¶561. GOSPEL, NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. See sermon on Gal. 2:17.

 

¶562. ETERNITY OF HELL TORMENTS. See sermon on Rev. 19:2-3.

 

¶563. HUMILIATION. 'Tis God's manner, upon extraordinary humiliations to give extraordinary comforts. Hence persons have thought, that there is a humiliation goes always before conversion: for the first extraordinary comforts that have been observed, they call their conversion; and it is generally observed, that extraordinary humiliation goes before it.

 

¶564. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Reasonableness of the Christian doctrine of the end of the world, and day of judgment, and the state of man that will succeed it; because this is a state of confusion, the wicked dwelling here among the righteous. See sermon on Luke 13:7, especially the reasons given, why hell is the fittest place for wicked men, under the use of exhortation.

 

¶565. HEAVEN. SEPARATE SPIRITS. The happiness which the departed souls of the saints enjoy with Christ before the resurrection, is proleptical, or by way of anticipation. This is not the proper time of their reward; the proper time of the reward and glory of saints is after the end of the world, when an end shall be put to the world's state of probation. Then succeeds the state of retribution, when all the present dispensation of the covenant of grace shall be ended, and Christ shall have brought all enemies under his feet, and shall have fully accomplished the ends and designs of his mediatorial kingdom, and his own glory shall be fully obtained, and he shall have fully finished God's scheme in the series of revolutions in divine providence. Then will be the time of Christ's joy and triumph; and then will be the proper time of judgment and retribution, and then will be the proper time of the reward and glory of Christ's followers.

¶The state that spirits of just men are in now, is not the proper state of their reward; 'tis only a state wherein they are reserved against the time of their reward. 'Tis the time wherein the pure, chosen espoused virgin is reserved in the King's house against the day of marriage; and the joy and blessedness that they now enjoy with Christ in their conversation with him, though it be to us unspeakably great, is only by way of prelibation of what is future, and therefore vastly short of it. Such is God's overflowing love to them, that while they are only reserved for their designed glory, they shall be reserved in blessed abodes; as a king would entertain the virgin that he reserves for marriage, and whom he loves with a strong and ardent love, in no mean manner, but a way suitable to his love to her, and his design concerning her. The state of the blessed souls in heaven is not merely a state of repose, but of a glorious degree of anticipation of their reward; as is evident by Heb. 6:12 (see my notes on it).1

¶Thus 'tis God's way, from his overflowing goodness to his people, to grant a prelibation of blessings before the proper season. So the church of the Old Testament had an anticipation of gospel benefits, before Christ came and the gospel days commenced. So the saints here are allowed in a measure to anticipate the blessedness that is to succeed the fall of Antichrist (Rev. 6:9-11), ""I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth? And white robes were given to every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow sevants also and their brethren also, which should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Those white robes were the glory and reward which God gave them beforehand, the earnest of what was to be after Antichrist's fall. So the saints here in this world have that light, holiness, and joy, that is an anticipation and earnest of what they are to have in heaven. And what they have now in heaven, is but an earnest of what they are to have afterwards, at the consummation of all things, when all things come to be settled in their fixed and eternal state. Therefore the apostles so often speak of the reward and glory of saints at Christ's second coming, and encourage Christians with that, without any mention of the glory which they shall receive before. See Exposition on Revelation, No. 59.2

 

¶566. LAW. SIN. DUTY. It hardly seems to me true to say, that the command of God is the prime ground of all the duty we owe to God. Obedience is but one part of the duty we owe to God. 'Tis our duty to love God, to honor him, and have a supreme regard to him, and submit to him, and praise him, and obey him. These are distinct duties. To obey God is not a general [duty], that under which the rest are properly included as particulars; that don't comprise the general nature and reason of all the rest. It is not the prime reason or ground of our obligation to love and honor God, that [it] is our duty to obey him.

¶I acknowledge, that we are commanded to love and honor God, and therefore ought to love and honor him in obedience to that command, seeing God has commanded it: but our obligation to obedience is not the prime ground of our duty to love him and honor him; but on the contrary, our obligation to love and honor God, and to exercise a supreme regard to God, is the very proper ground of our obligation to obey. That is the very reason, that 'tis our duty to do as God bids us, because we owe such a supreme regard, love, and honor to him, as disobedience is quite contrary to.

¶A command of any being can't be the prime foundation of obligation; because there must be something prior, as reason why a command is obligatory, and why obedience is due to it. As, if anyone should ask me, why I am obliged to obey God more than the king of France, it would not be proper for me to answer, ""Because God commands me to obey Him." There is something prior to God's command, that is the ground and reason why his command obliges.

 

¶567. LOVE TO GOD. If a man has any true love to God, he must have a spirit to love God above all: because without seeing something of the divine glory, there can be no true love to God; but if a man sees anything of divine glory, he'll see that He is more glorious than any other. For whereinsoever God is divine, therein he is above all others. If men are sensible only of some excellency in God, that is common with him to others, they are [ MS he is] not sensible of anything of his divine glory. But so far as any man is sensible of excellency in God above others, so far must he love him above others. See No. 739.

 

¶568. FAITH. JUSTIFICATION. 'Tis fit that in order to an union between two living acting beings, so as that they should be looked upon one, there should be the mutual act of each, the consent of both; that each should receive [the] other, and actively join themselves to each other. 'Tis not for the goodness or loveliness of the grace of faith that makes God to look upon it fitter that they that believe should have an interest in Christ, than others, but only because 'tis that act on their part which makes 'em one. God sees it fit that they only, that are one with Christ by their own act, should be looked upon as one in law. What is real in the union between Christ and his people, is the foundation of what is legal; that is, it is something that is really in them and between them, uniting [them], that is the ground of the suitableness of their being accounted as one by the Judge. There is a wide difference between its being looked on it suitable, that Christ's satisfaction and righteousness should be theirs, that believing because an interest in Christ’s satisfaction and righteousness is but a suitable reward of faith, or a suitable testimony of God's respect to the amiableness and excellency of their faith--I say, there is a wide difference between this, and its being looked on suitable, that Christ's satisfaction and righteousness should be theirs, because Christ and they are so united that they may be well looked upon one. See No. 632.

 

¶569. WISDOM OF GOD IN THE WORK OF REDEMPTION. Christ came in the fullness of time. It would not have been so well for Christ to have come presently after the fall; for it was needful, that men should be first seen in a fallen [state] after the world was peopled, that it might be seen and thoroughly proved and remembered, what calamity and misery mankind were under before the redemption, what a doleful state the world was in while left under the dominion of Satan. It must not be before the flood; because then it would not be within memory, as it is now. It must not be soon after the flood; for then it would be before the world is well peopled, and before the apostasy from the true God to heathenism is so great universal, which was needful in order to the redemption's being conspicuous.

 

¶570. CONFIRMATION OF ANGELS. See No. 515. We learn by Col. 1:16-20, that it was the design of the Father that his Son should have the preeminence in all things, not only with respect to men, but with respect to angels, thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers; and there are some things there mentioned, wherein he has the preeminence, viz. that they were created by him and for him, and that they consist by him, and that every creature has all fullness in him. Why then hath not Christ the preeminence with respect to the angels, as he is the dispenser of God's benefits to them; so that they should have all fullness in him, and particularly that the gift of eternal life should be from his hands?

¶One thing mentioned, wherein [it is] God's will that his Son in all things should have preeminence, and that all fullness should dwell in him is that by him he reconciles all things to himself, whether they be things in heaven or things on earth. If this be understood only to extend to man, yet if it be one thing wherein [it is] God's will that his Son should in all things have the preeminence, and that all fullness should dwell in him, that 'tis by him that men are brought to an union with God; why would it not be another, that by him the angels also are brought to their confirmed union with him? when it is plainly implied in what the Apostle says, that 'tis the Father's design, that Christ should in all things have the preeminence, with respect to the angels as well as with respect to men, and that both angels and men should have all their fullness in him. If they have their fullness in him, I don't see how it can be otherwise, than [that] they should have their reward and eternal life and blessedness in him.

¶Again, it is said (I Cor. 8:6) that all things are of God the Father, and all things by Jesus Christ. God gave the angels their being by Jesus Christ; and I don't see why this would not be another instance of all things being by him, that he gives them their eternal life by Jesus Christ. This is one instance of men's being by him, and is intended in those words that follow, ""and we by him."

 

¶571. HEAVEN. WISDOM AND GLORIOUSNESS OF THE WORK OF REDEMPTION. When the saints get to heaven, they shall not merely see Christ, and have to do with him as subjects and servants with a glorious and gracious Lord and Sovereign, but Christ will most freely and intimately converse with them as friends and brethren. This we may learn from the manner of Christ's conversing with his disciples here on earth. Though he was the supreme Lord of the disciples, and did not refuse yea required their supreme respect and adoration, yet he did not treat them as earthly sovereigns are wont to do their subjects; he did not keep them at an awful distance, but all along conversed with them with the most friendly familiarity as with brethren, or a father amongst a company of children. So he did with the twelve, and so he did with Mary and Martha and Lazarus; he told his disciples that he did not call 'em servants, but he called them friends.

