The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University
Jonathan Edwards [1743], "Prophecies of the Messiah" (WJE Online Vol. 30) , Ed. Jonathan Edwards Center [word count] [jec-wjeo30].
>"Places of the Old Testament Which Intimate a Future State"
OT Intimations of Future State
"Places of the Old Testament Which Intimate a Future State" A series of notations from various passages of the Hebrew Bible around the theme of an afterlife. Edwards refers to this manuscript, among other places, in his "Blank Bible" note on Gen. 49:33 and in "Harmony of the Old and New Testament," MS pp. 6 and 161, on Ps. 102. * * * * * The MS (ANTS, f. ND5.4-5) is composed of three pieces of foolscap: a long, narrow slip (cols. 1-2), a slightly wider piece (cols. 3-4), and, the largest, a salvaged letter cover, each side divided into three columns (cols. 5-10). That the manuscript is incomplete is confirmed by Edwards' reference at one point to "p. 25," meaning most likely a column number. Places of the Old T. which a Future state or naturally & directly Lead to expect one
Even Life for Evermore. Gen 49. 33 Gave up the Ghost & was Gathered to His people vid. note Job 27. 19. 20. 21"Blank Bible," in loc. The rich man shall lie down but he shall not terrours shall take hold on him. Job 26. 5 dead things are formed from under the waters Ezek 32 27 Their Iniquities shall be upon their Bones Eccles 3. 21. sp. of man that Goeth up & sp. of Earth. with Eccles 12. 7. The sp. turn to G. who gave it Ps 73 24 Guide me By thy Counsel & after wards Recieve me to Glory. Ps. 17. 14. 15. Portion in this Life ousness I shall be satisfi- ed when I awake with thy likeness. Eccles. 9. 2 all things Come alike to all & other Places that speak of the wickeds prospering . Gave up the Ghost. Eccles. 8. 8 no man hath power over the sp to Retain the sp. Gen 35. 18 as her soul was in departing. Eccles. 8. 12. 13. 14. Job 19. 25, 26, 27. Tho after my skin worms destroy Isai. 57. 1. 2. The Righteous perisheth and mercifull men are taken away . He shall Enter into Peace they shall Rest in their Beds Each one walking in his uprightness. dan 12 . 13. But Go thy way daniel for thou shalt Rest & stand in thy Lot at the End of the days Isai 51. 6 & Ps 102 26. 27. 28 Isai 54. 8. 10 Numb. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the Righteous & Let my Last End be like his . Prov. 14. 32. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the Righteous hath hope in his death . compared with Job. 7. 6 Gen. 23. 4. I am a stranger & sojourner with you. Gen. 47. 9. ----- and have not attained to the days of the years of the Life of my Fathers in the days of their Pilgrimage Levit . 25 . 23. The Land shall not be sold forever: for the Land is mine for ye are strangers & sojourners with me 1 Chron. 29. 15. For we are strangers before thee & sojourners, as were all our Fathers : Our days on the Earth are as a shadow & there is none abiding Ps. 39. 11. 12. 13. when thou Rebukes dost Correct man for Iniquity thou makest his Beuty to Consume away Like a moth surely Every man is va- nity . selah. Hear my Prayers o Lord & Give Ear to my Cry hold not thy Peace at my stranger with thee & a sojourner , as all my Fathers were. O spare me that I may Recover strength before I Go hence, & be no more . P. 119. 19. I am a stranger in the Earth. Jer. 8. 1. 2. at that time saith the L. they shall bring out the bones of the Kings of Judah &c --- their Graves & they shall spread them before the sun & moon &c -- whom they have worshipped &c -- They shall not be buried they shall be for dung upon the face of the Earth I[I] Kings 22. 19. 20 . Because thine Heart was tender &c --Behold there fore I will Gather thee unto thy Fa- thers and thou shalt be Gathered into thy Grave in was slain by the sword of Battle 2 Chron 35. 23. 24 Ps. 21. 4. He asked Life of thee & thou Gavest it him Even Length of days forever & Ever Ps. 22. 26. the meek shall Eat & be satisfied they shall Praise the L. that seek him : your Heart shall Live for- ever . v. 29 . all they that Go down to the dust shall none Can Keep alive his own soul. Prov. 10. 