1185

1185. Concerning the Reasonableness of the Doctrine of the IMPUTATION OF CHRISTS RIGHTEOUSNESS. See Dr. Williams's 4 vol. of sermons p. 88---94. [finis]

1186 Concerning PERSEVERANCE IN FAITH as a necessary means of continuing in a state of JUSTIFICATION. See Dr. Williams's 4th vol. p. 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192. vol. 5. p. 119, 120. & p. 136, 137, 138. [ * [E's] see next <No> but one [finis]

1187. ETERNITY OF HELL TORMENTS. See Dr Williams's 5 vol p 383----391. [finis]

[JE's]1188. see last <No> but one] <See 729. B. 2> PERSEVERANCE JUSTIFICATION [Jr.'s ] It seems to be because continuance in faith is necessary to continuance in justification, at least in part, that the Apostle expresses himself as he does Rom. 1. 17. "For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto faith; as /p./ it is written the just shall live by faith". Or the righteousness of God is revealed, as we receive it & have the benefit of it, from faith or by faith unto faith. For 'tis by faith that we first percieve [sic] & know this righteousness, & do at first receive [or -ie-?] and embrace it and do at first become interested in it: & being once interested in it, we have the continuance of faith in the future persevering exercises of it made u sure to us; which is necessary in order to a suitable continuance in a justified state in an inter of <of [c]> a [by c?] justified state. and faith continuing, our interest in Gods righteousness continues, & we are continued in a justified state, and shall certainly have the future eternal reward of righteousness. & thus that is fulfilled, "the just shall live by faith". agreable [sic] to that 1 Pet. 1. 5 "We [sic] are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation": and agreable to that Heb. 10. 35--39. "cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might recieve the promise. For yet a little while, & he that shall come will come, & will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith. but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. <& Chap. 3. 6, 14, 18, 19 & 4. 1, 11. Heb. 6. 4[Rem; ?] 11, 12.> And the former part of the 15. chap of John; "Abide in me & I in you.--- If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch.--- continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I a have kept my Fathers commandments, & abide in his love". It was impossible that X should not continue in his Fathers love. He was entitled to such help & support from him as should be effectual to uphold him in obedience to his Father, & yet it was true, that if Christ had not kept the Fathers commandments, he could not have continued in his love. he would have been cast out of favour.

See Rom. 11. 22. Col. 1. 21, 22, 23. 1. Tim. 2. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 7, 8. Rom. 4. 3. compared with Gen. 15. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. [finis]

1189. INVITATIONS OF THE GOSPEL are directed to Reprobates. See Matt. 22. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 &c. Luke 14. 16 &c-- Mat. <sic: Matt> 20. 16. & 22. 14. Act. 13. 38. Hos. 11. 7. Prov. 4. 24 &c-- Rev. 3. 18, 20. Prov. Chap. 8 & 9. Matt. 9. 13. Joh. 6. 29. [finis]

XTIAN RELIGION. SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL in the overthrow of Heathenism

1190. X's MIRACLES. God in Exod 4. at the begin<ning, [c:mg]> when Moses objected, that perhaps the people would not believe, that he had sent him; directed him to work two miracles to convince them; viz the transmutation of his rod to and from a serpent. and 2dly the making his <hand> [c:mg] leprous & healing the leprosie. & tis to be noted that the preference is given to the last miracle, as being especially what might well be regarded, as a good evidence of Moses's divine mission; v. 8<th[c]> And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign; that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. By which it is manifest, that such a /p./ sort of miracles as X wrought, and which he most abounded in; viz. his healing the bodies of men when diseased; were a proper & good evidence of a divine mission. <See here Kidders Dem. Part. II. p. 5 end c.d.> [?? xo c?] Moses turned water into blood Exod. 4. 9. & 7. 19. X turned water into wine. The former is spoken of as a sure evidence of divine power Exod. 7. 17 [added betw. ¶s; not clear to which ¶ it is to be conn.]

Moses tells Pharaoh Exod 8. 10 that the frogs should be removed that thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God. <The magicians could bring up frogs, but not remove em. They brought plagues, but took away none.> But if the driving out the frogs, was such an evidence that[xo c] <of c> there w [xo E] the distinguishing power of the Almighty; how much more the driving out devils from the bodies & souls of men, <silencing his oracles; turning them out of their temples, & out of those who used curious arts, as at Ephesus; and afterwards abolishing their worship through the Roman Empire?

