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The Creation of this World.

PART 1 percede, any further investigation, of that point. Hence they are a part of the Syftem we have knowledge of, and are in a special relation to mankind. Though their creation, appears to be different from ours. For by the account, the Scriptures. give of them, they all exist as collaterais; though not as equals; for there is an Archangel, and different orders, as Cherubims, Seraphims, &c. So that, there are rank, order, grades, fuperiority and fubordinacy among the Angels. Thus it appears, they were created, in a Syftematical arrangement; and organization, fitted to act a glorious part, according to their relation in the great System.

Something may now be faid as to the creation of this WORLD, in which God has placed us, Here God has given us, a particular account of his procedure, in creation. Here he formed a moft glorious Syftem, of Animals and vegetables, all exhibiting a glorious fpecimen of his Divine Wifdom. Here in this little part, or branch of the great Syftem; we have a Sample of the whole. For here, we have a Syftem of Foffils, Vegetables and Animals, in fuch gradation, as is truely aftonifhing. And finally Man, as the final finishing, a Focus of ⚫of all God's works. A wonderful System, as we may fay, in miniature; refembling the univerfal fyftem of Exiftences, both material, and imma terial, including even God himfelf. Not that it is here to be understood, as fuggefted, that man was made in a resemblance or image of abfolute Deity. That is impoffible. And for us to imagine a refemblance, or fimilitude of abfolute Deity, is Idolatry, and ftrictly forbidden. But what is here intended, is that man participated of all the communicable perfections of God; especially, of the Syftem, and relative perfections of the perfons of the Deity.

PART I.

For thus God himself faid; Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness; and let THEM have dominion, over the fish, fowl and cattle. Gen. i. 26. Verse 27. So God created man in his own image in the image of God, created he him; male and female created he them. This is a plain affertion of God, that he made man in his own Image, as to PLURALITY in UNITY and Dominion. His expreffing his own Plurality, as the pattern, by which he would make the man; and fpeaking of the man in the fame terms both plural, and fingular plainly thows, that the Union of Plurality, of the perfons of the Deity; was the principal thing, in the Image of which, he made Man: At the fame time evidences, that he made the whole fyf_ tem of man; all that he should ever multiply into ; in that man he then made. This feems to be the diftinguishing chara&erific, between Man and the Angels. For no doubt they were made in the image of God, as to knowledge, righteousness and holiness,as much as Man. But we have no account, that gives us any reason to fuppofe, that the Angels were made in the image of God, as to Plurality in Unity, or dominion.

The creating of the man, the whole in one; then making the female out of the man; and making them, capable of multiplying; is a thing wherein the man resembled God in his creative power, which the Angels did not. So alfo the Plurality of the Man's Soul and Body, and being one man; and the Plurality of the parts, and members of the body, and all but one Body; are an image or re femblance, of the Plurality in Unity of the Deity, beyond the Angels. God has exprefsly taught us to confider the parts and members of the body in this manner, Cor. xii. 12. "For as the body is

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The Creation of Man in a Syftem. PART I one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are One Body: So alfo is Chrift." And indeed God has made all the things in this world, fuch a glorious fyftem of Plurality in Unity, therein refembling himself; that Chrift ufed many comparisons, of both Ani mals and Vegetables, to teach fpiritual things, the things of God, as to their Relations. Particularly he speaks of himself, as the vine; and of his disci→ ples as the branches.

It may properly be laid, that the world abounds with Systems, therein, refembling God the Creator; and man the head of this complex systematical world. And it appears that man was made, at the clofing up of all God's works of Creation,as the most curious of all the creation. For though the Angels excel in ftrength, and knowledge, and therein are fuperior to Man; yet God hath beftowed more abundant honor, on that part of his great fyftem, which lacked (viz. the man) that there fhould be no fchifm in the Body: But that the members fhouid have the fame care one for another.