¶So neither will he call his disciples servants, but friends, in heaven. Though Christ be in a state of exaltation at the right hand of God, and appears in an immense height of glory, yet this won't hinder his conversing with his saints in a most familiar and intimate manner; he won't treat his disciples with greater distance for his being in a state of exaltation, but he will rather take them into a state of exaltation with him. This will be the improvement Christ will make of his own glory, to make his beloved friends partakers with him to glorify them in his glory; as Christ says to his Father (John 17:22-23), ""And the glory which thou hast given me have I given them: that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them," etc. For we are to consider that though Christ be greatly exalted, yet he is exalted not as a private person for himself only, but he is exalted as his people's head; he is exalted in their name and upon their account, and as one of them, as their representative, as the firstfruits: he is not exalted that he may be more above them, and be at a greater distance from them, but that they may be exalted with him. The exaltation and honor of the head is not to make a greater distance between the head and the members, but the members and head have the same relation and union as they had before, and are honored with the head.3

¶Christ, when he was going to heaven, comforted his disciples with that, that after a while he would come and take them to himself, that they might be with him again; and we ben't to suppose that when the disciples got to heaven, that though they found their Lord in a state of infinite exaltation, yet that they found him any more shy or keeping a greater distance from them than he used to do. No, he embraced 'em as friends, he welcomed 'em home to their common Father's house, he welcomed them to their common glory who had been his friends here in this world, that had been together here, and had here together partook of sorrows and troubles; now he welcomed 'em to their rest, to partake of glory with him; he took 'em and led them into his chambers, and shewed them all his glory, as Christ prayed (John 17:24), ""Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou has given me." And there ensued without doubt a most pleasant and free conversation between Christ and his disciples, when they met together in their common rest and glory.

¶Christ did not behave [differently] towards his disciples after they had seen his transfiguration than before, no nor after his resurrection; nor will he in his highest exaltation in heaven.

¶Christ took on him man's nature for this end, that he might be under advantage for a more familiar conversation than the infinite distance of the divine nature would allow of; and such a communion and familiar conversation is suitable to the relation that Christ stands in to believers, as their representative, their brother, and the husband of the church. The church's being so often called the spouse of Christ, intimates an admittance to the greatest nearness, intimacy and communion of good. Christ will conform his people to himself; he'll give them his glory, the glory of his person; their souls shall be made like his soul, their bodies like to his glorious body; they shall partake with him in his riches, as coheirs in his pleasures; he will bring them into his banqueting house, and they shall drink new wine with him; they shall partake with [him] in the honor of judging the world at that last day, when Christ shall descend from heaven in the glory of his Father, in such awful and dreadful majesty, with all his holy angels with [him], and all nations shall be gathered before [him]: the saints at the same time shall be as familiar with Christ as his disciples were when he was upon earth; they shall sit with him to judge with him.

¶As Christ died as the head of believers and in their name, and was exalted in their name, so shall he judge the world as their head and representative. It was God's design in this way to confound and triumph over Satan, viz. by making man, that he so despised and envied, and thought to have had slaves to god it over, and thought to have glutted his pride and malice and envy with his blood, and in his everlasting misery--I say, by making him his judge, it was God's design that the elect of mankind should be Satan's judge; and therefore the head of 'em, the elder brother of them, is appointed to this work in the name of the rest, and the rest are to be with him in it. God gave Christ authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man (John 5:27), partly upon this account we have mentioned.

¶The conversation of Christ's disciples in4 heaven shall in many respects be vastly more intimate than it was when Christ was on earth (see notes on John 20:17);5 for in heaven the union shall be perfected: the union is but begun in this world, and there is a great deal remains in this world to separate and disunite them; but then all those obstacles of a close union and most intimate communion shall be removed. When the church is received to glory, that is her marriage with Christ; and therefore doubtless the conversation and enjoyment will be more intimate. This is not a time for that full acquaintance and those manifestations of love, which Christ designs towards his people.

¶When saints shall see Christ's divine glory and exaltation in heaven, this will indeed possess their hearts with the greater admiration and adoring respect; but this will not keep 'em at a distance, but will only serve the more to heighten their surprize and pleasure, when they find Christ condescending to treat them in such a familiar manner.

¶The saints being united to Christ, shall have a more glorious union with, and enjoyment of the Father than otherwise could be, for hereby their relation becomes much nearer: they are the children of God in a higher manner than otherwise they could be; for being members of God's own natural Son, they are partakers of his relation to the Father, or of his sonship; being members of the Son, they are partakers of the Father's love to the Son and his complacence in him: John 17:23, ""I in them, and thou in me...thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me"; and v. 26, ""That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them"; and 16:27, ""The Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God." So they are in their measure partakers of the Son's enjoyment of his Father: they have his joy fulfilled in themselves, and by this means they come to more familiar and intimate conversing with God the Father than otherwise ever would have been. For there is doubtless an infinite intimacy between the Father and the Son; and the saints being in him shall partake with him in it, and of the blessedness of it.

¶Such is the contrivance of our redemption, that thereby we are brought to an immensely more glorious and exalted kind of union with God and enjoyment of him, both the Father and the Son, than otherwise could have been. For Christ being united to the human nature, we have advantage for a far more intimate union and conversation with him, than we could possibly have had if he had remained only in the divine nature: so we being united to a divine person, can in him have more intimate union and conversation with God the Father, who is only in the divine nature, than otherwise possibly could be. Christ, who is a divine person, by taking on him our nature, descends from the infinite distance between God and us, and is brought nigh to us, to give us advantage to converse with him: so on the other hand, we by being in Christ, a divine person, we ascend nearer to God the Father, and have advantage to converse with him. This was the design of Christ to bring it to pass, that he and his Father and his people might be brought to a most intimate union and communion: ""That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast given me have I given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one" (John 17:21-23). Christ has brought it to pass, that those that the Father has given him should be brought into the household of God, that he and his Father and they should be as it were one society, one family, that his people should be in a sort admitted into that society of the three persons in the Godhead. In this family or household, God [is] the Father, Jesus Christ is his own natural and eternally begotten Son, the saints they also are children in the family, the church is the daughter of God, being the spouse of his Son; they all have communion in the same spirit, the Holy Ghost.

¶Corol. 1. Seeing that God hath designed man for such exceeding exaltation, it was but agreeable to his wisdom to bestow [it] in such a way as should abase man and exalt his own free grace, and wherein man's entire, and absolute, and universal dependence on God should be most evident and conspicuous.

¶Corol. 2. 'Tis easy to observe that wisdom of God, that seeing he designed him for6 such a height of glory, that it should be so ordered that he should be brought to it from the lowest depths of wretchedness and vileness.

¶Corol. 3. Hence we may learn something how vastly greater glory and happiness the elect are brought to by Christ than that which was lost by the fall, or even than that which man would [have] attained to if he had not fallen. For then man would never have had such an advantage for an intimate union and converse with the Father or Son, Christ remaining at an infinite distance from man in the divine nature, and man remaining at an infinite distance from the Father, without being brought nigh by an union to a divine person.

¶Corol. 4. Hence we may see how God hath confounded Satan, in actually fulfilling that which was a lie in him, wherewith he deluded poor man and procured his fall, viz. that they should be as gods. When Satan said so, he did not think that this would really be the fruit of it; he aimed at that which was infinitely contrary, his lowest depression, debasement and ruin. But God has greatly frustrated him in fulfilling of it, in making the issue of that eating that fruit to be the advancement of the elect to such an union with the persons of the Trinity, and communion with them in divine honor and blessedness; and particularly, has united one of them, the head and representative of the rest, in a personal union with the Godhead, and so to the honor, dominion and work of God in ruling the world and judging it, and particularly judging them (the devils), in which all the rest of the elect in their measure partake with him.

 

¶572. EXTREMITY OF HELL TORMENTS. This confirms it with me, that the misery is exceeding great: that God hath so every way contrived to glorify his Son as Saviour, or hath so ordered in all respects that his salvation should be exceeding. Now a part of the gloriousness of his salvation consists in this, that 'tis salvation from so great misery; and the greater the misery, still the more glorious the salvation. Therefore I believe that God would so order it, that that misery should be very exceeding7 great.

 

¶573. FREE WILL. I don't scruple to say, that God has promised salvation to such things as are properly in man's own power. Those things in man unto which salvation is promised as the conditions of [it], are of two sorts: they are either

¶1. Those acts which consist and are complete in the mere immanent exercise of the will or inclination itself; such are the internal breathings of love to God, and exercises of faith in Christ. These are absolutely necessary to salvation, and salvation is promised to them. These in the most ordinary ways of using the expression, can't be said to be in a man's own power or not in his power: because when we speak of things being in man's power or not in his power, in our common discourse, we have respect only to things that are consequential to his will, and not of the mere simple and first motions of the will itself. If we say a thing is in a man's power, we mean that he can do it if he will; and so a prior act of the will determining is supposed. Neither can these things, in the vulgar and ordinary use of the expression, be said not to be in a man's power; because when we say a thing is not in anyone's power, we mean that he can't do it if he will: but this is absurd, to say of the very simple and mere acts of the will itself, that we can't do them if we will; for the willing is the doing, and the doing of 'em consists in the willing of 'em. Or

¶2. The other kind of conditions to which salvation is promised, are those actions, or a way and course of those actions, that are the effects of the will, and depend upon it, which flow from it, which are properly called voluntary actions. These also are conditions of salvation, and have salvation promised to them. Thus salvation is very often promised to an universal obedience, and a steadfast and faithful perseverance in it through the changes, difficulties and trials of life. Now this sort of condition a man may be said properly to have in his own power, in the vulgar and more ordinary use of such an expression. For if we say a man has it in his own power to do or not, we ordinarily mean no other than that he can do it if he has a mind to do it, or chooses to do it, or all things considered had rather do it than not. If we can't be properly said to have everything in our power that we can do if we choose to do it, then we can't be said properly to have it in our own power to [do] anything but only what we actually do.

