¶ 1156. OBSERVATIONS ON THE AGREEABLENESS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION TO REASON.
¶It has elsewhere been observed how agreable to reason the doctrines of GODS MORAL GOVERNMT a FUTURE STATE THE END OF THE WORLD A FUTURE CONFLAGRATION A DAY OF JUDGMENT AND A DIVINE REVELATION ARE
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¶'Tis most agreable to reason that there is a future state of rewards and punishment[s] wherein God will reward & make happy good men & make wicked men miserable And if there be a future state of happiness to Gods favourites tis rational to suppose that this FUTURE STATE should be ETERNAL. b<B[c]>ecause otherwise Gods greatest favourites & those to whom God give the greatest rewards in another world would in one respect have most to torment them viz. the fear of death the dreadful & eternal end of that sweet happiness The sweeter & more happy life is the more terrible death <are [c]> [xo prob E] the exp [xo E?] death & the thoughts & expectations of is [sic; an "it" under "is"? E or c?] <. It is [c]> tis not likely that God would add such a sting to the sweetest enjoyments & rewards of his greatest favourites <It [c]> tis [xo c] rational therefore to suppose that the life he gives them after death is life eternal life that is not to have an end by another worse death consisting not only in the destruction of the body but the abolition of the soul God has not made ma<e>n like the brutes who can't contemplate futurity & therefore have no allow<y [c]> [xo c; evid. E meant "alloy"] to present enjoyments [-s?] by the prospect of an end by death . And if it be so that there be an eternal state of happiness in another world set before us for us to seek after then how rational are the Christian doctrines and precepts of HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS, [xo c] <placing our affections heavenly [sic] objects [c] of [c]> WEANEDNESS from the world <of[c]> behaving as pilgrims & strangers on the earth <,of[c]> not laying up treasure on the earth but in heaven <of[c]> selling all for the kingdom of heaven <of[c]> not looking at the things which are seen which are temporal but at the things which are not seen which are eternal . Hence also the reasonableness of <the[c]> Christian precepts of PATIENCE under SUFFERINGS seeing the<o>se afflictions are but for a moment in comparison of <with[c]> [xo c] the duration of a future weight of glory See further p.5.
¶Since the doctrine of ORIGINAL SIN & the exceeding depravity & CORRUPTION OF <human [c]> NATURE is so agreable to experience and also me<a>ns obstinacy in sin & folly under all manner of means this <These[c]> makes [xoc] the doctrines of REGENERATION & the SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD in it exceeding<ly? [c]> rational. and seeing the xtreme [sic] stupidity of mankind is so evident & [xo E] in a senseless<ness[c]> of the amiableness of the divine /p./ Being<,of[c]> the unreasonableness & hatefullness of vice <,of[c]> the reasonableness & excellency of vertue<,of[c]> the reality & importance of future and eternal things and their settishness & madness [xos c] in their expectations of happiness here & in the value that [they (om.E)] set upon the vain things of this world Hence how rational is the doctrine of divine ILLUMINATION & <of[c]> the TEACHINGS of Gods s[S?]<S[c]>pirit opening the blind eyes turning from darkness to light taking away the heart of stone & giving an heart of flesh &c.
¶Since reason teaches that a divine revelation is pecularly necessary to teach us a way of reconciliation with God after we have offended him by sin <as[c]> this <is[c;xoc]> being a thing [xo c] depending <s [c]> [xo c] on God [sic] sovereign pleasure & so what <therefore [c;xoc] [xo c] <so[c]> strength & clearness of reason dont at all help <at all [xo c]> to the discovery of <it; [c]> therefore 'tis the more reasonable to suppose that when a divine revelation is given it should be very much taken upon [xoc; -on?? xoE also?] about this viz about THE WAY OF A SINNERS RECONCILIATION TO GOD & THE JUSTIFICATION OF A SINNER and that this should be very much THE SUBJECT OF THAT BIBLE that <whic[c]> [xoc] contains the divine revelation to mankind
¶Since experience [*about reason] teaches that mankind in general is in a fallen & exceedingly depraved state and <since[c]> there are many things also whence it may be argued that God has not utterly cast off mankind but that he is reconcileable to sinful man; ["a" by c?] & that therefore there must be a revelation of the way of reconciliation since tis also evident that all mankind are not actually reconciled & comparatively but few in as much as there <are[c]> but few good men & [? by c?] most remain wicked and since reason teaches that there must be a future eternal state of rewards for the good and that there must be a future eternal state of rewards for the good and that there must be some revelation to ascertain & declare this that this reward may properly be set before men as Gods promise and an enforcement of Gods commands & an [xo c] encourage certain encouragement to the good under the difficulties & sufferings they meet with in the ways of vertue tis <It[c]> [xoc] also very rational to suppose that God in this revelation would appoint that those who are gathered out of this corrupt polluted world and <being [c]> brought to true vertue are reconciled to God & are interested in the eternal happiness of another world should be UNITED in one HOLY SOCIETY or CHURCH f<F[c]>or in their moral state they are greatly distinguished & separated from the rest of the world seeing [xo c] they are united in so great and infinitely important <an [c?]> interest wherein the rest of the world have no concern with them seeing [xoc] they <are[c;xoc]> must needs by their vertue & piety be greatly united in affection and <are[c;xoc]> disposed to withdraw from the rest of the T & unite themselves one to another in a society by themselves for mutual intercourse & assistance in their common concern their great business of the /p./ service of God & their great interest since [xoc] they are all as [xoc] pilgrims & strangers on earth & since [xoc] they all belong to one country are of one kindred as it were being [xo E?] <the children [c]> of the heavenly Father & are engaged as soldiers to oppose the same enemies the vices that prevail in the T & to promote the same kingdom viz. the reign of vertue
¶If the most high god <god [prob; xo E]> by his gracious dispensations [-s by c?] bring out a number of vertuous holy ones out of this corrupt miserable world by a revelation of his will so that vertue and goodness shall have an interest established & maintaind in the world 'tis fit it should have a visible [line by E?] interest & to that end that the vertuous & good should be gatherd into a visible society [line by c?]
