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…

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.

6. God, who entered into this Covenant with him, is to be considered ¹as already pleased, and a friend with him, not as a reconciled Father through Christ. Therefore here needed no Mediator, nor comfort, because the soul could not be terrified with any sin. Here needed not one to be either medius, to take both natures; or Mediator, to perform the offices of such an one. In this estate that speech of Luther's was true, which he denieth in ours, Dens est absolute considerandus. Adam dealt with him as absolutely considered, not relatively: with us, God without Christ is a consuming fire, and we are combustible matter, chaff and straw: we are loathsome to God, and God terrible to us; but Adam he was Deo