Of the law given to adam, and the
covenant made with him in his state of innocence; in which he was the federal
head and representative of his posterity
John Gill
The manner
in which God governs rational creatures is by a law, as the rule of their
obedience to him, and which is what we call God's moral government of the
world; and as he gave a law to angels, which some of them kept, and have been
confirmed in a state of obedience to it; and others broke it, and plunged
themselves into destruction and misery: so God gave a law to Adam, and which
was in the form of a covenant, and in which Adam stood as a
covenant head to all his posterity. And I shall endeavour to show what that law
was, that it was in the form of a covenant, and that Adam was a federal head in
it.
1. First, The law given him
was both of a natural and positive kind. God, who is the Creator
of all, Judge of all the earth, and King of the whole world, has a right to
give what laws he pleases to his creatures, and they are bound as creatures,
and by the ties of gratitude, to observe them. The natural law, or law of
nature, given to Adam, was concreated with him, written on his heart, and
engraved and imprinted in his nature from the beginning of his existence; by
which he was acquainted with the will of his Maker, and
directed to observe it; which appears from the remains of it in the hearts of
all men, and even of the Gentiles; and from that natural conscience in every
man, which, if not by some means lulled asleep, that it does not perform its
office, excuses men from blame when they do well, and accuses them, and charges
them with guilt when they do ill, #Ro 2:14,15 and likewise from the inscription of this law, in a spiritual and evangelic manner,
on regenerate persons, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace; "I
will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts", #Jer
31:33 so that they become the epistle of Christ, having the law as from him,
and by his Spirit written in them, and the Spirit put into them, to enable them
to walk in his statutes, and keep his judgments, and do
them; and this law that was written on Adam's heart, and is reinscribed in
regeneration, is the same with the Decalogue, as to the substance of it; and,
excepting such things in it as were peculiar to the Jews, all of a moral
nature; and which is comprised in these two precepts, to which it is reduced by
Christ; "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thou heart; and thou
shall love thy neighbour as thyself"; this was binding
on Adam, and on all his posterity.
Besides, This natural law, or
law of nature, given to Adam, there were others of a positive kind, which were
positive institutions of God, such as man could never have known by the light
of nature; but were made known by the revelation of God; such as
relate to divine worship, and the manner of it; that there was a God, and that
he was to be worshipped, Adam knew by the light of nature; but how, or in what
manner, and with what rites and formalities he would be worshipped, this he
could not know, but by divine revelation. In all dispensations there have been
ordinances of divine service; there now are; and there were under the former
dispensation; and so in a state of integrity; which were
appointed of God, and revealed to man; for the law that forbid the eating of
the fruit of a certain tree, is not the only positive law of God; however, it
is certain that was one; "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
thou shalt not eat", #Ge 2:17 which was given as a trial of man's
obedience to the will of God, whether he would observe it or not; for the evil
of the act of eating did not arise from the nature of the
tree, and its fruit, which was as good for food as perhaps any tree in the
garden; but from its being disobedience to the will of God. And be it what it
may, in which God is disobeyed, it matters not; and by so much the lesser that
is which is forbidden, by so much the greater is the sin of disobedience, the
more aggravated, and the more inexcusable.
2. Secondly, This law given to
Adam, taken in its complex view, as both natural and positive, was in the form
of a covenant; the same to be both a law and a covenant, is not at all
inconsistent; so the law given to the people of Israel from mount Sinai, is
also called a covenant, #Ex 24:7 De 5:1-3 yea, the covenant of grace is called
a law, the law of Christ's mediatorship, which was in his
heart to fulfil; even the covenant he made with his Father, and his Father with
him, #Ps 40:8. The law given to Adam, as it was a law, sprung from the
sovereignty of God, who had a right to impose a law upon him, whatsoever he
thought fit; as it was a covenant, it was an act of condescension and goodness
in God, to enter into it with man, his creature; he could have
required obedience to his law, without promising anything on account of it; for
it is what God has a prior right unto, and therefore a recompence for it cannot
be claimed; if, therefore, God thinks fit, for the encouragement of obedience,
to promise in covenant any good, it is all condescension, it is all kindness.
