835 At the end of the world the population of the world shall be many hundreds of times more numerous than in E's day. The grt apostasy at the end of the mill wwill be that much grtr bec communic will then have made the world one.

837. XTIAN RELIGION. NATURAL RELIGION. REVEALED RELIGION.

839. MYSTERIES IN RELIGION.

840 CONDITION of Gods PROMISES. is often spoken of in SS. as if it yet in some sense remain'd to be fulfilled after it is fulfilled

So Cornelius that was already a good man of whom the Holy Ghost gives this testimony that he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway & to whom God by his angel manifested his acceptance of him declaring to him in an extraordinary manner by his angel that his prayers & alms were come up for a memorial before God so that Cornelius did alredy [sic] in some respect believe in X even in the manner that the Old Testament saints were wont to do and yet after this God directs him to send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose sir-name was Peter who should tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved Acts {11. 14. 15. So X gives his disciples directions how to become the children of God & yet in the same words speaks of God as already their Father Math 5. 45. So he gives the disciples directions how they shall be his disciples in Joh. 15. 8.} {later addition by JE}

842 E is trying to resolve the problem of 1 Thess 4, that seems to make Paul expecting the parousia in his lifetime:

it is but Just to suppose that it was only the uncertainty of the time that was the Ground of the Apostles using such a manner of Expression;

ecause he in this very Context speaks of the time as altogether uncertain; as it follows Immediately after in the beginning of the Next Chapter: But of the times & seasons, Brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you: for your selves Know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night &c-- [quot. marks at beginning and along side, but not at end, by E.] The Apostle by the Expressions he uses, Probably had in his mind those words of Christ in Acts 1. 7; It is not for you to Know the Times & Seasons, which the F. hath put in his own Power. [underl. by E] see N. 1109 B 7.

That the Apostle did not intend to be understood as tho' it were Certain that the Coming of Christ was at hand in any such sense. that he would come while they were living is evident by what he himself says speaking of those very words and expressly denying that he intended any such thing or that he supposed [it] to be certian that the coming of X was at hand in any such sense [See] [the period and "See" written over some (other) word ("in") thereby obliterated-- by c] in the beginning of the 2d Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians where he very Earnestly warns them not to understand him in any such sense 1, 2, 3 v "now we beseech you Brethren by the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ & by our Gathering together unto him That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by Letter as from us, as that the day of X is at hand. Let no man decieve you by any means for that day shall not Come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of Perdition &c--.

his former Epistle had been misunderstood in this particular & being much concernd about it & fearing the ill Consequences of such a misunderstanding he writes in Haste about it to Guard them from the mischief of such a mistake & to Establish em in it that tis uncertain when the Lord will Come as [he] had told 'em before in his other Epistle in the beginning of the 5.

That this Apostle did not expect X' Coming in that Generation may be Argued from his speaking as tho' he expected that those that were then alive would rise from the dead at X' second coming as in 1 Cor. 6. 14. <q.> 2 Cor. 4. 14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

¶833. OCCASION OF THE FALL OF THE ANGELS. Christ had his delegated dominion over the world committed to him as soon as the creation of the world was finished for tho' X did <not> [c] actually begin the work and business of a Mediatour 'till man had fallen yet seeing the world even in its very creation was design'd to be for the use of X in the great affair of redemption and his purposes in that work were the end of the creation and of all Gods providences in it from the beginning therefore the government of the world was committed into his hands from the very beginning for even the very creation was committed into his hands for that reason as the Apostle intimates Eph. 3. 9.10. much more have we reason to think that the disposal of it was committed into his hands when it was made because it was created for his disposal & use it was therefore most fit that it should be committed to him not only in the actual accomplishm't of that great work of his the work of redemption but also in those antecedent dispensations that were preparatory to it during that short space of time that was taken up in the preparation before the work of redemption actually began it was most meet that X should have the disposal of those things that were to prepare the way for his own work otherwise the work would not wholly be in his hands for the accomplishing of the work it self so as best to suit his own purpose & pleasure depends in a great measure on the preparation that was made for it & so there is the same reason that the preparation should be in his hands as the work it self. There is the same reason that those things that are without the limits of the work it self as to time should be in the hands of X because of the relation they have to that work as that those things that are without the limits of the work it self as to place and nature and order of being should be in his hands as the angels in heaven indeed all the works of God that were before the fall of men were parts of the work of preparation for the work of redemption the creation it self was so & for this reason the creation of the world was committed into his hands & there is no reason to suppose that part of this work of preparation was committed into Xs hands because it was a preparation for his work & not other parts of the preparation for the same work All things are for X for his use & therefore God left it with him to prepare all things for his own use that in every thing he might have the preeminence and that in him might all fullness & [wxo] dwell a perfect sufficiency every way for the design that he had to accomplish and therefore by the will and disposition of the Father all things were made by him & all things consist by him and he was made head over all things to the church and for the purposes of the work of redemption that he was to accomplish for the church Colos. 1. 16.17.18.19. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him & for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist and he is the head of the body of the church, who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence. for it pleased the Father than in him should all fullness dwell. Eph. 1. 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church. Tis manifest by these things that not only the creation of the world but the upholding & governmt of the world were committed into the hands of X & doubtless it was so from the beginning As Xs delegated dominion over the world will not be at an end tis his use of it is finished and he has compleated that work in which its great use consists and has fully obtain'd his end of it which will be at the end of the world [E's line] when he will deliver up that kingdom to the Father [E's line] So doubtless that delegated dominion over the world began when his use of it began which was at the beginning of the world [E's line] or as soon as the world was finished & that then the kingdom was committed to him of the Father [E's line]

[WHY THE WORK OF CREATION WAS COMMITTED INTO THE HANDS OF X]

[CREATION. PROVIDENCE. REDEMPTION.] [E's brackets]

