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Sect. II. S

faid, God called the Light, Day: God called the Firmament, Heaven, &c. God rested on the feventh Day; as though he had been weary, and then refted. And when it is faid, They heard the Voice of God walking; as though the Deity had two Feet, and took Steps on the Ground. Dr. T. supposes, that when it is faid of Adam and Eve, Their eyes were opened, and they faw that they were naked, by the Word naked is meant a State of Guilt. P. 12. Which Senfe of the Word, naked, is much further from the common Use of the Word, than the fuppofed Senfe of the Word Death. So this Author fuppofes the Promise concerning the Seed of the Woman's bruifing the Serpent's Head, while the Serpent fhould bruife his Heel, is to be understood of the Meffiah's deftroying the Power and Sovereignty of the Devil, and receiving fome flight Hurt from him. P. 15, 16. Which makes the Sentence full of Figures, vastly more befide the common Ufe of Words. And why might not God deliver Threatenings to our firft Parents in figurative Expreffions, as well as Promises?-Many other ftrong Figures are used in these Chapters.

But indeed, there is no Neceffity of fuppofing the Word Death, or the Hebrew Word fo tranflated, if used in the Manner that has been fuppofed, to have been figurative at all. It does not appear but that this Word, in its true and proper Meaning, might fignify perfect Mifery, and fenfible Destruction; though the Word was also applied to fignify fomething more external and vifible. There are many Words in our Language, fuch as Heart, Senfe, View, Discovery, Conception, Light, and many others, which are applied to fignify external Things, as that mufcular Part of the

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Body

Body called Heart; external Feeling called Sense; the Sight of the bodily Eye called View; the finding of a Thing by its being uncovered, called Discovery; the firit Beginning of the Fœtus in the Womb, called Conception; and the Rays of the Sun, called Light: Yet thefe Words do as truly and properly fignify other Things of a more fpiritual internal Nature, as thofe : Such as the Difpofition, Affection, Perception, and Thought of the Mind, and Manifestation and Evidence to the Soul. Common Ufe, which governs the Propriety of Language, makes the latter Things to be as much fignified by thofe Words, in their proper Meaning, as the former. It is especially common in the Hebrew, and I fuppofe, other oriental Languages, that the fame Word that fignifies fomething external, does no lefs properly and ufually fignify fomething more fpiritual. So the Hebrew Words ufed for Breath, have fuch a double Signification; Nefhama fignifies both Breath and the Soul; and the latter as commonly as the former: Ruach is ufed for Breath or Wind, but` ' yet more commonly fignifies Spirit. Nephefh is ufed for Breath, but yet more commonly fignifies Soul. So the Word Lébb, Heart, no lefs properly fignifies the Soul, efpecially with Regard to the Will and Affections, than that Part of the Body fo called. The Word Shalom, which we render Peace, no lefs properly fignifies Profperity and Happiness, than mutual Agreement. The Word tranflated Life, fignifies the natural Life of the Body, and alfo the perfect and happy State of fenfible active Being, and the latter as properly as the former. So the Word Death, fignifies Deftruction, as to outward Senfibility, Activity, and Enjoyment: But it has moft evidently another Signification, which, in the Hebrew Tongue, is no

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lefs

Sect. II.

lefs proper, viz. perfect, fenfible, hopeless Ruin and Mifery.

It is therefore wholly without Reafon urged, that Death properly fignifies only the Lofs of this. prefent Life And that therefore Nothing else was meant by that Death which was threatened for eating the forbidden Fruit. Nor does it at all appear but that Adam, who from what God faid concerning the Seed of the Woman, that was fo very figurative, could underftand, that Relief was promised as to the Death which was threatened, (as Dr. T. himself fuppofes) understood the Death that was threatened in the more important Senfe; especially seeing temporal Death, as it is originally, and in itself, is evermore, excepting as changed by divine Grace, an Introduction or Entrance into. that gloomy dismal State of Mifery, which is fhadowed forth by the dark and awful Circumstances of this Death, naturally fuggesting to the Mind the most dreadful State of hopeless, fenfible Ruin.