Moreover,
It may be observed, that the law given to Adam is expressly called a covenant,
as it should seem in #Ho 6:7 "but they, like men", (or like Adam)
"have transgressed the covenant": the sense of which seems to be,
that as Adam transgressed the covenant God made with him; so the Israelites had
transgressed the covenant God made with them; for as well may Adam's transgression
of the law or covenant be referred to here, as his
palliating his sin, after the commission of it, is referred to in #Job 31:33.
Besides, the terms by which the positive law given to Adam is expressed,
manifestly imply a covenant; as that if he eat of the forbidden fruit, he
should surely die; which implies, that if he abstained from it, he should
surely live; which formally constitute a covenant; even a promise and a
threatening. To which may be added, the distinction of two
covenants of grace and works, called the law of faith, and the law of works;
and a twofold righteousness and obedience yielded to the one, and to the other,
the righteousness which is of faith, and the righteousness which is of the law,
#Ga 4:24 Ro 3:27 10:5,6 for without the law of Adam, as a covenant, two
covenants cannot be fairly made out; for though in #Heb 8:7,13
we read of a first and second, an old and a new covenant; yet these respect one
and the same covenant, under different dispensations; and though in the passage
referred to, the covenant at Sinai may be intended as one, yet as a repetition,
and a new edition of the covenant made with Adam.
This
covenant is by divines called by various names; sometimes a covenant of
"friendship", man being in friendship with God when it was made with
him; of which there are many instances; as the placing him in the garden of
Eden, putting all the creatures in subjection to him, and providing an help
meet for him; appearing often to him, and talking friendly with him, and granting
him communion with him; and it was an act of friendship to
him to enter into covenant with him; and while Adam observed this he remained
in friendship with God; and it was the breach of this covenant that separated
chief friends. Sometimes they call it a covenant of "nature", it
being made with Adam as a natural man, and a natural head of his posterity; and
promised natural blessings to him and his; was coeval with
his nature; and was made with all human nature, or with all mankind, in Adam.
it is also called a covenant of "innocence"; because made with man in
his innocent state; and who, as long as he kept this covenant, continued
innocent; but when he brake it, he was no more so. And it is frequently called
the "legal" covenant, the covenant of "works", as the
Scripture calls it, "the law of works", as before
observed; it promised life on the performance of good works; its language was,
"Do this and live". And it sometimes has the name of the covenant of
life from the promise of life in it; though not in such sense as the covenant
with Levi, as a type of Christ, is called, the covenant of life; for it is life
of a lower kind that was promised to Adam, than what was promised to Christ,
for his people, as will be seen hereafter.
3. Thirdly, As in all covenants
there are contracting parties, so in this.
3a. God is one of the parties
in this covenant; nor was it unworthy of God to enter into
a covenant with Adam; for if it was not unworthy of God to make a covenant of
conservation with Noah; a covenant of circumcision with Abraham; and a covenant
of royalty with David; a covenant respecting the kingdom, and the continuance
of it in his family; men in a fallen state; then it could not be unworthy of
God to make one with Adam in his perfect state; yea, even since, on the behalf
of his people, he makes a covenant with the beasts of the
field, the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the ground, #Ho 2:18.
Besides, to make a covenant with Adam, was a display of his goodness to him. As
he was the work of his hands, he must have a regard to him; as every artificer
has for his work; and would not despise him, but be concerned for his good; and
therefore in covenant promised good things to him, in case
of obedience to his will: this his covenant also flowed from his sovereignty;
since all his good things are his own, and he can do with them as he pleases;
make promises of them in a covenant way; in like manner he disposed of some of
them in such a way to Adam.