¶How reasonable is the Scripture doctrine of ONE GOD and <of[c]> the other invisible heavenly beings that are concerned in the affairs of the government of the world<! [c]> t<T[c]>ho <they be[c]> beings of very great power & exalted dignity and different degrees & orders having a diverse superintendency over the various parts of Gods creation & over the affairs of mankind in particular & over different countreys [sic] & kingdoms, and so may be called thrones, dominiond principalities & powers <; Y [c]> yet <they are [c]> all his ANGELS his meer servants in perfect dependence on him & subjection to him employed as ministers of his kingdom servants employed by him in the administration of the affairs of his dominion and tho<e>se that are to fulfil & execute his will & so that all divine adoration belongs to him alone How much more rational is this than the old heathen notions of a multiplicity of Gods or heavenly beings all [xo prob E] to be wor [xoE] to be <who were [c]> [xo c] the joint objects of trust depende<a?>nce and divine adoration ¶? Tis evident to reason that there is but one eternal selfexistent independent infinite Being (see Missell in num. [?]) [xo E?] and that all other beings are his creatures wholly recieve their being from him & are upheld in being by him & so are infinitely below him and are universally & perfectly dependent on him 'Tis evident to reason that the whole creation is all the fruit of one single power and of one wisdom [final s] the contrivance of one design & that the same design that contrived the whole for certain ends governs it to those ends and continually orders & manages all the affairs of it to his ow fulfils [sic?] the purposes for which he contrived things on his creation. And therefore none of the inferiour beings who are all Gods creatures can be [xoc] properly in any respect be looked upon or respected as fellow governours of the world with the supream Being They are not his assistants in governing the world their power don't at all help him They are not his counsellours he is not assisted by their wisdom [final s] their contrivance and design is not join'd with his . And therefore tis reasonable that they should not be sharers with him in our adorations & [xo E] trust & devotion of mind & dedication of our selves , whom <what> we are to have respect to [xo c] in our adoration reliance & supplications <we are to have respect to him whose [c]> is [xo c] to [xo c & E<? prob. not>] that [xoc] will that [xoc] governs & disposes /p./ & not to others whose design wisdom & will is not join'd with him but [&c; xo E] <and[c]> whose wisdom [final s] & will is as dependent on the supream being as ours & who need the divine favour & the help of the divine wisdom [final s] & will as much as we and <who are [c]> as much in his hands and at his disposal and [xo E] are fellow creatures ar an equal distance <from the Creatour,[c]> as entirely & absolutely dependent as fellow-subjects & fellow servants as much under authority & command are fellow worshippers that should worship with as much humility and who can do us no good but as servants & instruments of the supream Being so that all the benefit we have by them is his kindness If we are to adore the<o>se fellow creatures & pray to them & make humble supplication to them & offer praises to them &c- as well as <to[c]> the supream [sic] how is there any proportionable or suitable distinction maintained in the respect we show [sic] to them & him
¶And besides 'tis not reasonable that we should make tho<e>se inferiour beings 'tis not reasonable that we should make tho<e>se inferiour beings the objects of adoration invocation & praise for we dont know them we dont <know[c]> who they be <are[c]> [xoc] if any of them have the special care or charge of us of our families cities or nation we dont know who they are nor what care they have of us what power they have with respect to us what subordinate dependence we have on them what benefits we have recieved from them or what they can do for us nor can we know how far their knowledge extends whether they know our wants & desires or whether they hear us when we pray to them or praise 'em
¶As the supream Being has made the world so has made us. as he is the Author of the whole system of the visible universe so <he[c]> is our<the[c]> [xoc] author <of us,[c]> who are the head & the end of the <is[c?]> system to the other creatures <of this system [c]> are subjected & for which they are evidently made contrived & ordered He is the Author of the frame of our bodies and the Father of our souls the Author of their faculties & he is our Preserver & Governour & we live move & have our Being in him & [xo c] he is evidently our moral Governour as reason plainly teaches & we are absolutely dependent on him on [? xoE] his power & wisdom alone [xo c] are subject [xoc] <employed in subserviency to [c]> design & will & tis he that orders all events concerning us<. I [c]> if he governs the rest of the system in a more special manner does he govern us & dispose all things that consern us that are the head & end of the system . Therefore none of our fellow-creatures should share with him in our adoration self-dedication depende<a>nce prayer & praise /p./
ANOTHER T & A DAY OF JUDGMENT & HEAVEN & ETERNAL LIFE RESURRECTION [xoc] [E added these as headings after he had begun writing the p., in space at top for heading, wh. is squeezed in above these].
¶The doctrine of the gospe; concerning ANOTHER and an INVISIBLE WORLD to which good men are to be transfered & where they are to have their inheritance & fixed abode is most rational on this account <that[c]> Tis manifest that this visible world is corruptible in its own nature such is the nature and constitution of it that it must come to an end and tis unreasonable to suppose that the Creatour would have it gradually to perish languishing in a decayed broken miserable state through thousands of ages gradually growing more & more wretched before it is quite destroyed Therefore 'tis reasonable to suppose that there will be a time wherein its Creatour will immediately interpose to put the world to /mg/ <and>[sic] [*TAS: attraction for "an end"] & destroy it suddenly And at that time all the living inhabitants of the world that are not taken from it & translated to some other abode must perish & be destroyed in a very awful manner by the immediate hand of God with most inexpressible manifestations of his mighty power & great majesty which will have infinitely more dreadful appearances of or earthquakes & who can believe that at that time when God then [xo prob. E] in this manner immediately interposes he will make no distinction between the good & vertuous that are his favourites & his enemies that this awful destruction & great wrath shall come upon all alike . There will be no necessity of it from the course of nature for at that time by the supposition God will put an end to the course of nature God will immediately & miraculously interpose The whole affair shall be miraculous & by Gods immediate hand & therefore a miraculous deliverance of the good will not be at all beside Gods manner of operation at that time He can as easily & without departing any more from the stated course of things miracuously deliver the vertuous as he can miracuously destroy the wicked Therefore we may well suppose that at that time when God is about to put an end to the frame of this visible universe the veruous will be translated into some other T now invisible & beyond the limits of the visible T And if God designs thus to deal with all the good that shall be found alive on the earth at that time how rational is it to suppose that he intends to deal<s [c]> [xos,c] in like manner to deal [xo c] with the good in all generations[? <c made his q mark over E's s.> that they all are translated [final s] into that distant invisible world without doubt the Tinto which God will recieve his saints when this corruptible Tshall perish shall be an [xo E] incorruptible He wont translate em from one corruptible world to another<. He will not [c]> do so great a thing [as] [? <*if this was a word it is either xo or made a dash (unlikely) by E> xo?] to save em from one T that is to perish to carry em to another world that is to perish Therefore they shall be immortal & have eternal life & doubtless that world will be unspeakably better than this since <& [prob. E]> [xo prob. E] free from all that destruction<, that[c]> fleeting, fading perishing empty nature that attends all the things of this world & their bodies shall be immortal /p./ & as [xo c] as secure from perishing as the world is to which they are translated.
¶This makes it most reasonable to suppose that good men in all ages are translated to that world for why should so vast a difference be made between the vertuous that <shall[c]> be of the last generation & the vertuous of all preceding generations that they [xoc] <former[c]> should be so distinguished from the wicked & so preserved when they [xoc] <latter wicked [c]> perish and should be recieved to a state of such more glorious & eternal happiness & the vertuous of all preceeding genera-<tions [c;mg]> perish with the rest of the T having no distinction in their death but be equally exposed to the fearful ravages death makes in all its terrible forms from generation to generation & equally exposed to the calamities of life while they live . seeing there is a far distant & invisible T provided for some of the vertuous inhabitants of this world tis reasonable to suppose that all the good shall have their habitation & inheritance together there as one society partaking of the same reward as they were of the same race of mankind & loved & served God & followed him in the same state here below in the performance of the same duties the same work & under like trials & difficulties
¶Tis also hence rational to suppose that there should be a RESURRECTION of the bodies of the saints of all past generations For from what has been observed before the bodies of the saints of the last generation will be preserved from perishing with the T & will be translated & doubtless if all the good of all generations are to have a like rewards and are to dwell together in the same world in one society they shall be in a like state partaking of a like reward.
¶COROL. Hence there must be come notice given of this invisible world of rewards, to mankind on earth & what way sa rational as by DIVINE REVELATION or Gods testimony & promise. And how reasonably is full credit to Gods testimony & depende<a>nce on his promise required . & so LIVING BY FAITH & not by sight <is reasonably [c] required of all the heirs of this inheritance. see back p. 1.
¶The reasonableness of the scripture doctrine of a GENERAL PUBLICK JUDGMENT at the end of the world [marked off by c] "Tis meet this judgment should be conspicuous public [sic] & solemn As men have been openly good or bad so it is proper they should meet with a publick retribution . Men have sin'd in privacy have coverd their lusts, their murders, their rappines, injustice and cruelities with secrecy and have been instgated to their villanies by hope of impunity. It is meet they should be disappointed and have their enormities brought to light The religious have been clandestinely so their prayers & alms, their /p./ penitence humility faith and patience has [sic] been chiefly known to the Father of spirits. Hypocrites have been passed for saints and faithful worshippers have been stigmatized as hypocrites & villains. Tis meet there be a day of detection that persons & hearts and actions should be laid open and a publick discrimination made betwixt him that served God and him that served him not" Relig. of Jesus Delineated p. 118. See also my sermons on this subject on Ps. 94. 6--10. [same time?]
