¶1115. PRAYER MORNING & EVENING The sacrifice that was commanded to be offered morning & evening is from time to time called the continual burnt offering "which intimates (says Mr. Henry, Note on Num. 28) that when we are bid to pray alwaies and to pray without ceasing `tis intended that at least, every morning & every evening we offer up our solemn prayers & praises to God" [finis]
¶1116. That THE CHURCH or ELECT MEN are chosen as the peculiar objects of Gods love beyond the whole creation is confirmed by Deut 10. 14,15. Behold the heaven & the heaven of heavens is the Lords thy God the earth also with all that therein is Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them and he chose their seed after them even you above all /p. 106/ people as it is this day. compare with this Heb. 2. 16. He took not hold of angels but he took hold of the seed of Abraham. [finis]
¶1117. USURY. The children of Israel from time to time are charged not to oppress the stranger. Exod 22. 21. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. chap. 23. 9. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Levit. 19. 33,34. And if a stranger [sojourn (om.E)] with thee in your land ye shall not vex him (or oppress him as it is in the margin) but the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you and thou shalt love him as thy self For ye were stangers in the land of Egypt. <See also Deut. 24. 14. & 17. & 27. 19. Jer. 7. 6. & 22. 3. & Zech. 7. 10.> And they are reproved for oppressing the stranger as an high crime . Ezek. 22. 7. In the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger. The people are commanded to love the stranger because God loveth him. Deut. 10. 18, 19. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless & widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt . See also Ps. 146. 9. And yet the people were allowed to <take> lend money on usury of the stranger. Deut 23. 20. Whence tis evident there is no oppression nor injustice in usury nor any thing inconsistent with the grand command that is the summ of the 2d table of the law viz loving our neighbour as our selves. [finis]
¶1118. DISPENSATIONS. Tis no evidence that the covenant God entred into with Israel of old was specifically diverse from the covenant of grace established in Christ under the gospel because it is spoken of as another covenant . any more than it is an evidence that the covenant that God entred into with Israel at Mt Sinai was specifically diverse from that which he entred into on the plains of Moab, because that is spoken of as another covenant Deut. 29. 1. See concerning the two DISPENSATIONS . some good hints in Mr. Glas's Notes on SS. texts Num. 3 p. 15. &c-- [finis[ Glas ref. added after next begun]
¶1119 THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN ACQUAINTED WITH WHAT IS DONE ON EARTH. Tis an argument of this that God so often calls the heavens to be witnesses of his dealings with men<a> on earth Deut 31. 28. chap. 32. 1& IV. 26. XXX. 19. Ps. L. 4. Isai 1. 2. [[E's br] see 1121 [finis]
[A large asterisk before this No., and "Wrong" written by it; the asterisk is xo. The "Wrong" may be by A copyist.] NB the marking & the "wrong" were before the "written out"
¶1120. FAITH IN CHRIST THE CONDITION OF SALVATION.][E's br] It is observable, that as trusting in God, hoping in him, waiting for him &c. are abundantly insisted [on (om.E)] in the Old Testament, as the main condition of God's favour, protection, deliverance & salvation, in the book of Psalms & else-where; so in most of those places where these graces of trust & hope are so insisted upon, the subjects of them are represented as being a state [of (om.E)] trial, trouble, difficulty, danger, opposition & oppression of enemies & the like. But[xo c] And [c] the clearer revelation & more abundant light of the New-Testament, which [xo c] brings into clear<er>[c] view the state that all mankind are in with regard to those things that are invisible, the invisible God, an invisible ' and invisible enemies, & so shews mens<a> lost, miserable captivated, dangerous & helpless state, & reveals the infinite mercy of God & his glorious alsufficiency to such wretched helpless creatures, & also exhibits Christ in the character of the Saviour of the miserable, the great Redeemer of /p. 107/ captives &c-- Hence faith, trust & hope are most fitly insisted [on (om.E)] as the duty & qualification peculiarly proper for all mankind, & the vertue proper to be exercised in their circumstances towards God and Christ, as they reveal themselves in the gospel, as belonging to them in the<eir>[c] character & relation to us & concern with us, in which they are there exhibited; and as the grand condition of our salvation & [xo E] our receiving [sic] those benefits, which we as sinful miserable & [wxo] & helpless creatures need from them, and which Christ as a Redeemer appears ready to bestow. [finis]
¶1121 SAINTS & ANGELS IN HEAVEN ACQUAINTED with what is done on earth.][E's] The Psalmist in Ps. 89. speaking of the work of redemption the covenant God had made with his chosen, and Gods prosecutiong the designs of his mercy & covenant faithfulness in his dealing with his church from age to age gradually bringing the designs of his mercy to their consummation as an architect gradually erects & compleats a building v 1----5 He says v. 5. The heavens shall praise thy wonders O Lord thy faithfulness also in the congregation of thy saints or holy ones Now this cant be only such a figure of speech as when sometimes the earth seas rock mountains & trees are called upon to praise the Lord This is rather a prediction of an event that shall come to pass of the notice the heavens shall take of these<o> particular wonders of Gods mercy & faithfulness & their celebrating them in their praises & doing it in the assembly of Gods holy ones . And what assembly can that be but that which we read of Heb. 12. 22,23. Such a praising of the heavens seems here to be spoken of as is described in Rev. 5. 8 to the end 7. 9,10. 11. 15,16,17. 12. 10,11,12 14. 3. 18. 20. 19. 1----7. [finis]
¶1122 add this to No. 954. p. 6. B. 4. HEAVEN PERFECTED. The external heaven surrounds Christ not meerly as an house surrounds an inhabitant or as a palace surrounds a prince or as stones & timbers encompass a lande [sic; prob.; see xo. mat. line above; d. om this clause] But rather as plants and flowers are before the sun that have their life & beauty & being from that luminary or as the sun may be encompassd round with reflections of his brightness as the cloud of glory in Mt Sinai surrounded Christ there see 1126. [finis]
