the Fleſh, the luſt of the Eyes, and the pride of Life; 1 Joh. 2. 16. yea all the Villanies that to this day have been, or ever ſhall be perpetrated in the World, are the genuine Fruit thereof; and upon a ſtrict ſearch its Aggravations will be found to be unaccountable.
§. 9. The State and Condition of Man thus fallen, is … to be enquired into; and that was midſt miſerable and dreadful; for having after this ma…ier broken Covenant with God, by a wicked and wilful Tranſgreſſion of his holy Law,
1. He thereby utterly forfeited and loſt all Covenant-Intereſt in God; he could no more claim a Right in, or hope for, that Reward which was promiſed on Condition of his perfect Obedience to the Law of that Covenant, which God had made with him; but immediately fell under Guilt, being by the Sentence of his own Conſcience bound over to puniſhment, under the juſt Wrath of the Almighty; and therefore he dreaded nothing more then the Approach of God to him, Gen. 3. 8, 9, 10.
2. He did not only forfeit his Right, and preſent Relation to God by this Sin, but moreover he was thereby rendred uncapable of true Happineſs, inaſmuch as he was now apoſtatized from a Covenant of Friendſhip, to a State of Enmity againſt God, and Alienation from him, which is the neceſſary Adjunct of Wickedneſs; He fell under the Dominion of Sin; and that Image of God wherein he was created, was in a manner wholly defaced; he ſinned and fell ſhort of the Glory of God; Rom. 3. 23. And now inſtead of that original Righteouſneſs wherewith he was at firſt beautifyed, there was nothing to be found in him, but abominable Filthineſs, and horrid Deformity; his Mind was covered over, yea poſſeſt with helliſh Darkneſs, Hatred of God reigned in his Heart, and his Affections were no longer ſubject to right Reaſon▪ but became vile, and rebellious; and in this State it is evident, he muſt be utterly uncapable of Communion with God, and of the Fruition of him, wherein alone the true Happineſs of a reaſonable Creature doth conſiſt.
3. The Curſe of the Law in its utmoſt Rigour, and prime Intendment, was immediately and only due to him; and no leſs then the utmoſt Execution thereof was every Moment to be expected by him; and that was Death, even the worſt of Deaths, eternal Death, which is, An everlaſting Puniſhment of Soul and Body, under the wrathful Vengeance of a provoked Deity.
Now that this was the prime Intendment of the Threatning, might be evinced by many Reaſons, but at preſent I ſhall content my ſelf with the mention of two only.
1. This Puniſhment will be inflicted on many of the ungodly Poſterity of Adam who have been guilty of no other Tranſgreſſion but that of the Light and Law of Nature; ſuch were thoſe wicked Heathens that Paul ſpeaks of Rom. 1. 20. &c. and Chap. 2. 6,—16. who, tho' they never had the Law written, or knew of any repeated Promulgation thereof, (and therefore we may conclude them much more unlikely to be acquainted with the new-Covenant and its Terms) yet being a Law to themſelves, were for the Tranſgreſſion of this Law lyable to this Puniſhment: Now this Puniſhment muſt be the Fruit of that Curſe which is the Sanction of that Law which they were under, and which was tranſgreſſed by them, which was the Law of Creation, even the ſame Law that Adam was made under; and if the Law be the ſame, the ſame Penalty was incurred by the Tranſgreſſion thereof; and if they are liable to eternal Death for the Tranſgreſſion of this Law, there is no rational doubt but Adam was ſo.
2. If the juſt Demerit and Wages of Sin was contained in the threatning (as no doubt it was) it could be no leſs than an eternal Puniſhment that was threatned; for if that be not the Deſert of every Sin, it cannot be due to any Sin; for the Reaſon why the Puniſhment of any Sin is eternal, is that the Penalty inflicted on the Sinner may be adequate to the Offence; the Puniſhment hath an Infinity in its Eternity, becauſe the Fault is infinitely aggravated, and that can only be in regard of its Object; there is nothing that can be an infinite Aggravation of Sin, but its being committed againſt a God of infinite Greatneſs, Glory, and Goodneſs; and this Aggravation attends every Sin, as it is Sin againſt God, and tho' other Circumſtances may increaſe the Provocation, and ſo intend the Degree of the Sinners Pain, yet none but this can reach Infinity: The Puniſhment therefore due to Adam for Sin againſt God, could be no other or no leſs then eternal Death, which is that intended in the Sanction of the Law given to him.
