,
and so all the world must stop their mouth and become guilty in case of
transgression of such a righteous command after such warning.

But, in the next place, it is no less for man's good. What an honour and
dignity was put upon man, when he was taken into friendship with God! To
be in covenant of friendship with a king, O what a dignity is it
accounted! And some do account it a great privilege to be in company, and
converse with some eminent and great person. But may not men say with the
Psalmist, Lord, "what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of
man that thou visitest him?" Psal. viii. Again, what way more fit and
suitable to stir up and constrain Adam unto a willing and constant
obedience, when he had the encouragement of such a gracious reward, and
the determent of such a fearful punishment? Between these two banks might
the silver streams of obedience have run for ever without breaking over.
He was bound to all, though nothing had been promised. But then to have
such a hope, what spirits might it add to him? The Lord had been free,
upon man's obedience, either to continue him his happy estate, or to
denude him of it, or to annihilate him. There was no obligation lying on
him. But now, what confirmation might man have by looking upon the certain
recompense of reward--when God brings himself freely under an obligation of
a promise, and so ascertains it to his soul, which he could never have
dreamed of, and gives him liberty to challenge him upon his faithfulness
to perform it!

And then, lastly, There was no way so fit to commend God, and sweeten him
unto his soul as this. Adam knew that his goodness could not extend to
God; that his righteousness could not help him, nor his wickedness hurt
him, and so could expect nothing from his exact obedience. But now, when
God's goodness doth so overflow upon the creature, and the Lord takes
pleasure to communicate himself to make others happy, though he had need
of none, O how must it engage the heart of man to a delightful
remembrance, and converse with that God! As his authority should imprint
reverence, so his goodness thus manifested should engrave confidence. And
thus the life of man was not only a life of obedience, but a life of
pleasure and delight; not only a holy, but a happy life, yea, happy in
holiness.

Now, as it was Paul's great business in preaching, to ride marches between
the covenant of grace, and the covenant of works,--to take men off that