¶And so a man may be said properly to have it in his power to do that which he surely will not, as the case may be, or the case being as it is. Thus a man may have it in his own power to sell his estate and give the money to his poor neighbor; and yet the case may be so at the same time, he may have so little love to his neighbor and so great a love to his possessions, and the like, that he certainly will not do it. There may be as much of a connection between these things in the qualities and circumstances of the man, and his refusing to give his estate to his neighbor, as between any two theorems in the mathematics. He has it in his power as much as he has other things, because there wants nothing but his having a mind to do it, or his being willing to do [it]; and that is required in all other things, and in this no more than in everything else. So a man has it in his power, in the voluntary actions of his life, universally and steadfastly and faithfully to obey God's commands, and cleave to and follow Christ through all difficulties and trials; though it be certain that without love to God and faith in Jesus Christ no man will do it: and there is a sure connection between our being without these (as we all naturally are) and a not thus universally and perseveringly obeying God, and cleaving to Christ.

¶A man can avoid drunkenness if he will, and he can avoid fornication if he will; and so he can all other ways of wickedness if he chooses to avoid 'em, every one; and he can persevere in it if he holds of that mind, if he continues to choose to avoid them all; and God has promised salvation to me if I8 will thus do. If one should promise another a certain reward if he wold approve himself his faithful friend by a persevering adherance to his interest, the case might be so, that there might be such remarkable trials and such a succession of 'em, that the man certainly would not fulfill this condition unless he be a sincere friend; but yet the fulfilling is in his own power and at his own choice.

 

¶575. ETERNITY OF HELL TORMENTS. ETERNAL DEATH. The eternal death and destruction and misery which the ungodly are to suffer, is not an eternal annihilation, for they are to suffer the same kind of punishment with the devils; as is most evident, Matt. 25:41, ""Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." But the devil's punishment is not to be eternally annihilated, but to be forever tormented. For this is what he trembles in expectation of; therefore he besought Christ not to torment him before the time. And we have an account how this shall be executed, Rev. 20:10, ""And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever"; plainly intimating that he shall be tormented with them. It might have better been rendered, ""And they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (for the word ""tormented" is in the plural number), i.e. they three, the devil, the beast, and the false prophet: for this is evidently the meaning. And this is said to be ""the second death" in the 14th verse; and no doubt but the wicked shall die the second death. For if men don't suffer it, it can't be called the second death, for the devils suffer no other death; 'tis called the second only with respect to wicked men, for they die a death before this, which is the first death. In Rev. 2:11 it is promised, that he that overcomes ""shall not be hurt of the second death," implying that others shall; and it is said, that they that have part in the first resurrection, ""on such the second death hath no power" (ch. 20:6), implying that it hath power on others. We know that wicked men will suffer another death after they rise from the first; and surely that is the second. And it is expressly said of the worshipers of the beast (ch. 14:9-10), that they ""shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night"; and doubtless it will be so with other wicked men.

 

¶576. HEAVEN'S HAPPINESS. When I think how great this happiness is, sometimes it is ready to seem almost incredible. But the death and sufferings of Christ make everything credible that belongs to this blessedness; for if God would so contrive to shew his love in the manner and means of procuring our happiness, nothing can be incredible in the degree of the happiness itself. If all that God doth about it be of a piece, he will also set infinite wisdom on work to make their happiness and glory great in the degree of it. If God ""spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" [Rom. 8:32]--nothing could have been such a confirmation of their blessedness as this. If nothing be too much to be given to man, and to be done for man in the means of procuring his happiness, nothing will be too much to be given to him as the end, no degree of happiness too great for him to enjoy.9

 

¶577. BAPTISM. Ques. How far10 and in what manner are regeneration of the heart and the grace of the Spirit connected with baptism in infants? This may be resolved in answer to several more particular questions.

¶1. Whether or no all that are regularly admitted to baptism are spiritually regenerated. Ans. No. The Apostle and other inspired persons baptized many adult persons that were hypocrites, but they were regularly admitted to baptism. Philip baptized Simon Magus, but yet he indeed had no part nor lot in the spiritual benefits of the gospel, and was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. He was regularly admitted to baptism, because in what was visible he was a Christian. But if an adult person may be regularly admitted to baptism, and regeneration not be connected with it, I don't see why an infant mayn't, especially when the parents of the infant in whose right the child is baptized are as Simon Magus was, a Christian only visibly and not really.

¶2. Whether or no all the children of godly or believing parents, that are baptized, are regenerated. Ans. No. Because experience shews, that multitudes of such shew no signs of grace at all, as they come to be capable of acting in the world, and prove wicked when they grow up.

¶3. Whether or no we may conclude, that all baptized children of godly parents that die in infancy are regenerated, and in a state of grace....11 For then the parents in such a case would have no greater ground of encouragement concerning their children's salvation, nor any more reason to hope for it for their earnestly and believingly praying for its salvation; and when they saw their child like to die, it would be their duty to pray earnestly for the salvation of their child's soul, and yet might know that they have no more reason to hope for their child's salvation for that. So that they have no motive of this nature to earnestness [in] prayer. And if they have been enabled believingly and with their whole hearts to dedicate their child to God in baptism, they have no more reason to hope that God accepts it as one of his children for that. Which things seem to me unreasonable.

¶But saving grace seems to me by the promises of God's Word to be thus far connected with baptism in infants: if the parents do sincerely, believingly and entirely, with a thorough disposition, will and desire, dedicate their child to God that they bring to baptism; if that child dies in infancy, the parents have good grounds to hope for its salvation, and have12 also good grounds to hope that if the child don't die in infancy, that the blessing of God will attend their thorough care and pains to bring up their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, so that by that means it13 may be brought to salvation. They that do thoroughly dedicate their children to God, will be willing to take thorough care to bring 'em up for God. See No. 595.

 

¶578. HUMILIATION. 'Tis true that humiliation is necessary in order to a true receiving of Christ; a becoming as a little child is necessary in order to a right receiving the kingdom of heaven: because Christ tells us that unless we receive it as a little child, we cannot enter into it. But however, it don't hence follow that a man becomes as a little child before his conversion. That is a thing wrought in conversion, as is evident by Matt. 18:3, ""Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven"; which is spoken with respect to humility, as Christ explains himself in the verse following: ""Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child."

 

¶579. DEGREE OF HELL TORMENTS. See sermon on I Cor. 10: 8-11, in that part where it is shewed how the deluge was a type of the destruction and misery of hell.

 

¶580. FREE GRACE. SPIRIT'S OPERATION. It is often observed, that attainments of great excellency or value are not had without great difficulty. God hath made the road to such attainments hard and difficult, and it is wisely ordered that it should be so upon many accounts. If those things that are the most excellent and of distinguishing worth were as easy to be come at as other things, this would destroy their distinction from other things, or would destroy our sense of their distinction. Silver and gold, if they were as easy to be come at as brass and iron, the distinction of silver and gold in value would thereby be destroyed. And if learning and the noblest arts and sciences were as easily come at as inferior attainments, this would tend to destroy the sense of their distinction among mankind; they would be despised and neglected. And then 'tis fit that it should be required, in order to our obtaining those things that are indeed very excellent, [that they be sought] by a labor and endeavor after them in some measure answerable; that none may attain to them but those that are sensible of the worth of them, and are prepared to prize them suitably when attained, by giving the price of a diligent and laborious and constant pursuit for them.

¶This is the way whereby providence upholds the dignity of the more excellent temporal attainments. But 'tis not an adequate or sufficient way with respect to the highest and most excellent attainment, of spiritual wisdom and true sanctification. If the way of obtaining this should be only as difficult, or but a little more difficult than the way of obtaining the most excellent of temporal blessings, it would be no way answerable or proportionate to its worth and excellency, which is infinitely superior: but if it would be vastly more difficult, the terms would be disproportionate to man's faculties and abilities. The way therefore of man's coming at this greatest of blessings, that is most suitable to the nature and infinite excellency and value of it, is that it should be required of man that he should seek it above all things with the greatest earnestness, diligence and constancy; and that God should insist upon it, that men that desire and would hope to obtain should thus seek it, because 'tis absurd not earnestly to desire and seek that which is so excellent and is attainable: but that the obtaining it should not properly depend upon any human labors or endeavors at all, but upon his own free and sovereign grace to bestow it on whom he will. 'Tis fit that God should reserve this infinitely most precious blessing to be bestowed according to his own free and sovereign pleasure, as being too great and excellent to be dependent on anything else.

