¶801

¶801. DEACONS. Their office. See serm. on Rom 12. 4.5.6.7.8. & Acts 6. 1.2.3. & on Gen. 4.3.4. & on the<o>se words I will have mercy & not sacrifice [finis]

[all items after first may be later?]

¶802. PROGRESS. OF REDEMPTION. Add this to Discourse on Isai 51. 8. Serm. 18. at the end of the 2 particular under the 4. General Observation. in these[ck MS] three great successive dispensations of providence that are compared in SS to Xs coming to judgmt these things were done spiritually that in X last coming will be done externally. In each of them X comes down from heaven spiritually by his Holy Spirit and in the wonderfull works of his providence in [? A: &] at the day of judgment he will come externally. In these[ck MS] preceding dispensations X comes with multides [sic] of angels in a spiritual sense attending on him & acting as his servants ministers & instruments of bringing to pass the glorious effects that attend him in each of those preceding dispensations as [A; or?] X in them comes with a great number of gospel ministers angels of the churches fervent [?A] in spirit [A: -s; xo?] serving him as instruments to bring to pass the effects of his coming. As at Xs coming to judgmt God sends forth his angels with the great sound of the trumpet or with some mighty sound made by /p. 53/ them called the sound of the trumpet thereby to gather together the elect from the four winds from one [end (om. E.)] of heaven to the other So this is done mystically in those[ck MS] preceding dispensations in sounding the gospel trumpet especially in that which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem Math 24. 31. and that which brings the fall of AntiX and the destruction of Satans visible kingdom on earth. When it is said the great trumpet shall be blown Isai. 27. 13. which was typified by the trumpet of the Jubilee in Israel

¶[?]At the last judgment At the sound of the trumpet the trumpet [sic] the dead are raised and the living changed. Both these things are represented by that spiritual change that is made in men at the sound of the gospel trumpet in those preceding dispensations The change made in mens souls at the calls of the gospel is in a moment or twinkling of an eye as that will be it is a change of the soul from an earthly, carnal, dull sluggish, [sic] to a spiritual, heavenly, active, vigorous state in the image of X & likeness to him as that will of the bodies of the saints and tis a resurrection of their souls from death to life as at the last trumpet the bodies of the saints will rise. as at the last judgment the elect shall literally be gathered together to X from one end of heaven to the other by the angels, which is compared to gathering in Xs harvest Math. 13. 30. & v. 39.40.41. so in the preceding dispensation Xs ministers do gather together the elect from one end of heaven to another in a spiritual sense as in Math 24. 31. which kind of gathering is is [sic] often in SS. compared to Xs. harvest, & particularly that gathering in of the elect that will be at the time of the fall of AntiX. Rev. 14. 15.16. at the last judgment when the trumpet has sounded all the elect being risen and changed shall mount up as with wings shall leave this earth to go heavenwards to meet X never to return to this earth any more So at the sounding of the gospel souls being converted are weaned from the T and caused as it were to soar aloft towards heaven where X is never any more to return to this T but to be ever with the Lord. At the last judgment the elect shall be seen flocking together in the air in the regions [A; -s xo?] of the clouds coming multitudes often multitudes one mighty[carefully verify the preceding nine words. Most of the letters were chopped off on the xerox.] flock after another appearing like a great cloud flowing together to that place where X has fixed his throne coming from all countreys so it is in a spiritual sense, at these preceding dispensations. Isai. 60 8 who are these that fly as a cloud and as doves to their windows. This is spoken of those[ck MS] glorious times of the church spiritually will be literally fulfill'd at the day of judgment. Those remarkeable seasons of the church are more like the day of judgment in that respect than any other times that such multitudes are as it were raised from the dead and brought home to X in so little a time; that the work is carried on so swiftly that the earth does as it were bring forth in one day as it will at the day of judgment Isai 66. 8. in the beginning of those glorious days of the church not only are multitude [sic] of sins [sic] converted & so dead souls raised, but also saints are wonderfully renewed and altered as at the day of judgment the dead shall be raised and the living changed. At the day of judgment X comes to the destruction of the wicked & to the salvation of the elect. so it is in these[ck MS] mystical comings of X. They issue in the great happiness of the elect especially that at the fall of AntiX very much an [A: in] image of their heavenly happiness & in amazing destruction of the wicked of which see sermons on Isai 51. 8. concerning those dispensations. The last trumpet sounds to call reprobates to condemnation so in those preceding dispensations that preaching of the gospel that issues in the life and salvation of the elect issues in the condemnation of reprobates. at the day of judgment reprobates will in a sense be raised to life but it will be worse than no resurrection for indeed it will be a resurrection to a more terrible death. so in those former dispensations tho many reprobates will have a kind of a conversion multitudes of em are enlighten'd & converted from heathenism Judaism & popery Mahometanism and a state of visible spiritual death to be visible Xtians yet it not being a real holy change shall only issue in their far more dreadfull death. The T at the day of judgment shall come to an end in an external sense as it does in those preceding dispensations in a spiritual sense. See sermons [E's line ?] The everlasting kindom [sic] of X is in each of these[ck MS] dispensations set up. See Sermon 18. [finis]

¶803. PROGRESS OF REDEMPTION. Xs COMING TO JUDGMENT. <see 835.> Join this to what is said concerning the state of things requiring Xs coming to judgment at the time that he will come in Discourse from Isai. 51. 8. Serm 28. the 3d particular concerning the last apostacy. [D on A. copy: ""Insert No 803 in Work of Redemption p 412 at this mark "]

¶The wickedness of the T will be such at that [time (om. E.)] as immensely more to require Xs immediate appearance in flaming fire to take vengeance on his enemies than ever before by reason of the great light that the wicked Twill then have sin'd against & their great apostacy. If the whole habitable Twere full of people as England is now and all had as great light & immensely greater than England has but the bigger part [is "the" xo w. these?] most of the T had apostatized from Xtianity notwithstanding this great light & had turned infidels as the deists in England have & scoffed at Xtianity as many of them do, & not only so but persecuted the chh & were on [? A:in] a design of extirpating it from the earth how much should we think that the state of things required that the T should be immediately destroyed by fire from heaven.

¶The T before the flood was in a state of great temporal prosperity The earth was exceeding fertile, the air wholesom mens lives very long But they abused their prosperity by giving themselves up to their lusts so Sodom & the cities of the plain also enjoyed exceeding great prosperity their land was fertile as the garden of God & it was well water'd every where & they also abused their prosperity So also it will be a great time of outward prosperity in the future glorious times of the church the plowman shall overtake the reaper & the treader of grapes him that soweth seed and the mountains shall drop sweet wine. Amos 9. 13. The earth shall then yield her increase, & it shall be a time of great health & prolongation of mens lives Isai 33. 24. & the inhabitant shall not say I am sick . probably by a great improvement of the art of physick & the discovery of new sovereign remedies for diseases which have have [sic] hitherto not been discovered the discovery & use of which God has reserved for that time. And this prosperity they shall abuse as they did in the old T & in Sodom as Luke 17. 26.27.28.29.30.

