¶1275. That GLORY OF GOD that is the END OF GODS WORKS is not only MANIFESTATION OF HIS EXCELLENCY but COMMUNICATION OF HIS HAPPINESS.]. [E's] Goodwins Works Vol. 1. Part. 2. p. 246. on those words Eph. 2. 7. That --- he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards [us (om.E)] in X. Jesus "It implies, that God will rejoyce over you in glorifying of you It imports that he will not do it meerly to shew his riches as Ahasuerus made a feast and invited all his nobles to shew the riches of his glorious kingdom. God indeed will bring us to heaven, and shew the exceeding riches of his grace and that is the cheifest end he aims at. But now Ahasuerus he did not do thus in kindness But God as he will there shew forth the exceeding riches of his grace for the glorifying of it so he will do it in all the sweetness and kindness that your souls can desire or expect"
¶Ibid. p. 250. "It hath been question'd by some whether the first moving cause to move God to go forth to save men was the manifesting his own glory or his kindness & love to men which he was pleased to take up towards them I have heard it argued with much /p./appearance of strength that however God indeed in the way of saving men carries it as becomes a God so as his own glory & grace shall have the preheminence [sic] Yet that which first moved him that which did give the occasion to him to go forth in the manifestation of himself which else he needed not was rather kindness to us than his own glory yet so as if he resolved out of kindness & love to us to manifest himself at all he would do it like a God, and he would shew forth the exceeding riches of his grace as that that alone should be magnified. Now the truth (Eph. 2. 7) is the text compounds the business and doth tell us plainly & truly that the cheif end is that God should glorify his own grace it puts the chief & original end upon the shewing forth the exceeding riches of his grace Yet so as he hath attempered and conjoined therewith the greatest kindness the greatest loving affection for the way of manifesting of it so as in the way of carrying it it shall appear it is not simply to glorify himself but out of kindness towards us, he puts that in as that which shall run along with all tha manifestation of his own glory. And therefore now he makes in the 4. v. mercy & great love to us to be as well the fountain & foundation of our salvation as the manifestation of the riches of his grace here"
¶Ibid. p. 253. "Because the chief & utmost thing that God desireth is the manifestation of the riches of his grace it argues that his end of manifesting himself was not wholly for himself but to communicate unto others. Why? because grace is wholly communicative. There can be no other interpretation of shewing riches of grace but to do good unto others If he had said that the supreme end had been the manifestation of his power & wisdom it might have imported something he would have gotten from the creature, not by communicating any thing unto them, but manifesting these upon them he could have shewed his power & wisdom upon them as he hath done upon men he hath cast into hell & yet communicated no blessedness to them. No siath God my highest & chiefest end is not is not so much to get any thing from you but to shew forth the riches of my grace towards you Thus [? D; That ? (A copyist)] look at [? D; as? (Acopyist)] faith, which is the highest grace in us it is meerly a recieving grace from God So take grace which is the chief thing God would exalt what is it from God a meer bestowing communication property & attribute It imports nothing else but a communication unto us. It is well therefore for us that God hath made that to be the highest end of our salvation in [A; it?] himself, (when he will aim at himself too) to be that which shall communicate all to us It is saith the text to shew forth the riches of his grace" See further P. 40. . a [finis; ref. later]
¶1276. ANGELS IGNORANT OF THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL TILL Xs COMING.]. [E's] Dr. Goodwins Works, vol. 1. Part 3. p. 64. on Col. 1. 26, 27. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages & generations . But now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is X in you the hope of glory. the Doctor says "This doctrine of the gospel he kept hid & close in his own breast not a creature knew it no not the angels who were his nearest courtiers and dearest favourites it lay hid in God Eph. 3. 9. even hid from them v. 10 Amystery which when it should be revealed should amaze the T put the angels to school again as if they had known nothing in comparison of this wherein they should know over again all those glorious riches which are in God and that more perfectly & fully than ever yet. And so after they had a little studied the catechism and compendium there should come out a large volume a new system of the riches of the glory of God . The mystery of X in this [? D: the] text; which is the last edition also now set out enlarged perfected wherein the large inventory of Gods glorious perfections is more fully set down with additions" [finis]
¶1277.<[a]> See 1275. GLORY OF GOD THE END OF HIS WORKS.
Dr Goodwin observes (vol. 1 of his Works Part .2. p. 166), that riches of grace are called RICHES OF GLORY in SS. "The SS speaks of riches of glory Eph. 3. 16 that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory. Yet eminently mercy is there intended for it is that which God bestows and which the Apostle there prayeth for And he calls his mercy there his glory as elsewhere he doth, as being the most eminent excellency in God -----That in Rom. 9. 22. &23. verses compared is observable. In the 22. verse, where the Apostle speaks of Gods making known the power of his wrath saith he God willing to shew his wrath & make his power known But in v. 23, when he comes to speak of mercy he saith That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy."
¶There are many other passages in that vol. to the like purpose [finis]
¶1277.<[b]> LORD'S DAY. This that follows is taken from an extract of M de Voltaires History of Europe with a Preliminary View of the Oriental Empires in the Monthly Review of March 1754 Artic. 23. p. 201. Speaking of the Chines "And what is most worthy of observation os that time immemorial they have divided their months into weeks of seven days." [finis]
¶1278. INCARNATION. THE ADVANTAGE WITH THE GLORY OF GOD appears to us in the person of X God-Man.] [E's] Dr Goodwin's Works Vol. 1. Part. 3. p. 66. "Christ is the Son of God and therefore the express image and brightness of his Fathers glory. ---- But his image you will say is too bright for us to behold it shining in his strength we being as unable to behold it in him, as we were to see his Father himself who dwells in light inaccessible. Therefore that yet we may see it as nigh and as fully and to the utmost that creatures could this Godhead dwells bodily in the human nature, and so shining thro the lanthorn of his flesh we might behold it his human nature and divine [make (? mto)] up but one person and being [thus (? mto)] united together in the nighest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [last line tattered] a creature. And the nearest & fullest communications alwaies follow upon the nearest union To him therefore as man are communicated these riches of glory that are in the Godhead [as (?mto)] nearly & fully as was possible unto a creature And being thus communicated must needs shine forth in him to us to the utmost that they ever could unto creatures; and therefore more clearly than if millions of Ts had been created every day on purpose to reveal God to us, God having stamped upon his Son all his glory that we might see the glory of God in the face of J. X. 2 Cor. 4. 6." [finis]
¶1279. JUSTIFICATION NATURAL FITNESS OF FAITH.]. [E's] Dr. Goodwin, [s?] Vol. 1 of his Works. Part 2. p. 298.b. "Now if the right to salvation be an entire gift that is given at a lump, then there was no grace that was so fit in the heart of man to answer this gift as faith for faith is a meer re-reciever." [finis]
¶1280. JUSTIFICATION. The peculiar concern of FAITH is not that of being CONDITION of salvation is [it?] <in?> the promi[se] for <far> [xo?] for it [is?] the Xtians work & labour of love these things that accompany salvation as the condition of the promises of it so that by Gods righteousness & faithfulness . . . . . . . [1 or 2 words gone] bestow . . it [. .-it?] on [in?] jus . . . [? another line gone at bottom of page?] [finis]
N.B. the line above the numeral, tho' this No. was apparently not copied . The line may have been put there to anticipate copying in some category -- or perh. the "out" did not mean it had been copied --or, it may be in the last sic of A.
