The pattern of perfection exhibited in Gods image on AdamThe paterne of perfection exhibited in Gods image on Adam

1. He had a power and principle in himself, to keep Gods commandments. Adam had an uncontrollable liberty of will, whereby he could begin his own work. He needed only an ordinary concourse of Providence, wch God gives to other creatures. God put this stock into Adams hand, that he might manage the great affairs of life. But it is otherwise in the second covenant; we must ⟨p. 214⟩see our selves lost in regard of our own ability to service, and therefore we are bound by faith to go out to another; which Adam needed not. We that are weak of our selves, must fetch power from Christ. It may truly be said, that Adam had something of his own. It was a debt to Adam, that if God required obedience, he should bestow ability on him; God could require no more of Adam in equity, then he gave him ability to discharge: but it is mercy, that we have any thing: So that the substance is this; Adam needed not to deny himself, we must deny our selves. We are dead in sins and trespasses, and therefore it is not I, saith St. Paul, but Christ in me. Joh. 1.16. ⟨p. 215⟩We receive grace for grace from Christ; nay, we must wait on God, and stay his time; for he may as well withdraw help as bestow it; but he could not do so with Adam: He engaged himself never to be wanting to him; but God oweth us nothing in point of grace. Hence the covenant of doing and believing are put in opposition. Gal. 3.12. The Law is not of faith: the meaning is, believing in Christ is not the performance of the moral Law. He that believeth, saith, I can do nothing; Adam might say, I can do all things. I say, Believing in Christ is not a performance of a work of the Law, but of a work of the Gospel. Ephes. 2.8, 9. By grace ye are saved through ⟨p. 216⟩faith, not of your selves. If any one had been saved by his own works, as Adam might have been, he had been saved by himself; but now it is through Christ, and it is through grace that Christ assists us: this is the cause that many perish who think to be saved by the merit of their works; but this is cross to believing, this is not going out, but continuing within themselves. Those that are under the Law; that is, those that seek for life by doing, these are under the rigour and condemning power of the Law: Those that are of Faith, that is, those that are content to be ruled by the power of the Gospel, they are saved by Christ.