 

¶581. END OF THE CREATION. GLORY OF GOD. When God is said (Prov. 16:4) to make all things for himself, no more is necessarily understood by it than that he made all things for his own designs and purposes, and to put them to his own use. 'Tis as much as to say that everything that is, that comes to pass, is altogether of God's ordering, and God has some design in it; 'tis for something that God aims at and will have obtained,14 that this or the other thing is or happens, whatever it be. Even sin and wickedness itself, it comes to pass because God has a use for it, a design and purpose to accomplish by it. Things don't happen merely to fulfill the desires or designs of some other being, some adversary of God, but all that is or comes to pass, 'tis of God's will and for his pleasure that it happens, and for his ends; and 'tis not primarily of the will of some other, and for their purposes.

¶Obj. But then we are taught nothing by that addition, ""for himself." If it had been said, ""God hath made all things," that would have implied as much as that God made them for his own ends; for if God made things designedly, it must be for some end.15 See No. 586.

 

¶582. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. See note on Luke 7:13.16

¶If the New Testament ben't a true revelation of God, then God never has yet given the world any clear revelation of a future state. But if a revelation be needful upon any account, [it] is upon this, viz. that we may have some certain and distinct knowledge of the future invisible world that we are to be in after death, and after this world comes to an end. We must therefore suppose that God did design a further revelation than the Old Testament, because a future state was not clearly revealed by that. And 'tis not credible that God should defer it to this time, partly by reason of its being so long since the finishing of that revelation, which is above two thousand years. If that revelation was only introductory to another, 'tis hardly credible that there should be so long a space between the introduction, and that other revelation which it was an introduction to. And besides, this clearer revelation of a future state would now be out of season; because all the world have already received the doctrine of a future world for many ages: if God designed a true revelation, 'tis not probable that he would defer it, that any false revelation should anticipate it, and do its work beforehand. And upon many other accounts that might be mentioned, is it incredible that revelation should still be deferred.

 

¶583. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. MYSTERIES. 'Tis very unreasonable to make it an objection against the Christian revelation, that it contains some things that are very mysterious and difficult to our understandings, and that seem to us impossible. If God will give us a revelation from heaven of the very truth concerning his own nature and acts, counsels and ways, and of the spiritual and invisible world; 'tis unreasonable to expect any other, than that there should be many things in such a revelation that should be utterly beyond our understanding, and seem impossible.

¶For when was there ever a time, when if there had been a revelation from heaven of the very truth in philosophical matters, and concerning the nature of created things (which are of a vastly lower nature, and must be supposed to be more proportioned to our understandings), there17 would not have been many things which would have appeared, not only to the vulgar but to the learned of that age, absurd and impossible? If many of those positions in philosophy which are now received by the learned world as indubitable truths, had been revealed from heaven to be truths in past ages, they would be looked upon as mysterious and difficult, and would have seemed as impossible as the most mysterious Christian doctrines do now. And I believe that even now, if there should come a revelation from heaven of what is the very truth in those matters, without deviating at all to accommodate it to our received notions and principles, there would be many things in it that would seem to be absurd and contradictious. I do now receive principles as certain, which once if they had been told me, I should have looked upon 'em as difficult as any mystery in the Bible. Without doubt, much of the difficulty that we have about the doctrines of Christianity, arises from wrong principles that we receive. We find that those things that are received as principles in one age, and are never once questioned, it comes into nobody's thought that they possibly may not be true; and yet are exploded in another age, as light increases. If God makes a revelation to us, he must reveal to us the truth as it is, without accommodating himself to our notions and principles; which would indeed be impossible, for those things which are our received notions in one age are contrary to what are so in another; the Word of God was not given for any particular age, but for all ages. It surely becomes us to receive what God reveals to be truth, and to look upon his Word as proof sufficient, whether what he reveals squares with our notions or not.

¶I rather wonder that the Word of God contains no more mysteries in it; and I believe 'tis because God is tender of us, and considers the weakness of our sight, and reveals only such things as he sees that man, though so weak a creature, if of an humble and an honest mind, can well enough bear. Such a kind of tenderness we see in Christ towards his disciples; who had many things to say but forbare, because they could not bear 'em yet. And though God don't depart from truth to accommodate his revelation to our manner of thinking; yet I believe he accommodates himself to our way of understanding in his manner of expressing and representing things, as we are wont to do when we are teaching little children.

 

¶584. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. CHRIST'S MIRACLES. What can be more reasonable than to believe a man, when he comes and tells us that he is sent from God, and will heal the diseases of our souls, and tells us--that we may believe him--he'll heal the diseases of our bodies; and accordingly heals all sorts at all times, of all manner of diseases, by a touch or word's speaking; and plainly shews that he can do it when he will, and let the disease be what it will? He tells us that he will dispossess Satan of our souls, and free us from his power and dominion; and to prove that he has power to do as he says, he before our eyes dispossesses him of the bodies of men that he possessed, does it very often, and for a long time together; so as plainly to shew that he has power over those unclean spirits, and can conquer 'em and eject 'em and restrain 'em18 as he will, and do what he will with them. He tells us that he will deliver us from spiritual and eternal death, and also from temporal death; that he will raise us from [the] dead, and give us eternal life, so that we shall live forever and not die: and to prove this, he gives us sensible evidence that he has power over men's lives; not only by prolonging men's lives, but even by restoring of them after they are dead; and besides, rises from the dead himself. He tells us that he will bestow heavenly glory upon us, will translate us to heaven; and to confirm us in that he will so do, tells us that we shall see himself after his death ascend into heaven.

¶What more could we desire of a man that pretends to come from God, and to have power to do these things for us, than to give us such evidences of his power as these? He tells us that he will undertake for us, and appear for us before [God], and that he will ask mercy for us of him; and tells us that we need no doubt but that he, if he appears for us and pleads for us, he shall procure acceptance for us, for God so loves him that he always hears him, and grants what he asks of him: and that we may see that it is true, he does in our hearing ask of God strange things, such as particularly ask19 of God concerning a dead man that had been dead four days, that he may come to life again; and tells God that he asks it for this end, that we may see how that he always hears him, and grants what he requests: and accordingly at his request the dead man comes to life. See No. 716.

 

¶585. HEAVEN'S HAPPINESS. It has sometimes looked strange to me that man should be ever brought to such exceeding happiness as that of heaven seems to be, because we find that here providence won't suffer any great degree of happiness. When men have something in which they hope to find very great joy, there will be something to spoil it; providence seems watchfully to take care that [men] should have no exceeding joy and satisfaction here in this world. But indeed this, instead of being an argument against the greatness of heaven's happiness, seems to argue for it; for we can't suppose that the reason why providence won't suffer men to enjoy great happiness here is that He is averse to the creature's happiness, but because this is not a time for it. To everything there is an appointed season and time, and 'tis agreeable to God's method of dispensation that a thing should be sought in vain out of its appointed time. God reserves happiness to be bestowed hereafter; that is the appointed time for it, and that is the reason he don't give it now. No man, let him be never so strong or wise, shall alter this divine establishment, by anticipating happiness before his appointed time.

¶'Tis so in all things. Sometimes there is an appointed time for a man's prosperity upon earth, and then nothing can hinder his20 prosperity: and then when that time is past, then comes an appointed time for his adversity; and then all things conspire for his ruin, and all his strength and skill shall not help him. History verifies this with respect to many kings, generals and great men. One while they conquer all, and nothing can stand before 'em; all things conspire for their advancement, and all that oppose it are confounded: and after a while it is right the reverse. So has it been with respect to the kingdoms and monarchies of the world. One while is their time to flourish, and then God will give all into their hands, and will destroy those that oppose their flourishing and then after that comes the time of their decay and ruin, and then everything runs backward and all helpers are vain. See Jer. ch. 27.

 

¶586. END OF THE CREATION. See No. 581. Ans. This seems to be added, because some things seem to come to pass thwarting God's designs and purposes, as particularly the sin and wickedness there is in the world. This is added to obviate such a thought, as though God were frustrated, or his aims thwarted and frustrated by wicked men; and therefore it follows, ""and even the wicked."21 God makes all things for himself, i.e. that he may be the owner and user of it; which is true of everything, for he never ceases to be the owner of anything that he hath made. And when he gives things to others, 'tis not as when we give; he don't cease still to be the owner and user of it; he continues to dispose of it for his own ends as much as ever. When Solomon says that God made all things for himself, it seems to be an expression of much the same import as that in Rev. 4:11, ""Thou hast made all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created"; i.e. all things came into being at thy will and pleasure, and for thy will [and] pleasure, or for the accomplishment of what thou wilt, or of thine own designs and purposes. So we are to understand that that is said of Christ, Col. 1:16, ""All things are made by him, and for him"; i.e. all things are made by him, and for his ends and purposes.

 

¶587. BEING OF GOD. NECESSARY EXISTENCE. God is a necessary being, or it is impossible but that God should exist, because there is no other way. There is no second to make a disjunction; there is nothing else supposable. To illustrate this by one of God's attributes, viz. eternity: it is absolutely necessary that eternity should be, and it is22 because there is no other way; to say ""eternity or not eternity" is no disjunction, because there is no such thing to make a supposition about as ""no eternity." Nor can we in our minds make any such supposition as ""not any eternity"; we may seem to make such a supposition in words, but it is no supposition, because the words have no sense in thought to answer them; they are words as much without any sense in thought that they should signify, as these, a crooked straight line, or a square circle, or a six-angled triangle. If we go to suppose that there is no eternity, it is the same as if we should say or suppose that there never was any such thing as duration; which is a contradiction, for the word ""never" implies eternity, and 'tis the same as to say there never was any such [thing] as duration from all eternity. So that in the very denying the thing, we affirm it.