¶Considering the great health & long lives & prosperity of the T for so long a time before 'tis probable there may be an hundred times so many people than in the T as are in it now & most of these will be very presumptiously & contemptuously wicked & all against such great light & mercies. How much therefore will the state of the T require Xs immediate appearance in the most visible signal manner of all to vindicate his own cause

¶God don't see meet to destroy all nations with flaming fire 'till all nations have had the gospel preached to them But when they have had it preached to them for so long a time together in the fullest manner & after all have apostatized and rejected the gospel as growing sick & weary of it, then will the end come. By this means it will be so ordered that when the inhabitants of the T see X coming to judgment they will all know what it means [and will (om. E.)] have been instructed concerning Xs coming. They will have had much warning of [it (om. E.; mg.)] beforehand & especially a little before the church will warn em of the approach of it from the word of God as Noah warnd the old T of the approach of the flood and as Lot warned the inhabitants of Sodom of the approach of their destruction & then they will actually have despised this person that they will see coming to judgment & will have despised the warnings of his coming to judgment being those scoffers that will say Where is the promise of his coming; & therefore this sight of X coming in the clouds of heaven will terribly smite their consciences . Tis the will of God not only that the T should far more universally have the gospel preached to em before its last & most dreadfull destruction comes upon it but also that it should be preached in a vastly fuller & clearer manner than ever yet it has been with immensely greater light & then when the T have rejected the gospel will it be ripe for its last destruction. The cluster of the vine of the earth will be fully ripe. See Discourse on Isai 51. 8. Serm. 28. 3d particular concerning the last apostacy [finis]

¶804. SAINTS in HEAVEN in their present state of SEPARATION from the body are acquainted with the STATE OF THE CHH ON EARTH. Tis manifest that the saints in heaven holy martyrs and others do behold and rejoice in the prosperity of Xs chh on earth and do rejoice in the nations of the T and the heathen being brought under X and have a great share in this prosperity By that kind of union & communion that the XX. reveals that they have with X, Christ beholds this prosperity of his chh for tis the prosperity of his kingdom tis all his glory his victory he is infinitely more concerned in it than any of the angels that minister in it or any of the saints that are then on earth Tis the joy that was set before him in order to whi for which he endured the cross 'tis given him as a reward of what he did and suffered in the work of redemption. But the saints in heaven are his disciples him [sic] members that are with him to behold the glory that God gives him to see the reward that God bestows upon him & not only so but to partake in it that his joy may be fulfilled in themselves for that righteousness & those sufferings by which X purchased this reward is imputed to them & therefore they partake with the Head in the reward it self as at the last day they shall partake with him in that part of the joy that was set before [him (om. e.)] consisting in his judging the T for they shall judge the T with him so they do as much partake with him in those preceding glorious events by which Xs kingdom is set up in the T & that are compared in XX. to his last judgment of the T & that are part of the joy set before him as the glory of the last judgment is and therefore their rejoicing with X in those times of the churches prosperity is promised to them in like manner as their judging the T with him at the last day is promised to him so it is said in the 20 chap. of Rev. that they shall reign with X a thousand years as [sic? &? om.A] as they shall at the last day sit with X in his throne of judgment, judging the nations so it is promised also that they shall sit with X in his throne of government when he reigns over the nations so in the 2 & third chapters of Rev. X promises that they shall sit with him in his throne & that he will give them power over the nations that they shall rule over them with a rod of iron &c-- as he himself recieved of his Father and the saints themselves greatly rejoice in that & praise X for it in the 4 chap of Rev, that they shall reign on earth. And so it represented all along in the course of that prophecy in the Rev. that the saints in heaven seem to be as nearly and immediately concerned in those glorious revolutions as the saints on earth

¶And how meet & suitable is it, and agreable to the gospel scheme that as Xs mediatorial glory & that reward that he has for his own sufferings & righteousness is progressive and is bestowed and advanced in various successive steps and degrees is given first in a degree in his resurrection & then in a far more glorious degree in that first great dispensation that is in XX.[sic] called Xs coming in his kingdom which was in the days of the Apostles beginning with the pouring out of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost and ending with the destruction of AntiX & is advanced much higher still at the second great dispensation of providence that is called his coming in his kingdom viz that in the days of Constantine the Great & much higher still at the third dispensation so called viz that at the destruction of AntiX & at last vastly higher still at the day of judgmt. I say how reasonable is it to suppose that the glory of the chh in heaven that part of the mystical body of X that is with him reigning with him & who are partaking of his reward & whose glory & happiness is all a reward of the same righteousness should be advanced by like steps & degrees at the same time and in the same dispensations of providence (See concerning Ezekiels wheels SS. No. 391. Coroll) [finis; last ref. a later add? Space left at bottom of p.]

¶805. MISERY OF DEVILS & SEPARATE SOULS is PROGRESSIVE, as well as the happiness of the separate souls of saints and is advanced at the same time and by like degrees as each extraordinary advancemt of the prosperity of Gods chh on earth is attended with proportionable terrible judgments on the enemies of God & his chh in this world so those judgments on those that are of Satans kingdom on earth have been attended with dreadfull judgments on Satan and those that are of his kingdom in hell in like manner as the prosperity of X chh and kingdom on earth have been attended with an advancemt of glory to X & those that are of his chh and kingdom in heaven even the saints and angels there Thus when God receemed[sic] his people out of Egypt, and executed judgments on the chhs enemies on earth at the same time he executed judgments on the gods of Egypt who were the devils of hell Exod. 12. 12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and I will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment I am the Lord so Numb. 33. 4. So when God overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea God is said to have broken the heads of the dragon in the waters to have broken the heads of Leviathan in pieces not only that Pharaoh a type of the dragon was destroyed but also that terrible judgments were then executed on the devil himself. so on the destruction of Babilon and the deliverance of the chh from the Babilonish captivity God executed judgments on the idols & gods of Babilon Isai 21. 9. chap. 46. 1.2. Jer. 50. 2. Jer. 51. 44. And I will punish Bel in Babilon and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up. So on the birth of X the devils misery is increased Hence the oracle at Delphos when enquired of why it ceased to give answers answer'd that an Hebrew boy that was King of the gods had commanded to [sic] to be gone thence to hell See Millers Hist of the Propagation of the Gosp. [E's line] & so in those glorious revolutions [sic; A: revelations] that are mention'd in the Book of Rev. 'tis all along represented as 'tho judgments were then executed on the devil. Hence no wonder that he so dreads & opposes the accomplishment of those glorious revolutions [sic]

¶And not only is the misery of the devils in hell greatly increased at these[ck MS] times but also the misery of damned souls especially those that had been when on earth the greatest enemies & opposers of the chh & the chief instruments of the devil at the destruction of particular kingdoms of the devil those wicked souls will especially have their torment in creased that have been before the chief instruments of the devil & opposers of the church in that kingdom as at the destruction of the heathen Roman Empire in the days of Constantine the Great we may suppose that the misery of the souls of persecuting emperours & other persecutors that had been dead before was greatly increased as those SAINTS will especially have their HAPPINESS INCREASED at that time that were the greatest defenders of Xs cause against that opposition & were the greatest sufferers in it as it will also be at the destruction of AntiX the souls of those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus & for the word of God & which had not worshipped the beast nor his image neither had recieved his mark in their foreheads nor in their hands lived & reignd with X a thousand years. Rev. 20. 4.