next Again when Corah & his company charged Moses & Aaron with taking too

p. much upon them, Moses says, Numb. 16. 5; To morrow the Lord will shew

b. who are his, & who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him.--- And again v. 28, 29, 30 Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind; If these men die the common death of all men &c---- If the miraculous taking away <of c> men's lives be so great an evidence of Moses and Aaron's divine mission, and of their being holy, & chosen, and appointed of God; how much is raising men from the dead an evidence of thonoo[xoc] <the same? c> Which is the greatest work? to take away mens lives? or to restore them to life after they are dead? or indeed miraculously to save them from death, when they are sick with mortal diseases? . Again, Gods causing the earth to open & swallow up these[ck: ms] wicked men, is no more an evidence of a divine hand, than Xs preventing the see [sic] from swallowing up those that were in the ship by immediately quieting the winds & sea by a words speaking, when the ship was even covered with waves, through the violence of the tempest: & at another time upholding Peter from sinking & being swallowed up by the tempestuous sea when walking on the water. <Elisha's causing iron to swim, is mention'd in the Old Testament, as a great miracle. but this was not greater than his[xo c] <Christ's c> own walking on the water, and causing Peter to walk upon it.>

When Elijah had restored to life the widows son, t she says upon it, 1 King. 17 24. By this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth. But this sort of miracles X wrought, besides rising from the dead himself. next p. b.

For the gods that were worshiped int he heathen world, were devils, by the testimony of the Old Testament, Ps. 106. 37 & even by the testimony of the writings of Moses, Deut 32. 17. -- & Levit. 17. 7. which last place calls the idols of Egypt devils. Christ by the prevailing of the Christian religion, cast out those devils out of that very land of Egypt. & which was the greatest work, to drive the frogs out of Egypt; or to drive <out c> the impure spirits, that were the gods of Egypt? Tis spoken of Isai 19. 1, as a glorious manifestation of the majesty of God, that he should ride on a swift cloud, & should come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt should be moved at his presence. See also Jer. 43. 12 But when X came into Egypt in the preaching of his gospel, it moved, dispossessed & banished the idols of Egypt, & abolished them out of the T. & not only did X thus drive away the devils, the false gods, out of Egypt, but out of all the nations round about Canaan, that were known by the Israelites, or that [as those ?] /p./ we read of in the Old Testament, even to the utmost extent of the then known heathen T, & far beyond it. these gods were by X dispossessed of their antient tenements [?], which they had hold [xo c]<holden c> age after age, time out of mind. <They were c> utterly abolished, so that they have had no worshippers now for a great many ages; no temples, no sacrifices, no honours done 'em. They are old obsolete things now, utterly disregarded in the T.

And [xo c] tis abundantly spoken of in the Old Testament, as a future glorious work of god, greatly manifesting his power & majesty, that <he c> should prevail against & destroy the gods of the heathen, & abolish their worship. [See the fulfilment [sic] of the Prophecies of the Messiah, p. 121. No. 153.][TS: JE's brackets] But our Jesus has the honour of this glorious work. [ see last p. b.][JE's brackets] See N. 1194

last p. d.][JE's brackets] Let X's feeding the multitude with a few loaves & fishes, be compared with Elisha's miracle in 2 Kings. 4. 42, 43, 44. <& also that v. 1----7> curing the leprosie of Naaman is one of the most celebrated of Elisha's miracles. The king of Israel speaks of healing the leprosie, as a peculiar work of god 2 K. 5. 7 Naaman himself was convinced by it, that the God of Israel was the only true God.

Moses turned water into blood, & that was one of the signs by which he was to convince the people of his divine mission. He was to take some of the water of the river and pour it out on the dry land, and it was to be turned to blood. but this was not a [wwso] a greater work, nor so glorious, as Xs turning water into wine.

Abraham's conquering the four kings & their armies with his armed servants & confederates, if [xo c]<of> perhaps five or six hundred in all, is celebrated in SS. as a glorious work of God,

It greatly affected Melchizedek, King of Salem, & convinced <him [c,mg]> that he was[xo c] <Abraham was c> God's chosen friend, chosen that he & his posterity might be blessed as God's people. But what is this to Jesus's conquering the world in its greatest strength, & when united under that which by the prophet Daniel is represented, as the greatest & by far the strongest monarch; by his handful [sic] of poor, weak, illiterate disciples.

The work of Gideon in conquering the Midianites & the multitudes that were join'd with them, by 300 men, with the light of lamps & sound of trumpets, is celebrated as a great work of Gods power, Judg. 6. 14. & 7. 2, 7: But this is but a meer type of Xs conquering the T by the preaching of the gospel. This victory over Midian is spoken of in SS. as representing the conquests of the Messiah; Isai. 9.4.

and a remarkeable [sic] evidence that [xo e] of the sovereingty & [by c?] absolute supremacy of Jehovah, or [by c] <of c> his being the first & the last. Isai. 41 1. 7. and in a peculiar manner the victory of Jehovah therein over the false gods of the conquesred nations, is celebrated.

