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bim only fhalt thou ferve. What I obferve is this, that Chrift does not deny the Superiority (d) of the Devil over this lower Region, but reproves his Impudence for tempting his Creator. Happy then are we, that our Captain hath given us. both Precept and Example that we walking by Faith and Good Works may be delivered from the Power of the Devil; and thus guarded may we with Joy and Gladnefs receive the welcome News of our Text, In my Father's Houfe are many Manfions, I go to prepare a Place for

You.

Purfuing the fundamental Doctrine of my
Text, I fhall lay before you these three Things:

I. The Affertion, In my Father's Houfe are many
Manfions.

II. Enquire who we are, and what is the Place
we now inhabit.

III. Shew

Miftakes and falfe Tranflations, which our Forefathers have injudiciously made: nor can I think, as fome do, they would make more.

(d) I do not mean by this Expreffion, that the Superiority of the Devil over this Globe is in a real and abfolute Senfe to be understood but that he had by his Cunning and Policy contrived to have the Difpofal of the Kingdoms of the Earth, and fo to have Power and Authority here: yet it is evident, that Lucifer ought to acknowledge a Superior, for it was an old Decree in Heaven, "Thou fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and

him only fhalt thou ferve." All the Power that Satan hath is in this Word: Wherefore he is ftiled, The Prince of this World, and the God of this World, 2 Cor. iv. 4. and St. Paul fays, that this God had blinded the Eyes of the Inhabitants of the Earth that they should not receive the Gofpel. Our Saviour, John viii. 44. tells the People of his Time: "Ye are of your Father "the Devil, and the Lufts of your Father you will do: he "was a Murderer from the Beginning, and abode not in the "Truth, because there is no Truth in him. When he fpeak"eth a Lie, he fpeaketh of his own: for he is a Liar, and the Father of it.”

III. Shew for whom it is that the Mansions are prepared. And then conclude.

I. The Words contain this Affertion, In my Father's Houfe are many Manfions.

The Doctrine of the Plurality of Worlds is nothing new, especially fince the Defcent of the Eternal LOGOs. If we credit thofe facred Writings, which have by all been esteemed and looked on as a Rule for Faith, we fhould not at all be furprized at a Doctrine fo full of Comfort to Fallen Man. But,

1. Our Saviour in order to inftruct us in, or bring this Doctrine down to our fhallow Comprehenfions, affimilizes the Habitation of his Father with that of a Houfe, fuch as great Men, (as the Word fignifies) were wont to dwell in; in which were feveral leffer Houses, Habitations or Manfions fitted and accommodated to the different Degrees or Dignities of the Perfons inhabiting within that Houfe, or rather Palace: For the Words might be read: In my Father's Palace are many Manfions. And if we look upon the Human Race, and confider how ignorant we are even of thofe Things we are daily converfant with, and which by Neceffity arealways before us, we shall not wonder that we are fo blind and stupid in celeftial Things, as not to be capable of understanding them without the Help of Similes, Allegories and parabolical Sayings. Which alone is fufficient to justify the Revealer of our Redemption, in making ufe of a figurative Way of Speech in Compalfion to our Infirmities.

2. The Text fays, there are many Manfions. The Number of them is to us innumerable. Thus the Pfalmift fpeaking of these Manfions,

fays,

Pfal. xix.I.

-lxxxix.

12.

cxv. 6.

fays, The Heavens declare the Glory of God. He calls them Heavens, because they are above the Earth, for fo are the Manfions, they are to us Heavens, i. e. Places out of human Reach. David lively afferts the Prerogative of God over these Manfions, The Heavens even the Heavens are the Lord's, the Heavens are thine. Again, he calls upon thefe Places to praise and magnify their Creator: Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens, praise him in the Heights: Praife ye him all his Hofts. The Pfalmift being fenfible that fome of these Manfions were fuperior to others calls out thus: Praife him ye Heavens of Heavens. And then fays, that God hath stablished them for ever, he hath made a Decree which fhall not pass.