¶As the glory of the church has various beginning[s] or periods steps and degrees of incoation one is at the first founding of the church after the fall another at that other founding of it in the call of Abraham another founding is at the covenanting after coming out of Egypt another on Xs resurrection another at the fall of AntiX another at the end of the world. So /p./ it is with the glory of X as Head over all things to the church. 1. He was in a sense invested with this honour from eternity in the eternal covenant of redemption then was the governm't of the future world committed to him but 2dly he actually began to exercise this power that was committed to him, in the creation of the world for he created the world as the Fathers delegate & therein began to act as the Head over all things in his delegated power 3. He was solemly & visibly invested with this authority that he as Gods delegate might dispose and govern the world in the sight of the angels the created inhabitants of heaven as soon as the world was finished and God beheld all his works that X had made & saw that he had therein perfectly finished the work that he had given him to do & that all was good & that he had done all things well then when he rested & rejoiced & was satisfied in the creation that X had made on the latter part of the 6th day or beginning of the seventh or sabbath day did he solemnly commit to him the dominion over this world that he might govern it as his delegate 4. after man fell he actually took on him the work of the Mediatour and began to govern the world as Mediatour and as actually fulfilling the work of such an office 5. His most solemn investiture of all into his delegated kingdom was that which he recieved as God man on his ascension into heaven.

¶As the creation of this visible world was in the sight of the angels for then the morning stars sang together & all the sons of God shouted for joy, so this solemn investing X with the dominion over the world on the finishing of the creation was doubtless visible to them it must needs be so for this committing the government of the world to X in part consisted in committing the angels Gods servants & the ministers of his providence to him to be his servants & as ministers of providence subject to him in his delegated kingdom

¶And seeing this great transaction was done in their view, as the creation of the world was that they might see the glory of God in it & might sing together & shout for joy on that occasion, & seeing they were also that they were [sic] so nearly concerned in this affair being therein put in subjection to X as Gods vicegerent no other can reasonably be supposed if we consider the analogy of Gods dispensations but that God on this occasion made known to the angels something of his design and end in this dispensation. and 'tis very probably [sic] that as this was done immediately after the creation of man the principal work of that part of the creation which the angels saw & which they most admired that now was something revealed of that peculiar love to that race of beings that he had in it & how it was for their sakes and that God intended to make them tho' created after the angels and of a much inferiour nature to them the principal end of the creation & that the use of the creation was the [wwxo] which was to be Xs accomplishmt of a great work for them & that this was the work that they were subjected to X for & were chiefly to be employed in & that they were to be exalted higher in glory than themselves and were to be under X ministering spirits to them as the most beloved rank of creatures, & perhaps that the Son of God that was now invested with the dominion over the world should have this dominion in that nature as the Head of that race & as such they were to be his subjects & servants & ministering spirits, and that this was the occasion of their fall They thought they were unequally dealt with & hence pride arose & they could not deign for such purposes to be subject to the Son of God & to have this inferiour nature so exalted above them.

¶Corol. LORDS DAY. Xs ASCENSION. We have reason to think that this solemn investing X with the dominion over the world was soon after the creation was finished soon after the creation of man the last work of that creation For doubtless soon after man was created the angels as the ministers of Gods providence were sent forth to minister to him for God himself did soon converse with man & began his wonderfull governmt of mankind but we cant think that this was without the ministration of angels but the ministration of angels has ever been under X and besides as soon as man was created God began the course of his providence towards man in those great things that were preparatory to the work of redemption but as has been shewn before the works that were preparatory to the work of redemption were the works which X wrought in the exercise of his delegated power but tis not likely that X began the wonderfull series of his providence in his disposal & governmt & use of the world in the great & remarkable dispensations of it 'till the governmt of the world had been solemnly committed to him And therefore we may suppose that the seventh day which was the day when God rested from all his works & rejoiced in them was the great day of this solemn investiture. that God saw the work that his Son had done in the creation compleat & rejoiced and was refreshed in the work of his Son and at the same time that he rejoiced in his work he manifested his approbation of it & his delight in the workman by committing to him the creation he had made & so it were rewarding his work the day of rejoicing is the proper day of bestowing gifts. God, on this day of his rejoicing bestowed on his Son the gift of the kingdom. /p./ ¶? and this was the day of the rejoicing of all the inhabitants of heaven this day especially was the day when the morning stars sang together & all the sons of God shouted for joy having now seen the finishing of the work of creation & they now rejoiced those of them that stood on the great occasion of the investiture of the Son of God with the government of the world and the great & wonderfull decrees God had declared concerning him, & so the first sabbath that ever was [was (om.E)] a solemn day an occasion of the great honour God put on X as the Head of all things to the church as the Xtian sabbath is thus appointed especially in commemoration of the great honour he recieved at his resurrection. which was the [wxo] the beginning of his exaltation as head over all the universe on his finishing & resting from the work of the new creation. And if what Mr Bedford supposes be true it was the same day of the week on which X arose and if so it was probably also the very same day with that of Xs most solemn investiture of all with the dominion of over the world which X recieved as God man when he sat down at Gods right hand in heaven after his ascension. which was the greatest most solemn & joyfull day that ever was seen in heaven then X on that holy sabbatism or rest came to his rest which was his everlasting throne in heaven As the Psalmist on occasion of the ascending of the ark into Mt Sion calls the place where it was seated the throne or mercy seat on which David placed it its rest Ps. 132.8 Arise O Lord into thy rest thou & the ark of thy strength. So Solomon calls the mercy seat in the temple in Mt Moriah where the ark had ascended 2. Chron. 6. 41.42 Now therefore arise O Lord G. into thy resting place thou and the ark of thy strength Ps. 132. 14. This is my rest forever Here will I dwell for I have desired it. But Xs throne in heaven & not a throne in an earthly sanctuary is spoken of as the true place of Xs rest. Isai 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord the heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest. Probably this day of Xs being instated as God man in Gods throne in heaven was the first day of the week for tho it is said to be forty days after his resurrection in the beginning of the Acts & so if it be St Lukes design to give us the precise number of days when he ascended from Mt Olivet , that must be two days distant from the first day of the week. yet that space of time might be taken up in Xs bodies ascending to the highest heaven It might take up so much time & yet its motion be immensely swifter than the motion of the rays of light & so the day of Xs sitting on the throne of God in heaven & so the solemn day of his investiture with the glory of his kingdom might be on the first day of the week. this was an occasion of great rejoicing to the whole chh. in heaven & earth tho the chh on earth did not partake with the glorious assembly in heaven in the joy of it on that very day for that was too soon after her parting with X which left her sorrowfull but this was reserved till the sabbath following which was the same day of the week when the Holy Ghost was poured out by X he having recieved the promise of the Father & the church on earth recieved the happy effects of X inthronization [sic] with the chh in heaven. or else the whole time from the fortieth day till the day of Pentecost might be taken up in Xs ascension & so the day of his enthronization [sic] might be the day of Pentecost it self which was the first day of the week.