¶So at the fall of AntiX the separate souls of persecuting popes & other popish persecutors shall especially be increased which is one thing meant by the beasts being then cast into the lake that burns with fire & brimstone & on this account the times of those great dispensations of providence are the more fitly compared to the day of judgment, when devils & wicked souls shall have their misery so greatly increased & the saints their reward so increased [finis]

¶806. NEW HEAVEN, & NEW EARTH. It was proper & natural considering the nature and end of Xs redemption to represent that new state of things that the saints shall enjoy by Xs redemption as a new heaven and a new earth For X came to restore all things & that in him there might be a remedy for every calamity that came by the fall one calamity that was the consequence of the fall was the dissolution of the body There is in Christ a remedy for this calamity the body is through him restored and comfort is administred to the saints against the apprehensions of it by the promises of the resurrection Another calamity that comes by the fall is the dissolution of heaven & earth our dwelling place The remedy that is promised in X is a new heaven and a new earth a new and much better habitation & state of things instead of it, and this is the comfort we have by X against this sorrow This restoration is equivalent to a resurrection of heaven and earth & is more than a meer restoration for it shall be a far more glorious state of things not only than is immediately before the dissolution or conflagration but more glorious than the state of the T was before the fall, as the resurrection of the bodies of the saints is more than a meer restitution for the body shall [not (om. E.)]

only return to life but to a much more glorious state than it was in before its dissolution yea a much more glorious state than the body of man was in before the fall for it shall not be conformed to the body of the first Adam which was a natural body but to the body of X which is a spiritual body see 1 Cor. 15. 44.45 &c-- Hence this new state of things is called a new heaven and a new earth. Christ came to restor all things with respect to the elect that whatever there is of the ruinous effects of the fall through the whole universe all might be fully & perfectly healed in X that old things might pass away & all things become new that man himself might be a new creation creature [E's line] both in his soul by conversion & sanctification & in his body by the resurrection & the world as to him might become a new creation [E's] and so not only himself created anew in X Jesus but every thing created anew as to him fully & perfectly. Rev. 21. 5. Behold I make all things new. Hence the end of the T when this shall be perfected is called the times of refreshing & the times of restitution of all things Act 3. 19.20.21. Christ came to restore all things only with respect to the elect The bodies of the wicked will not be restored from the calamity & ruin it [sic] fell under by the fall And so the T as to the wicked which are far the greater number will not be restored but with respect to the elect it will be restored for they shall recieve a new heaven and a new earth instead of it. If this individual Tbelonged to the elect as much as their bodies then would it be requisite that this individual T should be restored as well as their bodies But this is not the T that properly belongs to them this is not their native T tis not the land of the chh they are not of the T they bent the men of this T but heaven is their countrey The T as to them is to be restored for they are to be delivered from all the evil of it all the calamity that came by the evil state & course of it & are to be more than restored to all the comfort & benefit they had by its first perfect state Every thing in the whole universe is to be new as to them & to be as well and better than if there never had been any sin. [finis]

¶807. WORK OF REDEMPTION THE GREATEST OF GODS WORKS. God who doth all things in amiable harmony hath been pleased to put so much greater honour & dignity on the new creation than he did the old that whereas the old heavens & earth were finished in about 6 days he spends on the new all the time from Xs resurrection to the end of the T which we may well suppose to be at least 3000 years . besides 4000 years before spent in making preparation for it See Discourse on Isai. 51. 8. 1 Inference at the close of serm 29. [finis]

¶ 808 JUSTIFICATION by faith alone. PERSEVERANCE of FAITH How the condition of justification. That [xo c] the <T> [c] perseverance of faith is necessary to a congruity to salvation for it [xo c] <. For it> [c] is implied in several places of SS. that if true believers should fail of a [xo c?] persevering in faith, they were [?] therein be in [?] <would> [c] fail of a title to salvation, or <of> [c] a state of salvation, & would be in a lost state. Joh. 18. 9. 18. 9. Jesus answered, I have told you, that I am he. If therefore ye seek me, Let these go their way. That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, of <O> [c] them which thou gavest me, have I lost none".[Where does quote begin?] i.e X took care, that they might go away, that they might not be in the way of such temptation, as would be in danger of overthrowing them, and [xo?] so that they should not persevere. & so is it is [sic] implied, that if they were overthrown & should not persevere, X would have lost them, the saving relation, that they stood in to X, would have been dissolved. The same seems fully implied in Xs prayer in the 17. chap. of John. Thus he makes use not only of their having recieved Gods word, & believed that God had sent him, but their having kept his word, as a good plea for their title to that favour & aceptance of the F, which he asks of the Father for them /p. 56/ as v. 6. 7. 8 &c---- The same is implied in the 11. v. ""Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are". This implies, that their being one or their standing in a saving relation to him, & <in> [c?] union with his mystical body, depends

[xo c] on the perseverance of their faith, even that union on which a title to all spiritual & saving benefits depends; which is more fully spoken of in the 21 & following verses. This perseverance of believers seems to be the benefit, that is the principal subject of this whole prayer. And in Luke 22. 31. 'Tis implied that if Peters faith had faild, Satan would have had him; Luke 22. 31.32. ""and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." 1 Pet 1. 5. ""who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." where it seems implied, that if they were not kept through faith, or if their faith did not persevere, they would never come to salvation.

¶So believers being overthrown in their faith, or their [not (om. E.)] knowing Xs voice & following him, is called a being plucked out of Xs hand; & it is implied, that the consequence would be their perishing. & [xo c] it also seems to be implied <that> [c] their possession to [sic] eternal life by Xs gift depends on their perseverance. Joh. 10. 27.28. 29 [xo E?] ""My sheep hear my voice, & I know them, & they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." And in the 15. chap. of John believers persevering in faith in X, or in [xo E?] their abiding in him, is spoken of as necessary to the continuance of the saving union and relation that is between X and believers, & Xs abiding in them. as v. 4.5. ""abide in me & I in you-----I am the vine ye are the branches. He that abideth in me & I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." & in the 6. v. it is spoken of , as the necessary consequence of their not abiding in X, if that were possible, that the union should be utterly broken between X & them, & that damnation should be the consequence. ""If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered," and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." & in the 7. v. this perseverance of faith is spoken of as the necessary means of the success of faith, as expressed in prayer, which is faiths [s by c?] voice, necessary to obtain those good things, that faith & prayer seek. ""If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you; ye shall ask what ye will, & it shall be done unto you". & in the 9. & 10. verses it is implied, that Xs aceptance of us & favour to us as his, depends on our perseverance: ""as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. continue ye in my love. if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abode in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandmts, & abide in his love". so the same perseverance is spoken of as necessary to our continuing in the favour & grace of God. ""Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews & religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, perswaded them, to continue in the grace of God". and so it is spoken <of> [c] as necessary to continuing in the goodness of God, and a being cut off is spoken of as the certain consequence of the contrary. Rom 11. 22. ""Behold therefore the goodness & severity of God: on them which fell severity; but towards thee goodness, if thou continue in his <goodness:> [c] otherwise thou also shalt be but off". That expression of standing fast in the Lord, 1 Thes. 3. 8. & Philip. 4. 1. implies that perseverance is necessary, in order [xo c?] to a continuing in X or in a saving relation to him; & more plainly still in 1 Joh. 2. 24. ""Let that therefore abide in you, which he have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son & in the Father". See 1 Cor. 15. 2 & 2. Tim. 4. 7.8. & Heb. 12. 28. See Jer. 3.19. [finis]

¶809. HEAVEN is not the promise of the FIRST COVENANT WITH ADAM, but is only the promise of the covenant of grace & the inheritance which is alone by the purchase of X. For no more is promised in the covenant made with Adam that [sic; D changed to "than"] is some way implied in what God said to Adam as we have an account of the covenant in the word of God but all that is implied is that mans[ck MS] life should be perpetuated & the happy circumstances of it on eating the fruit of the tree of life there is not a word tending to lead Adam to a thought of another unseen T And if God did not by any thing he said lead him to expect it then it is certain that he did not promise it & make it over to him by covenant if there had been any such promise, in that covenant on condition of Adams perfect obedience it must have been to the end that Adam might have it before him as an enforcem't of the commandment God had given & to encourage him to perform the condition of the covenant. Promises & threatnings are enforcements of laws to which they are annexed and engagements to a performance of the condition of covenants they belong to but if Adam had nothing said to him tending to lead him to an expectation of heaven on his perfect obedience it is impossible that the performance of this condition should be enforced by it /p. 57/