3b. The
other contracting party was Adam; who gave a full and hearty assent to what was
proposed to him. The stipulation on the part of God, was proposing and
promising good, on condition of obedience. The stipulation, or restipulation on
the part of man, was his free and full consent to yield the obedience proposed,
in expectation of the promise fulfilled; and this may be concluded from the law
he was to obey being written on his heart; which he had
full knowledge of, approved of, and assented to; for which he had the most
sincere affection; and the inclination and bias of his will were strongly
towards it: and as for the positive law, which forbid him to eat of a certain
tree; his will was to observe it; his resolution to keep it; as appears from
what Eve said to the serpent, tempting her; "God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die",
#Ge 3:3 which shows, that she and her husband believed what God had said;
judged it to be reasonable to hearken to it; and were determined to observe it:
and man had also power to keep this covenant; being made after the image, and
in the likeness of God; pure and upright, possessed of a clear understanding of
it, a strong affection for it, and a full resolution to
keep it; for it was not till sin took place, that the nature of man was weakened,
and he unable to keep the law; "For what the law could not do, in that it
was weak through the flesh", &c. or what man could not do in
fulfilling the law, his nature being weakened by sin; for then, and not before,
was it in such an incapacity. Though it should be observed, that man was not
left to his liberty; it was not at his option, whether he
would assent to the proposal in the covenant, and the condition of it; he had
not an alternative given him, to agree or not agree, since obedience was due to
God, whether he promised him anything or not. Wherefore this covenant differs
from any covenants among men; in which the parties not only freely agree to
make a covenant, but it is at the option of the one, whether he will accept of
and agree to the proposal of the other. So that this
covenant made with Adam, is not strictly and properly a covenant, such as is
among men; but is rather a covenant on one side, as a covenant of promise is;
and a covenant of God with man, rather than a covenant of man with God.
The
obedience required of man in this covenant, was personal, perfect, and
perpetual. It was personal; it was to be performed in his own person, and not
by another for him; as is the obedience of Christ, which is not personal to
them, who are made righteous by it; or as would have been the obedience of
Adam, had he stood, as reckoned to his posterity; which, though personal to
him, would not have been so to them; as his disobedience,
by which they are made sinners, is not personal to them, #Ro 5:19. It was
"perfect" obedience that was required of him, both as to parts and as
to degrees; it was to be yielded to all the commandments of God, without
exception, and to be performed in the most perfect manner; as to matter, all
the commands of God, natural and positive, were to be observed; and as to
manner, just as the Lord commanded them. And then this
obedience was to be "perpetual"; it was not to be done for a time
only, but always; life, and the continuance of it, depended on it; otherwise,
if a stop was made in it, the law condemned, and the man became accursed;
"Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things written in the book
of the law to do them", #Ga 3:10. So that man was bound by it for ever, as
a law; but as considered as the condition of a covenant, it
was to be yielded to as such, until man was confirmed in his estate, as the
angels are; and, as some divines think, until he had children arrived to an age
capable of obeying or sinning.
4. Fourthly, The law given to
Adam, as it had the nature of a covenant, it contained a
promise in it, and had a sanction annexed to it.
4a. It contained a promise;
which was a promise of life, of natural life to Adam, and of a continuation of
it so long as he should observe the condition of it; just as life was promised
to the Israelites, and a continuance in it, in the land of Canaan, so long as they should observe the law of God; for neither the law of
Moses, nor the law of nature, made promise of any other than of a natural life.
Some divines, and these of great name and figure in the churches of Christ,
think, and indeed it is most generally received, that Adam continuing in his
obedience, had a promise of eternal life. I cannot be of that mind. There is,
indeed, an ambiguity in the phrase "eternal life";
if no more is meant by it than living for ever in his present life, it will not
be denied; but if by it is designed such a state of glory and happiness, which
saints shall enjoy in heaven to all eternity; that must be denied for the
following reasons:
4a1. Adam's
covenant was but a natural covenant; and which was
made
with a natural man, as Adam is called by the apostle,
#1Co 15:46,47
and which covenant promised no supernatural
blessing,
neither grace nor glory; for as for spiritual
blessings,
these the elect are blessed with only in heavenly
places in
Christ, #Eph 1:3.
4a2. It was
in another covenant more early than that of Adam's,
in which
eternal life was promised and secured; God, that
cannot lie,
promised it before the world began; and this
promise was
put into Christ's hands, even from all eternity;
and
the blessing itself was secured in him for all for whom
it was
designed, #Tit 1:2 2Ti 1:1 1Jo 5:10.
