Here is Thomas Watson presenting his pernicious, vain, and speculative hypothetical doctrine that posits the "probability" of Jesus Christ, the God-Man Mediator, being ERASED FROM HISTORY:
"This covenant of works had a promise annexed to it, and a threatening. 1. The promise was, 'Do this and live.' In case man had stood, it is probable he would not have died—but would have been translated to a better paradise. 2. The threatening, 'When you eat of it you will surely die;' Hebrew, 'In dying you shall die;' that is, you shall die both a natural death and an eternal, unless some expedient be found out for your restoration.
Why did God give Adam this law, seeing he foresaw that Adam would transgress it?
(1.) It was Adam's fault that he did not keep the law. God gave him a stock of grace to trade with—but by his own neglect he failed. (2.) Though God foresaw Adam would transgress—yet that was not a sufficient reason that no law should be given him; for, by the same reason—God should not have given his written Word to men, to be a rule of faith and manners, because he foresaw that some would not believe, and others would be profane. Shall laws not be made in the land, because some will break them? (3.) Though God foresaw Adam would break the law, he knew how to turn it to greater good—in sending Christ. The first covenant being broken, he knew how to establish a second, and a better covenant." (Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity; underlining mine--CD)
And:
"The covenant of works was not built upon a very firm basis; and therefore must needs leave men full of fears and doubts. The covenant of works rested upon the strength of man's inherent righteousness; which though in innocence was perfect—yet was subject to change. Adam was created holy—but mutable; having a power to stand and a power to fall. He had a stock of original righteousness to begin the world with—but he was not sure he would not break. He was his own pilot, and could steer right, in the time of innocence; but he was not so secured but that he might dash against the rock of temptation, and he and his posterity be shipwrecked; so that the covenant of works must needs leave jealousies and doubtings in Adam's heart, as he had no security given him that he would not fall from that glorious state" (Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity; underlining mine--CD)