¶1123 MORAL VERTUE doth not primarily & summarily consist in TRUTH for if it were so love could not properly be said to be the summ of all the moral commands of God and of all moral duties ALL moral vertues could not be ultimately resolved into love as their common fountain & summary comprehension. Particularly the vertues of veracity & justice & those commands of God that require us to speak the truth to our neighbour & that re/p. 108/ quire human judges to judge justly & according to truth could not be properly resolved into the law of loving our neighbour as a general law that properly comprehends it in the ground & reason of it The vertue of love cannot be the comprehension fountain & reason of these vertues on the contrary the law of truth is rather the sum & fountain & ground & reason of the law of love . the great command of love dont stand in the place of the root & stock & the law of truth in the place of branches from this general or common root but on the contrary the law of truth is more general & original & stands in the place of the root & the law of love is one of the branches from that root or common stock . such is the case with moral vertues & duties that general duties & rules contain the ground of particular duties that are as it were branches of the general as particular that general rule of doing justly implies the ground & reason of a great many particular duties & rules . as for instance tis the duty of a man to pay his debts becasue that is to do justly Tis the duty of a judge to acquit the innocent & condemn him who is evidently guilty because that is to do justly, &c-- And if this therefore were the case of all moral rules whatsoever with regard to truth that all are summarily to be resolved into the law of truth as the most general law comprehending all the rest then this law or rule of acting according to truth would contain in it the reason of all other laws and even the law of loving God & our neighbour. the reason why we ought to love God & our neighbour would be this that we ought to act according to truth <and if so the laws of speaking & acting according to truth>[TS] that forbid [sic] lying &c--could not properly be represented as branches of the general law of love & this would not be the reason why we ought to speak & act according to truth that we ought to speak & act according to love but on the contrary the reason why we ought to speak & act according to love would be this that we ought to speak & act according to truth. [finis]
¶1124. CONVICTION. In the seven first verses of the 107th Psalm the redemption of Gods people from the hand of enemy [sic] from the four quarters of the world very much in the same manner as their redemption by the Messiah is often foretold by the prophets & probably the Holy Spirit here has respect to the spiritual salvation by Christ /p. 109/ And `tis observable that here the redeemed from far countreys are spoken of as first brought into a wilderness before they are brought into the city of God This is agreeable to Hosea. 2. 14. and was typified by the peoples going through the wilderness of Arabia in their return from Babilon to Jerusalem, as well as their wandring in the wilderness in their way from Egypt to Canaan. [finis]
¶1125. CHRIST'S ASCENSION It was antiently spoken of as a great priviledge that Gods people had and a /mg/ a ground of their glorying & triumph that their God was in the heavens Ps. 115. 2,3. Wherefore should the heathen say Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens He hath done whatsoever he pleases. And so `tis just matter of triumph to Christians that they have a Saviour an high priest & king that has undertaken for them in the heavens See Heb. 4 14. chap. 7. 26. Eph. 1. 20 to the end Ps. 68. 18. & 47. 5 & 7. [finis]
¶1126. add this to N. 1122. HEAVEN PERFECTED after the day of judgment.][E's] Solomons temple was a great type of heaven & the prophet Haggai foretells that the glory of the latter temple shall be greater than of the former because that the Messiah the desire of all nations should come into it. Hag. 2. 6,7,8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens & the earth, & the earth and the sea & the dry land and I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts The glory of the latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of hosts and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of hosts I suppose that what was here foretold concerning that typical temple was fulfilld much more properly & amply concerning heaven it self when the Messiah entered into it at his first ascension & will be fulfil'd to a much more glorious degree still at his second ascension & entrance into that heavenly temple with his glorified & compleat mystical body as well as his natural body after God has in a literal manner shaken the heavens & the earth the sea & the dry land & shaken all nations [finis]
¶1127. Question for what reasons & ends was it requisite that Gods intelligent creatures should first be in a STATE OF PROBATION before he is in a state of confirmed happiness
¶Ans. 1. Without this there would not properly have been any such thing as a divine moral government over intelligent creatures & so that display which God makes of his moral perfections in the moral government of the world would have fail'd. But it is chiefly by the exercise of moral government that God displays his moral perfections which are in a peculiar manner the glory of the divine nature if every intelligent creature at its first creation had been confirmed in indefectible holiness & happiness & knew that he was so there could have been no use of divine laws there might have been manifestations of the divine will which God himself would have been obliged to see to the fulfilmt of but no commands with the proper sanctions & enforcements of threatnings of punishmt shewing the sacredness of Gods authority. Nor could the creature have had any idea of any /p. 110/ such thing as Gods authority as a moral governour which consists in a right to give laws with sanctions or to command with the enforcement of threatend punishment in case of disobedience: they might have had an idea of the suitableness of the creatures compliance with the divine will but would scarcely have had any such idea as disobedience deserving & exposing to a terrible punishment for disobedience would not have been conceived of as a thing possible nor would misery have been conceived of among possible things nor could they well have had any idea of it at all for they never would have experienced nor seen any such thing as misery grief pain or calamity & so would have had nothing to suggest the notion to their minds nor would it naturally have arisen in their minds in the course of their thoughts. Hence they could not have had those means which saints and angels now have of apprehending of Gods awful greatness & majesty & the sacredness of his commands. They would not have had that to give & maintain holy reverence.
