Two treatises the first of death, on I Cor. 15:26, the second of judgment…

SECT. V.

Use 3.

FROM the Enmity of Death we may further learn that Man hath now a need of Grace for such exceeding difficulties which were not before him in his state of innocency. Though Adam was able to have obeyed perfectly, without sin, and had Grace sufficient to have upheld him, and conquered temptations, if he had done his part, which by that Grace he might have done; yet whether that Grace was sufficient to the works that we are called to, is a doubt that many have been much troubled with. It is certain that he was able to have done any thing that was suitable to his present state, if it were commanded him: And it is certain, that much that is now our duty, would have been unsuitable to his state. But whether it belonged to his perfection, to be able and fit for such duties (that were then unsuitable to him) on supposition they had been suitable and duties, this is the difficulty: which some make use of to prove that such works cannot now be required of us, without suitable help, because we lost no such grace in ⟨p. 48⟩Adam. But this need not trouble us: For 1, Though Adam was put on no such difficulty in particular, as to encounter death; yet the perfect obedience to the whole Law, required a great degree of internal Habitual holiness: and to determine the case, Whether our particular difficulties, or his sinless perfect obedience, required greater strength and help, is a matter of more difficulty then use. For 2. It is but about the Degrees of Holiness in him and us, and not about the Kind, that the difficulty lieth. For it is the same End that he was created for and disposed to by Nature, and that we are redeemed for and disposed to supernaturally.

FROM the Enmity of Death we may further learn that Man hath now a need of Grace for such exceeding difficulties which were not before him in his state of innocency. Though Adam was able to have obeyed perfectly, without sin, and had Grace sufficient to have upheld him, and conquered temptations, if he had done his part, which by that Grace he might have done; yet whether that Grace was sufficient to the works that we are called to, is a doubt that many have been much troubled with. It is certain that he was able to have done any thing that was suitable to his present state, if it were commanded him: And it is certain, that much that is now our duty, would have been unsuitable to his state. But whether it belonged to his perfection, to be able and fit for such duties (that were then unsuitable to him) on supposition they had been suitable and duties, this is the difficulty: which some make use of to prove that such works cannot now be required of us, without suitable help, because we lost no such grace in