Christs's victory over the false gods of the nations in this conquest, was far more conspicuous, /p./ as the opposition was to them; <the c> strife was more directly with them; the thing professedly sought & aimed <at c> by Christ in the conflict, was the utter destruction of these false gods, the entire rooting <of c> them out, & abolishing [xo c]<the abolition of c> their worship and [xo c] out of the world: & such a victory as this was obtain'd; these false gods were forsaken, their oracles silenced, their temples destroyed, their images every where burnt, & their remembrance made to cease; so that now for many ages they have not been rememberd [sic], any otherwise but [xo c]<than c> as instances of the great blindness & folly of their votaries.

And tis further to be observed, that in that 41. chap. of Isai<ah c> this very victory of Abraham is spoken of as a representation of this great victory of the Messiah over the idols of the nations.[rest in two sep. additions]

Elishas smiting the army of the Syrians with blindness, is mentiond [sic] as a great miracle, 2K. VI. 18. &c-- But opening the eyes of the blind as X did, is a much greater miracle.

Moses & other prophets wrought miracles [xo E] many miracles whereby they brought great judgments on men; but miracles of the beneficent kind were ever noted in the church of God, as greater & more distinguishing of a divine hand, than of [sic] the contrary kind. See SSS on Exod. 7. 12.

See back after N. 1156. p. 9

[finis]

1191. TRINITY. Intimations of it in the Old Testament see Bp. Kidders. Dem. Part 3. p. 81, 82, <83e-92. 113--116.> The opinion of the Jewish doctors concerning it Ibid. p. 82, 83, 84.b.c.d.e. 85. 86. 87. 90.e. 91, 92, 93, 94 95 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 103, 104, 105, 106 107 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114. [finis]

1192. XTIAN RELIGION. (1). 'Tis a great argument that JESUS is the TRUE MESSIAH, that he is the person that has actually brought life and immortality to life; which is so agreable to reason and so agreable to the innumerable dark hints given in the Old Testament: that he hath declared with great plainness of speech a future state of rewards & punishments, as is most rational and agreable to the nature of true relgion and vertue, and [xo c?] tending most properly to promote these things, according to what is taught by the reason of mankind, in its best improvement and as it appeared in the wisest philosophers, and by the word of God delivered in the Old Testament; which shew how essential to true vertue and religion are weanedness from the riches, pleasures & honours of this world, and a readiness to lay down our lives for God &c <xo>-- and to place our happiness in God, in the knowledge of him, in union & communion with him, conformity to him & dwelling with him. Tis exceeeding<ly c> manifest from reason & the Old Testament, that such a state of future rewards & punishments is appointed by the great moral Governour of the T, and that these rewards & punishments are the grand sanction of the divine law, and <of c> all Gods commands; and consequently that it must be God's design some time or other plainly to reveal <them c> to the world, and not alwaies [sic] to keep <them c> hid as it were behind a vail. But Jesus is in fact the person that has brought to light such a future state as reason says there is; and as we now being taught by Jesus, can /p./ see to have been hinted often in the Old Testament; and has actually brought it to be the received doctrine among mankind; received by all the chief nations of the world, as one of the most fundamental articles of their faith and religion; and as that which is plainly exhibited without a vain & made evident beyond controversy, & fully established among his followers.

And [xo] seeing this was to be done, and that [xo c] <seeing c> God had a design to bring these things thus to light at last, and was <he had c> forborn for so many ages; there is the greatest reason to suppose, that it was to be done by the Messiah, who is prophecied of as Gods greatest prophet & teacher, & the [xo] <as the c> light of the T, who should bring good tidings; who shoud most clearly reveal the divine law & covenant, & publish good tidings & salvation. See Fulfilment of Prophecies of the Messiah It was foretold that eternal life should be a benefit of the Messiah's kingdon ibid.

Our Jesus is the person that has most plainly & rationally taught the doctrines of the resurrection and general judgmt; & fully introduced & established these [ck ms] doctrines agreable <y c> to the hints & prophecies of the Old Testament Ibid

(2) Tis a great evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, that he hath abolished the ceremonial law, & introduced a spiritual, rational service fit for all nations; which reason with [xo c]<and c> the Old Testament shew plainly was a thing to be done by the Messiah.

(3) Tis a great argument that Jesus is the Messiah, that there is such a correspondence between him, & [xo c] the doctrine he taught, & [xoc]<the c> administration he introduced; and the types of the Old Testament. Tis plain these these [sic] types did mainly point to the Messiah, & were to be fulfill'd in him, and tis evident that they are remarkably [sic] fufill'd in Jesus [xo c]<Jesus. c> [finis]

1193. XTIAN RELIG. JESUS THE TRUE MESSIAH. HIS SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. See 1044. B. 5. Great Changes in kingdoms & nations coming to pass according to God's predictions, [-s?] is often spoken of by God himself in the Old Testament, as a great evidence of his being the only true God, vastly distinguished from all other gods, & infinitely above 'em. Particularly his foretelling the great changes brought to pass in the world relating to his church & people, & great judgments & destructions to those nations that injure them and are their enemies. and [xo E] which [xo c]<These c> things Christ [xo c] foretold <by X c> & were accomplished exactly according to his prediction. And the foretelling <of c> those very things, which Christ foretold, are [xo E]<is c> spoken of expressly as an evidence of true divinity, yea and [xo c] as [xo E]<as c> a distinguising characteristick of the true [xo E] Messiah.