Tentative editing - see transcription
¶1280. JUSTIFICATION. The peculiar concern of FAITH is not that of being the CONDITION of salvation in the promises[Or "promise"; the margin is defective]; for so is[MS:"for sor is"; it may also be read "for [so] is," treating the second word as a doublet of "for."] the Christian's "work and labor of love." These things are "things that accompany salvation" as the condition of the promises of it; so that by ...[A short word is probably gone at the margin:"them"?] God's righteousness and faithfulness ...[One or two illegible words at the lower margin.] obtained to bestow ...[The rest of the sentence (about four or five words) is undecipherable at the tattered margin.] See these [words, , Heb. 6:9].[Conjecture for the rest of the reference. The Greek words occur in the text of the number, replaced by the occur in the text of the number, replaced by the trnslation :that accompany salvation." The whole number is a commentary on Heb. 6:9 ff. Note that 1281 continues the study of this passage.]
¶[Following No. 1280; an addn. to 1275]
¶<Add this at p [3]7 [ ] [mg torn]> Ibid. Part. 3. p. 63. "Our alwise and infinitely blessed Lord who had from everlasting riches of glorious perfections which tho he himself knew and was infinitely blessed in the knowledge of them tho' no saint or angel had ever been or ever knew them yet all these his glorious perfections being crowned with goodness hath made him willing to make known what riches of glory were in him unto some creatures which yet were in X: his goodness moved him to it For Bonum est sui communicativum and it the nature of perfection is added to it when made known but that they might perfect others This set him upon some ways to make known but that they might perfect others This set him upon some ways to make known his riches and his glory to some that should be made happy by it And to that end he would have saints his saints as being beloved of him unto whom he might as it were unbosom himself and display all the riches of glory that are in him into whose laps he might withal pour out all his riches that they might see his glory and be glorified in seeing of it Joh. 17. 3, 24" See 1277. [finis]
¶This item was probably written before 1280 (note tenseness of E's treatmt of idea in 1280); it is of a diff. appearance fr. writing in 1280 + 1281, wh. are very similar -this addn. wr. w. broader pen or heavier hand, tho ink is about same as in 1279-81.
¶1281. HADES. SOULS OF SAINTS rewarded before the RESURRECTION. SAINTS IN HEAVEN HAVE communion in the prosperity of the CHH ON EARTH
¶There are three things very manifest from Heb. 6. 12, That ye be not slothful but followere of them who thro' faith & patience inherit the promises.
¶1. That the souls of the saints do go to a state of rewards and glorious happiness before the RESURRECTION. That altho the resurrection be indeed the proper time of their reward and their happiness before be small in comparison of what it will be afterwards yet that they may be said to be in possession of the promises of the covenant of grace Those whom the Apostle has reference to when he speaks of them that noe inherit the promises are the Old Testament saints and particularly the Patriarchs as appears by the next words where the Apostle [in- (mto)] st[ances] . . .[D. reads: "instances in"] Abraham & [? xo?] . . . [D. reads: "and in" Last line of text is alm. gone.] /p./ promises made to him and of his patiently enduring & then obtaining the promise. Again 'tis manifest the things promised to Abraham which the Apostle speaks of were things which were not fulfilled till after his death. and tis manifest by what the Apostle expressly declares in this epistle that he supposed that Abraham & the other patriarchs did not obtain the promises while in this life chap. 11. 13. Speaking there of these patriarchs in particular, he says These all died in faith not having recieved [sic] the promises The word as tis used every where in the N. T. implies actual possession of the inheritance And so as tis used in the Septuagint it generally signifies the actual possessing of an inheritance lot estate or portion and that a being now in actual possession of the promised happiness in <[sic; D: is]> what the Apostle means in this place is beyond dispute by what he says as further explaining himself in the words immediately following where he says that Abraham after he had patiently endured obtained the promise He not only has the right of an heir, to promise which he had while he lived but he actually obtain'd it Tho he /mg/ he died not having recieved the promise And that we should suppose this to be the meaning of the Apostle when he speaks here of Abrahams having obtain'd the promise after patiently enduring don't mean only in a figurative sense viz that the promise of multiplying his natural posterity was fulfill'd after his death tho' he was dead & his soul asleep knowing nothing of the matter for the word is in the present tense inhereit the promises not only did obtain them but continue still to possess & enjoy them tho Abrahams natural seed had been greatly diminished and the promised land at that time under the dominion of the heathen & the greater part of the people /p./ at that time broken off by unbelief & rejected from being Gods people and their city & land & bulk of their [?D: the] nation on the borders of the most dreadful destruction & desolation that ever befel any people.
¶2. If we compare this with what the Apostle says else-where in this epistle 'tis manifest that the saints he speaks of inherit the promises in heaven & not in any other place in the bowels of the earth or elsewhere called HADES For tis evident that the promised inheritance which they looked for & sought after & the promises of which they by faith were perswaded of and embraced & the promises of which drew their hearts off from this T, was in heaven This is manifest by chap 11. 13,14,15,16. These all died in faith not having recieved the promises. But having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and embraced them & confessed that they were strangers & pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a coutrey And truly if they had been mindful of that countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly Canaan or land of rest which X has entered into is that which the Apostle all along in this epistle speaks of as the great subject matter of Gods promises which the saints obtain thro' faith & patience. chap. 3. 11, 14 & chap. 4. 1,3,9,10,11 chap. 8. 6 & 9. 15. & 10. 34. & 12. 1,2,16 to the end.
¶3. Another thing which may be strongly argued from this is that the happiness of the SEPARATE SOULS of saints in heaven consists very much in beholding the works of God relating to mans redemption wrought here below and the steps of infinite grace wisdom holiness & power in establishing & building up the CHURCH of God ON EARTH. For what was that promise which the Apostle here has special reference to & expressly speaks of, that Abraham obtained after he had /p./ patiently endured, which promise God confirmed with an oath & that we Xtians & all the heirs of the promise partake with Abraham in & in the promises of which to [? so?? (D reads "to" and adds "be")] greatly confirmd we have strong consolation & good hope The Apostle tells us, v. 13, 14. For when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself, saying Surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee. This promise is chiefly fulfilled in the great increase of the church of God by the Messiah and particularly in the calling of the Gentiles pursuant to the promise made to Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed Rom. 4. 11,13,16,17. Heb. 11. 12.
¶When the Apostle speaks of their inheriting the promises he seems to have a special respect to the glorious accomplishmt of the great promises made to the patriarchs concerning their seed now in these days of the gospel as is greatly confirmed by chap. 11. 39,14 [sic; shd be "40"]. And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect. Plainly signifying that they recieved not the promise in their lifetime the promise having respect to that better thing that was to be accomplished in that age in which the Apostle & those he wrote to lived & that the promise they relied upon was not compleated, & their faith & hope in the promise not crown'd, 'til they saw this better thing accomplish'd. Rev. 14.13. They rest from their labours & their works do follow them Follow with them not to come many thousand years after them as Mr Baxter observes Doddridg on Rev. 14. 13. [finis; last ref. added later.]
¶1282. The glory of heaven advanced at Xs ASCENSION.
"Altho' I have no apprehension of the limbus patrum fancied by the papists yet I think the fathers that died under the Old Testament /p./ had a nearer admission into the presence of God upon the ascension of X than what they enjoyed before they were in heaven before the sanctuary of God but were not admitted within the vail into the nost holy place where all the counsels of Gos in X are displayed and represented. There was no entrance before, either as to grace or glory within the vail. Heb. 9. 8. For as I said within the vail were all the counsels of God in X laid open as they were typed in the holy place This none could or were to behold before his own entrance thither. Wherefore he was their forerunner also."