¶At Xs first inthronization after the creation X was set over the angels as he was at the second after the new creation.

[PROGRESS OF THE WORK OF REDEMPTION BEGUN IN CREATION.]. Xs

DELEGATED KINGDOM WHEN HE WAS FIRST INVESTED WITH IT.] [E's brackets] [finis]

 

¶834. DAY OF JUDGEMENT. PROGRESS OF REDEMPTION. The last trumpet shall sound soon after Xs appearance or at least while he yet appears at a great distance for the living will not be changed 'till the trumpet sounds and therefore not able to bear the sight of that ineffable glory that X will appear in unless at a very great distance. the first thing that will be will be the appearance of Xs coming which the world of mankind shall behold & view before any change shall pass upon the body. this glory shall be seen by the living saints gradually increasing 'till they shall see more & more of the glory in which X appears as he approaches as long as their natures can bear it without a change or as long as the increase of the glory only tends to increase their pleasure and delight in the view of the glorious sight till the glory by near approach begins to be too strong for frail nature & then the trumpet shall sound & they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye & the dead shall be raised. [finis]

[Note on A copy: "No 834 is to be inserted on p 415 at the beginning of Head II & instead of the first sentence of that head."]

 

¶835. See 803. PROGRESS of REDEMPTION. Xs COMING TO JUDGEMENT. The state of the world of mankind will especially call for Xs appearance to judgement at the time when he will appear for not only shall the world of mankind be probably many hundred times more numerous than they are and the greater part of them /p./ wicked and sinners against great light &c-- but then shall the wicked world be far more combined in wickedness then ever before before the rise of the four great empires almost all the world was wicked but there was very little of a communication between one part of the world and another afterwards under the Roman Empire especially there was a great communication between many of the nations of the world by their being united under the Roman government and by the flourishing of arts and sciences that were then brought to such an height. & then God saw it a proper time for Xs first coming. Of later times the communication between distant parts of the habitable globe has grown exceedingly through the flourishing of arts & sciences & the art of navigation in particular but yet there is not such a communication as to make way for a combination of the wicked world but this communication is daily growing and without doubt the long continuance of the glorious times of the church wherein there shall be such an union of the whole earth and wherein all usefull arts and the arts of communication shall be carried to the highest perfection will have wonderfully established an universall communication between all parts of the world of mankind so that when the world apostatizes the way will be open for an universal combination of the wicked world against X & his church.

¶As before the first destruction of the world by water the earth was filled with violence & there were but few godly and there seemed to be eminent [sic] danger of the churches being lost so will it be before the second destruction of the world by fire.

¶'Tis fit that after God has granted to the world such great means & glorious advantages for spiritual good as he will do in the expected glorious times of the church in that great light which shall then be enjoyed those great works of Gods providence which shall then be seen the many great & excellent examples &c-- & after he has also given for so long a time together such glorious success of these means I say it is fit that after all this there should be before the world comes to an end something to shew the insufficiency even of such means and advantages in thems. that they can effect nothing without the sovereign influence of Gods Spirit & something to shew the desperate corruption of mans nature which if left to it self breaks over all these restraints makes blind in the midst of such glorious light and conquers the world when furnished with all these advantages.

¶'Tis fit that there should be a remarkable manifestation of the evil of the world just before it comes to an end & that it should remarkeably appear how worthy it is of destruction & the curse that God has denounced against it just before its final destruction comes upon it & the denounced curse is most fully executed.

¶'Tis fit that there should be something remarkeable to make the church of X willing that the world should come to an end and to long for Xs last appearing just before he actually appears. But if the happy glorious times of the chh on earth were continued 'till the very time of X appearing there would not be so much it would not be so. [finis]

[D's note on A. copy: "To be inserted in the Work of Redemption, p 411 at this mark "]

 

¶836. MILLENIUM. When the duration of the glorious times of the church on earth after the fall of AntiX is spoken of in the 20 chap of Rev. as being a thousand years the words are to be literally understood that it will be about that space of time tho' perhaps it will not be so precisely and if [it] be so precisely it will be probably be [sic] difficult precisely to fix the beginning and so the end of it Because if the thousand years in the 20 of Rev. is not to be understood literally but figurtively then tis probable that a vastly longer space of time is intended than a literal thousand years for the manner of Scripture prophecy is to represent the true time by other times that are vastly less thus a prophetical day is a year a prophetical week seven years a prophetical month 2 30 years a prophetical year 360 years. and if this thousand years here <used as> be a figurative & prophetical thousand years it probable [sic] is to represent a vastly long space of time as a thousand years seems to men to be a great while. Thus a day an hour & a moment seem to men to be very short spaces of time hence they are used to represent any short space of time as the shortness of mans life &c-- But the following reasons induce me to thing think that the space here meant is not any space of time vastly longer than a thousand years.

¶1. Tis not likely that the face of the earth would hold the inhabitants for a vastly longer time than a thousand years multiplying so fast as they will under such great universal & uninterrupted prosperity health & long /p./ life which the generations of men shall enjoy throughout that space of time without being diminished with wars pestilences & other desolating calamities which now wast mankind if we should suppose that at the beginning of the glorious times there should be just the same number of inhabitants on the face of the earth as now and that there [sic] number should be doubled but once in an hundred years which is the least that can be supposed under such prosperity then at the end of one thousand years there will be about a thousand times so many inhabitants on the earth as now there is and at the end of two thousand years there must be a million times so many and at the end of three thousand years a thousand million times so many and at the end of four thousand years a million million times so many inhabitants as are now on the face of the earth.