Thus in Isai. 41. 21. to chap. 42. 21. concerning which passage of SS the following things are worthy of note.

1. That the foretelling <of c> the revolutions of nations & monarchies, & particularly the destruction of Babilon by /p./ Cyrus, is greatly insisted on by God, as a great evidence of his being the true God; and as most clearly & greatly distinguishing him from all pretenders to divinity. See chap. 41. 21--27. See also chap. 44. 25 to the end, & 46. 10. But Jesus was one that professed divinity, and foretold revolutions of nations as great & strange as this, yea far more wonderful. He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, & the nation of the Jews and the deliverance of Xtians that were in it [xo c] that had been the Holy City, & the nation of the Jews, that [xo c]<who c> had been Gods own people, whose protectour he had in a special manner been; & towards whom he exercised a more peculiar providence. <He also foretold the deliverance of the Xians who were in Jerusalem. [c]> It was a greater thing for such a city & such a nation to be destroyed, than for Babilon to be destroyed. And it was a greater evidence of divine foreknowldege, to foretell how he would dispose of those, who had for many ages been his peculiar people, and peculiar treasure, which he took a special care of, above all nations, than to foretell what should happen to a nation of aliens.

2. In this very place such a spirit of prophecy or ability to foretell such future events is spoken of, as that wherein the Messiah himself should bestinguished [sic] from the gods of the heathen chap. 41 27 to 42. 4 <here when it is said v. 28. There was no counsellor, special respect is had to their magicians & false prophets. See chap. 47. 12, 13 & Daniel 2. 2.>

3. Here the foretelling the conversion of the Gentiles from their heathenism [heathenish? (several wxo; did E mean to xo next two also?)] from idolatry, is spoken of as the prerogative of the true God, a glory that should not be given to another. Chap. 42. 8, 9. with the foregoing part of the chapter, and what follows to v. 17.

Again, the foretelling the gathering of Gods people from all nations, and enlightning of the blind and opening the ears of the deaf, is spoken of as greatly & evidently distinguishing the true God and his servant, the Messiah, chap. 43. 6-- 13. But thus did Jesus.

So in chap. 44. 3---8 Foretelling the conversion of multitudes to the profession of profess themselves the people of the true God, and [xo c]<with c> the exact accomplishment, is [xo c]<are is c> spoken of & insisted in [sic] as a certain & very distingueishing note of the true God. But thus did Jesus.

And in the 25. & 26 verses of the same chap. God declares that he frustrates[c:mg] the pretenders, but will confirm the word of true prophets, & particularly of his servant, i.e. the Messiah, called Gods servant often in the preceding chapters. here see Isai 19. 12.

In chap 45. 21. to the end a[xo c]<the c> foretelling <of c> the conversion of the Gentiles from idolatry to worship the true God, is spoken of in like manner as an high prerogative and certain evidence of the true God.

In chap. 48. a person's foretelling such great salvation[ck:ms] as speaking in his own name is spoken of as a great evidence that the person which foretells is the same that does the work [*Here see the passage N. 1194 in the next p. b.]* [*E's] [finis]

1194. [*see N. 1190. p. 3. b.]* XTIAN RELIGION SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL.].* [JE's brackets] The turning the wilderness into a fruitful field, is spoken as[xo E]<of c> by God as a peculiar work of God, a certain sign of a divine hand. Isai. 41. 18, 19, 20. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree. I will set in the desert the fir-tree, and the pine, and the box-tree together; that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this. Tis evident this is not intended in a literal sense, but signifies a happy change in the state of mankind from a state wherin men are represented as barren, & as briers & thorns, and like wild beasts, to a morally excellent & happy state. /p./ This might be proved by the frequent use of such figures in SS. prophecy. But tis manifest this <according to X's prediction c> was effected in a remarkeable manner by <Jesus xo c> X <hims. c> and his apolstles & followers, according to Xs word & his prediction, [xo c] in the turning of the world from heathenism to the knowledge & worship of the true God, to becoming apprehensions of his moral government, & from all manner of vice to vertue.

<[*Here see N. 1193. in the last p. d.].*> And this circumstance may be observed, that <as c> it being[xo c]<was c> done at Xs word, according to his prediction, when he <had c> foretold it, as a thing that he would effect, & being[xo c]<as it was c> done afterwards by his messengers in his name, pretending only to act as his servants; I say its being done with these circumstances, this[xo c] did as much shew, that he was the doer of it, as if[xo E]<it approved c> that he healed the sick & cast out devils, when these things were so done at his word, that when<ever c> he spake & commanded the effect to be, it immediately was. It makes the relation between the effect & his word, & the dependence of the latter on the power of him that speaks the word, as evident.