Dr Owen on Heb. 6. 20. p. 178. [finis]
¶ 1283. OLD TEST SAINTS SAVED BY X. It is manifest, that all that ever obtained the pardon of their sins, from the foundation of the T till X came, (if any at all were pardond) obtained forgiveness thro the sacrifice of X, by Heb. 9. 26 "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the T, But now once in the end of the T hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself <See Owen on the place, p. 459.> v. 28 "X was once offered to bear the sin of many" & the next verses chap 10. 1--4. "For the law having a shadow of good things to come & not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged, should have had no more conscience of sins. But in these sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it /p./ is not possible that the blood of bulls & of goats should take away sins" & v. 10,11. "By the which will we are sanstified thro' the offering of the body of Jesus X once and for all. And every priest standeth daily ministring and offering often times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins". & many other places there are in this epistle to the like purpose add to this that the Apostle says without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
¶Tis manifest that some were pardoned thro X before he was offered as he to whom X said "Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee"; & others And X's disciples evidently were in a state of pardon & acceptance with God, before Xs death; & yet X, when he institutes the Lords supper, speaks of his blood as that which was shed for the remission of their sins. <Compare Luke 22. 19. 20 & Matt. 26. 28.> ---- X tells his d[isciples] that if he washed them not, they had no part with him; & tells them, that they were <then [c]> [xo c] they were clean, excepting Judas, Joh. 13. 8,10,11. X declares himself their friend, & teaches em to call his Father their Father, & declares that the Father had received him already to favour, & was ready to answer their prayers because they had loved him & believed in him; and tells 'em that he gives em his peace &c--- X says, Joh. 5. 24. that he that believed on him, should not come into condemnation but had eternal life & was passd from death to life. & chap. 3. 18 that he that believed on him was not condemned. See Joh. 6. 4 v to the end. [finis]
¶1284. DEATH ETERNAL NOT ETERNAL ANNIHILATION. 'Tis manifest that Gods design in punishing his enemies is in part to convince them of his greatness majesty & to make em know their folly in despising him; as well as to make his glory & majesty visible to others, even to the whole universe. Exod. 9. 14.---17. <quote [c]> see Ps. 50. 21. <quote[c]> [finis; Jr. adds, in space at end of the No.: "Therefore the punishment of the wicked is not annihilation."]
[n.b. This No. is edited by Jr., <but no asterisk and the numeral has a line over it. Perhaps it was he who did this marking.]
¶ 1285. Xs MIRACLES. The curing of the leprosie was a special manifestation of the power <of God; [c]> for as is observed in SSS the leprosie which was among the Jews seems to be no disease, that came by any natural means; but to [be (om.E)] a special plague sent by God; as was the leprosie of a garment & of an house: and therefore was not to be removed but by the same hand that sent it. [finis]
[N.B. Jr., by his omission, has JE giving this as his opinion]
¶ 1286. Xs MIRACLES. God was very jealous for his own honour, with respect to the miracles that were wrought by the prophets in his name; that his power should be acknowledged in the miracle and all the glory ascribed to him & none assumed by the instrument. Therefore God was so provoked with Moses and Aaron, because they sanctified him not, as they ought to have done, in bringing water out of the rock; that he refused on this account to suffer them to enter into the promised land. Num. 20. 11,12. And [xo c] therefore if Jesus had been an impostor, it is altogether incredible, that he would have so countenanced, & in such a degree winked at Jesus<'s [c]> his [xo c] working miracles in his own name, and as by his own power, claiming the power to work the same works that the Father wrought, & so making himself equal to God as the Jews charge him Joh. 5. 17---23. [finis]
¶1287. PROPHECIES respecting divers events. The Spirit of X which was in the prophets spake in the same manner with X himself when he was on earth X often when he was speaking of something that was a type of some spiritual thing or when some typical thing was spoken of to him in his /p/ speech to pass directly & immediately from the type to the antitype so that while [he (om.E)] seemed to be speaking of the image he indeed meant the thing represented by it
¶Thus when X was in the temple at Jerusalem and had been speaking of that temple he said Destroy this temple & in three days I will raise it up, speaking of the temple of his body, of which the temple at Jerusalem was a type Joh. 2. 19 &c-- So when X was washing the disciples feet X replies if I wash thee not thou hast no part with me What was spoken of at first was that external washing which X intended as a sign of a spiritual washing Peter speaks of this , and X in his reply seems to speak from this but indeed in his real intention passes from that & leaves that which was the sign & speaks of that spiritual washing which was the thing signified /Joh. 13. 8. So when he delivers the cup to the disciples the night wherein he was betrayed he tells his disciples that he would no more drink it new with them in his heavenly Fathers kingdom He had been speaking of that fruit of the<at> vine that wine that was in that cup and seemd to be speaking of it still but indeed passes immediately from that & means the spiritual & glorious blessings signified by it.
¶Tis often the manner of inspired persons in prophecies & divine songs uttered more immediately on occasion of or with respect to some lesser mercy & benefit of a more private nature as it [were (om.E)] to leave that & insist chiefly on some infinitely greater & more extensive work of Gods power & grace that the other is but a shadow of. We have a very clear instance of this in the song of Hannah. 1 Sam 2. chap. [finis]
¶ 1288. Xs MIRACLES. What was wrought with respect to Nebuchadnezzar, when he was driven from men, to [xo c?] became like a wild beast, so that no man could confine or tame him; and afterwards <in[c]> restoring him to his right mind; is represented as a very great miracle, a [or?] divine work, remarkably demonstrating the infinite & uncontroulable power of God, & <t [c]>his<e [c]> [xoc] supream & most absolute dominion it greatly convinced Nebuchadnezzar of of him whose work this was; and <it [c]> was wrought for that end; as <is [c]> manifest by Dan 4. 2,3. "I thought fit to shew the signs & wonders that the most high hath wrought towards me. How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation". v. 17. "This matter is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living might know, that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will." To the like purpose v. 25,26. v. 34,35. "And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most high, and I praised and honoured him that liveth forever & ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand; or say unto him What dost thou". v. 37. "Now I Nebuchadnexxar praise, and extol, and honour the king of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways judgement and those that walk in pride he is able to abase".
