284 RUIN AND RECOVER, &C. had thecommand and the threatening so expressly set before him. V. There is also abundant reason to believe, that he had not only a law given him with a penalty threatened for the breachof it, but also a covenant made with him, and a promise given to him, not only of continuing in his present happiness, but of being immutably confirmed and established in immortality; and perhaps, of enjoying some greater happiness if he continued to obey God, and abstain from sin. This covenant, ipdeed, seems to be a matter of pure divine favour, above and beyond what was due to him as acreature: For after he had fulfilled his obedience to the law for many years, and continued in the possession of his present comforts, God considered as an absolute sovereign might have annihilated him, and have done him po wrong, so far as I can judge. The great God is absolute Lord of all, and if we consider only his sovereignty and his justice, be might, I think, have taken away from a creaturewhat he hadgiven him without any injustice at all ? So that thiscovenant of life or promise of immortality, and especially of superior happiness as a reward of his obedi- ence, was the mereeffect of divinegoodness. And yet we can- not but suppose there was such a covenant made with innocent man, and such a promise of life and even of superior happiness given him upon condition of obedience during his state of trial, if we consider the followingthings: 1. I might in the first place argue thus: The great goodness of God, so far as it has been manifested in his conduct towards his creatures, seems to plead for it, that man should have some reward of his obedience, some additional gratifications and bless- ings above the mere continuance of this present life and peace : For it bath not been the way of God in any of his dispensations with the children of men, so far as we can learn from observa -. tion or scripture, to set his creatures at work fornothing ; 1 Cor. ix. 9, 10. Godwill have theox rewarded that treads out the corn by forbidding to muzzle him, and permitting him to eat, and so he will have his ministers rewarded with a maintenance. Ezek. xxix. 19, 20. God bestows all the riches and the spoil of Egypt' to reward Nebuchadnezzar and his army fbr the service which they had served against Tyrus, for they wrought for me saith the Lord. It is described as the known character of God, and what every man is called to believe, that, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: lieb. xi. 0. And it has been his constant course of transaction with his creatures, to encourage them to duty by the promise of some reward above their present state and circumstances : And if it is thus in our fallen state, why should it not be much rather in the stateof innocence ? 2. I argue thus : God made the soul of man in its own nature immortal: Now if Arlan had continued innocent, and
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