¶The reasonableness of that doctrine that JESUS X is appointed JUDGE of the world <is represented in the following passage[c]> dwelt in this world of ours. He has come upon the high errand and office of an eternal redemption in order to an eternal salvation here he was egregiously [final s] vilified and slighted his person & ministry & works reproach'd and rejected here he was ranked<mocked <<*ranked fits better; but cd. be mocked. The "m" looks like an "ra" but the 2nd stroke looks like a c! check the book.>> [?] with notorious criminals, scepter'd and crown'd in scorn, barbariously nail'd and hanged on the cross and ignominiously dispatch'd out of the world and yet at the same time he was Lord of life and glory He purchased the world into his own hand has died and rose and lives again to be Lord of the dead and of the living He is capable of judging the world in righteousness He knows all persons all hearts & minds and all transactions of the world from the beginning to the end Reason then and equity will dictate that he should be the Judge. It is meet that he should be publickly seen, that was so little known while he was here It is fit the world should see who <it was [c] [an "m" by c, xo by c] they have despised and disregarded who it was that came to redeem the world and be sacrificed for the life of it It is meet he should come to acknowledge his friends and give them leave to rejoyce in him to call his implacable adversaries to an account and render vengeance to those that would not obey him Tis meet that every eye should see him even they that pierced him and trampled upon his blood & would not be saved thereby. Acoordingly this judgment has the Father committed to the Son that he may right himself and vindicate his cause and teach men to honour the Son as they honour the Father. All hearts & wills & knees will be ready to bow to him in that day" Relig. of Jesus Delin. p. 118. 119
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¶Tis reasonable to suppose that if God should give to mankind [xo c] a revelation to teach him what vertue was <is[c]> [xoc] suitable for such a creature as man in his exceeding corrupt broken & misersble state & [wwxo] & such <what[c]> [xoc] vertue & religion as [xoc] would be [xoc] the way for such [xo c or E] to [xoc] be acceptable to God and <to teach [c]> the way to the happiness of such creatures Isay tis reasonable to suppose that he should teach a different kind of vertue consisting in a different sort of frame and exercise of heart from the vertue which philosophers teach from their own reason NATURE OF TRUE SAVING VIRTUE. [sic; xoc]
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¶Reasonableness of the DOC OF THE RESURRECTION will appear if we suppose that an union with the body is the most natural state of perfection of the human soul which may be argued from <the consideration,[c]> that this was the condition in which the human soul was created at first and that its separation from the body is no im- /p./provement of its condition being an alteration brought on by sin and was inflicted on the transgressours under the notion of evil & expressly as punishment upon the forfiture of a priviledge From whence we must conclude that the former state of union to the body was a better state than the disunion which was threatend Sin introduced that death that consists in the separation of body & soul. The state of innocency was embodied the state of guilt was disembodied" see [Winders History of Knowledge p. 59, 60] [E's] Therefore as X comes [xoc] to restore from all calamities which came from sin tis most reasonable to suppose that he will restore the union of soul & body.
¶How reasonable to suppose that the salvation of the Messiah which was to be a general salvation of mankind should not be from particular evils or enemies as the redemption of one particular nation from Egypt or Babilon but the general enemies & evils of all mankind and the general foundations & authors of all their evils [*the "s" is three times as tall as the "l", but the letter before it looks like "i"; another hand penult. letter looks as if was a dot over it. I guess evil is just as good a reading.] as sin & Satan ./ [E xo period??] <(prob. to set off the citat.?)> (See papers on History of the Work of Redemption, Vol. I. p. 1, 2.) [() by c]
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¶The reason & fitness of Xs APPEARING in the T in so LOW & MEAN A CONDITION. <appears from this, [c]> "Ut status Christi talis esset, qualis conspectus est, id optime quaerbat cum scopo ipsius adventus, & religionis ab ipso instituendae. Sane si venisset, ut esset monarcha terrenus, alio conge cum apparatu prodire devenisset. Sed regnum ejus non fuit de hoc mundo: Venit ut regnaret in animos, non in corpora. venit ut homines avocaret a rebus terrenis & ad caelestia erigeret. Venit ut doceret virtutes difficillimas, patientiam, mansuetudinem, injuriarum tolerantiam &c. Venit denique ut nos Deo conciliaret, peccatumque aboleret sacrificio suiipsius quae omnia non aliter melius quam par statum ejus humilem, mortemque probrosam, obtinere potuere." Alphonus Turretinus, as cited by Stepferus Theol. Polem. Vol. II. p. 1172. [E's line]
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¶That if God intended to be gracious to mankind, who are apparently become corrupt & miserable; If he designed any such thing as a restoration tis analogous to what is apparently Gods manner in his providence that he appoint some PARTICULAR PERSON to be a SAVIOUR & the instrument of so great good Tis evident that it has ever been Gods manner in other cases to bestow the greatest publick benefits by particular persons These have been the instruments of deliverance from great publick calamities of <as[c]> [xo E] from the oppression of enemies & ["-s; &" by c?] of raising nations & great communities to great Tly wisdom honour & prosperity. for <[xoc; further words xoE]> [xoc;] instance<s [c]> from sacred history <we have [c]> in Noah Joseph Moses the Judges in Israel David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah Cyrus Mordecae & from profane history Cyrus Alexander, the Roman conquerors Czar Peter the Great <the[c]> men that were deified among the heathen & many others /p./
¶ see at the end of N. 1190.] [E's] How often are the miracles wrought in Egypt spoken of as clear evidences that he that wrought in Egypt spoken of as clear evidences that he that wrought them was the supream [sic] God and the only true God. Exod. 7. 3,4,5. chap. 8. 10,19,22 chap. 9. 14,29 chap. 10. 2. chap 11. 7. chap. 12. 12. chap. 14. 18
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¶ The reasonableness of the doctrine of FAITH as the main condition of salvation.] [E's] Tho true virtue [sic] be essentially the same in all intelligent creatures both men and angels Yet the leading exercise of true virtue [sic] may differ according to /mg/ to the different nature state & circumstances of the creature the different relation it stands in to God & its different leading concern with its Creatour & the diverse principal means & manner of Gods manifesting himself to the creature & the different intercourse he maintains with it And if these things are considered it will appear reasonable every way to xxxx [xo E? c?], that Faith [larger letters] [lines c] should be the leading vertue [sic] of fallen man a subject of the salvation of Jesus Christ or candidate for it to whom God principally makes himself known by the gospel of Jesus Christ
¶Vertue is essentially the same in me<a>n & wome<a>n in parents & children yet the leading exercises of relative virtue [sic] may differ in these by reason of difference of nature state circumstances & relation. [-s or period?] Thus considering the great [xo E] weakness & dependence of the woman <wife[c] [xoc] & her relation to her husband as her head her guide defence provider & husband those excercises <of virtue [c]> peculiarly proper for her & amiable in her in her circumstances & peculiarly endearing <of xo E> to her husband are chaste reservation of herself for him meek submission & resignation of her self to him & affiance [?] in him on the other hand the proper leading exercises of virtue [sic] in him & most endearing of [xoc] him to her are fortitude generosity tenderness compassion &c-- So the leading relative virtues of a child in minority are submission, & dependence But of the father parental tenderness watchful care &c--
¶And nothing is more plain than that the most proper & suitable leading exercises of every kind rank & state of beings is to be determined from the [* was an "ir" rubbed off with knife? if so prob. JE] particular nature state circumstances connections & relations<, in which[c]> they stand in [xoc] with respect to the chief objects of duty For tis [xoc] state and relation that [xoc] bring [*An s has definitely been rubbed off w. knife] duty, & is <are [c]> [*This The is was wr. over heavily, possible by E, into an "are". This c xo + rewrote above. JE gone over this sent both re-writing + rubbing out?] [? xoc] the ground of particular obligations & determinations of virtues [-s? xoc?]
