Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

With us indeed there is justifying faith and repentance, which keeps up a Christians life; as the Naturalists say, the calor innatus, and humidum radicale do the natural life: Faith is like the calor innatus and Repentance is like the humidum radicals; and, as the Philosopher saith, if the innate heat devour too much the radical moisture, or the radical moisture too much the heat, there breed presently diseases: so it is with us, if believing make a man repent less, or repenting make a man believe the less, this turneth to a distemper.

With us indeed there is justifying faith and repentance, which keeps up a Christians life; as the Naturalists say, the calor innatus, and humidum radicale doe the naturall life: Faith is like the calor innatus and Repentance is like the humidum radicals; and, as the Philosopher saith, if the innate heat devoure too much the radicall moisture, or the radicall moisture too much the heat, there breed presently diseases: so it is with us, if beleeving make a man repent lesse, or repenting make a man beleeve the lesse, this turneth to a distemper.

Yet, though it were a Covenant of works, it cannot be said to be of merit. Adam though in innocency, could not merit that happiness which God would bestow upon him: first, because the enjoying of God, in which Adams happiness did consist, was such a good, as did far exceed the power and ability of man. It's an infinite good, and all that is done by us is finite. And then in the next place, Because even then Adam was not able to obey any command of God, without the help of God. Though some will not call it grace, because they suppose that only cometh by Christ; yet all they that are orthodox do acknowledge a necessity of Gods enabling Adam to that which was good, else he would have failed. Now then, if by the help of God Adam was strengthened to do the good he did, he was so far from meriting thereby, that indeed he was the more obliged to God.

Yet, though it were a Covenant of works, it cannot be said to be of merit. Adam though in innocency, could not merit that happinesse which God would bestow upon him: first, because the enjoying of God, in which Adams happinesse did consist, was such a good, as did farre exceed the power and ability of man. It's an infinite good, and all that is done by us is finite. And then in the next place, Because even then Adam was not able to obey any command of God, without the help of God. Though some will not call it grace, because they suppose that onely cometh by Christ; yet all they that are orthodox do acknowledge a necessity of Gods enabling Adam to that which was good, else he would have failed. Now then, if by the help of God Adam was strengthned to do the good he did, he was so farre from meriting thereby, that indeed he was the more obliged to God.