25. as the whirlwind passeth so is the wicked no more but the Righ- teous is an Everlasting foundation. see notes on the place"Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 37. 27 depart from Evil & do Good & dwell for- evermore [-] with * v. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright & their Inheritance shall be forever. with context Ps 125. 1. They that Trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion that Cannot be Removed but abideth forever * Ps. 37. 28 The Lord forsaketh not his saints, they are preserved forever. Prov. 10. 30 The Righteous shall never be Removed but the wicked shall not Inhabit the Earth. Ps. 49. 14. 15. Like sheep are they laid in the Grave death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beu- ty shall consume in the Grave from their dwelling But God will Redeem my soul from the Power of the Grave for he shall Recieve me see also. v. 19. see note on v. 15 Bl. Bib. p. 355 **I.e. "Blank Bible, " p. 355, second column. see margin +In the left margin, JE wrote: "+ see notes on the whole 49 Ps. in Harmony of the old & new Testament." Ps. 61. 6. Thou wilt prolong the Kings Life and his years as many Generations or as it is in the orig. as Generation & Generation & truth which may preserve him see note on Gen. 32. 31. note"Blank Bible," in loc. Numb. 24. 17. I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh . a star shall arise out of Jacob. __________ Exod III. 6. 16. see note on math 22. 31. 32. SS. No. 379. 38[1]."Notes on Scripture," nos. 379 and 381, in WJE 15:363-64, 355-66. Con- cerning Gods Calling hims. the God of Abraham the G. of Isaac & the G. of Jacob. Ps. 16. 9. 10. 11. Therefore my Heart is Glad & my Glory Rejoiceth my flesh also shall Rest in Hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy one to see Corruption Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy Pres. is fulness of Joy & at thy Right hand there are Pleasures forevermore. deut. 10. 21. That your days may be multiplied and the [i.e. Deut. 11:21] days of your Children in the Land which the Lord swore unto your Fathers to give them as the days of Heaven upon the Earth. Job. 14. 12. so man lieth down & Riseth not till the Heaven be no more Compared with those places of the old Testament that declare that there will be a time when the Heavens shall Cease Ps. [-] 102. 26. Isai. 51. 6. see also the two next verses of this Chapter in Job. the 13 & 14. verses Job. 14. 20. 21. 22. ---- Thou Changest his Counte- nance & sendest him away. His sons come to honour & he Knoweth it not. -- But his flesh upon him shall have pain & his soul within him shall mourn. Psal. 38 Ps. 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints . . i.e. in Gods account gainful & worthy to be Prized tho in mans account dredful & worthy to be avoided Jer. 20. Latter End. Jeremiah Exceedingly Laments it that Ever he was born because of the Trouble that doing Gods will had brought on him in this ¤
. [-] & Concludes thus wherefore came I forth out of my mothers womb to see La- bour & sorrow that my days should be Con- sumed with shame . . tis unreasonable to think that saint & doing Gods will finally makes a man miserable & Gives him Great Reason to Lament his having been born. Ps. 16. 11 . Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy Presence is fullness of Joy at thy Right hand are Pleasures forevermore . . The Everlasting duration of those pleasures is spoken of as that which shall accompany
Life but after verses waies before me because he is at my Right hand
Therefore my heart is glad & my glory Rejoiceth MY FLESH ALSO SHALL REST IN HOPE FOR THOU WILT NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL NEITHER WILT THOU SUFFER THINE HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION. . & then the Psalmist in the next words says
that is the way to come to such everlasting Life that shall live after death & be attended with pleasures forevermore Ps. 39. 5. 6. Behold thou hast made my days an hand breadth & mine Age is nothing before thee veryly every man at his best Estate is altogether vanity surely every man walketh in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up Riches & Knoweth not who shall Gather them ". * see next Col.