¶But if this work wrought on Nebuchadnezzar, was so great a miracle, so evidently divine, and so clearly demonstrating the divinity of the Author of it, &[xo?] his infinite power <& [c?]> supream dominion; then tells is a clear proof that the miracle that X wrought on the poor Gadarene, was a divine work, and a sufficient evidence of the divinity & the infinite power & supream & most absolute power of Jesus who wrought it. He was no less wild [d by c over E's 'd'] and untameable than Nebuchadnezzar. Matt. VIII "He was exceeding fierce so that no man might pass by that way." Mark. V. 3,4,5. "No man could bind him, no not with chains: /p./ because that he had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And alwaies night & day he was in the mountains & in the tombs crying & cutting himself with stones." Luke 8. 27. "He wore no clothes, neither abode in any house." This man X restored perfectly, as of his own power and authority. The devils the possessed [him (om.E)] <him, by their behaviour appeared to be [c] behave as [xo c] sensible, that they are under his power. They speak <spake [c]> [xo c] to him as one that has<d [c]> [xoc] power to expell them, to confine, punish & torment them They fa<e [c]>ll down before him, as before the Son of God most high, besecching him not to torment them, & not to command them to go out into the deep, but to suffer them to enter into the herd of swine, And Christ "commanded the devil, saying Come out of the man thou unclean spirit." Mark. 5. 8. Luke 8. 29. But the man who had been possessed of the devils, was perfectly delivered & sat at Jeus feet clothed & in his right mind Luke 8. 35. [finis]
¶1289. FUTURE STATE. "Never could the boldest Epicurean bring the lightest appearance of argument against the possibility of such a state Nor was there ever any thing tolerable advanced against its probability. We have no records of any nation which did not entertain this opinion men of reflection in all ages have found at least probable arguments for it and the vulgar have been prone to believe it without any other argument that their natural notions of justice in the administration of the T. This opinion is interwoven with all religions" Hutcheson on the Passions Edit. 3. p. 191 [finis]
¶1290. XTIAN RELIGION. It strongly argues, that when God gave the OLD-TESTAMT, he intended some further & far more glorious revelation of his mind & will that in the Old Testament are so many hints of a<n [E]> future state & [xoE] another T, & a future eternal state of rewards & punishments; & yet that these things are no where spoken more plainly & insisted upon more fully particularly & didactically. For if there be such a state, doubtless the things of it are infinitely greater than the things of the present state; and the things that concern it, <are [c]> infinitely more important than the things of this T. The things of that future eternal state must be the grand things of all, to which the religious concerns of this life must all be subordinate; and in comparison of with[c] [xo c] which temporal things are nothing . This argues that a future [xo E] the<n> future revelation was reserved of [xo c] far more plain and clear <revelation [c]> of the chief things of religion and of the greatest concern between God & man<, was in reserve. [c]> [finis]
¶1291. LORD'S DAY. SS CONSEQUENCES I know of no Xtian that denies it to be contrary to the reveal'd will of God, that a man should at once have many wives. Polygamy is universally esteemed gross & most scandalous impiety among Xtians & yet the prohibition is not very plain & express but is infer'd by consequence [finis]
¶ 1292. IMMORTALITY of the soul. See B. 1. gg. If all the creatures God has made, are to come to an end, & the T it self is to come to an end & so to be as tho' it had never been then; it will be wothall Gods glorious, magnificent works, agreeable<y [c]> [to (om.E)] what is said of the temporal prosperity of the wicked, Job. 20. 6,7,8. "Tho its excellency be never so great, yet it shall perish forever it shall all fly away as a dream; it shall be chased away as a vision of the night." It shall vanish totally & absolutely be as tho it had not been.
[finis; note dot above numeral; some esp. bad punct. by c]
¶1293 [a] [inserted later in mg] PROPHECY respecting various events concerning that prophecy of Elijah concerning Ahab 1 K. 21. 19. Thus saith the Lord in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood even thine". Tis evident that it look'd to two distinct events in which it was accomplished. One of them that which we have an account of in the next chap. concerning Ahab himself after he was shot with an arrow at Ramoth Gilead So the king died and was brought to Samaria and the dogs licked up his blood and they washed his armour according to the word of the Lord which he spake". In these last words according to the word of the Lord which he spake is a plain and express reference to the foregoing prophecy. And yet the prophecy had not its principal accomplishment in that event but un another which happen'd in his sons days, agreeable to what God himself said to Elijah. chap. 21. 28.29. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite saying Seest thou haw Ahab humbleth himself before me because he humbleth himself before ne I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his sons days I will bring the evil upon his house And we find the event agreeing hereto in what happened to Jehoram his son He met Jehu in the portion of Naboth and there was slain by him And when Jehu had shot him thro the heart he said to Bidkar his captain Take up and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite for remember that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father the Lord laid this burden upon him /p./ Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons said the Lord and I will requite thee in this plot saith the Lord Now therefore take and cast him into the plot of ground according to the word of the Lord.
¶concerning this prophecy I would observe the following things.
¶1. Here is a plain and most undeniable instance of one prophecy respecting two distinct events and being accomplished (at least in part in each)
¶2. The prophecy was fulfilled but in part in the first event tho' the dogs licked up the blood of Ahab yet it dont appear that it was in the portion of Naboth They licked the blood that was washed out of the chariot in the pool of Samaria.
¶3. There are some things in the prophecy that seem most suited to one event & others to the other. The prophecy was that the dogs should lick Ahabs blood that was most exactly fulfilled in the first event. in the latter it was not the blood of Ahab himself that was shed but of his son. But there are other things in the prophecy most suited to the last event as that they should lick Ahabs blood in the portion of Naboth and what seems to be implied that his dead body shall be cast out without burial & left to the dogs. [finis]
¶1293 [b]. LORD'S DAY When God appear'd in any place that place was holy it was sanctified by Gods presence So X sanctified the first day of the week by appearing from time to time on that day.
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¶Ps. 111. 4. He hath made his wonderful work[s (om.E)] to be remembered. Doubtless he has made his most wonderful work of all to be remembered [finis]
¶1294. HELL TORMENTS THEIR EXTREMITY. THE JUSTICE OF IT.
¶Hutchison's Enquiry concerning moral Good and Evil. Sect. 2. p. 140. 141. Edit. 4. "Tis true indeed all the passions and affections justify themselves while they continue (as Malebranch expresses it) we generally approve our being thus affected on their occasions [or: on this occasion,] as an innocent disposition or a just one & condemn a person who would be otherwise affected on the like occasion. so the sorrowful the angry the jealous the compassionate approve their several passions on the apprehended occasion" These things may lead us to see the reson why men dont see that sin deserves so great a punishment [finis]
¶ 1295. SATISFACTION OF X the need of it.] [JE's] Late philosophers seem ready enough to own the great importance of God's maintaining steady & inviolable the laws of the natural T It may be worthy to be consi- /p./sidered [sic] whether it is not of as great or greater importance that the law of God that great rule of righteousness between the supream moral Governour & his subjects, should be maintain'd inviolate. See on this subject McLaurins Discouses, p. 324. &c-- [finis]
¶1296. NEW-HEAVENS and NEW EARTH. Concerning the external part [A; -s?] of HEAVEN'S being made NEW and far more glorious after the day of judgment.]. [E's]
¶We see a pleasant and most agreeable change in these lower heavens & earth on the coming of the natural sun in the spring It is turned as God says (Job. 38. 14.) as clay to the seal The face of the heavens & the earth put [sic] on new beauty are clothed in new garments appear in raiment of new life glory & joy The sun does as it were imparts [or comma] if I may so say some of its own life and pleasantness & glory to it and makes as it were a new heaven & new earth This probably is a faint resemblance of the alteration made not only on the spiritual inhabitants of heaven but in the external parts of heaven the material habitation at Xs first & second ascension and solemn entrance into it especially the second which shall be after the day of general judgement <¶?> The most perfect par perfect & beautifeul material parts of this lower creation are in a sort animated having a vegetative life and the<o>se parts we see recieve a great alteration & are made unspekably more excellent & beautiful on [A: in] the presence of the sun . Tis probable that the material parts of that most perfect part of all the creation the heaven of heavens the paradise of God are most resembled by the most perfect parts of this T.