¶2. Without a state of probation no such attribute as Gods justice would ever have been exercised or beheld
¶3. God [sic] holiness would not have been seen either in the displays of his hatred of sin in punishing it or of delight in righteousness in his so exceedingly rewarding it
¶4. Intelligent creatures could have had no proper idea of the greatness & beauty of Gods holiness, nor of the beauty of holiness in general for they would have had no opportunity to have compared it with its contrary even sin or moral evil for sin not only would be what they never would have seen but also what they would never have heard of they would have nothing in any divine law constitution or revelation to suggest any such thing to their thoughts as supposing any such thing possible. But creatures obtain their idea of good & its value very much by comparison without knowing evil they can have no proper knowledge of Good. And so without a probation they must have been in a great measure destitute of the knowledge of that wherein the infinite beauty & amiableness of the divine nature consists in the beholding of which does chiefly consist their perfect & eternal blessedness & also must have been destitute of a proper sense of the greatness of the benefit they enjoy & receive from the divine goodness in that they themselves have holiness confer'd upon them by God . and as they would have had less to give `em a sense of the beauty of holiness so they would have had less to have made them holy . for holiness in the creature arises from a sense of holiness tis a sense of the value & beauty of it that inclines the heart to it But holiness it self consists in an holy inclination of heart. Tis by a sight of the beauty & amiableness of Gods holiness that the heart is transformed into the same image and strongly engaged to imitate God
¶5. The love of intelligent creatures would not have been attended with proper awe & reverence being without a proper sense of Gods awful majesty & sacred authority & so much of that which makes the love of the creature fit & suitable & that which renders it sweet & delightful would have been wanting. /p. 111/
¶6. The creature would have been destitute of a great means [of (om.E)] humbling & abasement in a proper view of it self & its own exceeding insufficiency & dependence seeing how liable it is to fall & to fall into such an infinite abyss of horrid impiety loathsom pollution & dreadful misery. And wanting such humiliation the creature would have been destitute of a vey great part of that wherein its amiableness & beauty consists & which is a main foundation of its happiness
¶7. As Gods intelligent creatures without any such thing as a probabation would have been destitute of a great means of a sense of the value of holiness & of the benefit God bestows on them in making them holy so they would also be destitute of a proper sense of the worth of their happiness or of those things wherein their happiness consists & so would have less relish of those enjoyments would not have prized em & rejoyced in them so much & consequently their happiness would have been far less. A sense of the worth of happiness is obtained very much by a sight of the contrary & the contrary which they have been liable to but have escaped or been preserved from
¶8. Gods graces & the riches of his love would have been less displayed as Gods creatures would have been less holy & less happy & so would have reaped less of the fruits of his love and as they would have far less to have given `em a sense of their dependence upon & indebtedness to Gods rich & free goodness as they would have been less sensible of the value of the benefits they have by Gods goodness as was before observed & less to humble them & make them sensible of their own meanness & insufficiency who are the subjects of these benefits And also as they would [not (om.E)] have seen that it was owing to Gods meer good pleasure that such a difference is made in their state from a state of misery which others their fellow creatures are in, & they were liable to for they would never have been liable to it if never in a state of probation & as was observed before would have had nothing to lead `em to entertain any idea of misery as possible much less would they have actually seen it exemplified & seen their liableness to it in events whereby they see the sovereign grace of God of [sic] making them so exceedingly to differ from others who in themselves & at first stood as fair for happiness as they.
¶9. By obedience in a state of trial the creature is train'd exercised & habituated to a way of exercise of holiness proper & suitable for a creature towards [sic] viz that of obedience & submission to Gods authority . Tis fit that the exercises of holiness in the creature should be begun under the proper exercise of Gods legislative authority for that turns [A; trains?] & leads the mind into the way of exercising holiness towards God as obedience and with a regard to God as a Being invested with infinite authority with fear & reverence with a sense not only of the fitness of complying with Gods will but of the dreadfulness of the contrary & with humble submission to Gods infinitely high & sacred right of dominion which is the right way of the exercise of holiness in a creature
¶10. By being first in a state of trial the creature is fitted for the reward by being for a season the subject of danger or liableness to fail & so to fall /p. 112/ into such great misery & obtaining the reward through some difficulty performing obedience under temptation to the contrary the heart is prepared the more to prize & make much of the reward And then he sees the foremention'd attributes of God that are exercised in his moral government exercised in his dealings with himself in particular which brings the displays of them nearer home & that tends the more to engage his attention to them & cause him to be the more affected with them
¶11. What comes to pass in the creatures probation is made use of as a principal means of his confirmation . The display that is made herey of Gods awful majesty sacred authority justice & holiness the evil & dreadful nature of sin Gods dreadful hatred of it & vengeance against it & beauty & preciousness of holiness the infinite value of the fruits of holiness the richness & sovereignty of Gods grace together with a being habituated to subjection & obedience & conquering such difficulties in the exercise of it & being humbled & made to see [his (om.E)] dependence & brought to a humble trust in God all tend to confirm the soul in obedience & are made use [of (om.E)] by God as means of the souls eternal establishmt therein [finis; carefully written & in good shape.]