his prosperity that he can possibly have in this ¤ is spoken of as altogether vanity & less & to no purpose by Reason of the shortness of Life. But doubtless God has Intended his saints that he in the old Testa- ment manifests so Great Love to & speaks of as so Precious to him & makes so many Great
to Especially in the promises of the messiah for something
which is altogether vanity & wholly in vain & not worth having . for he says in Isaiah that Eye has not seen &c -- david upon the same account viz an account of the shortness of Life in v. 12. says of hims. for I am a stranger & sojourner with thee as all my Fathers were . his Fathers Abraham Isaac & Ja- cob declared themselves strangers & sojourners in the Land tho the Land was promised to them and they did not call thems. thus only because they had no settled place of Habitation in it but dwelt in Tents moving from Place to place expecting that the promise of Giving the Land for a settled abode should be fulfilled to their Posterity & not to them for
promise of a settled dwelling in & possession of the Land
as it was in full in davids Time who was the first that subdued the whole Land & brought under the Remains of the Canaanites & took possession of all the
Land in the utmost extent that it was ever promised from the River tes to the River of Egypt
Land . & settled in the possessi on of the The throne in his [col. 6] Family by Gods Promise forever & had a more absolute & high Possession of the Land than any other of Abrahams posterity . yet declares himself by Reason of the shortness of Life a pilgrim & stranger as his Fathers were These things seem plainly to Inti- mate another Countrey another Land of Promise abode * Last Col.] Ps. 89. 47. Remember how short my Time is wherefore hast thou made all men in vain . what man is he that liveth & shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the Grave Ps. 37. 18. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright & their Inheri tance shall be forever with the con text see v. 27. 28 & 29. Isai. 45. 17. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an Everlasting salvation . ye shall not be ashamed nor Confounded world without End. Eccles. 7. 12. For wisdom is a defence and money is a defence : But the Excellen- cy of Knowledge is that wisdom giveth Life to them that have it.] [-] by the manner of solomons speaking here we may conclude it is some peculiar & universal Fruit of wisdom . & therefore not long Life in this ¤
for that was not in those days ar fruit of wisdom for often grew old all things come alike to all as the wise man himself in this Book observes & there is no Knowing Love or Hatred by any thing we see here in this ¤ nor was it the universal concomitant of wisdom as the wise man himself observes v. nor is it reasonable to [--] suppose that the Great & peculiar excellency of wisdom the wise man here takes notice of is long life in this ¤ for then he would be inconsistent with hims. for his whole design in the Book is to shew the vanity & tion of the present Life and all its concerns & Enjoyments. & he says Chap. 2. 17. Therefore I hated Life be- cause the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous to me for all is vanity & vexation of spirit & v. 20 Therefore I went about to Cause my heart to despair of all the Labour which I took under the sun & Chap . 4. 2. 3. wherefore I praised the [col. 7] dead which are already dead more than the liv- ing which are yet alive yea better is he than both they which hath not yet been who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. It is further Confirmed that by Life here in this Place & by Length of days or prolonging our days in other parts of the wise mans writings is not meant long Life in this ¤ By the 13 v. of the next Chapter . where he says But it shall not be well with the wicked nei- ther shall he prolong his days which are as a sha- dow because he feareth not before God & yet in the very next preceding words & part of the same sentence he supposes that a wicked man may live very long in this ¤ . & in the next following words he
as to this Life & its well- fare it happens to Just men according to the work of the wicked & to wicked men according to the work of the Righteous so that nothing can be more Evident than that by prolonging his days v. 13. is meant some thing else besides prolonging days in this ¤ . other- wise the wise man in that & in the foregoing & following verses directly & plainly Contra- dicts himself & talks backwards & forwards as fast as he can speak. Eccles. 7. 1. A Good name is better than precious oint- ment & the day of death than the day of our birth see notes."Blank Bible,"in loc. Job. 27. 18 --- 22. He buildeth his House as a moth & as a Booth that the Keeper maketh (i.e. the Keeper of a vineyard or field or flock. see Isai. 1. 8 Lam 2. 6) The rich man shall lie down but he shall not be Gathered] i.e. his soul shall not be gathered as is often said of Good men SS. History that they died & were gathered to their People see notes on Gen 49. 33. [He openeth his Eyes & he is not . Ter- rours take hold on him as waters a tempest steal- eth him away in the night the East wind carrieth him away & he departeth & as a storm hurleth him out of his Place]