¶2. That the world should continue standing such a vastly long time that a thousand years should be but a figure or type of the time hardly consists with what the SS. says of the near approach of the day of judgement.

¶3. That the world should for so vast a space of time be continued in such a glorious state of peace, rest, love, holiness & joy & such universal prosperity wherein holiness shall be so general and such multitudes shall be saved hardly consists with what the SS. says of this evil world the reign of sin & Satan & affliction in the world & of the few that shall be saved for doubtless these things are spoken of the world in its more ordinary state which they may truly be if it shall be thus for 6000 years and otherwise but one thousand year. [sic] if so this single thousand years may well be looked upon as an exempt season. but if we suppose the glorious times to be so vastly long as that a thousand years is but a prophetical figure of them it will be far otherwise the state that the world is in for the most part will be quite diverse from these representations and the time that it is in a state agreable to them is more properly the exempt season. The general proposition should have been the reverse what is said of the evil of the world the few that are saved &c-- should come in as the exception

¶4. This world is represented in SS. as an accursed world wo is denounced against the world & the very ground is cursed but its being for most of its time in a state of such rest & glory is scarcely consistent with this The world will at last be burnt as having been for the most part a stage of wickedness & the kingdom of the devil.

¶5. The reasons that are given No. 520. why few are saved if good do conclude against the millenniums being so long a space of time.

¶6. As the number of persons that are saved is a distinguished number an elect company that are chosen out of the world so that part of [wxo] of the duration of the world that is as it were saved out of the time of the worlds continuance to be consecrated to God & spent for him is not the greatest part of the time but a certain elect portion of time saved out from the rest as the sabbath is saved out of the week to be holy to God.

¶7. If the world should be continued for so vast a space of time in such a state the world will be in danger of forgetting its own natural corruption & misery. that space wherein it appeared in its own proper colours being comparatively so small & at so great a distance the world will be in great danger of being very insensible of it. & indeed if it should be but one thousand years tis very likely that towards the latter part of it they will begin to grow insensible of it & so pride will begin to come in & this will be one great occasion of that apostacy of Gog & Magog.

¶8. If this glorious state of the chh should be continued for so vast a space of time it will look too much as tho' the chh. had arrived to her rest & to her proper state of glory But this is not the appointed state of her reward & happiness & therefore wont be very long continued The proper state of the chhs rest is after the day of judgmt This that is before is only given to the church as a foretast a forrunner and image of this her true rest & glory. Tis observable that prelibations & images of things that are before the appointed proper season for the true thing of which they are forerunners & representations are wont to be but short The children of Israel in the wilderness sometimes had rest but it was continued but a little while because they were not come to their true rest when the children of Israel had taken the land on the other side Jordan they were not sufferd /p./ to continue there long because that was not their appointed rest Deut 12. 9. For ye are not as yet come to the rest & to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you The end of a type & foretast is to lead to the antitype & proper inheritance but if this type of heavenly rest should be so very long continued it would be in danger of leading from the antitype to rest in the type. See N 1224. B. 8. [cross-ref later ink] [finis]

[D's note in A. copy:"No. 836 is to be printed as Head 1 in Work of Redemption p. 404."]

 

¶ 837. XTIAN RELIGION. NATURAL RELIGION. REVEALED RELIGION.

The whole of Xtian divinity depends on divine revelation for tho there are many truths concerning God and our duty to him that are evident by the light of nature yet no one truth is taught by the light of nature in that manner in which it is necessary for us to know it for the knowledge of no truth in divinity is of any significance to us any otherwise than it some way or other belongs to the gospel scheme or has relation to X the Mediatour It signifies nothing for us to know any thing of any one of Gods perfections unless we know them as manifested in X and so it signifies nothing to us to know any part of our duty unless it will [c: <bear>] some relation to X i<I>t profits us not to have any knowledge of the law of God, unless it be either to fit us for the glad tidings of the gospel or to be a means of our sanctification in X Jesus & to influence us to serve God through X by an evangelical obedience and therefore we stand in the greatest necessity of a divine revelation & it was most fit & proper that when God did give us a revelation X that [xo c] it should not only contain those peculiar truths which purely & in every respect depend on revelation as the doctrines of Xs mediation & justification through him but that this revelation should contain every thing that belongs to divinity either to be known or <to be[c]> practised for it all depends on revelation in the way in which it is necessary for us to know it

[MO. 160-161. §71.]

 

 

¶838. ANGELS. Why called THRONES. Dominions principalities & powers. As the angels are made to be <improved as> the ministers of Gods providence of the government of the world and as they are being [sic] of a limited understanding and not equally capable of understanding and managing the affairs of the whole universe or of the whole extent & compass of divine providence or of any part indifferently as they may be of affairs of some particular kind or system or series of events or of some particular part of the universe for it must needs be so with all that are of limited understanding that they must be more capable of the care and managemt of things in a certain particular sphere than of any thing indifferently without any fixed limits. So 'tis very reasonable to suppose from hence that the different angels are appointed to different kinds of work & that their ministry more especially respects some certain limited parts of the universality of things which God has in <some> respect committed to their care so that over these things they have a ministerial dominion some of larger & others of lesser extent some in a more exalted others a less honourable station So they are a kind of princes under God over such & such parts of the creation or within such a certain sphere Tho there [D: their] dominion be only ministerial (as the dominion of ministers of the gospel or angels of the churches is) yet it is very honourable & exalted tis a very honourable work they are employed [in (om.E)] an image of the work of the Son of God as God man who has the vicegerency of the whole universe & so they as well as the princes of Israel are called Gods Elohim Ps. worship him all ye gods which is renderd by the Apostle Let all [space left] Let all the angels of God worship him & they are all called the sons of the most high as they are Job. 38 [space left] When the morning stars sang together & all the sons of God shouted for joy They may also on this account also [sic] be fitly compared to stars as they are here and also in the song of Deborah [space left] The stars in their courses fought against Sisera not only for their brightness in wisdom & holiness & for their being the native inhabitants of heaven & obeying the commands of God as the stars do but because they have their particular dominion set em in the lower world as the stars have Job. 38. 33. Canst thou set their dominion /p./ in the earth & also because they have their certain sphere & course to which they are limited in heaven These seem in part to be signified by the kings of the earth that shall bring their honour & glory into the church They are made chiefly for a ministerial dominion over & managmt of the world of mankind on the earth as ministering spirits unto X & on the account of their honourable place & trust in heaven they may be called ministers of the new earth there spoken of in that chapter God hath conceald the particular spheres of the angels dominion & ministry that we might not be tempted to idolatry They therefore that worship angels under a notion of such and such angels having a superintendency over such particular persons or affairs intrude into those things that they have not seen

