threatenings, τα νυν, fupp. κατα τα πραγματα νυν, according to the prefent circumftances.

254.1. 'OTI, Because. 1 John ii. 11. And knoweth not whither he goeth, (ori) because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

*

2. Or, fometimes hath an adverfative fense, and must be tranflated But, Yet Wherefore, Heb. viii. 9. may be thus tranflated, Taking them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt.) But they did not abide in my covenant.-1 John iii. 20. Ότι εαν. But if our heart condemn

us

259.—1. 'Ori, When. 2 John ver. 4. I rejoiced greatly (ôrı) when I found of thy children walking in truth.

261.-1., is used to introduce a new fentence.

1 John v. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. (OT) Now this is the witness of God, &c.

268 Пany, on the other hand. 1 John ii. 8. Пaw, On the other hand I write to you a new commandment.

26.-1. n. Mintert obferves, that λn is used by the LXX. as an illative particle, itaque, propterea.

290.-1. Пços, Of, Concerning. Heb. iv. 13. Пgos ov, Of Προς whom we speak ---Nehem. ii. 18. LXX. He spake-(GOS TES 20785 TO Bαotnews) of the words of the king.

294-1. eos. With, denoting prefence. 2 Theff. ii. 5. Remember ye not (¿TI ETI Wv #ços iuas) that when I was yet with you.* (ότι ετι ων προς ·306.-2. Tis, Who, Interrogative. Acts xix. Acts xix. 5. But Ye (TIVES ETE) who, (what fort of perfons) are ye.*-Heb. i. 5. T yag, To whom of the angels faid he at any time?—Rev. vii. 13. TIVES EO, Who are these that are clothed with white robes ?

3. T, Any one. Heb. x. 28. Tis, any one who (whosoever) difregarded the law of Mofes, died without mercy.-2 Pet. iii. 9. Not willing (Tas) that any fhould perifh."

306

1.

308.-1.

περ. Concerning. Phavorinus, ύπερ, ὁμοίως τα περισ weg, Instead of. περ, Inftead of 2 Cor. v. 20. We pray you (ing Xgure) in Chrift's fie d, be ye reconciled to God.*

309.-1. Tπεg, On account of 2 Cor. xii. 10. Diftreffes (vneg Xgirs) on account of Chrift.

310.-1. Teg, With respect to. Philip. i. 29. Xgire, This, with respect to Chrift, hath been graciously given you, not only to believe on him, but alfo to fuffer for his fake.

318.-2. Er

318.-2. Ev . Therefore. Heb. vi. 17. Ev . Therefore God willing more abundantly to fhew to the heirs of promise the immutability. See note 1. on the verse.

319.-1.5 Certainly. 2 Pet. i. 3. 5, Certainly his divine power hath gifted to us.

321.-1.

5, Namely. 2 Theff. ii. 2. siri, Namely that; or, intimating that the day of Chrift is at hand.

325. 5, That. Rom. i. 9. God is my witness, whom I ferve in the gospel of his Son, (ws) that without ceafing I make mention of you always in my prayers.*-In this fenfe as is ufed by Xenophon, Memorab. lib. i. Πρωτον μεν εν, ώς εκ ενόμιζεν, &ς ή πολις νομίζει θεός, ποιῳ ποτε έχρήσαντο τεκμηριῳ ; Firft then, that he did not reckon them gods, whom the city reckoned gods, what kind of argument did they use?

ESSAY

ESSAY VIII,

Concerning the right Interpretation of the Writings in which the Revelations of God are contained.

T

HE revelations of God being defigned to give mankind the knowledge of his counfels refpecting their falvation, the right understanding of these revelations, muft appear to every religious person a matter of great importance. This Effay therefore, haying for its object to explain the phraseology of the writings in which the revelations of God are recorded, it will meet with attention from the reader, in proportion to the value which he puts on religious knowledge.

SECT. I. Of the original Language of Mankind, and of the Method in which Language was at first formed.

The books which contain the revelations of God, being more ancient than any books now extant, are written in the language which mankind used in the first ages, or in a language nearly allied to it. Wherefore, the ftyle of these writings being very different from that of modern compofitions, to interpret them as modern compofitions are interpreted, is without doubt to mifinterpret them, Accordingly, perfons ignorant of the character of the primitive languages, have, by that method of interpretation, been led to fancy that the fcriptures contain fentiments unworthy of God, whereby they have not only exposed these venerable writings to the scorn of infidels, but have formed to themselves falfe notions in religion, which have had a perni cious influence on their morals.