¶1128. HUMILIATION MORTIFICATION. Both humiliation & mortification to the world are both properly signified in such an expression as the Apostle uses in Philip. 3. 7. But what things were gain to me these<o> I counted loss for Christ. "There is (as Dr Mantion observes on the verse) in all some false & imaginary happiness and some counterfeit righteousness wherein they please themselves the false happiness is their god, & the counterfeit righteousness is as their Christ & mediatour ----Ever since man fell from God he ran to the creature Jer. 2. 13. My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters & have hewed them cisterns broken cisterns" that[?] can hold no water. ---- But for the second that there is something which is instead of Christ to us to keep the conscience Quiet when our affections take up with present things. ----Therefore now since this is the natural temper of man the creature must be dethroned that God may be exalted . superficial righteousness must be lost that Christ may be gain'd that we may cordially accept God for our God & Christ for our Redeemer & Saviour. Therefore we are dead to the law that we may live to God Gal. 2 19. with Rom. 7. 14. [finis]
¶1129. PROBATION. Question. Since Christ has been in a state of probation & has pass'd through a time of trial in behalf of the elect why is it requisite that they should be in a state of probation after him . What need of a state of trial in this world to try whether man will here accept of Christ & close with his redemption. Tis doubtless fit that in order to mens interest in Christ & partaking of the benefits of his redemption their hearts should be united to him. But why was it requisite that this union should be begun in this world . Why would it not be sufficient if persons should have their souls united to X after death, & should be brought by the power & grace of God to close with the way of salvation by him in another world . Why must the beginning of this union of soul to X needs be in the present life
¶Ans. 1. `Tis fit that some bounds should be set some limitation of the day of grace & not that the door of mercy should stand open to rebels & enemies & obstinate despisers of Christ & grace forever & ever . so that converting grace might be given & the hearts of Christs enemies brought to an union with him at any time indifferently throughout the endless ages of eternity. For this is inconsistent with a proper state of punishmt a state of probation & a state of retribution dont well consist /p. 113/ together as long as a day of grace lasts sinners are not judged they are not visibly given over to punishment & misery by the sentence of the Judge After a sentence to the deserved punishmt which is eternal punishment there can be <[no]> possibility of obtaining an interest in a Saviour. As long as a door of hope stands open men are not in a state of eternal death for such a light of hope is inconsistent with that shadow of death that blackness of darkness But if there be any such thing as a limited day of mercy it seems manifest that tis most fit it should be in this world in this intermediate state between extreme happiness & misery & not either in heaven or hell & therefore that the limits of it should be the same with the limits of life
¶2. If upon what has been already said it should be asked What need of any day of mercy at all antecedent to the state of retribution why could not the elect have been first created in heaven in a state of perfect holiness & union of heart with Christ their Redeemer & the reprobates have their first existence in hell in a state of punishment, perfect misery & utter despair I answer if men had first been created in this manner in another world they never would have been the posterity of Adam for they would not have descended from him by natural generation & so would not have been partakers of his sin & so would not have been fallen creatures & would not have been justly exposed to punishment & therefore could not have been created in hell in a state of perfect misery & they would have stood in no need of a Saviour & therefore could not have had any interest in one nor their hearts united to Christ as their Saviour There could have been no redemption of the elect either fundamental or actual there could be no fundamental salvation of them or impetration & purchase of their redemption for they would have had no guilt to be attoned for, no wrath to be appeased or revenging justice to be satisfied There could be no actual salvation of them by bringing them out of a sinful miserable state into a holy & happy state for they never would have been in a sinful miserable state. If there be not state of trial what are men born into this ' for why not immediately created in another world And if men had after the fall never been born into this world then there would have been no such thing as the race of mankind on earth no successive generations [-s fr. xo mat.] no such thing as the natural birth & if so Christ him[s.] could not have properly assumed the human nature he could not have been born or have been of the race of mankind. Yea mankind must immediately after the fall have ceased to be here below & so this world of mankind must have come totally come to an end as soon as man fell & then how should Christ come into the world to save sinners how should the word become flesh appear in the form of sinful flesh & be in a state of humiliation & in such a state obey & suffer. [ ¶ 3 sqeezed in at end of this ¶]
¶3. The Lord Jesus X & the grace of God would [have (om.E)] failed of the glory that they have by saving those who have personally been sinful & exceeding unworthy of mercy & deserving of wrath & eternal misery.