¶Tis not reasonable to suppose that the angels are called thrones dominions principalities and powers meerly for the honour they have in their great abilities & excellent qualifications for the words do properly denote rule and authority. Earthly rulers c are called principalities and powers Tit. 3. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities & powers & to obey magistrates. [finis]

 

¶839. MYSTERIES IN RELIGION. From that text John 3. 12 If I have told you Earthly things & ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things several things are manifest concerning mysteries in Religion 1. That there are mysteries in Religion or there are things contain'd in those Doctrines that X came into the world to teach that are not only so above human Comprehension that men cant easily apprehend all that is to be understood Concerning them But that are Difficult to the Understanding in that sense that they are difficult to be recieved [c has corrected the sp.] by the Judgment or belief How shall ye believe if I tell you of Heavenly things Difficult upon the same account that the Doctrine of the new birth was Difficult to Nicodemus because it was so strange & seemingly Impossible.

2. we may from the words infer that the more Persons or Beings are in themselves & in their own nature above us the more are Doctrines or Truths concerning them mysterious to us above our Comprehension & difficult to our belief The more do those things that are really true Concerning them contain seeming inconsistencies & Impossibilities. For X in the Preceding verses had Been speaking of something that is true concerning men being of the same nature and Inhabitants of the same world with our selves which therefore X calls an Earthly thing & this seemed very mysterious & Impossible & to contain Great seeming Inconsistences [sic] he says How can a man be born when he is old? it seemed to be a contradiction and after X had somewhat explained himself yet still the Doctrine seems strange & Impossible. v. 9 How can these things be Nicodemus still looked upon <it> [c] incredible & on that account did not believe it at that time as is implied in these words of X if I have told you Earthly things & ye believe not But X here Plainly signifies that he had other Truths to teach that were not about man an Earthly Inhabitant but about a Person vastly above man even about himself who is from Heaven & in Heaven as in the next v. [c writes "Quote" above caret at this point; this is done in M. O., p. 389] that [changed to "Which" by c] therefore it would be most Reasonable to suppose should be much more Difficult to mans understanding & Judgmt seeming to contain Greater Impossibilities & Inconsistencies then proceeds immediately to declare to him an heavenly thing as he calls it viz that X an Heavenly & divine Person should die v. 14. 15 where <which> ["where" xo, prob. by E however] such a mysterious Doctrine strange & seemingly Inconsistent & impossible that a Divine person should die <is> [c] more strange than that man should be born again Hence when Divines argue from the mysteriousness of many things in the nature of things here below that we daily converse <with> [c] that therefore it would be very unreasonable to suppose but that there should be things In God that should be much more mysterious & therefore that 'tis unreasonable to object against the truth of the Doctrines of the Trinity incarnation &c They argue Justly because they argue as X argued

___________________________

[¶Occurs on p. 80 of the MS. Has large asterisk and "3" by it. Printed as Part II § 3 of the M. O., pp. 389-390. Corrections and practically all punctuation by c. The printed copy contains further ironings out of E's diction.]

 

¶840 a. CONDITION of Gods PROMISES. is often spoken of in SS. as if it yet in some sense remain'd to be fulfilled after it is fulfilled So in Ps. 34. 9.10 O fear the Lord ye his saints for there is no want to them to them [sic] that fear him the young lions do lack & suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Here the saints are exhorted to fear the Lord that they may be entitled to this priviledge of being provided for of God where<as> if they are saints they are those that fear God already and so already enti- /p./tled to the promise So X says to his disciples in the 18 chap of Math 3 v. that except they should be converted & become as little children they should not enter into the kingdom of God altho all but one were converted already So the Apostle tells Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 16. that in being faithfull in his ministry he should save himself as well as those that heard him And the Apostle Paul long after his conversion yea after an assurance of it says that he kept under his body least he should be a cast away and says in another place that necessity was laid upon [him (om.E)] yea wo to him if he should not preach the gospel. So Cornelius that was already a good man of whom the Holy Ghost gives this testimony that he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway & to whom God by his angel manifested his acceptance of him declaring to him in an extraordinary manner by his angel that his prayers & alms were come up for a memorial before God so that Cornelius did alredy [sic] in some respect believe in X even in the manner that the Old Testament saints were wont to do and yet after this God directs him to send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose sir-name was Peter who should tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved Acts {11. 14. 15. So X gives his disciples directions how to become the children of God & yet in the same words speaks of God as already their Father Math 5. 45. So he gives the disciples directions how they shall be his disciples in Joh. 15. 8.} {later addition by JE}

_____________________

¶ So the psalmist long after he was converted after acknowledging that he was shapen in iniquity & concieved in sin prays to G. Ps. 51. 10 that God would CREATE in him a clean heart and RENEW in him a right spirit, the same kind of terms as are used to signifie the first conversion of a sinner both in the Old Testament & new we often read of conversion in the old Testament under such terms of giving a new heart and a right sp. &c-- & in the New Testament conversion is called a being created again being new creatures & renewed in the spirit of the mind &c-- & yet this was long after the Psalmist was first converted