Fourthly, The whole Creation of this viſible World became lyable to Deſtruction with fallen Man, as an Inheritance forfeited by his Treaſon againſt the Supream Majeſty: By the Sin of Man the Frame of Earth, and the Heavens made for his Service and Delight, was looſed, and their Foundations ſo ſhaken, as would have iſſued in an utter Ruin, had not Chriſt interpoſed and upheld the Pillars thereof; Pſal. 75. 3. with Heb. 1. 3. and if the Curſe had been immediately executed in its Rigor, with theſe Deſolations following thereupon, there had been an Hell ready prepared for Man; for ſuppoſe, I pray you, all the Lights of Heaven to be put out, the whole Order, Symmetry, and Beauty of the Creation to be deſtroyed, and all reduced to a Chaos of Confuſion, and horrid Darkneſs about Man, and the burning Wrath of God kindled upon him, now caſt into the Jaws of eternal Deſpair, and tormented by a Worm that never dyes, (think I ſay of this) and you will hardly be able to conceive of a ſtate more dreadful and diſmal than this, that Man ſtood at the very Brink of.
Fifthly, In this Condition Man was altogether helpleſs and without Strength, being utterly diſabled to ſtand before God upon Terms of a Covenant of Works, and as uncapable to bring himſelf upon other Terms with God; for he was not able to move one ſtep towards a Reconciliation with God, or the ranſoming of himſelf out of theſe Miſeries: The Door of Repentance was not opened to him by the Covenant of Creation, or if it had, there was in him now neither Power, nor Will to enter in thereat; He was utterly diſabled from obeying God acceptably upon any Terms, until made a new Creature: And therefore it was impoſſible, not only that this Covenant now broken ſhould be renewed with him, or any of his Poſterity, for the ſame Ends, and in the ſame manner as it was at firſt made with upright Man; but moreover that ever any Covenant ſhould be immediately ſtricken with him or them, wherein fallen Man ſhould have been the firſt, and immediate Covenanter with God for himſelf, as Adam was in his State of Integrity.
§. 10. Thus miſerable (yea more than we have expreſſed, or can expreſs) was the State of fallen Man; Let us now ſee how the boundleſs Mercy of God was revealed unto him, when he was thus loſt, and miſerably ruined by his own Sin. And for the better underſtanding of what is to follow, I ſhall premiſe two things, which are neceſſary to be kept in our Eye.
1. That the infinitely Wiſe and Gracious God, who from Eternity foreſaw the Fall of Man, had alſo from Eternity a gracious Purpoſe in himſelf, according to the Counſel of his own Will, to redeem 2 Tim. 1. 9, 10. Tit. 1. 1, 2.and ſave a Remnant of loſt Mankind from their lapſed and fallen State, and by his All-powerful Grace thro' the Merits of Chriſt, to recover them from Miſery to the Inheritance of a Kingdom and Glory far greater than that ſet before Adam in his Integrity; And theſe eternal Counſels that were hid with himſelf, were tranſacted in a way of Covenant between the Father and the Son, even in a Covenant of Redemption now revealed in the Scriptures of Truth: And to this Covenant belong all the Promiſes of the Father to the Mediator, and the reſtipulatory Engagements of the Redeemer, about the Salvation of Sinners and the way and method of its Accompliſhment: And with reſpect to theſe Counſels the Son of God is ſaid to be the Father's Delights, and himſelf alſo to have his Delights in the habitable World, when the Head of the Duſt thereof was formed; Prov. 8. 22,—31. In which Context the mutual Acquieſcence both of the Father and the Son, in this admirable Contrivance of infinite Grace and Wiſdom, is not obſcurely ſet forth.
2. In purſuance of this Covenant of Redemption, and the Suretiſhip of Chriſt taken therein, upon the Fall of Man, the Government of the World was actually put into the hands of the Son of God, the deſigned Mediator, who interpoſed himſelf for the Prevention of its preſent and utter Ruin: And by him were all future Tranſactions managed for the Good of Man, and all Diſcoveries of Grace and Mercy were made to the Children of Men in him, and by him: And all things in Heaven and Earth were brought into an order ſubſervient to the Ends of the new Creation, and the Redemption of loſt Man to be accompliſhed in the fulneſs of time by the Son of God incarnate: Fallen Man could have no more to do with God, nor God with him in a way of Kindneſs, but in a Mediator.