 

¶588. ETERNITY OF HELL PUNISHMENT, the justice and suitableness of it. See sermon on Ezek. 7:10, second particular under the doctrine.

 

¶589. CHRIST'S MEDIATION. DEGREES OF GLORY. CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. See Nos. 403 and 367. Christ and believers all have a right in that righteousness that Christ wrought out; it is a good common among them: and it being imputed to all, they all are entitled to benefit by it, by virtue of that original and eternal rule of righteousness which we call the law, or covenant of works; and the benefit of it that they are all entitled to by virtue of that rule, is eternal life, or a full and perfect and eternal happiness; and one to whom that righteousness belongs is entitled to no more benefit by that rule simply, than another. The case may be so, that one can challenge more than another can, because his capacity may be larger and he may need more; but what each one's capacity shall be, is a thing that the law determines not: and therefore I say, no one can challenge more benefit by the law simply, than another.

¶That matter of each one's capacity remains to be determined by God, either arbitrarily or in what way, or agreeably to what other additional constitution he himself shall be pleased to establish. And God has been pleased to establish this further constitution, that everyone's capacity shall be determined according to his holiness and his good works here in the world. This constitution being subjoined to the law, one believer by the law, or covenant or works, may challenge a greater benefit by Christ's righteousness than another; and Christ can challenge immensely greater benefit than any believer. For as I said before, if it were once determined what each one's capacity should be, one could challenge more benefit by the law than another: for everyone can challenge that by the law, to have happiness according to his capacity. Indeed it is requisite, that the capacity of the head should be immensely larger than of the rest of the parts of the body; and so it was requisite that he should be more holy and do better works than others, that he might have a greater capacity, according to that forementioned constitution. God sees meet that the same rule should hold throughout the body, to the head and all other parts; as Christ is become one of us, so he has his reward in common with us, and in some respect by the same rules.

 

¶590. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. Ques. Why was not Christ, after he rose from the dead, during his stay upon earth, with his disciples as he was before? why was he not with them constantly, dwelling with them and going in and out with them? Ans. The very different states that Christ and his disciples were now in, would not allow of it. Christ before his death, and while in a state of humiliation, was in like state with them: he was subject to hunger and thirst as they were, he needed sleep as they did, he needed the like defense from the weather that they did, and the like; and then he was in a state suitable for a cohabitation with them. But when he was risen from the dead, the case was exceedingly altered: he no longer continued in a state of humiliation, but then began his exaltation; he put off mortality; he put off all the infirmities of his body; the nature of his body was exceedingly different from theirs, as things celestial differ from terrestrial. Mortal beings ben't apt for a cohabitation with immortal, nor terrestrial with celestial, nor corruption with incorruption.

¶And then, if Christ had constantly been with his disciples, and dwelt with them, and gone in and out with them amongst men as before, then he must have appeared either in his former mean state or in his glorified state. If he had appeared in his former mean state, that would have been to have continued his state of humiliation after his resurrection, and finishing the work of redemption, and his triumph over the powers of darkness; he must have remained still in the form of a servant; he must still [have] remained empty of his glory, or with his glory veiled. And on the other hand, the circumstances of the disciples, yet in their corrupt and mortal state, and the state of this world, would no way admit of his appearing as an inhabitant of this world, and dwelling here with them, in his glorified state. The disciples were not meet to dwell with a glorified Saviour: that would have been to have exalted them to a glorified state as to their objective glory and happiness, while they the subjects remained still in their corrupt, inform and mortal state; which would have been no way suitable. God will not thus mix and confound heaven and earth.

 

¶591. CONFIRMATION OF THE ANGELS. See Nos. 515 and 570. It is an argument that it was Christ that confirmed the angels and adjudged [it] to them for their reward, because this was an act of judgment, was the proper act of a judge, whereby judgment was passed, whether they had fulfilled the law or no, and were worthy of the reward of it, by the tenor of it. But Christ is constituted universal Judge of all, both angels and men: ""For the Father judgeth none ( ), but hath committed all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22). And Christ is not only constituted the Judge of men but of angels: ""Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" (I Cor. 6:3). If this be meant only of the evil angels, yet that shews that Christ's power of judging is extended beyond mankind to the angelical nature; and if [he] be constituted the Judge of the evil angels, that will confirm me that he is of the good too, as he is the Judge of both good and bad of mankind. And Christ tells us that all power is given him in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18); and we are often particularly told as to the good angels, that he is made their Lord and Sovereign, and that they are put under him. The Apostle, in Rom. 14:10-12, speaking of Christ's being universal Judge, before whose judgment seat all must stand and to whom all must give an account, speaks of it as meant by those words in the Old Testament,23 ""As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God"; which place of the Old Testament the Apostle refers to in Phil. 2:9-11, ""Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

¶And these things are spoken of Christ [as] God-man. For in this last-mentioned place, 'tis mentioned as the reward of his being found in fashion as a man and humbling himself; and in that other place, and in that place in Romans, his being universal Judge, and every knee's bowing to him, and every tongue's confessing to him is spoken of him as God-man: for it is said that he died, rose, and revived that he might have this honor and authority. So in John 5:27, 'tis said that the Father ""hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." So that if he has acted the part of judge towards the elect angels, it must be since his incarnation; and we know that he is to judge angels at the last day as God-man.

¶Corol. Hence Christ is the tree of life in the heavenly paradise, to all the inhabitants of it. If our first parents had stood in their obedience, and were meet for their reward of eternal life, then they were to be brought to the tree of life, and were to receive it from that tree by eating the fruit of it, as though eternal life was the fruit of that tree: thus it [was] in the earthly paradise, the dwelling place of man.24 And there was also a tree of life in the heavenly paradise, the dwelling place of angels: when they had stood in their obedience, and were looked upon of God meet for the reward of eternal life, they were brought to Jesus to receive the reward at his hands; which they in God's account especially became worthy of by their being willing to be subject to him as God-man, and being willing to depend on him as their absolute Lord and supreme Judge.

 

¶592. HELL TORMENTS. The spiritual misery of [the] damned will very much consist in the sense of the immense hatred and displeasure of God. I speak not of feeling or fearing the effects of God's displeasure, but of the apprehension of that displeasure simply considered. Such is the nature of the soul, that simple apprehension of the hatred of another is unpleasant to it. It begets an uneasiness in a man to have his neighbors at odds with him: and how great a trouble would it be to a man, to have all around him, all that he sees and has to do with, ill-affected to him, hating and despising him! A man in such a case could have but little comfort of his life; and that not only because he feels or is afraid of the effects of their ill will, the mischief that they do or will do him, but because he looks upon the dislike hatred and contempt of his fellow creatures itself a calamity. Some would regard it less than others, as some men would regard less than others any other particular calamity that is not his total and perfect ruin; which yet don't argue that it is not in itself a calamity. Some may less regard such a calamity because they have more of other enjoyments to fly to, to support them; or because they have their minds habitually more engaged, and their attention more fixed on other enjoyments; and from other causes that might be mentioned, that by no means infer that it is not in itself a calamity.

¶The hatred or contempt of another is more regarded, and the apprehension of it more afflictive,

¶1. According to the apprehension we have of a man's being. Therefore the sense of another's contempt and hatred causes greater uneasiness when a man is present than when absent; for when he is25 present, we have a more lively apprehension of his being. Hence enemies love to keep apart.

¶2. According as the person hating or contemning appears great or considerable, i.e. according to the degree of greatness that appears, and according to the degree of the appearance of that greatness, the liveliness of the idea or apprehension we have of it. There are a great many things that contribute to the appearance or apprehension that we have of a man's greatness or considerableness: the evidences and manifestations we see of his wisdom and capacity, the outward shew in the countenance and gesture, a splendid and pompous way of living, the reputation he has among others, the respect they shew him; these and other such like things tend to strike the imagination, and greatly enliven the apprehension we have of his26 considerableness. If we see a man to be in general reputation and honor, this renders the apprehension of his hatred or contempt [more afflictive] on two accounts, viz. as this gives more of an impression of his greatness, and secondly, as by this means he is like to influence others to the like temper towards us--but 'tis the former reason only that belongs here.

¶3. According as his contempt or hatred appears great, i.e. according to the degree of the dislike that appears, and according to the degree of the appearance, or liveliness of our sense of it. Thus there will be a greater affliction while the person hating or contemning is shewing his hatred or contempt by reproachful words or by his actions and behavior, than when he is absent and we see not the expressions of his dislike; because we have then a more lively idea of it upon this account: the more we are concerned with persons, the more afflictive is their hatred; for our concern with them keeps us in the way of their expressions of their hatred, and gives frequent occasion for the reviving our apprehension of them and their enmity. Partly for this reason, a man would not very much mind the hatred of a man dwelling in the East Indies, because he did not come in his way to express his dislike and enmity, and to revive and enliven the uneasy idea: in such a case we han't that lively apprehension of the being of a man and his considerableness; we don't see those evidences and manifestations of his considerableness.

¶4. A man will suffer from the apprehension of the dislike of another, in some proportion as the quantity of remaining good is greater or smaller. If a man is hated and contemned by one, but is loved and esteemed as much by another that appears as considerable as he, or if by many who together appear as considerable, the one will balance the other.

