Heavens Treasury Opened, Principle 2 – Principle 3
The ſecond Principle: Man wholly corrupted by Adams fall, became a ſlave of Sathan, and heire of Damnation.
Queſt. HOw muſt we conceive of Adams fall?
A. Look into the height of happineſſe he once enjoyed, and the depth of miſery his ſin produced.
Q. Were any elſe in this eſtate?
A. No.
Q. How then came all creatures to have their being?
A. The ſtamps of Gods Attributes were no farther upon them, then to put vertues into every one.
Q. Where may we conceive this vertue conſiſteth?
A. In the ſoule and body of man.
Q. How in his ſouls?
Anſw. 1. In the underſtanding, Adam by that was full of knowledge and capable of Gods will. Secondly, in the will conſiſting in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, God putting an aptneſſe into Adam to love him above all, and his Neighbour as himſelfe.
Q. How is Gods Image ſeen in the affections of men?
A. In regard of that ſweet Harmony and agreement which the affection hath with the will.
Queſt. How is Gods Image ſeens in the parts of the body?
Anſw. When they are ſubject to the reaſonable will and underſtanding in ſuch things as God commands.
Queſt. What is the Covenant God made with Adam?
Anſ. That which was of works, was, Doe this and live; by living is meant a promiſe which God made unto Adam, that if hee kept Gods Commandements he would preſerve him for ever.
Queſt. Had onelyonly Adam this?
Anſw. It reacheth not to him onelyonly, but to the good of all his poſterity.
Q. What are the ſignes of this Covenant?
A.
1. The Tree of life, which was a ſign and ſeale whereby God aſſured Adam, as ſure as he ſaw the Tree, if he obeyed his command, he ſhould live for ever.
2. The tree of knowledge which perſwaded him, that if he obeyed God, hee ſhould certainly know good and evill.
Qu. Did Adam fall from this eſtate?
A. Yes, by the allurement of Satan in 3. reſpects:
1. By propounding his temptations unto him.
2. In purſuing of him.
3. In obtaining his deſire.
Q. How by propounding?
A. He came to Eve, changing himſelfe into a Serpent; Satan being now falne from God, grudged the happy eſtate that Adam was in, and thought much that he ſhould not be in the ſame condition with himſelfe, whereupon he tempted him.
Q. What was Eves anſwer?
A. Of any tree of the Garden we may cate, but not of this, leſt peradventure we dye; now he took advantage of this, when ſhe began to doubt of Gods providence.
Q. How elſe did they fall?
A. By their owne free will attending to, and parlying with Satan, in two reſpects:
1. In a light eſteeme of Gods command.
2. In their deluſion,
1. Saying the fruit was good, when God ſaid the contrary:
2. Hearkning to Satan, who told them it would be the cauſe of their good, and not evill, when as God told them when they eate thereof they ſhould dye the death.
Q. What is the third cauſe of their fall?
A. The holy and bleſſed Law of God may after a meaſure be ſaid to have ſome influence therein.
Q. What came to Adam after this?
A. He was made guilty and lyable unto the Law and Curſe.
Q. What followeth upon this guiltineſſe?
A. Puniſhment.
Q. what was that?
A. Originall and actuall ſinne.
Q. What is originall ſinne?
A. A naturall depravation of the whole man.
Q. What is actuall ſinne?
A. A tranſgreſſion of the Law in the leaſt particular.
Q. Why did God puniſh them ſo ſeverely?
Anſ.
1. Becauſe they ſinned againſt an extraordinary Majeſty, loving Satan more then God.
2. Becauſe they broke all the Commandements at once, which were included in theſe two, Love the Lord with all thy heart, and thy Neighbour as thy ſelfe.
Q. Did Adam this onelyonly to himſelfe?
A. No, but to his poſterity.
Q. How commeth it ſo?
A. We did then what ever hee did, for we were in his loynes, it was equall with God to appoint it ſo, becauſe that if he had done well we ſhould have been ſaved; now conſequently it muſt follow, that becauſe he ſinned, we muſt alſo be puniſhed.
Q. How did Adams ſinne become ours?
A. By imputation.
Q. What is imputation?
A. That whereby the fault of one man is put upon another.
Q. How came we to have originall ſinne?
A. By propagation in regard that Adam ſent his nature into us, and we become like him.
The third Principle. Concerning redemption by Chriſt.
Queſt. WAs our Redemption neceſſary?
A. Yes, becauſe God determined an end of his Creation, now man becauſe fallen, if he ſhould be deſtroyed, the end would be fruſtrate. Secondly, God had ordained the glorification of his mercy in man; now had there been no Redemption, where would the glory of his mercy appeare? Thirdly, the Elect fallen without this could have had no comfort.
Q. Who is this Redeemer?
A. Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, hee onelyonly can ſubdue our enemies, and ſatisfie his Fathers wrath.
Q. Wherefore was Chriſt the fitteſt perſon in the Trinity?
Anſ. 1. Becauſe hee could moſt prevaile with God, being his Son. Secondly, God being he who was fully offended, it was not juſtice that he ſhould pay himſelfe.
Q. Why did Chriſt take the nature of man upon him?
A. 1. Becauſe it was man that ſinned. Secondly, there muſt be a ſuffering as well as a ſatisfaction.
Q. Did Chriſt take upon him the perſon or nature of man?
A. The nature onelyonly, for elſe there ſhould have been two perſons, which cannot be.
Q. How did Chriſt take mans nature upon him?
A. The Holy Ghoſt ſanctified it, and then Chriſt took the ſame.
Q. What are thoſe things obſervable in this nature?
A. His union, and the manner of his conception.
Q. How is his union?
A. Inſeparable, for our nature could not be ſeparated from him; the eternall Sonne of God ſo tooke the nature of man, that when it met with him, it was not changed, but remained the ſame for ever.
Q. How was Chriſt conceived?
A. By the Holy Ghoſt, who at this time, and in this thing imitated the nature of man.
Q. Of whom was Chriſt conceived?
A. Of the Virgin Mary.
Q. Why had not Chriſt a Father as well as a Mother?
A. Then had he been lyable to ſinne, which was principally imputed to man.
Q. How did Chriſt ſuffer?
A. By his Death, which was two-fold, corporall and ſpirituall; corporall, whereby his body was ſeparated from his ſoule; and ſpirituall, whereby hee was ſeparated from God.
Q. What things are to be obſerved in the death of the ſoule?
Anſ. 1. The wrath of God and his anger againſt a man, of which Chriſt taſted: Secondly, the conſequences which are deſperation and continuall puniſhments, from which Chriſt was moſt free.