¶744

¶744. [space; for refs?] CONFIRMATION OF THE ANGELS BY JESUS CHRIST. That Christ in his ascension into heaven gave to the angels the reward of eternal life, or confirmed immutable happiness may be argued from Eph 4. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things i.e all things not only on the <face of> earth where he dwelt before he descended into the lower parts of the earth as in the foregoing verse, & all things in the lower parts of the earth whether he descended and all things in heaven. By all things [E's line here and following] agreable to the Apostles way of using such an expression is meant all persons or intelligent beings as in Philip. 2. 9. 10. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is 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 as there so here the Apostle is speaking of things in heaven & things in earth & things under the earth as appears by comparing this with the foregoing verse And the apostle there in Philippians mentions these three as in [sic] therein enumerating all things whatsoever for certainly whatever things there are they must be either in heaven or in the earth or under the earth and doubtless by all things there is meant the that are spoken of as being included in these three is intended the same with all things spoken of here as included in the same three divisions of the universe. But tis evident that by things there is meant persons or intelligent creatures tis they who shall bow the knee to him & whose tongues shall confess to him and as there God is said highly to have exalted X & to have given him a name above every name, i.e. above the highest angel in heaven as well as above the highest prince upon earth so here so here [sic] he is said to have ascended up far above all heavens or above /p. 156/ the highest part of heaven & therefore above the feat of the highest angel that he might fill all universally the highest as well as the lowest that all might fill all universally the highest as well as the lowest that all might depend on him & recieve their fullness from him By things in heaven in that place in Philippians & so doubtless here is meant the angels & by things in earth is meant elect men living on earth by things under the earth or in the lower parts of the earth is meant the souls of departed saints whose bodies are gone under the earth and especially the saints that were dead and buried before X came or before X descended into the lower parts of the earth X died & was buried that he might fill those that were dead and buried. Rom 14. 9. For to this end X both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. By things or creatures under the earth is meant souls of buried saints & not devils & damned souls in hell, is manifest from Rev. 5. 13. And every creature which is in heaven & on the earth & under the earth & such as are in the sea & all that are in them heard I saying Blessing & honour & glory & power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne & unto the Lamb forever & ever This would not be said of devils & wicked damned souls who are far from thus praising & extolling God & X with such exultation instead of that they are continually blaspheming them

¶And again by all things is meant all elect intelligent creatures in the 1 chap of this epistle to the Eph. 10. v. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in X both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him. & if he means all intelligent elect creatures there by all things in heaven & earth doubtless he also does when he speaks of all things in heaven & <on> the earth & the lower parts of the earth in this 4 chap of the same epistle where he is treating of the same thing viz. the glory of Xs exaltation. So again Colos. 1. 20. /p. 157/ and (having made peace through the blood of his cross) by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven In these two places last mentiond are mentioned only things in heaven & things in earth Those which in those other places are called things under the earth being here ranked among things [mg.] heaven because their souls are in heaven tho their bodies are in the lower parts of the earth

¶Christ is said to have descended and ascended that he might fill all things not only in earth & under the earth but in the highest heaven Now by his filling all things or all elect creatures according to the Apostles common use of such an expression must be understood filling them with life and the enjoyment of their proper good giving them blessedness & perfecting their blessedness making them compleat in a happy state, as in the 3 chap. of this Epistle 19. v. and to know the love of X which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God Colos. 2. 10. Ye are compleat in him. Rom. 11. 12. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fullness. So that when we are put in mind that X who dwelt once on the earth descended into the lower parts of the earth & then ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things the meaning is that X came down from heaven & dwelt among us on the earth the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace & truth that we [wwxo] we might partake of his fullness & might be made happy by him & in him agreable to Joh. 1. 14. 16 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us & we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace & truth & of his fullness have all we recieved and grace for grace & then X descended into the lower parts of the earth in a state of death that he might bless those that were in a state of death, agreable to Rom 14. 9. For to this end X both died and rose & revived that he might be Lord both of the dead & of the living. So we read that when he died the graves of many saints were opened & that many bodies of saints that slept arose and came out of their graves after his resurrection & went /p. 158/ went [sic] into the holy city and appeared unto many. & then X ascended into heaven & filled & [wwxo] them bestowing eternal life & blessedness upon them that the angels in heaven might all recieve the reward of confirmd & eternal glory from him & in him.

¶That X at his ascension into heaven thus filled the angels of heaven is also plainly taught in the last verse of the first chapter of this epistle, which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all. The Apostle here has a special respect to his filling the angels and particularly their being subjected to him to recieve their fullness from him as their head and as their Lord at his ascension for he in those foregoing verses is speaking of Xs being made the Lord & head of the angels at his ascension. ""Which he wrought in X when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality & power & might & dominion and every name that is named not only in this T but that which is to come, & hath put all things under his feet & given him to be Lord over all things to the church by all things is here meant as in the v. we are upon especially all intelligent creatures men & angels as in that v. in the 4 chap that we are upon God has given him to be head over the angels to the chh agreably to Heb. 1. 14. are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be the heirs of salvations [sic]. The same all things that X is here said to be made head over he is said in the next verse to fill. By this it appears that the angels at Xs ascension recieved their fullness i.e their whole reward all their confirmed life & eternal blessedness from X as their judge because they recieved it from him as their Lord or head of governmt. For they are said to be put under his feet and also that they recieved it in him as the fountain of communication he did not only adjudge it to them, but he gives it to them & they possess it as united to him in a constant dependance on him and /p. 159/ have that more full enjoyment of God than they before had as beholding Gods glory in his face and as enjoying God in him For he is here spoken of not only as their Lord but their head as a natural head to a body as appears by comparing the two last verses together.

¶This [is (om. E.)] confirmed again by the 10 v. That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in X both which are in heaven & which are on earth even in him. The Apostle adds even in him at the end of the verse because it might seem wonderfull, that not only things on earth but even things in heaven or the angels should be gatherd together in him who was one that existed in the human nature. by gathering together in one is meant making happy together in one head or uniting all in one fountain of life & happiness as appears by Joh. 17. 20, 21, 22, 23.