[*Looks as if E had tried to add an s to orig. sq. word, then xo. C would prob. have used more than one vert. line But cd be other way- Footnote?] : And therefore according as state & relation is <are[c]> [xoc] different so will the determinations [-s?] of the leading exercises of virtue be diverse <different.[c]> [xoc]
¶Now whatever is considered in the nature & circumstances of fallen ma<e>n under the gospel of salvation by the Son of God every thing will shew that faith, consisting in reliance on the divine truth & sufficiency & entire adherance to & dependence on God as the Author Fountain & means of salvation [xo E marks in mg. making circle prob. c. C subtitutes: "or cordial belief in the Son of God & dependence on him"] as I have elsewhere described true faith is most [xoc] certainly the most proper leading exercise of virtue for us.
¶This will appear if we consider what is most affecting & most to be attended to in our present fallen circumstances being sinful miserable week poor helpless unworthy & [possibly by c but maybe E on a 2nd reading] lost.
¶This will also appear if we consider the leading character & relation under which /p./ God now reveals himself to us thus sinful miserable helpless creature<s,[c]>[*possibly a small s + JE's under it.] even that of our Saviour a<A[c]>nd the grand affair in regard to which is our chief concern with God is salvation. and that notion under which chiefly all those benefits wherein our happiness consists is exhibited is salvation , & benefits that are spiritual & chiefly [?] unseen & future [*"+ benefits"etc. add. by E. in pen + ink of some corrections above]
¶This will also further appear if we consider <that[c]> the way manner & principal means by which God makes himself known to us in our fallen state & the only means by which he manifests himself to us in the forementiond character & relation & makes known those mentiond benefits wherein our happiness consists & directs in<u[reread]s [c]> [xo c] in an [xo c or prob. E] answerable conduct & behaviour id divine revelation or the Word of God. [finis]
[ Only pp. 1-10 of Book 8 are paginated by JE. Rest of this page left blank. Since the Stapfer quot. is very late, top of p. 9 may represent a new beginning earlier than some mat on pp. 7 and 8. Note that pp. 9-10 seem to indicate that JE is striving to change his spelling of "vertue" back to "virtue." This No. is a good example of later additions, leaving space, &c.]
[Also is a "round-up" No. of his apologetic pattern + materials, in first + main section.
¶1157. MEANS OF GRACE <¶> "How the word concurreth to salvation.
¶<1.>[Numeral prob. added later] "There is a twofold operation upon the soul physical & moral. The physical operation is the infusion of life the moral operation is in the way of reason and perswasion Both these ways are necessary not of any need in God but mere [sic] love to us God worketh strongly [strangly?] like himself and sweetly that he may attemper his work to our nature and sute [sic] the key to the wards of the lock. ----The soul of man is determined by an object without & a quality within The object is propounded with all its qualifications that the understanding may be informed and convinced and the will and affections perswaded in a potent & high way of reasoning But this is not enough to determine a mans heart without an internal quality or grace infused which is his physical work upon the soul There is not only a propounding of reasons and arguments but a powerful inclination of heart ---- as to the physical operation the word is not the instrumental cause But God worketh immediately For the word writtend [sic] & preach'd voice letters & syllables are not subjects capable of receiving spiritual life to convey it to us I say there is not any such vertue [sic] in the sound of syllables and sentences of the word But the Spirit doth this work immediately But as to the moral operation in a way of argument & perswasion so the word is the instrument
¶2. Though the infusion of life be Gods immediate work, yet because 'tis done in concomitancy and association with the word therefore the effect is ascribed to the word as well as to the Spirit So the law of God is said to convert the soul Ps. 19. 7. and the gospel is said to be the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. That is God doth not ordinarily work any other way and hath tied us to depend upon him in the use of this means for such an effect --- God doth convey his power in concomitancy with the word tho' not by the word i.e there is not any natural force put into it to produce such an effect
¶3. In the moral way the word hath a double operation First it prepareth to recieve the gracious principle secondly it exciteth the gracious principle newly infused to actual believing & turning to God"
¶This is taken out of Dr Mantons 5th vol. of sermons. p. 886. 887. [finis]
¶ 1158. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 'Tis of it self a great proof of revealed religion that the Jews should for so many ages retain the knowledge of the true God and the notions of him his nature attributes works & worship as [?? xo c or prob. E] agreable to the most refined reason when all the nations about 'em & all the rest of the T were sunk or [xo E] inveloped in the grossest idolatry. It was not owing to any thing peculiar in the genius of that people, any distinguishing taste they had for learning beyond other nations They were unaquainted with the sciences that were in vogue in Greece and Rome and seemed to have been as prone to idolatry in themselves as other nations. [finis; numeral prob. added later.]
¶1159. Scriptures that shew That CHRIST PURCHASED SAVING FAITH and CONVERTING GRACE for such as shall be saved appears in that he purchased the Spirit But faith & conversion are the effects & fruits of the Spirit
¶Christs seeing his seed and his justifying many by his death & what he purchased. /p./ That X people should be willing in the day of his power seems to be spoken of as Ps. 110 as in like manner the fruit of Gods wellpleasedness in his labours & sufferings as his being set on Gods right hand till his enemies should be made his footstool.
¶They are by the purchase of the Redeemer redeem'd from amongst men which implies that he has purchased that they should be actually taken out from amongst men & separated from them but this is done in their effectual calling.
¶They are redeemed from the earth but they are separated from the earth in their conversion or effectual calling for tis in their conversion that they go & sell all that they have, turn from earth to heaven become pilgrims & strangers in the earth & fellow citizens with the saints in heaven see next p.
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¶The Spirit poured out at and after Pentecost to propagate the kingdom of God & covert Jews & Gentiles was evidently the fruit of Xs purchase by his preceeding sufferings & part of the reward of his labours he recieved at his ascension. He ascended on high & enterd into the holiest of all by his own blood and by that obtain'd this gift for men yea for the rebellious
¶Drawing men to X is the fruit of his being lifted up on the cross
¶Christ buys or redeems men that they may be his He redeems 'em from their sins from all iniquity that he may purify them to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works They are redeemed from their vain conversation by the precious blood of X. And tis by conversion by faith that men become actually his come to him and are brought into his possession God in giving them faith brings them to him & gives em to him & they give themselves to him He purchases his spouse that he may present her to himself this is first done in conversion when the soul is first brought to X to give up it self to him in the marriage covenant . Christs portion is his people and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance But Xs portion is a purchased possession but he is brought to his possession by conversion
¶Of old the deliverance of the people out of Egypt from their taskmasters & the gods of Egypt was by a typical redemption & in the antitype men are redeemed from the bondage of Satan
¶The portion which the Father had given the Son was to be obtain'd by purchase But X obtains this portion by the faith by which men come to him. They that the Father hath given me shall come to me says X
¶X was exalted in order to bring to effect the things obtained by his suffering. but X was exalted to give repentance Baptism is a representation of conversion or regeneration. The giving the Spirit in conversion is spiritual baptism by which we are baptized into X or into his mystical body. [in pencil, followed by "out" in pencil at bottom of p.] [E's mark?] And in that work it is that the Spirit be- /p./ comes our S<s?>pirit we are then made to drink into one Spirit see 1. Cor. 12. 13. But we come by this spiritual drink no other way than by Xs sufferings as of old the children of Israel partook of that spiritual or mystical drink that typified the Spirit of Christ no other way than by the rocks being smitten with a rod compare John. 4. 14. with chap. 7. 38,39.
