~ . Of l'f1an'; f!riginal Happi~e}i. 9 was done him, in with · holding of what h€ could not crate. Confirmation in a righteous fiat~, - is a reward of grace.. , given upon continuing righteO\lS, tbro' the fiate of ,trial; , and would have been given to Adam, i£ he had Hood out the time appointed for probation by the Creator; and ac· cordingly is given to the faints, upon the. account -of the merits of Chrifl:, who was obedient even to the death. And herein believers have the advantage of Adam, that they · ·can never totally nor finally fall -away from grace. ' · Thus was man made originally righteous_, beingcrtated in Cod's own image, Gen. i. 27. which confifis in the pofitive qualities of knq;r»iedge, righteoufnefi and holinej!, Col. iii. 1 o. F. ph. iv. 24. All that God made <WaJ very good, a~cord· ing to their feveral' natures, Gen. i. 3 1. And fo was man moraJly good, being made after the image of him, · who is good andupright, Pfal. xxv. 8. Witho~t this, he couldnot have anfwered the great end of his creation; which was to \ know, love and fer ve his God, according to his will. Nay. he could not be crea~ed othenvife: for he behaved either to be conform to the Jaw, in his powets., principle's, and' in~ I ' clinations, or not~ if he was, then lie was righteous; and.if ~ot,he was·a !ln,ner; which is abfurd and horrible to imagine. Of M·AN's OriginalHappinefs. ~-. SEc oN nL Y, I fhall Jay before you fame of thofe things which did accompany or .fl.ow from the ri,ghteoofnefs of man's primitive fiatc . .Happinefs is the 1-ffult _of holinefs; and ~s it was an holy, fo it was an happy fiate • . Fir)t, 'Man was the·n a very glorious ·creature. 'Ve have reafon to fuppofe, that .as Mefes's face fhone when.– he came down from the mouQt'; fo man ha·d a very light.. fJme and pleafant countenance: and beautiful body, while ~s ye,t the~e was no darknef~ of fin in him at aiL But fe~ing God himfelf is glorious in holinefs, (Exod. xv– l I.) furely that fpiritual cor..Ielinr..:fs, the Lord put upon man at his creation, n~ade him a very glorious -creature. 0 how did light fhine in his holy converfation, to the glory of the Creator ! while every action- was but the darting forth of a ray and beam of that! glorious, un– mixed light, which.. God had fet up in his foul; while that lamp 'of love, lighted frmn heaven, continued burn-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=