¶[?]Adam our first head was a native of this T he was of the earth earthly and if he had stood he would have obtain [sic] eternal happiness here in his own country for himself [and (om. e.)] all his earthly posterity but X our second Head is one that properly belongs to heaven he is the Lord from heaven and the happiness he obtains by his obedience for himself & his spiritual posterity is eternal blessedness in his countrey even heaven. The Apostle Speaking of our being conformed to X in glory at the resurrection & of our natural body & spiritual body says 1 Cor. 15. 44. 15 [sic? A:45] &c--It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body There is a natural body & there is a spiritual body And so it is written the first Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickening Sp. The Apostle is here speaking of what the first Adam was made in his state of innocency & goes on in the 47. v. &c-- The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven As is the earthy such are they also that are earthy & as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly and as we have born the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Thus the Apostle shews in this place how the posterities of the two Adams shall be conformed to the state of their respective heads and what he is speaking of here is not our conformity to the first Adam in the state whereinto [sic] he fell tho' he had spoken of that before but our conformity to him in that state wherein he was made. and therefore if he had never fallen we should have been conformed to him in these[ck MS] respects we should have dwelt in natural earthy bodies tho in the most perfect state of such bodies & without sin so we should be a parity of reason have been conformed to him in the place of his habitation the first Adam was earthy & of the earth in respect to the place of the habitation of his person in the T he was of belonged to as well as in the habitation of his soul or the body that [he (om. E.)] dwelt in & in both we should have been conformed to him . & so in both X's posterity are conformed to him he is from heaven & is heavenly in both these respects he dwells in an heavenly body & heaven is his proper country & dwelling place & in both these respects his posterity shall be conformed to him They shall have spiritual heavenly bodies & shall dwell in heaven & they would have had neither of these had it not been for the redemption of Jesus X New bodies & the new T are both of them be [sic] by the redemption of Jesus X see No. 806. The new sort of bodies which the saints will have viz their spiritual & heavenly bodies whereby they are fitted to dwell in heaven, which they will have by the resurrection or that change that [will come to (? om. E; mg)] pass on the bodies of the living this change of the body shall be only by the second Adam in distinction from the first as the Apostle is very express & full 1 Cor. 15. 22. & v. 44.45.46.47.48.49.50.51.52. But if Adam & his posterity would have been translated to heaven for his perfect obedience then doubtless their natural bodies must have passed under this change & made spiritual & heavenly for as the Apostle says v. 50. Flesh & blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. & then this would have been by the first Adam which is quite contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle. And the new T or the new heavens & new earth is as much by the redemption of Jesus X as the new body See No. 806. but this so far as a place of habitation is meant is heaven This T dont pass away but by a dissolution occasioned by the fall and therefore mankind would not have ascended and left this T for if they had so done this T would have passed away without a fall one reason why heaven is bestowed is because this T is ruind by the fall & is to be destroyed therefore X will come and take away his elect to another T a better T than this is or ever was

¶Tis said Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven, where Xs coming down from heaven and his properly belonging to that countrey seems to be spoken of as the proper ground of mans ascending up to heaven and therefore if one of mankind even the Head of elect mankind had not belonged to heaven & come from thence no man would ever have ascended up to heaven none ever ascended to X but X himself and his members none ever ascended to heaven but mystical X and there is no way of any others ascending to heaven but by being members of him we are made to sit together 'i.e. with X Jesus ) in heavenly places in X & it is the only way that men come to sit in heavenly places evey[sic] by being in X and having communion with him

¶Tis only the promise of the covenant of grace to sit down with X in his throne as he is set down with his Father in his throne this benefit is obtained only by Xs purchase for X obtain'd it for himself to sit in that throne, by his purchase that he made by that victory that he obtained Rom. 3. 21. And therefore tis only by the purchase of X that men go, or ever would have gone, to heaven which is Xs throne

¶The only way that ever has been contrived for the gathering together angels & men into one society and one place of habitation is by X Eph. 1. 10. That in the dispensation of the fullness 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

¶Corol. 1. Hence we may learn how vastly HIGHER and more glorious the happiness that is purchased for the elect by X than that which Adam would have obtaind if he had stood. /p. 58/ we have now shown [sic] how it is so with respect to the place of habitation instead of the glory of an earthly paradise there is purchased the glory of the heaven of heavens instead of the earth that is the habitation of men they shall have heaven the palace and throne of the most high God and without doubt the difference will be proportionable in other respects The happiness that is by X is as much above what would have been by Adam as heaven is high above the earth we should have had the happiness of man[ck MS] by Adam but by Jesus X who is a divine person we are brought to partake in a sort of the very happiness of God himself for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus X in heaven the place of the residence of Gods glory. little did the devil think of any such thing as this being the consequence of mans fall when he said Ye shall be as gods.

¶Corol. 2. This shows [sic] how SATAN WILL BE DEFEATED for not only will his temptation prove an occasion of mans[ck MS] being advanced so much higher in glory, and of verifying that ye shall be as gods [E's line] which was intended by him as a meer illusion but it proves an ocasion of mans being advanced to that very T of glory from which he fell Satan by what he does for the destruction and misery of man is an occasion instead of their being eternally ruin'd of their being advanced from the comparatively low state of happiness they were in then to fill up the place in heaven that he was cast out from he is cast down from his high seat of glory in heaven & men that he envied and destroyed are taken in his room and what he does against [them (om. E.)] to destroy them is made an occasion of bringing it about

¶Corol. 3. Hence we may see one reason why it is fit why the new covenant should so differ from the old that FAITH that believes & looks to and recieves things invisible & of another T should be the great CONDITION of the COVENANT OF GRACE.

¶Corol. 4. Hence we may see a reason why all things in the evangelical constitution should be so spiritual & not savouring of the things of this T, why X did not appear in earthly glory, why his kingdom is not of this T nor is to be managed by Tly means why mortification is so much required in Xtians & why the state of the chh for the most part is a state of such suffering

¶Corol. 5. That heaven is not the promise of the first covenant but is the peculiar promise of the covenant of grace and that the NEW HEAVENS & NEW EARTH, so far as a place of habitation is meant by 'em, are heaven & not this lower T are doctrines that strengthen & establish one another I have shewn[ck MS] how the heavenly T being the new H. & new E. is an argument that heaven is only by the redemption and from this truth viz that heaven is only by the redemption and from this truth viz that heaven is only by the purchase of X, as it is established by other arguments, we may strongly argue that the place of the eternal abode of the church of X shall not be this lower T refined but the highest heavens the country that X has purchased for them the land of the promise of the covenant of grace wherein lies one great difference between the covenant of grace and the first covenant made with Adam. [finis]