Here some misery in the latter end is doubtless intended that is peculiar to wicked men that are not Ga- thered. . but there can be nothing Peculiar if there be no future state for death makes all alike [--] it puts an end to all comfort of one as much as ano- ther & with as much pain of body. [G. shall Cast upon him & not spare he would fain flee out of his hand.] which taken with what precedes must be under- stood of the wrath of God, executed after death which Good men when they die do not suffer Ps. 73. 17. 18. 19. until I went into the sanctuary of God. then understood I their End. surely thou didst set them in slippery Places, thou castedst them down into destruction How are they brought into deso- lation as in a moment ; they are utterly consumed with terrour] . The de- struction here intended can't be meant only their Temporal death for the Godly died as well as they . & the Psalmist had observed before that they die quiet- ly. v. 4. for there are no bands in their death & it is several times observed in the old T. that the wicked Prosper & grow old in sin nor can it be meant of any Temporal Calamity G. brings upon 'em in their Life times for that had been Largely set forth before that they lived in prosperity much greater than some of the saints . nor can it be any Calamity or death that is visible visible to us in this ¤ & falls under [col. 9] our Observation here for the Psal- mist makes a distinction here between what fell under external observation in them which was Prosperity & a quiet death . & what was to be Learn'd in the sanctuary of G. in his word that was kept & taught there & that was this Terrible destruction . & Tis fur- ther manifest also by what follows concerning the Godly that is spoken of them
I am continually with thee thou hast hold on me by my right hand Thou shalt Guide me by thy Counsel & afterwards receive me to Glory – -- my flesh & my heart faileth but G. is the strength of my heart & my portion forever.]
less which Relates to what was said before of the destruction of the
presented the destruction of the wicked that he learnt in the sanctuary then he the opposite salvation of the Righ- teous which he also learnt there
destruction . which cant be any temporal salvation by which they are distinguished for he had before ob- served that they were not distinguished from 'em in that Re- spect [--] Tis Represented as tho the wicked are Cast [down]Conjecture for MS damage. into destruction in slippery but that the Righteousness are kept from falling & held up by Gods hand so that they abide continually or forever without falling v. 23. & that on the contrary after they are guided safely through the slippery or dangerous Road they are Received to Glory . v. 24. & tho their flesh & Heart fails
are Consumed by Temporal death yet God is the strength of their Heart & their portion forever Ps. 103. 13 --- 17. Prov. 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wise. that he may de- part from Hell beneath. Jer. 20. 11 to the End. see notes."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 39. 4, 5, 6, 7. see notes on v. 7."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 26. 9. Gather not my soul with sinners nor my Life with bloody men. Ezek. 28. 10. Thou shalt [col. 10] die the death of the uncir- cumcised. Chap. Thou shalt [Ezek. 31:18] lie in the midst of the un- circumcised with them that be slain with the sword. see also Chap. 32. 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 30, Ps. 149. 5 . see notes."Blank Bible,"in loc. Ps. 139. 24 . see notes"Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 115. 17, 18. . The dead Praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence : But we will bless the Lord from this Time forth and forevermore. Ps. 102. 26, 27, 28. Job. 5. 26 Thou shalt come to the grave in a full age like as a shock of Corn Cometh in his season. Tis not
down into the Earth & rotting as Corn will do when it is fully ripe if neglected
owner. Isai 66. 22. For as the new Heavens & the new Earth, which I will make, shall remain be- fore me. so shall your seed & your name Remain. taken with Chap. 65. 17 18. where the old Heavens & Earth are spo- ken of as vanishing away & being forgotten but the new as remaining forever. This must be understood of the most absolute Eternity . when this Life is spoken of as Eternal in Contradistinction to the Age of the Heavens & the Earth. Job. 27. 8. For what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul. 2 Kings 23. 6. and he brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord ---- & stamped it small to Powder and cast the Powder thereof upon the Graves of the Children of the People 2 Chron. 34. 4. . The Ima- ges he brake in Pieces & made dust of them & strowed it upon the Graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. compared with Ezek. 32. 27. Their Ini- quity shall be upon their Bones see also 2 K. 23. 16, 17, 18. Josiah --- sent & took the Bones out of the sepulchre & burnt them upon the Altar". ---- but concerning the Prophet that foretold this "He said Let him alone let no man move his Bones so they let his Bones alone with the Bones of the Prophet that came out of samaria. Places of the Old Testament Which Intimate a Future State, or Naturally and Directly Lead to Expect One Ps. 133:3, where the Lord commands the blessing, "even life forevermore." Gen. 49:33, [Jacob] "gave up the ghost, and was gathered to his people." Vid. note Job 26:5, "Dead things are formed from under the waters." Ezek. 32:27, "their iniquities shall be upon their bones." Eccles. 