4

3. It is alfo manifeft, that thefe glorious Places are inhabited by Beings who have attained greater Perfection than we of this Globe. Which is plain from the Words of our Text, In my Father's Houfe are many Manfions, I go to prepare a Place for you, that where I am, there may ye be alfo. Hence naturally arifes this Maxim, That the Souls or angelic Beings of thofe who have attained the greatest Perfection in this Life are admitted into thefe celeftial Orbs, into the Company of those for whom they are prepared, according to their feveral various Attainments in Goodness (e).

4. Which leads me to obferve, that the Goodnefs and Compaffion of our Creator is very extenfive towards us: For as different as

the

(e) Dr.Burnet, p. 319. fays, it is reasonable to fuppofe, [from thefe Words, In my Father's House are many Man"fions," that "every Saint, or Affembly of Saints, will have "their Habitations nearer to Shechinah, or to the Throne of «Glory."

the Complexion and Symmetry of our Bodies are, fo different and various are thofe who we = may (as Men) ftile the Pious or the Perfect: And therefore feveral Heavens, or Places of various Attainments, are prepared for us. O fing unto the Lord a new Song, let the Congregation of the Saints praife bim: for he hath done marvellous Things, and his Mercy is over all his Works.

II. I enquire who we are, and what is the Place we now inhabit.

First, In making this Enquiry, Who we are, and what is the Place we now inhabit; I fhall closely adhere to the facred Writings: And here I fhall confider the firft Part of the fourth Verfe of the twelfth Chapter of the Revelations, the feventh, eighth and ninth Verfes. The Words are: And bis Tail drew the third Part of the Stars of Heaven, and did caft them to the Earth. And there was War in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels: And prevailed not, neither was their Place found any more in Heaven. And the great Dragon was caft out, that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole World: he was caft out into the Earth and his Angels with him.

As to the Time or Period in which this Rebellion happened in Heaven it is univerfally agreed to be before the Creation of Man. That it hath not happened fince is notorious, because the Apoftle Peter (writing to the Chriftians of his Time, places this Action before the Destruction of the old World, in the Days of Noah) faith, That God Spared not the Angels that finned, but 2 Pet. ii. caft them down to Hell, aud delivered them into 14 Chains of Darkness, to be referved unto Fudgment. And spared not the old World-bringing in the Flood upon the World of the Ungodly. And turning the Cities of Sodom, &c. In which the C Apostle

Apoftle diftinguishes between the feveral Periods wherein the various Judgments of God purfued the Wicked. Thus the Rebellious Angels were punished or expelled Heaven before the Creation of Man; the wicked Defcendants of Adam by the Flood, &c.

Having thus endeavoured to establish this grand Maxim, That Lucifer and his Crew were expelled Heaven for their Difobedience before the Formation of Adam, it will not be unneceffary to fay fomething concerning this Rebellion and Fight, the Caufes of it, &c.

As there is no Action how frivolous foever, but what hath some Cause, it would be abfurd to imagine, that this great Tranfaction pass'd, without being founded on Pride, Policy, Craft and Cunning, fpecioùs Pretence, fubtil Reasoning, or the like.

GOD the Father many Years, as we compute Time, before the Creation of Man, thought fit to reveal the Eternal Word, his Equal, unto the Angels, and at this Time to unfold that which hitherto in Part had been to them myfterious (f) called together by the Sound of Trumpet (as we fpeak) all the Hofts of Heaven, and made the following moft gracious Speech from his moft exalted Throne: Hear, O Angels, "and give Ear, O ye Inhabiters of Heaven, I

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(f) Perhaps fome may think this a meer Affertion: therefore let us fee, if it can be fupported from Scripture. I fay, God fummoned the Angels together, which I take from Rev: ix. 15. And the feventh Angel founded, and there were "great Voices in Heaven, faying, The Kingdoms of this World, [i. e. of Heaven] are become the Kingdoms of our "Lord, and of his CHRIST, and he fhall reign for ever." I think thefe great Voices declared fomething that was not fully known to the Angels of Heaven before.

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