¶810. add this at the end of Num. 359.] [E's brack.] SCRIPTURES of the old Testament why constituted of such parts and particularly why such a book as the book of JOB, is inserted. Seeing the church of God in this T is in a militant state and 'tis so appointed of God that his people should through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven and especially seeing that it was appointed of God that the church of X should for so long a time be for the most part in a state of great trouble, in an an [sic] afflicted & travailing state even from the resurrection of X 'till the fall of AntiX and great part of this time under those troubles that are very extreme. How much does the wisdom of God appear in giving his chh. such a book as the book of Job written on occasion of the great & sure affliction of a particular eminent saint. Gods people in no circumstances do more stand in need of revelation from God than when in dark times or in times of great affliction & distress then especially do the saints need some revelation from God to instruct them that when chasten'd they may be taught out of Gods law the saints in such circumstances especially are ready to be confounded in their minds as appears in Job & the Psalmist They then stand in extraordinary need of a revelation from God to comfort & strengthen [sic] Christ himself the head of the chh when in his agony especially stood in need of a revelation from God & therefore then there was sent an angel from heaven strengthening him. Tis therefore a great instance of the fatherly mercy & tenderness of God towards his chh that he has given one book of divine revelation on purpose to instruct them & direct them strengthen & comfort them under such circumstances. This book is exceedingly fitted for these ends The circumstances of Job are very agreable to the afflicted circumstances of the chh. They were from the envy & malignity of the devil as the afflictions of the chh are He was deprived of all his substance all the comfortable possessions of this life and was called to part with all his nearest & dearest friends as Xtians are called to forsake houses & lands wife & children Job had none to stand by him all that formerly used to be friendly to him now forsook him their love was turned into hatred & their honour into contempt as it is with the little flock of X in times of persecution and as it very often is with particular saints that will steadfastly adhere to X & follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes The wife of his bosom forsook [him (om. E.)] /p. 59/ as he says his breath was strange unto his wife so X tells us it should be with him people a mans enemies should be those of his own house his wife proved a tempter to him she tempted him no longer to hold his integrity but to curse God and die Thus it very commonly is with Gods people in time of persecution wives & other dear friends will hang about them to perswade them to forsake the cause of God and they must violently break off from them if they would hold fast their integrity. Job was accused to the devil before God as being an hypocrite so the devil is the accuser of the brethren & accuses them before God day & night in the time of the churches afflicted state. The devil exercised Job with sore and grievous torments of body so he does the church in times of her persecution. Job was the object of great derision so are Gods people. Job was looked upon as an hypocrite & enemy of God so it is with Gods people in time of persecution he was so esteemed & treated by those that used to be his friends & brethren as X was betrayed by [interlineated ?] ill treated by his own familiar friend [sic] so Gods saints in their suffering state are treated by those that used to be Gods people & so their friends thus the Apostles & primitive Xtians were treated by the Jews that formerly had been Gods people so afterwards the saints are treated by the church of Rome that formerly used to be of the chh of God. Jobs friends make use of that as a great argument that God was not his friend that he did not protect & deliver him but saw such terrible calamities come upon him without relieving him so did the Jews make use of the same argument against X & so have the persecutors of the chh all along pleaded against the people of God. The infirmity of human nature with its sinfull corruption under sore affliction is livelily represented in Job. & yet there is also livelily represented in him the integrity and perseverance of true saints through their greatest trials by Gods help. Job was under all [sic] very dear to God God had not forsaken him nor had he taken his faithfullness away from him tho he seemed for a while so to hide his face from him & set him as his mark so is it with Gods afflicted chh. & God at last delivered Job out of trouble as he also will his chh. His deliverance was preceded by Gods sending Elihu as his messenger or[& ?] as Gods forerunner to preach to him & his three friends & to reprove them & teach them the mind & will of God so the deliverance of the Xtian church will be preceded by Gods raising up a number of eminent ministers that shall more plainly & fervently & effectually preach the gospel than it had been before & reprove his own chh & show her her errours & also shall convince gainsayers & shall thoroughly detect the errours of the false chh as Elihu did of Jobs three friends, who tho they were godly men yet were in this matter false friends. See how [the (om. E.)] everlasting gospel is preached just before the fall of Antix. Rev. 14. 6.7.8. Elihu was Gods forerunner so before the end of the chhs suffering state shall there be those raised up that shall come in the spirit & power of Elias going before the Lord to prepare his way. Before Job was deliverd God appeared greatly to humble & make him sensible of his infinite greatness & sovereignty & his own nothingness blindness & unworthiness so before God delivers his chh from her suffering state he will appear by the pouring /mg./ of of a remarkeable spirit of conviction & it may be also in terrible providences as God appeared to Job in a whirlwind, abundantly to convince his professing people of their meanness emptiness blindness & sinfullness & his sovereignty & greatness which the chh now exceedingly needs her greatest errour being her being so insensible of these things & are [means "her" ?] entertaining so may conceits to the contrary of these things

¶Job lost his children under his sufferings so the chh in her persecuted state looses her children by the storm of persecution they are put to death especially in the times of AntiX has the chh been bereaved of her children and brought to be very solitary being reduced to very strait limits. Job lost his servants the Chaldeans the people that were subject to Babilon fell upon them & slew them with the edge of the sword so the chh is bereaved of her ministers X mystical is be looses his servants they are slain with the sword of the spiritual Chaldeans & under the persecutions of the spiritual Babilon.

¶God in the end brought Job to a state of glorious prosperity the hearts of all were wonderfully turned to him and all liberally contributed of their substance to comfort & enrich & adorn him with silver & gold & jewels. Job. 42. 11. so shall God at the close of the chhs suffering state wonderfully turn the hearts of men to her who shall in like manner abundantly contribute of their wealth to enrich and adorn her as appears by many passages in Isaiah. God gave Job much more than he had before his affliction so X has promised that they that forsake fathers & mothers & houses & lands &c- shall have in this life an hundred fold (see notes on the place) & so shall it be in the glorious times of the church. This prosperity continued to Job a long time so shall the future prosperity of the church be long continued

¶Because this instance of Job is so wonderfully accommodated to the circumstances of the Xtian chh in its afflicted state & adapted for her instruction & comfort therefore the Apostle recommends this instance to the consideration of the chh in this afflicted state for these ends Jam. 5. 11. Behold we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy /p. 60/

¶Tis probable the time that this book was first given to the church of Israel was either the time of their affliction in Egypt which was a type of the suffering state of the Xtian under Rome or the time of their travail in the wilderness a type of the same afflicted state of the chh wherein she is represented as the woman in the wilderness . and that Moses either wrote the book in Midian or brought it thence with him written by another to his own people in Egypt or else it was brought to him in the wilderness by Jethro or written by Moses there. & so the time of tis being first given to the chh of Israel agrees with that which I have supposed to be the special design of the book see further 878

¶Another end of inserting this book into the canon of the Old Testament might be that the church of God might thereby have some view of the antient theology that the chh & people of God had before the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai. [finis]

¶811. SEPARATE souls of SAINTS in HEAVEN. acquainted with what is done on earth. Rev. 12. 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation & strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his X For the accusers of OUR BRETHREN [E's line] is cast down that accused them before God day & night. By this it appears that when there is mention made in this book, (as there very often is,) of the praises of the inhabitants in heaven & great rejoicings among them on occasion of the glorious works of God towards his church on earth, that thereby is really intended the chh in heaven the assembly of saints and angels as distinguished from the church on earth For here the distinction is made those[ck MS] that are here represented as rejoicing in heaven praise God for the deliverance of the saints on earth which they call their brethren. But it would hardly be thus represented time after time in this book as tho' there were such great rejoicings & praises in heaven when glorious things were accomplished for the church on earth if the church in heaven were not indeed sharers in the joy.