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¶ see last p.] [E's] See also Gal. 1. 4. He gave him for us that he might redeem us from this present evil T [finis]
¶ 1160. EVIDENCES OF A FUTURE STATE FROM THE OLD-TESTAMENT.]. [E's] Besides those texts in the Old-Testament that do directly speak of a future state the Old Test. affords the following arguments [xo E] evidences and confirmations of a future state especially Solomon's writings & above all the Book of Ecclesiastes.
¶1. 'Tis often declared in the O. T. that God will bring every work into judgment; that there [sic] verily [sic] a God that judgeth in the earth that his eyes are on the ways of me<a>n, that he considers all his goings that their in <the [c]> [xo E] sins of the wicked and the good deeds of the righteous are exactly observed & written in a book of remembrance and none of them forgotten that they are seal'd up in a bag & laid up among Gods treasures & that he will render to every man according to his works that the Judge of all the earth will do right & that therefore God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked that as to the righteous it shall be well with him, for he should eat the fruit of his doings that as to the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him That it is impossible it should be otherwise that there is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves from God the Judge that God cannot forget his people <that [c]> a woman may sooner forget her sucking child -- that God has graven them on the palms of his hands that G. beholds & takes notice of all their afflictions & pities them as a father pities his children But that he is the enemy of wicked men; that their sins shall find them out that tho hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished; that the way of righteousness is a certain way to happiness, & the way of sin a sure way to misery. Solomon hims. is above [xoc] <more abundantly than [c]> all other penmen of the O. T. in observing the great difference between the righ. & the wicked in this respect the greatness & the certainty of it &c. see Prov. I. 31.32. & II.11, 21, 22. & III. 2,4,8,13---18 21---26, 32,35 IV. 5---13,22. VIII. 17---21.35,36. IX. 5,6,11,12. X. 16,17,27,28,29. XI. 7,8.18,19,21,30,31. XII. 2,3,14,21,28. XIII. 9,13,14,15,21. XIV. 19,26,27. XV. 3,6,24. XVI. 3,4,5,6,7. XIX. 23. XXI. 15,16,18,21 XXII. 4.8. XXIII. 17,18. XXIV. 1---5, 12,15,16,19---22. XXVIII. 10,13,14,18. XXIX. 6. and in [xo E] many other places in that Book of Proverbs . & in Ecclesiastes 12. 13,14. Solomon declares That to fear God & keep his commandments is the whole [duty (om.E)] of man because God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil & chap. 2. 26. he says God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom & knowledge & joy But to the sinner he giveth travel [sic] to gather & to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God & chap 3. 17. I said in my heart God /p./ shall judge the righteous & the wicked & chap. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor & <the[c]> violent perverting of judgement & justice in a province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than thou the highest regardeth and there be higher than they
¶And yet the same wise man in this Book of Ecclesiastes says chap. 6. 8. What hath the wise more than the fool What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living & elsewhere in this book particularly observes that all things come alike to all & there is one event to the righ. & to the wicked & as dieth the wise man, so the fool &c-- These things are most palpably & notoriously inconsistent unless there be a future state.
¶In Eccles. 8. 14. the wise man says There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked. again there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous And yet in the same breath in the two foregoing verses he speaks with the utmost peremptoriness that God will surely make a vast difference between the righteous & the wicked so that he will make one happy & the other miserable and that it never can in any instance be otherwise; yea <that[c]> it will not finally prove otherwise in the<o>se instances wherein it seems most to be otherwise and God seems to be most to be otherwise and God seems to be most unmindful of the provocations of the wicked and of the righteousness of them that fear God Tho' a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged yet SURELY I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God . & in the beginning of the next chapter, that the righ. & the wise & their works are in the hands of God. no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all There is one event to the righ. and the wicked Now if both these seemingly opposite assertions are true then it is true [Rem; evident??] that there is a future state The wise <man[c]> observes, that the righteous sentence of the Judge, who will surely make so great a difference between the righteous & the wicked, is not executed in this world; onwhich account wicked men are greatly emboldend in sin; as he observes in the same place, chap. 8. 11. "Because sentence against an evil is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." & therefore there is some other time besides the time of this life, for the executing the sentence which he observes will so surely be executed. In <the[c]>12. & 13 verses it is said "Tho' a sinner's days be prolonged yet he shall not prolong his days that are as a shadow How can both these be true, but only in this sense that tho his life be prolonged in this T; yet the longest life here is short & is but a shadow; & when he dies he perishes his life & happiness shall not be prolonged beyond this momentary state as the life of the righteous will be
¶So he says chap. 7. 15. "There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness; & there is a wicked man that PROLONGETH his life in his wickedness & yet in two or three verses before v. 12 /p./ he observes that 'tis a peculiar excellency of wisdom wherein it differs from riches and all other things that are an uncertain defence to a man that wisdom gives life to them that have it < next p. but one> And therefore it must be some other life that is meant besides this temporal life, which he observes is sometimes prolonged in wicked men; & with regard to which righteous men some times perish in their righteousness and with regard to which life there is one event to wise men & fools as in chap. 2. 14,15,16. "The wise mans eyes are in his head. But the fool walketh in the darkness. and I myself percieved also that one event happeneth to them all then said I in my heart as it happeneth to the fool so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise"? ----"And how dieth the wise man as the fool" Compare these these [sic] things with Prov. 12. 28 "In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof is no death". & chap. 13. 14. "The law of the wise [final s] is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death" Chap. 3. 18. "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, & happy is every one that retaineth her". v. 22. "So shall they be life to thy soul." chap. 4. 22. "They are life to those that find them". & chap 10. 17. "He is in the way of life, that keepeth instruction". & 11. 30. "The fruit of righ. is a tree of life". 14. 27. "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death". 16. 22. "understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it". chap. 21. 21. "He that followeth after righ. & mercy, findeth life & righ. & honour". So chap. 22. 4. "By humility & the fear of the Lord are riches & honour & life". chap. 4. 4. "Keep my commandmts & live" so chap. 7. 2. & chap. 9. 2. "forsake the foolish & live"
¶In chap. 5. 5. it is said "Better is it that thou shouldst not vow & not pay Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the angel, that it was an errour:w<W[c]>herefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands : signifying the dredful [sic] danger of false swearing & breach of vows. And yet as to what happens in this life, it is said that "all things come alike to all, & that there is one event to the righteous, & to the wicked" & that "as is the good so is the sinner; &" he that sweareth, as he that feareth [?] an oath."
¶In chap. 5. 8. tis signified that there is a remedy from the wrong, injustice & oppression of men in power, by the judgmt of the supream Judge. THe same is implied in chap. 3. 16,17. & yet what is said chap. 4. 1,2. implies that often in this case there is no remedy in this life. "So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun and behold the tears of such as were oppressed; and they had no comforter: and on the side of their oppressors [sic] there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead which are already dead, more than the living which are yet alive".
¶In Prov. 10. 7. Solomon says the memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. And of this memory or good name of the just he says, further [xo E] (Eccles. 7. 1) that "it is better than precious ointment" (meaning the precious ointment they were wont to anoint the children of great & rich men with when first born) and that upon this account, the day of a godly man's deth (followed with a good name & so blessed a memory) is better than the day of one's birth. /p./ And yet the same wise man says, Eccles. 2. 16. "There is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool seeing that which now is in the days to come shall be forgotten and how dieth the wise man? as the fool." By which it is evident that tis with regard to something that follows death in another T & not <anything[c]> in the<is[c] world,[c]> [wr. over by c] /mg/ that the death of the righteous is much preferred to the death of the wicked on the account of the blessed memory & good name of the righ. & the rotten stinking name of the other <wicked. [c]> [xo c]
¶Again in chap. 6. 3,4. an untimely birth is said to be better than one that lives in this T in great prosperity if he have no burial, and his name be covered with darkness implying that he is <in a [c]> far worse off <state [c]> [xo c] after death for having no burial, & his name covered with darkness. & yet it will <it [c]> [xoc] /mg./ will follow that he is neither the worse nor the better, for any thing done in this T to his corpse or his name, after he is death<d [c]>: I say it will follow from what is observed chap. 9. 5,6. "The dead know not any thing --- neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun" Chap. 3. 22. "There is nothing better than that a man should rejoyce in his works for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him" So chap. 6. 12. By which it is evident, that by burial & the name of the deceased person, are meant something diverse from any thing that is done [xo E] or remains, or is brought to pass in this world.