3:21, "spirit of man that goeth up, and [the] spirit of [the] beast that goeth downward to the earth?" with Eccles. 12:7, "the spirit shall return to God who gave it." Ps. 73:24, "guide me by thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory." Ps. 17:14-15, the "men of the world, who have their portion in this life . . . As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." Eccles. 9:2, "All things come alike to all," and other places that speak of the wicked's prospering. "Gave up the ghost."There are a number of passages in the Bible that contain this phrase, starting with Abraham's giving up the ghost (Gen. 25:8) to that Herod's (Acts 12:23). Eccles. 8:8, "no man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit." Gen. 35:18, "as her soul was in departing." Eccles. 8:12-14. Job 19:25-27, "though after my skin worms destroy." Is. 57:1-2, "The righteous perisheth, [. . .] and merciful men are taken away [. . .]. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." Dan. 12:13, "But go thy way," Daniel, "for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Isai 51:6 and Ps. 102:26-28. Is. 54:8, 10. Num. 23:10, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!" Prov. 14:32, "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death." Ch. 11:7 and Job 27:8, compared with Job 7:6 and following verses. Gen. 23:4, "I am a stranger and sojourner with you." Gen. 47:9, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: [. . .] and have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." Lev. 25:23, "The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me." I Chron. 29:15, "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." Ps. 39:11-13, "When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. Hear my prayers, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more." Ps. 119:19, "I am a stranger in the earth." Jer. 8:1-2, "At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the Kings of Judah," etc., "out of their graves: and they shall spread them before the sun and moon," etc., "whom they have worshipped," etc.: "they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth." I[I] Kgs. 22:19-20 and II Chron. 34:28, "Because thine heart was tender," etc., "Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace." And yet he was slain by the sword of battle, II Chron. 35:23-24. Ps. 21:4, "He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever." Ps. 22:26, "the meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever." V. 29, "all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. Prov. 10:25, "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." See notes on the place."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 37:27-28, "Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore," with Ps. 37:28, "The Lord [. . .] forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever"; v. 18, "The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever," with context. Ps. 125:1, "They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, that cannot be removed, but abideth forever." Prov. 10:30, "The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth." Ps. 49:14-15, "Like sheep are they laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me." See also v. 19. See note on v. 15, "Blank Bible," p. 355, [col. 2],I.e. "Blank Bible, " p. 355, second column. see margin, +.In the left margin, JE wrote: "+ see notes on the whole 49 Ps. in Harmony of the old & new Testament." Ps. 61:6, "Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations," or, as it is in the original, "as generation and generation." The next verse is, "He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him." See note on Gen. 32:31, the latter part of that note."Blank Bible," in loc. Num. 24:17, "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: a Star shall arise out of Jacob." Ex. 3:6, 16. See note on Matt. 22:31-32, "Scripture," nos. 379, 38[1],"Notes on Scripture," nos. 379 and 381, in WJE 15:363-64, 355-66. concerning God's calling himself the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Ps. 16:9-11, "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see Corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; and at thy right hand there are Pleasures for evermore." (See other side *.)I.e. entry on Ps. 16:11. JE here seems to use his usual cue mark not to indicate a relocation but simply to cross-reference two entries, so they have been retained in their original locations. Deut. 11:21, "That your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth." Job 14:12, "So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heaven be no more," compared with those places of the Old Testament that declare that there will be a time when the heavens shall cease, Ps. 102:26, Is. 51:6. See also the two next verses of this chapter in Job, the thirteen and fourteenth verses. Job 14:20-22, "thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not: [. . .] But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn." Ps. 38:18-19, with notes."