¶Again the same may be argued from what God says in the Book of Job of the hosts of heaven singing & shouting for joy when they saw the formation of this lower T. if they beheld the work of God in the old creation & it was an occasion of great joy with them much more may we suppose that they behold the work of God in the new creation & greatly rejoice on occasion of the glorious progress of that work which is so much more glorious & wherein they are so much more concerned & employed as ministring spirits & which is a work so much more nearly concerning the end of their creation for they were made to be ministring spirits in this affair. And if they behold these[ck MS] works we may argue that so do the saints in heaven also that are of the same worshipping praising & rejoicing society with them & are those that are recieved into that society to fill up the gap that was made by the fall of some of them and who are much more nearly concern'd in this work of redemption than the angels as being some of the subjects of it and are more nearly related by far to the chh on earth being more properly of the same family & members of the same body

¶Again the same may be argued from Math 19. 28.29. in the 28. tis promised to the disciples that hereafter when the Son of man should sit on the throne of his glory they should sit on twelve thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, which seems especially to relate to the glorious times of the chh on earth after the fall of AntiX . concerning which time the Apostle John one of those to whom X spake this says in the 20 of Rev. that he saw thrones and them that sat upon them & judgment was given unto them & that they reigned with X a thousand years Then shall the Apostles as it were sit on twelve thrones judging & reigning over Gods chh or spiritual Israel in that glorious success that their doctrine shall then have to su[b]due the T & govern the hearts of men. but what benefit will this be [to (om. E.)] them if they never see it & never rejoice in it as here tis promised to them as a reward in such terms that tended to lead them to expect that it should be something that they should ENJOY so doubtless it will be And in the 29. v. tis said And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall recieve an hundred fold & shall inherit everlasting life in other evangelists 'tis said that they shall recieve an hundredfold in this time & in the T to come everlasting life Their recieving an hundredfold of houses & lands &c-- has its accomplishment especially in the glorious times of the church on earth when the meek shall inherit the earth & shall reign on earth tis said in one evangelists [sic?] shall recieve an hundredfold with persecutions. i.e they shall obtain the possession of this hundredfold in a way of first suffering persecution. This argues that the saints in heaven shall enjoy the glory of thise [sic] times & shall properly have the possession of this hundredfold of houses & lands &c--& shall enjoy the inheritance of the earth

¶So tis promised to Daniel that he shall stand in his lot in the happy days of Gods chh. which seems to imply that he shall share in the glory of them

¶So the promises made to Abraham Isaac & Jacob & David of the glorious things God would bring to pass on earth in their posterity doubtless implies that they should see the fulfillment of the promises & should enjoy the glory & blessedness thereof God would not make so much of promises that they were never properly to enjoy, or be [A; ?] the beter [sic? A: better] of any other way than in /p. 61/ a thought of what would be long after they were dead & which they should never see & enjoy. God is not the God of the dead but of the living & when he fulfills promises that he has made he dont fulfill em to them that are dead & wholly insensible of the fulfillment & have no share in it but to those that are alive to enjoy them & know that they are accomplished Therefore tis said in the 20 of Rev. of saints that had lived in former ages that they LIVED [E's line] and reigned with X a thousand years [space on line] When God says to Moses I am the God of Abraham & of Isaac & of Jacob, whence X argues that he is not the God of the dead but of the living, tis especially with respect to promises that God had made to them glorious things to be accomplished to their seed on earth Therefore Xs argument proves that they were alive to enjoy the fulfillment of these[ck MS] promises. See SS No 381 [finis; last ref later?]

¶812. JUSTIFICATION is not only PARDON of sin and indeed it dont in strictness consist at all in pardon of sin but in an act or sentence approving of him as innocent and positively righteous and so having a right to freedom from punishment and to the reward of positive righteousness. Pardon as the word is used in other cases signifies a forgiving one freely tho' he is not innocent or has no right to be looked on as such there is nothing of his own he has to offer that is equivalent to innocence but he justly stands guilty but notwithstanding his guilt he is freed from punishment but the pardon we have by X is a freeing persons from the punishment of sin as an act of justice and because they are looked upon and accepted as having that which is equivalent to innocence viz satisfaction. Tis called pardon because tho in it self it be an act of justice and strictly speaking the person pardoned has no sin or guilt to be pardoned yet considered with those preceding free gift of X & the free establishment of the covenant of grace the free giving us repentance & faith in X for remission, I say considered with these things 'tis a most free & wonderfully gracious act & may well be called pardon.

¶What is done for a sinner on his repentance respecting sin consists in two things viz in accepting him as innocent or as having that which is equivalent to innocence & in establishing a freedom from punishment consequent upon it. but in strictness that in his justification which respects sin consists only in the former viz in accepting him as innocent or negatively just. and pardon most properly consists in the latter viz freeing him from punishment which is consequent on the other for freeing from punishment is consequent on on [above caret; om. A] satisfaction or acquired innocence for it depends on it as its foundation justification consists in imputing righteousness. To pardon sin is to cease to be angry for sin. But imputing righteousness & ceasing to be angry for sin are two things one is the foundation of the other God ceases to be angry with the sinner for his sin because righteousness is imputed to him.

¶ Meer pardon can in no propriety be called justification if one that is called before a judge and is tried whether he be guilty of such a crime and so whether he be bound to the punishmt of it be acquitted in judgement as being found innocent & so under obligation to punishment then he may properly be said to be justified but if he be found guilty & is condemned but afterward as a justly condemned malefactor is freely pardon'd who ever calls that justifying of him.

¶Corol. Hence we may see how that persons cannot be justified without a righteousness consistent with Gods truth for it would be a false sentence it would be to give sentence concerning a person that he is approvable as just that is not just and cannot be approved as such in a true judgment To suppose a sinner pardond without a righteousness implies no contradiction but to justify without a righteousness is selfcontradictory. [finis]

¶813. CHRIST why the JUDGE of the WORLD. X is a fit person to judge between God and man being a middle person between both the divine & human nature & having manifested infinite regard both to the honour of Gods majesty & justice and to the wellfare of mankind. [finis]

¶814. PROGRESS OF REDEMPTION. DELUGE. It was wisely determin'd of God that the effect of the fall should be seen in a very conspicuous & visible and universal manner both with respect to temporal and spiritual death before X came into the world to work out redemption with respect to spiritual death in the apostacy of the T to visible wickedness casting off the true God & worshipping of idols & into that gross heathenism wherein the things that appertain to spiritual death such as mans ignorance & blindness unreasonableness & brutality & slavery to the devil &c-- are remarkably conspicuous and with respect to temporal death in the destruction of the universal deluge wherein the effect of the fall in the temporal destruction of the fallen T as the fruit of sin & as inflicted by Gods wrath was most remarkeably conspicuous much more than in the death of mankind as it happens in the ordinary course of nature. The hand of God and his wrath were more visible in it & so [xo? bl.? om. A] the awfullness of the tendency of the fall with respect to temporal destruction was much more manifest many ways. Tho' all men are subject to death as it comes in the ordinary course of nature yet the T of mankind is not so properly destroyed by death in this way tho all men die one after another yet the T of mankind yet lives men do as it were live in their families & death in this way tho it be universal yet is so gradual that it is not set before us in /p./ one view as the destruction of the T of mankind but little is seen at a time death not gaining the conquest & triumphing in universal awfull devastation as in the other case, but the Tstill rejoices in life & natural generation as it were maintaining its ground against death yea gaining ground of it by giving more life than death takes away & so gradually increasing the number of living men on earth and especially before the flood was it thus when mens lives were so long and mankind increased and multiplied so fast. God was pleased by the flood to give one example of the mischief of the fall the ill effects of sin in the ruin that it has exposed all mankind to by the temporal destruction of the T at once. and a very remarkable image of their awfull eternal destruction before he accomplished the salvation of the T by X And in a sense before the work of redemption of the T by X was begun as it was begun after the flood in the CALLING OF ABRAHAM This is [sic] some sense may be looked upon as the beginning of the work of redemption It was the planting of the tree whence that branch of the righteousness should sprout forth it was the planting of that tree the chh of God or rather mystical X including both the head & the members the stock & all the branches The great branch of righteousness and all the lesser branches & twiggs that were to grow out of it it was the first planting of that tree that was to grow till its top should reach unto heaven & its roots & its branches & fruit were to fill the whole earth. [space on line] God saw meet greatly to diminish the temporal prosperity of the T by the flood by destroying almost all its inhabitants & by greatly diminishing the days of the lives of the residue and more fully bringing the curse on the ground by diminishing its fertility & the pleasantness & wholesomeness of its fruits & destroying the antient purity &healthiness of the air and water & all the aliment of human bodies before he thus began the salvation of the T by X.

