Sion's prospect in it's first view.: Presented in a summary of divine truths, consenting with the faith profess'd by the Church of England, confirmed from scripture and reason: illustrated by instance and allusion. Compos'd and publish'd to be an help for the prevention of apostacy, conviction of heresy, confutation of error, and establishing in the truth, by a minister of Christ, and son of the church, R.M. quondam è Coll ̊S.P.C.

CHAP. XI. Concerning the Covenant of Works, and the Fall of man.

§. 1. MAN being made ina 1.1 Gods Image,* 1.2 had a perfectb 1.3 knowledg of Gods will; not thatc 1.4 absolute and secret will of God, which is the Cause of all Being; but thatd 1.5 conditional and revealed will of God,* 1.6 which is thee 1.7 rule of mans working, Which will of God, was to be a law to man;* 1.8 and Adam in his creation, had thisf 1.9 law written in the table of his heart, the same in substance with the Deca∣logue,g 1.10 that law of the ten Commandments, which afterwards Israel had written in tables of stone.

§. 2. God having given man a law,* 1.11 he further entreth with him aa 1.12 Covenant. This call'd the Co∣venant of Works. In which theb 1.13 promise on Gods part, is the confirming man in his created estate of life, holiness, and happiness: Thec 1.14 condition on

mans part, is perfect obedience unto thed 1.15 whole law of his Creator, according to the full extent of his revealed will.* 1.16 This Covenant God seals in a so∣lemn ratification with that Sacramental Tree, thee 1.17 Tree of life.

§. 3. Thus God having made firm his Cove∣nant,* 1.18 he doth put man upon the trial of his obedi∣ence,a 1.19 forbidding him to eat of the tree of know∣ledg; setting on the prohibition with this com∣mination,b 1.20 that in the day he eateth thereof, he shall surely dye. So that as upon mans performing the condition, God freely promised by covenant a Blessing of life; so upon his breach of the Co∣venant, God severely threatned in justice the curse of death.

* 1.21§ 4. Now God having entred a Covenant, and seal'd it, enacted a probatory law, and publish'd it; he leaveth man (a 1.22 furnish'd with sufficient po∣wer) to the use of his free will, for the trial of his obedience.* 1.23 And here theb 1.24 Devil in malice to God, and envy to man, making use of thec 1.25 Serpent, by the subtilty of his suggestions, deceiveth Eve; and by the plausible importunity of herd 1.26 perswasions,* 1.27 seduceth Adam to a breaking the Covenant of his God, by eating the forbidden fruit.

* 1.28§. 5. That which Satan (in his temptation) doth labour by subtil Sophistry to perswade, is this, That man should not dye though he did eat, but should be like God,* 1.29 when he had eaten, This poyson the De∣vil first presents unto Eve, in a cover'd cup, words of a dark, dubious, and perplex'd sense, bya 1.30 way of interrogation, (yea, hath God said?) the better to catch at her answer,* 1.31 and pursue his design: And when by his questioning, he hathb 1.32 brought Gods Command into question; he presentlyc 1.33 takes away the commination (which God hath set as a bar to his law, lest man should break in, and transgress

his command) and to Gods severe threatning hed 1.34 opposeth an enticing promise; which he sets on with a false crimination cast upon God; and as a gloss to his lye, he gives a rare commendation of the fruit,* 1.35 seemingly made good by the very de∣nomination of the Tree, thee 1.36 Tree of knowledg of good and evil; which name it had of God, not from the constitution of its nature, but of his ordinance, with respect to the event of mans sin foreseen.

§. 6.* 1.37 The enormity and hainousness of Adams sin, is not to be sought for in the tast, or in the fruit, or in the tree, which present but a low esti∣mation of the sin, to a seeming meanness of the fact; but it is to be sought for in thea 1.38 high con∣tempt of the Divine Majesty, and Law, in theb 1.39 proud affectation of the Divine Dignity and Likeness; yea, in the horrid Apostacy of preferring Satans word before Gods, and thereby turning from God in his truth, to a siding with Satan in hisc 1.40 lie. The sin then of our first Parents, it was no light, trivi∣al, or single sin, but indeed a mass or heap of hai∣nous, horrid, and manifold impieties, even to a violation of the whole Decalogue,* 1.41 in a total breach of thatd 1.42 Royal Law of love, which dothe 1.43 fill up both tables in what concerns God, our neighbour, and our selves.