4a3. Eternal
life is only through Christ as the Mediator of the
covenant of grace;
it comes by no other hands but his; it is
"through
Christ Jesus our Lord"; he came to open the way of
it, that
"we might have life, and that more abundantly"; a
more
abundant, durable, and excellent life, than Adam had in
innocence:
Christ, as Mediator, had a "power to give eternal
life" to
as many as the Father has given him; and he does
give
it to all his sheep, that know his voice, hearken to
him, and
follow him, #Ro 6:23 Joh 10:10 17:3 10:28.
4a4. If
eternal life could have been by Adam's covenant, it would
have been by
works; for that covenant was a covenant of
works;
and if by works, then not of grace; it would not have
been the gift
of God, as it is said to be; "The gift of God
is eternal
life", carisma, a free grace gift. Eternal life
is no other
than consummate salvation in the future state;
and that is
said to be of grace, and denied to be of works;
see
#Ro 6:23 Eph 2:8,9. Should the question of the young
man in the
gospel, and Christ's answer to it, be objected,
#Mt 19:16-22.
"Good Master, what good thing shall I do that
I may inherit
eternal life thou wilt enter into life, keep
the
commandments"; it may be observed, Christ answers him,
and
deals with him on his own principles; the man was upon
the bottom of
his own good works, and seeking for eternal
life by them;
and since he sought for life that way, Christ
directs him
to keep the commands, there being no good thing
better than
keeping them; the young man asked him what they
were;
he tells him; upon which he was very alert, and
thought
himself in a very good way for heaven: but Christ,
further to
try him, and to convince him that eternal life
was not to be
enjoyed by any good thing done by him, bids
him, if he
would be perfect, sell all that he had, and give
to
the poor; on which he went away sorrowful, unwilling to
part with his
possessions; and so found that eternal life
was not to be
had by doing.
4a5. Life and immortality, or an immortal,
eternal life, and the
way
to it, are only brought to light by the Gospel,
#2Ti 1:10 not
by the light of nature, nor by the law of
Moses; only
by the Gospel of Christ.
4a6. There is
no proportion between the best works of man, even
sinless
obedience and eternal life; wherefore, though the
threatening
of death to Adam contains in it eternal death,
it does not
follow that the promise of life includes eternal
life; since,
though eternal death is the just wages and
demerit of
sin; yet eternal life is not the wages and merit
of
the works of men; it is the free gift of God, #Ro 6:23.
4b. The sanction of the law
and covenant made with Adam, was death; "In the day thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die", #Ge 2:17 which includes death corporal, spiritual,
or moral, and eternal.
4b1. A
corporal death; which lies in a separation of soul and
body; as this
was threatened, so the sentence of it was
pronounced on
the day man eat of the tree; "Dust thou art,
and to dust
thou shalt return", #Ge 3:19. Adam was at once
stripped
of the immortality of his body, that gift was at
once
withdrawn from him, and he became a mortal man; the
seeds of
death took place in him; and he was immediately
subject to
diseases, disorders, and miseries, which issue in
death.
4b2. A spiritual,
or rather moral death seized upon him; which
lies in a
separation of the soul from God, and communion
with him; in
an alienation from the life of God; in a
deformation
of the image of God; in a corruption and
defilement
of the several powers and faculties of the soul;
in an
impotency and disinclination to that which is good; he
became dead
in trespasses and sins, as all his posterity
are.
4b3.
An eternal death, which lies in a separation of soul and
body from
God; in a loss of the divine presence, and in a
sense of
divine wrath; both which are contained in these
words,
"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire"; a
symbol of
which was the ejection of Adam out of paradise; as
eternal
life is the gift of God, so eternal death is the
wages of sin,
#Mt 25:41 Ro 6:23.