¶The same thing is taught again in Colos. 2. 9. 10. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily & ye are complete [sic] in him which is the head of all principality & power. What is renderd compleat in him in the original properly signified filled up or filled full in him. he is he on whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells & in whom the creature recieves that fullness <&> he is the head of communication whence ye recieve fullness or in whom ye are filled full who is the same person who is also the head in whom the angels recieve their fullness as it is added [-and or -end?] who is the head of all principality & power

¶This is very agreable to what the Apostle says 18. 19 verses of the 1 chap of Colos. And he is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence, for it pleased the Father that /p. 160/ in him all fullness should dwell [here E quoted rest of passage, then xo] By this it appears that it was the design of G. so to exalt & glorify his Son that all his intelligent creatures should in every thing be after him inferiour to him subject to him & dependent on him & should have all their fulness all their supplies from him & in him especially if we compare this v. with the context & with many other places in the New Testament. see p. 164.

¶Corol. 1. Here we may take occasion to observe the sweet harmony that there is between Gods dispensations & particularly the analogy & agreement there is between his dealings with the angels & his dealings with mankind that tho one is innocent & the other guilty the one having eternal life by a covenant of grace the other by a covenant of works yet both have eternal life by his Son Jesus Christ God man & both tho' different ways by the humiliation & sufferings of X the one as the price of life the other as the greatest & last trial of their steadfast & persevering obedience both have eternal life tho different ways by their adherence & voluntary submission & self dedication to X crucified & he is made the Lord & King of both & head of communication influence & enjoyment to both. & a head of confirmation to both for as the angels have confirmed life in and by X so have the saints all that are united in this head have in him a security of PERSEVERANCE. Thus X is the tree of life that grows in the paradise of God to all that belong to that paradise, & to all that ever eat of the fruit of that tree as Adam if he had persevered through his trial would have eat [sic] of the fruit of the tree of life and after that would have had confirmation & been secure of perseverance so are all that taste of the fruit of this tree this branch that grows out of the stem of Jesse this tender plant & root out of a dry ground this branch of the Lord & fruit of the earth this bush that God dwells in this low tree which God exalts. Seeing the saints and angels are for- /p. 161/ ever to be one society dwelling together as one company to all eternity it was fit that they should be thus united in one common head & that their greatest interests & those things that concern their everlasting happiness should be so linked together & that they should have such communion & & <or> common concern in the same great events in which God chiefly manifests himself to them & by which they come to the possession of the eternal reward.

¶Corol. 2. Here also we may observe that Gods work from the beginning of the universe to the end & in all parts of the universe appears to be but one tis all one design carried on, one affair managed in all Gods dispensations towards all intelligent beings viz. the glorifying & communicating himself in & through his Son Jesus X as God man &[?] by the work of redemption of fallen man Those that [sic] of the angels that fell are destroyed for their opposition to God in this affair and are overthrown and condemned & destroyed by the Redeemer. Those of [them (om. E.)] that stood are confirmed for their submission & adherence to God in this great affair. So the work of God is one if we view it in all its parts what was done in heaven & what was done on earth & in hell in the beginning and since that through all ages & what will be done at the end of the world.

¶Corol. 3. From this we may see that the angels are interested in J. X God man as well as elect men, & that the INCARNATION of X was not only for our sakes (tho' chiefly for ours), but also for the same of the angels. For God having from eternity from his infinite goodness designd to communicate himself to creatures The way in which he designed to communicate hims. to elect beloved creatures all of them was /p. 162/ to unite himself to a created nature, and to become one of the creatures & to gather together in one all elect creatures in that creature that he assumed into a personal union with himself and to manifest to them & maintain intercourse with them through him. All creatures having this benefit by Xs incarnation that God thereby is as it were come down to them from his infinite height above them & is become a fellow creature and all elect creatures hereby have opportunity for a more free & intima [sic] converse with God & full enjoyment of him than otherwise could be & to X is not the mediatour of the angels in the same sense that he is of men yet he is a middle person between God & them through whom is all their intercourse with God & derivations from him.

¶Corol. 4. That the person that is the head of all elect creatures in whom all are gatherd together in one by whom they all have their eternal fullness & glory & who is the common fountain of all their good & the common medium through [whom (or which--om. E.)] G. Communicates himself to all is so much nearer to men than to the angels confirms it [that (om. E.)] the SAINTS ARE HIGHER IN GLORY THAN THE ANGELS.

¶Corol. 5. This confirms it that the church of blessed assembly in HEAVEN is in a like PROGRESSIVE STATE with the church on earth. For at the same time that the church in this T was advanced to a state of new light & glory by the dawning of the gospel day the angels in heaven were advance [sic] to a new state of glory & happiness & not only so but the souls of the SAINTS that died UNDER THE OLD TESTAMENT were ADVANCED much HIGHER IN GLORY at XS RESURRECTION & ASCENSION. For the text in Eph 4. 10. teaches that at that time of the manifestation of X God man in this universe each of these three were advanced to a state of new blessedness viz the church on earth & departed souls of saints whose bodies /p. 163/ were in the lower parts of the earth & also the angels in heaven. he came and dwelt upon earth amongst us & we beheld his glory & recieved of his fullness when he rose from the dead he begat the chh again to a living hope as it were raised the chh from the dead with him & the church here was advance to so much higher glory that her former glory was no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth & then descended into the lower parts of the earth & filled those that were there advanced the souls of departed saints in glory in becoming Lord of the dead & a token of it & one instance of it then was his granting a resurrection to many of them whereby the future glory of the resurrection was in a great measure anticipated doubtless those saints that rose with X ascended triumphing with him into heaven into new glory & blessedness. These things confirm that the assembly in heaven has all along been in a like progressive state with the chh on earth & is in a preparatory state & that things there from the beginning of the T hitherto having been working towards a great end & glorious issue, & consummation at the end of the T as tis here

