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…

Now to answer this: First, I conclude (as before hath been proved) that the nature of justifying faith was in Adam, though ⟨p. 139⟩there was not such a particular object about which it may be exercised; for a thing may be for the nature of it, and yet not have such a name which it hath from a certain respect to some object that now is not, or from some effects which it cannot now produce: So Mercy and Grace was in God for the nature of it always, but as it hath respect to a miserable and wretched creature, that was not till the creature was made so. And so in Adam, there was the nature of love and pity, but yet in regard of some effects, which could not be exercised in that estate, his love could have no such name, as mercy or pity. Thus Adam for his faith, that faith which he did put forth in Gods Promise about eternal life, upon his obedience, was a justifying faith for the nature of it, but had not the denomination or respect of justifying, because such an object was impossible in that condition. Hence that faith of dependency which Adam had, was the same in nature which justifying faith is. Therefore to the arguments proposed, we deny, that greater strength is required to rise, then to keep from falling; for the same things which would have preserved Adam from falling, as faith in the first place, the same also are required for a man to rise. And as Adam would have stood, as long as his faith in God stood, the devil labouring to shake that by his temptation; so Christ praying for Peter, a man fallen by Adam, doth especially pray, that his faith may not fail, because by that he was supported and strengthened.

Now to answer this: First, I conclude (as before hath been proved) that the nature of justifying faith was in Adam, though ⟨p. 139⟩there was not such a particular object about which it may be exercised; for a thing may be for the nature of it, and yet not have such a name which it hath from a certain respect to some object that now is not, or from some effects which it cannot now produce: So Mercy and Grace was in God for the nature of it alwaies, but as it hath respect to a miserable and wretched creature, that was not till the creature was made so. And so in Adam, there was the nature of love and pity, but yet in regard of some effects, which could not be exercised in that estate, his love could have no such name, as mercy or pity. Thus Adam for his faith, that faith which he did put forth in Gods Promise about eternall life, upon his obedience, was a justifying faith for the nature of it, but had not the denomination or respect of justifying, because such an object was impossible in that condition. Hence that faith of dependency which Adam had, was the same in nature which justifying faith is. Therefore to the arguments proposed, we deny, that greater strength is required to rise, then to keep from falling; for the same things which would have preserved Adam from falling, as faith in the first place, the same also are required for a man to rise. And as Adam would have stood, as long as his faith in God stood, the devill labouring to shake that by his temptation; so Christ praying for Peter, a man fallen by Adam, doth especially pray, that his faith may not fail, because by that he was supported and strengthned.