This effect of turning the wilderness into a fruitful field, or an effect described in like figures of speech, is spoken of by God, as one of the greatest of the works of God, far greater than those that were wrought for Israel in bringing them out of Egypt. Isai. 43. 15---21.

And if we consider the particular circumstances of the fulfilment of the [wwxo] the predictions of Jesus, in the success of his gospel, and compare them with what is spoken of in the Old Testament as the peculiar & distinguishing work of God; the evidence of the authority & divinitiy of Jesus will appear yet greater. Disappointing and baffling the power & subtilty of the potent, the crafty & the cruel, in their attempts for the destruction of the poor, the helpless & the meek, and finally in a remarkeable manner giving them the asdendant [sic] & victory over them, & terribly destroying their oppressours & persecutours, is often spoken of as peculiar work of the most high, as remarkably manifesting a divine hand, and gloriously displaying God<'s c> supreme power & wisdom & divine mercy. So Job. 5. 11----16. The song of hannah in 1 Sam 2d chap. <Job. 12. 17, 18, 19> particularly Gods thus baffling the attempts of the heathen against those that fear him & that hope in his mercy Ps. 33. 10 to the end So Ps. 46. throughout

We find these things often spoken of as the peculiar & glorious work of the most high, in prophecies of the days of the Messiah, with a particular application to what he will do <, in the times of his kingdom, c> for his people that are weak & helpless, in the times of his kingdom.[xo c] So <Isai. 25. 1--8> Isai 40. 22-24. with 27 to the end Isai 41. 11, 12 &c-- chap. 54. 15--17. chap. 49. 24--26. Ps. 68. throughout. Ps. 118. 5---23.

Yea this is spoken of as the work and glory of the Messiah himself Ps. 72. 4. Isai. 11. 4 & Ps. 45. 3, 4, 5.

These things are fulfilled in the most remarkable manner that ever they were by far, in disappointing & baffling of the policy, power & rage of the greatest, wisest, most potent empire of the heathen that ever was in the world, in their greatest rage & violence, to the bringing of the curch of X to a compleate victory, even [xo E] so as to overthrow the antient long established heathenism of the world, in all the nations any where taken notice of in Scripture, so that it never has <again revived c>remaind any more. [xo c]

And 'tis remarkable that it is foretold particularly in Isai 42. XLII. that the Messiah should set judgment in the earth, and his law or religion among the nations, particularly the isles or Europe, against strong opposition & through great sufferings, under which his church should seem ready to be extinguished, like a bruised reed & smoking flax. But that finally judgment should be brought forth to victory. [finis]

1195. CONFLAGRATION. That the fire with which X will appear at the day of judgment will be the fire in which Christs enemies will suffer their proper punishment even that great vengeance and consummate misery which he will come to execute upon them that everlasting destruction which they shall suffer from his presence & from the glory of his power is very manifest by 1 Thes. 1. 8. 9. But when it is said X will appear in flaming fire how unreasonable would it be to doubt whether this fire be the same with that flaming vehement fire which is elsewhere spoken as what shall attend his [ (om.;mg)] and shall be for the perdition of ungodly men. 2 Pet. 3d. chap.

Again. When it is said that the heavens & earth that are now are kept in store reserved unto fire against the judgment and perdition of ungodly men. certainly the words imply that they are kept in store for that perdition of ungodly which ungodly men shall be condemned to at the day of judgment & we know that is everlasting perdition. & that they are reserved for that fire which they shall then be adjudged to & that is everlasting fire Matt. 25.

In the 2d chap. of this epistle 4 v. the fallen angels are said to be reserved unto judgment. & in v. 9. the unjust are said to be reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished. And here in this 3d chap. v. 7. the heavens and the earth are said to be reserved unto the day of judgment and their perdition. The word reserved is the same in the original in each place. Now it would be as reasonable to suppose that the Apostle when he speaks of the devils & wicked mens being reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished in the 2d chap he has respect to a temporary punishment as to suppose that when in the third chapter he speaks of fewel kept in store unto fire against the d of there [sic] judgment & perdition he has respect to a temporal perdition.

