existed; as 'tis plain from thefe Writings, and many others; and that those who used the Word created, mean as the several others exprefs it, and no otherwife; fo of Souls. Pug. Fidei, 353. Pet. Galat. 421 in Berefchit Rabba minore upon that of Gen. v. I. This is the Book of the Generations of Adam "This is as if the Scrip

ture had faid, Ifai. lvii. 16. &c. For I will not contend for ever, or contend with the first Adam, nor be wroth for ever with his Generations, for the Spirit from before me Shall cloath, or put on, or be affifted, and Souls I made. R. Tanchum, and they said unto him in the Name of the Masters; the King the Meffiah will never come till all the Souls are created which ascended · in Thought to be created, that is, which God forefaw were to be created. Ibid. Pet. Galat. You have the fame almost in Midras Cobeleth, i. e. the Comment on Ecclef. it runs thus, They (the Rabbies) faid in the Name of Rabbi: The King Meffiah will not come till all the Souls are created which are fore-defigned to be created; which can't be till the end of the World." So feveral others.

The Things decreed, and in the Succeffion put in Execution, Thronus Gloria, the Cherubim, an Exhibition, in Heaven, of the Covenant made between the Aleim, of Christ in the Priesthood, in Rule, &c. Lex

the Terms of Purification, firft párt published in Paradise, the fecond after the Fall. Refipifcentia, Man's returning, and accepting of the Terms. Domus Sanctuarii, the Exhibition of the Cherubim, Prefence, &c. firft at Paradife fupernaturally, after, by that Pattern, in every S. Sanctorum upon Earth. Patres feculi, the Fathers, Line, or Pedigree of Chrift. Ifrael, the Church. Nomen Meffia, the fecond Perfon in the Flefh, &c. So of Paradife, the State of the Bleffed. And Gehenna, the State of the Curfed.

The apoftate Jews have purposely mifconftrued Words, fo as to make the Covenant only made with them; and, feveral other ways, diverted Men from confidering the Covenant, which was made before the World, from whence the three Perfons, at the Creation, are called Aleim. It feems, that as foon as the Covenant was made, the fecond Perfon had, oeconomically, fome distinct Rule, and in that Station, all the Angels of the Aleim were to acknowledge him, and worship him. Hence the Jewish Infertion of that Tradition mentioned above.

In what manner God exhibits Things of Actions to thefe fpiritual Beings, whether, as he communicated Things, by Vifion, to the Minds of the Prophets, when their Bo

dies were asleep, is out of our reach to apprehend; but, when this Covenant was made, and, inter al. it was decreed to create this System and Man; and it was also covenanted, that a Man was to be the Son of Jehovah, and to be joined to the second Perfon, and taken into the Effence, and was exhibited, as 'tis to us, in the Cherubim; "Tis certain, it was decreed, when this Exhibition of the First-begotten, only begotten Son, in Diftinction to all other Creatures, Angels, and the first Man who were created, and to all other Men, who were produced by the Generation of Man, that all the Angels of Jehovah fhould then fubmit to worship him; and that, when he fhould be born, they, and all other Creatures fhould actually worship him. And, if it had not been commanded, it would neceffarily, or, as we fay, naturally become the Theme of all the perfect Beings, to praife Jehovah Akim, for refolving to make fo many more Beings happy, by creating, and admitting them, by that Covenant, to the eternal Enjoyment prepared for them, and particularly the Perfon who was to effect this for them, as thofe did who were with the Agent, at publishing the Birth of Christ, cited above. And whatever was latent in the Mind of the Angels who fell,

whether

whether it began in one Chief, and he seduced many others, or in many at once, it appears from the Senfe of all the Traditions, and I think I may fay, 'tis confirmed by Scripture, that it broke out upon this Publication. That one or more of them was guilty of Pride, thought himself of a fuperior Nature to Man, or envied him the Preference, the high Honour of being taken into the Effence, and refused to fubmit to the Decree; for which they were expelled from their Stations, and from thence arofe their inveterate Malice against Man: and their Difappointment enfued from their first Attack, by attempting to feparate the first Man from the Aleim, they were the Inftruments to prefer the Man Chrift to this high Dignity. Pug. Fidei, 333. "in Berefchit Rabba it is thus written In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth, Gen.i. 1. This is what is written, Pfal. xcvii. 11. Light is fown for the Righteous. R. Abba faid, Dan. ii. 22. And Light is with him, or dwelleth with him: this is the Light of the Meffiah, and fo it is faid, Pfal. xxxvi. 10. With thee is the Fountain of Life, in thy Light we fall fee Light. That (Galat. cap. II. lib. 8.) is the

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Light of the Meffiah, and he teaches us by this, that the Holy Bleffed God faw the Meffiah, and kept him under the Throne

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of his Glory. So Satan faid before God, Lord of the World, what is that Light.for, which is laid up under the Throne of thy Glory? He faid to him, it is for the Meffiah and his Generation. He said before him, Suffer me and I will be an Adversary to the Meffiah and his Generation; God faid to him, thou canft do nothing against him. He faid before him, Lord of the World, give me leave, and I fhall prevail. The H. Bleffed God faid to him, if you are firmly refolved fo, I will deftroy Satan out of the World,and not deftroy one Soul of those Generations. Immediately God began to bargain with the Meffiah,and faid to him, Meffiah my just one, the Sins of those who are laid up with thee will put a very heavy Yoak upon thee; thy Eyes will not fee the Light, and thy Ears will hear the great reproach of the People of the World: Thy Nofe will smell Stinks; thy Mouth fhall tafte Bitterness; and thy Tongue fhall cleave to the roof of thy Mouth; thy Skin also shall stick to thy Bones, and thy Body fhall be wasted with Grief and Mourning. Have you a Mind to them? for if thou undertakeft it, well; but if not, behold I caft them off from now. He faid before him, Lord of the World, I am joyful upon it, and take upon me thofe Tribulations upon this Condition, that

thou