5. Fifthly, In this covenant
Adam acted not as a private person for himself only, but as a federal head {1}
and representative of his whole posterity; and in this he was alone;
Eve was not a federal head with him, he was alone, before an help meet was
found for him; yet she was included in it, being formed out of him; and all his
posterity, who spring from him; but the man Christ Jesus is to be excepted,
since he descended not from him by ordinary generation, and was a Mediator, the
Head of another and better covenant. But as to his natural posterity, it may be
observed, there were many things which were common to him
and them; and in which they had an equal concern; as in dominion over the
creatures, the increase and propagation of their species, the food granted
them, and the law of marriage, #Ge 1:28,29 2:24. However, that in the covenant
with him he was the federal head of them, appears,
5a. From Adam being a figure
or type of him that was to come; that is, of Christ, #Ro 5:14. Now in what was
Adam a type of Christ, but in his being the federal head of his posterity? Not
as a man; so all his sons might be: nor on account of his extraordinary
production; for though that of both was in an uncommon way, yet in a different way; the one was created out of the earth; the
other, though not begotten of man, was born of a woman, as other men be; but
they were both covenant heads to their respective offspring; and the parallel
between them as such, is formed by the apostle in the context of the place
referred to; that as the one, Adam, as an head, conveyed sin and death to all
his natural seed; so the other, Christ, as an head, conveyed
grace, righteousness, and life to all his spiritual offspring.
5b. From Adam being called the
first man, and the first Adam, and described as natural and earthly, in
distinction from whom, Christ is called the second man, and the last Adam, and
described as spiritual, and the Lord from heaven; and these are represented as if the only two men in the world, because the
two heads of their respective offspring.
5c. From the threatening
taking place upon the sin of Adam, not on himself only, but on all his
succeeding offspring; as they were in him, they sinned in him; and death, the sentence of death, passed on them in him. In him
they all died; through his offence death reigned over them, and judgment came
upon them all to condemnation, and by his disobedience they were made,
accounted, and charged as sinners, #Ro 5:12,15-19 1Co 15:22.
5d. It was
no unusual thing with God to make covenants with men, and their posterity,
unborn; thus God made a covenant with Noah, and all that should descend from
him, that he would no more destroy the earth with a flood; and with Abraham,
and his natural seed, a covenant of circumcision, which should continue till
the Messiah came; and the covenant at Horeb, with the children of Israel, was not only with them that were then present, and on the spot,
but with those that should be hereafter descendants of them, #Ge 9:9 17:4 De
29:14,15. And so the covenant of grace was made with Christ, as the Head of his
chosen ones, who were considered in him, and had grace and all spiritual
blessings given them in him before the world was.
5e. Nor have any of Adam's
posterity reason to complain of such a procedure; since if Adam had stood in
his integrity, they would have partook of all the blessed consequences of his
standing, and enjoyed all the happiness that he did; and therefore should not
murmur, nor esteem it any injustice in God, in putting their affairs
in his hand, that they share in the miseries of his fall; for if they would
have received good things through him, had he stood, why should they complain
of receiving evil things through his fall? And if this does not satisfy,
5f. Let it be considered, that
since God in his infinite wisdom, thought proper that men
should have an head and representative of them, in whose hands their good and
happiness should be placed; who so fit for it as the first man, the common
parent of mankind, made after the image of God, so wise, so holy, just, and
good? and could it have been possible for all men to have been upon the spot at
once, and it had been proposed to them to choose an head and representative for
themselves; who would they, who could they have chose, but
the first man, that was their natural parent, of whose blood they were made;
and who, they might reasonably think, had the most tender affection for them,
and would take the greatest care of them, and of their good, put into his
hands? so that it is reasonable to conclude, they would all to a man have
united in the choice of him. But,
5g. To silence all complaints
and murmurings, let it be observed, that what God gave to Adam, as a federal
head, relating to himself and his posterity, he gave it in a way of
sovereignty; that is, he might, and might not have given it; he was not obliged
to it; it was his own that he gave, and therefore might choose whom he pleased in whose hands to deposit it; and who can say to him,
What dost thou?
{1} The Jews had a notion of
Adam being a head to all mankind; see Gill on "Ro 5:12" and some
think Plato, who borrowed many of his notions from the Jews, gives an hint of
it, when he speaks of a corruption en kefalh, in an head, derived from the first birth, in Timaeo, p. 1087. ed. Ficin.