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," i.e. in God's account gainful and worthy to be prized, though in man's account dreadful and worthy to be avoided. Jer. 20, latter end [vv. 14-18]. Jeremiah exceedingly laments it that ever he was born because of the trouble that doing God's will had brought on him in this world, and concludes thus: "Wherefore came I forth out of my mother's womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?" But 'tis unreasonable to think that being a saint and doing God's will finally makes a man miserable and gives him great reason to lament his having been born. Ps. 16:11, "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." The everlasting duration of those pleasures is spoken of as that which shall accompany life that is everlasting, not meaning that which continues through this life but after death, as appears by the foregoing verses, vv. 8, etc.: "I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: MY FLESH ALSO SHALL REST IN HOPE. FOR THOU WILT NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL; NEITHER WILT THOU SUFFER THINE HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION." And then the Psalmist in the next words says, "THOU WILT SHOW ME THE PATH OF LIFE." That is the way to come to such everlasting life that shall live after death and be attended with pleasures forevermore. (See the other side, this mark *.) Ps. 39:5-6, "Behold, thou hast made my days an handbreadth; and mine age is nothing before thee: verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them." (See next column *.)I. e. entry on Ps. 89:47-48. Here man and all his prosperity that he can possibly have in this world is spoken of as altogether vanity, and worthless, and to no purpose by reason of the shortness of life. But doubtless God has intended his saints that he in the Old Testament manifests so great love to, and speaks of as so precious to him, and makes so many great promises of blessedness to--especially in the promises of the Messiah--for something else than that which is altogether vanity, and wholly in vain and not worth having. For he says in Isaiah that eye has not seen, etc. [Is. 64:4]. David upon the same account, viz. an account of the shortness of life, in v. 12, says of himself, "for I am a stranger and sojourner with thee, as all my fathers were"; and Ps. 119:19, his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob declared themselves strangers and sojourners in the land, though the land was promised to them; and they did not call themselves thus only because they had no settled place of habitation in it, but dwelt in tents, moving from place to place, expecting that the promise of giving the land for a settled abode should be fulfilled to their posterity and not to them. For we see that when the promise of a more settled dwelling in and possession of the land is fulfilled to their posterity, as it was in full in David's time, who was the first that subdued the whole land and brought under the remains of the Canaanites, and took possession of all the promised land in the utmost extent that it was ever promised, from the River Euphrates to the River of Egypt, and was king in the land, settled in the possession of the throne in his family by God's promise forever, and had a more absolute and high possession of the land than any other of Abraham's posterity; yet declares himself by reason of the shortness of life a pilgrim and stranger, as his fathers were. These things seem plainly to intimate another country, another land of promise, of more settled abode. Ps. 89:47-48, "Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?" (* last column.)I.e. entry on Ps. 39:5-6, end of first paragraph. Ps. 37:18, "The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever," with the context. See vv. 27- 29. Is. 45:17, "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end." Eccles. 7:12 (see forward, p. 25),Not extant. "For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the Excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it."] By the manner of Solomon's speaking here, we may conclude it is some peculiar and universal fruit of wisdom, and therefore not long life in this world: for that is not and was not in those days the peculiar fruit of wisdom, for wicked men often grew old. "All things come alike to all," as the Wise Man himself in this book observes [Eccles. 9:2], and there is no knowing love or hatred by anything we see here in this world. Nor was it the universal concomitant of wisdom, as the Wise Man himself observes, v. 15; nor is it reasonable to suppose that the great and peculiar excellency of wisdom the Wise Man here takes notice of is long life in this world, for then he would be inconsistent with himself: for his whole design in the book is to show the vanity and worthlessness and vexation of the present life and all its concerns and enjoyments. And he says, ch. 2:17, "Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous to me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit"; and v. 20, "Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun"; and ch. 4:2-3, "Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun." It is further confirmed that by "life" here in this place, and by "length of days" or "prolonging our days" in other parts of the Wise Man's writings, is not meant long life in this world, by the thirteenth verse of the next chapter [8:13], where he says, "But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God." And yet in the very next preceding words, and part of the same sentence, he supposes that a wicked man may live very long in this world; and in the next following words he declares that, as to this life and its welfare, it happens to just men "according to the work of the wicked," and to wicked men "according to the work of the righteous." So that nothing can be more evident than that by prolonging his days, v. 13, is meant something else besides prolonging days in this world: otherwise the Wise Man in that and in the foregoing and following verses, directly and plainly contradicts himself, and talks backwards and forwards as fast as he can speak. Eccles. 