ness and true holiness, came blindness, uncleanness, falsehood and injustice. The very truth is, our whole nature* was thereby corrupted, defiled, deformed, depraved, infected, made infirm, frail, malignant, full of venom, contrary to God; yea enemies and rebels unto him.† So that, saith Luther, this is the title we have received from Adam, in this one thing we may glory, and in nothing else at all; namely, that every infant that is born into this world, is wholly in the power of sin, death, Satan, hell, and everlasting damnation. Nay, saith Musculus,|| the whirlpool of man's sin in Paradise, is bottomless and unsearchable.

Nom. But, Sir, methinks, it is a strange thing, that so small an offence, as eating the forbidden fruit seems to be, should plunge whole mankind into such a gulf of misery.

Evan. Though at the first glance it seems to be a small offence; yet if we look more earnestly upon the matter, it will appear to be an exceeding great offence:§ for thereby intolerable injúry was done unto God; as 1st. His dominion and authority, in his holy command, was violated. 2d. His justice, truth and power, in his most righteous threatenings, were despised. 3d. His most pure and perfect image, in which man was created in righteousness and true holiness, was utterly defaced. 4th. His glory, which by an active service the creature should have brought to him, was lost and despoiled. Nay, how could there be a greater sin committed, than that when Adam at that one clap broke all the ten commandments?T

Nom. Did he break all the ten commandments, say you? Sir, I beseech you show me wherein?

Evan. 1. He chose himself another God, when he followed the devil.**

2. He idolized and deified his own belly;†† as the apostle's phrase is, "he made his belly his God."

3. He took the name of God in vain, when he believed him not.

4. He kept not the rest and estate wherein God had set him.‡‡

5. He dishonored his father who was in heaven, and there

fore his days were not prolonged in that land, which the Lord his God had given him.

6. He massacred himself and all his posterity.

7. From Eve he was a virgin, but in eyes and mind he committed spiritual fornication.

8. He stole (like Achan) that which God had set aside not to be meddled with; and this his stealth is that which troubles Israel, the whole world.

9. He bare witness against God, when he believed the witness of the devil, above him.

10. He coveted an evil covetousness, like Amnon, which cost him his life,* and all his progeny. Now whosoever considers, what a nest of evils here was committed at one blow, must needs, with Musculus,† see our case to be such, that we are compelled every way to commend the justice of God, and to condemn the sin of our first parents; saying concerning all mankind, as the prophet Hosea doth, concerning Israel, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself." Hos. 13: 9.

4. Nom. But, Sir, had it not been possible for Adam, both to have helped himself and his posterity, out of this misery, by renewing the same covenant with God, and keeping it afterwards?

Evan. No, by no means; for the covenant of works, was a covenant no way capable of renovation., § When he had once broken it, he was gone for ever: because it was a covenant between two friends; but now fallen man was become an enemy. And besides, it was an impossible thing for Adam to have performed the conditions, which now the justice of God did necessarily require at his hands: for he was now become liable to the payment of a double debt; to wit, the debt of satisfaction for his sin committed in time past, and

* 2 Sam. 13. + Com. Pla. p. 13. Bolton's true Bonds, p. 13. 5.

ti. e. To justify God.

§ The covenant of works could by no means be renewed by fallen Adam, so as thereby to help himself and his posterity out of this misery; which is the only thing in question here. Otherwise indeed it might have been renewed; which is evident by this sad token, that many do actually renew it, in their covenanting with God, being prompted thereto, by their ignorance of the high demands of the law, their own utter inability, and the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. And from the same principle our Legalist here makes no question, but Adam might have renewed it, and kept it too, for the after-time: only he questions, whether or not Adam might thereby have helped himself and his posterity too, out of the misery they were brought into by his sin?

the debt of perfect and perpetual obedience, for the time to come; and he was utterly unable to pay either of them.

Nom. Why was he unable to pay the debt of satisfaction for his sin committed in time past?

Evan. Because his sin in eating the forbidden fruit (for that is the sin I mean*) was committed against an infinite and eternal good; and therefore merited an infinite and eternal satisfaction; which was to be either some temporal punishment equivalent to eternal damnation, or eternal damnation itself. Now Adam was a finite creature, therefore between finite and infinite there could be no proportion: so that it was impossible for Adam to have made satisfaction, by any temporal punishment; and if he had undertaken to have satisfied by an eternal punishment, he should always have been satisfying, and never have satisfied, as is the case of the damned in hell.

Nom. And why was he unable to pay the debt of perfect and perpetual obedience for the time to come?