¶[?] The chh of angels & saints there at first was in a state of infancy to what it is now as it was with the church on earth & have been brought forward to greater fullness & perfection by great events of providence as it has been with the church here. & things there will arrive at a consummation at the same time & in the same great event at the end of the T that they will /p. 164/ here. The chh in heaven was greatly advanced in happiness at Xs exaltation whence commenced the gospel day to the chh in this T & so again the church in heaven will recieve another still much higher advancemt in glory at the time of the fall of AntiX as appears by several passages in the book of Revelation as abundantly appears by the 18 chap. of Rev. 20. v. & the nine first verses of the 19 chap & 20 chap. & 4. v. & both that part of the church that is on earth & that which is in heaven shall at the same time recieve their highest advancemt in glory together with consummation of X exaltation at the day of judgmt. See No. 777. Corol. 3.

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¶ See p. 160. That the angels have their fullness & their eternal good & happiness not only from the hands of X but also in him as the head & fountain of it and as enjoying God in him & that they have their confirmation in & by him is confirmed in Xs being called angels food. The Psalmists speaking of manna, says Ps 78 26. men did eat angels food. which can be understood no otherwise than than [sic] that which manna was the type of was angels food but this X tells us is himself in Joh. 6. 31. 32. There X tells us that that bread from heaven spoken in this very place in the 78 Psalm is him. [sic] For the Jews quoting the beginning of this passage that is the verse immediately preceding in the Psalm. v. 31. Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness as it is written he gave them bread from heaven to eat. but then we have Xs answer in the two next verses Moses gave you not that bread from heaven [i.e that bread from heaven spoken of in that place that you cite.] [E's bracks.] But my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven /p. 165/ for the bread of God is he which cometh down & giveth life unto the world. X is called the tree of life that grows in the midst of the paradise of God but we know that the use of the tree of life in paradise was that they that eat [sic] of that fruit might have confirmed life, & never die but live forever & the same is signified by Xs being called in the 6. chap of John the bread of life, viz that he that eats of this bread should have confirmd life & not die but live forever as X himself there teaches v. 48 &c--I am the bread of life. your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness & are dead This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof, & not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any one (for so the original signified) eat of this bread he shall live forever but we are taught from the forementiond place that tis the angels bread of life as well as ours & therefore tis that bread by which they have eternal life or which they eat of & live forever. & is a tree of life to them as well as to us a tree the fruit whereof they eat & live forever as well as we. [finis]

¶745. vid 743. [space on line] NEW-HEAVENS & NEW-EARTH. Tis manifest that the world of the blessed that is the new T or the new heavens & earth or the next T that is to succeed this as the habitation of the chh is heaven the same Tthat is now the habitation of the angels. For heaven or the T of the angels is calld the world that is to come, Eph. 1. 20. 21. 22. Which he wrought in X when he raised him from the dead & set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality & power & might & dominion and every name that is named not only in this but that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet. Heaven the habitation of principalities & /p. 166/ powers is that which is here called the world to come, as being the world that was to succeed this as the habitation of the chh. It cant be understood in any other sense of only [sic] that X was to be at the head of thing [sic] in the new wheod [sic] when it did come it speaks of what is already done & was done at X ascension a past effect of Gods mighty power. According to the working of the exceeding greatness of his power which wrought in X Jesus when he raised him from the dead & set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. [E's line] [finis]

¶746. HADES. That the place of the departed souls of saints is heaven appears by Colos. 1. 19. 20. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell and (having made peace by the blood of his cross.) by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him I say whether they be things on earth or things in heaven. By things in heaven must be meant chiefly the departed souls of saints in heaven. For there can be nothing else in heaven that can have been at any time the subjects of reconciliation to God or at least such a reconciliation as he here explains the Apostle <here> explains himself to intend. viz. a making peace through the blood of his cross there can be no other [sic] in heaven that X died to make attonemt for or to reconcile and make peace for by the blood of his cross but these. <Departed saints that the papists worship are in heaven. See Rev. 13. 6. Prophets & apostles are in heaven Rev. 18. 20.> [finis; last added after next No. begun.]

¶747. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. PRIDE. Self-righteousness is a certain kind of sin of the heart that is especially contrary to X and the gospel displeasing to God and fatal to the soul. Now it may be worthy of an enquiry what lust or principle or corruption <or which of the cardinal principles of corruption mention'd No.> it is that is exercised in selfrighteousness that belongs to the nature of this hatefull disposition & wherein its sinfullness does most essentially consist & this is Pride [E's line; large letters] or an inordinate affecting our own comparative dignity or an inordinate disposition to self exaltation as is evident by Luke. 18. 9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous & despised others. Together with v. 14. I tell you this man went down to his house /p. 167/ justified rather than the other For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased & he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Selfrightousness is a self-glorying & therefore persons are said not to be justified by their own righteousness but by faith that boasting might be excluded and that no flesh should glory in Gods presence. Selfrighteousness is the same with a spirit of pride as it tends to a particular kind or sort of exercise. a selfrighteous principle or disposition is the same is [sic] a disposition to exercise pride with regard to our own supposed righteousness or moral dignity.

¶Now pride consists mainly & most essentially in the disposition or heart & not in the understanding as all lusts do. Pride don't most essentially consist in a too high conceit of ones self, but in a disposition inordinately to affect our own comparative dignity Hence the wrong thought that children have of themselves of their own understand [sic] & strength & self-sufficiency is on this account far more innocent than the inordinate conceit grown persons have of themselves because it arises more from meer ignorance & so less from a proud disposition a wrong conceit of ones own dignity is a proud haughty conceit no farther & no otherwise than as it proceeds [from (om. E.)] a self exalting disposition [finis] [Evid. xo by E. Space left at beginn. suggests that when he looked up prev. no. he found most of this included in the former no. Only other reason for xo might be the distinction made at the end. Or, incorp. in a later No.?]