¶Indeed in some respects the animated parts of this lower material T are less perfect than some of those that are not animated particularly in that they are not so durble. Hance perhaps some way be ready to imagine that all susceptiblesness of change in material thing and a being easily destroy [sic] as we see grass leaves flowers & plants in general that so easily put on a new form are /p./ easily destroyed and sooner decay & come to a dissolution than other things that are hardest most fixd & furthest from any such mutability as gold diamonds &c-- But because we see it to be so here this is no argument that it is so in all other worlds tis no evidence that hardness & fixedness of substance is necessary to durable [sic] It will certainly be otherwise in heaven the glorified bodies of the saints will be exceeding far from this fixedness they as we must suppose will be most flexible moveable & agile [sic] most easily susceptive of mutation both from the acts of the indwelling soul & also from the influence of Christ who will be as it were the animating soul of that whole T the common fountain of all life and animatinginfluence & yet will be immortal & incorruptible. The fixedness of the<o>se inanimate parts of this lower T is really an imperfection wherein appears most of that chief imperfection of material things as below the things which are spiritual even their inert quality or what philosophers call vis inertiae.
¶This is one way wherein the glorified bodies of the saints will be spiritual bodies They will in the respects mentio'd viz their agility & susceptiveness of the influence of spiritual beings & particularly the Being of beings be more like spirits . And tis probable that in some analogy to this all the material parts of the heavenly world will be spiritual in being as it were animated & susceptible of impressions & happy alterations & as it were resemblances of the glory & joy of X the sun of that world
¶Tho I suppose that the material parts of the highest heavens will be as animated yet I intend not that they shall ha truly /mg/ what we call a vegetative life appearing in a tendency to increase & be productive of new parts and other things of the same kind in a succession of generations There may be in the material parts of heaven that which shall have as great a resemblance of life and spirituality & much greater without this by its great susceptibleness of influence from the fountainof life and influence there by its recieving a new form & a new perfection of naturee on new manifestations of the glory of X and by putting on appearances of new joy & gladness to us now inconceivable on the new joy & happiness of X in his human nature & mystical body. The appearances of life in the vegetative T here below are in analogy to the life of the bodies of men which is by nutrition & /p./ appears in increase & generation But in heaven the material parts of that paradise of God probably will be in analogy to the more perfect life of the bodies of saints above which is not in this manner but by being quickend exhilerated [sic] beautified & glorified by the presence & influence of X & recieving communications of his beuty & happiness. Probably the parts even of that material habitation will be succeptible of mutations from the presence of X & exhibition of his joy & glory analogous to these in some most excellent manner according to laws to us unknown & above all invention of our wisdom & quite beyond our present conception . We don't know wherein the beauty of the external parts of the heavenly T/mg/ we can concieve of nothing more beautiful of an external kind than the beauties of nature here especially the beauty of the more animated parts of this T. we /mg/ cant concieve of any superiour sort of external beauty and never could have conceived of these if we had not seen them and now we can think of nothig beyond them and therefore the highest beauties of art consist in imitation of them . But doubtless there are other kinds of external beauty possible to infinite wisdom transcendently above these
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¶ The animated parts of this lower T have the greatest beauty because they have most of a resembalance of spiritual beauty or of beauties of minds p. 56. . d.
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¶ <p. 56. d.> and as we may conclude the beauties of the material parts of heaven that garden of the universe & palace of its infinitely glorious king will have the highest sort of beauty that material things can have & therefore will have the greatest resembalance of beauties of mind & so will be most like animated things next col.a
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¶ We cant concieve of the beauty of the bodies of the saints glorified bodies of the saints what kind of beauty it will be & how it will differ from the beauty of our bodies of flesh & blood But as the Apostle intimates in the 15. chap. of 1 Cor it will be something analogous to the difference there is between /mg/ between a seed put into the ground & the flourishing plant that springs from it The seed appears like an inert lifeless thing with but little beauty but the beautiful plant appears like a living thing therein is much of its superiour excellency that it appears to have more life and so more like a spiritual thing./p./
¶ last col. c.]. Therefore I think it exceeding probable that as on the ascent of the sun in the spring the face of the earth being clothed with an animated garment is changed & made new by the influence & impressions [-s? om.A] the sun makes upon it and in some respect every morning when the sun rises. The sun gives all a new form by its impression as a seal on the clay (Job. 38. 12,13,14. Hast thou commanded the morning---that it might take hold on the ends of the earth---It is turned as the clay to the seal. and they stand as a garment.) So I think much more may we well suppose the heavenly T is changed on the ascension of that spiritual Sun whose beams are omnipotent & on whose influence the nature form & qualities & the very being of all things absolutely depends and of whose power & glory the sun with all extensive & powerful influence is but a week and faint shadow
¶The Scriptures from time to time represent as tho a most happy & glorious alteration should be made in the face of the T when X should reign in his glory & [A; or?] shall have accomplished the redemption & happiness of his people as tho' the heavens & earth should rejoyce the mountains & hills break forth into singing the fields be joyful and all the trees clapping their hands the deserts being glad and blossoming as the rose & having the excellency of Carmel & Sharon given to it because they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of God. Doubtless there shall be something that will answer these representations in the highest perfection of all when X shall ascend to reign in his greatest glory in heaven having accomplished the most compleat redemption & happiness of all his elect people
¶The description given of the new Jerusalem in the 21 of Rev. leads us to suppose that after the end of the T not only the inhabitants of heaven but the place of habitation itself shall as it were put on new & beautiful garments that on that joyful occasion that shall be then it may be prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
¶There is in this T no inanimate durable substance that has so great a resembalance of that susceptibleness of a new form & glory on the approach and appearance of the sun of righteousness as those bodies that are transparent such as glass chrystal & various kinds of precious stones which when brought into the suns light have [wwxo] are all as it were transformed & put on immediately the image of that beauty which is presented & reflects that glory that shines upon them. We find
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¶ Ps. 96. 12,13. & 98. 8.9. Isai 44. 23. & 49. 13. & 55. 12. & 35. 1,2. /p./
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in that foremention'd description of the new Jerusalem the various parts of that glorious city compared to such things as these we are told that the city had the glory of God and her light was like to a stone most precious even like a jasper stone clear as chrystal and the foundations & the gates and the wall are represented as all made of precious stone [A: s] and the street of the city as pure gold & yet like clear glass.
¶The alteration that was made in heaven at his ascension after his passion tho' it was exceeding great & glorious yet was but as it were the blossoming of the tree But that which will be at Xs second ascension after the day of judgment will be as it were the trees bringing forth in ripeness & perfection in all its branches its lovely sweet & abundant fruit.
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¶ p. 54. . b. ] [E's] This T that we live in would be a dull place in comparison of what it is if it had nothing growing on it that had life if it had not as it were a living garment clothed as it were with a living garment tho the ground were gold & the hills solid diamonds sapphires emeralds &c-- p.54. b. [finis]
¶ 1297. The Necessity of REVEALED RELIGION. Mankind need means of certainty, clearness & satisfaction in things that concern their wellfare, in proportion to the importance of those things: <such as [c]> But [xo c] whether there be a future state of happiness & misery; what that state is; what the will of GOd is; what are the ways in which we may please <the [c]> things which please him; what are those things which will displease him & make us the objects of his anger & hatred;[*A "How" xoc wh. JE left un-xo by mistake] whether there be any reconci[l]iation after we have offended, and how it may be obtained. [¶?] We see that God takes care of mankind and all other creatures, that usually they may not be without necessary means by foresight, or something equivalent, of <for[c]> [xoc] their own preservation & comfortable existence; & that in things of infinitely less importance.