Evan. Because his precedent power to obey, was by his fall utterly impaired: for thereby his understanding was both enfeebled and drowned in darkness;‡ and his will made perverse and utterly deprived of all power to will well; and his affections were quite set out of order; and all things belonging to the blessed life of the soul were extinguished both in him and us: So that he was become impotent, yea dead, and therefore not able to stand in the lowest terms to perform the meanest condition. The very truth is, our father Adam falling from God, did, by his fall, so dash himself and us all in pieces, that there was no whole part left, either in him or us, fit to ground such a covenant upon. And this the apostle witnesseth, both when he saith, "We are of no strength;" and, "The law was made weak because of the flesh," Rom. 5: 6, and 8: 3.

Nom. But, Sir, might not the Lord have pardoned Adam's sin without satisfaction?

Evan. O no, for justice is essential in God: and it is a righteous thing with God, that every transgression receive a just recompense:§ And if recompense be just, it is unjust to

*That being the sin in which all mankind fell with him, Rom. 5: 15. + Ursin Cat. p. 112. Ibid. Cat. p. 112. Calv. Inst. p. 117. Bolton's true Bonds, p. 133. 2 Thess. 1: 6. "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to recom

pardon sin without satisfaction. And though the Lord had pardoned and forgiven his former transgression: and so set him in his former condition of amity and friendship: yet having no power to keep the law perfectly, he could not have continued therein.*

Nom. And is it also impossible for any of his posterity to keep the law perfectly?

Evan. Yea, indeed, it is impossible for any mere man, in the time of this life, to keep it perfectly; yea, though he be a regenerate man; for the law requireth of man, that he "love the Lord with all his heart, soul, and might;" and there is not the holiest man that lives, but he is flesh as well as spirit, in all parts and faculties of his soul; and therefore cannot love the Lord perfectly. Yea, and the law forbiddeth all habitual concupiscence, not only saying, "Thou shalt not consent to lust," but, "Thou shalt not lust:" it doth not only command the binding of lust, but forbids also the being of lust; and who in this case can say, Co My heart is clean?"

Ant. Then, friend Nomista, take notice, I pray, that as it was altogether impossible for Adam, to return into that holy and happy estate, wherein he was created, by the same way he went from it;† so is it for any of his posterity: and therefore I remember, one‡ saith very wittily, the law was Adam's lease when God made him tenant of Eden; the conditions of which bond, when he kept not, he forfeited himself, and all God read a lecture of the law to him before he fell, to be a hedge to him to keep him in Paradise; but when Adam would not keep within compass, this law is now become as the flaming sword at Eden's gate, to keep him and his posterity out.

us.

pense tribulation to them that trouble you." Heb. 2: 2. "Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense."

* But would have sinned again, and so fallen under the curse anew. + Walking back, by the way of the covenant of works, which he left by his sinning.

OBJ. "Do we not then make void the law," Rom. 3: 31, leaving an imputation of dishonor upon it, as a disregarded path, by pretending to return another way? ANs. Sinners, being united to Christ by faith, return, being carried back the same way they came; only their own feet. never touch the ground; but the glorious Mediator, sustaining the persons of them all, walked every bit of the road exactly, Gal. 4: 4, 5. Thus, in Christ, the way of free grace, and of the law, sweetly meet together; and through faith we establish the law. Ibid.

#Lightfoot Miscel. p. 282.

5. Nom. But, Sir, you know, that when a covenant is broken, the parties that were bound, are freed and released from their engagements; and therefore, methinks, both Adam and his posterity, should have been released from the covenant of works, when it was broken; especially considering they have no strength to perform the condition of it.

Evan. Indeed it is true, in every covenant, if either party fail in his duty and perform not his condition, the other party is thereby freed, from his part; but the party failing is not freed, till the other release him: and therefore, though the Lord be freed from performing his condition, that is, from giving to man eternal life; yet so is not man from his part: no, though strength to obey be lost, yet man having lost it by his own default, the obligation to obedience remains still; so that Adam and his offspring are no more discharged of their duties, because they have no strength to do them, than a debtor is quitted of his bond, because he wants money to pay it. And thus, neighbor Nomista, I have, according to your desire, endeavored to help you, to the true knowledge of the Jaw of works.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE LAW OF FAITH, OR, COVENANT OF GRACE

I. Of the eternal purpose of grace. 2. Of the promise. 3. Of the performance of the promise.

Ant. I BESEECH you, Sir, proceed to help us to the true knowledge of the law of faith.

Evan. The law of faith is as much as to say the covenant of grace, or the gospel, which signifieth good, merry, glad, and joyful tidings:* that is to say, that God, to whose eternal knowledge all things are present, and nothing past or to come, foreseeing man's fall, before all times purposed,† and in time

*Tindal's path to holy scripture, p. 378. 2 Tim. 1:9. Eph. 3: 1, 3. Rom. 1:2. Gal. 4: 4.

+ 2 Tim. 1: 9. "Who hath saved us, according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." Eph. 3:2. " According to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in

Christ Jesus our Lord."