¶748. vid 691. § 28. <LORDS DAY> That the Jewish sabbath was a day of rejoicing is further evident from Ps. 92 that we are told is a Psalm or song for the sabbath day, which it is evident is a joyfull song or a psalm to express joy & gladness as v 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work I will triumph in the works of thine hands.

¶And besides the festivals or holy days of the Jews were all holy days excepting the day of attonement. Ps. 42. 4. for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy & praise with a multitude that kept holy day. [finis]

¶749. BEING OF GOD. THE FIRST CAUSE AN INTELLIGENT VOLUNTARY AGENT Nothing can be more plain than [that (om. E.)] the make and constitution of the world in all parts of it is with respect to final causes or with an aim at these & those ends to be obtain'd & therefore it seems to be plain that the T must have a cause & that this cause is an intelligent & voluntary or designing agent. 1 It shews that the T must have an efficient cause For how can any thing but an efficient cause have respect to an end in an effect if the world be disposed & ordered for an end then there must have been some being that has disposed and ordered it for that end its being ordered for a future end must be from something that has some regard to futurity or to what as yet is not For the end is what is not as yet obtain'd when the disposal first is but is a consequence of the disposal. it cant be without any cause or from nothing for in nothing there can in no respect be any regard or relation to a future thing. it cant be from the thing it self that is disposed for the relation to fu[turi (mg)]ty is by the supposition the thing that governs the disposal & therefore the relation or regard to futurity cant be consequent on the disposed or be from the thing it self disposed as for instance, the clocks disposal to tell the hours of the day cant be from the clock disposed, because a respect to the notification of the hours of the day is supposed to govern the disposal of the clock. The worlds therefore being so disposed that respect is had to final causes or to future good must be from something prior to the world. For any other supposition carries in it a contradiction to suppose it is from the world it self carries a contradiction & to suppose that it is from nothing is a contradiction For it supposes that nothing carries in it some regard or respect or relation to future good to be obtain'd so as to govern in the disposal of things in order to that good.

¶2. It shews that the Efficient Cause of the T must be an intelligent voluntary agent For in the first place by thing [sic] being disposed to an end something that is future & that as yet has no actual being has influence & governs in the effect that is produced For the good that is the final /p. 169/ cause as yet is future. but this future thing that has no actual existence yet has a present existence some way or other otherwise it could have no present influence in any effect at all For that which in no respect whatsoever is [E's line here and following] can in no respect whatsoever have influence in an effect.[?] for it is a contradiction to suppose that that which absolutely & in all respects is not or is nothing should have influence or causality or that meer nothing can do something. But there is no other way that that which has no actual existence can have existence but only by having existence in the understanding or in some idea. For instance, there is no way that things that are first to begin to be the next year can be now before they begin to be but by their being foreseen Therefore if any cause be now seen acting with evident respect to something that is first to begin to be the next year so as that its effects shall be disposed in order to it & the production of that future thing governs in the ordering & disposal of the effect it argues that that cause is intelligent & that he foresees that future thing or that it exists already in his idea, just as much as if he foretold it. To foretell an event to come is to hold forth those things that are signs conformed to the future event & by their conformity manifestly shew that that future event is present with the efficient of those signs & that there is an aim or respect of the efficient to the event in directing & ordering & designing those things wherein the sign consists in conformity to the event signified & for an end viz. to signify or give notice of that future event. There is nothing in foretelling events however particularly or exactly that manifest intelligence and design any other /p. 170/ ways than these two viz. 1 conforming things present viz. sounds or marks to things future, & 2. doing this with a certain design viz. giving notice. But there is the very same evidence of an intelligent and voluntary agent in ordering & disposing things in conformity to future events as words as much in conforming other things as sounds or marks. < vid next p.> We may as well and as reasonably suppose that words yea a great multitude of them, may be in exact & precise conformity in innumerable particulars to something future without understanding as that a great multitude of things shall be in as exact & particular conformity to future events without understanding. There are two things in foretelling future events that argues intelligence viz conformity to something future & design or aim at an end & there is the same in directing or ordering things for future good or for final causes

¶If a cause may conform & direct effects to final causes without understanding as if it had exceeding great understanding then there is nothing that we expect of intelligent beings but what we may expect from such an unintelligent cause for there is nothing whatsoever that we look upon as a sign or mark of intelligence in any being but it is in thus directing & ordering things for final causes. For we can see no signs of intelligence in any but these three. viz. 1 That he acts & produces effects. & 2. that in acting or producing effects he shews that things not present in their actual existence are yet some way present with him as in idea by a conformity of his acts to things distant or future as it is in one that concieves of things distant & future & 3. that he acts with design or aiming at that which is future. but he that evidently acts for final causes does all these things. /p. 171/

¶If a cause without understanding can do all these things then we may expect that he will do all the acts that intelligent beings do in as great perfection as they. viz. determine between good & bad reward punish instruct counsel comfort give answers & converse for all that in any or all of these things argues intelligence is a conformity of acts to things absent or future as if present in idea; & acting with design or ends and tho the designs or ends in such a way of acting is exceeding various & manifold, yet the multiplicity & variety of ends argues intelligence no other wise than as it the more plainly manifests that there is indeed a presence of things absent as in idea, & that there is indeed an ordering of effects for final causes as in design but this is not the thing now in question, but the question is whether or no if that be granted that future things are manifestly so present as if an[?] idea and things are indeed so ordered for final causes it argues intelligence. not but that there is [as (om. E.)] great an evidence of real intelligence & design in Gods works of creation & providence by multiplicity & variety of good ends evidently aimed at as there can be in conversing as intelligent beings do.

¶In an efficient causes disposing things for a final cause it appears that things not actually in being are present with it but present with it so as to determine it in acting just as intelligent beings are determin'd by choice & by a wise choice rejecting the bad & choosing the good, & choosing the good with admirable distinction choosing the best in millions of cases out of an infinite variety that are equally possible & equally before this cause.

