Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/22

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Doe this and live: and the exact and rigid exaction of perfect obedience in his own person, without the least spot or failing for matter or manner. The good that God promised was in it kind a perfect systeme of good, which was to be continued so long as he continued obedient, which because it might be continued in the eye of creating power for ever, we call it happinesse, life, and everlasting happinesse. But upon a supposition of Adams persisting in a state of obedience, to say that God would have translated him to the state of glory in Heaven, is more then any fast ground will warrant; because in Scripture there is no such promise. And if we must not presume above what is written, we may say, Adam should have continued in that blessed estate in which he was created, but as for his translation after some number of yeares spent on earth, we reade it not. In this state and condition Adams obedience should have been rewarded in justice, but he could not have merited that reward. Happinesse should have been conferred upon him, or continued unto him for his works, but they had not deserved the continuance thereof: for it is impossible the creature should merit of the Creator, because when he hath done all that he can, he is an unprofitable servant, he hath done but his duty. The obedience that God required at his hands was partly naturall, to be regulated according to the Law engraven in his heart by the finger of God himselfe, consisting in the true, unfained and perfect love of God, and of his Neighbour for the Lords sake: and partly Symbolicall, which stood in obedience to the Law given for his probation and triall, whether he would submit to the good pleasure of God in an act of itselfe meerely indifferent, because he was so commanded. Though God had put many abilities and honourable priviledges upon man, yet he remained his Soveraigne, which by an act of restraint, he was pleased to make man thus exalted to know, which he did by requiring and commanding his creature to abstain from one fruit in it selfe pleasant to the eye, and good for meat. This was mans Homage-penny, a thing before the command indifferent, unto which he had a naturall inclination, from which he was now to abstaine, because God (who had before given to man as part of his patrimony, and not as reward of his obedience to this particular restraint, liberty to eat of every tree of the Garden) here interposed himselfe and reserved this as an Homage unto himself.