See No. 847. [finis]

 

¶840. b LORDS. DAY. Christ himself has set us the example of founding both doctrines & duties of religion on SS. consequences . doctrines [all wr. rather large] Instance the doctrine of the resurrection he argues it from what God says to Moses. Mark 12. 26. & duties instance the duty of a childs maintaining the parents Math 15. at the beginning where he makes use of the Scripture with reason & draws the consequence from both together [finis]

 

¶841. OBEDIENCE OF X. The obedience of Christ excells all others because

¶1. It was perfect with a sinless [underlined c] perfection & so exceeds all fallen me<a>ns obedience

¶2. It was perfect with a legal perfection it was a finished righteousness X continuing perfectly obedient to the end of the time of his probation and so it exceeded Adams righteousness that he had before the fall

¶3. It was a person infinitely worthy & infinitely valued & love [sic] of God that obeyed

¶4. The works or acts [that (om.E)] <was required of him by the law that he was under &> that he performd were superlatively excellent for it was a work of the highest love to God & love to creatures & he in this work exercised a love to both immensely excelling all others which gave an exceeding value to the work in the eyes of the Father.

¶5. It was a perfectly free gift to God & not a debt that is it was not what he owed in his original circumstances.

¶6. Never was there so great & difficult a work required of any other as X performd in obedience to God

¶7. Never was so much good done by any work of righteousness both of glory to God & good to fellow creatures In these five last things Xs obedience immensely exceeds the angels. See serm on Luke 15. 22. [finis; sermon ref. same time. sermon MS dated Jan. 1740]

 

¶842. XTIAN RELIGION. 1109. B. 7. 1198 & 1199. B. 8. [E's later additions over caret] with Respect to that objection against the Truth of the Xtian Religion, That the Apostles seem often to speak of the COMING OF X to Judgment, as if they thought it near at hand;] [the right bracket is by E and the ; is by c] see SS. Note on Matt. 16. 28. [E's later note over his caret] First I will begin with the Apostle Paul or what he says that may be thought to have such a look, and 1. What he says in the 1 Epistle to the Thessalonians which is Reckond to be the first of his Epistles in the Order of Time and particularly in the 4 chap. 15. 16. & 17 verses For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archan- /MS p.82/ gel and with the Trump of God and the dead in X shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air & so shall we be ever with the Lord. Now from this place some may be ready to say that here the Apostle plainly Speaks as tho he expected this coming of Christ while the bigger part of the Xtians that were then living should be alive He speaks of those that should then be alive in the first person plural and of those that are asleep in the third person plural whereas if he expected the Day of Judgement would be long after they were all dead then it would have been more natural for him to speak of those that should then be asleep & should come with X in the first person plural [the ; is by c, who probably crossed out the "plural"] because he supposes that he & all those to Whom he was Speaking would be some of them & to have spoken of those that should be alive in the third person plural [xo E] [see note 4th line up] because he supposed they would be those <among whom> [c] <that> none of them that then lived should be amongst. Thus it would have been more natural for him to have said ["said," added over caret, by E] They which are alive and remain unto the Coming of the Lord shall not Prevent Us who shall then be asleep & in the 17. v. Then they which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Us. [These underlinings are E's]

¶To this I say 1. That Considering the scope of the Apostle in these verses, all that can be inferred from such a manner of speaking is, that it might, for ought was then Revealed be while they lived for the scope of the Apostle was to comfort the Thessalonians concerning their friends that were already dead with that Consideration that they should surely meet them again if not before yet at the day of the Lords Coming these are those that were asleep that ["that" xo and "of whom" is added by c] the Apostle is Especially speaking ["of" xo by c here]. these it was Certain were those of which ["which" xo and "whom" added by c] those that the apostle is speaking to were not some & theref[ore] it was most proper & natural for the Apostle to speak of them in the third person; more proper than of those that should be alive; seeing it was uncertain but that they should be of them: and the Apostles drift Leads him to make such a supposition in his Discourse; because he would speak of the time when, at farthest they should certainly again meet with their deceased Friends. & if they did not meet 'em before, then they would be alive at that time. And it is but Just to suppose that it was only the uncertainty of the time that was the Ground of the Apostles using such a manner of Expression; because he in this very Context speaks of the time as altogether uncertain; as it follows Immediately after in the beginning of the Next Chapter: But of the times & seasons, Brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you: for your selves Know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night &c-- [quot. marks at beginning and along side, but not at end, by E.] The Apostle by the Expressions he uses, Probably had in his mind those words of Christ in Acts 1. 7; It is not for you to Know the Times & Seasons, which the F. hath put in his own Power. [underl. by E] see N. 1109 B 7.

_________________________[line across p. by E.]_____________

¶2. That the Apostle did not intend to be understood as tho' it were Certain that the Coming of Christ was at hand in any such sense. that he would come while they were living is evident by what he himself says speaking of those very words and expressly denying that he intended any such thing or that he supposed [it] to be certian that the coming of X was at hand in any such sense [See] [the period and "See" written over some (other) word ("in") thereby obliterated-- by c] in the beginning of the 2d Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians where he very Earnestly warns them not to understand him in any such sense 1, 2, 3 v "now we beseech you Brethren by the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ & by our Gathering together unto him That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by Letter as from us, as that the day of X is at hand. Let no man decieve you by any means for that day shall not Come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of Perdition &c--. [E's quot. marks] Now tis Evident that the Apostle does not thus write to them the second Time, <as> Endeavouring to retract any thing that he had written before because he had waited Long & found by trial that he was like to be disappointed, but it must be because he really did not intend so at first for tis evident that this Epistle was written soon after the other while the same fellow Labourers were with him <So> both the Epistles are begun in the same manner “Paul & Silvanus & Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father & the Lord Jesus Christ Grace unto you and Peace from God our [Father] and the Lord Jesus Christ." [beginning and side quote mark prob. by c; but it is not certain where the quot should end, C understood the quot. to be only of the SS passage] and both have been supposed to be written while the apostle abode in the same City of athens as appears by the Postscripts. And if we well observe the Contents of this & the foregoing Epistle the principal occasion of the Apostle's writing the second Epistle so soon after the other seems to have been on Information that the Apostle had recieved that his former Epistle had been misunderstood in this particular & being much concernd about it & fearing the ill Consequences of such a misunderstanding he writes in Haste about it to Guard them from the mischief of such a mistake & to Establish em in it that tis uncertain when the Lord will Come as [he] had told 'em before in his other Epistle in the beginning of the 5. Chap. and he argues the Great uncertainty there was whether it would be in that age or not from what the Holy Ghost had revealed about the Coming of AntiX {That this Apostle did not expect X' Coming in that Generation may be Argued from his speaking as tho' he expected that those that were then alive would rise from the dead at X' second coming as in 1 Cor. 6. 14. <q.> 2 Cor. 4. 14. <q>} {later add by JE} [These "q"'s look like Jr.'s, They are quoted in M.O., p.47.]