¶It argues perception in the cause that thus selects the best <out of>[?] out of infinite numbers in all cases /p. 172/ that tho' the cases are as it were infinite [in (om. E.)] number. because tis good that governs the determination of this cause, but things are neither good nor bad but only with relation to perception next p.

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¶ Things are so disposed to future ends so perfectly ordered to bring about such an such necessary & good ends that there [is (om. E.)] as it were an exact & perfect conformity or rather correspondence between the means & the end as there is between a stamp and the picture that is designed to be stamped with it or as there is in the types in the press and the impression intended by it. or as there is between the letters & their combinations on paper & the words that are intended should be spoken by him that shall read them

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¶ Why should there be a backwardness in us to concieve of this first cause of things as a properly intelligent & voluntary Agent or why should we look upon it as a strange thing that it should be so. Is it because tis a strange thing that there should be any intelligent & voluntary beings at all if it be so it argues against the first causes being such a being no otherwise than it argues against there being any such being at all & if it bent forceable against the existence of any such being then it is not against the first Causes being such a being. But we know that there are intelligent & voluntary being [sic] & that more certainly than we know the existence of any other kind of being because we know it by our own immediate consciousness. & we that are intelligent & voluntary beings are the effects of this first Cause tis it that has made & made us intelligent beings & why is it more strange, that the cause should be intelligent than the effect. Why should it appear /p. 173/ strange that the intelligent creatures that it has made are more in his image than any other effects that it hath made we see they are [over it is] in its image in all other things far more than any unpercieving beings they are so in the manner of their acting. The first Cause acts from him so these act more from themselves than any other beings The first Cause acts for final causes so do these his creatures & these only. The first cause is chief of all beings those intelligent beings that he has made are chief among creatures and so in his image in that respect & are next to the first cause & tis more likely that those effects of the first cause that are nearest to it should be most like it. These[ck MS] intelligent creatures are evidently set over the rest the rest are put more in subjection to them than to any others & more in their power in this respect they bear the image of the first [sic] who has all things under it & in its power next p.

[A ¶ is xo at this point, but alm exactly reproduced in next ¶]

¶ There is no other way that a being can exist before its actual proper existence, but only existing in some representation. For if the thing it self is not nor any thing that /p. 174/ represents it then surely it is not at all or in any wise but there is no representation present with an efficient to make that aim at the thing represented as that for which he effects but an idea no other representation but a percieved representation The representation of the future thing aimed at by the first cause, is no otherwise present with that first cause before actual existence than all other possible being not actually existing but only this is selected by the first cause out of all other possible things for its goodness Which argues that the first cause percieves the goodness for goodness has no existence but with relation to perception.

¶ We have all reason to think that this first cause of all things that is the cause of all perception & intelligence in the T is not only not an unintelligent, unknowing, & insensible being but that he is infinitely the most intelligent & sensible being of all that he is more percieving than any that his perception is so much more sensible & lively & perfect that created minds are in comparison of him like dead senseless unpercieving substances & that he infinitely more exceeds them in the sensibility & life & height (if I may so speak) of his perception than that [sic] the sun exceeds the planets in the intensive degree of his brightness as well as the bulk or extent of his shining disk. And as he is more sensible so he is as I may express it more voluntary than created minds he acts more of himself infinitely more purely active & in no respect passive as all created minds are in a great /p. 175/ measure passive in their acts of will & the acts of will are more voluntary Tho there be no proper passions as in created minds yet voluntariness is exercised to an infinitely greater height The divine love which is the sum of all the exercises of the divine will is infinitely stronger more lively & intense as not only the light of the sun but his heat is immensely greater than that of the planets whose light & heat is derived from him.

WORSHIP OF GOD

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¶Corol. 1. Hence how rational is it to suppose, contrary to the principles of the deists that God ought to be worshipped by prayer confession praise & thanksgiving & those duties in which we speak to God & have to do with [him (om. E.)] as a properly intelligent Being or one that percieves & knows what we say to him that we ought to shew respect to him by voluntary acts as expressions of our thought & [wxo] & volitions & motions of our hearts purposely expressed before him & directed to him as all intelligent creatures do to all other intelligent being [sic] with whom they are concerned or have intercourse. Never to go to God or to direct any expression purpose to exhibit our thoughts to him or to direct any expression of any motion of our hearts to him as we naturally do to all properly intelligent beings with whom we are concernd certainly is not to treat him as a properly intelligent voluntary being.

¶Corol. 2. Hence also it appears most rational to suppose, that God should make some REVELATION of himself to his intelligent creatures by his word & seeing he is properly an intelligent /p. 176/ voluntary Being that he should maintain intercourse with them by voluntarily expressing & signifying his mind to them as intelligent voluntary agents do one to another and as they only can do, and as tis hence rational to suppose that it should be required of us that we should speak to God so tis as rational to suppose that he should speak to us.

¶Corol. 3. This also renders it most credible, that God should maintain a moral governmt over mankind by revelation, giving laws promising rewards and threatning punishments and appointing a judgment, managing the affairs of his kingdom by revelations made or his word spoken from time to time making constitutions appointing means of reconciliation for those that have offended, counselling directing encouraging ordering & altering dispensations or forms of administration of governmt according to the different state[-s?] of things & diverse exigences [sic] of his kingdom in different ages of mankind, with wonderfull contrivance disposing the affairs of his kingdom & with a manifestation of a sovereign will, contriving & bringing to pass things unthought of & beyond all human contrivance and foretelling many future things of importance, for herein he does but act as an intelligent voluntary head of infinite wisdom & sovereign will, over a society of intelligent voluntary creatures.

