a Premonition. immutable dependently on himfelf, that is, fuch as will never change unlefs Godchange them 5 nor that Jefus Chrift is not fuch in his Huma- nity. 4. t6. M. S. This confirmation is not by being in Heavens but by the Holy Ghofts fpecial working on the soul, revealing fill Gods Perfetlions to it. An. And doth this Operationofthe Holy Ghoft make the Soul never the better , in nature or difpgfrtion, but only in Aft? Though it's true , that no habits immutably fix without the Influ t of the Holy Ghoft. 4. t 7. M. S. Merit is the fuitablenefs of the work to the wages. An. Merit is manifold, and needs betterexplication : In the Commu- tative Jufticeof meer Proprietors, merit is indeed the comparative value of things, and in works, their fuitablenefsas you fay to the wages, that is, their equal worth. But in difiributivegoverning juftice, there is no wages, but only Reward : And merit is the moral aptitude for Reward: which is as variousas the Law is that one is governed by : There are five forts of Law, that by five forts or ways of /office, require five forts of merit: r. Gods LawofInnocency to Adam: where jooftice called no- thing, but perfonal perfetl Obedience, Merit : 2. Gods Law to the Mediator, who was obligedperfeCtly to keep, a. The whole Law of Nature. 2. TheLawof Mofes. 3. Apeculiar LawofMediation (to die, rife, do Miracles, &c.) The keeping ofall this was Chrifi's Merit. 3. There is Chr's Law of Grace to fallenman (in theAli, and in the perfetl Editions,) where our keeping of it, is by Gofpel-ju.i`lice called inScripture 44, our worthinefsor merit, that is, in tantum, f esen- dam quid, inrelation to thatLaw. That is to repent and believe, to - love 'God and obey him fincerely. 4. There is the Law of Moles, peculiar to theyews, which hath its peculiar required merit. g. And there are the Laws of Men appointed and allowed of God, which have their pecu- liar Juttice andMerit. All there are not to be confounded, much lefs all denied, as ifthere werenomerit but betweenProprietors in Commu- tativeVice 5 In which fenfe no Creaturecan merit of God. 4. 18. M. S. Accordingrto that Covenant, anyone Aît ofObedience in Adamwould havemerited confirmation and eternal life 5 that is, one all ofholy love. An. I believeit not, becaufeit innot written, nornaturally revealed, that Iknowof. My reafons agaínít it are, a. It is dangerousto add to Gods Word. 2. The words [ In the day that thou eatefi thou (halt die] feemeth to look furtherthan to one firft aft or day, and is as much as whenfoever thou eatefi 5 thoughhe thould obey till that time. 3. It is utterly improbable that Adam did not performone Aft of Love or Obedience before his Fall. For, a. We are uncertain how long he ftood 5 However confident fome Rabbins, and Broughton and fome others are, that it was the fame day in which he was created. 2. You confefs he was made with powers fan/tified and_fitted to obey. 3. Gods Law of Love was written in hisheart, and as old as himfelf; and could not butoblige a fit fubjeCt to the a&.. And he mull In all that while that he loved not Godas God. 4. He had many thoughts and affe//ions all that while 5 which were finful if not animated by holy Love, and done in Obedience to God. g. He fpent fome time, which was finfully fpent, if not (pent in Love andObedience. 6. God fpake to him, and fo had fenfible Communion with him, which mutt needs oblige
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