____________________[E's line across p.]****___________________

¶<And>[xoc] from what the Apostle says in this second Chap of the 2 Epistle to the Thessalonians there appears a necessity that those Passages in any of his other Epistles, that Look as tho' he concluded [this xo and "expected" written above, by c] that X would come in that age should be understood in some other sense; and that the Apostle did not really mean so as his words on a Cursory view/MS p.83/ would Lead us to suppose. for here the Apostle is very Express and full & Earnest in it that he would by no means be so understood in a passage in one of his Epistles that had been so misunderstood & that Looks most of all that way. and he dont say so now in this Epistle to the Thessalonians, because he had altered his mind since he wrote his other Epistles to other Chhs for those Epistles that he wrote to the Thessalonians were the first Epistles that he wrote [a period here, but contradicted by E's own punct.] (see the evidence of this in Robert's Key of the Bible.). [the latter note, parens, &c., is E's own] <And>[xoc] tis a further Evidence that those passages in other Epistles must be understood in some other sense that there are passages in that very Epistle particularly in the first Chapter that we should be ready to think had such a Look were it not that the Apostle himself Immediately in the 2d Chapter denies any such meaning

¶so [xo, and "In this sense" added over caret by c] we must understand such [xo, and "those" written over by c] passages where ["where" and another illeg. word (possibly "in") xo and "in which" added by c. The last xo word was xo also by E.] tis [a superfluous "a" is xo by c here] Spoken of as a Duty of Xtians to Look & wait for the Coming of the Lord Jesus as Tit. 2.13. & 1 Cor. 1. 7. Philip. 3. 20. which [xo and "This" added by c] implies no more than [that] they in those days should expect in Gods time, to see that day and that they Knew not when it would come & that they should Earnestly desire it & be patient while it is ["was" written heavily by c over "is"] delayed & still Look for it & depend upon it tho it be ["was written over "be" by c] delayed. [E's period]

¶So there is a Necessity of understanding ["in like manner" added here by c] the following passages which were all written after this in the 2d [epistle] to the Thessalonians Rom 13. 11. 12. "and that Knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed The night is far spent the day is at hand Let us therefore cast off the works of Darkness and Let us put on the armour of Light" [first quot marks prob. by E; side and last possibly by c] We Cant understand this as tho the Apostle concluded the day of Judgment would come while they lived Because he had before explained himself otherwise But only that the Day of Xs Kingdom which is the day of the salvation of the Chh of Christ was at hand that which the Holy Ghost had before intended by the Kingdom of Heaven which indeed in some things that the Holy Ghost meant by it was near at hand and [xo by c] therefore the Holy Ghost directed the Apostle to use such words and so Philip. 4. 5 Let your moderation be Known to all men the Lord is at hand [period and quot marks by c] & Heb. 10. 25. "Exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Christs Coming was indeed at hand in many Respects & in such Respects as might well have all that Influence upon those that the Apostle wrote to that he intended. There was that which was calld Xs Coming that should be in that Generation and the Coming of X at the overthrow of the Heathen Empire might well be said to be at hand and Xs Last coming to Judgement might well Considering all things be said to be at hand as the Apostle Peter observes tho there should be thousands of years between This apostle speaks of ages to come Eph. 2. 7. [M.O., p.49: "The apostle Paul speaks..."] Tho it was not to be till many Generations were pass'd; yet it was at hand in a sense that is agreable to the Common Language of the Holy Spirit so Xs first coming was spoken of as very nigh at hand of old: Haggai 2. 6.7. "for thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the sea & the dry Land and I will shake all nations; and the Desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord of hosts" tho it was then above 500 years to it and when it was about 400 years it is said Mal. 3. 1 The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye Delight in and when it was above 700 years to the Gospel day it is said to be but a very little while Isai. 29. 17. 18; "Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall become a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be Esteemed as a forest And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the Book and the Eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness" [These symbols (the latter followed below by a ) are respectively at the beginning and end of an insert, written on last 5 11 of the page. The text of insert follows:] so God represents as tho' he would very quickly perform <all> the things Prophecied of by Jeremiah tho some of em were not to be fulfill'd in many Ages Jer. 1. 10. 11. 12. so the time is said to be at hand for the Accomplishmt of all the prophecies of the Book of Revela. and Xs Last coming at the Conclusion of them Rev. 1. 3. & 22. 10 & v. 7. 12. & 20. Tho the Book Evidently contains a series of Events of many Ages [main text resumes] so that When the Apostle Peter says with Respect to Xs Last Coming its being said to be at hand, that a thousand years in Gods sight is but as one day 'tis no new conceit of his own to save their own reputation but Gods Language that he had used of old Justifies him in so saying. [long space] And the expressions that the apostles used about the approach of Xs Coming, Did not tend to the Disappointmt of Gods People. for Xs Coming to Reward them at Death was at hand, when they should have such a Comfortable and full prospect of their Compleat Reward at Xs Last coming. so that it shall <they> [written by e over E's word] be [xo by c] as it were Anticipated [final d is xo by c and "it" added by c] & will as it were have a Possession of it and then it will appear very nigh at hand to them Tho' [period and cap. T by c] the time appears Long to us in our dim-sighted state yet it will appear as nothing to them The second Coming of X was so nigh at hand that the Church of God might well take all that Comfort from what was really to be understood by those expressions that they would be ready to take from them as the first coming of X was very often spoken of for the Comfort of the saints of the old Testament under Great afflictions tho they never were like to see it in their Life time.[end of line; not clear whether a hyphen between or not] so in the Case of Zerubbabel & Joshua & Daniel & Ahaz. /84/

