(69) are funded. I. That you rejeet not, nor defpife the gift, but accept it. 2. Thatyou be not unthankfull. 3. That you abufe not him that gave it, as to fpit in his face, or feek his difhonor or death. And though the aets may be pofitive, yet it is rather a not difpleafing, then a pofitive pleafing, which they are required for. 9 Sometime it is taken for any dunels of a Benefit or Right to a thing, though by abfolute gift, or natural Inheritance, &c. 1o. Sometime for a meer comparative worthinefs : as when two men, who do neither ofthem properly deferve well, yet one is far better then theother, and is faid to be more deferving then he,, that is, lefs undeferving : Or if one of themmutt have the benefit, he is the fitter. i a . Sometime for any acquifition. 12. And fometime it is taken in fenfu forenfi, for the Merit ofthe caufe, as to the judgement to be paffed. And fo Lawyers fay that every caufebath Evidence and Merit and they define Merit, thus, Me- ritnns catefa eft in quantumMari Congroit quad retie ellimatsr ex fententia joril aquitate, as Dr. Zoncilfalth. 13. Sometime it is taken for the fitnefs ofany thing in Nature, Art or Morality, to be efteemed and denominated good, according to its Nature. As every goodWork, or gracious inclination deferveth to be efteem- ed as it is. So he that performeth thrifts conditions, deferveth to be efteemed or Judged a performer, and not a non- performer thereof. For every thing is worthy to be judged to be what it is.. So Goodnefs or Amability is called Merit, becaufe every thing deferves to be loved and accepted, fo far as it is good and lovely z. and confequently to be lovingly ufed. 4. Laftly , Merit is oft taken in an ill fence, commonly called Demerit, for the defert of fomeevil. Now among-all thefe fenfes, it is notfair to condemn any man ofError for the bare ufe oftheword, till you knowwhat fence he takes it in. Yet do Mr. E. and Mr. Cr. make me as bad or worfe then any Papitts, who ownnot thevery word at all, in that whole book,which they write againft ; But only fay,that improperly and largely it maybe thus taken,that is,will bear fuck a fence.. All thefe forementioned forts of Merit are not properly called Merit. I was about letting downhow.many of themmay be own- ed,and how manynot, in our cafe, as to the matter, without look, ing to the propriety of the term Merit. But it would. be too long, itnd youmay partly gather it from what is faid,before,and it is not K 3, . bard:;
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