Again the word judgment as well as perdition has respect to wicked men according to the most natural construction of the words so that tis as much as to say reserved unto fire against the day of condemnation and destruction of ungodly men if it had been so express'd it would have been most evident that the destruction spoken of was that which they are to be condemned to at the day most eminently called the day of the judgment or condemnation of wicked men. The word is commonly put in the New Testamnet for condemnation or damnation. See Joh. 5. 29. The is the resurrection of damnation [finis]

1196. GOD'S MORAL GOVERNMENT. So much evidence of the most perfect exactness of proportion harmony equity & beauty in the mechanical laws of nature & other methods of providence which belong to the course of nature which are mean[xo E] by which God shews his regard to harmony fitness & beuty [sic] in what he does as the Governour of the natural world may strongly argue that he will maintain the most strict & perfect justice in proportion & fitness in what he does as the Governour of the moral T [finis]

1197. TRINITY. Intimations of it in the Old Testament In Exod 20. 2, 3 when it is said in the 3d verse, "Thou shalt have no other GODS before me," the word is the same as in the Foregoing verse, where it is said, "I am the Lord thy GOD, which brought Thee out of the Land of Egypt.". It is ["it is" is over a caret and is probably by c] Elohim in both verses I am the Jehovah thy Elohim; Thou shalt have no other Elohim.* [JE's underlines] Yet the latter Elohim is join'd with an adjective of the plural Number; which seems naturally to Lead the Children of Israel, to whom God spake these words, to suppose a plurality in the <word [xo probably by c]> Elohim, which brought them out of Egypt, implied in the Name Jehovah. see further 1241 B.8. [i.e. No. 1241 is in Bk VII near end.]

1198. Christ's coming being spoken of as nigh at Hand. [see 842. B. 3. & note on Matt. 16. 28.] What Christ says to his d. [disciples] Luke 17. 22. is a confirmation that Christs second coming would be long delayed "And He said unto the D. the Days will come when Ye shall desire to see one of the the Days of the son of man, & ye shall not see it." By the Days of the son of man is meant the Days of Christs Personal Appearance in this Lower World; perhaps including both his first & second appearing; but with a special Reference to his second Appearing, as is manifest from the Context; see from the 20 v. to the End; especially v. 26. It further appears by what is said in the former Part of the next Chapter, Which is a Continuation of the same Discourse, and still with Reference to the same Thing, viz. his coming; especially by v. 1. & 7. 8. see SSS on v. 22 [.]

1199. CHRISTS COMING being spoken of as nigh at Hand. see the next preceeding N. & also . 842. B. 3. ]. Having particulary Considered the sayings of the Apostles, that have an appearance as tho' They expected Christ's last coming in their Day; I would now consider the sayings of Christ, which have such an apsect. and to clear this matter the following Things may be observed;

1. Christ often speaks of his last coming as that which would be long delayed. Matt. 25. 5; "While the Bridegroom tarried, They all slumbered & slept Luke 20. 9; "A certain man planted a Vineyard. V. 19; After a long Time [c:mg] the Lord of those servants cometh & reckoneth with them". Matt. 24. 48; --"my Lord delayeth his coming." so Luke 17. 22. see on this Text in the preceding N. above.

2. "Tis evident that when Christ speaks of his coming; his being revealed; his coming in his Kingdom; or his Kingdom's coming; He has respect to his appearing in those great works of his Power Justice and Grace, which should be in the Destruction of Jerusalem and other extraordinary Providences which should attend it. so in Luke 17. 2[0] to the End with Chap. 18. 1---8. Christ speaks of the Kingdom of God's coming; of the coming of the Days of the son of man; of the son of mans being revealed & of the son of mans coming <JE's underlining> But yet tis Evident, He has Respect to the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Chap. 17. 37; "And They answered & said unto Him where Lord? [? by c] And He said unto Them, wheresoever the Body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together." see also Chap. 19. 13, 14, 15. . so when the Disciples had been observing the magnificence of the Temple, and Christ had said to 'em, "verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down;" having Respect to the Destruction of Jerurusalem [sic]; The Disciples ask Him, when these Things should be? [c] and what should be the signs of his coming & of the End of the world? [c] by Christs coming, They have plainly a Respect to that Time of the Destruction of the Temple which Christ had spoken of; and therefore there <their c> Question is thus expressed by St Mark, Mark. 13. 3, 4, "Tell us when shall THESE THINGS be? [c] and what shall be the sign when all THESE THINGS shall be fulfilled" and in like manner by St Luke. Chap 21. 7. And Christ has many Things in his Answer agreable to this sense of his Question. In his Answer He proceeds to speak of his coming, & of the Destruction of Jerusalem, both in one. He warns em to beware of others that should COME in his stead; Matt. 24. 4, 5. Then He proceeds to tell em what will preceed [sic] the END: i.e the End of the T which the Disciples enquired after: and tells em what shall be signs of its approach. Matt. 24. 15--21. 28. & more plainly Luke 21. 20---24.