7:1, "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of our birth." See notes."Blank Bible,"in loc. Job 27:18-22, "He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh" (i.e. the keeper of a vineyard, or field, or garden, or flock; see Is. 1:8 and Lam. 2:6). "The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered."] I.e. his soul shall not be gathered, as is often said of good men in Scripture history, that they died and were gathered to their people. See notes on Gen 49:33."Blank Bible," in loc. See Ps. 26. 9 "He openeth his eyes, and he is not. Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night. The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place."] Here some terror and misery in the latter end is doubtless intended that is peculiar to wicked men that are not gathered. But there can be nothing peculiar if there be no future state, for death makes all alike; it puts an end to all comfort of one as much as another, and with as much pain of body. "God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand."] Which, taken with what precedes, must be understood of the wrath of God, executed after death, which good men when they die do not suffer. Ps. 73:17-19, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terror."] Vv. 23-25, "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast hold on me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. [. . .] My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."] After the Psalmist had represented the destruction of the wicked that he learnt in the sanctuary, then he proceeds to set forth the opposite salvation of the righteous, which he also learnt there, how they are saved from that destruction. Which can't be any temporal salvation by which they are distinguished, for he had before observed that they were not distinguished from 'em in that respect. 'Tis represented as though the wicked are cast [down]Conjecture for MS damage. into destruction in slippery [places], but that the righteousness are kept from falling and held up by God's hand, so that they abide continually or forever without falling, v. 23; and that, on the contrary, after they are guided safely through the slippery or dangerous road, they are received to glory, v. 24; and though their flesh and heart fails, and the very vitals are consumed by temporal death, yet God is the strength of their heart and their portion forever [v. 26]. Ps. 103:13-17. Prov. 15:24, "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." Jer. 20:11 to the end. See notes."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 39:4-7. See notes on v. 7."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 26:9, "Gather not my soul with sinners nor my Life with bloody men. Ezek. 28:10, "Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised." Ch. [31:18], "thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain with the sword." See also ch. 32:19, 21, 24-30, 32. Ps. 149:5. See notes."Blank Bible,"in loc. Ps. 139:24. See notes."Blank Bible," in loc. Ps. 115:17-18, "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore." Ps. 102:26- 28. Job 5:26, "Thou shalt come to the grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season." 'Tis not compared to corn's falling down into the earth and rotting, as corn will do when it is fully ripe if neglected and not gathered by the owner. Is. 66:22, "For as the new heavens & the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, [. . .] so shall your seed & your name remain," taken with ch. 65:17-18, where the old heavens and earth are spoken of as vanishing away and being forgotten, but the new as remaining forever. This must be understood of the most absolute eternity, when this life is spoken of as eternal in contradistinction to the age of the heavens and the earth. Job 27:8, "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?" II Kgs. 23:6, "and he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, . . . and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people; II Chron. 34:4, "The images [. . .] he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, & strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them," compared with Ezek. 32:27, "Their iniquity shall be upon their bones." See also II Kgs. 23:16-18, "Josiah . . . sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchre, and burnt them upon the altar"; but concerning the prophet that foretold this, "he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria."
Jonathan Edwards [1743], "Prophecies of the Messiah" (WJE Online Vol. 30) , Ed. Jonathan Edwards Center [word count] [jec-wjeo30]. |
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