¶4 3. Tis fit that the elect church & spouse of Christ should accept of him as her Saviour & trust in him for salvation before she actually has salvation by him . That the benefit should visibly be consequent on this acceptance trust & unition of heart that the /p. 114/ dependence of the benefit on this act of the heart may be visible very much of the wisdom of God and the evidence of his moral perfection in the way of salvation consists in this connection & dependence. Herein lies much of the suitableness & glory of the way of salvation & therefore tis fit that this connection should be made visible in Gods actual dispensation of salvation & therefore that the benefit should follow the act & not that men should have their first existence in heaven in the enjoyment of the purchased reward or should have this reward given at the same moment that a spirit of acceptance & faith is given[**caret originally here.] yea that they should be in heaven the paradise of God purchased by Christ in the order of nature before any act of acceptance of Christ . for creation is the first thing in the order of nature that belongs to a creature Being is before action.[*** (orig. inserted above at **)] <& before active acceptance of Christ: For they would have the method & means of the procuremt of their happiness after they have begun to enjoy the eternal life & glory purchased: which must be before the hearts active closing with this method & means of happiness.> `Tis fit that it should appear that the glorious reward is consequenet of faith in Christ & dependent on it & therefore `tis fit that Christ should be sought to for the reward & that men should come to him & trust in him for it as a thing that remains to be obtain'd.
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¶5 4 7. If the elect should be first created in the possession of the purchased paradise there would be no opportunity for those particular exercises of faith in the Redeemer wherein much of the fitness of it to an interest in the Saviour & his redemption consists & which peculiarly tend to make his redemption precious & to give him the proper glory which belongs to him as a Saviour For there would be no opportunity for any proper conviction of sin for the elect would never be sensible of any sin in themselves for they never would have sin but would be perfectly sinless in the beginning . & so never would by sense & experience be made sensible of their need of a Saviour . nor ever would come to Christ in the proper
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[*** Above the caret, E's note: "[Let what is interlined above be inserted in this place]"]
exercises of repentance & humiliation . nor would there be any opporunity to honour Christ by the proper exercises of that disposition to prefer Christ to all other things which is contained in true faith this disposition could not be exercised & manifested under its proper trials. Persons would have no opportunity to come to him so as to forsake all for him to go & sell all for the pearl of great price no opportunity to receive Christ with his cross as well as with his crown no opportunity to close with Christ and his religion with great labours & sufferings as sitting down & counting the cost next p.
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¶5. It pleases God that faith should be in that sense the condition of salvation that it should be the ground of the distinction made in the consequent state of men the ground of the distinction between those that are saved & those that perish those that are happy & those that are miserable . The fitness of the way of salvation & the beauty of the method of God [sic] dealings with fallen man consequent on the giving a Savior appears much in his making that great difference among fallen men in bestowing eternal life on such as believe & leaving those eternally to perish who believe not. But the receiving or rejecting Christ could be no ground of this distinction if the elect were first created in heaven & re-/p. 115/ probates in hell for then the difference of their state would be antecedent to faith and un indifference between them consisting in faith & unbelief.
¶6. By faith in X being exercised before the receiving the reward believers are prepared for the reward to receive it sensibly as from Christ & to give him the glory of it. In this way they receive it from Christ & as the consequence of their applying to him for the [A: though] more sensibly to themselves [[E's] last p.
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¶last p. 8. If men never were in a state of probation under the offer [A:-s; xo?] of the Saviour Christ never would have that honour put upon him by God that men are required to receive him on pain of Gods peculiar wrath There would be no punishment nor threatening of punishment for sinners not accepting Christ . By the terrible punishment of the sin of unbelief & sins against the gospel God exalts & magnifies the Redeemer & his redemption tending to impress the minds of saints & angels with a great sense of Christs high dignity & the exceeding greatness & value of his redeeming grace & love.
¶9. If men should be born into the world & live here under the offers [sic] of X & yet an interest in Christ were not only to [be (om.E)] obtained in this world, but before death & after death indifferently , and this were known this would vastly encourage mens delay of repentance & turning from sin to God through Christ & living boldly in the neglect of Christ & of the means of an interest in him, & would exceedinly encourage them to give themselves up to their own lusts.
¶10. If men should be born into this world and here was no such thing as the offer of a Saviour or a probation whether they would accept of him or use any means to obtain Christs benefits , but it was known that those that were to enjoy Christs benefits were to be sanctified & have their souls united to Christ after death , it would take off almost all restraint on mens lust make Christ nothing but the minister of sin to embolden them in wickedness & a means in that respecting [sic] of turning earth into hell.
¶11. `Tis fit that Christ that was appointed to bruise the serpents head & destroy the works of the devil should conquer Satan in his own territories that he should be overthrown in Christs actual salvation wherein he rescues men from his power on the same stage where he seemed to conquer that he should be destroyed by the second man & head of men<a> in the same world where he destroyed the first head of men. & that the Redeemer should set up his kingdom of grace & salvation in the same world where Satan hath set up his kingdom of sin & misery that Christs kingdom should be built on the ruins of Satan's kingdom. [c 4 lines xo, idea in wh. used in following] /p. 116/
¶12. `Tis fit that Christ should be glorified & exalted here in the same world where <stage wheron> he was humbled & suffered . that as he was exhibited in meaness & disgrace as a servant under the dominion of his enemies men & devils, who exercised their dominion & tyranny over him as it were in his destruction as a malefactor as their subject & malefactor so that here he should reign & vanquish his enemies & they should be made his footstool that as he suffered in the ' in Satans territories & by the malignant influences of his domination so here he should erect a glorious kingdom on the ruins of that dominion of the devil that he so suffered by and as he suffered as a subject of the kingdom of men the Roman Empire the chief monarchy that ever was set up among men so he should set up a kingdom here on the ruins of that kingdom and over all other kingdoms & nations of mankind.