§. 7. In this transgression of Adams,* 1.44 the con∣course and complication of many sins, it is doubt∣ful and difficult to determine which was the first sin; the erroneousa 1.45 judgment of the understan∣ding, that must necessarily go before the evil ele∣ction of the will in order of nature: yet we con∣ceive the understanding and will,* 1.46 by error and e∣vil choise, did in one and the same instant com∣pleat the sin, and thereby became the first inter∣nal principle of evil in man, whether that evil were

a sin either of vain confidence, or infidelity, or of pride, or of covetousness; one of which most pro∣bably was (which is not necessary to be determined) the first sin committed by Adam in his Apostacy.* 1.47 And thus, that Adam sinned, was not by anya 1.48 en∣forcement either of positive decree in God, or ofb 1.49 irresistible temptation in Satan; or ofc 1.50 evil dispo∣sition in himself; But at the suggestion of the Devil Adam misusing the liberty of his will, of his own accord didd 1.51 transgress the command of his God, and thereby became guilty of sin and lyable to the curse.

* 1.52§. 8. Thus the Act of disobedience committed by Adam of hisa 1.53 own free-wil, bringeth upon him the curse of death, inflicted of God in his just judgment, and not onely upon himself in his person,* 1.54 but also in hisb 1.55 posterity; for that God entered not his Co∣venant with Adam as he was one man,* 1.56 but as hec 1.57 re∣presented all mankinde, of which he was the Root and the Head; And therefore as by Adams obedience, all his Posterity should have received the reward of life promised; so equal it is, that upon Adams diso∣bedience,d 1.58 all his posterity should undergo the curse of death threatned.

* 1.59§. 9. And thus, as the blessing of the Covenant had not rested in Adams person, so nor doth thea 1.60 curse and as not the curse, so nor doth thea 1.61 sin; But both sin and curse being seated inb 1.62 humane na∣ture,* 1.63 as well as Adams person, Adam propagating his nature, doth propagate also his sin, and with his sin the curse of Death. So that, as many, as by na∣tural generation descend from Adam, arec 1.64 shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin,d 1.65 children of disobe∣dience, and children of wrath, subject toe 1.66 temporal and eternal death.

§. 10. Now that no man may question the goodness and Justice of God, in giving Adam a

free-will,* 1.67 whereat he knew Sin and Satan would enter and destroy him; we acknowledge free-will to be aa 1.68 necessary part of the pure naturall being of man, and so likewise of Angels; therefore, that God might make the Angels intelligent Spirits, and Man a rationall creature, necessary it was that they should have a will, which will in its pure naturall constitution must have its freedome, in ab 1.69 liberty to good and evill; for that the will doth become free onely to good, is from confirming Grace; free onely to evill, that is from degenerating sinne; free both to good and evill, that is from pure Na∣ture.

§. 11. Seeing then, it was absolutely necessary that Angels and Man, being Intelligent and Ratio∣nall Creatures, should have a will; and having a wil, it was absolutely necessary that will should be free; and being free, it was absolutely necessary that freedome should be in a liberty to good and evill; either God must not have made them such creatures, or he must make them such wills.* 1.70 For God cannot doe what implies a contradiction in the thing, not from any deficiency in God, but from an incapaci∣ty in the creature; indeed to be free onely to good by Nature, is the perfection of Gods will, whose wi•••• thereby becomes the very Rule of goodness.

§. 12. Besides,* 1.71 thea 1.72 Mutability of estate in An∣gels and Man, to the manifestation of Gods justice and mercy, doth depend upon the liberty of their will to good and evill; so that to have created An∣gels and Men in this perfection of will, as free onely to good, had been to have created them immutable in their estate, whereas to be such by nature,* 1.73 isb 1.74 proper unto God, and incommunicable to the creature, which is not made such but by Grace, and that grace made ^c perfect in glory.

§. 13. So that, to take away liberty from the

will, is to take away the will from man; and to take away the will from man, is to take away man from the Creation; and to take away man from the creation, is to take away much of the manifestation of Gods glory in the exercise of his mercy and ju∣stice, as well as his wisdome and power. Wherefore though God gave man a free will, whereby Satan entred upon the soul to destroy Adam,* 1.75 and sin entred upon Adam to destroy his posterity, yet can we not in common equity, lay mans fall to Gods charge.

§. 14. To stop the mouth of all irrationall rea∣soning; we make this reasonable instance by way of apt illustration.* 1.76 In the building of an house it is necessary, that for use, conveniency and being, it have a door, which is made of sufficient strength to keep out the thief, so the inhabitant have sufficient care to keep it shut. Now if the thief by fair words, not violent force, get entrance and spoyl the goods, whose is the fault? the workmans that built the house, or the inhabitants that set open the doores? With the application we curb and stop mens curio∣sity, that it do not run or rush them into blasphe∣my; and where they cannot satisfie their reason, they are taught to exercise their faith,* 1.77 and with de∣vout praise, to take a part in that heavenly Anthem,a 1.78 Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Al∣mighty! just and true are thy wayes, O thou King of Saints.