¶Balaam says "Let me die the death of the righteous let my last end be like his": implying that there is something in their death vastly preferable to the death of the wicked. And the Psalmist Ps. 37. 37,38. says "Mark the perfect man & behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace But the transgressours shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut of [sic]". & Ps. 26. 9. "Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men". & Prov. 10.25. "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more; but the righteous is an everlasting foundation". And Prov. 11. 7. "When a wicked [man (om.E)] dieth, his expectation shall perish; & the hope of unjust men perisheth." & chap. 14. 32. "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death." Thus tis abundantly represented as if there were a vast difference between the righteous & the wicked. & yet tis declared that as to any thing pertaining to this world, there is no difference. Eccles. 2. 16. "How dieth the wise man as the fool." Compare Ps. 49. 10 [ref. later add.]
¶And altho' Solomon says in Prov. 11. 7. that "When a wicked man dieth, his expectation & hope perishes"; as if this were peculiar to wicked men. yea he says expressly. chap. 14. 32. "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death." Yet the same wise-man after observing that there [is (om.E.mg.)] one event to the righteous & wicked, both in life & in death, Eccles. 9. 3. he [xo c] in the next verses proceeds to say, that to him that is joined to all the living there is HOPE intimating that there is no more hope for him, whether he be righteous or wicked, after <he is [c]> dead: i.e. as to any good in this world which is plainly his meaning: for he in the following words proceeds to observe, that "They have no more a portion frever in any thing that is done under the sun". /p./
¶And tho' it be so often <in these writings of Solomon*> [prob. c's caret] observed to be the peculiar excellency of wis[final s]dom & righteous[final s]ness that it delivers from death, & gives life & length of days & makes the years of life many: and tho' he does abundantly set forth the great peace, comfort, pleasure profit & satisfaction & exceeding gain, excellent advantage & good reward of wisdom & vertue; so tis worth the while to get it by all means with all our gettings to buy it & sell it not and that they that obtain <it,[c]> are happy, yea exceeding happy yet this same wise man does in effect tell us that by LIFE he dont mean this present life, a that the profit gain & happiness he speaks of is no good of a temporal nature. For as to this life & all the good that belongs to it at best he says, All is vanity & vexation of spirit, & that there is no profit under the sun. Eccles. 2. 11. with the preceding part of the book. & he there plainly shews that he means that tis thus both with respect to wise-men & fools righteous & wicked. v. 14.15.16. & then <he [c]> tells us that he esteemed life in this sense even the present life with the best it had worse than nothing. v 17. Therefore I hated life . and declares that he judges that for any good in this life death is better than life & that they are best on to <most happy [c]> [xos,c] off [xoc] who never yet <have[c]> recieved life; Eccles. 4. 2,3. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea better is he than both they which hath not yet been who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun In chap. 2. 20,21,22. he speaks expressly of the life of a righteous man whose labour is in wisdom & in knowledge & in equity: & says of it What <hath [c]> he of all his labour? & that all his days are sorrows & his travel [sic] grief & that a man may well despair as to any happiness or real profit in this life. He declares that long life in this world is so far from being so exceeding a felicity that if a man should live a thousand years twice told yet there is no good or benefit in it all; & that the wise in this respect has no more that the fool. Eccles. 6. 6,7,8. and that if a man have both long life, & continual prosperity through the whole of it; tis all worth nothing. Eccles. 11. But if a man live many years & rejoyce in them all --- all that cometh is vanity. & chap. 6. 12. This whole life is called vain life.
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¶ last p. but one near top] [E's brack.] And also in two or three verses after, he advises, [sic] to hold this fast as unfailing truth, v. 18. That he that fears God shall come forth out of all destruction & calamity. & chap. 8 5. <he says,> "Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing".
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¶The wise man in this Book of Ecclesiastes does greatly recommend it to his readers to fear God. Eccles. 3. 14. chap. 8. 12. chap. 12. 13. & to fear him as a Judge that will bring every work into judgmt. chap. 12. 13,14. chap. 11. 9,10. And yet if there be no other life but this, he in effect tells us all over this book, we have nothing to fear, no punishment from the Judge, no cala-/p./mity in a way of displeasing him any more than in a way of doing what is well-pleasing in his sight.
¶'Tis an argument that the scriptures of the Old T. afford for a future state that tis so often observed in those sacred <writings,[c?]> as a thing very remarkable [sic] that man should be mortal that he should in this respect be like the beasts that perish and like the flowers & grass of the field. Ps. 49. 10,11,12. "For he seeth that wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish & leaveth [xo c] their wealth to others. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever; --- nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish. And v. 19,20. He shall go to the generation of his fathers They shall never see light. Man that is in honour & understandeth not is like the beasts that perish. Why should it be taken notice of as something remarkable [sic] that man should be mortal & die as the beasts do . If there be nothing in the nature & circumstances of [line is cut off]
in this respect? If it be no more than is to be expected considering mans nature, capacity, state in the T, business <the [c]> end of his creation <his[c]> views & natural desires; I say if considering these things there is nothing in ma<e>n that should lead us any more to expect that ma<e>n should be immortal than the beasts; or that should making<e it [c]> [sic] any more wonderful [sic] or remarkeable [sic] than<t [c]> man should die than <that[c]> the inferiour creatures <should die; [c]> & [xo E? c?] then why is such a remark put <made [c]> [xoc] upon it?
¶? And besides; tis plainly signified that man;s superiour nature & circumstances to the beasts or his being in honour does require or naturally lead us to expect, that man should be distinguished in this respect from the beasts. for that is mentiond as the thing that renders it remarkeable<sic?>, that man should die as the beasts that he is in honour.
¶The words of Solomon are very emphatical, Eccles. 3. 18,19,20. I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men, befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea they have all one breath So that a man hath no preeminence above a beast for all is vanity; all go to one place; all are of the dust & all turn to dust again . This would not be spoken with so much emphasis as a thing very remarkable & difficult to concieve of if there was nothing in it indeed wonderful nothing pertaining to the nature which God had given mankind or the state he had set him in, leading one to expect that man should differ from the beasts in this; Nothing that should make it appear congruous & fit, that God should make man, unless under his remarkable [sic] displeasure, to be distinguished from the inferiour creatures by immunity from death; & that he should enjoy eternal life . And if it be so then we may determine that there is great reason to suppose that there is some way that good men shall be delivered from death, & that they shall enjoy eternal life in some invisible Tafter death. For good men are spoken of abundantly in the O. T. as fully in favour with God, having all their /p./ sins perfectly done away as if they never had been, and as being very dear & precious in Gods sight that God greatly delighted in <them; [c]> And the bestowment of life is abundantly spoken of as excellent fruit of this his distinguishing love & favour . And the durableness of the benefits of his favour is often spoken <of [c]> as a proper testimony of the greatness of it. Their being more durable even than the end. Isai 51. 6. chap. 54. 10. And it cant answer the design of the<o>se great declarations of God's favour that altho' particular saints shall die, yet a sucession [sic] of them shall be continued & their prosperity shall last. For if there be no future state, then they are never the better for what happens to their posterity or successors after their death as is often observed in the O. T. & especially in the Book of Ecclesiastes.