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¶next p. 17. 13. ] [E's br] If union to Christ & sanctification were first begun in heaven then would have fail'd those wonderful manifestations of the freeness indepencence riches & immutability of the grace & love of Christ & his faithfulness in his covenant that are by the mercy he shews `em under all their infirmities & failings undsteadiness & ingratitude after their conversion. next p.
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¶13. If the application of redemption were not in this world there would not properly have been any such thing as a conquest of Satan in this application in the conversion of sinners in the preservation of a saint & carrying on a work of grace to glory against the utmost power & opposition of Satan . for if the application of redemption were first in heaven there Satan has nothing to do & never comes & has no opportunity to make any opposition . And the glory of Christs power would have faild in so irres[is]tably [sic A: irresistably] conquering sin Satan & the world in beginning upholding & carrying on the work of grace in the hearts of saints
¶14. As Satan set up a kingdom in this world by his subtilty [sic] & by the same means has all along promoted it so God saw meet that his Son should set up a kingdom & maintain & promote it in opposition to Satans kingdom in the exercise [of (om.E)] wonderful wisdom that should appear to be infinitely above Satans wisdom , baffling & confounding him in his most subtil devices taking him in his own snare leading him into the pit that he has digged But occasion & opporunity for this would have failed if the application of redemption were begun in heaven . for then this application would be brought to about where Satan has nothing to do & without means wisely to be ordered & disposed & where Satan has nothing to do . And the marvellous wisdom of God appearing in his dispensations towards his [sic; mg; A ed: church] the methods of his providence & of the operations of his Spirit in carrying on the great designs of his kingdom in the world never would have been seen.
¶15. God saw fit that sanctification it self & the whole of salvation excepting the very first act of faith should be given as the consequence of faith and as dependent on it as the condition of all . But if the elect were created in a state of perfect holiness in heaven this could not have been. /p. 117/
¶16. If there had [been (om.e)] no state of probation appointed to precede the reward there could have no been no such there could have seen such a diversity of degrees of glory established by any such rule wonderfully manifesting the wisdom of God as that which now takes place viz that the future glory of saints shall be greater or less according to the degrees of holiness & good works & fruits of righteousness to the glory of God & good of fellow-creatures in a state antecedent state of probation. last p.
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¶last p. 18. The elect being first in this world in a state of sin & misery of which they are convinced by the Spirit, & by the experience they have of sin & suffering after conversion, are prepared for a state of perfect holiness & glory . By the knowledge of evil they have the greater & better knowledge of Good are more sensible of the beauty of holiness & the value of happiness & the greatness of the benefit of salvation from sin & misery & the value and riches of Gods grace in bestowing these<o> benefits upon them, who have such experience of their unworthiness & such a taste of what misery they deserve Experience & sense of sin & misery serves the [sic] humble the soul & so to fit it for exaltation.
¶19. The saints by the state that they are in in this world & the work they have here to do are fitted and trained up for the purchased reward . humbling & self emptying vertues are exercised [A's "answerably" is "an answerable" & is meant to be xo] & the sense & habit fixed . such as humility submission meekness patience forgiveness & obedience to a law properly so called i.e commands enforced by threatnings of Gods awful displeasure & obedience to difficult commands And dependence is in many respects exercised so as it is not in a state of perfect <glory> If holiness were first begun in heaven there would not be that foundation laid for building it up to so great a height nor the bringing it to so amiable a beauty in the manner of its exercise & so no foundation for so sweet a joy.
¶The things that have been said concerning the necessity of a state & time of probation in this world before the bestowment of the purchased reward are to be understood of the church of the elect collectively taken and as a body rather than of each individual person As to elect INFANTS that die in infancy we have less to lead us into an understanding of Gods dealings with them than of his dealings with adult persons
¶But I would nevertheless observe the following things concerning them
¶1 That some of those things that have been mention'd that render existence in an antecedent state necessary before the elect exist in their state of reward in heaven . [A ed: "are applicable to them] Infants have an antecedent existence & so are the posterity of Adam &[note in mg] so are first in a state of sin & misery under the guilt & exposed to punishment & destruction . which would never have been if they had first been created in heaven . Elect infants in heaven will fully know they have been in a state of sin & misery & so will know that they have actually been redeemed out of such a state by Christ
¶2. Altho' imfants will not personally & actively have accepted of X as their Saviour before they are in their state of reward yet there will be enough to make it visible to angels & visible to the whole assembly of elect creatures that the reward is dependent on faith for all will see that with regard to the body or church they belonged to, it is glorified after acceptance of Christ /p. 118/ & their parents actual faith (which hath influence in the infants salvation & on the account of which in some sense the infant is saved), will precede the infants glory . so that the [xo w. other ww] visibility of the suitableness & beauty of the way of salvation in the eye of the heavenly inhabitants & in the eye of [the (om. E)] infants themselves consisting in a dependence of eternal life and [sic; shd be "on"] faith will be sufficiently provided for
¶3. Glorified infants being members of a body that has (i.e. in its chief members) actually passed through the trials exercises & discipline of an antecedent day of probation and being members of this body in its perfect & glorified state wherein the union & fellowship of all the members in one body shall be in its greatest perfection as one body indeed the acquaintance and communion of these infants with the other members will be so great & perfect [wwxo] & perfect as to give them an ineffable kind of sympathy , in such a manner as will greatly answer instead of experience & together with the certain knowledge of what has been their own state by nature will be near akin to conciousness.
