Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 1 · Chapter 1
Ch. 1.
Mans dubious and tottering eſtate under the firſt, his ſafer eſtate under the ſecond Adam. 2 True liberty. 3 Grace loves to be reſtrained from doing of evil. Adam was not to believe or pray for perſeverance.
THere being in the Covenant of works no influences, by which we may will and doe to the end, promiſed to Adam; and no predeterminating influences, and no Goſpel-fear of God, by which we ſhall perſevere, and not depart from the Lord, being promiſed in the new and everlaſting covenant, Jer. 32. 39. 4. This principall difference between the covenants remains to be diſcuſſed.
There muſt be in this point, conſiderable differences between the Covenants;God intended that no man ſhould be ſaved by the law. as 1. God intended that no man ſhould be ſaved by the Law: for grace, mercy, forbearance, and the patience of God towards ſinners ſould for eternity, have been hid from ſinfull man, if righteouſneſs and life had been by the Law. But God intended that all men to be ſaved, ſhould be ſaved by the Covenant of grace, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 3. 21, 22. as Rom. 10. 5, 6, 7. compared with Rom. 3. 9, 10, & 20. Gal. 3. 8, 9, 10. as both the Scripture and the iſſue of two diſpenſations, of Law and Goſpel, do evidence. 2. Man in the covenant of works was under no tutor but Adams free will; but now man as an interdicted heir, for former waſteries, is disinherited, ſo that he hath not the maſtery of his own eſtate, is put under another Lord, even Jeſus Chriſt, as his tutor; and ſince it is ſo, the leſs our own, the better; the more we are under the law, the leſs we are under grace, as Rom. 7. the leſs freedom (or rather phyſicall licence) to ſin, the more true liberty, Pſal. 119. 45. I will walk at liberty, for I ſeek thy precepts. Chriſt by his covenant layeth the aw of grace upon us; whether grace be taken phyſically, for an inward principle of grace; or morally, for a gracious fear to ſin,True liberty. Grace loves to be reſtrained from doing evil. its all one; the more under Chriſt any is, the leſs is he free to ſin; as the better and ſtronger the keeper is, who is put upon a broken man and a priſoner, who is a bankrupt, the leſs can he take on new debt, Rom. 6. 20, 22. the leſs can he make a ſinfull eſcape; ungracious are they, who ſay, Ah if I had my will, I would doe otherwiſe; grace loves to be reſtrained from doing evil, 1. Sam. 22. 23. Satan ſeeks leave, or rather curſed licence, if it were but to deſtroy the Gadarens ſwine, and he reputes it his torment not to dwell with his Legions, in the diſtracted man to torment him, Matth. 8. Such cannot complain, Would God breath on me with his influences of grace, I would be as holy as David; nay, there is in the man a tormenting ſorrow, that he cannot have more power, and ſtronger influences of hell to doe more evill; and ſo he hates theſe influences of grace of which he ſpeaks.
It may be doubted (ere we ſpeak of other differences) whether perſeverance was promiſed to Adam in a law-ſtate, or not; for if prayer was a worſhip enjoyned to Adam before the fall, no leſs then publick worſhip of praiſing for the workmanſhip of creation, Gen. 2. 2, 3. it may be ſaid, if Adam was to ſuit any thing in prayer to God, then eſpecially was he to pray that he might not ſin, and might not be led into temptation, but might ſtand in obedience, and ſo might have influences to determine his will to ſtand and continue therein, and this the law of nature ſeems to ſay. 2. If he was to truſt in God for acts of providence, for his ſtanding in obedience, then eſpecially, for acts of the Lords free predetermination to cauſe him to ſtand; and ſo both praying and believing muſt relate to a promiſe; and if ſo, then muſt the Lord have promiſed in the firſt covenant of works, perſeverance and influences to perſevere.
Anſ. That the firſt Adam was to pray for perſeverance, is not clear.It may be probably ſaid, Adam was to pray, but the particulars he was to ſuit in prayer are as unknown to us as any thing; he was to ſanctifie a Sabbath, and to praiſe, and to exalt God in his works of creation; but for praying for perſeverance and predeterminating influences by which he might perſevere, while Scripture ſpeaks, we muſt doubt; he was to deſire, to intend and purpoſe to perſevere, as he was obliged by the law of God to perſevere; but for inſtituted praying or believing that God ſhould give to Adam perſeverance, either abſolutely or upon condition, that he ſhould pray for perſeverance; and ſo upon condition that he ſhould perſevere in praying for, or in believing of influences to perſevere, the Scripture is ſilent; and we can ſay nothing, where Scripture-light doth not lead the way: its like that the onelyonly means moral of perſevering muſt be here a law without, the image of God within, and Adams free will in obeying; but God having a purpoſe that the covenant of works ſhould not be the fixed ſtanding way of juſtification and life;Adam was to rely on God for perſeverance, but as promiſed by the covenant of works. and that the elect Angels ſhould be confirmed, that they ſhould not fall, nor be able to fall; yet have we no warrant to ſay, that they came to that State either by praying or meriting, or law obedience, but of free grace: or that Adam's firſt ſin was neglect of praying for perſeverance. As to the other, there is no doubt but the firſt command did engage Adam to rely upon God for ſtrength and divine influence, as promiſed by any covenant; of works or grace, is another thing. Yea its unwritten that either Law or Goſpel (which then was not) promiſed any ſuch thing.
What a bleſſed condition are we in,Our grace in the ſecond Adam choicer then that in the firſt. above that of Adam! grace was given to Adam immediately from God, but in a ſeparated way from God, the ſtream being as it were cut off from the fountain, and was in Adam as a Winter well that in Summer may goe dry; but grace is now given firſt to the ſecond Adam as the head and fountain, and to the Elect in a way of unſeparable union of the ſtream with the fountain, as he partakes of grace in Chriſt, and mediately. And the neerer the ſtreams run to the fountain, the ſtronger and the more unfailing is the emanation, as may appear in the man Jeſus united perſonally to God, in the Angels now confirmed in Chriſt their head, Col. 2. 10. in the glorified who act by an immediate influence from God in Chriſt immediately, and at the well head enjoyed; any diſtance from God may be neer ſome fall.