fame fociety and kingdom of God, with the holy angels, and the redeemed from among men, or share in the punishment of the wicked; therefore, it is reasonable to fuppose, their existence, and fome circumstances relating to them, would have been revealed, had there been any fuch creatures. The Gilence of the fcriptures, on this head, is a fufficient reafon to conclude, that angels and men are the only moral agents, in the created universe. or, at least, not to conclude there are any fuch, and to be filent about them.

If it fhould be faid, that the fuppofition of innumera ble ranks of rational creatures, befide angels and men, represents God's moral kingdom vastly more grand and glorious, than if there were none but the latter: It may be observed, that we are not competent judges of the number which will best answer the ends of infinite wil dom. There must be some bounds set to the number of rational creatures; and how many foever are included. in this number; there would be equal reafon, to suppose it would be better, and render the kingdom of God still more grand and glorious, to have innumerable myriads added to the number; as there is to fuppofe it would be better there should be more than angels and men: There fore there is certainly no reafon for fuch a fuppofition.

There are "an innumerable company of angels," even when numbers, beyond our reckoning or conception, are left in fin and ruin. And who can have any ade quate conception of the number of the human race, including all who have exifted, and all who fhall yet exift, before the end of the world! No man has any reason to think or fuppofe, that this number of intelli gent moral agents, far beyond his conception, is not exactly fufficient, in the view of him whofe understanding and wisdom are infinite, to answer all the ends of his moral government, and to render his eternal kingdom, most complete, happy and glorious,

The

The number and magnitude of the various bodies, worlds, and systems in the material universe, which we behold, or can imagine, do not render it certain, or in the leaft degree probable, that they are all, or any of them, inhabited by rationa! creatures. If we were certain

that the fixed ftars are all like the fun, in our fyftem, which give light and heat to as many vaft bodies or worlds, as our fun does, and to more: And that there are innumerable ftars or funs, of this kind, invisible to us; yet all these, and as many more as the most enlarged mind can imagine, may be no more, nor greater, than is proper and necessary to answer the ends, which infinite wildom has in view, with refpect to angels and men. It is certain no man can determine they are not all neceffary to answer the beft ends, though there be no other ranks of rational creatures.

God was able, and could as easily create the whole world, and all creatures and things therein; and put them in the best form, and moft perfect order, at once, in the first moment of their existence; as to do it gradually, and by a progressive work; but the writings of Mofes inform us, that he was pleased to be fix days in creating the world, and finishing this ftupendous work: And we are particularly told, in what manner and order this work was carried on, until the whole was finished. We may be sure there were wife and important ends to be answered, by creating in this manner, and taking up the time of fix days, and no more, in this work, though we were not able to difcover or imagine what they are. But we are not left wholly in the dark, with respect to this. It is evident from fcripture, that the natural world is fo adapted to the moral, that the former is a representation or emblem of the latter; and that there is a defined analogy of the natural, to the moral. This appears in that, in innumerable inftanc es, reference is had

to things in the natural world, and ufe is made of them, to represent and illuftrate thofe of a moral kind, in the holy fcriptures.

The darkness and chaotic ftate in which the materials of which the world was to be made, lay and were found; it being tohu bohu, without form and void, or emptiness, confusion and vanity, is a striking emblem of the moral flate in which man is found, as the fubject of redemption, from which a moft perfect, beautiful and glorious kingdom is to be formed; which is therefore called a new creation, the new heavens and the new earth. Mankind are, in confequence of the firft apoftacy, in a ftate of moral confufion, diforder and darkness; of total ruin, emptiness and vanity. Redemption or the new creation, the kingdom of Chrift, is formed out of thefe materials; and when brought to perfection, will be a most bright and glorious monument of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; and will fo vaftly exceed the firft creation in importance, duration, worth, beauty and glory, that the former work will be forgotten, and not be worthy of mention, in comparison with the latter. This is the reprefentation given of it in the fcriptures, particularly by the Prophet Ifaiah.* "Behold, I create new heavens, and a 'new earth: And the former fhall not be remembered, nor come into the mind. But be you glad, and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerufalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." This is farther explained by the Apoftles, Peter and John.t Peter, fpeaking of the diffolution of the old or first heavens and earth, fays, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteonfnefs." By the laft words he fixes his meaning of new heavens and a new earth. It is that fociety or moral kingdom, wherein dwelleth righteousness: That is, the holy church and kingdom of Chrift, confift.

Chap. lxv. 17, 18. ta Peter, iii. 13.-Rev. xxi. 1.

ing

ing in moral excellency, righteousness, or holiness. John fays, I faw a new heaven and a new earth: For the firft heaven, and the firft earth were paffed away." He then proceeds to defcribe the new heaven and the new earth, "And I John, faw the holy city, new Jerufalem, coming down from God, out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." This is the new heaven and the new earth, even the new Jerufalem, the holy city, wherein dwelleth righteousness, that is, the church and kingdom of Chrift, formed out of the moral chaos of disorder, confufion and darkness, in which he found mankind; and adorned with righteousness, or true holinefs. None who attend, can be infenfible, that this paffage is parallel with that in Ifaiah, quoted above ; and explains the meaning of the new heavens and new earth, and of Jerufalem, mentioned there. In both places Jerufalem, and the new heavens and new earth, are evidently put for the fame thing; and the New Jerufalem, is certainly the church of Chrift, or the work of redemption, with all the appendages of it.

The gradual increase and advance of light and order, in creating and forming the natural material world, is analogous to the increase of light and order in the moral world, particularly in the work of redemption, and an emblem of it. This light, began to dawn directly after the fall of man, and has been increafing ever fince; and will continue to increase, till the Sun of righteousness, (the fun of the moral world, the Lord and Saviour, who is the light of the world, and of whom the narural fun is an emblem) fhall arise, upon all nations, with healing in his beams; and the earth fhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the fea; when the church shall arise, and put on her morally beautiful garments, and shine in the beauty of holiness. And the darkness in the natural world, preceding light, and night preceding day, is a representation of what takes place in

the church, and will in fome degree continue, till the confummation of all things. Darknefs, affliction and trouble, the fruit of the original univerfal moral diforder, do take place in a fort of periodical fucceffion, which is followed with a greater or lefs degree of light, peace and comfort; until all evil fhall be banished from the church forever, and there fhall be no more night there.

As God was fix days in forming the natural world, in bringing it into the order which he defigned, and, furnishing it with the various forts of inhabitants; and then refled on the seventh day; this was a defigned emblem of the moral world, or of redemption, pointing out the length of time that it would take to bring that to fuch a ftate of order and beauty as was intended, a day being put for the period of a thousand years. During the fpace of fix thousand years Chrift is carrying on the work of redemption, and forming his church and kingdom, out of the chaotic mass of mankind, to a state of order and beauty, through various revolutions and conflicts; when it fhall be brought to a state of reft and peace; and the feventh thousand years of the world shall be a day of reft, when "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatnefs of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the faints of the Moft High ;" and the church fhall put on her beautiful garments, prepared as a bride is adorned for her husband: And the Lord her God will rejoice over her with joy: He will reft in his love, and will joy over her with finging.

Moreover, by working fix days, and refting from his work on the seventh, and confequently fanctifying that, and setting it apart as a day of rest for man, he set an example, and made an inflitution for man, which was useful, important and neceffary, for the best good of man, and the promotion of his defigns refpecting his moral kingdom.* According

No evidence can be produced that this feventh day from the beginning of creation, is not that which is now the first day of the week; and the con

trary