For avoiding thefe evils, the nature and character of the language firft fpoken by mankind must be well understood; and for

that

Eff. VIII.

Of the right Interpretation of, &c.

Sect. I. 233

that purpose the best method feems to be, to confider in what manner language was originally formed.

The first ideas which come into the human mind, being those which enter by the fenfes, it is reasonable to believe that names fr expreiling fenfible objets would be invented before any others; and after them, terms for expreffing those operations of -the fenfes, by which the ideas of fenfible objects are acquired. -And because the operation of the senses have some resemblance to the operations of intellect, to exprefs the operations of intellect, mankind would naturally have recourse to the words by which they expreffed the operation of the senses. Thus, many words of the primitive language of mankind, must have had a twofold fignification. According to the one fignification, they denoted ideas of fenfe, and according to the other they denoted ideas of intellect. So that although these words were the fame in respect of their found, they were really different words in refpect of their fignification: And to mark that difference, after the nature of language came to be accurately investigated, the words which denoted the ideas of fenfe, when used to express the ideas of intellect, were called by critics, metaphors, from a Greek verb which fignifies to transfer; because these words so ufed, were carried away from their original meaning to a dif ferent one, which however had fome refemblance to it.

Metaphorical meanings being affixed to words in the ancient languages to remedy the poverty of these languages, it is plain that he more ancient any language is, it will confift of the fewer words, confequently the more numerous and bold its metaphors will be Accordingly, we find that the primitive languages, and even the languages of favage tribes, which may be ranked with the primitive languages, are all of them highly figurative. On this fubject it is proper to observe, that even after a language has become fufficiently copious, if the people who use it poffefs a vigorous and warm imagination, and are favourably fituated for enjoying sensual gratifications, as is the cafe with most of the eastern nations, being by these circumstances peculiarly disposed to relish the fenfible pictures exhibited in metaphorical and other figurative expreffions, fuch a people, instead of retrenching, will rather multiply thefe expreffions Hence the lan

guage

guage of that people will be more figurative than the languages of nations whofe imagination is languid, and whofe fituation. does not permit them to be occupied in fenfual gratifications. This is the reason that the language of the Hebrews, and of the other eastern nations, by the multitude, the variety, the bold. nefs, and even the extravagance of its metaphorical expreffions, is distinguished from the more temperate speech of the nations in the western parts of the world, whofe imagination is not fo warm, and whofe climate and foil are not fo favourable to luxury, as theirs.

xlix. II.

Of the bold metaphors used by the ancient Hebrews, the following examples are all taken from their facred booksGen. iv. 10. "The voice of thy brother's blood, crieth to me "from the ground.”- Gen. xix. 26. "His wife looked back « from behind him, and the became a pillar of falt.” –Gen. "He washed his clothes in the blood of grapes," to fignify that Judah was to inhabit a country fruitful in vines.Pfal. v. 9. "Their throat is an open fepulchre."-Pfal. Ix. 3. "Thou haft made us to drink the wine of astonishment.”—Pfal. Ixxviii. 25. "Man did eat angel's food: he fent them meat to the "full."-Pfal. cxxix. 3. "The plowers plowed upon my back, "they made long their furrows.”—Isa. xxxiv. 3. "The "mountains fhall be melted with their blood.". ➡ver. 4. "And "all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a fcroll"-ver. 6. "The fword of the "Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatnefs."-ifa. ziv. 23. "I will sweep it with the befom of destruction, faith "the Lord of hofts."-Jerem. xx. 7. "O Lord thou haft « deceived me, and I was deceived."— Ifa. v. I. "beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill." ginal it is On a horn, the son of oil: The horn being the highest part of horned animals, it is used to denote the highest part of a country; an hill. This horn or bill is called, the fon of oil, because the olive which produces oil is one of the valuable fruits of the earth. See Lowth on the paffage.-Ifa. xi. 15. "The Lord fhall utterly deftroy the tongue of the Egyptian " fea."

"My well In the ori