¶God gave Adam before he fell a grant of the earth founded on the covenant of works but when he fell he lost the inheritance of the earth by this grant & God was pleased once to take the earth away from mankind by the deluge to let 'em see the dire effects of the fall in this forfeiture before have [sic] gave em a new grant of the earth founded on the covenant of grace and the redemption of Jesus X

¶The destruction of the T by the flood was in the fullness of time for it was needfull that before God gave such an example of the destructive tendency of the fall the T should be full of people that the terribleness of the effect might be greater & [the (om.E)] awfull tendency of mens sin the more visible [TAS notes: to whom?] But yet it was wisely ordered that this destruction should not be at a very great distance from the fall not so great but that the T had a fresh remembrance of it and of Gods awfull threatning denounced on the T thereupon. So that some that were alive 'till the flood came or 'till just before it might have had it from Adam at first hand. And it was also wisely ordered so early that that preparation for the redemption of X that was to be begun afterwards might not be too long delayed

¶ABRAHAM was CALLED in the fullness of time. The destruction of the T by sin having been exemplified in the eyes of angels and men and it being now apparent that tho' the wicked T was destroyed and only one family preserved which was Gods visible church, I say it being notwithstanding now become apparent that the T notwithstanding still is in a ruind condition is a wicked T and stands in absolute need of a Redeemer the T that was only of the posterity of that righteous person that was saved from the flood hav<be>ing now generally become visibly wicked apostatizing from the worship of the true God to the worship of idols now God begins the great preparation for the redemption of the T by Jesus X by the calling of Abraham that person of whose seed the Redeemer was to be that in his seed the chh might be upheld & that the way might be prepared for the coming of X by Gods dispensation towards them for a succession of ages. [finis]

[Dwight's note at beginning: "N.B. The 1st & 3d paragraphs of No. 814 to be inserted in Work of Redemption p. 189 at this mark . The 2d paragraph at p. 191 & the 4th at p. 196."]

¶815. The T is now vastly more extensively peopled now than it was before X then very great part & perhaps the greater part of the inhabitants of the Twere within the limits of the Roman Empire or on its borders but now what is confined within those limits is but a little part of the T. And tis very probable that the devil who had for so many ages feigned as god of this T & had miserably enslaved the nations of it did after Xs ascension when he saw how wonderfully the gospel prevailed, lead [? A] away many people into the more remote corners of the earth And this may account for the people of the northern cold regions of the earth where the climate seems to be almost intolerable which perhaps can scarcely be accounted for otherwise. and particularly 'tis probable that it is hence that AMERICA was first peopled some of the Americans giving this account when the Europeans first came hither that their god had led [? A; blurred] them hither

¶But SATAN in the end will be DEFEATED in this, for he only has prepared the way for the more extensive & glorious kingdom of Jesus X which shall be at that time /p. 63/ when the whole earth shall be given to him for his possession. and prepared the way for a new triumph of X over him and one that is far greater and obtained by a far more extensive victory than [that (om. E.)] which X obtaind over him in the days of Constantine the Great [finis]

¶816. The following reasons seem to render it probable that FEW ARE CONVERTED in INFANCY. 1. Those that are converted in infancy never know by experience what their state is by nature they may believe it to be totally corrupt and that by nature no goodness in them [sic] & that they are altogether slaves to sin & Satan & that they are altogether slaves to sin & Satan & that they are the children of wrath and without any favour of God they may believe it from what they are taught in the word and they may in a sense know it by experience i.e they may rationally argue it from what they find themselves to be now at some seasons when the Spirit of God is withdrawn they may see enough to convince 'em that they are totally corrupt and utterly ruin'd as they are in themselves but they can't know by immediate experience what their state by nature is. And if any of those that are converted in infancy should be called to be ministers they would be under great disadvantage in dealing with those that are in a natural condition and in teaching others the difference between a converted and an unconverted state, for they would not know by experience

¶2. Such persons as are converted in infancy are never sensible [sic] deliver'd from their natural blind, wicked miserable condition & never would be the subjects if any sensible redemption from this state in that which is most properly their redemption from it viz. their conversion tho' they might be sensible of redemption from remains of corrupt nature & slavery to sin & from such sorrowful circumstances wherein they suffer [A; ?] much of the darkness & misery of a natural condition in renewed conversations. We know how very much God seems to insist on it that his mercy & salvation <should> be sensible & therefore is wont so to order the circumstances of it as to make it most sensible and visible ---- He hath conclude [sic] all in unbelief (i.e. in visible unbelief) that he might have mercy upon all.

¶How far God may go out of his usual way in this respect in extraordinary times & particularly in those glorious times of the chh that are approaching (as he doubtless will then go out of his usual way with respect to their [sic] being but few saved) I can't tell. [finis]

¶817. DEGREES OF GLORY will not be precisely in proportion to the degrees of grace in this /mg/ without any respect to any thing else But by the Scriptures it seems as tho in proportioning the degrees of glory these four things would chiefly come in consideration 1. The degrees of grace and holiness here not only the degree of the principle but of the exercises & fruits God will reward a principle of grace as well as punish a principle of corruption or a corrupt nature & God will also reward all the exercises & fruits of grace for all these are good works but no one good work shall go without its reward tho' it be only in the heart. When grace is exercised only in the heart the saints do well, as God said to David [space for ref.] Thou didst well that it was in thine heart. But especially shall grace be rewarded when exercised in voluntary & overt acts as sin is perfected in such acts agreable to the Apostle [space for ref.] When lust hath concieved bringeth forth sin & sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. so it is in grace And God in both rewards & punishments has not only respect to the corruption or grace it self but to the expression & manifestation.

¶2. Another thing by which the degree glory is proportion'd is the degree of good that is done by the exercise & fruits of grace the degree of glory to the name of G. and the degree of good done to men especially to the houshold of faith. That the degree of both punishmts & reward [sic] will be in some measure proportion'd [to (om. E.)] the good or hurt done is manifest by innumerable passages of SS. How terrible are those sins of the wicked especially threatend by which they offend Xs little ones or hurt the church of God & what rewards are promised to those that /mg/ good to the bodies of men that give to the poor tis said that such do lend to the Lord & that that which they give he will pay em again he will pay em good measure pressed down shaken together & running over how much is this way of doing good spoken of as a way of laying up treasure in heaven & laying up in store a good foundation against the time which is to com [sic] . 1 Tim 6. 17.18.19. & especially giving to the poor saints or members of X X says that what is done to them he shall look upon as done to himself, & that he that gives to a disciple in the name of a disciple shall in no case loose his reward. & doing [good (om. E.)] to the souls of men shall yet be more highly rewarded tis said that they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever &ever so the Apostle speaks of those that were converted by his ministry as his joy & crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus these words of X are remarkeable in Joh. 4. 34.35. The fields are already white unto the harvest & he that reapeth recieveth wages.