¶Seeing that God is certainly an intelligent & voluntary Being it is rational to suppose, that in his governmt of the T there should not only be a series of events that he /p. 177/ brings to pass in a constant uninterrupted series by certain fixed unvaried laws such as the laws of nature but that he should manifest himself in his dealings with his intelligent & voluntary creatures in a series of more arbitrary acts and dispensations not confined to certain unalterable rules & laws in all circumstances, but acts done more in the manner of intelligent voluntary creatures & more directly shewing the will & arbitrament of the governour, as it is in Gods dispensations towards his church from the beginning of the T both in the extraordinary dispensations of his providence in miracles & the arbitrary influences of his Sp on their hearts in the course of his ordinary dispensations in his chh & kingdom. [finis]

¶750 PERSEVERANCE. Grace is that which God hath implanted <s> [changes by E] in the heart against great opposition of enemies, great opposition from the corruption of the heart & from Satan & the T These all are great in their efforts against the implantation of it, & labour as it were [xo c] to the utmost to keep it out Seeing therefore, that G. manifests his all conquering power in giving grace a place in the heart in spite of those enemies he will doubtless maintain it there against their continued efforts, to root it out he that has so gloriously conquered them in bringing in grace wont at last suffer himself to be conquered by their expelling that which he has so brought in by his mighty power he that gloriously subdued those enemies under his feet by bringing this image of his [sic] into the soul wont suffer this image of his finally to be trampled under their feet God alone could introduce it. it was what he understood & it was wholly his work & doubtless he will maintain it he will not /p. 178/ forsake the work of his own hands where he has begun a good work he will carry it on to the day of X grace shall endure all things & shall remain under all things as the expression literally signifies in 1. Cor. 13. 7. [finis]

¶751. LORDS DAY. Tho' every day ought to be dedicated to Gods service, yet this doth not hinder but that some days should be dedicated in another manner & to other parts of his service than it is possible for us to dedicate every day. so Dr A. Bp Sharp. When we argue that tis but reasonable to suppose that certain appointed days should be wholly dedicated to Gods service what the antisabbatarians reply viz. that we ought to dedicate all our time to God we ought to serve him in ploughing the field & in merchandizing &c-- dont at all weaken the force of the argument for tho we allow this yet it dont at all hinder but that tis necessary that some time should be spent in other parts of Gods service, viz the exercises of his more immediate worship & that the time that is spent in these[ck MS] should be set apart or separated from that which is immediately spent in those other [sic?] & that it is absolutely necessary that one should be attended free from the entanglements of the other & not mixed with them.

¶A seventh part of time's being appointed to be kept holy to God from the beginning of the world seems to prove that a seventh part of time should be kept holy to God throughout all ages thus X himself argues that men should not put away their wives now in these days of the gospel because from the beginning it was not so but he that made them in the beginning made them male and female, saying For this cause shall a man leave his father & his mother & cleave unto his wife & they twain shall be one flesh. What therefore God hath /p. 179/ joined together let not man put asunder. so we may with equal reason argue concerning sanctifying the seventh part of time that from the beginning it was so that God that made the days in the beginning made the seventh holy resting in the seventh day & hallowing it blessing making it a sabbath & blessing & hallowed. [sic] Therefore what God hath hallowed let not men profane.

¶And if we suppose a prolepsis in these words of Moses & that they are only the occasional remark of the historian as giving a reason of what came to pass afterwards yet it shews that the command of resting a seventh part of time is founded on that which did not at all concern the Jews more than other nation [sic] but is of universal & equal concernment to all mankind & what was many ages before the being of their dispensation & church which argues that the command it self is not confined to their nation or dispensation but respects all nations & all dispensations for tis but reasonable to suppose that the obligation of the command should be of equal extent with tis foundation and that as the duty has its foundation in that which came to pass in the beginning so it is to remain to the end of the world.

¶If we take this passage in Moses history of the creation as proleptical or an occasional remark, yet it shews [sic] to shew the great & extraordinary weight that Moses laid on that command & the regard that God had to it Thus to finish the first part of all writings in the history of the greatest thing that he wrote the history of thus as soon as he had finished it to burn aside from it to make this remark, & as the only improvemt he expressly makes of it when /p. 180/ he has filled [? A] his reader with admiration of this glorious work of God he straitway leads him off from it by it to observe the ground of that great duty of sanctifying the seventh part of time which God had commanded Israel in the wilderness. this strongly argues that this is something more than a ceremonial.

¶But there seems to be no reason to suppose, that this is a proleptical occasional observation for the manner of expression seems plainly to denote it to be a part of the history Gen. 2. 2. 3. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day & sanctified it. it seems manifestly to [be (om. E.] a continuation of the story there is the same conjunction or prefix before the two verbs rested & blessed. and he rested. and he blessed. [[E's line here and following] & both seem to have reference to the same thing his resting was some way or other with respect to his creatures angels or men either a peculiar manifestation God on that day made of his rest & wellpleasedness in his works to Adam & Eve or to the angels for that end that he might set mankind an example. For God with respect to himself only rested no more & rejoiced no more on that day than on any day following. But Gods giving a manifestation of his rest for an example to mankind is as much to our present purpose as his then hallowing & blessing the seventh day.

¶The Apostle argues from things that came to pass in the beginning of the creation as things that should have universal influence in the regulation of the state & behaviour of mankind in all ages as from the womans being taken out of man & the womans /p. 181/ being first in the transgression I dont see why we may not as well suppose that the state & practice of mankind in all ages should be governed & regulated from Gods resting on the seventh day.

¶We have no reason to suppose that any one of the ten commands are abolished for the whole of the decalogue seems to be confirmed in the N. Testament <Christ says he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill.> Tis this that in the N.T. is especially called the law in the N.T. as appears Rom. 13. 8. 9. 10. where this law is spoken of as that which must yet be fulfilld or obeyed by us So Gal 5. 14. & James 2. 8. 9. 10. 11. 1. Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing & uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping the commandments of God. the ten commandments are in the N.T. especially called the commandmts. So X says to the young man if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. so Rom. 13. 9. See also Math 15. 3. & 6. Math 22. 36. & 38. & Mark 12. 30 & 7. 9 Luke 23. 56. Rom 7. 7. 8, 10, 12, 13. Eph. 6. 2. which last place shews that the ten commands are yet in force. See also 1. 1. 5.