¶4. We don't know how far they will have communicated to them by God a kind of conciousness of that faith that their parents exercised for them
¶5. Tho' elect infants are saved without properly passing through a time of probation & without a personal actual faith yet seeing the body the church is saved in consequence of an actual antecedent trial, theres forementiond ends are answered viz. that Christ has the honour of mens being required to receive him on pain of Gods peculiar wrath . & there being actually a terrible punishment for rejecting him & neglect & contempt of Christ & mens giving them[selves] up to sloth & wickedness is not encouraged . and Christ bruises the serpents head in his own territories & in the same on the same state [sic; meant to change to "stage" see back] whereon [N.B.] he ruin'd man & procured the ignominy & sufferings of X & sets up his kingdom of grace on the ruins of Satans kingdom & baffles all Satans subtilty [sic] by his superiour wisdom manifested in the application of redemption & the way in which he carries on the work of actual salvation in the world . & X has a glorious victory over Satan in the conversion of sinners & God shews his faithfulness & the riches & immutability of his love in his continued mercy to his saints notwithstanding their infirmities & a proper & wise foundation is laid for diversity of degrees of glory in heaven that many of the members of the society shall be higher than others [finis]
¶1130. a. JUSTIFICATION. Dr. Manton reconciles the Apostle James & the Apostle Paul in the following manner . in his 5 vol. of sermons p. 274. "Justification hath respect to some accusation Now as there is a twofold law there is a two[fold (om.E)] accusation & justification the law of works & the law of grace . Now when we are accused as breakers of the law of works, that is as sinners, obnoxious to the wrath of God we plead Christ's satisfaction as our righteousness, no works of our own. But when we are accused as non-performers of the conditions of the covenant of grace, as being neglectors & rejectors of Christ the Mediator /p. 119/ we are justified by producing, our faith or sincere obedience. so that our righteousness by the new-convenant, is subordinate to our universal righeousness, with respect to the great law of God, & that we have only by Christ. If we are charged that we have broken the first covenant the covenant of works, we alledge Christs satisfaction & merit; if charged not to have performed the conditions of the law of grace, we answer it by producing our faith repentance & new obedience, & so shew it to be a false charge. our first & supreme righteousness consists in the pardon of our sins & our acceptance in the Beloved, & our right to impunity & glory; our second & subordinate righteousness in having the true condition of pardon & life . In the first sense Christs righteousness is our only justification & righteousness; faith & repentance or new obedience is not the least part of it; but in the second believing repenting & obeying is our righteousness in their several respective ways viz that the righteousness of Christ may be ours & continue ours"
¶See also Dr Manton on James p. 310, 311, 312. & p. 331 &c---[finis]
¶1130, b. FAITH, how connected with OBEDIENCE. The very acceptance of Christ in his priestly office, making attonement for sin by his blood, & fulfilling the law of God by his perfect obedience unto death, and so the very approbation of the [that ?] attribute of God, as it is thus exhibited, an infinitely holy mercy; I say meerly the soul's acceptance and approbation of these things do thoroughly secure holiness of heart & life in the redeemed of Jesus Christ. They will secure their conformity to the law of God, tho by this very mercy & this very Saviour they are set at liberty from the law, & are no longer under the law, as a law with its sanctions immediately taking hold of them & binding them, binding [xo c] by its sanctions or threatenings, connecting & binding together its fulfilment & life & its violation & death. Our hearts approving of that holy mercy of God that appears in his shewing mercy to sinners, in a way of perfectly satisfying the law, suffering all the penalty of it, & of perfectly fulfilling & answering the precepts of it, implies an heart fully approving the law it self, as most worthy to be fulfilled & satisfied, approving the authority that established the law, and so his infinite worthiness of being obeyed; in that we approve of it, that so great a person should submit to that authority & do honour to it, by becoming a servant to obey God & a sacrifice to satisfy for the contempt done his authority, & that we approve the holy law it self as worthy of such great honour to be done it . It implies a heart entirely detesting sin & in some sort sensible of the infinite detestableness of it, that we approve of Gods making such a manifestation of his detestation of it, & approve of the declared fitness & necessity of its <being>[c] punished with so great a punishment as the sufferings of Christ. our accepting such sufferings as an attonement for our sin implies a heart fully repenting of & renouncing sin. for it implies not only a conviction, that we deserve so great a punishmt, & not only a meer conviction of conscience, but an approbation of heart of the connection of such sin with such punishment, which implies an hatred of the sin punish'd. and the hearts entire approbation of such methods perfectly to fulfil the obedience of the law, by so great a person & by his doing so great things & denying himself so much, implies a very high approbation of this law & authority of the Lawgiver. /p. 120/ Therefore this acceptance of X as a Saviour by his obedience & attonemt, & an acceptance of God's holy mercy forgiving sin & giving life in this way, does well secure universal obedience to the law of God, as a law of liberty, and with a free & ingenuous spirit, by the obedience of children & not of slaves . Thus the faith that justifies the sinner destroys sin, <agreeable <y>[c] to Gal. 2. 18>. and the heart is purified by faith.
¶So far as this evangelical spirit prevail<s>[?], so far fear or a legal spirit will be needless to restrain from sin; & so far will such a legal spirit cease & be driven away.