¶If God has perfectly forgiven all the sins of the righteous & they are so high in his favour & the great evidence of this favour be the durableness of the benefits that are the fruits of it & the chief fruit is life then tis at least to be expected that they will escape that mortality which is such a remarkable [sic] disgrace to those that have the human nature, & wonderful to behold in those whom the most high has made to differ so much from the beasts in capacity, dignity, end & desires. [-s added or xo? Rem: design] We may<ight [c]> [xoc] surely expect that these high favourites shall <should[c]> [xoc] with regard to life & durableness of happiness not be meer beasts, & have no preeminence above 'em, & that he <they[c]> [xoc] should <not[c]> be like the grass & the flower [also Rem] of the field which in the morning flourisheth & groweth up <but[c]> in the evening is cut down & withered; that all his <their [c]> [xoc] happiness & reward of [xoE] <all the [c]> benefits [xoc; added by c?] of God's favour should <not[c]> be like a shadow, like a dream, like a tale that is told; that it should <not[c]> be as a span, & shoul <not[c]> pass away as the swift ships, as the eagle that hasteth to the prey that it should <not[c]> be swifter than a weaver's shuttle to which <the[c]> things, the life of ma<e>n is <are[c]> [xoc] compared in Scripture.--
¶The things of this world are spoken <of[c]> as having no profit or value, because they are not lasting, but must be left <lost> at death & therefore <are[c]> meer vanity (i.e wholly worthless) & not worthy that any man should set his heart on it. Ps. 49. 6. to the end Prov. 23. 4,5. Prov. 11. 7. Eccles. 2. 15,16,17. Chap. 3. ten first verses v. 19. chap. 5. 14,15,16. But the rewards of righteousness are abundantly represented as exceeding valuable & worthy that men should set their hearts upon them, because they are lasting. Prov. 3. 16. VIII. 18. X. 25,27. Isai 55. 3. Ps. 1. 3 to the end. Jer. 17. 7,8 & innumerable other places. But [xo E?] how can these things consist one with another unless there be a future state.
¶Tis spoken as a remarkable [sic] thing & what <one[c]> would not expect, that good men should die as wicked men do as it seems to be by good mens dying a temporal death as wicked men do. Eccles. 2. 16. chap. 9. 3,4,5. And therefore it may be argued, that it does but seem to be so but that in reality it shall not be so, inasmuch as tho' good men die a temporal <death,[c]> as wicked men do; yet as to their happiness they die not but live forever in a future state. /p./
¶It is an evidence of a future state that in the O. TestamT so many promises are made to the godly of things that shall be after they are dead which shall be <great [E; xo E]> testimonies of God's great favour to them & blessed rewards of his favour: so many promises concerning their name, & concerning their posterity, & the future church of God in the world; & yet that we are so much taught in the Old Testament, that men are never the better for what comes to pass after they are dead concerning these things (i.e if we look only at the present life, without taking any other state of existence into consideration.). Job 14. 21. Eccles. I. 11. III. 22. & IX. 5,6.-- Yea the wise man says expressly, that the dead have no more a reward, Eccles. 9. 5. i. e in any thing in this T.
¶That man shall die as a beast seems to be spoken of Eccles. 3. 16 to the end, as a vanity, an evil, a kind of mischief & confusion, that appears in the world that ma<e>n should die as the beasts. [xo c] Therefore this is an argument, that God the wise orderer of all things, who brings order out of confusion will rectify this disorder by appointing a future state.
¶Those representations of the Old. T. wherein the life of ma<e>n is set forth as being so exceeding<ly[c]> short, as a flower, as a shadow, as a dream, a tale that is told, as a span, a moment & c-- have no propiety at all [in (om.E;mg)] them any other way, than as mans life is short in a comparitive view compared with things pertaining to men that would naturally lead us to expect, that it should be incomparably longer; such as the dignity of man's nature above all other creatures, his being made in the image of God, his being of a capacity so much superiour, his being made for such an end & business and capable of such an happiness, made capable of looking forward & having some apprehension of an endless life his necessary desires of such a life &c-- otherwise why is not the shortness of the duration of other things in like manner set forth & insisted on which do not last longer than the life of man? . But if it be so indeed that ma<e>n's life is exceeding short, considering his nature end capacity & desires then doubtless the righteous who are represented as high favourites of God, who shall be the subjects of his blessing every way & particularly shall have LIFE as the great fruit of his favour & blessing, will have a life or duration that shall be long answerably to their capacity [xo E?] their nature, desires &c--
¶'Tis an argument that the O. T. affords for the proof of a future life & immortality that we are there taught that mortality is brought in by sin & comes as a punishmt of sin Therefore tis natural to suppose that when compleat [sic] forgiveness is promised and perfect restoration to favour & deliverance from death & the bestowmt of life as the fruit of this favour, that [xo c?] eternal life & immortality is intended. [finis; 3 or 4 line spaces blank at end of page.]
¶1161 JUSTIFICATION. See p. 23. of my printed Discourse on Justification.] [E's] God in justifying a sinner by faith looks on him as the sinner by that act of faith looks on himself for doubtless there is an agreement [sic] between the act of God in justifying and the act of the person which God requires in order to his justification. But in the act of that faith which God requires in order to a sinners justification he looks on himself wholly as a sinner or ungodly he has no consideration of any goodness or holiness of his own in that affair but meerly & only the righteousness of Christ and thus he seeks justification of himself as in himself ungodly & unrighteous by the righteousness of another And so it is that God looks on him in justifying him God has no re-/mg/spect [sic] consideration of any goodness in him when he justifies by faith as that faith by which he has justified has no consideration of any goodness in him & as justifying faith has respect only to the righteousness of another so has he that justifies by faith. [finis]
1162. It may be worthy of consideration whether or no some of the HEATHEN PHI[LO]SOPHERS had not with regard to some things some degree of INSPIRATION of the Spirit of God which led em to say such wonderful things concerning the Trinity the Messiah &c. Inspiration is not so high an honour & priviledge as some are ready to think It is no peculiar priviledge of Gods special favourites many very bad men have been the subjects of it yea some that were idolaters. Balaam was an idolater and a great sorcerer or wizard & yet he was the subject of inspiration & that even when in the practice of his witchcraft when [*Om. this one; see MS.] he went to seek by enchantment Yea the devils themselves seem sometimes to have been immediately actuated by God & forced to speak the truth in honour to Christ & his religion. So the devil at the oracle of Delphos was probably actuated by God & compelled to confess Christ & own that the Hebrew child /mg/ had to be above him & had sent him to hell & forbidden him to give forth any more oracles.
¶Why might not Socrates & plato & some others of the wise men of Greece have some degree of inspiration as well as the wise men from the East who came to see Christ when an infant Those wise men dealt among the heathen as much as the wise men of Greece and were in like manner Gentiles born of heathen and brought up among them & we have no reason to thing think that they were themselves less of heathen than several of the Grecian philosophers at least before they were the subjects of that inspiration that moved them to follow the star that led them to Christ.
¶Pharaoh & his chief butler & baker were the subjects of a sort of inspiration in the dreams they had for tis evident those dreams were divine revelations . And were Nebuchadnezzars dreams He tho' a heathen & very wicked man and great idolater yet had a revelation concerning Messiah & his future kingdom in his dream of the great image & the stone cut out of the mountains without his hands.
¶If it be objected that if we suppose some of the heathen philosophers to have truths suggested to 'em by the inspiration of the Spirit of God we must suppose that God gave these revelations without giving with them any certain evidences by which others to whom they de-/p./clared them might determine them to be such or by which they might obliged to regard & recieve them as such.