¶But it is exceeding<ly [c]> apparent that without a revelation mankind must be forever in the most woful doubt with respect to those [c over E's these?] things & not only those [ibid] things but even with regard to the if they are not led by revelation & divine teaching into a right way of using their reason, in arguing from effects to causes &c- they would forever remain in the most woful doubt & uncertainty concerning the nature & the very being of God.
¶This appears not only by the /p./ state of the heathen T, wise & unwise, learned & unlearned, polite nations & barbarous, ages after ages, before the light of Xtianity came abroad in the T: But also by what appears among those <who [c]> in these late ages among these that <have [c]> [xo c] renounced divine revelation, even the wisest & greatest of em, & such as are of the strongest & most acute abilities. By the account which Dr. Leland Givens of the deistical writers of the last & present age,
¶HOBBES denied any distinction between soul & body:----
¶He denied a future state:----
¶He he<o?>ld that we are obliged to obey an infidel magistrate in matters of religion; --- That thought is free; but when it comes to public [sic] confession of faith, the private reason must submit to the publick.
¶He owned<s [c]> [-ed by c? xo c] the being of a god, but says we know no more of him but that he exists:
¶Holds that God is corporeal:
¶He ho<e>ld [so c] that by the law of nature all men have a right to all things, & over all persons; and that no way is so reasonable, as for any man to to anticipate; i.e by force & wiles to master all the persons of others that he can, so long as he sees no other power great enough to endanger him:
¶That antecedent to civil laws all actions are indifferent; nothing being good or evil in it self.
¶TOLAND was if opinion, that there is no other god but the universe; therein agreeing with Spinoza.
¶THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY casts reflections on the doctrine of future rewards & punishments, as if it were of disservice to the interests of virtue.
¶The AUTHOR OF XTIANITY NOT FOUNDED ON ARGUMENT, represents even natural religion as not founded on argument any more than revealed; and pretends that all attempts to prove the principles of natural religion by reason, & even the being of a God, have done more harm than good; and takes a great deal of pains to destroy all certainty of reason. He represents it as perpetually fluctuating and never capable of coming to any certainty in any thing, & as the truth and falsehood were equally to be proved by it. He absolutely declares against instructing children on religious or maoral principles, as a wicked attempt to prepossess their tender minds.
¶CHUBB shews himself no friend to the doctrine of a particular providence. He plainly intimates, that he looks upon God as having nothing now to do with the good or evil that is done among mankind, and that ma<e>ns state & circumstances in the T are things, which entirely depend on second causes, and in which providence doth not interpose at all. He endeavours to shew, that no proof can be brought for a future state from the present unequal distribution of things . He discardeth all hope of divine assistances in the practice of that which is good.
¶He insists that prayer to God is no part of natural religion./p./ [¶?] He represents it as absolutely doubtful, whether the soul be material or immaterial; or whether it be equally perishable with the body, & shall die with it, or shall subsist after the dissolution of the body. These are points, he says, which he cannot possibly determine, because he has nothing to ground such determination upon: And at the same time declares, that if the soul be perishable with the body, there can surely be no place for argument with regard to a future state of existence to men, or a future retribution. --- It is easy to see, that he inclines most to think the soul is material. He absolutely discards the proof of a future state, from the present unequal distributions of divine providence.
¶He signifies, that if there be a future retribution, tis most probable, that only those shall be called to an account, who have been greatly subservient to the publick good or hurt of mankind . And as he supposes but few will be called to an account, so 'tis only for some particular actions --- And that they will not be called to an account for foolishly using the names & terms, by which the Deity is characterized . The only offence against God is, he thinks, the want of a just sense of his kindness, and the not making a publick profession of gratitude to him. And whether this will make a part of the grand inquest, he declares himself unable certainly to judge; but he plainly insinuates, that he thinks it will not; since among men it has been look'd upon to be a mark of greatness of soul, to despise and overlook such ingratitude, rather than to shew any resentmt at it. The only thing therefore, for which he supposes men will be accountable, is their injuries & benefits one to another, & these only when done to the oublic.
¶He afterwards sets himself to shew, that things would be as well ordered in the T without the expectation of a future judgmt as with it; & that the belief of it is no great advantage to society.
¶MR. [co c??] HUME declares, that the knowledge of the relation of cause and effect is of the highest importance and necessity, and that all our reasonings concerning matter of fact & experience, and concerning the existence of any being, are founded upon it; yet he sets himself to shew, that there is no real connection between cause & effect; and that there can be no certain, nor even probable, reasoning from the one to the other.
¶He endeavours to subvert all proofs of a particular providence, of a future state, and of an intelligent Cause of the universe. He speaks of the doctrine of the being of God as uncertain & useless.
¶He opposes the arguments from Gods distributive justice to<for[c]> [xo c] a future state, and denies that we have any evidence of any further degrees of justice on God, then we see exer- /p./ cised on this present state.
¶LORD BOLINGBROKE insists, that we must not ascribe to God any moral perfections distinct from his physical, especially holiness, justice and goodness , That he has not the<o>se qualities as they are in us; and that to prtend to deduce moral obligations from these attributes, or to talk of imitating God in his moral attributes, is enthusiasm & blasphemy.
¶That God made the T and established the laws of this system at the beginning; but that he doth not now concern himself in the affairs of men. or if he doth, that his providence only extends to collective bodies, but hath no regard to individuals, to their actions or events that befal them.
¶That the soul is not a distinct substance from the body; that the whole man is dissolved at death; that the doctrine of future rewards & punishments is a fiction, that hath no real foundation in nature & reason; & that to pretend to argue for future retributions from the apprehended unequal distribution of this present state, is absurd and blashemous.
¶That the sanctions of the law of nature & reason relate not to men individually, but collectively considered.
¶That self-love is the only spring from which our moral duties & affections flow.
¶That polygamy is founded on the law of nature.
¶That there is no such thing as natural shame or modesty.
¶He intimates adultery not to be contrary to the law of nature, if it can be acted secretly.
¶He seems to think, that the law of nature forbids no incest, but that of the highest kind; viz the conjunction between fathers & daughters, sons & mothers.
¶He insists, that the ground of the obligation of the law of nature is not its being the will and appointmt of God, but its being conducive to human happiness.
¶He holds, that the laws of nature in general, and the particulars of moral duty derived from them, are very uncertain, and in which men have alwaies been very apt to mistake & make wrong conclusions.
¶These things from Dr. Lelands View of Deistical Writers.
¶I think a little sober reflection on these things, which appear among the deists, weighing them together with the nature of things, may convince <us, [c]> that a general renunciation of divine revelation, after the [xo c] nations have enjoyed <it,[c]> would soon bring the<o>se nations to be absurd, brutish & monstrous in their notions & practices, than the heathens were before the gospel came among them.
¶For <(1) [c]> those nations had many things among them derived originally from revelation, by tradition from /p./ their ancestours, the antient founders of nations, or from the Jews, which led em to embrace many truths containd in the SS. and they valued such tradition. It was not in general their humour to despise such an [n by c?] source original of doctrined, as to contemn it<them [c]> [xo c] as supposing it<they [c]> [xo c] had [E: has?] its<their [c]> [xo c] first foundation in divine revelation; but rather valued any doctrines highly on this account; & had no notion of setting them aside in order to the drawing <of[c]> every thing from the foundation of their own reason. By this means they had a great deal more of truth in matters of religion & morality, than our human reason would have discovered without those helps.
