in Contriving Marls Redemption. 95 iJ~;~~~~~;~~~~sg~f~~s0~~f~;:e~~i~~~ ~~~~l~~et~v~~f."~£::~~ra~~~t~"~ib~i~~v~~~;~~~~ ~ cics were amiable to hrm. The Majelly, Purity, Juftrce, and Power of God,_ winch .are ·~ the Terr0ur of guilty Creatures, fecured his £:1app.inefs \~!Jilfi he cont.tnued m h~s.Obe~tence. His C01~fcience was clear and calm, no unqmet fears d1fcompofed 1ts T~·anqmhty, rwas the feat of Innocence and Peace. Briefly, his Love to God was perfc8:, (I 1oh. 4· Io.) wirhour any Allay of. tormenting Fear; and Delight, its infeparable atten.danr, was pure, without the leafi mtxturc bf Sorrow. 3· There was· in Man's Dominion .and Powe; over the Creatures a fbining part of God's Image. He was appJinted God·s Lreutenant m the World, and adorned WJth a Flower of his Crown. God gave him the folemn Invefbture of tlus D1gmty, when he brought the Creatures to receive their Names from him, ( l'fo!. 8. ), 6.) whrch was a Mark of their Homage, and a Token of his Supreme Empire to command them by then· Names. As this Dominion was eilabhfh'd by the Order ol God, [o 'twas exercrfed by the Mcd1anon of the Body. In his face and Words there was fon:ctl~ing fo powerful, as commanded all the Hafts of the lower World. And as :heir Subjetl:ron was moft eafy without Con· ftraint or Refiftance, fo:rwas moll: equal without Violence and Opprellion. Thus l1oly and blelfed wa< Adarn in his Primitive State. And that he mi~ht continue fo he was obliged foo· C41er to ob( the WJII of God, who beflowed upon hrm L1fe and ~~Pt;,(:~r b~J~~h\~~~ ~1B1~~;ar t~ ~o~Kd~~~~o~~~~ ~~:g~~~l~~~dini~~~i~~!~ti~~-ur God dil:l not make the World and Man for the meer Exercifc of his Power, and fo left them; but as the_ Produ8:ion of all things was from hi; Goodnefs, fo their Refolution and Tendency is lor IllS Glory. He IS as umverfally the .final, as the rf/imnt Caufc of all Creatures. For that which receiv~s its Being from another, can't be an End to it felf; For the Pre'llijion of the end in the Mind of the Creator fets him a work, and is antecedent to the Being of the Creature. Therefore the Wife M•n tells us, PrO'll. 16. 4· That ?:f ;;,;:;~i'~7::g:£or.%i~IJ%~; !n~h~~b~r;}o~0fo~o;::;,' I. tte fo~~r 0l:~J:~?~:~;~;.; o6jec1ively glorify God, as tl1ere is a vifible demonftration of his excellent Attributes in them : Man is only qualified to know al)d, love the Creator. And as the Benefit of all redounds to him, 'tis his Duty to pay the Tribute for all. By his Mouth the. World makes its Acknowledgment to Goo. He is the Interpreter of the filent and uninterrupted Praifes, which rhe full ~re of Heaven and Earth rendm to him. 0 Lord, all thy Works praife thee, Pfal. '45· 10. (from the mofl noble to the leaft worthy) tlry Saints Uefs thee. Thankfulnefs is the H9mage due from Underflanding Creatures. And from hence it follows, that Man only was in a State of moral dependence, and capable of a Law. For a Law being the Dec~aration of the Superiour's Will requiring Obedtence,and threatnmg Punrlliment on the Patlure thereof, there mull: be a Principle of Rea. fan and Choice in that Nature that is govern'd by it. 1. Todifcover the Authority that enjoins it. 2. To difcern the matter of the Law. l· To determine it felf out of Judgro:~~:.nd Eletbion to Obedience, as mofl excellent in it felf, ,nd advantageous to the Per. Now all infcriour Creatures are moved by the fecret Force of n4fflral Inclinations; they are mfenfihlc of moral Engageme~ts, and are not wrought <?11 in an illuminative way by tl1e Forefight ofRewards and Punifhments : · But Man who JS a reafomble Creature, owes tt reafonable Servzu, R~m. 12. 1. And it .is impoffiblc that Man fllould be exempt fi·om a la'v, For as the Notron of a God, that IS, of the firfl and fupreme Being, excludes all poffibdrty of O~hganon to anorher, Who hatb firjl given to tbe Lord, ana it foal/ be recompen(ea lo hrm •sam. Ram. I 1. j S· And of SubjeEbon to a Law; for Supremacy and Subjelti- ~~/~:~~~~Ef,j~~~;/~or~;~e \l\'il\i:rr tact . c~~~su[~ ~~~~~id~;,: ;::~~i~~a~f'~:O~~:: c1ple which governs t~1e intelligent Creation: . 'Tis a moral Ma.xim to which the reafo· nll.ble .Nature ncceffanly affems, that the difpcnfing of ~enefits acquires to the Giver a Rtghr to. command, and lays on the Receiver an Obligation to obey ; and rhefe Rights ~rfi\,~r,:'%a~r1~~~~~;~dw~kl~l]~ ;~~~~~ ~e~~e Bene6rs as their juft Rule. This is If we afcend to the firfl fpnngs of human Laws, we fhall find the ori•iJJal Right of Power to anfe Cith.er fi·om Gen~ration in Nature, or Prefervarion i~1 \Var, or fame f~tbluk Good accrumg to the SoCiety by the prudent Care of the Governour. ·Now the Bemg and lllelfcdnefs of the Creature arc the greatef[ and mofl valuable llenefits that c-.w be received; and uuhc beftowing of them is Jaid the moft real Foundation of Power :wd
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