¶3. Future degrees of glory will be in proportion to persons self denial & suffering in [w xo] in the exercises & fruits of grace for when grace is exercised and manifested in this manner it is especially to the glory of God for hereby the creature makes a sacrifice of himself & all things to the Creatour and this kind of exercises of grace are especially evidential of the truth & reality & strength of grace and besides God has regard in the reward not only to the /p. 64/ goodness there is in this kind of exercises of grace but to what the creature has lost in them to make it up to him Hence David said when Shimai cursed him [space for ref] it may be the Lord will reward me for his cursing this day & hence such declarations & promises in SS. as these[ck MS] Math 5. 11.12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you & shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven 2 Tim. 2. 11. 12. It is a faithfull saying for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also reign with him 1 Pet. 4. 13. But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Xs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy & many other places. And what great rewards are especially promised to suffering Xtians in the Revelations.

¶4. Eminency in humility for not only will the degree of grace that consists most essentially in the degree of love be regarded in the reward but the particular manner of the exercise of grace one way of the exercise of love may be such as is more especially becoming & beautifull in a creature & such a creature as man & may be that which more especially exalts God & God may especially be concerned to reward this by exalting & glorifying the subject of such exercises. & besides as in suffering so in humility the saint does as it were loose /mg/ he denies himself he casts away himself, he renounces his own glory for God Now God in the reward is concern'd to make up this loss. Hence we are so often told that God looks to him & will dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite spirit & that he that humbles himself shall be exalted & hence X when enquired of who should be the greatest in the kingdom of God makes answ. Math. 18. 4. That he that humbles himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of God. [finis]

¶818. GRACE HOW A PRINCIPLE in the HEART. Rightly to understand the nature of the habit of grace it must be observed that the Spirit of God in the heart of a saint acts both as a natural vital principle and also as a voluntary agent manifesting care of that heart that it is in least it should be overcome by temptations & least it should fall away. The heart sometimes seems to be going on in a way to ruin for some time and comes just to the edge of it does but just escape going over the brink once and again & sometimes seems as if it was gone & would not revive again but yet the indwelling Spirit takes care of the heart and wonderfully & with great care & wisdom conducts preserves it & restores it. The exercises & operations of this Spirit are after the manner of a natural principle in many respects but yet there is that in it that shews it [to (om. E.)] be something supernatural not only in such a sense as to be a principle besides all the principles of human nature as such but also so as to be above all nature above all laws of any nature & all natural principles whatsoever. It acts both after the manner of a natural principle or seed & yet after the manner of a voluntary agent yea & a most sovereign agent & yet of a wise, carefull, & faithfull agent & so every way as a divine agent or as God acting in the soul That indwelling vital Spirit acts so as to punish miscarriages & reward diligence and to answer prayer The continuance of its actings are in many respects like the continuance of the exercises of a nature the exercises of that wherein nature consists will be continual because nature can't be destroyed but in other respects the continuance of its actings is after such a manner as to shew plainly that 'tis owing to a covenant faithfullness And more especially does the indwelling Spirit appear in its manner of acting as a voluntary agent more that [sic] a natural necessary principle, in times of the greatest exigence, & in it highest acts & fruits as in those extraordinary exercises of grace that are often given under great trials terrible persecutions & the like.

¶Corol. Hence we may observe that GRACE is a SUPERNATURAL thing in these three respects 1. Tis from the supernatural & immediate operation of the Spirit 'tis given at first by an efficiency that is not such an efficiency as is confined to the laws of nature but tis immediate and arbitrary. 2. The effect it self is supernature [sic] the principle and exercises are something diverse in nature & kind from & above all that belongs to or proceeds from human nature as such see sermons on the parable of the ten virgins. 3. They are supernatural so as not only to be above all the principles & exercises of human nature as such but so as to be above all nature whatsoever that is its exercises are after the manner not of a meer natural [principle (om. E.)] or a principle that in its exercises is subject to laws of nature but above all state fixed laws & so is a divine thing that it acts in divine manner as God himself is a being above all nature a voluntary sovereign arbitrary agent not subject to laws of nature in his acting but above all those laws being the arbitrary author of all those laws. [finis]

¶819. How EVANGELICAL OBEDIENCE influences in the Affair of JUSTIFICATION. It seems to be a mistaken notion that many have of Gods looking at the heart as tho' all that God looked at or had respect to in his dispensations towards men with respect to their state towards him or relating to their own wellfare was only the inward principle or habit & the immanent acts of the principle. whereas it is plain by the tenour of the whole Bible that God has respect not only to principles & immanent acts but also to overt and transitory [sic; but "transitive" through rest of No.] acts & especially to them and tho he looks at the heart and not at what is meerly outward for so tis no more than the act of a machine but yet he looks chiefly at the heart as exercised in those acts punishing & rewarding in accepting & rejecting or granting or denying any favour or privilege or appointing men in any respect to any state & in all his dealings with men in his moral government of them so it is in Gods punishing men the transitory & overt acts of sin are especially threatend & we find every where that they & those that do especially excite Gods wrath & bring on his vengeance for tis in them that lust or the corruption of the heart is brought forth & is perfected as the Apostle observes. So it is in rewards we find the transitive exercises & good fruits of grace are they that rewards are especially promised to throughout the Bible & that tis they that have especially been rewarded from time to time according to the account of the Scripture ? & it is these kinds of acts that have especially been regarded in the covenants that God has made with mankind Thus it was in the first covenant it was actually abstaining from the tree of knowledge that was the main thing in the express condition & it was Adams actually <prob xo(no A)> eating in the overt act that was chiefly the by which the covenant was broken & the curse brought upon him tho' there were many inward corrupt acts tending to it before and so it is in the covenant of grace 'tis a coming to X cleaving to him & expressing a choice of him & trust in him in act & practice that is the thing chiefly looked at in the condition of this covenant. Tis true the covenant of grace vastly differs from the first covenant in that [A ed:this] that the moral quality the goodness or badness of the thing that was the condition was the thing that was looked at in the first but tis only the natural quality of the thing that is the condition is looked [at (om. E)] in the second covenant . but yet this affords not the least reason why the overt or transitive act should be more looked at in the one case than in the other For both the moral & natural qualities [E's line] of those things in us that are the conditions of both these covenants are more or less in the inward principle & exercises or the transitive & overt acts according as the being [E's line] of those things lies more or less in them the being of obedience law [sic; Aed: lay] more in the overt practical act of obedience to the law of the first covenant & so the moral goodness of the obedience <law> lay more in them. So the being of a closing with and adhering to X lies more in the transitive practical acts of a principle of unition & adherence & therof. the natural quality of it that is looked at in the covenant of grace lies more in it. For not only does the manifestation & outward appearance of a closing with X lie more in the practical exercises: & therefore is chiefly looked at in the covenant of grace [finis]

¶820. JUSTIFICATION. REPENTANCE for the remission of sins is a particular kind of exercise of justifying FAITH. add this to the definition given of repentance for the remission of sins in the Discourse on Justification Tho this condition of the remission of sins don't take the denomination of repentance equally from all this but especially from some part of it For justifying faith it self don't take its denomination of faith from all that is of the essence of it for love is of the essence of faith yea is the very life and soul of it and the most essential thing in it see notes on James 2. last verse but it takes its denomination from that part that is not xxx [finis; a word (radagn?) in pencil (by A copyist?) at the end of this number.]