§. 11. And from this Deſign of Love and Mercy it was, that when the Lord God came unto fallen Man in the Garden, in the cool of the Day, and found him filled with Horror and Shame in the Conſcience of his own Guilt, he did not execute the Rigor of the Law upon him, but held a Treaty with him, which iſſued in a Diſcovery of Grace, whereby a Door of Hope was opened to him, in the laying of a new Foundation for his acceptance with God, and walking unto well pleaſing before him. For,
1. In the Sentence paſſed upon the Serpent (which principally concerned the Devil, whoſe Inſtrument he had been in tempting Man, and who probably was made to abide in his Poſſeſſion of the Serpent, till he had received this Doom) Gen. 3. 5. there was couched a bleſſed Promiſe of Redemption and Salvation unto Man, which was to be wrought out by the Son of God made of a Woman, and ſo her Seed; which Salvation thus promiſed, Man was to receive by Faith, and to hope in it; for in this implyed Promiſe was laid the firſt Foundation of the Church after the Fall of Man, which was to be raiſed up out of the Ruines of the Devil's Kingdom by the Deſtruction of his Work by Jeſus Chriſt; 1 Joh. 3. 8.
2. In this Commination of the Serpent there is not only implyed a Promiſe of raiſing up a Saviour of the Seed of the Woman, and ſending him into the World for the breaking of the Serpents Head, that is, the perfect Conqueſt of Satan, and the utter ruining of his Kingdom; but alſo of propagating and preſerving a Church in the World that ſhould be Heirs of that Salvation, and ſhould maintain a ſpiritual War with Satan and his Kingdom, which on their part ſhould end in perfect Conqueſt and Victory; The God of Peace bruiſing Satan under their Feet, while he is nibling at their Heel, and making them to be more than Conquerors thro' him that loved them; for the Seed of the Woman is to be underſtood collectively of Chriſt and his members (as the Seed of the Serpent includes all wicked Men) tho' it hath a principal reſpect to Chriſt perſonal, who alone hath obtained the Victory over the infernal Power, and deſtroyed the Works of the Devil; But altho' this was done by himſelf alone, yet was it not for himſelf only, but for his Body the Church, of which every true Believer is a Member, and ſhall certainly obtain Victory thro' the Faith of his Name; And againſt this Church the Gates of Hell can never prevail, but a Church there ever ſhall be in the World, ſo long as the World continues, and ever was ſince the firſt Promiſe, tho' maligned and perſecuted by the Devil and wicked Men, as early appears in that Inſtance of Cain and Abel; Gen. 4. compared with 1 Joh. 3. 12. And ſomething of this nature is intimated in the Name of Seth, and the Reaſon given by Eve of her impoſing that Name: Gen. 4. 25.
3. Hereupon there was a preſent Reſtraint and Modification of the Curſe in the Sentence pronounced upon Adam and Eve Gen. 3. 16,—19. whereby altho' they and their Offspring were neceſſarily ſubjected to many Evils and Miſeries while they lived, and Diſſolution by a temporal Death at laſt, yet they were not immediately laid under a Sentence of eternal Death which was the Puniſhment they had deſerved: And concerning this Sentence we may farther obſerve,
1. That the Promiſe of breaking the Serpents Head which was revealed to our firſt Parents, did not give them a Deliverance from all Miſery, but only an Exemption from eternal Death; But notwithſtanding this Promiſe, and all that Chriſt hath now done for the full Accompliſhment thereof, it is the Will of God that all Men, even Believers as well as others, ſhall in this World be exerciſed with Miſeries, and remain ſubject to temporal Death, or Diſſolution of the Body into Duſt.
2. The Corruptibility of Man, all the Miſeries he is ſubject to while he lives, and temporal Death at laſt, are the Fruits of Sin, and of the Curſe due to it, as they are natural Evils, or Puniſhments; but yet they are not the Fruit or Reſult of the Curſe only, nor the full Wages of Sin; As they are evil they flow from the Curſe, but as temporal only, the Evil of them is limited, and thus modified by Mercy, or compaſſionate Goodneſs at leaſt: The Poſition of temporal Death, concludes indeed that Sin is in the World; but this Limitation of Death doth alſo prove, that there is Mercy reſerved for ſome, and that ſuch as obtain not Mercy muſt be brought to an after reckoning, inaſmuch as the Fruit of their Doings hath not fully been repaid to them in this World. And hence,
3. There are none of theſe Evils but are capable of a Change, as to their penal Nature, together with the Change of that Man's State upon whom they come; for tho' they fall as ſo many Drops of Wrath that bode a dreadful Storm coming upon the wicked, yet are they *De primâ igitur Corporis Morte, a…ci poteſt quod bonis bona ſit, malis mala, ſecunda vero ſine dubio ſicut nullorum bonorum eſt, it a nulli bona. Aug. De Civit. Dei Lib. 13. Cap. 2.all ſanctifyed unto a Believer, and turned into real Bleſſings; which change the utmoſt Execution of the Curſe is not capable of, for eternal Puniſhment can never be turned into a Bleſſing upon any.