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¶X in that sermon where he says he came to fulfill the law much blames the Pharisees for making void that law of God in the decalogue by their perverse glosses & elsewhere for making void one of them viz. that of honouring our father & mother by a precept contrary to it. therefore, when X, in the midst of his reprehensions of them professes to do the contrary of what they did by saying that he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill we may conclude that he makes void no one of them

¶[?] One way in which X fulfills them is in vindicating them from the false glosses of the Pharisees & explaining them in their full meaning wherein they by their false interpretations of them & by their human precepts had curtaild them. Another way is by obeying them another way is by satisfying them /p. 182/ another way is by bringing the substance by which the shadows of the ceremonial law are fulfilld in the same manner as a prophecy is fulfilld by the accomplishment. [finis]

¶ 752. XTIAN RELIGION If there be a revelation that God makes to the T tis most reasonable to suppose & natural to expect that he should therein make known not only what manner of Being he is but also that he should lead mankind to an understanding of his works of creation & providence that he should give em some account how the world came into being & also some account of his works of providence that mankind may understand something of Gods scope and design in continuing the T in being for so many ages and <in> [c] that series of Events great changes & revolutions & many strange things that are brought to pass in it in the successive ages of it & that men may know something of Gods scheme of providence and so much of his scope & design as to be [mg] be [sic] able to see something of the wisdom & other perfections of God in the course of things & that may be of some direction to them how to regulate themselves so as to concur with & not to contradict the holy & wise scheme of the governour of the T

¶These things the Xtian revelation opens to us in such a manner as might be expected This only gives any tolerable account of the work of creation & this reveals to us the scheme of providence & what is Gods particular main design in the whole series of providences a design worthy of himself what great work that is that is his main work the main design of providence to which all events & revolutions of providence <are subordinate> [c] what is the thing that God is doing what contrivance he is accomplishing what God has done in order to it from the beginning of the world in the several ages of it & we are shewn how these events all point to the main great work of power wisdom & grace that is the hinge of all we have a particular account how this greatest work of all has actually been wrought in the fulness of time as to these[ck MS] great acts that are the main ground of it how this was fore- /p. 183/ told in the several ages of the T & [xo c] we have these prophecies still extant in this revelation & we have a history of the series of events down from the creation of the T to that time that were preparatory to it & then after that of the great events & works of Gods providence that were immediately consequent on it to establish the first fruits of it in the T with a prophecy of the main events yet to be accomplished in pursuance of the same great scheme & a description of the end of the T an account of the winding up of things & after what manner the scheme of God shall be finished & his great design & great work consummated and all things brought to their last end & settled in their ultimate state to remain throughout eternity

¶These things are such as are exceeding<ly> [c] agreable to a most natural & rational supposition in case God makes a revelation to mankind but if the SS. are not a revelation of God then mankind [xo ?] the principal creature God has made in this T the only intelligent creature to whom he has sujected [sic] this lower part of the creation are <is> [c] left wholly & entirely in the dark both [xo c] about Gods works of <both> [c] creation & providence & have nothing to guide <him> [c] whereby to judge what Gods scheme is in all the great changes they see come to pass in the T from one age to another or what he aims at or intends to accomplish Every thing lies in darkness & confusion before em <him> [c] without any possibility of their <his> [c] determining any thing or to direct em <him> [c] what to think of Gods works which they <he> [c] behold<s> [c] or what affections they <he> [c] should exercise towards the Supream Governour on occasion of them or how they <he> [c] shall in the course of their practice conform themselves <himself> [c] to his <God's> [c] scope or admire & praise him, & [xo c?] adore him submit to him serve him & praise him as the supream Lord of the T and orderer of all things or act towards the Governour of the world as becomes a rational & intelligent subjects [xo c] of his Kingdom

MO. 41-43, §43.

¶753. CONVICTION. Why it is necessary that a man should be convinced of his guilt in order to salvation See serm on Math 9. 2. 1st direction under 1st use. [finis]

¶754. SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE. Tis rational to suppose that seeing God with such great care has so abundantly provided for the giving most convincing assuring satisfying & manifold evidence of his faithfullness in the covenant of grace & as David says made a covenant ordered in all things & sure, that at the same time he would not fail or [sic] ordering the matter so that there should not be wanting as great & clear evidence that this is his covent [sic] & that these promises or which is the same thing that the Xtian religion is true & that the SS. are his word. Otherwise, those great assurances God has given of his faithfullness in his covenant are in vain for the evidence that it is his covenant is properly the foundation on which all the force & effect of those other assurances stand. We may therefore undoubtedly suppose, that there is some sort of evidence that God has given of this covenants being his & these promises being his beyond moral evidence that there is some ground of assurance of it held forth which if we are not to them tend to give an higher assurance of it than any arguing from history human tradition &c-- & that which is good ground of the highest & most perfect kind of assurance that mankind have in any case whatsoever.

¶It is also upon other accounts reasonable to suppose that God would give [wwxo] give the greatest evidence of these[ck MS] things that are greatest & the truth of which is of greatest importance to us and that we therefore,[?] if we are wise and act rationally shall have far the great desire of having full undoubting & perfect assurance of.[?] [finis]

¶ 755. PERSEVERANCE. The Spirit of God was given at first, but was lost. But [xo c?] God gives it a second time, never to [be (om. E.)] utterly lost. The Spirit is now given in another manner, than he was then. Then indeed he was communicated and dwelt in their hearts. but this communication was made without conveying at the same [time (om. E.)] any proper right to the Spirit [xo E?] or sure title to it. But when God communicates it a second time, as he does to a true convert; he withal gives it to him to be his own; he finally makes it over to him in a sure covenant. He is their purchased and promised possession. If our first parents had had a right to the Holy Spirit, made over to them at first, he never would have departed from them.