¶Allowing this to be the case yet a good end might be answered in giving these revelations nevertheless. Tho they could be no rule to the heathen among whom they lived yet they might be of use these three ways 1. They might dispose the heathen nations as they had occasion to converse with the Jews and to be informed of the revelations & prophecies that they had to [xo?] among them to attend the more to them & to enquire into them & their evidences. 2. They might prepare the Gentile nations that had among them the records of these sayings of their most noted & famous wise men to recieve the gospel when Gods time came for its promulgation among these nations by disposing them the more diligently & impartially to attend to it. 3. They may be of great benefit to the Christian church ages after they were delivered as they serve as a confirmation of the great truths of Christianity. 4. We. know not what evidence God might give to the men themselves that were subjects of these inspirations that they were divine & were true. (as we know not what evidence was given to the wise men of the East of the divinity of their revelations) and so we know not of how great benefit the truths suggested might be to their own souls. [finis]
¶1163. It may be worthy to be considered what has been so much insisted against all AUTHORITY OF COUNCILS and all POWER OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE in matters of religion viz. that if this power be every where claimed & used much more hurt will be done by it than good & that more hurt has actually been /mg/ than good in the exercise of such power I say it may be worthy of consideration whether this argument has not been overstrained & too much concluded from it whether from the same kind of arguing it would not follow that parents should never have liberty to instruct their children at all in any priciples of religion because such an abuse is commonly made of this liberty that ten times as much hurt has come of it as good And whether we maynt as well argue that it would be best that mankind should be without a power of reason because commonly this power has been improved to do more hurt than good & so of all other powers & abilities God has given to mankind God has given <reason [on line]> a faculty of understanding & will to rule over the inferiour principles of the human nature & the members of the body. but can we justly argue that because men have made such an ill use of these powers in directing the members & exertive [sic? exertive ?] powers that they have done more hurt than good thereby that therefore 'tis best that all mankind should be deprived of the power of using their members as their minds shall direct . It may be with regard to councils & rulers in bodies politick societies as tis with ruling faculties in particular persons [finis]
¶1164. TRUSTING IN OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
¶The words of Peter to Simon Magus Act. 8. Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money I say these words seem to argue the very fatal consequence of mens trusting in any thing of theirs any price they have to offer for salvation. The holy Sprit is by way of eminency the gift of God & is the sum of salvation & of those saving benefits that are purchased by Christ & the Holy Spirit in his ordinary saving influences is as much greater & more glo conferring grace & glory is a much higher benefit than the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. & there is a greater disproportion between the worth of the former & our best righteousness than between the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit & silver & gold. [finis]
¶1165. CONVICTION HUMILIATION CONVERSION There is great reason from the account the SS. gives us of the manner & circumstances of Pauls conversion to think that grace is sometimes given with the first awakenings of conscience before comfort in a sense of the pardon of sin. & that the work of humiliation to fit for this comfort is afterwards after grace is truly infused (1) Because when Paul when first awakened & convinced of sin before his terrours of conscience were fully removed by Christs gracious word by Ananias Christ comforts him in some measure declaring his favour & love to him & his gracious purpose of making him an apostle and a glorious instrument of multitudes [sic] of both Jews & Gentiles & of his gracious assistance & protection in the performance of this so great a work. see Acts 26. 16,17,18. Now it cannot reasonably be supposed that X would thus declare his love. [to (om.E;mg] him & the great purposes of his grace concerning him while he yet continued fully an enemy in his heart without any mortification of that enmity & while God held him under the guilt of sin & condemnation for it & the wrath of God abode upon him. (2) When X appeard to Ananius to send him to Paul before that which most properly may be call'd Pauls comfort, Christ encourages him with that behold he PRAYETH [large letters]. Acts 9. 11 . Not that he had never prayed before externally that strict sect of the Pharisees of which Paul was abounded in prayer, constantly attended it every day at the stated hours of prayer, besides extraordinary prayer at their fasts (which often were twice a week,) & at other times. But these were not counted worthy of the name of prayers because they were not prayers of faith. (see Hos. 7. 14. Ps. 78. 34,35,36.) calling on the name of the Lord is often in the New Testament mentiond as the terms of salvation. [finis]
¶ 1166. TRINITY. CHRIST THE LOGOS. the Wisdom or Idea of God. See Lardners Credib. Vol. 6. p. 602. [finis]
¶ 1167. FUTURE STATE. IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL: That the state of divine judgment & retribution is hereafter in another life & not in this is manifest from that <this, [c]> [xo c] that some of the highest acts of vertue consist in dying well, in denying our selves of life in a good cause for God & for a good conscience, or rather than commit what is in it self vicious [sic] & vile for our countrey for the church of good men [sic; Rem: "church of God"] & the interest of that holy society. See Lactantius as quoted by Lardner Vol. 9 p. 109. [finis]
¶1168. TITLE TO A TREATISE.] [E's bracket] The nature of true vertue and the way in which it is obtain'd [finis]
¶ 1169. MYSTERIES. Supposing that mankind in general were a species of far less Capacities than They are so much less that when men are come to full Ripeness of Judgement & Capacity, they arrived no higher than to that Degree that ["to which" supplied by c] children generally arrive to [xo by e] at seven-years of age.; & supposing a Revelation to be made to mankind in such a state & Degree of Capacity of many such propositions in Philosophy as are now looked upon as undoubted Truths and let us suppose at the same Time the same Degree of Pride & self-confidence as there is now what cavilling & objecting &c--would there be! [! by c]
¶Or supposing a Revelation of these Philosophical Truths had been made to mankind, in [changed to "with" by c] their present Degree of natural Capacity but [xo prob by E] in some antient Generation as to ["as (?) to" xo by E] suppose that which was Joshuas Time in that Degree of Acquired Knowledge & Learning which the world had arrived at then [ c adds: ", How incredible would those truths have seemed!"
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¶A large asterisk and "6." beside number. It is printed as Part II, § 6 in M. O., p.391. All puctuation is by c (though he may perhaps mark over E's occasionally). "out" also written along side of number. The addition at end is found in the printed text. The number is near top of MS p. 24.
¶ 1170. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. NECESSITY OF A REVELATION.
The slow progress the world makes in the investigation of truth, in things that seem pretty obvious as in that<the [c]> [xo c] instance of the roundness of the earth; may evince the necessity of a revelation to guide men into the knowledge of truth in divine things that are needful to be known in order to our being happy in the knowledge & favour & enjoyment of God. [finis]
¶ 1171. MYSTERIES. If Things which Fact & Experience make certain such as the miseries infants sometimes are the subjects of in this T, &c. had been exhibited only in a Revelation of Things in an unseen state They would be as much disputed as the Trinity and other mysteries revealed in the Bible.
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¶Occurs on MS p.24. Has large asterisk and "7." by it (also "out"). Printed as Part II, § 7. M.O. p.391. Some of punctuation is by c.
¶1172. Double Senses of SCRIPTURE See Warburtons [or comma] divine Leg. Vol. 3. p. 631 &c-- The prophecies of the 70 years captivity had a twofold accomplishment [finis. The last was added later after the No. written; a ref. to content of the quotation or reference?]
¶ 1173. "Now those expressions of the Apostle [concerning X's SATISFACTION & RIGHTEOUSNESS, and the OPERATIONS of the SPIRIT] [E's brackets] are to be understood in the common sense and meaning of the words, and not as far-fetchd metaphors. For it is evident, that in all this he does not affect the arts of oratory nor assume a magnificent air of writing nor does he raise himself into sublimities of style nor rave in an enthusiastick way, when he treats of these subjects. But while he is explaining to us these great things of the gospel, he avoids the wisdom of words & oratory, and he talks in a plain rational, argumentitive method, to inform the minds of men & give them the clearest knowledge of the truth". Watt's Orthodoxy & Charity. p. 12. [finis]