CHA P. IV.

Of the Effects of the Fall.

HE Effects of the Fall of Man are twofold:

T Internal and External.

The internal Effect, is that which is called Original Sin, comprehending both the loss of his Original Righteoufnefs, and of his Supernatural Perfect. ions, and alfo the decay of his very Natural Faculties; whence floweth a continual lufting after that which is Evil, and a repugnance to that which is Good. Man's heart, like a vitiated Fountain or degenerate Tree, fends forth polluted Streams and fower Fruit, which it once yielded in Purity and Perfection.

The External Effects of the Fall, are comprifed in the curfe of the Ground, the fubject of Man's labour, which comprehendeth all the Miseries of this Life; and in the fentence of Death, which includes both Temporal and Eternal Death, and. all the Miferies of both.

The Effects of the Fall of Adam took place not only in himself, but in all his pofterity: because God held him not as one Perfon, but as the whole nature of Mankind, until fuch time as he was come into that State, (whereto he foreknew that he would foon come) in which God thought it beft to govern the race of Mankind to the end of the World, namely, the ftate of Sin and Mifery, needing Grace and Mercy.

No doubt God in Juftice might have here rejected, and condemned for ever, not only the greater part, but the whole of Mankind for this apoftacy from him, as he did the Angels that fell: But the Scripture teftifyeth greater Grace, telling

us,

us, that as by one Man's transgreffion, Sin and Death entered into the World; fo by the Righteousness of Rom. 5. another we have justification of Life, &c. Thou hast 12. 16. played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet return again Jerem. 3. to me, faith the Lord, and I will receive thee. It is the 1. Lord that speaketh, and therefore we may not doubt of the Truth of his Declaration, faith Bernard; apply84: in ing that to every finful Soul, which Jeremy apply- Cantic. eth to Ifrael; and I may well to all Mankind in Adam, after whom God called, Adam, where Gen. 3. 9. art thou?

And to the fame purpofe hear what the confeffion of the Church of England faith in the tenth Article; The condition of Man, after the Fall of Adam, is fuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural Strength, and good Works, to Faith and calling upon God: wherefore we have no Power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the Grace of God by Chrift preventing us, that we may have a good Will, and Working with us when we have that good Will.

CHAP. V.

Of God's Government of Man under the
Covenant of Grace.

HE third A&t of the execution of God's eternal Counsel was the Reftauration of Man fallen: for the most Wife and Mighty God having Created the World for Man, and Man for Happiness in the fruition of Himself, would not fuffer either the whole Deftruction of his Creature, or the Fruftrating of his End, though he was pleased to permit the depraving of his Creature, and to forfake one ill-fucceeding way, to take a better for the attainment of this End: Hence Irenaus, the whole

Lib.3.cap. 23. Pag. ordering 220. Fol.

ordering of Salvation, touching Man, was wrought according to the good Pleasure of the Father, fo as God fhould not be overcome, nor his Wifdom feem defective: for if Man who was made of God to Live, having loft Life, by being wounded by the Serpent which had corrupted Him, fhould not again return to Life, but be wholly fwallowed up of Death, God had been overcome, and the Serpents malice had conquered the will of God.

Hence God, that foreknew before all time the Fall of Man, had Decreed in Mercy to fpare, and preferve fome degrees of his Image in Man, and to fufpend the Execution of fome Effects of his Fall, that he might be a Subject poffible to be repaired, and capable of healing; and he did fo, elfe Man had died prefently, or lived a mad or brutish Creature. But God in Wisdom and Goodnefs chose not to destroy him abfolutely, nor wholly to make him anew. Moreover out of the fame Wisdom and Goodness, he had Decreed to fupply another way that which was loft, and fo bring Man back from the Gates of Hell, and fet him in a new and fair way to Heaven.

This his thought from Everlasting (magnum cogitatum Patris, as Tertullian calls it) was now reHomil. of vealed in due time, the time of Man's Mifery the Nativ. namely, foon after the Fall: for this Gospel in effect was preached unto him, that God would fend his Gen. 3.15.own Son made of a Woman, that should deftroy Gal. 3.16. the Works of the Devil, and by Death overcomHeb. 2.14. ing him that had the Power of Death, fhould deliver Man from bondage, and reftore unto him righteoufnefs and Life.

Now what by the remains of God's Image left in Man, what by the fupply that God would make by his Gracious help, miferable Man fallen was reputed by God a fit Perfon once again to be a party in a covenant; a covenant of new conditions

fuiting

fuiting to the state of a Sinner, but tending to the fame Ends, Righteoufnefs and Life.

This new Covenant is called the Covenant of Grace ; fft, because it was freely made with Man a Sinner, utterly unworthy to have any more communion with God. Secondly, becaufe in it the Righteoufnefs and Salvation of Man is wrought in him ráther by God than by himself, rather purchafed by Chrift than merited by himself, being more in receiving than in giving, in believing than in doing s yet hath it the nature of a true Covenant, both Parties having fomething for either to perform; God, to fend his Son and his Spirit to relieve the Wants and Miferies of Man, and to forgive Sins, to impute Righteousness, and to give Life to fuch as obey his Son and his Spirit. This part of God in the Covenant, the Prophet Jeremiah fpeaketh of, faying, But this Cap. 31. fhall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of 33. Ifrael, after thofe dayes, faith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People; which is repeated by the Author to the Hebrews. Heb. 8.8. Man's part is to humble himself for his Sins to God his Creator, to believe in Chrift his Redeemer, and to yield himself to be led by the holy Spirit his Sanctifyer; This part of Man in the Covenant the whole Gospel fpeaketh of, requiring Repentance, Faith, and new Obedience. Here are two things affirmed which may feem to require proof,

1. That the Covenant of Grace was made with all Mankind :

2. That God fupplyeth by his Spirit whatsoever is needful to the keeping of this Covenant, on the behalf of Man, who is confeffed to be impotent in himself through his former Fall.

These two fhall by God's affiftance be fufficiently proved hereafter, under the Heads of Call

ing.

Acts. 20.

21.

ing, Converfion, Grace and Free-will: Now let thefé fuffice as prefcriptions for the Truth,

1. That we find here, in the day of the firft publishing of the Covenant, all Mankind in Adam and Eve, receiving the Promife of the Gospel, at the fame time that they received their Punishments, which we fee are univerfal to all their feed: it is therefore probable that that promife also should be taken as Univerfal, fince 'tis a common Maxim that favours are to be interpreted in the largest Senfe.

2. That we find left, after the Fall, the Remains of fome of the Image of God, as life, understanding of Good and Evil, liberty of Will in natural and civil things, confcience accufing or excufing,

c. which though they were given at first by Creation, and fo belong to Nature; yet the permitting of them to remain in Man, after his Fall, was of Grace, both to make him capable to contract and Covenant withal, and alfo to be fome beginnings and principles in order to his Restauration. But fince thefe alone are not fufficient to make him able to rife again, or to recover Righteousness, or keep the new Covenant of the Gofpel, it is decent to think of God, who doth nothing imperfectly, and who in Covenanting is no hard Mafter, that he would fupply by his Spirit, whatsoever was needful more to the keeping of that new Covenant whereupon depends the eternal Woe, or the Eternal Happiness of the party Covenanted with; feeing it is a true Maxim, that no body can be obliged to that which is impoffible.

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