Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - III - Book II continued (Of the Creatures)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Book II (Of the Creatures) by reading Chapters 4, 5 & 6.

My summary
This week we continue to look at the states of man as creatures of God.

In Chapter Four we are shown a view of the happiness of Adam's condition in the garden before the fall.  But Goodwin also posits in this chapter that 'Adam's best knowledge and enjoyment was inferior, and of a lower rank, than is that knowledge and fellowship with God, which we in Christ through faith, do here enjoy, in that estate of grace which the gospel putteth us into.'

Then Chapter Five continues to contrast the states of Adam pre-fall and post-gospel.  Goodwin describes the knowledge of God that Adam had before the fall as natural.  But the knowledge through faith is supernatural.

And in Chapter Six the covenant of works is also described as natural and would not have permitted entrance to heaven.  Whereas the covenant of grace is supernatural and does permit access to heaven.

What grabbed me
There was some very interesting discussion in this reading which I must admit I hadn't given much thought to before.

In fact, I often describe us going to heaven as getting back into the garden, Eden.

But I think Goodwin is correct: 'That paradise that Adam enjoyed was but the type of the paradise above, and his Sabbath a type of heaven, as himself was of Christ. And therefore he was not to have entered into the heavenly paradise, except by this second Adam, Christ, whose paradise alone it was. So that, take away the second Adam that was to come, and there had been no second paradise for Adam to come into, which that paradise of his was the type of. Thus, Luke xxiii. 43, Christ foundeth the thief's going to paradise upon his own going thither : ' This day,' says he, ' shalt thou be with me in paradise.' With me ; that is, in my right. Even as also we are said to ' sit together with him in heavenly places,' Eph. ii. 6. With him, namely, as our head. And the aforesaid thief, answerably speaking of heaven, says, ' Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom ; ' and Christ, in his answer unto him, owns it as his, only he calls it paradise ; for this is Christ's paradise, as the other was Adam's. And therefore when Christ was first inaugurated into his office, and his Father himself from heaven first preached him unto men, saying, 'This is my Son, hear him,' then did the heavens first open, and not till then, for men by hearing and obeying him to come thither.'

Heaven is going to be vastly superior to Eden.

Next week's reading
Continue Book II (Of the Creatures) by reading Chapter 7.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.