¶But now the humour of the deists is to reject every thing that they have had from supposed revelation, or any tradition whatsoever, & to recieve nothing but what they can clearly see, and draw out the demonstrable evidence of, from the fountain of their own unassisted reason.
¶And then<(2) [c]> [xo c] the heathen<s [c?]> by tradition recieved & believed many great truth[s] of vast importance, that were incomprehensible, & [a word in left mg? it?] that [T; D 7, it] <thus?> was no objection with them against recieving them, that they were above their comprehension. But now tis a maxim with the free thinkers, that nothing is to [be (om.E)] believed, but what can be comprehended; & this leads em to reject all the principles [? so MO and T] of natural religion (as it is called) as well as reveald. for there is nothing pertaining to any doctrine of natural religion, not [MO, T; nor?] any perfection of G., no [over E's nor?] nor his very existence as <or ?> [xo c] from eternity, but what has many things incomprhensible.
¶And [xo c] 3.<( ) [c]> The heathen<s [c]> of old in their reasonings, did not proceed in that exceeding haughtiness & dependence on their own meer singular understanding, disdaining all dependence on teaching, as our deists do; which tends to lead em to reject almost all important truth, out of an affectation of thinking freely, & independently, & singularly. <Some of [c]> The heathen<s [c]> some of them [xo c] professed their great need of teaching, & of divine teacjing. [last sent addad after next ¶begun]
¶And [xo c] 4.<( ) [c]> The heathen<s [c]> did not proceed with that enmity against moral & divine truth, having not been so irritated by it. They were willing to pick up some scraps of this truth which came from revelation, which our deists reject all in the lump.
¶See a further reason under the next numb. viz N. 1298. [finis]
¶ 1298. NECESSITY OF REVELATION. If we suppose that God never speaks to, or converses at all with mankind, <and has [c]> never from the beginning of the T ever [xo c] said any thing to em, but has perfectly let em alone as [xo c] as [sic] to any voluntary, immediate & direct signification of his mind to them, in any respect teaching, commanding, promising, threatning, counselling, or answering <them [c]> such a notion, if established, would tend exceedingly to atheism. It would naturally tend to suppose <the supposition,[c]> [xo c] that there is no being that made & governs the T; and if it should nevertheless be supposed, that there is some being that is in some respect the original of all other beings; yet this notion would naturally lead to doubt of his being properly an intelligent, volitive being; and to doubt of all duties to him implying intercourse such as prayer, praise or any address to him external or internal, or any respect to him at all analogous to that which we excercise towards rulers or friends or any intelligent beings we here see & know: & so it would tend to overthrow every doctrine & duty of natural religion.
¶Now in this respect deism has a tendency to a bastly greater degree of errour & brutishness with regard to matters of relig. & morality, than the antient heathenism . for they [xo c] <heathens [c]> had no such notion, that the Deity never at all conversed with mankind in these [xo c] ways <above [c]> mentioned; but recieved many traditions, rules & laws, as supposing they were [xo c?] come [came?] from God or the gods by revelation.
¶See the preceding number viz N. 1297. [finis; ref. same time]
¶ 1299. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. The outward provision, which God makes thro' the ages of the T, for the temporal benefit & comfort of mankind, in causing his sun to shine upon them, his rain to descend upon them, & in inumerable other things, is a great argument that God is not an implacable enemy of mankind, in a settled & full determination finally to cast em off & never again to admit em to favour. For these kind dispensations of heaven have an abundant shew and appearance of goodness, kindness & favourableness. They are as so many smiles of heaven on mankind, from which they might justly conceive hope, that God was placable & was in aversi [or averse? xoc or E?] not [in mg; E?] & [xo c] determined to be their everlasting, irraconcileable enemy. For if this be the case, they are no tokens of /p./ goodness, kindness or favour at all. For if their Creatour has wholly rejected them & cast them <off,[c]> determining never to recieve them to favour any more; these things can do 'em no good. t<T[c]>hey can be of no significancy to 'em. They are not what they seem <to be [c]>. The supposition would imply this horrid blasphemy in it, that these are all as [xo c] so many delusive & deceitful smile<s. [c]> t<T [c]>hey have a shew of fatherly care & tenderness, and of a disposition in God to favour to mankind; but imply no such thing; men being indeed reserved for nothing but wrath & ruin without mercy; there being nothing but irreconcileable hatred hid under the disguise of tho<e>se smiles. ¶And if God being [xo c] reconcileable, it will follow, that he must make a revelation to mankind, to make known to 'em the terms, & method of reconciliation. for God who is offended alone can tell us, on what terms he is willing to be reconciled, & how he will be at peace with us, & recieve us to favour.
¶And there surely is nothing, which can be pretended to be any revelation of this kind, if the holy SS. is not.
¶OBJECT. That the Scriptures are communicated to but few of mankind, so that if a revelation of the method of reconciliation be necessary then a very great part of those that enjoy these external benefits & bounties of divine providence, still have no opportunity to obtain reconciliation with God, not having the benefit of that reconciliation<velation [c]>. [xo c] So that notwithstanding these seeming testimonies of favour & placableness, it is all one to them, as if God was irreconcileable. for still for want of the knowledge of the method of reconciliation, tis all one to them as tho there were no such method, & as tho no reconciliation were possible.
¶To this I answer:
¶1. The case of mankind is not just the same as if there were no such thing as reconciliation for the greater part of the T<mankind, [c]> [xo c] or as tho reconciliation were utterly impossible. For altho the circumstances of a great part of the Tbe such, that their reconciliation be very improbable; yet tis not utterly impossible . There is a way of reconciliation & it is publickly known in the T; and God ever ordered things so in the T of mankind, so fixing the bo[u]nds of their habitation, together with the circumstances of the revelation that has existed in the T as have afforded opportunities /p./ to the generality of the habitable T, that if their [xo c] mind<s of men had been [c]> has been [xo c] as much engaged in the search of divine truth, as they ought to be <have been, [c]> [xo c] they might have felt after God & found him, & might probably <have [c]> come to an acquaintance with divine revelation.
¶2. If there have been some parts of mankind in some ages, for whom it was next to impossible, that they should ever come to know that revelation, which God has made; yet that hinders not the force of the argument for God's placbleness to sinners, & so that there must be in being a revelation of a method of reconciliation.
¶They <common favours of providence [c] [y xoc] may be a proof, that <G. [c?]> intends favour to some of mankind, but yet be no proof, that he intends that all shall actually have the benefit of his favour. None will deny but that tho<e>se outward blessings of Gods goodness were intended for the temporal benefit of mankind that never actually receive any temporal benefit by many of them. None will dout [sic] but that God aims at mans outward good in providing wheat & many other fruits which the earth produces for ma<e>ns subsistence & comfort in the [D; this? ink blot] T: as also the most useful animals, horses, <neat [c?]> cattle & the like. But yet a very great part of the T were <for a long time [c]> wholly destitute of the most useful of these. all the innumerable nations that dwelt on this American side of the globe, were from age to age, till the Americans <Europeans [c]> [xo E??] came hither, wholly destitute of wheat, rie [sic], barley, pease, wine, horses, neat cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry & many other useful animals & fruits, which abounded in the other continent [s?].
