308 ANN AND REeoVERY, ÓÌC. thereby to have healed himself of all the poisonous effects of the forbidden tree of knowledge, and should neglect the salvation of the promised Messiah. But thechief reason for which I men- tion these two trees here, is to shew, that as there was an appoint- ed figure, seal or symbol of immortal life and happiness, as well as of eviland death, both growing In this garden of paradise : So there was a real covenant or promise of life made to persever- ing obedience, as well as a law that threatenedmisery and death to man, if lie were disobedient to his Nfa'lter. Perhaps also we might, farther prove, that there was a cove- nant of lifeand promiseof immortality, and advanced happiness upon condition of perfect obedience, from many texts of scrip- ture. The first is Rom. ii. 7. where the apostle is rather repre- senting the terms of the covenant of works, than the terms of the covenant of grace, and says, " God will render indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that deeth evil ; but eternal life, with glory and honour to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour, arid immortality." And verse 10. 00 Glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good." 1-lere let it be observed, that the apostle, from the eighteenth verse of the first chapter to the twenty-first verse of the third, is evidently laying all mankind under condemnation by the law, and not describing the salvation which comes by the covenant of grace ; and therefore he uses the words glory, honour, peace, immortality, eternal life, which are the promises of a covenant of works, but not a word of par- don, grace, or salvation, which arepromises of a better covenant And he represents the means of attaining these original blessings to be working of good, and patient continuance in well doing, uroj.eorn Ev EQyw u-y0494), that, is continuance in one good work with- out interruption or imperfection ; but not a word of repentance and faith, as the means of obtaining these blessings. These are therefore the proper terms of the law of innocency and covenant of works, and this is the promise made to perfect obedience, by which no man now since the fall can bejustified, as is expressly asserted ; Rom. iii. 20. though innocent Adam might; have attained immortality, eternal life, honour, and glory by it. Text II. It is the covenant of works with the termsof it, as expressed in the books of Moses, which is cited by St Paul ; Gal. iii. 12. " The man that Both the commands shall live in or by them :" And Rom. x. 5. this called the righteousness of the law, that is, that which entitles a man to the promise of life. And Rom: vii. 10. " The commandment of the law which was ordained to life, shewsihat life and immortality would have been the reward of obedience to it." Text Ill. It will add prehaps some force to this argument, in order to prove a promise of glory and immortality made to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=