Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

Of Mari!s Original Happinefs, 27
Secon :hy He was the favourite of heaven. He flione
brightly in the image of God, who cannot but love his
own image, where-ever it appears. While he was
alone in the world, he was not alone, for God was with
him. His cctmnuudon and fello.vfhip was with his
Greater, and that immediately ; for as yet there was
0<-fhing to turn away the face of God from the work
of his own hands ; feeing fin had not as yet entered,
which alone could make the breach.
By the favour of God, he u'as advanced to be
! confederate with heaven, in the fird covenant, called,
{ The Covenant of IVorks. God reduced the law,-which
he gave in his creation, into the form of a covenant,
whereof perfect obedience was the condition ; life was
the thing pro mi fed, and death the penalty. As for
:i the condition, one great branch of the natural law was,
I that man believe whatfoever God (hall reveal, and do
'it whatfoever he Ihall command : accordingly God mak-
| ing this covenant with men extended his duty to the
lit not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil :
t and the law thus extended, was the rule of man’s cove-
l:i want obedience. Flow eafy were thefe terms to him,
^ who had the natural law written on his heart: and
|i that inclining him to obey this pofitive law revea’ed
|j to him, it feetns, by an audible voice ,Gen. ii. 16.),
I the matter whereof was fo very eafy ? And indeed it
| was highly reafonable that the rule and matter of
Shis covenant obedience- fhould he thus extended that
which was added, being a thing in icfelf indifferent,
IH where Ids obedience was to turn upon the precife point
of the vvill of God, the plained evidence ol true obedi¬
ence, and it being in an external thing, wherein his
obedience or difobedience would be mod clear and
. confpicucus.
Now upon this condition, God promifed him life,
I the continuance of natural life, in the union of foul
and body ; and of fpiritual life, in the favour of his
Creator ; Fie promifed him alfo eternal life in heaven,
to have been entered into, when Ire fnculd have palled
the time of his trial upon earth, and the Lord Ihculd
fee