¶Man in his first state had no benefit at all properly made over to him. For God makes over benefits only by covenant: but <And> [c] then the condition of the covenant had not been fulfill'd. but now man at his first conversion is justified and adopted; he is recieved as a child and an heir; as a joint heir with X; his fellowship is with the Father & with his Son Jesus X. God is theirs, & X is theirs, & the Holy Ghost is theirs, and all things are theirs. The Holy Spirit who is the sum of all good is their inheritance; & that little of it that they have in this life, is the earnest of their future inheritance, 'till the redemption of the purchased possession. Heaven is theirs their conversation is theirs <there;> [c] they are citizens of that ["the" on top of "that"] city & of the household of God. Xtians are represented as being come already to heaven; to Mount Sion, the city of the living God; to an innumerable company of angels, &c-- Heaven is the proper country of the church. they are raised up together with X, & made to sit together with him in heavenly places. Eph. 2. 6. ""They are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places"--- The whole tenour of the /p. 186/ gospel shews, that Xtains have actually a full & final right made over to them, to spiritual & heavenly blessings. [finis]

¶756. MILLENNIUM. Whether or no the miraculous gif[t]s of the Spirit of God will be restored then. See serm. on 1 Cor. 13. 8 1st Inference. See also Notes on v. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. SS No. 305. [finis]

¶757. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE. The law which is Gods original constitution & that is prior to the covenant of grace, wont allow of persons being in any respect acepted for their vertue or any of their vertue [s?] or any offering being accepted of God at their hands before they are in Christ because the law sentences all such persons to be utterly projected of God and treated with total abhorrence for by the sentence of the law they are cursed & to be treated of God as accursed persons as appears by Gal. 3. 10. But certainly for God to accept their offerings & to accept them & to give testimonies of his delight in them for them especially to that degree as to bestow such an exceeding an infinite reward upon them as a saving interest in his Son,[?] is not to treat them as accursed and an execration.

¶It was implied in any persons being accursed that he was wholly abhor'd of God as appears by Deut 21. 22. 23. And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, & thou hang him on a tree his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God, that thy land be not defiled which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. So abominable was an accursed person to God that God looked on the very land as defiled on which they long remained. God did not see meet that that [xo ?] which was a curse and execration should remain in open sight for an abomination & offence to the pure eyes of that God that dwelt /p. 187/ in that holy land. they were therefore to remove such abominable things out of Gods sight, that God might dwell & walk in the land and not withdraw from it. And such a curse, rendring us in like manner abominable in the eyes of God are we naturally under because X bore[?] such a curse in our stead as appears fully by the testimony of the Apostle, in Gal. 3. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Therefore by a prior constitution we are condemned to be wholly an abomination The abomination & the accursed thing are spoken of as the same, & the children of Israel Gods people, were commanded utterly to detest & utterly to abhor the accursed thing & not to recieve or take it to themselves or bring it into their houses, Deut 7. 26. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, least thou be a cursed thing like it but thou shalt utterly detest it & thou shalt utterly abhor it. For it is a cursed thing. doubtless therefore the infinitely pure & holy God of this people himself will utterly abhor & utterly detest that which is accursed and will not recieve it, or acept any thing in it or from it & will in no wise manifest any delight in any thing of it that is offered to him he will not recieve it into his house much less bestow infinite blessings out of his house in reward for it. If God accepts something of their acts offerings or vertues he accepts something of themselves For in offering their respect to God they can offer nothing diverse from themselves & if God acepts it he acepts themselves & so recieves the accursed thing before the curse is removed by X because by the supposition before justification or pardon

¶The cities that were accursed every thing in them was accursed & abominable even their silver & gold & most precious things. to be accursed of God & to be acepted of God are /p. 188/ utterly inconsistent & the one can't be 'till the other ceases to be they can [sic] subsist at the same time with respect to the same person [finis]

¶758. DISPENSATIONS. TESTAMENTS. JUSTIFICATION by Faith alone. Whether or no we are not obliged to obey the precepts of the moral law, by vertue of that prescription by which they are enacted in the law of Moses . as some that oppose justification by faith think we are not See these texts Acts 23. 5. Eph. 6. 2. 3. & James 2. 8 [finis]

¶759. MEDIATION. WISDOM of God in the Work of REDEMPTION. ME. Mercy & justice do gloriously & wondrously illustrate one another in the work of redemption. The immutability of justice makes the greatness of mercy to appear in that when justice was inexorable, mercy was so great towards the sinner that it rather gave Gods only begotten Son to suffer than that the sinner should not be saved. The greatness of mercy shews the immutability of justice, in that when mercy towards men[ck MS] was so great that it insisted that the sinner should be saved Gods justice was so unalterable that it would execute the full punishmt of sin on the Son of God himself rather than that sin should not have its just punishmt[?] [finis]

¶ 760. XTIAN RELIGION. THE HOLY SS. As providence is a far greater work than the work of creation & its end so the history of SS. is much more taken up in works of providence, than in the work of creation Things that appear minute in comparison of <with> [c] the work of creation are much insisted on in SS.; for they become great by their relation to X & his redemption of which creation was but a shadow & the history of SS, which gives an account of the works of providence, are <is> [c] all taken up in the history of X & his chh. for all Gods works of providence are to be reduced to his providence towards X & his chh [finis]

[Ed. by JE Jr. & prob. copied; not printed (?)]

¶ Add this to N. 717 this B. p. 111.] [E's brack.] God not only after Adam had violated the covenant presently acted upon it & proceeded to judgment. But he before in the making of the covenant declared that he would do so. In the day that thou eatest thereof said God, thou shalt surely die So that the very establishment or covenant it self as G. revealed & stated it implied that /p. 189/ the first overt explicit violation should be the abolishing of the covenant as to future proceedings because [A; ?] that was [? A] in the establishmt that on the first violation God would immediately proceed to judgmt. [finis]