§. 15. This then we affirm as certain truth, that, In mans fall,* 1.79a 1.80 God was neither compelling, nor com∣manding nor perswading; but permitting & dispo∣sing. And thus, though God did not will mans fall, yet was not (indeed could not be) mans fall without Gods will;* 1.81 for if theb 1.82 hair of mans head cannot, sure, the head of all mankind could not; if one poorc 1.83 Sparrow cannot, sure, our first Parents, and in them whole humane Stock, could not fall to the ground,

universally sink into the gulphd 1.84 of sin,* 1.85 and guilt of death, without the will of God; whose will did certainly determin to permit and order man's fall, to the greater manifestation of his own glory, and the higher advancement of mans happiness in a graci∣ous redemption by Christ.

§. 16. Thus, as God did not positively wil,* 1.86 so nor did he properly nill mans fall; for if God had wil'd that man should fall, man falling must have derogated from his goodness and holinesse; and if God had will'd that man should not fall, man fal∣ling must have derogated from his Wisdom and Power; but God neither willing nor nilling, but permitting and disposing mans fall, doth manifest the glory of all his Attributes, in the advancement of his mercy and justice; his mercy, in thata 1.87 grace he vouchsafeth by Christ to his Church; and his justice, byb 1.88 those judgments he executeth upon sin in the world.

§. 17.* 1.89 God ordered man to be tempted for his triall; left him (in that temptation) to himselfe, for his conviction; and permitted him to be over∣come for his punishment. In the triall he proves mans obedience, in the conviction he discovers mans weaknesse, and in the punishment he doth correct hisa 1.90 vain confidence; his vain confidence, in trusting to his own strength,* 1.91 and not seeking by prayer the assistance of God; who, as he gave Adam a power in his Nature, whereby he might have obeyed, if he had willed; would also have given him a further power in his triall, whereby he had wil'd that he might have obeyed,* 1.92b 1.93 if he had sought it of God. And thus, having obtained so much grace by creation, as to have a power where∣by, if had wil'd, he might not have sinned; he had certainly obtained more grace by prayer, so as to have had a power, whereby he neither might

have sinned nor have will'd it; being approved in his triall, and confirmed in his conquest; and so established in grace, and made perfect in hap∣piness.

* 1.94§. 18. God cannot properly be the cause, of what he doth not positively will. Seeing then he did not positively will mans sin, he cannot properly be the cause of mans fall. His determining to permit, and decreeing to order mans sin and mans fall, doth declare his wisdom and power, without the least im∣pairing of his holiness and justice; it doth speak him in his providence an all wise Disposer,* 1.95 not an unjust Author of sin; for that hisa 1.96 infinite goodness is such, as would not permit evill in the world, were not his infinite power such, as out of thatb 1.97 evill to bring a world of good.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Gen. 1.27.
• * 1.2