¶Corol. This which has been observed is a confirmation, that this is the true nature of justifying faith, & that the essence of it lies very much in the approbation & acceptance of the heart.
¶See Mr. Glas's Notes on SS. Texts Num. 3. p. 22. [finis]
¶1121. GLORIOUS TIMES. MILLENNIUM. PROGRESS of the Work of Redemption. <There are yet more glorious times to come>][E's] Without doubt that thing whatsoever it be that the Scripture represents as a thing wherein that glory of Christ doth much consist which shall be given him as the reward of his labours & sufferings, shall be accomplished in a very high degree the accomplishment shall not fall short of the representations & promises the reward God will give his dear Son for such a service as he did will doubtless be great indeed & the promises of these rewards shall be fulfil'd to the utmost. But the great number of those that shall be redeemed by X is very often in Scripture spoken of as one thing wherein much of that glory of Christ shall consist which shall be given him in reward for his labours & sufferings Solomon says Prov. 14. 28. In the multitude of people is the kings honour. And tis often promised that Christ should have honour in his kingdom in this world far above all other kings , that God would make him his first born higher than the kings of the earth that God would give him the heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession That his people should be willing in the day of his power that his redeemed ones should be numerous as the drops of dew, that his kingdom should break in pieces all other kingdoms standing in opposition to it & grow great & fill the whole earth that there should be given to him dominion glory & a kingdom that all people nations & languages should serve him. that every knee should bow & every tongue confess to him & all the ends of the earth should look to him & be saved. It was often spoken of in the Old Testament as a great honour & priviledge of the father of a family or head of a progeny or race to have a numerous posterity Ps. 127. 3,4,5. Lo children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward As arrows in the hand of a mighty man so are children of the youth Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed they shall speak with the enemies in the gate . This was often promised to the Patriarchs as a great evidence of God's favour Gen. 13. 16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbered chap. 15. 5. Look now toward [sic] heaven & tell the stars & he said so shall thy seed be & 22. 17. That in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore . So to Issac. chap. 26. 4. And I will make thy /p. 121/ seed to multiply as the stars of heaven & to Jacob. Gen. 28. 14. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shalt spread abroad to the west & to the east to the north & to the south 32. 12. I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered for multitude . And tis observable that these very promises to the patriarchs relate to the multitude of Christ's seed.
¶Tis spoken of in Balaams blessing of Israel as a great part of their priviledge and blessedness that their number should be exceeding great Num. 23. 4. Who can count the dust of Jacob & number the fourth part of Israel. & so tis expressly spoken [of (om.E)] as a great part of the honour & reward that God will give to X for his making his soul an offering for sin that he should see his seed should see of the travail of his soul & be satisfied [finis]
¶1132. Xs RESURRECTION. That Christ should not manifest himself to others besides his disciples after his resurrection & that he should not be constantly with them day & night living in their manner but that he should only manifest himself to them now & then & then disappear in the manner that he did may be accounted for thus for him to have done otherwise would have been to have continued his state of humiliation If he had still lived by meat drink & sleep with the disciples and dwelt & travelled & conversed constantly with them then he must have accommodated in many respects to their state in this world & that would not [have (om.E)] been consistent with the finishing of his humiliation at his resurrection & if he had frequently exposed himself to the view of his enemies & the multitude promiscuously instead of certain chosen persons he would still have continued to expose himself to reproach & the ill treatment of the world which would have been yet more inconsistent with an end to his humiliation at his resurrection. [finis]
¶1133. WISDOM of God in the Work of REDEMPTION. DAY OF JUDGMENT. PROGRESS OF THE WORK OF Redemption.][E's] The great majesty & glory & exceeding purity & holiness in which the Judge will appear at the day of judgment which will so terrify the wicked & manifest their exceeding guiltiness to their own consciences & to the world will but the most [sic; A cop: more] establish & heighten the confidence of the saints & every way confirm & advance their joy . The sight of that awful & pure glory will the more clearly demonstrate their perfect freedom from guilt for it will demonstrate the value & sufficiency of the attonement that has been made for them as it will show the dignity & excellency of the high priest & sacrifice by which attonement was made for this was no other than that same Person that then will appear so great & glorious He made attonement by the sacrifice of himself the glory in which he will the appear will shew the preciousness of his blood and its sufficiency to attone for the most heinous sins . & that will also demonstrate the value of his righteousness and tend to make em the more confident in appearing in it before the judgment seat . The sight of his glory will convince /mg/ of h [A ed: prove] his sufficiency & excellency as a Mediatour in all respects
¶The great appearances & manifestations that will be of X power such as the earths being removed the universe shaken to pieces & the like which will so terrify the ungodly will only increase the confidence of the saints as they hereby will see how strong their Rock & Refuge is /p. 122/ And the sight of that flaming fire and those dreadful manifestations of wrath with which he shall appear will not terrify them they will only increase the sense of his love to them for the greatest testimonies of wrath shall be against their enemies the devil & wicked persecutors of the church --Matt.[sic] 25. I was an hungred & ye gave me no meat &c-- so that really the most awful manifestations of the Judges wrath will be manifestation [sic] of the exceeding greatness of his love to the saints all will shew that they are as the apple of his eye. And then the saints shall be admitted to join with X in judging these enemies & shall be as it were with him in executing this vengeance in breaking these enemies with a rod of iron. [finis]
[See the instructions on A compy for inserting this in W. of R.]