3. Tis manifest that the Event <to c> which X sometimes has Respect by his coming, by his Coming in his Kingdom, by the End of the World &c-- he did not suppose would be at the Time of the Destruction of Jerusalem. He speaks of that Event as attended with the General Judgment, and all nations being gathered before his Judgment seat to recieve [sic] an eternal sentence, Matt. 25. latter Part; and that this judgmt shall be attended witht the general Resurrection of the Dead; Joh. 5. 21, 22, 25---30: and that after this Resurrection & at the End of this world the saints shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven; Matt. 22. 30. <especially Luke 20. 34, 35, 36:> and that at this Last coming & End of the World, all the wicked of all nations shall be cast into a Furnace of Fire, into everlasting Fire; Matt. 13. 39--42. Chap. 24. 40, 46: and the Righ[teous] shall then be as wheat gathered into Gods Barn; shall enter into the Kingdom prepared for em before the Foundation of the World: shall be received to X to live with Him where He is in his Fathers House in Heaven; & shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, in the Possession of immortal Life. Matt. 13. 30 v. 39. 43. Chap. 25. 34. 46 Joh. 14. 1---3. Chap. 17. 24.

But tis evident that when X spake of the Destruction of Jerusalem, He did not expect that these things would be accomplished at that time. For He speaks of that Destruction that should be of his Enemies, as not of all nations, or the whole wicked world; but as principally confined to Judea: & therefore directs his People that are at[xo c]<in c> Judea when they <shall c:mg> see signs of its approaching Desolation, to flee out of Judea to the mountains; & warns others in other Countreys [sic], not to go into it; Luke 21. 20---22. Matt. 24. 15--17. Mark. 13. 14, 15. He speaks of the great Disadvantage they should be under, who should be with Child, or give suck; & directs em to pray that their Flight may not be in the Winter, nor on the sabbath Day; <Matt. 24. 19. 20 Mark. 13. 17, 18 Luke 21. 23.> But how do those things agree to the Time when they should be as the Angels of God in Heaven <should be received with Christ to heaven and there shine forth as the sun c> He speaks of <this c> Destruction as being by war, by the sword of men, and by the Roman Armies; Luke 21. 23, 24. There shall be great Distress in the Land and wrath upon this People; and they shall fall by the Edge of the sword, and shall be led away Captive into all nations, Matt. 24. 28. wheresoever the Carcass is, there will the Eagles be gathered together so. Luke 17. 37. Matt. 22. 7. But when the King heard thereof He was wroth, and sent forth his armies, and destroyed those Murderers & burnt up their City.

'Tis said Luke 21. 24, that after the Destruction of Jerusalem the Jews should be led away Captive into all nations, and Jerusalem should be troden [sic] down of the Gentiles. By this it appears that X had no thought, that then the world should be destroyed, all mankind disposed in their eternal state, the Righteous in Heaven & the Wicked all cast into a Furnace of fire.

Luke 19. 43, 44. For the days shall come upon Thee, that thine Enemies shall cast a Trench about Thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay Thee even with the Ground, and thy Children within Thee; and They shall not leave in Thee one stone upon another.

X supposes <that c> the Nations should remain after the Destruction of Jerusalem; and <that the Kingdom of God should be> taken from Them, and given another Nation; Matt. 21. 41, 43; They say unto Him He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other Husbandmen, which shall render Him the Fruits in their seasons.------Therefore I say unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof. Luke 20. 15, 16.-- What therefore shall the Lord of the Vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy those Husbandmen, and shall give the Vineyard to others. and it appears by the Parable of the marriage suppose<supper c>, that the Gospel should be preach'd to the Gentiles & be gloriously successful among them after Jerusalems Destruction; Matt. 22. 7--10, But when the King heard thereof He was wroth, and He sent forth his Armies, and destroyed those Murderers, & burnt up their City. Then saith He to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the Highways, and as many as ye find, bid to the marriage. so those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found both good and bad, and the wedding was furnished with Guests. From these things it follows

4. That when X speaks of his coming & <, c> his coming in his Kingdom &c as being in that Generaton, and before some that were then alive should taste of Death, there is no need of understanding Him of his Coming to the Last Judgment: but He may well be understood of is Coming at the Destruction of Jerusalem; which, as has been shewn, He calls by these names, & which He also distinguishes from his coming to the Last Judgment & <the c> consummation of all Things. Yea.

5. Tis Evident that He did not suppose, that his coming to the Last Judgment & <the c> consummation of all things, would be 'til a long Time after the Destruction of Jerusalem. The Calling of the Gentiles instead of the Jews is spoken <of c> as what should be principally after the Destruction of Jerusalem; Matt. 21. 41, 43. Luke 20. 15, 16. Matt. 22. 7---10. But this Christ Himself speaks of as a gradual work, in the Parables of the Grain of Mustard seed, & of the Leaven hid in three measures of meal; Matt. 13. 31---33. Luke 13. 19---21. see Mark. 4. 26---32. and Tis very manifest that X did not suppose, that He should come to the Consummation of all things, 'till long after the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Luke 21. 24; where tis said of the Jews <that xo c?> after the Destruction of Jerusalem should be Trod<d c>en down of the Gentiles, 'till the Times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled. Tis considerably manifest that X in these words, as in some other things he says in the same Discourse, has his Respect to what is said in the last Chap. of Daniel. In the Great Tribulation He speaks of Matt. 24. 21, 22 He has manifestly in his Eye what is said in Dan. 12.1. And in what he says here of the times of the Gentiles, He has Respect to the Times spoken of Dan. 12. 6, 7; as will be manifest by comparing & observing the agreement. But these Times are there spoken of as very long.