As to that Objection which fome have made, that the Phrase, Dying thou shalt die, is feveral Times used in the Books of Mofes, to fignify temporal Death, it can be of no Force. For it has been fhewn already, that the fame Phrafe is fometimes used in Scripture to fignify eternal Death, in Inftances much more parallel with this. But indeed Nothing can be certainly argued concerning the Nature of the Thing intended, from its being expreffed in fuch a Manner. For it is evident, that fuch Repetitions of a Word in the Hebrew Language, are no more than an Emphasis upon a Word in the more modern Languages, to fignify the great Degree of a Thing, the Importance of it, or the Certainty of it, &c. When we would fignify and O 4

imprefs

imprefs thefe, we commonly put an Emphasis on our Words: Inftead of this, the Hebrews, when they would exprefs a Thing strongly, repeated or doubled the Word, the more to imprefs the Mind of the Hearer; as may be plain to every one in the leaft converfant with the Hebrew Bible. The Repetition in the Threatening to Adam, therefore only implies the Solemnity, and Importance of the Threatening. But God may denounce either eternal or temporal Death with Peremptoriness and Solemnity, and Nothing can certainly be inferred concerning the Nature of the Thing threatened, because it is threatened with Emphasis, more than this, that the Threatening is much to be regarded. Though it be true, that it might in an efpecial Manner be expected that a Threatening of eternal Death would be denounced with great Emphafis, fuch a Threatening being infinitely important, and to be regarded above all others.

SECT. II,

Wherein it is inquired, whether there be any Thing in the Hiftory of the three first Chapters of Genefis, which should lead us to fuppofe, that God, in his Conftitution with Adam, dealt with Mankind in general, as included in their first Father, and that the Threatening of Death, in Cafe he should eat the forbidden Fruit, had Refpect not only to him, but his Pofterity?

DR

R. T. rehearfing that Threatening to Adam, Thou shalt furely die, and giving us his Paraphrase of it, p. 7, 8. concludes thus; "Obferve, "here is not one Word relating to Adam's Pofte

66 rity."

"rity." But it may be observed in Oppofition to this, that there is fcarcely one Word that we have an Account of, which God ever faid to Adam or Eve, but what does manifeftly include their Posterity in the Meaning and Defign of it. There is as much of a Word faid about Adam's Pofterity in that Threatening, as there is in those Words of God to Adam and Eve, Gen. i. 28. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and fubdue it; and as much in Events, to lead us to fuppofe Adam's Pofterity to be included. There is as much of a Word of his Pofterity in that Threatening, as in thofe Words, ver. 29. Behold, I have given you every Herb bearing Seed,-and every Tree in which is the Fruit of a Tree yielding Seed, &c. Even when God was about to create Adam, what he faid on that Occafion, had not Respect only to Adam, but to his Pofterity. Gen. i. 26. Let us make Man in our Image, and let them have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea, &c. And, what is more remarkable, there is as much of a Word faid about Adam's Pofterity in the Threatening of Death, as there is in that Sentence, Gen. iii. 19. Unto Duft fhalt thou return. Which Dr. T. himfelf supposes to be a Sentence pronounced for the Execution of that very Threatening, Thou shalt furely die: And which Sentence he himself alfo often fpeaks of as including Adam's Pofterity: And, what is much more remarkable ftill, is a Sentence which Dr. T. himself often fpeaks of, as including his Pofterity, as a SENTENCE OF CONDEMNATION, as a JUDICIAL Sentence, and a Sentence which God pronounced with Regard to Adam's POSTERITY, ACTING THE PART OF A JUDGE, and as fuch condemning them to temporal Death. Though he is therein utterly inconfiftent with himself, inafmuch as he

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