tical year, being said to be in the end of the year: That is, when the year past had ended, and another year was begun.* "Thou shalt keep the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field." When God had created the world, and furnished the earth in a manner suited for the habitation of man, he created Adam, and then formed Eve out of one of his ribs, last of all in the end of the sixth day. The particular manner of making Eve, expressed the near and intimate union which was to take place between the sexes, and their mutual relation and dependence, together with the superiority of the man to the woman. These two were so formed, that the whole human race was contained and formed in them, and to be propagated from them; so that in creating these two parents of mankind, and commanding them to multiply and fill the earth, all mankind were created. And as, in creating them he made the whole human race, and they comprehended the whole; so there was a propriety, in treating them as if they were the whole, in his transactions with them, and what he said to them; in this, having respect to all their posterity, and comprehending them as much as if they had then actually existed. As in forming the trees and plants, with the seeds in them, according to their kind, by which they were to propagate the same kind to the end of the world, he created and really gave' existence and form to all the trees and plants that grow out of the earth; they being all comprehended in the original stock; and existing after their several kinds, by the same command which formed the first of the kind, and under the same regulations and laws of nature: So in creating the original stock, the first parents of mankind, with power, and under a command to propagate their kind, God created all their posterity; and by forming them, formed the whole, after their kind. And what he did for, and with them, he did for all, and they, with all their race, were put under the same regulations and laws; and what he said to these parents of mankind, he said to them and their posterity, • Exodus xxiii. 15, 16. Man was made superior to all other creatures on the earth, being created with a rational soul, capable of understanding things of a moral nature, and acting voluntarily, from moral motives: by which he was placed in the moral world, being made capable of moral government; of being under a moral law, and of obedience, or disobedience to it; and of reward or punishment, according to his moral exercises and conduct. And he was made in the moral image of God, with a good discerning, taste or disposition, or rectitude of mind and will, or heart; by which he was perfectly conformed to the rule of his duty, or the moral law; which is the same with conformity to the moral character of God. This is to be made in the image of God, and after his likeness, in the highest and most proper sense, and to exist in the most excellent manner, and must be implied in the expression, "Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness." And in the assertion, " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him :" Though that which is less perfect and excellent may be implied in this, viz. his natural faculties and endowments of understanding and will, and his being made lord of this earth, having dominion over all inferior creatures on earth, and in the sea. The moral image of God must be implied and particularly intended, as it is asserted without any limitation or restriction to the natural image of God, and to be in his moral image, is unspeakably the greatest, most important and excellent: And without which, his natural abilities, and dominion over all other creatures, would be worse than nothing. But were there any doubt about the meaning, St. Paul puts it beyond dispute in giving the true and important sense of the image of God.* "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God (that is, after his image or likeness) is created in righteousness and true holiness."+" And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him." This is parallel with the passage cited from the epistle to the Ephesians, and therefore by knowledge here, is meant that true discerning which implies holiness, and which * Eph. iv. 23, 24. † Col. iii. 10. Christ says is eternal life, even to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ. Therefore, according to St. Paul, to be created after the image or likeness of God, is to be made truly holy, or to put on his moral image. To the same purpose he says, "But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image." The glory of the Lord, is his holiness therefore to be changed into the same * image, is to be made like God in holiness. Man was not only put at the head of this world, this earth, in which he was made, and all creatures and things in it; which were all made for him but the whole creation was made with reference to him, and in a sense for him ; so that he is the end of all, under God, and next to him. It has been observed, that the material or natural creation, however large we may suppose it to be; and even though it may exceed our imagination, was made with reference to the moral world, and for the sake of that; and that angels and men are most probably the only moral agents which were created; and that God's moral eternal kingdom will consist of these only. For the sake of these then the worlds were made; they are the end of all God's works, next to himself, who is the ultimate end of all; for God hath made all things for himself. He made the material, natural world for angels and men, to promote his designs concerning them; and he made them, who are the end of all his other works, for himself. And though man in his natural powers and capacities, and in his situation and circumstances, was first made lower than the angels, and in many respects inferior to them; yet, we learn from the scriptures, that he is more an ultimate end in the creation, than the angels ; or that the angels were made for man, and not man for the angels. We may know the particular end for which God makes any creature or thing by the use to which he puts it, or the end which he makes it to answer. And the scripture teaches us that the angels are improved to answer God's ends respecting man, and that he uses them all in the service of man.t they (the angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to † Heb. i. 14. 2 Cor. iii. 18. "Are minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation ?" It appears from divine revelation, that God designed to answer his ultimate end of the creation chiefly, and in the most eminent degree by man; and therefore all other creatures and things are subordinated to him, and made to answer the divine purposes with respect to him, even the angels, the highest and most noble order of beings that were created. The human race were the peculiar favourites of Heaven. The most important and glorious ends were designed to be answered by them. The redeemed from among men, the church, is the bride, the Lamb's wife, is to be raised in dignity and glory, far above the angels: to sit with Christ in heav en, and reign with him in a peculiar union to him, as the members of which he is the head: while the angels are represented as standing round about the redeemed, waiting upon them and ministering unto them. The Son of God took not on him the nature of angels, but of man, and has hereby laid a foundation to raise the redeemed, who were originally made below the angels, and by sin had sunk infinitely low in unworthiness, guilt and wretchedness, far above the angels in honour, glory and happiness: And hereby is made the brightest and most glorious eternal display of infinite power, wis dom, goodness, justice, mercy, grace, truth and faithfulness; in which God is glorified to the highest degree, that is conceivable or even possible. Into these things therefore the angels desire to look. They are all attention to man, and the wonderful glorious scene that is opened respecting him; and by the church of Christ, and the wonders of redemption, are made known unto them the manifold wisdom of God. Therefore the angels, with all other things visible and invisible, were made for Christ, considered in the capacity and character of the Redeemer and Saviour of the church.* "For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, principalities or powers: All things were created by him, and for him." Therefore when he came into the world to redeem his church by his obedience and death, all the angels of God received * Col, i. 16. command to worship him; that is, to submit and devote themselves to him, to wait upon and serve him in the work and business which he came into the world to perform, in favour of mankind. Accordingly, a multitude of those heavenly hosts attended upon him, when he first appeared in the world, and worshipped him; and were with gladness and joy his messengers to carry the good tidings of his incarnation to men. And they waited upon him, and ministered to him, while he was tempted of the devil, and laboured and suffered in this world; and when he rose from the grave, they were present to serve him, and to tell the good news to his friends. And when he ascended into heaven, all the angels accompanied him with veneration and joy; rejoicing in his exaltation and glory, when he sat down on the right hand of God; and they were all made subject unto him, voluntarily giving themselves to him, to be the willing instruments in promoting his cause and work in the salvation of sinners; rejoicing in the conversion of the elect, and cheerfully serving and ministering to the heirs of salvation. Therefore because the angels were made for man, and are the devoted servants of Christ in his work of redemption, and of the redeemed, constantly waiting upon them, and ministering to them, Christ speaking of the redeemed, calls the angels, their angels. IMPROVEMENT. I. THE view we have now taken of the creation of the world, though a very partial imperfect one, is sufficient to impress our minds with a belief and assurance of the being of God, and of his power, greatness, wisdom and goodness; the marks and evidences of which are every where to be seen, in the things which are made. The existence of the world, and of all things round us which we behold, and our own existence, and the manner of it, are a demonstration, constantly held before our eyes, of the existence of an invisible Being, who has power and wisdom enough to contrive and produce all these things in their order and harmony; and so as to supply the wants, and promote the happiness of |