¶From these things we may in some measure gather, how greatly wicked men in another world will suffer from the apprehension of God's displeasure. Now indeed, in this world, they commonly very little regard it, for they have very little sense of the being of God; they see nothing of him, they are very insensible of the greatness of God, and have no lively apprehension of his displeasure. Their minds are exceedingly stupified as to the apprehension of these things, and are exceedingly diverted, being wholly taken up about worldly enjoyments and the objects that are around them, and affect their senses.

¶But in another world the soul shall be stripped of stupifying flesh and sense, and taken from all those worldly objects and enjoyments that now engage and take up the mind; and then they will be sufficiently sensible of the being of God. They shall then see that he is, doubtless in a more full and clear manner, and with vastly more perfect apprehension, than we now see one another to be, or than we see the sun to be; and also shall see how great a being God is, and shall have the most quick and strong apprehensions of his greatness; shall perpetually have the greatest and clearest apprehensions of his infinite greatness and considerableness; shall see that he is immensely more considerable than all other beings put together; shall see that he is the great All, and all without him are nothing; shall be sensible of God's presence continually with them, and of a most near concern with them; shall see then that their being and all things appertaining to them, are every moment from God; shall see the infinitely near concern God hath in all things, how all things are made by him, and that by him all things consist, and that by him all things are disposed and done, and that all things are absolutely and entirely and in all respects dependent upon him; and shall know that God perfectly and implacably hates them, and infinitely loathes and contemns them; and shall perpetually have the most strong and vivid apprehension of that divine hatred and contempt, [stronger and more vivid] than one man has of the hatred of another when he is in his presence, and hears and sees him manifest his enmity, as much as words and behavior can do.

¶There will be more perfect ways without doubt for conveying things to the minds of those that are in another world, than the signs that men use here. 'Tis suitable that wicked men should know and be sensible, how God hates their sins, and them for them; and no doubt but God will make them to know it sufficiently, and that he will convey it to their apprehensions in far more perfect ways: and then they shall [have] nothing to fly to for a support; they shall have the esteem and good will of no other being, nor shall they have any enjoyment wherewith to comfort themselves. The horror, therefore,27 that they will sustain in a sense of God's displeasure, will by what has been already said,28 be great in proportion to the degree of the sense they will have of the being of God, and the degree of his greatness apprehended, and the degree of apprehension or sense of it, and the degree of the displeasure hatred and contempt apprehended, and the impression or liveliness of the apprehension, and destituteness of other enjoyments to take refuge in.

¶Corol. 1. Hence we may see how that disgrace and contempt will be a very great part of the misery of the damned. Nothing will make men more uneasy here, than to be despised and contemned by their fellow creatures; they look upon nothing as a greater injury from them than contempt. By what has been said, we may learn how [much] more sinners will suffer in another world, in apprehension of God's contempt of them.

Corol. 2. Hence reason tells us that the misery of the damned will certainly be inexpressibly and inconceivably great. For merely their being perfectly hated of God, and their being sensible of it, will unavoidably render it so. And doubtless they are perfectly hated of God; or else no account can be given of God's making them eternally and desperately miserable, without hope or possibility of help. And doubtless they are made sensible of it; for surely 'tis meet that the delinquent should be made sensible of the just displeasure of his Lord and Judge.

 

¶593. CONFIRMATION OF THE ANGELS. See Nos. 591, 570, 515. The angels, we know, were especially then given to Christ God-man, when he ascended. Then it was, that he was made the head of all principality and power; and the great congruity of it confirms me, that when they once were given to Christ God-man, then they were in [a] confirmed state and incapable of perishing. For 'tis most congruous, that there should be no possibility of any such thing as perishing or death in his hands who is the Prince of life, and the end of whose very being in such a constitution of his person, was life and salvation. 'Tis congruous, that in such an one there should be only life and no death, which is so disagreeable to his character and work, and the nature of his kingdom.

 

¶594. CHRIST'S MEDIATION, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SACRIFICE. DEGREES OF GLORY. See sermon on Rev. 5:12, throughout. See also notes on I Cor. 15:41.

 

¶595. BAPTISM. See No. 577. The parent don't give his child to God with a thorough disposition, will and desire, that is not willing and disposed to be thorough in taking pains in the child's education, that he may bring it up for God. It is in the baptism of infants as it is in the baptism of adult persons; only in the one the person acts for himself, in the other the parent acts for him. In baptism of an adult person, if it be regularly administered, the person baptized does make a visible dedication of himself to God. But notwithstanding, if he ben't sincere in it, he is not entitled to the blessings signified and sealed in baptism. So in baptism of an infant, if it be regular, the parent or parents make a visible dedication of the child to God; but if they29 don't do it sincerely, the child is not saved upon that account. If the adult person does sincerely and believingly give up himself to God, baptism seals salvation to him: so if the parent sincerely and believingly dedicates the infant to God, baptism seals salvation to it. If the adult person did sincerely and with his whole heart dedicate himself to God, he will afterwards live a holy life; he will be so thorough in his care and pains to avoid sin, and serve and glorify God, that he will be universally holy, and in that way will come to eternal life: the promise of it is sealed in his baptism. So if a parent did sincerely and with his whole heart dedicate his child to God, he will afterward take thorough and effectual care in bringing up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, continuing in prayer and dependence on God for them; and in that way it is sealed to them, that ordinarily they shall obtain success.

¶A parent that has believingly and entirely given up his child to God, yet mayn't be absolutely certain of the salvation of his child if it dies in infancy; as an adult person that has truly given up himself to God, mayn't be certain of his own salvation, because he is not absolutely certain whether he was sincere in it. Though the promise of the salvation of a baptized child that dies in infancy, to a parent that thoroughly dedicates it to God, be absolute, yet there is reason why the parent should earnestly pray for its salvation; as an adult believer may have reason earnestly to pray for his salvation, and when dying to commend his spirit into Christ's hands as Stephen did.

¶Note. A parent may himself be a true believer, and yet not entirely give up his child to God. A person may be a true believer, that yet has not acted that faith for his child that he has for himself. (These things about baptism doubtful.)30

 

¶596. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. We can't reasonably suppose that mankind in their primitive state, or when God first created them, were in the same corrupt state wherein they are now; mankind are doubtless fallen from a better and more excellent state, that they were once in. Now if God has not wholly forsaken and given over mankind in their fallen state, but still has a kindness and favor for them, 'tis most reasonable to suppose that God has a design to restore them to the state from whence they are fallen. For if the almighty and all-sufficient God be yet man's friend, and still continues his love to him, he'll forgive him his ill deserts and will doubtless repair his losses, and change him from his loathsomeness and hatefulness, and help him out of his misery. For if he still is so gracious, as to continue still to make him the object of his divine love, and to receive him into favor, why should he suffer him to remain hateful and miserable without changing or helping him? This don't become an all-sufficient friend: it rather becomes such a friend not only perfectly to restore man, but to do it with advantage, to exalt him to a more excellent state than he was in before.

¶But we have [no] notice given us of any restoration, any other way than by the gospel; and the gospel gives us a most rational account of a full recovery from our fallen state, and obtaining our primitive happiness, and advancement to a much greater happiness by Jesus Christ. But if the gospel ben't true, and we have no benefit by any merits of a mediator, there is no reason why we should expect ever to be fully restored, much less to be more than restored. For if we suppose God will of his absolute mercy forgive upon our repentance, and sincere endeavors to conform to his laws, yet we can't expect that our reward will be any greater than in proportion to our goodness: which doubtless is the best, in the present state of mankind, is vastly short of what man had before he fell; and so the happiness that the best of men are brought to now31 falls vastly short of what man lost or missed of.

 

¶597. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE LOOKED UPON AS GOD'S PEOPLE ISRAEL. See No. 49. The seed of Abraham and of Israel are continued in the Christian church. Christians, though according to the flesh descended of the Gentiles, yet are looked upon as being of that same people that came up out of Egypt, and dwelt in Canaan under judges and kings; they are Israel, and the seed of Abraham, according to the true intent and meaning of the words as used by the prophets, and as taken and understood by the Jews themselves. So that promises that were made by the prophets to the people of Israel concerning their future prosperity and glory, are fulfilled in the Christian church according to their proper intent, and as the Jews themselves might well understand them. For,

¶I. They that were proselyted to the true worship of the God of Israel, and to an observance of the rules that Israel were under, were by the law and custom of the nation always from the beginning looked upon as being of the same people, of the congregation or church of Israel; Ex. 12:48, ""Let all his males be circumcised, and he shall be as one that is born in the land." There were many strangers in the congregation of Israel that came up out of Egypt (Ex. 12:38, ""And a mixed multitude went up with them")32 that God covenanted with, together with the natural seed of Israel, made the same covenant with them, as appears by Deut. 29:10-13; and the stranger is there mentioned as being of that people that God had established, to be a people for himself, and that he might be unto them a God; and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are there mentioned as being their common fathers. And it was after appointed that the stranger should be as one born in the land, and that there should be one law for them and the stranger; and strangers that worshiped the true God according to his institutions, were to be of the congregation or church of Israel. Only there was an exception made of the Moabites and Ammonites, that they should [not] enter into the congregation of the Lord till the tenth generation, and an Edomite till the third generation.