Thus we may confider the whole Creation, as one great and glorious fyftem; God the Head of. it And all the component parts, fitted and arranged, in exact relations to each other, and to the whole; fo as to ferve and promote general good. As in a moft healthful Body, all the members, and component parts; every member and component part, even to the minuteft particle, moves, and acts, for the good of the whole; and the whole for every part.

Thus we may confider all Intelligences, or moral Agents, in, and with the whole, in their proper place every one arranged and difpofed, to act for general good; as the Apoftle fays, By Love

PART I.

Moral purity, and impurity.

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ferve one another. This is what he calls true Liberty. No more confummate Liberty can poffibly be conceived, than for every one to do, as he loves to do; when he loves to act concurrent with the good of the whole. But if the perfon becomes felfish, and acts for a part, at the expence of others, he is then deranged in the Syftem; and becomes a corroding part, and is fo far in a ftate of death or mortification.

But God, when he made all things, arranged and organized them in fuch relations, and propen. Lities; both material and immaterial, that of the many things he made; they were all one Syftem, a Plurality in Unity; all ferving and promoting gen. eral Good. And the Man, that moft noble, and curious system, of matter and fpirit; and nearest refembling God himself, of any thing in the whole creation; and directly connected with God as his Head; was in a most glorious, exalted and happy flate. And all things, being perfectly arranged and organized, for general good; Ged faw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. Gen. 1. 31.

b

I fuppofe this to be the thing, wherein Moral Puri. ty or Holiness confifts, viz. Moral Agents, or rational Intelligences, being united, fo placed and connected in fuch re-. lations and organization, and with fuch a difpofition, as that all ferve and promote general good.

Sin will be the direct contrary; a diflocation, derang.. ment or diforganization; fo as to differve general good. Such of the component parts, as become deranged, are finful.

There are alfo terins exprefling the relations of natural or material things; which, as the relations of natural things, bear an analogy to the relations of fpiritual things; thofe relative terms, are not improperly adopted to fignify fim. ilar relations in fpiritual things. Thus uprightness, purity, cleanness, &c. are terms, expreffing the relations of material things; when they are in proper relations, connections and

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Moral purity, and impurity.

PART I.

But though every thing was made perfect in its kind; and every thing properly fitted to ferve and promote general good; yet creatures being finite, are liable to FAIL, to get out of place, to derange or diforganize. Hence there was a neceffity, that means fhould be provided, to maintain that order of relations, arrangement and organization, of the component parts for general good. Accordingly we find, that means were provided, for propagating and perpetuating Animals and Vegetables, by a feminal virtue or quality created in them. We alfo find, that all thefe must be fupported, by a conftant fupply of food to animals; and nutriment

arrangement; and are applied to fimilar relations in fpiritual things.

So alfo the contraries: viz. Impurity, uncleannefs, filth, polution, &c. are terms expreffing improper relations of mia. terial things: Their being deranged or out of proper place: And are applied to fimilar relations in fpiritual things. All uncleannefs, in material things confifts in things being out of proper place, connected in improper relations one to another. Thus the beft, richeft and cleaneft food; put on clothes, or on a floor, defile them.

All these terms, and others of the fame kind; though they are nouns in language; yet, I cannot confider them as names of Exifences; any more than prepofitions, which are relative terms, expreffing the relations of things one to another; as in and out, above and below, &c. Thefe howeven are fimple relative terms. Thofe nouns above mentioned, and all fuch others, are complex relative terms. The terms Holiness and Sin, are relative terms, folely appropriate to the Relations of Spiritual exiftences, or rational Intelligences. The others are applied in common, to exprefs the Relations, of both material and Spiritual Exiftences. But I can have no Idea of Holiness, Sin, &c. being Existences. For I can think of no genus of exiftences they rank under. For I cannot conceive they are either matter or fpirit; and I know of no other Genus of Existences, neither do I know of any predicate, that will properly apply to either of them as a subject.