[TS: This number has the largest asterisk beside it. Practically all punctuation, including commas, by the copyist. It is printed as the last item in §44 (Part I) of Misc. Obs., and is printed on pp. 53-57.]

1200. <see 1181> TRADITIONS OF THE CHINESE concerning the MESSIAH. "Confucius's notion of God was that he was the supream [sic] truth and reason or the fountain from whence truth and reason are communicated unto men ---that he was the original & ultimate End of all things eternal infinite immoveable who produced and sustains all things that he is one supremely holy <c:mg> supremely holy [sic] supremely intelligent & invisible. And having discoursed of the perfection of reason and virtue [sic] he used these remarkable words. We must wait for the coming of this perfectly holy man and then we may hope that having such a guide and teacher, vertue which is of such an excellent nature will be brought into practice and be performed by me. A little after Confucius is related to say of the Emperour who ruled according to the law of reason & example of the God of heaven That such a one need not doubt but his vertue will be approved by that holy person who is expected to come upon earth even tho' an hundred ages should pass before his coming. And according to tradition universally received amongst the Chinese Confucius was often heard to say that in the West the holy one will appear" Jackson's Chronological Antiquities. in the Monthly Review. for August. 1752. p. 97, 98. [finis]

1201. CEREMONIAL LAW was not immutable See Notes on 1 Chron 11. 39. & 2 Chron. 29. 34. <God often appointed altars to be built for the offering sacrifices besides the altar before the sanctuary as in the command to Gideon Judg. 6. 26. The command to Elijah &c--> [finis; last added later.]

1202. The TEN TRIBES. How that many of these were incorporated with those that were of the kingdom of the house of David and with the Jews that returned from the Captivity.

1. Part of the tribes of Dan & Simeon were within the tribe of Judah & there continued & seem'd to be as it were lost in that tribe Josh. 19. 1---9. And tho some of these it seems after the reigns of David & Solomon withdrew left their original habitation & went over to <to c:mg> the kingdom of Jeroboam (see 1 Chron 4. 31) yet some still remaind in the inheritance of Judah & were there in the reign of Hezekiah & were not carried captive with the rest of the ten tribes. (see 1 Chron 4. 31 see Henry's Notes on 1 Chron. 4. 24 to the end.

3. The tribe of Levi generally left the countrey of the ten tribes and resorted to the kingdom of Judah & remain'd there 2. Chron. 11. 13, 14

4. In Rehoboams time soon after the division of Israel into two kingdoms great numbers out of all the tribes of Israel left their old habitations & dwelt in the territories of the king of Judah. 2 Chron 11. 16.

2. While David was in Ziklag there join'd themselves to him a considerable number of the ten tribes as of Gad & of Manasseh. 1 Chron. 12. 8---15 & 19---22. Which we must suppose continued with him during the seven years that he reigned in Hebron while the rest of the tribes they belonged to submitted themselves to Ishbosheth. and probably many of them living so long in Judah with David took up their settled abode there & returned no more to their old habitations

5. A great number of the ten tribes join'd themselves to the kingdom of Judah in Asa's time See 2 Chron. 15. 9.

6. Again a number fell to the kingdom of Judah in Hezekiah's time 2 Chron. 30. 11

7. And again a number of the remnant of the ten tribes in Josiah's time 2 Chron. 34. 6, 9

8. It is very probable that when the Jews were carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar & afterwards were set at liberty by the kings of Persia to return to their own land that many of the ten tribes returned with them for they were doubtless most of them within the Persian dominion & were included in the grants that these kings made to such as had been carried captive out of that land to return to it agin. Thus we have an account of some that were originally of Bethel <&>[ck:ms] Ai & Jericho cities of the 10 tribes that returned with Zerubball <bel c> & Joshua Ezra. II. 28. 34 & the children of Ephraim & Manasseh are spoken of as dwelling at Jerusalem after the Captivity. 1 Chron. 9. 3 [TS: 3 line spaces left before next ¶]

9. Tis probable many of the ten tribes mix'd with their brethren of Judah & Benjamin that stay'd behind & were dispersed abroad in other countreys & never returned to their own land. See after next

[TS: No. 1203 is a short number, and 1202 is concluded immediately below it on the same MS page.]

see before last.].*[E's bracket] 10. Tis observable that after the return from the captivity the people that united in the worship of God at Jerusalem are looked upon as consisting of 12. tribes as usual & therefore at the dedication of the temple they offered 12. he goats for a sin offering according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel Ezra. 6. 17. See also chap. 8. 35. [finis]