¶When strangers served the same God, they were of the same people; as Ruth who was a Moabitess say, ""Thy people shall be my people, and thy God shall be my God." So that by the law of Moses itself, those that joined themselves to the God of Israel, and worshiped him according to the ordinances of Israel, were of Israel. And 'tis no objection, that the Christians don't worship God according to the ordinances given to Israel by Moses, those ordinances having now ceased; for this alters not the case, whether they be the same ordinances that God gave Israel then, or those that he gave Israel afterwards. He that joins to the God of Israel and the ordinances that Israel are under at that time, he is an Israelite according to the law. There is no reason why God's altering the ordinances of his worship in Israel should make any alteration in this matter, or why he that is a proselyte to the God of Israel and ordinances of Israel now, since the alteration of those ordinances, should not be an Israelite, as well as before that alteration.

¶The ordinances of the Christian worship are ordinances as much given to God's people of Israel, as the ordinances of the law of Moses were. Christ was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; he came to his own. When he sent forth the apostles, he first sent them to the Jews, and bid 'em not go by the way of the Gentiles, nor enter into the cities of the Samaritans. And after his resurrection, the apostles at first for some time preached only to the Jews, and the Christian church at first was only of the Jews.

¶The proselytes, as well as those that were the descendants of Israel according to the flesh, were to keep the Passover in commemoration of the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt, as being concerned in that affair, and as being of the people that were then delivered, as well as others, as appears by Ex. 12:48-49; and so they were to keep those other feasts, that were in commemoration of other remarkable events pertaining to Israel. So they were circumcised, as a sign of their being the children of Abraham.

¶And as it was the law, so it was the custom of the Jews from the beginning, to look upon proselytes as belonging to the congregation and people of Israel; as we have observed already, that there were strangers with the congregation of Israel in the wilderness, when they entered into covenant with God. And afterwards we find mention of persons as of the people of Israel, that were descended of other nations: as Uriah the Hittite, Obil the Ishmaelite (I Chron. 27:30), Araunah or Ornan the Jebusite, Zelek the Ammonite (II Sam. 23:37; I Chron. 11:39), Ithmah the Moabite (I Chron. 11:46), Obed-edom the Gittite (II Sam. 6:10-11). So it was with Ittai the Gittite, and the six hundred men that came up with him with David from Gath (II Sam. 15:18-22); so it was with many of the Jebusites, Zech. 9:7, where 'tis prophesied that in gospel times other Gentiles shall be as they. So it was with the Kenites, according to Moses' promise to Hobab, ""We are journeying to the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee" (Num. 10:29, 32). Which promise is doubtless made to everyone that will go with them, and join with them as Jethro did; as it is prophesied of the Gentiles in gospel times, that they should (Zech. 8:23). And so it was with the Gibeonites: a whole nation, by joining to Israel in their worship of Jehovah, became of Israel, and that according to the law, Deut. 29:10-13; where is particular mention of the hewer of the wood and drawer of the water as God's covenant people, and children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So it was with those spoken of, Esther 8:17 (compare Esther 9:27 and Zech. 8:23). 'Tis prophesied that in gospel times the Gentiles should be given to the Jews as their children, Ezek. 16:61 (see notes).33

¶Besides the accounts which the holy Scriptures give us, that the Jews looked upon a proselyte as a proper Israelite is confirmed by other accounts. The Talmud gives this account (see Wall, [History] of Infant Baptism, intro., p. 71, a quotation out of the Talmud):34 ""When a proselyte is received, he must be circumcised; and then, when he is cured, they baptize him in the presence of two wise men, saying, ''Behold, he is an Israelite in all things.'" And as Mr. Wall says in the same page, the same continues to this day to be the practice of the present Jews. For so Leo Modena, in his history of them, speaking of a proselyte's admission, [says], ""They take and circumcise him; and as soon as he is well of his sore, he is to wash himself all over in water, and this is to be done in the presence of three rabbins; and so thenceforth he becomes as a natural Jew." [On] p. 72 he quotes out of Gemara Babylon (at title Jebimoth) this passage, ""And if he be not baptized, he remains a Gentile." Persons are still made Israelites by baptism according to Christ's institution, though circumcision ceases.

¶Dion Cassius the historian gives the same account; his words, as quoted by Prideaux (Connection, Pt. II, p. 434), are, ""The country is called Judea and the people Jews; and this name is also given to as many others as embrace their religion, though of other nations."35 There is a remarkable instance of this, in a whole nation that by this means became Jews, or Israelites, before Christ came. ""Hircanus conquering the Edomites, or Idumeans, forced them to become proselytes to the Jewish religion; and hereon being incorporated into the Jewish nation as well as into the Jewish church, they thenceforth became reputed as one and the same people; and at length the name of Edomites or Idumeans being swallowed up in that of Jews, it became lost and no more heard of."36 And so the Jews that we read of in Christ's time, were a people mixed of the posterity of those that before were Jews and of those Edomites. Herod the Great, the king of the Jews, was of the offspring of those Edomites. There can be no reason why people now that join themselves to the God of Israel, and embrace the religion that he has instituted for Israel, should not be accounted true Israelites, as well as those Edomites.

¶Obj. 1. But then the proselytes among the Jews were accounted Jews and Israelites, because they came and joined themselves to that people; none were Israelites but one of these two ways, either by being the natural offspring of Jacob, or by joining to them that were so. The people or company began with Jacob's children according to the flesh; though persons of other nations soon began to be added, and so continued to be added to from other nations from age to age, down to Christ's time, as a snowball gathers by rolling; yet the original company were the natural offspring of Jacob.

¶Ans. So it was in the Christian church. The Christian church first began with Jews, and was for some time made up only of Jews; and they proselyted or converted the Gentiles, and brought 'em to join with them It was they that laid the foundation for all the proselytism of the Gentiles that ever has been since; and the Gentile proselytes or converts were added to the Jewish-Christian church. And so, in process of time, the Christian Jews and Gentiles were mixed and blended together, and all distinction was lost, as it was with the Jews and Edomites before Christ's time.

¶Obj. 2. But the proselytes were the more properly reckoned as of the nation of the Jews, because they submitted themselves to their government, to their kings and priests or rulers: so the whole kingdom were denominated Israel, because the seed of Israel were the governing part.

¶Ans. 1. The supreme and absolute Lord, King and Judge, and great High Priest and Captain, and common Head of government and influence that Christians are under, that rules and disposes all things in the Christian church, and that is all in all among them, was a Jew, was the natural seed of Abraham and Israel. And the apostles, who under Christ have the principal rule in the Christian church in all ages, and sit as it were on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, were Jews.

¶Ans. 2. Whether the civil government of Israel was in the hands of one of the natural offspring of Jacob, or one that was according to the flesh descended of other nations; if he were now of the people of Israel, that altered not the case. Thus Herod was king of the Jews, though descended of the Idumeans.

¶Ans. 3. The law nor custom did not make it essential that they should be under the temporal government of those that were Israelites, but only that they should embrace the Jewish religion. Thus proselytes were Israelites when the Jews were subject to the government of the Chaldeans and Romans.

¶Obj. 3. All that were of that company or society were called Israel, because the natural posterity of Israel were the prevailing part; the greater number were of them, and so their name prevailed: they were so much the greater part, that the name of Israel swallowed up the names of other nations that were mixed with them.

¶Ans. 1. The law don't make it necessary that the natural Israelites should be the major or prevailing part as to number. Proselytes by the law should have kept the Passover in commemoration of Israel's coming out of Egypt, though they had been more in number than the natural posterity of those that did come out of Egypt; the language of which would have been, that they were of the same people, and as such were concerned in that transaction as well as their natural posterity.

¶Ans. 2. If the greater part of the people had happened to have been the posterity of the Idumeans, that would not have deprived the society of the name of Israel, nor that part of them that were descended of another nation: it was not their prevailing in number that denominated the whole company Israel, but their prevailing in religion; their being prevalent in that respect, that they brought the rest to submit to their God, and to embrace their laws and institutions, and to be subject to the spiritual government of Israel.

¶Ans. 3. It was particularly prophesied of Israel in the times of the gospel, that the natural offspring of the Gentiles should prevail in number, should be the greater part of God's people; as will be shewn by and by.37

¶Obj. 4. The proselytes dwelt in the land of Israel, but Christians dwell in all parts of the world.

¶Ans. It was not necessary that they should dwell in the same land, in order to their being looked upon as of Israel. For the Jews, after the captivity into Babylon, never generally dwelt in the land of Canaan; and before Christ's time they were scattered all over the world (as the Christians are), and proselytes among them as we learn by Acts 2:9-10.

¶Obj. 5. Those of the Jewish nation that the Christian Gentile converts joined to, were not the body of the people, but only a small part of it; for the greater part of the Jewish nation never embraced Christianity: and so the Christian converts never joined themselves to the nation, but only to a party of them.

¶Ans. 1. This is no more of an objection why proselytes joining themselves to them, should not upon that account be looked upon Israelites, than why proselytes joining themselves to the Jews after the captivity of the ten tribes, should not be accounted Israelites; for the ten tribes were the major part of the nation.