Yea ſuppoſing (as there is Reaſon to do) that God did not only promiſe a Redeemer to Adam before he pronounced this Sentence, but alſo gave him Faith in the Promiſe, it came immediately upon him as a fatherly Chaſtiſment, and not as a Fruit of unpacified Anger.
It is alſo true on the other ſide, that the Godneſs and Forbearance of God is, thro' the Wickedneſs of Man, turned into a Judgment upon the Ungodly and Impenitent, who abuſe the day of his Patience unto the treaſuring up of Wrath againſt the day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God: Rom. 2. 5. So that both temporal Mercies and temporal Evils are wholly ſubſervient to the Deſign of God's Glory in the future and eternal State of Man; and we may conclude there had been no ſuch thing as temporal Death, if there had not been a day of Patience.
4. It is more than probable that at the ſame time, or immediately after, God did inſtitute thoſe bloody Sacrifices, that were offered unto him from thenceforth, and accepted by him when offered in Faith, for the further Inſtruction of Man in the general Notion of the way of his Redemption by the promiſed Seed, and for the Help and Confirmation of his Faith in the Promiſe: Yea even the Coats of Skins which the Lord made, and wherewith he cloathed Adam and Eve, then confounded with the ſhame of their own Nakedneſs, ſeem to be deſigned of God not only for a natural, but alſo a myſtical Ʋſe, were for their Inſtruction concerning that imputed Righteouſneſs wherein they muſt now ſtand before him, and without which they could find no acceptance with him; Eſpecially if theſe Coats were made of the Skins of thoſe Beaſts that Adam was then directed to offer in Sacrifice to God (as ſome conjecture they were) we can hardly imagine leſs to be intended thereby; for no doubt with the Inſtitution of Sacrifices, ſomething of the Ʋſe and End of them was revealed unto Adam.
5. This alſo muſt be noted, That altho' the Covenant of Grace was thus far revealed unto Adam as we have heard; yet we ſee in all this, there was no formal and expreſs Covenant-Tranſaction with him, much leſs was the Covenant of Grace eſtabliſhed with him as a publick Perſon or Repreſentative in any kind; but as he obtained Intereſt for himſelf alone, in the Grace of God thus revealed, by his own Faith, ſo muſt thoſe of his Poſterity that are ſaved thereby: And therefore altho' the Corruption of fallen Adam, and the Guilt of his Fall, be from him derived to all his Offspring, becauſe they were in him as a publick Perſon and foederal Root when he fell; yet can they not derive from him any Intereſt in his renewed State, or in the Grace or Holineſs thereof; ſeeing with reſpect thereunto God dealt with him only as a private Perſon; and the Good of the Promiſe now given out, was no more intruſted with him, then with his Poſterity, or any of them in particular.
§. 12. The State and Condition that the World of Adam's Poſterity are now in, is as followeth.
1. They are all born in original Sin, in the Image of the firſt Adam fallen, and ſo under a broken Covenant, being by Nature Children of Wrath, unholy, and without Strength.
2. Yet are they neceſſarily under the Obligation of a Law, to obey, worſhip, and ſerve their Creator, tho' they have no Covenant-Intereſt in him; for it is impoſſible, and implies a Contradiction that reaſonable Creatures ſhould be brought forth into the World, and not be ſubject to the Law of their Creator, or that eternal Death ſhould not be due to the Breach of that Law by them; The Law of Creation binds, when the Covenant of Creation is broken; tho' the Tranſgreſſion of Man hath forfeited his Intereſt in the one, yet it cannot diſſolve the Obligation of the other. But yet,
3. The World is ſet under a general Reprieve, and the full Execution of the deſerved Curſe is delayed until the day of Judgment; until which time the Children of Men are under a Diſpenſation of Goodneſs, and ſparing Mercy, and ſo in a remote Capacity or Poſſibility of obtaining Salvation by Chriſt, where it pleaſeth God to ſend the Goſpel, the Diſpenſation of which is made effectual for the Salvation of all the Elect, who are thereby gathered into the Kingdom of Chriſt.
4. The Lord Chriſt hath undertaken in the cloſe of his Mediatorial Kingdom, when all his Sheep are brought into his Fold, for whoſe ſake alone the day of his Patience is lengthened out to the World, to raiſe all Mankind again in an incorruptible State, prepared for that eternal Duration unto which they were deſigned in their firſt Creation; And then will he glorifie all thoſe with himſelf for whom he hath ſatisfyed the Juſtice of God, born the Curſe of the Law, and wrought out everlaſting Righteouſneſs, who have been alſo called by his Grace to a Participation of theſe Benefits thro' Faith; and others he will deliver up by a righteous Sentence, unto the full Execution of that Curſe upon them in its utmoſt Rigor, which till then, for the Ends aforeſaid, was ſuſpended.