  Adam had a knowledg of Gods will per∣f••ct in its kinde.
• b 1.3

  Col. 3.10.
• c 1.4

  Isa 40.13. Rom 11.33, 34.
• d 1.5

  Deut. 29.29.
• * 1.6

  What the Law to Adam.
• e 1.7

  Psal. 143.10. Mat. 6.10.
• * 1.8

  How the same with the Deca∣logue.
• f 1.9

  Psal. 40.8. Jer. 31.33. Rom. 2.15.
• g 1.10

  Exod. 34.28.
• * 1.11

  What the Co∣venant of Works
• a 1.12

  Exod. 34.28. Deut. 9.10. Jer. 31.31, 32. Heb. 8.9, 13.
• b 1.13

  Lev. 18.5. Ezek 20.11. Rom. 7.10. & 10.5. Gal. 3.12.
• c 1.14

  Lev. 18.5. Ezek. 20.11. Rom. 7.10. & 10.5. Gal. 3.12.
• d 1.15

  Deut. 27.26. Luke 10.25, 26, 27. Gal. 3.10. Jam. 2.10.
• * 1.16

  What the seal of the Covenant.
• e 1.17

  Gen 2 9. & 3.22. Prov. 3.18.
• * 1.18

  The trial of mans obedience.
• a 1.19

  Gen. 2.16.17
• b 1.20

  Gen. 2.17.
• * 1.21

  Man left to the use of his free∣wil.
• a 1.22

  E••cles. 7.28.
• * 1.23

  Tempted by Satan.
• b 1.24

  John 8.44.
• c 1.25

  Gen. 3.1, 2, 3, &c. 2 Co. 11.3.
• d 1.26

  Gen. 3, 6. 1 Tim. 2.14.
• * 1.27

  Transgresseth in eating the for∣bidden fruit.
• * 1.28

  Satans bait to catch men.
• * 1.29

  The subtilty of Satans temtation
• a 1.30

  Gen. 3.1.
• * 1.31

  His order and progress in it.
• b 1.32

  Gen. 3.3.
• c 1.33

  Gen. 3.4.
• d 1.34

  Gen. 3.5.
• * 1.35

  The Tree of knowledg of good and evil, why so called.
• e 1.36

  Gen. 2.17.
• * 1.37

  wherein the hai∣nousness of A∣dams transgres∣sion doth consist
• a 1.38

  Gen. 2.17. & 3.11. Exod. 20.1.2.
• b 1.39

  Gen. 3.5.6.22.
• c 1.40

  John 8.44.
• * 1.41

  how a violation of the whole Law.
• d 1.42

  Jam 2 8
• e 1.43

  Mat. 22 36, 37, 38, 40. Rom. 13.10.
• * 1.44

  What was mans fist sin, is doubt∣ful, and so diffi¦cult to determine
• a 1.45

  Jer. 4.22. Psal. 14.2.
• * 1.46

  What the first internal prin∣ciple of evil in man.
• * 1.47

  Adams sin was from himself freely without force.
• a 1.48

  Jam. 1.13.
• b 1.49

  Jam 4.7.
• c 1.50

  Eccles. 7.29.
• d 1.51

  Rom. 5.14.15
• * 1.52

  Adams sin in∣curs Gods cu se of death
• a 1.53

  Eccl. 7.29.
• * 1.54

  upon himself and his posterity.
• b 1.55

  Rom. 5.18, 19
• * 1.56

  Why upon his posterity.
• c 1.57

  Acts 17.26. 1 Cor. 15.21, 22
• d 1.58

  Rom. 5.14 15
• * 1.59

  Adam propa∣gates the curse and the sin too;
• a 1.60

  Rom. 5 12.
• a 1.61

  Rom. 5 12.
• b 1.62

  Eph. 2.3.
• * 1.63

  and this in pro∣pagating his na∣ture.
• c 1.64

  Psal. 51 5.
• d 1.65

  Eph. 2 2, 3.
• e 1.66

  Mat. 10.28. Rom. 6.23.
• * 1.67

  God's goodness justified in gi∣ving man a free-will, though he knew the Devil would thereby enter and destroy man.

  How it was ne∣cessary that man should have a will; and that will a liberty to good and evil.
• a 1.68

  Gen. 1.26.
• b 1.69

  Deut. 30.19.
• * 1.70

  To have made a rationall crea∣ture without a will, or a will without its li∣berty, doth imply a contradiction.
• * 1.71

  The mutability of estate in An∣gels and Man, did depend upon the liberty of the will.
• a 1.72

  Job. 4.18. & 15.15. John 4 44. Jude 6. Gen. 2.17.
• * 1.73

  To be immuta∣ble by nature is peculiar unto God.
• b 1.74

  Mal. 3.6. Jam. 1.17. 2 Cor. 5.1. Luke 20.36. 1 Pet. 1.4.
• * 1.75

  Mans fall not to be laid to Gods charge.
• * 1.76

  Illustrated by a fit similitude.
• * 1.77

  Where man can∣not satisfie his reason, it is rea∣sonable that he exercise his faith.
• a 1.78

  Rev. 15.3.
• * 1.79

  Gods will was permitting and disposing in mans fall.
• a 1.80

  Psal. 5.4. Hos. 13.9.
• * 1.81

  So that as God did not will mans fall, so nor was mans fall without Gods will.
• b 1.82

  Matth. 10.30
• c 1.83

  Matth. 10:29
• d 1.84

  Rom. 5.18.
• * 1.85

  How ordered to his glory and mans good.
• * 1.86

  Why God did neither posi∣tively will, nor properly nill mans fall.
• a 1.87

  Eph. 1.8, 9, 10.
• b 1.88

  Psal. 9.16. Rom. 9.22, 23.
• * 1.89

  Why God orde∣red man to be tempted, left him, and per∣mitted him to be overcome.
• a 1.90

  Jer. 17.5.
• * 1.91

  Adam lost the assistance of God, by not seeking it in prayer.
• * 1.92

  What strength Adam had by creation.

  and What he might have had by prayer.
• b 1.93

  1 Chron. 28.9. Psal. 9.10.
• * 1.94

  Why God can∣not be said to be the cause of mans fall.
• * 1.95

  Why he permits sin.
• a 1.96

  •• Psal, 145.9. 1 John 1.5.
• b 1.97

  Rom. 6.20. 2 Cor. 4.6.