¶Ans. 2. Those Jews of which the Christian church at first was made up, were the whole body of the people that were truly Israelites; they were the whole of God's Israel. The rest were rejected from being God's people, as much as the ten tribes were when they were removed out of God's sight. They forsook and went off from Israel; they were broken off from that stock by unbelief, that the Gentiles might be grafted on. They forsook the God of Israel, the King of Israel, the priesthood, temple worship and ordinances of Israel; and God withdrew the tokens of his presence from among them, and removed 'em out of his sight by sending them into captivity, as he did the ten tribes. According to the Apostle's observation, ""They are not all Israel, that are of Israel" [Rom. 9:6]. So that those that the Christian proselytes joined themselves to, were the remnant of Israel, of that part of the nation of Israel that yet remained and had not departed, and were not rejected from being any more of Israel, or God's people. God threatened (Num. 14:12) that he would disinherit the whole congregation of Israel, and make of Moses a great nation: if he had so done, proselytes joining themselves to his posterity would have been Israelites nevertheless for his being but one of so many hundred thousands.

¶Obj. 6. Converts or proselytes might well be looked upon as of the same society of ""congregation" (as the Scripture phrase is): but how could they justly be looked upon as standing in such a relation to Abraham or Israel, as to be properly accounted their children, and be called by the name of Israel?

¶Ans. 1. 'Tis evident that the natural relation that any bare to Abraham or Israel, was not the main foundation of their being denominated children of Abraham, or of Israel, in divine style, but some relation that is more spiritual; as appears by Gen. 21:12, ""In Isaac shall thy seed be called"; (that is, he and his posterity shall be accounted thy seed, and not any other of thy posterity); and accordingly Ishmael, the son of his handmaid, and the children that he had by his lawful wife Keturah, were excluded. Thus the apostle argues from hence, Rom 9:7, ""Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." And so in [in case of] Esau and Jacob, that were both the sons of Isaac by the same woman and at the same birth, and though Esau was the first-born.

¶That which is sufficient to cause that those that are the natural posterity shall not be children, is also sufficient to cause that those that are not his natural posterity may be children. A certain spiritual relation may make those children, that are not his natural offspring; as far, or in the same sense degree and manner, as the want of it makes those not his children, that are his natural offspring. If divine constitution may retrench the measure of the denomination of Abraham's seed, so as that it shall fall short of the limits of his natural progeny, doubtless it may also extend it beyond them.

¶Ans. 2. They were well looked upon as standing in so near a relation to Abraham and Israel, by reason of the relation they stand in to Jesus Christ, who was the seed of Abraham and Israel: they are Christ's, and therefore Abraham's, sees, and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29). Christians are a great deal more of Christ, and are derived from him in greater and more noble and important respects, and more truly and really, than persons are of, and derived from a progenitor of whom they are the natural offspring; the natural derivation of children from progenitors is but a type and shadow of our derivation from Christ. Christians are the seed of Christ, who was the natural seed of Abraham and Israel, who was the principal part of their natural seed; and indeed not properly a part, but instar totius: for his is the end and sum of all the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob respecting their seed. And the reason and ground of that constitution of God, whereby some of their posterity were reckoned their seed and not others, was the relation that they bare to this promised seed, Jesus Christ.

¶Ans. 3. Gentile Christians are spiritually the descendants of Jews; the Gentile converts are spiritually begotten of the Jews. For as we have observed already, the Christian church originally was only of Jews; and those Christian Jews begat the Gentile converts; as the apostle Paul to the Corinthians professes himself to be their father, and tells 'em that he had begotten them through the gospel. The Jewish church was the other of the Gentile converts, and brought them forth, according to the language of the prophets.

¶II. It appears that Gentile Christians are of God's Israel, according to the true intent and meaning of the prophets, when they foretold to Israel their future prosperity and glory. For those prophecies do explain themselves. They at the same time that they are foretelling the future glory and prosperity of Israel, do foretell that the Gentiles shall be added to them, as an accession to the congregation of Israel: ""And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side" (Is. 60:3-4). ""All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come with acceptance on mine altar" (v. 7). ""Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and unto the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee" (v. 9). ""Lift up thine eyes round about thee, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doth" (Is. 49:18). 'Tis evident that the Gentiles are here meant, by the 6th and by the 21st and 22nd verses.38 See Is. 2:2-3, 44:3-5, 55:5, 56:5-8 (especially v. 8); Hos. 2:23.

¶ Yea it was prophesied, that those that should join themselves to them, of the Gentiles, should be many more than the Jews, and that the greater part of God's people should be of them: Zech. 8:22-23, ""Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." Is. 54:1-2, ""Sing, O barren, and thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent," etc., with verse 5, ""The God of the whole earth shall he be called." See Is. 49:5-6, 66:7-8; Ps. 87, throughout.

¶And not only so, but it was prophesied also that the body of the people of the Jews should be rejected, and should no longer be God's people, and that the Gentiles should be taken in their room: Is. 65 at the beginning, ""I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, to a nation that was not called by my name I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people," etc. Mal. 1:10-11; Is. 49:20-22. In Ps. 125:5 the righteous are called God's Israel, in a plain distinction from all the wicked.

¶And 'tis also prophesied that God's people should not be confined to the land of Canaan, but should dwell in other countries: ""Enlarge the place of thy tent, stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; for thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles" (Is. 54:2-3). And in Mal. 1:10-11 it is prophesied, that they shall neither be confined to the land of Canaan in their dwelling, nor to the temple there in their worship; but that they shall dwell from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, and that in all parts of the world incense should be offered, and a pure offering. See note on Deut. 33:5.39

¶In Is. 65:1-7, is foretold the calling the Gentiles and rejecting the Jews; but yet in verses 8-10 it is foretold that not all the Jews shall be rejected, but that a certain number of them shall be brought forth from among the rest, and be owned and blessed as God's people; and then in verses 11-15, is shewed the great difference God will make between his people and the body of the people of the Jews that were wicked. And when the prophets are foretelling great future prosperity to God's people, to Israel and Zion, we generally find they at the same time denounce terrible judgments to the wicked; making a distinction between the people of Israel, or Zion, and the wicked. See No. 601,40 and Nos. 649, 658; see also Fulfillment of the Prophecies of the Messiah, §142.41

 

¶598. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. SCRIPTURE. Much of the Scripture is apt to seem insipid to us now, and as though there were no great matter of instruction in it; because those points of instruction that are most plainly contained in it, is old to us, 'tis what we and everybody has been taught from our infancy, and [what] has been most plainly taught these42 many hundred years in the world: so that the doctrines seem self-evident, and43 so plain to us now, that there seems to have been no need of a particular revelation of such things, especially of insisting upon 'em so much. But it seems exceeding different to us now from what it would have done, if we had lived in those times when the revelation was given; when the things were in great measure new, at least as to that distinctness and expressness of their revelation. 'Tis so now, with some of those that seem to us very plain points of what is now called natural religion: if we had an idea of the state the world was in then, when God gave the revelation, they would appear glorious instructions, bringing great light into the world, and most worthy of God. We are ready to despise that that we are so used to, and that is so common and old to us and to the world, as the children of Israel despised manna.

 

¶599. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. CONCERNING THE ABROGATION OF THE CEREMONIAL LAW. TESTAMENTS. DISPENSATIONS. See notes on Jer. 3:1644 and I Chron. 23: 2645.

 

¶600. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. LOVE OF ENEMIES; PRAYING AGAINST THEM. It was not a thing allowed of under the Old Testament, nor approved of by the Old Testament saints, to hate personal enemies, to wish ill to them, to wish for revenge, or to pray for their hurt; except it was as prophets, and as speaking in the name of the Lord. So that there is no inconsistence between the religion of the Old Testament and New in this respect: the apostle Paul himself doth thus imprecate vengeance on his enemies; II Tim. 4:14, ""Alexander the coppersmith" etc. Revenge or a desire of it was forbidden by the law of Moses, Lev. 19:18; yea there46 love of our enemy is implicitly commanded: for he that we are to love as ourselves, is the same that we are there forbidden to avenge ourselves upon; which is doubtless our enemy, or he that injures us. Doing good to enemies is required by the law of Moses: ""If thou meet this enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou seest the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him" (Ex. 23:4-5).

¶And this was agreeable to the sense of the saints of those times; as appears by Job 31:29, ""If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him." Prov. 24:17, ""Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, nor let thine heart be glad when he stumbleth"; and 17:5, ""He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished." We can't think that those imprecations we find in the Psalms and prophets were out of their own hearts: for cursing is spoken of as a very dreadful sin in the Old Testament. And David, whom we have oftener than any others praying for vengeance on enemies, by the history of his life was a man of a spirit very remote from a spiteful, revengeful spirit: yea we have no such instance in all the Old Testament; as appears by his behavior when persecuted by Saul, when he heard of his death, and upon occasion of the death of Ishbosheth and Abner, and Shimei's cursing him, etc. And he himself in the Psalms gives us an account of his wishing well to his enemies and doing good to them (Ps. 7:4), praying for them and grieving at their calamities (Ps. 35:13-14); and when he prayed for those dreadful curses upon Achitophel, he was especially far from a revengeful frame, as appears by his behavior when Shimei cursed him. And some of the most terrible imprecations that we find in all the Old Testament, are in the New spoken of a prophetical, even those in the 109th Psalm; as in Acts 1:20. See note on Jer. 12:347 and Matt. 1:19.48