¶As to that text of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 10. 11. "And they were given for our admonition on whom the Ends of the world are come" see how the time from the first coming of Christ to the Conflagration, is well calld the Ends of the world see first serm. on Isai 51. 8 Beginning the 3d Period the 5. page of that serm. ["first.....serm." is bracketed <boxed> by c, and "Hist. of Redemption page 220 &c." written over it. "How the time......220 &c." is printed as a footnote, M.O., p.50.] [long space] The Connection of these words with the Context & the Drift of the Apostle in mentioning the Ends of the world being come upon 'em don't at all require there being understood in any other sense for his drift is only this that those things that had happen'd to the Children of Israel in the Wilderness happened to em for Ensamples and were written for our sakes tho' they happen'd so long ago, or tho' we live so long after them with Respect to them in the Ends of the World or <in [c]> latter part of the Worlds Duration in those [days added here over caret by c] that then & Long after that time used to be called the latter Days.

__________________________________[line about 2/3 way across p.]

¶And as to What is said that may seem to look as tho he soon expected the Last Coming of Christ as particularly what he says ["what he says" is xo and "in" added by c] 1 Pet. 4. 7 The End of all things is at hand which is an Expression that seems to have as much of such a Look as any in all the Apostles writings: yet how did this same Apostle Explain this propinquity or nearness ["or nearness" xo by c], 2 Pet. [3] 7. 8; "But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are Kept ["in store," added over caret by c] reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men But beloved be not Ignorant of this one thing that one Day is with the Lord as a thousand years, & a thousand years as one day."

____________________

¶ And [xo, and "That" written over by c] there was no such notion prevailing among the Disciples or Apostles that X should come while most of them lived is manifest from this Account that the Apostle John gives us that when the Disciples mistook the Design of Xs words when he said Concerning John Joh. 21. 22; "If he [E wrongly has "he", wh. is xo and "I" written above by c] will that he tarry 'till I come what is that to thee" & from thence for a while entertained a notion that that Disciple was not to die 'till Xs [the s, tho by E, a mistake due to thinking "Christ's coming"] came it seems to be spoken of. v. 23. as tho they even while under this mistake Looked upon it as tho it was the Distinguishing Priviledge of that Disciple which none of the Rest were to expect And tis Evident that John himself concluded no such thing as that X should come in his Life time because he speaks of that notion of the other Disciples about him as ill founded

_________________________________________________________________

¶ And tis to be considered, that the Apostle Peter was under no Temptation to Change his voice in this matter from any Experience of the Events failing as yet he had ["not" added here over caret by c] lived long enough as yet to prove ["but" added here over caret by c] that Xs words whence any may suppose they might expect Xs second coming before that Generation passed ["away" added here over caret by c] and before some that were then present should taste of Death [a comma and "might be fulfilled in yt sense." added by c-- as also in M.O., p.51]

_________________________________________________________________

¶And [xo by c] Tis a further argument that when the Apostles used such Kind of Language as that the Lord is at hand &c-- they did not use it ["in" added here by c] any such sense as that it should be in that Age or the next for [E's "for" is xo and "that" written above it by c] the Apostle John, who was used [xo and "accustomed" written above by c] to this <their> Language & Knew how they used it being one of them used it still when he was very old & all the other apostles were dead; & even after he had prophesied of many Great Events which plainly were to have their accomplishment in many successive ages in the Revelation. He uses [it] in the beginning of the Book when he is about to give an account of his prophetical visions Rev. 3. 11; Behold I come quickly. & he uses it over & over ["over & over" xo by c, and "repeatedly" added] at the End of the Book, after he had given an account of those future Events in the Last Chap. 7. v; Behold I come quickly. 12. v; "Behold I come quickly," 20 v "He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly" The 17. Chap. of that Book alone is sufficient to convince any one that John could not suppose that his prophecies could be fulfilled but in several successive ages. {See note on 1 Joh. 2. 18. SS. 484.} {later add}

¶And Tis An Argument that such a nearness of Xs Last coming was not a Doctrine that the Apostles so much insisted upon as such an Interpretation of those texts supposes that the Chh prevailed still when they see that there was not such an accomplishmt see that X did not come such a Disappointment would have been a Dreadfull blow to Xtianity if this had been the universal Expectation of Xtians that <and> [c] had been raised by the abundant promises of X and his Apostles They probably upon it would ["have" added here by c] exceedingly Lost ground & shrunk away but it was very much the Contrary.

_______________________

¶See notes on Matt 16. 28. No. 197 & 414. B. 3. & 484 ibid. ["No. 197" & c. added later over caret by E at this point] See Note on Deut 11. 24 & Chap. 12. 5.

_______________________

¶This no. occupies MS. pp.81-84. It has the large asterisk and "44" beside the "842". It is printed as the main part of § 44, M.O. pp.43-57. No. 842. ends on p.52d (and contains inserted in it No.1109 on p. 45). It is followed by 1198 and 1199, which complete the §44.

¶Across the top of MS. pp.82-83 is the heading: "How The Apostles Spake of Xs Coming to Judgement/ as Near at Hand. No 842" [large writing]

¶Scarcely any of the punctuation on the MS is Edwards', and there are many small emendations, some of them necessary. N.B. I copied the first insertion into its proper place, but left the second in its original place, copying E's symbols for placing it.