¶And tis probably [sic] that some of those gifts of nature & providence, which are most useful to mankind, were what all men were without the benefit of for many ages; as metals, wine & many things used for food, clothing & habitations. The loadstone with regard to its polar direction was doubtless intended for the use of mankind; but yer tis but lately that any of em have had any benefit of it Glass is a great gift of providence, & yet but lately bestowed; & so some of the most useful medicines.
¶And with regard to those things which are most unversally useful, some have the benefit of it <them [c]> [xo c] in vastly lesser degrees than others; as the heat of the sun<, vegetarian &c. [c]>
¶If it should be further OBJECTED, that if it be so, that then [that? xo E?] Gods true aim in those outward benefits of providence, that have the appearances of favour, be real favour to mankind, & so that the true happiness of mankind should be the consequence; one would think it should be the effect in all places where those blessings are bestowed.
¶I answer; that it will not follow. God may grant those things in all parts of the /p./ T, which in their main design may evidently be the benefit of mankind, & yet not have that effect in all places where they are given . As the rain is a thing, in which the main design of him who orders [MO; ordains?] the being of such a thing as rain in the T, is making the earth fruitful; yet it dont follow, that /mg/ [he (om.E)] has [sic? MO: he] designed this should actually be the effect in all parts of the globe, where the rain falls. For it falls on the sea as well as the dry land, which is more than one half of the globe: but yet there it cannot answer this intention. [finis]
¶1300. XTIAN RELIGION. The DIVINE LEGATION OF MOSES.
¶"It is an argument that Moses spake and acted not if himself, but as being divinely led & instructed, that the doctrine that he taught, so far excelled the doctrine even of the wisest of the heathen<s. [c]> It is not credible that a <man [c]> born & educated in the midst of Egyptian superstition, should know & teach tho<e>se things of himself.
¶"He clearly taught those things which to the Gentiles appeared as things attended with the greatest uncertainty & perplexity, & which were most remote from their hypotheses. for he shews that the origin of the T was from one G. the Creatour of heaven & earth, concerning which the Gentiles enquired with great anxiety, but could find where to set their foot.
¶"The things which he taught concerning G., were perfectly agreeable to reson; yet exceeding<ly [c]> remote from the notions even of the most learned & polite of othe peoples <nations, [c]> who taught things concerning God so mean & vile, that they were altogether unworthy of the supreme being.
¶"This the singular nature of the Jewish doctrine, & a truly divine character, that it wholly tends to God: it every where savours of God: it magnifies & exalts God: & in one word, it wholly in every thing that appertains to it, is fitted for & tends to the glory of God. And by this note this doctrine is evidently distinguished from all human doctrines. For in all the doctrines of men you may see them seeking their own glory. You may see that they accomodate the doctrines they deliver, to the dispositions & manners of great men, and men in power. but this has entirely respect unto [xo c] God; God is the scope & end of all things; God is concerned in all thing[s]; sees all things, directs all things, works all, all things are directed to his glory alone.
¶"Who is there that would assert him to be an imposter, who refers every thing no to himself, but to God alone?
¶And if Moses did not recieve his doctrine from God, which way in the T should it come to pass, that a people noted for their rudeness [xo c or E?] & uncultivated <state, [c]> /mg/ and despised very much by other nations, as remarkably inferiour for ingenious arts politeness of manners, & ignorant of philosophy [c's y over E's ies??] & [& by c?] /p./ sciences; should nevertheless so vastly excell all nations in their notions of divine <subjects,[c]> and alone should have right sentiments in questions of the most sublime & exalted nature?
¶"And with respect to the laws of Moses, they were by no means formed in such a manner as was to be expected, if what Moses aimed at, was to found a republick by fraud, and thereby thoroughly to subject the Jewish people to himself. For they that make use of imposture, are wont to accomodate themselves to the dispositions of the people, or at least not to militate against those dispositions of theirs, that are strongest of all; & which have possess'd their minds from their youth & all; & which have possess'd their minds from their youth & by long custom. So Mahomet, when he founded a new religion, he [xo c] patched it with such precepts, as were agreeable to the gev\nius of most people in his time, and was careful to indulge even the carnal affections & passions of men, that the effeminate Asiatics might find such things in the religion he established, as might satisfy their lusts.
¶"But the people of Israel were so propense to idolatry, as abundantly appears from the whole Mosaic history, & their other antient monuments, that it appears to have been next to impossible for him to restrain them from it, by the strictest laws & most severe punishmts.
¶"Yet Moses alone, tho he himself was educated in idolatry, undertakes so great a work, as entirely to banish ido[la]try from a people so exceedingly given to it, & encompassed round on every side with ido[la]ters. But who can perswade himself, that he ever had power to do this of himself, of his own head & by his own power, without any divine direction, command or assistance? If he was an imposter, why did not he indulge the peole in that matter, that he might get their favour? or why did he not at least content himself with changing the idolatry into another form, that he might in some degree gratify the disposition of the Hebrews?
¶"The other moral precepts of the law [s? mg] of Moses are so formed, that they everywhere inculcate the most sincere love & fear of God, and most strictly require every duty towards our neighbour. and not only are fornication & other sins of that kind (which were looked upon as meer trifles among the nations) prescribed by the most severe threatenings: but also all internal concupiscence, which dont so much <as [c]> attempt to break for[th (faint mg)] into act, is condemned by the most sacred precepts.
¶"And this law requires even the circumcision of the heart, or an entire extirpation of evil affections; and dont so much as allow any gratification of evil desires, even in the least thing.
¶And Moses's laws from the beginning were so perfect, that they never need[ed (mg)] to be changed for the better; but [a w. very faint at mg: they??] continued with such wisdom from the beginning, altho it was [in (? catch-word??] /p./ times of the greatest rudeness, that they were brought at first <once [c?]> [xo E or c?] to the utmost height of their perfection, which never happens in human laws . And for this reason these laws were never changed, which yet us very frequently wont to happen to all laws meerly humane. [e xoc]
¶"All these things do abundantly shew that Moses had the characters not of an imposter but of a divine messenger."
¶These things from Alphonsus Turretinus (as cited by Stapferus in his Polomic Divinity, Vol. 2. p. 696 &c.) See further N. 1305. P 80 [finis; last parentheses by c??]
[This apparently translated, the next & most of the rest) simply copied.]
¶1301. XTIAN RELIGION NECESSITY OF REVELATION.
¶1302. XTIAN RELIGION. NECESSITY OF REVELATION.
¶1303. PLANETS the uncertainty of their being inhabited. That some of the planets are such huge things so vastly biger [sic] than the globe of the earth is no certain sign of their being inhabited. This planet we dwell upon may nevertheless be as it were elected so infinitely greater & more important purposes. Such an election there is with regard to the seed of plants & animals <whereas/where? [s? very faint]> there is one that is used for the purposes for which they are fitted to produce a future plant or animal vast multitudes are as it were thrown away in divine providence. --Those seeds are as great a work of God perhaps as the bodies of Saturn or Jupiter notwithstanding their vast bulk. --The greatness of the bulk is but a shadow of greatness or importance -- nevertheless they may <as it were> [be (om.E)] rejected & neglected of G. when a far lesser body may be chosen before them --As tis with divine election as exercised among [*T's "mongst" apparently bec. he reads a crease as bottom of an "s"] mankind a poor child may be infinitely more made of by God than some mighty potentate that rules over a large empire tho such a prince is like a vast huge body in comparison with the other But truly his greatness is but the shadow of greatness [finis]